AFC South Preview

AFC South – After the Colts, things get very interesting in the AFC South. There are no, flat-out, bad teams in this division; therefore, any of the remaining three teams could challenge for a wild card spot. I guess that’s why they play the games.

Houston Texans – Andre Johnson is the best WR in the NFL, hands down. Schaub is an above average QB as well; however, their rush offense was abysmal last season. With no real changes to their primary or backup running backs (rookie Ben Tate is out with an injury) I expect the Texans to be pass heavy on offense again this season. Defensively, they lost Dunta Robinson – their best DB – so it will be up to Amobi Okoye and Mario Williams to help a relatively weak core of DBs by putting pressure on the quarterback. Projected record: 9-7

Tennessee Titans – Here’s to hoping QB Vince Young can start (and end) a successful season. In his four years as a Titan, Young has been much more effective taking over mid-season. He’ll need to prove to haters (and shrinks) that he can last a full 16-game season and the ups and downs of the playoff hunt. I don’t know if CJ will rush for 2,500 like he claims this season, but I would love to see him try. If there’s one team to watch in this division (other than Indy) it’s the Titans. Projected record: 9-7

Jacksonville Jaguars – Jacksonville is probably the weakest team out of this division, which doesn’t do justice to how solid this group can be. Mike Sims-Walker is an up-and-coming star in this league, and could have his first 1,000 yard season as David Garrard’s primary target. MJD is going to get his touches and will be looked on to lead the offense this year (not carry it on his back). Jacksonville has always had a speedy, aggressive defense and the addition of Morrison at middle linebacker only makes them quicker (albeit a bit softer against the run). Projected record: 6-10

Indianapolis Colts – Peyton Manning’s crew will not disappoint this year. One bold prediction from me is that Addai will be a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time since 2007. He averaged 4.2 yards per carry for the second half of last season, as opposed to the 3.3 yards per carry he put up in weeks 1-8. The return of Bob Sanders to their defense is vastly underrated. If he can stay healthy, he will give them toughness as well as depth in the secondary (now that they know Melvin Bullitt can be a legitimate starter). The Colts pass defense will likely be in the top-5 of the league this year, you can count on that. Projected record: 12-4

The bottom line is that Indy is still the class of the AFC North, and will be as long as Peyton Manning is calling the shots behind center. The Texans finally got their first winning season in franchise history on the arm of Matt Schaub; however, the defense will have to prove itself if they want to get to the playoffs. If the whole team “works” as hard as Brian Cushing, they should be fined...oops, I mean, fine. Tennessee is missing Keith Bullock – their heart and soul on defense – and that could mean trouble for an already shaky Titans defense. Because of that, it’s hard to say whether or not they will challenge for an AFC wild card spot. Jacksonville is still a few years and a franchise QB away from the postseason. Not to take anything away from Garrard, but I think his solid-not-spectacular level of play won’t be enough to get his team over the hump.

By Aaron Hilton
Follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401

AFC North Preview

AFC North – The North has, traditionally, been dominated by the Steelers; however, last year the Bengals and Ravens burst back onto the scene and left Pittsburgh watching from the outside. This summer, the Ravens and Bengals stacked up their offenses to support their already strong defenses, while the Steelers lost their most important player, Ben Roethlisberger. I believe that this year, the AFC North will be one of the key divisions to watch in the NFL with some serious Superbowl implications.

Cleveland Browns – The last few words of my last paragraph said “Superbowl implications,” and I started my preview off with the Browns; I don’t think I need to explain the irony there. However, the Browns are going to be interesting this year. Jake Delhomme will be a good role model for Colt McCoy, not to mention new Team President Mike Holmgren – a known QB genius. This year the Browns should show brief flashes of brilliance, but it is still the Browns; their wins will be as ugly as their helmets. Projected record: 4-12.

Pittsburgh Steelers – Ben Roethlisberger’s decisions during the off season would make the cast of Jersey Shore look like catholic priests (maybe not the best comparison, but you get the idea). I think that his transgressions will harm the Steelers too much for them to recover; however, this could be a good audition for Dennis Dixon or Byron Leftwitch. In the end, their defense will keep them above water, and they’ll have two games against the Browns so that’s at least two wins (sorry Cleveland fans, as if losing LeBron wasn’t enough rite?) Projected record: 9-7.

Cincinnati Bengals – this could be the year for Cincinnati to finally get over the hump, and not just in football. The Reds are surprising everyone in baseball with how they’ve played and the Bengals seem to be stacking chips on offense. Another year in the NFL will benefit Rey Maualuga and the return of Antwan Odom adding pressure on the QB should help their athletic corners make more plays. T.O. being in town means a lot of press for an under-the-radar Carson Palmer; however, having him opposite Ochocinco is never a bad thing (especially in terms of pure entertainment). Projected record: 11-5

Baltimore Ravens – I expect big things from the Ravens. On paper, they are the best team in this division, and are now on a level where competing with the Colts isn’t a total mismatch. Flacco will have to shoulder a lot more of the load to keep Ray Rice fresh for the postseason. His new weapons at WR, Boldin and Stallworth, will be paramount to “Joe Cool’s” success; also, don’t sleep on TE Ed Dickson, he will also have a chance to play a big part in this high powered offense. Projected record: 12-4.

The Bottom line is that the Steelers no longer scare the other teams in the North, especially without their Pro Bowl quarterback. QB is the predominant subject for this division. How will McCoy grow under Holmgren and Delhomme? When will Big Ben be back on the field, and will he be in-time to save the season? Can Carson Palmer keep his two diva WRs (I'm calling them "T.O-chocinco") happy throughout the season? Will Flacco step into the next level of high class/elite quarterbacks with new weapons at his disposal?

The Ravens are my pick to play the Colts or Jets in the AFC Championship game; however, the Bengals are more than capable of playing in that game as well. Once Roethlisberger gets back on the field, this division will be back at full strength and the race for the postseason will be in full effect.

By Aaron Hilton
Follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401

Celebrity-Athlete of the Day: Scott Rolen

Continuing on my ‘old school’ kick, I decided to go back to one of the greatest crime/mystery movies of all-time, The Usual Suspects.

To be honest, I just saw the movie for the first time last summer and it was a revelation. I have since seen it about 6-times and it never gets old; those movies that keep you in suspense until the very end have always been a personal favorite.

Today’s Athlete, Scott Rolen, third baseman for the Cincinnati Reds.

• Rolen used to be one of my favorite baseball players, in the early 2000s. Ever since I saw Superman Returns all I could think about was how much Rolen and Kevin Spacey – who played Lex Luthor – looked alike.
  
  Both men have, at one point or another, been heralded as one of the best in their respective professions. Rolen was the prototypical, power-hitting third basemen with a laser arm and a knack for making SportsCenter’s Top Plays. Spacey was one of the best actors of my generation whose artistic range knew no bounds.
  
  They both have that awkward, old man smile that almost makes them look like serial killers. They both have the same, squinty eyes and facial expressions. It makes perfect sense that each man would be somehow related. The funniest part about it is the age and size difference.
  
  Spacey is 16-years older than Rolen, and Rolen has about six-inches and 100-pounds on Spacey; yet, somehow, I just can’t separate the two. I could see Rolen limping into the batters box, dragging his foot on the ground like ‘Verbal’ Kint – Spacey’s character from The Usual Suspects – then when the pitcher enters the wind-up (spoiler alert!) he fixes his stature and goes all Kaiser Soze on the pitch.
  
  Doing movies like K-Pax nearly (and should have) ruined Spacey’s career, in my eyes. Playing with the Blue Jays in ’08 looked like the end for Rolen; however, both men persevered and rejuvenated their sparkling careers (although neither of them will fully recover from those poor decisions).
  
  Rolen’s career will likely be over within the next 2-3 years – at age 38 – whereas Spacey has remained relevant well into his 50’s. Maybe Spacey can give his long-lost brother some pointers on longevity, or maybe even use him as a stunt double in Superman Returns…Again.

By Aaron Hilton
Follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401