The NFL season got off to an unexpected start last night with the New England Patriots having their dreams of achieving a perfect season immediately crushed by the visiting Kansas City Chiefs. Despite their uncharacteristically sloppy start to 2017, I still fully expect Brady, Belichick and co. to be raising their 6th Lombardi Trophy come February. Below you'll find out who I expect the Pats to defeat on their latest championship journey as well a barrage of other predictions for this sure-to-be delightful season.
Playoffs:
AFC:
1.Patriots
2.Raiders
3.Steelers
4.Texans
5.Chiefs
6.Titans
Wild Card:
Steelers over Titans
Chiefs over Texans
Divisional Round:
Patriots over Chiefs
Raiders overs Steelers
Conference Championship:
Patriots over Raiders
NFC:
1.Packers
2.Seahawks
3.Giants
4.Buccaneers
5.Vikings
6.Eagles
Wild Card:
Giants over Eagles
Buccaneers over Vikings
Divisional Round:
Packers over Buccaneers
Giants over Seahawks
Conference Championship:
Giants over Packers
Super Bowl:
Patriots over Giants
Year-End Awards:
MVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
Offensive Player of the Year: David Johnson (Cardinals)
Defensive Player of the Year: Khalil Mack (Raiders)
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Kareem Hunt (Chiefs)
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Solomon Thomas (49ers)
Comeback Player of the Year: Alshon Jeffrey (Eagles)
Coach of the Year: Dirk Koetter (Buccaneers)
League Leaders:
Passing YDS: Aaron Rodgers
Passing TD's: Aaron Rodgers
Rushing YDS: Kareem Hunt
Rushing TD's: David Johnson
Receiving YDS: Julio Jones
Receiving TD's: Antonio Brown
Receptions: Pierre Garcon
Sacks: Khalil Mack
Tackles: Bobby Wagner
INT's: Xavier Rhodes
Forced Fumbles: Bobby Wagner
Miscellaneous Predictions:
AFC Team Most Likely to Surprise: Nobody
AFC Team Most Likely to Disappoint: Baltimore Ravens
NFC Team Most Likely to Surprise: Philadelphia Eagles
NFC Team Most Likely to Disappoint: Atlanta Falcons
Top 10 Veterans That Need to Prove Themselves:
1.Blake Bortles, quarterback (Jaguars)
2.Ameer Abdullah, running back (Lions)
3.Kevin White, wide receiver (Bears)
4.Dante Fowler Jr., defensive end (Jaguars)
5.Ereck Flowers, tackle (Giants)
6.D.J. Humphries, tackle (Cardinals)
7.E.J. Gaines, cornerback (Bills)
8.Breshad Perriman, wide receiver (Ravens)
9.Bud Dupree, outside linebacker (Steelers)
10.Paul Richardson, wide receiver (Seahawks)
Top 10 Under-the Rader Rookies Most Likely to Make an Impact:
1.Dalvin Tomlinson, defensive tackle (Giants)
2.Tim Williams, outside linebacker (Ravens)
3.Jordan Willis, defensive end (Bengals)
4.Blair Brown, inside linebacker (Jaguars)
5.George Kittle, tight end (49ers)
6.Jourdan Lewis, cornerback (Cowboys)
7.Tanzel Smart, defensive end (Rams)
8.Tedric Thompson, safety (Seahawks)
9.Donnel Pumphery, running back (Eagles)
10.Chris Godwin, wide receiver (Buccaneers)
Showing posts with label 2017 NFL predictions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2017 NFL predictions. Show all posts
Friday, September 8, 2017
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
2017 NFL Preview: NFC West
Arizona Cardinals
2016 Record: 7-8-1 (2nd in NFC West)
Head Coach: Bruce Arians (5th season)
Notable Additions: S Antonie Bethea, K Phil Dawson, ILB Karlos Dansby
Notable Departures: DT/DE Calias Campbell, S Tony Jefferson, G Evan Mathis (retired)
-Burgeoning star running back David Johnson avoided disaster last season when the ugly-looking knee injury he suffered in Week 17 against the Rams turned out to only be an MCL sprain. By avoiding a ligament tear in his knee, Johnson remains on track to potentially unseat Le'Veon Bell as the league's most deadly dual-threat running back in 2017. Johnson was borderline unstoppable during his 1st full season as Arizona's feature back (2,118 total YDS, 20 TD's on 373 touches) and with the lack of reliable wide receivers behind ageless wonder Larry Fitzgerald, Bruce Arians appears primed to feed him the ball at an even higher clip this season. While the suspect talent on the Cardinals offensive line is going to make it that much more difficult to achieve, Johnson has the physical tools and guaranteed heavy volume of touches to have a legitimate shot at breaking former teammate Chris Johnson's single-season total yards from scrimmage record (2,509).
-Carson Palmer was reportedly very close to retiring this offseason and with the shaky collection of characters that the Cardinals are tasking with protecting him, he's probably going to wish he did. Palmer got absolutely eviscerated last season (40 sacks, tied for 25th most in the league) and with 4 of 5 starters from that ragtag group (D.J. Humphries, A.Q. Shipley, Mike Iupati, Jared Veldheer) returning in 2017, the odds of him getting constantly lit the fuck up remain very high. While he did manage to stay healthy for the most part last season (he missed 1 game with a concussion), putting a nearly 38-year old quarterback with a checkered injury history behind an unstable offensive line is a disaster waiting to happen. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Drew Stanton was under center by the midway point of the season.
-While there's no denying that the Cardinals still have some excellent players on defense (Patrick Peterson, Chandler Jones, Tyrann Mathieau, Markus Golden), the losses they suffered this offseason were monumental. Calias Campbell is one of the league's most well-rounded, versatile defensive lineman, Tony Jefferson is an elite run-stuffing safety that is still a year or so removed from entering his prime and cornerback Marcus Cooper was the team-leader in interceptions a year ago (4). What makes these losses even more disconcerting is who the team has lined up to replace this trio of veteran starters. Defensive tackle/defensive end Robert Nkemdiche was invisible during his rookie season in 2016, safety Antonie Bethea is a merely competent player that just turned 33 and while Cooper was below average on the whole, special teams maven Justin Bethel is a significant downgrade at the corner position. The strength of this defense played a large role in helping this achieve a.500 record a season ago, but they might end up being their undoing this year.
Bottom Line:
While they have their faire share of elite players, the Cardinals don't appear to be deep or talented enough on either side of the ball to escape the bowels of mediocrity in 2017.
-Burgeoning star running back David Johnson avoided disaster last season when the ugly-looking knee injury he suffered in Week 17 against the Rams turned out to only be an MCL sprain. By avoiding a ligament tear in his knee, Johnson remains on track to potentially unseat Le'Veon Bell as the league's most deadly dual-threat running back in 2017. Johnson was borderline unstoppable during his 1st full season as Arizona's feature back (2,118 total YDS, 20 TD's on 373 touches) and with the lack of reliable wide receivers behind ageless wonder Larry Fitzgerald, Bruce Arians appears primed to feed him the ball at an even higher clip this season. While the suspect talent on the Cardinals offensive line is going to make it that much more difficult to achieve, Johnson has the physical tools and guaranteed heavy volume of touches to have a legitimate shot at breaking former teammate Chris Johnson's single-season total yards from scrimmage record (2,509).
-Carson Palmer was reportedly very close to retiring this offseason and with the shaky collection of characters that the Cardinals are tasking with protecting him, he's probably going to wish he did. Palmer got absolutely eviscerated last season (40 sacks, tied for 25th most in the league) and with 4 of 5 starters from that ragtag group (D.J. Humphries, A.Q. Shipley, Mike Iupati, Jared Veldheer) returning in 2017, the odds of him getting constantly lit the fuck up remain very high. While he did manage to stay healthy for the most part last season (he missed 1 game with a concussion), putting a nearly 38-year old quarterback with a checkered injury history behind an unstable offensive line is a disaster waiting to happen. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Drew Stanton was under center by the midway point of the season.
-While there's no denying that the Cardinals still have some excellent players on defense (Patrick Peterson, Chandler Jones, Tyrann Mathieau, Markus Golden), the losses they suffered this offseason were monumental. Calias Campbell is one of the league's most well-rounded, versatile defensive lineman, Tony Jefferson is an elite run-stuffing safety that is still a year or so removed from entering his prime and cornerback Marcus Cooper was the team-leader in interceptions a year ago (4). What makes these losses even more disconcerting is who the team has lined up to replace this trio of veteran starters. Defensive tackle/defensive end Robert Nkemdiche was invisible during his rookie season in 2016, safety Antonie Bethea is a merely competent player that just turned 33 and while Cooper was below average on the whole, special teams maven Justin Bethel is a significant downgrade at the corner position. The strength of this defense played a large role in helping this achieve a.500 record a season ago, but they might end up being their undoing this year.
Bottom Line:
While they have their faire share of elite players, the Cardinals don't appear to be deep or talented enough on either side of the ball to escape the bowels of mediocrity in 2017.
Los Angeles Rams
2016 Record: 4-12 (3rd in NFC West)
Head Coach: Sean McVay (1st season)
Notable Additions: WR Sammy Watkins, T Andrew Whitworth, OLB Connor Barwin
Notable Departures: DE William Hayes, WR Kenny Britt, CB E.J. Gaines
-Jared Goff's struggles as a rookie are well-documented. The top overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft lost all 7 games he appeared in last season and looked wildly uncomfortable running a pro-style offense. While it's reasonable to not have a lot of long-term optimism towards a quarterback that only completed 54.6% of his passes and threw a paltry 5 TD's during his rookie season, new head coach Sean McVay could very well end up being the savior Goff needs to avoid being the next high-profile bust. McVay did an excellent job in aiding the development of Kirk Cousins during his 3 seasons as the Redskins offensive coordinator following his rough first 2 seasons in the league under the tutelage of Kyle Shanahan (although Cousins never struggled to the extent that Goff did last season). Getting Goff comfortable with the speed and complexity of a professional offense is going to be a very difficult task for the 31-year old to pull off in his inaugural season as an NFL head coach, but given the small sample size of the preseason, the young QB appears to be responding well to the Boy Wonder's system.
-Aaron Donald's decision to holdout for a new deal is the rare situation in the NFL that can be dubbed a lose-lose. It puts the front office in a situation where they either have to play hardball and risk upsetting one of their most valuable assets or give up their negotiating leverage when they're trying to work out new deals with other players while Donald looks selfish for voluntarily sitting out games when his presence is essential to the team's (limited) success. I expect this stalemate to conclude with a massive extension within the next 2-3 weeks because this weak Rams squad can't afford to have their best player spend a large portion of the season sitting on his couch or piss him off to the point where he walks when his contract expires at the end of next season.
-A gift arrived from the heavens about a month ago when the Rams were able to acquire WR Sammy Watkins in the Bills"take our assets in exchange for non 1st-round draft picks and mediocre veterans " tank-a-palooza giveaway. While Watkins' durability is a well-known concern around the league, there's no denying that he's an electric playmaker when he's on the field and gives the Rams the potential legit #1 receiver they've lacked since the days of "The Greatest Show on Turf". Adding a dynamic downfield threat to this young offense could potentially give Goff the go-to-guy he needs to progress as a QB.
-Running back Todd Gurley was the king of the football world in 2015. He posted an impressive 1,106 YDS and 10 TD's in just 12 starts and went onto win Offensive Rookie of the Year by a wide margin. The buzz that swirled around him like an enraged swarm of bees fizzled out after an underwhelming 2016 campaign where he only scored 6 TD's and averaged a god awful 3.2 yards per carry. 2017 should provide some clarity on what caliber player Gurley truly is. On the plus side, the addition of top-tier left tackle Andrew Whitworth should free up some rushing lanes that simply weren't there a season ago. However, there were no other major changes to the o-line (new center John Sullivan is coming off a terrible season with the Redskins) and if Goff continues to falter, opposing defenses will just stack the hell out of the box and make it incredibly difficult for Gurley to get back to the line of scrimmage for a 2nd straight season. The Rams are already in a rough spot on the offensive side of the ball and if Gurley can't regularly rip off the powerful, highlight-worthy runs that made him a sensation as a rookie, they're more than likely going to be among the league's worst teams for the foreseeable future.
-While the Jeff Fisher-era was defined by consistent mediocrity, their defenses were generally very good throughout his tenure. That being said, their stock suddenly dropped off a cliff during the final year of his regime with the team finishing 23rd in scoring defense (down from 13th in 2015). Longtime defensive coordinator/depraved fuckhead Gregg Williams was also let go at the end of last season, so it's going to be up to Wade Phillips to pick up the pieces and return this once-feared defense to elite form. Phillips is fresh off a 2-year stint in Denver where he oversaw a top-5 scoring defense (4th in the league during both seasons) and transformed their pass-rush into one of the most feared in the league, so there's a reasonable amount of optimism surrounding the start of his tenure in LA. The only reason for concern is that the talent level isn't even a third as good as what he had with the Broncos. Donald is the only truly game-changing piece on this unit and their lackluster group of pass-rushers (Connor Barwin, Robert Quinn, Ethan Westbrooks, rookie Samson Ebukam) could stunt the effectiveness of Phillips' blitz-happy scheme. Phillips' track record is as good as any defensive coordinator currently working in the league, but the 70-year old is going to have to work some serious magic to ensure this group thrives this season.
Bottom Line:
Unless Sean McVay, Wade Phillips and the rest of the coaching staff can pull off a series of unfathomable miracles with this less-than-stellar roster, the Rams are going to be a bottom 5-8 team in the league this season.
-Jared Goff's struggles as a rookie are well-documented. The top overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft lost all 7 games he appeared in last season and looked wildly uncomfortable running a pro-style offense. While it's reasonable to not have a lot of long-term optimism towards a quarterback that only completed 54.6% of his passes and threw a paltry 5 TD's during his rookie season, new head coach Sean McVay could very well end up being the savior Goff needs to avoid being the next high-profile bust. McVay did an excellent job in aiding the development of Kirk Cousins during his 3 seasons as the Redskins offensive coordinator following his rough first 2 seasons in the league under the tutelage of Kyle Shanahan (although Cousins never struggled to the extent that Goff did last season). Getting Goff comfortable with the speed and complexity of a professional offense is going to be a very difficult task for the 31-year old to pull off in his inaugural season as an NFL head coach, but given the small sample size of the preseason, the young QB appears to be responding well to the Boy Wonder's system.
-Aaron Donald's decision to holdout for a new deal is the rare situation in the NFL that can be dubbed a lose-lose. It puts the front office in a situation where they either have to play hardball and risk upsetting one of their most valuable assets or give up their negotiating leverage when they're trying to work out new deals with other players while Donald looks selfish for voluntarily sitting out games when his presence is essential to the team's (limited) success. I expect this stalemate to conclude with a massive extension within the next 2-3 weeks because this weak Rams squad can't afford to have their best player spend a large portion of the season sitting on his couch or piss him off to the point where he walks when his contract expires at the end of next season.
-A gift arrived from the heavens about a month ago when the Rams were able to acquire WR Sammy Watkins in the Bills"take our assets in exchange for non 1st-round draft picks and mediocre veterans " tank-a-palooza giveaway. While Watkins' durability is a well-known concern around the league, there's no denying that he's an electric playmaker when he's on the field and gives the Rams the potential legit #1 receiver they've lacked since the days of "The Greatest Show on Turf". Adding a dynamic downfield threat to this young offense could potentially give Goff the go-to-guy he needs to progress as a QB.
-Running back Todd Gurley was the king of the football world in 2015. He posted an impressive 1,106 YDS and 10 TD's in just 12 starts and went onto win Offensive Rookie of the Year by a wide margin. The buzz that swirled around him like an enraged swarm of bees fizzled out after an underwhelming 2016 campaign where he only scored 6 TD's and averaged a god awful 3.2 yards per carry. 2017 should provide some clarity on what caliber player Gurley truly is. On the plus side, the addition of top-tier left tackle Andrew Whitworth should free up some rushing lanes that simply weren't there a season ago. However, there were no other major changes to the o-line (new center John Sullivan is coming off a terrible season with the Redskins) and if Goff continues to falter, opposing defenses will just stack the hell out of the box and make it incredibly difficult for Gurley to get back to the line of scrimmage for a 2nd straight season. The Rams are already in a rough spot on the offensive side of the ball and if Gurley can't regularly rip off the powerful, highlight-worthy runs that made him a sensation as a rookie, they're more than likely going to be among the league's worst teams for the foreseeable future.
-While the Jeff Fisher-era was defined by consistent mediocrity, their defenses were generally very good throughout his tenure. That being said, their stock suddenly dropped off a cliff during the final year of his regime with the team finishing 23rd in scoring defense (down from 13th in 2015). Longtime defensive coordinator/depraved fuckhead Gregg Williams was also let go at the end of last season, so it's going to be up to Wade Phillips to pick up the pieces and return this once-feared defense to elite form. Phillips is fresh off a 2-year stint in Denver where he oversaw a top-5 scoring defense (4th in the league during both seasons) and transformed their pass-rush into one of the most feared in the league, so there's a reasonable amount of optimism surrounding the start of his tenure in LA. The only reason for concern is that the talent level isn't even a third as good as what he had with the Broncos. Donald is the only truly game-changing piece on this unit and their lackluster group of pass-rushers (Connor Barwin, Robert Quinn, Ethan Westbrooks, rookie Samson Ebukam) could stunt the effectiveness of Phillips' blitz-happy scheme. Phillips' track record is as good as any defensive coordinator currently working in the league, but the 70-year old is going to have to work some serious magic to ensure this group thrives this season.
Bottom Line:
Unless Sean McVay, Wade Phillips and the rest of the coaching staff can pull off a series of unfathomable miracles with this less-than-stellar roster, the Rams are going to be a bottom 5-8 team in the league this season.
San Francisco 49ers
2016 Record: 2-14 (4th in NFC West)
Head Coach: Kyle Shanahan (1st season)
Notable Additions: WR Pierre Garcon, QB Brian Hoyer, DT Earl Mitchell
Notable Departures: QB Colin Kaepernick, WR Torrey Smith, S Antonie Bethea
-Owner Jed York once again flexed his tyrannical muscles by firing his head coach for a 3rd straight season (RIP to Chip Kelly's NFL-head coaching career) and finally putting general manager Trent Baalke out of his misery after a tumultuous 6-year tenure with the team. In true York-era 49ers fashion, the team's latest rebuilding effort appears to be as promising as the upcoming reboot of the Saw franchise. Spearheading this new 49ers regime will be head coach/offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, who is fresh off blowing a Super Bowl that shouldn't have been possible to lose with his idiotic playcalling, and general manager John Lynch, who prior to this gig was filling the obligatory role of "former player providing terrible color commentary" on Fox's second-tier game broadcasts every Sunday. A head coach that has created problems just about everywhere he's been during his 8 seasons as a high-ranking assistant in the league and a general manager with no previous experience in an NFL front office teaming up in a place that's been overrun by internal dysfunction in recent years surely won't end poorly.
-The skepticism towards Lynch's fitness to be a GM only intensified once free agency hit. He spent his inaugural free-agency period handing out multi-year contracts to questionable veteran talent (stopgap quarterback extraordinaire Brian Hoyer, average defensive tackle Earl Mitchell, disgraced former Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith-who will miss the entire season with a torn pectoral muscle) and getting laughed at by his peers after he made ex-Raven Kyle Juzczyk the highest-paid fullback in NFL history (4 years/$21 mil/$9.5 mil guaranteed). Even with the abundance of cap space they had at their disposal, adding this many weak (or in the case of Juzczyk, scheme-limited) veteran players to a corps that had just about no talent to begin with is a head-scratching move that seems to indicate that Lynch has nothing that even resembles a plan for the future. While it's clearly too early to make a definitive ruling on Lynch's proficiency as a GM, this puzzling free agent haul definitely doesn't do anything to indicate that he's the next John Elway or Ozzie Newsome.
-As much as I've shat on a majority of Lynch's personnel moves thus far, he deserves credit for drafting defensive end Solomon Thomas at #3. The 49ers have been looking for a game-changing defensive players since all of their top-tier talents (Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, Chris Borland, Aldon Smith) retired or got released prior to the 2015 season and Thomas could very well be that guy. His dominant college tape and laundry list of impressive intangibles (speed, versatility, strength, athleticism, instincts) make him a prime candidate to be a top-notch line-of-scrimmage disruptor in the NFL. If Thomas can pick up enough playing time season and make the type of impact he made during his time at Stanford, he should be able to lock up Defensive Rookie of the Year.
-The only guy on the roster that should be looking forward to playing in a Brian Hoyer-led offense is Pierre Garcon. Garcon thrives as an underneath receiver and considering Hoyer would rather take a sack on every play than throw the ball more than 7 yards downfield, he's going to get peppered with targets every time he's in the lineup. In other words, Garcon and Hoyer are a match made in conservative, limp-dick football heaven.
Bottom Line:
The 49ers are without question the strongest contenders to challenge the Jets for the title of worst team in the NFL this season.
-Owner Jed York once again flexed his tyrannical muscles by firing his head coach for a 3rd straight season (RIP to Chip Kelly's NFL-head coaching career) and finally putting general manager Trent Baalke out of his misery after a tumultuous 6-year tenure with the team. In true York-era 49ers fashion, the team's latest rebuilding effort appears to be as promising as the upcoming reboot of the Saw franchise. Spearheading this new 49ers regime will be head coach/offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, who is fresh off blowing a Super Bowl that shouldn't have been possible to lose with his idiotic playcalling, and general manager John Lynch, who prior to this gig was filling the obligatory role of "former player providing terrible color commentary" on Fox's second-tier game broadcasts every Sunday. A head coach that has created problems just about everywhere he's been during his 8 seasons as a high-ranking assistant in the league and a general manager with no previous experience in an NFL front office teaming up in a place that's been overrun by internal dysfunction in recent years surely won't end poorly.
-The skepticism towards Lynch's fitness to be a GM only intensified once free agency hit. He spent his inaugural free-agency period handing out multi-year contracts to questionable veteran talent (stopgap quarterback extraordinaire Brian Hoyer, average defensive tackle Earl Mitchell, disgraced former Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith-who will miss the entire season with a torn pectoral muscle) and getting laughed at by his peers after he made ex-Raven Kyle Juzczyk the highest-paid fullback in NFL history (4 years/$21 mil/$9.5 mil guaranteed). Even with the abundance of cap space they had at their disposal, adding this many weak (or in the case of Juzczyk, scheme-limited) veteran players to a corps that had just about no talent to begin with is a head-scratching move that seems to indicate that Lynch has nothing that even resembles a plan for the future. While it's clearly too early to make a definitive ruling on Lynch's proficiency as a GM, this puzzling free agent haul definitely doesn't do anything to indicate that he's the next John Elway or Ozzie Newsome.
-As much as I've shat on a majority of Lynch's personnel moves thus far, he deserves credit for drafting defensive end Solomon Thomas at #3. The 49ers have been looking for a game-changing defensive players since all of their top-tier talents (Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, Chris Borland, Aldon Smith) retired or got released prior to the 2015 season and Thomas could very well be that guy. His dominant college tape and laundry list of impressive intangibles (speed, versatility, strength, athleticism, instincts) make him a prime candidate to be a top-notch line-of-scrimmage disruptor in the NFL. If Thomas can pick up enough playing time season and make the type of impact he made during his time at Stanford, he should be able to lock up Defensive Rookie of the Year.
-The only guy on the roster that should be looking forward to playing in a Brian Hoyer-led offense is Pierre Garcon. Garcon thrives as an underneath receiver and considering Hoyer would rather take a sack on every play than throw the ball more than 7 yards downfield, he's going to get peppered with targets every time he's in the lineup. In other words, Garcon and Hoyer are a match made in conservative, limp-dick football heaven.
Bottom Line:
The 49ers are without question the strongest contenders to challenge the Jets for the title of worst team in the NFL this season.
Seattle Seahawks
2016 Record: 10-5-1 (1st in NFC West)
Head Coach: Pete Carroll (8th season)
Notable Additions: DE Sheldon Richardson, K Blair Walsh, RB Eddie Lacy
Notable Departures: K Steven Hauschka, T Garry Gilliam, WR Jermaine Kearse
-John Schneider's surprise acquisition of defensive end/tackle Sheldon Richardson from the Jets last week could end up being a game-changing move for both parties. The former Defensive Rookie of the Year/Pro Bowler went from entering his contract year in a position where he was pretty much doomed to fail to being thrust into one of the most ideal situations possible in a matter of a few hours. The Seahawks have a tendency of unlocking the talents of guys who are considered to be washed-up and putting him alongside beloved veteran leaders like Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril should have a positive effect on his notoriously erratic mental state. Not only does this change in scenery give Richardson the best chance of righting the ship after his largely underwhelming play in each of the last 2 seasons, but adding someone with his upside and versatility to the defensive line rotation makes this already loaded front 7 that much scarier. If Richardson can re-discover his gift for wreaking havoc at the line of scrimmage in the Pacific Northwest, he should emerge as a strong contender for Comeback Player of the Year.
-The pair of 50+ yard dingers he hit against his former team in the preseason was all I needed to be convinced that disgraced kicker Blair Walsh is going to bounce back with Seattle. The 27-year old was one of the best kickers in the league before the shanked 27-yard field goal heard 'round the world ruined his confidence and got him axed from the Vikings last November. With some time away from the game to clear his head and a prime opportunity to redeem himself with the team he faced on that fateful, miserable January day in Minneapolis, Walsh look like he's ready to return to the league's elite kicking ranks. Walsh thriving with the team that almost ruined his career would be Rudy-esque story that would inspire the hell out of all 12 aspiring kickers that are currently out in the world.
-The Seahawks long-term fatal flaw has been on the offensive line. A combination of John Schneider whiffing on draft picks and refusing to invest any substantial amount of money to make improvement in free agency has led to a group that perennially ranks among the worst in the league. This problem has managed to get even worse since they traded talented center Max Unger to the Saints prior to the start of the 2015 season and unless the new blood ends up breaking this vicious cycle of incompetence, 2017 is looking like its going to be another really rough year for their o-line. Once you get past underrated center Justin Britt, this group is pretty much hopeless. Right tackle Germain Ifedi is coming off a nightmarish rookie season where he was frequently overwhelmed in both the rushing and passing games, Rees Odhiambo was just thrust into the starting left tackle spot after George Fant went down with a torn ACL in the 3rd preseason game, prolific draft bust and new starting right guard Luke Joeckel couldn't retain employment with the Jaguars, and despite being arguably better than the rest of his linemates not named Britt, left guard Mark Glowinski is still well below average at his peak. Thank Christ Russell Wilson can run because otherwise this group would be allowing at least 60 sacks this year.
-For a 2nd straight year, the Seahawks backfield is relatively unsettled heading into the season. Thomas Rawls appears to be atop the committee for now, but if he looks anything like he did last season, that'll change very fast. Unfortunately for the Seahawks, the options behind Rawls are just as, if not more risky. Free-agent pickup Eddie Lacy went from presumed starter to potential 3rd-stringer after yet another underwhelming training camp/preseason while 2nd-year back C.J. Prosise has flashed serious potential as a receiver out of the backfield, but always seems to be dinged up (he's currently sidelined with a groin injury and missed 11 games last year with multiple separate ailments). A strong running game was an integral part of both the Seahawks recent Super Bowl appearances, but unless Rawls can run with the same ferocity he displayed as a rookie or Lacy can revert back to his early glory days with the Packers, they'll be a lock to finish near the bottom of the league in rushing yards for a 2nd straight season.
Bottom Line:
Even with their hairiest roster situation since 2011, the Seahawks should be able to cruise to another NFC West title in 2017.
-John Schneider's surprise acquisition of defensive end/tackle Sheldon Richardson from the Jets last week could end up being a game-changing move for both parties. The former Defensive Rookie of the Year/Pro Bowler went from entering his contract year in a position where he was pretty much doomed to fail to being thrust into one of the most ideal situations possible in a matter of a few hours. The Seahawks have a tendency of unlocking the talents of guys who are considered to be washed-up and putting him alongside beloved veteran leaders like Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril should have a positive effect on his notoriously erratic mental state. Not only does this change in scenery give Richardson the best chance of righting the ship after his largely underwhelming play in each of the last 2 seasons, but adding someone with his upside and versatility to the defensive line rotation makes this already loaded front 7 that much scarier. If Richardson can re-discover his gift for wreaking havoc at the line of scrimmage in the Pacific Northwest, he should emerge as a strong contender for Comeback Player of the Year.
-The pair of 50+ yard dingers he hit against his former team in the preseason was all I needed to be convinced that disgraced kicker Blair Walsh is going to bounce back with Seattle. The 27-year old was one of the best kickers in the league before the shanked 27-yard field goal heard 'round the world ruined his confidence and got him axed from the Vikings last November. With some time away from the game to clear his head and a prime opportunity to redeem himself with the team he faced on that fateful, miserable January day in Minneapolis, Walsh look like he's ready to return to the league's elite kicking ranks. Walsh thriving with the team that almost ruined his career would be Rudy-esque story that would inspire the hell out of all 12 aspiring kickers that are currently out in the world.
-The Seahawks long-term fatal flaw has been on the offensive line. A combination of John Schneider whiffing on draft picks and refusing to invest any substantial amount of money to make improvement in free agency has led to a group that perennially ranks among the worst in the league. This problem has managed to get even worse since they traded talented center Max Unger to the Saints prior to the start of the 2015 season and unless the new blood ends up breaking this vicious cycle of incompetence, 2017 is looking like its going to be another really rough year for their o-line. Once you get past underrated center Justin Britt, this group is pretty much hopeless. Right tackle Germain Ifedi is coming off a nightmarish rookie season where he was frequently overwhelmed in both the rushing and passing games, Rees Odhiambo was just thrust into the starting left tackle spot after George Fant went down with a torn ACL in the 3rd preseason game, prolific draft bust and new starting right guard Luke Joeckel couldn't retain employment with the Jaguars, and despite being arguably better than the rest of his linemates not named Britt, left guard Mark Glowinski is still well below average at his peak. Thank Christ Russell Wilson can run because otherwise this group would be allowing at least 60 sacks this year.
-For a 2nd straight year, the Seahawks backfield is relatively unsettled heading into the season. Thomas Rawls appears to be atop the committee for now, but if he looks anything like he did last season, that'll change very fast. Unfortunately for the Seahawks, the options behind Rawls are just as, if not more risky. Free-agent pickup Eddie Lacy went from presumed starter to potential 3rd-stringer after yet another underwhelming training camp/preseason while 2nd-year back C.J. Prosise has flashed serious potential as a receiver out of the backfield, but always seems to be dinged up (he's currently sidelined with a groin injury and missed 11 games last year with multiple separate ailments). A strong running game was an integral part of both the Seahawks recent Super Bowl appearances, but unless Rawls can run with the same ferocity he displayed as a rookie or Lacy can revert back to his early glory days with the Packers, they'll be a lock to finish near the bottom of the league in rushing yards for a 2nd straight season.
Bottom Line:
Even with their hairiest roster situation since 2011, the Seahawks should be able to cruise to another NFC West title in 2017.
Projected Standings
1.Seattle Seahawks (10-6)
2.Arizona Cardinals (7-9)
3.Los Angeles Rams (5-11)
4.San Francisco 49ers (3-13)
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
2017 NFL Preview: NFC North
Chicago Bears
2016 Record: 3-13 (4th in NFC North)
Head Coach: John Fox (3rd season)
Notable Additions: QB Mike Glennon, S Quentin Demps, CB Prince Amukamara
Notable Departures: QB Jay Cutler, WR Alshon Jeffrey, QB Brian Hoyer
-The Bears transitioned to the post Jay Cutler-era in the most Bears way possible. General manager Ryan Pace appeared to have settled on a new starter when he signed "top" free agent quarterback Mike Glennon to a 3-year/$45 mil contract ($18.5 mil guaranteed) on the 1st day of free agency. While many fans across the country chuckled at how much money the Bears committed to a guy who hasn't played in a meaningful game since 2014, it was a smart, low-risk move that would either net them a new long-term starter or allowed them to easily move onto another option in 2018 (Pace wisely put a majority of the guaranteed money into the 1st year of the deal, so the team will only take a $3 mil cap hit if they cut him after this season). A month and a half after signing Glennon, the Bears confused the entire football world by trading up in the draft to select North Carolina product Mitch Trubisky. Nothing says "we know what we're doing" like drafting a QB in the top 5 less than 8 weeks after you anointed another guy your starter in one of the most bullshit-filled press conferences in sports history. The scariest part about this unnecessary, self-imposed QB dilemma is neither of these guys are particularly promising options. Glennon was below-average during his brief tenure as the Bucs starter before they drafted legit franchise signal-caller Jameis Winston 2 years ago while Trubisky is a raw, inexperienced (he only started for 1 season at North Carolina) passer coming out of a spread system that appears to be at least 2 years away from being able to start in an NFL game. I miss Cutler already.
-Making this delightful quarterback situation that much better is the dumpster fire the team currently has at wide receiver. This already dire situation has turned into a full-on catastrophe after top wideout (aka the lone glimmer of hope in a pile of heinous junk) Cameron Meredith tore his ACL in the team's 3rd preseason bout with the Titans on Sunday afternoon. With Meredith out for the year, the Bears now have to rely on 2015 1st-round pick Kevin White, who has appeared in 4 games in his first 2 seasons in the league and the trio of veteran castoffs (Markus Wheaton, Kendall Wright, Victor Cruz) Pace acquired in free agency to ensure that his team has the most fragile receiving corps in the league to make significant contributions in the passing game. Handing a pair of shaky quarterbacks a receiving corps that is as injury-prone and generally ineffective as this is an act of cruel, senseless torture that should result in prison time for whatever masochist in the organization thought it was a good idea to not ink a single durable veteran to a contract during the aforementioned "save a sad veteran wideout from unemployment" operation they ran this offseason. The decision to not give Alshon Jeffrey an extension before the 2016 season is going to come back to furiously bite this front office in the ass once this group of training table frequent flyers fails to collectively post 1,500 yards for this season.
-The unsettling level of disarray that is now present in the Bears passing attack has put starting running back Jordan Howard in a really shitty spot. The 2nd-year back, who finished 2nd in the league with 1,313 yards in 2016, is now a lock to face stacked boxes at least 75% of the time he lines up in the backfield. While Howard is a powerful runner that broke a ton of tackles last season (40 on 252 total carries), getting that level of attention could really stunt his growth as a player. If Howard can clear 4 yards a carry and 1,000+ yards on the ground this year against so many loaded fronts, then he truly is the league's next great back.
-While it's been understandably overshadowed by the seemingly endless number of question marks they have on offense, this defense actually appears to be in decent shape heading into this season. Their front 7 did a good job of getting to the quarterback last season (38 sacks, tied for 11th in the league) and with nose tackle Eddie Goldman back at 100% after missing almost all of 2016 with a high ankle sprain, their run D should improve, the additions of solid veteran cornerback Prince Amukamara and safety Quentin Demps should help bring some stability to their otherwise young secondary and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has a proven track record of getting the most of every piece he's handed. They're clearly not going to challenging the Broncos, Seahawks, Texans, Patriots or Giants for the title of league's best defense anytime soon, but this unit has enough promising young talent (Adrian Amos, Leonard Floyd, Goldman) and underrated veterans (Akiem Hicks, Jerrell Freeman, Willie Young) to surprise some people in 2017.
Bottom Line:
Barring some shockingly strong quarterback play from 1 of their 2 wild cards at the position, 2017 will be yet another painful, emotionally-crushing season for the Bears.
-The Bears transitioned to the post Jay Cutler-era in the most Bears way possible. General manager Ryan Pace appeared to have settled on a new starter when he signed "top" free agent quarterback Mike Glennon to a 3-year/$45 mil contract ($18.5 mil guaranteed) on the 1st day of free agency. While many fans across the country chuckled at how much money the Bears committed to a guy who hasn't played in a meaningful game since 2014, it was a smart, low-risk move that would either net them a new long-term starter or allowed them to easily move onto another option in 2018 (Pace wisely put a majority of the guaranteed money into the 1st year of the deal, so the team will only take a $3 mil cap hit if they cut him after this season). A month and a half after signing Glennon, the Bears confused the entire football world by trading up in the draft to select North Carolina product Mitch Trubisky. Nothing says "we know what we're doing" like drafting a QB in the top 5 less than 8 weeks after you anointed another guy your starter in one of the most bullshit-filled press conferences in sports history. The scariest part about this unnecessary, self-imposed QB dilemma is neither of these guys are particularly promising options. Glennon was below-average during his brief tenure as the Bucs starter before they drafted legit franchise signal-caller Jameis Winston 2 years ago while Trubisky is a raw, inexperienced (he only started for 1 season at North Carolina) passer coming out of a spread system that appears to be at least 2 years away from being able to start in an NFL game. I miss Cutler already.
-Making this delightful quarterback situation that much better is the dumpster fire the team currently has at wide receiver. This already dire situation has turned into a full-on catastrophe after top wideout (aka the lone glimmer of hope in a pile of heinous junk) Cameron Meredith tore his ACL in the team's 3rd preseason bout with the Titans on Sunday afternoon. With Meredith out for the year, the Bears now have to rely on 2015 1st-round pick Kevin White, who has appeared in 4 games in his first 2 seasons in the league and the trio of veteran castoffs (Markus Wheaton, Kendall Wright, Victor Cruz) Pace acquired in free agency to ensure that his team has the most fragile receiving corps in the league to make significant contributions in the passing game. Handing a pair of shaky quarterbacks a receiving corps that is as injury-prone and generally ineffective as this is an act of cruel, senseless torture that should result in prison time for whatever masochist in the organization thought it was a good idea to not ink a single durable veteran to a contract during the aforementioned "save a sad veteran wideout from unemployment" operation they ran this offseason. The decision to not give Alshon Jeffrey an extension before the 2016 season is going to come back to furiously bite this front office in the ass once this group of training table frequent flyers fails to collectively post 1,500 yards for this season.
-The unsettling level of disarray that is now present in the Bears passing attack has put starting running back Jordan Howard in a really shitty spot. The 2nd-year back, who finished 2nd in the league with 1,313 yards in 2016, is now a lock to face stacked boxes at least 75% of the time he lines up in the backfield. While Howard is a powerful runner that broke a ton of tackles last season (40 on 252 total carries), getting that level of attention could really stunt his growth as a player. If Howard can clear 4 yards a carry and 1,000+ yards on the ground this year against so many loaded fronts, then he truly is the league's next great back.
-While it's been understandably overshadowed by the seemingly endless number of question marks they have on offense, this defense actually appears to be in decent shape heading into this season. Their front 7 did a good job of getting to the quarterback last season (38 sacks, tied for 11th in the league) and with nose tackle Eddie Goldman back at 100% after missing almost all of 2016 with a high ankle sprain, their run D should improve, the additions of solid veteran cornerback Prince Amukamara and safety Quentin Demps should help bring some stability to their otherwise young secondary and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has a proven track record of getting the most of every piece he's handed. They're clearly not going to challenging the Broncos, Seahawks, Texans, Patriots or Giants for the title of league's best defense anytime soon, but this unit has enough promising young talent (Adrian Amos, Leonard Floyd, Goldman) and underrated veterans (Akiem Hicks, Jerrell Freeman, Willie Young) to surprise some people in 2017.
Bottom Line:
Barring some shockingly strong quarterback play from 1 of their 2 wild cards at the position, 2017 will be yet another painful, emotionally-crushing season for the Bears.
Detroit Lions
2016 Record: 9-7 (2nd in NFC North)
Head Coach: Jim Caldwell (4th season)
Notable Additions: T Ricky Wagner, G T.J. Lang, ILB Paul Worrilow
Notable Departures: T Riley Rieff, G Larry Warford, S Rafael Bush
-It took a wave of luck (winning a tiebreaker over the Bucs despite ending the season on a 3-game losing streak) and a string of ridiculous 4th quarter comebacks (8 of their 9 wins were a result of late-game rallys) for the Lions to clinch a wild card spot last year. This may just be a result of me being a cynical prick, but I don't think Matthew Stafford and co. will be able to pull off that absurd feat again this season. Their roster just isn't overly good or deep on either side of the ball and I have a hard time buying them as a serious threat to contend in the tightly-contested without the acts of divine intervention that helped them pull off all of those unlikely rallies last season.
-Unlike their foes in Minnesota, the Lions went out and fortified their offensive line with a pair of smart, big-money free-agent signings this offseason. Ricky Wagner established himself as one of the league's premier right tackles during his 4-year tenure with the Ravens and former Packer T.J. Lang is a much more consistent run-blocker than previous starter Larry Warford. Pairing these excellent veteran lineman with 2nd-year tackle Taylor Decker, who greatly exceeded expectations as a rookie last season, should provide a much-needed spark to their long-suffering running game and help them sure up the pass-blocking inconsistencies that prevented them from being a top 10-12 line in the league a year ago.
-Ameer Abdullah needs to relish the opportunity Jim Caldwell and Jim Bob Cooter are giving him this season because it's most likely going to be his last chance to prove he can be a starting running back in the NFL. His brief professional career has shined an intense spotlight on the flaws (durability, ball security) he displayed during his time at the University of Nebraska while showcasing very little of the shiftiness and versatility that made him such a lauded prospect. He's looked pretty good in the preseason thus far and stands to benefit from the Lions somewhat-revamped offensive line, but the presence of pass-catching specialist Theo Riddick and gritcoin holder Zach Zenner-who both started and outplayed him while he missed time with a broken foot last season- in the backfield rotation make his room for error very small.
-No defensive player in the league is entering a more vital contract year than Ziggy Ansah. The 28-year defensive end was almost completely invisible a year ago, posting a paltry 2 sacks in 13 games after picking up 30 during his first 3 years in the league. A nagging ankle injury was reportedly to blame for Ansah's underwhelming season and given the fact that he's been on the PUP list for the duration of the preseason, there's no way of knowing if he's still hampered by it or the team is simply saving him for regular season action. Ansah's performance this season will not only effect how much money he'll land in his new contract, but it will also determine the productivity of the Lions pass-rush. 2016 team sack leader Kerry Hyder tore his ACL in the 1st preseason game and the front office's faith in Anasah's ability to return to form this season compelled them use to their draft assets elsewhere. Both parties need Ansah to thrive this season or else they'll end up side-by-side in a deep pit of self-loathing come January.
Bottom Line:
Unless they can catch the same string of breaks they did in 2016, I don't see the Lions returning to the playoffs in 2017.
-It took a wave of luck (winning a tiebreaker over the Bucs despite ending the season on a 3-game losing streak) and a string of ridiculous 4th quarter comebacks (8 of their 9 wins were a result of late-game rallys) for the Lions to clinch a wild card spot last year. This may just be a result of me being a cynical prick, but I don't think Matthew Stafford and co. will be able to pull off that absurd feat again this season. Their roster just isn't overly good or deep on either side of the ball and I have a hard time buying them as a serious threat to contend in the tightly-contested without the acts of divine intervention that helped them pull off all of those unlikely rallies last season.
-Unlike their foes in Minnesota, the Lions went out and fortified their offensive line with a pair of smart, big-money free-agent signings this offseason. Ricky Wagner established himself as one of the league's premier right tackles during his 4-year tenure with the Ravens and former Packer T.J. Lang is a much more consistent run-blocker than previous starter Larry Warford. Pairing these excellent veteran lineman with 2nd-year tackle Taylor Decker, who greatly exceeded expectations as a rookie last season, should provide a much-needed spark to their long-suffering running game and help them sure up the pass-blocking inconsistencies that prevented them from being a top 10-12 line in the league a year ago.
-Ameer Abdullah needs to relish the opportunity Jim Caldwell and Jim Bob Cooter are giving him this season because it's most likely going to be his last chance to prove he can be a starting running back in the NFL. His brief professional career has shined an intense spotlight on the flaws (durability, ball security) he displayed during his time at the University of Nebraska while showcasing very little of the shiftiness and versatility that made him such a lauded prospect. He's looked pretty good in the preseason thus far and stands to benefit from the Lions somewhat-revamped offensive line, but the presence of pass-catching specialist Theo Riddick and gritcoin holder Zach Zenner-who both started and outplayed him while he missed time with a broken foot last season- in the backfield rotation make his room for error very small.
-No defensive player in the league is entering a more vital contract year than Ziggy Ansah. The 28-year defensive end was almost completely invisible a year ago, posting a paltry 2 sacks in 13 games after picking up 30 during his first 3 years in the league. A nagging ankle injury was reportedly to blame for Ansah's underwhelming season and given the fact that he's been on the PUP list for the duration of the preseason, there's no way of knowing if he's still hampered by it or the team is simply saving him for regular season action. Ansah's performance this season will not only effect how much money he'll land in his new contract, but it will also determine the productivity of the Lions pass-rush. 2016 team sack leader Kerry Hyder tore his ACL in the 1st preseason game and the front office's faith in Anasah's ability to return to form this season compelled them use to their draft assets elsewhere. Both parties need Ansah to thrive this season or else they'll end up side-by-side in a deep pit of self-loathing come January.
Bottom Line:
Unless they can catch the same string of breaks they did in 2016, I don't see the Lions returning to the playoffs in 2017.
Green Bay Packers
2016 Record: 10-6 (1st in NFC North)
Head Coach: Mike McCarthy (12th season)
Notable Additions: TE Martellus Bennett, G Jahri Evans, CB Davon House
Notable Departures: G T.J. Lang, RB Eddie Lacy, C JC Tretter
-The Packers took a rare pair of potentially damaging hits by letting talented guards T.J Lang and center JC Tretter walk in free agency. Tretter had emerged as one of the league's most consistent young centers over the past 2 seasons and while the 30-year old Lang is nearing the end of his prime, he's still one of the top 15 guards in the league at this point in time. With Lang and Tretter now gone, this long-time strength could very well turn into a weakness. Center Cory Linsley is being thrust backing into the starting role after being benched in favor of Tretter at the start of the 2015 season while new pickup Jahri Evans is a long way removed from his dominant past as a perennial All-Pro with the Saints. Their elite tackle pairing (David Bakitahiri and Bryan Bulaga) should prevent them from completely imploding, but on paper, this looks it's going to be the shakiest o-line of the Aaron Rodgers/Mike McCarthy-era.
-Anyone that watched the Packers play in 2016 knows that their secondary outside of starting safeties Morgan Burnett and HaHa Clintion-Dix was nothing short of abysmal last year. While injuries admittedly played a part in this group's incompetence, the play of their young corners (Damarious Randall, Quentin Rollins, Ladarius Gunter) was often painful to watch. Even with a couple of tweaks and having all of their young corners return to the fold at full health, they're unlikely to be much better in 2017. Top draft pick Kevin King brings plenty of physicality to the table, but his coverage skills are still very much a work in progress, the return of Davon House to cheese country after a horrific 2-year stint in Jacksonville merely adds another uninspiring piece to their carousel of below-average corners and above all, there isn't a single guy currently on this roster that is consistent or dynamic enough to be a true #1 corner in the league. The blessing of not having any truly dominant receivers in their division should help keep things from getting out of hand during the regular season, but unless this secondary can make some unexpected strides, the Packers are going to run into some serious trouble come playoff time.
-The Packers signing of tight end Martellus Bennett could end up going down as one of the sneaky best moves of free agency. Bennett, who scored a career-high 7 TD with the Patriots last year, gives Aaron Rodgers yet another athletic vertical threat to work with as well as a much-needed redzone option in a primarily small-and-fast receiving corps. If he can develop a rapport with Rodgers and not get completely overshadowed by the Packers talented starting wideouts (Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams), I wouldn't be shocked if Bennett had the most productive season of his career thus far.
-By deciding not to re-up on Eddie Lacy and not bringing in any serious challengers during the offseason to compete for the job, the Packers appear to be committed to Ty Montgomery as their starting running back. The former wide receiver played pretty well last year (457 YDS, 3 TD's) in what was originally considered to be a temporary emergency gig due to injuries to Lacy and longtime backup James Starks. His lack of success in the playoffs last season ( 91 yards on 25 carries in 3 games)and small volume (including the playoffs, he only carried the ball 102 times last season) is a little bit alarming, but he still managed to do enough to prove he deserves a crack at the starting job. The progress or lack thereof Montgomery makes in his 1st full season as a starting running back should make for some fun drama on this otherwise stable, stagnant team.
Bottom Line:
With Aaron Rodgers still playing at an elite level and very limited roster turnover, the Packers are pretty much a lock to be in the NFC title mix for the 10th straight year.
-The Packers took a rare pair of potentially damaging hits by letting talented guards T.J Lang and center JC Tretter walk in free agency. Tretter had emerged as one of the league's most consistent young centers over the past 2 seasons and while the 30-year old Lang is nearing the end of his prime, he's still one of the top 15 guards in the league at this point in time. With Lang and Tretter now gone, this long-time strength could very well turn into a weakness. Center Cory Linsley is being thrust backing into the starting role after being benched in favor of Tretter at the start of the 2015 season while new pickup Jahri Evans is a long way removed from his dominant past as a perennial All-Pro with the Saints. Their elite tackle pairing (David Bakitahiri and Bryan Bulaga) should prevent them from completely imploding, but on paper, this looks it's going to be the shakiest o-line of the Aaron Rodgers/Mike McCarthy-era.
-Anyone that watched the Packers play in 2016 knows that their secondary outside of starting safeties Morgan Burnett and HaHa Clintion-Dix was nothing short of abysmal last year. While injuries admittedly played a part in this group's incompetence, the play of their young corners (Damarious Randall, Quentin Rollins, Ladarius Gunter) was often painful to watch. Even with a couple of tweaks and having all of their young corners return to the fold at full health, they're unlikely to be much better in 2017. Top draft pick Kevin King brings plenty of physicality to the table, but his coverage skills are still very much a work in progress, the return of Davon House to cheese country after a horrific 2-year stint in Jacksonville merely adds another uninspiring piece to their carousel of below-average corners and above all, there isn't a single guy currently on this roster that is consistent or dynamic enough to be a true #1 corner in the league. The blessing of not having any truly dominant receivers in their division should help keep things from getting out of hand during the regular season, but unless this secondary can make some unexpected strides, the Packers are going to run into some serious trouble come playoff time.
-The Packers signing of tight end Martellus Bennett could end up going down as one of the sneaky best moves of free agency. Bennett, who scored a career-high 7 TD with the Patriots last year, gives Aaron Rodgers yet another athletic vertical threat to work with as well as a much-needed redzone option in a primarily small-and-fast receiving corps. If he can develop a rapport with Rodgers and not get completely overshadowed by the Packers talented starting wideouts (Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams), I wouldn't be shocked if Bennett had the most productive season of his career thus far.
-By deciding not to re-up on Eddie Lacy and not bringing in any serious challengers during the offseason to compete for the job, the Packers appear to be committed to Ty Montgomery as their starting running back. The former wide receiver played pretty well last year (457 YDS, 3 TD's) in what was originally considered to be a temporary emergency gig due to injuries to Lacy and longtime backup James Starks. His lack of success in the playoffs last season ( 91 yards on 25 carries in 3 games)and small volume (including the playoffs, he only carried the ball 102 times last season) is a little bit alarming, but he still managed to do enough to prove he deserves a crack at the starting job. The progress or lack thereof Montgomery makes in his 1st full season as a starting running back should make for some fun drama on this otherwise stable, stagnant team.
Bottom Line:
With Aaron Rodgers still playing at an elite level and very limited roster turnover, the Packers are pretty much a lock to be in the NFC title mix for the 10th straight year.
Minnesota Vikings
2016 Record: 8-8 (3rd in NFC North)
Head Coach: Mike Zimmer (3rd season)
Notable Additions: T Riley Rieff, T Mike Remmers, RB Latavius Murray
Notable Departures: RB Adrian Peterson, T Matt Kalil, CB Captain Munnerlyn
-Teddy Bridgewater is unsurprisingly still sidelined with the non-contact knee injury he suffered during a team practice last August, so that means that Vikings nation is in store for another season of the Sam Bradford experience. Bradford flexed why he's the king of efficient, relentlessly mediocre quarterback by setting an NFL single-season record for completion percentage (71.6%) in a year where the Vikings failed to parlay their hot start (6-0) into a playoff bid. Having Bradford under center once again raises the inevitable question of whether or not he is good enough to take a team to the playoffs. The 29-year old quarterback displayed a strong chemistry with a number of his top pass-catching targets (Adam Thielen, Kyle Rudolph, Stefon Diggs) and his reliance on low-risk short throws is ideal for defensive-driven team like the Vikings. However, if their defense is anything less than lights out and the running game doesn't take off like many people think it's going to this season, Bradford's "Alex Smith-light" style of play likely won't be enough to guide to them to the elusive promised land of playoffs.
-After watching the rushing game deteriorate without a healthy Adrian Peterson and Bradford run for dear life almost every time held the ball for more than 2 seconds, GM Rick Spielman finally decided to address the team's long-standing offensive line issues this offseason. Of course Spielman's idea of fixing the o-line was breaking out his checkbook to overpay the ever-loving shit out of a couple of guys from this year's horrific free agent class. The Vikings handed a pair of 5-year deals worth a combined total of $36.8 mil in guaranteed money to the dream team of Riley Rieff, whose relentless inconsistency got him ousted by the Lions and ex-Panthers tackle Mike Remmers, who is best known for being the guy Von Miller put on skates for 4 quarters during Super Bowl 50. Handing out long-term deals for guys that are unlikely to be anything more than marginal improvements over woeful previous starters Matt Kalil and T.J Clemmings is a complete head-scratcher, especially for a team that currently has a starting quarterback with one of the lengthiest injury rap sheets in the league. The "overpay free agents to try and quickly fill a need" roster-building approach rarely yields positive results and I'd be surprised if this move ended up going down as one of the instances where this ill-advised yet consistently utilized personnel technique ended up working out.
-It became clear about halfway through last season that Adrian Peterson's time with the Vikings was going to come to a close after the 2016 season. The future Hall-of-Famer proved he wasn't a cyborg by showing signs of physical wear for the 1st time in his career and paying $18 million to a 32-year old back with a history of knee injuries that can't handle a 20+ carry per game workload anymore would be a batshit insane move. Replacing a generational talent like Peterson is going to be a tall order, but rookie Dalvin Cook absolutely has the potential to be a worthy successor. Cook, who surpassed Warrick Dunn as Florida State's all-time rushing leader last fall, has managed to impress the coaching staff so much in his first 4 months with the team that he's projected to beat out veteran free agent pickup Latavius Murray,who spent the past 2 seasons as the Raiders uncontested lead back, for the starting job. The Vikings early display of faith in Cook is an excellent sign for a player whose workouts were so heavily scrutinized throughout the pre-draft process. If Cook can avoid the off-the-field issues that played a role in his draft stock falling and display the same combination of vision, power and cutting ability that defined his time at FSU in the NFL, he should be able to make an instant impact for a Vikings squad that couldn't run the ball with any semblance of success a year ago.
Honorable Mentions:
Despite their abysmal offense line and average quarterback, the Vikings D is good enough to put them in the Wild Card mix.
-Teddy Bridgewater is unsurprisingly still sidelined with the non-contact knee injury he suffered during a team practice last August, so that means that Vikings nation is in store for another season of the Sam Bradford experience. Bradford flexed why he's the king of efficient, relentlessly mediocre quarterback by setting an NFL single-season record for completion percentage (71.6%) in a year where the Vikings failed to parlay their hot start (6-0) into a playoff bid. Having Bradford under center once again raises the inevitable question of whether or not he is good enough to take a team to the playoffs. The 29-year old quarterback displayed a strong chemistry with a number of his top pass-catching targets (Adam Thielen, Kyle Rudolph, Stefon Diggs) and his reliance on low-risk short throws is ideal for defensive-driven team like the Vikings. However, if their defense is anything less than lights out and the running game doesn't take off like many people think it's going to this season, Bradford's "Alex Smith-light" style of play likely won't be enough to guide to them to the elusive promised land of playoffs.
-After watching the rushing game deteriorate without a healthy Adrian Peterson and Bradford run for dear life almost every time held the ball for more than 2 seconds, GM Rick Spielman finally decided to address the team's long-standing offensive line issues this offseason. Of course Spielman's idea of fixing the o-line was breaking out his checkbook to overpay the ever-loving shit out of a couple of guys from this year's horrific free agent class. The Vikings handed a pair of 5-year deals worth a combined total of $36.8 mil in guaranteed money to the dream team of Riley Rieff, whose relentless inconsistency got him ousted by the Lions and ex-Panthers tackle Mike Remmers, who is best known for being the guy Von Miller put on skates for 4 quarters during Super Bowl 50. Handing out long-term deals for guys that are unlikely to be anything more than marginal improvements over woeful previous starters Matt Kalil and T.J Clemmings is a complete head-scratcher, especially for a team that currently has a starting quarterback with one of the lengthiest injury rap sheets in the league. The "overpay free agents to try and quickly fill a need" roster-building approach rarely yields positive results and I'd be surprised if this move ended up going down as one of the instances where this ill-advised yet consistently utilized personnel technique ended up working out.
-It became clear about halfway through last season that Adrian Peterson's time with the Vikings was going to come to a close after the 2016 season. The future Hall-of-Famer proved he wasn't a cyborg by showing signs of physical wear for the 1st time in his career and paying $18 million to a 32-year old back with a history of knee injuries that can't handle a 20+ carry per game workload anymore would be a batshit insane move. Replacing a generational talent like Peterson is going to be a tall order, but rookie Dalvin Cook absolutely has the potential to be a worthy successor. Cook, who surpassed Warrick Dunn as Florida State's all-time rushing leader last fall, has managed to impress the coaching staff so much in his first 4 months with the team that he's projected to beat out veteran free agent pickup Latavius Murray,who spent the past 2 seasons as the Raiders uncontested lead back, for the starting job. The Vikings early display of faith in Cook is an excellent sign for a player whose workouts were so heavily scrutinized throughout the pre-draft process. If Cook can avoid the off-the-field issues that played a role in his draft stock falling and display the same combination of vision, power and cutting ability that defined his time at FSU in the NFL, he should be able to make an instant impact for a Vikings squad that couldn't run the ball with any semblance of success a year ago.
Honorable Mentions:
Despite their abysmal offense line and average quarterback, the Vikings D is good enough to put them in the Wild Card mix.
Projected Standings
1.Green Bay Packers (11-5)
2.Minnesota Vikings (9-7)
3.Detroit Lions (7-9)
4.Chicago Bears (4-12)
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
2017 NFL Preview: AFC South
Houston Texans
2016 Record: 9-7 (1st in AFC South)
Head Coach: Bill O'Brien (4th season)
Notable Additions: T Breno Giacomini, ILB Sio Moore, CB Marcus Roberson
Notable Departures: QB Brock Osweiler, CB A.J. Bouye, S Quentin Demps
-Rick Smith was able to undo the biggest mistake of his 11-year tenure as the Texans GM by somehow finding a team that was willing to take on Brock Osweiler's ridiculous contract. In a twist that shouldn't really surprise anyone, the brave squad that was willing to accept a trade offer involving the grossly overpaid signalcaller was the Browns. The sabermetric-obsessed Browns gleefully agreed to dish out $19 million to Osweiler for the 2017 season, simply so they could add another 2nd round selection to their overflowing aresenal of future draft picks. It's one of the most jaw-dropping yet subtly ingenious transactions I've ever seen in the NFL and I doubt that the Texans have ever been happier to trade a draft pick in their brief existence as a franchise.
-With Osweiler out of the equation, the Texans appear to be set to (temporarily) turn over the reigns to Tom Savage. While he has yet to throw a touchdown as a pro, the 27-year old still managed to serviceable in the 3 games he appeared (461 YDS, 63.0 CMP% 0 INT's) in last season before going down with a concussion in Week 17. This defense is good enough to carry the Texans to another title in the sorry-ass AFC South, so as long as Savage can master the art of the dump-off pass and not turn the ball over at an Osweiler or Blake Bortles-esque level before they let him walk in free agency to make way for this year's 1st-round draft pick DeShaun Watson, they'll be fine.
-Savage and head coach/offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien got handed a big bag of shit when 2nd-year wideout Will Fuller went down with a broken collarbone during a training camp practice last week. Fuller may fallen off like crazy after a solid start to his rookie campaign a year ago, but his top-end speed at least gives O'Brien a constant splash-play threat to place next to firmly-entrenched top wideout DeAndre Hopkins. Now the team is left scrambling to find a starter from a trash heap of unattractive options. Converted college quarterback Braxton Miller is still far too raw to be trusted with a prominent role in the passing attack, Jaelen Strong has failed to make any plays that weren't fluke hail marys against the Colts, Devin Street is coming off a season where he hauled in a whopping 1 pass and Dres Anderson was an early cut by the Bears, whose receiver room currently includes such studs as Markus Wheaton, Reuben Randle and the rhythmic particles of dust that used to be Victor Cruz. If all hell breaks loose and Hopkins goes down sometime before Fuller returns, the Texans will be a Jets-level of fucked at the receiver position.
-2016 proved that the Texans defense doesn't need J.J Watt to succeed. As Watt spent the final 14 games on the sideline, his teammates managed to post very good numbers across the board (1st in yards allowed, 2nd in pass defense, 11th in run defense) and finish as the 11th ranked scoring defense in the league. With the 3-time Defensive Player of the Year reportedly returning at 100% after undergoing back surgery last September (his 2nd in a 2-month period), a series of interesting questions arise about what effect his presence will have on the functionally of this group. Will Watt's return stunt the growth of rising young stars Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilius? Is Watt comfortable letting other players emerge as vocal leaders or will he double-down on his attention-whore persona and ensure the spotlight is only on him? And most importantly, will the 28-year old still be able to play his bruising style of football after undergoing multiple major injuries in the past 2 seasons? In an ideal scenario, Watt's physicality won't drop off in the slightest and his disruptive presence upfront will make this talent-loaded unit even better than they were a season ago. At worst, he won't be the player he once was or his return will screw up this group's dynamic and force a surprise regression to happen. Logic would point to the former being the case, but Watt's potential physical decline and domineering presence on-and-off-the field could have a negative effect on the togetherness this group played with in his absence.
-The Texans currently have the rare luxury of letting notable players leave in free agency without suffering any serious loss of talent. Their excellent depth throughout the defense allowed them to let cornerback A.J. Bouye, safety Quentin Demps and outside linebacker John Simon walk this offseason without even batting an eye. On the flip side, their lack of new additions is also kind of worrisome. The biggest potential impact veteran they brought in this offseason was ex-Jets right tackle Breno Giacomini, who is currently locked in a position battle with incumbent starter Chris Clark. This is a team that struggled to go 9-7 in 2016 and unless some of their draft picks make a monumental impact right away (I'm looking at you Zach Cunningham and D'Onta Foreman), they're unlikely to be much better this season.
Bottom Line:
The Texans once again have enough defensive talent to win their division yet not enough offensive firepower to contend with the AFC's best teams.
-Rick Smith was able to undo the biggest mistake of his 11-year tenure as the Texans GM by somehow finding a team that was willing to take on Brock Osweiler's ridiculous contract. In a twist that shouldn't really surprise anyone, the brave squad that was willing to accept a trade offer involving the grossly overpaid signalcaller was the Browns. The sabermetric-obsessed Browns gleefully agreed to dish out $19 million to Osweiler for the 2017 season, simply so they could add another 2nd round selection to their overflowing aresenal of future draft picks. It's one of the most jaw-dropping yet subtly ingenious transactions I've ever seen in the NFL and I doubt that the Texans have ever been happier to trade a draft pick in their brief existence as a franchise.
-With Osweiler out of the equation, the Texans appear to be set to (temporarily) turn over the reigns to Tom Savage. While he has yet to throw a touchdown as a pro, the 27-year old still managed to serviceable in the 3 games he appeared (461 YDS, 63.0 CMP% 0 INT's) in last season before going down with a concussion in Week 17. This defense is good enough to carry the Texans to another title in the sorry-ass AFC South, so as long as Savage can master the art of the dump-off pass and not turn the ball over at an Osweiler or Blake Bortles-esque level before they let him walk in free agency to make way for this year's 1st-round draft pick DeShaun Watson, they'll be fine.
-Savage and head coach/offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien got handed a big bag of shit when 2nd-year wideout Will Fuller went down with a broken collarbone during a training camp practice last week. Fuller may fallen off like crazy after a solid start to his rookie campaign a year ago, but his top-end speed at least gives O'Brien a constant splash-play threat to place next to firmly-entrenched top wideout DeAndre Hopkins. Now the team is left scrambling to find a starter from a trash heap of unattractive options. Converted college quarterback Braxton Miller is still far too raw to be trusted with a prominent role in the passing attack, Jaelen Strong has failed to make any plays that weren't fluke hail marys against the Colts, Devin Street is coming off a season where he hauled in a whopping 1 pass and Dres Anderson was an early cut by the Bears, whose receiver room currently includes such studs as Markus Wheaton, Reuben Randle and the rhythmic particles of dust that used to be Victor Cruz. If all hell breaks loose and Hopkins goes down sometime before Fuller returns, the Texans will be a Jets-level of fucked at the receiver position.
-2016 proved that the Texans defense doesn't need J.J Watt to succeed. As Watt spent the final 14 games on the sideline, his teammates managed to post very good numbers across the board (1st in yards allowed, 2nd in pass defense, 11th in run defense) and finish as the 11th ranked scoring defense in the league. With the 3-time Defensive Player of the Year reportedly returning at 100% after undergoing back surgery last September (his 2nd in a 2-month period), a series of interesting questions arise about what effect his presence will have on the functionally of this group. Will Watt's return stunt the growth of rising young stars Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilius? Is Watt comfortable letting other players emerge as vocal leaders or will he double-down on his attention-whore persona and ensure the spotlight is only on him? And most importantly, will the 28-year old still be able to play his bruising style of football after undergoing multiple major injuries in the past 2 seasons? In an ideal scenario, Watt's physicality won't drop off in the slightest and his disruptive presence upfront will make this talent-loaded unit even better than they were a season ago. At worst, he won't be the player he once was or his return will screw up this group's dynamic and force a surprise regression to happen. Logic would point to the former being the case, but Watt's potential physical decline and domineering presence on-and-off-the field could have a negative effect on the togetherness this group played with in his absence.
-The Texans currently have the rare luxury of letting notable players leave in free agency without suffering any serious loss of talent. Their excellent depth throughout the defense allowed them to let cornerback A.J. Bouye, safety Quentin Demps and outside linebacker John Simon walk this offseason without even batting an eye. On the flip side, their lack of new additions is also kind of worrisome. The biggest potential impact veteran they brought in this offseason was ex-Jets right tackle Breno Giacomini, who is currently locked in a position battle with incumbent starter Chris Clark. This is a team that struggled to go 9-7 in 2016 and unless some of their draft picks make a monumental impact right away (I'm looking at you Zach Cunningham and D'Onta Foreman), they're unlikely to be much better this season.
Bottom Line:
The Texans once again have enough defensive talent to win their division yet not enough offensive firepower to contend with the AFC's best teams.
Indianapolis Colts
2016 Record: 8-8 (3rd in AFC South)
Head Coach: Chuck Pagano (6th season)
Notable Additions: DT Jonathan Hankins, OLB Jabbal Sheard, OLB John Simon
Notable Departures: P Pat McAfee (retired), S Mike Adams, TE Dwayne Allen
-After 5 years of poor drafting and misguided free agent signings, Jim Irsay pulled the plug on much-maligned general manager Ryan Grigson in mid-January. This move was long overdue, but at least Irsay finally rid this organization of the man that stunted any chance the team had of growing after they drafted young stars Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton in 2012. Grigson was replaced by former Chiefs front office assistant Chris Ballard, who went onto to put together a pretty impressive haul in his inaugural season as the Colts front office shot caller. Ballard addressed the team's hole-filled defense with a plethora of affordable, potential impact free agent signings (defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins, outside linebackers Jabbal Sheard and John Simon, inside linebacker Sean Spence) and brought in a draft class that is loaded with numerous high-upside prospects (safety Malik Hooker, cornerback Quincy Wilson, edge rusher Tarral Basham, running back Marlon Mack). While there's clearly no way to tell if Ballard's moves will help elevate the Colts from their 2-year mediocrity slump right now, he's already managed put more effort into trying to address the team's needs than Grigson did during his entire tenure.
-For a team that's looking to break out of a funk, the news that broke last Tuesday about Andrew Luck potentially missing the first 6 games of the season as he recovers from offseason surgery on his throwing shoulder was devastating. Luck's low-key excellent 2016 (63.5 CMP %, 4,240 YDS, 31 TD, 13 INT in 15 games) was the only reason the team cracked .500 and without him on the field, they would likely crumble into complete disarray. Current backup Scott Tolzien boasts a 0-2-1 career record as a starter and has thrown multiple interceptions in all 3 of those games. I'm not even a Colts fan and reading that stat still made me want to projectile vomit all over my keyboard. If a situation arises where Tolzien has to step in for any substantial length of time, this squad's hopes of returning to the playoffs for the 1st time since 2014 are pretty much dead and buried.
- 2017 is a crucial year for the development of this offensive line. For the 1st time in a long time, there's actually reason for optimism when you look at the Colts o-line group. Center Ryan Kelly had a pretty decent rookie year in 2016, Jack Mewhort has played well whenever he's been at his natural position of guard and left tackle Anthony Castonzo is a reliable performer that's currently in the middle of his prime. However, that's not to say there isn't still some reason for concern with this group. Young guns Joe Haeg and Le'Raven Clark didn't display the same level of polish or consistency as Kelly did in his rookie year and have the unfortunate distinction of being raw, inexperienced players playing on the same side of the line. There may be more talent present than there was in the Mike McGlynn/Samson Satele/Gosder Cherlius days, but unless they can establish some consistency and stability across the entire group, this revamped o-line will be deemed yet another failure for the long-suffering Colts.
Bottom Line:
Without the guarantee of a healthy Luck for the entire season, the Colts are more than likely going to miss the playoffs for the 4th straight season.
-After 5 years of poor drafting and misguided free agent signings, Jim Irsay pulled the plug on much-maligned general manager Ryan Grigson in mid-January. This move was long overdue, but at least Irsay finally rid this organization of the man that stunted any chance the team had of growing after they drafted young stars Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton in 2012. Grigson was replaced by former Chiefs front office assistant Chris Ballard, who went onto to put together a pretty impressive haul in his inaugural season as the Colts front office shot caller. Ballard addressed the team's hole-filled defense with a plethora of affordable, potential impact free agent signings (defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins, outside linebackers Jabbal Sheard and John Simon, inside linebacker Sean Spence) and brought in a draft class that is loaded with numerous high-upside prospects (safety Malik Hooker, cornerback Quincy Wilson, edge rusher Tarral Basham, running back Marlon Mack). While there's clearly no way to tell if Ballard's moves will help elevate the Colts from their 2-year mediocrity slump right now, he's already managed put more effort into trying to address the team's needs than Grigson did during his entire tenure.
-For a team that's looking to break out of a funk, the news that broke last Tuesday about Andrew Luck potentially missing the first 6 games of the season as he recovers from offseason surgery on his throwing shoulder was devastating. Luck's low-key excellent 2016 (63.5 CMP %, 4,240 YDS, 31 TD, 13 INT in 15 games) was the only reason the team cracked .500 and without him on the field, they would likely crumble into complete disarray. Current backup Scott Tolzien boasts a 0-2-1 career record as a starter and has thrown multiple interceptions in all 3 of those games. I'm not even a Colts fan and reading that stat still made me want to projectile vomit all over my keyboard. If a situation arises where Tolzien has to step in for any substantial length of time, this squad's hopes of returning to the playoffs for the 1st time since 2014 are pretty much dead and buried.
- 2017 is a crucial year for the development of this offensive line. For the 1st time in a long time, there's actually reason for optimism when you look at the Colts o-line group. Center Ryan Kelly had a pretty decent rookie year in 2016, Jack Mewhort has played well whenever he's been at his natural position of guard and left tackle Anthony Castonzo is a reliable performer that's currently in the middle of his prime. However, that's not to say there isn't still some reason for concern with this group. Young guns Joe Haeg and Le'Raven Clark didn't display the same level of polish or consistency as Kelly did in his rookie year and have the unfortunate distinction of being raw, inexperienced players playing on the same side of the line. There may be more talent present than there was in the Mike McGlynn/Samson Satele/Gosder Cherlius days, but unless they can establish some consistency and stability across the entire group, this revamped o-line will be deemed yet another failure for the long-suffering Colts.
Bottom Line:
Without the guarantee of a healthy Luck for the entire season, the Colts are more than likely going to miss the playoffs for the 4th straight season.
Jacksonville Jaguars
2016 Record: 3-13 (4th in AFC South)
Head Coach: Doug Marrone (1st season)
Notable Additions: DT Calias Campbell, CB A.J. Bouye, S Barry Church
Notable Departures: S Jonathan Cyprien, CB Prince Amukamara, TE Julius Thomas
-Even with the team's decision to exercise his 5th-year option and keep him under team control through the 2018 season, 2017 is going to be a make-or-break year for Blake Bortles in Jacksonville. The former top-5 pick undid any of the goodwill he earned during his perceived breakout 2015 campaign with an underwhelming 2016 that saw his TD total dip from 35 to 23 and already-maligned throwing mechanics fit a new level of sloppiness (sup Tebow-esque sidearm). Even as a person who has unreasonable amount of faith in Bortles, it's hard for me to envision a scenario where he magically fixes his ailments in a single offseason. New head coach Doug Marrone retained Nathaniel Hackett, whose has worked with Bortles since the 2015 season, as offensive coordinator, new front office minion Tom Coughlin reportedly doesn't envision him as the team's long-term starter and decisionmaking/delivery deficiencies are damn near impossible for a quarterback to correct in a such a short period of time. A rapid level of development that he has yet to display during his professional career paired with a tsunami of good fortune (aka a bunch of players overachieve and the teams ends up winning 8-10 games) is the only way Bortles will be able to keep his job past this season.
-To be honest, the best bet of the Jags offense getting back on track doesn't even lie on their embattled QB's shoulders. That's right, the most viable potential savior of this offense is rookie running back Leonard Fournette. Part of the reason Bortles and co. struggled so mightily last season was due to their inability to run the ball. Chris Ivory and T.J. Yeldon couldn't generate a god damn thing whenever they touched the ball (they combined for 904 yards on 247 carries), which forced their erratic, gunslinging quarterback to throw more than he should've. While there's questions about his durability and the talent level of the guys upfront that are blocking for him, Fournette has the potential to be the type of 3-down back you can run your offense through. At 6'1, 228 lbs, he has the devastating speed, size and power combo that every NFL team dreams of having in their backfield. The presence of a reliable workhorse back would bring a much-needed sense of balance to this group and take some of the pressure off of Bortles to be the sole creator of offense.
-The plus side of the Jags non-stop losing is the plethora of available cap space they have to go out and sign pretty much any free agent they want. Their 2017 haul might have been their most impressive to-date. Defensive tackle/end Calias Campbell is a versatile, well-rounded monster upfront that also happens to be one of the best locker room leaders in the league, cornerback A.J Bouye is a burgeoning menace in the slot and safety Barry Church is a run-stuffing specialist coming off a career-best year with the Cowboys. Putting more high-caliber veteran along talents alongside outside linebacker Telvin Smith, promising young corner Jalen Ramsey and last year's big-ticket signing defensive tackle Malik Jackson should help this mostly young unit make another substantial leap forward in 2017.
-There's nothing about this Branden Albert situation that isn't hilarious. The Jags acquired the 32-year old Pro Bowler from the Dolphins for pretty much nothing (tight end Julius Thomas and a 6th-round draft pick) in late February with the hopes that he would be a viable short-term solution to the left tackle woes that have plagued them since they dealt Eugene Monroe 4 games into the 2013 season. Then Albert gets a few days into training camp and decides he'd rather sit on his coach than try to protect Blake Bortles' blindside. The story appeared to be over until the news broke on Monday night that Albert told the Jags he wanted to return to the team and the brass said no thanks. To sum it all up, the Jags are now being forced to throw unpolished rookie Cam Robinson into the fire at left tackle right away and Albert is going to have to try and make his NFL "comeback" somewhere else. Professional sports never fail to be the greatest soap operas on Earth.
Bottom Line:
Even with the additions of more solid veteran talent, the Jaguars have too many deficiencies and uncertainties (particularly on offense) to make a significant jump in the standings this season.
Tennessee Titans
2016 Record: 9-7 (2nd in AFC South)
Head Coach: Mike Mularkey (2nd season)
Notable Additions: CB Logan Ryan, S Jonathan Cyprien, WR Eric Decker
Notable Departures: CB Jason McCourty, WR Kendall Wright, G Chance Warmack
-After a surprise 9-7 finish last season, everybody from Wichita to Omaha is aboard the Titans hype train heading into 2017. I'm one of the few people that refuses to board this densely-packed locomotive. This team never impressed me at any point of last season and nothing that's occurred in the 7 months since they last took the field gotten me to waver from that position. I think Marcus Mariota is more of an anonymous game-manager than a legit franchise quarterback, they're relying on a currently-injured rookie (Corey Davis) and an inconsistent 30-year old coming off of a major shoulder injury (Eric Decker) to improve their wonky receiving corps, their defense ,outside of a few nice pieces on the front 7 (Derrick Morgan, Jurrell Casey, Wesley Woodyard) is an unreliable, injury-prone mess (more on that later) and even though he's coming off a nice season (1,287 YDS, 9 TD) and has an excellent offensive line blocking for him, workhorse running back DeMarco Murray is still one of the biggest injury flight risks in the league (he already pulled him hamstring in training camp. I've got a strong feeling that this 2017 team will expose the Titans as a below-average squad primarily driven by fugazi talent that can't be relied to deliver sustained success in the NFL.
-The Achilles' heel of the 2016 Titans (and what their fanbase believes was the only reason they didn't win the division) was their secondary. Their 30th-ranked pass defense doesn't do justice to how much they burnt throughout last season. Naturally, general manager Jon Robinson made trying to upgrade this lackluster his primary focus this season. He went out and signed ex-Patriot corner Logan Ryan and former Jags Jonathan Cyprien on the 2nd day of free agency then proceeded to use 1 of the team's 2 1st round draft picks to select USC corner Adoree' Jackson. The problem with these moves is that every single one of them is a massive dice roll. Ryan was an erratic presence throughout his tenure in New England and has yet to prove he can guard top WR's on a weekly basis, Cyprien was a garbageman until last season and Jackson is a super athletic gambler that lives and dies by the big play. Robinson was right to make a ton of moves in the secondary, but I'm skeptical that the guys he brought in are going to be able to make the type of impact he desperately needs them to make in order to quickly sure up their horrific pass defense.
-Another part of the reason why I'm so down on the Titans is because of this coaching staff. A surprisingly strong season from DeMarco Murray and rare 16-game campaign for Brian Orakpo covered up a lot of the issues the schematic masterminds behind this operation bring to the table, but I wouldn't bank on it happening again. Mike Mularkey is a so-so offensive mind (I still haven't figured out what "exotic smashmouth" means) that has mustered 2 winning seasons and 0 playoff appearances in 5 seasons as an NFL head coach, Dick LeBeau is a stubborn fossil that won't let go of his precious zone-driven scheme that hasn't been consistently effective in at least 20 years and with just 1 year as an offensive coordinator, there's no way to tell if Terry Robiskie is the real deal or not (spoiler alert: I don't think he is). While the play of Mariota and the impact of (or lack thereof) their big-ticket free agent signing are currently commanding the narratives out of Nashville, the abilities of these 3 men should ultimately determine if the Titans deserve to be taken seriously as a playoff contender or simply benefited from a whole lot of fluky-ass strong performances in 2016.
Bottom Line:
The pride of Smashville appear set to fall back to Earth after overachieving a season ago.
Projected Standings
1.Houston Texans (9-7)
1.Houston Texans (9-7)
2.Indianapolis Colts (7-9)
3.Tennessee Titans (6-10)
4.Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)
Thursday, August 3, 2017
2017 NFL Preview: AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
2016 Record: 8-8 (2nd in AFC North)
Head Coach: John Harbaugh (10th season)
Notable Additions: S Tony Jefferson, WR Jeremy Maclin, CB Brandon Carr
Notable Departures: WR Steve Smith Sr. (retired), TE Dennis Pitta (retired), T Ricky Wagner
-If Joe Flacco's back injury proves to be more serious than advertised, this team is going to be in bring trouble. Current backup Ryan Mallet is an inaccurate, turnover-prone clown with the temperament of an 8-year old that's constantly whining when things don't go his way can not be counted on to win games in any situation where the team isn't playing the Jets, Bears, 49ers or Browns. Outside of Mallett, the team's QB depth chart is rounded out by the ragtag duo of Dustin Vaughn and Josh Woodrum, who have played for a combined total of 7 teams over the past 2 seasons. I've seen Pop Warner teams with more trustworthy options under center. Scumbag owner Steve Biscotti would be wise to drop his bullshit political facade and allow the team to sign Colin Kaepernick, so they can at least have 1 semi-competent backup stashed on the roster in case Flacco isn't available to start the season.
-The Ravens 5-year quest to assemble a competent secondary might finally be complete. After seeing steady improvement in 2016 following the addition of All-Pro safety Eric Weddle and strong play from rookie slot corner Tavon Young, the Ravens went out and further solidified the group by adding safety Tony Jefferson and cornerback Brandon Carr in free agency. Jefferson is an elite run-stuffing free safety that is on the cusp of entering his prime while Carr bounced back nicely in 2016 from a couple of so-so years with the Cowboys and gives the team a reliable veteran corner to put alongside the talented yet oft-injured Jimmy Smith. The team also further bolstered their depth by selecting cornerback Marlon Humphrey in the 1st round of the draft, although the zone coverage specialist likely won't pick up a ton of reps right away. Even with Young sidelined with a torn ACL, there's enough talent present for this unit to be at least a top 10 pass defense in 2017.
-Of course as soon as the Ravens put together a secondary that could actually be formidable, their long-stalwart offensive line suddenly goes down the toilet. They lost tackle Ricky Wagner in free agency to the Lions, dealt center Jeremy Zuttah to the 49ers for a late-round draft pick and guard John Urschel,who was projected to start at center in 2017, unexpectedly retired a few days before training camp started. The hits kept coming once training camp opened and rookie guard Nico Siragusa tore 3 major ligaments (ACL, PCL and MCL) in his knee. When you breakdown the resumes of the men that are left standing, you don't exactly get a warm fuzzy feeling about the prospects for the 3 starting vacancies that are currently up for grabs. 2nd-year guard Alex Lewis struggled mightily as a rookie, center Ryan Jensen has been below average in his 9 career starts spread out over the past 4 seasons, tackle De'Ondre Wesley has never started a game in the NFL, guard/tackle Jermaine Eluemunor is a raw rookie that doesn't appear to be anywhere near ready to handle meaningful snaps at the professional level and James Hurst has graded out as one of the worst tackles in football since he entered the league in 2014. Future Hall-of-Fame guard Marshal Yanda and promising 2nd-year tackle Ronnie Stanley should be able to keep things from completely falling apart, but this is undoubtedly the most talent-deprived offensive line the Ravens have had in recent memory.
-With Steve Smith Sr. and Dennis Pitta retiring this offseason, the already sketchy Ravens receiving corps managed to get even weaker. When journeyman Mike Wallace is your de facto top option in the passing game, you know you're in deep shit. To be fair, Wallace played his best football since 2011 (72 REC, 1,044 YDS, 4 TD) and looked a lot better than any of the other deadbeats that lined up alongside him last season (fragile, butter-fingered deep threat Bershad Perriman, former Seahawks Super Bowl standout Chris Matthews, new Indianapolis Colt Kamar Aiken, a couple of other future Arena Leaguers), but he's way too erratic and deep-ball dependent to be a legit top wideout in the league. The one glimmer of hopes this group has for improvement this season comes in the form of Jeremy Maclin. Maclin is coming off an underwhelming, injury-shortened 2016 campaign with the Chiefs, but the 29-year old is just 2 years removed from 1,088 YD, 8 TD season and could go off in a much more pass-happy offense than the one he spent the past 2 years playing in. However, if Maclin can't get his mojo back, this squad will more than likely have the exact same wonky passing attack they had a year ago.
Bottom Line:
The Ravens are neither bad enough to have to consider rebuilding or good enough to be serious contenders, which should be enough to put them in Wild Card contention in the very weak AFC.
-If Joe Flacco's back injury proves to be more serious than advertised, this team is going to be in bring trouble. Current backup Ryan Mallet is an inaccurate, turnover-prone clown with the temperament of an 8-year old that's constantly whining when things don't go his way can not be counted on to win games in any situation where the team isn't playing the Jets, Bears, 49ers or Browns. Outside of Mallett, the team's QB depth chart is rounded out by the ragtag duo of Dustin Vaughn and Josh Woodrum, who have played for a combined total of 7 teams over the past 2 seasons. I've seen Pop Warner teams with more trustworthy options under center. Scumbag owner Steve Biscotti would be wise to drop his bullshit political facade and allow the team to sign Colin Kaepernick, so they can at least have 1 semi-competent backup stashed on the roster in case Flacco isn't available to start the season.
-The Ravens 5-year quest to assemble a competent secondary might finally be complete. After seeing steady improvement in 2016 following the addition of All-Pro safety Eric Weddle and strong play from rookie slot corner Tavon Young, the Ravens went out and further solidified the group by adding safety Tony Jefferson and cornerback Brandon Carr in free agency. Jefferson is an elite run-stuffing free safety that is on the cusp of entering his prime while Carr bounced back nicely in 2016 from a couple of so-so years with the Cowboys and gives the team a reliable veteran corner to put alongside the talented yet oft-injured Jimmy Smith. The team also further bolstered their depth by selecting cornerback Marlon Humphrey in the 1st round of the draft, although the zone coverage specialist likely won't pick up a ton of reps right away. Even with Young sidelined with a torn ACL, there's enough talent present for this unit to be at least a top 10 pass defense in 2017.
-Of course as soon as the Ravens put together a secondary that could actually be formidable, their long-stalwart offensive line suddenly goes down the toilet. They lost tackle Ricky Wagner in free agency to the Lions, dealt center Jeremy Zuttah to the 49ers for a late-round draft pick and guard John Urschel,who was projected to start at center in 2017, unexpectedly retired a few days before training camp started. The hits kept coming once training camp opened and rookie guard Nico Siragusa tore 3 major ligaments (ACL, PCL and MCL) in his knee. When you breakdown the resumes of the men that are left standing, you don't exactly get a warm fuzzy feeling about the prospects for the 3 starting vacancies that are currently up for grabs. 2nd-year guard Alex Lewis struggled mightily as a rookie, center Ryan Jensen has been below average in his 9 career starts spread out over the past 4 seasons, tackle De'Ondre Wesley has never started a game in the NFL, guard/tackle Jermaine Eluemunor is a raw rookie that doesn't appear to be anywhere near ready to handle meaningful snaps at the professional level and James Hurst has graded out as one of the worst tackles in football since he entered the league in 2014. Future Hall-of-Fame guard Marshal Yanda and promising 2nd-year tackle Ronnie Stanley should be able to keep things from completely falling apart, but this is undoubtedly the most talent-deprived offensive line the Ravens have had in recent memory.
-With Steve Smith Sr. and Dennis Pitta retiring this offseason, the already sketchy Ravens receiving corps managed to get even weaker. When journeyman Mike Wallace is your de facto top option in the passing game, you know you're in deep shit. To be fair, Wallace played his best football since 2011 (72 REC, 1,044 YDS, 4 TD) and looked a lot better than any of the other deadbeats that lined up alongside him last season (fragile, butter-fingered deep threat Bershad Perriman, former Seahawks Super Bowl standout Chris Matthews, new Indianapolis Colt Kamar Aiken, a couple of other future Arena Leaguers), but he's way too erratic and deep-ball dependent to be a legit top wideout in the league. The one glimmer of hopes this group has for improvement this season comes in the form of Jeremy Maclin. Maclin is coming off an underwhelming, injury-shortened 2016 campaign with the Chiefs, but the 29-year old is just 2 years removed from 1,088 YD, 8 TD season and could go off in a much more pass-happy offense than the one he spent the past 2 years playing in. However, if Maclin can't get his mojo back, this squad will more than likely have the exact same wonky passing attack they had a year ago.
Bottom Line:
The Ravens are neither bad enough to have to consider rebuilding or good enough to be serious contenders, which should be enough to put them in Wild Card contention in the very weak AFC.
Cincinnati Bengals
2016 Record: 6-9-1 (3rd in AFC North)
Head Coach: Marvin Lewis (15th season)
Notable Additions: G/T Andre Smith, ILB Kevin Minter, CB Bene Benwikere
Notable Departures: T Andrew Whitworth, G Kevin Zeitler, ILB Karlos Dansby
-The Bengals offensive line, which has been excellent for the last 4 or 5 years was dealt a huge blow this offseason when left tackle Andrew Whitworth and right guard Kevin Zeitler left in free agency. Whitworth and Zeitler were among the most reliable players in the league at their respective positions and their consistently strong play established this unit as a force to be reckoned with, particularly in pass-protection, for much of the past 5 years. The organization's decision to move on from a pair of elite offensive lineman has turned one of their longtime strengths into a potentially massive weakness. New starting left tackle Cedric Ogbuehi and right guard Andre Smith are exactly the type of guys you don't want to rely onto start (raw young player and over-the-hill veteran that has no business starting respectively) and none of the 3 incumbent starters (center Russell Bodine, left guard Clint Boling, right tackle Eric Winston) are good enough to make up for the severe deficiencies their new linemates bring to the table. I'd recommend quarterback Andy Dalton and whatever running back they're planning on working into oblivion this season to start praying to whatever God they believe in because this offensive line is going to need some grand-scale divine intervention to be even half as good as they've been in recent years.
-After trying to establish Brandon LaFell as their number 2 receiver with pretty middling results a season ago, the Bengals went out and attempted to beef up their receiving corps by using the number 8 overall pick on Washington product John Ross. While Ross' injury history is frightening, his absurd absurd speed combined with underrated route-running ability makes him a potentially excellent complement to franchise cornerstone A.J. Green. If he can stay healthy and gel with Dalton early on, Ross could emerge as a dark horse offensive Rookie of the Year candidate.
-Despite their respectable points against total (20.3, 9th in the league) a year ago, this defense isn't scaring anyone. They weren't particularly great in either facet of the game in 2016 (16th against the pass, 20th against the rush) and unless new starting inside linebacker Kevin Minter or 2nd-year corner William Jackson III-who missed all of 2016 with a torn pectoral muscle- greatly exceed their expectations, there's no reason to believe they'll improve in 2017. While defensive coordinator Paul Gunther could be partially to blame, I think the front office has put this unit in a position to underwhelm. The failure of their recent young draft picks (Darqueze Dennard, Will Clarke, Paul Dawson, Margus Hunt-who is now with the Colts) has forced the team to thrust ineffective veterans (Pat Sims, Michael Johnson, Dre Kirkpatrick) into starting roles, outside linebacker Vontaze Burfict is an unhinged, suspension waiting to happen that can't produce on a consistent basis and worst of all, the team has spent a ton of money re-signing guys that should've been handed their walking papers years ago (Kirkpatrick, Adam Jones, Johnson, who did leave only to came right back after a horrible 1-year stint with the Bucs). While the presence of reliable performers like Carlos Dunlap, Geno Atkins and Vincent Rey will prevent this unit from full-blown collapsing, owner/GM/failed Jerry Jones wannabe Mike Bown has done a horrific job assembling this defense and I believe his years of gross incompetence as a talent evaluator are finally catching up with him, which is subsequently causing this team to fall into a slow, steady downward spiral.
-If the Bengals miss the playoffs this year (which is highly probable), they have to pull the plug on Marvin Lewis. Lewis has been a decent coach that has strung together some impressive seasons (they've made 7 playoff appearances, earned 4 division titles and won 10+ games 6 times since he arrived in 2003) for this long-suffering franchise, but he's been unable to guide them to a single playoff win in 14 years on the job and his laid-back temperament has led to near-constant discipline issues on-and-off the field. Lewis' tenure in Cincinnati has been defined by blowing chances to win big games and I think Brown would be absolutely insane to give him a shot to redeem himself for the umpteenth time if hey can't end their prolonged streak of playoff futility this season.
Bottom Line:
With a suddenly hole-filled offensive line and an aging, increasingly mediocre defense, the Bengals are a mortal lock to have another below average season.
-The Bengals offensive line, which has been excellent for the last 4 or 5 years was dealt a huge blow this offseason when left tackle Andrew Whitworth and right guard Kevin Zeitler left in free agency. Whitworth and Zeitler were among the most reliable players in the league at their respective positions and their consistently strong play established this unit as a force to be reckoned with, particularly in pass-protection, for much of the past 5 years. The organization's decision to move on from a pair of elite offensive lineman has turned one of their longtime strengths into a potentially massive weakness. New starting left tackle Cedric Ogbuehi and right guard Andre Smith are exactly the type of guys you don't want to rely onto start (raw young player and over-the-hill veteran that has no business starting respectively) and none of the 3 incumbent starters (center Russell Bodine, left guard Clint Boling, right tackle Eric Winston) are good enough to make up for the severe deficiencies their new linemates bring to the table. I'd recommend quarterback Andy Dalton and whatever running back they're planning on working into oblivion this season to start praying to whatever God they believe in because this offensive line is going to need some grand-scale divine intervention to be even half as good as they've been in recent years.
-After trying to establish Brandon LaFell as their number 2 receiver with pretty middling results a season ago, the Bengals went out and attempted to beef up their receiving corps by using the number 8 overall pick on Washington product John Ross. While Ross' injury history is frightening, his absurd absurd speed combined with underrated route-running ability makes him a potentially excellent complement to franchise cornerstone A.J. Green. If he can stay healthy and gel with Dalton early on, Ross could emerge as a dark horse offensive Rookie of the Year candidate.
-Despite their respectable points against total (20.3, 9th in the league) a year ago, this defense isn't scaring anyone. They weren't particularly great in either facet of the game in 2016 (16th against the pass, 20th against the rush) and unless new starting inside linebacker Kevin Minter or 2nd-year corner William Jackson III-who missed all of 2016 with a torn pectoral muscle- greatly exceed their expectations, there's no reason to believe they'll improve in 2017. While defensive coordinator Paul Gunther could be partially to blame, I think the front office has put this unit in a position to underwhelm. The failure of their recent young draft picks (Darqueze Dennard, Will Clarke, Paul Dawson, Margus Hunt-who is now with the Colts) has forced the team to thrust ineffective veterans (Pat Sims, Michael Johnson, Dre Kirkpatrick) into starting roles, outside linebacker Vontaze Burfict is an unhinged, suspension waiting to happen that can't produce on a consistent basis and worst of all, the team has spent a ton of money re-signing guys that should've been handed their walking papers years ago (Kirkpatrick, Adam Jones, Johnson, who did leave only to came right back after a horrible 1-year stint with the Bucs). While the presence of reliable performers like Carlos Dunlap, Geno Atkins and Vincent Rey will prevent this unit from full-blown collapsing, owner/GM/failed Jerry Jones wannabe Mike Bown has done a horrific job assembling this defense and I believe his years of gross incompetence as a talent evaluator are finally catching up with him, which is subsequently causing this team to fall into a slow, steady downward spiral.
-If the Bengals miss the playoffs this year (which is highly probable), they have to pull the plug on Marvin Lewis. Lewis has been a decent coach that has strung together some impressive seasons (they've made 7 playoff appearances, earned 4 division titles and won 10+ games 6 times since he arrived in 2003) for this long-suffering franchise, but he's been unable to guide them to a single playoff win in 14 years on the job and his laid-back temperament has led to near-constant discipline issues on-and-off the field. Lewis' tenure in Cincinnati has been defined by blowing chances to win big games and I think Brown would be absolutely insane to give him a shot to redeem himself for the umpteenth time if hey can't end their prolonged streak of playoff futility this season.
Bottom Line:
With a suddenly hole-filled offensive line and an aging, increasingly mediocre defense, the Bengals are a mortal lock to have another below average season.
Cleveland Browns
2016 Record: 1-15 (4th in AFC North)
Head Coach: Hue Jackson (2nd season)
Notable Additions: G Kevin Zeitler, C JC Tretter, QB Brock Osweiler
Notable Departures: WR Terrelle Pryor, QB Robert Griffin III, ILB Demario Davis
-I don't know if you've heard, but the Cleveland Browns are MAKING MOVES. General manager Sachi Brown and his Harvard-educated constitutes in the front office earned high praise from seemingly every person on the planet that pays attention to football for their bountiful offseason haul. The team invested heavily in the offensive line by bringing in Kevin Zeitler and center JC Tretter, and signing promising young guard Joel Bitonio to a 5-year, $50 mil extension, used their stash of draft picks to select 3 highly-touted prospects in the 1st round (edge-rushing phenom Myles Garrett, hyper-athletic gadget player Jabril Peppers and pass-catching tight end David Njoku) and managed to pick up yet another future 2nd-round pick from the Texans for the luxury of taking on quarterback Brock Osweiler's insane contract for at least this season. It remains to be seen if this abundance of assets are going to materialize into anything game-changing, but this long-embattled organization does deserve some credit for at least appearing to have a vision for the future.
- The Browns made a wise decision by not jumping the gun and overdrafting a quarterback in a shaky class just for the hell of it this season. Unfortunately for their fanbase, this intelligent restraint puts them in yet another "pick your poison" QB situation for the 2017 season. Likely starter Osweiler was unsurprisingly awful (2,957 YDS, 15 TD, 16 INT, 59.0 CMP% in 15 games) with the Texans last season and with a well below average receiving corps that's headlined by free-agent pickup Kenny Britt and 2nd-year wideout Corey Coleman, it's unlikely he'll fare any better with the Browns. If Osweiler struggles early on, I won't be shocked if the Browns pulled him for one of their younger options. Cody Kessler was at least efficient when he wasn't getting concussed last season and despite rookie DeShone Kizer's crippling flaws with accuracy, his tremendous athleticism and success throwing under pressure while he was at Notre Dame makes him an intriguing project for a team like the Browns to take on. With a quarterback situation this unsettled and a very good offensive line that has the talent to bully opposing front 7's, I'd expect a heavy dose of running back Isaiah Crowell this season.
-As I mentioned above, 2017 seems like it's going to be a huge year for Crowell. Zeitler and Tretter are the type of lane-opening bruisers that can elevate a team's running game right away and with last year's backup RB Duke Johnson Jr. reportedly getting transitioned to a slot receiver role this season, head coach Hue Jackson seems fully committed to the 24-year old as a workhorse back. The bursts of brilliance have been there (he's ran for 120+ YDS 4 times in the past 2 seasons) in the past, but now that he finally has a strong offensive line in front of him and a solid chance of receiving heavy volume, Crowell seem poised to break into the top-tier of the NFL's running back hierarchy.
-After getting shockingly dealt by the Patriots a few hours before the trade deadline ended last October, outside linebacker Jamie Collins struggled to make much of an impact for his new team. While he posted 62 tackles and 2 sacks in his 8 games with the Browns, he was terrible in pass coverage and rarely flashed the inhuman burst that made him a disruptive menace during his tenure in New England. Right now, Bill Belichick is looking like a genius for dumping Collins for pretty much nothing (the Patriots included the 3rd-round pick they got in exchange for Collins in the trade with the Saints for WR Brandin Cooks). However, the 27-year old former Pro Bowler has a great opportunity to make his old boss look stupid for giving up on him in 2017. New defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has put together some impressive front 7's during his 16 years as a shot-caller in the league and the 4-year/$50 mil contract they handed him this offseason proves the organization has faith in his ability to turn it around after a down year. The Browns currently lacks any proven veteran talent on defense (although nose tackle Danny Shelton, inside linebacker Christian Kirksey and cornerback Jamar Taylor did play well last year) and with a strong 2017 campaign, Collins could become the centerpiece this young, largely unproven group desperately needs.
Bottom Line:
No amount of praise for their offseason moves or long-term optimism is going to prevent the Browns from sucking in 2017.
-I don't know if you've heard, but the Cleveland Browns are MAKING MOVES. General manager Sachi Brown and his Harvard-educated constitutes in the front office earned high praise from seemingly every person on the planet that pays attention to football for their bountiful offseason haul. The team invested heavily in the offensive line by bringing in Kevin Zeitler and center JC Tretter, and signing promising young guard Joel Bitonio to a 5-year, $50 mil extension, used their stash of draft picks to select 3 highly-touted prospects in the 1st round (edge-rushing phenom Myles Garrett, hyper-athletic gadget player Jabril Peppers and pass-catching tight end David Njoku) and managed to pick up yet another future 2nd-round pick from the Texans for the luxury of taking on quarterback Brock Osweiler's insane contract for at least this season. It remains to be seen if this abundance of assets are going to materialize into anything game-changing, but this long-embattled organization does deserve some credit for at least appearing to have a vision for the future.
- The Browns made a wise decision by not jumping the gun and overdrafting a quarterback in a shaky class just for the hell of it this season. Unfortunately for their fanbase, this intelligent restraint puts them in yet another "pick your poison" QB situation for the 2017 season. Likely starter Osweiler was unsurprisingly awful (2,957 YDS, 15 TD, 16 INT, 59.0 CMP% in 15 games) with the Texans last season and with a well below average receiving corps that's headlined by free-agent pickup Kenny Britt and 2nd-year wideout Corey Coleman, it's unlikely he'll fare any better with the Browns. If Osweiler struggles early on, I won't be shocked if the Browns pulled him for one of their younger options. Cody Kessler was at least efficient when he wasn't getting concussed last season and despite rookie DeShone Kizer's crippling flaws with accuracy, his tremendous athleticism and success throwing under pressure while he was at Notre Dame makes him an intriguing project for a team like the Browns to take on. With a quarterback situation this unsettled and a very good offensive line that has the talent to bully opposing front 7's, I'd expect a heavy dose of running back Isaiah Crowell this season.
-As I mentioned above, 2017 seems like it's going to be a huge year for Crowell. Zeitler and Tretter are the type of lane-opening bruisers that can elevate a team's running game right away and with last year's backup RB Duke Johnson Jr. reportedly getting transitioned to a slot receiver role this season, head coach Hue Jackson seems fully committed to the 24-year old as a workhorse back. The bursts of brilliance have been there (he's ran for 120+ YDS 4 times in the past 2 seasons) in the past, but now that he finally has a strong offensive line in front of him and a solid chance of receiving heavy volume, Crowell seem poised to break into the top-tier of the NFL's running back hierarchy.
-After getting shockingly dealt by the Patriots a few hours before the trade deadline ended last October, outside linebacker Jamie Collins struggled to make much of an impact for his new team. While he posted 62 tackles and 2 sacks in his 8 games with the Browns, he was terrible in pass coverage and rarely flashed the inhuman burst that made him a disruptive menace during his tenure in New England. Right now, Bill Belichick is looking like a genius for dumping Collins for pretty much nothing (the Patriots included the 3rd-round pick they got in exchange for Collins in the trade with the Saints for WR Brandin Cooks). However, the 27-year old former Pro Bowler has a great opportunity to make his old boss look stupid for giving up on him in 2017. New defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has put together some impressive front 7's during his 16 years as a shot-caller in the league and the 4-year/$50 mil contract they handed him this offseason proves the organization has faith in his ability to turn it around after a down year. The Browns currently lacks any proven veteran talent on defense (although nose tackle Danny Shelton, inside linebacker Christian Kirksey and cornerback Jamar Taylor did play well last year) and with a strong 2017 campaign, Collins could become the centerpiece this young, largely unproven group desperately needs.
Bottom Line:
No amount of praise for their offseason moves or long-term optimism is going to prevent the Browns from sucking in 2017.
Pittsburgh Steelers
2016 Record: 11-5 (1st in AFC North)
Head Coach: Mike Tomlin (11th season)
Notable Additions: CB Coty Sensabaugh, DE Tyson Alualu, RB Knile Davis
Notable Departures: RB DeAngelo Williams, ILB Lawrence Timmons, TE LaDarius Green
-About the only negative thing you could say about the Steelers 7th-ranked offense in 2016 was their lack of a consistent number 2 receiver. Eli Rodgers, Markus Wheaton, Cobi Hamilton and Darius Heyward-Bey all had some standout moments, but couldn't provide the team with a secondary downfield receiving threat to put next to perennial All-Pro Antonio Brown. This issue has a good shot of being corrected in 2017. Martavis Bryant, who was suspended for the entire 2016 season after failing 3 drug tests in just over a year, was conditionally reinstated in April and should be able to return to this role in the starting lineup when the season kicks off in September. If Bryant fails to get reinstated before the season starts, Rodgers should be able to at least match his so-so production levels from a year ago (48 REC, 594 YDS, 3 TD) and 2nd-round pick JuJu Smith-Schuster should be to make up for some of the redzone mismatches that are missing when the former Clemson standout isn't on the field. The Steelers are even more deadly on offense when they multiple vertical threats in the lineup and if they want any shot of ending the Patriots reign of terror on the AFC, they're going to need someone to step into that role.
-With the team not electing to re-sign DeAngelo Williams this offseason, the backup running back competition is wide competition. While these suitors have the benefit of running behind one of the most dominant offensive lines in the league, none of them possess the efficiency and past history of success at the professional level that Williams brought to the table. Rookie James Connor is a power back that doesn't have great speed or pass-catching skills, newly-acquired Knile Davis is coming off a tumultuous 2016 campaign where he couldn't hold down a roster spot on a back-needy Packers squad and holdover Fitzgerald Toussaint is still one of the most hated men in Pittsburgh after he lost a fumble that cost the Black and Yellow a playoff game against the Broncos back in 2015. Star workhorse back Le'Veon Bell is currently holding out for a new contract and is all but guaranteed to miss time with an injury this season, so 1 of these guys will likely get some significant action at some point during the season, regardless of whether or not they're ready to handle a starting halfback's workload.
-If the Steelers are going to have any legitimate shot at winning a championship in 2017, their defense is going to need to make significant strides. Their secondary started to come together nicely last season with the emergence of Russ Cockrell as a solid outside corner and strong play of Artie Burns down the stretch, but their front 7 is still kind of a mess. 39-year old James Harrison is somehow still the best player the team has upfront and defensive end Cameron Heyward is the only consistent pass-rushing threat on the roster. This front's ability to make a much-needed leap forward is going to come down to the play of their young starters. While he's flashed plenty of athleticism and made some huge plays, inside linebacker Ryan Shazier has been an incredibly inconsistent tackler for all 3 years he's been in the league and outside linebacker Bud Dupree, who's been largely silent since he entered the league in 2015, desperately needs to flash the pass-rushing prowess and versatility he showed at Kentucky to shed the "bust" label that's been attached to his name after picking up a paltry 8.5 sacks in first 2 years in the league. The impact guys like Shazier, Burns, Dupree and rookie T.J. Watt make on a week-to-week basis is going to determine whether or not this team can finally break out of their long rut and field a talented, well-rounded defense for the 1st time since the peak of the Polamalu/Taylor/Timmons/Harrison-era.
Bottom Line:
With an elite offense, slightly above average defense and no visible attempts to break from their predictable personnel mold, the Steelers faithful can get excited for yet another blowout playoff loss to the Patriots in 2017.
-About the only negative thing you could say about the Steelers 7th-ranked offense in 2016 was their lack of a consistent number 2 receiver. Eli Rodgers, Markus Wheaton, Cobi Hamilton and Darius Heyward-Bey all had some standout moments, but couldn't provide the team with a secondary downfield receiving threat to put next to perennial All-Pro Antonio Brown. This issue has a good shot of being corrected in 2017. Martavis Bryant, who was suspended for the entire 2016 season after failing 3 drug tests in just over a year, was conditionally reinstated in April and should be able to return to this role in the starting lineup when the season kicks off in September. If Bryant fails to get reinstated before the season starts, Rodgers should be able to at least match his so-so production levels from a year ago (48 REC, 594 YDS, 3 TD) and 2nd-round pick JuJu Smith-Schuster should be to make up for some of the redzone mismatches that are missing when the former Clemson standout isn't on the field. The Steelers are even more deadly on offense when they multiple vertical threats in the lineup and if they want any shot of ending the Patriots reign of terror on the AFC, they're going to need someone to step into that role.
-With the team not electing to re-sign DeAngelo Williams this offseason, the backup running back competition is wide competition. While these suitors have the benefit of running behind one of the most dominant offensive lines in the league, none of them possess the efficiency and past history of success at the professional level that Williams brought to the table. Rookie James Connor is a power back that doesn't have great speed or pass-catching skills, newly-acquired Knile Davis is coming off a tumultuous 2016 campaign where he couldn't hold down a roster spot on a back-needy Packers squad and holdover Fitzgerald Toussaint is still one of the most hated men in Pittsburgh after he lost a fumble that cost the Black and Yellow a playoff game against the Broncos back in 2015. Star workhorse back Le'Veon Bell is currently holding out for a new contract and is all but guaranteed to miss time with an injury this season, so 1 of these guys will likely get some significant action at some point during the season, regardless of whether or not they're ready to handle a starting halfback's workload.
-If the Steelers are going to have any legitimate shot at winning a championship in 2017, their defense is going to need to make significant strides. Their secondary started to come together nicely last season with the emergence of Russ Cockrell as a solid outside corner and strong play of Artie Burns down the stretch, but their front 7 is still kind of a mess. 39-year old James Harrison is somehow still the best player the team has upfront and defensive end Cameron Heyward is the only consistent pass-rushing threat on the roster. This front's ability to make a much-needed leap forward is going to come down to the play of their young starters. While he's flashed plenty of athleticism and made some huge plays, inside linebacker Ryan Shazier has been an incredibly inconsistent tackler for all 3 years he's been in the league and outside linebacker Bud Dupree, who's been largely silent since he entered the league in 2015, desperately needs to flash the pass-rushing prowess and versatility he showed at Kentucky to shed the "bust" label that's been attached to his name after picking up a paltry 8.5 sacks in first 2 years in the league. The impact guys like Shazier, Burns, Dupree and rookie T.J. Watt make on a week-to-week basis is going to determine whether or not this team can finally break out of their long rut and field a talented, well-rounded defense for the 1st time since the peak of the Polamalu/Taylor/Timmons/Harrison-era.
Bottom Line:
With an elite offense, slightly above average defense and no visible attempts to break from their predictable personnel mold, the Steelers faithful can get excited for yet another blowout playoff loss to the Patriots in 2017.
Projected Standings
1.Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5)
2.Baltimore Ravens (7-9)
3.Cincinnati Bengals (6-10)
4.Cleveland Browns (4-12)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)