We all know that there are some teams that will be contenders for this season. The Patriot, Colts, Steelers and Cowboys are almost sure to be some of those teams. What about some other teams. There are some we thought had a sure shot and some we never gave much chance to. I'm going to take this opportunity and look at some teams and break down whether they are contenders or pretenders this 2007 season.

Cleveland Browns- The Browns signed RB Jamal Lewis in the off season to help in the running game. They also have TE Kellen Winslow who they was expecting to return and put up some good numbers. QB derrick Anderson so far has looked good and makes you wonder what Coach Crennel was thinking during training camp. The Browns offense is pretty good. they are 4th in the league in scoring avg. 27.8 a game. 8th in total yds with 354.5 a game. 9th in passing yds posting 293.3 a game and 15th in rushing with an avg. of 115.2 yds a game. The problem with this team is defense. They are almost dead last in every catogory. That's not good because we all know defenses win championships. So at this time I will have to say they are: Pretenders

Minnesota Vikings- This is a team comeing into this season we knew had a pretty good run defense. They drafted RB Adrian Peterson in the first round hopeing to help out the offense that was not all that good last year. Peterson leads the league in rushing so far this season. He is an outstanding rookie but the Vikes lack a passing attack and I think that is what has lead them to haveing only two wins so far this season. Not to mention they can't stop other teams from throwing the ball all over them. They do not give up many points on defense and it's hard to run against them but until I see more consistant play from them they are: Pretenders

Jacksonville Jaguars- This is a team I actualy thought had a shot comeing into this season. They have a great rushing attack with two good backs in Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor. Jacksonville ranks 4th in the league in rushing avg. 154.8 yds a game. they are also 7th in the league total yds a game with 355.2 avg. Sending QB Byron Leftwhich to Atlanta was a smart move by them. QB David Garrard gives them a better chance of winning and there record in the AFC South is 4-1 at this time. There defense is what impresses me the most. they are ranked in the top ten  in every statistical category except passing yds allowed which is still very good at 12th in the league. Playing good defense like this has me saying these guys are true: Contenders

Tampabay Buccaneers- This team is a product of a very weak division. Nobody picked the Buc's to be ahead of New Orleans in the NFC South. The thing is they are and have a descent record to show for it. At 4-2 you would think that maybe they are that good. But when you look at statistics they are not at all. they are only scoreing 18 pts a game and only 99.2 rushing yds a game. Though they are holding opponents to 14.5 points a game and only allowing 197.4 yds passing a game I'm still not convinced they make it out the wildcard game in the playoffs. They'll more than likely win the division as they play a majority of their remaining games at home but i'm not sold on the fact that they are that good so for now I say they are: Pretenders

Kansas City Chiefs- This team needs a QB very badly. I know they have Brodie Croyle waiting in the wing but I don't think he is all that good. Also Larry Johnson has been a big disappointment to me this year. They do have a star in the making though and that's rookie WR Dewayne Bowe from LSU who has 3 TD's so far this season and 415 yds on just 16 catches. I watched his whole career at LSU and he will be a good reciever. He has good size but tends to drop some easy catches sometimes. If the offense can get it together the defense isn't all that bad. They are only averging 74.8 yds rushing a game and with a sub par QB like Damon Huard that's not going to get them anywhere. So until they find their running game then they're just: Pretenders

New Orleans Saints- This one you think would be easy but it's not. Hard to say all these negative things about your home team. The Saints are last years media darling. A team that put a whole city on it's shoulders in 2006 and carried it all the way to the NFC championship game. This year however they are finding it difficult just to win. It has taken them 5 games so far to get thier first one against an all of a sudden flightless Seahawks team. This Team was supposed to contend this year for the NFC crown again. Looks as though the only thing they are contending for are the rights to get the first draft pick this season. The season has been such a disapointment for me and fellow Saints fans. Statisticaly the New Orleans is so bad that when I went to nfl.com the page came up about blank. So if you realy want to know stats on this team I can tell you this much. They are bottom of the barrell on both sides of the ball. So until this team can find the Heart they left burried in the ice and snow in Chicago last year,  they are most certainly: Pretenders

So there it is folks, my analysis of teams that just might give these so called elite teams trouble and some that just might have a better 2008 season. For those teams I said are pretenders I certainly hope I'm wrong. There is still alot of games to be played and anything can happen. Goodluck to everyones favorite team the rest of the way.