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New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) is sacked by Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackle Javon Hargrave (79) in the first quarter in the 2017 AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium.(Photo: Greg M. Cooper, USA TODAY Sports)
The NCAA tournament's Final Four is set to tip off Saturday.
But for USA TODAY Sports' NFL staff, the impending action on the court returns our minds to the gridiron. Amid a busy offseason, the league's power structure has been somewhat shaken up. So we took a guess at which teams would constitute the NFL's "final four" teams to make it to the conference championship games in 2018.
Here are our answers:
Jarrett Bell
Steelers: A serious "make-up call" for what could have happened last season. Belichick & Co. poised to fill in again.
Texans: Deshaun Watson makes that much of a difference. Ditto for Honey Badger, teaming with J.J Watt and Jadeveon Clowney.
Rams: Offense sells splash in a new market. Done. Defense wins championships. Son of Bum will show how by pushing the right buttons.
Saints: The clock is ticking for Drew Brees. Formula: Clutch drives. Clutch kicks. Uh, Clutch tackles.
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Nate Davis
Patriots: Padding their tourney resume by dominating a weak conference could hurt their seeding when it's time to set the bracket … oh wait, that has the opposite effect in the NFL playoffs. Yeah, New England looks diminished on paper following free agency, but it sure doesn't look like the AFC East "competition" will prevent the Pats from cruising to another No. 1 seed. I don't have the guts to pick against them reaching the NFL Final Four for the eighth consecutive year. Dukies, man.
Chargers: So it turns out the NFL version of "Hack-a-Shaq" in 2017 was putting the Bolts on the free-throw line, or daring them to beat you with a makeable field goal. Enter new K Caleb Sturgis, who's drilled 94.3% of his shots from the stripe over the last three years, to fix that issue. On a (slightly) more serious note, veteran point guard Philip Rivers can still get it done at a very high level and may see the court even better next season behind an improved O-line and a defense that cleans the glass.
Saints: Be nice if they get out of the gate clean for a change as it might allow them to play a regional final in front of a friendly home crowd. Formerly a run-and-gun outfit, New Orleans appears far more formidable now that it can also bleed the shot clock with Drew Brees allowing Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram to take more shots … though Michael Thomas still does a great job finishing in the paint. A vastly improved defense could still determine the Saints' fate … just as it did at the buzzer last season.
Falcons: Clearly I'm anticipating a strong RPI from the NFC South. With Super Bowl LIII set to be staged in Atlanta's gleaming new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, added incentive for the Dirty Birds to get back to the Final Four first. The Falcons' unexpected offensive struggles in 2017 overshadowed a defense that's quietly emerged as one of the fastest and fiercest in the league, able to slap a full-court press on anybody. But I expect Matt Ryan and Co. will shoot a lot straighter in Year 2 under Steve Sarkisian.
Mike Jones
Rams: Sean McVay and Co. receive their payoff for their aggressive offseason, reaching the conference championship after a wild-card exit in 2017.
Packers: Aaron Rodgers makes a triumphant return from injury and leads the retooled supporting cast back to Super Bowl contention.
Steelers: Big Ben & Co. take over as the top AFC team as the Pats struggle to break out of the Super Bowl defeat hangover.
Texans: Deshaun Watson returns to re-ignite the Houston Texans, who become this year's turnaround contender.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
Patriots: New England has taken its lumps this offseason, but nothing big enough to suggest a precipitous fall. So long as Rob Gronkowski returns and Tom Brady stays on course, the Patriots look to have a clear path to a high seed and an eighth straight AFC Championship Game.
Steelers: It's gut check time in Pittsburgh. After falling short of the rematch with the Patriots that many presumed was predestined, the Steelers have to address the self-destructive tendencies that have haunted them in key stretches. Still, few teams can keep up with them when they're at their best.
Saints: New Orleans looked ready for this level — and beyond — before Stefon Diggs dashed the hopes of Drew Brees and Co. with his last-second touchdown in the divisional round. With an ascending roster powered by young talent, it's difficult to find many holes here.
Vikings: Kirk Cousins very well may not be the missing ingredient for a title run. But with a championship-ready defense and plenty of weapons around him, the prized quarterback shouldn't have to play hero to return Minnesota to this stage.
Lorenzo Reyes
Eagles: The best team in the NFL got better, and with Carson Wentz eventually getting healthy, there's no reason to expect a drop-off.
Rams: It's hard not to love what Los Angeles has built with its aggressive offseason additions – at least for the short term.
Texans: They looked unstoppable when Deshaun Watson was under center and healthy, and a potent defense should keep Houston poised for a deep run.
Patriots: I actually don't feel great about this – and could see the Steelers here – but until Belichick and Brady give me a reason not to include the Pats in lists like these, I'm sticking with them.
