Category Archives: 2012 NFL Team Preview

2012 NFL Team Preview: Minnesota Vikings

When a team goes through growing pains, one wouldn’t expect so many players to literally be in pain. The Minnesota Vikings saw this happen in 2011. By the end of the season, they were hobbled and the biggest blow was when they lost RB Adrian Peterson with a torn MCL and ACL. His injury has overlapped into this season.

In 2011, the quarterback position was a big problem. Donovan McNabb was touted as their franchise quarterback at the start of last season, but rookie Christian Ponder took over early in the season. He has the starting job going into camp, but QB Joe Webb is a popular fantasy football sleeper.

The NFC North will be the most competitive division in the NFL. Will Minnesota be chewed up or surprise everyone by staying in the race? Here is our 2012 NFL team preview for the Minnesota Vikings.

2011 Win/Loss Record: 3-13

Key Additions: TE John Carlson, WR Jerome Simpson, OT Matt Kalil, S Harrison Smith, CB Zack Bowman, RB Lex Hilliard, LB Marvin Mitchell, K Blair Walsh, OG Geoff Schwartz, WR A.J. Love, DE Jeff Charleston, FB Jerome Felton, CB Josh Robinson, WR Jarius Wright, FB Rhett Ellison and S Robert Blanton.

Key Losses: QB Donovan McNabb, TE Visanthe Shiancoe, OG Steven Hutchinson, S Tyrell Johnson, LB E.J. Henderson, CB Cedric Griffin and CB Benny Sapp.

Non-Division Schedule: AFC South and NFC West

Fantasy Sleeper: WR Jerome Simpson – I would have listed WR Greg Childs here last week. He tore his patellar tendon in both knees and will miss his rookie season. The reasoning behind choosing Childs as Minnesota’s fantasy sleeper is his size. Michael Jenkins will be their big target, but he is inconsistent. Percy Harvin can’t fill that role because he is small. Devin Aromashodu lacks chemistry with Ponder, so Simpson has the best chance at having a couple big fantasy weeks. Simpson is suspended for the first three games in 2012, so he shouldn’t be drafted. If a wide receiver on your team suffers a significant injury early, he would be a nice fill-in.

Team Analysis: The only thing the Vikings have going for them this season is that they face the two weakest divisions in the league. On the flip side, they share the division with three of the best teams in the NFL. Christian Ponder needs to improve on his 13/13 touchdown to interception ratio. Ponder needs help from the running game in order to keep the safetys inside the box. Adrian Peterson could possibly be ready by Week 1, but if not, Toby Gerhart will be their guy. I like Minnesota’s tight end duo of Kyle Rudolph and John Carlson. The former Fighting Irish alumni will help Ponder in his development. On the defensive side, Jared Allen is still a beast and will rack up an insane number of sacks. Minnesota will have issues with pass coverage because their secondary is still very weak. Rookie Harrison Smith will get playing time this season, so expect quarterbacks to challenge the young safety. Minnesota is in a rebuilding phase and will take their lumps. They will not win many games, but the young talent will get much needed experience.

2012 Wins Over/Under Line: 6 (Prediction: UNDER)

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 3-13

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A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2012 NFL Team Preview: Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are this season’s focus on HBO’s “Hard Knocks”. If you’re not watching this show, I don’t know what to say. It’s riveting television and the fact that Chad (Ochocinco) Johnson is on the show for a second time, makes it that much better. I predicted he would sign with the Dolphins, if only to be on the show again.

[UPDATED] Chad Johnson was released by the Miami Dolphins due to a domestic violence arrest. I’m sure this will be covered in the next episode of “Hard Knocks”.

After the television show, there’s a good chance the public will forget about the Dolphins. The quarterback situation is messy, Reggie Bush wants to be the every-down, feature back and the Dolphins lack a dependable veteran receiver.

When will the Dolphins hand over the starting quarterback job to rookie Ryan Tannehill? Can they hang with the rest of the AFC East?

Here is our 2012 NFL team preview for the Miami Dolphins…out of respect for new head coach Joe Philbin, I will refrain from using potty language.

2011 Win/Loss Record: 6-10

Key Additions: QB David Garrard, QB Ryan Tannehill, LB E.J. Henderson, WR Legedu Naanee, OG Eric Steinbach, CB Richard Marshall, RB Lamar Miller, WR B.J. Cunningham, OT Jonathan Martin, DE Olivier Vernon, TE Michael Egnew, LB Josh Kaddu, LB Jamaal Westerman, S Tyrell Johnson and LB Gary Guyton.

Key Losses: WR Brandon Marshall, QB Chad Henne, RB Lex Hilliard, CB Will Allen, DE Kendall Langford, DE Phillip Merling and LB Marvin Mitchell.

Non-Division Schedule: AFC South and NFC West

Fantasy Sleeper: WR B.J. Cunningham – It isn’t known if Ryan Tannehill will start the season as the starting quarterback or have either Matt Moore or David Garrard keep the position warm. When you glance at the wide receivers on the Dolphins roster, you have to Google most of them. Davone Bess and Brian Hartline are the only receivers left who contributed in 2011. They added Legedu Naanee and Chad Johnson in the off-season and he will be a factor in the passing attack. B.J. Cunningham had a prolific career at Michigan State and has an NFL body. He has great hands and the size to jump for balls if Tannehill has trouble with his accuracy early in his career.

Team Analysis: If Miami loses its first couple games, I look for Tannehill to be named the starter. I don’t see him having the spot right out of training camp, but anything is possible. Lamar Miller should be in a position to help Reggie Bush carry the ball. Bush is a pass-catching threat out of the backfield. The Dolphins should utilize that aspect of his game more and let Miller, or someone else, run the ball. Miami won’t miss Brandon Marshall much because they didn’t have much of a passing attack last season. The receiving corps is what it is. The strongest facet of the team is their run defense/pass rush. Cameron Wake came into his own last season as the leader of the defense. Yeremiah Bell, Kevin Burnett and Karlos Dansby had amazing years as well. Vontae Davis has all the tools to be a shutdown corner, but as you have seen on “Hard Knocks”, he can be lazy at times. 2012 looks to be a rebuilding year for Miami. Philbon is going to make that offense click at some point, but I don’t see it this year. They could surprise me and end the season at .500, but that is the absolute best-case scenario.

2012 Wins Over/Under Line: 7.5 (Prediction: UNDER)

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 3-13

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A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2012 NFL Team Preview: Kansas City Chiefs

Before I get started, I want to give props to Arrowhead Pride for finding/creating this awesome Peyton Hillis as Juggernaut photo. We are a big fan of Hillis (look at our blog’s name) until he made an inexcusable dick move last season.

In 2011, Kansas City was favored to win the AFC West and make a second straight playoff appearance under head coach Todd Haley. Well, RB Jamaal Charles, TE Tony Moeaki and S Eric Berry suffered horrible knee injuries early and Haley was fired before the end of the season. Those guys are nearly 100% after their injuries and should be ready by the season opener…with Romeo Crennel as the head coach

Is Kansas City a threat to win the AFC West? Here is our 2012 NFL team preview for the Kansas City Chiefs.

2011 Win/Loss Record: 7-9

Key Additions: RB Peyton Hillis, TE Kevin Boss, QB Brady Quinn, S Abram Elam, OT Tony Ugoh, OT Eric Winston, CB Travis Daniels, DT Dontari Poe, OG Jeff Allen, OT Donald Stephenson, WR Devon Wylie, RB Cyrus Gray and CB De’quan Menzie.

Key Losses: CB Brandon Carr, RB Jackie Battle, TE Leonard Pope, QB Kyle Orton, RB Le’Ron McClain, DE Wallace Gilberry, WR Jerheme Urban and OT Barry Richardson.

Non-Division Schedule: AFC North and NFC South

Fantasy Sleeper: WR Devon Wylie – Wylie is another rookie that could make an impact this season. He is a smaller receiver and will be used in the slot. He impressed the Chiefs’ brass during rookie mini-camp. Scott Pioli knows all about how much Wes Walker improved the Patriots and they hope Wylie can deliver a spark.

Team Analysis: I didn’t like Kansas City when they made the playoffs in 2010. They had an easy schedule and had a few bounces go their way. Expectations were too high going into the 2011 season. They didn’t even come close to matching the previous season’s success. To be fair, the Chiefs were without starters Moeaki, Charles and Berry for most of the season. Looking at their schedule this year, they have their work cut out for them again. I’m not sold on Matt Cassel leading this team into the playoffs again. If he didn’t have Dwyane Bowe out there catching poor passes, he would have terrible numbers. I am also curious to see how Charles bounces back from his knee injury. Peyton Hillis is a nice backup, but he is apt to fumble the ball. If neither of them perform well, they will find themselves back picking near the top of the 2013 NFL Draft. Speaking of draft picks, their 2012 first-round pick Donatri Poe has looked really bad at training camp. You shouldn’t expect to see much from him in his rookie campaign. I don’t see the Chiefs matching their win total from 2011. The AFC West is a tougher division and there are too many question marks on their team.

2012 Wins Over/Under Line: 8 (Prediction: UNDER)

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 4-12

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A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2012 NFL Team Preview: Jacksonville Jaguars

If you’re not a Jacksonville Jaguars fan, you probably don’t know who the man is on the right. He is not a Persian Ron Jeremy impersonator, he’s the Jaguars new owner, Shahid Khan. He currently has a big problem with his team, their starting running back Maurice Jones-Drew is holding out and it’s getting ugly.

Take five seconds and look at the Jacksonville roster…I’ll wait. Why are the Jaguars not paying MJD?! He’s the only player on offense who has ever had elite productivity and would account for over half of their total offense in 2012.

In 2011, Jacksonville was last in the league in passing yards. QB Blaine Gabbert had a rough rookie season and only completed 50.8% of his passes. They brought in QB Chad Henne to help spark the passing game if he struggles. What should they expect from Gabbert this season?

Here is our 2012 team preview for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

2011 Win/Loss Record: 5-11

Key Additions: QB Chad Henne, WR Justin Blackmon, CB Aaron Ross, DE Andre Branch, CB Reggie Corner, WR Laurent Robinson, QB Jordan Palmer, P Bryan Anger, LB Brandon Marshall and CB Mike Harris.

Key Losses: QB Luke McCown, WR Mike Sims-Walker and DT Lege Douzable.

Non-Division Schedule: AFC East and NFC North

Fantasy Sleeper: WR Cecil Shorts – The Jaguars are looking to open the playbook for Blaine Gabbert in 2012. Mike Thomas led the receivers in receptions last season and the addition of Justin Blackmon is huge for Gabbert’s development. The #3 and #4 spots are open to win during training camp. Shorts, Laurent Robinson, Brian Robiskie, and Chastin West will be battling for those two spots. Shorts only had two receptions last season, but he as a lot of speed. Gabbert is still a work in progress and any wide receiver other than Thomas or Blackmon will be a risky gamble.

Team Analysis: Jacksonville must find a way to get Jones-Drew into camp and on the field. They can’t afford to be without him. When a running back misses training camp, they never have great years. Two examples come to mind, Larry Johnson with Kansas City a few years ago and Chris Johnson with Tennessee last season. Gabbert will need him as safety net when he checks down on passing plays. If he fails to put up decent passing numbers, the crowd may start to turn on him. Jacksonville’s defense was the only reason why the team won fives games last season. They come back with basically the same squad that ended the season in the top-10 in both opposing passing and opposing rushing yards. Paul Posluszny anchors the defense with Jeremy Mincey pressuring the quarterback. They face a tougher schedule this season and their defense will be tested by elite quarterbacks. The best case scenario for Jacksonville would be matching their win total from last season, that’s if Jones-Drew arrives in camp this week. Worse case scenario would be if Jones-Drew’s holdout carries into the regular season and they win two or three games. They are lucky the Colts are in their division and will not end up in last place.

2012 Wins Over/Under Line: 5 (Prediction: UNDER)

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 4-12

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A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2012 NFL Team Preview: Indianapolis Colts

What a difference a year makes. The Colts were expected to still be a playoff team in 2011, even with Peyton Manning missing a ‘few games.’ Well, he went on to miss the entire season, Indianapolis received nothing from the quarterback position and finished with a 2-14 record.

The Indianapolis Colts have many question marks going into the 2012 season. They are just at the beginning of the rebuilding process and fans will have to endure another bad season. Arguably, this season won’t hurt as bad since Kerry Collins won’t out there fumbling their happiness away.

There are a slew of new faces in Indianapolis this year. Forget about Luck, new head coach Chuck Pagano and new offensive coordinator Bruce Arians are the two new guys who will make the biggest impact in 2012.

Here is our 2012 NFL team preview for the Indianapolis Colts.

2011 Win/Loss Record: 2-14

Key Additions: QB Andrew Luck, RB Mewelde Moore, WR Donnie Avery, S Tom Zbikowski, C Samson Satele, DT Cory Redding, CB Justin King, C Mike McGlynn, DT Brandon McKinney, WR T.Y. Hilton, TE Colby Fleener, TE Dwayne Allen, DT Josh Chapman, OG Zane Taylor, RB Vick Ballard and WR LaVon Brazill.

Key Losses: QB Peyton Manning, RB Joseph Addai, LB Gary Brackett, S Melvin Bullitt, TE Dallas Clark, QB Kerry Collins, WR Pierre Garcon, WR Anthony Gonzalez, CB Jacob Lacey, WR Blair White, QB Dan Orlovsky, QB Curtis Painter, C Jeff Saturday, TE Jacob Tamme, LB Phillip Wheeler, DE Jamaal Anderson, OG Ryan Diem, DT Eric Foster, OG Mike Pollack, OG Jamey Richard, LB Ernie Sims and Brody Eldridge.

Non-Division Schedule: AFC East and NFC North

Fantasy Sleeper: RB Delone Carter – The starting running back job is up for grabs in Indianapolis. Joseph Addai is gone and they will need either Donald Brown, Vick Ballard or Delone Carter to shine during training camp. Brown is the front-runner for the job. If he gets it, Carter should get plenty of goal-line carries. He is currently the front-runner to be the third-down back. I almost picked Ballard for the sleeper, since he has the same build as Carter. If Carter is taken in your fantasy football draft, WR T.Y. Hilton is a nice deep sleeper. WR Donnie Avery is already banged up in training camp and he has left an opening for a receiver to shine.

Team Analysis: Just look at the list of guys who have arrived or left this organization in the last five months. It will take a few weeks just for these guys to know their teammates’ names. Andrew Luck will have a productive, yet humbling rookie season. He will not have Cam Newton’s numbers, but will end the season better than he was when he arrived at training camp. The receiving corps will help him out a lot. Just by having his old college teammate Colby Fleener out there will help Luck feel more comfortable. The running game was horrible last year and does not appear to be improved this season either. Donald Brown could go from ‘draft bust’ to ‘late bloomer’ with a good season. The Colts’ defense is a complete crapshoot. There are so many new faces and young players expected to contribute, they are bound to look bad at times. The coaches hope the learning curve is small for the young players and guys like Pat Angerer can keep improving. Indianapolis will be bad this season, but they will be watchable…something you could not say last season.

2012 Wins Over/Under Line: 5 (Prediction: UNDER)

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 3-13

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A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2012 NFL Team Preview: Houston Texans

The Houston Texans backed into the playoffs last season and lost QB Matt Schaub in the process. T.J. Yates and Jake Delhomme filled in at quarterback, but could only get them into the second round of the playoffs.

Arian Foster and Ben Tate are back to lead the ground attack, but two important pieces are not back in 2012, DE Mario Williams and LB DeMeco Ryans. In 2011, the Texans were top-5 in both areas of defense. With the emergence of J.J. Watt and Connor Barwin, Williams and Ryans became expendable.

Is Houston a Super Bowl contender? Here is our 2012 NFL team preview for the Houston Texans.

2011 Win/Loss Record: 10-6

Key Additions: LB Bradie James, RB Justin Forsett, CB Alan Ball, P Donnie James, FB Moran Norris, DE Whitney Mercilus, WR DeVier Posey, OG Brandon Brooks, C Ben Jones, WR Keshawn Martin and DE Jared Crick.

Key Losses: DE Mario Williams, LB DeMeco Ryans, OT Eric Winston, QB Matt Leinart, K Neil Rackers, RB Derrick Ward, FB Lawrence Vickers, TE Joel Dressen, CB Jason Allen, QB Jack Delhomme, C Chris Myers and Matt Turk.

Non-Division Schedule: AFC East and NFC North

Fantasy Sleeper: WR Keshawn Martin – Jacoby Jones is no longer on the Texans and Martin will be taking over as their return specialist. He will not be in that role exclusively. He should play in the slot position or take over the 3rd wide receiver position if DeVier Posey has a rough training camp. Martin has even seen time with the first team during Texans training camp while Johnson is out with an injured groin.

Team Analysis: Let’s be real, it isn’t going to take much to win the AFC South. Indianapolis and Jacksonville are both really bad and Tennessee overachieved in 2011. The Texans could end up winning this division with an 8-8 record, but they are better than that. Schaub does have durability issues, but Foster and Tate are more than reliable if called upon to carry 40+ times combined in a game. On defense, they will miss the leadership from Williams and Ryans. The squad will be solid, but not outstanding. I like rookie Jared Crick to be a surprise this season. He will fit well next to Watt and Barwin. I loved him at Nebraska and was a steal as a fourth-round draft pick. Houston will win the division, but Schaub and Johnson will need to stay healthy for the entire year if they have any Super Bowl aspirations.

2012 Wins Over/Under Line: 9.5 (Prediction: OVER)

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 10-6

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A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2012 NFL Team Preview: Green Bay Packers

How did the Green Bay Packers fail to repeat as the Super Bowl champions last season? On the outside, it’s hard to believe. Green Bay had a 15-1 record, Aaron Rodgers threw for 45 touchdowns and Jordy Nelson had a breakout season. When you dive deeper and realize that they had the NFL’s worst passing defense, Greg Jennings had a down year and their rushing attack was non-existent, it makes sense.

Detroit and Chicago have improved their rosters this off-season and are both preseason favorites to make the playoffs. The NFC is loaded this season and every team will need to be almost perfect to achieve their goals. Can Green Bay fight off the rest of the pack and make another Super Bowl appearance?

Here is our 2012 NFL team preview for the Green Bay Packers.

2011 Win/Loss Record: 15-1

Key Additions: C Jeff Saturday, DE Anthony Hargrove, DE Phillip Merling, DE Nick Perry, DT Jerel Worthy, RB Marc Tyler, CB Casey Hayward, S Micah Pellerin, DT Mike Daniels and OT Andrew Datko.

Key Losses: QB Matt Flynn, RB Ryan Grant, OT Chad Clifton, CB Pat Lee andC Scott Wells.

Non-Division Schedule: AFC South and NFC West

Fantasy Sleeper: RB Marc Tyler – James Starks has the starting job going into the season, but he has never had the job by himself. He split the carries with Ryan Grant last year, who is no longer on the team. John Kuhn is still around to vulture touchdowns in Green Bay. The backup running back job is up in the air. Marc Tyler has the best shot at winning the job over Brandon Saine. Tyler had a solid career at USC, a college known for grooming elite NFL running backs. If you draft Starks, make sure you grab Tyler or Kuhn as a handcuff.

Team Analysis: The winner of the NFC North will be beaten and bruised by the playoffs. It will be difficult for a team out of this division to keep it all together through to the Super Bowl. Rodgers is an elite quarterback, but will have little help from the running game. They signed veteran center Jeff Saturday to bolster up the line, but he has never been great at run blocking. The defense was a big problem for Green Bay last season. Clay Mathews and B.J. Raji had down years, but did see increased production from A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop. The Packers front office didn’t do anything to improve the secondary in the off-season. They drafted Hayward, but Green Bay’s secondary is still long in the tooth. Jay Cutler and Matthew Stafford are drooling at the chance to face them. If they can’t get pressure on the quarterback, Green Bay will lose games because of their secondary. For that reason, I have them losing the NFC North, but still getting a wild-card spot. The Packers will not make the Super Bowl in 2012-13.

2012 Wins Over/Under Line: 12 (Prediction: PUSH)

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 12-4

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A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2012 NFL Team Preview: Detroit Lions

I posted a picture of former Detroit Lions GM and current bad ESPN analyst, Matt Millen, to show the Lions fans how far they have come. They suffered for a long time and can now reap the rewards of sticking with their team…and hopefully beat all the bandwagon fans off with old Buick LaCrosse bumpers.

In 2011, Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson had career years on the offensive side and Ndamukong Suh bought the commish a new house with all of his fines. The Lions finally have playmakers on both sides of the ball, but with the Packers and Bears looking like playoff teams, they will have to be perfect to win the NFC North.

Can Detroit be able to run the ball or will Stafford need to pass for 6,000 yards to make the playoffs? Will the entire team get DUIs by the end of the season? Here is our 2012 NFL team preview for the Detroit Lions.

2011 Win/Loss Record: 10-6

Key Additions: CB Jacob Lacey, S Sean Jones, OT Riley Reiff, WR Ryan Broyles, QB Kellen Moore, CB Dwight Bentley, LB Ronnell Lewis and LB Tahir Whitehead.

Key Losses: CB Eric Wright, LB Bobby Carpenter and QB Drew Stanton.

Non-Division Schedule: AFC South and NFC West

Fantasy Sleeper: WR Ryan Broyles – After the draft, I listed Mikel Leshoure as the fantasy sleeper on the Lions…then he found himself in a lot of trouble this off-season. He is currently awaiting his punishment from the commissioner’s office. There will be a running back emerge as their featured back, but it’s messy at the moment. Jahvid Best, Keiland Williams or Kevin Smith could surpass Leshoure during his suspension, but it’s too early to tell. What I do know at the moment is that Stafford will throw the ball A LOT in 2012. Johnson will be getting double-teamed non-stop, so receivers will be open. Broyles is coming off a knee injury, but he has elite hands. He could fill the possession receiver role and end up with a double-digit reception game by the end of the season.

Team Analysis: Detroit will be a tired team by year’s end. The NFC North will arguably be the toughest division in the NFL. They jumped out of the gate hot in 2011, but couldn’t beat elite teams down the stretch. With experience being one of their faults, the young team has another year under their belt. Stafford is due for another MVP-type season, Calvin Johnson is still a freak receiver, and Suh will still be Suh, even though he has been fined a gazillion dollars for excessive hits. The running game will be the biggest issue for Detroit. It could all play itself out, since teams will be playing their safetys back. The Lions should be able to sneak some runs in for decent gains. Green Bay, Chicago, and Detroit will all have fantastic years this season. I predict that all three will win at least eleven games (poor Minnesota). This is Detroit’s year to finally win the NFC North.

2012 Wins Over/Under Line: 9 (Prediction: OVER)

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 13-3

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A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2012 NFL Team Preview: Denver Broncos

As a Colts fan, it still hurts to see Peyton Manning holding up a Broncos jersey. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it, but I wish him the best. I think he’ll be a nice addition in Denver, but for how long remains to be seen.

Denver lucked into the playoffs last year and managed to use their remaining luck to win a playoff team against Pittsburgh. They were then blown out by New England the following week. Denver’s front office realized that Tim Tebow could only get them so far. Once Manning went on the market, Tebow’s time in Denver was numbered.

How will Manning’s neck hold up after a couple in-game hits? Who will end up with the most rushing yards at the end of the year, McGahee, Moreno or Hillman? Here’s our 2012 NFL team preview for the Denver Broncos.

2011 Win/Loss Record: 8-8

Key Additions: QB Peyton Manning, QB Caleb Hanie, TE Jacob Tamme, CB Tracy Porter, FB Chris Gronkowski, LB Joe Mays, TE Joel Dressen, WR Andre Caldwell, DT Justin Bannem, WR Cameron Kenney, S Mike Adams, RB Ronnie Hillman, QB Brock Osweiler, DT Derek Wolfe, CB Omar Bolden and C Phillip Blake.

Key Losses: QB Tim Tebow, S Brian Dawkins, WR Eddie Royal, TE Dante Rosario, QB Brady Quinn, TE Daniel Fells, DT Brodrick Bunkley, DB Cassius Vaughn, LB Mario Haggan, DE Derrick Harvey, FB Spencer Larsen, DT Ryan McBean and CB Jonathan Wilhite.

Non-Division Schedule: AFC North and NFC South

Fantasy Sleeper: WR Brandon Stokley – Peyton Manning and Brandon Stokley are old friends and have worked out together this off-season. They were also teammates together in Indianapolis. Stokley had 1,000+ yards and 10 TDs with Manning in 2004. They have amazing chemistry together and will be a huge asset in the slot. Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas will have success in 2012, but they are known commodities and with Manning in Denver, both will be drafted higher than most predict.

Team Analysis: Manning will have success in Denver, but don’t expect his numbers to match his production in Indy, not yet. He could put up comparable number by the second-half, but he will need to get some in-game action to trust his neck. He has worked with his receivers, so chemistry shouldn’t be a huge factor. Ronnie Hillman is slated to be the featured back in Denver, but expect McGahee to get action out of the backfield. He is an elite pass-catching back and will still be a viable fantasy option. Also, as far as fantasy goes, Jacob Tamme is a player to keep an eye on. In 2011, Denver’s defense looked elite at times, but the constant ‘three and outs’ left the defense with their backs against the wall. Manning will not leave the defense in those spots like Tebow did last year. I expect Von Miller, Wesley Woodyard, and Robert Ayers to have careers years in Denver. Denver and San Diego will battle for the AFC West crown. Manning hasn’t had much success against San Diego in the past, so the Chargers could end up winning the division by a tiebreaker.

2012 Wins Over/Under Line: 8.5 (Prediction: OVER)

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 9-7

CLICK HERE to read the rest of our 2012 NFL Team Previews

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2012 NFL Team Preview: Dallas Cowboys

Hello, Miss Jaime Edmondson. If you become bored with Evan Longoria’s dapper-ness, give me a call, Boo…I told you guys you would see more of her in our NFL team previews.

If the Dallas Cowboys don’t win the Super Bowl, their fans call for Tony Romo’s job and complain that Jerry Jones doesn’t know what he’s doing. I agree with the second statement, but Romo is a top-10 quarterback in the NFL.

They have much bigger issues than Romo and Jones. The Cowboys’ backfield is messy and injury-prone, the secondary has been their Achilles’ Heel and Dez Bryant’s off-the-field problems are the top three issues for Dallas. If they can solve two of those problems, they’ll be a title contender.

Here’s our 2012 team preview for the Dallas Cowboys.

2011 Win/Loss Record: 8-8

Key Additions: CB Brandon Carr, QB Kyle Orton, S Brodney Pool, LB Dan Connor, OG Mackenzy Bernadeau, OT Pat McQuistan, FB Lawrence Vickers, OG Nate Livings, CB Morris Claiborne, TE James Hanna, DE Tyrone Crawford, LB Kyle Wilber and S Matt Johnson.

Key Losses: TE Martellus Bennett, S Abram Elam, CB Terrence Newman, WR Laurent Robinson, S Gerald Sensabaugh, P Mat McBriar, LB Keith Brooking, CB Alan Ball, FB Tony Fiammetta, LB Bradie James and QB Jon Kitna.

Non-Division Schedule: AFC North and NFC South

Fantasy Sleepers: TE James Hanna & RB Phillip Tanner – Jason Witten has played ten seasons and is 30 years old. The Cowboys run plenty of 2-TE sets and Hanna is the next best tight end on the roster. He was impressive in college at Oklahoma and is in line to be Witten’s successor. He is a big target for Tony Romo and has nice hands. As far as Phillip Tanner goes, DeMarco Murray and Felix Jones are both injury risks. If Murray goes down at any point this season, Tanner will assume his role. Jones will stay as the change-of-pace back this year.

Team Analysis: I have been high on the Cowboys for the past five seasons, but I always change my mind by July. They make stupid signings and let key veterans walk in lieu of ‘sexy free agent’ signings. This past off-season, Dallas refrained from throwing a bunch of money at the best available free agent wide receiver and wisely used their available cap space. They added depth to their team by signing Orton to backup Romo and signed Pool and Carr to strengthen their secondary…smart moves. Dallas has some nice young pieces on offense. If Bryant can keep his nose clean and their running backs stay healthy, they will be one of the top-scoring offenses in the league. Their upgraded secondary will be tested this season. The NFC East has firepower at quarterback, but so does the NFC South, which they’ll be playing against this season. A lot of things have to go right for the Cowboys to win twelve games this season, but I think everything finally lines up for Romo.

2012 Wins Over/Under Line: 8.5 (Prediction: OVER)

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 12-4

CLICK HERE to read the rest of our 2012 NFL Team Previews

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2012 NFL Team Preview: Cleveland Browns

I apologize at the beginning for not finding a cuter picture to use in my Cleveland Browns team preview. I searched around the internet and I couldn’t find many ‘cute Cleveland Browns fan’ picture results. I’m friends with a lot cute, female Browns fans on Facebook…but a search there didn’t retrieve much either.

Dear lady Browns fans, I know you are a cute bunch, but step your game up and take more pictures in your gameday gear!

Oh yeah, back to the actual football team…they were bad in 2011. They drafted two offensive weapons in this year’s draft who will pay off instantly. Their draft prizes, RB Trent Richarson and QB Brandon Weeden, are upgrades from last year’s starters.

The AFC North is loaded and Cleveland stares at another rebuilding year. What should fans expect from them in 2012? Here’s our 2012 team preview for the Cleveland Browns.

2011 Win/Loss Record: 4-12

Key Additions: RB Trent Richardson, QB Brandon Weeden, DE Juqua Parker, OT Mitchell Schwartz, DT John Hughes and WR Travis Benjamin.

Key Losses: RB Peyton Hillis, OG Eric Steinbach, OG Artis Hicks, DE Jayme Mitchell and C Steve Vallos.

Non-Division Schedule: AFC West and NFC East

Fantasy Sleeper: WR Travis Benjamin – Brandon Weeden has a bigger arm than Colt McCoy, so expect the wide receivers to have increased stats. Greg Little, Josh Cribbs, and Mohammed Massaquoi will all have the opportunity for breakout years. Benjamin could sneak into the game when the Browns go four-wide. Rookie quarterbacks get to know rookie wide receivers really well. They work with them in rookie mini-camp and they could develop chemistry. I’m not the only one who feels this way, Nate Ulrich at the Akron Beacon Journal agrees with me.

Team Analysis: Cleveland’s offensive linemen will need to come through this season if the Browns hope to stay competitive. If they can’t open up holes for Richardson or keep Weeden off his back, this season will be a disaster. The Browns cut ties with an ‘America’s White Boy’ favorite (Peyton Hillis) to make room for Richardson. It was the right call to not re-sign him. Weeden has an improved group of receivers who will make him look good if he can get the ball to them. Cleveland’s lone bright spot last season was their pass protection. They were second in opposing passing yards with Joe Haden leading the secondary. He is an elite corner, even if the box score doesn’t show what he adds to the team. If they can just stop the run (ranked 30th in 2011), they would have a decent defense. Let’s face facts, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati are all playoff contenders and Cleveland plays six games against those three teams. They also play four games against the dominant NFC East, yikes! Cleveland’s best-case scenario would be winning six games…but I don’t see that happening.

2012 Wins Over/Under Line: 4.5 (Prediction: UNDER)

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 4-12

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2012 NFL Team Preview: Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals hit a home run in last year’s draft when WR A.J. Green and QB Andy Dalton were available at the right time. Dalton threw for over 3,300 yards with 20 touchdowns and Green had over 1,000 receiving yards. I cannot remember another pair of rookies who made that big of an impact immediately.

Thanks to Green and Dalton, Cincinnati made the playoffs with a 9-7 record. The casual fan would assume that their offense carried them, but it was their defense that made them a winner. They ranked in the top-10 in passing and rushing defense.

The dreaded sophomore slump is always a possibility when a player looks good as a rookie. Teams will focus their defense on shutting that player down. Dalton and Green will both have to adjust and evolve with the defenses.

Are the Bengals looking at another playoff berth in 2012? Here’s our 2012 NFL team preview for the Cincinnati Bengals. (Ben-Gals cheerleader photo courtesy of my Ben-Gal friend, Britney.)

2011 Win/Loss Record: 9-7

Key Additions: RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, CB Terrence Newman, DE Jamaal Anderson, CB Jason Allen, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, OG Kevin Zeitler, DT Devon Still, WR Mohamed Sanu, DT Brandon Thompson, TE Orson Charles and RB Daniel ‘Boom’ Herron.

Key Losses: RB Cedric Benson, LB Keith Rivers, OG Bobbie Williams, WR Jerome Simpson, WR Andre Caldwell, DE Jonathan Fanene, LB Brandon Johnson, OG Nate Livings, DE Frostee Rucker, TE Bo Scaife and C Mike McGlynn.

Non-Division Schedule: AFC West and NFC East

Fantasy Sleeper: WR Muhamed Sanu – Cincinnati drafted receivers A.J. Green, Mohamed Sanu, and Marvin Jones in the last two drafts. All three are tall and fit on the outside. Sanu is more athletic than most realize. Green will be getting double teams and Sanu will be getting man-to-man coverage. Sanu could be worth a late-round pick.

Team Analysis: Dalton and Green are both expected to keep improving. I don’t see either of them taking a step back. I am looking forward to watching BenJarvus Green-Ellis get his shot at being the feature back. I like how Cincinnati improved their secondary by adding Kirkpatrick and Newman to Reggie Nelson, Leon Hall and Nate Clements. Watch out for Carlos Dunlap this season, he’s due for a breakout year. I’m afraid the AFC North is too top-heavy for the Bengals to win it this year. Cincinnati was one of the biggest surprises in 2011, but when you look at their schedule last season, it makes sense. They beat up on weak AFC South teams and were only 2-4 inside their own division. Their non-divisional schedule in 2012 is filled with probable playoff teams. They will have a difficult time improving on their 9-7 record last year. I don’t see them making the playoffs, but look out for them going forward.

2012 Wins Over/Under Line: 8 (Prediction: PUSH)

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 8-8

CLICK HERE to read the rest of our 2012 NFL Team Previews

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.