SuperBowl Teams

Last week I thought it would be Packers over Chargers in the SuperBowl this year. After thinking about it, I decided to do more research. Turns out, there are 16 teams, or half the league, (according to associatedcontent.com) with 30-1 odds or better to win the SuperBowl. Lets take a look at each one and figure out what could either help them or keep them from winning. We will break it down by conference.

AFC

New England
Odds: 10-1
Strength: High powered passing game with top level receivers
Weakness: No running game of consistency or impact
Question: Can they protect Tom Brady enough to throw in 2 feet of snow and 30mph winds in Boston in January?
Most Important Player: Brady; can he get over the 6-year hangover from their last SuperBowl win?

New York Jets
Odds: 20-1
Strength: Confidence in a relentless defense (as long as Revis re-signs)
Weakness: 2nd year QB who threw over 20 INTs last year
Question: Finding a way to turn their arrogance into confidence and win games. What will happen if they start 2-3 or 1-4?
Most Important Player: Nick Mangold; just singed a massive contract to anchor a transitional offensive line that led them to the AFC Championship game.

Cincinnati Bengals
Odds: 30-1
Strength: Young, physical defense that loves attacking the ball.
Weakness: Swirls of controversy and ego. Long arrest record on this team
Question: There is only 1 football. Will there be enough of it to get everyone the touches they need?
Most Important Player: Carson Palmer; since his leg injury in 2006, he has not be the QB he was supposed to be.

Baltimore Ravens
Odds: 15-1
Strength: A balanced offense that got stronger in the offseason
Weakness: Their porous secondary lives and dies by the health of Ed Reed
Question: Will Ray Rice be able to have another 400 touches this year and remain healthy?
Most Important Player: Reed; the defense is in big trouble if he cannot makes plays at 100% all season long

Pittsburgh Steelers
Odds: 10-1
Strength: A healthy Troy Polamalu and Aaron Smith along with the return of Bryant McFadden brings the defense back to elite status
Weakness: No Ben Roethlisberger for the beginning of the season and a terrible offensive line
Question: Will the Roethlisberger situation hang a black cloud of distraction over the entire team and season?
Most Important Player: Polamalu; like Reed for the Ravens, he is the life blood of that defense

Indianapolis Colts
Odds: 6-1
Strength: Best QB perhaps in the history of the NFL
Weakness: Worst run game in the NFL
Question: When will Bob Sanders get hurt this year? (O/U is October 1)
Most Important Player: Peyton Manning; the team cannot win without him. It is as simple as that

Tennessee Titans
Odds: 30-1
Strength: Most electric running back in football
Weakness: Try to name 1 person on their defense. Go ahead... I'll wait.
Question: Can they find someone other than Chris Johnson to score points for them?
Most Important Player: Vince Young; everyone says he is a winner, but he is yet to win a single playoff game. Remember when he went AWOL and wanted to kill himself?

San Diego Chargers
Odds: 7-1
Strength: Phillip Rivers throws the best deep ball in the league, and has people that can go get it
Weakness: Norv Turner. Period.
Question: Can this team get it together and actually win some playoff games?
Most Important Player: Rivers; He has to step up like he did in January 2008.

NFC

Dallas Cowboys
Odds: 12-1
Strength: Great balance between offense and defense
Weakness: Aging offensive line needs to keep Tony Romo off his back.
Question: How long until the "Wade Phillips is on the hot seat" rumors start? Week 2?
Most Important Player: Demarcus Ware; needs to be able to pressure the QB without the blitz to help out the secondary

Philadelphia Eagles
Odds: 12-1
Strength: Lots of weapons on both sides of the ball
Weakness: Andy Reid is horrible at clock management, and gets "oh so close" every year.
Question: How short of a leash is Kevin Kolb on, before Philly fans start to boo him?
Most Important Player: Jeremy Maclin; DeSean Jackson will be double covered all year. Maclin will need to step up and make big plays when it matters

New York Giants
Odds: 30-1
Strength: Defensive line. Healthy again, they can cause nightmares for QBs (just ask Tom Brady)
Weakness: Offensive line. It was their best asset when the won the SuperBowl 3 years ago, now it is a liability.
Question: Will they be able to get Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw running again?
Most Important Player: Eli Manning; most predictions are they will not be running well, and will throw even more than last year

Green Bay Packers
Odds: 12-1
Strength: Best young QB in the NFL to go with plenty of people to throw to.
Weakness: Their OL was destroyed by Minnesota last year. They need to keep Aaron Rodgers upright and throwing.
Question: Can the defense force turnovers like they did last year when they lead the NFL?
Most Important Player: Rodgers; they will need him to continue to develop and come up big late in games if they want to win it all

Minnesota Vikings
Odds: 12-1
Strength: Best every down back in the NFL
Weakness: Old QB and several injuries at WR
Question: Will Brett Favre actually throw his arm out of the socket this year?
Most Important Player: Adrian Peterson; people say he has the strongest handshake ever, but he needs to protect the football.

New Orleans Saints
Odds: 10-1
Strength: Have an offensive that is more creative than any other in the NFL, and can score from anywhere on the field
Weakness: Inconsistency in the offensive and defensive backfield
Question: They have ALWAYS played as the underdog. Now they have a target on their chest. Can the live up to the challenge?
Most Important Player: Drew Brees; Saints fans are hoping that despite 10 years of evidence, the "Madden Curse" is a hoax.

Atlanta Falcons:
Odds: 30-1
Strength: Great young offense with a lot of weapons
Weakness: A defense that had lots of trouble stopping people last year
Question: Can Michael Turner stay healthy and carry the load for the entire season?
Most Important Player: Matt Ryan; Can he shave off the stubble from last season and take his team back to the playoffs.

Arizona Cardinals
Odds: 30-1
Strength: Great receivers???
Weakness: Unproven QB. Lost defensive stars. Lack of serious running game.
Question: If Matt Leinart cannot get it together this year, is all lost for him?
Most Important Player: Leniart; he needs to regain his form of 2004-05, when he completely took over college football.


So what does this leave us with? 4 of the 5 teams with the best odds are from the AFC. We have 8 teams from each conference.

The Chargers, Colts and Saints are probably bad bets for it, based on odds and history. Dallas is too high of odds at 12-1. All of the teams at 30-1, except the Giants, seem like a waste of money. I am surprised that the Jets are only 20-1, and Baltimore is only 15-1, with all of the hype that those teams are getting. At this point, I am saying the Packers, at 12-1, are the best bet. Honestly I think they will be the ones to win it all anyways, even without the odds.

NFL preview 2010

Welcome back. Football season is finally back upon us. We are but only weeks away from meaningful NFL games. I can't help but realize how little I have paid attention to football this year. Usually, by July 4th I am going nuts getting ready for football season. But this year, it was almost as if I didn't even care when it started. I thought about it and there are 6 reasons:

1) The disappointment of the Steelers season last year. They should have finished minimum 12-4, but ended up 9-7 and lost several games they should have won (Chicago, Oakland, Cleveland)
2) The never ending disaster that is Ben Roethlisberger. He got press to the point it was annoying and it gave a grim outlook to this year.
3) Brett Favre
4) The World Cup. It took my attention into the second week of July.
5) I have been busy as hell, and haven't had time to gush over the upcoming season
6) The failures of my fantasy teams last year (A LOT of injuries)

But now we are already 1 game into the preseason, Dennis Dixon looks like a steed and the team actually played well. So I now present my 2010 NFL preview. (divisional order of finish shown)

AFC East
1. New England Patriots - Team has a lot to prove after last years collapse in the playoffs
2. Miami Dolphins - One of the most fun young teams to watch. HBO's favorite mobster and the Tuna have this team going in the right direction.
3. New York Jets - This team has the perfect formula for failure: High expectations. Lots of flash. High priced, big name free agents. This never works
4. Buffalo Bills - Unless they find a way to put Ryan Miller in front of the goaline to keep teams out, it is gonna be another long, cold, snowy winter in Buffalo.

AFC North
1. Baltimore Ravens - A lot of this has to do with the health of Ed Reed, but they finally have an offense to go with that defense
2. Pittsburgh Steelers - They get Tennessee and Oakland in their 3rd place schedule. A healthy Polamalu and a defense playing with a chip on their shoulder. Plus, Bryant McFadden is back.
3. Cincinnati Bengals - See Jets, New York. Plus first place schedule (NE, IND, SD)
4. Cleveland Browns - Name represents the team. shit.

AFC South
1. Indianapolis Colts - Another year, another 12 win season for Peyton and the boys.
2. Houston Texans - 4 games without Brian "more Cushing for the pushing" against a tough schedule. They can put up the points, but can they run the ball?
3. Jacksonville Jaguars - Jack Del Rio will show just enough promise to hold onto his job... again.
4. Tennessee Titans - Chris Johnson is going to have a hard time breaking Eric Dickerson's record, when they are going to be behind all the time.

AFC West
1. San Diego Chargers - Phillip Rivers makes another run at MVP.
2. Oakland Raiders - Jason Campbell is an improvement at QB, and their running game showed flashes of promise. This team has something really going for them.
3. Kansas City Chiefs - This team has a ton of weapons, and the "fat Patriots" of old are back together.
4. Denver Broncos - They will take a step backward after the promise they showed early last year. McDaniels will be under the gun by the end of the year.

NFC East
1. Dallas Cowboys - Still the best team in the best division in football
2. New York Giants - Defensive line is healthy. Eli has the receivers this year to get it done.
3. Washington Redskins - Major recovery from last yer, but still growing.
4. Philadelphia Eagles - Kevin Kolb will be booed by Week 4.

NFC North
1. Green Bay Packers - Aaron Rodgers is the best young QB in the league, and their defense forced the most turnovers in the NFL
2. Minnesota Vikings - Team Favre is going to be good again, and I hate them for it.
3. Chicago Bears - They might be better this year, but the rest of the division is too good at the top.
4. Detroit Lions - See Bears, Chicago.

NFC South
1. Atlanta Falcons - Matt Ryan really breaks out this year, and Michael Turner stays healthy
2. New Orleans Saints - Hangovers last longer at Mardi Gras.
3. Carolina Panthers - Very young team with a lot of growing to do.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Only team in NFC worse is the Rams

NFC West
1. San Francisco 49ers - Wins games the old fashioned way. Defense, running and special teams
2. Arizona Cardinals - Matt Leinert's coming out party falls a little short, but he still gets 4,000 and 25 TDs
3. Seattle Seahawks - Pete Carroll won't have a lot to pump his fists about this year.
4. St. Louis Rams - They are the Rams

Playoff Predictions:
NFC
1. Dallas Cowboys
2. Green Bay Packers
3. Atlanta Falcons
4. San Francisco 49ers
5. Minnesota Vikings
6. New Orleans Saints

AFC
1. Indianapolis Colts
2. San Diego Chargers
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. New England Patriots
5. Pittsburgh Steelers
6. Miami Dolphins


This prediction is based on zero physical evidence. I will have a more in depth look at the SuperBowl next week.