Pick this year's "surprise teams"

[CrazyDave]

Colts down
Cards up.
Browns take a step forward.
Pitt struggles.

 

[zarakotas5]

What about the Giants? What are the impressions out there on the progress of the other Manning, defensive additions, and Coughlin?

The team has a good core of high-quality players. Eli shows signs of becoming a quality quarterback, even if you just what to smack him when you see him. Defense has been upgraded, at least on paper. Coughlin has success building franchises, yet seems to always inspire mutiny.

What are some prognostications on the Giants?

 

[Mike the Brit]

What about the Giants? What are the impressions out there on the progress of the other Manning, defensive additions, and Coughlin?

The team has a good core of high-quality players. Eli shows signs of becoming a quality quarterback, even if you just what to smack him when you see him. Defense has been upgraded, at least on paper. Coughlin has success building franchises, yet seems to always inspire mutiny.

What are some prognostications on the Giants?

I think that the NFC East will be the most interesting division in football this coming season. All four teams have strengths -- and doubts. I would not be surprised if any one of them won the division or if any two went to the play-offs. If the Giants can come through -- well, why not? But they don't have any easy divisional games.

(Having read this thread, I'll make another prediction: this is going to be a season with few big surprises.

I think that saying that Pittsburgh or the Colts will collapse is -- barring really serious injuries -- wishful thinking. Anything can happen, but I wouldn't put any money on Arizona or Detroit coming up. I'll stick with the Eagles and the Fins as the teams most likely to make the play-offs who didn't last time. But, frankly, how big a surprise would that be?)

 

[zarakotas5]

Arizona has a very interesting offense, at least. In all honesty, I'm rooting for them. If Leinhart can come though next year (including week 10+), they have everything on paper to be the next greatest show on turf, or whatever the h8ll they have now. I think this draft was a coup for them, and as a fan, I relate that franchise to historically inept Pats.

Excuse me whilst I don my flak jacket...

 

[BradfordPatsFan]

"Surprise" team: Baltimore.

"Collapse" team: Denver

San Diego will likely take a step back also, while Cleveland will be better than expected.

 

[PATSNUTme]

What about the Giants? What are the impressions out there on the progress of the other Manning, defensive additions, and Coughlin?

The team has a good core of high-quality players. Eli shows signs of becoming a quality quarterback, even if you just what to smack him when you see him. Defense has been upgraded, at least on paper. Coughlin has success building franchises, yet seems to always inspire mutiny.

What are some prognostications on the Giants?

They blow very badly. Even if they are a good teeam, they still blow. They always have blown and they always will blow.

#1 on my "teams to hate" list.

 

[onegameatatime]

My picks:

Playoff teams that collapse: Seattle, Denver

Teams that get in: Philly, Baltimore


Last year, I thought SD would be the collapse and KC the big riser. I had the right direction -- SD did go down and KC up, but not nearly the magnitude.

 

[Aldogg]

Pitt falls. The Roethlisberger situation, along with losing Randle-El and drafting Holmes, who might be playing in a jailhouse league by the time the season starts will effect the offense, along with losing Bettis to spell Parker in short yardage.

I think Baltimore rises. Reed and Lewis healthy, espically Reed being one of the best defensive players in the league when he was healthy 2 years ago,along with Billick finally having a real QB in McNair and McNair and Mason reunited will make the Ravens offense finally more than a three yards and a cloud of dust old school ground and pound with Lewis. Speaking of the run game, they have a nice two headed monster in Lewis and Anderson, even though they can be considered the same type of power back.

In the NFC, Arizona is the team on the rise. They drafted a couple of decent o-lineman, and Edge will add the running game to an offense with two of the top WRs in the game, and if Warner gets down, I think Leinart can step in and do a good enough job with these weapons.

Team on the downfall, I say the Bears. The Bears a few years ago had a great year then fell off, I see a repeat again.

 

[shakadave]

To surprise, put me down for

Jets
Giants

(No, I don't like New York either!)


To do better than expected:

Denver (even though they drafted for the long haul)
Cincinnati (not sure why so many think they've peaked.)


To underperform:

Chicago
Arizona


To be every bit as good as predicted:

Carolina

 

[Seymour93]

Surprise teams: Oakland and Arizona

Neither to go far in the playoffs, in fact they both probably won't even qualify for them, but they will be in wildcard contention late in the season.

Brooks is a good fit for the Oakland's pass-happy offense, with Moss, if he stays healthy, reverting back to Probowl form. Jordan is a top 10/15 RB. The defense should improve with the additions of Huff, Poole, and Robert Thomas. Sapp is motivated, and Art Shell is one of the better coaches in the league. Look for a turnaround from this team.

Arizona's progress has been better documented than Oakland's. They're moving into a magnificent stadium with a new franchise QB and RB. Boldin, Fitzgerald, Bryant Johnson, and Leonard Pope are four solid receivers for the savvy Leinart. They already had an underrated defense, with Wilson and Bertrand Berry amongst others. They can win the NFC West if the current trend of Superbowl losers spiraling downwards the following year continues, as certainly the 49ers and Rams are in no condition to make the playoffs.

It's easier to predict teams that won't match the previous season's production. I don't think Chicago or the New York Giants will do as good, and ultimately neither will Pittsburgh or Seattle.

 

[shakadave]

To surprise, put me down for

Jets
Giants

(No, I don't like New York either!)


To do better than expected:

Denver (even though they drafted for the long haul)
Cincinnati (not sure why so many think they've peaked.)


To underperform:

Chicago
Arizona


To be every bit as good as predicted:

Carolina

Bump to gloat over my Jets and Giants predictions. (But don't look at my Chicago --- aggh!)

 

[onegameatatime]

My picks:

Playoff teams that collapse: Seattle, Denver

Teams that get in: Philly, Baltimore


Last year, I thought SD would be the collapse and KC the big riser. I had the right direction -- SD did go down and KC up, but not nearly the magnitude.

Seattle still might tank, and Baltimore and Philly are possible playoff teams.

That Denver going down prediction is lookin' really bad!

At this point, you'd have to say that New Orleans has been the upside surprise team (never would have guessed that!), and Chicago to some extent.

Miami and maybe Pittsburgh are looking like downside surprises (not that I thought Miami would be great, but not this bad).

 

[Keegs]

New Orleans Saints will be good i think

The titans will be bad
The dolphins will be terrible
The Bears will go undefeated well into the season
The cardinals will suck
the raiders will suck

The pats will be really good
The Broncos will be really good
The colts will be pretty good

Hassleback might get injured, i have a feeling

The chargers will be good but Merrimam might be on steroids... who knows


Lets see how these picks pan out...

 

[Keegs]

New Orleans Saints will be good i think

The titans will be bad
The dolphins will be terrible
The Bears will go undefeated well into the season
The cardinals will suck
the raiders will suck

The pats will be really good
The Broncos will be really good
The colts will be pretty good

Hassleback might get injured, i have a feeling

The chargers will be good but Merrimam might be on steroids... who knows


Lets see how these picks pan out...

Look at this!!!!

Every single one of these predictions was Correct!!

I did that like 2 months ago..

I know my football.... Digger44 wouldn't have guessed half of these.

 

[patchick]

Look at this!!!!

Every single one of these predictions was Correct!!

I did that like 2 months ago..

I know my football.... Digger44 wouldn't have guessed half of these.

Holy crap. Keegs just made me laugh.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Holy crap. Keegs just made me laugh.

Yes, it happens, though it's a bit like a blind machine-gunner occasionally shooting a squirrel ...

 

[AzPatsFan]

Look at this!!!!

Every single one of these predictions was Correct!!

I did that like 2 months ago..

I know my football.... Digger44 wouldn't have guessed half of these.

Keegs,

I must hand you the prize. Your predictions (plural) have all turned out to be spot on. I only wishI was as accurate.

The King is dead. Long live the Keegs er King !!

 

[gomezcat]

New Orleans Saints will be good i think

The titans will be bad
The dolphins will be terrible
The Bears will go undefeated well into the season
The cardinals will suck
the raiders will suck

The pats will be really good
The Broncos will be really good
The colts will be pretty good

Hassleback might get injured, i have a feeling

The chargers will be good but Merrimam might be on steroids... who knows


Lets see how these picks pan out...

Damn, that's uncanny. Unfortunately, someone has broken into your account and made it look as if you posted it today at 0332 GMT. You gave me a laugh as well, btw!

 

[Keegs]

Yes, it happens, though it's a bit like a blind machine-gunner occasionally shooting a squirrel ...

nice analogy.

I hate squirrels too..

 

[Seymour93]

Surprise teams: Oakland and Arizona

Neither to go far in the playoffs, in fact they both probably won't even qualify for them, but they will be in wildcard contention late in the season.

Brooks is a good fit for the Oakland's pass-happy offense, with Moss, if he stays healthy, reverting back to Probowl form. Jordan is a top 10/15 RB. The defense should improve with the additions of Huff, Poole, and Robert Thomas. Sapp is motivated, and Art Shell is one of the better coaches in the league. Look for a turnaround from this team.

Arizona's progress has been better documented than Oakland's. They're moving into a magnificent stadium with a new franchise QB and RB. Boldin, Fitzgerald, Bryant Johnson, and Leonard Pope are four solid receivers for the savvy Leinart. They already had an underrated defense, with Wilson and Bertrand Berry amongst others. They can win the NFC West if the current trend of Superbowl losers spiraling downwards the following year continues, as certainly the 49ers and Rams are in no condition to make the playoffs.

It's easier to predict teams that won't match the previous season's production. I don't think Chicago or the New York Giants will do as good, and ultimately neither will Pittsburgh or Seattle.

I'm glad I wasn't in Vegas at the time I made the post above. :bricks: