Cram Session - Week 2

Starting this week I will begin Cram Session with my pick for the Thursday night NFL game.

Thursday, September 5

Baltimore at Denver, Denver favored by 7 1/2 

The NFL is back! Normally, the defending Super Bowl champion opens the season at home. This year things are different as the Baltimore Orioles and MLB weren't willing to accommodate the Baltimore Ravens and move their home game to a different time. A lot of people thought that was selfish of the Orioles, but logistically it wasn't that simple and the NFL can't win every battle. This game is being billed as the rematch from the best playoff game we saw last season. The scene will be the same, but while the Broncos appear mostly intact, the Ravens will look quite different. They have seen some changes on offense and a massive overhaul on defense. One of the big questions Baltimore will begin to answer tonight, is how will the offense move on without Anquan Boldin and Dennis Pitta. Boldin was traded to the 49ers, while Pitta was lost for the season to an injury during training camp. That leaves Joe Flacco with not nearly as many weapons to throw to, and puts a new found pressure on Torrey Smith at receiver. It also means that Jacoby Jones will have to step up. Jones was one of the key players in the Ravens win over Denver in the playoffs, catching the game tying touchdown. Ray Rice is still there and he may be leaned on more than ever has in his career, not just running the ball, but also as a receiver out of the backfield. The Broncos defense will be without star LB Von Miller, suspended the first six games of the season, and also possibly without Champ Bailey. Smith would actually probably be upset if Bailey can't go, since he torched Bailey in the playoffs last season. The Broncos offense is mostly the same, except for a change at running back with Willis McGahee cut loose. Ronnie Hillman, Knowshon Moreno, and rookie Montee Ball should all see some carries, with the Broncos hoping that one of the backs can seize control of the job. Peyton Manning's options at receivers are even more fearsome with the addition of Wes Welker to go with Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker. One of the Ravens new defensive players is former Bronco Elvis Dumervil. Dumervil will be chomping at the bit to stand out against his former team. This will be a great test for the Ravens revamped secondary, no longer having one of the best safeties in the history of the game, Ed Reed. If you read my previews you know that I am down on the Ravens, while I expect the Broncos to finish with the best record in football. I think those predictions will bear themselves out in this game. The Ravens can keep it close for a half or so, but Manning will eventually begin to carve up a defense that still needs to learn to play together. Things will be a struggle for Flacco and company, as they start to realize just how much they will miss Boldin and Pitta.

Prediction: Denver 27, Baltimore 16


Games That Matter To Me

#14 Notre Dame (1-0) at #17 Michigan (1-0)    

Despite what Irish coach Brian Kelly might think, this is one of the best rivalries in college football. Unfortunately, after next season when it will return remains unknown. This will be Notre Dame's last trip to Michigan in the current incarnation of the series. I can't say I mind that too much, especially with how heartbreaking the Irish's last two visits to Michigan ended. Each time the Irish led the game late, and then allowed Michigan to score the winning touchdown at the end of the game. Notre Dame had a nice star to the season with a dominating 28-6 win over Temple. Most impressive was the play of quarterback Tommy Rees. Rees was accurate and threw 3 touchdowns. Rees really isn't that bad, his biggest problems in the past was his penchant for turnovers. While the performance against the Owls was reason for optimism his competition will step up considerably against the Wolverines. WR TJ Jones seemed to announce his arrival as the Irish's best receiving weapon, catching 6 passes for 138 yards. DaVaris Daniels also announced his arrival on the scene with 2 touchdown catches. The running game followed the by committee route most expected with Amir Carlisle and Cam McDaniel sharing carries.

The Irish defense picked up where they left off last season as far as allowing points but they struggled a bit slowing down the Temple passing attack. The quarterback they will face this week, Devin Gardner is known for both his arm and his legs. Gardner's play left a bit to be desired last week against Central Michigan. He rushed for 2 touchdowns but also threw 2 interceptions. With an offensive line that is breaking in three new starters, he may be running for his life Saturday night. This game will really come down to that battle between the Michigan offensive line and how much they slow down Stephon Tuitt and Louis Nix. The Wolverines also employ a running back by committee with freshman Derrick Green and senior Fitzgerald Toussaint.

I believe that Notre Dame is better than Michigan both offensively and denesively, but am scarred by the recent experiences at The Big House. I worry about Rees avoiding turnovers, which plagued him in his last start at Michigan two years ago. This will be a defensive battle, but somehow Michigan will once again find a way to break Notre Dame's hearts.

Prediction: Michigan 20, Notre Dame 17

Southern Miss (0-1) at #22 Nebraska (1-0)   

Nebraska opened their season with a 37-34 victory over Wyoming but it might as well have been a loss. No one expected the Huskers to struggle to that level with the Cowboys. Even worse the fears of a porous defense proved themselves to be true, as Nebraska gave up 602 yards of offense to Wyoming. With Southern Miss coming to Lincoln on a 13-game losing streak it would seem they would be the right opponent for Nebraska to get back some of the confidence they lost. The Golden Eagles run a spread offense, just like Wyoming. Their quarterback is Allan Brigford, who completed barely over 50% of his passes and threw two picks in a loss to Texas State last week. The Golden Eagles appear to have no running game, as they rushed for just 23 yards against Texas State. Senior receiver Rickey Bradley had a strong game, catching 7 passes for 193 yards.

The Nebraska offense is hoping for a better performance from Taylor Martinez. Martinez did throw for 3 touchdowns but also had a pick and only had 129 yards passing. The running game was on fire though, with both Ameer Abdullah and Imani Cross rushing for over 100 yards. Nebraska needs to come out and make a statement in this game. Things get considerably tougher next week when they host the UCLA Bruins. They need to be going into that game feeling good about themselves. I have faith that the defense will play well enough to take advantage of an overmatched opponent, and the offense will do its thing, leading to the blowout win Nebraska should have gotten last week.

Prediction: Nebraska 45, Southern Miss 17


Top 10

#2 Oregon (1-0) at Virginia (1-0)    

The Ducks take their offensive show on the road to Charlottesville, Virginia. This will be Oregon's first true test of the season, since Nicholls State doesn't really count. Virginia isn't a juggernaut but they at least have a pulse and if the Ducks beat them up on the road it will be impressive. The Ducks defense looked impressive last week, and has a chance to again this week. The Cavaliers struggled to do anything offensively against BYU in Week 1.

Prediction: Oregon 44, Virginia 17

San Diego State (0-1) at #3 Ohio State (1-0)    

Ohio State rolled in Week 1 against Buffalo, but did show some lapses during the game when they allowed the Bulls to keep it interesting. The Aztecs were destroyed by Eastern Illinois, but are hopeful that things will improve this weekend with the likely return of top rusher Adam Muema. His presence won't be enough to make this game interesting.

Prediction: Ohio State 47, San Diego State 14

South Carolina State (0-1) at #4 Clemson (1-0)    

The Tigers are the talk of college football following last week's win against Georgia. That game should prove to be great for recruiting. It not only spotlighted that the Tigers are capable of winning big games, but ESPN showing their entrance to the stadium is getting a ton of publicity. They will get to build on that momentum this week with a sure victory against South Carolina State.

Prediction: Clemson 56, South Carolina State 20

San Jose State (1-0) at #5 Stanford (0-0)

Stanford was one of the few teams not in action last weekend. The Cardinal have major expectations a year after winning the Rose Bowl. Kevin Hogan is back at quarterback, but they will be replacing Stepfan Taylor at running back, and have new starters at tight end and receiver. The offense should be given time to get, because their awesome defense returns 9 of 11 starters from last season. San Jose State shouldn't be a complete pushover and might make this game interesting for a bit.

Prediction: Stanford 34, San Jose State 20

#6 South Carolina (1-0, 0-0) at #11 Georgia (0-1, 0-0)

It is not often that you face a must win game in just the second game of your season, but those are the realities of being a big time college football program coming off a loss in its opener. The Bulldogs have to run the table to have any chance of winning a national title. They now face their second top 10 opponent of the season as they welcome South Carolina to Athens. In addition to wanting to save their season the Bulldogs want to avenge an embarrassing 35-7 loss at South Carolina last season. Aaron Murray gives Georgia the advantage at quarterback, but his success hinges on the ability of his lineman to keep Jadeveon Clowney out of his face. He will be without his top receiver Malcolm Mitchell who infamously tore his ACL when leaping to celebrate a Todd Gurley touchdown. Gamecocks quarterback Connor Shaw is a dual threat player, and his running ability gave Georgia fits last season. Sophomore Mike Davis appears ready to carry the load at running back, coming off an impressive performance against North Carolina. Georgia did lose to Clemson but it seems like it was just a case of two good teams matching up and one being a little bit better. I am not entirely sold on the South Carolina offense and Shaw and think that the road atmosphere could cause them trouble. I think the Bulldogs will get the season saving win that they need.

Prediction: Georgia 24, South Carolina 20

Sam Houston State (1-0) at #7 Texas A&M (1-0)

For only playing a quarter and a half of football, Aggies QB Johnny Manziel created quite a stir. Manziel looked spectacular in his limited playing time, but the talk was more about his antics after plays. There will be no sitting out in this game against FCS opponent Sam Houston State. The Aggies have a huge home game against Alabama next weekend, so I am sure coach Kevin Sumlin has been pounding it into his players head that they can't be caught looking ahead. As seen last week, not all FCS teams are pushovers, so the Aggies better be ready to play.

Prediction: Texas A&M 48, Sam Houston State 27

Eastern Kentucky (1-0) at #8 Louisville (1-0)

Teddy Bridgewater was spectacular in the season opener against Ohio and heightened talk of him being a strong candidate to win the Heisman trophy. The Colonels of Eastern Kentucky should provide him with even more opportunity to put up video game like numbers.

Prediction: Louisville 42, Eastern Kentucky 16 

UAB (0-1) at #9 LSU (1-0)   

LSU saw some positive signs that their offense will be improved under new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. QB Zach Mettenberger avoided any turnovers, although his completion percentage of 50 percent still needs a lot of work. The Tigers also had two players, Terrence Magee and Alfred Blue almost rush for 100 yards in the win against TCU. They may also even have back RB Jeremy Hill for this game. The LSU defense looked as strong as ever and the Tigers look like once again they will be national title contenders. This week they play a terrible UAB team that should present no challenge at all.

Prediction: LSU 41, UAB 10

Last Week: 8-1
Overall: 8-1

2013 NFL Predictions

I have previewed and picked all eight divisions, so now is the time for me to reveal my playoff teams and predictions for how the playoffs will unfold. With parity in mind, I expect there to be 3 new playoff teams in both the AFC and NFC. Some of you will inevitably say I am biased in my Super Bowl pick, but I won't be alone in picking the San Francisco 49ers to win their sixth Super Bowl. It is the natural progression in their third year under Jim Harbaugh. First year was the NFC Championship, second year was making it to the Super Bowl, and his third year will culminate in a Super Bowl title. 

NFC

1. San Francisco 49ers (NFC West Champ), 12-4
2. Green Bay Packers (NFC North Champ), 11-5
3. New Orleans Saints (NFC South Champ), 10-6
4. New York Giants (NFC East Champ), 10-6
5. Atlanta Falcons (Wild Card), 10-6
6. Chicago Bears (Wild Card), 9-7

NFC Wild Card Round    

#3 New Orleans Saints over #6 Chicago Bears 
#4 New York Giants over #5 Atlanta Falcons

NFC Divisional Round    

#1 San Francisco 49ers over #4 New York Giants
#2 Green Bay Packers over #3 New Orleans Saints

NFC Championship

#1 San Francisco 49ers over #2 Green Bay Packers


AFC

1. Denver Broncos (AFC West Champ), 13-3
2. Houston Texans (AFC South Champ), 12-4
3. New England Patriots (AFC East Champ), 10-6
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC North Champ), 10-6
5. Miami Dolphins (Wild Card), 9-7
6. San Diego Chargers (Wild Card), 8-8

AFC Wild Card Round

#3 New England Patriots over #6 San Diego Chargers
#5 Miami Dolphins over #4 Pittsburgh Steelers

AFC Divisional Round

#1 Denver Broncos over #5 Miami Dolphins
#2 Houston Texans over #3 New England Patriots

AFC Championship

#2 Houston Texans over #1 Denver Broncos


Super Bowl XLVIII

#1 San Francisco 49ers over #2 Houston Texans

NFL Divisional Previews - NFC East

The NFC East is filled with question marks. Just one team made the playoffs from the division last year, the Washington Redskins, who recovered from a 3-6 start to win the division. It really is anyone's guess as to who the division front-runner will be. Some like the Redskins but they have major questions when it comes to the durability and health of start QB Robert Griffin III, as well as a mediocre defense. The New York Giants seem to perform best in years after they miss the playoffs, which they did for the third time in four years in 2012. The Philadelphia Eagles have a new head coach for the first time in a long time, plucking Oregon's Chip Kelly to be the guy. Kelly is bringing with him a new style of offense, that he hopes resurrects Mike Vick's career. The Dallas Cowboys are sticking with the Tony Romo/Jason Garrett combo, but seemed destined for more disappointment.


1. New York Giants    

2012 Record: 9-7, 2nd place NFC East
Head Coach: Tom Coughlin (11th season New York Giants, 163-128 career)
Key Additions: OT/G Justin Pugh, WR Louis Murphy, TE Brandon Meyers, DT Cullen Jenkins, DT Mike Patterson, ILB Dan Connor, CB Aaron Ross, S Ryan Mundy, K Josh Brown
Key Losses: RB Ahmad Bradshaw, WR Domenik Hixon, TE Martellus Bennett, DE Osi Umeniyora, DT Chris Canty, OLB Michael Boley, ILB Chase Blackburn, S Kenny Phillips, K Lawrence Tynes

2013 Outlook: In typical Giants fashion, New York got off to a hot start last year, and then crumbled down the stretch. But unlike in their fluke Super Bowl years, they weren't able to sneak into the playoffs and then suddenly catch fire. So instead, they missed the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. The reason for the demise of their 2012 season was pretty clearly the poor play of QB Eli Manning down the stretch. Manning has the two Super Bowl rings and is definitely a good quarterback, but any talk of him being better than Peyton is pure poppycock. Manning went the last nine games of the season without even breaking 300 yards passing. He definitely missed having the old Hakeem Nicks. Nicks battled injuries throughout the season and didn't seem like the same player when he was in the lineup. Nicks wants more money so this year is key for him if he wants to make bank. A major reason he wants more money is his fellow wideout Victor Cruz got paid this off-season. Cruz proved that his 2011 season was no fluke and that he is one of the premiere wideouts in football. Brandon Meyers replaces Martellus Bennett at tight end. I really liked this move by the Giants and think Meyers could be in for a big season. David Wilson has been handed the keys to the car at running back, finally forgiven for his opening game fumble against the Cowboys last season. The pressure will be on him even more after his backup Andre Brown suffered a broken leg in the preseason finale. The offensive line remained largely the same, although they did draft Justin Pugh in the first round of the draft. Right now Pugh is listed as being David Diehl's backup at right tackle on the depth chart. Chris Snee remains at right guard. Did you know that he is Tom Coughlin's son-in-law? Bet you didn't! The Giants defense was atrocious last season, finishing 25th against the run and 28th against the pass. Changes had to be made, so longtime defensive end Osi Umeniyora, who had been unhappy for years with his contract was allowed to leave for Atlanta. The Giants are hoping for a bounce back season from Justin Tuck, who struggled mightily in 2012. Jason Pierre-Paul also saw his sack numbers go way down, but that might have been more due to the struggles of others around him. Cullen Jenkins was brought in from Philadelphia to fortify the defensive line. Mark Herzlich from Boston College will be the new starting middle linebacker, while the rest of the linebacking corps is highly questionable. Even more questionable is the Giants secondary. Corey Webster was another defensive player who had a bad year for New York in 2012. The other corner, Prince Amukamara hasn't stayed healthy long enough for anyone to truly judge him yet. Ryan Mundy is the new safety, formerly of the Steelers, and will be paired up with Antrel Rolle. Lawrence Tynes made some huge kicks in his Giants career but his time was up, and he has been replaced by veteran Josh Brown. Steve Weatherford is serviceable at punter. David Wilson is still listed as the kick returner, but it will be interesting to see how long that remains with him and not much else at running back. The schedule starts off pretty light for New York so expect another hot start. They will hit their typical speed bump, but this year, I think they manage to sneak into the playoffs. However, I don't expect them to push through another ridiculous Super Bowl run.

Prediction: 10-6


2. Washington Redskins    

2012 Record: 10-6, NFC East champs
Head Coach: Mike Shanahan (4th season Washington, 175-131 career)
Key Additions: DB David Amerson, DE Darryl Tapp, CB E.J. Biggers
Key Losses: OT Jammal Brown, DE/OLB Lorenzo Alexander, CB Cedric Griffin, S Madieu Williams

2013 Outlook: Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III took the league by storm in 2012. He brought life to a franchise desperately in need of it, and made fools of the people who said the Skins gave up too many picks to draft him. At first though, his brilliance wasn't translating to wins on the field as the Skins started 3-6. But then, as seems to be recent Redskins tradition when they make a playoff run, Washington bounced back, winning their final seven games and their first division title in 13 years. During that winning streak Griffin hurt his knee and actually missed a game. He came back in time to beat Dallas for the division, and then propelled Washington to a 14-0 lead against Seattle in the playoffs. But he had tweaked the injury early in the game and it was obvious as he overthrew receiver after receiver that something wasn't right. Stubbornly, he and coach Mike Shanahan kept him in and then eventually he wound up tearing his ACL and LCL, and the Skins would lose. The talk all offseason has been about whether or not Griffin will be ready for Week 1. He has finally been cleared, although apparently Dr. James Andrews wants him to become the first quarterback in the history of football to never be hit to ensure his safety. Everyone thinks the Skins have to change how they use Griffin. I don't think they do. I think Griffin needs to become a smarter player and stop trying to be a hero all the time. Get out of bounds when he can, throw the ball away if he has to. The Redskins would be foolish to try to not use his legs, his legs are one of his biggest weapons. Fortunately for Washington they appear to have a capable backup in Kirk Cousins, a pick that was deemed stupid by all the know it alls last year. The Redskins found another rookie gem in RB Alfred Morris. Alf rushed for over 1,600 yards and turned a doubter like me into a believer. Washington will be helped this year by the return of RB Roy Helu. When given the opportunity Helu has been very effective, and he could really help conserve Alf this season. Another key player that the Redskins hope remains healthy is Pierre Garcon. The Redskins offense goes to another level with Garcon's playmaking ability on the field. Josh Morgan will start opposite of him, and Santana Moss will be in the slot. Buying a Santana Moss jersey in 2005 was one of the best investments I've made as he enters his 9th and likely last season in Washington. Fred Davis is back from injury to start at tight end. The offensive line was considered a major concern going into the 2012 season but performed quite well. Only right tackle Tyler Polumbus was a real weakness. The rest of the line is strong with left tackle Trent Williams, left guard Kory Lichtensteiger, center Will Montgomery and right guard Chris Chester. The line was able to stay pretty healthy in 2012 and the Redskins have to hope they do as well in 2013, because the depth behind them is thin. The Redskins defense struggled mightily at times last season, but a lot of that can be traced back to losing Brian Orakpo in Week 2. Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan make up a fearsome group of linebackers on the edge, but Orakpo has to avoid being injured a third straight season. The defensive line doesn't get a lot of pressure, so it really is on Orakpo and Kerrigan to make life tough for opposing quarterbacks. Adam Carriker is gone for the year, and his replacement Jarvis Jenkins stupidly got himself suspended the first four games for taking a banned substance. London Fletcher is once again back to man the middle of the field, but last year finally started showing signs of slowing down. The Redskins have almost no depth behind him, so that is an area of concern. It appeared that the DeAngelo Hall era had ended when the Skins released him, but then they re-signed to a much cap friendlier 1 year deal. Hall isn't great, but they could do worse at corner. Josh Wilson is the other starting corner but Washington will probably try to find ways to get their top pick David Amerson onto the field. The safety position was a mess last year for Washington, as Brandon Meriweather couldn't get over injuries. He should be ready to go in Week 1 and in his one game he played against Philadelphia last season he was exceptional. Right now, rookie Bacarri Rambo is penciled in as the other starter at safety, although you can expect longtime Redskin Reed Doughty to see some time on the field. Kai Forbath was a breath of fresh air at kicker, and the Redskins hope they have finally solved that position. Sav Rocca hangs around as the punter but his best years are long behind him. It is really tough predicting the Redskins this season, as so many things could go right, but so many feel like they have the potential to go wrong. Washington has a good amount of talent but they will have to avoid the injury bug as much as possible, as depth is weak in some key areas. I think they will post another winning season but the playoffs may end up just out of their reach.

Prediction: 9-7


3. Philadelphia Eagles     

2012 Record: 4-12, last place NFC East
Head Coach: Chip Kelly (1st season Philadelphia, 0-0 career)
Key Additions: OT Lane Johnson, FB Zach Ertz, TE James Casey, NT Isaac Sopoaga, DE/OLB Connor Barwin, DE/OLB Emmanuel Acho, ILB Jason Phillips, CB Cary Williams, S Patrick Chung, P Donnie Jones
Key Losses: QB Trent Edwards, RB Dion Lewis, OT King Dunlap, OT Demetress Bell, G Jake Scott, DE Darryl Tapp, DT Cullen Jenkins, DT Mike Patterson, CB Nnamdi Asomugha, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, P Mat McBriar

2013 Outlook: 2012 was a complete disaster for the Eagles. QB Michael Vick continued to be brittle and the team completely quit under long tenured coach Andy Reid. The Dream Team ideal had never materialized and instead the Eagles had become one of the worst teams in football. Reid was shown the door as it was clear he had taken the franchise as far as he could. The Eagles then hired Chip Kelly away from the Oregon Ducks. What Kelly will be able to do in the NFL remains a mystery but his offenses were some of the most exciting, prolific and fast paced in all of college football. He is hoping to bring that style of play to the Eagles, and has decided that Vick is the man to carry out his vision. I think Vick can thrive in this type of offense but the real question with him is can he remain healthy? If not, the Eagles at least have a backup they feel pretty good about in Nick Foles. RB LeSean McCoy is looking to have a bounce back year after an injury plagued 2012. He expressed some discontent with Kelly's hire at first on Twitter but seems to have come around. The Eagles also have depth at running back with Bryce Brown as his backup. Brown showed some real burst last year when he got to play but was a fumbling machine. Kelly has high hopes for WR DeSean Jackson and the many ways he can potentially use him in the offense. Jeremy Maclin was lost for the year at the beginning of training camp, forcing racist Riley Cooper into the number two spot. Brent Celek burst onto the scene a few years ago at tight end but ever since Vick took over at quarterback he hasn't been the same player. Kelly likes to use the tight end so maybe this is Celek's return to upper echelon play. The Eagles badly missed Jason Peters at left tackle last season and are happy to have him back. In what seems to be a recurring theme, the question is, can he remain healthy. They spent a first round pick on on right tackle Lane Johnson, and have center Jason Kelce returning from injury. If the line can stay healthy it could be one of the better units in football. The Eagles defense has undergone a massive makeover. Gone are disappointments like Nmadi Asomugha, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and to a lesser extent Cullen Jenkins. The defensive line is a huge mystery as to what kind of production the Eagles will get. They signed away NT Isaac Sopoaga from the 49ers, but Sopoaga could never crack the starting lineup in San Francisco. DT Fletcher Cox showed some promise his rookie year, so the Eagles are hoping for big things from him in year two. The linebacking unit looks like an old Houston Texans defense, with Connor Barwin joining DeMeco Ryans. Trent Cole was terrible in 2012 and having turned 30 the Eagles have to been concerned if his best days are behind him. The secondary looks nothing like it did last year. Bradley Fletcher and Cary Williams are the new starting cornerbacks. After how terrible Asomugha and Cromartie were last year, you figured Fletcher and Williams have nowhere to go but up. Patrick Chung was brought in from New England to start alongside Nate Allen at safety. After some initial struggles Alex Henery has turned into one of the better kickers in football. The Eagles added another former Texan at punter with the addition of Donnie Jones. The Eagles are hoping that Jackson can return to the threat he once was at punt returner. The Eagles might be the toughest team to predict going in the season. Just so many question marks and new pieces to the team. I expect them to improve on last season's abomination, but chemistry will take time to build. Unfortunately for impatient Eagles fans that will mean a third straight year of missing the playoffs.

Prediction: 7-9


4. Dallas Cowboys    

2012 Record: 8-8, 3rd place NFC East
Head Coach: Jason Garrett (3rd season Dallas, 21-19 career)
Key Additions: C/G Travis Frederick, OLB Justin Durant, S Will Allen
Key Losses: RB Felix Jones, WR Kevin Ogletree, DE/DT Kenyon Coleman, DE/DT Marcus Spears, ILB Dan Connor, CB Mike Jenkins, S Gerald Sensabaugh

2013 Outlook: The Dallas Cowboys continue to be mediocre year after year but still draw one of the highest levels of attention in the league. Ever year we hear about how much talent Dallas has and this is the year. Then they will be average all season but still have a chance to win a final game to sneak into the playoffs and win the mediocre NFC East. The last two seasons they have failed to do that and the man most often blamed is QB Tony Romo. I don't really think that is fair as Cowboys fans don't seem to realize how good they have it. Romo has come up small in some big games but he hasn't been helped by a porous offensive line. He also hasn't had a consistent running game in years, mostly because DeMarco Murray, while talented, can never stay healthy. Felix Jones is gone so the depth behind Murray is highly questionable. The Cowboys receiving corps remains one of the better units in football. WR Dez Bryant had a breakout season last year, and showed why the Cowboys eschewed character concerns to draft him a few years ago. Miles Austin is very good when healthy but like Murray, health has been hard for him to attain. Jason Witten remains one of the most consistent tight ends in football. The Cowboys were desperate to improve an offensive line that had Romo running for his life last season. They reached for center Travis Frederick out of Wisconsin by taking him in the first round of the draft. Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau are back at the guard positions, which to most Cowboys fans isn't a good thing. Also back is right tackle Doug Free, another player that struggled mightily. Left tackle Tyron Smith has been somewhat disappointing thus far but has showed enough good signs that the Cowboys remain optimistic about his prospects. The Cowboys are revamping their struggling defense, as they fired bombastic, overrated coordinator Rob Ryan, but then replaced him with the over the hill Monte Kiffin. Kiffin presided over a terrible defense in USC, and seems to have lost his fastball from his Tampa Bay Bucs days. Anthony Spencer and DeMarcus Ware give Dallas dangerous ends, both capable of double digit sack seasons. DT Jay Ratliff has seemed unmotivated ever since signing a big contract in 2011, but maybe Kiffin can light a fire under him. The Cowboys are very happy to have Sean Lee back at linebacker, after he missed more than half the season in 2012. Secondary has been a problem area for Dallas for years it seems and likely will remain so in 2013. Safety Barry Church is coming back from a torn achilles, while Will Allen was brought in from Pittsburgh where he had his struggles. The corners are pretty good with the young Morris Claiborne lining alongside Brandon Carr. Dan Bailey is one of the best kickers in the NFL, while punter Chris Jones is barely good enough. Returner Dwayne Harris is exceptionally fast and a threat to take one to the house anytime he touches the ball. I think Dallas will be in a lot of shootouts in 2013. Romo will be up to the task sometimes but he isn't someone that can carry your team an entire season. The Cowboys season will rest on the strides the offensive line and defense make. I'm not confident that those necessary strides will come.

Prediction: 7-9

NFL Divisional Previews - AFC East

For the last decade, except for 2002 and 2008, the New England Patriots have won the AFC East. That is an amazing level of consistency. This past offseason the Patriots dealt with more than just personnel losses, they dealt with one of their best players, Aaron Hernandez, being charged with murder. Knowing the Patriots though, they will keep chugging along like nothing happened. The Miami Dolphins are in year two of the Joe Philbin/Ryan Tannehill era. Tannehill struggled as a rookie, but had some positive moments, enough to give the Dolphins hope. The Buffalo Bills are trying to make the playoffs for the first time since 1999 but already are a complete mess at the quarterback position. The New York Jets are a complete mess everywhere.


1. New England Patriots    

2012 Record: 12-4, AFC East Champions
Head Coach: Bill Belichick (14th season New England, 205-109 career)
Key Additions: QB Tim Tebow, WR LaGarrette Blount, WR Danny Amendola, DT Tommy Kelly, S Adrian Wilson, KR Leon Washington, P Ryan Allen
Key Losses: RB Danny Woodhead, WR Wes Welker, WR Brandon Lloyd, TE Aaron Hernandez, G Brian Waters, S Patrick Chung, P Zoltan Mesko

2013 Outlook: The Patriots breezed through another regular season in 2012, but in what is becoming too common for the liking of Patriots fans, lost a playoff game at home, this time the AFC Championship game to the Baltimore Ravens. It has now been 9 years since Tom Brady and the Patriots last won a Super Bowl, and the question is becoming, will they win another before Brady has to eventually retire? He is still one of the best quarterbacks in the league, maybe the best. The Patriots are loaded at running back with Steven Ridley and Shane Vareen. Ridley was a beast last season, and Vareen was very effective in spot duty. It seems that Vareen will take a more active role in other spots on the field, similar to how Aaron Hernandez would line up at running back at times. Who Brady will throw to is a bit of a mystery. His favorite target, Wes Welker is now in Denver. The Patriots quickly replaced him with former Ram Danny Amendola. Amendola is good when healthy, but when healthy doesn't happen too often for him. It seems like Julian Edelman will be the number two receiver, so Brady will be throwing to some very short wideouts. Kenbrell Thompkins, who went undrafted has played well in the preseason and could be a factor in the passing game. TE Rob Gronkowski had about 55 surgeries this past offseason and could miss the first six weeks of the season. If so, that will leave Daniel Fells as the starter and he had just 4 catches last season. Offensive line is a strength for New England. You can tell that because any time Brady even has someone breath on him, it is immediately the reason people will point to if Brady struggles. Nate Solder, Logan Mankins, and Sebastien Vollmer are the Patriots premiere lineman. Defensively, the Patriots were good at stopping the run but once again struggled against the pass. Thomas Kelly and longtime Patriot Vince Wilfork should be monsters in the middle of the defensive line. The Patriots have high hopes for second year defensive end Chandler Jones, who battled injuries last season. The Patriots linebacking corps rivals some of the best in the league. Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes, and Dont'a Hightower are all excellent players. The Patriots made a move in the middle of last season to try to shore up their secondary, bringing in Aqib Talib. He was a free agent this off-season but the Pats brought him back with a one year deal. Alfonso Dennard lines up on the other side and is a solid player, even if he isn't a solid citizen. Steven Gregory and Devin McCourty are currently listed as the starting safeties, but newly signed Adrian Wilson should see some time as well. Patriots fans have never had to miss Adam Vinatieri as Stephen Gostkowski has been money ever since replacing him. Ryan Allen won the punting battle over Zoltan Mesko. I expect their win total to decrease this year, especially with some of the uncertainty on offense, but it should still be good enough for them to win the AFC East. However, I think it will be another Super Bowl-less year in New England.

Prediction: 10-6


2. Miami Dolphins    

2012 Record: 7-9, 2nd place AFC East
Head Coach: Joe Philbin (2nd year Miami, 7-9 career)
Key Additions: DE/OLB Dion Jordan, WR Mike Wallace, OT Tyson Clabo, OLB Philip Wheeler, ILB Dannell Ellerbe, CB Brent Grimes
Key Losses: RB Reggie Bush, WR Davone Bess, TE Anthony Fasano, OT Jake Long, OLB Kevin Burnett, ILB Karlos Dansby

2013 Outlook: Miami was basically the definition of average in 2012. Their longest winning streak or losing streak during the season was three games. What doomed their season was that they were less than average throwing the ball and stopping other teams from throwing the ball. Rookie Ryan Tannehill threw just 12 TD passes in his rookie season and only threw for over 300 yards once in the season. Some of that was on Tannehill but some of that was also the fact that he didn't have any receivers worth a damn. So the Dolphins went out to try to fix that and signed Mike Wallace to a gigantic contract. Wallace has the contract he wants, now the Dolphins hope he becomes the consistent threat that can make Tannehill into a star. The acquisition of Wallace moves Brian Hartline over to the number two spot, a spot that he will be much more suited for. Tight end is a question as longtime starter Anthony Fasano is gone. It will be a battle between a bunch of unknowns, Charles Clay, Michael Egnew, and Dion Sims. They had signed Dustin Keller to be the new starter but he was lost for the season in a preseason game. Reggie Bush was allowed to leave via free agency, leaving Lamar Miller as the new starter. He will be backed up by disappointing Daniel Thomas. Former number one overall pick Jake Long left for the Rams in free agency, and second-year man Jonathan Martin is his replacement. The Dolphins did get a nice addition to the line in bringing in former Falcon Tyson Clabo as their new starting right tackle. Mike Pouncey is a very good center, and Richie Incognito is good at blocking and getting under defensive lineman's skin. On defense, right defensive end Cameron Wake is one of the best in the league. He hasn't gotten a ton of publicity because the Dolphins have been largely irrelevant, but he did notch 15 sacks last year. The rest of the defensive line is basically no names, but no names that get the job done. Randy Starks had 4 1/2 sacks last season and Paul Soliai is a mountain of a man at 340 pounds. As you get further back into the defense is where you start to see major changes. Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett are gone at linebacker, replaced by Dannell Ellerbe and Philip Wheeler. They got younger at the position and talent wise stayed about the same for now. The hope obviously is Ellerbe and Wheeler grow into even better players. I think the acquisition of former Falcon Brent Grimes will really pay off as he comes the team's lead corner. Injuries are definitely a concern as Grimes has been injury plagued the last two seasons, but at just a one year deal it was a move Miami needed to make. Safety Reshad Jones just re-upped for 4 years and 30 million dollars, showing how much faith the Dolphins have in him. The other corner is Dmitri Patterson who was acquired from the Browns last season. He played the final two games of the 2012 season for Miami, and pairing him with Grimes, the Dolphins are confident they can improve upon their pass defense. Dan Carpenter is gone and in at kicker is rookie Caleb Sturgis from Florida. Brandon Fields is one of the better punters in the league. Marcus Thigpen will return both punts and kicks and is dangerous, having scored twice last season. I believe the Dolphins and more specifically Tannehill will make the leap this season to becoming a playoff team. I like the moves they made to improve the passing game and the defense. I think the Dolphins not only will make the playoffs but also win their first playoff game since 2000.

Prediction: 9-7


3. Buffalo Bills    

2012 Record: 6-10, last place AFC East
Head Coach: Doug Marrone (1st season Buffalo, 0-0 career)
Key Additions: QB E.J. Manuel, WR Robert Woods, QB Kevin Kolb, G Doug Legursky, DT Alan Branch
Key Losses: QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB Tarvaris Jackson, WR David Nelson, WR Donald Jones, G Andy Levitre, G Chad Rinehart, DE Chris Kelsay, DE Shawne Merriman, OLB Nick Barnett, CB Terrence McGee

2013 Outlook: After a 6-10, last place finish in the AFC East, the Bills knew they had to cut their losses with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and coach Chan Gailey and move in a different direction. They decided that Florida State quarterback E.J. Manuel was their quarterback of the future and took him way higher than anyone else would have taken him, with the 16th pick in the first round. They also brought in Kevin Kolb as insurance, but Kolb took a blow to the head in the preseason and with this being his third concussion in just a few years, his career could be over. Manuel also hurt himself in the preseason and so the Bills are looking at having to start something named Jeff Tuel in their season opener. One player that might finally get to maximize his talent is RB C.J. Spiller. New coach Doug Marrone says he wants to run him until he pukes. Fred Jackson is now clearly the backup, which is for the best since he can never be counted on to stay healthy. Stevie Johnson remains the Bills leading receiver, but the rest of the position has seen a shake up. Average receivers David Nelson and Donald Jones are gone, so the Bills drafted Robert Woods out of USC, and are set to start T.J. Graham opposite of Johnson. Woods will have to make an immediate impact or Johnson is going to have to be constantly fighting double teams. TE Scott Chandler has come back from a torn ACL and is a very dependable goal line target. The Bills have a pretty good offensive although they could be hurt by the loss of guard Andy Levitre. Doug Legursky was signed to be a possible replacement, but he also joined the Bills injury woes in the preseason, so Colin Browns figures to be the guy. Left tackle Cordy Glenn and center Eric Wood are solid. The Bills were a top 10 pass defense last year but mostly because teams ran wild on them and didn't need to pass. The Bills are moving to more of a 3-4 defense which will push defensive end Mario Williams to linebacker. DT Marcell Dareus and DE Kyle Williams had some success getting to the quarterback last season but Dareus will need to improve his play against the run. Manny Lawson was added to the linebacking corps, as Nick Barnett was let go. The Bills are pretty strong at corner with second year man Stephen Gilmore and Leodis McKelvin. Jairus Byrd is one of the better safeties in the league and led the team with 5 picks in 2012. McKelvin is not only a good corner but a dangerous punt returner, scoring 2 touchdowns last year. Rian Lindell was cut in favor of draft pick Dustin Hopkins, and punter Shawn Powell will likely be cut if he is 2013 is as bad as his 2012. It figures to be another non-playoff season for the Bills. The quarterback situation is so unsettled and Spiller will only be able to carry the offense so much.

Prediction: 7-9


4. New York Jets    

2012 Record: 6-10, 3rd place AFC East
Head Coach: Rex Ryan (5th season New York Jets, 38-32 career)
Key Additions: CB Dee Milliner, DE/DT Sheldon Richardson, QB Geno Smith, RB Chris Ivory, RB Mike Goodson, TE Kellen Winslow, G/OT Willie Colon, S Dawan Landry
Key Losses: QB Tim Tebow, RB Shonn Greene, RB Joe McKnight, WR Braylon Edwards, WR Chaz Schillens, TE Dustin Keller, OT Jason Smith, G Brandon Moore, G Matt Slauson, DE/DT Mike DeVito, ILB Bart Scott, CB Darelle Revis, S LaRon Landry, S Yeremiah Bell

2013 Outlook: Years of poor personnel decisions finally caught up to the Jets in 2012 and the bottom fell out, as the Jets missed the playoffs for a second straight season, winning just 6 games. Mark Sanchez continued to be exposed as being average to awful, as he no longer had a running game or defense to rely on. The Jets showed how little faith they had left in him by benching him at the end of last season, and then drafting Geno Smith. Sanchez and Smith were competing in preseason, but it looks like Smith might win by default, at least in Week 1, as Sanchez is out with a shoulder injury. Smith showed some promise in college, but has not played well so far in preseason so the learning curve will be steep. Plus, it doesn't help that the Jets have zero weapons on offense. Their starting running back is a Bilal Powell and their receivers are nobodies Jeremy Kerley and Stephen Hill. Chris Ivory was signed from the Saints and will also see some carries but he is never able to stay healthy. The Jets are hopeful that Santonio Holmes will be ready to return from injury in Week 1, which would give Smith at least one decent player around him. Tight end Dustin Keller is gone, leaving Jeff Cumberland as the starter, with Kellen Winslow backing him up. One area on offense where the Jets aren't lacking talent is offensive line. Left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and center Nick Mangold are two of the best at their position in the league. Willie Colon was brought in from Pittsburgh to be the new right guard, while the questionable Vladimir Ducasse is slotted to start at left guard. The Jets defense started to show its age last season and finished 26th against the run. A lot of new pieces will be shuffled into the defense this season with the departure of guys like Bart Scott, LaRon Landry and Yeremiah Bell. The biggest change will be the loss of Revis Island, as they traded him to the Buccaneers. They immediately drafted his replacement in Dee Milliner out of Alabama. The other corner, father of the year Antonio Cromartie quietly had a strong 2012 season. Interestingly, Dawan Landry replaces his brother at safety and reunites with Rex Ryan, as they were together when Ryan was defensive coordinator in Baltimore. Another rookie in the starting lineup will be defensive end Sheldon Richardson. Left end Muhammed Wilkerson showed promise last year, especially towards the end of the season. DeMario Davis will take over for Scott at linebacker, but the Jets may be without Quinton Coples at left outside linebacker to start the season as he deals with an ankle injury. Special teams remains the same with Nick Folk at kicker and Robert Malone as punter. They won't have Joe McKnight returning kicks anymore as they cut him last week. The Jets defense might be able to keep them in some games but the offense is likely to be turnover prone and horrific yet again this season. With another non-playoff season this will likely be the end of the road for Rex Ryan. Have no doubt though, Ryan will get quickly scooped up somewhere to be the defensive coordinator.

Prediction: 6-10

Cram Session - Week 1

College football is here! 2012 was such an exciting season for me as a college football fan. My favorite team, Notre Dame, went 12-0 before absolutely face palming in the national championship game against Alabama. My other team, Nebraska made the Big Ten championship game, and then was obliterated by a 4-loss Wisconsin team that shouldn't even have been in the game. So while the endings were things I would rather forget, the journey was enjoyable. As most people predicted Alabama went to the National Championship game, but their predicted opponent, USC, turned into a complete joke. This season the popular pick for the championship game seems to be Alabama versus either Oregon or Stanford. Can Alabama three peat, becoming the first program in college football history to accomplish such a feat? Will Oregon really just truck along like nothing happened in their first season without Chip Kelly? Will a school like Stanford, actually play for a national title? I have a feeling that much like 2012, the picture at the end of the season, will be far different than the experts predicted.


Games That Matter To Me

Temple at #14 Notre Dame

In typical Notre Dame hate, everyone is ready to bury the Irish. Their starting quarterback Everett Golson got booted from the program. While that sucks, Golson wasn't anything special at quarterback. He probably is slightly better than his replacement Tommy Rees, but Rees has had success. In fact, Rees had to come in to clean Golson's messes on multiple occasions last season. More concering to me is having to replace Theo Riddick and Cierre Wood at running back. The starter will be George Atkinson III with Amir Carlisle expected to see action as well. Also, TE Tyler Eifert will be greatly missed. However, over the past decade Notre Dame has turned into Tight End U, so hopefully new starter Troy Niklas continues that tradition. The side of the ball that carried Notre Dame all of last season was the defense and they return 8 of 12 starters. Most people will focus on them being without Manti Te'o but they bring back defensive lineman Louis Nix and Stephen Tuitt. A new player to watch is LB Jaylon Smith, who becomes the first freshman to start at linebacker for Notre Dame in 18 years.

The Irish will be heavily favored in their opener against Temple. It is a new era for Temple football. They are now competing in the brand new American Athletic Conference, and has a new coach in Matt Rhule. Rhule has installed a no huddle offense, that he hopes will jump start a unit that averaged just 120 yards passing per game last season. They are quarterbacked by Connor Reilly who will be making his first ever college start on Saturday.

Notre Dame has rolled in most of their openers under Kelly, save for a loss to South Florida two years ago. I think things will go relatively smoothly on Saturday, but am not expecting a complete blowout of the Owls. Competition will pick up significantly next weekend, when they go to Michigan.

Prediction: Notre Dame 28, Temple 13   

Wyoming at #18 Nebraska

The Cornhuskers find themselves in a strange position heading into the 2013 season, especially for a team coached by defensive mastermind Bo Pelini. The offense is expected to be spectacular and one of the best units in college football. As for the defense? Most Cornhuskers fans are just hoping for the best. The defense ended last year in embarrassing fashion after being torched by Wisconsin and Georgia. It turned what had been a surprisingly strong season, including a 7-1 mark in the Big Ten, into another 4 loss disappointment. Nebraska's biggest challengers in the Big Ten race in the Legends division figure to once again be Michigan and Northwestern.

The offense is once again led by senior quarterback Taylor Martinez. Martinez is coming off his best season, throwing 23 TDs, while also rushing for over 1,000 yards and scoring 10 touchdowns on the ground. Also returning is leading rusher Ameer Abdullah, and leading receiver Kenny Bell. The offense should be one of the best units in college football and certainly the best in the Big Ten.

Defensively, the linebacking corps is very young and there are questions about how effective the defensive line will be, especially against the run. Huskers coaches are optimistic about their two defensive ends, Jason Ankrah and junior-college transfer Randy Gregory. Nebraska feels good about their secondary, led by Ciante Evans, Josh Mitchell, Harvey Jackson and Corey Cooper.

Against Wyoming the defense will be going up against the spread offense. This will be a good test, because Nebraska's next two opponents, Southern Miss and UCLA also run the spread. The Cowboys have a very talented quarterback, Brett Smith, who threw 27 touchdowns versus just 6 interceptions last season. Unfortunately for him, his team's defense is awful and won't be able to stop Nebraska.

Prediction: Nebraska 49, Wyoming 24


Top 10

Thursday, August 29

North Carolina at #6 South Carolina

Expectations are sky high for the Gamecocks. They have the best defensive player in football, Jadeveon Clowney and a senior quarterback in Connor Shaw. Those expectations could quickly plummet if South Carolian doesn't come ready to play the Tar Heels tonight. North Carolina has a prolific offense led by a senior quarterback of their own, Bryn Renner. This should be a fun battle to watch between the Gamecocks imposing defense and the Heels fast offense.

Prediction: South Carolina 27, North Carolina 21

Saturday, August 31

#1 Alabama vs. Virginia Tech in Atlanta, Georgia

Alabama are the overwhelming favorites to win a third consecutive national title, and some think they may even run the table. I think they will probably lose a game late in the year, but not the last game of the year and then every team ahead of them will lose, and then they will win another national title. With underrated QB AJ McCarron back and the talented recruits still coming in, the Crimson Tide will act like they lost nothing to the NFL. The Hokies are going to be severely outmatched in this game, even with their gigantic quarterback Logan Thomas, who for some strange reason considered leaving early for the NFL last season despite not being very good.

Prediction: Alabama 34, Virginia Tech 9

Buffalo at #2 Ohio State

The first year under Urban Meyer in Columbus couldn't gone any better, as the Buckeyes ran the table, finishing 12-0. Well, I guess it could have gone a little better had they been eligible to compete for the national title. This year, no sanctions stand in their way and led by QB Braxton Miller, and the history of Urban Meyer teams in year two of his coaching career, expectations are a national title awaits. The Buffalo Bulls surely won't pose any threat of standing in the way of that goal.

Prediction: Ohio State 45, Buffalo 12

Nicholls State at #3 Oregon

Chip Kelly is gone, but he left behind a lot of talent for new coach Mark Helfrich. The offense still has explosive stars, QB Marcus Mariota and RB De'Anthony Thomas. Nicholls State is in for a beatdown they won't soon forget.

Prediction: Oregon 66, Nicholls State 7

#5 Georgia at #8 Clemson

The game of the weekend takes place in Clemson, South Carolina between these two top 10 teams. It features a great quarterback battle between Georgia's Aaron Murray and Clemson's Tajh Boyd. The difference might come in the run game, where Todd Gurley powers the Bulldogs attack. The Tigers lost their best running back Andre Ellington to graduation, leaving Boyd as their returning leading rusher. That is quite a burden for one player to carry and not one that will prove successful against a team as talented as Georgia. The Tigers secondary is the biggest concern area for the team and one that I believe Murray will exploit Saturday night, propelling Georgia to an impressive road win.

Prediction: Georgia 35, Clemson 24

Rice at #7 Texas A&M

Aggies quarterback Johnny Manziel has been embroiled in controversy all offseason. All this talk about ineligibility and all that will happen to him is he has to miss a half against an overmatched team. By the time Manziel takes the field, the Aggies should already be comfortably ahead. Rice isn't a terrible team, but I can't imagine them going to Kyle Field and upsetting the Aggies or even making it all that interesting.

Prediction: Texas A&M 40, Rice 19 

Toledo at #10 Florida

The Gators may be ranked in the top 10 preseason poll, but many pundits are expecting this year to be a flop. A lot of people feel that Florida got all the bounces last season in going 11-1 during the regular season. They had a terrific defense that helped overcome a non-existent offense. This year the injury bug has hit Florida hard and they will be missing several key pieces, not only for this game but future games as well.

Prediction: Florida 28, Toledo 17

NFL Divisional Previews - AFC North

The AFC North is a division in transition. Long dominated by the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, it feels like the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns might be ready to say something about that. The Steelers didn't even make the playoffs last season, losing a do or die game at home to Cincinnati. They jettisoned some of their older defensive players and made some changes on the offensive line, and are hopeful they will get back to being Super Bowl contenders this season. The Bengals have made the playoffs two years in a row, but can't get past the Houston Texans. Marvin Lewis is the second longest tenured coach in football, and hasn't won a single playoff game. At some point you would have to think that will no longer be acceptable. The Cleveland Browns once again have a new coach, this time its Rob Chudzinski's turn to try to turn around the Browns. They are hopeful that he can work some magic with Brandon Weeden, and help an offense with a lot of young talent, turn into a dominating group. The Ravens won their second Super Bowl title, as Joe Flacco became an amazing quarterback at the right time. Then, they let basically their entire defense leave via free agency, as well as some important offensive pieces. John Harbaugh is a very good coach but this year will be his greatest test yet. 



1. Pittsburgh Steelers  

2012 Record: 8-8, 3rd place AFC North
Head Coach: Mike Tomlin (7th season Pittsburgh, 68-36 career)
Key Additions: DE/OLB Jarvis Jones, RB Le'Veon Bell, RB LaRod Stephens-Howlings, QB Landry Jones, QB Bruce Gradkowski, RB Felix Jones, TE Matt Spaeth, OT Guy Whimper, CB William Gay
Key Losses: RB Rashard Mendenhall, WR Mike Wallace, OT Max Starks, G Willie Colon, NT Casey Hampton, DE/OLB James Harrison, S Will Allen

2013 Outlook: Last season the Steelers were 6-3 and looked primed to once again be in the playoffs. Then Ben Roehtlisberger got hurt, as he often does playing behind a bad offensive line, and the Steelers went just 2-5 the rest of the way, missing the playoffs. Whether the Steelers win the division or miss the playoffs entirely this year, will rest on the health of Roethlisberger. The options behind him are slightly better than last year, but it would still be a significant drop-off. Usually in training camp you are watching a battle at the quarterback position, but this year for the Steelers the battle is at running back. Rashard Mendenhall is gone, leaving Isaac Redman, Jonathan Dwyer, LaRod Stephens-Howlings and rookie Le'Veon Bell to compete for the job. Bell got injured during the preseason and his status is uncertain, so right now it appears Redman will be the opening day starter. The Steelers will likely employ a mix of running backs, and it will be intriguing to see how that plays out throughout the year. There will also be change at wide receiver, as number one receiver Mike Wallace left for Miami. Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders are now the guys, and if last year is any indication Brown looks primed to breakout this season. Sanders is a bigger question mark, but the Steelers need him to step up, as the options behind him aren't good. Old reliable Health Miller is still recovering from surgery and it is not yet known when he will be back. Because of that, the Steelers did what they often do, picked up a player that had left and didn't do very well. This time it was former tight end, Matt Spaeth. Uncertainty on the offensive line is a constant Steelers storyline and this season is no different. Right tackle Mike Adams was not good last season but is back in the starting lineup with the Steelers counting on experience having made him better. They should have second year man David DeCastro as the starting right guard this year, after losing him for most of last year with a preseason injury. Marcus Gilbert is starting at left tackle, replacing the departed Max Starks. Roethlisberger is one of the best quarterbacks in the league at making plays on the run. Steelers fans probably wonder how good he could be if he ever had any time to throw the ball. The defense is called old and done just about every year it seems, but year after year they rank near the top of the NFL. One area they have struggled is getting to the quarterback, most notably Ziggy Hood. The other defensive end Brett Keisel is 34 and on the decline so this is an area of the team the Steelers will have to start addressing through the draft soon. An area that seems set is linebacker, especially with the drafting of stud Jarvis Jones out of Georgia. LaMarr Woodley was disappointing last season, but maybe the presence of Jones will help him out. LB Larry Foote re-upped for 3 more years this past off-season which was slightly surprising because he also struggled in 2012. Cortez Allen and Ike Taylor give the Steelers very good bookends, while the safeties that people have come to know for Pittsburgh are still there, Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark. Polamalu has turned into an injury plagued player, so it would be surprising if he gets through the 2013 season unscathed. The Steelers played to kicker Shaun Suisham's strengths and barely had him attempt anything over 50 yards. So while his numbers look good, he can't be counted on from long distance. Drew Butler ranked towards the bottom of the league in punting last year, so he will have to bounce back or won't be on the team much longer. The return tandem of Sanders on punts and Brown on kickoffs has big play potential. I can't remember the last time the Steelers missed the playoffs two straight years, and I don't expect that trend to start now. I think the defense will remain a strong unit, and I think Roethlisberger is due to finally be healthy an entire season. With the upheaval the Ravens are facing, the time is right for Pittsburgh to reclaim the AFC North.

Prediction: 10-6


2. Cincinnati Bengals   

2012 Record: 10-6, 2nd place AFC North
Head Coach: Marvin Lewis (11th season Cincinnati, 79-84-1 career)
Key Additions: TE Tyler Eifert, RB Giovanni Bernard, QB Josh Johnson, QB John Skelton, OLB James Harrison
Key Losses: FB Brian Leonard, OLB Manny Lawson, CB Nate Clements, K Josh Brown

2013 Outlook: The Bengals surprised many, including me by making the playoffs a second straight season. They surprised nobody when they were immediately bounced from the playoffs by the Texans, and that loss made it 23 years since the Benglas won a playoff game. You have got to think if this season passes by without a playoff win that changes have to be made at the top. One player that caught some heat for the playoff failure was QB Andy Dalton. In both of his playoff starts Dalton has played miserably. Dalton seems to be proving himself as an adequate quarterback, but one that isn't all that special. In fact, he probably looks better than he is because of the beast he has at wide receiver, A.J. Green. Green has battled injuries this preseason but should be ready for the opener. One player who won't be ready is Andrew Hawkins. Hawkins is likely to miss at least half the season with an injured ankle. That means Mohamed Sanu, who had just 16 catches last season, will have to step up and take over the number two spot. It also means that Dalton will rely even more on his tight end Jermaine Gresham. It wasn't clear if the Bengals don't like what they have in Gresham, or they just wanted to take a really good player when they drafted TE Tyler Eifert out of Notre Dame. Either way, the Bengals have a potent one-two punch at tight end now. Left tackle Andrew Whitworth is battling injuries, while the Bengals were more than happy to bring back right tackle Andre Smith who was a free agent. The rest of the line is solid and not an area of too much concern for the Bengals going into the season. The Bengals defense is one of the more exciting, and up and coming units in football. That group is led by defensive tackle Geno Atkins, who led the team with 12 sacks. Joining him on that dangerous defensive line is defensive end Michael Johnson, who was second on the Bengals in sacks. The Bengals are also pretty stacked at linebacker with Ray Maualaga, Vontaze Burfict and James Harrison. Burfict slipped in the draft in 2012 due to character concerns but so far he has behaved and has been the menace on the field the Bengals were hoping for. Harrison is getting older, but he's a prideful guy and I have a feeling he will show he has something left in the tank this season. Leon Hall and Terrence Newman are currently listed as the starting corners, but Dre Kirkpatrick and Pacman Jones will see time on the field as well. The safety position is questionable as Taylor Mays hasn't been able to do what it takes to take over a spot there, leaving George Iloka and and Reggie Nelson as the likely starters. Mike Nugent is back at kicker after missing the end of last season with injury. Kevin Huber is one of the top punters in football. The Bengals have a lot of talent but a rough slate of games to start the season will be their undoing in my opinion. I could see them starting the season 1-4 and that will be too much to overcome. I predict a mediocre 8-8 season and that we finally see a change at head coach.

Prediction: 8-8


3. Cleveland Browns    

2012 Record: 5-11, last place AFC North
Head Coach: Rob Chudzinksi (1st year Cleveland, 0-0 career)
Key Additions: DE/OLB Barkevious Mingo, QB Brian Hoyer, QB Jason Campbell, RB Dion Lewis, WR Davone Bess, WR David Nelson, TE Kellen Davis, OT Rashad Butler, DT Desmond Bryant, DE/OLB Paul Kruger, DE/OLB Quentin Groves, K Shayne Graham
Key Losses: QB Colt McCoy, WR Mohamed Massaquoi, TE Ben Watson, DE Frostee Rucker, DE/OLB Emmanuel Acho, OLB Chris Gocong, CB Sheldon Brown, S Usama Young, K Phil Dawson, P Reggie Hodges, KR Josh Cribbs

2013 Outlook: 2012 was another lost season for the Browns, but there is reason for optimism in 2013. The offense is surrounded with young talent at wide receiver and running back. Their second year quarterback, Brandon Weeden, isn't young but this preseason he has looked pretty good under new coach Rob Chudzinski's offense. The hope is that he, and RB Trent Richardson and wide receivers Josh Gordon and Greg Little can develop together. Richardson struggled through injuries in 2012 but showed flashes of brilliance. Gordon was a very nice surprise in his rookie year, catching 50 passes. He, like the rest of the Browns offense last season, had trouble with making his solid play consistent. Little has been a disappointment and drops the ball way too much. If he can't get his hands right he won't be in the league much longer. Another player that needs to step up in 2013 is TE Jordan Cameron. Cameron could open up the offense exponentially if he can become a greater threat as a receiver. The Browns offensive line is strong, led by left tackle Joe Thomas and center Alex Mack. The defense had their struggles as well in 2012, ranking towards the bottom of the league against the run and pass. The Browns are switching from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 defense. How quickly they adjust as a defense will go a long way towards whether or not the Browns can become competitive in 2013. Two of their off-season signings will have to live up to the money were paid, DT Desmond Bryant and linebacker Paul Kruger. Prized draft pick LB Barkevious Mingo bruised his lung but the Browns are remaining optimistic that he won't have to miss a significant portion of the season. Some good news for Cleveland is that their best defensive player, CB Joe Haden will be available to them the entire season after missing the start of last year due to a suspension. The rest of the secondary is up in the air with the departures of CB Sheldon Brown and S Usama Young. S Tashaun Gipson will replace Young, and Gipson only started one game last season. The Browns lost their best player this off-season when K Phil Dawson signed with the 49ers. You might think I am joking but Dawson truly was their best player. He has been replaced by another veteran, Shayne Graham. Spencer Lanning is expected to be the punter come opening day. The return game is also different as Josh Cribbs is gone. Another reason for optimism for Cleveland is that their schedule does not look very tough. If they could win some of the games they should, they could be right in the thick of things for a .500 season. I think the Browns are building towards something, and while it likely won't fully bloom this season, brighter days are ahead for Cleveland.

Prediction: 7-9


4. Baltimore Ravens    

2012 Record: 10-6, 1st place AFC North, AFC and Super Bowl champions)
Head Coach: John Harbaugh (6th season Baltimore, 63-30 career)
Key Additions: S Matt Elam, DE/DT Chris Canty, DE/DT Marcus Spears, DE/OLB Elvis Dumervil,  LB Daryl Smith, S Michael Huff
Key Losses: WR Anquan Boldin, C Matt Birk, G Bobbie Williams, DE/OLB Paul Kruger, ILB Ray Lewis, ILB Dannell Ellerbe, ILB Brandon Ayandandejo, CB Cary Williams, S Ed Reed, S Bernard Pollard

2013 Outlook: The Ravens 10-6 record in 2012 was John Harbaugh's worst record since becoming Ravens coach. However, it turned out to be his best season as the Ravens ran the gauntlet from the Wild Card to become Super Bowl champions. Mediocre QB Joe Flacco got on the biggest hot streak of his life as he threw 11 TDs and 0 INTs in four playoff games. One player that helped Flacco achieve those heights was WR Anquan Boldin. Some of the catches that Boldin made in the playoffs were absurd, but Boldin is gone now, traded to the 49ers. That leaves Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones as Flacco's top receivers. Smith can be brilliant as a deep threat but hasn't shown that he can be a consistent number one guy. Can he make the tough catches that Boldin made look so easy? Jones was outstanding in the postseason, including his huge catch against the Broncos in the playoffs. However, on that play he was wide open due to the Broncos misplaying the ball terribly. He had just 30 catches last year in the regular season and it is asking quite a bit of him to become their number two guy. Their best receiver might have been TE Dennis Pitta but he was lost for the year in training camp. That leaves the underwhelming Ed Dickson as their starting tight end. This season will be a great measure for just how good Flacco is, as his receiving options are one of the most underwhelming groups in the league. One area he still will have tons of help from is running back, led by Ray Rice. Rice is the key to the Ravens offense this year. If he goes down with an injury at any time, we might be back to the Ravens offenses of the early 2000's. He is such a versatile threat both running and catching the ball out of the backfield. Offensive line wasn't immune to the sweeping changes the Ravens felt this off-season. Center Matt Birk retired, and he will be replaced by second year man Gino Gradkowski. Bryant McKinnie and Michal Oher will man the tackle positions. McKinnie seemed done this time a year ago, but by the end of 2012 he was the Ravens best lineman. Defense has long been the hallmark of the Ravens but last year the defense struggled. Part of that was due to injury and age, and the Ravens obviously felt they needed to move in another direction as player after player was allowed to move on. Long defined by Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, now the Ravens are led by a new cast of characters. They acquired Chris Canty to join the defensive line along with the dominating Haloti Ngata. Terrell Suggs is back to full strength after missing time last year, and he is now joined by former Bronco Elvis Dumervil. Dumervil fell into the Ravens laps after a fax mishap ended his time in Denver. All eyes will be on LB Daryl Smith who is taking over for Lewis. Smith has impressed in the preseason, but as always any preseason result is taken with a grain of salt. He is a veteran though, so he should fill in nicely. Along with Reed, S Bernard Pollard is gone so now former Raider Michael Huff and James Ihedigbo are the starting safeties. At corner the Ravens are happy to welcome back Lardarius Webb and he will start alongside Corey Graham. Special teams remained stable for Baltimore and is major strength area for the team. Both kicker Justin Tucker and punter Sam Koch are two of the best in the league. The aforementioned Jones was awesome as returner last season, highlighted by his kickoff return in the Super Bowl. Maybe I am underestimating Harbaugh but I think this season will be a disaster for Baltimore. The offense doesn't have enough weapons and with that much pressure on him, I think Flacco will struggle badly this season. The defense is trying to rotate in a bunch of new players, and it will take them time to gel as a unit. The schedule is also challenging early so the Ravens won't have time for a learning curve. Add in that the recent history of Super Bowl winners following up their seasons with not winning a playoff game and I think a last place finish is in the cards for the defending champs.

Prediction: 6-10

NFL Divisional Previews - NFC North

Many people are talking about the strength of the NFC West, but a reasonable argument could be made that the NFC North is the best division in football. The Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears each won 10 or more games last season. The only weak link in the division was the Detroit Lions, which isn't anything new. The Packers have seen some pretty major changes to their offensive and defensive starters but with Aaron Rodgers leading the way, the results are expected to remain the same. The Chicago Bears are starting the Marc Trestman era, as a 10 win season wasn't enough to save Lovie Smith's job as the Bears missed the playoffs once again. The Minnesota Vikings will be out to prove that their 10-win season last year wasn't a fluke. The Detroit Lions want to prove that 2012 was a fluke, and they are ready to be contenders like they were in the 2011 season. 


1. Green Pay Packers  

2012 Record: 11-5, NFC North Champions
Head Coach: Mike McCarthy (8th season Green Bay, 80-42 career)
Key Additions: RB Eddie Lacy, RB Johnathan Franklin, QB Vince Young, DE/DT Datone Jones
Key Losses: RB Cedric Benson, RB Ryan Grant, WR Greg Jennings, WR Donald Driver, TE Tom Crabtree, C Jeff Saturday, ILB Desmond Bishop, S Charles Woodson

2013 Outlook: The Packers didn't breeze through the regular season in 2012 like they did in 2011 but they still played well enough to win another NFC North division title. They beat an undermanned Minnesota Vikings team in the Wild Card round before getting literally run over by Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers in the Divisional Round. Last year, the offense was not the explosive unit it was in 2011. Rodgers still put up fantastic numbers but the passing offense dropped to 9th in the NFL and the rushing attack continued to struggle, finishing 20th. The most absurd stat that captures the lack of effectiveness of Green Bay's running game is the fact that they haven't had a back go over 100 yards rushing in a game in 43 consecutive regular season games.  They looked to rectify that by taking two of the top running backs coming out of college in the draft, Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin. Both backs have had their issues in training camp. There were whispers that Lacy came into camp out of shape, while Franklin has not impressed so far. Because of that, currently DuJuan Harris is at the top of the depth chart for Green Bay, with James Starks and Alex Green behind him. It remains to be seen which of these running backs will make the final 53 man roster. If the running game can't get traction, the offense will fall once again in the hands of Rodgers and his receivers. Longtime receivers Greg Jennings and Donald Driver are both gone, allowing Randall Cobb, James Jones and Jordy Nelson to take the reigns. Cobb was excellent last season and is a weapon the Packers can use in a multitude of ways because of his speed. Jones led the league with 14 receiving touchdowns last year. He still disappears at times but you can't complain too much about the year he had last season. Nelson dealt with injuries most of last season and already is having injury problems this year in camp. He is expected to be ready by Week 1 and is hopeful he can put his injuries behind him. Some good news coming out of camp has been the play of TE Jermichael Finley. Finley had struggled the past few seasons with drops and inconsistency but has looked fantastic so far in preseason. If he can carry that over to the regular season it will make things that much easier for Rodgers and the other receivers. The Packers offensive line was a weakness last year, not only in run blocking but also pass protection. Right tackle Marshall Newhouse was awful last season, but will remain in the starting lineup. The Packers suffered a major blow at left tackle when Bryan Bulaga suffered a season ending injury in training camp. That means rookie David Bakhtiari will now be Rodgers blindside protector. Left guard T.J. Lang has been moved to right guard. There has been a lot of shifting and change with the injuries and poor performance of the line. How they perform will be a major storyline during the Packers 2013 season. The Packers defense was improved in 2012 but then exploited badly by the 49ers in the playoffs. They had no answer for the Niners read option and starting the 2013 season will see that in back to back weeks to open the season when they play the Niners and Washington Redskins. The defensive line will have a new look with their first round pick DE Datone Jones. He will immediately start on the left end, with the Freezer B.J. Raji back at the right end. Any talk of the Packers defense normally beings with stud LB Clay Matthews. Matthews led the team in sacks last season and was rewarded with a big contract this off-season. A.J. Hawk is the other most known Packers linebacker but he mostly still rides off his college reputation. M.D. Jennings will replace Charles Woodson at safety. The rest of the secondary is pretty strong with safety Morgan Burnett and the two corners, Sam Shields and Tramon Williams. Surprisingly, Mason Crosby will be back at kicker for the Packers. He made David Akers look good last season, and I am really surprised the Packers brought him back. Punter Tim Masthay has a cool name but punting wise is just average. WR Cobb brings an element of big play potential for the return game. The Packers have some question marks and a tough schedule, but they still remain one of the most talented teams in football. I expect Rodgers and the offense to continue to hum along and for the Packers run game to be improved this year. The Packers will be in the thick of things in the NFC as they have been the last few seasons.

Prediction: 11-5


2. Chicago Bears    

2012 Record: 10-6, 3rd place NFC North
Head Coach: Marc Trestman (1st year Chicago, 0-0 career)
Key Additions: G Kyle Long, ILB Jon Bostic, TE Martellus Bennett, OT Jermon Bushrod, G Matt Slauson, DE Kyle Moore, S Tom Zbikowski
Key Losses: QB Jason Campbell, WR Johnny Knox, TE Kellen Davis, TE Matt Spaeth, G Gabe Carimi, G Chilo Rachal, DE Israel Idonije, OLB Geno Hayes, ILB Brian Urlacher, CB D.J. Moore

2013 Outlook: The biggest question surrounding the Bears this season is what effect coach Marc Trestman will have on the Bears putrid passing game. He has been out of the NFL for a few years, but was quite successful as coach of the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL. The Bears passing game was Jay Cutler to Brandon Marshall in 2012 and not much else. They ranked 29th in the league in passing offense, and their top 10 running game wasn't good enough to overcome those struggles. RB Matt Forte has been the most consistent cog of the Bears offense for years, and Trestman figures to feature him heavily. The hope is that Forte can become a bigger part of the passing offense, after mostly disappearing from it last season. The addition of Marshall was a good one, as he is easily the Bears most prolific wide receiver in years. Now it is time for second year WR Alshon Jeffery to step up and become a threat that can take some pressure off of Marshall. The Bears have upgraded at the tight end position with the addition of Martellus Bennett. Bennett should give Cutler an added weapon, and the tools are there for Cutler to succeed. This is a contract year for Cutler, and anything less then a special season might spell the end of his time in Chicago. Now, the biggest key to his success is whether the offensive line will give him time to prosper. The Bears have added Jermon Bushrod to the line and drafted guard Kyle Long in the first round of the draft. Another new starter on the line will be left guard Matt Slauson. The Bears hope these changes will finally solve an area that has been a problem ever since Cutler became the quarterback. Defense was pretty much always a strength for the Bears in the Lovie Smith era, it will be interesting to see if that continues with him no longer the coach and Brian Urlacher no longer the hear and soul of the defense. Former Bronco D.J. Williams is expected to take over for Urlacher, but rookie Jon Bostic has really impressed this preseason and it may not be long before he takes over. Lance Briggs is still an anchor at linebacker and one of the best in the league. The defensive line is still defined by the imposing Julius Peppers who has so far lived up to the huge free agent money he signed for a few years back. Fellow defensive end Corey Wootoon isn't as well known but had a strong season last year with 7 sacks. Henry Melton is a strong presence against both the run and pass at defensive tackle. Tim Jennings and Charles Tillman make up one of the best cornerback duos in the league, and Major Wright mans the safety spot quite well. Robbie Gould is one of the best kickers in the league, while punter Adam Podlesh doesn't have a booming league but does a nice job of pinning teams back. Due to teams not kicking to him as much and somewhat declining skills Devin Hester is no longer the human highlight reel in the return game that he once was. Due to a tougher schedule the Bears may not win as many games as last season but I think they will get back to the playoffs this year. I think the addition of Trestman calling the plays and adding Bennett and the emergence of Jeffery, along with improvement on the line will make the Bears passing game very dangerous. The defense will remain a strength, and the Bears will do just enough to sneak into the playoffs.

Prediction: 9-7


3. Minnesota Vikings  

2012 Record: 10-6, 2nd place NFC North
Head Coach: Leslie Frazier (3rd season Minnesota, 16-23 career)
Key Additions: DT Sharrif Floyd, CB Xavier Rhodes, WR Cordarrelle Patterson, P Jeff Locke, QB Matt Cassel, WR Greg Jennings, ILB Desmond Bishop
Key Losses: WR Percy Harvin, WR Michael Jenkins, ILB Jasper Brinkley, CB Antoine Winfield, P Chris Kluwe

2013 Outlook: Adrian Peterson basically single-handedly carried the Vikings into the playoffs in 2012. Rushing for over 2,000 yards Peterson was the Vikings main offensive weapon, as QB Christian Ponder continued to struggle with inconsistency. Even worse for Ponder, he was injured and unable to play in the Vikings embarrassing Wild Card playoff loss to the Packers. The week prior he had played his best game as a pro in leading the Vikings over the Packers to get Minnesota into the playoffs. The Vikings took away one of Ponder's best weapons by trading Percy Harvin to Seattle, but are hopeful the signing of Greg Jennings can make up for that. I am skeptical as to how effective Jennings will be. He is coming off an injury plagued season and has always been blessed by playing with superb quarterbacks. He also had multiple impressive wideouts surrounding him in Green Bay, which certainly isn't the case in Minnesota. Lining up opposite him is Jerome Simpson who had a 2012 to forget. Ponder's second favorite target will likely be TE Kyle Rudolph, who led the team with 9 receiving touchdowns. The offense will still go through Peterson, who is confident he can remain at the exceptionally high level he has been throughout his career. Even if he remains the best running back in the NFL the Vikings want to see Ponder take that next step in his third year as the starter. The Vikings are stacked at tackle with Matt Kalil and Phil Loadholt manning those positions. The guard positions are less dominant, but Charlie Johnson and Brandon Fusco are adequate. The Vikings were pretty good against the run last season and did a nice job of rushing the quarterback. DE Jared Allen led the team in sacks with 12, although for him that was a somewhat disappointing season. Brian Robison and Everson Griffen are also disruptive forces and do a good job of getting to the quarterback. Kevin Williams is still there in the middle, making life miserable for running backs. Erin Henderson and Chad Greenway are solid at linebacker, and former Packer Desmond Bishop should also see some time in the starting lineup. The secondary will look different as Minnesota parted ways with longtime CB Antoine Winfield. The star of the secondary is now second year safety Harrison Smith out of Notre Dame. Josh Robinson and Chris Cook will man the corner position this year. If Robinson struggles like he did last year, first round draft pick Xavier Rhodes will quickly take over. Blair Walsh was an outstanding kicker as a rookie and with new punter Jeff Locke the Vikings are hoping they are set at those positions for years to come. The Vikings are pretty much the definition of an average team. It took a super human season from Peterson to will the Vikings to the playoffs. While I expect Peterson to be very good once again, I don't see how he can replicate his 2012 season again. I am not sold on Ponder as being the answer at quarterback, and also, don't believe the Vikings have surrounded him with the necessary weapons at receiver. Maybe if Jennings can stop talking or thinking about his old team, he could prove to be a strong addition. With an average team will come average results for the Vikings.

Prediction: 8-8


4. Detroit Lions 

2012 Record: 4-12, last place NFC North
Head Coach: Jim Schwartz (5th season Detroit, 22-43 career)
Key Additions: DE Ezekial Ansah, RB Reggie Bush, G Leroy Harris, G Jake Scott, DE Israel Idonije, S Glover Quin, K David Akers, KR Michael Spurlock
Key Losses: RB Kevin Smith, WR Titus Young, WR Kassim Osgood, OT Jeff Backus, OT Gosder Cherilus, DE Cliff Avril, DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, DT Corey Williams, OLB Justin Durant, CB Drayton Florence, K Jason Hanson

2013 Outlook: The Lions were eager to prove that the 2011 season was the start of something in Detroit, led by Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson. Instead, the Lions ended the season on an 8-game losing streak, despite prolific numbers from Stafford and Johnson. Stafford was just 33 yards short of another 5,000 yard passing season, but despite all those yards his touchdowns dropped from 41 to 20. His interceptions remained high, which has been a problem throughout his career. Some of that stems from the fact that he has never had a real running game in Detroit. To try to solve that problem, the Lions signed Reggie Bush away from the Miami Dolphins. Bush was given more carries in Miami than he had in New Orleans and mostly responded. He also is a threat as a receiver and the Lions hope that pairing him up with Johnson will add to his effectiveness. Johnson is coming off setting the single season receiving yards record and is widely regarded as the best wide receiver in football. Him and Stafford were able to connect everywhere on the field, save for the most important spot, the end zone, as Johnson finished with just 5 TDs. Nate Burleson is returning from injury to serve as the Lions number two receiver, but he doesn't scare anyone defensively. TE Brandon Pettigrew disappeared towards the end of last season, but when Stafford can find him, he can be productive for the Lions. The Lions offensive line is a huge question mark. Gosder Cherilus left and Jeff Backus retired, leaving C Dominic Raiola and Rob Sims as returning starters on the line. The play of left tackle Riley Reiff and right tackle Jason Fox will go a long way towards how the offense performs this season. The Lions defense actually wasn't as bad as I thought, ranking in the middle of the league against the pass and run. The middle of the Lions defensive line started to become what they envisioned when they drafted Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley. Suh had always lived up to the hype but last year was Fairley's coming out party. The Lions have brand new starters at defensive ends with the loss of Cliff Avril and Kyle Vanden Bosch. Rookie Ezekiel Ansah will be thrown into the fire right away, and former Seahawk Jason Jones will start on the other end. Stephen Tulloch is strong at middle linebacker, which is good because I've never heard of the Lions other linebackers. Glover Quin is the new starting safety after being brought over from Houston, and pairing him with Louis Delmas gives the Lions a strong duo. Chris Houston isn't well known but he was strong at corner last season, and he will be joined by rookie Darius Slay. The weirdest thing about the Lions 2013 season will be seeing someone other than Jason Hanson kicking field goals. Hanson finally retired and it looks like David Akers will be his replacement. I detested Akers last season as he missed field goal after field goal for the 49ers, but he is only two years removed from being the best kicker in the league in 2011. Rookie Sam Martin will take over at punter. Special team specialist Michael Spurlock could give the Lions a shot in the arm at the return position. The Lions will win a few more games in 2013 but won't be back in the playoffs. I think the offensive line is way too unsettled and will lead to Stafford getting beat up and not starting the entire year. Another last place season awaits the long suffering fans of the Lions.

Prediction: 6-10