Simply predict the number of regular season wins for each team, in the format like mine below. Your score will be totted up at the end of the season as follows:
Scoring
For each team:
+5 for exact correct number of wins
-1 for each number of wins you are out (either side)
For each division:
+5 for getting teams in exactly correct order
-5 if the team you predict top of division was a playoff team last season but does not make the playoffs this season
-5 if the team you predict bottom of division was not a playoff team last season but does make the playoffs this season
(Consider those last two lines as "playing it safe" deterrents
- illustrated below)Rules
You may predict in increments of 0.5
Ties will count as 0.5 win (and if a team has a tie e.g. ends on 9.5 wins, you have to have predicted 9.5 to get the +5 bonus. If you went for 9 or 10 you score -0.5)
For the purposes of the division order scores: if you put two teams on the same number of wins, the order you write the teams will be taken as your predicted order
You do not necessarily need to ensure all your predictions add up to 256 (the total number of games) - although that is the only way to have a chance of scoring a perfect 200 points
Deadline is 8:30PM EST on Thu 10 September; you may edit as much as you like up to then.
No prize except pride
My predictions (I've marked last year's playoff teams with a * for illustration):
AFC East
NE* 11
NYJ 9
Buf 8
Mia 6
AFC North
Pit* 11
Bal* 10
Cin* 7
Cle 4
AFC South
Ind* 13
Hou 7
Jax 6
Ten 5
AFC West
KC 9
Den* 9
SD 7
Oak 4
NFC East
Phi 11
NYG 10
Dal* 9
Was 3
NFC North
GB* 13
Det* 9
Min 9
Chi 4
NFC South
Atl 10
NO 8
TB 5
Car* 5
NFC West
Sea* 11
Ari* 10
StL 8
SF 4
Illustration of the "playing it safe" rule: in my AFC predictions, if any of New England, Pittsburgh or Indy fail to make the playoff, I would score -5 for them (but no -5 penalty if KC fail, because they weren't a playoff team last year). Similarly I'd score -5 in the NFC divisions if Washington, Chicago or San Fran do make the playoffs, but no -5 penalty if Carolina do.
Note this -5 is additional to the points you get for your number of wins prediction, and it's theoretically possible to get the +5 for exact wins but also -5 "playing it safe" penalty for the same team - e.g. Pittsburgh could get 11 wins for me but miss the playoffs.