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MidAmPub Archives
| NFL 2009 Season Preview |
Posted: 8/5/2009 12:41:21 PM |
NFC East
NY Giants – The Giants should still be the best team in the NFC East but they are in danger of sliding. Eli Mannning isn’t the inconsistent dud he was a few years ago but he still isn’t one of the best in the biz. The passing game will be worse with the loss of Plax and Toomer. Hopefully Manningham, Smith and Hixon step up in a huge way because they can’t rely on a rookie (Hicks) producing this year. The rushing game will be good as long as the OL and Brandon Jacobs stay healthy. The Giants may have found a gem in TE Travis Beckum and he could start from day one. But the rushing attack took a hit with the loss of Ward even though Ahmad Bradshaw has talent. Defense is still going to win the Giants football games. There is quality depth at DT this year and the unit should be one of the league’s best. They are solid at LB and DB as well. Get ready to watch the Kenny Phillips show at safety. Expect 11 wins from this team as they are likely the favorite to come out of the NFC.
Philadelphia Eagles – So now McNabb is happy with the Eagles and Philadelphia is happy with him? At least until a 2 or 3 game losing streak. McNabb will remain McNabb this season and fling the ball around the field to anyone in an Eagles jersey that runs a pattern. He has nice quality depth this year at the receiver positions. Curtis should be healthy, Avant is improving, DeSean Jackson should be better in year two, Jeremy Maclin will just start to get his feet wet and the tight ends should be able to get up the field with Celek and Ingram running patterns. You will see a slight decline in Westbrook but they won’t have to rely solely on him out of the backfield with LeSean McCoy backing him up. The defense will once again be hard hitting and may have actually improved with the addition of Ellis Hobbs and Sean Jones. Expect 10 wins from this team during the regular season and watch them make a serious run at the Super Bowl.
Dallas Cowboys – A major talent was removed from the passing game but people tend to over look the addition by subtraction factor a lot. That doesn’t mean the passing game will necessarily be more explosive it just means that it may be more effective. What happened to the respect for WR Roy Williams? He’s only 27 years old. He had an 82 reception, 1,300 yard season for the cruddy Lions. He will be electric this season. It should be apparent that they can’t win with Romo throwing a ton so they need to help him on the ground. Problem is can Marion Barber and Felix Jones stay healthy and can Barber finally become a 1,000 yard back? The defense still has playmakers in Ware, Spears, Hamlin, Newman and Jenkins but they lost a ton of talent with Williams, Burnett, Canty, Henry, and Johnson. They simply won’t be as good on that side of the ball. Throw in the fact that Wade Phillips is still running the show. That means there is nothing but a downward slide for the Cowboys. Expect 9 wins from the Boys.
Washington Redskins – The poor decisions in the development of a young quarterback for Washington wasn’t as talked about as it was in Denver but the Skins did nothing this offseason to improve Campbell’s play or confidence. Campbell may not be great but he did connect on 62% of his passes for 3,200 yards, 13 TDs and tossed only 6 ints. The Skins could do a lot worse. Clinton Portis is still the man here but they need to find a suitable backup to take a slight burden off Portis’ legs if they want him to remain the player he is for another 3-4 years. The receiver situation isn’t as bad as people make it seem. Moss is just shy of being a true #1. Chris Cooley is one of the five best TEs in the game. Randle El is a solid #3 option. They need just one of the young receivers Devin Thomas or Malcolm Kelly to step up to complete the unit. The defense was tough last season and may be better this year with the addition of Haynesworth. That is if the age doesn’t catch up with some of them. Starters Daniels, Griffin, Carter, and Fletcher are all well beyond their 30th birthday. Expect 8 wins from the Skins.
NFC North
Minnesota Vikings – Will he or won’t he? That’s was the question they were waiting to hear the answer on from Brett Favre. Honestly folks, it really didn’t matter what his answer was. If Favre was the type of quarterback to come in, rely on the run and only make throws when he has to then maybe he would have been the missing piece to a Super Bowl appearance. But he isn’t. He would still be Brett Favre throwing the ball over the field trying to make plays and throwing costly interceptions. Sage Rosenfels may actually fit this system better because he is accurate and the Vikings can’t be dumb enough to put the game in his hands over Adrian Peterson. Peterson remains the most dangerous player in the league. He will likely win the rushing title this year. Taylor is as good of a backup as there is in the league. The receivers simply aren’t very good. Berrian gets deep occasionally. Wade is below average. Rice may break out this season but hasn’t yet. Percy Harvin will be exciting when he touches the ball but it won’t be often as a rookie WR. The defense will once again lead this unit to wins. No one will run on them again and everyone will try to pass. The difference between a one and done in the playoffs will be the success of the pass defense. This is a 9-10 win team.
Chicago Bears – Jay Cutler will make the offense better. But how much better can they be with the same old receivers catching the ball? I see Greg Olsen exploding this year and becoming a top 10 TE. In a pickle though, who will Cutler throw the ball to when he needs a first down? Devin Hester, Earl Bennett or Rashied Davis. Matt Forte was better than I thought he would be but he did only average 3.9 yards a carry. Cutler should open things up slightly and get that rushing number to 4.0 or 4.1. I wouldn’t expect 63 receptions again from him however unless Cutler simply doesn’t trust his wide outs. Orlando Pace may help the OL if he can stay healthy. The defense still has a couple playmakers and guys that need to be accounted for but they aren’t nearly the defense they were a few years ago. They were 21st last season and I wouldn’t expect much improvement in that department. I’m thinking somewhere in the 9-10 win range for this team.
Green Bay Packers – The Packers were a huge disappointment last season and it wasn’t because of the quarterback play. Rodgers had a huge season and left no question he is man of the present and future. He and Greg Jennings work well together and form one of the league’s most dangerous passing connections. Driver is still old reliable. The other receiver took a step backward and need to step up this season. Speaking of stepping up, let’s talk about Ryan Grant. Yes he was dinged up but his 3.9 ypc average was unacceptable. Even more unacceptable was his 4 TDs. He needs to give the team a respectable running game or it will be another long season in Green Bay. Defensively if they don’t stop the run a little better they won’t win many games. Giving up 131 yards per game on the ground reflects squarely on the shoulders of the front seven. They need to play with a chip on their shoulders this season. Mainly Pickett, Jenkins, Hawk and Barnett. Their hope is rookies BJ Raji and Clay Matthews can step in and knock 20-30 yards per game off that total. I would think 6-7 victories would be about right for this team.
Detroit Lions – After a zero win season, drafting Matt Stafford number one overall and bringing in a new head coach, why would the Lions even consider not starting Stafford from day one. Just design the game play to protect him from a beating. It appears Kevin Smith may be able to take more of a pounding and carry more of the load. Smith wasn’t great last season but he got better as the season wore on and he showed nice all around skills. He definitely is the best they have. Calvin Johnson proved he is the real deal. He should get a few more catches per game with better quarterback play. Bryant Johnson, Derrick Williams and Brandon Pettigrew give the Lions more receiving talent than they have had in a few years. The OL needs to improve and they should with another year under the belt working as a unit. Defensively the team stinks. They were the only unit to give up more than 400 yards per game last season. They tried to correct that by bringing in five new starters on that side of the ball. It should help but it won’t make this a playoff team. They won’t go winless again either. I see four wins.
NFC South
Carolina Panthers – Finally the Panthers found out what I knew since they drafted him. DeAngelo Williams is a fantastic back. It took them two years longer than it should have to realize it. He may not reach 1,500 yards and 18 TDs again with Jonathan Stewart around to help carry the load. But I would expect another 1,300 and 12 TDs. Carolina is going to use both of these guys to pound teams into the ground. Jake Delhomme is expected to manage the game. As we saw last season it is easy to beat the Panthers if you force them to throw the ball. Defensively the Panthers are average but they have big playmakers. Peppers, Beason and Davis can get it done. This is a very good team but they aren’t a Super Bowl team unless someone in the NFC suffers significant injures. I see 11 wins out of the Panthers.
Atlanta Falcons – Matt Ryan was better than I expected. I knew he would be good but not franchise changing good. Michael Turner is an absolute animal. He won’t be around long if he continues to get the workload he received last season but he will have another stellar year. Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez will play off each other brilliantly. The draw back this year will be the defensive side of the ball. They let too much defense leave and replaced it with rookies. Their rookies will eventually be good but it will be hard to win a division with so many rookies as one or two in the depth chart. A 9 or 10 win season appears all the Falcons will be able to do. However if the defensive rooks live up to the hype the Falcons could make a run in the playoffs.
New Orleans Saints – The Saints are one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL. With all the offense they have you would think they could defend just enough to win double digits consistently. You would also think that they would target defense heavily in the offseason. They did target it, it just likely won’t make much of an impact. Brees should once again be one of the best quarterbacks in the league. The return to full health of Marques Colston should vault him back into the discussion as one of the top WRs in the NFL. The rushing attack should be as good as it was several years ago before Deuce was banged up. Pierre Thomas is a significant upgrade over Reggie Bush as a runner. Bush should be a threat in the passing game out of the back field. Malcolm Jenkins should be a solid start in the defensive back field. The Saints are as explosive as anyone but if they can’t stop anyone in this division they won’t win a ton of games. Eight is the most they will win.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Tampa finished with 9 wins last season and it will be hard to see more than that this year. Byron Leftwich appears to give them the best chance to win this season. If they decide to start the rookie Josh Freeman or journeyman Luke McCown they will lose more than they win. It will be interesting to see who gets the bulk of the carries. Ward is a proven 1,000 yard back but the offense can move the ball with the versatile Earnest Graham. Kellen Winslow gives the team a #1 receiving option but there is very little beyond him. Antonio Bryant won’t duplicate last season’s feat. The defense was really good last season but lost a lot of major parts with Derrick Brooks, Phillip Buchanon, Jovan Haye and Cato June. I would expect the production to slip slightly. If it slips, I would expect this team to win about 7 games.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals – The rushing attack should be better with the addition of Chris Wells. If he can stay healthy he should excel in that offense. Larry Fitzgerald is finally being recognized as the best receiver in the league. Boldin isn’t the best but he is close. They need to make him happy and keep him in the mix. There may not be a better third option in the league than Steve Breaston. As long as those options are around they will make Kurt Warner look better than he is. The defense kept the major parts. Are they the defense that was 9-7 on the season and consistently was burned for big plays or was it the opportunistic ball hawking defense of the playoffs. The season’s outcome depends on what the answer is to that question. They should be good enough to win the division no matter what but the quality and consistency of the D will be the difference between a 9 win team and a 12 win team. I would expect not the least but not the most wins and for Arizona to finish somewhere around 10 wins.
Seattle Seahawks – The season comes down to health. The Seahawks were devastated last season with injuries. Hasslebeck should return and put up decent numbers. Houshmandzadeh gives the offense a solid target even if Burleson and Branch can’t stay on the field. John Carlson had a solid rookie season and should only get better. The running game is poor. Julius Jones needs to see the bulk of the carries but likely time will be split. The defense was upgraded and will be better but not good enough. An improved offense should keep them off the field a little more too. This team has some parts in place to be good and some parts that need rebuilt. I see them splitting their schedule and winning 8 games.
San Francisco 49ers – The Niners don’t have a quarterback. The future may be Nate Davis but he won’t help this year. Their receivers are average until Michael Crabtree decides to take over. They don’t know how to use their best offensive weapon in Frank Gore. The OL is improved but they need to get a little nasty and get more physical. They need to make a decision on Vernon Davis. Is he worth the headaches or is he just another mediocre talent that values himself more than everyone else. There are some quality pieces on defense. Patrick Willis is as good as anyone. The defensive backfield has some talent. They just need to put it all together. That could happen sooner than later under Singletary. This team will definitely start to take on the coach’s personality. This year it will be good enough for 8 wins.
St Louis Rams – The Rams have a lot of work to do to get back to the top of the NFC. Bulger has seen better days. He has a chance if they can keep him upright but that may not happen. The Rams are hoping Jason Smith helps with that. The rest of the OL is average at this point in their careers. They only have one true receiving option in Donnie Avery. McMichael needs to return to form. The offense should revolve around Stephen Jackson. They may be so far behind though that he may only be used as a receiving threat out of the back field. The defense has a few key parts but not enough to be considered a threat most weeks. Five wins would be a great feat for this unit.
AFC East
New England Patriots – If Tom Brady is 100% healed the Patriots will be back. They brought in too many worn down veteran parts this offseason but it is the youth that will rise. Moss and Welker are as explosive as any duo in the league and it doesn’t matter who the third and fourth option are. The rushing attack should be better with a healthy Maroney and veteran Fred Taylor on board. They reloaded the defensive backfield in an attempt to get back to the big game. Expect Jerod Mayo to be even better along with Woods and Meriweather. This is a Super Bowl caliber team. I would think they can get the extra win they couldn’t get with Cassel. I see at least 12 wins for the Patriots.
Miami Dolphins – One of the surprises of last season expect a decline from the Dolphins. Chad Pennington had a huge season. He will be good but probably not as good. Ronnie Brown should be better. Ricky Williams should be used a little better this season. The receivers are mediocre. Ginn has been better than expected but not worth the draft pick they spent on him. Bess and Camarillo are good third options but need to be more in the system. They will be solid on the ground if they run behind Jake Long. Pat White will be a better quarterback than anything else. He may eventually take the future label from Chad Henne. Defensively the Fish are average. There aren’t a lot of big time playmakers on the roster but they have a lot of solid players that do what they are supposed to do. They should be able to hold off a young feisty Bills squad for second in the division. 8 wins is likely.
NY Jets – Why draft Mark Sanchez only to sit him and play Kellen Clemens? Start him right away and develop him. Cotchery and Keller are the only guys that can consistently catch the ball. The OL is solid and was able to open holes last season for Thomas Jones but it will be difficult this season with no receivers capable of breaking the defense. Jones gives the team a workhorse back but his days have to be winding down at age 30. Shonn Greene may be able to pound the pile but he won’t be a lead back in this league. Leon Washington gives the Jets a homerun hitter. Defensively the Jets aren’t bad. The inside linebackers are tough with Scott and Harris. The LB’s need Gholston to step up. Especially with Pace being suspended 4 games. The addition of Lito Sheppard to the defensive backfield should make this unit one of the best with playmakers Revis and Rhodes. I’m just not sure the Jets can hang offensively with this division. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them jump ahead of Buffalo but I wouldn’t expect a higher finish than that. That should put them around 7 wins.
Buffalo Bills – The loss of Marshawn Lynch for 4 games may end the Bills season early. They will likely lose 3 of 4 but could lose all four. The running game will be adequate without him but Dom Rhodes and Fred Jackson aren’t full time guys. The addition of Terrell Owens improves the quality of the wide outs but will his presence ruin Trent Edwards confidence and cause friction with Lee Evans? Sometimes things go deeper than how many catches and yards someone produces. The loss of Jason Peters hurts the quality of the OL even if Woods ends up panning out. The OL has too much turnover to be dominant this season. Defensively the Bills will be decent. They need to stop the run better to match up with the decent pass defense. Aaron Maybin needs to improve the pass rush however. 24 sacks in unacceptable. The Bills will have a successful season if they bring more than 7 wins. I would expect 6.
AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers – The Champs have most of what matters back plus they get the addition of RB Mendenhall and CB Keiwan Ratliff. The offseason has had some distractions but nothing this team shouldn’t be able to overcome. Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes give Roethlisberger a solid duo to throw to but the depth is scary. Limas Sweed needs to step up in year two or the Steelers passing game may flounder. Heath Miller would be even more of a focal pointing the passing game if a receiver doesn’t step up. But he lacks game breaking speed. They return the number one defense in the league and will likely be in the running for that honor again. James Harrison returns and will smash people all over the field. Polamalu will once again be the center piece in the defensive backfield. This is once again a Super Bowl contender. Expect 11-12 wins from this group.
Baltimore Ravens - If there is a defense that can stand up to the Steelers it is Baltimore. But they lost some valuable parts in Bart Scott, Jim Leonhard and Corey Ivy. Ray Lewis returns though to lead the unit with Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata and Ed Reed. They added some young parts that will eventually make an impact in Paul Kruger and Jason Phillips. Michael Oher should help improve the OL even more and give protection for Joe Flacco. Does Willis McGahee have a few more years left as a lead back? If not can Ray Rice step up or will the Ravens have to use McClain as a runner again. Even with Derrick Mason returning this is a poor unit that doesn’t give Flacco a lot of options. This is a team that will win on defense and win double digit games again. But without the offensive firepower will fall short of being a Super Bowl team again. Expect 10 wins.
Cincinnati Bengals - Carson Palmer’s healthy return is a must for this team to turn it around but it won’t be enough to make them a playoff team. The loss of Houshmandzadeh will hurt but Coles will ease the pain a little. Chad Johnson must get over himself though and play football. I love him and I love his celebrations but at some point he has to realize it is about the team and winning, not about himself. This is a poor crew of running backs but the OL should be better and open more holes with Andre Smith. The Bengals had the best draft of anyone and brings in 6 starters and a couple more role players. The defense needed a ton and they got it. Maualuga and Johson were absolute steals in the draft. Tank Johnson, Abram Elam and Roy Williams should bring nastiness to the unit. The return of Keith Rivers will be huge. They need his talent. This is not a playoff team yet but they are heading in the right direction. Seven wins would be a solid season for the Bengals.
Cleveland Browns - Please stop with the quarterback controversy. You drafted Quinn to be the man. Let him be the man. Stop looking at a mediocre quarterback as the savior because he had 7 good games in his career. If you are doing it to light a fire under Quinn because he isn’t putting in the effort, then trade him. But stop making it seem like you have to Super Bowl caliber quarterbacks. The receivers are horrible beyond Edwards. Trading Winslow was a horrible decision. They drafted Robiskie ahead of Massaquoi but Massaquoi will be the better receiver. Alex Mack made sense and was a solid pick. The rushing game is getting old and is thin on the depth chart. Luckily they have Thomas and Steinbach opening holes. Defensive they need to step up and stop someone. They are the NY Jets Midwest this season. Wimbley needs to get the fire back and knock the quarterback down. The LBs are slightly better with the addition of Barton and Bowens. D’Qwell Jackson is better than most people know. The defensive backfield is solid and athletic. For as good as Shaun Rogers is the run defense shouldn’t be so bad. This is a 5-6 win team at best.
AFC South
Tennessee Titans - The loss of Haynesworth is going to sting but they should be able to overcome it. The defensive backs are solid. Finnegan is one of the best. The linebackers are underrated. The defense will once again lead this team to a division title. Offensively the running game carries the load. Chris Johnson exploded on the scene. He was the perfect compliment to LenDale White. Hopefully White dedicated himself in the right way this season. Dedicating yourself means more than just losing weight. Especially when your game is built on power and bulk. Nate Washington gives the team yet another 3rd WR. Kenny Britt will need some time before making his presence felt. Kerry Collins will once again try to manage the game and make the right throws at the right time. Vince Young needs to learn from Collins what it takes to play the position because right now he has no idea. In one of the best divisions in the league, expect the Titans to fight it out with the Colts for first place. 11 wins may get it done.
Indianapolis Colts - The Colts will be right there but it is hard to believe they will be as explosive as in years past without Harrison. They didn’t bring in any offensive help thru free agency. Manning only has two valid options wide in Wayne and Gonzalez. I am not as big of a fan of Gonzalez as everyone else. There isn’t the fear factor there like there was with Harrison. He will end up with decent numbers because Manning has to throw somewhere but how impactful will the catches be? Dallas Clark should have another big season. Donald Brown improves the running game but Addai has to bounce back. As does the OL. Defensively they still rely on speed and quickness. They drafted Fili Moala and Terrance Taylor though in an attempt to stuff the run a little better. They simply couldn’t stop teams last year on the ground. It could be that reason they fall short to Tennessee again. 10 wins seems right simply because Peyton Manning will not let them lose more than 6 games.
Houston Texans - This is always a team on the rise but they can’t seem to get over the hump. Andre Johnson is one of the top 3 receivers in the league. Owen Daniels is one of the top 6 TEs. The OL is improving but needs one more impact guy. Matt Schaub can throw the ball but he must stay healthy. Steve Slaton is what I thought he was. He was used poorly at times last season and still had a solid season. He should lead the way and solidify the position for several years. Defensively is where the Texans need to improve and they did in the offseason. The addition of Cushing should give Ryans a partner in crime in the linebacker position. Cato June should help as well backing up Adibi. Antonio Smith will help on the edge if he can stay healthy. Stuffing the run is a must if they want to improve. That means Travis Johnson and Amobi Okoye need to get stronger. This team will be better but will likely once again finish around the 8 win mark.
Jacksonville Jaguars - The Jaguars are a dangerous team. They were Super Bowl favorites by many going into last season but fell off the chart. The running game now belongs strictly to Maurice Jones-Drew. The OL was bolstered to open holes for him with Monroe, Britton, Brad Meester and Tra Thomas. They will need to be effective because the passing game may struggle worse than last season. It’s hard to tell if David Garrard is the answer because he has no weapons outside of an aging Torry Holt. Defense is supposed to be their strength but they slide to 17th overall last season. They had trouble stopping both the run and pass. There wasn’t a lot of activity on the defensive side of the ball in the offseason so they are hoping guys like Quentin Groves and Derrick Harvey improve drastically. If they can chop off 10 yards per game on the ground, 10 yards per game through the air defensively and find someone on offense to catch the ball this could be a surprise team. That’s a lot of ifs however. I wouldn’t count on it. Expect 6 wins.
AFC West
San Diego Chargers - For the last couple years people have called the Chargers under achievers. They continue to place them as a SB contender. Maybe we see who the Chargers are. A mediocre team in a bad division. If they couldn’t win it 3 years ago with Tomlinson in his prime I doubt they will win it with Tomlinson in his decline. LT should still rack up the yards but he is no longer the best in the biz. Gates needs to get healthy to regain his spot atop the TE ladder. It would help if Philip Rivers looked his way a little more. Spreading the ball around is nice but I am not throwing the ball to Jackson or Chambers in critical situations or on third down when I have Gates and LT. Rivers is one of the more over rated players in the league. He has great stats but his teams don’t win and makes too many critical mistakes with the game on the line. They were at their best when they ran the ball and only let Rivers throw in certain spots. They should look at that strategy again. I doubt Sean Merriman will make this defense rise to the top of the league after finishing 25th overall last season. Larry English should help the pass rush but he likely won’t make a huge impact this year. The defensive backfield is too athletic and talented to get burned so often. One of the major problems with this team is the coach. They won’t win big until they replace the head man. In this division they will at least win 8 games, likely 9.
Denver Broncos - What isn’t wrong with Denver right now. Kyle Orton isn’t terrible but he doesn’t throw the ball like Cutler. Considering the talent at the receiver position in Denver it wouldn’t be wise to get away from the strength. That being said they still need to keep their players happy while maintaining control. If Brandon Marshall is going to be a problem then he needs to be moved. Between Marshall, Royal, Gaffney, Scheffler and Moreno this should be a potent attack even with Orton under center. Moreno should revitalize the Broncos rushing attack. He was clearly the best back in the draft. The Ayers pick up made sense from a need standpoint but he wasn’t a major producer in college and my thought is he is going to be a bust at this level. It’s hard to see this team improving enough defensively to win more games and it will be more of a struggle to outscore opponents this year. They should be happy with 8 wins. Even that may be tough with an improving lower part of the division.
Kansas City Chiefs - A new coach, a new quarterback, a new receiver, a new TE, potentially a new DL means a new outlook right? Wrong. The Chiefs will still be less than mediocre. But they won’t be anywhere near as bad. Defensively Kansas City has a few building blocks. Derrick Johnson, Brandon Flowers, Tamba Hali, Brandon Carr and Tyson Jackson should be solid at their positions. They need to develop some talent behind the aging veterans that are just holding on like Zach Thomas and Mike Vrable. Offensively they will be better because they have better parts. The OL still needs a part or two to regain its status as one of the best. They need to find a TE capable of replacing some of Tony Gonzalez provided. But this team should be able to move the ball this season with Matt Cassell throwing the ball to Dwayne Bowe, Amani Toomer, Mark Bradley and Bobby Engram. The rushing attack should be able to move the pile with Larry Johnson returning. There won’t be any playoffs games on the schedule this year but there also won’t be as many disappointing weekends either. Look for 5-6 wins this season.
Oakland Raiders - When will enough be enough with JaMarcus Russell? Unless he turns the corner big time the Raiders are in trouble. Jeff Garcia will likely be the starter at some point. I would expect to see a healthy Darren McFadden explode this season and take carries from Fargas and Bush. The receiving unit is horrible. Heyward-Bey was one of the more ridiculous picks I can remember. They could have traded way down to get him. They will regret passing on Crabtree probably as early as game 4. The OL should be slightly better with the addition of Khalif Barnes. They need to be twice as good defensively though to start winning games. That likely won’t happen partly because the offense is so bad that the defense is constantly on the field. There is some talent at the LB and CB positions they simply don’t know how to use it. With so much bad play on both sides of the ball it is hard to think this team will win more than 5 games.
AFC Title Game
Pittsburgh vs New England
NFC title Game
Arizona vs New York
SUPER BOWL
Pittsburgh vs New York
WINNER
Pittsburgh Steelers
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