Albert Haynesworth Starts Plays Whole Preseason Game: On a day where all the starters and even a few key backups didn’t even dress, Big Al played in every quarter. Now while that didn’t probably sit too well with Haynesworth, hopefully it means that the Redskins are ready to start him next week in the season opener. And it should fully refute the asinine report from earlier in the week that said the Redskins might consider making Haynesworth inactive for week one. Now I don’t think his game last night was as impressive, but throughout the preseason no Redskins defensive lineman had more penetration and was more of a force than Haynesworth. And that was true whether he was playing against a starting offensive line or the 3rd string. It might not be easy for Redskins fans and coaches to admit, but Haynesworth is by far their most impact defender. Even if he isn’t getting sacks or tackles for a loss, he is collapsing pockets, occupying blockers, and forcing a few penalties. If the Redskins have any hope of upsetting the Dallas Cowboys next weekend, they will need Haynesworth to play. With any luck, last night’s game ‘worked’ him into the football shape the team is looking for.

Steelers Lose Another Quarterback: Pittsburgh will already be without Ben Roethlisberger for the first four weeks (at least), now may be without his replacement for an extended period of time. Byron Leftwich sprained his left knee yesterday and could miss a couple of weeks. The injury was serious enough that the team took him to the hospital for an MRI. While the extent of the injury is unknown, the quarterback job now falls on 3rd year pro Dennis Dixon, with veteran Charlie Batch as his backup. Dixon has had an up and down preseason, but has shown a good bit of promise these past two years. He came out of a spread offense at Oregon, and is equally capable of beating a team with his legs as well as his arm. He still needs to work on his decision making, but he has the upside. It might not be the most ideal situation for the Steelers, but with the right coaching and a little luck, they should be able to survive the suspension of Roethlisberger.

Vincent Jackson Could Be Dealt This Weekend: The Chargers seem like they will try to make a big push this weekend to trade their All-Pro Receiver Vincent Jackson. If they don’t deal him by Saturday, Jackson won’t be able to ‘report’ on time and will need to sit out the first 6 weeks (he has a 3 game league mandated suspension, and then would have the failure to report suspension). Jackson’s value will significantly decrease after this Saturday, so it is in the Chargers best interest to find a workable deal in the next two days. Seattle and the Vikings have shown some interest, and the Redskins and Rams have weak receiving corps, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a there is another team under the radar looking to make a move. The real issue for the Chargers is Jackson won’t bring back the kind of return they are looking for, and I think they would be lucky to get more than a 3rd round pick at this time. It will remain to be seen if the Chargers can work out an agreeable deal, but I have to think this gets done.

Baltimore Ravens:

Baltimore once again showed why they are one of the top teams in the league each year. They had another brilliant draft, trading out of the first round and recouping the picks they lost in their trade for Anquan Boldin. In the 2nd round the Ravens took a pair of very talented players, both of whom are perfect fits for Baltimore. OLB Sergio Kindle is a tenacious pass rusher and benefits by slipping some to the Ravens. Now instead of being one of the top guys on a bad team, Kindle can have the time to develop into a great player. He should find plenty of freedom playing along with all the starts the Ravens have on D. Baltimore’s second 2nd round pick, will do a great job in opening up holes for Kindle and the rest of the linebackers. Nose tackle Terrence Cody is a perfect fit in Baltimore. They have the depth that he won’t have to be an every down player, also his presence next to Ngata along the front line should give the Ravens a devastating run defense. After filling their defensive needs, the Ravens loaded up on pass catchers drafting tight ends in the 3rd and 4th rounds (thanks to the Tim Tebow deal) and a receiver in the 5th round. Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson are good complimentary tight ends. Dickson is the stronger, faster and more athletic one. While Pitta has great hands and instincts. Both should be immediate contributors, giving Joe Flacco one of the best arsenals in the league. Fifth round pick David Reed, was one of my favorite players in this draft and I expect him to emerge as the successor to Derrick Mason. The Ravens also added a solid DT/DE in Arthur Jones in the 5th round. He will move to end in the 3-4, but has a lot of potential. While the Ravens didn’t draft one of their bigger needs (cornerback), they added another fantastic class. When you factor in Boldin to this mix, Baltimore gets a very strong Grade A+.

Cincinnati Bengals:

The Bengals did a great job of filling their two biggest needs going into this draft, defense and pass catchers. The Bengals landed the top tight end in this draft with their first round selection of Jermaine Gresham. Gresham should give the Bengals passing game the jolt they needed last season. He has all the talent and skill to develop into an elite tight end in the NFL. In the 3rd round the Bengals grabbed Jordan Shipley who should help on special teams and as a slot receiver. He might never be a game breaker, but Shipley filled a big need for Cincinnati. Late in the draft the Bengals got great value by adding receiver Dezmon Briscoe, who was projected to go earlier in the draft. He has excellent size and speed and could develop into a starter. On defense the Bengals added four good prospects, who all have starting potential. 2nd rounder DE Carlos Dunlap, could develop into a top notch defensive end if he ever gets his mental game figured out. Cornerback Brandon Ghee was excellent value for the Bengals in the 3rd round, as were DT Geno Atkins and LB Roderick Muckelroy in the 4th round. All three of whom should be solid rotational players as rookies. The Bengals didn’t address their needs at safety, but filled every other position. While a lot of this draft is based on potential, I think the Bengals made some excellent selections. Grade B+

Cleveland Browns:

The Browns had a mixed bag with this draft. They traded away some picks to acquire Sheldon Brown and Chris Gocong and got some nice prospects, but they didn’t fill all of their needs. Joe Haden I thought was a interesting pick, since they had just acquired Sheldon Brown. Even if they do move Brown to safety, the Browns missed out on a chance to trade up for Eric Berry, who would have filled a major need for Cleveland. Considering the fact that the Browns used both their 2nd round pick and 5th round pick on safeties, it is safe to say Cleveland still was looking to upgrade the position. While I think Ward is a solid prospect and Asante offered them nice value in the 5th round, them combined don’t equal Berry, whom I think was the best player in this entire draft. For me, Ward was a bit of an overdraft and it would have made more sense to either trade back to the middle of the round or just outright select Jimmy Clausen with that pick. While they did eventually get their quarterback in the 3rd round, Clausen I feel will be ready sooner and has more upside. Trading up for Hardesty in the 2nd round was a bit of a surprise as well. While I like him as a player, they gave up a good bit to get him (picks that would have made more sense, plus others towards a deal for Berry). I did like both WR Carlton Mitchell and DE Clifton Geathers in the 6th round. I feel both have big upsides and should find roles on the Browns. Overall it seemed like a strange draft for Cleveland, where they addressed the majority of their needs but seemingly at the wrong times with the wrong players. There grade will remain high because of the addition of Brown and the talent they acquired, but I don’t know if this draft can put them back into contention. Grade B-

Pittsburgh Steelers:

The Steelers had a very good all-around draft, with the only question mark coming at the lack of drafting a corner early (they did trade for Bryant McFadden, so that did help and is weighted in this grade). Overall I loved their picks of Pouncey and Scott along the offensive line. Both players have nice upside and were good values for where they were drafted. Pouncey should start from day one in Pittsburgh and help solidify that unit. The Steelers addressed their skilled positions well, by adding a pair of receivers and a power back. WR Emmanuel Sanders in the 3rd round, offers good value and could work his way into the rotation. 6th rounder Antonio Brown, I thought was pretty underrated and should develop into a solid player, as well as helping early on in the return game. At running back the Steelers added Jonathan Dwyer, a bruising back out of Georgia Tech. A Dwyer-Mendenhall backfield should be very formidable, and Dwyer was excellent value in the 6th round. On defense the Steelers drafted 3 linebackers, one defensive end, and a corner. Most of those were depth picks but I believe the two rush linebackers they added should give them value. I’m actually higher on 4th rounder Thaddeus Gibson than 2nd rounder Jason Worilds. In fact I think Pittsburgh missed a golden opportunity with their Worilds pick. There were a number of trades at the end of that 2nd round, and if Pittsburgh had moved back they could have gotten additional picks, but also would have been able to grab one of the corners before they were all drafted at the top of Round 3. To me Worilds is more of a 3rd or 4th round prospect, and while he might fit in Pittsburgh I think he could be a bust as well. Gibson was excellent value for the 4th round, and should well continue the tradition of Pittsburgh sack masters at some point in his career. Overall I really liked what the Steelers did, but would have probably rather seen them trade back to the end of the 2nd round and grab a corner over Worilds. Other than that though I don’t have any real complaints or issues about this draft. Grade A-

Santonio Holmes has been a 1st round pick, a 1,000 yard receiver and a Super Bowl MVP for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but because of his exploits off the field he will now be playing for the New York Jets. The Steelers shipped him off for a measly 5th round pick in the upcoming draft. Now I realize he’s been a head case off the field, and the rumor is Holmes could be suspended for the first 4 games next season, but the Jets got an absolute steal in Holmes. The Jets receivers were their biggest question mark coming into this off season, and were almost assuredly going to use either their first or second round pick on a receiver to fill that need. Now in one major move the Jets filled their biggest need, and the Steelers created a whole new one.

When this off season began, a starting caliber wide receiver wasn’t even a thought. They had Holmes and Hines Ward, with impressive rookie Mike Wallace waiting in the wings, giving them one of the best top three receiver groups in the league. The Steelers did need depth, since former second round pick Limas Sweed has yet to show he could be a quality receiver, so they went out an signed Antwaan Randle El and Arnaz Battle. Now the need for a receiver has come back in a big way and is near the top of the charts for the Steelers. Randle El and Battle could have covered for Holmes if he was going to be suspended, but you can’t rely on them for a full 16 games. The Steelers will need to find another quality receiver in the draft, meaning they will likely have to spend one of their top 3 picks on the position. Considering the needs the Steelers have along the offensive line and at corner back, not to mention the serious depth issues at safety and outside linebacker, Pittsburgh will have to ignore one of their primary concerns to add another receiver.

Now I realize that Holmes has had his fair share of issues these past few years, but we aren’t talking about Michael Vick issues here. I am a little dumbfounded that all the Steelers got in return was a 5th round draft pick. Holmes is a top 15 receiver in the league, and while he is entering the last year of his contract, he would be worth a first round pick on merit alone. Given some of his off the field issues and probable suspension that might move down to a third round pick, but a fifth round pick is a drastic drop off. It’s even more of a head scratcher considering the number of teams in need of a wide receiver and the complete lack of first round quality receivers.

Also it’s not like the other receivers available in free agency or trade are choir boys. Terrell Owens and Brandon Marshall have had just as bad if not worse issues during their career. While usually I trust the Steelers decision making, especially when it comes to the draft, I am really left questioning this deal. It’s doubtful they could find any receiver that can match Holmes’ production next season, when the Steelers should be a Super Bowl contender. And if they try to add a receiver to just pick up part of the slack, they will have to spend a higher draft pick then they should, creating a weakness on another area of the team.

The Jets on the other hand are going all in in 2010. Both of their starting receivers will be free agents following this season, but they are both very good players and now headline a pretty good receiving corps. Now New York can use their top draft picks to make the league’s best defense even more dominate. This move may definitively move the Jets to the top of the AFC, depending on how the draft plays out for them. Holmes gives them a great play maker, who is a perfect compliment to the taller Braylon Edwards. The two of which should cause significant match up issues for opposing defenses. Holmes also is a great safety net for rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez. Holmes was fantastic in Pittsburgh in coming back to the ball when the play broke down and Roethlisberger was on the run. He should quickly become the go-to-guy in New York (well after the suspension is up) and a favorite of Mark Sanchez.

I credit the Jets in putting Mark Sanchez in the best possible position to succeed (except of course for throwing him into the deep end last season, by starting him from day one). Now though with the additions of Edwards and Holmes, to go along with Cotchery and Keller and the leagues best running game and offensive line, Sanchez has all the tools to take the Jets to the Super Bowl. At this point though there are no more excuses for Mark Sanchez to be anything but a top notch quarterback. The Holmes move (as well as freeing up their draft picks) is the final move on paper to take the Jets to the next level. Even if they don’t end up winning the Super Bowl, this was a fantastic bold move for New York, and one that shows their dedication to winning.

Seahawks trade Seneca Wallace to the Browns for a conditional 2011 draft pick:

This is a great deal for the Browns, assuming that the conditional pick is in the late to mid rounds of the 2011 draft. Wallace knows Holmgren and the West Coast Offense pretty well from their days together in Seattle. While he’s not an elite quarterback, he should do well to hold down the job until a long term solution can be found. Wallace is extremely athletic, which will help make up for his lack of natural quarterback skills. Holmgren did a great job of acquiring Wallace for a conditional pick next year, now the trade will be based on merit, instead of surrendering an asset this season. The Browns have done an impressive job of stockpiling draft picks this year, and by not touching them, Cleveland can be one of the movers and shakers on draft day. The extra selections will also allow Holmgren to clean house and bring in his players. The addition of Wallace knocks down the need for a quarterback a little on the Browns off season plan, likely Cleveland will now be targeting one with one of their 3rd round picks as opposed to grabbing one in the first two rounds. Wallace also means that Derek Anderson is packing his bags, and will be released any day now. And Brady Quinn might not be too far behind him, though he is more likely to be traded.

Eagles trade Reggie Brown to the Buccaneers for a 2011 6th round pick:

This is a solid move for Tampa Bay. Though Brown had never lived up to his 2nd round draft status, he has had some productive seasons with the Eagles. With recent additions though, Brown has fallen down the depth chart, so a new start is exactly what he he needs. Tampa didn’t surrender much at all to get Brown, who has a very reasonable long term contract. The Buccaneers had perhaps the worst receiving corps in the league last year, and are losing their top target (Antonio Bryant) in free agency. Brown isn’t the solution by himself, but he does bring some talent to the position.

Steelers re-sign Ryan Clark:

The Steelers did a great job of laying in the weeds on this one. Clark seemed all but gone, as he was taking visits and scheduling other ones, but the Steelers were always still in the hunt. Pittsburgh will be revamping their corner backs, so losing their safety would have created a big hole in the secondary. It was also a good move for Clark to back to Pittsburgh, where he’s experienced his greatest success. The Steelers aggressive defense utilizes Clark’s strengths well, and helps cover up his deficiencies in pass coverage. This should be a good signing for both sides.

Steelers sign (re-sign) Antwan Randle El:

This is a big of a surprise move for both Pittsburgh and Randle El. Now that’s not to say Randle El isn’t valuable, in fact I think he was one of the better unrestricted free agent receivers available (a much better option than Nate Burleson), but I just don’t see where Randle El fits in Pittsburgh. Surprisingly last season Pittsburgh was a throwing team, and while options were limited, it didn’t seem to affect the passing attack too much. Tight end Heath Miller really stepped up his game last season and became a great target in the middle of the field. Also 3rd round pick Mike Wallace came out of no where to be Pittsburgh’s primary deep threat. At the same time Santonio Holmes put together another wonderful season and led the Steelers with over 1,200 yards. While some might say Hines Ward is getting up there in age and has lost a step, it wasn’t too apparent last year when he caught 95 balls and had over 1,100 yards. He might not stretch the field as he once did, but he is still a fantastic possession receiver.

While its good to add depth, the signing of Randle El comes one day after Pittsburgh signed free agent Arnaz Battle from San Francisco. Its hard to see where the catches Randle El and Battle get in this offense will come from. Only 62 of the 351 completed passes last year went to other targets then the Steelers big four, and almost all of those went to running backs. With Mike Wallace likely seeing more balls thrown his way and Ward, Holmes and Miller all still playing at a premium level, its hard to see Randle El getting more than 20-25 catches this season. He likely could have found a much better situation on the open market, but I do understand how returning to Pittsburgh makes a lot of sense to Randle El. The biggest winner in this deal are the Steeler fans, because the return of Randle El and the signing of Battle means that Limas Sweed has played his last game in Black and Gold.

By Guest Blogger Megan Shoup:

Today’s docket of NFL games is pretty much a snoozefest, with no big rivalry or playoff implication games.  Except my Skinnies trying to upset the Eagles!  And it will be interesting to see if the Colts stay undefeated today as they play the Texans.  But tonight’s Sunday Night match-up of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens is a marquee matchup and has two major storylines.  After watching a day of boring games, this one should be worth waiting for!

Storyline #1:  Playoff Implications:

The game tonight is in Baltimore, and truly at this point in the season, the Ravens need this game slightly more.  But not by much as the Pittsburgh Steelers are 6-4 and the Baltimore Ravens are 5-5.  When these teams faced 3 times last year, it  always had meaning, especially the 3rd time (AFC Championship) for the Super Bowl.  So its no surprise its the same situation this year.  Bottom line, the loser of tonight’s game has a major uphill battle to even make the playoffs.  The reason, because there are 4 other AFC teams in the Wild Card race if the division leaders were to stay the way they are now.  You have the Broncos (7-4), Jaguars (6-4), Dolphins (5-5) and Texans (5-5) all in the mix for the Wild Card as well.  So in my opinion the AFC Wild Card teams will need a 10-6 record or better.  And that’s why tonight’s game is so important.  The loser will have its back against the wall, especially if its the Ravens. 

Storyline #2:  Ben Roethlisberger Out:

When I was up in Pennsylvania visiting family over the holiday, all I heard on the news was that Big Ben was practicing and ready to play.  But Friday night into Saturday, that decison changed and Roethlisberger will be sitting out for tonight’s game.  That means the game is in the hands of Dennis Dixon who has virtually no real NFL game experience.  The Steelers also signed former Pitt QB Tyler Palko as a back-up. 

The Steelers will probably rely on their running game, and they can also rely on Dixon’s feet under pressure.  Dixon was known for his speed when he played in college at Oregon. 

I wonder how Steelers fans feel about all of this for such an important game?  I know my cousin, a diehard Steeler fan, doesn’t want to see Ben get another concussion against the fierce Ravens defense.  But in such a big game, its frustrating not to have your best marquee players out there.

For the Steelers, they need to hope they can establish and rely on the run, and that Dixon plays smart and uses his feet if necessary.  They also need to hope that he doesn’t get knocked out of the game, or else its in the hands of Palko who doesn’t know the Steeler’s offense.  Steelers fans, what do you think going into tonight’s game?

Steelers v. Bengals +7

While I think the Steelers will win the game, it should be a close battle and I think the Bengals with the points are the right pick.

Jets v. Jags +7

This is another one where I see the Jets winning, but not by enough to cover the spread. Jags can definitely move the ball on the ground.

Broncos v. Redskins +3.5

Yes the Broncos are struggling, coming across the country, and are off a short week. But the Skins have been so bad that I can’t pick them with the points.

Titans v. Bills +6.5

I like the Bills in this matchup. The Titans might win the game, but if so it should be by less than a field goal.

Vikings v. Lions +16.5

Even with the huge spread, I don’t know how I can pick the Lions. If the Vikings want to, they could shut out Detroit and put up 35 points.

Saints v. Rams +13.5

Saints are too good not to win this game by 2 TD’s or more. The Rams haven’t been able to score much against their better opponents and I see them struggling to put points on the board today.

Falcons v. Panthers +1

I know the Panthers are playing better (mainly because they aren’t letting Delhomme throw as much). But I don’t have any faith that they can beat the Falcons even on their home field.

Dolphins v. Bucs +10

I like the Bucs with the points in this match up. I don’t think Freeman’s great, but he should make a few plays to keep this game close. I still have no faith in Henne to really lead the Dolphins offense.

Raiders v. Chiefs +2

This is a game that could go either way. I’ll give the Raiders the edge at home, though this could be the game where a 2 point spread comes back to bite you.

Cards v. Seahawks +8

Arizona is starting to show signs of life again, and if Warner and Fitzgerald get on the same page, I don’t know how you stop the Cards offense. I think they win by a double digit margin today.

Chargers v. Eagles +1.5

This is a great game that could go either way. I like the Chargers at home. You can’t think that in back to back weeks their game will be decided by one point.

Cowboys v. Packers +3

After losing to the winless Bucs, I have zero faith in the Packers and Aaron Rodgers. They have talent, but that offensive line is awful. Cowboys should win this game by at least a touchdown.

Colts v. Pats +3

This is a great game tonight, that really is for supremacy in the AFC. The Colts secondary may be banged up, but I think they can overcome their injuries and slow down the Patriots attack. At the end of the day Peyton Manning is still Peyton Manning, and so far that’s been enough for the Colts to remain undefeated.

1. Indianapolis Colts
2. New Orleans Saints
3. Minnesota Vikings
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
5. Cincinnati Bengals
6. Dallas Cowboys
7. New England Patriots
8. Denver Broncos
9. San Diego Chargers
10. Arizona Cardinals
11. Philadelphia Eagles
12. New York Giants
13. Atlanta Falcons
14. Houston Texans
15. New York Jets
16. Baltimore Ravens
17. Chicago Bears
18. San Francisco 49ers
19. Green Bay Packers
20. Miami Dolphins
21. Jacksonville Jaguars
22. Buffalo Bills
23. Seattle Seahawks
24. Carolina Panthers
25. Washington Redskins
26. Tennessee Titans
27. Oakland Raiders
28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
29. Kansas City Chiefs
30. St. Louis Rams
31. Detroit Lions
32. Cleveland Browns

Top Ten:  Though it could go either way, right now the Colts are the best team in the NFL, even over the Saints. New Orleans is a great team in their own right, but they don’t have the star power among their skill players or on defense that the Colts do. The Vikings are the Saints closest competitor in the NFC. With Favre, Peterson, and that defense, the Vikings will be tough to beat this year, but the Pittsburgh Steelers showed it was possible. Speaking of the Steelers, while they lost to the Bengals, they still get the nod here. The Steelers only losses have come with defensive stalwart Troy Polamalu injured, and Pittsburgh has knocked off the Chargers, Vikings and Broncos. The Bengals are right on the Steelers heels, and with a 4-0 record in the division have a the lead over the Steelers for the AFC North title. The Cowboys started this year pretty slowly, but have been on fire of late, and are in a great position to win the NFC East. The New England Patriots have killed weak teams, battled solid teams and lost to good teams. The Pats have a couple tough games coming up, so we will see who the real Patriots are. A few weeks ago you could make a case that the Broncos were one of the top teams, but back to back embarrassing losses have them moving the wrong way on this list. The Chargers could very well overcome the Broncos in the coming weeks, but their lack of a running game is a serious issue. The Cardinals are perhaps the streakiest team in the NFL, they are 1-3 at home, but 4-0 on the road. If they get hot though, the Cards might be the most dangerous team in the postseason.

Next Ten:  The Eagles, Falcons, and Giants are fighting for the two NFC wildcard spots. All three of them have the talent to make a playoff run, but all have been extremely inconsistent this season. The Bears, Packers and even the 49ers could make a playoff run, but in reality are probably still a year away from really being a contender. The Texans, Jets, and Ravens are all still in the thick of it, but will need some help to make a serious playoff run.

The rest of the league:  This is the year of the haves and have nots in the NFL. Either due to injuries, bad management, or ineffectiveness there are an unusually high number of bad teams in this year’s NFL. All of the 1 and 2 win teams are going to need serious overhaul this coming offseason.

While there may be a few fun storylines to watch this weekend; how the Giants rebound from their loss, can the Saints and Colts stay undefeated against weaker opponents, what coaches are coaching for their jobs, the biggest story is the Vikings-Steelers matchup. The undefeated Minnesota Vikings head to Pittsburgh to take on the defending champion Steelers.

This game is a great matchup as both teams are evenly matched. The Vikings on offense have the best running back in the league, a top notch offensive line, a number of offensive weapons, and Brett Favre. The Steelers feature one of the league’s best defenses, that is extremely stingy against the run. Pittsburgh also faces a punishing pass rush that should give the Vikings o-line a number of problems. The biggest factor in the Steelers favor is the return of safety Troy Polumalu, who is one of the league’s elite playmakers. So far no defense or secondary has been able to stop the Favre onslaught this year, but the Steelers are tougher than any defense they’ve faced all season. I think while the Steelers won’t be able to fully shutdown the Vikings offense, I think their defense can slow them enough to put their offense in a position to win the game.

The Steelers offense so far this season has struggled to run the ball effectively, but has opened up their passing game to compensate. The Vikings have a stellar rush defense, but have been susceptible to big pass plays. While it looks like this matchup is in the Steelers favor, Minnesota does have one ace up their sleeve, Jared Allen. Allen has been a force at defensive end all season, getting pressure on the quarterback, forcing fumbles and getting big sacks. The Steelers biggest weakness is along their offensive line, which could be a field day for Allen and company. The good news for Pittsburgh is that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is best in the league in feeling pressure and escaping sacks. At the end of the day, I think the Steelers come out ahead at home, but to win their offense will need to find away to keep Brett Favre off the field in the 4th quarter to take away any last second heroics. Steelers win 27-24.

AFC East:

1. New England Patriots

2. Miami Dolphins*

3. Buffalo Bills

4. New York Jets

The Patriots right now are in control of this division with Brady back and some key additions to the secondary and running back positions. I don’t think New England will run away with this division though. I think both the Dolphins and Bills will contend for the first half of the season. I’m not to worried about Miami facing a tougher schedule this season, I still think 10 wins is something they are capable of attaining. As for the Bills, the addition of T.O. should help them, but probably won’t get them over the hump this season. Even though I love the Jets defense, its hard to imagine that they can win more than 6-7 games with a rookie quarterback and no real top wide receivers.

AFC North:

1. Pittsburgh Steelers

2. Baltimore Ravens*

3. Cleveland Browns

4. Cincinnati Bengals

In some ways the Steelers might be better this season then they were last year during their Super Bowl run. They are healthier and more balanced at running back, and should have an improved offensive line. They also put an emphasis on special teams this off season, and with the return of punter Daniel Sepulveda, their biggest weakness last season should be a strength this year. The Ravens are a good team that should only be getting better as Flacco matures. Their defense is still top notch and this could be the year their offense matches their production. It should be a neck and neck race to the finish again to see who wins the North. The Browns need to decide on a quarterback (it should be Brady Quinn), and start developing for the future. Right now they are a team that lacks direction and any chance of contending for the North. The Bengals are very similar to the Browns in their ineptness. Palmer is back, but this isn’t the same team he led to the playoffs a few years ago. There is some reason to hope for a better future, but not much hope for this season.

AFC South:

1. Indianapolis Colts

2. Tennessee Titans

3. Houston Texans

4. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Colts may have lost their all-time leading receiver, but Manning shouldn’t have any problems finding someone to throw to with Wayne, Clark and Gonzalez all still there. Adding Donald Brown at running back to go along with Addai, should give the Colts a more balanced offense. I think that while the Titans will compete for a wild card spot, they are going to come up just short this season. They have one of the best running games in the league, but I can’t see Kerry Collins putting up another year like the one he had last season. The Titans needed to add more play makers at wideout and I don’t think Nate Washington will be enough of an addition (I’m not a Kenny Britt fan and I think he could end up being a bust). On defense Haynesworth left some big shoes that so far remain unfilled. While they will still be a good defense, I doubt they will be as dominate. The Titans defensive backfield also remains an area of concern, without any true bona fide star. The Texans are a team on the rise, and could surpass Tennesse this year. If Schaub can stay healthy and Slaton and Andre Johnson play like they can, Houston will be tough to beat and will surprise some teams this year. Their defense gets better every year, and could end up being the best in this division. I think it will be a rough year in Jacksonville, they have some offensive talent in Jones-Drew and Holt, but until Garrard shows consistency this team will be in trouble. Their offensive line should be much improved, but their is still some concern at guard. On defense the Jags have so much talent, but haven’t lived up to their high expectations. I don’t see them finishing better than 7-9 unless Garrard proves he’s an NFL starting quarterback.

AFC West:

1. San Diego Chargers

2. Denver Broncos

3. Kansas City Chiefs

4. Oakland Raiders

This is by far the worst division in the NFL. The Raiders, Chiefs, and Broncos could all end up drafting in the top 5 next April (which is pretty bad for Denver since they traded that pick to the Seahawks). The Raiders have major questions at just about every position except running back and corner back. This team lacks all direction and I think it will be tough for them to win more than 3-4 games (and don’t be shocked if those are against other division opponents). The Chiefs have a lot of work to do, their ‘Fanchise’ QB is injured (and ineffective when he was playing), their offensive line is pretty awful, and their running back situation is murky at best. They do have some talent at running back in Larry Johnson and Jamaal Charles, but they were horribly inconsistent last season and will need to improve this year. They do have one star in WR Dewayne Bowe, but without a second receiving option his numbers will likely decline. Kansas City’s defense isn’t in much better shape than their offense. They have a few guys with potential, but the reality is they are going to be running a 3-4 defense with 4-3 personell. Denver is another team with their own host of issues. Their best player (Brandon Marshall) is suspended and doesn’t want to play for them.  They took a page out of the Chiefs playbook and changed their defense to a 3-4 without the players to do so.  And they have a rookie coach who is in way over his head. The Broncos offense this year could be anemic. Without Marshall and Cutler, Denver’s big play ability has taken a hit. While I like Orton and think he can lead the troops, right now the Broncos resemble F Troop more than an actual military machine. Their offensive line is weak in the interior and outside of Eddie Royal there isn’t a good play maker on offense. Knowshon Moreno has some talent, but I don’t know if he’s the answer for Denver. On defense the Broncos do have some hope, especially with Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins in the secondary. Their front seven is weak outside of Elvis Dumervil and D.J. Williams. The Chargers should run away with this division, and it wouldn’t surprise anyone if they are 6-0 against the rest of the West. The Chargers have a ton of talent on offense, and will have no trouble scoring points all season. Their defense still has a few question marks, but on paper they are a team capable of challenging for a Super Bowl berth.

Offensive Player of the year: QB Peyton Manning. Even without Harrison its hard to bet against Manning. He is poised to shatter just about every passing record in the books. He should have a big year this season, now with the added depth at running back. Runners up: Tom Brady, Andre Johnson, Maurice Jones-Drew

Defensive Player of the year: DE Mario Williams. There are a number of obvious candidates, but Williams has gotten better every year and I think this year he proves once and for all that he was the best player in the 2006 draft. Runners up: Ed Reed, LaMarr Woodley, Troy Polamalu

Offensive Rookie of the year: OT Michael Oher. Its not a sexy pick, but I don’t think another offensive player will have the impact that Oher will have for the Ravens. He should shore up their line and will likely be a part of every play during their Super Bowl push, how many other rookies can say that. Runners up: Donald Brown, Mark Sanchez

Defensive Rookie of the year: DT Fili Moala. The Colts last year had talent at defensive end, linebacker, corner back and safety, the one thing they lacked was a run-stopping, offensive lineman occupying defensive tackle. They might have found exactly that in 2nd round pick Moala. He’s not going to get double digit sacks or be voted to the Pro Bowl, but he fills the Colts biggest need. Runners up: Larry English, Brian Cushing, Conner Barwin