In the past I have released my NFL season predictions during the first week of training camp in order to beat Sports Illustrated's Peter King and Dr. Z to the punch. King still hasn't released his yet, but sadly Dr. Z (Paul Zimmerman) will not be writing a prediction column this year because of a stroke he suffered last winter. He's been a fixture in NFL reporting for longer than I've been alive, and here's hoping he's back next year.
As always, making picks so early could doom them to failure, but it's better to lead than follow. And my stone-cold, lead-pipe lock for the winner of the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XLIV will look familiar to those who have read my predictions from previous years (but this time I'll be right).
First and foremost, no one will go winless this year, though the Lions will try very hard. And there will be no perfect season, even with the much-hyped return of Tom Brady. The Colts will survive the departure of Tony Dungy, and the league will survive without Brett Favre. The Falcons and Ravens will prove that last years' feel-good quarterbacks were no fluke, but the Cardinals will come crashing back to earth, missing the playoffs again the way they're supposed to. Terrell Owens will realize by Week 2 that he has no quarterback and is much closer to Canada than the Super Bowl, and the Raiders will probably hire Michael Vick as their new head coach by Halloween.
The big winner this year will be the Cowboys. Expectations for them are low everywhere except in North Texas, all of the convicts are gone, and the NFC East will not be as strong as in years past. This should allow the team to play much looser, and with a healthy three-headed rushing monster of Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice, this should be a very dangerous team. Tony Romo will need to step up now that he no longer has Jessica Simpson to blame if he sucks in December, but the absence of Owens will actually help him.
For the faithful in the Steel City, there will be no repeat this year. All of the breaks that went your way last season will be denied by the football gods in 2009. It will be the Patriots who will return to the big stage after a year's absence.
As always, making picks so early could doom them to failure, but it's better to lead than follow. And my stone-cold, lead-pipe lock for the winner of the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XLIV will look familiar to those who have read my predictions from previous years (but this time I'll be right).
First and foremost, no one will go winless this year, though the Lions will try very hard. And there will be no perfect season, even with the much-hyped return of Tom Brady. The Colts will survive the departure of Tony Dungy, and the league will survive without Brett Favre. The Falcons and Ravens will prove that last years' feel-good quarterbacks were no fluke, but the Cardinals will come crashing back to earth, missing the playoffs again the way they're supposed to. Terrell Owens will realize by Week 2 that he has no quarterback and is much closer to Canada than the Super Bowl, and the Raiders will probably hire Michael Vick as their new head coach by Halloween.
The big winner this year will be the Cowboys. Expectations for them are low everywhere except in North Texas, all of the convicts are gone, and the NFC East will not be as strong as in years past. This should allow the team to play much looser, and with a healthy three-headed rushing monster of Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice, this should be a very dangerous team. Tony Romo will need to step up now that he no longer has Jessica Simpson to blame if he sucks in December, but the absence of Owens will actually help him.
For the faithful in the Steel City, there will be no repeat this year. All of the breaks that went your way last season will be denied by the football gods in 2009. It will be the Patriots who will return to the big stage after a year's absence.
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