The Giants did a great job of representing the NFC in the Super Bowl as they pulled off an incredible upset over the Patriots. Lots of teams are closing in on the Giants though as teams like the Cowboys, Seahawks and Saints are all contenders this season. Like last year the NFC should be in for a crazy and exciting season.
Arizona Cardinals: The last few years the Cardinals have been projected to breakout and become a playoff team. While it hasn't happened yet, the Cardinals should breakout soon. After Matt Leinart got hurt in week 5, Kurt Warner came in and had a great season as he had 3417 passing yards and 17 touchdowns. Leinart is supposed to be the quarterback of the future for the Cardinals but Warner has outperformed him so far. Edgerrin James had a solid year with 1222 yards and 7 touchdowns. James is starting to decline so look for 5th round pick Tim Hightower to make a big impact as well. Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin give the Cardinals one of the best receiving tandems in the league. Fitzgerald had another great year with 100 catches 1409 yards and 10 touchdowns. Boldin was solid as well with 853 yards and 9 touchdowns. Early Doucet should also come in as a 3rd round pick and contribute as a slot receiver.
The defense is one of the most underrated units in the league. Darnell Dockett led the team with 9 sacks and should have another Pro Bowl caliber player. Gerald Hayes had a very good year leading the team with 98 tackles along with 4 sacks and an interception. Roderick Hood had a very good year at corner as he had 57 tackles along with 5 interceptions. Antrel Rolle also had 5 interceptions and this off season was moved to safety. Rolle is now teamed up with Adrian Wilson at safety and they should help anchor a strong secondary. The Cardinals have gotten better, but the NFC has gotten tougher and it won't be easy making the playoffs. My prediction is 7-9 and 2nd place in the NFC West.
Atlanta Falcons: This year should be better than last as they no longer have to deal with the Michael Vick saga. Surprisingly, Chris Redman had a solid year as he threw 10 touchdowns in 4 starts. Look for Redman to start until the team feels that Matt Ryan is ready. Michael Turner comes over from the Chargers and should help solidify the Falcons running game. Turner is more of a bruising back while Jerious Norwood is a home run hitter who should have lots of holes to run through after Turner softens the defense. Roddy White had a breakout season last year as he had 1202 yards and 6 touchdowns. Look for White to have another good season. Laurent Robinson also came on late in his rookie season as he had 437 yards and a touchdown. With the departure of Alge Crumpler, Martez Milner looks to be the starting tight end. Milner has great size and should be a great red zone target for whoever is under center for the Falcons.
Due to the struggles on offense, the defense spent lots of time on the field. But the unit has some talent. John Abraham led the team with 10 sacks and should have another big year. Michael Boley had a Pro Bowl caliber season with 109 tackles along with 3 sacks and 2 interceptions. Look for Boley to be even better this year. With the departure of DeAngelo Hall, the secondary could have some troubles. Von Hutchins had a solid year with the Texans last year recording 93 tackles but Chris Houston is still young and unproven. The Falcons have some talent but this year they are clearly planning for the future. My prediction is 4-12 and 4th place in the NFC South.
Carolina Panthers: Every year the Panthers are predicted to be one of the sleeper teams in the NFC and this year is no different. Jake Delhomme is coming off Tommy John surgery but before the injury, Delhomme was having a great year. Reports out of camp though say that Delhomme is throwing the ball well and should be back to regular form. DeAngelo Williams had a solid year with 717 yards and 4 touchdowns. Williams should make a good duo with 1st round pick Jonathan Stewart. Stewart has the potential to be a 20 carry a game back and should help give the Panthers a balanced offense. Steve Smith is among one of the best receivers in the league and should have another good year. Smith though will be missed early on in the year as he will be suspended for the first two games of the year for a training camp incident where he broke teammate Ken Lucas' nose. D.J. Hackett was brought in this off season though and should be the teams’ number one receiver while Smith is out.
A few years ago, the Panthers had one of the best defenses in the league. Now they are in the middle of the pack. Julius Peppers had an off year as he only had 2 sacks. Look for Peppers to get back to his double digit sack form this year though. If not for Patrick Willis, people would be talking about Jon Beason's great rookie year. Beason had 140 tackles and if he keeps it up, should make the Pro Bowl for the first time this year. Chris Harris is one of the best safeties in the league and proved it last year with 96 tackles and 8 forced fumbles. Look for Harris to get the national attention he deserves this year. If Delhomme stays healthy, the Panthers have a great chance of making the playoffs but with the elite teams in the NFC East, unless you win the division, it will be hard to make the playoffs. My prediction is 7-9 and 2nd place in the NFC South.
Chicago Bears: It's hard to believe that the Bears represented the NFC in the Super Bowl a year ago. The Bears still aren't settled at quarterback as neither Rex Grossman or Kyle Orton did anything to impress last year. Grossman threw 4 touchdowns and 7 interceptions while Orton threw 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Matt Forte should come in as a rookie and take over the starting role at running back. Forte has the ability to be an every down back and should have a big year in Chicago. With the departure of Bernard Berrian to the division rival Vikings, the Bears are weak at receiver. The teams brought back Marty Booker and are counting on Devin Hester to show off his game changing ability and become a reliable receiver. Greg Olsen should make a big impact at tight end this year though as he showed reliable hands during his rookie year.
Even though the offense has regressed since the Super Bowl appearance, the defense is still very strong. Brian Urlacher led the team with 123 tackles and also had 5 sacks and 5 interceptions. Lance Briggs also had a good year with over 100 tackles and 2 sacks. Tommie Harris is one of the best defensive tackles in the game and had a career high 8 sacks. The corner position is solid with Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher. Tillman had 75 tackles and 3 interceptions while Vasher has been consistent over the course of his career but was hurt for the majority of the year. The only problem with the Bears defense is the offense as they are on the field for the majority of the game. Until the quarterback position is settled, the Bears will have a hard time winning in a competitive NFC. My prediction is 5-11 and 4th place in the NFC North.
Dallas Cowboys: On paper, the Cowboys are the strongest team in the NFC. But they haven't proved that in the playoffs. Tony Romo had a very good year as he had 36 touchdowns. With the targets Romo has, he could have a very similar year. Marion Barber is a bruising back who had a very good year with 975 yards and 10 touchdowns. Felix Jones teamed up with Barber should give the Cowboys a thunder and lightning combo in the backfield as Jones has great speed. Terrell Owens had another good year with 1355 yards and 15 touchdowns. Even at 34, Owens shows no signs of slowing down. Jason Witten also had a career year with 96 catches 1145 yards and 7 touchdowns. Look for Witten to have another big year.
The defense has loads of talent and is one of the elite units in the NFC. DeMarcus Ware led the team with 14 sacks and should have another Pro Bowl caliber year. Greg Ellis also had a very good year with 12 sacks. Bradie James also had a solid year leading the team with 101 tackles. Terence Newman also had a solid year as he had 50 tackles and 4 interceptions. Newman has developed into one of the premiere corners in the game. The Cowboys also acquired Adam Jones this offseason and should play on the other side of Newman. Before his year long suspension, Jones was showing why he could be one of the best young corners in the game. Now he is just trying to shake off the rust and he should be fine by the end of the year. Roy Williams had a solid year with 92 tackles and 2 interceptions but he struggled at times in pass coverage. The Cowboys have all the tools to be a very successful team, but they are going to have to win a playoff game first. My prediction is 12-4 and 1st place in the NFC East.
Detroit Lions: It's hard to believe, but heading into week 9 the Lions were 6-2 and destined for a playoff berth. They finished the year at 7-9 which in Lion terms, is a pretty good season. But things are starting to look up. Jon Kitna had a solid year throwing for over 4000 yards and 18 touchdowns. The only problem is that with Mike Martz running the offense, the Lions had no running game at all. Kevin Smith hopes to change that as he should make an immediate impact as a rookie. Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson look to form in one of the best receiver tandems in the league. Williams had another solid year with 838 yards and 5 touchdowns while Johnson was bothered by injury his rookie year and had 756 yards and 4 touchdowns.
The defense has some talent but they are still coming together as a unit. Dewayne White and Jared DeVries give the Lions force off the edge as they both led the team with 6 sacks each. Ernie Sims had a huge year with 134 tackles a sack and 3 forced fumbles. Sims has been one of the most productive linebackers in the league since he was drafted so look for him to get more national attention this year. Paris Lenon was solid as well as he had 118 tackles 2 sacks and an interception. Leigh Bodden came over to the Lions this offseason in a trade for Shaun Rodgers and should have an immediate impact. Bodden has shown the cover skills to be an elite corner in the league. Gerald Alexander was also a force in his rookie year at safety as he had 81 tackles 2 sacks and 2 interceptions. Overall, the Lions have lots of young talent but until they fire Matt Millen, they are still a few years away from making the playoffs. My prediction is 6-10 and 3rd place in the NFC North.
Green Bay Packers: Even after all of the Brett Favre drama, the Packers still have the makings of a solid team. Aaron Rodgers didn't get much playing time last year but when he did, he looked sharp completing over 70 percent of his passes. Rodgers has plenty of weapons around him and should make an impact early on. Ryan Grant came out of nowhere last season and ended up running for 956 yards and 8 touchdowns. Look for Grant to have an even better season this year. Donald Driver had another solid year with over 1000 yards. Greg Jennings is developing into the number one receiver as he had 12 touchdowns last season and should have another big season. Look for James Jones to improve on his solid rookie season as he showed lots of potential and will eventually compliment Jennings when Driver retires.
The Packers defense was very good last year and has the talent to be one of the best in the league this year. Aaron Kampman had a very good season as he was among the league leaders with 12 sacks. Both Nick Barnett and AJ Hawk were very productive as Barnett had 131 tackles while Hawk had 105. Al Harris got most of the credit at corner for the Packers, but Charles Woodson had a better year. Woodson was among one of the best corners in the league last year as he had 63 tackles along with four interceptions. Harris was solid as well but had a very hard time matching up with Plaxico Burress in the NFC Championship game. Atari Bigby had a solid year with 86 tackles and 5 interceptions. Bigby though still struggled in coverage and should improve this year. The Packers still have lots of talent and if Rodgers plays up to his potential, the Packers could make another deep run in the NFC. My prediction is 9-7 and 2nd place in the NFC North.
Minnesota Vikings: Even though the Vikings missed out on the Brett Favre sweepstakes, the team should still be very good. Tarvaris Jackson wasn't that great in his first full year as a starter as he only threw 9 touchdowns. Look for Jackson to improve in his 3rd season. The Vikings have one of the best rushing attacks in the league in Chester Taylor and Adrian Peterson. Peterson had a great rookie season with 1341 yards and 12 touchdowns. Look for Peterson to have another Pro Bowl season in his second year. Taylor was solid as well as he had over 800 yards along with 7 touchdowns. Going into last season, receiver was a weak position for the Vikings. Now they have lots of young talent at the position. Bernard Berrian was brought in and should give the team an excellent deep threat that they were missing. Look for Sidney Rice to breakout in his 2nd season as he showed flashes of potential last year and should be a great red zone threat for Jackson. The team is also very high on Aundrae Allison who is having a very good camp. Look for Allison to be the slot receiver this year.
The defense should be one of the best in the league as they have loads of talent. Pat and Kevin Williams are both among the best run stoppers in the league and with the addition of Jared Allen, the Vikings now have an excellent pass rush. E.J. Henderson had a very good year as he had 118 tackles and 4 sacks. Look for Chad Greenway to improve as he had over 100 tackles last season in his first year as a starter. The secondary is also strong as Antoine Winfield is one of the best corners in the league. Darren Sharper also had a very good year as he had 63 tackles and 4 interceptions. The Vikings have the talent to go deep into the playoffs but everything comes down to the play of Jackson. My prediction is 10-6 and 1st place in the NFC North.
New Orleans Saints: Last year the Saints were projected to make a deep run in the playoffs. It didn't end up happening, but they have a great chance this year. Drew Brees is one of the best quarterbacks in the league and had another solid year with 28 touchdowns. If Brees has to throw the ball 652 times again though, it could be a long year for the Saints. Reggie Bush still hasn't lived up to his potential as he battled injuries last season and ran for 587 yards and 4 touchdowns. With both Bush and Deuce McAllister having trouble staying healthy, look for Pierre Thomas to have an impact as he showed lots of potential late in the season. Marques Colston is developing into one of the best receivers in the league as he had 98 catches for 1202 yards and 11 touchdowns. Look for Colston to make his first Pro Bowl this year. Robert Meachem should have a breakout year as well as he didn't play in his rookie year but has looked very impressive in training camp. Jeremy Shockey is still one of the premier tight ends in the league left and is a quality weapon for Brees to throw to.
If not for the defenses struggles, the Saints would have been a playoff team last year. Will Smith led the team with 7 sacks and has the potential to be one of the league's elite pass rushers. Scott Fujita led the team with 95 tackles and also had 3sacks. The team also added Jonathan Vilma this offseason and it should have a huge impact on the linebacker corps. Roman Harper is developing into one of the best safeties in the league as he had 90 tackles along with 4 sacks and 3 interceptions last season. Mike McKenzie was solid last year as he had 52 tackles and had 3 interceptions. One of the biggest problems on defense is who plays across from McKenzie as Jason David didn't impress last year and Usama Young didn't show that much last season as a rookie. The Saints have tons of talent and if the defense gets everything resolved, they could be a Super Bowl contender in the NFC. My prediction is 12-4 and 1st place in the NFC South
New York Giants: The Giants still have a very strong team, but it will be very hard to come close to matching last year’s success. Eli Manning had a solid year with over 3300 yards and 23 touchdowns. Manning did throw 20 interceptions though and he will need to cut down on that if the Giants want a chance at repeating. Brandon Jacobs was very effective as a starter averaging 5 yards a carry on his way to 1000 yards. Ahmad Bradshaw was also very effective when he got carries and based off his postseason performance, he should get a lot more carries this year. Plaxico Burress was hurt for a good majority of the year but still put up big numbers. Burress had a pro bowl type season with over 1000 yards and 12 touchdowns. The ankle injury is still nagging Burress though and it could affect his play the first few weeks of the season. Amani Toomer can still get it done as well as he had 760 yards and 3 touchdowns. Look for Steve Smith to play a big role in the offense this season as he was very effective in the postseason and was bothered by injuries throughout his rookie season. Replacing Jeremy Shockey will be a tough task, but Kevin Boss is up to the challenge. Boss played a big role in the Super Bowl and isn't a big distraction like Shockey was.
Even though the defense took lots of hits by retirement, injuries and free agency, the Giants should still have a very effective unit. With Michael Strahan retiring and Osi Umenyiora out for the season, the Giants defensive line could be in trouble. But they are still in pretty good shape as Justin Tuck is emerging into one of the best young defensive ends in the game. The team also has Mathias Kiwanuka who was regarded as one of the best defensive ends in the 2006 draft. Kiwanuka has been playing linebacker the first few years of his career but should have an immediate impact at his old position. With the loss of Kawika Mitchell, the linebacker corps takes a hit. But Antonio Pierce will have another big year as he should once again led the team in tackles. The corners are solid as Aaron Ross showed lots of flashes of his potential in his rookie season and should only get better. Sam Madison is also a smart veteran who still has a few years left. The team thinks they got a first round steal in Kenny Phillips. Phillips has looked great in training camp and should be an impact for the Giants at safety for years to come. Overall, the Giants are a strong team but many teams should be competitive in the NFC this year. My prediction is 10-6 and 3rd place in the NFC East.
Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles were a disappointment last season as many people (myself included) had them representing the NFC in the Super Bowl. But the Eagles still have lots of talent. Donovan McNabb is one of the best quarterbacks in the league and he had another solid year throwing for over 3300 yards and 19 touchdowns. Brian Westbrook made Eagles fans and fantasy owners very happy last season as he was the heart of the offense. Westbrook had over 2000 total yards and 12 touchdowns. He also caught 90 passes. Receiver was a big issue of concern for the Eagles this year but with the injury to Kevin Curtis, the receivers have to step up even more. Curtis led the team in yards and touchdowns last season and should have a big impact when he returns. Until then the starters should be Reggie Brown and DeSean Jackson. Brown had a solid year with 780 yards and 4 touchdowns but still hasn't fully lived up to his potential. Jackson has been very impressive in training camp and is a great deep threat and has showed willingness to go over the middle. Jackson will also play a huge factor on special teams as he was one of the most electrifying return men in college football last year and already took a punt back for a touchdown in the preseason. Look for Brent Celek to emerge this year at tight end as he is a big target with good hands. Celek could become one of McNabb's go-to-guy's by the end of the year.
On defense, the Eagles have tons of talent. Trent Cole led the team with 12 sacks and has turned into one of the best pass rushers in the league. Broderick Bunkley and Mike Patterson help clog up the middle and stop the run game and both are pro bowl caliber players. Omar Gaither has a very good chance of breaking out in his 3rd year as he is coming off a year where he led the team with 102 tackles. The Eagles are loaded at corner as they have three corners that would start on any team. Lito Sheppard is one of the best corners in the league and had a solid year with 51 tackles and 2 interceptions. Sheldon Brown was also very good as he had 68 tackles and led the team with 3 interceptions. Most notetly, the team added Asante Samuel, one of the best corners in the league this offseason. The Eagles also have Brian Dawkins at safety who is still very productive and strikes fear into opponents. Overall, the Eagles are one of the most talented teams in the league. This team has the talent and the depth to go deep into the playoffs. My prediction is 11-5 and 2nd place in the NFC East.
San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers were a trendy playoff pick last season but didn't quite live up to expectations. Part of that was because of the quarterback play. With Alex Smith not living up to the billing of the 1st overall pick, the 49ers brought in J.T. O'Sullivan this offseason and he won the starting job. O'Sullivan looked very sharp in preseason and knows the Mike Martz offense well. Frank Gore is one of the best backs in the league and should have a big year. Gore has excellent hands out of the backfield and should catch 60 plus passes this year. Vernon Davis had a solid year with 509 yards and 4 touchdowns. Davis hasn't lived up to expectations though but could have a big year in Martz's pass oriented offense. Isaac Bruce should be a very good addition for the 49ers as he can still play and gives them a great knowledge of the Martz offense. The team could have found a steal in Josh Morgan in the 6th round as Morgan was one of the most impressive receivers this preseason averaging over 20 yards a catch.
The 49ers have lots of young talent on defense. Bryant Young led the team with 6 sacks last year and is one of the most consistent players on the defensive line. Patrick Willis is already an elite linebacker as he led the league with 174 tackles as a rookie. Willis should have another big year but with the lack of offense last year, his numbers a bit inflated. Manny Lawson has also shown lots of potential but injuries have stopped him from reaching it. Look for Lawson to breakout this year. Nate Clements came in as expected and showed that he was a big time corner last season. Clements had 92 tackles and 4 interceptions but no matter how well he does, he probably won't be worth what the 49ers paid him last offseason. Overall the 49ers have lots of young talent but until they get consistency at the quarterback position, it will be hard to make a playoff push. My prediction is 4-12 and 4th place in the NFC West.
Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks went deep into the playoffs last year and have a very similar team to do it again. Matt Hasselbeck is among the best quarterbacks in the league as he threw for almost 4000 yards and 28 touchdowns. Julius Jones was brought in during the offseason and should have a big impact while getting the majority of the carries. Justin Forsett also looked good this preseason and could play a big role if something happened to Jones. The receiving corps is deflated by injuries but they should still be effective. Nate Burelson is the number one at the moment and he had a solid year with 694 yards and 9 touchdowns. Burelson will also have a major impact on punt returns as he is one of the best return men in the league. Look for Ben Obomanu to get a good look as well as the team is impressed with what he has to offer.
The Seahawks are one of the most effective defenses in the league. Patrick Kerney led the team with 14 sacks and is one of the most productive pass rushers in the league. Julian Peterson also had a big year with 74 tackles and also had 10 sacks. Lofa Tatupu is one of the best linebackers in the league and showed it last year with 109 tackles along with 4 interceptions. Marcus Trufant also had a career year as he had 85 tackles and had 7 interceptions. Trufant has shown that he has the talent to be one of the best corners in the league. Deon Grant was also very effective as he had 77 tackles and 3 interceptions. Most people usually sleep on the Seahawks but when the playoffs come around they are always dangerous. My prediction is 11-5 and 1st place in the NFC West.
St.Louis Rams: The Rams still have lots of talent but with key players starting to get older, the Rams need to win now. Marc Bulger took a beating last year and threw for only 11 touchdowns. Look for Bulger to get back to his original form this year. Steven Jackson is still one of the best backs in the league and despite fighting injuries, went for over 1000 yards. Torry Holt is still among the league’s best receivers and had another solid year with 93 catches for 1189 yards and 7 touchdowns. Drew Bennett also has the chance to put up some numbers as he is starting opposite Holt and has great size that makes him a red zone target.
The defense struggled last year but has lots of talent. Leonard Little is starting to decline but with the addition of Chris Long through the draft, both players should benefit. La'Roi Glover is still productive as he had 6 sacks. Will Witherspoon had a very underrated season as he had 110 tackles and led the team with 7 sacks. Look for Witherspoon to get more national attention this year. O.J. Atogwe also had a pro bowl type year but didn't get much attention. Atogwe had 75 tackles and was amoong the league leaders with 8 interceptions. Corey Chavous also had a solid year as he had 75 tackles along with 4 sacks. Overall, the Rams have talent, but they are still a few years away from getting back to a contender. My prediction is 6-10 and 3rd place in the NFC West.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs surprised lots of people last year by winning the NFC South but with the offseason the Saints have had, it will be very hard to repeat. Jeff Garcia surprised lots of people last year throwing for 13 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Garcia can still play, the only question is for how long. Earnest Graham had a solid year running for 898 yards and 10 touchdowns. Graham should have over 1000 this year. Joey Galloway is still very productive as he led the team in yards and touchdowns. Galloway may be approaching his 37th birthday, but he shows no sign of slowing down. Ike Hilliard was also very productive as he had 62 catches for 722 yards.
The Bucs showed last year that their defense can still play at a high level. Gaines Adams had 6 sacks as a rookie but should breakout this year and reach double digits. Greg White led the team with 8 sacks and should have another big year with the defense shifting attention to Adams. Derrick Brooks had another solid year with 109 tackles. Brooks is one of the leaders of the defense and when it's all said and done should be a first ballot hall of famer. Barrett Rudd led the team with 114 tackles and also had 2 interceptions. If Rudd has another big year, he could be looking forward to his first pro bowl appearence. Ronde Barber is still one of the best corners in the league and had a solid year with 58 tackles and 2 interceptions. The safeties are very skilled as Tanard Jackson and Jermaine Phillips both have lots of potential. The Bucs think Jackson could be a John Lynch type player as he showed lots of potential as a rookie. Phillips led the team with 4 interceptions and also had 83 tackles. Overall, the Bucs have talent but with the rise of the Saints and key players aging, it will be very hard getting another playoff berth. My prediction is 6-10 and 3rd place in the NFC South.
Washington Redskins: The Redskins have talent, but in the NFC East, it will be very hard to compete. Jason Campbell had a solid year before he got hurt as he threw for 2700 yards and 12 touchdowns. Campbell is still developing and should have an even bigger impact this year. Clinton Portis has proven to be one of the most consistent backs in the league as he had another big season running for 1262 yards and 11 touchdowns. Santana Moss led the team with 808 receiving yards but in order to win, he must be more consistent. Chris Cooley on the other hand puts up similar numbers every week and had another big season with 786 yards and 8 touchdowns.
The defense made one of the biggest moves of the offseason by trading for Jason Taylor. Taylor is one of the most productive defensive ends in NFL history and still is a double digit sack player. Andre Carter led the team with 10 sacks and with the addition of Taylor, he could be even more effective this year. London Fletcher can still get it done as he led the team with 128 tackles and had 3 interceptions. Look for Rocky McIntosh to breakout this year as he showed lots of potential last year. The secondary was the strength of the defense last year as everyone was very effective. Shawn Springs led the team with 4 interceptions and also had 62 tackles. Fred Smoot had a very productive season as he had 50 tackles and 1 interception as teams were throwing away from him. Carlos Rogers is also turning into a very good corner as he showed lots of potential before getting hurt last season. LaRon Landry was very effective as a rookie as he had 95 tackles along with 2 sacks. The Redskins have the talent to make a run in the playoffs but they will just need to get through their division first. My prediction is 6-10 and 4th place in the NFC East.
