NFL All-Rookie Squad: My Picks

These are my picks for the All-Rookie Team in the NFL

QB: Matt Ryan ATL...2,940...14 TDs...7 INTs...92 rating...one of the greatest rookie QBs ever, with no disrespect to Joe Flacco
RB: Chris Johnson TEN...1,094 yards rushing...9 total TDs...4.9 ypc..."Dash" has been the best of a strong rookie RB class featuring Matt Forte, Steve Slaton and Kevin Smith
FB: Owen Schmitt SEA...for lack of better candidate
WR: Eddie Royal DEN...69 rec...799 yards...5 TDs...Has been an excellent compliment to Brandon Marshall...on pace for highest rookie reception total since Anquan Boldin in 2003
WR: DeSean Jackson PHI...53 rec...775 yards...4 total TDs...Instantly Philly's most versatile go-to-guy, Donnie Avery and Devone Bess (MIA) get honorable mention
TE: John Carlson SEA...46 rec...525 yards...4 TDs...Dustin Keller has been great, but he also has other receivers to open up the seam and underneath routes...Carlson not so much...
OT: Ryan Clady DEN...Jay Cutler has been sacked 7 times all year, last year the total was 27...Clady has been exceptional
OT: Jake Long MIA...Solid rookie year, sack total for Dolphins is down from 42 to 24 this season...Duane Brown has been a mauler for Houston, while Jeff Otah has excelled in Carolina
OG: Carl Nicks NO...5th rounder won starting job after Jamar Nesbit got hurt, but played well enough to keep it even when Nesbit came back
OG: Mike Pollack IND...Injuries kept him out early in the year, but has started every game since, playing solidly replacing departed Jake Scott
C: Jamey Richard IND...Has replaced Jeff Saturday admirably, but also has logged starts at both guard spots on depleted Indianapolis offensive line.

DE: Chris Long STL...A weak year for rookie defensive linemen, Long leads all rookie DEs with 35 tackles and 4 sacks, although Rams' pass rush hasn't improved
DE: Cliff Avril DET...Situational pass rusher has amassed 4 sacks and 3 forced fumbles with one recovery...one of very few bright spots for Detroit
DT: Glenn Dorsey KC...Has had a really quiet rookie year, but amazingly nobody has been better...he leads all rookie defensive linemen with 36 tackles
DT: Sedrick Ellis NO...Has been unspectacular, but still has 10 starts with 23 tackles and 2 sacks...Eric Foster has been decent in Indianapolis, also
LB: Jerod Mayo NE...Injury plagued LB position has been manned solidly by Mayo who leads team and all rookies 107 tackles.
LB: Curtis Lofton ATL...Lofton has bright future following strong rookie season starting at MLB for Falcons
LB: Wesley Woodyard DEN...In 5 games starting for injured D.J. Williams, Woodyard has logged 8.6 tackles per game
CB: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie ARI...Has started all but one game since Week 5 and has 3 picks and 18 pass breakups...Aqib Talib has been a very good Nickel Corner for Tampa
CB: Brandon Carr KC...Has been a starter since Week one and the #1 CB since Week 3, logging 8 PBs and 3 INTs...Brandon Flowers has played well covering #2 WRs
FS: Charles Godfrey CAR...has started every game for 8th ranked defense (ppg against)
SS: Chris Horton WAS...Leads rookie DBs in both tackles and INTs...has made numerous big plays, especially early in the year

K: Dan Carpenter MIA...19/22 overall...9/12 from 40+ yards
P: Brett Kern DEN...46.8 yards per punt, 37.8 net
KR: Leodis McElvin BUF...leads NFL in KR average and has 6 KRs longer than 40 yards with 1 TD
PR: Clifton Smith TB...Suddenly Tampa has a great return game...leads NFL in PR average and has 2 40+ yards returns with one TD

Interesting, Surprising and Weird NFL Stats

Passing:
- Brett Favre leads the NFL in INTs
- Peyton Manning has thrown more passes than Donovan McNabb
- Chad Pennington is the 5th highest rated QB in the NFL
- New England's O-Line has allowed Matt Cassel to be sacked more than any QB in the league (42). Last year Tom Brady was sacked 21 times.
- Jay Cutler and Kerry Collins have only been sacked 7 times this year
- Matt Hasselbeck has thrown 5 TDs all season. His QB rating is 57.8
- In 436 pass attempts, David Garrard has failed to complete a pass longer than 35 yards
- The highest rated QB in the NFL is Troy Smith (158.3)

Rushing:
- Adrian Peterson leads all RBs with 7 fumbles... Tomlinson, Jamal Lewis, LenDale White, DeAngelo Williams and Willie Parker have 0 combined fumbles in over 1,000 combined carries
- In Week 4, Montell Owens, a backup RB for the Jacksonville Jaguars, broke through Houston's defense and scored a 41-yard Touchdown. The Coaching Staff was so impressed that they haven't handed him the ball since (he has dressed for all 13 games)
- Joseph Addai's longest run of the year is 23 yards.
- Steve Slaton has more rushing yards than Frank Gore, Brandon Jacobs and LaDanian Tomlinson.
- Julius Jones and Maurice Morris, Seattle's two leading rushers, have 2 combined rushing TDs... who the heck is scoring for Seattle???
- No QB has more than David Garrard's 231 rushing yards... Aaron Rodgers leads the NFC in scrambling
- LenDale White ran a 4.64 at his combine, but has the longest run in the NFL this year (80 yards)

Receiving:
- Roddy White leads the NFL in Receiving Yards
- 90.6% of Vincent Jackson's catches have resulted in First Downs
- Kevin Walter has more receiving yards than Terrell Owens and Randy Moss
- Antonio Bryant has more receiving yards than Marques Colston and Santonio Holmes
- Lance Moore has as many TDs as Randy Moss (8)
- No Jets receiver averages more than 12 yards per catch
- Jeremy Shockey has 0 TDs this year
- TE Tony Sheffler averages more yards per catch than teammate Brandon Marshall

Defense:
- Trent Cole leads all DL in tackles
- No rookie has more than 4 sacks, only 4 rookies have more than 2... only 13 have sacks at all
- Nick Collins has returned 3 of his 5 INTs for Touchdowns
- Cleveland LB D'Qwell Jackson leads the NFL in tackles by 13 (130)
- Since 2002, only 3 DTs have had more sacks than Albert Haynesworth and Kevin Williams' 8.5 this year (Rod Coleman, Warren Sapp, Darnell Dockett)
- In 2000, DT LaRoi Glover had 17 sacks
- Quentin Jammer has more tackles than Brian Urlacher
- Haloti Ngata has as many INTs as Nmandi Asumogha and Carlos Rogers combined, both of which have had Pro Bowl Seasons

Special Teams:
- Devin Hester has 0 Return TDs this season... his average of 21.9 yards per KOR is 60th in the NFL. His average of 6.2 yards per PR is 39th
- Antonio Cromartie has three Kick Off Returns this season, on two of which he fumbled
- 5 different players have called Fair Catches on Kick Offs... o...kay...?
- Only 9 teams have had punts blocked by opponents...Carolina has let it happen 3 times
- San Fransisco's Andy Lee has an 82-yard punt this year
- Minnesota has allowed 4 Punt Return TDs
- Nick Folk of the Cowboys has kicked 4 Kick-Offs out of bounds,,,
- Dallas FS Patrick Watkins has one kick-off attempt... it went 61 yards! someone explain that one to me
- Lions' Kicker Jason Hanson is 7-for-7 from beyond 50 yards. Jason Hanson is 20-for-21 on Extra Points
- St. Louis and Cincinnati have only attempted 13 Extra Points all season

Other:
- Raiders' LT Kwame Harris has jumped offsides 15 times this season (in only 11 games)
- The Raiders' starting LT is still Kwame Harris
- Kurt Warner is the third most penalized player in the NFL... and the only QB in the top 20... get to that line quicker old man!
- Ike Taylor has only been penalized 4 times this year, but has more penalty yards against him than any player in the league... His pass interference penalties have averaged 24 yards per penalty!
- Joe Flacco has fumbled 9 times, but only 1 resulted in a turnover
- Other than their loss to New York, Tennessee has only allowed opponents to score over 20 points ONCE, and that was 21 points to Indy in Week 11
- Pittsburgh hasn't given up more than 24 points all season
- 8 of Detroit's opponents have scored more than 30 points on them... Detroit has allowed less than 20 points only once (Week 6@Minnesota)
- Detroit gives up 173 rushing yards per game

My Pro Bowl Voting Ballot

This was my Pro Bowl Roster.

Post who you think deserves it!

AFC:
QB: Phil Rivers, Brett Favre, Chad Pennington
RB: Thomas Jones, Chris Johnson, Ronnie Brown
WR: Brandon Marshall, Andre Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Reggie Wayne
FB: LeRon McClain
TE: Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates
C: Kevin Mawae, Samson Satele
G: Alan Faneca, Jake Scott, Logan Mankins
T: Joe Thomas, Matt Light, Michael Roos

DE: Shaun Ellis, Mario Williams, Dwight Freeney
DT: Albert Haynesworth, Kris Jenkins, Casey Hampton
OLB: James Harrison, Joey Porter, Terrell Suggs
MLB: Ray Lewis, Channing Crowder
CB: Cortland Finnegan, Nmandi Asomugha, Darelle Revis
SS: Troy Polamalu
FS: Michael Griffin

K: Phil Dawson
P: Mike Scifres
KR: Leon Washington
ST: Anthony Madison


NFC:
QB: Kurt Warner, Drew Brees, Eli Manning
RB: Clinton Portis, Brandon Jacobs, Adrian Peterson
WR: Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, Roddy White, Greg Jennings
FB: Mike Sellers
TE: Jason Whitten, Chris Cooley
C: Shaun O'Hara, Matt Birk
G: Steve Hutchinson, Davin Joseph, Leonard Davis
T: Walter Jones, Kareem McKenzie, Chris Samuels

DE: Justin Tuck, Julius Peppers, John Abraham
DT: Kevin Williams, Darnell Dockett, Fred Robbins
OLB: DeMarcus Ware, Karlos Dansby, Chad Greenway
MLB: Patrick Willis, London Fletcher
CB: Asante Samuel, Charles Woodson, Corey Webster
SS: Chris Horton
FS: O.J. Atogwe

K: Jason Hanson
P: Jeff Feagles
KR: Reggie Bush
ST: Sean Morey

Eagles Rant/Game Picks

This link features two segments from my radio show "Inside the NFL"

http://www.zshare.net/audio/5151971111ab86a3/

NFL Week 2 Division-by-Division Power Rankings and Recap

These Power Rankings are based primarily off of what we’ve seen these past two weekends. Preseason hype and supposed roster strength are secondary factors.
The Divisions are ordered by how well each conference has looked. The better ones are at the top, the weaker ones towards the bottom.

• NFC East (6-2) Unquestionably the best conference in the NFL top to bottom.

1. Dallas Cowboys (2-0) Beat Philadelphia in a monday night thriller. The offense is lethal, the defense makes plays and the special teams are vastly improved. This team is the class of the NFC.
2. New York Giants (2-0) The Giants destroyed a really bad Rams team, and even racked up six sacks, an extremely encouraging sign considering the questions surrounding their pass rush. Oh, and they’ve now won 12 straight on the road.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (1-1) As frustrating a loss as it was for Eagles fans, putting up 337 yards, winning the turnover battle and having Donovan McNabb throw for 281 yards Dallas are all encouraging signs for a team that should be drastically improved.
4. Washington Redskins (1-1) New Orleans was missing four defensive starters and Washington took advantage. Santana Moss welcomed rookie CB Tracy Porter to the NFL by torching him for 67 yards to complete the comeback win over the Saints. This was big for Washington, who hadn’t played anywhere near their ability since rookie head coach Jim Zorn took over.

• AFC East (5-3) The big question mark, but so far, so good.

1. Buffalo Bills (2-0) QB Trent Edwards and RB Marshawn Lynch are the personified bright future of the Buffalo Bills, but their offensive line is what makes them shine. They battled it out against a scruffy Jaguars team and came out on top. They appear to be legit contenders.
2. New England Patriots (1-1) Matt Cassel did what he was supposed to do against the Jets. No, this isn’t Tom Brady part two, but it could be a Damon Huard/Kyle Orton/rookie Ben Roethlisberger type of situation. As long as that defensive line holds up like they did on that big goal line stand, this team will have a shot.
3. New York Jets (1-1) Who is this Chansi Stuckey guy that Brett Favre seems to like? The Jets battled the Patriots, but New England is a team that has their number (and playbook). It’s kind of hard to judge the Jets and the Patriots since they’ve only played cannon fodder and each other.
4. Miami Dolphins (0-2) So much for optimism. After a pretty respectable opening day, the Dolphins got demolished my Arizona. Their offense was nonexistent and Kurt Warner looked like he was orchestrating the greatest show on turf again.

• AFC South (3-4) The highest upside of any conference. If they get it together, watch out.

1. Tennessee Titans (2-0) A 70-yard coffin corner punt and a backup QB who’s better than the starter are bizarre enough. But few things beat Chris Johnson, who runs a 4.24 40-time, speaking out about how fast NFL defenses are. He backed up last week’s nice performance with his first 100-yard rushing game. Keep an eye on CB Cortland Finnegan, who now has 3 INTs in two games.
2. Indianapolis Colts (1-1) Well Peyton Manning is not healthy and Vikings RB Adrian Peterson just bullied their run defense after Matt Forte tore them apart in the opener, but at least they showed heart in a big comeback sprung by a big Anthony Gonzalez reception and lateral play. Their offensive line has serious issues.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) Who would have thought this team would start off 0-2? Their interior offensive line is absolutely depleted and David Garrard trying to do everything by himself isn’t working. They’ve faced two teams that look like they’ll be in the playoff picture and weren’t overmatched, so there’s still hope.
4. Houston Texans (0-1) They had a bye due to hurricane Ike, but interviews with their players sound eerily familiar to interviews with Saints players in 2005. I hate using the word ‘distraction’ in sports talk, but in the case of a massively devastating hurricane, I’ll call it a distraction.

• NFC North (3-5) Tough and gritty. The Lions are the only non playoff contender.

1. Green Bay Packers (2-0) If you’re already putting Aaron Rodgers in the hall of fame, remember how good Matt Ryan looked against that Lions defense. Otherwise, the Packers played a sloppy game versus Detroit. Their punter had a high snap go through his hands for a safety and they blew a 21-point lead, but then they scored 21 points in 84 seconds to secure the win.
2. Chicago Bears (1-1) Their super bowl defense is back and in full force and their special teams are stellar. Considering their offense basically just needs to play mistake-free football, Kyle Orton was definitely the right choice. Still, this would be a real contender if they had receivers and an offensive line.
3. Minnesota Vikings (0-2) They’ve now lost two close games to two pretty good teams. They’re giving up a lot of yards through the air, which wouldn’t be nearly as big a problem if they could throw for some yards themselves.
4. Detroit Lions (0-2) The Lions are a joke. After making Matt Ryan and Michael Turner look like Marino and Sanders, they got torched by Aaron Rodgers. Even when Jon Kitna and Calvin Johnson finally managed to get Detroit back in the game, they preceded to give up 24 unanswered points in less than half a quarter

• NFC South (5-3) There are wins, but they’re against each other. Too many questions.

1. Carolina Panthers (2-0) Welcome to the daily show with Jonathan Stewart! Beat San Diego in the opener and this week they mounted a comeback over a rejuvenated Chicago team. The last time Carolina started 2-0 was in 2003.
2. New Orleans Saints (1-1) Their defense had problems before all the injuries. You would have hoped that the offense would be still strong enough to carry them…then Marques Colston got hurt. Reggie Bush of all people is the guy making plays and keeping this team competitive.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1) They put Atlanta back in their place and the defense shut down Michael Turner. Sophomore DE Gaines Adams also gave rookie LT Sam Baker fits all day and racked up 2 sacks. They just need to make sure their QB situation doesn’t get too ugly.
4. Atlanta Falcons (1-1) 13 for 33 with 2 INTs is more like what a rookie QB should play like. Their 24-9 loss to Tampa Bay was a buzz kill, but if you thought last week’s performance was the norm for this team, then I want some of what you’re drinking.

• AFC North (3-4) Possibly the only division that already seems decided.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0) After looking very impressive in the opener against Houston, the Steelers beat Cleveland in probably the ugliest game of the weekend. Is it me, or does Pittsburgh get caught playing under unplayable conditions more often than any other team in the NFL?
2. Baltimore Ravens (1-0) They had a bye since Houston was in no condition to host them. Normally having a Week 2 bye is a disadvantage, but Baltimore is very banged-up and needed some time to heal.
3. Cleveland Browns (0-2) Safeties Brodney Pool and Brandon McDonald couldn’t tackle Wille Parker, Jamal Lewis has never been able to run on Dick LeBeau’s Steeler defense and Braylon Edwards couldn’t catch anything thrown his way. As I said last week, expect a lot of mediocrity from this team.
4. Cincinnati Bengals (0-2) The Bungles are back Cincinnati! Remember when Marvin Lewis was considered for coach of the year, and the Bengals’ offense was unstoppable? It’s amazing how far this group has fallen since 2005. At least they have one thing remaining from then: their defense still can’t stop anybody.

• AFC West (3-5) There is a line as clear as the Mason-Dixon line separating top two and bottom two teams.

1. San Diego Chargers (0-2) Yes, they are deserving of the top spot in the division. If the NFL replay rule didn’t have a Kool-Aid man-sized hole in it, they would be 1-1 with a win over Denver, the only other relevant team in the division. I don’t even blame fully referee Ed Hochuli, the NFL’s replay system just doesn’t deal with missed fumble calls sufficiently. However, if San Diego doesn’t post zero sacks and doesn’t allow Jay Cutler to rip them up for 350 yards and 4 TDs, maybe this situation doesn’t even matter.
2. Denver Broncos (2-0) They’ve looked great in two games. People dismissed their stomping of Oakland as a blowout against a bad opponent, but they beat (“defeated”) a very talented San Diego team. For some reason nobody is talking about Brandon Marshall’s 18 receptions against pro bowler Antonio Cromartie, one of the most impressive performances by a receiver in recent memory.
3. Oakland Raiders (1-1) Did anybody in the country even watch the Raiders beat the Chiefs this past weekend? Well, the only thing worth watching was Darren McFadden tearing up Kansas City’s defense for 164 yards. JaMarcus Russell was 6 for 17 with 55 yards…is there anyone who actually thinks he’s going to be a star NFL QB?
4. Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) They lost to the Raiders 23-8 and their QB is Tyler Thigpen. Does anything more need to be said? If Tony Gonzalez weren’t such a class act he would have forced his way out of Kansas City by now.

• NFC West (3-5) The Arizona Cardinals are clear cut favorites, yeah… that bad.

1. Arizona Cardinals (2-0) If this roster were playing under any other franchise (except Detroit), they would be considered super bowl contenders. Picking the Cardinals is just a textbook recipe for losing credibility every year. But they have talented playmakers all over the depth chart and demolished a Miami team that looked much improved until they played this squad.
2. San Francisco 49ers (1-1) A little tip for the future: trust Mike Martz. When he starts J.T. O’Sullivan over Alex Smith and brings in antique WR Isaac Bruce to be his go-to-guy, trust him. O’Sullivan was 20 for 32 with 321 yards and a TD while Bruce raked in 153 yards in an overtime victory over 4-straight NFC West champions Seattle.
3. Seattle Seahawks (0-2) You just have to feel for Matt Hasselbeck. Can you remember any team that had this many offensive injuries this early in the season? These are the WRs listed on their official depth chart: Logan Payne, Courtney Taylor, Billy McMullen, Michael Bumpus. Compared to those names, newly acquired wideouts Keary Colbert and Koren Robertson look like Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. On the bright side, they had 8 sacks against the 49ers, including two by rookie Lawrence Jackson.
4. St. Louis Rams (0-2) Do I really have to acknowledge their existence this year? This might be the worst third-down team in recent memory. RT Alex Barron gave up two more sacks to Justin Tuck, further building his already abysmal NFL resume. They’ve been outscored 79-16 in their first two games.

NFL Week 1 Division-by-Division Power Rankings and Recap

These Power Rankings are based primarily off of what we saw this weekend. Preseason hype and supposed roster strength are secondary factors.

The Divisions are ordered by how well each conference has looked. The better ones are at the top, the weaker ones towards the bottom.

NFC East – 3-1
1. Dallas Cowboys – 1-0 – Thoroughly dismantled a Cleveland team that many had winning their division. I didn’t, but they’re certainly a better team than St. Louis, the team Philadelphia beat. Tony Romo had a field day against Cleveland’s secondary, passing for 320 yards.
2. Philadelphia Eagles – 1-0 – Dominated a Rams team that looked a lot like the Dolphins that Scott Linehan used to coach for. Donovan McNabb picked their secondary apart, three WRs had over 100 yards and the Rams’ offensive line was terrible...2002 Houston Texans terrible.
3. New York Giants – 1-0 – They beat a Redskins team that looked just as bad in their opener as they had in preseason. Plax Burress took complete advantage of Shawn Springs being out for Washington with 10 catches for 133 yards.
4. Washington Redskins – 0-1 – Watching their opener, you could only feel sorry for London Fletcher (didn’t he used to have a hyphened "Baker” at the end?). He seemed to be in on every play with 17 tackles, but that was mostly because their D-Line got blown off the line on every running play in a losing effort to the Giants. Campbell is not grasping Zorn’s West Coast Offense very well at all.

NFC South – 3-1
1. Carolina Panthers – 1-0 – Dante Rosario had Panther fans forgetting about Steve Smith, who didn’t play in Carolina’s last-minute surprising upset over a Chargers team that many had picked to win the Super Bowl and didn’t even play that poorly.
2. Atlanta Falcons – 1-0 – Matt Ryan’s 62-yard TD to Michael Jenkins on his first NFL pass was shocking, unexpected and was a precursor to a strong win over Detroit. The NFC South's last place team has always come out on top the next year, but no one thought this rebuilding team could keep up the trend. They looked fully capable this past Sunday – then again it was against the Lions.
3. New Orleans Saints – 1-0 – The Saints battled with Tampa Bay and came out on top in a very good NFC South rivalry game. Reggie Bush had a very impressive day with 164 totall yards.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 0-1 – They battled with New Orleans until the end, but Scott Fujita wasn’t having any of it as he intercepted Jeff Garcia with 40 seconds remaining. You know Derrick Brooks couldn’t stand seeing Reggie Bush running all over his team while he was out nursing an injured hamstring.

NFC North – 2-2
1. Chicago Bears – 1-0 – Phenomenal effort against a supposedly formidable Indianapolis squad. Matt Forte had people forgetting Cedric Benson had ever rushed for the Bears and the defense reminded us how this team made the Super Bowl just two seasons ago.
2. Green Bay Packers – 1-0 – They slugged it out against a tough Minnesota team and came away with the win. Aaron Rodgers played very well, showed surprisingly good mobility and even made his first Lambeau Leap.
3. Minnesota Vikings – 0-1 – Faired well but couldn’t steal one from Green Bay at Lambeau. Even though they out gained the Packers, the Vikings aren’t going to win if their defense doesn’t make plays.
4. Detroit Lions – 0-1 – If the rest of the division really is as strong as it looked in the opening week, Detroit is going to be like the little brother that somebody was forced to drag out to the sandlot. They got absolutely demolished by an Atlanta team that nobody had winning anything this year. Detroit was so bad that Michael Turner had 220 yards while John Abraham was virtually unblockable all game, sacking Jon Kitna three times.

AFC East – 3-1
1. Buffalo Bills – 1-0 – They just went out and firmly crushed a Seattle team that was very much favored to win on the road. Roscoe Parrish broke 5 tackles on his 64-yard punt return TD and Punter Brian Moorman threw a fake punt to backup DE Ryan Denney – there is no question that Buffalo has the best Special Teams in the NFL.
2. New York Jets – 1-0 – Almost blew a 13-point lead to the Chad Pennington-led Miami Dolphins, but future perennial Pro Bowler Darrelle Revis wouldn’t let it happen. Brett Favre played well and Jerricho Cotchery will probably have a carer year this season.
3. New England Patriots – 1-0 – The good news is they won their opener. The bad news is Tom Brady is done for the year and the team they beat was the Chiefs who are about as young as the 2002 expansion Texans. This will be Belichick’s best job to date if he can get this team to the playoffs.
4. Miami Dolphins – 0-1 – How do Bill Parcells’ teams always turn around so quickly? Because he brings in guys he knows from experience will be positive influences on the team. Miami lost to New York, but almost had a huge comeback to beat the Jets. They will be better this year, maybe even better than New England. How weird would that be?

AFC North – 2-2
1. Pittsburgh Steelers – 1-0 – One game into the season it looks like Pittsburgh is going to absolutely dominate this division just like they did against Houston in the opener. Willie Parker had more TDs than he had in all of 2007 while OLB LaMarr Woodley appears to be a player to watch on that Pittsburgh defense.
2. Baltimore Ravens – 1-0 – The defense allowed only 154 yards to Carson Palmer’s Bengals offense, but we knew the defense would be good. The offense? They needed a 42-yard double reverse to Mark Clayton and a comical 38-yard scramble by mammoth rookie QB Joe Flacco to put points up, but hey, that’s what rookie Head Coaches are good for.
3. Cleveland Browns – 0-1 – When your 5 Defensive Backs combine for 34 tackles, it means the other team’s offense put up yards. In Cleveland’s case, Dallas put up 487 on them. Playing an actual legitimate schedule, expect this to be the norm for the Browns this year.
4. Cincinnati Bengals – 0-1 – If you thought your team had problems, they’re Michael Jordan’s Bulls compared to this disgraceful bunch. They gave up 358 yards to the Ravens on some of the most laughable plays you’ll see, while Carson Palmer couldn't even amass 100 yards through the air. Chad JOHNSON? 1 catch.

AFC South – 1-3
1. Tennessee Titans – 1-0 - They upset everybody’s darling Jacksonville Jaguars, and while I still don’t get how Tennessee keeps winning games, I do understand two things: Tennessee’s defense is the most underrated in the NFL and Chris Johnson is going to be an electrifying player in this league. The Titans immediately get better with Young out these next few games.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars – 0-1- Wasn’t Jacksonville supposed to be the epitome of a smash mouth football team? They finished with 17 carries for 33 yards against the Titans’ stingy defense. When will DT Albert Haynesworth finally get the credit he deserves?
3. Indianapolis Colts – 0-1 – When the most consistent NFL franchise over the past nine years gets stomped by a team many had contending for the first overall pick in the upcoming draft, people point fingers at the QB who didn’t play in preseason. People who watched the game saw Matt Forte embarrass the Colts’ undersized defense while his own defense scored 8 points themselves.
4. Houston Texans - 0-1 – The Texans have a lot of isolated great players, but they aren’t a complete team yet and it showed. While DE Mario Williams (2 sacks, FF) and WR Andre Johnson (10 rec, 112 yards) did all they could, others failed, like QB Matt Schaub (sacked 5 times) who threw Pittsburgh S Troy Polamalu the easiest interception of his career. Jason Varitek had a harder time catching Tim Wakefield than Polamalu had catching that pass.

AFC West – 1-3
1. Denver Broncos – 1-0 – The division’s only winning team annihilated Oakland. The defense struggled at times, but the offense was a fine-oiled machine. Eddie Royal had a fantastic debut with 9 catches for 146 yards and a TD.
2. San Diego Chargers – 0-1 – Were upset in the final second of the game by Carolina. The offense played well, but San Diego’s defense really struggled to stop a Panther offense whose best player didn’t even suit up.
3. Kansas City Chiefs – 0-1 – Came within five yards of knocking off the New England Patriots, but this effort was tough to judge due to mid-game injuries to both starting QBs. Still, an encouraging effort from a team that most people had at the very bottom of their preseason power rankings.
4. Oakland Raiders – 0-1 – Man, Mike Ditka sounded as disappointed as a mother who had just caught her son smoking for the first time when broadcasting the Raiders. He might have expected more from this team, but that may have been a little naive. Still, a 27-point home loss to a Denver team that most people didn’t even have finishing above .500 fails to satisfy even the lowest of expectations.

NFC West – 1-3
1. Arizona Cardinals – 1-0 – The NFC West appears to be the ACC of Pro Football. Arizona beat the 49ers on the road, but was hardly convincing in doing so. Still the defense, heralded as opportunistic, forced 5 turnovers and given the play of its division foes there’s legitimate reason for optimism in the desert.
2. San Francisco 49ers – 0-1 – San Francisco’s offense is Frank Gore. J.T. O’Sullivan looked decent at QB, but the 49ers put the ball on the ground 5 times (losing 4), which essentially ends any shot you’ll ever have at winning a football game. On a side note, some guy named Parys Haralson had 2.5 sacks for the Niners – that tied his career total thus far.
3. Seattle Seahawks – 0-1 – They came out more flat than a Stacy Keibler's stomach in a bad loss to Buffalo. The running game struggled, Matt Hasselbeck was sacked 5 times and the Special Teams surrendered two TDs. You’d think the Seahawks would want to send Holmgren off with a bang this year. Look for them to rebound.
4. St. Louis Rams – 0-1 – I almost listed their record as 0-2; it felt like they had lost twice in one game. They were out gained 522 to 166, got burned by Hank Baskett for 90 yards on one play, surrendered 100 yards to three separate no-name receives, were penalized 9 times, sacked 4 times and came within 3 minutes of being shut out by a Philadelphia team that made St.Louis look like a team from the Sun Belt conference.

AFC West Quick Preview

1. San Diego Chargers - 12-4 - They have just as much talent as Indianapolis and New England. They just have to put it all together. Shawne Merriman's injury doesn't keep this team out of contention.
Best Player: RB LaDainian Tomlinson
Most Underrated: DE Luis Castillo
Breakout Candidate: WR Vincent Jackson

2. Denver Broncos - 6-10 - Jay Cutler is on the verge of stardom. However, the Broncos have experience a pretty severe drop the past few years and it derives from poor line play.
Best Player: Champ Bailey
Most Underrated: D.J. Williams
Breakout Candidate: QB Jay Cutler

3. Oakland Raiders - 6-10 - The Raiders are slowly becoming the Knicks of the NFL. They try, but some of the moves they make point at Al Davis senility. Tommy Kelly and Gibril Wilson's contracts are beyond absurd, as is trading a 2nd and 5th round picks for DeAngelo Hall.
Best Player: CB Nnamdi Asomugha
Most Underrated: LBs Thomas Howard and Kirk Morrison
Breakout Candidate: TE Zach Miller

4. Kansas City Chiefs - 3-13 - Kansas City is going to be horrendously bad this year. Fortunately they're also extremely young and have nowhere to go but up.
Best Player: RB Larry Johnson
Most Underrated: S Jarrad Page
Breakout Candidate: DE Tamba Hali

AFC South Quick Preview

1. Indianapolis Colts - 11-5 - Peyton Manning is fine. The Colts will have to start the Mike Pollack era early, but they had to do the same thing with Tony Ugoh last year. The defense is still the fastest in the league.
Best Player: QB Peyton Manning
Most Underrated: MLB Gary Brackett
Breakout Candidate: WR Anthony Gonzalez

2. Jacksonville Jaguars - 10-6 - Yes, they're a good team. No, they haven't caught up with the Colts. Their Offensive Line is somewhat suspect and the team is relying on two rookies to provide a pass rush.
Best Player: CB Rashean Mathis
Most Underrated: MLB Mike Peterson
Breakout Candidate: OLB Clint Ingram

3. Houston Texans - 8-8 - They have a lot of extremely talented young players and have begun to establish a decent Offensive Line. Not having CB Dunta Robinson really hurts a potential breakout team.
Best Player: MLB DeMeco Ryans
Most Underrated: WR Andre Johnson
Breakout Candidate: QB Matt Schaub and DT Amobi Okoye

4. Tennessee Titans - 7-9 - Slowly but surely America has started to realize who the real MVP of this team is: DT Albert Haynesworth. The offense needs QB Vince Young to develop.
Best Player: DT Albert Haynesworth
Most Underrated: OLB David Thornton
Breakout Candidate: MLB Ryan Fowler

AFC North Quick Preview

1. Pittsburgh Steelers - 9-7 - I never like picking a team that has a bad offensive line, but I don't like anybody else in the division and the team is still set pretty much everywhere else.
Best Player: NT Casey Hampton
Most Underrated: RB Willie Parker
Breakout Candidate: WR Santonio Holmes

2. Cleveland Browns - 8-8 - Derek Anderson completed 58% of his passes and threw 19 picks against an easy schedule. He'll have to hope last year's worst total defense has improved enough to survive this year's brutal schedule.
Best Player: WR Braylon Edwards
Most Underrated: LT Joe Thomas
Breakout Candidate: OLB Kamerion Wimbley

3. Baltimore Ravens - 7-9 - I would have liked to pick them to win the division until injuries hit and Flacco got the nod at QB. DE Trevor Pryce healthy makes the veteran defense Super Bowl caliber.
Best Player: S Ed Reed
Most Underrated: DE Haloti Ngata
Breakout Candidate: OL Jason Brown

4. Cincinnati Bengals - 6-10 - It seems you can't talk about the Bengals without at least thinking of that wideout I won't mention but I know you're thinking about. Teams that revolve around isolated controversial figures fail.
Best Player: WR #85
Most Underrated: DE Robert Geathers
Breakout Candidate: CB Leon Hall

AFC East Quick Preview

AFC East:
1. New England - 13-3 - They're still head and shoulders above everyone else. But don't the secondary and Tom Brady's injury have the Super Bowl Loser's curse written all over it?
Best Player: QB Tom Brady
Most Underrated: DE Ty Warren
Breakout Candidate: ILB Jerod Mayo

2. New York - 9-7 - I liked this team before they picked up Favre because that Offensive Line of theirs will be great. On defense a lot hinges on NT Kris Jenkins.
Best Player: OG Alan Faneca
Most Underrated: S Kerry Rhodes
Breakout Candidate: CB Darrelle Revis

3. Miami Dolphins - 6-10 - Bill Parcells means instant turn around. The Dolphins have a talented young Offensive line and an easy schedule to build on.
Best Player: RB Ronnie Brown (healthy)
Most Underrated: ILB Channing Crowder
Breakout Candidate: C Samson Satele

4. Buffalo Bills - 5-11 - They went 7-9, but had the 30th and 31st ranked offense and defense, respectively. The only .500 team they beat was Washington the week Sean Taylor was killed. I don't see a breakout year with a tougher schedule.
Best Player: LT Jason Peters
Most Underrated: C Melvin Fowler (OLB Angelo Crowell before his injury)
Breakout Candidate: MLB Paul Posluszny

Penn State vs. Oregon State - Observations

PSU 45, OSU 14

• Daryll Clark finally ran today...it's great to see that dimension on offense again.
• The O-Line is making Royster look like a Heisman candidate... although he'll probably never amount to much in the NFL.
• One play they lined up Derrick Williams at RB and Evan Royster at FB. Clark took the snap and tossed it to D-Will who threw a deep pass that was close to being a big gain. You have to love how creative they're getting this year.
• Nobody on the team has hands anywhere near as good as Jordan Norwood's. One catch he had, three Beavers collided on him after he caught it; that was incredible.
• Mickey Schuler is not giving JoePa any reason to play Quarless.
• Aaron Maybin is an excellent pass rusher, but is very undersized and takes plays off.
• Mr. Versatility Jerome Hayes started at DE, but he stood up the entire game. Very interesting...
• Bani Gbaju was listed as the starter but Navarro Bowman got a lot more snaps and was flying to the ball the whole game. If Bowman can keep out of trouble he'll be the starter soon.
• Rather than going to the Nickel, coaches opted to flex out Tyrell Sales. He thrives in coverage and could be an interesting prospect for Tampa 2 teams in the NFL. A.J. Wallace barely played at all.
• Mark Rubin often lined up right on top of OSU's slot receiver, leaving Scirrotto alone deep. This position is known as the "hero". It's interesting that they would play the taller, but less physical Rubin in that role.
  
• Speaking of Scirrotto, for a guy as small as he is, he plays the game at 100 miles per hour and looks to drill everyone near him...he's fun to watch.
• Rubin and Josh Hull also both had INTs. Both guys had been decent starters but weren't really making a lot of plays. Was nice to see them step up. Hull's play increased significantly after the pick.
• True Freshman Jack Crawford replaced suspended Abe Koroma in the DT rotation. He could be this year's Steve Wisniewski.
• On Punt Return they had both Williams and Scirrotto lined up to return. You generally see that kind of thing on kickoffs, but I had never seen it on a punt return.

Overall, it was nice to see PSU romp OSU the way they did. Even when facing weaker opponents you do get a glimpse of your weaknesses. Wisconsin is starting slow, Michigan can't throw the ball at all. etc. Last year when playing Buffalo it became pretty clear that Penn State was a team that tended to start slow and you could pass on. Today I really didn't see much negative. The run defense was a little weak and it seemed that once they finally started rushing in the second half that PSU was somewhat breakable that way, but even so they were hardly destroyed on the ground. We'll see if Syracuse will expose them somewhere, although the way the Orange are playing they might not even come to the stadium next week.

TE Power Rankings

The Tight End position has gained more emphasis in recent years, with the near extinction of the Full Back position and the increased use of two-TE sets. Middle-of-the-pack NFL TEs like Randy McMichael and Daniel Graham have received big paydays through free agency and it seems that every year there’s guaranteed to be at least one TE drafted in the first round.

In some offenses, the TE has become the #1 option in the passing attack. Trent Green was a perennial 4,000-yard passer throwing primarily to TE Tony Gonzalez in Kansas City. 2007 was a big breakout year for many young TEs, including Kellen Winslow, Donald Lee and Owen Daniels, but was also a year in which two former Pro Bowl TE fells from grace.

Jeremy Shockey had a fairly decent season, but a leg injury late in the season proved to be a blessing in disguise for the Giants, whose offense ran much more smoothly without Shockey’s strong personality in the huddle. Alge Crumpler, on the other hand, appears to have hit the wall with chronic knee ailments limiting his downfield ability at the age of 30. Shockey was traded to New Orleans while Crumpler will find himself in Tennessee as Vince Young’s #1 checkdown receiver.

This list ranks the NFL’s 32 starting Tight Ends through elite, solid, adequate and fringe classification.

Elite
1. Tony Gonzalez – Kansas City Chiefs – Sure-fire Hall of Famer’s numbers actually improved last year with inconsistent, and sometimes, downright terrible QB play.
2. Antonio Gates – San Diego Chargers – Arguably the most athletic TE in the NFL excels at making plays downfield despite garnering full attention and constant double teams from defenses.
3. Jason Witten – Dallas Cowboys – Set team record for TEs with 96 catches for 1,145 yards in 2007. Is extremely tough and has never missed a game since becoming a starter. Opposing defenses aren’t able to really focus on him due to presence of Terrell Owens on the outside.
4. Kellen Winslow – Cleveland Browns – After two frustrating years to begin his NFL career, Winslow had a solid 2006 campaign followed up with a dynamic breakout 2007 season. He led all NFL TEs with 13.5 yards per catch and does a perfect job of stretching the middle of the field. Has every tool to be great.

Solid
5. Dallas Clark – Indianapolis Colts – TE/H-Back/Slot Receiver had to step up after Marvin Harrison got hurt. He responded with a breakout 2007 season, including 11 TDs; tops among all NFL Tight Ends. Departure of Ben Utecht will give him even more chances to shine.
6. Chris Cooley – Washington Redskins – Cooley finally made his first overdue Pro Bowl last season. He has been a consistent threat for the past three seasons and plays exceptionally well against rival Dallas. Joe Gibbs essentially developed Cooley to fit into his scheme so it is yet to be seen if he fits into Jim Zorn’s new offense.
7. Jeremy Shockey – New Orleans Saints – Was traded to New Orleans this off-season because of personality conflicts rather than on-field production. He’s a fierce competitor who never quits on a play, but tends to be too vocal at times.
8. Todd Heap – Baltimore Ravens – Lost in the quagmire that is the Ravens’ year-in, year-out QB carousel is Heap, Baltimore’s best, but least spectacular receiver. New coordinator Cam Cameron has expressed his excitement in working with Heap, after having developed Antonio Gates in San Diego.
9. Heath Miller – Pittsburgh Steelers – Miller seemingly skipped the unavoidable growing pains of a young NFL player by posting three solid and, above all, extremely consistent seasons. His large frame makes him an attractive red-zone and 18 TDs in three years attest to that.
10. Owen Daniels – Houston Texans – Unheralded TE caught 63 passes for Houston last year and works short-to-intermediate routes very well. Has faded down the stretch in both his first two seasons.
11. Vernon Davis – San Francisco 49ers – Freakish athlete wowed scouts at his combine with sub-4.4 speed, but he has yet to truly live up to expectations, partly due to anemic QB play. Mike Martz brings a new, complex offense to the Bay Area that hasn’t been terribly TE-focused in the past, but you figure Martz won’t deemphasize potentially his most dangerous offensive weapon.
12. Desmond Clark – Chicago Bears – Clark managed to hold off top pick Ben Olsen in 2007 with superior blocking ability and produced more solid numbers. With so much uncertainty and inconsistency on Bears’ offense, Clark is a refreshing, reliable veteran presence.
13. Alge Crumpler – Atlanta Falcons – Former elite TE has somewhat fallen from grace, but received a new contract to be Vince Young’s safety valve in Tennessee. Knee injuries have limited his ability to get downfield, which was arguably the best part of his game.
14. Ben Watson – New England Patriots – Watson has the benefit of playing with Wes Welker and Randy Moss, which limits his numbers, but also makes him more of a red zone threat. He cooled off considerably in the second half of last season.
15. Tony Scheffler – Denver Broncos – Lucrative contract given to Daniel Graham didn’t cost Scheffler his job, although it meant many more two-TE sets. Scheffler amassed 549 yards in just 12 games last year.
16. Randy McMichael – St. Louis Rams – Averaged 61 receptions per season in Miami, so 39-catch debut season for Rams has to be seen as a slight disappointment. Should be better with rest of offense healthy.

Adequate
17. Donald Lee – Green Bay Packers – Lee had a great breakout year for Packers with 575 yards. But will he be able to duplicate success without Brett Favre and what should be a considerably less pass-happy offensive attack?
18. L.J. Smith – Philadelphia Eagles – Eagles really missed his production last year, as injuries and poor focus ruined what was going to be a big contract year for Smith. He has good speed and can make the tough catch, but is wildly inconsistent and what seemed for years to an imminent emergence no longer appears likely.
19. Zach Miller – Oakland Raiders – Rookie was one of few bright spots for Raiders last year. With new QB JaMarcus Russell taking over the reigns, Miller will be relied on heavily to bail out his inexperienced signal caller.
20. Chris Baker – New York Jets – Many Jets fans felt they had found themselves a serviceable starter at TE in Baker after he had a pretty solid 2007 season. The front office disagreed with the signing of Bubba Franks and the drafting of Dustin Keller in the first round.
21. Jeff King – Carolina Panthers – With no decent options outside of Steve Smith in Carolina, King, a former 5th round pick, stepped up and recorded 46 receptions. He’s a decent starter but has limited upside.
22. Mercedes Lewis – Jacksonville Jaguars – Followed up disappointing rookie campaign with 37-catch sophomore season. Coaches expect him to improve even more to live up to first round draft status.
23. Alex Smith – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Former third round pick earned starting role early in his career and has been adequate, but hardly anything special for Bucs.
24. Leonard Pope – Arizona Cardinals – Only had one game last year where he recorded more than 40 yards, but his 6’8 frame keeps coaches intrigued with his potential.
25. Dan Campbell – Detroit Lions – Reliable veteran is coming off a severe elbow injury. He’s a serviceable blocking TE in an offense that runs a lot of three- and four WR sets.
26. Kevin Boss – New York Giants – 5th round pick out of Western Oregon surprised when he filled in nicely for injured Shockey in playoffs. Giants were confident enough in him to trade away their Pro Bowl TE.
27. Reggie Kelly – Cincinnati Bengals – Blocking TE does his unheralded job well for Bengals offense that rarely utilizes TEs in passing game. Ben Utecht was brought in from Indianapolis to change that a little.
28. Visanthe Shiancoe – Minnesota Vikings – Had plenty of opportunities due to inexperienced QB and lack of playmakers outside, but was inconsistent and had several brutal drops.

Fringe
29. Robert Royal – Buffalo Bills – Has always been better suited as a #2 TE. Derek Fine was drafted in fourth round and will get snaps early.
30. Anthony Fasano – Miami Dolphins – Drafted in the 2nd round by Dallas, Fasano had not been the factor the Cowboys had hoped for and he was traded back to the man who drafted him, Bill Parcells, with LB Akin Ayodele for a 4th round pick. He’ll have the inside track to start for Miami.
31. Ben Hartsock – Atlanta Falcons – When a team is in a total rebuilding mode like the Falcons currently are, sometimes one off-season isn’t enough to address every position. The team shipped Alge Crumpler out and will rely on a misfit group of journeymen to fill the void.

Rookies
32. John Carlson – Seattle Seahawks – Seattle drafted the Notre Dame TE to start from the get-go. Carlson was extremely productive when Brady Quinn was under center for the Irish, and the Seahawks believe he can have similar success in their West Coast Offense.

#2 WR Power Rankings

Generally, the success of a team’s passing attack relies on effective play from the Quarterback position. Sure, having a legit #1 target like Randy Moss or Terrell Owens makes the QBs job a lot easier, but still, as evidenced by Moss’ struggles in Oakland and the delayed breakouts of Andre Johnson and Braylon Edwards, it all really comes down to the play of the QB.

However, there are exceptions to this rule, and these commonly hinge on the ability of a team’s #2 WR. Jon Kitna is far from a great passer, but he has orchestrated one of the league’s best aerial attacks, largely because he has had more than one great receiver to throw to. For blue-chip QBs like Tom Brady, having a deep, legitimate group of receivers boosted very good production up to record-breaking numbers.

This list ranks those WRs who aren’t necessarily the first look in their respective passing attacks, although many could very well be that player on other teams. The players aren’t categorized as elite, solid or adequate #2 options, but rather as elite, solid and adequate receivers in general.

Elite
1. Anquan Boldin – Arizona Cardinals – Boldin battled nagging injuries throughout the 2007 campaign, but when healthy he is arguably as good if not better than teammate and fellow Pro Bowler Larry Fitzgerald.
2. T.J. Houshmandzadeh – Cincinnati Bengals – He and teammate Chad Johnson were teammates at Oregon State. Johnson was drafted in the second round and Houshmandzadeh lasted until the seventh. However, with excellent route running, sticky hands and steady production in the red zone, he has rivaled Johnson in ability and even tied for the league lead in receptions last season.
3. Marvin Harrison – Indianapolis Colts – Manning to Harrison had become the model QB/WR duo. Now 36 years old and a veteran of two knee surgeries, Harrison has passed the torch on to Reggie Wayne. Still, as steady and reliable as it gets when healthy.
4. Wes Welker – New England Patriots – The Patriots traded Miami a 2nd round pick for Welker last off-season. It seemed like a high price to pay for a guy who had never amassed more than 700 yards in a season. Never question the Patriots; Welker proved to be the ultimate fit in New England’s offense and tied for the league lead in receptions.

Solid
5. Laveranues Coles – New York Jets – Injuries hurt him last year, although 52 of his 55 receptions came in just 8 games. He has been an extremely solid performer his entire career despite never having a great QB to get him the ball.
6. Greg Jennings – Green Bay Packers – Awesome deep threat showed flashes in his rookie year, but really emerged as a playmaker his sophomore season averaging 17.4 yard per catch with 12 TDs. Complements Donald Driver perfectly.
7. Santonio Holmes – Pittsburgh Steelers – Lethal deep threat in the mold of Joey Galloway led the league with 18.1 yards per catch last year. Compares a lot to Greg Jennings.
8. Calvin Johnson – Detroit Lions – Biggest WR prospect since Randy Moss failed to satisfy unrealistic expectations as a rookie, but should be a perennial Pro Bowler if he stays healthy.
9. Amani Toomer – New York Giants – Production has taken a dip since arrival of Plaxico Burress, but Toomer is a steady, clutch receiver who plays very well when it really counts.

Adequate
10. Reggie Brown – Philadelphia Eagles – All signs pointed to a breakout year in 2007 for Brown, but inconsistency, especially early on, led to a slightly down year. A healthy McNabb could lead to a belated coming out party.
11. Donte Stallworth – Cleveland Browns – Stallworth has absurd deep speed and good run-after-the-catch ability, but also has inconsistent hands and isn’t a reliable target.
12. Vincent Jackson – San Diego Chargers – Led the NFL in postseason receiving yards last year. Enormous target thrived after addition of Chris Chambers.
13. Ronald Curry – Oakland Raiders – Has been a fairly reliable target in an offense that has seen an impressive collection laughable Quarterbacks.
14. Nate Burleson – Seattle Seahawks – Has two 10 TD seasons under his belt. Both have come when there has been a legitimate threat opposite him. Last year, Bobby Engram was that guy. He will continue to start until Deion Branch returns from injury.
15. Mark Clayton – Baltimore Ravens – Clayton had a baffling demise last year when it appeared he was on the cusp of breaking out. His name is far too close to Michael Clayton’s to not worry about a similar decline.
16. Reggie Williams – Jacksonville Jaguars – Inconsistent player, but often wrongfully labeled a bust. He had 10 TDs in 2007, but probably won’t match that with the arrivals of Jerry Porter and Troy Williamson.
17. Kevin Walter – Houston Texans – Houston entered last year with no proven receiver opposite Andre Johnson. Enter Kevin Walter, who doubled his career production in 2007 with 65 catches for 800 yards.
18. Patrick Crayton – Dallas Cowboys – Strong slot receiver was moved into starting lineup after Terry Glenn’s injury. Had better numbers, but was far less effective.
19. Justin Gage – Tennessee Titans – Performed CPR on his own career in first year with Titans despite questionable play at QB position.
20. David Patten – New Orleans Saints – Had a nice bounce-back year last season after two MIA years in Washington.
21. Darrell Jackson – Denver Broncos – Former Seahawk has been a good NFL WR, but he had a bad 2007 season, has brittle knees and will have to fend off Keary Colbert and Samie Parker to start opposite Brandon Marshall.
22. Arnaz Battle – San Francisco 49ers – Battle has very good hands, yet only 48.1% of passes thrown his direction ended up in his hands, a testament to the abysmal QB play in San Fran. Will battle newcomer Bryant Johnson for starting job.
23. Antwaan Randle-El – Washington Redskins – Very versatile WR is jack of all traits, but master of none, and will not be a starter for much longer with rookies Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly waiting in the wings.
24. Drew Bennett – St. Louis Rams – Veteran wideout has great size, but catch total has declined the past four seasons and injuries rendered his first year in St. Louis a big disappointment.
25. Ike Hilliard – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Had best season since rookie year, has good hands and is a clutch third-down target. Maurice Stovall, rookie Dexter Jackson and the mystery that is Michael Clayton will battle for his job, however.
26. D.J. Hackett – Carolina Panthers – When healthy, he’s a decent starter. Was brought in to take some pressure off of Steve Smith opposite him. If he gels in offense, he’ll get a lot of single coverage.
27. Ted Ginn Jr. – Miami Dolphins – He has exceptional speed and is a great return man, but with the 11th overall pick you generally try to get someone who you think can be an elite #1 WR. Few scouts think that of Ginn. Still, he has the ability to be a gamebreaker, especially if he gets more talent around him.
28. Sidney Rice – Minnesota Vikings – Had a decent rookie season. Big receiver added some weight to become a better possession receiver.
29. Laurent Robinson – Rookie out of Illinois St. was a rare bright spot for Falcons in 2007. Falcons really are intrigued with his potential.

Fringe
30. Jeff Webb – Kansas City Chiefs – Nobody is in greater rebuilding mode than Kansas City. Webb, a former 6th round pick who started two games and caught 28 passes last season, enters training camp penciled in as the starter.
31. Mark Bradley – Chicago Bears – Bradley is a former 2nd round pick with all the physical tools, but had just six receptions in 2007. Bears’ receivers are so bad that Brandon Lloyd, third round rookie Earl Bennett and even Devin Hester, a college CB, all have opportunities to be starters.

Rookies
32. James Hardy – Buffalo Bills - Enormous second round pick provides much needed size to the NFL’s smallest receiving corps. He should move Josh Reed to a slot role, where his skill set is much better suited.

#1 WR Power Rankings

There was not one receiver taken in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. In fact, since 2005, only 13 WRs total have been drafted in the first round with only two being top five picks.
The reason for this is quite simple. The Wide Receiver position with all its glamour and limelight is also easily the most dependent position in football. If a team is looking to rebuild itself out of the ashes, it will rarely start by building around a receiver.
Furthermore, teams have realized that a decent #2 WR is not all that difficult to find and not always worth the risk of a high pick. Braylon Edwards and Calvin Johnson are the only WRs who have been drafted in the top five since 2005, essentially because it was assumed coming out of college that both were going to be much more than decent #2 wideouts.
Edwards is just now starting to live up to expectations and is becoming an elite, game changing WR. He can change a team’s entire passing attack because of the defensive focus on him and improves his entire team by doing so.
However, Edwards is a rare commodity as showed by this list, which ranks every team’s go-to wideout.

Note: Players are not classified as elite, solid or adequate #1 WRs, but rather as elite, solid or adequate wide receivers in general. I am fully aware that Marty Booker is an inadequate #1 WR, but he is an adequate starting receiver in the NFL. Few teams’ best receiver will ever be a fringe starter and most will be solid wideouts.

Elite
1. Randy Moss – New England Patriots – Is 6’4, has unreal leaping ability, excellent deep speed and the ability to make supernatural catches. Caught NFL record 23 TDs last season and is the NFL’s premiere wideout.
2. Terrell Owens – Dallas Cowboys – Has and will always have problems dropping easy passes, but once he has possession there is no receiver more dangerous running after the catch.
3. Chad Johnson – Cincinnati Bengals – 1,300 yards, 8 TDs and an array of controversy are almost guaranteed in a season with Ocho Cinco.
4. Larry Fitzgerald – Arizona Cardinals – Already has two 100 catch, 1,400 yard and 10 TD seasons in young career despite constant flux at QB position.
5. Reggie Wayne – Indianapolis Colts – Finally got chance last year to be team’s go-to receiver and flourished by leading NFL in receiving yards. He has officially dethroned Marvin Harrison as Peyton Manning’s #1 target.
6. Andre Johnson – Houston Texans – Missed 7 games in what would have been monstrous year. He averaged 94.6 yards per game when healthy.
7. Steve Smith – Carolina Panthers – Question marks at QB position and lack of talent to divert defensive attention away from him has made his job extremely tough, yet he still produced a third straight 1,000 yard season in 2007.
8. Marques Colston – New Orleans Saints – Was robbed of Rookie of the Year crown in 2006 and took another big step forward in second season. Size and hands make him an ideal fit in New Orleans’ offense.
9. Plaxico Burress – New York Giants – Burress has been clutch, dynamic and healthy since signing with Giants in 2005. Caught Super Bowl winning TD and is possibly the league’s best receiving threat near goal line because of his great size.
10. Torry Holt – St. Louis Rams – Had yet another 90-catch, 1,100-yard season in what was an injury plagued, disjoint year for the Rams offense.
11. Braylon Edwards – Cleveland Browns – Has improved every year as a starter since being drafted 2nd overall in 2005, but last year he finally emerged as the elite playmaker he was touted to be coming out of Michigan.

Solid
12. Donald Driver – Green Bay Packers – As consistent as it gets. He has been a great player in Green Bay for a number of years, yet has never truly received the credit he deserves.
13. Roy Williams – Detroit Lions – Possesses all the tools to be an elite Wide Receiver, but injuries, inconsistency and concentration lapses have kept him from making that step.
14. Brandon Marshall – Denver Broncos – Had a phenomenal sophomore season and appears to have a stellar career ahead of him if he can mature on – and especially off the field.
15. Derrick Mason – Baltimore Ravens – The ultimate possession receiver. He may no longer be a game changer, but still caught 103 passes from carousel of mediocre QBs throwing to him.
16. Lee Evans – Buffalo Bills – QB controversy and inconsistency delayed what should have been a true breakout year for Evans. Production increased later in the season.
17. Chris Chambers – San Diego Chargers – Career had begun to erode in Miami. Now with a whole off-season in the Chargers’ system he should be able to jumpstart his career.
18. Joey Galloway – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – He will be 36 this season but still is a legitimate burner with great deep speed. Seems to put up 1,000 every season without getting any recognition whatsoever.
19. Roddy White – Atlanta Falcons – On the verge of being labeled a first-round bust, White broke out with Chris Redman, Joey Harrington and Byron Leftwich throwing to him. Hats off to whoever predicted him to top 1,200 yards before last season.
20. Jerricho Cotchery – New York Jets – Silently has had a pair of very productive years in New York. Outplayed more revered teammate Laveranues Coles last year with 82 catches for 1,130 yards.
21. Kevin Curtis – Philadelphia Eagles – Almost nobody noticed that Curtis topped 1,100 yards in his first full season as a starter. He’s an extremely intelligent player who runs excellent routes.
22. Dwayne Bowe – Kansas City Chiefs – Far and away the NFL’s best Rookie WR had immediate impact and fell five yards short of 1,000 yards with zero talent around him.
23. Santana Moss – Washington Redskins – Injuries have kept him from playing anywhere near record-setting 2005 season level.
24. Bernard Berrian – Minnesota Vikings – He’s a strong deep threat and got a huge contract to fix Minnesota’s passing game.
25. Bobby Engram – Seattle Seahawks – He had a career year at the ripe old age of 34 with 94 catches for 1,147 yards and 6 TDs. Did anyone outside of Seattle notice?
26. Hines Ward – Pittsburgh Steelers – Ward is a great competitor, tough as nails and largely considered the best blocking WR in the NFL, but he’s 32 and hasn’t had 75 catches or 1,000 yards in any of his last three seasons.

Adequate
27. Javon Walker – Oakland Raiders – He’s a legitimate gamebreaker when healthy, but that has rarely been the case. He signed a bigger contract than Randy Moss this past off-season; more damning evidence of Al Davis’ senility.
28. Jerry Porter – Jacksonville Jaguars – Signed to be the go-to receiver the team hasn’t had since Jimmy Smith, but was never really that player in Oakland either.
29. Isaac Bruce – San Fransisco 49ers – Reunited with Mike Martz, is expected to have the same sort of impact that Shaun McDonald had last year in Detroit as an experienced wideout in Martz’s immensely complex system.
30. Justin Gage – Tennessee Titans – Had a surprisingly good first year in Tennessee, but why he and Roydell Williams remain Vince Young’s top outside weapons remains a mystery.
31. Ted Ginn Jr. – Miami Dolphins – Miami’s top pick in 2007 was decent as a rookie, but with the departures of Chris Chambers and Marty Booker, has been thrown into the role of go-to receiver. Coming out of college, most had him as a jack-of-all-traits #2 type of WR.
32. Marty Booker – Chicago Bears – Seriously Chicago, is this really the best you could come up with to replace departed Bernard Berrian? Booker is a decent veteran wideout, but if he’s your #1 guy outside, then you have failed to assemble an even somewhat passable receiving corps.

RB Power Rankings

The Running Back position has undergone the most change of possibly any position in recent years. The ballooning of Offensive Linemen has made the 1,000-yard milestone a routine task for most starting RBs. Many teams have even had success merely plugging in mediocre, system backs behind great Offensive Lines.
Because so many types of Running Backs are now able to have success in the NFL, many teams have begun to take advantage of the diverse weapons at their disposal by rotating in different backs for different situations.
However, when the game is on the line, every team will have their feature back that will be on the field. So stay put Maurice Jones-Drew, sorry Chester Taylor, sit down Reggie Bush; the other guy is getting the carry this down as this list ranks every team’s top Running Back.

Elite
1. LaDainian Tomlinson – San Diego Chargers – Undeniably the best, most consistent, all-around RB in the NFL.
2. Brian Westbrook – Philadelphia Eagles – League’s most dangerous receiver out of the backfield has become an elite runner despite diminutive stature tallying 2,104 total yards in 2007.
3. Adrian Peterson – Minnesota Vikings – Could dethrone Tomlinson by year’s end if he maintains consistency. Reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year rushed for 296 yards against Chargers but failed to reach 100 yards in each of the final four games.
4. Steven Jackson – St. Louis Rams – Monster 2006 campaign was followed up by disappointing, injury marred season last year. However, when healthy he’s a big, fast, versatile back who is a legitimate threat to put up 2,000 total yards every year.

Solid
5. Willie Parker – Pittsburgh Steelers – Unheralded runner had third straight 1,200 yard season and could have been NFL rushing champion if not for broken fibia suffered in Week 16.
6. Larry Johnson – Kansas City Chiefs – Missed half of the season with injury and struggled when healthy due in part to poor Offensive Line play. Still, he had back-to-back 1,700 seasons before last season and is league’s most punishing runner.
7. Clinton Portis – Denver Broncos - Bounced back with 1,651 total yards in 2007 but had career low 3.9 yards per carry and has a lot of tread on the tires.
8. Frank Gore – San Francisco 49ers – Had 1,538 total yards and six TDs in what was considered a down year for him last season.
9. Willis McGahee – Baltimore Ravens – Had a strong first season in Baltimore despite suspect QB play.
10. Fred Taylor – Jacksonville Jaguars - With Maurice Jones-Drew sharing the backfield, he has become more effective and is closing in on Jim Brown on all-time rushing list.
11. Joseph Addai – Indianapolis Colts – Peyton Manning keeps defenses from ever stacking the box, and Addai has taken advantage. Has also become a legitimate receiver out of the backfield.
12. Marshawn Lynch – Buffalo Bills – Had impressive rookie season despite missing three games and garnering almost all the attention of opposing defenses.
13. Jamal Lewis – Cleveland Browns – Had a resurgent 1,300-yard season in Cleveland, but may not have much left in the tank.
14. Marion Barber – Dallas Cowboys – Punishing running style is a treat to watch. Now will get chance to carry full load and there’s little that suggests he won’t be able to.
15. Edgerrin James – Arizona Cardinals – Had solid 2007 campaign but hasn’t been the player he was in Indianapolis. Fans and coaches hope he doesn’t catch Shaun Alexander disease.
16. Ronnie Brown – Miami Dolphins – Was having a simply awesome season before severe knee injury ended what was on pace to being a 2,265 yard season. Can he bounce back?
17. Brandon Jacobs – New York Giants – He is by far the biggest RB in the NFL, but still has surprisingly good vertical speed. He missed 5 games last season and still finished with over 1,000 yards.
18. Laurence Maroney – New England Patriots – Patriots’ pass-happy offense hurts numbers; Maroney would be a 1,000-yard runner on a different team.
19. Ryan Grant – Green Bay Packers – Fantastic second half of season solved Packers’ rushing problems. If he can carry the load for a whole season, consider him a franchise back.
20. Earnest Graham – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Has a nose for the end zone. Took over for injured Cadillac Williams and thrived behind emerging Bucs Offensive Line.

Adequate
21. Thomas Jones – New York Jets – Additions of veteran Linemen Alan Faneca and Damien Woody, along with continued improvement by D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold could lead to a big bounce back season.
22. Deuce McAllister – New Orleans Saints – His presence takes pressure off of Reggie Bush, but he may not be ready for start of 2008 season after yet another knee surgery.
23. Rudi Johnson – Cincinnati Bengals – Hamstring injury led to bad season last year, but rotation with Kenny Watson could increase effectiveness at this stage in his career.
24. LenDale White – Tennessee Titans – Proved doubters wrong with good season for Titans. Improved conditioning could allow him to really capitalize on talent and blocking.
25. Justin Fargas – Oakland Raiders – Is a good fit in Raiders’ zone-blocking scheme and had career year in 2007. Al Davis didn’t seem to notice or care and drafted Darren McFadden anyway.
26. Julius Jones – Seattle Seahawks – Signed to replace Shaun Alexander, is a talented runner who fell out of favor in Dallas due to poor work ethic.
27. Michael Turner – Atlanta Falcons – Possibly a boom or bust signing for Atlanta. Was very solid in spell duty, but then again, so was LaMont Jordan.
28. Ahman Green – Houston Texans – Missed 10 games with knee problems, is 31 and has competition in camp, but is still a proven starter who fits Shanahan’s one-cut scheme.
29. Selvin Young – Denver Broncos – One-cut back who didn’t get drafted but bizarrely did well running the ball for the Broncos…sound familiar?
30. DeAngelo Williams – Carolina Panthers – Former first round Scatback hasn’t been impressive enough to earn coaches trust, hence the drafting of bruiser Jonathan Stewart.

Fringe
31. Tatum Bell – Detroit Lions – Detroit will try to employ a zone-blocking scheme in 2008, which gives Bell one last chance to shine since leaving Denver, but rookie Kevin Smith will push him if he doesn’t produce.

Rookies
32. Matt Forte – Chicago Bears – Was a hugely productive, yet under-the-radar RB at Tulane. Cedric Benson’s release gives Forte a chance to make immediate impact.

QB Power Rankings

June, July, August - the season of preseason power rankings. As interesting as they are to glance at while the football season is at an idle stall, they prove so often to be entirely off by the end of the year. Too often, writers look at what teams did the prior year and expect the same results the following year. There is too much parity in the NFL for this to be a reliable evaluation. The better way to judge a team is, simply, by the talent on their roster.

In 2007, the Green Bay Packers were ranked as a middle-of-the-pack team, largely due to their 8-8 2006 record. Their record didn't show the abundance of young talent on their roster that had been jelling for the last two seasons. I had them winning the NFC North based on their talent and I was right. But I too fell into the record trap and completely missed on the New York Giants. In 2006, the 8-8 Giants rallied to a .500 record on the shoulders of Tiki Barber. With his retirement I assumed nothing but a step down for a team. I didn't factor in the talent on both lines and the team I thought would finish 6-10 won the Super Bowl

That is why I've decided, instead of doing another team power ranking, to rate every team's starter amongst their peers. I sorted players into five categories: elite players, solid and adequate starters, fringe players and rookies. The latter automatically ranked at the bottom.

So to begin the series, I'll rank the NFLs 32 starting QBs.

Elite
1. Tom Brady - New England Patriots - He had the rings, now he has the records too.
2. Peyton Manning - Indianapolis Colts - Has a ring, and used to hold the records.
3. Drew Brees - New Orleans Saints - 4,000 yards for two straight years, the most accurate QB in the NFC and a perfect fit in Sean Payton's offense.
4. Ben Roethlisberger - Pittsburgh Steelers - Huge bounce back season in 2007 with 32 TDs and 104.1 QB rating.
5. Carson Palmer – Cincinatti Bengals - Has the weapons outside, but it still takes a great QB to amass 104 TDs in just 4 seasons.

Solid
6. Tony Romo – Dallas Cowboys - Electrifying player, but end of year struggles must stop for him to join the NFL’s elite.
7. Matt Hasselbeck – Seattle Seahawks - Because of the division he plays in, is often forgotten, but all he has done is post a career 86.2 passer rating in 7 consistent years in Seattle.
8. David Garrard – Jacksonville Jaguars – Has only one really strong season under his belt, but throwing only 3 INTs as a starter last year shows tremendous decision-making and accuracy.
9. Eli Manning – New York Giants – Which Eli Manning will show up for 16 games this year?
10. Donovan McNabb – Philadelphia Eagles – Injuries have hurt accuracy and mobility, but is fully healthy for first time since start of 2005 season.
11. Philip Rivers – San Diego Chargers – Tough, gritty QB has all the talent around him to succeed, but an ACL injury to recover from.
12. Marc Bulger – St. Louis Rams – Injuries ruined what should have been best season. Needs better protection to capitalize on weapons.
13. Jay Cutler – Denver Broncos - Solid, composed and a leader despite questionable line play and undependable receivers.
14. Derek Anderson – Cleveland Browns – Came out of nowhere to orchestrate NFLs most improved offense.
15. Jon Kitna – Detroit Lions – Has been sacked 114 times in two seasons with Lions, but has still passed for over 8,000 yards.
16. Jeff Garcia – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Veteran QB doesn’t have a great NFL arm, but just doesn’t make any mistakes.
17. Jake Delhomme – Carolina Panthers - Fiery QB is aging and has missed 16 games in two years.

Adequate
18. Jason Campbell – Washington Redskins - Throws a beautiful deep ball, and now should have better receivers on the other end of them.
19. Matt Schaub – Houston Texans - Was having solid year before injuries ended first season as starter. Might have to battle backup Sage Rosenfels in preseason.
20. Trent Edwards – Buffalo Bills – Was accurate and decisive enough in rookie year to dethrone J.P. Losman as starting QB.
21. Vince Young – Tennessee Titans – Accuracy improved in second season, but threw only 9 TDs and 17 INTs. Gets too much credit for Titans’ recent improvement.
22. Chad Pennington – New York Jets – Is extremely smart, accurate and sound, but has far and away the weakest arm among NFL starting QBs. Will have to hold off Kellen Clemens in preseason.
23. Matt Leinart – Arizona Cardinals – Injured in second year as starter, but was struggling before that. If Arizona wants to contend, Leinart will have to step up or Kurt Warner may again be the starter
24. Alex Smith – San Fransisco 49ers – Former #1 overall pick has one last year to prove he’s not a bust, but he’ll have to win starting job first.
25. Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay Packers – 4th season will really be rookie year. Played well in spot duty last year but has Shaquille O’Neal sized shoes to fill.
26. JaMarcus Russell – Oakland Raiders – Big frame and cannon arm will be given opportunity to prove his worth. It’s questionable whether or not he’s ready.

Fringe
27. Kyle Boller – Baltimore Ravens - Isn’t a terrible QB, but is an inadequate starter. May get to start entire season while raw QB of the future Joe Flacco learns.
28. Rex Grossman – Chicago Bears – Has a great arm, but is inaccurate and absurdly inconsistent. Chicago has decided to give him yet another chance.
29. Brodie Croyle – Kansas City Cheifs - In 6 winless starts in 2007, Croyle had no running game and was sacked 17 times.
30. Tavaris Jackson – Minnesota Vikings – Young QB has suddenly found himself on a team with playoff aspirations. He will be crucial to how far the Vikings actually go.
31. Joey Harrington – Atlanta Falcons – Will start until Matt Ryan is deemed ready. Fringe starter who will remain a decent backup once Ryan era has begun.
32. John Beck – Miami Dolphins – Will battle Josh McCown and rookie Chad Henne for starting job. Beck was a turnover machine in 4 starts last season.

New York Giants Preview: Hater View vs. Homer View

The Facts:

2007 Record: 10-6
Season End: Super Bowl Champions
Offensive Rank: 16th
Defensive Rank: 7th
Key Additions: QB David Carr, S Sammy Knight
Key Losses: LB Kawika Mitchell, LB Reggie Torbor, S Gibril Wilson
Day One Draft Choices: S Kenny Phillips, CB Terrell Thomas
Marquee wins: @ Redskins, @ Buccaneers, @ Cowboys, @ Packers, vs. Patriots


Homer View:
The Giants are the defending Super Bowl champions. They were the best team in the league by the end of last year and earned every bit of the Lombardi Trophy. For this team, it all starts up front on defense. Rookie defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo did a phenomenal job using the personnel along the D-Line last year and they led the league in sacks (53). Michael Strahan retired very recently, but he was only third on the team in sacks. Justin Tuck will step in and take his place, and he had 10 sacks last year. Pro Bowl DE Osi Umenyiora will start opposite Tuck and the inside will be anchored by underrated Fred Robbins. At Linebacker, Matthias Kiwanuka now has more experience starting at OLB and is poised to break out. Antonio Pierce is far and away the best MLB in the division. In the secondary, Aaron Ross will improve after a strong rookie year and Corey Webster had a breakout in the playoffs last year. Sammy Knight is experienced and had 4 INTs for Jacksonville last year while Kenny Phillips was the best Safety in the draft. In any case their job will be easy considering the pass rush that will be generated by the D-Line. On offense, Eli had a coming out party in the playoffs last year and we should see more of that this year. Eli has great weapons, and will have TE Jeremy Shockey back, who got hurt in before the playoffs. Also, recent 2nd round picks Sinorice Moss and Steve Smith should step up with another year in Coughlin's offense and 3rd round pick Mario Manningham was super productive at Michigan. The running game ranked 4th in the league last year and the entire line returns, along with all 4 of the Giants' RBs. Jeff Feagles and the David Tyree-led coverage unit should remain solid.
Prediction: 13-3


Hater View:
Eli Manning had a good postseason, but in the regular season he posted his worst passer rating since his rookie year. Don't be fooled by a couple of games. He had a great start to his season back in 2006 but never gained any consistency. He's had 11 100+ rating games, but he's never managed to make it a trend. Even his great postseason game against Dallas was followed up by a 21-for-40 effort against Green Bay in the NFC Championship. He's a talented QB, there's no question about that, and is fully capable of dominating in stretches, but has never been able to put it together for 16 games. They won mostly off of hunger and determination last year, and as Super Bowl Champions I would expect less of that grit this year, which will hurt. Another knock on Eli's success next year is Shockey's return to the huddle. Eli isn't a tremendously strong leader type, and has struggled with strong personalities in the huddle, such as Tiki Barber and Shockey, in the past. Shockey could be a curse rather than a blessing, and keep in mind that he isn't happy and was close to being traded this off-season. He could easily be very detrimental to his QB this season. The defense loses the gap-toother face of the team. Michael Strahan's retirement takes one of the greatest pass rushers in NFL history off the line and leaves Justin Tuck to take his place. Tuck has only ever started 3 games in his career, and despite a good season last year, is a question mark as an every down player, given his weakness against the run. This could also effect Osi Umenyiora's play on the other side, and if the pass rush doesn't keep up, then the defense will be in trouble. The team lost Kawika Mitchell and Reggie Torbor at LB, who started a combined 29 games last season and picked up nobody to play WILL, while last year's SAM Kiwanuka is coming off a season ending leg injury. Corey Webster was a borderline bust before the postseason last year and his improved play was exaggerated because his plays were in big spots rather than consistently throughout the games. Gibril Wilson kept that secondary together and he signed a big deal with Oakland, leaving rookie Kenny Phillips and journeyman Sammy Knight to start in his place. Last I checked, Lawrence Tynes was still the Place Kicker, who nearly blew the season by missing a chip shot with time expiring against Green Bay.
Prediction: 8-8 coming back down to earth


Realistic Projection:
I don't think Strahan will be a big loss, considering the year Tuck had last year. Also, with a the better half of a season starting under his belt, Kiwanuka will probably be used more freely as a pass rusher, especially in Nickel and Dime. I think the defense will be a little down from last year, but still solid enough due to the D-Line. What's worrisome is an apparent lack of depth compared to last year. On offense, they'll be good even if Eli remains the Eli of old. They did go 10-6 with him his usual, average self. However, the added confidence from the Super Bowl run is exactly what a player like him needs. He's always been a guy whose confidence has been his worst enemy. Shockey is the real question mark here. He could blow this team up, but could also be that pro bowl TE that Manning missed in the postseason. In any case, the entire O-Line is in their prime and last year they proved the running game will be strong no matter who carries the ball.
Prediction: 12-4, benefiting from 2nd place schedule.