It’s that time of year again…..football season.  I’m in full blown football mode, I’m in more fantasy football leagues than I can count.  It’s really sick when you can rattle off the 3rd string RB for every team in the NFL.  This is going to be my NFL preview issue.  I’ll give my own version of power rankings, since Pete Prisco is apparently on crack, and I will dazzle you with my division predictions.  At the end of the year we’ll circle back and determine if I should be sending my resume to ESPN or not.

Anyway, on to the fun.  I’ll start with the power rankings.

 

1. Indianapolis Colts
As much as I’m tired of seeing his face every time I turn the TV on, Peyton Manning is the man.  That team is loaded.
2. New England Patriots
This team might be the best team on paper right now, but you’ve got to beat the man to be the man, so I put them second.
3. San Diego Chargers
Major coaching changes, but still loaded.  LT is fun to watch.
4. Philadelphia Eagles
McNabb is back, I think this team is the class of the NFC.
5. Dallas Cowboys
If TO doesn’t implode, and he and Glenn stay healthy, this team can go on a run.
6. Baltimore Ravens
I hate to put them this high, because I really can’t stand this team.  But their defense is first class.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers
My favorite team, but I tried to be objective.  I really think they will make a run this year, they still have a solid team.
8. Chicago Bears
That defense is awesome.  Too bad Rex Grossman is a disaster waiting to happen.
9.  New Orleans Saints
They will be fun to watch, and they can score some points…..but at some point you need to be able to stop someone.
10. Cincinnati Bengals
See New Orleans.
11. Jacksonville Jaguars
I like their defense, and Garrard brings another dimension to that offense that definitely wasn’t present with Leftwich.
12. Arizona Cardinals
I might be a little high on these guys….but as a Steelers fan, I really think Whisenhunt and Grimm are going to make a big difference here.
13. Carolina Panthers
I think Delhomme will put up a decent year, they should compete.
14. St. Louis Rams
This team is solid, I really like Steven Jackson.
15. Denver Broncos
They are always competitive, and seem to pull RB out of their hat every year.
16. Seattle Seahawks
Deion Branch needs to prove that he can be the man.   
17. New York Giants
I’m not an Eli Manning fan.  Out of curiosity has he ever said a word in any of his 6 billion commercials with Peyton or does he just stand there like a big mute?
18. Buffalo Bills
I’m not sold on JP Losman, but I am interested in seeing how Lynch does this year.
19. Washington Redskins
I actually like Campbell, and if Portis stays healthy they could be dangerous.
20. New York Jets
I’m of the opinion that last year was a fluke.  Pennington’s noodle arm isn’t going to get the job done, I’m guessing we’ll see Clemens before the end of the year.
21. San Francisco 49ers
Moving in the right direction….this team was as horrible a few short years ago.
22. Tennessee Titans
Vince Young was actually much better last year than I thought he was going to be.  Too bad he doesn’t play defense.
23. Green Bay Packers
Favre is going to need to throw 700 times per game to keep this team competitive.
24. Miami Dolphins
I don’t know whether the whole Chatman / Ronnie Brown talk was just motivation, but it worried me.
25. Atlanta Falcons
Joey Harrington.  Enough said.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Is Jeff Garcia really the answer here?  Or did he catch lightning in a bottle last year?
27. Cleveland Browns
This team is not as bad as people think they are.  They made some big improvements on the offensive line again this off season.  Tim Couch is probably wondering why they didn’t give that idea a chance when he was there….
28. Detroit Lions
I almost put them higher, they should be able to score some serious points.  But then I thought about the fact that my eggs would be in the John Kitna basket.  Too scary for me.
29. Minnesota Vikings
Good thing Tavaris Jackson is fast.  He is going to need to be to stay alive.
30. Kansas City Chiefs
This team is bad.  Their offensive line is a shadow of what it was, and their receivers don’t scare anyone.  Gonzolez will be wasted having to stay in and block all the time.
31. Houston Texans
Matt Schaub hasn’t proven a thing yet.
32. Oakland Raiders
Daunte Culpepper?  Are you kidding me?   That offense was a disgrace last year.

Now for my divison predictions.  And just to clarify, just because a team is higher on my power rankings than another doesn’t mean they will win their respective division…other factors come into play here such as strength of schedule.  When you see Pittsburgh winning the AFC North instead of Baltimore that’s why. *cough*

AFC East

New England Patriots 11-5
Buffalo Bills 8-8
New York Jets 7-9
Miami Dolphins 5-11

The Patriots are clearly the class of the division, and in my opinion are the only team in the division realistically in the hunt for a playoff birth.  I think the Bills are still a year or two away, and the Jets won’t be as good as they were last year.

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers 10-6
Baltimore Ravens 9-7
Cincinnati Bengals 9-7
Cleveland Browns 7-9

This is the toughest division in football.  I think the Steelers rebound from their mediocre season and play more like the team that won the Super Bowl 2 years ago.  Cincinnati will also be in the hunt, but their lack of a defense holds them back, and Cleveland will play better than everyone thinks, although they won’t be able to overcome their brutal schedule in the early part of the year.

AFC South

Indianapolis Colts 12-4
Jacksonville Jaguars 9-7
Tennesee Titans 8-8
Houston Texans 6-10

Indianapolis continues to dominate this division, the only question really is what week the division gets wrapped up.   Tennessee will make some strides, and Jackosnville will compete for a wild card birth.  Matt Schaub will figure out that he’s in fact not the golden boy.

AFC West

San Diego Chargers 11-5
Denver Broncos 9-7
Kansas City Chiefs 5-11
Oakland Raiders 4-12

San Diego will roll in this division, and Kansas City and Oakland will battle for the cellar all year.  Denver should be in the hunt for a wild card birth when it’s all said and done.

NFC East

Philadelphia Eagles 9-7
Dallas Cowboys 9-7
New York Giants 8-8
Washington Redskins 7-9

This division will be the dogfight it usually is, but I like Philadelphia to win the division as long as McNabb stays healthy.  Dallas should compete for the wild card with a bunch of teams.

NFC North

Chicago Bears 10-6
Green Bay Packers 8-8
Detroit Lions 6-10
Minnesota Vikings 5-11

Chicago should dominate this weak division, despite having Rex Grossman at the helm.  Favre will keep things interesting in Green Bay, and Detroit will be in a lot of shoot outs.  Minnesota needs help.

NFC South

New Orleans Saints 10-6
Caronlina Panthers 9-7
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-9
Atlanta Falcons 5-11

The high flying New Orleans offense will catapult them to a division crown this year, and Carolina will make a run at the wild card.  The Falcons will have to deal with the whole Vick situation all year in the media, and will rely on Joey Harrington to lead them…..a certain recipe for disaster.

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals 9-7
St. Louis Rams 9-7
Seattle Seahawks 8-8
San Francisco 49ers 7-9

Arizona is my surprise team of the year, I think Whisenhunt and Grimm figure out that you need to be able to run the ball, and Edge comes back with a decent year.  St. Louis will also be in the hunt all year, and Seattle has the weapons to keep things interesting. 

Well, those are my predictions, I’m definitely ready for the season to start.
I’ll leave you with my top 10 fantasy football predictions:

1.  LT won’t put up the same monster numbers he did last year, but he’ll still be the best RB in fantasy football.  (I know, I really went out on a limb there)

2.  The rookie receiver to make the biggest impact this year won’t be Calvin Johnson. 

3.  Vincent Jackson will have a good year in San Diego, but he won’t live up to all the fantasy hype, he won’t be a top 15 receiver.

4.  Vernon Davis will compete with Antonio Gates for the honor of being the best TE in fantasy football.

5.  Ben Roethlisberger will be a top 10 fantasy football QB this year.

6.  Lawrence Maroney will be a top 5 fantasy football RB this year.

7.  Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin both take hits to their value as Arizona emphasizes the run more this year.

8.  Warrick Dunn will be a non-factor as far as fantasy football goes, with Jerious Norwood raising in value.

9.  Larry Johnson will not be a top 5 RB this year, maybe not even top 10.

10.  Brandon Jacobs will shine as the lead back in New York and put up excellent fantasy numbers.

Good luck in your football leagues this year! (except if you’re in one of mine!!)