NFL Picks and Predictions

Atlanta Falcon Running Back Michael Turner - Image Credited to Wikipedia User Jesse Staples

Carolina Panthers – the Carolina Panthers were on most everyone’s list of teams in the NFC that were expected to do quite well this season. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart had such impressive statistics in 2008 that it became quite difficult to ignore them any longer. Going into 2009, Williams and Stewart knew that they would be facing not only teams stacking the run, but the second toughest schedule in the entire NFL. Thus far, the Panthers running game has been derailed primarily because quarterback Jake Delhomme has been unable to throw the ball to his own team. In spite of the horrible quarterback play so far, the Panthers find themselves with a two-game winning streak and are a win at Buffalo away from being at .500.

what is even more telling about the Panthers is that Williams and Stewart are beginning to show signs of exploding. In week six game against Tampa Bay, Williams rushed for two touchdowns on 150+ yards rushing while Stewart had one touchdown and also broke the century mark. This marked the first time either running back had topped 100 yards in a game this season. Granted, the Bucs are far from top level competition. Still it is clear that these two running backs have yet to show the best they have to offer in 2009. This makes Carolina a team to look out for in the weeks to come.

Green Bay Packers - The Packers have actually been rather good so far this season. In particular, quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been lights out in his second year under center for the pack. The Packers have suffered a good bit of injuries as well as some unfortunate luck to start the season slow. Most everyone that follows NFL football would concede that the Packers are a candidate to explode at any time.

San Francisco 49ers - San Francisco has been a team that has surprised everyone, and so imagining them improving might be a stretch. The reason for San Francisco getting better is simply about one player — Michael Crabtree. The first-round draft pick up the San Francisco 49ers is set to make his NFL debut during week seven after finally signing with the team. If the 49ers were able to perform as well as they have without him, it stands to reason that they should be even better with him. Crabtree is a special player and should be a great playmaker for the 49ers.

Dallas Cowboys - Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys have been pretty much a train wreck in 2009. It seems that every single week the Cowboys find a new way to put questions in the minds of the NFL experts. In particular, Tony Romo has not played up to expectations to say the least. In some ways this may actually benefit the Cowboys. With the emergence of wide receiver Miles Austin, the Cowboys now have a certified playmaker to take the heat off of Roy Williams and Romo. It remains to be seen whether the Cowboys can put it all together, but their talent level is simply too high to continue on the same track.

Atlanta Falcons - The Atlanta Falcons are currently in second place in the NFC South trailing only the undefeated New Orleans Saints. While they are winning football games, they are not doing so in the way in which they were expected to. The running game with Michael Turner has not been up to par this season. This is primarily a problem because Atlanta is definitely a running football team. On the bright side, quarterback Matt Ryan and free-agent signing Tony Gonzalez have developed a very special passing connection. As the season wears on, it is only a matter of time before Turner and that Atlanta offensive line start to gel. When they do the Falcons may not play second fiddle to anyone.

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Going into week one I thought I would rank the NFL teams in the order I see them going into the season. This is a tough thing to do prior to the regular season, because nobody knows how certain players will fit in with new NFL teams and so on. Still, it will be a weekly thing that I do throughout the 2009 NFL football season. Here are my power rankings for week one:

1. Pittsburgh Steelers – Until someone proves otherwise, they are the champs.

2. New England Patriots – The Pats seem primed to return to glory.

3. San Diego Chargers – The fact they are finally healthy has the Charger fans in a tizzy.

4. NY Giants – Can they replace Plax? Some think not.

5. Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles are exciting again, but they must show they can be consistent.

6. Indianapolis Colts – The Colts are always a threat with Peyton Manning. Even if Dungy is gone.

7. Carolina Panthers – The Panthers have a three headed rushing monster now with hotshot rookie Mike Goodson.

8. Minnesota Vikings – The Vikings need to put up or shut up now. They have the quarterback they said they needed.

9. Tennessee Titans – The Titans find a way to be there every year. This year should be no different.

10. Chicago Bears – The Bears are sort of like the Vikings here. They now have a quarterback. What are they gonna do with him?

The rest…..

11. Atlanta Falcons
12. Baltimore Ravens
13. Arizona Cardinals
14. Green Bay Packers
15. Dallas Cowboys
16. Miami Dolphins
17. Seattle Seahawks
18. Houston Texans
19. New Orleans Saints
20. Buffalo Bills
21. NY Jets
22. Washington Redskins
23. Jacksonville Jaguars
24. Cincinnati Bengals
25. Denver Broncos
26. Tampa Bay Bucs
27. Oakland Raiders
28. St Louis Rams
29. Cleveland Browns
30. Kansas City Chiefs
31. San Francisco 49ers
32. Detroit Lions

While certainly these rankings are a work in progress, they are the way I see the NFL shaking down as of right now. Feel free to share your picks or thoughts in the comments below.

Finally the dress rehearsals are over. Week One of NFL football is upon us.  No more Sunday afternoon wishing, and no more guessing about who is good and bad.  This week we will begin to find out which NFL teams are for real, and which NFL teams are just playing for a draft pick.  We welcome you to NFL picks and predictions if you are a new visitor, and we hope you will sign up for our weekly NFL picks. We have a long and storied history of success, and this year will be no different. Without further ado, here are the Free 2009 NFL Week One Picks and Predictions:

THU, SEP 10

2009 Week One NFL Matchup – Tennessee at Pittsburgh

What a heavy weight matchup to have at this time of year.  Every season we see what might be a preview of a conference final in week one, and this certainly qualifies. Both teams have their share of supporters for a Super Bowl visit, and both are highly talented. The difference here is that Pittsburgh is at home.  Big Ben and the boys will be riding high after this Thursday night match up. A week one loss for the Titans is nothing to worry about.  They will make it back soon enough.

Winner – Pittsburgh Steelers

SUN, SEP 13

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Miami at Atlanta

This game highlights two teams who have spent a great deal of time proving others wrong during the last year.  The Dolphins came from nowhere to win the division from the Patriots (albeit with Brady hurt) and the Falcons turned a team led by a rookie quarterback into a winner.  They are both in position to continue their improvement, but Atlanta seems more ready to me.  With the addition of Tony Gonzalez, the Falcons are an offensive juggernaut. I expect the wildcat will give them some fits here and there, but they will win at home in the end.

Winner – Atlanta Falcons

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Denver at Cincinnati

The Denver Broncos have been in major turmoil this past off season. The loss of Jay Cutler and the controversy surrounding Brandon Marshall have left the squad in a mess. With Cincinnati, it is all about second chances (sometimes third, fourth, and fifth as well). Carson Palmer, Ochocinco, and Mr. trouble Chris Henry are all trying to make a comeback of sorts.  Palmer is back after injuries yet again.  Ocho is trying to prove he is still an elite receiver (and kicker?) and Henry is trying to prove he can still play at this level without getting into trouble.  Henry has been incredibly impressive this preseason, and the Bengals are excited.  With that, I am picking an upset this week for this game.  The Bengals will get off to a great start at home.

Winner – Cincinnati Bengals

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Minnesota at Cleveland

The Brett Favre era begins….This game will get a lot of press and rightfully so.  The problem is that the game will not be decided by Brett Favre.  The game will be decided by Adrian Peterson and that Vikings defense.  This one should be ugly, though Cleveland might put up a fight.  I think the biggest mistake they made in Cleveland this season is waiting so long to name the quarterback for their team.  The Browns could have really used a month of playing with the same quarterback for continuity.  We will see where that leads them. This week it will be a loss, but I think Cleveland will show improvements this season over all.

Winner – Minnesota Vikings

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Jacksonville at Indianapolis

The Jaguars had a really odd preseason looking great in one week and terrible in another. The Colts are in a bit of a mixed up season as well without the leadership of long time coach Dungy.  Expect that the Colts will get better at home, and quickly with Manning leading the way.

Winner – Indianapolis Colts

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Detroit at New Orleans

This game is one that is fascinating on several fronts.  For one, the Lions are trying to break one heck of a losing streak, and have some peices in place that might just do it.  Second, the Saints are in dire need of getting off to a hot start playing in the up and coming NFC South. They can ill afford to get behind early like the last couple of seasons. Carolina and Atlanta are far too good for that.  This game will be won by the Saints with Drew Brees passing for over 300 yards at a minimum.

Winner – New Orleans Saints

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Dallas at Tampa Bay

Dallas really needs to win this opening match up against the Bucs.  They are entering a win or else year for head coach Wade Phillips regardless of what Jerry Jones says publicly.  This game will be a very interesting mix of running backs.  For Dallas you have the three headed monster of Felix Jones, Marion Barber, and Tashard Choice.  For the Bucs you have former Giant Derrick Ward.  You might be surprised who actually wins the match up.  Upset alert right here.

Winner – Tampa Bay Bucs

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Philadelphia at Carolina

This game is a very tough call.  Philly looks awfully strong, and the Panthers have not lost at home in over a year.  The Panthers also have not unveiled even a little of that rushing attack from a year ago due to Stewart being out with injuries.  He is back now and fully healed, and that is bad news for the rest of the NFL.  Throw in the electric Mike Goodson and you have a rushing attack that is second to nobody.  I give the Panthers the win due to being at home, a superior running attack, and DeAngelo Williams being healthy.

Winner – Carolina Panthers

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Kansas City at Baltimore

This game will be ugly from start to finish. The Chiefs have no chance whatsoever to penetrate the Ravens D.  This game will be a blowout.

Winner – Baltimore Ravens

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - NY Jets at Houston

Quietly, the Houston Texans have built one hell of a football team.  They won regularly last year at the end of the season, and they look ready to continue that trend.  The Jets have hot shot new quarterback Mark Sanchez and little else.  I expect that the Texans will win this one due to a more balanced attack but I expect big things from Sanchez.  He has that look of a future NFL star.

Winner – Houston Texans

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Washington at NY Giants

You got to love the NFC East.  The Giants and the Redskins.  This is what Sunday afternoon football is all about.  Unfortunately this season, the Giants are much more ready to win than the Redskins.  The Skins will put up a fight as always in these matchups, but the Giants will win this one going away.

Winner – NY Giants

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - San Francisco at Arizona

Too much airpower in play here for Arizona.  The Cardinals will win this one in a laugher.

Winner – Arizona Cardinals

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - St. Louis at Seattle

Now this is the real NFC West match up this week.  The Rams are not as bad as some might have you think, and the Seahawks are sporting new players all  over the field.  It seems that the Rams drew a pretty good matchup this week and will get out with a win to start their rebuilding season.  The Seahawks will have all kinds of trouble with Steven Jackson.

Winner – St Louis Rams

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Chicago at Green Bay

The best game of the week will be played in Green Bay.  This game is going to be a slobberknocker of all time proportions.  In case you did not notice, Aaron Rodgers has become a pretty fine NFL quarterback in spite of the naysayers.  Jay Cutler will get to enter the NFC with a bang with this one.  How would you like this to be your first game with a new team?  Cutler will shine brightly this first week, and it could be the start of a huge year in Chicago.

Winner – Chicago Bears

MON, SEP 14

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Buffalo at New England

New England is about to explode.  Look out below in Buffalo.

Winner : New England

Tiebreaker Score:  New England 32   Buffalo 14

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - San Diego at Oakland

The Chargers are ready to break out this season as they finally have all their parts in place.  The Raiders are close, but not their yet.  Expect the Chargers to win this one, but in a much closer game than you would expect.

Winner – San Diego Chargers

Tiebreaker Score – San Diego Chargers 28  Oakland Raiders 17

Season Record – 0-0

michael vick

In all of my days, I never dreamed there would come a day when I would think that Terrell Owens made any sense.   Just considering that possibility seems foreign to me.  Truthfully, I must say that I agree with alot of what he said about the Michael Vick situation.  It still rings as shallow to me coming from Owens, but it is at least grounded in reality which is a big step for the Buffalo star receiver.

In case you didn’t know, Michael Vick, former NFL football star, is recently released from prison and allowed to pursue a return to the NFL.  He had just been in prison as a result of helping to run and fund a dogfighting ring.  He served a prison sentence, and then was on house arrest for a long time.  He also lost his entire fortune made from playing NFL football and endorsement deals.

Now, commissioner Roger Goodell is looking like he is going to accept Vick back, but give him a four game suspension to start the NFL season.

To me, that is really kicking a man when he is down.  I understand that Goodell wants to swing a big stick.  I get that.  Really.  I was the first to stand up and say that Vick should be punished.  The bottom line is that Vick was punished. Does it really matter if it was mandated by Goodell or not?  Should societies punishment not be strong enough?

Why does it even matter?  Well, for one thing not many NFL teams are going to want to take on Vick given the situation in the first place.  When you tack on a four game suspension to start the season, then Vick is even less attractive as a worthwhile investment.  He already has a huge challenge in front of him.

I am not a Michael Vick fan.  I am not a Terrell Owens fan.  But I do think that Goodell is being rather idiotic here.  Give the man a chance in full, or give him no chance at all.  If you are going to suspend him, you should just enforce the lifetime ban.  Otherwise, give him a zero tolerance policy, and let the man play football.