yerotsluap
7th September 2006, 11:02
NFL 2006 Preview
AFC East
This is a division only two teams are going to be in with a shout of winning. Buffalo and New York Jets can be discounted pretty much straight away. In Buffalo if you take away the threat of Willis McGahee then the offence is very poor by NFL standards. The Jets are just a truly horrible team, with question marks about whether Curtis Martin will be able to play he will be far from his best and a quarterback who is coming off his second or third shoulder surgery in as many years in Chad Pennington. The offensive and defensive lines lost there best players so this season is looking like a season of trying to rebuild although they drafted well in getting D'Brickashaw Ferguson for the offensive line. The New England Patriots are a team who have been there and done it all but they are beginning to look a little long in the tooth. Tom Brady is one of the best QB's in the league but his receiving corps looks very thin especially with Deion Branch holding out for a trade elsewhere. Brady needs Corey Dillon to prove last season was a blip and help him on the d otherwise rookie Laurence Maroney could be given the starting job. The Patriots will do well this season as they always do because they have a strong group of experienced defenders who know their roles in the system. The Miami Dolphins are a team being talked up as legitimate contenders this season, they won their last 6 games last season and have added Daunte Culpepper, to address their greatest need. They have lost Ricky Williams to a year long ban but Ronnie Brown is more than capable of handling the increased load. Their defence is strong with the likes of Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas and much for Miami will depend on how well Culpepper has recovered from the season ending knee injury he suffered last years
My prediciton
1 New England Patriots 5/9
2 Miami Dolphins
3 Buffalo Bills
4 New York Jets
AFC North
This division houses last seasons champs the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh have lost a few key players especially Jerome Bettis, they're really going to miss his leadership. Ben Roethlisberger has had one of the best beginnings to an NFL career of any QB but he now needs to be more consistent. On the back of his horrible motorcycle crash and this weeks emergency surgery to remove his appendix who knows how long it will take him to recover properly. Pittsburghs real strength is their defence. Joey Porter and Troy Polamalu hit people hard for fun. On paper the Baltimore Ravens have one of the strongest defences in the NFL, but defensive leader Ray Lewis was starting to look sluggish last season and needs to return to his form of two or three years ago if the Ravens are to achieve anything. On offence the Ravens are gambling on rehabiliting two players who are possibly past their prime in Jamal Lewis and Steve McNair. Cincinnati made their way to the playoffs last season where an injury to Carson Palmer was a key reason for them getting knocked out by Pittsburgh. The Bengals need Palmer to be back from the start and to stay healthy for every game. The Bengals have a high powered offence but their defence needs to improve big time from last season if they are to repeat into the playoffs. Cleveland have looked to add experience to their team this season with signings such as Joe Jurevicius and Willie McGinest and think they have found stability at QB with Charlie Frye
My Prediciton
1 Pittsburgh Steelers 20/23
2 Cincinnati Bengals
3 Baltimore Ravens
4 Cleveland Browns
AFC South
Indianapolis are the undisputed favourites for this division. Their high powered offence led by Peyton Manning can overcome the loss of Edgerrin James and the addition of Adam Vinatieri, the greatest clutch kicker ever, from the Patriots gives them a game winner. Jacksonville had a good season last year but their offence doesn't inspire much confidence. Byron Leftwich is another QB who needs to be more consistent. Tennessee could provide the shock in this division, they are in a rebuilding year but much depends on how Vince Young can adapt to the pro game, he is so athletic and strong that he surely has a great future in the league. Houston made a brave choice at the draft in going for Mario Williams a defensive player that helps the needs of the team over the more celebraed Reggie Bush and the hometown Vince Young, in saying that Houston will have another losing season.
My Prediciton
1 IndianapolisColts 1/5
2 Tennessee Titans
3 Jacksonville Jaguars
4 Houston Texans
AFC West
The Denver Broncos reached last years AFC championship game and have largely the same group of players as last year. The addition of wide receiver Javon Walker should give Jake Plummer better options. Mile High stadium is a big home field advantage for the Broncos. Kansas has a lot ageing guys like QB Trent Green and the recently acquired Ty Law so much is going to depend on the rushing of Larry Johnson. San Diego are a team who could really struggle the decision to not re-sign Drew Brees who knew their system inside out could prove to be a major mistake, Philip Rivers needs to step up from the first second of the season or the Chargers could place too much pressure on LaDanian Tomlinson. Oakland are a team in trouble. Randy Moss is't much of a threat unless the Raiders are close to the endzone and Aaron Brooks is a QB is extremely up and down.
My Prediciton
1 Denver Broncos 5/4
2 Kansas City Chiefs
3 San Diego Chargers
4 Oakland Raiders
Will post NFC preview this afternoon in preperation for the opening game this evening
AFC East
This is a division only two teams are going to be in with a shout of winning. Buffalo and New York Jets can be discounted pretty much straight away. In Buffalo if you take away the threat of Willis McGahee then the offence is very poor by NFL standards. The Jets are just a truly horrible team, with question marks about whether Curtis Martin will be able to play he will be far from his best and a quarterback who is coming off his second or third shoulder surgery in as many years in Chad Pennington. The offensive and defensive lines lost there best players so this season is looking like a season of trying to rebuild although they drafted well in getting D'Brickashaw Ferguson for the offensive line. The New England Patriots are a team who have been there and done it all but they are beginning to look a little long in the tooth. Tom Brady is one of the best QB's in the league but his receiving corps looks very thin especially with Deion Branch holding out for a trade elsewhere. Brady needs Corey Dillon to prove last season was a blip and help him on the d otherwise rookie Laurence Maroney could be given the starting job. The Patriots will do well this season as they always do because they have a strong group of experienced defenders who know their roles in the system. The Miami Dolphins are a team being talked up as legitimate contenders this season, they won their last 6 games last season and have added Daunte Culpepper, to address their greatest need. They have lost Ricky Williams to a year long ban but Ronnie Brown is more than capable of handling the increased load. Their defence is strong with the likes of Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas and much for Miami will depend on how well Culpepper has recovered from the season ending knee injury he suffered last years
My prediciton
1 New England Patriots 5/9
2 Miami Dolphins
3 Buffalo Bills
4 New York Jets
AFC North
This division houses last seasons champs the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh have lost a few key players especially Jerome Bettis, they're really going to miss his leadership. Ben Roethlisberger has had one of the best beginnings to an NFL career of any QB but he now needs to be more consistent. On the back of his horrible motorcycle crash and this weeks emergency surgery to remove his appendix who knows how long it will take him to recover properly. Pittsburghs real strength is their defence. Joey Porter and Troy Polamalu hit people hard for fun. On paper the Baltimore Ravens have one of the strongest defences in the NFL, but defensive leader Ray Lewis was starting to look sluggish last season and needs to return to his form of two or three years ago if the Ravens are to achieve anything. On offence the Ravens are gambling on rehabiliting two players who are possibly past their prime in Jamal Lewis and Steve McNair. Cincinnati made their way to the playoffs last season where an injury to Carson Palmer was a key reason for them getting knocked out by Pittsburgh. The Bengals need Palmer to be back from the start and to stay healthy for every game. The Bengals have a high powered offence but their defence needs to improve big time from last season if they are to repeat into the playoffs. Cleveland have looked to add experience to their team this season with signings such as Joe Jurevicius and Willie McGinest and think they have found stability at QB with Charlie Frye
My Prediciton
1 Pittsburgh Steelers 20/23
2 Cincinnati Bengals
3 Baltimore Ravens
4 Cleveland Browns
AFC South
Indianapolis are the undisputed favourites for this division. Their high powered offence led by Peyton Manning can overcome the loss of Edgerrin James and the addition of Adam Vinatieri, the greatest clutch kicker ever, from the Patriots gives them a game winner. Jacksonville had a good season last year but their offence doesn't inspire much confidence. Byron Leftwich is another QB who needs to be more consistent. Tennessee could provide the shock in this division, they are in a rebuilding year but much depends on how Vince Young can adapt to the pro game, he is so athletic and strong that he surely has a great future in the league. Houston made a brave choice at the draft in going for Mario Williams a defensive player that helps the needs of the team over the more celebraed Reggie Bush and the hometown Vince Young, in saying that Houston will have another losing season.
My Prediciton
1 IndianapolisColts 1/5
2 Tennessee Titans
3 Jacksonville Jaguars
4 Houston Texans
AFC West
The Denver Broncos reached last years AFC championship game and have largely the same group of players as last year. The addition of wide receiver Javon Walker should give Jake Plummer better options. Mile High stadium is a big home field advantage for the Broncos. Kansas has a lot ageing guys like QB Trent Green and the recently acquired Ty Law so much is going to depend on the rushing of Larry Johnson. San Diego are a team who could really struggle the decision to not re-sign Drew Brees who knew their system inside out could prove to be a major mistake, Philip Rivers needs to step up from the first second of the season or the Chargers could place too much pressure on LaDanian Tomlinson. Oakland are a team in trouble. Randy Moss is't much of a threat unless the Raiders are close to the endzone and Aaron Brooks is a QB is extremely up and down.
My Prediciton
1 Denver Broncos 5/4
2 Kansas City Chiefs
3 San Diego Chargers
4 Oakland Raiders
Will post NFC preview this afternoon in preperation for the opening game this evening