In the off season Philly decided that they had had enough of Donovan McNabb. Kevin Kolb was their future and it was time for McNabb to hit the bricks. They traded McNabb to the division rival Washington Redskins and groomed Kolb to take over the starting job. Now with McNabb being 33 I could see on some level this idea making sense, however, there is 1 glaring problem; Kolb is an unproven player who had 1 good game last year. Philly banked all their hopes on 1 game.
Philly drafted Kolb early in the 2nd round in 2007 making it clear even then that their intentions were to move on at some point from McNabb. McNabb took the whole thing in stride and continued to play to the best of his ability. But Philly fans are a finicky and short fused lot whose patience eventually ran thin. Despite 5 NFC championship appearances and 1 Superbowl appearance, the lack of a Lombardi trophy would be the undoing of McNabb's time in Philly. The result? McNabb is now the starting QB in Washington with a respectable 89.2% passer rating and Kolb has started 1 quarter in the 1st game before being knocked out with a concussion. Since that time Michael Vick has been the starter leading them to a NFC East division leading 2-1 record. It will be Michael Vick not Kevin Kolb that Donovan McNabb will face this week in Philly. Philly had wanted to go to a pocket passer who ran a system style offense..what they have currently is a scrambling quarterback who makes on the move decisions and has a great arm matched with excellent field vision...in other words they have EXACTLY what they just got rid of!! Whether Kolb at some point will take over the reins remains to be seen. Michael Vick has thrown for 750 yds, 6 TDs, 0 INTs and has a 110.2% passer rating..for the forseeable future he will remain the starter. Philly will at some point have to ask themselves whether or not they made the best decision and whether they should keep Kolb or trade him. Should they keep Vick there as the starter or relegate him to back-up? If they keep Vick as the starter then the whole issue of trading McNabb becomes a question of whether it was just because they were tired of him as opposed to believing he no longer could play up to a certain level. Do you get rid of a Superbowl level quarterback because your finicky fans don't have faith in him anymore? We may never know the answer to this question, but if Kolb doesnt become the future of the Eagles then Philly made a mistake in getting rid of McNabb.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Week 3 Predictions
Ok so your girl did better last week, finishing 11-5. Let's hope we can do even better this week. Here we go:
Cincinnati Bengals (1-1) vs. Carolina Panthers (0-2)
The Bengals beat the Ravens in week 2 in a tough defensive battle (along with some questionable calls). Palmer struggled last week against Baltimore completing just 16 of 35 for 167 yards, but of course this was against the Ravens so you cant totally blame him for that. Cedric Benson is probable this week playing with a shoulder injury. Bengals D has looked good in both their 1st 2 games..let's hope they can keep it on a roll. Panthers have looked sad & pathetic in the first 2 weeks of the season. Getting rid of Jake Delhomme was supposed to solve their issues, but Matt Moore hasnt faired any better throwing for just 307 yards, 2 TDs and 4 INTs over the 1st 2 games of the season. This week they've decided to start rookie QB Jimmy Clausen. His only WR threat is the veteran Steve Smith but Panthers have looked terrible in the first 2 weeks and even the change in QB won't save them for losing 3 straight. Prediction: Bengals
Buffalo Bills (0-2) vs. New England Patriots (1-1)
Bills are a terrible team in a great AFC East division. There isnt any one specific area to point at that makes them terrible..blame can be shared all around. Whether it is their lack of a proficient QB (they are starting Ryan Fitzpatrick in place of the inept Trent Edwards), lack of production in their running game (20 rushes for 77 yds 0 TDs for Lynch) or the complete lack of scoring period (they are averaging only 17 ppg). The Bills at this point look to have another long tough season ahead of them. Patriots stumbled last week in the Meadowlands against the Jets falling to 1-1. But the Patriots are still a high powered offense lead by the always dynamic Tom Brady. While he struggled in week 2 against the Jets throwing 2 INTs, he won't have the same issue this week against the Bills whose defense cant stop opposing offenses from racking up yards. Prediction: Patriots
San Francisco 49ers (0-2) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (2-0)
49ers lost a heartbreaker last week against the Saints where they lead with just a minute plus left in the game. This week they hope to avenge that loss. QB Alex Smith has looked awful in his 1st 2 games this season throwing just 1 TD with 4 INTs. Frank Gore looked good last week on 20 rushes for 112 yds and 1 TD but he has been their lone bright spot in an offense that is sputtering this season. If they dont right this ship soon they will finish last in a bad NFC West division. Kansas City Chiefs meanwhile have been the shocker of the AFC West, leading the division but playing inconsistent while doing so. Matt Cassel threw for only 176 yds and 2 INTs and Jamaal Charles managed only 49 yds on 11 carries against the horrendous Cleveland Browns last week. This week they face the 49ers who are itching for their 1st win of the season. If Chiefs play like they did last week, 49ers are sure to get it. Prediction: 49ers
Tennessee Titans (1-1) vs. New York Giants (1-1)
Tennessee played a terrible game last week where Vince Young was pulled before the end. They need to be able to play better against tough defenses or they will not finish above .500 this season. Vince Young finished with just 70 yds and 2 INTs before the Titans brought in Collins to finish the game. However, Vince is getting the start again this week so needs to play more consistent if he hopes to maintain his starting job. Chris Johnson was held to just 34 yards against the tough Steelers defense, so his line will need to get him open more to allow him to show off his explosive running ability that has made him the top rusher in this league. Giants are coming off a crushing loss to the Colts last week where they were completely dominated on both sides of the ball. Eli finished with just 161 yds, 2 TDs & 1 INT and Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham each caught a TD last week. There is hope this week playing at home that the defense will play better than last week's debacle. Titans are not the Colts so there is some hope for redemption for the Giants. Prediction: Giants
Cleveland Browns (0-2) vs. Baltimore Ravens (1-1)
The Browns are just an awful team and unfortunately for them they play in a very tough AFC North division. Jake Delhomme played poorly til injuring his ankle which allowed Seneca Wallace to start who hasnt faired much better. Last week he completed 16 of 31 for 229 yds, 1 TD and 1 INT. He will be getting the start again today. He does this with a running game that has struggled to score and a defense who cant stop the run. Baltimore lost a good game last week against the Bengals in Cincinnati. They will need to win to stay within a game of the division leading Steelers. Joe Flacco played extremely poorly last week throwing 4 INTs but against the Browns he will not have the same kind of problems. Ray Rice will move the ball on the ground and the Ravens D will shut down the Browns at home. Predicition: Ravens
Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0) vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0)
Credit the Steelers defense for keeping them on a winning track even without their star QB. This week they are starting Charlie Batch with Byron Leftwich as his back-up since Dennis Dixon is hurt. Even with the offense struggling to score many points Steelers defense behind Troy Polamalu is having a great season so far. Buccaneers are the surprising 2-0 team in the league. While they arent a finesse team, they are consistently doing enough to get the job done and rack up the Ws. Even with a broken tip of his thumb on his throwing hand Josh Freeman finished with 178 yds and 2 TDs last week. His defense was smothering last week in their win against the Panthers. This week though they face a very tough opponent in the Steelers. I think the Bucs will have a great season but this week they will get their first L. Prediction: Steelers
Atlanta Falcons (1-1) vs New Orleans Saints (2-0)
Falcons played a fantastic game last week where they crushed the Cardinals. This week they face the division leading Saints who are coming off a close but good win against the 49ers last week. Brees is still on a roll from last season and though I like the Falcons I dont think they can get pass Jonathan Vilma and that hard charging defense of the Saints. Predicition: Saints
Detroit Lions (0-2) vs Minneosta Vikings (0-2)
Lions are without their starting QB Matthew Stafford who is gone for the season. Their defense is atrocious and needs help badly. Vikings are playing poorly behind an injured Brett Favre who is looking all of his 40 years right now. If Adrian Peterson can hang onto the ball and Favre can finally throw with some regularity they will get their first win of the season. Predicition: Vikings
Dallas Cowboys (0-2) vs Houston Texans (2-0)
The battle for Texas wouldnt be so interesting if the standings for each team were reversed. However, with Cowboys being winless so far this season this has turned into a surprisingly interesting game. Cowboys have not played with any kind of cohesion..they lack a core unity which keeps them from playing together in a way that will get them a win. Their running game has yet to score a TD and Romo threw for 2 INTs last week against the Bears. This team has got to turn things around fast. Texans meanwhile have looked unstoppable. They came out the gate with a big win over their division rival Colts and last week beat up on the Redskins in Washington. Schaub threw for nearly 500 yds and 3 TDs with Andre Johnson being on the receiving end of 1 of those. The defense behind the big play of Mario Williams has looked superb. If they can continue to play at this level they will have a fantastic season. But with Cowboys in desperation mode I see them getting the W they need. Predicition: Cowboys
Philadelphia Eagles (1-1) vs Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1)
Eagles decided to stick with Michael Vick this week against the Jaguars which is a good decision since he has played so well in the first 2 weeks. Last week he threw for 284 yds and 2 TDs. His running game has finally got a reliable back in LeSean McCoy who rushed for 3 TDs in their win against the Lions. They may turn out to be better than projected in the NFC East division. Jaguars meanwhile have played with their same lackluster inconsistency that has haunted them the last year or so. Garrard threw 4 INTs last week before finally being benched before the end of the game. Maurice Jones-Drew rushed for only 31 yds and had a fumble. They will need to play bigger if they have any hopes of contending in the AFC South. Predicition: Eagles
Washington Redskins (1-1) vs St. Louis Rams (0-2)
Washington managed to play well even in defeat last week against the Texans. Donovan McNabb threw for 426 yds and a TD bringing the big play reliability that the Redskins have needed at QB for years. Clinton Portis rushed for only 33 yds but 2 TDs so with Redskins cutting Larry Johnson this week he will need to be the man in Washington and stay healthy. Their defense has played well enough to keep them in games with Arakpo and Fletcher being the big game players Skins need. Rams are just an awful team. They have a bright spot in RB Steven Jackson but he alone cannot carry this team, and with a rookie QB in Sam Bradford they are once again going to have a bad season. They are in a rebuilding year so hopefully next year they will be more competitive. Prediction: Redskins
Indianapolis Colts (1-1) vs Denver Broncos (1-1)
Colts made up for their week 1 loss by completely dismantling the Giants in the Meadowlands. They were rocking on all cylinders and showed why they have been a 13 win team for the last several years. Peyton threw for 255 yds and 3 TDs with Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne each catching a TD. Robert Mathis and the Colts D have looked good each week. Broncos are coming off a good win last week against the Seahawks. Kyle Orton threw 2 TDs and Moreno rushed for another but this week the Broncos are without their 2nd year back. Without a ground attack the Colts will be impossible for them to beat even at home. Prediction: Colts
Oakland Raiders (1-1) vs Arizona Cardinals (1-1)
Jason Campbell has been benched in favor of Bruce Gradkowksi this week in their start against the Cardinals. Last week he finished with 162 yds 1 TD and 1 INT. Even with this the Raiders will need their running game to pick up the pace and the defense to keep them in games. The Cardinals suffered a humiliating loss to the Falcons last week in Atlanta. Derek Anderson is showing the same unreliable play that cost him his job in Cleveland. He finished last week with 0 TDs and 2 INTs. This is going to be a long season for the Cardinals if they dont get some consistency at the QB position. Prediction: Cardinals
San Diego Chargers (1-1) vs Seattle Seahawks (1-1)
Chargers played great last week in a win against the Jaguars at home. Phillip Rivers threw for 334 yds and 3 TDs with 2 INTs. They will be without rookie phenom Ryan Matthews who is out with an ankle injury. They have a crushing defense though who always plays big for them. Seahawks meanwhile looked bad in a loss to the Broncos last week in Denver. Hasselback threw 3 INTs and their defense gave up chunks of yards threw the air and on the ground. This game will be ugly and the Chargers will stay within a game of the division leading Chiefs. Prediction: Chargers
New York Jets (1-1) vs Miami Dolphins (2-0)
The Jets played fabulous in their week 2 win against the Patriots. Mark Sanchez finished with 220 yds and 3 TDs making up for a poor performance in week 1. His running game behind LaDainian Tomlinson has played much better than last season. This team has a smothering defense even without Revis. Dolphins are the surprise 2-0 team. They have played with an amazing level of cohesion that many other teams need. This should be a good AFC East battle. Prediction: Jets
Green Bay Packers (2-0) vs Chicago Bears (2-0)
The battle of the unbeatens in the NFC North division. Aaron Rodgers threw for 255 yds and 2 TDs last week in their win over the Bills. Donald Driver caught one and Brandon Jackson rushed for 1. This should be a great season for the Packers. Bears meanwhile won a shocker against the Cowboys last week in Dallas. Jay Cutler threw for 277 yds and 3 TDs. Bears have a great defense and will definitely be a team to watch who may do much better than predicted. This will be a good game and a much watch. Prediction: Packers
Cincinnati Bengals (1-1) vs. Carolina Panthers (0-2)
The Bengals beat the Ravens in week 2 in a tough defensive battle (along with some questionable calls). Palmer struggled last week against Baltimore completing just 16 of 35 for 167 yards, but of course this was against the Ravens so you cant totally blame him for that. Cedric Benson is probable this week playing with a shoulder injury. Bengals D has looked good in both their 1st 2 games..let's hope they can keep it on a roll. Panthers have looked sad & pathetic in the first 2 weeks of the season. Getting rid of Jake Delhomme was supposed to solve their issues, but Matt Moore hasnt faired any better throwing for just 307 yards, 2 TDs and 4 INTs over the 1st 2 games of the season. This week they've decided to start rookie QB Jimmy Clausen. His only WR threat is the veteran Steve Smith but Panthers have looked terrible in the first 2 weeks and even the change in QB won't save them for losing 3 straight. Prediction: Bengals
Buffalo Bills (0-2) vs. New England Patriots (1-1)
Bills are a terrible team in a great AFC East division. There isnt any one specific area to point at that makes them terrible..blame can be shared all around. Whether it is their lack of a proficient QB (they are starting Ryan Fitzpatrick in place of the inept Trent Edwards), lack of production in their running game (20 rushes for 77 yds 0 TDs for Lynch) or the complete lack of scoring period (they are averaging only 17 ppg). The Bills at this point look to have another long tough season ahead of them. Patriots stumbled last week in the Meadowlands against the Jets falling to 1-1. But the Patriots are still a high powered offense lead by the always dynamic Tom Brady. While he struggled in week 2 against the Jets throwing 2 INTs, he won't have the same issue this week against the Bills whose defense cant stop opposing offenses from racking up yards. Prediction: Patriots
San Francisco 49ers (0-2) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (2-0)
49ers lost a heartbreaker last week against the Saints where they lead with just a minute plus left in the game. This week they hope to avenge that loss. QB Alex Smith has looked awful in his 1st 2 games this season throwing just 1 TD with 4 INTs. Frank Gore looked good last week on 20 rushes for 112 yds and 1 TD but he has been their lone bright spot in an offense that is sputtering this season. If they dont right this ship soon they will finish last in a bad NFC West division. Kansas City Chiefs meanwhile have been the shocker of the AFC West, leading the division but playing inconsistent while doing so. Matt Cassel threw for only 176 yds and 2 INTs and Jamaal Charles managed only 49 yds on 11 carries against the horrendous Cleveland Browns last week. This week they face the 49ers who are itching for their 1st win of the season. If Chiefs play like they did last week, 49ers are sure to get it. Prediction: 49ers
Tennessee Titans (1-1) vs. New York Giants (1-1)
Tennessee played a terrible game last week where Vince Young was pulled before the end. They need to be able to play better against tough defenses or they will not finish above .500 this season. Vince Young finished with just 70 yds and 2 INTs before the Titans brought in Collins to finish the game. However, Vince is getting the start again this week so needs to play more consistent if he hopes to maintain his starting job. Chris Johnson was held to just 34 yards against the tough Steelers defense, so his line will need to get him open more to allow him to show off his explosive running ability that has made him the top rusher in this league. Giants are coming off a crushing loss to the Colts last week where they were completely dominated on both sides of the ball. Eli finished with just 161 yds, 2 TDs & 1 INT and Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham each caught a TD last week. There is hope this week playing at home that the defense will play better than last week's debacle. Titans are not the Colts so there is some hope for redemption for the Giants. Prediction: Giants
Cleveland Browns (0-2) vs. Baltimore Ravens (1-1)
The Browns are just an awful team and unfortunately for them they play in a very tough AFC North division. Jake Delhomme played poorly til injuring his ankle which allowed Seneca Wallace to start who hasnt faired much better. Last week he completed 16 of 31 for 229 yds, 1 TD and 1 INT. He will be getting the start again today. He does this with a running game that has struggled to score and a defense who cant stop the run. Baltimore lost a good game last week against the Bengals in Cincinnati. They will need to win to stay within a game of the division leading Steelers. Joe Flacco played extremely poorly last week throwing 4 INTs but against the Browns he will not have the same kind of problems. Ray Rice will move the ball on the ground and the Ravens D will shut down the Browns at home. Predicition: Ravens
Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0) vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0)
Credit the Steelers defense for keeping them on a winning track even without their star QB. This week they are starting Charlie Batch with Byron Leftwich as his back-up since Dennis Dixon is hurt. Even with the offense struggling to score many points Steelers defense behind Troy Polamalu is having a great season so far. Buccaneers are the surprising 2-0 team in the league. While they arent a finesse team, they are consistently doing enough to get the job done and rack up the Ws. Even with a broken tip of his thumb on his throwing hand Josh Freeman finished with 178 yds and 2 TDs last week. His defense was smothering last week in their win against the Panthers. This week though they face a very tough opponent in the Steelers. I think the Bucs will have a great season but this week they will get their first L. Prediction: Steelers
Atlanta Falcons (1-1) vs New Orleans Saints (2-0)
Falcons played a fantastic game last week where they crushed the Cardinals. This week they face the division leading Saints who are coming off a close but good win against the 49ers last week. Brees is still on a roll from last season and though I like the Falcons I dont think they can get pass Jonathan Vilma and that hard charging defense of the Saints. Predicition: Saints
Detroit Lions (0-2) vs Minneosta Vikings (0-2)
Lions are without their starting QB Matthew Stafford who is gone for the season. Their defense is atrocious and needs help badly. Vikings are playing poorly behind an injured Brett Favre who is looking all of his 40 years right now. If Adrian Peterson can hang onto the ball and Favre can finally throw with some regularity they will get their first win of the season. Predicition: Vikings
Dallas Cowboys (0-2) vs Houston Texans (2-0)
The battle for Texas wouldnt be so interesting if the standings for each team were reversed. However, with Cowboys being winless so far this season this has turned into a surprisingly interesting game. Cowboys have not played with any kind of cohesion..they lack a core unity which keeps them from playing together in a way that will get them a win. Their running game has yet to score a TD and Romo threw for 2 INTs last week against the Bears. This team has got to turn things around fast. Texans meanwhile have looked unstoppable. They came out the gate with a big win over their division rival Colts and last week beat up on the Redskins in Washington. Schaub threw for nearly 500 yds and 3 TDs with Andre Johnson being on the receiving end of 1 of those. The defense behind the big play of Mario Williams has looked superb. If they can continue to play at this level they will have a fantastic season. But with Cowboys in desperation mode I see them getting the W they need. Predicition: Cowboys
Philadelphia Eagles (1-1) vs Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1)
Eagles decided to stick with Michael Vick this week against the Jaguars which is a good decision since he has played so well in the first 2 weeks. Last week he threw for 284 yds and 2 TDs. His running game has finally got a reliable back in LeSean McCoy who rushed for 3 TDs in their win against the Lions. They may turn out to be better than projected in the NFC East division. Jaguars meanwhile have played with their same lackluster inconsistency that has haunted them the last year or so. Garrard threw 4 INTs last week before finally being benched before the end of the game. Maurice Jones-Drew rushed for only 31 yds and had a fumble. They will need to play bigger if they have any hopes of contending in the AFC South. Predicition: Eagles
Washington Redskins (1-1) vs St. Louis Rams (0-2)
Washington managed to play well even in defeat last week against the Texans. Donovan McNabb threw for 426 yds and a TD bringing the big play reliability that the Redskins have needed at QB for years. Clinton Portis rushed for only 33 yds but 2 TDs so with Redskins cutting Larry Johnson this week he will need to be the man in Washington and stay healthy. Their defense has played well enough to keep them in games with Arakpo and Fletcher being the big game players Skins need. Rams are just an awful team. They have a bright spot in RB Steven Jackson but he alone cannot carry this team, and with a rookie QB in Sam Bradford they are once again going to have a bad season. They are in a rebuilding year so hopefully next year they will be more competitive. Prediction: Redskins
Indianapolis Colts (1-1) vs Denver Broncos (1-1)
Colts made up for their week 1 loss by completely dismantling the Giants in the Meadowlands. They were rocking on all cylinders and showed why they have been a 13 win team for the last several years. Peyton threw for 255 yds and 3 TDs with Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne each catching a TD. Robert Mathis and the Colts D have looked good each week. Broncos are coming off a good win last week against the Seahawks. Kyle Orton threw 2 TDs and Moreno rushed for another but this week the Broncos are without their 2nd year back. Without a ground attack the Colts will be impossible for them to beat even at home. Prediction: Colts
Oakland Raiders (1-1) vs Arizona Cardinals (1-1)
Jason Campbell has been benched in favor of Bruce Gradkowksi this week in their start against the Cardinals. Last week he finished with 162 yds 1 TD and 1 INT. Even with this the Raiders will need their running game to pick up the pace and the defense to keep them in games. The Cardinals suffered a humiliating loss to the Falcons last week in Atlanta. Derek Anderson is showing the same unreliable play that cost him his job in Cleveland. He finished last week with 0 TDs and 2 INTs. This is going to be a long season for the Cardinals if they dont get some consistency at the QB position. Prediction: Cardinals
San Diego Chargers (1-1) vs Seattle Seahawks (1-1)
Chargers played great last week in a win against the Jaguars at home. Phillip Rivers threw for 334 yds and 3 TDs with 2 INTs. They will be without rookie phenom Ryan Matthews who is out with an ankle injury. They have a crushing defense though who always plays big for them. Seahawks meanwhile looked bad in a loss to the Broncos last week in Denver. Hasselback threw 3 INTs and their defense gave up chunks of yards threw the air and on the ground. This game will be ugly and the Chargers will stay within a game of the division leading Chiefs. Prediction: Chargers
New York Jets (1-1) vs Miami Dolphins (2-0)
The Jets played fabulous in their week 2 win against the Patriots. Mark Sanchez finished with 220 yds and 3 TDs making up for a poor performance in week 1. His running game behind LaDainian Tomlinson has played much better than last season. This team has a smothering defense even without Revis. Dolphins are the surprise 2-0 team. They have played with an amazing level of cohesion that many other teams need. This should be a good AFC East battle. Prediction: Jets
Green Bay Packers (2-0) vs Chicago Bears (2-0)
The battle of the unbeatens in the NFC North division. Aaron Rodgers threw for 255 yds and 2 TDs last week in their win over the Bills. Donald Driver caught one and Brandon Jackson rushed for 1. This should be a great season for the Packers. Bears meanwhile won a shocker against the Cowboys last week in Dallas. Jay Cutler threw for 277 yds and 3 TDs. Bears have a great defense and will definitely be a team to watch who may do much better than predicted. This will be a good game and a much watch. Prediction: Packers
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Week 2 Predictions
Ok so your girl didnt do so good last week with her picks finishing 9-7. Going to try to do a little better this week. So here we go:
Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) vs Tennessee Titans (1-0)
Pittsburgh looked good in their home owner against the Falcons last week even without Big Ben. Can Dennis Dixon get the Steelers off to a 2-0 start? Behind that strong D with Polamalu looking healthy it's possible. Titans crushed the Raiders last week at home, but alas..it's the Raiders so cant celebrate but so much. Can Titans rattle off a 2-0 start at home to start their season? With Chris Johnson in the backfield it's always a possibility. Predicition: Titans
Baltimore Ravens (1-0) vs Cincinnati Bengals (0-1)
Ravens fought a tough defensive battle against the Jets last week. They are going to be a tough team to beat this season. Bengals suffered a smack down at Gillette Stadium last week against the Patriots and managed to look down right awful in the process. However, the Bengals did beat the Ravens both times they faced them last year and this year they have more offensive weapons. Will that be enough to get past Ray Lewis and Ed Reed? Predicition: Bengals
Philadelphia Eagles (0-1) vs Detroit Lions (0-1)
Eagles suffered the loss of their starting QB when Kolb suffered a concussion in the first half of last week's game against the Packers. However, Vick stepped in and kept the Eagles in the game losing by only 1 TD. He will be the starter this week against the Lions. Poor Lions got ROBBED last week by the NFL rule book and the refs who took away the final TD of the game that Megatron scored. Gimme a break. They will be looking to avenge their loss at home against a weak Eagles team but without their starting QB Matt Stafford. Prediction: Eagles
Arizona Cardinals (1-0) vs Atlanta Falcons (o-1)
Cardinals faced a weak opponent in week 1 by opening their season against the Rams so the 1-0 start is a bit deceiving. Derek Anderson is a mediocre QB with a top receiver in Larry Fitzgerald who can make any qb in this league look good. But as the weeks go along I believe he will start to crumble as he did in Cleveland. The Falcons lost a tough one last week against the Steelers in what turned into a defensive battle. I believe Michael Turner and Matt Ryan will get back on track this week at home. Prediction: Falcons
Miami Dolphins (1-0) vs Minnesota Vikings (0-1)
Miami Dolphins wildcat offense is one of the most fun to watch. While not always high scoring they keep the games within reach and manage to score some impressive wins. Last week against the lowly Bills they looked great with the addition of WR Brandon Marshall. They are going to be a good team to watch this season. Vikings lost a heartbreaker against the Superbowl champion Saints who seem to be on a roll still from last season. Favre looked rusty and his running game was off. I think they get it together this week and win their first one at home. Predicition: Vikings
Kansas City Chiefs (1-0) vs Cleveland Browns (0-1)
Chiefs pulled off a stunning upset last week against the Chargers at home. Dwayne Bowe is turning into a top receiver in this league and Matt Cassell looks like he can pull the Chiefs out of the cellar of the AFC West division if he can stay healthy. Meanwhile the Browns...well they are the Browns. They lost a close one against the Bucs last week Jake Delhomme still looks terrible throwing 2 INTs. It is going to be a long season for the Browns. Predicition: Chiefs
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0) vs Carolina Panthers (0-1)
The Bucs beat the Browns lat week at home but considering they were facing Jake Delhomme I would have expected that. Josh Freeman is playing with a broken tip of his thumb on his throwing hand which is effecting his throwing motion. It may be minor but against the Panthers it might be exposed more. Panthers lost badly against the Giants in NY last week but you had to expect that. They will be looking to avenge that loss against their division rival at home. This will be a good game but I think Matt Moore and Deangelo Williams get it together this week. Prediction: Panthers
Buffalo Bills (0-1) vs Green Bay Packers (1-0)
I want to root for the Bills but I just cant. They are a weak team in a strong division who has yet to address all of the issues they have on the defensive side of the ball. Edwards is a decent qb with a good receiver in Lee Evans and Marshawn Lynch when he stays healthy is a pretty good RB, however without help from their defense to keep them in games and without a consistent air attack, this is going to be a long season for the Bills. Packers meanwhile have 1 of the best QBs in all of football right now. Aaron Rodgers had a rough game last week though throwing for 2 TDs but also 2 INTs. This week against the Bills he will get back on track and live up to the preseason hype surrounding him. Prediction: Packers
Chicago Bears (1-0) vs Dallas Cowboys (0-1)
Chicago Bears were handed a win last week after the refs and the NFL rulebook cheated the Lions out of a win. That being said, the Bears looked good on defense and Cutler threw for 2 TDs. He has Johnny Knox as his go to receiver so they will do pretty good this season. Dallas Cowboys suffered a stunning loss in DC last week against the Redskins. Blame that one on Alex Barron and the choke hold he put on Arakpo at the end of the game. They are home this week and in need of a win to get them on track. Predicition: Cowboys
Seattle Seahawks (1-0) vs Denver Broncos (0-1)
Seattle completely demolished the 49ers last week at home. It was painful to watch but shows that Pete Carroll may have what it takes to succeed in the NFL. Hopefully they can sustain this momento in a terrible NFC West division that has been dominated by the Cardinals for the last few years. Broncos lost a terrible game against the Jaguars last week in Jacksonville. While their offense looked good the defense looked awful without Elvis Dumervill. This is going to be a long season for the Broncos if they dont get it together fast. Prediction: Broncos
St. Louis Rams (0-1) vs Oakland Raiders (0-1)
I want to root for the Rams I really do but I think they are still a couple of years off from being competitive again. Sam Bradford threw 1 TD and 3 INTs last week so this is going to be a tough season for him with the rebuilding Rams. Raiders lost to the Titans last week in Nashville and managed to look horrendous while doing so. They have a good defense but that offense is still struggling even with the addition of Jason Campbell at QB. That being said I know they can beat the Rams at home. Predicition: Raiders
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0) vs San Diego Chargers (0-1)
Jaguars scored a major season opening win against the Broncos last week at home. Jaguars are not a great team, but they are good enough to stay competitive throughout the season. They have a great receiver in Mike Sims-Walker and one of the top rushers in the league in Maurice Jones-Drew. Even with Garrard playing inconsistent they will have an ok season. Chargers suffered last week's biggest upset losing to the Chiefs in Kansas City. This week they are back home and ready to prove that they are the league's top team. Rivers looked good throwing for nearly 300 yards and 2 TDs and his rookie rusher Ryan Matthews looked really good. They will have a great season in a very weak AFC West division. Predicition: Chargers
New England Patriots (1-0) vs New York Jets (0-1)
This is going to be a good game for these AFC East rivals. Pats beat up on the Bengals last week at home showing they are still the team to beat in the East division. Brady threw for 3 TDs so he is still one of the best in the game. Jets meanwhile lost a tough one against the Ravens at home. Revis and Cromartie showed while they are going to have a good season though and why they may be the team to beat in the East division. Prediction: Jets
Houston Texans (1-0) vs Washington Redskins (1-0)
Texans won a stunning upset against the Colts last week at home. The AFC South is going to be a great division to watch this season. Matt Schaub looked only decent but his running game with Arian Foster was outstanding scoring 3 TDs! Texans have a good defense so they are going to have a great season if Schaub can play more consistently. Redskins won a shocker at home last week against the Cowboys. McNabb provided the consistency at qb that the Skins have been lacking but if his O line doesnt stay healthy and protect him this is going to be a rough season. Can the Skins finish better than 4-12 this season? If they can win back to back games at home they have a good shot. Prediction: Redskins
New York Giants (1-0) vs Indianapolis Colts (0-1)
Giants won big against the Panthers last week at home. Eli Manning threw for 3 TDs but also 3 INTs showing his usual up and down play. Hakeem Nicks stepped up big scoring receiving all 3 of Manning's TD tosses. Their D played much better than last season so they should do well in the NFC East division. Colts lost a shocker against the Texans in Houston, but Colts are still one of the top teams in the league. They will be at home trying to avoid a 0-2 start. They should have a tough game but win it at home. Predicition: Colts
New Orleans Saints (1-0) vs San Francisco 49ers (0-1)
The Saints looked superb in week 1 against the Vikings showing that they are still the team to beat in this league. The offense still plays great behind the leadership of Drew Brees and the defense played solid. This is going to be a good season for them. 49ers suffered a crushing defeat against the Seahawks last week where they looked atrocious. Alex Smith threw 2 INTs and his offense looked anemic. If they dont get it together they are going to have a horrible season. Prediction: Saints
Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) vs Tennessee Titans (1-0)
Pittsburgh looked good in their home owner against the Falcons last week even without Big Ben. Can Dennis Dixon get the Steelers off to a 2-0 start? Behind that strong D with Polamalu looking healthy it's possible. Titans crushed the Raiders last week at home, but alas..it's the Raiders so cant celebrate but so much. Can Titans rattle off a 2-0 start at home to start their season? With Chris Johnson in the backfield it's always a possibility. Predicition: Titans
Baltimore Ravens (1-0) vs Cincinnati Bengals (0-1)
Ravens fought a tough defensive battle against the Jets last week. They are going to be a tough team to beat this season. Bengals suffered a smack down at Gillette Stadium last week against the Patriots and managed to look down right awful in the process. However, the Bengals did beat the Ravens both times they faced them last year and this year they have more offensive weapons. Will that be enough to get past Ray Lewis and Ed Reed? Predicition: Bengals
Philadelphia Eagles (0-1) vs Detroit Lions (0-1)
Eagles suffered the loss of their starting QB when Kolb suffered a concussion in the first half of last week's game against the Packers. However, Vick stepped in and kept the Eagles in the game losing by only 1 TD. He will be the starter this week against the Lions. Poor Lions got ROBBED last week by the NFL rule book and the refs who took away the final TD of the game that Megatron scored. Gimme a break. They will be looking to avenge their loss at home against a weak Eagles team but without their starting QB Matt Stafford. Prediction: Eagles
Arizona Cardinals (1-0) vs Atlanta Falcons (o-1)
Cardinals faced a weak opponent in week 1 by opening their season against the Rams so the 1-0 start is a bit deceiving. Derek Anderson is a mediocre QB with a top receiver in Larry Fitzgerald who can make any qb in this league look good. But as the weeks go along I believe he will start to crumble as he did in Cleveland. The Falcons lost a tough one last week against the Steelers in what turned into a defensive battle. I believe Michael Turner and Matt Ryan will get back on track this week at home. Prediction: Falcons
Miami Dolphins (1-0) vs Minnesota Vikings (0-1)
Miami Dolphins wildcat offense is one of the most fun to watch. While not always high scoring they keep the games within reach and manage to score some impressive wins. Last week against the lowly Bills they looked great with the addition of WR Brandon Marshall. They are going to be a good team to watch this season. Vikings lost a heartbreaker against the Superbowl champion Saints who seem to be on a roll still from last season. Favre looked rusty and his running game was off. I think they get it together this week and win their first one at home. Predicition: Vikings
Kansas City Chiefs (1-0) vs Cleveland Browns (0-1)
Chiefs pulled off a stunning upset last week against the Chargers at home. Dwayne Bowe is turning into a top receiver in this league and Matt Cassell looks like he can pull the Chiefs out of the cellar of the AFC West division if he can stay healthy. Meanwhile the Browns...well they are the Browns. They lost a close one against the Bucs last week Jake Delhomme still looks terrible throwing 2 INTs. It is going to be a long season for the Browns. Predicition: Chiefs
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0) vs Carolina Panthers (0-1)
The Bucs beat the Browns lat week at home but considering they were facing Jake Delhomme I would have expected that. Josh Freeman is playing with a broken tip of his thumb on his throwing hand which is effecting his throwing motion. It may be minor but against the Panthers it might be exposed more. Panthers lost badly against the Giants in NY last week but you had to expect that. They will be looking to avenge that loss against their division rival at home. This will be a good game but I think Matt Moore and Deangelo Williams get it together this week. Prediction: Panthers
Buffalo Bills (0-1) vs Green Bay Packers (1-0)
I want to root for the Bills but I just cant. They are a weak team in a strong division who has yet to address all of the issues they have on the defensive side of the ball. Edwards is a decent qb with a good receiver in Lee Evans and Marshawn Lynch when he stays healthy is a pretty good RB, however without help from their defense to keep them in games and without a consistent air attack, this is going to be a long season for the Bills. Packers meanwhile have 1 of the best QBs in all of football right now. Aaron Rodgers had a rough game last week though throwing for 2 TDs but also 2 INTs. This week against the Bills he will get back on track and live up to the preseason hype surrounding him. Prediction: Packers
Chicago Bears (1-0) vs Dallas Cowboys (0-1)
Chicago Bears were handed a win last week after the refs and the NFL rulebook cheated the Lions out of a win. That being said, the Bears looked good on defense and Cutler threw for 2 TDs. He has Johnny Knox as his go to receiver so they will do pretty good this season. Dallas Cowboys suffered a stunning loss in DC last week against the Redskins. Blame that one on Alex Barron and the choke hold he put on Arakpo at the end of the game. They are home this week and in need of a win to get them on track. Predicition: Cowboys
Seattle Seahawks (1-0) vs Denver Broncos (0-1)
Seattle completely demolished the 49ers last week at home. It was painful to watch but shows that Pete Carroll may have what it takes to succeed in the NFL. Hopefully they can sustain this momento in a terrible NFC West division that has been dominated by the Cardinals for the last few years. Broncos lost a terrible game against the Jaguars last week in Jacksonville. While their offense looked good the defense looked awful without Elvis Dumervill. This is going to be a long season for the Broncos if they dont get it together fast. Prediction: Broncos
St. Louis Rams (0-1) vs Oakland Raiders (0-1)
I want to root for the Rams I really do but I think they are still a couple of years off from being competitive again. Sam Bradford threw 1 TD and 3 INTs last week so this is going to be a tough season for him with the rebuilding Rams. Raiders lost to the Titans last week in Nashville and managed to look horrendous while doing so. They have a good defense but that offense is still struggling even with the addition of Jason Campbell at QB. That being said I know they can beat the Rams at home. Predicition: Raiders
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0) vs San Diego Chargers (0-1)
Jaguars scored a major season opening win against the Broncos last week at home. Jaguars are not a great team, but they are good enough to stay competitive throughout the season. They have a great receiver in Mike Sims-Walker and one of the top rushers in the league in Maurice Jones-Drew. Even with Garrard playing inconsistent they will have an ok season. Chargers suffered last week's biggest upset losing to the Chiefs in Kansas City. This week they are back home and ready to prove that they are the league's top team. Rivers looked good throwing for nearly 300 yards and 2 TDs and his rookie rusher Ryan Matthews looked really good. They will have a great season in a very weak AFC West division. Predicition: Chargers
New England Patriots (1-0) vs New York Jets (0-1)
This is going to be a good game for these AFC East rivals. Pats beat up on the Bengals last week at home showing they are still the team to beat in the East division. Brady threw for 3 TDs so he is still one of the best in the game. Jets meanwhile lost a tough one against the Ravens at home. Revis and Cromartie showed while they are going to have a good season though and why they may be the team to beat in the East division. Prediction: Jets
Houston Texans (1-0) vs Washington Redskins (1-0)
Texans won a stunning upset against the Colts last week at home. The AFC South is going to be a great division to watch this season. Matt Schaub looked only decent but his running game with Arian Foster was outstanding scoring 3 TDs! Texans have a good defense so they are going to have a great season if Schaub can play more consistently. Redskins won a shocker at home last week against the Cowboys. McNabb provided the consistency at qb that the Skins have been lacking but if his O line doesnt stay healthy and protect him this is going to be a rough season. Can the Skins finish better than 4-12 this season? If they can win back to back games at home they have a good shot. Prediction: Redskins
New York Giants (1-0) vs Indianapolis Colts (0-1)
Giants won big against the Panthers last week at home. Eli Manning threw for 3 TDs but also 3 INTs showing his usual up and down play. Hakeem Nicks stepped up big scoring receiving all 3 of Manning's TD tosses. Their D played much better than last season so they should do well in the NFC East division. Colts lost a shocker against the Texans in Houston, but Colts are still one of the top teams in the league. They will be at home trying to avoid a 0-2 start. They should have a tough game but win it at home. Predicition: Colts
New Orleans Saints (1-0) vs San Francisco 49ers (0-1)
The Saints looked superb in week 1 against the Vikings showing that they are still the team to beat in this league. The offense still plays great behind the leadership of Drew Brees and the defense played solid. This is going to be a good season for them. 49ers suffered a crushing defeat against the Seahawks last week where they looked atrocious. Alex Smith threw 2 INTs and his offense looked anemic. If they dont get it together they are going to have a horrible season. Prediction: Saints
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Week 1 Predictions
Ahh the start of a new season. NFL Girl has waited lo these many months for this day to come. Now that it's here I am beyond elated. This season will be a good one and I predict many good match ups through the whole season. Week 1 is no exception so let's jump right in to the predicions shall we:
Minnesota Vikings vs New Orleans Saints
The NFC championship game played all over again. Was last year a fluke for the once lowly Saints? Is Minnesota ready to avenge that loss? Can Brett Favre carry the Vikes to a championship or will Brees and the Saints dash that hope again? Ahh..so much to contemplate. These are 2 solid and very stacked teams. Favre is a gunslinger..notorious for the long ball but just as known for his interceptions (he holds the record for most by any QB in league history). His running game is solid with Adrian Peterson, but Adrian is known for a slight fumbling problem (part of the reason for their loss in the championship game). Vikes receiving core is 1 of the most efficient in the league. But who can deny the Saints? The Superbowl champs are geared up to make a run at a second championship. Drew Brees's 109.6% passer rating 34 TDs and 11 INTs last year makes him one of the most reliable and proficient passer's in the league. Of course it helps to have Marques Colston & Robert Meachem at WR and Pierre Thomas in the backfield. This is going to be a great match up to start the season. Prediction: Saints
Oakland Raiders vs Tennessee Titans
Ahh..the lowly Raiders. They have been abysmal for so long it is hard to remember that they were once a great and glorious franchise. Second year head coach Tom Cable is hoping to turn this ship around fast. With the pick up of Jason Campbell from the Redskins in the off-season there is some hope in the Bay area that they can finally turn things around. He has 2nd year receivers Darrius Heyward-Bey and Johnnie Lee Higgins who hope to show they are more than two oafs who run into each during routes. Darren McFadden & Michael Bennett in the backfield will hopefully make their running game more consistent this year. Raiders D with Seymour and Asomugha will be the factor that keeps them in games this year. Titans are coming off a very disappointing season last year. After starting a frightening 0-6 they did manage to salvage a decent season but out of the playoffs. Can Titans turn it around this year? After holding out during training camp, Chris Johnson signed and is always a threat in the backfield for them. Vince Young has a strong arm but can play up and down. He did finish with a passer rating of 82.8% for last season so he always has the potential to do very well for the Titans. Justin Gage & Kenny Britt hope to be the deep threat that Titans need this year. Prediction: Titans
Carolina Panthers vs NY Giants
I love the Panthers...they always have the potential to be a spoiler in the NFC South division. Getting rid of Jake Delhomme and starting Matt Moore may help to improve their season. Johnathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams are a double threat in the backfield. Steve Smith hopes to have a better season than last year's 7 TDs. Panthers D is always consistent. The Giants finished out of the playoffs for the first time in many years last year. It was a disappointing season and they hope to make adjustments and get back to the championship. Eli Manning finished his season with a 93.1% passer rating with 27 TDs and 14 INTs..you can never count him out of a game. Steve Smith isnt Plaxico but he's a good WR in a desperate for wins offense. At 6'4/264 Brandon Jacobs is a huge power back. If he stays healthy this year he may offer the explosion the Giants need coming out the backfield. Giants D needs to improve on their inconsistency from last season. This is going to be a great match up worth watching. This game could go either way. Prediction: Giants
Indianapolis Colts vs Houston Texans
The AFC South is going to be a phenemenal division this year. That being said this week 1 match-up is going to be a fantastic one. Colts have consistenly been a 13 win team for the last 5 years. Peyton Manning is a 3 time MVP with a gun for an arm. The superbowl runners up hope to get back to the big game. Peyton finished last year with 4500 yards and 33 TDs so you can always count on him to keep the Colts in the game. Reggie Wayne has been his most consistent (and healthiest) target finishing with 10 TDs last season. He will have Anthony Gonzalez back this year..let's hope he can stay healthy. Joseph Addai finished with 828 yards and 10 TDs last season so he has room for improvement. Colts D didnt have a great year due to injuries but with players coming back healthy this shouldnt be an issue this early. The Texans are the sleeper team of the NFL. Don't ever count them out because they might surprise you. If they can play with same consistency each week they just might make it to the playoffs this season. Matt Schaub runs hot and cold but when he's on he's remarkable and he's fortunate to the #1 WR in the league in Andre Johnson to throw to. Steve Slaton needs to stay healthy if he hopes to contribute to the run attack this year. Texans D with Defensive Rookie of the Year Brian Cushing is always worth watching. Never miss an AFC South match-up if you can. Predicition: Colts
Denver Broncos vs Jacksonville Jaguars
Ahh..what can you say about the Broncos off-season moves? Getting rid of a pro bowl WR in Brandon Marshall and a top TE in Tony Scheffler is going to be a move many will question if the Broncos do poorly this season. McDaniels ran his training camp like Navy Seal training and lost 12 of his players in the process including his top LB Elvis Dumervil for the season. LenDale White was lost for the season in their final preseason game but both Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter should be back healthy. Everyone is on the Tebow bandwagon, but Kyle Orton is the starting QB and is the right man for the job. Losing his big target he will have to rely on 3rd year WR Eddie Royal and rookie Demaryius Thomas to make up for those lost receptions. Broncos D was superb in the first half of the season but fell apart in the latter half. If Brian Dawkins and Champ Bailey come in healthy (both out with injuries during preseason) the Broncos may be ok but will struggle this year. The Jaguars want to make the playoffs this year but getting out of the AFC South division will always be tough with the Colts at the top. David Garrard had a pretty good but not great season last year finishing with 15 TDs and 10 INTs with Mike Sims-Walker catching nearly half of them (7). Maurice Jones-Drew is one of the top RBs in the league. He finished last year with a remarkable 15 TDs. He is their biggest bright spot. Jacksonville's D will need to step up if they hope to make it back to the playoffs. Predicition: Jaguars
Atlanta Falcons vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Falcons are in that pesky NFC South division. They are a good team in a division that has been dominated by the Saints. 3rd year QB Matt Ryan has a sophmore slump last year finishing with 22 TDs but 14 INTs as well. He should have a better season this year with WR Roddy White and RB Michael Turner in his backfield. Falcons hope their D can carry them further than last year. The Steelers are playing with a handicap. They are without Big Ben for the first 4 games of the season. This means Dennis Dixon will get the start for the season opener. Hines Ward's cockiness is backed up by his deep threat ability. Rashard Mendenhall finished with 1108 yards last season so he keeps the ball moving for them. Steelers D is always reliable but can they keep them in these first 4 games will be the question. Predicition: Falcons
Miami Dolphins vs Buffalo Bills
What other team in the NFL can run the Wildcat formation better than the Dolphins? Answer: No one. This is their specialty and one that they have gotten very good at. The addition of WR Brandon Marshall will also bring a reliable deep threat with Henne wants to air it out. But with Ronnie Brown & Ricky Williams both playing well in the wildcat offense the deep threat will only be an occasional necessity. Bills are a disappointment each year. Trent Edwards wont have TO to throw to this year but he does have Lee Evans still. Marshawn Lynch will have rookie CJ Spiller to help him with carries in the backfield. Bills D has never been able to keep them competitive in the tough AFC East division. Predicition: Dolphins
Detroit Lions vs Chicago Bears
A NFC North divisional match up that may turn out to be better than people expect. Lions have 2nd year QB Matthew Stafford who is hoping to improve his 13 TD/2o INT season from a year ago. With Megatron- WR Calvin Johnson and WR Bryant Johnson he may be able to do better if his line can better protect him this year. RB Kevin Smith needs to improve his 4 TD season from last year. Lions D has always been a major disappointment..let's hope that their off season moves will help them. Bears had an awful season last year. Cutler threw nearly as many INTs (26) as he did TDs (27). Johnny Knox (5 TDs) and Devin Hester (4 TDs) will have to make more catches this season if the Bears hope to be a standout in the division. Brian Urlacher is back healthy so let's hope he can get that D turned around this year. Predicition: Bears
Cincinnati Bengals vs New England Patriots
I just have a feeling this is going to be a great game. Bengals added TO in the off-season to compliment Ochocinco. I dont know how they will split receptions but let's hope these 2 massive egos can handle it because if they do the Bengals will be a great team. Palmer is consistent and he's going to appreciate having a 1-2 like the one he has this year. Add a healthy Cedric Benson in the backfield and a D that shocked the Steelers twice last year and you have a team that may be able to be a threat in the playoffs. Patriots is the AFC East's most reliable team. Tom Brady is 1 of the top 5 QBs in the NFL. He has a healthy Wes Welker back and a disgruntled but tremendous receiver in Randy Moss. Their running game is anchored by Laurence Maroney and Kevin Faulk..they have a stingy D that can make the rest of their division have a bad season. Predicition: Bengals
Cleveland Browns vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Let us pray that both these teams have a better season than last year. Browns brought in Jake Delhomme whose last year with the Panthers was atrocious. I expect at some point Colt McCoy will become the starter for this team. Jerome Harrison will need to be more of a weapon from the backfield but his line will need to protect him. Browns D will need to make major adjustments. The Buccaneers had an awful season last year. It was a rough season for 1st year head coach Raheem Morris. QB Josh Freeman came in towads the end of the season and proved good enough to be the starter. He's now playing with an injured thumb. Can he help to improve the Bucs from last year? Can this D make the critical stops necessary to keep their games competitive? That remains to be seen. I'm not looking forward to this game so I'm hoping they surprise me. Prediction: Browns
San Francisco 49ers vs Seattle Seahawks
Mike Singletary is a great coach with a team that is potentially on the rise. How will Alex Smith fare this year? Can Vernon Davis continue to be the receptions leader? Will a healthy Frank Gore be a reliable run threat? I sure hope so. I also hope their D will keep them close as they did last year. Seahawks hired Pete Carroll as their head coach. Can he turn his USC greatness into NFL greatness? Hmmm... Matt Hasselback sure hopes so I'll say. While the Seahawks dumped Houshmandzadeh they still have Deion Branch at receiver and Julius Jones in the backfield. I think their D will be better this year but I can never tell how any team in the NFC West will do. Prediction: 49ers
Green Bay Packers vs Philadelphia Eagles
Aaron Rodgers is a great QB. Fantasy football books predicted that he needed to be drafted high. He threw for 4434 yards, 30 TDs and just 7 INTs. He has two 1000 yard receivers in Greg Jennings and Donald Driver. He has a 1253 yard and 11 TD runner running back in Ryan Grant. The Packers D is never a question mark..they play tough PERIOD. The Eagles traded McNabb in the off season and now has Kevin Kolb as their starting QB. They also got rid of their often injured RB Brian Westbrook. I dont know how wise of a decision this is going to turn out to be. DeSean Jackson is a good WR but what will Kolb be able to do in this game or better year this year in that tough NFC East division. This will be a serious wait and see on this. Prediction: Packers
Arizona Cardinals vs St. Louis Rams
I have no clue how this game is going to go but neither team impresses me. Kurt Warner retired in the off-season leaving Leinert as the heir apparent to his role. Didnt happen. Instead Cardinals are relying on Derek Anderson to pick up where Warner left off. Anderson was an unreliable QB with the Browns so how much he can do in Arizona will remain to be seen. He does have 1 of the top receivers in the league with Larry Fitzgerald and Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower in the backfield. Despite this fact I dont know how well the Cardinals are going to play this season even with a decent D. The Rams..was it just a decade ago they were the greatest show on turf? Now they are the duds of the NFC West division. Sam Bradford takes the healm of a team whose O line has been terrible for years. Steven Jackson has been their only bright spot. The D has go to step up or get stepped over. Prediction: Cardinals
Dallas Cowboys vs Washington Redskins
Let's have a good clean fight and I want both teams to come out swinging! This is a decades old rivalry with the Redskins on the short end of that stick mostly. But let's not count them out this season. Redskins made a big move by getting QB Donovan McNabb in the off-season. Can Mike Shanahan finally get that elusive Lombardi trophy that McNabb has so desperately sought his entire career? Can the small but quick Santana Moss improve upon his 3 TD season last year? With the addition of Larry Johnson to Clinton Portis in the backfield provide a more explosive running game. All this is dependent upon how the O line holds up which was their undoing last season. Skins finished a disappointing 4-12 last year and are hoping that some of what they did in the off-season both on D and on the offense will give them a much improved outlook. Dallas Cowboys are predicted to be the first team to play a superbowl in their own home stadium. Sorry Boys..I dont see that happening, but they will make the playoffs for sure. Tony Romo finished with 26 TDs and 9 INTs last season so he is still 1 of the top 10 QBs in the league. He has a good receiving core with WRs Miles Austin and Roy Williams and TE Jason Witten. His running back by committee core Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice is superb. Cowboys D when healthy is the best in their division. I honestly expect a good tough game in this one. Prediction: Cowboys
Baltimore Ravens vs New York Jets
3rd year QB Joe Flacco seems to be improving each year. He finished last season with 3613 yards and 21 TDs with 12 INTs. He has 1000 yard receiver Derrick Mason healthy and picked up 1000 yard WR Anquan Boldin in the off season. Add on top of it 1300 yard RB Ray Rice and one of the best Ds in the NFL and you have a team that is going to be hard to beat this season. The Jets are hoping 2nd year QB Matt Sanchez improves on his 2444 yards and 12 TDs with 20 INTs of last season. Jerricho Cotchery wants to add to his 57 reception/ 828 yards and 3 TD season of last year while Santonio Holmes is suspended. Jets did pick up RB LaDainian Tomlinson in the off-season from the Chargers in hopes he can help their running game. Jets D is the reason they made it all the way to the AFC championship last year. They strengthened it by bringing in Antonio Cromartie on the other side of Darrelle Revis (who thankfully signed this week). Expect this to be a defensive battle. Prediction: Ravens
San Diego Chargers vs Kansas City Chiefs
An AFC West battle here that may turn out to be pretty good because it's in Arrowhead where the Chiefs play best and Chargers always start their season off slow. Philip Rivers finished 2009 season with 4254 yards 28 TDs and 9 INTs. His #1 WR Vincent Jackson is still holding out for a new contract but Chargers brought in Patrick Crayton to play opposite of Malcolm Floyd and TE Antonio Gates is his best target. Chargers traded Tomlinson in the off-season and is hoping that rookie RB Ryan Matthews will be the suitable replacement they need. He looked great in the preseason but let's see what he can do now that he'll be playing against the starting Ds of teams. Cromartie is gone off that defense but they are still one of the leagues most consistent. Chiefs hope that Matt Cassel stays healthy and can pull them out the basement of the AFC West division. He has his big target Dwayne Bowe with Chris Chambers on the other side. RB Jamaal Charles finished with 1120 yards and 7 TDs last season so he has been the upside of a team that has played poorly. Their D is not great but much improved and they are hoping a home opener will start their season off right. Prediction: Chargers
Minnesota Vikings vs New Orleans Saints
The NFC championship game played all over again. Was last year a fluke for the once lowly Saints? Is Minnesota ready to avenge that loss? Can Brett Favre carry the Vikes to a championship or will Brees and the Saints dash that hope again? Ahh..so much to contemplate. These are 2 solid and very stacked teams. Favre is a gunslinger..notorious for the long ball but just as known for his interceptions (he holds the record for most by any QB in league history). His running game is solid with Adrian Peterson, but Adrian is known for a slight fumbling problem (part of the reason for their loss in the championship game). Vikes receiving core is 1 of the most efficient in the league. But who can deny the Saints? The Superbowl champs are geared up to make a run at a second championship. Drew Brees's 109.6% passer rating 34 TDs and 11 INTs last year makes him one of the most reliable and proficient passer's in the league. Of course it helps to have Marques Colston & Robert Meachem at WR and Pierre Thomas in the backfield. This is going to be a great match up to start the season. Prediction: Saints
Oakland Raiders vs Tennessee Titans
Ahh..the lowly Raiders. They have been abysmal for so long it is hard to remember that they were once a great and glorious franchise. Second year head coach Tom Cable is hoping to turn this ship around fast. With the pick up of Jason Campbell from the Redskins in the off-season there is some hope in the Bay area that they can finally turn things around. He has 2nd year receivers Darrius Heyward-Bey and Johnnie Lee Higgins who hope to show they are more than two oafs who run into each during routes. Darren McFadden & Michael Bennett in the backfield will hopefully make their running game more consistent this year. Raiders D with Seymour and Asomugha will be the factor that keeps them in games this year. Titans are coming off a very disappointing season last year. After starting a frightening 0-6 they did manage to salvage a decent season but out of the playoffs. Can Titans turn it around this year? After holding out during training camp, Chris Johnson signed and is always a threat in the backfield for them. Vince Young has a strong arm but can play up and down. He did finish with a passer rating of 82.8% for last season so he always has the potential to do very well for the Titans. Justin Gage & Kenny Britt hope to be the deep threat that Titans need this year. Prediction: Titans
Carolina Panthers vs NY Giants
I love the Panthers...they always have the potential to be a spoiler in the NFC South division. Getting rid of Jake Delhomme and starting Matt Moore may help to improve their season. Johnathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams are a double threat in the backfield. Steve Smith hopes to have a better season than last year's 7 TDs. Panthers D is always consistent. The Giants finished out of the playoffs for the first time in many years last year. It was a disappointing season and they hope to make adjustments and get back to the championship. Eli Manning finished his season with a 93.1% passer rating with 27 TDs and 14 INTs..you can never count him out of a game. Steve Smith isnt Plaxico but he's a good WR in a desperate for wins offense. At 6'4/264 Brandon Jacobs is a huge power back. If he stays healthy this year he may offer the explosion the Giants need coming out the backfield. Giants D needs to improve on their inconsistency from last season. This is going to be a great match up worth watching. This game could go either way. Prediction: Giants
Indianapolis Colts vs Houston Texans
The AFC South is going to be a phenemenal division this year. That being said this week 1 match-up is going to be a fantastic one. Colts have consistenly been a 13 win team for the last 5 years. Peyton Manning is a 3 time MVP with a gun for an arm. The superbowl runners up hope to get back to the big game. Peyton finished last year with 4500 yards and 33 TDs so you can always count on him to keep the Colts in the game. Reggie Wayne has been his most consistent (and healthiest) target finishing with 10 TDs last season. He will have Anthony Gonzalez back this year..let's hope he can stay healthy. Joseph Addai finished with 828 yards and 10 TDs last season so he has room for improvement. Colts D didnt have a great year due to injuries but with players coming back healthy this shouldnt be an issue this early. The Texans are the sleeper team of the NFL. Don't ever count them out because they might surprise you. If they can play with same consistency each week they just might make it to the playoffs this season. Matt Schaub runs hot and cold but when he's on he's remarkable and he's fortunate to the #1 WR in the league in Andre Johnson to throw to. Steve Slaton needs to stay healthy if he hopes to contribute to the run attack this year. Texans D with Defensive Rookie of the Year Brian Cushing is always worth watching. Never miss an AFC South match-up if you can. Predicition: Colts
Denver Broncos vs Jacksonville Jaguars
Ahh..what can you say about the Broncos off-season moves? Getting rid of a pro bowl WR in Brandon Marshall and a top TE in Tony Scheffler is going to be a move many will question if the Broncos do poorly this season. McDaniels ran his training camp like Navy Seal training and lost 12 of his players in the process including his top LB Elvis Dumervil for the season. LenDale White was lost for the season in their final preseason game but both Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter should be back healthy. Everyone is on the Tebow bandwagon, but Kyle Orton is the starting QB and is the right man for the job. Losing his big target he will have to rely on 3rd year WR Eddie Royal and rookie Demaryius Thomas to make up for those lost receptions. Broncos D was superb in the first half of the season but fell apart in the latter half. If Brian Dawkins and Champ Bailey come in healthy (both out with injuries during preseason) the Broncos may be ok but will struggle this year. The Jaguars want to make the playoffs this year but getting out of the AFC South division will always be tough with the Colts at the top. David Garrard had a pretty good but not great season last year finishing with 15 TDs and 10 INTs with Mike Sims-Walker catching nearly half of them (7). Maurice Jones-Drew is one of the top RBs in the league. He finished last year with a remarkable 15 TDs. He is their biggest bright spot. Jacksonville's D will need to step up if they hope to make it back to the playoffs. Predicition: Jaguars
Atlanta Falcons vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Falcons are in that pesky NFC South division. They are a good team in a division that has been dominated by the Saints. 3rd year QB Matt Ryan has a sophmore slump last year finishing with 22 TDs but 14 INTs as well. He should have a better season this year with WR Roddy White and RB Michael Turner in his backfield. Falcons hope their D can carry them further than last year. The Steelers are playing with a handicap. They are without Big Ben for the first 4 games of the season. This means Dennis Dixon will get the start for the season opener. Hines Ward's cockiness is backed up by his deep threat ability. Rashard Mendenhall finished with 1108 yards last season so he keeps the ball moving for them. Steelers D is always reliable but can they keep them in these first 4 games will be the question. Predicition: Falcons
Miami Dolphins vs Buffalo Bills
What other team in the NFL can run the Wildcat formation better than the Dolphins? Answer: No one. This is their specialty and one that they have gotten very good at. The addition of WR Brandon Marshall will also bring a reliable deep threat with Henne wants to air it out. But with Ronnie Brown & Ricky Williams both playing well in the wildcat offense the deep threat will only be an occasional necessity. Bills are a disappointment each year. Trent Edwards wont have TO to throw to this year but he does have Lee Evans still. Marshawn Lynch will have rookie CJ Spiller to help him with carries in the backfield. Bills D has never been able to keep them competitive in the tough AFC East division. Predicition: Dolphins
Detroit Lions vs Chicago Bears
A NFC North divisional match up that may turn out to be better than people expect. Lions have 2nd year QB Matthew Stafford who is hoping to improve his 13 TD/2o INT season from a year ago. With Megatron- WR Calvin Johnson and WR Bryant Johnson he may be able to do better if his line can better protect him this year. RB Kevin Smith needs to improve his 4 TD season from last year. Lions D has always been a major disappointment..let's hope that their off season moves will help them. Bears had an awful season last year. Cutler threw nearly as many INTs (26) as he did TDs (27). Johnny Knox (5 TDs) and Devin Hester (4 TDs) will have to make more catches this season if the Bears hope to be a standout in the division. Brian Urlacher is back healthy so let's hope he can get that D turned around this year. Predicition: Bears
Cincinnati Bengals vs New England Patriots
I just have a feeling this is going to be a great game. Bengals added TO in the off-season to compliment Ochocinco. I dont know how they will split receptions but let's hope these 2 massive egos can handle it because if they do the Bengals will be a great team. Palmer is consistent and he's going to appreciate having a 1-2 like the one he has this year. Add a healthy Cedric Benson in the backfield and a D that shocked the Steelers twice last year and you have a team that may be able to be a threat in the playoffs. Patriots is the AFC East's most reliable team. Tom Brady is 1 of the top 5 QBs in the NFL. He has a healthy Wes Welker back and a disgruntled but tremendous receiver in Randy Moss. Their running game is anchored by Laurence Maroney and Kevin Faulk..they have a stingy D that can make the rest of their division have a bad season. Predicition: Bengals
Cleveland Browns vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Let us pray that both these teams have a better season than last year. Browns brought in Jake Delhomme whose last year with the Panthers was atrocious. I expect at some point Colt McCoy will become the starter for this team. Jerome Harrison will need to be more of a weapon from the backfield but his line will need to protect him. Browns D will need to make major adjustments. The Buccaneers had an awful season last year. It was a rough season for 1st year head coach Raheem Morris. QB Josh Freeman came in towads the end of the season and proved good enough to be the starter. He's now playing with an injured thumb. Can he help to improve the Bucs from last year? Can this D make the critical stops necessary to keep their games competitive? That remains to be seen. I'm not looking forward to this game so I'm hoping they surprise me. Prediction: Browns
San Francisco 49ers vs Seattle Seahawks
Mike Singletary is a great coach with a team that is potentially on the rise. How will Alex Smith fare this year? Can Vernon Davis continue to be the receptions leader? Will a healthy Frank Gore be a reliable run threat? I sure hope so. I also hope their D will keep them close as they did last year. Seahawks hired Pete Carroll as their head coach. Can he turn his USC greatness into NFL greatness? Hmmm... Matt Hasselback sure hopes so I'll say. While the Seahawks dumped Houshmandzadeh they still have Deion Branch at receiver and Julius Jones in the backfield. I think their D will be better this year but I can never tell how any team in the NFC West will do. Prediction: 49ers
Green Bay Packers vs Philadelphia Eagles
Aaron Rodgers is a great QB. Fantasy football books predicted that he needed to be drafted high. He threw for 4434 yards, 30 TDs and just 7 INTs. He has two 1000 yard receivers in Greg Jennings and Donald Driver. He has a 1253 yard and 11 TD runner running back in Ryan Grant. The Packers D is never a question mark..they play tough PERIOD. The Eagles traded McNabb in the off season and now has Kevin Kolb as their starting QB. They also got rid of their often injured RB Brian Westbrook. I dont know how wise of a decision this is going to turn out to be. DeSean Jackson is a good WR but what will Kolb be able to do in this game or better year this year in that tough NFC East division. This will be a serious wait and see on this. Prediction: Packers
Arizona Cardinals vs St. Louis Rams
I have no clue how this game is going to go but neither team impresses me. Kurt Warner retired in the off-season leaving Leinert as the heir apparent to his role. Didnt happen. Instead Cardinals are relying on Derek Anderson to pick up where Warner left off. Anderson was an unreliable QB with the Browns so how much he can do in Arizona will remain to be seen. He does have 1 of the top receivers in the league with Larry Fitzgerald and Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower in the backfield. Despite this fact I dont know how well the Cardinals are going to play this season even with a decent D. The Rams..was it just a decade ago they were the greatest show on turf? Now they are the duds of the NFC West division. Sam Bradford takes the healm of a team whose O line has been terrible for years. Steven Jackson has been their only bright spot. The D has go to step up or get stepped over. Prediction: Cardinals
Dallas Cowboys vs Washington Redskins
Let's have a good clean fight and I want both teams to come out swinging! This is a decades old rivalry with the Redskins on the short end of that stick mostly. But let's not count them out this season. Redskins made a big move by getting QB Donovan McNabb in the off-season. Can Mike Shanahan finally get that elusive Lombardi trophy that McNabb has so desperately sought his entire career? Can the small but quick Santana Moss improve upon his 3 TD season last year? With the addition of Larry Johnson to Clinton Portis in the backfield provide a more explosive running game. All this is dependent upon how the O line holds up which was their undoing last season. Skins finished a disappointing 4-12 last year and are hoping that some of what they did in the off-season both on D and on the offense will give them a much improved outlook. Dallas Cowboys are predicted to be the first team to play a superbowl in their own home stadium. Sorry Boys..I dont see that happening, but they will make the playoffs for sure. Tony Romo finished with 26 TDs and 9 INTs last season so he is still 1 of the top 10 QBs in the league. He has a good receiving core with WRs Miles Austin and Roy Williams and TE Jason Witten. His running back by committee core Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice is superb. Cowboys D when healthy is the best in their division. I honestly expect a good tough game in this one. Prediction: Cowboys
Baltimore Ravens vs New York Jets
3rd year QB Joe Flacco seems to be improving each year. He finished last season with 3613 yards and 21 TDs with 12 INTs. He has 1000 yard receiver Derrick Mason healthy and picked up 1000 yard WR Anquan Boldin in the off season. Add on top of it 1300 yard RB Ray Rice and one of the best Ds in the NFL and you have a team that is going to be hard to beat this season. The Jets are hoping 2nd year QB Matt Sanchez improves on his 2444 yards and 12 TDs with 20 INTs of last season. Jerricho Cotchery wants to add to his 57 reception/ 828 yards and 3 TD season of last year while Santonio Holmes is suspended. Jets did pick up RB LaDainian Tomlinson in the off-season from the Chargers in hopes he can help their running game. Jets D is the reason they made it all the way to the AFC championship last year. They strengthened it by bringing in Antonio Cromartie on the other side of Darrelle Revis (who thankfully signed this week). Expect this to be a defensive battle. Prediction: Ravens
San Diego Chargers vs Kansas City Chiefs
An AFC West battle here that may turn out to be pretty good because it's in Arrowhead where the Chiefs play best and Chargers always start their season off slow. Philip Rivers finished 2009 season with 4254 yards 28 TDs and 9 INTs. His #1 WR Vincent Jackson is still holding out for a new contract but Chargers brought in Patrick Crayton to play opposite of Malcolm Floyd and TE Antonio Gates is his best target. Chargers traded Tomlinson in the off-season and is hoping that rookie RB Ryan Matthews will be the suitable replacement they need. He looked great in the preseason but let's see what he can do now that he'll be playing against the starting Ds of teams. Cromartie is gone off that defense but they are still one of the leagues most consistent. Chiefs hope that Matt Cassel stays healthy and can pull them out the basement of the AFC West division. He has his big target Dwayne Bowe with Chris Chambers on the other side. RB Jamaal Charles finished with 1120 yards and 7 TDs last season so he has been the upside of a team that has played poorly. Their D is not great but much improved and they are hoping a home opener will start their season off right. Prediction: Chargers
Off Season Moves & 2011 drama
Welcome back..NFL Girl here. As today starts the beginning of a new season we take a quick look back at some of the off-season moves and the upcoming potential lockout of 2011.
The biggest "this-didn't-come-as-a-surprise" move..the release of JaMarcus Russell from the Oakland Raiders. I mean seriously, who was shocked by this? JaMarcus's 3 year disappointing career resulted in a QB rating of 65.2% and 18 TDs with 23 INTs. It took 3 years for Al Davis to realize that JaMarcus was never going to turn into the long bomb deep threat reliable QB he could count on but after Bruce Gradkowski came in and started and proved that the problem wasn't the inept offense (ok well some of it was but it's the Raiders so give'em a break) but a poor passer with the work ethic of a sloth, Tom Cable was finally able to get Davis to wake up and bench Russell. With the acquistion of Campbell from the Redskins, Russell's days were as good as done. The idea that any team would bring Russell in at this point is laughable. JaMarcus showed up to camp over 300 lbs and with same bad attitude and poor work ethnic he has had all 3 years in Oakland. No one will take a chance on him not even as a back-up until he makes moves to try to improve his accuracy, get in physical condition to play at the pro level and get a better attitude. Let's see if the UFL will take a chance otherwise he will walk away a happy man with his $42Mil & never think twice about playing again.
The Chargers- wow..umm..where to begin? Trading Cromartie and Tomlinson to the Jets? Not signing Vincent Jackson to a new deal but blocking any deals from other teams? Bringing in Patrick Crayton from the Cowboys and a rookie running back? Their off season moves shows they are trying to move in a new direction but at what cost to their immediate future? Despite what many analysts are predicting, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say the Chargers are NOT going to the superbowl. Sorry let's just be real..there are too many other tough teams in the AFC for them to be the one team that everyone focuses on.
TO & Pacman Jones to the Bengals- I could get on so many other acquisitions but I hafta admit I'm intrigued by the pick up of these 2. Pacman has been accused of being overrated..as of now that has been true, but I think he has the potential of being a pretty decent DB if he can keep his off the field antics to a minimum (how about none Adam, can we try for that this year?). TO is still a great WR..he stays in condition and has never suffered a major injury in his career. His problem of course is his mouth. If he can keep his mouth under control and split receptions with OchoCinco the Bengals will be a definite threat in the AFC North. Let us pray for both to keep it together this year.
So this year is shaping up to be a good one..who will play for the championship? Who will win the Lombardi trophy? Hmmm...to be honest it's so wide open I'd hate to venture a guess. The teams are much more evenly matched than in any year previously. I predict a lot of good games this season.
Now as far as next year...ugh...where do we begin? The collective bargaining agreement ends at the end of this season..what will happen next season? This is a good question. As it stands the 2 sides are at an impass. Neither side is willing to back down or capitulate to the other. The potential of a lockout is not only very serious but absolutely possible. So real quick here's the deal..first off the owners think the players get too much of the gross revenue..they want a new agreement which would reduce the amount that players receive. Players of course feel that the owners are just being greedy because at the end of the day despite very generous contracts, who really gets the revenue from ticket and concession sales, stadium sponsorship, television contracts, etc? That's right the owners. So for owners to ask the players to less of the pie is an insult to them. Revenue sharing has been lopsided costing bigger teams like the Cowboys and Redskins far more money than smaller market teams such as the Bengals. At the end of the day the people hurt the most by a lockout will be players. Owners will still generate revenue and actually get more of a profit because they wont have to pay stadium or office staff and still get money from their tv deals. So for the players at least the need to get a new deal in place is much more pressing. The question is can both sides finally get over their own massive egos and get to the bargaining table and hash out a deal in time to prevent the potential loss of the 2011 season? For all of us true football fanatics let it happen PLEASE!!
-NFL Girl
The biggest "this-didn't-come-as-a-surprise" move..the release of JaMarcus Russell from the Oakland Raiders. I mean seriously, who was shocked by this? JaMarcus's 3 year disappointing career resulted in a QB rating of 65.2% and 18 TDs with 23 INTs. It took 3 years for Al Davis to realize that JaMarcus was never going to turn into the long bomb deep threat reliable QB he could count on but after Bruce Gradkowski came in and started and proved that the problem wasn't the inept offense (ok well some of it was but it's the Raiders so give'em a break) but a poor passer with the work ethic of a sloth, Tom Cable was finally able to get Davis to wake up and bench Russell. With the acquistion of Campbell from the Redskins, Russell's days were as good as done. The idea that any team would bring Russell in at this point is laughable. JaMarcus showed up to camp over 300 lbs and with same bad attitude and poor work ethnic he has had all 3 years in Oakland. No one will take a chance on him not even as a back-up until he makes moves to try to improve his accuracy, get in physical condition to play at the pro level and get a better attitude. Let's see if the UFL will take a chance otherwise he will walk away a happy man with his $42Mil & never think twice about playing again.
The Chargers- wow..umm..where to begin? Trading Cromartie and Tomlinson to the Jets? Not signing Vincent Jackson to a new deal but blocking any deals from other teams? Bringing in Patrick Crayton from the Cowboys and a rookie running back? Their off season moves shows they are trying to move in a new direction but at what cost to their immediate future? Despite what many analysts are predicting, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say the Chargers are NOT going to the superbowl. Sorry let's just be real..there are too many other tough teams in the AFC for them to be the one team that everyone focuses on.
TO & Pacman Jones to the Bengals- I could get on so many other acquisitions but I hafta admit I'm intrigued by the pick up of these 2. Pacman has been accused of being overrated..as of now that has been true, but I think he has the potential of being a pretty decent DB if he can keep his off the field antics to a minimum (how about none Adam, can we try for that this year?). TO is still a great WR..he stays in condition and has never suffered a major injury in his career. His problem of course is his mouth. If he can keep his mouth under control and split receptions with OchoCinco the Bengals will be a definite threat in the AFC North. Let us pray for both to keep it together this year.
So this year is shaping up to be a good one..who will play for the championship? Who will win the Lombardi trophy? Hmmm...to be honest it's so wide open I'd hate to venture a guess. The teams are much more evenly matched than in any year previously. I predict a lot of good games this season.
Now as far as next year...ugh...where do we begin? The collective bargaining agreement ends at the end of this season..what will happen next season? This is a good question. As it stands the 2 sides are at an impass. Neither side is willing to back down or capitulate to the other. The potential of a lockout is not only very serious but absolutely possible. So real quick here's the deal..first off the owners think the players get too much of the gross revenue..they want a new agreement which would reduce the amount that players receive. Players of course feel that the owners are just being greedy because at the end of the day despite very generous contracts, who really gets the revenue from ticket and concession sales, stadium sponsorship, television contracts, etc? That's right the owners. So for owners to ask the players to less of the pie is an insult to them. Revenue sharing has been lopsided costing bigger teams like the Cowboys and Redskins far more money than smaller market teams such as the Bengals. At the end of the day the people hurt the most by a lockout will be players. Owners will still generate revenue and actually get more of a profit because they wont have to pay stadium or office staff and still get money from their tv deals. So for the players at least the need to get a new deal in place is much more pressing. The question is can both sides finally get over their own massive egos and get to the bargaining table and hash out a deal in time to prevent the potential loss of the 2011 season? For all of us true football fanatics let it happen PLEASE!!
-NFL Girl
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