Who's the surprise teams this year?

[ABQCOWBOY]

It occurs to me that we have beaten one another up so completely this off season that it might be good to examine some other teams. This may be a topic that is moved to NFL but I thought it might be intersting to get opinion.

Who do most of you think might be able to surprise this year? The Cowboys are excluded as I know we all believe we are going to win yet another. Tell me who the other teams are that you think will contened.

My dark horse teams this year are Detroit and Oakland.

Weigh in.

 

[Doomsday101]

It occurs to me that we have beaten one another up so completely this off season that it might be good to examine some other teams. This may be a topic that is moved to NFL but I thought it might be intersting to get opinion.

Who do most of you think might be able to surprise this year? The Cowboys are excluded as I know we all believe we are going to win yet another. Tell me who the other teams are that you think will contened.

My dark horse teams this year are Detroit and Oakland.

Weigh in.

I would agree with you on Detriot, I also think the Cards with Denny Green running the show will be a much improved team

 

[Juke99]

If I say who it is, then it's not going to be a surprise anymore.






Detroit

 

[CactusCowboy]

Cards, don't like Harrington or Garcia, so I say no for the Lions, I think the Ravens have a chance to win it all..my sleeper team.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I would agree with you on Detriot, I also think the Cards with Denny Green running the show will be a much improved team

Now that's a good pick. I considered them as well. In truth, if I new for sure that Warner was healthy, I probably would have selected them myself. I love there WRs and I think Arrington is going to be an interesting little back for them. Okeafor is coming off two decent seasons of 8 and 8.5 sacks, Dockett has talent and will be in his 2nd year, Barry was an excellent sign, IMO, and if you can ever get Wendell Bryant kickstarted, you have a very nice front four right there. Huff is fairly steady at MLB, Dansby had an excellent rookie year with 60 tackles and 5 sacks at OLB. Secondary is pretty solid with Ohalete, Griffith, Macklin and now Rolle.

I really like what they've done the last few years.

 

[AtlCB]

Lions and Jets

I also see the Seaskwawks, Panthers, Ravens, and Bungles making a little noise this year as well.

The Commanders, 49ers, Titans, and Dolphins will suprise everyone by how horribly bad football can be played.

 

[Hoovie]

Detroit has everything put together. They just need a QB to step up.

The Cards are slowly improving, but have QB issues also. Can Warner push them through, I have my doubts.

Oakland has a chance to do something spectacular. Moss and Porter, a couple of good TE's, a good OLine. RB's are iffy, and Kerry Collins isn't exactly a star QB. On the other hand, he can throw the deep ball, which is really all they need.

Chargers... I called this 2 years ago(after the LT/Brees draft). Can Brees do it agian? Yes, I know they went to the playoffs last year, so not really a sleeper. Best RB in football, greatly improving D, 2 young QB's, a young upcoming TE. WR's kind of bother me though.

Jags... I can't believe no ones said them yet. If Byron can pull it together and be more consistant, they could be a force.

Falc's, another playoff team. All depends on Ron Mexico, I mean Vick.

EDIT: To the guy that said the Ravens: Until Kyle Boller can prove to me he's anything but a bust, I don't think the Ravens are going anywhere special.

 

[Doomsday101]

Now that's a good pick. I considered them as well. In truth, if I new for sure that Warner was healthy, I probably would have selected them myself. I love there WRs and I think Arrington is going to be an interesting little back for them. Okeafor is coming off two decent seasons of 8 and 8.5 sacks, Dockett has talent and will be in his 2nd year, Barry was an excellent sign, IMO, and if you can ever get Wendell Bryant kickstarted, you have a very nice front four right there. Huff is fairly steady at MLB, Dansby had an excellent rookie year with 60 tackles and 5 sacks at OLB. Secondary is pretty solid with Ohalete, Griffith, Macklin and now Rolle.

I really like what they've done the last few years.

I just think the differance will be Denny Green, I think he will make the Cards a better offensive team and I think they have a pretty decent defense. Don't get me wrong I don't see the Cards as a SB bound team only one that I think will be a much improved team.

 

[Banned_n_austin]

Mine are Detroit and Cincy ... and of course, the Cowboys.

 

[Seven]

I would agree with you on Detriot, I also think the Cards with Denny Green running the show will be a much improved team

Thief!!

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I just think the differance will be Denny Green, I think he will make the Cards a better offensive team and I think they have a pretty decent defense. Don't get me wrong I don't see the Cards as a SB bound team only one that I think will be a much improved team.

I'll tell you another team nobody better sleep on and that's Carolina. Philly better be watching every little move this team makes because there strong in a lot of places. You look at this team last year with a lot of injuries early going 1-7 and they could easily have packed it in. They finished 6-2 and could easily have finished 8-0 but for a couple of bad breaks. This is a team that is a year removed from the SuperBowl.

They have what I consider to be the best front four in football. They have excellent LBs, They have Mintor, Bashir, Ricky Manning coming back and they signed Ken Lucas, and excellent young CB, from Seattle.

Delhomme is a player and I don't think anybody can argue that point. They have pretty decent WRs in Steve Smith, Ricky Prohoel and Kerry Colbert. They got RBs for days. They got Davis, Foster, a kid named Robertson and they just drafted Shelton. Throw in Hoover at FB and maybe this is where they aquire OL help. They have decent TEs in Mangum and Jones. Really, OL is the only problem I see. Mitchell and Wahle are solid at C and LG respectively. Gross is a Pro Bowl talent at LT. Fordham is a journeyman RT at best and RG is a question. They get this figured out and I think they'll stomp Philly. Well, this and a kicker.

This is also a team who I feel had a really nice draft. In addition to Shelton, they took Davis from Georgia. This is a player who I think can be better then RLW. They took Mathis at G, Ellison, a DT from Missou, Seward at LB, Emanual at FS and Jovan Haye at DE. This was a great draft for Carolina.

I really like this team.

 

[Boy's fan in Giant land]

Ravens. We all know their D can hold up their end of the bargain. On the other side of the ball, Boller is protected by one of the best O-lines in the game. Last yr, his 1st full season as a starter, he only threw 11 ints. on 464 attempts. Unimpressive yardage totals but who the heck did he have to throw it to? Their best receiver (Heap) was out injured most of the season, leaving a 6th round rookie to lead the receiving corp with a measly 4 TD's. (Clarence Moore. 6'6", 220 lbs. This kid's height is going to create mismatches big time this season.)

Heap is back & healthy, Derrick Mason & Mark Clayton have been added to the receiving corps, and Jamal Lewis has something to prove. IF Boller can step it up this season, they're going to very tough to beat.

 

[Seven]

Ravens. We all know their D can hold up their end of the bargain. On the other side of the ball, Boller is protected by one of the best O-lines in the game. Last yr, his 1st full season as a starter, he only threw 11 ints. on 464 attempts. Unimpressive yardage totals but who the heck did he have to throw it to? Their best receiver (Heap) was out injured most of the season, leaving a 6th round rookie to lead the receiving corp with a measly 4 TD's. (Clarence Moore. 6'6", 220 lbs. This kid's height is going to create mismatches big time this season.)

Heap is back & healthy, Derrick Mason & Mark Clayton have been added to the receiving corps, and Jamal Lewis has something to prove. IF Boller can step it up this season, they're going to very tough to beat.

yeah....Tell this to Hoov. Boller was stepping it up.......all year. He had nothing offensively on the other end of a throw. In last years situation he knows how tough the NF of L really is, he's taken his lumps. With that under his belt and with what he'll have for receivers in '05.......Ask Breeze how nice it is. A little 'ol TE made his day.

 

[SuspectCorner]

the lions and cards are actually getting some props nowadays. they get any more and they move outta the "darkhorse" category... i, too, like the upside on 'em.

 

[blindzebra]

I think the real surprise will be how balanced...or crappy, if you are so inclined...the league will be this year.

11-5 may just land home-field.

The teams mentioned already will gain a couple of games with NE, PHI, ATL, PIT, SD, GB, SEA and STL falling off.

The only teams I'd completely rule out are CLE, SF and TEN.

 

[dargonking999]

I think the real surprise will be how balanced...or crappy, if you are so inclined...the league will be this year.

11-5 may just land home-field.

The teams mentioned already will gain a couple of games with NE, PHI, ATL, PIT, SD, GB, SEA and STL falling off.

The only teams I'd completely rule out are CLE, SF and TEN.

people said the ame thig about SD you know :

 

[WilmingtonHeel]

Bengals and I agree about Carolina and Arizona.

 

[SuspectCorner]

The only teams I'd completely rule out are CLE, SF and TEN.

in a QB-driven league.... i wouldn't rule out a team like the Titans.

i am far from sold on the demise of Steve McNair - and his reliever, Billy Volek, has looked (to me) as good as any backup in the NFL.

cap-strapped? yes.

dead in the water? hardly.

 

[Mash]

I agree..

McNair is a very good QB and its his first offseason in awhile that he hasn't had to deal with nagging injuries. Teamed with Brown and its young WR's....I'm picking the Titans as my surprise team....they will not challenge for the Bowl but they will not be in the bottom third in the league in wins.

Chow will opened the offence up for McNair. Expect big numbers from McNair

 

[Boy's fan in Giant land]

in a QB-driven league.... i wouldn't rule out a team like the Titans.

i am far from sold on the demise of Steve McNair - and his reliever, Billy Volek, has looked (to me) as good as any backup in the NFL.

cap-strapped? yes.

dead in the water? hardly.

Took the words right out of my mouth. McNairs been injured so often in his career and played thru it. Last year, he suffered a wound that could not be played with. This guy's a frickin' trooper if I've ever seen one. I would imagine that he's quite well rested, is in very good shape, knows exactly how much his value has dropped, is totally flamin PISSED about it, and is determined to come out & show us all that he ain't been put to pasture yet.
Let's not forget, this guy took league MVP a few years back. (or did he share it with Peyton? Fuzzy right now...)