SB5-22: NFL 2008 Preview

The 2008 NFL season; best's and worst's as ranked by me.

The National Football League owners on Wednesday decided to opt out of their Collective Bargaining Agreement (or how they make and distribute money). While this doesn't directly affect the 2008-09 season, it does determine how owners have signed players.

Marion Barber (Dallas RB) and Terrence Newman (Dallas CB) both signed monster deals including guaranteed money through 2011 (the year that the CBA will not be in effect, unless a new draft is in place).

Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons signed a record 6 year/72 million dollar contract with 35 million guaranteed in the first three years.

This means one thing; the owners are prepared for a strike.

But all of this is just precautions; there will be football played and I have ranked the conferences and divisions to satiate the NFL fan who gets tired of super-scoring Arena football games.

Let's start with the AFC.

AFC East:

1. New England

2. Buffalo

3. New York Jets

4. Miami

The Patriots will continue to imbue their dominance over their division rivals; the AFC East is a joke. I have Buffalo after New England because they are building their team the right way—with defense. They are levels above Miami, and yet are still on the cusp of being a playoff team. With a Tennessee meltdown, or a Jacksonville struggle, I could see Buffalo in the 6^th slot in the playoffs with a 9-7 record; they seem to always be in the hunt in the last few weeks but finish 7-9. The Jets will get better also, maybe an 8-8 optimistically. But until they find a legitimate QB, they will be subpar and on the cusp of a 500 team. Miami will be better than last year (it's hard to be worse). Maybe a 3-13 or 4-12, but there is a lot of rebuilding still—look for Jason Taylor to be Florida's Terrell Owens; he will be a distraction for the team, so they could be 1-15 again or worse.

AFC South:

1. Indianapolis

2. Jacksonville

3. Tennessee

4. Houston

This was, apart from the NFC East, the toughest division in football. The bottom team, Houston, had an 8-8 record and is on the rise. I could easily see Jacksonville pass Indy, but it would be unlikely considering the Jags don't have a Peyton Manning. Houston could easily make a 10-6 season and pass Vince Young's Titans in Tennessee, but they don't have a Vince Young.

AFC North:

1. Cleveland

2. Pittsburgh

3. Baltimore

4. Cincinnati

Cleveland is on the rise while the rest of their division is stagnant. The Steelers seem to be content with drafting prototypical players, signing prototypical players, and trying to attain a prototypical finish. Mike Tomlin is almost saying, "We will be a 10-6, 9-7 team and hope that we can be a playoff seed and make a run. We won't change anything, won't try and get better, simply stay the way we are." Cincy will fall just because of their team's lack of chemistry. Baltimore has another young QB in rookie Joe Flacco and will limit them to a 6-10, 5-11 season.

AFC West:

1. San Diego

2. Denver

3. Oakland

4. Kansas City

The Chargers will win this division; they are the only team with talent and a method in place. The rest of the division is fumbling—no pun intended—to figure out their identity and chemistry. Denver has been given its own shock with the news of Jay Cutler's diabetes, and shards of Brandon Marshall's attempt to tackle entertainment, or rather an entertainment center, remain. They could easily finish 5-11 or 10-6. Oakland will finally raid the 3^rd spot in the West from KC if Jamarcus Russell doesn't pass up the opportunity to be a leader. Kansas City is young and rebuilding, and their chief concern is QB; can Brodie Croyle lead this team?

NFC East:

1. Dallas

2. New York Giants

3. Philadelphia

4. Washington

Another tough division as aforementioned, Dallas is the most talented team, but with TO in a contract year AND Pacman Jones, the locker room and their season is not safe. TO says he will not make his contract an issue, but will Pacman chomp away at the crime rate of Dallas? Those looming questions have Jerry Jones-in for answers quickly. The defending champion New York Giants will continue to grow as their solid draft players' progress, and could without any surprise in my mind win the division. Philly is on the rise as is Washington, but the Eagles won't soar over this division any time soon unless they get production from rookie WR/PR Desean Jackson quickly. Washington is still growing with Jason Campbell and Jim Zorn, the new head coach might be out matched.

NFC South:

1. New Orleans

2. Tampa Bay

3. Carolina

4. Atlanta

This conference is too close to call; I could see the Saints march, the Bucs sail, or the Panthers pounce into the playoffs. The one constant is that the trend of worst-to-first will not continue; the Falcons will be in 4^th place at the end of the year.

NFC North:

1. Green Bay

2. Minnesota

3. Detroit

4. Chicago

Green Bay is the most solid team in this division, but they will win with a 9-7 or even an 8-8 record. Minnesota will compete and finish close to 500, but unless Tarvaris Jackson and/or John David Booty step up as QB, their team will be subpar. Detroit is Detroit; Chicago is Chicago.

NFC West:

1. Seattle

2. Arizona

3. San Francisco

4. St. Louis

Seattle has the momentum, and this division compares to the AFC East; it is weaker than Roger Clemen's rebuttal. Arizona is due for a win increase and I could see them at an 8-8 or 7-9 challenging for Seattle's supremacy. San Francisco will get no more than 5 wins and St. Louis won't get much better than 4 wins.

Now for the playoff teams:

AFC: NFC:

1. New England ; 1. Dallas

2. San Diego ; 2. New Orleans

3. Indianapolis ;3. Green Bay

4. Cleveland ; 4. Seattle

5. Jacksonville; 5. NYG

6. Buffalo ; 6. Tampa Bay

Matchups: Round 1

IND vs. BUF: IND ; GB vs. TB: TB

CLE vs. JAX: JAX ; SEA vs. NYG: NYG

Round 2:

NE vs. JAX: NE ; DAL vs. TB: DAL

IND vs. SD: IND; NO vs. NYG: NYG

Divisional Championships

NE vs. IND: NE ; DAL vs. NYG: DAL

Super Bowl XLII

NE vs. DAL: NE