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.

Orlando Makes A Bad Trade, Sends Dwight Howard to L.A.

Dwight Howard trade rumors have been on the stove for the last 18 months. It was only a matter of time before the big man would whine his way out of Orlando.

Orlando finally orchestrated a four-team trade in which Dwight Howard would be paired with Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash on the Los Angeles Lakers. If he even hints that he doesn’t want this move to garner ‘Shaq to Los Angeles’ comparisons, he is delusional. He is duplicating the same career path as him. I hope this doesn’t mean a sequel to “Kazaam” is in the works.

Which teams are in the deal? The players involved may surprise you (one of the players is currently playing on Team USA). The other thing that may surprise you is the lack of assets Orlando will receive in return for Howard. This deal will leave you scratching your head to why they didn’t trade with Brooklyn or Houston, who had better prospects on hand.

Let’s make it easy and list which players will go to each team involved in the trade.

Los Angeles Lakers: C Dwight Howard, F Earl Clark and G Chris Duhon

Philadelphia 76ers: C Andrew Bynum and G Jason Richardson

Denver Nuggets: F Andre Iguodala

finally…

Orlando Magic: F Arron Afflalo, F Al Harrington, C Nikola Vucevic, F Moe Harkless, and future protected first-round draft picks from each team. (2014 from Denver, 2015 from Philly and 2017 from L.A.)

I like the hauls that Philadelphia, Denver and L.A. received in this deal. They sent distant future protected first-round picks for pieces to help them immediately…but Orlando’s return is mild. I can see Howard signing an extension with the Lakers. Kobe and Nash will be retired in a few seasons and it will be his team.

Orlando’s main goal was the get Howard out of town. Former GM Otis Smith should have pulled the trigger at the trade deadline, but they didn’t, so they had to settle for this deal.

You know what you’re getting from Afflalo and Harrington, solid guys, but nothing to build a team around. Harkless was the first-round pick in this year’s NBA Draft. He’s a nice young talent who needs a lot of molding. The biggest problem I have is that the draft picks Orlando will receive in this deal is so far out in the future that current GM Rob Hennigan may not be around to enjoy them.

I hope Orlando has a plan to sell a ton of Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis merchandise. I don’t see the Amway Arena selling out, even with a J.J. Redick bobblehead promotion. Orlando has a very long road to recovery in their future. You will see Mr. Hennigan at the NBA Draft Lottery selection show for the many years to come.

The Magic play in L.A. on Dec. 2nd and D’WHINE Howard will be back in Orlando on March 12th…please circle those dates accordingly.

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

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: 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

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: 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

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.

Review – "WWE: Undertaker – The Streak" DVD

The Undertaker has the most impressive winning streak in professional wrestling history. He has won every match he has wrestled in at Wrestlemania. He is a perfect 20-0 and counting.

“WWE: Undertaker – The Streak” is a compilation of every match The Undertaker has ever wrestled at Wrestlemania. The four-disc set is a must-have for any professional wrestling fan. This collection is something a fan could watch for years to come and show it to their children.

If you’re a fan of The Undertaker, buying “The Streak” can save you hundreds of dollars and precious time. You may already own most of the Wrestlemania DVDs, but to watch The Undertaker’s matches, you will not have to locate them and find his match. You will now have every match at your fingertips. If you’re only an The Undertaker fan, you will not have to buy a few of the Wrestlemania DVDs that you wouldn’t normally own (although I recommend buying the WWE’s Wrestlemania box-set). Continue reading →

2012 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks

Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady or Drew Brees have been the top fantasy quarterback picks over the last few seasons. The 2012 season is no different. The same trio is at the top of the preseason rankings and all of the usual suspects following them.

The quarterback situations in Seattle, Cleveland, Jacksonville, and Tennessee have left some question marks on where the value is at the quarterback position in fantasy football this season. Can you wait to pick a quarterback or will you have to grab one early or spend $45 dollars in an auction draft to have an elite QB.

We have some surprises for you in our quarterback rankings. I am not sold on Cam Newton this year and I love Philip Rivers more than most people. How will the rookie QBs fare this season?

Here is our Top 50 quarterback rankings for the 2012 NFL fantasy football season. Continue reading →

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

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: 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

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.

Seattle Seahawks sign Terrell Owens

The Seattle Seahawks signed veteran wide receiver, and fledgling reality television star, Terrell Owens to a one-year deal Monday night. Owens last played for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010, but his season was cut short due to a knee injury. He has played in the NFL for San Francisco, Philadelphia, Dallas, Buffalo and Cincinnati…and most recently, the Allen Wranglers of the Indoor Football League.

Seattle recently released WR Mike Williams and are in need of a big target. Doug Baldwin, Deon Butler, Golden Tate, Sidney Rice, Ben Obomanu, Braylon Edwards, and Antonio Bryant are all in camp battling for wide receiver positions. Baldwin, Tate, Butler, and Rice are locks for a roster spot, but they need a veteran to anchor that group. Edwards, Owens, and Bryant are attractive options, but all three have off-the-field issues. Edwards failed in San Francisco last season and Bryant hasn’t played a game in the NFL since 2009.

Owens ran a 4.5 40-yard time and is in great shape for a 38-year old. He can still produce in the NFL if he can keep his nose clean and stay away from Dr. Phil. He has a great shot at making the team and we hope to see him resurrect his career.

Terrell Owens’ career stats are 1,078 receptions, 15,934 receiving yards and 153 touchdowns over 15 NFL seasons. He is the only player to score a touchdown against all 32 NFL teams.

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

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.