By TORI ADDISON
Contributing Writer
The wait is finally over, football is back. Preseason is wrapping up and the season starts within a week. With opening games approaching so quickly, predictions for divisional standings are starting to come into place.
Despite significant roster changes due to losing WR Wes Welker and the imprisonment of TE Aaron Hernandez, it is no question that Tom Brady will continue to anchor the New England Patriots in the AFC East. Miami Dolphin’s QB Ryan Tannehill gained a new weapon in WR Mike Wallace who totaled 836 receiving yards for the Steelers last season. The Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets both drafted QBs who will keep fans looking up. The combination of rookie and veteran players for both teams should provide a decent balance within their offensive and defensive systems.
The AFC North houses the Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens who are trying to move past the retirement of infamous LB Ray Lewis. Alas, their defense will remain as intimidating as always. If able to avoid injury, they can expect to build a primed offensive threat as the season progresses. The Pittsburgh Steelers had nothing short of a stellar draft. First round pick OLB Jarvis Jones has already made eye- catching preseason plays with both a forced and recovered fumble. The Cincinnati Bengals may prove to be a powerhouse with their added offensive talent. They drafted two incredible weapons in RB Giovanni Bernard and TE Tyler Eifert. Along with superstar WR AJ Green, there is not much room for error for QB Andy Dalton. The glass is half full for the Cleveland Browns whose future lies in the hands of RB Trent Richardson and rookie DE Barkevious Mingo. If QB Brandon Weeden is able to improve his interception heavy record from last season, they may have a shot at a respectable record.
In the AFC South, the Houston Texans defensive combination of safeties Ed Reed and DJ Swearinger should prove triumphant in controlling opposing offenses. RB Arian Foster ranked sixth in rushing yards last season and will continue to dominate. With little offseason movement, the Indianapolis Colts mainly improved their offensive line to protect QB Andrew Luck. Expectantly, they will continue to improve within the divisional rankings. To the Tennessee Titans fortune, RB Chris Johnson is poised for a break out year with Alabama rookie Chance Warmack blocking on offensive line. The Jacksonville Jaguars seem to be sitting in a grave position as QB Blaine Gabbert’s performance has been less than average. With the second pick in the draft, OT Luke Joeckel was taken in hopes of improving their weak offensive line.
The kings of the AFC West have one secret to their success; twelve-time Pro-Bowler Peyton Manning. With the addition of WR Wes Welker, the Denver Broncos will remain untouchable. The Kansas City Chiefs’ many misfit pieces in their offense could easily come together with newly attained QB Alex Smith and head coach Andy Reid. The San Diego Chargers added numerous linebackers to their roster in the offseason including second round draft pick Manti Te’o. They are looking to improve their offensive stats with former Denver offensive coordinator Mike McCoy debuting as head coach. Apart from their not so impressive draft, the Oakland Raiders are looking towards a positive season with newly obtained QB Matt Flynn. If RB Darren McFadden can stay healthy, the Raiders may actually have a shot at a decent year.
It is hard to predict which NFC East team will take the division, but it certainly won’t be the Philadelphia Eagles. Between QB battles and injured players, their offseason is not going as planned. The birds are hoping former Oregon coach Chip Kelly can whip their feeble offense into shape as their new head coach. The New York Giants WR combination of rookie Reuben Randle and Victor Cruz should prove adequate for QB Eli Manning. With newly added offensive lineman to protect their $108 million QB Tony Romo, the Dallas Cowboys are poised for a breakout year. WR Dez Bryant totaled 1,382 yards last season and will be nothing short of spectacular. The Washington Redskins are still uncertain of the status of QB Robert Griffin III, but have great backup in Kirk Cousins and Rex Grossman. The little offseason movement they had may be a worry for some fans, but rest assured the football is in good hands between RB Alfred Morris and WR Santana Moss.
Simply stated, the Green Bay Packers will dominate the NFC North. Rookie RB Eddie Lacy will not fail to disappoint and can give the offense more of a run game. The Packers have no doubt in QB Aaron Rodgers and will ascend towards success. The retirement of LB Brian Urlacher will certainly hurt the Chicago Bear’s defense, but their offense can still remain consistent with QB Jay Cutler at the helm. The Minnesota Vikings lost WR Percy Harvin, but gained former Packer WR Greg Jennings. Let’s not forget about superstar RB Adrian Peterson who was nine yards away from breaking the rushing record last season. On the other hand, the Detroit Lions are working to build their defensive unit with DE Ezekiel Ansah who is already impressing critics in the preseason. The addition of veteran RB Reggie Bush should solidify the Lions’ run game and take the pressure off of QB Matthew Stafford.
The Atlanta Falcons are expecting to conquer the NFC South despite their weak offensive line. RB Steven Jackson will easily improve the Falcons run game and provide another threat to their already stacked offense. Sean Payton is headed back to the New Orleans Saints and so is a new defensive coordinator. After failing in Dallas, Rob Ryan will try to give the experienced defense a new character to match their already elite offense. Three words will keep Tampa Bay Buccaneer fans happy, The Muscle Hamster. RB Doug Martin reached 1,454 rushing yards during his rookie season last year and is not showing signs of slowing down anytime soon. The Carolina Panthers on the other hand need some work. QB Cam Newton does not have the best talent surrounding him and the defense is mediocre. They will most likely be sitting last within the division.
The NFC West has become a dominate force within the last couple years. The Seattle Seahawks are already being named Super Bowl contenders with their top rated defense and superior talent on offense. The San Francisco 49ers have suffered from injury in the offseason, but added former Raven WR Anquan Boldin to help give their miracle QB Colin Kaepernick another target. On the other end, the St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals are teams who never seem to get over the hump. Both teams have the pieces needed to succeed, but just can’t seem to do so.
As the divisional hype is flying, each fan is anxiously awaiting kickoff on Thursday, September 5th. The remaining question is one to think about, where will your team rank?
