The Dallas Downfall: Remembering the Decembers

Three things are constant every December. The 31 day countdown to the New Year begins, the Holiday season engulfs our minds and wallets, and the Cowboys will find a way to go from a Super Bowl contender to a playoff maybe.

The common stat of “the Cowboys haven’t had a winning record in December since 2000” just doesn’t do enough justice for how bad the Cowboys really are in this final month of the year.

It’s not a coincidence that this also happens to be the last month and the last slate of games before the playoffs begin.

The struggles all began in 2006, when by Week Four, Tony Romo, the now superstar quarterback, emerged onto the scene to lead the Cowboys to an 8-3 record before December. But, after an impressive win at New York against the Giants, the Cowboys went on to lose three of four, giving them a 2-3 December record.

Not terrible for a no-name quarterback, or so we thought, and the Cowboys lost a heartbreaker when the aforementioned Romo bobbled a snap on the field goal to win the game.

As 2007 rolled around, the Cowboys seemed to be rolling with their new found franchise quarterback, starting off with an 11-1 start the season. But, after a narrow win over the Lions to start December, we all knew what was coming.

The Cowboys finished 2-2 for the month, losing both games on the road to NFC East foes. They later lost to the Giants in the playoffs, after their first round bye, and yet another Cowboy season with amazing potential ended with a poor December showing and a non-winning playoff appearance.

Last year, 2008, most knew what to expect for the Cowboys. Before the dreaded December rolled around, the “Boys” were 8-3 and on track to win the NFC East once again. Losing their first game at Pittsburgh, yet winning their second against the Giants, gave hope that the Cowboys would reach the playoffs for the third straight year under Romo.

But a loss to the Flacco lead Ravens meant that a regular season finale at Philadelphia was their ticket to the playoffs. How did the Cowboys respond? A 44-6 beat down by the Eagles, and the Cowboys were sent home for January and February.

The main theme in each of these frustrating December showings? In the 13 December games from 2006 to 2008, the Cowboys have had a 100 yard rusher only twice. That leads to Tony Romo having to make more plays than his talents can achieve, leading to disappointing TD to interception ratios and fourth quarter deficits.

So far in this 2009 season, things have unfortunately gone according to schedule. The Cowboys are 0-2 as they lost to the New York Giants and against the Chargers. In both losses, no Cowboy running back got over 100 yards.

To end the dreaded month, they finish by travelling to former assistant coach and current offensive guru Sean Payton and the undefeated New Orleans Saints. The past two years, they are 0-4 on the road in December, that shouldn’t stop now.

They end the month in Washington to face the Redskins, who gave the Saints their toughest test this year last week, and NFC East foes always play tough at home.

They get lucky to end the season, as they play their final regular season game at home against the Eagles…in January. Although the ‘Boys are home to end the year, both teams are likely to be in the playoff hunt, and the Eagles destroyed them to clinch their playoff berth last year.

The Cowboys are currently at 8-5, and likely need to win two of their next three on their very difficult remaining schedule. If the Cowboys didn’t have an overweight, over-hyped offensive line, a stable force at running back, and Peyton Manning or Tom Brady at the helm, they likely would have a good shot to make the playoffs.

However, they have the streakiest quarterback in the NFL in Tony Romo, and in December he has yet to perform like a consistent Top 10 NFL quarterback. However, if the Cowboys defense can continue to play well by bringing pressure, and their corners play as well as they have in the past few weeks, that will leave the game in Romo and the offenses hands.

So, can Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett finally swing the December fade into their favor? It’s likely in the hands of Romo and the offensive line, if Phillips, Garrett, and maybe even Romo are still in control with the most notable franchise in NFL history.

 

For more great information, go to www.NFLHouse.com or email me at EricG@nflhouse.com .

 

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Race For the Worst: Teams Poised To Compete For No. 1 Pick

While most analysts are looking at the undefeated Colts or Saints and how the AFC and NFC Wild Card seeds are shaping up, I’d like to take a look on the opposite side of the spectrum.

Being a huge follower and evaluator of the NFL, my eyes are on the teams who are most definitely out of the playoff hunt and have been for a while.

The old Ricky Bobby saying, “If you ain’t first, your last” can go both ways in the NFL. If you don’t win the Super Bowl in the playoffs, you are quickly forgotten about in history. However if you don’t make the playoffs and barely win any games, “If you are last, your first” is the quote to live by.

So, with that, let’s take a look at the worst of the worst as they begin to do their best to gain draft position—and lose.

 

 

7. Washington Redskins (3-8)

Remaining Schedule: NO, @OAK, NYG, DAL, @SD

I hope that it can become more and more evident to power hungry owners that “buying” over-priced veterans can’t win games.

The Redskins are old across the board along the offensive line, their front seven has only two young, non-injury prone players to build around, and their talented secondary gets beat on big plays nearly every week.

It should be a struggle to put up enough points with the mess that is the Redskins offense to compete with the Saints and Chargers. The Giants and Cowboys are both more talented than Washington, but home games against NFC East opponents is always sketchy at best. I’ll say they win one of those two, but still finish with a disappointing record as they try to rebuild once again.

Projected Ending Record: 5-11

Projected Draft Pick: Jimmy Clausen: QB, Notre Dame (JR)

6. Kansas City Chiefs (3-8)

Remaining Schedule: DEN, BUF, CLE, @CIN, @DEN

Kansas City has played some competitive games this year, which should give Chiefs’ fans hope for the coming Todd Haley years.

However, their offense’s best player arrived two weeks ago, their running game is still shaky— albeit improved since the loss of LJ—and their defense can’t stop anybody.

The Broncos are fighting for a playoff spot, so the Chiefs will likely lose both of them. Buffalo has been red hot with Fewell the new coach, and the Bengals have been tough to be all season long. I’ll give them a win against the second worse team in football, but they shouldn’t be happy with poor record this season.

Projected Ending Record: 4-12

Projected Draft Pick: Dez Bryant: WR, Oklahoma State

 

5. Detroit Lions (2-9)

Remaining Schedule: @CIN, @BAL, ARI, @SF, CHI

While the Lions had a rough season once again, they did win two more so far than a season ago, so that’s a huge step up. And although Stafford has been wildly inconsistent, based on his play two weeks ago in that gutsy performance he looks like the leader they need.

Teams with talent who have rough seasons tend to finish out strong (see 2008 Bengals) as they try to rebound for the coming season. Games at Cincy and at Baltimore will be tough in consecutive weeks, but both have been beatable in recent weeks. Arizona will likely be a loss as they have caught fire against this season. San Fran and Chicago are two very winnable games, and I expect wins in at least one of them.

As I said before, the Lions have the talent to start making steps towards, dare I say, the playoffs next year, so a few more pieces is all they need to be competitive week in and week out.

Projected Ending Record: 4-12

Projected Draft Pick: Gerald McCoy: DT, Oklahoma (JR)

 

4. Oakland Raiders (3-8)

Remaining Schedule: @PIT, WASH, @DEN, @CLE, BAL

When will that Scrouge of a man finally learn the true meaning of building a team? The Raiders are a mess.

They let Jeff Garcia go early this year, only to replace JaMarcus Russell with a lesser version of him in Bruce Gradkowski. The running game, though loaded with talent, has no where to run to, and the defense is wildly inconsistent.

Playing at Pittsburgh, who needs to win out to make the playoffs, is a shoe-in loss. So is at Denver and, with Baltimore likely still in the playoff hunt by season’s end, that’s probably an “L” as well. Washington and Cleveland are both winnable games, but Washington is less of a mess than Oakland, and Cleveland may be able to win one more at home.

Projected Ending Record: 4-12

Projected Draft Pick: Taylor Mays: S, USC

 

3. Tampa Bay Bucs (1-10)

Remaining Schedule: @CAR, NYJ, @SEA, @NO, @ATL

While this may sound like the most unintelligent comment ever, the Bucs are a very competitive, one-loss team.

Now, while I stand by and love the Bill Parcell’s quote “You’re as good as your record says you are”, hear me out. Since their bye week (Week 8), the Bucs are 1-3. They beat the Green Bay Packers, the NFL’s top defense, by scoring 38 points. They lost at Miami and at Atlanta by a combined five points, and lost to the undefeated Saints.

Grant it they’re not wins, but they aren’t 2008 Detroit Lions’ bad losses.

Carolina, New York, and Seattle are all very winnable games, as well as Atlanta late in the year if the Falcons are out of the playoff race. They should win two this year, which would give them two more than most experts predicted in the pre-season.

Projected Ending Record: 3-13

Projected Draft Pick: Ndamukong Suh: DT, Nebraska

 

2. Cleveland Browns (1-10)

Remaining Schedule: SD, PIT, @KC, OAK, JAC

It’s disappointing to see how the Browns have fallen back flat on their face.

Just two seasons ago, they were back to being notable with Derek Anderson guiding them to the playoffs. Now, he’s a backup to first round bust Brady Quinn, both of which could be out of a job come this off-season.

The Browns play two playoff contenders the next two weeks, so there’s 0-2. At Kansas City is a hard place for any team to play, just ask the Steelers two weeks ago, so there’s another loss. Oakland and Jacksonville both are winnable, and I’ll give Mangini a win against the equally hopeless Raiders to be his last as the Browns coach.

Projected Ending Record: 2-14

Projected Draft Pick: Eric Berry: S, Tennessee (JR)

 

1. St. Louis Rams (1-10)

Remaining Schedule: @CHI, @TEN, HOU, @ARI, SF

I said it to start the regular season, and I’ll stick by it. The Rams have about three or four legit NFL starters on their roster.

Outside of Stephen Jackson, Jamal Brown, Jason Smith, and OJ Atogwe, I don’t know if I’d go after any other Rams if they were in free agency to be my starter.

Steve Spagnuolo inherited the bad team that was left for Jim Haslett a season ago, and the Rams may have the least talented team in the past 10 years. That’s right, less talented than last years 0-16 Lions.

Playing three road games never spells well for an offense-less dome team, and Houston is likely a playoff contender. San Francisco looks to be their best and is their only chance for another win, but Alex Smith and company understand that they have a chance to compete next season, so they’ll finish the season strong.

With the Rams needing help basically everywhere, they probably should start with quarterback. While I don’t feel Bradford will be worthy of the top pick, he looks like he’ll likely get over-picked in the 2010 draft. With teams like the Rams desperate enough, they might take that shot.

Projected Ending Record: 1-15

Projected Draft Pick: Sam Bradford: QB, Oklahoma

 

Again, check out www.NFLHouse.com for all great articles, and feel free to email me at EricG@nflhouse.com .

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Bye Week Buyers: Week Six

Now that bye weeks have started, www.NFLHouse.com will be posting our weekly article of our original “Bye Week Buyers.”  In each installment, we list the top players out for the host of bye week teams and give you suitable replacements that are likely in free agency in most leagues.

Top Fantasy Players Out for Week Six:

Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis
Tony Romo, QB, Dallas
Marion Barber, RB, Dallas
Joseph Addai, RB, Indianapolis
Frank Gore, RB, San Francisco
Ronnie Brown, RB, Miami
Reggie Wayne, WR, Indianapolis
Miles Austin, WR, Dallas
Ted Ginn Jr., WR, Miami
Dallas Clark, TE, Indianapolis
Miami Defense

Top Likely Free Agents to Pick Up:

Jason Campbell, QB, Washington Redskins

Jim Zorn knows that these next two weeks will determine his future as a head coach.  The Chiefs are very young in the secondary, and Campbell should have a big day.

Josh Johnson, QB, Tampa Bay Bucs

Johnson isn’t a legit starting quarterback right now, but the Panthers have struggled defensively all season, and he could give you 10+ fantasy points and is widely available.

Cedric Benson, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

Most likely not available in many leagues; if he is, scoop him up quick.

Larry Johnson, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

Johnson has been a huge disappointment this season, but facing the unimpressive Redskins defense, Johnson will be the main reason if the Chiefs pull off the win.

Julius Jones, RB, Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks have been up and down this season, but going against a division rival with a weak defense at home, Jones could have 120+.

LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

He’s the future of the Eagles running game, and facing an embarrassing Raiders team, Westbrook will be out early.

Malcolm Kelly, WR, Washington Redskins

As seen above, the Redskins west coast offense needs to play well this weekend, and Kelly is the best west coast receiver they have.

Lance Moore, WR, New Orleans Saints

The Giants have a very solid secondary, but I’m not sold on there depth.  Moore will be the third or fourth receiver and will be hard to contain all game in New Orleans.

Mohammed Massaquoi, WR, Cleveland Browns

The Steelers defense has struggled this season without Troy Polomalu.  Even if he does return, there will be a re-adjustment period, and the Browns can’t play worse than they did last week.

Tony Scheffler, TE, Denver Broncos

Slowly becoming a favorite red-zone and short-route target for Kyle Orton, the Chargers allow among the most points in the league, and the McDaniels offense is rolling.

Washington Redskins Defense

The Chiefs offense hasn’t been impressive this season through the air.  While the rushing game for KC should be decent, the passing game will likely struggle.

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Week One of the UFL Season

 

The first weekend (two games) of the UFL season, I felt, was a success. No league since the USFL has had a product and structure like this league seems to have. While these guys are not jersey-buying worthy or trading-card material, that’s not the goal of the league. The league is designed to bring great football with some notable faces to a fanbase that yearns for more of the sport.

Here at NFLHouse.com, we feel this league has a chance to blossom down the road, and we will be your top source for the UFL season.

As seen in this article and in future articles, we will go over first a quick recap of the two games per week. Then, we will include a player tracker with some notable names. These names include former NFL starters, notable rotational guys, former college greats, and some names that you may not have heard but will be exemplified through this league.

 

Las Vegas Locos vs. California Redwoods

In the first ever game played in the UFL, a man who is probably the league’s biggest star had a very solid performance. JP Losman shined as the league’s most NFL prepared player, and with the recognizable name of a former first rounder and NFL starter, the league brought attention to itself before the first snap even occurred.

Still, this game was one of firsts. The first field goal was made by Graham Gano, a 33-yard shot to give the league it’s first points. Shane Boyd, quarterback for California, proceeded to score on a four-yard TD run in the second quarter to break the league’s touchdown barrier. And after a Cory Ross TD run, the Redwood’s led at the half by a score of 14-3.

The league’s star, Losman, staged a comeback and lead his team to score 24 unanswered point to start the second half, with passes to Dede Dorsey and Aden Bergen. By the end of the game, the more talented team (on paper) won, as the Locos became the first undefeated team in league history on the shoulders of JP Losman.

Stars of the Week:
JP Losman, Las Vegas: 21-31 yards, 226 yards, 2 TDs, 1 Sack
Aden Bergen, Las Vegas: 4 catches, 66 yards, 16.5 YPC, 1 TD
Robert Herbert, California: 5 tackles, 7 total tackles

 

Florida Tuskers vs. New York Sentinels

While this game wasn’t televised, the link can still be found on the UFL site, www.ufl-football.com. These two teams don’t have eye-popping talent, but they both are two of the more NFL-laden rosters. Both quarterbacks made starts in the NFL and were considered capable backups.

Quinn Gray was the first to strike in the QB duel, as he threw an early TD pass to former NFL player Craphonso Thorpe from Florida State. The next drive, Brooks Bollinger, QB for Florida, threw an interception that gave the Sentinels the ball at the one-yard line. After two unsuccessful Cecil Sapp runs, the Sentinels fumbled the ball in the end zone and the Tuskers recovered to swing the momentum boost in their favor.

Bollinger lead that drive to a touchdown and cut the deficit to 10-7. Gray was intercepted on the next drive, and Bollinger only needed one play to hit Taye Biddle on a 35-yard TD pass.

The Sentinels only managed to put up a field goal the rest of the game, while Bollinger finished the game with four scores and left week one as the best quarterback in the best offense in the league.

Stars of the Week:
Brooks Bollinger, Florida: 20-26, 225 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT, 2 Sacks
Tatum Bell, Florida: 15 rushes, 70 yards, 4.7 YPA, 1 TD
Simeon Rice, New York: 2 tackles, 1 sack for 7 yards

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Bye Week Buyers: Week Five

Now that bye weeks have started, www.NFLHouse.com will be posting our weekly article of our original “Bye Week Buyers”. In each installment, we list the top players out for the host of bye week teams, and give you suitable replacements that are likely in free agency in most leagues.

Top Fantasy Players Out for Week 5

Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans
Phillip Rivers, QB, San Diego
LaDanion Tomlinson, RB, San Diego
Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jacksonville
Brian Westbrook, RB, Philadelphia
Vincent Jackson, WR, San Diego
DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia
Greg Jennings, WR, Green Bay
Marques Colston, WR, New Orleans
Antonio Gates, TE, San Diego
Philadelphia Eagles Defense

Top Likely Free Agents to Pick Up:

Matt Cassel, QB, Kansas City
-Playing a porous Cowboys secondary that even Kyle Orton could score on. Josh McDaniels picked apart them last week, and another offensive guru in Todd Haley could do the same.

Derek Anderson, QB, Cleveland
-While Cleveland just traded away they’re most talented receiver in Braylon Edwards, they still could have a solid day through the air against Buffalo. The Bills let up 38 points to Miami, and with their corners young and Anderson playing better in the Cincinnati game, he could once again be a savior for the Browns.

Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore
-Slowly becoming a household name on fantasy teams, Rice is getting more and more carries for this loaded Ravens backfield. Against a Bengals team that really lacks power up the middle, Rice could blossom for 100+ yards this week.

Chester Taylor, RB, Minnesota
-At the dome of St. Louis against arguable the worse team, look for the Vikings to get up by 2-3 touchdowns early and start resting AP. Taylor will get the bulk of these carries, and it could be a 80-100 yard game with a score.

Jerious Norwood, RB, Atlanta
-Turner has been banged up the past few weeks, and with San Francisco great up the middle vs. the run but not so much on the outside, look for them to get Norwood on the outside and have him make some moves.

Brandon Stokley, WR, Denver
-McDaniels is slowly making this Denver offense respectable and similar to the Patriots he coached the past two years. Stokley is his version of Wes Welker, and I’m not sold on the youth of the Pat’s secondary just yet.

Mohammed Massaquoi, WR, Cleveland
-As said before, Derek Anderson could be in for a huge game against Buffalo. A note to keep in mind: When a backup quarterback comes in for a team, he usually has been working with the second team receivers. Massaquoi exploded last week, and has the most consistency with Anderson since being on the second team.

Pierce Garcon, WR, Indianapolis
-If he’s available in any leagues, I’d snatch him up quick. He has become the deep threat for the Colts offense, and this week they play a struggling Titans secondary who started a rookie in Jason McCourtney last week.

Bobby Wade, WR, Kansas City
-Since getting unfairly cut from the Vikings, Wade has found a great role in Kansas City. While he’s no everyday starter just yet, with the Cowboys secondary, he could have a 80-100 yard day.

Shawn Nelson, TE, Buffalo
-Already on of the most athletic tight ends in the game, Nelson is too big for the Browns secondary to handle. Look for Nelson to get seem and red-zone catches all game long.

Carolina Panthers Defense
-The Redskins offense is mightily struggling, as they couldn’t muster up 20+ points against the Rams and Lions, who had a combined two wins last year. The Panthers have talent on defense, and should show it this week.

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If you have any fantasy questions, email me at EricG@NFLHouse.com

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First Impressions on the UFL

While many of you Direct TV, Dish Network, non-cable, and Nebraska vs. Missouri watchers out there may not have seen last nights biggest sports story, it’s important that you realize what the new, upstart UFL (United Football League) can become.

The inaugural game between the Las Vegas Locomotives and the California Redwoods wasn’t a match-up between star players. No one is going to go out and buy JP Losman jerseys even though he was the star of the game.

However, the subtle yet intriguing changes from the NFL game are ones that hardly affect what we know and love as professional football. For all you XFL and USFL haters out there, don’t judge too quickly on this new league; they may have something here.

The game was hosted nationally on the Versus network, a channel that only cable provides. So instantly, there taking a hit in the ratings. However, they did broadcast and archive the game on their website, www.ufl-football.com.

Also, in the pre-game, they interviewed the coaches, went over some player bios, and gave the feel of an actual NFL game. And while they don’t have the impeccable camera angles or the host of on the field reporting, they did have Doug Flutie in the booth, who really analyzed the game well, and Kordell Stewart as the sideline interviewer (He’s no Erin Andrews, but still a person of interest).

As an College Football evaluator for the past five or so years, I recognized nearly all the players on the field. But even the common fan could recognize some former NFL talent  like JP Losman (QB from Buffalo), Tony Parrish (longtime 49er great), Marcel Shipp (nine year vet from the Cardinals), and Josh Scobey (return man for the Chargers.) And with Dennis Green and Jim Fassel heading up the teams and organizations, the players and schemes are sure to get better.

The referees may have caught some viewers off-guard, as they donned bright red polos, and looked like Tiger Woods wanna-be’s. While the first reaction may not be a good one, by the end of the game, they seemed normal. The quarterback and running backs could clearly see where the refs were, and other than that, they really weren’t a problem.

All-in-all, the inaugural game was a success. Was the play up to NFL standards? Of course not. Was there star power? Not at all. But what this league can bring is new blood to second tier leagues. Although there are only four teams and a six game season, this league has a chance to flourish over time, and that time could be coming very soon.

Notice: I am not tied to the UFL what such ever
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The Future of the NFL

In a series of events that most football fans have likely not noticed, the professional football league is changing at a pace that is unlike any since the dawn of the forward pass. The Wildcat and the drastic addition of the shotgun is really only the beginning of the NFL makeover. The days of a power, one-back running game and the blocking-only tight end along with many other NFL common places are soon to be over, so get ready for the future.

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Kevin Kolb’s First Impression Spells Bad Things for Donovan McNabb’s Future

Being one of the biggest Donovan McNabb fans you’ll ever know, I always look for a way to defend one of the best quarterbacks of the past 10 years.

However, with another injury setback in his recently injury-riddled career, and with the under-appreciated performance young backup Kevin Kolb put up in his debut as a starter, McNabb could be more worried then ever.

Again, let me say that McNabb has been one of the best quarterbacks on the decade and to me is a sure-fire Hall of Famer. He’s been in the NFC title game four times and the Super Bowl once and is the least intercepted quarterback of all time (4,300-plus attempts, under 100 interceptions).

He has been super productive and in my opinion is still a top 10, top eight quarterback in the league.

However, to make the point again, he is a 32-year-old quarterback with a recent injury history and has a second round budding quarterback behind him ready to explode. Kolb is only 25 and has been waiting in the wings similarly to Aaron Rodgers.

If Rodgers is any indicator, we could expect a solid opening for Kolb to bud in his first few seasons. Already Rodgers is in the top 10 quarterback discussion.

Kolb is loved by the Eagles organization and Andy Reid and has shown the ability he did in college at the pro level in practice and now in games.

Every young quarterback is going to make mistakes early in his career, so I’m not too scared by the three interceptions, and neither are the Eagles.

But being able to stay somewhat consistent through 51 pass attempts, throwing two touchdowns, including a great deep ball to DeSean Jackson, and showing above average pocket presence and throwing ability on the run is pretty impressive and shows signs of great potential for Kolb.

Also, looking at the contracts, McNabb recently signed a two-year, $24.5 million deal just this offseason. However, this would not stop the Eagles from trading the five-time Pro Bowler.

With teams like the Raiders, Jaguars, Titans, Broncos, 49ers, and maybe the Vikings all looking for an above average starter in 2010, McNabb will likely be highly coveted in the trade market (maybe a second rounder with possible first round escalators?).

Kolb signed a four-year deal in 2007, but his contract in 2010 is under $500,000, and he will likely seek a big-time extension.

While I still feel Kolb isn’t as great as McNabb—not by a long shot—he is the more youthful, less risky long-term pick for the Eagles and may be a better option contract-wise.

Also, Kolb and Michael Vick could be a solid duo for years to come playing off each other’s weaknesses and forming a great quarterback depth chart that could replace McNabb for the long term.

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NFL Positives, Negatives, and Undecideds from Week One

It seems after week one, fans and analysts everywhere already know how the season will shake out. And while getting a chance to see a team actually play is a better indicator than the offseason workouts or the draft, there is a reason they play 16 games.

So, we’ll take a look at what week one really meant, and what it could mean for the overall season.

The Positives We Learned

Sanchez, Jets Defense Look Poised to be Playoff Contenders

Most people, especially me, thought it would take the rookie quarterback more than an offseason program to become a reasonable starter, but Sanchez looks every bit the part of a starter.

Some may argue that judging by the stats, Sanchez (18-for-31, 272 yards, one touchdown, one interception) had a better game than last year’s rookie darling Matt Ryan, who in his first game finished 9-for-13, for 169 yards and a score.

But what really stood out for me for Sanchez was his great movement in the pocket, his poise when making throws, and his uncanny, Pro Bowl-type third-down conversion ability.

Also, that Jets defense, with an immense amount of blitz packages really looks like they will dominate all season long.

Bart Scott flies all around the field, David Harris lays huge hit after huge hit, and Kris Jenkins was a mauler all game, and could be the best nose tackle in the league.

These Jets really have a chance to end the season 10-6, 11-5 and reach the playoffs.

 

Peterson and Vikings Defense Will Get Favre to Playoffs

I always felt that, even in the preseason, the Vikings were a lock to make the playoffs and possibly go deep (I picked them to play NE in the Super Bowl).

However, judging by the AP show of 186 yards and three scores as well as a pummeling defense that forced two turnovers, five sacks, and allowed only 268 yards of offense, these Vikings should start to become the favorites in the NFC from most people now.

Favre obviously doesn’t have to do much as he only went 14-for-21 for 110 yards and still won. 

 

Brees, Brady Already on Record Setting Pace

In the fantasy debate on who is the best quarterback, the question of Brees and Brady still is undecided. Brees finished his game against the Lions with 358 yards and six scores.

Not to be entirely outdone, Brady managed 378 yards on 39 completions (a Monday Night Football record) and two scores.

So far, Brees is out on top, but both players could be chasing Dan Marino (and Tom Brady’s) passing records.

The Negatives We Learned

Cutler and His Offense Worse Than Expected

The erratic Cutler was in for serious trouble when he went to Chicago. Cutler relies on his magnificent arm strength and gutsiness to both win games and make his receivers some money.

Guys like Brandon Marshall and Brandon Stokley were rather sure handed, and allowed Cutler to be a little off on his throws, while Eddie Royal is very hard to over-throw.

Now in Chicago, unproven receivers like Earl Bennet, Juaquin Iglesias, and Devin Hester aren’t sure handed, athletic guys who can bail Cutler out.

After a four-interception loss on Sunday Night, look for the Bears offense to give the ball even more to Matt Forte, and look for this Bears passing offense not to improve much throughout the year.

 

Jake Delhomme Has Become the Best Player for Opposing Defenses

Eleven. That’s how many giveaways Jake Delhomme has in his last two games. That’s nine interceptions and two lost fumbles—eleven reasons why defenses love to play against him.

For a guy who used to have the best quarterback rating in playoff history, the conservative, veteran quarterback has fallen off the deep end. And with Matt Moore and A.J. Feely the next best options, I don’t see the Delhomme era ending anytime soon—as long as he strays away from his five-and-a-half turnover per game average.

I’ll take the under against the Falcons next week, but not by much.

 

Cincy, Denver have Offenses Just as Bad as Their Defenses

Coming into the season, Denver had the worst team on paper, especially on defense, and the Bengals were still going to rely on their offense to win them games in shootout fashion.

So, with the Broncos likely not to average more than 14-16 points a game, Palmer, Ochocinco, and company could easily muster up 20 points, right? Wrong.

The Bengals managed to score one touchdown the whole game and ended up losing after the Broncos had a terrible pass bounce into the open and moving arms of Brandon Stokley, as he ran it in for the go ahead score.

With playmakers such as Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, Chad Ochocinco, Lavernues Coles, and many others, the combined score of 19 points means that these offenses are even bad against the worst of the worst in defenses.

Still Undecided

The Eagles Haven’t Shown They’re Super Bowl Favorites

After being touted way too much in the preseason about being NFC title favorites, I’m not sold by week one.

I do like the Eagles to at least get to the NFC title game, but the Eagles didn’t over impress me with a week one romping. The defense look very good, abusing Delhomme into five turnovers.

However, the offense didn’t get a chance to show its deep play ability (outside of DeSean Jackson’s punt return), and McNabb is down yet again with an injury.

I was more impressed with the Vikings balanced attack, the Saints tremendous numbers, the Giants complete defense and offense, and the Falcons domination of the Dolphins. I still like the Eagles to go far this year, but pump the breaks on being Super Bowl participants for now.

 

Houston Can Still Be a 9-7 Team

I know the Texans looked awful against the Jets in week one. I watched that game in its entirety, and maybe I took a different message away from it than most.

The Jets defense was perfectly built to reek havoc on the Texans offense. The Jets have the best blitzing inside linebacker in the league, a load and talent of a nose tackle, and an experienced secondary.

Also, the Jets offense really was balanced and really exceeded expectations in consistency.

 

The Cowboys Still Have Questions on Defense

For a defense with arguably the best player in the league in DeMarcus Ware, I’m not sold on the Cowboys defense to be enough to get them to a Super Bowl—or even the playoffs for that matter.

Playing one of the worst offenses in the league in the Tampa Bay Bucs, they allowed over 150 yards rushing, allowed Byron Leftwich to get over 250 yards passing, and had ZERO sacks going against a very marginal offensive line.

The secondary didn’t look good at all, which was expected, but if the front seven can’t bring pressure, the Cowboys could see far too many shootouts than their offense can manage.

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Ten Bold Team Predictions for the NFL

The Falcons and the Dolphins made the playoffs last season after going a combined 4-28 the year before. The Cardinals and Kurt Warner emerged as one of the scariest offenses in the league. Tennessee lead by Kerry Collins had the best record in the NFL. The NFL is so great because the parody in the league provides for shocking outcomes by season’s end. Well, I’m here to say that I (think/hope) know what will happen this season that seems nearly unbelievable. Save this, book mark it, whatever, I stand by these picks.

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