Fan Stop Central

Congratulations to New Orleans and its Saints … Super Bowl Champions!!! Doesn’t quite sound right to us to say those words together, but the Saints well-deserved it this year. Congratulations.

Now, for Fan Stop Central, the NFL season wasn’t as pretty. It’s recap time. Let’s quickly take a look at our predictions and just how wrong we were:

AFC
West – San Diego
North – Pittsburgh (Cincinnati)
South – Tennessee (Indianapolis)
East – New England
WC – Baltimore
WC – Indianapolis (New York)

NFC
West – Seattle (Arizona)
North – Chicago (Minnesota)
South – New Orleans
East – Philadelphia (Dallas)
WC – Dallas (Philadelphia)
WC – Atlanta (Green Bay)

So, we were decent in our playoff participants predictions … we only had 5 completely wrong and we had a few division winners and wild cards swapped, but overall, pretty good. Now, here’s where we go wildly astray:

AFC – New England
NFC – Philadelphia

Champion – Philadelphia

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It’s that time of year again. Time to put it all on the line … and maybe even check the Vegas lines … in a run for the NFL Championship.

Let’s start in the AFC.

In the West … well, this really isn’t a discussion this year. Chiefs, Broncos and Raiders are all challenging each other for second in the division. San Diego (in all rights) should run away with this division.

In the North … Cincinnati? Cleveland? They don’t seem to be poised to have a shot. This (as it has been) will be a fight between Baltimore and Pittsburgh with the Steelers coming out on top of the North division.

In the South … Tennessee? Houston? Indy? Jacksonville? The Jags have the tools to get it done, but I don’t see it happening. Houston showed some moxi in the preseason, but I still don’t see them ready to be on top for 16 weeks. Indy has a few changes to adjust to in their franchise that I think will keep them down this year, but if anyone can bring them together and over the top it’s Peyton. But I think the South goes to Tennessee.

In the East … There’s big speculation all over this division. JETS? No, rookie QB success doesn’t strike like it did last year. Dolphins? While they turned heads last year, they now have Venus, Serena, Mark Anthony and Jimmy Buffet as part-owners. Can anyone really take this team seriously anymore? Buffalo? They do have talent at WR with T.O., but really no one to throw it to him. That leaves us with the Patriots. They aren’t just the defacto division winners. They have the best chance to win the division.

Now to the NFC.

In the West … I don’t see Arizona repeating. Just like the rookie QB success of last season, so to was this a lightning strike (i think?), but this division isn’t very cut and dry. Seattle? San Fransisco? St. Louis? If you go by the Preseason results (and we all know you can – snicker) then it would seem Arizona will tank again and Seattle will take the division. St. Louis will be improved as will San Fransisco, but I think Seattle takes the division.

In the South … New Orleans looks poised to make a run, but with the QB success in Atlanta combined with the talent and experience of Tony Gonzales, might make the Falcons the team to beat in the South. Carolina and Tampa Bay … thanks for playing. Since I am a Chiefs fan thru and thru, I have to pick New Orleans just to jab Gonzalez for bolting on the team he’s played for his entire career.

In the North … Again if you go by Preseason results … you’d get nowhere. They all had a 3-1 record. If you cut through all the hype, I don’t think Favre will bring enough to the table to get the Vikings over the hump. Green Bay looks sharp with Rodgers at the helm. Detroit had an inspiring turnaround (according to the preseason), and Chicago looks to be more solidified at the QB spot. This may be the division with the best QBs from team to team, and I think the division will be an old fashioned slug-fest with Chicago coming out on top.

In the East … Giants? Cowboys? Redskins? Eagles? They all sucked in the Preseason, but i think some showed their hand more than others. Washington may give a surprising run, but I wouldn’t bank on it. New York doesn’t really seem to be making waves in the league. The Cowboys have a nice and shiny new stadium, but I think that will be more of the downfall. I could really see the Eagles coming out on top in the East.

AFC
West – San Diego
North – Pittsburgh
South – Tennessee
East – New England
WC – Baltimore
WC – Indianapolis

NFC
West – Seattle
North – Chicago
South – New Orleans
East – Philadelphia
WC – Dallas
WC – Atlanta

AFC – New England
NFC – Philadelphia

Champion – Philadelphia

Popularity: 15% [?]

New QB. New Head Coach. New problems.

The Chiefs don’t look to be in a position to make any kind of a turnaround anytime soon. New QB Matt Cassel went down in the preseason with a knee injury, and even if he wasn’t injured, TE Tony Gonzalez requested a trade and is now in Atlanta … leaving the receiving corps cupboard pretty bare.

But hold on … new developments within the division

• Broncos rookie jailed on harassment charges
• Chargers Merriman accused of assaulting MTV’s Tequilla
• Raiders head coach Cable accused of assaulting assistant coach

It seems that the division might just implode around the Chiefs, which would be just fine. The rules don’t say HOW you get to the playoffs … just get there!!!

But in all honesty, Fan Stop Central sees the Chiefs (at best) going 5-11. They have a brutal streak with the NFC East teams (all in a row at that), and just an overall brutal schedule.

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KCChiefs.com – The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Saturday that the club has acquired QB Matt Cassel and LB Mike Vrabel from New England in exchange for the Chiefs second-round pick (34th overall) in the 2009 NFL Draft. The agreement is contingent on both players reporting and passing their physicals.

“I have a long history with both players,” said Kansas City Chiefs General Manager Scott Pioli. “Mike and Matt are men that I respect both personally and professionally. I look forward to having them as new members of the Chiefs family.”

Cassel (6-4, 230) has played in 30 games (15 starts) during his four-year career with New England (2005-08). He has completed 349 of 555 passes (62.9%) for 3,946 yards with 23 TDs and 13 INTs, good for an 88.2 QB rating. In addition, he has 85 carries for 298 yards (3.5 avg.) with three TDs. Cassel has also played in four postseason contests and was a member of the Patriots Super Bowl XLII club. He originally entered the NFL as the first of New England’s two seventh-round picks (230th overall) in the 2005 NFL Draft.

The Northridge, California native played in 25 games at Southern California, completing 20 of 33 passes for 192 yards. Cassel served as the backup to Heisman Trophy winning QBs Carson Palmer and Matt Leinhart for the Trojans. Cassel was a prep standout at Chatsworth High School in Chatsworth, California.

Vrabel (6-4, 261) has played in 176 games (110 starts) during his 12-year NFL career with New England (2001-08) and Pittsburgh (’97-00). He was a member of four Super Bowl teams with New England, including Patriots squads that won Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII and XXXIX. He was also named to the AFC Pro Bowl squad following the 2007 campaign.

The Akron, Ohio native has accumulated 681 tackles (453 solo), 51.0 sacks (-335.0 yards), 11 INTs for 73 yards with one TD, 35 passes defensed, 16 forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and 47 special teams tackles, as well as eight TD receptions. He has seen action in 19 postseason games (17 starts), registering 95 tackles (65 solo), 8.0 sacks (58.0 yards), three passes defensed, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He also owns a pair of TD receptions in the postseason.

Vrabel originally entered the NFL as a third-round draft pick (91st overall) of Pittsburgh in ‘97 and joined the Patriots as an unrestricted free agent in 2001. The Ohio State product recorded 36.0 QB sacks and 66.0 tackles for loss during his collegiate career. Vrabel attended Walsh Jesuit High School in Stowe, Ohio.

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The two weeks that span the time between the Super Bowl and the Daytona 500 have to be the absolute worst time of the year for sports fans. It’s just brutal. No football. No great basketball – college or pro (not that there’s a lot of NBA following here). No great golf … and when you’ve got 6 inches of snow on the ground, it makes it kind of tough to get hyped about it. No baseball.

Here’s what we’ve got:

• various regular season basketball (college/pro)
• NHL?
• NBA?
• NASCAR speedweeks
• Golf in tropical and arid climates

And a lot of waiting around for Spring Training to hit, Daytona 500 to kick-off NASCAR, and March Madness to captivate us all.

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