NFL Preview: Pre-Season Edition - Part 2

Missed Part 1? Click here..

PART 2:

Miami Dolphins

Position battle(s): Josh McCown vs. John Beck vs. Chad Henne (QB), Ronnie Brown vs. Ricky Williams (RB1), Derek Hagan vs. Ted Ginn Jr. vs. Ernest Wilford (WR1)

Keep an eye on: Ronnie Browns recovery from his ACL tear

No matter who wins the QB battle, it’s not going to matter. John Beck has so far been a bust, Josh McCown is a career fill-in and Chad Henne wasn’t even that great in college. It’s an obvious rebuilding year but it’s surprising they didn’t try and go after Favre. It would have been logical for both parties.

The key to the offense being productive at all will be how well Ronnie Brown can bounce back after his ACL injury last year. Luckily for him (and hopefully my fantasy team), it happened relatively early in the year last year and he’s had a substantial amount of time to recover. Ricky Williams isn’t a threat to start unless Brown isn’t 100% and will likely fill a 3rd down back role to take some of the load off of Brown.

Minnesota Vikings

Position battle(s): Sidney Rice vs. Robert Ferguson vs. Bobby Wade (WR2)

Keep an eye on: Tarvaris Jackson’s progression

Although the Vikings have arguably the best one-two punch in the league in the backfield, their receiving corps (save for Berrian) is relatively unproven or mediocre. The good thing is that Jackson and the aforementioned receivers can all develop at the same time which is always good for building rapport.

Jackson has shown steady (if a bit slow) progression since he first began to start in 2006. It helps a lot that he has Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor behind him at any given time so he’ll be able to focus more on his reads and check downs and less on whether or not the defense is focusing on him. Heading into his second full season as a starter and possessing a strong work ethic, don’t be surprised if Jackson comes out in the pre-season with a little extra zing on his throws and a spring in his step.

New England Patriots

Position battle(s): Jabar Gaffney vs. Chad Jackson (WR3), Kevin Faulk vs. Sammy Morris vs. Lamont Jordan (RB2), Marcus Pollard vs. David Thomas (TE2)

Keep an eye on: The sideline camera guys -- just kidding, just kidding..

The Jabar Gaffney/Chad Jackson battle might not mean much in the grand scheme of things since the Patriots will likely be using a lot of 4-WR sets. As for the backup RB, Kevin Faulk is getting up there in age and it seemed like Sammy Morris was poised to take over the duties. That is, until Lamont Jordan showed up in town. If you didn’t know: Jordan > Morris. It really won’t matter though, since Bill Belichick has apparently decided to take the RB by committee to another level. Forget two backs, let’s use all four of them! It makes sense though, since they’ve proved themselves to be one of the most dangerous passing attacks ever assembled.

Being a Patriots fan, I’m naturally aware that the Spy Gate jokes have been beaten to death -- but I had to do it. Sometimes witty jokes pop into my head and sound really funny while in there but end up not really translating very well into the real world.

New Orleans Saints

Position battle(s): Devery Henderson vs. David Patten vs. Lance Moore (WR2), Terrance Copper vs. Robert Meachem (WR4)

Keep an eye on: Deuce McAllister’s health and Reggie Bush’s progression

The Saints receiving corps, believed to be so strong after an incredible 2006, largely disappointed last year. With the addition of Jeremy Shockey and everyone relatively healthy, the Saints passing game could very well return to 2006 form. Most of the battling in New Orleans will be among the receivers -- of whom there are a shit-load.

Reggie Bush has either hit his ceiling or will continue to get better. Unfortunately for him, no Deuce McAllister meant he had to take the entire running game burden upon himself. A healthy McAllister will do wonders for Reggie’s play and more importantly, his growth. But if Deuce ends up getting injured again, they at least have the talented Pierre Thomas waiting in the wings.

New York Giants

Position battle(s): Derrick Ward vs. Ahmad Bradshaw (RB2), Mario Manningham vs. Sinorice Moss (WR4)

Keep an eye on: Eli Manning to see if winning a Super Bowl helped him in some way or if he’ll remain the same aw-shucks, middle of the road QB

Some are saying that Ward and Bradshaw could compete with Jacobs for the starting spot, but I doubt that. Why tinker with something that works? You’ll probably break it. Why would you even want to tinker with something that’s working in the first place? The two young wide receivers that the Giants spent high draft picks on recently will be battling it out for the WR4 spot. They’re both very talented and possess some game-breaking ability. They might not play a huge role this season, but they should be prominently involved in the offense over the next couple of years. Something like that is always worth keeping an eye on.

I’m still not sold on Eli Manning. I don’t mean to take away from the Super Bowl victory at all -- they deserved to win and the Giants as a team were fantastic. But if you ask me, the weakest link on that whole team during the Super Bowl run was Eli. Either he’ll gain confidence due to the Super Bowl ring on his dresser or he’ll be the same old Eli -- EG: Just as many interceptions as touchdowns, questionable leadership skills, the aw-shucks attitude no matter what the score. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

New York Jets

Position battle(s): Chad Pennington vs. Kellen Clemens (QB), Bubba Franks vs. Dustin Keller (TE2)

Keep an eye on: How Thomas Jones runs behind his newly improved offensive line

With a Favre to New York deal looking less and less likely by the day, the Jets will have to settle for the same situation they were faced with last year at this time. On one hand, they have Chad Pennington. He manages the game, he makes big plays from time to time and he gives them a chance to win. But his skills have been steadily declining with each passing year. On the other hand, they have Kellen Clemens. He’s a promising prospect who brings a lot of things to the table, most importantly being his big play ability. However, he is still young and inexperienced. If they decide to go with Clemens then they would likely be forgoing any chance at a post-season bid. We know who the Jets fans want, though, learning as such when they cheered after Pennington went down with an injury last year.

Thomas Jones was a huge disappointment in 2007, scoring a total of one -- count it -- one total TD. His season was blamed in large part to the incredibly poor play of the offensive line and so the Jets organization went out and remedied the situation during the off-season. Thomas Jones, meet Alan Faneca and Damien Woody. They actually know how to block! Crazy! This is officially the year that Jones can finally silence his critics who claim he‘s not starter material. If you can’t run well behind Alan Faneca, you can’t run well behind anyone. That’s a fact.

Oakland Raiders

Position battle(s): Justin Fargas vs. Darren McFadden (RB1)

Keep an eye on: JaMarcus Russell who is still essentially a rookie experience-wise

Even though Darren McFadden has been projected to be a cross between every Hall of Fame running back combined, the Raiders still insisted upon re-signing Justin Fargas to a three year contract. Call me crazy, but I think that’s a pretty clear indication that they plan on giving him some playing time this season. With JaMarcus Russell at QB, who is essentially still a rookie experience-wise, the Raiders will have to rely heavily on their running game. All in all, what everything means is that no matter who wins the starting job -- there’s likely going to be something like a sixty/forty split in regards to playing time.

Although JaMarcus Russell may have gotten the money he wanted, his holdout may come back to bite him in the ass this year. Under normal circumstances, he would be entering his second season as a starter and would have likely worked out a lot of the kinks that come with being a rookie QB. Instead, he’s in the same boat as he would have been last year, not to mention playing a large part in setting the Raiders offense back a year. But hey, I would probably do the exact same thing if given the opportunity. So there’s that.

Philadelphia Eagles

Position battle(s): Correll Buckhalter vs. Lorenzo Booker (RB2), Hank Baskett vs. DeSean Jackson (WR4)

Keep an eye on: How fresh Donovan McNabb looks

No matter how good a player is, they need a breather from time to time. Case in point: Brian Westbrook. Correll Buckhalter and Lorenzo Booker will be battling it out for the opportunity to be subbed in whenever Westbrook gets gassed. Buckhalter is a better runner where as Booker is a better receiver out of the backfield. I wouldn’t be surprised if they shared the backup role with Booker seeing the passing situations and Buckhalter seeing the running ones. You know, since that would make sense.

The key to the entire Eagles season this year will be whether or not Donovan McNabb can stay healthy. When he’s on the field and healthy, he’s one of the best QB’s in the game. No matter how good you are though, it’s impossible to utilize your skills when your in a t-shirt and shorts on the sideline.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Position battle(s): Limas Sweed vs. Nate Washington (WR3)

Keep an eye on: How rookies Limas Sweed and Rashard Mendenhall adjust to the NFL

Ben Roethlisberger finally got his wish for a big possession receiver in Limas Sweed. Although it’s especially tough for a rookie receiver, it’s a lot less so when they wind up on a team with as many weapons as the Steelers offense has. Although Washington will probably edge out Sweed in camp, the Steelers will likely utilize Sweed in many red zone situations while slowly acclimating him to both their offensive system and to life in the NFL.

The other high-profile Steelers rookie, Rashard Mendenhall, has been generating a ton of buzz since the day he was drafted. Some have even gone so far as to write off Willie Parker and suggest that Mendenhall will eventually be the starter sooner rather than later. I like Mendenhall, I do and I think he’s going to be a very good RB. However, Willie Parker has rushed for more than 1200 yards in each of his last three seasons. Yes, he only got into the end zone twice last year. And yes, he broke his leg in Week 16 of last year -- which isn’t even that far away. But to write him off completely due to those reasons -- especially when he has been and still is one of the top backs in the NFL is just wrong. I don’t like this trend of over hyping rookies and predicting they’ll win a starting job when they haven’t even played an NFL down yet. Let’s just relax and wait until we have some tape of them in actual NFL games, shall we? Thanks.

San Diego Chargers

Position battle(s): Eric Parker vs. Craig Davis (WR3), Darren Sproles vs. Jacob Hester (RB2)

Keep an eye on: How healthy Antonio Gates and Philip Rivers look

Historically, LaDainian Tomlinson’s backups have found themselves in some very favorable situations. For one, whenever they come in the opposing defense is so relieved that LT is out for the time being that they don’t really pay too much attention to the replacement that’s spelling him. And two, the backups tend to get more carries as the game goes on which means the defense would be tired even if they weren’t trying to chase after LT all game as well. So it doesn’t really matter who wins the battle, as long as they’re halfway decent at running forwards.

It’s never a good thing when your starting QB partially tears his ACL late in the previous season and your top TE is coming off foot surgery going into the season. Even if Philip Rivers bounces back and is okay, Gates may miss some time in order to fully recover. Obviously, having Gates miss some games wouldn’t benefit the team -- but it’s even worse when you take into account that Antonio Gates has accounted for 29% of Philip Rivers total career passing yardage. Suffice to say, the organization is hoping they both make speedy recoveries. And yes, I calculated all of that all by myself. I try, I really do.

San Francisco 49ers

Position battle(s): DeShaun Foster vs. Michael Robinson (RB2), Ashley Lelie vs. Arnaz Battle (WR3)

Keep an eye on: The new look Mike Martz offense and if it can save Alex Smith’s career

Reports out of 49ers camp is that Martz has taken a liking to Alex Smith and that he is showing vast improvement and seems capable of running the offense. So barring a massive collapse by Smith, he appears to have the starting QB job on lockdown. Whoever wins the Foster/Robinson RB2 battle will see a bit more touches than your average backup due to Martz’s utilization of his entire depth chart.

Although Mike Martz’s track record of improving offenses and QB’s is impressive, San Francisco will be his toughest challenge yet. Good thing he’s considered an offensive genius because the 49ers offense last year was run by what is considered the exact opposite.

Seattle Seahawks

Position battle(s): Courtney Taylor vs. Logan Payne vs. Ben Obomanu (WR3), Julius Jones vs. Maurice Morris (RB1), Will Heller vs. John Carlson (TE1)

Keep an eye on: The entire RB situation, in particular whether or not Julius Jones can prove he deserves the majority of the carries

It appears that T.J. Duckett will be the short-yardage goal-line back and Julius Jones and Maurice Morris will battle it out for the starting job. Although, Holmgren has said that he is remaining open to the idea of using a RB by committee. And head coaches just don’t say that stuff off-hand, especially a Mike Holmgren type.

All three contenders for the WR3 spot are young and inexperienced but with the sky as their limit. There’s a lot of buzz surrounding both Payne and Obomanu although Taylor will be right in the mix once he gets back from a hamstring injury. With Deion Branch’s ACL tear keeping him out until late in the season at the earliest, the opportunity to move up the depth chart and become a mainstay Seahawks WR is ripe for the taking.

St. Louis Rams

Position battle(s): Dante Hall vs. Donnie Avery vs. Dane Looker (WR3), Travis Minor vs. Antonio Pittman (RB2)

Keep an eye on: Whether or not the offensive line can improve it’s pass protection over last year

The void left by the departure of Isaac Bruce was filled by Drew Bennett, who was the next in line on the WR depth chart. With Bennett moving up, the WR3 spot opened to all applicants and those applicants have turned out to be Dante Hall, Donnie Avery and Dane Looker. Along with being a rookie, Donnie Avery also cracked his hip bone and will miss up to two weeks of practice. Although that should give him time to study his playbook and learn the mental side of his position, so it may not be all bad. After an impressive 2003 season, Dane Looker has progressively declined in the four years since. This is mainly due to his limited playing time and if given the opportunity, he has the talent to succeed. Lastly, there is Dante Hall who is known primarily for his kick and punt returning prowess and not his receiving skills. Regardless, Hall apparently recognizes an opportunity when he sees one and has reportedly came to camp in excellent shape and is staking his claim for the WR3 spot.

The biggest question for the Rams going into 2008 is how the offensive line will hold up. After an astoundingly unusual amount of injuries last year to the O-line, Matt Bulger found himself basically being protected by practice dummies. He was consistently sacked, never had any time to throw and ended up with a serious concussion and some broken ribs. I think it’s safe to say that Bulger is quite excited about getting his offensive line back and healthy.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Position battle(s): Jeff Garcia vs. Luke McCown (QB), Warrick Dunn vs. Michael Bennett (RB2), Michael Clayton vs. Ike Hilliard vs. Antonio Bryant (WR2)

Keep an eye on: Jeff Garcia’s health and overall performance

Although Jeff Garcia has defied the odds and put together a string of pretty impressive seasons these past few years, he’s not getting any younger and is likely feeling it more with each passing year. At the moment, Garcia is out of action with a calf injury that will likely keep him out of Tampa’s pre-season opener. In the other corner we have Luke McCown who fortunately appears to possess some talent unlike his brother, Dolphins QB and perennial mediocre QB Josh McCown. Luke looked impressive in his five games last year and despite some inexperience, is 11 years younger than Garcia. Always a good thing.

It would be unfair to say that Garcia had a poor 2007 season because he didn’t. With 2,440 yards, 13 TD’s and 4 INT’s it was actually quite respectable. The cause for concern with Garcia is injuries. While not a concern for his entire career, he has since been known to get banged up from time to time. At age 40, that risk will only get larger. He has also gotten a lot more conservative in his play, something the old Jeff Garcia was not known for. But he’s defied the odds before and he can surely do it again. Keep an eye on his health because as long as he can steer clear of the injury bug, the man can still play some quality football.

Tennessee Titans

Position battle(s): Chris Henry vs. Chris Johnson (RB2), Justin Gage vs. Roydell Williams (WR1), Justin McCareins vs. Brandon Jones (WR3), Alge Crumpler vs. Bo Scaife (TE1)

Keep an eye on: The progression and cohesion of the Titans young receiving corps

With the starting RB job all but wrapped up by LenDale White, Chris Henry and rookie Chris Johnson are left to battle it out for the backup role. The team went with a variety of backs last year, so whoever wins the job will probably be used to not just spell, but supplement White. Although many (including myself) have ripped the Titans organization for failing to get Vince Young a competent WR, I have to say that the more I take a look at the group of receivers they have, the more I think I understand what they’re trying to do. Even though Justin Gage and Roydell Williams will do battle for the top WR spot, whoever loses will fill in the WR2 spot. Both Gage and Williams had breakout 2007’s and with prominent roles in the offense can only get better especially as they get more and more acquainted with Vince Young. Alge Crumpler and Bo Scaife, while not upper-echelon TE’s, should compliment each other well and give the Titans the opportunity to run double TE sets in a variety of situations.

Looking further down the depth chart at the wide receivers, you’ll stumble upon Brandon Jones, another promising young receiver. He’s seen limited action so far in his career but has produced when given the chance and showed a nose for the end zone as well. Justin McCareins looks to challenge Jones for the WR3 spot but has progressively declined since his best year in 2005.

Washington Redskins

Position battle(s): Devin Thomas vs. Malcolm Kelly vs. James Thrash (WR3), Todd Collins vs. Colt Brennan (QB2)

Keep an eye on: Jason Campbell’s progression in the West Coast offense

The Redskins surprised many people when they drafted two WR’s and a TE -- all in the second round of the recent 2008 Draft. While many are saying Thomas is the better of the two receivers, we’ll all be able to make our own decisions on that soon enough. Rookie TE Fred Davis won’t be the featured TE anytime soon with Chris Cooley ahead of him, but he should have a prominent role in Zorn’s West Coast Offense if he proves he’s capable.

Should some of the second round selections pan out then Jason Campbell will have himself some nice weapons to acquaint himself with for the foreseeable future. Yes, that would mean Campbell would have to pan out as well, but as long as he picks up on the West Coast Offense system, he’ll be fine. The Bengals refusal to trade Chad Johnson for many of the Redskins draft picks might just turn out to be the best thing that happened to the Redskins all year.

Enjoy the pre-season boys and girls!

NFL Preview: Pre-Season Edition - Part 1

Instead of continuing with the division previews, I’ve scrapped the entire idea and will instead write one massive NFL preview right before the season starts. It’s the only way to do it.

Since we’re on the precipice of the pre-season kickoff Hall of Fame game, I decided to do an article of sorts related to the pre-season. I don’t know why I always write introductions like this in my articles, especially since everyone could probably piece things together just fine and get where I was going -- but whatever. Stop your bitching, I’m almost done.

Most people are usually excited for the first three downs of the first pre-season game and then find their interests wean off completely until the actual season starts. However, if you’re aware of some key position battles and storylines to monitor then you may just remain interested longer than you think.

Anyway, without further ado, here’s some key things to keep your eye on and hold your interest until the actual season starts. It‘s broken down by team and is in alphabetical order since you can never go wrong ranking things with the help of our friend the alphabet. Bon appetit!

Arizona Cardinals

Position battle(s): Matt Leinart vs. Kurt Warner (QB)

Keep an eye on: Anquan Boldin’s hamstring and contract negotiations

The Cardinals have made it clear that they want Matt Leinart to be the starter this year, but that’s a no-brainer. Kurt Warner has shown he’s capable of giving them a shot to win games, but not enough games to keep them in playoff contention. Plus he’s 37. However if Leinart plays like he did last year then the Cardinals would be forced to replace him with Warner once again.

If the Anquan Boldin situation doesn’t play out well, it won’t matter who’s at QB. The only thing that has kept the offense respectable these past few years is the Larry Fitzgerald/Anquan Boldin combo. Having them both on the field takes the offense to an entirely different level and while they could both still succeed by themselves the offense would definitely lose a step if without Boldin on the field due to injury. Or even if he’s out there but upset with the organization’s handling of his financial situation. An unhappy wide receiver is never an effective one.

Atlanta Falcons

Position battle(s): Joey Harrington vs. Chris Redman vs. Matt Ryan (QB), Laurent Robinson vs. Michael Jenkins (WR2)

Keep an eye on: Jerious Norwood’s efforts to show he deserves more carries

In an ideal world for the Falcons organization, Matt Ryan would blow everyone away with his raw skills and leadership ability and stake his claim as the starting QB before the start of the season. Unfortunately for the Falcons organization, we live in something called the real world. I guess they’ll have to wait and see whether or not the small fortune they spent on a rookie QB will prove to be smart or not. While Ryan learns the intricacies of an NFL offense, it will likely be either Harrington or Redman under center for Week 1.

Following Warrick Dunn’s departure, Jerious Norwood was the apparent heir to the throne. That is, until the Falcons signed perennial sloppy second backup-RB extraordinaire Michael Turner. Although Turner is certain to get most of the carries, a couple typical J-Wood performances in the pre-season and the touches scale could be altered a bit.

Baltimore Ravens

Position battle(s): Troy Smith vs. Joey Flacco vs. Kyle Boller (QB),

Keep an eye on: Ray Rice winning over the entire Ravens organization

While Kyle Boller has proven by now he’s not starting QB material, the Ravens may have to go with him as the temporary starter until either Troy Smith or Joey Flacco prove that they’re ready.

Reports out of Ravens camp are suggesting that the powers that be on offense have taken quite a liking to rookie RB Ray Rice. Rice was underrated in college due to playing at Rutgers and was underrated coming out of the draft for generally the same reason. It’s just another reason for us to take all of the NFL Draft coverage with a grain of salt. Or several shakers.

Buffalo Bills

Position battle(s): Trent Edwards vs. J.P. Losman (QB), Josh Reed vs. Roscoe Parrish vs. James Hardy(WR2), Fred Jackson vs. Dwayne Wright (RB2)

Keep an eye on: Trent Edwards reaction to being the clear-cut starter

Although Trent Edwards proved last year that he has what it takes to be the Bills starting QB, the mere presence of J.P. Losman promises some type of battle. While Edwards will likely dwarf Losman in regards to talent, he is still young and learning the ropes. Unless the Bills have a ton of patience, there’s going to be talk of giving Losman another shot.

From what was seen of Edwards last season, he should have no problem taking over the reigns permanently. But one of the most important traits of a good QB is his ability to bounce back after he’s made mistakes and never leave doubt over the fact that he‘s the starter. We should learn a lot more about Edwards in the wee moments of his second season. Have I sold you on the pre-season yet?

Carolina Panthers

Position battle(s): Jake Delhomme vs. Matt Moore (QB), DeAngelo Williams vs. Jonathan Stewart (RB1), Muhsin Muhammad vs. D.J. Hackett (WR2)

Keep an eye on: Jake Delhomme’s elbow

While everyone and their mother’s plumber have agreed that rookie Jonathan Stewart will be the Panthers starting RB, I say let’s wait a few more weeks. I’ve never understood the logic of claiming a rookie, who has never played an NFL down, will surpass a mediocre veteran who has played many NFL downs. It’s all based off of that rookie’s performance in college and I don’t think I need to elaborate on the college and pro games being dramatically different. Let’s just wait and see.

Opinions have been split on Jake Delhomme. Some are concerned about his age and his recent Tommy John surgery. Elbows are important to QB’s, after all. The other half are optimistic and reference the Panthers poor offensive play without him. The key to the whole situation is how well Delhomme responds to the surgery and how much the offensive line can protect him. If not, then Matt Moore will need to step in and learn how to utilize the weapons he has on offense -- which is something he failed to do last year. But let’s give him a break, the kids going into his second year. So critical we can be sometimes..

Chicago Bears

Position battle(s): Rex Grossman vs. Kyle Orton (QB), Desmond Clark vs. Greg Olsen (TE), Earl Bennett vs. Mark Bradley vs. Devin Hester (WR2)

Keep an eye on: The sorry excuse for a QB battle Chicago is engaged in

Out of all of the position battles across the NFL, the Bears QB battle is the most blatant and wide open. It can literally go either way and the Bears have expressed approval that they will be okay with whoever wins.

Although many (me included) have joked that the situation shouldn’t be called a battle, since each is so mediocre, the identity of the offense will be directly hinged to whoever ends up winning the job. They will either be explosive yet mistake-prone with Grossman or conservative yet lacking oomph with Orton. Neither sounds great, but it’s worth keeping an eye on to get a feel for what direction the Bears offense will go this year.

Cincinnati Bengals

Position battle(s): Rudi Johnson vs. Kenny Watson (RB1), Andre Caldwell vs. Jerome Simpson (WR3)

Keep an eye on: The chemistry that will develop between Carson Palmer and Ben Utecht

Whether or not 2007 was just an off year for Rudi Johnson, Kenny Watson proved he had what it takes to carry the load in the backfield. Chris Perry has also been impressive when given the chance but will likely battle for the RB2 spot in 2008.

Carson Palmer, who is arguably one of the most talented QB’s in the NFL, has never had a capable pass-catching TE during his career. While Utecht isn’t one of the top tier TE’s in the game, he and Palmer both should benefit from one anothers presence.

Cleveland Browns

Position battle(s): Derek Anderson vs. Brady Quinn (QB), Joshua Cribbs vs. Joe Jurevicius (WR3)

Keep an eye on: Which Derek Anderson will show up for 2008: The beginning of the 2007 season stud or end of the year choking dud

Even though Derek Anderson is 110% likely to be the starter come Week 1, I can’t help but think that there will be trouble brewing for the Browns at some point this season. Although Anderson had a great breakout year last year and got himself a nice little contract renewal, the bad thing about it is he will need to keep performing at that level. He showed everyone last year that he has talent, but how many times have we seen players drop off -- unable to perform at a level they exhibited in the past.

It will all be well and great as long as the Browns keep winning and Anderson remains impressive. But what’s going to happen when the Browns are losing and Anderson is partially to blame? It’s a shame that Anderson has to deal with such a situation after finally breaking out last year -- but we will have to wait and see how he responds to the whole thing. Still, many teams would kill to be in the situation the Browns are in, so it’s no use being pessimistic. Time holds all answers. I actually just made that phrase up but it’s actually sounds quite wise and knowledgeable. I tend to spout such things out sometimes.

Dallas Cowboys

Position battle(s): Sam Hurd vs. Isaiah Stanback vs. Whichever veteran WR the Cowboys pick up before the season starts (WR3)

Keep an eye on: What percentage of Marion Barbers carries the Cowboys will decide to give to Felix Jones

Rumor has it that the Cowboys are interested in Joe Horn after releasing Terry Glenn. Rumor also has it that they’re interested in some other veteran wide receivers. No matter, they will be competing for the third receiver spot and any team with Terrell Owens and Jason Witten doesn’t need to worry too much about such trivial things.

It’s common knowledge that Jerry Jones is very high on Felix Jones. It’s also common knowledge that Jones does well in a supplementary role as evidenced by his performance as the RB 1 ½ behind Darren McFadden in Arkansas. The question is, how many carries will Jones take away from The Barbarian and how similar will it be to when Julius Jones was in town?

Denver Broncos

Position battle(s): Selvin Young vs. Ryan Torain vs. Any breathing player who is physically able to run forward (RB1), Darrell Jackson vs. Keary Colbert vs. Brandon Stokley (WR2)

Keep an eye on: Anyone who lines up in the Broncos backfield

Although Selvin Young showed flashes of greatness last year, everyone knows Mike Shanahan likes to utilize every piece that he has, no matter how inferior some of the pieces are to the best piece. Some think Shanahan likes to mess with fantasy football players because he doesn’t like the game. I for one just think that Mike just doesn’t like things go to waste. He’s the type of guy who doesn’t like to throw anything away just in case he needs to utilize it for whatever reason. Too much of a good thing? What are you crazy?

I like to compare Shanahan’s usage of his running backs to the mixtures of cereal. Say you have some Cocoa Puffs, Frosted Flakes and Kix. Sure, there each delicious in their own individual way -- but why commit yourself to just ONE each morning? Why not mix them all together to make one delicious smorgasbord of fantastic cereals. Sure, not one stands out but all of them together equal an acceptable and tasty whole. Yes, I realize I’m not normal.

Detroit Lions

Position battle(s): Jon Kitna vs. Drew Stanton (QB), Kevin Smith vs. Tatum Bell vs. Brian Calhoun (RB1)

Keep an eye on: The Lions offensive stats as they plummet with Mike Martz’s departure

If you take a look at Jon Kitna’s stats, he’s only had three really good seasons. Two of those came the past two years under the offensive genius that is Mike Martz. The third came in 2003 which is almost six years ago and sure enough is making me feel awfully old beyond my mere twenty-one years. Through common sense, without Mike Martz and with it being the year 2008, Jon Kitna will probably not have a good year this year. It’s also worth mentioning that he’s 35 years old. I’m just saying..

I still haven’t heard a logical reason why the Lions would let go of Mike Martz. He was the best thing to happen to that team in a very, very long time. It’s comforting to just assure ourselves that some people just don’t have any common sense.

Green Bay Packers

Position battle(s): James Jones vs. Ruvell Martin vs. Jordy Nelson (WR3), Ryan Grant vs. Brandon Jackson (RB1)

Keep an eye on: The length of Ryan Grant’s holdout

Ryan Grant was perhaps the biggest surprise of the entire 2007 season, second only to the realization that Odell Thurman might actually like plants more than money. With Grant’s head becoming a tad too large due to his 2007 success, he is currently holding out for a contract renewal. While all of this drama has unfolded, Brandon Jackson has been quietly and impressively showing what he offers to the Packers offense. And he offers a lot.

The longer Grant holds out, the longer Jackson has to win over the coaches and prove to them that he has what it takes to be the Packers RB. Keep an eye on this one.

UPDATE: The Packers have reportedly signed Ryan Grant to a 4-year, $30 million dollar contract. I guess we'll now see just how high on Jackson the Packers really are.

Houston Texans

Position battle(s): Ahman Green vs. Darius Walker vs. Steve Slaton vs. Chris Brown (RB1), Jacoby Jones vs. Andre Davis (WR3)

Keep an eye on: The trio of RB’s behind Ahman Green

Ahman Green has progressively declined the past couple years and barring a miraculous turnaround, he will likely have to turn over the Texans starting RB spot and do it soon. Walker, Slaton and Brown are all young, talented RB’s.

Should one pull away from the rest and prove that they are the best of the bunch, we very well could be seeing the blossoming of the running back who will be the Texans starter for many years to come.

Indianapolis Colts

Position battle(s): Dominic Rhodes vs. Mike Hart vs. Kenton Keith (RB2)

Keep an eye on: How Peyton Manning bounces back after knee surgery

Even though the Colts have one of the best RB’s in the game in Joseph Addai, they also have capable substitutes who could fill in for both short and long term situations. It will mainly be between Keith and Rhodes for the RB2 but if we’ve learned anything about Mike Hart while he was in college, it’s that he has heart. Yes, Mike Hart has heart. I actually said it.

It’s probably nothing, but I still can’t get over the fact that the invincible, unflappable, aspiring actor trapped in a Hall of Fame QB’s body may be affected by his recent surgery a little more than people may think. It was knee surgery. Something had to have been wrong and the older Peyton gets, the more susceptible he’ll be to these types of injuries. Am I overreacting? Probably. Will I shout it to the world if I end up being right and Peyton has an off-year in 2008? ABSOLUTELY!

Jacksonville Jaguars

Position battle(s): Troy Williamson vs. Dennis Northcutt vs. Reggie Williams (WR2), Fred Taylor vs. Maurice Jones-Drew (RB1)

Keep an eye on: David Garrard getting acquainted with his new receivers

Fred Taylor is an absolute machine. I will never deny that. But it’s becoming more and more likely that he’ll begin to decline with each passing year. Luckily for the Jaguars, Maurice Jones-Drew is ready to take his spot. MJD had impressed many despite somewhat limited touches in his first two years in the league. With his quick, talented game breaking ability and powerful when need-be running style, Jones-Drew could very well put himself in the conversation of top RB in the game should he get more touches. It very well could be his breakout year this year. Write that down.

Garrard proved last year that he could not only be a starting QB, but also effectively manage a game and make plays when he needed to in order to win. Although he had one of the best running games in the league -- the same couldn’t be said for his receiving corps. Through some off-season signings, Garrard now has even more weapons to utilize in 2008. Pay attention to how the bonding is going.

Kansas City Chiefs

Position battle(s): Brodie Croyle vs. Damon Huard (QB), Kolby Smith vs. Jamaal Charles (RB2),

Keep an eye on: How Brodie Croyle bounces back after an incredibly disappointing 2007

Had the Chiefs second option been anyone but Damon Huard, it would be unlikely Brodie Croyle would be getting such a second chance after such a poor 2007 season. Thankfully for Croyle, he’s the best bet the Chiefs currently have -- but he’ll be on a short leash and is on his last legs in proving his worth as a starting QB.

Croyle has the talent, he just needs to translate it into the pro game -- which is something not all players can do. The most important trait he needs to have is being able to wipe the 2007 season completely from his mind and come through when his team needs him. As with every team in this feature, we’ll be learning a lot more through some pre-season play.

Hopefully I’ve educated you enough for you to want to watch a game or two this pre-season. If you really think about it, the pre-season is a prologue to the actual season. Sure, the records don’t matter, but you can get a feel for all of the players and make some educated guesses as to how the season might go. Stay tuned for Part 2!

And of course, a congratulations to the 2008 NFL Hall of Fame inductees: Fred Dean, Darrell Green, Art Monk, Emmitt Thomas, Andre Tippett and Gary Zimmerman

Fiending for Part 2? Then click here..

A Journey Through The NFL With Some Burning Questions - Part 2

Continued from Part 1..

Miami Dolphins

Question: Can Ronnie Brown recover from his injury and repeat the flashes of greatness he showed last year?

Answer: Ronnie Brown was on pace for well over 1,500 yards and 10 TD’s before his season was ended by an ACL tear last year. While all reports of his recovery have been good (are they ever bad?) the one thing Brown needs is time. Having suffered the injury in Week 7 last year, Brown is lucky to have gotten a significant amount of time to heal his injury and begin rehabbing back to full strength. The major concern, besides having Ronnie become good friends with Ricky Williams, is that he’ll aggravate the injury, so he’ll likely get more and more carries as the season progresses.

Minnesota Vikings

Question: Will Tarvaris Jackson expose himself as the weakest link on the team this year?

Answer: Many people have given up on Jackson and called for the Vikings to put in a QB who can take better advantage of a Peterson/Taylor backfield. But with arguably the best running back duo in the game, Jackson will benefit from a lot of defenses failing to pay him much attention and he will have plenty of opportunities to make some big plays. If Jackson can find a balance between playing conservatively but also taking some risks and learning on the job, he may be a perfect fit for the Vikings offense.

New England Patriots

Question: With one of the easiest schedules in the league, how long will it take until the Patriots lose their first game and end all of the undefeated talk?

Answer: While the realist in me is saying the Patriots may lose a shocker early in the year, I would likely be beaten in my parking lot, labeled a traitor and left in a dumpster if I formally admitted it. And since I don’t like dumpsters and I’m an unabashed Patriots fan, I say the absolute earliest they will lose will probably be in Week 6 against the Chargers or Week 7 against the Broncos. If the Chargers can march out a healthy offense, they can go score for score with the Patriots whose weak points this year will all be on the defensive front. As for the Broncos, Mike Shanahan has had Bill Belichick’s number these past couple years and they have the combination of a strong running game and a talented defense that gives the Patriots fits.

New Orleans Saints

Question: Have we already witnessed the ceiling of Reggie Bush?

Answer: It’s only been two years and crazier things have happened, but it’s obvious that Reggie’s slash and dash style that was so successful in college isn’t quite as flattering in the pros. While he’s best paired with a Deuce McAllister type bruiser back, don’t be surprised if he builds on his power game as time passes and ends up finally transforming into a legitimate starting running back a la Brian Westbrook.

New York Giants

Question: Will Eli Manning’s Super Bowl win help him improve upon a mediocre regular season performance or will he fuel speculation that he just managed to get lucky at the right time?

Answer: It is more of a credit to the entire Giants team than Manning himself that he managed to win a Super Bowl. Although he’s a solid QB, and his on-the-money pass to David Tyree definitely wasn’t ‘lucky’, Eli will have to improve a bit overall if he wants another shot at the Lombardi trophy (See: The NFC East). Or at least not nearly match his large touchdown total to an equally large interception total. Regardless of the statistics, though, a Super Bowl win definitely counts for something and may have completely smashed the shell that Eli had been slowly emerging.

New York Jets

Question: Will Alan Faneca’s arrival provide the spark that Thomas Jones needs or will we learn this year that the Jones’ brothers just might not be starter material?

Answer: Although at first glance, Jones’ 1,119 rushing yards in 2007 may look impressive, it gets slightly less so when you factor in his 310 carries. Add in a mere 1 rushing TD and what you’ve got is a mediocre season. And with that, comes more excuses than an Odell Thurman court appearance. While quarterback play, the defense and the Jets team in general have been used to explain TJ’s sub-par season, the one that makes the most sense and was the biggest factor was the offensive line. They sucked and they sucked bad. Free agent acquisitions Alan Faneca and Damien Woody look to change that and will assure 2008 as the year that Thomas Jones can finally prove his doubters wrong… or right.

Oakland Raiders

Question: Can Jamarcus Russell learn quickly enough to help the Raiders compete, or will 2008 just turn out to be an NFL 101 learning experience for Darren McFadden?

Answer: Since he only played in four games last year, Russell will likely continue to struggle this season, working out the kinks and learning through in-game experience. With McFadden on the field, the Raiders will essentially have a rookie QB and rookie RB on the same field for much of the season. So 2008 should be NFL 101 for both Russell and Run DMC, with McFadden getting the worst of it due to all of the eight-plus-in-the-box defenses they’ll be facing.

Philadelphia Eagles

Question: Will the cornerback-by-committee experiment work out for the Eagles or will the receiving corps’ performance have them wishing they had gone and traded Lito Shephard for a wide out?

Answer: Lito Shephard was one of the biggest names this past off-season who was rumored to be changing teams. However the Eagles decided upon keeping him, leaving them with three top-tier cornerbacks and some major question marks at receiver. While having three Pro Bowl caliber cornerbacks could never be a bad thing, it’s going to come down to whether or not the benefits of improving the defense with the CBBC will outweigh the effectiveness of the wide receivers. If Kevin Curtis can step up on a more consistent basis, Jason Avant can continue to improve and Desean Jackson can make a splash than the Eagles refusal to deal Shephard may turn out to be the exact opposite and be the smartest move of the off-season.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Question: If everyone plays up to potential can the Steelers offense be on par with the mighty Patriots?

Answer: Santonio Holmes, Willie Parker, Heath Miller, Hines Ward, Ben Roethlisberger and the potentially potent duo of rookies Rashard Mendenhall and Limas Sweed? Uh, I’m going to go on a limb and give an enthusiastic yes to this question.

San Diego Chargers

Question: Whose health do the Chargers need most after two dangerous injuries: Philip Rivers or Antonio Gates?

Answer: On one hand, you can say that the most important player on any given team is the quarterback. But when you have a tight end like Gates, who could not be equaled even if you somehow combined both of the Chargers backup tight ends into one person, you absolutely need him healthy. Don’t get me wrong, Rivers is a great quarterback and very important to the team, but Billy Volek proved in leading a playoff win against the Colts last year that he is at least a serviceable replacement. He may not put up gaudy numbers and the ones he does put up may not be perfect, but he will get the job done. Gates is infinitely more important to the Chargers offensive attack than Rivers.

St. Louis Rams

Question: Will the offensive line be able to remain relatively intact this year so that Marc Bulger can worry about winning instead of fracturing his ribs?

Answer: The malaria-esque outbreak of injuries that the Rams offensive line suffered last year almost seemed to bad to be true. With a ragtag group attempting (and failing miserably, mind you) to protect him, Marc Bulger had a lot more to worry about than completing passes and looking to his check down receiver. Like whether or not he’d have to go to the hospital that night, for instance. With a healthy starting offensive line returning, a rejuvenated Stephen Jackson and the fact that what happened last year had one in a thousand type odds, Bulger should be able to focus on actual quarterbacking this year. Unless of course he now has a phobia of staying in the pocket thanks to last year.

San Francisco 49ers

Question: Will Mike Martz’s arrival put Alex Smith and the 49ers offense on the map?

Answer: Martz is known for the quarterbacks that have blossomed under his watchful eye. Although the gigantic and complicated offensive attack that he brings with him may be just what Alex Smith needs to translate his skills into actual NFL success. Since one of the major reasons the 49ers offense has been so bad these past few years is poor QB play, how Smith (or Hill) adjusts and understands the system will directly impact how much the offense will flourish. Weird how that works..

Seattle Seahawks

Question: Will Julius Jones/Maurice Morris + T.J. Duckett = Vintage Shaun Alexander?

Answer: With Branch’s health a major concern, the Seahawks receiving corps won’t be the best Matt Hasselbeck has ever had to work with. Although Shaun Alexander’s decline was evident to all who watched it last year, the Seahawks may not know what they had until it’s gone. While Jones could do well with a change in scenery, the Seahawks would do well to committee Julius Jones and Maurice Morris for all situations except the goal line and short yardage downs. Those honors would be then given to power back T.J. Duckett. Overly complicated for Holmgren? Maybe. Does it make sense? Yes.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Question: How many Buccaneer quarterbacks could start for another NFL team?

Answer: Of the six currently on the roster, definitely three but maybe four could go and start for other teams. Jeff Garcia (obviously), Bruce Gradkowski and Chris Simms being the obvious ones where Brian Griese could start, but only in an emergency type situation. With only three final QB spots available and the Bucs likely to keep the rookie QB they drafted, Josh Johnson, don’t be surprised if you see some of the Buccaneer castoffs land themselves on another NFL island. And yes, I realize that statement was very corny.

Tennessee Titans

Question: Will the Titans failure to acquire any wide receivers to help Vince Young come back and bite them in the ass?

Answer: The only possible reason the Titans have forgone getting some legitimate receiving help for Vince Young is that they believe the receiving crop they currently have has the potential to mature into a reputable, quality unit. While he hasn’t put up spectacular numbers, Young has proven he can win with sub-par talent. With Young having built a rapport with Justin Gage and Roydell Williams last year, the front office will either get their wish and see the receiving corps take a step forward or they will make themselves look like fools and piss off Vince Young for not giving him anyone good to throw to.

Washington Redskins

Question: Will the arrival of youngster Colt Brennan cause Jason Campbell to ‘make the leap’?

Answer: Although it’s not fair to place such expectations on Campbell since he’ll have to learn yet another new system this year, such is life in the NFL. If Todd Collins wasn’t 5,000 years old than we could have had a legitimate QB battle on our hands. Luckily for Campbell, he is the prospect the organization has spent a lot of time, money and hopes on -- so he should have a much longer leash than say, Derek Anderson.