I Thought I Knew, But Who Does?!

Ok, were to begin:
1)Brady done for the year..... no problem we will just start some guy that hasn't started a game since high school and win!!
2)Did somebody switch the Jags team with the University of Jacksonville? Can we wake up and do what you do best, pound the ball and make people wish they were playing anybody else.
3)Minnesota needs a fix in the passing game. Adrien Peterson is going to waste up there don't ya know.
4)I know the refs blew the game San Diego, but come on you shouldn't have been in that spot to begin with. You are way better then Carolina and Denver, wake up and stop crying.
5)The Rams, Seahawks, Dolphins, Bengals, Browns, Chiefs, 49ers, and Lions stink. I know the 49ers won yesterday but they are awful. These teams are a combined 1-15! Who is gonna get that number one choice? The next question would be, would you want to play for any of these teams if you were drafted?
6) Hello Bills! I called this one, probably one of my few good picks. They are 2-0 and coming off a big come from behind win at the Jags. Trent Edwards has a lot of moxie and guts. That D also plays with an enormous chip on it's shoulder. Good for the Fightin' Dick Jaurons!
7) Can the Jets get some guts and throw a pass when you are at the goaline? You only have Brett Farve at QB! Man, they let the Pats win even though they knocked Matt Cassell into next week.
8) How about Justin Tuck! Two sacks, an interception and a TD. Man, this guy is a true talent and think he is doing it with nobody on that line, besides him, who is worthy of a double team.
9) Romeo, Romeo, where for art thy fourth down try? Down 7 with 3 minutes to go and you send in the field goal team?!?! Great now the score is 10-6 and you need to stop the Steelers from running the ball to score, get this, a TD?!?! Have some balls and go for the zone. What faith they showed in their own Offense.
10) Good call by the NFL to postpone the Texans v. Ravens game in Texas. Not only did nobody want to watch this game, I am kidding Texan and Raven faithful, but Ike took out part of the Stadium's roof and made it a dangerous venue. Also, there are more important things then football. Good job for once putting people first and not the money.
I know I stole this bit from Peter King at Sports Illustrated, but I would like to think of it as a homage to him because he is one of my idols. I wish I could write half as good as the stuff he throws out. That is the NFL 10 Things I Thought I Knew.

NFC Picks

NFC East: I have to pick the Cowboys. I hate saying this but what is there not to like? There are complete on Offense, the D front 7 is as good as anyone in the league, and they, well, their just lighting fast everywhere. The addition of Adam "Don't call me sophisticated" Jones is a great one as long as he keeps his nose clean (don't hold your breath). I really hate giving the Cowboys credit so I am making this short. Marion Barber is a beast at RB. Done.
NFC North: The Vikings. I know they already lost to the Packers, but something tells me this team will get better over the year. I love the ground game with Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor in the backfield. The QB needs to get better but I think he will do enough to win. The D is one of the top 5 units in the NFL. They are so stubborn against the run and the pass D will get better with a pass rush. One of their receivers needs to step up his game and help Tarvaris Jackson mature as a QB. This team can make a nice push by taking positive steps in their offensive game.
NFC South: The Saints. I love the offense. Brees is so underrated I think I may start to reference the word by saying "Man, he is so good he is Breesed." The D is revamped but getting better. This division, except the Falcolns, is a crap shoot. I chose to go with the Saints. In the end I just like their QB better then Carolina's or Tampa Bay's. A lot of my pick has to do with Reggie Bush and his ability to become the impact player he was suppose to become when he was draft 2nd overall. Sean Payton might be the best mind when it comes to coaching the Offense side of the ball.
NFC West: Do I overrate the Cardinals and count out the Seahawks? Maybe I take the safe bet and go with the Seahawks? I am gonna go with my gut, I just think that the Cardinals will shine and make the quantum leap into the leader of this rag tag pack. The Cards have a former NFL MVP as their QB and the best, without a doubt, WR tandem in the world. Boldin and Fitzgerald are so gifted. You would need an extra 4 guys to cover them both. The D will be hit or miss. They are too inconsistent on that side of the ball to really contend but they will make enough big plays on the Defensive side of the ball.
Wild Card Teams: The Panthers and the Giants. Did you really think that I was gonna leave the G-men out in the cold? The Panthers are always a playoff team when healthy, but that is the problem. They are never healthy. Finally though, they are. Delhomme is due for a bounce back season, the O-Line is revamped and talented and that D is young and feisty. John Fox is still a great NFL mind, but can he still coach? Julius Peppers is due for a great season and that Jon Beason is a tackle machine.
Now, my Giants. I love the Offense. Eli is ready for a breakout season so is Brandon Jacobs. The O-line is one of the best in the NFL with Chris Snee as the anchor (and the underrated Shawn O'Hara). Justin Tuck is posed for an overall dominant season. The Super Bowl wasn't a fluke, he is ready to make the leap to the Pro Bowl. Aaron Ross is a stud CB and Webster is very solid on the other side. I am not ready to predict them to make another run at the Lombardi trophy, but I just don't think they will miss the playoffs.
I will be back very soon for my post-season picks. I have just been very lazy and nobody reads so what is the rush.

AFC Picks

Football started last night as the Giants beat the Redskins 16-7. With that said, I have my AFC picks for 2008. I will have my NFC picks and playoff picks soon.
AFC East: The Patriots will win the division again, yawn. They are still loaded on offense and we all know that no matter what they lose on D, they find a way to replace. They have the best QB/Coach combo in the NFL. They retooled the D with some youth and you would have to believe they may try to run the ball a little more this year.
AFC North: The Steelers will win by default. I don't think Cleveland is ready to contend, the Ravens stink, and well, the Bengals are about ready to implode. The Steelers will win with an old formula, Defense and pounding the ball. When the temperature drops in Pittsburgh the last thing you want is to have the ball crammed down your throat and the Steelers are known for this. They have played "Smash-Mouth Football" the best, historically. They have a tremendous RB combo with lighting (Fast Willie Parker) and thunder (Rashad Mendenhall). They have a tremendous and underrated LB corp and speed at the WR spot.
AFC South: The Jaguars will finally dethrone the Colts. Best unknown QB is David Garrard. Good ground attack and explosive depth at the WR position. They are the "No-Name-D" reincarnated. Stubborn defense, very good secondary. Coach Del Rio doesn't get enough credit. They challenged the Patriots, in case you forgot, in the playoffs last year. They can beat you many ways, either pound it on the ground, through the air, or flat out with D. Got to love the culture being built in Jacksonville, even if nobody shows up to watch them.
AFC West: The Chargers will win another division title. They might have the most all around talent of any team in the NFL. They are looking to make the next leap, and that is the Super Bowl. They fought tooth and nail, with out LaDainian Tomilinson, with the Patriots in New England last playoffs. The D will pressure you into mistakes if you let them. Phillip Rivers, their starting QB, grew up in the playoffs last year. Back up RB Darren Sproles is a slippery, quick back that can hit the home run with one touch. Great secondary, lead the league in interceptions last year. They get at the QB with the best of the D's in the NFL. If anyone can dethrone the Pats I feel it will be them, they are just so talented that it would be a waste if they never take the next step.
Wildcard Teams: Colts, and the Bills.
Colts will never be counted out with Eli's brother at the helm. Too much talent on the offense and they play on that turf (turf for the offense equals super hero speed). The D has too many questions. Dwight Freeney is coming off knee surgery and a guy who relies on his speed can really hurt his performance.
The Bills are my special pick. I just love the D and the RB is gonna be a special player. Marshawn Lynch is gonna explode on the scene this year with a breakout season. The D line is anchored by well over a quarter ton of beef with the two defensive tackles. Kyle Williams and Stroud are big old "Hog Mollies" in the middle. Trent Edwards will have growing pains at QB but he will do enough to get the Bills in the playoffs. Also, the best left tackle in football, Mr. Jason Peters, ended his holdout and will play this year.
These are my AFC picks. I will be back before the end of the weekend to finish up with my NFC and postseason picks.

My Captain, My Captain.......

Earl Morrall, former Baltimore Colt and John Unitas friend and teammate: "One of my best memories of him," Morrall said, "was after a game when he threw five interception. There were so many writers around John that I almost squeezed out of my own locker. I leaned in between arms and legs, straining to hear him. ' I threw five interceptions today,' he said, 'but we won. I'll be glad to throw five interceptions any day, if we win.' I wanted to cheer". Johnny U.

My Captain, my captain..... The quarterback is mythical. They stand 9 feet tall, 600 pounds, able to knock down buildings with their passes. Immortal, top dog, my captain. I love when all the talk about quarterbacks is brought to the stats argument. Marino would be the best, but that isn't how you weigh a quarterback.

After the Giants defeated the Packers on their way to the Super Bowl:

Michael Strahan: "Thank you for getting me there."

Eli Manning: "Now we have to win you one."

A quarterback has to be the most accountable individual on the field at all times. Everything is his fault even if it isn't. They must play with instinct, a sixth sense. Check off and make changes, they have to know where every player on his offense must be at all times. When they make a mistake, you can't throw your arms up and call out your teammates in clear sight. You do that quietly, then when the cameras and reporters ask you have to suck it up and say, "It was my call. The pass was thrown to the wrong place. I made the mistake." Quarterbacks have to be the leader, the Moses. He has to make you feel that your 11 can beat a whole army, navy, air force, and the Steelers all at once. The greats don't do it with robo-mechanics, they do it with instinct. John Unitas was asked once what the defense did on a certain play, he looked dead into that man's eyes and said "Shoot, I just threw to the open guy." Joe Cool, that was Joe Montana's nickname, not because he liked ice cream. Once (this is a true story) with the game on the line in the Super Bowl against the Bengals, in the huddle before the game winning touchdown, Joe got back to the huddle. Now this is what makes him cool, like a cucumber, instead of yelling and screaming or telling the play, the first thing he did when he got back to the huddle was look over to the endzone stands. Look back at the guys in the huddle and say, "Hey, isn't that John Candy over there?". The game is on the line and all he can do is try to ease the stress and the magnitude of the moment. That is a leader. John Elway, at the tender age of 39, decided to jump head first into two defenders just to get a first down in a Super Bowl. They will do whatever it takes for you to believe. As robotic as Peyton Manning may seem, he still checks off and calls plays he thinks will work when he has to. Great quarterbacks aren't built or grown on trees, they are natural born leaders. When you look at them, they make you feel like anything can be done. Look at what Eli did last post-season, you think the Giants didn't believe in him? They are the franchise, my captain. 9 times out of 10 you aren't winning the big game without them. Check back tomorrow for my football picks, and I promise I won't be a homer and pick the Giants to win it all just because they are my team. I will have solid reasons for my picks. Something tells me that the quarterback play will have alot to do with my picks.

"Do you need anything? How can I help? What can I do?

Johnny U