Predictions for the 2006 Football Season
Sunday, 7. May 2006, 22:45:31
These are my early, early predictions for the upcoming season. Right now, everyone is healthy except for Drew Brees, Carson Palmer and Daunte Culpepper. The rookies haven't held out as yet. They haven't impressed or disappointed yet. No one has erupted in training camp (see Terrell Owens for additional details). No coaches have been placed on the hot seat or received "votes of confidence." There haven't been any natural disasters (fingers will remain crossed through October). And, there are still plenty of trades to be made before the pre-season ends.
I will revisit these picks later in the year to see how far off I am. At this point, I can only hope something sticks. Here goes:
* - Terrell Owens will blow up at Bledsoe because the QB holds the ball too long. Bledsoe will be unfazed, but it will be national news unless Cowboys W's make the story seem lame.
* - Santonio Holmes will have a difficult adjustment period with the Steelers on regular formation until around Week 10. His first break-out game will be spectacular. 125+ yards, 2 TDs.
* - The Texans will not regret letting Reggie Bush go to the Saints. The Texans will be dynamic on offense and score about 24 points per game. Carr will be an early MVP candidate, but will tail off in the second half of the season - unless he can develop a relationship with Eric Moulds and Jeff Putzier.
* - The Dolphins will beat the Patriots in New England.
* - The Arizona Cardinals will make the playoffs.
* - The Carolina Panthers will play in the Super Bowl if DeShaun Foster stays healthy.
* - Larry Johnson will be the league MVP and the Chiefs will make the playoffs.
* - The Chargers, Bengals and Patriots will face difficult schedules and TWO of these teams will MISS the playoffs.
* - The New York Giants will lose to the Panthers in the NFC Conference Championship, 35-21.
* - The Detroit Lions will win 7 games this year.
* - The Saints will win 10 games this year.
* - Steve McNair will lead the Baltimore Ravens to the playoffs and the Ravens will beat the Steelers, in Pittsburgh.
* - The Jets will be terrible...again.
* - The Buffalo Bills will be looking for a quarterback after Week 6.
* - The Oakland Raiders will play hard for the first time in 15 years. They won't make the playoffs and will not beat the Broncos or Chiefs in the second half of the season.
* - Jake Plummer will regress because the presence of Jay Cutler will cause Jake the Snake to look over his shoulder and play like a nervous college kid.
* - Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle-El will make the Dallas DBs cry during both games this season. Parcells will have to wipe their tears with T.O.'s hand towel.
* - Lavar Arrington will have 10 sacks.
* - John Abraham will have 16+ sacks and lead the NFC in sacks for the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons will win no less than 11 games.
* - The Falcons will eventually trade TJ Duckett to the Steelers for draft picks.
* - Domanick Davis will run for 1200 yards, catch 45 passes and score 8 touchdowns for the Houston Texans.
* - Daunte Culpepper will be the hottest thing to hit South Florida since Marino. He will rediscover his feathery touch and throw 30+ TDs.
* - Edgerrin James will be unstoppable, except in games against the Seahawks. He destroys everyone else and outgains Shaun Alexander.
* - Tiki Barber begins to seriously think about Canton (and he won't be alone) after another 1,700 yard season with no fumbles.
* - The Offensive Rookie of the Year will be Reggie Bush.
* - The Defensive Rookie of the Year will be Kamerion Wimbley.
* - Comeback Player of the Year will be Priest Holmes.
* - The Defensive Player of the Year will be Troy Polamalu.
* - The Coach of the Year will be John Fox, Carolina Panthers.
* - The surprise team of the year will be the Texans with the additions of Kubiak (coach), Moulds, Putzier and Mario Williams.
I will revisit these picks later in the year to see how far off I am. At this point, I can only hope something sticks. Here goes:
* - Terrell Owens will blow up at Bledsoe because the QB holds the ball too long. Bledsoe will be unfazed, but it will be national news unless Cowboys W's make the story seem lame.
* - Santonio Holmes will have a difficult adjustment period with the Steelers on regular formation until around Week 10. His first break-out game will be spectacular. 125+ yards, 2 TDs.
* - The Texans will not regret letting Reggie Bush go to the Saints. The Texans will be dynamic on offense and score about 24 points per game. Carr will be an early MVP candidate, but will tail off in the second half of the season - unless he can develop a relationship with Eric Moulds and Jeff Putzier.
* - The Dolphins will beat the Patriots in New England.
* - The Arizona Cardinals will make the playoffs.
* - The Carolina Panthers will play in the Super Bowl if DeShaun Foster stays healthy.
* - Larry Johnson will be the league MVP and the Chiefs will make the playoffs.
* - The Chargers, Bengals and Patriots will face difficult schedules and TWO of these teams will MISS the playoffs.
* - The New York Giants will lose to the Panthers in the NFC Conference Championship, 35-21.
* - The Detroit Lions will win 7 games this year.
* - The Saints will win 10 games this year.
* - Steve McNair will lead the Baltimore Ravens to the playoffs and the Ravens will beat the Steelers, in Pittsburgh.
* - The Jets will be terrible...again.
* - The Buffalo Bills will be looking for a quarterback after Week 6.
* - The Oakland Raiders will play hard for the first time in 15 years. They won't make the playoffs and will not beat the Broncos or Chiefs in the second half of the season.
* - Jake Plummer will regress because the presence of Jay Cutler will cause Jake the Snake to look over his shoulder and play like a nervous college kid.
* - Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle-El will make the Dallas DBs cry during both games this season. Parcells will have to wipe their tears with T.O.'s hand towel.
* - Lavar Arrington will have 10 sacks.
* - John Abraham will have 16+ sacks and lead the NFC in sacks for the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons will win no less than 11 games.
* - The Falcons will eventually trade TJ Duckett to the Steelers for draft picks.
* - Domanick Davis will run for 1200 yards, catch 45 passes and score 8 touchdowns for the Houston Texans.
* - Daunte Culpepper will be the hottest thing to hit South Florida since Marino. He will rediscover his feathery touch and throw 30+ TDs.
* - Edgerrin James will be unstoppable, except in games against the Seahawks. He destroys everyone else and outgains Shaun Alexander.
* - Tiki Barber begins to seriously think about Canton (and he won't be alone) after another 1,700 yard season with no fumbles.
* - The Offensive Rookie of the Year will be Reggie Bush.
* - The Defensive Rookie of the Year will be Kamerion Wimbley.
* - Comeback Player of the Year will be Priest Holmes.
* - The Defensive Player of the Year will be Troy Polamalu.
* - The Coach of the Year will be John Fox, Carolina Panthers.
* - The surprise team of the year will be the Texans with the additions of Kubiak (coach), Moulds, Putzier and Mario Williams.
WIDGETIZE
Anonymous # 4. June 2006, 21:03
Hey I like your predictions. Daunte Culpepper will have a break out year and I believe the Dolphins will beat out the Patriots in the AFC East. GO PHINS!
Anonymous # 5. June 2006, 00:30
The Panthers will be the best team in the NFL. They have no weak spots and will be like the Patriot dynasty of 2002-2005 until the year 2010
Temple3 # 6. June 2006, 01:39
Temple3 # 6. June 2006, 01:41
I like the Dolphins roster and their new approach to personnel. They're tougher, faster and stronger than they have EVER been.
Anonymous # 8. June 2006, 23:44
the saint will win ten games?????? put down the crack pipe. The Chargers have a tough schedule??? you mean last year....hello!!!
Anonymous # 13. June 2006, 04:49
I'm sure you know a great deal about pro football and your predictions might hit the mark, but I think you need a bit more football training due to your oversight of the Chicago Bears. I don't think you've been reading or doing your research, but the monsters of the midway have NO injuries in their starting lineup and they still have the # 1 Defense...you can't run on the Bears D since there is no more BUS in the league and you won't beat the cover 2 defense by throwing cause the quarterback will get sacked! and with the addition of some new track stars on the corner slots, we won't see Steve Smith or Chad Johnson burn our defense at the snap again...if you throw against the Bears fast defense, it will be an interception about 60% of the time...so, the Bears will go undefeated..(I've looked at their schedule, it can be done!)...I will live and die by this prediction of mine...and I'm not just saying this cause I'm a Bears fan,...it's just logical...bet on the Boys in Blue or you'll be sorry...
Da Bear at heart!
Temple3 # 13. June 2006, 12:07
I don't need to talk about the defense. Undefeated ain't happenin' though. Don't tell anyone who has the means and the stones to cash in on your prediction - or you'll be pushing up daisies in October. "Here lies a man who predicted the future and bet with his head, no longer with us...just wrong and just dead!" Go Bears!!
Temple3 # 13. June 2006, 12:15
Anonymous # 9. July 2006, 14:24
Panthers are the best team in football and will be for the next 4 years! With Kewshawn and Smith toghether Delhomme will be in paradise. And well the defense, u know peppers, jenkins, rucker, minter, lucas, gamble. Plus if Deshaun foster gets hurt again we have DeAngelo Williams {pick number 27 in this years draft}
Temple3 # 10. July 2006, 13:27
I hear DeAngelo Williams is supposed to be really good. I haven't seen it yet. I loved DeShaun Foster at UCLA - but he can't stay healthy. Kris Jenkins can't stay healthy.
Carolina is probably the class of the NFC (though I'm sure Seattle would love to argue the case...especially if Ken Hamlin is playing at full strength). Carolina, is not yet, the best team in the NFL. Too many questions - and no rings.
Anonymous # 19. July 2006, 19:45
I see no mention of the Bucs in your predictions. That's actually good
for team motivational purposes, of course, but for your sake, as a predictor, I'd like to help you avoid having to wipe too much egg off your face.
They are coming off an 11-5 year, with 21 returning starters, including five OL guys who started all 17 games together last year. Their depth is the best in the history of the team. Their defense was No. 1 last year.
The locker room atmosphere is remarkably focused. And Jon Gruden has been caught smiling now & then. Beware the latter!
Not only will they win the NFC South relatively easily, they will have little playoff difficulty until they face Tony Dungy in the SuperBowl,
where a combination of the Bucs players softness for their old coach & the old coaches recollections of the tendencies of his old players may make for a real car crash. I don't know how that one will come out.
Temple3 # 19. July 2006, 22:34
I don't love Chris Simms and I think he doesn't have the mental toughness of his father. I definitely thought the Bucs were robbed in that playoff game last year, but I have my questions. I need to see Michael Clayton bounce back. I need to see Cadillac stay healthy. I thought he was a steal...I remember one play at Auburn where he running toward the sideline and a defender let up - and Cadillac blasted the guy about 5 yards out of bounds.
I don't love the defense in the 4th quarter against power teams. I also think the NFC South will be a murderous division where these teams will be knocking each other around. If you read the thread, you've seen the Panther fans. What about the Saints adding Brees and Bush? What about the Falcons adding John Abraham?
With that said, I think the Bucs have the least explosive offense of all the teams in that bunch. Their defense is solid, but it won't guarantee wins against New Orleans or Carolina - and even Michael Vick figured out how to play slightly better in 1 game. If he's better in both games, the bar will be much higher.
Finally, I don't love Gruden...and that's gonna count against you guys. I don't think he's a better game day coach than John Fox - though I'd give him the edge over the other two guys in the division. I'll think about this some more. Thanks for the TB vibes...great party place.
Anonymous # 2. August 2006, 22:42
Enjoyed your response to my input. You have obviously done your homework, but none of your "Bucs issues" truly concerns me except "I don't love the defense in the 4th quarter against power teams." I don't either. Our hope is that an improved O-line(maybe vastly improved) and a healthy Cadillac will provide enough ball control that Monte's swift but light guys won't wear down as much as they seem to have in recent times.
But as far as Keyshawn to the Panthers - - I think I would prefer our resurrected David Boston, who is currently pushing Michael Clayton for #2 behind Galloway. And yes, Brees & Bush are tremendous ballplayers, but they will have trouble getting the "team" act together for the better part of 2006. I would agree that there might be trouble abrewing in NO next year & beyond. Abraham as the savior for the Falcons D? That's in the doubtful pile.
Rightly or wrongly, we wouldn't trade Gruden for any other coach, past or present. I'm sure that is in part due to his bringing us a SuperBowl as soon as he set up shop here - - accomplished with a team that doesn't measure up to the one he has now.
You're certainly right about the NFC South being a "murderous division. Might I remind you that we are currently the champions of that division?
Thanks for the forum!
Temple3 # 3. August 2006, 01:49
David Boston absolutely kills me. He could absolutely DOMINATE the entire league but he's fragile. As a Michigan alum, I can't say I'm all that pleased with the Ohio State reunion you guys are hosting. Damn they're good.
Anonymous # 23. August 2006, 19:47
I know the games are counterfeit, but I think a few obvious things can still be reliably reported. Here in Bucland, there are two after two games. One good - one bad. The bad one is that our so-so OL is still so-so. The other is that we appear to have hit the jackpot with one of our 6th round picks. Bruce Gradkowski is not only clearly the favorite as the back-up to Chris Simms; he may pose a threat to Chris before the season is out. Let me put it this way - - Chris had better play well! Bruce looks like some kind of combination of Montana & Elway, with a little Namath thrown in. I'm serious! QB ratings of 139.6 & 112.8. 22 of 27 for 297 yards & 3 TDs in approx. two halves of play.
How are your Stealers (SP!)doing? And how about some reports from all the other counterfeit games?
Cheers+
Temple3 # 31. August 2006, 15:56
I'm still writing about the Steelers and much of the same stuff - come on over and I'll trackback to this link as well.
Did Gradkowski play at Boise State or something? I saw his play a few times - and I think I caught his worst game of the year - but I was still impressed. If I recall correctly, he's got wheels and really good feet in the pocket before he decides to run - he keeps his feet under him and is relaxed because he's confident he can get away.
Anonymous # 18. January 2007, 16:05
Well, you DID accurately predict the Saints wins! That's impressive. Most everything else...not so much. Better luck next year!