Are you ready for the kickoff of another season? This season marks 100 years of the National Football League, America’s number-one game that brings so much joy, celebration and pain.
Starting Thursday, September 5, the Green Bay Packers and the 9-1 Super Bowl-favorite Chicago Bears meet at Soldier’s Field. This remarkable game will start another season. Let the celebration begin.
Before kickoff, we’ve had rapper icon Jay -Z joining the NFL and the shocking retirement of the Indianapolis Colts’ 29-year-old quarterback Andrew Luck, as well as holdouts by running backs Ezekiel Elliott of Dallas and Melvin Gordon of Los Angeles. Both players are feeling devalued by a wage scale that punishes many who have grabbed the headlines.
The business of football is no fantasy. Ready or not, let’s go. It’s 2019.
The Vikings under Head Coach Mike Zimmer — this is his year six — are 47-32-1 in the regular season, 1-2 in the playoffs.
The Vikings’ theme for 2019 is The Voyage. Having lost its talented COO Kevin Warren, this organization has everything but a championship. Is this finally the season they go the final yard?
They’ll be facing one of the toughest schedules in the league, seven of 16 games vs. 2018 playoff teams. Buckle up.
The teams highlighted with predicted records will qualify for this season’s playoffs.
NFC North: Chicago 11-5, Minnesota 10-6, Green Bay, Detroit
South: New Orleans 12-4, Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay
East: Philadelphia 11-5, Dallas 9-7, Washington, New York
West: Los Angeles 12-4, Seattle 10-6, Arizona, San Francisco
AFC North: Pittsburgh 11-5, Baltimore 10-6, Cleveland, Cincinnati
South: Houston 10-6, Tennessee, Jacksonville, Indianapolis
East: New England 13-3, New York, Buffalo, Miami
West: Kansas City 13-3, Los Angeles 11-5, Oakland, Denver
Larry Fitzgerald can be heard weekday mornings on KMOJ Radio 89.9 FM at 8:25 am, on WDGY-AM 740 Monday and Friday at 9:10 am, and at www.Gamedaygold.com. He also commentates on sports 7-8 pm on Almanac (TPT channel 2). Follow him on Twitter at FitzBeatSr. Larry welcomes reader responses to info@larry-fitzgerald.com or visit Larry-Fitzgerald.com.