Jeff Risdon - Football Analysis

For my money, this is the best team in the NFC...on paper. With all the key players back from last year?s successful season and so many of those key players in their primes, it?s hard to see Dallas not being a big factor in the NFC. Read more »

The Bucs have considerably more hope at QB and on the critical defensive line, but it?s all very young. Chalk this up as a growth year while the young talent gets its collective feet wet and adjusts to the NFL game together. Read more »

The new edition of the Eagles is better than many are predicting, but they'll still likely need help to get into the playoffs. Read more »

A shift of Nnamdi Asomugha on defense, what the loss of Ty Warren means for the Patriots, Glen Coffee's sudden retirement and much more. Read more »

The arrow is pointing up in Kansas City after an offseason of strong personnel moves that upgraded the overall talent level; the question is how high up it can go. Read more »

This is the most talented overall roster the Lions have trotted out since the beginning of the Matt Millen train wreck a decade ago. But as Chuck Daly once said, "A pessimist is an optimist with experience." Read more »

For the first time in many years, the Patriots are not the most talented team in the division or the prohibitive favorites. But they may wear the hat of lowered expectations with a vengeance. Read more »

The Ravens have an improved passing game to go with their excellent running offense and dominant defensive front seven, but their schedule will make homefield advantage in the playoffs difficult to achieve. Read more »

We have real, legit football on the immediate horizon and here are 10 quick impressions on some recent events around the NFL. Read more »

The 49ers have become the popular pick to win the NFC West, but they remain a flawed group and a return to the playoffs is far from a given. Read more »

Carolina has the best running offense in the NFL, and this franchise has a history of outperforming expectations in supposed ?down? years. Read more »

If the offense can put up points, there is no question Cincinnati will be back in the playoffs, with a better chance of actually winning a game this time. But the schedule is quite ominous. Read more »

No team lost more quality players this offseason than the Cardinals. How quickly and effectively the replacements can fill the void (particularly Leinart and Washington) is the difference between another playoff trip and a long, disappointing campaign. Read more »

This is probably the thinnest team the Colts have had since the impressive run began, so any key injuries (Manning, Wayne, Freeney, Saturday, Brackett, Bethea) could cause major problems. Chalk up another 12-4 regular season, but a return to the Super Bowl is less likely. Read more »

As Raiders showed late last year, when they get even mediocre QB play, they?re good enough to compete. There are still questions about both lines, and a lot of the great athletes need to become better football players in order to make a big jump. Read more »

The Bills cleaned house in the front office and coaching staff, bringing in brand new schemes despite doing it with decidedly old dogs in Coach Chan Gailey and GM Buddy Nix. Read more »

There?s enough talent to contend, and if the lines hold up these Bears are a legit playoff contender and 10-11 win team. But this has not been a top-half defense in years now, which means they'll have to outscore many teams. Read more »

It?s hard to ignore the injury-fed collapse in 2009, where a 5-0 start turned into an 8-8 debacle. This could still be a playoff team, but for that to happen a lot of variables have to go their way. Read more »

There is clear stratification between the top-7, the next-6, the following-8, and then the remainder to the bottom-2, which are well behind the rest. Read more »

To the intense delight of owners and those of us who can?t stand baseball?s tedium or soccer?s unbelievably horrific officiating, the NFL clock never stops ticking. Read more »