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| Jim's
Outlook |
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Cyd's
Outlook |
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AFC EAST |
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1) New
England: The Pats have the best shot to repeat of any team
in the past six years, thanks to the game’s best coach (Bill
Belichick) and the best clutch QB (Tom Brady). But they were not
dominant in 2003 and don’t expect them to win 15 in a row again.
Prediction: Sports Illustrated predicted the Pats to repeat
and put Brady on the cover. They are doomed.
2) Buffalo:
The Bills have a top five defense led by LB Takeo Spikes. If
Drew Bledsoe regains his form, this team can contend for the
playoffs.
Prediction: Buffalo rebounds, setting the stage for a
dynamic 2005.
3) New York:
The Jets live or die on the health of QB Chad Pennington, who is
still trying to find a go-to receiver.
Prediction: A transition year in the Big Apple leaves the
Jets around .500.
4) Miami:
Can’t see how the Fish survive Ricky Williams going on his
‘round-the-world pot tour. Not having a quarterback worth
anything doesn’t help either.
Prediction: The Dave Wannstadt era ends. |
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1) New
England: The Patriots were 60-1 in Vegas in May to go
undefeated; they’re now 25-1 to win every game. That means
there’s a lot of hype out there. With Belichick, this team isn’t
buying it – which is a good thing.
Prediction: 16-0. They won the Super Bowl last year and
had one of the best offseasons of any team. Duh!!
2) New York:
The Jets are a potential dark horse this year. Two years ago,
they made it to the conference semis.
Prediction: WR Justin McCareins will emerge as a human
highlight reel and the Jets will be in playoff contention to the
end.
3) Buffalo:
Boy, does Belichick look like a genius. He sent away veteran
Drew Bledsoe to go with the untested Tom Brady. Bledsoe has
tanked in Buffalo, leaving the Bills to draft his replacement,
J.P. Losman.
Prediction: Even with a new head coach, Bledsoe and Losman
won’t take enough pressure off the runningbacks.
4) Miami:
Losing Ricky Williams was bad enough. But, they also lost their
top wide receiver and now have said they won’t start the
quarterback they got from the Eagles.
Prediction: Dolphins score fewer points than anyone else and
coach Dave Wannstedt is unemployed. |
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AFC NORTH |
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1)
Pittsburgh: The Steelers look the most settled of the teams
in this unpredictable division. The addition of RB Duce Staley
will give a big lift to an anemic running attack.
Prediction: 10-6 gets the Steelers back in the playoffs.
2) Baltimore:
The Ravens look unsettled at quarterback, where Kyle Boller is
coming off an injury; running back, where Jamal Lewis’ November
drug trial might derail him; and receiver, where no threat has
emerged. Thank goodness for that defense.
Prediction: The Ravens’ D will keep them competitive but
look for more low-scoring losses than wins.
3)
Cincinnati: New coach Marvin Lewis restored the roar to the
Bengals in 2003, but whether the positive momentum can be
maintained depends on the untested Carson Palmer at quarterback.
Prediction: Palmer will struggle and the Bengals hover
around .500.
4) Cleveland:
New quarterback Jeff Garcia has publicly assured us he is not
gay, and he’s dating a model to prove it. Good, we hope the
Browns go 0-16.
Prediction: This team looks as bland as its uniforms. |
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1)
Baltimore: While Jamal Lewis’ legal problems are a serious
factor, this team just seems to win. They were 10-6 last year
with a shaky Kyle Boller, who didn’t play every game. Only one
changeover on offense – WR Kevin Johnson – will be a good thing
for this team.
Prediction: With an undefeated record at home, the Ravens
win the division.
2)
Pittsburgh: One fact too many people ignore when predicting
the NFL is strength of schedule. The Steelers’ schedule is #30
out of 32 teams. They can still score points and have a solid D.
Prediction: With the best scoring defense in the league,
they’ll be one of those bubble teams.
3)
Cincinnati: Second-year quarterback Carson Palmer has looked
great in preseason. In preseason. While he’ll have a solid
second half of the year, it’s those first eight games that will
bite them in the end – remember, he has never taken a snap in a
real NFL game.
Prediction: Bengals’ defense shows holes in the secondary
and they’re left hoping for next year.
4) Cleveland:
They’re last in this division because I have nowhere else to put
them. I like the risks coach Butch Davis has taken. Too many
people have predicted them last for my taste – somehow, I have a
feeling they won’t finish here.
Prediction: With the Chicago Bears, one of the two total
wildcards of the season. |
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AFC SOUTH |
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1)
Indianapolis: Peyton Manning is an elite quarterback, so the
Colts’ offense will be fine. But they did little to improve a
shaky defense.
Prediction: The Ponies will win the division but not do much
in the playoffs.
2)
Jacksonville: The team has an excellent defensive front, a
dynamic young quarterback in Byron Leftwich and the look of the
’03 Panthers.
Prediction: The Jags make it as a wild card.
3) Tennessee:
The Titans always tend to play better than their talent, but the
defense looks too shaky for them to be a major factor.
Prediction: In a reversal, the offense will have to carry
the defense.
4) Houston:
The Texans have a God-squader as owner (Robert McNair) and at
quarterback (David Carr). I am so over the whole religion thing
in sports.
Prediction: God is not a Texans’ fan as they finish last. |
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1)
Tennessee: How much did defensive coordinator Gunther
Cunningham mean to this team? We’ll find out.
Prediction: In a weak division, the cream rises to the top.
2)
Jacksonville: This is all up to Byron Leftwich. As with Vick
two years ago, I think I may have totally missed the boat on
this guy. He showed poise and strength last year, and just may
be the real deal. Too many people discount the Jags because of
Fred Taylor’s health.
Prediction: Taylor plays the whole season again and the
defense makes up for some Leftwich mistakes.
3)
Indianapolis: They have one of the best offenses in the
League. But, watch for teams to take a lesson from the AFC
Championship game and suddenly stop them.
Prediction: With Manning making mistakes, their defense
can’t win any games for them.
4) Houston:
I was thinking they’d break through last year. They were so
close, but couldn’t pull the trigger. They have many of the
pieces in place, except for their own confidence.
Prediction: They jump to .500, but it’s still only enough
for last place. |
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AFC WEST |
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1)
Kansas City: New coordinator Gunther
Cunningham will bring some sass back to what was an awful
defense. The Chiefs’ offense is just fine, led by the
incomparable Priest Holmes.
Prediction: Cunningham lifts the defense from terrible to
OK, which is enough to get them to the Super Bowl.
2)
Oakland: The Raiders made a major
housecleaning to clear out the wreckage from 2003. A healthy
Rich Gannon at QB, and new blood on defense (the annoying Warren
Sapp and
alleged homophobe Ted Washington) will make the Raiders
well again.
Prediction: The silver and black get in as a wild card.
3)
Denver: Not sure why most of the
experts like this team. Jake Plummer is not an elite
quarterback, their running back situation looks dicey and their
defense is no great shakes. Coach Mike Shanahan hasn’t won a
playoff game since John Elway left.
Prediction: The Broncos have the look of a .500 team.
4) San
Diego: Save for the wonderful
LaDainian Tomlinson at running back, this team is a wreck. At
least the weather’s good.
Prediction: The Chargers will be in the race for 2005’s top
draft choice.
workout gear underwear gay lesbian |
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1)
Kansas City: With or without stud
receivers, they still have the best tight end and running back
in football. Their defense simply has to not get worse under new
coordinator Gunther Cunningham to win the division.
Prediction: Offense runs on all cylinders again, but defense
and an away game in Foxboro keep them from the Super Bowl.
2)
Denver: While they lost their most
productive player from last season in Clinton Portis, the rest
of the offense is back. And, they added solid personnel to the
defense in safety John Lynch and cornerback Champ Bailey. The
only problem: with Holmes and Tomlinson in their division, they
needed more help up front, not in the defensive backfield.
Prediction: Tatum Bell wins the starting running back job by
October and leads the Broncos back to the playoffs.
3)
Oakland: Norv Turner was the head
coach when Daniel Snyder came into Washington and spent a lot of
money overhauling the defense. They didn’t even make the
playoffs. Same coach, same philosophy.
Prediction: Same result.
4) San Diego:
It’s so hard to believe that coach Marty Schottenheimer, once a
great coach with Cleveland and Kansas City, has been exiled in
San Diego. Philip Rivers? Are you kidding me?
Prediction: Chargers fire Marty, then wait until February to
go after a Patriots coordinator. |
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