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ODD PREDICTIONS FOR THE 2008 SUPER BOWL
By: Larry Petton
Vegas is already busy crowning a winner for Super Bowl XLII (42 if
you are in Arkansas ). We should probably go ahead and mail the
Lombardi to Foxboro and let the Pats take the year off. They are
the clear odds-on favorites. Here is the latest from Point-Spreads.
com:
New England Patriots 2-1
San Diego Chargers 5-1
Indianapolis Colts 7-1
Chicago Bears 16-1
Philadelphia Eagles 18-1
Seattle Seahawks 18-1
New Orleans Saints 18-1
Cincinnati Bengals 25-1
Denver Broncos 25-1
Carolina Panthers 25-1
Dallas Cowboys 25-1
Looks like another boring Bears blowout with T-Rex Grossman
looking extinct again. Maybe Randy gets rid of his bad boy tag and
finally becomes the Super Bowl MVP. But hold your horses just a
dad gum minute. We need to play some games first. What will the
upcoming season look like? Well, let’s look into Professor Petton’s
crystal ball of predictions and make some fearless forecasts for
2007-2008 NFL season:
NEW ENGLAND – The Pats have a lot of new faces who will make
an impact including Adalius Thomas, Donte Stallworth, Wes Welker
and Randy Mess, umm Moss. What kind of chemistry will they
have? Bill doesn’t put up with much. If this Brady Bunch blends
together, they could be very dangerous with the NFL’s top gun qb.
Move over, Indy.
SAN DIEGO – The Chargers are facing a major upheaval with most
of their coaching staff being replaced this fall. They still have LT,
Gates, Merriman and a rising star in Phillip Rivers. I think they are
going to need another year to get comfortable with a totally new
system. Solid year….no crown again.
INDIANAPOLIS – It’s the NFL….NOT FOR LONG. Indy will have
another good year and Anthony Gonzales will be a good fit in their
spread. Manning has the curse off his back, Dungy is the best
coach in the league, but unless they get the championship game at
home, they will be watching XLII on tv.
CHICAGO – This team so bores me. Everyone has them at the top
of the NFC, but I am not in their camp. I say that, in the name of
Grossman, there shall be no REXurrection in the Midway. In
addition, losing Thomas Jones was a mistake they will soon regret.
The Bears will be hibernating in their den next February….believe
me, it is better for tv ratings.
PHILLY – This team bothers me. They have an innovative coach
who knows how to motivate them in tough times. With a healthy
McNabb back for a season, who knows? I still have a problem with
their receiving corp. They are going to have to make a major step
up in the loss of Stallworth. But as long as McNabb and Westbrook
are on the field together, you will have a battle. McNabb creates
plays more than any other qb and Westbrook is a superstar multi-
dimensional back who is the most underrated rb in the game. But
they still come up a little short in January.
SEATTLE – We find out what the Mariners, oooops, Seahawks, are
made of in 2007. They had more key injuries than any other team
last year, but lucked into a playoff win, thanks to YOU KNOW WHO
who dropped YOU KNOW WHAT. Seattle suffered a major setback
with the loss of Steve Hutchinson, monster guard who fled to
Minnesota . Alexander will be good, but without Hutch, he will never
be awesome again. Good team, good coach, good fans, but good
bye Super Bowl. Flukes happen.
NEW ORLEANS – Watch out for the boys on the bayou. Sean
Payton is the most aggressive young coach in the NFL. He has
conquered a major battle after only year – the Saints shed their
‘Aints image and now believe in themselves. They have added 4.3
speedster, Robert Meachem, to their arsenal of weapons and have
helped their defense in free agency. This team goes to the
championship game again and the Saints win it if they play at home.
CINCY – Oh, you got trouble, right there in River City . Enough
said. Cincy will continue developing their growing prison ministry in
2007. What a mess.
DENVER – The Broncs added several new pieces to the puzzle in
the off-season. Do hey have enough? Not quite. Cutler needs
another year of seasoning. He will have a big season and Travis
Henry will fit in just fine (as almost any running back does in
Denver ). But they cannot beat New England on the road with an
inexperienced quarterback. Pay your deposit and come back and
see me next year.
CAROLINA – No. Too many questions at quarterback. The good
news for the Panthers is that the Smokey Mountains are really nice
in February. Enjoy!
DALLAS – The Boys have not won a playoff game in a decade.
Talk about a drought for the franchise that has more Super Bowl
appearances than anyone. Can Romo lead Dallas back to glory?
Maybe. But some things have to fall in place.
What are the odds of those things actually happening next
February? I think the Cowboys take a while to get their system
together and play well at the end. However, they will have to defeat
New Orleans at home in front of a Saints crowd that is deafening.
'Boys lose to Brees, Inc. Say it isn’t so.
New Orleans goes on to play New England in one of the best
offensive displays in Super Bowl history. Brady captures a fourth
ring.
For Cowboy fans, it’s not ideal….but it is a major step up.
‘Boys get the number one pick in the draft in 2008 and win it all in
the 2009 Super Bowl.
Here’s a dream…….Dallas playing a home game in February
2011. It could happen.
Written by Larry Petton from Springdale, Arkansas. If you have any
comments, please send those to lpetton@hotmail.com.
By: Larry Petton
Vegas is already busy crowning a winner for Super Bowl XLII (42 if
you are in Arkansas ). We should probably go ahead and mail the
Lombardi to Foxboro and let the Pats take the year off. They are
the clear odds-on favorites. Here is the latest from Point-Spreads.
com:
New England Patriots 2-1
San Diego Chargers 5-1
Indianapolis Colts 7-1
Chicago Bears 16-1
Philadelphia Eagles 18-1
Seattle Seahawks 18-1
New Orleans Saints 18-1
Cincinnati Bengals 25-1
Denver Broncos 25-1
Carolina Panthers 25-1
Dallas Cowboys 25-1
Looks like another boring Bears blowout with T-Rex Grossman
looking extinct again. Maybe Randy gets rid of his bad boy tag and
finally becomes the Super Bowl MVP. But hold your horses just a
dad gum minute. We need to play some games first. What will the
upcoming season look like? Well, let’s look into Professor Petton’s
crystal ball of predictions and make some fearless forecasts for
2007-2008 NFL season:
NEW ENGLAND – The Pats have a lot of new faces who will make
an impact including Adalius Thomas, Donte Stallworth, Wes Welker
and Randy Mess, umm Moss. What kind of chemistry will they
have? Bill doesn’t put up with much. If this Brady Bunch blends
together, they could be very dangerous with the NFL’s top gun qb.
Move over, Indy.
SAN DIEGO – The Chargers are facing a major upheaval with most
of their coaching staff being replaced this fall. They still have LT,
Gates, Merriman and a rising star in Phillip Rivers. I think they are
going to need another year to get comfortable with a totally new
system. Solid year….no crown again.
INDIANAPOLIS – It’s the NFL….NOT FOR LONG. Indy will have
another good year and Anthony Gonzales will be a good fit in their
spread. Manning has the curse off his back, Dungy is the best
coach in the league, but unless they get the championship game at
home, they will be watching XLII on tv.
CHICAGO – This team so bores me. Everyone has them at the top
of the NFC, but I am not in their camp. I say that, in the name of
Grossman, there shall be no REXurrection in the Midway. In
addition, losing Thomas Jones was a mistake they will soon regret.
The Bears will be hibernating in their den next February….believe
me, it is better for tv ratings.
PHILLY – This team bothers me. They have an innovative coach
who knows how to motivate them in tough times. With a healthy
McNabb back for a season, who knows? I still have a problem with
their receiving corp. They are going to have to make a major step
up in the loss of Stallworth. But as long as McNabb and Westbrook
are on the field together, you will have a battle. McNabb creates
plays more than any other qb and Westbrook is a superstar multi-
dimensional back who is the most underrated rb in the game. But
they still come up a little short in January.
SEATTLE – We find out what the Mariners, oooops, Seahawks, are
made of in 2007. They had more key injuries than any other team
last year, but lucked into a playoff win, thanks to YOU KNOW WHO
who dropped YOU KNOW WHAT. Seattle suffered a major setback
with the loss of Steve Hutchinson, monster guard who fled to
Minnesota . Alexander will be good, but without Hutch, he will never
be awesome again. Good team, good coach, good fans, but good
bye Super Bowl. Flukes happen.
NEW ORLEANS – Watch out for the boys on the bayou. Sean
Payton is the most aggressive young coach in the NFL. He has
conquered a major battle after only year – the Saints shed their
‘Aints image and now believe in themselves. They have added 4.3
speedster, Robert Meachem, to their arsenal of weapons and have
helped their defense in free agency. This team goes to the
championship game again and the Saints win it if they play at home.
CINCY – Oh, you got trouble, right there in River City . Enough
said. Cincy will continue developing their growing prison ministry in
2007. What a mess.
DENVER – The Broncs added several new pieces to the puzzle in
the off-season. Do hey have enough? Not quite. Cutler needs
another year of seasoning. He will have a big season and Travis
Henry will fit in just fine (as almost any running back does in
Denver ). But they cannot beat New England on the road with an
inexperienced quarterback. Pay your deposit and come back and
see me next year.
CAROLINA – No. Too many questions at quarterback. The good
news for the Panthers is that the Smokey Mountains are really nice
in February. Enjoy!
DALLAS – The Boys have not won a playoff game in a decade.
Talk about a drought for the franchise that has more Super Bowl
appearances than anyone. Can Romo lead Dallas back to glory?
Maybe. But some things have to fall in place.
- Romo has to cut down on turnovers and manage the ball
better. - T.O. has to settle down and focus on a ring. Imagine that.
- Wade has to sell his new 3-4 attacking scheme to the
defense.J - Jason Garrett has to grow up and take his place in the NFL
as an aggressive offense coordinator. Tony Sporano has to
mentor him well and unselfishly. - Dallas has to find a way to free Roy Williams from deep
coverage in the nickel and let him rush the passer. - Dallas needs to play the championship game at home. You
don’t want to go to Philly, Seattle , New Orleans or Chicago
to win a trip to the Super Bowl. - Team health is a key. An injury to Romo and you can forget
about Bad Brad taking the Boys all the way.
What are the odds of those things actually happening next
February? I think the Cowboys take a while to get their system
together and play well at the end. However, they will have to defeat
New Orleans at home in front of a Saints crowd that is deafening.
'Boys lose to Brees, Inc. Say it isn’t so.
New Orleans goes on to play New England in one of the best
offensive displays in Super Bowl history. Brady captures a fourth
ring.
For Cowboy fans, it’s not ideal….but it is a major step up.
‘Boys get the number one pick in the draft in 2008 and win it all in
the 2009 Super Bowl.
Here’s a dream…….Dallas playing a home game in February
2011. It could happen.
Written by Larry Petton from Springdale, Arkansas. If you have any
comments, please send those to lpetton@hotmail.com.
Breakin' Down the Roster: Defensive Line
The defensive line is perhaps the most overlooked squad on the
roster in terms of importance. If the 2007 Dallas Cowboys are
going to have an elite defense, their defensive line play has to
improve.
The man that sits firmly in the middle of this three man line is Jason
Ferguson. He was one of if not the best player on defense for us
last season. He clogged the middle like he was supposed to, but
he also made his share of big plays in the run game. Look for him
to have an even better year this season with a defense that fits his
style better. Parcells's prototypical nose tackle would be Casey
Hampton or Ted Washington. He just needed a big, stout guy to
clog the middle. The guy doesn't need to be athletic at all. He will
never be asked to rush the passer.
Jason Ferguson doesn't fit this mold. Really and truly, he is a
better fit in a 4-3 because he is one of those guys that can stop
the run, but he can also collapse the pocket. He had a few pretty
productive seasons as a pass rusher in New York. Wade Phillips's
defense will allow Ferguson to rush the passer a little more. Wade
had Jamaal Williams in San Diego. He is perhaps the best nose
tackle in football. He flourished under Phillips because he was
able to make plays in his scheme. Williams is 6'5 350, but make no
mistake about it, he isn't just a plugger like Ted Washington who
has a similar height and weight. Williams best attribute is his ability
to disrupt the opposing offense. In this way I think he compares to
Jason Ferguson. Although much different in stature, these guys
actually mirror each other in a lot of ways. These two guys are
probably the two most athletic guys out of the cream of the nose
tackle crop. Hopefully Ferguson will excel in Phillips's scheme like
Williams did.
The depth at nose tackle is worrisome, but not as bad when you
put it in context. The only 3-4 team I see with a legitimate backup
is Pittsburgh with Chris Hoke. I'd probably take Jay Ratliff over the
rest of the backups. My only hope for this spot is that either Mt.
Stanley or Dagundro can step up and play good enough to make
this team. We need to keep three nose tackles, but like I said you
don't keep a player at a position just because most teams keep a
certain number at that position. The last 8 to 10 spots on your
roster should be reserved for the best players regardless of
position.
Defensive end is where the play really needs to improve. Chris
Canty and Marcus Spears have to step up and play better. I've
come to the realization either guy will ever be a star, but the should
be able to develop into quality starters. C'mon Marcus, we will
probably always wish we hadn't taken you, but at least show us
that it wasn't a complete waste of a first round pick.
The depth at end is nearly as shallow. Jason Hatcher will be a
solid backup that will contribute regularly on the nickel. After him,
its anybody's guess. I suspect Stephen Bowen will make the team
this season. If he was good enough to crack last year's roster in
December, why can't he make it this year with less competition (no
Coleman). Again, Bowen may not be a good player, but I bet he is
good enough to make this team. Also watch out for rookie free
agent Marcus Smith. He is raw, but he has a lot of upside.
Overall, I would say our talent as a whole on the defensive line is
average. If we can get an good performance out of this bunch next
season we should have a pretty good defense. Hopefully Phillips
can coax a few sacks out of Canty and Spears and the young guys
can step up and provide solid depth.
The defensive line is perhaps the most overlooked squad on the
roster in terms of importance. If the 2007 Dallas Cowboys are
going to have an elite defense, their defensive line play has to
improve.
The man that sits firmly in the middle of this three man line is Jason
Ferguson. He was one of if not the best player on defense for us
last season. He clogged the middle like he was supposed to, but
he also made his share of big plays in the run game. Look for him
to have an even better year this season with a defense that fits his
style better. Parcells's prototypical nose tackle would be Casey
Hampton or Ted Washington. He just needed a big, stout guy to
clog the middle. The guy doesn't need to be athletic at all. He will
never be asked to rush the passer.
Jason Ferguson doesn't fit this mold. Really and truly, he is a
better fit in a 4-3 because he is one of those guys that can stop
the run, but he can also collapse the pocket. He had a few pretty
productive seasons as a pass rusher in New York. Wade Phillips's
defense will allow Ferguson to rush the passer a little more. Wade
had Jamaal Williams in San Diego. He is perhaps the best nose
tackle in football. He flourished under Phillips because he was
able to make plays in his scheme. Williams is 6'5 350, but make no
mistake about it, he isn't just a plugger like Ted Washington who
has a similar height and weight. Williams best attribute is his ability
to disrupt the opposing offense. In this way I think he compares to
Jason Ferguson. Although much different in stature, these guys
actually mirror each other in a lot of ways. These two guys are
probably the two most athletic guys out of the cream of the nose
tackle crop. Hopefully Ferguson will excel in Phillips's scheme like
Williams did.
The depth at nose tackle is worrisome, but not as bad when you
put it in context. The only 3-4 team I see with a legitimate backup
is Pittsburgh with Chris Hoke. I'd probably take Jay Ratliff over the
rest of the backups. My only hope for this spot is that either Mt.
Stanley or Dagundro can step up and play good enough to make
this team. We need to keep three nose tackles, but like I said you
don't keep a player at a position just because most teams keep a
certain number at that position. The last 8 to 10 spots on your
roster should be reserved for the best players regardless of
position.
Defensive end is where the play really needs to improve. Chris
Canty and Marcus Spears have to step up and play better. I've
come to the realization either guy will ever be a star, but the should
be able to develop into quality starters. C'mon Marcus, we will
probably always wish we hadn't taken you, but at least show us
that it wasn't a complete waste of a first round pick.
The depth at end is nearly as shallow. Jason Hatcher will be a
solid backup that will contribute regularly on the nickel. After him,
its anybody's guess. I suspect Stephen Bowen will make the team
this season. If he was good enough to crack last year's roster in
December, why can't he make it this year with less competition (no
Coleman). Again, Bowen may not be a good player, but I bet he is
good enough to make this team. Also watch out for rookie free
agent Marcus Smith. He is raw, but he has a lot of upside.
Overall, I would say our talent as a whole on the defensive line is
average. If we can get an good performance out of this bunch next
season we should have a pretty good defense. Hopefully Phillips
can coax a few sacks out of Canty and Spears and the young guys
can step up and provide solid depth.