Are You Ready For Some Pro Football?

Are you suffering from a little bit of pigskin withdrawal? Have you been longing to see mammoth gridiron gladiators do battle on Sunday afternoon? Fear not football fans, the 2006 National Football League season is upon us. Before you kick back and enjoy the action, here’s a quick look at what you can expect to unfold this year.

Long Way To Go

Every year, certain teams begin the season destined to inhabit the depths of the NFL dungeons. The only #1 these teams have a chance at is the #1 draft pick next summer.

Last season the San Francisco 49ers threw 1st overall pick quarterback Alex Smith to the wolves. Let’s just say the wolves had their fill of the raw rookie. He won’t have to do much to be better this year, but it won’t be nearly enough to save this team.

The Buffalo Bills were 29th in the NFL in passing last year. They responded by letting their leading receiver go via free agency and bringing back the same quarterbacks. Running back Willis McGahee, the man who once gave himself the title “best running back in the NFL”, will shoulder an even greater workload for the offence.

It appears that the fine NFL career of running back Curtis Martin is over, which means the NFL’s 2nd worst offence just got worse. However, the New York Jets do feature a rising defensive star in linebacker Jonathan Vilma, one of the few bright spots on this team.

If you’re looking for star power…look somewhere other than the Cleveland Browns. The offence is loaded with players who lack either experience or more importantly, lack talent. The two players with the most potential, former 1st round picks Kellen Winslow Jr. and Braylon Edwards, share one thing in common. They are both coming off serious season ending injuries. Not good.

The Houston Texans have some talented players including, this year’s first overall draft pick, defensive end Mario Williams. Williams has the speed and agility of an NBA shooting guard. He also happens to be 6-7 295 pounds. So are the Texans a contender yet? No. Not while names like Shantee Orr, Demarcus Faggins and Morlon Greenwood continue to populate the top of the depth chart.

Since taking over as general manager of the Detroit Lions, Matt Millen has amassed a record of 21-59. That is good enough for number 32 in a league with 32 teams. The Lions need to get more out of young receivers Charles Rogers, Mike Williams and Roy Williams to move up in the standings.

The Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers, despite the presence of big names like Randy Moss and Brett Favre, are also destined for a year of futility.

Stuck in Neutral

These teams are stuck in “football limbo”. They are not quite bad enough to tear apart their rosters and rebuild, but they’ve also got far too many holes to contend in the near future.

The Tennessee Titans drafted former University of Texas quarterback Vince Young in the 1st round this year. Last time we saw Young was in the Rose Bowl where he did everything but stop world hunger in leading the Longhorns to victory. Until Young is ready, the keys to the Titans offence belong to Billy Volek. Yikes!

Former Kansas City Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil once said that running back Larry Johnson needed to “take the diapers off.” Larry responded by rushing for 1750 yards and 20 touchdowns. I think the diapers are off. The problem in Kansas City is the Chiefs 25th ranked defence. It still has some growing up to do.

Running back LaDainian Tomlinson will once again lead the San Diego Chargers. Tomlinson can run, catch, pass, refill the Gatorade cooler and drive the team bus. LT will have to do it all as San Diego is breaking in a new quarterback in Phillip Rivers.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is the toughest offensive player to stop in the NFL…if you’re playing Madden 2006. In reality, Vick has shown only glimpses of his great potential. Atlanta has invested a lot of time and money in him and he needs to start paying dividends now.

St. Louis Rams head coach Scott Linehan plans to focus his offensive game plan on the run. This means opponents will be seeing a lot of Steven Jackson, a rhino-like running back. While Jackson is very good, the St. Louis defence is not. The Rams aren’t going anywhere until this unit is upgraded.

With the return of standouts Jevon Kearse, Mike Patterson and Brian Dawkins, the Philadelphia Eagles will own one of the league’s strongest defence’s. Unfortunately the Eagles also boast the leagues worst group of wide receivers. The names Greg Brown and Reggie Lewis (the Eagle’s two starting receivers in case you were wondering) do not strike fear into the hearts of opposing defensive coordinators.

The Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings both saw major changes this off-season. However, both of these teams still have a long way to go before they can be called contenders.

On the Rise

These teams might not be playoff bound this season, but they are sure to make some noise in the near future.

Newly acquired Daunte Culpepper gives the Miami Dolphins a proven performer at quarterback for the first time since Dan Marino. However, the man to watch will be 2nd year running back Ronnie Brown. He will lead the resurgence in Miami.

The Jacksonville Jaguars snarling defensive tackle duo of Marcus Stroud and John Henderson will once again leave a trail of battered offensive linemen in their wake. On offence gritty quarterback Byron Leftwich, who once played a college bowl game on a broken leg, will continue to improve.

The Dallas Cowboys made a reasonably large (ok, HUGE) signing in wide receiver Terrell Owens. Love him or hate him, there is no denying that TO is a difference maker on the football field. If anyone can tame his massive ego it is Dallas head coach Bill Parcells.

The New York Giants have a bushel of talent on offence. This summer they took a big step in upgrading the defence when they signed linebacker Lavar Arrington. If Arrington, a top shelf talent, sticks to the game plan in New York he will be a force.

The arrival of free agent quarterback Drew Brees and rookie running back Reggie Bush should kick the New Orleans Saints offence into high gear. Unfortunately the Saints ranked 27th against the run, and that will continue to hold them back for now.

Already boasting two of the best young wide receivers in the NFL, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, the Arizona Cardinals added star running back Edgerrin James to the mix. Commanding this offensive weaponry will be quarterback Kurt Warner and eventually 1st round pick Matt Leinart. Just call them Indianapolis Lite.

Good Not Great

Expect these teams to play their way into the postseason.

The Chicago Bears were so ferocious on defence last year that it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see opposing offences take to the field in bubble wrap this season. The D sent five players to the Pro Bowl last year and should pick up where it left off.

This summer, the Carolina Panthers went out and added malcontent wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson. The talented but volatile Johnson joins a receiving corps that already includes Pro Bowler Steve Smith. That is, if Smith is sufficiently rested from running circles around the vaunted Bears defence in the playoffs last year.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning will once again do his Edward Scissorhands impersonation as he cuts up opposing defences. Unfortunately, running backs Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai will hold the Colts back from championship status.

Linebacker Derrick Brooks, cornerback Ronde Barber and defensive end Simeon Rice have been pillars of strength on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defence for years. This season will be no different. With running back Carnell “Cadillac” Williams spearheading the offence, it should be another smooth ride to the playoffs for the Bucs.

The Denver Broncos lost last year’s leading rusher Mike Anderson to the Baltimore Ravens. Not to worry. The Broncos could probably start the running back on your local high school’s junior varsity team and still boast a 1000 yard rusher. The key to the season will be how the Broncos improve on their 29th ranked pass defence.

The Washington Redskins were a playoff team last year. With speedy running back Clinton Portis running the show, they should get there again.

The Cream of the Crop

Here are the top dogs. Expect one of these teams to be hoisting the Lombardi trophy as Super Bowl Champion when all is said and done.

The Seattle Seahawks came thisclose to a Super Bowl title last season. With the return of quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and running back Shaun Alexander, as well as the addition of versatile linebacker Julian Peterson, the Seahawks look like the team to beat in the NFC.

The New England Patriots are the team that just won’t go away. They said good-bye to some key contributors in linebacker Willie McGinest, wide receiver David Givens and kicker Adam Vinatieri. However Bill Belichick’s boys have overcome adversity before. With quarterback Tom Brady at the helm, count on the Pats to be strong yet again.

The Cincinnati Bengals have the dubious distinction of leading the league in player arrests. But seriously, despite a rough off-season where Chris Henry, A.J. Nicholson, Frostee Rucker, Matthias Askew and Eric Steinbach all had brushes with the law, the Bengals are good enough to contend for the Super Bowl. If quarterback Carson Palmer’s knee is healthy, the Bengals will be downright scary.

The Pittsburgh Steelers defence and rushing attack will be strong as always but the health of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was injured in a motorcycle accident, could make or break the season for the defending Super Bowl Champs. If Big Ben is healthy, Pittsburgh will finish near the top of the AFC.

Dolphins Stadium in Miami will play host to Super Bowl XLI. When the dust settles I expect the Seattle Seahawks will emerge victorious over the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals in the Super Bowl you say? That seems like a fitting end to what promises to be a thrilling NFL season. Enjoy the ride.