The Vikings and Cowboys Look To Retain Their Interim Coaches: While the Cowboys keeping Jason Garrett isn’t 100% official, I think it is pretty safe to put him down as the head coach next season. With Garrett and Leslie Frazier retaining their current jobs, it makes to less coaching gigs on the open market, but in reality it shouldn’t be a surprise. Both Garrett and Frazier preformed pretty well after taking over as the head coach, and previously had been top head coaching prospects. I think these were very wise signings by the Cowboys and Vikings if they didn’t think they would be able to land Bill Cowher. Now I know there are a number of other former head coaches on the market, but I’m not sure if any of them will be that much better than Garrett or Frazier. And while you could have spent what it took to land a top assistant, it would have been a brand new guy who would be looking to totally revamp the team. In the case of both the Cowboys and Vikings the are quality teams with playoff caliber talent, who fell because of a combination of bad coaching and key injuries. Both teams are only missing a few pieces from being contenders again. The Cowboys need a new offensive line and help in the secondary, while the Vikings need a new quarterback and an offensive lineman or two. To bring in a new head coach could have set them back farther as they look to change the system. Now hopefully both the Vikings and Cowboys can hit the ground running next season, and be right back into the playoff hunt.

Tom Coughlin Will Return As The Giants Coach Next Season: I know there are some Giants fans that thought otherwise, but this is the right move for the Giants. Coughlin has had a lot of success in his time in New York, and while he has missed the playoffs each of the last two years, he has been competitive both of those seasons. While you can point to a frustrating loss to the Eagles a couple of weeks ago that wasn’t entirely Coughlin’s fault (I’m guessing a new Special Teams coach will be there next season). The Giants need to make some tweaks for sure as well as get healthier, but they should be a top contender next season so why would you change that? Now I think Coughlin’s seat is warm heading into next season, and barring even more injuries missing the playoffs won’t be acceptable in 2011. Right now though I don’t think it would have been warranted, even if you could bring in Bill Cowher (whom I think is the best coach out there). Cowher might be great, but Coughlin isn’t to bad himself, meaning I doubt it would have made much of a difference.

Marlins Extend Nolasco: Florida has made some odd moves this offseason, like trading away Dan Uggla, but made a smart one by extending Nolasco. He isn’t a true ace, but he is young and no worse than a good number 3 pitcher. Extending Nolasco ensures another key member of the Marlins is locked up for the next couple of seasons. The extension only buys out one year of free agency for Nolasco, but it would be at a reduced rate than what Nolasco would cost in free agency. In addition to that extra season of control it offers the Marlins much needed cost certainty going forward.

Steve Smith Could Be Done In Carolina: This should really come as no surprise since the Panthers are downright awful right now and Smith is having his worst season. Unfortunately for the Panthers, they realized this half a season too late. The best time to trade Smith would have been at this year’s trade deadline, before his value decreased and he could have been apart of two playoff runs. Now the Panthers won’t get near the return for their star receiver, further hindering whoever their new coach will be. While some fans will argue for Smith to still be apart of the future of the Panthers, they need to seriously consider rebuilding and should move Smith in the best deal possible.

Protect the Quarterback/Get Rid of the Ball Quicker: The Redskins once again last week gave up two sacks and a number of quarterback pressures. Overall thats not a good week and even more so considering the Buccaneers have one of the league’s worst pass rushing units. The Bucs pass rush was even worse than normal considering rookie defensive tackle Gerald McCoy played only the first couple of drives before leaving with injury. If the Bucs can get that level of pressure the Cowboys are going to have a field day.

Now in fairness it has always been the offensive line this season. Running back Ryan Torain WHIFFED on a block that would have saved one sack. And James Davis chose the wrong pass rusher on another play that led to a pressure (and a ball that was nearly intercepted). The running backs and tight ends need to do a better job holding their blocks, especially against a team like the Cowboys that will blitz from anywhere.

Although a lot can be said about the offensive line play or the failure of the backs for picking up blitzes, the quarterback needs to be better about handling the pressure as well. For as much athleticism that McNabb has, he was horrible about feeling the pressure and was notorious for holding on to the ball too long. This led to a number of sacks, fumbles and inaccurate throws. Rex Grossman has to feel the pressure better and not take needless sacks. He won’t be able to free lance like McNabb did from time to time, so Grossman has to be smarter with the ball.

Establish The Run: The Redskins will need to be able to run the ball if they have any chance of winning this game. Rex Grossman could be an adequate quarterback, but he will not be able to win the game on his own. Torain, Williams and Davis need to have a big game, by keeping drives alive and the Cowboys offense off the field. The Redskins gained about 200 yards last week and still lost, I think they will need at least 150 to have any shot of winning.

Don’t Rely on the Kicking Game: I’m not big in the Anti-Gano camp, and really don’t mind that they have kept him since his kickoffs have been excellent, but do not rely on field goals this week. There might not be any rain or muddy field, but you have a new holder, a long snapper who has struggled all year, and a field goal kicker who hasn’t looked right for a couple of weeks (I’m thinking fatigue or possibly an injury). You have to play to put the ball in the end zone, which wasn’t the case last week. While it is hard to say exactly who was to blame Kyle Shanahan or McNabb, but their play calling inside the Red zone was awful last week. Multiple times McNabb threw to receivers on third and goal to receivers who were not only well short of the goal line, but double or triple covered. If it is third and goal, you might want to consider actually throwing to a receiver with a chance to score.

Put Some Pressure On Kitna: Look the Cowboys have very good receivers, tight ends, and running backs, the only hole in their offensive game is their pass protection. If you can get some pressure maybe you can force some turnovers. If you don’t Jon Kitna will pick the Skins secondary apart. You know Brian Orakpo can get after the passer, but other than that Washington doesn’t have much in the way of a pass rush. Since the Redskins lack the skill to blitz I think they need to get creative. Send some corner blitzes, overload a side, do more stunts, basically the Redskins have nothing to lose so they mine as well show the Cowboys some different looks. Another thing I’d do is let Andre Carter play with his hand down more in your base package. I realize he isn’t a real 3-4 lineman, but he has a motor and always gets penetration. I know it goes against the 3-4 gap assignment ethos, but those have been the only times when this defense has been successful (i.e. Albert Haynesworth freelancing). Let Carter have a bit more freedom to penetrate and cause havoc for the Cowboys. If they start exploiting it maybe you change back, but again at this point what do the Skins have to lose.

Prediction: I think the Redskins will look a little better than people give them credit for but whether it is McNabb or Grossman I don’t see them going into Dallas and winning. Cowboys 27-17.

Saints -3.5 @ Cowboys- Dallas has looked like a brand new team with Wade Phillips out as their head coach, and that is without their quarterback Tony Romo. Backup Jon Kitna has filled in wonderfully, and the ‘Boys are once again a force to be reckoned with. Now it may be too late for their playoff hopes, but Dallas can play spoiler down the stretch. The Cowboys first chance to upset the apple cart will come today, when the Saints come into to town. New Orleans might have 7 wins, but they are far from a lock for the playoffs. They are a game back against the Falcons and essentially tied with the Buccaneers, so a loss today would really set them back. Dallas is never easy to play on Thanksgiving, so I look for this one to be a battle, and a bit of a shootout. I have cautious optimism that the Saints can pull this out and cover the spread, but Dallas should keep it close. Brees prevails in the end, 34-28.

Bengals +9.0 @ Jets- In a rematch of the first round of last years AFC Playoffs, the Jets should have no trouble replicating what they did last season. The Bengals looked to be a force in the AFC this season, building on their success from a year ago, but it is very likely they end up 4th in the North division this season. Despite adding all sorts of talent to their receivers and tight ends, Cincinnati finds a way to lose. Carson Palmer has become incredibly inconsistent, and it is costing the Bengals games. Nine points are usually a big enough spread that you’d consider taking the Bengals, but I don’t see any logical reason why anyone should play them. Sure the Jets have been a bit inconsistent this year, going down to the wire against the Browns and Lions, but I think they win this game easily. Jets 35-20.

Happy Thanksgiving and Enjoy the Games!

Back from a trip to Vegas and ready to drop some knowledge on the current world of sports. When I last commented on the NFL the Cowboys were a relevant team. Not anymore, coach is gone, the celebrity QB can take a long trip to Mexico and not get criticized and Jerry Jones is faced with having to bring a top of the line coach in and give up some say on the direction of the team. Trust me I am not sad they suck. I enjoyed my Sunday a couple weeks back of watching David Garrard look like Joe Montana. Although I wouldn’t have predicted them to win the Super Bowl I am shocked how bad the defense has played recently. This week could get ugly against the rolling NY Giants. Dallas would struggle with the Little Giants based upon the past few weeks.

I did just return from my second Vegas trip in a month. Unfortunately it was for work both times but I spent a few minutes in the sports book. Last spring I was able to grab the Ravens winning the Super Bowl at 18-1 a week after trading for Anquan Boldin. That is very much in play but this time I went another route. I couldn’t resist dropping a small amount of cash on the 40-1 San Diego Chargers. At 3-5 when I made the bet I knew it was a long shot but you never know. They always play horrible the first two months, then run off like eight in a row and win the division. Winning the division means at least one home playoff game. And with the tough AFC teams beating on one another, who knows, maybe the year the Chargers aren’t supposed to go, they do. This scenario happened with the Colts the year they beat the Bears. Phillip Rivers is a beast. Just look who he is throwing to. Robin Williams’ character from the “Best of Times” caught 6 for 98 last week from Rivers I think. Vincent Jackson will be back for the stretch also don’t forget.

Side note. I actually have a friend who thinks Derrick Brooks had a better career and is a better player than Ray Lewis. I thought I would add this in because it makes me laugh every time.

On a second side note, there is nothing worse than getting an awful fantasy football trade offer. The excitement of an email saying you have a trade offer and then the disappointment of being offered Seattle Seahawks defense for Ladanian Tomlinson. Then it gets better when the person tries to fool you by adding, “LT is going to have no legs by Week 13.” Or when someone just thinks because I am a Redskin fan I would give up Andre Johnson for Santana Moss. In my league, we call these offers “Matzies” after one of the league owners.

When the Yankees officially sign Cliff Lee I think I am done with Major League Baseball. This is getting old just like the Yankees are. I hope he gets some crazy amount of money, as does Jeter and in 5 years maybe I will come back to being fan when they have to deal with a bunch of guys in their late 30s or 40s making ridiculous contracts. Although I did say the same thing a couple years ago when New York said they weren’t players on Mark Teixeira giving National and Orioles fans hope. Then at the last second crushed theirs and the Red Sox and Angels offers. Thank you again Texas Rangers for beating them.

When Manny Pacquiao steps into the ring Saturday with Antonio Margarito I think of another boxer first, Miguel Cotto. Not that he lost to Pacman but because how he probably was screwed over in his loss to Margarito. They should have thrown out that loss once it was found Margarito had illegal substances in his gloves when he lost to Shane Mosley. And Margarito shouldn’t have the chance to fight in the US after I watched that HBO special where “Irish” Billy Collins back in the 80s life went downhill after suffering a similar loss by cheating. To get cleared to fight in the US Margarito should have had to go first through the gauntlet of Cain Velasquez, Alton from the Real World/ Road Rules Challenges, The Great Khali, Clubber Lang, and Charlie Sheen at his craziest.

And how good is John Wall? A triple double in his fifth career game. Thank god the Wiz won the lottery because this would be maybe the worst team to watch in recent history of any sports. Even worse than Norv’s first Skins team of John Friesz, Ethan Horton and well I am trying to forget those teams. Wall leads the NBA in turnovers but who really cares? Watching him go baseline to baseline after a defensive rebound is sick. Gilbert Arenas even has to be impressed if he has time watch in between dropping number twos in Andray Blache’s shoes.

And finally there will be a Memorial Service for my friend Josh Matz’s Fantasy Football Team after this weekends play you can check it out at:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=105850812817526

Last week I took my first stab at picking the full slate of NFL games against the point spread here on Fanspeak.  Didn’t do too bad – went 9 and 5.  Some of the guys on TV didn’t do as well.  So, buoyed by that success, I decided to take a crack at picking six of the bigger match-ups in Week #7:

Steelers @ Dolphins (+3) – The Steelers (4-1) ignored the distraction and hype in getting Ben Roethlisberger’s return from suspension game under their belts by convincingly beating the Browns last week.  Offensively, the Steelers have a sound running game and now have their more than reliable passing game going.  With the defense continuing to play at an extremely high level, the Steelers are poised to establish themselves as the team to beat in the AFC.  But they have some tough games coming up over the next four weeks, including three straight road games against the  Dolphins, Saints and Bengals.  They follow that up with a home game against the Patriots.  We’ll know an awful lot about the Steelers after they navigate that field of “land mines”!  The Dolphins (3-2) are a hard team to figure out.  They started the season with two  road wins against the Bills and the Vikings but then followed those up with two home losses to the Jets and Patriots.  After their bye week, they went up to Lambeau Field last week and beat the Packers.  So no telling what to expect against the Steelers.  Chad Henne and the offense for the most part have been sound and the defense is solid.  But both sides of the ball rank in the bottom third of the league in points scored and points allowed.  I don’t think that bodes well for the Dolphins in this game so I’ll take the Steelers and give the points.

Redskins (+3) @ Bears – The Bears (4-2) are on top of the NFC North but they lost to the Seahawks last week at home.  Their offensive line continues to struggle in pass protection and the Redskins’ Brian Orakpo, who is fast becoming one of the premier pass rushers in the league, could come up huge in this game.  Two weeks ago against Carolina, Bears running back Matt Forte ran wild but overall their running game is not very strong.  Defensively, the Bears are in the top 10 league-wide in nearly all of the important statistical categories.  The Redskins (3-3) are coming off a tough loss at home against the Colts last Sunday night which came on the heels of an exciting home win in overtime against the Packers.  Offensively, the Redskins are starting to show some signs of life in the running game.  That’s encouraging since the play of quarterback Donovan McNabb thus far can best be characterized as being mediocre.  They will need for him to play much better if they are to have any real success this season.  The Redskins defense continues to be the worst team in the league in total yardage given up and they are in the bottom third in most defensive statistics.  Yet, they managed to hold the Eagles and Packers to 12 and 13 points respectively in getting wins on successive weeks.  This game could go right down to the wire.  Quite often in close games it’s the team with the strongest defense that comes away with the win.  So the nod here goes to the Bears getting a win at home and covering the spread.

Eagles (+3) @ Titans – The Eagles (4-2) have won four of their last five games and are coming off an impressive win at home last week against a very good Falcons team.  Quarterback Kevin Kolb had an outstanding game, going 23 for 29 and throwing for 326 yards with three touchdown passes.  A few more games like that and he will quiet the excitement over Michael Vick’s start to the season and will justify the move sending McNabb to the Redskins in favor of Kolb as the starter.  Overall defensively, the Eagles are sound but they have shown some weakness in stopping the run.  Curiously, three of the Titans (4-2) four wins have come on the road  They followed up their win at Dallas two weeks ago by completely dominating the Jaguars in Jacksonville last Monday night.  As usual, the Titans are playing solid defense this year, allowing the 4th fewest points in the league.  Offensively, quarterback Vince Young is off to a pretty good start, throwing for 7 touchdowns against only 2 interceptions.  But this team’s bread and butter is their running game with Chris Johnson.  As he goes, so go the Titans.  I look for Johnson to exploit the Eagles run defense and the Titans defense to hold Kolb and his talented corps of receivers (minus the injured DeSean Jackson) in check enough so that the Titans win by more than 3 points.

Patriots (+3) @ Chargers –  The Chargers (2-4) have two dominating wins against the Jaguars and Cardinals but are coming off two devastating losses at St. Louis last week and at Oakland the week before.  Because they play in the AFC West however, all hope is not lost.  But they better right this ship quickly because after this game they play the Titans at home and the Texans on the road.  If they continue to play the way they have been, they easily could be 2-7 after that stretch.  Overall, the Chargers are very solid statistically on both offense and defense.  Quarterback Phillip Rivers is having another good season but their rushing offense is in about in the middle of the pack.  It would seem that the Chargers lack of success so far may be more attributed to the off the field distractions associated with the contract disputes involving two of their big name players.  The Patriots (4-1) are coming off big wins in Miami and at home last week against a very good Ravens team.  Quarterback Tom Brady is having another good season thus far and the productive return of Deion Branch last week suggests that Randy Moss’ departure may not negatively impact the Patriots as much as many thought it would.  The Patriots defense has struggle a good bit this year but they have recently shown signs of improvement.  I think this one could be a shootout but I like Brady and the Patriots chances so I’ll take them and the points.

Vikings (+3) @ Packers –  The Vikings (2-3) have pretty much struggled this year, especially offensively.  Quarterback Brett Favre’s performance this year has done an about face compared to his performance last season.  He has already thrown as many interceptions (7) as he did all of last year.  Fortunately for the Vikings, running back Adrian Peterson is off to a great start and it appears that they are going to have to rely on him to pick up much of the slack on offense.  The addition of wide receiver Randy Moss should pay dividends as the season progresses.  Defensively, while the Vikings are not playing up to the level of last year’s performance they are still very sound.  The Packers (3-3) have just been decimated by injuries, most of which have been to key players.  They have had tough losses the past two weeks – the first at Washington in overtime and then at home last week to the Dolphins in overtime.  Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is having a good season but it is basically his show since the Packer rushing offense leaves a lot to be desired.   Defensively, the Packers are solid but far from spectacular.  When your team is banged up, it is usually your defense that is going to make the difference between wins and losses.  Linebacker Clay Matthews is the engine that powers the Packers defense but he has been hampered this year by a sore hamstring.  Assuming that he can play at somewhere near full throttle, then I think he will wreak havoc on Favre and the Vikings passing game.  As a result, I’ll take the Packers at Lambeau on Sunday night and give the points.

Giants (+3) @ Cowboys –   A classic NFC East showdown on Monday Night.  The Cowboys (1-4) are coming off two tough losses, one at home against the Titans and then last week at Minnesota.  Defensively, the Cowboys have been playing very well.  And offensively, their passing statistics are near the top in most categories.  Most everybody is impressed with the Cowboys running back contingent but for some reason, Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett seems to favor the passing game and he has been criticized for not striking the proper balance between the run and the pass.  On paper, the Cowboys look like a team that should be 4-1 instead of 1-4, but they just seem to find ways to shoot themselves in the foot with costly and stupid penalties.  The Giants (4-2) are coming off three straight impressive wins against the Bears, Texans and Lions.  But in the two games prior to that run, they looked horrendous in losses to the Colts and Titans.  The Giants defense has been playing very well of late and they seem to be able to dictate the tempo of the game.  The offense has been effective overall and the running tandem of  Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs has been particular productive, accounting for a combined total of nearly 800 yards rushing.  In this game, clearly the Cowboys backs are up against the wall.  If for no other reason than that, I see the Cowboys offense finding a way to overcome the Giants defense and coming away with a victory at home and covering the spread in doing so.

-While it isn’t too shocking that the Colts beat the Chiefs yesterday (though maybe a bit surprising that Indy had trouble scoring), what it meant was pretty surprising. Not only did the Colts hand the Chiefs their first loss, and knock off the final unbeaten team, but they ensured that no team started the year 4-0 or better. It is the first time since the 70′s that at least one team hasn’t been able to win at least their first 4 games. And considering that last year the Saints and Colts went pretty deep into the season before they got their first loss, it is even more shocking.

-The Redskins once again had the game decided on the final play of the game. In 4 of their 5 games this season the Redskins fate has been decided on the final play of the game. Now some of that makes sense since in overtime the game is sudden death so any score is the final play, but the Redskins have already had two overtime games which is a bit much. This Redskins version of the “Kardiac Kids” are 3-1 in those final play games so luck is on their side, but for their fan’s sake it would be nice to see them take a knee in one game.

-The Cowboys fall to 1-3 after getting beat bad by the Titans at home. The Cowboys were easily good enough to win that game, but their penchant for penalties (which has plagued them all year) has lost them another game. Dallas is now two games back in the division that they were supposed to win this year. And for all the hype of them having a chance to have a ‘home’ Super Bowl, not only is the idea of them making it unlikely at this point, but would they even want to? The Cowboys are now 0-2 at home this year, and have looked completely lost.

-The Chargers fall to the Raiders for the first time in 13 games. San Diego can’t seem to put two good week’s together this season. One week after dominating the Cardinals, the Raiders come out and just flat out beat the Chargers. San Diego might not be out of the division, but this does not look like a team that could go far in the postseason.

-The Bengals lose another game. After losing to the Browns last week, this week the Bengals lose to the Buccaneers. This was considered a Super Bowl contender after they added T.O., Jermaine Gresham and a few other options to Carson Palmer’s arsenal. The problem apparently isn’t Palmer’s weapons but Palmer himself. He threw three interceptions yesterday. One of which was returned for a touchdown, while the other two set up both the game tying and game winning drives (pretty short fields on both) in the final 3 minutes of the game. The Bengals gave this game away and now have serious question marks at QB going forward.

-Undrafted Hall and the Cards knock off the Super Bowl Champs. Now who ever saw this coming? I liked Max Hall coming out of college and thought he would be a solid backup in the league, but he showed a lot of moxie and poise in yesterday’s win. Now Hall didn’t ‘lead them’ to victory in the traditional sense, but he played solid football. And most importantly he kept them in a position to win. The Saints didn’t give up a single rushing or passing touchdown, but their 4 turnovers (two of which were returned for scores) sealed their fate. They also weren’t able to rattle the rookie quarterback too much, as the Cardinals held the ball for half the game. Saints are another Super Bowl contender who right now 5 weeks into the season look like anything but. It’s a long way to go but it is pretty troubling start so far.

Eagles: While it is not too surprising to see them at 2-1 considering they had games against the Lions and Jags, it is quite surprising to see who is behind center. Vick so far is playing maybe the best football of his career, and makes the Eagles extremely dangerous.

Giants: While the Colts and Titans are two good teams, if the Giants want to be a contender not only do they need to not get blown out but they need to actually win one of those games. Despite having a ton of talent up and down that lineup, this team is not firing on all cylinders.

Cowboys: The 0-2 start was a bit of surprise, but they looked better last week in their victory over the Texans. So far this team is not utilizing all of their talent, and could still be a threat if they turn it around. Right now though their sloppy play makes them look like an average team and not the Super Bowl contender they thought they were.

Redskins: Their opening win against the Cowboys gave them hope, but a new coach and new quarterback has led to the same problems that plagued them before. While their 1-2 record isn’t shocking, it is a surprise that they lost to the Rams.

NFC North:

Bears: Chicago is one of the major surprises this season as they have jumped out to a 3-0 start, including wins over Dallas and Green Bay. Their offense and defense are vastly improved and they look like a strong playoff contender.

Packers: Green Bay, gave away the game last night, but thus far still looks like a serious playoff team. Their offensive line woes continue though, and will need to be fixed moving forward. The Packers also are severely missing RB Ryan Grant who is out for the year, and don’t be surprised if they make a trade to fix the problem (cough, DeAngelo Williams).

Vikings: Minnesota started out 0-2 which was a pretty big surprise, and are still looking to find their way offensively. They still remain a dangerous team with the weapons they have, but right now don’t seem like a great contender.

Lions: The Lions starting out 0-3 would hardily qualify as a surprise, but on the positive note they were in both of their first two losses (Bears and Eagles) until the very end. And that was without their starting quarterback Matt Stafford.

NFC South:

Saints: New Orleans has started out a respectable 2-1, with big wins over Minnesota and San Francisco, but they have shown some weaknesses as well. Their special teams has let them down and cost them a win Sunday against Atlanta, and their defense isn’t as dominate as it was last season.

Falcons: Atlanta looks to be legit, after coming off a sub-par season last year. They played Pittsburgh and New Orleans to a tie in regulation, and throughly crushed the Cardinals. Their defense looks improved and the offense seems to be running smoothly.

Buccaneers: Tampa’s 2-1 record looks better than their actual talent, and is inflated by wins against the Browns and Panthers. That being said this is an improved team this year that is assembling a lot of young developing talent. This might not be the year for Tampa, but they could be ready to contend in a year or two.

Panthers: Their 0-3 start isn’t really a surprise, as this team was set up to fail. With no first round pick and the loss of their star defensive end Julius Peppers, put this team in a hole they couldn’t get out of. The big surprise with this team is how quickly they ended the Matt Moore era. While I wasn’t a big believer in him, he did help turn their season around last year, and probably deserved at least half the year this season. Going to Clausen so early could be risky for the Panthers long term as well.

NFC West:

Seahawks: Their 2-1 start qualifies as a major surprise, especially considering the fact they had to go through the 49ers and Chargers to do so. The numbers aren’t pretty, but in a weak division these 2 early wins are key. I’m guessing though their lack of talent catches up with them in the 2nd half of the season when their schedule toughens up a bit.

Cardinals: No Warner no problem right? At least that’s how it looks in the standings with a 2-1 start, but the reality is they beat the Rams in Sam Bradford’s first ever game and the Raiders (a game they almost lost). When the Cards played a contending team they lost 41-7. They might hang around the division lead considering who weak the West is, but I don’t think they end up with it.

Rams: A 1-2 start is more than I think the Rams could ask for, and is a bit more impressive that their win came over the Redskins with Steven Jackson sitting on the bench. Bradford has been solid so far, but he hasn’t faced a really tough defense yet. As of now he looks to have the potential to be a top notch quarterback one day, but the rest of this year is crucial.

49ers: San Francisco’s 0-3 start not only qualifies as a surprise, but an utter shock. This team was picked to win the NFC West and be a serious contender, but they have looked lost on the football field. Their start has already claimed their offensive coordinator who was fired yesterday, and could lead to some changes in personnel as well.

Steelers Stop Chris Johnson and the Titans: The Steelers were outgained 238-127, didn’t score a single offensive touchdown, lost their starting quarterback, and managed just 21 passing yards, yet they left Tennessee with the win. The Steelers defense took both of the Titans two main weapons out of the game (literally in the case of Vince Young). Chris Johnson managed just 34 yards on 13 carries, and another 19 on 5 receptions. Johnson had a streak of 12 100 yard games going entering yesterday, but the Steelers found a way to contain him. Without Johnson, or Young who was benched because of ineffectiveness the Titans were without their two playmakers. While Kerry Collins led a bit of a comeback it was too little too late, as the defense held. While starting out 2-0 is great for the Steelers they did lose Dixon to a knee injury, and they will need to figure out what to do for the next 2 weeks. The passing attack was nonexistent after Dixon left, as was the loss of the scrambling threat. While the loss of Dixon was tough, it was a big win for the Steelers against a 2nd straight playoff contending team. And just how good is that Steelers defense? Last week the Titans rolled for 38 points against the Raiders, this week they had 11. And the Steelers in week 1 held the Falcons to just 9 points, and yesterday they put up 41 against the Cardinals.

Sanchez Comes Through For The J-E-T-S, JETS, JETS, JETS: One week after looking completely lost Mark Sanchez, had the game of his career (I’m still not drinking the “Franchise” Kool-Aid, but impressive game nonetheless). What was most impressive for me was the fact that he remained cool under pressure and led a comeback. Also, while the Patriots defense might not be as good as the Ravens it is pretty good in its own right, and he had no problem navigating them. The Patriots meanwhile, couldn’t stop Sanchez or the Jets running game, and they could’t do anything offensively in the 2nd half. While the Jets defense didn’t get the sacks, they harassed Brady all day and forced two interceptions. If Sanchez is on the Jets can go far with that defense, that has now held two of the best offenses in the AFC to a combined 23 points.

Bears Go to 2-0 By Upsetting the Cowboys Who Fall to 0-2: Dallas was supposed to come out with a vengeance yesterday and redeem their opening game loss in a big way over the Bears. I guess no one told Chicago that, because they were by far the best team on the football field yesterday. The Bears attacked Tony Romo early and jumped out to an early lead which forced Dallas to abandon the run. While Romo rebounded, and ended up with good number it was too little too late as the Cowboys lost their home opener 27-20. The Cowboys defense had no answer for Jay Cutler and was picked apart, by Chicago’s spread offense. The Bears now might need to be taken seriously in the NFC (especially since Minnesota is 0-2), and the Cowboys really need to take a look at themselves. Because after two games this team doesn’t look like the Super Bowl contender they were billed to be.

NFC EAST:

1. Dallas Cowboys

2. New York Giants

3. Philadelphia Eagles

4. Washington Redskins

The NFC East should once again be one of the best divisions in football, and likely the most talented division in the NFC. The Cowboys are poised for a huge year, one in which they host the Super Bowl. Giving potential for the first ever home game for a Super Bowl participant. In the end I think they will come up just short of a Super Bowl appearance, they have the talent to make it there. Their offense is one of the best in the league, and that defense can bring pressure from anywhere. They will have to get through a pair of playoff contenders in the Giants and the Eagles and a revitalized Redskins team that likely won’t be the pushover they once were. I think the Giants are poised to rebound in a big way and a double digit win season is likely. Their young receiving corps has shown flashes of brilliance, and should breakout in a big way. Eli Manning is ascending to elite quarterback status, and I’d expect a bounce back year for their running game. The Giants defense let them down last season, but should be vastly improved this year. The Eagles are transitioning to a new quarterback but I wouldn’t expect a drastic drop off in production from McNabb to Kolb. The rest of the offense should be more dangerous now that Maclin and McCoy have a year under their belt. The Eagles offensive line is still a concern, and could be the deciding factor in a playoff spot or not. Philadelphia’s defense can bring the heat, and I’d expect another strong year from this unit. The Washington Redskins no doubt improved themselves in a lot of ways this offseason, but the problem is they had quite a ways to go, and didn’t make the wholesale changes they needed. McNabb is great, but this isn’t the McNabb of Eagles glory (also Jason Campbell wasn’t exactly the issue last season). And while the offensive line and running game improved, the wide receivers took a noticeable decline. On defense the 3-4 looks good on paper and benefits a guy like Brian Orakpo, but it caused a rift with their best defender (Albert Haynesworth), and turned Andre Carter into basically a role player. In the long run it can benefit the Redskins, but in the short term it is just window dressing.

NFC SOUTH:

1. New Orleans Saints

2. Atlanta Falcons

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

4. Carolina Panthers

The Saints are coming off their Super Bowl win ready to compete again for another title. With Drew Brees at the helm this team can play with anyone. With a deep running back-tight end-receiving corps that is practically impossible for other teams to match up with, the Saints offense should run on all cylinders for another year. Their defense has some questions that could hold them back, but if a couple young guys live up to their potential they should be fine. The Falcons this year should be more of a threat to the Saints but I don’t see them winning the division. A playoff run is possible, but a lot will depend on which Matt Ryan shows up this season. Ryan took a major step back last year, but he still has the talent and ability to become a “Franchise Quarterback”. Atlanta has a vastly underrated defense, that I think will really impress people this season and help lead them to the playoffs. The Buccaneers should be an improved team, but probably won’t have more than 6 wins this season. I am starting to become a Josh Freeman believer, and think he could have a pretty solid season. They are a young club and won’t compete, but a strong year of individual performances could set them up for 2011. The Panthers are a team that really could collapse. They have the best running backs in the league, but that is pretty much where their talent level stops. It is almost a given that the Panthers will have a new head coach next season, and If they start out as bad as I think they will, don’t be shocked if they make some big trades by the deadline. They have a lot of redundant players at RB and along the defensive line that it could make sense to stock pile draft picks for the new regime. Also, I wouldn’t bet against Steve Smith being moved. His contract is fairly reasonable going forward, and there are plenty of playoff caliber teams that will be looking for wideout help. I really expect a bad year in Carolina, but like Tampa they can work on building to the future.

NFC NORTH:

1. Minnesota Vikings

2. Green Bay Packers

3. Chicago Bears

4. Detroit Lions

While the Packers are everyone’s pick this season I’ll have to believe it to see it. For me the Vikings are still the superior team, and that is without Sidney Rice for half of a season. I really don’t know how you pick against Brett Favre as he has time and time again made inferior receivers look better. In addition the Vikings have two major weapons in Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin that are extremely tough for opposing defenses to stop. The o-line is a major worry, but I still think the offense has the talent to succeed. In addition that defense is impressive, they are equally adapt at stopping the run and getting after the passer. Right now their secondary is a little banged up, but should improve throughout the season. The Packers have a great host of offensive weapons led by Aaron Rodgers, but I still worry about that offensive line. They are a bit deeper as a unit so they can handle injuries better, but they have to improve this season if the Packers are to take their game to the next step. While I love their 3-4 defensive line, and Clay Matthews the rest of that linebacking unit is below average. And while their secondary gets a lot of hype they will be without Al Harris for at least half of the season. While Charles Woodson is a stud and i’m a big believer in Morgan Burnett, this ‘strength’ of the Packers defense got TORCHED by Kurt Warner in their playoff game last season. The Bears should be improved some this season, but I really don’t see them as much of a contender. Jay Cutler could put up big numbers in Martz’s system, but I don’t see them really succeeding behind that offensive line. Chicago should be improved on defense, but I wouldn’t call it a difference making unit. It’s hard to really peg where the Bears stand as an organization right now, and this year will be crucial for them. The Lions made some solid moves this offseason, but the question remains if their offensive line can allow the offense to move the ball forward and if quarterback Matt Stafford is ready to take the next step. On defense I’d expect some improvements, but overall it is still a pretty weak unit. Another last place finish and top 10 pick looks to be in the cards for the Lions.

NFC WEST:

1. San Francisco 49ers

2. Arizona Cardinals

3. Seattle Seahawks

4. St. Louis Rams

The 49ers are the team to beat out West and from the looks of it they won’t have much competition. San Francisco has an impressive offense unit led by RB Frank Gore, TE Vernon Davis, and WR Michael Crabtree. Their offensive line should be vastly improved with the additions of Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati. The real question is at QB where Alex Smith needs to show consistency. The 49ers also need another receiver to step up and take some of the heat off Crabtree/Davis. The talent is there, but it remains to be seen if any of them will become a solid number 2 wide receiver. On defense the 49ers have a top unit one that should shut down even the best offenses in the league. The Cardinals had been the team to beat, but now they are without Kurt Warner and a host of other stars. While they replaced some of them and still have some talented players I don’t see Derek Anderson leading this team to the playoffs. The Seahawks did some nice things this offseason, but this team is practically devoid of offensive weapons. While their defense should be a bit better, I don’t know if they have the talent to even compete with the Cardinals, much less the 49ers. The Rams have their “Franchise Quarterback”, but they really didn’t surround him with the tools to be successful. I think it will be a long, hard year for the Rams offense, and as sad as it sounds that might be their best unit. That defense is incredibly porous and needs a complete overhaul.

Playoffs:

1. Vikings

2. Saints

3. Cowboys

4. 49ers

5. Packers

6. Giants

NFC Championship Game: Vikings over the 49ers