NFC Preview - NFC EAST

1. Dallas Cowboys ( 13 -3 ) Dallas's Offense looks very strong. With Tomo Romo in store for another strong season at quarterback. Marion Barber will be looked on top rush for 1,200 yards and rookie Felix Jones will get some significant playing time to take the load off of Barber. Terrell Owens is one of the best receivers in the game. If he can keep his head strait he will be dominant yet again this season. Tight end Jason Witten is a major weapon in the Cowboys passing attack and Patrick Crayton is a very valuable player to the Offense. The offensive line will be a mojor reason for the success of Romo, Barber and Jones.
The Dallas defense is tops in the NFL. The D-Line is a strong 3-4. Linebackers Demarcus Ware has game changing talent. Adding a great veteran like Zac Thomas to an already dominant group will only do positive things for the unit. The D-Backs are very good. They added depth with the often troubled Adam "Pac Man" Jones and rookie Micheal Jenkins. Ken Hamlin and Roy Rogers will be the safties and Marcus Trufant is back after a pro bowl season. Rogers will only play on the running situations with Corner Anthony Henry shifting to safety in passing situations. The Cowboys will be very tough to beat if they can keep it together mentally. They should go deep into the post season.

2. Philidelphia Eagles (12 - 4 ) Donovan McNabb seems to be 100% since his knee surgery two years ago. But who will he throw to? Brian Westbrook is always an option. Westbrook is a threat in the running and passing attack. The eagles hope rookie DeSean Jackson can step up and add a deep threat to the passing game. Reggie brown, Kevin Curtis and Jason Avant will all contribute but need to stay healthy through the season. The O-Line is big and nasty. They will provide and great push for Westbrook. Trent Cole and free adent signee Cris Clemons will be putting the pressure on the QB's. Cold has 12.5 sacks last year. Omar Gaither led the team in tackles from the linebacker spot. This is the youngest unit and has a ton of upside. The secondary is solid. The high priced free agent singing of Asanti Samuels adds a great cover corner to the squad. Lito Shepard is still on the team after numerous off season trade rumors. Brian Dawkins, Sean Considine and J.R Reed will all be making contributions at the safety position. This is a very good all around team. Wide Receiver is the only real question mark.

3. New York Giants ( 9 - 7 ) The offense is led by Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning. He didn't have a great regular season last year. Throwing almost as many interceptions as touchdowns.(23-20). Brandon Jacobs is like tackling a guard and Derrick Ward and Ahman Bradshaw did an excellent job backing him up last year. The tall Plaxico Burris can run behind you or jump over you for scores. He played at a high level even with injuries last year. Kevin Boss will take over for the recently departed Jeremy Shockey. The Giants have an excellent O-Line led by guard Chris Snee. He should be attending the pro bowl this year. The defense took some hits with Michael Strahan retiring and Osi Umenyiora getting injured for the season. Linebacker is a middle of the road unit. Antonio Piecre is the top player at linebacker on the team. Aaron Ross was a great first round pick in 2007. He played like a vet. The team hope rookie Kenny Philips can pick up where productive safety Gibril Wilson left off. The defense will not be as dominant as last year. The Giants might have a tough time making the playoffs due to a very tough division.

4. Washington Redskins - ( 6 - 10 ) Washington surprised a lot of people by making the playoffs last year. They will have a tougher time making it this year. Jason Campbell is by no means an elite quarterback. Clinton Portis turned in a great year running the ball and should do the same in 08'. Wide receiver is a major flaw on the team. Even after spending two pick on that position at the draft. Chris Cooley is a great target at tight end. The offensive line is solid but old. They could very well get hit by the injury bug which could lead to disaster for the offense. The Defense is solid but not spectacular. The Line was supposed to be up graded by Jason Taylor but injuries have put a damper on that. London Fletcher is still solid at the middle linebacker spot. But he is getting old. The D-backs are nothing special. Fred Smoot is boarder line. Shawn Springs is 33. Laron Landry is a great player at safety. The second year player can only get better. It could be a tough road ahead for the Redskins.

AFC WEST

1. San Diego Chargers ( 13 - 3 ) The Chargers will Easily go 6 - 0 in their division. The offense is the same as last season. Philip Rivers made huge strides last year when many were wondering how much passion he had for the game. Playing in the AFC championship game a week after arthroscopic knee surgery raised many eye brows. Ladanian Tomlinson is back running behind an excellent offensive line. The passing game will be stronger this year. Chris Chambers had most of last year to adjust to the Chargers offense. After his arrival The team took off after a 3-3 start. San Diego has one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL. The Defense is strong again. Luis Castillo, Igor Olshansky and Jamal Williams form one of the toughest D-lines in the game. Behind him Shaun Merriman and Shaun Phillips will make it tough for opponents to run outside and will put alot of pressure on the other teams Quarterbacks. Quinten Jammer and Antonio Cromartie are considered by many to be the leagues top duo at corner. Second year player Eric Weddle will hold down one of the safety spots. Clinton Hart and Tra Battle will try to win the other safety spot.

Denver Broncos ( 6 - 10 ) Denver did a nice job drafting this year. They added some key positions on the offensive line. Jay Cutler is turning into a very good quarterback. Branden Marshall had an excellent season last year. But he is suspended for two games due to three arrests in the off season. Marshall doesn't have many weapons around him. Travis Henry looks to take the bulk of the running load. After a tremendous start in 07' he quickly deteriorated mid-season. The offensive line is young but still decent. The Broncos Defense looks to be a weakness for the first time in years. Champ Bailey is still giving opposing quarterbacks nightmares. But the rest of the D is shaky. Boss Bailey, Champs brother was the teams biggest free agent pick up. He already got injured in camp. It looks to be a long season in the mile high city this year.

Kansas City Chiefs ( 4 - 12 ) Brodie Croyle Looks to be the guy who will be behind center this season. He is one of the worst starting QB's in the NFL. Dwayne Bowe and Tony Gonzalez are good weapons to throw to. Larry Johnson will run behind a bad offensive line. The Chiefs did an excellent job drafting this year. But not enough to make them a playoff contender. They traded defensive stud Jared Allen who led the league in sacks. Glenn Dorsey will anchor the D-Line. The secondary is awful. Patrick Surtain is old and Branden Flowers is a rookie. Linebacker is the most solid unit on the defense. Demorrio Williams signed out of Atlanta and will be the guy putting pressure on the passing game. Kansas City has the chance to finish last in the division.

Oakland Raiders ( 3 - 13 ) The Raiders are hoping rookie runningback Darren McFadden can make an Adrian Peterson like impact on the team. Unfortunately for the talented McFadden, he is running behind a much worse line than Peterson. Oakland made Jamarcus Russell the first overall pick in 07' The reports from camp are not good on Russell. The wide recievers are not a good unit. Javon Walker has shown brilliance in his career. But he pondered retirement after being beaten unconscious in Las Vegas a couple months ago. Can he bounce back from that mentally is the big question. The defense is a decent unit. Tommy Kelly and Derrick Burgess are quality players. Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard are excellent linebackers. The secondary looks pretty strong. DeAngelo Hall was added via a trade with Atlanta. Nnamdi Asomugha has worked hard to become an excellent corner. If Russell Can play well this year Oakland has the potential to leap frog the Chiefs in the division. Buts thats about as far as I see them going.


AFC Championship

New England defeats San Diego


next up the NFC EAST

AFC South

1. Indianapolis Colts ( 13 - 3 ) Another stellar year is in store for the Indianapolis Colts. The offense is very strong. Joseph Addai is one of the better running backs in the league. He runs behind a very strong offensive line anchored by veteran center Jeff Saturday. Addai also is a weapon in the passing game for future hall of famer Peyton Manning. Manning has the luxury of throwing to arguably the best wide receiving crew in the NFL. Reggie Wayne continues to get better each season and has blossomed into one of the top at his position. Marvin Harrison is back from an injury plagued 2007. Anthony Gonzalez had an excellent close out to his rookie season last year. Dallas Clark is a major threat in the passing game at tight end. The Colts did a great job adding young depth to the O-Line in the draft grabbing Steve Justice and Mike Pollack. Both should be quality starters for the franchise in the years to come. The defensive unit looks to be strong this year. The Colts secondary is led by run stuffing safety Bob Sanders who seams to change the out comes of games when he is healthy. Marlon Jackson has settled into a very solid player at cornerback. The linebacker core is the weaker position on the team. The defensive line makes up for them. Dwight Freeny and Robert Mathis are the heart of the Defensive Line.

Jacksonville Jaguars ( 11 - 5 ) Jacksonville is a tough physical team on both sides of the ball. David Garrard is a smart efficient quarterback. The running game is a two headed attack. The aging Fred Taylor managed to stay healthy and have a solid season last year. Maurice Jones-Drew is a wrecking ball. Listed at 210lbs, He plays like he's 250. Jones-Drew is also good for 40+ catches and 400 yards in the passing game. The wide outs aren't that of the Colts. But they are a decent enough to take the ease off the running game. The Jags hope Tight End Mercedes Lewis can take a step forward and add another piece to the passing attack. The offensive line is a solid group with lots of depth which is very important in the NFL. The defensive side of the ball looks strong. 2007 first round selection Reggie Nelson stepped in at safety and played like a veteran. Rashean Mathis is an excellent corner. Linebacker is the strength of the defense. Second year player Justin Durant will challenge veteran Mike Peterson for the Inside Linebacker spot. Daryl Smith and Clint Ingram will be back at the Strong and Weak Linebacking spots. The Defensive Line is Strong again, even though Marcus Stroud was traded to Buffalo. The Jags added two pass rushers in Derrick Harvey and Quinton Groves. Groves could also get a look at linebacker in passing situations.

Tennessee Titans ( 7 - 9 ) If things go right for the Titans this season they could challenge for a wild card spot. Vince Young doesn't have the tools to lead this team to a Super Bowl. Rookie Chris Johnson will be a boost in the running and passing game. He has game changing speed. LenDale White will provide wear and tear on the other teams defense and eat clock. White took and major step in the right direction last year when many people questioned his ability and passion for the game. The wide outs are less than spectacular. Roydell Williams and Justin Gage are the primary targets. Both had 55 receptions last season and 700+ yards. The Offensive Line is strong. The loss of Guard Jacob Bell to St. Louis was eased by the free agent signing of Jake Scott who comes over from division rival Indianapolis. The defense is the strength of the team. Kyle Vanden Bosch has been nothing but terrific since signing with the team. Albert Hansworth is one of the games best defensive tackles. The Titans also selected Defensive End Jason Jones out of Eastern Michigan to help put pressure on the opposing teams quarterback. The Linebackers are very fast. David Thronton has been a big time player since joining Tennessee. The Defensive back field has been a dependable unit. Courtland Finnigan and Nick Harper have helped developed the secondary into a quality group. If the Titans can get more quality players from the Colts like Harper, Scott and Thronton maybe they could be at the top of this division someday.

Houston Texans ( 7 - 9 ) In what I believe to be the toughest division in football. The Texans have look to try and take the playoff spots away from Jacksonville and Tennessee. Matt Schaub get his second season at Quarterback. But Sage Rosenfels will challenge him in camp. Rosenfels stepped in nicely when called apon last year. Houston even denied a trade with Minnesota for Rosenfels in the offseason. Runningback has been a rotating door in the past years. Injuries have pillaged the unit. Ahman Green, New acquisition Chris Brown and rookie Steve Slaton will all try to win a starting spot. I'm sure all will get their shot during the season. The offensive line has been a weak spot on the team in the franchises short history. But rookie Duane Brown from Viriginia Tech and free agent signee Chris Myers should make this a stronger unit. Andre Johnson is one of the games top notch receivers. But the lack of talent around him and injuries has taken away from his production. Owen Daniels emerged as a target last season. He helps take some pressure off Johnson. Houston has done an excellent job drafting defense in the recent years. Mario Williams a former top pick in 2006 had a great second season and looks to only get better. DeMeco Ryans, 2006 defensive rookie of the year anchors the middle of the defense. The secondary is not very strong. They added Alex Molden in the second round this year. He will add some much needed depth and could challenge for a starting job.

Next up, The AFC WEST.........................

AFC NORTH

Pittsburg Steelers (11 - 5 ) The Steelers added two big additions to the offense in the 2008 draft. Rashard Mendenhall and Limas Sweed should make this offense a deeper threat. Mendanhall is a bigger back that will get the tougher yards on the ground. This should benefit Willie Paker. He will not have to take the abuse he took last season. Limas Sweed will give Ben Rothlisberger and big fast target. The loss of Alan Fanaca to the jets is a major blow to the offensive line. The defense is still solid. They are not in the toughest division in the league. They will be a certain playoff contender in 08'.

Cleveland Browns (9 - 7 ) After some major disappointments drafting players over the years. The Browns have done a nice job of building a solid team via the draft lately. Braylon Edwards has turned him self into a top flight receiver. Jamal Lewis looked like his old self last year rushing for 1304 yards and 9 touchdowns. Derek Anderson came out of nowhere to have a great season at quarterback. He will try to repeat it in 2008 and hold off second year player Brady Quinn who the browns drafted in the first round in 2007. The Browns added Shaun Rodgers to their D-Line in a trade with Detroit this offseason. If he can stay and shape and get motivated it could prove to be a major boost. Although the loss of Leigh Bodden will hurt the secondary. If Eric Wright who is in his second season can step up it will ease the loss of Bodden. This is a young defensive unit who is looking to take the next step forward. Romeo Crennel has done a good job turning around the franchise. A trip to the playoffs should be in store.

Cincinnati Bengals ( 8 - 8 ) The Bengals have one of the most explosive passing games in the NFL when clicking on all cylinders. Unfortunately injuries, arrests and disgruntled players have taken their toll on the team at times. The offense should score alot of points this year. Carson Palmer has an arsenal of weapons. Rudi Johnson looks to bounce back from a tough season. The major question is the defense. Keith Rivers was a solid addition to the linebacking core. But he is young and just came into camp after a contractual holdout. The offense wont be enough to take the team to the playoffs this season.

Baltimore Ravens ( 5 - 11 ) The defense still has stars like Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Chris McAllister. They should be a very solid unit again. The offense has major questions at quarterback. Former first round pick Kyle Boller has his shot to take over. Baltimore's wide receivers are also a weaker unit. Tight End Todd Heap will be the primary target in the passing game. There could be alot of low scoring losses for the Ravens this year. Quarterback Joe Flacco a rookie out of Delaware could get a look late season if things done go well for Boller.

A look at the NFL divisions

Over the next few weeks I am going to break down the NFL by division and pick a super bowl winner. I will Start with the AFC East.

AFC EAST

1. New England Patriots - The Patriots look very strong again this season. The losses they suffered in free agency like Asanti Samuels and Donte Stallworth were not huge hits to the roster. The core of the teams is back and the defense added some much needed depth through free agency and the 2008 NFL draft. Brady should throw 40 plus touchdowns this year and the addition of Lamont Jordan could prove to be a major boost to the running game. Look for Jabar Gaffney to take over for Stallworth and not miss a beat. They schedule isn't as tough as last years and the base of the team is back. The only bump in the road could be a road loss to the Indianapolis Colts. The Patriots will easily win the division and home field advantage for the playoffs. ( 15 - 1 )

2. New York Jets - After a tough season for the Jets in 2007. Look for the Jets to have a better year. The addition of Alan Fanaca was a huge boost for the offensive line. The running game should be a strength for the offense. Due to the fact their quaterback situation isn't ideal, this should help to open up the passing game. The defense should be okay. Adding pass rusher Calvin Pace and Vernon Gholston should help put pressure on the opposing quarterback. No playoffs for New York This year. But a step in the right direction. ( 8 - 8 )

3. Buffalo Bills - Buffalo is a much better team than alot of people give them credit for. Their last two drafts have been very good. They have a young defense and good running game. Adding James Hardy was a great boost for Lee Evans in the passing game. The remaining question is how well and who can get them the ball. Trent Edwards was a pleasant surprise last year. Can he be better this season? J.P. Losman waits to take over if he can not. This team has the potential to leap frog the jets for second place. But I think they are a year away from playoff contention at this point. ( 7 - 9 )

4. Miami Dolphins - Undergoing a major overhaul. Bill Parcells is getting rid over the old and in with the new. This is a very young team. Jason Taylor is gone, Look for rookie Phillip Merling to take over his spot. Quarterback is totally up for grabs. John Beck, Josh McCown and rookie Chad Henne will all battle for a starting position. I am sure we will see them all at some in 2008. Solid veterans were added to the roster like guard Justin Smiley, D-Tackle Randy Starks and Linebacker Akin Ayodele will help turn this franchise in the right direction. But it will be a long season in Miami. They may be first on the clock again in 2009. ( 3 - 13 )


Next up the AFC North....................