Archive for Vincent Frank

Alex Smith to the Cleveland Browns?

January 17, 2013 Vincent Frank Featured, NFL, Vincent Frank
NFC Championship - New York Giants v San Francisco 49ers

Under the new ownership of Jimmy Haslam, the Cleveland Browns have made wholesale moves since the regular season came to an end a few weeks back.

The last day of 2012 brought pink slips for both head coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Tom Heckert.

Haslam had the following to say after ousting both the GM and head coach…

We felt that these moves were in the best interests of the Cleveland Browns and our future

It isn’t abnormal to have these types of changes once a new ownership group takes control. For Haslam, it was all about redefining an organization that has existed in mediocrity for a long time now.

Cleveland then went out and hired former Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski to be its new head coach. While this hiring wasn’t without turmoil, especially considering Chud’s lack of success with Carolina in 2012, it does bring some new blood to the organization. At the very least, Cleveland went against bringing in a retread head coach. A young team with a new owner needs to have a relatively young head coach to lead the way on the field.

Norv Turner was just recently announced as the Browns offensive coordinator on Thursday. That is one great hire for the organization. While Turner leaves a lot to be desired as it relates to being a head coach, he is a great offensive coordinator in the NFL. His presence will help whoever is under center in 2013.

It isn’t like the Browns are starting from ground zero. Instead, they have a solid nucleus upon which to build on both sides of the ball. Trent Richardson promises to be a Pro Bowl running back in the not so distant future. Meanwhile, rookie second-round pick (supplementary selection) Josh Gordon showed everyone why Cleveland made the then curious decision to exhaust a second-round pick in the 2013 NFL draft on him. Gordon tallied 805 yards on 50 receptions for a whopping 16.1 yards per reception. He will be a solid down field threat.

While Cleveland did finish 5-11, it lost five games by just one score and finished with a -4.4 average scoring differential. It’s important to note how competitive this team was all season with a anemic head coach.

Defensively, the Browns were pretty darn good. Joe Haden, Phil Taylor and Jabaal Sheard make up a pretty decent trio to build with on that side of the ball. While Cleveland will have to add more talent in the future to compete with offenses in Cincinnati and Baltimore, this is a good start.

Which leads me to my original point.

Cleveland needs to go out there and trade for quarterback Alex Smith of the San Francisco 49ers. He had a solid working relationship with Norv Turner and would be an immediate upgrade over Brandon Weeden under center.

Smith, who has been one of the most consistently good quarterbacks since the start of 2011, is going to be the odd-man out in San Francisco following the emergence of Colin Kaepernick.

The following are Smith’s stats over the course of his last 27 starts, postseason included:

63.8 completion percentage, 5,376 yards, 38 total touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 96.7 quarterback rating. 

Those are better than average starting quarterback stats in the NFL. Equally as important, Smith was 20-6-1 during that span and threw one interception per 72.1 pass attempts. For comparison’s sake, Weeden threw one interception per 30.4 attempts as a rookie in 2012.

And Smith is younger than the current Browns’ starting quarterback.

Smith does need to have weapons on the offensive side of the ball and a solid offensive line to protect him. If he doesn’t have those things, we could be looking at Smith reverting back to pre-2011 form.

Fortunately, Cleveland does possess a solid offensive line. Weeden was sacked just 28 times in 15 starts during the regular season. Mitchell Schwartz and Joe Thomas are an awesome tandem at the offensive tackle position, while Alex Mack has been nothing short of consistent at center throughout his career.

Richardson would also provide Smith with that Pro Bowl caliber running back that he became accustomed to in the form of Frank Gore in San Francisco.

Give him the deep threat that is Gordon, a decent slot receiver in Greg Little and add one of the top wide receivers in the draft (Keenan Allen?) and you are looking at a really good offense moving forward.

That said, Cleveland won’t be getting Smith for free if it decides to actually court the veteran quarterback. San Francisco knows all too well that Smith’s $10 million salary in 2013 is a bargain. It also knows that both the free agent and draft classes at the quarterback positions are mighty thin. In reality, the 49ers are working from a position of strength here.

It would probably cost Cleveland either a third-round pick or a combination of a fourth rounder and future considerations to nab Smith. On that note, San Francisco promises to have the most draft picks of any team in the NFL this upcoming April. It probably wouldn’t be against taking picks in 2014 in order to send Smith to the right situation and receive decent value in return.

Look for this to be discussed as March and the new league year nears. I, for one, think Smith would be a great addition to the Browns.

 

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Potential NFL Head Coaching Candidates

December 31, 2012 Vincent Frank Featured, NFL, Vincent Frank
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35 percent of the teams that didn’t make the playoffs in the NFL have already fired their head coach as of noon on the west coast Monday. Needless to say, franchises went the way of spring cleaning this winter.

Here are the coaches that have been fired already

Norv Turner, San Diego Chargers

Romeo Crennel, Kansas City Chiefs

Pat Shurmur, Cleveland Browns

Chan Gailey, Buffalo Bills

Ken Whisenhunt, Arizona Cardinals

Lovie Smith, Chicago Bears

Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles

 

Now let’s take a look at the candidates that I have come up with.

 

Greg Roman, Offensive Coordinator, San Francisco 49ers

Roman received a lot of play last season; mostly from the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL and Penn State in college. I would be incredibly surprised if he returned to San Francisco as its offensive coordinator in 2013. He seems to be a hot guy around league circles right now.

Personally, I believe a team like the San Diego Chargers would be the best fit. Coming on the heels of another disappointing season with a veteran head coach, San Diego should be looking for some new blood. Roman did wonders with Andrew Luck in college and has been damn good with both Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick with the 49ers. He could have a nice working relationship with Philip Rivers.

Another team that makes a ton of sense in the Kansas City Chiefs, who will be looking for an offensive-minded head coach and will be bringing in a young quarterback in April’s draft. Pretty much the same reasoning behind this idea as Roman going to San Diego.

 

Chip Kelly, Head Coach, Oregon

The most likely scenario here would be the Philadelphia Eagles, who just relieved Andy Reid of his duties. You can bet they’re going to make a splash in their head coach search and Kelly is probably going to be Harbaugh-esque in terms of interest he receives.

Kelly could redefine the offensive scheme in the NFL and would have the tools to be successful in Philadelphia. The idea that he could have Nick Foles, Bryce Brown, LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin on offense has to make this an intriguing option for the current Oregon head man.

Don’t expect Kelly to take any job, either. He can easily go back to Eugene for another season or two until more attractive jobs open up in 2013 and 2014. Needless to say, he won’t be an option in Cleveland or Arizona.

 

Jon Gruden, Former Tampa Bay and Oakland Head Coach

Now that it appears Oakland will retain Dennis Allen for another season, we can put to sleep the idea of Gruden making a return trip to Northern California. He does, however, have roots in Philadelphia. If the Eagles fail to land, or don’t show interest in Kelly, this could be an intriguing option for them.

I am not entirely too sure if teams with young quarterbacks would show a lot of interest in Gruden at this point. He didn’t handle that position well with Tampa Bay, which could be cause for alarm. The Buffalo Bills seem like an intriguing option if they’re committed to Ryan Fitzpatrick for 2013.

 

Ken Whisenhunt, Former Head Coach Arizona Cardinals

One could easily come to the conclusion that Whisenhunt received a raw deal in the desert. Could any head coach be successful with four different starting quarterbacks in one season. Realistically, he was in a no-win situation this season. That being said, Whisenhunt was not successful with Arizona since Kurt Warner hung up his cleats.

This doesn’t mean that the great football mind won’t get another chance in 2013. The Chicago Bears, who lack any type of understanding of how to build an offensive line, could be an intriguing option here. More likely than not, Whisenhunt will have to wait until “sexier” names are called upon to get serious consideration.

 

Bill O’Brien, Head Coach, Penn State

What O’Brien did in Happy Valley was nothing short of amazing this season. Going into a horrible situation, he got the best out of a roster that had to be reeling from the whole Sandusky scandal. It is also important to note that he was a hot commodity around the NFL before taking the job with Penn State.

Filling numerous coaching roles in New England, including coordinator, O’Brien seems to be logical fit for a team with a young quarterback. Scott Pioli, who has ties with New England, has kept his job with the Kansas City Chiefs. He could look to go to the well one more time. A more likely scenario would be the Carolina Panthers if Ron Rivera ends up getting the boot.

 

Mike McCoy, Offensive Coordinator, Denver Broncos

To be able to make the transition from Tim Tebow to Peyton Manning has to be one of the primary reasons McCoy will get a lot of play this offseason. You have to realize that his offensive philosophy took a complete 180 from 2011 to 2012. Adapting to a new offensive scheme without much too much of an issue is huge here.

Again, we might be looking at a team with a young quarterback here. It looks like Kansas City, who has the No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft, could be a solid route for McCoy.

 

Andy Reid, Former Head Coach, Philadelphia Eagles 

As one of the most successful head coaches in modern NFL history, you can bet that Reid will be on the sideline coaching somewhere in 2013. His name has been mentioned in connection with both the San Diego Chargers and Arizona Cardinals. Interestingly enough, it seems that his people are the one’s putting feelers out there.

San Diego would seem like the best fit here for Reid. Though, I really do hope it goes in a younger direction with its head coaching search. Retreads just don’t seem to be getting it done in Southern California. Either way, expect Reid to go to a really good situation. After all, he isn’t at the stage in his career where going to a rebuilding franchise is too attractive.

 

Jay Gruden, Offensive Coordinator, Cincinnati Bengals

Gruden should have gotten more play following his stellar coaching performance for Cincinnati in 2011. You can expect him to receive a ton of interest this year. The one issue is that he cannot interview until/when Cincinnati is eliminated from postseason contention. That hurts his chances with teams looking to make a move in relatively short order.

All things equal, Gruden is one of the best offensive minds out there.

 

Other Options

 

Gus Bradley, Defensive Coordinator, Seattle Seahawks: Leads one of the best overall units in the NFL with a solid young core. Should get some play, but can’t interview until Seahawks season is over.

Brian Kelly, Head Coach, Notre Dame: He would draw a tremendous amount of interest in the NFL, but I can’t see him leaving such a great spot in South Bend.

Kyle Shanahan, Offensive Coordinator, Washington Redskins: Teams need to be alarmed that he didn’t have much success in Washington until Robert Griffin III didn’t show up.

Perry Fewell, Defensive Coordinator, New York Giants: Fewell would probably have been hired as a head coach last season if the Giants had a first-round bye. That being said, his brand might not be as high this year.

 

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Looking Forward: How the Philadelphia Eagles Can Rebuild

December 28, 2012 Vincent Frank Featured, NFL, Vincent Frank
Reid

It now appears that both head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Michael Vick will be making their final appearance with the Philadelphia Eagles this week against the New York Giants.

Reid, the longest-tenured head coach in the National Football League, needs a win to avoid his worst record since taking over as Philadelphia’s head coach in 1999. Meanwhile, Vick is set to earn $15 million, of which $14.1 million isn’t guaranteed, next season. Needless to say, he will most likely be getting his walking papers following the season.

Philadelphia came into each of the last two seasons with high expectations, but failed to live up to the talent level that we all pretty much knew they had. With a mixture of under-performing veterans and untested youngsters, the Eagles just couldn’t get the job done.

It is now time for Philadelphia to blow the whole thing up and start anew. The biggest question here is how they’ll go about doing that? Not whether it will be done.

 

Stick With The Youth Movement

There is absolutely no reason for Philadelphia to make an attempt at reloading in free agency. Its philosophy prior to the last few years was to build through the draft and supplement via free agency. General manager Howie Roseman, should he keep his job, needs to revert the Eagles philosophy back to that more successful point.

Philadelphia’s last couple few drafts have given it a solid young core on both sides of the ball.

2009

1. Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

2. LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh

McCoy is one of the top running backs in the NFL

2010 

1. Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan

2. Nate Allen, S, South Florida

5. Riley Cooper, WR, Florida

7. Kurt Coleman, S, Ohio State

2011

1. Danny Watkins, G, Baylor

4. Alex Henery, K, Nebraska

6. Jason Kelce, C, Cincinnati

7. Stanley Havili, FB, Southern California

2012

1. Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

2. Mychal Kendricks, LB, California

Kendricks will be a Pro Bowler soon.

2. Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall

3. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona

4. Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia

7. Bryce Brown, RB, Kansas State

You are looking at about 16 players drafted in the last four seasons that promise to be contributors for the Eagles moving forward. That isn’t too shabby at all. Despite focusing a great deal of their money on free agency, the Eagles have done a decent job in the draft.

Again, this needs to be their focus moving forward.

They can rid themselves of a huge contract when they release Vick prior to the start of the new league year in March. Additionally, they can save $11 million more by releasing free-agent bust Nnamdi Asomugha. That will give the Eagles a good $24 million more in cap space to pick and choose who they might want to extend on their roster or add in free agency.

Asomugha has been one of the biggest free agent busts in recent NFL history

There is absolutely no reason to believe that Nick Foles cannot be the answer at quarterback. He has played extremely well as a rookie in 2012 and seems to possess all the necessary skills you look for in a young quarterback. Give him an entire offseason to work on some major flaws that most young quarterbacks have, including decision making.

LeSean McCoy, even after an injury-plagued 2012 season, is one of the top five running backs in the NFL. He also have electric youngster Bryce Brown to help shoulder the load in the backfield. That could be a dynamic 1-2 punch at running back.

Equally as important for Philadelphia, it has a solid starting wide receiver duo. When healthy, DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin can be dynamic on the outside.

Of course none of this matters if you don’t have an offensive line. Philadelphia was missing the best tackle in the entire NFL in the form of Jason Peters due to another Achilles injury suffered back in the spring. That was a huge loss right there. Second-year center Jason Kelce also missed all but two games this season.

Despite missing their best offensive lineman, a few different youngsters stepped up along this unit in 2012. Rookie Dennis Kelly has started nine games at two different o-line positions, while 2011 first-round pick Danny Watkins started six games. While Watkins is far from a sure bet and could still be considered a bust, it was important to get him some playing time.

Philadelphia now needs to focus on adding a few other youngsters along the offensive line in order to be able to keep Foles upright and open up more holes for the McCoy-Brown tandem. It can also be financially wise by adding a top tier free agent in what promises to be loaded offensive line market. That’s what I am talking about in regards to picking and choosing where you spend your money.

Nick Foles is the Eagles QB of the future.

Defensively, Philadelphia might not be as set. Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox, Mychal Kendricks and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie appear to be a solid core upon which to build with on defense.

DRC, who is set to be a free agent in March, hasn’t been terribly consistent in Philadelphia over the course of the his first two seasons with the team. He is an unlikely candidate for the franchise tag and hasn’t even been the Eagles best cornerback this season.

Instead of spending what promises to be a huge sum of money on DRC, Philadelphia could easily make the decision to allow 2012 draft pick Brandon Boykin step into a starting role while adding another youngster in the 2013 NFL draft. While that would create some growing pains on pass defense, it makes more sense than overpaying for someone that just hasn’t performed up to snuff.

Of course, Philadelphia’s main goal will be to find a new head coach for its franchise for the first team in nearly a decade and a half. That isn’t going to be an easy task.

Does it look for a veteran head coach to help lead what promises to be a young roster? Maybe it decides some new blood is needed from the college ranks to help inspire a young roster.

Either way, that is going to be the Eagles first goal when their season comes to an end this weekend.

At the very least, Philadelphia does have a lot more to work with than other bottom feeders such as the: Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs.

It should be an interesting offseason.

 

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Roger Goodell Owes us More than an Apology

September 28, 2012 Vincent Frank Featured, NFL, Vincent Frank
image

Roger Goodell and the National Football League released the following statement earlier today in an email to the media and fans alike.

I believe in accountability, not excuses. And I regret we were not able to secure an agreement sooner in the process and avoid the unfortunate distractions to the game. You deserve better.

Of course the figurehead of the league office in Park Avenue, New York, had to release something following the disastrous turn of events on Monday night between the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers. While the NFLRA and NFL have come to a Collective Bargaining Agreement and regular officials were on the field last night, the lockout that lasted into the third week of the season could have some long-term ramifications.

If you ask anyone who didn’t have a rooting interest in the Seattle/Green Bay game, they will tell you that the road-tripping Packers were denied a victory by one of the most obscene and ridiculous officiating mistakes in the modern history of professional sports.

There are some that will want to sweep this under the rug because regular officials are back. That would be a major mistake. The legitimacy of the 2012 NFL season might have already been thrown out the window.

What happens if Green Bay misses the postseason by one game? What about Seattle in the NFC West? What happens if they grab the division title from either the San Francisco 49ers or Arizona Cardinals because of that one “win?”

More importantly, all three teams in the NFC West play Green Bay this season. What happens if the division tie-breaker comes down to record against like opponents? Both San Francisco and Seattle have now “beaten” Green Bay.

These are questions I am pretty sure the league office is asking itself right now. These are also scenarios that I can guarantee they are praying don’t pan out.

I am pretty sure that the Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions aren’t complaining internally about Monday’s game. But, I highly doubt any of them want to win the division under this type of scenario.

With all this in mind, a likely scenario remains that Monday’s game will not have an impact on the postseason race moving forward. Still, Goodell and company owe us answers.

Whether it is the $300 we pay for Sunday Ticket, the $60 for NFL Game Rewind, or the thousands we put out in NFL game tickets, fans expect the best possible product on the football field. We don’t deserve officials that have been fired by the Lingerie Football League. We deserve nothing but the best in terms of play and officiating. Billionaire power elites in Park Avenue have no right, through the guise of “bettering the product,” to field anything less than the best on a weekly basis.

Now we as fans, journalists and even the players have had to suffer through nearly one-quarter of the season with disastrous officiating the world over. We deserve a refund, a rebate or something to that effect. It is owed to us, we are entitled to it…And Goodell needs to get his head out of his ass and pony up something for the lack of respect the NFL has shown to those who make the league thrive.

If not, the commish simply needs to call it quits and resign following the season. This was a joke, he acted as nothing more than a figurehead for a small group of individuals that have their economic bottom line, not the health of the league, in the forefront of their minds.

We will obviously be hearing more about his role moving forward if the 2013 NFL Playoffs are tainted due to Monday night’s disastrous officiating performance. After all, a few million isn’t worth the legitimacy of the National Football League and Goodell needs to be held accountable.

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The Pistol Offense and Zone Reads: A Trend to the Future

August 16, 2012 Vincent Frank Featured, NFL, Vincent Frank
Demps

Watching Colin Kaepernick’s 78 yard touchdown run against the Minnesota Vikings last Friday got me thinking. It seems that the San Francisco 49ers intelligently designed that play in order for LaMichael James to be in the backfield at the same time.

Whether you are looking at a pistol design or a zone-read, which was the case with Kaepernick, this could be the new package that teams with an excess of athleticism run.

Think about it for a second.

Kaepernick and James combined for over 9,000 rushing yards in college. For those of us who are not math savants, that equates to about five miles of running. Simply amazing. Defenses will not be able to hone in on the quarterback in this situation because James has the ability to break the long run on the outside should the ball be handed to him. They’re not going to be able to hone in on the running back because the quarterback possesses the same capability.

Pistol Offense

In short, it confuses the hell out of the defense and can lead to a long gain. I am not talking about an entire offensive scheme catered to this. Rather, a play or two per game.

This isn’t just limited to the 49ers, though they showed success with it in their preseason opener.

The Oakland Raiders could run the same type of “gadget play” with Terrelle Pryor and Taiwan Jones in the backfield. Just think about that for a second. Two players that run a sub 4.5 40-yard dash in the backfield at the same time. It remains to be seen if Oakland is going to attempt to try to run this play in their remaining preseason games.

Let’s say the New York Jets sign former Florida running back Jeff Demps to a rookie free agent contract. The idea of Tim Tebow and the talented young running back in the same backfield running a zone read or pistol play would be cause for alarm for opposing teams.

This story can be repeated over and over again with teams that have an athletic quarterback on the roster. Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III, Michael Vick, Brad Smith and even Aaron Rodgers would all have the capabilities to do it.

Move over wildcat, this could be the new gimmick of the modern National Football League. I for one am intrigued.

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Miami Dolphins: Struggling Organization Fails to Show Class in Johnson Situation

August 15, 2012 Vincent Frank Featured, NFL, Vincent Frank
Ireland and Ross

I could care less if Chad Johnson was struggling to learn the playbook or that he isn’t the same wide receiver we saw four years ago. The Miami Dolphins would never have released the enigmatic figure if it wasn’t for his arrest on domestic violence charges Saturday night.

You cannot possibly tell me that Miami has nine or 10 receivers on their roster that are better than Johnson. With rosters still extended to 90, Miami didn’t have to make this decision now. They didn’t have to do so in such an abrupt manner. And, in the process, they didn’t have to look so classless.

None of us can pretend to fully know what happened between Johnson and his soon to be ex-wife, Evelyn Lozado during their conflict. To act like we know exactly what went down would be utterly foolish and ignorant.

The same goes for the Dolphins, who should have let the process play out and then made a decision from there.

Listen, I fully understand that violence against women isn’t acceptable in American society, and if Johnson is indeed guilty of this unfathomable crime, justice should be served…he should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

That being said, he shouldn’t be persecuted by a population that loves to hate on athletes, mostly African-American. He isn’t guilty until proven otherwise. Instead, the American Justice System, the best in the world, runs contrary to that archaic ideal.

The National Football League, led by figurehead Roger Goodell, might be getting it right in terms of cracking down on off-field issues with players around the league. As evidenced by a wide array of arrests in the NFL this offseason, there seems to be some sort of “I am above the law” mentality taking place. A hard swift kick in the ass back to reality is needed for certain players, who deem themselves better than all of us.

History as it relates to Johnson tells us another story. He has been an upstanding citizen, continues to work with charities spanning the globe, and really seems to connect with fans in an era where most athletes just feel that these fans aren’t worth the hassle.

Instead of standing by their player until ALL evidence came out, the Dolphins acted the part of a tyrant under the guise of an organization. They stated that Johnson was released for a myriad of different reasons when level-headed individuals the world over know that isn’t the case. They lied to Johnson on “Hard Knocks,” throwing him to the proverbial wolves. In the process, they showed just how classless of an organization that Stephen Ross and Jeff Ireland run.

And, you wonder why free agents pass up Miami every opportunity they get. You wonder why the likes of Alex Smith use this organization as a negotiating ploy with the San Francisco 49ers.

They’re an absolute joke and everyone knows it. I just wonder why HBO had to stoop to this level in order to gain ratings. Well, I guess that is Hollywood for you. I thought the NFL might be different, but I was wrong.

Go ahead, throw someone under the bus before having the information out there. Just remember, that I and many others will hold you to this if Johnson is proven innocent in this whole ordeal. If not, I will repeat what I said before, we don’t have the information to jump to ignorant conclusions and I doubt very much the Dolphins do.

Using someones lively hood to make a point under the guise of team chemistry is crap and they know it. Throwing someone under the bus on national television to up your rankings is also crap.

Yes, I am talking to you HBO and the Miami Dolphins. You should be ashamed.

 

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2012 NFL Power Rankings: Version 1.0

August 15, 2012 Vincent Frank Featured, NFL, Vincent Frank
Pro Football Nuts

 

It might be too early to take a look at where most teams stand in the National Football League. After all, we are just coming off of one week of preseason football. Talk about jumping the gun.

With that it mind, I am fully prepared to run towards the cliff with a blow-horn and blurt out random names to see if they stick come January. These power rankings will be updated every week.

 

32. Cleveland Browns (AFC Rank: 16)

The Browns ineptitude on the offensive side of the ball is going to be their undoing. Brandon Weeden is nowhere near being a starter caliber quarterback in the NFL and they don’t have the weapons on the outside to succeed.

31. Minnesota Vikings (NFC Rank: 16)

They looked really bad Friday night against the San Francisco 49ers. I understand it was just the first preseason game, but this team is lacking talent across the board on both sides of the ball.

30. St. Louis Rams (NFC Rank: 15)

That was an embarrassing way to start the Jeff Fisher era in St. Louis. While it is hard to take stock of a team after one preseason game, the Rams have a great deal of work to do in order to compete on a consistent basis on Sunday’s.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars (AFC Rank: 15)

Even with Maurice Jones-Drew in the fold, this team wasn’t going to win more than five games. Take him out of the mix and you have the second worst offense in the NFL behind Cleveland. Wont win you many games.

28. Indianapolis Colts (AFC Rank: 14)

Andrew Luck and Co. where might impressive on Sunday against the Rams. Though this should be taken with a grain of salt, you have to be happy about the way this young team looked with the rookie quarterback leading the charge.

27. Arizona Cardinals (NFC Rank: 14)

Kevin Kolb or John Skelton, does it really matter? The Cardinals are so inept at the quarterback position that it makes them look like a Pop Warner team at times. Arizona’s two top quarterbacks have combined for a 19.2 quarterback rating in two preseason games.

26. Miami Dolphins (AFC Rank: 13)

Ryan Tannehill was might impressive, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. He has a tremendous amount of work to do. Miami’s best shot at contention is with either David Garrard or Matt Moore under center. Either way, the lack of talent at wide receiver is going to hurt.

25. Oakland Raiders (AFC Rank: 12)

Even by preseason standards, the Raiders loss to Dallas on Monday night was horrendous. This team couldn’t do anything right, struggling in nearly every aspect of the game. I guess their defense looked good, holding the Cowboys to three points. Something to take out of the performance. It’s going to take some time for this team to gel.

24. New York Jets (AFC Rank: 11)

This team is lacking chemistry and talent across the board, none more than at the quarterback position. Neither Mark Sanchez nor Tim Tebow appear to be the answer. They don’t have the receivers to make plays and lack young talent on defense. Get primed for a down season in New York with the Jets.

23. Washington Redskins (NFC Rank: 13)

Robert Griffin III definitely impressed in his preseason debut and I would love to put the Skin’s higher, but I just don’t see it. They’re schedule is going to be brutal in 2012, which indicates another losing season in the capital. For Washington, it is all about progression from the youngsters, RGIII included.

22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFC Rank: 12)

It does seem that Greg Schiano is planning on running an offense that fits their talents much better than what we saw last season. The additions of Carl Nicks, Vincent Jackson and Doug Martin will help on the offensive side of the ball. The division they play in coupled with a bad defense leads me to believe this team finishes in the cellar once again.

21. Carolina Panthers (NFC Rank: 11)

Can Cam Newton take the next step? If he does, will the Panthers make the postseason? While I am happy with what Carolina did in the draft and to an extent in free agency, they seem to be a year or so away from contention.

20. Dallas Cowboys (NFC Rank: 10)

Let’s not read too much into the Cowboys lack of offensive performance Monday night against the Oakland Raiders. They didn’t have a couple healthy bodies on the offensive line and it just didn’t seem like the team was connecting. That being said, Dallas needs to get it together relatively quickly.

19. Tennessee Titans (AFC Rank: 10)

Jake Locker appears to be the favorite to win Tennessee’s starting quarterback job. It really doesn’t matter, both will be able to lead the Titans to postseason contention. It is all about moving forward with the young quarterback at the helm.

18. San Diego Chargers (AFC Rank: 9)

One of the most disappointing teams in recent NFL history, the pressure is definitely on Norv Turner and Co. this season. They need to win double-digit games and make a postseason run. If history serves as an indicator, fans in Southern California will be disappointed once again.

17. Buffalo Bills (AFC Rank: 8)

The Bills will be right in the mix for a postseason spot when all is said and done. Despite a rough preseason debut, this is a team that has talent clear across the board. The additions of Mario Williams and Stephon Gilmore were huge. There success will depend a great deal on the play of Ryan Fitzpatrick.

16. Detroit Lions (NFC Rank: 9)

I will probably receive some flack for having the Lions so low on this list, but let me explain. They’re going to find it difficult to win on a consistent basis without a ground game on offense and lackluster play in the secondary. Couple that with playing in a tough division and this could be a disappointing season in the Motor City.

15. Seattle Seahawks (NFC Rank: 8)

Yet another team that should be in the race for the duration of the 2012 season. Seattle looked mighty impressive in their preseason opener as it seems their quarterback competition has been dwindled down to Matt Flynn and Russell Wilson. Solid play at this position could get Seattle into the second season.

14. Denver Broncos (AFC Rank: 7)

I am not going to buy into the Peyton Manning hype until the future Hall of Fame quarterback proves he can stay healthy during the regular season. If this happens, Denver might end up favorites in the AFC West.

13. New Orleans Saints (NFC Rank: 7)

Again, I will probably get some flack for having the Saints so low. It really is hard to underscore just how much the loss of head coach Sean Payton will hurt New Orleans. You need solid coaching to win consistently in the NFL and without him the Saints just don’t have that.

12. Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC Rank: 6)

Pittsburgh has a few different issues to address if they’re going to return to the postseason in 2012. David DeCastro and Mike Adams, both rookies, are going to have to step up along the o-line to keep Big Ben upright. They are also going to have to find someone to be a consistent threat on the ground in the running game.

11. Cincinnati Bengals (AFC Rank: 5)

You can definitely expect Cincinnati to take a step forward in 2012. Both Andy Dalton and A.J. Green has a year of seasoning under their belt. This is going to make a huge difference. Additionally, Cincinnati addressed defensive concerns along the defensive line and in the secondary. Definitely a team on the upswing.

10. Kansas City Chiefs (AFC Rank: 4)

Tell me that the Baltimore Ravens would have succeeded last season if they were without Joe Flacco, Ray Rice and Ed Reed for a majority of the season. This is the situation that Kansas City found themselves in last year. With a fully healthy roster, they are the clear cut favorites to win what promises to be a competitive division.

9. Philadelphia Eagles (NFC Rank: 6)

Again, I am not going to buy into the hype here. Though Philadelphia has one of the most talented rosters in the league, they need to start putting it together on the football field. Additionally, Michael Vick is going to have to show he can stay healthy for an entire season if the Eagles are going to win the NFC East.

8. Chicago Bears (NFC Rank: 5)

One major concern as it relates to the Bears is pass protection. They didn’t do much to address this issue in the offseason and saw their quarterbacks sacked six times in the preseason opener. The weapons are there on the offensive side of the ball with Michael Bush, Brandon Marshal and Alshon Jeffery. It is all about putting it together and keeping Jay Cutler upright.

7. Baltimore Ravens (AFC Rank: 3)

The loss of Terrell Suggs for what promises to be the majority of the 2012 season is going to hurt a great deal. You don’t lose the reigning Defensive Player of the Year without taking somewhat of a step back. Baltimore needs Joe Flacco to step his game up if they’re going to be serious contenders for the conference championship.

6. Atlanta Falcons (NFC Rank: 4)

Boy, the Falcons first-team was impressive in their preseason opener against the aforementioned Ravens. No, this isn’t the reason why I have Atlanta rated higher. Instead, it seems they are going to have one of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL this season. Couple that with an improved defense and you have the makings for a possible Super Bowl run. It is all about winning in January, something Matt Ryan has been unable to do.

5. Houston Texans (AFC Rank: 2)

Houston didn’t really have a great offseason. The losses of Eric Winston, Mike Brisiel and Mario Williams is definitely going to hurt. That being said, this team has the talent on both sides of the ball to compete for the AFC Championship. Again, we are looking at injuries. They need Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson to play the duration of the season for this to become a reality.

4. Green Bay Packers (NFC Rank: 3)

How can a team that won 15 regular season games the year before not be in the top three? Well, if that team is the Packers extended expectations are not needed. Green Bay laid an egg in their first postseason game and finished as one of the two worst defensive teams in the league. We all know about Aaron Rodgers and Co. on offense, but youngsters need to step up on the other side of the ball is this team is going to win the NFC.

3. New England Patriots (AFC Rank: 1)

They did a great job adding players at need positions on both sides of the ball. Brandon Lloyd is going to play the part of a serious receiving threat on the outside. He teams up with Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez and Deion Branch to form an elite passing game for Tom Brady. Chandler Jones, who was impressive in his NFL debut against the New Orleans Saints last week, should help the defensive out a great deal. Definitely the frontrunners for another trip to the Super Bowl out of the AFC.

2. San Francisco 49ers (NFC Rank: 2)

This team is absolutely stacked. Trent Baalke and Co. did an amazing job adding talent where it needed to be added in the offseason. Their offense promises to be vastly improved from a pedestrian 2011 campaign, while Alex Smith seems like he is ready to take that next step. San Francisco also returns all 11 starters from one of the most dominating defenses in the league. I wouldn’t be surprised if the 49ers brought home their sixth Super Bowl Championship in New Orleans in February. In fact, they should be considered favorites to do so.

1. New York Giants (NFC Rank: 1)

Do I believe the Giants are the best team in the NFL? No. In fact, I think it is going to be hard for them to even make the postseason in the tough NFC. That being said, the defending Super Bowl Champions need to be ranked No. 1 until they lose a football game. This is my philosophy and I will NEVER change it.

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