NFL Football Sports Fan Blog

With the NFL season about halfway over, here are teams that you will likely see winning their division at the year’s end.

NFC East: New York Giants
Eli Manning is playing the best football of his career. And despite many injuries, the Giants have players stepping up at all times. At a 6-2 record, and the only team above .500 in the division, it will be hard to see anyone catching up. At 3-5, the Eagles are all about done. For the Cowboys to sneak ahead, they would absolutely have to go 2-0 against New York.

NFC North: Green Bay Packers
This one is easy, as they have looked untouchable so far. The Bears and Lions could also very well make the playoffs as well, and I would expect Chicago to finish in second in the division.

NFC South: Atlanta Falcons
Both the Falcons and Saints have looked underwhelming at times. There is only so much that Drew Brees can do with this team. Every year (aside from their Super Bowl win), the defense has stopped the Saints from reaching their true potential.

NFC West: San Francisco 49ers
They’re 7-1, and nobody else in the division has even three wins. Nothing to be said.

AFC East: New York Jets
This one will come down to the wire between the Jets and Patriots, but the Jets have been playing at a more consistent level. They struggled early on, but are starting to mesh well.

AFC North: Baltimore Ravens
This is a legitimate three-team race, but one cannot help but assume that the Bengals will falter off. Pittsburgh is within legitimate striking distance, but Baltimore has that intimidation factor on defense, and look hungrier than ever.

AFC South: Houston Texans
The Texans have to win the division this year. At 6-3, the division is theirs for the taking. There are simply no excuses on their end if they fail.

AFC West: Oakland Raiders
This division continues to be mediocre at best, but the Raiders have to be the favorites to win. Different players constantly step up, and they finally have a good quarterback. Philip Rivers has just been missing something this year, and the Chiefs are not talented enough (and Charles has been out for the season).

So there are the predicted division winners, and I would expect the Bears, Saints, Steelers, and Patriots to also make the playoffs.

The dynamics that go into pro football continue to change on a week by week basis as there are few things that a bettor can cling to as permanent fact.

A great example of this comes with the wild sports betting swings of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs had a dreadful start to the season going 0-2 both straight up and against the spread as they were outscored by a combined 10-89. As everyone wrote them off for the rest of the season the Chiefs began to get themselves straightened out and won 3 of their next 4 games while getting the money all 4 times. If ever there was an example of the dangers for gamblers with forgone conclusions and giving up on a team it would be the Chiefs.

Another surprise team has been the Carolina Panthers as they have given everyone a stark lesson on the dynamics of sports value. Carolina has been ignited by rookie quarterback Cam Newton and although they lost 5 of their first 7 games they did cover the spread 5 times. For gamblers looking for a bargain value, Carolina serves as a reminder that teams who are ignored by the general betting public are often the best money makers that can be found.

Another surprise team has been the San Francisco 49ers who had a record of 5-1 straight up and 5-0-1 against the spread. For anyone who doubts that a good head coach can make a difference, the 49ers have proven that it can be an immense weapon. Jim Harbaugh has completely changed the dynamics and expectations since arriving from Stanford last January. Harbaugh is also winning with the quarterback that the general public totally wrote off, Alex Smith.

For those looking for a reliable team that they can count on there is Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots. New England won 5 of their first 6 sports betting matchups of the season while getting the money 4 times. The Patriots are not just a team but a system and Belichick’s “Patriot Way” has defied the common “wisdom” that dynasties are a thing of the past in this era of parity.

Another major surprise that the public blew off has been the Cincinnati Bengals as they won 4 of their first 6 games and got the money 5 times, all with a rookie quarterback from TCU named Andy Dalton!

We’ll be giving our thirdly reviews of the 2011 NFL season after weeks 6, 12, and the final week of the regular season. The conclusion of week 6 marks the first of our installments. Some honors to be given out include, AFC/NFC MVP, Best Defensive Players, Best offensive and defensive rookies, most surprising teams, most disappointing teams, and more.

AFC MVP – Fred Jackson, RB Buffalo Bills

The undrafted 5^th year veteran from Coe College has been nothing short of outstanding through the first third of the season. Averaging 100 yards a game on the ground at 5.7 yards a clip, Fred Jackson has powered the surprising Buffalo Bills to the highest scoring offense in the AFC, even outscoring Tom Brady and the Patriots. Jackson has also added 24 catches through 6 games showing he is a very viable option in the Bills’ aerial attack as well. His most redeeming quality may be his ability to protect the rock. Jackson has yet to fumble this year, ensuring that he will sustain drives when given the opportunity to make a play. Jackson showed a lot of promise during the 2010 season and has taken it to another level so far this year.

NFC MVP – Aaron Rodgers, QB Green Bay Packers

After winning the Super Bowl over the Pittsburgh Steelers last year (as well as the game’s MVP honors), many people had high expectations for Aaron Rodgers this season. Boy, has he delivered or what? Through 6 games Rodgers has been dynamite, guiding the Pack to the most explosive offense in the entire league. Rodgers has already thrown for over 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns while completing over 70% of his throws. He has thrown only 3 interceptions thus far and one of them was off his receivers finger tips before falling into the hands of the defender. As of now, Rodgers owns a QB rating of 122.5. If he were to maintain this pace over the course of the season, it would mark the highest single-season QB rating in NFL history.

AFC Defensive Player – Richard Seymour, DL Oakland Raiders

Many scoffed when the Raiders gave up a first round pick in 2009 to acquire defensive lineman Richard Seymour from the New England Patriots. The popular opinion was that genius Bill Bellicheck and had fleeced the recently deceased Al Davis of a draft pick. Well, the Patriots defense has not been the same since losing Seymour in the trenches. Seymour has brought a change in attitude and a winning mentality to Oakland. He anchors one of the toughest defensive lines in all of football and has sparked the Raiders to a 4-2 record thus far. He also leads the AFC in sacks with 5. Seymour’s impact goes beyond the numbers as he is helping transform the Raiders from perennial laughingstock, to legit division contender.

NFC Defensive Player – Jason Pierre-Paul, DE New York Giants

With all the talk about defensive ends for the New York Giants, one player not discussed very much was second year end Jason Pierre-Paul. Much of the preseason focus was on Osi Umenyiora’s contract dispute, how would Justin Tuck hold up without his running mate, and the return of Mathias Kiwanuka and where he would play. Then during the season the focus fell on Osi’s knee surgery and then to Tuck’s groin and neck injuries. Still overlooked, Pierre-Paul has quietly developed into one of the best pass-rushers in the entire league with 7.5 sacks through 6 games (2nd most). He has anchored  the Giants defense en route to a 4-2 record and the top of the NFC East division while the rest of his defensive line mates have been hobbled. Pierre-Paul continues to impress each week with his growing variety of pass rushing moves and motor to get to the quarterback. He should continue to progress through the season as his supporting cast gets healthier and can provide more assistance.

Offensive Rookie – Andy Dalton, QB Cincinnati Bengals/A.J. Green, WR Cincinnati Bengals

Though Carolina Panther rookie QB Cam Newton has put up eye-popping numbers thus far, it has not lead to much success in the win column. The Bengals rookie duo of A.J. Green and Andy Dalton have tasted success. The reason we selected Dalton and Green together for this pick would be that one could not succeed without the other. Could you imagine Dalton winning while throwing to Jerome Simpson and Jordan Shipley? Would A.J. Green be catching this many balls if Bruce Gradkowski was tossing it to him? The first two picks of the 2011 draft for the Cincinnati Bengals have been a slam dunk success so far. Along with a stellar defense, the quarterback/wide receiver duo have been a huge reason why the Bengals are 4-2 and tied with the reigning conference champion Steelers for second in the AFC North. The rookies will have a difficult time maintaining their success as defenses get more and more film on their tendencies, but this connection looks like it will be a fixture for Bengals fans for years to come.

Defensive Rookie – Von Miller, LB Denver Broncos

The rookie linebacker from Texas A&M has lived up to the billing of a playmaker thus far into his inaugural NFL campaign. The former Aggie is second in rookie sacks with 5 (trailing Aldon Smith by .5) to go along with 18 tackles. Miller also has forced 2 fumbles and 2 passes defensed. He is a big reason why Denver’s defense, which has been god awful over the last half decade,  is first in the division in points allowed.

Best Coach– Jim Harbaugh, San Francisco 49ers

When he agreed to fill the coaching vacancy in San Francisco, Jim Harbaugh knew he was facing a daunting task. He was taking over a 5-11 team with one of the worst offenses in the NFL. His quarterback was 1^st overall bust Alex Smith, running back was injury prone Frank Gore, and Michael Crabtree had been very unimpressive in his first two years in the league. The defense, which was supposed to be the strength of the team under Mike Singletary, had largely failed them. On top of the personnel issues, Harbaugh had never coached in the NFL, making his mark in the college ranks, and the league was in the midst of a lockout which prevented him from installing his system and beliefs.

Apparently none of this mattered at all. Alex Smith, working in his 20^th offensive system in 6 years, is having a career year. Crabtree has realized some of his enormous potential and has been a solid wideout.  The defense has been playing at a very high level as well. Harbaugh’s signature moment this year was following the 49ers biggest win in week 6. He was so fired up after beating the then undefeated Lions in Detroit, that instead of the ritual post-game handshake with opposing head coach Jim Schwartz, he slapped him emphatically on the back, and almost started a brawl. Harbaugh has his team competing hard week in and week out with his players ready to do anything for their head coach.

Most Surprising Team – Buffalo Bills

Buffalo was a popular pick to be the winner of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. So far they have been anything but contenders for the All-American QB. Featuring a bunch of castoffs on both sides of the ball under an alleged lame duck head coach, the Bills have the second highest scoring offense in the NFL. So far they have beaten the “Dream Team” in Philadelphia, the New England Patriots, and fellow upstart Oakland. If Chan Gailey can keep this high-scoring passing attack going, the Bills will have a serious chance to make the playoffs and continue their Cinderella run.

Most Disappointing Team – Philadelphia Eagles

This title can belong to nobody other than the self-proclaimed “Dream Team”. After a slew of big name acquisitions in the offseason, new back-up quarterback Vince Young decided that this Philadelphia Eagles team was the near equivalent of the 1992 USA men’s basketball squad that was arguably the greatest collection of talent ever assembled on one team in any sport. After a 31-13 victory over the St. Louis Rams, a win that saw the Eagles give up a TD run to Steven Jackson on the Rams’ first play from scrimmage before Jackson left with an injury, the Eagles dropped 4 straight games in embarrassing fashion. It started with a fourth quarter collapse against the Falcons in which Vick was injured and could not returned. The next week the Eagles were manhandled by the Giants in another game where Vick was roughed up. They then blew another late lead against the 49ers. After the game, San Francisco running back Frank Gore said the Eagles did not want to keep playing and gave up. They tried to claw back in Buffalo the next week, but could not get out of their own way. Turnovers, porous defense, costly penalties, and clock management plague Philadelphia each week. Their two wins have come against Washington and St. Louis, neither are world beaters by any sense of the term. The coaching staff needs to tighten up the ship significantly if Philly is going to turn this mess around. Quarterback Michael Vick has declared that the term “Dream Team” is dead in Philadelphia. It’ll take a lot more than talk to prove that the Eagles are serious contenders for a playoff spot

Best Special Teams Player – Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland Raiders

Janikowski won this award for his record-tying 63 yard field goal against the Broncos in week 1. On top of that, he is still having a fantastic kicking season. On the year Janikowski is 12-13 on field goal attempts. Better yet he is 5-6 on attempts from 50 yards or longer. His strong leg also has him among the league leaders in touchbacks. The former Al Davis first round pick is playing inspired ball right now and is the biggest deep kick threat in the game.

Best Acquisition – Jason Babin, DE Philadelphia Eagles

Jason Babin wasn’t the most high-profile signing made by the Eagles en route to assembling their interpretation of the “Dream Team”, but so far he has been the most productive. Though the team sits in the basement of the division at 2-4, Babin has been one of the bright spots. He is third in the league in sacks with 7. While Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie haven’t been accruing the interceptions they’re accustomed to, they are covering receivers long enough for Babin to get to the quarterback to register the sack. Babin must improve his rush defense to keep this award throughout the season.

Worst Acquisition – Kevin Kolb, QB Arizona Cardinals

The pupu platter of quarterbacks under center last year for the Cardinals prompted management to seek a franchise signal-caller before they wasted away Larry Fitzgerald’s prime. Boy did they make a massive miscalculation. Despite a 2-5 career record as a start and only one more touchdown than career interceptions, the Cardinals traded their best cover corner, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and a 2nd round pick to Philadelphia for Kolb.  So far this year, Kolb has thrown 6 picks to 5 touchdowns to go along with 6 fumbles (3 lost). The only win to date is over 1-5 Carolina in week 1. Not only has erratic QB  play continued, but the pass defense has been worse than ever. Opposing quarterbacks are having field days when facing Arizona. It looks as though the QB drought will continue in the desert.

After winning the Super Bowl in 2009, the New Orleans Saints took a step backward in 2010, finishing 11-5 and being upset at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the playoffs. The defense that made so many huge plays was unable to duplicate that performance. Even though Drew Brees threw 33 touchdowns, he had a tough year throwing 22 interceptions and fumbling 9 times. A poor running game was the main reason for the turnovers. The Saints suffered several injuries to their running backs. Already a heavy passing team, opponents barely had to respect the run and were able to sit back and put more people into coverage.

To aid the struggling running game, the Saints took Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram in the first round. Although he lacks top-end speed, Ingram is a very complete back and should be able to contribute in all facets of the game for the team. Returning from injury is starter Pierre Thomas. Thomas injured his ankle early in the season, and did very little when he returned to the team in December before ending up on IR. Receiving threat Reggie Bush was lost to free agency, but was replaced by the diminutive Darren Sproles. Like Bush, Sproles has been an excellent receiver and punt returner, and will fulfill that role. All-pro center Olin Kreutz was signed and will bolster a solid offensive line. An increased emphasis on the running game should open things up downfield for Drew Brees and his receivers. Brees will look to extend his streak of 4,000 yards passing to 6 consecutive seasons. He will be working with the same group of receivers as last year. Marques Colston, Lance Moore, Robert Meachem, and Devery Henderson all return to New Orleans in the same roles. The wild card on the offense is tight end Jimmy Graham. Graham has not been playing organized football very long, but the team was high enough on him to cut Jeremy Shockey to free up playing time. Graham came on towards the end of the season and could see a bigger role this year.

Blitz-happy defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will be back ratcheting up the pressure for the Saints again in 2011. He may be working with his weakest defense yet so far. Will Smith and Sedrick Ellis anchor the defensive line, but Smith is suspended for using an illegal diuretic in part of the Starcaps case. Aubrayo Franklin and Turk McBride were signed to start at defensive tackle and end respectively, although neither has produced much as of yet in their careers. Ends Cameron Jordan and Greg Romeus were drafted by the team and offer intriguing depth and potential at the position. They may be called upon to contribute this season. Jonathon Vilma leads an unimpressive group of linebackers. Scott Shanle and Will Herring will be flanking him on either side. Malcolm Jenkins heads the secondary, most likely the best unit of this defense, but that isn’t saying much. Roman Harper will be the other safety and Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter man the corner spots. Porter made a great play to intercept Peyton Manning for a touchdown in the Super Bowl, however, he struggled in coverage a lot last year. Overall the defense does not look very impressive at all, and Gregg Williams will have a very tall task ahead of him to slow down opposing offenses.

The Saints will most likely be involved in a lot of shootouts this upcoming year, and that’s just the way they like it. Coach Payton believes there aren’t many teams that can keep up with his high octane offense. An improved running attack could go a long way for New Orleans. Not only will it open up down-field throws for Brees, it will give their lacking defense a chance to get more rest on the sideline. If the Saints are able to establish a legitimate ground attack, look for them to take back the NFC South crown. If Brees is forced to throw 50 times a game, the Saints could struggle and potentially miss the playoffs altogether.

An awkward situation for the Tennessee Titans finally resolved itself after the 2010 season with an interesting twist. Head coach Jeff Fisher, the longest tenured coach in the league, and quarterback Vince Young were at odds with owner Bud Adams seemingly on Young’s side. When it was announced that Fisher was not returning in 2011 it was believed that Young had finally won out. Six months later, Young also found himself being shown the door and was cut. This season should be a very interesting one in Nashville with a lot of new faces.

Although Jake Locker was drafted in the first round to be the franchise’s quarterback of the future, he will not be thrown into the fire immediately. Taking over the vacated quarterback spot will be former Seahawk Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck struggled the last couple of years with injuries and poor play. The help of one of most electric running backs in the game might help him out. With Chris Johnson able to break a touchdown run off from anywhere on the field, defenses won’t be able to hone in on stopping the quarterback. Hasselbeck enjoyed some of his most successful seasons on a run-first team in Seattle with Shaun Alexander. Receiver Kenny Britt has had his share of troubles off of the field, particularly during the lockout when he was arrested several times. His poor behavior led to a meeting with Commissioner Roger Goodell although no suspension was handled down. With that being said, Britt is loaded with potential and could be in store for his best year yet with the veteran QB feeding him the ball. Nate Washington will also start at wide out, but is decent at best. The team is high on second year receiver Damian Williams and hopes he is ready sooner than later to make an impact on the field. Tight end Jared Cook is also in his second year and could be a huge receiving threat as Hasselbeck loves to utilize his tight end in the passing game. The main issue on offense for the Titans will be their line play. To help in that area, former iron man and franchise hero Bruce Matthews was made offensive line coach.

The Titans defense under the watch of Jeff Fisher was extremely physical from front to back. Fisher especially left his mark in the secondary, where he played himself, with Cortland Finnegan, Michael Griffin, and Chris Hope dishing out hits week in and week out to opposing teams. Jason McCourty is the final remaining starter in the secondary. He is not as physical as the other 3 and struggles due to a lack of ball skills despite being a good athlete. The linebackers in Tennessee have the potential to be good, but there are question marks. Rookie Akeem Ayers has no experience and limited range on the strong side. Weakside backer Will Weatherspoon has been a bit of a journey man the past couple of years and is undersized at the position. Middle linebacker Barrett Ruud comes over from Tampa Bay where he had started 95 out of 96 possible games the past 6 years. He was solid during his time with the Bucaneers so it is puzzling why they chose to not re-sign him with boatloads of cash available. There are even bigger questions on the defensive line. The line is filled with inexperienced starters Jacob Ford, who has the potential to be a very good pass rusher, rookie Karl Klug, William Hayes, and Shaun Smith. The Titans lost defensive line coach Jim Washburn, arguably the league’s best, to the Eagles. Washburn was responsible for instilling the edge the Titans linemen consistently played with. Keeping that edge could be the difference in having a good and bad season for the team.

The results for the 2011 Tennessee season will be determined by the battles in the trenches. Can the offensive line open up holes for Chris Johnson and protect Hasselbeck? Can the defense line continue their ways of penetrating and wreaking havoc in the backfield without Washburn in charge? Expect mediocre results on both sides that will hinder the team throughout the season. Despite a possible absence from Peyton Manning and the underwhelming Texans on the schedule twice, the Titans will not be able to compete for a division title.

The Baltimore Ravens finished 2010 with a 12-4 record, but bowed out to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs for the second time in three years. With an aging Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, this may be one of the last couple of years for the Ravens to win a Super Bowl with their vaunted defense. As good as the defense was, it really struggled defending the pass last season versus the run. Baltimore fans must put their faith in Joe Flacco taking the next step in his progression to give the offense more punch to take the pressure off of the D.

Joe Flacco was solid last season tossing 25 touchdowns and totaling over 3,600 passing yards, but struggled down the stretch. In the final 6 games, including the 2 playoff games, Flacco topped 250 yards only once. This feat occurred during the Ravens’ blowout win over Kansas City in the first round. The wearing down of veteran receiver Derrick Mason and lack of other options could be the biggest reason for the dip in production. This season Flacco hopes to improve upon those numbers with a speedier supporting cast. Gone are Mason and slow but steady tight end Todd Heap. In steps speed-demon Lee Evans who was acquired in a trade with Buffalo and Ed Dickson, more of a receiving than blocking tight end. Baltimore also took a burner in the draft with the selection of Torrey Smith out of Maryland. These new targets getting downfield quickly could open up more things for Anquan Boldin. Boldin, one of the NFL’s better possession receivers, now has one season under his belt working with Flacco and should turn in better numbers. The biggest acquisitions could be in the running game. Vonta Leach, the fullback in charge of creating the holes for leading rusher Arian Foster, was brought in to pave the way for Ray Rice. Rice could be in store for his best season yet as long as the offensive line holds up. Speaking of the O-line, veteran Bryant McKinnie was signed over from Minnesota and takes over at left tackle. The move puts Michael Oher back at right tackle, his more natural position. The team has added depth at the center position with former Cowboy Andre Gurode in case starting center Matt Birk, who is dealing with a knee injury, is unable to go at the start of the season.

The Ravens defense has been the strong point of the team for the past decade, but with its key pieces getting up there in age, their time will be coming to a close soon. Veteran leaders Ray Lewis and Ed Reed will spearhead the defensive unit looking to make one more run at a championship. Last season the problem for Baltimore was their pass defense which finished ranked 21^st. Their corners were weaker than they have ever been. To compensate for the weakness, the Ravens blitzed a lot less than in recent years with poor results. The team totaled only 27 sacks on the year. The return of last year’s 2nd round pick Sergio Kindle could help boost that number significantly. Kindle, an outside linebacker, missed all of 2010 with a fractured skull and his health issues will be a major concern all year. He will likely face a lot of single-man blocking with terror Terrell Suggs occupying the opposite side. Suggs was responsible for 11 of the teams 27 sacks and will gladly welcome some help. The other linebackers receiving playing time are Jarret Johnson, Paul Kruger, and Jameel McClain, none being exceptional in any area. The battle in the trenches will be fought by franchise player Haloti Ngata and Cory Redding at defensive end. Now manning the nose guard position will be second year Alabama player Terrence Cody who is taking over for the departed Kelly Gregg. Cody, a mammoth 6’4 and 350 pounds, will always have his conditioning questioned, but if he can occupy blockers enough on running downs to give Ray Lewis freedom to roam, he will be fine. To address their secondary issues the Ravens drafted corner Jimmy Smith out of Colorado. Smith, who has never had his talent questioned, suffered from off the field issues and lack of focus in college. Management hopes Ray Lewis and Ed Reed can steer him in the right direction. Cary Williams and Dominique Foxworth will get the rest of the playing time across from Smith. Tom Zbikowski is a decent option with limited range, but his deficiencies are made up for by Ed Reed’s exceptional athleticism and instincts. Keeping Reed healthy for enough time will be a tall task for the Ravens’ medical staff.

Improved progress and production by the Baltimore offense could go a long way. The AFC is relatively weak and a similar performance should get them back to the playoffs barring major injuries. The real question is what will happen in the playoffs. Will they be able to beat the elite teams in the conference? A better offense will put the defense in attack mode, a scary thought for opposing offenses. If Flacco and company are able to step up, this team could be the class of the AFC.

The 2010 season was one to forget for the San Diego Chargers. Things got off to a rocky start from the get go with one of their biggest offensive weapons, Vincent Jackson, getting locked in a contract dispute with the front office. Coming off a Pro Bowl year in 2009, Jackson sat out through the first 10 weeks of the season, the maximum allowed before a player loses a year towards free agency. First round pick, running back Ryan Matthews, was shaken up by injuries throughout the season and never was much of a factor. Pro Bowl tight end Antonio Gates missed extended time tearing the plantar fascia in his foot. Special teams debacles made headlines many weeks. Field goals and punts were blocked at alarming rate. Penalties and fumbles on run backs killed momentum. Long-time special teams coach Steven Crosby was let go after the season as a result. A 2-5 start doomed San Diego and they missed the playoffs with a 9-7 record.

One of the brightest spots in a disappointing season was the play of quarterback. Despite the absence of several of his weapons, Philip Rivers made San Diego the top ranked offense and amassed over 4,000 yards passing and 30 touchdowns. The play of Mike Tolbert was a pleasant surprise. A short, thick running back, Tolbert gained over 700 yards, scored 11 touchdowns, and even caught 25 passes. Malcolm Floyd filled the void left by Vincent Jackson as big play receiver nearly averaged 20 yards per reception to go along with 6 TDs. The return of Vincent Jackson, better health for Gates and Matthews, along with the guys who filled in for them last year could make the San Diego offense even more explosive in 2011 if they can cut down on the mental errors.

As much credit as the Charger offense gets, the defense was vastly overlooked last year. San Diego finished first in passing yards allowed (177.8 yards/game) and fourth in rushing yards allowed (93.8 yards/game). It is unlikely they will be able to repeat this performance with defensive coordinator Ron Rivera leaving to become the head coach of the Carolina Panthers. San Diego is hoping to offset the loss of Rivera with an impressive safety tandem. Hard hitting and injury prone Bob Sanders was signed right before the lockout went into place. Many thought this insured the departure of free agent Eric Weddle, but he returned to the team some months later. A major blow came during training camp when middle linebacker Stephen Cooper suffered a torn bicep. Cooper will try to play through the injury, but with the physicality required to play the linebacker position, especially in a 3-4, it is unlikely he will make it through the season and will require surgery. Veteran Takeo Spikes will likely take Cooper’s spot in the lineup if he is unable to go. If the defense would like to continue the stellar play exhibited last year, young players LB Larry English and CB Antoine Cason need to continue to progress.

Although the defense should take a few steps back this year, the San Diego Chargers will still complete for the AFC West division title this year. The offense is too explosive and has too many weapons for many teams to match up with them. After their poor start last year, the Chargers came on down the stretch finishing 7-2 in the last 9 games. This was a team that simply shot themselves in the foot way too many times and had several bad breaks. By limiting their mistakes and taking better care of the football, expect San Diego to be the class of their division and return to the playoffs.

The Miami Dolphins were road warriors in 2010, finishing with a 6-2 away record including wins against the Vikings, Jets, Raiders, and Super Bowl champion Packers. The trouble for Miami was finishing games at Sun Life Stadium where they posted a 1-7 record. 5 of those losses came in heartbreaking fashion by one score or less. Poor play by Chad Henne and Tyler Thigpen prevented the Dolphins from turning the losses into wins. However, if the preseason is any indication and, they should be improved in the quarterback department.

Miami sought a replacement for Chad Henne during the off-season, nearly pulling off a trade for Denver’s Kyle Orton. The trade fell through at the last minute and Miami signed former Panther Matt Moore instead. Henne held onto his starting job and has looked good so far this preseason; completing 64% of his passes for 446 yards with 2 touchdowns through 3 games. Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll is giving Henne a lot more freedom to audible at the line of scrimmage this year, and the signal-caller is excited to shoulder the additional responsibilities. A year with a more focused Brandon Marshall, coming off an underwhelming 2010 campaign where he grabbed only 3 TDs, will only benefit Henne. Also returning are possession receiver Davone Bess (79 catches, 5 TDs) and tight end Anthony Fasano (39 catches, 4 TDs). Miami has a huge hole to fill in the backfield with the departure of both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. Former number 2 overall pick Reggie Bush was brought in to fill the void. Though it is questionable whether Bush can grind out yards between the tackles and also comes with a lengthy injury history, he should be another weapon for Henne out of the backfield. Big back Daniel Thomas (6’0, 230) was taken in the second round out of Kansas State, but has yet to show his physicality in the preseason. Expect these two backs to handle the bulk of the load. Thus far through the preseason the offensive line has been a tale of two tapes. The left side, All-pro Jake Long and Richie Incognito, have been solid. The same cannot be said for the right side (Marc Colombo and Vernon Carey). Colombo’s struggles show why he was not retained by Dallas after last year. Carey, on the other hand, could not cut it at tackle and was moved inside to guard where he continues to disappoint. Some of the problems could be a result of rookie center Mike Pouncey incorrectly identifying defenses. If so look for the o-line to improve through the course of the season as he learns how defenses like to attack.

In 2010, the Miami defense was a huge strength for the team finishing in the top 10 for both passing and rush defense. A young core of players should allow the defense to continue to be the strength of this franchise. Starters Kendall Langford and Jared Odrick on the defensive line, Sean Smith and Vontae Davis at cornerback, and linebackers Cameron Wake and Koa Misi all have 4 years or less of experience. Reshad Jones (2 years) and Chris Clemons (3 years) are competing fiercely for the starting free safety position. The more experience they garner, the more they should develop and progress as a unit. What helps even more is that they were all drafted by the Dolphins showing that management had a vision for these specific players. The young pups are complimented very nicely with veterans. Karlos Dansby has been a very disruptive player throughout his career and mans one of the MLB slots. Also in the middle is former Cowboy Kevin Burnett. Safety Yeremiah Bell brings veteran savvy and leadership to the back end of this defense. Look for another strong year from the Miami defense. Long-time Dolphin Jason Taylor returns to the team, but figures to play more of a back-up and mentoring role.

The 2011 Miami Dolphins should be improved from their 2010 version, but still have a tough task ahead of them. Their division foes New England and New York will be tough outs and not make life easy. Facing off against a very strong slate of NFC East opponents is no walk in the park either. Miami will need to continue their road success and the Chad Henne of the preseason if they are to compete for a Wild Card berth. If not, look for another season towards the middle of the pack for Miami.

After the end of a difficult and frustrating run, the Broncos decided to cut ties with coach Josh McDaniels. Although the Denver Broncos featured an explosive passing attack, the end of game results and personnel decisions left much to be desired. After the season, the Broncos hired the general of their all-time best passing attack to fix the team. Legend John Elway was brought in as executive vice president of football operations. Elway brought in former Carolina Panthers coach John Fox to turn around the team’s fortunes. Fox’s presence as a defensive-minded coach is much needed since the Broncos have ranked among the worst defenses in the league over the last several years. Injuries also took their toll which partially explains the disappointing finish for the team. Starting left tackle Ryan Clady and 2009 sack leader Elvis Dumervil both went down before the season even started. Kyle Orton, Erick Decker, Knowshon Moreno and others all missed time throughout the course of the year.

Kyle Orton enjoyed one of the best campaigns of his career in 2010 under the tutelage of Josh McDaniels. Orton threw for over 3,500 yards and 20 touchdowns, guiding the Denver passing attack to 7^th best in the league. Look for those numbers to come down a lot. John Fox preaches winning games by controlling time of possession and playing staunch defense. This means the Denver offense will be much more conservative than the run and gun days of the old regime. The battle for the back up spot is one of the biggest storylines of the preseason with former first round picks Brady Quinn and Tim Tebow competing. The acquisitions of both players were very controversial. Quinn was acquired for a couple of draft picks and last year’s breakout player, running back Peyton Hillis. Tebow was selected in the first round by McDaniels when it was debated by draft pundits whether he should even be drafted at all. At running back Knowshon Moreno is the likely starter despite injury problems last year. Veteran Willis McGahee was brought over from Baltimore to provide insurance and a more powerful complement to Moreno. Brandon Lloyd was a fantasy darling last season totaling over 1,400 yards and 11 touchdowns. Eddie Royal was productive after returning to his slot-receiver role and is a very nice threat in the return game. Second-year receiver Eric Decker had his rookie season marred by injury, but if he can stay healthy he could be poised to have a good year. Tight end is a bit of a weak spot with the starting position up in the air. Daniel Fells was signed over from St. Louis after catching 40 balls with the Rams in 2010. Other candidates include Dante Rosario and Dan Gronkowski, but each has very limited upside. The team hopes the return of Ryan Clady will provide a boost to a weak offensive line that protected the quarterback pretty well, but struggled to open up running lanes.

Although the Denver defense enjoys one of the league’s best homefield advantages with the thin air at Mile High Stadium, the Broncos’ defense has finished close to the bottom the past 6 years. The problem has been a lack of consistency. The Broncos have employed 6 different defensive coordinators over that same time span. Analysts often give quarterbacks a bit of a pass if they have been forced to learn a new system each year. The same holds true for an entire defense if they are unable to build upon concepts each year and are forced to learn new terminology and alignments from different coaches. Denver hopes John Fox, a strong, defensive-minded coach, and new coordinator Dennis Allen can bring that stability. They started their time in Denver by switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3. The change allows sack master Elvis Dumervil, who is coming off a season-ending injury, to return to his more natural position of defensive end. The rest of the line is filled with potential that has not been lived up to with Robert Ayers, Derrick Harvey, Marcus Thomas, and Ryan McBean. Ty Warren from New England and Broderick Bunkley from Philadelphia were brought in to provide veteran leadership and instant production for a struggling defensive line. The linebackers in Denver could quietly be becoming one of the teams strengths. D.J. Williams has always been solid on the field and could flourish in the right system if he keeps his off-field problems and injuries to a minimum. Von Miller terrorized offenses in the Big 12 and was taken 4^th overall. Miller is expected to be a huge part of the new defense right away. Joe Mays rounds out the linebackers as a decent option. Third round pick Nate Irving had a very productive career at North Carolina State and could be a good player down the road. Perennial All-pro Champ Bailey was given a four year extension during the off-season and returns as a starting cornerback. Andre Goodman occupies the cornerback slot opposite of Bailey. Playmaking safety Rahim Moore was taken in the second round and will be thrown into fire immediately at free safety. He will learn a lot from his partner, Brian Dawkins, who will man the strong safety position.

This year will most likely be a transitional year for the Denver Broncos. They have to face learning new systems on both sides of the ball that were very different than what they were operating the previous year, and this is sure to come with many bumps in the road, especially for a team that wasn’t very good to begin with. With that being said look for the defense to improve with John Fox calling the shots. The offense likely won’t be as explosive as last year, but they should be able to have moderate success. The Broncos could surprise some teams this year as John Fox will have them playing hard-nosed football. They may be a year away from competing for the top of the division.

The regular season has not been the problem for the New England Patriots, however that regular season success has not carried over into the playoffs. New England’s 28-21 home loss to rival New York in the Divisional Round made it their third consecutive playoff loss and second opening round loss in 2 years. In fact, the Patriots have not won a game sincethe 2007 AFC Championship game before losing to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. During those 3 years, the Patriots compiled a 35-13 record, one of the top marks in the NFL. In 2011, New England hopes a host of new players can restore their playoff dominance and help them return to the Super Bowl.

Quarterback Tom Brady returns to the helm of the offense coming off of a remarkable season that saw him toss 36 touchdowns with only 4 picks, mostly without Randy Moss. Over the course of the year Brady threw 335 passes without an interception, a new league record. BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Kevin Faulk return to man the running back position with company from a couple of rookies. New England drafted Shane Vereen out of California in the second round and Stevan Ridley from LSU in the third to infuse some youth at the position. Wes Welker is in his second year off of a torn ACL suffered late in 2009 and should bounce back after an understandably difficult 2010. Deion Branch returned to the team via trade in the middle of the year, but failed to break 50 catches. Coming over from Cincinatti via trade is the always entertaining Chad Ochocinco. Ochocinco butted heads often with the Bengals coaching staff and management. They finally decided enough was enough and dealt him to New England for a relatively low draft pick considering his talent. If he can regain his old form, Ochocinco could provide Brady with his best downfield target since Randy Moss. The Patriots also boast one of the best tight end tandems in the league with the young duo of second year players Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. The offensive line will likely be improved with a full year from Logan Mankins who held out the maximum allotted time in 2010.

The Patriots made many more splashes on defense, particularly the defensive line. Looking to show more 4-3 alignment this season, New England needed more big bodies up front. Bill Bellicheck sent a 5^th round pick to Washington for much maligned defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. A motivated Hayneswoth with Vince Wilfork will give them a pair of mammoth disrupters in the middle. Joining those two in the trenches will be former Jet Shaun Ellis and Andre Carter. With the new acquisitions many teams will struggle with containing the New England’s revamped defensive line. The linebacking corps is solid with stud Jerod Mayo, Brandon Siler, and Rob Ninkovich. Manning the cornerback positions are Devin McCourty, coming off a very impressive rookie season, and Leigh Bodden. Patrick Chung and Brandon Meriweather round out the defensive backfield at the safety positions.

The Patriots will always be Super Bowl contenders as long as they are led by MVP candidate Tom Brady, and fortunately he is in command again this year. Brady could have an even more talented array of weapons to work with this year. If the newly acquired players on defense work out, the Patriots will be in very good shape. Regardless the offense is prepared to compete in shootouts if necessary. The Patriots will be challenged by Rex Ryan and the Jets, but look for them to take the division crown anyway.