2010 Preview of the AFC and NFC North

I decided to dish out my 2010 NFL season preview as late as I could. Mostly because there has been an awful lot of transactions around the league this preseason. Most recently, Arizona might be shopping their new “prized” QB.
[picappgallerysingle id="9583458"]
The AFC North is where I’ll start. “Come on over to the Bungles” was a song in my ear all last season. A close friend of mine assured me they’d be good. This year, I’m skeptical again. They are one of my wildcard teams this year at 10-6, even with Team Obliterator. The team to beat in this division wears black, sometimes.
[picappgallerysingle id="9574133"]
The Ravens are my pick to take the division. It isn’t an easy schedule but I like the addition of Anquan Boldin to the receiving core. I’m on the Joe Flacco train for his third season in the bigs. I’ll give them 11-5. The Steelers will start off 1-3. I guarantee it. After they get Big Ben back they’ll be that back and forth team they were last year and finish with seven, eight, or nine wins.

The Browns will be awful. Let’s say 4-12.

In the NFC North we have a few good teams. The Bears and Lions will both be better than last year. The popular pick is the Packers this year because people are banking on a few more turnovers from the ageless wonder.
[picappgallerysingle id="7647457"]
I like the Vikings again. All of the NFC North teams have difficult schedules. Yeah, both Green Bay and Minnesota have good run games but you have to like AP more than Grant and Jackson. The NFC North has two of the best teams in the NFC but they’ll beat up on each other. The Vikings win the division going 11-5 and the Packers go 10-6 and receive a wildcard.
[picappgallerysingle id="9623203"]
The Bears are better. Jay Cutler won’t play like that again Chicago fans so calm down. He had to put everything on himself with the core of guys they had on offense. With that being said, they’re still at best a 9-7 team. The O-line is still shaky. The receivers are still a tad smelly. The defense is still just ok. The Lions are better too and could win five or six games. I’ll give them 4-12 though. However, Stafford was impressive in his first year. They just need to keep him healthy!

I’ll be back soon with the AFC and NFC East next!

Tebow-McDaniels Era?

Forever the two names will be linked. Josh McDaniels and Tim Tebow
[picappgallerysingle id="8611966"]
Will he play QB, HB, or TE no one knows but I have my two cents. I think the years, not days, are numbered for Kyle Orton. He’ll get this year, unless he falters horribly. He had a great year last season and they are trying to put young talent around him. Remember the “Wild Horses” set the Broncos ran against New England last year?
[picappgallerysingle id="8611949"]
It truly stumped Big Bill B of the Patriots (but what didn’t on the road in ’09). That could be Tim’s ticket to success in year one. But I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets his shot in 2011. Orton is sitting on a one year deal. And let’s face it, Quinn? Yeah right! STRIKE ONE!

Ryan Howard is set. He won’t be the one of the big guys headed to NY or Boston in 2011. After the Phillies paid him it left some questions about other sluggers around the league.
[picappgallerysingle id="8438432"]
Adrian Gonzalez is thought to be moving at the break. BUT if the Padres can play like this until July they might have to hang onto him knowing he could leave in 2011. He is a young power-hitting first basemen who I could see in Boston.
[picappgallerysingle id="8629700"]
Then there is Albert Pujols. He isn’t going anywhere but he will see some increase in his bank account come 2012. The Cards will most likely option him next year for some 16 plus deal. But at the age of 32 he could see gaudy numbers thrown at him.

Who knows? No one. I wouldn’t be surprised if number five is our first 35 million dollar man. STRIKE TWO!

I don’t like bold statements. Especially silly ones like Pujols trades with Howard. However, could we see a week three NFL season trade of Ben Roethlisberger? Why not?
[picappgallerysingle id="8595053"]
A team like Buffalo. Nothing to lose in a division where they have nowhere to go. There is no QB that can take the helm successfully there but if a third team came in to help move Big Ben to the Bills….hey it could happen. What team would help? Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Baltimore sure would!
[picappgallerysingle id="7491430"]
Bills send picks to one of those three, they get Big Ben, and one of the (Cin, Cle, Bal) teams sends a big time player to the Steelers? It could happen. He has made them mad and they could just try a deal if Dennis Dixon could salvage a 7-9 or 8-8 season. I mean, they don’t have Ben for the first six anyways right? STRIKE THREE AND I’M OUT!

Oh No Bungles, Willy Taveras, Nova Takes On UConn

Well Cincinnati, it happened again. Another mistake for those Bungles. Despite a great season they continue to make horrific decisions. Matt Jones, yes the guy with the drug problems. After a laundry list of incidents in Cincy it just goes on and on. Jones, a once first round draft pick, hasn’t even done anything in the NFL. I can’t believe that he is being given another chance (on a division winner). Jones has never had much yards after catch success, never caught more than 70, and his best season was his rookie (in TDs) where he had five. Cincy…STRIKE ONE!

400 K and a chance in Washington, that equals Willy Taveras. This is a guy with something to prove. People say has been…he was part of a trade and then released by the A’s who would have rather taken the cap hit then have the player. This guy had 68 stolen bases in the 08 season (25 in 103 games last year). Yeah he strikes out and his average has been poor these past two seasons but this is a guy with .280 capability with super sonic speed. Good sign Nats. STRIKE TWO!

Villanova is good this year. Real good. They had a loss at Georgetown, that’s their only blemish (Gtown is good! and a loss to Temple early in the year isn’t any thing bad). Connecticut comes to town but not looking like the contender they were projected to be. With 11 losses (not a typo…11), the Huskies are in trouble. The grueling schedule was not fair to UConn, who lost their coach for about a month. Nova will put the Huskies to a light whimper, 15 point victors. STRIKE THREE AND I’M OUT !

Ted Maguire