NFL 2010 Season Predictions: AFC East New England Patriots

Today we have the New England Patriots.

New England Patriots

Last Season: (10-6), AFC East Division Champs (Lost to Ravens in Wildcard Game)

2010 NFL Draft: CB Devin McCourty (Rutgers, Rd. 1/Pick 27), TE Rob Gronkowski (Arizona, Rd. 2/Pick 10), DE Jermaine Cunningham (Florida, Rd. 2/Pick 21), LB Brandon Spikes (Florida, Rd. 2/Pick 30), WR Taylor Price (Ohio, Rd. 3/Pick 26), TE Aaron Hernandez (Florida Rd. 4/Pick 15), P Zoltan Mesko (Michigan, Rd. 5/Pick 19), OL Ted Larsen (NC State, Rd. 6 /Pick 36), OL Thomas Welch (Vanderbilt, Rd. 7/Pick 1), DE Brandon Deaderick (Alabama, Rd. 7/Pick 40), DT Kade Weston (Georgia, Rd. 7/Pick 41), QB Zac Robinson (Ok. State, Rd. 7/Pick 43)

Key Additions: TE Alge Crumpler (from Titans), WR Torry Holt (from the Jaguars), DT Gerard Warren (from Raiders)

Key Losses: DE Jarvis Green (to Broncos), CB Shawn Springs (released), TE Ben Watson (to Browns), LB Adalius Thomas (Released)

2010 Regular Season Schedule:

Week 1: Bengals

Week 2: @ NY Jets

Week 3: Bills

Week 4: @ Dolphins

Week 5: BYE

Week 6: Ravens

Week 7: @ Chargers

Week 8: Vikings

Week 9: @ Browns

Week 10: @ Steelers

Week 11: Colts

Week 12: @ Lions

Week 13: NY Jets

Week 14: @ Bears

Week 15: Packers

Week 16: @ Bills

Week 17: Dolphins

Analysis: This may be the first year in 10 years that Bill Belichick’s Patriots are not the runaway favorite to win the division. But, Belichick, being the mastermind he is, had one of the best NFL drafts this year out of any team, and signed on a very good tight end and an aging wide receiver to help the offense. The problem there? The offense, still with Tom Brady at the helm and Randy Moss to catch balls is not the problem. They may not have done as good last year as they did in their almost undefeated season, but they produced enough. The problem is the defense. Anybody could see this coming a few years ago. They were good, but the defense was old. Now that has caught up to them. Their first round pick Devin McCourty should help in the backfield, but they still need some help. Jerod Mayo will have to step up big this year, and with help from former Gator Brandon Spikes, the linebackers have a chance to improve this year. The line is what I’m worried about. But hey, they got the best college punter in Zoltan Mesko, so maybe that will help the defense.

2010 Season Prediction: 10-6, Third in AFC East

NFL 2010 Season Predictions: AFC East Miami Dolphins

Today we have the Miami Dolphins.

Miami Dolphins

Last Season: 7-9

2010 NFL Draft: DT Jared Odrick (Penn St., Rd. 1/Pick 28), OLB Koa Misi (Utah, Rd. 2/Pick 8), OG John Jerry (Miss., Rd. 3/Pick 9), OLB A.J. Edds (Iowa, Rd. 4/Pick 21), CB Nolan Carroll (Maryland, Rd. 5/Pick 14), S Reshad Jones (Georgia, Rd. 5/Pick 32), OLB Chris McCoy (Mid. Tenn. St., Rd. 7/Pick 5), OLB Austin Spitler (Ohio St., Rd. 7/Pick 45)

Key Additions: WR Brandon Marshall (from Broncos), OG Richie Incognito (from Bills)

Key Losses: WR Ted Ginn Jr. (to 49ers), LB Joey Porter (to Cardinals), LB Jason Taylor (to Jets)

2010 Regular Season Schedule:

Week 1: @ Bills

Week 2: @ Vikings

Week 3: NY Jets

Week 4: Patriots

Week 5: BYE

Week 6: @ Packers

Week 7: Steelers

Week 8: @ Bengals

Week 9: @ Ravens

Week 10: Titans

Week 11: Bears

Week 12: @ Raiders

Week 13: Browns

Week 14: @ NY Jets

Week 15: Bills

Week 16: Lions

Week 17: @ Patriots

Analysis: Bill Parcells wants this to be a winning team, and it is getting close. Chad Henne keeps improving after taking over for Chad Pennington last year, and with a decent line and now the deep threat of Marshall, Henne may put up better stats this year. Ted Ginn Jr. is finally gone, so no more trying to prove he was worth the first round pick. If Ronnie Brown can stay healthy, with Ricky Williams still able to grind out some yards, the running game really helps. The Dolphins introduced the wildcat, and don’t think they will stop using that anytime soon. The defense is what may be hurting this year. Jason Ferguson will still be carrying the defensive line while Channing Crowder will have to step up in the absence of Joey Porter and Jason Taylor. Yeremiah Bell and Will and Jason Allen are getting better, but they need to produce fast if the Dolphins want to compete in the AFC East.

2010 Season Prediction: 7-9, Third in AFC East 

NFL 2010 Season Predictions: AFC East Buffalo Bills

Today I am starting 32 days of previewing every team in the NFL. I went through all the teams and looked at the draft, the key additions, the key losses and the schedule and predicted every game in my own way. I will give my analysis and my predicted schedule. At the end of all 32 teams, I will do a playoff breakdown from the teams that I predicted to make it just in time for the NFL season to start. I will break the teams down in each division from worst to best.

Today, we will start with the AFC East and the Buffalo Bills.

Buffalo Bills

Last Season: 6-10

2010 NFL Draft: RB C.J. Spiller (Clemson, Rd. 1/Pick 9), DT Torell Troup (UCF, Rd. 2/Pick 9), DE Alex Carrington (Ark. St., Rd. 3/Pick 8), WR Marcus Easley (Conn., Rd. 4/Pick 9), OT Edward Wang (Va. Tech, Rd. 5/Pick 9), OLB Arthur Moats (James Madison, Rd. 6/Pick 9), DE Dan Batten (South Dakota St., Rd. 6/Pick 23), QB Levi Brown (Troy, Rd. 7/Pick 2), OT Kyle Calloway (Iowa, Rd. 7/ Pick 9)

Key Additions: DT Dwan Edwards (from Ravens), LB Andra Davis (from Broncos), LB Reggie Torbor (from Dolphins)

Key Losses: WR Terrell Owens (released), WR Josh Reed (to Chargers)

2010 Regular Season Schedule:

Week 1: Dolphins

Week 2: @ Packers

Week 3: @ Patriots

Week 4: NY Jets

Week 5: Jaguars

Week 6: BYE

Week 7: @ Ravens

Week 8: @ Chiefs

Week 9: Bears

Week 10: Lions

Week 11: @ Bengals

Week 12: Steelers

Week 13: @ Vikings

Week 14: Browns

Week 15: @ Dolphins

Week 16: Patriots

Week 17: @ NY Jets

Analysis: A new coach, a new defense and a new realistic goal. The Bills have improved, even after losing wide receivers Owen and Reed. Owens didn’t do too much in his stay, and Reed was just a causality in a re-haul of the team. They still have Lee Evans and Roscoe Parrish to help with the passing game from still young Trent Edwards. C.J. Spiller should be an instant contributor in the return game but also the running game. Fred Jackson is getting old and Marshawn Lynch could use the help of split carries. The addition of Edwards with Marcus Stroud should make the defensive line a threat. Penn St. alum Paul Posluszny will get better this year and Bryan Scott and Jairus Byrd will have to stop the pass game better than last year.

2010 Season Prediction: 3-13, Fourth in AFC East

King James, Welcome to Miami

Lebron James has made his decision.

He won't be playing in Jordan's shadow. He won't be playing on the grandest stage of them all. He won't be joining good friend Jay-Z. And, he won't be playing in his home state.

Yes, LBJ is joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in South Beach to play for the Miami Heat.

 He is not worried how Cleveland feels. (Yahoo!)

There are a few interesting things I want to talk about here. First off, I'm not sure how I feel about Lebron going to Miami. I don't think it will really sink in until the season starts. He has been with the Cavs for seven years now and the #23 has become and icon. But I guess if Shaq can do it, so can LBJ.

Now the question is not where the big three will go, but if the big three can win on the same team. Miami still has a lot of work to do. They are trying to get rid of Michael Beasley to free up cap room to give the guys more money and try and sign other players. They are going to need other players to make it out of the East and win a championship. These are three of the best players of their time, but they need help. They can't do it by themselves. 

I don't remember where I read this at, but it was talking about how part of the reason James wanted to go to Miami was so he could play his style of game. Scoring, defense and assist and not having to worry about making all the huge shots by himself. The article also said that they feel this is a cop out because he should want to have those moments, and I agree. I also think he still does want those big shots, but he doesn't want to be the only person on the team who can do that like he was on Cleveland. With Wade and Bosh, he has help and can play a more all around game.

This brings me to my next point, and that is Cleveland Cavs owner Dan Gilbert.

Oh Dan, how you made my night. Gilbert has posted a letter to Cavs fans. The link has the letter in it's entirety, but I want to talk about one section.

“I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE”

Someone may want to have this man checked out. There is NO WAY that the Cavs win a championship before Lebron James, let alone win a championship in the foreseeable future. Lebron was that team. There are some supporting cast players, but they have no one to lead the team to anywhere. They will fall off that map for awhile. Yes, they will get attention this next year because it is the aftermath season after Lebron leaving, but after that, we won't hear from the Cavs for awhile (unless of course they get the first lottery pick in the 2011 draft, which is entirely possible).

Sorry Cavs fans. It's going to be a long ride. (Yahoo!)

I understand that Gilbert and the fans are pissed, but that letter is a little bit on the harsh side. James wants to win, just like any great player, and while they had the best record in the regular season, they couldn't get it done in the playoffs because everyone, including Lebron, thought he had to do everything at that point. Sorry, that just won't cut it.

And then, to say that James quit on your team in the playoffs is insane. Lebron was the team Gilbert. The man is just upset because now the "team" is headed south, in more ways than one, and he knows it.

But, to end on a positive note, check out the celebration in Miami. I wish I was there right now.

Now you can tell that they are happy.

I guess in the end we will just have to see how the actions of this free agency turn out. And again, please check out Gilbert's letter because it made me laugh and it will probably make you laugh too.

Will they help make up the dream team in the NBA?

Life Without Lebron

On the eve of possibly the biggest one-hour special on ESPN ever, two of the top three free agents have decided where they are going to play - congratulations Miami Heat.

Now I predicted that Chris Bosh would sign on with to play with a newly resigned Dwyane Wade by the end of free agency, but I didn't think if that happened Lebron James would still be considering Miami purely for the fact that they would have to get rid of somebody so they could sign all three.

But, that is what is shaping up heading into Lebron's big announcement. Chicago seems to be out of the mix, but were able to sign Carlos Boozer, which, being a Duke fan, I'm pretty stoked about. He's not as the same player he was a couple of years ago with Utah, but he can still produce and has the young Derrick Rose to feed the ball to when a shots not available.

This guy will be in a Bulls jersey next year. (Credit Desert News)

I don't think the Clippers were ever really in the hunt. They had a meeting, but that team is so mismanaged that Lebron would have a fool to go there. New Jersey has a LONG shot, and New York isn't much better than that. Really, the sweepstakes for Lebron come down to whether he stays in Cleveland or joins Bosh and Wade in Miami.

So how will each team in the Lebron sweepstakes fare if he passes on their club?

MIAMI HEAT

The Heat will be sitting pretty if Lebron doesn't want 2010's version of the big three. The signing of Chris Bosh gives Wade a big man to work with that he has been missing since Shaq, except Bosh can move faster. Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley are good up and coming players that can add to the experience of Wade and Bosh.

If Lebron doesn't sign, that leaves Miami with a lot more cap room to get more depth on their roster. I think a point guard is needed to help lead the charge down the court. I think Raymond Felton would be a great edition to the team and would be able to help with scoring and defense.

CHICAGO BULLS

The Chicago Bulls were suppose to be the team to beat a few years ago with Ben Gordon, Ben Wallace and Kirk Hinrich. Now, none of those players are even on the team anymore. Ben Gordon got traded to Detroit, Kirk Hinrich is headed to Washington and Ben Wallace signed with the Pistons last year but is a free agent this year.

Instead, Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah have taken the team over and are trying to make a younger more explosive run at the championship. With the addition of Carlos Boozer, the team is better. Luol Deng is still on the team for now, but may be traded. The team still needs a shooting guard to replace Kirk Hinrich and I think JJ Redick would be a good fit. He plays a similar game as Kirk and though he has room for improvement on defense, he is becoming a more all around player.

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY

These two teams will be fine if Lebron doesn't sign. Sure, if he did they would probably be instant playoff contenders, but they are working toward something without him.

The Knick signed Amare Stoudemire and he will add a lot of explosion for the team. Hopefully he can keep the injures to a minimum like he did this past year. Chris Duhon is going to the Magic, T-Mac, well we don't know anything that is going on with that guy and David Lee will not be heavily recruited by the Nets. If he leaves, then that leaves the Knicks in hot water. Luckily, if Lebron doesn't come, they will have a lot of money to get people to surround Stoudemire with. There have even been talks of getting Carmelo Anthony to team up with the Knicks.

The Nets, after a terrible season, are headed up in the East. Devin Harris is a good point guard and Brook Lopez is a good center. Derrick Favors from Georgia Tech will come around at power forward and I think that David Lee will head to New Jersey/Brooklyn which will provide depth at power forward. They also have money to make some moves to get some help.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

The Cavaliers will be the worst off if Lebron decides to leave. Mo Williams is an OK player at best. Lebron made him better. Shaq is going to leave Cleveland. Boston looks like a good choice for him. Anderson Verajao is a descent player playing with a lot of heart, but he can't carry the team. Zydrunas Ilgauskas is a good center, but he couldn't even beat out an old Shaq. 

So where does Cleveland go with LBJ? Down of course. No best record in the East and probably no playoffs at all. They didn't have any draft picks this year. But, they will have a lot of cap room to make moves and slowly build themselves up. There are a lot of team, like those mentioned above, that free agents will want to go to. The big thing in Cleveland's favor? Players want max contracts before a possible lockout so they have it locked in.

This team will hurt the worse, and I'm not sure if Lebron wants to do that to them.

Weekend Round-Up: Battered Fighters, World Cup Upsets and Nadal's Return to Form

A lot happened in the sports' world over the holiday weekend, so I figured I would do a kind of round-up for a few of the events.

BROCK LESNAR TAPS CARWIN

(UFC.com)

Brock Lesnar may be an arrogant and cocky man, but after Saturday, he proved that he deserves all the praise he gives himself. Lesnar has been out for about six months now after suffering a near career ending and almost fatal sickness. Even if he would have lost this match, I still would give him credit for working his way back into this position.

But, he didn't lose, and that says a lot for this man. Carwin is one hell of a fighter, coming into the fight at 12-0 and not even letting any of his fights get out of the first round. It almost looked like he was going to make win 13 almost as easy, but Lesnar wouldn't quit. Carwin nailed a vicious blow to Lesnar that sent him stumbling backwards and to the ground. Carwin pounced on him and kept on throwing punches.

Lesnar said after the fight that he knew that if he could keep moving and show the ref that he was fighting to keep going that he would have a chance because Carwin was getting tired. 

That is exactly what happened and in the second round, Lesnar shot at Carwin, took him down, and applied the submission that Carwin had no choice but to tap to. The submission not only signified that Lesnar was back and still in power, but that he is learning as a fighter. If you look at some of the first fights, and even the Mir fight, Lesnar used his strength. The fact that Lesnar took Carwin down and made him tap even knowing that Mir was tired shows a lot of growth.

So congratulations to Lesnar for making his return when he could have easily succumbed to his sickness. He is the best fighter in heavyweight right now. His next fight will be a tough one against the ready Cain Velasquez.

BRAZIL IS OUT, GERMANY IS DOMINATING

(Yahoo! Sports)

Raise your hand if you expected Brazil to be out in the quarterfinals? Not many, if any, predicted this outcome. Netherlands had yet to lose or even tie, and coming from pretty easy group play, I expected Brazil to continue to play like their number one world ranking. That didn't happen.

Brazil took an early lead and looked to run away with this one. Then the second period started and Felipe Melo stepped up his game... in a bad way. In the 52nd minute, Melo scored... on his own goalie. He was trying to stop a shot and instead of leading Brazil goaltender Julio Cesar take the ball, he tried to head it away and ended up heading it into his own net.

That goal just tied it up and there was still time. But, that goal seemed like it took the air out of Brazil and again Netherlands scored, but on their own this time. This goal was a nice one too. After a corner kick, Dirk Kuyt headed it backwards to Wesley Sneijder  who headed it into the goal.

And then, to top the absolute collapse of Melo and in return Brazil, Melo was given a red card after he stepped on the thigh of a Netherlands' player. Not only did it look painful, it also looked like Melo meant  to do it. He was frustrated and wanted to win, but that was not cool.

Uruguay and Ghana played in a great match that should have been Ghana's victory, but a handball in the last seconds of extra time followed by a missed penalty kick caused the downfall of Ghana. Spain was also able to take care of Paraguay in the last minutes.

The other big match was Germany vs. Argentina. I figured this would be a close, hard fought match with Argentina coming out on top. Boy was I wrong. Germany completely dominated this match and to see Diego Maradona agonize over the 4-0 romp of his team was just a cherry on top.

What I liked most about this match was the no quit attitude of Germany. Even when they had a comfortable 3-0 lead and were headed toward the semi-finals, they kept playing hard and pushing and were able to score another goal in the 88th minute.

The only downside actually proved to be a positive. Thomas Mueller was given a yellow card, which means he will miss the game against Spain with two now. The positive? Well Mueller gave Germany the lead in the 2nd minute, but that the team was able to keep Argentina scoreless and score three more goals was amazing.

Germany vs. Spain should be a great match-up.

NADAL STRUGGLES EARLY BUT WINS WIMBLEDON

(Yahoo! Sports)

Rafael Nadal is back to being the best tennis player in the world. After an injury last year that kept him out of some tournaments, hurt his chances in others and had him forfeiting others, Nadal struggled when he came back. Nadal is known for his energy on the court and he just didn't have it.

But, earlier this year he won the French Open. That was the beginning. And then, after a slow start at Wimbledon, he dominated in the last two rounds and avoided having to face Roger Federer. 

Federer is starting his decline. Not to take anything away from the man, he is still one of the top players in the world, but the 16 Grand Slams are taking a toll and he just hasn't been himself in the past two Grand Slams. Nadal on the other hand is half way to Federer and he is just warming up. Had it not been for the injury last year, Nadal may have more... and Federer less.

Nadal knows how to close out the competition, beating out Tomas Berdych in three straight sets. He is the best player in the world, and he will continue to chip away at Federer's record.

The US Open starts at the end of August and Federer will be looking to rebound. But, he dropped to third in the world rankings, so that may get him a lower seed and a harder route. I guess we will see when the time comes.

Free Agency is Under Way

Sorry for the lack of post. I have been busy lately taking care of my internship so I can get to the point where I can do this professionally. I am going to try and get a post up at least every other day from now on. Continue with the comments and e-mail me with any questions, opinions or ideas.

2010 NBA FREE AGENCY

(Slam Dunk Central)

The 2010 NBA Free Agency finally started at 12:01 a.m. EST on July 1, 2010. As I said in one of my earlier post, this is the BEST free agent class ever. There are so many people, and yes besides the "big 3." This offseason could change the landscape of the NBA and change what teams dominate. Do you think if Lebron James doesn't go back to the Cavs that they will even make the playoffs? No. Miami Heat will be better off than the Lebron-less Cavs without Dwyane Wade, but not by much. So let's see how things have been going so far.

LEBRON JAMES (Current Team: Cleveland Cavaliers)

He is The King. I am not a huge Lebron James fan nor do I think I ever will be, even if he went to a team I like. But, I can respect his talent and I know that he is the best player available. He is being heavily recruited by Chicago, New York, New Jersey and Miami along with his former team Cleveland. He has talked to all of those teams already being only the end of the second day. Still, the general public has no idea where he is going.

Cleveland hired Byron Scott as their head coach and I think that is a good move on their part. Many people are very high on Scott, but I think he will do a lot of what Mike Brown was doing with the Cavs. Take that how you want. I personally don't think the problem was Brown, but the fact that when Cleveland got behind, LBJ tried to do everything, and nobody cared. His team wanted him to carry the team. Yes, being arguably the best player in the NBA (still not sold on that), he is expected to step up when it matters. But, when you lose a game at home, you don't need to try and win the game in the first five minutes of the next game by yourself, in turn giving the other team the lead because they know what is coming. That is why I don't think he should go back to Cleveland. That is all that he will ever have, and he needs somebody that will challenge him for those big shots and big plays.

I would love to see him go to Chicago or Miami and team up with Dwyane Wade. I respect Wade a lot and think he may be arguably the best player in the NBA. More about him later though.

In the end, I have no idea where James will sign. If he goes to New York, I think he is making a mistake, although they look to be signing Amar'e Stoudemire. If he goes to New Jersey or Chicago with Bosh, he will have something to work with. If he goes to Chicago or Miami with Wade, they will win. Guaranteed. But, I don't think he is going to Miami or New York. New Jersey is a long shot in my opinion. So if he wants to share a team with Dwyane Wade... he will go to Chicago. If he wants to stay loyal... he will stay in Cleveland.

DWYANE WADE (Current Team: Miami Heat)

Yes, Dwyane Wade has won a NBA Title. One more than Lebron James as a matter of fact. How did he do that? With his crazy, unbelievable moves and a little help from his supporting cast. That is what has been lacking in Wade's quest for a second title.

So far, Wade has long been considered almost a lock to stay in Miami. But, since July 1, he has visited the Chicago Bulls not once, but twice! He is from Chicago originally. If he goes to Chicago, he could potentially share the stage with Lebron James, Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. If Lebron doesn't want to come, Chris Bosh may take his spot, still making a crazy starting five.

I honestly think that Wade is either going to stay in Miami or go to Chicago. Those are his only two choices that he still has on the table. Go back to where he is from or play for the team that he loves. If Lebron called up Dwyane and said that he was going to Chicago and wanted him to come play with him, I think it would happen that way. I don't think Lebron will do that. Wade stays in Miami and (hopefully) they sign him some help.

CHRIS BOSH (Current Team: Toronto Raptors)

Unlike the other two in the "big 3", Bosh isn't even considering staying at his current team. He wants out and he wants to win. It's the right choice, because if stayed in Toronto, he wouldn't have won a title. So where does he go to help him get to that level?

I think Bosh will enter next season starting next to Lebron James or Dwyane Wade. If he is smart he will. He could go to Chicago and start with Lebron or Dwayne or go to Miami and start with Wade. Realistically, he could go to New York and start along side Amar'e. He has a lot of choices, but to make him leaving Toronto worth it, he needs to pair himself up with help.

I think Bosh goes to Miami and starts along side Wade. But again, just like the other two, a lot of factors go into his decision and could easily change. 

THE REST

I don't want to take anything away from anyone else, because there are a lot of great players out there, but a lot of big names seem to be staying put. Joe Johnson looks like he is staying in Atlanta. Paul Pierce IS staying in Boston. Dirk will most likely stay with Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks. Rudy Gay signed to continue playing with Memphis. Amar'e looks like he is going to end up in New York after saying that his days in Phoenix are over.

Carlos Boozer is still a big name. He isn't the same Boozer as he use to be, but he can help. Where he goes I think depends on where the "big 3" go. If Wade stays in Miami and the other two don't come, Boozer could go there. If one or more go to Chicago, he will probably not go there. He could easily go to New York or New Jersey if they strike out. 

There is so much left to decide and hopefully by the end of the weekend we will have a clearer view of what is to come in the 2010-2011 NBA season. Depending on what happens in the next few days, I plan to talk about either who's left and where they may go.