2012 Minnesota Vikings Preview

2012 Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings look like their in for a rough season in 2012. They are in a loaded division and have a very inexperienced quarterback in Christian Ponder, who they are relying on to be their franchise QB. He showed some glimpses last year of being able to move the chains and make plays with his arm and legs. However, it’s unclear whether or not he will be the long term answer. The biggest question for this season will be how Adrian Peterson responds to his torn ACL. It seems like he might be ready to go in the first month of the season at the latest, but historically, even the toughest players do not come back completely strong from that injury. If he isn’t the same, then backup running back Toby Gerhart will have to take control of the rushing attack and help take pressure off Ponder. The defense doesn’t have overwhelming talent as well, so it looks like another struggling season for the Vikings. After a 3-13 record last season, Minnesota took Matt Kalil to be their left tackle, which should help Ponder by protecting his blind side, but this franchise is in rebuilding mode, who need playmakers on offense and defense.

Offense

The Minnesota Vikings offense really struggled passing the ball last year, but we’ll see how Christian Ponder progresses after his first full offseason as starter. With the addition of Kalil, he should be more protected and therefore stronger in the pocket, and he has shown that he can make some plays with his legs also. The running game is strong for the Vikings, but the biggest reason for that is the presence of Adrian Peterson, who might struggle this year while trying to recuperate from a blown out knee late last season. If he isn’t the same, then this offense is in deep trouble, because he is by far their best player. Toby Gerhart is going to have to play big and strong, like he is, to try and make this offense as successful as possible. The Vikings only have one true threat on the outside, which is the speedy Percy Harvin. Harvin will have to play a huge role in the passing game because he’s easily their best receiver. The tight end Kyle Rudolph is another player who will have to step up and create a receiving threat over the middle who can beat the linebackers. This unit should be in the bottom half of the NFL.

Defense

The front seven for the Minnesota Vikings has some ability. Kevin Williams is still chugging away in the middle of the defensive line, and Jasper Brinkley is going to have a big responsibility at middle linebacker. The outside linebackers are good as well, with EJ Henderson and Chad Greenway. And of course, they have their animal at defensive end, Jared Allen, who had an incredible 22 sacks last season to lead the NFL. He will be great again, but he can’t handle the pass rush responsibilities all by himself, so someone else is going to have to step up and get pressure on the quarterback. Antoine Winfield is the best cornerback on this team but he is aging, and the rest of the secondary isn’t very good. Which is a killer, when you play in a division against Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler, and Matthew Stafford. Good luck, Minnesota secondary.

Schedule

The Minnesota Vikings went 3-13 last season, so there’s nowhere to go back up! Hopefully, anyway. Christian Ponder will try and lead this team to a few wins, but the Vikings’ expectations can’t be too high because realistically, how far can Minnesota go in a division with three powerhouses? As long as the Vikings can improve from their three win season from a year ago, I would consider it progress.

Week 1: W vs JAC

Week 2: L at IND

Week 3: L vs SF

Week 4: L at DET

Week 5: L vs TEN

Week 6: L at WAS

Week 7: W vs ARI

Week 8: W vs TB

Week 9: L at SEA

Week 10: W vs DET

Week 11: Bye

Week 12: L at CHI

Week 13: L at GB

Week 14: L vs CHI

Week 15: L at STL

Week 16: L at HOU

Week 17: L vs GB

Those last six games after the bye are no joke, and they’ll probably lose out unless they can win that Rams game on the road. However, I think that they will go 4-6 before the bye, which is a good start. 4-12 is not where the Vikings want to be, but they’ll have another high draft pick, somewhere in the top four, and can select another player to help try to rebuild. It looks like it’s going to be a long season in Minnesota. I’ll do my bold prediction and then a recap of the NFC North, and then my next preview will be for the Atlanta Falcons, as the NFC South gets underway.

Bold Prediction: Toby Gerhart finishes the season with more fantasy points than Adrian Peterson. Peterson won’t be the same coming off his torn ACL. I don’t believe that this prediction will come true at all, but it certainly is bold.

2012 Green Bay Packers Preview

2012 Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers franchise and their fans will forever remember the 2011 season as one of disappointment and ruined opportunity. Coming off their Super Bowl championship, this team was primed for another run at the title. The Packers had a magical regular season in which they went 15-1, with the only loss coming on the road in Kansas City to the Chiefs. Aaron Rodgers had his coming out party, winning the MVP with 45 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, which still seems like an impossible ratio. The offense was a machine, although the skill players didn’t really play up to their potential. Green Bay had virtually no running game, and Greg Jennings was hurt for the last month. Jermichael Finley and James Jones saw their production decline as well. Then there’s the defense, which was prolific---at being the worst pass defense ever assembled. They set the NFL record for most passing yards allowed in a single season, and still went 15-1. They went on to lose their first playoff game against the Giants at home, a season that ended abruptly after Green Bay seemed almost invincible. Can they repeat their regular season success from last year and win the NFC North again?

Offense

The Green Bay offense was unstoppable last year with Aaron Rodgers and his greatness at the controls. I talked about his 45:6 touchdown to interception ratio. Still think that’s unfair. I also started saying before that a lot of the skill players didn’t play too well. So where did the extra production come from? Well, last year was a dream year for Jordy Nelson, Green Bay’s number two wide receiver that became the top dog by the end of the year. Nelson put up miraculous numbers that included 15 touchdowns, a jump that seemed to come out of nowhere. With Nelson’s emergence, this Packer offense can attack you from anywhere, especially if they get more production from their main guys like Jennings and Finley. As if Aaron Rodgers needs more help. He’ll be fantastic again. Green Bay also brought in Cedric Benson to help the running game, but this is a passing offense, so I don’t know how effective Benson will be.

Defense

The Green Bay Packers gave up the most passing yards in history last year, which is surprising because they were great two years ago, and they still have a lot of talent on this side of the ball. BJ Raji is an anchor in the middle of the defensive line, and Clay Matthews is a huge threat rushing the passer. AJ Hawk is a productive middle linebacker, and the veteran Charles Woodson is still present in that secondary. I can’t imagine this unit being as bad as they were last year, and Aaron Rodgers can’t be pressured to outscore teams every single week. So this group is going to have to step up and return to form as they were in the 2010 season, and turn the page on 2011.

Schedule

After a 15-1 season, there isn’t much improvement you can make to your record. I don’t think they can repeat a 15-1 season, but they should still be a force to be reckoned with. The Pack will be dynamic once again, but just how good will they be? I have Chicago going 12-4, so they will have to be great once again to win this division.

Week 1: W vs SF (tough right off the bat)

Week 2: W vs CHI (followed by short week, division rival...close game)

Week 3: W at SEA (also very close, but they grind it out)

Week 4: W vs NO

Week 5: W at IND

Week 6: L at HOU (can’t squeak out this one)

Week 7: W at STL

Week 8: W vs JAC

Week 9: W vs ARI

Week 10: Bye

Week 11: L at DET

Week 12: L at NYG (Giants have their number)

Week 13: W vs MIN
Week 14: W vs DET
Week 15: L at CHI

Week 16: W vs TEN

Week 17: W at MIN

I think that the Green Bay Packers will finish 12-4 in 2012 with the same record as the Chicago Bears. However, according to my schedule results, the Bears would own the tiebreaker and win the NFC North, leaving Green Bay as a really good #5 seed and a wild card spot. I also think that they could very well lose one of those first three games of the season, because each of them are very tough, so I wouldn’t be surprised at an 11-5 record, but they will not fall lower than that. No matter what, the Green Bay Packers will make it back to the playoffs and try to win their second title in three years. After my bold prediction, I’ll wrap up my NFC North predictions with the Minnesota Vikings.

Bold Prediction: Jordy Nelson outplays Greg Jennings this year, and Aaron Rodgers finishes second in the MVP voting to Tom Brady. But Green Bay will not win the North.

2012 Detroit Lions Preview

2012 Detroit Lions

Wee-woo! Wee-woo! Wee-woo! If you couldn’t tell what sound that is, it’s a police car siren, which is the sound plenty of Lions players heard this offseason when they were busy being arrested. This Detroit Lions team is probably the most low-character team in the league; if the players aren’t being arrested, they’re probably stomping on someone from the other team (looking at you, Suh). However, this team has plenty of talent, and has lots of momentum from its playoff berth last year. In the playoffs, they got blown out by the Saints in New Orleans, which is nothing to be ashamed of, but the fact that Detroit was finally playing in January again is definitely a sign of things to come. Now the question is whether or not this Lions team led by Matthew Stafford can build on their newfound progress, or if they will go back to their years of incompetence.

Offense

The answer to that question depends on whether their quarterback Matthew Stafford can stay healthy, which is no easy feat. Last season was Stafford’s first full year starting and the results were clear: over 5,000 yards passing and over 40 touchdowns. On offense, the Lions launch a complete aerial assault on the defense, which shows by how many passes they attempted last year. With a Pro Bowl quarterback with a cannon for an arm and a great group of wide receivers, Detroit spreads the defense out and lets Stafford go to work. It helps that he is throwing to a great group of pass catchers. Tight end Brandon Pettigrew is underrated but also very underused. They basically use him in place of the running game, throwing him short dump off passes and letting him run. A lot of people think that Titus Young is in for a big year in which he becomes a standout number two receiver. Expect 60-70 catches for 800-900 yards and 6-7 touchdowns. Then, of course, is the aptly-named Megatron. Calvin Johnson is the most terrorizing receiver in the league, with the size and speed that warrant the use of his Transformer nickname. He is a machine with incredible leaping ability, strong hands, and the strength to take on triple teams. Johnson had one of the best seasons of any WR in NFL history, a feat that will be unlikely for him to repeat. However, that doesn’t mean he can’t repeat as the top receiver in the league. He should still have 90 catches, 1,300 yards, and 12 touchdowns. Those are still incredible numbers. Now for the Detroit running game...done. There’s nothing to say about it, except that it is the most cursed position in all of football. Jahvid Best is Mr. Concussion, and he might have to retire already. Kevin Smith has bones that are taped together, and it will only be a matter of time before he gets hurt too. Mikel Leshoure was hurt last year and suspended for the start of this year,and he’ll probably get hurt when he comes back. The starting RB will probably be Keiland Williams...hopefully he has good health insurance. This offense will be successful only if Matthew Stafford can carry them. He was great last year but won’t be as good this year, and I think that will cost them a game or two.

Defense

Detroit has a ferocious defensive line, which includes Cliff Avril, Kyle Vanden Bosch, and, of course, Ndamukong Suh anchoring the middle. They can really get after the quarterback, and they’ll need to, because that’s the only thing they can do well. The secondary sucks, and teams will torch them through the air this year, if they have a good enough offensive line to keep their quarterback upright. The Lions are going to have to outscore teams, because this unit will give up a lot of points.

Schedule

Detroit had a solid 10-6 season last year, but a lot of things went right for them. They had multiple comebacks of 13 points or more, which is virtually unsustainable. The Lions could very well navigate this schedule and make the playoffs again, but it’s going to be a long, tough road. We’ll see how they handle success.

Week 1: W vs STL

Week 2: L at SF
Week 3: L at TEN

Week 4: W vs MIN

Week 5: Bye

Week 6: L at PHI

Week 7: L at CHI

Week 8: W vs SEA
Week 9: W at JAC

Week 10: L at MIN

Week 11: W vs GB
Week 12: L vs HOU

Week 13: W vs IND
Week 14: L at GB

Week 15: W at ARI

Week 16: W vs ATL

Week 17: L vs CHI

I think that the 2012 Detroit Lions will finish this year at 8-8. It’s just hard to maintain success when all of your offensive production depends on the passing game, when so much can go wrong. They can’t stop anybody either, so their defensive success rides on getting after the quarterback. It’s a lot to ask. That Week 17 game against the Chicago Bears is enormous, because if the Lions were to win, I’d have them at 9-7, same as the Eagles for a possible wild card. Which makes that Week 6 matchup against Philadelphia huge as well. No playoffs this year for the Lions, but I don’t think they are going to completely collapse, either. The Green Bay Packers will be my next preview.

Bold Prediction: The Detroit Lions will start at least five different running backs this year. I wanted to go seven, but that’s just mean. And no playoffs this season.

2012 Chicago Bears Preview

2012 Chicago Bears

2011 was the year that could have been for the Chicago Bears. After Week 11, they were 7-3 and riding a five game winning streak, but Chicago lost its two best offensive players in quarterback Jay Cutler and running back Matt Forte to injury, and their season spiraled into an abyss. The Bears dropped five of their last six games and missed the playoffs with an 8-8 record. This year, however, Chicago is back and better than ever, having completely reloaded the offense and maintaining its sharp defense and special teams. Cutler and Forte are both healthy, and just in case they get hurt, the Bears have brought in quality backups for each of them, with Jason Campbell and Michael Bush. They made a huge trade when they acquired Brandon Marshall, not only finally giving Jay Cutler a true number one receiver, but bringing in the receiver that Cutler loved so much in his days with Denver. All of a sudden, this team is bursting with upside, and could even challenge Green Bay for the NFC North crown. The 2012 season could bring great things to the Windy City and its fans, who haven’t celebrated a championship football team since that famous 1985 team almost 20 years ago. How far can this Bears team go this year?

Offense

This is potentially the best offense in the history of the Bears franchise, which is weird to think about when you consider how long they have been around. Jay Cutler is entering his prime and seems ready to deliver the breakout season that people have been calling for. With Mike Martz gone, Cutler will probably not be a punching bag in the pocket anymore, and he should be more comfortable standing tall. Matt Forte was having a tremendous season last year before he went down, and even though he doesn’t score many touchdowns, he should rack up top five yards from scrimmage, and hopefully touchdowns will follow. Chicago also brought in Michael Bush, who is a big back, to handle short yardage situations anyway, and give Forte a rest. This is the third running back duo with a true shot at breaking 1,000 rushing yards each this season. I don’t think Bush will have the touches for that, but the fact is that these two backs will be a handful to contain. Now we head to the receivers, which is finally a complete group. They have four guys who can make an impact, including Alshon Jeffrey, the rookie out of South Carolina, who is very tall and can get up high to catch jump balls. Devin Hester’s dangerous speed is well-documented, and he must be taken into account every time he steps onto the field. Earl Bennett isn’t a stud, but he has a great rapport with Cutler going back to their days at Vanderbilt, so you can’t leave him alone. Finally, we go to the alpha dog, Brandon Marshall, who I’m expecting a huge season from. He is reunited with Cutler, who he tore up defenses with back with the Broncos, catching 100 balls in consecutive years for over 1,200 yards. I’m expecting more of the same this year, only with more touchdowns. Brandon Marshall: top five wide out this year. Look out for this sneaky good offense.

Defense

This defense might not be as devastating as it was a few years ago, but, like the Baltimore defense, they are still an unfriendly bunch who know how to execute. Chicago needs to develop more of a pass rush this year, but someone who has no problem doing that is Julius Peppers, who has to be one of the five scariest defensive players in the league. The linebackers are always solid, especially when Lance Briggs plays well. It has been an ongoing story this year that Brian Urlacher’s knee is not the same, but he says he will play Week 1, and if he can stay healthy and be out there, then this is a top five defense. If he has to sit out for any period of time, this defense might get exposed a little bit. But we’ll worry about that when the time comes. The secondary is solid, headed by Charles Tillman. Major Wright is a talented young safety that can make plays as well. Expect this defensive unit to be solid as usual.

Schedule

The NFC North gets a very favorable schedule this year: match-ups against the AFC South and the NFC West. Of course, Green Bay, Chicago, and Detroit will all be fighting for playoff spots, and since they have two games against each other, the schedule immediately gets harder. However, the Bears were 7-3 and on pace for a playoff spot last year, and I think they are even better this year, so let’s see how they’ll do.

Week 1: W vs IND

Week 2: L at GB (thurs. night, could pull a quick upset)

Week 3: W vs STL

Week 4: W at DAL
Week 5: W at JAC

Week 6: Bye

Week 7: W vs DET

Week 8: W vs CAR

Week 9: L at TEN

Week 10: W vs HOU

Week 11: L at SF

Week 12: W vs MIN

Week 13: W vs SEA

Week 14: W at MIN

Week 15: W vs GB

Week 16: L at ARI

Week 17: W at DET

The 2012 Chicago Bears will roll through the first part of the schedule with minimal damage, and play pretty well in the second half as well. They close with three out of their last four games on the road, but I only think they will lose one of those games. I see Chicago going 12-4 this season, a bold prediction for sure (not the bold prediction, though), but if they play big like I think they can, it isn’t impossible. They play a rough couple of games with HOU and at SF back to back but they win one of those games. The biggest games, naturally are against Green Bay and Detroit, which I think they will go 3-1 in. I don’t like Detroit that much this year. That last game, Bears at Lions has extreme playoff implications, and I think Chicago finds a way to win. Big year coming for the Chicago Bears. After my bold prediction, I will talk about those Detroit Lions, and whether they can maintain their success from last year.

Bold Prediction: Brandon Marshall has 107 receptions, 1,412 yards, and 9 touchdowns. He will be a top five receiver and have more catches and yards than Calvin Johnson.

2012 Washington Redskins Preview

2012 Washington Redskins

There is new life in our nation’s capital. For a long time, the Washington Redskins have not had a quality quarterback that had a legitimate chance to lead the team to a Super Bowl. Now, they think they have found their man, as they traded up in the draft to invest the number two overall pick to Robert Griffin the Third, or RGIII. The Heisman Trophy winner out of Baylor carries with him a deadly combination of speed and a powerful arm, and has been compared to Michael Vick and Cam Newton, with a better arm. The sky is the limit for RGIII, and this city is itching for a winner to root for once again. 2011 was a circus for the Redskins; they started out 3-1 before losing 10 of their final 12 games to finish at 5-11. However, there is plenty of talent on this team, and now they have the quarterback to complete the puzzle. The faster RGIII adjusts to the pro game, the faster the Washington Redskins can get back in the playoffs and compete for a championship.

Offense

Obviously, this offense now belongs to RGIII. He is a dynamic playmaker, and though there will undoubtedly be some 

growing pains, Griffin will be good sooner rather than later. The running game in a Mike Shanahan offense is virtually a riddle. He uses any number of backs and there really is no true number one guy on the depth chart. It’s a toss-up, and that’s no exaggeration. But no matter who is taken handoffs, for this team, the production should be right on track, because Washington has multiple satisfactory backs. The receiving crew isn’t terrifying, but they have solid individuals. The Redskins brought in Pierre Garcon from the Colts to be their number one guy on the outside, and he could be in for a huge season. Santana Moss is still there, but the guy I really like is my boy from the U, Leonard Hankerson. Fred Davis is a growing tight end and with the departure of Chris Cooley, he is now the unquestioned starter. This will lead to increased production from him as well, and could catch up to 70 or 80 passes.

Defense

The defensive squad for the Redskins is an overlooked group that can potentially be a top ten bunch. They have a big defensive line, and a couple of stud pass rushers in Ryan Kerrigan and Brian Orakpo, who has a great name. The man in the middle of the linebacking crew is the veteran who can still get it done, London Fletcher. Fletcher is arguably the most underrated player in the league, and has been over his entire career. He plays every Sunday and is incredibly consistent, but no one ever puts him in the same category as Ray Lewis or Brian Urlacher. He might not be as good as those guys, but Fletcher is almost at that level. The secondary isn’t tremendous but DeAngelo Hall has speed and talent, even though he can be up and down. The improvement of the offense will help this defense, and I think the excitement of a new beginning will rejuvenate this unit as well, and they could be in for a solid year.

Schedule

Last year, the Washington Redskins were dreadful after their Week 5 bye, going 2-10 the rest of the way and effectively making them one of the worst teams in the league. While this team will be better, they probably won’t make too big of a stride, and while they will be competitive in this division, a playoff spot is unlikely. However, I have Dallas going 6-10, so can this team make it to third in the East?

Week 1: L at NO

Week 2: L at STL

Week 3: W vs CIN (home opener!)

Week 4: L at TB

Week 5: W vs ATL

Week 6: W vs MIN

Week 7: L at NYG

Week 8: L at PIT

Week 9: L vs CAR

Week 10: Bye

Week 11: W vs PHI

Week 12: L at DAL

Week 13: W vs NYG

Week 14: W vs BAL

Week 15: L at CLE (CLE record will be adjusted)

Week 16: L at PHI

Week 17: W at DAL

I think that the 2012 Washington Redskins will finish the season with a 7-9 record. Absolutely an improvement over last year, and a sign of things to come. No playoff spot this year, but one could be coming soon. I think RGIII will have a good year, relatively, of course, as a rookie. But to almost go .500 as a rookie against a tough schedule is a feat that cannot be overlooked. After my bold prediction and an NFC recap, I’ll get started on the NFC North preview, looking first at the Chicago Bears. Lots of compliments will be given.

Bold Prediction: RGIII’s stats: 3,200 yards, 23 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, 450 yards rushing, 5 rushing touchdowns, but lose the ROY to Andrew Luck

NFC East recap:

NYG: 10-6

PHI: 9-7

WAS: 7-9

DAL: 6-10

• Boom! Dallas will get blown up
• Giants will win the division, try to defend their title in January
• Eagles’ season relies on Vick’s health
• RGIII will have a quality season, and lead the Redskins to 7-9

2012 Philadelphia Eagles Preview

2012 Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles are ready to fly in 2012. Technically, they were ready to fly in 2011, but ended up falling flat on their faces. Their struggles last year were well documented; the expectations were sky-high but Philly started out 4-8 before winning their last four games to finish at 8-8. However, that record was nowhere near what the self-proclaimed “dream team” was looking for last year. This was a team with Super Bowl aspirations, a team loaded with talent everywhere you look. They fell way short last year, but this time around the Eagles are looking to redeem themselves, and accomplish what they thought they could do last season. The 2012 Philadelphia Eagles are fast, tough, and strong, and have all the ingredients of a championship team. However, they have one fatal flaw that could definitely bite them in the ass: a quarterback who has a knack for getting injured. Michael Vick is an explosive talent, able to throw the ball around the field and also run by entire defenses when he scrambles. He is arguably the most exciting player in football, but he is frail, and rarely plays through all sixteen games of the season. If the Philadelphia Eagles want to sit atop the NFL, they need to count on Vick being on the field, which is a dicy game to play.

Offense

If there is one word that describes the Philadelphia offense, it would be speed. The skill position players on this team can absolutely fly. Michael Vick, obviously, is the main playmaker since he has the ball in his hands on every play. Then there is LeSean “Shady” McCoy, who is also small and fast, but is incredible elusive and can change directions on a dime. He had his best season last year with 20 total touchdowns. That will be very difficult to duplicate, but McCoy should be in for another huge season. After all, who is going to crowd the box and let Vick and the passing game go to work? Because on the outside, they have weapons who are equally as scary. These are the wide receivers, Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson. Maclin is the more complete of the pair, but Jackson is the speedster of the duo, and is good for at least one deep shot per game. This offense is very scary, and if they live up to their potential, then good luck sleeping, defensive coordinators. What’s the best way to beat this team? Put Vick on his back.

Defense

The Eagles defense is probably just as good as its offense. They have two monsters rushing the passer at defensive end, Trent Cole and Jason Babin. They’ll probably combine for around 30 sacks this season between them. Even though Philadelphia traded away Asante Samuel, they still have two very good corners in the secondary, Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. The one problem that this unit had last year with their run defense, and their lack of a quality middle linebacker. They have that now, with the signing of former Texan DeMeco Ryans. In the draft, they also addressed their defense by selecting lineman Fletcher Cox, and linebacker Mychal Kendricks. This group should be a top ten defense at the very least.

Schedule

The Eagles should be in for a big year this year but there’s no such thing as a sure thing when you play in the NFL, and certainly not when you play in the ultra-competitive NFC East. Philadelphia plays a challenging schedule, and you have to assume that Michael Vick will not be able to play all 16 games. One thing that you can count on is that the Eagles will play with a lot of emotion and heart for their head coach Andy Reid, who lost a son this offseason, and is also potentially is on the hot seat if he has another disappointing season with this team. Let’s see how they will navigate this schedule.

Week 1: W at CLE

Week 2: L vs BAL

Week 3: L at ARI

Week 4: W vs NYG

Week 5: L at PIT

Week 6: W vs DET

Week 7: Bye

Week 8: W vs ATL

Week 9: W at NO

Week 10: W vs DAL

Week 11: L at WAS

Week 12: W vs CAR
Week 13: L at DAL

Week 14: W at TB

Week 15: W vs CIN

Week 16: L vs WAS

Week 17: L at NYG

By my estimation, that would be a 9-7 record for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012. They play a lot of tough teams and you can’t win them all, but they will win some quality games against conference opponents, such as those against DET, ATL, NO, and CAR. Like I said in the Giants preview, I think that both the G-Men and the Eagles will be 9-6 heading into that Week 17 matchup in the Meadowlands. Whoever wins will win the division. And I have the defending champs coming out on top at home. However, 9-7 does not mean I have the Eagles out of the playoffs. The NFC is extremely competitive but they might be able to sneak into a wild card spot this year. After all, if they win the aforementioned games against other NFC teams, then they will have a lot of tiebreaker advantages. But only time will tell. After my bold prediction, I’ll take a look at the Washington Redskins, and how they will do in year one under Robert Griffin the Third.

Bold Prediction: The Eagles will have the #1 D/ST in fantasy.

2012 New York Giants Preview

2012 New York Giants

Behold! Your 2011 NFL SUPER BOWL CHAMPION NEW YORK GIANTS!!!!!!!!!! Eli Manning proved to the world that he is, in fact, elite, by winning his second Super Bowl championship over the greatest winner in this decade, Tom Brady. The G-men won their second title in the Manning-Coughlin era and therefore cemented themselves as one of the best quarterback-coach tandems of all-time. Now, of course, is the dawn of a new season, and with that comes the daunting expectations of having to defend their title. Everyone in the league will be gunning to take down the champions, and they will have to put up with everyone’s best shot. The only thing harder than winning a Super Bowl is repeating that feat, but the Giants will set out to do just that. They lost some key pieces, but this team is close-knit and well-coached, so going back-to-back is not out of the question.

Offense

This unit begins and ends with Eli Manning. Literally. Because their running game sucks. They were worst in the league last year, meaning that the Giants relied heavily on the shoulder of Eli Manning. Luckily, the “other Manning” played huge when it mattered most, with a record 15 touchdown passes in the fourth quarter of the regular season. He continued his late-game dominance right into the postseason, with huge games against the Falcons, Packers, 49ers, and finally, the Patriots. He is going to have to be truly elite again if he wants to lead his team to the promised land for the second straight year, especially with the departures of Brandon Jacobs and Mario Manningham. The running game also has to not be atrocious. Last in the league isn’t very good, but there’s nowhere to go but up! Ahmad Bradshaw is going to have to be more productive, and hopefully first round pick David Wilson will grow quickly and be an effective backup running back. In terms of wide outs, Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz are one of the best pair of receivers on one team in the league. With their help, Eli Manning can possibly throw for nearly 5,000 yards again. However, Nicks is an injury risk and Big Blue has to hope that Victor Cruz isn’t just a one year wonder. People are going to need to step up in the offense, but this group should certainly be potent.

Defense

This defense was one of many that got exposed through the air last season, but this unit has one thing that others cannot say: a terrifying defensive line. The combination of Justin Tuck, Osi Umemyiora, and the newest animal, Jason Pierre-Paul struck fear into quarterbacks all of last season, and this year should bring more of the same. You might be able to block one of them at a time, but no one can contain all of these beasts, and its one of the reasons why the Giants can get away with having a less-than-stellar pass defense. The secondary played well at some points last season also; remember, they were without their best cornerback all season long, and Prince Amukamara was an injured rookie without an offseason to learn. Put them with Corey Webster, and this coverage crew should be better. Big Blue’s defense might have ranked low last year, but that isn’t a true indicator of their talent level. I expect more out of them this year.

Schedule

The New York Giants were very inconsistent last season, and were quite honestly lucky to make it into the playoffs in the first place. After Week 14, New York was 7-7 coming off their second loss of the season to the Washington Redskins. However, in their last two games, the Giants defeated their crosstown rival Jets, and their longtime division rival Dallas Cowboys to finish 9-7 and atop the NFC East. This year, with every other team in the division seemingly reloaded, New York will probably have to finish better than 9-7 to make the playoffs even as a wild card team. Can they keep the success going this year?

Week 1: W vs DAL (welcome back, football!)

Week 2: W vs TB

Week 3: L at CAR (short week, no answer for Cam)

Week 4: L at PHI

Week 5: W vs CLE (feels like a trap game)

Week 6: L at 49ers (their revenge will prevail at home)

Week 7: W vs WAS

Week 8: W at DAL

Week 9: W vs PIT

Week 10: W at CIN

Week 11: Bye

Week 12: W vs GB

Week 13: L at WAS

Week 14: W vs NO

Week 15: L at ATL

Week 16: L at BAL

Week 17: W vs PHI (division-winning game?)

Yes, they can be better than 9-7. I have the 2012 New York Giants ending the regular season with a 10-6 record, which has a chance to win them the division, but should definitely get them a playoff spot either way. That last game against the Eagles at home is one that I think will decide the winner of the NFC East, just like the Giants had last year in beating the Cowboys in Week 17. I think that the Giants will win this division, and get to the playoffs, where they will try and repeat as Super Bowl Champions. My next preview will be on the dynamic Philadelphia Eagles. New York represent! Big Blue nation.

Bold Prediction: Jason Pierre-Paul will have 20 sacks this season, and win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.