NFL Week 12 Recap 2015 (December 2nd)

I haven't had the time to put together an NFL Recap for the last couple of weeks, but hopefully that won't be the case for the rest of the season.

The NFL continues producing plenty of big stories after each week and Week 12 is no different as we get into the home stretch towards the Play Offs.

Jeff Fisher Should be Fired by the St Louis Rams at the End of the Season

He was one of the most sought after Head Coaches in the NFL after his time at the Tennessee Titans and it was the St Louis Rams who convinced Jeff Fisher to take over as Head Coach rather than head to the Miami Dolphins.

Fisher was successful with the Titans/Houston Oilers, but he now has just two winning seasons as a Head Coach in his last ten years. His best record with the Rams was a 7-8-1 record in his first season, but things have progressively got worse for Fisher as he has since gone 7-9, 6-10 and his team have lost four in a row to drop to 4-7 this season.

After the blow out loss in Cincinnati, Fisher told his critics to 'kiss my ass' if they were to criticise the effort his St Louis Rams have been making, but that's not good enough. There is so much talent on the Defensive side of the ball that it feels like the Rams are underachieving, while the appointment of Gregg Williams as Defensive Co-Ordinator has looked a big mistake with accusations of the St Louis Defensive unit making 'dirty plays'.

Offensively they have been a mess throughout Fisher's time here and the trade for Nick Foles to replace Sam Bradford has simply not worked. The Offensive plays are heavily reliant on gimmick plays and Todd Gurley has hit a wall in his rookie season.

Worst of all is the fact that Fisher didn't pull Case Keenum in the loss to Baltimore in Week 11 when the Quarter Back clearly was disorientated after a hit to his head. Fisher's excuse that he was concentrating on 'game management' isn't good enough and the St Louis Rams are perhaps moving to LA in time for the 2016 season.

Even if that doesn't happen, I think Fisher has had his shot and the St Louis Rams should make sure they are looking for a new Head Coach. One that can build a decent Offensive unit from the pieces they have to go with a Defense that is very under-rated and not being given enough time to rest in games with the other side of the ball constantly landing in three and out spots.

The NFC East Clearly the Worst Division in the NFL

A few weeks ago it was a hard choice to separate the NFC East and the AFC South as the worst Divisions in the NFL, but it has become clear through Week 12 that the NFC East holds that distinction.

The Dallas Cowboys haven't had much luck with their injuries and the renewed collarbone issue for Tony Romo means it is hard to see them making a run. However most teams who have lost seven in a row at some point in the season wouldn't be expected to be challenging for the Division, but the NFC East has been so awful that they are only two games out of the lead.

Then you have the Philadelphia Eagles who have been blown out in back to back weeks and have had their Head Coach Chip Kelly being questioned from a number of different angles. Philadelphia were booed off in their last home game and were embarrassed on Thanksgiving Day, but they are still only one game out of the Division lead.

The New York Giants have to be feeling the worst having had a chance to control the Division by winning on Sunday, but Eli Manning threw three Interceptions and his team fell into a 20-0 hole to the Washington Redskins. A late comeback fell short and that means the Giants and Redskins lead the Division with 5-6 records with just five weeks left to go.

Will this be the latest Division in recent years to send a team to the Play Offs with a losing record? I think the New York Giants can end this season with a 3-2 record to finish 8-8 and win the Division, but it is still very feasible that the Division does have a team with a losing record hosting a Play Off game in January.

Are the Pittsburgh Steelers the Dark Horse to Reach the Super Bowl?

This is the time of the season when fans start looking out for a team that is coming through the pack to perhaps have a surprising Play Off run that potentially leads to the Super Bowl.

In recent years we have seen teams like the New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks and the Pittsburgh Steelers put together strong runs in December which have resulted in the team reaching the Super Bowl even as Wild Card teams.

I know Kansas City seem to be a popular choice to do that in the AFC, but I really have a lot of belief in the Pittsburgh Steelers if they can somehow get Big Ben Roethlisberger healthy.

Roethlisberger is in the concussion protocol this week, but he showed what he is capable of with a huge performance at the Seattle Seahawks in Week 12. He has some big time weapons in the Receiving department while DeAngelo Williams has been an effective replacement for the injured Le'Veon Bell.

The Defensive unit has to play better in the Secondary to really fulfil my belief though after failing to play much coverage in Week 12, but this Steelers team looks very dangerous.

Going 4-1 down the stretch should be good enough to get Pittsburgh into the Play Offs as a Wild Card team and might even be enough to take the Number 5 Seed. That would mean going to the AFC South winner in the Wild Card Round which should see Pittsburgh building momentum and they will feel they can out-score any team they potentially play from the Divisional Round onwards.

It was Almost the Worst Case Scenario for the New England Patriots

With just three minutes left and controlling the ball, the New England Patriots were looking to run some clock and grab a couple of First Downs that would have won the game in Denver.

But a throw towards Rob Gronkowski almost saw their season go up in flames as the Tight End saw his right knee snapped back and had to be carted off the field.

Outside of Tom Brady, Gronkowski is the one player they can't afford to lose on an Offense that is plagued with injuries. Julian Edelman, Dion Lewis and Danny Amendola were important pieces of the Offense already missing and it didn't look too good for Gronk who was writhing in agony on the slow covered turf.

Fortunately for the Patriots, it looks like their star Tight End has escaped serious injury and he potentially takes to the field this weekend. I don't think New England risk him with a 10-1 record which keeps them as favourites to win the AFC Number 1 Seed and home field advantage so I am expecting Gronkowski back in Week 14.


The Seattle Seahawks weren't so fortunate as Jimmy Graham was ruled out for the season and the big target they acquired in the off-season won't make any Play Off games either. Graham and Russell Wilson just seemed to be getting on the same page too so it is a blow for the Seahawks who need all the Offensive weapons they can get to protect a surprisingly porous Defensive unit.

The Brock Osweiler Era Has Begun in Denver

Before Week 12 there was still a feeling that Peyton Manning would be restored as the Denver Bronco starting Quarter Back as soon as he was healthy to go. That would only change if Brock Osweiler was to have a second solid start in a row, this time against the New England Patriots, and there is little doubt that he passed that test with flying colours.

It would be a huge mistake for Gary Kubiak and the Broncos to turn the Offense back to Manning with the way Osweiler has played in his first two games. He has been more than a simple game manager, making some big throws but most importantly Osweiler hasn't made too many mistakes to put his Defensive unit under pressure.

The running game has been more effective with Osweiler taking the snaps from under Center and the team are fully behind their young Quarter Back which is vitally important for Denver. For many people this has looked a small window for the Broncos to win the Super Bowl and so Kubiak has to go with his best option which looks to be Osweiler.


That is no disrespect to Peyton Manning who has been a Hall of Fame Quarter Back through his career in the NFL. However his mistakes have been terrible and Denver are almost into the Play Offs where Manning doesn't have the best record during his peak years, let alone when he is playing at his current level.

Reports suggest Manning is not quite ready to hang up his cleats, but Denver won't be his home in the 2016 season on his current contract and this does feel like a permanent changing of the guard at the Quarter Back position.

Top Ten

1) Carolina Panthers (11-0): The Carolina Panthers look to be the team to beat and they are very close to picking up home field advantage through the Play Offs.

2) Arizona Cardinals (9-2): The Arizona Cardinals are a little banged up at Running Back which might cause problems in January, but they can take care of business at home.

3) Denver Broncos (9-2): I am sold on Brock Osweiler and think he can do enough coupled with a very good Defensive unit to see the Broncos go very far in the Play Offs.

4) New England Patriots (10-1): Banged up on Offense and that might cause problems for Tom Brady and the Patriots.

5) Cincinnati Bengals (9-2): Andy Dalton and the Cincinnati Bengals could still take the Number 1 Seed in the AFC if they can win out and the Patriots slip, but they have to prove they can play in December and January.

6) Minnesota Vikings (8-3): Could have quietly become the third best team in the NFC, but this week is a chance to prove themselves against the Seattle Seahawks.

7) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5): They might have lost in Seattle but I still rate them above the Seahawks if they can get Ben Roethlisberger healthy.

8) Seattle Seahawks (6-5): It was a big win for Seattle in Week 12, but they were heavily outgained in terms of yards and had a couple of fortunate plays go their way. Legion of Boom has been terrible defending the pass which is a concern.

9) Kansas City Chiefs (6-5): I am not convinced about this team, but the Chiefs have plenty of momentum behind them which can't be ignored.

10) Green Bay Packers (7-4): The Green Bay Packers have lost their form at the wrong time and Aaron Rodgers is demanding his team get back on track with harder work on the practice field.

Bottom Five

32) Cleveland Browns (2-9): How typical of the Cleveland Browns to lose a game where they had the winning Field Goal only to see it blocked and returned for the winning Touchdown.

31) Tennessee Titans (2-9): This is a team that has been unfortunate in some recent losses, but a long home losing run is hard to ignore. Won't have a better chance to snap it than hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 13.

30) Miami Dolphins (4-7): The Miami Dolphins have made more Co-Ordinator changes, but this looks a team that has given up on the season.

29) Dallas Cowboys (3-8): They might still be in the hunt for the NFC East Division, but Tony Romo is done for the regular season and the Dallas Cowboys might start focusing on earning a high Draft Pick.

28) New Orleans Saints (4-7): How pathetic are the New Orleans Saints that they come out of their bye week having fired their Defensive Co-Ordinator and then made Brian Hoyer look like Joe Montana.

Week 12 Picks Recap

I have had some bad weeks in my years of making picks on this blog, but this was by far the most pathetic performance.

2-10...

2-10... I would have been better off tossing a coin with some of the picks made this week and even the Denver Broncos pick only came through thanks to some last minute Brock Osweiler magic.

My Thanksgiving Day Picks were all terrible, but I still don't understand what has happened to the Green Bay Packers to give up games as they have.

It was worse on Sunday with Tampa Bay in a position to cover only to fall apart in the second half after leading at the end of the first half. Eli Manning came out and put the New York Giants in a big hole, while teams like the Miami Dolphins, St Louis Rams and New Orleans Saints were just horrible from the beginning to the end.

So I can't even blame too much bad luck, the picks just stunk and have completely eviscerated the season performance to this point. From a decent position I have moved into a big hole because of that pathetic Week 12, but I have to clear the mind and get back to focusing on what had worked for much of the season.

I don't need to get it all back at once, I just want to get back to winning weeks and see if that can get the season back on track with five regular season weeks to go.

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 (NFC Conference)

The NFL season is now just days away from beginning and I have broken down both Conferences with my choices for the teams that will make it to the Play Offs.

You can find my look at the AFC here.

The NFC is the Conference I believe will provide the SuperBowl winner again this season and they have two of the toughest Divisions in the whole of football in the NFC East and NFC North.

I am sure there are going to be a couple of big teams that miss out again this season after the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys and the Chicago Bears all failed to reach the post-season in 2011.

Below are my projections for the NFC this season.

NFC East

Philadelphia Eagles (8-8) Record from last season in brackets

The last time any team managed to win back to back NFC East titles was back in 2004 and I project another winner this season. Last season, the Philadelphia Eagles loaded their roster with talent and Vince Young described them as the 'Dream Team', yet they flattered to deceive and had to win their final 4 games to avoid a losing season.

However, those wins have got the fans believing this could be a big season for them and they have kept most of their key players on the roster while adding in the likes of DeMeco Ryans (LB) to close some of the holes they had a year ago.

The biggest issue may be keeping Michael Vick healthy for the season, but we have seen how fragile he can be as he picked up a couple of injuries in the pre-season games. He will be good to go, but the Eagles need a full season out of him if they are to get to the SuperBowl.

A lot of that will be down to an Offensive Line that is most likely going to miss Jason Peters for the season, but they did look like an improving unit down the stretch in 2011.

The Defense finished in the top 10 in both yards per game and points per game last season and I think they may even improve on those numbers now that this unit has been together for a season. They get a lot of pressure on the opposition Quarter Back with their front 4, while the Linebackers should be improved with Ryans joining the team from Houston with his experience and leadership qualities.

The Secondary is talented and will be helped out by the pressure generated up front and the Eagles look a real threat in the NFC this season.

With the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys in the same Division, the schedule is always going to be tough, but Philadelphia have the easiest one of those three teams and that is why I believe they win the Division. After finishing 2011 with lots of momentum, I think the Eagles will push on this season and get around 3 wins more than last season to take their record to 11-5.

New York Giants (9-7)




When the New York Giants were swept by the Washington Redskins last season, they were left with a 7-7 record and knowing they would have to win 6 games in a row if they were to win their second SuperBowl in 5 seasons. The Giants won the battle of New York against the Jets, then beat Dallas to make it into the Play Offs and only saw their momentum keep building in wins over Atlanta, at Green Bay, at San Francisco and then knocking off the New England Patriots in the big game again.

However, the schedule makers have given the Giants no favours this season and that is why I believe they will actually fall down a position in the NFC East, although potentially getting back into the Play Offs.

Brandon Jacobs, Mario Manningham and Aaron Ross are some of the bigger names that have left the Giants this off-season and there are still some questions to address if they are to prove themselves a year after winning the SuperBowl.

The Offensive Line struggled to open up holes in the rushing game last season, while Victor Cruz is not the unknown player he was a year ago when becoming a top receiving threat for Eli Manning. The Defensive Line will also show the same level of play they got in the final 6 games and bring that for the whole season if the Giants are to improve in the yards per game and points per game they allow.

You don't win a SuperBowl without a lot of talent in the team so I don't want to do the Giants a disservice, but take away their final 6 games last season and I think there is a lot of inconsistency with their play and that may cost them the Division this season.

The schedule matches them with Philadelphia (twice), Dallas (twice), visiting San Francisco, Atlanta and Baltimore, while also hosting New Orleans, Green Bay and Pittsburgh... I have seen the Giants projected to win 11 games this season in some places, but I think they may be closer to their record from last season and go 9-7, although there are a couple of games that look really tight and could go either way.

It wouldn't be a huge surprise to me if they did manage up to 11 wins, but there is just as much a chance that they could go 7-9 with the games on slate so I am going to stick with my initial thoughts and say the Giants finish 9-7.

Dallas Cowboys (8-8)



One of my best friends is a Dallas Cowboy fan so this team has always been a 'second favourite' of mine behind the Miami Dolphins. They were close to making it to the Play Offs last season and would have made it if they hadn't had blown a big lead over the New York Giants in a home game earlier in the season, even if they did get another chance against the eventual SuperBowl Champions in New Jersey in Week 17 in a 'winner takes all' game.

The blowing of a big lead in the first game against the Giants was a symptom of the Cowboys season as they blew double-digit leads against the New York Jets and Detroit Lions as well as the Giants.

Dallas have plenty of talent on both sides of the ball, although they need to maintain better health to get the full benefit of it. Miles Austin has a lingering hamstring injury that cost him games last season and continues to come up from time to time and there isn't the depth at Wide Receiver to have him missing for an extensive time.

Dez Bryant and Jason Witten are talented playmakers in the receiving areas for Dallas, but the Offensive Line will have to play better to protect Tony Romo after giving up 39 sacks last season. The line could be helped if DeMarco Murray can stay healthy as he looks a real threat with the ball in his hand and may force Defenses to just take a moment to think before getting after Romo, especially if Murray continues from where he left off last season at 5.5 yards per carry.

One of the poorest areas of the team last season was the Secondary that was badly exposed- Rob Ryan runs the Defense here and he uses his front 7 to pressure the opposition Quarter Back but the Secondary did not do a good job of limiting the big play. This is an area Dallas looked to strengthen and the signing of Brandon Carr from Kansas City and picking Morris Claiborne with their first pick in the Draft has seen that unit massively upgraded.

With a full off-season to work with Ryan, I expect the Defense as a whole will be an improved unit, but the schedule, like for the Giants, has not been Dallas' friend.

There are at least three or four games where I really think it could go either way, games where they are currently favoured or dogged by just 1 point. Much as I said with the Giants, Dallas could easily get into double-digit in wins, but may also end with a losing record for the second time in three seasons. I've projected the Cowboys in 3rd in the NFC East with an 8-8 record, but they could easily surpass this expectation.




Washington Redskins (5-11)



Washington have attached their future to Robert Griffin III by giving up a number of draft picks to move up to the Number 2 spot in the draft to take the Quarter Back. After years of uncertainty at this position RGIII is the man for Mike Shanahan and will decide whether the Head Coach is going to be here for the long term or not.

RGIII has been given some weapons like Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan, but it isn't an overwhelming Offense around him and it does look a rebuilding year. There are big questions about the Running Back and the Offensive Line and it could be a rude awakening for Griffin in the NFL.

Looking at the Defense overall and I think they are a decent unit that should be able to keep Washington in games and give their new Quarter Back a chance to put some wins on the board. A lot will depend on whether the front 7 continue to get pressure and maybe improve on the 41 sacks that were recorded by the team last season.

The Secondary is inconsistent at best and are susceptible to the big play, especially if the opposition Quarter Back gets time to throw the ball. Brandon Meriweather comes in to play Strong Safety having spent a year in Chicago, but he is far removed from his performances that took him to the Pro-Bowl as a member of the New England Patriots.

They picked off the ball just 4 times last season, the worst record in the NFL, and will be heavily reliant on the likes of Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan causing problems in the backfield ahead of them if the Secondary is to keep improving statistically.

Washington are another one of the NFC East teams that has a stinker of a schedule and I am struggling to see them reaching the 5 wins they got to last season (remember they had to sweep the Giants to get to that number) and, barring any more surprise results, I think they will finish with a weaker record than last season, but the fans have to be patient in a year where they are getting the pieces together for future success.

NFC North

Green Bay Packers (15-1)

The Green Bay Packers looked like the best team in the NFL for the majority of last season, although the Defense was a big concern with the amount of yards per game they were giving up. That didn't stop people backing the Packers to once again win the SuperBowl, but they failed to win a Play Off game as they were knocked off by the eventual winners, the New York Giants.

This season, the Packers are once again the leading contenders in the NFC, although they are in the toughest Division in my opinion with three real Play Off calibre teams within the North.

I don't have too many concerns with the amount of points the Packers will score as they still have their key players in play on the Offense, while Greg Jennings is back having had injury problems last season. However, they will be looking to James Starks and the Offensive Line to create more holes in the running game as they do feel a better balance will only make Aaron Rodgers that much more productive.

With all the issues on the Defense in 2011, it was no surprise that the Packers spent their first five picks in the Draft on Defensive players and they took Nick Perry with their first pick. He should get playing time immediately, lining up opposite Clay Matthews in the Outside Linebacker position. Last season, they didn't get enough pressure on the opposite Quarter Back so Jerel Worthy may also be expected to have an immediate impact from the Defensive End position.

It is possible to pass on the Packers, but they do have some ball-hawking playmakers in the Secondary that may be able to continue creating turnovers as long as the front seven can get the pressure on the Quarter Back.

The schedule makes the Packers favourites to reach double-digits in terms of wins this season, although I don't think they get up to 15 like they did a year ago. I am projecting them to get up to 13 wins this season which should secure the Division as they take on teams from the weak AFC South and NFC West.

Detroit Lions (10-6)

There haven't been too many positive vibes going into a new season for the Detroit Lions fans in recent seasons and before last year they had ten losing seasons, nine of those with double-digit defeats. However, the end of the 2010 season had shown signs that the Lions were turning things around and that was the case in 2011 as they finished with 10 wins and also made the Play Offs for the first time since 1999.

Detroit may have lost to the New Orleans Saints in the Wild Card Round, but the positives of the season sees them enter 2012 as one of the top contenders in the NFC and another Play Off appearance is the least of their expectations.

As long as Matthew Stafford can stay healthy, this is an Offense that is going to score lots of points. He has a huge playmaker in Calvin Johnson and there is no doubt that the Madden 13 cover boy is the best Receiver in the game at this moment. Titus Young and Brandon Pettigrew are great complements to Johnson and it wouldn't be a surprise to see Stafford reach 40 touchdown passes again.

The one element of the Offense that needs to improve is the running game as the Lions did become a little one-dimensional down the stretch. Jahvid Best has had a number of concussion issues, but Mikel Leshoure is back from a torn achilles and these two players can help the Lions move the chains on the ground. That should improve the Offensive Line play and keep Defenses from zoning in on attacking Stafford.

The Lions Defense was a little poor last season in terms of numbers, but there is a lot of upside here, particularly in the front seven. The Defensive Line has a number of big, powerful pass rushers and it will be down to them to protect a Secondary that still looks the weakest unit of this entire team. If they can get to the Quarter Back, the Lions should be able to improve their numbers, but no pressure will see them being ripped apart as they were by Matt Flynn and Drew Brees in their final two games last season.

I have found it hard to separate the Lions from the Chicago Bears, but their schedule does look like it will provide another double-digit win season as long as their key players on the Offense can stay healthy. 5 of their 8 road games are very tough, while they haven't won more than 5 home games in a single season in the last ten years. However, they have the look of a team that will be able to put up big points and I am projecting another 10-6 season.

Chicago Bears (8-8)

The Chicago Bears were sitting at 7-3 in 2011 before the season fell apart thanks to two big injuries on the Offense that saw them lose both Jay Cutler and Matt Forte for the season. They lost five straight games at that point to miss out on the Play Offs, but these two players are back this season and the Bears look like a Play Off calibre team that could potentially challenge the Green Bay Packers for the NFC North title.

Chicago have Cutler and Forte back this season, but were obviously spooked by what happened last season as they signed Jason Campbell and Michael Bush to add depth to those positions. The biggest revamping this off-season has been at the receiving positions as Brandon Marshall was traded from the Miami Dolphins and Alshon Jeffery was second round Draft pick.

Marshall and Jeffery will have a big impact in the passing game for the Bears and the Offensive Line looks a little better than it has been in recent seasons and they look a really good Offense with a lot of balance in the way they can move the chains.

The Bears have been known for a tough Defense and this season figures to be no different, although they are looking for improvements in the pass rush after picking Shea McClellin first in the NFL Draft to line up opposite Julius Peppers. Brian Urlacher was considered a doubt for the opening games of the season, but he is set to start in his usual Linebacker spot and you have to think there will be an improvement to their numbers from last season in both points per game and yards per game allowed.

Chicago can't be disappointed in their schedule this year and that makes me believe, with their added talent in key positions, that they will be the third team in this Division to reach double-digits in terms of wins. I really can't separate them and the Detroit Lions, and their game in Week 17 may be a 'Play Off' game in all but name, and they are currently favoured in 11 games so a 10-6 record is the minimum I am expecting.

Minnesota Vikings (3-13)


This is only the third season since the Minnesota Vikings were a play or two away from playing in the SuperBowl, but expectations of anything like that are long gone in what will be a transitional season.

Minnesota are just 9-23 in the last two seasons since reaching the NFC Championship Game and they have a number of question marks on the 2012 squad that makes me pretty sure they are going to have their third losing season in a row.

Christian Ponder is the second year Quarter Back, but he is playing behind an inexperienced Offensive Line that struggled to keep him upright last season, while Adrian Peterson is coming off an ACL injury and may be limited in the early part of the season. The receivers are decent, but outside of Percy Harvin there are not a lot of players that can heavily concern Defenses.

Jared Allen will continue leading the Defensive Line after racking up 22 sacks last season, but the Secondary and the Linebacker units are weak or inexperienced and it just seems the fans are going to have to be patient with their team.

Being in the NFC North means the Vikings have six games that are tough right off the bat, but there are some winnable games on the slate as they play Jacksonville, Arizona, Tennessee and Tampa Bay at home and also visit a rebuilding Indianapolis and Washington. However, I think they will do well to surpass the 3 wins they earned last season and I think Minnesota will be a unanimous pick to finish in the basement of the North everywhere except their locker room.

NFC South

New Orleans Saints (13-3)


Where else can you start with the New Orleans Saints projections for the 2012 season than with the bounty-gate scandal that has seen them lose Head Coach Sean Payton for the season as well as Linebacker Jonathan Vilma, while other players are suspended for the early games as is Interim Head Coach Joe Vitt.

There are two ways this season can go for the Saints with all that in mind- either they rally together and have another big year, or they fall apart without their leader and fail to make the Play Offs.

With Drew Brees running the show from Quarter Back, I am backing the former to happen!

Brees was magical last season as he broke the NFL passing record that was formerly held by Dan Marino and also threw 46 touchdown passes. He has lost Robert Meacham in the passing game and Carl Nicks has moved to Tampa Bay from the Offensive Line, but there is still a lot of talent here and Ben Grubbs is an effective replacement on the OL.

They also have the balance of an effective running game that Green Bay would crave and have a number of players that will form a committee with Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram and Darren Sproles all offering different things from the backfield.

New Orleans biggest question is the Defense due to the bounty-gate scandal, but I actually think they will be able to cover the absentees. It has always been possible to pass against the Saints, but they are a Defense that causes turnovers and they can be comfortable attacking the Quarter Back as the Offense does give them leads to play with.

I won't be surprised if they continue giving up over 350 yards per game as a Defense, but I still believe they will come together over the suspensions they suffered and get the job done.

No team has ever retained the NFC South Division title since its inception, but I am projecting the New Orleans Saints to do that this year. The schedule is tough, but New Orleans are very good at home and I can see them splitting their eight road games to finish at 11-5 this season, slightly down on 2011.

Atlanta Falcons (10-6)


This is Mike Smith's fifth season as the Head Coach of the Atlanta Falcons and he has led the team to the Play Offs in three of his previous four seasons... However, the pressure is now on Smith to lead them to a win in the Play Offs after losing all three of those appearances.

Atlanta have a very solid Offense that may have improved from last season now that Julio Jones has spent a season in the NFL, and there aren't too many weaknesses on this side of the ball. The Offensive Line will protect Matt Ryan enough so he can make plays and Michael Turner is still effective at running the ball to give them balance.

The bigger question for the Falcons may be the Defense which will now have Mike Nolan as the Defensive Co-Ordinator, a Coach who prefers a 3-4 system with what was a 4-3 Defense last season.

Atlanta will look to get more pressure on the Quarter Back from their front 3 or 4, but they have new starters in Linebacker positions and they have signed Asante Samuel to boost the Corner Back positions who is a player that can be burned as he likes risking moves for the Interception.

The Falcons could be a top team again in the NFC if they can get used to what Mike Nolan wants from them, particularly considering the success Nolan had with the Miami Dolphins last season (finished as the Number 6 Defense for points per game allowed).

Atlanta have a weaker schedule than the New Orleans Saints this season, but I think they are more likely to falter in games against Divisional rivals Tampa Bay and Carolina than the Saints so have projected them to finish below New Orleans. They have reached double-digit wins in three of the four seasons that Mike Smith has been in charge here, but I have them finishing 9-7, although only a surprise win or two away from winning the Division.





Carolina Panthers (6-10)


2011 was all about Cam Newton and all he achieved in his rookie season as a Carolina Panther, but that has increased the expectations in his second season.

All the doubts about whether Newton was the right choice with the Number 1 overall pick in the Draft were quickly erased when he took the field and all despite the lockout. Newton can run the ball as well as he can pass and there are enough playmakers on the Offensive side of the ball to think he can avoid the Sophomore Slump.

He is well protected by a decent Offensive Line and there is every chance they can finish in the top ten of both yards per game and points per game as they were a season ago.

The problem for Carolina remains the Defense which doesn't get enough pressure on the Quarter Back nor stops the run effectively. There remains issues in the Secondary and in the Linebacker position and it was no surprise they finished 27th or worse in yards per game and points per game allowed in 2011.

Depth is another concen for the Defense and they may need Frank Alexander and Luke Kuechly to come in and have an impact immediately (both chosen in the first three Rounds of the Draft).

There is a lot of expectation that Cam Newton can continue the upward curve for the Panthers who improved from 2 wins in 2010 to 6 wins last season, but the schedule isn't really conducive to that. The Defense is still rebuilding so Carolina will need to put up a lot of points to win games and I have them reaching the same 6-10 mark as last season with a potential to improve to 7-9 if the Saints have qualified for the Play Offs and rest starters in Week 17.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12)


Raheem Morris was fired as the Head Coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the team crumbled down the stretch in 2011 falling from a 10 win team to a 4 win team. They now have had a complete overhaul of the Coaching staff, although much more is expected of this squad in 2012.

Josh Freeman struggled last season at Quarter Back, but he has been given some new weapons in the forms of Dallas Clark and Vincent Jackson. Doug Martin has also been picked up in the Draft to upgrade the Running Back position, while Carl Nicks was signed in Free Agency to improve the Offensive Line.

'Improve' is the word I have used a lot to describe the Offense and I expect that to be the case for a team that finished 27th in points per game last season.

Tampa Bay had the worst points per game allowed last season and were also 30th in terms of yards per game, but the Defense will be better if they can remain healthy. Mark Barron was their first pick in the Draft and Eric Wright was signed in Free Agency to improve the Secondary and these players will have to have an impact as the Buccaneers struggle to get enough pressure on the Quarter Back.

The coaching changes make it tough to evaluate how the Buccaneers will do this season, but the schedule does give them a chance to surpass last seasons 4 win year. They have improved units on the team that makes me think they can get up to as many as 6 or 7 wins this season, but it will depend on how they react to Greg Schiano in his first ever season as a NFL Head Coach.

NFC West

San Francisco 49ers (13-3)

The San Francisco 49ers were the pick of the Division last season and there is nothing that has happened in the off-season to think that it will be any different in 2012.

Alex Smith is back to Quarter Back the team after their flirtation with Peyton Manning and he has been given some new weapons to work with as Mario Manningham and Randy Moss have signed to give him more options in the passing game.

Brandon Jacobs is in to help take the load off of Frank Gore's shoulders, but there have been a couple of changes to the Offensive Line, although nothing earth-shattering that will change the way they play the game.

The Red Zone efficiency of the 49ers was poor last season and led to David Akers hitting the most field goals in NFL history (and he had most attempts too at 52), but the arrival of someone like Moss may just open things up for Smith as he is a big body that will have to be respected by Defenses.

San Francisco's Defense remains one of the best in the NFL and they have exceptional talent on the Defensive Line and at Linebacker, units that just make the Secondary even better with the pressure they can create up front. As long as they stay healthy, I expect the 49ers may just finish in the top 5 of yards per game allowed and points per game.

The schedule is challenging at times for the 49ers, but they will get back into double-digits in number of wins this season and that will be enough for them to take the Division. I don't think the 49ers reach 13 wins though and are likely to be one of the teams involved in Wild Card Weekend.

Seattle Seahawks (7-9)

The Seattle Seahawks have finished 7-9 in each of their last two seasons, but it wasn't good enough to make the Play Offs in 2011 as it was in 2010. While they are still rebuilding the team to Pete Carroll's requirements, they may be one of the surprise teams in the NFC in the coming season.

I was very high on Russell Wilson after seeing the way he performed at Wisconsin last season, and I wasn't that surprised that someone took a chance on him in the Third Round as his leadership qualities and belief in his own game gave him every chance to make it in the NFL. However, I wasn't expecting him to be the starter when Seattle picked him up as they had signed Matt Flynn, the much sought after Free Agent Quarter Back, but Wilson has won the job and will go in Week 1.

He does have some good playmakers around him, but it is Wilson's mobility that might be his biggest asset as the Offensive Line is still inexperienced and gave up 50 sacks last season. Wilson will need the likes of Sidney Rice and Marshawn Lynch to stay healthy, but a rookie at Quarter Back behind this Offensive Line means they will have inconsistencies.

I am high on the Secondary in Seattle as they are the biggest in the NFL and do have the quality to match up with the big receivers we are seeing throughout the League.

It also seems to have been forgotten somewhere that this team finished 7th in Defense last year in terms of points per game allowed and 9th in terms of yards per game allowed. They made a surprise choice by picking Bruce Irvin with their first choice in the Draft, but he will help a team that only had 33 sacks last season.

That side of the ball looks like it has been upgraded this season on an already pretty productive unit and it will be down to the Offense to score enough points for them to protect.

Unfortunately for Seattle, they don't have a nice schedule and face FOUR games in the Eastern Time Zone. They also have a tough start to the season for Russell Wilson and the Offense and could be as bad as 1-7 at Week 8, but I still think they are an improving team that may just equal their 7-9 record for the third straight season with a little bit of luck and a couple of surprise results (remember they knocked off New York Giants in New York, Chicago in Chicago and also Baltimore and Philadelphia).

Arizona Cardinals (8-8)

The Arizona Cardinals were the SuperBowl runners-up in 2008, but the retirement of Kurt Warner in 2009 has left them in an uncertain state at Quarter Back and they are yet to have a winning season since his departure, something I don't expect will change this season.

John Skelton has won the Quarter Back job from Kevin Kolb as the Cardinals were another team that missed on the Peyton Manning sweepstakes. Skelton is a little inconsistent, but will have two big targets this season in Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd (first pick in Draft) and he will also be hoping to have a healthier Todd Heap back.

The Offensive Line remains a developing unit after they allowed 54 sacks in 2011 and they were reinforced with lower Draft picks so I still think that will be an issue for the team. However, Skelton may be able to get the ball out quicker with teams double-teaming Fitzgerald and Floyd being a 6 foot 3 target.

Arizona's Defense is still young and improving and were better in almost all key Defensive categories in 2011 than they were in 2010. Patrick Peterson could be a real shut down Corner Back in the Secondary that will have improved with his year of experience underneath him.

However, the uncertainty at Quarter Back will only take this team so far and that is one of their problems in the NFC West with San Francisco in the Division.

They haven't been given any favours in the schedule and that is why, coupled with the Quarter Back issues, that make have me projecting Arizona below Seattle and finishing with their second losing season in three seasons since Warner retired.

St Louis Rams (2-14)

After 'winning' the Number 1 pick in the NFL Draft in 2009, the St Louis Rams were only one more loss away from finishing in that position yet again last season as they had the joint worst record in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts. They brought in Jeff Fisher as Head Coach, but the New Orleans Saints' bounty-gate scandal filtered to them as Gregg Williams, who had been picked to run the Defense, was suspended for the entire season.

The overhaul of the Coaching staff is going to cause some teething problems for the Rams, but they do have a franchise Quarter Back here in the form of Sam Bradford as long as they offer him some protection. Last season, they gave up 55 sacks, the most in the NFL, and Bradford missed 6 games as he took a bit of a beating behind the Offensive Line at times.

Unfortunately for Bradford, the Offensive Line is being rebuilt so it could be another tough year for him behind Center. The Rams did take a couple of Wide Receivers in the Draft this year, but they have lost Brandon Lloyd so it seems the Offense will rely on the running game provided by Steven Jackson.

Jackson is a top running back, but is now in his ninth year in the NFL and has had injury problems, although he only missed one game last season. A lot of the Rams Offense is likely to go through him if Fisher's previous Head Coaching roles are anything to go by.

The Rams picked up two players for the Defense in the first three rounds of the Draft this season and there is some talent on this side of the ball. The Defensive Line has players like Chris Long and Robert Quinn who will provide pressure from the Defensive Ends while Michael Brookers will come and play in his rookie season in the middle of that line.

However, I still think there are issues in the Secondary that can be exploited, despite the addition of Cortland Finnegan and it could be another tough season for St Louis (who are rumoured to be moving to Los Angeles so how will the fans respond if they start losing?)

St Louis should be improved from a season ago and the schedule does get easier after finishing in the basement of the NFC West, while they have a Division where they will feel they can take 2 of their 3 home games at the least. I have projected them to at least double last seasons 2 win total, possibly finishing as well as 5-11 in a transitional season.


The NFC looks to be the deeper, stronger Conference of the two in the NFL this season and I think they are going to pick up another SuperBowl winner.

Green Bay should be the team that finishes with the Number 1 seed in the Conference, but they have some ghosts to exorcise after being bounced in their first game last season. I have then projected the Philadelphia Eagles, with their easier schedule compared with the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys, to finish Number 2.

New Orleans and San Francisco should round up the Division winners, but the Wild Card race could be really interesting all the way to Week 17 when Chicago visit Detroit and both the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants face Divisional rivals.

It is really difficult to pick a winner of the Conference as injuries and momentum are factors I just can't predict, but Green Bay have sounded plenty focused in the off-season and may just make home-field advantage count this time around.

NFC Play Off Prediction: Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions and New York Giants