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Mr. Optimism and Mr. Pessimism break down the NFC Teams
Posted on Thursday 3 July 2008
NFL
Before the 2007 NFL Playoffs, Mr. Optimism and Mr. Pessimism gave their thoughts on the 12 postseason teams and their chances of winning the Super Bowl.
The duo is back again to give their insightful analysis, this time offering their opinion on all 16 NFC teams with training camps ready to fire up across the country.
If it weren’t already obvious by their names, Mr. Optimism likes to find the positive in every team. He likes to stroke the fire of… well… optimism, and provide hope to your favorite team and their chances of winning in 2008.
Mr. Pessimism is that guy you want to round house kick in the face because no matter what you say about a team, he’s always there to put a negative spin on things. Mr. Pessimism can easily find faults in every team and has no problem making it known that both you and your team are going to choke on applesauce this season.
Neither is very good on their own, but together they form one of the greatest duos in the history of sports analysis. This week they take a look at the NFC teams – next week they scout the teams in the AFC.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys
Mr. Optimism: This team should have gone further in the postseason last year because they were the best team in the NFC. The Boys have the most talent of any team in the conference and have two of the best minds in football in head coach Wade Phillips and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett. Tony Romo (right) is about to have an MVP season.
Mr. Pessimism: Sure they should win the NFC East again, but then what? This team is the ultimate choke-artist when it comes to the playoffs and what will make this year any different? Their playoff-win drought will continue because Phillips never gets his teams over the postseason hump.
New York Giants
Mr. Optimism: Where is the respect for the defending champs? Eli Manning officially turned the corner last year in the postseason and thanks to a solid running game and a fantastic defensive line, the G-Men are poised for another Super Bowl run. Not to mention they have one of the most coveted defensive minds in all of football in DC Steve Spagnuolo
Mr. Pessimism: Manning finished last year on a tear, but he’s still never put together a full season. And now that everyone will be gunning for the Jints this year, they’ll be lucky to win more than nine games. And how good will that defensive line be without veteran Michael Strahan?
Philadelphia Eagles
Mr. Optimism: This is the year Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid prove just how good they really are. McNabb and Brian Westbrook are going to put together injury-free seasons and the addition of Asante Samuel is going to be an incredible boost to the secondary.
Mr. Pessimism: Samuel was a product of New England’s defense and he’s going to get exposed this year. McNabb and Westbrook stay healthy? Fat chance. Plus who the hell is McNabb going to throw to? Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis? This team didn’t improve much from last year and still have some of the same issues.
Washington Commanders
Mr. Optimism: The way the Commanders came together at the end of last season will do wonders heading into 2008. Quarterback Jason Campbell was really making strides last year before he was injured and with a healthy Clinton Portis for a full season, the offense is better than people think. Adding a dynamic piece like rookie receiver Devin Thomas to the offense should provide another dimension to the passing game, too.
Mr. Pessimism: The Commanders were a nice story last year with the emergence of long time backup quarterback Todd Collins and the team coming together after the death of Sean Taylor. But they overachieved and it’s going to take at least a year for the Skins to get accustomed to new head coach Jim Zorn.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals
Mr. Optimism: Talk about building a talented offense – Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, Matt Leinart (assuming he’s healthy), Levi Brown and Edgerrin James (right) are a solid core. With the addition of rookie cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Antrel Rolle moves to free safety (joining underrated Adrian Wilson) and suddenly the Cards’ secondary looks solid. Plus Ken Whisenhunt showed last year that he’s putting his stamp on this team and will only improve heading into his second year as head coach.
Mr. Pessimism: These are the Cardinals! Every year they offer some kind of excitement and every year they disappoint. There’s no need to go into details – this team is hopeless!
San Francisco 49ers
Mr. Optimism: The 49ers have a solid, young core on offense. Quarterback Alex Smith is entering his fourth year and showed promise at times last season. It will once again help having Frank Gore and Vernon Davis by his side, and nobody should underestimate what veteran Isaac Bruce brings to the field. The defense has improved dramatically too, with 2007 Defensive Rookie of the Year Patrick Willis manning the middle and the defensive line getting a boost in the pass-rush department with the signing of Justin Smith.
Mr. Pessimism: Remember how everyone got excited last year when the 49ers signed Nate Clements and Michael Lewis in the offseason? Then the games started and it was the same 49er team that has stunk for some time now. If Alex Smith doesn’t get it done this year, San Fran will start looking for a replacement. Same thing goes for head coach Mike Nolan.
Seattle Seahawks
Mr. Optimism: Mike Holmgren’s last year is going to be his best. Matt Hasselbeck knows Holmgren’s offense like the back of his hand and the combination of Julius Jones, Maurice Morris and T.J. Duckett is going to be hard to contend with. Plus, the defense lost nobody of importance and was a major bright spot last season. There’s no reason to believe the Seahawks will take a step back in 2008.
Mr. Pessimism: Holmgren’s potential retirement from coaching will be a major distraction all year and to think the combination of Jones, Morris and Duckett is going to form this three-headed monster is a joke. The defense was average at best – they gave up close to 20 points a game last year and the pass defense ranked 19th. They may win the division again because the West is weak, but the Hawks won’t go much further.
St. Louis Rams
Mr. Optimism: There’s no way a talented group like the Rams will be as bad this year as they were in 2007. Marc Bulger should return healthy and Steven Jackson is going to have a bounce back year with the return of tackle Orlando Pace. And how good is that defensive line going to be with the addition of Chris Long? Talk about a high motor – he and Leonard Little are going to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks this year.
Mr. Pessimism: You’re assuming that all of these players come back healthy. Pace and Little are still banged up and are taking it easy in camp. And it takes a while to get the verbiage down in new OC Al Saunders’ playbook, so assuming the offense is going to run like clockwork is a stretch, too. Last year wasn’t an aberration – the Rams are that bad.
NFC North
Chicago Bears
Mr. Optimism: Kyle Orton is the most talented quarterback on the Bears’ roster and he deserves a shot to be the full-time starter. Rookie running back Matt Forte is going to surprise a lot of people this year and the defense is still incredibly good led by linebackers Brian Urlacher (right) and Lance Briggs, as well as the best defensive tackle in the league in Tommie Harris. Oh, and Devin Hester will get this team in prime field position on every offensive series.
Mr. Pessimism: Hester got the Bears in prime field position on every offensive series last year and it still didn’t matter! The fact of the matter is that this team did next to nothing in the offseason to address the offensive line and Forte (and Orton for that matter) is still largely unproven. And what will happen with Urlacher’s contract situation? Can Harris stay healthy? There are more questions than answers in Chicago.
Detroit Lions
Mr. Optimism: Part of the problem during the Lions collapse after starting 6-2 in 2007 was that Mike Martz foolishly abandoned the run during games. New offensive coordinator Jim Colletto isn’t going to allow that to happen this season and head coach Rod Marinelli has done a fantastic job of rebuilding the culture in Detroit’s locker room. The offense is still one of the best in the conference.
Mr. Pessimism: Somehow the worst defense in the league actually got even worse. Shaun Rogers might be lazy, but he was also the Lions’ best defender and they’re going to have a Grand Canyon-sized hole in the middle of their defense now. And who are the starting corners? Brian Kelly and Travis Fisher? Good luck with that.
Green Bay Packers
Mr. Optimism: Aaron Rodgers proved against Dallas last year that he can compete in this league. He also has one of the most underrated offensive lines protecting him and several weapons at his disposal in receivers Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, as well as an emerging talent in running back Ryan Grant. The defensive line is also one of the best in the league led by Aaron Kampman, and the Pack have the best cornerback duo in the NFL in Al Harris and Charles Woodson.
Mr. Pessimism: I see you didn’t mention his lordship and how this team is sunk without #4. Face it – Brett Favre made this overachieving team into a competitor last year. Without him, they’re nothing better than 8-8 and Rodgers is going to fold like a deck of cards once defensive coordinators figure out his weakness (if they haven’t already).
Minnesota Vikings
Mr. Optimism: This is everybody’s chic pick this season, and for good reason. The Vikings have two elements that always breed success in the NFL: A solid running game and a defensive line. Adrian Peterson (right) will again run wild behind the Vikes’ solid offensive line and Jared Allen added another dimension to an already stout defensive front four. The secondary also improved with the addition of safety Madieu Williams and quarterback Tavaris Jackson is ready to take the next step.
Mr. Pessimism: The secondary improved with the addition of a safety taken from the Bengals’ defense? Please! And Jackson isn’t ready to lift this team to new heights – nor will he ever. You can count on Peterson heading for a sophomore slump and let’s see if Allen can keep out of trouble before we crown him as the best defender in the league.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
Mr. Optimism: Every year a team emerges from seemingly out of nowhere to shock the league. Rookie Matt Ryan should have no problem earning the starting quarterback role during preseason and thanks to a bevy of young talent in Michael Turner, Jerious Norwood and Roddy White, the Falcons are in better shape than people think. Plus the new front office and coaching regime has this team believing it can win again.
Mr. Pessimism: Ha! The defense lost two of its best players in DeAngelo Hall and Rod Coleman, they have no offensive line and Ryan is going to wish he were back at Boston College by Week 3. This is by far the worst team in the league and might not win more than four games again.
Carolina Panthers
Mr. Optimism: Jake Delhomme should be healthy again and the running game got a big boost with the addition of Jonathan Stewart and offensive tackle Jeff Otah. They also have one of the games most dangerous weapons in Steve Smith – a player that can score at any moment. And there is no way Julius Peppers struggles like he did in 2007. John Fox’s teams are always prepared.
Mr. Pessimism: This team can never hold it together when injuries strike, so why should this year be any different? If Delhomme goes down again, Matt Moore proved last year that he couldn’t hack it and Fox will feel the pressure of the hot seat all season.
New Orleans Saints
Mr. Optimism: The Saints had a terrific offseason, adding linebacker Jonathan Vilma, corner Randall Gay and drafting defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis. This is by far the most improved team in the NFC South (if not the entire NFC) and this will be Reggie Bush’s bounce back year. Sean Payton has one of the most innovative offensive minds in football and a solid quarterback in Drew Brees (right) at his disposal.
Mr. Pessimism: Deuce McAllister can’t stay healthy and Bush can’t run between the tackles. That defense might have gotten an expensive facelift, but the linebacker corps is still slow and the Saints have had a revolving door at corner opposite Mike McKenzie for years.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mr. Optimism: Jon Gruden proved last year all he needs for his offensive to be success is a solid game manager. He found that in quarterback Jeff Garcia and everyone saw how efficient the Bucs’ offense could be. Garcia will also love how much center Jeff Faine brings to the offensive line and Cadillac Williams should be ready to roll again after having season-ending knee surgery last year. Coordinator Monte Kiffin always gets the most out of his defenses and the secondary will improve dramatically with playmaker Aqib Talib now in the fold.
Mr. Pessimism: You’re assuming Garcia will even play this year after spending the entire offseason *****ing about his contract. Come on – this team overachieved last year and doesn’t have enough talent to win the division again. Kiffin is one of the best, but his defense was already old three years ago.
http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/07/03/mr-optimism-and-mr-pessimism-break-down-the-nfc-teams/
Posted on Thursday 3 July 2008
NFL
Before the 2007 NFL Playoffs, Mr. Optimism and Mr. Pessimism gave their thoughts on the 12 postseason teams and their chances of winning the Super Bowl.
The duo is back again to give their insightful analysis, this time offering their opinion on all 16 NFC teams with training camps ready to fire up across the country.
If it weren’t already obvious by their names, Mr. Optimism likes to find the positive in every team. He likes to stroke the fire of… well… optimism, and provide hope to your favorite team and their chances of winning in 2008.
Mr. Pessimism is that guy you want to round house kick in the face because no matter what you say about a team, he’s always there to put a negative spin on things. Mr. Pessimism can easily find faults in every team and has no problem making it known that both you and your team are going to choke on applesauce this season.
Neither is very good on their own, but together they form one of the greatest duos in the history of sports analysis. This week they take a look at the NFC teams – next week they scout the teams in the AFC.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys
Mr. Optimism: This team should have gone further in the postseason last year because they were the best team in the NFC. The Boys have the most talent of any team in the conference and have two of the best minds in football in head coach Wade Phillips and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett. Tony Romo (right) is about to have an MVP season.
Mr. Pessimism: Sure they should win the NFC East again, but then what? This team is the ultimate choke-artist when it comes to the playoffs and what will make this year any different? Their playoff-win drought will continue because Phillips never gets his teams over the postseason hump.
New York Giants
Mr. Optimism: Where is the respect for the defending champs? Eli Manning officially turned the corner last year in the postseason and thanks to a solid running game and a fantastic defensive line, the G-Men are poised for another Super Bowl run. Not to mention they have one of the most coveted defensive minds in all of football in DC Steve Spagnuolo
Mr. Pessimism: Manning finished last year on a tear, but he’s still never put together a full season. And now that everyone will be gunning for the Jints this year, they’ll be lucky to win more than nine games. And how good will that defensive line be without veteran Michael Strahan?
Philadelphia Eagles
Mr. Optimism: This is the year Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid prove just how good they really are. McNabb and Brian Westbrook are going to put together injury-free seasons and the addition of Asante Samuel is going to be an incredible boost to the secondary.
Mr. Pessimism: Samuel was a product of New England’s defense and he’s going to get exposed this year. McNabb and Westbrook stay healthy? Fat chance. Plus who the hell is McNabb going to throw to? Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis? This team didn’t improve much from last year and still have some of the same issues.
Washington Commanders
Mr. Optimism: The way the Commanders came together at the end of last season will do wonders heading into 2008. Quarterback Jason Campbell was really making strides last year before he was injured and with a healthy Clinton Portis for a full season, the offense is better than people think. Adding a dynamic piece like rookie receiver Devin Thomas to the offense should provide another dimension to the passing game, too.
Mr. Pessimism: The Commanders were a nice story last year with the emergence of long time backup quarterback Todd Collins and the team coming together after the death of Sean Taylor. But they overachieved and it’s going to take at least a year for the Skins to get accustomed to new head coach Jim Zorn.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals
Mr. Optimism: Talk about building a talented offense – Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, Matt Leinart (assuming he’s healthy), Levi Brown and Edgerrin James (right) are a solid core. With the addition of rookie cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Antrel Rolle moves to free safety (joining underrated Adrian Wilson) and suddenly the Cards’ secondary looks solid. Plus Ken Whisenhunt showed last year that he’s putting his stamp on this team and will only improve heading into his second year as head coach.
Mr. Pessimism: These are the Cardinals! Every year they offer some kind of excitement and every year they disappoint. There’s no need to go into details – this team is hopeless!
San Francisco 49ers
Mr. Optimism: The 49ers have a solid, young core on offense. Quarterback Alex Smith is entering his fourth year and showed promise at times last season. It will once again help having Frank Gore and Vernon Davis by his side, and nobody should underestimate what veteran Isaac Bruce brings to the field. The defense has improved dramatically too, with 2007 Defensive Rookie of the Year Patrick Willis manning the middle and the defensive line getting a boost in the pass-rush department with the signing of Justin Smith.
Mr. Pessimism: Remember how everyone got excited last year when the 49ers signed Nate Clements and Michael Lewis in the offseason? Then the games started and it was the same 49er team that has stunk for some time now. If Alex Smith doesn’t get it done this year, San Fran will start looking for a replacement. Same thing goes for head coach Mike Nolan.
Seattle Seahawks
Mr. Optimism: Mike Holmgren’s last year is going to be his best. Matt Hasselbeck knows Holmgren’s offense like the back of his hand and the combination of Julius Jones, Maurice Morris and T.J. Duckett is going to be hard to contend with. Plus, the defense lost nobody of importance and was a major bright spot last season. There’s no reason to believe the Seahawks will take a step back in 2008.
Mr. Pessimism: Holmgren’s potential retirement from coaching will be a major distraction all year and to think the combination of Jones, Morris and Duckett is going to form this three-headed monster is a joke. The defense was average at best – they gave up close to 20 points a game last year and the pass defense ranked 19th. They may win the division again because the West is weak, but the Hawks won’t go much further.
St. Louis Rams
Mr. Optimism: There’s no way a talented group like the Rams will be as bad this year as they were in 2007. Marc Bulger should return healthy and Steven Jackson is going to have a bounce back year with the return of tackle Orlando Pace. And how good is that defensive line going to be with the addition of Chris Long? Talk about a high motor – he and Leonard Little are going to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks this year.
Mr. Pessimism: You’re assuming that all of these players come back healthy. Pace and Little are still banged up and are taking it easy in camp. And it takes a while to get the verbiage down in new OC Al Saunders’ playbook, so assuming the offense is going to run like clockwork is a stretch, too. Last year wasn’t an aberration – the Rams are that bad.
NFC North
Chicago Bears
Mr. Optimism: Kyle Orton is the most talented quarterback on the Bears’ roster and he deserves a shot to be the full-time starter. Rookie running back Matt Forte is going to surprise a lot of people this year and the defense is still incredibly good led by linebackers Brian Urlacher (right) and Lance Briggs, as well as the best defensive tackle in the league in Tommie Harris. Oh, and Devin Hester will get this team in prime field position on every offensive series.
Mr. Pessimism: Hester got the Bears in prime field position on every offensive series last year and it still didn’t matter! The fact of the matter is that this team did next to nothing in the offseason to address the offensive line and Forte (and Orton for that matter) is still largely unproven. And what will happen with Urlacher’s contract situation? Can Harris stay healthy? There are more questions than answers in Chicago.
Detroit Lions
Mr. Optimism: Part of the problem during the Lions collapse after starting 6-2 in 2007 was that Mike Martz foolishly abandoned the run during games. New offensive coordinator Jim Colletto isn’t going to allow that to happen this season and head coach Rod Marinelli has done a fantastic job of rebuilding the culture in Detroit’s locker room. The offense is still one of the best in the conference.
Mr. Pessimism: Somehow the worst defense in the league actually got even worse. Shaun Rogers might be lazy, but he was also the Lions’ best defender and they’re going to have a Grand Canyon-sized hole in the middle of their defense now. And who are the starting corners? Brian Kelly and Travis Fisher? Good luck with that.
Green Bay Packers
Mr. Optimism: Aaron Rodgers proved against Dallas last year that he can compete in this league. He also has one of the most underrated offensive lines protecting him and several weapons at his disposal in receivers Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, as well as an emerging talent in running back Ryan Grant. The defensive line is also one of the best in the league led by Aaron Kampman, and the Pack have the best cornerback duo in the NFL in Al Harris and Charles Woodson.
Mr. Pessimism: I see you didn’t mention his lordship and how this team is sunk without #4. Face it – Brett Favre made this overachieving team into a competitor last year. Without him, they’re nothing better than 8-8 and Rodgers is going to fold like a deck of cards once defensive coordinators figure out his weakness (if they haven’t already).
Minnesota Vikings
Mr. Optimism: This is everybody’s chic pick this season, and for good reason. The Vikings have two elements that always breed success in the NFL: A solid running game and a defensive line. Adrian Peterson (right) will again run wild behind the Vikes’ solid offensive line and Jared Allen added another dimension to an already stout defensive front four. The secondary also improved with the addition of safety Madieu Williams and quarterback Tavaris Jackson is ready to take the next step.
Mr. Pessimism: The secondary improved with the addition of a safety taken from the Bengals’ defense? Please! And Jackson isn’t ready to lift this team to new heights – nor will he ever. You can count on Peterson heading for a sophomore slump and let’s see if Allen can keep out of trouble before we crown him as the best defender in the league.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
Mr. Optimism: Every year a team emerges from seemingly out of nowhere to shock the league. Rookie Matt Ryan should have no problem earning the starting quarterback role during preseason and thanks to a bevy of young talent in Michael Turner, Jerious Norwood and Roddy White, the Falcons are in better shape than people think. Plus the new front office and coaching regime has this team believing it can win again.
Mr. Pessimism: Ha! The defense lost two of its best players in DeAngelo Hall and Rod Coleman, they have no offensive line and Ryan is going to wish he were back at Boston College by Week 3. This is by far the worst team in the league and might not win more than four games again.
Carolina Panthers
Mr. Optimism: Jake Delhomme should be healthy again and the running game got a big boost with the addition of Jonathan Stewart and offensive tackle Jeff Otah. They also have one of the games most dangerous weapons in Steve Smith – a player that can score at any moment. And there is no way Julius Peppers struggles like he did in 2007. John Fox’s teams are always prepared.
Mr. Pessimism: This team can never hold it together when injuries strike, so why should this year be any different? If Delhomme goes down again, Matt Moore proved last year that he couldn’t hack it and Fox will feel the pressure of the hot seat all season.
New Orleans Saints
Mr. Optimism: The Saints had a terrific offseason, adding linebacker Jonathan Vilma, corner Randall Gay and drafting defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis. This is by far the most improved team in the NFC South (if not the entire NFC) and this will be Reggie Bush’s bounce back year. Sean Payton has one of the most innovative offensive minds in football and a solid quarterback in Drew Brees (right) at his disposal.
Mr. Pessimism: Deuce McAllister can’t stay healthy and Bush can’t run between the tackles. That defense might have gotten an expensive facelift, but the linebacker corps is still slow and the Saints have had a revolving door at corner opposite Mike McKenzie for years.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mr. Optimism: Jon Gruden proved last year all he needs for his offensive to be success is a solid game manager. He found that in quarterback Jeff Garcia and everyone saw how efficient the Bucs’ offense could be. Garcia will also love how much center Jeff Faine brings to the offensive line and Cadillac Williams should be ready to roll again after having season-ending knee surgery last year. Coordinator Monte Kiffin always gets the most out of his defenses and the secondary will improve dramatically with playmaker Aqib Talib now in the fold.
Mr. Pessimism: You’re assuming Garcia will even play this year after spending the entire offseason *****ing about his contract. Come on – this team overachieved last year and doesn’t have enough talent to win the division again. Kiffin is one of the best, but his defense was already old three years ago.
http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/07/03/mr-optimism-and-mr-pessimism-break-down-the-nfc-teams/
