Pieces of Eight (next season)

[Warhorse]

* The NFC West is shaping up to be the toughest division in football. I think there is no NFL player happier right now, than Carson Palmer. The guy is going from dysfunction, to a franchise on the rise that is run by a proven QB mentor. Watch Palmer become the surprise of the league. With the 49ers looking top form, the Seahawks loaded with ridiculous talent, and the Rams possibly on the rise, this is a rare time to see all four teams in the division going up.

 

*The Packers and the Saints are two teams that were pushed aside last year for different reasons. I don't see that continuing next season. The Pack have had two years to realize that getting back to a SB is harder sometimes than getting there in the first place. I see Rogers viewing his own mortality in the mirror and stepping up.

 

*This is going to be a rebirth year for the Steelers. It won't show up in the wins and losses, but the mindset will morph and the dividends will come next season. I see a watershed of players and coaches over the next year as they look to the model the Colts have used and rebirth themselves.

 

*The Patriots window has closed. They will still be formidable, still make the playoffs, still scare teams .....but the writing is on the wall.....retooling only works for a time, and then the power of a whole new group of players who bond together outweighs the closing window of Tom Brady, their legend QB.

 

* I think Cam Newton is a special player and last year was his...welcome to year two...experience. I'll bet this offseason he reinvents himself and reestablishes the Panthers as a team that can beat anyone on a Sunday if they get it right.

 

* I think the Ravens will be competitive, but fans are in for a substantial drop in praise, coverage, and positive commentary for a year at least. The Ravens are one of the best run organizations in the league, but locking up their QB (a smart idea), and moving on from vets where some were possibly suspect to suffer a SB hangover, was a move that had to be made. Still going to hurt though.....

 

*I am very impressed at the career of Tony Gonzales. Unfortunately, I think this year is the one too many. Hopefully not, because he is a class act. Whether it is speed or decreased effectiveness, I think this was his season to retire.

 

* I think the Raiders are actually going to take the tough steps that are necessary to right the ship. Enough minds have been hired and I occasionally hear positive things about how quality tough decisions are in the future. Bad news in the short run for Raider fans, but good news in the long run.

[Dustin]

Your 5th point is dead on. If the Panthers can grab a good DT (Sheldon Richardson) and a 2nd receiver (Quinton Patton, Da'Rick Rogers) they're my dark horse playoff team.

[Vance]

I said the Steelers would go 8-8 and miss the playoffs last year, and I also said the Panthers would make the playoffs in 2013. Let's see if I'm right again

[Qwiz]

Eh. The Panthers always seem to be the fun pick but there is just something that they just can't get right. We'll see though. Maybe Cam can get them over the hump.

[amfootball]

Palmer has never been the same QB since the Steelers tore his knee up in 2005. I don't expect much from him.

 

I like the Saints to rebound because Payton is back but don't see GB challenging. Their D is horrific and if Rodgers signs the mega deal that everyone is reporting is $25mil a year than the Pack will be average at best for years to come. Don't trust their OC either.

 

Steelers are in rebuild mode not rebirth. Similar to the Pack, they have to retool their D and Big Ben already lost his best WR in Wallace and will most likely lose Sanders to the Pats. Couple that with the fact that Big Ben does not like Haley his OC and it spells disaster for Steeltown. I like the Browns to make things more interesting in the North. Lombardi is a great football mind and they already have a good D in place. Just need to fix the O.

 

Pats have already improved their D - more importantly their secondary which was the main reason they were not in the SB last year. Their window is wide open with the deal Brady signed and they will be the favs along with Denver to represent the AFC in the SB. I like the Colts as a dark horse.

 

The raiders will still be the raiders. I like KC to overtake Denver for the division - that is my bold prediction for the season.

[21isSuperman]

* The NFC West is shaping up to be the toughest division in football. I think there is no NFL player happier right now, than Carson Palmer. The guy is going from dysfunction, to a franchise on the rise that is run by a proven QB mentor. Watch Palmer become the surprise of the league. With the 49ers looking top form, the Seahawks loaded with ridiculous talent, and the Rams possibly on the rise, this is a rare time to see all four teams in the division going up.

 

*The Packers and the Saints are two teams that were pushed aside last year for different reasons. I don't see that continuing next season. The Pack have had two years to realize that getting back to a SB is harder sometimes than getting there in the first place. I see Rogers viewing his own mortality in the mirror and stepping up.

 

*This is going to be a rebirth year for the Steelers. It won't show up in the wins and losses, but the mindset will morph and the dividends will come next season. I see a watershed of players and coaches over the next year as they look to the model the Colts have used and rebirth themselves.

 

*The Patriots window has closed. They will still be formidable, still make the playoffs, still scare teams .....but the writing is on the wall.....retooling only works for a time, and then the power of a whole new group of players who bond together outweighs the closing window of Tom Brady, their legend QB.

 

* I think Cam Newton is a special player and last year was his...welcome to year two...experience. I'll bet this offseason he reinvents himself and reestablishes the Panthers as a team that can beat anyone on a Sunday if they get it right.

 

* I think the Ravens will be competitive, but fans are in for a substantial drop in praise, coverage, and positive commentary for a year at least. The Ravens are one of the best run organizations in the league, but locking up their QB (a smart idea), and moving on from vets where some were possibly suspect to suffer a SB hangover, was a move that had to be made. Still going to hurt though.....

 

*I am very impressed at the career of Tony Gonzales. Unfortunately, I think this year is the one too many. Hopefully not, because he is a class act. Whether it is speed or decreased effectiveness, I think this was his season to retire.

 

* I think the Raiders are actually going to take the tough steps that are necessary to right the ship. Enough minds have been hired and I occasionally hear positive things about how quality tough decisions are in the future. Bad news in the short run for Raider fans, but good news in the long run.

I agree with almost all of your points.  I disagree with the Ravens though.  I don't think they will be very competitive (depending on your definition of competitive).  I see them in the 7-9 win range and missing the playoffs.  I also don't think the Pats are done.  As long as you have an elite QB in this league, you will have a chance.  They do have a number of areas they need to fix, but let's not forget that they had the league's number one offense for a while this past season.  Their defense and chemistry isn't all there yet though.

[Colts_Fan12]

I agree about the raiders I believe it was Dustin told me the other day the raiders will have like 70 million in cap space next year

[Buck Showalter]

Point one is weird, arguably true but weird, if I had a time machine & traveled back in time to 2007 & told myself that the NFC West would be the strongest division in the NFL in 2013, I'd laugh at myself...