stevo's 2019 nfl predictions: the wild card contenders

"There's something wrong with the world today;
I don't know what it is.
There's something wrong with our eyes.

We're seeing things in a different way,
And God knows it ain't His.
It sure ain't no surprise.

We're living on the edge!
Living on the edge!
Living on the edge!
Living on the edge!

There's something wrong with the world today;
The light bulb's getting dim.
There's meltdown in the skies.

If you can judge a wise man
By the color of his skin?
Then mister, you're a better man than I.

We're living on the edge!
(You can't help yourself from falling!)
Living on the edge!
(You can't help yourself at all!)
Living on the edge!
(You can't help yourself from falling!)
Living on the edge!
(You can't help yourself at all!) ...

-- "Living on the Edge" by Aerosmith.

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Here are your 2019 NFL Season Predictions, broken down into five parts:

Part I: The Last Place Finishers
Part II: The Third Place Finishers
Part III: The Wild Card Contenders
Part IV: The Division Winners
Part V: The Postseason

Also, this is your Week One Power Poll.  As always, 32 is typical New York Jets bad, 1 is typical New England Patriots good.

Enjoy.

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16. those people.
Last Year: 6-10-0, 3rd Place, AFC West.
Prediction: 8-8-0, 2nd Place, AFC West.

I have them losing all four road games after their bye (@ Vikings, @ Bills, @ Chiefs, @ Texans).  Win any of those, and they're your six seed.  Especially if that win is the Bills roadie.

15. Jacksonville Jaguars.
Last Year: 5-11-0, Last Place, AFC South.
Prediction: 9-7-0, 2nd Place, AFC South.

Another team I have dropping every road game after their bye, when winning just one of them could mean the postseason.  Especially if that one is against either the Colts or the Titans.

14. Philadelphia Eagles.
Last Year: 9-7-0, 2nd Place, NFC East.
Postseason: W Wild Card 16-14 (@ Bears); L Divisional Round 14-20 (@ Saints).
Prediction: 10-6-0, 2nd Place, NFC East.

It's a clusterf*ck at 10-6 in the NFC, and the Eagles are one of the two that get screwed.  Along with ...

13. New Orleans Saints.
Last Year: 13-3-0, NFC South Champions.
Postseason: W Divisional Round 20-14 (vs Eagles); L Conference Championship 23-26 (OT) (vs Rams).
Prediction: 10-6-0, 2nd Place, NFC South.

I have them going 2-6 away from the Dome.  That dooms them to picking 20th next April.

Which leads us to our four wild cards, two per conference ...

12. Buffalo Bills.
Last Year: 6-10-0, 3rd Place, AFC East.
Prediction: 10-6-0, 2nd Place, AFC East; Sixth Seed AFC.

This was the tiebreaker that came down to strength of victory.  But it wasn't between the Bills, and who you might expect.

11. Green Bay Packers.
Last Year: 6-9-1, 3rd Place, NFC Norris.
Prediction: 10-6-0, 2nd Place, NFC Norris; Sixth Seed NFC.

Although after Thursday night, I might want to flip who I have 1-2 in the Norris.  I have them both at 10-6.

10. San Francisco 49ers.
Last Year: 4-12-0, 3rd Place, NFC West.
Prediction: 10-6-0, 2nd Place, NFC West; Fifth Seed NFC.

I'm not sure what's more full of sh*t with this prediction -- the streets of San Francisco, or me.  I just really like this team this year.  And I have them at ten wins with a gigantic upset loss at Fake RFK, that's how much I believe in these guys.

9. Pittsburgh Steelers.
Last Year: 9-6-1, 2nd Place, AFC Norris.
Prediction: 10-6-0, 2nd Place, AFC Norris; Fifth Seed AFC.

Addition by subtraction baby!

Up next: your divisional winners.  Six of whom are repeats from last season.  Plus the schedule runs, to show how I arrived at your team's projected record(s) ...