NFL Reset: AFC West Outlook for the Upcoming Season (Part Four)

With the preseason finally underway, it’s almost time for yet another season of football.  It’s the time of year when every team is 0-0, and each team has the chance to win the Super Bowl (Well, except for the Browns, but we will get to that later).

A lot of teams have the potential to make the playoffs, so here’s how it might just go down: (Part three of this series looks at the AFC West.)

 

Denver Broncos – This has been one of the most interesting teams in the offseason.  With a new quarterback, a new coach, and a grumpy wide receiver, this team has seen it all.  With one of the most tension filled offseason’s a team can see, it will be interesting to see how that translates on to the field.  So far, the team has struggled this preseason but we will wait and see, as the Lions showed us last year, if the preseason is any indication of how the real season will go.

Of course, the biggest thing that happened to this team is Brandon Marshall.  Marshall has been very unhappy with the team this offseason, to say the least.  He has wanted a trade or a new contract extension, and the Broncos have not given it to him. 

However, rather than just going out on the field and playing football, he is acting like a prima donna. Batting down and punting balls, he was not even trying on the field anymore until the team suspended him. 

He will be back in the first week of the regular season, and it will be interesting to see how he acts with the lights on and when the games matter.

Also, one of the big offseason moves was a new head coach in Josh McDaniels.  He has huge shoes to fill after Mike Shanahan left, and hopefully, he has some big feet.  If this offseason is any indication of how he will handle the pressure this season, then he should be just fine. 

One of the biggest things that he did was the draft.  He made some good pickups through the draft with Knowshon Moreno and Robert Ayers. 

Moreno brings a starter to a floundering Broncos rushing game that went through many running backs last season, and with Ayers they get a first-year player who will be ready to play. 

Hopefully, with a steady running game and figuring out what do with Marshall, they can right the ship and make a run for the AFC West Crown.

 

Kansas City Chiefs – What else is there to say? This team was just terrible last season. 

They couldn’t buy a win, and they were near the bottom of the stat book in just about every category.  However, this team made some great moves in the offseason.  They got a new head coach, a new quarterback, and several more veteran players. 

This team may not be ready for the top of the division this season, but hopefully they can show us that they one day will be ready.

One of the best moves the Chiefs made in the offseason was acquiring Matt Cassel.  Matt Cassel led a great offensive last year with New England, but now we will really see if he is as good as people say he is. With him at the helm last year, the team still soared, but that is because he has superstar wide receivers in Randy Moss and Wes Welker. 

Now, he will have Dwayne Bowe and Bobby Engram, who are just not on the same level as Moss and Welker.  This is the season where Matt Cassel can stamp his mark in the NFL or become a bust.

Lining up behind Cassel is the biggest play-maker of the team, Larry Johnson.  Larry Johnson has been a streaky player.  He can rush for over 1,750 yards in a season but then struggle for only 560 the next year. 

Last season, he ran for just under 875 yards, and they need more production out of him.  He can be the star player that he team really needs, but only if he is consistent.  If he struggles, then the team struggles.

And the team could find themselves struggling yet again this season.

 

Oakland Raiders – Yet another struggling team out of the AFC West, this team only scrounged together five wins last season.  This team has been struggling since their 2003 Super Bowl appearance.  The team just hasn’t found a star on offense. However, with a new coach (sort of) and a great first-round draft pick, things are looking up for this team.

Halfway through the year last season, this team decided to make a coaching change.  They went with Tom Cable, and he did a pretty good job.  He went 4-8, which isn’t bad for a midseason replacement.  Now that he has been at the helm for the offseason, he is ready to put his guys out there and hopefully put up some better numbers. 

It really all starts with the play of their quarterback, Jeff Garcia or JaMarcus Russell, whoever they decide to go with.  It’s really a toss-up.  Russell could prove himself to be the quarterback of the future, or Garcia could show that he has another good season left in him.

One of the great points of the offseason for the Raiders was their draft.  They took a gamble by taking Darrius Heyward-Bey with their first pick. A lot of people had them taking Michael Crabtree, but they felt that Heyward-Bey was a better fit for their team.  With all the offseason antics involving Crabtree, Heyward-Bey is looking to be a good choice. 

He gives them unquestionable speed for the long bombs, but he also gives them a playmaker at wide receiver that they so desperately need. They have not had a good playmaker there since Jerry Rice.  Now with Heyward-Bey, the Raiders get a star who will hopefully be an elite receiver and rookie of year candidate.

 

San Diego Chargers – This was a breakout team in at the end of the 2008 season.  They barely squeaked into the playoffs and made a run. 

Now, they are hungry for another run this season, and they look like the front-runners to win this division.  With an elite running back looking for another great season and an elite quarterback on the rise, this team has all the tools to be a successful team and go farther in the playoffs.

Since they drafted him in 2001, LaDainian Tomlinson has been a great running back for this team.  He has been one of the most productive backs over that time period, and he is poised and ready for another great season.  He has been the heart and soul of this team, and he will only be more important as the season rolls on. 

However, one of the surprises last year was the rise of Darren Sproles. He carried this team during the playoffs, coming up huge in their games. It will be interesting to see how they use him and Tomlinson together during the season.  Don’t be surprised if you see one of them complain that they are not seeing enough playing time, since they both want to basically run the offense.

While they already have two great running backs, they have been waiting for Phillip Rivers to breakout.  Now this season, he is more than ready to breakout like they want.  He shows great heart during games and has been up there in terms of passing yards and touchdowns year after year. 

With a great receiving tight end in Antonio Gates and a rising star Malcom Floyd, Rivers will finally have the great wide receivers around him.  With all the weapons around him, he will finally explode onto the field and be one of the best quarterbacks this year. 

If that happens, look for the Chargers to possibly make the trip across the country in February to play football in Miami.

NFL Reset: AFC East Outlook for the Upcoming Season (Part Three)

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With the preseason finally underway, it’s almost time for yet another season of football.  It’s the time of year when ever team is 0-0 and each team has the chance to win the Super Bowl (Well, except for the Browns, but we will get to that later).

A lot of teams have the potential to make the playoffs so here’s how it might just go down.  Part three of this series looks at the AFC East.

 

Buffalo Bills

This could be the sleeper team of the AFC East.  With so much focus on the Patriots this season, people forget that this team made some noise in the off-season.

They acquired, of course, one of the most productive wide receivers in the past few years, in Terrell Owens. 

He signed a one-year contract with the Bills so if he has another productive season, we could see another summer of Owens on the stationary bike and doing his own thing.

One of the things that got forgotten is the terrific draft they had.  They chose a fantastic player in Aaron Maybin, who will make an impact in his rookie year.

With him and Marcus Stroud on the Defensive Line, they will be able to shred through Offensive Lines and get to the quarterback with easy.

One of the big questions of the season however for this team, is the play of Trent Edwards.  We saw him play great in the first few weeks. 

However, in the last few weeks, we saw him injured and once he came back, he was not himself.  He threw more interceptions than touchdowns, and he couldn’t close it out in the end for his team.

They had a shot to make the playoffs, however small that was, but they just could not gain the strength they needed to finish strong. 

Hopefully, with the addition of a great Wide Receiver and a young Defensive End, the Bills might be making some noise in the AFC East.

 

Miami Dolphins

This was the surprise of the NFL last season.  Going from one of the worst teams in history, this team got it together and made the playoffs last year. 

This amazing comeback was all centered on one thing: The Wildcat.  Yes, every team tried to copy it, but none did it better than the originators.  This innovative offensive allowed for more big play-makers to be threats. 

However, it might not be as effective this season as it was last year simply because now teams will look for it, and maybe even come up with some clever defensives to stop it.

This team loves running the football, and with good reason.  They had one of the more productive Running Backs last season in Ronnie Brown until he went down with an injury.  After that, he wasn’t really the same. 

But if he stays healthy, he could easily be the top rushers this season.  He also has Ricky Williams to back him up so; he won’t be the only one getting time with the ball. 

The Dolphins had a fairly strong draft this off-season as well.  They took Vontae Davis with their first round pick and he could be what they need.  They had the 25^th-best passing defense and it got a lot better with Davis.

They also took Pat White out of West Virginia, which was a good move for them.  He was a scrambler of a Quarterback, so he can run well with the ball. 

He fits perfectly in with the Wildcat because it gives them a second Quarterback threat on the field in that formation.  Don’t be surprised if he throws for a few touchdown passes this season and also runs in a few.

 

New England Patriots

Well, what is there to talk about with this team besides Tom Brady?  Tom Brady is the heart and soul of this team. 

Without Brady, the team struggled last year and didn’t even make the playoffs.  Now that he is back, the team will spark again and make some noise in the AFC East.

The one person who held the team on offense last year was Randy Moss.  He continued to produce, even with a Quarterback in Matt Cassel who had not started since High School at the helm.  That fact just shows how good of a player Randy Moss is. 

He and Wes Welker brought the play of Cassel up to their level.  If they put up combined over 2,000 receiving yards, it will be interesting to see what will happen when they get a player already on their level back in Brady.

The one spot that has fans asking questions in the past few seasons is the running game.  They have had a sort of middle of the road rushing attack.  They have gone through several different running committees over the past few years. 

This season, there really isn’t a consistent threat.  Sure, they have a few consistent rushers in Laurence Maroney and Kevin Faulk but nobody that is really ready to step up and take control. 

If they can solve their rushing problem, then they just might have an elite team that look to go far this season.

 

New York Jets

This is a team that is really a work in progress.  They have a lot of holes to fill from last season and they only have a few of those holes closed. 

One of them is at the Quarterback position.  With the retirement of Brett Favre (and then unretirement, and then retirement and…well you get the idea.), the Jets needed somebody to step up and take the reins of the offensive. 

Enter Mark Sanchez.  They moved up in draft to pick him up, which shows you how excited they were about him.  He’s been named their starter and hopefully is what they needed.

Also one of the holes left is at Wide Receiver.  With Laveranues Coles leaving, it basically only leaves Jerricho Cotchery as a viable threat.  They have other guys sure, but none of them have as much experience as he does.

Chansi Stuckey might have a productive season but he is not the caliber of Cotchery or Coles.  They might look towards signing Marvin Harrison if they want to a good passing game this season.

One of the bright spots on the team is at Running Back.  Thomas Jones, Leon Washington, and their third round pick, Shonn Greene, could be a nice rushing attack by committee. 

All three of these guys have top-notch speed and they could really tear up defenses.  If it worked for the other team in New York, these three might just work together as well.

Overall, this team is still a work in progress but, while they won’t have an amazing season this year, they might be looking good and primed for the playoffs next season.

NFL Reset: AFC South Outlook for the Upcoming Season Part Two

With the preseason finally underway, it’s almost time for yet another season of football.  It’s the time of year when every team is 0-0 and each team has the chance to win the Super Bowl. (Well, except for the Browns, but we will get to that later.) 

A lot of teams have the potential to make the playoffs so here’s how it might just go down.  Part two of this series looks at the AFC South.

 

Houston Texans—This might be one of the surprise teams this season. The Texans are hungry for a winning season after their 8-8 finish last season. With one of the top wide receivers in the league and one of the up-and-coming running backs as well, they are looking good on the offensive side of the ball. 

They also added a lot on defense. Through free agency they picked up Cato June and Shaun Cody and through the draft, Brian Cushing and Connor Barwin. 

The Texans play in the AFC South, where basically if you can beat the Colts and the Titans, you have a shot at winning the division. It’s very possible that they could grab a wild card spot and then who knows?  Perhaps another Arizona Cardinals?

 

Indianapolis Colts—The annual perennial favorite of the division is looking to have another strong year. It always helps when you have one of the best quarterbacks of our generation at the helm in Peyton Manning.

What will be interesting to see is if he will be able to be as productive without his man target of the past few years, Marvin Harrison.  Anthony Gonzalez and Reggie Wayne are really going to have to step up their games to play on his level. 

It will be interesting to see how the running backs will develop this season. Perhaps with a top-level receiver gone, they will rely on the running game more? With Donald Brown being the first-round draft pick, that really adds another back for Manning to hand the ball to.

 

Jacksonville Jaguars—This is one of the more interesting teams in the AFC last season.  It’s interesting because they have all the talent in the world but for whatever reason, they couldn’t close it out and win games.

They have a talented quarterback in David Garrard and a great running back in Maurice Jones-Drew who had a solid year. However, they only won five games last season and they are going to try and improve on that mark. 

They clearly thought they needed a new offensive line because they took a linemen. They also added Torry Holt, which gives them a veteran wide receiver and a proven No. 1 threat. 

Even with all the talent, they sadly it seems as if they are again doomed for the bottom of the AFC south this season.

 

Tennessee Titans—Well, the champions of the division are looking as good as they did last season. There are a lot of story lines going on this season however. Everyone is wondering whether or not Vince Young will come back and start.

He has a good shot, and the credentials are there. He can be an explosive playmaker and if they give the Wildcat formation as everybody will this season, then he could be a nice addition. 

Also, the recent offseason clash between the now ex-Smash and Dash will be interesting to see how that plays out this season. One of the two is going to have to get more carries and the other will not be happy. 

However, probably the biggest storyline is going to be the defense.  It was of course the centerpiece of the team last season and they have some big shoes to fill—literally. 

With Haynesworth gone, who will step up and replace him?  It will be tough but they will get it done. This team will defiantly compete again to win the AFC South but, will they get past the first round this season? Only time will tell.

NFL Reset: AFC North Outlook For The Upcoming Season Part 1

With the preseason finally underway, it’s almost time for yet another season of football.  It’s the time of year when every team is 0-0 and each team has the chance to win the Super Bowl (Well, except for the Browns, but we will get to that later.) 

A lot of teams have the potential to make the playoffs so here’s how it might just go down. Part one of this series looks at the AFC North.

Since the defending world champs are in this division, many people would pick them to be the champions of the frigid AFC North, but it may not happen that way.

Cincinnati Bengals — Although admittedly biased, this team has a good chance this year. They appeared to have an amazing draft and added some key free agents. The Bengals are getting a committed running back and hopefully a healthy quarterback as well. 

They do have a fairly tough schedule, playing the defending champs twice and a San Diego team that looks great this season. The Bengals should be able to pull off at least 8 wins with more if they keep games against Pittsburgh, San Diego, and Baltimore.

Cleveland Browns — This team is still in the rebuilding phase. With Stallworth going down for the season and probably for a long time, they will really need another wide receiver to catch balls not thrown to Edwards. 

Also, with a close starting quarterback race, they still really aren’t sure if Quinn or Anderson is going to start. Dueling backs almost never works, so they need to nail that down pretty quickly. Overall, they will more than likely finish last this season in the north.

Baltimore Ravens — This is still a solid football team. With an amazing year by Joe Flacco last season, it will be interesting to see how he can top himself this season, or if he even can. They still have the top notch defense, and the running back trio of Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, and Le’Ron McClain is looking as good as they were last season. 

The one question concerns the ageing wide receivers. After Mason retires (again), it’s hard to say that they have a definitive two and three that will move up. However, they have a simple schedule that lets them play four of their last seven games at home, which is basically home field advantage as they try and make the playoffs. 

It will be interesting to see if that helps them out or if they fall on their face in front of their fans.  

Pittsburgh Steelers — Well, there really isn’t that much to say. This team won it all last year, and they are looking the same as they were last year only better. They are getting Rashard Mendenhall back this season, who looked very good until an injury sidelined him last season. It gives them a nice one-two punch for a running game. 

The passing game also is looking great this season and hopefully Ben Roethlisberger can put this past off season behind him and be the quarterback he is. It seems like controversy follows him every off season so hopefully it will not get to him, and he will continue to put up solid numbers.

The defense is of course the centerpiece of this team. This team has always had a good defense, and this team is as good as we have seen in some time. 

With players like Deshea Townsend, Ike Taylor, and Troy Polamalu, this team is looking for the pick on every play. If they have as good as of season this season as last year, they will once again be playing in January and maybe even February.

 

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