NFL: Sorting out NFL’s will-bes from wannabes
September 5, 2007
Commissioner Roger Goodell could not be more excited for the NFL to begin its season. The offseason can be summarized with the following words: Dog fighting, strip club shooting, suspensions and the Human Growth Hormone. Luckily for the commissioner, once the ball is kicked off in Indianapolis this week, all those stories will take a back seat to the most powerful sport in America. Here’s a quick look at who will be most likely – and least likely – to get everyone back to talking football.
32. ATLANTA FALCONS
After the suspension of Michael Vick, new coach Bobby Petrino will only be thankful for his opportunity to draft Brian Brohm, his former quarterback, with the first pick of the 2008 NFL Draft.
31. BUFFALO BILLS
The front office is who to blame here after it made the horrendous decision to let Willis McGahee, Takeo Spikes and Nate Clements go.
30. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Anyone who watched Hard Knocks on HBO saw a very old and slow football team.
29. CLEVELAND BROWNS
The team is going in the right direction after a great draft, but the defense is nowhere near as talented as the offense.
28. OAKLAND RAIDERS
Don’t be surprised if there is major improvement in the Bay this year. The defense is really talented, and Lane Kiffen has the offense playing at an NFL level for the first time in years.
27. HOUSTON TEXANS
Drafting a 19-year-old defensive tackle was probably the last thing this team needed, but trading for Matt Schaub could help revive an inept offense.
26. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Jeff Garcia should help the Bucs’ putrid offensive stats from last year, but their always-reliable defense now has more holes than ever.
25. DETROIT LIONS
Word out of the locker room is that they feel this is their best team in years. However, unless the Lions never have to play defense, they’ll be out of the playoffs again.
24. MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Best rush defense in all of football: Check. Worst starting quarterback in all of football: Check.
23. MIAMI DOLPHINS
I’m still convinced Cam Cameron told his people at the draft “Quinn” and they accidentally wrote “Ginn.” Nothing else makes sense.
22. TENNESSEE TITANS
Vince Young has 22 things working against him this season: Every other starter on the Titans and the Madden curse.
21. ARIZONA CARDINALS
The offense is loaded with young talent that has Cardinals fans dreaming of the playoffs. In their even division, they may get their wish.
20. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
The Jaguars handled their quarterback situation about as well as their receivers handle passes. In case you’re wondering, they were the only AFC team with three guys among the top 20 in dropped passes last season.
19. NEW YORK JETS
Last year the Jets flew under the radar. This year the Jets will find their ride through the schedule will have many more bumps.
18. ST. LOUIS RAMS
Steven Jackson has set some lofty expectation for himself this season, and, if he reaches them, the playoffs will be waiting for him.
17. GREEN BAY PACKERS
Favre will break a lot of impressive records this season, but his greatest accomplishment would be taking this team to the playoffs without a running back.
16. WASHINGTON REDSKINS
My sleeper pick for the upcoming season. Between the players and coaches, there is too much talent here for another sub-.500 season.
15. PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Two terrific things happened for Steelers fans this offseason: The hiring of impressive young coach Mike Tomlin and enough Brady Quinn pictures online to make even a losing season bearable.
14. DALLAS COWBOYS
With Bill Parcells gone, this season feels like it may be a repeat of when Terrell Owens destroyed the Eagles.
13. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
From the suits he wears on the sidelines to the brilliant motivation he uses on his players, Head Coach Mike Nolan is one of the best in the business, and he has this young 49ers team one year away from becoming a legitimate NFC title contender.
12. CAROLINA PANTHERS
As talented as any team in the NFC, the Panthers must shred the “underperformer” label they’ve acquired the past few seasons.
11. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
With age becoming a concern on this team and the division improving, it’s probably the last good chance for Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander to grab that Super Bowl trophy.
10. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
If Andy Reid commits to the run like he did down the stretch, the Eagles should shoot up this list. Unfortunately, Reid has never been a big fan of change.
9. NEW YORK GIANTS
The surprise team of the ’07 season. Few people remember that even with one third of their starters injured last season, this team still managed to make the playoffs.
8. BALTIMORE RAVENS
Best team they’ve had since the Super Bowl, but McGahee and his 3.9 yards per carry will not live up to the hype.
7. CINCINNATI BENGALS
The most talented team to miss the playoffs last season will not have to worry about carrying that label this season.
6. DENVER BRONCOS
Champ Bailey and Dre’ Bly at cornerback will make it impossible to throw on Denver.
5. CHICAGO BEARS
The Bears decided to stick with Rex Grossman for another season, and it will cost them a return to the Super Bowl.
4. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
The front office foolishly let several members of their defense leave this season while spending $72 million on a defensive end with 5.5 sacks last season.
3. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
The best story of last season gets even better in 2007 as they reach their first ever Super Bowl.
2. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
Both the offense and the defense are immensely talented, but can Norv Turner be a successful head coach in the NFL?
1. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
In a down year, the Patriots missed the Super Bowl by just four measly points. Randy Moss and Adalius Thomas will end all down years.