The Sports Thread.

Arizona Cardinals: *Sigh* Well, another year of frustrations for Arizona fans. Simply put, there's not much as far as defense, and the offense doesn't seem to have a true identity. It's clear they want to revitalize the running game, but bringing in Rashard Mendenhall doesn't do too much, especially since he has had injury problems in the past. Carson Palmer isn't a horrible QB, but he's not exactly in his prime anymore, so there's no way to really guarantee whether or not he'll be effective. Going back to the defense, the real problem is in the secondary, where a few of their best players have left, and now they are replaced by a fresh batch of rookies. Playing in the NFC West doesn't help much either, and it would be hard to see them doing any better than 2-4 against their divisional rivals.

Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons were not much of a surprise when they won the division, since the Saints were hindered by the bounty scandal, but the 13-3 record was what surprised me. I knew they were good, but they surpassed my expectations and left me wondering if they could make some noise. However, they still couldn't do what mattered most: Win in the postseason. This is a very frustrating team, in that they can beat anyone in the league and do it often, but when it comes to the playoffs, they remind me of the early 2000 Colts, the team that would beat on the league for 16 games, and then when it was time to play in the postseason, they never showed up. Anyway, I see this team continuing its strong regular season ways, and I expect Matt ryan to put on a show at the QB position. Defense should be fine, no reason to worry about it dropping off in production.

Baltimore Ravens: To put it bluntly, this is a hard team to predict. Coming off a Superbowl win, you'd think that this team would be an easy pick to have in first place and to have a shot at repeating. Well...when you lose your best defensive player (and future HOF inductee) Ray Lewis, along with several key offensive players, it makes it that much harder to say this team is just as good as last year. The offensive line is still strong, so run blocking will be as effective as it has in the past, and Rice will continue to produce when his number is called. Flacco has some work ahead of him, as does Torrey Smith, the new primary receiver in Baltimore. Additions in defense, including Dumerville and Daryl Smith should keep the defense strong, but don’t be shocked if there’s an increase in points allowed.

Buffalo Bills: While the Bills are by no means anyone’s pick to make the playoffs, they might be able to make some noise in the AFC. It all depends on how productive that defensive line is, and considering the salaries of the players on that line, I would hope that they would play well. As has been the case for most of the 2000s, the offense is not the strength of this team, and unless EJ Manuel can come up big and surprise a lot of critics, the offense will continue to sputter. Expect to see more of the same from the Bills, as they’ll most likely stay close with teams for 3 quarters, but slow down and let the game escape in the 4th.

Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton has looked…not great, but good enough so far in his short career in the NFL. The rest of the team has not looked as good. What worries me most is not the defensive unit (which, by the way, did improve last year and seems to be on the up and up), but rather the running game on offense. You may be thinking, “But the Panthers were top 10 in rushing yards last year.” Yes, but most of that can be attributed to Cam Newton, and not the rest of the backfield. Keep in mind that DeAngelo Williams wasn’t even the leading rusher on the team, and he is the starting tailback. That is unacceptable, and unless there’s a change made, the Panthers will wind up as a .500 team at best.

Chicago Bears: With new head coach Marc Trestman, it seems as though the Bears will shift focus towards improving their sluggish offense. The resources are there for this team to be one of the better offenses in the league, however, the decision making has been questionable the past 2 seasons, most of it due to Jay Cutler being indecisive in the pocket. The running game is still strong, and I expect Forte to improve greatly from last year. The defense is still the strength of this team, and if they get some support from the offense, the Bears could be a dangerous team down the stretch, and possibly make some noise come time for the postseason.

Cincinnati Bengals: This is one of teams that I’m looking forward to watching this year. The defense for the Bengals has been improving steadily, and the offense seems to be improving from where it was last year. The main focus will be on Andy Dalton, and whether or not he can handle the blitz better than he has in the past. Dalton was indecisive when 5 or more pass rushers were sent last season, and the 20 sacks were the most in the league. The great quarterbacks have to be able to handle that pressure, and until he can do that consistently, teams will continue to go after him often. Even with that issue, this is still a team that’s destined for success, and it’ll be interesting to see how they perform as the season goes on.

Cleveland Browns: Where am I supposed to start with the beloved Brownies...how about offense! Norv Turner should bring some aggressiveness to the passing game, and hopefully put some confidence in Brandon Weeden, who struggled last year and was fairly inconsistent. The running game seems to be the lone bright spot, as Trent Richardson should be in store for a pretty good season rushing. On the other side of the ball, the defense struggled mightily all of last season, and it doesn't seem like that trend will change this year. Keep your expectations low for this team, but they might surprise you late in the season if they stay healthy.

Dallas Cowboys: It would be unfair of me to join in the blame game and pin all of the Cowboys' struggles on Tony Romo. Yes, they have been less than stellar lately, and you would think they would have more postseason success, but y'know what, you have to play 60 minutes on offense AND defense, and i've seen a lot more of the former playing 60 minutes than the latter. However, despite my defending of the offense, there needs to be more focus put on improving the running game in Dallas. Romo can throw for 400 yards a game, but if you cant keep the opposition honest with a decent running game, they'll know what's coming and take advantage of a one-dimensional attack. If the backs can stay healthy, the running game should improve, although I still doubt any of the tailbacks will put up impressive numbers. The defense needs to step up as well, as they have looked very shaky the past 2 seasons, and unless they play with more urgency, the Cowboys' season could be a long one.

Denver Broncos: I'm sure this team is high on people's lists of teams to make it to the Superbowl this year, and there's a lot of reasons why. Peyton Manning at QB, Welker, Thomas, and Decker at receiver, and Moreno at tailback is more than enough to put the Broncos in an excellent position to make the postseason. However, as we all know, you need offense and defense to make it in this league, and guess what the Broncos might not have much of this year. Von Miller is out 6 games to start, and Elvis Dumerville is in Baltimore now, so without those two, opposing teams will have a bit of an easier time scoring and moving the ball downfield. That's not to say the defense did a 180 and is now bottom of the barrel, but don't expect them to be as dominant as last year. Expect a lot of offense from Denver, and be wary of that defense; the first 6 games will tell us just how good this team really is.

Detroit Lions: Ugh. Another team with a strong passing game, but struggling running game. The Lions have definitely improved over the past 3-4 seasons, and it shows in the defense, which isn't top 10, but it's not bad either. Let's call them average. This is an average team with a very dangerous passing game, but very tame rushing attack. The addition of Reggie Bush will help open up the running game, and he can catch a few passes out of the backfield as well. Is this a playoff season for the Lions? Not quite, but they are getting closer.

Green Bay Packers: If you're looking for a team in the NFC that could be in the Superbowl and isnt from California/Washington (and maybe Louisiana?), it's Green Bay. "But Ayumi," you probably are(n't) wondering, "Green Bay has a pretty bad running game." Well yes, they did, but not anymore. The additions of rookies Eddie Lacy and Jonathan Franklin should boost their running game, and help back the passing game led by Aaron Rodgers. Speaking of the passing game, keep an eye on Jordy Nelson. Without Greg Jennings, they packers dont have that one true dominant receiver, and the ball is going to be spread around more, and Nelson might have a great year receiving. As for defense, it should be good enough to lead the Packers into the playoffs, but not dominant enough to hold teams to anything less than, say, 22 PPG. In other words, the offense will have to be hot all year.

Houston Texans: This is a potential playoff team, let's just say that now. Potential meaning "If they stay healthy". If Matt Schaub stays healthy, and if Andre Johnson stays as productive as expected, and if Arian Foster can continue to maintain his productivity near the goal line, then this team can cruise through the regular season. Defense is still strong, and I expect it to be top 10 in both rushing and passing. I know it's easy to say "If" a lot and make a prediction, but this is a team of "ifs" and it's either they make the postseason, or they finish around .500 and struggle to win at all.

Indianapolis Colts: Luck had a nice 2012, and that should carry over into 2013. The new offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton looks to help open up the passing game more by establishing the run early, and should help give the tight ends more opportunities for receptions. The defense could hold this team back, as they had major trouble stopping the run last year, and even against the pass the secondary was very shaky. Back on offense, Reggie Wayne is still the primary receiver, though at 34, im sure there's questions regarding how long he can stay productive. Regardless, I see the Colts as being able to reach the postseason, provided the defense can keep teams from outscoring their offense.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Understandably, there isn't a lot of hope for this team to be successful, as the offense still lacks bite, and the defense is porous at best, and dreadful at worst. Chad Henne appears to be the starting QB, and even without a lot of weapons at the receiver position, he could still be effective this season. Unless the offensive line can block consistency, there's going to be a lot of pressure on Henne, and that also puts pressure on the running game, which did very little last season. They can't do much worse than they did last year, but the success will certainly be sparse in 2013.

Kansas City Chiefs: There are many reasons to think that the Chiefs could be a .500 team this year. Eric Fisher helps to improve the offensive line, which was great as far as run blocking in 2012. Jamaal Charles should be very effective this season, especially if the passing game improves. Speaking of, Alex Smith could be very helpful for the Chiefs, or he could be very detrimental. He has only managed to play two full season in his career (2006, 2011), and though he looked very good last year, be wary of his productivity on a less talented team as far as receivers go. The defense does not appear to be too strong, but building off of last year, they could be enough for the Chiefs to pull out some close games and stay competitive all year.

Miami Dolphins: There's reason to believe that the Dolphins could be good this year, but don't be too quick to say so. While the addition of Mike Wallace helps on offense, Ryan Tannehill needs to step up and lead this team with more authority, and needs to be more decisive late in games. The running game may not be as strong as it was last year, but it should still be efficient and continue to produce in short yardage situations. I question if the defense can keep them in the game late, as they had a tendency to let the game slip away in the second half of games last year. While not a playoff team, the Dolphins are improving, and are very clearly the second best team in the AFC East.

New England Patriots: I'm sure there are questions about this team, whether or not Brady can continue to be dominant with a diminished passing game, if the running game's success will carry over to 2013, and can the defense improve upon it's terrible pass defense. Well, for starters, Brady should be fine even with some of his primary targets gone. He's done it before, and he should do it again this year. The running game should still be effective, and might be relied upon more this year to exploit the defense if they focus on the passing game. On defense, the pass coverage cant get much worse so there's reason to believe that it will improve, and it should be enough for another successful season in New England.

New Orleans Saints: Looking to bounce back from the controversies that hindered them last year, the Saints could be a potential Superbowl contender. There's no questioning the offense, as Drew Brees looks to continue his success from last year, and the running game seems to be improving and looking to take some pressure away from the passing game. On defense, Rob Ryan looks to add some aggressiveness to the defensive line, with more blitzing and more pressure packages to force turnovers. If the defense can return to where it was in 2009-2010, there might be even more reason to be excited in The Big Easy.

New York Giants: Given the news as of late, this is not going to be the prettiest of seasons for the G-Men. Injuries at the tailback position, injuries in the secondary, and a plethora of questions regarding the health of the offensive line have to have the fans wondering how well this team will do. Manning should still be able to lead the offense, but it will definitely be a give and take season, consistency will be tough to maintain. Are they still a playoff team? Yes, but they will need help from other teams to get that far.

New York Jets: This team is a mess, both on offense and defense. Let's start with the offense. There is no certainty as far as who the long term starter is at QB, so it's hard to say how well any of the quarterbacks will perform. Right now, Geno Smith seems to be the starter, and it's starting to look like Sanchez may not last much longer on the team given how he has performed the past 2 years. The running game is, well, decent, to be kind. Chris Ivory appears to be the primary tailback this year, despite Powell being higher on the depth chart. Offensive line is in repair, and unless it steps up big time, expect another sluggish season as far as scoring. Defensively, there's an obvious void in the secondary, and dont be surprised if the normally dependable defense is carved up this season.

Oakland Raiders: The Raiders have a lot of upside to them, in that they cant do much worse. A major question is how will Pryor play, as he doesnt have a whole lot of experience, and the team has a weak core of receivers. The offensive line lacks the aggressiveness to support the running game, and unless that suddenly changes, this is a team that may struggle to score double digits every game. On defense, the pass coverage needs improvement, and the defensive line needs to get to the quarterback and create pressure. Opposing quarterbacks had too much time to pass last year, and it showed, as the pass defense ranked in the bottom 1/3 of the league last year. As with the Jets, don't expect too much success, but look to see the team make improvements down the stretch.

Philadelphia Eagles: While Chip Kelly may try to speed up the Eagles offense, the fact of the matter is there needs to be more emphasis on playing 60 minutes. The Eagles last year were very competitive, ranking in the top half of the league in offense, and middle of the pack in defense, but couldn't seem to really take charge late in games. 12 losses, 5 losses by 1 possession, and 7 games by 10+ points, it shows that the defense needs to fight for 60 minutes and give the offense more of a chance to score. Vick should be productive for the Eagles, but needs to cut down on costly turnovers. If he can do that, maybe Chip Kelly can help turn this team into a winner and be competitive in the NFC East.

Pittsburgh Steelers: The ultimate .500 team, the Steelers don't seem to be a team destined for a lot of success this season, but also don't look like a team that will simply wither away late in games. The offensive line needs to be more aggressive and open up lanes for the running game, which struggled greatly last year. Roethlisberger lacks any breakout receivers, so it's up to the ones he has to get open and make the catches when it matters most, or it'll be hard for the offense to move the ball downfield. Defensively, there's no question this is a top 5 unit, so it should be more than capable of keeping them in the game late. Another .500 season seems likely, but that could change depending on how the offense responds to the challenges ahead of them.

St. Louis Rams: A team that seems to be improving with each passing season, the Rams are starting to seem like a team that can start making some serious noise in the NFC West. Bradford has to take charge and lead the offense down the field more consistently, and with an improved offensive line, look for the running game to bounce back and improve to being at least a top 15 unit. Defense seems stable enough to keep games close, and with an improved offense, they should be able to pull away late in games. Want a bold prediction? The Rams will finish second in the West. Not third, second.

San Diego Chargers: This has the makings of a very ugly season in San Diego. A good amount of the force on offense is gone, and now Rivers will have to work with a depleted receiving core and an offensive line that seems to be regressing. The running game looks weaker than ever, as there doesn't seem to be anyone in the backfield than can carry the ball consistently and effectively for the long haul. The defense seems like it'll have to work hard just to keep the offense in the game, but there's doubt about the pass coverage and whether or not it can force turnovers late. Mike McCoy does not have an easy job this year, as it seems like the Chargers will be working towards rebuilding for next year.

San Francisco 49ers: When the 49ers made the Superbowl last year, I was stunned, as im sure a lot of people were. We saw the rise of a potential young star in Kaepernick, and a defensive unit that looks to build off of its success from 2012. The question I have is, can Kaepernick carry his success from the second half of last year+postseason into 2013? Option offenses can be effective, but they are only a surprise once. If he doesn't develop into a better passer and continues to rely on rushing, he might be in for a tough season. The receiving core is certainly good, and it'll be interesting to see if this team can duplicate its success from last year and make another postseason appearance. There's certainly reason to be excited in San Francisco.

Seattle Seahawks: Remember that bold prediction I made earlier? Yes, as much as i'm sure most people will disagree, I think the Seahawks will not only miss the postseasons this year, but finish in third in the NFC West. Here's why: as I said with the 49ers, option offenses can be effective, but they are only a surprise once, and once teams know how to adjust to it, the opposing offense needs to make certain adjustments to counter that. Russell Wilson had success in the Zone Read Offense, also know as the Zone Option Offense, but can he take charge as a passer and lead the team downfield that way, as opposed to running when receiving lanes break down? I have my doubts, though it's possible he may make those adjustments. There's no questioning the defense, which may very well be the best in the league, so it all comes down to if the offense can produce and back the defensive effort. It's a gutsy prediction on my part, but we'll see if i'm right or terribly wrong.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: If there is one question about the Bucs that I have, it's how many games are they going to win. The best run defense just got support in the form of Darelle Revis, Dashon Goldson and Johnthan Banks in the secondary, which was ranked dead last in 2012, but appears to be a formidable unit in 2013. Offensively, Freeman is coming off a good season passing, but needs to improve his accuracy and cut down on interceptions. There's also questions at the tailback positions, specifically Doug Martin. While he had a great season last year, can he maintain that success, or will he become another victim of the Sophomore Slump? It's hard to call, so we'll see how he fairs as the season goes on. While not a hot pick to make the playoffs, don't count out the Buccaneers just yet. This is a dangerous team, and I expect them to be in the mix late when it comes down to the final 3 or 4 games.

Tennessee Titans: The defensive problems almost seem to mask the offensive problems, but not by much. There's a lack of star power on the defensive line, which puts more pressure on a lackluster pass defense. On the other side of the ball, Jake Locker needs to stay healthy and play with more poise under center, or this offense will never get going. They cant depend on Chris Johnson to have a good game every week, so if the passing game cant get going, im afraid this year's Titans will look very identical to last year. There is hope that the team can compete in the AFC South, but as with the Texans, health issues may just wind up breaking this team down and stop it from building back up in time.

Washington Redskins: Once again, another team that ran a Zone Read/Option Offense. However, in the case of the Redskins, they may not be using it as much now. RG III, got hit a lot, and the injury showed that while he is effective in that offensive scheme, he's too vulnerable to big hits. I see the Redskins as a team with a lot to prove outside of the running game, which was very effective and looks to continue to be this year. On defense, the pass coverage is poor, and if they cant force turnovers, offenses will continues to attack them through the air just as much, if not more so than they did all of last year. Postseason team? Seems like it, but we'll let their play do the talking, and see if they make any major adjustments on offense and defense.