Mid July Predictions:

[Ruhskins]

It KILLS me when people say things like "the Patriots have something to prove" or "the Patriots have a chip on their shoulder" or "the Patriots will be out to avenge their SB loss". The Patriots have NOTHING to prove, and I hope they (and the media/public) stop creating these imaginary rallying causes. It's BS, the only thing the Patriots proved last year that they wanted to be 19-0 more than winning another Superbowl, therefore they lost the SB. They can be a playoff team again this year because they are in a crappy division, they have the best QB in the league, and they have one of the best coaches. If they focus on the SB and not running up the score and going undefeated (playing ur starters when ur 15-0) then they can go play for the championship.

I think people are giving Tavaris Jackson too much credit, unless the predictions of Minnesota in the playoffs and the Superbowl assume that Favre is going to play for them at QB. Teams like Minny, Chicago, the Jets and maybe Tampa Bay are not going to do well with mediocre QBs. I don't think Adrian Peterson can carry that entire offense.

The whole NFC east is going to be a bit of a question mark for this season. It's easy to put the Cowpukes as the contender, but even if they do make the playoffs, they are developing a history of being one and done. Also, I wonder if the whole situation with Jason Garrett being the coach-in-waiting will affect Wade at all. Besides, T.O. is bound to blow up anytime. The Giants could appear to be contenders as well, but they could also be too overconfident after winning the SB. The Eagles don't have a true #1 WR, and I think an injury to McNabb will blow up that team (and the city of Philadelphia).

I think as everyone has said, the Redskins are a question mark, they could be a playoff team again, or they could have anywhere from an 8-8 to a losing record.