Every year there are teams that make miraculous rises in the NFL standing from the previous year and those that go from the penthouse to the outhouse in equally surprising fashion. And every year both the self described experts and the rest of us try to figure out ahead of time just who those teams are going to be. At the same time there are teams whose record from the previous was misleading one way or the other, and it's just as much fun figuring out which playoff team was a total mirage and which 6-10 squad wasn't as bad as their final record suggests. It's my turn at bat, so here are a few of my picks for who will fall and rise, and who deceived us in 2007 and is in for a reality check of some kind in 2008.
Fraud: The Cleveland Browns Yes, they finished 10-6 and missed the playoffs only because the Colts mailed in their last game of the season and allowed the Tennessee Titans to win and claim the last playoff spot. So of course they are a sexy pick to stay in the double win range and maybe even take their division from a Steeler team that looked awfully unimpressive in their wildcard defeat in last season's playoffs. But their QB Derek Anderson really started to struggle in the latter part of the season when people had him figured out a little, and the front office really wants Brady Quinn to take the job from him so expect every slip up to get blown out of proportion there. And oh yeah, they still have no defense. The schedule this season is downright horrible (NFC East, AFC South) so they won't have the luxury of beating up on bad teams and padding their record. 6-10 looks a lot more probable than 10-6.
Riser: Philadelphia As an NFC East and Redskins fan, I get to see a lot of the Eagles every season and I know that they are always a playoff contender who will always bounce back after a bad season. I expect them to do that in 2008, especially with two of their NFC East rivals (the Giants and Redskins) on real shaky ground heading into 2008. Dallas is probably too talented to predict a division title but a second place finish and a wild card berth are definitely within reach.
Sleeper: Denver The Broncos were 7-9 last season, and had to face the brutal AFC South along the way in addition to the NFC North. Neither division is on the schedule this season, so in addition to a easy (on paper) four wins in their own division against Kansas City and Oakland, they get very winnable games against Buffalo and Miami and what should be an easy win over Atlanta. That's a possible seven wins already, and if they just pull out a few against a beatable schedule (their only hopeless games are at New England and at San Diego) more they're 10-6 easy.
Dropper: Tennessee Like I said earlier, they were gift wrapped a playoff berth by the Colts last season, and on top of that have a very shaky starting quarterback and no receivers to speak of. The schedule isn't very friendly either; they don't have the luxury of games against scrub teams like Atlanta, Oakland, and Kansas City this time around. They do get a week 17 game against the Colts again but if they struggle a little as some expect them to Peyton Manning will be suiting for that game, not Jim Sorgi. I think it's safe to say that there are no playoff to look forward to this season, Titan fans.
I never sleep
thank you sir
I agree 100%
I don't agree with Browns Fraud, I mean they not only have a more experienced Derek Anderson leading the team, but Donte Stallworth and Kellen Winslow teaming up with Braylon Edwards an Joe Jurevicius... come on! that's a pretty good set!
I'm not a big believer in Anderson. He slowed down in the second half of the season, and is playing ahead of a guy that the front office wants to be starter in Brady Quinn. The Browns schedule this year is HORRIBLE. NFC East and AFC South? That's eight loseable games off the top. They obviously won't lose all eight of them, but they could lose five or six of them. They remind me a lot of the Bengals from a few years ago with their high powered offense and suspect defense; you can pull out a good season here or there, but you can't sustain 10 to 11 wins yearly with their defense.
Sorry man, I have to diasagree with you on the Browns man. To be truthful everyone in the Afc North wil struggle this year. 8-8 just may win the division. Your concerns for them are legit, but with the exception of the Steelers, everyone in that divisoin is suspect and the Browns will be farvored against them.