July 2008
Monthly Archive
Football picks17 Jul 2008 11:53 am
NFL Previews 2008: AFC South
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH:
1. INDIANAPOLIS
2. JACKSONVILLE
3. HOUSTON
4. TENNESSEE
INDIANAPOLIS
COACH: TONY DUNGY 7th yr (80-28)
LAST YEAR: 13-3
GAMES DECIDED BY 3 OR LESS: 3-1
BIGGEST ADDITION: DOMINIC RHODES RB
BIGGEST LOSS: ROB MORRIS LB
DIRECTION: GOING DOWN
OUTLOOK: The Colts have dealt with a lot of roster changes year to year, but this season they have for the most part stayed intact. This is a team that has dominated on the offensive side of the ball for years, with an improved defense the past couple of seasons making them one of the league’s elite teams. The biggest asset remains at QB where Peyton Manning provides the leadership and talent to keep this team in every game and on the list of Super Bowl contenders year in and year out. Manning has yet to miss time with an injury of any sort, and that remains a key to this team’s success. If Manning lines up behind center, the Colts will win a lot of games just from his ability to run the offense with great efficiency. If he goes down, the Colts could be in trouble. But since that has yet to happen, another good season is likely in store for Indianapolis. They must however contend with the second toughest schedule behind Pittsburgh. So, don’t look for 13 wins again in 2008.
PROJECTED FINISH: 11-5
NFL Previews 2008: AFC South
Football picks16 Jul 2008 12:41 pm
NFL Previews 2008: AFC North
AFC NORTH PROJECTED FINISH:
1. PITTSBURGH
2. BALTIMORE
3. CLEVELAND
4. CINCINNATI
PITTSBURGH
COACH: MIKE TOMLIN 2nd yr (10-7)
LAST YEAR: 10-6
GAMES DECIDED BY 3 OR LESS: 2-2
BIGGEST ADDITION: JUSTIN HARTWIG C
BIGGEST LOSS: ALAN FANECA OG
DIRECTION: GOING DOWN
OUTLOOK: Pittsburgh won the AFC North last season after a stiff challenge from the Browns. The Steelers don’t look to be much different than a year ago. The loss of Faneca will hurt, as he has been to the Pro Bowl seven times, and still appears to be in his prime. The biggest obstacle for the Steelers this season might be their schedule, as they drew the short straw. They will play teams with an average winning percentage of .598 - the most difficult schedule in the NFL. For starters they will be playing the Superbowl winning Giants, the Superbowl runner-up Patroits, Dallas, San Diego, Indianapolis and Jacksonville. A very challenging task for a decent team. As a result we see the Steelers slipping a bit in the win column.
PROJECTED FINISH: 9-7
NFL Previews 2008: AFC North
Football picks16 Jul 2008 12:40 pm
NFL Previews 2008: AFC East
AFC EAST PROJECTED ORDER OF FINISH:
1. NEW ENGLAND
2. NY JETS
3. BUFFALO
4. MIAMI
NEW ENGLAND
COACH: BILL BELICHICK 9th yr (105-40)
LAST YEAR: 16-0
GAMES DECIDED BY 3 OR LESS: 3-0
KEY ADDITION: JARRED MAYO LB
KEY LOSS: ASANTE SAMUEL CB
DIRECTION: GOING DOWN
OUTLOOK: The Patriots had the best regular season of any team in history, but they weren’t perfect in the end. What will be remembered is the disappointment of losing the Super Bowl as the Giants took the ball 83 yards in the closing 2.5 minutes to seal the deal. So what happens now? The first half of last season represented the best football ever played by any team in any era, as the Pats won all eight games by 17 or more. But they won just three after that by that margin. and four were decided by 4 points or less. The signs of wear and tear were evident during the second half, where a team that was invincible for half the season, looked a lot more vulnerable in the end. We look for that to continue in ‘08. The team is aging at linebacker and in the secondary and a repeat of perfection is very unlikely. This is still a potent team with one of the best QBs and coaches ever, but don’t expect to see a repeat performance of ‘07.
PROJECTED FINISH: 12-4
NFL Previews 2008: AFC East
Football picks12 Jul 2008 05:45 pm
Off into the sunset
by J. Mesa
The Brett Favre retired/un-retired saga has turned into an even bigger circus than the three-ring A-Rod-Madonna-C-Rod divorce job currently clogging up the sports/celebrity gossip pages. Cirque du Favre is now getting just as annoying.
Favre got the packers to the NFC Championship game only to falling short of the Super Bowl by the hands of the eventual winners the New York Giants. So we all thought it was a fitting end when he delivered his tearful retirement speech soon after. ESPN had aired several lengthy tributes to the cheese-head icon and we all bid him a fond farewell.
Then Favre submitted his official retirement papers to the league and Green Bay moved on by naming Aaron Rodgers as their starter and drafting two more quarterbacks in April’s draft - Louisville’s Brian Brohm in the second round and LSU’s Matt Flynn in the seventh. All of this came, by the way, with Brett’s approval.
Off into the sunset
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