2009 NFL Preview: AFC North
8/20/2009 | Posted by
Scott Lunn
Baltimore Ravens
Key Additions: Chris Carr (CB), L.J. Smith (TE), John Beck (QB), Kelley Washington (WR), Matt Birk (C), Dominique Foxworth (CB)
Key Losses: Bart Scott (LB), Jim Leonhard (S), Matt Stover (K), Kyle Boller (QB), Terrance Cooper (WR), Cory Ivy (CB), Lee Vickers (DE)
Draft Picks: Michael Oher (OT-Mississippi), Paul Kruger (DE/OLB-Utah), Lardarius Webb (CB-Nicholls St.), Jason Phillips (ILB-TCU), Davon Drew (TE-East Carolina), Cedric Peerman (RB-Virginia)
Baltimore is looking to build off a very successful season last year, in which they made it as far as the AFC Championship before getting knocked off by the eventual Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. The team went 11-5 in the regular season and defeated Miami in the Wild Card Round, and then the Tennessee Titans in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
Things will be looking a little different for the Ravens this season however as former Defensive Coordinator Rex Ryan is now the head coach of the New York Jets, and he took several players along for the ride off his highly ranked defense. The 2nd and 3rd highest tacklers on the team respectively, Bart Scott and Jim Leonhard are now gone. An aging Ray Lewis and Ed Reed will now look to others to step up in their place and help lead what has been the best part of this team for a long time now. Terrell Suggs has a large contract in hand that may help motivate him to fill that role, and young DT Haloti Ngata is quickly turning into one of the most disruptive forces on any defensive line in the NFL.
Offensively last year, the Ravens relied on rookie QB Joe Flacco to lead the team, and he did an admirable job. While his stats weren't mind blowing by any means, (2,971 yards, 14 TDs, 12 INTs) he played the role of the "effective game manager" quite nicely. The Ravens also employed a running back by committee with moderate success. Le'Ron McClain had 902 yards and 10 TDs, Willis McGahee (aka The Devil, at least from a fan of the Buffalo Bills perspective) had 671 yards and 7 TDs, and rookie Ray Rice chipped in with an additional 454 yards. This three headed monster makes for a solid Ravens' running game, but makes trying to decide which player to draft to your fantasy team a nightmare.
The Ravens are still going to have to contend with the Steelers for the AFC North division title this season, but should certainly be in the running for a wild card spot regardless. They may not match their 11 wins from last year, but expect them to be in the neighborhood again as long as the defense can stay healthy.
Last Season: 11-5
2009 Prediction: 10-6
Cincinnati Bengals
Key Additions: Laveranues Coles (WR), J.T. O'Sullivan (QB), Tank Johnson (DT), Roy Williams (S), Brian Leonard (FB)
Key Losses: Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB), T.J. Houshmandzadeh (WR), Glenn Holt (WR), Stacy Andrews (OT), Levi Jones (OT), Corey Mays (S), Mike Doss (S), Chris Perry (RB), Marcus Brown (CB), Ethan Kilmer (S)
Draft Picks: Andre Smith (OT-Alabama), Rey Maualuga (LB-USC), Michael Johnson (DE-Georgia Tech), Chase Coffman (TE-Missouri), Jonathan Luigs (C-Arkansas), Kevin Huber (P-Cincinnati), Morgan Trent (CB-Michigan), Bernard Scott (RB-Abilene Christian), Fui Vakapuna (RB-BYU), Clinton McDonald (DE-Memphis), Freddie Brown (WR-Utah)
The Bengals continued their decline in 2008, going 4-11-1 on the season, a season in which QB Carson Palmer played in only 4 games. The team struggled as a whole, but perhaps nobody more so than WR Chad Ochocinco (yes... that really is his name now, and yes... I really do laugh every time I read it). Ochocinco managed only 53 catches for 540 yards and 4 TDs on the season, by far the worst in all categories since his rookie season of 2001. T.J. Houshmandzadeh picked up the slack (92 for 904 and 4 TDs) to some extent, but he's now a Seattle Seahawk.
Houshmandzadeh's replacement comes in the form of former N.Y. Jet, Laveranues Coles, who managed 70 grabs for 850 yards and 7 TDs with Brett Favre throwing to him in 2008. The Bengals running game was weak last year as well, as Cedric Benson lead the team with just 747 yards and 2 TDs. Dhani Jones may have been the lone bright spot on the defense for Cinncy with his 116 tackles. Nobody else broke 100, and no player had more than 3 INTs or 3 sacks on the season, while the team as a whole gave up just under 23 points per game. That isn't an awful number, but when you consider that their anemic offense only scored a league worst 204 points, it obviously didn't get the job done.
In reality, nothing went right for this team last year. They were 1-11-1 at one point before winning their final 3 games of the season. We're talking about a team that used it's franchise tag on a kicker after all. Shayne Graham is a good one, but there's more than a few people out there that think maybe Houshmandzadeh would have made for a better use of the tag. The one bright spot that could be looked at is their draft in 2009. They got a great deal of talent, however, they have still yet to sign their top pick Andre Smith, nor are they even close to agreeing to a deal, as of the writing of this article.
Still, I see this team bouncing back to some extent this year. A healthy Carson Palmer could do wonders and I expect him to return closer to the form of the player we saw 3 seasons ago. Additionally, Chad Ochocinco should unquestionably be the #1 receiver again, which is what he craves. I can't imagine him not improving on last year's dismal effort. Call me crazy, but look for the Bengals to rebound a bit in 2009.
Last Season - 4-11-1
2009 Prediction - 7-9
Cleveland Browns
Key Additions: Brett Ratliff (QB), Robert Royal (TE), John St. Clair (OT), Mike Furrey (WR), Eric Barton (ILB), Ron Hood (CB), Corey Ivy (CB), Hank Poteat (S), David Patten (WR)
Key Losses: Bruce Gradkowski (QB), Ken Dorsey (QB), Joe Jurevicius, Kellen Winslow (TE), Seth McKinney (G), LeCharles Bentley (C), Sean Jones (S), Jason Wright (RB), Scott Young (G), Darnell Dinkins (TE), Andra Davis (ILB), Travis Daniels (CB), Steve Cargile (S),
Draft Picks: Alex Mack (C-Cal), Brian Robiskie (WR-Ohio St.), Mohamed Massaquoi (WR-Georgia), David Veikune (DE-Hawaii), Kaluka Maiava (LB-USC), Don Carey (CB-Norfolk St.), Coy Francies (CB-San Jose St.), James Davis (RB-Clemson)
Cleveland managed to be just ever so slightly worse than their cross state rivals last year, stumbling to a 4-12 record on the year. About the only thing the team really accomplished last season was to create a full fledged quarterback controversy heading into 2009.
Derek Anderson looked incredible in 2007 as the Browns went 10-6 and narrowly missed the playoffs, but 2008 was a very different year. Anderson struggled in the early going and was benched heading into Week 10 after a 3-6 start. Brady Quinn was officially handed the reigns to the team and went 1-1, but was injured in a Week 11 win at Buffalo. A broken finger sidelined Quinn for the season and Anderson quickly regained his starting job. 2 weeks later, Anderson tore his MCL in a loss against Indianapolis and he too was done for the year.
While Quinn didn't get much time as the starter, breaking down their statistics only leads you to see almost identical numbers between he and Anderson. Thus, heading into 2009, the two were competing for the starting job for the upcoming season. Neither looked spectacular in the first preseason game as they both threw an interception, though Quinn perhaps pulled slightly ahead in the battle. Either way, this debate isn't likely to be decided until close to the start of the regular season, and even then, I won't be surprised to see them go switch it up at some point during the year.
Only the Bengals were a worse offensive team last season, as the Browns managed just 14.5 points per game, and it doesn't look to be getting a whole lot better. Braylon Edwards production fell off dramatically last year with the quarterback carousel he had to deal with, and he also notoriously lead the league with 16 dropped balls on the year. He's entering a contract season however, and that tends to lead to bigger numbers more often than not. In terms of rushing, Jamal Lewis is still carrying the load for Cleveland. Lewis is only 29 years old but is entering his 10th year in the league and seems to be wearing down after years as a true work horse who carried the ball a ton of times year in and year out. He managed to hit 1,002 yards on the season, good enough for his 7th year with 1,000+.
Defensively, the Browns are lead by Inside Linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, whose 154 tackles lead the NFL last year, and Pro Bowl DT Shaun Rogers who managed 76 tackles and 4.5 sacks, both great numbers for an interior lineman. The team brought in several veterans for the defensive backfield to help bolster a very young secondary.
If the Browns could determine a clear cut starting QB and get solid play from that position once again, they could begin to turn things around from their huge downfall a year ago. I just don't see that being the case however. Their dreadful offense will return and be the downfall of yet another season in Cleveland. They might just find themselves in position to pick up Sam Bradford in next year's draft and try and start fresh.
Last Season: 4-12
2009 Prediction: 3-13
Pittsburgh Steelers
Key Additions: Keiwan Ratliff (CB), Shaun McDonald (WR), Alex Stepanovich (C)
Key Losses: Byron Leftwich (QB), Nate Washington (WR), Larry Foote (ILB), Gary Russell (RB), Bryant McFadden (CB), Kendal Simmons (G), Anthony Smith (S)
Draft Picks: Ziggy Hood (DT-Missouri), Kraig Urbik (G-Wisconsin), Mike Wallace (WR-Mississippi), Kennan Lewis (CB-Oregon St.), Joe Burnett (CB-Central Florida), Frank Summers (RB-UNLV), Ra'Shon Harris (DT-Oregon), A. Q. Shipley (C-Penn St.), David Johnson (TE-Arkansas St.)
The Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl XLIII, their 6th Super Bowl title, with their trademark defense. The Steelers went 12-4 in the regular season, with all 4 of their losses coming at the hands of other playoff teams.
The Steelers offense was solid as usual, but by no means prolific. Ben Roethlisberger lead the way at QB with 3,301 yards, 17 TDs, and 15 INTs on the year. Willie Parker and Mewelde Moore combined for nearly 1,400 yards on the ground and 5 TDs apiece. As usual, Hines Ward lead the team in receiving with just over 1,000 yards and 7 scores. The only real changes heading into this year offensively are backup QB Byron Leftwich moving on to Tampa and 3rd WR Nate Washington heading to the Titans. Expect more of the same efficient, smash mouth football from the Steelers' offense this year.
Defensively, Pittsburgh was the class of the NFL again last season, allowing a shade under 14 points per game. James Harrison was named the NFL's Defensive MVP after a 101 tackle, 16 sack campaign, and was accompanied by linebackers Lawrence Timmons, LaMarr Woodley, and the now departed Larry Foote as perhaps the best set in the league. Troy Polamalu had another Pro Bowl year at safety, picking up 7 interceptions on the season. Pittsburgh's defense was nothing short of punishing last season, and other than Foote moving on, little has changed.
Barring injuries, especially at quarterback, the Steelers should be the team to beat in the AFC North again this year, and perhaps in the conference as a whole. Pittsburgh's biggest challenges this season all come at Heinz Stadium, where they have only lost 3 times in the past 2 seasons. While I'm not sure they'll match last year's regular season record, they know how to turn it up when it counts and they will certainly be a force to reckon with in the postseason yet again.
Last Season : 12-4
2009 Prediction: 10-6
Key Additions: Chris Carr (CB), L.J. Smith (TE), John Beck (QB), Kelley Washington (WR), Matt Birk (C), Dominique Foxworth (CB)
Key Losses: Bart Scott (LB), Jim Leonhard (S), Matt Stover (K), Kyle Boller (QB), Terrance Cooper (WR), Cory Ivy (CB), Lee Vickers (DE)
Draft Picks: Michael Oher (OT-Mississippi), Paul Kruger (DE/OLB-Utah), Lardarius Webb (CB-Nicholls St.), Jason Phillips (ILB-TCU), Davon Drew (TE-East Carolina), Cedric Peerman (RB-Virginia)
Baltimore is looking to build off a very successful season last year, in which they made it as far as the AFC Championship before getting knocked off by the eventual Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. The team went 11-5 in the regular season and defeated Miami in the Wild Card Round, and then the Tennessee Titans in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
Things will be looking a little different for the Ravens this season however as former Defensive Coordinator Rex Ryan is now the head coach of the New York Jets, and he took several players along for the ride off his highly ranked defense. The 2nd and 3rd highest tacklers on the team respectively, Bart Scott and Jim Leonhard are now gone. An aging Ray Lewis and Ed Reed will now look to others to step up in their place and help lead what has been the best part of this team for a long time now. Terrell Suggs has a large contract in hand that may help motivate him to fill that role, and young DT Haloti Ngata is quickly turning into one of the most disruptive forces on any defensive line in the NFL.
Offensively last year, the Ravens relied on rookie QB Joe Flacco to lead the team, and he did an admirable job. While his stats weren't mind blowing by any means, (2,971 yards, 14 TDs, 12 INTs) he played the role of the "effective game manager" quite nicely. The Ravens also employed a running back by committee with moderate success. Le'Ron McClain had 902 yards and 10 TDs, Willis McGahee (aka The Devil, at least from a fan of the Buffalo Bills perspective) had 671 yards and 7 TDs, and rookie Ray Rice chipped in with an additional 454 yards. This three headed monster makes for a solid Ravens' running game, but makes trying to decide which player to draft to your fantasy team a nightmare.The Ravens are still going to have to contend with the Steelers for the AFC North division title this season, but should certainly be in the running for a wild card spot regardless. They may not match their 11 wins from last year, but expect them to be in the neighborhood again as long as the defense can stay healthy.
Last Season: 11-5
2009 Prediction: 10-6
Cincinnati Bengals
Key Additions: Laveranues Coles (WR), J.T. O'Sullivan (QB), Tank Johnson (DT), Roy Williams (S), Brian Leonard (FB)
Key Losses: Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB), T.J. Houshmandzadeh (WR), Glenn Holt (WR), Stacy Andrews (OT), Levi Jones (OT), Corey Mays (S), Mike Doss (S), Chris Perry (RB), Marcus Brown (CB), Ethan Kilmer (S)
Draft Picks: Andre Smith (OT-Alabama), Rey Maualuga (LB-USC), Michael Johnson (DE-Georgia Tech), Chase Coffman (TE-Missouri), Jonathan Luigs (C-Arkansas), Kevin Huber (P-Cincinnati), Morgan Trent (CB-Michigan), Bernard Scott (RB-Abilene Christian), Fui Vakapuna (RB-BYU), Clinton McDonald (DE-Memphis), Freddie Brown (WR-Utah)
The Bengals continued their decline in 2008, going 4-11-1 on the season, a season in which QB Carson Palmer played in only 4 games. The team struggled as a whole, but perhaps nobody more so than WR Chad Ochocinco (yes... that really is his name now, and yes... I really do laugh every time I read it). Ochocinco managed only 53 catches for 540 yards and 4 TDs on the season, by far the worst in all categories since his rookie season of 2001. T.J. Houshmandzadeh picked up the slack (92 for 904 and 4 TDs) to some extent, but he's now a Seattle Seahawk.
Houshmandzadeh's replacement comes in the form of former N.Y. Jet, Laveranues Coles, who managed 70 grabs for 850 yards and 7 TDs with Brett Favre throwing to him in 2008. The Bengals running game was weak last year as well, as Cedric Benson lead the team with just 747 yards and 2 TDs. Dhani Jones may have been the lone bright spot on the defense for Cinncy with his 116 tackles. Nobody else broke 100, and no player had more than 3 INTs or 3 sacks on the season, while the team as a whole gave up just under 23 points per game. That isn't an awful number, but when you consider that their anemic offense only scored a league worst 204 points, it obviously didn't get the job done.
In reality, nothing went right for this team last year. They were 1-11-1 at one point before winning their final 3 games of the season. We're talking about a team that used it's franchise tag on a kicker after all. Shayne Graham is a good one, but there's more than a few people out there that think maybe Houshmandzadeh would have made for a better use of the tag. The one bright spot that could be looked at is their draft in 2009. They got a great deal of talent, however, they have still yet to sign their top pick Andre Smith, nor are they even close to agreeing to a deal, as of the writing of this article.
Still, I see this team bouncing back to some extent this year. A healthy Carson Palmer could do wonders and I expect him to return closer to the form of the player we saw 3 seasons ago. Additionally, Chad Ochocinco should unquestionably be the #1 receiver again, which is what he craves. I can't imagine him not improving on last year's dismal effort. Call me crazy, but look for the Bengals to rebound a bit in 2009.
Last Season - 4-11-1
2009 Prediction - 7-9
Cleveland Browns
Key Additions: Brett Ratliff (QB), Robert Royal (TE), John St. Clair (OT), Mike Furrey (WR), Eric Barton (ILB), Ron Hood (CB), Corey Ivy (CB), Hank Poteat (S), David Patten (WR)
Key Losses: Bruce Gradkowski (QB), Ken Dorsey (QB), Joe Jurevicius, Kellen Winslow (TE), Seth McKinney (G), LeCharles Bentley (C), Sean Jones (S), Jason Wright (RB), Scott Young (G), Darnell Dinkins (TE), Andra Davis (ILB), Travis Daniels (CB), Steve Cargile (S),
Draft Picks: Alex Mack (C-Cal), Brian Robiskie (WR-Ohio St.), Mohamed Massaquoi (WR-Georgia), David Veikune (DE-Hawaii), Kaluka Maiava (LB-USC), Don Carey (CB-Norfolk St.), Coy Francies (CB-San Jose St.), James Davis (RB-Clemson)
Cleveland managed to be just ever so slightly worse than their cross state rivals last year, stumbling to a 4-12 record on the year. About the only thing the team really accomplished last season was to create a full fledged quarterback controversy heading into 2009.
Derek Anderson looked incredible in 2007 as the Browns went 10-6 and narrowly missed the playoffs, but 2008 was a very different year. Anderson struggled in the early going and was benched heading into Week 10 after a 3-6 start. Brady Quinn was officially handed the reigns to the team and went 1-1, but was injured in a Week 11 win at Buffalo. A broken finger sidelined Quinn for the season and Anderson quickly regained his starting job. 2 weeks later, Anderson tore his MCL in a loss against Indianapolis and he too was done for the year.
While Quinn didn't get much time as the starter, breaking down their statistics only leads you to see almost identical numbers between he and Anderson. Thus, heading into 2009, the two were competing for the starting job for the upcoming season. Neither looked spectacular in the first preseason game as they both threw an interception, though Quinn perhaps pulled slightly ahead in the battle. Either way, this debate isn't likely to be decided until close to the start of the regular season, and even then, I won't be surprised to see them go switch it up at some point during the year.
Only the Bengals were a worse offensive team last season, as the Browns managed just 14.5 points per game, and it doesn't look to be getting a whole lot better. Braylon Edwards production fell off dramatically last year with the quarterback carousel he had to deal with, and he also notoriously lead the league with 16 dropped balls on the year. He's entering a contract season however, and that tends to lead to bigger numbers more often than not. In terms of rushing, Jamal Lewis is still carrying the load for Cleveland. Lewis is only 29 years old but is entering his 10th year in the league and seems to be wearing down after years as a true work horse who carried the ball a ton of times year in and year out. He managed to hit 1,002 yards on the season, good enough for his 7th year with 1,000+.
Defensively, the Browns are lead by Inside Linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, whose 154 tackles lead the NFL last year, and Pro Bowl DT Shaun Rogers who managed 76 tackles and 4.5 sacks, both great numbers for an interior lineman. The team brought in several veterans for the defensive backfield to help bolster a very young secondary.
If the Browns could determine a clear cut starting QB and get solid play from that position once again, they could begin to turn things around from their huge downfall a year ago. I just don't see that being the case however. Their dreadful offense will return and be the downfall of yet another season in Cleveland. They might just find themselves in position to pick up Sam Bradford in next year's draft and try and start fresh.
Last Season: 4-12
2009 Prediction: 3-13
Pittsburgh Steelers
Key Additions: Keiwan Ratliff (CB), Shaun McDonald (WR), Alex Stepanovich (C)
Key Losses: Byron Leftwich (QB), Nate Washington (WR), Larry Foote (ILB), Gary Russell (RB), Bryant McFadden (CB), Kendal Simmons (G), Anthony Smith (S)
Draft Picks: Ziggy Hood (DT-Missouri), Kraig Urbik (G-Wisconsin), Mike Wallace (WR-Mississippi), Kennan Lewis (CB-Oregon St.), Joe Burnett (CB-Central Florida), Frank Summers (RB-UNLV), Ra'Shon Harris (DT-Oregon), A. Q. Shipley (C-Penn St.), David Johnson (TE-Arkansas St.)
The Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl XLIII, their 6th Super Bowl title, with their trademark defense. The Steelers went 12-4 in the regular season, with all 4 of their losses coming at the hands of other playoff teams.The Steelers offense was solid as usual, but by no means prolific. Ben Roethlisberger lead the way at QB with 3,301 yards, 17 TDs, and 15 INTs on the year. Willie Parker and Mewelde Moore combined for nearly 1,400 yards on the ground and 5 TDs apiece. As usual, Hines Ward lead the team in receiving with just over 1,000 yards and 7 scores. The only real changes heading into this year offensively are backup QB Byron Leftwich moving on to Tampa and 3rd WR Nate Washington heading to the Titans. Expect more of the same efficient, smash mouth football from the Steelers' offense this year.
Defensively, Pittsburgh was the class of the NFL again last season, allowing a shade under 14 points per game. James Harrison was named the NFL's Defensive MVP after a 101 tackle, 16 sack campaign, and was accompanied by linebackers Lawrence Timmons, LaMarr Woodley, and the now departed Larry Foote as perhaps the best set in the league. Troy Polamalu had another Pro Bowl year at safety, picking up 7 interceptions on the season. Pittsburgh's defense was nothing short of punishing last season, and other than Foote moving on, little has changed.
Barring injuries, especially at quarterback, the Steelers should be the team to beat in the AFC North again this year, and perhaps in the conference as a whole. Pittsburgh's biggest challenges this season all come at Heinz Stadium, where they have only lost 3 times in the past 2 seasons. While I'm not sure they'll match last year's regular season record, they know how to turn it up when it counts and they will certainly be a force to reckon with in the postseason yet again.
Last Season : 12-4
2009 Prediction: 10-6
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2009 NFL Preview: NFC North
8/17/2009 | Posted by
Scott Lunn
Chicago Bears
Key Additions: Jay Cutler (QB), Orlando Pace (OT), Kevin Shaffer (OT), Josh Bullocks (S), Glenn Earl (S), Marcus Hamilton (DB), Frank Omiyale (OL), Michael Gaines (TE)
Key Losses: Kyle Orton (QB), Rex Grossman (QB), Mike Brown (S), Marty Booker (WR), Brandon Lloyd (WR), Terrence Metcalf (OL),
Draft Picks: Jarron Gilbert (DT-San Jose St.), Jauquin Iglesias (WR-Oklahoma), Henry Melton (DE-Texas), D.J. Moore (CB-Vanderbilt), Johnny Knox (WR-Abilene Christian), Marcus Freeman (LB-Ohio St.), Al Afalava (S-Oregon St.), Lance Louis (G-San Diego St.), Derek Kinder (WR-Pitt)
The Bears went 9-7 in 2008, which was good for 2nd place in the NFC North and a 2 game improvement over the previous season. It wasn't good enough to earn them a spot in the playoffs however, and Chicago stayed home in January for the 2nd straight year.
Chief amongst their problems in the '08 campaign was a lack of solid play at QB. This very problem has been haunting the team for quite some now, and after realizing that Kyle Orton wasn't the answer, the Bears made a big splash this offseason. They acquired Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos for Orton, along with multiple draft picks. Cutler wanted out of Denver as mentioned in Devin's AFC West preview, and he landed in Chicago, where the city has greeted him with open arms. The Bears believe they have the elite passer needed to propel them back to the top of the NFC and to make a deep run in the postseason.
One of the highlights from last year for the Bears was rookie RB, Matt Forte. The 2nd round pick out of Tulane looked quite impressive in his first NFL season, racking up 1238 yards rushing, and another 477 yards as the team's leading receiver. He also contributed 12 total TDs to the cause for the Bears. Forte is looking to bounce back with an equally solid 2nd season, though much of the pressure will be off his young shoulders with the addition of Cutler.
Offensively, the biggest concern for the Bears has to be at wide receiver where Devin Hester is now their number 1 guy. The other wide outs include a bunch of names that I don't recognize, and only one of them even has more than 2 years experience. Cutler could be a great pick up, but he still needs somebody to throw the ball to. Additionally, the other 2 QBs on the rosters are virtual nobodies, and will leave the Bears in dire straits if Cutler were to be injured.
Defense has long been the hallmark of the Bears organization, and that trend will likely continue in 2009. With Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher, they have two of the best linebackers in the NFL, and DT Tommie Harris and DE Adewale Ogunleye can provide a force on the defensive line. The only question mark for the defense comes in the secondary, where the Bears are fairly young and lack a real veteran leader.
Many want to anoint Jay Cutler as the Bears' savior, but I'm not quite ready to do so. He'll certainly be an upgrade over what they've had at the position in the past, but it doesn't change the fact that he has nobody to throw to at this point. The health of both Cutler and Matt Forte are paramount to the Bears having any success this season, but I personally don't see them being too much better than last year.
Last Season: 9-7
2009 Prediction: 9-7
Detroit Lions
Key Additions: Phillip Buchanon (CB), Grady Jackson (DT), Bryant Johnson (WR), Eric King (CB), Maurice Morris (RB), Will Heller (TE), Cody Spencer (LB), Larry Foote (LB), Ephrain Salaam (OT), Dennis Northcutt (WR)
Key Losses: Jon Kitna (QB), Dan Orlovsky (QB), Mike Furrey (WR), Shaun McDonald (WR), Jon Dunn (OT), Edwin Mulitalo (G), Paris Lenon (LB),
Draft Picks: Matthew Stafford (QB-Georgia), Brandon Pettigrew (TE-Oklahoma St.), Louis Delmas (S-Western Michigan), DeAndre Levy (LB-Wisconsin), Derrick Williams (WR-Penn St.), Sammie Lee Hill (DT-Stillman), Aaron Brown (RB-TCU), Lydon Murtha (OT-Nebraska), Zack Follet (LB-Cal), Dan Gronkowski (TE-Maryland)
Wow, where to even start with the Lions. Kudos to them for pulling off what some people thought they'd never see, 0-16! The Lions were the most pathetic excuse for a football team I've ever seen last year and truly have nowhere to go but up at this point.
Unsurprisingly, the franchise is trying to start fresh this season, as the coaching staff has been completely replaced, and of course, Matt Millen is no longer the GM either. Former Tennessee Titans Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz gets tasked with the rebuilding process in his first NFL head coaching gig. Hell, even the logo and uniforms got a makeover for this year with a new "fiercer" looking lion, which is really basically just the old logo with some extra squigglies thrown in for good measure. I'm serious, it's hardly different, check HERE.
The lone bright spots on the field for the Lions may have come in the form of rookie RB Kevin Smith out of Central Florida, and second year WR Calvin Johnson. Smith managed 976 yards on the ground along with 8 TDs, despite having literally no help around him. Sadly, it's probably not going to be much better for him in 2009. Johnson's numbers could almost be considered amazing, considering the competency of the QBs he had throwing to him. He hauled in 78 catches for 1,331 yards and 12 TDs on the season.
Daunte Culpepper looks to be the starter heading into this season, and that's saying something. In 5 games last year, he managed just 786 yards passing, 4 TDs, 6 INTs, and a 52.2 completion percentage. Good for an amazing QB Rating of 63.9. Some are calling for #1 overall draft pick Matthew Stafford to be thrust into the starting spot, but that's a tricky proposition at best. Rarely are rookie QBs ready to start right away, and with the atrocious team around him, it would only compound that issue. Stafford's career could be out the window before it ever really gets a chance to start if he's pushed into a position where he's so clearly destined to fail.
Defensively, it isn't much better for Detroit. Last season, the team gave up by far a league worst 517 points. Additionally, the offense was near the bottom of the league scoring just 268 points. For those of you who don't want to do the math, the average score of a Detroit Lions game last year was 17-32. The Lions might find their defense improved since their new head coach is well known for his knowledge on that side of the ball, but it's going to be a long hard struggle for the Lions to crawl out of the basement. I don't see them going 0-16 again, but it's not going to be that far away.
Last Season: 0-16
2009 Prediction: 2-14
Green Bay Packers
Key Additions: Anthony Smith (S), Duke Preston (OL), Brian Soi (DT), Stryker Sulak (LB)
Key Losses: Mark Tauscher (OL), Colin Cole (DT), Kenny Pettway (DE), J.J. Jansen (LS), Brennan Carvalho (OL)
Draft Picks: B.J. Raji (DT-Boston College), Clay Matthews (LB-USC), T.J. Lang (OL-Eastern Michigan), Quinn Johnson (FB-LSU), Jamon Meredith (OL-South Carolina), Jarius Wynn (DE-Georgia), Brandon Underwood (CB-Cincinnati), Brad Jones (LB-Colorado)
The Green Bay Packers haven't changed much in terms of personnel on their roster from last year's 6-10 season, but the team will have a bit of a different look for the 2009 season. After struggling on defense last year, Head Coach Mike McCarthy replaced much of the defensive coaching staff and brought on Dom Capers as his coordinator. Capers has a long background in the NFL including 2 head coaching stints and multiple jobs as a defensive coach.
Capers first act was to make the switch from a 4-3 defense over to the 3-4 for the upcoming season. Much of the league has reverted back to this defensive style in the past few years and it seems to work well for many teams. #1 draft pick B.J. Raji looks to cement the 3 man line as the team's new defensive tackle, while star pass rusher Aaron Kampman makes the move from DE to OLB in the new scheme. Clay Matthews was also picked in the first round by Green Bay and could see starting time at the other OLB position, while 4th year LB, A.J. Hawk looks to permanently move to the middle in the 3-4 setup.
The offensive side of the ball is less of a concern for the Packers as they have some good talent at the skill positions. Aaron Rodgers is coming off a 4,038 yard passing season, in which he threw for 28 TDs, both were good enough for 4th best in the NFL. On the other end of those passes are Greg Jennings (80 receptions, 1292 yards, 9 TDs) and Donald Driver 74 receptions, 1012 yards, 5 TDs). Complimenting the passing game is RB Ryan Grant who is entering his 3rd season, coming off a 1,203 yard season where he found the end zone 4 times. Only 3 teams in the NFL averaged better than the Packers 26 points per game, so if they can fix their problems on defense, they should be in good shape for 2009.
I personally think the NFC North could really be up for grabs this season as no one team stands out about the others, well, except for the Lions. I'm comfortable in saying they will be in the division basement again this season. The Packers could find themselves battling for a division title late in the year if they can pick up the defensive side of the ball.
Last Year: 6-10
2009 Prediction: 9-7
Minnesota Vikings
Key Additions: Sage Rosenfels (QB), Glenn Holt (WR), Karl Paymah (CB)
Key Losses: Darren Sharper (S), Matt Birk (C), Gus Frerotte (QB), Maurice Hicks (RB)
Draft Picks: Percy Harvin (WR-Florida), Phil Loadholt (OT-Oklahoma), Asher Allen (CB-Georgia), Jasper Brinkley (LB-South Carolina), Jamarca Sanford (S-Mississippi)
The Minnesota Vikings have probably seen more of the offseason spotlight than any other team in the NFL, due to the never ending saga known as Brett Favre. Favre hinted at a possible return and Minnesota was the chosen destination. Months later after many changes of the mind, and will he, won't he moments, Favre announced on July 28th that he would not return to the league because he couldn't handle the day in and day out duties associated with it. This left the Vikings finally able to move forward with the process of deciding who their starting QB would be this season, at least until Favre gets bored of hunting, fishing, and wearing Wranglers in late October/early November.
Minnesota brought in Sage Rosenfels via a trade with the Houston Texans to compete for the job alongside Tarvaris Jackson. Jackson saw significant time in 6 regular season games last year, along with the Vikings Wild Card loss to Philadelphia. Along the way he threw for just over 1,000 yards and had 9 TDs with only 2 INTs, good enough for a 95.4 passer rating. Jackson was solid while he was at the helm, but bringing in Rosenfels shows that the Vikings organization isn't sold just yet. Rosenfels also played in 6 games for Houston last season, throwing for 1,431 yards and 6 TDs, with 10 INTs.
The two are very different in terms of style as Rosenfels is a traditional pocket passer, while Jackson likes to move around and has very good mobility. The question is which style the Vikings think works best for them. In all honesty, it should be a competition to see who wins the starting job, but neither of them are anything special. The team's star running back is however, very special indeed. Adrian Peterson has had started his career with two very impressive seasons, including piling up 1,760 yards rushing and 10 TDs in the 2008 season. Peterson is pretty much the reason the Vikings won the division and made the postseason last year, and if they manage to do so again this year, it'll likely be because of him as well.
Rookie Percy Harvin adds another dimension at receiver across from Bernard Berrian and could also play a key role in special teams as a return man. Harvin is lighting quick and certainly has big play capability. On defense, the Vikings have one of the best lines in football with Pat and Kevin Williams plugging up the middle at the tackle positions, while Jared Allen is one of the best pass rushers in all of the league at defensive end. He's coming off a 14.5 sack season in 2008. Behind them however, the defense falls off a bit as they lack true play makers at LB and in the secondary. CB Antoine Winfield is still solid entering his 11th season and earned himself a large contract extension in the offseason, but after that, there just isn't much there.
The Vikings should have the inside track to another division title, but could face increased competition from both the Bears and Packers this year. Hopefully they are able to put the Brett Favre mess behind them and choose a starting QB who can lead them back to the postseason, but only time will tell.
Last Season: 10-6
2009 Prediction: 10-6
Key Additions: Jay Cutler (QB), Orlando Pace (OT), Kevin Shaffer (OT), Josh Bullocks (S), Glenn Earl (S), Marcus Hamilton (DB), Frank Omiyale (OL), Michael Gaines (TE)
Key Losses: Kyle Orton (QB), Rex Grossman (QB), Mike Brown (S), Marty Booker (WR), Brandon Lloyd (WR), Terrence Metcalf (OL),
Draft Picks: Jarron Gilbert (DT-San Jose St.), Jauquin Iglesias (WR-Oklahoma), Henry Melton (DE-Texas), D.J. Moore (CB-Vanderbilt), Johnny Knox (WR-Abilene Christian), Marcus Freeman (LB-Ohio St.), Al Afalava (S-Oregon St.), Lance Louis (G-San Diego St.), Derek Kinder (WR-Pitt)
The Bears went 9-7 in 2008, which was good for 2nd place in the NFC North and a 2 game improvement over the previous season. It wasn't good enough to earn them a spot in the playoffs however, and Chicago stayed home in January for the 2nd straight year.
Chief amongst their problems in the '08 campaign was a lack of solid play at QB. This very problem has been haunting the team for quite some now, and after realizing that Kyle Orton wasn't the answer, the Bears made a big splash this offseason. They acquired Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos for Orton, along with multiple draft picks. Cutler wanted out of Denver as mentioned in Devin's AFC West preview, and he landed in Chicago, where the city has greeted him with open arms. The Bears believe they have the elite passer needed to propel them back to the top of the NFC and to make a deep run in the postseason.One of the highlights from last year for the Bears was rookie RB, Matt Forte. The 2nd round pick out of Tulane looked quite impressive in his first NFL season, racking up 1238 yards rushing, and another 477 yards as the team's leading receiver. He also contributed 12 total TDs to the cause for the Bears. Forte is looking to bounce back with an equally solid 2nd season, though much of the pressure will be off his young shoulders with the addition of Cutler.
Offensively, the biggest concern for the Bears has to be at wide receiver where Devin Hester is now their number 1 guy. The other wide outs include a bunch of names that I don't recognize, and only one of them even has more than 2 years experience. Cutler could be a great pick up, but he still needs somebody to throw the ball to. Additionally, the other 2 QBs on the rosters are virtual nobodies, and will leave the Bears in dire straits if Cutler were to be injured.
Defense has long been the hallmark of the Bears organization, and that trend will likely continue in 2009. With Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher, they have two of the best linebackers in the NFL, and DT Tommie Harris and DE Adewale Ogunleye can provide a force on the defensive line. The only question mark for the defense comes in the secondary, where the Bears are fairly young and lack a real veteran leader.
Many want to anoint Jay Cutler as the Bears' savior, but I'm not quite ready to do so. He'll certainly be an upgrade over what they've had at the position in the past, but it doesn't change the fact that he has nobody to throw to at this point. The health of both Cutler and Matt Forte are paramount to the Bears having any success this season, but I personally don't see them being too much better than last year.
Last Season: 9-7
2009 Prediction: 9-7
Detroit Lions
Key Additions: Phillip Buchanon (CB), Grady Jackson (DT), Bryant Johnson (WR), Eric King (CB), Maurice Morris (RB), Will Heller (TE), Cody Spencer (LB), Larry Foote (LB), Ephrain Salaam (OT), Dennis Northcutt (WR)
Key Losses: Jon Kitna (QB), Dan Orlovsky (QB), Mike Furrey (WR), Shaun McDonald (WR), Jon Dunn (OT), Edwin Mulitalo (G), Paris Lenon (LB),
Draft Picks: Matthew Stafford (QB-Georgia), Brandon Pettigrew (TE-Oklahoma St.), Louis Delmas (S-Western Michigan), DeAndre Levy (LB-Wisconsin), Derrick Williams (WR-Penn St.), Sammie Lee Hill (DT-Stillman), Aaron Brown (RB-TCU), Lydon Murtha (OT-Nebraska), Zack Follet (LB-Cal), Dan Gronkowski (TE-Maryland)
Wow, where to even start with the Lions. Kudos to them for pulling off what some people thought they'd never see, 0-16! The Lions were the most pathetic excuse for a football team I've ever seen last year and truly have nowhere to go but up at this point.
Unsurprisingly, the franchise is trying to start fresh this season, as the coaching staff has been completely replaced, and of course, Matt Millen is no longer the GM either. Former Tennessee Titans Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz gets tasked with the rebuilding process in his first NFL head coaching gig. Hell, even the logo and uniforms got a makeover for this year with a new "fiercer" looking lion, which is really basically just the old logo with some extra squigglies thrown in for good measure. I'm serious, it's hardly different, check HERE.
The lone bright spots on the field for the Lions may have come in the form of rookie RB Kevin Smith out of Central Florida, and second year WR Calvin Johnson. Smith managed 976 yards on the ground along with 8 TDs, despite having literally no help around him. Sadly, it's probably not going to be much better for him in 2009. Johnson's numbers could almost be considered amazing, considering the competency of the QBs he had throwing to him. He hauled in 78 catches for 1,331 yards and 12 TDs on the season.
Daunte Culpepper looks to be the starter heading into this season, and that's saying something. In 5 games last year, he managed just 786 yards passing, 4 TDs, 6 INTs, and a 52.2 completion percentage. Good for an amazing QB Rating of 63.9. Some are calling for #1 overall draft pick Matthew Stafford to be thrust into the starting spot, but that's a tricky proposition at best. Rarely are rookie QBs ready to start right away, and with the atrocious team around him, it would only compound that issue. Stafford's career could be out the window before it ever really gets a chance to start if he's pushed into a position where he's so clearly destined to fail.
Defensively, it isn't much better for Detroit. Last season, the team gave up by far a league worst 517 points. Additionally, the offense was near the bottom of the league scoring just 268 points. For those of you who don't want to do the math, the average score of a Detroit Lions game last year was 17-32. The Lions might find their defense improved since their new head coach is well known for his knowledge on that side of the ball, but it's going to be a long hard struggle for the Lions to crawl out of the basement. I don't see them going 0-16 again, but it's not going to be that far away.
Last Season: 0-16
2009 Prediction: 2-14
Green Bay Packers
Key Additions: Anthony Smith (S), Duke Preston (OL), Brian Soi (DT), Stryker Sulak (LB)
Key Losses: Mark Tauscher (OL), Colin Cole (DT), Kenny Pettway (DE), J.J. Jansen (LS), Brennan Carvalho (OL)
Draft Picks: B.J. Raji (DT-Boston College), Clay Matthews (LB-USC), T.J. Lang (OL-Eastern Michigan), Quinn Johnson (FB-LSU), Jamon Meredith (OL-South Carolina), Jarius Wynn (DE-Georgia), Brandon Underwood (CB-Cincinnati), Brad Jones (LB-Colorado)
The Green Bay Packers haven't changed much in terms of personnel on their roster from last year's 6-10 season, but the team will have a bit of a different look for the 2009 season. After struggling on defense last year, Head Coach Mike McCarthy replaced much of the defensive coaching staff and brought on Dom Capers as his coordinator. Capers has a long background in the NFL including 2 head coaching stints and multiple jobs as a defensive coach.
Capers first act was to make the switch from a 4-3 defense over to the 3-4 for the upcoming season. Much of the league has reverted back to this defensive style in the past few years and it seems to work well for many teams. #1 draft pick B.J. Raji looks to cement the 3 man line as the team's new defensive tackle, while star pass rusher Aaron Kampman makes the move from DE to OLB in the new scheme. Clay Matthews was also picked in the first round by Green Bay and could see starting time at the other OLB position, while 4th year LB, A.J. Hawk looks to permanently move to the middle in the 3-4 setup.
The offensive side of the ball is less of a concern for the Packers as they have some good talent at the skill positions. Aaron Rodgers is coming off a 4,038 yard passing season, in which he threw for 28 TDs, both were good enough for 4th best in the NFL. On the other end of those passes are Greg Jennings (80 receptions, 1292 yards, 9 TDs) and Donald Driver 74 receptions, 1012 yards, 5 TDs). Complimenting the passing game is RB Ryan Grant who is entering his 3rd season, coming off a 1,203 yard season where he found the end zone 4 times. Only 3 teams in the NFL averaged better than the Packers 26 points per game, so if they can fix their problems on defense, they should be in good shape for 2009.
I personally think the NFC North could really be up for grabs this season as no one team stands out about the others, well, except for the Lions. I'm comfortable in saying they will be in the division basement again this season. The Packers could find themselves battling for a division title late in the year if they can pick up the defensive side of the ball.
Last Year: 6-10
2009 Prediction: 9-7
Minnesota Vikings
Key Additions: Sage Rosenfels (QB), Glenn Holt (WR), Karl Paymah (CB)
Key Losses: Darren Sharper (S), Matt Birk (C), Gus Frerotte (QB), Maurice Hicks (RB)
Draft Picks: Percy Harvin (WR-Florida), Phil Loadholt (OT-Oklahoma), Asher Allen (CB-Georgia), Jasper Brinkley (LB-South Carolina), Jamarca Sanford (S-Mississippi)
The Minnesota Vikings have probably seen more of the offseason spotlight than any other team in the NFL, due to the never ending saga known as Brett Favre. Favre hinted at a possible return and Minnesota was the chosen destination. Months later after many changes of the mind, and will he, won't he moments, Favre announced on July 28th that he would not return to the league because he couldn't handle the day in and day out duties associated with it. This left the Vikings finally able to move forward with the process of deciding who their starting QB would be this season, at least until Favre gets bored of hunting, fishing, and wearing Wranglers in late October/early November.Minnesota brought in Sage Rosenfels via a trade with the Houston Texans to compete for the job alongside Tarvaris Jackson. Jackson saw significant time in 6 regular season games last year, along with the Vikings Wild Card loss to Philadelphia. Along the way he threw for just over 1,000 yards and had 9 TDs with only 2 INTs, good enough for a 95.4 passer rating. Jackson was solid while he was at the helm, but bringing in Rosenfels shows that the Vikings organization isn't sold just yet. Rosenfels also played in 6 games for Houston last season, throwing for 1,431 yards and 6 TDs, with 10 INTs.
The two are very different in terms of style as Rosenfels is a traditional pocket passer, while Jackson likes to move around and has very good mobility. The question is which style the Vikings think works best for them. In all honesty, it should be a competition to see who wins the starting job, but neither of them are anything special. The team's star running back is however, very special indeed. Adrian Peterson has had started his career with two very impressive seasons, including piling up 1,760 yards rushing and 10 TDs in the 2008 season. Peterson is pretty much the reason the Vikings won the division and made the postseason last year, and if they manage to do so again this year, it'll likely be because of him as well.
Rookie Percy Harvin adds another dimension at receiver across from Bernard Berrian and could also play a key role in special teams as a return man. Harvin is lighting quick and certainly has big play capability. On defense, the Vikings have one of the best lines in football with Pat and Kevin Williams plugging up the middle at the tackle positions, while Jared Allen is one of the best pass rushers in all of the league at defensive end. He's coming off a 14.5 sack season in 2008. Behind them however, the defense falls off a bit as they lack true play makers at LB and in the secondary. CB Antoine Winfield is still solid entering his 11th season and earned himself a large contract extension in the offseason, but after that, there just isn't much there.
The Vikings should have the inside track to another division title, but could face increased competition from both the Bears and Packers this year. Hopefully they are able to put the Brett Favre mess behind them and choose a starting QB who can lead them back to the postseason, but only time will tell.
Last Season: 10-6
2009 Prediction: 10-6
2009 NFL Preview: AFC West
8/13/2009 | Posted by
Devin
Denver Broncos
Key Additions: Andra Davis (LB), LaMont Jordan (RB), Chris Simms (QB), Kyle Orton (QB), Brandon Lloyd (WR), Correll Buckhalter (RB), Brian Dawkins (S), Jabar Gaffney (WR), Renaldo Hill (S), Darrell Reid (DE)
Key Losses: Jay Cutler (QB), Selvin Young (RB), Dre Bly (CB), Marlon McCree (CB), Boss Bailey (LB), Patrick Ramsey (QB), Tom Nalen (C), Ebenezer Ekuban (DE), Tatum Bell (RB), Michael Pittman (RB)
Draft Picks: Knowshon Moreno (RB-Georgia), Robert Ayers (DE-Tennessee), Alphonso Smith (CB-Wake Forest), Darcel McBath (S-TTU), Richard Quinn (TE-UNC), David Bruton (S-Notre Dame), Seth Olson (G-Iowa), Kenny McKinley (WR-South Carolina), Tom Brandstater (QB-Fresno State), Blake Schueter (C-TCU)
The Broncos had a 2008 season that they probably wish they could forget. They came out of the gates by lighting up the scoreboards but ended the season with a huge collapse that included three straight losses and a vacation scheduled for wildcard weekend.
The first order of business this offseason for Denver was to fire long-time head coach Mike
Shannahan. This came as a shock to almost every Broncos fan on the planet, including Jay Cutler. Cutler had been babied ever since he came into the league by Shannahan so obviously this didn’t go over to well with him. Shortly after hiring former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, the rumors started to spread that McDaniels wanted to bring Matt Cassel over from New England. The mere thought of these rumors sent Cutler into a tizzy that wouldn’t be solved until his eventual trade to Chicago. Needless to say, McDaniels probably could’ve done a little better going into his first head coaching job than he did.
Denver acquired QB Kyle Orton from Chicago in the Cutler trade. This is an obvious downgrade as I’m not even sure Orton should be starting in Denver. If you recall while in Chicago, Orton was good enough to not lose while the defense won most of the games. The minute Rex Grossman was healthy; he took the job back from Orton. When you’re losing your starting job to Rex Grossman, well, it isn’t good.
Denver also brought in Chris Simms, a QB who hasn’t seen a significant amount of playing time since he was the starter in Tampa Bay. Simms lost his job due to injury and the never ending QB carousel in Tampa. McDaniels quickly crowned Orton the starter heading into camp but I think there should be an open competition. As I wrote in my free agent rankings, Simms could be a solid pickup for the team that signed him. I have confidence that now healthy, Simms can be a productive starter in the league still.
On the flip side, Josh McDaniels proved last season that he was able to work with much lesser talent, so he may just be the person to get the job done with Orton. Then again, it could’ve been the combination of Bill Belichek, Randy Moss, and Wes Welker that helped Matt Cassel succeed in New England. I guess we’ll find out later on this year now that McDaniels is in Denver and Cassel is starting in Kansas City.
Either way, the Broncos are going into this season with a new GM, coach, and starting quarterback. Not to mention last season the Broncos had a terrible defense and while they added Brian Dawkins, I still see plenty of struggles for the D. They are literally starting over so I see plenty of struggles this season. Of course you never know, an 8-8 record did win the division last season.
Last Season: 8-8
2009 Prediction: 6-10
Kansas City Chiefs
Key Additions: Travis Daniels (CB), Monty Beisel (LB), Bobby Engram (WR), Zach Thomas (LB), Amani Toomer (WR), Matt Cassel (QB), Mike Vrabel (LB), Tony Curtis (TE), Terrance Copper (WR), Mike Goff (G)
Key Losses: Damon Huard (QB), Quinn Gray (QB), Tony Gonzalez (TE), Patrick Surtain (CB), Donnie Edwards (LB), David Macklin (CB), Pat Thomas (LB)
Draft Picks: Tyson Jackson (DE-LSU), Alex Magee (DT-Purdue), Donald Washington (CB-OSU), Colin Brown (T-Missouri), Quinten Lawrence (WR-McNeese State), Javarris Williams (RB-Tennessee St), Jake O’Connell (TE-Miami University), Ryan Succop (K-South Carolina)
The Chiefs finished with a terrible 2-14 record last year but don’t let that fool you. They lost quite a few close games and weren’t nearly as bad as a 2-14 record would lead you to believe. They started out the season by losing their starting QB Brodie Croyle to injury. To make matters worse, it took about nine seconds for backup Damon Huard to also go down. This is when Tyler Thigpen stepped in and put up very respectable numbers (while destroying multiple fantasy leagues). Thigpen finished the season with 2608 yards, 18 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, a 76.0 QB rating, 386 rushing yards, and three rushing touchdowns. Not bad for a third string QB never expected to play a meaningful game.
During the offseason the Chiefs brought Scott Pioli in from New England. I guess if you’re going to be rebuilding, it’s smart to bring someone in who knows a thing or two about building a team. The Chiefs then hired Todd Haley, formerly of the NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals, to take over as head coach for Herm Edwards. Then came the true rebuilding process.
The Chiefs went out and acquired Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel from the Patriots for a mere second round pick. The jury is out on whether or not Cassel is the real deal or a one year wonder that was a product of the New England system, but Kansas City definitely believes in him as evidenced by his long term contract extension. I don’t necessarily think it’s fair that Cassel got the huge extension while Tyler Thigpen wasn’t even given a chance to compete for the job, but who am I? It’s a funny world we live in. Cassel was a career backup in college to superstar Matt Leinart and now in the NFL Cassel is the one with the big money deal and starting job while Leinart is fighting just to be second string in Arizona.
While the Chiefs are definitely rebuilding, I like the direction they are heading in. I’m not sure if like the trade of Tony Gonzalez but I feel their hands were tied with that decision and they had to trade him out of respect. Along with Vrabel they brought in Zach Thomas and Amani Toomer. If anything, the younger guys will have someone to look up to and learn from during this rebuilding process. Their season will really depend on whether or not Cassel can succeed in his new surroundings. If I were a Chiefs fan, this wouldn’t excite me too much.
Last Season: 2-14
2009 Prediction: 6-10
Oakland Raiders
Key Additions: Khalif Barnes (T), Samson Satele (C), Jeff Garcia (QB), Lorenzo Neal (FB), Gary Russell (RB), Charlie Frye (QB), Greg Ellis (LB)
Key Losses: Jake Grove (C), Rashad Baker (S), Ronald Curry (WR), Justin Griffith (FB), Andrew Walter (QB), Marques Tuiasosopo (QB), Ashley Lelie (WR), Tony Stewart (TE), Gibril Wilson (S), Derrick Burgess (DE)
Draft Picks: Darrius Heyward-Bey (WR-Maryland), Michael Mitchell (S-Ohio), Matt Shaughnessy (DE-Wisconsin), Louis Murphy (WR-Florida), Slade Norris (OLB-Oregon State), Stryker Sulak (DE-Missouri), Brandon Myers (TE-Iowa)
Last year saw the continuation of the Oakland Raiders traveling circus as ringmaster Al Davis continued to embarrass the fans, organization, and every player wearing silver and black. It only took three weeks for the Raiders to fire head coach Lane Kiffin and make headlines in their own unique way. Oh no, they weren’t just going to fire their head coach, they were going to hold a press conference where he would be slandered in every possible way by the owner. Lane Kiffin might be is a huge idiot, but he probably didn’t deserve that treatment from Davis.
After finishing a surprising and mildly successful 5-11, everybody expected the Raiders to try and re-group during the offseason. They decided to remove the interim tag and hire Tom Cable as their head coach. I’m not sure if this was the best move (considering Jim Fassel was practically begging for a job from Oakland) but when you’re the Raiders and you have a meddling owner; you take what you can get. That leads us to the draft. Rather than repeat myself, I encourage anybody who hasn’t read my draft recap to click here and get my thoughts on that spectacle.
I’m not here to completely bash the Raiders though; they did make a few good moves during the offseason. They brought in former Dallas Cowboys LB Greg Ellis for one. The Raiders defense, no matter how bad the overall team is, has been one of the few highlights for the team. Adding a proven player like Ellis will only make the defense that much stronger. They also added journeyman QB Jeff Garcia. Although he isn’t slated to start, I see this happening by Week Six. All of the pressure is landing squarely on JaMarcus Russell right now. He has shown flashes of being a competent QB but hasn’t completely put it together yet. Now he has a veteran who is itching to get on the field and oh yeah, is proficient in the West Coast Offense. Things aren’t looking so good for JaMarcus right now.
Last Season: 5-11
2009 Prediction: 5-11
San Diego Chargers
Key Additions: Kevin Burnett (LB)
Key Losses: Igor Olshansky (DE), Mike Goff (G)
Draft Picks: Larry English (LB-Northern Illinois), Louis Vasquez (G-TTU), Vaughn Martin (DT-Western Ontario), Tyronne Green (G-Auburn), Gartrell Johnson (RB-Colorado St), Brandon Hughes (CB-Oregon State), Kevin Ellison (S-USC), Demetrius Byrd (WR-LSU)
Despite winning the AFC West last season and advancing to the second round of the playoffs, I think most fans would agree that the Chargers had a somewhat disappointing 2008 season. They came into the season with Super Bowl level expectations but it took a Week 17 victory/ epic collapse by Denver to sneak into the playoffs with a record of 8-8.
I don’t think anybody (including myself) thought the Chargers would do a whole lot once in the playoffs, but they shocked the Indianapolis Colts with an overtime victory that once again
brought the overtime rules into question. (The sooner the NFL switches to college overtime rules the better.) After grabbing an early lead in Pittsburgh, the wheels finally came off for San Diego and they were sent back home with yet another playoff loss.
Last season the Chargers battled several injuries to key players like LaDanian Tomlinson and their best defensive player, Shawne Merriman. Getting those players back this season will be a huge boost, which explains why San Diego didn’t have a very active offseason in terms of free agent signings. They were able to lockup Darren Sproles, who even with a healthy Tomlinson, should be looking at a very productive 2009 season.
LaDanian Tomlinson is poised for a breakout season this year. A lot of people counted him out last year after all of his injuries and I’m sure he is ready to prove himself. In fact, based on where he is being drafted in fantasy drafts right now, I think many people expect this out of him.
If the Chargers can stay healthy and play football up to what they are capable of, the AFC West is as good as theirs. With the other three teams re-building/sucking, the Chargers would actually have to try to lose the division. They have been deep in the playoffs the last two seasons so if they do end up staying healthy, there is a good chance we’ll be watching the Chargers on Super Bowl Sunday.
Last Season: 8-8
2009 Prediction: 10-6
Key Additions: Andra Davis (LB), LaMont Jordan (RB), Chris Simms (QB), Kyle Orton (QB), Brandon Lloyd (WR), Correll Buckhalter (RB), Brian Dawkins (S), Jabar Gaffney (WR), Renaldo Hill (S), Darrell Reid (DE)
Key Losses: Jay Cutler (QB), Selvin Young (RB), Dre Bly (CB), Marlon McCree (CB), Boss Bailey (LB), Patrick Ramsey (QB), Tom Nalen (C), Ebenezer Ekuban (DE), Tatum Bell (RB), Michael Pittman (RB)
Draft Picks: Knowshon Moreno (RB-Georgia), Robert Ayers (DE-Tennessee), Alphonso Smith (CB-Wake Forest), Darcel McBath (S-TTU), Richard Quinn (TE-UNC), David Bruton (S-Notre Dame), Seth Olson (G-Iowa), Kenny McKinley (WR-South Carolina), Tom Brandstater (QB-Fresno State), Blake Schueter (C-TCU)
The Broncos had a 2008 season that they probably wish they could forget. They came out of the gates by lighting up the scoreboards but ended the season with a huge collapse that included three straight losses and a vacation scheduled for wildcard weekend.
The first order of business this offseason for Denver was to fire long-time head coach Mike
Shannahan. This came as a shock to almost every Broncos fan on the planet, including Jay Cutler. Cutler had been babied ever since he came into the league by Shannahan so obviously this didn’t go over to well with him. Shortly after hiring former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, the rumors started to spread that McDaniels wanted to bring Matt Cassel over from New England. The mere thought of these rumors sent Cutler into a tizzy that wouldn’t be solved until his eventual trade to Chicago. Needless to say, McDaniels probably could’ve done a little better going into his first head coaching job than he did.Denver acquired QB Kyle Orton from Chicago in the Cutler trade. This is an obvious downgrade as I’m not even sure Orton should be starting in Denver. If you recall while in Chicago, Orton was good enough to not lose while the defense won most of the games. The minute Rex Grossman was healthy; he took the job back from Orton. When you’re losing your starting job to Rex Grossman, well, it isn’t good.
Denver also brought in Chris Simms, a QB who hasn’t seen a significant amount of playing time since he was the starter in Tampa Bay. Simms lost his job due to injury and the never ending QB carousel in Tampa. McDaniels quickly crowned Orton the starter heading into camp but I think there should be an open competition. As I wrote in my free agent rankings, Simms could be a solid pickup for the team that signed him. I have confidence that now healthy, Simms can be a productive starter in the league still.
On the flip side, Josh McDaniels proved last season that he was able to work with much lesser talent, so he may just be the person to get the job done with Orton. Then again, it could’ve been the combination of Bill Belichek, Randy Moss, and Wes Welker that helped Matt Cassel succeed in New England. I guess we’ll find out later on this year now that McDaniels is in Denver and Cassel is starting in Kansas City.
Either way, the Broncos are going into this season with a new GM, coach, and starting quarterback. Not to mention last season the Broncos had a terrible defense and while they added Brian Dawkins, I still see plenty of struggles for the D. They are literally starting over so I see plenty of struggles this season. Of course you never know, an 8-8 record did win the division last season.
Last Season: 8-8
2009 Prediction: 6-10
Kansas City Chiefs
Key Additions: Travis Daniels (CB), Monty Beisel (LB), Bobby Engram (WR), Zach Thomas (LB), Amani Toomer (WR), Matt Cassel (QB), Mike Vrabel (LB), Tony Curtis (TE), Terrance Copper (WR), Mike Goff (G)
Key Losses: Damon Huard (QB), Quinn Gray (QB), Tony Gonzalez (TE), Patrick Surtain (CB), Donnie Edwards (LB), David Macklin (CB), Pat Thomas (LB)
Draft Picks: Tyson Jackson (DE-LSU), Alex Magee (DT-Purdue), Donald Washington (CB-OSU), Colin Brown (T-Missouri), Quinten Lawrence (WR-McNeese State), Javarris Williams (RB-Tennessee St), Jake O’Connell (TE-Miami University), Ryan Succop (K-South Carolina)
The Chiefs finished with a terrible 2-14 record last year but don’t let that fool you. They lost quite a few close games and weren’t nearly as bad as a 2-14 record would lead you to believe. They started out the season by losing their starting QB Brodie Croyle to injury. To make matters worse, it took about nine seconds for backup Damon Huard to also go down. This is when Tyler Thigpen stepped in and put up very respectable numbers (while destroying multiple fantasy leagues). Thigpen finished the season with 2608 yards, 18 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, a 76.0 QB rating, 386 rushing yards, and three rushing touchdowns. Not bad for a third string QB never expected to play a meaningful game.
During the offseason the Chiefs brought Scott Pioli in from New England. I guess if you’re going to be rebuilding, it’s smart to bring someone in who knows a thing or two about building a team. The Chiefs then hired Todd Haley, formerly of the NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals, to take over as head coach for Herm Edwards. Then came the true rebuilding process.
The Chiefs went out and acquired Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel from the Patriots for a mere second round pick. The jury is out on whether or not Cassel is the real deal or a one year wonder that was a product of the New England system, but Kansas City definitely believes in him as evidenced by his long term contract extension. I don’t necessarily think it’s fair that Cassel got the huge extension while Tyler Thigpen wasn’t even given a chance to compete for the job, but who am I? It’s a funny world we live in. Cassel was a career backup in college to superstar Matt Leinart and now in the NFL Cassel is the one with the big money deal and starting job while Leinart is fighting just to be second string in Arizona.
While the Chiefs are definitely rebuilding, I like the direction they are heading in. I’m not sure if like the trade of Tony Gonzalez but I feel their hands were tied with that decision and they had to trade him out of respect. Along with Vrabel they brought in Zach Thomas and Amani Toomer. If anything, the younger guys will have someone to look up to and learn from during this rebuilding process. Their season will really depend on whether or not Cassel can succeed in his new surroundings. If I were a Chiefs fan, this wouldn’t excite me too much.
Last Season: 2-14
2009 Prediction: 6-10
Oakland Raiders
Key Additions: Khalif Barnes (T), Samson Satele (C), Jeff Garcia (QB), Lorenzo Neal (FB), Gary Russell (RB), Charlie Frye (QB), Greg Ellis (LB)
Key Losses: Jake Grove (C), Rashad Baker (S), Ronald Curry (WR), Justin Griffith (FB), Andrew Walter (QB), Marques Tuiasosopo (QB), Ashley Lelie (WR), Tony Stewart (TE), Gibril Wilson (S), Derrick Burgess (DE)
Draft Picks: Darrius Heyward-Bey (WR-Maryland), Michael Mitchell (S-Ohio), Matt Shaughnessy (DE-Wisconsin), Louis Murphy (WR-Florida), Slade Norris (OLB-Oregon State), Stryker Sulak (DE-Missouri), Brandon Myers (TE-Iowa)
Last year saw the continuation of the Oakland Raiders traveling circus as ringmaster Al Davis continued to embarrass the fans, organization, and every player wearing silver and black. It only took three weeks for the Raiders to fire head coach Lane Kiffin and make headlines in their own unique way. Oh no, they weren’t just going to fire their head coach, they were going to hold a press conference where he would be slandered in every possible way by the owner. Lane Kiffin
After finishing a surprising and mildly successful 5-11, everybody expected the Raiders to try and re-group during the offseason. They decided to remove the interim tag and hire Tom Cable as their head coach. I’m not sure if this was the best move (considering Jim Fassel was practically begging for a job from Oakland) but when you’re the Raiders and you have a meddling owner; you take what you can get. That leads us to the draft. Rather than repeat myself, I encourage anybody who hasn’t read my draft recap to click here and get my thoughts on that spectacle.
I’m not here to completely bash the Raiders though; they did make a few good moves during the offseason. They brought in former Dallas Cowboys LB Greg Ellis for one. The Raiders defense, no matter how bad the overall team is, has been one of the few highlights for the team. Adding a proven player like Ellis will only make the defense that much stronger. They also added journeyman QB Jeff Garcia. Although he isn’t slated to start, I see this happening by Week Six. All of the pressure is landing squarely on JaMarcus Russell right now. He has shown flashes of being a competent QB but hasn’t completely put it together yet. Now he has a veteran who is itching to get on the field and oh yeah, is proficient in the West Coast Offense. Things aren’t looking so good for JaMarcus right now.
Last Season: 5-11
2009 Prediction: 5-11
San Diego Chargers
Key Additions: Kevin Burnett (LB)
Key Losses: Igor Olshansky (DE), Mike Goff (G)
Draft Picks: Larry English (LB-Northern Illinois), Louis Vasquez (G-TTU), Vaughn Martin (DT-Western Ontario), Tyronne Green (G-Auburn), Gartrell Johnson (RB-Colorado St), Brandon Hughes (CB-Oregon State), Kevin Ellison (S-USC), Demetrius Byrd (WR-LSU)
Despite winning the AFC West last season and advancing to the second round of the playoffs, I think most fans would agree that the Chargers had a somewhat disappointing 2008 season. They came into the season with Super Bowl level expectations but it took a Week 17 victory/ epic collapse by Denver to sneak into the playoffs with a record of 8-8.
I don’t think anybody (including myself) thought the Chargers would do a whole lot once in the playoffs, but they shocked the Indianapolis Colts with an overtime victory that once again
brought the overtime rules into question. (The sooner the NFL switches to college overtime rules the better.) After grabbing an early lead in Pittsburgh, the wheels finally came off for San Diego and they were sent back home with yet another playoff loss.Last season the Chargers battled several injuries to key players like LaDanian Tomlinson and their best defensive player, Shawne Merriman. Getting those players back this season will be a huge boost, which explains why San Diego didn’t have a very active offseason in terms of free agent signings. They were able to lockup Darren Sproles, who even with a healthy Tomlinson, should be looking at a very productive 2009 season.
LaDanian Tomlinson is poised for a breakout season this year. A lot of people counted him out last year after all of his injuries and I’m sure he is ready to prove himself. In fact, based on where he is being drafted in fantasy drafts right now, I think many people expect this out of him.
If the Chargers can stay healthy and play football up to what they are capable of, the AFC West is as good as theirs. With the other three teams re-building/sucking, the Chargers would actually have to try to lose the division. They have been deep in the playoffs the last two seasons so if they do end up staying healthy, there is a good chance we’ll be watching the Chargers on Super Bowl Sunday.
Last Season: 8-8
2009 Prediction: 10-6
2009 NFL Preview: NFC West
8/10/2009 | Posted by
Devin
Arizona Cardinals
Key Additions: Dan Kreider (FB), Bryant McFadden (CB), Anthony Becht (TE), Jason Wright (RB), Melvin Fowler (C)
Key Losses: Rod Hood (CB), Edgerrin James (RB), Travis Laboy (DE/LB), J.J. Arrington (RB), Monty Beisel (LB), Antonio Smith (DE), Matt Stewart (LB)
Draft Picks: Chris Wells (RB-OSU), Cody Brown (OLB-UConn), Rashad Johnson (S-Alabama), Greg Toler (CB-St Pauls Col), Herman Johnson (OG-LSU), Will Davis (DE-Illinois), LaRod Stephens-Howling (RB-Pittsburgh), Trevor Canfield (OG-Cincy)
The Cardinals only improved one game from the 2007 season, but it was by far their most successful season in franchise history. The Cardinals won the lackluster NFC West and promptly disposed of the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and Philadelphia Eagles on their way to winning the NFC Title. Arizona was well on their way to shocking the world in Super Bowl XLIII
before succumbing to a fourth quarter comeback led by Ben Roethlisberger and walking off the field underneath a shower of black and yellow confetti.
The Cardinals came into the off-season with two glaring items on the agenda. One was to re-sign Kurt Warner and the other was to resolve the on and off relationship with wide receiver Anquan Boldin. The Cardinals seemed hesitant in re-signing Warner but after watching him fly to San Francisco and flirt with the 49ers, the Cardinals bit the bullet and did the right thing by bringing Warner back. If they wanted any shot at the playoffs again, this was going to be their best option. My source Captain Obvious tells me there would’ve been a drop off in production if Matt Leinart took over the starting job this season.
There were rumors swirling on draft day of all the possible destinations for Boldin, but as we sit here today he is still an Arizona Cardinal. This is the smartest move for all sides. Boldin is a very good receiver, but he benefits greatly from having the best in the game line up on the opposite side each week. I’m not saying Boldin wouldn’t succeed with another team, but I’ve seen this situation play out before and it didn’t end well for either side (Peerless Price in Atlanta). Chances are he’ll stay in Arizona and continue to produce while complaining on a weekly basis.
Along with most of the general population, I have the Cardinals repeating as NFC West champions this season. They are bringing back most of the players from last season with a few exceptions. They will be without running back Edgerrin James, however if Chris Wells can live up to expectations, they won’t have to worry too much about that. Arizona is a pass first team anyways so I don’t see this being a big deal. With Kurt Warner tossing the ball to Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston, Arizona should be able to light up the scoreboard again this season.
Last Season: 9-7
2009 Prediction: 10-6
San Francisco 49ers
Key Additions: Damon Huard (QB), Marvel Smith (OT), Dre Bly (CB), Brandon Jones (WR)
Key Losses: Jonas Jennings (OT), J.T. O’Sullivan (QB), Bryant Johnson (WR)
Draft Picks: Michael Crabtree (WR-TTU), Glen Coffee (RB-Alabama), Scott McKillop (LB-Pittsburgh), Nate Davis (QB-Ball St.), Bear Pascoe (TE-Fresno St.), Curtis Taylor (FS-LSU), Ricky Jean-Francois (DT-LSU)
The 49ers started out poorly again last season and it led to a mid-season coaching change when Mike Nolan was replaced by former Chicago Bears linebacker Mike Singletary. The change seemed to make a noticeable difference in his first week as he sent tight end Vernon Davis to the showers during a game. From that point on, even with questionable talent, the 49ers began playing much better and finished the season by winning four of their last five games.
The most glaring thing missing from the 49ers is a competent quarterback. They tried snatching Kurt Warner away from the Cardinals but just missed out on that opportunity. So as they head into training camp it appears to be an open competition between Shaun Hill, Damon Huard, and Alex Smith. Yikes.
The 49ers did get lucky during the draft when the Raiders drafted Darius Heyward-Bey and essentially gift wrapped Michael Crabtree for San Francisco. When Crabtree was available, the Niners had to jump on that as quickly as possible. Several mock drafts had Crabtree going within the top five and if he plays up to his potential, the Niners will have themselves a real draft steal on their hands. That is, assuming they can sign him in the near future.
At the time of this writing, Michael Crabtree is still holding out and in fact has his advisor (or agent) going on the record stating that Crabtree is willing to sit out the entire season and re-enter the draft next year. Call me crazy, but this strategy is about as dumb as it gets. The guy hasn’t even played a down yet and probably has the majority of fans and players against him. Regardless of whether he is better than Heyward-Bey or not, he was drafted lower and should get paid lower to start. It’s really that simple.
If I were a 49er fan I would be mildly excited heading into this season. I don’t think they will reach the postseason, but I really liked the way San Francisco finished last season and I also really liked the style of coaching Mike Singletary brought to the table. He seems very committed to building a winner in San Francisco and he is doing it his way. The players seem to have caught on to that concept and have fully bought into it.
If they had landed Kurt Warner during the off-season I’d easily have them winning the division, however they didn’t, so much isn’t going to change this season in the Bay Area. It’s hard to win in this league without a good quarterback. Trust me, I know this all to well. Although I have them finishing with the same record as last season, they will be a much better 7-9 than they were last year. I swear that makes sense in my head.
Last Season: 7-9
2009 Prediction: 7-9
Seattle Seahawks
Key Additions: T.J. Houshmanzadeh (WR), Cory Redding (DL), Ken Lucas (CB), Justin Griffith (FB)
Key Losses: Rocky Bernard (DT), Bobby Engram (WR), Charlie Frye (QB), Maurice Morris (RB), Julian Peterson (LB), Leonard Weaver (FB)
Draft Picks: Aaron Curry (LB-Wake Forest), Max Unger (OT-Oregon), Deon Butler (WR-PSU), Mike Teel (QB-Rutgers), Courtney Greene (SS-Rutgers), Nick Reed (DE-Oregon), Cameron Morrah (TE-Cal)
The Seahawks started out the season as the usual favorites in the NFC West but they were TERRIBLE right out of the gate. Trust me, I was there on opening day and the Seahawks weren’t good enough to beat the Lions that day. Starting with Week One the Seahawks were decimated with injuries that no team would be able to overcome. The season only got worse as time went on and future Hall of Fame coach Mike Holmgren had a final season that he’d probably rather forget.
Seattle addressed their most immediate need this off-season when they signed one of the best players on the open market, T.J. Houshmanzadeh. He won’t have the benefit of lining up on the opposite side of Chad Ochocinco anymore, but unlike my theory on the Cardinals, I think Houshmanzadeh will do just fine in Seattle. Something tells me the lack of distractions will allow him to put up some pretty big
numbers. His success will depend on the quality of receivers surrounding him and the health of Matt Hasselbeck. If Hasselbeck’s back can hold up, Houshmanzadeh could be looking at a Pro Bowl season.
After Kansas City passed on Aaron Curry in the draft ( like predicted by a pretty smart guy ), the Seahawks snatched him up and made their defense that much better. The pairing of Curry and Tatupu could be a very scary combination if both players stay healthy and perform up to their expectations.
Along with the health of Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle’s overall success this season will hinge upon whether or not Jim Mora Jr. can effectively fill the shoes of Mike Holmgren. Mora had some success in Atlanta but eventually fell out of favor and hasn’t been a head coach since. While he worked with Seattle last season, he will definitely put his own stamp on the team now that he is in charge.
The fact that Seattle hasn’t really addressed the backup quarterback position this offseason would concern me if I were a Seahawks fan. Seneca Wallace is a fine athlete and all, but I don’t feel like he could carry the torch for the whole season if Hasselbeck were to go down again. To be perfectly honest, this seems like a great fit for Michael Vick if/when he finds a team. He would be working with his old coach again and would have a good shot at some playing time.
Last Season: 4-12
2009 Prediction: 6-10
St Louis Rams
Key Additions: Kyle Boller (QB), Mike Karney (FB), Jason Brown ( C ), Tim Carter (WR), Ronald Curry (WR)
Key Losses: Orlando Pace (OT), Torry Holt (WR), Pisa Tinoisamoa (LB), Trent Green (QB), Drew Bennett (WR), Anthony Becht (TE), Corey Chavous (S), Brian Leonard (RB), Dan Krieder (FB), La’Roi Glover (DT)
Draft Picks: Jason Smith (OT-Baylor), James Laurinaitis (LB-OSU), Bradley Fletcher (CB-Iowa), Dorell Scott (DT-Clemson), Brooks Foster (WR-UNC), Keith Null (QB-West Texas A&M), Chris Ogbonnaya (RB-Texas)
The Rams finished off last season as one of the worst teams in the league. In fact, if it weren’t for the Lions running the table in the wrong direction, I’d say the Rams were by far the worst. They were the type of team where although they were beating Buffalo at home in the second half, I sat back and relaxed because I knew the Rams would find some way to screw it up and Buffalo would coast to an easy win. When I have that kind of confidence in the Bills, there is a serious problem.
The Rams fired Scott Linehan during the bye week last season and managed a solid two wins under interim coach Jim Haslett. During the off-season they made a permanent change by bringing former Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnullo into the fold. The Rams then proceeded to completely clean house by cutting such mainstays as Torry Holt and Orlando Pace.
They replaced Pace with their second overall pick, Jason Smith. Assuming he doesn’t fall apart at the seams, he should be an adequate replacement for the re-building Rams. After hauling in an impressive 53 passes during his rookie season, the Rams are looking at Donnie Avery to help soften the blow of losing Torry Holt.
If Marc Bulger can muster more than two seconds to throw the ball, the Rams could actually be much more improved over last season. If Bulger doesn’t have the time and suffers from injuries again…well…it won’t be good. The Rams brought former Ravens quarterback Kyle Boller in to be the backup after Trent Green finally retired but this is actually a downgrade. I’ve seen Boller play quite a bit and I don’t think I’ve ever thought to myself, not even one time, that Boller is an adequate NFL quarterback. On the flip side, I did once have those thoughts about J.P. Losman. So in conclusion, I’m either a horrible evaluator of quarterback talent, a ridiculous homer, an idiot, or all of the above.
I like the direction the Rams are heading in by completely cleaning house and starting over from scratch. It might be frustrating to the fans but it’s better than the team trotting out a bunch of over the hill veterans while spewing the company line about how this year will be different. Plus who knows, they play in the NFC, where 8-8 has been good enough to make the playoffs in the past. Unfortunately for the Rams, I don’t see them winning more than a handful of games.
Last Season: 2-14
2009 Prediction: 4-12
Key Additions: Dan Kreider (FB), Bryant McFadden (CB), Anthony Becht (TE), Jason Wright (RB), Melvin Fowler (C)
Key Losses: Rod Hood (CB), Edgerrin James (RB), Travis Laboy (DE/LB), J.J. Arrington (RB), Monty Beisel (LB), Antonio Smith (DE), Matt Stewart (LB)
Draft Picks: Chris Wells (RB-OSU), Cody Brown (OLB-UConn), Rashad Johnson (S-Alabama), Greg Toler (CB-St Pauls Col), Herman Johnson (OG-LSU), Will Davis (DE-Illinois), LaRod Stephens-Howling (RB-Pittsburgh), Trevor Canfield (OG-Cincy)
The Cardinals only improved one game from the 2007 season, but it was by far their most successful season in franchise history. The Cardinals won the lackluster NFC West and promptly disposed of the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and Philadelphia Eagles on their way to winning the NFC Title. Arizona was well on their way to shocking the world in Super Bowl XLIII
before succumbing to a fourth quarter comeback led by Ben Roethlisberger and walking off the field underneath a shower of black and yellow confetti.The Cardinals came into the off-season with two glaring items on the agenda. One was to re-sign Kurt Warner and the other was to resolve the on and off relationship with wide receiver Anquan Boldin. The Cardinals seemed hesitant in re-signing Warner but after watching him fly to San Francisco and flirt with the 49ers, the Cardinals bit the bullet and did the right thing by bringing Warner back. If they wanted any shot at the playoffs again, this was going to be their best option. My source Captain Obvious tells me there would’ve been a drop off in production if Matt Leinart took over the starting job this season.
There were rumors swirling on draft day of all the possible destinations for Boldin, but as we sit here today he is still an Arizona Cardinal. This is the smartest move for all sides. Boldin is a very good receiver, but he benefits greatly from having the best in the game line up on the opposite side each week. I’m not saying Boldin wouldn’t succeed with another team, but I’ve seen this situation play out before and it didn’t end well for either side (Peerless Price in Atlanta). Chances are he’ll stay in Arizona and continue to produce while complaining on a weekly basis.
Along with most of the general population, I have the Cardinals repeating as NFC West champions this season. They are bringing back most of the players from last season with a few exceptions. They will be without running back Edgerrin James, however if Chris Wells can live up to expectations, they won’t have to worry too much about that. Arizona is a pass first team anyways so I don’t see this being a big deal. With Kurt Warner tossing the ball to Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston, Arizona should be able to light up the scoreboard again this season.
Last Season: 9-7
2009 Prediction: 10-6
San Francisco 49ers
Key Additions: Damon Huard (QB), Marvel Smith (OT), Dre Bly (CB), Brandon Jones (WR)
Key Losses: Jonas Jennings (OT), J.T. O’Sullivan (QB), Bryant Johnson (WR)
Draft Picks: Michael Crabtree (WR-TTU), Glen Coffee (RB-Alabama), Scott McKillop (LB-Pittsburgh), Nate Davis (QB-Ball St.), Bear Pascoe (TE-Fresno St.), Curtis Taylor (FS-LSU), Ricky Jean-Francois (DT-LSU)
The 49ers started out poorly again last season and it led to a mid-season coaching change when Mike Nolan was replaced by former Chicago Bears linebacker Mike Singletary. The change seemed to make a noticeable difference in his first week as he sent tight end Vernon Davis to the showers during a game. From that point on, even with questionable talent, the 49ers began playing much better and finished the season by winning four of their last five games.
The most glaring thing missing from the 49ers is a competent quarterback. They tried snatching Kurt Warner away from the Cardinals but just missed out on that opportunity. So as they head into training camp it appears to be an open competition between Shaun Hill, Damon Huard, and Alex Smith. Yikes.
The 49ers did get lucky during the draft when the Raiders drafted Darius Heyward-Bey and essentially gift wrapped Michael Crabtree for San Francisco. When Crabtree was available, the Niners had to jump on that as quickly as possible. Several mock drafts had Crabtree going within the top five and if he plays up to his potential, the Niners will have themselves a real draft steal on their hands. That is, assuming they can sign him in the near future.
At the time of this writing, Michael Crabtree is still holding out and in fact has his advisor (or agent) going on the record stating that Crabtree is willing to sit out the entire season and re-enter the draft next year. Call me crazy, but this strategy is about as dumb as it gets. The guy hasn’t even played a down yet and probably has the majority of fans and players against him. Regardless of whether he is better than Heyward-Bey or not, he was drafted lower and should get paid lower to start. It’s really that simple.
If I were a 49er fan I would be mildly excited heading into this season. I don’t think they will reach the postseason, but I really liked the way San Francisco finished last season and I also really liked the style of coaching Mike Singletary brought to the table. He seems very committed to building a winner in San Francisco and he is doing it his way. The players seem to have caught on to that concept and have fully bought into it.
If they had landed Kurt Warner during the off-season I’d easily have them winning the division, however they didn’t, so much isn’t going to change this season in the Bay Area. It’s hard to win in this league without a good quarterback. Trust me, I know this all to well. Although I have them finishing with the same record as last season, they will be a much better 7-9 than they were last year. I swear that makes sense in my head.
Last Season: 7-9
2009 Prediction: 7-9
Seattle Seahawks
Key Additions: T.J. Houshmanzadeh (WR), Cory Redding (DL), Ken Lucas (CB), Justin Griffith (FB)
Key Losses: Rocky Bernard (DT), Bobby Engram (WR), Charlie Frye (QB), Maurice Morris (RB), Julian Peterson (LB), Leonard Weaver (FB)
Draft Picks: Aaron Curry (LB-Wake Forest), Max Unger (OT-Oregon), Deon Butler (WR-PSU), Mike Teel (QB-Rutgers), Courtney Greene (SS-Rutgers), Nick Reed (DE-Oregon), Cameron Morrah (TE-Cal)
The Seahawks started out the season as the usual favorites in the NFC West but they were TERRIBLE right out of the gate. Trust me, I was there on opening day and the Seahawks weren’t good enough to beat the Lions that day. Starting with Week One the Seahawks were decimated with injuries that no team would be able to overcome. The season only got worse as time went on and future Hall of Fame coach Mike Holmgren had a final season that he’d probably rather forget.
Seattle addressed their most immediate need this off-season when they signed one of the best players on the open market, T.J. Houshmanzadeh. He won’t have the benefit of lining up on the opposite side of Chad Ochocinco anymore, but unlike my theory on the Cardinals, I think Houshmanzadeh will do just fine in Seattle. Something tells me the lack of distractions will allow him to put up some pretty big
numbers. His success will depend on the quality of receivers surrounding him and the health of Matt Hasselbeck. If Hasselbeck’s back can hold up, Houshmanzadeh could be looking at a Pro Bowl season.After Kansas City passed on Aaron Curry in the draft ( like predicted by a pretty smart guy ), the Seahawks snatched him up and made their defense that much better. The pairing of Curry and Tatupu could be a very scary combination if both players stay healthy and perform up to their expectations.
Along with the health of Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle’s overall success this season will hinge upon whether or not Jim Mora Jr. can effectively fill the shoes of Mike Holmgren. Mora had some success in Atlanta but eventually fell out of favor and hasn’t been a head coach since. While he worked with Seattle last season, he will definitely put his own stamp on the team now that he is in charge.
The fact that Seattle hasn’t really addressed the backup quarterback position this offseason would concern me if I were a Seahawks fan. Seneca Wallace is a fine athlete and all, but I don’t feel like he could carry the torch for the whole season if Hasselbeck were to go down again. To be perfectly honest, this seems like a great fit for Michael Vick if/when he finds a team. He would be working with his old coach again and would have a good shot at some playing time.
Last Season: 4-12
2009 Prediction: 6-10
St Louis Rams
Key Additions: Kyle Boller (QB), Mike Karney (FB), Jason Brown ( C ), Tim Carter (WR), Ronald Curry (WR)
Key Losses: Orlando Pace (OT), Torry Holt (WR), Pisa Tinoisamoa (LB), Trent Green (QB), Drew Bennett (WR), Anthony Becht (TE), Corey Chavous (S), Brian Leonard (RB), Dan Krieder (FB), La’Roi Glover (DT)
Draft Picks: Jason Smith (OT-Baylor), James Laurinaitis (LB-OSU), Bradley Fletcher (CB-Iowa), Dorell Scott (DT-Clemson), Brooks Foster (WR-UNC), Keith Null (QB-West Texas A&M), Chris Ogbonnaya (RB-Texas)
The Rams finished off last season as one of the worst teams in the league. In fact, if it weren’t for the Lions running the table in the wrong direction, I’d say the Rams were by far the worst. They were the type of team where although they were beating Buffalo at home in the second half, I sat back and relaxed because I knew the Rams would find some way to screw it up and Buffalo would coast to an easy win. When I have that kind of confidence in the Bills, there is a serious problem.
The Rams fired Scott Linehan during the bye week last season and managed a solid two wins under interim coach Jim Haslett. During the off-season they made a permanent change by bringing former Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnullo into the fold. The Rams then proceeded to completely clean house by cutting such mainstays as Torry Holt and Orlando Pace.
They replaced Pace with their second overall pick, Jason Smith. Assuming he doesn’t fall apart at the seams, he should be an adequate replacement for the re-building Rams. After hauling in an impressive 53 passes during his rookie season, the Rams are looking at Donnie Avery to help soften the blow of losing Torry Holt.
If Marc Bulger can muster more than two seconds to throw the ball, the Rams could actually be much more improved over last season. If Bulger doesn’t have the time and suffers from injuries again…well…it won’t be good. The Rams brought former Ravens quarterback Kyle Boller in to be the backup after Trent Green finally retired but this is actually a downgrade. I’ve seen Boller play quite a bit and I don’t think I’ve ever thought to myself, not even one time, that Boller is an adequate NFL quarterback. On the flip side, I did once have those thoughts about J.P. Losman. So in conclusion, I’m either a horrible evaluator of quarterback talent, a ridiculous homer, an idiot, or all of the above.
I like the direction the Rams are heading in by completely cleaning house and starting over from scratch. It might be frustrating to the fans but it’s better than the team trotting out a bunch of over the hill veterans while spewing the company line about how this year will be different. Plus who knows, they play in the NFC, where 8-8 has been good enough to make the playoffs in the past. Unfortunately for the Rams, I don’t see them winning more than a handful of games.
Last Season: 2-14
2009 Prediction: 4-12
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