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2008 UWM Post NFL preview
A division-by-division outlook
By Brett Winkler
Peyton Manning may be a little fatigued due to his obligations to the Double-Stuf Racing League, but his Colts should shake off the rust and win the division again.
Thank you, Brewers, for the distraction, but football is back and it’s time to transition from America’s pastime to America’s current time.
Rather than wait 17 weeks before churning out our NFL preview, we’re going to predict the future now with the benefit of just two Sundays in the books. What follows is a division-by-division look at how this season will play out.
NFC North
Let’s start off with the team everybody in Wisconsin is buzzing about—the Detroit Lions. Last year, Jon Kitna guaranteed 10 wins for a team that typically ends up south of everyone else in the North standings.
Kitna delivered, winning his tenth game as the Lions’ starting quarterback and improving his two-year record to 10-21. They could win 13 this year!
Elsewhere in the division, the Vikings have a top fantasy football running back, so they couldn’t be happier, while the Bears like playing football, too.
With Aaron Rodgers, the Packers finally have the stability at quarterback that they haven’t had since 1992, so they should take the NFC North.
NFC South
New Orleans avoided a hurricane this summer, and if they can avoid playing Reggie Bush too much, the Saints are the favorite to unseat the defending division champion Buccaneers, who won it last year by default.
In Atlanta, the Falcons look like they once again have a talented young quarterback in rookie Matt Ryan. Don’t worry, he’s cool, he’s a cat person. They won’t contend yet, though.
Nobody knows how the Panthers will play, but Steve Smith has the potential to be a big hit, according to Ken Lucas.
NFC East
In football’s toughest division, minus the Redskins, the East could boast three playoff teams again. Tony Romo has recently been doubled in size, so the Cowboys should have the edge, but it won’t be easy.
Donovan McNabb looks like he’s playing with a chip on his shoulder and, no, never mind, those are shoulder pads, but he’s playing well and you can’t count out the Giants because of that whole Super Bowl champs thing.
NFC West
The Seahawks have no wide receivers, the 49ers can’t clone Frank Gore and the Rams are still finishing up the pre-season, so who’s left to win a wide-open division?
At the risk of sounding like every other NFL preview for the last five years, it looks like this could be the season that the Cardinals accidentally get into the playoffs.
AFC North
Steelers, good; Ravens, Browns and Bengals, not as good.
AFC South
Peyton Manning may be a little fatigued due to his obligations to the Double-Stuf Racing League, but his Colts should shake off the rust and win the division again.
As for the other three teams, the Jags will probably end up in the playoffs, but will once again exit quietly early on. While the Titans are a better team thanks to an injury to Vince Young, they shouldn’t pose too much of a threat.
The Texans, on the other hand, have five fingers. (Although that last line was Carlos Mencia-ed from Steven Wright, nobody will steal the division from Indy.)
AFC East
With Tom Brady on the sidelines, the AFC East needs a new team to run up the score late in regular season games for the sole purpose of setting records before finally choking at the end of the year, but who?
The Jets are missing the stability at quarterback that they’ve had the last few decades, so it can’t be them. The Dolphins would rather watch the Marlins play than watch film of their own games, so scratch them, too. That means it’s up to J.P. Edwards (or is it Trent Losman?) to take the Bills to the top.
AFC West
The Chargers’ defense recently lost some juice with the news that Shawne Merriman is out of steroids, or hurt his knee, or something.
Whatever the case, Jay Cutler could turn out to be a slightly less ugly version of John Elway, so watch for the Broncos to get back to the playoffs, especially since they get to play the Chiefs and Raiders twice a year.
NFC Championship
Packers over Cowboys
AFC Championship
Steelers over Colts
Super Bowl XLIII
Packers over Steelers
Yeah, that’s right. Packers win it all.
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