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Note: With the start of the NFL Season, The Shots will now be updated on Tuesday mornings so I can include the Monday Night Football game if necessary.
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The Shots Archive
NFL PREVIEW 2007
Derek Schultz
Sorry for the late update kiddies, but if you had the Labor Day sports weekend that I just had, you would surely understand. I had trouble sleeping with nightmares of John Tenuta’s Georgia Tech blitz packages and Devil Rays dancing on home plate at Yankee Stadium. Anyways, today is a new day and it’s the much anticipated opening week of NFL Football. Which means it’s time for The Shots NFL preview…
Sorry for the late update kiddies, but if you had the Labor Day sports weekend that I just had, you would surely understand. I had trouble sleeping with nightmares of John Tenuta’s Georgia Tech blitz packages and Devil Rays dancing on home plate at Yankee Stadium. Anyways, today is a new day and it’s the much anticipated opening week of NFL Football. Which means it’s time for The Shots NFL preview…
I learned from The Shots Super Stupendous College Football Sexy-Time Preview that action words (Zoink! Blam!) tend to draw more readers in. So this week, The Shots brings you the first edition of The 2007 Spectacular Mmmm Mmmm Good NFL Voluptuous! Preview.
(Disclaimer: I inexcusably picked Michigan <pause for laughter> to be in my BCS Championship game so please, use these picks at your own caution.)
The Shots 2007 Spectacular Mmmm Mmmm Good NFL Voluptuous! Preview:
BOLD = playoff teams
BOLD = playoff teams
AFC EAST
1) New England Patriots (projected record: 12-4)
Nobody does more with less than Bill Belichick and Tom Brady as evident by their playoff run last season with a bunch of aging veterans (Teddy Bruschi) and other no-names (Reche Caldwell). Talent won’t be a problem this year in Foxborough where the Pats made several big splashes in the free agent market. They brought in Randy Moss, who almost killed his career after going to the Raiders (the NFL’s equivalent of joining the Knicks), along with former Ravens stud LB Adalius Thomas and return-specialist-extraordinaire Wes Welker. Also, Donte Stallworth was added after having a productive 2007 with the Philadelphia Eagles (725 yds, 5 TD). It won’t take long to see what the Pats are made of this season – they host San Diego in Week Two – but the schedule is filled with tough road games: @Dallas, @Indy, @Baltimore. I think the predictions of 14-15 wins are unrealistic, but it’s hard to see the Patriots not winning the mediocre AFC East with the loads of talent they boast on both sides of the ball.
Moss should return to his playmaking days with the Pats
2) New York Jets (projected record: 8-8)
I always said that the 2005 Jacksonville Jaguars were the worst 12-4 team in NFL history. Well, the 2006 Jets might have been the worst 10-6 team in NFL history last season, benefiting from a ridiculously easy schedule. Let me explain. As you know, each NFL team plays everyone in their division twice (6 games) and then plays every team in two other divisions (in the Jets case the horrid NFC North and AFC South, 8 games). The remaining two games are games against teams that finished in the same place the year before. So the Jets drew Cleveland and Oakland (umm…jackpot!!!). Here were the Jets wins last year: Titans, Bills, Dolphins (twice), Lions, Texans, Packers, Vikings, Raiders, Patriots (the only team the Jets beat with a winning record). Yuck. But, getting to 2007, the addition of RB Thomas Jones will help and he’ll definitely flourish in the Jets dink-and-dunk offense. The youngsters on the offensive line (D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Nick Mangold) have another year under their belt and the defense boasts one of the better players that you’ve never heard of with safety Kerry Rhodes. The Jets will be a better team in 2007 than they were last year, but the schedule is a lot tougher with games against the AFC North and NFC East so their record may not indicate it.
3) Buffalo Bills (projected record: 7-9)
The Bills strengthened their offense with the FA acquisitions of Derrick Dockery and Langston Walker on the offensive line to pave the way for rookie RB Marshawn Lynch (Cal). While I still think QB J.P. Losman has a long way to go, he did lead the Bills to wins in 5 of their last 8 games. Also, an encouraging sign was the breakout of WR Lee Evans who caught 82 passes for 1,292 and 8 touchdowns. The defense has a lot of holes, especially at LB with the losses of Takeo Spikes and London Fletcher, and the porous D will likely halt any of Buffalo’s playoff aspirations.
4) Miami Dolphins (projected record 5-11)
Considering all the Indiana ties (Cam Cameron, Trent Green), I’d like the Dolphins to do well, but they can’t win without a good quarterback. I will say that Cam Cameron is a great fit for the Dolphins who boast a spectacular defense but are completely lost on offense. It looks like Trent Green’s better days are behind him and he’s not much of an upgrade from Dante Culpepper, who was awful last season. RB Ronnie Brown quietly had a solid 2006 (1,000+ yds) but it remains to be seen whether he will be effective without a potent passing game and behind a line that has three new starters, including two rookies in Drew Mormino and Samson Satele, along with a new tight end in David Martin. The defense should be even better with the addition of Joey Porter to go along with the always great Jason Taylor and Vonnie Holiday in the front seven. It’s just hard to see this team scoring enough points to win against better competition.
AFC NORTH
1) Baltimore Ravens (projected record: 12-4)
The only question on this team in the 21st century has been the offense. Contrary to what most delusional Bears fans would lead you to believe, the Ravens D was #1 in the NFL once again last year. The Ravens lost Adalius Thomas to free agency but still boast the best linebacking corps in the league with Bart Scott (103 tackles, 9.5 sacks), Terrell Suggs (64 tackles, 9.5 sacks) and the always dominant Ray Lewis (103 tackles, 5 sacks). I love the addition of Willis McGahee, who could definitely go for 1,500 yards this year after rushing for under 1,000 last season in Buffalo. QB Steve McNair absolutely has to stay healthy, which is something he was finally able to do in 2006.
Get ready for more of this in 2007
2) Cincinnati Bengals (projected record: 10-6)
This team reminds me of the Colts 2002-04 teams. The Bengals will have more offensive fireworks in 2007 with a healthy Carson Palmer and perhaps the best wideout tandem in the NFL in Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh (177 rec, 2,450 yards, 16 TD combined). The defense which was ranked 30th last season, is still a concern and should still be near the bottom this season. Their O will be enough to get Cincy into the playoffs, just not into the latter rounds.
3) Pittsburgh Steelers (projected record: 7-9)
I think this team is better than most think but they play in a tough division and have two really brutal months in October (Seattle, @Denver, @Cincy) and December (Cincy, @New England, Jacksonville, @St. Louis, @Baltimore). Ben Roethlisberger will bounce back but he’s just not going to be a superstar in this league like everyone thought after his outstanding rookie campaign. I love RB Willie Parker but it’s hard to gauge how the offense is going to be run with the departure of OC Ken Whisenhunt to Arizona. New head coach Mike Tomlin is going to win a lot of games, just not this season.
4) Cleveland Browns (projected record: 4-12)
At least things are looking up for this team after an outstanding draft and some nice young talent on defense. That doesn’t change the fact that the Browns offense will be lead by QB Charlie Frye (3 TD, 17 INT last season) and the king of the two-yard carry in RB Jamal Lewis. Here are a few things that I can predict with certainty for Cleveland this season: 1) rookie QB Brady Quinn will eventually start, but no earlier than halfway through the season, 2) head coach Romeo Crennel will be taken out of his misery, and 3) kicker Phil Dawson will still be the best offensive threat on the team.
It'll be another year of gameplanning for Phil Dawson
AFC SOUTH
1) Indianapolis Colts (projected record: 11-5)
The offense is loaded and I think rookie Anthony Gonzalez will make a big splash in the slot receiver spot vacated by Brandon Stokley. How Joseph Addai will handle being the primary (and only) ball-carrier and rookie LT Tony Ugoh will do filling in for Tarik Glenn remains to be seen, but this offense will still be extremely potent. There are question marks all over the defense starting at DT where rookie Ed Johnson will fill the starting spot alongside Raheem Brock. The Colts front seven is going to miss Booger McFarland tremendously. The run defense improved dramatically after his acquisition halfway through last season. Good news is in the secondary where Bob Sanders is finally healthy and I think the team actually improved with the losses of Nick Harper and Jason David. Kelvin Hayden is a better option than either Harper or David and Marlin Jackson should fit in just fine. Also, watch out for Antoine Bethea, who is going to have a monster season at safety. Frankly, this team could put blue road cones out there as their defense and still win 10 games with that offense.
2) Jacksonville Jaguars (projected record: 9-7)
You can never go wrong with a combination of a stout defense and a solid running game, and that’s exactly what the Jacksonville Jaguars have. What they don’t have, however, is a good head coach. But, Jack Del Rio did overhaul his staff, bringing in six new coaches including a new offensive coordinator in Dirk Koetter (Arizona State). The defense was second only to Baltimore last year statistically, and has the best DT tackle duo in the league with Marcus Stroud and John Henderson. Offensively the Jags are a mixed bag. They have two big WRs in Matt Jones and Reggie Williams but neither has stepped up to secure a starting job. With the release of Byron Leftwich, the offense will be left in the hands of QB David Garrard who will be helped by two good runners in Fred Taylor and the electric Maurice Jones-Drew. With a good QB, this team could be a Super Bowl contender, without one they are merely another borderline playoff team.
3) Houston Texans (projected record: 6-10)
This is a team that’s finally moving in the right direction. They cut ties with David Carr which was long overdue and brought in everybody’s favorite backup in QB Matt Schaub in a March trade with Atlanta (don’t the Falcons wish they could have that one back?). RB Ahman Green’s better days are behind him but he’s still a much more viable option than Wali Lundy or Ron Dayne, who the Texans were stuck with last season. WR Andre Johnson is a legit #1 WR. The defense has some playmakers with LB DeMeco Ryans and CB Dunta Robinson as well as some young talent on the line with rookie tackle Amobi Okoye (Louisville) and 2nd year DE Mario Williams. They’ll be better, but they’re not playoff-caliber yet.
4) Tennessee Titans (projected record: 5-11)
Maybe I’m just not drinking the Vince Young kool-aid. It’s not that I don’t think VY is going to be a good quarterback in this league, it’s just that he has absolutely no weapons around him. I mean, Eric Moulds as your go-to-guy? Good luck with that. 2007 will be a rough year for Tennessee who lost Drew Bennett, Bobby Wade and leading rusher Travis Henry. The defense is OK, and they did improve the secondary with the additions of Nick Harper at corner and rookie Michael Griffin from Texas at safety. You can never say never with a QB that has as many talents as Young, but it’s a real stretch to think this team is going to be as good as most are saying.
AFC WEST
1) San Diego Chargers (projected record: 13-3)
San Diego is absolutely stacked with nine returning Pro Bowlers and a high octane offense led by RB LaDainian Tomlinson, the greatest fantasy player ever. QB Phillip Rivers should continue to progress and WR Vincent Jackson seems to be the consensus breakout player for 2007. One thing that may hold this team back is the hiring of Norv Turner, who has been mediocre in every head coaching spot (58-82-1 with Washington and Oakland). The defense will miss Donnie Edwards at LB, their leading tackler in 2006, but have plenty of talent to compensate his loss. The playoffs are the real concern as this team seems built only for regular season success.
2) Denver Broncos (projected record: 9-7)
You can pretty much pencil the Broncos in for 9+ wins every season. This team has a lot to overcome this season with the untimely deaths of CB Darrent Williams and RB Damien Nash and I think they’ll come together nicely to honor their former teammates. Denver has two of the best corners west of the Mississippi in Champ Bailey and free-agent newcomer Dre Bly. The defensive line got a big boost with the acquisition of DT Sam Adams and drafting of DE Jarvis Moss from the National Champion Florida Gators. QB Jay Cutler will emerge as a standout quarterback especially with the addition of RB Travis Henry who, like every other Denver Broncos running back in history, could be crippled and still rush for at least 1,000 yards. This team is one of the harder teams to forecast in the league this season. If Cutler is a star, they could win as many as 12 games. If he struggles, they could be looking as bad as 6-10. I split the difference at 9-7.
I'm pretty sure this guy could rush for 1,000 yards behind Denver's line
3) Kansas City Chiefs (projected record: 6-10)
The defense will be much improved but the offense will once again struggle with the inconsistency at quarterback. Damon Huard is a serviceable backup but he just doesn’t have starting QB material - ditto for Brodie Croyle who at 24 could develop into the starter but won’t give much production right now. The offense is completely centered around RB Larry Johnson and that’s how this team is going to live and die. I like what they did bringing in LBs Donnie Edwards and Napoleon Harris, but neither of those players (aged 34 and 28) are the long term solutions, especially on an aging Chiefs defense that still employs Ty Law (33) and Patrick Surtain (31) in the secondary. However safeties Jarrad Page and Bernard Pollard, both 2006 draftees, are exciting, young playmakers. Can the veterans stay healthy and can the young players step up? That’s KC’s biggest question.
4) Oakland Raiders (projected record: 4-12)
The Raiders are going to be better than they were last year, but that isn’t saying much coming off a 2-win 2006 campaign. New Head Coach Lane Kiffin can’t legally drink yet (joking) but he’s definitely an upgrade over Art Shell, but that’s not saying much either. That’s like upgrading from a 1984 Nissan Sentra on blocks with 200,000 miles and a blown transmission. Anything looks better than that. Getting to the team itself, #1 draft selection QB JaMarcus Russell is still holding out which means he won’t be ready to produce for this team probably until next season. That’s too bad because if you listened to any of the Sugar Bowl broadcast between Russell’s LSU squad and Notre Dame, you would’ve sworn that JaMarcus was 9 feet tall and could throw tight spirals all the way to Jupiter (even though he came pretty close to looking that good against ND). The defense is solid with LB Derrick Burgess and safeties Nhamdi Asomugha and former Purdue standout Stuart Schweigert (try having a pronunciation contest with those two). The offense however, is borderline pathetic. But, hey they could double their win total!
NFC EAST
1) Philadelphia Eagles (projected record: 11-5)
The Eagles looked deader than dead after QB Donovan McNabb blew out his knee in Week 11, but responded with a big run and came within a couple points of another NFC Championship game appearance behind backup QB Jeff Garcia. Well, McNabb is back and healthy and so is RB Brian Westbrook who had a monster 2006 (1,916 total yards). WR Kevin Curtis (40 rec, 479 yds) is an ample replacement for the departed Donte Stallworth and Reggie Brown is McNabb’s favorite deep threat. 2nd year man Omar Gaither takes over the middle LB spot previously occupied by Jeremiah Trotter, who the Eagles surprsingly cut in training camp. FA acquisition veteran Takeo Spikes joins Gaither along with Chris Gocong, another 2nd year player. Corners Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard along with safety Brian Dawkins make the secondary the strong point of the defense. The schedule sets the Eagles up for a strong start with @Green Bay, Washington, Detroit, @NY Giants, @NY Jets, Chicago and @Minnesota. They should start 6-1 with that slate.
2) Dallas Cowboys (projected record: 9-7)
I’m not sure if I fully understand all the Dallas Super Bowl predictions especially considering that they made the worst head coach hiring in recent memory this side of Art Shell by brining in Wade Phillips. The good thing for Phillips is that unlike in his previous job in Buffalo, he will inherit a ton of talent. I haven’t jumped off the Tony Romo bandwagon yet and still think he has the skill and moxie to be a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback for a long time. T.O. will be T.O. and Terry Glenn emerged as one of Romo’s favorite targets (70 rec, 1,047 yds) along with tight end Jason Whitten who had an outstanding 2006 (64 rec, 754 yds). The two-headed monster of Julius Jones and Marion Barber III was extremely effective last season. One spot where Phillips shines is on the defensive side of the ball after spending three seasons as Defensive Coordinator in San Diego. Running an effective 3-4 depends on how good the linebackers are and Dallas has plenty of good ones starting with DeMarcus Ware and his 11 ½ sacks. This is a team that has the talent to go to a Super Bowl, I just have a feeling that Wade Phillips will find a way to prevent that from happening.
Wade Phillips discussing the steak he ate for lunch
3) New York Giants (projected record: 7-9)
What could have been a special season in 2006 was ruined by a rash of injuries and locker room distractions. Team Turmoil as I call them, looked to enter this season on a clean slate. But after DE Michael Strahan’s holdout and the Tiki vs. Eli cat-fight, it looks like it’s the same old, same old in the Giants camp this year. This team has a lame duck head coach in Tom Coughlin and lost one of the most prolific offensive players in their history with Tiki Barber’s retirement (over 2,000 total yards last season). That’s never a good combination. This is a critical season for QB Eli Manning who tends to inexplicably regress as the season goes on. He has plenty of weapons with WR Plaxico Burress, TE Jeremy Shockey and his go-to-guy WR Amani Toomer is fully healthy. One of the big questions on offense will be if new starter Brandon Jacobs can be an every-down back. Jacobs did look beastly in his limited opportunities the last two seasons. On the defensive side, new Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo shifted 2006 first round selection Mathias Kiwanuka from end to LB. Kiwanuka is extremely athletic but looked completely lost in his pass coverage assignments during the preseason. Osi Umenyiora and Michael Strahan will have to create consistent pressure to bail out a suspect secondary. I still believe Eli Manning can be a good quarterback in this league, but he’s really running out of chances to prove it.
4) Washington Redskins (projected record: 5-11)
The Redskins defense was absolutely horrific last season ranking 27th against the run, 23rd against the pass and 31st overall. Those numbers should improve with the additions of LB London Fletcher and first round draft pick Safety Laron Landry. This team has a lot of potential offensively and QB Jason Campbell has the tools and the athletic ability to be a playmaker. RBs Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts complement each other nicely and WRs Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle-El can score anytime they touch the ball. This defense is too mediocre to hope for anything more than 5-6 wins.
NFC NORTH
1) Chicago Bears (projected record: 10-6)
Try this analogy:
The NFC North is to the NFL as….
A) The Atlantic Division is to the NBA
B) The National League Central is to MLB
C) The Big East is to College football
D) All of the Above
If you answered D, you’re a winner! But, the NFC North being horrible doesn’t change the fact that the Bears have a wealth of talent. The defense will likely be better this year now that DT Tommie Harris is healthy and free-agent Adam Archuleta has been added to the secondary. The success (or failure) of the 2007 Bears rests in the hands of QB Rex Grossman who besides having a huge arm doesn’t seem to do anything well except occasionally throw the deep ball. RB Cedric Benson will be fine but I don’t think he’ll necessarily replace the production that Thomas Jones gave them last season. TE Greg Olsen was a steal in the back of the first round and Devin Hester will still be a threat on special teams. It seems like every season the Super Bowl loser comes back and has a down year. Maybe it’s Grossman, maybe it’s Benson or maybe it’s the fact that the Colts defense completely shut them down, I don’t know, but I just don’t think this team has what it takes.
2) Green Bay Packers (projected record: 6-10)
QB Brett Favre will break the all-time touchdown passes mark which will probably be one of the only bright spots for the Packers this season. RB Brandon Jackson could be a darkhorse candidate for rookie of the year. Defensively they are underrated. DE Aaron Kampman was absolutely ridiculous last season with 15 ½ sacks and LB A.J. Hawk (119 tackles) is going to be a star. The schedule isn’t too kind to Green Bay outside of the division with games against Philadelphia, San Diego, @Denver, @Dallas and @St. Louis. The defense will be stellar but the offense is basically a crapshoot especially with the way Favre tends to shoot his team in the foot with stupid interceptions. Picking a 2nd place team in this division is a chore.
3) Detroit Lions (projected record: 5-11)
The talks of the Lions winning 10 games this season are absolutely laughable and they remind me a lot of the ridiculous predictions of the Arizona Cardinals winning the NFC West a couple years ago. The offense will improve, a little, with WR Calvin Johnson, but I think Tatum Bell is a downgrade from the injured Kevin Jones at RB. QB Jon Kitna has plenty of targets and he’ll get his numbers, but will 30 TD passes really matter when he throws 20+ interceptions? The defense is bad, there’s no other way around it. DT Shaun Rogers is good when he decides he feels like playing. That’s about it.
4) Minnesota Vikings (projected record: 5-11)
The Vikings run defense was great, like all-time great, allowing less than 3 yards per carry. Problem is, the Vikes were 31st against the pass. I’m one of the few people that actually like QB Tarvaris Jackson and I think he could have a good year. RB Chester Taylor was great last season and should only get better now that Adrian Peterson is around to give him a breather. Bobby Wade was a nice addition at WR but neither he nor Troy Williamson are any better than #3 WRs in this league. Defensive Coordinator Mike Tomlin is gone, but there’s no reason to believe the run D will regress with DTs Pat and Kevin Williams. This team could be a year away from playoff contention.
NFC SOUTH
1) New Orleans Saints (projected record: 13-3)
This offense is as good as any in the entire league even though its hard to fathom that QB Drew Brees could be much better than he was in 2006 (4,000+ yds, 26 TD, 96.2 rating). The combo of RB Deuce McCallister and Reggie Bush is the change-of-pace RB committee that other teams dream of having. The real worrisome aspect of the Saints is the defense’s tendency to give up the big play. Despite being ranked 11th in total defense, the Saints gave up sixteen 40+ yard pass plays in 2006. The Saints tried to improve that spot by bringing in FA corner Jason David from the Indianapolis Colts. The bookends on the line Will Smith and Charles Grant make the Saints formidable up front. If the defense can limit the big plays and the offense can be anything close to what it was in ’06, the Saints will win the division easily.
2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (projected record: 10-6)
Every year there’s one team that totally sucked the year before that comes out of nowhere to make the playoffs. Call me crazy but this year I have a big crush on Tampa Bay. The acquisition of Jeff Garcia brings stability to the QB position that they haven’t had in recent seasons. The other offseason additions LT Luke Pettigout, DT Kevin Carter and LB Cato June, will contribute immediately. The Bucs also shed some dead weight by getting rid of Simeon Rice and Shelton Quarles. RB Cadillac Williams can’t possibly be as bad as he was in 2006, look for him to bounce back in a big way. I like WR Joey Galloway and fellow WR David Boston was worth taking a flier on. Maybe I’m just crazy for thinking this team will be any good, I just have a gut feeling (just like I did about Michigan…).
Don't get the wrong idea Jeff, it's your team that I like
3) Carolina Panthers (projected record: 8-8)
Now that Michael Vick is out on hiatus, I think Jake Delhomme may take his throne as the most overrated player in the NFL (along with Vince Young). Outside of Steve Smith, Delhomme lacks weapons. I’m not sure what they’ll get from DeShaun Foster or DeAngelo Williams but I wouldn’t DePend on much production from either. Expect rookie WR Dwayne Jarrett from USC to step in and claim the #2 WR spot alongside Smith by the end of the season. The defense is still outstanding, that hasn’t changed, but it seems like a long shot that Carolina could compete with New Orleans for the division.
4) Atlanta Falcons (projected record: 2-14)
This team is horrible without Vick. I feel especially bad for Bobby Petrino because he made the worst decision of his career by taking this job instead of staying at Louisville and possibly contending for a National title. There isn’t a shred of evidence that QB Joey Harrrington can be any better than a 3rd stringer for a high school team. The only bright spots on this team are CB DeAngelo Hall (58 tackles, 4 INT) and LB Keith Brooking (136 tackles). Maybe Petrino can take Brian Brohm with that #1 overall selection next season….
NFC WEST
1) Seattle Seahawks (projected record: 10-6)
Not a lot of changes from last year for Seattle who had a nice season in 2006. Their schedule lightens significantly with games against @Atlanta, @Cleveland and of course, Arizona twice. People are really down on Shaun Alexander and I can’t imagine why. Just because LT is flashier, doesn’t mean that he’s worlds better than Alexander. The trade of Darrell Jackson was a head-scratcher but D.J. Hackett looks like a suitable replacement. The additions of DE Patrick Kerney and Safety Deon Grant improve an already solid defense. They’ll be better than you think.
2) St. Louis Rams (projected record: 9-7)
Speaking of great backs, how about Steven Jackson? Jax had over 2,300 total yards last season to go along with 16 touchdowns. WR Torry Holt is always good for 90/1,000/8 (rec/yds/TD) and the always reliable Isaac Bruce would be a #1 on most teams. QB Marc Bulger is one of the more underrated players in the league and despite being in a heavily pass oriented offense, rarely makes mistakes (just 8 INT last year in 588 attempts). The defense is a real concern but the Rams will contend for a playoff berth.
3) San Francisco 49ers (projected record: 9-7)
The Niners are a year or two away from getting back to their regular spot among the NFC elite, a spot that they have vacated for almost a decade now. QB Alex Smith has improved each season so expect that trend to continue. RB Frank Gore is a stud but his preseason injury could be a concern. I love what they did adding CB Nate Clements and LB Tully Banta-Cain as well as drafting LB Patrick Willis, but it’ll take longer than one year for them to significantly improve a defense ranked 26th in 2006.
4) Arizona Cardinals (projected record: 6-10)
QB Matt Leinart could be good, if his O-line keeps him off his back. There’s not a ton of good things to say about this team. I think RB Edgerrin James’ better days are behind him and even if he was still Pro Bowl-caliber, he would have trouble running behind that line. Boldin and Fitzgerald will get their numbers but it won’t mean much seeing how one-dimensional Arizona is. There’s really not a single player I like on their entire defense and I think it will be the worst unit in the league (besides Detroit) this season.
The Shots SMMGNV!P PREDICITONS:
AFC Wild Card: #3 Ravens over #6 Broncos
AFC Wild Card: #4 Colts over #5 Bengals
NFC Wild Card: #6 Cowboys over #3 Bears
NFC Wild Card: #4 Seahawks over #5 Buccaneers
AFC Divisional: #1 Chargers over #4 Colts
AFC Divisional: #3 Ravens over #2 Patriots
NFC Divisional: #1 Saints over #6 Cowboys
NFC Divisional: #4 Seahawks over #2 Eagles
AFC Championship: #3 Ravens over #1 Chargers
NFC Championship: #1 Saints over #4 Seahawks
Super Bowl: Saints 21, Ravens 20
SHOOTING THE REST OF THE SPORTS WORLD:
Since this NFL Preview was like a freakin’ term paper, I have just two shots this week, both college football related:
Brick: Notre Dame
Saturday’s 33-3 debacle certainly ranks with the embarrassing blowout losses of the Davingham era – that’s the forgettable eight seasons under Bob Davie and Tyrone Willingham (which regrettably spanned my entire high school and college years). For the first time since that era, Notre Dame looked under-prepared and completely overwhelmed by the Yellow Jackets. Everyone knows it’s going to be a rebuilding year for the Irish but I thought the doomsday predications of a 1-7 or 2-6 start were unrealistic. After Saturday’s game, I feel like either of those starts could be a possibility.
Air Ball: Michigan
I thought that Michigan had a great chance to run the table because of their pillowy-soft schedule. 8 home games – 4 road games, just one road game in the first three months (Northwestern), Ohio State at home, etc. Really the Wisconsin game was the only game I was really concerned about, ignoring Jim Tressel’s success against the Wolverines. Nobody had any idea that Michigan would lose to Appalachian State, and if they told you they had a feeling it would happen, then they’re lying to your face. I don’t care that Appalachian State has won 15 straight games. I don’t care that they are the two-time defending I-AA (or Championship Sub Division or whatever the hell they call it) Champions. No I-AA school had ever beaten a ranked D-I school, much less a powerhouse program like Michigan. App. State is a good team, but you’re kidding yourself if you think that they wouldn’t struggle to even become bowl-eligible in any of the BCS Conferences (though they could win the NFC North…). This is much different from college basketball, where there’s a much more level playing field. Michigan has (or should have) players with superior size, athleticism and talent to go along with an athletic department budget that dwarfs that of Appalachian State. You can’t legitimize this loss, period, so don’t try. It’s embarrassing and borderline pathetic for the Michigan program, their fans, the Big Ten and the University itself.
It'll be hard for UM fans to live this one down
The Shots What to Watch this week:
Saints at Colts - Thursday
If you miss the NFL opening kickoff then you’re a communist. By the way, don’t be surprised if the Saints come out and win this game. I told a few Colts fans that I thought New Orleans was going to win the opener and about got my freakin’ head ripped off. Look, the Colts are going to be strong again, but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – they can’t stop the run.
U.S. Open Quarterfinals/Semis/Finals – Wednesday through Sunday
An intriguing matchup between 5 seed Andy Roddick and top seed Roger Federer in the quarterfinals. If Roddick is going to break through, the U.S. Open is his best chance where the crowd is going to be behind him all the way.
Peak Antifreze Indy 300 – Saturday
The final race of the IRL season will bring a down-to-the-wire points race to a conclusion. Going into the finale, Dario Franchitti has a slim three point lead over Scott Dixon. Also, don’t sleep on Tony Kanaan who has won 3 of the past 4 races and mathematically still has a shot, trailing by 39 points.
The Shots YouTube clips of the week:
Sports related: http://youtube.com/watch?v=a5a_50qzE3c
I can’t believe that this actually happened but here is a one minute clip of Penn State fans celebrating Michigan’s loss to Appalachian State. Memo to Penn State fans: I’d be more worried about my team actually losing to the team that lost to Appalachian State. The Wolverines have beaten PSU eight straight times dating back to 1997. Worry about your own team, don’t be like Red Sox fans.
Non-sports related: http://youtube.com/watch?v=a8q-elxC6gU
Oddly enough, this was my exact reaction the day Eric Gordon de-committed from Illinois and chose IU.
The Shots Chick Pick this week: Kelly Clarkson!
She’s a part of the concert on the Circle on Thursday. She’s also a part of the funniest moment of 40 Year Old Virgin.
See you next week.
Shoot your own Shots in the mailbag: derek@espn950.com
