NFL Predictions

Here are my predictions for the upcoming NFL season:

National Football Conference

East- Dallas Cowboys-They are clearly the class of this division. It remains a tough division but not like in years past. Cowboys have the most talent, they now just need to have the desire too. This will also be Tony Romo’s year to move from a very good quarterback to an elite quarterback.

South- New Orleans Saints- The NFC South is Twilight Zone of NFL divisions with it propensity for worst to first divisional champions but not this year. Tampa Bay will not go worst to first but the defending champions will edge the Falcons for divisional supremacy.

North- Green Bay Packers- With or without Brett Favre leading the Minnesota Vikings, the Packers have the most talent in the division on both sides of the ball and a chip on their shoulder after the way the season ended last year. The Packers’ defense will be even more comfortable in their second year under defensive coordinator, Dom Capers. Aaron Rodgers will contend for his first NFL MVP award.

West- San Francisco 49ers- The 49ers will win the NFC West. The Niners have a strong running game, defense, and Alex Smith is developing into a game manager. The Cardinals, with Matt Leinart at quarterback, could be a mess on offense and have also taken a step back on defense as well. This is clearly the Niners’ division to lose.

Wildcard 1- Atlanta Falcons are ready to step back into the spotlight after missing the playoffs last year (though they did have a winning record). A healthy Michael Turner will be the difference.

Wildcard 2- Minnesota Vikings do have injuries and uncertainty to the receiving corps (Sidney Rice will miss at least half of the season after hip surgery and Percy Harvin continues to struggle mightly with migraines) which are beginning to worry me and should worry the Vikes as well. Favre will be asked to put the ball in Adrian Peterson’s hands more than last year which could mean more balls on the turf and more tension between Favre and Brad Childress over play calling.

On the outside looking in will be two NFC East team the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles.


American Football Conference

East- New England Patriots- To be the best, you have to beat the best. The Jets are not ready for primetime (unless you count primetime TV), I’ve blogged on that before. The Patriots have the motivation and talent to continue to win the division. Tom Brady will have an incredible year (huge chip on his shoulder). Miami will be improved and the Jets are solid (not spectacular) so the division remains one of the toughest in football.

South- Indianapolis Colts- The AFC South remains one of the toughest divisions. The Texans are solid, as are the Titans, and Jags can cause some matchup problems. The Colts, the Atlanta Braves of the NFL, are the NFL model for consistency and will win yet another division title. The question for the Colts, just as it was with the Braves, is what will they do in the playoffs.

North- Cincinnati Bengals- The Bengals won the division late year with a struggling offense. This year they have a rejuvenated offense (see Terrell Owens, Jordan Shipley, Jermaine Gresham) and the defense remains solid. The Ravens have injuries in the secondary that will keep them from winning the AFC North, they will make the playoffs. The Steelers will make a run at the end of the year but it is shaping up as uphill battle for Pittsburgh.

West- San Diego Chargers- Ah, the AFC West, remains the one of the worst in football (what is it with the western divisions in the NFL). The Chargers remain the class of a bad division. The Raiders (yes, the Oakland Raiders) will finish second in the division.

Wildcard 1- Baltimore Ravens have an upgraded offense with the additions of Anquan Boldin and Donte' Stallworth at receiver. The concern remains the health and depth of the secondary.

Wildcard 2- New York Jets are stout on defense. They still need Darrelle Revis in camp. The question, as I’ve posed before, is how much will Mark Sanchez improve and how will the receiving corps gel particularly given the 5 games worth of suspensions that Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes will need to serve.

On the outside looking in will be the Houston Texans (again) and the Miami Dolphins. Houston could get into the playoffs, I think they are very close and could get in as a wildcard but they will not win the AFC South

I will post my playoff and Super Bowl predictions the day before the NFL Season starts. Here’s a hint, I'm leaning towards a NFC North team versus a AFC South team in the Super Bowl in Dallas, Texas in February 2011.


Through My Head: Random Musings

In the current issue of Sports Illustrated there is a three article feature on the NFL running back. It is insightful and in many ways gut wrenching as it focuses on the physical toll the position puts on the human body as well as the expendable nature of the leagues runners. One of the articles, by Tim Layden, focuses on Gale Sayers. The article hits the normal points associated with Sayers his prodigious talent and his shortened career. The story begins with Sayers 2009 knee replacement surgery. The surgeon, Mark Klaassen, reported the following on Sayer’s knee:

Three long scars, one running down the front of the knee, another on the inside and a third on the outside, curling around to the back. These were from decades-old open surgeries ... Inside the knee Klaassen found carnage. Sayers' anterior cruciate ligament was gone; the posterior cruciate ligament was stretched and frayed. There was evidence that the medial collateral ligament had been sewn or stapled at some point in an effort to create stability (a practice common at one time but later found to be ineffective)… A half-inch wedge of his tibia had been sawed off in an osteotomy, a surgical procedure designed to redistribute weight away from an arthritic surface. Almost no cartilage remained, and as a result, the joint was filled with dust and fragments from bones rubbing together for many years. It was not the worst knee Klaassen had ever seen. But it was by far the worst on which the owner had been actively exercising.

What an amazing (albeit nauseating) testament to the physical punishment of the NFL but also of the spirit, will, and pain threshold of Gale Sayers.

Three Men and a Baby

So, Brett Favre is back for another year with the Minnesota Vikings. I’d like to say, “Wow what a shock…it’s unbelievable.” In reality, I think that a tweet by Trey Wingo (Baylor University Graduate) of ESPN says it all, “Favre coming back: in related news...sun sets in west tonight.”

So apparently the story goes that three Vikings (Jared Allen, Ryan Longwell, and Steve Hutchinson) flew down to Hattiesburg, Mississippi to meet Brett Favre. They showed up (apparently unannounced) at the Favre’s doorstep. But don’t you deep down inside think that Favre was watching ESPN News and knew that they were “reportedly” on their way down south? I have this notion in my head that Allen showed up carrying gold, Longwell frankincense, and Hutchinson myrrh. Maybe not, the notion of Jared Allen being a Magi is just plain funny. Okay, maybe not. Instead was there begging and stroking of the great ego over the steak dinner and long drives around Favre’s property. Did Favre suddenly have clarity while passing the A1 steak sauce to Ryan Longwell? Was it when Jared Allen quietly whispered, “You complete me” or when Steve Hutchinson emotionally stormed out to the patio and shouted, “Damn it, Brett, don’t quit us.”

Then the media circus started with aerial shots of the plane, the SUV, Favre walking holding a bag, a white bronco (oops, wrong circus). Rachel Nichols of ESPN tweeted, “Internet on the plane to Minnesota. Odd to be on a plane, watching video of someone getting off a plane, shot by someone in a helicopter.” Says it all, doesn’t it? Nobody, outside of runaway felons, gets the coverage that Favre does and he loves every single minute of it.

Yes, Favre gives the Vikings the best shot at a successful playoff season and maybe the Super Bowl. Yes, he doesn’t need training camp after 20 years in the league. Yes, he is an all time great. Yes, the NFL is better with him in the league. And, yes, he had a great season last year (4,202 yards, 33 TD and 7 INTS). But the fact is that the NFC North is better, the NFC is better, and Favre is a year older with another ankle surgery (number 3) behind him.

As I write this I’m listening to Favre’s press conference. As a Packers fan, I have spent years listening to his press conferences and without a doubt Favre sounds like he is still trying to convince himself of his “slumber party” decision. He says he came back because of the “great group of guys” in the locker room. He said the decision was really about the team, doing a “favor”, and he “owes it to the organization.” He never said that he is doing it because he wants to or he has unfinished business. His body language and voice scream, “I’m not sure.” The only emphatic statement that he made was that he didn't "want to fail.” That has to instill confidence in the Viking faithful.

Is he mentally committed to playing another year? I’m not convinced. Is his heart really in it? Does he really want to be back? I’m not sure because he is not sure. What happens when he gets drilled by linebacker, Clay Matthews of the Packers, will his “favor” to his teammates feel as good then? We know what happens when athletes aren’t mentally committed to the task at hand. They either play poorly or they get hurt. More times than not, it is the latter. So Vikings fans, the Vikings, and Coach Brad Childress be careful what you wish for…

Through My Head: Random Musing

Great tweet by Adam Schefter of ESPN, he tweeted, “Planned to retire after that bus trip but ESPN sent @Chris_Broussard, @Buster_ESPN and @erinandrews to talk me out of it. Worked, too.” Seriously, funny. I guess we all need someone to fly across the country, make us feel loved and secure, and then eat steak with us. It must be in our DNA.

Dressed to Kill (err...Play): 10 Best NFL Uniforms

Uniforms for me have always been a focal point to the sports experience both as a fan and when I played. They are foundational for a team’s identity and make a statement (one way or another). I prefer classic over trendy. Consistency will be rewarded. Granted the NFL has in many ways mandated consistency (sometimes at draconian lengths) at least in team colors where in the NBA one year a teams’ colors could be red and yellow and the next year blue, silver, and red (see Rockets, Houston) or red, white, and blue and the next year black, red, and gold (see 76ers, Philadelphia).

So in my list of the 10 best uniforms in the NFL, you will not see the Jags, Vikings, Seahawks, or Patriots (Please, return to the Pat the Patriot helmets and dump the flying Elvis). I do not take into account throwbacks otherwise the Falcons would be on the list, as would the Titans (see Luv Ya Blue), and the Chargers would be at the top with the perfection that is the powder blues from the AFL days. Also, why we are at it, Eagles, please return to the kelly green and ditch the quasi forest shade of green that the Eagles now wear.

I have to give an honorable mention to the Cincinnati Bengals. One the helmet is iconic but they lack consistency. In fact they are the NFL’s version of the Oregon Ducks. The Bengals have white, orange, and black jerseys and when coupled with white and black pants creates and endless array of Halloween-like permutations.

10. Dallas Cowboys- Many view the Cowboys uniform as the class of the NFL. The uniform and helmet, in particular, is iconic and transcends sports. But, in frankness, it makes me scratch my head just a touch. The helmet is (true silver and navy blue) does not match the white uniform (bluish/greenish silver and royal blue). I like that they wear the white for all of their games with the exception of road games at Washington and sometimes Philadelphia. So the uni would be higher on my list, if it matched. I do like the rarely worn navy jersey with the true silver pants, but again, it is rarely pulled out of the equipment room.

9. Pittsburgh Steelers- Classic, clean, and consistent. The Steelers are the 3 Cs. The uniform and the one-sided logo helmet are recognizable outside of the realm of football and sports in general. The colors look great together and I'm partial to yellow pants as you will see later. It’s the Grandma rule. Can your Grandma recognize the Steelers uniform? Probably? I think that the six Super Bowl championships also make the uniform look better. It also works for the Iowa Hawkeyes who use nearly a carbon copy of the Steelers unis.

8. Cleveland Browns- This is the uniform that is so ugly it just might be cool. Orange and Brown? Seriously, who came up with that color scheme? Did the Browns lose the color lottery and were stuck with their colors? Regardless, the uniforms are classic. The brown and plain orange helmet grow on you. It is a throwback without being a throwback. The uniform helps you remember that the Browns were once good (see Jim Brown) and maybe again, well, maybe. And thankfully they have abandoned the brown pants...stick with white.

7. Arizona Cardinals- The Cards have one of the few “modern” uniforms that I like. I think that it is because of two reasons. One, the helmet design is virtually the same as the Cards have worn since way back in the St. Louis days. Two, the colors (red and white) are sadly unique in the NFL. There are teams that use red as an accent (e.g. Patriots, Giants, Texans) and the 49ers wear red and gold and Falcons wear red and black. The classic color combo with the current design (sans the mono-chrome red) looks fast, clean, and new classic.

6. Baltimore Ravens- This was my second biggest surprise to my list. I am not a fan of purple as it can make grown men look like Barney (see Vikings, Minnesota). But the Ravens with the purple and the black look imposing and intimidating. I think that part of this has to do with who the Ravens are a tough, hard-nosed football team. If the Bills wore these uniforms, I’m not sure anyone would view them as intimidating but Ray Lewis and company are a different story. The Raven logo (non-cartoony and intense looking) and the sleeve patch (patterned after the Maryland flag) are two key accents to the uniform.

5. New York Giants- The Giants were my biggest surprise on this list. I did not have them in the top 10 originally. But the more that I looked at them the more that I liked them. The NY on the helmet hearkens back to Giants teams of the past. The royal blue jerseys coupled with the grey paints are smart and unique in the NFL. The white unis take advantage of the red accents which I like. There is a classic tone and feel to the uniforms, which is why they moved up my list.

4. San Francisco 49ers- First, I hated the 49ers uniforms when they darkened the red and added black in the late 90’s through last year. It reeked of marketing and jersey sales. The return to the true red and gold (sans black) with white accents was a return to the classic uniforms wore during the height of 49er dominance (the uniforms worn by Rice, Lott, Montana, and Craig).

3. San Diego Chargers- The white helmets are great and are throwback to the Super Charger days of the AFL. I wish they would wear the throwback powder blues as their permanent uniforms but the current iteration with a navy home, powder blue alternative, and navy road pants are a great set. The Chargers have always been one of my favorites from the time when I was a kid. The lightning bolt on the helmet (virtually unchanged in design from the inception of the team) is a classically appealing element. It has been yellow, white, and blue with varying accents. The Chargers over time have changed their colors (powder blue, royal blue, navy blue) and uniforms at a high frequency. Consistency is there only issue, this set is great, so stick and stay Bolts.

2. Chicago Bears- LeRoy Butler (the great safety for the Packers) is right, “the Bears still suck.” I hate the bears but have a healthy respect for them and I love the unis. Again, the Bears hit the uniform trifecta of classic, clean, and consistent. The design has remained consistent throughout the years, the C logo is a classic, and the striped socks are a great throwback to the Bears teams of the past. The dark navy blue does add to the intimidation factor (hearkening back to the “Monsters of the Midway”. I love the George Stanley Halas initials (GSH) on the left sleeve as well.

1. Green Bay Packers- Okay, so I’m a homer. The Packers are my team and the uniforms are true classics. They haven’t been changed significantly since Lombardi’s first season. The G logo is one of the most recognizable logos in sports (yes, it is also used by UGA and Grambling both with permission from the Packers). The colors are unique, classic, and just a tad bit gaudy with the yellow pants. The lines are clean and classic. The helmet and pants provide perfect symmetry whether at home (green jersey) or on the road (white jersey). The only change I would make would be to add stripes back to the socks (circa 1967). Like with the Bears, I relish the fact that the uniforms today create a link to the past, to Lombardi, Taylor, Kramer, White, and yes, even Favre.