In just a few hours, we officially begin another year of NFL FOOTBALL! That’s right, gang. FOOTBALL!!! Some people think of, “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of The Year” as a Christmas holiday song. I think of it as being appropriate starting after Labor Day, though more fitting come playoff time.
In one paragraph or less, here is The Daily Hat Trick’s take on all 16 NFC clubs! All teams are listed in expected order of finish in their respective divisions.
NFC North
Green Bay Packers – This team learned the hard way that an NFL team can have arguably the best quarterback in the game and the best offense in the game. When the calendar turns to January, teams have to be able to run with competence and stop the run with competence (not necessarily “excellence”, but competence). Incompetence in those areas combined with costly turnovers equal an early exit. I expect the Pack to improve in those areas in 2012.
Detroit Lions – This team had a breakthrough in 2011 and as long as quarterback Matt Stafford remains healthy, they will be no one year wonder. If Kevin Smith stays healthy and resembles anything to himself in his first to years in the NFL, a deep Lions run through the NFC Playoffs is not far fetched.
Chicago Bears – Speaking of “not far fetched” it is not far fetched for the Bears to be the third team from the NFC North to reach the playoffs. Their leaders on both sides of the ball are the “X” factors. If quarterback Jay Cutler stays healthy, the Bears will be in the discussion in December. Middle linebacker Brian Urlacher is a bigger variable than Cutler. Cutler, by all accounts, is healthy coming into the season, Urlacher isn’t. If 80% of Brian Urlacher is better than 100% of most linebackers, the Bears could be playing in January.
Minnesota Vikings – Their strongest asset, running back Adrian Peterson, is a big uncertainty as he is coming back from a torn ACL. I expect quarterback Christian Ponder to go through more hard knocks in his sophomore season. I think the Vikings will be more competitive than they were last season, but I also expect them to finish in the cellar again.
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| How many more battles does Urlacher have in him? 1 |
NFC South
New Orleans Saints – Prior to this preseason, I would have picked the Saints to finish second in the division to the Atlanta Falcons. However, quarterback Drew Brees, in all of his first unit reps, appears to be worth every nickel of the $40 million he is going to earn this season. “Coach on the field” gets thrown around often when describing players with top flight leadership abilities. I am beginning the think that the label may literally apply to Brees. The paycheck certainly will.
Atlanta Falcons – The coach, Mike Smith, is good. The quarterback, Matt Ryan, is good. The receivers, Roddy White and Julio Jones, are good. The home field advantage is good. I expect the Falcons to have a “good” year but, if they are playing ball in January, I expect a “grand opening…grand closing” playoff performance from this team.
Carolina Panthers – This team is the “wild card” of the division. A number of variables will need to come together, particularly the back seven on defense, for the Panthers to have a winning season. They are also stuck having to play the Saints and Falcons twice per year. However, I am “all in” on the stock of second year quarterback Cam Newton. Through him, all things on the gridiron are possible. Assuming Newton is healthy, this is going to be a very fun team to watch in 2012, playoffs or not.
Tampa Bay Buccaneeers – Expect the house cleaning that began at the end of 2011 with former Head Coach Raheem Morris to extend to underachieving quarterback Josh Freeman if his play doesn’t turn around in 2012. Rookie Head Coach Greg Schiano has a monster of a turnaround job in front of him. A competitive 7-9 record could merit Coach of The Year consideration because the Bucs are that bad!
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| Who dat? DREW DAT!!! 2 |
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles – The NFC East is a beast! Philadelphia has had the most talented skill position players on paper since last season, but it took too long for everything to come together and the Eagles finished 8-8. Andy Reid is coaching for his job in 2012, but he’s coaching with a fully loaded, fully armored tank. The health of quarterback Mike Vick will decide this team’s fate. I do not expect Vick to start all 16 games, but I expect the Eagles to win enough games to win this division, however it comes.
New York Giants – The defending Super Bowl champions are going to be a tough out this year. The problem is that defending champions, in recent years, have had such a big target on their backs that they only advance so far in the years following their super Bowl wins. In addition to wearing this year’s biggest bullseye, the Giants have to play the Eagles twice, the Cowboys twice, and the Redskins (who may not be a pushover with QB Robert Griffin, III) twice. They could win this division and they could make the playoffs. It will be very difficult, though.
Dallas Cowboys – I need to give this team an extra paragraph. This is the first time in five years I have entered the season not thinking that the Cowboys were the most talented team in the NFC. Last year, however, their weaknesses began to show. I cannot help but think that former Head Coach Wade Phillips, often the scapegoat for the postseason shortcomings of America’s Team, helped mask the deficiencies to the Cowboys defense.
DeMarcus Ware said in a radio interview last year that he thought he was the best player in the NFL. I am not convinced that statement is untrue, but I have to call the quality of the secondary into question. The receiving corps impressed me as being inconsistent and sometimes undisciplined. The bright spots on the offense are over-criticized quarterback Tony Romo and (should he remain healthy) running back DeMarco Murray.
Washington Redskins – This team has some questionable management and coaching practices during the Mike Shanahan era. What has not been questioned is the wisdom of drafting quarterback Robert Griffin, III with the second pick in this year’s NFL Draft. He has not taken a regular season snap yet, but all pre-debut indicators could not be more promising for this future superstar. If Griffin does what I think he is capable of doing, I think he can will this previously hapless and dysfunctional team to a six win season, which would be progress.
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| Not yet, young man. Not yet. 3 |
San Francisco 49ers – The East is a beast but the West is certainly not the best. The 49ers are loaded everywhere except at quarterback and wide receiver, possibly the most important two position combination is a pass oriented league. Alex Smith had a breakthrough in 2011, but it was more of a “don’t lose the game” breakthrough rather than a playmaking breakthrough. That is not enough to win a championship in the NFL. The addition of Randy Moss could prove to be interesting. But this Niners team is not built to be pass happy and Moss, while in great shape from all accounts, is on the wrong side of age 35.
Arizona Cardinals – The Cardinals could be a sleeper for the Wild Card if Kevin Kolb or John Skelton can just play mistake free football. I could walk on to an NFL team at age 37 if I cut my body fat down to 8% and reduced my 40 yard dash time to 4.5. I’ll let you guys connect the dots.
St. Louis Rams – I expect this team to win six to eight games, but if Sam Bradford has the breakthrough that coaches expected him to have through his third season, the Rams could be a surprise team in the NFC. Bradford missed much of the season due to injury last year and the support he had while healthy was non existent. The Rams made some very high-value draft picks, including defensive tackle Michael Brockers out of LSU and former Florida cornerback Janoris Jenkins. This team is going to give some of the “better” teams some trouble this year.
Seattle Seahawks – This team could sniff .500 or already be on the clock for the first pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. The receivers are mediocre. The offensive line is mediocre. The defense is mediocre. Running back Marshawn Lynch is a monster, however, and rookie quarterback Russell Wilson has a high ceiling. The team will go as far as Wilson develops in his rookie year. Perhaps the Ocean Birds can exceed low expectations.
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| The ball is in Sam Bradford's court (and his hands) this year. 4 |
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