After my last two half-serious posts, where I explained why each team would and wouldn't make the Playoffs, I'll offer some real predictions. Like everyone else's, most of them will probably be wrong. I know some of these picks aren't the popular ones, but I have to go with my gut on a few of these.
AFC East:
1. New England Patriots 2. New York Jets* 3. Buffalo Bills 4. Miami Dolphins
The Patriots should again win this one, but the Jets and Bills will put up more of a fight this time.
This will be a tough division, but the Colts should win it like always. The Jaguars seem to be a Wild Card favorite, but I think they'll fall just short. The Texans and Titans are young, but not quite up to par.
AFC West:
1. San Diego Chargers 2. Denver Broncos 3. Oakland Raiders 4. Kansas City Chiefs
Same order as last year, but I think the Broncos and Raiders will be a little closer to each other this time. The Chargers are by far the best team in this division, and they'll win it easily.
NFC East:
1. Philadelphia Eagles 2. New York Giants* 3. Dallas Cowboys* 4. Washington Redskins
The Cowboys are everyone else's division pick, but I foresee them squeaking in as a Wild Card. I may be biased after watching Opening Night, but the Giants look capable of defending their title all the way to the Playoffs. I just have a hunch about the Eagles.
NFC North:
1. Minnesota Vikings 2. Green Bay Packers 3. Detroit Lions 4. Chicago Bears
The Vikings are improved enough for me to give them the edge in this division over the Packers, who are adjusting to a new quarterback. The Lions would be a dark horse if they had a better defense.
NFC South:
1. Carolina Panthers 2. New Orleans Saints 3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4. Atlanta Falcons
The Saints seem to be everyone else's favorite, but I'm not sold on them. The Buccaneers were a mediocre playoff team last year, and they never seem to be able to sustain any success. The Panthers look like the most solid team in a weak division.
NFC West:
1. Seattle Seahawks 2. Arizona Cardinals 3. St. Louis Rams 4. San Francisco 49ers
It's the same thing every year. The Seahawks are the only solid team in this division, so they win it almost by default.
Playoff seeding:
AFC:
1. San Diego Chargers 2. Indianapolis Colts 3. New England Patriots 4. Pittsburgh Steelers 5. Cleveland Browns 6. New York Jets
NFC:
1. Minnesota Vikings 2. Philadelphia Eagles 3. Carolina Panthers 4. Seattle Seahawks 5. New York Giants 6. Dallas Cowboys
Wild Card Round:
Cowboys over Panthers Giants over Seahawks Patriots over Jets Steelers over Browns
I realize I picked two upsets in the NFC, but the teams I hate more always seem to win, so I had to go with them.
Divisional Playoffs:
Cowboys over Vikings Eagles over Giants Colts over Patriots Chargers over Steelers
Yeah, I have the Cowboys pulling another upset. Once again, my rooting against them will ensure their victory. The Manning-Brady matchup will be the one everyone's talking about this weekend, and Manning's Colts will emerge victorious.
Conference Championships:
Eagles over Cowboys Chargers over Colts
The Chargers will repeat what they did to the Colts in last year's Playoffs and the Eagles will end the Cowboys' streak of upsets, leaving us with two teams that have never won the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl:
Chargers over Eagles
The Chargers will finally get the ring they've deserved the past two years. Even Norv Turner won't be able to screw it up.
So there are my real predictions. Let's all check back here in five months and have a good laugh.
There's a buzz all over America, ever increasing in volume, reminding us that the NFL will be here soon. Right now the 2008 season is a clean slate and the possibilities are endless. Will your team make the NFL Playoffs this year? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but they won't, and here's why:
AFC East:
Buffalo Bills. Their defense stinks, their offense stinks, and they only won seven games last year because of luck and good special teams play. There'll be frozen tears in Buffalo this winter.
Miami Dolphins. They were the worst team in the NFL last year and then they got rid of Jason Taylor. Perhaps this year they can achieve the goal that eluded them last year: an alldefeated season.
New England Patriots. It takes a lot of hard work to go undefeated during the regular season. Judging by their preseason the Patriots are still worn out both mentally and physically and age is starting to creep up on them. After being the victims of the biggest upset in Super Bowl history they're ready to be the biggest disappointment in regular season history.
New York Jets. Q: Why did the Packers want to get rid of Brett Favre? A: Because he's old and thinks the NFL revolves around him. The Jets were the only suckers who wanted to deal with his drama, and it will be the downfall of the kelly green. The Madden curse lives on!
AFC North:
Baltimore Ravens. They were awful last year and then Jonathan Ogden retired. With an aging defense and an inexperienced offensive line the Ravens have no chance of playing past December.
Cincinnati Bengals. They brought back problem child Chris Henry and their star receiver is forcing everyone to call him by the digits of his jersey number in Spanish. They'll be lucky if they get through a single down without some sort of distraction coming up.
Cleveland Browns. The Browns tried to improve their run defense with a tackle from Detroit, another team that was weak against the run. Real smart, boys. The Dawg Pound is going to be walking home with their tails between their legs an awful lot this season.
Pittsburgh Steelers. The loss of Alan Faneca is a huge blow to their offensive line. Ben Roethlisberger and Willie Parker won't have the same success as last year without proper blocking. Better get used to losing to the Browns, Steeler fans.
AFC South:
Houston Texans. They may have had the best season in their short history last year, but they still finished in last place. Their division is just too stacked. The Texans' only hope for contention is realignment.
Jacksonville Jaguars. Matt Jones' very presence on the team is a distraction. He was arrested for cocaine possession in July and doesn't even know his team's playbook. The fact that they keep him around tells you that this organization doesn't care about winning. The mediocre season turned in by the Jaguars will only hasten their move to a new city.
Indianapolis Colts. Marvin Harrison won't be the same after last year's injury and the O-line will struggle early on without Jeff Saturday. By the time the Colts are all on the same page it'll be too late to think postseason. At least Peyton Manning has a dad he can talk to about it, since Archie was well-acquainted with missing the Playoffs.
Tennessee Titans. The Titans' offense depends too much on Vince Young. This will be his third NFL season, and teams are learning how to neutralize him. Once he's out of the equation the Titans will be out of the Playoff picture.
AFC West:
Denver Broncos. They let Jason Elam, one of the best kickers in the game, sign with the Falcons. Elam made the Broncos a pretty consistent team during his time in Denver, but without him they'll be struggling to win six games. The only thing in Denver thinner than the air is the Broncos' depth chart.
Kansas City Chiefs. Larry Johnson is nothing without Will Shields. Jared Allen is now playing in Minnesota. Tony Gonzalez is on the wrong side of 30. Their long snapper is French Canadian. The Chiefs are going to be terrible.
Oakland Raiders. Their owner is senile and they strengthened a weak defense by adding some overrated players. Commitment to excellence? Excuse me while I scoff.
San Diego Chargers. Their coach is Norv Turner. This team had the talent to win more than 11 games last year, but ol' Norv found a way for them to underachieve. The farther in the past Marty Schottenheimer gets the worse the Chargers will get. The only successful Bolt that will come out of 2008 is Usain.
NFC East:
Dallas Cowboys. Terrell Owens is like a time bomb. Sooner or later he always becomes a distraction that's too big for the rest of the team to overcome. With malcontents like Pacman Jones and Tank Johnson in the mix these Cowboys are on the verge of sel####estruction. America's Team might have to apply for a new country after they bring shame to this one.
New York Giants. Their defensive line was one of their biggest strengths and then they lost Michael Strahan to retirement and Osi Umenyiora to injury. They got lucky last year, but without the pass rush it's not going to happen again. The 2008 Giants will have a lot in common with the 2006 Steelers.
Philadelphia Eagles. They have lots of talent, but it's not enough in this division. Brian Westbrook's numbers will suffer without Thomas Tapeh and Donovan McNabb's annual injury will keep the Eagles from soaring. The Philadelphia players might as well prepare to be booed now.
Washington Redskins. Last time Joe Gibbs left the Redskins it was seven years before they made another Playoff appearance. Jim Zorn will be this decade's Richie Petitbon.
NFC North:
Chicago Bears. Of all the quarterbacks on their roster they decided the best was a guy who'd completed 52% of his career passes. Their defense looks good on paper, but you know it's only a matter of time before half those guys get injured. Even Bill Swerski's Superfans don't think this team has a chance.
Detroit Lions. Matt Millen is still the general manager. That's all you need to know.
Green Bay Packers. Q: Why did the Packers want to get rid of Brett Favre? A: Because they're idiots. Aaron Rodgers will never be half the quarterback Favre was, and the Packers will get their comeuppance for disrespecting him when they flop this year. Remember Packer football between the Vince Lombardi and Ron Wolf eras? Yeah, it'll be kind of like that.
Minnesota Vikings. Tarvaris Jackson isn't much of a passer and Bryant McKinnie's suspension won't help matters. Adrian Peterson had a great rookie year, but without Tony Richardson blocking for him a sophomore slump is all but certain. Failure, thy color is purple.
NFC South:
Atlanta Falcons. This team is bad on both sides of the ball. Their starting quarterback is a rookie who wasn't very good in preseason. As long as Michael Vick is still on the Falcons' roster they'll be cursed by the spirits of his dead pit bulls.
Carolina Panthers. Every year it's the same old story. Everyone expects the Panthers to be good and they end up being mediocre. This year won't be any different. Last year it was Julius Peppers who mysteriously started playing poorly. Any bets on who it'll be this year?
New Orleans Saints. Their pass defense is one of the worst in the NFL, and their explosive offense isn't enough to offset it. If Jeremy Shockey's act wasn't appreciated in a city known for its rudeness it certainly won't be appreciated in laid-back bayou country. The Louisiana Superdome will be the only super thing related to the Saints.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They have too many quarterbacks, their wide receivers are as old as dirt and Jon Gruden has a hard time putting together two straight winning seasons. A lot of things went right for the Buccaneers last year, but there's no way they'll have the same luck this year. Hopefully the Rays' incredible season will be enough for the residents of middle Florida.
NFC West:
Arizona Cardinals. Anquan Boldin isn't happy, and we all know that nothing kills an NFL team quicker than an unhappy wide receiver. We expect the Cardinals to surprise us every year, but it never happens. Losing is the Bidwill family's specialty.
San Francisco 49ers. They had the worst passing game in the NFL last year and think journeyman J.T. O'Sullivan will solve that problem? Sorry Niner fans, but the days of Eddie DeBartolo circumventing the salary cap are long gone.
Seattle Seahawks. They had Shaun Alexander and replaced him with...Julius Jones? Yeah, there's an upgrade. It's always a shame when a good offensive line goes to waste. The Seahawks have too many injuries and suspensions right now to think of contending this year. The city of Seattle needs something to be happy about after losing the Sonics, but this team won't be it.
St. Louis Rams. Marc Bulger is good when healthy, but that's virtually never these days. Trent Green is a solid backup, but the Rams have shown that they only make the Playoffs when he's on the bench or the injured list. Translation: The Rams are doomed.
To sum things up, Week 17 is the end of the line. When the Playoffs get here you're going to have to find someone new to root for. You'll begin to dread Sundays, because your team will find new ways to frustrate you each week. But hey, keep your head up. At least you'll be getting a good draft pick.
There's a buzz all over America, ever increasing in volume, reminding us that the NFL will be here soon. Right now the 2008 season is a clean slate and the possibilities are endless. Will your team make the NFL Playoffs this year? You bet they will, and here's why:
AFC East:
Buffalo Bills. After two straight 7-9 seasons this team is ready to get over the hump with a promising young quarterback and running back. Few sights in sports are as beautiful as Playoff football in the snow, and the Bills will make sure we see it this year.
Miami Dolphins. The last time Bill Parcells took over a 1-15 team they had a winning record in his first season. Now that the Tuna is more experienced and doesn't have the added stress of being head coach he can sit back, relax and make the Dolphins a Playoff team.
New England Patriots. They went undefeated last year and this year have an easier schedule. Making the Playoffs is the least they could do.
New York Jets. Two words: Brett Favre. Favre is the ultimate warrior, the greatest quarterback of all time and singlehandedly wins football games. He doesn't even need teammates. Heck, if anything, teammates hold him back. If he played by himself he'd win the Super Bowl every year. Don't believe me? Ask John Madden.
AFC North:
Baltimore Ravens. With Lorenzo Neal blocking for him Willis McGahee is going to run wild all over AFC North defenses. Throw in the good special teams and a defense full of veterans and you have yourself a team no one will want to play come January.
Cincinnati Bengals. Carson Palmer tied for the league lead in interceptions thrown last year. You know who else throws a lot of interceptions? Brett Favre. You know what Brett Favre does? Win. Fear the tiger!
Cleveland Browns. They have an incredible offense that'll only be better this year as they develop more chemistry. The Browns would've made the Playoffs last year if Tony Dungy hadn't rested his starters during the final week, so you can bet that they're hungry to get what they deserve this year. The Dawg Pound is going to be wagging their tails an awful lot this season.
Pittsburgh Steelers. Last year both their offense and defense were in the NFL's top 10, and they've kept most of the core together on both sides. The Steelers have this division so locked up they'd have to try pretty hard to lose it.
AFC South:
Houston Texans. With a promising young front seven, a solid passing game and Alex Gibbs helping coach their offensive line the Texans are ready to sneak up on everyone. It's been 15 years since Houston last fielded an NFL Playoff team, but this is the year that streak ends.
Jacksonville Jaguars. They have one of the most efficient offenses in football and two great running backs. They stayed with the Patriots for an entire half before losing last year in the Playoffs, and now the Jaguars are looking for a rematch. Since the Patriots aren't on their regular season schedule it'd have to come in the postseason. The question isn't whether there'll be one, but in which round.
Indianapolis Colts. Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy are back together for another year. Part of that duo's job description is "make the Playoffs," and so far they've gotten good employee evaluations each year they've been together. The Colts are going to cruise into the postseason like they always do.
Tennessee Titans. He led Texas to a championship in college and last year Vince Young led the Titans to the Playoffs. Not only is he a winner, but his team has improved. Alge Crumpler had his best years catching passes for a running quarterback and Jevon Kearse had his best years when he played in Tennessee previously. All that guarantees that the Titans' Playoff-qualifying ways will continue.
AFC West:
Denver Broncos. In Jay Cutler the Broncos have a starting quarterback with a single-digit uniform number. Who was the last one? None other than John Elway. Elway led the Broncos to the Playoffs in his second year as primary starter, and this will be Cutler's second year as primary starter. What does that mean? It means the Playoffs will be played a mile above sea level this year.
Kansas City Chiefs. First David Cook wins "American Idol". Then the Sonics move to Oklahoma City, making them the closest-based NBA team since the Kings called K.C. home. Then the Royals actually flirt with fourth place until August. Clearly this is an "up" year for Kansas City, and the Chiefs will continue that trend.
Oakland Raiders. Gibril Wilson. Javon Walker. DeAngelo Hall. Darren McFadden. All got long-term deals from the Raiders this offseason, all are good-to-great players. Commitment to excellence? You know it. The silver and black is legit and ready to intimidate opponents like in the old days.
San Diego Chargers. Does this team have a weakness? They have the best running back in the game, one of the top two tight ends in the game, a good quarterback, a great defense and solid wide receivers. Shoot, even their special teams are among the NFL's best. I doubt there's one person out there who could give a good reason why this team won't be playing in early 2009.
NFC East:
Dallas Cowboys. Their quarterback is dating Jessica Simpson. Does Jessica Simpson go out with guys who don't make the Playoffs? Didn't think so. America's Team practically has a Playoff spot locked up already.
New York Giants. They may have lost several starters, but no one thought they had a chance going into the Playoffs last year either. These Giants know how to win when it matters most, and Big Blue will keep the Big Apple smiling.
Philadelphia Eagles. They have not one, not two, but three good cornerbacks on this team. Their pass coverage is going to be sick. They're not too shabby against the run either, and with a decent offense the Eagles have their usual formula for success in place. This team will be so busy winning their division they won't notice the flying batteries.
Washington Redskins. In 1986 the Giants won their first Super Bowl. In 1987 the Redskins won it. In 1990 the Giants won their second Super Bowl. In 1991 the Redskins won it. Last year the Giants won their third Super Bowl. Seeing a pattern here?
NFC North:
Chicago Bears. They went with a proven winner at quarterback in Kyle Orton and got rid of a disappointing distraction in Cedric Benson. Throw in a healthy defense and the "Monsters of the Midway" moniker should be back in circulation by Playoff time.
Detroit Lions. Did you see their preseason record? 4-0, baby! Even though the Lions faded in the second half last year they're more focused on playing well all season this time. With four good wide receivers on the roster Jon Kitna's passes will find their way to the end zone like they had GPS navigation. Rod Marinelli will be the first Lions coach since Bobby Ross, another military man, to lead them to the Playoffs.
Green Bay Packers. They made it to the NFC Championship Game last year and then unloaded some dead weight by trading the King of Crucial Moment Picks. With a solid supporting cast the transition to Aaron Rodgers will be seamless. The Pack is back for real this time. Sport the curdled milk proudly, Wisconsinites!
Minnesota Vikings. Their killer rushing attack is the best in the NFL, they've added Bernard Berrian at wide receiver and both their lines are great. Their NFC North competitors all have questions, but the Vikings only have answers. For instance, Q: Are the Vikings a Playoff team this year? A: Ah, yeah.
NFC South:
Atlanta Falcons. Their quarterback is rookie Matt Ryan, who was drafted out of Boston College. As we all know, Boston is the city that produces champions in every sport and is the center of the entire universe according to their fans. Ryan and his New England mystique can't not lead the Falcons to the Playoffs.
Carolina Panthers. John Fox's job is on the line, so you know his players are going to play a little harder in order to save it. With a healthy Jake Delhomme back in the saddle and Julius Peppers ready to redeem himself after a poor 2007 the Panthers shouldn't have any problems running roughshod over the competition. Their coach will definitely be back next year.
New Orleans Saints. They had an incredible offense last year and added a former Pro Bowl tight end. They were decent against the run last year and added a former Pro Bowl middle linebacker. The Saints know what they're good at and stick with it. That type of commitment will get them into the Playoffs for sure.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They've got a Pro Bowl quarterback and a great defense. Doesn't that combination pretty much guarantee at least a Wild Card berth?
NFC West:
Arizona Cardinals. As part of the Bill Cowher coaching tree Ken Whisenhunt knows how to win. In his first year as an NFL head coach he led the Cardinals to a non-losing season for the first time since 1998. This year he leads them to double-digit victories for the first time since 1976. These Cardinals are young, exciting and Playoff-bound.
San Francisco 49ers. The 49er Faithful know that they root for the best NFL franchise ever. The 49ers know what it takes to win, and any move they make will eventually prove to be the right one. They already have arguably the best punter-kicker duo in the league, and with Frank Gore tearing it up out of the backfield no one will be arguing their title as best ever after this season.
Seattle Seahawks. They've made the Playoffs the last five years, and there's no reason to think they won't this year. With Mike Holmgren, Matt Hasselbeck, a good offensive line and a talented defense, no one else in their division can compare.
St. Louis Rams. Steven Jackson finally got the contract he wanted and Marc Bulger is finally back from injury. Those two guys combined with an average defense are enough to make the Rams a Playoff team. The Greatest Show on Turf Part II is ready and raring to go.
To sum things up, you're going to see your team play more than the usual 16 games this season. They'll be one of the twelve that gets a spot in that special tournament that ends at the Super Bowl. Sunday will be the most anticipated day of the week for the next four months, because you won't be able to wait for the next exciting moment your team has in store. Savor every minute, because it doesn't get any better than this.
I love my name. Ian. Three common letters, only one a consonant. A variation on the Gaelic form of John, but so much cooler. When I was growing up I rarely met anyone else named Ian, and I never saw any playing sports. I'm sure if I'd grown up in the U.K. following soccer I probably would've seen more than I could keep track of, but here in the U.S. it was a different story. As Ian has gradually moved into the Top 100 boys' names in America though (this site is great), my fellow Ians and I finally have several of our own among the finest in athletics.
Look at baseball, the American Pastime. Before 2004 there had never been a Major League Baseball player named Ian. There now have been four, and each of them has played this year. There's Ian Snell, the first Ian in Major League history and a semi-promising pitcher for the Pirates. I actually listened to him pitch a no-hitter over the radio when he was in the minors. There's Ian Kinsler of the Rangers, arguably the best second baseman in the American League (and in my opinion he is). There's Ian Kennedy, an underachieving pitching prospect on the Yankees who most fans have heard of because, well...he's a Yankee. Most obscure is Ian Stewart, who's been playing a mean third base for the Rockies since late May. He may be one to watch for in the future. Interestingly enough, Stewart and Kennedy were teammates at La Quinta High School in Westminster, CA.
It might appear that the first Ian in the NFL was Ian Sunter, a Scottish kicker who played three games for the 1976 Lions and ten more for the 1980 Bengals. In fact, it was Johnny Scott, a player from the 1920's who went by the American version of his actual name. The 1990's saw a few more on the gridiron, most notably guard Ian Beckles. Beckles (a Canadian) played nine years in the NFL for the Buccaneers and Eagles, starting 122 games during that span. The others from that decade were English kicker Ian Howfield for the 1991 Oilers and offensive lineman Ian Rafferty for the 1999 Jets. This decade has seen an unprecedented four Ians in the NFL. There's been linebacker Ian Gold (named to the Pro Bowl on special teams in 2001), journeyman offensive lineman Ian Allen, defensive tackle Ian Scott (who played for my Bears) and running back Ian Smart (Gold's teammate on the 2004 Buccaneers). Even though he hasn't played in the NFL, Boise State running back Ian Johnson deserves a mention for his college heroics.
The NBA has only had two Ians so far. There was Ian Lockhart, a forward from the Bahamas who played one game for the Suns way back during the 1990-91 season. The other is Ian Mahinmi, a French center taken by the Spurs in the first round of the 2005 Draft who finally made his debut this past season, playing six games. So far the NBA hasn't seen an American Ian.
Of the major American pro sports leagues, the NHL just beats out the NFL with ten Ians in its history. Perhaps I would've had more Ians to root for if I'd followed hockey growing up. As we've seen, it's a more common name outside the U.S. It comes as no surprise then, that eight of the ten NHL Ians have been Canadian. The first was longtime minor leaguer Ian MacIntosh, who had a cup of coffee with the 1952-53 Rangers. The next was Ian Cushenan, who made the All-Star team in 1958 representing my Blackhawks but who also spent the majority of his career in the minors. Ian Turnbull was the first to become a real star. With the 1970's Maple Leafs he made the 1977 All-Star team and set a defenseman record with five goals in one game that still stands. Other Ians with noteworthy NHL careers are Avalanche right wing Ian Laperriere, former Penguins defenseman Ian Moran, and Maple Leafs defenseman Ian White. The obscure Ians have been Ian McKegney (another Blackhawk!), Ian Kidd, Ian Herbers and Ian MacNeil.
The name Ian is already more common in sports than it was ten years ago. Within a few years there'll be so many of us that you won't even notice when a player has that name. At last we live in a world where boys named Ian can vicariously live out their sports fantasies through someone with the same name. It's good to be us.
(Special thanks to the Sports-Reference websites for help with this research.)
Both baseball and football are wildly popular, but clearly baseball is the superior game. If you don't believe me, here are the top ten reasons why baseball is the sport every other sport sits alone in its bedroom wishing it could be.
10. In football they substitute players on practically every play. In baseball you either stay in the game or you ain't comin' back in.
9. Baseball movies are much better than football movies.
8. Football's video games get almost as much hype as the real games. You don't hear about "The MVP Baseball Curse" every year.
7. There isn't a soap opera surrounding a baseball player if he reconsiders his decision to retire.
6. You can't milk the clock in baseball. You're not leaving the park with a "W" unless you retire at least 27 batters.
5. Los Angeles, the second-largest market in the U.S., can support not just one, but two professional baseball teams. It can't even support one professional football team (well, unless you count USC).
4. Any sport that gave the public Mel Kiper Jr. automatically gets a few points deducted from its "greatness" score.
3. When was the last time you saw those gridiron wimps play a doubleheader?
2. You can win twelve games and be called a "great" football team. . . . . . . . . . . Finally, the number one reason why baseball is the pinnacle of all organized athletic competition...
1. Baseball doesn't have a penalty called or a commercial break every two seconds!
I'm a fan of all Chicago sports teams (including both the Cubs and White Sox). When one of my teams isn't playing I'm a big proponent of rooting for the underdog. I'm currently an inactive NBA fan and will remain so until David Stern is out as commissioner. I spend more time thinking about sports than I probably should, so I decided I needed a blog where I could share those thoughts with the world.
