Wednesday, September 7, 2011
NFL, who will win the Super Bowl?
The winner will be...the PHILADELPHIA EAGLES, defeating the PITTSBURGH STEELERS. How I want that to happen, and probably put the kiss of death on these two teams by doing that. But, I have to go with homerism and also, the Eagles have to win because they are a team built for winning the Super Bowl this year more than any other. Pittsburgh always seems to bring a good team each year, and I'm hoping for that elusive Keystone State Super Bowl, hopefully it'll happen in Indy.
NFL: AFC West Preview
Back with the final installment of the division previews, where I head out west once again, but this time to the AFC where the defending champions are the Kansas City Chiefs, who got ceremoniously bounced in the wild card round last year by the Ravens. This division is much like the AFC North, where the two teams at the top and the two teams at the bottom have a gap about the size of the Golden Gate bridge. So, it's just going to be interesting to see which team represents this division in the playoffs, will it be the Chargers or the Chiefs? Also, will the Broncos be as horriffic as they were last year on defense? Well, I'll try and answer those questions and pick the winner now.
Denver Broncos
Denver had two years to forget under Josh McDaniels, as the Broncos went 8-8 in the first season, but 2-8 down the stretch in 2009, and then a forgetful 4-12 last year with one of the worst defenses Denver has ever seen. Denver gave up more than 30 points six times last season, and 20 or more points an additional seven times. So, needless to say McDaniels was canned and the Broncos now brought in John Fox who should help stabilize the defense. Plus, they got a standout linebacker in Von Miller from Texas A&M who will try and hold down the fort with Elvis Dumervil in the linebacking corps. The Broncos offense again should be fine, with Kyle Orton as a fine starter and Knowshon Moreno coming into his own as a running back. But, if that defense doesn't turn it around, it's going to be another long season in Denver.
Prediction: 5-11
Oakland Raiders
Oakland is becoming an organization where it doesn't know what the heck they are doing and Al Davis needs to know when to let go of running the team, which is now. Somehow the Raiders weren't awful last season, finishing a respectable 8-8. But, this team has a new head coach again, this time with Hue Jackson and is looking to reach their glory days again. It probably will not happen anytime soon as long as Davis is running the show, but folks in Oakland love their football. Oakland will falter a little bit, but not too much and that is mainly because Nnamdi Asomugha moved on to Philly.
Prediction: 6-10
Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City had a spectacular year last year and they are looking to go back to the playoffs and have a winning season in back to back years for the first time since 2005-06, when they had back to back winning seasons. Now, with a solid running game led by Jamaal Charles and durable veteran Thomas Jones, the Chiefs are well on their way to becoming a playoff team year in and year out. The Chiefs also have a quarterback who doesn't make many mistakes and manages the game well with Matt Cassel who can throw it to big athletic wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. Defensively, the Chiefs are solid with Tamba Hali, Glenn Dorsey and Eric Berry manning the three levels of defense. So, overall this team is very good, but will narrowly lose out on the division crown.
Prediction: 9-7
San Diego Chargers
San Diego missed the playoffs for the first time since 2005, but finished 9-7, good for second in the AFC West. I'm looking for the Chargers to get back to the playoffs due to their consistency and because they seem eager to get back there this season. Philip Rivers again has back his Pro Bowler Vincent Jackson, who held out for the first 12 games last season, so they should hook up quite a bit. Plus, he still has the best tight end in the NFL with Antonio Gates along with an up and coming receiver in Malcom Floyd. The Chargers also will balance their proficient passing game with a solid running one co-led by Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert. These two backs have very different styles with Tolbert trying to bulldoze his way through a defender and Mathews trying to be shify and making moves. But, both are very effective. Then, the defense should be very strong with a group of veterans led by first year Charger Takeo Spikes. Spikes will lead the linebacking corps with Luis Castillo in front and Quentin Jammer behind him. So, this team is looking very solid to begin their hunt for the playoffs. I wouldn't be surprised if this team went to the AFC title game but lost there.
Prediction: 10-6, 3rd seed.
Denver Broncos
Denver had two years to forget under Josh McDaniels, as the Broncos went 8-8 in the first season, but 2-8 down the stretch in 2009, and then a forgetful 4-12 last year with one of the worst defenses Denver has ever seen. Denver gave up more than 30 points six times last season, and 20 or more points an additional seven times. So, needless to say McDaniels was canned and the Broncos now brought in John Fox who should help stabilize the defense. Plus, they got a standout linebacker in Von Miller from Texas A&M who will try and hold down the fort with Elvis Dumervil in the linebacking corps. The Broncos offense again should be fine, with Kyle Orton as a fine starter and Knowshon Moreno coming into his own as a running back. But, if that defense doesn't turn it around, it's going to be another long season in Denver.
Prediction: 5-11
Oakland Raiders
Oakland is becoming an organization where it doesn't know what the heck they are doing and Al Davis needs to know when to let go of running the team, which is now. Somehow the Raiders weren't awful last season, finishing a respectable 8-8. But, this team has a new head coach again, this time with Hue Jackson and is looking to reach their glory days again. It probably will not happen anytime soon as long as Davis is running the show, but folks in Oakland love their football. Oakland will falter a little bit, but not too much and that is mainly because Nnamdi Asomugha moved on to Philly.
Prediction: 6-10
Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City had a spectacular year last year and they are looking to go back to the playoffs and have a winning season in back to back years for the first time since 2005-06, when they had back to back winning seasons. Now, with a solid running game led by Jamaal Charles and durable veteran Thomas Jones, the Chiefs are well on their way to becoming a playoff team year in and year out. The Chiefs also have a quarterback who doesn't make many mistakes and manages the game well with Matt Cassel who can throw it to big athletic wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. Defensively, the Chiefs are solid with Tamba Hali, Glenn Dorsey and Eric Berry manning the three levels of defense. So, overall this team is very good, but will narrowly lose out on the division crown.
Prediction: 9-7
San Diego Chargers
San Diego missed the playoffs for the first time since 2005, but finished 9-7, good for second in the AFC West. I'm looking for the Chargers to get back to the playoffs due to their consistency and because they seem eager to get back there this season. Philip Rivers again has back his Pro Bowler Vincent Jackson, who held out for the first 12 games last season, so they should hook up quite a bit. Plus, he still has the best tight end in the NFL with Antonio Gates along with an up and coming receiver in Malcom Floyd. The Chargers also will balance their proficient passing game with a solid running one co-led by Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert. These two backs have very different styles with Tolbert trying to bulldoze his way through a defender and Mathews trying to be shify and making moves. But, both are very effective. Then, the defense should be very strong with a group of veterans led by first year Charger Takeo Spikes. Spikes will lead the linebacking corps with Luis Castillo in front and Quentin Jammer behind him. So, this team is looking very solid to begin their hunt for the playoffs. I wouldn't be surprised if this team went to the AFC title game but lost there.
Prediction: 10-6, 3rd seed.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
NFL: NFC West preview
At last, the last two divisions to preview, are by far the worst ones in the NFL, both West divisions. And, to give you an idea at how bad these divisions are, the NFC West winner had a losing record last season. While the AFC was better and had the Chiefs nailing down the four seed, but had a worst record than either wild card entry. So, I'm not going to bother with too much time on either division, as both conferences West divisions will only have one entry in the playoffs and neither winner will make it to the Super Bowl. But, I must preview these divisions. Today comes the NFC and tomorrow comes the AFC, along with my 10 best football games of the weekend.
Seattle Seahawks
Granted, this team won the division last year, but also, now they got rid of their quarterback from last season, Matt Hasselbeck, and the fact that every other team is better. Plus, Hasselbeck was the franchise quarterback in Seattle for so many seasons, and now to get rid of him for a worse quarterback in Tarvaris Jackson just seems silly to me. Plus, while Marshawn Lynch did have an amazing run in the playoffs against the Saints last year, he's not that good of a running back. Plus, their defense is one of the weakest in the division. So, to sum it all up, they've taken multiple steps back and now they're trying to rebuild.
Prediction: 4-12
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals are looking to bounce back to contender status in year two without Kurt Warner as their quarterback. Arizona went to the Super Bowl for the first time with Warner at the helm in 2008, and returned to the playoffs in 2009 with him there. Arizona has been a moribound franchise ever since they arrived in the desert more than a quarter century ago. So, to make the playoffs in back to back years was something very special for them. Plus, since they didn't really have a good quarterback to take over once Warner retired, they were doomed to fail. Now, this year, the Cardinals traded for the best quarterback available in Kevin Kolb, once believed to be the successor to Donovan McNabb in Philadelphia. Kolb shined in his first two professional starts, going 1-1 and throwing for over 300 yards in both of those games. However, he has struggled in the three starts since, throwing more interceptions than touchdowns and having a losing record. Kolb and the Cardinals should be much improved this year, as Kolb probably needed a change of scenery and the Cardinals needed a quarterback better than Max Hall. But, with the lockout, Kolb still probably hasn't mastered the Cardinals offense, so it could be a struggle the first few games. But, they will still miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
Prediction: 7-9
San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco had big aspirations last year of winning the division and possibly going to even the NFC Championship game for the first time since the 1994 season. But, those plans quickly got derailed once the 49ers got off to an 0-5 start. So, things didn't quite work out in Mike Singletary's second full season coaching the team. So, over the offseason, the 49ers went out and lured Jim Harbaugh from Stanford and the college ranks to the NFL. Over the years, the transition hasn't been too good for most coaches. San Francisco is hoping that Harbaugh can turn the 49ers around like he did with the Cardinal. It may take him a year or two to do so, having to implement everything, and it may take the players a while to learn his system, with the lockout and everything. But, I think he will turn out to be a decent coach in the NFL, but not one that can lead this team back to its glory days.
Prediction: 6-10
St. Louis Rams
Sam Bradford stepped right into the starting job last year and did a fantastic job up until the final game in Seattle, where the Rams barely lost the division. Bradford was definitely the right choice for the Rams to spend their first overall pick on in 2010, as Bradford didn't get injured miraculously. The Rams did upgrade a little bit at their wide receiver spot, getting a big tall guy like Mike Sims-Walker who can go up and grab so errant throws. But, again, the Rams will be relying on their running game and Steven Jackson to grind it out and help Bradford in his transition from the college to the pro game. The Rams also will be getting better defensively as they have Chris Long and James Laurinatis returning to be better on that side of the ball. Overall, I think the Rams have a solid team which can win the division can continue to get better.
Prediction: 9-7, fourth seed.
Seattle Seahawks
Granted, this team won the division last year, but also, now they got rid of their quarterback from last season, Matt Hasselbeck, and the fact that every other team is better. Plus, Hasselbeck was the franchise quarterback in Seattle for so many seasons, and now to get rid of him for a worse quarterback in Tarvaris Jackson just seems silly to me. Plus, while Marshawn Lynch did have an amazing run in the playoffs against the Saints last year, he's not that good of a running back. Plus, their defense is one of the weakest in the division. So, to sum it all up, they've taken multiple steps back and now they're trying to rebuild.
Prediction: 4-12
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals are looking to bounce back to contender status in year two without Kurt Warner as their quarterback. Arizona went to the Super Bowl for the first time with Warner at the helm in 2008, and returned to the playoffs in 2009 with him there. Arizona has been a moribound franchise ever since they arrived in the desert more than a quarter century ago. So, to make the playoffs in back to back years was something very special for them. Plus, since they didn't really have a good quarterback to take over once Warner retired, they were doomed to fail. Now, this year, the Cardinals traded for the best quarterback available in Kevin Kolb, once believed to be the successor to Donovan McNabb in Philadelphia. Kolb shined in his first two professional starts, going 1-1 and throwing for over 300 yards in both of those games. However, he has struggled in the three starts since, throwing more interceptions than touchdowns and having a losing record. Kolb and the Cardinals should be much improved this year, as Kolb probably needed a change of scenery and the Cardinals needed a quarterback better than Max Hall. But, with the lockout, Kolb still probably hasn't mastered the Cardinals offense, so it could be a struggle the first few games. But, they will still miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
Prediction: 7-9
San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco had big aspirations last year of winning the division and possibly going to even the NFC Championship game for the first time since the 1994 season. But, those plans quickly got derailed once the 49ers got off to an 0-5 start. So, things didn't quite work out in Mike Singletary's second full season coaching the team. So, over the offseason, the 49ers went out and lured Jim Harbaugh from Stanford and the college ranks to the NFL. Over the years, the transition hasn't been too good for most coaches. San Francisco is hoping that Harbaugh can turn the 49ers around like he did with the Cardinal. It may take him a year or two to do so, having to implement everything, and it may take the players a while to learn his system, with the lockout and everything. But, I think he will turn out to be a decent coach in the NFL, but not one that can lead this team back to its glory days.
Prediction: 6-10
St. Louis Rams
Sam Bradford stepped right into the starting job last year and did a fantastic job up until the final game in Seattle, where the Rams barely lost the division. Bradford was definitely the right choice for the Rams to spend their first overall pick on in 2010, as Bradford didn't get injured miraculously. The Rams did upgrade a little bit at their wide receiver spot, getting a big tall guy like Mike Sims-Walker who can go up and grab so errant throws. But, again, the Rams will be relying on their running game and Steven Jackson to grind it out and help Bradford in his transition from the college to the pro game. The Rams also will be getting better defensively as they have Chris Long and James Laurinatis returning to be better on that side of the ball. Overall, I think the Rams have a solid team which can win the division can continue to get better.
Prediction: 9-7, fourth seed.
Monday, September 5, 2011
NFL: NFC and AFC South Preview
I was not able to get to write the NFC South preview last night as I was busy, but now you'll get two previews combined into one with this South division preview in both conferences. Both of these conferences boast strong South divisions, with only one team from each conference having one really bad team, while all the rest could easily contend for the division crown. I'll start with the NFC and their South division, as I was going to do that division last night.
NFC South
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers were so bad last season, they got the number one draft pick in April's draft. With that pick, they chose Heisman winner and national champion Cam Newton from Auburn. Newton has a tremendous work ethic, which will help him get better in the league, and prevent him from being a bust like JaMarcus Russell was for the Raiders. Carolina helped Newton out by getting a few veteran tight ends like Jeremy Shockey and Greg Olsen to help him find big targets. There is also a nice running game with the combination of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart to help him. The defense should also be ok, as the Panthers re-signed their beast of a defensive end in Charles Johnson. So, while the Panthers made some good signings and they have a solid running game, this will be a year of growing pains for Newton and the Panthers.
Prediction: 5-11
Atlanta Falcons
Yes, this team is coming off a 13-3 season as well as a overall number one seed in the NFC. However, I believe in the young Bucs and how much the Saints practiced and got together during the lockout. I love what the Falcons did in the draft, moving up from the 27th overall pick to the sixth, where the Falcons selected Julio Jones, a big fast wide receiver from Alabama to compliment Roddy White on the other side. So, Matt Ryan has another wide receiver to go to. Plus, the Falcons are returning Michael Turner, who will get a little bit of a lighter workload due to Jones' selection and the Falcons selection of Jacquizz Rodgers in the fifth round. The Falcons will also return a strong defense which includes dynamic pass rusher John Abraham as well as cover corner DeAngelo Hall, who is a great corner. But, as mentioned, I love the Saints and Bucs more.
Prediction: 9-7
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
As mentioned, I am loving the Bucs and their young quarterback, Josh Freeman. Must be why I picked him up in most of my fantasy leagues. Anyway, Freeman leads a very young Bucs team, which only has nine players with more than five years of NFL experience, according to their website. Freeman broke out last season, throwing for over 3,000 yards for the first time, and he can scramble around for the first down. Freeman also has a strong running game with second year back LeGarrette Blount, who also broke out running for over 1,000 yards. Plus, there is a very good group of receivers with Mike Williams, Kellen Winslow, and Arrelious Benn, who is good for fade routes, as he's 6'6". The wily veteran of the team is the unquestioned leader of the defense, Ronde Barber, who while he may have lost a step, he can still hit, and hit hard. Barber has a good corner on the other side of the field with Aqib Talib. Plus, both the corners can get plenty of turnovers due to their defensive line, which can aggravate quarterbacks into throwing bad balls. The Bucs defensive line is just a notch below the Lions, which is also really good. The Bucs defensive line boasts several high round draft picks, who are really good in Gerald McCoy, Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers. So, I am on the Bucs bandwagon.
Prediction: 11-5, wild card
New Orleans Saints
This team won the Super Bowl two seasons ago, and they very well could win it again this year in a loaded NFC. This team, like the Falcons, made a great trade in the draft, getting Mark Ingram, the 2009 Heisman winner to boost their running game, and take pressure off of Drew Brees. While Brees and the cast of receivers he has is still one of the best in the league, it's good to have a strong running game as well. Ingram, along with Darren Sproles, Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory should all combine for over 1,700 plus yards on the ground with Ingram getting close to 1,000 of that. The defense should also be great again, as they have been the past few seasons. So, overall, this team is looking great.
Prediction: 11-5, three seed.
AFC South
Tennessee Titans
The Titans last year were coming off a disappointing 8-8 season, and looked to follow the 2009 season with a playoff appearance in 2010, but things didn't turn out quite as planned. Jeff Fisher was fired after last season, which should be a help, as he was there for 16 seasons and never provided a Super Bowl win. Maybe Fisher's message was getting tuned out to the players. The Titans are looking at a rebuilding process, and they're hoping that Matt Hasselbeck can mentor Jake Locker for a year before Locker takes over. Tennessee is looking at a long season ahead, with the only two playmakers coming from Chris Johnson and Cortland Finnegan.
Prediction: 3-13
Houston Texans
Houston is one of those teams which most see as being on the brink of being a playoff team nearly every season, and this season is no different, as the Texans have the potential for being a playoff team, but won't live up to expectations, as they have a less than stellar defense. The Texans have some great offensive weapons with Arian Foster, who came out of nowhere to rush for nearly 2,000 yards last season along with perennial pro bowler Andre Johnson on the outside, and Matt Schaub as a good quarterback. But, as mentioned, I don't see this team having that good of a defense to keep up with most teams.
Prediction: 6-10
Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville has a solid team overall, but it won't get them anywhere. Jacksonville always seems like this 8-8 team which is stuck in neutral. Granted, they have some good pieces like Maurice Jones-Drew, Marcedes Lewis, and recent signing Paul Posluszny. But, they don't have the best chance of making the playoffs.
Prediction: 8-8
Indianapolis Colts
Now, this is all dependent on Peyton Manning being healthy and playing the majority of the year, as without Manning, this Colts team just seems lost. For those of you who don't know, Manning has had neck trouble throughout the offseason, and is listed as doubtful for Sunday's season opener against Houston. Manning is the one which runs this high octane offense and is the undisputed leader of the entire team. So, if Manning plays 12 games or more, the Colts will continue double digit victories, if he plays less than that, this entire division could be different.
Prediction: 10-6, fourth seed.
NFC South
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers were so bad last season, they got the number one draft pick in April's draft. With that pick, they chose Heisman winner and national champion Cam Newton from Auburn. Newton has a tremendous work ethic, which will help him get better in the league, and prevent him from being a bust like JaMarcus Russell was for the Raiders. Carolina helped Newton out by getting a few veteran tight ends like Jeremy Shockey and Greg Olsen to help him find big targets. There is also a nice running game with the combination of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart to help him. The defense should also be ok, as the Panthers re-signed their beast of a defensive end in Charles Johnson. So, while the Panthers made some good signings and they have a solid running game, this will be a year of growing pains for Newton and the Panthers.
Prediction: 5-11
Atlanta Falcons
Yes, this team is coming off a 13-3 season as well as a overall number one seed in the NFC. However, I believe in the young Bucs and how much the Saints practiced and got together during the lockout. I love what the Falcons did in the draft, moving up from the 27th overall pick to the sixth, where the Falcons selected Julio Jones, a big fast wide receiver from Alabama to compliment Roddy White on the other side. So, Matt Ryan has another wide receiver to go to. Plus, the Falcons are returning Michael Turner, who will get a little bit of a lighter workload due to Jones' selection and the Falcons selection of Jacquizz Rodgers in the fifth round. The Falcons will also return a strong defense which includes dynamic pass rusher John Abraham as well as cover corner DeAngelo Hall, who is a great corner. But, as mentioned, I love the Saints and Bucs more.
Prediction: 9-7
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
As mentioned, I am loving the Bucs and their young quarterback, Josh Freeman. Must be why I picked him up in most of my fantasy leagues. Anyway, Freeman leads a very young Bucs team, which only has nine players with more than five years of NFL experience, according to their website. Freeman broke out last season, throwing for over 3,000 yards for the first time, and he can scramble around for the first down. Freeman also has a strong running game with second year back LeGarrette Blount, who also broke out running for over 1,000 yards. Plus, there is a very good group of receivers with Mike Williams, Kellen Winslow, and Arrelious Benn, who is good for fade routes, as he's 6'6". The wily veteran of the team is the unquestioned leader of the defense, Ronde Barber, who while he may have lost a step, he can still hit, and hit hard. Barber has a good corner on the other side of the field with Aqib Talib. Plus, both the corners can get plenty of turnovers due to their defensive line, which can aggravate quarterbacks into throwing bad balls. The Bucs defensive line is just a notch below the Lions, which is also really good. The Bucs defensive line boasts several high round draft picks, who are really good in Gerald McCoy, Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers. So, I am on the Bucs bandwagon.
Prediction: 11-5, wild card
New Orleans Saints
This team won the Super Bowl two seasons ago, and they very well could win it again this year in a loaded NFC. This team, like the Falcons, made a great trade in the draft, getting Mark Ingram, the 2009 Heisman winner to boost their running game, and take pressure off of Drew Brees. While Brees and the cast of receivers he has is still one of the best in the league, it's good to have a strong running game as well. Ingram, along with Darren Sproles, Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory should all combine for over 1,700 plus yards on the ground with Ingram getting close to 1,000 of that. The defense should also be great again, as they have been the past few seasons. So, overall, this team is looking great.
Prediction: 11-5, three seed.
AFC South
Tennessee Titans
The Titans last year were coming off a disappointing 8-8 season, and looked to follow the 2009 season with a playoff appearance in 2010, but things didn't turn out quite as planned. Jeff Fisher was fired after last season, which should be a help, as he was there for 16 seasons and never provided a Super Bowl win. Maybe Fisher's message was getting tuned out to the players. The Titans are looking at a rebuilding process, and they're hoping that Matt Hasselbeck can mentor Jake Locker for a year before Locker takes over. Tennessee is looking at a long season ahead, with the only two playmakers coming from Chris Johnson and Cortland Finnegan.
Prediction: 3-13
Houston Texans
Houston is one of those teams which most see as being on the brink of being a playoff team nearly every season, and this season is no different, as the Texans have the potential for being a playoff team, but won't live up to expectations, as they have a less than stellar defense. The Texans have some great offensive weapons with Arian Foster, who came out of nowhere to rush for nearly 2,000 yards last season along with perennial pro bowler Andre Johnson on the outside, and Matt Schaub as a good quarterback. But, as mentioned, I don't see this team having that good of a defense to keep up with most teams.
Prediction: 6-10
Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville has a solid team overall, but it won't get them anywhere. Jacksonville always seems like this 8-8 team which is stuck in neutral. Granted, they have some good pieces like Maurice Jones-Drew, Marcedes Lewis, and recent signing Paul Posluszny. But, they don't have the best chance of making the playoffs.
Prediction: 8-8
Indianapolis Colts
Now, this is all dependent on Peyton Manning being healthy and playing the majority of the year, as without Manning, this Colts team just seems lost. For those of you who don't know, Manning has had neck trouble throughout the offseason, and is listed as doubtful for Sunday's season opener against Houston. Manning is the one which runs this high octane offense and is the undisputed leader of the entire team. So, if Manning plays 12 games or more, the Colts will continue double digit victories, if he plays less than that, this entire division could be different.
Prediction: 10-6, fourth seed.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
NFL: AFC North Preview
Welcome back to the continuing preview of the 2011 NFL season! This division is basically split in two, with the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers at the top, with the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals at the bottom. I know with all of my heart that the Browns and Bengals will not do anything this season, and the Ravens and Steelers are possible Super Bowl contenders. Now, it's just a matter of figuring out who is going to be the first and second place finishers, and who is going to be the third and fourth place finishers in the division. I think this should be a fairly easy division to predict, but, let's just figure it out.
Cincinnati Bengals
This team will stink. Because Paul Brown, the owner of the team, refused to trade Carson Palmer, the Bengals got nothing for him. Plus, Palmer was one of the lone bright spots on a team which went 4-12 last season. So, the Bengals then drafted Andy Dalton, who was a winner and very poised while at TCU, who they hope will be their next franchise quarterback. The Bengals also traded their top talent period in Chad Ochocinco to the Patriots to make room for new number one receiver A.J. Green, who should have an outstanding rookie campaign. So, other than Green Bengals fans, you have nothing to look forward to this season.
Prediction: 2-14
Cleveland Browns
Colt McCoy, who was an outstanding starter while at Texas, leading his team to a national championship appearance, is poised to become the starter in Cleveland. McCoy did a fine job last season after being forced into the starting role in week 6, thanks to injuries suffered by the insufferable Jake Delhomme and the capable Seneca Wallace. McCoy should only improve in his first full season as the Browns starting quarterback. Plus, the Browns are returning Madden 12 cover man Peyton Hillis, who, if he avoids the "Madden curse" should run for over 1,000 yards again and be a great help to McCoy. The Browns are also going into this season with a new head coach in Pat Shurmur, who was instrumental in helping rookie quarterback Sam Bradford last season and he should help McCoy out as well. Shurmur was the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams last season. The defense for the Browns may not be much, but they should be a little less than a mediocre team.
Prediction: 6-10
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have made it to the playoffs in their first three seasons with head coach/quarterback tandem of Joe Flacco and John Harbaugh, who have brought leadership and stability to a team which was lacking it for several years prior. Every season the Ravens have been one of the wild card entrants from the AFC and then subsequently lose in the divisional playoffs. I see no reason for that to change this year. But, perhaps it will. The Ravens still have great players on defense including the ageless Ray Lewis, ball hawking safety Ed Reed and big Haloti Ngata who can sack with the best of any nose tackle. So, this team will still be really good, just not quite Super Bowl quality.
Prediction: 11-5, wild card entry.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The defending AFC champions are looking to return to the Super Bowl after narrowly missing out last season on their NFL best seventh Super Bowl win. The Steelers are returning their key pieces with Hines Ward as their number one receiver who continues to make plays now in his 14th season, Heath Miller at tight end, who is turning out to be a very reliable catching and blocking tight end. Plus, the defense is as hard hitting as ever, with James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, and Ike Taylor all back. So, therefore, I see absolutely zero reason to pick against this team.
Prediction: 12-4, number two seed.
Come back tomorrow for my NFC South division preview. What will Cam Newton do in his rookie season? Will the Bucs be a playoff team for the first time since 2007? Will the Falcons continue to dominate the NFC South? Can the Saints go back to the playoffs for an unprecedented 3rd straight time in team history? Find out the answers to these questions tomorrow!
Cincinnati Bengals
This team will stink. Because Paul Brown, the owner of the team, refused to trade Carson Palmer, the Bengals got nothing for him. Plus, Palmer was one of the lone bright spots on a team which went 4-12 last season. So, the Bengals then drafted Andy Dalton, who was a winner and very poised while at TCU, who they hope will be their next franchise quarterback. The Bengals also traded their top talent period in Chad Ochocinco to the Patriots to make room for new number one receiver A.J. Green, who should have an outstanding rookie campaign. So, other than Green Bengals fans, you have nothing to look forward to this season.
Prediction: 2-14
Cleveland Browns
Colt McCoy, who was an outstanding starter while at Texas, leading his team to a national championship appearance, is poised to become the starter in Cleveland. McCoy did a fine job last season after being forced into the starting role in week 6, thanks to injuries suffered by the insufferable Jake Delhomme and the capable Seneca Wallace. McCoy should only improve in his first full season as the Browns starting quarterback. Plus, the Browns are returning Madden 12 cover man Peyton Hillis, who, if he avoids the "Madden curse" should run for over 1,000 yards again and be a great help to McCoy. The Browns are also going into this season with a new head coach in Pat Shurmur, who was instrumental in helping rookie quarterback Sam Bradford last season and he should help McCoy out as well. Shurmur was the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams last season. The defense for the Browns may not be much, but they should be a little less than a mediocre team.
Prediction: 6-10
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have made it to the playoffs in their first three seasons with head coach/quarterback tandem of Joe Flacco and John Harbaugh, who have brought leadership and stability to a team which was lacking it for several years prior. Every season the Ravens have been one of the wild card entrants from the AFC and then subsequently lose in the divisional playoffs. I see no reason for that to change this year. But, perhaps it will. The Ravens still have great players on defense including the ageless Ray Lewis, ball hawking safety Ed Reed and big Haloti Ngata who can sack with the best of any nose tackle. So, this team will still be really good, just not quite Super Bowl quality.
Prediction: 11-5, wild card entry.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The defending AFC champions are looking to return to the Super Bowl after narrowly missing out last season on their NFL best seventh Super Bowl win. The Steelers are returning their key pieces with Hines Ward as their number one receiver who continues to make plays now in his 14th season, Heath Miller at tight end, who is turning out to be a very reliable catching and blocking tight end. Plus, the defense is as hard hitting as ever, with James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, and Ike Taylor all back. So, therefore, I see absolutely zero reason to pick against this team.
Prediction: 12-4, number two seed.
Come back tomorrow for my NFC South division preview. What will Cam Newton do in his rookie season? Will the Bucs be a playoff team for the first time since 2007? Will the Falcons continue to dominate the NFC South? Can the Saints go back to the playoffs for an unprecedented 3rd straight time in team history? Find out the answers to these questions tomorrow!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
10 Best College Football Games!
As there are no NFL games this weekend other than the final preseason game which doesn't mean anything other than to see who gets cut, it's nothing but college for week one. There are two top tier matchups with LSU and Oregon and then Boise State playing at Georgia, with a bunch of other middle of the road games. This year with every single game I pick, I will give the time and network these games are on, as there are so many networks which broadcast games, it's ridiculous. O, and I will be using the AP rankings every week up until the first BCS rankings, which I'll then be using from then on out. All games on Saturday unless otherwise noted.
# 3 Oregon vs. # 4 LSU, at Arilington, TX, 8 p.m. ABC
This game comes after an offseason where both teams went through turmoil. LSU has several players suspended, including starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson, who will be replaced by a very capable backup in Jarrett Lee, who started five games last season. Then, there is Oregon, which is coming off a national title game, but lose their two biggest wide receivers. However, that isn't too much of a problem, since they have a Heisman candidate in LaMichael James in the backfield who can do wonders. This will be a game of offense (Oregon) versus defense (LSU), which I think offense will win out.
Pick: Oregon 38, LSU 21
# 5 Boise State vs. # 19 Georgia, at Atlanta, 8 p.m. ESPN
Boise State is coming off a one-loss campaign, where their only loss came to eventual WAC champion Nevada, at Nevada. But, now Boise is looking to crash the BCS party for the third time in the past five seasons. Boise is even coming in off of some NCAA investigation, but no loss of scholarships, which is a good thing. Boise has a Heisman candidate in its own right with Kellen Moore, who is entering his senior season and would love to play for a national title. Georgia, on the other hand, wants to get back to being one of the big dogs, pun intended, of the SEC. The Bulldogs would love to forget about a 6-7 season and focus on getting back into the SEC title game. They can do that with returning quarterback Aaron Murray, who was outstanding in his first season at Georgia.
Pick: Boise State 24, Georgia 23
Southern Methodist at #8 Texas A&M, Sunday, 7:30, Comcast SportsNet
Texas A&M is beginning its final season in the Big XII, which really is the Big X, with only ten teams, but anyway, the Aggies have decided to exit the conference and try to escape the University of Texas. A&M has high expectations this season after beating the Longhorns and advancing to the Cotton Bowl where they lost to LSU. SMU is trying to continue its resurgence under June Jones and advance to the C-USA title game for the second consecutive year. Granted, the Mustangs will be competitive, but not in this game.
Pick: TAMU 42, SMU 20
#14 TCU at Baylor, Friday, 8 p.m. ESPN
Don't laugh at this game, TCU could get upset here, as Baylor is on its way up as far as a football team, as they advanced to their first bowl game since 1994. To give you an idea of how hard it is to miss a bowl game now, all a team has to do is finish .500 and voila, the team is in a bowl. Anyway, the team is going to be around an 8-4 team in the regular season this year, with one of those losses coming here. TCU crushed Baylor 41-14 last season, and I expect nothing different here with TCU's relentless attacking defense and their amazing running game.
Pick: TCU 39, Baylor 13
South Florida at #16 Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m., NBC
This should be a great litmus test for both teams, as both teams have second year head coaches in Brian Kelly with ND and Skip Holtz with USF. Both teams have high expectations this season, with South Florida hoping to get into the BCS for the first time by winning the Big East and Notre Dame getting into the BCS for the first time since 2006 Fiesta Bowl. Notre Dame finished last season on a five game winning streak where they won in the Sun Bowl against Miami. South Florida should fare well in a weak Big East as well, so they could easily make that race interesting. However, I'm a fan, and will pick ND here.
Pick: Notre Dame 30, USF 21
Tulsa at #1 Oklahoma, 8 p.m., FX
Now, I'm really trying to see if any games look at least remotely ok, and this one does. Oklahoma is ranked number one because of them bringing so many people back. This should be a cakewalk against a Tulsa team which lost their head coach to Pittsburgh.
Pick: OU 59, Tulsa 14
Akron at #18 Ohio State, noon, ESPN
Ohio State is entering this year without its star quarterback, Terrelle Pryor and without Jim Tressel, its head coach for the first time since 2000. Now, it's a new era with Luke Fickell in as the new head coach and Ohio State trying to overcome a lot of NCAA scrutiny. They should fare very well in this game, as it's against a cupcake opponent, but watch out for later in the season, where they will probably fall to the middle of the pack in the Big Ten.
Pick: Ohio State 28, Akron 3
#12 South Carolina vs. East Carolina, at Charlotte, 7 p.m., ESPN3.com
South Carolina will look to continue to improve and get into its second ever SEC title game with Stephen Garcia and Marcus Lattimore leading the way. East Carolina will try and ruin the party, but it's not likely.
Pick: SCAR 40, ECU 10
Rice at Texas, 8 p.m., Longhorn Network
Texas will look to rebound from its first losing season since 1997 when it starts out against Rice, which wants to improve from its own 4-8 record. However, it won't do it against this Texas team which totally revamped its coaching staff from last season and is hungry to get back to the BCS.
Pick: Texas 56, Rice 3
Indiana State at Penn State, noon, Big Ten Network
Now, please comment if you think Indiana State has any chance of realistically winning this game. Or, comment anyway for your thoughts on how I can make this blog better, thanks. Penn State will beat down this opponent easily with either Matt McGloin or Rob Bolden at quarterback, as they must decide before they face SEC west favorite Alabama in Happy Valley next week.
Pick: Penn State 38, Indiana State 7
# 3 Oregon vs. # 4 LSU, at Arilington, TX, 8 p.m. ABC
This game comes after an offseason where both teams went through turmoil. LSU has several players suspended, including starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson, who will be replaced by a very capable backup in Jarrett Lee, who started five games last season. Then, there is Oregon, which is coming off a national title game, but lose their two biggest wide receivers. However, that isn't too much of a problem, since they have a Heisman candidate in LaMichael James in the backfield who can do wonders. This will be a game of offense (Oregon) versus defense (LSU), which I think offense will win out.
Pick: Oregon 38, LSU 21
# 5 Boise State vs. # 19 Georgia, at Atlanta, 8 p.m. ESPN
Boise State is coming off a one-loss campaign, where their only loss came to eventual WAC champion Nevada, at Nevada. But, now Boise is looking to crash the BCS party for the third time in the past five seasons. Boise is even coming in off of some NCAA investigation, but no loss of scholarships, which is a good thing. Boise has a Heisman candidate in its own right with Kellen Moore, who is entering his senior season and would love to play for a national title. Georgia, on the other hand, wants to get back to being one of the big dogs, pun intended, of the SEC. The Bulldogs would love to forget about a 6-7 season and focus on getting back into the SEC title game. They can do that with returning quarterback Aaron Murray, who was outstanding in his first season at Georgia.
Pick: Boise State 24, Georgia 23
Southern Methodist at #8 Texas A&M, Sunday, 7:30, Comcast SportsNet
Texas A&M is beginning its final season in the Big XII, which really is the Big X, with only ten teams, but anyway, the Aggies have decided to exit the conference and try to escape the University of Texas. A&M has high expectations this season after beating the Longhorns and advancing to the Cotton Bowl where they lost to LSU. SMU is trying to continue its resurgence under June Jones and advance to the C-USA title game for the second consecutive year. Granted, the Mustangs will be competitive, but not in this game.
Pick: TAMU 42, SMU 20
#14 TCU at Baylor, Friday, 8 p.m. ESPN
Don't laugh at this game, TCU could get upset here, as Baylor is on its way up as far as a football team, as they advanced to their first bowl game since 1994. To give you an idea of how hard it is to miss a bowl game now, all a team has to do is finish .500 and voila, the team is in a bowl. Anyway, the team is going to be around an 8-4 team in the regular season this year, with one of those losses coming here. TCU crushed Baylor 41-14 last season, and I expect nothing different here with TCU's relentless attacking defense and their amazing running game.
Pick: TCU 39, Baylor 13
South Florida at #16 Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m., NBC
This should be a great litmus test for both teams, as both teams have second year head coaches in Brian Kelly with ND and Skip Holtz with USF. Both teams have high expectations this season, with South Florida hoping to get into the BCS for the first time by winning the Big East and Notre Dame getting into the BCS for the first time since 2006 Fiesta Bowl. Notre Dame finished last season on a five game winning streak where they won in the Sun Bowl against Miami. South Florida should fare well in a weak Big East as well, so they could easily make that race interesting. However, I'm a fan, and will pick ND here.
Pick: Notre Dame 30, USF 21
Tulsa at #1 Oklahoma, 8 p.m., FX
Now, I'm really trying to see if any games look at least remotely ok, and this one does. Oklahoma is ranked number one because of them bringing so many people back. This should be a cakewalk against a Tulsa team which lost their head coach to Pittsburgh.
Pick: OU 59, Tulsa 14
Akron at #18 Ohio State, noon, ESPN
Ohio State is entering this year without its star quarterback, Terrelle Pryor and without Jim Tressel, its head coach for the first time since 2000. Now, it's a new era with Luke Fickell in as the new head coach and Ohio State trying to overcome a lot of NCAA scrutiny. They should fare very well in this game, as it's against a cupcake opponent, but watch out for later in the season, where they will probably fall to the middle of the pack in the Big Ten.
Pick: Ohio State 28, Akron 3
#12 South Carolina vs. East Carolina, at Charlotte, 7 p.m., ESPN3.com
South Carolina will look to continue to improve and get into its second ever SEC title game with Stephen Garcia and Marcus Lattimore leading the way. East Carolina will try and ruin the party, but it's not likely.
Pick: SCAR 40, ECU 10
Rice at Texas, 8 p.m., Longhorn Network
Texas will look to rebound from its first losing season since 1997 when it starts out against Rice, which wants to improve from its own 4-8 record. However, it won't do it against this Texas team which totally revamped its coaching staff from last season and is hungry to get back to the BCS.
Pick: Texas 56, Rice 3
Indiana State at Penn State, noon, Big Ten Network
Now, please comment if you think Indiana State has any chance of realistically winning this game. Or, comment anyway for your thoughts on how I can make this blog better, thanks. Penn State will beat down this opponent easily with either Matt McGloin or Rob Bolden at quarterback, as they must decide before they face SEC west favorite Alabama in Happy Valley next week.
Pick: Penn State 38, Indiana State 7
NFL: NFC North Preview
The NFC North holds perhaps the best collection of teams in all of the NFL. I know, the Detroit Lions reside in this division, but, seriously, top to bottom, this division could be the best in all of the NFL. Take a look at it, the Vikings were supposed to make back to back NFC title game appearances last season, but Brett Favre decided to finally stink in a season. The Lions played very well down the stretch, winning their final four, and then the Bears and Packers played in the NFC title game, with the Packers hoisting the Lombardi trophy at the end. So, as you can tell, this is one hard division to pick. But, I gotta make my best guess at it, so here we go.
Chicago Bears
I know, this is going from first to worst, but, as mentioned above, this division is essentially a crapshoot. Jay Cutler will have to be a better quarterback, as Devin Hester will not be able to get out to the 35 every time due to the NFL deciding to make the kickoff game "safer" by moving the kickoff from the 30 to the 35, and now there will be at least a 50 percent increase in touchbacks. But, the Bears still have a pretty good running back in Matt Forte, who is in the mold of a LeSean McCoy, for Eagles fans. Forte can run inside and out, and can catch passes easily from the backfield. Plus, the Bears still have a pretty good defense led by veterans Brian Urlacher and Julius Peppers who still cause offensive coordinators to have trouble sleeping at night to figure out how the heck to block the guy. But, I don't see this team making back to back division title runs.
Prediction: 7-9
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings, as mentioned above, were supposed to be one of the contenders for the NFC title last season, but their season, and eventually their stadium roof collapsed. So, like the Cowboys, the Vikings fired their coach, Brad Childress, and enjoyed moderate success afterwards, where they went 3-3. but their wins came against bad teams, the Redskins and Bills, so it's a toss up to see if they'll do better this season. However, the Vikings got rid of Brett Favre, who retired and acquired the services of Donovan McNabb, who will presumably mentor their first round draft choice Christian Ponder. The Vikes still have the best running back in the NFL, Adrian Peterson, which helps...a lot. Then their defense should still be very good with Kevin Williams and Jared Allen on the defensive line who can get penetration while linebackers like E.J. Henderson go in for sacks and Chad Greenway. So, with a rejuvenated McNabb and everyone staying healthy, this team should be better from their 6-10 record from last year, but nowhere near their NFC title expectations from last season.
Prediction: 8-8
Detroit Lions
Yes, this is where I have the have the Lions. The reasons I have the Lions here is because of the following: their defensive line, once Nick Fairley is back could be the best in the game at both stopping the run and getting a big pass rush. Matthew Stafford and his backups have proven capable of handling the load easily, especially when "megatron" a.k.a. Calvin Johnson is one of the best young receivers in the game. Then, Brandon Pettigrew is growing into one of the best catching/blocking tight ends in the league. Plus, with the Lions on a four game winning streak at the end of last season, and the fact that they lost 6 of their games by 8 points or less, they are very competitive.
Prediction: 10-6, wild card.
Green Bay Packers
Super Bowl champions, anything more I really need to write? O, plus they're getting two of their biggest offensive weapons back in Jermichael Finley at tight end, who is a top 10 tight end. Plus, they're getting a really good running back returning in Ryan Grant. plus, the defense is one of those which will attack relentlessly. So, I don't really need to type a whole lot about this team other than they're really good.
Prediction: 12-4, number two seed.
I will be taking a break from predictions for the next few days, as I have work at night, and then am exhausted, so predictions will return on Saturday night with the preview of the AFC North. Which of these two teams will win the division: the Ravens or Steelers? How much will the Browns win with an entire season from Colt McCoy and Peyton Hillis at running back? Will the Bengals really go 0-16 as predicted by Rick Reilly of ESPN.com? Find out on Saturday night!
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