Browns May Be Closing In On A Head Coach: Cleveland seems like they have found their new head coach, and it appears to be Pat Shurmur, the offensive coordinator of the Rams. Shurmur coached under Andy Reid in Philly before becoming the Rams offensive coordinator, making him apart of the Holmgren coaching tree. Shurmur’s uncle Fritz served under Holmgren both at Green Bay and Seattle, so this marriage makes perfect sense. Shurmur in his own right has helped mold Sam Bradford into an impressive rookie quarterback, and kept the Rams offense competitive despite not having the best personnel. With the Browns he will have the chance to mold another young quarterback, as well as implement an offense with a young promising team. Shurmur might not be biggest name on the market, but he fits what with the Browns are doing and will work well with Mike Holmgren. I’m sure some coaches may have balked at having to keep their defensive unit, led by Rob Ryan, but it appears Shurmur is okay with that arrangement.

Dolphins Could Be Close to Landing A New Offensive Coordinator: When the Dolphins decided to keep Tony Sparano it was evident they would need to bring in a big name offensive coordinator to rejuvenate this team. Miami’s offenses have been stagnate of late and there has been little in the way of developed talent. It is beginning to look like the Dolphins found the man for the job and he is a familiar face to football fans, former Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress. Childress left Minnesota amid controversy, and probably shouldn’t be a head coach, but he is a very attractive candidate as a coordinator. Childress was considered instrumental in the development of Donovan McNabb and the Eagles offenses. And early on he looked to have the same success in Minnesota (of course he lost control of the situation). The Dolphins needed a new offensive mind, someone who could maybe salvage something from Chad Henne’s career. While Miami is interviewing other candidates, Childress would be by far the biggest name, and with the most experience, which is exactly the way I think they should go.

49ers Get Their Man: While it took a while and was starting to turn into a real media circus, the 49ers ended up with their man and new head coach, Jim Harbaugh. They didn’t need to make him the highest paid coach to land him, though are still paying him a healthy $5 million a year for 5 years. Harbaugh is a good fit for San Francisco as he had a lot of success with Stanford without having all the necessary talent. He seems to be able to motivate his players and get the most out of them, something that hasn’t happened in San Francisco. The 49ers are also a great fit for Harbaugh as they really don’t need to be rebuilt from the ground up. San Francisco has some very talented offensive players like Frank Gore, Michael Crabtree, and Vernon Davis, as well as a young offensive line with a lot of upside. They lack a quarterback and some depth along the line, but otherwise they are in a much better position than a number of teams. Defensively they have a lot of talent as well, and only really need some secondary help (and maybe need to replace a free agent or two) and they are set. Not only are the 49ers a good fit because of their talent level, but they play in the AFC West a division that was won this season with a 7-9 record. San Francisco could easily be a playoff team next year with some better luck and minor improvements.

Dolphins Extend Tony Sparano: Huh?? This move is a major head scratcher as they had been prepared all week to fire Sparano if they could reach an agreement with Harbaugh (or presumably Cowher or Gruden as well according to some rumors). While it is awkward to even bring back Sparano at that point it is down right ridiculous to extend him. I understand part of it is to ensure his feelings aren’t hurt, but if he wasn’t content with having a head coaching job (fairly certain the rest of the league wouldn’t be lining up at his doorstep) then just fire him. Sparano had just the one year left on his contract which meant that if he couldn’t turn the Dolphins around next year, he could be let go without owing him anything. Now if he doesn’t turn anything around and is fired the Dolphins will have wasted millions of dollars. In addition to the money wasted it raises some serious questions about the organization and the direction they are going in.

Nets Near A Three-Way Deal To Land Carmelo Anthony?: While their is a strong mutual interest between the Nets and Nuggets for Carmelo Anthony, it is looking more and more like they need to get a third team involved. The Pistons appear to be one of the top choices, and are willing to move Rip Hamilton in the deal, but don’t want some of the other pieces involved in the deal. The Nets would have to part with rookie Derrick Favors as well as PG Devin Harris (and multiple first round picks), but would be looking to get back Anthony, Hamilton and Chauncey Billups. The deal is also contingent on Anthony agreeing to an extension with the Nets something he hasn’t been willing to acknowledge, though he might change his mind if they acquire Billups and Hamilton as well. This deal is far from done, but it could shake up the playoff picture and power structure.

Dolphins Do A 180 And Keep Sparano: After not succeeding in luring Jim Harbaugh and according to reports Jon Gruden, the Dolphins have apparently decided to stick with Tony Sparano as their head coach. The move is a bit shocking since they completely undercut Sparano’s authority, by openly looking for a new coach, despite never firing him. There will be no hotter coaching seat going into next year than the Miami Dolphins, and barring a strong early showing, I would be shocked if Sparano was still the head coach when the season was over. Miami is likely to bring in a big name offensive coordinator this offseason to give the team a boost. Normally that would be a great thing, but given the current situation that could backfire if Sparano is constantly looking over his shoulder.

Ryan Mallett Enters the Draft: Although this decision has been expected for quite some time, and was reinforced with his strong performance in the Sugar Bowl (numbers would look a lot better if his receivers didn’t drop so many balls), it was made easier with Luck’s decision. While I think Mallett was coming out either way, Andrew Luck returning to school boosted Mallett’s stock a bit. Mallett is first round material with a big strong arm that can make any throw. He still needs to develop in a few areas, such as pocket presence and refining his progressions, but he is talented enough that his name could be off the board in the first 10 picks. Now there are still questions surrounding him, including just how much of a leader he is, but even the worst case scenario would have Mallett falling no later then the mid-2nd round. This was a no-brainer decision for him, and definitely the right call.

Titans To Part Ways With Vince Young: Just a year ago at this time Vince Young was considered a Franchise quarterback and completely untouchable, now the Titans would trade him away at the drop of a hat. This season, like much of Young’s career, has been a roller coaster ride of success and immature behavior. Unfortunately for Young his actions this season were the last straw for both Coach Fisher and the Titans organization. Young has one year remaining on his contract at $12.75 million meaning he will be a pricey option in a trade route. Given the number of teams that need quarterbacks though I could see some team still making a deal for the one time star. Whether they cut him or trade him, it will be the end of a sad, weird chapter in the Titans history. This will make finding his replacement a top priority. With a good defense, a quality offensive line, a budding receiver, and one of the top 3 backs in the league the Titans just need quality quarterback play to become a contender. They could be a team in the mix for a Kevin Kolb type of trade.

Dolphins Make A Big Push For Harbaugh: This isn’t good news for current coach Tony Sparano who has yet to be fired, but the Dolphins are prepared to make Jim Harbaugh an offer he can’t refuse (except it has also been reported that Jon Gruden has refused the offer). Miami is willing to make Harbaugh the highest paid NFL coach with a salary approaching $8 million a year. The Dolphins are also attempting to gauge interest of Bill Cowher in returning to the sidelines, meaning Sparano’s days are all but numbered. Miami’s primary focus is on Harbaugh though, since getting him is now or never, as I assume he makes his coaching decision within the next few days. The Dolphins desperately want to compete with the Patriots and Jets, and I think they feel a coaching change can revitalize the fans, and the team. Similar to how Rex Ryan rejuvenated the Jets, and helped build them into a powerhouse overnight. The presence of the Patriots and Jets could give pause to a coach like Harbaugh, since he will have to compete in one of the toughest divisions (compared to going to the NFC West which would be a cake walk). But with the competition, still comes the high expectations on you (just ask Mike Shanahan how it feels to be the highest paid coach and not win football games). While the Dolphins could end up with Harbaugh, I still think the 49ers are the favorite or at worst at the same level as Miami.

What are your thoughts on these stories?

AFC East:

Buffalo Bills:

I think the Bills did a lot of good things to help their defense. Both their 2nd round pick Torell Troup (NT) and 3rd round pick Alex Carrington (DE) should immeadiately help their front 3 as they transition to a 3-4 defense. The Bills added a couple of pass rushers in 6 round, and both Arthur Moats and Danny Batten have a chance to be effective starters. Troup might have been a bit of an overdraft, but nose tackle was a significant need. The real problem with the Bills draft is what they did on offense, or what they didn’t do. With the 9th overall pick the Bills selected C.J. Spiller, the dynamic running, receiving, returning back out of Clemson. Spiller does everything, except the two things the Bills need the most, throwing the ball and blocking for those who do. And after Fred Jackson’s performance last season, Spiller doesn’t figure to get a ton of carries/catches. The 9th overall selection was a lot to spend on a third down back/return man. While the Bills added O-linemen Ed Wang and Kyle Calloway later, and got decent value where they selected them, that isn’t enough to address one of the worst offensive lines in football. Grabbing QB Levi Brown late gives you a little upside, but the Bills consistently passed on high rated quarterback prospects, guys who do actually project to be starters. For me the Bills didn’t fill needs or get enough high upside players. Grade D+

Miami Dolphins:

The Dolphins didn’t have a sexy draft, with the exception of the trade for Brandon Marshall, who does very much weigh into this grade (well 50-60% of Marshall, since they gave up a pick next year). With Marshall in the fold, Miami was able to trade back in the 1st round, add some more picks, and still get the guy they wanted DE Jared Odrick. Odrick is a perfect fit for the 3-4 end position and should generate a decent pass rush from that slot. Miami then grabbed a couple of solid linebackers, in 2nd rounder OLB Koa Misi and 4th rounder A.J. Edds, both have starting upside and should help immediately on special teams. Misi, especially should develop into an excellent starter and pass rusher. In between the two LB’s the Dolphins selected their lone offensive player (not counting Marshall) in guard John Jerry. Jerry is a very solid prospect, who helps give the Dolphins one of the deepest offensive lines in the league. There is a ton of potential with this unit’s backups, which will go a long way in helping the offense move the ball. Miami did pick up Reshad Jones in the 5th round. He is a bit raw as a safety, but has the talent and athleticism to develop into a starter at either safety spot. Grade B+

New England Patriots:

The Patriots went up and down this draft at will, which of course surprised no one since they do it every year. What’s even better is they even were able to start setting the table for next season, by trading a 3rd round pick for a 2nd rounder next season. Even with giving up a 3rd rounder, the Patriots still ended up with 12 draft picks including 5 in the top 3 rounds. The Patriots bolstered their defense early by adding CB Devin McCourty in the 1st round, OLB Jermaine Cunningham and ILB Brandon Spikes in the 2nd round. All three players should find an immediate home in New England, and while none might be a full-time starter in year one, they will all contribute. On offense the Patriots did a great job finding weapons for Tom Brady, by adding a pair of pass catching tight ends (Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez) and a very promising receiver (Taylor Price). Late in the draft New England picked depth picks across the offensive and defensive lines, in addition to a backup quarterback Zac Robinson. Overall this was a very solid and deep draft for the Patriots, and the only complaint might be that they didn’t address the offensive or defensive lines earlier, since they are razor thin at both positions. Grade B+

New York Jets:

The Jets only ended up with 4 picks but they made the most out of them. It is even more impressive considering they were able to trade for Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes using draft picks, giving Mark Sanchez all the weapons he needs to be successful. CB Kyle Wilson was an absolute steal at the bottom of the first round, and gives New York the best corners in the league. With an improved pass rush, the Jets defense should go from dominate to unstoppable. Adding Vlad Ducasse and Joe McKnight, both should be solid players and Ducasse should be a full time starter from day one. The only thing I don’t like about the Jets draft is that Ducasse and McKnight both only replace holes that the Jets created over the weekend, and aren’t a huge upgrade. While they are younger and cheaper than the players they are replacing, I’m not sure if they will be better this next season, which is troubling since the Jets are built to win the Super Bowl. I was shocked with how little they got in return for Leon Washington, one of the better 3rd down backs in the league. Overall I liked the Jets draft and I think they got solid value, but I don’t love the corresponding moves New York made. Grade B

Check back throughout the day as the rest of the divisions are posted!

In a bit of a surprising move the Miami Dolphins won the Brandon Marshall sweepstakes, by trading two 2nd round picks for they young and talented (troubled) receiver. There is little doubt that this trade makes the Dolphins better and is a direct answer to the Jets trade for Santonio Holmes earlier this week. What is surprising is the price the Dolphins paid, and the fact that they were even in on this deal from the get go.

Miami under Bill Parcells has been much shrewder with their draft picks and assets then they have in the past. So it is a bit surprising that they were willing to move two premium picks for Brandon Marshall. They paid a much higher price then the Baltimore Ravens paid for Anquan Boldin or the Jets paid for Braylon Edwards (last year) or Santonio Holmes. Now Marshall could very well be the best receiver of that bunch (but don’t count out Holmes) but it was still a steep price to pay considering the Ravens and Jets were no longer vying for Marshall’s services. It looked as though Miami’s chief competition for Marshall’s services was the Seattle Seahawks, and their 2nd round pick wasn’t until pick number 60. Meaning they would have had to add plenty to match the Dolphins 2nd rounder this year (pick 43). So it does seem like the Dolphins overpaid for Marshall.

Marshall does give Miami the number one receiver that they have been searching for and plenty of size for the red zone. Quarterback Chad Henne has to be the happiest man in south Florida right now, since he has someone reliable to throw the ball to. By adding a top flight wide receiver the Dolphins will know for sure whether Henne is their quarterback of the future. Marshall should also make the Dolphins other receivers better since he will draw more double coverages and team’s best corner backs. While their previous receiving corps was always much maligned in the press, I believe that there was some solid talent there already. Now guys like Hartline and Bess should have plenty of opportunities to make plays. But make no mistake the Dolphins passing attack will start with Marshall and his presence should boost that entire offense. The Dolphins are no longer solely a running team as opposing defenses will now need to respect their passing attack as well.

Denver did a great job forcing the Dolphins to raise the stakes for Marshall a player they didn’t want, and one that didn’t want to be there. Getting two 2nd round picks for him in these two drafts is a steal. This year’s draft is incredibly deep and having the 43rd pick is basically like having a late first rounder in most drafts. And right now next year’s draft looks just as deep if not deeper, which should give the Broncos the chance to grab another top prospect. The important thing for the Broncos is to make sure they draft smart and don’t make a rash decision like, drafting Dez Bryant with the 11th overall pick. I know people will say that Bryant fills their ‘need’, but I think that is grossly overvaluing him. What makes it even more problematic is that 2011 is shaping up to be for receivers what 1983 or 2004 drafts were for quarterbacks. It doesn’t make much sense to grab a lesser receiver now, when you can wait a year and take an elite front line wideout. Denver got into trouble last year by pigeonholing positions of need to particular draft spots and ended up with one of the worst drafts last season, despite having two first round picks and three second round picks. They can’t allow themselves to make the same mistakes again, and need to add quality players if they hope to compete for the AFC West.

Vikings Lockup Childress:

Brad Childress signs an extension with the Vikings. My question is this…how much of this contract is owed to Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson, and Jared Allen? I mean Childress is a nice coach, but I have a hard time believing he’s elite. I think he’s done well in evaluating free agent/trade talent, but overall his draft track record is spotty (though Peterson and Percy Harvin do look nice). I mean his player evaluation does have to be questioned, since he legitimately believed that Tavaris Jackson is a NFL starting quarterback. Overall though the Vikings had to extend Childress, his team is 8-1 this season and is poised for a deep playoff run.

Dolphins Go For It On 4th and 3:

No this doesn’t vindicate Bill Belichick for his bonehead call last Sunday night! A few major differences between these situations, the Dolphins were on the Carolina 28, NOT THEIR OWN 28 yard line. The Dolphins also left only 39 seconds on the clock for the Panthers with no timeouts remaining, not two minutes and one timeout like the Patriots gave the Colts. And while the Dolphins could have tried a long 45 yard field goal to seal the game, if they had missed the kick they would have given Carolina the ball on the 35. I think Tony Sparano made the right call there, even though the Panthers did eventually get the ball in ‘hail mary’ range.

Lincecum Wins 2nd Cy Young Award:

Congrats to Tim Lincecum, unfortunate news for the San Francisco Giants since they will now have to sell the Golden Gate Bridge to afford to retain him. Lincecum enters this offseason as a Super-Two player, meaning that since he has played over two and a half years in the majors he is now eligible for arbitration, his first of four arbitration years. Usually when a player hits arbitration their salary jumps from league minimum ($400-450K) to somewhere in the neighborhood of $2.5-$4.0 million for solid players. Good players might be in the $5 million range. Now exceptional players have been known to get larger amounts, ex. Ryan Howard won his Super-two case for $10 million (and that was two years ago). Lincecum now has won the Cy Young Award in each of his two full seasons, compiling a career record of 40-17 with a 2.90 ERA, and that’s with a shaky defense and a pretty bad offense behind him (offense doesn’t help the ERA, but if he was pitching for the Phillies, Yankees or Red Sox he’d have 20+ wins a year). Looking deeper into the numbers, Lincecum has lead the league in strikeouts, and strikeouts per 9 innings pitched each of the last two seasons. He led the league in FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) in 2008, and was just barely beaten out by Zack Greinke this season. Lincecum is flat out dominate and now the Giants will have to open up their check book to keep him in town long term. What will it cost? Well the Phillies are going to end up paying Howard $64 million over his 4 arb. years (they signed a guaranteed contract last season), so I think that is at least the starting point. I say its going to cost at least $70 million to lock up Lincecum over the same time frame. As good as Howard is, the Giants would never trade Lincecum straight up for him. He’s a great power hitter, with just good on base skills at a prime power position. Howard is only average defensively, at the least important defensive position on the diamond. Lincecum by comparison is an elite pitcher who has dominated the league every fifth day for over two years now. If the Giants want to go to arbitration each year (and they will lose) they will probably pay out nearly $80 million plus if Lincecum doesn’t get injured, they have to sign an extension in my eyes. That $70 million sounds like a huge figure (and it is), but it ends up being a $17.5 million average, aka Barry Zito money (boy does that hurt).

Miami Dolphin fans got some horrible news this week when they learned their star running back Ronnie Brown would miss the rest of the season, with a foot injury. This is already after the Dolphins lost their starting quarterback, Chad Pennington, earlier in the season to injury. Now the most potent part of the Dolphins offense, and their team leader, will be watching the remaining 7 games from the sideline. This is a huge blow for the Dolphins, as it pretty much assures that they won’t be making any return trips to the postseason.

Sitting at 4-5 the playoffs were a long shot for Miami to begin with, but with their remaining schedule there was an outside chance they could force their way in. Of their 7 remaining games, 4 are on the road, but all four are against weaker opponents, Carolina tonight, with Buffalo, Jacksonville, and Tennessee coming up. With a Ronnie Brown led Miami team, those four games are all winable. And the Dolphins would have to win those four games, because their other three games are against New England, Houston, and Pittsburgh. Now the Texans they should have been able to beat at home, and they at least had a chance to upset either the Patriots or Steelers at home, forcing their way into the playoff picture at 9-7 or 10-6. Now with Brown out of the picture, this season could get ugly fast, and winning tonight in Carolina looks pretty grim.

Losing Brown no doubt hurts the fourth ranked rushing attack in the league, but it has a greater overall impact on the offense. Brown was part of a two headed monster at running back with Ricky Williams. Williams has been great this year for the Dolphins, and should be able to handle Brown’s work load easily. The problem now is that he won’t be coming on the field with fresh legs, limiting his ability to have break-away plays. Also, many times the Dolphins would have both Brown and Williams in the back field, which allowed both of them a lot more freedom to create. The biggest issue for the Dolphins offense is what does the loss of Brown mean for their Wildcat formation? Brown was such a weapon out of the Wildcat, and really helped make the formation work for the Dolphins. Now without him in the lineup the Dolphins greatest offensive formation will need a new leader, if they decide to stick with it.

I honestly don’t see how they can abandon the Wildcat, as I think they need it now more than ever. Chad Henne cannot be counted on to keep the Dolphins in games. With the exception of their week 5 win against the Jets, Henne has been a very ordinary quarterback. While I don’t think you can write him off just yet, I don’t think he is the long term answer behind center for the Dolphins. As for the rest of this season, you live with the ups and downs, but you can’t hope to put the game in his hands.

For the Wildcat, and their offense to be successful Miami will need to turn to two players who have been spending most of this season on the sideline, WR Ted Ginn Jr. and QB Pat White. White and Ginn are both extremely dangerous players when they have the ball in their hands, so Miami needs to capitalize on this by running them out of the Wildcat. White hasn’t shown any ability to pass this season, but should be good for a few big plays with his arm out of the Wildcat. Also, if the Dolphins run both White and Ginn out of the Wildcat at the same time, they could have a creative way to give Ricky Williams a breather. The running back depth is pretty thin after Williams, with a pair of rookies backing him up. It would make sense for the Dolphins to give touches to their play makers, instead of giving the ball to the rookies. Now I don’t think Miami can perpetually run their offense out of the Wildcat (though it might not hurt to try), so at some point Henne, and the backup running backs will need to touch the ball. But, by having the Wildcat as a focus, Miami can relieve some pressure off their young quarterback, and hopefully stay competitive for the rest of the season.

With yesterday’s news that Chad Pennington is out for the year with a shoulder injury, Miami’s season effectively came to an abrupt close. The Dolphins who fell to 0-3 on Sunday, now will have to face perhaps the league’s toughest schedule without their top signal caller. The Dolphins who started out the year at Atlanta, home against the Colts, and then at San Diego, now get a pair of home games against the resurgent Jets and Bills, who are both playing their best football in years. The Dolphins still have the Saints, Texans, Steelers, and Patriots twice on their schedule (not to mention facing the Jets and the Bills on the road). This season is quickly shaping into a disaster. Just one year removed from the postseason, the Dolphins are looking at going back into the AFC East cellar and a potential top-10 draft pick come next April with Chad Henne at the helm.

I know there are those Dolphins/football fans who probably think that losing Pennington isn’t such a big deal. But facts are facts, and the truth of the matter is Chad Pennington is a good quarterback and a proven winner. Any time he starts 10 or more games in a season, his team makes the playoffs. Any time that he hasn’t started at least 10 games (since he became a starter in 2002) his team has finished last or tied for last in the AFC East. Now no one is ever going to mistake Pennington for Manning or Brady, but at the same time they won’t mistake Henne for Pennington as well. I have absolutely no confidence in Chad Henne being the answer in Miami. I know he is a Parcells guy, and the “heir apparent”, but I just don’t see it with Henne. I’ve never thought that he is anything more than a solid back up in this league, and definitely not a starter on a playoff caliber team. Henne just doesn’t seem to make quick reads or good decisions when he has the ball in his hands. And if his performance Sunday against the Chargers was an indication of things to come, its going to be a long season in Miami this year. Unfortunately for Miami fans its going to get much worse before it gets better. I think Miami will finish with a top-10 pick, and will probably be in the market for a new “heir apparent” come next April. 

With that being said, there are a lot of other very surprising 0-3 or 1-2 teams in the NFL right now.  Which teams can turn their season around and which teams should start preparing for the April draft?

Eagles at Panthers: This is a battle of two of the best teams from the NFC last year, and two teams with Super Bowl aspirations this season. The Eagles bring in the baggage of the Michael Vick signing (even though he won’t be there) and their host of offensive weapons. The Panthers are looking to overcome the embarrassment of their playoff loss at home to the Cardinals that ended their season prematurely. Philadelphia still has a potent offense, that should only get better with the rookie additions of RB LeSean McCoy and WR Jeremy Maclin. The Eagles may be the favorite team in Vegas right now, but I wouldn’t count the Panthers out of this game just yet. They have a better rushing attack, and Steve Smith always finds a way to make plays no matter who is covering him. The Eagles offensive line could struggle against the Panthers defense led by DE Julius Peppers. If the Panthers can control the line of scrimmage and get an early lead, their running game should be good enough to win the day. Since this isn’t college football one loss isn’t going to kill the loser’s postseason hopes, but this game could comeback to haunt them at the end of the season. Panthers sqeak by at home 24-21.

Dolphins at Falcons: This is the only other match up of two 2008 playoff teams in the opening week, and the only one between the two conferences. Both of these teams shocked the NFL by their turnarounds from 2007 to 2008. Many people think the Dolphins are going to come crashing down to earth this season, and that they have no shot on the road in Atlanta. While its true they have a tough opening match up with the Falcons, I wouldn’t diminish their playoff hopes just yet. Miami’s defense got a lot stronger in the off season with a strong draft and some free agent signings. I would expect them to give Matt Ryan and the rest of the Falcons all they can handle. On offense the Dolphins have a great running back in Ronnie Brown and a strong offensive line. It might seem like their passing game is weak, but I think its very underrated. No you shouldn’t mistake QB Chad Pennington for Peyton Manning, but he does win football games. Now this is not to say I think Miami is going to runaway with this game. I think this could be the game of the week, because Atlanta is an extremely good football team. RB Michael Turner, WR Roddy White and Ryan give the Falcons a dynamic trio of stars. Adding Tony Gonzalez to the mix only makes the Falcons offense that much better. The area of concern for Atlanta is their offensive line, and can they hold up against the Dolphins pass rushers. On defense the Falcons have an improving unit that has playoff talent. But they are counting on a number of young players including rookies, that might not be ready for a tough week one match up. In the end I think Miami steals one on the road in week one 24-21.

Redskins at Giants: The battle for the East begins in Week one with two sensational defense’s battling it out. The Redskins added some top talent to their defense this off season and they will get an early test with the Giants offense. DT Albert Haynesworth was brought in to stop the inside running game, and put more pressure on the quarterback, the two biggest weaknesses of the Skins 2008 unit. In a way he was brought in specifically to stop RB Brandon Jacobs running all over the Skins like he did last year. On offense Washington made some minor improvements to the offensive line, but are mainly hoping the unit improves with experience. They are counting on their second year receivers to start making an impact on offense, otherwise it will be the Moss-Cooley-Portis show that has been there in the past. QB Jason Campbell needs to make some plays if Washington has any hope on the road. The Giants feature a tenacious offensive line that opens up plenty of holes for the ground game, and keeps Eli Manning on his feet. The receivers are pretty raw, but have immense potential. Hakeem Nicks needs to be accounted for on every play. He has game breaking ability, even for a rookie. The Giants have one of the few defensive units that have the talent equal to or better than the Redskins defense. New York’s defensive line is talented and extremely deep. They will generate a lot of pressure on their own without additional blitzers. Their linebackers are their weakest component, but that’s only because they are just above-average and not great like the rest of the defense. I think the home field advantage and better quarterback play give the Giants the victory here, 23-17.