Indianapolis Colts

Couch Crew Exclusive: My Exclusive Interview with Pierre Garcon

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:25:43 +0000

Yeah, you read it. It's another interview. Heck, I love interviews, don't I.

After an interview with Scottie Cordier, the cornerback for Cal Poly, and then another one with Jerel Myers, a wide receiver for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League, this has to be one of the bests I think.

This is my interview with Indianapolis Colts wide receiver, Pierre Garcon.

I contacted Pierre in about April or May and I was wondering if he would ever respond back. I thought he never would. I contacted him at his website, PierreGarocnLive.com.

Then, on June 21, I went to the Email app of my cell phone and saw a name saying "Pierre Garcon." I was like, "Could this be it? Is this actually Pierre Garcon?"

If he was, I thought he said he couldn't do it because he was extremely busy. But I guess he wasn't, he said this in these exact words:

Hey what's up man, yeah we can do an interview.
--www.PierreGarconLive.com
Sent from my T-Mobile Sidekick®

It was tight, I know.

I just couldn't believe I was going to have an interview with a player on the Indianapolis Colts. Garcon is truly a rising star in the NFL and I think he is probably going to be the starting punt/kick returner.

Here is my ultimate and spectacular interview with Pierre Garcon. And trust me, you'll be satisfied.

Josh Dhani: What is it like being drafted by the Colts last year?

Pierre Garcon: It was the greatest feeling in the world. I couldn't have come to a better team. [It was a] perfect situation and to learn from great future Hall-of-Famers.

JD: Is there competition going on between you, Roy Hall, and Austin Collie to play at slot receiver spot?

PG: There is completion going on everyday in the NFL. It wouldn't be football without competition.

JD: What's it going to feel like when you score your first ever NFL touchdown?

PG: I don't know yet but I know it will be a great feeling and I will be very happy.

JD: Are you going to be the starting punt/kick returner this year?

PG: I hope so but I don't know the team could have other plans for me. But I'm working as if I am the starter.

JD: Were you ever nervous coming into your first NFL game?

PG: Yes, I was very nervous but I knew what I had to do, so that made me feel more comfortable.

JD: How does it feel getting your first ever NFL catch from one of the bests: Peyton Manning?

PG: It was great. It's an honor to play with him and all of the other great guys on the team.

JD: How do you feel about Colts drafting Donald Brown?

PG: Donald is a very good player and I'm glad he is here. He will help us out a lot.

JD: What are your goals for this season?

PG: To win the conference, have home field advantage in the playoffs, and win the Super Bowl!

I was so glad to have this interview with Pierre! He was a real nice guy to talk to and I wish him and the Colts all the luck this year! Watch out for this kid this year, he is going to be spectacular!

Colts Talk: Is Pierre Garcon The Answer for Indiana at the Slot?

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 22:41:07 +0000

After reading from a popular blog called The Colts Corner, I read an article about the Colts questions and answers. One question asked by Bryan Brackney, the owner of the site, was who will be the surprise player for Indianapolis coming into the 2009-10 season?

Well, Bryan answered that the person who will be the surprise player is in the title above: Pierre Garcon. As Bryan observed, Garcon has been doing well at training camp and the Colts look to put him at punt/kick returner as well as the slot receiver.

That brought me to something; is Pierre Garcon the answer for the Colts at the slot position? This is what the Indianapolis Colts are apparently talking about.

Well, as of right now, I received an email on June 21. And I just couldn't believe who it was: Pierre Garcon. I asked Pierre a couple of months ago if he and I can hook up for an interview as I contacted him at his website, and he said yes.

But just because I am going to interview him, that doesn't mean I want him to be the guy to take over at the slot position. Sure, many people have been arguing that Roy Hall and Austin Collie should be the guys.

Some people are even considering Taj Smith as a canidate to fill the position, but I believe he'll make the practice squad.

However, I do believe that Garcon is just the perfect choice. Colts fan have seen him play last year in the 2008-09 season and he was pretty good. He was capable of being a starting kick/punt returner but he wasn't there in all of the games.

The Colts switched most of the time.

Last year, it was a mix between many players, mostly with Najeh Davenport and Garcon himself. But Garcon isn't just the receiver for the kick/punt return, although I highly believe that Garcon will earn that spot.

So now that we know that Garcon is going to pursue the spot in the return, people are wondering if he can handle being the slot receiver. It's going to be tough for Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez taking everything, yet, the Colts also have a key player in Dallas Clark.

But by saying that, Clark can't handle it all the time as well and we have seen him in the slot position at times. But the Colts are opening up younger guys and that's why there is an opportunity in the hands of Garcon.

In Week Three of the preseason last year against the Atlanta Falcons, a highlight was shown of Jared Lorenzen lobbing a 60-yard bomb to the left of the field where Pierre Garcon was being covered by what appeared to be two or three guys.

As I witnessed this, in what I call an underrated play, Garcon leaped over all of the defenders and caught the pigskin that landed right into his hands. It was one of the most exciting plays I have seen, especially from a receiver like Garcon.

In the 2008-09 season, Garcon only caught four passes for 23 yards.

Sure, it isn't what is expected as very good, but hey, many fourth-string or lower receivers in the depth chart never really get the popular stats people think with the strong passing offense of the Colts.

I think Garcon can do something with the Colts this year. He told me he is long waiting for a touchdown and I believe if he wins this slot position this year, the fans won't be disappointed.

Not one bit.

Manning-To-Marshall: Possible Chance Of Colts Pursuing Brandon Marshall?

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:16:29 +0000

After watching NFL Total Access and SportsCenter, and reading a few articles on Broncos' wide receiver Brandon Marshall requesting a trade, many people have said that he will go to the Ravens, Bears, or even the Buccaneers.

Some said that he won't be traded at all!

But you know what? He will be traded. If they can trade a wimpy Jay Cutler, how can they not trade a strong guy in Marshall? See what mess you have made now, Josh McDaniels? But I am glad you are making this happen.

Soon, all of you Eagles fans will be happy with Brian Dawkins and Correll Buckhalter returning, or not. And then Knowshon Moreno will be the only player left on the roster. Nah, just fooling with you.

I don't want to disrespect the Broncos because one of my favorite writers, Sayre Bedinger, is a Broncos fan and he is cool. I don't want to hurt his feelings. We're cool, right?

But sadly, Marshall will be traded. I can surely guarantee that he will not stay with Denver, especially with McDaniels saying that, "We can't wait to see Marshall in training camp."

No, not going to happen.

These teams have a possible chance of pursuing Marshall: the Baltimore Ravens, the St. Louis Rams, the Chicago Bears, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

But wait.

There is one dark horse that can get Brandon Marshall, and after you've seen the title and the picture of two players that I wish could be teammates, you know who it is. For those of you who might have lost their eyesight and can't read well, I will just say it in big bold letters:

THE INDIANAPOLIS COLTS.

That's right, you heard me. The Colts--a team who struggled with their running game last year and have now lost an important player in Marvin Harrison.

Now every time I saw the Colts lost Harrison, everyone says that it is not a big deal because he is turning 37 years old.

Well, who cares about age? There's a 68-year-old who played 500 holes of golf for crying out loud! But that's golf, so who cares.

But still, Vinny Testaverde played football until he was 44. Brett Favre can still throw those gunslingers at age 40. Have you seen Jeff Garcia?

Dang!

And what about Jerry Rice, Jimmy Smith, Joey Galloway, and all those other receivers who played when they were 36 years old or older?

Harrison made a huge difference with Indy and now that he is ogne, the Colts have a possible chance of struggling. And that's not good at all.

Then, every time you will have people double-covering Wayne. But it'll be hard for Gonzo (Anthony Gonzalez) to get the ball because the whole time he has been playing, he was a slot receiver. He'll get moved up and it will be pretty tough for him in his first year to get promoted up.

The Colts do have a big chance of pursuing Brandon Marshall. Shut up about the salary cap, the Colts can do this. They will find a way to trade a player, and heck, maybe they'll trade a future draft pick.

They'll find ways to do it.

Some of you might then say that they don't like Marshall's character and the Colts aren't that type of team that will welcome those kind of players. Sure, you may be right, but not entirely. There are some players on the Colts squad that have that type of character.

There is a guy on that team that has that.

And when you say Marshall won't fit well, please take a look above. That picture says it all, and is why I put it up there so I can stop some of your guys' yapping.

I can see Marshall in a Colts' uniform with a number 16 or 14 (number 15 belongs to Pierre Garcon).

Just imagine what good could come out if Marshall was on the Indianapolis Colts. It'll be heaven for Manning. Maybe Brandon Marshall will be the young Marvin Harrison for Manning. And then a new receiver tandem has emerged.

It'll look exactly like the 2004 Colts. A rushing attack with two backs with Edgerrin James and Dominic Rhodes (now Joseph Addai and Donald Brown). Then a well quarterback in Peyton Manning. And then the three receivers who had ten touchdowns or more that are Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Brandon Stokley (now Brandon Marshall, Reggie Wayne, and Gonzo).

I can definitely see that happening.

That Manning-to-Marshall tandem will truly be exciting. Although, this may not happen, and I believe it won't, it would be nice if this did happened. The great guys at Stampede Blue made it clear, so it probably won't happen.

But hey, it's a Colts fan can dream.

Minnesota Vikings: Don't Get Brett Favre, Tarvaris Jackson Is The Answer

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:03:08 +0000

Brett Favre is surely going to be the on the Minnesota Vikings roster, now that he is gotten surgery on his throwing shoulder and a Vikings assistant will be coming to Favre to do some workouts with him to help his shoulder.

So, you get it: Favre will obviously be on the Vikings roster, no doubt.

I don't know what's next for Favre after he leaves Minnesota, because he will after one year and go on to these teams.

So here's my question to all of you fans for the NFL team in the purple uniform: why would you want a losing-his-luster quarterback like Brett Favre for one year, when you can get an improving quarterback like Tarvaris Jackson for many years to come?

Why Brad Childress, why?

Have you seen what Favre has done with the Jets. When the Jets were at an 8-3 record last year, they went 1-4 after that. In that span of five games in which Favre didn't play well, you could see him just throwing the ball up in the air.

It turned out he didn't look like having fun, not one single bit. He was just playing with negative attitude. And you know the saying in sports that you have to bring "ten percent effort and ninety percent attitude?"

Well, Favre was zero percent in both of those categories, to be honest.

There's no point of having Brett Favre. Sure, he will be pretty good but he might be ruining his legacy if he comes to Minnesota. He's already a Hall-of-Famer, what's the point of keep playing.

I know, Joe Gibbs did that when he was a coach, but that's coaching man! That's coaching!

Brett Favre might as well play for all 32 NFL teams. But there is some good bringing Favre to Minnesota. A good writer on this site (one of my favorites), James Williamson, has said something that was very interesting if Favre came to Minnesota.

Williamson observed that Favre will be the first ever quarterback in NFL history to beat all 32 NFL teams!

Pretty sweet, huh?

But seriously, that's not the point!

Now you'll see Sage Rosenfels swapping faces. If you don't get what I am saying, please take a look.

But also, what's the point having Rosenfels, too?

You all remember his helicopter hurdle against the Indianapolis Colts last year that cost Houston the win (And Schaub's smiling face. His face when Rosenfels fumbled is priceless!).

And Rosenfels second battle against the Colts when he costs Houston a win (again) when he was looking for a receiver and then just decided to throw right at Colts' safety, Melvin Bullit.

Rosenfels will create a problem in Minnesota, I guarantee it (don't go Joe Namath now!). But here is what the Vikings should do:

USE TARVARIS JACKSON!!!!

That's right. Use T-Jax. Tarvaris will be the man for Minnesota, he will. Well, that's what I think. Sure, he wasn't successful in his first two years, having a total of eleven touchdowns and 16 touchdowns.

But in his third year, after being on the bench, learning from a veteran in Gus Frerotte who became the starter. But then, Frerotte got injured and then here came Jackson who everyone doubted.

In one game in which I believe was against the Arizona Cardinals, Jackson had a spectacular game by throwing for four touchdowns while having 163 yards and an amazing 135.5 quarterback rating.

He also had a great game before that, throwing for 105 yards with one touchdown for a 143.8 quarterback rating.

Solid, huh?

In his last four games of the 2008 season, Jackson's lowest quarterback rating was 88.5 in that four-game span. Here's what his total was during those four games:

740 passing yards, eight touchdowns and one interception for a 116.5 quarterback rating.

Now those are very good stats. You can't disagree there. And all of that happen after being benched from learning from Frerotte.

Jackson had 1,056 passing yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions for a 95.4 quarterback rating.

Jackson is a solid quarterback.

But he needed to be benched so he could learn better and not take so much criticism. With the 2008 season closing, the Vikes looked like they couldn't make the playoffs with Frerotte out and T-Jax in.

They did, though.

Sure, Jackson didn't win his first playoff game but not everyone does when they go for the first time. The only person I know has done that is probably Tom Brady, no one else. Peyton Manning didn't get it.

Not everyone gets their first playoff win. People expect too much out of Tarvaris Jackson. You have to give him time, this kid has a future. And with the pick of Percy Harvin, the Jackson can have more helpful guys to throw to.

And Jackson is ready now. I observed something. Here's what happened in the first three games Jackson played in, before being benched from the veteran of Gus Frerotte:

316 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception for a 77.4 quarterback rating.

Now if you scroll up, you'll see a major difference between when he started his first three games without learning from a veteran quarterback and the stats after he was benched by a veteran quarterback.

Big ass difference.

Jackson is ready and could be a star from years to come. No Rosenfels or Favre.

Tarvaris Jackson is here to stay.

So Vikings fans, what would you have: An old quarterback who will only stay with the team for one year and will only come to the Vikings to bring revenge on his old team or bring in a quarterback who is detirmened and will be a great quarterback for years to come?

You decide, and the time is...now!

Does Anyone Remember....?| Terrence Wilkins

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:37:23 +0000

After not writing a Does Anyone Remember....?| for quite a while, I have come back to continue to the series. Here it is:

Does anyone remember Terrence Wilkins?

I do--and surely well, as always.

As always, I tell you why I picked Terrence Wilkins for this edition of Does Anyone Remember...?|.

Well, I haven't written a real Colts' article for a while and I was thinking of some great guy on the Colts who was a huge asset towards the team.

And there he was, Terrence Wilkins: one of the most underrated punt/kick returners in NFL history.

And here's his story:

It all started in Virginia. Wilkins was a star at not just a wide receiver, but also a returner.

After a pretty successful career in College, Terrence went on to find a path towards the NFL to have a new future. But he didn't. Well, not at the start he did.

He went un-drafted in the 1999 NFL Draft. This draft featured players like Donovan McNabb, Torry Holt, and even Edgerrin James.

But Terrence wasn't part of the group. His size hurts him, as he was 5′8″ and and 180 pounds, according to ColtPower.com.

He wasn't drafted with the elite members that he should have been with for how successful he was going to be.

And he was going to prove people wrong, oh yesiree.

In his first year of existence in the NFL, Terrence Wilkins had a pretty solid season for a rookie. He had 42 catches for 565 yards and four touchdowns.

He also averaged about 14 yards per catch. Wilkins also was solid in the long pass as he had an 80-yard touchdown that year as well. Now that is pretty stellar, don't you think?

Especially for a rookie.

But wait, Wilkins had more that year, and it wasn't just in the passing, but also in the return.

He had 41 punt returns for 388 yards and one touchdown. His longest punt return was 39 yards. But that was just in the punt return, the kick return was much greater.

In the kick return, Wilkins had 51 kick returns for 1,134 yards and one touchdown. The touchdown came on a 97-yard kickoff return, which is extraordinary as well.

It was a good season for him that year. He and the Colts went 13-3 but lost in the Divisional Round of the playoffs to the Tennessee Titans.

Wilkins looked to expand even further in 2000.

And he did.

He had 43 catches for 569 yards and three touchdowns. You might think it's not that big but he did these stats in just 14 games.

In his rookie year, he played all 16. So just think about that.

In the punt and kick return, Terrence couldn't play that much there. He had 29 punt returns for 240 yards and his longest punt return was 36 yards.

In the kick return, he had only 15 kickoff returns for 279 yards.

See what I mean?

He didn't play that much in the return. And what was also not that good was that his longest kick return was only 30 yards.

It was just one okay year, right? Wrong. It got worse the next year as Wilkins only played eleven games that season.

He was going lower and lower each season now.

In 2001, he had 34 catches for 332 yards. He didn't have any touchdowns that year.

Bummer.

In the punt and kick returns, Wilkins went back to his old ways, and with old ways, he was doing great.

He had 21 punt returns for 219 yards and one touchdown. The touchdown came off a spectacular 78-yard punt return, which was his longest punt return of the season and his second-longest of his career.

In the kickoff returns, Wilkins did even better with 44 kick returns for 1,007 yards. There were no touchdowns involved but he did at least have 50-yard return, which was his longest.

His longest punt-return was larger than his kick-return. You really don't see that everyday.

With three pretty good seasons with the Indianapolis Colts from 1999-2001, the Colts had to let him go.

Wilkins was gone.

Gone from the heart and soul of the white and blue. Bleeding it deeply.

It was all gone.

But light came. It came from St. Louis. There it came, the St. Louis Rams as Wilkins was offered a deal in 2002. And he took it, and why not?

But in 2002, Wilkins might have been better if he hadn't signed the deal. He wasn't very good with the Rams in the receiving game and only played 13 games.

The stats didn't even reach the peak of average in 2002 as he had five catches for 31 yards and, of course, there wouldn't be any touchdowns.

His longest catch was only 14 yards, that wasn't very good at all. But hey, stats don't matter. Wilkins was a pretty good asset to the team in the return.

He had 24 punt returns for 242 yards with a 55-yard return being his longest. He didn't have a touchdown there, but you don't really expect to have a punt or kick return for a touchdown every year anyways.

In the kick returns, he had 47 of them returned for 1,074 yards as well as a 42-yard return, but no touchdown. So Wilkins really didn't have to regret it, right?

Well, no, but not exactly. He only stayed with St. Louis for one year, and had to move on.

And he did move on.

Entering his fifth year and just waived by the Rams, Wilkins found some more light. He actually did. And it was with the Colts.

And now with a new future, he didn't want to give it up.

But he probably had to regret this season ten times more than what he had in 2002 with the Rams.

He had only played three games. That wasn't good, not one single bit.

He didn't do anything in receiving. Nothing. If you look at the stats, he did nothing.

And I am serious. That wasn't good, it was horrible.

In the return, it wasn't that good either.

He had seven punt returns for only 25 yards with a 16-yarder being his longest. It would pretty much be impossible for him to have a touchdown if

you look at it.

The kick return was his best statistical category. He had only 14 returns for 325 yards with a 42-yarder being his longest. No touchdowns involved in the process.

You think he regretted this? Of course. But that is how life is. Not everything is fair.

Wilkins was released and didn't play in the NFL from 2004-2005. He played in the CFL, with the Calgary Stampeders.

According to what I have found, Wilkins didn't do anything in the CFL. Well he did, but I couldn't find any sources for his stats.

After a pretty good time in the CFL, it was time to make comeback to the NFL.

And there he was, in his sixth season and at 32 years old, he would have to act like a mentoring veteran he was.

But guess what team he was on? The Indianapolis Colts.

He returned to them for a third straight time, and this time, he was not going to let them down. And this season, Wilkins never did.

And it was his best season of his career.

He had played 15 games that year but didn't take any part in the receiving category as the Colts mainly wanted him to do his thing in the return.

And he did great.

In the punt returns, he had 21 of them for 193 yards, including an 82-yard punt return for a touchdown against a the Jacksonville Jaguars in a 21-14 win.

It was exciting and it Wilkins longest punt return of his career and his first punt return for a touchdown in the NFL since 2001.

In the kick returns, he returned 52 of them for 1,272 yards and zero touchdowns. Although there were no touchdowns there, he did have a 70-yard return.

In the kick return, he had a career-high of kick returns returned and kick return yards. His 70-yard return was the second-longest of his career.

It was certainly good season statistically, but also in the playoffs, as his Colts went on to win the Super Bowl.

Wilkins had a great career. He won a Super Bowl, had 1,000 kick return yards multiple times. He was just doing great.

The Colts expected to have Wilkins in 2007 as well. In 2007, Wilkins was ranked the 42nd best receiver in the NFL.

Wilkins didn't play for the Colts in 2007 but he was labeled on the team. In 2008, Wilkins was officially retired. Wilkins had a wonderful career and was never labeled as bad player.

He has never let anyone down. Wilkins will always be remembered as one of the most underrated and best return specialists in the NFL and as a Super Bowl champion, or to put in a better way: a winner.

Wilkins now is just relaxing in his home and now that he is close to turning 34, a comeback could come.

Now do you remember Terrence Wilkins?

Still one of the most underrated and best return specialists, still a winner.

The 18 Best Indianapolis Colts Games of All Time (Updated)

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:30:00 -0500

These games were selected based upon the quality of the actual game, and not solely on its significance to the team. Defeating the Bears in Super Bowl XLI was the most significant win in franchise history, but it really wasn't that great of a game to watch. If there is a game you don't see here, it might be listed under our Most Important Wins list. Check there first before you write us. We understand that this list is weighted heavily in favor of the Manning era, but let's face it, that is how it should be.

1. New England Patriots 2007 Playoffs Colts 38 Patriots 34
A tremendous game that will go down for all time as one of the great NFL games, let alone Colts games. This is simply the greatest game in Indy Colts history. From Manning putting up 32 in the second half to Brady's INT to Marlin Jackson, no Colts fan will ever forget where they were when the boys in blue sealed the deal and headed on to the Super Bowl
Hero: Peyton Manning. This game was a referendum on him as a player, and he came through in the biggest of ways.
Factoid: Demond called, dejected, at halftime from the Dome and wanted to know if he should leave and come home. Deshawn wisely urged him to stay for at least one drive into the 2nd half.

2. At Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2003 Colts 38 Buccaneers 35 (OT)
I suppose almost everyone at least threatened to turn this one off at some point during the night. The Colts trailed 21-0 at the half and by 21 at 35-14 with just 5:09 left to go in the game. Then something weird started to happen. Brad Pyatt ripped off a long kickoff return. The Colts pounded it in for a quick score. An onside kick actually worked. Manning hit Harrison on 4th down for another score. Tampa ran an offensive possession as if they were on crack, garnering a bizarre personal foul call to stop the clock before the two minute warning. Then, with the game on the line, Manning and Harrison hooked up yet again for 52 yards to set up a short TD run. The Horse survived an OT possession by the Bucs, and then Manning went to work carving them up on 3rd down, moving the ball into Vanderjagt field goal range. Like most big kicks he had with the Colts, Vandy shanked it. However, the officials stepped in with a 'leaping' penalty on the Bucs to give Vandy a second try. This time he slammed it off the upright and home for one of the most improbable comebacks of all time.
Heroes: Manning and Harrison. Harrison was called out by a 'miked up' Keyshawn Johnson in the first half. By the end of the game, Keyshawn was on the bench nursing a hammy and Marvin was triumphant with 176 yards rec and 2 scores. Manning was as clutch as they come down the stretch and seemed to be willing the team to victory.
Factoid: The game was Dungy's return to Tampa and his birthday. It was also nearly ruined by my visiting mother-in-law who proclaimed the 'Colts will come back'. It was sort of one of those Pollyanna-ish expressions by non-fans that drive the die-hards crazy. Then when they did come back, she said the next day, "Well, I knew they would". I wanted to die.

3. San Diego Chargers 2004 Colts 34 Chargers 31 (OT)
Played the day after Christmas in 2004, this game had plenty of significance and drama. The Colts and Chargers were playing to settle the 3 seed in the AFC playoffs, and Peyton Manning was stuck on 47 touchdown passes, one short of the single season mark held by Dan Marino. The Chargers started strong and Manning threw a pick near the goal line. When LT scored to put the Chargers up 15 early in the fourth, things looked bleak. Dom Rhodes answered the bell and ran back the ensuing kickoff for an 88 yard touchdown. The teams traded empty possessions (including a missed FG by Vandy), and Indy took over with 3:42 to play and three timeouts. Faced with a 4 and 4 almost immediately, Manning then took off his blue and white jersey to reveal that he is in fact Superman. He waved the punt unit off the field and promptly converted the 4th down with a pass to Reggie Wayne. He marched the team down field finally hitting Brandon Stokely for the record breaking pass on a post route the two made up at the line of scrimmage. Still down two, the Colts tied the game on a conversion by Edge, and when they won the toss in OT, everyone in the building knew the Chargers would never see the ball. A scant four plays later, Vanderjagt converted the game winner.
Hero: Duh. Manning owned that game. The pass to Wayne on 4th down was ballsy, and the strike to Stokely was amazing. I leaped in the air as the ball left Manning's hand, because everyone in the Dome could see Stokely was totally uncovered.
Factoid: I attended this game with my parents-in-law. My father-in-law is a huge Chargers fan and drove me a little crazy that day. He cheered every random play (All Right! Gain of 4!). This made the comeback all the sweeter.

4. At Dallas Cowboys 1996 Colts 25 Cowboys 24
The '96 Colts were a seriously great team who were destroyed by injuries. Their amazing come-from-behind-on-the-road-vs-the-defending-Super-Bowl-Champions-and-apparently-a-ton-of-hyphens was truly one of the great games in franchise history. The Harbaugh-led Colts started the game with a long crushing drive that lasted nearly 11 minutes, but ended with a field goal thanks to a horrible offensive pass interference call on Ken Dilger. The Cowboys then ripped off 21 straight points and the Colts were given up for dead. Harbaugh led a pair of field goal producing drives that pulled Indy to 21-9 at the half. The Colts put together a pair of touch downs to pull ahead 22-21. Dallas got a long field goal to go up 24-22 with 13 odd minutes left in the 4th quarter. Carey Blanchard banged home the eventual game winner with 51 seconds left, but that left almost enough time for Hall of Famer Troy Aikman to bring back Dallas. They made it to the Indy 40 and tried a 57 yard field goal to win it at the gun. Chris Boniol's try was dead on, but hit the cross bar and bounced harmlessly away. The Colts had pulled a major stunner, and looked prime to roll early in '96.
Hero: Blanchard. He hit 4 field goals including the game winner. He accounted for 13 of the 25 Colt points.
Factoid: Even though I attended college only two hours from Indianapolis, there were no Colts fans on campus. As I watched the game in the commons with other students, there were more Dallas fans than Colts fans. This is one of the single biggest changes over the past 10 years. Colts fans can be found in all corners of Indiana now.

5. At Houston Texans 2008 Colts 31 Texans 27
On some very rare occasions, one game can become a microcosm of the larger state of the team. This was the case early in 2008. The Colts were struggling early in the season, coming off their by at 1-2. Injuries were mounting, and it was becoming clear to everyone that perhaps the 2008 weren't going to be the juggernaut we all foresaw. Facing a backup QB in Sage Rosenfels, the Colts squandered an early 10-0 lead, and rolled over, playing dead for more than two quarters. With just over 8 minutes to go in the game, Houston's Steve Slaton scored from a yard out (after busting a demoralizing 41 yard run a few plays earlier). The Colts were dead at 27-10 with 8 minutes to play. Then one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history began. Manning capped what seemed like a cosmetic drive with a fourth down TD to Rookie Tom Santi, but with just 4 minutes on the clock, the Colts were still down 10 and didn't recover the onside kick. On third down, as he dove toward the sticks for the first down that would have ended the game, Sage Rosenfels was hit by Freeney and Brock. The ball came loose and Gary Brackett returned it 68 yards for a score. On the Texans next possession, Robert Mathis played the role of Superman, and executed one of the most amazing strip sacks in Colts history. The Colts quickly took the ball 20 yards for their TD in just 2:10, as Manning hit Wayne for acrobatic score just before the two minute warning. Melvin Bullitt then sealed the game with pick. The Colts had won, and the 2008 season was back on.
Hero: Freeney and Mathis. Though Brock was originally credited with the first forced fumble, replays would show it was Freeney who knocked it loose. Along with Manning, these two players time and again lifted the 2008 Colts to improbable wins.
Factoid: Angry and frustrated by the obvious flaws with the team, I posted a game recap declaring the season "Done" at the five minute mark. It was quickly replaced with a picture of Reggie Miller.

6. At Denver Broncos 2002 Colts 23 Broncos 20 (OT)
This game was always ignored by those who questioned the Colts ability to win on the road in bad weather. On a snowy Sunday night in November, the Colts and Broncos played a classic back and forth game that marked one of the last times that Mike Vanderjagt was clutch. Denver jumped to 13-3 lead in the 3rd quarter, but the Colts responded with a pair of lightning quick touchdown drives. After another Denver score midway through the fourth put the Colts down three, they failed on a couple of attempts to even up the game. When Manning and the offense took over at the 20 with 1:40 to play, they still needed a field goal. Manning worked the ball down field, to put the team in range for a 54 yard try with just seconds on the clock. Vandy came out onto the snow covered field and buried the tying kick. The Colts won the toss in OT and marched down field stalling out around the 34. Vanderjagt came on again and 51 yards later, he delivered the Colts an incredible OT win.
Hero: Mike Vanderjagt. He's an ass, but on that night he was great. He hit 3 FGs, including 2 from beyond 50 yards to tie and win the game. For a kicker, it doesn't get better than that. Factoid: Dungy was originally going to punt in OT, but Justin Snow convinced him to let Vandy try again. In this game (the 11th of the season), Harrison went over 100 catches for the year. He would later go on to break the record for most receptions in a season.

7. At Miami Dolphins 1999 Colts 37 Dolphins 34
After the debacle that was the first Dolphins/Colts game of the season, the Colts were hungry for revenge and their first division title since 1987. The Colts jumped out to an early 17-3 lead thanks in part to an insane run by Edgerrin James. The Dolphins battled back and the game was largely back and forth all day with the Colts staying just a step ahead. With just seconds to go, Marino put the Fins in position for a Mare field goal to tie the game. Manning got the ball with 29 seconds to play and two time outs. After a couple of quick strikes and timeouts, Vanderjagt banged home a massive 53 yarder at the gun to win the game. This game featured a young Manning out dueling an aging Marino and was an instant classic
Hero: Edge was sick in the first half of this game. He finished with 131 yards rushing and 2 TDs. Manning's drive was clutch as was Vandy's kick.
Factoid: Chad Cota made a rare play in this game when he recovered a fumble. Realizing that he was surrounded only by Colts, he stood up, and walked untouched 20 yards into the end zone for a first quarter TD.

8. Green Bay Packers 1997 Colts 41 Packers 38
During one of the worst Colts seasons ever (one so bad that it sewed up the number 1 pick and Peyton Manning), an 0-10 Colts team faced off against the defending champion Green Bay Packers. The crowd was at least 40% Packer fans, and the game seemed to start according to script. The Pack was up 14-3 when Paul Justin, a forgotten connector between the Harbaugh and Manning eras, drove the Horse down field for a score. Then things got crazy. A pair of Favre turnovers (fumble and INT) were both returned for scores, the second on a nifty lateral from Blackman to Classic Colt Jason Belser. The Colts inexplicably led 24-14. The Pack roared back with two straight touchdowns to make the score 28-24. A Blanchard FG made the score 28-27 AT THE HALF. The Colts and Packers traded FGs into the early fourth quarter, before a Lamont Warren touchdown and a 2 point conversion with just over 6 minutes to go gave the Colts a 7 point lead. Favre responded very quickly to tie the game. Justin then moved the Colts downfield and picked up a key first down to Dilger at the one yard line with 1:22 left. The Colts then smartly killed the clock and Blanchard banged home the game winning FG as time expired. The devastated Packer fans left the dome with chants of, "If you can't beat us, you'll never win the Super Bowl!" ringing in their cheese coated ears.
Hero: Paul Justin 24 of 30 for 340 with a TD and a 2 pt conversion. Totally unexpected, but he had the best day of his career.
Factoid: This was the Colts third consecutive win over the defending Super Bowl champs (49ers, Cowboys, Packers). The Packers wouldn't lose again until the Super Bowl. Mike Holmgren decided to let Terrell Davis walk into the end zone for the go ahead touch down because he was afraid the Broncos would run out the clock like Indy did. Also, I brought a friend from college to this game who was a guy who sort of lived a charmed life. He seemed to skate by on luck. All the guys at school became convinced that the Colts would win just because he went to the game. Sure enough, his presence touched off the upset of the year.

9. At Denver Broncos 2006 Colts 34 Broncos 31
Last team with the ball wins sounds like a cliché, but it summed up so many games the 2006 Colts played. This late afternoon classic was no exception. The Broncos had the lead at the half, 14-6. The Colts went on a long drive to start the second half, and then converted a short field after recovering a Jake Plummer fumble for a 20-14 lead. The infamous run defense then almost took over for the Colts. They gave up a rushing score at the end of the 3rd quarter and trailed again 21-20. Vinatieri nailed a long FG, but the Broncos rammed the ball down the field for a 28-23 lead with less than 7 to play. Manning and Wayne responded by completely abusing a young Denver corner and with 3:56 to play, the Colts took a 31-28 lead after a 2 point conversion. Gilbert Gardner struck back by abandoning his hole and letting Denver rip off a 48 yard run. Fortunately, the defense stiffened, and Denver settled for a long field goal and a tie with just 1:49 to play. 1:49 is waaaay to long to give #18 however, and unfortunately for the Denver, Darrent Williams was still on the field. Manning calmly moved the Colts down field to set up a game winning field goal try from Adam Vinatieri with just two seconds on the clock. By the time the dust had settled, the Colts were 7-0 for the second straight season.
Hero: Reggie Wayne and Peyton Manning. Manning was unstoppable and Denver knew it. Wayne finished with 10 catches for 138 and 3 scores. The third touchdown to Wayne was a thing of beauty.
Factoid: Heading into the game the Denver defense had been nearly impenetrable allowing only 44 points through 6 games. Denver had specifically designed their defense to beat Manning and the Colts.

10. At Kansas City Chiefs 2004 Playoffs Colts 38 Chiefs 31
This classic matchup in the AFC divisional round pitted two blistering offenses against each other. The Colts marched into Arrowhead as underdogs, but were carrying momentum from their blowout of the Denver Broncos a week prior (Manning's first playoff win). Very little defense was played all day as each team mounted long drive after long drive. Priest Holmes was his usual dominating self as he ran for 176 yards and two scores. Despite his best efforts the Colts were in control most of the game, and a 19 yard touchdown pass to a young Reggie Wayne put the Colts up 14 points near the end of the third quarter. Dante Hall answered right back with a 92 yard kickoff return for a score. The teams would trade touchdowns in the fourth quarter and the Colts were able to hang on for a breathtaking win.
Hero: Peyton Manning was nearly flawless as he threw for 304 yds and 3 touchdowns. This game will go down as one of his most impressive playoff performance given the hostile crowd of nearly 80,000.
Factoid: This game lived up to its billing on its way to becoming the first NFL playoff game that featured no punts.

11. At Pittsburgh 2008 Colts 24 Steelers 20
The Colts were in real danger of not making the playoffs in 2008 thanks to injuries at almost every key position. Entering at just 4-4, the Colts trailed by a 17-7 score before rallying thanks to gritty play by Manning and a pair of timely picks from Ratliff and Tim Jennings. With 3:04 to play, Manning hit Dom Rhodes out of the backfield for the go ahead score. The Colts had come from behind to win in Pittsburgh for the first time in 40 years. The Steelers would later go on to win the Super Bowl. Manning threw for 3 TDs and no picks against the best passing defense in the league.
Hero: Manning, Tim Jennings, and Eric Foster. Foster made back to back plays on the goal line to stone the Steelers on 3rd/4th and goal from the 1. Jennings late pick of Roethlisberger was a big time play and gave the Colts the ball down three. Finally, Manning played a brilliant game against a brutal defense.
Factoid: This was the first Colts win in Pittsburgh in 40 years. To pull it off, the Colts had to: 1. Out rush the Steelers 2. Come up with a goal line stand. 3. Overcome a 10 point deficit. This was one of the most unlikely wins of all time.

12. At Minnesota 2008 Colts 18 Vikings 15

Fighting a battered psyche following an opening game home lose to the Bears and a rash of injuries on both sides of the ball, Indy found itself down 15-0 late in the third quarter on the road to Minnesota. At this point, Peyton Manning connected with Anthony Gonzalez on third and six. Gonzo scampered 58 yards before leaving Colts fans with their hearts in their throats as he lateraled to Reggie Wayne, who took it to the one yard line. The short TD run and a Manning to Wayne TD followed by a two point conversion by Dominic Rhodes tied the game. With time winding down, Indy's D for only the second time all day, forced the Vikings into a three and out. When the Colts got the ball, Manning literally drilled a pass by a Viking defender's ear to Wayne on third and eight. This play set up Adam Vinatieri's game winning 47 yard FG with 3 seconds left (made all the more nerve wracking for Colts fans, because he had missed earlier from 30 yds).

Hero: Peyton Manning This is the kind of game that Manning haters never seem to notice or appreciate. The Colts couldn't rush the ball at all (19 carries for 25 yards) making them totally one dimensional. Playing virtually on one leg after missing all of the pre-season with a knee injury, and with Jeff Saturday, Dallas Clark and Tony Ugoh not available, Manning stood up to a relentless Vikings pass rush to help deliver this win. It is an overused cliché, but 18 really did will this victory.

Factoid: Being outnumbered roughly 15 to one by Viking fans in the Florida bar I was watching this game at, I wisely kept my mouth shut, even during the Colts frantic comeback. However, my involuntary scream of "YES" with an accompanying fist pump following the dramatic Manning to Wayne pass, quickly dispersed the despondent purple clad crowd, even before AV's Game winner.

Submitted by: Doug England

13. Buffalo Bills 1988 Colts 17 Bills 14
Going into the last game of the 1988 season, the Colts desperately needed a win and a Cleveland loss to make the playoffs. A quarterback controversy had been brewing all year between Jack Trudeau and Gary Hogeboom, and in the last game of the season, one faction had its revenge. With the Colts trailing 14-3 in the fourth quarter, Trudeau got hurt and Hogeboom replaced him. He threw two touchdown passes to seal up a comeback win. Simultaneously, Houston was beating Cleveland in Cleveland 23-7. The playoffs seemed assured. Unfortunately, as we filed out of the dome the crowd was informed that the Oilers had collapsed and Cleveland won 28-23 scoring the last 21 points of the game. We were all depressed, but the game itself was great.
Hero: Gary Hogeboom. His late game drives gave the Colts a chance.
Factoid: My dad claimed this was the only time in his life that he rooted for a player to get injured. Starting in the 3rd quarter, he shouted "get hurt! Get hurt!" every time Trudeau dropped back to pass. He claimed an injury was our only chance. He was right.

14 At Miami Dolphins 1995 Colts 27 Dolphins 24 (OT)
A Captain Comeback classic, the Colts trailed 24-3 at the half. Harbaugh rallied the team with three second half touchdown passes (two in the fourth quarter). He hit Aaron Bailey with 1:17 to play to tie the game and force the OT. The Colts roared back to steal the win in OT on a chip shot by Blanchard. Still looking for more info on this game.
Hero: Harbaugh. He won the starting job with a similar miracle comeback a couple of weeks before against the Jets, and quickly established himself as the leader of the team with this clutch win.
Factoid: Blanchard hit his second GW FG of the season. He would hit another the next week, and total four different game winners on the season.

15. Washington Redskins 1990 Colts 35 Redskins 28
This game was played on a Saturday night, three days before Christmas, because Christmas Eve was a Monday. In Jeff George's Rookie year, the Colts had a rough back and fourth game with the Skins. The Colts took an early lead, but Washington closed the gap thanks to two long field goals by Chip Lohmiller; the second was a 56 yarder as the half expired that clanged off the crossbar and went through. The Skins opened a 25-14 lead in the fourth quarter, but the Colts roared back on the strength of 21 points in the fourth. Jeff George started the rally with two TD passes sandwiched around a FG for Washington. Then, with just minutes remaining and the score tied, Alan Grant picked off a Mark Rypien pass taking it 25 yards for the game winning TD.
Hero: George. The rookie had 252 yards and 3 TDs to move the Colts to 7-8 on the year, and keep hopes of a .500 rookie season alive.
Factoid: The Colts passed out weird masks of the MNF announcers. This was meant to mimic the prank they pulled during the Halloween Massacre. Instead it just came out creepy as I was given a Dan Dierdorf mask, with dog ears and an elf hat. It made absolutely no sense. This game made the list especially because at 14 years old, I declared it to be the best game I had ever seen live.

16. At San Diego 2008 Colts 23 Chargers 20
The Colts season had already begun to turn the corner thanks to hard fought wins in the previous three weeks, but few wins in 2008 were as difficult or dramatic as the Sunday night game against the Chargers. The Colts had built a modest cushion of 20-10, but the defense flagged late and the Chargers came back. With time running out, and overtime a near certainty, Manning rallied the Colts for a final drive. Taking the ball with just 1:26 on the clock, 18 positioned the Horse at the San Diego 48 with :26 seconds left. Facing a fourth and 1, Tony Dungy went for it, and 18 hooked up with 88 who broke free down to the San Diego 34. Adam Vinatieri got redemption for missing a game winner the year before and drilled the 51 figgie to give Indy a huge win.
Hero: Robert Mathis, Dungy, Vinatieri. With the Chargers driving early in the second half, Mathis had a brilliant sack strip of Rivers to change the momentum of the game. Dungy deserves credit for his ballsy fourth down attempt, and finally Adam Vinatieri drained the game winner.
Factoid: The officials almost blew the game. With 26 seconds left, the clock was temporarily stopped for a measurement. Dungy's decision to go for it hinged on the officials running the clock (per the rules) once the ball was spotted. That would have forced Norv Turner to call a time out, or give the Colts a chance to run a play with only about :10 on the clock (and a time out). A running clock greatly reduced the risk to the Colts of giving the ball back to the Chargers with time for them to throw for a FG. Instead, the officials mistakenly didn't wind the clock, and Manning snapped the ball with :26 instead of :10 left. Fortunately, he hit Harrison for a huge first down, and they quick snapped Addai for a yard before stopping the clock in time for AV to hit the FG.

17. San Francisco 49ers 1995 Colts 18 49ers 17
The defending champion 49ers came to down, and showed little respect for the Colts. Leading 7-6 late in the first half, the 49ers eschewed a field goal that would have put them up 4 points at the half. Instead, the Colts stopped the fourth down play, and ensured that a back and fourth game would ensue. The Colts gave up the lead on a 51 yard field goal, but Captain Comeback, Jim Harbaugh was just coming into his own. He drove the Colts downfield, where Carey Blanchard buried a 41 yard field goal. The 49ers had a chance to win the game with 41 seconds left, but Doug Brien missed a 46 yarder, and the Colts hung on. "HE MISSED IT! HE MISSED IT! HE MISSED IT! HE MISSED IT!" was the call from Bob Lamey.
Hero: Blanchard. He hit four field goals and propelled the Colts to huge upset win.
Factoid: The Colts had 6 sacks in the game, including two by one of the most hated Colts ever, Trev Alberts. This would mark the first of three straight years in which the Colts would knock off the defending Super Bowl champion.

18. At New York Jets 2006 Colts 31 Jets 28

Riding high after conquering the "Manning Bowl" and two division opponents, the Colts headed to the Meadowlands to face Chad Pennington and the Jets. A promising 7-0 start was soon wasted as the Jets rode a rare onside kick and the Colts' horrific run defense to a 21-17 lead with 7:55 remaining in the game. Then, as he often does, Peyton Manning took over the game with a spectacular 12 play, 68 yard drive that was so efficient that it only required two 3^rd down conversions; a 10 yard pass to Dallas Clark on 3^rd and 6 from the Colts' 48 and a 2 yard TD pass to lesser-known Colt Bryan Fletcher. The Colts led 24-21 with 2:34 remaining and victory seemed assured. Then, as often happened in 2006, the special teams royally screwed up. The one good kickoff that day by Martin Gramatica was returned 103 yards for a touchdown by Justin Miller. Just seconds after leading his team 68 yards for the go-ahead touchdown, 18 had to do it again. No problem. Peyton delivered again with an equally impressive 61 yard drive that included a sick 19 yard pass to Marvin on 3^rd and 6 that Peyton threaded after avoiding the rush, starting to run, and then somehow seeing 88 get open at the sideline during all of this. Peyton then finished the drive by running it in himself from the 1 yard line and put an exclamation mark on it by getting up and spiking the ball in a rare show of pure emotion. The Jets' last gasp with 8 seconds left proved futile as their multi-lateral final play finally ended near the Colts 30 with Jason David intercepting one of the laterals.

Hero: Peyton Manning. When the pressure was on him the most, Manning was at his best, completing 11/14 passes for 96 yards over the final 2 drives as he single-handedly willed his team to victory...twice.

Factoid: This was Reggie Wayne's first game after his brother, Rashad, was killed in a traffic accident. Dungy and the team told Reggie that he didn't have to play in the Jets game, that he could come back when he was ready, but Reggie was adamant that playing and helping out his teammates was what his brother would want him to do. His numbers during the game were modest (4 catches for 74 yards), but the courage he showed playing in a football game a little less than a week after was brother died was admirable.

Submitted by Cass

Honorable Mention
At Jacksonville Colts 31 Jags 24
Peyton plays a perfect game, and seals up the MVP award on quasi-national TV. Garrard throws a late pick 6, and the Colts complete a 14 point comeback.

At Miami 1992 Colts 31 Dolphins 20
A back and forth game ends on Steve Entman's 90 yard Int return to end the game. Dan Marino was driving for the winning score when the rookie #1 pick took it the distance to seal the game.

Have another game in mind or a memory of one of these? Send your comments to: 18to88@gmail.com

NFL Top 10: Best Storylines heading into 2009

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:55:00 -0500

I really love spending hours putting together the research for a long-winded heavy analytical post, but sometimes, a fan needs to appreciate the game from a different perspective. This isn't going to provide any insight into why teams will win and lose this year, but because it's June, and we're two months from training camp, I'll forgive myself.

Today, NFL Top 10 takes a look at the best storylines entering 2009, as well as those potential developing storylines that could shape the upcoming NFL season.

10. Ray Lewis, Rex Ryan, and defense in the AFC
If the Baltimore Ravens are going to make good on my super bowl appearance prediction, they can't allow the media to even speculate that they might be missing Rex Ryan. The effect of defensive coordinator on a team's defense has certainly been overstated throughout the years, so we'll never know if the Ravens are actually missing Rex Ryan. They need a great defensive season from start to finish to dispel the argument that they will miss him. Meanwhile, the Jets will only be relevant this year if they can rely on their running game. And they will only be able to call on their running game if their defense is top notch. I think the expectations are still higher in Baltimore than they are for the Jets. But with three wins in September, Rex Ryan can change the expectations. Be warned.

9. Will Jason Campbell prove Dan Snyder wrong?
What we know -- the Redskins had significant interest in both Jay Cutler and Mark Sanchez at different points this offseason. To their credit, they never publicly acted as if they were disappointed with Jason Campbell's development, but I don't think they were convincing enough with their non-action to dispel rumors. Anyway, Jason Campbell has one thing going for him, and that's the fact that he survived a Dan Snyder shopping spree while keeping his job. There's no actual precedent for that happening, but Campbell, for now, has the full backing of the organization, and all eyes will be on him to prove management foolish for entertaining other ideas this offseason.

8. Adrian Peterson
Can this happen? Will Adrian Peterson have three consecutive 1,300 yard seasons to begin his career? But more importantly, will Peterson develop to the point at which he can offer more value to his team than the occasional explosive play and consistent 5.0 yard rushing average. Obviously, the passing woes for the Vikings are really not Peterson's fault, but he hasn't exactly helped out his team with top notch pass blocking, and he's averaging fewer than 200 yards a year in the passing game. If Peterson becomes an all purpose option this season, the Vikings should return to the playoffs. If he posts another empty 1,200 yard with a middling 8-10 TDs, well, let's hold off on the coronation.

7. After 0-16, how long will the Lions losing streak last?
The Lions have a pretty brutal pre-bye schedule, but their first two opponents: New Orleans and Minnesota should not take them lightly. The Lions are looking at a team with a struggling run defense, and another team that could be missing both of it's all pro defensive tackles. Last year, the Lions' season got off on the wrong foot when the Falcons and 49ers shredded them on the ground, and this year, the Lions will snap their losing streak when their ground game starts to chew up it's competition. If history suggests anything, it's that it won't take them very long.

6. T.O. and North America's Team
The Bills have not really had this much firepower since they had a top defense in 2004, only to watch Drew Bledsoe and the Pittsburgh Steelers' second teamers dashed their playoff hopes. But, for the first time in 5 years, the talent to compete is on the roster. Like most small market teams, they are not without holes, specifically on the offensive line, but Trent Edwards' inconsistencies should be tempered now that he's throwing to two very established receivers. The defense should be typically strong under Dick Jauron, and the Bills can pound the rock, so this season is all about the passing game and the health of a somewhat thin offense. T.O. is somewhat of a 6 million dollar side show, but the increased attention will be very welcome for the Bills.

5. Will Drew Brees solidify his place among the games' elite?
Daunte Culpepper. Donovan McNabb. Carson Palmer. Tony Romo. Since Tom Brady and Peyton Manning exploded onto the NFL scene in 2004 as the two quarterbacks that every personnel evaluator would most like to have behind center, the pundits have attempted to christen a third member to this elite class every year. It hasn't worked. None of the names listed above have consistently produced at at elite level worthy of the highest of expectations. Drew Brees is looking to change all that this season. Another 4,000 yard season in which Brees takes the Saints back to the top of the NFC would mean that Brees should be mentioned in the same breath as Brady or Manning, who are the hall of fame quarterbacks from this era. We're that close to be talking about Drew Brees as a hall of fame level quarterback. You get the feeling if he's ever going to get to that level, this is going to be the year for Brees and the Saints.

4. Whilst the Steelers repeat?
That team that won the NFL Championship last year, the Steelers, return all the crucial parts of their playoff machine from last year. So the main question here is: who, if anyone, can topple these guys? History says the Steelers will not repeat, because just because you beat all 31 other teams to the Super Bowl title one year does not guarantee you success over any one team the following year. The odds are stacked against every team at the beginning of the year, super bowl champs included. But the Patriots did win 3 Super Bowls this decade. Is it even possible that a team who won three super bowls might not be remembered as the dominant team of the decade? The Steelers have a once-in-a-lifetime shot to do just that. Is it possible? It's not like the Redskins or Giants are considered the team of the 80's, nor were the Raiders or Cowboys considered the team of the 70's. No decade has ever seen two different teams win three super bowls, and the only ten year span in which two teams won three titles each were the 49ers and Cowboys from the late to mid 90's. The Steelers look to make history with the Pats this year.

3. Jay Cutler/Josh McDaniels
Jay Cutler's wish to be cut free from the tyranny of a 33 year old head coach he had yet to meet before may have adverse effects on his career in the long run. Jay Cutler was basically guaranteed long term success with the Denver Broncos. However, with Chicago, it's going to feel a lot like his college days with Vandy. Understand, the Bears have talented players on offense with Cutler, but it's not at all like Denver, when every player the Broncos roster was capable of stepping up when called on. Cutler is going to find himself frustrated with the limitations of Devin Hester, with the never-ending search to find a go-to third down receiver, with Desmond Clark's maddening inconsistencies, with an offensive line that will blow simple protections from time to time, and with a running game that will go AWOL for month-long periods. Meanwhile, McDaniels has an incredibly promising offense, but he's basically given up on it's two most dependable players: Cutler and TE Tony Sheffler. So for McDaniels, his key will be developing a super star or two out of a bunch that includes Kyle Orton, Knowshon Moreno, and Brandon Marshall. Good luck and godspeed, coach. You've got the best chance to win this trade, but you better hope for the best...and that someone tackles on defense this year.

2. The Colts' Playoff streak in limbo
Since Tony Dungy came to Indianapolis in 2002, the Indy Colts have posted the following EA Sports-like win totals: 10, 12, 12, 14, 12, 13, 12. I mean, holy God. They've made the playoffs 7 out of 7 years, in the prime years of the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. 6 consecutive 12 wins seasons. 9 playoff appearances in the last ten years. Put it this way: The Indy Colts of the last 7 years are every bit the comparable to the Atlanta Braves, 1991-2005. But Dungy is gone, Marvin Harrison is gone, Ron Meeks is gone, and at least temporarily, Howard Mudd and Tom Moore are gone. The only QB in NFL history who compares to Manning, Dan Marino, had a prime of his career that, while not as impressively consistent as Manning, lasted though age-34 (1995) before he lost his all-worldly level of play.

That would suggest Manning has two more years at this insane level of productivity. But Peyton's hallmark has been that incredible consistency: if he plays to whatever age Brett Favre does without missing a start, he will break his consecutive starts record. But the one certainty in sports is that the last years of a super star will be played at a lower productivity level than his middle years. Even, yes, in the case of Barry Sanders. The big question here is that, if Peyton Manning plays at a 9 or 10 win level this year instead of a 12 or 13 win level, are the Colts good enough to pick him up and make the playoffs again. If not, the streak is in jeopardy, again.

1. The Patriots vs. the World
While the questions around Manning circle around how long he will be able to play at a never seen before level of play, Tom Brady has to prove he can pick up exactly where he left off. Brady's window to win championships will last about three more seasons. And he returns in 2009 with a cast of receivers that he has never lost with in regular season play. Again, Manning enters this season with a quite wonder about his remarkable abilities, but his expectation is much lower. With Brady, it's almost as if 12-4 and anything short of a championship season and 1st team all-pro status would mark a disappointment for the young QB. If Matt Cassel can go 10-5, Brady should be good for at least 13 wins. Or so the logic goes. Tom Brady will ultimately be judged by how he does in the postseason, but it looks like the only team on the Pats' schedule this year that will beat them is themselves.

Are the St. Louis Rams the Destination for Michael Vick

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:28:00 +0000

I think it is.

The St. Louis Rams need a play-maker. They can't always count on Steven Jackson. And Marc Bulger can't be the guys. He has been a failure towards the team.

Yeah, he has been a starter since 2002, but guess what?

Marc Bulger has only started all 16 games in one season only once! Just one time Bulger has started all 16 games in a season. You really want that in your starter? For the past seven seasons, Bulger has been sacked well over 230 times!

Rumors were swirling around the block that the St. Louis Rams are interested in Michael Vick. See what I mean?

Michael Vick has to go to the Rams. They need a bigger play-maker, other than Steven Jackson. Jackson can not carry the load ALL THE TIME.

Torry Holt is gone. Isaac Bruce is gone. Az-Zahir Hakim is gone. Ricky Proehl is gone. Marshall Faulk is gone. Kurt Warner is gone.

The Rams aren't what they used to be.

Their team needs to re-unite like the "Greatest Show on Turf" team they were.

And that kid, Michael Vick, can do that. Sure, the Rams won't be an all-passing team because their play-makers on the receiving side aren't there.

Vick can't fall to San Francisco. Alex Smith or Shaun Hill will obviously end up there. He can't fall to the Seahawks, Matt Hasselbeck or Seneca Wallace will be the main guy there. Raiders? Maybe, but why would they when they got Jeff Garcia and JaMarcus Russell?

Vick's only choice is the St. Louis Rams. This is coming from a Colts/Rams fan (more of a Colts fan) and Vick is needed.

Michael Vick can lay off the load for Steven Jackson.

Marc Bulger won't be needed, he has had poor play lately. Bulger has had a combined total of 22 touchdowns and 28 interceptions in his last two years.

Not what anybody would expect.

He is needed with St. Louis, as I have said many times in this article. Everyone in the sports world doubts his possibilities with any team. Are you kidding me? He has the best potential with a team in need of a QB.

You can say anything you want about Vick, but he deserves a shot with a team. Have you seen his abilities? Let's take a look:

An arm nobody can deny
The speed no one can be able to stop

Michael Vick was also the first quarterback ever to have more than 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards. This is what you call, my friends, talent.

Talent.

Nobody had the talent Vick had. He has had four seasons in which he ran for more than 500 rushing yards. He also had one of the longest QB runs in the NFL history, especially the memorable one against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Now you can yap all you want about what he did with dog-fighting, but hey, everyone has done mistakes. People have done much much worse than what Vick did, and nothing happened to them.

Donte Stallworth killed a man. Leonard Little having a blood alcohol level, twice the limit and was driving 78 miles per hour in a 55 mile per hour speed limit. Jared Allen was arrested three times for DUI. Jeramy Stevens was arrested for rape. And Chris Henry has been arrested FIVE TIMES!

You think Vick's was worse?

I don't think so.

Please give Vick a chance. How did Vick NOT learn his lesson? He has been in jail for more than 20 months for crying out loud!

Vick may not be a team player, but he can be a play-maker.

And that is all what the Rams need. For the team to go back towards their winning ways, Michael Vick is the answer. He can be the future.

People say he can't perform well because he hasn't played for two years. Well he has been playing football in jail and heck, he is only 28 years old! A lot left in the tank, could play for ten or eleven more years!

Then you say he isn't good in passing. Well sure, he does a 75.7 rating, but he can WIN GAMES FOR YOU! Look at Peyton Manning or Dan Marino, they had all the stats but aren't the type of playoff-type guys that can win games for you.

Vick can destroy on pass and running, don't get me wrong. You have to believe that. And with Vick scrambling and passing around, that could leave some room for Steven Jackson to run over defenses when the defense is already tired with chasing after Mike Vick.

And at least he isn't one of those quarterbacks who have more interceptions than touchdowns in their career. How can you say Vick is a bad quarterback?

Take a look at this: Compare Vick towards Vince Young. Let's take a look at the touchdowns, interceptions, and passer rating:

Michael Vick: 71 touchdowns and 52 interceptions, 75.7 rating

Vince Young: 22 touchdowns and 32 interceptions, 68.8 rating

So many of you say that Young is a GOOD quarterback and say Vick is bad. Explain to me why? That's just unacceptable there. Nobody talks about Young being a bad quarterback. It's just stupid. Just plain stupid.

Vick can turn around this Rams team, and he will. He will. Believe me. Once Roger Goodell reinstates Vick, there will be a team looking for Vick. It may not be the Rams, which looks like the best destination, but there will be a team looking for Vick.

It won't matter what team he'll be playing on or what league he'll be playing in. He will make a difference towards the squad.

And like Barack Obama, there will be change.

Who's the NFL team of the decade?

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 01:34:54 +0000

Brad Gagnon at The Score put out an interesting challenge on his blog last week, calling on sports fans to answer, Who's the team of the decade?

My answer is obvious, but not just for the reasons you might think.

Brad makes a great statistical case for the Patriots over at his place: they have won the most Super Bowls (3), are tied for the most conference titles (2), tied for the most division titles (6), have the best regular season record (102-42), and the best playoff record (14-3). They also own the first perfect regular season since the 1972 Miami Dolphins, and before that, a streak of 21 consecutive regular-season wins, more than that if you count the playoff games in between.

Then Brad has to go and sully my glowing feelings of pride by noting, correctly, "It's safe to say that the Pats would've had this thing locked up had they beaten the Giants in Super Bowl XLII."

Furthermore, he points out, on a purely statistical basis, the Pittsburgh Steelers could rival the Patriots' record in the postseason if they win the Super Bowl this year. "Consider New England to be the team of the first half of the 2000s, while Pittsburgh's the team of the second half," he concludes.

But I disagree with that. Even if the Steelers were to win this year's Super Bowl and dominate the second half of the decade on paper, there's simply no way for them to dominate the zeitgeist of the decade the way the Patriots have.

That's what we're really talking about when we're talking about the team of the decade - like Time Magazine's Person of the Year, it's not who's been the most successful or the most liked, but the most influential and / or emblematic. We're talking about the first team that will spring to mind when you think of the decade, for better or for worse, and there's a lot more to that than wins, losses and rings.

Even if the Pittsburgh Steelers establish another dynasty in the salary-cap era, it'll still be just that: another one. The Patriots were the first to do it, when it was thought to be impossible.

They began the decade in the spotlight with the controversial defection of Bill Belichick to New England from the New York Jets. Before he'd ever set foot on the field in Foxboro, Bill Belichick was at the center of attention in the league, and he's hardly left it since.

The next year, the Patriots ended a 42-year-long championship drought (read: the entire history of the franchise) in an improbable run featuring the rags-to-riches story of Tom Brady, and the parallel drama of Drew Bledsoe as he recovered from devastating injury. Once again, they were the source of controversy after the Tuck Rule game. They went on to become the underdog of Super Bowl XXXVI.

It went beyond the stories on the field, though. Playing in the first Super Bowl to be held since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, as the league's Super Bowl DVD from that year puts it, "the team flying highest was wearing red, white and blue." Bob Kraft also captured the sense of identification between team and country with his line after the upset victory: "Today, we are all Patriots."

And so on, through the dynasty years. It wasn't just that they won - it's that they won with a new style, a new scheme, and incredibly shrewd player development. They were called a "model franchise". Other teams openly aspired to mimic their success.

As if all the wins and the cultural resonance weren't enough, the Patriots were also at the center of the NFL's greatest rivalry of the last decade. It was a trifold rivalry - between two teams, the Indianapolis Colts and the Patriots; between two head coaches in Tony Dungy and Bill Belichick; and between the two premier quarterbacks of the decade, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. These two teams have played the most contentious, fraught series of playoff contests in the AFC over the last 9 years, and when Peyton Manning finally got his day in the sun, he had to go through the Patriots in the AFC Championship first.

Of course, I'm biased. I know there are people out there who would despise the idea of another superlative attached to the Patriots. People who absolutely can't stand the entire franchise, and all it stands for.

But in the end, that's what really seals this for me.

The Patriots are the touchstone team of this decade, not just because they have been successful or loved, but also because they have also been hated and failed. Throughout the perfect regular season, when the records they were breaking weren't making headlines, SpyGate was. I heard that season, on this blog, from fans I never normally hear from, like Baltimore Ravens fans. Suddenly it was important to everyone in the league whether Bill Belichick was a cheater.

The controversy spread to envelop the St. Louis Rams, an otherwise obscure former Patriots video assistant named Matt Walsh, a Boston beat reporter named John Thomase, and his newspaper, the Boston Herald, after Thomase broke news on the eve of the Super Bowl against the Giants alleging the Patriots had videotaped a Rams walk-through prior to Super Bowl XXXVI. While Walsh eventually failed to supply any evidence, the repercussions of this bombshell lasted well into Spring Training the next year. A $100 million lawsuit was filed in New Orleans over the alleged cheating in the championship game. Senators in Washington got involved. Eventually, the Herald was forced to print an embarrassing public retraction and apology for fanning the SpyGate flames.

The Patriots media juggernaut has another dimension, too, and another face: Tom Brady. Open this week's Sports Illustrated and you'll find him inside the cover in a two-page ad for bottled water. Open one from a few weeks ago and you might spy him in a Stetson ad. Pass by People, Us Weekly and the like on the newsstand, and there's Brady, his wife, his ex-girlfriend, and his baby, being gabbed about and debated over to rival the SpyGate controversies. People who don't watch football have an opinion on him and his family. He is a crossover star, instantly recognizable, on a par with the likes of Derek Jeter and Brett Favre. I can't think of anyone from this decade's Steelers who's earned that description.

Love them or hate them, if you're a football fan, you've spent a lot of time this decade thinking about and arguing about the Patriots, no matter what team you root for. They've been the underdog, the model franchise, the dynasty, the fallen heroes and the villains, all in a few short years. When we look back on this decade with all its turmoil, only the Patriots will embody it all.

Battle to the Top: The Key Position Battles for the Colts

Fri, 08 May 2009 16:28:29 -0500

The Colts have now signed some new players in free agency and got some new guys from the draft. It brings me to the position battles. A lot of controversial picks but let's see how it goes. These players will battle for the top, to win their position. Let's go!

Quarterbacks: 1. Peyton Manning 2. Curtis Painter 3. Jim Sorgi 4. Chris Crane

The Battle: Second-String Quarterback

Who will be the second-stringer. It will never be Peyton Manning, the brain of the quarterbacks in the NFL. It will be between Painter, Sorgi, and Crane.

Painter has been flat-out great in his career, throwing for over 11,000 passing yards and 67 touchdowns. I see him as the second-stringer because he will be mentored greatly by the great Peyton Manning.

Although he might be backing Manning up for the next six years, by the time Manning retires, Painter is in.

Why? Because he has been behind Peyton for so long and will be about 27-31 years old by the time he is starter so he can be the man for the Colts for quite a while.

Then there is Jim Sorgi, who has only thrown for six touchdowns and one interception in his NFL career. He hasn't been that good as a backup for Manning, and I can see why the Colts got those two other quarterbacks.

Sorgi will try to mentor and will probably be released during the season, but if he isn't he will be at the third string.

Why? Because if he was in the Painter situation, he will be between 35-37 years old when he is starter. Indy won't accept having him as starter for a year! That will just be unacceptable. It's just too messed up that way.

Then there is Chris Crane battling. He won't stand a chance. He has thrown for eleven touchdowns and 14 interceptions in his college career, which is pretty bad.

He had 10 touchdowns and 13 interceptions last year. He will need more time to improve. And that is why he is at the spot he is as we see in the depth chart.

Running Backs: 1. Joseph Addai 2. Donald Brown 3. Mike Hart 4. Lance Ball 5. Chad Simpson

Two Battles

1. Second String

Ah, the second string. It'll be Donald Brown vs. Mike Hart for that spot. Mike Hart has one more year of experience but never did anything, only playing one game but only had one carry.

He was injured for the most part. But it will be Donald Brown because he was the first round pick for Indy and he looks to be the man to share the load with Joseph Addai. Hart looks to be something else.

But why Brown? Brown led the league, and it's College Football of course, and was just spectacular. The Colts could have picked Chris Wells but Donald Brown fits the offense.

He will also be catching some balls, which Mike Hart might not be able to do. And that is why Brown will win this fight. But don't feel too sorry for Hart, he has something, too!

2. Third String

The third string. The best third string back for the Colts I have seen is James Mungro. The Colts are looking for that next type of Mungro player. And that is where Mike Hart, Lance Ball, and Chad Simpson come in. Hart will win. Why?

Hart knows the Colts offense more than all of the running backs on the roster right now besides Joseph Addai. I also heard some rumors from many sites, including the Colts Corner, that the Colts will make Hart the third-down and goal line back. So he will get playing time.

Hart was also just made everyone dumbfounded of how great he was in Michigan. He was the Michigan Wolverines when he was there. Can he do it if he can be the next James Mungro? I told you, and you need to find out.

Why not Ball or Simpson? Those guys haven't done much but have played more than Hart, no doubt about that. But these guys might get released.

Hart was never given a chance because of injury, but if he wasn't, he would be having at least 100-300 yards last year.

Ball or Simpson might get released because it looks weird with five backs on the roster, and Colts won't really use Ball or Simpson. Simpson might get released and Ball might be on the practice squad.

Let's see how that turns out.

Wide Receivers: 1. Reggie Wayne 2. Anthony Gonzalez 3. Austin Collie 4. Roy Hall 5. Pierre Garcon 6. Taj Smith

Two Battles

1. Third String

Who will be the third-stringer. It's between Collie and Hall. I say Collie. I heard some rumors on College Football Live that Austin Collie, from BYU, may be the next Marvin Harrison! Now imagine that!

Collie will be the slot because Collie does have the stats like he did last year: 106 catches for over 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns. Career: 215 catches for 3,225 yards and 30 touchdowns. Man!

But it's just not that. Collie looks like the Gonzalez of 2007. He can be very good at the slot and he did run a 4.50 at the combine.

Not much of the speed, but he is more of the possession kid. He can do a lot of things and he will be a Brandon Stokley type of kid in his first three years.

Roy Hall was close. He can't because he didn't have much playing time. He did run 4.40, faster than Collie, but he does have the hands Collie does. He could be close. It is going to be a huge battle.

He does have the size, very close to be 6'4" and he is also 240 pounds. He is a big guy. He just needs to fix his hands more. But he will win in this spot.

2. Fourth String

This is where Hall, Garcon, and Smith compete. I say Hall because of his size advantage and he can catch the ball better than the the other two players. Hall will be that type of guy who will be a key receiver on occasional downs.

Garcon looks to be just a kick returner like he was last year. I say he is better off there and Taj Smith hasn't done anything yet.

He will be a guy to add depth but we haven't seen much from him. We'll see how he does, but right now, Hall is in contention for the slot or this spot.

Tight Ends: Good as is.

Offensive Line: It won't matter. No battles here. Everything is good as is.

RDE and LDE: No battles. It won't matter. Everything is good as is.

Defensive Tackle: 1. Raheem Brock 2. Terrance Taylor 3. Fili Moala 4. Ed Johnson

Battle: The Two Starters

I said Brock and Taylor because these guys have what it takes. Last year, Brock was also left defensive end, but the Colts mostly put him at defensive tackle and he was just amazing and earned the starting spot.

Brock will be there and was pretty good last year by 14 games: 30 tackles and 3.5 sacks. I say Brock has what it takes and will stay there, no doubt.

Then who is the other guy. It's between Taylor, Moala, and Johnson. I said Taylor because he is a much bigger and physical guy than Moala and Johnson. He also had better career stats in college than both of the two.

Even though he was picked in the fourth while Moala in the seconds, Taylor will get it. His size takes a big part and he will get there.

Linebackers: Nothing here. Good as is.

Cornerbacks, Safeties, Punters, and Kickers: Nothing here. Good as is.

So that is that. These battles are great. Let's see how the Colts will progress to becoming a great team into next year. These battles will take a big part in the off-season and I hope you will enjoy it!

Comments? Suggestions? Any other battles I missed out on? Comment below and type out what you think!

NFL Power Rankings: Looking at the 10 Teams with the Brightest 2009 Prospectus

Sun, 03 May 2009 17:54:38 -0500

The coming and passing of the NFL Draft allows prognosticators such as myself to lock in our predictions for the coming season. There will be no more phases of the NFL off-season that can result in wide-spread player movement. To the critics who will point out, "there's no way you can call the season in May," I say: there's no point to trying to call it in August either. I'm just beating you to the punch.

In this exercise, I'm going to pick 5 teams from each conference to fill out my top ten teams in the power rankings. Essentially, I'm not trying to pick the ten best teams in the NFL right now as much as I'm trying to pick the ten teams most likely to win the Super Bowl. By spreading out the picks evenly by conference, I maximize the chances that two of my preseason picks play in next years Super Bowl. That is the methodology being used here.

Now, I count down the ten teams in the NFL most likely to come home with the Lombardi Trophy next season.

10. San Diego Chargers

Why we like them -- Norv Turner returns the same offensive unit that was so successful last year, minus only Guard Mike Goff. QB Phillip Rivers is now in the prime of his NFL career, and he's poised to take his spot among the league's elite quarterbacks. RB Darren Sproles returns in a greater capacity than last year, and the team has a better idea of how he can be best used to complement LaDainian Tomlinson. The defense can't be less effective than it was last year, which means that the offense won't have to be as perfect. Shawne Merriman is healthy, and in a contract year.

Cause for concern -- The Chargers did not spend any sort of money this offseason whatsoever to improve themselves, instead relying on improvement from within to take them to the next level. The state of the economy struck harder for this team than most. The draft didn't net much immediate help. They got two eventual replacements in LB Larry English (Merriman) and G Louis Vasquez (Goff), but again, the Chargers need to improve from within. After leading the league in INTs in 2007, CB Antonio Cromartie is back on the high road to bustsville after a horrific 2008. The ILB situation is unsettled at best, as is the S situation, and the success of the defensive line requires continued productivity from aging NT Jamal Williams. The inconsistency from the OTs was not addressed, and it won't be long until future HOF RB Tomlinson is an offensive liability. Norv Turner is not known for overcoming adversity, despite a successful run at the end of last year.

9. Indianapolis Colts

Why we like them -- 3-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning is back under center. The Colts are bringing another dynamic runner to the offense in an attempt to revitalize the running game, Donald Brown from Connecticut. WR Anthony Gonzalez is in his third season, and it's not unlikely that he will explode onto the scene as the NFLs premier complementary receiver. The defense is as fast as it's ever been, bringing back shutdown CB Kelvin Hayden to pair with CB Marlin Jackson. Bob Sanders. Dwight Freeney. Reggie Wayne.

Cause for concern -- Peyton won't be HOF caliber forever. In addition to this, the team might be forced to rely on the run more than they have ever wanted to under Manning. There is no established fourth target after Wayne, Gonzalez, and TE Dallas Clark. Run defense continues to be a cause of concern for a team that will try to grind out the clock this year. They weren't division champs last year. You can't directly replace a Marvin Harrison in your offense, you can only hope to compensate for his loss in other ways.

8. Washington Redskins

Why we like them -- QB Jason Campbell has plenty to prove this year, potentially his final season in Washington. Campbell is the key part in a very young offensive unit that needs to produce sooner, rather than later. The defense might be the very best in the NFL. The team added rookies: CB Kevin Barnes and DE Brian Orakpo; to the defensive mix that just payed Albert Haynesworth 41 million in guarenteed money to be Albert Haynesworth. CB Carlos Rogers is in a contract year, and is looking to establish himself as the best CB in football. Same deal for LaRon Landry at safety.

Cause for concern -- RB Clinton Portis has plenty of mileage on his legs, little help from up front, and no notable help behind him on the depth chart. His contract dictates that he will once again be asked to maintain a 4.0+ YPC average over 300+ carries. The Linebackers are young and talented, but not established (save London Fletcher). But this debate starts and ends with the offensive line. It's old, not very deep at offensive tackle, broke down last year due to injury, and received no real influx of talent via either free agency or the draft. Maybe one of a few UDFAs will pan out. The receivers were a completely unproductive unit last season, and need to produce this year.

7. Green Bay Packers

Why we like them -- No QB drama surrounding Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers this year, just a well entrenched QB looking to take his team to the next level. The Packers have the best receiving corps in the NFL. The 3-4 defensive switch fits them well. Injuries ravaged the team defense last year, and a healthy unit this year will be a productive unit. Both NT B.J. Raji and LB Clay Matthews were great scheme picks for a team that needs the help immediately to strike while the NFC North is, arguably, a bit down.

Cause for concern -- Despite a sure thing passing game and a defense loaded with potential, the Packers are incredibly thin on the offensive line, after moving on from RT Marc Tauscher, and relying on LT Chad Clifton to carry the line one more year. Clifton is 33, and is in a contract year. The running game was nowhere to be found last year, and for a deep playoff run, the Packers will need to find a way to pound the rock.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers

Why we like them -- Because they are the World Champs. They had the NFL's best defense last year. They never failed to come up big in the fourth quarter. And in the black and blue AFC North, they were 7-0 last season, including the postseason. Defensive player of the year LB James Harrison has a new contract. LB Lawrence Timmons is a breakout candidate.

Cause for concern -- Pretty much none of those things will carry over to this year, although all will remain team strengths. QB Ben Roethlisberger is going to have to pick up the slack. He was highly inconsistent last season, only coming through when it mattered most. If not for the best defense in the NFL, the Steelers would not have been in most games they played in, making the 4th quarter irrelivant. The division is going to be stronger across the board, and repeating in it will be difficult.

5. Philadelphia Eagles

Why we like them -- The team with the NFC's best defensive unit last year returns all defensive starters except for it's oldest one: S Brian Dawkins. The unit has the potential to be even better than last year, bringing on CB Ellis Hobbs from New England, and shipping out underachiving CB Lito Sheppard. QB Donovan McNabb is looking at his best offensive group since 2004. RB Brian Westbrook will finally get help this year, in the form of the rookie from Pitt, RB LeSean McCoy. The receivers are young, and talented. The offensive line is young, and talented.

Cause for concern -- Even given all that talent, the OL remains a question mark. Will they find the right balance on the right side? Can LT Jason Peters return to his 2007 form? Where is WR Jeremy Maclin going to fit in? Who knows if the defense will seamlessly be able to replace Dawkins with no dropoff? This team is loaded with super bowl quality potential, but that's never been a beneficial quality in the past. The established talent is limited. If QB Donovan McNabb can't take the Eagles to become the offensive powerhouse they want to be with this supporting cast, he's the weak link.

4. New Orleans Saints

Why we like them -- QB Drew Brees is the preseason front runner to be MVP of the NFL. The receivers are young and talented. RB Pierre Thomas, an undrafted player two years ago, is on the verge of becoming a top ten RB in the NFL. The defense does not appear to have any gaping holes, spending considerable resources on shoring up the defensive backfield while finding young pass rushers. With no weaknesses, we'll see if the defensive totals come back to a respectable level.

Cause for concern -- The Saints have been historically unable to create turnovers when they most need it, and nothing in this years offseason plan suggests that will change. A lot of the defensive improvements provide great depth and quantity, and have moved out the older, more ineffective players, but the quality of the players is still in question. The offensive line has not been touched in a few years, and when Brees struggles, it usually has to do with the line breaking down. They drafted Malcolm Jenkins in the first round, but had traded the rest of their draft, so very little help in this draft class.

3. Baltimore Ravens

Why we like them -- Because they're just a great young team that consistently drafts well. The defense finished second in the NFL last year, and showed a knack for forcing offenses into critical mistakes. They also led the league in defensive scores last year. They will have great special teams under John Harbaugh again this year. The offensive line is the standard for both youth and talent. They can pound the rock on 65% of offensive plays, and there is nothing that can be done to stop them. Joe Flacco figures to improve in his second year.

Cause for concern -- Limited receiver depth with slow the rate at which Flacco can develop. Still a very run-reliant offensive team. It's hard to tell if defensive turnover-forcing is sustainable. If not, that's a win or two they will lose simply from not forcing as many mistakes. LB Bart Scott signed in New York with the Jets, and this team lost its defensive coordinator. How will Ray Lewis and his crew find a way to stay at the top of the league this year?

2. Arizona Cardinals

Why we like them -- Last year's number one passing game has added a rushing attack to make the offense far more versatile. RBs Beanie Wells and Jason Wright will make a much better running duo than Tim Hightower, who will handle goal line duty, and the departed Edgerrin James. Kurt Warner is resigned, and Matt Leinart gives them good depth at Quarterback. LB Cody Brown and S Rashad Johnson were great draft picks that will help to restock a young, strong defense. Ken Whisenhunt is a huge asset on your sideline. The Cardinals are almost certain to be better than last year's version that nearly won the Super Bowl.

Cause for concern -- QB Kurt Warner is 39, and the list of QBs who have been successful at that age are limited to...no one. Johnny Unitas, if you want to go back that far. Another deep playoff run might require Matt Leinart to prove himself a worthy QB. Then there's Anquan Boldin's contract situation, which is murky at best. Oh, and they happen to be the Cardinals.

1. New England Patriots

Why we like them -- QB Tom Brady returns, which I'm sure you've heard nothing about. He returns to a slighty aged version of the same offense that they scored all their points in during that 16-0 season. His return also gives credibility to a running game which has declined the last two years, and really needs a breakout season from RB Laurence Maroney or help from veteran RB Fred Taylor. The big improvements came on defense, particularly in the secondary. CBs Terrence Wheatley and Jonathon Wilhite return, and are joined by rookie CB Darius Butler, and veteran CBs Leigh Bodden, and Shawn Springs. They add Patrick Chung to an already deep class of young safeties. Randy Moss and Wes Welker will once again be key cogs on the preseason NFL favorite.

Cause for concern -- Brady's knee. It starts and ends with Brady's knee. Can the Pats re-vitalize their passing offense, and cover receivers down the field? If so, they are the team that is most likely to win the Super Bowl this year.