The Super Bowl Shuffle?
As usual, I was late in posting my predictions for this football season. With the daughter starting first grade, work being crazy, and the love of my life moving in, September was a little hectic. I do remember telling my girlfriend though on opening week of the NFL season that i thought the Panthers and Colts would make the Super Bowl (its the same prediction I made last year).
After the first few weeks of the season and countless hours watching football on DirecTV (the NFL package is like a Sunday gift from God... it leaves me speechless) I've decided I have to change half of my prediction. Anyone who knows me can tell you how hard this is for me. I'm usually the person who picks his NCAA Final Four in February and sticks by them steadfastly, so the decision to do this was a hard one, but not really if you have been watching the games.
Has any team looked more impressive so far than the Chicago Bears (so my girlfriend is from outside Chicago... i'm not biased at all ;o). It looks like they finally have an offense to match their killer defense. Rex Grossman was the player of the month for the month of Sept. Mushin Muhamad and Berrian look like a great 1-2 punch, as well as Desmond Clark cleaning things up underneath. Once Thomas Jones who gained over 1,300 yards last year wakes up, this offense will be scary. The defense on the otherhand, is already the best and most dominant unit in the league. Brian Urlacher is an absolute beast. So they had a hiccup this past Monday night against Arizona. I think they took that team a little lightly and didn’t expect the Cardinals defense to be able to shut them down. They ended up with a scary game they should have lost, but isn’t that the mark of a team of destiny… being able to win a game you shouldn’t have. I think they’ll be fine and after the bye week, come back refreshed with the same killer instinct. That team has a serious shot at going 15-1.
As for the rest of the NFC, I think the Cowboys will win the East (did you expect me to pick anyone else). The Eagles are much improved and should pick up the wildcard and be a scary matchup for anyone. Carolina (which is also scary good) just got the most important piece of their offense back in Steve Smith, the rest of the league should be worried. Although the Saints have been a nice early season story, they don’t have the firepower on both sides of the ball to match up with the Panthers. The Saints should be good enough to make the second wildcard, and what a great story that would be for the city of New Orleans. Out West, Seattle is very strong and will only get stronger once Shaun Alexander comes back. Scott Linehan is doing a great job with the Rams, but they are a flawed team that will fall back to Earth.
The AFC is pretty cut and dry. You have a few teams head and shoulders above the rest of the league. The Patriots, Colts, and Broncos should all run away with their divisions. San Diego is one of the scariest teams in the league if they can put it together. I think they will be one of the wildcards. With the other coming from the crazy competitive Central. Two out of the three following teams will make the playoffs. Ravens, Bengals, and Steelers. My money is on the Ravens and Steelers, as I think the Bengals are about to implode. Too many off the field problems.
The Bears should beat the Cowboys in the NFC title game. Even as a crazy Cowboys fan, I’m not psychotic enough to think they can make the big game. The Colts should be able to beat the Patriots in the AFC title game. Then the Bears should make everyone forget 1985 and win a title for a new generation of Bears fans. Should be a great season.
After the first few weeks of the season and countless hours watching football on DirecTV (the NFL package is like a Sunday gift from God... it leaves me speechless) I've decided I have to change half of my prediction. Anyone who knows me can tell you how hard this is for me. I'm usually the person who picks his NCAA Final Four in February and sticks by them steadfastly, so the decision to do this was a hard one, but not really if you have been watching the games.
Has any team looked more impressive so far than the Chicago Bears (so my girlfriend is from outside Chicago... i'm not biased at all ;o). It looks like they finally have an offense to match their killer defense. Rex Grossman was the player of the month for the month of Sept. Mushin Muhamad and Berrian look like a great 1-2 punch, as well as Desmond Clark cleaning things up underneath. Once Thomas Jones who gained over 1,300 yards last year wakes up, this offense will be scary. The defense on the otherhand, is already the best and most dominant unit in the league. Brian Urlacher is an absolute beast. So they had a hiccup this past Monday night against Arizona. I think they took that team a little lightly and didn’t expect the Cardinals defense to be able to shut them down. They ended up with a scary game they should have lost, but isn’t that the mark of a team of destiny… being able to win a game you shouldn’t have. I think they’ll be fine and after the bye week, come back refreshed with the same killer instinct. That team has a serious shot at going 15-1.
As for the rest of the NFC, I think the Cowboys will win the East (did you expect me to pick anyone else). The Eagles are much improved and should pick up the wildcard and be a scary matchup for anyone. Carolina (which is also scary good) just got the most important piece of their offense back in Steve Smith, the rest of the league should be worried. Although the Saints have been a nice early season story, they don’t have the firepower on both sides of the ball to match up with the Panthers. The Saints should be good enough to make the second wildcard, and what a great story that would be for the city of New Orleans. Out West, Seattle is very strong and will only get stronger once Shaun Alexander comes back. Scott Linehan is doing a great job with the Rams, but they are a flawed team that will fall back to Earth.
The AFC is pretty cut and dry. You have a few teams head and shoulders above the rest of the league. The Patriots, Colts, and Broncos should all run away with their divisions. San Diego is one of the scariest teams in the league if they can put it together. I think they will be one of the wildcards. With the other coming from the crazy competitive Central. Two out of the three following teams will make the playoffs. Ravens, Bengals, and Steelers. My money is on the Ravens and Steelers, as I think the Bengals are about to implode. Too many off the field problems.
The Bears should beat the Cowboys in the NFC title game. Even as a crazy Cowboys fan, I’m not psychotic enough to think they can make the big game. The Colts should be able to beat the Patriots in the AFC title game. Then the Bears should make everyone forget 1985 and win a title for a new generation of Bears fans. Should be a great season.
Labels: Sports
posted by LEV at
2:32 PM
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