1-Seattle Seahawks
Offense
The Seahawks have one of the more explosive offenses in the NFL, provided a few things continue to go right. First of all, receivers Koren Robinson and Darrell Jackson need to stop their untimely dropping of passes. Considering how well Jackson played in the playoff loss to Green Bay, this shouldn’t be a problem. Second, Matt Hasselbeck has to forget what happened in Green Bay. If he struggles, and starts reliving his mistake throw to Al Harris, the ‘Hawks are in trouble. Finally, tackle Walter Jones has to not show any ill effects from missing training camp. Considering he always skips camp, it shouldn’t be a problem. Those three things go okay, and Seattle will score on anyone.
Defense
This is more of a problem area, though it did show improvement late in the year. The line is fine at end, worrisome at tackle. Free-agent Grant Wistrom, whom the Seahawks overpaid to take away from the Rams, mans one side, with Chike Okeafor on the other. On the inside, the Seahawks have a grab bag of young players, including first rounder Marcus Tubbs and second-year player Rashad Moore. The tackles need to come through. The loss of Chad Brown to injury for at least part of the season is difficult, as the Hawks are very thin at backer to begin with. The secondary is great at the corners, with youngsters Ken Lucas and Marcus Trufant joined by free agent Bobby Taylor, but very, very young at the safeties. Between Ken Hamlin, Terreal Bierra, and Michael Boulware, there is only about a half-seasons worth of starts. Boulware didn’t even play the position in college.
Prediction
Look, I’d love to join in with the frenzy of Seahawk Super Bowl predictions, but I can’t. I’ve been a Hawk fan too long, and I’ve seen this franchise not meet expectations way to many times. We also must remember this is a team that went 2-6 on the road, and only made the playoffs on a fluke play by the Cardinals last year. Seattle is good enough to edge out St. Louis for the division crown, and probably win a game in the playoffs. I think the middle of the defense needs to grow up fast for anything beyond that.
2-St. Louis Rams
Offense
Well, this is Marc Bulger’s team now, for better or worse. Bulger isn’t nearly the quarterback Kurt Warner was when Warner was at his best, but the switch is a good move at this point in Warner’s career. Mike Martz seems to be finally learning, drafting power back Steven Jackson to serve as Marshall Faulk’s caddy and eventual replacement. Faulk is slowing, but is still an upper-tier back when healthy. At receiver, the Rams still go three deep: Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce and Dane Looker are as good a threesome as there is in the league. The line is hurting though, the loss of tackle Kyle Turley is a huge loss, exposing just how thin the Rams are on the line. This isn’t the Greatest Show on Turf anymore, but they will still score points.
Defense
The loss of Lovie Smith, who left to become head coach in Chicago, will hurt. Martz hired longtime assistant Larry Marmie to replace him. The scheme will be tweaked, but St. Louis will continue to run a Cover-2 scheme. They are thin on the line, with a bevy of under performing high draft picks at tackle, and one great end in Leonard Little, provided he can stay out of trouble. The linebackers are young, fast and terrific. Between Tommy Polley, Robert Thomas, Pino Tinoisamo, and rookie Brandon Chillar, the Rams have plenty of talent here. The secondary is the exact opposite of Seattle’s. They have good experienced safeties, Adam Archuleta and Aeneas Wiliams, but suspect corners.
Prediction
The Rams are still good, but no longer the annual Super Bowl threat they were a few years ago. The offense is slipping, though Jackson should give them a power run threat they haven’t had under Martz. The defense, if any of the young DT ‘s come through, could be special. Figure the Rams get into the playoffs, but don’t do any damage once they’re there.
3-San Francisco 49ers
Offense
Well, the original West Coast Offense team is slowly shedding Bill Walsh’s creation. Dennis Erickson now has his own offensive coordinator, as veteran coach Ted Tollner replaces Gregg Knapp who escaped to Atlanta. Tollner has a lot less to work with than Knapp did, as QB Jeff Garcia, and WR Terrell Owens and Tai Streets all left, replaced by Tim Rattay, Brandon Lloyd and rookie Rashaun Woods. Not exactly household names, but probably not as much of drop-off as expected. Rattay and Lloyd played very well at the end of last year, and now Kevan Barlow becomes the number one tailback. The problem is the line, a patchwork of fading veterans like Scott Gragg, and unproven talents like Kwame Harris.
Defense
The 49ers, and new coordinator Willy Robinson, desperately want to build the team around star OLB Julian Peterson, but Peterson might not let them. They will have to pay to keep him, but San Francisco is in cost-cutting mode. Elsewhere, the Niners are okay, but not great. Aging tackle Bryant Young is the focal point of the line, and Petersen leads a good group of linebackers, but the secondary could be problematic, as corner Mike Rumph takes over a starting job, despite being regularly burnt to a crisp by the divisions plethora of talented receivers.
Prediction
I may be in the minority here, but I don’t think the Niners are as bad as some think. Obviously everything focuses on Rattay, though the coaching staff also seems to love Ken Dorsey, the second coming of Steve Walsh, and could go to him at any time. The defense will be adequate, and San Fran should flirt with .500 most of the season.
4-Arizona Cardinals
Offense
The Cardinals biggest pick-up is new coach Dennis Green. Green, despite being a bit of a paranoiac, is a helluva good football coach. He has a lot to work on. At QB, Green is sticking with the young Josh McCown. Considering Green won in Minnesota with everyone he used, he must see something in McCown. The receivers are young, but talented, and once Larry Fitzgerald learns the pro game, he and Anquan Boldin will be a dangerous pair. Emmett Smith and Troy Hambrick are the running backs; surprisingly Dave Campo is not the coach here. The line, full of high-priced talent and high draft picks, has never played up to potential. Green up and cut Pete Kendall as a motivational ploy. We’ll see how it works.
Defense
Now this is just a mess. The line is okay, with former Bronco Bertrand Berry joining the team as a free agent. Berry had a terrific year with Denver, but he’s The Guy here, and he wouldn’t be the first player to suffer under that situation. The rest of the line is adequate with former Cowboy Peppi Zellner and the disappointing Calvin Pace at end, and youngster Darnell Dockett and Russell Davis at tackle. Dockett could be a keeper, after slipping to the third round in the draft. The linebackers are okay, led by undersized Randall McKinnon. Last year’s big free agent signing Duane Starks, who missed all of last season, leads the secondary. He’ll be joined by the talented but dumb Adrian Wilson, former Colt David Macklin and whomever they can find to play free safety.
Prediction
The Cardinals fortunes are looking up for the first time in years, but it will take some time to get there. Green is the real deal; he’s won everywhere he’s ever coached. This season won’t be pretty though. The defense won’t stop many people, and the offense could go through stretches where nothing works.