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Chiefs.
I think the Chiefs had a terrible string of injuries last year to start the season. With Cassel and Charles out, plus several other key players hurt before the season even started, no one expected them to do as well as they actually did last season, which wasnt great, and certainly didnt match the 10-6(?) record they scored in 2010, but was better than I and others expected. Do I think they are AFC contenders? Nah. AFC west contenders? Sure. With weapons like Charles and Hillis, Bowe and Baldwin to support Cassel (not a great qb, but much better than anything they had last season) they have a shot at the division.Chargers.
GReat Talent on both sides of the ball still, though not on par with previous recent years. With Gates and Mathews healthy, and a bit of a resurgence from Rivers, who knows? (admittedly a bunch of iffy ifs) However, They are still handicapped by having Norv still at the helm.Raiders
A much improved defense in Oakland, and some badly needed secondary help to me elevates them to actually being the favorite, in my humble and not widely shared opinion. Great D line, decent O line, improved secondary. They also have some solid and emerging weapons on offense with guys like Streeter and Taiwan Jones whom I consider impact unknowns (and fantasy sleepers) mixed with McFadden, Jacoby Ford and a fleet WR corp to stretch things out. If Palmer limits his INTs the Raiders look to be eliminated on Wildcard weekend instead of the final reg season game like last year.Broncos
Man, there is alot of hype on these guys for this year and it all revolves around Peyton. Let us assume he stays healthy, I just dont think his recievers are as good as many on here do. If Thomas hadnt caught that ball that ended the Steelers' playoffs, most of us outside of Denver still wouldnt know who he is, and his route precision is subpar atm, which plays away from Manning's strengths. I like Decker, but he is a possession receiver mediocre as opposed to extraordinaire (some will vehemently deny this, time will tell). Tamme is a decnt TE, and McGahee is sorta kinda meh, alot rides on Peyton to carry this team. Se my previous post concerning their lower tier defense. If the QB is healthy and on par with his career averages, they have a shot. I see this as a 3rd or last place team. Fire away

Broncos added a lot of people to their defense, and you forgot they added Joel Dressen in addition to Tamme
Raiders may have improved their secondary, but they lost Kameron Wimbley from their linebacking.
Chiefs, Cassel played a bit last year, not a whole lot, but a bit. No mention by you of Eric Berry's injury as being a reason for their failure.
So... watching the pre-season exhibition sv the 49ers.... still not feeling great about them? that they're over hyped?
I agree with your previous posts about the anti-Tebowness, and so blah bloah for their defense. But, Tebow put them in a position where even though the broncos ran the ball a lot, and that burns time, they went 3 and out QUITE a bit, the defense was on the field for more time of the game than most team's defenses. 2ndly, the field position, so yeah that def helps put them in that lower 1/3 defense area of the NFL.
But, your method of assessing the defense isn't the best either. for example you said they were 20th in yards per game. Detroit whom people would say had a better defense, 23rd. Superbowl winners New York, people would say was a better defense as well, 27th. Oakland, whom you're praising for their defense, 29th.
Denver added Mike Adams whom had a great year in Cleveland and helped them be a top 10 defense last season. as well as a few veteran linebacks, brooking jumps to mind. Also, don't know how much of Derek Wolfe you've seen, but he seems legit. (their safeties are garbage though)
I wish there was morfoucs on the NFCWest. I don't think SF wins that division on a silver platter like everyone says.
Seattle made m

made what?

and yeah I had to revise that cause there was barely room

(stupid cutting off, it showed fine on mine.... sigh)


Seattle made me think, SF isn't the clear favorite in that division anymore. I know ESPN and everyone thinks SF just has a playoff spot on a silver platter basically....

but with them having already a ...alright-good defense...

then adding in offseason, Kellen Winslow Jr. (600-800 yards receiving), Braylon Edwards (800-1000), Terrell Owens (prob around 600), thats a ton of offense. Also, Owens, Edwards, Winslow are all good blockers (excellent in winslow's case), for the run game as well. Marshawn Lynch had a great year last year, with this added bonus, maybe even better.

These guys join an offense that already had good production out of Golden tate, Sidney Rice, and Zach Miller.
2 TE sets... Miller and Winslow, receivers out there... Lynch running....

Wilson or Flynn, whomever. I think just about any quarterback (Alex Smith included) could take that team to the playoffs. I definitely think they win a wildcard... possibly the division.

well at Least the Texans already got the division won on a silver platter

Obviously I am not going to mention every single addition to the broncos. OK, they also added Dressen, takes away nor adds anything to my point.

Wimbley is gone, have you seen Burris?

I didnt mention Berry specifically, and the post was long enough without going into detail on each and every injury. You cannot find an analyst who will say the Chiefs werent devastated by injury on both sides of the ball last year. That was my point. I mentioned Cassel, Charles and added "and several other players". Did my not mentioning Berry's name actually change the message, or was it just a ticky tack counter statement?

You are really putting faith in preseason games as if they represent how the reg season will go? Rams went 4-0 last preseason, Miami, Philly and Washington went 3-1, 49ers came in last in their division in preseason record last season. It is preseason and todays exhibition means nothing, not one thing.

I said Oaklands defense is much improved and particulalrly their secondary. They came one win from the playoffs with arguably the worst CBs in the game, now they are better. Who told you Detroit had a good defense? They were among the very worst in passing yard given up last season. Giants had an extremely pourous pass defense as well. Brooking? the guy is what, 36? He will be 37 in Oct. If your defensive improvement is pinned on him, I feel good about my assesment

While Denver did face the 6th most plays from scrimmage on the defense, they werent steller on total yards per play against either, coming in 16th in that category, pretty mediocre in my book. Denver is by no means the worst defense around, but I also dont think thery are anything special, and we wont know until the games are played. I could very easily be completely wrong about them this year, but I stand by my assessment of them last year. Heck, they were mediocre in the stats and they played anemic offenses in Oak and KC twice. Just not as impressive as the 'Denver won on defense" pundits claim. Ho hum at best

Seattle made me think, SF isn't the clear favorite in that division anymore. I know ESPN and everyone thinks SF just has a playoff spot on a silver platter basically....

but with them having already a ...alright-good defense...

then adding in offseason, Kellen Winslow Jr. (600-800 yards receiving), Braylon Edwards (800-1000), Terrell Owens (prob around 600), thats a ton of offense. Also, Owens, Edwards, Winslow are all good blockers (excellent in winslow's case), for the run game as well. Marshawn Lynch had a great year last year, with this added bonus, maybe even better.

These guys join an offense that already had good production out of Golden tate, Sidney Rice, and Zach Miller.
2 TE sets... Miller and Winslow, receivers out there... Lynch running....

Wilson or Flynn, whomever. I think just about any quarterback (Alex Smith included) could take that team to the playoffs. I definitely think they win a wildcard... possibly the division.

Funny thing is that last season people werent riding the 49er wagon until they started rolling. Few picked them as division winners to start the season. Chemistry goes a long way, I suppose.

Owens got cut today. I was very disappointed that the Seahawks didnt take advantage of Miller last year, he is much better receiver than his 2011 stats show. If Skittles stays healthy and their QB is better than last year (would really have to be by default) I too consider them contenders for the division. Good call.

well at Least the Texans already got the division won on a silver platter :)

Yeah. all they have to do is outplay the Titans (Oilers). Should be a gimme

Owens cut.... eh... sad, do lose some of my projected production...
but winslow and edwards, younger, bigger adds anyways

to your other post. Yeah. I'm a browns fan, Phil Taylor's injury there goes our alredy suspect run defense, offense is still hidieous

I have not seen much of Burris... but, still hurts losing Wimbley, like... the Texans (for Toiugh's sake), still a solid solid defense... but losing Williams, definitely hurts.

In terms of brookings age, typically older linebackers and O-lineman are better. No disrespect to Clay Matthews, Patrick Willis etc. But Urlacher, Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, James Harrison etc.play just as bit as good and are older.

Alex Smith was the 49ers bandwagon problem. I think the rams are improved.... but still no weapons really offensively outside S-Jax, whom is losing effectiveness.

I dunno, I just get the vibe that this year, is the year we don't have the 5in 5 out effect.

I have a hard time agreeing with you concerning LBs. Guys like Urlacher and Lewis, while still excellent players, are not what they used to be. They also tend to get injured much more. Urlacher didnt miss a snap for years, now he cant stay on the field. Who would you rather have, Urlacher at 27, or now? Lewis at 27, or now? Nothing but respect for Brooking, but Atlanta didnt let him go because of cap space.

Trust me, I have been a 'Dump Alex Smith and move on" guy for years, but much to my consternation, he was nothing short of awesome last year. Having said that I do not have Smith on one single fantasy team, not even as a backup (where he belongs on a fantasy roster) and I have 40 different fantasy teams.

Wimbley was good, but I (being an obvious Raiders fan even though I live 20 miles from San Diego) have absolutely no fear of the Raiders' front 7 not doing their jobs well. Counter to my preseason means nothing argument that I cart out when it suits me, the Raiders' young LB corps looks friggin awesome. Marcellus Wiley of ESPN concurs, and if an ex Cowboy great says it, it HAS to be true (giggles).

Last edited by buzzerbeatme at 8/26/2012 7:58:27 PM

Lb for Lb. I wish Cleveland had Oakland's D-line. Period.

I don't envy your WR situation, but hey, I'm in no room to talk either...

I think the Raiders, if they can get something at WR should be a favorite. Between them, the best punter in NFL, Janikowski (I feel the best kicker in nfl), and their front 7. they are tough.

Although, I also, am not one to just toss out Manning because he missed last season due to injury. And, as the Lions, Packers, etc. pretty much almost every Superbowl winning team recently has proven... you don't need a good defense to win an SB. Just be able to outscore your opponents.

I think the Ravens were the last, with a young Ray Lewis (who got away with murder that same year)


:edit: not that lions won superbowl, just that last year they were a good team.

Last edited by LBJisaCancer at 8/26/2012 7:58:36 PM

I have a hard time agreeing with you concerning LBs. Guys like Urlacher and Lewis, while still excellent players, are not what they used to be. They also tend to get injured much more. Urlacher didnt miss a snap for years, now he cant stay on the field. Who would you rather have, Urlacher at 27, or now? Lewis at 27, or now? Nothing but respect for Brooking, but Atlanta didnt let him go because of cap space.

Trust me, I have been a 'Dump Alex Smith and move on" guy for years, but much to my consternation, he was nothing short of awesome last year. Having said that I do not have Smith on one single fantasy team, not even as a backup (where he belongs on a fantasy roster) and I have 40 different fantasy teams.

Wimbley was good, but I (being an obvious Raiders fan even though I live 20 miles from San Diego) have absolutely no fear of the Raiders' front 7 not doing their jobs well. Counter to my preseason means nothing argument that I cart out when it suits me, the Raiders' young LB corps looks friggin awesome. Marcellus Wiley of ESPN concurs, and if an ex Cowboy great says it, it HAS to be true (giggles).

Younger LBs don't read the offense and predict the plays as well, thats all.