NFL season review in my eyes

I was thinking that I wanted to do something that showed what I thought about each team without writing a story for each team. So what I am going to do is give a short summary of what I see for each team alphabetically. Another thing...I could care less about what their schedule is. There are good teams and bad teams, and that is what I am focusing on.

Arizona Cardinals

The way I see it, the Cardinals have had the taste of the Super Bowl, so they are going to make sure they do well enough to get back into the playoffs, and I don't see them not doing that. They are a very strong team with a great cast of players. They are in a weak division(NFC West), with the only team that should give them problems being Seattle. Expect them to be a force this year and more than likely have a first round bye.

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons are one of those scary teams that fly under the radar. They have the quarterback, the running back, the receivers, and a pretty good defense. The one thing that could hold them back is that they are in a division that could be very competitive. Each team could possibly fight for a playoff chance. That said, I do think that the Falcons will be a wild-card team. They can only build on last years success, and I think that they will.

Baltimore Ravens

Now this is a really good team. They have everything that a team could want. If it wasn't for the Steelers, I would easily say that could be Super Bowl bound. I'm still going to say they can get there, but they will have a very tough time getting there. The AFC is just packed with great teams. I personally love the Ravens. They should make a great push to get deep into the playoffs.

Buffalo Bills

I really don't know what to say about the Bills. They went and got one of the top 5 receivers this offseason. But do they have a complete team? That will be a question until about 4 or 5 games into the season. I think they are good enough to get 9-7, but the question is, will they?

Carolina Panthers

I like the Panthers. I always have. They just seem to always have something big happen every year...usually with either Jake Delhomme or Steve Smith. If they can stay healthy, they can be one heck of a team.

Chicago Bears

Da Bears. They are always one of those teams that have all the talent to be good, but always have/had a missing piece. It's up to you to decide if that missing piece has been found with Jay Cutler. He is a good quarterback, but I think he is overrated. He will help the bears though. They won't win the division. That should go to the Vikings.

Cincinnati Bengals

There is no reason why this team should not be good. Carson Palmer is back and he says he feels good. Chad Ocho Cinco has been talking a lot of trash. Ocho knows he had a bad season and wants to show everybody that he is still one of the best in the league. Is he? I don't know. I have faith in him. They could do some damage and surprise a lot of people/teams.

Cleveland Browns

Who knows what will happen with the Browns. They have two very overrated quarterbacks in my eyes. Their wideouts seem to be in a huge funk...Braylon Edwards couldn't catch a pass to save his life last year. I'm not expecting much out of them, and hopefully you don't either.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys need to get better soon, or Wade Philips will be out of a job. Jerry Jones doesn't dish out tons of money for a good team to have them blow it every single year. I'm not sure Tony Romo is a good enough quarterback to get them over the hump they slide down every year. I don't think the loss of T.O. will be a huge loss. They have a good core of receivers, so that will be good for them. They just need to stop choking in big situations.

Denver Broncos

Do not expect much out of them...they have Kyle Orton as a quarterback. He has more bad years than good. They do have a good run game, and the possibility of a good defense, but I would say just don't hope for the best. You will be better off hoping for the worst.

Detroit Lions

There was a huge overhaul with the Lions. New coaches, new players, and even new jerseys. This season will go one of two ways. They will either surprise the heck out of everybody, or fail miserably. Don't expect another o-16 season though. If Culpepper starts, they will do well. If Stanford starts, I won't be expecting much of anything. I have a strong belief, and I could be wrong, that he is a quarterback with way way way too much hype.

Green Bay Packers

I LOVE the Pack. LOVE LOVE LOVE the Pack. They've been my favorite since I grew up an hour north of them in Sturgeon Bay Wisconsin. They are another team with so much talent on their team, but I don't think they know what to do with it. It's possible they will win the division, but I am just not sure that they will be able to overtake the Vikings.

Houston Texans

Houston is one of those teams that could be good but just can't put everything together. They have a good quarterback, great running back, but the defense is one that has to concern fans. They will either be real good or average like they have been.

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts are the Colts. As long as they have a healthy Payton Manning, they will be good. Same goes for this year. If Manning stays healthy, the colts will be fine.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jags must be one of the most frustrated teams in the league. Year in and year out they have a great team, but they can never do what they should be doing. This year will be no different. They will be 8-8 or close to it, and once again no playoffs.

Kansas City Chiefs

I really do think the Chiefs could be good this year. They are my dark horse...the Cardinals from last year...maybe not that great of a run, but they could be real good. They have a quarterback with nothing to lose, a running back that wants to show he still has what it takes to play in the league, a new coach, and a good defense. I really do think they will be the team to surprise everybody.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins relied heavily on the wildcat last year, and now everybody knows it and a lot of teams will be using it. Ronnie Brown will have another good year, Chad Pennington will show he is a good quarterback, and the defense will be good once again. Playoffs, I'm not sure. But they have a decent chance.

Minnesota Vikings

I like the Vikings this year. They are such a good team, and as long as they get their quarterback problem figured out, they will be spectacular. They have the best running back in the league, pretty good receivers, a good defense like every year, and happy players. The biggest question with the Vikes is their offensive line, but even with Matt Burk gone, I think it will be just fine.

New England Patriots

The Pats are the Pats. They have every chance to get back to the Super Bowl. Tom Brady is back and healthy, they have great receivers, good running backs, and a real good defense. They can do whatever they want to do, and they want to show that they aren't done with the dominance yet.

New Orleans Saints

The Saints could be so good. They have an offense that could be really good, but I don't know about their defense. If Brees plays like he did last year, Bush becomes what he is/was expected to be, and the defense steps up, they will be one of the best teams this year.

New York Giants

The biggest, and real only question with the Giants, is the wide receivers. Are their current receivers good enough? That should be the only question. They are good...probably playoff good.

New York Jets

Give the Jets and Sanchez a year or 2 to develop. They will be good this year, but they should be pretty good in a few years. No playoffs.

Oakland Raiders

The Raiders are either going to be a hit or miss. I hate how Al Davis runs the team, but the players just don't ever seem to care on that team. They won't be the worst team in the league, but they won't be even close to the best.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles will do pretty much what they did last year. They will make it to the playoffs and fizzle out again. They are the Cowboys with different uniforms and less money.

Pittsburgh Steelers

What a perfect team. They have everything. A good quarterback, good receivers, good running backs, and the best defense in the league. They have another chance to be unstoppable like last year. Super Bowl bound you ask? I think so, but it all depends on the Patriots and Ravens.

San Diego Chargers

The big things with the Chargers are Does Tomlinson still have it and Can Sproles hold up for a whole season of beating? They have a quarterback that is solid, a good defense and a good everything else, but their running game makes me wonder.

San Francisco 49ers

The Niners are still trying to build...it's been a long time, but they should start showing improvement this year. Also, Micheal Crabtree needs to get over himself. If not, he will cause more problems then he helps.

Seattle Seahawks

I have no clue what the Seahawks will do. I have to say they will be ok, but no playoffs. They have a "new" coach and it's almost as if they are rebuilding a little. They are still good, but they don't really make me excited.

St. Louis Rams

The Rams have a lot of talent. Great running back and a very well rounded team. They too though seem to be rebuilding and not quite sure where or what they are building. No playoffs, but they will be better than last year.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

If the Bucs had a quarterback and still had Monte Kiffin, I'd say they are going to be solid, but I just don't believe they will be solid. They have below average quarterbacks, and who knows how their defense will be. They won't be bad, but they won't be playoff good.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans had a great year last year until they lost in the playoffs. They will again be good, but not as good. They will put up a great fight for the playoffs, and they might just barely make it, but they won't do much if they do get in.

Washington Redskins

The 'Skins just don't impress me either. Jason Campbell finally will have the same system as last year, but they just are a very average team. Very very average. They will do better than last year but I don't think they will be in the playoffs this year.

Final Thoughts

I think this will be a good year. There are quite a few good teams, and I think that every team has improved from last year. There will still be bad teams and there will still be good teams, but there shouldn't be another 0-16 team this year. It's a very early prediction, but I think it is a very good possibility that the Super Bowl this year could be the same as last year. There shouldn't be any huge surprises though.

:)

Favre

So I was trying to figure out who and what to write about and one thing a friend of mine brought up was Steve McNair. I was going to do it, but then I realized that everything has been written about already. The good and the bad. So then I came to my next topic(which again has had a ton written about him, mostly negative)...Brett Favre. I am a huge fan of his and always will be.

It pains me to sit here and read all the negative press surrounding him. Everyone just thinks he should retire and maybe go into broadcasting or coaching or whatever. He is old(I believe he is like 39 or something, which is about 60 in football years), worn down(shoulder problems last year) and washed up. My argument is this. He is old, but he still plays with the love and excitement of a starter in a Superbowl who just threw the winning touchdown in overtime. He has taken beating after beating, hit after hit and has never missed a game since his first come from behind win back in 92. He has been extremely durable throughout his career with 269 straight starts. No other quarterback is even close to that milestone. While he may have struggled a little last year, it wasn't all his fault. The Jets' offensive line was a fine cheese that rats had gotten a hold of. The Wide Receivers, while good, were very inconsistent. Add to that, the Defense was just pathetic, so that hurt his win total. The late season collapse was mostly his fault though. He was hurt and for some reason he kept himself in and the coaches didn't take him out so, now that I think about it, there should be dual blame.

His fall from grace started when he first announced his retirement with the Packers. He had the tear-filled press conference where he spilled his heart with the world, and if you payed attention, you could see he was hurt. He was retiring from the thing he loved and the thing he knew about more than anything. It was later revealed that he was allegedly forced out of Green Bay by Ted Thompson(which I fully believe since he has always wanted a team of HIS players, even in Seattle) and even when he said he wanted to un-retire, Thompson was outraged. He first of all said that Favre would have to be a backup. After Packer fans everywhere complained and asked for Ted's head, he backed off a little and said that Favre could compete for the starting job. It was highly expected that Ted Thompson would NEVER have let Aaron Rodgers lose the starting job. There was also the contract offer of 20 million dollars to just sit at home and maybe make some public appearances for the Packers. Favre still wanted to play. And he still does. You could see it when he announced the retirement. This time is different though. When he asked for his release from the Jets, it was so that the Jets wouldn't have to pay anything and he could go and show Ted Thompson twice a year that he made a huge mistake by spitting in Favre's face.

I say way to go Favre. It may just be a way to seek revenge on his old boss, but wouldn't every one of you love to do that to someone that once told you that you are worthless? Wouldn't you love to go to a competing company and show your old boss that you are extremely valuable still and you can still do whatever you do better than just about every other person in the industry? That's what Favre wants. He wants to go out on a high note and retire when he wants to, not when another person wants him to. For that I applaud him. I think it is great, and while I am a Packer fan with all my heart, I will have to break the one rule I thought I would never have to break and root for the Vikings. I will be bleeding all kinds of color this year. There will be purple, white, green, and gold pouring from whatever cuts i get. Mark my words too...the Vikings will be dominant this year. They finally will have the missing piece that they need for the puzzle. They now will have the best running back in the league, a dominant defense, a real good offensive line(I'd say great, but Matt Burk is no longer a Viking as you all know) and a solid receiving corps. Add to that a quarterback that can still play real well, and you have yourself one heck of a team. Will that amount to a Superbowl trip or win? Only time will tell. But all I know is when the Packers play the Vikings on October 5th and November 1st, I am going to be chanting GO VIKES GO! Favre will get his revenge this year...oh yes he will. And will it be a bittersweet win for Favre and all Favre fans who know the real story of the Favre saga.

next topic: Favre

Hey guys and gals. Sorry about the inconstancy of when I post. I promise...PROMISE, I will start writing a new entry at least once/week, sometimes more. Just have to get back into the swing of things. The next one will come either today or tomorrow.

I'm back and ready to go! First topic. Michael Vick.

So I was trying to think about what to come back with, and I figured I would start off with what seems a very controversial topic in the sports world...Michael Vick coming back to the NFL/football. It seems like the majority of people believe that while what Vick did was extremely bad and he should pay for his sponsoring dog fighting, that he already paid his dues and deserves another chance. He spent time in prison, lost the majority of his possessions, lost a lot of respect from the people he personally needs respect from, and lost a lot of time on the football field. It will be a long time until he is financially stable, if he ever is again.

On the other hand, he tortured and murdered dogs that if raised right, would have been great house pets. He paid money to teach dogs to attack other dogs and for others to do the same. He won and lost money in the fights that took place in his back yard. It has been a long time since the nation has witnessed something like that on our own soil. PETA is saying that they will back off MV if he will show he is remorseful for his actions.(Personally, I think PETA is a group of nut cases. The majority should be checked into a psychiatric ward as evidenced here. That is just my opinion though.) He has yet to do so which makes people wonder if he is truly remorseful.

So, what is my opinion you may ask? Well I fully believe there can be equal ground. Let Michael Vick play, because you are not only hurting him, but you are hurting the fans that still remain with him. You are hurting the game by taking away possibly one of the most exciting quarterbacks my generation knows, a quarterback that could and can possibly still run like a running back and at the same time pass like Kyle Orton during his good games. He was and possibly could still be a very exciting quarterback. Our version of Fran Tarkenton. He would be a great draw at games. Teams with horrible attendance should pick him up. Their attendance would be up for at least half a season with the usual fans and others just to boo him. While there may be some bad P.R., it would bring more people into the stadium and he could help the team win. He would play(I'm sure) for the veteran minimum just to prove himself. He wants to play again and prove himself to everybody.

Which leads to making him look better in the eyes of PETA and the nation. He really wants to play football, and I'm sure with anybody. Any team could make up a special contract just for him to where he HAS to volunteer a certain number of hours at a humane society or something of similar nature, make Public Service Announcements for TV and Radio, and go talk at schools and anywhere else where he could make an impact. It would lessen the PR hit on the team who takes him while also possibly making PETA happy. It would make the team look like it cares for the player and community.

The biggest obstacle will be talking Roger Goodell into accepting him back into the league and finding a team who would want him. It can and hopefully will be done, because I think that the NFL and football in general needs someone like Michael Vick, to make the game even more interesting than it is right now. We have Adrian Peterson(the Minnesota version), Payton Manning, Larry Fitzgerald. Why not add a player to bring the game something that it doesn't have right now... a true scrambling quarterback. I am all for it, and I can't wait until it happens again...if it does.

I'm back

Sorry for all of you people who were reading. I promise I am pretty much back. I am going to kind of change it up a little, especially for the summer. I will still have rundowns of games and stuff, but since I am way more football minded, I am just going to make it kind of more an opinion blog, for at least now. Well, give me a day or two so I can get back into the swing of things, and I will then hopefully entertain you...



Andrew B