100 Days Away From The First NFL Game

The 10 Things I'm Looking Forward To Most This Season

1. How do Peyton Manning and the Broncos bounce back from the upset playoff loss at home last year?  The Broncos were huge favorites last year when they faced the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Divisional round, and we all know how that ended up.  Despite losing Elvis Dumervil as a result of some technical difficulties, the Broncos picked up the best slot receiver in the league in Wes Welker, making the offense more potent than it was last year.  Welker, Decker, and Thomas form one of the best wide receiver units in the league, and should be a nightmare for defenses to handle when you consider who will be slinging the ball to them.  Combine that with a very favorable schedule, and you're looking at a club that should finish first in the conference with potentially 14 or more wins.  Projecting that many wins is always a gutsy call, but when you consider Peyton notched 13 in year one and now has more reps under his belt with a new weapon in his arsenal, it's not that difficult to foresee.  Bonus Nugget: Peyton shot a 77 at Augusta National this offseason.  Seriously, what can't this guy do?
2. Will we see a "Sophomore Slump" from the quarterback class of the 2012 NFL Draft?  
   
   Cam Newton had a record-setting season as a rookie in 2011, and then took a few steps backward in his second season with the Panthers.  The "sophomore slump" is by no means a rare occurrence, and when you look at how many quarterbacks from the 2012 class were starters last season, the question becomes how many will regress in year two.  This may seem like a shock to some, but I think we'll see the biggest drop-off from Colin Kaepernick.  Leading a team to a Super Bowl in your rookie season is only going to create heightened expectations and pressure, and teams will be better prepared for the pistol after seeing it last year.  San Francisco should still make the playoffs with a great running attack and stout defensive unit, but don't be surprised to see Kaepernick struggle when throwing the ball in 2013.  On the other hand, I think Tannehill will make the biggest improvement of the group in year two, as another year with Mike Sherman can only bode well for his development.  He will be more adjusted to the speed of the professional game this year, and will be even more familiar with the concepts of his old college coach's playbook. 
3. Who comes out victorious in the NFC West?  The toughest division in the land will provide probably the most exciting race in the league.  Excluding the Arizona Cardinals, you could make an argument that any of the other three teams could win the division.  San Francisco nearly came back to win the Super Bowl after the blackout in New Orleans.  The Seahawks nearly made it to the NFC Conference Championship, and have the best home field advantage in the NFL.  Finally, the St. Louis Rams had the best record against divisional opponents, and picked up offensive threats for Bradford in Tavon Austin and Jared Cook.  A good case could be made for any of those three teams, but I think Seattle will snag the divisional title by a single win.
   
4. Does the return of Sean Payton mean the Saints reclaim the throne of the NFC South?
   
   While the NFC West may be the best division in the league, I think it's only better than the South this year by a hair.  The Atlanta Falcons should probably be the preseason favorites to win the division again, but you have to think the Saints, Panthers, and Bucs will provide a stiffer test this year than their 7-9 performances did last season.  Cam Newton will almost certainly put up better numbers than the 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions he threw in 2012.  Tampa Bay will also be known as Revis Island now, and Josh Freeman should have a greater grasp of second-year coach Greg Schiano's offense.  Then you have the return of Sean Payton, one of the best coaches in the league.  There is no doubt that the Saints were not the same team without Payton, which was especially true at the beginning of last season when the Saints were abysmal.  With Payton and Brees working together again, and Rob Ryan now in control of the defense, I think the Saints will reclaim the crown of the NFC, but it will be by the slimmest of margins.
5. Is this the year the Texans make it past the Divisional round? 
   
   The Texans were rolling last year, and seemed destined for a trip to New Orleans to play for it all.  After the injury to Brian "Get Sacks Get Stacks" Cushing though, the defense began to unravel bit by bit, and gave up big numbers at the end of the season.  Houston lost four of their last six games, and gave up 26.8 points per game over their final seven games of the regular season.  Cushing's return can only mean good things for the Bulls on Parade, and if the team can remain healthy, all signs point to an AFC Conference Championship appearance against the Denver Broncos.  
6. How much will losing Wes Welker affect Tom Brady and the Patriots?
   
   Yes, the Patriots replaced Brady's B.F.F. with Danny Amendola, a great slot receiver when he's healthy.  Yet there are so many issues still lingering that it's hard to see the Patriots returning to the AFC Conference Championship game.  Gronkowski can't get off the operating table, and the Patriots lost Deion Branch, Danny Woodhead, and Brandon Lloyd in the offseason.  To say that there will be some unfamiliarity in the Patriots offense would be an understatement.  If anyone can handle it though, its Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, and the Pats should still win the AFC East.  I just can't see a return trip to the Conference Championship game though.
7. What in the world will happen in Dallas this season?   
   
   I've seen just about everything in terms of predictions about how the Cowboys will finish this season.  Some think the NFC is ripe for the taking, and that Dallas could win the division and get into the playoffs.  This isn't too irrational, as the Redskins did win the division with a 10-6 record and a victory on the final night of the regular season. On the other hand, some think the Cowboys will miss the playoffs again, as many of the problems still remain from last season.  Tony Romo still throws the worst passes at the worst times, the offensive line is sketchy until proven otherwise, and a new defensive coordinator is in town plugging in a 4-3 Tampa 2 system with players fit for a 3-4.  When it comes down to it, this year could be very similar to past seasons: the Cowboys blow some games they shouldn't, hang in the playoff chase until the very end, only for Romo to make a throw that shouldn't have been made.  Anything better than 8-8 will be a success in my book.  
8. How strong will the reactions be to the rules change regarding tackling?  We've already heard some players voice strong opinions against the rules change regarding leading with the crown of the helmet outside the tackle box.  Emmitt Smith went so far as to say that the rule "sounds like it was made up by people who have never played the game of football."  Fans across the country are always debating controversial calls every Sunday, especially those involving defenseless receivers.  I can't wait to see what happens after the first few Sundays this year.  Depending on some of the calls that are made, this could be a major backfire for the NFL.  Only time will tell, but boy will it be fun to watch what unfolds.  
   
     
9. Will Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez turn the Jets around?
   
   It can't get much worse for Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez than it did last season.  Not only did the Jets have a horrible year, but Sanchez still owns the "Worst of The Worst" play on ESPN for the infamous "butt fumble."  Rex Ryan still doesn't have many weapons on offense, but the man should be able to turn his defense around given his pedigree on that side of the ball.  Many have already written the Jets off completely, but I think the Jets will exceed expectations and surprise a lot of people despite the pressure that both are under.
10. The Rematch in Denver.  Due to the Baltimore Orioles not rescheduling their September 5th home game against the Chicago White Sox, the Baltimore Ravens will be forced to open their season playing at Denver.  This has bucked the trend of recent years, where the reigning Super Bowl champions have kicked off the season at home in the first game of the year.  The Mile High City will be rocking for this one, and Peyton Manning might be as blood-thirsty for revenge as Nick Saban.  Denver has opened up as an 8.5 point favorite, and I'd strongly recommend laying the points in this one.  Baltimore is rebuilding, and Manning should be able to take advantage of the Ravens defense all night.  Don't be surprised when this line hits double digits the closer to the start of the season.