Archive for the ‘2010 Previews’ Category

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I’m not sure there’s a team in the NFL with less of an identity than the Seattle Seahawks.

New head coach Pete Carroll has made it clear that he doesn’t care for the majority of the pieces left behind by Jim Mora. And so in the recent days and weeks, the Seahawks have drastically altered the roster.

Now, aside from T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who was cut last week, they have only been getting rid of fringe players. Regardless, that’s a reflection of their lack of depth and talent in general.

Gone this year are Houshmandzadeh, Patrick Kerney, Cory Redding, Darryl Tapp, Ken Lucas, Lawrence Jackson, Walter Jones, Rob Sims, Seneca Wallace and Nate Burleson. In all, 33 players from last year’s roster are no longer Seahawks.

So the team is clearly in a rebuilding/retooling/reloading phase. But the good thing is that they play in the NFC West, where there’s no clear-cut favourite and a team in transition can still emerge and make the playoffs.

2009 in a nutshell: Injuries and a lack of talent hurt, as does Matt Hasselbeck, who gets hit a lot. They limp to a 5-11 record.

Why 2010 could be different, in a nutshell: The massive changes made all over the roster; the potential emergence of rookies Russell Okung and Earl Thomas.

Three random thoughts/observations/projections

1. The offensive line is a mess, especially on Hasselbeck’s blind side. Rookie first-rounder Russell Okung is expected to one day become the team’s go-to left tackle, but Okung is already hurt and will miss Week 1. With Walter Jones retired and Rob Sims off to Detroit, two former Broncos backups are temporarily the starters on the left side of the line. And while new starting left tackle Tyler Polumbus did a good job filling in for Ryan Harris here and there in Denver, he’s no Jones or Okung. In fact, he’s no Chester Pitts either. Yup, Hasselbeck’s in trouble.

2. And if Hasselbeck does get roughed up and has to miss time — which seems inevitable considering he’s gotten through one full season since 2005 — it’s Charlie Whitehurst who will take the reins of the offence. For reasons not totally clear to me (or anybody) the Seahawks traded a third-round pick for the former Chargers third-stringer and then handed him a two-year, $10 million contract with the intention of making him Hasselbeck’s successor. Only problem is Whitehurst has struggled to win the backup job and isn’t exactly making Seahawks fans feel comfortable about their quarterback situation.

3. The offensive backfield should help soften blows suffered in the passing game. Seattle has three quality options at running back: veteran Julius Jones, flashy up-and-comer Justin Forsett and the versatile Leon Washington, who was acquired from the Jets in the offseason. Realistically, the 29-year-old Jones’ best days are behind him. But there seems to be a feeling that Forsett, who was freaking good when used last year, can’t handle a full workload. Washington, meanwhile, is coming off a horrific leg injury. I personally think the stars are aligned for Forsett to have a big year.

2010 prediction: Okung will return and — assuming they can stay healthier – they will be better than last year. But it won’t be enough to make the playoffs.

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Think back. Only a few years ago, the San Francisco 49ers were the yearly favourite in the NFC West.

Oh, I guess that was 15 years ago, and it was a division that included the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams.

Regardless, the Niners were at one point a perennial division champion. In fact, they won the division 12 times in a 15-year span (and won five Super Bowls in the process).

Now, with one of that era’s great players serving as one of the best inspirational head coaches in the league, the 49ers are once again division favourites.

This all in spite of the fact that Alex Smith is the starting quarterback.

2009 in a nutshell: They go 5-1 within the NFC West but 3-7 against everyone else, settling for an 8-8 record and second place for the second year in a row.

Why 2010 could be different, in a nutshell: Michael Crabtree with a full training camp under his belt; additions to the offensive line.

Three random thoughts/observations/projections

1. The Niners have done a solid effort to improve the offensive line, but there are some question marks. They’ll be starting two rookies — first-round picks Anthony Davis (right tackle) and Mike Iupati (left guard) from the get-go. But they’ll be surrounded by seasoned veterans Joe Staley, Barry Simms, David Baas and Adam Snyder. So there’s room for error and injury. They’ve done a good job combining youth and leadership in front of Smith.

2. The receiving corps will also be better. Michael Crabtree is poised to become a star in his second year. He was great after returning from a lengthy holdout last season, so I’m excited to see what the former Texas Tech superstar will bring to the table with a full training camp under his belt in Year 2. Crabtree also has a decent support system around him, starting with tight end Vernon Davis, who has a chance to become the best player in the game at his position. Davis, like Crabtree, just has to control his behaviour. Josh Morgan and Ted Ginn make average third and fourth options.

3. I am fully expecting Patrick Willis to win the AP defensive player of the award this year. The 25-year-old is just getting better and better every year. His fourth season should be his best yet. He also upped his sack totals in 2009, taking the quarterback down four times after only registering one sack the season prior. With Aubrayo Franklin back from his holdout in time for the start of the season, a defence that already ranked sixth against the run last season should only improve.

2010 prediction: There are still some problems. Frank Gore has only made it through one complete season and the defensive backfield isn’t exactly scaring opposing quarterbacks. But the NFC West is wide open, and the 49ers probably became the division’s most talented team this offseason. They’ll win nine or 10 games and make the playoffs.

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The expectations for Sam Bradford in his rookie season are inevitably skewed.

That’s because our expectations for rookie quarterbacks have been distorted in recent years.

In 2008, Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco had historically fantastic rookie seasons.

In 2009, Mark Sanchez and Matthew Stafford weren’t as good on paper, but both showed flashes of brilliance.

All four have become undisputed starting quarterbacks on playoff contending teams (the Lions are a stretch, but they aren’t far off).

So, should the St. Louis Rams expect Bradford to step in, become an everyday starting quarterback and follow the path blazed by the aforementioned quartet? Don’t count on it. And that’s not because Bradford falls short on talent — you could argue that he has more of it than any of those recent rookie signal callers.

It’s because of the lack of talent surrounding him. Bradford has nobody to throw the ball to.

As of right now, the team’s top two wideouts — Laurent Robinson and Danny Amendola — have a combined five career starts. A dude named Billy Bajema is the starting tight end.

Sure, the offensive line is decent and Steven Jackson is a stud, but without a reliable option like Roddy White, Derrick Mason, Calvin Johnson, etc., it becomes extra tough for a rookie quarterback to succeed.

And that’s why the loss of Donnie Avery was the biggest storyline of the Rams’ preseason. Avery — the closest thing the team has to a veteran receiving option — tore a knee ligament in the third preseason game. He’s out for the year. And now the pressure’s on deep threat Mark Clayton, who was acquired in a trade late last week.

2009 in a nutshell: Their only win comes against the 2-14 Detroit Lions.

Why 2010 could be different, in a nutshell: The presence of Bradford; the loss of Avery; expected growth from the offensive line.

Three random thoughts/observations/projections

1. There is some promise on the offensive line. Second-round pick Rodger Saffold steps in to start at left tackle. The future appears to be bright there. Of course, you could argue that the future was bright there when the team used a second-overall pick on Jason Smith last year. And while it might be safe to assume that Smith won’t live up to his draft hype, he is still a quality player who will contribute elsewhere on the line (a la Robert Gallery in Oakland). Jacob Bell is a solid guard; Jason Brown has Pro Bowl potential at centre.

2. Defensively, the Rams will be counting on Chris Long to step up and finally look like a second-overall pick. A team like this simply can’t afford two busts in two seasons. What killed St. Louis’ 29th-ranked defence last year was that the Rams didn’t get enough pressure on the quarterback, settling for an NFC-low 25 sacks.

3. Steven Jackson is primed to have a monster season. With Bradford under centre, he’ll get even more reps. With the offensive line improving, he’ll be able to further capitalize on those reps. With the Rams’ schedule particularly easy at home, where Jackson shines, he’ll have a serious shot at leading the league in rushing. In fact, Jackson alone is the primary reason the Rams won’t have to fear a winless season. A player like that is good for at least a win or two. And if he gets hurt, God help us all.

2010 prediction: The schedule is favourable, Jackson is healthy and they do have some strong young players. They’ll win three games, which is a big deal these days in St. Louis.

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No team will miss a departed player as much as the Arizona Cardinals will miss Kurt Warner.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. The transition from the now-retired Warner to Matt Leinart was supposed to be seamless. The former USC superstar and first-round pick had been waiting in the wings for four years. He had to be groomed enough to replace Warner at this point, right?

But the tragic end of the Leinart era in Arizona shouldn’t come as a surprise.

He had a chance to win the starting job as a rookie in 2006, but blew it because he held out too long.

He began 2007 as the starter, but blew it because of poor play and an untimely injury.

He began 2008 training camp as the starter, but was abysmal in the preseason and lost the job again.

So when he was handed a fourth opportunity to start, why did we expect Leinart to react any differently? He once again choked, and now the Cards are left with Derek Anderson, who was found while Ken Whisenhunt ruffled through the garbage bins outside the Cleveland Browns’ practice facility.

With veterans Anquan Boldin, Antrel Rolle and Karlos Dansby also gone, the Cardinals, only two years removed from a Super Bowl appearance, have fallen off a cliff.

2009 in a nutshell: Thanks to another strong season from Warner, they once again win the easy NFC West and make some noise in the postseason. They are eliminated in the divisional playoffs by eventual Super Bowl champion New Orleans.

Why 2010 could be different, in a nutshell: No Warner, no Dansby, no Rolle, no Boldin; the 49ers continue to get better.

Three random thoughts/observations/projections

1. The one thing — and I mean the one thing — the Cards have going for them on offence is that Fitzgerald, who appears to be ready to go after spraining his MCL in August, is still one of the top three wide receivers in the NFL (I put Brandon Marshall and Andre Johnson in the same group). And although the loss of Boldin is a big one, I think he’s actually easier to replace than Warner, Dansby or Rolle. That’s because Steve Breaston is an underrated receiver. He won’t save Fitz from as many double teams as Boldin was able to, but he’ll get the job done.

2. Don’t tell me Joey Porter will replace Dansby, because they are completely different players. Porter will definitely help bolster Arizona’s pass rush. The Cards were already pretty good at getting to the quarterback, so that should become their strongest asset on defence this season. As far as replacing Dansby goes, rookie second-round pick Daryl Washington has looked good thus far and will start in his place in the middle.

3. The Cards did let Dansby go, but they have generally known when to step up and pay their key players. On defence, they did that last year by giving Adrian Wilson a big contract extension, and then again last week, giving Darnell Dockett a huge new deal. Dansby and Rolle were good, but while watching Cardinals games it becomes obvious that Wilson and Dockett are the two most important defenders on the team. This defence will be solid so long as those two playmakers are healthy and happy.

2010 prediction: Things could get ugly, but a weak division and a few game-changing players will keep them respectable. Either way, they’ll drop to third place in the division and miss the playoffs.

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Everyone wants to be young, right?

Mythology and fiction constantly toy with the concept of “eternal youth.” Alphaville’s 1980s hit “Forever Young” has become a cover staple. Companies that sell skin-care products have made billions off of “anti-aging” creams.

Young is good. Old is bad. And that’s no exception in sports, where “young” is associated with “upside” and “speed” and “potential.”

But in sports, it is possible to be too young, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers appear to be exactly that. In July, ESPN.com’s Mike Sando pointed out that the Bucs are the NFL’s second youngest team. But you don’t need fancy charts displaying means and medians to see how young this team is, because you just have to look at some of the most important starters…

Starting quarterback Josh Freeman: 22-year-old sophomore.

Top wideout Mike Williams: 23-year-old rookie.

Top corner Aqib Talib: 24.

To Tampa’s credit, there are a few veteran leaders in place — necessary wrinkles overcoming the anti-aging cream applied by 39-year-old general manager Mark Dominik and 34-year-old head coach Raheem Morris. Left tackle Donald Penn, 27, might have the biggest role on the team: protecting young Freeman. Linebacker Barrett Ruud, also 27, might be the closest thing the team has to a Pro Bowler. Cornerback Ronde Barber, 35, is the only significant leftover from the team’s 2002 Super Bowl season.

But the presence of those guys won’t be enough. Because the Bucs don’t just have a shortage on age, they have a shortage on depth and talent.

The Onion might have said it best: “Looking at this roster, it may not be the best year to play in a stadium where fans have access to several functioning cannons.” 

But youth brings constant hope for “next year.” That’s what’ll keep Bucs fans away from the cannons in 2010.

2009 in a nutshell: The offence is horrendous and the defence isn’t much better as they win only three games.

Why 2010 could be different, in a nutshell: The loss of Antonio Bryant; the potential emergence of rookie wideouts Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn.

Three random thoughts/observations/projections

1. With Bryant gone, the Bucs spent two of their top five draft picks on wide receivers. And although second-round selection Arrelious Benn was the higher pick, fourth-rounder Mike Williams has emerged as the go-to guy. The Syracuse product has already become the top fantasy option on the entire team. It’s easy to say that circumstances made this happen more than anything (the team has no other real starting options), but there’s a reason why Williams beat out Benn, Sammie Stroughter and Maurice Stovall in training camp.

2. Nothing on this team defines “upside” like the defensive line, which could be either garbage or gold in about two years. The potential is exciting — No. 3 overall pick Gerald McCoy steps in as a starter on the inside, and it likely won’t take long before second-round pick Brian Price joins him there. They’ll be working with ends Stylez G. White (the veteran presence) and 2009 draft pick Kyle Moore to make up a pretty solid group, at least in terms of potential.

3. Considering the problems with the receiving corps, the running back situation is particular important. Derrick Ward, who got an expensive free-agent contract only a year ago, is already gone (this is why they don’t like to spend money on free agents). That means Cadillac Williams will carry the load. Earnest Graham is technically a fullback, but I think he’s actually more reliable than Williams. Oh, and watch out for LeGarrette Blount, who was claimed off waivers Monday. Dude was caught up in a numbers game in Tennessee, but he looked really solid.

2010 prediction: They’ll compete with the Rams and Bills for the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s draft.

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If you’re the New Orleans Saints, how do you possibly attempt an encore?

In the 43-year history of the Super Bowl, only eight teams have been able to repeat as champions. And while last year the Saints were a Cinderella story, they now have a target on their back. You can’t fly under the radar with a Lombardi Trophy in the cockpit.

The Saints made practically zero changes in the offseason. It’s hard to blame a champion for not wanting to generally maintain the status quo, but just because last year’s team was good enough to win it all doesn’t mean there wasn’t room for improvement in 2010.

It’s ridiculous to think that the front office of a professional sports team would rest on its laurels, so maybe the Saints simply decided not to try to fix what probably isn’t broken. After all, no team made fewer offseason changes in 2009 than this one. They’ve been strangers to free agency for quite some time, and it seems to be working.

Now, though, they’ve got the whole league trying to beat them. And they’re without some starters on a defence that is good, but not great.

The task isn’t impossible, but it’s going to be freakin’ hard.

2009 in a nutshell: They start 13-0, finish with the NFC’s best record, edge Brett Favre’s Vikings in a NFC championship thriller and outplay the Colts to win their first-ever Super Bowl title.

Why 2010 could be different, in a nutshell: Injuries; luck; odds; the loss of backup quarterback Mark Brunell (just kidding).

Three random thoughts/observations/projections

1. I’d say that no defensive player had a bigger impact on the Saints’ Super Bowl campaign than Darren Sharper. At 33, the veteran had the best season of his career, intercepting nine passes (and taking three to the house) while covering the entire field from his free safety position. Sharper was great in pass protection and didn’t shy away from making big tackles. And that’s why his health situation worries me. Sharper, who had offseason microfracture surgery on his left knee, was placed on the PUP list and will miss at least the first six weeks of the season. Gregg Williams’ aggressive defence won’t be the same without him.

2. One free agent acquisition who will be counted on to make a relatively large impact is Alex Brown. The former Chicago Bear has officially stepped into a starting role at defensive end following the release of Bobby McCray. The good news is that Brown is consistent and doesn’t get hurt (at least he hasn’t in recent years). The bad news is that he’s never had more than seven sacks in a single season. With Will Smith working the other end spot, that could change this year.

3. What might have astonished me most about the Saints’ Super Bowl season is that they did it without Pro Bowl left tackle Jammal Brown protecting Drew Brees’ blind side. Not only that, but Brown’s replacement, Jermon Bushrod, was pretty much considered to be a scrub. While Bushrod did personally perform well, the fact that the Saints surrendered an NFC-low 20 sacks proves how great the line is as a whole. Carl Nicks, Jahri Evans, Jonathan Goodwin and Jon Stinchcomb gave Bushrod a ton of help, keeping the offence running on a near-record-breaking pace. That’s why the team felt comfortable enough to trade Jammal Brown in the offseason and spend a second-round pick on USC’s Charles Brown, who is probably the left tackle of the future.

2010 prediction: They’ll win the division again, but I don’t know if the defence will be good enough to get them back to the Super Bowl. I’m thinking they lose in the NFC championship game this time. Although that could change slightly when I publish my full predictions in about 24 hours.

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Is the preseason meaningless? The Carolina Panthers had better hope so.

While there’s little doubt that win-loss records are pretty irrelevant in August (just ask the Colts), teams still want to see relatively fluid production from No. 1 units. Offensively, the Panthers got no production during the preseason. Not from any unit.

The Panthers became the first team in 14 years not to score a single offensive touchdown in the preseason.

Quarterback Matt Moore, whom the Panthers are relying on to replace the departed Jake Delhomme (a job this rooster could do), was awful. The two-headed backfield duo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart was barely noticeable (Stewart is hurt, again). The receiving corps did nothing. The offensive line made far too many mistakes.

And that has to make Panthers fans just a little queasy about their chances this season. Because as good as the defence was during the exhibition season, regular-season performances that even remotely resemble what we saw from the Panthers offence this summer would mean the team as a whole is in for a long year.

Another one.

2009 in a nutshell: After dropping their first three games, they win eight of the next 13 and finish with a .500 record. The poor passing game does them in.

Why 2010 could be different, in a nutshell: The change at quarterback; better luck with injuries; the loss of several major veterans, including Julius Peppers.

Three random thoughts/observations/projections

1. Based on what was undoubtedly a purge in the offseason, this is a rebuilding year in Carolina. Gone are Peppers, Delhomme, Maake Kemoeatu, Chris Harris, Brad Hoover and Landon Johnson among others. But the process of quickly rebuilding would have been easier had the Panthers made a first-round selection in either of the last two drafts. They’re finally slated to return to Round 1 in 2011, assuming that a) there is a 2011 draft, and b) they don’t trade that pick away, too.

2. The defence was great in the preseason, and despite the loss of Peppers, it should be better than many expect in 2010. All-Pro linebacker Jon Beason moves to the weak side, where he might actually be even more effective in Ron Meeks’ scheme. They’ll replace Peppers by committee, but there are some players with solid potential waiting to rush the quarterback. Former third-round pick Charles Johnson and rookie sixth-rounder Greg Hardy have the best shot at stepping up, but don’t forget about Everette Brown, their top pick from the 2009 draft. There was never any question about the pass defence, especially with Chris Gamble running the show.

3. Moore, who won this year’s starting job last December when he led the Panthers to four wins in their last five games, might only hold off rookie Jimmy Clausen as long as the team is competitive. The offensive line remains Carolina’s strongest unit, which makes it easier for them to make the switch to Clausen, who is obviously the planned quarterback of the future. But if this is indeed a rebuilding year and Moore struggles, why wait?

2010 prediction: The strong finish to 2009 is more important than the poor preseason, but who’s the No. 2 receiver? And can important offensive players like Steve Smith, Jeff Otah and DeAngelo Williams stay healthy? They’re a team in transition, particularly susceptible to injury and sloppiness. Another 8-8 season looks like the best-case scenario.

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An anomaly of a rookie season or a sophomore slump? Which was it for Matt Ryan? We’ll find out in Year 3 of the Ryan era in Atlanta.

After one of the most impressive rookie seasons in NFL history, the Boston College product actually appeared to regress in his second season. It showed in his stats:

2008: 61.1%, 3,440 YDS, 7.9 AVG, 16 TD, 11 INT, 87.7 rating 
2009: 58.3%, 2,916 YDS, 6.5 AVG, 24 TD, 14 INT, 80.9 rating

As well as in the standings:

2008: 11-5 (made playoffs)
2009: 9-7 (missed playoffs)

This isn’t rocket science. Ryan took a step backwards in 2009, and so did his team. The two are connected. But there is more to the story.  

In December, Ryan missed two games — both big losses — due to a toe injury. That killed, as did the injury problems that slowed down the dude who made things a hell of a lot easier on Ryan as a rookie, Michael Turner. An ankle injury kept Atlanta’s Pro Bowl running back out of five games and slowed him in several more.

Can Ryan and Turner bounce back and get the Falcons back to the playoffs, or was 2008 an aberration?

It’s a make-or-break year for the Atlanta Falcons.

2009 in a nutshell: Injuries to Ryan and Turner and mediocre defence get in the way. They look like an average team for much of the season.

Why 2010 could be different, in a nutshell: Better luck with injuries; the emergence of young defensive players Sean Weatherspoon and Peria Jerry.

Three random thoughts/observations/projections

1. While I think Ryan will be — at the very least — okay, Turner is a mystery. A few analysts have wondered if maybe Turner will never get back to his 2008 form. And that’s reasonable. He took a beating two years ago, carrying it 376 times. But Turner’s only 28 and has only two seasons under his belt as a starter. His legs should still be relatively fresh.

2. The defence struggled last year, especially on third downs, and a lot of that can be blamed on the pass rush (or lack thereof). Formerly the team’s top pass rusher, 32-year-old John Abraham simply isn’t effective and barely participates in 50 percent of snaps now. Top pick Peria Jerry, a nose tackle who knows how to get to the quarterback, missed all but two games as a rookie. The Falcons will need Jerry to step up in his second season, especially if Abraham’s play continues to fall off.

3. That 28th-ranked pass defence should be better, regardless of how much help they get from Abraham and Co. up front. That’s because new top corner Dunta Robinson, who left the Texans in the offseason to sign a six-year deal in Atlanta, has a lot of talent. Robinson missed significant chunks of the 2007 and 2008 seasons due to injury, but he battled back and played in all 16 games with Houston in 2009. He’ll help drastically, but there’s still a considerable lack of depth behind him. That has to be frustrating for Falcons fans, who may be wondering why their team made so few offseason changes.

2010 prediction: The defence still isn’t good enough. They’ll be in a lot of games, but they won’t be able to keep up with the Saints in the division or with the Giants/Cowboys and Packers/Vikings in the wild-card race. Another 9-7 season makes sense to me.

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Brett Favre.

Shall I continue on or just leave it at that?

Yes, Favre is back for a second — and apparently final — season in purple. But there’s a completely different feel surrounding the situation in 2010.

For starters, there’s a lot more antipathy toward No. 4 this year. People were growing tired of his annual waffling act in 2009, but the drama started to really piss fans off this time around.

More importantly, things are a little different on the field, where Favre will start the season without his No. 1 receiver and with questions surrounding his No. 2 receiver.

Minnesota Vikings fans will tell you that last season was magical right up until Garrett Hartley smashed a 40-yarder through the Superdome uprights to end the ride. He’s already driving a broken-down car with some questionable spare parts; now you have to wonder if there’s enough gas in Favre’s tank to produce an encore performance. 

2009 in a nutshell: Favre has the best statistical season of his career as they win the NFC North and come within three points of a trip to the Super Bowl.

Why 2010 could be different, in a nutshell: Favre’s bad ankle; injury issues with Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin; a lack of depth at cornerback.

Three random thoughts/observations/projections

1. Allow me to elaborate on that cornerback situation. Cedric Griffin is out recuperating from a torn ACL and rookie Chris Cook, who was slated to start, is down with a knee injury as well. That leaves Lito Sheppard and Asher Allen to fight for a (likely temporary) starting job opposite Antoine Winfield. Sheppard’s play has fallen off a cliff in recent years, and before Cook was injured there were rumours that the former All-Pro wouldn’t even make the final roster. In a division where you’re lining up against the high-fuelled Packers offence, the Mike Martz-led Bears offence and a Lions offence featuring Calvin Johnson, you need to have a better group of healthy corners than that.

2. Once upon a time, the offensive and defensive lines were the major strengths on this team. And while the D-line still is the best in football, the O-line took a considerable step backwards last year. Left tackle Bryant McKinnie was horrible for much of the year, and the Vikes didn’t really attempt to bolster the tackle position in the offseason. Obviously the team assumes it was just an off year for McKinnie. Centre John Sullivan is still recovering from a calf injury that kept him out most of training camp, but they also expect to have him back in time for Thursday’s opener in New Orleans. If McKinnie and Sullivan aren’t right, Favre could be in trouble.

3. And if something happens to Favre, what happens? The Vikes opted to keep Tarvaris Jackson over Sage Rosenfels when they dealt Rosenfels to the Giants last week. This is despite the fact Rosenfels outperformed Jackson in the preseason, and in any other recent opportunities he’s had to do so. It appears as though the move was largely political, which is a shame.

2010 prediction: Not exactly a positive tone to this preview, eh? But despite all my concerns, I do think the Vikes will have another solid season. They’ll make the playoffs, but that’s it.

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With two years of hindsight, it’s now officially safe to declare that the Green Bay Packers don’t regret moving on from Brett Favre.

Because while the Packers have yet to win a playoff game under the tutelage of Aaron Rodgers, it’s pretty much impossible to blame Favre’s successor for those failures. “A-Rodg” has joined Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Drew Brees as one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks.

He’s made Packers fans forget about Favre with nearly 8,500 yards and 58 touchdowns in two seasons.

But whether his supporting cast helps him or not, Rodgers won’t properly join Favre, Manning, Brady and Brees in the history books until he starts winning in January. Those who say that you can only truly measure a quarterback by his rings are full of crap and too lazy to properly investigate the ancillary factors — Rodgers is in the process of becoming a special player regardless of his playoff success.

That said, if he wants to go from superstar to legend, he’ll eventually need to win something. To do that, Rodgers will of course need significant contributions from that supporting cast. And in 2010, taking into account his 52-odd cohorts, I’m not sure Rodgers is on the brink of a title.

2009 in a nutshell: Only the Saints and Vikings score more points than the Packers, who grab a wild-card spot and then lose in one of the worst ways possible in their first playoff game.

Why 2010 could be different, in a nutshell: One more year under Rodgers’ belt; injuries on defence.

Three random thoughts/observations/projections

1. Rodgers was bashed around frequently last year, mainly because of injuries and generally poor play on the offensive line, but also because he has a bad habit of holding on to the ball for too long. While the second point is something Rodgers will have to fix himself, the first was left for the front office to deal with. And they didn’t do much. For the second straight year, Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher are the tackles, Daryn Colledge and Josh Sitton are slated to start at guard and Scott Wells will man the middle. The team spent its top pick on Iowa tackle Bryan Bulaga, but Bulaga has failed to impress thus far. One year after they surrendered a league-high 51 sacks, pass protection could once again be the Packers’ biggest problem in 2010.

2. That is unless they keep losing defensive backs. Starters Al Harris (knee) and Atari Bigby (ankle surgery) are on the PUP list and could miss significant chunks of the regular season. In the meantime, the unreliable Tramon Williams will start opposite Charles Woodson at corner while rookie third-round pick Morgan Burnett steps in for Bigby. A lot of pressure falls on Woodson and Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins to hold things down before Harris and Bigby return — if they return.

3. You’d think that the loss of former top pass rusher Aaron Kampman would hurt the Packers, but Kampman never fit in — nor did he want to fit in — to the 3-4 scheme they adopted last year, and his sack numbers fell off a cliff. And despite that loss, the Packers have one of the most talented front sevens in the league. The linebacker corps is young and pretty much suited to do everything from stopping the run to helping in pass protection to rushing the quarterback to forcing turnovers. The line, featuring 2009 top pick B.J. Raji as well as veterans Cullen Jenkins and Ryan Pickett, will get the job done. Although they will miss the suspended Johnny Jolly.

2010 prediction: The defence has some issues, as does the offensive line. That said, Green Bay will once again win a bunch of shootouts and survive. But even if Minnesota’s problems give the Packers a chance to win the division, I’m not sure they’ll be able to beat a team like Dallas or New Orleans in the playoffs.