| NFL Pre-Season Rundown |
| Written by Administrator |
| Saturday, 07 July 2007 09:54 |
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The season is starting soon! Before you start making your NFL picks each week you need to know what has been going on in the off-season. Baltimore Colts
Additions: TE L.J. Smith (PHI) Deletions: LB Bart Scott (NYJ) Main Draft Pick: OT Michael Oher – Mississippi Concerns: Injuries are hurting the Ravens already Summary: The Ravens don’t have a strong squad but do have an easy schedule. If they can get things going they could rack up some W’s.
Indianapolis colts
Additions: Nobody Deletions: WR Marvin Harrison (UFA) RB Dominic Rhodes (BUF) Main Draft Pick: RB Donald Brown – Connecticut Concerns: Wholesale changes in the coaching ranks. Interesting to see the impact this has on this perennial contender. Summary: The Colts are only as good as Peyton Manning. Expecting another solid year from the veteran.
Green Bay Packers Additions: Essentially nobody Deletions: Again essentially nobody Main Draft Pick: DT – B.J. Raji – Boston College Concerns: None, The packers look solid on offence, if we had to pick something, it may be there defence but overall they look like a strong squad this year Summary: Good looking schedule and fired up offense. We see a lot of over’s in Packerville this
Arizona Cardinals
Additions: RB Chris Wells Deletions: RB J.J. Arrington (DEN) RB Edgerrin James (UFA) Main Draft Pick: RB Chris Wells – Ohio State Concerns: Boldin’s contract is all we see, they came on strong at the end of the year last year and we see it continuing this year. The Cards are for real. Kurt Warner’s age is also a minor concern.
Summary: You know the Cards are itching to get back to the big show. If they don’t overlook the hard work required to get there, we see no reason why their talent can’t all come together and be even better than last year. Looking to prove last year wasn’t a fluke.
Houston Texans Additions: QB Dan Orlovsky (DET) Deletions: QB Sage Rosenfels (MIN) Main Draft Pick: OLB Brian Cushing – USC Concerns: Goodby Sage, hello Dan. We’ll see how it goes. They could put up some points as they have some offensive threats, however as with most teams in the NFL, this will depend HUGELY on the quarterback position. Summary: Texans have high hopes and are desperately looking to break-out this year. We’re on the fence, but something tells us there are still a few pieces missing in this puzzle.
New England Patriots Additions: RB Fred Taylor (JAC) Deletions: QB Matt Cassel (KC) Main Draft Pick: SS Patrick Chung – Oregon Concerns: Easiest one to write on the entire page, Tom Brady’s knee pure and simple. If it holds, they’re an instant super bowl contender, if it doesn’t they have no chance. Keep a Summary: Tom Brady and his ability to come back off of a serious injury and a year off is the entire key to this football team. .
Chicago Bears
Additions: QB Jay Cutler (DEN) Deletions: QB Kyle Orton (DEN) Main Draft Pick: WR Juaquin Iglesias – Oklahoma Concerns: Love the fact that the Bears finally have a legitimate quarter back for the first time in a long long time, however we have some significant concerns with the rest of the team.
Summary: If you’re a Bears fan, you have to hope that the rest of the team is so excited to see Jay Cutler out there that he makes them all better. If that’s the case, the Bears may just go somewhere. If not, Yikes.
DALLAS COWBOYS
Additions: QB Jon Kitna (DET) Deletions: WR Terrell Owens (BUF) Main Draft Pick OLB Jason Williams – Western Illinois Concerns: Hard to lose a guy like T.O. get better, unless you belief that he was a total and complete cancer in the locker room that divided the team. As much as he’s capable of carrying a team, we all know he’s capable of ripping them apart. Only time will tell if Dallas can give away the catches and YAK that T.O. brought to the table and move forward as a team. Summary: We love Romo and we love the direction the Cowboys appear to be going. You know Jerry Jones wants to have a good season in the new stadium, so we believe Dallas will put together a solid season
ATLANTA FALCONS
Additions: TE Tony Gonzalez Deletions: WR Laurent Robinson Main Draft Picks: DT Peria Jerry – Mississippi Concerns: Tough looking schedule. Summary: Very tough call in 2009, they just kind of have the look of a .500 squad.
TENNESSEE TITANS Additions: WR Nate Washington (PIT) Deletions: QB Chris Simms (DEN) WR Brandon Jones (SF) Main Draft Pick: WR Kenny Britt – Rutgers Concerns: Have some concerns hanging my hat on a 37 year old Kerry Collins but that’s exactly what that Titans have done. Summary: If Collins can stay healthy and perform as well as last year, they look like a solid squad.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS Additions: WR Torry Holt (STL) Deletions: RB Fred Taylor (NE) Main Draft Pick: OT Eugene Monroe – Virginiayear Concerns: The offence, particularly the WR position is a slight concern. If these guys can catch some balls and get up the field, they’ll be alright, if not well…… Summary: Running game looks solid, defence looks solid, it’s just the passing game. If that somehow works out, you have yourself a contender .
MIAMI DOLPHINS
Additions: DE Jason Taylor (WAS) Deletions: NONE Main Draft Pick: CB Vontae Davis – Illinois Concerns: Dreadful schedule based on their overachieving success from last year. Summary: QB questions and difficult schedule spells a slip to sub-.500 this season.
NEW YORK JETS
Additions: No one Deletions: Brett Favre
Main Draft Pick: QB Mark Sanchez – USC Concerns: lack of quarterback and questionable wideouts Summary: Doesn’t look promising. We’ll leave it at that.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Additions WR Shaun McDonald Deletions: WR Nate Washington (TEN) QB Byron Leftwich (TB) Main Draft Pick WR Mike Wallace – Mississippi Concerns: Nothing to speak of except maybe Big Ben’s potential legal troubles.
Summary: They look strong and their schedule isn’t crazy. Look for another solid effort from this squad with very few holes.
CAROLINA PANTHERS Additions: None Deletions: None Main Draft Pick: DE Everette Brown – Florida State Concerns: Management seems to think they’re squad is solid by standing pat. We’re not so sure we agree. Summary: Doesn’t look like it’s going to be a good year for the Panthers. Could very well be under .500.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Additions: QB Damon Huard (KC) Deletions: WR Bryant Johnson (DET) Main Draft Pick WR Michael Crabtree – Texas Tech Concerns: Major concerns throughout the team Summary: If you want to look for a positive, it’s their schedule. They play some weak teams and therefore have a chance to put up a few W’s.
DETROIT LIONS Additions: WR Bryant Johnson (SF) Deletions: QB Jon Kitna (DAL) Main Draft Pick: QB Matthew Stafford – Georgia Concerns: You could go on forever about the concerns for a team that just went 0-16. They have major holes everywhere and haven’t done a ton. They may want to contact Mike Vick’s agent. Summary: It has to get better and we believe they will win some games this year. Would like to see a few more changes and a big name quarterback could make all the difference. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Additions: T. J. Houshmandzadeh (CIN) Deletions: RB Maurice Morris (DET) Main draft Pick: OLB Aaron Curry – Wake Forest Concerns: Matt Hasselbeck is now 34 and has a bulging disc. How the entire team does will depend on Matt’s ability to stay healthy. Summary: Seattle is trying to come back from a disaster in 2008. They didn’t really address their defensive issues so look for a bunch of over’s in games the Seahawk’s are involved in.
DENVER BRONCOS
Additions: QB Kyle Orton (CHI) Deletions: QB Jay Cutler (CHI) Main Draft Pick: RB Knowshon Moreno – Georgia Concerns: Basically the entire team’s ability to compete is a major concern moving into training camp.
NEW YORK GIANTS
Additions: Basically nobody Deletions: RB Derrick Ward (TB) Plaxico Burress (UFA) Main Draft Pick WR Hakeem Nicks – North Carolina Concerns: The whole squad is surrounded by questions. Hard to see the Giants getting anywhere near the Super Bowl run from a couple of years back. Playoffs will be a longshot.
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Additions: WR Laveranues Coles (NYJ) Deletions: WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (SEA) Main Draft Pick: OT Andre Smith – Alabama Concerns: Everything hinges on Carson Palmer and his ability to get the previous once lethal Bengals offensive attack back on track.
BUFFALO BILLS
Additions: WR Terrell Owens (DAL) Deletions: TE Robert Royal (CLE) Main Draft Pick: DE Aaron Maybin – Penn State Concerns: Terrell Owens has caused grief with every team he has ever been with Summary: All we need to say is T.O., he can destroy a football team or pick them up and carry them on his back.
WASHINGTON REDSKINS
Additions: DL Albert Haynesworth (TEN) Deletions: WR James Thrash (UFA) Main Draft Pick: DE Brian Orakpo – Texas Concerns: The relationship between all-star RB Clinton Portis and Coach Jim Zorn. Summary: Hard to predict a ton of improvement with the Redskins this season.
OAKLAND RAIDERS
Additions: QB Jeff Garcia Deletions: WR Ronald Curry Main Draft Pick: WR Darrius Heyward-Bey – Maryland Concerns: JaMarcus Russell or whoever plays quarterback. Summary: Some glimmer of hope seems to be lurking at the Raiders training camp.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Additions: QB Matt Cassel (NE) Deletions: TE Tony Gonzalez (ATL) Main Draft Pick: DE Tyson Jackson – Louisiana State University Concerns: Cassel’s contract dispute and his ability to function at a high level with a questionable O line. Summary: Massive question mark concerning KC’s ability to win games this year. They should definitely play in a few shootouts, but we’ll have to wait and see how their new quarterback is able to perform for his new squad.
ST. LOUIS RAMS
Additions: WR Laurent Robinson (ATL) Deletions: WR Torry Holt (JAC) Main Draft Pick: OT Jason Smith – Baylor Concerns: Wow the whole thing seems like a train wreck beyond Bulger and Jackson. Summary: Can you rebuilding. 5 or 6 wins would seem like a stretch.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Additions: RB Derrick Ward (NYG) TE Kellen Winslow (CLE) Deletions: QB Jeff Garcia (OAK) WR Joey Galloway (NE) Main Draft Pick: QB Josh Freeman – Kansas State Concerns: Who the heck is going to play quarterback on this team as they have now cut Griese. Summary: Look for a lot of low scoring games, unless the Buc’s make a play for Mr. Mike Vick.
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Additions: TE Robert Royal Deletions: TE Kellen Winslow (TB) Main Draft Pick: WR Brian Robiskie – Ohio Sjust 102 FP over the past seven seasons. Concerns: Seemed to have done very little to try and improve an already questionable squad. Stats Sleeper: RB Jerome Harrison Summary: It’s going to be a long long season in Cleveland. Another squad almost guaranteed to be less than .500.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
In 2009, the Vikings start the season with five of their opening eight games on the road. Fortunately, the first three are against teams that finished well below .500 in 2008: the Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, and St. Louis Rams. Peterson could have a huge season as the Vikings start with a fairly soft schedule facing Cleveland (28th), Detroit (32nd), St. Louis (29th), and Green Bay (26th). Favre taking the helm will help this team get to the next level.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
The New Orleans Saints have all the fire power in the world on offense but when will the defense hold up their end of the bargain? Quarterback Drew Brees is one of the best players in the NFL, but he can‘t win all by himself as evidence of the Saints 8-8 finish last season. The Saints are hoping that a new coordinator on defense along with some new additions can help bolster an annually disappointing defense. The Brees is one of the smartest players in the NFL, with his ability to read defenses and find the open man with regularity. Brees has a deep group wideouts to aim for and TE Jeremey Shockey is due for a big season. If he can stay healthy The offensive line was one of the main sources to the Saints offensive success with their ability to pass-protect and maul defenders in the running game. Poised for a breakout year on offense is all-purpose RB Reggie Bush. Bush is one of the most electrifying players in the NFL and has added some muscle this off-season to try and improve his durability.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid is tired of being in the “close but no cigar category” when it comes to the Super Bowl and 2010 just could be his year. Reid has taken his beloved Eagles to the NFC Championship in an amazing 5 of 8 years but has yet to own a Lombardi Trophy. After a strong bounce back season to get to the NFC Championship game in 2009 that was ended by the improbable Arizona Cardinals, Reid and Donovan McNabb are ready for one last hurrah and redemption. Donovan McNabb got some new toys to play with in the NFL draft in WR Jeremy Maclin, RB LeSean McCoy and TE Cornelius Ingram. Also added to an already stout offensive line was bookend Left Tackle Jason Peters from Buffalo. The big concern is RB Brian Westbrook's off-season ankle surgery. The mega-versatile Westbrook could be inactive for much of the preseason but should be ready for the season opener. McNabb looked like the his All-Pro self after being benched in late-November and he has a fleet of elusive wide outs that should help McNabb have a big season. The Eagles ranked 6th in scoring offense in 2008 and have some tools in place to improve on that mark. The NFL predictions odds for the Philadelphia Eagles to win the NFC championship has remained steady at 6-1 odds. Now that Mike Vick has signed, look for another dimension added to the offense in the form of the Wildcat and look for Vick to play 7or8 down/game, when not starting. With the exception of $57 million dollar cornerback Asante Samuel the Philadelphia Eagles defense are a bunch no-names that can lock horns with any NFL offense. Gone is big-name Safety Brian Dawkins but capable no-names like Quinton Mikell,Trent Cole, Darren Howard Juqua Parker and Chris Gocong are all studs capable of picking up the slack. A wicked defense from a year ago that recorded 48.0 sacks and was ranked 4th against the run returns 10 starters and has actually added more depth
SAN DIEGO
San Diego Chargers 2009 NFL Predictions, Win Total & 2010 Super Bowl Odds: For most NFL organizations going to the playoffs 4 of the past 5 years is an impressive run, but for a talent laden San Diego Chargers team with Superbowl ability, merely reaching the postseason is no longer enough. Franchise Running Back LaDainian Tomlinson is not getting any younger and neither are a slew of Chargers vets that have a shrinking window to cash in on a Superbowl ring. Head coach Norv Turner’s own employment window is about to have a going out of business sign hung on it too if he fails to get to the big dance in 2010. On paper, Turner’s Chargers have all the pieces in place to succeed, but something always seems to be missing in overall team effort and chemistry.
Head Coach Norv Turner may have the personality and leadership capabilities of a wooden stick, but he knows offense. Chargers QB Phillip Rivers is coming off a banner year with an NFL high 105.5 passer rating, making the Chargers chief form of attack the pass. The Chargers have a trifecta of playmaking wideouts in WR Vincent Jackson, WR Chris Chambers and TE Antonio Gates. The All-Pro Gates played hurt most of last season and could make this offense even more potent now at 100%. Turner would like to lean more on the running game this season with a healthy LaDainian Tomlinson and speedy backup RB Darren Sproles. Tomlinson may have hit the 30-year old running back wall, but with Sproles in the mix he can keep his legs fresh enough to play like an All-Pro in spurts. The O-Line is inconsistent but remains an above-average group thanks to All-Pro Guard Kris Dielman. The San Diego Chargers 3-4 defense is built around NT Jamal Williams and OLB Shawn Merriman. Merriman has a completely reconstructed knee and Williams is 33 years-old so the jury is out on whether this defense can still lay the lumber. With Merriman on the sideline last season the Chargers pass defense was abused, ranking 31st in the NFL in pass D. If Merriman can even return to 80% of what he was he will be an All-Pro that makes an instant difference. As an insurance policy the Chargers drafted a blue-chip pass-rushing prospect in the 1st round with Larry English. ILB Stephen Cooper emerged as a quality all-around player in the middle and should benefit greatly from Merriman’s return. Top coverman Antonio Cromartie went from a star to average Joe playing with a fractured hip all season. Was Cromartie’s 10 interception season in 07’ a fluke or did the hip injury torture him? The Chargers Special Teams are arguably the best in the NFL with game-changers in P Mike Scrifes and returner Darren Sproles. The Chargers remind me of a lower profile version of the New York Yankees. Great on paper but just can’t put it together on the field. The QB\Coach duo of Phillip Rivers and Norv Turner still doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence. Rivers has great numbers on paper but makes boneheaded plays late in ballgames. Turner is a sharp offensive mind but only managed a .500 season last year. This team will win the tame AFC West but once again will fail in the playoffs
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| Last Updated on Saturday, 05 September 2009 14:35 |