From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

[QUOTE]Nate (Houston): Mort, Last year alot of media were saying that Gibbs would have the ship righted by year 2, but this year 90% of the media have picked the Redskins to be bad again this year. What is your take? I think they have the potential to shock alot of people and win 10 games.

Chris Mortensen: (11:08 AM ET ) As we've gotten closer to the openers, I now list the Redskins as one of my potential "sleepers." Does that mean 10 wins? I guess it could but I don't see that many.[/QUOTE]

and

[QUOTE]Chris (Seattle): Who is your "sleeper team" in both the AFC and NFC to be this years "bolts"?? Meaning they go from a horrible record, to a winning record and a playoff/wild card berth??

Chris Mortensen: (11:42 AM ET ) Well, those teams are the Cowboys, Redskins & Giants....the Cardinals... the Bengals...the Titans...and maybe the Bucs. [/QUOTE]

It's not exactly "on board", but he's not using us as a punchline...

Re: From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

I'd love to see how the Skins, Cowboys AND Giants all are going to go to the playoffs. That would be quite a feat.

Re: From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

Now, this makes me happy cause I really respect Mort.

I hate the Eagles, really dislike the Cowboys and have no feelings about the Giants, but it would be cool if the latter two went to the playoffs, of cousre with us included ...

Re: From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

I know last year was pretty dismal, but it's really surprising to me to see how many people are so down on the Skins this year.

I mean it is Joe Gibbs we're talking about. It's amazing that so many have been so quick to write him off. We're also talking about a top ranked D led by Gregg Williams.

Of course we're a little biased here, but I'm just having a hard time seeing a team that won't be improved in 2005.

Re: From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

I've always found Mort to be the most unbiased of all the ESPN experts. I like Golic too. But Mort doesn't hit you with any bias, he has nothing against Dan Snyder like Pastabelly, King, and Z do. He just calls it as he sees it.

He's not always right, but it's not like the experts are ever right. I agree with Mort on this one, the Skins have an opportunity to surprise people. Whether they will or not is up in the air, depends on turnovers, but you can't write them off to make the playoffs.

Re: From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

PS Anybody feeling the Buccaneers a little bit? They might be pretty solid. I still think a lot of Gruden, and Cadillac looks like the real deal. They still have Griese though, that's a big strike against them.

Re: From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

[quote]Don't expect to see too much of Bears rookie running back Cedric Benson on Sunday. With Kyle Orton at the controls, it's a safe bet the Washington Redskins will send blitz after blitz. Putting Benson on the field too much could get Orton pummeled because the rookie running back may not have enough experience in blitz pickup and pass protection.
-- Daily Herald

Coach Lovie Smith would not shed any more light on his plans for running back Cedric Benson in the Bears' opener Sunday at Washington. The No. 4 pick suited up in full pads for the first time Wednesday and [b]got in some limited hitting.[/b]
-- Chicago Sun-Times [/quote]

Hopefully on special teams

What a biatch

Re: From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

[QUOTE=Schneed10]PS Anybody feeling the Buccaneers a little bit? They might be pretty solid. I still think a lot of Gruden, and Cadillac looks like the real deal. They still have Griese though, that's a big strike against them.[/QUOTE]

I can definitely see them being a surprise this year. Griese played pretty well for them last year, Cadillac Williams should be a great back for them, and Clayton was a nice find for them last year at WR.

I've always loved Gruden too.

Re: From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

[QUOTE=Schneed10]PS Anybody feeling the Buccaneers a little bit? They might be pretty solid. I still think a lot of Gruden, and Cadillac looks like the real deal. They still have Griese though, that's a big strike against them.[/QUOTE]

I personally don't see them doing much and would have them ranked 3rd best in their own division behind Atlanta and Carolina and could slip behind New Orleans if NO plays up to their potential with the motivation to play well with what's happened down there.

Re: From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

[QUOTE=Mattyk72]I know last year was pretty dismal, but it's really surprising to me to see how many people are so down on the Skins this year.

I mean it is Joe Gibbs we're talking about. It's amazing that so many have been so quick to write him off. We're also talking about a top ranked D led by Gregg Williams.

Of course we're a little biased here, but I'm just having a hard time seeing a team that won't be improved in 2005.[/QUOTE]

What floors me is all the respect the Giants seem to get, with an unproven QB, yet the knock on the Skins with the media is Ramsey......go figure.....

Re: From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

[QUOTE=monk81]What floors me is all the respect the Giants seem to get, with an unproven QB, yet the knock on the Skins with the media is Ramsey......go figure.....[/QUOTE]

its cause eli was a #1 pick, his brother is peyton and the team around him is pretty bad, so if he's marginal, he's not going to be the worst part of their team...

Re: From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

Mort's really hedging his bets by picking 6 sleepers.

Re: From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

[QUOTE=Schneed10]PS Anybody feeling the Buccaneers a little bit? They might be pretty solid. I still think a lot of Gruden, and Cadillac looks like the real deal. They still have Griese though, that's a big strike against them.[/QUOTE]

I really don't like teh Bucs this year either. I personally think, and this just me, that Gruden is a little overated. I think most would agree that he took over Dungy's team and basically won the Superbowl....granted he did great things in Oakland before.

But I feel the defense is losing a step because of age and no real upgrades. And I'm not too impressed with Griese.

Re: From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

The problem with the Bucs is QB and the division they're in. You also have to wonder just how long their defense is going to stay in the top five.

Anybody else think this has got to be the year for the Colts? You'd have figured that by now, Tony Dungy being the defensive wizard he is would have turned that defense around. I figure if they can get homefield advantage, and the Patriots falter a bit, it could be the Colts in the Super Bowl.

Re: From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

I laid a bet on the Colts to win the Super Bowl while I was in Vegas in August. At that point their odds were 6.5 - 1, which was good for 3rd best in the league. Now I believe Vegas is favoring them.

I definitely like them this year. The secondary is getting some decent playmakers. And Freeney and Simon make for a nice combo up front. I don't think the defense will be anything special, but probably better than it has been in the past.

Re: From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

Colt's D is coming on strong. The secondary is still the question mark but they are agressive and they seem to create turnovers. No longer will Peyton have to throw 4 touchdowns just to keep pace with the opposition. The Colts D will be one of the top 10 this year.

Re: From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

[QUOTE=crlesh]Colt's D is coming on strong. The secondary is still the question mark but they are agressive and they seem to create turnovers. No longer will Peyton have to throw 4 touchdowns just to keep pace with the opposition. The Colts D will be one of the top 10 this year.[/QUOTE]

I'd bet HEAVILY against the colts breaking the top 15... they've got a couple good players on their Dline now, but they doesn't get them close to top 10.

Re: From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

I don't see a top 10 defense for the Colts either. However, with Dungy at the helm anything could happen. I think that addition of Cory Simon will be huge, but I just can't see that D ever catching up to the offense. I don't buy into the whole Simon making them a favorite for the Super Bowl either. I never like pass oriented, all offense teams to go to the Super Bowl, that's just me. A few bad days and next thing you know they're outdoors in January. I also don't like Peyton in big games. He's a great regular season QB, but he hasn't won big games since he was in college. Never beat Florida, if I remember, I was pretty young then. Now his Florida is New England.

I don't have a whole lot of faith in the Colts, myself, but I do wish you luck on your bet. I hope, for your sake, that I'm wrong. The Colts are one of my favorite AFC teams and wouldn't mind seeing them in the SB.

Re: From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

Here's the thing about the Colts Defense: at some point, we have to realize that Tony Dungy isn't going to suddenly work up some magic on them. He inherited a bad defense four years ago. Now, after four years of personnel moves, drafts, and detailed work, they just "kinda suck", rather than suck outright.

He's like the anti-Billick. Billick came in with an offensive pedigree, and wins with defense. Dungy does the opposite. A lot of it is personnel. Dungy has Manning - and if you have an Uzi, you don't fill it with BB's. So you get top receivers. Billick has Ray-Ray. When you have a MLB that talented, you have to make sure he's in the position to make plays - so you surround him with other good players.

Decisions like that make it harder to pick up talent on the other side of the ball. First, you've got less money. Second, a team gets an identity. The Ravens are a defensive team, so when a stellar offensive talent gets the opportunity to play there (I'm looking your way, Owens), he runs like a scalded cat, because he feels he'll not get his due.

Simon likely wouldn't have chosen the Colts if he had a real free agency period to decide. He would have received better offers from more teams, and would be on a team that would feature his abilities more (and for more money). Given his abbreviated tour of free agency, he took his best available option to win - he joined a team that has won double digits the last three years.

Re: From Mort's Chat (9/8/05)
 

wow, nice post.