We have been patient the entire summer and September means we are finally rewarded with football… glorious football. This season brings new hope for thirty-two NFL teams and while San Diego, New England, Indianapolis and Dallas are overwhelming favorites to win a championship, the Giants proved last year that the Super Bowl winner can be anyone’s guess.
AFC East: The chances the Patriots lose this division are about as good as George Bush becoming our next president. Although the Pats won their first eighteen games last year, this year they should come out with a chip on their shoulders after losing their last. The Dolphins begin the Bill Parcells era and the Bills are also loaded with question marks. Not much is expected from either of them. The Jets, however, will have a significantly new look. Brett Favre traded one green uniform for another and has decided to continue his career under center for the Jets. This move, at a minimum, will make a Patriots-dominated division slightly more interesting.
AFC North: The Browns finally gave their fans something to cheer about as they finished 10-6 and barely missed the playoffs. Traditional division rivals, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, both return strong teams. The Steelers should prove they’re the class of the division while Bengal fans hope their team can finally live up to expectations. Their offense is as potent as any in the league, however, continued mediocrity will mean it’s only a matter of time before Chad Johnson opens his mouth. The Ravens will continue their quarterback search and should reside near the bottom of the division.
AFC South: Indianapolis is once again the favorite to win this division, however, the Jaguars remain a worthy adversary. Unfortunately for Jacksonville, Peyton Manning is still a Colt. With all four teams in the division finishing .500 or better last season, the Titans and Texans have proven they will not go quietly. Titan fans want to see how Vince Young, entering his third season, will lead this team while the expansion Houston Texans can no longer be considered a bye.
AFC West: Could this finally be the Chargers year? They cleared a major post-season hurdle last year by winning in Indianapolis, but came up short against New England. The Chargers should win this division but Denver, Kansas City and Oakland stand in their way. Denver, 7-9 last year, had their most disappointing season in recent memory and look to return to their usual form. Kansas City should be improved but is still rebuilding. A young Oakland Raiders team led by JaMarcus Russell and Darren McFadden could turn some heads.
NFC East: Long considered the most competitive division in football, this season should prove no exception. The Cowboys, Giants, Eagles and Redskins all have the talent to win their division, if not the Super Bowl. While Dallas is the prohibitive favorite, the Giants want to prove they’re no one-hit wonder. The Redskins look to new head coach, Jim Zorn, and young quarterback Jason Campbell to lead the way. Philadelphia still led by Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb will try to return to Super Bowl form.
NFC North: This division will have a different look this year with Brett Favre no longer in Green Bay. As Aaron Rodgers takes his place, rest assured his every move will be scrutinized. Minnesota hopes Adrian Peterson can build upon his successful rookie campaign. Chicago still has quarterback issues and could be a long way away from solving them. Detroit has a talented roster but after predicting a ten-win season last year, Jon Kitna remained conspicuously quiet this summer.
NFC South: While NFC East teams stage weekly battles for division supremacy, the NFC South rivalries pale in comparison. While Tampa Bay won the division last year, the Saints are likely to rebound from a sub-par season, pending a healthy Deuce McAllister. The Panthers, only four seasons removed from a Super Bowl, try to figure out how things have gone wrong. The Falcons begin life after Michael Vick and will look to their future, Matt Ryan, to lead the way.
NFC West: Seattle, sans Shaun Alexander, embark upon their last season under coach Mike Holmgren. While this could be the season fans finally see the Arizona Cardinals live up to their potential, Matt Leinart will have to put down the beer bong first. In San Francisco, the Alex Smith experiment continues as RB Frank Gore remains the star of the offense. St Louis will look to rebound from a year where they were unable to keep any opponent out of the end zone.
Keywords: NFL
