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| Jim's
Outlook |
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Cyd's
Outlook |
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NFC EAST |
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1)
Dallas Cowboys:
For all the
talk about T.O., the strength of the Cowboys will be their
defense. If Owens can play like he did in 2004, the 'Boys are
definite Super Bowl contenders.
2)
Philadelphia Eagles:
Look for the
Eagles to rebound after a miserable 2005. Donovan McNabb is
still an elite quarterback, and the big question is whether he
has anyone to throw to. The defense will carry the Eagles this
season and a wild card berth looks likely.
3)
New York Giants:
Count me among
those not yet sold on Eli Manning, who needs to become more
consistent. I also question whether Tiki Barber can continue to
carry the offense. The Giants won't get a gift of nine home
games like they had in 2005.
4) Washington
Redskins:
This team was fortunate to make the playoffs last season, but
it's back to reality. QB Mark Brunell is 36 and plays like it,
and Clinton Portis will struggle to come back from his knee
injury. The defense is OK but the Skins won't make the playoffs
this year. |
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1) Dallas
Cowboys. How much can one man disrupt a team? We have seen
it with Terrell Owens in San Francisco in 2003, in Philadelphia
in 2005, and we've already seen it here in Dallas in 2006. A
cancer is a bad thing on a team; and, just like cancer in
humans, you can only cure yourself by killing it or removing it.
Will T.O. suddenly have a change of heart and become a team
player? No. But, can he contribute on the field in a big way?
Heck yeah. We'll find out how much after the first game Bledsoe
throws a couple picks while trying to force one to Owens and
Owens tries to throw yet another quarterback under the bus.
2) New York
Giants. I'm loving all these predictions of doom and gloom
for this team. I just don't see it. I think Eli Manning will
improve again over last year, and I think the Giants' ground
game will actually improve over last year as Brandon Jacobs
takes a little of the load off of Tiki Barber's shoulders.
3)
Philadelphia Eagles. I know Donte Stallworth is supposed to
be the second coming of Terrell Owens, but I just don't see it.
How often in the last 10 years have we seen one team's No. 2
receiver go to another team and be a big threat at No. 1? Never?
He could contribute, but this team will still have to over-rely
on Donovan McNabb's feet to save them.
4)
Washington Redskins. This is probably a mistake, but there
are just too many question marks on this team, namely the two
most important positions: Quarterback, where Mark Brunell has
looked just as shaky in the preseason as he did in last year's
postseason; and running back, where the team was so concerned
about Clinton Portis' health that they traded for T.J. Duckett. |
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NFC NORTH |
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1)
Chicago Bears:
If the Bears
win this division it will be less than their excellence than the
lousiness of the rest of the teams. The Bears would be lucky to
finish second in any other division save the NFC West. Expect
Brian Griese to replace Rex Grossman at some point in the
season. The defense is solid, but overrated, padding its stats
against six division patsies.
2)
Detroit Lions:
I think new
offensive coordinator Mike Martz will greatly help the offense
and new QB Jon Kitna. There's not a whole lot there and 8-8
would be an accomplishment.
3)
Minnesota Vikings:
I don't like
Brad Johnson at QB, Chester Taylor at running back or any of the
wideouts. The defense has some talent but it will be a long
season in Minnesota.
4) Green Bay
Packers:
It's kind of sad to see Brett Favre go out this way, throwing
crazy interceptions and fumbling without being hit. Here's
hoping he can summon one more decent season, then call it quits. |
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1) Minnesota
Vikings. Brad Childress is my new hero. The new Vikings head
coach has seemingly transformed this team in one year. The
"player's coach" is out, and in has stepped a head coach
interested in doing business. He got rid of hazing on the team,
which is just awesome. But, his best move may be in the running
game. The importance of three big acquisitions can't be
overstated: Chester Taylor, Tony Richardson and Steve
Hutchinson.
2) Chicago
Bears. Here's the Bears' biggest problem. They play both the
New York Giants and the Arizona Cardinals, two teams they'll be
competing against for a playoff spot, on the road. Here's their
other problem: Their coaches are going to stick with Rex
Grossman for as long as it takes.
3) Detroit
Lions. As long as Matt Millen is the president of this team,
I can't believe they'll finish higher than third in this
division. This is a team with little talent and a defensive line
coach brought in as to lead the team. Oy.
4) Green Bay
Packers. While Brett Favre's return this season may help
fill seats, it simply sets back the growth of this team by a
year. As we saw in the preseason, he looks like a lost kid out
there, still trying to play 1997 football in 2006. |
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NFC SOUTH |
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1)
Carolina Panthers:
Everybody's trendy pick in the NFC and the Panthers do appear to
be loaded. They are playoff tested (5-1 in the NFC playoffs in
two seasons) with a great defensive line and heady QB in Jake
Delhomme. I have the Panthers just falling short again.
2)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
The Bucs return
21 of 22 starters from 2005 and Chris Simms is maturing at QB,
but it also means the team is getting old in key spots. The Bucs
are one of the mystery teams for me this year.
3)
Atlanta Falcons:
When is Michael
Vick going to start playing like the superstar everyone
perceives him as? He has a career 76.9 quarterback rating and it
has dropped the past two seasons. I like the pickup of John
Abraham for the defense but it's pretty clear that the 2004 team
that reached the NFC title game was an anomaly.
4) New
Orleans Saints:
The additions of QB Drew Brees and RB Reggie Bush will bring
excitement to the Saints' offense, but the defense is awful and
New Orleans will be hard-pressed to win five games. |
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1) New
Orleans Saints. OK, here's the disclaimer. Every year I use
the same system to predict the NFL. Most of the time, it works
great. Sometimes, it comes up with things like this (last year,
it had the Giants winning the NFC East, which most everyone
called crazy). The reason it came up this way is my complete
lack of respect for the rest of the division. I also think the
Saints have for years have suffered by the whole not being worth
as much as all of its parts. This year, I'm hoping that changes.
2) Atlanta
Falcons. A mystery team. If they had a go-to receiver who
wasn't a tight end, I'd say they have a legit shot at the Super
Bowl. If Michael Vick can get this offense humming, he should be
a league MVP candidate.
3) Carolina
Panthers. I know this is the hot team predicted by many to
win the NFC. Two key issues concern me: 1) WR Steve Smith's
hamstring injury; and 2) RB DeShaun Foster's health. Their
defense will keep them in some games, but I just think that
injuries to these two players will catch up to them.
4) Tampa Bay
Buccaneers. Chris Simms shocked everyone and played his ass
off last year. This year, I'm fully expecting Phil's son to
tank. They've put a lot of talent around him, but he's going to
need to carry the team on his shoulder a few times, and I don't
think he'll be up to the task. |
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NFC WEST |
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1)
Seattle Seahawks:
The Seahawks
will be the first Super Bowl loser to make the playoffs since
Tennessee in 2000, mainly by being in a crap division. Matt
Hasselbeck is a solid QB and Shaun Alexander still an elite
back.
2)
Arizona Cardinals:
They have great
skill players – Edgerrin James, Anquan Boldin and Larry
Fitzgerald but a weak offensive line will doom the Cardinals.
The defense is a bright spot as is having a new stadium and
playing in a weak division.
3) St.
Louis Rams:
The Greatest
Show on Turf has been grounded now that coach Mike Martz has
left. Look for the Rams to run more, which means a boffo season
for Steven Jackson.
4) San
Francisco 49ers:
QB Alex Smith gets my vote for hottest NFL player (provided he's
cleanshaven) but he had a miserable rookie season and must
rebound for the 49ers to have a chance. Michael Robinson, the
rookie who played QB at Penn State, might be a sleeper at
running back. |
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1) Seattle
Seahawks. People have started saying that a Super Bowl loser
never does well the next year. It's true, the last four haven't;
but, the Super Bowl losers five years ago, the St. Louis Rams,
did; so did the Tennessee Titans two years before that and the
Packers before that. Few of those Super Bowl losers who
collapsed the next season have had the team that the Seahawks
have, or the schedule they are facing. Shaun Alexander could win
back-to-back MVP awards.
2) Arizona
Cardinals. Anquan Boldin says the laziest player on the team
is fellow wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who was a ball boy for
Cardinals coach Denny Green's Vikings teams in the 1990s. IF
Fitzgerald's 1,400 yards and 10 TDs were when he was lazy, I
can't wait to see when he's motivated!
3) St. Louis
Rams. New coach, new attitude. I really like what I'm
hearing about Steven Jackson getting more carries. Coach Scott
Linehan did a good job with what he had on offense in Miami last
season; he'll make Jackson into a fantasy stud this year. With
some big signings on defense – namely Corey Chavous, Will
Witherspoon and La’Roi Glover – this team will make a run at a
playoff spot.
4) San
Francisco 49ers. Quarterback Alex Smith is one of the
players I'm most intrigued to watch this season. He was the
first pick in the draft last year, so the Niners have to see
something in him. While I don't see a sudden jump in his play
this season the way we have with some other second-year QBs, I
can see him leading this team to contend – for third place in
the division. |
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