Looking into my crystal football I see…

The sun is shining and the air is crisp.  The days are getting shorter and as summer turn to autumn my ears long for the Sweet Sounds of September.   The crunching pads, the QB’s barking out audibles, the roar of the crowd as Farve finds Walker splitting the safeties for a TD.

Every year in the NFL we are surprised and intrigued by what a new season has in store.
With the start of the new NFL season comes a shopping list of questions:  Here is this shoppers list of things we might see, or would like to see over the next 17 weeks. 1.  Can the Patriots be beaten?  This shopper thinks the time is right to select another brand.  NE has lost both coordinators Romeo Crennel (Cleveland) and Charlie Weis (Notre Dame) to other organizations.  Belichick is the team but you are kidding yourself if you don’t think both coordinators will not be missed.  To make matters worse, on the defensive side the Pats lost Tedy (Big Play) Bruschi, Ty Law and Ted Johnson which should make them more vulnerable.  One game does not make a season; however Oakland moved the ball fairly effectively and finished with 351 net yards at Gillette.  Indy, Denver, Pittsburg and the Jets all look to be improved.  Key games in December for the champs down the stretch are at KC in week 12, Jets in NE week 13, and NE at Buf week 14, and for the divisional tile, week 16 NE at the Jets.
If any AFC team could get the Champs on the road in the playoffs, better QB play, and back behind the woodshed, they could pry those rings off their hands and we could have a new Champion.

1. Peyton Manning Auction Price $78.  Very expensive on this shoppers fantasy football list because he is unlikely to put up last years numbers.  Manning will probably have a great season and finish in the 35-45 TD range.  Still some people will be red faced raging mad.  What happened?  I would hate to be a talk show radio host taking post game calls on Manning.   ” What the @#! is wrong withhh Manning” the caller slurs out.  “He mis’d Harrison for an easy score, what a bum.”  Radio host, “Well sir, he threw for 250 yards, 2 TD’s, no Int’s and we won by 17.”  Caller after another sip of beer, “Yeah but he was my number one pick on my fantasy team and I could have had Tomlinson.”
2. Will Michael Vick learn how to add his arm to his repertoire?  Last year Vick finished with a passer rating of 78.1.  That was worse than David Carr (83.5), Byron Leftwich (82.2) and tied with Tim Rattay (78.1).  Heck he barely beat everyone’s favorite whipping boy from the Motor City, Joey Harrington (77.5).   Vicks abysmal numbers included an accuracy percentage of 56.4%, 14 TD’s to 12 interceptions.  I would love to see Vick develop into a 20 TD passer this year.  If he can improve in this department the Falcon’s can become a legitimate NFC threat to the Eagles for the title.   Vick has to learn how to make a read and throw the ball or his career will only last as long and as far as he can run.
3. This years sentimental favorites.  Here are something’s you can count on every year.  Dick Vermillion will cry, Bill Cowher will slobber all over a player, Bill Parcells will explode, and Joe Gibbs will win.  Oh Oh, wait a minute here.  The first three are time passed traditions, however the last one is not so in the bag.

The Redskins (Can I call them that?), look to be brutal again this year.  They finished last year 6-10 which was good enough to tie for second in the division.  Unfortunately 6-10 or 7-9 will not get you second place this year.  The Cowboys look to be a better team and will be in the playoff hunt until the end.  Portis is bound to have a better year then last year, however it all starts and ends with the QB.  Ramsey does not look like the answer and Joe might find himself switching to Brunell before you can say third interception of the half.   Gibbs might even be better served to see the writing on the wall early. If he believes he has anything in Jason Campbell, the number #1 pick from Auburn, play him and give him a look.  A good running back and strong defense makes the QB look better.  Pittsburg rode that formula last year.   The Redskins battle Giants for the cellar in the NFC east.

1. This years MVP will be …..   Drum roll please.  Duante Culpepper.  Culpepper finished with tremendous numbers last year, 110.9 rating, 39 Tds, 11 ints and 4,717 yards passing (#1 in the league) and in any other year would have won it.  The Vikes will be without Moss and at this point have no proven number one running back.  The team will be carried on Duantes shoulders and Duante will deliver.  The Vikes will win the NFC north crown and a will make a run at the Conference title.
2. And accepting the award for this years rushing title is?   Envelope please…

Shaun Alexander.  Last year he finished one yard away from the title, this year being a contract year he will not run out of bounds, but dive for that yard.  Shaun will get plenty of competition as this year’s crop is loaded with young exciting runners.
The second tier with a crack at the top is LaDainian Tomlinson, Willis McGahee, Jamal Lewis, and Julius Jones all who could make pushes for king of the hill.  And don’t forget the over 30 crowd with Priest Holmes, Curtis Martin, Tiki Barber and Mike Anderson raking up the yardage.  Running back is a deep position this year in football and these guys are fun to watch.

7. Everybody likes Underdog.  Last year it was San Diego putting on the cape and rescuing all the sweet Polly Purebreds (charger fans).  Hey, speaking of which, you know when Underdog opens his ring and takes out his super energy pill?  It sounds a little fishy too me.  I take this pill and now I am super strong and able to do things I couldn’t before. Has he submitted to a urine sample?  Maybe Underdog and BALCO had something going on earlier.  Underdog is on the juice.

Anyway this year’s surprises are the Lions, Cards, and the Panthers.  Yes I know there are no AFC teams, because the NFC is a more wide open conference.  I was higher on the Lions then I am now with Garcia out, however they have decent enough weapons on offense and Green Bay should be down this year.  The Cards is everybody’s favorite and nobody plays defense in that division.
The Panthers are the pick here to get to playoffs and make some noise.  They started last year 1-7 and then went on a 6-2 run to complete the season.  They have an experience roster, playoff veterans, added a shut down corner in Ken Lucas and have everyone back from injuries that crippled them last year.  Add a solid under rated QB in Jake Delhomme and Carolina has the second most complete team in the conference ahead of Atlanta and behind the Eagles.

8. Lastly, what I would like to see this year is Terrell Owens shut his YAP!  I think Owens is an extremely talented player; however this doesn’t mean I like the guy for his mind.  Or for that matter even care what he has to say. Owens loves the camera, attention, and himself as much as the no talent Paris Hilton.  Did you see when Andy Reid kicked him out of practice and we had to see him on ESPN playing hoops, or doing sit-ups, or watch his rippling biceps as he did curls.  Ouuuu.  Terrell you da man!  Who was the idiot producer who couldn’t come up with better programming?
Supposedly him and McNabb are going to make up on Monday Night Football against Atlanta.  Who Cares?  Let’s just watch TO play football and cut away to public broadcasting so we can hear some poetry or something more intelligent whenever TO is running his YAP!
I know we have another exciting, interesting and entertaining year in store.  In the meantime, I will begin to prepare my Christmas list of what I want from Paul Tagliubue for Christmas.