NFL Discussion Thread

[TK421]

The preseanson has been somewhat interesting. But if you're like me you can't wait until the regular season opens Sept 12th and the gridiron gets going. So, does anyone want to take a stab at whcih teams will come out of each division and most of all who will play in the Super bowl? Here's mine:

 

AFC East- (You have to go with the Champs) New England Patriots. With a target on their they'll finish at least 12-4

 

AFC North- Pittsburg Steelers (expect the grind it out ball control game that was absent last year)

 

AFC South- Indianapolis Colts (look at this division, do I really need to explain this one?)

 

AFC West - Kansas City Chiefs (can you say Priest Holmes)

 

Wild cards: Tennesse Titans and Denver Broncos

 

now it gets harder...

 

NFC East- Philadephia Eagles (again)

 

NFC North- Green Bay Packers (until Farve retires. I can't not include them)

 

NFC South- Carolina Panthers (this division was that hardest. I think they're all mediocre teams)

 

NFC West- Seattle Seahawks (Their first divison title in God knows how long, and it's over due)

 

Wild cards go to - Tampa Bay Bucs (as long as their defense shows up this year) and the Detroit Lions (yes I said the Lions. Harrington is only getting better)

 

 

As for the Big Dance I'm going with my heart more than my mind and I'm picking the Steelers to go against the Eagles. With the Steelers winning of course :green: . At least in a Perfect world.

[Kujeaux]

I'd agree with you mostly. The AFC North is a toss up. I don't think the Chiefs will do as well as last year...I could almost predict Denver taking the division.

 

I'm calling fluke on Carolina ... Saints win the division this year. I agree with the Lions as wildcard but will take Atlanta as the other team (assuming Vick stays healthy).

 

In the Super Bowl, Seahawks beat the Patriots. :wtf:

[TK421]

Originally posted by Kujeaux@Sep 1 2004, 03:22 PM

I'm calling fluke on Carolina ... Saints win the division this year.

I almost picked the Saints...but as I said all these teams seem mediocre. Not one of these will make it past the first round of the playoffs if you ask me.

[LupinLives]

Panthers win the Super Bowl. They are no fluke.

 

I also think that the Jets will be a better team than anyone expects.

 

Unfortunately the Giants will not.

[EnemaEms]

AFC East: Patriots all the way. Bills, Dolphins, and Jets do not stand a chance against this team. Jets are the only team in that division that could compete.

 

AFC North: Gotta go with the great D and running game of the Ravens. Even with Jamal Lewis' trial coming up in November, he will play the entire season. I also like the the improved Bengals and Steelers. Browns will be a bit tough to watch.

 

AFC South: Colts should win the division this year. Titans will be tough as always. No need to even mention the other teams in this division.

 

AFC West: Priest Holmes, I mean the Chiefs will take this division. Denver will not even be a thrat this year. Their running game has not looked good nor has their passing game. lelie has been a disappointment and the loss of their O-Line coach will hurt them more than people will care to admit. The Raiders will be improved under Norv Turner and the Chargers will suck like normal (other than L.T.)

 

 

NFC East: This is a one team division, the Eagles. Giants are have no line and Warner will be out by Week 3. The Redskins will fall just as hard as they do every year because Joe Gibbs way of coaching is obsolete. The Cowboys will suck because instead of going with their youth, Parcells insists on using washed up old guys (Glenn, George, Testicle, Me-shawn).

 

NFC North: I am biased, so I am going with the Packers.

Until Favre retires and and with a healthy Ahman Green, they are the team to beat. Minnesota will give them a run and I believe will be a Wildcard team. I was cracking up at whoever thought Detroit would make the playoffs. They will be better, but they are still far too young to go to the playoffs. Chicago will suck a high hard one as always.

 

NFC South: I gotta go with the Bucs here. Gruden will not let that team fall like they did last year. I like the moves they made in the offseason to get better offensive weapons and getting rid of all the big mouths (Sapp). Carolina will only it make it in as a Wildcard because of the losses they had in Free Agency. Saints will do good early and then choke in the 2nd half, like they always do. Atlanta will not be able to have a healthy Vick all season, as usual, and that will be their downfall.

 

NFC West: IMHO, this is also just a one team division this year, and that is the Seahawks. The loss of Turley on the O-loine for the Rams will be huge. Faulk cannot stay healthy all season and Bulger still throws too many INT's. Cardinals and 49er's are rebuilding so they don't even count.

 

 

AFC Wildcards: Titans and Raiders

NFC Wildcards: Vikings and Panthers

 

AFC Championship: Colts and Patriots

NFC Championship: Packers and Bucs

 

Super Bowl: Colts and Packers

Super Bowl Champs: Colts

 

-Dean-

[Thrillho]

Here's my totally unbiased professional prediction....

 

EAGLES!!!

[LupinLives]

Oh yeah I forgot to mention: I think Cincy will make it to the second round of the playoffs.

[EnemaEms]

Edited my post above. I meant to put the Raiders in as a Wild Card team...not the Steelers.

 

Here is the problem with the Eagles this year...Loss of Duce, Taylor, and Vincent is too huge. The loss of Buckhalter to injury is also huge. McNabb still cannot throw an accurate pass to save his life. T.O. will be crying for his old Rat QB by week 4.

 

-Dean-

[merlot]

Originally posted by Thrillho@Sep 2 2004, 07:28 AM

Here's my totally unbiased professional prediction....

 

EAGLES!!!

I agree.

[JTello]

Everything's a toss up,... except the <span style='font-size:21pt;line-height:100%'> PATRIOTS </span> will win thier 3rd Superbowl!

[Thrillho]

Originally posted by RingWraith@Sep 2 2004, 07:42 AM

Edited my post above. I meant to put the Raiders in as a Wild Card team...not the Steelers.

 

Here is the problem with the Eagles this year...Loss of Duce, Taylor, and Vincent is too huge. The loss of Buckhalter to injury is also huge. McNabb still cannot throw an accurate pass to save his life. T.O. will be crying for his old Rat QB by week 4.

 

-Dean-

I agree with the loss of Duce... I really wanted them to resign him. And it really resonates with Buck going down. But what alot of people don't realize is the starting corners of the Eagles this year, got ALOT of playing time last year. They're not as bad as their made out to be. Last year Taylor, Vincent and Brian Dawkins all missed significant time. Taylor and Dawkins missed about nine games each. And hell on seattle Taylor may be starting the season as the third CB! So Brown and Sheppard do know what they're doing. And enough with this accurate passing crap with McNabb. The first five to six weeks of last years season he had a pretty bad thumb injury on his throwing hand that really hindered him. After that healed he really took off. and I beleive he was the highest rated QB in the league from game 8 on. Will he throw some ary occasionally..yes. He's no Aikman or Young, but he does get it done, and the one thing he doesn't do is turn the ball over.

[exile]

My predictions:

 

AFC East: Patriots

AFC North: Baltimore(surprise team) - Cinncinati is a possibility

AFC South: Colts

AFC West: Chiefs

Wildcards: Tennessee and the Texans(Jacksonville Maybe).

Championship game: Colts vs Patriots in the cold again...the winner won't change if they play indoors. The Pats proved that last year.

AFC Champs: Patriots in a walk..

 

NFC East: Eagles

NFC North: Vikings. The rules changes will benefit them the most..

NFC South: Carolina

NFC West: Seattle

 

Wildcards: Dallas and Green Bay.

NFC Champ: Seattle who wins over Philly(again....)

 

Seattle vs New England in the Super Bowl with New England taking it. MVP again is Tom Brady. Outside possibilty is Corey Dillon

 

 

The only real question(for me) coming into this season is what team will the Eagles choke to in the NFC championship game(AGAIN)? I mean this is becoming a tradition. Obviously my guess is Seattle but Carolina proved they could do it last year so anything is possible. There are still quite a few people who are saying they won't even see the NFC championship...

 

The NFC east will be interesting though. Parcells, Gibbs, Andy Reid(who needs to get over the hump), and Coughlin could make it very INTERESTING. Parcells' 2nd year with a team is ususally his best but who knows. The Raiders will be ALOT better. I'm not a big Raider fan though so if they blow it completely I won't cry a river.

[EnemaEms]

Mark,

 

The thing McNabb will not have this year that he always had is a solid running game. They will have to rely on the pass more, and that is scary. He doesn't have that great Receving threat out of the backfield anymore to save his ass like it has so many times in the past. Losing Duce will affect the passing game more than the running game. Granted, he finally has a true threat at WR, but if I am a team, I take him away and make him beat me throwing to Mitchell and Pinkston. The thing about T.O. is he will eat up single coverage, but double coverage he has a bit of trouble with. Not much, but enough to throw off his game. He is not like Randy Moss were he can be covered by 11 guys and still make the catch.

 

Losing Buckhalter for the season is what will hurt their running game this year. Westbrook is good, but he doesn't have that build to be an everydown back that needs to hammer it through the tackles a lot. The Eagles will be good this year, but not as good as they have been in the past. They are lucky they are in a weak division. Put them in the NFC North and they don't even make the Playoffs, IMHO.

 

-Dean-

[Calvin]

Here we go:

 

AFC EAST - Patriots all the way,barring any major injuries. The Bills & Jets will be competitive,though...

 

AFC NORTH - This division is a crap shoot. The Ravens will probably win it,but so can Cincy & the Steelers...

 

AFC SOUTH - Colts over the Titans

 

AFC WEST - Kansas City all the way,baby!

 

Wildcards - Tennessee & either the Jets or Bills.

 

AFC Champs - If NE has home-field ,then the Pats are going. If not,then the Colts finally break through. Going out on a limb - I still think the Pats aren't getting enough respect - & they are Super Bowl bound.

 

 

NFC East: Eagles. Dallas isn't going far with Vinny. Redskins will be better. (yeah,Gibbs' way is so over - just like Dick Vermeil's was :? )

 

NFC North: Vikings. I agree about the rule change benefit.

.

NFC South: Carolina

 

NFC West: Seattle

 

Wildcards are Green Bay & the Rams. Look out for Arizona,though - I'm telling you now...

 

NFC Champs are the Eagles -finally! (If not,there WILL be a major blowup in Philly)

 

Superbowl - If the Colts go,Eagles win. If the Pats go,they will win their 3rd Super Bowl & be ranked among the all time best teams.

[Thrillho]

Look the running game has suffered, but your forgetting Westbrook comming out of the backfield. He's just as good a receiver as Duce was last year. there

s about one or two LB in the league who can stay with him, and we aren't facing them this year. And your forgetting about our TE.s TO's going to get double teamed but he's always been double teamed and his worse season is what 80 catches on a bad SF Team last year. I'm not going to argue about pinky(not a fan of his) but freddie mitchel is better than people think. He's a good slot receiver who has really good hands. Double teaming TO is just going to leave him, l.j. smith and Chad lewis open alot of times. And I would get off that NFC north great division. I do beleive we beat the pack twice last year. Once in GB!!! oh and who caught the winning pass in that game...thats right Pinky!!!! Remember you still have Detroit and Chicago in that division. And hell Minnesota didn't even make the playoffs last year. I'm not a big follower of theirs how did they improve over the off season?

[merlot]

The Eagles never really had a solid running game... they rely more on the short pass than the run. I don't think losing Buckhalter will hurt us too much. Also, last season, for the most part, the Eagles did suck. The o-line let in too much pressure, Mcnabb had the bad thumb and our recievers dropped a good number of passes and had problems getting open. Taylor's coverage was suspect, so losing him isn't a huge loss, and we upgraded the depth of our D by signing a couple of old favorites. They got as far as they did last year on a wing and a prayer. This year will be different.

[EnemaEms]

Well Vermeil's way of thinking was a lot different than Gibbs. Vermeil always ran a more open offense. Gibbs is a Pound it out type of guy, and you cannot do that anymore. Defense's are bigger and faster. You have to be able to balance it out. What I have seen in pre-season...the Redskins will not be successfuil this year. Also, I don't think Gibbs has an offensive mastermind like Mike Martz with him. Vermeil and Martz made the Rams what they are today. Have you watched the Redskins play yet Calvin or just the Patriots? Because I watch every team, and the Redskins look like a big dud. Maybe Gibbs is going to pull out a big surprise when the season starts, but my feeling says he isn't.

 

As far as T.O. having his worst year last year, you are right, but Garcia is also a more accurate passer than McNabb. How come Eagle fans are the only ones who don't see him as inaccurate. You see any of his games yet this year? With the arm he has, he underthrows a lot. T.O. will grab 80 catches this year, and he will cry. Westbrook is a good receiever, you are right...but he cannot go every down. This is where they will hurt. They need him to run the ball, he will not be able to hold up to the punding like like James, Green, Holmes, and L.T. can.

 

The Eagles did beat the Pack twice last year....but that was last year. The Pack will be better this year. The vikings are also better. They improved their defense a lot and they still have the best O-line in football. They have an excellent core of RB's and the have the best WR in football. Oh, and Culpepper is no slouch. IMHO, this years Eagles team could not hold up in the NFC North. The Eagles will win the division and probably have a bye...maybe even Home Field advantage. However, they will not even make it to the Championship game this year. If I am wrong, I will admit you all told me so.

 

-Dean-

[EnemaEms]

On a sidenote..... Mark may have bad taste in NFL team selection, but he has excellent taste in women. :green:

 

-Dean-

[Thrillho]

The Eagles don't run the ball like those other teams. Westbrook will get his 8-12 carries like he always does, so to say he can't take the punding like holmes or Lewis is a bad comparison because they are not asking him to do that.

 

And the nation blows how bad it is out of proportion with McNabbs inaccuracy. He had Frigand Thrash and Pinkston to throw the ball to, Those guys sucked, what you guys don't see is the lack of seperation those guys didn't get. Esp in the championship game. They were owned by two small punk CB's, That ain't happening with TO.

 

Besides, last ten games of the year last year, starting right around when his thumb healed, McNabb was 185 for 289 ahem but thats 64% Thats damn good. can he thread the needle downfield no, an occasional ball in the turff on a short pass, yes. But 64% over ten games doesn't lie, he makes the play.

 

edit: yes, yes I do!!!!!

[EnemaEms]

We will agree to disagree.

 

But we do agree on women.

And like I said, I will be happy to admit I was wrong, if I actually am. Now...where are the rest of those Eagle cheerleader lingerie pics?

 

-Dean-

[EnemaEms]

Oh, one more quick thing, if McNabb only threw the ball 28.9 times per game, how many times did they run the ball?

 

-Dean-

[merlot]

what you guys don't see is the lack of seperation those guys didn't get. Esp in the championship game. They were owned by two small punk CB's, That ain't happening with TO.

Luckily, that shit will stop this year too. No touch after 5 yards this year will be enforced. The Panthers manhandled Philly last year.

[Thrillho]

Originally posted by RingWraith@Sep 2 2004, 11:11 AM

Oh, one more quick thing, if McNabb only threw the ball 28.9 times per game, how many times did they run the ball?

 

-Dean-

hey I though we were going to agree to disagree!!!

 

They do run the ball but they're still not going to ask Westbrook to carry the ball 20-25 times a game like those backs you pointed out. They're running game is hurting I've admitted that. Lossing Buckhalter hurt. But Reid spreads the ball around with rotations.

 

More Cheerleading pics will follow!!!

[EnemaEms]

More Cheerleading pics will follow!!!

Now we are talking....

 

I think the Eagles do win the Cheerleading battle.

Oh my God!!! I've stumbled on McNabb's problem....the cheerleaders, even Montana couldn't be accurate with them on the sideline.

 

-Dean-

[exile]

Here is ESPN.com's assesment:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/preview04/ne...tory?id=1870969

 

Basically another choke is coming.

 

Regarding Minnesota, Their D did get better but their Offense got alot better by the new rules. Minnesota will probably pull a chokejob at the end of the season anyway. This maybe their year but again Eagles fans keep saying too

 

Then again I saw a post on ESPN from their announcers regarding Philly in general and its seems more like a big curse. It's been since what 82 since they've had a team in a championship game? If anything the Phillies are helping support that view this year.