Other than who wins the Super Bowl, what will be the top story in the NFL this season?

 

Peyton Manning winning comeback player of the year? The New York Jets setting a futility record for least touchdown passes thrown? The New Orleans Saints continue to dismantle opponents, despite bounty gate? Or perhaps, it will be the incompetence of the replacement officials?

 

North America’s number one sports league began its 2012 season on Wednesday as the Dallas Cowboys upset the the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants 24-17.
One down and 255 to go (plus 11 in the playoffs).

 

I don’t know who will win the Vince Lombardi Trophy but there are four tiers of teams. Here are my rankings of these tiers:

 

No Hope (microscopic chance)

 

·       St. Louis, Minnesota and Tampa Bay in the NFC.

·       Jacksonville, Cleveland, Miami, Buffalo and Indianapolis in the AFC.

 

Little Hope (remote chance)

·       Seattle, Carolina, Arizona and Washington in the NFC.

·       Tennessee, Cincinnati, Oakland and Kansas City in the AFC.

 

Contender (if everything falls into place: (injuries, breaks, career years and intangibles):

·       Detroit, NY Giants, Dallas and Atlanta in the NFC.

·       Denver, Pittsburgh, San Diego and NY Jets in the AFC.

 

Best bets (elite eight)

·       Green Bay, Philadelphia, New Orleans, San Francisco and Chicago in the NFC.

·       New England, Baltimore and Houston in the AFC.

 

 

The defending Super Bowl champion Giants are in the second tier and will be challenged to even make the playoffs because:

 

·       There hasn’t been a repeat winner in the NFL since the New England Patriots in 2004 and 2005;

·       They only compiled a 9-7 record last season but got hot at the right time (what are the chances of that happening again?);

·       And they have arguably the toughest schedule in the league.

The Patriots should be the number one lock to qualify for the post-season because they play in what appears to be a weak division (AFC East) and they have arguably the league’s easiest schedule.

 

 

The well respected Peter King of Sports Illustrated has Green Bay over Denver Feb 3^rd in New Orleans, but like all forecasters, he is just fishing.

 

Often there is one surprise team that qualifies to participate in the Super Bowl that almost comes out of nowhere like the Giants last year and Arizona (runner-up) in 09 and Seattle (runner-up) in 06.
Moreover, in 10 of the last 16 seasons, one of the Super Bowl participants had a .500 or less record the previous season.

 

While the Packers are a consensus pick, the Broncos are a Peyton Manning injury away from having an appalling year. In the regular season, there isn’t a better QB than a healthy Peyton, but after being out a year, it is too much to expect even him to take a team with just average talent to the big game.

 

It’s easy to go out on a limb, cross your fingers and suggest that Baltimore will play Philadelphia in the Super Bowl. The Ravens were one dropped pass away from winning the AFC last year while the “Dream Team” Eagles are loaded with talent and should be a threat as long as Micheal Vick stays healthy, which is doubtful.

 

I do believe one unique streak will end. For “each” of the last 16 years there have been five new playoff teams. Last year the dozen playoff teams were Green Bay, San Francisco, New Orleans, NY Giants, Atlanta and Detroit in the NFC plus New England, Baltimore, Houston, Denver, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati in the AFC.

 

Okay, although the Bengals are a logical choice to miss this year it is hard to imagine there will be "four" others.

 

The Eagles and Bears (NFC) and Chargers (AFC) should be playoff teams although San Diego seldom lives up to the hype.

For the second straight season there will be five rookie starting quarterbacks. Andrew Luck (Indy) should be the best of the bunch followed in this order by Robert Griffin the 3^rd (Washington), Russell Wilson (Seattle), Brandon Weeden (Cleveland) and Ryan Tannehill (Miami).

 

I have resisted the urge to play fantasy football because I want to continue to cheer for or against teams rather than individuals. Isn’t that a novelty?  In the end, as long as the New York Jets don’t win, then this will be another successful NFL season.

 

 

84 year old Vin Scully has been the voice of the LA Dodgers for the past 63 years. He has signed up for another season. The Dodgers have listed him as “day to day”. 

 

Comedy writer TC Chong of Vancouver (http://alwaysfunny.com/)

 

 

The Nationals say they are absolutely shutting Stephen Strasburg down. And why should we doubt any statement that comes from Washington, D.C.?

 

 

The NFL started Week 1 with replacement refs, leading many to worry that a mistake could be made that affects the outcome of the season. Like misapplying the “tuck rule?”

Contributor Janice Hough of Palo Alto, Californiawww.leftcoastsportsbabe.com

Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo says a return to Florida makes sense for everyone and would allow him to be close to friends, family and save money with the Blue-plate specials for a pre-game meal.

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Rickey Romero is 0-10 with an ERA over 6 in his last few starts or as Brian Burke calls it “extension territory”.

Contributor Derek Wilken of Calgaryhttp://smacksport.blogspot.com

 

A skier who was buried alive by an avalanche returned to the same Serbian slope and married the man who rescued her. That’s a twist, usually it’s after marriage you find yourself in over your head. 

 

Comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com      

 

Boxing icon Muhammad Ali’s childhood home in Louisville, Ky. — sagging front porch and all — is on the market for $50,000, but buyer beware.  As fixer-uppers go, it’s not the greatest.

 

Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sidelinechatter/

  

 

 

It’s now a crime to tell an Italian man that he has ‘no balls’. So critics of Tony Romo better stay out of Italy. 

 

Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California 

 

 

The Dallas Cowboys have put several restrictions on receiver Dez Bryant, including 24/7 security, a midnight curfew and a ban on alcohol and strip clubs. Coincidentally, it’s the same restrictions the Royal Family is putting on Prince Harry.

 

Steve Schrader of the Detroit Free Press