NFC West Preview

NFC West – This division is probably one of the weakest in football (ironically, along with the AFC West). From top to bottom, there aren’t any teams that really wow me, nor do I expect any of them to represent the NFC in the Superbowl; however, somebody has to win the division.

San Francisco 49ers – The 49ers are the most intriguing team in the NFC West, because they parallel their rivals across the bay. Their receivers are solid, but young. They have a great, young tight end, a solid QB, strong running game, and very plausible defense. Frank Gore should benefit from Alex Smith’s efficiency and return to being the fantasy beast he was in 2006. A full year of Crabtree will also help take some pressure off Gore’s shoulders as well as keep eight men out of the box. Don’t sleep on the defense either, last year the Niners were 6th in opponent rushing yards (just 97 yards allowed per game). Projected record: 9-7

Seattle Seahawks – Pete Carroll is taking another stab at being an NFL head coach (and left USC crumbling in his absence). He will coach a few of his former players in Lofa Tutupu and Mike Williams. Tutupu has always been a solid pro; however, Williams has looked very good in his first two preseason games under his old head coach. This could be an interesting season for the Seahawks; however, don’t expect them to make much noise outside of a few games. I’m not sure that Carroll is sold on Hasselbeck being the franchise QB (to tell you the truth, neither am I). Projected record: 7-9

Arizona Cardinals – The Cardinals lost all hope when their leader, Kurt Warner, retired; not to mention the fact that the team followed up by trading Anquan Boldin, their toughest receiver. Now the offense will fall on the shoulders of a disappointing Matt Leinhart, how well the team does will depend on his ability to run the offense (assuming he hasn’t already lost the job to Derek Anderson). On defense the Cardinals lost Karlos Dansby and Antrel Rolle - two of their best players. This could be a long season for Ken Wisenhunt and the Red Birds. Projected Record: 8-8

St. Louis Rams – The $50 million question is: “Can Bradford put up any respectable numbers without a viable number-one receiver to throw to?” (Although, for $50 million, I don’t think he cares who he’s throwing to.) Stephen Jackson is going to get over 1,000-yards and 10 TDs, but will he play 16 games? Doubtful. The Rams are going to be the doormat of this division; however, they’re only a few key pieces away from being an 8-win team. Unfortunately, most of those pieces are on the most important side of the ball, defense. Projected Record: 4-12

The bottom line is that this division is a two team race between the Cardinals and the 49ers until further notice (and by further notice, I mean the next 2-years; unless the Seahawks can pry Vincent Jackson away from San Diego). The Rams are doing the right thing by letting Bradford watch the first couple of regular season games from the sidelines. Eventually he’ll be the starter, but there’s no need to rush a guy coming off a major injury into an ass whooping. Hopefully Carroll can turn around a Seahawks franchise that took a stage dive since the 2005 Superbowl.

By Aaron Hilton
Follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401

NFC East Preview

NFC East – The NFC East is the most balanced division in the NFL. From the Giants to the Cowboys, each team has a decent shot at winning the division or, at least, making the wild card.

Dallas Cowboys – Big-D couldn’t be a more fitting nickname for Jerry Jones’ boys as they boast the best defense in their division. Ratliff is widely seen as one of the best pass rushing DTs in the league and their linebacking corps is led by a superstar in DeMarcus Ware. Their biggest question, heading into this season, is: Can they handle the pressure when it gets to crunch time? Miles Austin is my favorite player on their team; but he’s only had one breakout year, that doesn’t guarantee that he’ll be the same guy this year (see Javon Walker, Michael Clayton, Ronald Curry, etc). He’ll have to be “the man” if the Cowboys want to build on last year’s success. Projected Record: 11-5

Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles are the most questionable of the teams in their division, simply because of their youth. Kevin Kolb is solid, yet unproven, and LaSean McCoy is entering just his second season in the NFL (his first as a starter). This could be the year that Brian Dawkins’ absence is most felt in the locker room. The pressure will be on high for this young offense and the defense could end up paying the price. Expect to see a different type of passing offense this year; Kolb might not be as mobile as McNabb, but he had better be just as tough (on and off the field). If not, it will be a long year in the “city of brotherly love.” Projected Record: 8-8

Washington Redskins – Yea, they signed McNabb and everybody’s all excited for a breakout season from Fred Davis and Santana Moss; however I’m excited for Clinton Portis. Portis had some of his best years back in Denver with coach Shannahan, and I expect that trend to continue this year. Brian Orakpo was an absolute stud defensively last year, and he’ll need to continue to mature and maintain consistency to be successful. Shannahan’s real test will be turning LaRon Landry into what John Lynch was for his Denver teams. Lynch wasn’t the fastest or best pass coverage guy, but he was smart and played above his athletic ability; this bodes well for the much younger, more athletic Landry (but only if he’s ready mentally). Projected Record: 9-7

New York Giants – The G-Men had their issues last year; but this year, there will be no excuses. Eli Manning is a year better, and he has an established, pro bowl number one receiver in Steve Smith. Their key additions of Keith Bullock at MLB, and Antrel Rolle at FS will immediately make last year’s defense a lot better. This means less 30+ point shootouts and more grind-it-out, hard-nosed football. This style of play helped them win the Superbowl in 2008 and it should put them in a position to make the playoffs in 2011 (however, that’d mean Brandon Jacobs will have to play like he did back in 2007-08 as well). Projected Record: 10-6

The bottom line is that all roads to the Superbowl go through Dallas (literally). The Cowboys have the perfect blend of veteran leadership, youth, coaching, and attitude to make this year’s Superbowl just another home game for themselves. Shannahan and Albert Haynesworth are bickering like Sammie and Ronny from Jersey Shore, and that could be a big distraction on a relatively young defense. The Giants and Eagles will only go as far as their running game takes them (although, for Philly, the run game is only needed to keep some of the pressure off new starting QB, Kevin Kolb).

By Aaron Hilton
Follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401

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

Third Time is the Charm for Otis Amey

Otis Amey is coming home to Sacramento.

He will play wide receiver for the Sacramento Mountain Lions, who host all of their opponents at Amey's Alma Mater, Sacramento State.

The 28-year-old, two-time All-American holds Hornets records in career receptions, receiving touchdowns, single season receptions, single game receptions, career kickoff return yards, longest punt return for a TD and most punt returns in a season.

His role with the Mountain Lions will be as a “jack of all trades.”

“He’ll return some balls,” Mountain Lions receivers coach, Charles Collins, said. “He’ll be back there on kick offs, he’ll play a little on the inside and outside. I expect to move him around; I’m not going to pigeon hole him in one spot.”

While he’s exited to be playing for his home team, back in Hornet Stadium, Amey hopes to return to the NFL soon.

“To be honest, guys at the River Cats don’t say, ‘I’m happy playing with the River Cats,’” Amey said. “They want to be on the A’s. It’d be a lie to say that I don’t want to be back in the NFL."

After signing with the 49ers as an undrafted rookie, Amey made an immediate impact. He returned a punt for a 75-yard touchdown on his first touch in the NFL.

Recapturing that moment proved to be too difficult for Amey. The Union City native was cut by the 49ers - a team he rooted for as a child - after that season. In his words, it was the “lowest point in my life.”

Amey spent the 2006-07 season in the Arena Football League with the Austin Wranglers. The most memorable moment, in his time away from the NFL, came on Mother’s day in 2007 when he played against his big brother, Vince Amey.

“I wasn’t even worried about making the tackle,” said Vince, who was a seventh-round pick for the Oakland Raiders in 1998. “I had him in my sights and wanted to drive (Otis) backwards a few feet.”

After that season, Amey got his second chance to make an NFL roster with the Atlanta Falcons. Due to Michael Vick’s dog fighting charges, the Falcons needed to sign a replacement at quarterback. Amey, who had originally been placed on the 53-man roster, ended up being the odd man out.

The ordeal in Atlanta only added more fuel to the fire for Amey; he was determined to revitalize his career. He played the 2008 AFL season with the Cleveland Gladiators, leading the league in scoring with 50 touchdowns.

Amey credits his big brother, Vince, for helping to keep his head straight through the ups and downs of playing professional football. Amey has been through a lot in his five-year professional career; however, he’s not ready to give up on his dreams quite yet.

“That’d be the dream scenario: winning a championship here, getting picked up, and winning a Superbowl as well. You couldn’t write it any better than that.”

By Aaron Hilton
Follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401

AFC East Preview

AFC East teams were in a dead heat as last season came to a close. This year I expect only a two team race to winning the division. While the Dolphins showed some promise, the Jets and Patriots are too good for Miami to keep up with (barring any help from LeBron, Wade and Bosh). I’m just not sure how convinced I am on Chad Henne being the QB they need to make it in the playoffs; however, only time will tell.

New England Patriots – Any time you have Tom Brady, Randy Moss and Bill Belichick on the same team, there will be playoff implications. The biggest question for the Patriots is their front-seven which struggled to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks in ’09. Jerod Mayo is a future star and Vince Wilfork is your quintessential space-eater at DT, but the other five players will need to step up in passing situations in order to help a rather pedestrian New England DB corps. Projected record: 10-6

New York Jets – Jets fans have a lot to look forward to in 2010, but only if they can resolve Revis’ contract dispute. He wants to get paid like the best DB in the league, and he has a valid argument. The Jets’ additions of LT and Santonio Holmes on offense will make Mark Sanchez’s second year behind center much easier. The Jets were tops in the NFL in rushing offense and passing defense last year and I don’t see that changing – especially if they get Revis back – however, I expect Sanchez to have a bigger role in their 2010 offense which ranked 31st last year in passing yards. Projected record: 11-5

Miami Dolphins – The Dolphins will, likely, be the odd man out in the 2010 postseason for two reasons: QB play and lack of talent at WR/TE (I’ll give you three seconds to name the other starting WR and TE for the Dolphins, not named Brandon Marshall…one, two, two-and-a-half, two-and-seven-eighths…). My point exactly, they made an upgrade to their primary receiver, but the other guys at that position don’t really have the talent to out duel high powered offenses like New England or beat a stingy NY Jets defense. Running backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams will keep this team above water, but they won’t make the post season unless Henne and the other receivers step up, big time. Projected record: 9-6-1 (I like to mix it up a bit from time to time…I mean business, but I also like to party).

Buffalo Bills – Ok, if you watch any level of sports – even if it’s just your little brother’s/son’s pee wee team – you should know that the Bills won’t make much noise this year, let alone make the playoffs. Right now they are having a QB battle between three C-list quarterbacks – Brian Brohm, Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick. That’s not a good start for them. They do have a few bright spots with RB CJ Spiller, and Jairus Byrd at safety, leading a young group of talented DBs. Their front seven is average, and Aaron Maybin should get a lot of time at OLB with Aaron Schobel falling out of favor in Buffalo. This is definitely a team in transition, but there is hope if they can find the right leader. Projected record: 5-11

At the end of the day, I expect the Jets to win the division with their playmaking on defense. They are also my surprise Superbowl contender, provided Mark Sanchez improves his turnover ratio. The Pats are always locks to win at least 10 games a season with Brady at the helm, but I don’t know if an aging Randy Moss and ailing Wes Welker can turn attention away from a less-than-spectacular backfield. The Dolphins are just one or two key pieces from beating the Patriots and the Bills round out the bottom of the division, again.

By Aaron Hilton
Follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401

AFC West Preview

The AFC West is going to be the topic of much discussion prior, during and after this 2010 season. You have the hapless Raiders and their quest for ‘Excellence’, Tebowmania in Denver, Matt Cassel’s second year out in KC and the drama that is San Diego.

Oakland Raiders – I honestly believe that this will be a much improved team this year. Not because of Jason Campbell or Rolondo McClain, but because of Tom Cable and Michael Bush. Al Davis has put Cable's prior issues behind him and kept Cable on as the head coach. In order for the Raiders to win, they need identity. In order to have an identity, you need stability in your coaching; Cable and offensive coordinator Hue Jackson should provide that in 2010. RB Michael Bush will likely be the workhorse for the run-heavy Raiders. If he uses his size to his advantage, he should be a big weapon around the goal line for Oakland; allowing McFadden to be more versatile. Projected record: 8-8

Denver Broncos – The Broncos are an interesting team to gauge. They have a lot of youth in their offense. Their number one receiver heading into camp is either 3rd year man, Eddie Royal, or rookie, Demaryius Thomas. Knowshon Moreno was solid in his rookie campaign; however, fatigue set in towards the end of the season and it badly affected the Broncos’ offense. Their ineffective ground game put more pressure on QB Kyle Orton and he was exposed, just like what happened to him in Chicago. Projected record: 9-7

Kansas City Chiefs – Matt Cassel will be the key to this season for the Chiefs. Their running game is solid with proven backs like Thomas Jones and up and comer Jamaal Charles. It will be interesting to see how Dwayne Bowe handles himself this season because he will be Cassel’s main target at receiver. It will also be interesting to see how the Chiefs’ line holds up this season. They have Brandon Albert listed as their starting left tackle – the most important position on the offensive line – which shows a lot of faith in their front office. If he does well, the Chiefs could surprise everyone in the wide-open AFC West. Projected record: 5-11

San Diego Chargers – With LT in New York and no sign of Vincent Jackson in the near future, the Chargers’ offense will fall heavily on the shoulders of Phillip Rivers and his ability to make those around him better. The biggest question mark heading into camp will be their defense. Antoine Cason will have to step up big time after the departure of, playmaker, Antonio Cromartie. It will also be interesting to see which Shawne Merriman the Chargers have this year; will it be the defensive standout from his first three years or the troubled shell of himself that he’s been since the ’08 season. Merriman will have his hands full trying to keep his starting job if Larry English – San Diego’s first-round pick a year ago – continues to do well in training camp. Projected record: 10-6

In summation, the AFC West will be up for grabs this year. The Chargers were – and still are – the odds on favorites to win the division; however, their losses in the offseason, coupled with the Vincent Jackson drama could be too much to overcome. The Raiders could finally find a way out of the AFC West basement this year with a lot more stability throughout their team – coaches, quarterbacks, etc. – although I doubt that they will make the playoffs this year. The Chiefs and Broncos are wildcards and could either do a lot of damage or pad the records of the other teams in this division. Either way, the AFC West should be an interesting division to keep an eye on.

By Aaron Hilton
Follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401

Third times a charm...

Today, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that Brett Favre will be retiring from the NFL, leaving the Minnesota Vikings after last years spectacular season. For Viking fans... oh well... let's hope this is all speculation. But as a Jets fan myself, I'll be happy to see him go.

Bye bye Brett!!! Purple doesn't look good on you anyways.

Favre should hold a press conference and apologize to all Green Bay, Jets, and Vikings fans who had faith in him. After all these years Favre is doing what he does best, calling it quits before he can acquire a ring - with the exception of the Superbowl he won in Green Bay. So much for the Vikings 2010-11 winning season. At least now he'll have time to focus on his family and future.

The end of his relationship with the NFL should be like a mutual breakup in a romantic relationship with no more of this 'breakup to makeup' crap. It's better for all of us. We'll easily get over him... but we'll never forget Brett the Jet, Packer, Falcon, and Viking.