2008 NFL Power Rankings: Season Preview

By kroberts, Section NFL
Posted on Sat Jul 05 2008 at 6:03 PM EST
More on: Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Colts, Patriots (all tags)

With the recent mumblings of Favre considering coming out of retirement, things are getting shaken up in Green Bay, and quite honestly, all around football. If you're a fantasy drafter holding an early draft, now you're not sure whether to steal Rodgers or some of his teammates, and you're also speculating on whether or not to nab Favre, as well. Each year we have to look at each player and each team under a microscope. Which player is past his prime, just entering it, and who is going to carry his team to the next level. If Brett Favre does in fact come back, then it will change the current look of the NFl completely. Well, at least it will change the fortunes of the Green Bay Packers. Regardless, whatever he decides to do will no doubt have a domino affect in the NFC North, kicking the Vikings or Bears out of playoff contention, or if he stays retired, maybe ensuring them a wild card. One thing is for sure, Favre and his rumor mill antics will keep us all (unless you're a Lions fan) on the edge of our seats, awaiting his final verdict. And you thought we had it all figured out back in March... The pre-season Power Rankings:

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Bold Predictions

By kroberts, Section NFL
Posted on Wed Jun 25 2008 at 10:50 PM EST
More on: NFL, Playoffs, Chad Johnson, Cleveland Browns, Brett Favre, Mike Hass (all tags)

Seasons come and go in today's sports world, as do predictions and opinions. I, for one have made my fair share of, well, incorrect predictions.

I said the Celtics' big trades for Ray Allen and KG would not amount to a title, and only cripple their franchise down the road. And quite frankly, those things both could still very well happen.

I also predicted the Packers would meet the Indianapolis Colts in the Super Bowl, with Green Bay prevailing, sending Favre off into the sunset with one last championship.

Obviously, the New York Giants ended that thought.

But what would sports be without competition on top of competition? That's why we write about, argue about, and watch these games. That's why fantasy sports is so compelling.

We get to compete without actually ever working for it. Some might say, however, that there is a lot of work that goes into it. And if it's not work, it's at least knowledge combined with intelligent guesses.

I know what you're thinking. That's what Vegas is for.

But I'm willing to let the dice roll, to be damned if I'm right or be damned if I'm wrong.

So, without further hesitance, here are my 25 bold predictions for the 2008 NFL season.

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Still the King?

By kroberts, Section NBA
Posted on Tue May 20 2008 at 8:14 AM EST
More on: Lebron James, Cavs, NBA, Celtics (all tags)

One off game. That's all it was, right? Yeah, sure. Until game two rolled around and Lebron's already suspect perimeter game was exposed for all the world to see.

Sure, he's the most exciting player in the NBA, that is, if you haven't already jumped on the Chris Paul bandwagon, but dear God, are we seriously going to overlook this?

Are we for real, in all our skeptical wisdom as fans and writers, going to look past a 19% shooting effort and 17 turnovers in two straight games? And not just any two games. We're talking two straight games in the second round of the playoffs. You know, the series that, if you were to win it, you're suddenly four wins away from the NBA Finals.

I mean, I hate to say it, but isn't this kind of all sorts of hilarious? Bare with me folks, but I'm going to go out on a limb here. Despite what Stephen A. Smith (the A stands for something other than his parents intended) and others want you to believe, Lebron "King" James, is in full choke mode.

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Magic Man

By kroberts, Section NFL
Posted on Fri Feb 01 2008 at 4:14 PM EST
More on: Brett Favre, Green Bay Packers, NFC Championship, 2007 NFL (all tags)

I'm sorry cheese heads, but the dream has died. For the second time in four seasons, the Packer Nation was teased with the idea of a "magical" season that seemingly could have no end. But that's the trouble in having Brett Favre as your quarterback. While you're never out of a game, you're just as sure to have your heart ripped out in the final seconds by a coined Favre interception.

But let's not hang our heads. The 2007 Green Bay Packers accomplished many things, let alone reached the conference championship game. Along the way to a 13-3 record, the Title Town natives escaped tough road game at Denver and Kansas City, beat one of the two teams in the AFC Championship, and won one of two against this year's NFC representative in the Super Bowl. Granted, they couldn't finish things up in the most crucial match-up of the season, but can you really blame them?

Well, actually, yes you can.

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Final Power Rankings for the 2007 NFL Season

By kroberts, Section NFL
Posted on Thu Jan 03 2008 at 2:10 PM EST
More on: Packers, Colts, Patriots, Tom Brady (all tags)

Is anyone shocked? I mean, even a little?

And I'm not talking about the Patriots and their unbelievable 16-0 season. Because, while many would never dare admit it, a lot of people never thought it would happen. They never thought it could happen. But it did.

But no, that's not what I'm talking about.

Is anyone shocked that the top 4 teams have stayed the same for the entire season, that is, once they were all together up there?

Admit it, you thought the Packers were a fluke when they started 4-0 and lost to the Bears. You probably even still think that.

And no one really thought the Patriots would continue their hot streak. And the Colts? The defending champs marred by injuries. They were sure to collapse and miss the playoffs, like every former champion does. Well, most of them.

But now we can see there were no surprises. Not really. Not in the regular season. The Browns, one of the most exciting teams of the season, missed the playoffs, while the Buccaneers basically took the remaining 4 weeks off and coasted into the playoffs.

So what now?

Well, if you ask me, I'd say a hindered Owens and ineffective Romo will have the mighty Cowboys falling to the, you guessed it, Washington Redskins in the divisional playoff. Which can only mean Green Bay will get past the Giants, yet again, and then romp all over the Redskins on their way to the Super Bowl.

And, as if those won't be enough surprises to last us all through next year, and help us ignore the dullness of the NBA, there's more.

Yes, the undefeated Patriots will lose in the championship game to the Colts, and then we have a match-up that almost no one wants to see, but won't be able to look away from. Green Bay versus Indianapolis.

But I won't pick the winner just yet. Instead, take a look at how your team faired this season, and where they fall in the final edition of the 2007, and now 2008 NFL Power Rankings.

One more edition will be available upon the completion of the playoffs. So Until February, enjoy. Happy new year, everybody.

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Week 17 NFL Power Rankings

By kroberts, Section NFL
Posted on Wed Dec 26 2007 at 9:23 PM EST
More on: 2007 NFL Power Rankings, Patriots, Cowboys, Colts, Packers (all tags)

What the hell is going on?

I mean, seriously. People actually expected the Dolphins to beat the Patriots? They actually thought the worst possible rendition of that 72' team could end the possibility of this current Patriot team from going undefeated? You must be joking.

And what is with the Green Bay Packers? More importantly-Brett Favre. Have you ever seen him play that crappy in bad weather? And what about Jon Ryan? Talk about the punter's day from hell.

And as if we hadn't seen everything. We get a showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions, two teams who haven't won in forever, and both are punting the ball back and forth, waiting for the other team to win the game. Congratulations, Matt Millen, you are one game closer to being average. And as for you, Jon Kitna, lay off predictions for a while.

I don't know about you, but I don't know how much more of this up and down season I can take. Teams like the Packers and Cowboys aren't living up to expectations, Steve Smith is suddenly good again, Shaun Hill is the apparent future in San Fransisco, and the San Diego Chargers, at least for the now, are being considered a solid football team.

and the power rankings for the coming week 17...

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Week 16 2007 NFL Power Rankings

By kroberts, Section NFL
Posted on Tue Dec 18 2007 at 8:55 PM EST
More on: 2007 NFL Power Rankings, Patriots, Cowboys, Colts, Packers (all tags)

The Green Bay Packers are once again a dominant team. Prior to their Dallas game a few weeks back, then had won three straight games handily, and after leaving Dallas, have now won two straight in impressive fashion, as well. They continue to win on the road, put up points, and aside from maybe this past game, reinvent their offense by integrating a new running game.

Now, all of a sudden, after the Cowboys fell to Philly, the Packers are two wins and a Dallas loss from home field advantage throughout the playoffs. How do you think the rest of the NFC is feeling right now? There's a pretty good chance the road to the Super Bowl will be going through Lambeau.

And that's why Green Bay jumps up a slot past Dallas this week. As for the rest of the teams, here are the power rankings for the upcoming week 16 in the NFL...

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The Class of the NFL

By kroberts, Section NFL
Posted on Thu Dec 13 2007 at 11:34 PM EST
More on: Tom Brady, New England Patriots, Randy Moss (all tags)

This just in people: The New England Patriots did not lose to the Steelers, as the jaw-jacking back-up safety Anthony Smith so cleverly predicted. Oh, I'm sorry, guaranteed.

Not only did they once again step in the face of adversity and come out the winners, but they did so with the kind of confidence we have never seen. And what's so wrong with that? When Tom Brady stepped toward Anthony Smith after his touchdown throw late in the game, he was met with onslaughts of insults from the Steelers defenders, as well as later criticism from reporters and people all around the league, calling him classless.

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NFL Post Season Predictions

By kroberts, Section NFL
Posted on Thu Dec 13 2007 at 10:12 PM EST
More on: (all tags)

Conventional wisdom would say that it won't matter if the Patriots go 16-0 this season. They're going to the Super Bowl, regardless. No one can stop them, and that's including Peyton Manning and his injury riddled Colts. And let's not even start with the NFC, right? The Dallas Cowboys, who are now lifted to new heights as the powerhouse of the NFC after defeating Green Bay, are supposedly not even close to New England in terms of fire power. And the proof? A 48-27 drubbing handed to Dallas by the Massachusetts natives in week 7.

But that's just speculation. Hell, I guess everything is when it gets to this point in the season. To be honest, the only thing we're certain of is that the Miami Dolphins are not going to the playoffs, and that New England has won it's division.

Big deal.

I'm not saying don't vote for Bill Belicheck for coach of the year, or neglect Tom Brady from the MVP. I'm just saying don't shut out the little guys from the big game before it even starts.

Contrary to popular belief, there are other teams that will be in the playoffs this year. In fact, there are eleven reasons why the Patriots should worry about their winning streak, and why they are becoming, week by week, more vulnerable.

The way the playoff picture looks now, the following teams would be in the playoffs:

AFC: New England, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Jacksonville, Cleveland

NFC: Dallas, Green Bay, Tampa Bay, Seattle, New York Giants, Arizona

And that's exactly how it's going to stay.

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Week 15 NFL Power Rankings

By kroberts, Section MLB
Posted on Tue Dec 11 2007 at 1:54 AM EST
More on: 2007 NFL Power Rankings, New England Patriots, Tom Brady, Indianpolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys (all tags)

Boy, was this a strange, and quite honestly, depressing week of professional football.

For starters, we saw virtually nothing out of stars like Terrell Owens, Chad Johnson, and Adrian Peterson. Yet, all three of their teams won without any significant contribution from them.

That is both strange and depressing. But, I guess for those three respective teams, also uplifting.

We also saw three NFC teams clinch their division and a playoff spot (Cowboys, Packers, and Seahawks) while we saw the Cardinals, Lions, Bears, and Eagles all do serious damage to their bids of making a run at the post season.

The question is, was there any good that came out of this week? Why, of course.

The New England Patriots, classlessness and all, stayed unbeaten, while the ever so classy Miami Dolphins found so many new ways to not win a game.

And with those few tidbits out of the way, here are your NFL power rankings for the coming week 15...

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