Wednesday, September 14, 2011

THe big NFL preview

After weeks of negligence followed by a stamina-reducing, sleep-deprivating holiday to the cypriot island of Ayia Napa...the one with the night life, i've returned to my native shores and subsequently returned to this blog, which has been left emptier than a roadside little chef in the month of September. No more!

With the calendar flickering over to September, this means the sporting world is undergoing many exciting rendezvouz's, with the Football season now a month in, and Oxford looking like their in the the pack of contenders. The Red Sox after their Paris Hilton-esque shopping spree in the winter are now in the business-end of their pennant chase, fighting off the pesky, irritating Rays. To go along with that, Novak Djokovic continues to defy the odds, and is still in the midst of a sporting year, that could thurst him up into the pantehon of great years.

However, after months of labour negotiations, bickering, arguing nd debating the distribution of alot of dollars, the NFL lockout monopolised the ESPN homepage. NFLPA leader DeMaurice Smith, a silky suit-wearing man supporting the players, who in my film idea for the lockout, would be played by Alfonso Ribeiro, who would co-starr alongside Stellen Skarsgard playing Roger Goodell, (it would be a low budget movie). The two would be sworn enemies whio have to negotiate a new deal before millions of people become unemployed, and the two fo them are forced to work together in the film "Millionaires and Billionaires".

Aside from fictional movie plots though, the NFL season is back, all 32 teams are back, the schedule is going to be played outright, sytmying the fear that games would be missed, and for everyone in the NFL, involved in some form, the dollars will be rolling in again.

Despite the support for Boston in the 3 other major U.S sports, the geographical connection ends there, as since 2003, the San Francisco 49ers were my adopted team, and having undergone Tim Rattay, Ken Dorsey and JT O'Sullivan with them, the teams been lower than any team not called the Detroit Lions.

Last season, in the weight of intense optmism, the team heavy favourites for the NFC west, the Niners floundered behind the Quarterback tandem of Alex Smith and his namesake Troy. THe two quarterback consistently put up hideous numbers, to go along with coach Mike Singletary, arguably the worst coach in franchise history, with his extreme opinions, old-school methods regardign discipline and erroneous play-calling, his tenure was worse than the Mike Nolan era, worse than the Dennis Ericksson era. He surpassed the lot, all he gave the Niners was one memorable rant. (above)


Last season saw the dismissal of Singletary after a humiliating 21-0 defeat at home to the Tampa Bay, the first time the 49ers had been shutout at home since 1977, highlighting the anaemic offence the team were throwing out week after week. The team finished 6-10 last year, and missed the playoffs.

New season, new optmism, and with the youthful, highly-touted Jim Harbaugh departing Stanford to coach the 49ers, hoping to replicare his brother John's success in Baltimore. The team still has defensive powerhouses Patrick Willis and Justin Smith, the 49ers two perennial pro-bowlers, Willis, arguably the best defensive player in the league. The much-maligned secondary has undergone a change, the team brought in Carlos Rogers to replace the constantly frustrating, overpaid, turned liability Nate Clements at cornerback. Then the team brought in safety Donte Whitner, rated as high as the #5 safety in the NFL by some scouts. Whitner came into replace the youngster Taylor Mays (who joined Clements in CInncinatti). Whitner partners Dashon Goldson in the safety position after Goldosn spurned the Patriots advances and re-signed with the red and gold.

The defence itself, like lastyear looks fairly solid, and could potentially rise to the upper-eschalones of the games, espceically if the new acquistions can perform to the standards they created for themselves at previous teams. The questions were never about defence however, they have been, they are, and they will continue to be about #11. the signal-caller, the 2005 #1 draft pick. Alex Smith. Anyone who follows the NFL can tell you how important a number 1 draft pick is, yet if it's a quarterback, that player becomes the franchise for the future. The 49ers treated their future with a nonshalant, care-free attutude, changin head coach and offensive co-ordinator annually, stunting Smith's progression, and setting his career off the wrong path, where Smith took the wheel, and started driving further off, then a bit more off, until he's almost at the point of no returns. This year becomes his last chance. One shot at salvation.

This year, like most years, Smith, who carries a 72.1 qb rating into the season, will rely heavily on running back Frank Gore, Gore, on the verge of becoming the all-time franchise leader in rushing, had a turbulent off-season, where the league-wide lockout, was succeeded by contractual negotiations, which at one point, looked like it could get bitter. A 3 year 21 million dollar deal was eventually reached, and hopefully puts to bed any talk of the "inconvenient truth" leaving the Bay area any time in the near future.

Other notables include veteran kicker Joe Nedney being released in favour of another lefty, David Akers. The team also added Jets receiver Braylon Edwards to lineup with Michael Crabtree and create agood 1-2 reciever tandem.

Predictions.

AFC East

Ok, we all know the story in this division, the Patriots and the Jets will come 1st and 2nd, both will make the playoffs, it's all but guaranteed. The Dolphins and Bills are here to pay spoilers, and to the chagrin of the Pats and Jets, Miami manages to upset them quite often.

Patriots
Jets (wc)
Bills
Dolphins

AFC North

This division consists of the AFC champions from last year, the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team who consistently win about 12 games, make it deep into the playoffs, and are always a threat to win a championship. WIth their great defence and clutch quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger, i give them an ever so slight edge over hated rivals, Baltimore.

In the lower reaches i see Cleveland outlasting the Benglas for 3rd place, with young Colt McCoy calling plays, i think the Browns can surprise a few teams along the way this season.

Steelers
Ravens (wc)
Browns
Bengals

AFC South

This depends on the health of Peyton Manning, no player in pro sports is more vital to his team than Peyton Manning is to the Colts, with him, the teams a contender for the Vince Lombardi trophy. WIthout him, they migh tnot finish .500. It looks like he will be out for a few games, and i think they'll start the season with a defeat in Houston, and i don't think they'll recover.

The Jaguars and Titans will battle it out aswell, both having decent teams, with toung quarterbacks at the ready in case a veteran struggles, or they want to look to the future. The Afc south, is a pretty balanced division, where it  wouldn;t be surprising to the see any team win it...except maybe the Titans.

Texans
Colts
Jaguars
Titans

AFC West.

The Chargers have Phillip Rivers, the best quarterback without a superbowl ring, they have his biggest weapon Vincent Jackson back for a whole year. The Chargers will win alot of games, and are a genuine superbowl contender. Below them, the division isn't that tought, I expect the Chiefs to regress substnaitally, after their fluke season of a year ago, Denver's QB carousel, and Tim Tebow drama will thwart them, and you can almost guarantee Al Davis being detrimental to the Raiders. Chargers by a landslide.

Chargers
Raiders
Chiefs
Broncos

Playoff seedings - (1) Patriots (2) Chargers (3) Steelers (4) Texans (5) Jets (6) Ravens

NFC East.

In case you aren't aware, the Eagles have all there chips in this year, they signed Nnamdi Asomugha, the best cornerback in the league. Jason Babin, rejoined the team, Dominique-rodgers Cromartie, and the small matter of Michael Vick, the enigmatic, excitable quarterback. The Eagles have astronomical pressure weighted on their shoulders, and I personally don't see it all being lived upto. With that being said, i still see them edging the division past the Cowboys.

The Giants and Redskins will scrap it out, epitomising mediocrity, with the Giants being slightly better then the Redskins, as the genral rule of thumb, "Don't trust a team starting Rex Grossman"

Eagles
Cowboys
Giants
Redskins

NFC North

Don't look now, but this is the best division in the NFL. And you want to know a secret. It isn't even close. The Packers are the superbowl champions, perhaps the favourites to win it again. They have Aaron Rodgers, who elevated himself into the games elite quarterbacks. Clay Matthews is still carving up opposing quarterbacks, and creating havoc for offensive co-ordinators.

Elsewhere for the first time in...well, maybe ever, the Detroit Lions are legit. They have the human wrecking machine Ndaumkong Suh, now partnered up by Auburn stud Nick Fairley, creating they best defensive tackle paiting in the NFL. Add in the fact that Matthew Stafford looked stellar when healthy, and Calvin Johnson is ready to become the best receiver in the league. The Lions looked poised to just pip the Bears, and their great defence to a wild card spot.

Packers
Lions (wc)
Bears
Vikings

NFC South.

Now i know my friend Tom will undoutedly scan straight to this division to see where i place his beloved Falcons. Well bad news. The Saints are better. The Saints have abandones their pass first, pass second, run if we have to offence, drafted Mark Ingram and are now as offensively explosive on the run and the pass. This team could be a threat to reclaim the title that they failed to defend last year.

The Falcons will outlast the young, talented Buccaneers, and the Cam Newton led Panthers, and the man with the receivers, the nickname and the fountain of youth (Matt Ryan) will take the Falcons back to the playoffs, but with a considerably inferior record to last years' 14-2.

Saints
Falcons (wc)
Buccaneers
Panthers

NFC West

Undoubtedly the worst division in the game, yet last year the Seahawks, who finished sub .500 managed to make use of their home game in the playoffs, and stunned the defending champion Saints at Qwest field. This year, the Seahawks will regress, and regress a fair bit.

The Cardinals this year will have Kevin Kolb at quarterback, and not Max Hall, Derek Anderson or John Skelton. The consistency will bear them well, in the futute, this year, Kolb hasn't had enough time to learn the system, and will struggle early, but will come good in the latter stages of the season, perhaps mounting a late surge.
The Rams still have Sam Bradford, the best quarterback in the division, Steven Jackson still running the ball and defensive playmakers like James Laurainits, the Rams are in primes position in my opinion to pip the 49ers to the post, and squeeze their way into the playoffs.

Rams
49ers
Cardinals
Seahawks.

Seedings (1) Packers (2) Eagles (3) Saints (4) Rams (5) Falcons (6) Lions
Despite it being 5 months away, i'm going to predict the superbowl winner, enabling us to look back and laugh at my embarassing predictions in February.
Wild Card
AFC     
                                                                                  
(3) Steelers - (6) Ravens (20-23)
(4) Texans - (5) Jets (17-27)

NFC 

(3) Saints - (6) Lions (24-13)
(4) Rams - (5) Falcons (14-17)

Divisional Playoffs

AFC

(1) Patriots - (6) Ravens (31-21)
(2) Chargers - (5) Jets  (21-24)

NFC

(1) Packers - (5)Falcons (34-10)
(2) Eagles - (3) Saints (27-30)

Championship

AFC

(1) Patriots - (5) Jets (23-21)

NFC

(1) Packers - (3) Saints (27-9)

SUPERBOWL

PATRIOTS - PACKERS ( 24-7)

So my prediction is that the Green Bay Packers return to the big game, but are thwarted as Brady and Bellichick secure their 4th championship, and a place in football lore.

1 comment:

  1. falcons to go unbeaten for the rest of the season, beating the patriots in the superbowl 66-8

    ReplyDelete