| Most of the divisions in the NFL this
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| | (Indianapolis, at Philadelphia, at
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| year seem fairly straight forward, at
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| | Seattle) and never recover. The players
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| least at the top. There's little doubt,
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| | brought in to fix the disastrous pass
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| for example, that Seattle will win the
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| | defense - R.W. McQuarters and Sam Madison
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| NFC West, Indy will top the AFC South, or
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| | - show their age and don't plug the holes
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| Denver and San Diego will scrap for the
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| | which desperately need to be plugged.
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| AFC West crown. It gets much more
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| | Manning doesn't advance significantly
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| complicated, however, when you look at
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| | from last season, perhaps not fully
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| the NFC East. It doesn't take much
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| | recovered by a disastrous end to last
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| digging to find an 'expert' that will
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| | season. Arrington hasn't significantly
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| make an argument that each of the four
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| | contributed to a team for at least two
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| teams is destined to win it all. With all
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| | seasons, and it's more than possible that
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| the different opinions it can be hard to
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| | he may not be able to. Tiki Barber shows
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| figure out what will happen. I don't have
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| | his age and can't maintain the offensive
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| firm answers, but I can look at best and
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| | pace that was crucial to last year's
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| worst-case scenarios for each team in the
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| | success. The team only wins six or seven
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| division.Part of the problem is that all
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| | games.My guess - Manning is solid, but
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| of the teams have definite strengths, and
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| | not substantially better than last year.
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| they all have problems that make you
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| | Barber shows some age and his production
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| pause. The odds are no help, either. The
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| | tails off to merely mortal levels. The
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| Cowboys are the current betting favorite
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| | defensive secondary will be better, but
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| to win it all at 8/5, but the gap between
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| | still far from elite. The Giants win nine
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| them and the fourth choice, the Redskins
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| | games and make a strong claim for a wild
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| (11/4), is tiny. Compare that to the NFC
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| | card spot.Philadelphia Eagles (5/2)Best
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| West, where the Seahawks are 1/4 and the
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| | case - Last year is just a mulligan and
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| 49ers are 20/1 (and far from a bargain at
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| | the team moves on and returns to earlier
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| that).Dallas Cowboys (8/5)Best case -
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| | glory days. The offensive line is
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| Drew Bledsoe stays healthy and flourishes
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| | improved, the defense is deep if not
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| with all the offensive tools around him.
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| | overwhelming and they start the season
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| Terrell Owens shows why he is worth all
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| | healthy. If they can stay that way, they
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| of the trouble. The ridiculously talented
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| | will already be way ahead of last season.
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| young defense grows into itself and
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| | The defense was terrible last year, but
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| dominates. Smart defensive moves, like
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| | draft picks and free agents should
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| shifting Greg Ellis from an undersized
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| | reverse that trend. Before last year the
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| and overmatched defensive end to a strong
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| | team had won at least 11 in five straight
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| side linebacker, will pay dividends.
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| | seasons. They could do the same thing
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| Twelve or 13 wins isn't out of the
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| | again.Worst case - The injury bug is
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| question. Home field would be a huge
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| | still in the system. The schedule could
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| advantage for this team in the
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| | be too much for the team - besides the
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| playoffs.Worst case - Owens explodes. The
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| | divisional rivals they play Carolina,
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| team is very vulnerable without him.
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| | Indy and Tampa Bay. The offense is better
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| Terry Glenn is a much better fit as a
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| | but still not good enough. They only end
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| second choice than the primary receiver,
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| | up with seven wins.My guess - Owens is
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| and no one else on the roster is ready to
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| | gone, but they didn't really replace him.
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| step into the No. 2 spot. Running back
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| | Without a primary target it could be a
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| could be another issue. Julius Jones and
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| | long year for McNabb. The Eagles would be
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| Marion Barber are both reasonably
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| | a decent team in most conferences, but I
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| talented, but neither have so far shown
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| | don't see how they compete in this one. A
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| that teams need to be scared of them like
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| | record of 8-8 would be a success and the
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| they do a true premier back. DeMarcus
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| | playoffs are out of the question in my
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| Ware is being relied upon to be a
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| | mind.Washington Redskins (11/4)Best case
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| foundation of the 3-4 offense for years
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| | - Al Saunders joins Joe Gibbs' staff
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| to come, but he slumped a bit midseason
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| | after five seasons in Kansas City. He
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| last year before picking it up again at
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| | turned the Chiefs into an offensive
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| the end. Tony Romo looked great in the
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| | powerhouse, and made superstars out of
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| preseason, but he has no regular season
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| | both Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson.
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| experience, and the game is different
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| | Clinton Portis has the tools to become
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| when teams actually care. A Bledsoe
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| | even better under Saunders. The receiving
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| injury would definitely set the team
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| | corps is much better with the additions
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| back. Back as far as six or seven total
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| | of Antwaan Randle El and Brandon Lloyd,
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| wins.My guess - I think Parcells will
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| | and TE Chris Cooley continues to improve.
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| keep it together so he can go out on a
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| | The pass rush is acceptable and the
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| high note. Owens will be fine this
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| | defensive secondary is very good. The
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| season, just like he was in his first
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| | team could win 10 games and make the
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| year in Philly. I think they win 11 games
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| | playoffs as a wild card.Worst case - Mark
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| and take the division.New York Giants (9
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| | Brunell struggles like he did at the end
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| 4)Best Case - Eli Manning keeps
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| | of last season, and no one else is ready
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| progressing, while his main weapon, Tiki
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| | to take his place. The Saunders offense
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| Barber, contributes like he did last year
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| | performs more like it did in preseason
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| and Jeremy Shockey gets his head together
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| | (no points by the first team offense)
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| and steps up his game. The addition of
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| | than it did in Kansas City. Portis
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| several defensive players, highlighted by
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| | doesn't bounce back from his preseason
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| big name LB LaVarr Arrington, fixes the
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| | shoulder injury as fast as anyone hoped.
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| problems the team had. The D-line is
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| | The team struggles to 6 wins.My guess - I
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| still the sack machine it has been for a
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| | don't get a good feeling from the 'Skins.
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| few years now. The team wins 11 or 12
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| | Too many questions, especially at QB. I
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| games.Worst case - They fall behind with
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| | expect seven or eight wins and a new
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| a tough start to the season
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| | coach next season.
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