Football Predictions 2007: AFC

Update – the blue font shows you my comments on just how badly I did with my predictions this year, as of Dec. 31, 2007.

Here’s my guesses at the AFC, the dominant conference of the NFL.

AFC North: Completely had no idea what I was talking about with this division, clearly.

1. Cincinnati (12-4): As far as offenses go, it’s between the Bengals and the Colts for the best in the NFL. I’m not quite as high on Cincy as a lot of people are, but they’ll take the division. Ended 7-9. What a big disappointment they were. This team is a wreck.
2. Baltimore (10-6): A great team, but I think their offense depends on McGahee this year, not McNair. Last year was a fluke – they’ve got a tough schedule this year. Ended 5-11! Billick has to go.
3. Pittsburgh (6-10): Pittsburgh has me baffled. They have a pretty easy first 4 games, so that might help them get some momentum. Overall, though, it won’t be a good year. Ended 10-6. OK, I was wrong overall on these guys – they’re pretty good. But, I was right about their first half being stronger, and now they’ve lost Parker.
4. Cleveland (5-11): Romeo needs to go, and Brady will be the QB by the end of the year. I think they’re getting better, but their still a cellar dweller for now. Ended 10-6. What a great surprise this has been! Jamal Lewis rises from the ashes, and Danny Anderson tells Brady to take his rookie year off. And Romeo ain’t going nowhere. What was I thinking? Kinda sucks they won’t be in the playoffs – I’d much rather watch them than the Titans.
   

AFC East: Really didn’t know what I was talking about here, either.

1. New England (11-5): Does Randy Moss really make that big a difference? Everyone is acting like he does, but I can’t buy it. They’ll still top off the division, but they aren’t the best in the AFC. Ended 16-0. Yes, Moss does make that big a difference. Enough said. Chalk one up for me on picking the winner of the division, at least.
2. New York (9-7): I think they’ll benefit more from getting to play the Bills and the Dolphins 4 times this year. I think Thomas Jones will be have a pretty big year. Ended 4-12. Jones rushed for 1,100 yards, but it didn’t matter. Only 1 TD. It actually hurt to watch the Jets this year.
3. Miami (7-9): Great schedule to start the year off. They actually have a pretty potent offense if it’s clicking. Miami is just one of those teams that can never pull it together. Ended 1-15. Did I say potent offense?
4. Buffalo (4-12): Man, this team sucks. On top of that, they have a horrendous schedule, taking on the AFC North and NFC East teams this year. Jim Kelly comeback? Ended 7-9. The Bills were a nice surprise this year, showing moments of being OK. Lynch could turn into something in the long-run.

AFC South: Other than the Titans, I was fairly close on this division. Three of the 6 AFC playoff teams are coming from the AFC South.

1. Indianapolis (12-4): They are the best in the NFL. Nothing more to say. They will repeat this year. Ended 13-3. Hey, I almost got this one right, at least. Will see if they can take the AFC away from the Pats.
2. Jacksonville (9-7): The stars aligned for them last year to get the record they did. Still a good team, and we’ll see the coming of age for Jones-Drew. Ended 11-5. Man, I can’t wait to watch these guys in the playoffs. They could beat anyone.
3. Houston (7-9): Definitely going to be a fun team to watch this year. They will be better, but there are just too many unknowns, like Schaub, Green and their offensive line. Ended 8-8. Which is a vast improvement for them. Would’ve been nice to see what they could’ve done if they were healthy all year (Schaub, Johnson, Green, etc.). Plus, Mario Williams isn’t looking like such a bad pick after all.
4. Tennessee (6-10): The Titans take a step back this year. Who am I supposed to know on this team other than Vince? Plus, no Pac-Man means no big plays on D. He won at least two big games for them last year. Ended 10-6. I don’t know how they do it, but they do. I still think they took a step back this year, but Vince, Jeff and the boys managed to make things happen.

AFC West:

1. San Diego (12-4): They just have too many weapons. We’ll see more from Rivers this year. Ended 11-5. Almost nailed this one. They’re sneaking into the playoffs after a horrible start. I’m anxious to see what happens now. I’m not that impressed with Rivers, though.
2. Denver (10-6): Great team that almost has everything together. I don’t like Travis Henry as their RB, but they always seem to make it work. Ended 7-9. Pretty disappointing for them. I thought Cutler would do more. They’re missing a running game, which is rare for Denver.
3. Kansas City (8-8): This is my team, but they have too many question marks in the preseason to give them much respect. They should’ve drafted a real QB a few years ago. It’s going to hurt them for another 3 years. Ended 4-12. This hurt. How do you lose 9 games in a row? KC is going to be rebuilding for a while.
4. Oakland (5-11): They suck, they can’t sign their draft picks, and they suck (did I say that?). Ended 4-12. They really do suck. However, they somehow managed to suck just a little less that the Chiefs.

Playoff picture: Cincinnati, New England, Indy, San Diego, Denver (wild card), Baltimore (wild card). Got 3 of the 6 teams, which were pretty much no-brainers to start the year, so I take no pride in that. My AFC predictions were absolutely horrible. 

Super Bowl winner = Indianapolis for the repeat.

Football Predictions 2007 – NFC

Update: The blue font shows you just how poorly I predicted, as of Dec. 31, 2007. 

TGINFL!

Just in case you’re wondering who my team is, this picture should help clarify. I’m not sure how my Chiefs are going to be this year – they seem a little shaky to me.

Anyway, thought I might as well list my NFC predictions for the season. I welcome plenty of banter in the comments.

NFC North:

1. Chicago (10-6): They’re lucky they’re in a weak division, cuz that’s where most of their wins will come from. I’m calling a Detroit win on Sept. 30. Ended 7-9, and in last place. Did I say weak division? For what it’s worth, Detroit did win on Sept. 30.
2. Detroit: (8-8): Kitna will be alright, and I’m anxious to see how their running game is this year. Ended 7-9. Almost got this one right on the record. However, they nose-dived into the end of the year. Kitna had a big year, but something just wasn’t clicking.
3. Green Bay (6-10): Tough schedule at the beginning of the year, but maybe they’ll make up for it later. I think it will rely on their defense. Ended 13-3. Hey, weren’t we all surprised?
4. Minnesota (5-11): Too many questions and new guys. We’ll see what Peterson adds to it. Ended 8-8. Peterson is the real deal. I think Jackson might turn out OK, too. Again, did anyone see this coming?

NFC East: 3 of the 6 NFC playoff teams come from this division.

1. Dallas (10-6): They got some real injury issues, but I still think they’re the team to beat in the East. Their first 6 games are tough, and if they can come out 3-3, then I think they can roll. Ended 13-3. Clearly, the injuries weren’t an issue, Romo is the real deal, T.O. showed why he’s so special, and the new game plan simply works. Until December, at least. I don’t like how they’re stumbling into the playoffs, but at least they one the division, and the NFC.
2. Philadelphia (9-7): Philly always figures something out, although I’m never impressed with what they put on the field. It will be interesting to see if McNabb makes it through the season, cuz Feeley can’t do what Garcia did last year. Ended 8-8. McNabb got hurt as predicted, and Feeley didn’t do what Garcia did last year, as predicted. Where will Donovan be next year? Where would the Eagles be without Westbrook?
3. New York (8-8): To me, they’re the real wild card in the East (or NFC, for that matter). Will Eli finally make his triumphant entry this year? Will Shockey and Buress last a whole season? Will Strahan be worth anything? Ended 10-6. They made the playoffs, but none of the guys mentioned had breakout years. If anything, thank Brandon Jacobs for getting them through. But they ended strong with the Pats.
4. Washington (6-10): These guys are gonna be terrible. I don’t know if Gibbs has it anymore, and their roster sucks. Ended 9-7. I guess they aren’t terrible. They had an awful year, but Gibbs pulled them through. I’m actually very scared of them if they face the Cowboys in the playoffs.

NFC South:

1. New Orleans (10-6): Yes, I have an unfair advantage having seen them play Thursday against the Colts. I think the Saints have issues, and I feel like I’m stretching too optimistic to have them at 10-6. I love me some Brees; can he lead the way? Ended 7-9. I was too optimistic, they had too many injuries, and starting 0-4 never helps. Brees is still great, though. Is Bush?
2. Tampa Bay (9-7): The Bucs need a winning season, and they’ve at least got some play-making experience at QB in Garcia. Cadillac Williams needs to return to his rookie year’s form, as well. Ended 9-7. Hey, I got one right. Surprisingly, that was enough to win the division. Earnest Graham was a nice addition after Williams went down.
3. Carolina (7-9): I’d love to see Delhomme get injured and Carr just go off now that he might not get sacked every other down. Nothing special here. Ended 7-9. Got another one right. And I partially got my wish with Delhomme getting hurt. Unfortunately, it didn’t stop there. I can’t believe they managed to win 7 games.
4. Atlanta (6-10): I think Vick leaving is going to be good for them – he’s the most overrated player in the game. But it’s going to take its toll, and Pitrino is going to have to be patient as they learn his offense. Fun to watch, but not many wins. Ended 4-12. As if losing your star QB isn’t enough, they had to deal with their coach leaving, too. If you’re a Falcons fan, try to just erase this season from your memory, and enjoy the rebuilding process.

NFC West:

1. St Louis (11-5): Strong team with all the pieces in place. I think they’re the team to beat in the NFC. Ended 3-13. Can injuries really hurt you this much? Out of all my crazy predictions, this one sucks the most. Shouldn’t Bulger + Jackson + good receivers = success?
2. Arizona (9-7): Arizona starts putting it together this year, and Leinart has a breakout season. Ended 8-8. Who’s Leinart?
3. Seattle (8-8): Their dominance comes to an end this year. Ended 10-6. Dominance is still rolling, as they quietly dominated to end the season. Can the Skins beat them in the first round?
4. San Francisco (7-9): San Fran is going to be good this year, but they play in what’s probably going to be the most competitive division in the NFC for the next 3-4 years. Ended 5-11. Wrong on them being good. Alex Smith is a bust, and Gore might be, too.

As as for the playoffs, here are your teams, with my prediction for the Super Bowl representative:

Dallas, New Orleans, Chicago, St. Louis, Arizona (wild card), Philly (wild card). I only got one of these teams right. Horrible.

St. Louis in the Super Bowl. Do I really need to address this?

Has Michael Vick Really Found Jesus?

Vick mentioned in his press conference today that he has gone to Jesus for forgiveness, that it seems to be the right thing to do as of right now.

So how do you react to that?

Most of us Christians probably don’t believe him. In fact, I assume everybody, Christian or non, doesn’t believe him. It seems a little too convenient. A little too contrived. A little too well-timed.

But here’s the question: why should be shocked that someone turns to God when they’ve hit rock-bottom?

• The Apostle Paul did it heading down Damascus road.
• Jacob did it and ended up wrestling with the angel (or some thing Jesus himself).
• Moses was a murderer and living an almost pointless life out in the desert.
• Peter had been exposed to Christ more than anyone and ended up selling him out and completely denying that he ever knew him.

Time and time again, people find God when they have nothing else. Is it convenient? Is it well-timed? Well, yeah. But that’s not always the motivation. When it’s real, it’s usually more motivated by realizing we are at the end of what we’re capable of, and we need someone else to get us out of the mess we’re in.

The thing that will really rack your brain is to consider that God actually ordains situations to get us to this point, knowing that, otherwise, it will never happen. He loves us so much that he’ll guide us through temporary pains so we can come out looking to Him rather than to ourselves.

And the fringe benefits of being in the midst of His love are nothing less than abundant life now and eternal life with Him.

I don’t know if Vick is the real deal or not. Unfortunately, we’ve seen too many athletes “play the Jesus card” and it’s jaded us. What I do know is that it’s not out of the question to find Jesus in the valley. In fact, it’s much more like the norm than the exception.

Prediction: the Chiefs and Marty Together Again

With Marty Schottenheimer out of work for a year, a want to make this prediction well in advance:

After the 2007 season, the Chiefs fire Coach Herm Edwards and hire (again) Marty. Marty-ball is just what Larry Johnson needs, and I don’t think Herm is gonna do the trick. Hope I’m wrong.

Oh, and since the schedule is now released, I’ll go ahead and make an ill-advised prediction of the Chiefs record next year: 9-7.

The Final Drew Brees Installment

OK, for those of you who don’t care about the Drew Brees Charity golf tournament, just skip this one.

But for those of you who do, I thought I’d let you in on how it all went down. To catch up, be sure to read the first and second post in this series.

Basically, the tournament was amazing. It started on Sunday night in San Diego with a party, and then golf on Monday and Tuesday. As you can see in the picture here, I got a chance to be the “official scorer” for NFL greats Jon Kitna, Carson Palmer and Dominic Raiola. Riding around for 18 holes alone with those guys was a true pleasure. I rode with Jon Kitna, and that guy is class act, as well as a firm believer. He mentioned how he came to know Christ, his ministry plans for after he retires and lots of other stuff. Really had a good time. Lots of people have asked me about Carson Palmer, since he’s a pretty big-name guy. He was cool. Not quite as personable as Jon, but then again I wasn’t riding with him all day, either. They’re both great golfers. I did get to witness a few clubs getting thrown around the course, which reminds me a lot of what happens when I play.

Here are some other highlights from the tournament:

• The point of the tournament (besides raising money for charity) was to determine the best individual golfer in the NFL and the best NFL golfing team. The winner was Trent Dilfer, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers (and, ironically, AdvoCare endorser). He shot a 72 on Tuesday on the toughest golf course I’ve ever seen in my life. The 49ers also proved to be the best team in the NFL, namely because of Trent, Alex Smith and Chris Heatherington.
• This thing was a who’s who of NFL great – Ladanian Tomlinson, Reggie Bush, Drew Brees, Carson Palmer, Alex Smith, Junior Seau, Andre Reed, Donnie Edwards, just to name a few.
• The AdvoCare Distributors were pretty cool during the whole tournament, and they shot some great golf. Thanks to you guys for making it really cool.
• Drew Brees is the best. I can’t think of a better guy to be associated with. His team of helpers was great, too.

The other interesting thing was how well our branding opportunities there were (that being AdvoCare’s). We didn’t think we’d get to get our name out there too much, but our logo was everywhere, as were our people. In fact, we were giving away gym bags filled with an Under Armour shirt and AdvoCare product to all of the players (about 150 total). Derek Smith, linebacker for the 49ers, actually turned it down, claiming he had enough bags and enough shirts. Then, he asked if there was AdvoCare product in there. I said yes, of course, and that’s all he wanted. He actually asked if he could have a little more. I was amazed that he turned down about $70 worth of freebies for about $8 worth of nutritional products. It really speaks to how pro athletes value the safety and efficacy of AdvoCare products.

Update to the Drew Brees Charity Golf Tournament

Hey all – for those of you who care and have been keeping up, just know the Drew Brees Charity Golf Tournament was an amazing experience, and seemed to go close to flawlessly. Unfortunately, I can’t upload my digital pics until I get back to Dallas (I’m still in San Diego), so I’ll save most of the details for that. But for now, keep checking The Professional Open homepage - results should show soon. I’ll give you a hint – the winner was an AdvoCare endorsers (and it’s not Drew Brees).

More to come when I can get my visual aids squared away -

Drew Brees Charity Golf Tournament

I’ll try to tell you this without sounding like too much of a namedropper or starstruck. In the morning, I’m on my way to San Diego with my company, AdvoCare, as we do our duties as the title sponsor for the The Professional Open. This is a golf tournament for NFL players put on by the Brees Dream Foundation, a charitable foundation led by Drew Brees and his wife Brittany. Update: Here is a post for the results.

These videos pretty much explain the whole thing:

I’m hoping to get some pictures during the week, so keep checking. Obviously, I’m pretty pumped about it, and pumped to be a part of the company that’s supporting something like this. Don’t think I’ll actually get to play golf (they don’t seem to need a guy who, on a good day, shoots 98), but it will be fun all the same.

Norv comes out on top

So after all the hoopla of Norv Turner possibly making his way to Valley Ranch to coach the Cowboys, he’s landed the job in San Diego.

The team that most of us thought would be in the Super Bowl last year.

The team with the best offensive weapon the league has seen in a while. (Tomlinson)

The team that probably has the most promising young quarterback. (Rivers)

The team with the best and most prolific tight end in the game (Gates – no offense to Tony G.).

The team with probably the best offensive line in the game.

And a team with one of the best defenses in the league, assuming they’ll survive without Wade Phillips.

It’s a great deal for Norv. He’s a modern-day offensive genius who now has all the tools he needs to do his thing. Maybe pick up a great  receiver just to provide some icing on the cake. But he’s set. And as appetizing as I’m sure Dallas was with its offensive tools (Romo, Jones, Owens, Whitten), it also has some big areas of concern (Romo, Jones, Owens and the O-Line).

So, congrats to Turner. I think he came out on top, and it’s going to be even more fun to watch him run what’s already one of the best offenses in the league.

What will become of Julius?

And Marion, for that matter?

With all the excitement and speculation about Wade Phillips being the new head coach in Dallas, Jason Garrett taking over as offensive coordinator, the Cowboys sticking to the 3-4, and Romo having a chance to develop, I’m actually most interested in what’s going to happen for the running backs.

You’ve got Julius Jones, who rushed for over 1,000 yards this last year, didn’t score much, and was a pretty by-the-book runner. Some even argue that Parcells trained him more in the ways of “just run the play – don’t lose yards” rather than “improvise when needed and chance finding the big hole.” What’s going to happen to Julius under a new offense? I don’t know if we’ve seen everything he’s capable of; maybe we have. And, why doesn’t he return kicks? He’s Notre Dame’s all-time leading punt-returner.

And what about Marion Barber? Big Bill loved him in the red zone, and he had some really good looks during the season. Definitely knows how to smash it up the middle. But could he carry a full load? How many of those TDs could Julius have scored if he had been given the chance in the red zone?

It will be interesting to see what Garrett makes of all this, if he sticks to the two-back system as much as Parcells did.

An Even Better First for the Super Bowl

I thought Colts’ Coach Tony Dungy’s answer to questions about being the first black head coach to win the Super Bowl was outstanding. Here’s the full story, in case you missed it.

Three observations:

1. Obviously, it’s amazing when a man of character and integrity like Dungy proclaims so unmistakenly his faith in Christ.
2. Both Dungy and Smith obviously understand the significance of being the first two black head coaches to be in a Super Bowl. But they did not fan the flame that the media was trying to set ablaze. They know it’s most important to be respected for their faith and character and accomplishments among all mankind before they are recognized under the subset of a race.
3. Why would Bloomberg skip the part in the quote about “doing it the Lord’s way?” What does that tell you about Bloomberg? What could you tell Bloomberg about it? Here’s a link to their feedback page, just in case you want to give them some. I am.