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Post by Sideshow Bob on Sept 2, 2008 13:43:11 GMT -6
sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/peter_king/09/02/mail/index.htmlI'm boring, I'm bland, I'm predictable.
What, another Warren Sapp rant?
No, my Super Bowl prediction: New England 30, Dallas 20.
No one cares about the preseason. I base nothing on it. I haven't changed my mind about any major thing this summer, except maybe I'm a little more bullish on Carolina and Seattle than I was two months ago. I still think Cleveland will win the AFC North despite looking like Montana State in August. I still think Miami will win seven games. I still think Jacksonville will be the second-best team in the AFC and will finally supplant Indianapolis atop the AFC South.
What I think I think entering the season:
• NFC Championship: "Keep talking about Dallas,'' Justin Tuck of the Giants told me in camp. "We love it.'' OK. Dallas has danger signs all over the place, with a rich quarterback and a richer, more famous girlfriend, and volcanic T.O., and whatever Adam Jones is now. Could they crash and burn? Of course. Any team can. But my feeling is they'll put up enough points to make up for a just-OK pass rush, and Jones will be a top-five corner by the end of the season. I like the Vikings a lot, I think, because I view Tarvaris Jackson as more of an asset than liability. NFC title game: Dallas 23, Minnesota 17.
• AFC Championship: Tom Brady's going to be Tom Brady. Don't fret. Randy Moss' numbers won't be as good, quite possibly, but he'll once again be the most dangerous receiver in football. Brady has to get rid of the ball half a tick faster this year because defenses will be throwing the kitchen sink at him the way the Giants did in the Super Bowl. "Don't forget what we did last year,'' Brady told me this summer. "I sure haven't.'' Good advice. I pick the Jags to challenge them most seriously. Quentin Groves and, later in the year, Derrick Harvey, will give the Jags defensive energy they lacked last year. AFC title game: New England 30, Jacksonville 27.
• MVP: 1. QB Tom Brady, New England. 2. QB David Garrard, Jacksonville. 3. DE Jared Allen, Minnesota. The best quarterback for the best team should almost invariably win this award.
• Offensive Player of the Year: 1. RB Adrian Peterson, Minnesota. 2. QB Tom Brady, New England. 3. QB Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle. I had Garrard higher in the MVP voting here by virtue of the Jags surpassing Indianapolis. Hasselbeck will have a 4,300-yard passing season.
• Defensive POY: 1. DE Jared Allen, Minnesota. 2. DE Mario Williams, Houston. 3. OLB Lamar Woodley, Pittsburgh. Allen has never had a defensive support system like the one he inherits in Minnesota. I expect 20 sacks out of him.
• Coach of the Year: 1. Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville. 2. John Fox, Carolina. 3. Tony Sparano, Miami.
• Offensive Rookie of the Year: 1. RB Chris Johnson, Tennessee. 2. OT Ryan Clady, Denver. 3. TE John Carlson, Seattle. But look out for Felix Jones.
• Defensive Rookie of the Year: 1. S Kenny Phillips, New York Giants. 2. Leodis McKelvin, Buffalo. 3. DE Quentin Groves, Jacksonville.
• Comeback Player of the Year: DT Shaun Rogers, Cleveland. His mind is right. He's healthy. He could be this year's Albert Haynesworth
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Post by Sideshow Bob on Sept 2, 2008 13:44:28 GMT -6
he is UNDERRATING our pass rush!
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Post by Sideshow Bob on Sept 2, 2008 13:58:42 GMT -6
Here's an e-mail I just fired off to Peter King:
While I agree with your pick of the Cowboys to win the NFC, I must take exception with your off-base assessment that they have "a just-OK pass rush." Both Ware and Ellis put up double-digit sack totals last year. Equally shocking is that you don't have Ware among your top three contenders for Defensive Player of the Year. Is it just a matter of wanting guys like Ware and Romo (also inexplicably excluded from your lists) to prove themselves one more year before giving them their due?
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Post by mexicanjunior on Sept 2, 2008 14:01:51 GMT -6
Here's an e-mail I just fired off to Peter King: While I agree with your pick of the Cowboys to win the NFC, I must take exception with your off-base assessment that they have "a just-OK pass rush." Both Ware and Ellis put up double-digit sack totals last year. Equally shocking is that you don't have Ware among your top three contenders for Defensive Player of the Year. Is it just a matter of wanting guys like Ware and Romo (also inexplicably excluded from your lists) to prove themselves one more year before giving them their due? That email will end up straight into the Recycle Bin... He is dead wrong about our pass rush though, it will generate top 5 sack numbers in the league. I like his statement about Felix Jones in the ROY race also... |
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Post by matt51180 on Sept 2, 2008 14:20:55 GMT -6
I know!!!!! Our pass rush is a lot better than what he is talking about. Idiot!! Gosh!!!
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Post by bigdave on Sept 2, 2008 17:58:12 GMT -6
Here's an e-mail I just fired off to Peter King: While I agree with your pick of the Cowboys to win the NFC, I must take exception with your off-base assessment that they have "a just-OK pass rush." Both Ware and Ellis put up double-digit sack totals last year. Equally shocking is that you don't have Ware among your top three contenders for Defensive Player of the Year. Is it just a matter of wanting guys like Ware and Romo (also inexplicably excluded from your lists) to prove themselves one more year before giving them their due? I hope Peter King put this email in his spam box seeing it was poorly written. |
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Post by bigdave on Sept 2, 2008 18:00:07 GMT -6
Here's an e-mail I just fired off to Peter King: While I agree with your pick of the Cowboys to win the NFC, I must take exception with your off-base assessment that they have "a just-OK pass rush." Both Ware and Ellis put up double-digit sack totals last year. Equally shocking is that you don't have Ware among your top three contenders for Defensive Player of the Year. Is it just a matter of wanting guys like Ware and Romo (also inexplicably excluded from your lists) to prove themselves one more year before giving them their due? That email will end up straight into the Recycle Bin... He is dead wrong about our pass rush though, it will generate top 5 sack numbers in the league. I like his statement about Felix Jones in the ROY race also... I think our defense lack respect because of Steward. He doesn't do that well as d-coord. I think it is was past time to fire that dude. To bad we are at the start of a new season. |
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Post by Terd Ferguson on Sept 3, 2008 0:50:33 GMT -6
This defense should lead the league in sacks. We have 2 dominant pass rusher (Ware and Ellis), a guy that is supposed to be taking over for one (Spencer) and a great scheme that has historically produced great sack numbers.
On top of that, we should be playing from ahead alot this year, leading to deperate pass-happy offenses in the 4th quarter and we have good enough DBs to generate coverage sacks....no reason why this defense should be "just ok" rushing the QB.
I'm saying top 3 in the league in sacks....possibly #1.
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Post by bigdave on Sept 3, 2008 2:53:22 GMT -6
Just wish we made a move in the offseason to get a better d-coord. Most talent in the league being held back by coaching.
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