2012 Big Ten Preview: Northwestern Wildcats

Our college football analyst Joe Pasquali is winding down his Big Ten team previews with the Northwestern Wildcats. Can they squeak out a few non-conference wins and shock the world?

Last year Northwestern spent most of the season duct taping and trying to keep Dan Persa on the field, because when he was Northwestern was a decent football team. Injuries took their toll and Pat Fitzgerald saw his Wildcats fall to 6-7 after a 9 win season. Northwestern has lost nine bowl games in a row, but I don’t see them losing one this year. Because they won’t be going to one. Their out of conference schedule is one of the toughest in the Big Ten, with games against Vanderbilt, Boston College, and Syracuse. Yes, none of those are juggernauts, but most Big Ten teams are playing cupcakes in the non-con. (See Indiana). Continue reading →

2012 NFL Team Preview: Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks have looked great so far this preseason. Head coach Pete Carroll has brought his “the best player starts no matter your age or wage” philosophy he instituted as the head coach of USC. Players are doing their best to earn a spot. Does that translate to regular season success? TBD.

Russell Wilson looks to have the edge over Matt Flynn for the starting quarterback job, but it’s still close. Carroll has been known to roll the dice, so the job has yet to be won.

Can Seattle leapfrog San Francisco and win the NFC West…or will you see them picking high in the 2012 NFL Draft?

Here is our 2012 NFL team preview for the Seattle Seahawks.

2011 Win/Loss Record: 7-9

Key Additions: QB Matt Flynn, WR Braylon Edwards, WR Terrell Owens, TE Kellen Winslow, DT Jason Jones, QB Russell Wilson, CB Roy Lewis, OG Deuce Lutui, OT Frank Omiyale, LB Barrett Rudd, LB Bruce Irvin, LB Bobby Wagner, DT Jaye Howard, LB Korey Toomer, CB Jeremy Lane and S Winston Guy

Key Losses: RB Justin Forsett, S Atari Bigby, OG Robert Gallery, TE John Carlson, OG Mike Gibson, DE Anthony Hargrove, DE Raheem Brock, LB David Hawthorne, QB Charlie Whitehurst and LB David Vobora

Non-Division Schedule: AFC East and NFC North

Fantasy Sleepers: RB Robert Turbin – For the people who draft Marshawn Lynch, Turbin will be his handcuff. He had a solid career at Utah State and should have an impact with the Seahawks. He’s a workout warrior and a very intriguing running back to keep an eye on this season

Team Analysis: Before the 2011 season, one would look at Seattle’s roster and wonder if the team could win a three or four games. They overachieved and ended the season with a 7-9 record. Their defense carried the team, but their offense had a few stars. Marshawn Lynch scored the most points and had a comeback season. Russell Wilson looks great this preseason, but Matt Flynn is making a good amount of money. If Wilson struggles, Pete Carroll could be pressured to put in Flynn. I don’t see Marshawn Lynch duplicating his 2011 season. I could see rookie Robert Turbin getting some carries by the end of the season. The wide receiver situation is a mess. The young guys need to separate themselves from Edwards and Owens. The defense forced a lot of turnovers, but gave a lot of them back on the offensive side. Seattle is lucky they are in the NFC West. There are too many wholes in their offense and defense to win many games. The Seahawks look great this preseason, but bad teams often look better because they play their first teamers longer. Seattle will be picking high in the 2013 NFL Draft.

2012 Wins Over/Under Line: 7 (Prediction: UNDER)

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 4-12

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NFL Rookies Critique Own Ratings in Madden 13 [VIDEO]

SB Nation Studios asked some incoming NFL rookies including Robert Griffin III, Mohamed Sanu, Trent Richardson and Ryan Tennenhill what their ratings should be in Madden 13. Do you think the rookies were modest in their rankings?

Spoiler: they’re not.

The video is after the jump…

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2012 Big Ten Preview: Purdue Boilermakers

Joe Pasquali, our college football analyst, is down to the last few Big Ten teams to preview. The Purdue Boilermakers are a far cry from the days of Drew Brees leading the team. Is 2012 a bounce back year for the men of West Lafayette?

Whoever the Purdue athletic trainers are should have been run out of West Lafayette halfway through last season, if not before then. This team, more than any other, was decimated at key positions all season by the injury bug making it nearly impossible to judge the quality of this team. Like a typical Purdue team they won of a game they should not have (Ohio State) and lost a game they should not have (Rice). Expect the same this year out of the little choo choo’s, thought I doubt they’ll be winning in Columbus.

Offense (B)

Everyone and their brother got to play offense last year for the Boilermakers, as they saw three different quarterbacks and nine different players rush for a touchdown. It wasn’t out of scheme for these players to get the ball, but out of necessity due to injuries. Your guess is as good as mine to who will be starting under center. Rob Henry, Robert Marve, and Caleb TerBush will all be competing for the starting job. Only problem is none of them are very good. My guess is Terbush will be the starter. He is a team captain, a senior, and a ginger. All of those things are important to people in West Lafayette. The two Akeem’s (Shavers and Hunt) will be handling the running back duties after ending the 2011 campaign in impressive fashion. Antavian Edison and O.J. Ross lead a talented group of wide receivers, who if they get the ball, can make things happen.

Defense (C+)

Purdue has never been a program built on defense, of any kind, and I don’t see 2012 being much different. New defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar is bringing a 3-4 scheme to West Lafayette and with it you would expect some growing pains. Purdue’s strength is up front on their D-Line with players Kawann Short and Bruce Gaston who had a combined 9.5 sacks and 24 TFL. Putting these explosive players into a 3-4 makes little to no sense, considering Purdue has a great void of talent at linebacker. Only Will Lucas and Dwayne Beckford have experience at the LB position, not an ideal situation for a new scheme. Ricardo Allen and Josh Johnson lead a secondary that should be fairly strong. Both are ball hawks and can come up to stop the run.

Special Teams (C)

Thank the lord Carson Wiggs is graduated and on the Seattle Seahawks. If I had to hear another ESPN the Ocho announcer talk about how he can make a 70 yard field goal I was going to ram my head through a wall. Purdue will be relying on freshman Paul Griggs this year when it looks for three pointers. Cody Webster will be handling the punting duties; he averaged a respectable 42.9 YPK.

Coaching (D)

Most Purdue fans will be the first to tell you Danny Hope is the wrong man to be coaching in West Lafayette. Then again, most Purdue fans also have ridiculous expectations because Drew Brees ONCE helped a Boilermaker team win the Big Ten when every other power was in a down year. Purdue gets a D rating not because of Hope but because new defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar last coached in the Canadian Football league. And Canadians can’t play football.

2012 Win/Loss Prediction: 7-5 (5th in Leaders)

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Red Sox-Dodgers Near Blockbuster Trade

In what could be the biggest trade this season, the Boston Red Sox are about to unload three of their biggest pieces to the Los Angeles Dodgers. According to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, the deal would send Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto to Los Angeles for James Loney, Jerry Sands, Ivan De Jesus and prospects Rubby De La Rosa and Allen Webster. Boston would also be kicking in money to complete the deal.

Los Angeles was awarded waiver claims for both Gonzalez and Beckett. Crawford and Punto previously went unclaimed and cleared waivers. Beckett has 10-and-5 rights, so he would have to grant permission to be traded. Crawford only has a partial no-trade clause.

The 2011 season has been a forgettable one in Boston. The turmoil that surrounded the 2010 squad that leaked to Terry Francona’s firing, has leaked into this season. To make matters worse in Boston, many players have had issues with new manager Bobby Valentine. Gonzalez was rumored to have sent a text to management wanting a meeting about Valentine. It was later said that former teammate Kelly Shopppach sent the text from Gonzo’s phone.

The Dodgers haven’t shied away from claiming big ticket players who were put on waivers after the non-waiver trade deadline. They claimed Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee earlier this month, but Philadelphia pulled him from waivers and no trade was made.

Los Angeles are neck and neck with the San Francisco Giants in the NL West race. They have new ownership and are able to open up the checkbook. The news owners want to make a splash and bring the Dodgers back to its past glory days under manager Tommy Lasorda.

Now, if only a team would claim John Lackey, Boston could start rebuilding the team from scratch.

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2012 NFL Team Preview: San Francisco 49ers

Head coach Jim Harbaugh lead the San Francisco 49ers to a 13-3 record in 2011. They were one muffed punt return away from making a Super Bowl appearance.

The 49ers’ defense were the backbone of the team, with their offense scoring just enough to win. Alex Smith had his best season in the NFL, but there is definite room for improvement. He often shied away from throwing to his wide receivers and opted for tight end and running back targets. His group of wide receivers didn’t do him any favors and the 49ers addressed the position this offseason. Randy Moss and Mario Manningham are now there to help boost San Francisco’s passing attack.

The NFC West looks like it will be weak once again. Can the 49ers take advantage of another down year for the division?

Here is our 2012 NFL team preview for the San Francisco 49ers.

2011 Win/Loss Record: 13-3

Key Additions: WR Randy Moss, RB Brandon Jacobs, WR Mario Manningham, QB Josh Johnson, RB Rock Cartwright, OG Leonard Davis, WR A.J. Jenkins, RB LaMichael James, OG Joe Looney, LB Darius Fleming, WR Chris Owusu, S Trent Robinson, C Jason Slowey and DE Cam Johnson.

Key Losses: WR Josh Morgan, WR Braylon Edwards, LB Blake Costanzo, TE Justin Peele, OG Chilo Rachal, S Reggie Smith, C Adam Snyder, CB Shawntae Spencer and Madieu Williams.

Non-Division Schedule: AFC East and NFC North

Fantasy Sleepers: WR Chris Owusu and RB LaMichael James – Alex Smith had a hard time connecting with his receivers in 2011. He used Vernon Davis and Frank Gore as his crutches and Michael Crabtree would often disappear in games. San Francisco signed Mario Manningham and Randy Moss in the off-season, but Signing rookie free agent Owusu was a smart move. He played for Jim Harbaugh at Stanford and should pick up the offensive system fast. He has looked good in the preseason and if he makes the team, he’ll be a nice pickup in the deepest of leagues. LaMichael James would be a nice player to stash away since Jacobs and Gore have had injury problems in the past. Kendall Hunter will be the primary backup, but James is an explosive, speedy talent to keep and eye on.

Team Analysis: The 49ers were THE surprise team in 2011. They were the “this is the year they finally put it all together” team the last four seasons and it finally happened. Although they did benefit a lot from being in a bad division (AFC West), they had a strong non-divisional record of 8-2. Alex Smith will need to put up some numbers and not be a plain quarterback whose only goal is to not turn the ball over. San Francisco has an embarrassment of riches at running back. Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter return with Brandon Jacobs, Rock Cartwright and rookie LaMichael James joining the team this season. Their passing game has some new weapons, but will only be as good as the quarterback whose throwing them the ball. Randy Moss is back in the NFL after a season away from football. He has the same skill-set as newly-signed Mario Manningham, so it will be interesting to see if they use them together. Defense will once again be the backbone of the team. NaVorro Bowman and Aldon Smith both had breakout seasons with Patrick Willis being his usual self. The secondary benefited from their rush defense and many players had their best season as a pro. I look for the defense to once again be dominant in 2012. I don’t see the 49ers matching their 13-3 record from a season ago. Their non-divisional record is brutal (AFC East & NFC North). They are a playoff team and could lock up a spot early, since the NFC West is looking bad once again.

2012 Wins Over/Under Line: 9 1/2 (Prediction: OVER)

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 10-6

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

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2012 Big Ten Preview: Michigan Wolverines

Joe Pasquali, our college football analyst, is back to breakdown the upcoming season for the Michigan Wolverines. Denard Robinson started the season off with fireworks (again), but can he last entire season?

The swagger and optimism is back in Ann Arbor. Brady Hoke’s arrival last year paired with an 11 win season and a BCS bowl bid have made for exciting times for Michigan football. This team will be one of the more exciting to watch in the 2012 season, not only because their talent and style of play, but because their schedule boasts some of the biggest games of the season. Opening the year in Dallas against Alabama will be a huge game not only for Michigan but the Big Ten conference as a whole. Can the boys from the Midwest hang with one of the juggernauts from the SEC on a national stage? We won’t have to wait long to find out. In addition, Michigan has to play on the road at Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Ohio State. Though this Michigan team has top 10 talent, their schedule is one of the toughest in the nation.

Offense (A)

Anyone who has turned on a TV to watch college football in the last two years knows who Denard Robinson is. The explosive, sometimes chaotic, Michigan quarterback is one of the most dangerous players in all of college football. Though his numbers went down slightly from 2010, (2173 passing yards, 1176 rushing) this was due to offensive coordinator Al Borge’s scheme to try and keep his quarterback healthy and share the rushing duties. Fitzgerald Toussaint won the role midseason as number one running back and finished the year with 1,041 yards, including over 100 yards rushing in his last three games. This offseason he was suspended for off field issues and it remains to be seen if he will miss any games in 2012. Vincent Smith and Thomas Rawls are very capable backups if Toussaint is out. Taylor Lewan (6’8″ 308 lbs) will lead the offensive line and is a preseason All American at left tackle. Look for him to be a day one draft pick come next spring.

Defense (B+)

Michigan’s vast improvement on the defensive side of the ball was a huge reason for their success in 2011. Going from one of the worst defenses in the nation to a top team in many defensive categories was truly remarkable and coordinator Greg Mattison deserves most the credit. Michigan was 4th in red zone defense, 6th in scoring defense, and 17th in yards allowed. Though Michigan loses some key players up front in Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen, Michigan’s defense as a whole stays intact. The secondary returns all of its key players as well as a linebacker core that has become very solid. Senior Jordan Kovacs at safety and Kenny Demens at linebacker have consistently led the team in tackles and have a wealth of experience. Look for sophomore corner Blake Countess to have a break out year and become a shutdown corner in the likes of Leon Hall and Marlin Jackson.

Special Teams (B)

Michigan goes into 2012 for the first time in a long time with a solid kicker on their roster in Brendan Gibbons. He was 13-17 on the season including three big kicks in the Sugar Bowl against Virginia Tech. As long as he keeps thinking about brunette girls (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkPiOJdYSkM), Michigan should keep getting production out of their special teams.

Coaching (A)

You really have to hand it to Brady Hoke and the Michigan coaching staff. First year under Hoke the team wins 11 games and a BCS bowl. First year under Mattison and the defense ranks as one of the top in the nation after being a joke for years under Rich Rodriguez. The offense under Al Borges numbers wise took some steps back with the transition to more of a pro-style offense, but look for Denard and company to put up more points in their second year in this scheme.

2012 Win/Loss Prediction: 10-2 (1st in Legends)

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UFC 151 is Cancelled, Who Will Jon Jones Fight at UFC 152?

This has to be the craziest day in UFC history and a fight didn’t even take place.

Dan Henderson, who was supposed to face Jon “Bones” Jones for the light heavyweight title at UFC 151, injured his knee and is unable to fight. UFC president Dana White scrambled to put a fight together and asked Chael Sonnen to fight Jones on short notice. He accepted, but Jones didn’t want to risk his title by only having eight days to prepare for Sonnen.

Sonnen used his mic skills and called Jones out, but Bones shrugged it off.

White cancelled UFC 151 due to a lack of a main event.

The next UFC pay-per-view will be UFC 152 on September 22nd in Toronto. Who will Jones fight at the event? We have the answer and it’s a strange trip.

After Jones refused to fight Sonnen, White decided to offer Lyoto Machida a title shot at UFC 152. He earned a title shot after beating Ryan Bader impressively just three weeks ago.

Machida’s people prematurely accepted the fight, but said they would have to run it by him. He was currently in a remote location in his native country of Brazil. It was hours until they were able to reach him, but he turned down the fight. He earned a title shot and I understand that he wouldn’t want to rush into it.

According to MMAFighting.com, Vitor Belfort will move back up to 205 pounds from middleweight to face Jones at UFC 152 in Toronto. He has been preparing for a bout against Alan Belcher for UFC 153 in Brazil. He will now step out of that fight and move up a weight class to compete for the light heavyweight title against Jones.

It has been a wild day. You should expect some more chatter from Sonnen to keep escalating from this incident. It will be interesting to see if it will turn into something big.

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2012 NFL Team Preview: San Diego Chargers

2011 was a rocky year for the San Diego Chargers. The season started out great, but a six-game losing streak in the middle of the season ruined everything. They finished the year 8-8 and missed the playoffs.

Head coach Norv Turner still has his job, but will need to make the playoffs in 2012 if he hopes to keep it. He is in the hot seat and will need excellent play from quarterback Phillip Rivers and tight end Antonio Gates.

The AFC West will be competitive this season. Every team has improved their roster this offseason and it is any team’s division to win. Can the Chargers bounce back and save Turner’s job?

Here is our 2012 NFL team preview for the San Diego Chargers.

2011 Win/Loss Record: 8-8

Key Additions: RB Ronnie Brown, WR Eddie Royal, WR Robert Meachem, RB Jackie Battle, S Atari Bigby, DT Aubrayo Franklin, LB Jarret Johnson, S Corey Lynch, RB Le’Ron McClain, WR Roscoe Parrish, TE Dante Rosario, QB Charlie Whitehurst, WR Michael Spurlock, DE Melvin Ingram, DT Kendall Reyes, S Brandon Taylor, TE LaDarius Green, OG Johnnie Troutman, RB Edwin Baker and C David Molk.

Key Losses: RB Mike Tolbert, WR Patrick Crayton, S Bob Sanders, WR Vincent Jackson, DT Tommie Harris, LB Na’il Diggs, S Steve Gregory and LB Stephen Cooper.

Non-Division Schedule: AFC North and NFC South

Fantasy Sleeper: WR Eddie Royal – The Chargers lost Vincent Jackson this off-season but added Robert Meachem, Roscoe Parrish, and Eddie Royal. Philip Rivers still has Malcolm Floyd as his #1 receiver with Meachem the likely #2. Royal is the ideal slot receiver and has the speed to add yards after the catch. Rivers will throw for 4,500 yards again, but it is unknown how those yards will be divided. The first few games will foreshadow the rest of the season.

Team Analysis: If you have high hopes for San Diego this season, let me point out something very important. Norv Turner is still the head coach of the San Diego Chargers. I repeat, Norv Turner is still the head coach of the San Diego Chargers. Phillip Rivers had a disastrous 2011 season, but I feel like that he was unlucky with a lot of his interceptions. He has some new weapons this season and will need to air it out. Ryan Mathews is already on the shelf, so they will need to rely on Ronnie Brown and the other reserve backs to fill-in. Antonio Gates is said to be feeling 100% for the first time in a few seasons…about time for fantasy owners to feel good about drafting him high. The AFC West is improved the San Diego’s defense will need to play better in 2012. It has been a few seasons since San Diego had to face-off against another elite quarterback within their own division. Denver and San Diego will be neck and neck throughout the season. The head-to-head matchups will be important, since they could be used as a tiebreaker for the playoffs.

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

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 9-7

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

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Lance Armstrong to lose seven ‘Tour de France’ titles

U.S. cyclist Lance Armstrong finally said “enough it enough”. He said that he will not fight the charges brought by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. The agency said that it will ban Armstrong from competition for life and strip him of the seven Tour de France titles he won. He won seven straight titles from 1999-2005.

Armstron, 40, had other countries bring up similar allegations of doping in the past, but nothing has ever stuck. His lawyers have threatened a lawsuit if the USADA proceeded. They argue that the agency must first resolve a disupte with the International Cycling Union.

Armstrong has never tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. He has used that defense from day one. His actions does not mean an admission of guilt. He noted that his choice of not fighting the USADA’s allegations was to focus on his Livestrong foundation for cancer survivors. Armstrong survived cancer himself before winning his soon-to-be-stripped seven Tour de France titles.

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2012 Big Ten Preview: Minnesota Golden Gophers

Joe Pasquali, our college football analyst, is back to breakdown and pontificate the upcoming season for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Jerry Kill has had one full year of recruiting and coaching, can he turn the program around in a hurry?

Year one wasn’t the greatest season for Jerry Kill’s Minnesota Golden Gophers, but heading into 2012 there is reason for optimism in Minneapolis. The Golden Gophers return five starters on each side of the ball, plus a much easier schedule than 2011. Traveling to USC is no way to start off any campaign, and in 2012 Minnesota should have better luck @ UNLV in week one. Purdue and Northwestern at home should be both good games, and Minnesota avoids Ohio State and Penn State this year. After reading below you’ll probably wonder, why do you have them better than Northwestern? I don’t necessarily think they are a better team per say, but so much went wrong for Minnesota last year I just think they’ll rebound. That and their schedule is kinder than the Wildcats.

Offense (C+)

Word is JUCO transfer James Gillum will get the majority of carries in 2012, which should be a good thing considering he has gained over 1,000 yards each of the last two seasons. Having a weapon in the backfield is going to be key to keep defenses from spying dual threat quarterback MarQueis Gray. When healthy, Gray is one of the more dangerous weapons in the conference. Last season Grey passed for 1,495 yards while running for 966. Though the offensive line lost three starters, six big men up front return with some experience and should remain strength of this offense. Another year under Kill and another year in this scheme should improve the dreadful 18 points per game of 2011.

Defense (C)

Minnesota ranked 93rd in the nation last year in points against, giving up almost 32 points a contest, but only gave up 26 points a game in their last five. I believe the key to a bad season is trying to end on a good note and for Minnesota they did just that. Drubbing Illinois 27-7 at home should have left the team as a whole with positive feelings for the 2012 campaign. Replacing both defensive tackles plus 75% of their secondary won’t be an easy task, but the Gophers do have Keanon Cooper and Gary Tinsley returning at linebacker to clean up in the middle. In 2011 Minnesota only forced 9 turnovers, which was good enough for dead last in the nation…NINE! Teams thrive on opponents turning the ball over. Momentum swings, short fields for your offense, and potential big plays are all huge for a team’s success. Minnesota will force more than nine turnovers in 2012 and in turn they’ll win more than three games.

Special Teams (B+)

After taking over the kicking duties halfway through 2011, Jordan Wettstein returns to what is a very strong Minnesota special teams unit. Wettstein was a perfect 6-6 in field goals last year, including kicks from 48 and 51 yards. Dan Orseske returns to do the punting duties as well as top return man Marcus Jones.

Coaching (B-)

It took three years for Jerry Kill to really find success at Saginaw Valley State, so no one is jumping the gun after one year in Minnesota. Both coordinators return for Minnesota as well and another year in both schemes should serve the Gophers well. Did you know this season Minnesota will have the only stadium in the conference that serves beer? That’s good for an upset at home.

2012 Win/Loss Prediction: 5-7 (5th in Legends)

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2012 NFL Team Preview: Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers started to show their age in 2011. They were inconsistent early in the season, but bounced back to make the playoffs. They didn’t get very deep. They lost to Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos in the first-round.

Pittsburgh addressed their offensive line issues in the draft by picking guard David DeCastro and tackle Mike Adams. They will have to mature in a hurry, since Ben Roethlisberger needs to stay off his back.

Mike Wallace has a contract issue that has been a distraction all offseason. Rashard Mendenhall will start the season on the sideline, which will be the biggest hurdle early in the year. The season has already been a chore and they haven’t played a regular season game yet.

Can Pittsburgh make another playoff run or will their age finally creep up on them? Here is our 2012 NFL team preview of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

2011 Win/Loss Record: 12-4

Key Additions: TE Leonard Pope, OG David DeCastro, OT Mike Adams, RB Chris Rainey, LB Sean Spence, TE Justine Peelle, DT Alameda Ta’amu, WR Toney Clemons, TE David Paulson and LS Matt Katula

Key Losses: CB William Gay, RB Mewelde Moore, WR Hines Ward, QB Dennis Dixon, LB James Farrior, OT Jamon Meredith, P Daniel Sepulveda and DE Aaron Smith

Non-Division Schedule: AFC West and NFC East

Fantasy Sleepers: RB Chris Rainey and WR Jerricho Cotchery – Mike Wallace is marred in a contract dispute which may not be resolved before training camp. Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown will step up and fill the need, but Cotchery lends veteran leadership to the position. He could take over Hines Ward’s role. He will not be a superstar, but a possession receiver that could steal a few touchdowns inside the red zone. Another sleeper possibility sleeper is rookie running back Chris Rainey. Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer will be the primary backs while Rashard Mendenhall starts out the season on the sideline, but keep an eye on Rainey.

Team Analysis: New offensive coordinator Todd Haley loves to air it out, so the pressure will be on the offensive line. Roethlisberger could have his best statistical season if they they do their job. Speaking of the passing game, Antonio Brown stepped up in the second-half of last year and it due for a breakout season. Mike Wallace has held out for most of the preseason, which is never a good thing when going into a new offense. Rashard Mendenhall is hurt and will most likely be out until the the fifth week. Pittsburgh will have to rely on a group of inexperienced backs early. The defense looked old at times last season and they didn’t do a lot in the offseason to address getting younger. They will need to stay healthy (i.e. Troy Polamalu) and use their experience if they hope to keep up with youth. In 2011, they lead the NFL in pass defense, but the loss of William Gay could hurt them. I don’t see Pittsburgh starting off well in 2012. They face tough defenses in their first four games when they will be without Mendenhall. I see Pittsburgh losing a few games they usually win, especially if they become one-dimensional. Baltimore looks like the team to beat in the AFC North, so the Steelers will be fighting for a Wild-Card spot.

2012 Wins Over/Under Line: 10.5 (Prediction: UNDER)

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 9-7

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

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