It’s that time of year again, when the hot summer days begin fading out to make way for orange leaves and falling acorns. Ok, palm tree leaves don’t turn orange, but it’s a pretty thought. It’s also a great time for sports. Baseball playoff excitement aside, this is the time of the year when the training camps end and Football begins.
This season I’m lucky enough to be covering UCF Knights Football for this lovely online publication (West Orlando News Online if you don’t know where you are). But before I go calm into the night on an NCAA writing spree, I have a little bit of NFL fever to get out of me (I can get it right back shall the Bucs call). So here my friends are my thoughts on this year’s NFL 2010 Season.
I see a very different picture in the NFC than what most analysts are seeing. I think the Eagles are far better equipped than people think. Kevin Kolb threw for an average of almost 8 yards per attempt in the few games he’s played and he’s behind the second best center (arguably) in the NFL Jamaal Jackson. Andy Reid has seen Kolb for 4 years and felt so confident with Kolb that he got rid of his golden boy Donovan McNabb, which speaks volumes. Don’t forget that old stale Eagles run game gets a shot in the arm with Lesean McCoy and Mike Bell and the Eagles have the best wide receiver entourage in football. I do think it’s funny that Michael Vick doesn’t understand why he’s not a starting NFL quarterback. Really? I think he’s the best second-string quarterback in football though.
Other NFC east predictions, I think the Cowboys will screw themselves out of another Super Bowl but will probably take a couple teams down viciously before falling apart. The Redskins have once again one of the best individual rosters in football but with a new defense anchored by the unmotivated nose Albert Haynesworth, I expect a high degree of friction leading to an implosion after Donovan McNabb throws a couple 500 yard games. The Giants just aren’t very good.
I love ‘Hard Knocks’ on HBO! Have you seen this show? It’s amazing. Darrelle Revis is mentioned every 3 minutes, Rex Ryan runs around spouting profanity like a truck stop short order cook, fantastic! But it also lets you see what the Jets are made of, I knew they were good because they were in the AFC Championship game last year. Plus they have a great Offense with Braylon Edwards, Mark Sanchez and now LT, who despite last year’s finale in San Diego is still LT. After watching Hard Knocks I think they have a better team than last year, if Revis comes back of course.
I also like the Ravens this year. Their offense is way improved with Anquan Boldin and they have a real threat in Ray Rice. The Patriots will make some noise but not enough. The Colts are still the Colts and the Steelers are still the Steelers but if we wrote out (S=S) (C=C), then they cancel each other out. I also don’t want to think about how great Peyton Manning might be and Ben Roethlisberger is a weirdo.
I think the Raiders are better than they were and will actually contend in a weak AFC west. The chargers have lost amperage and the Broncos are stomping their hooves over Tim Tebow, good luck on that one.
I think the Packers and Saints are going to disappoint a lot of people when the Vikings and Falcons steal their playoff spots, and don’t forget the Madden curse, Drew Brees! The Bengals and the 49ers both have a chance to go somewhere, maybe not Dallas but maybe a division playoff game.
So write it down and read it when the season’s over. If I’m right I’ll brag and tell you I said so. If I’m wrong I forgot what I said. That’s how it goes when you’re a sports writer. I think that’s how it goes.
