My younger brother Jordan told me to post this. So here you go.
I am a Pastor so i no longer have time to read every NFL preview magazine like some (Jordan K and Joe T). With that said, the NFL to me is the greatest form of sports entertainment in the world. College football is great, but the NFL is played on the Lord's day for a reason. Ok that is as close to sports blasphemy as i'm going to get. If one can keep wonderful things like sports from becoming idolatrous a Christian can really enjoy this league.
As you know, I am a big CHICAGO BEARS fan. I have been since i was a little kid. If i can find the picture when i was 2 years old with my Bears gear on i will post it here. Anyways, the Bears are the team to beat in the NFC. Can Benson make Grossman's life easy like Thomas Jones did last year? If not, Grossman can only throw 10-13 picks this season (unlike the 20 he threw last season). The Bears defense is deeper than ever before and should be one of the top 3 in the league. Our special teams is one of the top 3 in the league as well. So the Bears are pretty easy to predicate. We have everything in place but a consistent QB. I have faith in Grossman. I did not give up on him last year like so many bandwagon fantasy nerds. I care less about fantasy numbers. They mean nothing.
The New England Patriots are the team to beat. Mr. Tom Brady is the 2nd best QB in the league (behind my arch-enemy Peyton M) and he finally has some WR options. If Randy Moss is 85% to what he once was LOOK OUT!!!
San Diego has to be the 2nd best team in the league with the league MVP on its team and a very good D. LT flat out dominates. Of course Chicago can make a major statement during week 1 as the two giants will clash Sept 9 (i believe).
Indianapolis has a shot so long as #18 and #87/88 stay healthy. As much as i dislike Manning he is the best in the business and one of the top 3 players in the NFL. The guy prepares better than anyone else in the league. I hate the fact he whines like a girl and chews out teammates whenever they drop a poorly thown ball but whatever...He is a god in this town.
I put Chicago up there as the #3 team in the league (ahead of Indy). Why? We got better this year and the Colts probably went down a bit (atleast in player talent and depth). If Grossman plays like he did last year we will still win 9-10 games. If he improves we should win 11-12. I don't see us winning 13-14 because our schedule is much more difficult this season.
Do i have any sleepers this season? Yes, let me go with the Arizona Cardinals who will probably win 9 games this year if everyone stays healthy.
The Titans? They will be lucky to win 7-8 games this season. Vince needs some better WR's before he can really shine. Why didn't the Titans bring in Randy Moss?? I think he was worth a 4th round pick (and the risk factor). Moss is not a saint but he's definitely not T.O. (the tool).
I can't wait for the season. Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?
8 comments:
Ok...less in player talent and depth? There was an article in the Indystar that at the beginning of training camp, Dungy wrote a list of the good players we've had on our team that DIDNT win the super bowl with us. Edgerin James, David Thornton, Marcus
Washington, Mike Peterson, Corey Simon (injury), chad bratzke, mike vander-jerk, troy walters, all of those guys, we were able to replace. Freddy Keiaho replacing Cato June will be fine. Freddie is a good fill in, and if he cant Tyjuan Hagler is a smash mouth football player. Hayden and Jackson are ready to replace Harper and David, and they have a solid backup in rookie Dante hughes. Our defensive line did take a blow, however, when booger mcfarland suffered a torn ACL. (we were at training camp when booger tore it, we saw him leaving the field on a golf cart.)Quinn Pitcock and Keyunta Dawson wont be as good (combined) as booger, but they will be a good fill in. Dominic Rhodes will wish he never left. Addai is ready to take the reigns. Tony Ugoh should be OK replacing Tarik Glenn. Not as good, but as long as Peyton isnt sacked, it doesnt matter. So yeah, in depth, we have lost a lot of talent, but we are good at filling holes...Polian is a mastermind.
Go Colts! 5 days til kickoff!!
Joe
I hope the Colt's miss the playoffs this year and Manning throws 20 INTS.
I know that won't happen but it should be be fun. :)
What channel is the first game going to played on?
My father in-law brought me down his 53 inch TV when he bought a new one. It hi-def and alot of fun. We don't have full cable but can watch the games on FOX and CBS/ABC.
Go Bears!
Jo Addai will be fine. He may not be as good as Benson but he is a good running back. Any RB looks good with Manning/Harrison/and Wayne though.
It's like any RB can rush for 1200 yards with Denvers O-line.
Colts vs Saints is on NBC on Thursday...
Joe
Caleb, the Bears have the second easiest schedule in the NFL this year. If they cant win 12 games in the HORRIBLE NFC North it should and will be a dissapointment. They really need home field advantage to return to the Suber Bowl.
Jordan,
Lame take. As you know no one knows what teams will be great this year who were bad last year and vice versa. For example, everyone predicted the Panthers were going to be the TEAM to beat in the NFC last year. They ended up being a pretty easy opponent.
The Bears were not predicated to be that good last year and gave most teams a run for their money.
I agree the NFC is weaker than the AFC. I also agree the NFC north should be weak. If Adrian Peterson runs for 2000 yards Min. could be good.
Peace,
Caleb
Cant wait to see you guys next week. When are you gonna do the 2007 NFL preview post?
Prediction: Vincanity leads the TN to a 9-7 record this year (and maybe a wild card birth?). He has looked SICK the past few weeks. Lendale is also coming on strong lately (sweet run and block in wk 4 andalso isnt 300+ lbs.) Im just saying don't be surprised! GO TITANS!
By the way...probably not as important as a theological blog but I just became a moderator for gotitans.com which is one of the biggest fan based NFL team sites online. Soon I'll have my own post board about the NFC! How sweet is that? Anyway, I had to write a power rankings post so I thought I'd share. Maybe a little guest NFL posting on your blog in my future?
AFC Chapionship:Patriots over Chargers
NFC Chapionship: Bears over Seahawks
Super Bowl: Patriots over Bears.
MVP: LT
Sleepers: B. Uralacher, S. Mcnair,
Off. POY: P. Manning
Sleepers: C. Palmer, T. Henry, L. Johnson
Def. POY: S. Merriman
Sleepers: C. Bailey, B. Sanders
Off. ROY: A. Peterson
Def. ROY: P. Puzluszny
Week 1 Power Rankings
1. Chargers (13-3) Probably won't win the Super Bowl but on paper a slight nod over the Pats
2. Patriots (13-3) Offense is stacked. Maroney is kind of a ? as a full load RB. Secondary also a concern with Harrison now out 4 games maybe more.
3. Colts (12-4) Lost a lot over the offseason. Also have an unproven RB but the offense is still the best in the league.
4. Ravens (11-5) Defense rivals the Chargers and Bears. If Mcgahee can step up this could be a good semi-sleeper as a SB contender. Unfortunatly they are in the AFC.
5. Broncos (10-6) Cutler may be the best QB out of last years class. Travis Henry could rush for 1700+ yards behind great line. Secondary may be the best in the NFL.
6. Bears (12-4) Best D. May be the best team if you don't look at the most important position: QB. Another ? with Cedric now needing to have 300+ carries this year. Hands down the best team in the NFC though still.
7. Bengals (10-6) Great Offense. Terrible defese. Enough said.
8. Seahawks (10-6) How come everyone is overlooking the Seahawks all of a sudden? One down year because of injuries and everyone lost faith. Still have Shaun, Matt, and good D.
9. Eagles (10-6) They need Mcnabb at full strength bad. Brian Westbrook continues to be the most underrated RB in the NFL.
10. Saints (9-7) I think they will slip from last year. Brees can not continue to put up ridiculous numbers, Deuce is getting old, and the D still isnt very good.
11. Rams (9-7) Poor man's Colts.
12. Cowboys (9-7) Tony Romo needs to become a leader.
13. Steelers(9-7) Would like this team more but they have a new coach, Ben hasn't really proved much except that he's Trent Dilfer, and Willie Parker fumbles more than Rex Grossman.
14. Cards (8-8) Great offense but always overrated. Like Titans and Broncos, a lot is on the shoulders of a 2nd year QB.
15. Giants (8-8) This is the make or break year for Eli, Coughlin.
16. Titans (9-7) Will go as far as Vince carries them. Losing Pac hurts a lot but they are a young team improving every year and Fisher and Chow continue to be two of the best coaches in the NFL.
17. Jags (8-8) Big ? now that Leftwich is gone for good. Jones-Drew leads a stud RB core though.
18. 49ers (7-9) The NFC west is a bunch of kind of good teams beating up on each other and the Niners are still a year too young.
19. Packers (7-9) Everyone wants Favre to have one last playoff run but with a lot of holes it wont be happening this year.
20. Jets (6-10) Another team that still a year away. D is getting better and Thomas Jones is a nice pick-up though.
21. Panthers(6-10) They have looked awful lately. We could see David Carr in the lineup soon.
22. Bills (7-9) Lost some really good players but the season rides on Losman and Evans hooking up often.
23. Vikings (6-10) Adrian Peterson could split carries and still rush for 1200 yards. Tarvaris Jackson is not an NFL starter.
24. Falcons (7-9) The season went to the dogs with Vick in prison. Still a good team that will be hard to beat even with Joey Harrington as their QB.
25. Dolphins(5-11) Big ??'s at QB
26. Redskins(5-11) Jason Campbell will have to grow quickly for them to be a contender. Maybe the year they dont spend any $ in free agency though will be the year they quit underacheiving.
27. Cheifs (7-9) LJ may have to carry it 500 times this year.
28. Lions (6-10) Kitna will have a billion passing yards to Calvin and Roy but that wont make up for the other terrible 19 players on the Lions roster.
29. Texans (5-11) Still in the cellar with the Raiders in the AFC.
30. Bucs (5-11) Another team with no QB.
31. Raiders (6-10) I actually kind of like the Raiders this year. Very good defense and Daunte Culpepper has looked decent and could return to pre-injury form.
32. Browns (4-12) Brady Quinn will be starting by week 4.
Jordan (BIFF)
Jordan said Addai is an unproven RB?! And Cedric Benson is? The only thing Benson proved on Sunday is that without either a great O-line or a week defense, he can't run any better than a second string RB (42 yards and 0 TD's).
Addai on the other hand had 118 yards and 1 TD. What else is there to prove.
Oh, and it looks like bad Rex showed up for the game today.
Now for Jordan's Titan's...this looks like it could be a good match up for this coming Sunday. I won't make any predictions, but one thing for sure...VY should be fun to watch.
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