NFL 2012 Season Preview.
Yes!Yess!!Yesss!!!
The Grid Iron is back!!!
The Grid Iron is back!!!
The hail mary passes and amazing receptions, The hot cheerleaders, The game nights (or early mornings if you’re in this part of the world) The no huddle offenses, the game changing plays and all of the great moments and madness that make NFL so addictive.
Can the Giants win back to back titles? Will the New England Patriots go one better than last year and win it all? Or do other heavyweights like the Packers, Ravens, Saints, Steelers or Philadelphia Eagles have what it takes to claim the title this year?
We take a look at what another year of good old football has to offer. Who are the contenders, how will the rookies fare? Will Luck get lucky, is it the year of RGIII and what about the sophomores? How will Cam Newton top off that amazing rookie year? So many questions even we don’t have all the answers to.
We will try though, here’s our preview of the divisions, the teams and who we think is going to make an impression (whether good or bad) in this brand new NFL Regular Season.
Oh yea, I’ll try to make this as short as possible – enjoy.
AFC North
The AFC North is a very punishing division. That’s what you get when the Steelers, Ravens, Bengals and Browns come together.
Baltimore Ravens
Considering the fact that the Ravens came so close to a Superbowl appearance last time, they have to be in the equation for another great run. The biggest problems however are age and injury.
Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are looking more menacing facially now but less in their performances and to make matters worse Tyrelle Suggs (reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year) may miss the entire season with an Achilles injury.
It’s not all bad; they have still got top performers in Ray Rice, Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin on offense.
If Joe Flacco can suck it up, get going and keep going then the Ravens are in business.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals were a bit of a surprise package last season and a surprise playoff appearance was just reward. Rookie QB Andy Dalton had a mature head on his young shoulders and should improve even more under coach Marvin Lewis.
Cedric Benson has departed but the ever reliable and fumble free BenJarvus Green-Ellis has arrived from New England in free agency.
Cincinnati’s defense should remain solid and another playoff appearance may not be too far away.
Cleveland Browns
This is very much a transition period for the Browns with new ownership and lots of new faces. To this, add the fact that CB Joe Haden, will be suspended for the start of the campaign.
The AFC North is a pretty tough division and I don’t expect more than a few surprises if any from the Cleveland Browns this year.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers have and will always be built on their ‘Steely’ defense. This famous defense has stood the test of time and ensures that the Steelers, season in, season out will always be contenders.
The return of Rashard Mendenhall from serious injury will be good news for the offense which has Ben Roethlisberger at QB and the explosive Antonio Brown and Mike Wallace at WR.
Expect the D to be up there with the best with names like James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley and the unmistakable Troy Polamalu.
Once again, expect a playoff run.
AFC East
This division is all about the New England Patriots and the rest. The New York Jets will always cause problems with their defense and have also brought Tebow Mania to the division. The Bills have spent big and may be a factor but for Miami, I don’t expect much.
Buffalo Bills
I am not sure which soccer team to use to describe the Bufallo Bills but I’ll settle for Malaga. They’ve spent big to try to be more than an also-ran in this division.
The acquisition of defensive free agent Mario Williams adds to an already intimidating frontline.Their defense also boasts names such as Mark Anderson and rookie Stephon Gilmore.
The bills will however need to get and keep Fred Jackson running and fit and RB Ryan Fitzpatrick firing like he did at the start of last season.
Much like the Browns this is a transition season for the Dolphins with a new coach and a new QB. Rookie Tannehill was selected in the opening round of the draft and has claimed the #1 spot for himself.
The young man however is not spoilt for choice in the receiving corps. Ochocinco did not last and this may prove a problem. Reggie Bush however provides a very good running option and should look to do so even more this year even though defenses may find them out.
Defensively, Miami will continue to rely on Cameron Wake but like I said earlier, not much is expected from Miami this season.
New England Patriots
The patriots are still reeling from last season’s Superbowl failure especially since it came from the Giants yet again.
New England were excellent offensively last season and many will say they only lost the Superbowl due to Gronkowski’s injury and Wes Welker’s dropped completion. A deep threat has always been mentioned as a problem area since the departure of Randy Moss and the failure of Ochocinco to fill those gloves and the pats have added the threat of WR Brandon Lloyd to fill that gap. Brady posted a 5,000+ yard season last time round and the offense looks like there’s more where that came from. Especially with their dynamic TE duo which includes Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.
In defense the patriots addressed their need with the draft and added Nate Solder, Chandler Jones and Dont'a Hightower.
Expect another great run from the pats this time around, hopefully they won’t meet the Giants in the Superbowl again, should they make it there.
New York Jets
The trash talk never stops with Rex Ryan and his Jets but this time the talk may be eclipsed by the arrival of Tebow Mania in New York.
Mark Sanchez will be looking over his shoulder all season and he will have to handle the pressure and perform for both the Jets and his sake. It’s been made even tougher for him with the installation of a wildcat offense under new coordinator Tony Sparano which favours Tim Tebow. Maybe the exit sign just lit up at the door for Sanchez.
The QB battle here should be very interesting as well as the drama that the jets always provide.
The Jets D with Darrelle Revis, Cromartie and co will always be solid so that quarterback and offensive issue just got bigger.
AFC South
Change was in the air in this division last season with the Houston Texans replacing the Colts as the top dogs in the division. The colts finished last largely due to Peyton Manning’s Season ending injury. Change has continued and the colts now have Andrew Luck, he has the unenviable task of being their next Peyton Manning.
The Titans sparkled at time and the Jaguars are hoping a change for them can take them in the right direction.
The Texans made it to the play-offs last season despite injuries to many key members including QBs Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart, WR Andre Johnson & Star defensive player Mario Williams.
QB TJ Yates stepped up to the plate and was a breath of fresh air to the team alongside the amazing RB Arian Foster's 1,224 rushing yards.
Schaub is back to usher the offence and even though the defense lost Mario Williams to the Billsthey remain comfortably the best defensive unit in the division.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans narrowly missed out on the play-offs last season and have added QB Jake Locker to replace veteran Matt Hasselbeck.
The Titans should be fine offensively given their excellent selection of receivers which now includes 1st-round pick Kendall Wright as well as the explosive Johnson who recently said he could beat Usain Bolt.
Defense may be the problem with the departures of Cortland Finnegan and Jason Jones to free agency.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville are another team in transition with a new owner and head coach. The saga involving star player Maurice Jones-Drew's contract holdout has been the talk leading up to the new season though.
A lacklustre offense has been improved with 1st-round draft pick Justin Blackmon and free agents Lee Evans and Laurent Robinson.
The defence ranked sixth in the league last season and the addition of CB Aaron Ross should be the foundation of the team this season.
Indianapolis Colts
All the talk is about Andrew Luck, yes he’s very talented and yes he is arguably the best prospect to emerge from college since probably the man he’s replacing at Indy but he will surely need some time before he even starts to emulate the feats achieved by his predecessor. Moreso given theoptions he has on offense at his disposal.
The colts will need to improve in every department and this may well be a year of transition rather than achievement for them.
AFC West
This division now has a new sheriff in town as we hail the arrival of the legend and 4-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning to the Broncos. He replaces Tebow Mania at Denver and we cannot wait to see the majestic QB in action after the neck injury that kept him out of action for the whole of last season and ultimately cost him his job at the Colts.
The Raiders lost owner Al Davis during the season and, after giving up an enviable selection of draft picks to bring Carson Palmer to Oakland, lost 4 of their last 5 games with a division crown since 2002 begging to be won.
Denver Broncos
Even though the Broncos won a division title and play-off win over the much fancied Pittsburgh Steelers, Tim Tebow still lost his job soon as John Elway got his hands on free agent Peyton Manning.
Peyton Manning is 36-years-old and will need to prove he’s still got the magic in his hands.
The Broncos have provided him with support on both offense and defense.
If Peyton is still the same old Manning we know, then the Broncos are set for great things.
San Diego Chargers
The Bolts have not been to the play-offs since 2009 and wasted a promising 4-1 start last season.
Quarterback Philip Rivers was surprisingly very error prone, throwing a career high 20 interceptions. His case was further worsened with by injuries to several of his favourite receiving options.
Vincent Jackson, left via free agency for Tampa Bay and in his place Robert Meachem was brought in from the Saints.
The once-feared San Diego defence was ranked 16th in the league last season but has been restocked through the draft with the use of early picks on linebacker Melvin Ingram and end Kendall Reyes.
Oakland Raiders
The Raiders will be going through a rebuilding process this season following a very eventful campaign last time round; owner Al Davis died October, the team made a bold trade with the Bengals for QB Palmer and then lost 4 of their last 5 games with the division title at their mercy.
HNew general manager Reggie McKenzie wasted no time in putting his stamp on the franchise, replacing head coach Hue Jackson was replaced by Dennis Allen but a lack of high draft picks means the rebuilding process will be slow.
Oakland's offence is talented and Carson Palmer will definitely reap the benefits of a full training camp to work with his receivers, plus a fit Darren McFadden in the backfield.
The defence is more of a worry. A unit that ranked fourth last in the entire league in 2011 has since lost defensive end Kamerion Wimbley and cornerback Stanford Routt via free agency.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas Chiefs are a long way off from when they won the division title in 2010. As a resultHead Coach Todd Haley was sacked with 3 games still to play last season.
The return of long injury absentees QB Matt Cassel and Jamaal Charles should ensure animprovement in their offence that averaged 13.2 points per game last season, the second lowest in the NFL.
Jamaal Charles also has Peyton Hillis to work with on the ground and that is some partnership coupled with the new franchise receiver Dwayne Bowe is further good news for the Chiefs
The defence ranked 11th in the league last season and the return to fitness of safety Eric Berry after ACL surgery provides an instant boost, while the loss of cornerback Brandon Carr to Dallas is shouldered by the arrival of Routt from the Oakland Raiders.
NFC North
The NFC North has some really exciting teams that could go all the way to the Superbowl it’s almost unfair to have them in the same division.
Any team with reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers at QB is a contender. The men from Lambeau Field finished the 2011 regular season with the best record in the NFL but were stunned by the Giants in their first play-off contest.
The Offense of Green Bay is menacing with WRs Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson along withTE Jermichael Finley providing Mr. “Discount Double Check” Rodgers with more than enough options to put up huge numbers on any defence in the league.
If the Packers can sort out their ‘D’ then another ring might just be on for Aaron Rodgers & Co.
Detroit Lions
Seems like yesterday almost when the Lions had one of the worst teams in the league, nowadays the Team is a lot different with one of the most explosive offenses in the league. And don’t forget Ndamukong Suh and Co on defense. Underrate these guys at your own peril
Matthew Stafford threw for 5,000+ yards in 2011 and that showdown with Drew Brees in the playoffs was an offensive spectacle, one for the NFL Films reel. We have to account for Calvin Johnson too, the word ‘Beast’ is thrown around a lot in this league but Megatron is one heck of a receiver. Just ask the guys who try to cover him and the Detroit Lions management who rewarded him with that Ginormous contract.
The Lions Offense should be fine and Stafford (bad news for other teams) will get even better. Discipline on defence will be key to their success.
Chicago Bears
The Bears' are famed for their defence. Names like Brian Urlacher and Julius Peppers strike fear throughout the league. The D should pretty much be at its menacing best but the addition of WRBrandon Marshall could make the Bears just as imposing on offense too.
The motto for the Bears this year should be ‘Remain Injury Free’
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings are pretty much a 1 man team, yes I dare say so. That man of course is the one and only Adrian Peterson. When that I man is barely 100%, then that spells curtains for your season. Minnesota do not have enough options on offense to trouble many teams, we might as well crown them the new Detroit Lions.
NFC East
This division often provides the most stories for the media to gobble up. The Dream team at Philadelphia, the defending Super Bowl champions in the form of the Giants, the new wave at Washington with RGIII and Jerry Jones’ boys at Dallas this year is set to provide another eventful campaign in this very tough division.
New York Giants
The G men will be aiming to be the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the 2004 season when The New England Patriots (Yes!! My Boys!!) achieved the feat.
I hate to admit it but I feel like they are not in a bad position to do so, especially if they face the New England Patriots in the Superbowl.
Eli Manning continues to cement his place as one of the all time great QBs, remember he now has more rings than his more acclaimed elder brother. Offensive options in Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz will ensure that the Giants can match almost any team in the endzone.
In Defence Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora provide a solid backbone for this team that look set to be one of the sure contenders for the Superbowl in 2012
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys just barely missed out on the play-offs last season after losing that winner take all clash with the Giants. That loss came on the back of 2 straight defeats that capped off another disappointing season for Dallas who continue to flatter to deceive.
Head Coach Jason Garrett and QB Tony Romo will once again pick up the pieces and try again. The Cowboys with receivers like Dez Bryant and Miles Austin on offense and DeMarcus Warein Defense this could very well be the year for the Dallas star to shine once more.
Philadelphia Eagles
The 'Dream Team' as they were called turned out to be a huge flop last season, with the Eaglesnot even making the play-offs. Andy Reid will need to buckle up and rally the troops yet again for another season.
For the Eagles it is quite simple, the big names have to perform. Michael Vick will need to find his 2010 season form, rising star LeSean McCoy will need to keep his star firmly on the rise. Desean Jackson will need to be as explosive as we all know he can be and the stars on defense including Nnamdi Asomugha will need to produce sterling performances if the Eagles are ever going to reach the promised land.
Washington Redskins
This year, the Redskins are all about the acquisition of Baylor QB Robert Griffin III aka RGIII.
Seems like Coach Shanahan has finally got the kind of quarter back he likes and the explosive nature of the young man’s plays should see plenty of highlight in Washington this year.
RGIII however has a huge load on his shoulders and it might just prove too much for him to carry even though he has a very good target in the shape of WR Pierre Garcon who was signed from the Colts in free agency.
NFC South
The talk of this division has and will be the bounty scandal that rocked the New Orleans Saints organisation. How will the saints cope and will the others step up. It remains to be seen
A close look at the Falcons and you wonder sometimes why they haven’t achieved more than they have recently. QB Matt Ryan is a dependable pro in that position, WR Julio Jones is as much of a threat in that position as any other receiver in the league even though injury blighted his last campaign.
In defense they have LB Sean Weatherspoon and new arrival Asante Samuel who has bags of experience and a winning mentality. This may be the year for the Durrtty Burds.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa were awful as the season ended last time. So, out with the old and in with the new then for the buccaneers.
QB Josh Freeman will need to recapture his 2011 early season form and stay focused throughout the season.
Star WR Vincent Jackson arrives from the Chargers in a big money deal to bolster the offensive options. If RB LeGarrette Blount can take out the fumbles from his game and keep the ground attack running for the bucs. Then Tampa may be in business
The bounty scandal has brought a mini Katrina to New Orleans with key players and staff out suspended for the season.
Not all was lost though as they were able to keep hold of star QB Drew Brees. He will need to justify his fat contract and step up to the plate as he has in the past few seasons to ensure that Saints keep marching. Brees lit up the league last season, surpassing many records set by some great NFL names from the past.
I love Tight Ends that double as wide receivers and in Jimmy Graham, the Saints have got a man who can make plays all day.
A lot of eyes will be on their D to see how the tackling changes but for me, the Saints will still be some force in this division.
Carolina Panthers
All eyes will be on last year’s record breaker QB Cam Newton to see if he can keep up the heroics at Carolina. The young man looks like he is loving every second of his time in the NFL and if he can light it up like he did last year then there are happy times ahead for the Panthers.
Help will however need to come from the likes of WR Steve Smith and backs Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams.
If their injury hit defense from last season can stay healthy then who knows what could happen. Watch this space
NFC West
The 49ers brought back memories of the great times last season and were well ahead of the rest of the rest in this division last year, much of the same?
The 49ers were oh so close to the Superbowl last year and if you followed my picks I had them in to beat the Giants and face the Patriots. If only that had happened.
The additions this season have been super and Mr. Harbaugh can boast one of the best rosters and options in every position in the league.
QB Alex Smith looks like the real deal and should guide this team to another productive season especially with the additions at WR. The legend and the enigma Randy Moss arrives with the potent Mario Manningham also joining in to provide enviable deep threats and let’s not forgetTE Vernon Davis who has been one of the best for like forever. RB Frank Gore is a very very good option and now you add Brandon Jacobs’ arrival to that and it’s a very tasty prospect.
In defense you have a selection of stars like Patrick Willis, Justin Smith and NaVorro Bowman. It is almost unfair on the others. These are exciting times for 49ers fans.
Seattle Seahawks
Under the guidance of Pete Carroll the seahawks are looking better and better but they desperately need a solid QB to surge even further. Youngster Russell Wilson may be the man,time will tell.
In RB Marshawn Lynch they have a ground offense that is the envy of many in the league.
Their defensive positives come from names like Brandon Brown, Kam Chanceller, Earl Thomasand Richard Sherman
Arizona Cardinals
Another team with QB issues; Kevin Kolb was out for most of last season through injury and then concussion. His return may solve the problem or maybe not.
Premier WR Larry Fitzgerald is a lone shining light in this team but help has arrived in the shape of Michael Floyd. That should be good news on the offensive front. RBs Chris 'Beanie' Wellsand Ryan Williams are solid options on the ground and the defense should get better from last season
A new coach in the shape of Jeff Fisher is the biggest positive for this team going into the new season as well as the return of injury plagued duo of QB Sam Bradford and WR Danny Amendola. The offense should also benefit from the draft of Brian Quick.
RB Steven Jackson will continue to do what he does best, all he needs is more support from the air to complement admirable his ground work.
Defense should continue to benefit from the good work of MLB James Laurinaitis as well as the addition of free agent Jo-Lon Dunbar. Jeff Fisher has the makings of a very talented bunch to work with.
