NFL Preseason Thread

[Needle77]

Jacksonville Jaguars

Last Season: C-

Coming off of a 12-4 season in which they made the playoff to be an 8-8 team is a disappointing thing. The team did suffer a tremendous amount of injuries but that still does not mean the year did not go as planned. The defense showed it has potential to be the best defense in the league due it being ranked #2 last year without Stroud, Peterson, Hayward.

Draft: A-

When you draft as many players as the Jaguars did you can't see the draft as a failure(11 picks). Jags first round was done extremely well, Reggie Nelson is a terrific athlete and an absolute steal in the late round.

Justin Durant is a Jack del Rio player, tough, quick, and the thirst to prove himself at the top level. Jaguars got recievers and DE to address those glaring needs. Overall there is gonna be a lot of talent on the field when Saturday's camp opens.

Offseason: B+

The issue of punter maybe fixed with FA signing and a draft pick. Tony Parosh is an elite tackle in this game and should make the Jaguars with a scary OL for opposing teams.

Dennis Northcutt has impressed JDR tremendously and should be the teams #1, he needed to get out Cleveland I guess.

Jaguars cut ties with Donovan Darius but, that was not much of a suprise. Though he was arguably the hardest hitter in the league he is extremely injury prone and put the Jaguars in bad spots the past two years with his injuries.

My only problem is the QB issue. JDR said that Leftwich was his guy back in February and stuck by it. But, there is not a backup plan it seems. A make or break year for Byron, I think he can do it.

Outlook: 10-6 5th seed.

A double digit win year is not that hard to see with this team. Though their schedule is not the easiest 2 games against the Texans and Titans makes it look a lot better(though Texans >>>>>> Jaguars). Colts should be looking over their shoulders in December to see if the Jaguars are catching up.

Key Games:
Oct. 22 vs INDY(ESPN) - Want to be Champs, beat the Champs.
Oct. 28-Nov 11 - 3 road games(TB, NO, Titans) could easily lose 3 road games in the NFL, gotta take 2 of 3 to compete.
Dec 2 - @ INDY - See Oct. 22 game
Dec 16 - @ Pitt - Last "tough" game of the season(Oakland+Texans to close out). Going on the road to Pitt in Dec does not sound like a fun time to me. Though it is not a divison game it looks like it might be a must-win especially for wild-card.

[Kneel B4 Zod]

Ok I was going to do this today anyways.

Patriots

Last Season: B+. They were within 1 1st down of being a TD favorite in the SB, but couldn’t get it done.


The Draft-B+
Pats didn’t trade up, and filled a critical need (pass coverage safety) with Merriweather. He should be a great fit. They then traded their other 1st rounder to the 49’ers, receiving their 2008 first round pick, and Randy Moss. Yeah, I’ll take that deal any day, and that 2008 pick probably has an EV of around 15, 13 spots higher than the pick they traded. They then got another typical Patriot DL, Kareem Brown, who can play anywhere on the line. I’m not sure who else is going to make the team, maybe a couple depth guys.

Offseason-A+
Everyone knows about the key players signed: filling big needs at WR with Donte Stallworth and Wes Welker, as well as a huge need in a versatile pass coverage LB in Adalius Thomas. WR, LB, and Safety were the only needs to team had, and they filled them all. Not only that, but they did it cheaply: Moss is cheap, Welker cheap, Thomas did not sign for huge money, and Stallworth will be gone after this year.

The big ? is Asante Samuel. He’s a solid corner, and they could really use him back there. Who knows what Belichick would do if he held out until Week 10. Anyways, he would be a big loss.

Summary: this was a very solid team last year, and they improved all their weakspots in the offseason. They have a tough schedule, but anything less than a 4th ring will disappoint many Pats fans.

[Triumph36]

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The Giants and Redskins have no chance

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Strange, that's what many people said about the Eagles heading into 2006...

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those people were fools - everything went wrong for the Eagles in 2005. I laugh when I remember that the line for Eagles visiting Houston was only -4.

Tell me how the Redskins or Giants will compete in this division. They are both total trainwrecks - at least the Eagles got rid of their problem.

[Tyler Durden]

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The Giants and Redskins have no chance

[/ QUOTE ]

Strange, that's what many people said about the Eagles heading into 2006...

[/ QUOTE ]

those people were fools - everything went wrong for the Eagles in 2005. I laugh when I remember that the line for Eagles visiting Houston was only -4.

Tell me how the Redskins or Giants will compete in this division. They are both total trainwrecks - at least the Eagles got rid of their problem.

[/ QUOTE ]

Four of last year's playoff teams had 6 wins or fewer in 2005. The NFL changes a lot from season to season. How can you dismiss any team as having "no chance"?

That's what people said about the Saints and Ravens last year at this time. Those people were the real fools.

[D104]

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We got Takeo Spikes. Added depth on the D-Line with Reagor and Ian Scott. Freak is healthy.


[/ QUOTE ] The D-line rotation is going to be key for the Eagles. Outside of Trent Cole their pass rush was non existent last year even when Kearse was healthy. I was not a big fan of the Spikes signing (I think he is slipping), but he should be an upgrade over Jones. I like Gaither, I hope he can take that next step.


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Losing Kearse was such a huge blow for the D-line last year - the whole concept of a rotation went out the window. Kearse was the one guy that could do everything, and allowed the D to use a lot of different looks.

Once he went down, Both Howard and Cole had to play so many more snaps and were much less effective later in the year, even though Cole had a good season. I know the Eagles had a 3rd and long package early in the year where they used Cole, Walker, Howard, and Kearse as the line, but Kearse could drop into coverage. Cole was fresh, because he was used as a situational pass rusher.

Last year they had 40 sacks, 8th in the NFL. But 23 of those sacks came in 4 of the first 5 games. Fatigue over the season was huge. With the added depth, hopefully the D-line will be effective as they were early in the season.

D

[D104]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The Giants and Redskins have no chance

[/ QUOTE ]

Strange, that's what many people said about the Eagles heading into 2006...

[/ QUOTE ]

those people were fools - everything went wrong for the Eagles in 2005. I laugh when I remember that the line for Eagles visiting Houston was only -4.

Tell me how the Redskins or Giants will compete in this division. They are both total trainwrecks - at least the Eagles got rid of their problem.

[/ QUOTE ]

Four of last year's playoff teams had 6 wins or fewer in 2005. The NFL changes a lot from season to season. How can you dismiss any team as having "no chance"?

That's what people said about the Saints and Ravens last year at this time. Those people were the real fools.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think ppl were foolish to write off the Saints last year b/c of the significant personnel changes in the offseason - every year there is a new young, hungry, talented team that rises up.

I think ppl write off the Giants and Skins b/c they just don't fit that mold. The Giants lost their best player last year, and have a QB that is shaky. Further, the team is filled w/ players that don't get along with their coach and bitch all the time. The Redskins make such horrible personnel decisions year after year bringing in aging vets that they have no draft picks. They only had 1 pick in the first 4 rounds last year, and all they have to show for it is Adam Achuleta and TJ Duckett, who I believe is no longer on the team. It's the same level of mediocrity year in and year out.

[Dudd]

Brandon Jacobs is a god, and is reason enough for irrational Giants fans everywhere to have hope.

[oe39]

[ QUOTE ]
Jacksonville Jaguars

Last Season: C-

Coming off of a 12-4 season in which they made the playoff to be an 8-8 team is a disappointing thing. The team did suffer a tremendous amount of injuries but that still does not mean the year did not go as planned. The defense showed it has potential to be the best defense in the league due it being ranked #2 last year without Stroud, Peterson, Hayward.


[/ QUOTE ]
watching them run all over the colts was my favorite game last season. jones-drew is fun to watch

[Triumph36]

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Brandon Jacobs is a god, and is reason enough for irrational Giants fans everywhere to have hope.

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This would be true if we had a coaching staff who knew how to use him. I'd set the over under on Jacobs' carries this year at like 300 (pro-rated, minimum of 8 healthy games) - watch as [censored], overrated Reuben Droughns gets the workload.

[duracell]

If they Eagles remain healthy, I would be surprised if they won fewer than 11 games. That should win the division. They'll have on of the most potent offenses in the NFL (an offense that should retain possession more this year) and what looks to be a vastly improved defense. The additions of Spikes, Reagor, and Scott, the return of the Freak, and the hopeful emergence of Bunkley should make this defense stout. Also, most people don't remember that Lito missed the playoff game against the Saints last year. That had a major impact.

The Cowboys also have a decent shot at winning the division, but they don't have as much talent as the Eagles and they have more question marks. (Weak secondary, new coach, is Romo more than an average QB?)

The Giants have a small chance at winning the division, but they need a lot of things to come together. Eli needs to play like a Manning and Jacobs needs to show what Giants fans are raving about. Even if they happens, they have big holes in their offensive line and defensive secondary.

The Redskins are a bit of a wild card. They've been plagued by inconsistency, but they do have talent at many spots in the lineup. I don't see Jason Campbell taking them far this year though.