The Hardline- 2026 NFC predicitions

0:00I'm Sam Slayton, CEO and co-owner at Sante Center for Healing. For three decades, Sante Center has been providing lasting recovery for addiction. Addiction left untreated is a fatal disease. Sante offers treatment-based, clinical excellence and compassion, where available now at SanteCenter.com. Turn your mic on, Bob. It's 521, guys. Now it's more like 522. Here on the hard line, it's possible I was on mute. Thank you for knowing that. You're welcome. And off we go after a little bit of granola there in the brain. Yeah, I told them it was like ASMR granola. He was shamed and went on mute. Well, you don't want to be that guy, but I would guess I was. All right, let's do some NFC picks as we prepare for opening night on your home for the NFL. The ticket, of course, with all of these games tonight, tomorrow night, Sunday night, football, Monday night, football. We're having it.

1:01So let's do some NFC picks to see how we feel about everything. This time, let's start in the South. We'll see if Corby will do what you anticipate him doing. I will not vary from my bit, but it's not a bit. I think that our Tampa Bay Buccaneers are ready for a nice rebound after, as Mous said earlier this week, Baker didn't have the same starting lineup on the offensive line for one game last year. They were decimated with injuries. Then he lost Christians too. Yeah, Chris Godman was out for half the year. Mike Evans was out for more than half the year. They were gone. Yeah, Bucky Irving. They were gone so everywhere. And really Baker just held it together with heart. Yeah, yeah. And go ahead. Well, yeah, duh, duh. And the chip on his shoulder. You know, they added Ruben Bane. They added the what's the Detroit linebacker with the long hair.

2:03Really? Yeah, Angeloni. They've added some pieces. They went heavy, heavy on defense and the draft. And so things are trending upward on that defense. And that was also a huge problem with them. I think Tampa Bay is poised for a really big bounce back nine to 10 wind season that'll take the South. Let me ask you is Todd Bulls still their coach? Yeah, I don't like it either, Bob, but really I'll be taking Carolina. I feel like that Baker is now the coach. So well, that's good. Yeah, right. Yeah, he's got the reins. Yeah, I like Carolina in this division. I don't love Carolina, but I speaking of adding a lot of pieces in the off season. They went and got Jalen Phillips. They drafted big Lee Hunter from tech. Monroe Freely to help out their offensive line. In fact, they got three new starters on the offensive line, which, which will help them quite a bit. So still holding on to my final shares of the Bryce Young stock.

3:06And I got Carolina, Dave. I will begrudgingly follow Corby onto the Baker bandwagon. Okay. So you don't even have Tampa is a heavy wild card, Bob? Well, either you're a wild card or not. It's, it's like being pregnant. You can't be a heavy wild card. So I will top wild card. I will just say Carolina will be my lone team from the zone as somebody who mocks and avoids both the NFC and AFC self at all times, despite living in the system. And then look, I'm going to be sent a little note to Mr. Mayfield on that one bit of a hypocrite. But well, he's got nobody else to be mad at, make it me this time. Guess who's ignoring your division? Bob Sturm. Let's go to the North. Rolling Stones, Bob Sturm. Yeah, Rolling Stones, Bob Sturm. Let's go to the North where we have exciting developments up there. Every team thinks they are in the mix to go to the playoffs. It's very unlikely that every team will go.

4:07And so I will be taking the Detroit Lions to win the division. And I believe I will be taking the Green Bay Packers to win the wild card. You're right. Depending on who you read and who you look at, every one of these teams is a playoff contender or in the playoffs or winning the division. And you don't have to squint too hard to see any of them doing it. Do the Bears fall back? Are they? He's also got Caleb, though. So the score gets really complicated. Do the Bears fall back? I don't know. They were living a little bit on smoking mirrors, but I also believe in the fact that Ben Johnson is a really, really good head coach. And regardless of what happened last year, they're going to improve next year. I think, yes, Minnesota is going to improve. I think that it's the first time Kyler has been in a competent organization and forever.

5:09The probably just Norman. Also, the first time he's taken a snap from under center, will he be able to see? That's right. I can see the defense. I can see the eye now. Well, eyes right at the butt of the center. And he just, that's all he's talking about. The top of his helmet is just peeking over the ass cheeks. Well, the next question is, can the defense see him? Also a fair question. Thank you. Thank you. Maybe it'll be like the, the old Midgettoss. Geez. I don't know if you could say that, but funny. They just pick him up and throw him backwards. Yeah, what was it? Mike Leach wanted to do that. Yeah, well, that was Mike Leach's bit. Yeah, he wanted to do it. Maybe it'll finally be put into practice. He wanted to employ a little person, given the ball, and just throw him over the top. Just a launch, yeah. But I think that I'm going to go with the Bears. I'm going to go with the Bears to win this division.

6:10And I'm going to go with the Lions as a wildcard team. All right. Well, I promise I'm not copying your homework, Bob. But I also have the Lions as the division winner and the Packers as the wildcard. Okay. Well, if you're allowed to feel the same way, once I go to the West. It's my favorite division. I said this last year, and it's my favorite division in all of football, because it'll be the most competitive, you know, barring injury and things like that. The Packers not freaked out though, Bob, over the fact that Mike is not going to be there for, you know, two months. And then you've lost your running back for probably the year. Like, is that not a big deal? I think Mike will be back by October. I think you'll miss the first four weeks, so it's not that different than like Tyler Smith. When's the cowboy game? That week six. That's the goal, right? They hope he's back by then. They got the Bears week five and the Cowboys week six. So you think he'll probably play and one if not both of those games. Okay. So Owen five had ended the cowboy game.

7:10Yeah, that's cool. Yeah. Um, let's see to the West where I believe I will be taking the Rams to win the division and the Seahawks to make it to the wildcard. Very boring, but that's where I met. Megaditos. I really want to put the Niners in there. I'll do it. I really, really want to put the Niners in there because I mean, you got the Bears winning the division. You're obviously not taking the series. Okay. This is unbelievable. This is unbelievable. I'm looking ears, but the Niners put them all in. Unbelievable. Uh, I will take the Rams and I will take the Seahawks, but I'm telling you and you know what DJ, write this down. This isn't a pick, but I'm telling you. Look out for them 49ers this year. I'm saying, yeah, it's all I'm going to say the white running back, right? Yeah, he sucks. They won 12 games last year. They should be pretty. Yeah, but they had that double dip of bad bad, bad division.

8:12So the station. Yeah, took them out. And then in the east guys. Uh, after some humming and haing. I got the cowboys as the wild card. I check it out. So I do have those Eagles with a, with a, with a free beat. With a divisional win at the, at the final wire. I just, I trust their defense more than I trust Dallas's by quite a bit. And I hope by, let's say Thanksgiving, my opinion has changed on that, but it hasn't changed yet. I'm going to take your Dallas cowboys to win the division with the Eagles hot on their heels. Uh, and this is going to be a banger of a race till the very end, but the cowboys sneak in there with maybe nine wins or so. That gets them in. Yeah, I think, I think the east will, will not be quite as competitive as the North, but it will be much more competitive than it was last year.

9:18And I too have the cowboys winning the division and the Eagles as the wild card. Ten and seven is my cowboys prediction for the, for the overall record. A very. Average to above average ten and seven. I think ten and seven's above average for sure. I think they get to 11 wins. What do you think about that? I think 11 is a pretty good number two. It's just, it's a tar, it's a tougher schedule. I think that they got a murderous row of defenses coming up once they get to October through December. It's, it won't be easy for the cowboys offensis here. If they're great, they're going to have to be great the hard way. So your NFC Super Bowl team, who plays the bills? Uh, you want me to go first? Uh, I'll go. I got the lions lions and bills. Why not? Wow, the, the almost Super Bowl where they've been fighting for it for what seems like forever.

10:18I'm going to go with the Rams. I know it's boring and they're the favorites and all that. But I do really like what they have. And I get it. It's a team that's built on 30 some things. But I think they got one really, really fantastic year in them. Now, somehow Puka gets popped for biting people. Then maybe that changes things. But yeah, I like, uh, I like the Rams. Me too. I'm buying the hype. Yeah, I am too. By the way, back to the East. Are we going to see the final year of the Dan Quinn experiment after they go to the NFC championship game two years ago? I think so. I, I have very bad vibes about. You don't think they bounce back at all. Do the offensive line? It, like, it's scary how bad it is. The tonsil thing kills them. Um, I'm not as much as I would love David Blow to have, uh, it all nailed down.

11:18I, I think he's taking a job at just the wrong time or wrong situation. And, and I expect Washington to be short on both sides of the ball to be on. What do we think of the fight and scatterboost? Do we think that this is a, I mean, it's not a year that they're going to contend, but is this a slow like, all right, let's get to seven wins. And then next year, let's really will swing for the fences type thing. Yeah, their big acquisition is, is John Harball. And so next year they'll, they'll start, uh, you know, doing massive personnel rebuild. I would imagine, but I, I just, I think the giants have too many holes. I don't get the Dexter Lawrence thing unless there's just no chance you're going to pay him, but they replaced him with a bunch of, uh, 30 something retreads in the interior. They got like four ed rushers that are scary though. I mean, freaking Brian Burns and Abdul Carter and our Val Reese and Tibado. I mean, they should be able to give the Cowboys tackles some trouble.

12:19No, yeah. I think you should be able to run right at him though. I think there's going to be some, we'll talk about it on Thursday and Friday, but I think there's going to be some sketchy moments for old Dakota, uh, back there where he's going to have to watch his back and his front. If you know what I mean, wow. Mm-hmm. It's very ominous. I know, dude. I'm scared. This offensive line, it's, it's the Achilles heel and they've already lost one guy. So yeah, I'm a little worried about it. It might be a ground in pound night on both sides of the ball. Truck drivers, the holiday rush is here. Now is the perfect time to become a Schneider team truck driver. Schneider team drivers can earn over $4,000 in incentives when they work between November 2nd and December 23rd. Schneider team drivers also enjoy no touch freight access to Schneider's newest equipment and sign on bonuses up to $20,000. Need a driving partner? Schneider will help you find one. Don't let the holiday rush pass you by. Apply now at Schneiderjobs.com. That's Schneiderjobs.com. Real sports fans, we are completely irrational.

13:20I'm not going to check my pick every five minutes. Sure. I'm not going to over-react to the first drive. Yeah, right. I'm not going to crash out in the group chat. Good luck, buddy. That's why I love having something on the line. It turns us all into complete lunatics in the best possible way. Suddenly, you're rooting for a backup tie then you've never heard of because he needs 12 more yards. You're switching seats in the house so you don't jinx the quarterback because, yeah, that's logical. That's sports. That's what Underdog gets. It's not just about the outcome. It's about every second, every yard until the final whistle blows. Download Underdog to play Keep Your Million. Start with $1 million, make it through all 20 picks, and walk away with whatever's left in bonus funds. Underdog. Unleash your dog. Trading involves risk, including total loss of positions, content is promotional, and not a recommendation to trade, term supply, promotion issued by affiliate.

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