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NFL Preview From North to South |
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 | Written by Jim Sarruda on Wednesday, 27 August 2008
Category:Sheldon on Sports
Hits:5991 |
Now that my last preview is nearly overcome by events, I am happy to hesitantly release part II of my NFL Preview. But before I do so, I should say a few words on the conclusions of the NFL Training Camps.
I went out on a limb and predicted a 10-6 sleeper in the Arizona Cardinals, despite my hatred of Matt Leinart. Here is was I wrote last week:
I believe this season to be a defining season for Matt Leinart. I think the Cardinals are a talented young team and they might be a threat in the next couple years, but Leinart needs to step up. This season we will find out if Leinart will evolve into an Alex Smith or if the young quarterback might have a little Carson Palmer in him. I think the Cardinals might actually have a realistic shot at the division if this is his breakout year of drastic improvement. I might even go as far to say that I would look for the Cardinals to be a NFC sleeper.
I am not going to lie, it looks like I am completely wrong. Despite the new information, I do believe the Cardinals are a quarterback away from becoming a 10-6 team this year and I am going to stick to that prediction. I just want to add a disclaimer. If Kurt Warner ends up assuming the starting role, I have absolutely no faith in the Cardinals becoming a playoff team. The Cardinals success is directly related to the success of Matt Leinart as their starting quarterback, and right now it seems uncertain if he will even get the job.
I also took some shots at Alex Smith last week, and it appears he lost the starting job! Maybe the Niners read my rant! Here is what I wrote:
The age of Alex Smith will continue to stunt the growth of the 49ers offense, until they finally realize that good ol' Alex just doesn't have it.
Well, it seems that realization has come sooner than I thought! J.T. O’Sullivan will start the week 1 regular season game against the Arizona Cardinals. I have the Cardinals winning that game, but I figured NFL joke Alex Smith would be starting. If I could do it all again, maybe I would change some things around and have the Niners winning more than three games. However, I can’t do it all again and my East/West forecast has been made. By my own ethics, I will stick to my 3-13 prediction. After all, Mike Martz is still calling the plays.
AFC NORTH
If Charlie Batch would just stop breaking clavicles, I am pretty sure he could start. I am going to go with the San Diego Padres…
But since we are talking about the NFL, the Steelers still have the healthiest quarterback in the division. Roethlisberger may sound like something you would read on the menu at Five Guys, but lettuce and tomatoes aside he’s still got a little Onions! Carson Palmer has a broken nose so he doesn’t realize he stinks at the moment. If Ryan Fitzpatrick starts, the Bungals are in deep trouble. Troy Smith is puking in the bathrooms because Kyle Boller is beating him out with a busted shoulder. Joe Flacco might actually make the jump from University of Delaware to NFL Starter in a matter of months, and poor Derek Anderson is still walking around telling young Browns fans that his name isn’t Brady Quinn.
Needless to say, the AFC North is an interesting division. This year they will take on both the NFC East and the AFC South. For the most part, I think the AFC North defensively matches up well with the NFC East. The Cowboys and Eagles are definitely pass first teams, which is a good thing because that plays to the strength of the AFC North defense. Run first teams would present a different matchup. Cleveland for example was especially despicable against the run last year. I have the AFC North going 10-6 against the NFC East.
Despite their troubles against the run, the Browns should still be a decent team. Assuming they solved some defensive issues, the Browns may be a playoff threat. Derek Anderson proved that all great quarterbacks don’t have to come from Notre Dame. Braylon Edwards is emerging as the best receiver in Ohio now that Chad Johnson is evolving into Terrell Owens. Jamal Lewis might have pulled a hammy, but last I checked he was not in jail. I might have to refresh yahoo.
The real threat will ultimately be the Pittsburg Steelers. I have a lot of faith in Mr. Roethlisberger, I believe he is always in the shadow of Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. The Steelers have a complete team once again and they have a very promising future in Dennis Dixon. I think the Steelers will do very well against the NFC East as well as their division. Having San Diego at home and what will probably be a cocky Patriots team at the end of the season always helps.
Although the Browns posted ten wins last year, I think the Bengals will emerge as the division competition for the Steelers this year. It will be an interesting year for the Ravens as well, who are about to head into the first game of the regular season without having any idea who to start at quarterback. Where is Vinny Testaverde when you need him?
Pittsburg Steelers 12-4
Cincinnati Bengals 10-6
Cleveland Browns 9-7
Baltimore Ravens 5-11
AFC SOUTH
Some NFL fans like myself think the AFC North has a decent pass defense. One thing that’s for sure is it will certainly be tested this season. Besides having to face the NFC East which features Tony Romo, Donovan McNabb, and Jason Campbell, the AFC North will face the Jaguars and the Colts, who combined for sixty touchdowns through the air. If Peyton Manning gets hot, who knows what kind of Air Show we might watch in the AFC South this season. Well, the Titans were one of the worst passing teams in the league last year, and the Texas have moved on to Matt Schaub. So maybe we won’t see THAT much of an air show.
Speaking of the Houston Texans, ever since they arrived in the NFL in 2002 I have been waiting for them to do something. I liked David Carr, how can you not like someone who beats the Cowboys in his first game in the NFL? Now he is the third string quarterback for the New York Giants. That right there is how you can learn to not like someone. I’m sorry, but I just don’t have that much faith in Matt Schaub and his chorus of mediocre receivers.
While we are on the subject:
Troy Williamson, Jerry Porter, Dennis Northcutt, Reggie Williams. I don’t care what you think of David Garrard, there is absolutely nobody waiting for his pass in the end zone. I say this with Jerry Porter on my fantasy team. When Porter gets back from injury, this Jacksonville team might be a decent team. It is a good thing the Jags play their road games at the beginning of the season, because division road victories are difficult with a healthy team. It’s a win-win situation, because they would struggle to defeat the Colts and the Titans anyway.
The AFC South is a talented division, don’t get me wrong. I feel like I am doing a lot of crapping on these four teams, who won 65% of their games last season. Even the Texans put up eight wins last year. I saved the best two teams for last, the Colts and the Titans.
Pey-ton.
It pains me to say it, but it was actually Eli Manning who won Super Bowl MVP. It was actually Eli Manning who won the Super Bowl. Peyton Manning just wasn’t the best last year. How will he handle this? About a month ago, he had a surgical procedure on his knee. Now he is back and he is most certainly motivated. It also helps to have Dwight Freeney and Bob Sanders back. I expect the Colts to tear into the regular season hungrier than ever. The sun has not even begun to set on the age of Peyton Manning.
As for the Titans? They figured a lot out last season en route to ten wins. I think the key to their season this year will be a sweep of the NFC North division.
Indianapolis Colts 13-3
Jacksonville Jaguars 11-5
Tennessee Titans 10-6
Houston Texans 4-12
NFC North
The NFC North will be taking on the AFC South this year as well as the NFC South. On paper, the Norris Division still looks very unimpressive. With Brett Favre’s departure, the Packers will look to Aaron Rodgers to step up and help them to defend their 15-1 season. The Vikings will look to Adrian Peterson’s running game to propel them over five hundred to a possible division title. The Lions as usual have plenty of people to catch but nobody to throw and the Bears are still a team so obsessed with defense, that they are trying to convert their cornerbacks into wide receivers. Now that’s taking the concept “a strong defense will help an offense” to a new level.
I think this year the Minnesota Vikings are going to win the Norris division. Why? Simply because the division is in shambles and it is up for the taking. The Vikings have a playmaking running back and a young quarterback whom they seem very confident in. Even though they had the worst pass defense in the league last year, this should really only hurt them against the Lions and half of the AFC South.
My boldest prediction will be in the success of Aaron Rodgers. He is young and he has a long road ahead of him to success, but I think people will be pleasantly satisfied with the production of Aaron Rodgers this year. I think the Packers success in general was a fluke last year, so aside from the change in quarterback I still wouldn’t expect much from Green Bay. I think Rodgers will comfortably assume his role as starter, play a decent season, and finish a nice even 8-8.
The Lions and Bears still have a lot to figure out. I have always liked Kyle Orton but the offense around him is still pretty pathetic. I expect to see the usual mediocre Kyle Orton line often this year: 8-16, 100 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT. You know what that gets you? It gets you a lot of 13-10 losses.
And Go Purdue.
Minnesota Vikings 9-7
Green Bay Packers 8-8
Detroit Lions 5-11
Chicago Bears 4-12
NFC South
And to finally wrap up this beast of an NFL preview, let’s take you down to the NFC South. The NFC South is the only division perhaps worse than the NFC West. It really is a shame they couldn’t play each other this season. I figure the NFC South is going to get beasted by the AFC West, which is my reason for having the Raiders and the Chiefs doing so well. The Raiders and the Chiefs will have success at the expense of the Panthers, Bucs, and Falcons.
Jake Delhomme played in three games last year, but the falcons rallied and finished 7-9. If Delhomme can stay healthy (which I don’t think he will) and the running game can be as good as it looks, the Panthers might do better than I expect. There defense has struggled to get pressure on the quarterback and I think that will be a key to this season. Julius Peppers only had 2 sacks last season. If the Panthers could find their pass rush and defense from a couple years ago, they might surprise some people. For now, I think they are mediocrity and won’t do much.
The big story in the NFC South is QB Matt Ryan out of Boston College. I watched the guy play a lot season, and let’s say I wasn’t too impressed. I think the kid is definitely talented, but I don’t really look at him as the savior everyone seems to be expecting. The quarterback is the most important part of a rebuilding team, and in the past teams that put all their eggs in the basket of a rookie quarterback superstar don’t do well more often than not.
Dude, not everyone can be Peyton Manning.
I have the Saints winning the division obviously because they are the only team that isn’t terrible. Drew Brees is one of the league’s best quarterbacks, Colston is a great receiver, and let’s not forget Reggie Bush. My only hope is that Robert Meachem gets some playing time. A couple years ago, he was supposed to be the second best receiver in the draft and my Eagles bypassed him to trade down for Kevin Kolb.
I hope Meachem plays and decimates the NFC South.
New Orleans Saints 10-6
Carolina Panthers 6-10
Tampa Bay Bucs 5-11
Atlanta Falcons 3-13
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By:Jim Sarruda
Category:Sheldon on Sports
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