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Rob Viking -> RE: Predictions for Next Week (and maybe beyond) (9/4/2010 1:40:10 PM)
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On to the NFC
NFC East
Cowboys: Another team with weight of the world on their shoulders. An impressive run last season ended in the dome, with another Romo beat down where he coughed up the ball twice which really sealed the Boys fate that day. Why the hype for a team that hasn't beaten anyone in a big game since the Aikaman, Smith, Irvin years aside from a banged up Philly team. They've got the weapons on offense but their OLIne is big question mark. Gurode and Leonard Davis are solid and Holland is decent. But the tackles have serious question marks, I hear good things out of Doug Free but I can only remember Jared Allen swooping past him and getting a blind side lick on Romo. They've looked awful in the preseason. Again they will do well vs teams with weak front 7 so they can get their running game going and take advantage with play action passing. If the OLine holds up they will be dangerous. The defense has been good since Phillips has arrived in Dallas. They're solid from top to bottom with a potential DPOY candidate in Ware. Their safeties and ends are mediocre so they could be the down fall of an otherwise strong unit. I don't see this team handling pressure well, Romo has never done well when a lot was expected of him, until he proves otherwise Dallas will be good but not good enough.
Giants: The Giants really fell apart last season. The loss of Phillips ruined their secondary but one must look at their schedule early in the season and it was no surprise they were undefeated until they played the Saints. Their OLine isn't what it was during their Super Bowl run or the following season but they're still formidable. The line is essentially the same one that knocked off the Pats in the SB. Eli has grown and he has plenty of receiving talent each one possesing their unique skill Nicks (deep man), Smith (possession), Manningham (deep threat). Much hinges on the OLine again. The real down fall came from the defense, especially the secondary which got torched consistently after week 6. Their pass rush should be better since they uncharacteristically registered only 32 sacks 11 of which came vs Oakland and KC. The addition of Rolle will help the secondary as well as the return of Phillips, I see this unit having a bounce back season. The Giants have to disgusted with their 2nd half display especially Coughlin, and they still have much of the same team in place as the one that had success in 2007-start 2009.
Eagles: First time since the 90's Donovan McNabb won't be QBing the Eagles aside from McNabb missing games due to injury. Kevin Kolb who looked good in his 2 starts last season actually seems better suited for Andy Reid's version of the WCO than McNabb. Kolb has a quick release and his time at U of Houston helped him process information quickly since Houston ran many 5 receiver sets in a wide open spread offense. He's got weapons in DeSean and Maclin as well as reliable Brent Celek. The playmakers are in abundance but again it comes down to the OLine which fell apart vs Dallas after Jamal Jackson went down. They do keep 4 starting Olinemen again which will help them their continuity. Kolb will excel between the 20s but I see him struggling like McNabb did in Andy Reid's offense to score TDs. Look for 4,000yds passing from Kolb with 18-22 TDs. The defense has been in decline. They have some pieces in Trent Cole, Samuel, Mikell, and Bunkley but they lack LBs. Ernie Sims could prove to be the player he was earlier in his career with Detroit. I see the Eagles being around .500 but I think Kolb will be similar to Aaron Rodgers in his 1st year as a starter. Nice numbers but he will make the crucial mistake at a crucial point in the game.
Redskins: The big news is the acquisition of McNabb. Again OLine will be the difference for McNabb. Jason Campbell played decent last season but he will always struggle as most QBs would with hand the face after each drop back. There are weapons for Donovan in Moss, Thomas, Fred Davis, and Cooley. The offense will be ok but they will need some consistancy from the boys up front. The defense will be one of the surprises this season. A solid DLine even if Haynesworth is playing half the time. Brian Orakpo will look to build off a solid rookie finish and reliable London Fletcher will always be there to lead the LBing core. The secondary of Rogers, Landry, Horton and Hall is one of the strongest in the NFL, and in a division with 3 potential 4,000 yd passers they will need them to stay in contention. Still don't think their OLine will be good enough to protect McNabb eventhough McNabb should get the ball out quicker than Campbell. Can they get Larry Johnson and Portis going. I think they will struggle early and be a dangerous team towards the end of the season if McNabb stays healthy of course.
Giants 10-6
Cowboys 10-6 WC
Eagles 7-9
Redskins 7-9
NFC North
Vikes: We all know how the story ended last season, in a fashion that was enjoyable up until last season, with Favre INT. The Vikes return much of the same lineup. The Oline will be the major question. Many on this site know the ins and outs of the Vikes, unlike the pundits who just assume the Vikes have a great OLine because Peterson gets loads of yards and they’re well paid, but we know better. The Vikes struggle mightily run blocking and if you put say Chris Johnson behind this line he would struggle to get 1,100 yards. Favre returns and he looked good vs Seattle in the preseason. The loss of Rice will hurt but the Vikes are still loaded with weapons and the emergence of Peterson as a receiver could play an even bigger role this season. Loads of questions for this offense but they are still a top 5 unit on paper. The defense will look continue to be a force, especially with boys up front who are the best in the NFL. One of the few teams in the NFL that can rush four and consistently get pressure, coupled with the home field advantage of the dome, the Vikes will be pushing 50 sacks again. The LB core has welcomed back EJ Henderson after a horrific injury, his presence in the preseason vs 49ers have made optimists out of fans like myself who thought he would struggle to get back by November. The secondary will be without Griffin early but rookie Chris Cook has looked in preseason and Asher Allen who was an SEC standout at Georgia will fill in adequately. There seems to be questions coming into this season but there were plenty last season. The experience and the commaraderie this team had last season should bode well for a hungrier more disciplined Viking team. Furthermore the Vikes have been vilified all off season due to the Favre situation and the media incessant love of the Packers give the Vikes extra motivation this season to prove the nation wrong and the Vikes fans who stand by them right.
Packers: The Pack are another team with incredible hype. Expecting to have arguably the best offense in the NFL, the Pack have picked by many to win the North and the NFC itself. The Pack have become co favorites along with the Colts to win the SB. Is this team better than they were last season? The OLine is a year older and I don’t see Tauscher and Clifton putting together the 2nd half of the season they had last year. Perhaps it was more Rodgers’s fault of holding on to the ball too long and their OLine has improved? Or perhaps it was the schedule? Rodgers will have a great year statistically but will he come through against a vaunted pass rush that is the big ?. The defense were very opportunistic recording 30 INTs. Charles Woodson played out of his mind, can he repeat anything close to last seasons numbers? The Pack do boast a very good LB core and they did seem to get better under Dom Capers’ scheme. Yet they were still torched by any good QB they faced (e.g. Warner, Favre, Ben, and Palmer). Good team on paper and they appear poised to take their game to the next level but have they improved enough it remains to be seen. They will have to prove they can beat the Vikes, Saints or any other team with quality passing attacks. They will storm out the gates with a relatively easy schedule and falter towards the end.
Lions: The Lions can’t go anywhere but up front here. They scored in the draft with Suh and Best. The Lions may sweep the ROY awards. Stafford looked good for a rookie QB, there were ups and downs but Stafford can make all the throws and he seems to have the confidence to be good QB for many years. The offensive pieces are in pace but again their OLine needs to be better. 43 sacks allowed and only 4.0 yards/rush isn’t impressive, especially when your RB1 Kevin Smith had 3.4 yards/rush. They might be good in fantasy football this season but the Lions will still struggle to make plays when they count. The defense is still terrible which will again help out fantasy owners with the Lions need to score plenty of points. Suh will help as well as Van Den Bosch but their back 7 is terrible. Delmas has potential but they are very suspect. In a division with 2 QBs who can expose vulnerable secondaries along with another that can on occasion the Lions will be giving up plenty of points.
Bears: Another team whose success relies heavily on their OLine play. They were awful last season and rendered Forte into a bust. Cutler has several unproven weapons though Aromashadu looks solid. The addition of Martz is questionable, the whole situation seems volatile. Martz system is meant for a QB who gets rid of the ball quickly to receivers who are making quick and rounded cuts. Not sure how well this will work with a QB like Cutler who has an average release. I sense it will be similar to last year where it will work wonders for a couple of games but be largely ineffective and disastrous at times. The defense will be getting back Urlacher, and newly acquired Peppers. It will help but they’re lacking in the secondary and the Bears similar to the Lions don’t have a good recipe for success with their poor secondary. They would be happy with .500 season.
Vikings 11-5
Packers 11-5 WC
Bears 7-9
Lions 5-11
NFC South
Saints: The Super Bowl champs will return much of the same lineup as the one that defeated the Colts in Miami. Brees and the Saints offense will continue to dominate at times but can they do it consistently? The latter parts of the season showed the Saints invincibility, did they lose their swagger after the Cowboys only to regain enough to win the SB? It seemed that teams were beginning to figure out the Saints late in the season. The Saints defense will no doubt live off TOs. Can one team force 45 TOs again? Probably not. Also the Saints did lose as many fumbles as their opponents 19 to 19. Perhaps they will get some luck in that department this season. They lack the pass rush at times which may be their big down fall. Less pressure = less TOs and the mediocrity of their defense begins to show. They will be in the hunt again and we shall see how well they handle the pressure of repeating.
Falcons: A team that much was expected of last season the Falcons couldn’t handle the pressure. Matt Ryan had a great rookie season but he average last season. Tony Gonzalez helped but the Falcons offense couldn’t find any consistency. They were somewhat of fluke 2 seasons ago, everything went their way. They seem poised this season to prove a point. The defense is much improved with Dunta Robinson and the maturation of several of their young players. They still don’t have the offense to challenge the Saints or any elite team in NFC.They do have a favorable schedule which might be enough to get them a WC.
Panthers: Delhomme is finally gone and they’ve rested their hopes on Matt Moore. Moore ended the season well last season with big wins vs the Vikes and knocking the Giants out of the playoffs in New York. The running game will be strong, but can Moore make enough plays to guys not named Steve Smith? The Panther D are an unkown they’ve had a strong pre season and finished the season strong last season giving up under 21 points in their last 6 games and one game was a Jake Delhomme 5 TO special. The loss of Peppers will hurt but he was inconsistent, he was too good to bench but if he is dominant every 4-6 weeks then he can be problem. Tough team to gauge but judging by their recent history of being good every other year I will say this will be a solid season for them.
Bucs: Team in rebuilding mode. Freeman looked good last season considering he was a rookie on a poor team with few playmakers around him. Looking at the offense this season there is some potential. The Bucs have a deep but unspectacular receiving core with potential in Stroughter, Williams, Stovall and Benn. Winslow also had a good season last year and has the talent to be a top 5 TE. Can Cadillac get back to what made him a top 5 pick? The defense could be much improved with the addition of Gerald McCoy. Their defense has a stron back bone down the middle with McCoy, Ruud, and Tanard Jackson. Look for CB Talib to emerge as a star and push for a pro bowl spot. They’re ways away from the rest of the division but we’ll get a better perspective on where they are for the future by seasons end.
Saints 12-4
Falcons 9-7
Panthers 8-8
Bucs 5-11
NFC West
49ers: The Niners have emerged as the front runners in the division. Mike Singletary has transformed the 49ers into a physical hard nosed team. Offensively they will rely on Alex Smith to finally merit his #1 overall tag. He’s gotten better, but still not at the level where he can make the plays necessary on a consistent basis. Frank Gore can do it all and the OLine in front of him will now have been together for a few seasons now and throw in 1st round pick Mike Iupati and you have a solid unit. Davis and Crabtree will lead the passing attack but who will emerge as a competent #2 receiver, Ginn Jr or Morgan? The defense will be stout and be one of the best units in the NFL. Patrick Willis is DPOY candidate. The DLine in this 3-4 scheme are simplistic in that they occupy blockers for Willis and Manny Lawson to make plays on. Safety Dashon Goldson is another u and comer who may find himself in the probowl by seasons end. They will feast on their weakened division, but we shall see how they perform against the Saints in Week 2, this will be a good litmus test for them.
Cards: Talk about being decimated. The Cards lost future HoF in Warner, #2 WR in Boldin, MLB Dansby and S Antrel Rolle. Enter Derek Anderson at QB. Anderson looked awful last season in Cleveland but his #1 receiver was Massaquoi. Anderson is only 2 seasons removed from a 3,700+ yds 29:19 TD:INT season. Fitz will help and perhaps Anderson and Fitz can help Anderson regain the magic he had with Braylon Edwards. Boldin won’t be a big loss, Early Doucet will fill that role nicely and Steve Breaston rounds out a solid 3 WR set. The OLine welcomes Faneca which should help Beanie Wells in the run game. The defense still looks decent. The switch to the 3-4 will have some growing pains, especially with their LB core being a little inexperienced playing together. Rookie Daryl Washington could be DROY candidate, lots of questions with the LBers but there’s potential as well. The secondary still has DRC and Adrian Wilson, can they mask the loss of Rolle. Very well coached team and despite losing a few cornerstone players they have the mettle to win unlike any other team in the division.
Seahawks: Enter Pete Carroll, who struggled mightily in his last NFL gig in NE. Matt Hasselbeck will look to shake off an injury riddled season. The OLine was in shambles last season after the loss of Walter Jones. If their OLine can put it together and be average Hasselbeck should be able to make some plays to Housh, Carlson and second year man Deon Butler. Forsett is also a much better player than Julius Jones who is inexplicably #1 on the depth chart. The defense is very unbalanced. The DLine is one of the worst in the NFL, they may wind up with under 20 sacks this season. LBers Tatupu and Aaron Curry will make patch things up but how much can they do when OLinemen are firing out at them? Good secondary with Trufant, Jennings, rookie Earl Thomas and yes Lawyer Milloy. How good will they look when QBs have all day to throw. This team is decent on the perimeters but they will get owned by any team save the Rams in the trenches.
Rams: Sam Bradford after a stellar college career gets the big pay day and the unenviable task of leading the worst team in football into the future. Bradford has incredible skills, good arm, great release, and poise. He will struggle behind a mediocre OLine and he lacks weapons on the outside. Steven Jackson will unfortunately probably be half the player he is today when the Rams are competitive once more. Receiving core of Amendola (Welker Lite), Laurent Robinson and Gilyard is a very thin group. Gilyard could be a great return man however. The defense isn’t much better. Chris Long will definitely need to show something in his 3rd season. James Lauranaitis had a solid rookie campaign and will look to build off that. Rod Bartell and Atogwe form a decent secondary but they may be left out to dry by what’s in front of them. The Rams are still a long ways from being competitive. The problems didn’t happen over night it has to do with their drafting which has yielded I believe two starters from 2007-2009.
Cards 9-7
49ers 9-7
Seahawks 5-11
Rams 2-14
Wildcard
Giants vs Cowboys
Cards vs Packers
Vikings vs Giants
Saints vs Packers
Vikings vs Packers
Vikes to the SB
Colts over the Vikes in the SB.
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