Every week until January, the NFL season will give us writers, us Negative Nancy's, 13 to 16 losers to harp on, usually a few lackluster victors to criticize, and even a few nagging issues with the elite teams to warn of impending doom about. But at the start of the season, everybody has a fresh, clean slate. It feels good.The Oakland Raiders have an actual professional QB this year. Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City, Buffalo have some young stars. Washington and Chicago are bringing in some free agents and, with Seattle and St. Louis, banking on large shifts in the yearly game-plans.
Every team is the "underdog" that "nobody gives any chance" and all the "haters/media" are adding "fuel" to the "fire" and "we'll have to go out there and prove them wrong" and "blah blah blah".
Alas, every team can't go 12-4. Somebody is going to eat their words, but for now, any thing's possible. We know the 'worst-to-first', or 'mediocre-to-much-much-better' thing isn't all that rare, in fact it happens every year. New Orleans and Cincinnati '09, Arizona and Carolina in '08, Cleveland '07, Philly and Baltimore '06 and on and on and on. The '99 Rams, '01 Patriots, '03 Panthers. Crazy stuff happens.
With that, I effectively place a disclaimer on my 2010 Season Predictions. If they turn true I will shout them from the highest mountains to the lowest valleys, if they fail I will simply refer you to my qualifying statement: "crazy stuff happens".
AFC WEST:
WINNER: San Diego. even without many of the stars that led them to their glorious late-season surges and playoff fizzles, QB Phillip Rivers is enough.THE REST: Kansas City is headed the right direction with coordinators Crennell (D) and Weis (O). Oakland may surprise but Al Davis still thinks the team should "throw the bomb". Denver is collecting un-wanted QBs and trading away Pro-Bowlers.
AFC NORTH:
WINNER: Baltimore. I like 3rd-year QBs (Flacco) and RB Ray Rice is becoming a star. The D isn't what it used to be. Thankfully, neither is the offense.THE REST: Pittsburgh will likely bounce back, QB Ben Rothlisberger is out only four games and I wouldn't envision an 0-4 start. Cincinnati has a great line, great young D, Carson Palmer needs to get it together. Cleveland is stuck amongst three great teams, QB Jake Delhomme? Ha!
AFC SOUTH:
WINNER: Indianapolis. Unless QB Peyton Manning goes down, there is just no beating him consistently. All 11 Super Bowl starters return on D.THE REST: Tennessee will push for a playoff spot on RB Chris Johnson's legs and a sparky D. Houston will look for an even bigger year through the air but what they really need is some luck. Jacksonville is nothing new, Maurice Jones-Drew is over-rated.
AFC EAST:
WINNER: New England. Tom Brady is still on this team, Randy Moss and Bill Belicheck are still around. They aren't going down without a fight.THE REST: New York Jets won the Super Bowl last year and Rex Ryan said they would and that we were all idiots for not believing in him... oh wait- no they didn't. Buffalo is still hoping the Trent Edwards era takes off. Miami will be tough team to beat but can QB Chad Henne pile up the wins?
NFC WEST:
WINNER: San Francisco. QB Alex Smith finally getting some weapons and finally getting to keep a playbook/offensive coordinator for a second year.THE REST: Arizona has such a death at QB it is frightening and sad. St. Louis is throwing QB Sam Bradford to the wolves and wearing down RB Steven Jackson. Seattle is looking for young WRs to step up.
NFC NORTH:
WINNER: Green Bay. QB Aaron Rodgers is fast becoming a star and he's got plenty of support, another well-done rebuilding process in Green Bay.THE REST: Minnesota has flame-out written all over them, but man that is a lot of talent to write off. Detroit is finally coming around and it would be a shame to not have an encouraging season. Chicago has chosen to go with 'The Greatest Show on Mud & Ice' with Mike Martz and QB Jay Cutler slinging it around.
NFC SOUTH:
WINNER: New Orleans. The champs are strong again, with WB Drew Brees using four WRs, two TEs and two RBs- who do you cover?THE REST: Atlanta is looking good with 3rd-year QB Matt Ryan but RB Micheal Turner has to rebound. Carolina isn't making progress on paper but this team is one of those every-other-year teams. Tampa Bay is spending a pittance on talent, and shall probably get a pittance of wins in return.
NFC EAST:
WINNER: Dallas. In a brutal NFC East, I like the young guns on offense and the freakish talent on D. Mentally, the Cowboys have now been through a lot.THE REST: Philadelphia lets the QB Kevin Kolb era begin and this team always brings heart and soul. New York Giants floundered last season and the corrections better be in place or it's downhill from there. Washington seems a graveyard of aging or discarded stars and coaches, but I like QB McNabb and Coach Shanahan.
-Miles McGillivray
