The NFL season preview

ROMER BAUTISTA, STAFF

Trying to predict how the NFL season will unfold has become an increasingly possible task. With parity more prominent than ever, more than half the league has a legitimate shot at winning the Super Bowl. The only thing that most experts do agree on is that the Oakland Raiders will suck worse than Paris at a hotel in Vegas. Now that we know who sucks best, let me count up how I rank the 32 teams heading into the start of the season.

32. Oakland Raiders

The root of Oakland’s problems lies in their vomit-inducing offence. The Raiders lacking offence will be led by a quarterback that relies on his mobility, but has undergone two knee surgeries in the past two years, a running back who ranked 35th last year in yards per carry, and a wide-receiver who last year was seen celebrating after his own quarterback was sacked.

31. Houston Texans

Matt Schaub has only recorded six touchdown passes in four years, and he is supposed to be the solution to all of Houston’s problems. Houston’s difficulties were a result of a poor offensive line, not a poor quarterback. Texan fans will realize this soon enough.

30. Minnesota Vikings

Like the Raiders, the Vikings boast a formidable defence, especially against the run. But, again like the Raiders, the Vikings’ QB depth chart reads like a who’s who of backup quarterbacks: Tarvaris Jackson, Brooks Bollinger, and Kelly Holcomb.

29. Cleveland Browns

The future looks bright for the Browns. They were able to draft their franchise quarterback, and have two reliable, young, targets for him to throw too. Unfortunately, this is the present, and because of the stupid train of thought that says young quarterbacks need to spend time as a backup before starting, Brady Quinn will be relegated to starting the season on the sidelines.

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers did a good job in upgrading their defence with the selection of Gaines Adams in the draft, and the acquisitions of Will Allen and Cato June during the off-season. They’ll be put to the test early and often, as the Bucs offence will likely struggle until a permanent fixture at quarterback is found.

27. New York Giants

How many more times do we have to see Eli Manning throw off of his back foot into triple coverage before we can consider him a bust? The team is so hopeless that Tiki Barber, undoubtedly their best offensive player for the past three seasons, chose to hang up his cleats and take a crack at becoming a broadcaster.

26. Kansas City Chiefs

Granted, Trent Green probably wasn’t the answer at quarterback, but neither is Damon Huard or Brodie Croyle. And, as Larry Johnson is, even he won’t be able to succeed when opposing defences play the whole game with eight players in the box, defending the run.

25. Atlanta Falcons

We all know what the Falcons went through over the off-season, but even if Michael Vick was going was going to play this year, chances are that I would still rank them in the bottom third of the league.

24. Detroit Lions

Lions fans were wearing paper bags over their heads long before they drafted a fourth top-10 pick in five years on a wide receiver, even after two of them turned out to be complete busts. Another season without the playoffs, and another year of hearing fans chant, “FIRE MILLEN!”

23. Miami Dolphins

I thought the Dolphins were finished with crazy people when they parted ways with Ricky Williams, but then they go out and sign Joey Porter, who made an off-season splash by sucker-punching fellow NFLer Levi Jones over a game of blackjack.

22. San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers made huge strides last season even in finishing a few games below .500. While their young budding stars, Frank Gore and Alex Smith, will continue to improve, the team lacks veteran leadership. After last season’s two steps forward, this season is shaping up into a one step back.

21. New York Jets

While Thomas Jones is certainly an upgrade over Leon Washington, it’s hard to put much trust in a team where the quarterback can’t throw further than 30 yards. In the NFC, the Jets would be in the hunt for a playoff spot, but in the AFC, the Jets become a huge long shot.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars

Anytime a team goes the entire off-season promising the starting quarterback job to one player, then in the last week before the season starts, grant the job to another, you have trouble. Luckily, because of the uncanny similarities Byron Leftwich and David Gerrard, most fans won’t even be able to tell the difference.

19. Buffalo Bills

J.P. Losman to Lee Evans. You’ll be hearing that a lot this upcoming season. The Bills also have my choice for offensive rookie of the year, Marshawn Lynch. But they face the same problems as the Jets — the competition in the AFC is just too good.

18. St. Louis Rams

Steven Jackson might lead the NFL in yards this season, and in the NFC that may just be enough to sneak into the playoffs. The Rams, along with the next four teams will be duking it out for the two wild card spots all season.

17. Carolina Panthers

The game plan is very simple for the Panthers — get the ball to Steve Smith. But that’s going to be a difficult task with Smith being blanketed with triple coverage every week. The task becomes even more difficult when you throw in the fact that either Jake Delhomme or David Carr will be throwing Smith the ball.

16. Green Bay Packers

Even now, in what feels like the fifth rendition of the Brett Favre retirement tour, it is difficult to count out the crafty gunslinger from Mississippi. With a Packer defence that continues to get better with experience and a fairly soft schedule, the Packers chances at the playoffs are looking good.

15. Washington Redskins

Jason Campbell is coming into his first full season as starter, but he was impressive after taking over the starting reigns midway through last season. With a plethora of options at his disposal, Campbell could have a breakout season.

14. Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals are filled to the brim with offensive talent, and they should be a lot of fun to watch. But what will be even more fun to watch will be Dennis Green’s press conferences after a loss. 13. Tennessee Titans

I didn’t think that Vince Young would be able to lead the Texas Longhorns over the USC Trojans in 2005, and he did. I didn’t think Vince Young would become a legitimate NFL star in his rookie campaign, and he did. Even though I don’t think that Vince Young will be able to break the “Madden Curse,” the chances are that he will.

12. Cincinnati Bengals

This team would do a whole lot better if it weren’t being run under martial law. The sudden step backwards by the Bengals last season could be attributed to Carson Palmer coming off reconstructive knee surgery in the off-season or the rules that limited Chad Johnson’s touchdown dances.

11. Denver Broncos

There’s just way too much talent on both sides of the ball for this team to not do well. If quarterback Jay Cutler has improved even slightly from last season, this is going to be a tough team to beat. And with the tragic events of the off season being used as motivation, this team just seems poised to have a great season.

10. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys were one botched hold away from winning their wild-card game last year and advancing in the playoffs. Tony Romo has the ability to lead this team to great things, just as long as they find someone else to hold on field goals.

9. Seattle Seahawks

With a healthy Shaun Alexander two seasons ago, the Seahawks advanced to the Super Bowl. Last year, Alexander missed nine games with a broken toe, and the Seahawks still made it to the divisional finals. This year, the all-pro running back is healthy again, so expect big things from the Seahawks.

8. Chicago Bears

The Bears’ defence is still as feared as ever. Brian Urlacher and company will be keeping opposing offences off the scoreboard on a week-to-week basis. All Rex Grossman has to do is manage the game and not turn the ball over, but even that seems like too tall of a task for Grossman. 7. Pittsburgh Steelers

New head coach Mike Tomlin has injected new life into a franchise that fell listless after their Super Bowl Victory in 2006. Ben Roethlisberger looks to be back in form after being ravaged by a rash of weird injuries last year. The Steelers, however, are going to have to battle the Ravens all year for AFC North supremacy.

6. Philadelphia Eagles

The key to the Eagles’ success will be staying healthy. If Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook can stay on the field for the entire season, the Eagles will be one of the top teams in the NFC.

5. San Diego Chargers

There is no doubting the talent that San Diego Chargers are dripping with talent. But when they are they go up against the league’s best, they tend to fall flat on their faces. Last year, they only had two wins over playoff teams en route to their 13-3 record. This year, their schedule isn’t so easy, having to play the likes of Chicago, New England, Indianapolis, and Baltimore.

4. New Orleans Saints

The Saints may have been a surprise last year, but this year they are out to prove that they do belong amoung the NFL’s elite. Their potent offence can, and will, put up a ton of points this year. This is the year when the reality that Houston could have drafted Reggie Bush sinks in for Texans fans.

3. Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens have easily the best defence in the league. The only knock on the Ravens in the past has been their lack of offence. After addressing their quarterback situation last year by signing Steve McNair, the Ravens addressed their running back situation this year, by picking up Willis McGahee. The last time that the Ravens had all three facets of their team clicking at the same time was in 2000 — the year that they won the Super Bowl.

2. New England Patriots

Tom Brady has been one of the best quarterbacks in the game despite throwing to receivers with names like Jabar Gaffney and Reche Caldwell. This year New England has armed Brady with a legitimate receiving corps, headlined by the addition of Randy Moss. Factor in the addition of Adelius Thomas to the defence, and this team is much better than the one that went all the way to the AFC Championships last year.

1. Indianapolis Colts

The champs get the top spot until proven otherwise. Joseph Addai has quickly made everyone say, “Edge who?” While Peyton Manning still has the best receiving duo in the league. It’s the same question with the Colts; can their defence hold up, especially considering the moves that the Pats have made? It will be a fun season watching the answer unfold.





Volume 95 Issue 4	The Official University of Manitoba Students' Newspaper Website	September 05, 2007

Home About Us Advertising Rates Contact Staff Current Issue PDF Employment Letters to the Editor Meet the Staff Online Archives Volunteer Online Classifieds St. Vincent's Academy Diaries	Font Size Respond Email Print-Friendly The NFL season preview ROMER BAUTISTA, STAFF Trying to predict how the NFL season will unfold has become an increasingly possible task. With parity more prominent than ever, more than half the league has a legitimate shot at winning the Super Bowl. The only thing that most experts do agree on is that the Oakland Raiders will suck worse than Paris at a hotel in Vegas. Now that we know who sucks best, let me count up how I rank the 32 teams heading into the start of the season. 32. Oakland Raiders The root of Oakland’s problems lies in their vomit-inducing offence. The Raiders lacking offence will be led by a quarterback that relies on his mobility, but has undergone two knee surgeries in the past two years, a running back who ranked 35th last year in yards per carry, and a wide-receiver who last year was seen celebrating after his own quarterback was sacked. 31. Houston Texans Matt Schaub has only recorded six touchdown passes in four years, and he is supposed to be the solution to all of Houston’s problems. Houston’s difficulties were a result of a poor offensive line, not a poor quarterback. Texan fans will realize this soon enough. 30. Minnesota Vikings Like the Raiders, the Vikings boast a formidable defence, especially against the run. But, again like the Raiders, the Vikings’ QB depth chart reads like a who’s who of backup quarterbacks: Tarvaris Jackson, Brooks Bollinger, and Kelly Holcomb. 29. Cleveland Browns The future looks bright for the Browns. They were able to draft their franchise quarterback, and have two reliable, young, targets for him to throw too. Unfortunately, this is the present, and because of the stupid train of thought that says young quarterbacks need to spend time as a backup before starting, Brady Quinn will be relegated to starting the season on the sidelines. 28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Buccaneers did a good job in upgrading their defence with the selection of Gaines Adams in the draft, and the acquisitions of Will Allen and Cato June during the off-season. They’ll be put to the test early and often, as the Bucs offence will likely struggle until a permanent fixture at quarterback is found. 27. New York Giants How many more times do we have to see Eli Manning throw off of his back foot into triple coverage before we can consider him a bust? The team is so hopeless that Tiki Barber, undoubtedly their best offensive player for the past three seasons, chose to hang up his cleats and take a crack at becoming a broadcaster. 26. Kansas City Chiefs Granted, Trent Green probably wasn’t the answer at quarterback, but neither is Damon Huard or Brodie Croyle. And, as Larry Johnson is, even he won’t be able to succeed when opposing defences play the whole game with eight players in the box, defending the run. 25. Atlanta Falcons We all know what the Falcons went through over the off-season, but even if Michael Vick was going was going to play this year, chances are that I would still rank them in the bottom third of the league. 24. Detroit Lions Lions fans were wearing paper bags over their heads long before they drafted a fourth top-10 pick in five years on a wide receiver, even after two of them turned out to be complete busts. Another season without the playoffs, and another year of hearing fans chant, “FIRE MILLEN!” 23. Miami Dolphins I thought the Dolphins were finished with crazy people when they parted ways with Ricky Williams, but then they go out and sign Joey Porter, who made an off-season splash by sucker-punching fellow NFLer Levi Jones over a game of blackjack. 22. San Francisco 49ers The 49ers made huge strides last season even in finishing a few games below .500. While their young budding stars, Frank Gore and Alex Smith, will continue to improve, the team lacks veteran leadership. After last season’s two steps forward, this season is shaping up into a one step back. 21. New York Jets While Thomas Jones is certainly an upgrade over Leon Washington, it’s hard to put much trust in a team where the quarterback can’t throw further than 30 yards. In the NFC, the Jets would be in the hunt for a playoff spot, but in the AFC, the Jets become a huge long shot. 20. Jacksonville Jaguars Anytime a team goes the entire off-season promising the starting quarterback job to one player, then in the last week before the season starts, grant the job to another, you have trouble. Luckily, because of the uncanny similarities Byron Leftwich and David Gerrard, most fans won’t even be able to tell the difference. 19. Buffalo Bills J.P. Losman to Lee Evans. You’ll be hearing that a lot this upcoming season. The Bills also have my choice for offensive rookie of the year, Marshawn Lynch. But they face the same problems as the Jets — the competition in the AFC is just too good. 18. St. Louis Rams Steven Jackson might lead the NFL in yards this season, and in the NFC that may just be enough to sneak into the playoffs. The Rams, along with the next four teams will be duking it out for the two wild card spots all season. 17. Carolina Panthers The game plan is very simple for the Panthers — get the ball to Steve Smith. But that’s going to be a difficult task with Smith being blanketed with triple coverage every week. The task becomes even more difficult when you throw in the fact that either Jake Delhomme or David Carr will be throwing Smith the ball. 16. Green Bay Packers Even now, in what feels like the fifth rendition of the Brett Favre retirement tour, it is difficult to count out the crafty gunslinger from Mississippi. With a Packer defence that continues to get better with experience and a fairly soft schedule, the Packers chances at the playoffs are looking good. 15. Washington Redskins Jason Campbell is coming into his first full season as starter, but he was impressive after taking over the starting reigns midway through last season. With a plethora of options at his disposal, Campbell could have a breakout season. 14. Arizona Cardinals The Cardinals are filled to the brim with offensive talent, and they should be a lot of fun to watch. But what will be even more fun to watch will be Dennis Green’s press conferences after a loss. 13. Tennessee Titans I didn’t think that Vince Young would be able to lead the Texas Longhorns over the USC Trojans in 2005, and he did. I didn’t think Vince Young would become a legitimate NFL star in his rookie campaign, and he did. Even though I don’t think that Vince Young will be able to break the “Madden Curse,” the chances are that he will. 12. Cincinnati Bengals This team would do a whole lot better if it weren’t being run under martial law. The sudden step backwards by the Bengals last season could be attributed to Carson Palmer coming off reconstructive knee surgery in the off-season or the rules that limited Chad Johnson’s touchdown dances. 11. Denver Broncos There’s just way too much talent on both sides of the ball for this team to not do well. If quarterback Jay Cutler has improved even slightly from last season, this is going to be a tough team to beat. And with the tragic events of the off season being used as motivation, this team just seems poised to have a great season. 10. Dallas Cowboys The Cowboys were one botched hold away from winning their wild-card game last year and advancing in the playoffs. Tony Romo has the ability to lead this team to great things, just as long as they find someone else to hold on field goals. 9. Seattle Seahawks With a healthy Shaun Alexander two seasons ago, the Seahawks advanced to the Super Bowl. Last year, Alexander missed nine games with a broken toe, and the Seahawks still made it to the divisional finals. This year, the all-pro running back is healthy again, so expect big things from the Seahawks. 8. Chicago Bears The Bears’ defence is still as feared as ever. Brian Urlacher and company will be keeping opposing offences off the scoreboard on a week-to-week basis. All Rex Grossman has to do is manage the game and not turn the ball over, but even that seems like too tall of a task for Grossman. 7. Pittsburgh Steelers New head coach Mike Tomlin has injected new life into a franchise that fell listless after their Super Bowl Victory in 2006. Ben Roethlisberger looks to be back in form after being ravaged by a rash of weird injuries last year. The Steelers, however, are going to have to battle the Ravens all year for AFC North supremacy. 6. Philadelphia Eagles The key to the Eagles’ success will be staying healthy. If Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook can stay on the field for the entire season, the Eagles will be one of the top teams in the NFC. 5. San Diego Chargers There is no doubting the talent that San Diego Chargers are dripping with talent. But when they are they go up against the league’s best, they tend to fall flat on their faces. Last year, they only had two wins over playoff teams en route to their 13-3 record. This year, their schedule isn’t so easy, having to play the likes of Chicago, New England, Indianapolis, and Baltimore. 4. New Orleans Saints The Saints may have been a surprise last year, but this year they are out to prove that they do belong amoung the NFL’s elite. Their potent offence can, and will, put up a ton of points this year. This is the year when the reality that Houston could have drafted Reggie Bush sinks in for Texans fans. 3. Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens have easily the best defence in the league. The only knock on the Ravens in the past has been their lack of offence. After addressing their quarterback situation last year by signing Steve McNair, the Ravens addressed their running back situation this year, by picking up Willis McGahee. The last time that the Ravens had all three facets of their team clicking at the same time was in 2000 — the year that they won the Super Bowl. 2. New England Patriots Tom Brady has been one of the best quarterbacks in the game despite throwing to receivers with names like Jabar Gaffney and Reche Caldwell. This year New England has armed Brady with a legitimate receiving corps, headlined by the addition of Randy Moss. Factor in the addition of Adelius Thomas to the defence, and this team is much better than the one that went all the way to the AFC Championships last year. 1. Indianapolis Colts The champs get the top spot until proven otherwise. Joseph Addai has quickly made everyone say, “Edge who?” While Peyton Manning still has the best receiving duo in the league. It’s the same question with the Colts; can their defence hold up, especially considering the moves that the Pats have made? It will be a fun season watching the answer unfold.


Terms of Use RSS Feeds © Copyright 2008 The Manitoban Newspaper Publications Corporation