UTTQ Predictions: Week 4

Continuing on League Beat Writer's picks, here's our predictions for the remaining games.

CAROLINA 14, CHICAGO 24
The Panthers pulled out a win against the hapless Jags though Cam Newton came back to Earth. The Bears are hungry for a win after having faced two tough play-off caliber teams in the Saints and Packers. Chicago's much maligned offensive line has struggled thus far in the season and will have the step up if the Bears want to make a run. However they should hold their own against the upstart Panthers allowing Jay Cutler to have a good game.

ATLANTA 28, SEATTLE 10
The Falcons have struggled away from the Georgia dome this season, being blown out by the Bears on Opening Weekend and losing a tight game to Tampa Bay a week ago. Seattle hasn't looked great to start the season despite Sunday's victory over the Cardinals. Look for Atlanta to get back on track and take out some frustration on the hapless Seahawks.

NEW YORK GIANTS 21, ARIZONA 14
Who said the Giants were in trouble after week one? New York has surely regained the loyalty of its fans in the past two weeks with convincing wins over the Rams and Eagles. Kevin Kolb's boys on the other hand lost a tight game against the Seahawks in which they had plenty of opportunities to take control of the game. Despite the many weapons that Kolb has at his disposal, the Cards offense just hasn't been clicking this season.

DENVER 16, GREEN BAY 31
Had the Packers gathered for offseason workouts, they may be crushing opponents. Instead, they are just manhandling them, as evidenced by their dominant win over the Bears last week. The Bears defense is way better than the rag-tag group the Broncos possess, and this kind of matchup could really expose the personnel lacking in this scheme. Green Bay's D is no slouch either; they are quietly a

NEW ENGLAND 37, OAKLAND 20
One of the more intriguing Week 4 matchups, the Patriots go to New England after being humbled by the Bills last week. Oakland is tough against opponents out of their division, but they may not have the firepower to stop a potent offense. Oakland can certainly have their way with the Patriots D, but Tom Brady won't let the Raiders pick him off 4 times.

MIAMI 20, SAN DIEGO 24
The Dolphins have been an underachieving unit, and will continue to do so against a fairly average Chargers team. The Chargers haven't been as dominant as previous years, as evidenced by the Chiefs game last week. Expect the Chargers to sneak out of another one as Miami falls to a desperate 0-4. Hey, at least they're one step closer to getting Andrew Luck.

NEW YORK JETS 23, BALTIMORE 28
Rex Ryan returns to his old stomping grounds as the Jets take on a tough Baltimore team that has found a new weapon in young receiver Torrey Smith. Expect the Ravens to pound hard on the ground and through the air as Ryan's defensive personnel are fully exploited. Ultimately, though, Rex may have the defensive knowledge to keep his old players at bay. Despite this, perhaps Joe "I Wanna Diss You" Namath may be on to something, after all.

INDIANAPOLIS 13, TAMPA BAY 30
Indianapolis may have held their own in a close game last week, but this week they face a tough Tampa Bay team looking for some redemption. Tampa narrowly defeated the Falcons last week on a fortuitous offsides call, and now the Bucs defense will be licking their lips as they get to face Curtis Painter on the opposing sideline. Expect the Bucs to try for their first blowout this year.

UTTQ Predictions: Week 4

We're back at it with our UTTQ Week 4 predictions. This time I'll be looking at most of the early games, while Insider Access will take the late ones. Here goes nothing:

DETROIT 31, DALLAS 24
Dallas is coming off another impressive comeback win, while Detroit, albeit making a comeback of their own, is soundly beating their opponents. This game will show which team is the real deal. Injuries are a concern for Dallas.

NEW ORLEANS 34, JACKSONVILLE 16
Blaine Gabbert will be tested against the his first formidable opponent. The Saints' pass rush will relentlessly attack Gabbert, who may have to rely on the ground game. Unfortunately, just running the ball won't be enough to stand up against a potent Saints passing attack.

TENNESSEE 20, CLEVELAND 24
A defensive struggle will be won by Colt McCoy and company, who may have better luck than the now Kenny Britt-less Titans. Chris Johnson better find his legs soon, otherwise this Cleveland team could be in contention for first in the AFC North after this weekend.

BUFFALO 37, CINCINNATI 17
The Buffalo bandwagon has never been more crowded. This team has a tough offense, and an inspiring (but still only better-than-average) defense. Luckily, Cincinnati hasn't been effective on offense, and the Bills should come away 4-0.

WASHINGTON 31, ST. LOUIS 20
The Redskins couldn't quite close out the Cowboys, and their lead in the NFC East has now turned into a three-way race. Look for them to separate against a lowly Rams team that can't seem to pull things together. Rex Grossman could have a big day.

SAN FRANCISCO 24, PHILADELPHIA 27
The top NFC West team takes on the bottom-dwellers of the NFC East, and yet this matchup is still lopsided. The Eagles are struggling to keep up with the other NFC East teams in a tight division, so look for them to pull one out here. The Eagles defense has been picked on several times the last two weeks, but they should be able to hold off a miserable 49ers offense. Then again, the Niners do manage to put up quite a bit of points, so the Eagles shouldn't take this one lightly.

MINNESOTA 24, KANSAS CITY 20
Minnesota has been a great first half team, but they just can't finish. Kansas City is struggling with injuries and a sluggish offense. Both teams will be fighting for their first win. On paper, the Vikings look to be the very slight favorite. But I could see this one going either way.

PITTSBURGH 34, HOUSTON 37
The Steelers didn't always look themselves in a closer-than-it-should-have-been match against the Colts. Pittsburgh will now have to face a defiant Houston team that is looking for its first playoff berth ever.  Houston showed that they could hold their own against tough opponents last week, so expect them to play hard against the Steelers. I can't see the Steelers getting blown out in this game, but I also can't see the Texans not scoring a lot of points. Expect a narrow escape from a shootout.

UTTQ Predictions: Week 3

This week, Insider Access decided to do the early games. Which leaves me with all the late games and the Monday night game. So, here's my take on several intriguing week 3 divisional matchups:

BALTIMORE 35, ST. LOUIS 17
Baltimore was embarrassed by the Titans after thoroughly beating the Steelers in Week 1. Look for this team to rebound from last week. The Rams have gotten off to strong starts in their first two games, only to look inept the rest of the way. Even if Steven Jackson gets back, the Rams have little chance against the stout Ravens run D.

NEW YORK JETS 24, OAKLAND 17
The Raiders specialize in their running game, which is key since the Jets' run defense hasn't performed all that great. Fortunately for the Jets, Jason Campbell can easily be the next Luke McCown, despite his stellar performance in a shootout at Buffalo a week ago. I can easily see this game going either way, but it looks like it will be a defensive struggle.

KANSAS CITY 13, SAN DIEGO 37
Kansas City has plain out sucked the past few weeks, and with many injuries to key players, this team is  in the running for the first overall pick next year. San Diego may have just lost to New England last week, but they had an admirable performance. Rivers and company will be "excited" to exact their revenge on the hapless Chiefs.

ARIZONA 20, SEATTLE 24
Seattle is reeling in the NFC West. Arizona is arguably the best team in the NFC West right now. Look for Seattle to try to send a message to the Cardinals in their home opener. Will they have enough to pull out the win? Something tells me they will...all they have to do is shore up their passing game.

ATLANTA 24, TAMPA BAY 27
Atlanta may have beat the Dream Team Eagles, but it was not without cost. The Falcons have several injured birds, and Tampa Bay is looking to gain a foothold in a tight NFC South race. Atlanta may take the "youngry" Bucs too lightly after securing a huge win last week. I see Tampa squeezing out of this one.

GREEN BAY 31, CHICAGO 24
Illogical thinking says that since Green Bay beat New Orleans and New Orleans beat Chicago, the Packers should beat the Bears via the transitive property. Logical thinking says the Packers' offense should be too much for the Bears' defense to handle, regardless of the instabilities on the Packers' D. Either way, this should be one of the week's most exciting games.

PITTSBURGH 34, INDIANAPOLIS 24
It's easy to simply write off the Colts already. They're 0-2, have lost at home to the Browns, and are facing a Steelers team that just shut out Tarvaris Jackson and the Seahawks. Yeah, expect the Colts to be 0-3 after this week.

WASHINGTON 27, DALLAS 20
The key here will be Tony Romo's status. Romo performed admirably last week in a comeback win against San Francisco, and the Cowboys will need him again here with the loss of Miles Austin. The Redskins will be looking to extend their lead in the NFC East. I think they'll be able to do that.

UTTQ Predictions: Week 3

After experimenting with predicting the games for week two, we here at UTTQ have decided to establish this tradition for the foreseeable future. So without further adieu, here are our predictions for next Sunday's early games.

NEW ENGLAND 35, BUFFALO 28
The Buffalo Bills have looked impressive on offense throughout the first two weeks in wins over the Raiders and Chiefs. However, the Patriots are an entirely different beast and Tom Brady is on pace to set the all-time mark for passing yards in a season. Ryan Fitzpatrick's guys should put up a fight but the Patriots lengthy win streak over the Bills will continue this week.

SAN FRANCISCO 24 , CINCINNATI 14
The 49ers suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Cowboys in which they held a 14-0 lead towards the end of the first half before it began to fall apart. Alex Smith suffered a minor concussion in the game but should be good to go for Sunday's showdown in Cincy. Andy Dalton looked great a week ago against the veteran secondary of the Broncos though he'll need more from Cedric Benson if they hope for their second win of the season. San Francisco needs to open up the passing game further and fully take advantage of the talent on offense. Look for SF to avenge their week two loss.

MIAMI 24, CLEVELAND 17
The Dolphins come into Cleveland having been torched on D by New England and Houston while Cleveland is fresh off a win against the Colts. Colt McCoy and Peyton Hillis have been okay through the first two weeks and will need to step it up if the Browns hope to make a run. The Fins need to have this game if they have any hope at making a run this season and that desperation combined with their talented offense should lead Miami to its first victory.

DENVER 17, TENNESSEE 28
The Titans were beyond surprising in their beatdown of the Ravens. The more astonishing fact is that Chris Johnson had little to no impact on the game. If Matt Hasselbeck can play at the level he did a week ago, and Johnson can get back to his old self, the Titans will be a dangerous team in weeks to come. Denver managed to scrape out a win against the Bengals, though Kyle Orton's offense hasn't looked anywhere near as explosive as a year ago. Look for Johnson to break out of early season slump and run wild through the Broncos D.

DETROIT 31, MINNESOTA 21
Matt Stafford's Lions have looked very impressive through two weeks of the season. Donovan McNabb's Vikings on the other hand have shown little resemblance to the team that very nearly won the NFC Championship Game two seasons ago. Look for Stafford to keep up his stellar play and unless McNabb can rally his passing attack around him, the Lions should hit the 3-0 mark.

HOUSTON 35, NEW ORLEANS 38
This is by far the most anticipated matchup of the early games. Drew Brees and Matt Schaub have both looked great through the first two weeks and this game promises to be a display of passing prowess. The game will be decided by which star QB makes the least mistakes and by which running game can dominate. My money is on the veteran Brees to squeak this one out in a barn burner.

NEW YORK GIANTS 24, PHILADELPHIA 35
As if it weren't obvious enough, Phily's week two loss to the Falcons only confirmed what we already knew. The Eagles will go only as far as Michael Vick takes them. All signs seem to point to Vick playing against the Giants on Sunday in front of his home crowd though concussions can be tricky. Should Vick play, the "Dream Team" should get back to firing on all cylinders. The Giants should get Osi Umenyiora back for this game to bolster an already strong D Line that should give the Eagles QB a rough go of it. My gut says that this is the game where Mike Vick's legs prove to be the difference.

JACKSONVILLE 7, CAROLINA 28
Cam Newton has been spectacular through the first two weeks having thrown for over 400 yards in each game. The Jaguars on the other hand looked horrendous through the air last week and Blaine Gabbert will make his first NFL start in this game. As long as Newton continues his stellar play, he should pick up his first National Football League 'W'.

UTTQ Predictions: Week 2

Taking the handoff from League Beat Writer, here is our predictions for the second slate of games.

BALTIMORE 31, TENNESSEE 14
Fresh off their thlacking of the Super Bowl XLV runner-up Pittsburgh Steelers, the Ravens are flying high and should blow by the Titans. Both the offense and defense of Baltimore looked fine tuned a week ago and look for both to flex their respective muscles against Tennessee.

ARIZONA 21, WASHINGTON 24
The Redskins shocked the nation with their week one upset of the Giants, while the Cardinals managed to scrape out a win against the Panthers with a late punt return TD. Rex Grossman and Kevin Kolb both lead high-powered offenses which should put on a show come Sunday so the real battle will be between which defense can stand out. Washington beat the Giants rather handily while Cam Newton broke the record for passing yards by a rookie a week ago. Look for the Redskins D to step up late and seal the victory.

DALLAS 21, SAN FRANCISCO 17
The Cowboys took one on the cheek against the Jets as they watched their large 4th quarter lead evaporate behind key errors by Tony Romo. Watch for Romo to bounce back against the 49ers by taking better care of the ball and making big plays in the passing game. San Fran's week one win against the Seahawks wasn't overly impressive and they will face a difficult task in stopping the dejected Cowboys. These old rivals will clash in a game that could easily go either way.

CINCINNATI 14, DENVER 24
The Broncos took on on the cheek by losing the Raiders in a sloppy contest a week ago. Fans in Mile-High were calling for Tim Tebow to take the reigns of the offense from Kyle Orton though Head Coach John Fox insists there isn't a QB controversy in Denver. Look for the Broncos to bounce back against the Bengals who should have rookie QB Andy Dalton back under center.

HOUSTON 31, MIAMI 21
The Dolphins secondary was absolutely torched by Tom Brady a week ago, and this week they get a Texans passing offense that may be even more potent. Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson should hook up early and often as Houston should have its way on offense. Chad Henne was okay against the Pats and will look to get Reggie Bush more involved though it won't be enough. Oh did I mention that the 2010 rushing leader Arian Foster will be back for Houston?

SAN DIEGO 28, NEW ENGLAND 35
Set aside Michael Vick's return to Atlanta and this is the most anticipated matchup of week two. Both teams sport high-powered offenses with slightly unproven defenses. Brady and Rivers will both get their big numbers in this game and the outcome should come down to special teams. The Chargers will be with Pro-Bowl Kicker Nate Kaeding who tore his ACL in week one. San Diego also had one of the worst special teams units a year ago and they weren't great in week one. Uh Oh.

PHILADELPHIA 38, ATLANTA 35
Michael Vick's return to Atlanta will surely be emotional and look for Vick to go off in this game. The "Dream Team" looked good but not great great against the Rams and look to improve further against the Falcons. Matt Ryan's boys got slapped around by the Bears and will look to get back on track. However this week belongs to Vick and he will surely put on a show in his return to the Georgia Dome.

ST. LOUIS 17, NEW YORK 27
The Rams did not have a great week one. Not only did they fall to the "Dream Team", Steven Jackson, Ron Bartell, Danny Amendola and Sam Bradford all suffered injuries of varying degrees. Bradford should be back under center come Monday night, though the Rams will trot out a patchwork secondary that Eli Manning and the Giants should have their way with. Eli will desperately be looking to bounce back after playing an underwhelming game in a loss to the Redskins. Look for the Giants to establish their aerial assault quickly.

UTTQ Predictions: Week 2

So this week we will be trying something different. I know we're a week late out of the gate, but we thought this might be more interesting than just posting scores along the right side of the blog. I'll be splitting duties with Insider Access, so I'll do the first 8 morning games.

OAKLAND 20, BUFFALO 27
Oakland will look to rely on their ground game, which seems to be as good as ever. But Buffalo may have the better passing game, and with two tough defenses, whoever scores the most points will win.

GREEN BAY 47, CAROLINA 20
Green Bay is stacked on both sides of the ball and will be an offensive juggernaut against the suddenly Jon Beason-less Panthers. Look for Cam Newton to struggle against a much better pass D than Arizona.

KANSAS CITY 17, DETROIT 31
The Chiefs got tomahawked by the Bills, and now must face a very difficult and destined Detroit team. The Lions will force Matt Cassel to pass, which may not have the best results.

CLEVELAND 27, INDIANAPOLIS 21
Both of these teams lost Week 1, one by a lot and the other just barely. Indianapolis better figure out their problems soon, or Colt McCoy could have a career day.

TAMPA BAY 31, MINNESOTA 23
The Bucs are looking for redemption after getting beaten by the Lions at home. The Bucs' defense will be all over the in-efficient Donovan McNabb, prompting some to possibly call for Christian Ponder.

CHICAGO 27, NEW ORLEANS 30
Chicago could be a surprise team this year, and the matchup of their defense versus the Saints offense will be very interesting. Look for New Orleans to squeak one out in order to avoid going 0-2.

JACKSONVILLE 23, NEW YORK JETS 28
The Jets' corners will have their day with Luke McCown, so look for the Jags to run the ball and control the clock. Unfortunately, that may not be enough to win against a tough New York team.

SEATTLE 19, PITTSBURGH 31
A rematch of Super Bowl XL (even Bill Leavy is in the house), Pittsburgh will dominate Seattle's O-line, but can Tarvaris Jackson pull together his troops for a win? Probably not.

Revisited Post: Kevin Kolb Trade Speculation

While this blog was still in its infancy (many could argue it still is), we wrote an article that speculated the potential landing spots for then-Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb (to view that article, click here). Now that Kolb has taken flight from the birds of the northeast to the birds of the southwest, here is a follow-up look at how other possible landing spots for Kolb have shaped up their quarterback situation.

PHILADELPHIA
The Eagles were the ones who held the rights to the Kolb sweepstakes, and they could have understandably just kept Kolb all along (especially due to the extended labor negotiations). However, once it was realized that Kolb's potential could attract quarterback-hungry teams even more, the option of keeping a second starting quarterback behind Michael Vick became moot. For a while, it seemed that Kolb's replacement would be Mike Kafka, but the Eagles then picked up Vince Young during their massive overhaul to become a team of all-stars. Vince Young is somewhat of a downgrade from what Kolb offered, but he does fits the system that Vick runs better than Kolb does.

MIAMI
The first team we speculated as a possible Kolb landing spot was Miami, given the inconsistency of Chad Henne. While this still remains true, Henne still remains quarterback. We still believe Henne is not the long-term solution in Miami, but either way this team must rely on him, or try to see if Matt Moore can lead them.

CINCINNATI
We never could have imagined that Palmer would actually stick to his word and retire before he plays another down with the Bengals, but apparently that's the case. The story isn't over just yet, as rumors persist that Palmer is working out with former Jets quarterback Ken O'Brien, but that's a discussion for another day. Turns out the Bengals did draft their guy; Andy Dalton of TCU. Dalton has struggled mightily in the preseason, but with a slew of young receivers, this team will take time to develop.

JACKSONVILLE
With David Garrard gone, the Jaguars have gone with Luke McCown as their Week 1 starter. Kolb would definitely have been a fit here, if not for Blaine Gabbert waiting in the wings. Gabbert has shown some potential during the preseason, but throwing him into the fire is probably not the best idea. McCown will fill in early, and depending on how much the Jaguars struggle, Gabbert will inevitably replace him. Look for the Gabbert era to begin sometime around Jacksonville's bye week.

TENNESSEE
The Titans face a completely new look at the quarterback position. Gone are Vince Young and Kerry Collins. The Titans decided to go the safe route and develop a young quarterback through the draft, in Jake Locker. Locker has shown abilities to extend plays, but his accuracy is always a question. Fortunately, the Titans also reached out to former Seahawk Matt Hasselbeck, who should fill in nicely as an early game starter. Hasselbeck has still shown the ability to lead a team to the postseason, so he should be able to mentor Locker into a quality NFL starter. Kolb wouldn't have fit into either position in this dynamic.

MINNESOTA
Gone are Tarvaris Jackson, Rhett Bomar, and Patrick Ramsey. Joe Webb is still here, but currently as a third stringer. The Vikings decided to solve their post-Favre situation at quarterback by both bringing in a veteran (Donovan McNabb) and drafting a quarterback (Christian Ponder). Ponder hasn't been stellar during the preseason, so it's a good thing the Vikings reached out for McNabb. Unfortunately, McNabb may be asked to simply be a placeholder until Ponder can contribute, and this may be the beginning of his career as a backup (which he has already gotten a taste of in Washington). The Vikings overreached to grab Ponder in a flurry of early quarterback picks in last year's draft, meaning expectations will be much higher for him than his current abilities allow. The Vikings will hope for the best with this one.

CAROLINA
The Panthers drafted their future guy with the number one overall pick in the draft. Cam Newton may have been a one hit wonder in college, but he will be pressured to succeed in Carolina like never before. The Panthers have decidedly thrown Newton into the fire, as there is little experience behind him (Derek Anderson will never live up to his '07 campaign, and Jimmy Clausen has taken too long to develop). Newton will take time to develop his accuracy, and against some tough foes in the NFC South, don't expect this team to break .500.

ARIZONA
Looks like Kolb is that new quarterback Arizona needed. The Cardinals opted to bring in Kolb over a veteran, with the hope that Kolb can keep backups John Skelton and Richard Bartel at bay (last year, the revolving door at quarterback was an epic failure). Kolb brings a much better game to the offense that could use a better transition from the Kurt Warner era.

SAN FRANCISCO
The 49ers weren't willing to pull the trigger, and thus Alex Smith returns as the starter (Troy Smith is in the UFL and David Carr is in New York, backing up another former number one pick). Smith will obviously be playing for his job this year, with rookie quarterback Colin Kaepernick ready to take his place. Unfortunately, it looks as if neither quarterback will be ready to fully handle the load of starting week in and week out. Smith has slowly been improving in his maturity and leadership, but his slow progress should allow Jim Harbaugh to make the switch eventually.

SEATTLE
So looks like Seattle wasn't high on Hasselbeck after all, who landed in Tennessee. Former Carroll pupil Matt Leinart has decided to remain in Houston backing up Matt Schaub, and Carson Palmer is still in a battle with the Bengals. But with Hasselbeck gone, and the Seahawks not entirely sold on Whitehurst, the Hawks brought in Tarvaris Jackson from Minnesota. Jackson hasn't looked all that great during the preseason, but the Seahawks have also overhauled their receiving core, adding former Viking Sidney Rice and former Raider Zach Miller into the fold. Jackson doesn't look to be an improvement from Hasselbeck, and the Seahawks could regret not chasing after Kolb as soon as Week 3 (when Arizona comes to town).

UTTQ 2011 Predictions: Overview

NFC NORTH: Green Bay Packers
NFC SOUTH: New Orleans Saints
NFC EAST: Philadelphia Eagles
NFC WEST: Arizona Cardinals

NFC WILD CARDS: Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons


AFC NORTH: Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC SOUTH: Indianapolis Colts
AFC EAST: New York Jets
AFC WEST: San Diego Chargers

AFC WILD CARDS: Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens


SUPER BOWL XLVI: New Orleans Saints over New York Jets

• The Saints are on a quest for redemption this year after being knocked out of the playoffs early last year. New Orleans is balanced and still retains a similar identity to the Super Bowl team of 2009. The Jets will finally make it to the big game, but their biggest threat may be the AFC North teams (Ravens and Steelers). Despite this, the Jets have a stifling defense and a solid offense (once the chemistry builds). But even with all the talent the Jets may have, the veteran experience of the Saints being to the big game before will surely take over.

Here's an added bonus:

POSTSEASON AWARDS PREDICTIONS:

NFL MVP: Aaron Rodgers

Offensive ROY: Mark Ingram

Defensive ROY: J.J. Watt

Comeback POY: Plaxico Burress

Offensive POY: Philip Rivers

Defensive POY: DeMarcus Ware

Now I'm ready to watch tonight's game! Are you?

UTTQ 2011 NFL Predictions: AFC West

The 2011 season may have not begun, but our 2011 NFL Regular Season predictions have. Here's a brief summary of each AFC West team, in no particular order, starting with the defending division champion Kansas City Chiefs:

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
The Chiefs certainly have playmakers in many areas, but they can't rely on them all the time. The addition of Steve Breaston should certainly add another dimension to a receiving core that is headlined by Dwayne Bowe. Matt Cassel also has a bunch of proven weapons in Jamaal Charles, Thomas Jones, and Le'Ron McClain lining up behind him. On defense, young ends Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson will try to put pressure on opposing o-linemen, while young cornerbacks Eric Berry and Brandon Flowers will continue to blossom into air-assualt-artists. Perhaps the most explosive player on this team is Dexter McCluster, a useful speed player who will see the most time as a tailback and returner.

DENVER BRONCOS
The biggest storyline throughout camp (and maybe the season) was the emergence (or lack thereof) of Tim Tebow as a starting NFL quarterback. Tebow struggled throughout camp, and while many locals in Denver support the consistent college winner, Kyle Orton has been more accurate throughout the preseason. Tebow tends to struggle to remain composed when he is being pressured, and can sling the ball loosely and inaccurately. He does have a few redeeming qualities, but not enough to make the Broncos as a starter. Besides the quarterback situation, the Broncos are fairly lackluster: their offense needs to step up (particularly the younger ones), and their defense is continually strapped by injuries.

OAKLAND RAIDERS
The Raiders biggest splash during this offseason marred by key losses (Nnamdi Asomugha, Zach Miller, Robert Gallery) was undoubtedly the drafting of Terrelle Pryor in the supplemental draft. Pryor may have the skills to make this Oakland offense interesting, but we can't be sure for a while: he will have to sit out the first 5 weeks. In the meantime, Jason Campbell will continue to command the troops, and rely heavily on the run game. Darren McFadden continues to improve as the Raiders top tailback, with Michael Bush and Marcel Reece providing run support. On D, Richard Seymour, Rolando McClain, and Michael Huff will try to command each level of the defense in an offensively oriented division. Sebastian Janikowski continues to boast the strongest leg in the league, while Shane Lechler continues to flaunt his Pro Bowl caliber (but not quite Ray Guy caliber--yet) style of play.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
If the Chargers could consistently get out of the gates running, they'd have won one, if not more, Super Bowls in the last couple of years. The Chargers are notorious for getting off to a slow start before coming together at the last minute and taking the division. With Philip Rivers, the Chargers will continue to threaten the Broncos and Chiefs for the division crown. Antonio Gates and Vincent Jackson continue the familiarity on offense, with Ryan Mathews ready to step in and take over the immense responsibilities left by LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles. The defense returns with a mix of old and new faces, but should perform admirably as a collective unit.


AFC WEST TITLE: San Diego Chargers

• The Chargers should take this division with the most balanced roster, and a schedule that should allow them to get off to a strong start this time around.

WILD CARD TEAMS: None

• The Chiefs look like the might be formidable, but they don't look to be consistent enough to survive. The Broncos are seemingly plagued by injury or poor performance. And if you didn't notice my subtle jab at the Raiders in San Diego's preview, let me just say this: Oakland won't make it to the playoffs until Al Davis is turning over in his grave.

UTTQ 2011 NFL Predictions: AFC East

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

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
The Patriots continue to stay competitive as long as Bill Belichick is their coach and Tom Brady is their quarterback. Of course, New England is also fortunate to have returning o-linemen like Dan Koppen and Logan Mankins, as well as newcomers such as Nate Solder. The Patriots receiver core also introduces Chad Ochocinco, who hopes to make an immediate impact to a shifting receiver core. On defense, the Patriots' D-line looks to be especially powerful, with the likes of Shaun Ellis, Albert Haynesworth, and Vince Wilfork. Overall, New England should continue to "do what they do", although the division crown may not be as easy to attain this year.

NEW YORK JETS
Arguably New England's biggest rival (even bigger than the Colts), the Jets once again have Super Bowl aspirations. Rex Ryan will try to lead his motley crew towards the promised land, which, after a failed bid for Nnamdi Asomugha, may be even more inspired to drive for success. Mark Sanchez will have a new toy this year in Plaxico Burress. Although Burress has been away from the game for a while, his sheer size should allow him to continue to dominate shorter corners. On defense, the impeccable duo of Cromartie and Revis should continue to puzzle opposing quarterbacks.

MIAMI DOLPHINS
The Dolphins had a QB controversy brewing over the offseason, with many Miami fans wanting another option over current incumbent Chad Henne. Henne has struggled to remain consistent during his tenure in Miami, and the loss of his top two backfield buddies puts even more stress on his shoulders. Fortunately, the team reached out to grab Reggie Bush, the former Saint who has a knack for flashy play in open space but limited ability to run between the tackles. Overall, this Miami team has the weapons necessary to succeed, but that success rides solely on the performance of Henne.

BUFFALO BILLS
It's been a long time since the dominant early 90s Bills teams. However, the Bills now seem to be on their way back to a respectable record. Ryan Fitzpatrick is a better quarterback than people take credit for, and Fred Jackson provides stable support in the backfield (and considering Buffalo's shoddy o-line, that's quite a statement). A revamped defense includes Shawne Merriman, Nick Barnett, and first round pick Marcell Dareus. Hopefully, this defense can make the sting of utter disappointments (namely Aaron Maybin) disappear from memory. Of course, as with all mediocre teams, the Bills' greatest strength is still special teams, with kicker Rian Lindell and punter Brian Moorman.


AFC EAST TITLE: New York Jets

• The Jets have a fairly straight-forward schedule, and many pieces from last year's team are back in place. Perhaps this will be the year that Rex Ryan's team truly lives up to his bold predictions.

WILD CARD TEAMS: Miami Dolphins

• I believe that the Dolphins can finally make it over the hump this year. This may be the year that the Bills or the Dolphins can finally be included in the division race. The Bills, however, may not have as many pieces in place just yet. And New England? Well, it may be a shock that they completely miss the playoffs, but I think the Patriots will lack consistency this season. If teams can figure them out early, they may be on the verge of missing the playoffs for the first time since Cassel led them to an 11-5 record in 2008.

UTTQ 2011 NFL Predictions: AFC South

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

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
For the first time in a while, this division is almost completely up-for-grabs. With the quarterback situation unsettled in Indy, everyone else must step up. Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Austin Collie, and Joseph Addai provide excellent support for whoever throws the ball. The o-line has shuffled a bit, and it remains to be seen whether it holds well. On defense, with Dwight Freeney continuing to pressure the opposing left tackle, the linebackers (led by Gary Brackett) can be more flexible in coverages, which translates to a more free wheeling secondary. Of course, the biggest question is when Peyton Manning can come back. If this team gets off to a tough start with Kerry Collins, and Manning returns to lead them to the playoffs, it will be hard to ignore his contribution as a true MVP of this team, if not the entire league.

HOUSTON TEXANS
"This will be the year." That's what NFL pundits have been saying about the Texans' playoff hopes ever since the Carr era ended. Unfortunately, the Texans have managed to disappoint numerous times with a mediocre regular season record. Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson, Arian Foster, and company have done all they could, to no avail. As explosive as the offense has been the last few years, the defense has been dreadful. This year, former Cowboys coach Wade Phillips installs his 3-4 scheme with a bunch of possible playmakers at his disposal (including Mario Williams, DeMeco Ryans, Brian Cushing). The question will be whether the available personnel can cleanly make the switch.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
The Jags have only been to the playoffs twice since their epic 1999 season (see our "Greatest Teams"), and have otherwise been a downtrodden franchise. The team has had little identity save for their tailback position, where Fred Taylor has dominated for years, and now Maurice Jones-Drew takes the role of featured back. David Garrard is still the starting QB, but Blaine Gabbert patiently waits in the wings. This year could very well be do-or-die for Del Rio, otherwise it may be time to finally make the move to LA....

TENNESSEE TITANS
The Titans, like the Jaguars, have a quarterback project of their own. Matt Hasselbeck, the longtime Seahawk, is set to start, with Jake Locker right behind him on the depth chart. Fortunately for both, the Titans have secured their number one player in runningback Chris Johnson. Johnson has a questionable attitude, but undoubtedly holds unbelievable talents and skills. If/when the quarterbacks start to struggle in the passing game, they can always hand it off to Johnson. The o-line looks ready to reach Pro Bowl caliber form under new Titans coach Mike Munchak. What will be interesting to watch is whether the defense improves.


AFC SOUTH TITLE: Indianapolis Colts

• This was a tough choice, but if the Colts can survive relatively unscathed while/if Peyton Manning's gone, then they have a legitimate chance to run the table. Unfortunately, if Manning continues what many see as the beginning of a steady decline, look for possibly the Titans to surprise some people.

WILD CARD TEAMS: None

• I believe the Titans will be formidable, but in the end it may not be enough to beat out the other wild card teams of the AFC. The Texans could also surprise, but may struggle with their new defensive personnel adjustments. The Jaguars are too unstable a franchise to consistently compete.

UTTQ 2011 NFL Predictions: AFC North

The 2011 season may have not begun, but our 2011 NFL Regular Season predictions have. Here's a brief summary of each AFC North team, in no particular order, starting with the defending AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers:

PITTSBURGH STEELERS
The Steelers have looked like their typical selves during the preseason. The question is can they translate that to the regular season? The Steelers may suffer from the Super Bowl hangover in an up and coming division. With a plethora of young, fast, and methodical receivers, ben Roethlisberger hopes to lead his team back to the promised land. Of course, this team has always been about defense, and features a defense that returns relatively intact from their Super Bowl run. Led by Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, and a slew of other studs, look for this team to scare others in a division of high playoff hopes.

CINCINNATI BENGALS
Did I say "a division of high playoff hopes"? Hmm...my bad. Looks like the Bengals ruined that picture. Carson Palmer literally screwed this team (or, perhaps it was Mike Brown). Without him, and with new quarterback Andy Dalton of TCU, the team looks destined to struggle this season. Gone are top offensive and defensive playmakers (Chad Ochocinco and Johnathan Joseph), with a bunch of young, unproven talent in place (particularly on offense). Manny Lawson and Nate Clements come in from the Bay Area to help a struggling defense.

BALTIMORE RAVENS
The team that will challenge the Steelers the most should undoubtedly be this Ravens team. After all, the defense is still studly (Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Haloti Ngata, and Terrell Suggs form the core of this unit), and the offense is up and coming with the development of Joe Flacco and runningback Ray Rice. Lee Evans provides a threat across from Anquan Boldin. Hell, even the kicker, Billy Cundiff, can be an consistent offensive threat.

CLEVELAND BROWNS
It was not too long ago that the 2007 Browns shocked the NFL world by going 10-6, only to miss the playoffs. And although that team was purely a fluke, this Browns team could be much better. Long gone is Derek Anderson, with Colt McCoy ready to take the helm of this team. Bruiser Peyton Hillis can be a real weapon on this team, but he needs some backfield buddies to provide depth (will Brandon Jackson heal in time, and will Montario Hardesty stay healthy?). The only thing will be to also groom a defense of up and coming playmakers like Joe Haden, and continue to use special teams extraordinaire Josh Cribbs effectively.


AFC NORTH TITLE: Pittsburgh Steelers

• The Steelers will be looking over their shoulders at the Ravens more this season, but it shouldn't be much of a problem. The Steelers have a creampuff schedule, and, with consistent play, should easily take this division.

WILD CARD TEAMS: Baltimore Ravens

• The Ravens will once again enter the playoffs right behind the Steelers, and could at least stick around for a while. The Browns are a work in progress, but they are showing signs of improvement. The Bengals have had their ups and downs through the years, but it's hard to ignore this current downward spiral.

UTTQ 2011 NFL Predictions: NFC West

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

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
The Seahawks managed to sneak into the playoffs last season with a losing record, and upset the heavily favored Saints. This year, the Hawks will rely on Tarvaris Jackson/Charlie Whitehurst to navigate their way through an up-for-grabs division. With Sidney Rice, Zach Miller, and Mike Williams at his disposal (along with Marshawn Lynch), look for Jackson to put up respectable passing numbers. Of course, Jackson must also hope his hodgepodge O-line can hold together as well.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
The Niners have a new coach, but the same old quarterback. Hopefully this marriage will pan out between Jim Harbaugh and Alex Smith, but also don't count out the rookie Colin Kaepernick. Braylon Edwards will be the new no. 1, and with Frank Gore getting his contract dispute settled, he'll once again be the workhorse of this offense. Patrick Willis is the leader of the defense, which improves in the secondary with the likes of Carlos Rogers, Donte Whitner, and Madieu Williams.

ST. LOUIS RAMS
The Rams have a beacon of hope in second year quarterback Sam Bradford, but they must first figure out who he will throw to. Danny Amendola, Brandon Gibson, and Mike Sims-Walker look to be the safe picks for now. The Rams also made several intriguing additions to their defense, adding the likes of Ben Leber, Justin Bannan, Al Harris, Brady Poppinga, and Zac Diles. Perhaps most important was the addition of safety Quintin Mikell, a student of coach Steve Spagnuolo in Philadelphia.

ARIZONA CARDINALS
Arizona believes it has finally found a successor to Kurt Warner in Kevin Kolb. With Larry Fitzgerald anchored by a long term contract, the Kolb-Fitz combination could dominate the NFC West for years to come. The running game takes a hit with a season-ending (and, possibly career ending) injury to running back Ryan Williams, which means Beanie Wells must step up. On defense, corner Patrick Peterson looks like he can have an immediate impact.


NFC WEST TITLE: Arizona Cardinals

• The Cards start the season with a relatively soft schedule, until their bye in week 6. After that, if they can survive a few tough weeks and finish strong, they have a real chance of winning the West. It also depends on Kolb's development, since there is no insurance if he goes down or sucks.

WILD CARD TEAMS: None

• The Rams have a very tough schedule that will test their ability to play possible playoff teams (of which they didn't have much success against last year). The Seahawks have no quarterback(s). And the Niners arguably have no QBs either (although they do have a favorable schedule).