AFC South
The only stuff I've heard about the Titans this offseason was when I watched them play the Cowboys in a preseason game last weekend. Everything I heard from the announcers was that they're at least as good, if not better than they were last year, when they jumped out to a 10-1 start and captured the #1 seed in the AFC playoffs. I don't agree with that. I don't think they're a bad team, but they're not one of the best in the league, or even in the AFC. Indianapolis will be tough because Peyton Manning is still their quarterback. The other team to keep an eye on is Houston. I have no reason to think that they'll be better than the .500ish seasons they've been having for awhile, but at some level I guess it just feels like at some point they'll get over that hump and make the playoffs.
AFC East
It might be interesting to see how Miami follows up its very impressive 2008 season. It also might be interesting to see how the Matt Sanchez story unfolds for the Jets. It also might be interesting to see what impact T.O. has on the never-spectacular Bills. But it's very likely that much of that won't matter, because Tom Brady will be on the field for the Pats again, and that pretty much spells doom for everyone else.
AFC North
No reason to think that anyone will seriously challenge the Steelers for the division championship here.
AFC West
This might be one of the more dismal divisions in the NFL. The preseason hasn't given Broncos fans a whole lot of reasons to be optimistic. Orton doesn't look great, and their best receiver forgot to grow out of his three-year-old temper-tantrum phase. I think there's some confidence in Josh McDaniels' ability to manufacture some good from the season, but not many are expecting a serious playoff run. San Diego will be the frontrunner in this division as they've been for quite some time. The Raiders are still owned by Al Davis, so there's not a whole lot of good to be said about them either.
NFC West
The reigning NFC Champion Cardinals haven't done anything impressive in the preseason, so I'm not necessarily keeping them at the top of this division in my thinking. Seattle and San Francisco have both shown some promising elements, perhaps most notably would be the young, strong 49er defense. But I hate the 49ers, so we'll hope the Seahawks can take 'em down. I've told people recently, though, that winning the NFC West is sort of like being named Valedictorian of summer school. I mean, congratulations, but look at your competition.
NFC South
It seems like both the Panthers and the Buccs are more or less in panic mode. Carolina's defense doesn't seem to be able to stop anyone, and Colin Cowherd, who originally predicted Tampa Bay to go 6-10, switched his prediction to 1-15 after watching them play a preseason game last week... "and to be honest," he said, "I can't find the one game they might win." I guess that opens the door for the Matt Ryan-led Falcons or the always-in-the-hunt Saints to win that division. I'm (not-so) secretly pulling for Ryan & the birds.
NFC North
This is beginning to look like it could be quite a fight. Obviously, the talk of the offseason has been about Matthew Stafford in Detroit, Jay Cutler in Chicago, and Brett Favre in Minnesota, but if I'm choosing the North champion today, I'm picking Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. They've looked better in the preseason than any other team in the league. Favre will help make Minnesota a contender, and I'll grant that they could be quite tough. Although Cutler has looked quite good for Chicago thus far I'm not ready to say that he'll have the Bears fighting for the division championship. And I don't see any reason to include Detroit in talks of who might win, well, anything.
NFC East
The toughest division in football will remain the NFC East for at least another season. The Giants look good, and are predicted by many to win the division. The Eagles look pretty good and are predicted by many to get second in the division and make the playoffs. The Redskins look like they've got a somewhat competent and confident quarterback which will put them right in the mix, even if most consider them merely a spoiler. And despite what everyone says, I wouldn't be surprised a bit if the Cowboys won the division. It'll serve them well not to be quite as hyped-up as they've been for a few years now.
That's all I got. What are your predictions?
5 comments:
Really? The Vikings behind the Pack this year? I think not. Yes, GB has looked great thus far, but when did pre-season mean anything. If pre-season does mean something then why not mention the 75+yard run that AP had in the first carry in the Vik's pre-season game last week. Why? Because it is hard enough to defend AP when he is the only threat, now they have to look out for the pass over the top too? Uh Oh, all day baby...all day. AP all day is all I have to say. GB is good, but not THAT good.
First of all, was that really Pam? It had a Joel-sounding feel to it.
Second, I'm not absolutely saying Green Bay will win the division. I'm saying based on what I've seen, that's who I'd pick today. I'm still a huge Favre fan, even though there aren't really any Packers fans left that are... but I don't yet know how he'll hold up at 39 over a 16 game NFL season with very little offseason work. If you recall, he had a really rough final 6 games last year. Adrian Peterson is the most dynamic player in the game right now, bar none, and I don't know how I'd stop him, but it seems like the rest of the team is good, not great, so we'll have to see. Also, my comments about how good Green Bay is isn't based on W-L records in the preseason, because I agree that those don't tell you anything. It's based on how their first team offense has played against other first team defenses. They've looked, well, like a juggernaut. At least worth considering as the best team in the division. That's all I'm saying. And I'm saying it as someone who will be cheering for the Vikings as the NFC North champion this year!
I agree that Favre has a good neh great chance of breaking down at the age of 39. My argument, however, isn't based on the Vikings needing Favre the quarterback. My argument is that they only need the threat of Favre the quarterback. If you watched the Vikings last season every D-fense played with six in the box. There was absolutely no threat down field. As soon as a team goes to a normal 4 in the box with 2 or 3 linebackers. It's all over. They don't need Favre the quarterback, they need the threat of Favre the quarterback and that is just what they got. The Pack's offense looked incredible sure, but the Vikings Defense looked better than there D and I would be VERY surprisd if the Vikings didn't take two away from the Pack this year.
Well, I suppose we'll just have to wait and watch.
This week's SI NFL Preview issue has Chicago winning the North. Want to comment on that?
Whatever.
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