It's that time, finally! We've sat motionless through weeks of preseason "action" and injury updates, not to mention Tim Tebow hype, but here we are, on the doorstep of a new NFL season. It all kicks off tonight, and we have our pick in for that contest. But you'll have to wait for that nugget. First, Jason and I present our picks for the upcoming season. A couple of surprises right off the bat: Neither of us have the defending champions making the playoffs. And we both independently arrived at the same pick to win the Super Bowl. Here's how we got there.
Dre's NFC Playoff Teams
Eagles, Seahawks, Falcons, Packers, Bears (WC), Saints (WC)
Jay's NFC Playoff Teams
Cowboys, 49ers, Saints, Bears, Packers (WC), Eagles (WC)
Whoa, I got San Francisco missing the playoffs entirely, and Jason has the Dallas Cowboys rising in the East?! WTF??? Here's my rationale for taking Seattle to win the West: Pete Carroll is mentally challenged. As such, he's done everything in Seattle in a rah-rah fashion, kinda like a college coach (gee, where'd he get that concept?). He's got multiple options at almost every position, so that you have to bust your ass and perform or else get replaced. There are no real stars there. And that was proven in training camp, when he told the high-priced free agent acquisition, QB Matt Flynn, to sit his ass down so that the short rookie draft pick Russell Wilson can earn the gig. Who exactly does that? But I think that just furthers Carroll's agenda of building a team that relies on each other and plays with a sense of independence. "No one believes in us but the men in this room!" That usually doesn't work in a professional locker room, but I'm going with a hunch that it will work here. Jason gave me a little hope with this stat: Wilson had a higher passer rating last year in college than the top two QB draft picks, Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin. Also, Seattle has a collegiate atmosphere at their home games that lends itself to Carroll's vision. Also, San Fran still has horse poop for a QB. I don't give a damn how tight the Niners defense should be, they can't overcome a crappy QB every time out. I will give some locker room love to Philadelphia as well and predict that they rally around their coach Andy Reid and put forth a better effort this season. Regardless of what one may think of his stoic public reaction in the wake of his son's death, the fact is, he made it seem like the team was the one thing most important to his own recovery. I don't know how far that will take them as the season wears on, but it may give them a boost early. Of course, all bets are off once QB Michael Vick hurts himself again, but I'm sticking with my pick. I also like Philly's defensive upgrades. They are going for the kill on the opposing QB, and that's how your D has to play in today's NFL. What Jason and I agree on as far as the East goes is, the Giants don't fare well the year after a Super Bowl run. Someone will be there to pick up the pieces once the G-Men collapse and leave coach Tom Coughlin on the hot seat yet again. Jay's pick to step up is the Dallas Cowboys. He is out on a limb on this one, since we both have thought of QB Tony Romo and coach Jason Garrett as shrinking in the moment previously. But Jason knows how stifling the pressure is on the 'Boys this year, since their goofy owner Jerry Jones has repeatedly stated that it's time for the team to perform. Jason not only has Dallas claiming the division, he went all the way to the Super Bowl! Yes, Jason's NFC team for the Super Bowl is the Cowboys. I can't believe it, either, but he usually succeeds when I doubt his wisdom. We definitely see the South differently as well, with Jason throwing the Falcons clear out of the playoffs and me elevating them to division champs. Jason thinks that New Orleans will be highly motivated in the wake of the Bountygate stuff, and it's funny, because I think that their defense was unusually motivated when they were playing for bounties, and now they have been bad for the last year plus since the bounties ended. I'm frightened to death at how off-kilter the Saints offense has looked recently when coach Sean Payton hasn't been on the sideline, and now he won't be there the whole year? I don't think they're going to totally suck, but there's a lot of turmoil in that organization, and I am staying away from them being uber-successful this season. But I still picked them as a Wild Card because they get to beat up on the Carolina and Tampa secondaries, while the Giants get beat up by their division. I love Atlanta making a big step forward, opening up the offense even more than before, and letting QB Matt Ryan and the Dirty Birds fly high. Of course, they'll lose their first playoff game, because that's what they do. The Carolina D has to be better than last year, but we still call them short of a playoff berth. Chicago is quietly loaded at basically every position, and the nutjob offensive coordinator, Mike Martz, is gone, so we both like them to make the playoffs. Jason is taking the Bears as division champ because he doesn't think Green Bay can come back with that same offensive pace they blazed last year on their way to 15-1. I'm staying with the Pack to win the North because their defense can be nastier and tougher if they can stay healthy and consistent, and that would put them back in Super Bowl contention. What about the Lions? Um, coach and team are immature, no consistency at all in the running game, China Doll Stafford = White Mike Vick...need we go on? By the way, I'm being a homer and I can't help myself, so I just gotta spit it out...I think the Bears are so loaded that I will pick them to make a Wild Card run through the NFC and make the trip to the Super Bowl.
Dre's AFC Playoff Teams
Patriots, Broncos, Texans, Ravens, Steelers (WC), Chargers (WC)
Jay's AFC Playoff Teams
Patriots, Chiefs, Texans, Ravens, Steelers (WC), Broncos (WC)
Much less to talk about in the AFC because Jason and I see so much happening at the same time. First off, let's get this out of the way: Jason and I thought up our Super Bowl teams independent of each other, and we thought we would surprise each other with our bold pick for a new champ...and it was the same pick. Jason and I are both putting the big whammy on any Edgar Allan Poe fans. We have the Baltimore Ravens winning Super Bowl XLVII. Adjust your bets accordingly. We saw that light go on over QB Joe Flacco in the AFC title game last year, and we know that old, crusty defense is still performing, and they know that there are only so many chances to win another ring for the spiritual leaders, Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, and we think they are going to put on a performance and outshine the rest of the conference. We even like the hard schedule they will face because it should toughen them up for the playoffs, where they will probably have to travel to Houston because the Texans may run the table thanks to their lightweight sked. And yep, Houston's scary as a motherfucker, but they just don't have that big-game experience. Wiping out Andy Dalton and the Bungles in the playoffs don't count. And no, we don't have Cincinnati returning, not until they find a different play on offense besides Dalton-to-A.J. Green. How's this nugget--Cincy last year versus teams that wound up having losing records: 9-0. Versus teams that wound up having winning records: 0-7. Bum slayers, yes. Quality franchise, hell no. In the East, New England should romp a terrible division. Jason laughs at the Buffalo hype, and despite adding a couple of destructive DEs, he still thinks they will start hot, like they always do, and fade away. He says Miami may finish 2nd in the division. Now, that's a little too much for my taste. The Dolphins blow. Not as much as the Jets, who are totally set up to fail by the front-office moves, but they really suck. Charles is back in charge in Kansas City, as in returning stud RB Jamaal Charles, and Jason will select "defensive genius" coach Romeo Crennel and the Chefs to cook up a title in the West. I don't hate KC, but I'm always going to be hesitant to pick them until they show an awareness that they have no other weapons in the passing game besides Dwayne Bowe. They need to use him like a #1 receiver, and they just don't. Quick, name another Chiefs WR. I have a well-documented respect, or man-crush, or whatever, for Peyton Manning, so I'll take Denver to repeat as division champs in a completely different manner than last year. I'll even throw in the observation that Peyton's done throwing big bombs in the air. From what I saw of him in the preseason, that arm isn't what it used to be, and his age precludes me from thinking that it will ever bounce back. So I'm not calling on him to be the old Peyton and lead his team to endless Super Bowl crowns, but if he's the visionary professional QB he's always been, that should be good enough combined with an improving defense to win the West. I'll take San Diego to backdoor their way into the playoffs because I'm hard-pressed to ignore them if the defense steps up and if TE Antonio Gates is finally healthy. Jason calls the Bolts "the worst best team in the league." They are frustrating, I can't deny that. Oakland's depth is a big problem. Do they have a decent 2nd-stringer at any position? And in the South, Houston is on top of the world, or as Jay says, using big words in an office meeting all correctly and stuff, "One good team and ballast." Not more needs to be said there. I will add that I may like the Texans to make a big step next season (foreshadowing Super Bowl XLVIII already), and that if Andrew Luck plays a professional QB like his predecessor, the Colts may not be quite as bad as people think.
Ready? Let the games begin!!
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