WELCOME TO THE OFFSEASON!!!

I wrote an article in July stating my expectations for the season that would never come. I was totally wrong about the NFL season not happening. Before we set sail into the lovely postseason sunset let's review my other “expert” predictions.


Baltimore Ravens – Jimmy Smith was a good pick, and he will be a terror on the field if he can stay on the field. Can Flacco take another step forward when his QB coach has been fired? Nothing hampers growth more than hitting the reset button on the coaching system.

= Smith managed to lock up a starting job in his first year and if he would have stayed healthy who knows how much more productive he could have been. He has difference making talent. Flacco hasn’t regressed necessarily, but he definitely has not taken the much needed step forward for this team. He can still lead the Raven’s deep into the playoffs if he takes care of the football.


Buffalo Bills – They made the decision to have another losing season by keeping Ryan Fitzpatrick as their starter. Perhaps they are shooting for Andrew Luck next year.

= I look dead wrong for the first six weeks and then Fitzpatrick inexplicably turned into one of the more turnover prone QBs in the league. I cannot blame Fitzpatrick entirely for the Bills poor season, but no one is surprised that they are missing the playoffs.


Cincinnati Bengals – Palmer’s retirement is the best thing that could have possibly happened. His elbow has been shot ever since he greedily decided against IR so that he could continue to collect a fat game check. I see him going the Jake Plummer way and heading off into obscurity.

= WRONG! I didn’t expect the Raiders to give up a king’s ransom for a quarterback with a history of serious injuries headed into his mid-thirties, especially after Al Davis kicked the bucket, but that’s the Raider’s for ya! Just win baby! Forget strategy, reason and sanity…go for the gold! Palmer has completed 60% of his passes and went has a 11:15 TD:INT ratio. Well, at least I know that Raiders fans are finally happy.


Cleveland Browns – They start rebuilding along the defensive line with Taylor and Sheard, and they have a real gamer in McCoy. They are taking a page out of the rival Pittsburgh Steelers book. First get the talent. Then get the system. Then you win big. Things are looking up for the Brownies.

= McCoy looks overmatched in every game he has started, but this team has shown improvement across the board. Jabal Sheard has had a terrific season, D’Qwell Jackson has emerged as a top tier middle linebacker, and Joe Haden has become a shutdown corner. They are only a few players away from an 8-8 season.


Denver Broncos – Dropping McDaniels prematurely is the Broncos loss and the Rams gain. Fortunately, new HC John Fox will rebuild the defense and kick start the running game. Tebow is better than many think he is, and worse than others make him up to be. The teams decidedly rush heavy attack should help provide Tebow with a more downfield opportunities.

= I couldn’t have called this anymore exact if I tried. Tebow’s inaccuracy did him few favors as he focused on pushing the ball downfield all season long. His 13.7 yards per completion puts him 4th highest in the league behind Matt Schaub, Carson Palmer and Eli Manning (but ahead of Aaron Rodger’s 13.5 yards per completion.) If Tebow didn’t scramble so much and checked down now and then his completion percentage would probably rise, but then again Willis McGahee and Lance Ball aren’t really known as RAC threats.


Houston Texans – It is amazing how much money they continue to dump into an underwhelming defense. If they actually focused on making their already talented offense better, who know how many games they win.

= Apparently the defense was struggling because of a completely lack of coaching over the past five years. It took Wade Philips less than 3 months to make the Texan’s into a top 10 defense despite losing key players throughout the season. Arian Foster is waaaayyy better than I game him credit for.


Indianapolis Colts – They have Peyton Manning. See ya in the playoffs.

= WRONG!!! As a friendly, reminder, I wrote this in July. I also said in following analyses that I didn’t think the Colt’s would win a single game until Manning returned. It’s damn scary how close I was to being correct.


Jacksonville Jaguars – The sooner Gabbert gets to play the better. It’s going to be tough sledding for the young QB with Mercedes Lewis as his only legit receiving talent. Mojo is starting to break down; he has seen a lot of reps for a 26 year old.

= WRONG!!! I was wrong about Mojo. Despite all the carries he remains one of the most effective players in the league on a play by play basis. It is a good thing that Gabbert is getting to play this season; the baptism by fire should highlight the fact that they aren’t going to have a winning season with such a talentless receiving corps.


Kansas City Chiefs – With Weis gone and a Haley left to his own devices, this team is a lock to miss the playoffs. The talent is there and the system is there, but when it comes to strategy execution this team is far from a finished product. Calling Haley a “wildcard” is a modest label.

= Haley never made it to the end of the season. He was a lunatic all season long, from start to finish, and decided to cap off his memorable tenure in Kansas with a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the 37-10 loss to the Jets in week 14. It will be difficult for the Chiefs not to find a better replacement.


Miami Dolphins – They passed on Heismann running back Mark Ingram for center Mike Pouncey, and passed on drafting a developmental signal caller to capitalize on another season of starting Chad Henne. They clearly have a game plan, but what it is exactly remains a mystery.

= Reggie Bush managed a 1,000 yard season and Matt Moore has played reasonably well since replacing Henne. They are still finishing under .500 on the season and Sparano never made it to the end of the season. I still don’t know what they were up to, perhaps biding their time and waiting to land Luck.


New England Patriots – The dynasty is dead but they remain a serious opponent. Belichick’s stigma with paying rookies may end up being the franchise’s undoing over the long haul. Unless they start to add serious talent they will continue to flame out in the playoffs. Maybe they should go back to cheating.

= Deciding to cut their pro-bowl safety Brandon Meriwether before the start of the season was the latest head scratcher from the Patriots, up until they began starting Matt slater in his place. The wide receiver/special teamer/emergency safety actually played well for a player that practiced with the scout team for most of the season. I like their style...giving the little guys a shot. Rudy! Rudy! Rudy! By week 17, they had to move their best corner to free safety due to a lack of depth. I stand by my prediction.


New York Jets – They missed their window to win, but remain an intriguing sleeper. Sanchez is going to have to really step it up to keep this team moving forward. This is team is getting older, more expensive, and more difficult to manage each year due to their incredibly aggressive free agency strategy.

= Sanchez is struggling despite the presence of Santonio Holmes and Dustin Keller, and if not for their shutdown corner tandem, he would be facing a lot more heat than he currently is. He has the talent, but is he really putting in the effort? Expect to see more radical changes next year as Rex Ryan tries to patch up his team with more overpriced veteran players.


Oakland Raiders – Without a first round pick and no free agency they haven’t had the opportunity to hang themselves yet. They showed a lot of progress last year but I remain convinced that Al Davis’ insanity will continue to hamper the team’s progress.

= Trading two first rounders for a 33 year old signal caller on the decline is not a strategy most would endorse. Davis’ spirit lives on in the Black and Silver.


Pittsburgh Steelers – If they didn’t trade away Holmes in a knee jerk maneuver for a 5th rounder last year they may have actually had a shot at beating Greenbay. All said, little has changed and you should expect to see them in the playoff again next year.

= Not the most challenging schedule. Ben has the pain tolerance of Sterling Archer.


San Diego Chargers – this team has a lot going on. Few things are certain other than Norv Turner will continue to mismanage the team’s immense talent.

= After back to back 8-8 seasons, Turner still holds one of the best win loss percentages in the NFL. Perhaps there is something great about Turner that I just keep missing.


Tennessee Titans – Locker is the future starter and he increasingly becoming their only option at QB. And even if they bring Hasselbeck into the fold it’s going to be rough sledding in Nashville. It doesn’t appear as if CJ will hesitate to holdout unless he starts to get a proper paycheck.

= I saw CJ holding out but didn’t expect him to give up like he did. There were moments of brilliance this season, but it took over 250 carries to reach 1,000 yards...right where his contract escalator sat. Locker should be given the starting job since the team is merely on cruise control with Hasselbeck at the wheel.


Arizona Cardinals – With Kolb in the fold this team has playoff potential once again. They need to vastly improve their offensive line but they boast a complete team. With a solid mix of veteran and young talent, this will be the most interesting team to watch in the coming season.

= DEAD WRONG! Whisenhunt, Fitzgerald and the rest of the Cardinals that talked up Kolb had me excited. Kolb was highly recruited coming out of college (he is in the top 10 in passing yards for a college player) and seemed like the future of the Eagles before a concussion and the Vick renaissance stole his future out from under him. I thought the desert would provide a fresh start and the chance to prove himself a competent starter. Instead, his o-line proved him concussion prone and has provided Skelton an opportunity to become the next quarterback to steal a job from him.


Carolina Panthers – There are few reason to get excited about the Panther’s prospects. Unless Newton quickly becomes the second coming of Steve McNair (minus the adultery murder) this team is destined for another top ten pick.

= WRONG! Let’s hope he avoids the adultery murder, but I haven’t seen such an electrifying QB since Vick walked into the league. He looks like man among boys in his first season and any reservations I had about him are entirely dissolve. For the record, coaches were still unsure who to start by the end of the preseason, stating that they were still evaluating the QB competition between Newton and Clausen. Yeah, it was actually that close. From what I can gather they decided on Newton because they figured, “eh, why not?” Well played gentlemen, well played!


Chicago Bears – In retrospect, no one can blame Cutler for the playoff debacle. The Packers got hot and no one was going to beat them. They remain talented and a playoff contender. Admittedly, Cutler needs to show more poise and touch, but the talent is there. Martz just needs to connect the dots.

= They are just going to miss the playoffs and it’s totally Cutlers fault…for being hurt and such. "What type of mary breaks his hand and can't throw a football? Just because you are hurt doesn't mean your shouldn't still excel," the Bear's fanbase constantly pointed out last season, "And we got Hanie anyway!" I am really glad that Cutler got hurt because there is no question that the entire Chicago Bears fanbase truly appreciates him for once.


Dallas Cowboys – After a lost season Romo and the Cowboys will look to climb back into the spotlight this year. Their roster is teeming with talent and a healthy Cowboys team is a near lock for the playoffs. They won’t win any playoff games of course, but they’ll see the post season.

= WRONG! Dallas fell just short. In one of Romo’s finest season he has been oft injured and seen his play affected by it. Romo will be 32 and headed into decline when the Cowboys start next season. How much longer can one of the most talented teams in the league disappoint is now the question.


Detroit Lions – Some say that the NFL is turning into a pass first league. That’s the cue for the Lions to tie up over 100m in the defensive tackle spot with back to back first round picks. Matt Stafford remains highly likely to end up on IR.

= WRONG EVERYWHERE!!! I never realized that you didn’t need to have any type of discernable talent at the linebacker position if you have the most talented front four in the league. It still won’t translate into run defense (it hasn’t) and long term I question the strategy, but they are winning. Stafford finally stayed healthy and totally lived up to his draft status. I was dead wrong here.


Green Bay Packers – Likely to repeat. They have only gotten better this offseason.

= I still like the Saints to pull it off though.


Minnesota Vikings – Ponder was a reach at 12 overall, but a necessary pick. The rest of the team is still structured in a win now mode and the team thus far seems intent on keeping things as is. Ponder won’t get them to the playoffs despite the teams immense talent, but could McNabb?

= No, he can’t. I have never seen such a regression so severe. Perhaps he really was a system quarterback after all, which helps explain why Vick is so amazing when he is not hurt…which is all the time unfortunately. Ponder will keep his job for now but the Vikings remain hit and miss across the roster.


New Orleans Saints – After an embarrassing loss to the Seahawks last year, this team
should have a “revenge season – take no prisoners” attitude. Ingram will immediately become the starter and provides a 100 total yards a game presence. Currently, they are my NFC pick for the Superbowl in the coming year.

= They are a top tier team. Unfortunately, they have to pass through Greenbay to make it to the big game. Ingram's time will come; Brees' record setting season assisted by the suddenly dangerous Darren Sproles left Ingram as an afterthought in his rookie season. Why did Turner let him walk again?


New York Giants – After an oddly underwhelming season, expect this team to get healthy and come out swinging. If they can start getting more consistency out of their players they have a great shot at a deep playoff run. Look for JPP to break out this year with a 10 sack campaign.

= 16.5 sacks actually, and finally earned a starting gig halfway through the season and made a much deserved Pro-Bowl spot. Eli Manning had his best season ever and undrafted free agent Victor Cruz has shown the team why they should have never stashed him on IR last year. Don’t count them out yet.


Philadelphia Eagles – Can Vick be slowed down? After last year’s dominance, it sure doesn’t look like it. Perhaps teams didn’t gameplan for him enough because they were expecting Kolb to start. They still need to find someone to play opposite of Asante Samuel.

= WRONG…but then again who wasn’t? Perhaps Michael Vick just isn’t as good as advertised. Or perhaps I knee jerked like everyone else last year when he came on strong. When Ron Mexico went off to prison I said that he career was over and that he would never see another 100 million dollar contract. I was dead wrong. But perhaps my theory that a two year prison stint is a career killer may have been more on target than I gave myself credit for. After getting fresh gametape on him, defenses have limited his ability to run (which he is doing less of anyway) and are hitting him more often. A quarterback built like a cornerback just cannot take these many hits.


San Francisco 49ers – Firing Singletary was the best move possible; a maniac like that can really tank a team for the long haul. Keeping Alex Smith, in contrast, is one of the worst moves possible. I fully appreciate that Kaepernick is still a project and not ready to start, but after far too many disappointing years with Smith at the helm it’s saddening to see that its business as usual in San Fran.

= WRONG! I will give proper credit where credit is due; Smith played well this year. I don't think they will win a single playoff game, but good for them anyway. The Chiefs got hot last year and the moment the pressure built up they collapsed. I expect the 49ers to do the same, but going from a joke to a 14 game winner is damn impressive.


Seattle Seahawks – Let’s give credit where credit is due, they beat the Saints in the playoffs. And while the team is showing progress and it has added young talent, serious questions about the coaching staff and their “strategy” remain.

= This team is all over the place. One week its T-Jac throwing 320 yards and the next it’s Marshawn Lynch setting new career highs on the ground. At least they are young and on the way with their rebuilding process.


St. Louis Rams – Bradford is worth his weight in gold. Few rookie QBs have shown such poise or precision behind an unproven line. Fortunately for Bradford and the Rams, the tackle positions are shored up with young, high draft picks. With Atogwe leaving for the ‘Skins, their secondary has become a point of concern and their receiving corps may be the worst in the league.

= What happened? Josh McDaniels oversaw Tom Brady’s record breaking year with Randy Moss just a few years ago, but managed to field one of the worst offenses in the league. Apparently after dodging injuries in his rookie year, his o-line regressed this year and left Bradford high and dry. He missed a number of games with a high ankle sprain, the same injury that Roethlisberger played through 10 days after sustainiing it, and while I am not saying that Bradford looks like a wussy I am certainly thinking it very loudly. But Bradford wasn't really the problem, it was the secondary. Talentless coming into the season, they saw a staggering 10 cornerbacks go on IR over the 20 NFL games played. I was considering on trying out but decided that I had too much respect for myself.


Tampa Bay Buccaneers – This team is getting dangerous quickly. Freeman has a major, pro bowl level breakout coming and the rest of the team is composed to primarily young talent. Perhaps not this year, or the next, but sooner than later a deep playoff run is coming.

= WRONG! You can’t spell “meltdown” without the “M” from Morris. After a truly impressive 2010 season in which the Bucs notching 10 wins with one of the least talented teams in the league, 2011 ended up being one to forget. After starting out strong with wins over Atlanta and New Orleans, they went on to lose out the rest of the season in grand fashion getting outscored 349-174 over the final 10 games. Freeman regressed significantly and Tampa Bay ownership stinginess ended up being the team's ultimate undoing. It’s a damn shame.


Washington Redskins – The moment they decided to start Grossman over McNabb they revealed a complete disconnect between the owner, the GM, and the coaches. Unless they get on the same page, and by that I mean Snyder takes a chill pill, this team is going nowhere fast.

= Shanahan must have gone to a voodoo priestess and summoned the spirit of Al Davis, because he has been nuttier than squirrel turds with personnel decisions. Walking into the season with John Beck and Rex Grossman as your quarterbacks is like playing Russian roulette with an automatic; just because there is a slight chance that the gun will jam doesn’t make it a sensible bet.


Ten Misses! I stink and I know I am gonna hear about it.



This has been nothing truly impressive in retrospect. I mean, I could make the excuse the a 1st and 2nd round pick for Palmer was retarded...so who could conceive of such a thing? I could remind you that when I wrote this in July Manning was on track in his recovery and had never missed a game in his career. I could say that I didn't see Newton coming because of years of Delhomme and Clausen's play luring me into a false sense of reality. I could state that Alex Smith threw for less than 200 yards per game on average and exceled only as a game manager; something that you rarely find deep in the playoffs. I could mention that everyone thought the Eagle's were the team to beat coming into this season, but clearly I am too classy to do anything like that. I always own up to all of my mistakes and bad predictions…in the most ridiculous way I can think to.

Before you chastise me for being wrong and an idiot, I challenge you to do the same thing before next season. Wait until before the season starts and then try to make succinct predictions about every team and their top players. It’s a lot harder than you may think.