NEU » CONCLUSIONSAlcorn State won in its two p

NFL Nation reporters rely on their expertise gleaned from their teams offseason activity, training camp practices and four preseason games to bring you bold predictions for the 2016 regular season.AFC East | AFC North| AFC South | AFC West NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC WestAFC EASTBuffalo BillsThe Bills will start the season 0-4.Crazy? Consider that the Bills must play a tough opening-weekend game at Baltimore, then host the Jets on short rest, then play two of the final four teams from last season (the Cardinals and the Patriots), and 0-4 seems possible. Without Marcell Dareus, Reggie Ragland and Shaq Lawson, the Bills will have to find ways to plug holes on defense and avoid falling far behind early in the season. If they finish the first quarter of the season winless, coach Rex Ryan will need to dig out of a monumental hole to finish the season with a winning record and allow him to rest easy about his job security. -- Mike RodakMiami DolphinsDolphins receiver DeVante Parker will notch his first 1,000-yard season of his career.Parker has all the tools but must stay healthy for a full season, which has been an issue. Parker notched 445 receiving yards and three touchdowns in the final six games of 2015, which will provide confidence and momentum for this season. He is also Miamis best deep threat and will get the most opportunities to make big plays. -- James WalkerNew England PatriotsThe Patriots will go 3-1 with Jimmy Garoppolo as their quarterback to open the season.Some have said Garoppolo just needs to keep the team afloat, but I think hell do a little better than that and help the team to a strong start. It might be a season-opening loss at Arizona, but home games against Miami, Houston and Buffalo are winnable, and Garoppolo has the tools to succeed. -- Mike ReissNew York JetsThe Jets will put three defensive linemen in the Pro Bowl -- Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams.The former first-round picks are all healthy and they should thrive in the Jets scheme, which uses multiple fronts. Wilkerson and Richardson already have Pro Bowls on the résumé (Richardson was an alternate in 2014) and Williams is poised for a breakthrough. -- Rich CiminiAFC NORTHBaltimore RavensJoe Flacco will reach his first Pro Bowl.He is primed to set career highs in passing yards and touchdowns. Flacco has more speed on the outside than he has ever had in Mike Wallace, Breshad Perriman and Chris Moore. He has a motivated Steve Smith Sr., who is entering what should be his final NFL season. And he is being protected by a franchise left tackle for the first time in his career. It should be noted that Flacco had a chance to go to the Pro Bowl as an alternate after the 2014 season, but he declined because his third child was due to be born. -- Jamison HensleyCincinnati BengalsThe Bengals will win a playoff game for the first time since 1990.Hold your skepticism please. A healthy Andy Dalton can pick up from where he left off last season, and even though he doesnt have as many targets as he used to have, having one of the NFLs best receivers in A.J. Green just might be enough. The Bengals learned a lesson in how to control their emotions in their wild-card loss to the Steelers. After four years of double-digit wins and playoff appearances but no wins, this is the year they break through. Hey, it has to happen sometime right? -- Katherine TerrellCleveland BrownsThe Browns defense may set records this season it wants no part of.Clevelands defense will struggle and become the sixth team in team history to give up more than 400 points. This defense also will push the team record of 462 points allowed, a mark set in 1990. -- Pat McManamonPittsburgh SteelersBen Roethlisberger will make his biggest push yet for a league MVP, and he just might win it.The veteran QB will definitely have the yards. What he needs is more touchdowns (career high is 32). The Steelers have been clamoring for improved red-zone play the past two years, but if Roethlisberger pairs, say, 35 scores with 10 or more Steelers wins, hell be hard to beat in this category. Hes accurate while taking chances, and hes the glue once again as the offense deals with injuries and suspensions for the second straight year. -- Jeremy FowlerAFC SOUTHHouston TexansRunning back Lamar Miller will finish the season in the leagues top three in rushing yards.During his four seasons with the Dolphins, Miller was underused, topping 200 carries in a season only once, and was not given the chance to be a three-down back. In Houston, expect that to change. -- Sarah BarshopIndianapolis ColtsQB Andrew Luck will rebound from the worst season of his NFL career to throw for a career high in passing yards and touchdowns.And Luck will top the 4,761 yards and 40 touchdowns he had in 2014. And more importantly, a healthy Luck will lead the Colts back to the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons. -- Mike WellsJacksonville JaguarsThe Jaguars will be 4-3 by November.Why is that a bold prediction? The team is just 3-20 in games played in September and October in the past three seasons under coach Gus Bradley. Going with the 4-3 record, it will mark the first time the Jaguars have been over .500 heading into November since 2007, which was the last year the team make the playoffs. -- Mike DiRoccoTennessee TitansMarcus Mariota will be a top-10 quarterback in passer rating, with a good completion percentage, more TDs than his 19 as a rookie and fewer than his 10 interceptions.Mariota has a years worth of experience, a better offensive line, a running game that will make the Titans rely on him less and upgraded weapons to throw to. His solid passing stats will be supplemented by some effective running. -- Paul KuharskyAFC WESTDenver BroncosThe Broncos will win their sixth consecutive division title.Yes, the Chiefs believe theyre better, the Raiders believe theyre better, but unless either of those teams can solve the Broncos defense enough to win a game in Denver, the Broncos will take the AFC West title again. Sure, thats bold with two quarterbacks on the roster who have yet to throw a pass in the regular season in Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch, but the Broncos defense powered a championship run last season and returns nine starters and looks every bit the part once again. If their offense is even marginally better, the Broncos will rule the AFC West again. -- Jeff LegwoldKansas City ChiefsThe Chiefs will win their first AFC West championship since 2010.If that isnt bold enough, the offense will lead the way. Quarterback Alex Smith will set a career best for touchdown passes -- the bar is currently a modest 23 -- and the play of the line will be another key factor. -- Adam TeicherOakland RaidersThe Raiders will be in the playoffs for the first time since 2002.Yes, go ahead, cue up your Jim Mora sound bites and revel in the news. The Raiders have an exciting young nucleus in place with the likes of QB Derek Carr, WR Amari Cooper and DE Khalil Mack and spent the offseason surrounding it with quality veteran free-agent signings such as LG Kelechi Osemele, OLB Bruce Irvin, CB Sean Smith and FS Reggie Nelson. The division is up for grabs, and with the Broncos unsettled QB question, the Chiefs prone to slow starts and the Chargers, well, still the Chargers, its time for a Raiders return to the postseason ... even if its as a wild card. -- Paul GutierrezSan Diego ChargersThe Chargers will finish as a top-10 defense in 2016.San Diego has not finished among the league leaders in total defense since 2010, when the Chargers led the league in total defense. But with the addition of nose tackle Brandon Mebane in free agency and finally signing rookie draft pick Joey Bosa, along with the continued development of cornerback Jason Verrett and linebacker Denzel Perryman, San Diego is primed to make noise on that side of the ball this season. -- Eric D. WilliamsNFC EASTDallas CowboysDak Prescott will have more touchdown passes than interceptions in his time as the Cowboys starter in Tony Romos absence.Not bold enough for you? Since 1980, two fourth-round picks have started season openers: Chris Weinke in 2001 for the Carolina Panthers?and?Kyle Orton for the Chicago Bears in 2005. Weinke went 1-14 and had 11 touchdown passes and 19 interceptions. Orton had nine touchdown passes and 13 interceptions but had a 10-5 record. If Romo is placed on injured reserve and cant return until Nov. 6, then Prescott will have 10 touchdown passes and six interceptions. -- Todd ArcherNew York GiantsThe Giants finish top five in sacks.Its a massive accomplishment given their struggles reaching the quarterback last season, when they finished 30th in the NFL with 23 sacks. But this season defensive ends Olivier Vernon and Jason Pierre-Paul will get close to that number alone. Vernon is primed for a breakout statistical season, and with some young depth behind them on the line (Owa Odighizuwa and Kerry Wynn), there will be constant pressure on quarterbacks. What a difference one year and more than $200 million spent on the defense makes. -- Jordan RaananPhiladelphia EaglesThe Eagles defense will lead the league in sacks.Jim Schwartz got his Buffalo Bills unit to do just that in 2014 (54 total sacks) when he was the defensive coordinator there. He allows his players to attack, which should be good news for Fletcher Cox, Vinny Curry, Brandon Graham and company now that hes in Philly. -- Tim McManusWashington RedskinsKirk Cousins will become the first quarterback in franchise history to throw for at least 29 touchdowns in consecutive seasons.He also will throw more than the 11 interceptions he did last season. But with excellent weapons around him in tight end Jordan Reed and receivers Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson, among others, Cousins will have plenty of chances to look good. Beware big plays on first down play-action throws. -- John KeimNFC NORTHChicago BearsAlshon Jeffery is playing his final season in Chicago.Unless the Bears use the franchise tag on Jeffery again next offseason (which they are permitted by league rules to do), the receiver will test the open market in free agency. The Bears had the chance to lock up Jeffery long-term, but declined, in part because Jeffery missed seven games in 2015 due to a variety of soft tissue injuries. However, Jeffery can put up big numbers, when healthy. The best guess is Jeffery stays on the field and produces in 2016, and cashes in somewhere else in the spring. -- Jeff DickersonDetroit LionsEzekiel Ansah will become a star and lead the NFL in sacks.After finishing third in the league in sacks (14.5) last season, he has looked even sharper during training camp. The Lions line is potentially better than it was a season ago as well, meaning teams might have to double-team him less, particularly if Devin Taylor and Tyrunn Walker play up to their capabilities. That could leave opposing offensive tackles unhappy if they have to deal with Ansah in single coverage because hell win that most of the time. Put him down for 18 sacks in 2016 and in the conversation as one of the best defensive players in the league.-- Michael RothsteinGreen Bay PackersAaron Rodgers will win his third MVP award, tying Brett Favre.Think about it: Rodgers has his best receiver, Jordy Nelson, back from his knee injury, and running back Eddie Lacy appears primed for another 1,100-yard season like he had in 2014. The last time Rodgers had Nelson and an 1,100-yard back, he won the MVP in 2014. Throw in the addition of big-play tight end Jared Cook and a healthy offensive line, and Rodgers has as good a chance as anyone. -- Rob DemovskyMinnesota VikingsEven without Teddy Bridgewater, the Vikings will still make the playoffs.Their defense figures to be one of the best in the league, they still have Adrian Peterson and coach Mike Zimmer seems to thrive on situations where most people count his team out. The Vikings werent built around a prolific passing game last season; they won the NFC North with the leagues 31st-ranked passing offense, so theyre not expecting Sam Bradford to carry the team days after he arrived in Minnesota. It wont be pretty, but theyll find a way to get back to the playoffs. -- Ben GoesslingNFC SOUTHAtlanta FalconsJulio Jones will become the first player in NFL history to reach 2,000 receiving yards in a single season.Jones had 1,871 yards last season, the second-highest total in league history. And he accomplished that on 136 catches. The record-holder, retired Calvin Johnson, had 1,964 yards on 122 catches in 2012. I could see Jones having fewer catches because of the additions of Mohamed Sanu and rookie tight end Austin Hooper in the passing game. At the same time, I could see Jones putting up more yards because the Falcons vow to throw more deep balls this season. Said Jones, If thats me getting 2,000 on the way to being a great teammate, lets do it. -- Vaughn McClureCarolina PanthersQuarterback Cam Newton will become the first player since Peyton Manning in 2008-09 to win consecutive NFL MVP Awards, putting up better numbers than he did a year ago.The return of No. 1 wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin and the emergence of second-year receiver Devin Funchess should produce even more touchdowns for Newton inside the red zone, giving Newton the opportunity to surpass his career-best 35 TD passes in 2015. -- David NewtonNew Orleans SaintsDrew Brees will lead the NFL in passing yards.OK, maybe thats not so bold a prediction since Brees has already done that in four of the past five seasons. But people keep expecting some regression from the 37-year-old. Instead, I say the Saints passing offense will be even more dynamic, with rising receivers such as Brandin Cooks, Willie Snead and Michael Thomas keeping Brees young. The biggest hurdle will be the questionable guard play, which looked shakier this preseason than it has at any point in Brees tenure. -- Mike TriplettTampa Bay BuccaneersThe Bucs will finish at or above .500 for the first time since Raheem Morris 10-6 season in 2010.QB Jameis Winston is in his second year in Dirk Koetters offense, which finished fifth in the league in yardage last season. Winston has a healthy Vincent Jackson, hes improved his chemistry with Mike Evans and he has a true third receiver in Adam Humphries. The defense -- an area the team struggled with last season -- has two new pass-rushers up front in Robert Ayers and Noah Spence, with four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Brent Grimes and first-round pick Vernon Hargreaves III manning a revamped secondary. If the stars align for Koetter in his first year as head coach, those changes are enough to buy this team two, possibly even three more wins. -- Jenna LaineNFC WESTArizona CardinalsThe Cardinals will win the NFC West, win the NFC title and play in Super Bowl 51.Maybe that prediction isnt so bold, but its a little brash. Arizona will have the leagues best offense, led by a healthy Carson Palmer, who will be a contender for NFL MVP. The spotlight and target is on the Cardinals this season after making it to the NFC Championship Game last season and then getting their every move featured on a documentary series streamed on Amazon this past offseason. A lot of eyes will be on the Cards. -- Josh WeinfussLos Angeles RamsTodd Gurley will lead the NFL in rushing.Perhaps that doesnt sound so bold, considering Gurley finished third in rushing (1,106 yards) as a rookie last season. But consider: Gurley averaged a pedestrian 63 yards per game over his final seven weeks in 2015, with defenses stacking the box to close up his holes. The bet here is that the Rams offense will display just enough of a passing threat to give their star running back the space he needs for big gains. By seasons end, Gurley will be crowned the new rushing champion. Hell certainly have plentiful opportunities. -- Alden GonzalezSan Francisco 49ersDefensive lineman DeForest Buckner will make good on his goal to win Defensive Rookie of the Year.Buckner put that individual goal out there before training camp even started, then went out and showed the potential to make it happen throughout the preseason. His position doesnt always lend itself to big stats, but Buckner should get the playing time and opportunity to be an immediate difference-maker for the 49ers defense and bring home some hardware. -- Nick WagonerSeattle SeahawksThis team will get back to the Super Bowl for the third time in four years.Russell Wilson, 27, is in his prime after having led the NFL in passer rating last season, and he returns his top four receivers. The defense has allowed the fewest points in the league for four straight seasons and is loaded with talent. And the Seahawks have continuity on their coaching staff and in the front office. Last year, they were coming off of the most devastating loss in Super Bowl history, and Kam Chancellor held out the first two games of the regular season. They still went 10-6 and advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs. This is a mentally tough group. They need to get competent play from the offensive line and avoid significant injuries, but if those two things happen, the Seahawks are positioned to go on a run and play for a championship in Houston. -- Sheil Kapadia Chaussure Adidas Superstar Pas Cher . The winner Saturday will remain in the elite 10-team field next year. "We talked about wanting to be disciplined and stick with our game plan and good things will come," Draisaitl said, who had two goals for the victors. Acheter Adidas Superstar Pas Cher . A lawyer for MLB, Matthew Menchel, confirmed Wednesday the league dropped its case against Biogenesis of America, its owner Anthony Bosch and several other individuals. The lawsuit had accused Biogenesis and Bosch of conspiring with players to violate their contracts by providing them with banned performance-enhancing substances. http://www.pascheradidassuperstar.fr/ . MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez also will attend the session, which was announced Monday. The league has discussed placing its next two expansion teams in Miami and Atlanta. Adidas Superstar Pas Cher France . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. Adidas Superstar Edition Limitée . McCarthy, a player who played some games in the second tier for Wigan at the start of this season, would go on to shine inside Evertons midfield, outplaying the man he was brought in to replace, on one of the grandest stages in English football. On Saturday, it was fitting that Manchester Uniteds most recent dagger into the chest was delivered by Frenchman Yohan Cabaye, a wonderfully gifted central midfielder who put on an outstanding effort for Newcastle at Old Trafford. HOUSTON -- Grambling State running back Martez Carter had to remind himself of advice he frequently hears from Tigers coach Broderick Fobbs.Coach always preaches that anytime you make a mistake, it happens for a reason, and you have to have a short-term memory, Carter said.Carter rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown and used a dominant second half to help Grambling State overcome a 17-point halftime deficit and Alcorn State 27-20 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship on Saturday at NRG Stadium.Late in the fourth quarter, Carter was nearly in the end zone when an Alcorn State defender knocked the ball loose on the 2-yard line. Luckily for Carter and the Tigers, receiver Dominique Leake was in the perfect place to catch the fumble in midair and step into the end zone to tie the game at 20.Like coach says, every mistake happens for a reason.After a blocked extra-point attempt by Alcorn State, Carter used his short-term memory to put the fumble behind him and scamper into the end zone on a 31-yard touchdown run with less than four minutes remaining to give Grambling State (10-1) its first lead of the game.Grambling State cornerback Jameel Jackson intercepted a pass at midfield with three minutes left to secure the win.The game was a rematch of the 2015 SWAC title game, which Alcorn State won 49-21. The Tigers won their first SWAC championship since 2011 and 24th conference title in school history, the most in the conference.They put us in a bind and dominated us in the first half, but our kids continued to fight, Fobbs said. We scrambled and made some plays and got some key stops, defensively, and were able to come away with the victory.After dominating the SWAC in an undefeated run in the regular season, the Tigers found themselves in unfamiliar territory at halftime as they trailed 17-0.Once we came in the halftime locker room and saw how everybody had the same mindset, I wasnt worried at all, Grambling State quarterback Devante Kincade said. I was ready to get back on the field.Kincade threw for 237 yards and two touchdowns on 15 of 22 passing despite eight sacks.Alcorn State (5-6) got 126 yards rushing and a touchdown from DeLance Turner, who had 16 carries.We gave up big plays and those kinds of things hurt, Alcorn State head coach Fred McNair said. Its just the way it happened and thats the way that second half played out, unfortunately.McNair, who was promoted from quarterbacks coach in February after previous head coach Jay Hopson left for Soouthern Mississippi, guided his team past a rocky 1/3 start to return to the conference championship game.dddddddddddd McNair is the brother of the late NFL quarterback and Alcorn State legend Steve McNair.Grambling State will face North Carolina A&T in the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl on Dec. 17 in Atlanta, the same opponent that beat Alcorn State in the same game 41-34 a year ago.THE TAKEAWAYGRAMBLING STATE: The Tigers dominated the SWAC in the regular season, winning by an average margin of 31.7 points but had to overcome a sluggish first-half start to finish the regular season undefeated in conference play.ALCORN STATE: The Braves dominated the first half and led by three scores at the break before losing momentum early in the third quarter and the lead in the fourth quarter.EMERGENCY KICKERAfter Grambling State kicker/punter Jonathan Wallace was injured on a punting play, he was unable to resume his duties as kicker. Fobbs turned to CB Abubakkar Conteh, who had never previously kicked for the Tigers and the team only recently found out played soccer in high school in Canada. With the exception of the blocked extra-point attempt on a bad snap, Conteh delivered, converting two extra points and handling kickoff duties.RUSHING TO CONCLUSIONSAlcorn State won in its two previous trips to the SWAC title game by dominating the ground game. The Braves more than doubled their opponents rushing yard totals in the previous two victories and were on their way to a similar feat on Saturday, leading the rushing total by a wide margin of 173-96 at the half. In the second half, however, Grambling State outgained Alcorn State 79-16, a key turnaround that ultimately flipped the game.PENALTIES GALOREMcNair acknowledged that committing 15 penalties for 134 yards was a major factor in Alcorn States loss of the early lead. Nine of those penalties for 82 yards were committed in the first half. Comparatively, Grambling State committed 10 penalties for 95 yards.UP NEXTGRAMBLING STATE: The Tigers will represent the SWAC in the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl on Dec. 17 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, taking on North Carolina A&T out of the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference.ALCORN STATE: The Braves are expected to return most of their starters on offense in 2017, including QB Lenorris Footman and Turner, and graduate just three starters on defense. ' ' '