NFC Preview - 2009

After hours upon hours of breaking down film and numerous all-night study sessions that harkens back to my Plattsburgh State days, the 2009 NFC landscape has come into focus for me.
.

Here are the in-depth picks, AFC preview to follow soon........
.

NFC East .

1-Philadelphia Eagles - Despite having a suspension to serve, Michael Vick's presence should give the Fightin Iggles the "killer" instinct to push the franchise with four NFC title game losses this decade over the top and into the Super Bowl.
.

2- Washington Redskins - The surprise team of the conference but mostly anonymous given the off-season news of its division rivals. Just let Jason Campbell manage the game and turn Clinton Portis loose and da 'Skins can prep for the playoffs. .

3-Dallas Cowboys - T.O. isn't around to blame any more, neither is Jessica Simpson. Time for Tony Romo to step up and become the face of the franchise, something he won't be able to do. Jerry Jones will always be the Dallas Cowboys and will never let a player be bigger than him in Big D....Should have spent more cabbage on the practice facility to ensure better safety and cut back a bit on the new digs.

4- New York Football Giants - The best playmaker (Plaxico Burress) is on his way to prison and the G-men awarded Eli Manning with waaaaaaaaaay too much cash in what will go down as the worst contract in sports for the next few years. Eli certainly isn't his brother Peyton, and may very well be the worst QB in the division. Tom Coughlin should've gotten out after the Super Bowl win over New England.

NFC Central

.
1-Green Bay Packers - Yep, the legend Favre is in Minnesota, but Aaron Rodgers is the best QB in the division. After a down year, the Pack will be back in the playoffs. In fact, we'll call for Rodgers to be the NFC Most Valuable Player this year.

2- Minnesota Vikings - Good move by Minny in bringing in Brett Favre. Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels would've weighed this team down in a big way. Adrian Peterson is the best RB in the NFL and the Vikes can stop the run better than anyone. Those are the reasons, more than Favre's presence, that will allow Minnesota will grab a wild card. .

.

3- Chicago Bears - The Rex Grossman era is over, the Jay Cutler era is about to commence. Sorry, Bears fans, the agony is going to get worse. This team could easily win the division but won't. Cutler attended Vanderbilt, so he isn't stupid...at least off the field. On the field, he has followed in Jeff George's footsteps as the NFL version of Nuke Laloosh......a million $$$$ arm and a 10-cent head. The next big came Cutler wins for his team will be his first.
.

4-Detroit Lions - Hard to do worse than 0-16 so "up" is the only way to go. Matt Millen is mercifully out of Motown and the Matthew Stafford era should begin at some point in October, if not sooner.

.

NFC South .

1- Atlanta Falcons - Wanted to pick New Orleans in this spot, but can't do it. Second year QB Matt Ryan is the real deal and, combined with RB Michael Turner, will lead Atlanta back to the playoffs.
.

2 - New Orleans Saints - Remember those who ripped the Houston Texans to shreds for bypassing Reggie Bush and drafted DE Mario Williams with the top pick in the draft a few years ago? Those critics are quiet now as Williams has emerged as a dominate player and Bush has had trouble shaking nagging injuries. QB Drew Brees is solid, but the Saints will barely miss the playoffs.

.

3 - Carolina Panthers - You never know what to expect from the Panthers. Lots of D'Angelo Williams will keep Carolina in the playoff hunt but QB Jake Delhomme is inconsistent and that isn't good enough with Ryan and Brees in the division.

.

4 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Yeah, the Bucs got it right by firing the Punk (mr. gruden) but blew it in the draft. After winning the Super Bowl with the team assembled by Tony Dungy, Gruden accomplished nothing in South Florida except load up the roster with old, old QB's. The new regime selected the biggest bust of the first round of the draft - QB Josh Freeman - in a move that will ensure Tampa Bay picking in the top three spots of the 2010 draft.

.

NFC West

.

1- Seattle Seahawks - The default pick 'cuz I had to pick someone from the worst division in football. If Matt Hasselbeck is healthy, Seattle claims the division crown at 8-8.

.

2- San Francisco 49ers - If they had a quarterback, they'd win the division going away. But, they don't....so they won't. Mike Singletary's hiring last year improved the Niners from day one and that improvement will continue this year. Singletary is the most fiery coach in the conference (sorry, Tom Cable allegedly beat up one of his coaches, he gets the top honor until proven otherwise). San Francisco will be much better, but Shaun Hill has no business being a starting QB in the NFL. If Brett Favre can come back, why not Joe Montana or Steve Young?

.

3- Arizona Cardinals - When the planets aligne and it everything comes together, you'd

better win when given the shot because Super Bowl chances don't come often. Arizona was a few precious seconds from turning the world on its axis with its upset bid over Pittsburgh but the Cards were denied by a great effort by Steeler Santonio Holmes. QB Kurt Warner is a year older and is on borrowed time. Back to reality for Arizona, which means back out of the playoff picture.

.

4 - St. Louis Rams - New head coach Steve Spagnuolo is a star in the making but this team is horrible. The Rams will battle Denver for the NFL's worst team honor, and the top pick in the 2010 draft.

Just A Few Thoughts

Couldn't stay awake for the end of the Syracuse/Connecticut game last night......sorry I missed it. It won't matter, West Virginia will beat the Orange tonight in a game that tips in a couple of hours......

.

Seems as though March Madness is off to an early start this year......Can't wait for the brackets to come out, I'll anxiously await them to come out, feel great about my picks on Monday, and feel like a tool come Saturday morning when the first round is over.

.

Early thoughts on the tourney
.
Underrated: Watch out for Siena in the first two rounds. The Saints have been there and beat Vanderbilt last year. All five starters from last year's team are back.

Overrated : Duke........They suck and will be out by the second round.
.

Welcome to Buffalo, Mr. Owens
.

How happy am I that T.O. has landed in Buffalo? Glad you ask.......I'm thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis happy (picture Elastic Man's arms at full length). To be fair, the Bills were smart to give this idiot a one-year deal with hopes that he won't rip apart the locker room.....On second thought, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, guess what ? He'll do more harm than good out in Western NY.

Jay Cutler is pissed that the Broncos got a trade offer for him. Grow up........My Bruins are slumping, need the boys in the Hub to get things rolling in the next few weeks. If not for themselves, then for me.

.

Marty Brodeur is set to pass Patrick Roy as the game's winningest goalie.......good for him. He's been a class act his whole career. So classy, I can't think of a bad thing to say about him and I can usually find a bad thing to say about anybody.

.

Two weeks until my fantasy baseball draft, this has to be the year for Team Pugsley.......Hope Chase Utley's hip is okay........Prince Fielder is a key to my team. It doesn't help me sleep at night knowing my fortunes might rest on a guy who weighs more than I do....I've been sandbagging on my keepers the entire offseason. I can post that here 'cuz I'm not sure how many of my foes in this 20-year league read this blog.....The ones who do take a peek can't read anyway, they click the link for the pictures.......

Still stinging from that shocker on the Bachelor.......oooooops, wrong blog....

The too-soon-to-make-them-but-I'm-bored-predictions

The Oakland A's will win the AL West. Anaheim is overrated and the A's have improved themselves. While I'm at it, the Red Sox will take the AL East (that pains me), Detroit will take the Central. The wildcard will be the Chisox.

.

In the NL, Arizona will hit enough to win the West, the Mets won't gag until the playoffs but will make it and the Cubbies will claim the Central. I like LA to win the wild card.

.

It's early, but we'll take the Cubs over Boston in the World Series although I reserve the right to change that before opening day. It has to happen sometime, doesn't it?

. .

Bracket projections next week. Have to get the pen and paper ready.