Friday, September 10, 2010

2010 NFL Season Preview Mania

A few (sort of belated) thoughts on the 2010 NFL season:

*There isn't a scenario where there can be an ending as dramatic as last season's -- the historically woeful Saints winning a championship, with the key play an unlikely onside kick that I consider to be the single greatest play in the history of the NFL. Anything -- everything -- after that is a let-down, including (perhaps especially) a Saints repeat.

*However, I am a sucker for repeats in sports and think the Saints will repeat as NFC champs.

*I probably should take the Colts in the AFC, but I want to reward the Ravens for upgrading their passing to match the terrific Ray Rice on the ground (plus the D).

*No team is more worth watching than the Jets -- Rex Ryan proved that during this season of "Hard Knocks."

*For a long time this summer, I was honestly thinking that Tim Tebow had a shot at NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year -- say, if he scored 7-10 TDs on single-wing plays, plus made all sorts of other key plays, like short-yardage 1st-downs. I'm not convinced Josh McDaniels is ballsy/innovative enough to use him that aggressively, which would -- of course -- change my prediction. The safer bet is CJ Spiller.

*I fully expect Sam Bradford to break in half before the season is over. It's not that I think he'll play 16 games, which is a struggle for even the heartiest QB; it's that I don't think he'll make it through six.

*Things will not go nearly as well for Brett Favre this season as they did last season. And Donovan McNabb will be a flop in DC. (T.O. in Cincinnati, on the other hand, will do really well.)

*Big Ben's return in Week 5 will be one of the Top 3 biggest events of the season. It shouldn't be, but it will be.

Season Predictions:

NFC East: Giants (WC: Cowboys)
NFC North: Packers
NFC South: Saints (WC: Falcons)
NFC West: 49ers
NFC Champ: Saints

AFC East: Pats (WC: Jets)
AFC North: Ravens (WC: Steelers)
AFC South: Colts
AFC West: Chargers
AFC Champ: Ravens

Super Bowl: Ravens over Saints

What are you picking?

-- D.S.

1 comment:

Saucy is... said...

I picked exactly as you did for the playoff picks yesterday. I can't imagine any other teams actually making it to the playoffs - they're all so dismal. Though I was loathe to pick the Steelers - I think Ben will come back big just to prove to the world he doesn't suck (even though he does).