So I had a disappointing week, going 9-5. I'm still at 21-8 for the season. Better make up for it this week if I want you all to keep reading...  

Cardinals at Falcons  

The Falcons got embarrassed against the Saints last week and Michael Vick showed why the they have the worst passing game in the NFL. But what better to help that is the Cardinals pass defense, which gives up 272 yards a game. This could be Kurt Warner's last week at starter, but he didn't get that much help from Edgerrin James, who only has two touchdowns this season. The run game hasn't been as advertised at the beginning of the season. Falcons should take this one, and Matt Leinart should start next week.  

Pick: Falcons by 14  

Saints at Panthers  

This is a big game for both teams. The Saints are marching in at 3-0, and the Panthers are 1-2. I would have thought those records would be switched at this point in the season. The Panthers defense has been disappointing, and the offense has been hurting without Steve Smith. But he's back and that is good for both Jake Delhomme and Keyshawn Johnson. Delhomme for obvious reasons, and Keyshawn because now he'll have the number two defensive backs on him. It helped last week when he hauled in seven catches for 97 yards.  

Pick: Panthers by 7  

Vikings at Bills  

The Vikings played well against the Bears last week, and Brad Johnson is doing an impressive job for a 72 year old. The Bills are playing well for a team that should have sucked, and for some reason I don't want to pick against them. I though Buffalo was some sort of tundra, but its going to be 58 degrees there Sunday (yeah, I actually looked). I just have a bad feeling picking against the Bills.  

Pick: Bills, I guess.  

Chargers at Ravens  

This is the first real test for the Ravens defense, who everyone has fallen in love with. They've played the Bucs, Raiders, and Cleveland. Does they sound like scary offenses? But the Chargers have the best ranked defense in the league for the same reasons. They've played the Raiders and Titans. Those two may be changing their quarterbacks as early as next week. It should be fun to watch Ladanian Tomlinson go up against the Ravens D, and for fantasy sake I'm pulling for LT. Philip Rivers has done well enough to keep the chargers winning, but this is a good test for him early on.

Pick: Chargers by 7

Dolphins at Texans  

The Texans have had some tough matchups for a team that had the number one pick, and it's not cool for their defense to be called out since they had to play the Eagles, Colts and Redskins to start the season. David Carr has six touchdowns and only one interception so far, and has become great friends with Andre Johnson. But Daunte Culpepper should be a good quarterback against the Texans. Miami has been such a headache to pick this season, but it's the Texans...  

Pick: Miami, I guess.  

Cowboys at Titans  

Didn't take long for TO to completely take over this team. It's all TO, all the time. But if there is anyone that can keep everyone else in this, it's the Tuna. The Titans are terrible, and should be starting Vince Young already. Kerry Collins is horrendous, and the run game just as bad. The Cowboys a good enough team to beat the Titans with or without Terrell.  

Pick: Cowboys by 14  

 49ers at Chiefs  

San Fran has been better than I thought. Alex Smith has thrown three touchdowns without a pick, and Frank Gore has found the end zone thrice himself. The only problem with Gore are his fumbles (3). This is a must win for the Chiefs though, and Larry Johnson should be able to get his first touchdown of the season this weekend. Trent Green may be back next week, and any win they can get without him is a bonus.  

Pick: Chiefs by 10  

Colts at Jets  

Peyton Manning should be able to tear apart the poor Jets passing game. More surprisingly is the fact Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne don't have touchdowns yet. At least one of them will get one this weekend. The Colts have had problems against the run this season, but it's OK because the Jets can't run the ball. Should be an easy win for the Colts.  

Pick: Colts by 21  

Lions at Rams  

Not much to say about this game, but the Rams have been forcing a lot of turnovers this season (six picks and four fumbles). I'm still not sold on Kevin Jones or a Jon Kitna not fighting for a job.  

Pick: Rams by 10  

 Jaguars at Redskins  

The good news for the Redskins is that Clinton Portis looks like he is fine. Which is good because they need him against the stingy Jag's D. Byron Leftwich needs to throw the ball better, but Maurice Jones-Drew looks like he could start at running back when Fred Taylor gets his annual injury. I've loved the Jags all year, and I'm not turning on them yet.  

Pick: Jaguars by 10  

Patriots at Bengals  

It's real tough to pick against the Patriots, and I can't get myself to do it just yet. The Carson Palmer still found a way to beat the Steelers with sub-par games from both Rudi and Chad Johnson. Tom Brady needs to have a good game in order to quiet the thoughts he's hurt. Cory Dillon hasn't been on any injury reports this week and that should help Brady. If he can get his supposed top three receivers on the field (Chad Jackson, Doug Gabriel, Troy Brown) for the first time together, he has a couple options to hit.  

Pick: Pats in a close one  

Browns at Raiders  

 Who cares. These are two of the worst teams in the league. I'm picking Cleveland because the Raiders have lost eight straight.  

Pick: Browns  

Seahawks at Bears  

I have to hand it to NBC and their Sunday night games so far. Here's another solid match up, and would have been better is Shaun Alexander was playing. This is the deciding factor in this one. The Seahawks have been struggling against the pass this year, and that's what Chicago is doing well right now. Rex Grossman will have to have a better game this week, but Chicago should take this one.  

Pick: Bears by 3  

Packers at Eagles  

It was nice to see Brett Farve become only the second player to throw 400 touchdowns last week (Who's the other Cronin?), but that could be it for the good times for awhile. Donavan McNabb is having his best season yet, and the Eagles should be 3-1 by Tuesday morning.  

Pick: Eagles by 21

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• Even though the Red Sox are out of it, baseball is still fun to follow. I don't watch any games anymore, but the Twins are now tied for first, and the Dodgers are the West Coast Former Sox. Both teams are pretty nice stories, as the Twins are the small marker guys and the Dodgers are winning in the craziest ways. Those are my two hopeful teams in the playoffs. I wouldn't mind seeing those two fight it out in the World Series.

 

• So all the Red Sox "fans" who were pissed about Pedro leaving, does it look that bad now? He isn't even through his second year and he's already had two major injuries. To give him four years would have been the worst idea that off-season (worse than Edgar Renteria). Don't get me wrong, I loved watching Pedey pitch as a Sox fan. But he's pretty much done now. There's no doubt how dominant he was from 1997 to 2002, and still pretty good after (not including 2001). But Pedro missing the playoffs this year just makes me comfortable saying "I told you so".

 

• Is it wrong to be excited about the basketball season this year? No, it's ok. If I start to get excited for Hockey, that's a different story...

Sorry about the week three picks not making it. Tried to get it in, but there were reason's (hangover, working late,  and arrested development pretty much) that I didn't get to them in time. I was intending to do it a number of times, and even had my notes ready. Just didn't happen.  

Ok now to tonight's match up between the Broncos and the Patriots. That was just painful to watch as a Pats fan. They looked like a lost team the entire night. This is not the Patriots of the past five years. There are a number of reasons they are playing like this, but I still can't loose faith in the team that has defied the odds so many times. The biggest reason this team lost tonight was the fact Tom Brady had to throw the ball 55 times. The running attack just wasn't there after Corey Dillon went out in the first, and it was all on Laurence Maroney to take over. His numbers were dismal at 12 carries for 18 yards. But this will happen to a kid playing in just this third game.  

Back to Brady though. He didn't look himself at all, but he still completed 31 passes. He doesn't look comfortable with this patch up group of receivers he has to throw to. Ben Watson was there when he was needed, but Brady couldn't seem to find anyone else to go to. This could be lots of peoples faults. Is Brady hurt, or just having a down season? Nearly every quarterback has a bad season every now and then. But it could also be the guys trying to catch the ball. I'm not saying the Pats need to get rid of these guys, but they all haven't been together for a lot of time. In his first start with the team, Doug Gabriel made six grabs for 65 yards and a pretty good catch for a third quarter touchdown. Troy Brown was Mr. Dependable again (4 grabs, 41 yards) and did great for a guy that's been in the league for 14 years. If, and this is a big if, Chad Jackson can come back as a decent number two receiver the rest of the group may mesh together to be an alright group. It should be enough for this team to make a playoff run. They do have Tom Brady, even if he isn't at 100%. He knows the game, and that's something that won't get affected by an injury.  

Before this turns into another one of my love fests about Tom Brady, lets get back to the game. The defense did well, but had a lot of problems on third down. The Broncos went seven for 16 on third downs, as the defense looked lost most of the time. There were a lot of things that weren't right about the Patriots tonight. Stephen Gotskowski missed another field goal, and this one looked like it was his fault. Let's give the rookie a break, Gillette looks like it could be someone's backyard. But he does have to start hitting kicks. The game would have been a lot different if it was just a one possession game.  

I'm not ready to give up on this team, it's only been three weeks. Ty Warren is starting to become a force on the defensive line, and is fitting in nicely with Richard Seymour and Vince Wilfork. Ellis Hobbs is still learning, and only had a bad night because he is only 5' 9, while Javon Walker stands at 6' 4. He has to learn to adapt to taller receivers, and showed signs that he could do it. Maroney had five catches for 61 yards, and had a nice 31 yard reception/run in the second quarter.  

There are signs this team could just need time to find out who it is. Brady and others have said that numerous times over the last week. They've lost a lot in the last nine months, and are just getting over it. There's no doubt that veterans like Tedy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison and that Brady guy can get people on the same page. They also have Bill Belichick as a coach. This is just at time of figuring out what these team is about, and who they are. The Pats should break out of it soon. Next week at Cincinnati may be too early to expect though. Luckily they're in a weak enough division to have a problem like this.  

And they have that Brady guy too.  

 

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• Time to vent now. That sucks the loss happened to the Broncos. I really hate them for some reason. I think Jake Plummer is my most despised player in the NFL. I don't know what it is about him, I just have an utter dislike for him. The bitterness from last year's playoffs boiled over a lot tonight. There were some calls that could have went either way, but always seemed to go against the Pats. Maybe I'm just sounding bitter and angry. Any other team (other than the Colts) would have been fine. The highlights just came on. I think that's my sign to shut up. I guess there were worse weekends. Patriot fans had a much better weekend than the US Ryder Cup team or Chris Simms (Cronin gets brownie points if she can get one of two).

 

• I'm starting a campaign for Red Sox fans. Give Coco Crisp another year to prove himself. He started off hot, and then got hurt the fifth game into the season. I hate how everyone is comparing him to Johnny Damon, and he has to do that instantly. The kid is only 26 years old, and he has the poise to play in a town like this. He's spokesman for dozens of things (as well as his dad), but more importantly hasn't blamed his slump to anything. Lots of people around the game think he's been playing hurt, and no one can argue that he doesn't give 100% all the time. And for those of you comparing him to JD, don't forget Johnny didn't put up great numbers until his third year here. Give Coco another chance.

 

•  Went 12-3 last week on my picks, and I forgot to make a Giants-Eagles pick. I had the Giants, but I won't count it. This week would have been a lot worse. Went 9-4 with Atlanta getting the W tomorrow. The Jinx I have going did a lot better. It rained when I wanted to play golf on two different days.  

I was going to write about my first time golfing in nearly two years, but that didn't happen. My friend Mark is fat and has a bad back, so we had to reschedule for next week. So until then, I'll give my week two football picks. I'm no gambling man so no spread, just straight picks. Is this going to be a weekly thing now? You know it. I went eight for sixteen last week, so let's see how I do this week.

Bills at Dolphins

Something worries me about Daunte Culpepper, and it may have been those two god-awful interceptions he threw late in the season opener. Then again it was against a dominant Steelers defense that was playing mind games with him the entire game, so one can only imagine he will do better against the Bills defense. The Bills did do a nice job against Brady and the make-shift Patriots receiving corp., but they did give up some big runs (183 rushing yards total) and didn't look too good in the red zone. The offense looked lost, and besides Willis McGahee didn't do too much (only 141 yards total). As for the Dolphins defense, if Charlie Batch throwing for 200+ yards and three touchdowns isn't a wakeup call, I don't know what is.

Pick: Dolphins by 10

Panthers at Vikings

The Vikings looked pretty good against the Redskins, with Brad Johnson throwing for 223 yards and a touchdown, and the defense only gave up 103 rushing yards. Then again, the Redskins aren't that good, and Clinton Portis only rushed for 39 yards. He was still hurting, so I don't think he had his "A" game. The Vikings won it by a field goal with a minute left. They'll need more against the Panthers. The Panthers didn't look good at all against the Falcons, but I'm going to say that was just a bad game. Steve Smith was out (now questionable for Sunday) and DeShawn Foster had trouble, only rushing for 54 yards. Jake Delhomme still threw for 186 yards, but he'll need a better performance out of Foster to back him up. Every good team has a bad game, but the better ones bounce back from them.

Pick: Panthers by 14

Browns at Bengals

The Bengals beat the Chiefs last week, but the fact Kansas City lost Trent Green played a part in that. Carson Palmer had a solid game (13 for 19, 127 yards) but the Chiefs secondary kept the Bengals receivers out of the end zone. I doubt the Browns will be able to do the same, and the two Johnson's (Rudi and Chad) should have big games. The Bengals D only gave up 68 rushing yards to Larry Johnson, and shouldn't have a problem with Rueben Droughns.

Pick: Bengals by a lot

Lions at Bears

How about those Bears. Rex Grossman looked good (19 for 26, 262 yards, TD, INT) and the defense posted a shutout. Granted it was against the Packers, who are awful, but a shutout in these NFL days is pretty tough to do. The lions didn't do much of anything last week, with just two field goals, and won't do much more against the stingy Bears defense. NFL schedule makers were cruel to the Lions, giving them the Seahawks and Bears in back to back weeks.

Pick: Bears by a few touchdowns

Texans at Colts

Bet the Texans wish they had another shot at Reggie Bush now. They only got 70 rushing yards from three different backs last week, and that probably won't get any better against the Colts rushing defense. They did allow 186 yards against the Giants, but  none of the Texan's three stooges are Tiki Barber. As for the Colts, no edge won't matter because Peyton Manning will have a field day against the Texans secondary that gave up 311 passing yards to the Eagles last week. Like I said last week though, if the Texans suck enough, they could get Adrian Peterson in next years draft (or pass on him, whatever they want)

Pick: Colts by a lot

Saints at Packers

Now to Reggie Bush, who had a solid debut last week against the Browns. He had 141 total yards (61 rushing, 58 receiver, 22 return) and now gets to go up against the Packers. It's tough to say what the Pack will do, because Brett Farve can't go out like this. If he ends his career with two straight terrible seasons, it will be as foul as the taste you get after eating garlic bread (so good throughout the whole thing, and then that awful taste afterwards). Let's hope Brett's has a decent year, so he can retire on a good note. His team isn't that good though, and won't get their first win this week.

Pick: Saints by at least 10

Raiders at Ravens

Aaron Brooks had his chance to throw to Randy Moss last week against the Chargers and their bad secondary, and now he has to do it against the best defense in the NFL (after one week of course). The Raiders looked terrible on offense, and only got 20 yards from Lamont Jordon. If the Ravens defense can keep up the solid play, and Steve McNair can keep his comeback on the right path, the Ravens should have no problem.

Pick: Ravens by a lot

Buccaneers at Falcons

This is a tough one. The Buccaneers have to be better than the 28-0 showing against the Ravens, but then again Chris Simms isn't that good at quarterback. He threw three picks last week, and the rest of the offense didn't do anything either. The Falcons looked good against the Panthers last week, especially Warrick Dunn who rushed for 132 yards against that powerful defensive line.

Pick: Falcons at least a touchdown

Cardinals at Seahawks

The Seahawks got a lot better with the addition of Deion Branch, but he isn't playing this weekend so we'll have to wait and see how he contributes. As for this week, they should be able to beat the Cards, but it may be closer than a lot thing. The Seahawks just squeaked out a 9-6 win in Detroit, and will have to find the end zone this week. Matt Hasselbeck is looking for his first touchdown, as is reigning MVP Shaun Alexander. I think they'll both have good games, but the young receivers from Arizona will give the secondary a headache. If those two can help Kurt Warner throw for 300 yards, there's isn't much they can't do. Yes, I realize they did it last week against the 49ers, but the threat of Edgerin James has helped the Cardinal's passing game a lot. They'll put up a fight, but the Seahawks will be too much.

Pick: Seahawks by 3

Rams at 49ers

Another lost season for the 49ers in underway , and Marc Bulger should have a field day against their secondary. Steve Jackson will also have another good game (he went for 121 yards last week), and the Rams defense, as bad as it is, should handle the 49ers weak offense. The only bright spot they had last week was Frank Gore. If he can stay healthy then he could be a decent back, but it wont be enough.

Pick: Rams by 17

Chiefs at Broncos

Jake Plummer is looking to bounce back from a vintage Jake Plummer performance against the Rams (13 for 26, 3 INTs, and a fumble). The Chiefs defense is a little iffy, but if Plummer is back to his old self they won't have to do too much. The Broncos do have the Bell boys, Tatum and Mike, who both had pretty good games. Tatum rushed for 103 yards, while Mike had 58 yards and a touchdown. The Chiefs have Damon Huard in place of the concussed Trent Green, so they could have a tough time scoring some points. Larry Johnson didn't live up to the hype last week (68 yards, no touchdowns) but don't look for his slump to last too long. However, the Chiefs haven't won in Denver since the turn of the century, and without their starting quarterback, that won't change.

Pick: Broncos by 7

Patriots at Jets

Tom Brady didn't have a Tom Brady game, and the best prescription for that is the shotty Jets secondary who surrendered 242 passing yards to Kerry Collins and the Titans last week. Does anyone really think Brady will make the mental mistakes he made two weeks in a row? The Corey Dillon-Laurence Maroney duo looked great last week, and should give the Jets a tough time with their two different running styles. Chad Pennington did look like the quarterback the Jets have been waiting for, but he'll need more support on the ground (only 86 rushing yards for the Jets last week) if he wants to have that same success against the Pats.

Pick: Patriots by 10

Titans at Chargers

Phillip Rivers only had to throw 11 passes against the Raiders, thanks to LaDainian Tomlinson and his 131 game controlling yards. He may have to throw more against the Titans, but LT should keep up the good work. As for the Titans, I have a rule not to trust any team that has Kerry Collins as their quarterback. I just can't drive myself to do it after the Giants lost the Super Bowl with him (I had to dye my hair purple for a day). So until Vince Young takes over I won't pick the Titans. May not be too long though...

Pick: Chargers by 10

Redskins at Cowboys

It's only a matter of time before the Dallas papers read: "TO Shoots Bledsoe, Three Others in Locker-room". Then again, he may not have a chance if Tony Romo gets plugged into the starting spot. It shouldn't happen this week, but if Bledsoe throws a couple picks, and misses another wide open Owens, it may happen. It could happen against the Redskins too, but then again they did let Brad Johnson pass all over them last week. This should be a close game, but not worthy of Sunday Night Football.

Pick: Cowboys by 7 (only because I have TO on both Fantasy Teams)

Steelers at Jaguars

Should be a great game on Monday Night Football. The Steelers looked good without Big Ben last week, and should be better with him back. The Jaguars are a very good team too though, and they showed it by coming back from a 10-0 deficit against the Cowboys. Both Defenses are tops in the league, so this should be a great battle and I'm only giving the Jags the edge because they are home.

Pick: Jaguars by less than 7.

 

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• It looks like whenever I single out someone, they fall into a bit of bad luck. Last week I mentioned Tiger Woods and his winning streak, and today he loses in the World Match Play to Shaun MicHeel. Tiger usually dominates match play, and somehow he loses in the first match. I did a whole blog on Jon Lester, and now look at him. If all my picks lose this week, then we'll know something is up.
• There are a lot of people worried about the Patriots in New England. I'm not one of them. Just because they could only beat one of the worst teams in the NFL by two measly points doesn't worry me at all. Tom Brady had an un-Tom Brady-like game, they didn't had a receiving threat on the field (Troy Brown is still the man, but not a threat), and the only reason it was so close was because of that bizarre first play fumble returned for a touchdown. This week, the Patriots will have another wide out on the field in Doug Gabriel (who is a solid acquisition for them) and they don't have to think worry about Deion Branch anymore. The fact they only won by two points doesn't concern me either. When have the Patriots blown teams away, including the bad ones??? This team does what it has to do in order to win. Last week, they ran the ball well, and in the end it allowed them to control the clock. Don't worry Pats fans, the home town team will be fine (that is of course if I didn't just jinx them).
• Too bad about the Twins and Francisco Liriano. Losing him for the season puts a pretty big damper on their post-season run. Johan will still make them a threat to make it, but after him its all question marks. Liriano gave them the most fearful one-two punch, and would make them favorites in a three game series. Now they have to depend on the ailing Brad Radke and rookie Matt Garza for the rest of the way. They still have a chance, but without Liriano, it's not going to be easy.

That's all for now, stay tuned for next week's edition of my picks, as well as my first golfing experience in nearly two years. That is if fatty's back doesn't hurt...

So here is the random thoughts that should have went with the football preview, but this computer sucks and decided not to work anymore last night.

-Too bad about the Red Sox this season. Losing Captain Jason Varitek killed the season. No one knows the pitching staff or how to call a game like Varitek, just look at the teams collapse with Doug Mirabelli and Javy Lopez behind the plate. Without the Captain behind the plate, the Sox went 10-23. Most of the pitchers looked lost, mostly because they had to shake off Javy Lopez at least three times on nearly every pitch (I watched). Lopez may have gotten away with being a terrible catcher with the Braves (they had Leo Mazzone teaching the arms) and Baltimore (no one really cares in Baltimore), but there was no way he could do that in Boston. The microscope is focused too much in beantown. I'm not saying that losing Varitek is the reason the Red Sox got swept by the Royals and that five game debacle against the Yankees. But if V-Tek were there, they would have had a fighting chance (especially against A-Rod).

-Speaking of Alex Rodriguez, boy is he hitting the cover off the ball. And why wouldn't he, it's typical A-Rod. It's well known that he can't come through when the game is on the line, and his recent hot streak is the perfect analogy. When the Yankees are up by five runs in the later third of the game, Rodriguez would hit a home run that would make it a seven run game. Now that the Yankees have a nice lead in the AL East, A-Rod can start doing his thing. The later third of the season is much like the later third of a ballgame for him. Now that there's no pressure, he'll keep the home runs, RBIs and curtain calls coming. Wait until the playoffs though (but hey, at least the Yankees will be there).

- Now to the AL MVP. David Ortiz is having a monster year, and it's a shame he missed more than a week for his heart condition. Thank God he is things have been OK so far, because the loss of Big Papi would be like Reggie Lewis and Len Bias combined times ten (Bonus points for Cronin if she knows who either of those two are). Papi gave it a run, but now his team is out of it. Unless he can steam one more run, it looks like he will be a runner up for the second year in a row. Right now, Derek Jeter is the MVP, followed by Jermaine Dye. I'm sorry White Sox fans, but it has to be DJ. He clinched the award during that five game sweep (cringe) of the Red Sox, when he won games two and four with late RBI doubles. His .344 average is close to the top in the AL, and he's driven in 85 runs while score 97 of his own. I still dislike the Yankees greatly, but DJ is a great player, and the AL MVP this year.

-Tiger Woods. I could end it right here and everyone would know what I mean, but then again Cronin is reading this. Five wins in his last five events, including the PGA Championship. The man is unbelievable. He's a man amongst boys, just ask Vijay Singh, who had a three stroke lead going into the Deutsche Bank final round, and ended up losing by two strokes. Tiger is back, and has already clinched PGA Player of the Year for the eighth time in his career. He's played 14 tournaments this year, and won half of them. I'm surprised there wasn't a new hurricane this week from the collective sighs of relief when everyone else on the PGA tour heard he wasn't playing at the Canadian Open. If you don't like/watch/follow golf, watch on a Sunday when Tiger is player. It's not golf, it's a clinic.

-One final note, I wrote about Jon Lester on an earlier post, and in one of my old school e-mails. Now, lets just all hope and pray the kid will be OK. Best of luck to him as he begins his treatment this week. That's all for now. With the new laptop coming on Monday, with full wireless capabilities and the fact it won't randomly freeze or turn off (hopefully), there should be weekly or bi-weekly posts. Then again I have said that before... 

Nothing like waiting until the last minute, but that's my style. Sorry it's been awhile but my laptop is on the way out. Should have had a new one by now but Best Buy sucks. Anyways, the old thing has been through a lot, from a water spill, being dropped a few times, and just the endless hours of being left on for no reason. So I figure let's go all out on this post, for the laptop.

 With the NFL season just hours away, how about my thoughts on the league this year. I've made up different groups that each team is in, and will separate the Contenders from the Painful to Watch. But if my last two years of fantasy football and weekly predictions have any reading on my football knowledge, I don't know squat. Lets see how I do this year...

The Contenders

No this isn't the cast of that boxing show that nobody watched; these are the elite teams that will compete to play in Miami come January. The trophy is up for grabs this year, as no clear cut favorite has been crowned yet. So in no particular order, here are the teams to watch:

New England Patriots

Of course they go first, they're my favorite team. The Patriots will be all right as long as Bill Belichick is on the sideline, and Tom Brady is taking the snaps. These two know how to win. Mix that with the fact they could have a revamped running game, this could be a very scary offense. With both Cory Dillon and rookie Laurence Maroney brining different running styles, they can change up on defenses when they want. That way Cory gets his rest, and Laurence will get the experience. This will be fun to watch. 

Ben Watson will also be a lot of fun to watch. He is primed for a break out year. Deion Branch is nowhere in sight, and Chad Jackson hasn't practice at all this preseason. Watson is going the Brady's new go to guy. He is a beast size wise, but extremely fast for a big guy. He is basically a wide receiver in a tight ends body. 

The Pats also have a pretty easy schedule in the last month, taking on both the Lions and Texans at home. Miami and Jacksonville are tough road opponents, but the Patriots will at least split those two. Finishing up at the Titans on the road should be an easy enough task.

 

Of course there are worries, like the fact there isn't a number one receiver. Linebackers are also an issue, with Tedy Bruschi banged up and an older version of Junior Seau. But who knows what this team can do. The secondary isn't scary at all, but then again they did beat Donovan McNabb and TO with a patchwork secondary a few years ago. Sorry, I'm rambling.

Prediction: 12-4, AFC East Champs

 

Pittsburgh Steelers 

They are the defending champs. The team knows how to win, and has great chemistry. The defense is one of the NFL's elite, and the offense is a powerful force with Heinz Ward out there. But there are big questions on Big Ben's heath, and now that Willie Parker isn't fighting for a job, can he still put up the numbers. Overall, a good team and could threaten to repeat. 

Prediction: 12-4 AFC North Champs

Cincinnati Bengals

If Carson Palmer is back to where he was last year, the team will do fine. Chad Johnson is the premier wide out this year, and Rudi Johnson is a rising star at back. He did rush for over 1452 yards last year. The defense won't keep any opposing teams up at night, but it will get them to the playoffs. Of course there are major questions, like Palmer's health and the fact they are all getting arrested. The fact that Chad Johnson can't make a spectacle out of his touchdowns drops their entertainment value. But does that do anything?

Prediction: 11-5 AFC Wild Card

Indianapolis Colts 

Losing Edgerin James will hurt the team, but the Colts still have the best offense in the league. Peyton Manning will find anyone that is open, and at least one of his moving targets can shake a defender. So much emphasis is on the offense that the defense is overlooked. It's an above average defense that can step it up when needed. Not to mention the fact this team is hungry for a championship. What happened last year was embarrassing. Not to mention the fact they added the best clutch kicker in the history of football, to make sure this like the Mike Vanderjagt miss don't happen again. Adam Vinatieri will pad his stats plenty while kicking indoors for at least half of his games. Pats fans will miss you Adam. Better stop before I get teared up... 

Prediction 12-4 AFC South Champs 

Carolina Panthers

The best team in the NFC. They are going to eat up the mediocrity like a fat kid on cake. They have an extremely easy schedule and could go on to win 14 games. Of all their home games, only two are against a playoff team (Steelers and Giants). The defense is tops in the NFL, and the offense is solid also. Steve Smith's health is a concern, but Keyshawn could get back in the spotlight and thrive.

Prediction: 14-2 NFC South Champs

Seattle Seahawks 

Last year's runner ups have the easiest schedule in the NFL, with only four playoff teams on their menu. The defense is great, and the offense improved with the addition of Nate Burleson. Shaun Alexander will take over games if he needs to. Mike Holmgren is a little overrated as a coach, but he can still win games. They'll at least get to the NFC Championship, and maybe even the Super Bowl again.

Prediction: 10-6 NFC West Champs

 

Almost There

These teams haven't quite made the jump to be favorites to make the playoffs yet, but are very close. They'll have good records, and either clinch a wild card or have something to look forward to next season.

Jacksonville Jaguars 

This is a good young team, and one of my upcoming favorites. Byron Leftwich is a tough kid, and has pretty good team around him. His receivers aren't anything special, and chances are good that Fred Taylor will get hurt again. Greg Jones should be ready to step in at back if and when Taylor goes down. The team has an unbelievable defensive line, and Mike Peterson is an NFL Elite. Good things will happen to this team this season, and many seasons to come.  Prediction: 12-4 AFC Wild Card

Miami Dolphins 

The Dolphins finally have a good quarterback in Daunte Culpepper that can get the ball to Chris Chambers and Randy McMichael. Ronnie Brown is one of the young running backs to watch, and should rush for over 1000 yards this season. Of course there are concerns about Culpepper's health, and the fact the defense is getting old. Playing the Patriots twice doesn't help, but they should be able to take the game at home. Chances are they won't be playing at home for the Super Bowl this year, but a team to look out for. Tough to tell if they'll make the playoffs this year since the AFC is looking tough.

Prediction: 10-6, Second in AFC East

New York Giants 

The NFC East is a tough division to gauge because all the teams are in the middle of good and bad. The Giants are probably the closest to good, and could easily take the wide-open division. However they are still a young team, and do make young mistakes. Eli Manning is another year older, but isn't up to the top tier in quarterbacks. He'll get a chance to show his stuff against brother Peyton in his opener. Lavar Arrington is a good addition to the defense. They are only a year away from being a top team in the NFC. 

Prediction: 9-7 NFC East Champs 

Dallas Cowboys

Drew Bledsoe, Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn and Mike Vanderjagt, and that's just the characters on offense. Bill Parcells is the brain behind these rascals, and if everyone gets a long he has a chance to claim the NFC East. But does anyone really thing TO will go a whole season without mouthing off. My prediction for the first TO shouting at Bledsoe episode is week five. The tough schedule won't help either.

Prediction: 9-7 NFC Wild Card 

Chicago Bears

Da Bears are in the weakest division in football, and playing the Lions, Vikings and Packers twice each could mean six wins right off the bat. Although there are questions on offense at quarterback and receiving, the defense is one of the best. Brian Urlacher is a scary player, and is a leader on the field. A solid young team that will make the playoffs, but may not get passed the first round. 

Prediction: 10-6 NFC North Champs

 

Decent Teams 

 

These teams are just blah. Not going to make the playoffs, and play mediocre all year. Each of them has one thing to watch that is exciting, and one story that could tear them apart. They don't deserve a whole paragraph. 

Chiefs: Will be fun to watch because of Larry Johnson, he could break Alexander's record of 28 touchdowns in a season. Herm Edwards and his inability to work the clock could lose them games. But then again it is fun to watch also. 

Eagles: Decent because they have a good defense and Donovan McNabb. The fact they have to play the Giants and Dolphins twice could cost them. 

Vikings: They're lucky to play the Lions and Packers twice. The distractions from last years miserable season are gone, but there isn't enough talent on the team. 

Falcons: They have Michael Vick, but then again Michael Vick hasn't done anything great yet. Still waiting... 

Saints: Reggie Bush. Reggie Bush. Reggie Bush. But the Chargers let Drew Brees and his injured shoulder go and gave the starting job to Phillip Rivers, a guy that has no experience at all. Who knows if he is healthy of not? 

Rams: Stephen Jackson is another rising running back. Their defense is terrible though. Not much else to say about the team.

 

On The Way Up 

These teams are making their way to becoming contenders. Lots of things need to fall into place for them to make the playoffs this year, but they will have their shot in the future. 

Cleveland Browns: Brought in some solid vets in Willie McGinest and Joe Jurevicios. Lets see if Kellen Winslow can be a soldier and finally play a season. 

Tennessee Titans: Can Vince Young play well enough in his rookie season to win? The whole team is pretty young, and the schedule doesn't help. They play the Giants, Colts, Jaguars and Pats. That's going to hurt. 

San Diego Chargers: LaDainian Tomlinson can be the best back in the NFL. It's up to Phillip Rivers to take charge of this offense. Defense is on the rise with linebacker Shawn Merriman, and the guy with the best name in sports: Corner back Quentin Jammer. What a great name. 

Arizona Cardinals: Easy schedule, but still won't make playoffs. But the future looks good with Matt Leinart throwing to Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Add Edgerin James to the mix, and a rising defense, this is the team to watch over the next few years.

 

Painful to Watch

Buffalo could be the worst team in the NFL this season, but they'll get a fight from The 49ers and Packers. At least the 49ers will get Adrian Peterson if they suck enough. 

Who Knows

 

These teams are enigmas. The Jets could be good, but betting who knows if Chad Pennington can stay healthy or if any of their running backs can be good. At least they have a coach that can manage the clock. 

The Ravens and Texans are tough calls also. The Ravens can be good if Steve McNair can have a good season, and if Jamal Lewis can put his prison memories behind him. The defense will be solid as usual, but playing the Steelers and Bengals twice really hurts. The Texans have the same problem, with the Colts and Jaguars. They are a young team trying to learn to win, but their division really hurts them. 

As for the Broncos, they are only on the Who Knows list because Jake Plummer is their quarterback. They will go as far as he can take them, and who knows when he will collapse. Not to mention I'm still bitter from the playoff game against the Pats. I won't go into detail, because I don't want to cry twice on one post... 

The remaining teams (Raiders, Redskins, and Lions) are all who knows too, but I really don't care enough about them to go into it. Teams that don't suck enough to trash on but aren't good enough to praise anything. 

As for playoff predictions... 

AFC Championship: Pats over Colts (never gets old)

NFC Championship: Panthers over Seahawks

Super Bowl: Pats over Panthers 

Yeah kind of a homer pick, but who can doubt the Patriots? Until they don't make the playoffs, they will always be a threat.

The extra thoughts will come tomorrow, too late to make any more sense and my laptop sucks.