Are you ready for some footballllllllll!!!!

**hiss srq** · 2007-07-15, 10:23 AM

So football season is naring and the training camps start getting down to business in aroun two weeks time. This is the time I start to get that warm fuzzy feeling in my stomach. As much as I love the summer fall Sundays are awesome because football is played. What are you predictions so far and what major breakthroughs do you see coming. I see the Jets as a mild team, they have some things to overcome but I think they might be in contention for at the playoffs this year. The Giants are going to have to put some work in their defence in my opinion though. New England is probably going to come out of the gates very strong. They seem to have put the offence back together in a good way. I am looking to the Bucs to put shame on my second home town as usual though. How about you guys?

**Nick** · 2007-07-15, 04:07 PM

Go Big Blue.

**MarkLawrence** · 2007-07-15, 04:26 PM

Go Rams!! :)

**nwafan20** · 2007-07-15, 04:35 PM

See, i'm more of a college football fan (Can you blame me? I have to deal with the Lions... ;))

Anyways, GO BLUE! UofM should have a pretty good team this year.

**AirtrafficController** · 2007-07-15, 05:02 PM

Lets go Giants!

**RDU-JFK** · 2007-07-15, 08:50 PM

Just got back from a visit to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I'm so pumped for football after that visit!

**hiss srq** · 2007-07-15, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by RDU-JFK

Just got back from a visit to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I'm so pumped for football after that visit!

Ohhhh I am jealous, I think a trip report with pics from the hall is in order sir.

**adam613** · 2007-07-15, 10:50 PM

Woo, football! I only follow baseball so I can keep up with my co-workers :P

In the AFC, New England is going to be the team to beat. Tom Brady can throw to anyone, but this year, he has a couple of talented targets, and their running game will benefit from the amount of effort defenses have to put in to stop the pass. And with the addition of Adalius Thomas, their linebacker corps is probably the best in the NFL. Denver and Baltimore may give them problems because their defenses are so good, but you still have to score points to win, and neither team has a strong offense.

The NFC is a little more complicated. There are a lot of teams that could be a force, but I don't see a clear favorite. I think SF, New Orleans, Dallas, and Chicago will be the division winners; I'd like to see New Orleans make another deep run in the playoffs, but we'll see how the season plays out for them...

(Disclaimer for all football-related discussion: I grew up in Denver during the John Elway era.)

**hiss srq** · 2007-07-15, 11:44 PM

I would not put too many quarters on Dallas to be honest, they have alot of internal turmoil and last year it affected their on feild ability. Obviously New England is going to be the favorite and team to beat, the defense of Denver is pretty tight but I do not see a run for them this year. Next, perhaps but this year is going to be hard for them. I see Chicago as the other strong favorite in the NFL as well. New Orleans will be very strong but I just cannot lay a finger on why I do not think they will be alright this year.

**Smartass Flyboy** · 2007-07-16, 03:50 AM

While training camp will be when we learn if Ben just had an off season due to having his bell rung followed by the appendicitis or whether his confidence will be shaken for a while. I'm of course hoping for the former, but have very bad nightmares of Kordell's never regaining his confidence and never recovering from a bad second season. Add in the first post Cowher season and sadly I think we are looking at a rebuilding year when we should all be satisfied if we are even in the running for a playoff slot.

On the up side were are now counting just weeks until the Steelers plane is out and if certain former coworkers ever expect JFK access I fully expect an invite to the tower the first time it appears at LGA. :D <cough> Ron <cough> Ryan <cough> Matt :D

**hiss srq** · 2007-07-16, 11:24 AM

I will shake on that one. That deal is plenty worth it to me!

**adam613** · 2007-07-16, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by hiss srq

I would not put too many quarters on Dallas to be honest, they have alot of internal turmoil and last year it affected their on feild ability.

I hate the Cowboys, and I think most of their team is overrated. But who else in that division is any good? Maybe the Eagles, but I have no idea why they like Donovan McNabb so much. He's good when he's healthy, but he's way too fragile to be a franchise QB.

Originally Posted by hiss srq

Obviously New England is going to be the favorite and team to beat, the defense of Denver is pretty tight but I do not see a run for them this year. Next, perhaps but this year is going to be hard for them.

I agree. Jay Cutler is not Ben Roethlisberger; he needs a full year in the NFL, and Denver needs to get their historically fearsome running game back in gear before they're going to be a serious contender. They can probably beat any team in the NFC in the big game, but there's too much competition in the AFC.

Originally Posted by hiss srq

I see Chicago as the other strong favorite in the NFL as well. New Orleans will be very strong but I just cannot lay a finger on why I do not think they will be alright this year.

I feel just the opposite. I think Chicago got lucky last year. Their defense literally won a couple of games for them. They just don't have the consistency they need to go all the way. New Orleans, on the other hand, does have it. Their coaching is so good that last year, it overcame what they lacked in talent; I don't see them winning the Super Bowl, but I'd like to see them make it there.