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2007 NFL Preview - AFC East PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: NEW ENGLAND BUFFALO COACH: DICK JUARON (2ND YR.) LAST YEAR: 7-9 IN GAMES DECIDED BY 3 OR LESS: 2-5 OFFENSIVE RANK: 25 KEY ADDITIONS: MARSHAUN LYNCH-RB KEY LOSSES: NATE CLEMENTS-CB OUTLOOK: The Bills have the dubious distinction of playing the toughest schedule in the NFL. They will play 12 of their 16 games against teams that were .500 or better last year, and face a schedule that features 10 games against teams that were in the playoffs last year. They will try and improve upon a sluggish offense with a rookie RB in Lynch. The Bills will need a breakout year from Losman to flirt with .500. Otherwise it will be another long year. We think this team will struggle to match last season's win total. PROJECTED: 6-10
MIAMI COACH: CAM CAMERON (1st YEAR) LAST YEAR: 6-10 GAMES DECIDED BY 3 OR LESS: 2-3 OFFENSIVE RANK: 20 KEY ADDITIONS: JOEY PORTER-LB KEY LOSSES: DAMIEN MCINTOSH-T OUTLOOK: It comes down to one thing for the Dolphins. Who will be the QB and just what does he bring to the table? The defense was solid last year, and looks to be solid again. But to win in this league, you need a strong QB and as of right now, we don't see one in the picture for the Dolphins. Unless someone emerges, don't expect to see much change in the win column. The schedule isn't easy with 10 teams .500+, and 8 playoff teams. PROJECTED: 7-9
NEW ENGLAND COACH: BILL BELICHICK (8th YEAR) LAST YEAR: 12-4 GAMES DECIDED BY 3 OR LESS: 2-1 OFFENSIVE RANK: 12 KEY ADDITIONS: RANDY MOSS-WR KEY LOSSES: CORY DILLON-RB OUTLOOK: There is no question what the Pats addressed this off-season. They want to open-up the offense, and let Brady work his magic. The biggest question will be how often mal-content, Randy Moss adapts in NE. Is he the player he was in Minnesota, or is he finished? Will he add, instead of subtract? The Pats are poised to contend again. Perhaps the only question on defense is aging vetrans, as several key players are in their 30s. Dillon will be missed, but Brady has some targets that in and of themselves, could open up the running game. The Pats won 5 games by 20+ points last year, so there is a lot of margin here and a big fall-off is unlikely. PROJECTED: 11-5
NY JETS COACH: ERIC MANGINI (2nd YEAR) LAST YEAR: 10-6 GAMES DECIDED BY 3 OR LESS: 3-1 OFFENSIVE RANK: 25 KEY ADDITIONS: THOMAS JONES-RB KEY LOSSES: BJ ASKEW-FB OUTLOOK: There is no question the Jets are looking for help at DE, as they have four new players at which to look, with the hopes of one stepping up big. They also found themselves a back in Jones that will allow them to have a viable running attack and take some pressure off Pennington. The Jets were mediocre in many respects last year ranking just 25th offensively and 18th defensively. But they took advantage of winning the close games, and parlayed that into 10 wins. The schedule may not be as kind this season, and it will be difficult to duplicate, even with the upgrades. PROJECTED: 8-8
2007 NFL Preview - AFC West PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: SAN DIEGO DENVER COACH: MIKE SHANNAHAN (13th year) LAST YEAR: 9-7 OFFENSIVE RANK: 23 KEY ADDITIONS: TRAVIS HENRY-RB KEY LOSSES: AL WILSON-LB OUTLOOK: The Broncos started last season looking like they had a defense for the ages. They had given up just 44 points through their first six games. Then reality struck. The Broncos proceeded to allow 20+ in 8 of their last 10 games. Jake Plummer never became what they expected, and those expectations are now on the shoulders of young Jay Cutler. Travis Henry will get most of the carries, but the system seems to be designed for anyone to succeed. They have been very active in the off-season, and brought in a lot of players to shore up the defense that simply wasn't very good for most of last season. This team will again be on the cusp of the playoffs. With Cutler still cutting his teeth, it appears that they will be in the same position they were last year, knocking on the door. PREDICTED: 9-7
KANSAS CITY COACH: HERMAN EDWARDS (2nd year) LAST YEAR: 9-7 OFFENSIVE RANK: 15 KEY ADDITIONS: DONNIE EDWARDS-LB KEY LOSSES: JORDAN BLACK-T OUTLOOK: The Chiefs have one major hole to fill. The offensive line. When Willie Roaf announced his retirement and Welbourne was suspended it left the line in shambles. They signed Damion McIntosh, but lost Jordan Black, so we don't see any gain there. Will Shields has also retired, and it is hard to see a team with a very questionable offensive line stepping up from a year ago. Trent Green has moved on, opening the door for Damon Huard. But, with a suspect offensive line, we are not sure how that will all work out. This team was average on offense (15th), and average on defense (15th), and if anything they may take a step back this season. PREDICTED: 7-9
OAKLAND COACH: LANE KIFFIN (1st year) LAST YEAR: 2-14 OFFENSIVE RANK: 32 KEY ADDITIONS: JAMARCUS RUSSELL-QB KEY LOSSES: RANDY MOSS-WR OUTLOOK: The good news? We think they will double their win total from last year! The bad news? They will only double their win total from last year. This team has a lot of holes to fill. The Raiders are just 15-49 since their Superbowl appearance. The offense managed just 12 TD's a year ago. Josh McCown seems like he will win the nod over Walter, and then we shall see how long before Russell gets a look. Randy Moss is gone, which won't hurt (probably help). Jerry porter, who earned his way into Art Shell's doghouse, may emerge to be the main target. The offensive line will continue to be a problem, so while the offense may be a bit better, it still has a long way to go and will still be quite bad. The defense remains solid, but with such a limited offense, it spends too much time on the field. The Raiders were 0-4 last year in 20+ point blowouts, so there is a long road back to being competitive. PREDICTED: 4-12
SAN DIEGO COACH: Norv Turner (1st year) LAST YEAR: 14-2 OFFENSIVE RANK: 7 KEY ADDITIONS: CRAIG DAVIS-WR KEY LOSSES: DONNIE EDWARDS-LB OUTLOOK: We can't remember a coach getting fired after a 14-2 season. But, Marty is gone and Norv Turner inherits a very talented team. Turner has not had much success at the helm, as his teams have complied a 58-82 mark. Granted, there is more talent here. It's hard to find many weaknesses on this team, and perhaps the most daunting is at WR. McCardell was released, and that means the Chargers are ready to see if Vincent Jackson can become the #1 wide-out. Jackson had several injury issues last year, so his durability may be in question. Eric Parker is option #2, and it remains to be seen if he can regroup after a poor showing vs. NE in the playoffs. There is always Antonio Gates, but one of these WR's must step up or it could impede the explosive running game. And with LT getting the rock on a consistent basis, this team should again be very good. But, coaching changes with good teams may not be the recipe for repeat performance. Games at NE, Denver, and Jacksonville could make it very difficult to duplicate last season's 14 wins. PREDICTED: 12-4
2007 NFL Preview - AFC North PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: BALTIMORE BALTIMORE COACH: Brian Billick (9th year) LAST YEAR: 13-3 GAMES DECIDED BY 3 OR LESS: 3-1 OFFENSIVE RANK: 22 KEY ADDITIONS: WILLIS MCGAHEE-RB KEY LOSSES: ADALIUS THOMAS-LB OUTLOOK: Willis McGahee will be expected to produce lots of yards but he has managed under 4 ypc the last two years and spends a lot of time on the sidelines. The offense really hasn't been addressed other than that, so we don't expect to see much change other than Steve McNair is an aging QB that may not be the answer either. The defense may slide a bit. Thomas will be missed as he was versatile and could line-up anywhere. Samari Rolle is fading at CB and 10 years into the league he is declining. Ray Lewis has lost a step and 12 years in this league tends to diminish skills. Trevor Pryce is also aging and the Ravens used him more at T last year than DE. The Ravens had the close ones turn their way last year, and may be in more battles this year as the division improves. Road games at Pitt, Cinn, SF, SD and Sea are no picnic. Nor are home games against Indy and NE. This team will be hard pressed to come close to last season's 13-3. PROJECTED: 11-5
CINCINNATI COACH: Marvin Lewis (5th year) LAST YEAR: 8-8 GAMES DECIDED BY 3 OR LESS: 1-3 OFFENSIVE RANK: 8 KEY ADDITIONS: LEON HALL-CB KEY LOSSES: BRIAN SIMMONS-LB OUTLOOK: This team is going to put up a lot of points. They may have fared much better last year, but Carson Palmer faded down the stretch and the Bengals lost their final three. Remember he had no off-season program, as he was recovering from surgery. Expect him to stay strong all year. Johnson is a top back and Chad Johnson at WR is among the best, so the offense is set. The question always comes down to defense. The Bengals are strong at both ends of the line. Brooks should be an upgrade to Simmons at LB. The problem has been at the corners. The Bengals hope that Leon Hall is everything they think when using their first round pick in the draft. If Blue Adams gives them an upgrade as well, then this team will be on its way to contenting for the division crown. PROJECTED: 10-6
PITTSBURGH COACH: MIKE TOMLIN (1st year) LAST YEAR: 8-8 GAMES DECIDED BY 3 OR LESS: 0-1 OFFENSIVE RANK: 5 KEY ADDITIONS: LAWRENCE TIMMONS-LB KEY LOSSES: JOEY PORTER-LB OUTLOOK: Last year was a nightmare for the Steelers. They started slow and literally, by Thanksgiving, their hopes were gone. The big news this season, is how will they transition under the helm of Mike Tomlin? He brings in Bruce Arians to coordinate the offense. He failed miserably in Cleveland, albeit, with much less talent. He tends to get pass happy and we're not sure if this is the right fit in Pittsburgh. Stay tuned! The talent is here, but these transitional years usually produce far less results, and we don't expect to see many things change much in the win column. PROJECTED: 8-8
CLEVELAND COACH: ROMEO CRENNEL (3rd year) LAST YEAR: 4-12 GAMES DECIDED BY 3 OR LESS: 2-1 OFFENSIVE RANK: 30 KEY ADDITIONS: JAMAL LEWIS-RB KEY LOSSES: BRIAN RUSSELL-S OUTLOOK: Lots of changes, but will it net out in more wins? It appears not many unless Brady Quinn becomes an instant top flight NFL QB. Barring that, we don't expect to see much progress here. Romeo Crennel may need some success to keep his job, and may be feeling the pressure. The Browns just don't line-up well inside their own division. Their two bowout losses last year both occured in the division and they finished 0-6. They have now lost 11 staright in their own division, and that in itself will keep progress halted. PROJECTED: 5-11
2007 NFL Preview - AFC South PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: JACKSONVILLE HOUSTON COACH: GARY KUBIAK (2nd year) LAST YEAR: 6-10 GAMES DECIDED BY 3 OR LESS: 3-1 OFFENSIVE RANK: 28 KEY ADDITIONS: MATT SCHAUB-QB KEY LOSSES: DAVID CARR-QB OUTLOOK: It all comes down to Schaub. Most scouts feel he could be a special QB and if he displays that, this team will jump a bit. They started awful last year out-scored 147-72. But in the last 11 games, outside the New England debackle, they actually out-scored their opponents. They swept Jacksonville and beat Indianapolis. They have the softest schedule of any AFC team, that features games vs. just five of last year's playoff teams. Ahman Green should help both the passing game, and running attack. The defense finished ranked just 24th, but ranked in the top 10 over the last 11 games. While this team has a lot of potential and could improve it's win total by 1-2 games, we have a sinking feeling they probably aren't going anywhere. PREDICTED: 6-10
INDIANAPOLIS COACH: TONY DUNGY (6th year) LAST YEAR: 10-6 GAMES DECIDED BY 3 OR LESS: 4-2 OFFENSIVE RANK: 3 KEY ADDITIONS: ANTHONY GONZALEZ-WR KEY LOSSES: MONTE REAGAN-DT OUTLOOK: Indianapolis will be hard pressed to get to 12 wins again this year. The last eight years has seen the Superbowl winners lose more games than they did in their Superbowl winning season the following year 7 of 8 times. The average number of additional losses has been 3.4. Indianapolis did little to shore-up it's league worst run defense, and look for that to be the focus of opponents this season as well. Hard to think what could happen to this team if Peyton Manning went down? He has been extremely durable, but he is getting older and more vulnerable. The appetite of the Superbowl Champs wanes in the following season, and we look for the Colts to be back in the playoffs, but not with as many wins as last year. PREDICTED: 10-6
JACKSONVILLE COACH: JACK DEL RIO (5th year) LAST YEAR: 8-8 GAMES DECIDED BY 3 OR LESS: 0-3 OFFENSIVE RANK: 11 KEY ADDITIONS: DENNIS NORTHCUTT-WR KEY LOSSES: KYLE BRADY-TE OUTLOOK: The whole was not the sum of the parts last year for Jacksonville. They had a top 2 defense and an offense that was just shy of the top 10, yet finished at a mediocre .500 on the year. There were few personnel changes, and rightfully so. This team is poised to make a stand this season. They were blowing out teams in wins, and getting beat in the close ones. Look for that to change this season. They have been dominate at home, and with four of the first six on the schedule at home, a good start could jump start this team into a playoff mindset. PREDICTED: 11-5
TENNESSEE COACH: JEFF FISHER (14th year) LAST YEAR: 8-8 GAMES DECIDED BY 3 OR LESS: 4-3 OFFENSIVE RANK: 28 KEY ADDITIONS: NICK HARPER-CB KEY LOSSES: TRAVIS HENRY-RB OUTLOOK: No team got more from less than the Titans. They were the league's worst defense, and close to the league's worst offense. They were a very opportunistic team last year and we don't expect that to be the case this season. Hard to see this team improving, as they have had a lot of key losses, and the Pacman Jones drama is going to hurt more than anything else. If anything the talent is less than what they had last year, and if the breaks reverse fortune, this could be a very long season. PREDICTED: 5-11
Be sure to also check out our 2007 NFL NFC preview and our Team Season Win Totals picks and predictions. |
