The National Football League Draft is one of the most highly anticipated events on the sporting calendar as the 32 NFL franchises select the best young American Football players from the collegiate leagues to replenish their ranks. Predictably, a large portion of players who go on to become stars in the NFL are selected in the first round, where selections can make or break teams for years to come.

Names such as Ryan Leaf, Tony Mandarich and JaMarcus Russell should serve as cautionary tales to NFL General Managers, but the sheer amount of quality available in the Draft arguably makes it easier to hit, rather than miss, on a player in the first round.

On the flip side, for every Leaf or Russell, there is a Tom Brady or Kurt Warner, players who fall to the later rounds of the Draft or even fail to get drafted at all, but who go on to have stellar careers within the NFL.

With that in mind, we have examined which current NFL rookies (non-first and second rounders) have the potential to stand in the lofty heights created by the likes of Brady and Warner.

1) Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks.

Wilson was selected in the third round by the Seahawks, presumably to learn from the duo vying for the starting jersey, Matt Flynn and Tavaris Jackson. Not even the most optimistic of Seahawks’ fans would have predicted that their young rookie would oust the highly paid acquisition that was Flynn, but he did just that.

Wilson has thrown for 2,051 yards and 17 touchdowns so far this season, despite playing behind an inexperienced offensive line and without an elite receiving corps. With a few decent additions to Seattle over the coming years, Wilson could, and perhaps should, develop into an elite quarterback.

2) Alfred Morris, RB, Washington Redskins.

Understandably, headlines were focused on another Redskins pick at the start of the season, a certain Robert Griffin III but fast forward a few months and, well, they’re still focused on RG3, but running back Morris is also earning some time in the spotlight.

Selected in the sixth round, Morris has perhaps offered more value for money than any other rookie currently in the NFL. Morris has 982 rushing yards (fifth in the NFL), with an average of 4.7 yards-per-carry, further proving that excellent running back prospects can be found towards the end of the draft (honorable mentions also to Daryl Richardson and Bryce Brown).

3) Vontaze Burfict, LB, Cincinnati Bengals.

The former Arizona State University player went undrafted this year, despite entering the 2011 NCAA season as one of the most highly rated prospects in the country. A poor combine workout, personality concerns and testing positive for marijuana all ensured that Burfict slipped off of most teams’ radars.

He has already collected 76 combined tackles this season and would perhaps have more if he had not been moved from inside to outside linebacker. More importantly, Burfict is repaying the faith shown in him by Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis by training hard, playing well and avoiding any off-field controversies. Providing he can continue in this vein, we could well be witnessing the first few steps of the next Ray Lewis.

4) Alfonzo Dennard, CB, New England Patriots.

There was little fanfare in New England when Dennard was selected in the seventh round. Fans were far more focused on defensive counterparts Chandler Jones and Don’t’a Hightower, both of whom were selected in the first round, whilst the secondary was also strengthened in the second and sixth rounds with the acquisitions of Tavon Wilson and Nate Ebner. Although it was safe to say Dennard flew in under the radar, there is nothing under the radar about his play since.

Dennard has three interceptions — one of which was returned for an 87-yard touchdown — in just seven games and already looks at home in the Patriot’s defense. His form has also allowed for Devin McCourty to move back to safety, with a potentially dominant secondary forming among the young defensive backs for New England.

5) Justin Tucker, K, Baltimore Ravens.

The Ravens were faced with a conundrum at the beginning of the season: stick with veteran kicker Billy Cundiff or roll the dice on the undrafted Justin Tucker? Tucker eventually won the battle in preseason and neither Tucker nor the Ravens have looked back since.

The kicker has missed just two of his field goal attempts, has 100 percent success rate on extra point attempts and has broken the franchise record with a 56-yard field goal. Although Baltimore was criticized by some for going with the rookie at the start of the season, they have proved their critics wrong as Tucker has arguably outshone all the kickers drafted above him, with perhaps the exception of Greg Zuerlein.

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The Chicago Bears improved to 8-3 and 5-1 at Soldier Field with their 28-10 victory over NFC North rival the Minnesota Vikings, snapping a two game losing streak.

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler had a quiet yet efficient game returning from injury completing 23-of-31 passes for 188 yards one touchdown and one interception.

His 74.2% completion percentage was a season best thus far for the  seven-year quarterback. Cutler connected with tight-end Matt Spaeth in the second quarter for his first touchdown of the year.

Wide receiver Brandon Marshall continues to be Cutlers favorite target each week. Marshall caught 12 passes for 92 yards in the victory. This was the second time this season Marshall caught 12 passes in a single game. His 81 catches is a team high and there is not another receiver on the team that has more than 30 catches.

In the third quarter, the Bears offense lost playmaking running back Matt Forte. Forte exited the game with a right ankle injury; the same ankle where he suffered a high ankle sprain earlier in the season. Michael Bush took over at running back and had 21 carries for 60 yards and two touchdowns. The Bears also lost wideout Devin Hester, who left the game with an apparent concussion.

The Bears defense bounced back this week after not forcing a single turnover in last weeks loss over the San Francisco 49ers. Safety Chris Conte caught his second interception, safety Major Wright and cornerback Charles Tillman both recovered fumbles.

As for the Vikings, quarterback Christian Ponder completed 22-of-43 passes for 159 yards, one touchdown, one fumble and one interception. Ponder connected with tight-end Kyle Rudolph in the third quarter for his long touchdown toss. Rudolph caught five passes for 55 yards along with his touchdown before exiting the game in the fourth quarter to be evaluated for a concussion.

Adrian Peterson continued his dominance, rushing with 18 carries for 108 yards. Peterson also caught six passes for 30 yards. Peterson’s only mistake against the Bears was a fumble. Peterson has rushed for over 100 yards for the fifth consecutive game and sixth time this season.

The Vikings were without wideout Percy Harvin, who was inactive again, nursing an ankle injury. As a result, rookie Jarius Wright took over the wideout spot. Wright caught seven passes for 49 yards.

The loss for the Vikings pushes them back to 6-5 but still keeps them well in contention in the playoff hunt. The Vikings will be on the road again next week against NFC North rivals the Green Bay Packers. The Vikings continue to struggle away from home, only recording one win this season.  The Bears will host the Seattle Seahawks next week as they fight for first place in the division.

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The Seattle Seahawks improved to 5-4 this year and 4-0 at home after their 30-20 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

Running back, Marshawn Lynch carried the Seahawks to victory with 26 carries for 124 yards and one touchdown. His three yard touchdown run in the third quarter put them ahead of the Vikings 27-17. Lynch also contributed with two catches for 26 yards. Lynch has ran for over 100 yards five times this season and it is his third consecutive game with over 100 yards on the ground.

Rookie quarterback Russell Wilson completed 16-of-24 passes for 173 yards and three touchdowns in the victory. This was the second time Wilson threw three touchdowns in a game this season. Wilson’s first touchdown pass was to wideout Golden Tate in the first quarter to tie the game up 7-7.

Golden Tate caught an 11 yard pass from Wilson for his second touchdown catch of the game, cutting the lead 20-17. Tate finished off the game with four receptions for 28 yards along with his two touchdown passes. Wideout Sidney Rice caught four passes for 54 yards and one touchdown.

Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder struggled to complete 11-of-22 passes for 63 yards and one interception. Ponder has thrown for less than 100 yards in two of the last three games for the Vikings. Wideout Percy Harvin, caught two passes for 10 yards and ran the ball four times for 24 yards.

Harvin exited the game in the third quarter with a left ankle injury. Although, returning he was not effective and was limping.

Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson carried the ball 17 times for 182 yards and two touchdowns. Peterson also caught three passes for 11 yards. He has rushed for over 100 yards and one touchdown in three consecutive games.

The Vikings have dropped their last two games and hold a slim 3rd place lead over the Detroit Lions in the NFC North standings. Minnesota will welcome the Lions to Mall of America Field in a divisional showdown next week. They already defeated the Lions at Ford Field earlier in the year; Minnesota’s lone road victory.

As for the Seattle Seahawks, they will welcome the New York Jets to CenturyLink Field as they look to improve to 5-0 at home this season.

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The Detroit Lions fell behind early at Ford Field, but were lead by quarterback Matthew Stafford in their 28-24 victory.

Stafford completed 34-of-49 passes for 352 yards, three touchdowns, one rushing touchdown and one interception. His 101.7 quarterback rating and three touchdown passes was a season high for the four year quarterback. Also his rushing touchdown in the 3rd quarter was his third of the season, the most in his career thus far.

His first touchdown pass came in the 1st quarter on a six yard pass to Ryan Broyles. In the 2nd quarter, Stafford connected with Titus Young on a 46 yard bomb for his second touchdown pass. Stafford and Young connected again for the game-winning touchdown with 20 seconds left on the clock.

Young did an exceptionally well job catching nine passes for 100 yards along with his two touchdown catches. His role will continue to increase especially with the absence of Nate Burleson.

The Stafford and Calvin Johnson connection continues to be out of sync this season. Johnson was limited to three catches for 46 yards. Johnson only has one touchdown through seven games. Last season through seven games Johnson had 10 touchdowns.

As for the Lions run game, it continues to be extremely inconsistent. Mikel Leshoure carried the ball 10 times for 46 yards. Leshoure has not ran for 100 yards since week three against Tennessee where he earned his first start. Furthermore, his 100 yards rushing is a season best for all running backs in Detroit.

The Seahawks were led by rookie quarterback Russell Wilson who completed 25-of-35 passes for 236 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Wilson connected with wideout Sidney Rice for nine yard touchdown pass in the 2nd quarter and with tight-end Zach Miller on a 16 yard touchdown in the 4th quarter.

Marshawn Lynch averaged 8.8 yards per carry on 12 carries for 105 yards and one touchdown. Lynch punched in his second touchdown of the season in the 2nd quarter on a 77 yard breakout run.

Seattle continues to struggle away from home now, falling to 1-4 on the road. The Seahawks will face the Minnesota Vikings next week at CenturyLink Field and look to continue their home dominance.

Lions will be on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars next week as they continue to hang strong at the bottom of the NFC North division.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers handed the Minnesota Vikings their first defeat at home this season 36-17.

Rookie running back Doug Martin exploded in his best game yet as an NFL back. Martin led the Buccaneers in rushing and receiving, with 29 carries for 135 yards and one touchdown. His touchdown run came midway through the 4th quarter to help solidify the victory. Martin caught three passes for 79 yards and a touchdown.

Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman continues to pick up his level of play week after week. Freeman competed 19-of-36 passes for 262 yards and three touchdowns. Freeman has thrown three touchdowns in three consecutive games.

Wideout Mike Williams contributed with six catches and 68 yards along with one touchdown. Third year full-back Erik Lorig scored his first NFL touchdown.

Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder bounced back from his 58 yard passing game last week. Ponder completed 19-of-35 passes for 251 yards one touchdown and one interception. Ponder connected with favorite wideout Percy Harvin in the 2nd quarter on an 18 yard touchdown pass.

Harvin finished the game with seven receptions, 90 yards and one touchdown. Harvin compiled 87 total receptions last season; he currently has 60 receptions through eight games and could possibly catch 100+ passes for the first time in his career.

Adrian Peterson had another great game as one of the superior running backs in the NFL. Peterson broke out a 64 yard touchdown run in the 3rd quarter. Peterson averaged 8.2 yards per carry with his 15 carries for 123 yards. AP sits atop the NFL with 775 yards through eight games, and also with the most 20+ yard runs.

With the loss the Vikings fall to 5-3, but remain in 2nd in the NFC North Division just ahead of the 4-3 Packers; they have yet to play. Of the Vikings final eight games, five will be against divisional opponents, which will absolutely be decisive in their efforts in making the playoffs.

Next week the Vikings will be heading west to take on the Seattle Seahawks, who remain undefeated at home. The Buccaneers will also be heading west to take on the Oakland Raiders and look to get back to .500.

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The Chicago Bears defeated the Detroit Lions 13-7 at Soldier Field to improve to 5-1 and 3-0 at home this season.

The Bears defense did an outstanding job limiting the the Lions and creating turnovers to preserve the victory. Cornerback, Charles Tillman, locked up Lions star receiver, Calvin Johnson; holding him to three catches for 34 yards. Johnson and quarterback, Matthew Stafford, have only connected once for a touchdown through their six games.

The Lions had a very difficult time punching in a score inside the 20 yard-line. In the 2nd quarter on Chicago’s 18 yard-line, running back, Mikel Leshoure, was stripped by linebacker, Lance Briggs, and the fumble was recovered by defensive lineman, Julius Peppers. Also in the 3rd quarter, running back Joique Bell was stripped at the one yard-line trying to extend the ball for a touchdown, and the fumble was recovered by linebacker Brian Urlacher. Their third red-zone turnover came in in the 4th quarter when Stafford threw an interception to cornerback D.J. Moore on Chicago’s three yard-line.

Detroit, is atop the NFL for most turnovers in the red-zone this season with five.

Towards the end of the first half, Bears fans held their breath after Jay Cutler exited the game after he was thrown to the ground by Lions defensive lineman, Ndamukong Suh. Cutler returned to the game in the 2nd half and finished the game, completing 16-of-31 passes for 150 yards and one touchdown.

Cutler connected with number one wide receiver, Brandon Marshall. Marshall had six receptions  for 81 yards along with his score. Marshall leads the Bears in all receiving categories by significant numbers.

Running back, Matt Forte had a productive game on the ground. Forte had 22 caries for 96 yards along with three receptions for four yards.

Stafford completed 28-of-46 passes for 261 yards one touchdown and one interception. Stafford’s lone touchdown pass was to rookie Ryan Broyles in the 4th quarter for his first career touchdown. Broyles caught three passes for 51 yards and was featured after wideout, Nate Burleson, left the game with an injury. Burleson’s injury has been diagnosed as a broken leg and he could possibly miss eight months. Wideout Titus Young led the Lions receiving core with six receptions for 81 yards.

The Lions will have another tough matchup next weekend as they welcome the Seattle Seahawks to Ford Field. As for the Chicago Bears, they will remain home at Soldier Field and play the Carolina Panthers. Chicago will look to maintain a divisional lead as they currently sit atop the NFC North.

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Monday night’s showdown between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers was a defensive gridlock, but the final score was dictated by the officials’ divisive decision to grant the Seahawks the 14-12 victory at CentruyLink Field.

Green Bay was able to drive down the field in the 4th quarter starting at their own 19, and Cedric Benson punched in a score from the one yard line to go up 12-7. They did not convert the two point conversion. On that drive, on 3rd and 2 from Seattle’s 47 yard line the officials called a pass interference on Kam Chancellor against Jermichael Finely, which extended the Packers drive, and did not seem to be a penalty.

The Packers were able to maintain the Seahawks on the ensuing drive. Green Bay regained possession after a failed 4th and 3rd conversion on Green Bay’s seven yard line. On the first play,  Cedric Benson was pushed backwards, and fumbled the ball. Packers center Jeff Saturday recovered the ball. Green Bay was only able to kill 57 seconds and punted the ball back to Seattle around midfield.

Russell Wilson drove the Seahawks to Green Bay’s 24 yard line. On 4th and 10, Wilson chucked the ball in the end-zone to Golden Tate, but cornerback M.D Jennings seemed to have intercepted the ball and had possession. However, the official ran over and called it a touchdown. The play was reviewed and stood, granting the Seahawks the victory. Beyond frustrated, the Packers left the field. However, 11 players needed to come back on the field to line up for the extra point conversion.

This catch has spurred a vast amount of controversy, especially because it was the obvious wrong call and the replacement officials are dictating the results of key games. According to the NFL rule book, Rule 8, Section 1, Article 3, Item 5: Simultaneous Catch states:

“ If a pass is caught simultaneously by two eligible opponents, and both players retain it, the ball belongs to the passers. It is not a simultaneous catch if a player gains control first and an opponent subsequently gains joint control.”

While looking at the review, its is clear that Jennings had possession of the ball and brought the ball to his chest, while Tate only had one hand on it. Furthermore before Tate made a play on the ball he blatantly pushed Sam Shields down to the ground, another missed call.

Several NFL, and sports analysts tweeted there reactions regarding the call. Steven A. Smith tweeted, “If the NFL wants to maintain any credibility whatsoever, it should OVERTURN this decision IMMEDIATELY. This game should be awarded to GB.” Prior to that Smith tweeted on the officiating saying, “That’s it! I’m done. CLEARLY AN INTERCEPTION. The NFL should be ashamed of itself for allowing this officiating to regress to this point.”

This has been the most controversial call of the season, and brings up the question, when will the NFL reach into their pockets and bring back the real officials?

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A highly anticipated offensive shoot-out at Lambeau Field turned into a  defensive gridlock on Thursday night. The Green Bay Packers defense had a huge target on their back following their weak performance in Week 1 against the 49ers. In Thursday nights rivalry game against the Chicago Bears, the Packers defense completely shut down the Bears explosive offense to earn an encouraging 23-10 victory.

The rampant defense of the Packers held the Bears to just 168 total yards. Jay Cutler was completely flustered by Green Bay’s aggressive defense, only throwing for 126 yards and one touchdown, whilst also giving up four interceptions. Cutler was also sacked seven times, and is now 0-3 at Lambeau Field. Green Bay also limited Chicago’s run game, especially after Matt Forte left the game in the 3rd quarter with an ankle injury.

Packers linebacker, Clay Matthews, had seven tackles, and 3.5 sacks. Matthews has already matched the amount of sacks he had last year in the first two games of the season, and should continue to harass quarterbacks all season. The secondary also shone with Tramon Williams picking up two interceptions, whilst Charles Woodson and rookie Jerron McMillian also both picked off Cutler. The Packers secondary was also able to lock-up Bears star wideout Brandon Marshall, and limited him to two receptions for 24 yards. Marshall had a touchdown opportunity in the 3rd quarter however, but was not able to hang onto the ball.

Interestingly enough, Green Bay’s punter, Tim Masthay, threw a touchdown pass before Aaron Rodgers. In the second quarter, on a fake field goal, Masthay pitched the ball to Tom Crabtree who followed his blockers all the way for seven. Rodgers finally threw his first and only touchdown pass of the game in the fourth quarter to veteran wideout Donald Driver. Rodgers finished the game completing 22 of 32 passes for 219 yards, one touchdown and one interception. In addition, the Packers run game proved to be far more effective than in Week 1, as they rushed for a total of 106 yards, and Cedric Benson lead the team with 20 carries for 81 yards. Benson also had four receptions for 35 yards.

Green Bay has now extended their winning streak against the Bears to five games. The Packers handled the pressure of an expectant home crowd extremely well to earn their first win of the season. Green Bay will be on the road for their next game, a tough clash with the Seattle Seahawks on September 24th. The Bears will be back at Soldier Field, September 23rd, against the St.Louis Rams.

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Defending Super Bowl champions, the New York Giants, welcomed one of their division rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, to MetLife Stadium to kickoff the 2012 NFL season.

Unfortunately, the Giants did not look as good as they did last time they faced the Cowboys in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

In an early defensive gridlock, the Giants took the lead in the 2nd quarter thanks to a Lawrence Tynes 22 yard field goal. Their lead did not last long: two drives later, from their own 22 yard line, the Dallas Cowboys marched right down the field. On 2nd and 5, at the Giants 10 yard line, Cowboy quarterback Tony Romo found wide receiver Kevin Ogletree for a 10 yard touchdown to help retake the lead 7-3.

Dallas started the 2nd half right where they left off. On their first drive, once again Romo connected with Ogletree for a 40 yard touchdown to put the Cowboys up 14-3. Eli Manning and the New York Giants jumped right back into it on their first possession. Manning drove from his own 11 yard line to the Cowboys 10, where Ahmad Bradshaw punched in a 10 yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 4 points. Dallas extended their lead back to 7, toward the end of the 3rd quarter with a Dan Bailey 33 yard field goal.

Dallas extended the lead even further after the Giants failed to drive down the field and were forced to punt. Starting at their own 18, running back DeMarco Murray started picking apart the Giants defense with his quick and explosive runs. At the Giants own 34 yard line, Romo was quick to realize the defensive mismatch, and connected with wideout Miles Austin for a touchdown.

With little time left, and down by 14, the Giants converted two key 4th down attempts to stay in the game. At the Cowboys own 9 yard line, Manning dropped back and connected with ex Cowboy Martellus Bennet. However, it just was not enough after Dallas converted on 3rd and 10. Romo kneeled the Cowboys to a 24-17 victory.

Romo finished the game with 307 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception, and a quarterback rating of 129.5. In what is going to be a pressure-filled season for Romo, he certainly did not let it effect him week 1. As for Dallas’ run game, Murray averaged 6.6 yards per carry and rushed for 131 yards. Ogletree led all receivers with 8 receptions for 114 yards and 2 touchdowns. It was evident that Romo took advantage of the Giants banged up secondary.

Defensively for the Cowboys,  linebacker Sean Lee stole the show and had 12 tackles as well as one forced fumble. In addition, defensive menace DeMarcus Ware hit the 100 sack milestone and is the 28th player in NFL history to do so after his 5 tackles and two sacks against the Giants.

As for the Giants, Manning finished the game off with 213 yards and one touchdown. Bradshaw led the giants in rushing, compiling 78 yards on the ground and on touchdown. As for their receiving core, Victor Cruz led all Giants receivers with 6 receptions and 58 yards. Cruz could have easily bumped his stat sheet but dropped a few passes.

The Giants have some serious concern regarding their secondary. An already injured battered secondary became worse after: Michael Coe got injured in the 2nd half. Coe was already replacing injured corner Prince Amukamara. The Giants had no choice but to put in 5th year defensive back Justin Tryon. If the Giants do not get healthy quickly, many teams will pick them apart via passing game.

Both the Cowboys and the Giants will be back in action Sunday, September 16. The Cowboys will be on the road against the Seattle Seahawks. As for the Giants, they are hoping to bounce back next week when they welcome the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to MetLife Stadium.

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After last seasons’ disappointing playoff exit, the Packers are ready for the upcoming season.

Offensively, the Packers are led by last seasons’ MVP, Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers threw for 4,643 yards, 45 touchdowns, and had a league leading passer rating of 122.5. Expect a similar type year this upcoming season especially since all of his core offensive weapons are back. Not to mention, the Packers also added running back Cedric Benson, this offseason. The addition of Benson definitely improves the Packers non-existent run game from last season, which should also pay dividends for Rodgers and the passing game.

Defensively, the Packers certainly have some concerns. Last season, Green Bay was ranked last in the NFL and allowed 411.6 yards per game. In addition, the Packers had a very difficult time getting pressure on the opposing teams’ quarterbacks and were ranked in the bottom five in the league. As a result of their defensive woes, Green Bay used six of their eight draft picks on defense. First round pick Nick Perry from USC and second round pick Jerel Worthy from Michigan State should help the Packers put some pressure on quarterbacks this upcoming year.

The secondary may be more of a concern in terms of defensive problems. The Packers parted ways with safety Nick Collins because of health concerns, and as a result, they moved cornerback Charles Woodson, to the safety position at the start of training camp. In addition, the Packers also released veteran safety Charlie Peprah. The departure of these veterans opens up a chance for the young members of the secondary, especially defensive backs Morgan Burnett and M.D Jennings to prove they are NFL ready. Expect Woodson to move back to corner if M.D Jennings or rookie Jerron McMillian impress defensive coordinator Dom Capers.

The Packers start off the season with some difficult tests, week one against San Francisco 49ers, week two Chicago Bears, three at Seattle, and four New Orleans Saints. It is not likely the Packers will go 15-1 like last season, but a record of 11-5 or 12-4 is a more realistic target for their 2012 campaign. In addition, they should win the NFC North, a much more competitive division this upcoming year thanks to big improvements to the Chicago Bears roster as well as much of the young talent of the Detroit Lions growing in experience.

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The Chicago Bears took on the Denver Broncos under the lights at Soldier Field to kick off their preseason play. Not only were Bear fans fortunate enough to see their team play, they also got a glimpse of Peyton Manning in his first game with the Broncos.

Manning completed 4 of 7 passes for 44 yards and threw an interception in the 31-3 victory. It was evident that Manning was grateful and excited to be back under center for the first time since missing all of last season. Manning connected with three different wide receivers within his first four pass attempts, already spreading the field and keeping defenses guessing. Denver’s offensive line kept Manning protected very well and did not allow him to get hit once. Peyton’s leadership and experience definitely makes the Broncos a team to look out for once the regular season comes along.

As for the Chicago Bears, their starting quarterback, Jay Cutler, warmed up, but did not play because of the birth of his first child on Wednesday. As a result, Jason Campbell started for the Bears and completed 4 of 5 passes for 13 yards. In addition, running back Matt Forte sat and watched from the sideline, giving the start to newly acquired Michael Bush.

Bush carried the ball three times for two yards and also fumbled. Also, wide receiver, Brandon Marshall, caught one pass for four yards in his Bears debut. The addition of both Bush and Marshall makes the Bears become an offensive threat this upcoming season. Not to mention that Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall are already very well acquainted with each other after playing together in Denver.

However, the only positive offensive note for the Bears from Thursday’s game was rookie receiver Alshon Jeffery. Jeffery led the Bears receiving core with four receptions for 35 yards. The former South Carolina Gamecock was drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft and signed a four-year deal in early May. Jeffery has been playing extremely well during training camp and is showing a ton of potential.

Defensively for the Bears, Julius Peppers also watched from the sidelines. In addition, linebacker Brian Urlacher did not play for reported personal reasons. However, Urlacher has been suffering from some knee soreness.

Chicago will welcome RGIII and the Washington Redskins Saturday, August 18, for their second preseason game. As for the Broncos, they will also be in action August 18 against the Seattle Seahawks.

Although the Bears finished last season with an 8-8 record and missed the playoffs, their offseason additions could possibly help make them the second best team in the NFC North Division behind the Green Bay Packers.

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Several NFL teams are in the process of determining who will be under center, come week one.

The quarterback battle in Seattle has opened up a bit after coach Pete Carroll announced that former Green Bay Packers back-up, Matt Flynn, will get the nod in their first preseason match-up Saturday night against Tennessee.

Flynn signed a three-year contract worth $26 million in March. Flynn gathered a ton of attraction after standing out when called upon in Green Bay. Although only being a back-up, he still managed to throw for 518 yards with a completion percentage of 67.3%, six touchdowns and a 124.8 passer rating. Most of his numbers came from his stellar week 17 performance against the Detroit Lions, in which he threw for 480 yards and six touchdowns.

However, some of the biggest questions are: Can he be consistent? And does his one start against the Lions solidify his readiness?

Let’s not forget the Seahawks still have Tarvaris Jackson, last year’s number one guy. Also, the Seahawks drafted Wisconsin quarterback, Russell Wilson in the third round. Just because Flynn is getting the start week one of preseason, does not mean that he will be the starter come week one of the regular season.

It should, however, be interesting to see who is named the starter, and how they can incorporate the Seahawks’ newest offensive additions.

Tight end Kellen Winslow became a member of the Seahawks after being traded from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a conditional 2013 seventh-round pick. However, the pick could turn into a 6th round pick, depending on Winslow’s performance. The 29-year-old tight end is determined to win the starting job over Zach Miller, but concerns regarding his health could play a decisive role in who wins the starting job.

Wide receiver Braylon Edwards was another off-season pick-up. Edwards struggled last season and played only in 9 games, which played a role in being signed so late. Similar to Winslow, there is a concern with Edwards’ health; a healthy Edwards could be a serious threat.

The latest addition is wide receiver Terrell Owens. Owens just signed a one year veteran’s minimum contract. Seahawks were impressed with Owens after running a sub 4.5 forty-yard dash in his tryout earlier this week. The 38-year old has not played in the NFL since 2010, and his durability will definitely be something to look out for.

It will take some work for the Seahawks to improve from last season’s 7-9 record, but the potential is certainly there.

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Although this year’s class of free agents was not heralded as being a remarkable group of players, one position in particular has caught the headlines early in the free agency period. The position of quarterback, despite always receiving more media attention than any other position, has seen several big name moves around the league with expectant fans waiting anxiously to see how their new stars perform in the game’s most critical position.

One of the more unreported signings has been former Jacksonville Jaguar David Garrard’s move to the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins were spurned by Peyton Manning and Alex Smith all within the space of a week and were lucky to add Garrard to their roster where he will compete with current incumbent Matt Moore for the starting spot.

Although Moore showed flashes of brilliance last season, his inconsistency will be a worry for head coach Joe Philbin and Garrard’s arrival gives Philbin two serviceable options at the position, in addition to any further recruitment through the draft. As long as Garrard is showing no ill effects from his herniated disc, which kept him out of the 2011 season, his career pass completion rate of 61.6% and experience of the west coast offense that Philbin wants to implement at the Dolphins could well give him the edge over Moore when the new season arrives.

As the 2011 season came to an end, everyone expected then soon-to-be free agent Matt Flynn to join former offensive coordinator Philbin at the Dolphins, but instead the former understudy to Aaron Rogers is now plying his trade at the opposite end of the country, in Seattle. Flynn’s move to the Seahawks has been suggested by many to be enough to put Seattle into playoff contention despite the presence of the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West.

The main concern surrounding Flynn is whether he has the ability to be an NFL starter, having previously been a back up to Rogers in Green Bay. He put in two sensational performances for the Packers towards the end of the regular season but it is also important to remember that the Packers were a highly-tuned offensive machine last season and Flynn will not be surrounded by the same embarrassment of riches this year in Seattle.

The most important contributing factor to whether or not Flynn’s first season for the Seahawks is successful arguably rests with whether or not receivers Sidney Rice and Mike Williams can remain fit throughout the season.

Peyton Manning stole the headlines with his move to the Denver Broncos but questions remain as to whether the Broncos were the right destination for the quarterback. The Broncos do offer a good chance of making the playoffs given the relative weakness of the AFC West, but there are also many negatives to consider regarding his choice to play at Mile High Stadium.

The cold winters, lack of a dome and lack of elite receivers will all come as a shock to Manning who did not have to contend with these issues during his time at the Indianapolis Colts. The decision to join the Broncos is even more surprising considering there was also interest from both San Francisco and Tennessee.

The 49ers, who made it to the NFC Championship game last season, arguably offer a more realistic chance at a Super Bowl appearance, whilst the Titans offered Manning a ‘position for life’ effectively guaranteeing the quarterback a position with the franchise beyond his retirement. For better or worse however, Manning has made his decision and committed to the Broncos, making Denver one of the most eagerly anticipated teams to watch in 2012.

Perhaps the most intriguing and potentially successful move has been the acquisition of Tim Tebow by the New York Jets. The announcement of the move came shortly after Mark Sanchez agreed terms on a new long-term contract in New York and raises questions over who will be the starting quarterback for the Jets.

Sanchez has seen his progression stall of late, with some even suggesting he has regressed, and many experts had tipped the Jets to let him move on this offseason. The arrival of Tebow, which will not only help reduce discord in the Jets locker room, could spur on Sanchez and help the quarterback reach the potential he has promised since he joined the league.

Even if Tebow has been acquired solely as backup for Sanchez, he offers a fantastic second choice option and may well be the best backup in the league, with notable mentions to both Jason Campbell and Kyle Orton who have moved to the Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys respectively.

One thing can be guaranteed however, should Sanchez show the same lacklustre performances next season then Linsanity will have to take a back seat and allow Tebowmania a chance to shine in the Big Apple.

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The Baltimore Ravens (6-3) were unable to build momentum after their impressive victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers last week as they succumbed to a 22-17 loss on the road at the Seattle Seahawks (3-6).

Although the Ravens could still not welcome back wide receiver Lee Evans due to his ankle injury, concerns over Matt Birk, Ed Reed, and Terrell Suggs all amounted to nothing as the trio started against the Seahawks. Meanwhile, Seattle declared starting quarterback Tavaris Jackson active after a pectoral injury from the previous week.

The underdog Seahawks made the much better start to the game, racing into a 10-0 lead, with Marshawn Lynch running in a touchdown from a yard out, and kicker Steven Hauschka adding a field goal. If Lynch had been the go-to man on the Seahawks drive, then Ed Dickson stepped into that role for the Ravens, with Joe Flacco targeting him consistently on their drive, which culminated in Ray Rice passing to Dickson for a one-yard touchdown pass, cutting the Seahawks’ lead to just three points.

Hauschka added three more field goals for Seattle towards the end of the second quarter, the latter coming as a result of a fumbled kick return from David Reed, turning things from bad to worse for the Ravens. The Seahawks then increased their lead to 15 points with another field goal after Flacco’s pass was deflected, and linebacker David Hawthorne intercepted the ball for the Ravens’ third turnover of the game.

As the third quarter came to a close, the Ravens found success with the no-huddle offense, much in the same way they did previously against both the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers, and were rewarded with a field goal, and setting up an exciting final quarter.

Baltimore continued to use the no huddle offense, and drove quickly up the field midway through the fourth quarter, and Flacco found Dickson for his second touchdown of the game with an 11-yard pass, leaving the Ravens trailing by just five points with just under six minutes left to play. Unfortunately for the visitors, their defense could not make anything happen, and Seattle ran the clock out with Lynch running  strongly.

The performance of tight ends Denis Pitta and Dickson will be pleasing to Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron, as will the performance of the offense when it was in its hurry-up mode, but more worryingly for Baltimore is the fact that they have slipped to another defeat against a side they should be beating if they have genuine playoff ambitions.

The Ravens’ lack of a significant running game ultimately cost them this game, with Lynch running for over 100 yards, as well as the Seahawks punishing Baltimore for their errors, including the two fumbled kick returns from D. Reed. They will need to be more clinical on offense and solid in defense next week when they take on AFC North rivals the Cincinnati Bengals as they look to reaffirm their position at the top of the division.

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Around the middle of the NFL season, usually week 7-9, teams hit that proverbial fork in the road. Coaching staffs around the league have personnel decisions to make at the most important position, the starting QB. Option A is pretty simple, and it consists of staying with the starter QB you selected at the beginning of the season with the hopes that he will lead your team to the playoffs.

However Option B is a complex situation full of hard decisions and calculated gambles. Option B requires a coaching staff to replace the starting QB with someone on your bench for the remainder of the season. The complex part revolves around why replace the starter, who you do replace the starter with, and when do you finally pull the trigger.

Well in Week 7, six NFL teams have gone the route of Option B and that got my editorial partner, Kristian Winfield, and me to thinking. Which one of these fresh faces will have the better season? The candidates are as followed Charlie Whitehurst (SEA), A.J. Feely (STL), Christian Ponder (MIN), Carson Palmer (OAK), Tim Tebow (DEN), and John Beck (WSH).

It’s almost a loaded question against us because a QB swap is usually only made after a team has had an unproductive 7 weeks. We will admit that there are some exceptions, and injuries sometimes force the hand of a coach. More often than not, the former is the underlying factor in a change at the QB position.

Before we each give you our picks, let’s review why each QB is starting in the first place.

John Beck: John Beck impressed people during the preseason with his picture perfect passes, but because of a single interception thrown, the start was given to Rex Grossman. In five games Grossman might have hauled in 1,132 but it was clear Grossman was driving the Redskins’ offense into the dirt. Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan decided to make a change and Beck was named the new starter.

Carson Palmer: After losing starting QB Jason Campbell for the season because of a broken collarbone, coach Hue Jackson came face to face with his biggest crisis as new head coach, who was going to start at QB. In a surprise move the Raiders traded away multiple draft picks for former “retired” Cincinnati Bengals QB Carson Palmer.

A.J. Feely: Feely was the back up on the St. Louis Rams to Sam Bradford. In last week’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Bradford suffered a high ankle sprain that forced him wear a protective boot during the week. With a 0-5 record and the Rams clearly out of the divisional race there was no need to rush Bradford back, so head coach Steve Spagnuolo handed over the reins to Feely.

Tim Tebow: Late in the season last year Tim Tebow was named the starter on the Denver Broncos after the Broncos’ playoff hopes were dashed. Tebow was supposed to remain the starter this year but due to a coaching change and horrible pre-season play by Tebow, Kyle Orton was given his starting position back.

Under Orton this year, the Broncos went 1-4 and new coach John Fox gave Tim Tebow a chance to reclaim his starting position back. Charlie Whitehurst:  Charlie Whitehurst was given the starting position after Tarvaris Jackson injured his pectoral muscle against the Giants.

Whitehurst had been previously named the starter late into the 2011 season, winning a game against the St. Louis Rams that sent the Seahawks to the playoffs. Christian Ponder: After Donovan McNabb’s abysmal 1-5 start for the Minnesota Vikings, head coach Leslie Frazier made a power move, inserting Christian Ponder into the lineup as the starting QB.

Now for what you’ve been waiting for, our “expert” picks.

Kristian’s Pick

The Vikings season was going nowhere fast, to put things into perspective, Donovan McNabb played absolutely terrible for the six games as the Vikings starter. In the first game of the season, he only threw for 39 yards—worst among starting QB’s in the NFL for season openers. Through five-and-a-half games, McNabb threw for four touchdowns and two interceptions.

I can name some wide receivers that have more receiving TD’s than McNabb has passing. Either McNabb was going to drag the franchise into the dirt, or a change was going to be made. Enter my pick, the pure passing rookie QB out of Florida State, Christian Ponder.

In their win last week over Carolina, Ponder played very well, considering the situation, throwing for 236 yards and a touchdown, while completing 18-of-28 attempts. And the week before, against the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers, Ponder threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns.

He’s still got a long way to go, but for a rookie that was pretty much dumped into the rotation after six weeks, Ponder is a significant improvement from the lackluster performances of McNabb. Ponder IS NOT the short term solution, but by showing promise and glimpses of greatness, he definitely is the Vikings’ QB of the future.

Terrance’s Pick

My pick is the man who can do no wrong, the Christian crusader, the legend himself, Tim Tebow. All of the reasons why I think Tebow will have the better season are not intrinsically football-related.  Tebow has the will to win, and has proven that he can win on every level of football.  You can’t teach a man how to be winner, that is something you have to be born with, and Tebow has it in spades.

For example take his performance in week 7 against the Miami Dolphins into consideration.  Tebow played like absolute crap for 55 minutes of a 60 minute game, but when you have that never-say-die mentality, sometimes five good minutes is all you need. Tebow lead his Denver Broncos to score 15 points in five minutes, throwing for two touchdowns and rushing for a two point conversion.

Being down 15 points and subsequently scoring 15 points in the final five minutes of game a feat that hadn’t been accomplished since the merger of the NFL and AFL in 1970. During the Broncos’ improbable comeback, Tebow consistently made big throw after big throw, performing so well that ESPN analyst Skip Bayless compared him to Steve Young.

However if there is one factor that could trump all of Tebow’s intangibles it would be his poor throwing mechanics. This has been the one gripe about Tebow since he entered the NFL last year. His awkward throwing release causes him to be inaccurate and overthrow receivers.

Before the 2010 NFL Draft Tebow worked tirelessly on correcting his throwing motion, when under pressure old habits tend surface and his team suffers. That same awkward delivery was on display during the first 55 minutes of the Dolphins game; Tebow consistently missed open receivers.

The one upside to Tebow’s glaring flaw is that his throwing motion can be fixed, and there are instances where he has shown that, just not on a consistent basis. Only time will tell us which one these six QBs will have the better season.  The only that is for certain is that each NFL season is highly unpredictable.

For all we know, both Ponder and Tebow could perform miserably the rest of season, and make our expert picks null and void. If that happens let’s just hope that Toonari Post doesn’t swap us out for some fresh journalistic faces.

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The Philadelphia Eagles controlled the game on Sunday through offensive and defensive standouts, defeating the Dallas Cowboys 7-34. The Eagles’ defense was able to stop any opportunities the Cowboys had in the rushing game; Dallas made ten rushing attempts for a total of 85 yards.

This was mostly due to the efforts made by Eagles defense Jamar Chaney and Asante Samuel, who made a total of 10 tackles throughout the game on the Dallas offense. The Eagles used their rushing attack effectively throughout the game to move the ball up field for scoring chances; Lesean McCoy ran for a total of 185 yards on 30 attempts for two touchdowns.

Quarterback Michael Vick also carried the ball on several runs, going for a total of 50 yards on seven attempts. The passing game was where Dallas fell short during the game. Quarterback Tony Romo threw for 203 yards on 18 completed catches, along with throwing for one touchdown and one interception.

Receiver Laurent Robinson made the touchdown catch, getting 103 yards in the game off of 5 receptions. Vick helped carry the team on to victory, throwing 28 passes all together for a total of 279 yards and two touchdowns. Receivers Brent Celek and Jeremy Maclin both caught touchdown passes, adding up for a total of 148 yards off of ten receptions.

Kicker Alex Henery also provided points for the Philadelphia victory, kicking two field goals and four extra points for a total of 10 points in the game. The Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) face off at home against the Chicago Bears on Monday, November 7th, while the Dallas Cowboys (3-4) travel back home to welcome the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

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Most experts were predicting a low scoring and close fought game between the Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) and Seattle Seahawks (2-5), and many will have been surprised with the Bengals’ 34-12 victory at CenturyLink Field. The Bengals went ahead with a field goal, extending their lead to 10 points when rookie quarterback Andy Dalton found Jerome Simpson for a 14-yard touchdown pass.

Dalton looked to be in good form and gave Cincinnati a 14-point lead when he linked up with fellow rookie, A.J. Green, for a 43-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.

The touchdown extends Green’s lead at the top of the receiving yards table for rookies, coming into the game with an impressive 453 yards so far this season, whilst opposite number Doug Baldwin, one of his biggest rivals, had registered 330 yards prior to kickoff.

The game exploded back into action in the fourth quarter, when Tavaris Jackson moved the chains well for the Seahawks, pushing them 79 yards up the field in just seven plays and raising the possibility of a Seattle comeback when Marshawn Lynch ran in a two-yard touchdown. Despite pulling his side back into the game, Lynch had a fairly unsuccessful outing, with just 24 yards for his 16 attempts.

A Mike Nugent field goal helped alleviate Cincinnati fans’ anxiety, before Brandon Tate ran home a 56-yard punt return touchdown to confirm the victory for the visiting side. With the Seahawks needing something special to turn the game around late in the fourth quarter, Jackson launched a deep pass whilst under pressure, and safety Reggie Nelson collected the interception for a 75-yard return touchdown.

Despite Jackson passing for 323 yards, almost double Dalton’s 168 yards, it was not enough to secure the win for the Seahawks. Furthermore, with Ben Obomanu and Sidney Rice both receiving over 100 yards each, Offensive Coordinator Darrell Bevell will be left wondering why his side weren’t able to put more points on the board.

The Bengals have reason to celebrate however, as Head Coach Marvin Lewis now surpasses Sam Wyche in the list of Bengals Head Coaches with the most wins, this victory being his 65^th.

They will also look forward to welcoming back running back Cedric Benson, who was fifth in the N.F.L. with 117 carries prior to this game, as he will have served his suspension and be raring to go against the Titans in Tennessee next week.
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The first quarter of the NFL season is in the books. Bye weeks have begun and six teams are off: Baltimore Ravens; Dallas Cowboys; Miami Dolphins; St. Louis Rams; Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Browns. Teams are starting to make identities for themselves as we enter week five.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Buffalo Bills: Eagles have lost three games straight for the first time since 2007. Cincinnati handed the Bills their first loss last week. The Eagles defense should start to come together after a nightmare start. Eagles 28-21

New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers: The Saints travel to Carolina in what seems to be a shootout in the making. Cam Newton has been great but the defense hasn’t helped at all. Saints 31-27          

Oakland Raiders @ Houston Texans: The Raiders have been one of the better 2-2 teams. Their offensive and defensive lines match up with anybody in the league. They look to make the Texans one dimensional after Houston lost Andre Johnson to injury for the next three weeks. Raiders 21-14

Kansas City Chiefs @ Indianapolis Colts: Kansas City picked up their first win of the season last week at home and now are looking for a road victory. Colts have played tough the last two weeks but are still win-less. Colts will break through this week behind Curtis Painter. Colts 17-13

Cincinnati Bengals @ Jacksonville Jaguars: The Bengals have been one of the best pass defenses after a month of play. The Jaguars game plan last week was to have Gabbert throw a bunch and limit their best players, Maurice Jones-Drew, touches. That didn’t really work out for the Jags. Bengals 20-14

Arizona Cardinals @ Minnesota Vikings: The Cardinals head on the road, giving up 12 sacks this season. The Vikings have 12 sacks themselves with DE Jared Allen leading the way. Vikings 23-16

Seattle Seahawks @ N.Y. Giants: The Seahawks will have to make the dreadful west to east coast trip. The Giants are hot and have won three straight. They look to take full advantage. Giants 27-14

Tennessee Titans @ Pittsburgh Steelers: The Titans have been solid on both sides of the ball this year and stand at 3-1. The Steelers are in big trouble after injuries to RB Mendenhall and QB Ben Roethlisberger. Couple that with horrible o-line play. Titans will also look to establish the run and get Chris Johnson going. Pittsburgh will compete tough at home but the edge goes to the Titans. Titans 24-17

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ San Francisco 49ers: The buccs have been on a roll since week one. The 49ers have been good at stopping the run and look to make Josh Freeman beat them Sunday. 49ers 21-17

San Diego Chargers @ Denver Broncos: Vincent Jackson tweaked his hamstring last week but is probable for a week five start. Broncos’ defense has been bad and got lit up for 48 points. Chargers 28-14

N.Y. Jets @ New England Patriots: The Jets are 0-2 on this current three game road trip. They are looking for the keys that got them to two straight title games, the “Ground and Pound”. Patriots get their TE Aaron Hernandez back to add more weapons to Tom Brady’s disposal. Jets should keep the ball out of Brady’s hands long enough. Jets 17-14

Green Bay Packers @ Atlanta Falcons: Aaron Rodgers is making an early case for MVP as he’s been simply amazing thus far. Atlanta has struggled in pass defensive this season and the Packers are second to last in that category. This matchup screams shootout. Matt Ryan has only one career regular season loss at home. Falcons 35-28

Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions: Chicago ran it up on the Panthers for over 200 yards. That probably will not happen against one of the best defensive lines in football. Detroit also adds rookie DT, first round pick, Nick Fairly who has been sidelined with injury. The undefeated Lions just got better. Lions 23-17
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New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills: Buffalo is 2-0 after coming back from a 21-3 halftime deficit last week against the Raiders. The Patriots are coming to town and have won 15 straight meeting against the Bills. They look to make it 16. Patriots 38-24

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Carolina Panthers: The quarterback carousel continues for the Jaguars. They will now start rookie QB Blaine Gabbert after Luke McGown’s awful performance against the Jets. Panthers found their guy in Cam Newton but he is still searching for his first win. Panthers 27-24

Denver Broncos @ Tennessee Titans: Denver’s defense has been bad over the first two weeks. Gave up 150 yards to McFadden in week one. In week two they allowed two receivers to go over 120 yards. The Titans might finally be able to get the run game going. Titans 24-17

N.Y. Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles: Since last year Vick is 9-2 in the regular season as the Eagles QB when he plays all four quarters. When he stays healthy, they have a good chance of winning. He’s cleared to start after he left last week with a concussion. Eagles 28-14

Houston Texans @ New Orleans Saints: Statistically, the Texans have one of the best pass defenses in the league. They will get their first real test on the road in the Dome when they take on Drew Brees and the Saints. Saints 24-23

Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings: The Lions are off to an amazing start. Detroit has to come back to earth sometime. They haven’t won a divisional road game in years and Adrian Peterson runs well against them in his career. Vikings 23-16

Miami Dolphins @ Cleveland Browns: Dolphins have found their RB in rookie Daniel Thomas. He ran for over 100 yards in his first game last week. Browns had an impressive road victory in Indianapolis for their first win last week. Dolphins have been better on the road. Dolphins 20-14

San Francisco 49ers @ Cincinnati Bengals: The 49ers run defense has been stout during the first two weeks. As good as their run defense has been, their pass defense has been just as bad. Andy Dalton has been a surprise for the Bengals. Dalton and the rookie WR A.J. Green have had a nice connection thus far. Bengals 16-10

N.Y Jets @ Oakland Raiders: The last time these two met at Oakland, the Jets won in a blowout 38-0. One of the storylines ended up being that Mark Sanchez was caught eating a hotdog on the sidelines. Do you mean that this was one of the stories on the side? Reports are the Raiders are using that as motivation. Jets are looking to repeat more of the same of the last meeting. Jets 24-21

Baltimore Ravens @ St. Louis Rams: The Ravens couldn’t stop the pass against the Titans. That seems to be their weakness over the past year. Lucky for them they go into St. Louis and face a struggling QB, and banged up receivers and backs. Ravens 23-10

Kansas City Chiefs @ San Diego Chargers: This could be a trap game for the Chargers. Despite the loss last week and the Chargers desire to win this game, it is a division game. It is also a game in September and these Chargers have struggled early in past seasons. Chiefs have not competed yet this year. Chargers 28-24

Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Falcons take their balanced offensive attack into Tampa Sunday. Tampa had trouble defending the pass in week one and the run in week two. They could struggle with both in week three. Falcons 21-17

Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks: Cardinals have played well in the first two games, going 1-1. The same can’t be said for Seattle who’s 0-2. This is the NFL, where unpredictable happens. Seahawks 21-20

Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears: The Packers have had the worst pass defense in the NFL giving up 800 yards in the first two games. Bears don’t have a downfield threat to make that trend stand. Packers 31-17

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Indianapolis Colts: This won’t be pretty. The Steelers showed what happens when they play a bad team. It was a shutout victory for Pittsburgh. The Colts are lifeless without Manning. Steelers 28-7

Washington Redskins @ Dallas Cowboys: Coach Mike Shanahan looks like a genius after letting McNabb go, going with Grossman at QB and trading for Hightower. The Cowboys home openers start on Monday Night Football but comes with a cost. Injuries to Romo (punctured lungs) Dez Ryant (thigh) and Austin (hamstring) will set them back. CB Terrance Newman is back and the defense will keep them in it. Cowboys 24-17

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Yes, it is a little unfortunate to be the Miami Dolphins or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. These teams belong to a pretty strong division, AFC East and NFC South.

The Bucs, who were 10-6 last season didn’t even make the playoff while the NFC West’s winner, the Seattle Seahawks, cruised through the elimination round with a losing record of 7-9.

“I mean the rules are the rules but it’s just a little unfair for the teams that play well to have missed the playoff, just because there are better teams in their field.

We got to admit it: if they play so well this year, they likely will again next season. Barely, we see a team that goes from 13-3 to 4-12 next season and some teams are just so consistent” said a Bucs fan.

After watching the first two preseason games, it’s pretty safe to say that the Fins have improved offensively, the area they needed to made adjustments. During last season, QB Chad Henne really didn’t do much; often throwing interceptions and were unable to get past the third and fourth down.

It was bad to the point where the team’s most valuable player seemed to be Kicker Dan Carpenter, who scored countless field goals for them. “Chad cleaned up well and we hope he’ll continue with his good work through the season. He now gets the ball moving and keeps on getting first downs. ” said a sport analyze.

From the way the last game look, acquiring running back Reggie Bush was certainly a great move.  He, too, made improvement and played well during the second preseason game against the Carolina Panthers.

Now, with better offense and the already strong defense, it looks like there’s a good chance the Fins can make it far this season. Although, they might have to hope that the Pats or the Jets will choke.

The New England Patriots, so far, looks unbeatable. A Buccaneer player whom they prevailed 31-14 last Thursday said “They treated the preseason game like it counts and that’s why they are who they are”. Tom Brady, who is still looking sharp, threw two touchdowns in the first quarter alone. But the end of first half, they were 28-0.

Patriot’s offense has always been in good form but the addition of improved defense will push them even further to catch up with.

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Things are moving extremely fast in the NFL these days; in fact, sports fans haven’t been able to take in every thing that has been occurring in terms of free agency and trades.  The movement throughout the league is not surprising given the small window teams have to accomplish all of their off season requirements.

Free agency is an exciting time and so far it has been great to cover, the moves should have a big impact on other players still considering where they will take their talents next season. Also, these player movements should impact the success and failures we see during the season.

Let’s examine what has happen thus far and where the surprises lie.

Why not start with the biggest name still available—Asomugha hasn’t moved yet, but would the big name defensive back choose to return to Oakland.  He is a very loyal player but loyalty will not necessarily earn you a ring.  He is reaching a point in his career where he must make a move; the question remains though, where will he play.  Will he decide to play with another great defensive back in Revis and a potential Superbowl team in the Jets, play with another team offering the most money or will he return to Oakland? Only he knows at this point, but I know where the sports world hopes he goes.  It just makes sense to be in a jets uniform next year but will he accept that challenge.

The jets have already taken care of primary receiver Holmes and will likely not attempt to resign Braylon Edwards who had a decent year for them last season.

Other notable signings thus far include big named quarterback Donovan Mcnabb, perennial attack dummy for fans and NFL players alike.  He will take his talents to Minnesota this season and mentor their first round draft pick Christian Ponder until he is ready to take over.

Minnesota will also lose big time receiver Sidney Rice who has chosen to sign with the Seahawks.  The Seahawks are taking a chance on him given the fact he has had one productive season with the indecisive Brett Favre and he will be coming off surgery which sidelined him for most of last year.  The Seahawks have also acquired Tavarus Jackson from Minnesota after parting ways with their long tenured quarterback Matt Hasslebeck who will now be taking his veteran talents to the Titans.

The first big time talent to come of the board so to speak is Deangelo Williams, the Panther back has chosen to resign in a 5 year deal with over 20 million in guaranteed money.

The hated Patriots have struck potential gold in their trade with the Redskins in which they acquired Albert Haynesworth for a 6th round pick; once again, coach Belichick gets a possible steal that puts them back on top in the AFC East division. I don’t know how many teams were looking at the troubled defensive tackle, but looking at the potential defensive line, the AFC East along with the rest of the league have been out maneuvered up until this point.

While we already have big movements with quarterbacks, there are still moves to be made– specifically Kolb in Philadelphia and Kyle Orton in Denver.  Also, Vince Young will be released today, we have yet to hear where exactly he will pay, what role he will have on that team or even what teams have shown interested.  The young quarterback’s reputation has been damaged significantly, it remains to be seen if he will recover and get his career back on track.  Speaking of great college players, 3rd down back Reggie Bush has signed with the Dolphins with a 2 year contract worth roughly 5 million; a considerable reduction in value from his Saints days.

ESPN is now reporting that Chad OchoCinco has been dealt to the active patriots; maybe a way to combat the potential addition of Asomugha to the Jets.  It remains to be seen what happens with many more players including receivers, Plaxico Burress, Randy Moss and Terrell Owens. Expect many more announcements in the day’s ahead, things are just heating up as we approach the upcoming NFL season.

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