Week 1 Preview

Aaron Rodgers begins the Packers' quest for the Superbowl at Lambeau Field. 

Patrick Willis and the 49ers, take on the Packers  in Green  Bay. 

Sunday begins the first of many, many glorious Sundays. On Sunday Peyton Manning will throw his first pass in two years. On Sunday Chris Johnson, will try to redeem himself. On Sunday, fantasy football will begin. On Sunday, it will be week 1, finally! And now, here are previews of each game.

Indianapolis Colts at Chicago Bears 
The era of Luck begins for the Colts. Unfortunately, they face one of the best defenses in the NFL. Matt Forte recently signed a new contract, and will be looking to exploit the Colts' defense. In addition, new acquisition Brandon Marshall is reunited with his former Broncos teammate, Jay Cutler. Expect big things to happen for the Bears, not so much for the Colts.
Bears over Colts 

Philadelphia Eagles at Cleveland Browns
Last year, great things were expected for the Eagles. They were expected to reach the Superbowl. They had an amazing team. And then, it just didn't work. This season, the Eagles should do well. Their team is solid, and if things go the right way, they could make a playoff push. For the Browns, it is much different. They are starting a 28 year old rookie, and Heisman finalist Trent Richardson. The Browns are not expected to contend, and won't have much of a factor in this game. It will be a test.
Eagles over Browns 

New England Patriots at Tennessee Titans 
The Superbowl runner-ups begin their quest to reach the big game again in Nashville. The Patriots, who have one of the easiest schedules in the NFL, added another offensive weapon, receiver Brandon Lloyd. Second year back Stevan Ridley, will also look to run a couple of times. This game for the  Titans, is mainly to make sure Johnson is back like he was in 2010, and that Jake Locker can make a good impression. Expect Ryan Mallet to take a few snaps in the fourth quarter, you know when the game is already decided.
Patriots over Titans 

Atlanta Falcons at Kansas City Chiefs 
Jamaal Charles and Tony Moeaki are back. And boy, the Chiefs are glad. The Chiefs could have made a playoff push last year, had it not been for their injuries. Matt Ryan is ready to showcase that he is an elite quarterback. With a choice of weapons that include Julio Jones, Roddy White, and the great Tony Gonzalez, he has the chance. In a very close game, the Chiefs have the advantage, as they are playing at home. And, Charles can explode.
Chiefs over Falcons 

Jacksonville Jaguars at Minnesota Vikings 
MJD's back! That's great news for Jaguars fans, but unfortunately he has not had enough practice to become the primary back just yet. This job falls to Rashad Jennings. The Vikings have some running back problems of their own, as Adrian Peterson is a gametime decision. That leaves Christian Ponder and Percy Harvin. These two can connect for numerous passes, as they did last year. This will probably happen, as MJD's loss, will be too much for the Jaguars.
Vikings over Jaguars 

Washington Redskins at New Orleans Saints 
RG3 vs. Drew Brees. The rookie against the seasoned veteran. The Saints now have another advantage, defensive end Will Smith is back. He won his appeal in the bounty case, and is going to play Sunday. Even worse news for the Redskins, who don't even know who their primary running back is going to be. Expect Brees to have a fantastic game, with tight end Jimmy Graham.
Saints over Redskins 

Buffalo Bills at New York Jets 
Normally, in this matchup of AFC east rivals, the Jets would have the upper hand. Not with the vastly improved Bills defense. With the additions of Mario Williams and Mark Anderson, the Bills are stacked. The Jets on the other hand, have a quarterback problem, and not a big time target. Expect Sanchez and Tebow to get sacked. A lot.
Bills over Jets 

St. Louis Rams at Detroit Lions 
A matchup of the only team to ever go 0-16, against a team that could very well do that same thing this year. The Lions have a solid team, led by Stafford and Megatron, as well as Titus Young and Nate Burleson. Their defense is also great. For the Rams, Steven Jackson is still there, but there's not much else. The Lions could roll all over the Rams.
Lions over Rams 

Miami Dolphins at Houston Texans 
Another team without a big time receiver. The Dolphins do have Davone Bess, but if your number one receiver is owned in just 16.4% of ESPN leagues, you have a problem. The Texans, however, have one of the best Quarterback, Running back, Receiver combinations in Matt Schaub, Arian Foster, and Andre Johnson. Assuming they all can stay healthy, a big assumption, they could make a run for the championship.And this game is a good start.
Texans over Dolphins 

San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers 
The 49ers look great. A fantastic defense, solid running game, and an average passing game. Many people think they could reach the Superbowl. The Packers, have one of, if not the best quarterback in football. Aaron Rodgers has many targets in which to throw. Alex Smith has new acquisition Mario Manningham, Michael Crabtree, and.... Randy Moss. In a game of complete opposites, a great offensive against great defense, offense should prevail. But it will be close.
Packers over 49ers 

Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals 
The Seahawks are a sleeper team. Russell Wilson could be the next Cam Newton or Michael Vick. And along with Marshawn Lynch, they have a great offense. The Cardinals have Larry Fitzgerald..... and John Skelton who stole the job away from millionaire Kevin Kolb. Marshawn and Russell Wilson will attempt to look their best, while Fitzgerald will catch everything that is thrown to him.
Seahawks over Cardinals 

Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 
An NFC South rivalry. Cam Newton vs. Josh Freeman. Everyone is wondering what Cam Newton will do. Will he have a sophomore slump, or will he have another great season. The Buccaneers are looking to rebound from a disappointing season. Freeman, who now has a great receiver in Vincent Jackson will try to throw as much as possible. Cam Newton will run, a lot, and it will be hard for the buccaneers to catch him.
Panthers over Buccaneers 

Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos
Peyton Manning's second act begins at Qwest field. For the Broncos receivers, it is a feeling of joy. Unfortunately, they will be taking on the best passing defense in the game last year. Peyton has some options and hopes to develop DeMaryius Thomas in a top threat, like Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison. Ben Roethlisberger has his two main targets, Antonio Brown and Mike Wallace. Their defense is also top notch. Though the team is getting older, they are still the Steelers.
Steelers over Broncos 

Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens 
A fierce AFC North rivalry begins again. The duo of A.J Green and Andy Dalton starts in year two with big expectations. The Ravens begin this season feeling a bit old, and tired. But with Ray Rice and young receiver Torrey Smith, anything can happen. Both of these teams have great defenses. This is another game that will come down to homefield advantage.
Ravens over Bengals 

San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders 
To round out Week 1 of the NFL season, are two teams in different places. One team, the Chargers finished 8-8 last season and was disappointed. The other, the Raiders, finished 8-8 and were happy. The Chargers still have Philip Rivers, but they lost their biggest threat, Vincent Jackson. The Raiders have Carson Palmer, and young star Denarius Moore. Also, they have Darren McFadden, who if healthy could be very explosive. The Chargers are also always slow starters.
Raiders over Chargers

NFL Preview 2012

Ray Lewis will lead his Ravens to the Superbowl. 

Matt Forte will lead his Bears  over the Ravens in the Superbowl. 

It's back. The sport that we've all been waiting for. The best five months of the year. A time of tailgating, endless pizza deliveries, and many moments shouting "Oh no, and Oh yes!" have finally arrived. It is time for the NFL 2012.

But wait, first let's recap the summer. Mario Williams signed with the Bills, who now have one of the best defenses in the NFL, Terrell Suggs tore his ACL, and is questionable for the rest of the season, the Patriots added a deep ball threat to complement their tight ends, in Brandon Lloyd, and finally, the Jets traded for Tim Tebow. Also, Mike Wallace and MJD each had holdouts, but eventually went back to their teams.

Now, let's get to the preview. There are many different ways this NFL season could pan out, especially with replacement refs for at least Week 1. Ten different questions are going to be asked, all ten are going to be answered. These questions are going to be about players, teams, coaches, and just anything NFL. So sit back with some chips and salsa. These should be interesting.

Question 1: Who will win each of the divisions? 
The most common question. First the East Divisions. AFC: Patriots, who have arguably the easiest schedule in the NFL, will cruise to be Division champs yet again. NFC: The defending champion Giants have some quirks that they need to fix, but they will still be able to win the Division. AFC North: The Ravens will win, despite the loss of Terrell Suggs, but the Bengals will be fierce challengers. NFC North: The Packers will win the division again, even with the addition of Brandon Marshall to the Bears. AFC South: In one of the weakest divisions in football, Houston led by its defense, will win a second consecutive division title. NFC South: With the Saints in trouble because of the bountygate, the Falcons, led by a fantastic offense will win the division. AFC West: The addition of Peyton Manning may help, but it will be the Chargers, not the Broncos who will surprise everyone and win the division. NFC West: In what was once a division where a 7-9 team made the playoffs, the 49ers will win an extremely weak division.

Question 2: Who are some teams that could sneak up on people? 
The Kansas City Chiefs. With Jamaal Charles healthy, this was a team that was able to make the playoffs a couple years ago. If Dwayne Bowe can repeat his 2011 season, the defense can hold up, these guys could win the division. The Philadelphia Eagles. The "Dream Team" was unfortunately unable to reach the playoffs, and Mike Vick, and LeSean McCoy want to keep Andy Reid's job. If DeSean Jackson "tries" this season, they have a chance. The Detroit Lions. Matt Stafford and Megatron. Those two are one of the best WR-QB combinations in the NFL. If the defense gets better, don't be surprised if they win a wildcard spot.

Question 3: How will Peyton Manning do? 
Manning will not be wearing the familiar Blue and White of the Indianapolis Colts. He is with a new team, and a new coach. Manning will be solid, but will not be what he once was. It won't be like the Brett Favre on the Vikings and Jets, but it won't be the Peyton Manning-Marvin Harrison.

Question 4: Will Maurice Jones-Drew play? 
MJD is slated to start as a third down back during Week 1, as he has just ended his holdout. Rashad Jennings will get the majority of the carries, and depending on how he does, will effect MJD's playing time. Remember, this is the same MJD who led the league in rushing last year.

Question 5: Will the Madden Curse affect Calvin Johnson? 
When Calvin Johnson was announced as the cover of Madden '13, fantasy owners everywhere were worried. Why? Because of something called the Madden curse. Shaun Alexander, Vince Young, these are just two players who have been on the cover of Madden, and were never the same. Megatron will be different. Johnson has a fantastic quarterback throwing to him, and will still score plenty of touchdowns.

Question 6: Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III 
These two rookie quarterbacks went 1-2 in the draft last April. Who will have a better rookie season? It will be the man who went number two, RG3. Griffin is a fantastic quarterback, and has better talent around him than Luck does. Though Luck does have his college teammate Coby Fleener, RG3 has speed, and new acquisition Pierre Garcon and Fred Davis.

Question 7: Which Chris Johnson will we see? 
Chris Johnson ruined many fantasy owners lives last season, with his horrible year. Many people were hesitant to take him. But why? It could've just been a down year. He has a chance to bounce back, and be a great back again. Though he may not be as good as 2010, he still will be able to have a solid year.

Question 8: Who will be the MVP? 
Last year it was Aaron Rodgers. This year? It's a tight race. There are the three elite quarterbacks, as well as the running backs, and of course Calvin Johnson. But this year, the NFL MVP will go to Arian Foster. Foster is being hyped as the running back in the game, and he will be this season. If Andre Johnson gets injured, as he hasn't played a full season in two years, which will cause the passing game to be scaled back. Expect Arian to win the rushing title.

Question 9: Who will win tomorrow's game, Giants vs. Cowboys? 
The Cowboys will try to start off their 2012 campaign strong after a disappointing last season. Led by Tony Romo and DeMarco Murray, and a much improved secondary, the Cowboys could be hard to beat. However, the Giants have a great team of their own. Filled with salsa dancers, and Superbowl winners, the Giants have a versatile team. The Cowboys fixed their secondary this offseason, and who knows, Victor Cruz might cool down from last season. The pick: Cowboys 

Question 10: Finally, who will win the Superbowl? 
This season, there are a surplus of teams who can contend for the Superbowl. It is all about who has the best luck, as the Patriots and the Giants learned last year. The Chicago Bears, one of the most improved teams of the offseason, with one of the league's best defenses, and best running backs, will make a run to the Superbowl. Their opponent, will be the Baltimore Ravens. Led by Joe Flacco, Ray Rice, and an old but stellar defense, the Ravens will avenge their AFC championship loss. The Bears however, will conquer the Ravens.

The Most Pointless Games in Sports

Michael Vick being knocked down by Patriots lineman Jermaine Cunningham,.Vick needed to leave and was X-rayed. 

Each year there are five unnecessary games played. These games don't count. Most of the teams' prominent players do not even play. It's the players who are fighting for a job who play. They risk getting concussions, torn ACL's and more serious injuries. If you haven't guessed it already, it's the NFL preseason.

Already, after just two weeks, starting Bengals offensive guard Travelle Wharton is already out for the season. How did this happen? Tore his ACL in a Week 1 pre-season game. Austin Collie, Colts Wide Receiver, suffered yet another concussion, and his return status is unknown. Linebacker Chris Chamberlain, who was competing for a starting position on the Saints, tore his ACL just this past weekend. Lastly, and perhaps most notably, Michael Vick has been hit hard multiple times this preseason. The second time, forced him to leave the game against the Patriots, and had to get X-rays. Luckily for the Eagles, they came back negative, but coach Andy Reid is not playing him the rest of preseason.

The last example says it best. Vick got hurt, and they don't want to risk him getting hurt more so they will let him rest until the games actually count. Unfortunately, Travelle Wharton, Austin Collie, and Chris Chamberlain weren't so blessed. They were trying to fight for their jobs but instead got injured, and will have to sit out a year. They will then become a year older, and as a result a year weaker.

There are some coaches who are smart. Like Norv Turner for example. Turner let starting quarterback Phil Rivers, throw just five passes in the teams win over Green Bay. Why? Because it's preseason, and it does not matter! In fact, Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy, allowed Aaron Rodgers to throw just eight passes, for presumably the same reason. It's preseason, and they don't want their players to get injured.

Commissioner Goodell, you talked about expanding the season to 18 games. Most of these players play 21 games already, and that isn't including playoffs. Think about all of the ACL's you could be tearing, and the concussions that you could be causing. You can keep the preseason, just don't make it five games. Make it say, two, or even three. Because this way, at least guys like Tom Brady could play.

One could make the argument that preseason is a waste in all the major sports, but football it is the worst. In baseball, the starters have just one At-bat, and then get replaced by Triple-A players. In basketball, the teams usually play European teams, and don't often get injured.

Football is the sport with the most injuries, so why not minimize the amount of games played? Just leave it till when it really counts, the season. Let the players play their hardest then.