Early W/L offseason predictions (any team)...

[GTripp0012]

Both Miami and Atlanta could rely heavily on their running games this year -- and be quite successful at it.

Remember with the Cards: 8 wins last year -- without their best defensive player for two thirds of the season. Unless you feel they were lucky to get 8, a two win improvement almost seems expected right now.

[That Guy]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

Both Miami and Atlanta could rely heavily on their running games this year -- and be quite successful at it.

Remember with the Cards: 8 wins last year -- without their best defensive player for two thirds of the season. Unless you feel they were lucky to get 8, a two win improvement almost seems expected right now.

i think their schedule was easy last year and they'll have a much harder time vs the nfc east this year.

and on the skins, a completely new offense, a bunch of new players (though mainly as depth) and a new head coach means that winning 10 games will be a bit harder this year.

but, our schedule only has two sure losses (well, nothing's 100%, but seattle and pittsburg have very good rosters right now) and the rest seem pretty winnable. I'm not concerned with STL, NO, ARI, SF, DET, or BAL. CLE or CIN could go either way, but i do think we can win those at least 6/10 times.

so even with the new parts, i'll guess 9-7 +/- 1 (though i think we could cap at 11). the problem is if we can't even split in the NFC east, which is crazy competitive, but i'd tend to think we can.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by That Guy

i think their schedule was easy last year and they'll have a much harder time vs the nfc east this year.

Good point right there, but I do think they will handle their division pretty easily.

Although the Rams could be a darkhorse. They haven't had a defense since 2001, but their last three first round picks have been Tye Hill, Adam Carriker, and Chris Long, and every one of those guys could be a defensive cornerstone.

If that defense becomes a top half defense, the Rams could certainly ruin the Cards' playoff chances.

I really like Arizona's defense this year, and I've liked their offense for quite some time now.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

Good point right there, but I do think they will handle their division pretty easily.

Although the Rams could be a darkhorse. They haven't had a defense since 2001, but their last three first round picks have been Tye Hill, Adam Carriker, and Chris Long, and every one of those guys could be a defensive cornerstone.

If that defense becomes a top half defense, the Rams could certainly ruin the Cards' playoff chances.

I really like Arizona's defense this year, and I've liked their offense for quite some time now.

Provided their O-line is relatively healthy, I definitely think the Rams are going to be playoff contenders. I am a bit surprised though that you like the Jets' chances. Pennington is efficient, but he can't stretch the field. I used to think he was a very good QB, but not anymore.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

Provided their O-line is relatively healthy, I definitely think the Rams are going to be playoff contenders. I am a bit surprised though that you like the Jets' chances. Pennington is efficient, but he can't stretch the field. I used to think he was a very good QB, but not anymore.

Pennington did have a rough year last season, but it didn't seem to be arm strength related. Rather, it seemed like he was making uncharacteristically poor decisions in October last season.

I think we know from the career year phenomenon (that even poor players can be good for half-3/4 of a season) that decision-making can be spotty. Tom Brady had an awful half year to start 2006. Kordell Stewart went to the Pro Bowl in 2001. Derek Anderson was one of the 5 best QB's in the NFL through the first 8 games last year -- and most metrics don't even have him in the top half last year. Joey Harrington was really good last year too, and we know Harrington is an awful career passer.

I don't think there's any reason to think that Pennington wouldn't return to form next year and fill a pretty big void on the Jets roster. It looks like Mangini is going to give him the chance.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by That Guy

but, our schedule only has two sure losses (well, nothing's 100%, but seattle and pittsburg have very good rosters right now) and the rest seem pretty winnable. I'm not concerned with STL, NO, ARI, SF, DET, or BAL. CLE or CIN could go either way, but i do think we can win those at least 6/10 times.

Well, we have Pittsburgh at home this year, and though it would be foolish to take Campbell over Big Ben at this point, Pittsburgh's roster is lacking in the exact same places ours is: They are elderly on defense, and have little of a running game to back up their passing game. The difference, of course, being that we have an established running back, and they have a one two punch of fantasy back Willie Parker, and rookie will-be-stud-two-years-from-now Mendenhall. I'm taking the Skins in that game, at least right now.

Seattle of course, is always a tough road game, but that team isn't impressive to me. Sure, they jettisoned Alexander, but a combination of Julius Jones and TJ Duckett doesn't strike all that much fear into anyone in the running game, and we know that Hasselbeck had his career year in 2005 -- three years ago. I don't want to say that we have the advantage at QB, but Campbell IS improving, and Hasselbeck is hanging around the above average tier for the next few years, so we might have the advantage at QB in that game. Seattle's defense is much younger than ours, but they are definately in transition at a few positions, such as DE or Safety, and that might give us the advantage around the middle of the season.

The non-conference opponents we really have to be careful about: St. Louis, Arizona, Cincinnati, and to an extent, New Orleans. New Orleans has a crappy roster right now on paper, but I can't sleep on Drew Brees. Cincinnati is just a top offensive team from top to bottom, and they have two young corners and two young linebackers, so I can't count their defense out either. Still, I already know I'm picking the Skins over the Saints in the home opener, especially with 10 days to gameplan for it.

Anyway, the toughest part of the schedule is right at the beginning -- the first 5 games, so we will know right off the bat how good this team is going to be.