Well, I’m going to attempt to provide you with a tool instrumental to fantasy football glory. (Emphasis on attempt) This is my analysis of each team in the NFC. I’m going to give you one fantasy stud, dud, and sleeper from each squad. Some of these are blatantly obvious but whatever. You try and put one of these things together without a few “duh” picks. Not so easy, is it, tough guy. My colleague, Joe, will be handling the AFC.
Here we go…
BEARS
STUD: Cedric Benson, RB. He’s getting a lot of bad fantasy pub, but the guy is a load. He’ll be fine.
DUD: Rex Grossman, QB. “We Want Griese!” will be echoing through Soldier Field by week 4.
SLEEPER: Greg Olsen, TE. Has looked great in preseason. Could be gotten late in a deep TE crop.
CARDINALS
STUD: Anquan Boldin, WR. The former college QB will be running a few gadget plays a la Hines Ward in Ken Wisenhunt’s offense.
DUD: Edgerrin James, RB. Offensive line will be better, but not dramatically so. Don’t expect a big year.
SLEEPER: Leonard Pope, TE. The biggest TE in football (6’7”) with potential to be a dominant red zone target.
COWBOYS
STUD: Terrell Owens, WR. Yes, I hate his guts too, but Romo seems to love throwing to him.
DUD: Julius Jones, RB. Will probably go down with an injury sooner rather than later.
SLEEPER: Jason Witten, TE. Had a down year last year so you should be able to grab him late.
EAGLES
STUD: Donovan McNabb, QB. Only played in 10 games last season and still had the 6th most fantasy points among QBs.
DUD: Reggie Brown, WR. Have you ever heard somebody say, “Reggie Brown is pretty good”? Me neither.
SLEEPER: Tony Hunt, RB. Has potential to be to Brian Westbrook what Brandon Jacobs was to Tiki Barber last season.
FALCONS
STUD: Jerious Norwood, RB. If he stays healthy, look out. The guy is like Maurice Jones-Drew, minus the world’s largest thighs.
DUD: Joe Horn, WR. He has Joey Harrington throwing to him. He’s old. And he has Joey Harrington throwing to him.
SLEEPER: Jason Snelling, RB. Big bruising back. Could be a TD vulture.
49ERS
STUD: Frank Gore, RB. Just look at last season. He has an injury history, but whatever. You know? Whatever.
DUD: Alex Smith, QB. People are expecting him to take a big step forward. But he just lost his QB guru, Norv Turner.
SLEEPER: Arnaz Battle, WR. Believe it or not, he’s likely starting the season as the #1 WR. A steal in the late rounds…possibly.
GIANTS
STUD: Brandon Jacobs, WR. If you don’t draft this guy in the first 3 rounds, you’re nuts.
DUD: Eli Manning, QB. He doesn’t even inspire optimism in Giants fans. Stay away, especially if your league penalizes for INTs.
SLEEPER: Amani Toomer, WR. Has been having a great camp. Still very reliable after all these years.
LIONS
STUD: Roy Williams, WR. This is the year he makes the jump to the league’s top tier of receivers.
DUD: Tatum Bell, RB. Martz loves him in the offense, but he’s not running behind Denver’s offensive line anymore.
SLEEPER: John Kitna, QB. Kind of a “not really a sleeper” sleeper. Could be had in middle rounds and pay huge dividends.
PACKERS
STUD: Donald Driver, WR. Has quietly put up tremendous numbers over the past three seasons.
DUD: Brett Favre, QB. He’d be great if you got points for interceptions and stupid throws. But most leagues don’t count those.
SLEEPER: Brandon Jackson, RB. The rookie looks like he’s going to win the starting job.
PANTHERS
STUD: Steve Smith, WR. Duh.
DUD: Dwayne Jarrett, WR. You’ll be tempted to take a flier on him in the late rounds. Don’t.
SLEEPER: DeAngelo Williams, RB. The fact that DeShaun Foster didn’t suffer a serious injury last season means he’s due for one, possibly a career-ender, early this season.
RAMS
STUD: Steven Jackson, RB. Again, duh.
DUD: Isaac Bruce, WR. He’s turning 35 this year. Name me the last WR who was productive at 35.
SLEEPER: Randy McMichael, TE. Had some decent seasons in Miami with crappy QBs. Now he’s got Bulger.
REDSKINS
STUD: Clinton Portis, RB. Not fully into this pick, but you try and find another fantasy stud on this team.
DUD: Santana Moss, WR. Faces uncertainty with a new QB at the helm.
SLEEPER: Jason Campbell, QB. Nobody really knows what to expect from him. Worth a late-round flier.
SAINTS
STUD: Reggie Bush, RB. Find me somebody who doesn’t think he’s going to bust out this season.
DUD: Marques Colston, WR. Defenses know about him now. He’s not going to surprise anybody.
SLEEPER: Devery Henderson, WR. Steps into the starting lineup for the first time.
SEAHAWKS
STUD: Shaun Alexander, RB. Fully healed and ready to return to prominence.
DUD: Deion Branch, WR. Not sure if he’ll put up typical numbers for a #1 WR.
SLEEPER: D.J. Hackett, WR. Getting a bit of buzz. Could put up good numbers with defenses concerned about Alexander and Branch.
VIKINGS
STUD: Adrian Peterson, RB. The closest thing this offense has to a star. Will get more goal line carries than Taylor.
DUD: Troy Williamson, WR. Going for the record for most years in a row dubbed as a fantasy dud.
SLEEPER: Sidney Rice, WR. A rookie with potential that will probably be starting by week 4.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Sunday, August 19, 2007
2007 Predictions
Welcome to the site.
There will be two of us writing posts, myself and Justin. We'll mainly be writing about fantasy football, but don't want to limit ourselves to just that so you'll be seeing posts about whatever has us interested.
To start off, we'll both be posting our 2007 NFL predictions. These should be hilarious to look back at in February. After that, look for our team by team fantasy sleepers, studs, and busts.
So to kick things off, here are my picks for the upcoming season. As long as I can look back and say "Fuck you Mike Greenberg" in triumph then I win.
Oh and I guess it should be noted that I'm a Patriots fan but in no way is that going to influence my picks this year. It'll only look that way.
Playoff teams noted with an asterisk (*)
AFC
East
1. New England Patriots*
2. Buffalo Bills*
3. NY Jets
4. Miami Dolphins
Comments: So like I said, I'm a Pats fan. Fuck you, they're better than all these teams. I really like the Bills (playoff bound in my opinion; all you losers with nothing to do in Buffalo have something to look forward to) and think they'll be giving people a lot more trouble than they're ready for. Hell, I've even come around on JP Losman who I think will be totally solid for the first time ever besides that one year he was pogs champion in middle school. That was a sweet year for him. I still think the Jets are a good team, but I don't necessarily think they're gonna be as successful as they were last year. Mangini will really prove his worth if he can still out coach teams expecting the Jets to not suck. I think they'll be battling with the Bills all year for second, and a playoff spot, and Pennington's health will play a big factor in who wins out. Bold prediction there, right? The Dolphins are shit. End of story.
North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers*
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. Cincinnati Bengals
4. Cleveland Browns
Comments: I'm going with a healthy Roethlisberger carrying these guys back up to the top of the division. I really like the offense a lot and think Tomlin gets some great play of the defense. I don't see Baltimore staying consistent enough with a fading McNair and McGahee. Cincy has an awesome defense so I thought about picking them to win the division. By awesome I mean the Colts will score 75 on them. Unless Palmer can score 100 a game then see ya later Bengals. The Browns will be 0-6 going into their bye, name Brady Quinn the starter, and then finish 10-6. Or not.
South
1. Indianapolis Colts*
2. Jacksonville Jaguars
3. Tennessee Titans
4. Houston Texans
Comments: This is a weird division to me. First off, nobody is better than the Colts here, but it's after the Colts that this could be interesting. I'm gonna play it safe, but I'd like to point out that I think the Jaguars could end up being the worst team here. The Texans are bound to surprise people at some point and if they can protect Schaub AT ALL they might have a shot at doing so this year. The Titans won't be a laughing stock, but they also won't be very good for another season or two; however, they'll give people a closer game than they were expecting more times than not.
West
1. San Diego Chargers*
2. Denver Broncos*
3. Oakland Raiders
4. Kansas City Chiefs
Comments: The Chargers will steamroll through the AFC until Norv Turner has to coach in the playoffs. Then hilarity will ensue. I refuse to pick against the Broncos until they finally have a losing season. Plus, Jake the Snake is gone, how bad can they be? Are the Chiefs even in the NFL this year? Very good chance they're the worst team in the league.
NFC
East
1. Washington Redskins*
2. Dallas Cowboys*
3. Philadelphia Eagles
4. NY Giants
Comments: Wade Phillips is not winning anything. The Eagles are the Done For The Season All Stars . Plus Jeff Garcia is gone, who's gonna lead them to a winning record? The Manning family sold their souls so Peyton could win the Super Bowl hence Eli will never win anything. That was debatable before said transaction anyway though. The healthy Redskins will win this division. Easily.
North
1. Green Bay Packers*
2. Detroit Lions
3. Chicago Bears
4. Minnesota Vikings
Comments: Favre is going out in a blaze of glory, baby! He probably won't but I'd love to see it. The Defense isn't bad so why not? The Lions will be not awful for the first time in recent memory, but will need someone other than Kitna to actually get them to the playoffs. I think the Sex Cannon starts firing blanks and hurts the Bears more than he helps them. I'm pretty interested in the Vikings since, really, they don't have the makings for a bad team at all. Of course I'll be Johnny Obvious and say that their season rests solely on Jackon's back.
South
1. Carolina Panthers*
2. New Orleans Saints*
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
4. Atlanta Falcons
Comments: I think the healthy Panthers rebound nicely this season and contend for the spot most people had them pegged for last season. I'm not a big Delhomme fan, but he's proven he can take a team the the Big Game, so I'll give him enough credit to win a division. I still love the Saints but think they drop down to reality a little more after that highly emotional, and rad, season. The Bucs? Eh, whatever. And the Falcons probably can't wait for this season to be over already. I do hope Harrington becomes awesome out of nowhere though, it would make things way more enjoyable.
West
1. Seattle Seahawks*
2. St. Louis Rams
3. San Francisco Forty Niners
4. Arizona Cardinals
Comments: This division was by far the hardest for me to predict. My heart says the Seahawks won't win it, but my head tells me to just stick with them. I like the Kerney addition a lot but I don't see anything great in their WR group. Still, they have one of the best RBs in the game, so I'm not going to pick against them. The Niners will probably need another year until they're playoff ready. The Cardinals maybe two more and a running back not named Edgerrin James. The Rams could be the team to win this division, but I'm going to assume Orlando Pace gets hurt again somewhere along the line.
Super Bowl
New England Patriots defeat the New Orleans Saints
There will be two of us writing posts, myself and Justin. We'll mainly be writing about fantasy football, but don't want to limit ourselves to just that so you'll be seeing posts about whatever has us interested.
To start off, we'll both be posting our 2007 NFL predictions. These should be hilarious to look back at in February. After that, look for our team by team fantasy sleepers, studs, and busts.
So to kick things off, here are my picks for the upcoming season. As long as I can look back and say "Fuck you Mike Greenberg" in triumph then I win.
Oh and I guess it should be noted that I'm a Patriots fan but in no way is that going to influence my picks this year. It'll only look that way.
Playoff teams noted with an asterisk (*)
AFC
East
1. New England Patriots*
2. Buffalo Bills*
3. NY Jets
4. Miami Dolphins
Comments: So like I said, I'm a Pats fan. Fuck you, they're better than all these teams. I really like the Bills (playoff bound in my opinion; all you losers with nothing to do in Buffalo have something to look forward to) and think they'll be giving people a lot more trouble than they're ready for. Hell, I've even come around on JP Losman who I think will be totally solid for the first time ever besides that one year he was pogs champion in middle school. That was a sweet year for him. I still think the Jets are a good team, but I don't necessarily think they're gonna be as successful as they were last year. Mangini will really prove his worth if he can still out coach teams expecting the Jets to not suck. I think they'll be battling with the Bills all year for second, and a playoff spot, and Pennington's health will play a big factor in who wins out. Bold prediction there, right? The Dolphins are shit. End of story.
North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers*
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. Cincinnati Bengals
4. Cleveland Browns
Comments: I'm going with a healthy Roethlisberger carrying these guys back up to the top of the division. I really like the offense a lot and think Tomlin gets some great play of the defense. I don't see Baltimore staying consistent enough with a fading McNair and McGahee. Cincy has an awesome defense so I thought about picking them to win the division. By awesome I mean the Colts will score 75 on them. Unless Palmer can score 100 a game then see ya later Bengals. The Browns will be 0-6 going into their bye, name Brady Quinn the starter, and then finish 10-6. Or not.
South
1. Indianapolis Colts*
2. Jacksonville Jaguars
3. Tennessee Titans
4. Houston Texans
Comments: This is a weird division to me. First off, nobody is better than the Colts here, but it's after the Colts that this could be interesting. I'm gonna play it safe, but I'd like to point out that I think the Jaguars could end up being the worst team here. The Texans are bound to surprise people at some point and if they can protect Schaub AT ALL they might have a shot at doing so this year. The Titans won't be a laughing stock, but they also won't be very good for another season or two; however, they'll give people a closer game than they were expecting more times than not.
West
1. San Diego Chargers*
2. Denver Broncos*
3. Oakland Raiders
4. Kansas City Chiefs
Comments: The Chargers will steamroll through the AFC until Norv Turner has to coach in the playoffs. Then hilarity will ensue. I refuse to pick against the Broncos until they finally have a losing season. Plus, Jake the Snake is gone, how bad can they be? Are the Chiefs even in the NFL this year? Very good chance they're the worst team in the league.
NFC
East
1. Washington Redskins*
2. Dallas Cowboys*
3. Philadelphia Eagles
4. NY Giants
Comments: Wade Phillips is not winning anything. The Eagles are the Done For The Season All Stars . Plus Jeff Garcia is gone, who's gonna lead them to a winning record? The Manning family sold their souls so Peyton could win the Super Bowl hence Eli will never win anything. That was debatable before said transaction anyway though. The healthy Redskins will win this division. Easily.
North
1. Green Bay Packers*
2. Detroit Lions
3. Chicago Bears
4. Minnesota Vikings
Comments: Favre is going out in a blaze of glory, baby! He probably won't but I'd love to see it. The Defense isn't bad so why not? The Lions will be not awful for the first time in recent memory, but will need someone other than Kitna to actually get them to the playoffs. I think the Sex Cannon starts firing blanks and hurts the Bears more than he helps them. I'm pretty interested in the Vikings since, really, they don't have the makings for a bad team at all. Of course I'll be Johnny Obvious and say that their season rests solely on Jackon's back.
South
1. Carolina Panthers*
2. New Orleans Saints*
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
4. Atlanta Falcons
Comments: I think the healthy Panthers rebound nicely this season and contend for the spot most people had them pegged for last season. I'm not a big Delhomme fan, but he's proven he can take a team the the Big Game, so I'll give him enough credit to win a division. I still love the Saints but think they drop down to reality a little more after that highly emotional, and rad, season. The Bucs? Eh, whatever. And the Falcons probably can't wait for this season to be over already. I do hope Harrington becomes awesome out of nowhere though, it would make things way more enjoyable.
West
1. Seattle Seahawks*
2. St. Louis Rams
3. San Francisco Forty Niners
4. Arizona Cardinals
Comments: This division was by far the hardest for me to predict. My heart says the Seahawks won't win it, but my head tells me to just stick with them. I like the Kerney addition a lot but I don't see anything great in their WR group. Still, they have one of the best RBs in the game, so I'm not going to pick against them. The Niners will probably need another year until they're playoff ready. The Cardinals maybe two more and a running back not named Edgerrin James. The Rams could be the team to win this division, but I'm going to assume Orlando Pace gets hurt again somewhere along the line.
Super Bowl
New England Patriots defeat the New Orleans Saints
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Predictions for 2007
Justin here. These are my predictions for the upcoming season. Like Joe mentioned above, these picks will probably make for some great comedy material come February (especially my Rookie of the Year and MVP picks). But until then, I'm gonna do my best prognosticating.
(Keep in mind that I've never been good at this. For instance, last year I predicted a Bengals vs. Panthers Super Bowl. Translation: I wouldn't make any monetary wagers based on this information.)
AFC EAST
1. New England Patriots
2. New York Jets
3. Buffalo Bills
4. Miami Dolphins
Comments: Barring the team plane being the target of a terrorist attack or Tom Brady being arrested for the murder of Bridget Moynahan, the Pats will run away with the division. The only real argument here, as far as I'm concerned, is whether Miami or Buffalo will finish last. Buffalo is a chic sleeper pick, but I'm not buying it. The defense lost their leader and best player (Takeo Spikes) and J.P. Losman is J.P. Losman. As for the Dolphins, they used the #9 overall pick on a brittle kick returner and are pinning their hopes on a 37 year old quarterback. I considered the Jets as a wild card team until I saw Chad Pennington play in the preseason.
AFC NORTH
1. Baltimore Ravens
2. Cincinnatti Bengals*
3. Cleveland Browns
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
Comments: I'd like to pick the Bengals to win the division but Baltimore improved a team that finished with 13 wins last year while the Bengals did next to nothing to upgrade their league-worst pass defense. Cincy takes the wild card. The Browns finish out of last for the first time in years. I have no valid reason for making that prediction. I love Mike Tomlin, but I think Roethlisberger shot his loan during his rookie year.
AFC SOUTH
1. Indianapolis Colts
2. Jacksonville Jaguars*
3. Houston Texans
4. Tennessee Titans
Comments: This division will come down the the last week or two of the season. If the Jags play consistently on offense, they could overtake the Colts. They have the best running game and by far the best defense of the four teams. Of course, consistency is tough to maintain when Byron Leftwich is your quarterback, but I still think they make the playoffs. The Texans could make some noise, but I hate their offensive line, their ground game and their secondary. I've had a man-crush on Vince Young ever since he put on that performance for the ages in the Rose Bowl, but the Titans are still a year away.
AFC WEST
1. San Diego Chargers
2. Denver Broncos
3. Kansas City Chiefs
4. Oakland Raiders
Comments: Not even Norv Turner can squander this opportunity. At least I don't think he can. The Chargers have the most talent in the league and will win at least 12 games. They actually should win 15 or 16 games, but you can count on Norv to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory a handfull of times. The Broncos contend, but end up as the odd man out in the wild card race. The Chiefs are the "blah-est" team in the league. And the Raiders. I see them finishing either second or last in the division. They played excellend defense last year (no I'm not making that up, check the stats) but there has been no improvement to the woeful offense other than the all-or-nothing acquisition of Daunte Culpepper. If he even comes close to resembling his 2004 self, the Raiders could win a bunch of 17-13 games and sniff a wild card spot.
NFC EAST
1. Philadelphia Eagles
2. Dallas Cowboys*
3. Washington Redskins
4. New York Giants
Comments: Donovan McNabb's health is the deciding factor here. If plays all season, the Eagles win the division. If not, then it's probably the Cowboys, provided Tony Romo is fully recovered from perhaps the worst playoff choke job since Gary Anderson wide left. My co-writer above likes the 'Skins, but I don't know about Jason Campbell. But they do have a good O-line, solid running game and a great secondary, so they have a shot to make some noise. Then you have the Giants, who have questions on both lines, a first-time starter at RB, a QB facing a make-or-break season, and a lame duck coach. Not exactly a recipe for a playoff run.
NFC NORTH
1. Detroit Lions
2. Chicago Bears
3. Minnesota Vikings
4. Green Bay Packers
Comments: Arguably the worst division in football. Minus the arguably part. But I'm drinking the Detroit Kool Aid this year, even though they have "2005 and 2006 Arizona Cardinals" written all over them. The offense will be even better in Mike Martz's second year and they do have one of the best front sevens in the league, led by a defensive line that's both big in the middle and can rush the passer from the outside. John Kitna will be in the thick of the MVP running. I can't believe I just said that, either. The Bears are due to regress. My beloved Vikings will fight to stay out of last place, which is frustrating because they are a solid team everywhere except for the quarterback position. As goes T-Jack, so go the Vikes. The Packers did nothing to improve their team in the off-season (whiffing on Randy Moss, awful draft). But when you have Brett Favre, you always have a chance...to turn the ball over a lot and put a lot of pressure on your mediocre defense.
NFC SOUTH
1. New Orleans Saints
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3. Carolina Panthers
4. Atlanta Falcons
Comments: I'm going with the Saints by default because I don't like any of the other teams in this division to have good years. Plus, Reggie Bush may set a record for most "HOLY CRAP HE DID NOT JUST DO THAT!" plays this season. I think that Jeff Garcia will actually have a good season in Tampa, but not THAT good of a season. The Panthers let me down tremendously last season and I have no reason to have faith in them this season. The interesting subplot to keep an eye on will be Falcons coach Bobby Petrino possibly deciding to tank the season after a 1-4 start to ensure he gets the number one pick in the draft to select his old QB from Louisville, Brian Brohm.
NFC WEST
1. Seattle Seahawks
2. Arizona Cardinals*
3. St. Louis Rams
4. San Fransisco 49ers
Comments: I'm not buying the 49ers hype. Not even a bit. The Rams intrigue me, but I'm not sold on their defense or their offensive line. Seattle still has the core of a team one year removed from the Super Bowl intact (Hasselbeck, Alexander, Walter Jones, Tatupu, Holmgren), plus a great homefield advantage. And I do fully believe that the Cardinals will make the playoffs. The offense will be top 10 in the league and the defense will be good enough to win 9 games.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Ken Whisenhunt. Arizona Cardinals
DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Jarvis Moss. Defensive End, Denver Broncos
OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Chris Henry. Running Back, Tennessee Titans
MVP
1. Donovan McNabb
2. Peyton Manning
3. LaDanian Tomlinson
4. John Kitna
SUPERBOWL
Colts over Seahawks
(Keep in mind that I've never been good at this. For instance, last year I predicted a Bengals vs. Panthers Super Bowl. Translation: I wouldn't make any monetary wagers based on this information.)
AFC EAST
1. New England Patriots
2. New York Jets
3. Buffalo Bills
4. Miami Dolphins
Comments: Barring the team plane being the target of a terrorist attack or Tom Brady being arrested for the murder of Bridget Moynahan, the Pats will run away with the division. The only real argument here, as far as I'm concerned, is whether Miami or Buffalo will finish last. Buffalo is a chic sleeper pick, but I'm not buying it. The defense lost their leader and best player (Takeo Spikes) and J.P. Losman is J.P. Losman. As for the Dolphins, they used the #9 overall pick on a brittle kick returner and are pinning their hopes on a 37 year old quarterback. I considered the Jets as a wild card team until I saw Chad Pennington play in the preseason.
AFC NORTH
1. Baltimore Ravens
2. Cincinnatti Bengals*
3. Cleveland Browns
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
Comments: I'd like to pick the Bengals to win the division but Baltimore improved a team that finished with 13 wins last year while the Bengals did next to nothing to upgrade their league-worst pass defense. Cincy takes the wild card. The Browns finish out of last for the first time in years. I have no valid reason for making that prediction. I love Mike Tomlin, but I think Roethlisberger shot his loan during his rookie year.
AFC SOUTH
1. Indianapolis Colts
2. Jacksonville Jaguars*
3. Houston Texans
4. Tennessee Titans
Comments: This division will come down the the last week or two of the season. If the Jags play consistently on offense, they could overtake the Colts. They have the best running game and by far the best defense of the four teams. Of course, consistency is tough to maintain when Byron Leftwich is your quarterback, but I still think they make the playoffs. The Texans could make some noise, but I hate their offensive line, their ground game and their secondary. I've had a man-crush on Vince Young ever since he put on that performance for the ages in the Rose Bowl, but the Titans are still a year away.
AFC WEST
1. San Diego Chargers
2. Denver Broncos
3. Kansas City Chiefs
4. Oakland Raiders
Comments: Not even Norv Turner can squander this opportunity. At least I don't think he can. The Chargers have the most talent in the league and will win at least 12 games. They actually should win 15 or 16 games, but you can count on Norv to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory a handfull of times. The Broncos contend, but end up as the odd man out in the wild card race. The Chiefs are the "blah-est" team in the league. And the Raiders. I see them finishing either second or last in the division. They played excellend defense last year (no I'm not making that up, check the stats) but there has been no improvement to the woeful offense other than the all-or-nothing acquisition of Daunte Culpepper. If he even comes close to resembling his 2004 self, the Raiders could win a bunch of 17-13 games and sniff a wild card spot.
NFC EAST
1. Philadelphia Eagles
2. Dallas Cowboys*
3. Washington Redskins
4. New York Giants
Comments: Donovan McNabb's health is the deciding factor here. If plays all season, the Eagles win the division. If not, then it's probably the Cowboys, provided Tony Romo is fully recovered from perhaps the worst playoff choke job since Gary Anderson wide left. My co-writer above likes the 'Skins, but I don't know about Jason Campbell. But they do have a good O-line, solid running game and a great secondary, so they have a shot to make some noise. Then you have the Giants, who have questions on both lines, a first-time starter at RB, a QB facing a make-or-break season, and a lame duck coach. Not exactly a recipe for a playoff run.
NFC NORTH
1. Detroit Lions
2. Chicago Bears
3. Minnesota Vikings
4. Green Bay Packers
Comments: Arguably the worst division in football. Minus the arguably part. But I'm drinking the Detroit Kool Aid this year, even though they have "2005 and 2006 Arizona Cardinals" written all over them. The offense will be even better in Mike Martz's second year and they do have one of the best front sevens in the league, led by a defensive line that's both big in the middle and can rush the passer from the outside. John Kitna will be in the thick of the MVP running. I can't believe I just said that, either. The Bears are due to regress. My beloved Vikings will fight to stay out of last place, which is frustrating because they are a solid team everywhere except for the quarterback position. As goes T-Jack, so go the Vikes. The Packers did nothing to improve their team in the off-season (whiffing on Randy Moss, awful draft). But when you have Brett Favre, you always have a chance...to turn the ball over a lot and put a lot of pressure on your mediocre defense.
NFC SOUTH
1. New Orleans Saints
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3. Carolina Panthers
4. Atlanta Falcons
Comments: I'm going with the Saints by default because I don't like any of the other teams in this division to have good years. Plus, Reggie Bush may set a record for most "HOLY CRAP HE DID NOT JUST DO THAT!" plays this season. I think that Jeff Garcia will actually have a good season in Tampa, but not THAT good of a season. The Panthers let me down tremendously last season and I have no reason to have faith in them this season. The interesting subplot to keep an eye on will be Falcons coach Bobby Petrino possibly deciding to tank the season after a 1-4 start to ensure he gets the number one pick in the draft to select his old QB from Louisville, Brian Brohm.
NFC WEST
1. Seattle Seahawks
2. Arizona Cardinals*
3. St. Louis Rams
4. San Fransisco 49ers
Comments: I'm not buying the 49ers hype. Not even a bit. The Rams intrigue me, but I'm not sold on their defense or their offensive line. Seattle still has the core of a team one year removed from the Super Bowl intact (Hasselbeck, Alexander, Walter Jones, Tatupu, Holmgren), plus a great homefield advantage. And I do fully believe that the Cardinals will make the playoffs. The offense will be top 10 in the league and the defense will be good enough to win 9 games.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Ken Whisenhunt. Arizona Cardinals
DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Jarvis Moss. Defensive End, Denver Broncos
OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Chris Henry. Running Back, Tennessee Titans
MVP
1. Donovan McNabb
2. Peyton Manning
3. LaDanian Tomlinson
4. John Kitna
SUPERBOWL
Colts over Seahawks
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