NFL Discussion Forumtable: 2007

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

 

It's starting to feel like football. Hell, preseason starts in just a couple of weeks. Lets get this fucker rolling.

[MFer 0]

Well let's start off with a retirement story.

 

Tarik Glenn

[Guest Vitamin X]

Last time we left off in the football world, we had this happen:

 

How good are Indy's chances of repeating? Who's going to challenge in the NFC or the AFC? Do the Bears fall apart with two of their key pieces on defense missing, and is Grossman going to get any better? Will this finally be Favre's last season? (I actually think so, especially if they make the playoffs, which I think they will) Will the Saints repeat their success from last year?

 

Which coaches are on the hotseat going into the season? Which new head coach will have the most success, particularly Bobby Petrino, who has to deal with one of the worst athlete scandals in recent pro sports history in Michael Vick?

 

Lots of questions, and I think this year may be very similar to 1999, in which we're going to see a lot of unexpected changes in teams coming up in the league. Maybe this is the year the Lions and Cardinals finally have their shit together? Who knows.

[Guest •]

Tank Johnson was not a key piece of the defense. Tommie Harris was.

 

Anyway, that's all I have to offer here. I'm not exactly calendar-gazing when it comes to football this year, because there's a lot of exciting baseball happening right now. Bears win the division, Packers take the 6th playoff spot, Vikings struggle, Lions suck.

[KingPK 0]

How good are Indy's chances of repeating?

 

If their defense performs whatever voodoo ritual they did before the playoffs last year to actually become a good unit, they might. The AFC is STACKED though. New England, Denver, SD, along with an improving Jets, Jags, Titans (maybe), Chiefs (again, maybe) make for a tough dogfight this year to see who slaps around the NFC rep in Arizona (which I think will be New Orleans this year).

 

 

 

Edited July 21, 2007 by KingPK

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

San Diego will have a better chance of repeating as #1 seed than the Bears do a Super Bowl appearance... which is to say not very good in either scenario.

[JaMarcus Russell's #1 Caucasian Fan 0]

Speaking of the Chargers, can San Diego repeat their sucess from last year? All signs point to yes, but key losses on the defensive side, their weakness in the secondary, a brutal scheduel and Norv Turner say otherwise. On the other hand the offense still is very potent and remains unchaged for the most part. I wouldnt count them out, but in their division, Denver got a whole lot better. Id say an 11-5 season for the Chargers this year which would be good for the number 2 seed in my book.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

I think Chargers will get a #5 or #6 seed, not #2.

[MFer 0]

I think Chargers will get a #5 or #6 seed, not #2.

That sounds awfully harsh, even while considering the coaching change. You're saying that after Indy and New England, at least 2 (maybe 3) other teams will finish ahead of S.D.? That's a tough sell for me.

[JaMarcus Russell's #1 Caucasian Fan 0]

I put the Chargers at number two, because I think Indy is going to tank big this season. No reason, just a gut feeling. Also there is really no way that Denver sweeps through San Diego to win the division this year. Maybe 1 for 2, but the offense is still the BEST in the league.

 

For the record here are my preseason AFC playoff seedings

 

1. New England

2. San Diego

3. Baltimore

4. Jacksonville (surprise division winner)

5. Denver

6. Jets or Steelers (its really a tossup, but Im leaning towards the Jets)

 

Agree with me or rip this to shreads

 

[Guest •]

Colts aren't missing the playoffs, and certainly not with the Jaguars winning the division.

 

I want to believe that the Bears will be back in the Super Bowl because the NFC isn't very good, but I don't know. I'm not sold on New Orleans. The Bears would beat them again in Chicago.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

It doesn't matter if Denver doesn't sweep San Diego. They split with SD, win more games than San Diego does, and they have the division won. That's why I project San Diego at #5 or #6, because they will not win their division, and #1-#4 are promised to division champions. I would like to think San Diego finishes in the top 2, but with Schottenheimer, Cameron and Phillips gone, they won't.

 

That Detroit fan, I want to point out that San Diego could have the 2nd best record in the entire AFC but if it's Denver that has the #1 record, the best San Diego will get is #5, no matter what.

[JJ Johnson 0]

Dallas will win the NFC East, but only because the Redskins are the Redskins, McNabb will get hurt again, and the Giants will crumble by not having Tiki and having to lean on The Mailman for offense. That, and Dallas has a fairly soft schedule. I really hope that Wade Phillips doesn't get upset with Julius Jones' perennial lack of production and play Marion Barber full-time, because I don't think Barber has the stamina to be an every down back.

 

[Guest Vitamin X]

The AFC is full of overrated teams, but I will have to agree for the first time that the NFC isn't exactly full of great teams either. The East is a mess. Only the Packers and Bears look like they could contend in the North, and the Packers are still an extremely young team with a second year coach and an aging quarterback. The West and South look great, though- You can't count out the Seahawks, the Niners are improving in strides, the Rams are a threat, and if the Cardinals ever got their act together, they could be dangerous as well. In the South, some people are saying the Bucs could actually come back this year (their defense has been questionable ever since the SB win), the Saints are strong, and I have no idea about the Panthers, though I'm guessing they miss the playoffs. The Falcons will suck this year, and I doubt the NFC East sends more than one team. Whoever represents the NFC in the Super Bowl, though, will have gone through some pretty good teams, parity isn't working out so well over there.

 

As for the AFC, I'm predicting KC falls apart this year, especially with LJ holding out, and the Chargers, while suspect on defense and a complete coaching staff turnover, will have enough firepower on offense to make the playoffs, but not any further than that. Think of the 2000 Rams. I think Denver gets the #1 seed in the AFC this year- they have all the right pieces in place to do it, and New England will still be extremely competitive, so who knows about them. They're always a shot to win it all.

 

I put the Chargers at number two, because I think Indy is going to tank big this season.

Probably because the only Super Bowl teams in the last decade or so to qualify for the playoffs the following year are the Patriots and Broncos, who both won back to backs. Indy is not good enough for a back to back- I remember Edwin's post proclaiming last year's Colts as the "We're.... average!" team after the TD record Colts and the almost perfect ones.

[JaMarcus Russell's #1 Caucasian Fan 0]

My NFC preseason playoff seeding for 2007.

 

1.New Orleans

2. Chicago

3. Seattle

4. Philadelphia

5. Green Bay

6. San Fransico

 

Im not a big follower of the NFC, but I repicked the 2006 division winners to repeat. In the South, New Orleans will prove to be a force due their terrific offence and serviceable defense. In the North, there is no reason why the Bears cant repeat. The Packers are looking better than last year, but no good enough to outlast the Bears. Minnesota and the Lions are non factors in this division. The East in such bad shape that I had to repick Philly. Dallas didnt impress me last year, the Redskins will remain terrible and the Giants with Eli only will be either surprisingly good or god awful. In the West, I think Seattle remains king, but I think the West the year will be a dogfight. San Fransico will make the playoffs this year and the Cards and Rams will make Seattle earn their division.

 

 

[MFer 0]

It doesn't matter if Denver doesn't sweep San Diego. They split with SD, win more games than San Diego does, and they have the division won. That's why I project San Diego at #5 or #6, because they will not win their division, and #1-#4 are promised to division champions. I would like to think San Diego finishes in the top 2, but with Schottenheimer, Cameron and Phillips gone, they won't.

 

That Detroit fan, I want to point out that San Diego could have the 2nd best record in the entire AFC but if it's Denver that has the #1 record, the best San Diego will get is #5, no matter what.

I forgot about the whole seeding thing but I still disagree with you about the AFC West. I still think the Chargers are gonna win the division, putting them no worse than a #4 seed.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

That's a fair disagreement. Honestly I hope I am wrong and San Diego gets over that hump, but I just don't see it with the massive coaching overhaul.

[fazzle 0]

I'm not going to be ballsy enough to predict seedings, I'm just gonna pick who's gonna make the playoffs:

 

AFC:

 

Pats

Bengals

Colts

Broncos

Ravens (wild card)

Jaguars (wild card)

 

 

 

NFC:

 

Cowboys

Bears

Saints

Rams

49ers (wild card)

Eagles (wild card)

[Guest]

My playoff picks are in no order, I'm not picking the wildcards or division winners. Just my 6.

 

AFC

Denver

New England

Colts

Jags

Bengals

Miami

 

NFC

 

New Orleans

Chicago

Philadelphia

San Francisco

Seattle

Carolina

[Guest •]

I didn't see "this might be the year the Cardinals are a threat" posts, did I.

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

Here are my way too early seedings:

 

AFC:

 

1. Denver

2. Indy

3. New England

4. Baltimore

5. San Diego

6. (tough call) I'll take a longshot on Miami.

 

3 teams aren't going to make it from the west, no one else from the south seems threatening, the north will beat each other up, and The Jets played waaaaay over their heads last season.

 

NFC:

 

1. Chicago

2. New Orleans

3. San Francisco (surprise, motherfuckers)

4. Philadelphia

5. New York Giants

6. Carolina

 

Chicago still has the pieces in place to win the North big again, and a pretty light schedule. Grossman is in the last year of his contract, so he's going to have to play his ass off, and either sink or swim as opposed to doing both in one of the weirdest years I've ever seen a QB have.

 

 

[Nate 0]

my Playoff Prediction no particular Order:

 

AFC:

New England

San Diego

Denver

Indy

Pittsburgh

Cincy

 

NFC:

Chicago

Carolina

Dallas

St Louis

Arizona

Minnesota

 

for some reason i see New Orleans having a major meltdown this year

 

 

 

[Guest Vitamin X]

Here are mine:

 

NFC:

1. Seattle

2. New Orleans

3. Philadelphia

4. Green Bay (Because someone's gotta win the division, and teams that lose the Super Bowl haven't made the playoffs the following season in years)

5. San Francisco

6. Tampa Bay (surprise! Gruden keeps his job)

 

The 6 seed will be a toss-up between Chicago and Tampa Bay, or maybe even St. Louis. I think the West this year surpasses the South as the toughest division in the NFC. I'm thinking Green Bay can do 10-6 this year, so it just depends on whether the Bears can do better than that or not. I have a feeling they won't, again because history says so, and because SF and Tampa Bay are hungrier and haven't lost as much, if anything they've gained some.

 

I also think Green Bay's defense this year breaks out as a true top ten defense, while Favre does a game-managing thing. Kind of like the turn of the century Miami teams, but with Marino sticking around at QB.

 

AFC:

1. Denver

2. New England

3. Pittsburgh

4. Jacksonville

5. NY Jets

6. Indianapolis/San Diego/Baltimore

 

After the first two, the quality really drops off, although Jax could be a monster on defense. Pittsburgh will make a comeback this year, make no bones about it. Maybe they even get revenge on the Pats by beating them in New England this time.

 

This'll be McNair and Favre's last seasons as well, I'm guessing.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Oh, preseason is going to be fun also- who's the big injury that gets everyone complaining they should shorten it already?

 

Here's the first casualty, by the way:

[Vern Gagne 0]

Does anyone else see resemblence between Vince Young and Brian McKnight?

[MFer 0]

AFC playoff teams:

 

1. Patriots

2. Colts

3. Chargers

4. Ravens

5. Broncos

6. Bengals

(I'd like to put the Jags in there, but I'm leery of their QB/WR play plus Taylor's an injury risk every year.)

 

NFC playoff teams:

 

1. Saints

2. Eagles

3. Seahawks

4. Bears

5. Panthers

6. Rams

(Cowboys and 49ers among the teams that just miss out.)

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

AFC

 

Colts

Patriots

Chargers

Broncos

Steelers

Ravens

 

Colts & Patriots are sure things with rather weak divisions sitting behind them. That leaves the North & West to fill out the remaining playoff teams. Chargers have had several coaching changes but there is too much talent on this team not to make the playoffs even if they don't win the division. Denver will be improved if only because Cutler now has some experience and if Plummer took this team to the Conference Championship, I refuse to believe that Cutler can't at least make them a playoff team. Especially since Kansas City has fallen off and Oakland is a non-factor. That leaves three teams in the North for two playoff spots (sorry Browns). I'm going with the Ravens & Steelers as they have fewer holes than the Bengals do, but neither can light up a team on offence like the Bengals either so it could really be any two of the three that make it.

 

 

NFC

 

Saints

Eagles

Seahawks

Packers

Panthers

Rams

 

Unlike the AFC, the NFC is a crapshoot where in a bad year all six of these teams could find themselves out of playoff contention. That said, the Saints have arguably the best offence in football right now and certainly in the NFC so I think they get in. The Eagles are the most stable team with the best coaching in a division with several teams in turmoil for various reasons. The 49ers are everybody's sleeper team this year, but Seattle is still the best team in that division or at least they are if Alexander can make through the whole or even most of the season. The Bears have gotten significantly worse in the offseason, face a hold out by one of their top defensive players and the fans are asking for the QB's head. Minnesota has a nice run D, but the worst offence and starting QB in the league. The Lions are jokes. I just can't take them seriously no matter how much it looks like they have improved. History suggests they blow it anyways. That leaves Green Bay by default, which isn't a great team but is at least the only team in the division that is actually getting better. The Panthers seem to disappoint every year, but with David Carr starting by the Canadian Thanksgiving I still think they have more talent than their wildcard opponents. The Rams are here because of talent as well. Matched up against the 49ers, Bucs, Cowboys, etc. I have to go with Bulger, SJax, Holt and company in their second year with Linehan. But really anything could happen in the NFC.

[cabbageboy 0]

I am baffled as to why quite a few people here think the Colts are going to suck or something. Unless they have some major post Super Bowl meltdown (which is more likely for a SB loser) they should be fine. They lost some guys on D but is it really a huge deal when that defense was 23rd in the league? The offense should still be crazy barring some unforseen injury.

 

Not going to predict seeding but here are the teams to make the playoffs:

 

AFC:

 

Indianapolis

New England

Cincinnati

San Diego

Baltimore

Denver

 

The Patriots will certainly be in the mix but I don't know if getting Moss will help them in some huge amount the way some think. The Bengals will finally get back on track after the Palmer injury and various off the field problems. Chargers are still going to be mega talented even with Norv Turner as coach, enough to win the division. The Ravens and Broncos will probably both end up as wildcard teams at roughly 10-6.

 

NFC:

 

This is tougher since it seems like nobody can put together consistent runs. Here goes:

 

New Orleans

Dallas

Green Bay

St. Louis

Philadelphia

Chicago

 

The Saints got a taste of success and I think can keep it going especially if they can improve at all on defense. Call me crazy but I think the Cowboys will improve on last year's 9-7 mark and win a couple more games (maybe 11-5). Packers will surprise some people since they rallied to finish 8-8 last year and just seem like one of those teams that will keep improving. The NFC West is a bizarre, crappy division but I think the Rams will win it in mediocre fashion, mainly because I just think the Seahawks are going to start fading, the Cardinals perennially suck, and the Niners aren't really there yet. Philly and Chicago as the wildcards both going 10-6 or 9-7.

[Mecca 0]

How exactly can anyone pick Kansas City as a team that is going to "fall apart"?

 

I live in Kc and the team is in full on rebuild mode.......there's nothing to fall apart, the team is overhauling and trying to get younger following the years of Vermiel and his allegiance to old players.

[MFer 0]

I guess because they made the playoffs last year.