Mike Wilkening: Hello, all. I'll try to get to as many questions as I can.
Sahm McGlynn (edina, mn): Hey Mike. To me the Vikings look like a wildcard team. They aren't getting much pub, what do you see there record as? How many yards for AP/CT combined? Is Childress at all responsible for last years d, or was it all Mike Tomlin?
Mike Wilkening: If everything breaks right, the Vikings could contend for a wild-card spot. The division isn't stocked with great competition, and the offense will be better with Peterson in the mix. But here's the biggest issue: When defenses put that eighth man near the line, can Jackson and the WR corps make them pay? They're going to have to if the Vikings are going to anywhere. As for the defensive question, I would give the tip of the cap to Tomlin, who oversaw the league's strongest run defense.
Kevin , Baltimore, Md: Do you think the Dolphins will give Culpepper a fair shot to start this year?
Mike Wilkening: Only if they cannot acquire Trent Green.
Jake, NC: Over or under 10 wins for the Jets this year?
Mike Wilkening: Under. Schedule is just tough enough. I see 9-7 or 8-8.
SprungOnSports (Long Island): With Tank Johnson now suspended, when do you think discipline will be laid out for Vick if at all?
Mike Wilkening: I think it comes down to whether he's charged and whether he's convicted / pleads guilty. I don't anticipate a suspension unless those events happen.
Robert - Las Vegas: PFW 2007 Preview has the Chargers going 11-5. Who do you see them losing to? I see @ NE, @ Den, and @ OAK (only because its the final game of the year and they will have won the AFC West by then, resting starters). Only others are @ KC or @ Jax, but that's a push for me.
Mike Wilkening: Personally, I see them losing vs. IND, at JAX and perhaps at NE. The Chargers are loaded and poised to be very, very strong again.
B.C. (Austin, TX): Do the Texans have a better chance at reaching .500 or at getting the #1 Pick in next year's draft (to squander of course)?
Mike Wilkening: Good question. I'll say the No. 1 pick. The defense will be OK, the offense should be better ... but there's so much youth on the roster, and IND and JAX will be tough to deal with. I like the direction of the franchise with Kubiak and Rick Smith in place, but the rebuilding is going to take some time.
Chris (Broadview Heights, OH): Please tell me the Browns aren't considering going into the season with Jamal Lewis and then no names at the backup spots?
Mike Wilkening: This appears to be their plan. They didn't draft a back or sign anyone else in free agency. I'd agree that their RB depth is a concern.
Tom (Chicago): Since the Bears jumped from last near last to 15th in offense last year do you think they should be (at least) a top 10 offense this year with their offseason additions?
Mike Wilkening: It all depends on the QB. I think the Bears would take another top-15 '0' if Grossman cuts out the games where he's inaccurate and sloppy. And, of course, the offensive ranking has to be in kept in context: If the Bears are playing with a lot of leads because of that defense and the ability to strike first, the offensive ranking may be a little lower because of their efforts to run out the clock at the end of games.
Joel (MD): GB defense will improve into a top ten D, and Farve shuts up and plays to lead GB to the playoffs one last time....true or false?
Mike Wilkening: The defense is good, but I see some tough stretches for that offense. I don't think the playoffs are in the cards.
Brendhan (Texas): How far do you see the 49ers going? Playoffs? NFC West winners? More?
Mike Wilkening: I think that moreso than in any other division you can make cases for every team in the NFC West to win that division. I don't know if SF's defense is quite strong enough just yet, but every other team in the West is flawed, and if the Niners get some breaks, I could see them going 9-7 and being right in the mix.
asante: with the increasing number of players griping about the franchise tag, could it be on its way out the door?
Mike Wilkening: The only way I could see it going is if the owners decided it had outlived its usefulness. When a player signs the tender, it sticks a team with a big-time cap number. If the majority of owners decided the franchise tag didn't have a purpose, it might go away, but when you consider that 1) the cap is $116 mil. in '08 and will likely be over $120 mil. by the end of the decade, 2) teams manage the cap better than ever and 3) seven players were "tagged" this offseason, I don't think we'll see the franchise tag soon go away.
Devin (Hester): Over/under 10 offensive touchdowns for me this season?
Mike Wilkening: Under. Though I'm guessing that won't deter folks in Chicagoland-based fantasy leagues from taking a flier in Round 20...
Brent (Indianapolis): It seems many divisons are up for grabs, in your opinion, are there any divisions where one team is truly better than the other teams? I guess what I'm trying to say is are there any clear cut divisional favorites? Thanks.
Mike Wilkening: Good question. Actually, I'd say there are clear-cut favorites in several divisions: AFC East (NE), AFC South (IND), AFC West (SD), NFC North (CHI), NFC South (NO).
Andrew (Aurora): The Ravens and Bengals seem to be the favorites in the AFC North. Does Willis make that much of a difference for Baltimore that my Bengals will have to settle for the wildcard?
Mike Wilkening: I wouldn't count out Pittsburgh, either. Regarding the Bengals: It all depends on the defense. They will score, and score a lot. Can they get stops against top competition? They need some youngsters on 'D' to step up.
Angela, Rosamond: In light of recent anaysis of Miami decision not to draft Brady Quinn and instead get a QB in the second round, do you think it was the right decision for Miami with the Culpepper situation still unresolved?
Mike Wilkening: It's clear the Dolphins didn't see much difference between Beck and Quinn. If Beck pans out, it's a great pick. I happen to think Ted Ginn will be a player who helps them -- he beat top competition in college and he works hard. If he makes strides as a receiver, he could be a smash hit. Would I have taken Quinn over Beck? Yes. But I think we'll need a few years to see if the Dolphins made the right move. Remember that the Colts were blasted for passing on Ricky Williams to take Edgerrin James...
Chris (Salisbury MD): I have been coming up with an all decade team for the 2000-2010 years and i need some help at defensive tackle. I have sapp as one, but can u give me a few more?
Mike Wilkening: Casey Hampton, Jamal Williams. Those are two that seem like good fits.
Aaron (Boston): What will it take to get Gene Upshaw out as head of the union? The more I read, the less he does on behalf of his clients. Not only are the pensions and benefits for retired players a complete joke by today's standards, but Upshaw allowed Goodell to have ultimate authority on suspensions for off-field incidents, fails to remind teams that OTA's are OPTIONAL, and allows contact during these practices despite what is written into the CBA. When will the players start paying attention?
Mike Wilkening: I don't know if there's a movement afoot to push him out of his job, but he has taken quite a few PR hits of late. However, I would have to say that the last CBA has been pretty good for active NFL players, and those are the people who will make the call on him.
Ross (Chicago): Some say DJ Williams is the most talent defensive player on the Broncos not named Bailey. Do you think he will become an elite MLB?
Mike Wilkening: He has a heck of chance; he's very talented, and it's his turn to shine. Replacing Al Wilson as a leader and a player isn't easy, though.
Mike (Gaithersburg): Over/Under 13 sacks for Ware this year?
Mike Wilkening: Over. The Cowboys have a look of a team that will be playing from ahead quite a bit, and Ware is poised for big things.
Andrew (Aurora): You mentioned the Bengals need young guys to step up on D. At 6'3" 260 and speed in the 4.6-4.7 range, Ahmed Brooks is poised to be the next star at middle linebacker in the league. Would you agree?
Mike Wilkening: He is one of the players they need to step up. He certainly has the talent to do it.
Jon (DC): If Jason Campbell can take another step this season, what reason is there to believe that the 'skins cannot be an explosive team on offense?
Mike Wilkening: I'd agree with that, but that's a big "if."
Brandon (Ft. Smith, AR.): Now that people realize the Saints are a good team & not a cinderella story-will there win total decrease dramatically because teams will gear up for them? Curious if you think Payton's offensive genius can keep opponents backpedaling?
Mike Wilkening: Payton is creative enough to stay a step ahead. It helps, of course, that he has so much talent to work with.
Joe, Tampa FL: Why do so many experts think the Bills had a bad off-season? They fixed their offensive line. Traded a shell of Takeo Spikes and Kelly Holcomb (who was most likely going to get cut)for Darwin Walker. They also shipped off the vastly overrated Willis McGahee for 2 3rd round draft picks!
Mike Wilkening: Losing Clements is a big-time blow, as is losing Fletcher. Also, can a Lynch-Anthony Thomas RB tandem replace McGahee's production? Yes, the O-line improved, but they took some big losses elsewhere. Also, it remains to be seen what happens with Walker.
chris, greensboro: Who is the panthers second WR now the Johnson is gone?
Mike Wilkening: Dwayne Jarrett, Keary Colbert and Drew Carter are all in the mix.
Dan (Michigan): How effective will the cornerback tandem of Bailey and Bly be for Denver?
Mike Wilkening: Very, very effective. The change of scenery and scheme should give Bly a boost.
Steve Blecha (SF, CA): What is the fascination with SD? I understand "on paper" they have a great team. Where did that get them last year? Their entire coaching staff has turned over and Denver has done nothing but get better this offseason. Their two games against SD this year will be low scoring and field position based. Kaeding or Elam? Turner or Shanahan? I'll take the latter in both cases. Denver 2-0 vs SD this year and wins the AFC West.
Mike Wilkening: The "great -- on paper" argument must be brought up when assessing the Chargers, and I would agree the Broncos are their primary competition.
Tom(San Antonio): Who's going to be the starting running back in Tennessee? What do you see for LenDale White in the future if he's not the starter?
Mike Wilkening: I think White has the edge because of experience, but Chris Henry will push him, and White needs to be on his game to win the job. If White loses the job, I'd say he doesn't have much of a future in Tennessee. If neither White nor Henry can grab ahold of the job, I'd have to think the Titans are back in the market for an RB in the '08 draft and in free agency.
Matt (Bristol, VA): Do you think the Colts' improvement on defense in the playoffs was an aberration, or do they perform much better this season than last? Or does attrition negate any negligible improvement this offseason?
Mike Wilkening: I think the improvement was legitimate, and I believe their young CBs will prove to be solid replacements. That said, I think their pass defense could be a little shaky early.
matt (mi): Since my pistons lost, is there any chance of the lions winning the NFC North ?
Mike Wilkening: Lots of Lions questions today. I'd say that the division title may be a reach, but I expect improvement in Marinelli's second season.
Andrew (Boulder, CO): Mike, Thanks for saving me from what is the most boring day at the office ever! With the strong offseason the Patriots have had, should we tout them as the favorites to win it all?
Mike Wilkening: I won't say that they are the clear-cut favorites, but I'd feel pretty safe in predicting that the title winner will come out of the SD-NE-IND troika.
That's all for this week. For more PFW content, visit us at ProFootballWeekly.com. Thanks a bunch.
