By: Kevin Cottrell, Jr. Just A Thought... For some strange reason we as humanity are quick to judge others, ironically much quicker than ourselves. The sports world is no different. Take football for instance, many would say that Terrell "T.O." Owens is arrogant, cocky, selfish...you get the point. But after spending time with a guy like Terrell you find that he's a lot more down to earth, easy-going, and a down right competitor. We all witnessed him being dismissed from the Philadelphia Eagles due to some comments made against the Eagle organization, but please keep in mind that there are T.O. sides to every story. Terrell quickly went from being the Most Valuable Player to the Most Vilified. Many felt that T.O. stood for "Team Obliterator" when he was actually being "Team Oriented". Despite what the media has said, Owens kept quiet for 8 months prior to the release of his self-titled book "T.O." After reading his Best Seller, it was solidified that we should look within ourselves before judging others. So remember, never judge a book by its cover...at least until you've read it! NFL To those of you who haven't noticed FOOTBALL is back! Yes, your favorite teams and players return to their perspective team facilities to prepare for the pursuit of the Lombardi Trophy. 32 Teams, 2 conferences, 8 divisions, and 1 common goal, playing on Feb. 4, 2007 in Miami for Super Bowl XL1. Two teams we'll make it, one will win. Beginning with today, every TT will feature a division breakdown and prediction leading up to opening day (Thursday Sept. 7). Due to my miscalculations today will have to consist of two divisions to stay on pace to finish 9/7. Proceed with caution...and remember these are just my thoughts. NFC North (Order of Predicted Finish) 1. Chicago Bears (2005: 11-5) Last year the Bears captured the NFC North title behind their "D", a.k.a. "Monsters of the Midway." The Bears had dreams of going deep into the playoffs before their worst nightmare came along, and Rex Grossman was injured for the remainder of the regular season. After sweeping the tough NFC South, the Bears seemed to be a lock to advance to the NFC Championship game, until they faced a team from the NFC South (Panthers). Needless to say the Bears "O" showed up posting 21 points, and it was their "D" that stood for disappointment. 2006, should be an improvement with the return of all 22 starters. However with the addition of QB Brian Griese, and the return of RB Cedric Benson, two starters may eventually lose their position. Rookie Devin Hester will be key in putting the "O" in good position on special teams, and the health of Grossman will determine how far they go. The Bears toughest test will come in week 4 when they face the NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks. Prediction: 12-4 2. Minnesota Vikings (2005: 9-7) In 2005 the Vikings had an up and down season, that ended with the loss of QB Daunte Culpepper and WR Nate Burleson. Brad Johnson stepped up in the absence of Culpepper, but the big question will be can he stay healthy for an entire season. If not you're looking at Mike McMahon as a backup (last time he backed up a injured QB it wasn't pretty). With that being said the play of Koren Robinson and Troy Williamson at receiver is key in the Vikings success. Overall the Vikings have 7 new starters and this could prove to be a tough transition for the team as a whole. Prediction: 8-8 3. Detroit Lions (2005: 5-11) Whew! Where do I began? The Lions were a team full of potential. The only problem was that the potential was stacked at WR, but their signal caller couldn't get them the ball. Veteran QB Jon Kitna will attempt to right Detroit's wrongs, joining forces with Roy & Mike Williams. Coupled with the tutelage of offensive guru Mike Martz, the Lions should expect some improvement. But don't get ahead of yourselves, the "D" needs to step up and put the "O" in great field position. If not for their tough non-conference schedule the Lions could make a push for the wild card spot, then again they are the Lions. Prediction: 7-9 4. Green Bay Packers (2005: 4-12) Whenever the Packers are mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is WHY? Why did they do so poorly in '05? Why did they lose Javon Walker? Why did Green Bay "Pack" things in so soon? Everything could be answered with two words, Brett Favre. Yes, Mr. Clutch couldn't come through when Walker went down with an injury, Mr. Clutch threw a career high 29 interceptions after turning his back on his best target in Walker. So, why didn't he just walk away from the game you ask? Because he has too much pride to do so. Unfortunately things won't be much better this season, losing 8 key players, including C Mike Flanagan, and receivers Antonio Chatman and the aforementioned Walker. Their defense relies on a rookie MLB (A.J. Hawk), and a declining corner (Charles Woodson) to complete holes in their "D". With that being said, Lambeau Field may seem frozen in September, with the cold play of the Packers. Look at it this way Packer fans, all good things Have or Will come to an end. (Sorry if I'm harsh I am a die-hard Bears fan!) Prediction: 6-10 NFC South (Predicted Order of Finish) 1. Atlanta Falcons (2005: 8-8) After competing in the '04 NFC Title game, the Falcons had hopes of contending for a title in '05. In the first half of the season, the Falcons posted a 6-2 record, and proved that they were still supreme. But things would quickly change and Atlanta would finish the season 2-6. Its true that their defense suffered injuries to MLB Hartwell, as well as the entire secondary being banged up for the majority of the season. But remember Safety First, which is why the Falcons signed SS Lawyer Milloy and FS Chris Crocker to bolster a secondary that features CB standout DeAngelo Hall. Did I forget the Falcons biggest acquisition. Well for those of you living under a rock, Atlanta acquired DE John Abraham, which completes a tough front four. With an electric Michael Vick and a tough defense the sky is the limit, which is why they are my pick to win the NFC South. Prediction: 11-5 2. Carolina Panthers (2005: 11-5) Last season was one in which many questions were answered. Yes, Steve Smith recovered from a '04 injury, yes, Delhomme is a legit QB, but no they cannot win it all by themselves! Many critics wrote off the Panthers prior to the '05 kickoff due to the loss of All-Pro receiver Mushin Muhammad. The problem here is that Smith caught four-times more passes than any other wide out on the roster. As a result, Carolina signed veteran WR Keyshawn Johnson. Will he be the final piece to the Panthers puzzle? Can DeShaun Foster prevent rookie DeAngelo Williams from taking his spot? One things for sure with the new questions being asked, none of these guys can play defense, and in a division that features, Dunn, Vick, Duckett, Reggie Bush, and Cadillac Williams someone in their secondary has got to come up and make some tackles. With the loss of Ricky Manning Jr., it'll be interesting to see how Colin Branch performs at the SS position. Remember this is a tough division and teams will be gunning for Smith. Prediction: 10-6 Wild Card 3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2005: 11-5) I don't know about you, but something tells me that Tampa's offense was a "fluke" in '05. The team was literally a few controversial calls away from not only winning their division but also missing the playoffs. With that being said what improvements did they make in the off-season? Absolutely 0! They loss veteran QB Brian Griese, which places all the pressure on QB Chris Simms. Can Cadillac prove to be a fine-tuned as Sedan or a rusty'78 Pinto? One thing is for certain the Bucs' tough defense remains in tack, with safety Dexter Jackson being replaced by Will Allen. The only problem with that is the "D" isn't getting any younger. Tampa will face a stretch of 3 games in 11 days, including back-to-back visits to Carolina and Dallas. Barring injury this team could surprise many, but this is the NFL and they are members of the NFC South. Prediction: 9-7 4. New Orleans Saints (2005: 3-13) Due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina, the Saints were forced to play all 16 games on the road, so please forgive their 3-13 record but don't forget it. New Orleans picked up QB Drew Brees, and by the blessings of God, the ultimate Saint in RB sensation Reggie Bush. But even those two won't be able to pull them out of the bottom of the South for '06. Brees is coming off a shoulder injury, and Bush is still a rookie. Coupled with the tough division and schedule, look for the Saints to be competitive and keeping many games close. There will be a lot of excitement as they return to the Superdome in Week 3 to face division rival Atlanta Falcons. Sure their "O" seems to be explosive on paper, but that's why they play the games. The Saints will struggle but should still be exciting to watch. Prediction: 6-10