It’s been a long off-season.
From Spygate being less than it was originally thought to be to retirement after retirement to the Brett Favre saga to the Giants hellish pre-season, it has been one of the longer countdowns from the end of one season to the beginning of another in recent memory. But, the 2008 regular season has arrived.
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys
Easy favorite to win the division as this team has proven to be gold in the regular season the past few years. However, those great regular seasons adding up to zero playoff wins doesn’t make me think that this year is going to be any different as even a bye and a home divisional game wasn’t enough of an edge for the ‘Boys last year.
New York Giants
The injury-plagued pre-season on defense saw the defending champs lose several key defensive players and Strahan’s commitment to retirement spells trouble. The likelihood is another Giants season like the last five or so have been: so-so performance wise and so-so record wise without the miracle playoff run.
Philadelphia Eagles
If McNabb can play the whole season, this team should be fine in terms of a playoff birth. Past that, I’m not seeing another Super Bowl trip in McNabb’s future if he stays in Philly.
Washington Redskins
All I’ll say is this: the Fun ‘N Gun has never worked in the NFL and Jason Campbell isn’t the quarterback to make it work.
NFC NORTH
Green Bay Packers
The loss of Number Four is huge, but the Pack didn’t lose anybody else and with a weak division, they should be fine. I smell another division title and another playoff run. However, I don’t see it ending in Tampa.
Minnesota Vikings
I’m still of the opinion that this team’s offense lives or dies with the performance of Adrian Peterson.
Chicago Bears
Losing Cedric Benson meant that the last offensive weapon this team had. They still have a good defense (when healthy) and Devon Hester, but it won’t get them near the playoffs.
Detroit Lions
A team that was good for half a season last year should be good for half a season this year.
NFC SOUTH
New Orleans Saints
The Shockey trade was a good one, now if he can play it’ll benefit the Saints offense greatly. While this team still looks good from a talent perspective, I’m still questioning whether they’ll win the close games and if they can keep it together for sixteen games.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
They missed out on Favre, but they still have Jeff Garcia and if Cadillac Williams can stay healthy, this team should be fine offensively. Considering the state of the Falcons and the flaky nature of the Saints and Panthers, a division title for the Bucs shouldn’t be asking too much.
Carolina Panthers
At least Steve Smith showed that his passion is undying. They’ll be in the playoff hunt this year (as they usually are), and I could see them getting a wildcard spot, but I’m going to say that they’ll blow it late in the year like they did last season.
Atlanta Falcons
Considering all the turmoil this team has had in the past 365 days, I’m thinking that five wins will be considered a moral victory as far as 2008 goes.
NFC WEST
Seattle Seahawks
Despite losing Shaun Alexander, the Seahawks still should send Mike Holmgren out with at least a division title as they are the only stable team in this division with enough talent to win nine or ten games this season.
San Francisco 49ers
This is Alex Smith’s make or break year as the Niners will have to cut ties with him if he can’t get it done this year. Frank Gore is always a weapon in the event that Smith can’t get it done, but even if Gore were to lead the NFC in rushing (like he did in ’06), it’s no guarantee that the Niners will do anything as their defense’s bad days were really bad last year and no off-season moves or draft picks give me the impression that it’s going to get better this year.
St. Louis Rams
The formerly best show on turf has become all about the defense and that defense didn’t show up last season. Will this season be any different? Maybe, but with Seattle and Arizona having the talent and (in the case of Seattle) motivation to win, I’m not betting on it.
Arizona Cardinals
Can Kurt Warner really QB a full season anymore? No, but with Leinart searching for his game, Kurt will have to get through at least three or four before they give Leinart another shot after a piss poor pre-season showing. They went 8-8 last year and if their offensive talent (and they’ve got it) can come together fully and get things done consistently, this team could make a wildcard run.
AFC EAST
New England Patriots
Despite coming up short, they still have to be the favorites to be right back in the Super Bowl. This team lost so many people in the off-season to trades and releases, and yet they are still loaded! A seemingly endless reservoir of talent the likes of which the Pats possess should equal a trip to Tampa, but I’m not going to make them my Super Bowl pick this year as I can see any of the usual suspects (Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, San Diego) knocking them off in January.
New York Jets
With Favre, this team should have no problem getting a wildcard berth with Thomas Jones and Laveranues Coles heading up what could be a surprisingly good offense. Past that, I’m not expecting a miracle run in the loaded AFC.
Miami Dolphins
Chad Pennington is looking for redemption and the Fins are looking for at least two wins. Both should get what they want and 2008 should be a welcome improvement over 2007 without any miracles.
Buffalo Bills
This team has been in a holding pattern for the last few years and losing Willis McGahee while getting Marshawn Lynch should balance out the world, but I’m still seeing a so-so year from the Bills unless Lynch turns into Adrien Peterson; that would definitely make things interesting.
AFC NORTH
Pittsburgh Steelers
Big Ben was able to bounce back last year with one of his better seasons and with a fairly quiet off-season, this team does look to be one that could sneak up on everybody since they’ve been off the radar in terms of news, acquisitions & trades, and controversy. Easy pick to win the North and could end up with a first-round bye.
Cincinnati Bengals
This team has all the attitude and misbehavior of the old Oakland Raiders without the winning percentage. Sadly, I’m expecting more of the same this year: a team not living up to its full potential.
Baltimore Ravens
McNair’s retirement and Billick’s firing has basically sunk this team in terms of 2008 as Kyle Orton isn’t going to be able to lead this team out from the depths. Look for a rebuilding year and a last place finish in the North.
Cleveland Browns
They made a playoff run last year and should make another run at the wildcard this year. Sadly, like last year, they’ll come up just short once again.
AFC SOUTH
Indianapolis Colts
Even with Manning’s surgery and the subsequent worries that go along with that, and Marvin Harrison’s shooting incident this past off-season, the Colts have to be the favorites to win this division and have to up there as favorites to win it all. However, if Billy Voleck was able to take them down last year, you have to wonder if Manning and the Colts have reverted back to their old ways of not being able to win the big one. If so, a changing of the guard could be taking shape.
Tennessee Titans
They were able to sneak into the playoffs last year, but a more efficient team performance will be needed if they want in this time around.
Jacksonville Jaguars
David Garrard surprised a lot of people last year—myself probably most of all. The team is still loaded as far as talent goes and I think if there’s any time that the Jags can knock the Colts off the pedestal that is the top of this division, it has to be this year.
Houston Texans
This team was in the playoff hunt last year and did have their best record in franchise history. They could make the playoffs this year, but Brett Favre’s presence in the conference and the Bengals playing like they should could spoil all of that.
AFC WEST
San Diego Chargers
If this team is going to make it to the Super Bowl, this is their final chance after having two golden opportunities fall just short in the past two years. They still have all the weapons that have gotten them so close, but whether or not they can muster up that extra something to get them to Tampa remains to be seen.
Denver Broncos
Despite having their first losing season of the new millennium, the Broncos really weren’t that bad as their story in 2007 was losing games that they shouldn’t of. By just getting the little things done and not letting things slip away late, this team should make the AFC West very interesting.
Kansas City Chiefs
A healthy Larry Johnson will obviously mean an improvement on last year’s 9-game losing streak to end the year, but he can’t do it alone meaning that Damon Huard is going to need to stay healthy otherwise this year could be more about heartbreak (just missing the playoffs) than pain (see 2007).
Oakland Raiders
This team is going to be rebuilding for the next few years, so the only question this year is whether JaMarcus Russell was really worth all that money. Stay tuned.
