The wait is finally over.  The last competitive NFL game was played February 4 in Minnesota.  7 months and 2 days later, the reigning Super Bowl Champions, Philadelphia Eagles, will host the Atlanta Falcons to kickoff the 2018 season.

No NFL season is ever the same.  Typically 4 new teams make the playoffs each year, leading to lots of unknowns and curiosity.   Just last year the Buffalo Bills ended an 18-year playoff drought, making it to the postseason for the first time since 1999.  The Los Angeles Rams also made the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

Expect some certainties (like Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger) to make the playoffs, but also, expect the unexpected.

Anyway, here are my predictions for every team in the NFL (yes, I went through every game), as well as playoff predictions.

Feel free to call me out down the line if I am wrong on anything (and everything).

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AFC

AFC East

1. New England Patriots: 12 – 4
2. Miami Dolphins: 7- 9
3. New York Jets: 6 – 10
4. Buffalo Bills: 4 – 12

AFC North

1.  Pittsburgh Steelers: 11 – 5
2.  Baltimore Ravens: 7 – 9
3.  Cincinnati Bengals: 6 – 10
4. Cleveland Browns: 4 – 12

AFC South

1.  Houston Texans: 10 – 6
2.  Jacksonville Jaguars: 9 – 7
3.  Tennessee Titans: 8 – 8*
4.  Indianapolis Colts: 7 – 9

AFC West

1.  Los Angeles Chargers: 10 – 6
2.  Kansas City Chiefs: 8 – 8
3.  Denver Broncos: 7 – 9
4.  Oakland: 3 – 13

*Tennessee was 6-6 within the conference, worse than Kansas City, who was 7-5 within the AFC

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AFC Playoffs

Wild Card

(3) Houston Texans v (6) Kansas City Chiefs; Houston wins

(4) Los Angeles Chargers v (5) Jacksonville Jaguars; Jacksonville wins

Bye: New England and Pittsburgh

Divisional Round

(1) New England Patriots v (5) Jacksonville Jaguars; New England wins

(2) Pittsburgh Steelers v (3) Houston Texans; Houston wins

AFC Championship Game (Sunday, January 20, 2019 at 6:40 PM EST)

(1) New England Patriots v (3) Houston Texans; New England wins

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NFC

NFC East

1. Philadelphia Eagles: 10 – 6
2. New York Giants: 8 – 8
3. Dallas Cowboys: 7 – 9
4. Washington: 6 – 10

NFC North

1. Green Bay Packers: 11 – 5
2.  Minnesota Vikings: 9 – 7
3.  Detroit Lions: 8 – 8
4.  Chicago Bears: 7 – 9

NFC South

1.  Atlanta Falcons: 13 – 3
2.  Carolina Panthers: 11 – 5
3.  New Orleans Saints: 10 – 6*
4.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4 – 12

NFC West

1.  Los Angeles Rams: 11 – 5
2.  San Francisco 49ers: 10 – 6
3.  Seattle Seahawks: 9 – 7
4.  Arizona Cardinals: 5 – 11

* New Orleans went 7-5 within the conference, worse than San Francisco, who went 8-4 within the NFC

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NFC Playoffs

Wild Card

(3) Green Bay Packers v (6) San Francisco 49ers; Green Bay wins

(4) Philadelphia Eagles v (5) Carolina Panthers; Philadelphia wins

Bye: Atlanta and Los Angeles 

Divisional Round

(1) Atlanta Falcons v (4) Philadelphia Eagles; Atlanta wins

(2) Los Angeles Rams v (3) Green Bay Packers; Green Bay wins

NFC Championship Game (Sunday, January 20, 2019 at 3:05 PM EST)

(1) Atlanta Falcons v (3) Green Bay Packers; Green Bay wins

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Super Bowl LIII

Sunday, February 3, 2019 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia

New England (12 – 4) versus Green Bay (11 – 5)

New England wins Super Bowl LIII

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Follow Nick on Twitter @Nick_Collins14