Pelletier's Perspective 08.08.08: The Favre-less Conference
Posted by Justin Pelletier on 08.08.2008
With the start of the regular season only weeks away now is the perfect time for th Perspective to bring you its three-part NFL season preview. Join 411's Justin Pelletier as he tackles an NFC preview.
In case you haven't realized it, all this incessant, Bret Favre talk is more than just a way to turn him into the bearded Paris Hilton and keep him on television. What will result is Favre playing football in the 2008 season.
Lost in the 24-hour number four news cycle is that there is a season coming up. With the start of the regular season only weeks away now is the perfect time for the Perspective to bring to you its three-part NFL season preview, Favre be damned.
This week we here at the Perspective will bring to you our NFC preview, with complete power rankings. Next week we will tackle the AFC and two weeks from now we will bring to you our post season predictions, regular season award winners and Super Bowl champion.
We start this week with one of the few divisions in football that has been free of Favre-a-mania. Despite being Favre-free, the NFC East is no less compelling.
"Football's Toughest Division" is home to, the defending Super Bowl Champion, New York Giants, the NFC favorite the last two seasons, Dallas, and recent playoff teams Washington and Philadelphia.
As good of a story as the Giants were last year (which is well chronicled here), the Cowboys are still the team to beat in the East. A Favre-less NFC means that Tony Romo is the top quarterback in the conference, Terrell Owens is still the top wide out and Marion Barber may cement himself as the top running back. All that and a tough defense means that Dallas will be difficult to beat.
The Giants will have a better regular season than a year ago. The loss of Michael Strahan and Jeremy Shockey will be addition by subtraction. Losing two overbearing personalities will allow Eli Manning to continue to grow and become the unquestioned leader of the team and take his place among the league's top passers.
Washington and Philly are attempting to reach the top of the league, via different directions. The Skins have retooled, well maybe bringing in one player (Jason Taylor) isn't retooling but it sure as hell more moves than the Birds made. Philly has stayed pat, as usual, and hopes a healthy Donovan McNabb means a deep run in the playoffs.
From one of the best divisions we head to one of the worst in the NFC West. Somebody in the West has to make the playoffs and the somebody will be Seattle. Losing Shaun Alexander won't hurt the Hawks as his best days are far, far behind him. The Seahawks strong defense and passing game helps, but what really puts them over the top are the six wins they'll get from their division. Quickly, we'll give you reasons why the other three western squads will stink, again.
San Francisco is a one trick pony, Frank Gore, and that pony might-as-well be euthanized with running averse Mike Martz coming to town to run the offense. St. Louis has one of the best running backs in the league, too bad that running back is threatening to sit out the season in a contract dispute. Finally there is Arizona and, come on we're talking about the frecking Cardinals here.
Down south there is an interesting case. I am under the opinion that had the Buccaneers acquired Favre it would have set them back. Jeff Garcia is a winner and an underdog and was the quarterback that his underdog team best responds to. Despite not losing Garcia, I still see the Tampa finishing second in its division to New Orleans. The Saints are due for a bounce back season. 2008 is the year Reggie Bush breaks out. Add to that the return of a healthy Deuce McAllister and the addition of Jeremy Shockey and the Saints have so much fire power that even their piss poor defense can't mess it up.
Atlanta will, again, live in the basement as I see Matt Ryan falling into the David Carr/Alex Smith category of number one quarterbacks who never where. The Panthers round out the division and with Jake Delhomme coming off Tommy John surgery and Steve Smith going Mike Tyson's Punch Out on teammates, this season looks lost.
Finally we have the land of no quarterbacks, the North. When Jon Kitna is the top quarterback in a division you know the passers are sub par. That is a shame because every team, other than Kitna's Lions, seem to be a quarterback away from contending.
We all know that this is the division dictated by Favre. Had Mr. Mississippi stayed in green and gold the Pack would have been on their way to (at least) another NFC championship game. Had he landed in the land of 1,000 lakes, Minnesota would have had its first championship superstar since Kirby Puckett. Had the Monsters of the Midway scooped him up, Chicago would be playoff bound.
As it is the respective quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers, Tarvaris Jackson and Rex Grossman leave something to be desired. Somebody has to win the division though, and we can cross off Chicago right away. Even with Favre, (or even a QB with Junior College ability) the Bears would have struggled to make the playoffs. Since Cedric Benson proved himself to be a complete ass clown, Chicago's running back is some dude named Matt Forte and its top wide receiver was a corner two years ago.
That means the division will come down to Green Bay and Minnesota. Minnesota will take the north because the Favre saga has put too much pressure on the Pack (not to mention the fact that Adrian Peterson is the truth).
Man, now I know how the guys at ESPN feel. I used the name Favre 10 times in a preview of a conference in which he NO LONGER PLAYS! It's impossible to get away from Favre-a-mania! Next week the Perspective will bring to you its AFC preview. Until then enjoy our NFC power rankings and Favre-around-the-clock.
NFC Power Rankings
1. Dallas Cowboys
2. New York Giants
3. New Orleans Saints
4. Minnesota Vikings
5. Philadelphia Eagles
6. Seattle Seahawks
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
8. Washington Redskins
9. Green Bay Packers
10. Chicago Bears
11. Carolina Panthers
12. Arizona Cardinals
13. Detroit Lions
14. San Francisco 49ers
15. St. Louis Rams
16. Atlanta Falcons
You are a fool if you honestly believe the Bears are better than the Lions.
Posted By: Josh (Guest) on August 08, 2008 at 08:45 PM
The Lions Are better than the bears because they figured one very obvious fact: Their QB has talent. I mean at the way the Bears are getting Sucky QBs I expect a newsflash on ESPN saying Ryan Leaf was signed by the Bears to be their new starter. and the Panthers season doesn't look loss, Don't go judging them by pre-season issues, I mean if a team was killed by pre-Season Issues then get a Casket for the Packers franchise STAT
Posted By: John (Guest) on August 08, 2008 at 09:47 PM
The Bears have fallen down to just 2 levels away from Raiders level of not caring by the general public, I mean their only offensive weapon is Devin Hester and I would not be shocked if They just punted on 1st Down, got the Defense to hopefully stop the other team, and let Hester run it in on the Return
Posted By: John (Guest) on August 08, 2008 at 09:49 PM
The Bucs will finish top of their division, the Saints are the Bengals v2.0 with Bress/Palmer carrying that whole team, i dont see the Saints with a TJ or Chad... Bucs win Bucs win!
"A Favre-less NFC means that Tony Romo is the top quarterback in the conference"
*swing and a miss*
Brees is better because, you know he's won a playoff game. Eli is better cause he won a ring. A healthy/16 game McNabb is better because he seems to have the stats and W's to back that up.
Romo is shit, Cowboys will choke ... again.
Posted By: Brad (Guest) on August 09, 2008 at 02:44 AM
Man the NFC really SUCKS ASS! I still don't know how the Giants won the Super Bowl. New England just quit.
Posted By: Crap (Guest) on August 09, 2008 at 03:46 AM
You ARE aware that Delhomme has been doing great in camp, right? And that teammates fighting doesn't end a season?
And Romo's the best QB? A guy who's never won a playoff game? I'd take Brees over Romo any day. How do they decide who writes these things?
Posted By: Dave (Guest) on August 09, 2008 at 05:28 PM
According to your logic, Brad, Elvis Grbac is a better QB than Dan Marino. That doesn't fly. Romo's IS the best QB in the NFC.
Posted By: Adam (Guest) on August 09, 2008 at 05:37 PM
I would put Brees right up there with Romo for sure due to his experience, maybe even Manning after his playoff performance. Romo is never focused when it matters most. I don't blame TO if he bashes him at least once this season. Btw ESPN only follows Favre because they believe he is God and always have believed it and because they have nothin good on their channel.
Posted By: JM (Guest) on August 10, 2008 at 11:52 AM
Lazy writing up there....way too shallow. The NFC West discussion was especially shallow. C'mon, telling us the Cardinals won't do anything because "they're the Cardinals"? They were a missed 32 yard FG and a botched fumble play away from a playoff team last year. And St. Louis has the potential to be a huge sleeper team this year....look at the weapons Bulger has this year.
Also in one paragraph you say "with Favre, the Bears would be playoff bound"...in the next paragraph you say they would struggle to make the playoffs with Favre. Which is it?
I just feel like you rushed this one and could have spent a lot more time breaking down each division with the real issues for each team rather than just a 4 sentence paragraph per division.
Posted By: Ego (Guest) on August 10, 2008 at 01:07 PM
Having the Eagles behind the Vikes is odd, since they are essentially the same team, but Philly has a QB. Westbrook is too often overlooked. He is as good as, if not better, Adrian. And before anyone says it, yes, the Vikes were #1 against the run, but that's cuz they were last in pass defense and had the 4th fewest rush attempts against.
Posted By: spyman480 (Guest) on August 10, 2008 at 07:30 PM
so how long did it take you to write this? a couple minutes while on the toilet?
How about you give us some action facts to back up your opinions than "they're the freaking cardinals"
Posted By: Guest#5343 (Guest) on August 10, 2008 at 09:29 PM
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