Sports By Blayze

2010 NFL Power Rankings - Week 5

2010-10-13T12:38:00.001-04:00

And a refresher course for those who don't understand what power rankings mean. These aren't standings. I do take records into consideration, but records can be deceiving in many ways. This is how good I think the teams are right now. No more, no less. I don't think Tampa Bay is better then Dallas and Minnesota, for example. Anyways, enjoy. And when I say enjoy, I mean complain and tell me I watch too much ESPN Gameday, a show I haven't watched in about 7 years. Don't listen to gap toothed fat assholes.

1 (1). Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1). Bye.

2 (3). Baltimore Ravens (4-1). At least my Super Bowl winning pick is still standing strong. The Ravens finally got a break and dropped 31 on an average defense. Welcome to the end zone Ray Rice.

3 (4). New York Jets (4-1). Stupid lightning storm. I had to go to sleep when the score was 12-0. Woke up and it was 29-20? What the hell? The Jets have dropped over 30 points per game their last four.

4 (9). Indianapolis Colts (3-2). Colts fourth? If I was an ESPN bot I would have them in the teens saying the run is over. Just like it was in 2008. Jerkoffs. But it's not. They moved the ball very well and were able to score five times against a pretty good defense. I think they might just rattle off a ton of wins in a row.

5 (5). Atlanta Falcons (4-1). I don't think the Falcons are terribly impressive right now, gathering close wins against less then impressive opponents in San Francisco and Cleveland. According to these rankings they are the best team in the NFC right now. Shows how wide open that conference is.

6 (2). Green Bay Packers (3-2). Everyone's favorite (including mine) preseason NFC pick, I'm not ready to sprint away from the bandwagon quite yet. No team has been unlucky as the Pack in losing key players. Add Jermichael Finley and perhaps Aaron Rodgers to a list that includes Ryan Grant and Nick Barnett. But they are a couple last minute defeats away from having a much better record. I don't think they will be able to overcome all the injuries, but for now, I still think they are one of the best in the NFC.

7 (11). Tennessee Titans (3-2). Chris Johnson had his best game of the season, confusing Cowboys defenders all game, and Vince Young played just well enough to keep defenses honest. That has been the Titans winning gameplan for a few years.

8 (8). New England Patriots (3-1). Bye.

9 (10). Chicago Bears (4-1). It looked like the Bears were on pace to win about 184-6, but then Todd Collins happened. If they are forced to rely on him when they play a decent defense, they are in big trouble.

10 (7). Houston Texans (3-2). Texans have an elite offense but that defense needs to get better or we are looking at an extremely entertaining 8-8 team. Which is precisely what I picked them to do before the season started.

11 (23). New York Giants (3-2)
12 (6). New Orleans Saints (3-2)
13 (13). Kansas City Chiefs (3-1)
14 (12). San Diego Chargers (2-3)
15 (15). Dallas Cowboys (1-3)
16 (17). Miami Dolphins (2-2)
17 (16). Minnesota Vikings (1-3)
18 (18). Philadelphia Eagles (3-2)
19 (24). Washington Redskins (3-2)
20 (14). Cincinnati Bengals (2-3)
21 (19). Jacksonville Jaguars (3-2)
22 (21). Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1)
23 (20). Denver Broncos (2-3)
24 (25). Seattle Seahawks (2-2)
25 (28). Detroit Lions (1-4)
26 (27). Arizona Cardinals (3-2)
27 (22). St. Louis Rams (2-3)
28 (30). Oakland Raiders (2-3)
29 (29). San Francisco 49ers (0-5)
30 (26). Cleveland Browns (1-4)
31 (31). Carolina Panthers (0-5)
32 (32). Buffalo Bills (0-5)

2010 NFL Power Rankings - Week 4

2010-10-07T21:15:00.002-04:00

1 (1). Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1). The Steelers lost a close one to a very good Ravens team, hardly enough to knock them off my top spot. They still lead the NFL in only allowing 12 points per game.

2 (2). Green Bay Packers (3-1). This is the second time the Packers have gotten off to a pretty good lead only to see the other team chip away and make things interesting. A big play defense isn't playing all that well right now.

3 (3). Baltimore Ravens (3-1). The Ravens added a ton of talent to the offense but are only 27th in the league in scoring offense. They have played some of the best defenses in the league in the Jets, Bengals and Steelers and have come away 3-1. The schedule really eases up on that side of the ball now, so we will see how good the Ravens offense really is.

4 (6). New York Jets (3-1). The Jets ran through their three AFC East counterparts, winning by an average of 32-17.

5 (8). Atlanta Falcons (3-1). The Falcons are an overtime loss to my top ranked team from being 4-0. They only gave up one offensive touchdown to the 49ers, and the defense is playing much better then expected.

6 (4). New Orleans Saints (3-1). The Saints may be experiencing that so called "Super Bowl Hangover". They don't look that great at all, but they are plugging away with a 3-1 record as they look to get that offense back on track.

7 (9). Houston Texans (3-1). The Texans got back on track offensively but are giving up way too many points. The return of Brian Cushing will help, but they need someone to step up in a young secondary.

8 (10). New England Patriots (3-1). The Patriots were the first team in NFL history to score on a rush, pass, interception, kickoff and blocked kick in the same game during their tidle wave against the Dolphins Monday night.

9 (5). Indianapolis Colts (2-2). I still think the Colts are the best team in that division, but they might not win 12 games this year. Peyton Manning and the offense is as good as ever, but a leaky defense and fluky turnovers have already cost them two division games.

10 (7). Chicago Bears (3-1). They have a Sears tower sized revolving door on the offensive line, and they were lucky Jay Cutler was not literally killed Sunday night against the Giants. It didn't help Cutler refused to get rid of the football.

11 (11). Tennessee Titans (2-2)
12 (19). San Diego Chargers (2-2)
13 (14). Kansas City Chiefs (3-0)
14 (12). Cincinnati Bengals (2-2)
15 (15). Dallas Cowboys (1-2)
16 (16). Minnesota Vikings (1-2)
17 (13). Miami Dolphins (2-2)
18 (17). Philadelphia Eagles (2-2)
19 (21). Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2)
20 (22). Denver Broncos (2-2)
21 (23). Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)
22 (24). St. Louis Rams (2-2)
23 (25). New York Giants (2-2)
24 (26). Washington Redskins (2-2)
25 (18). Seattle Seahawks (2-2)
26 (28). Cleveland Browns (1-3)
27 (20). Arizona Cardinals (2-2)
28 (27). Detroit Lions (0-4)
29 (29). San Francisco 49ers (0-4)
30 (30). Oakland Raiders (1-3)
31 (32). Carolina Panthers (0-4)
32 (31). Buffalo Bills (0-4)

2011 NFL Mock Draft: Week 3

2010-10-01T12:56:00.002-04:00

Computer is being repaired this week, so just a quick mock with no analysis.

1. Carolina Panthers - DE Robert Quinn, North Carolina
2. Buffalo Bills - QB Andrew Luck, Stanford
3. New England Patriots (from Oakland Raiders) - DE Cameron Heyward, Ohio St.
4. San Francisco 49ers - CB Patrick Peterson, LSU
5. Cleveland Browns - WR AJ Green, Georgia
6. Detroit Lions - CB Prince Amukamara, Nebraska
7. Washington Redskins - WR Julio Jones, Alabama
8. New York Giants - OT DeMarcus Love, Arkansas
9. St. Louis Rams - WR Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DE Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
11. Denver Broncos - DE Marcell Dareus, Alabama
12. Jacksonville Jaguars - QB Jake Locker, Washington
13. Arizona Cardinals - OLB Akeem Ayers, UCLA
14. San Diego Chargers - DE Allen Bailey, Miami
15. Seattle Seahawks - OT Nate Solder, Colorado
16. Philadelphia Eagles - MLB Greg Jones, Michigan St.
17. Kansas City Chiefs - QB Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
18. Miami Dolphins - DE/OLB Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue
19. Cincinnati Bengals - OT Derek Sherrod, Mississippi St.
20. Tennessee Titans - OLB Bruce Carter, North Carolina
21. Minnesota Vikings - CB Janoris Jenkins, Florida
22. Dallas Cowboys - S Rahim Moore, UCLA
23. New England Patriots - RB Mark Ingram, Alabama
24. Houston Texans - CB Brandon Harris, Miami
25. Atlanta Falcons - CB Aaron Williams, Texas
26. Chicago Bears - OT Anthony Costanzo, Boston College
27. New York Jets - DT Jerrell Powe, Mississippi
28. Indianapolis Colts - OT Matt Reynolds, BYU
29. New Orleans Saints - DE Da'Quan Bowers, Clemson
30. Baltimore Ravens - CB Ras-I Dowling, Virginia
31. Green Bay Packers - RB Daniel Thomas, Kansas St.
32. Pittsburgh Steelers - WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame

2010 NFL Power Rankings: Week 3

2010-09-28T12:54:00.001-04:00

1 (5). Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0). Stifling defense all season and Charlie Batch put on an amazing offensive display. Every time we forget about the Steelers they seem to come back strong and contend for Super Bowls.

2 (2). Green Bay Packers (2-1). The Packers would be 3-0 if they simply did not kick to Devin Hester and committ about 93 penalties.

3 (6). Baltimore Ravens (2-1). The Ravens held off the pesky Browns, but allowing Peyton Hillis to rush for over 140 yards could be cause for concern.

4 (1). New Orleans Saints (2-1). The Saints have been playing close games all season and it finally came back to bite them. Fans will blame the kicker, forgetting he pretty much won them a Super Bowl.

5 (4). Indianapolis Colts (2-1). The Colts have now allowed a 230+ yard rusher and a 470+ yard passer in the first two weeks. Looks like Peyton will have to keep airing out the football.

6 (7). New York Jets (2-1). The Jets secondary has really missed Darrell Revis, but Mark Sanchez has been on fire. If he can continue to play like this maybe the Jets aren't doomed after all.

7 (13). Chicago Bears (3-0). Took long enough to put the best punt returner since Brian Mitchell back where he belongs. Devin Hester wins more games returning punts then he does as a full time receiver.

8 (12). Atlanta Falcons (2-1). The Falcons offense is really clicking the last two weeks since the Steelers shut them down. Question is can the defense hold together enough? They did on Sunday.

9 (3). Houston Texans (2-1). The Texans have allowed a ridiculious 368 passing yards per game. Kareem Jackson and that young secondary needs to step up in a hurry, because the schedule is murderous.

10 (8). New England Patriots (2-1). The Patriots will still probably win 10 games even though they have absolutely no defense or running game to speak of. Tom Brady better not get hurt again.

11 (9). Tennessee Titans (2-1)
12 (17). Cincinnati Bengals (2-1)
13 (10). Miami Dolphins (2-1)
14 (20). Kansas City Chiefs (3-0)
15 (14). Dallas Cowboys (1-2)
16 (15). Minnesota Vikings (1-2)
17 (19). Philadelphia Eagles (2-1)
18 (27). Seattle Seahawks (2-1)
19 (11). San Diego Chargers (1-2)
20 (25). Arizona Cardinals (2-1)
21 (22). Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2)
22 (23). Denver Broncos (1-2)
23 (24). Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)
24 (31). St. Louis Rams (1-2)
25 (18). New York Giants (1-2)
26 (16). Washington Redskins (1-2)
27 (28). Detroit Lions (0-3)
28 (30). Cleveland Browns (0-3)
29 (21). San Francisco 49ers (0-3)
30 (29). Oakland Raiders (1-2)
31 (32). Buffalo Bills (0-3)
32 (26). Carolina Panthers (0-3)

2011 NFL Power Rankings: Week 2

2010-09-22T21:38:00.000-04:00

1 (1). New Orleans Saints (2-0). Saints aren't scoring as much as they did last year, but they are 2-0, beating a good Vikings team then a decent Niners team on the road. Good enough to stay #1.

2 (3). Green Bay Packers (2-0). The Packers have probably been the most impressive team so far. They got up big on the Eagles then demolished the Bills. Clay Matthews is in the early lead for defensive player of the year.

3 (5). Houston Texans (2-0). The Texans had a 200+ yard rusher in week 1 then a near 500 yard passer in week 2. That offense is something else. If the defense can hold the fort, watch out.

4 (6). Indianapolis Colts (1-1). Reports of the Colts demise are once again premature. If they can run the ball like that, they will be next to unstoppable.

5 (13). Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0). The Steelers are 2-0 and going up against a very winnable opponent in week 3. If they can be 3-1 without Big Ben, that would be a monster victory. Of course, having that defense sure does help.

6 (2). Baltimore Ravens (1-1). Joe Flacco did not look good, but the Ravens have gone up against two of the very best defenses in the NFL. We will see if he can step up against the Browns, who are very bad but have a decent secondary.

7 (10). New York Jets (1-1). Well, the Jets aren't going 0-16. Mark Sanchez had a great game, but that may say more about the Patriots defensive woes then the Jets quarterback.

8 (4). New England Patriots (1-1). Speaking of the Patriots, it looks like they might have to win some shootouts while the young defense jels, if they ever will.

9 (7). Tennessee Titans (1-1). Vince Young had his worst game since he reclaimed his starting job, but that was against the Steelers. Jeff Fisher says he is his QB, but it's obvious that he will be on a short leash.

10 (14). Miami Dolphins (2-0). The Dolphins have won ugly, but they are 2-0, and lead the league with only 20 points allowed. As a Fins fan, I am very worried about Chad Henne. He seems to be on the brink of disaster.

11 (12). San Diego Chargers (1-1)
12 (16). Atlanta Falcons (1-1)
13 (25). Chicago Bears (2-0)
14 (8). Dallas Cowboys (0-2)
15 (11). Minnesota Vikings (0-2)
16 (15). Washington Redskins (1-1)
17 (17). Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)
18 (9). New York Giants (1-1)
19 (18). Philadelphia Eagles (1-1)
20 (20). Kansas City Chiefs (2-0)
21 (19). San Francisco 49ers (0-2)
22 (22). Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1)
23 (26). Denver Broncos (1-1)
24 (27). Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0)
25 (21). Arizona Cardinals (1-1)
26 (23). Carolina Panthers (0-2)
27 (24). Seattle Seahawks (1-1)
28 (28). Detroit Lions (0-2)
29 (29). Oakland Raiders (0-2)
30 (30). Cleveland Browns (0-2)
31 (31). St. Louis Rams (0-2)
32 (32). Buffalo Bills (0-2)

2011 NFL Mock Draft: Week 1

2010-09-18T18:08:00.000-04:00

Every week I am going to do a mock draft to coincide with my power rankings. I'll use my rankings as the draft order. I'll try to give analysis for the first 10 picks or so. Once the halfway point of the season comes, my weekly drafts will use the actual unofficial order. Enjoy!

1. Buffalo Bills - QB Jake Locker, Washington. For those who watched Trent Edwards "try" to lead his team to a game winning drive late, this pick makes more sense then ever.

2. St. Louis Rams - WR Julio Jones, Alabama. I think Jones will end up going over AJ Green, and not just because he is actually on the field right now. The Rams are already having to rely on castoffs and rejects to catch Sam Bradford passes.

3. Cleveland Browns - QB Andrew Luck, Stanford. I just can't see the Browns ignoring this spot for another season. Colt McCoy showed that he is probably a career backup.

4. New England Patriots (from Oakland Raiders) - DE Marcell Dareus, Alabama. The Patriots love to use first round picks on defensive line, and with Seymour gone and Warren perhaps not far behind, this is a great opportunity to retool. Of course, this is assuming the Pats don't trade down, which they probably will.

5. Detroit Lions - CB Patrick Peterson, LSU. Peterson does not have the speed you would look for in a cornerback this high, but the Lions need to reach and help fill their biggest need on defense.

6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DE Robert Quinn, North Carolina. The Bucs used their first and second round picks on defensive line last year, but failed to generate any sacks against the Browns and could struggle in that situation all season.

7. Denver Broncos - DE Cameron Heyward, Ohio St. The Broncos defense still lacks serious parts for a 3-4 defense. For some reason they took Tim Tebow instead of addressing the position in the first round last year.

8. Chicago Bears - OT Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin. The Bears haven't gotten any production out of former first round pick Chris Williams, and the line is a mess.

9. Seattle Seahawks - WR AJ Green, Georiga. The Seahawks have shown interest in Vincent Jackson and, more telling, are starting Mike Williams. Yes, that Mike Williams. Green would be a steal here.

10. Carolina Panthers - DE/DT Adrian Clayborn, Iowa. Free agent defections and injuries have left this roster riddled with holes. The Panthers would do well just to take the top rated player on their board, regardless of position.

11. Jacksonville Jaguars - CB Prince Amukamara, Nebraska
12. Arizona Cardinals - QB Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
13. Kansas City Chiefs - WR Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh
15. Philadelphia Eagles - OLB Bruce Carter, Virginia
16. Cincinnati Bengals - OT Nate Solder, Colorado
17. Atlanta Falcons - CB Ras-I Dowling, Virginia
18. Miami Dolphins - OLB Von Miller, Texas A&M
19. Pittsburgh Steelers - CB Janoris Jenkins, Florida
20. San Diego Chargers - WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
21. Washington Redskins - DE Allen Bailey, Miami
22. Minnesota Vikings - OG/C Rodney Hudson, Florida St.
23. New York Jets - DT Stephen Paea, Oregon St.
24. New York Giants - MLB Dont'a Hightower, Alabama
25. Dallas Cowboys - DE/DT Jared Crick, Nebraska
26. Tennessee Titans - DT Marvin Austin, North Carolina
27. Indianapolis Colts - OT Matt Reynolds, BYU
28. Houston Texans - DE Ryan Kerrigan, Perdue
29. New England Patriots - RB Mark Ingram, Alabama
30. Green Bay Packers - RB Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
31. Baltimore Ravens - CB Brandon Harris, Miami
32. New Orleans Saints - DE Greg Romeus, Pittsburgh

2011 NFL Power Rankings: Week 1

2010-09-17T12:54:00.001-04:00

The hard part about power rankings are the first few weeks. One game does not make a season. Especially this year, where many offenses looked like they just ripped the plastic off their playbooks Sunday morning. But for these rankings I tried not to put too much stock into week 1, or my preseason rankings. But both were taken into consideration. I like to do my rankings like College Football rankings, teams usually don't leap frog unless they are pretty dominant. But I am more lenient the first few weeks. Things will get sorted out in a few weeks. Now, on to it!

1 (1). New Orleans Saints (1-0). It was a struggle on offense, but the Saints handled a good team.

2 (4). Baltimore Ravens (1-0). Many low scoring games in week one as offenses adjust, but there was no problem on defense. They absolutely shut down the Jets.

3 (3). Green Bay Packers (1-0). The Packers were rolling on the road until Mike Vick made things interesting. Part of that might have been because Green Bay didn't prepare for Vick.

4 (9). New England Patriots (1-0). The offense looked rejuvenated with Brandon Tate and the rookie tight ends.

5 (11). Houston Texans (1-0). I can't really ever say there is a statement game in Week 1, but the way the Colts have owned the Texans during their existence, this was a huge win for Houston.

6 (2). Indianapolis Colts (0-1). It's not like the Colts haven't had problems stopping the run in the past. They don't want Manning throwing over 50 passes often, though.

7 (14). Tennessee Titans (1-0). Pretty much how the Titans want to play. Get a lead, grind it out with Chris Johnson and let Vince Young pick his spots.

8 (5). Dallas Cowboys (0-1). The Cowboys played a very stupid game, both coaching and execution. Still, they had a chance to win at the end. They will be alright.

9 (17). New York Giants (1-0). The Giants have become a great passing team, as Eli Manning has elevated his game and has a lot of weapons. The running game needs to be turned over to Ahmad Bradshaw.

10 (6). New York Jets (0-1). The bandwagon is emptying at a historic rate. Mark Sanchez simply is not ready to lead this team to the Super Bowl yet.

11 (7). Minnesota Vikings (0-1)
12 (8). San Diego Chargers (0-1)
13 (15). Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0)
14 (16). Miami Dolphins (1-0)
15 (19). Washington Redskins (1-0)
16 (12). Atlanta Falcons (0-1)
17 (13). Cincinnati Bengals (0-1)
18 (18). Philadelphia Eagles (0-1)
19 (10). San Francisco 49ers (0-1)
20 (25). Kansas City Chiefs (1-0)
21 (22). Arizona Cardinals (1-0)
22 (24). Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0)
23 (21). Carolina Panthers (0-1)
24 (28). Seattle Seahawks (1-0)
25 (26). Chicago Bears (1-0)
26 (23). Denver Broncos (0-1)
27 (32). Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0)
28 (27). Detroit Lions (0-1)
29 (20). Oakland Raiders (0-1)
30 (29). Cleveland Browns (0-1)
31 (31). St. Louis Rams (0-1)
32 (30). Buffalo Bills (0-1)

2011 NFL Power Rankings: Preseason

2010-09-09T07:35:00.000-04:00

My 100th post!

I don't really take preseason into consideration. Starters take it easy and backups fight for their lives. The Lions go 4-0 and the Colts go 0-4. Also, much like preseason college football rankings, these rankings will be pretty much worthless.

1. New Orleans Saints. Always have to put the defending champs first. Saints bring back pretty much everyone.

2. Indianapolis Colts. Defending AFC champions bring back the one player who matters, #18. Can they start the first half undefeated for the third straight year?

3. Green Bay Packers. Upstart Packers are extremely explosive on offense and hungry and versatile on defense.

4. Baltimore Ravens. Ravens just added even more talent to a stacked offense, and the addition of Josh Wilson will help on defense. Loaded.

5. Dallas Cowboys. Cowboys offense sputtered in the preseason, but like I said, it's the preseason. Who cares. They should be good to go opening day. Cowboys have as much talent as anyone but have not done a
thing in the playoffs.

6. New York Jets. Everyone's sleeper pick if you could say that. Everyone's favorite team after Hard Knocks. I still think they are a year away with Mark Sanchez still learning.

7. Minnesota Vikings. Another team that is all in. Brett Favre returns for the 94th season looking to not end his career on an interception.

8. San Diego Chargers. No Marcus McNeil and no Vincent Jackson. And plenty of Norv Turner. Regular season champs once again.

9. New England Patriots. The Patriots will have to lean on their offense even more with so many young players on defense.

10. San Francisco 49ers. The Niners could be the NFC's best team if Alex Smith can step up. They have talent everywhere.

11. Houston Texans
12. Atlanta Falcons
13. Cincinnati Bengals
14. Tennessee Titans
15. Pittsburgh Steelers
16. Miami Dolphins
17. New York Giants
18. Philadelphia Eagles
19. Washington Redskins
20. Oakland Raiders
21. Carolina Panthers
22. Arizona Cardinals
23. Denver Broncos
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
25. Kansas City Chiefs
26. Chicago Bears
27. Detroit Lions
28. Seattle Seahawks
29. Cleveland Browns
30. Buffalo Bills
31. St. Louis Rams
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2010 NFL Preview: Predictions

2010-09-07T21:31:00.000-04:00

First of all, let me pat myself on the back. Last year I picked the Saints to beat the Patriots to win Super Bowl XLIV. I am so wrong so often that I am going to gloat when I actually pick something right. Now on to this year.

Will the Saints repeat? Hell, will they even be the first team to make back to back Super Bowl appearances since the Patriots in 2003 and 2004? Chances look good. They return the same high octane offense that marched through the record books last year. No one was able to stop them. I think the AFC is wide open, however. The Cowboys, Packers, Vikings and 49ers will give them trouble. In fact, I have the Packers beating them in the second round. Green Bay has the offensive firepower to keep up in a shootout. What a game that could be. Not quite the 51-45 loss they were involved in last year, but close.

Everyone seems to have the sleeper Super Bowl matchup as the Ravens vs. Packers. Offensive stars vs. offensive stars. I had to agree with that. I think the 49ers are a very serious dark horse candidate to do what the Super Bowl Cardinals squad did a couple years ago. I was tempted to pick them to make the Super Bowl but I don't think Alex Smith quite has what it takes to lead this team to the big game. Teams almost always need great QB play to make the big dance. I'm running out of adjectives to describe the Super Bowl.

So I have Baltimore, with the additions of Anquan Boldin and TJ Houshmanzadeh, hoisting the trophy for Super Bowl XLV.

AFC East

1. New York Jets, 11-5
2. New England Patriots, 9-7
3. Miami Dolphins, 9-7
4. Buffalo Bills, 2-14

AFC North

1. Baltimore Ravens, 12-4
2. Pittsburgh Steelers, 10-6
3. Cincinnati Bengals, 9-7
4. Cleveland Browns, 3-13

AFC South

1. Indianapolis Colts, 12-4
2. Tennessee Titans, 10-6
3. Houston Texans, 7-9
4. Jacksonville Jaguars, 6-10

AFC South

1. San Diego Chargers, 11-5
2. Oakland Raiders, 8-8
3. Kansas City Chiefs, 6-10
4. Denver Broncos, 4-12

AFC Playoff Standings

1. Indianapolis Colts
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. New York Jets
4. San Diego Chargers
5. Tennessee Titans
6. Pittsburgh Steelers

Wild Card

Titans over Chargers
Steelers over Jets

Divisional

Steelers over Colts
Ravens over Titans

AFC Championship

Ravens over Steelers

NFC East

1. Dallas Cowboys, 13-3
2. Philadelphia Eagles, 9-7
3. Washington Redskins, 8-8
4. New York Giants, 7-9

NFC North

1. Green Bay Packers 13-3
2. Minnesota Vikings, 11-5
3. Chicago Bears, 5-11
4. Detroit Lions, 4-12

NFC South

1. New Orleans Saints, 12-4
2. Atlanta Falcons, 10-6
3. Carolina Panthers, 6-10
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 4-12

NFC West

1. San Francisco 49ers, 10-6
2. Arizona Cardinals, 7-9
3. Seattle Seahawks, 5-11
4. St. Louis Rams, 3-13

NFC Playoff Seedings

1. Dallas Cowboys
2. Green Bay Packers
3. New Orleans Saints
4. San Francisco 49ers
5. Minnesota Vikings
6. Atlanta Falcons

Wild Card

Saints over Falcons
49ers over Vikings

Divisional

49ers over Cowboys
Packers over Saints

NFC Championship

Packers over 49ers

Super Bowl XLV: Ravens over Packers

2010 NFL Preview: NFC North

2010-09-04T23:12:00.000-04:00

2009: Minnesota Vikings, 12-4
2008: Minnesota Vikings, 10-6
2007: Green Bay Packers, 13-3
2006: Chicago Bears, 13-3
2005: Chicago Bears, 11-5
2004: Green Bay Packers, 10-6
2003: Green Bay Packers, 10-6
2002: Green Bay Packers, 12-4

The Vikings, Bears and Packers have all had to go through some rebuilding pains this decade, and have taken turns at the top of the division. The Bears are the only team to make the Super Bowl, and they got handled by the Colts. Of course, the Lions have been bottom feeders virtually every season.

1. Green Bay Packers (13-3). The Packers are the trendy Super Bowl pick and I am jumping on that train. It is for good reason. We all know about the offense. Things could not have gone better after the messy Brett Favre divorce, as Aaron Rodgers has entered elite status. After Peyton Manning, you can make a case for him being as good as anybody. He has a plethora of weapons to throw to, mainly Greg Jennings and emerging tight end JerMichael Finley. Ryan Grant overcame his problems in 2008 to have a Pro Bowl caliber season, rushing for over 4 yards per carry with 11 touchdowns. Grant is one of those rare running backs who gets the ball 20 times per game in 2010. He could fall apart quickly, but so far, they are riding him with good results. So who finished second overall in total defense last year. Including first against the rush and 7th in points allowed? You guessed it, the Packers. Charles Woodson led a stout defense that doesn't have a lot of stars, but are deep and versatile, and have adjusted well to the 3-4 defense. The Packers have talent all over both sides of the ball and have to be on the short list of Super Bowl contenders.

2. Minnesota Vikings (11-5). For the 84th straight year, Brett Favre's season ended with an interception. It was a crippling end to what may have been his best season ever, but he returns to try to lead the Vikings to the Super Bowl. They bring back essentially the same team this year, although there are injury concerns all over the field. But I did these predictions before the problems with Percy Harvin and Sidney Rice started. The Vikings still have Adrian Peterson to lean on on offense and the Williams wall to stop the rush on defense. The secondary is a concern, especially with gunslingers Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler and Matthew Stafford in the division. And when they get to the playoffs, the will have to face up with Tony Romo, Drew Brees, Matt Ryan and others. The Vikings were on the cusp of making the Super Bowl, and they return the same team, so you have to think they can get back there. The window is obviously closing fast, as Favre can't play forever, the defense and offensive line are aging, and Peterson's style could lead to him falling off a cliff physically at any moment.

3. Chicago Bears (5-11). The Bears have transitioned from a defensive force to a Mike Martz led passing attack. The Bears don't have an identity anymore, and I think that could lead to a disastrous season. The Bears also have neglected the draft the past few years, instead trying to win it all with veterans. Jay Cutler's first season was a failure. He threw for plenty of yards and touchdowns, but his 26 interceptions cost the team games. I think, led by Martz, he will be much improved this year. The Bears should be a fun team to watch even though Matt Forte had a bad second season and the offensive line is in ruins. Not to mention the defense is in the second half of the league now. Yes, Brian Ulracher is still in the league, but he hasn't made a difference in years. They added Julius Peppers after the tragic death of Gaines Adams, and they have to hope Mark Anderson can bounce back. If so they could have some pass rushers to hopefully help out a weak defense. The Bears seem to think they are a player or two away from making a Super Bowl push, but I think they are a player or two away from picking in the top five.

4. Detroit Lions (4-12). It has been a very slow climb out of that historic 0-16 grave Matt Millen dug for them, but things are starting to look up in the Motor City. Start with Matthew Stafford, who was as good as anyone could have hoped for last year. We all remember his gutsy performance against Cleveland. The Lions continue to surround him with talent, the latest addition being blazing speedster Jahvid Best. Pair him up with monster Calvin Johnson and that is something to get excited about. On defense, they added the best player in the draft in Ndamukong Suh. He is a rarity in today's NFL, a play making, difference maker at defensive tackle. The Lions brought in countless newcomers on defense, hoping an infusion of new blood can help out a group that was the very worst in the league last year. The Lions have drafted very well the last few years, adding several starters. Of course, when you don't win a game that's not hard to do. I still think the Lions are a very bad team, but if they can keep drafting well and the young guys on offense improve like they should, Lions fans might finally see some light emerging at the end of that long, dark tunnel.

2010 NFL Preview: AFC West

2010-09-02T17:15:00.000-04:00

2009: San Diego Chargers, 13-3
2008: San Diego Chargers, 8-8
2007: San Diego Chargers, 11-5
2006: San Diego Chargers, 14-2
2005: Denver Broncos, 13-3
2004: San Diego Chargers, 12-4
2003: Kansas City Chiefs, 13-3
2002: Oakland Raiders, 11-5

All four teams won the division in the first four years, with the Chargers owning the division the last part of the decade. Of course, the Raiders made the Super Bowl in 2002 and haven't had a winning record since. The Chiefs and Raiders have both been very bad the last few years. We all remember Denver's epic collapse in 2008, allowing the Chargers to win the division with a .500 record. The teams haven't had much playoff success, with San Diego being annual playoff disappointments.

1. San Diego Chargers (11-5). The Chargers have ruled the AFC West for the last half decade, but do not even have a Super Bowl appearance to show for it. Last year franchise cornerstone LaDainian Tomlinson ran out of gas, but the Chargers marched through the regular season anyways behind the arm of Philip Rivers. Rivers is still elite, but he has lost both his blindside pass protector (Marcus McNeil) and top receiver (Vincent Jackson) to holdouts. The offense adds Ryan Mathews but those two losses will be significant. On defense, the team was in the middle of the pack last year. They have to hope that Shawne Merriman can bounce back from his injuries of 2008 and provide that terror from the outside he used to. The team has plenty of options to play opposite him. The team will rely on draft picks and young players to fill out most of the other defensive positions. Make no mistake, the Chargers are still the toast of the division. But do they have enough to finally crack through and make a Super Bowl appearance, and can Norv Turner get them there? My answer is no, but I have been wrong once or twice.

2. Oakland Raiders (8-8). I originally had the Raiders at 10-6 and a playoff spot. But I just cannot do that. They are still a very young, inexperienced and stupid team. But I think they have talent at key positions to make a run at a winning record. Lets start with the running game. Justin Fargas no longer stands in the way of Oakland's two most dangerous weapons. Mainly Michael Bush, a bruising 230+ pound monster who showed what he could do in two division games against the Chiefs and Broncos. He is a bruiser who also has surprising breakaway speed. Darren McFadden is the name but would be a better complimentary back. Let's not forget the subtraction of JaMarcus Russell and addition of not-Jamarcus Russell. The passing game should continue to struggle, but Zach Miller is an underrated up and coming star who will be a great safety blanket for Jason Campbell. On defense, we all know about how good the secondary is, but the key will be if the Raiders can stop anyone from running all over them. They got bigger with the additions of Kamerion Wimbley, Rolando McClain and Lamarr Houston. The Raiders have the talent to make some noise, but they have always found a way to beat themselves. If that can change this year, they could surprise. If not, the Patriots get themselves a pretty sweet draft pick in 2011.

3. Kansas City Chiefs (6-10). The Chiefs have added enough young players that they can start to think about working towards a winning season. They thought they were deep enough to afford the luxury pick of Eric Berry fifth overall for example. But the fact is that many of their key players are too young, don't fit the scheme or underpreform. Dwayne Bowe, for example, who has all the skills to wreck but disappears for long stretches. Matt Cassel was extremely mediocre and predictably looks like a product of the Patriots system. The running game is something to get excited about, however, as steady veteran Thomas Jones joins electrifying youngster Jamaal Charles to form one of the best 1-2 punches out there. They will have to rely heavily on those two to run behind a line that is still trying to come together. The defense still lacks parts for a true 3-4 set. Ends Glen Dorsey and Tyson Jackson are both former top five picks who have done little thus far. Tamba Hali and Mike Vrabel were solid outside linebackers, and the secondary is a work in progress. I think the Chiefs are at least one or two good drafts away from turning the corner.

4. Denver Broncos (4-12). What to say about the Broncos? Obviously I am not a Josh McDaniels fan. He has managed to run both Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall out of town, replacing them with rookies Tim Tebow and Demaryius Thomas, neither of whom are near ready to play in an NFL game. The defense played way over their heads in 2009 before falling flat on their face in the second half of the season. What they do have is a steady, solid quarterback in Kyle Orton, a decent line and some talent scattered on the roster. They also added plenty of experience in the last couple of years. But are those players any good? Not to mention star Elvis Dumervil might miss the whole season after recording 17 sacks in 2009. The Broncos could surprise me and put together another 8-8 season, but I think the wheels are dangerously close to falling off.

2010 NFL Preview: NFC South

2010-08-31T19:06:00.000-04:00

2009: New Orleans Saints, 13-3
2008: Carolina Panthers, 12-4
2007: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 9-7
2006: New Orleans Saints, 10-6
2005: Carolina Panthers, 11-5
2004: Atlanta Falcons, 11-5
2003: Carolina Panthers, 11-5
2002: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 12-4

For all the talk about parity in the NFL these days, division winners usually hang around and repeat. But not the NFC South. They have been all over the place. Every team has won the division, including three in the last three years. Three of the four teams have made a Super Bowl, with the Falcons making an NFC Championship game. Of course, the first NFC South champ ended up winning the Super Bowl and so did the most recent. There were a few years where every team had a realistic shot at the division. There is more of a clear pecking order these days, with the Super Bowl champs on top and the lowly Bucs in the cellar.

1. New Orleans Saints (12-4). After years of teasing fans and the NFL, the Saints finally put it all together in 2009 and marched on through the Super Bowl, hoisting the Lombardi Trophy after handling Peyton Manning and the Colts. The Saints offense was unstoppable for most of the season and all throughout the playoffs, and Gregg Williams gave the defense swagger. That side of the ball still wasn't great, but they were good enough to not be a liability. The defense is led by the very underrated cornerback duo of Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter. The secondary has come a long way since the days of infamous Jason David. The front seven returns pretty much intact, with the exception of Alex Brown replacing Charles Grant. But no one wants to read about the Saints defense. It's all about the offense, which scored 32 points per game. Superstar Drew Brees orchestrates a very potent passing attack. He has numerous weapons on the outside as well as out of the back field. How can you cover Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem, Jeremy Shockey and Reggie Bush? 32 ppg says you can't. Reggie Bush is what he is by now. A weapon out of the backfield and a runner that can make the occasional highlight play. But Pierre Thomas has emerged as a very dangerous weapon. Opponents cannot simply count on stopping the pass as Thomas averaged over 5 yards per carry last year. While I am not picking the Saints to win the Super Bowl again or even return, you can't count out another monster regular season and be surprised if they repeat. No one was able to stop them, from the first week through the Super Bowl.

2. Atlanta Falcons (10-6). I think the Falcons have what it takes to make the Super Bowl. On offense. They were only the middle of the pack last year statistically, but you can thank injuries for that. Michael Turner and Matt Ryan both missed extended time. If they can stay healthy few teams can match the firepower that Atlanta boasts all across the field. Roddy White has quietly turned into one of the very best receivers in the league. Helping him out is veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez, who continues to turn out 80+ reception seasons. Turner had an amazing 2008 season, and when he played in 2009 he was just as spectacular, approaching 5 yards per carry and scoring 10 touchdowns. The key for Atlanta is defense. They had trouble getting to the passer, and that had a trickle down effect all throughout the defense. They added Sean Weatherspoon through the draft and Dunta Robinson through free agency. Also, count on a healthy Peria Jerry to help out. If young players Kroy Biermann and Lawrence Sidbury can continue to improve, the defense should be much better. And that could be enough for the Falcons to be the fourth NFC South team to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl in 10 years.

3. Carolina Panthers (6-10). Few teams have more holes littered throughout their roster then the Panthers, but I'll start with what works. The running game is beastly, as no NFL team has the 1-2 punch Carolina has. They were the first team in NFL history to have two 1100 yard rushers. This is not a thunder and lightning situation. Both DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are complete running backs, and are both within the league's best 12 or so runners. It also helps that they have a fantastic offensive line blocking for them. Jeff Otah and Jordan Gross are great bookends, and the interior is solid as well. When the Panthers have the lead, they will be very tough to beat. Now the bad. The Panthers seriously lack talent all throughout the defense. Gone are Julius Peppers and a few other starters. Replacing them are unproven youngsters. It will be a lot to ask for so many young players to come together at once. The linebacking group would have been in good shape, but Thomas Davis suffered yet another serious injury, meaning defensive captain Jon Beason will have to rely on youngsters to flank him. Back to the offensive side, Matt Moore will be asked to be the game manager. Which is just fine when the tanks are allowed to roll, but can he put the team on his back and lead them from behind? Steve Smith is turning into the "other" Steve Smith instead of the New York Giants version. But that is not his fault. He is still close to elite, he just doesn't have the QB and the protection from other receivers and tight ends. He is the only starting quality pass catcher on the team. It was only two years ago that this was a 12 win team before Jake Delhomme's epic meltdown, but that seems like a long time ago. This is a team in cost cutting mode that has too many holes to fight for the division this year.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12). Yikes. Jon Gruden was the bandaid that held this ship together. In 2009 the wheels fell off. First, I want to laugh at GM whoever it is (don't want to give him the satisfaction of looking his name up) for giving Michael Clayton a contract extension. Why again? He predictably did not do a thing for them and still has more guaranteed money coming. I wish I could be a GM, is it really that hard? Anyways, there really isn't much good to say about this team, but I will try. Josh Freeman was decent, even though I don't think he will be ready for 2 or 3 years. He threw twice as many TD's as INT's but received some good experience and could be decent for them in the future. Cadillac Williams a nice surprise. He helped ease the pain of another horrible signing in Derrick Ward. Kellen Winslow is an elite tight end on a horrible team, but he managed to put up his numbers. On defense, the Bucs are led by a solid secondary with up and coming players Aqib Talib and Tanard Jackson. Middle linebacker Barrett Ruud is one of the most under appreciated players in the NFL. The bad far outweighs the good, however. Bad free agent contracts, age and horrible drafts have left the cupboard bare in Tampa. Three rookies are expected to start (Gerald McCoy, Brian Price and Mike Williams) and undrafted rookies will even be counted on for roles. The Bucs need to continue to get rid of that dead weight and hit some home runs come draft time. It will be a very long rebuilding process in Tampa Bay.

2010 NFL Preview: NFC West

2010-08-27T21:01:00.000-04:00

2009: Arizona Cardinals, 10-6
2008: Arizona Cardinals, 9-7
2007: Seattle Seahawks, 10-6
2006: Seattle Seahawks, 9-7
2005: Seattle Seahawks, 13-3
2004: Seattle Seahawks, 9-7
2003: St. Louis Rams, 12-4
2002: San Francisco 49ers, 10-6

This has been the worst division in football since realignment. Only two times were more then 10 wins neccessary to win the divison. Seattle was the best of the worst for the middle part of the decade, winding up in one Super Bowl. Arizona had great playoff success in 2008 of course, ending up minutes away from being Super Bowl champions. We all remember the beginning of the decade, when the St. Louis Rams were supposed to be the next big dynasty. That never happened and they have been just awful the last few years. The once
proud Niners haven't had a winning record since their 2002 division title.

1. San Francisco 49ers, 10-6. The 49ers finally appear to be poised to take over this division and return to the playoffs for the first time in almost a decade. Their drafting has been the key, as smart picks have given the offense star power all over. Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree and Joe Staley were all first round draft picks. So was Alex Smith, who has risen from the dead to become the starting quarterback for this team again. If he can be even decent, the Niners offense should be explosive. On defense, the draft has helped there as well. First round pick Patrick Willis is the best middle linebacker in the league, racking up tackles at an amazing rate. Manny Lawson has taken a while to find his legs but should really come on this year. The defense only allowed 14 points per game last season, taking on the intensity of head coach Mike Singletary. Unless major injuries strike or one of the three other teams does something unexpected, the Niners should have this division. And don't be surprised if they have a 2008 Cardinals-like run in the playoffs.

2. Arizona Cardinals, 7-9. Remember what I said about Ted Ginn to Brandon Marshall being the biggest position upgrade in the offseason? Well, Kurt Warner to Matt Leinart (I guess now Derek Anderson) is the biggest downgrade. I had the Cardinals at this record before Leinart's continued struggles. The Cardinals have just lost too much, and it's not like they were a 12-4 team previously. You don't lose Warner, Anquan Boldin, Karlos Dansby and more and not suffer big time. The Cardinals will hope to rely on Beanie Wells and the running game and a defense that was the middle of the pack before allowing a staggering 90 points in two playoff games. The defense will actually be what carries the Cardinals in 2010. They added Joey Porter and Dan Williams to a solid core, especially on the defensive line, with great 3-4 ends Darnell Dockett and Calais Campbell. But with the losses on offense I can't see another winning record.

3. Seattle Seahawks, 5-11. The Seahawks seem to have trouble accepting that they need to flat out rebuild. Signing TJ Houshmanzadeh and holding on to Matt Hasselbeck didn't do anything for them, as they finished with another losing record. They will roll the dice with Hasselbeck one more year, and I can't see a much better finish. They have holes all over the place, and a solid draft won't fix that. On offense they are extremely vanilla. Led by a trio of mediocre running backs and a group of uninspiring wide receivers, do not expect them to improve much on that 21st ranked overall offense. The defense also finished in the 20's, and they did not add any pass rushing or run stopping defensive lineman. Earl Thomas will help, but he's only a safety. Marcus Trufant continues to disappoint and miss games with injury. The one bright spot on this Seattle team is the linebacking group. The trio of Leroy Hill, Aaron Curry and Lofa Tatupu could be a very good group if they can stay healthy at the same time. They did not play a single game together last year. Pete Carroll might only be an average coach, but he left USC right before the storm hit. He has his work cut out for him here, as the Seahawks have a staggering lack of talent at many key positions.

4. St. Louis Rams, 3-13. The Rams have been the most pathetic franchise this side of Detroit the last few years. If you add up their win total during the past three years, they would still have 10 losses. Ouch. It has been a mighty fall from grace for the Greatest Show on Turf. First, the good. They have a workhorse back who has continued to produce despite having nothing around him. Steven Jackson somehow managed to turn out 1400 yards and a 4.4 yards per carry average. He only had 4 rushing touchdowns but you can't fault him for that. The Rams finally said goodbye to Marc Bulger and drafted the future face of the franchise (hopefully) in Sam Bradford. He has his share of critics, but has the arm strength and poise to be successful. If he can survive the beating he will take all year with the Rams he should be a good one. There isn't much more to talk about on this team, both on offense and defense. They have picked in the top 2 in the last three years. Chris Long has 9 sacks in his first two years, but finally started to show some life late in the season. Jason Smith did not show much in an injury shortened season.

2010 NFL Preview: AFC North

2010-08-26T18:41:00.000-04:00

2009: Cincinnati Bengals, 10-6
2008: Pittsburgh Steelers, 12-4
2007: Pittsburgh Steelers, 10-6
2006: Baltimore Ravens, 13-3
2005: Pittsburgh Steelers, 11-5
2004: Pittsburgh Steelers, 15-1
2003: Pittsburgh Steelers, 11-5
2002: Pittsburgh Steelers, 15-1

As you can see, the Steelers have owned the division since it's inception, starting it off with 2 very impressive 15 win seasons in 3 years. They also have two Super Bowl championships to show for it. The Ravens have been up and down, mostly up, and have finished second to Pittsburgh most of the time. The Bengals have also been up and down, mostly down, but currently have bragging rights. The Browns managed to squeak out a 10 win season in 2007, but have been holding down the cellar door pretty much every other year.

1. Baltimore Ravens, 12-4. The Baltimore Ravens have managed to stay relavant for over a decade, mostly thanks to great GM Ozzie Newsome's ability to retool instead of reload. The offense is as good as it's ever been, with the 9th best scoring offense last year despite a murderous schedule. Ray Rice became a star and Joe Flacco did not suffer a sophomore hangover. The additions of Anquan Boldin and Donte Stallworth gives the Ravens a ridiculously deep arsenal of weapons for Big Joe. The defense has question marks, however. They were spectacular in 2009, finishing 3rd overall in points allowed. The secondary has been hit hard by injuries however. Domonique Foxworth will miss the year and Ed Reed is coming back from major surgery. Baltimore might be involved in more shootouts then they are accustomed to. The front seven, while long in the tooth, should continue to hold it down and remain solid. With the offensive additions and a strong defensive veteran presence, Baltimore has to be on the short list of true Super Bowl contenders.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers, 10-6. The Steelers continue to be one of the most solid run franchises in the NFL, but the 2010 offseason was not kind to them. They gave away Santonio Holmes and probably would have done the same to Ben Roethlisberger if quarterbacks weren't so hard to come by. Despite not having Big Ben for 1/4 of the season, the Steelers still enter the year strong contenders. And it begins where it always begins, on defense. Most notably the linebacker position. No team in the league has quite the arsenal to throw at opponents. James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, Lawrence Timmons, James Farrior, Larry Foote and some solid backups. It's an embarrassment of riches. The rest of the defense is solid as well. On offense, the team hopes to return to their smash mouth ways after having speedster Willie Parker in the backfield for the last few years. Rashard Mendenhall is more of a bruiser, though not in the Jerome Bettis class. The key is Ben though, who has become much more then the game manager he started his career out as. If he can bounce back after his suspension the Steelers should be back in the playoffs.

3. Cincinnati Bengals, 9-7. After Marvin Lewis has seemed to wear out his welcome in Cincinnati, the Bengals came out of nowhere to make the playoffs and play some stifling defense. They were a miracle Brandon Stokley tip drill touchdown from winning 11 games, mostly due to a defense that gave up 18 points per game. The unit boasts perhaps the best set of starting cornerbacks in the league, two players no one has heard of. Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph anyone? The rest of the defense is equally as unheralded. They could be this decade's No Name Defense. They are deep and solid. Offense is a question mark though. Plodding running back Cedric Benson had a decent year, but he is overworked and could break down. I would like to see them give Bernard Scott more time, as he could be the fastest running back this side of Chris Johnson. Carson Palmer has never quite recovered from his horrific knee injury in the playoffs a few years ago. He is simply a game manager quarterback at this point. He could bounce back though, because he has never had this many weapons. Terrell Owens, Antonio Bryant and Jermaine Gresham join rejuvenated Chad Ochocinco. The Bengals are deep enough to make a Super Bowl push or crazy enough to finish 4-12. They are the most unpredictable team in the league this year.

4. Cleveland Browns, 3-13. In a very tough division one thing is certain. The Browns will finish in last place once again. They seem to be forever rebuilding, both the old and new Browns. This year they are close to starting from scratch again. Mike Holmgren is in the front office now and he brought plenty of new faces with him. Of course, none of them are any good. Jake Delhomme was a disaster in Carolina and should be just as bad this time. The running game could be decent, as they are running behind a good line, including the star with the average name, Joe Thomas. I still think the Browns are going to have an extremely tough time scoring this season. The defense should keep them in games, as Joe Haden and Sheldon Brown join quite a few good holdovers. Overall though, until Holmgren can get some talent onto the field, especially on offense, the Browns will continue to be the doormat in this division.

2010 NFL Preview: AFC East

2010-08-16T20:37:00.000-04:00

2009: New England Patriots, 10-6
2008: Miami Dolphins, 11-5
2007: New England Patriots, 16-0
2006: New England Patriots, 12-4
2005: New England Patriots, 10-6
2004: New England Patriots, 14-2
2003: New England Patriots, 14-2
2002: New York Jets, 9-7

The Patriots have owned the AFC East since realignment in 2002. The Patriots made a Super Bowl in 2001 then three more representing the new division. For as much pub as they get, they haven't won a Super Bowl since 2004. Of course, we all remember the undefeated season ending with a shocking loss to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. The Dolphins had an amazing 10 win turnaround in 2008 to steal the division from a Tom Brady-less Patriots team, but other then that, New England has hardly been challenged.

1. New York Jets, 11-5. It is Super Bowl or bust for the New York Jets this year. They added big names Antonio Cromartie, Jason Taylor, Santonio Holmes and LaDainian Tomlinson. They bring back the top ranked defense in the National Football League last year. Rex Ryan is a fiery, extreme coach who could burn out quickly but is perfect for now. The Jets also had the best running game in the NFL last year. They replace Thomas Jones with Tomlinson, but make no mistake, Shonn Greene will be the focal point of this offense. Mark Sanchez had a mediocre regular season but helped the Jets get to the AFC title game. He is the reason I think they will finish 11-5 instead of 13-3. This team really is loaded with names and production to match up. They have as good of a shot as anyone to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. I think unless Sanchez takes the next step, and sophomore quarterbacks rarely do, they are still a year away.

2. New England Patriots, 9-7. The Patriots at 9-7? How? I admit the loss of Ty Warren helped me knock a win off their total, but even before that, I can see them on the outside looking in in a very brutal AFC. The Patriots still finished in the top half of the league in total defense, but I think the unit has holes all over the place and could have trouble stopping teams. The offense is stil elite, especially through the air. A running back has yet to step up, but the committee approach worked pretty well last year. As long as the Patriots have Tom Brady, Randy Moss and Wes Welker, they will be a playoff contender. But I think their window to win a Super Bowl has closed. They just don't have the personell, especially on defense, to go all the way. Never count out Tom Brady and Bill Belichick though. 9-7 might just be wishful thinking to me.

3. Miami Dolphins, 9-7. No team made as big of a positional upgrade as the Dolphins did when they added Brandon Marshall and subtracted Ted Ginn. That is like going from James Jones as your starting small forward to LeBron James. It is that big of an upgrade. The Dolphins now have talent sprinkled all over the offense, but how will it come together? The originators of the Wildcat offense will move away from that this year. If Ronnie Brown can stay healthy (yeah right) they have a nice two headed monster with the ageless Ricky Williams. Not to mention the improvement of Chad Henne and the addition of Marshall. The offense could be deadly. The defense, however, is going through changes. Gone are starting outside linebackers Jason Taylor and Joey Porter. Who will replace them? They are set inside with the addition of stud free agent Karlos Dansby. They also have a potentially great cornerback duo in 2009 rookies Vontae Davis and Sean Smith. The line is also full of promising youngsters and solid veteran Randy Starks. If all clicks for Miami they can get back to that 11-5 record they were at a couple years ago, but I think the defense is too young and inexperienced for them to finish with much more then 9 or 10 wins. They will be fun to watch though, and as a Dolphin fan who remembers the Jay Fiedler days, I'll take an entertaining team any day, even if they aren't the best.

4. Buffalo Bills, 2-14. The Bills have not had a winning record since 2004, but hovered around 6 and 7 wins the last half decade. I think that will come crashing down this year, and have the Bills with the first overall pick in the 2011 draft. They just don't have the talent to compete with the other horses in this division. They couldn't find a quarterback, used multiple picks on running backs, and changed their defensive scheme, meaning they have to add a whole new set of players. CJ Spiller already seems to have the backfield to himself, and he should be a nice weapon, but with these quarterbacks and holes all over the offensive line and throughout the defense, they just don't have what it takes to win more then 4 or 5 games in my opinion.

2010 NFL Preview: AFC South

2010-08-15T20:59:00.000-04:00

2009: Indianapolis Colts, 14-2
2008: Tennessee Titans, 13-3
2007: Indianapolis Colts, 13-3
2006: Indianapolis Colts, 12-4
2005: Indianapolis Colts, 14-2
2004: Indianapolis Colts, 12-4
2003: Indianapolis Colts, 12-4
2002: Tennessee Titans, 11-5

The Colts have won an unprecedented 12 or more games every year since 2003. More evidence that Peyton Manning is the best quarterback in NFL history. The Colts also have a Super Bowl title and another appearance to show for the division. The Titans managed to steal a couple division titles through the decade, but for the most part, the Colts have owned the South since it's inception. The Jaguars threatened a couple times, and the Texans finally had a winning record for the first time in their history in 2009.

1. Indianapolis Colts, 13-3. There are few things certain in the NFL. Injuries, coaching changes, free agency can tear apart dynasties and rebuild new ones overnight. But all throughout the decade the surest thing in the NFL has been the Colts winning at least 12 games and contending for a Super Bowl title. And that is mostly due to #18. Like I said above, I think he is the best quarterback in NFL history. He is a coach on the field, and no matter who he is surrounded with, he will deliver. It helps that he has elite passing weapons in Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, but it starts and ends with Peyton Manning. The defense remains mediocre and the running game is non existent, putting the entire franchise on Manning's shoulders. That's why he is paid the big bucks. Expect the Colts to win 12 or more games once again and be in the discussion for another Super Bowl appearance.

2. Tennessee Titans, 9-7. What a strange season for the Titans. They start 0-6, culminating with perhaps the most one sided game in regular season history in losing 59-0 to the Patriots. I watched the game and it wasn't even that close. The Pats let up. But they rebounded to finish with an 8-8 record, and Chris Johnson ran for over 2000 yards. Not to mention Vince Young got his second wind. The Titans will enter 2010 trying to win the same way they have played during Jeff Fisher's very successful tenure. They will run the ball and run some more. The defense has some issues, however. They were horrible last year, especially against the pass. But they have a couple of former pro bowlers in Cortland Finnegan and Michael Griffin, and they should improve. Long time leader Keith Bulluck is gone. I think the offense is good enough to get them back into the playoffs, but the defense must step up if they are going to challenge the Colts.

3. Houston Texans, 7-9. The Texans finally broke though and claimed their first winning season in team history. What do they get for a reward? The toughest schedule in the NFL this year. It is simply brutal. Let's look at what got them that winning record last year. The trade for Matt Schaub continues to be a winner for Houston, as he threw for close to 5000 yards and 30 touchdowns. Andre Johnson is the toughest, strongest receiver in the NFL, catching over 100 balls once again. The defense also greatly improved, finishing in the top half of the league. They have spent first round pick after first round pick on the group. Some of the guys (Travis Johnson, Jason Babin) were duds, the jury is out on Amobi Okoye, Dunta Robinson is gone, and Mario Williams and Brian "Over trained Athlete Syndrome" Cushing were home runs. If the Texans can get a reliable running game and improvement from the defense, they can challenge for a playoff spot. But I think they will have to rely on the pass too much and the schedule is too tough for them to have a winning record. They sure will be exciting to watch, though.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars, 6-10. It wasn't long ago the Jaguars looked like Super Bowl contenders. But they have lost quite a bit of talent since then, and don't really seem to have an identity. Maurice Jones-Drew is a stud, the little man continues to show he's an every down threat. Other then that, they don't have a whole lot going for them. David Garrard has been extremely average during his few years starting. They had several first round busts from receivers to defensive ends. The Jaguars only had 14 sacks last season, one of the most putrid performances in NFL history. The Jaguars had a questionable draft and couldn't add any impact players, meaning they will continue to count on disappointing first round picks like Reggie Nelson and Derrick Harvey. I don't see how the Jaguars can escape the basement, and next year they may have to try with a new head coach.

2010 NFL Preview: NFC East

2010-08-14T21:19:00.000-04:00

Doing it a little bit different this year. It has been 10 years since the NFL went to 8 divisions, so I will give a little recap of how the past decade went for each division. Will try to post a little bit about each team, not too much because there are about 7,000 blogs and sites giving season previews, and give a reason why I came up with the record I came up with. Remember that I predicted every game throughout the year, which is how I came up with the records I did. It's not necessarily how good I think all of the teams are. It's just how the football bounced. Enjoy and feel free to comment!

2009: Dallas Cowboys, 11-5
2008: New York Giants, 12-4
2007: Dallas Cowboys, 13-3
2006: Philadelphia Eagles, 10-6
2005: New York Giants, 11-5
2004: Philadelphia Eagles, 13-3
2003: Philadelphia Eagles, 12-4
2002: Philadelphia Eagles, 12-4
2001: Philadelphia Eagles, 11-5

The Eagles owned this division in the first half of the decade. Thanks to Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb, and a fantastic defense led by the best and deepest secondary in the NFL. But they routinely faltered in the playoffs and only made one Super Bowl. The division many thought was the best in the NFC all decade finally broke through with a championship in 2007 when the New York Giants shocked the world by beating the undefeated New England Patriots. The Redskins were the doormat for the majority of the division, never winning a title, even though they came close a couple times.

2010

1. Dallas Cowboys, 13-3. It has taken the Cowboys a couple years to rebound from that 13-3 and humiliating playoff loss in 2007. But they have the talent to compete for a Super Bowl title, and look like the clear cut favorite to win the division this year. Let's start with the offense, which ranked in the top 7 in total yards, passing and rushing. Tony Romo got the December monkey off his back by winning his last three games. He put up elite numbers, and now gets to throw to Dez Bryant, pushing disappointing Roy Williams to the bench. Three headed monster at running back returns. The defense was also top ten worthy, though they struggled against the pass. Mike Jenkins is getting better and better though and could be a Pro Bowler this year.

2. Philadelphia Eagles, 9-7. Life after Donovan McNabb begins in 2010, but I don't think it will be much of an issue. They shouldn't suffer much with Kevin Kolb behind center. The offense has broken in a lot of young exciting rookies recently, and they could be explosive this year, led by speedsters DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin. The defense has some holes but should remain in the upper half of the league, especially if Ernie Sims can rediscover his game. The front seven is pretty thin though, so injuries could really derail the defense. Why 9-7? The schedule is a killer. They only play three teams with losing records last year (Washington, Detroit, Jacksonville).

3. Washington Redskins, 8-8. The Redskins offense would have been quite the monster in 2005. But in 2010, they have to hope Donovan McNabb has something left (likely) and one of the trio of Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson and Willie Parker can squeeze one more good year out of those legs (less likely). Lost in the 4-12 season last year was the fact that the Redskins had a very solid defense, and that group should lead the team this year. Brian Orakpo and Andre Carter both had very good seasons, but it will be interesting to see if they can continue to produce in the new 3-4. The Redskins have the personell to make the change. 8-8 might be optimistic but I think they can pull it off with Mike Shanahan at the helm and some veteran leadership in McNabb.

4. New York Giants, 7-9. I originally had the Giants at 6-10 but I think they are too talented to be that bad. But they have shown a history of giving up on the head coach. Remember before their magical Super Bowl run Tom Coughlin had one foot out the door? One thing the Giants have is a lethal passing attack. Eli Manning took that leap to just behind elite status, they found a replacement and then some for Plaxico Burress in Steve Smith, who might not be the "other" Steve Smith anymore. Hakeem Nicks should explode this year. Now the bad. The defense was an absolute embarassment the second half of the season, allowing the most points in the league. They mostly return the same players, so they have to hope that a new coordinator is the answer. Also, the running game struggled. Brandon Jacobs once looked like a future beast, but he has battled injuries and ben ineffective when he did play. The Giants have the talent to make the playoffs again, but I think this group of players is just as likely to give up like they have before.

2010 NBA Off Season Recap: Southeast Division

2010-07-19T19:22:00.000-04:00

This is the division everyone is going to talk about. Can the new look Miami Heat knock off the Magic? Should be some great wars in Florida.

1. Miami Heat

C - Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Joel Anthony, Jamaal Magloire, Dexter Pittman
PF - Chris Bosh, Udonis Haslem, Juwan Howard, Jarvis Varnado
SF - LeBron James, James Jones, DaSean Butler
SG - Dwyane Wade, Mike Miller
PG - Mario Chalmers

South Florida is buzzing. The three real Miami Heat fans are estatic, and the 20,000 new Heat fans have bought jerseys by the drove. Why? Because Juwan Howard and Zydrunas Ilgauskas are in town! Oh, and that guy named LeBron decided to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. I won't get into the piggybacking debate, I am sure you have read that everywhere by now. The Heat have to be the favorite to come out of the Eastern Conference right now. It will be interesting to see how Wade and James play together. Chris Bosh should be a nice third option, but he could become the forgotten NBA superstar. Although he spent his first 7 years mostly out of the playoffs in Canada, so he might be used to that already. The Heat added a plethora of big men and resigned some of their own. They should be good there. James Jones and Mike Miller provide outside shooting and they should add another point guard in the future.

2. Orlando Magic

C - Dwight Howard, Marcin Gortat, Daniel Orton
PF - Rashard Lewis, Brandon Bass, Ryan Anderson
SF - Mickael Pietrus, Quentin Richardson, Stanley Robinson
SG - Vince Carter, JJ Redick
PG - Jameer Nelson, Chris Duhon

The Orlando Magic have not been able to add an impact player this off season, but they continue to gather assets. They resigned JJ Redick, pushing them even further into luxury tax territory. Quentin Richardson takes over for Matt Barnes. He provides more outside shooting. Chris Duhon is a very unspectacular, but solid backup point guard. Other then that it looks like they might go with Rashard Lewis at the stretch four and give Vince Carter one more shot to redeem himself in his home town. Marcin Gortat and Brandon Bass return as little used well paid backup big men. I have to think there will still be a trade in the future, as Otis Smith has shown that he's not afraid to make some big moves. Especially with the Heat taking over the division. It also would help if Dwight Howard develops on offense. There is no reason he shouldn't be a 25 ppg scorer by now.

3. Atlanta Hawks

C - Al Horford, Zaza Pachulia
PF - Josh Smith
SF - Marvin Williams, Maurice Evans
SG - Joe Johnson, Jamal Crawford, Jordan Crawford
PG - Mike Bibby, Jeff Teague

The Atlanta Hawks return pretty much the exact same squad as last year. They resigned Joe Johnson to an insane contract extension. But he has risen the Hawks from mediocrity and delivered them a 50 win season. They really don't have any chance to make it past the second round of the playoffs, if they even get that far. Al Horford continues to become a very solid center, Josh Smith is electrifying at power forward. Jamal Crawford is the best scoring backup in the league, and they added more offense with Jordan Crawford. If Jeff Teague can develop they could be alright because Mike Bibby is nearing the end of his career. The Hawks should still easily make the playoffs, but I can't see them making any noise once they get there.

4. Charlotte Bobcats

C - Nazr Mohammed, DeSagana Diop, Erick Dampier
PF - Boris Diaw, Tyrus Thomas, Eduardo Najera
SF - Gerald Wallace, Dominic McGuire
SG - Stephen Jackson, Gerald Henderson, Matt Carroll
PG - DJ Augustin, Shaun Livingston

The Bobcats finally broke through and made the playoffs last year. Due to Gerald Wallace staying healthy and having an All Star season and the great acquisition of Stephen Jackson, the Bobcats had the best season in their history. It is hard to see them being any better this year. Their drafting has been absolutely worthless, as high picks Adam Morrison, Sean May and Gerald Henderson have provided next to nothing for the team. Even guys like Emeka Okafor, Raymond Felton and DJ Augustin haven't been what they were projected to be. The Bobcats have added their best players with trades, the latest being Tyrus Thomas. He was nice for the Cats and received a nice contract extension. He could be their best big man. This team does have athleticism, especially when you put Wallace, Diaw and Thomas on the court at the same time. This team's undoing will be their lack of any back to the basket big men. Nazr Mohammed has been an average starter for a long time, and somehow DeSagana Diop is still in the league.

5. Washington Wizards

C - JaVale McGee, Hilton Armstrong, Hamady N'diaye
PF - Andray Blatche, Yi Jianlian, Trevor Booker, Kevin Seraphin
SF - Al Thornton
SG - Gilbert Arenas, Nick Young
PG - John Wall, Kirk Hinrich

The bounce of the ping pong balls saved this franchise, bar none. The catastrophic 2009-2010 season caused them to give away three of their starters for next to nothing. If this team would have simply added a player like Al-Farouq Aminu they could have been hopeless for years. Instead they add the most electrifying rookie in the draft and a true face of the franchise. John Wall is a stud bar none, and the Derrick Rose comparisons have already started. He is a special talent and should lead this team for the next decade. Other then that they chose so far to go with what they have. They do have some talent other then Wall. Andray Blatche has attitude problems, but he was a 20-10 guy the last third of the season and there's no reason that can't continue. They added Yi Jianlian on the cheap and have JaVale McGee developing as a shot blocking, offensive rebounding center. And let's not forget Gilbert Arenas is still there. He has hardly played the last three years so he should be fresh. I am of the opinion that he will do just fine as a scoring off guard next to the tall, strong Wall. Kirk Hinrich was a very solid addition as a backup combo guard. The back court is in good hands.

2010 NBA Off Season Recap: Central Division

2010-07-17T10:38:00.000-04:00

There will be monstrous changes in this division, as the Cavaliers are going to fall off the edge of a cliff, and the Bulls finally have some star power and stability.

1. Chicago Bulls

C - Joakim Noah, Omer Asik
PF - Carlos Boozer, Taj Gibson
SF - Luol Deng, James Johnson
SG - Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver
PG - Derrick Rose

The Bulls didn't land any of the big three, but I still think they have done very well for themselves. They added three players that started last season with the Jazz. The key here is Carlos Boozer, of course. The Bulls haven't had a big man who can create his own offense and score consistently since Elton Brand. He is a pro at the pick and roll from his Jazz days, and him and Derrick Rose could be a lethal combo. Luol Deng is a very good third option who had his best season last year and still is only 25 years old. They surround those three with a nice variety of role players. Starting with Joakim Noah, who might be out sized at center but is the perfect hustle player. He can rebound, block shots, get put backs and get under the opposing big man's skin. Kyle Korver offers much needed three point shooting. The Bulls would have loved to get JJ Redick for more shooting, but wind up with Ronnie Brewer, who is more of a slasher. Young big man Taj Gibson is a solid rebounder and nice first big man off the bench.

2. Milwaukee Bucks

C - Andrew Bogut, Tiny Gallon
PF - Drew Gooden, Ersan Ilyasova, Larry Sanders
SF - Corey Maggette, Luc Mbah a Moute, Darington Hobson
SG - John Salmons, Carlos Delfino, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Michael Redd
PG - Brandon Jennings

The Bucks were the biggest surprise in the league last season in my opinion. And they had a very productive off season. They know they won't attract any big name superstars, so they have to be creative to add talent. They signed Drew Gooden to a solid, if not overpaid, contract. He has bounced around coming up on Chucky Brown levels, but with some stability he should be productive next to superstar in waiting Andrew Bogut. Corey Maggette has become a huge ballhog, but now that he has some real coaching he should be a nice fit. John Salmons was great when he came over from the Bulls and surprisingly resigned. Brandon Jennings should be even better, as his shooting percentage won't be that bad again. Not to mention they have Michael Redd's huge expiring deal should they choose to swing a trade. There are no superstars here, but if Bogut can stay healthy, they could approach 50 wins.

3. Detroit Pistons

C - Ben Wallace, Greg Monroe, Chris Wilcox
PF - Charlie Villanueva, Jonas Jerebko, Jason Maxiell
SF - Tayshaun Prince, Austin Daye
SG - Richard Hamilton, Ben Gordon
PG - Rodney Stuckey, Terrico White

It is hard to figure out how the Pistons stand this year. They still have Tayshaun Prince and Rip Hamilton from the great Piston teams. Ben Wallace somehow managed to pull another good season out of his hat. But injuries to Prince and Hamilton and bad seasons from free agent signings Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon caused the Pistons to plummet. The free fall started late in 2008-2009 as well, so this could be the Pistons for good. It looks like they are going to roll with the same squad this year, with the addition of passing big man Greg Monroe. If Rodney Stuckey and the new free agents step up, they could get back into the playoffs. But more realistically they will trade Hamilton and Stuckey, and go with the young guys like Monroe, Stuckey, Jonas Jerebko and Austin Daye. It is time to move on and let these guys finish their careers on other, better teams.

4. Indiana Pacers

C - Roy Hibbert, Jeff Foster
PF - Troy Murphy, Tyler Hansbrough, Solomon Jones, Magnum Rolle
SF - Danny Granger, Paul George
SG - Dahntay Jones, Mike Dunleavy, Brandon Rush
PG - TJ Ford, AJ Price, Lance Stephenson

The cupboard isn't bare in Indiana, but that could be the problem. They are good enough to win 30-40 games and pick around 10, but not good enough to make the playoffs. They were on pace to pick in the top five until they got hot at the end of the season. That was the difference between DeMarcus Cousins and Paul George. The Pacers need to find a way to add some elite talent to a roster that has become stagnant. Danny Granger is close to a superstar, Roy Hibbert is a nice up and coming big man, and they have some young wing players who could develop. But they are hand tied by Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy's contracts. Luckily for the Pacers both of those guys come off the books this season. As does TJ Ford. In fact, the Pacers will be players in the free agent summer of 2011 (if there is no lockout, of course), with over 40 million in contracts coming off the books.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers

C - Anderson Varejao
PF - JJ Hickson, Leon Powe
SF - Antawn Jamison, Jamario Moon
SG - Delonte West, Anthony Parker
PG - Mo Williams, Daniel Gibson, Sebastian Telfair

This is not quite the Bulls after Michael Jordan left, but the exit of LeBron James has crippled this franchise. The team is now composed of large contracts for role players. Antawn Jamison is now the defacto leader of this team, and he should put up 20-10 numbers, simply because there are no other options. Mo Williams will have to become more of a scorer. There really isn't much to say about this team right now, as they will have to draft very wisely the next few years and they could climb out of this hole. But for now, it is a team in chaos that doesn't have the necessary pieces to rebound from this LeBron disaster.

2010 NBA Off Season Recap: Pacific Division

2010-07-16T17:02:00.002-04:00

With Amare Stoudemire gone from this division it looks like it could be the biggest runaway of any division except for maybe the Atlantic. It's the Lakers then everyone else a distant second.

1. Los Angeles Lakers

C - Andrew Bynum
PF - Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Derrick Caracter
SF - Ron Artest, Luke Walton, Devin Ebanks
SG - Kobe Bryant, Sasha Vujacic
PG - Derek Fisher, Steve Blake

The Lakers haven't really made any changes. They didn't need to. They added two guys in the second round who could make the team this year as 11th and 12th guys. They only added one player, Steve Blake, who could play 15-20 minutes. Derek Fisher is back to waste away the regular season and hit some big shots in the playoffs. If Shannon Brown is resigned then everyone who played meaningful minutes for the champs last year will be back. The key will be if the Lakers can win another championship without superstar Adam Morrison, who is on to bigger and better things.

2. Phoenix Suns

C - Robin Lopez, Channing Frye
PF - Hedo Turkoglu, Hakim Warrick, Gani Lawal, Dwayne Collins
SF - Josh Childress, Jared Dudley, Earl Clark
SG - Jason Richardson, Grant Hill
PG - Steve Nash, Goran Dragic

It's hard to figure out the Suns. For years they were cheap when spending a bit of money could have delivered them a championship, they let Amare Stoudemire go then sign a couple backup level players. Not to mention they took on a huge contract in Hedo Turkoglu. Now they have quite a few undersized, soft big men to pair with a good back court of Jason Richardson and Steve Nash. I think they are still good enough to make the playoffs as long as Nash is there, but with this collection of soft bigs I don't see them standing a chance once they get there.

3. Los Angeles Clippers

C - Chris Kaman, DeAndre Jordan
PF - Blake Griffin, Brian Cook
SF - Al-Farouq Aminu, Ryan Gomes
SG - Eric Gordon, Randy Foye, Willie Warren
PG - Baron Davis, Eric Bledsoe

Like we always seem to say about the Clippers. They have some young pieces and could be on the verge of making the playoffs. Then someone gets hurt and they end up in the lottery again. They essentially add two rookies to the starting lineup with Blake Griffin and Al-Farouq Aminu. It will be interesting to see how Griffin comes back from missing a whole year. His game was predicated on explosiveness and leaping. Hopefully he bounces back better then Greg Oden has. Aminu has looked up and down during the Summer League, and while it's just the Summer League, the Clippers should really have tried to find someone to start at the position. The free agent well has dried up, however, and they only added a couple backup caliber players in Ryan Gomes and Randy Foye. Eric Gordon continues his nice development, and Chris Kaman puts up numbers. Also, Baron Davis is still effective when healthy.

4. Golden St. Warriors

C - Andris Biedrins, Dan Gadzuric, Ekpe Udoh
PF - David Lee, Brandan Wright
SF - Dorell Wright, Reggie Williams, Vladimir Radmanovic
SG - Monta Ellis
PG - Stephen Curry, Charlie Bell

The Warriors, always retooling and rebuilding. Good news is with new ownership aboard the Don Nelson nightmare may be over soon. Like always, the Warriors do have interesting pieces. They added David Lee, while overpaid and with inflated stats, is a good player. If Andris Biedrins can bounce back from a lost season, they have two scrappy players who can rebound the ball and score. Lee has also developed a nice mid range jump shot. Of course, the back court is what make the Warriors go. Stephen Curry was so much better then advertised last year, and Monta Ellis is a scoring machine. They drafted Ekpe Udoh a very high 6th overall, and he will probably miss half the season. I thought Greg Monroe would have been a better pick and we'll see if Udoh ever bounces back from the lost time.

5. Sacramento Kings

C - Samuel Dalembert, DeMarcus Cousins
PF - Carl Landry, Jason Thompson, Hassan Whiteside
SF - Omri Casspi, Donte Greene
SG - Francisco Garcia
PG - Tyreke Evans, Beno Udrih

While I am ranking the Kings 5th and don't think they will win more then 25 games in 2010-2011, I love their future and how they are rebuilding this team. This team is extremely young and talented, led by ROY Tyreke Evans. They added a veteran in Samuel Dalembert, but I wouldn't call him veteran leadership. Still, he fits with the Kings well, his blocked shots should start a lot of fast breaks. Carl Landry is as underrated and productive as they come, and they have a lot of young big men in Jason Thompson, Hassan Whiteside and DeMarcus Cousins. I expect Cousins to become one of the best centers in the league in the next few years. Donte Greene also continues to come on and could score around 15 ppg this year. The Kings are going to be bad this year, but they are following the Oklahoma City Thunder blueprint. With cap space and a lot of young talent, Sacramento will be back soon enough.

2010 NBA Off Season Recap: Atlantic Division

2010-07-15T11:57:00.000-04:00

The Atlantic has been a one horse race the last few years and it looks like that will be no different this year.

1. Boston Celtics

C - Jermaine O'Neal, Glen Davis, Semih Erden, Kendrick Perkins
PF - Kevin Garnett, Luke Harangody
SF - Paul Pierce
SG - Ray Allen, Avery Bradley
PG - Rajon Rondo

The Big Three return for another shot at the title. Depth is nill right now, especially with Kendrick Perkins out until probably January or so. Signing Jermaine O'Neal helps, but it's still a downgrade as he is not able to guard the Dwight Howard's of the NBA as well. Still, when perkins comes back O'Neal and Big Baby will give them a solid group of big men. Losing Tony Allen hurts, but as the free agency period marches on they should be able to fill out their roster with veterans like they have been doing the last couple of years.

2. Philadelphia 76ers

C - Elton Brand, Spencer Hawes, Jason Smith
PF - Thaddeus Young, Marreese Speights
SF - Andre Iguodala, Andres Nocioni, Jason Kapono
SG - Evan Turner, Willie Green, Jodie Meeks
PG - Jrue Holiday, Lou Williams

The Sixers really underachieved last year but there is reason for optimism. First, Jrue Holiday really came on towards the end of the year and looks like a solid starting point guard for the future. They also added versatile back court running mate Evan Turner in the draft. Andre Iguodala is still around for now, which I think is a good move. Sure, him and Turner's games may be a bit redundant, but it should cause matchup problems. They traded Samuel Dalembert for solid depth in Spencer Hawes and Andres Nocioni. Both of those guys should help. But the Sixers are still undersized, especially if they go with a starting front court of Elton Brand and Thaddeus Young. The Sixers need to get something out of Brand if they expect to have a chance. The bench is solid with Lou Williams, Willie Green and Marreese Speights rounding it out.

3. New York Knicks

C - Amare Stoudemire, Timofey Mozgov, Eddy Curry, Jerome Jordan
PF - Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf
SF - Wilson Chandler, Bill Walker, Landry Fields
SG - Danilo Gallinari, Kelenna Azubuike, Andy Rautins
PG - Raymond Felton, Toney Douglas

The Knicks struck out on LeBron James but hit a double with Amare Stoudemire. I say double and not home run because they are paying him a ton of money, and he could break down at any moment. Still, the Knicks finally have someone who can be the face of the franchise again and he should put up monster numbers in Mike D'Antoni's system. Other then that the cupboard is pretty bare. Which is okay because they are being smart and saving money for the summers of 2011 and 2012, with Carmelo Anthony, Tony Parker and Chris Paul their targets. I do absolutely love the sign and trade they did for David Lee. Instead of losing the guy for nothing, they turn him into three players who will round out the rotation. Anthony Randolph should step into the starting power forward spot and produce good numbers right away. The Knicks will be killed on defense, but at least they will be exciting to watch.

4. New Jersey Nets

C - Brook Lopez, Johan Petro, Brian Zoubek
PF - Derrick Favors, Kris Humphries
SF - Travis Outlaw, Anthony Morrow, Damion James
SG - Terrence Williams, Courtney Lee, Quinton Ross
PG - Devin Harris, Jordan Farmar, Ben Uzoh

I have no doubt the Nets new ownership will get things done in time, but it will be a slower process. They were unable to add any significant free agents, most likely due to their 12-70 record. Instead they used their money to fill out the roster with role players. They could double their win total, but anything more then that is unrealistic in my opinion. They have a nice point guard/big man combo in Devin Harris and Brook Lopez. Derrick Favors could be a monster in time, and Terrence Williams has a very nice all around game. Courtney Lee can shoot the three and Anthony Morrow and Travis Outlaw can score as well. Still, the Nets have to be very disappointed they were unable to land a marquee player. They still have the cap room to try again next year, though.

5. Toronto Raptors

C - Andrea Bargnani, Solomon Alabi, Dwayne Jones
PF - Amir Johnson, Ed Davis, Reggie Evans
SF - DeMar DeRozan, Linas Kleiza (offer sheet)
SG - Leandro Barbosa, Marco Belinelli
PG - Jarrett Jack, Jose Calderon, Marcus Banks

Toronto has had as many great players come through their team as anyone in the NBA, but they just cannot keep their stars. So they are continuously rebuilding, and that continues this year. Chris Bosh is gone, leaving the cupboard very bare. The Raptors amazingly managed to get out of Hedo Turkoglu's contract, and almost rid themselves of Jose Calderon in the same trade. The Raptors could be the worst team in the NBA. But they do have some talent. DeMar DeRozan looks like he could be the next guy to become a very good player and then force his way out of Toronto. Andrea Bargnani might be there for the long haul, though. The first overall pick continues to improve despite having to play center. Other then that, there isn't much to get excited about with this current group of Raptors.

2010 NBA Off Season Recap: Northwest Division

2010-07-14T19:08:00.001-04:00

It has been two weeks since the start of free agency. Most of the big players have already changed teams or resigned. Expect a ton of trades to continue to go down. But it's been two weeks, so let's take a look at how the teams are transforming. We'll start with my favorite team, Denver's, division.

1. Denver Nuggets

C - Nene, Chris Andersen, Brian Butch
PF - Al Harrington, Kenyon Martin, Shelden Williams
SF - Carmelo Anthony, Renaldo Balkman
SG - Arron Afflalo, JR Smith
PG - Chauncey Billups, Ty Lawson, Anthony Carter

The Nuggets have only made one major move, and that was adding more offense in big man Al Harrington. He is not the best player out there, a chucker who can't rebound for his position, but he offers some much needed depth in the front court. They now have four players who can do different things. The problem is the other three big men continue to have trouble staying healthy. The back court remains the same with Anthony Carter resigning. The key is Carmelo Anthony, as Nuggets fans continue to pray that he agrees to an extension.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder

C - Serge Ibaka, Cole Aldrich, Nick Collison, BJ Mullens
PF - Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic, DJ White
SF - Kevin Durant, Morris Peterson, Kyle Weaver, Latavious Williams
SG - Thabo Sefolosha, James Harden, Daequan Cook
PG - Russell Westbrook, Eric Maynor

Oklahoma City has chosen to continue to build through the draft. They have added one more piece to a very impressive core in Cole Aldrich. Aldrich might only be a slightly better version of Nick Collison, but I think he can become at least a serviceable starting center. Daequan Cook and Morris Peterson might see a few minutes as well. But honestly, they just need for young guys Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Serge Ibaka to continue to improve.

3. Portland Trail Blazers

C - Marcus Camby, Joel Przybilla, Greg Oden
PF - LaMarcus Aldridge, Luke Babbitt
SF - Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews (offer sheet)
SG - Brandon Roy, Rudy Fernandez, Elliot Williams
PG - Andre Miller, Jerryd Bayless, Armon Johnson

The Blazers threw quite a bit of money at Wesley Matthews to keep him from going to a division rival. He is a nice shooter who should be the first wing player off the bench. They also added a couple more first round draft picks in Luke Babbitt and Elliot Williams. The Blazers love to cycle in and out young players. The key though will be the health of the big men, especially Greg Oden. Anything they get from him this year will be a bonus, as Marcus Camby is the man at center now. Also, rumors have the Blazers refusing to trade Nicolas Batum for a top five draft pick, so they are expecting quite a bit from him. Health is key for Portland, as they have a very good starting five and a deep bench.

4. Utah Jazz

C - Al Jefferson, Mehmet Okur
PF - Paul Millsap
SF - Andrei Kirilenko, Gordon Hayward, Jeremy Evans
SG - CJ Miles
PG - Deron Williams, Ronnie Price

Al Jefferson is no Carlos Boozer, but the Jazz now have an intriguing and deep three man big rotation. Jefferson is your classic back to the basket beast. Millsap does the dirty work and Okur can step out and hit the three. This team is still Deron Williams though, he is a monster who should be an All Star for many years to come. The wing positions are in some flux with Wesley Matthews probably not coming back. Andrei Kirilenko is better off being a backup, as is CJ Miles. Jerry Sloan likes to work his rookies in slowly, but they could really use Gordon Hayward's shooting right away. They need to sign another wing player.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves

C - Darko Milicic, Nikola Pekovic, Kosta Koufos
PF - Kevin Love, Michael Beasley, Ryan Hollins
SF - Wesley Johnson, Martell Webster, Lazar Hayward
SG - Corey Brewer, Wayne Ellington
PG - Jonny Flynn, Luke Ridnour, Ramon Sessions

David Kahn is on quite a rampage. He continues to move players in and out like he is running a fantasy league. The Wolves can at least say they are somewhat deep. They now have five starters who might not be better then the five players backing them up. He started the off-season by being duped by Darko Milicic like GM's before him by signing him to a ridiculous contract. Then he was happy enough with that move that he traded their best players and only thing to show from the Kevin Garnett trade for a couple draft picks that will be in the late teens or 20's. Getting Michael Beasley for nothing was nice, but he just seems to have absolutely no plan. The signing of Luke Ridnour shows that. This will be the worst team in the West, bar none.

2011 NBA Mock Draft v. 1.0

2010-07-11T12:43:00.000-04:00

The talk of the NBA world is and will be LeBron James and the Miami Heat for quite a while. But for fans of the 20 or so NBA teams that have no shot at winning an NBA title, it is never too early to look towards the prospects for next year. The draft could be a lot different if a lockout happens, but for now it looks like it will be yet another draft full of one and done players, as college basketball has become nothing more then minor leagues for NBA teams.

Draft order based on quick standings of how I think the teams are right now. Next mock draft won't be until I do my official predictions some time in October.

1. Minnesota Timberwolves - SF Harrison Barnes, Fr., North Carolina. The clear number one prospect in the draft right now. Not a jaw dropping athlete, but he can do everything on the court well. Put the 74 average wing players on the Wolves together and you get Barnes.

2. Washington Wizards - SF/PF Perry Jones, Fr., Baylor. By far the biggest prospect Baylor has ever landed, Jones is closing in on 7 foot but can do the things a younger Lamar Odom used to do. He could step right in and play small or power forward for the Wizards.

3. Toronto Raptors - PF/C Enes Kanter, Fr., Kentucky. An absolutely perfect fit for the Raptors, who are looking to reshape their front court after losing Chris Bosh. Kanter can shoot like the Raptors want their big men to do, but can also bang down low. His presence will allow Bargnani to focus on power forward.

4. Sacramento Kings - PG Brandon Knight, Fr., Kentucky. Yet another John Calipari point guard who goes in the top five, following Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans and John Wall. He will allow the Kings to have an exciting back court where both guards can bring up the rock or play off the ball, causing all sorts of mismatches.

5. New Jersey Nets - SF/PF Jan Vesely, Czech Republic. Vesely would have been a lottery pick in 2010, and another year to hone his game should help him shoot up the draft boards. Of course he can shoot, but at 6'11 he is talented enough to lead a fast break or drive to the hoop.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers - PF Jared Sullinger, Fr., Ohio St. The Cavs might not be picking this high because they plan on using their newfound cap space to bring in a marquee player. Maybe Al Jefferson. But right now I have them taking a player similar to Big Al. Sullinger is an Ohio product who is the best back to the basket big man in this draft. He has weight concerns but could be a beast.

7. Detroit Pistons - PG Kyrie Irving, Fr., Duke. If the Pistons draft this high again it could be because the Rodney Stuckey point guard experiment is a failure. Drafting the best true point guard in the draft would move Stuckey to a backup guard role he is better suited for.

8. Golden St. Warriors - PG/SG Josh Selby, Fr., Kansas. Josh Selby looks like he could be a perfect fit for the Warriors, who don't really have defined back court positions. Selby is an undersized, but extremely talented, shooting guard.

9. Charlotte Bobcats - PF Trey Thompkins, Jr., Georgia. Hey look, an upper classmen! The Bobcats like to take productive college players and then never play them. Thompkins is a talented big man who won't wow you. Sounds like a Bobcat to me.

10. Philadelphia 76ers - PF Donatas Motiejunas, Lithuania. The Sixers are starting to become somewhat deep, so they can afford to draft a talent like Motiejunas 10th overall. He could form a nice inside/outside tandem with banger Mareese Speights in the future.

11. New Orleans Hornets - SF Kyle Singler, Sr., Duke. If Gordan Hayward can go 9th overall then I see Singler as a lottery lock. Teams love those tall white guys who can shoot the three.

12. Los Angeles Clippers - SG William Buford, Jr., Ohio St. Buford could explode now that Evan Turner is out of the way. He could be the best shooting guard in the draft, and immediately ready to contribute.

13. Phoenix Suns - SF/PF John Henson, So., North Carolina. With more and more teams going to smaller lineups, guys like Henson could find roles in the NBA. He would be a great fit with the Suns.

14. Utah Jazz - PF Mason Plumlee, So., Duke. The third Dookie going off the board in the lottery, the Champs look like a good bet to repeat. Plumlee didn't play much as a freshman but has great hops and could explode with a bigger role.

15. Indiana Pacers - PG Kemba Walker, Jr., Connecticut. The Pacers continue their quest for a point guard. Walker is very talented and quick but still needs to learn how to play the position.

16. Houston Rockets (from New York Knicks) - SF Elias Harris, So., Gonzaga. Harris is mature for a sophomore and can do a lot of things pretty well, none great. Sounds like a good fit for a deep Rockets team full of role players.

17. Utah Jazz (from Memphis Grizzlies) - SG Alec Burks, So., Colorado. Burks came out of nowhere to be the best Colorado prospect since Chauncey Billups. The Jazz could be losing Wesley Matthews, and could use some more talent at the wing positions.

18. Milwaukee Bucks - SF CJ Leslie, Fr., North Carolina St. The Bucks are suddenly a very deep and veteran squad. So they now can afford to take some young guys and develop them for the future.

19. Portland Trail Blazers - PF/C Jonas Valunciunas, Lithuania. The Blazers seem to love adding rookies even though they don't really need to. Maybe they'll take the overseas stash guy this year.

20. New York Knicks (from Houston Rockets) - PG/SG Cory Joseph, Fr., Texas. Joseph is similar to Avery Bradley last year and could have the same type of impact for the Longhorns. He doesn't have a true position but is talented enough to get some minutes for the Knicks.

21. Atlanta Hawks - PF Renardo Sidney, So., Mississippi St. Sidney is a big, strong banger who has had a troubling Mississippi St. career. If he can actually stay on the court he should be a first round pick.

22. Chicago Bulls - SG LaceDarius Dunn, Sr., Baylor. More and more of these smaller college scorers are finding roles on NBA teams. Dunn has been very productive and the Bulls could use some back court depth.

23. Denver Nuggets - PF Derrick Williams, So., Arizona. The Nuggets need to find some way to add young talent to this team. Williams is a raw, athletic big man who could be a perfect fit.

24. Oklahoma City Thunder - SF Jeff Taylor, Jr., Vanderbilt. The Thunder are very deep now but add a productive college wing.

25. San Antonio Spurs - PF/C Aaric Murray, So., LaSalle. I guarantee you have not heard of this guy (me neither) but he has buzz as a big man who can step out and shoot the ball. Sounds like a Spur to me.

26. Boston Celtics - SF Wesley Witherspoon, Jr., Memphis. Boston just continues to take guys to fill out the end of their bench.

27. Dallas Mavericks - SF Jordan Hamilton, So., Texas. Dallas is another deep team that can just draft BPA to fill out their roster.

28. Orlando Magic - SG Travis Leslie, Jr., Georgia. The Magic are thin on the wing positions, Leslie can jump out of the gym but is still learning how to play basketball.

29. Los Angeles Lakers - PG/SG Jimmer Fredette, Sr., BYU. A great shooter who can't really play defense or run the point guard position. But he is talented and could find minutes as a triangle point guard.

30. Toronto Raptors (from Miami Heat) - PG Corey Fisher, Sr., Villanova. Fisher finally moves to the point guard position for Villanova, the Raptors could use a young guy to groom for the position.

2010 NBA Off Season Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves

2010-05-26T11:14:00.000-04:00

2009-2010 record: 15-67

Unrestricted free agents: Mark Blount, Darko Milicic, Damien Wilkins, Oleksiy Pecherov, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Alando Tucker, Chucky Atkins, Brian Cardinal

C - Al Jefferson, Ryan Hollins
PF - Kevin Love, Nathan Jawai
SF - Ryan Gomes
SG - Corey Brewer, Wayne Ellington
PG - Jonny Flynn, Ramon Sessions

The Timberwolves just finished up another pathetic season. David Kahn was the butt of many jokes all season after the whole Jonny Flynn/Ricky Rubio draft, and could be the butt of a new set of jokes if he seriously brings back Darko Milicic to be his starting center, as he has already talked about. But besides that, the Wolves have a ton of holes on their roster, mainly a true center, a scoring wing and a bench.

Their two best players both play the same position. Power forward. It is clear that neither one can hack it at the center position. It is unfair to ask Al Jefferson or Kevin Love to defend even average centers, let alone the actual big men with offensive talent. They are just too out manned. It is time that one of these players be moved for a real center, or a shooting guard who can score. My guess is it will be Love. He was the personal choice of now gone GM Kevin McHale. He is a good player, a double double machine who can step out and hit a three pointer every now and then, and should be able to fetch a nice wing player if they so choose.

Jefferson saw his points, rebounds, blocks and minutes drop last year, maybe from the wear and tear of having to play center. Or maybe because teams could double and triple team him, knowing there was no other scoring threat on the floor. Either way, he is still the center of this team and a 20-10 threat. The Wolves just need to find a way to surround him with some talent so he doesn't end up like the guy he was traded for, Kevin Garnett. He is an offensive power forward, and needs to play with a defensive minded center so he can be used for what he does best.

One of the nicest surprises of the season was Corey Brewer, who was close to bust status before breaking out with a nice season in 2009-2010. He may be no more then a sixth man, but if the Wolves don't upgrade the wing positions, at least they know he can score 13 points per game and help them with some solid

defense and shooting. Kind of a Tayshaun Prince light.

Not to mention that the Wolves actually did get some production out of the 2009 draft. Jonny Flynn started all but the last game of the season for the Wolves, even though they brought in Ramon Sessions. It was an up and down season for Flynn, who showed that he is more of a scoring point guard then a passing one. He looks like he should have a lock on that position.

Other then that the Wolves are full of role players and journeymen. There is not nearly enough talent on the roster right now for them to make a playoff push. They will have plenty of cap space, with everyone but Jefferson making less then 4.3 million dollars. But, any free agents worth a damn will not want to go to Minnesota. They may be better signing a veteran or two with depth, trading Love and just continuing to build through the draft. It is going to be a long road back to the playoffs in Minnesota.

Draft Discussion

The Wolves were big losers on lottery night once again. They will pick fourth. They would obviously love to move up to second to take Evan Turner, but will have to dangle more then the 4th and 16th overall picks to make that happen. They have three picks in the first round, but will probably only use two and trade the third like they did last year.

At fourth overall, I think it comes down to DeMarcus Cousins and Wesley Johnson. Cousins would be my pick. He is a legit 7 foot load down low. If they do draft him it might make sense to trade Jefferson instead of Love, as I think Cousins and Love would compliment each other better. But teams seem to be weary of Cousins weight and attitude problems. I still he'd be worth the risk at this point in the draft. He plays at a premium position and had a monster year at Kentucky.

If they go with Johnson, he will offer an all around game at the small forward position, which is a huge hole in Minnesota. Still, I'd go with Cousins.

With their second pick, they could go with that athletic wing player with size like James Anderson, Paul George, Gordon Heyward or Luke Babbitt.

Like I said, I think they will trade their third pick. They really don't have a need for three more rookies.

2010 NBA Off Season Preview: New Jersey Nets

2010-05-24T11:47:00.000-04:00

New Jersey Nets

2010 record: 12-70

Unrestricted free agents: Bobby Simmons, Tony Battie, Trenton Hassell, Rafer Alston, Shawne Williams, Jarvis Hayes, Sean Williams, Chris Quinn
Team option: Keyon Dooling, Chris Douglas-Roberts
Player option: Kris Humphries

C - Brook Lopez, Josh Boone
PF - Yi Jianlian, Kris Humphries (P)
SF - Terrence Williams
SG - Courtney Lee
PG - Devin Harris

The New Jersey Nets just completed one of the worst seasons in NBA history, but there are some bright spots. Most notably, new ownership. Russian bad ass Mikhail Prokhorov recently took control of the team, and he is getting his hands dirty. He wants to market the team globally, move them to Brooklyn, change the team name and more. But how will all this help them in 2010-2011? Well, they have a ton of cap space, the third pick in the draft, and unlike many teams with this bad of a record, some young talent.

Let's start with the good.

Brook Lopez. It was a head scratcher when he fell to 10th in the 2008 draft. Since then he has played in all 164 games in two seasons, and this year approached 20 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 50% field goal shooting and 80% from the free throw line. And he only averages 3 fouls per game, meaning he can stay on the court for most of the game. A real center with offensive talent is hard to come by and a player the Nets should construct their roster around.

Devin Harris. After a very rough start to the season, he really came on the second half. He might not be a franchise point guard, but he is a good starter, and with the Nets not lucking out on John Wall, will be counted on in 2010-2011. He showed how good he could be in February, averaging 20 points and 9 assists that month.

Courntey Lee and Terrence Williams. These two both had some serious ups and downs this season, but could be the starting shooting guard and small forwards if no upgrades are brought alone. At worst, one of them will make a good sixth man. Lee is basically a scorer, who really decided he wanted to shoot and shoot some more from the 3 point line. He made 33% of his shots, which isn't bad, and could be a 15 point per game scorer next year. Williams playing time was up and down for much of the season, but he ended the year with an insane triple double and can fill up the stat sheet.

Other then that, there really isn't too much to be excited about. Chris Douglas-Roberts had an okay season, and with a low team option he may be back next year. Yi Jianlian had another mediocre season and doesn't look right now like he is a starting power forward. With the Nets picking third, it could be a good idea to draft Derrick Favors, which would be an upgrade almost immediately.

What the Nets also have is cap space. Lots of it. While I would love to see LeBron James play with Brook Lopez and Devin Harris, it is not a realistic option. He can't justify leaving a 60+ win team for a team that won 12 games last year. Not to mention will be playing in Newark for a couple years. But there are plenty of good players available, such as Joe Johnson, Amare Stoudemire, Chris Bosh and David Lee. Would Lee and Johnson work with this team? Who knows.

What we do know is the Nets have three of the top 31 picks in the draft, young talent and an owner who is committed to making things happen. It should be an interesting off-season for the Nets.

Draft discussion.

The Nets have the 3rd, 30th and 31st picks in the draft. They really missed out on #1 and #2, which would have brought them instant starters in John Wall or Evan Turner. But they at least get to pick third. I think Derrick Favors is the guy. He is still raw, yes, but Yi Jianlian will pose no threat to Favors minutes and development. He is a high flyer who could be one of those 6'9 guys who win a slam dunk contest. I think we would be talking about him more if he played for a Kentucky instead of a Georgia Tech. Even if the Nets bring along a Carlos Boozer, David Lee or Chris Bosh, Favors would still be a good first big man off the bench. Still, he's no John Wall.

With the 30th and 31st picks the Nets can bring in two guys who can help the team right away. We are seeing more and more that plenty of guys taken in the first half of the second round often produce just as well or even better then the first round guys. The Nets could do well to take a back up point guard like Armon Johnson or Greivis Vazquez. Jerome Jordan of Tulsa could be a solid backup center for Lopez.