Some Predictions for the Upcoming NFL Season

The Jaguars will beat the Packers in Super Bowl XXXII.

The Broncos will repeat as Super Bowl champions for only the third time in the last 20 years.

It’s the 49ers’ year.

It’s the Patriots’ year.

The Chiefs will become the first team in Super Bowl history to win without a running back.

The Minnesota Vikings will win their first Super Bowl.

Plausible scenarios at every turn. All of which lead to a delightful air of uncertainty and drama that, quite frankly, has been missing for years.

The American Football Conference has been unpredictable like this for years--a group of about a half dozen teams all capable of earning the right to be whacked by the dominant National Football Conference team in the Super Bowl. But the NFC no longer has one superior team, which finally gives us the horse race we now confront.

“The NFC as a whole has coagulated a bit like the AFC has been for a long time,” Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Brian Billick said. “In the NFC for many years, it was clear-cut who was No. 1, and the rest of us would hunker down trying to get one or two games over .500. Now, I don’t know that there’s a dominant team in the NFC, and that gives a lot of teams a chance to be in the chase.”

The chase is on. Now, for the particulars:

Five Teams On The Rise:

The Vikings: Robert Smith. Cris Carter. Brad Johnson. Jake Reed. Randy Moss. An offensive line for the ages. The only thing ready to stop this offense is injury.

The Lions: Personnel people around the league talk about the Lions as the sleeper of the league.

The Cardinals: Great young quarterback in Jake Plummer. Decent runner in Adrian Murrell. Awesome defensive line, especially if Andre Wadsworth decides to take end his holdout. Are the Cardinals finally ready to be a real team?

The Raiders: If memory serves, the Raiders haven’t fit this category for about 15 years. Which, if memory also serves, was the last time this franchise did anything worth noting. We’re not talking Super Bowl just yet.

The Redskins: If memory serves, the Redskins have been in this category for the last three seasons. Maybe they’ll finally play like they deserve to be here.

Five Teams Going Nowhere:

The Bears: Hofstra would give this team a run.

The Saints: Mike Ditka’s new life: No drinking. No cursing. No quarterback. No chance.

The Rams: Ironhead Heyward had the right idea. Eat your way out of this mess.

The Eagles: Might want to keep a heart monitor handy for Ray Rhodes, what with his high blood pressure and hot temper.

The Falcons: I’m all for 40-something men playing sports. Just not professional sports. So when Chris Chandler gets hurt and 44-year-old Steve DeBerg takes over, it’s going to get real ugly in Atlanta.

Five Free Agents Worth the Money:

Dana Stubblefield, DT, Redskins: It cost the Redskins $36 million, but they finally solved their No. 1 problem on defense--stopping the run.

Curtis Martin, RB, Jets: It cost the Jets the same amount of money, but they, too, solved a major problem--starting the run.

Yancey Thigpen, WR, Oilers: This big-play receiver will make Steve McNair look like a big-time quarterback.

Bert Emanuel, WR, Buccaneers: Emanuel once had his sights set on being a top NFL quarterback. Instead, he settles for being a brilliant receiver on an emerging team.

Bryce Paup, LB, Jaguars: Coupled with defensive end Tony Brackens, Paup adds a pass-rush burst that could lead this team all the way to the Super Bowl.

Five Rookies to Watch:

Randy Moss, WR, Vikings: He slipped to 21st overall in the draft because of an arrest for battery and a revocation of his scholarship at Florida State stemming from a positive marijuana test. But if Moss keeps his head on straight in the pros, he’s a can’t-miss star.

Vonnie Holliday, DL, Packers: Questions about a knee injury caused Holliday to topple out of the top half of the draft and all the way to the Packers, who couldn’t have been more delighted to get their hands on the second coming of Reggie White.

Curtis Enis, RB, Bears: Look, the kid’s goofy. He blew his chance at playing in a bowl game by accepting a designer suit from an agent while at Penn State. He held out of training camp and then signed a ridiculously low contract that was outdated even before his signature dried. But the one place Enis won’t screw up his life is on the field.

Ryan Leaf, QB, Chargers: He has the arm strength of Dan Fouts and the punky pizzazz of Jim McMahon. It’s a combination Chargers fans will adore for the next 15 years.

Jacquez Green, WR, Buccaneers: Green fell to the second round in a receiver-rich draft, but his production should be blue chip. Man, can this guy stretch the field.

Five Veterans On the Way Down:

John Jackson, OL, Chargers: The highest paid offensive lineman in football? Are you kidding me?

Bruce Smith, DE, Bills: It borders on heresy to suggest that Smith is any less the player he was three years ago. Reality, however, suggests the 35-year-old Smith will begin to feel his age very soon.

Deion Sanders, CB, Cowboys: Deion on the way down?! Hey, a cracked rib here, ankle surgery there, and yeah, Deion is flesh and blood like the rest of us after all.

Terry Allen, RB, Redskins: Norv Turner plans to run Allen until he can’t run any longer, the way Jimmy Johnson used to pound Emmitt Smith. Can’t last forever that way.

Cortez Kennedy, DT, Seahawks: Actually, it never seemed like Kennedy was on the way up in the first place, because he never played up to his immense potential. Maybe now others will start to see why.

Five Players Ready to Break Out:

Jake Plummer, QB, Cardinals: Former 49ers coach Bill Walsh sees a younger version of Joe Montana in Plummer. So get ready for some interesting football in the desert . . . finally.

Antowain Smith, RB, Bills: Look for Thurman Thomas to begin his whining early because he’s not getting enough carries.

Derrick Rodgers, LB, Dolphins: Everyone keeps talking about Miami’s new ground-oriented offense, but it’s the defense that will carry this team. And this talented, yet underpublicized outside ‘backer might be the best one of them all.

Charles Johnson, WR, Steelers: No more Ernie Mills. No more Andre Hastings. No more Yancey Thigpen. All that’s left in Pittsburgh is Johnson, who will be the favorite target of Kordell Stewart.

Brian Still, WR, Chargers: Now that he’s got a real quarterback to throw passes, look for Still to shake his bust label.

Coaches On The Hot Seat:

Dennis Green, Vikings: For a guy who makes the playoffs just about every year, it’s a wonder Green is invariably atop this list each year. But the Vikings’ new owner, Red McCombs, won’t think about an extension until after the season.

Dave Wannstedt, Bears: Would someone please put this poor guy out of his misery already? Wannstedt is overseeing what might be the worst team in football. But not to worry. If and when Wanny is gone, look for Jimmy Johnson to scoop him up and bring him to Miami as defensive coordinator.

Norv Turner, Redskins: It isn’t often a coach lasts so long without going to the playoffs.

Ted Marchibroda, Ravens: After a terrific preseason, Art Modell will invariably be thinking about the Super Bowl. Which only means another sub-.500 season and a new coach.

Ray Rhodes, Eagles: Hard to believe that three years ago, Rhodes was coach of the year.

Dennis Erickson, Seahawks: Playoffs or out.

Mike Ditka, Saints: Just a few weeks ago, Ditka signed a five-year contract extension. And if he lasts that long in New Orleans, I’ll run naked down Bourbon Street.

Dick Vermeil, Rams: Still waiting for that tearful farewell press conference. Odds are 50-50 it happens by ’99.

The Games Worth Noting:

Week 2: Buccaneers at Packers: Are Bucs really ready to contend? An early answer.

Week 3: Lions at Vikings: An 80-point game?

Week 4: Broncos at Redskins: A potential Super Bowl preview?

Week 5: Chargers at Colts: Leaf vs. Manning, Part I.

Week 6: Chiefs at Patriots: Two teams desperately seeking a running back.

Week 7: Packers at Lions: Longstanding NFC Central rivalry in prime time.

Week 8: Jaguars at Broncos: Jaguars look to avenge last year’s playoff embarrassment.

Week 9: 49ers at Packers: One of only four true tests for the 49ers.

Week 10: Bears at Rams: Just want to make sure you’re paying attention. How’s Arizona-Washington instead?

Week 11: Broncos at Chiefs: This is the week when Donnell Bennett (he’s the Chiefs’ starting tailback, in case you didn’t know) proclaims he’s as good as Terrell Davis.

Week 12: Jaguars at Steelers: Brunell vs. Kordell.

Week 13: Giants at 49ers: It was around this time in 1986 that the Giants made a major statement with a Monday night win.

Week 14: Patriots at Steelers: Drew Bledsoe still can’t get over last year’s playoff loss to the Steeler.

Week 15: Jets at Dolphins: If Foley is still standing, this one could get him into the playoffs.

Week 16: Broncos at Dolphins: The last time we’ll ever see Elway vs. Marino.

Week 17: Redskins at Cowboys: Division title could be on the line for ‘Skins.