Hey Walt, its been a while. Sorry I havent posted in so long but I havent been able to spend much time at the computer lately. I believe the last time I posted here I was predicting for a Saints-Jets Super Bowl XL, I could not have been much more wrong, huh? But had Pennington been healthy and had Katrina not have happened who knows what would have gone on. I doubt seriously that either would have made the Super Bowl though. So what are you thinking for my Cowboys this year, Walt? Last year they missed the playoffs because of Bledsoe choking down the stretch, the lack of any kind of running game until that freak game in which Julius Jones ran for nearly 200 yards against Carolina, and because Bill Parcells refused to play aggressive offense. With TO on offense and an improved O-Line I look for Bledsoe not to choke this year, and I also expect Parcells to open it up a bit more with our new weapons, but there is no predicting Julius Jones' performance. He struggled against defenses like the Raiders in 2005, while burning the Panthers defense, one of the best in the league. Go figure. Here are my 2006 Predictions for every team.
NFC EAST 1. Dallas 13-3 2. Washington 11-5 3. Philadelphia 7-9 4. NY Giants 6-10
NFC NORTH 1. Chicago 11-5 2. Minnesota 8-8 3. Detroit 7-9 4. Green Bay 5-11
NFC SOUTH 1. Carolina 12-4 2. Tampa Bay 7-9 3. New Orleans 7-9 4. Atlanta 7-9
NFC WEST 1. Seattle 13-3 2. Arizona 10-6 3. St. Louis 6-10 4. San Francisco 4-12
AFC EAST 1. Miami 11-5 2. New England 11-5 3. Buffalo 4-12 4. NY Jets 3-13
AFC NORTH 1. Cincinnati 13-3 2. Pittsburgh 12-4 3. Cleveland 8-8 4. Baltimore 6-10
AFC SOUTH 1. Indianapolis 11-5 2. Jacksonville 9-7 3. Houston 5-11 4. Tennessee 3-13
AFC WEST 1. Denver 10-6 2. Kansas City 8-8 3. San Diego 5-11 4. Oakland 3-13
PLAYOFFS
Washington @ Chicago: 17-16 Redskins New England @ Miami: 34-31(OT) Patriots Pittsburgh @ Denver: 41-20 Steelers Arizona @ Carolina: 34-7 Panthers
Washington @ Seattle: 24-22 Seahawks New England @ Cincinnati: 37-20 Bengals Pittsburgh @ Indianapolis: 31-28(OT) Steelers Carolina @ Dallas: 33-17 Cowboys
I disagree with the Giants being 6-10. They will be at least 2nd. That's the only thing I disagree with. I think the Dolphins have a chance of grabbing the AFC East. Give credit to Saban for rebuilding a Dolphins team that has been terrible with Dave Wannstedt.
I wish the Jets would be successful in 2006, but it would be a stretch. The best we can get is 3rd place and a 6-10 campiagn.
As Long as Brady and Bill Belichick are on the Pats, they will always make the playoffs and the superbowl. The reason they didn't make it to XL last year because of some injuries.
Let me start by saying that Dallas will be in the Top 2. Had they have done so many things they could have done to hang on against Washington then they would have been in the Top 2 last season. Last season we were a young, inexperienced team that couldn't hang on to a lead. If you just kept the same team from last season and added one years experience we would have won at least 2 of the 4 close games we lost last season. Adding Mike Vanderjagt to the mix, we probably would have won 3 of the 4 close games we lost last season. Keep in mind that against Washington, Jose Cortez missed a field goal that would have put the Cowboys up 16-0, and forced Washington to go for two after both touchdowns. Against Denver, we missed a field goal that would have put us up 24-21 with precious little time remaining and against Seattle we missed an easy field goal that would have put us in control of the game. Rather than throwing that interception and giving Seattle an opportunity to win with a field goal, Bledsoe would have only had to sit on the ball.The other 3 losses (New York, Washington and St. Louis) are explainable. At New York and at Washington we lost to teams who were better than us and who we should have lost to on the road. Against St. Louis we really didnt care if we won or lost. But suppose we did. Had we defeated St. Louis this is how the East would have looked.
The Cowboys have improved more than any other team in the East and they were close last year without the new additions. There is no disputing it, we will be in the top two this season.
Okay taking that into consideration, the Redskins really were the best team in the NFC East last season. They shouldnt have won at Dallas but they did. That resulted in them having a better division and conference record than New York and they made it past the first round, something New York did not do. In fact, in my own oppinion, Washington was the second best team in the NFC last season second only to Seattle. However, for whatever reason Washington cannot beat teams from the AFC. They have lost 10 straight games against AFC opponents, including freak losses to San Diego and Oakland AT HOME last season. Not winning the East last season was because of their having being swept by the AFC West. Washington was a better team than New York last season, and they will once again be a better team than New York this season.
I think that New York is just a slightly better squad than Philadelphia but they have a tougher schedule. They start out at home against Indianapolis, a game in which I think they will lose, they then travel to Philadelphia. I think the Eagles will be breathing fire for this game. This is their first NFC East game since being swept by the entire division last year so I think New York will lose again, dropping to 0-2. Their third game is at Seattle, they could win this game to get back on track but I just dont think they are as good as Seattle. I think they lose again to drop to 0-3 going into their bye. I dont think that the Giants can recover from an 0-3 start. Their first game after the bye is at home against Washington, another potential loss. I think that the Giants finish 6-10, Tom Coughlin loses control and gets fired.
Saban has done a remarkable job in rebuilding Miami. Wann-stache had a thousand times more talent than Saban had last year yet the 03 Dolphins finished just one game better than last years Dolphins. Think about it. Miami's starting quarterback last year was Gus Frerotte, GUS FREROTTE! I dont understand why all of Jimmy Johnson's deciples were such terrible head coaches while all of Bill Walsh and Bill Parcell's deciples became great had coaches.
Sorry man, the Jets are a long ways off. I like Eric Mangini as a coach but I dont think he is going to have much success with New York the same way that Belichick didnt have much success with Cleveland. Given a different opportunity, I think Mangini can be a great coach but New York is a mess right now. It was a terrible mistake not to take Matt Leinart. D'Brickashaw Ferguson will be a solid player, but you can never take the importance of a Lineman and compare it with the importance of a quarterback. Had the Jets taken Leinart, I would be predicting them to be Super Bowl champions in the near future. I think even your prediction of 6-10 is a stretch. Im thinking their best possible record is 4-12, maybe 5-11. They could finish 3rd ahead of Buffalo but I dont think it is going to happen.
I now agree with Walt that Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time. He carried the Pats on his back last year, something Troy or Bart Staar or Joe Montana never had to do. The only quarterback who challenges him is John Elway, but it took Elway his whole career to win two Super Bowls at the end. Brady has won three already and will likely win 2 or 3 more before he retires. I believe that the Patriots are going to have a 49er-type dynasty in which from here on out they may win the Super Bowl about once every four years.
My NFC East Season Preview will be posted in a few weeks. I do like the Cowboys chances, however. Terrell Owens and Jason Fabini were great offseason additions.
I think Cincinnati's Super Bowl appearance heavily depends on Carson Palmer's availability. Time will only tell how well he has recovered from his knee injury.
Daunte Culpepper's availability is also a concern. I've read reports that he'll be ready for the season opener; I've also seen reports that have said that he won't be ready until November.
I'm glad you agree with me about Tom Brady. It's a shame the Patriots fumbled so many times against Denver, because I feel they were the better team in that matchup. I'm not sure if they would have beaten Pittsburgh, but it would have been a closer game.
I think that the Cowboys will win a tight division race against Washington and make it to the Super Bowl but I cant see us winning it right now, at least as long as Drew Bledsoe is our quarterback. Bledsoe is a solid quarterback and I think he will be much better this season with our added talent on offense but he is not a Super Bowl caliber quarterback. I really wish that we would have moved up to take Matt Leinart in the draft. We have a young defense so our defense and our quarterback would have matured together had we taken Leinart. Oh well. Leinart probably wont stay with Arizona very long anyway so maybe we can pick him up in free agency somewhere down the road. It isnt a coincidence that Arizona has a high draft pick every year. They lose, take a good player with their high draft pick, utilize him to put people in the seats to make more money for the Bidwells, then they cut him, lose some more games, and repeat the sequence. I think Matt Leinart will win a Super Bowl as a pro, but I seriously doubt it will be with the Cardinals.
Palmer's health is a concern but the reports I hear say that he will be ready for opening game. He will probably be rusty for a while when he gets back though which is why I predict Cincy to start 2-3 then procede to win 14 straight including the playoffs. Cincinnati is a good young team and I think Palmer will be a hall-of-famer someday. We would give them a challenge but if my predictions were to come true, I doubt we would win.
As I said, if Culpepper doesnt come back early enough and if he comes back only to throw 5 interceptions and fumble twice every game then Miami doesnt stand a chance because Joey Harrington is not a quality quarterback. There are alot of question marks surrounding Miami but after last year's coaching job Im not ever going to doubt Nick Saban.
It is a shame that the Patriots played so poorly against Denver. I think if the AFC Championship Game would have been Pittsburgh @ New England then it would have been a classic and I actually think that New England would have won and proceeded to win their 4th in 5 years.
I agree with your opinions on Carson Palmer and the Patriots. I also heard reports that Palmer may play in the preseason. If that's the case, then everything will be OK for Cincy. As for New England, the team would have given Pittsburgh a tremendous challenge.
I think the Cowboys can win the division with Drew Bledsoe. It's just the regular season. But like you said, he's not a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback. If Dallas qualifies for the postseason, Bledsoe will melt down in the first two rounds.
Now I do believe Bledsoe isnt a Super Bowl caliber quarterback, but when I say that I mean he is not good enough to WIN the Super Bowl, but I think he could get us to the Super Bowl. He did it with the Patriots and I think our current Cowboys team is more talented than that Patriots team was. In my own oppinion, the team that comes out of the east will make the Super Bowl in the NFC.
That's a good point. Plus, you can make the comparisons between Ben Coates and Jason Witten. I'm just concerned that after a brilliant season, Bledsoe will throw 3 INTs in the playoffs, a la Peyton Manning.
