UTTQ 2011 NFL Predictions: NFC East

The 2011 season may have not begun, but our 2011 NFL Regular Season predictions have. Here's a brief summary of each NFC East team, in no particular order, starting with the defending division champion Philadelphia Eagles:

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
The Dream Team certainly looks that way on paper. Among the most prized addition to this team includes Nnamdi Asomugha, perhaps the purest shutdown corner in the NFL. Michael Vick is as dangerous as ever; only questions about durability and blitz/coverage reads remain. Questions on the offensive line remain, but the receiving core of Jackson, Maclin, Avant, and Smith looks strong. Celek, McCoy, and Brown should also apply offensive support. The defense also looks studly, particularly the backfield group.

DALLAS COWBOYS
The boys in blue sucked last season, to put it bluntly. After a switch to a new coach in Jason Garrett, the Cowboys look to improve with a revamped offensive line, a stable core of receivers, and a familiar defense. Oh, and Tony's back too. As shown last season, Romo is vital to this team's success (or failure), and it is key that the o-line work together and stay healthy.

NEW YORK GIANTS
The Giants are an interesting team. After tough losses through free agency (Steve Smith, Shaun O'Hara, Kevin Boss) and a recent rash of injuries (Prince Amukamara, Terrell Thomas), this Giants team may end up on the outside of the playoffs looking in. Eli Manning...is he a top quarterback? He has his ups and downs...but if this team is to win, he'd better look start looking more like one.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS
This once proud franchise has had fleeting moments of excellence, but recently, they have struggled. Coach Mike Shanahan hopes that will change this season. Of course, this depends on who plays under center. Will the tenured Rex Grossman start? Or the perennial backup John Beck? Either way, the Redskins have little shot at taking the division crown unless they can shore up their quarterback battle. Perhaps newcomer Tim Hightower can take pressure off this situation, for a while at least.


NFC EAST TITLE: Philadelphia Eagles

• Yes, I'm a victim to the hype. But with arguably the most favorable schedule (save for the Redskins) in the division, I believe Philadelphia has all the ingredients necessary to steal the division.

WILD CARD TEAMS: Dallas Cowboys

• The Cowboys may be this year's dark horse team. After an underwhelming season last year, look for the Boys to bounce back with a vengeance. The Skins have a favorable schedule, but too many questions are left to be answered (particularly at quarterback). The Giants are too inconsistent.

UTTQ 2011 NFL Predictions: NFC South

The 2011 season may have not begun, but our 2011 NFL Regular Season predictions have. Here's a brief summary of each NFC South team, in no particular order, starting with the defending division champion Atlanta Falcons:

ATLANTA FALCONS
The Matt Ryan era in Atlanta has been everything Mike Smith and company has hoped for, except a playoff win. With three winning seasons in a row, the Falcons are hoping Ryan, Michael Turner, Tony Gonzalez, Roddy White, and new offensive weapon Julio Jones can finally lead them to the promised land. The defense will place emphasis on the corner/safety group, with John Abraham and company commanding the defense up front. Smart linebacker Sean Weatherspoon will hope to improve the linebacking core as the Falcons try to navigate a difficult schedule and division.

CAROLINA PANTHERS
There's a new regime in Carolina. Coach Ron Rivera and first overall pick quarterback Cam Newton will try to instill back winning ways in the Panthers organization. The offense still features the familiar running attack in DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, along with receiving threat Steve Smith. The defense will still be led by defensive stalwart Jon Beason, flanked by Thomas Davis and James Anderson. Big play from last season also earned defensive end Charles Johnson a big contract. On paper, this team shouldn't be as bad as it was last year. However, this team's success will be a reflection of Newton's play: an average performance at best.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
America's darlings of a few years ago. The Saints are still led by the impeccable duo of Sean Payton and Drew Brees. With Reggie Bush gone to Miami, the Saints lose a dynamic of their offense. Mark Ingram comes in to take the top running back spot. Offensive line will need to collectively become a unit. On defense, the addition of Aubrayo Franklin should hopefully allow the defensive line to step up. Mike linebacker Jonathan Vilma is still the heart of this D, with the secondary of Roman Harper, Malcolm Jenkins, Jabari Greer, and Tracy Porter hoping to provide shutdown support. Overall, a very balanced team, but they could also suffer from the new additions.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
The Bucs were a surprise team last season, thanks in large part to the play of quarterback Josh Freeman. Look for him to improve this year, despite a menacing schedule. The Bucs hope that Arrelious Benn can progress as much as Mike Williams. On defense, rookie middle linebacker Mason Foster hopes to lead this defense for years to come. Gerald McCoy and Adrian Clayborn will try to command the line, while troubled but talented corner Aqib Talib hopes to rack up picks in coverage. This Bucs team has plenty to be happy about, and could possibly sneak in at the wild card spot.


NFC SOUTH TITLE: New Orleans Saints

• If the Saints can get the newcomers up and running they will have a dangerous team. Drew Brees also returns with a relatively intact receiving core.

WILD CARD TEAMS: Atlanta Falcons

• The Falcons have the weapons to survive the season, but another early exit in the playoffs looks likely. The Bucs have the talent, but the talent must first jell. Carolina has little chance at the playoffs with too many changes up front, particularly at quarterback.

UTTQ 2011 NFL Predictions: NFC North

The 2011 season may have not begun, but our 2011 NFL Regular Season predictions have. Here's a brief summary of each NFC North team, in no particular order, starting with the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers:


GREEN BAY PACKERS
The Packers have lost key elements of their Super Bowl run but have also managed to keep several vital parts. Of course, Aaron Rodgers is still the star of the offense, with a healthy Jermichael Finley returning to further deepen the receiving weapons for Rodgers. Charles Woodson and Clay Matthews will lead the defense. With most of the coaching staff returning, including head coach Mike McCarthy, this team seems destined to retake the NFC North title with a relatively easy schedule.


CHICAGO BEARS
This Bears team seems to have made little improvement over the team that made it to the NFC Championship last year. The offensive line is still in shambles, the receiving core is still lacking weapons (Roy Williams has not had a strong camp), and Jay Cutler still hears his critics. The veteran defense, led by Brian Urlacher and Julius Peppers, can still carry the load, but may suffer from a difficult offensive schedule in the first half of the season.

DETROIT LIONS
Seems to be the team everyone is picking to get over the hump. With Matthew Stafford, this offense could be pretty potent (but of course, the real star here is Calvin Johnson). The defense, particularly the line, has seemingly been revitalized with the addition of Ndamakong Suh, a tackle who commands respect and thus opens opportunities for other linemen (like first round pick Nick Fairley) or even the linebackers. The Lions face a schedule that is evenly balanced, and they could easily sneak into the playoffs.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS
The Vikings are facing a new post-Favre look, with Donovan McNabb coming in to man the ship. The always powerful Adrian Peterson continues to command the backfield, and other offensive pieces are still in place. The defense looks familiar, with Jared Allen, the Henderson brothers, and Chad Greenway being the core of the group. The Vikings and coach Leslie Frazier may be up and coming, but probably not this year.


NFC NORTH TITLE: Green Bay Packers

• The Packers have everything they need to make a return run. A mostly intact coaching staff, a stellar defense, a high-flying offense, and most importantly, a stud of a quarterback

WILD CARD TEAMS: None

• The Lions may be everyone's pick, but I don't see them playing consistently the whole season. The Vikings are rebuilding, and the Bears need to get it together.

50 NFL News and Notes While You Were Gone

Photo credit: philadelphiaeagles.com

It's been a long few months since the lockout started. The NFL has gone on virtual shutdown since the dreaded expiration of the previous CBA. With the recent good news of the NFL going back to business, a lot has happened in the past month or so. Here's a quick rundown of things (mostly off the top of my head) you may have missed:

1. After about 130 days of no football, the lockout finally ended!
2. Deion Sanders, Marshall Faulk, Shannon Sharpe, Richard Dent, Ed Sabol, and Les Richter were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
3. Most memorable line from the induction ceremony was provided by Shannon Sharpe: "I'm the only pro football player that's in the Hall of Fame, and the second best player in my own family."
4. Most memorable moment: A tie between Ed Sabol's last film and Deion Sanders' bust do-rag.
5. The Hall of Fame game between the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams was cancelled, the only repercussion of the NFL lockout.
6. The NFL schedule was released featuring numerous intriguing matchups (Sept. 11 games, Lions first Monday Night game in a long time, the Harbaugh and Ryan Bowls, etc).
7. The Philadelphia Eagles went crazy in the abbreviated free agency period, picking up prized cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, jilted Titan Vince Young, veteran end Jason Babin, Super Bowl champ Cullen Jenkins, and Wildcat quarterback Ronnie Brown, among others.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison made some inflammatory comments against Commissioner Goodell, as well as his own quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. Typically, Harrison said the comments were "taken out of context".
9. Steelers receiver Hines Ward was arrested on drunk driving charges.
10. Several Steelers participated in filming for the newest upcoming Batman movie, posing as the Gotham Rogues.
11. Numerous players suffered torn tendons or broken bones during the first few days of practice.
12. Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning has still not taken the field.
13. The New England Patriots made several interesting free agency moves, picking up wide receiver Chad Ochocinco and defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, among others.
14. In quarterback moves, Donovan McNabb went to Minnesota, Kevin Kolb went to Arizona, and Matt Hasselbeck went to Tennessee.
15. Kyle Orton, on the other hand, did not move anywhere, in a continuing chess match between Orton, the Broncos, the Dolphins, and anyone else (and backup quarterback Tim Tebow is stuck in the middle of it all).
16. Runningback Tiki Barber has not signed with any teams yet.
17. The Buffalo Bills unveiled new uniforms that salute the retro "standing buffalo" unis of the 60s.
18. Dallas defensive coordinator Rob Ryan wants to "beat the asses" of the "all-hype team" (presumably the Eagles).
19. Rob's brother Rex got a new tattoo on his calf.
20. Brett Favre might have retired.
21. Carson Palmer might have retired (but still technically remains in Cincy).
22. Qwest Field is now CenturyLink Field (zzzz...).
23. Hey, at least CenturyLink is better than O.co Coliseum....
24. The NFLPA has re-certified.
25. Cleveland runningback Peyton Hillis is on the cover of Madden.
26. The Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers got their rings.
27. Terrelle Pryor has been prepping himself for the supplemental draft.
28. A memorable moment from the post-lockout press conference: Colts center and NFLPA representative Jeff Saturday hugs Patriots owner Robert Kraft, mere days after Kraft's wife Myra passed away.
29. Cam Newton wears the number 1 during camp (typically, NFL quarterbacks aren't allowed to wear the number by their coach due to the tendency for it to get to their heads).
30. Randy Moss has retired.
31. Plaxico Burress "returns" to New York after being incarcerated for the last few years.
32. Braylon Edwards goes from East Coast to West Coast.
33. Vincent Jackson is denied $10 million.
34. It's Grossman vs. Beck in D.C.
35. The UFL continues to barely survive.
36. Mark Herzlich, the Boston College star whose cancer story inspired us all, finally gets a chance in the NFL (along with the hundreds of other undrafted rookies).
37. HGH testing...yeah....
38. Several veteran centers shift around (Shaun O'Hara, Olin Kreutz, etc).
39. The Broncos are switching their home jerseys from blue to orange.
40. Speaking of unis, next season Nike will replace Reebok as the official supplier of NFL equipment.
41. The Seahawks steal some Raiders (TE Zach Miller and OL Robert Gallery) and Vikings (QB Tarvaris Jackson and WR Sidney Rice).
42. Los Angeles?
43. Breaking news: the Eagles snagged Steve Smith from the Giants...wow.
44. Ochocinco is gonna live with a fan?
45. Speaking of Ocho, what ever happened to that alligator wrangling?
46. Apparently Bears don't like natural grass.
47. Cam Newton, the 1st overall pick in April's draft, takes a massive paycut (compared to last year's number 1 pick Sam Bradford) in his rookie contract.
48. The Reggie Bush project is over (in New Orleans).
49. Speaking of Reggie's new home in Miami, the atmosphere at Dolphins camp is simply chants of this: "We want Orton!"
50. Did we mention that the lockout is over?

Undoubtedly I missed a few things, but it doesn't matter...football is back, baby!