Outlooks For Different NFL Teams

[yankees228]

I figured I would start a thread where we can all talk about our favorite teams for the upcoming season. I know that there are a lot of Patriot fans but I'm also under the impression that a lot of teams have fans on this forum.

 

Anyway, my favorite team is the Giants, and here's how I look at their team for this season.

 

QB: Which Eli Manning is going to show up? The one that was able to control the ball and manage the game last January or the one from the regular season who lead the league in incompletions? I'd like to think he has permanently turned the corner, but only time will tell. Losing Shockey is going to hurt him because he won't have the same one on one match-ups on the outside (I understand that he didn't have Shockey in the playoffs but those were only a handful of games and not enough to make a judgment). David Carr is nothing special, but he's a better backup than the Giants have had the last few years.

 

RB: Definitely the area on the team with the most competition. They already announced that all three running backs, Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Derrick Ward, are going to compete for carries in training camp. I fully expect to see Jacobs to get the majority of the carries, but Bradshaw and Ward should also get their full share. Jacobs was very hot and cold last year, and the hope is that his injuries are behind him. Same goes for Ward. Bradshaw is obviously very talented but his success last year could be contributed to the fact that other teams were probably not game planning too much for him. Also, we have to hope that his legal troubles are behind him.

 

FB: Madison Hedgecock did an excellent job last year of opening up holes for the running backs. There is no reason to think that won't continue.

 

WR: The entire Giants passing game, without Shockey, is now going to fully revolve around Plaxico Burress. Clearly he has tremendous ability, and had an excellent year last year, but hopefully he can put his contract dispute behind him and stay healthy. If he stays healthy, and Manning continues to progress, there should be no stopping him. You really don't know what you're going to get from Toomer. He had an excellent bounce back season last year, and played incredible in the playoffs, but he is probably reaching the end of the line. With that being said, hopefully he has one more good season left in him. The guy I'm most excited to see play a full season is Steve Smith. He has excellent ability and played great in the playoffs. I expect him, at some point during the season, to see a lot of snaps out wide in Toomer's place. Mario Manningham is also someone to keep an eye on, but he is very raw, and I don't expect too much of a contribution from him this year. I have all but given up on Sinorice Moss.

 

TE: How good is Kevin Boss? The only thing we have to look at is the end of the regular season (last three games) and the postseason. He did well, but who knows what'll happen this year. He has huge shoes to fill. Say what you want about Shockey, but when he was healthy he was productive and contributed to the success of the other receivers (see quarterback paragraph).

 

OL: Chris Snee and David Deihl should continue to show that they are truly elite offensive linemen. Both are excellent in the run game, and more than adequate in the passing game. Shaun O'Hara is also one of the anchors of the line at center, and will hopefully improve on his season last year. Kareem McKenzie and Rich Seubert are also solid contributors. I look for the Giants offensive line to continue to be the strength it was last year. If anyone gets hurt Grey Ruegamer is a decent backup.

 

DL: Normally it is hard for any team to recover the next year when you lose a future HOF'r like Michael Strahan, and I'm not saying the Giants will make the transition seamlessly, but they certainly have the personnel to do it. Osi Umenyiora remains on the outsides and will play opposite Justin Tuck. Tuck will move from playing on the inside on only passing downs to playing every down at DE. The Giants also had a great deal of success last year with the constant D-Line rotation, and they should still be able to implement that this year. They show great depth at defensive line with starters Barry Cofield and Fred Robbins playing on the inside. Both are very solid against the run. And guys like Dave Tollefson, Jay Alford, and Renaldo Wynn should be able to contribution within the Giants D-Line rotation.

 

LB: The linebackers are anchored by the defensive captain and leader, Antonio Pierce. Pierce is excellent against the run, but tends to struggle in one on one coverage. Regardless, Pierce is the clear leader of the defense, and alone with Steve Spagnuolo (and Michael Strahan) helped to change the atmosphere around the Giants defense. I'm really excited for the return of Mathias Kiwanuka from a broken leg. It'll be interesting to see how he continues his transition from defensive end to outside linebacker, where he was steadily improving till he got hurt last year. Kiwanuka is also a great pass rusher, and will probably could play some defensive line on passing downs. Gerris Wilkinson will start opposite him, and Zak DeOssie will also see some significant playing time.

 

DB: I have high hopes for Aaron Ross this year. He is excellent against the run and in blitz situations, and has shown improvement when it comes to guarding receivers. He had a very nice rookie year and that should only improve. Corey Webster will start opposite him, and will probably matched up against each team's number one receiver. Webster really turned it around last year in the playoffs after having been a disapointment much of his short career. Veteran Sam Madison will play as the nickel back on passing downs. The new safeties could also prove to be a huge upgrade. Sammy Knight will take James Butlers spot at free safety, while rookie Kenny Phillips should start immediately at strong safety. Losing Gibril Wilson is definitely going to hurt, but I think the new guys can fill his shoes. James Butler and Michael Johnson should also see some time on passing downs or in case of any injuries.

 

ST: Will the inconsistent Lawrence Tynes from the regular season show up, or will it be the one that kicked the Giants to the super bowl (I know he missed two kicks prior so I shouldn't be too excited)? Jeff Feagles, although he doesn't have a booming leg anymore, is terrific at directional punting. Domenik Hixon did a very nice job of returning kicks last year and R.W. McQuarters was decent at returning punts (although he tends to fumble every so often).

 

For the first time in awhile I'm also very confident in the coordinators. It's impossible to argue with the results that Steve Spagnuolo had last year, and Kevin Gilbride seems to have done an excellent job with Eli Manning, and he has done a nice job with the play calling.

 

Overall it's going to be extremely difficult to repeat this year, but there is no reason that the Giants shouldn't be able to remain competitive and make the playoffs. I see things shaping up much like they did last year in the NFC East with the Cowboys and the Giants being the top two teams and both making the playoffs. As of right now, I would say the Cowboys do it by winning the division.

 

Looking forward to hearing about some other teams as football season fast approaches!

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Cool thread.

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2008 Outlook:

 

 

Quarterback

The Combatants: Jeff Garcia, Brian Griese, Josh Johnson, Chris Simms, Luke McCown

Outlook: I'm not sure the Bucs can be considered Super Bowl contenders in a conference that is steadily getting better, so the best move for the team would be to NOT name Jeff Garcia or Brian Griese (the two obvious candidates coming into camp) the starting QB. I believe now is the time to start establishing a young quarterback and get him into the swing of things, which is why I think the team should name Josh Johnson the 2008 starter. Johnson was a 6th-round draft pick out of San Diego, and during his final season there he threw for 43 TDs and just 1 INT (off a tipped pass I might add). I don't care what league you play in, that's pretty impressive, and should merit at least a crack at the starting job on a team without any elite QBs. It would be best if one of Griese and Garcia (pref. Griese) were kept as veteran insurance in case Johnson flounders, trade the other (pref. Garcia, more value) and try and acquire an extra draft pick for next year. Chris Simms is pretty much out the door already after a public feud with coach Gruden, and Luke McCown will never start for a capable NFL franchise.

 

Running Back:

The Combatants: Carnell (Cadillac) Williams, Warrick Dunn, Kenneth Darby, Michael Bennett, Earnest Graham, Clifton Smith

Outlook: Earnest Graham was a pleasant surprise at RB last year, pounding his way into the end-zone 10 times and rushing for 898 yards (good for 8th in the NFC). The Bucs have a glut of running backs coming into this year, and I think Graham will be best used as a tandem back with either Cadillac or Dunn, combining their agility and receiving ability with Graham's brutality. Of course, there's legitamite concern for pretty much every other back on the roster besides Graham. Warrick Dunn isn't getting any younger, and one nasty hit by Brian Urlacher or Patrick Willis could send him right into injured reserve. Cadillac spent most of last year on IR himself, and there's a chance he won't completely bounce back from the nasty knee injury that ended his season after 4 games. The rest of the backs here (Darby, Smith, Bennett) are probably best suited to back-up roles.

 

Full Back:

The Combatants: B.J. Askew, Byron Storer, Carl Stewart

Outlook: B.J. is more a receiving/rushing FB than a blocker, and he's offset by Byron Storer, who's entering his second NFL season and is a good blocking FB. Needless to say, the best way to do this is to use the two in rotation, depending on the set.

 

Wide Receiver:

The Combatants: Joey Galloway, Ike Hilliard, Maurice Stovall, Antonio Bryant, Mike Spurlock, Michael Clayton, Dexter Jackson, Warren Paris, Brian Clark, Cortez Hankton, Chad Lucas

Outlook: A total of 11 receivers are on the Bucs roster coming into this year; however, only 7 can be considered likely to make the team. The first concern is age, as the top two Bucs receivers last year (Galloway, Hilliard) total 68 years of age. The team drafted Dexter Jackson in the 2nd round, and he brings plenty of speed to the table. It wouldn't be a bad time for Clayton to starting stepping up either, as he has been nowhere on the map since catching 80 balls his rookie year in 2004. One guy on the team who is a bit of a wildcard is 23 year old Maurice Stovall. He's 6-5, 220 lbs, but he has very unusual agility and speed for his size, plus a great leaping ability. If Stovall turns out to be the real deal, he'll move up on the chart real fast. Antonio Bryant missed all of last season, and is still due to serve a 4 game suspension for violating the NFL's drug policy two years ago. But when's he on the field, he's proven to be a quality playmaker, and there's no reason to think he won't see time in 4 (or less) wideout sets. Spurlock excelled as a returner last year, and that's where he figures to stay this year with so many others ahead of him on the chart. The others are practice squad fodder at best.

 

Tight End:

The Combatants: Ben Troupe, John Gilmore, Jerramy Stevens, Alex Smith, Daniel Fells

Outlook: Smith led the team last year with 32 catches, and does well as both a blocker and receiver. He could be considered the front runner to land the starting job this year. However, the team signed Ben Troupe in the offseason, who is a very nice athlete and presents matchup problems. He didn't play much in 2007 and was rendered expendable by Bo Scaife's emergence in Tennessee, but has put up quality numbers in the past, and he's still only 25. Gilmore was brought in from Chicago, and he's probably the best blocker (at TE/FB ) on the team. Jerramy Stevens has been a head case in the past, and he will likely be the odd man out in the competition this year.

 

Offensive Line:

The Combatants by position

LT: Donald Penn, Luke Petitgout, Dennis Roland

LG: Arron Sears, Dan Buenning

C: Jeff Faine, Jeremy Zuttah

RG: Davin Joseph, Brian Johnson

RT: Jeremy Trueblood, Anthony Davis, Chris Denman

 

Outlook

Left Tackle: Donald Penn was impressive in the final 12 games of the regular season, becoming the starter after Luke Petitgout went down. Penn has the gift of being both huge and agile, and is the likely man to start at LT this season.

 

Left Guard: Arron Sears was drafted in the 2nd round last year and helped out immediately with his aggressive run blocking, starting all 16 regular season games and the 1 playoff game. Buenning has starting experience in the past, but was bumped out of his starter's job by Sears last year. Sears has to be the favorite.

 

Center: Jeff Faine was signed from New Orleans in the offseason, and he brings stability to a position previously up for grabs. Faine had an excellent two years with the Saints, and since its an intra-division move for him, he'll be facing many of the same opponents.

 

Right Guard: Davin Joseph started all official games last year for the Bucs, and has been the team's starting right guard ever since he was drafted in 2006.

 

Right Tackle: Jeremy Trueblood started all 16 regular season games last year along with 1 playoff game, and is a house at 6-8, 320 lbs. He also made 13 starts his rookie year in 2006.

 

Defensive End:

The Combatants: Gaines Adams, Greg White, Kevin Carter, Jimmy Wilkerson, Marques Douglas, Charles Bennett

Outlook: Tampa Bay made Adams the 4th overall pick in last season's draft, and he responded by racking up 6 sacks in just 8 starts. On the other side, Greg White came out of the Arena League last year with a very impressive 8 sacks and 7 forced fumbles in just two starts (though he played in all official games in 2007). Kevin Carter started 14 out of 16 games for TB last year, and made 73 tackles and 3 sacks. The three of them make DE a solid position on a 2nd-ranked defense last year.

 

Defensive Tackle:

The Combatants: Jovan Haye, Chris Hovan, Dre Moore, Ryan Sims, Greg Peterson, Chris Bradwell

Outlook: The Bucs have been missing the agile, aggressive, successful pass rushing DT that is the base of the Tampa Two defense since Warren Sapp left after the 2003 season. However, Jovan Haye was extremely impressive last season, with 97 tackles, 6 sacks, and 4 FFs and appears the stabilizing force the Bucs need at this position. Chris Hovan is the most likely player to start at the other DT position, with his veteran skills and leadership. The team drafted Dre Moore in this year's draft to help out as well.

 

Linebackers:

The Combatants: Derrick Brooks, Cato June, Barrett Ruud, Geno Hayes, Quincy Black, Antoine Cash, Ryan Nece

Outlook: The trio of June, Ruud, and Brooks is pretty much locked into the 3 starting LB jobs, barring injury. The surprising Ruud was arguably the most productive player on the entire defensive unit, making 169 tackles, 2 picks, and 3 fumble recoveries and forced fumbles. Derrick Brooks was rock-solid last season as always, making 162 tackles. The only concern with Brooks heading into this season is age; Brooks is 35. His streak of 192 consecutive games started may be in jeopardy. Cato June was bought in from Indy before last season, collecting 120 tackles, rounding out the team's excellent linebacker play. Ruud and June are still relatively young, which bodes well for a defensive unit which has some prominent members getting up there in age. Should injury occur to one of the three, promising rookie Geno Hayes should be the first to get the call to step in.

 

Cornerback:

The Combatants: Ronde Barber, Aqib Talib, Sammy Davis, Philip Buchanon, Darrell Hunter, Marcus Hamilton

Outlook: Ronde Barber is still among the NFL's elite cornerbacks, but he is also getting up there in age at 33 years old. That said, Barber's main strength has never been his speed, but rather his toughness and intelligence. He should be a quality mentor for rookie Aqib Talib, who the Bucs deemed worthy of their first round draft choice. Talib is a speed demon, but has had some character issues in the past. Davis and Buchanon are veteran CB's who can step in should Talib struggle.

 

Safeties:

The Combatants

FS: Tanard Jackson, Eugene Wilson, Will Allen

SS: Jermaine Phillips, Sabby Piscitelli, Donte Nicholson

Outlook: In 2007, the safety positions were extremely productive with the previously little-known Jackson starting alongside Phillips. This season should be more of the same, and the position is deeper this year with ex-Patriot Eugene Wilson stepping into a backup role behind Jackson and possibly Phillips. Ex-starter Will Allen and the speedy Piscitelli round out the safety corps.

 

Special Teams:

K: Matt Bryant

P: Josh Bidwell

LS: Andrew Economos

Outlook: Kicker Matt Bryant has shown great power the past few seasons as the Bucs' kicker. Veteran punter Josh Bidwell booted for 43.9 average last season.

 

Coach:

Outlook: Jon Gruden's team has had limited success since the Super Bowl run in 2002, but he doesn't appear to be in any kind of trouble, job-wise. I personally like Gruden as a coach, and his fiery approach to the game. If the Bucs fail this year, Gruden won't be the reason.

[msubulldogs21]

Nice post, Jacoby. I was gonna do one for the Bucs but I think you pretty much covered it. I'm looking forward to the season a lot.

[dreilly]

Nice thread.

 

Here is what I am thinking about the New Orleans Saints:

 

QB:Brees hadn't had nearly the season last year as opposed to what he had in '06 IMO. He has to do a better job at handling the pressure and become much more consistent when passing. He is only as good as hi o- line. Which sucked last year. I'm thinking that this year should be better for him with offensive help that was added in the off season. Last year I continuously hoped he would not be injured since the backup QB was unreliable. Overall with Brees and Brunell it shouldn't be too bad.

 

RB: Reggie Bush, Deuce McAllister, Aaron Stecker, And Thomas Pierre. I'll say this... someone has got to teach Reggie how to hold on to the ball. I think he is overrated. I think his popularity comes mostly from the fairy tale season we had in '06 (his rookie year).He isn't great at finding the holes but if it is opened up for him enough and he gets a chance to run, he's fast. Consistent and reliable? I'm not so sure.I'm expecting to see Reggie and Deuce get most of the carries with Stecker coming in once in awhile. I doubt Deuce is going to be good for anything more than short yardage and possibly some goal line plays. Not to mention he runs like he has lead in his ass. He is coming off the knee injury and I am just not confident that he is going to be healthy enough to give what he did last year and the year before. We saw what Stecker was capable of with Deuce missing the end of the season last year. I doubt we will see much of Thomas Pierre.

 

FB: Mike Karney and Olaniyi Sobomehim. Karney has been excellent at opening the holes as well as receiving and blocking. I'm sure we will see that trend continue. No reason to think otherwise. As far as Sobomehim, I know he came from Portland state and I know I can't pronounce his name. Doubt we will see him this year.

 

WR: LOL..For some reason we never seen to improve on this position in the offseason. Marques Colston has proved to be one of the better , more consistent receivers. He is a big target, has great hands and is capable of making plays. We've seen last season that he is capable of blocking as well. Terrence Copper , Lance Moore, David Patten, Devery Henderson have all made their share of good catches but none of them stand out specifically as having the greatest athletic ability. I think the WR position again is going to be a problem for the Saints. I'm curious to see how this plays out this year. I don't have much confidence here.

 

TE: Jeremy Shockey, Marc Campbell, Billy Miller, and Ronnie Ghent. As much as I don't care for Shockey when he is healthy , he produces. It also pains me to say this but I think signing him was one of the smartest roster moves that was made this offseason. What I am curious to see if how much of a team player he is with the Saints versus when he was with the Giants. Brees is a great team leader where Eli was a bit "schizo( you never knew what you were going to get on any given day). I'm hoping this turns out well cause we've been needing some help at the TE spot for some time now. Maybe this is it.

 

O- Line: I can only say that I hope it is much better than last year. The inability of these guys to block was a contributing factor to Bree's inconsistency. There were a few changes made, whether or not it will work remains to be seen.

 

D-Line: I think we have some pretty solid guys here. In the past they have been good at stopping the run. I guess time will tell whether or not that continues. Of course, we are talking about the Saints...LOL so I'm not making any promises.

 

LB: I've always liked the energy that Scott Fujita brings to the field. I'm looking forward to Jonathan Vilma playing this year since we picked him up in the offseason. I think we will see a good bit of improvement with his addition and I am hoping it is enough to make a difference since this was also a weak spot for the Saints last season.

 

DB: This may be one of the most competitive areas for a starting spot for the Saints this year. There is alot of talent and speed in the secondary, now we need to see if they will use it. The addition of Randall Gay was for sure a smart move. Mike McKenzie, I am not so sure about although he has proved to play well in the past. With him returning from the knee injury, I am wondering if he will be sitting for awhile. Either way, with the talent (as long as they can put it together and make plays) there shouldn't be any issues there. I will be praying however that we see Jason David on the damn bench. He got burned too many times last year. The mere mention of his name makes me sick.

 

ST: Punter- Steve Weatherford, Kicker- Gramatica and Melhaff are vying for the starting spots. One a veteran, one a rookie. Given all the crap of Olindo Mare missing kicks in critical situations, I can see where this could be a difficult decision.Gramatica went 5-for-5, including 3-for-3 from beyond 40 yards in the Saints final three games last season. He also is a 77 percent field-goal kicker and is 16-of-25 from 50-plus yards. He has missed only three field goals inside 30 yards in his career. He has missed only one postseason field ever. Melhaff on the other hand, has an amazingly strong leg. He also was a first-team All-American as a senior and was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award. He was he was 21 of 25 in field goals his senior season. Not sure how this will end but either way, I'm thinking it has to be better than what Mare ever did. With Reggie Bush acting as a return guy, I'm uncomfortable. He fumbles too much and instead of just running he believes that his spinning antics and such will get him somewhere. I'd much rather see Stecker doing the returns.

 

A few words on the coaching staff.. Sean Payton has done wonderful things in his time here. He is one of the positives about this team with no doubt. Although I question some of his decision making skills sometimes. But what pissed off fan doesn't? I think NO had a good run in '06. I'd love to be proven wrong in my theory that their great season was in '06 was all related to the s*** that happened with Katrina and the rebuilding of the city. The feelings that season were wonderful but last year we were back to being the regular Saints. The "magic" was gone but the fans still hoped it would come back. I'm realistic... I don't see it happening. Not this year anyway.

[See Red]

Denver Broncos

 

QB - Jay Cutler was fantastic for it being his first full year as a starting QB in the NFL. In fact, considering he lost 35 pounds over the course of the season because of his, at the time, undiagnosed diabetes, he was incredible. He can make any throw on the field and he can run some too. Knowing that this Broncos team isn't expected to make the playoffs, what I really want out of this season is to see Jay Cutler continue to improve. He's going to be a very good QB in this league some day.

 

RB - On any other team, you'd look at these names and think the running game would be the teams downfall. Selvin Young, Michael Pittman, Ryan Torrain... I think Torrain will eventually be the starter. He fits the Broncos system very well and as I've seen mentioned somewhere, the Broncos picking a RB in the sixth round is like any other team taking one in the second round. Selvin's too small to be an every down back. Another guy I'm interested in seeing in these coming weeks is Anthony Alridge. I got to watch him a few times when he played at Houston and followed him a little bit. Seeing him at camp on Wednesday, he was the most impressive of the RB's in my opinion. Then again, it was training camp and they were only in shells.

 

FB - Colorado State alum Cecil Sapp has been good for the Broncos in this role. Where does he rank among the Leagues FB's? I have no f***ing clue. I just know he hasn't been a glaring weakness.

 

WR - Brandon Marshall is going to be a superstar in this league -- but he's probably facing a 4 game suspension. Rod Smith's retirement isn't much of a factor on the field because he didn't play last year anyway, but he was a good leader on the team. There's a lot of competition for the #2 spot between Darrell Jackson, Kearie Colbert, Samie Parker, and a guy whom I am particularly interested in seeing play, Eddie Royal. I'd say Darrell Jackson has the slight lead for that #2 spot. And you can't do much better in the slot than a healthy Brandon Stokley. He looked like he started to get healthier towards the end of last season and developed some chemistry with Cutler.

 

TE - Daniel Graham for run blocking, Tony Scheffler for pass catching. Scheffler's a very good TE... too quick for an LB, too big for a safety to defend. He's also developed some very good chemistry with Jay Cutler. He's a good player.

 

OL - I'm not going to pretend to be able to break down the offensive line. I do, know, however, that if the system that's been in place continues to be as effective as it has, the Broncos are going to be one of the top rushing teams in the league again, no matter who carries the rock.

 

DL - This has kind of been the issue for a while. Somebody's going to get open if you give the QB enough time. Just hope that Jarvis Moss develops into the force I expect him to eventually be.

 

LB - DJ Williams is an elite LB in the league. Boss Bailey isn't a pickup that's going to put this team over the top but he's certainly a capable guy -- an upgrade over Ian Gold who last year just lost something off of his game. Pretty good competition between Niko Koutivides and Nate Webster for the MLB spot -- not overly excited about either of the two, but they shouldn't be too big of liabilities.

 

CB - Easily the strength of the team, and the best CB's in the league. Champ Bailey's the best on the planet, Dre Bly's pretty damn good and Domonique Foxworth could start on a lot of teams.

 

S - The loss of John Lynch hurts in the running game, but he wasn't going to be playing passing downs anyways. They signed McCree for those passing downs but he now finds himself as the full time starter. He's a capable guy, having played in SD these last few years. The competition for the other safety spot should prove interesting. Overall, not a strength on this team. I know Foxworth had to play some safety last year which he's never done.

 

ST- I'm not sure if Sauerbrun is still a Bronco. I don't think he is, so there goes the only plus on special teams. Elam's replacement is terrible. I watched him manage only about 60% on 37 yard FG's from dead-center on Wednesday. Average starting field position has been a killer in the past, hopefully they can get that taken care of.

 

Coach - I'm not sure where I stand on Shanahan anymore. I guess I'd rather have him on the Broncos sideline than not. He is one of the better coaches in the League.

 

Overall outlook - Defense has to be better this year. In Domonique Foxworth's words, the defense had no idea what they were doing last year under Jim Bates. They started out doing one thing in camp, and by the end of the season, it was something completely different and nobody was sure of where they were supposed to be at a given time. If they can eliminate that confusion they should be alright. They have a lot of talent on D. I expect 8-8, 9-7 missing the playoffs, but I think they have 10-6 or 11-5 potential Then again, in this league, the difference between an 11-5 team and an 8-8 team is so slim. It should be a fun season, one that I'm certainly looking forward to.

[BSN07]

New England Patriots

 

QB- Tom Brady, We all know the season he had last year. I expect another good numbers season, but I don't think we will see as big of numbers, as the Pats I think will try to run the ball more.

 

RB-Laurence Maroney, Maroney has had games where he looks like a big time back, but also had games where he has disappered. He also has had problems with staying healthy. But if hes healthy and NE commits to running the ball more, hes a legit 1,000 yard back. Also the Pats at the moment are pretty deep at RB, with Morris, Faulk, and Lamont Jordan.

 

WR- Moss and Welker will obviously be the main targets. Gaffney will most likely step into the 3rd WR role. Some unknowns fill out the remainder of the Depth chart for the Pats.

 

TE- Benjamin Watson, he has become one of the best recieveing TE around. Marcus Pollard, David Thomas, Stephen Spach and Jonathan stupar will be in competition for playing time. Marcus Pollard is a veteran, nothing spectacular, but better then alot of back ups. The other 3 are more of the blocking type, last seasons Kyle Brady.

 

FB- Heath Evans- with only 2 FB in camp, I don't see the FB's being a big part of the offense. The will have the roles, and depending on injury, Evans could see sometime carrying the ball. Hes nothing to write home about, but hes decent in a pinch. Eckel a player from the Naval academy, is a special teams specialist for the most part.

 

OL- All the usual suspects are back for another season of keeping Tom Brady upright, grass stain free and of course injury free. Light, Koppen, Neal, Kacur and Mankins are a solid unit overall unless they are playing against the NYG 07 DL.

 

 

 

Defense

 

I'll return to post the D after I read more abouty some of the players.

[Cityofchampions33]

TE- Benjamin Watson, he has become one of the best recieveing TE around. Marcus Pollard, David Thomas, Stephen Spach and Jonathan stupar will be in competition for playing time. Marcus Pollard is a veteran, nothing spectacular, but better then alot of back ups. The other 3 are more of the blocking type, last seasons Kyle Brady.

 

What gives you this idea? You rate him up there with Winslow, Witten and Gates? I don't even have him in my top 10 offensively.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

If Watson was top 10 material, he wouldn't be competing with Marcus Pollard or David Thomas.

[yankee20715]

Buffalo Bills (Yeah thats right I said it) http://www.firstandtensportsden.com/store/images/product_images/VINYLMAGNET-BILLS.jpg

 

QB: Really between Trent Edwards and JP Losman. Its really tough to get excited about either. At least as of a week ago I was able to say I'd rather take either of those 2 than any other QB the AFC East was putting out there (minus Brady obviously) but with Favre in NY now all I can say is at least we are better than the Dolphins.

 

RB: Marshawn Lynch. One of only 2 rookies to rush for 1,000 yards last season. I'm expecting a big year from him and he is going to have to provide one if the Bills want to do anything more than 7-9, 8-8 area.

 

WR: Lee Evans is the #1 guy and he is honestly a premier WR in the league. The #2 slot is up for grabs between Josh Reed, Roscoe Parrish and James Hardy. Hardy is a rookie but I have a feeling he will end up winning that #2 WR spot, Reed is really best suited to be a #4 WR or #3 at best but shouldnt be a starter. Parrish has the speed but just hasnt developed into much of a threat as a receiver, but will remain a damn good return man.

 

OL: The line is pretty much the same from last year. Its a very Young OL and have looked better each season. Jason Peters anchors the line from the LT position and I'm very high on Fowler at C. If these guys continue to improve it could even out the offense quite nicely.

 

Defense:

 

DE: Schobel and Kelsay are the 2 starters. Schobel led the league in sacks 2 years ago I believe, or was one of the top sack leaders for the year and has the 2nd most sacks in the nfl since 2003.

 

DT: Marcus Stroud and Kyle Williams/John Mccargo. The addition of Stroud was huge. Williams and Mccargo are really nothing special but Stroud will def make Schobel better and is a big presence to help stop the run game that we desperately needed.

 

LB: Crowell, Posluszny, Mitchell. Mitchell was picked up from the Giants this off-season and is a tackle phenom def a great addition to our LB. Posluszny got hurt and missed pretty much all last year, but a lot of people (myself included) thought he was going to have a stellar year. I expect it this year from him now that he is healthy. Crowell has really made losing Spikes not much of a big deal. I really believe we have a strong front 7, our biggest weakness may just be our 2nd DT wont get much production besides just being a big mass.

 

CB/FS/SS: Another young group. Whitner at SS has really started to come into his own and showing us that Marv knew what he was doing drafting him 8th. Mcgee and greer are pretty good, I wouldnt trust them on Moss/Welker but hopefully the front 7 will be good enough to make our defense successful.

 

And that is the Bills.

 

Prediction now: Bills finish 9-7 miss playoffs.

[Gom]

Nice post yankee. Keep them coming.

[CrespoBlows]

It's all about the Bengals this year.

 

Ocho Cinco owns all.

 

5-11, no playoffs.

[yankees228]

Nice post yankee. Keep them coming.

 

Yeah, these are a lot of fun to read. I think it's cool that so many different teams are liked by members of this forum.

[yankees228]

5-11' date=' no playoffs.[/quote']

 

I would tend to agree. Can't do it all on offense...

[jacksonianmarch]

I'd be surprised to see what the Jets and Giants can do this yr. The G men lost a lot on the D with Mitchell, Wilson, and Strahan gone. They also lost more than they realize with Shockey getting dealt. But the core of the D line is still there in Tuck, Omenyioura, and the rotating D tackles of Cofield and Alford. But their Mo was speed and depth from the DE position. Unsure if Tuck and Osi can handle being on the field 80% of the time when last yr it seemed like a solid 2/3 rotation. Kiwanuka returns to the LB position with Pierce as well. Phillips takes the spot vacated by Gibril Wilson. Aaron Ross and the USC draftee will be forced to play the cover roles.

 

The Jets pulled a yankee. They signed nearly 200million dollars worth of contracts this offseason with Alan Faneca being the biggest signee. Then they go out and get Favre. With a better O line, they might be able to get a better run game than they had last yr. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are underrated and were exposed last yr with the fact that Chad couldnt throw and the O line had some holes. Now, with an improved line, the RBs should get their yards, with Jones being a 1100-1200 yd rusher and Washington being the versatile scat back. Favre also opens up the offense more, utilizing one of their biggest weapons. In case you didnt notice, Coles is one of the fastest WR in the game, but Pennington's game turned him into a possession receiver. Look for Coles to be a big time deep threat this yr. Unsure if Favre has dealt with someone this fast in his WR core. On defense, the line is interesting. Sean Ellis is a big time pass rusher and the addition of Kris Jenkins will help sure up the middle assuming he can stay on the field. The other DE spot is remaining open. The Jets did draft Gholston, but look to be using him in the LB role. David Harris slides into the starting MILB role with Vilma gone. In the secondary, Revis steps in as the feature CB and Kerry Rhodes returns as their feature safety. The other CB will be Justin Miller with a score of people fighting for the nickel. Lots of speed in this secondary, but not a ton of tackling ability.

 

Overall, for the GMen, I see them still making the playoffs, but without a significant progression on the offensive side of the ball, they dont repeat.

 

For the Jets, they will get better, but wont make the playoffs. If Favre is willing to stay for a 2nd yr, the Jets are the kind of team that could challenge for a title in a yr. But not this yr

[ORS]

The Giants are a tough call going into the season. The NFC East is going to be tough this year, even for the Cowboys, who I feel are certainly the best but not so good to walk away with it. Philly got better where they were weakest, defense. The Redskins, my team, got better on both sides of the ball. I don't think the Giants improved anywhere, although I do see how improvement could come from individuals, like Manning.

 

For the 'Skins it's essentially the same defense with the addition of Jason Taylor and the continuing emergence of Rocky McIntosh, who I think is on the way to being a star. One of their big weaknesses last year was a lack of edge pressure. Taylor should change that, both with his ability to create pressure, and with his ability to draw extra attention. Andre Carter, the lone rush threat, managed 10 sacks while drawing all the attention last year. It will be interesting to see what he can do if he's not the focus of the opposing OC. Griffin and Montgomery, backed by Fletcher at MLB, are solid up the middle. They rated 3 in YPC against. The secondary was OK last year, but I think they'd didn't realize their potential due to their 28th ranking in percentage of pass plays that go for negative yards, and they be better in terms of personnel with Carlos Rogers playing the whole year and not going on the IR (hopefully).

 

The offense addressed it's 2 main needs, and will get better by return from injury. They lost RT Jansen in week 1 last year. He'll improve the talent makeup of the line this year, who is largely unchanged from last year. They ran the ball well with Portis and Betts last year, but not great. I think this was Gibbs, and replacing him was need #1. He was so predictable it was almost funny. Zorn is a WC offense guy, so while they won't run as much, it should improve in terms of how effectively they run. Need #2 was a big target WR. They drafted 2 on the first day. WR is probably 2nd to RB in terms of being able to contribute immediately. So Thomas and Kelly should be able to start getting reps and opening the field for the corps of slot-type receivers they appear to have cornered the market on, lead by Santana Moss.

 

This is a big year for Campbell. No, I'm not saying I think he has a big year, although he could, but that it is an important one. He played reasonably well in Gibbs' system last year, but Gibbs' system does not match his talents. Look at the best statistical seasons by Gibbs' QBs and you'll notice a common trend. They could all throw a beautiful long ball, like Mark Rypien. Gibbs was from the pound it, pound it, pound it, chuck it school of thought in terms of strategy. Campbell's biggest weakness, IMO, is his deep ball. He's got the arm, it's just not very accurate. He's much better suited to hit the short to mid timing routes that the WC offense is predicated upon, something that Mark Rypien was horrible at. Campbell will have a system that fits him better this year, but he needs to do something with it. They drafted Colt Brennan in this year's draft, and the kid is drawing some attention in the preseason, albeit against guys just trying to make the roster. Still if he keeps this up, there will be pressure to give him a look if Campbell should falter.

[yankees228]

Jacko, Corey Webster will play at the other corner along with Aaron Ross.

 

As for making up for Strahan, a lot of that will depend on how healthy and effective Kiwanuka is. Before he got hurt he was showing significant improvement at linebacker, but his biggest strength is rushing the passer (whether it is from the linebacker position or as a linemen). I know Strahan is great, and it would be impossible to completely replace him, but what they lost with him they hope to gain with having a healthy Kiwanuka. And, of course, this gives Justin Tuck the opportunity to play every down.

 

As for the offense, losing Shockey will probably hurt, but I do like Kevin Boss. He's not Shockey, but he's a big target for Eli with really good hands. But I think the biggest strength of the offense will be on the ground. The trio of Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Derrick Ward has the potential to be deadly if they are all used correctly. But obviously, the offense goes as Eli goes and the big question is whether he has completely turned the corner.

[Mr Crunchy]

quite frankly i dont see the playoffs on either teams horizon this year.

the gmen got smoking hot on defense down the stretch,adding a little bit of luck and solid qb play and they went all the way...theyre not as good this year on paper....the jets? .500 is what the vegas people think and im of the mindset that theyre not going that far.

the afc east will be hard,figure buffalo and miami to be better and the pats are going to be somewhat respectable too,they could win 10 if all goes well,they could win 6 if they dont

[schillingouttheks]

John Lynch visited with the Patriots today, per ESPNews. I wouldn't mind him in a limited role, but he isn't even close to the player he used to be. See Red, just out of curiosity since you saw him a lot more than I did, what is he still even useful for? He seems to be able to stop the run from the secondary, but he can't cover close to enough ground anymore from what I've heard...

[See Red]

John Lynch visited with the Patriots today' date=' per ESPNews. I wouldn't mind him in a limited role, but he isn't even close to the player he used to be. See Red, just out of curiosity since you saw him a lot more than I did, what is he still even useful for? He seems to be able to stop the run from the secondary, but he can't cover close to enough ground anymore from what I've heard...[/quote']

 

Still very good against the run. Always in the right place and still very good on the blitz. That's his limited role, right there. Broncos were only going to use him in running situations and use Marlon McCree on passing downs. I can't speak for what his game looked like in Tampa since I didn't get to watch him much then, but as a Bronco he's never been all that good in coverage and has actually been a big liability in that area, especially lately.

[See Red]

Per ESPN...

 

Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman returned to San Diego on Saturday and told the team he has two torn ligaments in his ailing left knee, two San Diego-area newspapers reported.

 

Merriman said doctors in New York and Alabama, where he sought second and third opinions on the injury this week, told him he could suffer a career-ending injury if he plays without undergoing surgery.

 

I don't particularly like Merriman, but it'd be unfortunate to see such a promising career end so early.

[jmcc]

I pray for a few classic Sunday battles between Favre and Brady. That'd make my winter.

[yankees228]

Umenyiora is out for the year, which sucks, but I think it can be handled.

 

He is arguably their best player, and was the number one reason why they were going to be able to deal with losing Strahan. However, they still have Justin Tuck taking over Strahan's spot and they can move Mathias Kiwanuka back to defensive end.