3-Wide: Which team will pick first in the 2015 NFL Draft?
3-Wide is a weekly feature in which theScore's NFL editors debate the hot topics around the league. Grab a cold towel and brace for hot takes.
Which team will pick first in the 2015 NFL Draft?
David P. Woods: Barring a major surprise, it will be either the Oakland Raiders or the Jacksonville Jaguars, the NFL's two one-win teams, on the clock when the draft kicks off next April. The Raiders have the more difficult remaining schedule, but they're clearly the better team right now. It's goofy to say this about a one-win team, but it feels like something special might be brewing in Oakland. Derek Carr and Khalil Mack are significant building blocks. Meanwhile, things are falling apart in Jacksonville. The rookie quarterback who got everyone excited after his debut is regressing and taking the entire offense with him. I don't see the Jaguars winning another game, so I expect they'll "earn" the top pick.
Michael Amato: Both the Raiders and Jaguars currently sit at 1-10, however, the Raiders have the edge for the No. 1 pick. I actually think Oakland is the better team, but their schedule is tougher the rest of the way. The Raiders still have to deal with the San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos. Meanwhile, the Jags have a cushy schedule, with the New York Giants, Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans twice. They'll finish ahead of the Raiders.
Joe Thomson: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may still be alive in the putrid NFC South, but, at season's end, they'll be awarded the quarterback of their choosing with the first pick in the NFL Draft. They play the Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints down the stretch. I don't think they win any of those five games and, at 2-14, they will be picking first.
Will Sunday's matchup between the Patriots and Packers be a Super Bowl preview?
Thomson: The Packers and Patriots are the two hottest teams in the NFL but calling this a sure fire Super Bowl preview is absurd. Outside of last year when the (13-3) Broncos faced the (13-3) Seahawks, the two best regular season teams from each conference hadn't met in the Super Bowl since 2002. In fact lately, because of unprecedented parity, Super Bowls have been littered with 10-6, even 9-7 teams. Both the Patriots and Packers are capable of laying eggs in the playoffs.
Woods: Can we possibly be that lucky? Brady-Rodgers would set up as an all-time classic. Though odds favor at least one of these teams slipping up on the road to Arizona, I'll ignore the math and say we will indeed see these two teams on the field in early February. Both have a good shot at locking up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and both are nearly unbeatable at home. Both have a recent history of playoff disappointments to fuel their competitive fire, too. This year, one of them will get over the hump and hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
Amato: It should be a great game, but it won't be a Super Bowl preview. The 49ers defense has been excellent all season and they will be tough to score on during the playoffs should they get in. They went into Lambeau and beat the Packers last January, and they can do it again. The Packers defense is nothing to brag about and that is going to make them vulnerable in the postseason.
Which team will win the AFC North?
Amato: I'll take the Pittsburgh Steelers. They seem to be the most balanced team of the group and will be getting healthy on defense for the stretch run. Troy Polamalu and Ryan Shazier will be back soon to help the defense complement an explosive passing attack, while Le'Veon Bell has proven he's more than capable of carrying the load on the ground if needed. Add in the fact that Pittsburgh plays two teams from the lowly NFC South in their final five contests and they have a real chance to finish ahead of the pack in the North.
Thomson: As it stands right now, the Bengals' unforgivable tie is keeping them atop the AFC North and I won't stand for it. The Baltimore Ravens and Steelers are both the logical options here, but, like Brian Hoyer, I employ questionable decision making and somehow it works. I think the Cleveland Browns beat the Buffalo Bills this week and then win their remaining divisional games against the Bengals and Ravens. And that's how Brian Hoyer saved Christmas.
Woods: The Ravens are the most complete team and also best equipped to win games with the weather getting colder. They boast an efficient rushing attack and a stifling defense that's really rounding into form. The Steelers have a shot at the division title, too, but I can't get behind their defense. The Bengals and Browns both lack high-end quarterback play and that should be their eventual undoing. The AFC North surely has several twists and turns ahead for us, but I think we'll see the Super Bowl champions of two seasons ago emerge with the crown.