My 2014 NFL Predictions September 4, 2014

(2/1/15, 11:01 PM EST UPDATE: Results italicized in parentheses.)

For many years, right before the start of the NFL or MLB seasons, I have predicted seasonal results. It started out as a personal hobby in 2006, then grew to Facebook in 2012. This year, I’m going public and posting my predictions at MikeChimeri.com.

Before we start, you should know that pessimism plays a role in my predictions, meaning I expect the Patriots to win Super Bowl XLIX (right). With that in mind…

Here are my predictions for the 2014 NFL season that starts tonight (playoff seeding in parentheses):

In the NFC: The Seahawks win the West (right) (1) (right), Eagles win the East (2) (wrong; didn’t make the playoffs; Cowboys won with 3 seed), Packers win the North (right) (3) (wrong; 2), and Saints win the South (4) (wrong about winner, but right about seeding; Panthers won South; Saints didn’t make the playoffs).  The 49ers (5) (wrong; didn’t make the playoffs; Cardinals were 5) and Bears (6) (wrong; didn’t make the playoffs; Lions were 6) will be the wild cards.

In the AFC: The Patriots win the East (right) (1) (right), Ravens win the North (wrong; Steelers won North; Ravens were 6 as wild card; ) (2) (wrong; Steelers were 3; Broncos were 2), Colts win the South (right) (3) (wrong; 4), and Broncos win the West (right) (4) (wrong; 2).  The Bengals (5) (right) and Chargers (6) (wrong; didn’t make the playoffs; Ravens were 6) will be the wild cards.  The Chiefs will finish last in the West, making their 9-0 start last season a distant memory (wrong; finished 2nd at 9-7).

In the postseason:
Wild Card: Packers, Broncos, 49ers, and Chargers win (Panthers, Ravens, Colts, and Cowboys won [controversially])
Divisional: 49ers, Broncos, Packers, and Patriots win (Patriots[!], Seahawks, Packers [controversially], and Colts won)
Conference Champions: Packers (NFC) and Patriots (AFC) (Seahawks [NFC] [Packers blew it late] and Patriots [AFC] [controversially]), setting up a Super Bowl XXXI rematch (set up a 2012 regular season rematch). Only this time…
Super Bowl XLIX Champions: Patriots (finally right, unfortunately)

Each year I predict the Patriots to win it all, I am relieved to be wrong. Will that happen again this year? (Unfortunately, no. They won.)

Locally, I expect the Giants to finish last in the NFC East (wrong; 3rd; Redskins were last) and the Jets to finish third in the AFC East (wrong; last by four games). Due to the Jets’ underwhelming season, Rex Ryan will be fired as head coach (right). (Rex ended up head coach of the Bills. Jets hired Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles as their next head coach.)