Newbie throwing our some predictions

AFC:

Div Winners: Pats, Ravens, Texans, Chargers. WC: Jets, Steelers.

NFC:

Div Winners: Eagles, Packers, Falcons, Rams. WC: Saints, Lions.

O-Rookie of the year: Julio Jones

D-Rookie of the year: Mason Foster


Some of these are obvious but a few might need explaining so lets go with the more controversial picks.

Ravens: No they haven't had as impressive a pre-season as PIT but it's just pre-season. I like the youth they've bought in a WR and the signing of Leach will really help the run game. D will be as good as ever.

Colts missing play-offs: Everyone knows Manning is a doubt to start the season and the team is paper thin once you take him away. Their running game is disastrous and so Collins/Painter will have to put the points up and i just can't see it. The D is, as ever, poor inside and designed to defend teams having to throw on them, won't happen this year.

Falcons over Saints: I like what both teams have done on O this off season but I trust the under-rated Falcons D more than Gregg Williams' unit in New Orleans. The Saints have gotten the hype for the signings of Franklin and Rogers up front but it's still mostly the same guys who let Seattle run rampant on them, and i don't like it.

Lions over Bears: Seems crazy since Chicago won 11 games and earned a bye last year but their schedule was weak in 2010 and they've dispensed with Cutler's safety net, TE Greg Olsen, while the OL continues to look like swiss cheese. I'm buying the Lions. Love Calvin, love that D-Line.

Mason Foster: This is historically a Line-backer award and Foster is going to be an every down Mike from day one for the Bucs.

I’ve noticed quite a few people are going for the Texans in the AFC South this season. My concerns with the Texans, and I’ve mentioned them before, are on the defense and the fact they are quite light up front. We’ll have to wait until the regular season to find out but I’ve got a feeling they are going to get run on like they have during PS. Moving Mario Williams to OLB is something else I’m not fully convinced about and FO wrote a good article about his position switch just recently. Do I think he can play the position? Yes. Do I think he’ll improve in that position over time? Probably. I just don’t think you’re taking full advantage of Williams’ skill set plus he’s going to end up in situations where he could be exploited. Time will tell.

Individuals involved in the game have said they expect Manning to start the season and if/when he does it’s still the Colts division to lose IMO.

Would like to see the Texans do it tho.

The Texans drafted 2 players in JJ Watt and Brooks Reed that i wanted for the Pats and while they're still a bit light in the defensive back field i think that front 7 can be good. Wade Phillips is a great defensive coach and Mario Williams is a beast no matter where you put him!

Not too worried by the Foster injury either, Ben Tate was looking great before he got hurt last season and the OL is better than people give it credit for.

I'm a bit of a homer but I'd put Von Miller in for defensive ROY, he's a pass rushing machine and will start from day one, also players like him who get sacks will be recognised a lot more than a middle linebacker, although I do like Mason Foster

Toby3695 wrote:The Texans drafted 2 players in JJ Watt and Brooks Reed that i wanted for the Pats and while they're still a bit light in the defensive back field i think that front 7 can be good. Wade Phillips is a great defensive coach and Mario Williams is a beast no matter where you put him!

Not too worried by the Foster injury either, Ben Tate was looking great before he got hurt last season and the OL is better than people give it credit for.

JJ Watt and Brooks Reed do seem to be good fits for Wade Philips more aggressive 34 scheme but my point wasn’t so much that they don’t have the personnel to run that scheme but more that they are literally very light up front. Shaun Cody and Earl Mitchell at NT are just barely pushing 300lbs and the starting defensive ends JJ Watt and Antonio Smith are ~290-295lbs max. While I can see them doing well as 1 gap penetrators they don’t have a lot of sand in their pants and I think there is a chance they will get run on.

For me it’s not a question of whether Williams will perform well at OLB, he's too good of a player not to do resonably well, it’s more about whether the Texans are going to get the most out of him in his new position-and I think that’s debatable at this time. We’ll have to wait and see but I suspect that he could have to do things in a 34 which puts him in a position where the opposition could take advantage of him, or makes it easier to nullify him to some degree.

I think being run on should be of bigger concern to Texans fans than Williams though.

Mason Foster won't play on 3rd down for the Bucs.