NFL Week 2 Recap 2015 (September 23rd)

Week 2 of the NFL is in the books and it has been a very important one with key injuries to some of the teams expecting to challenge for the Super Bowl and some surprising 0-2 teams.

Some things haven't changed in the NFL though, and I will discuss those soon, while I try and figure whether we are about to see some big changes in other franchises.

Without further ado, let's get on with my Week 2 Recap as well as the Power Rankings and Week 2 Picks breakdown.

New England Still the Team to Beat in the AFC East

I was really looking forward to seeing how the Buffalo Bills would do against the New England Patriots in Week 2 and genuinely believed the home team could lay down a marker and show this is going to be anything but the usual cakewalk for the Patriots in the AFC East this season.

Beating down the Indianapolis Colts and getting the game at home meant there was a lot of talking in Buffalo this week and many of the 'wiseguys' in Vegas were also backing the Bills to record a statement win.

I guess we all should have learned that you simply can't disregard New England while Tom Brady is Quarter Backing the team and Number 12 was pretty spectacular against a Defense that could be one of the best in the NFL. They didn't look that way on Sunday as New England tagged Buffalo for 42 points and once again highlighted that there is only so far you can go with a Quarter Back that has struggled for a home through his career in Tyrod Taylor.

The Pats have put a big rival in the AFC East in their place and they would have enjoyed seeing the Miami Dolphins lay an egg in a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. There are issues with the coaching staff and the players in Miami and that looks a situation that could potentially get ugly very quickly despite some good moves in Free Agency and the Draft.

Even the 2-0 and New York Jets won't really worry New England because Ryan Fitzpatrick simply is never far away from bombing out and I do think the Patriots can dominate this Division again.

After the excitement of going into Week 2 with every team at 1-0 in the Division and Buffalo looking like a real contender to knock off New England, Week 3 looks to have a much more familiar feel for the fans in the AFC East.

Is the Drew Brees/Sean Payton Era over in New Orleans?

I am a big fan of Drew Brees and one of the biggest regrets has to be when my team the Dolphins passed him over in favour of Daunte Culpepper ten years ago because they believed the Quarter Back's shoulder was shot.

Brees proved he was far from done and found the perfect home in New Orleans along with Head Coach Sean Payton, a partnership that led to a Super Bowl win.

Father Time remains undefeated though and New Orleans have made some moves which suggested that they are perhaps rebooting things here, while some reports suggested they would try and move on from Brees at the end of the season. There is also a power struggle going on behind the scenes between Tom Benson and Rita Benson whereby the latter winning could see Sean Payton walk as Head Coach.

He might not need to walk if the 0-2 Saints can't turn things around after an embarrassing home defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, especially as Brees looked to have damaged his shoulder in that loss. The rumour mill believes Brees could be missing time on the field and that is only going to make the decision to reboot and move on from the Quarter Back that much easier especially if he is to miss extended time.

No one will ever doubt Brees' position at the franchise and he will never have to buy another drink in New Orleans, but I am starting to wonder if this is the beginning of the end of the Brees/Payton partnership. I wouldn't be surprised if New Orleans just take the hit on the Brees contract, because they are unlikely to find too many trading partners on his current deal, at the end of the season, but his departure could easily coincide with Payton's if the Saints can't pick themselves up and start winning games.

Can the Dallas Cowboys Overcome Key Injuries to Win the NFC East?

The Dallas Cowboys are up to 2-0 thanks to a second Divisional win in consecutive weeks, but losing one of the two pictured players would have been a blow... Losing both could make it very tough for Dallas to be in a position to win this Division by the time both Tony Romo and Dez Bryant return.

Bryant was lost after Week 1 and could miss up to 12 weeks with a foot injury according to some reports, while Romo broke his collarbone for the second time in his career in Week 2 and is likely to be out for up to 8 weeks.

Those are some huge losses for Dallas and I don't think there will be too many out there proclaiming their belief in Brandon Weedon as the starting Quarter Back as Jerry Jones did on Tuesday.

It only magnifies the decision to let DeMarco Murray walk in Free Agency (Dallas did offer him enough money to stay, but Murray ultimately felt unloved) as the Cowboys haven't been as effective running the ball without him. They need to establish a running game to give Weedon as much support as possible, while the Defense needs to keep up the play they have produced for much of the first two weeks.

Reinforcements on that unit look to return in the next few weeks so Dallas might be relying on Weedon to manage them through games, but the Arizona Cardinals showed how difficult that can be last season after losing Carson Palmer. The Dallas Offensive Line should be able to open more holes to at least run the ball and keep the team in third and manageable, but none of the Running Backs on the depth chart have looked capable of making up for Murray's loss.

The schedule isn't kind to Dallas in the coming weeks as they face the likes of Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, the New York Giants, the Seattle Seahawks and the Philadelphia Eagles without Romo and Bryant, while the game in New Orleans is always a tough test (well it was before New Orleans lost 6 in a row there).

Dallas could easily be 4-5 by the time Tony Romo is back, but the back end of the schedule is manageable and I don't doubt the Cowboys can make it back to the Play Offs.

One benefit for them has to be the Division and the fact the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles are both 0-2 and no one really believes in the Washington Redskins even at 1-1. It doesn't look a Division that would see anyone pull away from Dallas even if they are 4-5 going into Week 11 and so I still believe they can overcome injuries and get back to the Play Offs.

Chip Kelly Under Pressure to get Things Right in Philadelphia

When Chip Kelly won the battle behind the scenes to effectively take over as General Manager as well as Head Coach of the Philadelphia Eagles this off-season, he was automatically under more pressure to make sure he makes the right moves.

Kelly is clearly very confident in his system, but to jettison names like LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin, as well as making big changes on the Offensive Line and trade away Nick Foles for Sam Bradford meant he couldn't afford a poor start to the season.

A 0-2 type start.

The kind of start the Eagles have made.

It was an ugly loss to the Dallas Cowboys at home in Week 2 as DeMarco Murray continues to struggle to find the running lanes that the Dallas Cowboys opened for him last season, while Bradford was horrible at Quarter Back. The Defense tried to play their part, but it is the Offense that Kelly has been come to known for and their failure is a reflection on the Head Coach/General Manager.

Troy Aikman made the point on Sunday that the Eagles have only played two good Quarters out of the eight they have competed in this season and the pressure is going to come down on Kelly.

Missing the Play Offs last season was a big disappointment, but when you make the moves Kelly did in chasing some big names out of town you can't afford a poor season. The Philadelphia fans have been known for being an impatient bunch who are quick to voice their displeasure and returning back to Lincoln Financial Field at less than 2-2 might see Kelly hear it all from the stands.

Which 0-2 Team is Best Placed to Make the Play Offs?

There is a statistic that says that only 12% of teams who start the season 0-2 will go on and make the Play Offs (since 1990) and there are a number of pre-season favourites that have fallen into that hole.

The Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks have all lost their first two games.

Four of those teams made the Play Offs last season, while the Colts and Seahawks was a favourite Super Bowl pick of many.

Baltimore have regularly been a Play Off team in recent seasons and many expected the New Orleans Saints to bounce back from a disappointing 2014 season, but it simply hasn't worked out for these teams.

So which has the best chance to overcome the odds and join the 12% who have made the Play Offs?

I'd have to go with the Indianapolis Colts to overcome some real conflicts behind the scenes between Ryan Grigson and Chuck Pegano because of the terrible Division they play in. Andrew Luck has feasted on the AFC South teams since coming into the NFL and no team has won both games in the Division so they look to have the best chance of turning things around.

The Seattle Seahawks will find it tough to beat out the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC West if Carson Palmer remains healthy, while the Baltimore Ravens have to beat the Cincinnati Bengals this week, although both can fight back for Wild Card spots.

Philadelphia and the New York Giants will have seen Dallas hurt badly by injuries so are also far from finished, but I would pick the Indianapolis Colts if I was told that only one of the nine teams at 0-2 will be making the Play Offs at the end of the season.

Top Ten

1) Green Bay Packers (2-0): They only beat the NFC Champions from last season which gives them the confidence to go on and earn the Number 1 Seed in the NFC this time around.

2) Arizona Cardinals (2-0): I think the Cardinals are still severely under-rated in some circles and this is a team that can win it all if they have better health than last season.

3) New England Patriots (2-0): I almost put them up to Number 2 after an impressive beat down of the Buffalo Bills on the road, but the New England Patriots remain in this spot as the team to beat in the AFC.

4) Denver Broncos (2-0): Peyton Manning looked so much more comfortable running his own Offense out of the shotgun, but will Gary Kubiak change his mind about his own system.

5) Atlanta Falcons (2-0): Matt Ryan's Offensive Line needs to be a little more solid, but the Falcons have looked better on both sides of the ball compared with 2014.

6) Cincinnati Bengals (2-0): Andy Dalton and the Cincinnati Bengals seem to be a dark horse at this stage of the season, but they will have to prove themselves going forward to remain as high as I have them.

7) Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1): The Offense looks like it is about to get more dangerous with Le'Veon Bell returning to team duties, but it is the Defense that will hold back Pittsburgh.

8) Dallas Cowboys (2-0): Injuries to Tony Romo and Dez Bryant means I had to drop them down the Rankings, but the Dallas Cowboys could still be the team to beat in the NFC East.

9) Indianapolis Colts (0-2): I can't see the Colts playing as badly as they have in the first couple of games, but they need to prove it on the field with a Divisional game at Tennessee this week.

10) Seattle Seahawks (0-2): There were signs that the Seahawks are still going to be amongst the contenders in their loss to the Packers, but I would be worried by another Fourth Quarter lead given up.

Bottom Five

32) Chicago Bears (0-2): Two home losses, albeit to the teams I consider amongst the best in the NFL, and an injury to Jay Cutler and Alshon Jeffery means the Chicago Bears might take some turning around.

31) New Orleans Saints (0-2): The Saints still can't get off the field on the Defensive side of the ball, while Drew Brees is hurt and the Offense has been too inconsistent.

30) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1): Jameis Winston was a lot better in Week 2 than he was in Week 1 and winning in the SuperDome is not easy, but I am not sold on the Buccaneers just yet.

29) Tennessee Titans (1-1): Marcus Mariota was brought back down to earth by the Cleveland Browns and the Titans suffered a couple of key injuries.

28) Miami Dolphins (1-1): This might be frustration on my part, but the Miami Dolphins look a mess with reports of discord between the coaching staff and players and a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars was just ugly.

Week 2 Picks Recap

The picks went into the final two games of Week 2 in a decent position to come out with a winning record, but the three points on the Seattle Seahawks and the Indianapolis Colts didn't work out to produce a small loss.

A couple of the picks were just plain ugly and didn't stand much of a chance after the early stages, the worst of which might have been the Buffalo Bills being outplayed by the New England Patriots.

It could have been different if Seattle hadn't thrown an Interception in the Fourth Quarter of the loss to the Green Bay Packers as they looked to be driving effectively for what would have been a tying score.

Even so, I can't complain too much as I am still up through the first two weeks and I will continue to try and keep focused and get Week 3 back into the positive.

As always, you can read my Week 3 Picks on the dedicated post which should be up on Thursday with picks being made through Saturday and I will have updated the season totals on that page too.

NFL Season Preview 2015 (September 10th)

The NFL season is now just a couple of days from beginning and my opening post for the new season will be a quick preview of the coming season ahead and what teams I perhaps favour to make their way to the Play Offs and potentially Super Bowl success.

It doesn't feel like there has been a lot of time since we saw Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks make a call at the end of Super Bowl 49 that will have people still shaking their heads in disbelief. For the life of me, I will never understand why they chose to throw a ball instead of giving it to Marshawn Lynch on the one yard line and it is a decision that will likely haunt that fanbase for many years to come.

Of course Seattle will be amongst the favourites to get a shot at winning the big prize again this time around so without further ado, I will get on with the preview for the 2015 NFL season.

AFC East

Where else can I start but with the Division in which my favourite team, the Miami Dolphins, reside? It could be exciting times for Miami fans for the first time in a few years as the team looks to finally have made the kind of moves that could make them a contender in this Division.

There have been a few false dawns in recent years and Miami have perhaps underachieved when you consider how close they have been to a return to the Play Offs, but there definitely feels more positive vibes at the beginning of this season. The huge signing of Ndamukong Suh in Free Agency gives Miami one of the best Defensive Lines in the NFL, while they have shifted some of the unwanted big contracts, for example Mike Wallace, as well as the players with character concerns, for example Mike Wallace.

The schedule looks a good one for the Dolphins to try and chase down the New England Patriots who still seem to be the team to beat in the Division. The reigning Super Bowl Champions have made a number of personnel moves in the off-season though and they definitely don't look as strong as last season, although they will have Tom Brady playing after a judge overturned the four game suspension he was given after the 'Deflategate' saga was seemingly drawn to a close.

Players like Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner have moved on from the Secondary, while you don't replace the huge presence of Vince Wilfork on the Defensive Line easily. Tom Brady is a year older and the Patriots might be their most vulnerable in the Division since before Brady took over as the full-time starter.

I think the Patriots will just about hang on to their AFC East Division, while the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets could be the also rans behind New England and Miami.

Both of those teams will know all about Rex Ryan as the former Jets Head Coach takes over in Buffalo and while there is a lot to be excited about when it comes to the Bills, the Quarter Back is not one of them. Some Buffalo fans will point out the success Ryan had with the New York Jets and Mark Sanchez under Center, but they are opening the season with Tyrod Taylor at Quarter Back and he is a lot lower down the totem pole than Sanchez.

Taylor can run the ball and Ryan will be looking for LeSean McCoy to reinvigorate his career in Buffalo having traded for him from the Philadelphia Eagles. Buffalo will be a ground and pound team and have a very special Defense, but a difficult schedule and inconsistency from the Quarter Back may mean they struggle to break into a winning season.

It is still likely to be better than the New York Jets who have become such a mess that their starting Quarter Back is missing the first few games because a team mate punched him and fractured his jaw. Ryan Fitzpatrick at Quarter Back is not the answer as the likes of Buffalo and Houston will tell you and the Jets will be heavily reliant on a returning Darrelle Revis to plug holes in the Secondary.

It looks like a real rebuilding job for Todd Bowles and finishing outside the basement of this Division would constitute a successful season.

AFC North

The Pittsburgh Steelers are the current AFC North Champions, but they were not happy with the way things were going on the Defensive side of the ball and that saw Dick LeBeau leave his post as Defensive Co-Ordinator. A real feature of the Steelers is gone with that decision and Keith Butler will have some big shoes to fill, and he is also having to deal with an ageing unit that have slipped in the Defensive rankings in each of the last two seasons.

Unlike the Steelers of old, this team will look for the Offense to score enough points to keep them moving forward and there are some big playmakers here which make Pittsburgh dangerous. However, they have to make do without Martavis Bryant and, more importantly, Le'Veon Bell for a couple of games, while a more difficult schedule means the Steelers might drop off considerably from the 11 wins they achieved last season.

So who can perhaps take over from the Pittsburgh Steelers as Division Champions? One of the two teams looking to do that are the Baltimore Ravens who have won at least 10 games in four of the last five seasons including last season when they were barely beaten by the New England Patriots in the Play Offs.

However, they too have made some big moves in the off-season that doesn't look like they have improved the team for this season, barring new faces stepping up to the mark. Torrey Smith is gone from the Offensive side of the ball and Haloti Ngata is a big loss on the Defensive side, although that unit looks the better of the two.

If Joe Flacco can get on the same page as new Offensive Co-Ordinator Marc Trestman, this Baltimore team can match the 10 wins they earned last season with the schedule looking a good one even though it begins with a rough road game in Denver.

The Cincinnati Bengals will be looking to be in the mix again and you have to think Marvin Lewis and Andy Dalton have to give the franchise a Play Off win at the end of this season if they are going to start 2016 at this team. I give the Bengals a lot of credit for their 31 regular season wins over the last three seasons, but they haven't won a Play Off game since 1990 and that is the next step to prove this Head Coach and Quarter Back are going to get things done.

Cincinnati have kept their key pieces in place for another run to the Play Offs, but theirs is another schedule that will need them to produce a couple of surprising wins if they are going to get back to the 10 win mark and a fifth consecutive Play Off berth.

All three teams will feel they have much better chances than the Cleveland Browns who continue to fail to get out of their own way when it comes to building a team capable of consistent success. The Johnny Manziel experiment is not quite over, but Josh McCown has been brought in as the starting Quarter Back and that looks a terrible decision after seeing the veteran struggle badly in Tampa Bay last year.

Their Defensive unit still looks the better of the two on the team, but Cleveland remain some way off their three Divisional rivals with the moves made this off-season and the Browns might be one of the teams 'chasing' the Number 1 overall Draft Pick next year.

AFC South

One of the favourites to win it all this season resides in the otherwise pretty awful AFC South, but the Indianapolis Colts won't care as it gives them a great chance to wrap up the Number 1 Seed in the AFC. With Andrew Luck likely to be Indianapolis for the next decade, this isn't the only window for the Colts to win another Super Bowl, but they have made some off-season moves to definitely take that step now if they can.

Andrew Luck means you are going to get plenty of points so adding Andre Johnson and Frank Gore to this Offense should only make them more potent. Defensively the Colts still look a little unsure, but they have the capability of outscoring all of their rivals, while a big regular season game is hosting the New England Patriots and proving they can beat that team.

It is the Patriots who have demolished the Colts in the Play Offs in the last two years so winning that game at home might be key for them mentally to prove they are ready to go all the way to the Super Bowl. Indianapolis do have to play the other Division winners, but this Division is paired with the NFC South and there are plenty of 'easy' games on slate for them to finish with the best overall record in the NFL.

The closest challengers to the Colts in the Division look to be the Houston Texans but they are similar to the Buffalo Bills in looking to be a team that might be over-reliant on their Defensive unit. Brian Hoyer has experience of the Bill O'Brien Offense from their time together at New England and he looks to be someone who can produce some special games, but also not too far away from really having a hard time as we all saw in Cleveland last year.

You can have no doubt that the Defensive Line is going to be nasty with JJ Watt patrolling and Vince Wilfork and Jadeveon Clowney alongside him and that is going to inspire the entire Houston Defense. However, winning games comes down to scoring points too and I think the schedule means there is a chance they even take a step back from the 9 wins they achieved in 2014.

With Indianapolis and Houston leading the way, the other two teams in the AFC South are still playing catch up as they continue turning around franchises. Gus Bradley has seen an improvement in the way the Jacksonville Jaguars have been playing even if the record books didn't show that improvement in terms of wins in his second season.

He now has Blake Bortles in his second year as a starter and the Jaguars have made some fine moves in Free Agency and the Draft to show an improved number of wins this time around. The Defense being built looks a strong one and Jacksonville might just have found the Running Back of the next few years in taking TJ Yeldon from Alabama in the Second Round, but they still look a little short of Offensive playmakers.

I think the Jaguars will surpass their three wins from last season, but most of their winnable games are on the road which might mean Bradley has to settle for another losing season. It should be better than the Tennessee Titans to avoid finishing in the basement of the Division for the third year in a row as Ken Whisenhunt continues to get time to rebuild in Nashville.

Marcus Mariota has been picked as the future franchise Quarter Back for the Titans, but the rookie will experience teething problems and the Offensive Line has been rebuilt and might take time to bed in. Dick LeBeau has joined the staff to improve the Defensive unit too, but Tennessee might be looking at a very high Draft Pick again next season with the way the schedule has come down.

AFC West

A couple of one and done' seasons meant the Denver Broncos moved on from John Fox despite those years being sandwiched by one Super Bowl appearance. The Broncos made the move to sign Peyton Manning three seasons ago because they wanted to WIN a Super Bowl and merely getting there once in three seasons with two other disappointing Play Off losses was not enough for John Elway.

Gary Kubiak comes in as the new Head Coach and Manning remains along with most of his key Offensive weapons although Julius Thomas was lost in Free Agency. That might not matter as Kubiak will look to run the ball more to try and power this Offense and Denver look to have a decent balance Offensively if CJ Anderson and Ronnie Hillman can pick up from where they left off at Running Back last season.

It is on the Defensive side of the ball that Denver looks especially strong and Wade Phillips will be very happy with the players he has to organise into his 3-4 system. The Broncos could generate a lot of pressure up front to create turnovers and make sure their Offense is not relying on Peyton Manning to throw 40 times a game to win.

Denver still look by far the best team in the Division and I expect them to be challenging for a bye in the Wild Card Round of the Play Offs.

The main rivals to Denver look to be the Kansas City Chiefs who finished second in the Division in 2014 and have had winning records in back to back seasons under Andy Reid. The big question for the Chiefs is whether Alex Smith has enough to carry them back into the Play Offs at Quarter Back although I do think Jeremy Maclin is a big upgrade at Receiver and there will be a TD thrown to a player in that position this time around.

Jamaal Charles is a huge player for Kansas City if they can keep him healthy, but the schedule makers haven't exactly been kind to the Chiefs who could easily find themselves in a 0-4 hole after taking on Houston, Denver, Green Bay and Cincinnati to open the season. If they can manage to get out of that at 2-2, Kansas City have a solid Defensive unit that can perhaps carry them into a Wild Card spot, although a poor start will lead to their first losing record under Reid.

I am not so sure what to make of the San Diego Chargers who have considerable talent on both sides of the ball but can be guilty of struggling to put it all together. They are relying on a rookie in Melvin Gordon to spark the running game which would make Philip Rivers more dangerous, and the rebuilt Offensive Line looks one that will give the Quarter Back time to find the likes of Antonio Gates, Malcom Floyd, Stevie Johnson and Keenan Allen.

The Chargers have looked to improve the Defensive unit through the last Draft and if they have managed to do that, they can overtake the Kansas City Chiefs in the Division. San Diego look to have the better schedule between themselves and the Chiefs, but they might need an upset or two to make the Play Offs after missing out last year.

The Oakland Raiders might have to settle for another place in the basement of this Division, but they look an improving team who are finally looking to rebuild in the right way rather than throwing bad money on top of bad money. Derek Carr looks to be a potential franchise Quarter Back and I love some of the Draft Picks they have made on both sides of the ball in the last couple of years.

Khalil Mack looks a stud Linebacker and I am expecting big things from Amari Cooper at Wide Receiver, while Latavius Murray might give Oakland a genuine threat out of the backfield.

The change in Head Coach (Jack Del Rio looks an excellent appointment) means a change in systems and that might knock Carr from a big improvement this season. However, this is an improving team that might surpass the number of wins they have had in each of the last three seasons and potentially double their win total from last season (3) if making a strong start to the new season and buying into Del Rio's methods.

NFC East

Every where you look it seems like people are very high on the Philadelphia Eagles to reclaim the Division they lost last season, and I think that has a lot to do with their schedule compared to their rivals. A late season inexplicable collapse cost the Philadelphia Eagles a return to the Play Offs last season, but they are all in with Chip Kelly who has jettisoned some more of the big playmakers including LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin this off-season.

It is all about belief in the system for Kelly who also traded for oft-injured Sam Bradford to be his new Quarter Back in a big trade with the St Louis Rams that saw Nick Foles go the other way.

DeMarco Murray was the other big move made by the Eagles that would have caught the attention and Philadelphia look solid on both sides of the ball. The big thing that goes in their favour has to be the schedule too and they could easily go into their bye week unbeaten and then work their way through to double digit win and perhaps even surpass the number they have achieved in each of the two seasons under Chip Kelly (10).

No doubting that the biggest rivals to the Philadelphia Eagles in this Division are the NFC East winners from 2014, the Dallas Cowboys who believe they can overcome the loss of leading rusher Murray to the Eagles.

With an Offensive Line that has been built through very good Draft Picks, Dallas believe the likes of Joseph Randle, Lance Dunbar, Darren McFadden and Christine Michael can produce solid numbers at Running Back. I'm a fan of Michael and returning to the State where he starred in College could be exactly what he needs to get something going in his NFL career having struggled at Seattle to make an impact.

I have little doubt Dallas will score plenty of points with the Offensive Line wearing down Defenses up front by opening holes for the Cowboys to run the ball down their throat. That only makes Tony Romo more of a threat knowing he doesn't have to push too much and the likes of Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley, Jason Witten and Dez Bryant are much more than a supporting cast.

The issues for Dallas are clearly on the Defensive side of the ball, especially the Secondary with Orlando Scandrick a huge loss having been their best player in Training Camp. Plus winning the Division means taking on the likes of Seattle, Green Bay, while Dallas have road games in Miami and Buffalo compared with the Eagles who those at home.

All of that combined means I don't believe the Cowboys match the 12 wins from last season, but I do think they can get to double digits which might be enough to reclaim the Division if Sam Bradford struggles/is injured for the Eagles, while a Wild Card spot is the minimum this team should expect.

There isn't much to say about the Washington Redskins who look in complete disarray at the moment and have benched RG3 with the likelihood he is traded away soon. I simply don't think Kirk Cousins is the answer at Quarter Back, especially not behind an Offensive Line that simply stinks, while the Defensive unit have too many new faces to really be expected to gel together and form a cohesive unit immediately.

Jay Gruden is under some pressure as the Head Coach and some consider Washington to be the worst team in the NFL, while the schedule doesn't make for great reading and I think this team reaching 4 wins to match 2014 would be pretty remarkable alone.

The New York Giants don't seem to be in as much of a mess as Washington, but who does to be honest, but they haven't really made the moves that can see them close in on the top two teams in the NFC East. Eli Manning does have Victor Cruz back to pair up with breakout Odell Beckham Jr, and I expect they will score points, but there are questions about the Defensive Line and the Secondary that don't seem to be answered.

With an Offense that should be able to score lots of points, I expect the Giants will have a couple of surprise wins, but I also won't be surprised if they are upset a couple of times too. All of it leads me to thinking that New York might end with their third straight losing season under Tom Coughlin and perhaps part with their two time Super Bowl winning Head Coach.

NFC North

I don't think the Green Bay Packers will ever forget the way their 2014 season ended as they somehow snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in the NFC Championship Game in Seattle. Whether it was the onside kick they failed to recover, the Interception that inconceivably was not even bothered to be returned, or the conversion of a two point play, the Packers have to feel they should have been playing in Super Bowl 49 and perhaps even adding another Championship to the rafters.

Most teams might fail to pick themselves up, but the Packers still look the team to beat in the NFC North with Aaron Rodgers at Quarter Back and some key pieces returning including BJ Raji. Even the injury to Jordy Nelson is unlikely to stop the Packers as I am a big fan of Davante Adams and think he is going to have a huge season.

James Jones has also been re-signed and should add decent depth, while the Packers look like they can have a disruptive Defense that will force teams to throw on them when playing catch up to Rodgers and his Offense. I fully expect the Green Bay Packers to win at least 10 games and I think they will be challenging for the Number 1 Seed in the Division as they host the Seattle Seahawks and the Dallas Cowboys.

The closest rival in the Division is likely to be the Detroit Lions again, but I am interested to see how they do on the Defensive side of the ball having lost a dominant force like Ndamukong Suh as well as Nick Fairley in the middle of the Defensive Line.

Haloti Ngata has been brought in to fill the big shoes Suh has left behind and I think the Secondary might just be exposed now the pressure is perhaps not as strong up front as it was.

However, Detroit still possess a top Offensive unit that should be able to score plenty of points. They will be looking for someone to take on in the running game and Draft Pick Ameer Abdullah could be the man to do that, but it is clear that the Offense will continue to rely upon the arm of Matt Stafford and the catching ability of Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate and hopefully an improved Eric Ebron.

A tougher schedule will need Detroit to secure an upset or two if they are going to make it back to the Play Offs for a second consecutive year, but they have the scoring power to do that if Ngata can fill in for Suh on the Defensive Line.

I do love what the Minnesota Vikings are doing under Mike Zimmer and the return of Adrian Peterson to the fold will only aid second year Quarter Back Teddy Bridgewater who already looked pretty comfortable in his rookie season.

I am a fan of Bridgewater and think he was harshly treated to fall so far down the First Round in the Draft of 2014, but the Vikings will be the beneficiary of having him here. Signing Mike Wallace to provide another deep threat for Bridgewater might sound good on paper, but the locker room needs to keep the moody Receiver from breaking the confidence of the young Quarter Back.

Jerome Felton has moved on as Full Back and he was a key in aiding Adrian Peterson to come close to breaking the season rushing record, but the return of the star Running Back and a young cast around him makes the Vikings dangerous. With Mike Zimmer known for the way he crafted the Cincinnati Defense in recent years, he has already had a big impact with the Vikings Defense and this looks a team that might potentially challenge in the Division or for a Wild Card spot.

The problem is a difficult looking schedule and a poor record against their Divisional rivals last season which may mean Minnesota are still a year away from competing barring some big upsets early in the season to build confidence and momentum.

A complete rebuilding job is going to need to be done with the Chicago Bears who have a new Head Coach in John Fox, but have some major holes in both Offensive and Defensive units to make up. Jay Cutler is still the starting Quarter Back, but I am not convinced he has the support of everyone in the organisation, although he needs to be better protected to produce better numbers.

Brandon Marshall has moved on though and the second weapon of choice for Cutler was Kevin White before an injury has knocked him out too. Tim Jennings and Charles Tillman are gone from the Defensive unit and Vic Fangio is going to have to work some magic to make them a competent team on that side of the ball too.

John Fox can turn things around with Fangio as Defensive Co-Ordinator and Adam Gase as Offensive Co-Ordinator, but this looks a transition season and even matching the 5 wins from last season might be beyond them in 2015.

NFC South

The NFC South had never seen a repeating Champion since being form in the Division re-alignment of 2002 and that was the case going into 2014. Somehow, the Carolina Panthers managed to win their last four games of the season to actually repeat as NFC South Champions with a 7-8-1 record, but a three-peat looks like it will be beyond them.

They still look a force on the Defensive side of the ball, but the injury to Kelvin Benjamin has taken away a big weapon from Cam Newton and it is hard to see them consistently moving the chains Offensively.

Jonathan Stewart is the main Running Back these days having previously shared the duties with DeAngelo Williams, but he is injury prone and another losing record looks like it will be the result for the Panthers, but one that won't produce a Division win in 2014.

You have to think that Lovie Smith and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still not ready for a push in the Division having picked Jameis Winston with the Number 1 overall Draft Pick in May to become the franchise Quarter Back. While Winston has some big targets to aim for in Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson, he will have some rookie teething problems.

Doug Martin has looked good in the off-season and a return to form from the Running Back would be a big boost for Winston, while the conversion back to the Tampa-2 Defense is in its second year and may see an improvement on that side of the ball where the Buccaneers have some talent.

Tampa Bay potentially get out of the NFC South basement for the first time in three years if they take advantage of some of the weaker games on their schedule and I expect an improvement on their 2 wins from 2014 although not enough to challenge in the Division.

Picking a winner in the NFC South hasn't proved easy in recent years but I think the game in Week 17 between the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints may be the decider and I would give the edge to home field advantage and the Falcons.

Dan Quinn has taken over from Mike Smith as Head Coach of the Atlanta Falcons and he has built his reputation on what he created at the Seattle Seahawks as their Defensive Co-Ordinator in 2013 and 2014. Assuming he can get some improvement out of this Falcons Defensive unit that struggled in 2014, Atlanta might be the team to beat.

Brooks Reed, Adrian Clayborn and Vic Beasley are all expected to have an impact for the Falcons on the Defense with the former two being brought in during Free Agency and the latter as a top Draft Pick. Dan Quinn has been blessed with a strong Offensive unit so doing what he did in Seattle will give Atlanta every chance of winning the Division.

Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are two very strong players to have on the Offense, but Atlanta will be hoping Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman can give the Falcons something of a running game to keep the pressure off of Ryan and allow him to have time to make his passes.

Compared with Atlanta, the New Orleans Saints look to be changing their philosophy on Offense and have traded away Jimmy Graham to Seattle in exchange for Max Unger. The Center could be huge for the Saints who want to move to a power running team with Mark Ingram, but the key will be keeping the Running Back healthy, while any team with Drew Brees at Quarter Back is going to be a threat.

Brandin Cooks looks to be the big threat at Receiver as New Orleans moved on Kenny Stills to Miami too with salary cap issues hurting them. The Saints will be hoping Rob Ryan can fix the Defensive problems of 2014 and the big challenge for Ryan will be to incorporate all the new faces at Linebacker and in the Secondary into his system.

If the likes of Dannelle Ellerbe and Brandon Browner can make a big impact coming in, New Orleans might be a better team than I initially expected from them. Drew Brees the Offensive Line to protect him now as the Saints look to run the ball to keep their Quarter Back in manageable down and distance, but they might have to win a road game in Atlanta in Week 17 to get into the Play Offs.

NFC West

The two teams that made the Play Offs last season are expected to be challenging in the NFC West in the coming season.

The Seattle Seahawks have to show there is no Super Bowl hangover after losing the big game in the most excruciating and mind boggling ways possible. That is going to be tough to pick themselves up from, while I am not sure the trade for Jimmy Graham is going to be considered a good one at the end of the season knowing how much they struggled to run the ball without Max Unger last year.

Graham is a big target, but he simply doesn't run block effectively and Seattle remains a team committed to pounding the ball with Marshawn Lynch at Running Back. The Offensive Line has a few questions to answer too and Russell Wilson may have to make a lot more plays with his legs if they can't hold up protection.

Defensively they still look strong, although Kam Chancellor is unhappy and threatened to hold out unless given a pay rise. If Chancellor was to miss time, that would mean two of the four 'Legion of Boom' players from last season are gone after Byron Maxwell moved on, and Earl Thomas has been banged up. The Seahawks still look like the best team in the Division and they have won at least 11 games in their last three years and can expect to challenge for the Number 1 Seed in the NFC for a third consecutive season.

Their main rivals this season look to be the Arizona Cardinals who have surpassed expectation the last couple of years under Bruce Arians and will be looking for better health to reach the levels the fanbase may expect this time around. Carson Palmer returns at Quarter Back after injuries to that position saw Arizona have less than 80 Offensive yards in the Play Offs last season after a positive start to the season looked to have put the Cardinals in a position to win the NFC West.

If Palmer is back to the level he was producing, the Cardinals look solid on both sides of the ball and they are going to be one tough team to knock off during 2015. Arizona have won at least 10 games in each of the last two seasons and the Cardinals will challenge for a Wild Card spot in the NFC although they might need a surprise win or two to reach double digits in terms of wins this season.

The St Louis Rams haven't had a winning record since 2003 and only twice have they finished even, but Jeff Fisher has built a solid roster and has to start producing wins to keep the owners from perhaps think about making changes. Rumours about an impending move to Los Angeles has to be another distraction for the entire franchise, but St Louis can't let that be an excuse for them to fail again.

Nick Foles has been traded for to replace Sam Bradford and St Louis will be hoping for better luck at the Quarter Back position than they had with the former Number 1 overall Draft Pick. Foles had a really big year for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013 and has to show he is more than a product of the Chip Kelly system and he does have some playmakers on this side of the ball.

However, the majority of the big time players the Rams have are on the Defensive side of the ball and they will keep this team in every game as long as Foles doesn't give it away when the Offense has the ball in their hands.

There is every chance that the St Louis Rams can finish with their first winning season if they can record a couple of big wins in home games later in the season, but challenging for the Division still looks a little while away.

Finally we get to the dysfunctional San Francisco 49ers who have replaced Jim Harbaugh with Jim Tomsula as Head Coach and this looks a real transitional season for the team. The Offensive side of the ball has seen the Offensive Line continue to struggle to protect Colin Kaepernick who has an ageing Anquan Boldin and inconsistent Torrey Smith as his main weapons along with Vernon Davis.

While that side of the ball is going to suffer through some inconsistencies, the Defensive unit has been decimated by retirements and off field issues of some huge players. Justin Smith, Patrick Willis and Chris Borland have all retired, Ray McDonald has been released, while Perrish Cox and Chris Culliver have left in Free Agency.

Vic Fangio has also moved on as Defensive Co-Ordinator and the 49ers now look a mess in a unit that was a strength for them in recent seasons. It is a tough situation for Tomsula to walk into and I am not sure he can motivate this team to get anywhere near a winning record.

With the schedule as it is, I think there is a fairly high chance that the San Francisco 49ers halve their number of wins from 2014 and they could be one of the teams picking high in the next Draft if making a poor start to the season.

NFL Preview 2012 (AFC Conference)

It does only feel like yesterday that we saw the New York Giants knock off the New England Patriots to win the SuperBowl, but the new season is upon us and I can't wait for the kick off.

I actually think the NFC is the stronger Conference of the two and I wouldn't be surprised if they pick up their fourth straight SuperBowl win and their fifth in the last six seasons. There are a number of teams that look capable of going all the way in the NFC, but that just makes it harder to pick a potential winner before the season starts.

Below I will have a brief look at all the teams in the AFC Conference and how I think their prospects are for the new season. Of course things are always likely to change with injuries being a major part of the sport and, depending on who is unfortunate to miss time, that can change the prospects of teams dramatically.

My forecast for how teams do is obviously based on how the teams look at this stage. For example, I think New England are going to win a bunch of games, but that would not be the case if Tom Brady was injured for the season as he was in 2008. So any forecast I have made for teams have to be taken with that pinch of salt in mind.

My preview of the teams in the NFC Conference can be found here.

AFC East

New England Patriots (13-3) Record last year in bracket

Last years SuperBowl Runners-Up remain one of the elite teams in the AFC and they look head and shoulders above the rest of their rivals in the AFC East as far as I am concerned.

Tom Brady has been given a new deep-threat with the signing of Brandon Lloyd, while I expect the two Tight End set to pose plenty of match up problems for Defenses they face. The running game will be governed by Steven Ridley since Ben-Jarvus Green-Ellis was allowed to move on, but the key to their whole Offense remains Brady and I have no doubt they will continue racking up the points.

The biggest question mark on the team remains a Defense that finished 31 in yards per game last year, one that will now be missing the pass rushing ability of Mark Anderson, Andre Carter and Shaun Ellis. That means Number 1 Draft Pick, Chandler Jones, will be expected to fit straight on to the Defensive Line, but they definitely look a little weaker if trying to get to the opposition Quarter Back.

The Secondary are capable of turning the ball over, but they may have a hard time if there is a lack of pressure up front. However, this deficiency is unlikely to stop them winning the AFC East as I don't think any of the teams they face have a consistent passing game to take advantage, but they will need to improve play if they are to get back to the big game in February.

New England do not face a horrible schedule and only meet four teams that made the Play Offs last season, three of those coming at home. Looking through their schedule, I am expecting the Patriots to win at least 13 games, and they could finish with an even better record if the Defense improves a little from last year.

Buffalo Bills (6-10)

The Buffalo Bills haven't made the Play Offs since 1999, but they do look a team on the rise and may be in contention for a Wild Card spot with a bit of fortune and better health this season.

My biggest issue with the Bills is an Offense that struggled in the second half of last season after Ryan Fitzpatrick signed a huge contract extension. However, they do get Fred Jackson back this season and I think they will be capable of running the ball with either him or CJ Spiller coming out of the backfield.

My problem is the Quarter Back and the Receivers as I don't particularly rate them highly, but the Offensive Line should be improved and Fitzpatrick may get a little more time to make the right decisions. Stevie Johnson and David Nelson don't exactly get the blood rushing in the receiving areas, but they do seem to have some sort of chemistry with the QB and that can be enough to keep things ticking over.

While the Offense may struggle for consistency without the big play-makers at receiver, the Defense is vastly improved this year and could be one of the better ones in the NFL if they can maintain some health.

Mario Williams was the big off-season signing and he is going to help provide a stronger pass rush with Mark Anderson and their additions to the Defensive Line gives Buffalo one of the best in the NFL when teamed with Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus. Stephon Gilmore will be a starter at Corner Back after being picked up as the first choice in the Draft and the Secondary may just be helped out by the front four that should be able to put plenty of pressure on the opposition Quarter Back.

The Buffalo Defense looks very capable as long as the front four can stay healthy and get the pressure on the opposition Quarter Back as I expect they can. The Linebackers have experience, while the Secondary will only be helped if the front four are as good as they look like they can be.

I would have projected Buffalo as a definite Wild Card team if the schedule had been kinder and if I had full faith their starting Defense can stay healthy. Their first nine games are tough, but if the Bills can get out of that at 4-5, there is a chance they can finish with a 10-6 record with full health and may possibly be enough to move into the Play Offs.

New York Jets (8-8)




The New York Jets fell apart from inside the dressing room last year and that saw them fail to make the Play Offs after getting to the AFC Championship Game in each of the previous two seasons.

Bringing in Tim Tebow to the mix looks like a move that will either bring these players together or one that will see the Jets fall apart and end the Rex Ryan era in New York.

Mark Sanchez is the current starting Quarter Back and Tebow is expected to run certain packages for the Offense. Sanchez has struggled for consistency in his three seasons in the NFL and it will be interesting to see how long the crowd give him before they start calling for Tebow to start.

The Offense struggled altogether last season and I don't see enough improvements to them this season. The Wide Receiver position looks weak, while Shonn Greene is inconsistent running the ball.

Last year the Defense struggled against the run, but they do look better equipped to deal with that this year, while the Secondary remains one of the better ones in the NFL. There will be hope that Quinton Coples can help generate a more effective pass rush from the Defensive Ends this season and I do expect the Jets to have one of the higher ranked Defenses in the League.

I don't particularly like their schedule, especially in the early weeks of the season, and it may be tough for them to make a return to the Play Offs. Personally I think they may end with the same record as last season and finish 8-8, but it could get worse if they have the same infighting as last season as I don't see them being better than 4-4 at their bye week.

On the other hand, if the Jets surpass expectations, their two games against Buffalo may decide which of these AFC East teams, if either, gets into the Play Offs as a Wild Card team.

Miami Dolphins (6-10)




It hasn't been the best few years to be a Miami Dolphins fan and I don't foresee too much changing in 2012 with plenty more questions than answers about their team.

In the off-season, Miami missed out on picking up Peyton Manning and then decided to deal Brandon Marshall just before the Draft. Ryan Tannehill was the Number 1 Draft Choice, but he looks like being kept out for the year to get up to speed with the NFL.

Miami look like a team that is going to have a hard time on Offense as they just don't have the receiving playmakers needed to be competitive in this tough Division. The Wide Receivers are Brian Hartline and Davone Bess with Anthony Fasano at Tight End, while there are serious questions over whether Matt Moore or David Garrard start behind the Offensive Line, which should be stronger than last year.

There is some hope that Reggie Bush can continue running the ball effectively and he will be joined by Daniel Thomas in the backfield.

The Defense remains the strength of the team and they were very effective against the run last season and I expect they will be the same again this year. However, there is a lack of depth in the Defensive Line and the loss of Jason Taylor will still be an issue. The Dolphins have a solid set of Linebackers, but they will want to get more pressure on the opposition Quarter Back and not just rely on Cameron Wake to get the job done.

Miami's Secondary could have been upgraded with the signing of Richard Marshall who will likely be the starter opposite Vontae Davis with Sean Smith backing them up.

The team have had just one winning record in the past six seasons and I don't think they are ready to have one this season as they are still rebuilding the Offense. The new Head Coach is Joe Philbin, who was the Offensive Co-Ordinator at Green Bay last season, so he should be able to get something out of the team, but they are limited in terms of talent on the Offensive side of the ball as far as I am concerned.

I initially thought Miami could at least get up to 6 wins in the Division, but moves since I first wrote this has changed my expectations completely, while they will be starting the rookie Ryan Tannehill at Quarter Back... There is every chance that the Fins may finish with the worst record in the NFL, but my heart is looking at a 4-12 record with a bit of luck.

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)

The Pittsburgh Steelers failed to win the AFC North last season, but they were the favourites to win their Wild Card game against the Denver Broncos before losing in a shocker to Tim Tebow in Overtime.

Pittsburgh remain one of the favourites in the AFC, but the defence is a year older after struggling at times last season and they did really have a hard time earning turnovers. However, they did finish as the Number 1 Ranked defence when it came to points per game and they remain a tough team to score upon.

The bigger question for this squad may be on the offensive side of the ball as they bring in Todd Haley as Offensive Co-Ordinator... This move has not been well received by Ben Roethlisberger as Bruce Arians, a good friend of his, was removed from that post for Haley and there could be a chance in how Pittsburgh attack defences with more emphasis likely to be on the running game.

Mike Wallace continues to be a hold out as he wants a much larger contract and that will take down the quality of the receiving corps if it is not resolved, while Rashard Mendenhall is expected to open the season on the PUP list.

The Offensive Line has at least been upgraded with a couple of Draft Picks and I expect the more balanced offense to protect Roethlisberger a little more as he takes far too many sacks and can be a little beaten up as the season draws into Play Off time.

I have pegged Pittsburgh to reclaim the AFC North title with them having a slightly easier schedule than Baltimore and I wouldn't be surprised if they can get back to the 12 win table after reaching that total in three of the last four years. The Steelers will need to win a couple of really tough road games if they are to reach that total (games at Denver, Tennessee, Cincinnati and Dallas).

Baltimore Ravens (12-4)

Baltimore were literally a slip of a catch away from winning the AFC Championship Game at New England last season and playing in the SuperBowl (also missed a game tying Field Goal from around 27 yards at the end of regulation) and now they arrive into the 2012 season a year older on defence and missing a monster of a component in Terrell Suggs.

Suggs was the Defensive Player of the Year last season but tore his achilles in the off-season and is not due back before November at the very earliest, while the likes of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are another year older (even if they haven't looked like missing a step). There will be some expectation on Courtney Upshaw, their top pick in the Draft, to come in and play immediately in place of Jarret Johnson who signed with San Diego in Free Agency, while Paul Kruger should start in place of Suggs.

The Ravens have also had to replace Defensive Co-Ordinator Chuck Pegano who has taken over as the Head Coach of Indianapolis, but Dean Pees is another internal promotion so I expect the defence to be as tough as ever.

Joe Flacco will be still be looking for a little more consistency in his Quarter Back play, but he showed he has the big game temperament with three solid games against Pittsburgh (twice) and New England in the AFC Championship Game. The Offensive Line remains strong, although the loss of Ben Grubbs to New Orleans could affect the run game as it did when he was injured last season and the Ravens will be using a rookie at Left Guard.

Ray Rice is still one of the most versatile backs in the NFL as he is a real threat in the passing game out of the backfield and he should be ready for a big season after signing a new contract. As long as the Ravens can adjust to running the ball without Grubbs, they remain one of the favourites in the AFC.

I have got them finishing behind Pittsburgh mainly because of the schedule as they have trips to Philadelphia, Houston, San Diego and a potentially improved Kansas City to deal with while also hosting both SuperBowl teams from last season as well as being in this tough Division. I still think the Ravens get into double-digit wins, but that may not be enough to retain their title from last season although I do think they will get into the Wild Card spots for the Play Offs.

Cincinnati Bengals (9-7)

Not many people would have tipped Cincinnati to have finished with a winning record last season, and even fewer would have picked them as a Play Off team as they were set to start a rookie at Quarter Back and they were losing their best player in the Secondary (Jonathan Joseph).

It was a surprising season all around and the expectations have been raised as Andy Dalton and AJ Green (WR) move into their second seasons- Green may find it tougher as teams will be aware of his ability and had already began double-teaming him last season and there isn't another receiver opposite him that will take those away.

The defence may have given up 20.2 points per game last season (24th in the NFL), but they didn't give up many yards (7th) and are expected to be amongst the leaders again this season. It also has to be said that outside of Pittsburgh and Baltimore, only Denver (pre-Tebow) managed to score 24 points against the Bengals.

Cincinnati made some additions to the defence, particularly top pick in the Draft Dre Kirkpatrick, and they should be just as strong as last season if not improved.

Even with that in mind, Cincinnati may actually regress in terms of wins this season as they are in the tough AFC North that has to also play the NFC East which is one of the toughest, if not THE toughest, Divisions in the NFL. Their games before their bye week could see the Bengals as good as 5-2, but their schedule is very tough after that and I believe they will finish without a winning record this season.

Cleveland Browns (4-12)

Cleveland are still in a process of rebuilding and have also just been bought by Jim Haslem, a '1000 percent Steeler fan'.

They spent their first couple of picks in the Draft in bringing in an upgrade at Quarter Back, Brandon Weeden, and Trent Richardson at Running Back in a bid to get the offense going after failing to average more than 17 points per game in any of the last four seasons.

Richardson has had surgery on his knee, but is expected to start in the first game of the season. Weeden's accuracy at the QB position should at least get the likes of Mohamed Massaquoi, Greg Little and Benjamin Watson going.

There has to be better play from the Offensive Line who gave up 39 sacks last season and didn't open up the running lanes, but their improvement at QB and RB should help both of these numbers.

The Browns defence is perhaps a little under-appreciated, but they will be missing Phillip Taylor with injury, while Scott Fujita and Joe Haden are both likely to be suspended and will miss three and four games respectively.

Dick Jauron is the Defensive Co-Ordinator here and I expect them to be stronger in the second year in his system, but the team is unlikely to move out of the basement in this tough Division.

While I do think Cleveland are moving the right way, they still have some ways to go and their schedule has not done them any favours which means I think they struggle to surpass last seasons 4 wins. There are some winnable games on the schedule this season, but I can't see more than 3/4 wins without a couple of surprise results heading their way.

AFC South

Houston Texans (10-6)

It won't be a surprise to anyone that I am projecting the Houston Texans to win the AFC South for a second season in succession as they return some familiar players to the starting line up, although losing a couple of key pieces.

Matt Schaub actually missed the end of last season as Houston looked capable of really challenging for the AFC Championship and a place in the SuperBowl, and his presence will be key to once again powering this Offense that is capable of scoring plenty of points.

The Quarter Back play is pretty good, but is aided by playmakers like Andre Johnson, Arian Foster (as long as both can stay healthy) and Owen Daniels. The Offensive Line has lost Eric Winston this season and that leaves some question marks on them on that side of the ball, but there is too much talent to prevent them averaging more than the 23.4 points per game they managed last season.

Wade Phillips came in as Defensive Co-Ordinator last season and he worked wonders in helping them to the Number 2 defence in terms of yards per game and Number 4 in terms of points per game allowed.

He changed the formation into a 3-4 defence, although some may be concerned by losing Mario Williams in Free Agency. However, Brook Reeds managed 6 sacks as a rookie in place of an injured Williams last season and he will now be a starter opposite Connor Barwin, who had 11.5 sacks last season, at the outside linebacker positions.

Bradie James has been brought in to replace DeMeco Ryans as an inside linebacker and should fit in to the system having played for Phillips in Dallas and the defence looks capable of being one of the better ones again in the NFL as they continue to have the ability to rush the Quarter Back with their front 7.

The Texans are in a weak Division and look capable of reaching double-digit wins again as they are given a schedule that is similar in strength to the one they faced in 2011. They would have finished with more than 10 wins in 2011 if they hadn't started looking ahead to the Play Offs (losing their last 3 games), but I have them getting back to that total this time and hosting a Wild Card game in the Play Offs.

Tennessee Titans (9-7)



The Tennessee Titans were a surprise team to me last season as I didn't expect them to finish with a winning record, but it could be tough for them to repeat that in 2012 despite being in a Division with Jacksonville and Indianapolis.

I expect Chris Johnson to have a much better season after he just cracked 1000 yards for the season at an average of 4 yards per carry in 2011 a year after going for 1364 yards at 4.3 yards per carry and then being rewarded with a big contract extension.

A lot of the offense will go through Johnson with Matt Hasselbeck likely to keep his starting job despite the Titans making a big effort to bring in Peyton Manning in Free Agency. There is a chance that Jake Locker will take over as the starter at some point in the season, especially if the Titans are struggling.

Kendall Wright (WR) may be a bigger part of the offense in his rookie season than he might have expected with Kenny Britt once again in trouble with the law and likely to miss some time through suspension and he is also coming off a ACL tear that prematurely ended his 2011 season.

The defence was the real strength of this team, although they did struggle to get to the Quarter Back in 2011 and they have brought in Kamerion Wimbley from Oakland with that in mind. Cortland Finnegan CB) has moved on so they have got younger in that position, although they could have a tough time if there is not enough pressure from the front 7.

Tennessee face a really tough schedule on slate in 2012 and I can't see how they get back to a winning record- in fact, they may just struggle to even get back up to 8 wins and I foresee them having a losing record for only the second time in the last seven seasons.





Indianapolis Colts (2-14)


The Indianapolis Colts 'won' the chance to pick Andrew Luck in the NFL Draft and that means it is the end of the Peyton Manning era here as he was allowed to move on. There has been a total in-house clearance in Indianapolis as Jim Irsay got set to move onto this new era in the Colts history.

Chuck Pegano, Baltimore's former Defensive Co-Ordinator, has taken over as the Head Coach and the vast majority of the Coaches are in their first year at the Colts. This means a change in systems and getting new ideas across that will surely lead to a rebuilding year.

Andrew Luck will get Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie and Donny Avery as potential receivers and he also has Coby Fleener at Tight End, his team-mate and safety blanket at Stanford last year. However, the Offensive Line is being rebuilt, while Indianapolis will look to their running backs to keep the pressure off their rookie Quarter Back.

The defence will now have to learn a new system as they move to a 3-4 formation, a situation that can only lead to more struggles following last season when they finished 29th in yards per game allowed and 28th in points per game allowed.

There have been a lot of goings from the roster, but the schedule will provide them an opportunity to maybe double the wins from last season as they get to play Jacksonville (twice), Tennessee (twice), Cleveland, Miami and Minnesota (all at home). That schedule may also see them finish above Jacksonville in the Division if they can get to 4 wins.

Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)



Shahid Khan took over as the new owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars last season and has promised to keep the franchise here and not move to Los Angeles, although he will be hoping they can attract fans to the stadium to support the team.

That won't be easy considering how bad they looked last season, despite the 5 wins, and the team with the worst offensive yards per game in the NFL are unlikely to have improved much this season. Maurice Jones-Drew is their main, and some would say only, weapon in this offense, but he has been holding out in the off-season as he wants a new contract and that may have set him back... How much will depend when he returns.

The Jaguars did try to increase their production by bringing in Laurent Robinson and Justin Blackmon as receivers for Blaine Gabbert, but the Quarter Back will really need to have upped his game in the off-season after a terrible rookie season when he looked lost at times.

Jacksonville do have a decent defence that can keep them in games and the signing of Aaron Ross (CB) in Free Agency will make their Secondary that little bit tougher. They are tough to run on having held teams to 3.8 yards per carry last season, but the pressure on the Jaguars will be in keeping games as close as they can and that will mean the offense at least finding a way to move the chains with consistency and giving the defence a chance to rest.

The schedule looks a tough one to negotiate and I think they will fall short of the 5 wins they managed last year and, if things fall a little badly, they may have their worst season since joining the NFL (4-12 record).

AFC West

San Diego Chargers (8-8)

The San Diego Chargers haven't won the AFC West in the last couple of seasons, but they are still the best team in this Division as far as I am concerned. They have had 6 seasons with a winning record in the last 8 years and it was only a collapse in the middle of the 2011 season that cost them a chance of making it back to the Play Offs for the first time since 2009 (the Chargers went 1-6 after a 4-1 start that saw them lose their way in the Division).

Philip Rivers is still the best Quarter Back in the AFC West even though the Denver Broncos have brought Peyton Manning into the mix. Rivers continually denied having an injury last season as he made a lot of mistakes, but I am sure there was something not right with him and he is someone that is still within the elite at this position in the NFL.

He no longer has the option of throwing to Vincent Jackson as he moved on in Free Agency, but the Chargers brought in Robert Meachem who will provide the deep threat, while Malcom Floyd is a huge target that may have his best season in the NFL as long as he can stay healthy. Antonio Gates is still a top receiving threat although there are some depth issues with Vincent Brown breaking his ankle in the pre-season.

Ryan Mathews will carry the workload from the running back position now Mike Tolbert has left in Free Agency, but he has to be a concern with numerous injuries affecting him in his first two years in the League.

The Defense has been upgraded in a bid to improve their form from a season ago and they have brought in Jarret Johnson from the Baltimore Ravens to provide another pass rusher opposite Shaun Phillips from the outside linebacker spot, while they also spent their first draft pick on Melvin Ingram who had 19 sacks in his last 2 seasons at South Carolina.

San Diego should also have a stouter Defensive Line and the players in the front 7 may just cover up the deficiencies in the Secondary, giving the Chargers the edge in the AFC West.

This is a tough Division, but the Chargers schedule has given them a chance to have a winning record and that may be enough for them to take it. San Diego need to make a fast start like last season and they will need to go into their bye no worse than 4-2. If they can get to there, I see them getting 9 or 10 wins this season and we have seen a winning record take this Division in 5 of the last 6 seasons.

The Chargers are also 5-1 against Peyton Manning in his career.

Denver Broncos (8-8)

Last season, the Tim Tebow story captured the imagination of the nation as he led the Denver Broncos into the Play Offs and through to the Divisional Round in the Play Offs. However, Tebow never sat well with John Elway, the Hall of Fame former Quarter Back of the Broncos and the current Executive V-P of Football Operations here in Denver, and it was no surprise when they made a play for Peyton Manning in Free Agency.

Manning turned down the chance to go to Tennessee and San Francisco to play here (I was very surprised he didn't pick the 49ers, but he didn't want to play in the same Conference as little brother Eli).

There are still a lot of question marks about Manning and his health and that is either going to make, or break, the Denver Broncos season.

IF Manning is healthy and get back to anything like his old self, the entire Denver offense has been upgraded and I expect better numbers from the Wide Receivers. The Broncos have been smart in bringing in two players that will know Manning's plays, and I expect the likes of Jacob Tamme and Brandon Stokley to have positive impacts on the rest of the receiving corps.

Willis McGahee should help keep Manning upright if he can run the ball as effectively as he did last season, but the Offensive Line does have some question marks and have to improve markedly from the 41 sacks they allowed last season if they are to help the Quarter Back avoid any serious hits.

Last season, Tim Tebow was getting all the attention, but the Defense was playing at a very high level down the stretch and keeping the Broncos in games and allowing the magical 4th Quarter comebacks to be made. While it is has been possible to use the running game against them, the hope will be that Peyton Manning can build leads and force teams to throw.

That will bring in to play the likes of Von Miller, DJ Williams and Elvis Dumervil who are all very capable at getting to the opposition Quarter Back in passing downs, while Champ Bailey and Tracy Porter can make plays in the Secondary.

Denver do face a really tough schedule and that is why I have projected the Chargers to finish above them in the AFC West and I also think the Broncos may just miss the Play Offs. They have a very difficult start as they host Pittsburgh and Houston while travelling to Atlanta (all Play Off teams in 2011) and I think it would be a real achievement for them to be better than 2-4 at their bye week as they also travel to New England and San Diego in that time.

The schedule is a little more manageable after the bye, but visits to Cincinnati, Kansas City and Baltimore are still on slate and it wouldn't be a massive surprise to me if they finish with the same 8-8 record as last season.

Kansas City Chiefs (7-9)

There have been a number of changes from 12 months ago as Todd Haley is no longer the Head Coach here having been replaced by Romeo Crennel. There is also a new Offensive Co-Ordinator and Special Teams Co-Ordinator, while the expectations are massively reduced after finishing with a losing record the year after winning the AFC West with 10 wins.

Injuries really took their toll on the Chiefs last season as Matt Cassel, Jamaal Charles, Tony Moeaki and Eric Berry were four of the big names that missed much of the season.

Cassel will once again be the starting Quarter Back for the Chiefs and will be expected to manage the game, while making a few big throws to the likes of Dwayne Bowe (who has signed his franchise tag tender) and Tony Moeaki.

Charles will share time at the running back position with Peyton Hillis as they look to replicate the one-two punch of a couple of seasons ago when Charles was paired with Thomas Jones. The running game should improve their numbers as the Offensive Line has also been upgraded with Eric Winston being signed as the new Right Tackle.

The Defense has lost a key component in Brandon Carr in the Secondary, but they did sign Stanford Routt from Divisional rivals Oakland to take over one of the Corner Back spots opposite Brandon Flowers, while Eric Berry's return from injury will strengthen the unit.

Kansas City have upgraded the Defensive Line by choosing Dontari Poe as their first pick in the Draft, and only 1 team scored more than 16 points against them in the last 5 games of the regular season in 2011.

There does look to be a lot of upside in the Chiefs this season and I have had a hard time separating them and the Denver Broncos if I am honest. If they are still in contention after their first 9 games, the games do get 'easier' down the stretch and they may just surprise everyone by taking the AFC West for the second time in three years.

I think they will surpass the 7 wins from last season, but they may have to settle for the same 8-8 record as Denver although there is a real possibility they do finish with a winning record if they are better than 3-6 after 9 games.

Oakland Raiders (8-8)

Oakland bet the house on Carson Palmer last season as they traded two Number 1 picks in the Draft and a Number 2 to bring him in from the Cincinnati Bengals, but they lost 3 of their last 4 games to lose control of the AFC West and ended with an 8-8 record.

Palmer has not had an off-season to work with the Oakland Raiders staff, but there has been a huge turnover in staff and new systems need to be put in place. There is some real speed in the Receiving areas and I think the off-season will have given them a chance to work on some real chemistry in this area.

And those receivers may just find a little more space to use their quickness as Darren McFadden will be back running the ball for Oakland after missing 10 games with an injury. McFadden has the ability to take the ball to the house from any position on the field and that threat is going to force defenses to respect the running game here and that should help the passing game no end.

While I do think the Offense will be improved, the Defense will be missing Kamerion Wimbley and Stanford Routt from a year ago, and there are some real depth issues which means they will have the pressure of staying healthy to keep the Raiders involved in the Division.

There are still some talented players on the Defense like Richard Seymour, Tommy Kelly and Rolando McClain, but they have to have a lot more success in pressurising the Quarter Back in passing situations if they are to cover up a weaker Secondary, while also improving a rush Defense that gave up 5.1 yards per carry in 2011.

Oakland do not have the kindest schedule and I think they are unfortunate in playing the more 'winnable teams' on the road. The Offense has the capabilities of being really explosive this season so they may just surprise me, but they have a new Head Coach, Offensive Co-Ordinator and Defensive Co-Ordinator and that means I have them falling short of the 8 wins they recorded last season and I think they will get around 6 wins and have their first losing record since 2009.

I still think all roads in the AFC are going to pass through New England, although there are some credible threats in the Conference through Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Houston.

I do really like the Texans, but I wouldn't want to back them having to go to a cold New England in January and unfortunately I think the Patriots are going to have the best record in the Conference with the schedule on slate.

Both Baltimore and Pittsburgh could provide much sterner tests to the Patriots, even on the road, but I do think New England are the right favourites to win the Conference as we stand right now. However, they may have to beat both the powerhouses from the AFC North in consecutive weeks and that may be enough to see them knocked off before the SuperBowl.

These four teams do look the pick of the Conference and I expect one of them will be playing in the SuperBowl, although that is hardly pushing the envelope in making a prediction.

AFC Play Off Team Prediction: New England, Pittsburgh, Houston, San Diego, Baltimore and Buffalo