August 20, 200818 yr I don't know how you pick the Bengals/Steelers/Browns/Ravens? Steelers because they are consistant? They had a great draft talent wise but their offensive line isn't very good and didn't get better. They are banged up with some of their best players on defense. The Browns secondary is awful and that's giving them credit. The Ravens are getting old, not as good as they were on the line and no QB although I think Smith might suprise some. The Bengals have the best QB in the Division but 2 banged up wideouts+one that can't stay out of trouble. They did get better at TE. Rudy is going to be big or lose his spot IMO. The defense still can't stop the run + no pass rusher IMO. To me that Division is as wide open as the Giants/Cowboys/Eagles/Skins.
August 20, 200818 yr I think the Cowboys+Chargers are probably the 2 most talented teams in football. The Chargers have a VERY weak divsion too. The problem with them is Jacksonville, Indy+New England. I think if you took the popular pick for the Super Bowl it would be S.D vs Dallas. There are also a lot of people jumping on the Jags waggon too. If I had to pick a sleeper getting almost no pub other than the Saints I would take Buffalo as my deep sleeper to have a solid year.
August 20, 200818 yr Author Betts isn't a slouch, but neither is Ahmad Bradshaw or Derrick Ward. Ward was having a fine season last year before breaking his leg. He probably would have had over 1,000 yards as well. I like the Giants RB's. But, Portis is a proven elite back. He's been doing it for years. Betts has proven to be a quality backup who can get the job done and he has an 1100+ yard season to his credit when Portis missed half of the '06 season. As of now, the Giants have a freakish talent in Jacobs who may or may not be injury prone. We don't have enough of a body of work to know. Ward is a question mark to some degree as well...is he injury prone. We don't know. Bradshaw played great at the end of last season, but he's a largely unproven commodity. I like the depth and variety the Giants have at RB. My point really is that the Redskins have proven value there. Portis is an elite back and Betts is one of the better backups in the league who can carry the load if necessary. I think the Giants ground game overall is better for several reasons. 1) I think their o-line is better. (The Skins o-line is talented, and could possibly be better if they could stay healthy, but until they do...) 2) They're comfortable in their system. The Skins will be learning a new system with a new coach. 3) At this point, Eli is better than Jason Campbell. 4) Plaxico Burress is a huge threat on the outside and the Skins have no one comparable. 5) Points 3 and 4 combined, does a lot more to open up the ground game for the backs than what the Redskins have.
August 20, 200818 yr Author San Diego has the deepest defensive team in football. They have 3rd string outside linebackers (Jyles Tucker) who might start on most NFL teams. They have arguably the two top cover corners (Jammer and Cromartie) in football, plus really good depth. Their linebacking corps, with Merriman, Wilhelm, Cooper, and Phillips, and some strong reserves, is young, energetic, and talented. The defensive line is very good, with Jamal Williams and Castillo, and because they are prone to injury, they have high quality reserves in Binghom and Cesaire, who have been with them several years. They have one of the consistently top special teams in football, with Kaeding and Scifres kicking, a great return game with Sproles, et. al., and a Pro Bowl special teamer in Kassim Osgood. The knock on the Chargers has always been offensive consistency. They are not very deep on the OL, but they have good players in Marcus McNeil, Goff, Dielman, and Hardwick when he gets healthy. They have signed some quality veterans as reserves. LT is one of the best players in NFL history carrying and catching the ball. Gates when he is healthy is the best TE in football. San Diego used to not have a good receiving corps; but the signing of Chris Chambers mid-season and the emergence of Vincent Jackson down the stretch gave them 2 weapons to throw to. San Diego was a passing team down the stretch last year. They have a lot of skill reserves like Sproles, Leegedu Nanee, Buster Davis et. al. who provide a lot of good time. Phillip Rivers is not Tom Brady or Peyton Manning. But hate him though you might, what he did in leading his team at NE in the AFC title game last year was awe-inspiring. He has the command and his respect of his team, and that is important. He has the chance from going from a good player to a great player this season. This team is composed of just pure "players" like Jacob Hester and Eric Weddle. It is a team playing for a new stadium and potentially a new city next year, an added motivation. Management has done an excellent job keeping players happy by signing them for long-term contracts. They have made no bones that they expect, because of the talent level, to lose people to free agency in the next two years, with their blessing. They have signed who they can, but a few guys are playing to impress for future contracts. There are no headcases. No holdouts. With the exception of Stephen Cooper getting suspended for 4 games for substance abuse, no distractions. He owned up to it and they moved on. The coaching staff has been there a full year and an offseason. I think the chemistry is there. With about 6 injured starters last year in the title game, they were within a TD of New England to start the 4th quarter on NE's turf. I think SD has gone up and NE down since then, and the Chargers, I believe have the most talent, man for man, in the NFL this year. :thumb: The Chargers have some concerns with Gates (toe) and Rivers (knee)...and how will LT come back? I think LT will be fine. Rivers and Gates should get better as the season progress. I think this team is good enough to win from the word go, but will only get better as the players round into form. I was really impressed with the way they performed in Indy and NE in the playoffs last season. Had they not played that way, I would have never picked a team coached by Norv Turner to win the Super Bowl. That said, the AFC has at least 4 teams with a significant chance to win the Super Bowl (San Diego, Indy, Jacksonville, and New England). And, you never know when some team like the Giants ('07-08) or Steelers ('05-06)) will put it all together at the right time. It's not going to be easy for any of them.
August 20, 200818 yr It appears Marriman is having some trouble with his knee. He went to Birmingham to have it check out.
September 9, 200818 yr After Week One with injuries: AFC East 1. Bills 2. Pats 3. Jets 4. Miami Dolphins AFC North 1. Browns 2. Steelers 3. Cincinnati Bengals 4. Baltimore Ravens AFC South 1. Indianapolis Colts 2. Tenn 3. Jags 4. Houston Texans AFC West 1. San Diego Chargers 2. Denver Broncos 3. Oakland Raiders 4. Kansas City Chiefs NFC East 1. Dallas Cowboys 2. Philadelphia Eagles 3. Giants 4. Skins NFC North 1. Packers 2. Vikings 3. Chicago Bears 4. Detroit Lions NFC South 1. New Orleans Saints 2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3. Carolina Panthers 4. Atlanta Falcons NFC West 1. Seattle Seahawks 2. Arizona Cardinals 3. St. Louis Rams 4. San Francisco 49ers Conference Championship Chargers over Colts Cowboys over Saints Super Bowl Cowboys over Chargers
September 9, 200818 yr HB do you think McNabb will be OK now? Let's not over react, he played one game, against THE RAMS. :lol:
September 10, 200818 yr Let's not over react, he played one game, against THE RAMS. :lol: He also had 3 100 yd WR's that weren't even 2 of his top 3 guys. I'll give you the Rams stink though:)
September 10, 200818 yr He also had 3 100 yd WR's that weren't even 2 of his top 3 guys. I'll give you the Rams stink though:) I don't want to talk too much smack about them. If I do, and they beat the Giants next week, I'll look stupid. :lol: It's the NFL, anything can happen.
September 10, 200818 yr After Week One with injuries: AFC North 1. Browns 2. Steelers3. Cincinnati Bengals 4. Baltimore Ravens If the Brownies don't hold serve this Sunday, they will be down 2 1/2 games to the Steelers in just 2 weeks...:sssh:
September 10, 200818 yr After Week One with injuries: AFC East 1. Bills 2. Pats 3. Jets 4. Miami Dolphins AFC North 1. Browns 2. Steelers 3. Cincinnati Bengals 4. Baltimore Ravens AFC South 1. Indianapolis Colts 2. Tenn 3. Jags 4. Houston Texans AFC West 1. San Diego Chargers 2. Denver Broncos 3. Oakland Raiders 4. Kansas City Chiefs NFC East 1. Dallas Cowboys 2. Philadelphia Eagles 3. Giants 4. Skins NFC North 1. Packers 2. Vikings 3. Chicago Bears 4. Detroit Lions NFC South 1. New Orleans Saints 2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3. Carolina Panthers 4. Atlanta Falcons NFC West 1. Seattle Seahawks 2. Arizona Cardinals 3. St. Louis Rams 4. San Francisco 49ers Conference Championship Chargers over Colts Cowboys over Saints Super Bowl Cowboys over Chargers I would have the Ravens ahead of the Bengals. The 49ers ahead of the Rams. The Giants ahead of the Eagles and Boys. The Chiefs over the raiders and the Steelers over the Browns.
September 11, 200818 yr I like the Steelers over the Browns too now that I think about it IF they can stay healthy. Big Ben is having some shoulder trouble right now which could end up being a major problem since their Oline is down. I'm afraid Palmer won't make it through the weekend! He got beat to death and it will be worse with the Titans if Hayensworth plays! I like the 49ers over the Rams too I forgot to change that one. The Rams are REALLY bad! I wouldn't be suprised to see Linahan and Nolan gone next year. That will make it interesting in San Fran with Holmgran free.
September 11, 200818 yr Author I don't want to talk too much smack about them. If I do, and they beat the Giants next week, I'll look stupid. :lol: It's the NFL, anything can happen. McNabb almost always plays well...when he plays. There's always that looming injury when you think about McNabb. If he gets hurt again this year, I'm officially declaring him the new Steve McNair...except McNair almost always played no matter what. I remember McNabb torching somebody last year for like 6 TD's early last year...I keep thinking it was Green Bay.
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