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.

Orioles Resign Koji Uehara For $3 million: The Baltimore Orioles made another good move this offseason, after already trading for Mark Reynolds and J.J. Hardy. Uehara found himself as a back end reliever in the Orioles bullpen last season. He’s proven a little injury prone so far during his 2 year MLB career, but a one year deal with a club option is a safe move for the Orioles. Baltimore still needs to add a first baseman/DH and at least one more reliever but so far it is looking like a strong offseason in Charm City.

A’s Are Close To Signing Matsui After Agreeing With McCarthy: The Oakland A’s are close to making two solid additions in pitcher Brandon McCarthy and DH Hideki Matsui. McCarthy was a former top pitching prospect of the White Sox/Rangers who never reached his potential. McCarthy is a good buy low option for the A’s. He is still a young arm who could thrive in Oakland’s spacious ballpark. Matsui is another good signing for the A’s who were one of the worst power hitting teams in the league last season. While Matsui might not be a 30 HR guys any longer (esp. not in that ballpark), he is a solid offensive upgrade for the A’s. With the additions of Matsui and David DeJesus the A’s offense is improving fast. With an improved offense and a quality pitching staff the A’s could make a run at the division this year.

Vikings -1 @ Bears: Chicago is at home, and the Vikings still are a splintered team but I’ll take Minnesota in this game with a pretty high confidence. The Bears simply can’t protect Jay Cutler, and the Vikings still get after the quarterback with the best of them. On offense Favre is coming off his best game, and he has been known to carry teams on his back in the past. I look for it to be close but Minnesota to win and cover 21-17.

Lions -1 @ Bills: A lot of people seem to be pegging this as Buffalo’s first win, and I get the argument. The Bills are at home, have shown improvement and Lions quarterback Matt Stafford is out. Now if Drew Stanton was playing I’d say they have a case, but I believe Shaun Hill will lead the Lions to their 3rd win. That Buffalo offensive line is one of the worst in the league and we all saw what the Lions did to the Washington Redskins unit. I think the Lions will slow down Fitzpatrick and force a couple of costly turnovers. The Lions win this 27-24.

Jets-3 @ Browns: Boy this is a tough one, on paper it shouldn’t be a contest and the Jets should win by 13 not 3, but they have been struggling recently. And while the Jets have been struggling the Browns led by rookie quarterback Colt McCoy are looking good. Back-to-back wins against the Saints and New England, have people beginning to take notice of the Browns. Normally I’d say this is where Cleveland’s glass slipper falls off, but I’m not ready to count them out just yet. Jets win but don’t cover as they squeak out a 24-23 victory.

Titans +1 @ Dolphins: It’s unclear if or how much Vince Young will play so I understand why the Dolphins are favored at home, but remember they too are going with a different guy behind center. Chad Pennington is replacing ineffective starter Chad Henne, so it will be interesting to see how Chad Part II does. Even if Young doesn’t play I like Tennessee in this game, they have been struggling of late, but they have a top notch defense, Chris Johnson and oh yeah just acquired Randy Moss. He might not have a huge impact, but i’d expect Moss to open up some things for CJ. Titans win 28-20.

Panthers +7 @ Buccaneers: Although I still think Tampa is a bit overrated I don’t think they will have much trouble in today’s game. Carolina isn’t a good team to begin with, and injuries are really beginning to take their toll. I really think Tampa runs away with this game early and I see a 31-13 final.

Texans +1 @ Jaguars: I understand the Jags are at home and have been playing better football, but I just don’t see it. The Texans have struggled some, and their defense can’t really stop anyone, but Schaub/ Foster/Johnson are nearly unstoppable. I think the Texans secondary will keep Jacksonville in it but I see a pretty high scoring game, 35-27 in favor of the Texans.

Patriots Trade a 4th round pick for Deion Branch: Somehow Randy Moss is only worth a 3rd round pick (with the Patriots giving up an additional 7th in 2012) to Deion Branch being worth a 4th round pick? Branch at one time might have been a top notch receiver who helped the Patriots win Super Bowls, but he has resembled anything close to that of late. He lacks the speed and quickness he used to have, and while he can still help some he isn’t worth the nearly $6 million he will be due to make next year (or the $3 million plus he will make the rest of this year). Yes the Patriots had an extra 4th rounder from the Broncos in the Laurence Maroney trade (they gave up their 6th rounder as well) and multiple additional picks from other trades. But I think New England overpaid here (by a lot). Given how much money he was owed I’m surprised the Patriots had to give up more than a 6th or 7th rounder. While he has some experience with Brady, it has been 4 and a half years since they’ve been together. I think Brady and New England overvalued that history. There were easily other cheaper, younger receivers available for less of a draft pick compensation price. There is way too much of a drop off in value from Moss to Branch for these deals to be motivated by football decisions. New England got their hand caught in the cookie jar by not having enough quality receivers and Tom Brady basically lobbying for Branch.

Giants Knock off Atlanta, Bring an End to Cox’s career: Bobby Cox is one of the all-time great managers in baseball, as he has led Atlanta to multiple playoff appearances and has kept them a contender for the last two decades. Now though his career ends on a bittersweet note at home, as his Braves fall to the Giants 3-2. The Braves played well in the series, but in the end the Giants pitching was just too much for them. San Francisco in an amazing show of sportsmanship, stopped their celebration to honor Bobby Cox last night. While it wasn’t the final tribute Cox or the Braves were hoping for, it was nice that his final game was at home and the Giants showed him the respect he deserved.

Had New England made this deal on draft day of Moss for a 2010 3rd rounder, New England fans would have been in an uproar over the loss of their star receiver. Now suddenly 4 weeks into the season it is okay to trade Moss for less value. A 2011 3rd round pick is worth quite a bit less than a 2010 (not to mention the Patriots would have laughed in the face of any team that made that offer). The general rule of thumb is a future draft pick is worth slightly more than that round this year. For example the New England Patriots traded their late 3rd round pick this past season to the Carolina Panthers for their 2nd round pick in 2011. Not only did the Patriots ‘move up a round’, but they also jumped up quite a bit in that particular round. Even before the start of this season you could see that the likelihood was that the Panthers would be a bottom 15 team (now it could end up a top 5 pick in that round) meaning the Patriots would move up basically a round and a half. I don’t see how the Patriots can defend this move now, considering they wouldn’t have begun to entertain trading Moss earlier this offseason. Had they made a trade for a 2010 3rd round pick, not only would they have had that player, but they could have used both their draft and their money saved to address the receiver position.

Now the Patriots are left with a fairly uninspiring receiving corps, led by Wes Welker. Welker has put up big numbers, but he has benefited quite a bit by having Randy Moss on the other side of him. Moss not only commands opposing team’s top corner backs, but usually double coverage as well. The Patriots may have beaten the Dolphins without Moss having a catch, but him occupying Vonta Davis and taking a safety a lot of the time, opened things up for everyone else. While other Patriots receivers Brandon Tate, and Julian Edelman have shown some flashes, that was always with Randy Moss taking away a lot of the coverage. And although I like the promise of those young wideouts (and of rookie Taylor Price as well), they have not been consistent enough to warrant giving up your best deep threat, and only receiver with a height advantage.

Maybe this deal would have made more sense if the Patriots had the defense they had when they won those Super Bowls, or a rushing attack that could lead the league. The deal also would have made some more sense if New England got a player back that could help them this year as well. But as it stands now they gave up their only offensive weapon that really kept defensive coordinators up at night, and went to being more of a short passing team.

Now the Patriots have the weapons to do that, as their backs are good receivers and their rookie tight ends (Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski) have shown a lot of promise, and Welker is great at working underneath. But now they will have to deal with more coverage (and better coverage), and I’m sure Tom Brady will see a lot more blitzes now that no receiver demands double coverage.

I think the Patriots got too cute here and would have been better served either not making the deal or at the very least get a player back (even if it meant taking a lesser draft pick) who could have some impact on this season (as well as future seasons). Even if the player they got back wasn’t a starter, he would have value towards this season. As it stands, New England got a nice pick, but with no internal options to replace Moss they hurt their chances of competing this year and will regret this move.

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.

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

A.J. Feeley isn’t exactly the best option for a starting quarterback in this league and the Rams desperately need someone to hold the reins while Bradford gets his feet wet. I know there is a growing sentiment in the NFL to start rookie quarterbacks in year one, despite the fact that it rarely works, but the Rams need to be smart here. This isn’t the New York Jets last year, a playoff caliber team (and I still believe that the Jets might have rushed Sanchez) for a rookie quarterback to hide his inexperience on. The Rams have been awful for quite some time, and they don’t exactly have the best offense around Sam Bradford.

In two preseason games Bradford has struggled mightily, and things will only get worse when he is in regular game action. I know the Rams invested a lot of money and their top pick in him, but that is no reason to rush him into the starting role. In fact it is because they invested so much in him, that they should be extra cautious and careful with Bradford. And trading for Rosenfels would help solve their dilemma at quarterback. Right now it might make sense to put Bradford atop the depth chart given that his performance isn’t that much worse than Feeley (though considering how low that bar is set, it should be cause for concern), and he has this seemingly limitless potential. But if they add Rosenfels then there is a quarterback who can keep the seat warm, and teach the kid a thing or two.

Rosenfels I think could be a solid starter in this league. And while the Rams offensive situation won’t help his numbers, he should be manageable. Now I don’t think he will turn them into automatic contenders or completely make fans forget about Bradford. What he will do is let the rookie learn the game and the league, and take all the pressure off of him.

Now I am not saying Bradford should never play, maybe some mop-up duty late in games, and if he shows something, a start or two at the end of the year. But Bradford has no business starting more than half of the Rams games. There will be no good coming from that, and will likely only set him back another year or more in his development. If Brees, Brady, Rivers, Rodgers, and even Favre (as well as plenty of others) needed a year or more to develop, do we really think that Bradford is ready from day one? If the Rams are smart, they will give up a late round pick or two for protection for their future ‘franchise’ quarterback.

Favre is too much of a competitor to have his career end so close to the Super Bowl, especially considering since most people wrongly try to blame Favre for the loss. That interception was ill timed, but wouldn’t have mattered if the Vikings hadn’t fumbled the ball so many times (fumbles that either cost them points or gave the Saints excellent field position). Not to mention the officiating at the end of that game was horrible and gifted the Saints that winning field goal attempt. Favre was not going to come that close to the Super Bowl, and walk away. It’s not in his blood and it is not in the way he has played the game for 20 years now.

While it might be unlikely for Favre to duplicate his numbers from last season (which were unreal for a 40 year old), Favre can still throw the ball a little bit. He returns pretty much the same offense, though I really like rookie backup running back Toby Gerhart. I would not be shocked to see Gerhart have a big impact with this team, and give Adrian Peterson some relief. I’m sure Favre would have liked to see the Vikings improve along the offensive line, since he almost got killed back there last season. Other than that question mark Favre has the pieces to turn this offense into a championship caliber team. That along with the Vikings killer defense, and Minnesota has a legitimate shot at winning the Super Bowl in (likely) Favre’s final season.

Now I’m all for reporting rumors and a little idle speculation, but this was ridiculous yesterday as it kept building up to the point where it seems like everyone in America believes Brett Favre is retired. I mean haven’t we learned by now that we can’t trust Favre when he says he is retired, so why are we going to trust unconfirmed text messages? I won’t even begin to believe this story until the Vikings and/or Favre confirm it. And in all honesty I won’t believe Favre is done playing until he is either over the age of 50, or someone passes a law saying he can’t play football anymore. Until that time, I am going to believe in a possible comeback.

I’m sure there is a small fire that caused all this smoke, and I won’t say for certain he will be back and leading the Vikings to the playoffs. I think that ankle is a major concern, as is the willingness to take another beating like the one he took last year. But Favre has that competitive fire that every player aspires to. I think he will try to test out the ankle over the next week or two, and if it checks out he will be back with the Vikings by the middle of the month. If Favre comes back, I think he will be as good as ever and Minnesota could be a Super Bowl team. If not, than it will be an unfortunate end to an illustrious career and the Vikings are hurting.