Following an exciting first round, we break down the favorite picks, most pleasant and biggest surprises, most under-appreciated pick, worst move and more.
Peyton Manning, Mario Williams, Mike Wallace and Carl Nicks headline an intriguing free agent class that can shift the balance of power this offseason.
The Eagles seemingly came out of nowhere to sign Nnamdi Asomugha as they eye a trip to the Super Bowl.
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My favorite band, the unarguably awesome Dream Theater, has produced a great many songs and lyrics that I find streaming through my mind during various trains of thought. One that has always stuck with me is from one of their strangest, least-liked songs, ?Space Dye Vest?. It was written by former keyboardist Kevin Moore just before he left the band, and the remaining bandmates have never figured out what the hell he meant with this song. But it contains one of my all-time favorite lines, and it fits perfectly for my current state of mind. In that stream of consciousness spirit, here is my ?There?s nowhere to set my aim, so I?m everywhere? offering. With so many different and divergent things happening in the NFL at this time of year, it?s too hard to focus on just one thing.
This column is best enjoyed while listening to Dream Theater?s Awake CD, or perhaps Dance of the Manatee by Fair to Midland, fueled by some strong coffee and some fresh pineapple...
--I talked to two different 49ers in the past week about their QB situation, and the decision to go with JT O?Sullivan is well-received in the locker room. Both guys also expressed real concern over deposed starter Alex Smith. After telling me that ?Alex is only our third QB because we can?t have a fourth?, he talked about how difficult the last year has been for Smith and that he?s worried about not just Smith?s football future but his general welfare. One thing looks certain, and that is that Alex Smith is done in San Francisco.
--Anyone else sick of Shawne Merriman?s shameless attention grab with his ongoing knee question? Note to Mr. Steroids: when three different doctors tell you that you need reconstructive surgery, you don?t need a 4th opinion. You bite the bullet, get the surgery, and rehab like crazy so you can get back on the field in 2009. The Chargers have a longer window of Super Bowl-caliber potential than this season.
--Watching the Panthers absolutely dominate the Redskins in the 3rd preseason game, I have to think my pick of Carolina to win 11 games might be on the conservative side. You simply don?t manhandle teams like that, not even in the preseason, unless you are poised for greatness. The Skins barely had enough healthy bodies to fill the 2-deep for a week afterwards.
--My early pick for Defensive Rookie of the Year: Kenny Phillips of the Giants. He?s consistently been the best DB on the field from the start of preseason, and you can bet he?ll get more opportunities to shine now that the pass rush has taken the Umenyiora hit. It doesn?t hurt that every Giants' game will be seen on national TV.
--I love the delusional optimism of fans of certain teams this time of year every season. This year it?s Bears' fans who take the cake for the rosiest glasses. Two different emailers called me out for predicting a 5-11 finish, and both had the audacity to vociferously argue why the Bears are going to win the NFC. I hear much of the same on Chicago sports radio. I?ll tell you Bears fans who look at your team and see ?playoffs? what everyone from outside NYC tells ultra-obnoxious Knicks fans every year: Take away the uniforms for a minute. If the Bears offense was in Tampa Bay or Philly, you?d laugh at it and wonder how they?ll win even 2 games. It?s okay to be optimistic, but the bitter pill y?all are about to swallow will go down easier with a little dose of reality right now.
--I?m not the type to root against anyone, but the more I keep hearing Brett Favre mania not dying down, the more I want both him and the Jets to fail miserably. Actually, the one person I?ve openly rooted against in the past can now help me out. Bill Parcells has assembled a Dolphins' team that just might pass the Jets in the standings. Go Tuna!
--All this clamoring for a 17th game is ridiculous. What league plays an odd number of games?!? My abbreviated solution: 18 games, 20 weeks, no expansion of the playoffs, one neutral site game for every team, three preseason games with the 3rd being a home game for the teams who only get 8 regular season home dates and the starters must play half the game, and rosters increased to 55 on game day and 62 total.
--On that subject, my annual call for reform of the injured reserve rears its head once again. IR should come in stages like every other sport and not automatically wipe out a season. Have 4-week, 8-week, and full-season injured reserves, with the limitation that a player can only be put on any IR once per season. I?ve outlined the numerous benefits in past articles; if you care, email me and I?ll lay them out for you.
--I wonder how much it would cost to get field turf installed in my back yard.
--Just a general subjective observation (aren?t they all?) but it seems like the officiating this preseason is better than in past years. I don?t mind the delays when officials congregate to discuss a play, so long as they get it right.
--I got a nice email from a member of the Ravens front office regarding their QB situation, and it?s not a pretty picture. Kyle Boller?s shoulder is essentially shot, Troy Smith isn?t close to 100% and has missed out on loads of practice time, and rookie Joe Flacco needs at least a year of clipboard duty. Scale back your win total prediction for Baltimore; my 7-9 pick looks extremely optimistic right now.
--I live in an apparent ?Swing Vote? state (Michigan), which means I?m barraged with political ads these days. Here?s hoping that my NFL viewing isn?t tainted by political ads, and here?s how you can help. I?m a genuinely undecided voter for the Presidential campaign, and I?ve decided to give my vote to the candidate who I see less advertisements supporting on TV between August 20th and Election Day. Right now the tally on the legal pad under my remote says ?McCain 164, Obama 109?. Yes folks, that?s in one week, and I watch less TV than most people. If more people adopted my plan, football viewing season would be so much more enjoyable for us all!
--Three intriguing rookies off the mainstream path: RB Chris Johnson in Tennessee, OL Chad Reinhart in Washington, and WR Marcus Smith in Baltimore. All three might wind up being significant contributors right away.
--Because so many people have asked, my BCS Bowl predictions:
National Title game: Ohio State vs. Oklahoma, in a game someone has to win
Rose Bowl: Wisconsin vs. USC
Orange Bowl: Clemson vs. Pittsburgh
Fiesta: Georgia vs. Texas Tech
Sugar: Florida vs. BYU
--My wife is due with our second child on Sept. 8th, which happens to be the first day of Monday Night Football. For all you out there who don?t want the inconvenience of child birth disrupting your early-season football viewing pleasure, don?t impregnate your woman between Thanksgiving and MLK Day. Especially at halftime of the Week 16 Lions game...
--All the years of relative luck on the injury front appear to finally be catching up with the Colts. Yes they?ve had injuries to guys like Freeney, Sanders, and Harrison in recent years, but this team simply cannot adequately cover for Peyton Manning or Jeff Saturday not being at 100%, and both Sanders and Freeney are still walking wounded. That beautiful new stadium will have to tide over Colts' fans until the team gets (hopefully) healthy come November.
