NFL Season 2007

[Kai Ver' Xion]

One week to the draft... *crosses fingers for the Raiders*
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"It took hundreds to kill me but I killed humans by the thousands. I am sublime!!! I am the true face of evil!!"

[Noot]

Here's my 3-round mock. I chose not to include trades because it makes my mock look like a chaotic mess. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy it. The Draft is 17 hours and 23 minutes away!!! :mrgreen:


Round 1

1- OAK - JaMarcus Russell (QB - LSU)
The Raiders have opened up contract discussions with Russell, Johnson, and Quinn. I've read that the Raiders front office is split on all three players where the scouts want CJ, Coach Kiffin wants Quinn, and Al Davis wants Russell. Something tells me Count Chocula will get his way.

2- DET - Calvin Johnson (WR - G Tech)
I tried projecting trades for my final mock, but it just got way too messy, otherwise I'd have Detroit moving back with either Tampa Bay or Arizona. However, in this scenario without trades, I think the Lions front office is serious (even if they might be bluffing in order to induce a trade) when they say they'd have no reservations taking CJ at #2 overall. I can't justify them taking Gaines Adams over the best player in the entire Draft. I know they signed a few WR's lately, the most recent being Marcus Robinson, but that shouldn't stop them from taking the best WR prospect in the last decade should he land in their lap.

3- CLE - Brady Quinn (QB - Notre Dame)
Sort of a toss-up between Quinn and Joe Thomas. I would consider Adrian Peterson, but I think his health concerns might push him out of the top 5 completely. Romeo Crennel is on the hot seat, so he might rather take a player who has a better chance of saving his job rather than a QB whose impact might not be seen until later, but I think if they take Quinn they might get enough support from the fans that they could be given a "free pass" in '07 should they lose again. Should be interesting to see this play out.

4- TB - Joe Thomas (OT - Wisconsin)
They addressed the right side of their OL in the '06 Draft with Joseph and Trueblood, but they still need to take care of the left side. The Bucs signed Petigout this off-season, but he's just a stopgap player who is coming off of a serious injury. Tampa has a ton of holes to fill, and even though a lot of people project them to take Calvin Johnson (or even trade their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks to move up for him), I think they'd be better served moving back 3 or 4 spots to accumulate picks instead. If CJ is still here at #4, no matter how infatuated Gruden might be with him, they ought to sell his rights to the highest bidder (i.e. Atlanta or San Fran). CJ is a luxury pick the Bucs just can't afford to take right now. Luckily, in this mock, he's no longer there, so the decision is a lot easier for me.

5- ARZ - Gaines Adams (DE - Clemson)
I've heard rumors that they might take Levi Brown if Joe Thomas is off the board. To me, that pick makes sense, but only if they can move down. #5 is too high for Brown. In this scenario, Gaines Adams should be the pick. They have Bertrand Berry, but he had an off year after going to the Pro Bowl the year prior. There's been speculation that the Cards may switch to the 3-4 defense under Whisenhunt, so by taking Adams they could line him up opposite of Berry in the 4-3 or move him into a Kamerion Wimbley role in the 3-4.

6- WSH - Amobi Okoye (DT - Louisville)
They have one pick in the first 4 rounds, so they better make it count. They really would like to move down, but they'll need Peterson, Thomas, CJ, or Quinn on the board in order to make it happen. I've seen Jamaal Anderson make a resurgence lately after his stock dropped last month, so he could be the pick here at #6 tomorrow. But I simply have Okoye rated higher. I think it will be really hard for the Redskins to screw up this pick since they'll have so many options available.

7- MIN - Adrian Peterson (RB - Oklahoma)
Peterson's durability concerns push him out of the top 3 and into Minnesota's lap at #7. By splitting carries with Chester Taylor, it would keep both players fresh and healthy, and provide the Vikings with a formidable 1-2 punch in the backfield. The Vikings need play-makers on offense, regardless of position. This would be the first official steal of the Draft.

8- ATL (HOU) - LaRon Landry (FS - LSU)
I can't justify Landry falling any farther than #8. It would be a perfect fit that needs little explanation. However, if CJ is still around at #2 overall, I really think the Falcons should package their Day 1 picks (maybe throw in a 2008 2nd rounder) to move up for him. They could also do the reverse and move down to sell Patrick Willis, who has easily been the fastest climber in this Darft, to the highest bidder: SF, BUF, STL, CAR, or DEN.

9- MIA - Levi Brown (OT - Penn St)
The Dolphins will probably still get Trent Green, but it might not happen until after the Draft, I think. Both sides are unwilling to waver in their demands: the Chiefs want a 2nd and a 7th, and the Fins are offering no higher than a 6th. I think it will come down to what happens on Draft day. The Fins will either move up and make a play for Brady Quinn, or they'll take a QB like Edwards or Beck in Round 2. That would diminish the price for Trent Green, forcing the Chiefs to accept something less than they want. So KC will either settle for a late rounder, or they'll wait until after the Draft and cut him. Therefore, I think the Dolphins should look at Levi Brown if he's still there at #9 in order to bolster the OL for whoever the QB ends up being.

10- HOU (ATL) - Leon Hall (CB - Michigan)
I've seen Hall slide recently as people have started questioning his playing speed and his hip fluidity. So this could very easily be Darrelle Revis here instead. Personally, I think Hall is still the #1 CB and has been through the entire evaluation process. Projecting the 1st round selection for the Texans has been tougher than any other team in the top 10. I'd really like to see them move down and try to pick up that 2nd rounder they lost in the Schaub trade. If Willis is still there, they should sell him.

11- SF - Adam Carriker (DE - Nebraska)
This pick is another toss-up between Carriker and Willis. Frankly, though, they should really start thinking about replacing 57 year old Bryant Young at DE. Their LB's still need help, of course, but they can get by with Derek Smith another year if they have to. And LB is pretty deep this year, so finding one in Rounds 2-5 shouldn't be too difficult.

12- BUF - Patrick Willis (LB - Mississippi)
This would be Buffalo's dream come true. The only way it would get better is if both Willis and Adrian Peterson were sitting there. Marv Levy would need a change of shorts in the War Room before he submitted his pick. Seriously though, I think if Buffalo really wants Willis, they might have to move up to ensure they get him. I think there will be more competition for him than any other player in the 1st round.

13- STL - Jamaal Anderson (DE - Arkansas)
The Rams need to leave this Draft with an impact defensive lineman (somebody told me that in my last mock draft, hehe). Anderson is still a bit raw, but he's very athletic with a good frame and a long reach. He has room to add bulk, which he'll definitely need. Had he stayed for his senior year, he might have been a top 5 pick, but as it stands the Rams get themselves a gem here at #13.

14- CAR - Greg Olsen (TE - Miami)
Honestly, I do NOT think this will be the pick on Saturday, but when I look at who is left on the board and where the Panthers' biggest needs are, they just don't add up. It's too high for Beason, the next MLB on my board, and Nelson would be a slight reach as well. I think the safety depth is pretty strong throughout Day 1, so passing on one at #14 wouldn't be a bad idea. WR is a possibility, but again, the depth is so good at that position, the Panthers would be better off waiting to take one. Olsen, though, is the only impact TE in this Draft, and the Panthers could use more tools in the passing game not named Steve Smith. Staley could be the darkhorse here.

15- PIT - Darelle Revis (CB - Pittsburgh)
There's a lot of Timmons love coming out of Pittsburgh, but in this spot, they should try to get better value from the selection, and Darelle Revis would be a great fit. If they really want Timmons that badly, they really ought to trade down.

16- GB - Marshawn Lynch (RB - California-Berkley)
The Packers usually don't bring in 1st round prospects with their 30 rookie visits, but this year they wanted to get an up-close and personal look at Lynch. They wanted to be able to clear him of all character and injury concerns that might have still been lingering around. Apparently the Packers training staff cleared him medically, and even though he has an "Oakland personality" (whatever that means) he's still "a good guy". I'm still not 100% convinced on him, but I can't argue the fact that Lynch would give us a legitimate, starting-caliber RB, and the dropoff after him is huge. He may be GB's only shot of finding a starting RB in this Draft.

17- JAX - Reggie Nelson (S - Florida)
Nelson replaces Grant in the secondary and does so at a much more favorable price than what Grant signed for in Seattle. They could also look at DE or OLB here. What? Comment too short for you? Well... hmm... maybe the Jags could think about trading down, but now we've reached the point in the 1st round where the prospects are all pretty much graded evenly. All the blue chip players are gone, and from #17 to #45 the players are ranked pretty close to each other. Unless teams have a certain player in mind that they want to jump up for, it will be more difficult for teams to move down.

18- CIN - Lawrence Timmons (OLB - Florida St)
The Bengals would hate to see Nelson taken one spot before them. I think Timmons would be a good pick here, even though the Bengals have invested a lot of Draft picks in recent memory to LB's (including their 3rd this year which they used in the supplemental Draft for Ahmad Brooks). Timmons is very raw, but he's a good athlete who hits like a ton of bricks. Marvin Lewis would have fun with a guy like that.

19- TEN - Ted Ginn Jr (WR/RS - Ohio St)
The Titans should look at WR with their 1st round pick since they'll have a lot of options open to them. They lost Bennett this off-season and never replaced him, so they'll need to look to the Draft. I was originally going to give them Dwayne Bowe in this spot, but the more I thought about it the more I realized that with the loss of Pacman for at least 10 games this upcoming season they'll need to also find his replacement in the return game. So, even if Ginn doesn't make a huge impact at WR his rookie year, he should at least pick up the slack on special teams. Ginn has the potential to be a homerun threat on offense, but it may take some time for that to emerge.

20- NYG - Joe Staley (OT - Central Michigan)
All the teams are raving about Staley. He's still raw at the position, but teams love his athleticism and his size. He added 70 lbs to play the position in college, but he carries it very well. Basically, he's Joe Thomas before you add water (i.e. experience). He could develop into a good one, and the Giants have a hole where Petigout used to be. This should be an easy pick on Saturday. Of course, now that I say that, it won't happen.

21- DEN - Anthony Spencer (DE - Purdue)
I think the Broncos will do whatever they can to move up for Patrick Willis. But, if they don't, I think they should use their 1st to address the DE position. Dumervil was very productive as a pass rusher last year, but he has limited upside. Spencer has been a late riser because of his potential to be an every down DE at the next level as well as a terrific pass rusher. Also, I think the "fro-hawk" has a lot to do with it.

22- DAL - Aaron Ross (CB - Texas)
Even though the Cowboys should be looking at WR with this pick, they simply don't take offensive players in the 1st round for some reason. Jerry Jones likes players who have connections to the state of Texas, so I'd look for them to take either Aaron Ross or Michael Griffin here. Ross grades higher than Griffin for me.

23- KC - Ben Grubbs (OG - Auburn)
Only a slight reach, in my opinion. WR is certainly an option here, but the dropoff in talent at OG is huge between the 1st and 2nd rounds. Grubbs should be able to start from Day 1 in place of Will Shields, and they might not be able to find a guy who can do that in Round 2. At the same time, WR is very deep, and 10 guys are graded as 1st and 2nd rounders. They should be able to land one of them at pick #54.

24- NE (SEA) - Michael Griffin (S - Texas)
Only a slight reach, in my mind. But he won't last to #28 with New Orleans and Philadelphia picking behind them here, so if the Pats want to find Rodney Harrison's future replacement they'll have to nab him at #24. With two 1st round picks and no 2nd round pick, I fully expect the Pats to trade back with either #24 or #28 in order to give themselves more options rather than package both of their 1sts to move up.

25- NYJ - Chris Houston (CB - Arkansas)
The Jets' depth at CB is pretty shaky. They could look to bolster their front 7 with this pick, but it would be hard to pass on a CB who could be the best man-to-man corner in the Draft. What Houston lacks in height he makes up for in tenacity and top flight speed. Hopefully he won't be the next Ahmad Carroll.

26- PHI - Brandon Meriweather (FS - Miami)
Meriweather would contribute from Day 1 in the nickel defense, and he would be the eventual successor to Dawkins at FS. I really wanted to put a WR here, but the Eagles just don't Draft WR's high (or very well). At the same time, they love taking OL, DL, and DB's in the 1st round. Their may be some red flags here about Meriweather, but there's no argument that he's a 1st round talent.

27- NO - Justin Harrell (DT - Tennessee)
The Saints' interior DL has been shaky for quite some time. Last year, the entire team over-achieved with journeymen players, but if they want to get back to the NFC Championship game they're going to have to infuse some talent on defense. Harrell would have been a top 15 pick if not for his injury, but after benching 225 lbs 31 times, he's eliminated a lot of the doubts teams had about how his arm has recovered.

28- NE - David Harris (ILB - Michigan)
Harris is another late riser who could hear his name called at the end of the 1st round. The Patriots could probably move down to the top of the 2nd and still get Harris, but that depends on just how much BAL, DET, MIN, and MIA want a QB like Trent Edwards.

29- BAL - Justin Blalock (OG - Texas)
Ogden announced he was returning for another season, so that should take some pressure of the Ravens with their 1st round pick. They could have went with Tony Ugoh, but instead I think they'll go with Blalock to shore up the right side of the OL. The Ravens could also go WR or QB at #29.

30- SD - Dwayne Bowe (WR - LSU)
For some reason WR's really got pushed down in this mock, but historically that seems to happen in every Draft. It's a risky proposition to invest a 1st round selection in a WR, especially considering it is probably the most dependent position on the team. If the QB is garbage, the OL doesn't give the QB time to throw, or if there is no running game to take off the pressure, then you can have Randy Moss and still finish last in scoring offense in the entire NFL. Luckily, the Chargers are ready to make a run for a Super Bowl, and they can afford to take that chance. The only question came down to which WR should they take. You can make a case for Bowe, Meachem, or anyone else in this spot, but I just went with Bowe.

31- CHI - Jon Beason (OLB - Miami)
The Bears will need to prepare as if Briggs won't be their next year. And even if Briggs WILL be back, they can still do a lot better than Hunter Hillenmeyer at SLB. Luckily, Beason has experience playing all three positions, so he should be able to find a starting spot right away.

32- IND - Alan Branch (DT - Michigan)
A lot of red flags have come up lately for Branch, and he could possibly fall much farther than this. Even though he can be a beast of a DT, he has a reputation for taking plays off and not being a very hard and committed worker. And with the recent injury revelation (which may or not be true), it might put him closer to the "bust" category than the "boom". In any case, I had a hard time with this pick, and I'm still not sure I put Branch low enough. But the Colts could use a space eater along their under-sized DL, and who can say how long Corey Simon will last?


Round 2

33- OAK - Ryan Kalil (C - USC)
34- DET -Trent Edwards (QB - Stanford)
35- TB - Jarvis Moss (DE - Florida)
36- CLE - Eric Wright (CB - UNLV)
37- CHI (NYJ/WSH) - Robert Meachem (WR - Tennessee)
38- ARZ - Tony Ugoh (OT - Arkansas)
39- ATL (HOU) - Arron Sears (G/T - Tennessee)
40- MIA - John Beck (QB - BYU)
41- MIN -Dwayne Jarrett (WR - USC)
42- SF - Paul Posluszny (ILB - Penn St.)
43- BUF - Johnathan Wade (CB - Tennessee)
44- ATL - Charles Johnson (DE - Georgia)
45- CAR - Eric Weddle (FS - Utah)
46- PIT - Stewart Bradley (LB - Nebraska)
47- GB - Craig Davis (WR - LSU)
48- JAX - Justin Durant (LB - Hampton)
49- CIN - Marcus McCauley (CB - Fresno St.)
50- TEN - Josh Wilson (CB - Maryland)
51- NYG - Steve Smith (WR - USC)
52- STL - Tanard Jackson (DB - Syracuse)
53- DAL - Anthony Gonzalez (WR - Ohio St.)
54- KC - Sidney Rice (WR - South Carolina)
55- SEA - Zach Miller (TE - Arizona St.)
56- DEN - John Wendling (SS - Wyoming)
57- PHI - Tim Crowder (DE - Texas)
58- NO - Ben Patrick (TE - Delaware)
59- NYJ - DeMarcus Tyler (NT - North Carolina St.)
60- MIA (NE) - Ray McDonald (DE - Florida)
61- BAL - Drew Stanton (QB - Michigan St.)
62- SD - Sabby Piscitelli (SS - Oregon St.)
63- NYJ (CHI) - Jason Hill (WR - Washington St.)
64- TB (IND) - Daymeion Hughes (DB - California-Berkley)

Round 3

65- OAK - Victor Abiamiri (DE - Notre Dame)
66- DET - Marshall Yanda (G/T - Iowa)
67- CLE - Turk McBride (DE - Tennessee)
68- TB - Brandon Mebane (DT - California-Berkley)
69- ARZ - Quincy Black (OLB - New Mexico)
70- DEN (WSH) - Aundrae Allison (WR - East Carolina)
71- MIA - Aaron Rouse (SS - V Tech)
72- MIN - Quentin Moses (DE - Georgia)
73- HOU - Paul Williams (WR - Fresno St.)
74- BUF - Kenny Irons (RB - Auburn)
75- ATL - Brandon Siler (LB - Florida)
76- SF - Johnnie Lee Higgins (WR - Texas El Paso)
77- PIT - Antonio Pittman (RB - Ohio St.)
78- GB - Ryan Harris (OT - Notre Dame)
79- JAX - Kevin Kolb (QB - Houston)
80- TEN - H.B. Blades (LB - Pittsburgh)
81- NYG - Lorenzo Booker (RB - Florida St.)
82- STL - Quinn Pitcock (DT - Ohio St.)
83- CAR - Brian Robison (DE - Texas)
84- KC - Doug Free (OT - Northern Illinois)
85- SEA - Andy Allemon (OG - Akron)
86- DEN - James Marten (OT - Boston College)
87- DAL - Lamarr Woodley (DE - Michigan)
88- NO - Michael Coe (CB - Alabama St.)
89- NYJ - Tim Shaw (OLB - Penn St.)
90- PHI - Brian Leonard (FB - Rutgers)
91- NE - Tarell Brown (CB - Texas)
92- BUF (BAL) - Jacoby Jones (WR - Lane College)
93- SD - Allan Barbre (G/T - Missouri Southern)
94- CHI - Joshua Beekman (OG - Boston College)
95- IND - Buster Davis (LB - Florida St.)
*96- SD - Fred Bennett (CB - South Carolina)
*97- SF - A.J. Davis (CB - North Carolina St.)
*98- IND - Manny Ramirez (OG - TX Tech)
*99- OAK - Ryan McBean (DT - Oklahoma St.)
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~~Harmonian Tenhei Star~~

It's hard to bargle naudle zauss with all these marbles in my mouth.

[Calvin]

Looks like Michael Vick was finally indicted by a Federal Grand Jury today. Personally, I find it hard to believe that he had no idea Dog Fighting was going on in a house he owned, but I will reserve ultimate judgement on his innocence until conviction. What I do think, however, is that he shouldn't have been gullible enough to let it go on right under his nose. Either way, it was a bad choice.

Given the precedent set by the Pacman Jones and Chris Henry suspensions, I think anything less than a suspension at least comparable to those two would be letting him off the hook. Jones in particular was suspended for conduct detrimental to the league at a time when he wasn't even charged with any crimes. Vick, with his myriad of off the field incidents, falls in the same boat, in my opinion.

If Vick isn't suspended, I will be very surprised.
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I changed the number on my phone so you can't call me up at home, and you can't say those
things to me, that make me fall down on my knees.

[Ezekiel]

[RedCydranth]

2 Things concerning the Michael Vick thing. First off he's only been indicted, s I don't think that there will be suspensions until this thing is fully heard. In the case of Pacman and Henry, both were arrested while Vick has only been under suspicions. Secondly, the suspensions to Chris Henry and Adam Jones were dealt because they are repeat offenders. This is the first indictment Michael Vick has so under the rules of the NFL they can't suspend him on a first time basis (or so I've heard, I've never actually read the rules on this). The marijuana waterbottle incident was thrown away so there is no priors on Vick. Also, it is unfair to judge a person and penalize him before they've been found guilty, the United States court system is based upon that principle.

As for the Steelers Zeke, I'm going to wager they'll be mediocre. The Ravens still look like they're going to be great, the Browns have improved to mediocre status and hopefully will take the stairs out of the basement. Also, even without Chris Henry, the Bengals ofense is still one of the potentially most potent around, definitely the most potent in the division. The Steelers themselves didn't really get too much better in the offseason. Dedfensively maybe a little but they didn't address their issues at Wide Receiver. Also, I'm interested to see if Ben Roethlisberger was a flash in the pan or if last year was an off season because of the early concussion. If its the latter, look for Ben to get traded or replaced if they start falling below .500
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I'm sorry and I apologize are the same thing.
Except at a funeral.

Fantasy Football (NFL) Sign Ups in Sports Forum!

[Sierra Mikain]

The steelers lost their biggest presence on the defensive side of the ball. They should still be stellar against the run, but the pass rush and mid field coverage is going to suffer. If they're going to compete for the division, they're going to have to score a lot of points or Willie Parker is going to have to be a little more consistent. They made some good moves during the draft like getting Woodley out of Michigan which I think will be HUGE in the future.

If they don't make some other changes, I can see the Browns passing them and the steelers falling to the cellar of the division in a relatively short period of time though not this year. I think it might be a tough go with a new coach too... you just never know. 7-9 might be a decent estimation. The good thing is that their early schedule is a cake walk. The bad thing is that they finish with some horribly tough games like Baltimore, Jax, Cincinati, New England and St Louis. It might be up and down, but look for something around .500 if they get off to a relatively good start.

:no: Ben's not going to be traded that's ridiculous. :no:

On the Vick situation:

Don't you guys remember shortly after this all happened, the owner of the falcons and the NFL commissioner got together with Vick in New York to talk about things. Everyone played down what went on, but I'm sure what really happened is that in the best interest of profits, one of the best marketable players in NFL history and the head of the league discussed what actually happened with this situation and what was going to come out.

Regardless of whether Vick knew this was happening or not, it happened on his property and thus he can be thrown in jail. If the decision were mine, I'd go ahead and ban him for life. Why? Because I'm sick of things like this even being discussed on football television shows and forums. I'm sick of people caring what happens to players off the field. If they do something stupid like this, kick them out, don't ask questions.

It doesn't have to be fair. I don't care if he's guilty.

You've got morons like Pac Man Jones who think it's okay they do horrible stuff because of the good things they do. He actually got on NFL Network and told Deion Sanders that people don't pay attention to the charitable things he does for the community because he breaks the law. Dood are you so ignorant that you don't see that you're not a good person because you do good things? You're just a charitable criminal.

Ban them all. They don't understand it's a privilidge to be a player in this league just like it's a priviledge to be a part of any other private organization. If you embarass yourself, you embarass the league and the consequences should be immediate dismissal. The league will survive without these guys who aren't just detrimental to the league but society as well. Then maybe sunday morning programming can go back to discussing the way New England is going to play coverage instead of how many firearms Joey Porter had in his Escalade.
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[Ezekiel]

[Sierra Mikain]

I figure it's about time to make some predictions on the upcoming season. Based on what I've seen in the preseason and what I know of rosters it's going to be hellfire in 6 of the 8 divisions meaning there's really no clear cut best team.

Let's start with the NFC

Division: NFC North
Champion: Chicago Bears 11-5

Why they'll win: Chicago isn't the clear cut best team in this division because their offense will remain to be the most inconsistent in the division. With the loss of Thomas Jones they lose their best weapon and gain a running back that doesn't really fit in the system. What they need is 4 to 5 yards every carry, not 3, 3, 3, and then 20. The defense will remain the strongest point on the team, but it's by no means the best in the NFL, or even the NFC for that matter. Hester is a lock for the probowl if he doesn't get injured and will keep the offense scoring field goals as long as opponents kick him the ball.

Detroit Lions 7-9

Why they can't win: The Lions have a lot of talent and it's realistic for Jon Kitna to put up somewhere in the neighborhood of 4800 yards passing this year if he stays healthy simply because he had 4200 last year and with wide receivers McDonald (who knows every position in Martz's offense) and Calvin Johnson (rookie phenom?) and a defense that will likely cede the same number of points it did last year it'll be required. The youth in the defense here is great. The defensive line is strong against the run, the linebackers are fast but piss-poor tacklers and the secondary is inexperienced at best. The running game got an upgrade in Tatum Bell and the draw play could prove to be a pain in the ass for any team without 2 huge DTs.

Minnesota Vikings 7-9

Why they can't win: They don't have any consistency at the quarterback or wide receiver positions leaving them with the worst offense in the division and solely relying on a rookie running back to score 2 td's a game in order for them to compete. The defense looked great last year, but they overperfomed much like Chicago did. The defensive line is young and extremely talented, but the linebackers let the team down with their inconsistency. Their offensive line will continue to be a solid part of the team's success, but unfortunately they don't have a lot of talent elsewhere.

Green Bay Packers 6-10

Why they can't win: You look at this team and it's hard to say how they'll finish. Brandon Jackson is looking great in the preseason and they always have Brett Favre... which isn't necessarily a good thing anymore. The defense is young and talented at positions, but they can't dominate the line against any of the division foes on either side of the ball. Realistically, they could win 9 games, but it'd take roughly 30 td's from Brett Favre and Brandon Jackson is going to have to be pretty damn stellar.

Division: NFC East
Champion: Dallas Cowboys 12-4

Why they'll win: The Cowboys lost Parcells which isn't necessarily a bad thing. While he has great talent building a football team, he's not exactly taking teams to championships lately. That doesn't mean he was holding the Boys back at all though. Right now they have by far the most consistent offense in their division as well as the best defense by far. They'll still going to struggle against teams who can stretch the field vertically as (much like last year) they have problems in man coverage and they have the most overrated safety in the NFL scratching his head on how reputation can't stop a 40 yard td pass. The running game can be driven by either RB on the roster, even though I particularly like Barber I imagine Jones will get the 60% share of the carries. The scary thing about this team is that they're still relatively young and could easily become the NFC's powerhouse for the next 4 years.

Philadelphia Eagles 9-7

Why they can't win: Consistency. When the Eagle's offense is hitting on all cylinders, you're talking about a team that might be second to none in the league, the problem is that Westbrook and McNabb are both required to make the machine go and the Eagles haven't had both of them healthy since 1918. The defense is going to let up some points but, like the offense, will continue to make big plays in key situations like they always have.

New York Giants 8-8

Why they can't win: Defense is going to slow this team down. I have serious questions about the running game if they decided that Brandon Jacobs wasn't worth getting the bulkload of carries when they went out and signed Droughns. Eli Manning has to make it work this year or it's likely he never will. Smith is going to need a stellar year in order to make them a playoff contender and that's pretty much unheard of for rookie wr's. The defense has been playing without Strahan and that's not a horrible thing because they have 2 other capable defensive ends. That's just about where the positives stop.

Washington Redskins 6-10

Why they can't win: Daniel Snyder is the world's biggest joke to me. The entire offense is built on hitting the home run and they don't have a single consistent player. The quarterback situation is the worst in the NFC except for maybe Minnesota. The defense could win them a lot of games, but I think they severly overperformed last year and this year it's going to show. They're not getting any younger at cornerback and when forced into man to man coverage against good passing teams they're going to falter. Think about the teams in this division. All of them are capable of lighting up this defense and that's why they'll struggle to win 2 to 3 division games.

NFC South
Champion: Carolina Panthers 9-7

Why they'll win: Lack of any decent competition really. They have a strong defensive line regardless of how many people get injured. Their secondary is built on making big plays and they seem to do that just fine. They're not overpowering on defense and still they're the best defense in the division. On offense, it's going to be back-to-business for Smith and Delhomme after a year that was plagued by injuries for both of them. They've got a couple young fast running backs and a slew of guys who can get the ball in the end zone.

New Orleans Saints 9-7

Why they can't win: Let's not kid ourselves guys, this team isn't as good as they played last year. They're in a bad division that just got a lot worse since Mike Vick isn't going to be an issue for opponents. Their defense is piss poor. They don't have a consistent corner and struggle playing zone coverage. They could win 10 games, but that's going to put a lot of pressure on Drew Brees and the offense to score. I hear people prediction 12 wins for this team. Mark my words, I'll eat my own ass if that happens. It will take a record setting year for Brees and Reggie Bush is going to have to score about 13 more touchdowns than I think he will (more like 4)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-9

Tampa has a young team that plays hard. That's about the best you can say about them. The defensive line is going to miss Rice even though they drafted who could be his replacement. They seem relatively confident in his ability, but whether or not it can be realized remains to be seen. The quarterback play has to find a way to be consistent. They tried to add two veterans to the mix, and it looks like Jeff Garcia is going to be the man. Some people tend to forget that Garcia only plays well behind great offensive lines. Look what happened in Cleveland and Detroit. It's going to be much of the same thing in Tampa. Look for a pretty decent year out of him. It'll take a full year of healthy football from Williams to make a dent in the standings. It'll take a great year from him and the defense is going to have to dominate for a playoff chance.

Atlanta Falcons 3-13

Why they can't win: Joey Harrington is their quarterback. Name one former Detroit Lions quarterback that has amounted to anything with another team. The defense lost their best defensive lineman and the offense has no consistent producers besides the running game which should suffer a lot without the threat of the Vick bootleg.

Division: NFC West
Champion: St. Louis Rams 10-6

Why they'll win: I liked the Rams a lot last year to win the division and this year I like them even more. Towards the end of last year there wasn't a better running back in the NFL besides Steven Jackson. He was impossible to bring down and wasn't just getting yards but scoring touchdowns. The offense added Drew Bennett, a receiver with size to a rather tiny corps. He should compliment Bruce and Holt and be a better option in the redzone than Curtis and McDonald were. Randy McMichael could be the best offseason acquisition they made though since Bulger has never been able to work the middle of the field with that caliber of player. They won 8 games last year and Seattle is definitely on the decline leaving the door open.

Seattle Seahawks 8-8

Why they can't win: It's obvious this team lacked a little chemistry on offense. They're going to have to refind that in order to compete with the teams in this division which are loaded with talent on the offensive side of the ball. Shaun Alexander is going to have to prove that he can return to 15 td/year status and has to remain the main focal point of the offense. Losing Darrel Jackson doesn't hurt this offense in the least because DJ Hackett should have a break out year. Branch isn't exactly a poor choice at #1 either. On the defensive side of the ball, they're going to suffer at defensive end and in man coverage. Holmgren always seems to make what he has work though, he has his work cut out for him this year.

Arizona Cardinals 8-8

Why they can't win: They have no running game and none of that is going to change. This team is about as good as St. Louis was two years ago if you take away their running game. They have great young talent on the defense and really just need the role player personnel to bring it all together. If any team is capable of being this year's New Orleans Saints, Arizona is one of the more likely candidates. If they're somehow able to sure up the offensive line and add a couple linebackers who can keep everything in front of them, they could be respectible in another year.

San Francisco 49ers 6-10

Why they can't win: They added talent on the defensive side of the ball, there's no question about that, but they're in a division where the other offenses are pass happy and have great running backs who can catch and throw. What they needed was a great tackling zone cover cover and they got a man corner. He's going to have to shut down guys like Torry Holt, Deion Branch, and Larry Fitzgerald WITHOUT help if they have any chance of beating teams. The offense added Darrell Jackson, but if you think that's going to make a huge difference talk to me week 5 when Jackson is leading the NFL in drops (like he always does) and not practicing because of a bad hamstring. Gore broke his hand in the offseason and if he has anymore setbacks it's going to hurt this team like a kick to the balls with a steel-toed boot.
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[Calvin]

[Tullaryx]

So, just when Nick Saban had taken the mantle and standard bearer for lying, two-faced and quitter-type coaches everywhere Bobby Petrino decides he wanted the role and did Saban one better. Actually not even one since Petrino didn't even finish his first season as the Atlanta Falcons' head coach before quitting in Week 15 to take the Arkansas Razorbacks head coaching job. At the very least Nick Saban lasted through two years in the NFL before bolting for the Alabama job when he told everyone, probably including Jesus and God, that he was staying with Miami.

Does Petrino's bushleague and cowardly move towards the Falcons and Arthur Blank (he seems to be quite the nice owner) pretty much begins the death-knell on the high-profile college football head coaches from coming over to the NFL where they don't seem well-suited to succeed or even operated with a semblance of competence. I mean look at the so-called genius college head coaches who made the money move from college ball to the pros

• Steve Spurrier
  
• Nick Saban
  
• Dennis Erickson
  
• Bobby Petrino

These four were quite successful in college yet once they made the move to be head coaches in the NFL their supposed football knowledge and ability to coach disappeared. Do college coaches even have the mentality and ego to deal with the pro-game? Or do they fall in love of being the all-encompassing dictator of a college program where they control pretty much everything that trying to deal with highly-paid pro players is beyond their understanding?

If you were the owner of a pro football team and needed to hire a head coach, or even a coordinator, would you even contemplate hiring a coach from the college ranks?
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[Calvin]

There have been successful coaches from the college ranks, such as Jimmy Johnson and Paul Brown. The problem is that it seems to be largely hit and miss with coaches whether you hire a college coach or an up and coming NFL assistant. Even coaches who have had some success with another franchise can be hit and miss--Steve Mariucci, Denny Green, and Mike Ditka come to mind. To me, it isn't an issue solely related to college football coaches.

Also, it should be noted that Nick Saban and Bobby Petrino didn't really have enough time to show they could succeed in the NFL, so I wouldn't call them automatically bad coaches at the NFL level.

Two people leaving the NFL for college isn't a trend to me, so were I a owner or GM, I'd exhaust every option in trying to find a coach, including the college ranks.
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I changed the number on my phone so you can't call me up at home, and you can't say those
things to me, that make me fall down on my knees.

[Tullaryx]

Well, it's true they left before showing they could succeed, but the fact they left because they weren't able to succeed right away shows the sort of mettle these current crop of college coaches being hired as pro coaches seem to have. I mean 13 weeks into one's first season and they bolt because they can't handle the stress of dealing with highly-paid athletes, the press, the fans and their own ability to adapt.

Some mentioned that college coaches have a lot of power when running a college football program while pro coaches don't. While it's true that pro coaches have GMs to deal with the really successful ones have been able to have all the power outside of ownership. Walsh did it during the first two Super Bowl years with the Niners. Holmgren was able to take the Seahawks to playoffs on a consistent basis as both Team President and Head Coach. The best example has to be Bill Belichik himself. While he has Scott Pioli as his main player personnel guy, Darth Belichik pretty much runs the show in New England and he's been able to handle many different kinds of ego and have them do what he tells them to.

So, while I will agree that in the past there's been some very good college coaches who made the instant transition to succeededing in the NFL head coaching ranks, but after Jimmy Johnson and Steve Mariucci there's not been any who seem to have the mental fortitude to handle the pros. As for coordinators also not a sure thing, they are more a sure thing in terms of succeeding in the NFL as head coaches than most college head coaches seem to be.
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[Calvin]

Oh, I agree on the point that they didn't show a whole lot of spine by leaving so quickly, particularly in Petrino's case. My only point was that since there have been coaches from the college ranks that have succeeded, I don't think NFL teams should just stop looking there. That doesn't mean that NFL teams will stop looking towards college coaches--that could happen. I just don't think it should.

The power argument is reasonable, but I also think it depends on the franchise. Some franchise's will give the head coach more power than others, and in the case of most franchise's the personnel guy will at least consult with the head coach--very rarely is there a situation such as the one in San Diego with the GM there and Schotty butting heads. As I said however, obviously it is possible for a college coach to adapt and succeed at the NFL level, because it has been done before.
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I changed the number on my phone so you can't call me up at home, and you can't say those
things to me, that make me fall down on my knees.

[Sailor Sexy]

First off, I think coaches that duck out without finishing even one season should be completely blackballed. Why trust a quitter again? That said, it wouldn't bother me at all if he had at least finished the season. Yes, he was in a 5 year contract, but after the season was over and he saw that the franchise wasn't going in a direction that he could build on, then that would be fine by me.

Sometimes I think the college coaches who go to the NFL and leave shortly after might not be doing so solely because they don't have complete control like they did in college, but maybe because there are a lot of team owners who expect an instant turnaround, and are unwilling to give a coach a few years to build up a team that they feel comfortable winning with. Yes, a great coach can win with any team in the NFL. This coach also doesn't exist. If you're not getting the kind of players that you feel you can succeed with, and you are under pressure to do so regardless, then you've discovered that you're not cut out for the NFL.

Still, Petrino is a loser and Arkansas will regret bringing him in. And since they know what kind of guy they're getting, it'll serve them right.
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~Uguu!~

[Tullaryx]

Season Two is almost done for the first three picks in the 2006 NFL Draft. Does anyone else remember how much the Houston Texans and then-GM Charlie Casserly were called idiots for drafting North Carolina defensive end Mario Williams instead of USC tailback Reggie Bush or Texas QB Vince Young. The performances of the three players during their rookie showed that these people may have been right to lambast the Texans for picking Williams over the electric Bush and proven college winner in Young. It's not that Mario Williams didn't have a good year for a rookie, but his numbers in terms of sacks and tackles sure didn't warrant him being taken ahead of either Reggie Bush or Vince Young.

How another season in the pros sure can change people's minds. The second year in the pros usually shows how well a young player adjusts to the league. Coordinators of opposing teams will have seen a full year's worth of tape on these players and will adjust accordingly. From what we've seen all year it looks like the league has adjusted to Bush and Young while Williams seems to have improved from his rookie season to become one of the best defensive ends in the league if not the best one already. Some would say Freeney is still tops, but while Freeney can be a monster on turf he can be overpowered when actually playing on grass. Mario Williams is still quite young and has proven to be skillful whether on turf or natural grass. His sack totals for 2007 is only second to that of Patrick Kerney of Seattle and I will say that after watching some of the games these players have been in I will put Williams ahead of Kerney.

So, does anyone else think that the Texans knew more about what they were doing and knew more of what the rest of the league seemed to ignore when they drafted Mario Williams over Reggie Bush and Vince Young. As it goes I was right in my arguments with others that Bush is a gimmick back who is not an every-down tailback who can run in-between the tackles to get the tough yards. His successes during his rookie year seem to be more due to Deuce McAllister doing the dirty work thus giving Bush a chance to get open for swing passes and sweep runs. Vince Young seems to show me every day that he's not the stud QB everyone had him as coming out of Texas. Sure he played like men amongst boys in college but now he looks like with each game he's losing confidence. When his numbers are down the alk is that the Titans won despite Vince Young. When Young actually has huge numbers the Titans lose. He's in a lose-lose situation due to his own mythmaking and unless Young gets his own T.O., Ocho-Cinco or Moss to throw to he'll truly be the next Michael Vick.
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