Showing posts with label 2014 NFL Season Preview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2014 NFL Season Preview. Show all posts
Monday, August 25, 2014
2014 NFL Season Previews: AFC North
The season preview continues and this division includes an intriguing one. If I did this blog just a day or or two ago it would be completely different than it is now. This division is usually very competitive and now that the Browns have a defense it is more so now. Let's dive into the preview.
1. Cincinnati Bengals:
2013: 11-5, 1st in the AFC North, lost in the wildcard round of playoffs.
Key Losses: James Harrison, Kyle Cook, Andrew Hawkins, Anthony Collins, Michael Johnson, Brandon Ghee, OC Jay Gruden, DC Mike Zimmer
Key Additions: Marshall Newhouse, Jason Campbell. Darqueze Dennard, and Jeremy Hill.
Toughest Match ups: New England Patriots, Denver Broncos,
Indianapolis Colts, and the New Orleans Saints.
2014 Outcome:
This is more of a default pick than anything. I do think that the Bengals probably have the best overall team in the division. They just seem to be lacking once playoff time comes around. They will be hurt by the losses of both their coordinators. Especially Jay Gruden who helped Mold Andy Dalton into a quarterback that nobody thought was possible. Yes Dalton came up short in the playoffs but he was a guy that threw for 33 touchdowns and over 4,000 yards. I also love Giovanni Bernard and the drafting of running back Jeremy Hill will make for an effective run game. The Bengals didn't make too many moves in the offseason but they still remain the overall best team in the division. Also Dalton has looked tremendous in preseason. It may be the preseason but it has to be good to see the offense do well after losing their defensive coordinator. I see them going 10-6.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers:
2013: 8-8. Second in the AFC North. Didn't make playoffs.
Key Losses: Al Woods, Emmanuel Sanders, Ziggy Hood, Jericho Cotchery and Jonathon Dwyer
Key Additions: Lance Moore, Mike Mitchell, Darius Heyward-Bey, LeGarrette Blount and Arthur Moats.
Toughest Match ups: New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, and Kansas City Chiefs.
2013: 11-5, 1st in the AFC North, lost in the wildcard round of playoffs.
Key Losses: James Harrison, Kyle Cook, Andrew Hawkins, Anthony Collins, Michael Johnson, Brandon Ghee, OC Jay Gruden, DC Mike Zimmer
Key Additions: Marshall Newhouse, Jason Campbell. Darqueze Dennard, and Jeremy Hill.
Toughest Match ups: New England Patriots, Denver Broncos,
Indianapolis Colts, and the New Orleans Saints.
2014 Outcome:
This is more of a default pick than anything. I do think that the Bengals probably have the best overall team in the division. They just seem to be lacking once playoff time comes around. They will be hurt by the losses of both their coordinators. Especially Jay Gruden who helped Mold Andy Dalton into a quarterback that nobody thought was possible. Yes Dalton came up short in the playoffs but he was a guy that threw for 33 touchdowns and over 4,000 yards. I also love Giovanni Bernard and the drafting of running back Jeremy Hill will make for an effective run game. The Bengals didn't make too many moves in the offseason but they still remain the overall best team in the division. Also Dalton has looked tremendous in preseason. It may be the preseason but it has to be good to see the offense do well after losing their defensive coordinator. I see them going 10-6.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers:
2013: 8-8. Second in the AFC North. Didn't make playoffs.
Key Losses: Al Woods, Emmanuel Sanders, Ziggy Hood, Jericho Cotchery and Jonathon Dwyer
Key Additions: Lance Moore, Mike Mitchell, Darius Heyward-Bey, LeGarrette Blount and Arthur Moats.Toughest Match ups: New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, and Kansas City Chiefs.
Monday, August 18, 2014
2014 NFL Season Previews: NFC North
Just 16 days until the start of the NFL season, so we will continue the RTSB NFL season preview. Today I'm going to dive into the NFC North. If you want to check out Spencer's AFC East preview click here.
(Editors note: Already revising this post, The Bears have looked awful on defense this preseason and Aaron Rodgers has looked amazing so go ahead and switch the Bears and Packers in this post! I know it's flip flopping but it is still the preseason so I can change my mind.)
1. Chicago Bears
2013: 8-8, 2nd in the NFC North didn't make the playoffs,
Key Losses: Josh McCown, Julius Peppers, Michael Bush, Devin Hester and Major Wright.
Key Additions: Jared Allen, Ryan Mundy, M.D. Jennings, Domenik Hixon, Adrian Wilson, and
Kyle Fuller.
Toughest Matchups: San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers(twice), New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints.
2014 Outcome:
This is a tough decision to pick the Bears over the Packers. The Packers will be a good if not great football team but there is something I really liked about the Bears. The Bears have a better offense an overall group.
I might not take Jay Cutler over Aaron Rodgers. I will take Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and Matt Forte over the Packers offense. Those guys were all monsters under first year head coach Marc Trestman.
Now those guys will have another year of comfortability with the system under their belts. Jay Cutler will have a big year. Actually in the first 6 games before getting injured in week 7, Cutler had 12 TD's and 6 Int's to go with around a 70 QBR. The Bears were 4-2 in that span.
The Bears defense is the only problem. They let up 29.9 points per game and finished third to last in the league. What will help them is the fact that every other team in the division finished in the bottom half of the league in all the major defensive categories. They just have to play slightly better and rely on outscoring opponents.
(Editors note: Already revising this post, The Bears have looked awful on defense this preseason and Aaron Rodgers has looked amazing so go ahead and switch the Bears and Packers in this post! I know it's flip flopping but it is still the preseason so I can change my mind.)
2013: 8-8, 2nd in the NFC North didn't make the playoffs,
Key Losses: Josh McCown, Julius Peppers, Michael Bush, Devin Hester and Major Wright.
Key Additions: Jared Allen, Ryan Mundy, M.D. Jennings, Domenik Hixon, Adrian Wilson, and
Kyle Fuller.
Toughest Matchups: San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers(twice), New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints.
2014 Outcome:
This is a tough decision to pick the Bears over the Packers. The Packers will be a good if not great football team but there is something I really liked about the Bears. The Bears have a better offense an overall group.
I might not take Jay Cutler over Aaron Rodgers. I will take Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and Matt Forte over the Packers offense. Those guys were all monsters under first year head coach Marc Trestman.
Now those guys will have another year of comfortability with the system under their belts. Jay Cutler will have a big year. Actually in the first 6 games before getting injured in week 7, Cutler had 12 TD's and 6 Int's to go with around a 70 QBR. The Bears were 4-2 in that span.
The Bears defense is the only problem. They let up 29.9 points per game and finished third to last in the league. What will help them is the fact that every other team in the division finished in the bottom half of the league in all the major defensive categories. They just have to play slightly better and rely on outscoring opponents.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
2014 NFL Season Previews: AFC East
Just 17 days. That's how long we have to wait for the NFL season to return. In honor of the occasion Running The Spread Blog is breaking down the upcoming season division by division.
Today we begin with the AFC East.
1. New England Patriots
2013: 12-4, won the AFC East. Lost in AFC Championship Game.
Key Losses: RB LaGarrette Blount, CB Aqib Talib, LB Brandon Spikes, LB Dane Fletcher and TE Mathew Mulligan.
Key Additions: CB Darrelle Revis, CB Brandon Browner, Rookie DL Dominique Easley, S Patrick Chung, WR Brandon LaFell, DE Will Smith and LB James Anderson
Toughest Match-ups in 2014: Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers
2014 Outcome:
the secondary, as well as Smith and Anderson at linebacker. I'm definitely not worried about a loss like Talib because Revis is a better defender than him anyway, arguably the best in the game. Those other guys give them depth defensively, which they didn't have last year. Easley is coming off an ACL injury and is slowly working his way into practice. As a rookie he'll probably get out to a slow start as he regains a feel for the game, but he certainly has the potential to be dangerous for them upfront. Offensively LaFell adds some more depth at receiver for Brady following a year where his options were limited and inexperienced. Rob Gronkowski's return from injury obviously helps the cause as well, but New England needs him to stay healthy. If he does Brady has a number of solid targets to throw to, and that can make this offense extremely dangerous. I predict that the AFC East title will once again reside in New England.
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