SPORTSAPALOOZA II: The NFC

A 2006 NFC Preview

On Tuesday this blog had its 100th posting. Hooray for me! Everybody gets pie!

Now, back to the NFL preview, this time focusing on the National Football Conference. Since I won't be distracted with other topics this week, I won't limit my team capsules to thirty-five words, but I'll try not to waste too much of your precious "Flavor of Love" watching time:

ARIZONA: Last year all the "experts" picked the Cardinals to have a breakthrough year. They went 5-11. This year, with All-Pro runningback Edgerrin James, top draft pick QB Matt Leinert and a brand-new Space Age stadium the "experts" are predicting the Cardinals to make a run for a playoff spot. People, I'm only going to explain this once, so listen up--you can't expect a team with an average or below average offensive line to be all that good. That and quarterback are the two most important positions on a team. The Cardinals o-line? Terrible--the Edge won't come close to 1,500 rush yards in Arizona. (8-8)

ATLANTA: They just traded for Ashley "I Deserve to be A Number One Receiver" Leile. He'll be their third receiver. Brilliant. Meanwhile, Ron Mexico--er, Mr. Vick, continues to be overrated (although he is the league's most exciting player) and this season might be a make and break season both for him and coach Jim Mora Jr. (9-7)

CAROLINA: My somewhat reluctant choice to go to the Super Bowl--I HATE picking the popular media choice. But when a team has no discernable weaknesses, a manageable schedule, a good coach and a quarterback who comes through in the clutch, in the NFL, well, that's Super Bowl material. (11-5)

CHICAGO: Last year's big Cinderella has upgraded at quarterback but has questions at running back, just a so-so O-line and some chemistry issues. But I like this team. Can Rex Grossman stay healthy? (Brian Griese might be better). Who will start at running back? Who cares when the defense will only give up two TD's a game? (10-6)

DALLAS: Another trendy Super Bowl pick, but I think Jerry Jones is running this team into the ground. Terrell Owens is his call--nice move. He'll be great if he ever stays on the field and he doesn't poison the locker room environment. Jones also went into the booth on Monday Night Football and basically sabotaged Bill Parcells' idea to start Tony Romo at QB. Parcells was considering Romo because he's been running the offense so well and he's way more mobile than Drew "The Statue" Bledsoe. Hey Jerry, how are you going to win another Super Bowl if you don't let the coach with the rings make the big decisions? Remember how fun it was when Jimmy Johnson was in charge of the football operation? No? Oh, my bad. (10-6)

DETROIT: Rod Marinelli will be the best head coach Detroit has had since...well...um... This team is still a couple of years away from really making noise though. They need to tighten up the defensive front seven. (7-9)

GREEN BAY: Brett Favre says this is the best talent his team has had? If he's that crazy, he really should have retired. Don't mean to be a broken record, but if your O-line is shaky, you don't have a chance. (6-10)

MINNESOTA: Zygi "Can I Buy A Vowel?" Wilf is the worst owner in football, but maybe one day he'll learn. He keeps giving big contracts to miscreants like Koren Robinson while preaching that under his reign, character matters. At least he got rid of Mike Tice, the worst coach in the league the last couple of years. There's talent here but I'm gonna take a wait-and-see approach. (8-8)

NEW ORLEANS: I have so many problems with Saints owner Tom Benson and the way the NFL (and everybody else) treats New Orleans, but that's a topic for another blog. The offense with QB Drew Brees, RB Reggie Bush, RB Deuce McAlister and WR Joe Horn should be explosive (and they have a good line), but that defense needs more players and I think it will still be weird when the Saints play in the Superdome. (7-9)

NEW YORK GIANTS: The offense could lead the league in points and they still have Michael Strahan and the other stud defensive end whose name I can't pronounce. So why don't I like them better? Well, Tom Coughlin is already wearing out his welcome--certainly Tiki Barber is not a fan. The schedule is brutal. And I think there's a lot of "me first" guys on this team...not good when the playoffs come around. They'll either reach the NFC Championship game, or self-destruct.(10-6)

PHILADELPHIA: Classic addition by subtraction--no T.O., more victories. I can't for the life of me figure out why Andy Reid doesn't run the football more with Brian Westbrook, but whatever, this team isn't all that much less talented than the one that went to the Super Bowl only two years ago. (8-8)

ST. LOUIS: New coach Scott Linehan should settle the team down after a chaotic 2005 and do something novel for Rams fans--run the football consistently. There's a lot of talent on the offensive side of the football, but the defense is small and lacks depth. In the so-so NFC West, these guys actually have a chance. (9-7)

SAN FRANCISCO: They're making strides and Mike Nolan's a good coach, but God is Alex Smith awful. How did he get to be a number one draft pick? Until they dump him and find a real quarterback to build around, they're destined for last place. (5-11)

SEATTLE: They were robbed of what should have been their first title last year and they'll be back to go deep into the playoffs again this year, although they won't spend the first half of the season sneaking up on people like they did in '05. I think Shaun Alexander is heading into his backstrech though, so hopefully Matt Hassleback and his receivers can duplicate--or even surpass--last year's performance. LB Lofa Tatupu is a stud, one of the best young defensive players to come into the league in years. (12-4)

TAMPA BAY: Jon Gruden's Bucs are so close to another Super Bowl run they think they can taste it. The defense is great (although they'll miss defensive coordinator Marinelli) and offensively they're the most dangerous they've been since the Doug Williams/James Wilder days, but why did they dump Brian Griese? He's not great, but he was their best quarterback last year and I'm not yet sold on Chris Simms. (9-7)

WASHINGTON: The coaching staff has like two kazillion years of experience, they have quality depth at runningback and the defense is fierce. But I don't believe Mark Brunell has found the Fountain of Youth. I think Dan Snyder's influence hurts this team. And again, it is in the beastly NFC East. They win one playoff game, maybe, and are done. (11-5)

Well, it's been real, yo. Have a great weekend and keep on checking out my blog. Next week I'll have comments on the Emmys, a review of the new OutKast album, remembrances of Katrina and New Orleans and much, much more...crap.

Peace.