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27. St. Louis Rams

26. Denver Broncos

25. Jacksonville Jaguars

24. Washington Redskins

23. Seattle Seahawks

Be sure to check in tomorrow for the unveiling of team 21.

Alex’s 32 Teams in 32 Days: Team 23—Seattle Seahawks

Published: August 10, 2009

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2008 Record: 4-12

2008 Season Review

The 2008 season, the final of head coach Mike Holmgren’s 10 years with the team, was a major disappointment for the Seattle Seahawks.

Seattle’s 4-12 record could be partly blamed on the fact they were injury-plagued from the beginning.

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck missed nine games due to back and knee injuries.

The entire starting offensive line was placed on injured reserve in 2008.

Wide receivers Deion Branch, Bobby Engram, and Nate Burleson all were bit by the injury bug in ’08.

Due to injuries, only three offensive players started 12 or more games.

Defensive end Patrick Kerney missed multiple games with injuries and linebacker Lofa Tatupu played hurt all season.

When Kerney was out, young Darryl Tapp and Lawrence Jackson failed to create a consistent and effective pass rush.

With Julius Jones, T.J. Duckett, and Maurice Morris carrying the load for Seattle in the running game, the ‘Hawks ranked just 19th in rushing.

The passing attack ranked 29th in the NFL with the trio of Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, and Charlie Frye under center.

Rookie tight end John Carlson led the team in receptions (55), receiving yards (627), and receiving touchdowns (five) respectively.

Overall, the offense ranked 25th in points per game with an average of 18.4 ppg.

Defensively, Seattle ranked last in pass yards allowed, 18th in rush yards given up, and 25th in points allowed per game.

After the retirement of Holmgren, Jim Mora will take over as head coach in 2009.

Key Additions

WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, LB Aaron Curry (draft), OL Max Unger (draft), DT Colin Cole, CB Ken Lucas, and DT Cory Redding

Key Losses

LB Julian Peterson, DT Rocky Bernard, OL Mike Wahle WR Bobby Engram, and RB Maurice Morris

2009 Preview

The Jim Mora era has begun in Seattle, and the 2009 season is looking a bit brighter for Seahawks fans.

Hasselbeck is now healthy and has been given a new weapon.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh came over from Cincinnati via free agency. Over the last three seasons with the Bengals, Houshmandzadeh has caught 294 passes for 3,128 yards and 25 touchdowns.

But after Houshmandzadeh, the receiving corps is very questionable.

Nate Burleson, Seattle’s 2007 leader in touchdown catches, is coming off of a season ending ACL injury in 2008.

Deion Branch, who has been riddled with injuries since joining the ‘Hawks in 2006, is coming off another injury filled ’08 season in which he only played in eight games.

Third round selection Deon Butler joins the crew as a rookie with great upside. He’s lightning fast and has showed a lot of potential.

Ben Obomanu, Billy McMullen, Logan Payne, Courtney Taylor, Jordan Kent, Mike Haas, and Michael Bumpus will all be fighting to make the team and join the receiving unit.

Second year tight end John Carlson will serve as one of Hasselbeck’s top targets in the passing attack, especially in the redzone.

New offensive coordinator Greg Knapp will implement a zone-blocking scheme, which will likely improve the rushing attack. Knapp brings his rush-happy mentality to Seattle as the offensive playcaller.

To take advantage of Knapp’s playcalling are Julius Jones, T.J. Duckett, and Justin Forsett who will likely combine for a “running-back-by-committee” backfield in ’09.

The Seahawks will have to hope that their offensive line can remain healthy in ’09.

Mike Wahle, who spent the last six games of the ’08 season injured, was released after failing a physical prior to training camp.

Rookie Max Unger, despite playing mostly center in college, will likely take one of the guard positions to replace Wahle.

Walter Jones, as long as he’s healthy, will return as the starting left tackle.

Former Tampa Bay assistant Gus Bradley will take over as defensive coordinator for the ’09 season.

Bradley is intent on building an attack-style defense and bring pressure from every direction.

Interior defensive lineman Brandon Mebane will become more of a pass rusher in the new defense.

The additions of Colin Cole and Ken Lucas via free agency, Corey Redding in a trade from Detroit, and fourth overall selection linebacker Aaron Curry will all be able to make an impact to improve the defensive side of the ball.

Curry joins Tatupu and Leroy Hill to create a very talented linebacking unit.

Darryl Tapp and Lawrence Jackson will each compete for the right defensive end position opposite Patrick Kerney.

To increase their sack totals, the Seahawks will need Tapp and/or Jackson to emerge as a dominant pass rusher. Tapp has shown flashes of being that guy in the past. He’s amassed 15-and-a-half sacks over three seasons in the league.

Jackson has the raw talent to be effective as well.

With the addition of Lucas, the secondary is looking very talented. Marcus Trufant (currently out with a sore back), Josh Wilson, Kelly Jennings, Marquis Floyd, and Kevin Hobbs will join Lucas at cornerback.

Deon Grant and Brian Russell will man the defensive backfield at the two safety positions. However, Jordan Baineaux could challenge Russell for the free safety position.

As for the kicking game, Olindo Mare and Brandon Coutu will compete throughout camp for the place kicker job.

Bottom Line

A new era has begun in Seattle. Many changes have been made from players to coaches. If they can stay healthy, they have the potential to reach 10 wins; if not, they could be as bad as 5-11. But I expect somewhere around seven victories in ’09.

Previous Rankings

27. St. Louis Rams

26. Denver Broncos

25. Jacksonville Jaguars

24. Washington Redskins

Be sure to check in tomorrow for the unveiling of team 22.

Alex’s 32 Teams in 32 Days: Team 24—Washington Redskins

Published: August 8, 2009

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2008 Record: 8-8

2008 Season Review

With the exception of an opening day loss to the Giants, the Redskins got off to a hot start in 2008.

After 5 games, the ‘Skins sat at 4-1. With the lowly Rams next on the schedule, it appeared as if Washington was going to continue on their winning streak.

However against St. Louis, Washington committed their first three turnovers of the season and lost on a Josh Brown 49-yard field goal as time expired.

At the week 10 bye, they were a respectable 6-3.

But from there, the wheels fell off and playoff hopes were crushed.

The 2-5 record over the last seven weeks dropped the ‘Skins all the way to fourth in the NFC West, and a disappointing 8-8 record.

Running back Clinton Portis experienced five-straight 100+ yards rushing games in weeks four through eight. Due to wear and tear, Portis only reached 100 yards once in his final eight games.

Despite throwing just six interceptions all year, quarterback Jason Campbell and the pass attack was still just mediocre.

Early on it seemed as if Campbell was about to take the next step as an NFL quarterback. Instead, his progress curtailed as he threw for just 13 touchdowns on the year.

With an average pass attack and a weak second-half rushing attack, the offense struggled to score points on a consistent basis. They ranked 28th in average points-per-game (16.6 PPG).

Defensively, the lack of a pass rush was the utmost of problems. They only tallied 24 sacks (fourth worst in the NFL).

Former Defensive Player of the Year Jason Taylor missed three games, and only collected 3.5 sacks.

Other than their troubles rushing the passer, the defense was pretty solid overall.

The unit ranked eighth against the run and seventh in passing yards allowed.

Key Additions

DT Albert Haynesworth, OG Derrick Dockery, OG Jeremy Bridges, DE Renaldo Wynn, DE/OLB Brian Orakpo (draft)

Key Losses

OT Jon Jansen, CB Shawn Springs, DE Jason Taylor, LB Marcus Washington

2009 Preview

The Redskins made a big splash in free agency as they scooped up the biggest name off the market, defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth.

Over the last two seasons, Haynesworth was unquestionably the most dominant defensive player in the NFL.

Haynesworth joins a defensive line that struggled in 2008 to get penetration up the middle. Big Albert should create plenty of pressure. He will likely be used as a defensive end as well.

First round selection DE/OLB Brian Orakpo could see a starting job right away. He’s very versatile, which is a huge advantage for the young Texas alumni. Orakpo will likely be a strong-side linebacker on rushing downs and a defensive end in passing situations.

The secondary will have DeAngelo Hall and Carlos Rogers manning the cornerback positions.

Young playmaker Leron Landry will be hitting hard at safety.

The ‘Skins played with the idea of trading for disgruntled quarterback Jay Cutler from the Broncos. Then it appeared they might trade up in the 2009 NFL Draft to select USC quarterback Mark Sanchez. But in the end, neither scenario played out, and Jason Campbell remains the starting quarterback.

Campbell’s premier weapons are tight end Chris Cooley, wide receivers Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El, and young Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas. A group of six more receivers, including recently-signed DJ Hackett, will also compete for a roster spot.

The Redskins are hoping Kelly and Thomas can begin to make a big impact on the offense. They will each see a significant role in ’09.

Thomas is a big-play threat with size and speed. He’s got the potential to excel at the “Z” (flanker) spot.

Kelly is more of a slot receiver. Washington is looking for him to emerge as a third-down weapon.

The rushing attack, led by Clinton Portis, will need to regain their early 2008 form if the offense is going to have much success. A strong rushing attack will allow Campbell and the passing game to have success.

The offensive line is one of the oldest in the NFL, but has a chance to be very good. The addition of Derrick Dockery, who played for the ‘Skins from 2003 through 2006, will be a slight upgrade over last year’s starter Pete Kendell. The effectiveness and performance of the O-line will depend on the health of Chris Samuels and Randy Thomas, who combine for 19 years of NFL experience. Third-year tackle Stephon Heyer will likely take over the starting right tackle position.

Bottom Line: Jim Zorn is already on the hot-seat in Washington. He will need to wake up the offense and give the defense a kick in the behind to get moving. I expect between six and eight wins from the ‘Skins. However, if all goes well, they’ve got the potential to rack up 11 victories.

Alex’s 32 Teams in 32 Days: Team 25—Jacksonville Jaguars

Published: August 6, 2009

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2008 Record: 5-11

2008 Season Review

The 2008 campaign was a major disappointment for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In a year where the words “Super Bowl” were tossed around preseason, Jags fans were really let down by the play on the field.

Injuries, as well as severe under-performance by key players resulted in the abysmal 5-11 season.

Quarterback David Garrard was the star of the underachievers in ’08.

Coming off of a career year in which his touchdown-to-interception ratio was a brilliant 18:3, Garrard’s numbers took a major hit.

His completion percentage, while still solid, dropped nearly two points; his touchdown total dropped; but it was the interceptions, 13, which hurt Garrard the most.

But all of the blame cannot be put on Garrard. In fact, there were many contributors to the Jags’ 11 losses.

Let’s start with the offensive line.

By Week Two, the Jaguars had lost their two starting guards for the season, their top backup guard for the season, and their starting center for several weeks. The injuries on the line really set back their season.

Garrard was sacked a respectable 21 times in 2007. But in 2008, that total doubled.

After ranking second in rushing yards and average yards-per-rush in ’07, those numbers dropped to 14th and 18th respectively in ’08.

The offense ranked 24th in points scored.

While the offense struggled to stop pass rushers, the defense struggled to rush the passer. They only collected 29 sacks, a drop of 12 from the previous season.

The defense, with Greg Williams calling the plays in replacement of new Falcons coach Mike Smith, ranked 21st in points allowed and 17th in yards allowed.

Key Additions

WR Torry Holt, OT Eugene Monroe (draft), Eben Britton (draft), OT Tra Thomas, S Marlon McCree, and S Sean Considine.

Key Losses

LB Mike Peterson, RB Fred Taylor, DE Paul Spicer, DT Tony McDaniel, S Gerald Sensabaugh, CB Drayton Florence, WR Matt Jones, WR Jerry Porter, WR Dennis Northcutt, WR Reggie Williams, TE George Wrighster, and OT Khalif Barnes.

2009 Preview

Seventh year head coach Jack Del Rio is likely on the hot-seat in 2009. This could be a make or break season for Del Rio.

But the ’09 season could see more break, than make (if that makes any sense).

The Jaguars seem to be in a rebuilding year even if they won’t admit it. Many new, young players will be called on to play significant roles.

Out of the 10 wide receivers on the roster heading into camp, six are rookies.

Torry Holt, one of the team’s biggest free agent acquisitions, will help Garrard and the offense try to get back to their 2007 form. Holt brings experience, and adds talent to the roster.

Other than Holt, the receiving corps is full of inexperienced, or under-performing, players. Troy Williamson and Mike Walker will need to step up and finally fulfill their expectations. If they don’t, the passing attack will struggle yet again.

Arguably the biggest upgraded group is the offensive line. The O-line saw the additions of veteran tackle Tra Thomas, first round tackle Eugene Monroe, and second round tackle Eben Britton.

Monroe and Thomas will get looks at left tackle, eight-year veteran Vince Manuwai will likely start at left guard, Brad Meester at center, Maurice Williams at right guard, and rookie Eben Brittion at the right tackle position. Veteran Tony Pashos could challenge Britton for the starting job at right tackle.

With the new additions, Garrard should have more time to throw.

With the departure of the team’s all-time leading rusher, Fred Taylor, fourth-year back Maurice Jones-Drew will see an increased rushing load. Can he handle it? Jones-Drew has only five games with 20-plus carries in his career, and he rushed for more than 100 yards in only one of those games.

Rookie Rashad Jennings, out of Liberty, and Greg Jones will accompany MJD in the Jags’ backfield. Chauncey Washington, who had just four carries in all of ’08, could also compete for a spot on the depth chart.

Like the offense, the defense saw multiple changes from ’08 as well.

Free agent pickups Marlon McCree and Sean Considine will bring leadership and experience to the secondary.

Vocal leader Mike Peterson left for Atlanta, but the returns of Darryl Smith and Clint Ingram keep the linebacking corps as the strength of the defense.

Second year defensive end Derrick Harvey will need to mature into a dominant force on the young line and help the Jags increase their sack total.

Mel Tucker has taken over the defensive coordinator job. He’s the third different coordinator in the last three seasons. However, coach Del Rio will see an increased role on the defense for 2009.

According to Del Rio, the Jaguars’ base defense will be simple enough for his younger players to play fast and not be tied up in all of the scheme issues. On passing downs, look for some version of a 3-4 style with a lot of blitzing from outside linebacker Clint Ingram; and Quentin Groves should be on the field with Harvey and Reggie Hayward manning the ends.

Bottom Line

The Jags will once again struggle in 2009. They could tally up to eight wins, but five or six is more likely.

Previous Rankings

27. St. Louis Rams

26. Denver Broncos

Be sure to check in tomorrow for the unveiling of team 24.

Alex’s 32 Teams in 32 Days: Team 27—St. Louis Rams

Published: August 4, 2009

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2008 Record: 2-14

2008 Season Review

The 2008 season was another disappointing one in St. Louis.

After an 0-4 start in which they didn’t score more than 14 points in any game, head coach Scott Linehan was fired. Jim Haslett was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

Haslett led the team to two straight victories in his first two games at the helm. But the Rams were winless after that.

The team was littered with injuries from the beginning. Quarterback Marc Bulger was beat up all year, and running back Steven Jackson missed four games due to injuries. The offensive line was injury plagued as well.

Offensively, the Rams struggled to put points on the board. They ranked 31st in points scored, averaging just 14.5 points-per-game in ’08.

One of the few bright spots on the offensive side of the ball was rookie wide receiver Donnie Avery. Avery quickly emerged as a deep threat and reliable option for Bulger to throw to. He snatched up 53 catches for 674 yards and three touchdowns in just 12 starts.

Jackson, when healthy, showed he can still be considered one of the top backs in the NFC. Despite missing four starts he was still able to top 1,000 yards and collect eight total touchdowns.

The defense could not stop anyone. They averaged 29.1 points against them, a ranking of 31st in the league. Only the 0-16 Lions were worse in ’08.

Rookie defensive end Chris Long, taken with the 2008 second overall pick, did not make the impact that many expected from him. After accumulating four sacks in his first seven games, Long did not record another sack for the rest of the season.

Interim coach Jim Haslett was relieved of his duties after the season, and former New York Giants’ defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo was hired to replace him.

Key Additions

S James Butler, C Jason Brown, FB Mike Karney, QB Kyle Boller, LB James Laurinaitis (draft), and OT Jason Smith (draft).

Key Losses

WR Torry Holt, WR Drew Bennett, OT Orlando Pace, QB Trent Green, S Corey Chavous, LB Pisa Tinoisamoa, and OT Brandon Gorin.

2009 Preview

New head coach Steve Spagnuolo brings an all-new, tough, physical mentality to the Rams.

On the first day of “two-a-days” at training camp, Spagnuolo had about 30 plays of full-contact tackling, a rarity this time of year. The new coach is clearly trying to set a hard-nosed mentality right at the whistle.

The Rams have more than a dozen “two-a-days” scheduled, and will be in pads for the morning workouts on most days.

The 2009 Rams’ offense will be built around Jackson and the running game. Spagnuolo comes from the run-heavy Giants, and has already expressed his plan to run more. Jackson, who has missed eight games over the past two seasons, will need to stay healthy for the plan to benefit.

New fullback Mike Karney will really help the running game, while Karney, who is a great lead blocker, should really benefit Jackson.

To help the ailing offensive line, the Rams brought in young center Jason Brown from Baltimore, and used the second overall pick in April’s draft on tackle Jason Smith from Baylor.

With the departure of longtime blindside blocker Orlando Pace, Alex Barron will move to left tackle and Smith will start at right tackle. Eventually, Smith will move back to the left side.

The performance of the O-line will be essential to the health of Bulger. Bulger has missed several games in the last couple of seasons and has battled multiple injuries including rib and knee problems.

Bulger needs to stay in good physical shape if the Rams are going to have success throwing the ball in ’09.

Avery, entering his second season, will need to continue his development and step up to replace Torry Holt, who is now in Jacksonville.

On defense, Spagnuolo’s specialty, the Rams should be improved a bit.

The addition of ex-Giants safety James Butler and rookie James Laurinaitis should help secure parts of the unit which were weak in ’08.

The Rams now have a solid nucleus of young and talented defensive players to build around with Long, Butler, Laurinaitis, safety O.J. Atogwe, and former first rounder Adam Carriker.

Bottom Line

I think both sides of the ball will be much improved. Coach Spags will get a lot out of every player, which will result in a much better team. However, it still won’t be enough for any type of playoff push. I expect somewhere around five victories with the possibility of close to seven.

Previous Rankings

Be sure to check in tomorrow for the unveiling of team 26.

Alex’s 32 Teams in 32 Days: Team 28—Kansas City Chiefs

Published: August 3, 2009

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2008 Record: 2-14

2008 Season Review

The 2008 season was another disappointment for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Multiple quarterbacks saw the starting job before Tyler Thigpen took over the role for the last 10 games. He also started in week three in Atlanta.

Thigpen had moderate success but the Chiefs were just 1-10 when he started.

The ’08 Chiefs were a very young and inexperienced club. In fact, they were the youngest team in the NFL.

The inexperience showed.

They lost several close games, and gave up a big lead multiple times.

In week one against New England they couldn’t punch-in the tying touchdown in the final seconds of the fourth quarter.

With just one minute remaining in the week eight game against the Jets, the Chiefs gave up a winning touchdown pass

The very next game the Chiefs fell apart after holding a 24-3 lead against Tampa Bay. Kansas City ended up losing 30-27 in overtime.

One week later against San Diego, the Chiefs once again fell short. They lost 20-19 after failing on a two-point-conversion attempt with 23 seconds remaining.

In week 15, once again versus San Diego, the Chiefs gave up 19 unanswered points after holding a 21-3 lead in the third quarter. Kansas City lost 22-21.

It was a long season of falling short and losing big leads.

The offense finished 26th in points scored and 24th in yards gained.

The defense was even worse, ranking 29th in points allowed and 31st in yards against.

After Scott Pioli was hired as the new GM, Todd Haley was brought in to replace Herman Edwards as head coach.

Key Additions

QB Matt Cassel, LB Monty Beisel, LB Mike Vrabel, G Mike Goff, C Eric Ghiaciuc, LB Zach Thomas, WR Bobby Engram, DE Tyson Jackson (draft)

Key Losses

TE Tony Gonzalez, LB Donnie Edwards, G Adrian Jones, CB Patrick Surtain, LB Pat Thomas, QB Damn Huard

2009 Preview

With Scott Pioli, one of the key guys behind New England’s modern dynasty, now making the personnel decisions and Todd Haley taking over at head coach, the Chiefs are now moving in a new, brighter direction.

Pioli wasted no time putting his stamp on the team. He brought in the new face of the franchise; quarterback Matt Cassel was brought over in a trade from New England.

One year ago, Cassel was just Tom Brady’s backup fighting to keep his job. During preseason many Patriots fans and experts believed Cassel would be among the many players cut. But the New England coaching staff and front office (Pioli) believed in him and kept him on the roster.

When Brady went down week one, against the Chiefs (talk about irony), Cassel was the man the Patriots turned to.

With Brady out for the season, Cassel would have to start for the first time since high school. After a rough first few weeks, he settled in and led the Patriots to an impressive 11-5 record.

Just months later, Cassel was shipped to Kansas City in a trade which also included linebacker Mike Vrabel. Cassel then signed a six-year, $63 million contract.

As a part of the rebuilding process Kansas City traded future hall of fame tight end Tony Gonzalez to Atlanta for a 2010 second round draft pick.

Without Gonzalez, Cassel’s top target will likely be third-year wide receiver Dwayne Bowe.

Aging veteran Bobby Engram was also added to help out the young quarterback. Engram is expected to play a Wes Welker-like role in the offense. He’ll be the guy to move the chains and come up with the clutch catches.

Former All-Pro running back Larry Johnson will need to get back to his 2005 and 2006 form if the Chiefs expect consistency out of their offense. Johnson hasn’t reached 1,000 yards since ’06.

The O-line has been a weakness for the last few seasons but should be much improved in 2009.

The additions of Mike Goff and Eric Ghiaciuc will add much needed talent and veteran leadership to the Chiefs young offensive line. Goff figures to replace Adrian Jones at right guard.

Second-year tackle Branden Albert has quickly emerged as the cornerstone of the Chiefs’ line. Albert will be blocking Cassel’s blindside at left tackle.

As many changes are being made to the offense, there are even more changes on the defensive side of the ball.

Under new defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast, the Chiefs will be switching from a 4-3 defense, to a 3-4 scheme.

To help the transition, Kansas City added veteran linebackers Vrabel and Zach Thomas. They also used the third overall pick in the 2009 draft to select defensive end Tyson Jackson. Jackson is seen as a great fit in the 3-4.

The secondary will likely be the biggest weak spot on the defense.

Young safeties Jarrod Paige and Bernard Pollard will each need to step up and play to their potential. Second year cornerback Brandon Flowers and rookie corner Donald Washington will both play significant roles in the defensive backfield

Bottom Line: The Chiefs will be improved from 2008. Look for somewhere between four and six wins. They are heading in the right direction but it’s going to take more than just one season to get all the way turned around.

Previous Rankings

Be sure to check in tomorrow for the unveiling of team 27.

Alex’s 32 Teams in 32 Days: Team 29—Oakland Raiders

Published: July 31, 2009

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2008 Record: 5-11

2008 Season Review

After 2008 the Oakland Raiders became the first team in NFL history with six straight seasons with 10 or more losses. That is nothing to be proud of.

Owner Al Davis is clearly frustrated with his team’s lack of recent success.

Maybe that’s the reason he made the change to his sixth different head coach in the last eight years in the middle of ’08 as he fired Lane Kiffin and hired Tom Cable. Cable has be retained for the 2009 season…for now.

Despite the change of head coaches the Raiders weren’t able to make a run at the AFC West title.

JaMarcus Russell struggled through most of the season. He showed off his cannon arm, but rarely showcased his skills to win close games and lead his team.

But clearly Russell was not the only anchor holding down the ship.

The defense was far from great. In fact the run defense was atrocious. The Raiders defense played more like Swiss cheese than a professional football defense. Opposing offenses ran through them at an alarming rate.

The pass defense, however, was pretty good. Actually, they were the No. 10 ranked defense against the pass.

Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha had another brilliant season holding down opposing receivers. Teams rarely threw to receivers Asomugha was covering.

Opposite Asomugha was another elite cornerback named DeAngelo Hall. At least for the first eight games that is. Al Davis shocked the league by releasing Hall mid-way through the season. This coming after Hall signed a big contract with the Raiders in the offseason.

Besides the pass defense, the only bright spot for Oakland in ’08 was the run game. For the second straight year the Raiders ranked in the top 10 in rushing yards. They averaged 124 yards-per-game on the ground.

The offense ranked 29th in points scored, and 29th in yards gained.

Defensively they ranked 24th in points given up and 27th in yards allowed.

Key Additions

FB Lorenzo Neal, QB Jeff Garcia, S Keith Davis, C Samson Satele, DE Greg Ellis, OT Khalif Barnes, WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (draft)

Key Losses

C Jake Grove, S Gibril Wilson, LB Marquis Cooper, WR Ronald Curry, FB Justin Griffith

2009 Preview

The 2009 Raiders look like they may extend that consecutive 10 loss record.

From the draft, to free agency, the Raiders left many experts scratching their heads the way they tried to improve.

With the seventh overall pick in the draft, they selected Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey. Most people had Heyward-Bey going in the late first round and had several other receivers ahead of him.

DHB was a classic Al Davis selection. Davis loves guys with great speed, and

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Heyward-Bey does not lack in that category. In fact, Heyward-Bey ran a 4.3 40 time, the fastest of all wideouts at the combine.

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Another speed-based pick came in the second round where the Raiders took safety Michael Mitchell. Mitchell recorded a 4.43 40 time. Many draft experts said they saw Mitchell lasting until the 6th or 7th round prior to the draft.

The Raiders brought in fullback Lorenzo Neal who will likely help the run game get even better. Neal is best known for blocking for LaDainian Tomlinson in San Diego in some of his best seasons.

The signing of veteran quarterback Jeff Garcia has stirred up a possible quarterback controversy in Oakland. Garcia has expressed several times that he feels he should be the starter over Russell. Garcia feels the coaches should go with the most talented quarterback.

“Now, if JaMarcus is that guy, then he definitely deserves to be on the field and should be on the field,” Garcia said during a radio show in May.

“But, if for some reason with what I bring as a player, from a competitive nature, and just the intensity and emotion that I bring to the field, and the knowledge of the game that I have—if that gives us a better chance to win football games, then that decision is going to have to be left up to the coach and hopefully he can make the right decision for the team”

Despite the talk from Garcia, Russell is expected to start at quarterback.

Along with Heyward-Bey, tight end Zach Miller serves as an adequate weapon for Russell in the pass attack.

Miller, heading into his third NFL season, is one of the most underrated players at his position.

In two seasons Miller has 100 receptions for 1,222 yards and four touchdowns.

Another weapon for Russell is the ground attack. Led by second-year back Darren McFadden, third-year man Michael Bush, and veteran Justin Fargas, the Raiders backfield should once again be one of the best in football in ’09.

Defensively, the secondary will once again be the Raiders strong suit. With the cornerback tandem of Nnamdi Asomugha and the speedy Chris Johnson, the unit should be able to rank in the top 10 in pass defense yet again.

However, the run defense will still have its problems.

Defensive lineman Terdell Sands and Tommy Kelly have fallen well short of expectations for their career. Gerard Warren is another lineman who has struggled to reach his potential. This leaves the middle of the D-line still very weak.

Defensive end Derrick Burgess has been rumored to be on the trading block. The loss of him would hurt the defensive line even more.

Trevor Scott and Greg Ellis will both battle for a starting defensive end job, but are each unlikely to cause major havoc.

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Bottom Line: The Raiders will struggle both offensively and defensively in ’09. They may show flashes of potential, but in the end I don’t foresee anymore than six or seven wins.

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Be sure to check in tomorrow for the unveiling of team 28.

Alex’s 32 Teams in 32 Days: Team 30—Cleveland Browns

Published: July 30, 2009

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I originally had another team in this slot but after doing the research I realized they’re not going to be as bad as I originally thought. Therefore the Browns slide into 30th.

2008 Record: 4-12

2008 Season Review:

Coming off of an impressive 2007 season, expectations were extremely high for the Browns.

However, things did not turn out as expected.

The top 10 offense from 2007 did not show up in ’08. In fact, their average points-per-game dropped more than 19 points, and their average yards-per-game took a hit of more than 100 yards.

Derek Anderson no longer looked like the ’07 Pro Bowler he was. His quarterback rating dropped from 82.5 to 66.5, an awful number. The Browns were just 3-6 in Anderson’s nine starts. Eventually his dismal play resulted in him losing the starting job to second year man Brady Quinn.

Quinn was not much better. In three starts, he was 1-2.

Both Quinn and Anderson were placed on IR due to injuries.

Ken Dorsey started the last four games.

The offense ranked 30th in points scored and 31st in yards gained.

The defense was in the middle of the road in 2008. They ranked 16th in points allowed and 26th in yards against.

The 2008 season was truly a dud. As a result, head coach Romeo Crennel lost his job.

Eric Mangini was hired to replace Crennel.

Key Additions

LB Eric Barton, C Alex Mack (draft), WR Brian Robiskie (draft), WR Mohamed Massaquoi (draft) TE Robert Royal, DE Kenyon Coleman, S Abram Elam, OL John St. Clair, LB David Bowens, CB Rod Hood, CB Corey Ivy, WR David Patten, CB Hank Poteat, LB Bo Ruud, WR Mike Furrey, G Floyd Womack

Key Losses

TE Kellen Winslow, WR Joe Jurevicius, OT Kevin Shaffer, CB Terry Cousin, QB Bruce Gradkowski, S Sean Jones, OL Seth McKinney, CB Travis Daniels, RB Jason Wright, LB Andra Davis

2009 Preview

The 2009 season is a time for change in Cleveland.

The Browns have a new coaching staff. New head coach Eric Mangini brought in new assistants such as Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator, Rob Ryan as defensive coordinator, and new special teams coach Brad Seely.

Mangini has quickly set the tone and let the players know how it’s going to be.

In May the rookies were sent on a “voluntary” 10-hour bus ride to Connecticut to work Mangini’s football camp. They were then sent home the same night.

“It’s voluntary, but it’s not really voluntary,” one league source told the Plain Dealer. “These players are fighting for starting jobs and playing time. What are they supposed to do, say ‘No, I’m not going?’ “

Players were very upset by the experience.

One of the most watched position battles in football this summer will be the quarterback competition in Cleveland.

Quinn and Anderson will both be competing for the right to start under center. They each have a lot to prove.

Quinn will need to finally prove he was worth the 2007 first round pick the Browns spent on him.

Anderson will need to show he is worthy of the sizable contract extension he received after the ’07 season.

Quinn is the favorite to win the job.

Who will be catching the football in Cleveland?

Braylon Edwards was recently placed on the Non-Football injury list. He is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season.

Edwards struggled in 2008 after having a career year in ’07.

He led the league in dropped passes and his numbers took a significant hit. He caught 25 less balls than in ’07, his yardage total dropped more than 400 yards, and he hauled in 13 less touchdowns.

With Donte’ Stallworth suspended indefinitely, tight end Kellen Winslow now in Tampa Bay and veteran Joe Jurevicius no longer around, the Browns selected two young receivers in April’s draft.

Rookies Brian Robiskie and Mohammed Massaquoi will need to get on the field right away to help whoever starts at quarterback.

The offensive line was greatly improved this offseason.

With Pro Bowler Joe Thomas already anchoring the left side, the Browns brought in center Alex Mack (draft), and free agents John St. Clair, and Floyd Womack to help out.

Mack is expected to start from day one and give the Browns a dominant force in the middle of the o-line.

The defense didn’t see too many improvements.

The Browns will need young players like safety Brodney Pool, linebackers Kamerion Wimbley and D’Qwell Jackson and cornerbacks Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald to step up their game and reach their potential if the defense is going to be anything more than mediocre.

Bottom Line: In this rebuilding year I don’t see the Browns improving too much on their four win season from a year ago. Look for somewhere between four and six wins in ’09.

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