Also, the band looked pretty good, I highly suggest checking them out.
Let's also acknowledge the Oakland Athletics. The Boys of Summer are once again with but a few games to play before the long cold winter. I know this saddens many of you. But some of you will get to see your team play into October. A's fans, we most likely won't. So.... might as well get while the getting is good. The A's, like other teams who have thrown in the towel, get the awesome opportunity to take a look at some prospects this September, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Carter, Taylor, Cardenas, Donaldson, and maybe some others up with the big club.
But now, the leaves are beginning to turn, and it's time for our Sundays to once again be filled with recognizable theme songs and bean dip. That's right, it's time for the NFL. I'll be taking on the task of the NFC, and Frankie will let you know how the AFC will work out. And, in case you'd like to know how it's going to shake out, check below the jump!
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers
Call me a homer all you want, but this will be the year the 49ers return to a semblance of glory. Meaning, they win the NFC West. It will be a hotly contested, even division, but new coach Jim Harbaugh will take a healthy Frank Gore and former number one draft choice Alex Smith should lead a high-powered offensive attack to the division title.
Key addition: Braylon Edwards
Questions: Offensive Line and Secondary
Final record:
St. Louis Rams
Sam Bradford needed a second receiver to throw the ball to. He didn't get one. However, the Rams are still poised to be a good team, and Bradford is still a very good quarterback. Steven Jackson is one of the most dynamic backs in the league, though he might be aging a bit. After a few years of being terrible, however, the Rams have reloaded on both lines and the defense looks pretty solid. They're poised for another good season and will give the Niners a run at the title.
Key additions: Quintin Mikell
Questions: Wide Receiver
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks and coach Pete Carroll should also be a strong force in a competitive western division. However, Tavaris Jackson will not be the answer at quarterback, and former Golden Bears Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett, though talented, may have trouble finding daylight. They won't have a return trip to the playoffs.
Key additions: Sidney Rice, Zach Miller
Questions: Quarterback, D-Line
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals, still not long removed from an NFC Championship, are still in trouble. Though they now have a decent quarterback in Kevin Kolb and still have an outstanding target in Larry Fitzgerald to throw to, they are missing many other key components to field a winning team. They will probably be one of the doormats of the NFL.
Key Additions: Kevin Kolb
Questions: Running Back, O-Line
NFC North
Green Bay Packers
The reigning Super Bowl Champions return in 2011 as the obvious favorite in the North. They have Aaron Rodgers. They have Greg Jennings. They have a team of guys who have just won it all, and are hungry to do it again. There's not much you can say about the Packers, other than that they're strong almost everywhere you look.
Key Additions: A healthy Ryan Grant.
Questions: Who's gonna be the RB?
Detroit Lions
The Lions are going to be the surprise team of 2011 and earn a Wildcard bid. Matthew Stafford and Jahvid Best will play all 16 games, and the cast around them is solid enough to win ballgames. Calvin Johnson will continue to be a fantasy stud, and the team, though young, will commit fewer mistakes than last year and earn a few wins because of it.
Key Additions: Nate Burleson
Questions: Secondary
Chicago Bears
I am not a fan of this team. I can't exactly tell you why, but I think Jay Cutler makes poor decisions, I think Matt Forte misses a lot of holes, and I think Knox, Williams, and Hester don't present enough of a threat to make the Bears an elite team. They have a decent defense, and that will keep them in many games. However, after the dominating Packers and upstart Lions, the Bears will be an also-ran in the North.
Key Additions: Roy Williams
Questions: O-line, QB
Minnesota Vikings
One might say that the Brett Favre experiment didn't work out so well in Minnesota. Now, they try the Donovan McNabb experiment. I'm not sure it will go much better than in did in Washington. Beyond that, the Vikings still have Adrian Peterson, and will not have much more. The defense after Jared Allen is a little listless, and I'm not impressed with the offensive line either. Count the Vikings as doormat number two in the NFC.
Key Additions: Donovan McNabb
Questions: Defensive front seven, O-Line
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
Matty ICE. Michael Turner. Roddy White. Julio Jones. Tony Gonzalez. The 2011 Atlanta Falcons definitely possess the weapons at the skill positions to get the job done and win the NFC South. They gave up a lot of draft picks to make sure they got Jones, which tells me this is the year they think they're going to make their run at it. I really like this team, they know how to win ballgames, and they'll challenge for the title again this season.
Key Addition: Julio Jones
Questions: Secondary
New Orleans Saints
Just like the Falcons, this team is stacked at the skill positions. The Saints took former Heisman winner Mark Ingram in the draft, and it will be exciting to see how he fits in the already exciting Saints offense. I'm also very excited to see the development of Jimmy Graham as a possible elite tight end in the NFL. The problem? The defense was dead last in takeaways last year, and gave up too many yards through the air. Hopefully, first round pick Cameron Jordan creates a few fumbles this season. They should claim the other NFC Wildcard.
Key Addition: Mark Ingram, Shaun Rogers, Cameron Jordan
Questions: Most of the defense
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs were the up and coming team last year. I just think they have too much in front of them in the Saints and Falcons to be playoff factor this year, though they'll still rack up a few wins. Josh Freeman looks to realize his full potential, and the Bucs probably have the best team around him that he's ever seen. Still, they finish third behind the big boys.
Key Addition:Da'Quan Bowers
Questions: Defense
Carolina Panthers
They really, really, really wanted Andrew Luck to declare for the draft. Instead, they ended up with Cam Newton. Not that he's a bad quarterback, there are just too many questions. And though he was able to throw his first touchdown pass of the preseason in week 4 against a vaunted Steelers defense, I don't buy him as an NFL quarterback. It's up to him to prove me wrong. Other than that, there isn't enough else on the team to win ballgames. I am, however, rooting for coach Ron Rivera to get the job done.
Key Additions: Cam Newton
Questions: O line, LB, CB
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles look scary good. They went out and addressed their defensive needs by getting free agent Asomugha. They have dynamic players in Vick, Jackson, Maclin, McCoy, and Ronnie Brown. Their weakspot is arguably the offensive line, but they should be able to keep defenses off balance long enough that it is never exposed. The East will be a three horse race until the end of the season, but the Eagles should pull away when it's all said and done.
Key Addition: Nnamdi Asomugha
Questions:O-Line
Dallas Cowboys
Big D will be back this year. A healthy Tony Romo and Felix Jones will spark Jason Garret's team back to prominence in a big way. Dez Bryant is poised and picked by many pundits to have a breakout season. There are many questions in Dallas, no doubt. However, Big D never stays down for long.
Key Additions: Healthy Tony Romo, a coach the team respects
Questions: O-Line, Secondary
New York Giants
I like the Giants, I just think they tend to make crucial mistakes that will cost them ballgames. Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs are both great backs... if they can hold on to the ball. Eli Manning is a good quarterback, but he is no Peyton. The Giants have some good receivers and what might be the best front four in the game, but their secondary may have problems if a good offensive line is the opponent. It's a solid team, but solid isn't always good enough to play in January.
Questions: Secondary, tight end
Key Additions: David Baas
Washington Redskins
The 'skins look to be a lost cause for another season. Rex Grossman will never be the answer at quarterback. Outside of Moss, Cooley, and new running back Tim Hightower, there isn't much on offense. The defense doesn't provide much to be excited about either. If there's any team to go 0-16 this year, it might be this one.
Questions: O-line, Defense
Key Additions: Tim Hightower
NFC Champion - Philadelphia Eagles
NFL MVP - Aaron Rodgers
Superbowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles over New England Patriots
Enjoy the NFL everyone!
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