will the Raiders or Jets have the worst record in the league? Which QB starts Week 1 for New York? How weakened are the Pats? will Miami challenge them in the AFC East? who might be some breakout candidates, player and/or team? My pick...Lamar Miller. he's the reason we didn't give a shit when Reggie Bust walked, we knew we had a hidden gem from The U.

Who's a dark horse to win their conference? Minnesota? Cincy? I think Stafford has a bounce back year. Toughest division this year might be the NFC South, wouldn't be surprised to see 3 of the teams in the playoffs. Is Seattle the best team in the NFC right now?

How do you think some rookies will do? Rookies of the year? Maybe Tavon Austin on offense, Kenny Vaccaro on D? Ezekial Ansah is another candidate on defense, I think he will eventually be a STUD, Lions D-Line is looking scary right now.

Don't be scared to get bold with your predictions.

_________________________

___________________________________
"WASP of the year: even if he isn�t a WASP, Oakley. Sailing? Check. In a yacht club? Check. Used the term �summer� as a verb instead of a noun? You betcha!" -thejerseytornado

Hope so...but the offence is going to have to change a lot from last year. No Hernandez and no Welker. How much Gronk? I see a lot of 2 Running Back Sets and Vereen catching a lot of passes too. The Wide Receivers puzzle me, i hope Dobson can show something and i'm expecting a big season from Edelmen. The go to receiver for Brady will more than likely be Danny Amendola. Can Jake Ballard get on and stay on the field.

Bill Belichick is such a contrarian that he will no doubt come up with a new method to which other NFL coaches will follow in future seasons.

I'd like to think the Patriots defence is going to be a lot stronger this season than the past few years. A lot of investment from the past few drafts. I'm very keen to see what Jamie Collins can do. He played on an awful University of Southern Mississippi team which went 0-12 but at 6'4" and 250-pounds Collins is a physical specimen with tremendous athletic ability. If he had been part of a big school program he probably would have gone in the first round. Collins will be good against the pass and would also be able to line up on the other side of Chandler Jones and the Patriots could have two great rushing DEs.

can only bode poorly for the pats

https://twitter.com/JasonLaCanfora/status/360592044986609664

_________________________

nfc is going to be a war though... I keep hearing how it's Atlantas year, I don't think they sniff the bowl... Matty Ice finally won a playoff game last year but if that game had 2 more minutes Seattle won, Seattle would beat them in same situation this year imo.

I think Detroit bounces back and makes the playoffs

As far as Jets or Raiders... Jets still won 6 games last year with less talent then this team... I think they win about 5, I'd prefer worst record though and #1 pick... The first half of the sched is BRUTAL, second half is easy, if it was flipped I'd think maybe 8-8 was possible, but since they will start bad, the snowball effect is likely

Miami still won't win a playoff game

Pats will get to the afc title game and take a beating from Denver

Bengals win the North, Colts miss the playoffs

>Miami still won't win a playoff game

_________________________

If your Miami is has to be playoffs or bust... those wild card spots are WIDE OPEN... I'll be rooting for D-Keller this year

Our GM's seat is pretty much on fire at this point, his contract is up this year, either we make the playoffs and he gets extended or we don't and we finally rid ourselves of him.

Then again there's always the chance we go 9-7, miss the playoffs and he stays smh

_________________________

By being worse than most everyone expects.

I expect Russell Wilson to come back to earth some. I think people are being WAY too quick to crown him as one of the best QBs in the league. In my opinion, he couldn't possibly have had a better situation last year:

He was drafted in the 3rd round, so expectations were low

The only guy he had to beat out was an overpaid, not-much-loved FA who had one game on his record (Flynn)

Most importantly, he went to a team that features all of a young QB's best friends. Based on Football Outsiders' efficiency ratings, Seattle had the 2nd best running back in the league, the 3rd best special teams, and the 4th best defense. Add in the best homefield advantage in the league...shit. Even Mark Sanchez is jealous of the situation Russell came into. Every single thing that you'd want to have to support a young QB, Seattle had in spades.

I just think one year isn't enough to show that you'll be the goods for a long time. Let's see him lead a team to the playoffs when half his defense is suspended for "Adderall," or when Marshawn misses 8 games for shooting a dog out of a cannon or some shit. I mean, do they even make the playoffs last year without the replacement refs against GB? I think Chicago would have grabbed their spot without that win.

Point is, EVERY bounce went Seattle's way last season, until the last 2 minutes of the divisional round. They won't be sneaking up on anyone this year. There's a full year of tape on Russell Wilson, NFL QB. EVERY team in the league has spent the offseason trying to figure out how to defend the Read Option...I just want to see dude excel in a season where shit goes sideways around him.

For any Seahawks fans reading this, I'm not hating on your team. Love Beast Mode. Hate the mouths on your defense, but LOVE the way they play. By Lions Law, I can't really, TRULY hate on a team that hasn't won a Super Bowl yet (except the Eagles, fuck you). And I'm not telling you you SHOULDN'T be excited about your QB. He looked amazing last year, he should get better, and he's making like $30k a year. That's a hell of an asset. I just don't expect their climb to the top to be as steady a curve as a lot of people seem to.

__________
YARDS

>Most importantly, he went to a team that features all of a
>young QB's best friends. Based on Football Outsiders'
>efficiency ratings, Seattle had the 2nd best running back in
>the league, the 3rd best special teams, and the 4th best
>defense. Add in the best homefield advantage in the
>league...shit. Even Mark Sanchez is jealous of the situation
>Russell came into. Every single thing that you'd want to have
>to support a young QB, Seattle had in spades.

His rookie year the Jets had the best running game in the league, the best defense, and a top 5 ST. How do you think they were able to make the playoffs and overcome his 20 interceptions despite him being in a run first offense?

_________________________

>His rookie year the Jets had the best running game in the
>league, the best defense, and a top 5 ST. How do you think
>they were able to make the playoffs and overcome his 20
>interceptions despite him being in a run first offense?

The talent level of their surrounding teams is very close--maybe you give the edge to Sanchez's rookie-year Jets (don't discount the home-field advantage, though, or the fact that the Seahawks run game was only #2 b/c Adrian Peterson went ham). But the "intangibles," imo, give Russell the sweeter situation.

He was a 3rd round pick, and the second-most-hyped QB Seattle brought in THAT OFFSEASON. He plays in the pacific northwest, a region which tends to get lost in the national conversation. He plays for the Seahawks, a team that has always been pretty easy to ignore (sorry guys).

Meanwhile, Sanchez was a Top-10 pick, anointed as the starter the moment he put on his draft cap. He plays for the Jets, one of the most visible franchises in the league, located in THE biggest media market. Everything the Jets do is basically cluster-fuck status, and he had to deal with more off-the-field distractions in his first 2 seasons than Russell is likely to see in his entire career. NYC is a pressure cooker, and you could argue (I won't, but you could) that there isn't a more scrutinized position in sports than Starting QB for an NYC Team.

Point is, Sanchez has been my gold standard for "Rookie QB who had everything set up for success." But all the things that were golden for Sanchez existed ON the field. Russell has maybe 95% of the same golden set-up on the field, and a MUCH more favorable one off of it. Nobody's telling the Post that Russell Wilson brought a 17-year-old back to his hotel room, you know?

You're not wrong--the 2009 Jets were an amazing landing spot for a rookie QB. I just think Wilson found an even better one, and to prove my point, NOBODY IS TALKING ABOUT IT. Meanwhile, people constantly discredit Sanchez for merely keeping the wheel straight while his team drove the bus (I should know--I'm one of those people).

__________
YARDS

I mean, do they even make the playoffs
>last year without the replacement refs against GB?

Yes

I think
>Chicago would have grabbed their spot without that win.

Don't think so. Both teams 10-6 but we beat em head to head. The Vikings got the Bears spot but we beat them too.

(I still expect them to come in below most predictions though.)

__________
YARDS

It's just as bad as our home schedule was last year but you could give the game ball to The CLink in a lot of those wins.

>(I still expect them to come in below most predictions
>though.)

The road games present an interesting dichotomy this year. If we win enough there then we'd probably avoid it for most of the playoffs.

Helluva home opener for us but at least yall get all your tough out of division games at home

I can't imagine how loud it is goin to be. I am coming out from VA for the 9ers first 3 weeks. Am i gonna get stabbed rocking a 9ers jersey in Seattle?

>I can't imagine how loud it is goin to be. I am coming out
>from VA for the 9ers first 3 weeks. Am i gonna get stabbed
>rocking a 9ers jersey in Seattle?

We don't do a lot of shankin out here & they already stepped up the security measures even at Sounders games. Wouldn't worry about getting stabbed but there'll be a ton of treated hawk fans there to give you hella shit for sure.

can't wait for it. Really excited to see y'alls stadium. i was at the NFC championship game in ATL and i can't imagine a stadium being louder but i guess i'll find out.

The only part of your body that will be injured will be your ear drums.

--------

hell-below.com

the last thing u want is two established juggernauts colliding at the end of the season AT Seattle.

WHO'S GOT IT BETTER THAN US?!?! NOOOOBODDDDYY!!!!

http://www.splicd.com/PaajnHHNQMU/84/86

I'll wait until season's end to claim this L though, they've been both crazy vulnerable and crazy lucky on the road. No real regression from RW though, so that's almost certainly going to be wrong.

__________
YARDS

That's a huge improvement in & of itself

>I'll wait until season's end to claim this L though, they've
>been both crazy vulnerable and crazy lucky on the road. No
>real regression from RW though, so that's almost certainly
>going to be wrong.

Fair enough. Just one win away from matching last year's total already & all of this w/o Percy playin a single down. O-line finally getting healthy too. Saints & Niner games back to back after a bye in a couple weeks should show & prove a lot for what the future holds.

I still think the logic is sound--RW has never had anything less than a great team behind him--but he's clearly very good at the very least. An L, but not one I mind taking.

__________
YARDS

RW has never had anything
>less than a great team behind him

It's not like he's throwing to a who's who list of WR's & TE's. The offensive line hasn't been stellar either.

His decision making might've slumped a bit at times this year but he's still progressing pretty nicely.

Top-3 defense both years
Top-3 running game both years
Top-3 special teams both years
#1 home field advantage both years

Every single thing you'd want to put in place for a rookie QB--RW got it. That's not a knock on him--there's a long list of QBs who could still weave failure in the same situation. He seems to be a great leader and talent in his own right.

But I just think you're nitpicking pretty hard to call his supporting cast anything less than great. His WRs may not be household names, but they all have HANDS, which I love to see. TE is meh. But when you constantly have great field position, can get 5+ yards on the ground on any down, never have to worry about playing catch-up...c'mon. You couldn't create better circumstances for a rookie QB in Madden.

__________
YARDS

Seattle is about as close as you get

--------

then nothing of the sort exists in today's NFL.

__________
YARDS

Didn't sniff the playoffs the year before we drafted him. Tate was probably on his way out before Russ came along too. He's been a completely different player under Wilson's wing management...as has Kearse. The former Vikings were supposed to be his best weapons & he's exceled pretty well w/o much help from either one of em. It's mapped out nice so far but obviously he deserves a ton of credit.

with everyone except the Eagles.

http://i.imgur.com/vPqCzVU.jpg

----
bshelly

"You (Fisher) could get fired, Les Snead could get fired, Kevin Demoff could get fired, but I will always be Eric Dickerson.” (c) The God

---
"People that need positivity around them all the time are weak individuals in my book" - @lilduval

---
"People that need positivity around them all the time are weak individuals in my book" - @lilduval

since we can count on Romo to hand them the game..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<---- 5....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlgiritpmfo

=======================================
Occupy Big Government..

Fannie, Freddie dole out big bonuses
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/67292.html

-------------------------
�Floyd Mayweather should be taking fights up to 157 or 160 pounds...His frame can hold the weight..it's not even a lot of weight....Go to the gym and lift weights man..lol.�-- Warren Coolidge

Chip Kelly,Eagles

Mike McCoy, San Diego Chargers

Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs

Gus Bradley, Jacksonville Jaguars

Bruce Arians, Arizona Cardinals

Marc Trestman, Chicago Bears

Rob Chudzinski, Cleveland Browns

edit & Doug Marrone, Buffalo Bills

-------------------
I wanna go to where the martyrs went
the brown figures on the walls of my apart-a-ment...

Coming into a situation where everyone knows this year is basically a throw away year to get the offense in place.

Biggest college name to make the jump.

Using a QB on his last legs all while either getting one of his young QBs ready to take over or having to find a new QB which also buys him time.

I think in that spot he gets 3 years and if they are still bad he gets fired (unless they do something like go 2-14 both years)

Everyone else on that list would be canned if they showed no improvement after 2 seasons.

It sucks he left Syracuse, he had that team turned around in almost every way possible.

-------------------
I wanna go to where the martyrs went
the brown figures on the walls of my apart-a-ment...

2 bad seasons out of the gate with nothing really to feel happy about in season 3 could be it for him.

I'm not saying he won't last 3 years, but I think Kelly is the only guy GUARANTEED to have 3 years (baring some crazy incident)

>Chip Kelly,Eagles
I say he makes it past three but I could easily see it going south if a couple of things break the wrong way.

>Mike McCoy, San Diego Chargers
Biggest lock to make it past 3 for me. Chargers let Norval hang around for 6 seasons on team with real expectations. Hell, Marty lasted about 3 seasons After the point when communications with his GM were limited strictly to pasting "Kick Me" signs on each others backs when they passed in the halls.

>Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
I think another safe bet to make it past 3 seasons. Inability to win it all is not a problem the Chiefs have on the front burner right now.

>Gus Bradley, Jacksonville Jaguars
Won't make it unless he manages to grab a stud QB in the draft next season. I think it's gonna take a bit of work to get the Jags on track and he needs a flag bearer to get people's hopes up and get some patience.

>Bruce Arians, Arizona Cardinals
I think he could be in trouble too. The NFC West is really tough right now and I think hitching his wagon to Carson Palmer is going to turn up the heat if he can't get the Cardinals to at least compete for a division crown in the next 3 years.

>Marc Trestman, Chicago Bears
I go yes on Trestman. Just a gut feeling that he gets Cutler playing at his best which gives him enough momentum to get past the 3 year hurdle.

>Rob Chudzinski, Cleveland Browns
I'm betting the under here. I want to see the Browns get it together but based on their history since coming back and my complete lack of faith in Weeden I taking the safe bet.

>edit & Doug Marrone, Buffalo Bills
In a coinflip decision I'm saying he makes. I think he benefits from some bounce back from the big money FA's who bombed last year.

..looking at that schedule

can you name them?


*skatin' the rings of saturn*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=B7E8dge7H8Y


..and miles to go before i sleep...

http://i.imgur.com/vPqCzVU.jpg

..he has his flaws, but nothing that would suggest that he hasn't earned a big payday

i still don't see that team making the playoffs this year


*skatin' the rings of saturn*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=B7E8dge7H8Y


..and miles to go before i sleep...

2-2 in the NFC West (Loss to San Fran and Seattle)
3-1 in the AFC East (Loss to Patriots on MNF)
4-2 in the NFC South (Loss to Saints and Falcons on the road)
1-1 with the 2nd Place NFC East and North Teams (Loss to Vikings)

I think their schedule has its advantages...fact that all the weather games are early...Buffalo is 2nd week...We could upset Seattle on opening Sunday...

Carolina isn't as far as people think they are...they lost alot of close games and gave alot of those away in 2012 (Falcons, Dallas, Tampa, Chicago, Seattle, Chiefs)...close half those games...they are a 10-6 team...

They have to start better though...if they come out the gate 0-3...Rivera should be gone and its gonna be a long season...schedule doesn't get easier...we play the Vikings, 49ers, and Patriots all coming off their bye week...

..the nfc south has the toughest schedule in the league (2 yrs straight). *the early bye weeks put this division over the top in that regard.

the panthers were listed ahead of the bucs & saints in the official standings, but that 3 way tie @ 7-9 was based on conference, not division. with 2 losses to the bucs, they were JUST ahead of the saints, who were reeling in the wake of a scandal that included suspensions to players AND their head coach.

injuries are a given in the league, so that's not a debatable point for this discussion. knowing that every team in the league works to make moves in the offseason to improve, how did the panthers address their current issues?

*example*

my beloved bucs were plagued by gapping holes in the secondary. to address this, they brought in the following players:

darrelle revis (cb)
dashon goldson (fs)
jonathan banks (cb)
jonathan casillas (lb)
akeem spence (dt)

even with those upgrades (major), they still have their work cut out for them. i'd love to see them start strong & fast, winning 11 or 12 games. realistically, i wouldn't be surprised if they finished 9-7, barely making the playoffs.

carolina has an explosive, yet anemic offense and their defense was even more porous than the bucs. looking at the panther's 2013 schedule, i don't see them winning 10 games.

REGULAR SEASON
DAY DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME NETWORK
Sun. Sept. 8 vs. Seattle Seahawks Bank of America Stadium 1:00 p.m. FOX
Sun. Sept. 15 at Buffalo Bills Ralph Wilson Stadium 1:00 p.m. FOX
Sun. Sept. 22 vs. New York Giants Bank of America Stadium 1:00 p.m. FOX
Sun. Sept. 29 Bye
Sun. Oct. 6 at Arizona Cardinals University of Phoenix Stadium 4:05 p.m. FOX
Sun. Oct. 13 at Minnesota Vikings TCF Bank Stadium 1:00 p.m. FOX
Sun. Oct. 20 vs. St. Louis Rams Bank of America Stadium 1:00 p.m. FOX
Thu. Oct. 24 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Raymond James Stadium 8:25 p.m. NFLN
Sun. Nov. 3 vs. Atlanta Falcons Bank of America Stadium 1:00 p.m. FOX
Sun. Nov. 10 at San Francisco 49ers Candlestick Park 4:05 p.m. FOX
Mon. Nov. 18 vs. New England Patriots Bank of America Stadium 8:40 p.m. ESPN
Sun. Nov. 24 at Miami Dolphins Sun Life Stadium 1:00 p.m. * FOX
Sun. Dec. 1 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Bank of America Stadium 1:00 p.m. * FOX
Sun. Dec. 8 at New Orleans Saints Mercedes-Benz Superdome 1:00 p.m. * FOX
Sun. Dec. 15 vs. New York Jets Bank of America Stadium 4:05 p.m. * CBS
Sun. Dec. 22 vs. New Orleans Saints Bank of America Stadium 1:00 p.m. * FOX
Sun. Dec. 29 at Atlanta Falcons Georgia Dome 1:00 p.m. * FOX
* - Subject to flexible scheduling.



*skatin' the rings of saturn*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=B7E8dge7H8Y


..and miles to go before i sleep...

The fact that the division games are in the second half of the schedule helps Carolina. They were a different team in the second half.

You know how division games are. We are gonna beat each other up. I got Carolina winning four division games. I think 10 games is realistic but starting strong is critical. If we go 0-3 into the bye, it's gonna get ugly.

..granted, this is all hypothetical

but seriously:

outside of getting healthy, what changes/improvements have they made in the offseason that would suggest a substantial improvement this season?


*skatin' the rings of saturn*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=B7E8dge7H8Y


..and miles to go before i sleep...

Picked up Ted Ginn Jr. to be our return guy to improve the field position for the offense.

We were able to resign Dwan Edwards at DT who had 6 sacks.

Our front 7 should improve with our two DT draft picks (Star and KK)

I am nervous about our secondary...no shame to admit it but if we pressure the QB, we will be fine. Our starting DEs had double digit sacks last season.

Picked up Hixon from the Giants to compete at the 3rd WR spot.

I am fine with Carolina not going after the big free agents because historically as a franchise, that hasn't worked. I like the moves that our new GM has been making. 10-6 isn't out of the question.

..none of the off season moves made by carolina appear to address that porous defense

its almost as if they actually believe all those "tough losses" in the last minutes of each game should suggest that they're moving in the right direction.

cam needs some serious help, and it starts with the coaching staff.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=B7E8dge7H8Y


..and miles to go before i sleep...

>..none of the off season moves made by carolina appear to
>address that porous defense

Carolina's Defense was 10th in the NFL...That's a little far from porous...their biggest weakness was stopping the Run and drafting some DTs in the first two rounds should help.

>its almost as if they actually believe all those "tough
>losses" in the last minutes of each game should suggest that
>they're moving in the right direction.

They actually do believe it...The new GM could have easily blow this team up...easily...he decided not to...

>cam needs some serious help, and it starts with the coaching
>staff.

If Ron doesn't make the playoffs, Cam will get the help...but Ron coaches well when his back is against the wall...

Saints get Sean Payton back, Tampa just drastically improved the worst secondary in the league by teaming Revis and Goldson with an already budding star in Mark Barron, and ATL is basically a legit contender every year.

_________________________

>Saints get Sean Payton back, Tampa just drastically improved
>the worst secondary in the league by teaming Revis and Goldson
>with an already budding star in Mark Barron, and ATL is
>basically a legit contender every year.

Can't deny Payton returning will be a factor but we play well against the saints when Peyton is there...and they didn't really improve like that even though Rob Ryan as DC will help alot...

We don't know what Revis we gonna get after the ACL recovery and NFC South WRs >>>>>>>>> AFC East WRs

Carolina should have swept the Falcons last year but Matt Ryan throwing 60 yard bombs with seconds to go killed that...

Carolina will give teams fits this year...10-6 or Rivera's fired...