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Gregory Payan/Associated Press

Given the nature of the NFL, even bold predictions sometimes don't end up being all that bold once things play out.

An offseason ago, if someone had predicted that a rookie quarterback would lead the Baltimore Ravens to the playoffs, the Jacksonville Jaguars would implode, Adrian Peterson would rush for 1,000-plus yards and Patrick Mahomes would throw 50 scores, "bold" wouldn't have been the only way to describe it.

But it's a little like mock drafts: Those are easily discredited, yet the way the draft played out would have looked like the silliest mock possible.

Bold predictions aren't popular, often proclaimed or expected. They're like Mahomes' 50 touchdowns—a long shot. Should they come to pass, they would be understood as just another wild moment of the season.