Previewing the Chiefs’ and Rams’ seasons

A few days ago in this space, I shared predictions for the winners in each division across the NFL. So you know generally what I think the Chiefs and Rams are going to do this season. But since many of you (as well as me) are big fans of one or both teams, I decided to dedicate an additional blog this week to break down some details for each team’s season.

 

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Finished 7-9 last season, last in AFC West

Key Additions: NT Dontari Poe (R), RB Peyton Hillis, RT Eric Winston, TE Kevin Boss, CB Stanford Routt, QB Brady Quinn, OC Brian Daboll

Recipe for Success: The Chiefs finished last in the AFC West last season with a record of 7-9, just one win away from repeating as division champions despite losing three key players – RB Jamaal Charles, S Eric Berry and TE Tony Moeaki – to season-ending knee injuries. All three members of the ACL Crew are back and with other key additions at positions of need, there are many calling for Kansas City to win the much-improved but still mediocre division. The running game should be solid with Charles and Hillis, and the defense is expected to be in the upper half of the league; the key to the Chiefs return to the playoffs will be the play of QB Matt Cassel in a make-or-break season for him.

Schedule Breakdown: In addition home-and-home series within the AFC West, the division plays the NFC South and the AFC North as part of the normal NFL schedule rotation. The Chiefs host the Falcons, Ravens, Bengals, Panthers and Colts, and have to travel to Buffalo, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh and Cleveland for road games.

Prediction: I have been saying for weeks now that I’m trying my best to temper my optimism for the upcoming season. Key additions at several spots have solidified the roster. Based on the schedule and the fact that the Chiefs have one of the deepest and youngest rosters in the league, I’m predicting a record of 10-6 and an AFC West crown.

 

ST. LOUIS RAMS

Finished 2-14 last season, last in NFC West

Key Additions: DT Michael Brockers (R), CB Janoris Jenkins (R), CB Courtland Finnegan, RB Isaiah Pead, WR Brian Quick (R), WR Steve Smith, LB Jo-Lonn Dunbar, Head Coach Jeff Fisher

 Recipe for Success: The Rams will be more competitive in 2012 for one simple reason … Jeff Fisher. He is one of only a handful of NFL head coaches that have proven over time that he can take a less than stellar lineup and get it to perform its abilities. Plus Fisher and new General Manager Les Snead turned the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft into a number of building blocks the team needed to lay a foundation for the future. Steven Jackson will have a big year, and Sam Bradford will bounce back. Also look for LB James Laurinaitis, DE Chris Long and S Quintin Mikell to excel on defense.

Schedule Breakdown: In addition home-and-home series within the NFC West, the division plays the NFC North and the AFC East as part of the normal NFL schedule rotation. The Rams host the Redskins, Packers, Patriots (London), Jets and Vikings at the Ed (Jones Dome); and have to travel to Detroit, Chicago, Miami, Buffalo and Tampa Bay.

Prediction: The Rams showed signs of life in the pre-season, but then again, the team went undefeated in the pre-season last year. Fisher’s expertise and presence will equal at least two wins. The NFC West is improving but is still weak, and the Rams will take a step forward. I’m calling for a 6-10 season.

As always, I’d love to hear from you. How do you think our Missouri teams will do? Am I being to realistic, too pessimistic? Come on, sound off.

Until next time, thanks for reading.

Steve

The NFL's Top 10 QBs for 2012

MTSS is continuing with the latest installment in a series of “Top 10” blogs, today highlighting the best quarterbacks for the upcoming season. As a reminder, these players are being ranked based on what each one is expected to contribute this season versus what they have done in the past. Here goes.

1. Aaron Rodgers – Mobile. Accurate. Steady. The coolest since Montana.
2. Drew Brees – Continues to prove the doubters wrong. Single-season passing king.
3. Tom Brady – Proving to be the best draft pick in Patriots history.
4. Eli Manning – He may not look the part, but he just wins when it counts.
5. Ben Roethlisberger – Expect Big Ben’s production to increase with Haley’s pass-happy offense.
6. Matthew Stafford – Finally played a full season and lived up to expectations. More to come.
7. Tony Romo – The most over-analyzed player in the league. He’s solid. Must prove he’s clutch.
8. Philip Rivers – A down year in 2011, but expect him to bounce back with new weapons in tow.
9. Michael Vick – If the dude could only stay healthy … sick numbers when he’s on the field.
10. Peyton Manning – Hall of Fame worthy, but can he stay healthy? Hold your breath, Bronco fans.

Best of the Rest – (listed alphabetically) Jay Cutler, Joe Flacco, Cam Newton, Matt Ryan, Matt Schaub. These five quarterbacks are ascending in the QB ranks, but just haven’t done it well enough or long enough to crack the top tier.

So who am I missing? Where do I have the order all messed up? Sound off; give me your list.

Thanks for reading.

Steve

NFL Week 8: Games to Watch

I'm headed to Michigan tomorrow with seven guys from church for a weekend getaway at Life Action Camp in Buchanan (http://www.lifeactioncamp.com/retreats-events/momentum/). I'm not going to have my usual time to break down this week's key games, so you're going to get an abbreviated version.

I had a terrible week last week, going 0-4 with my picks. That brings my overall record to 17-11. Yuck.

Here are this week's four games to watch ... 

REDSKINS (3-3) @ BILLS (4-2)

Buffalo 31, Washington 17

PATRIOTS (5-1) @ STEELERS (5-2) 

Pittsburgh 24, New England 23

COWBOYS (3-3) @ EAGLES (2-4)
Philadelphia 27, Dallas 24

LIONS (5-2) @ BRONCOS (2-4) 

Detroit 31, Denver 17

Missouri Round-up

The Missouri Tigers are in Lubbock to take on Texas Tech; probably another road loss. The Rams host the Saints, and will lose big. The Chiefs host the Chargers, with the winner taking over first place in the AFC West. I think they'll do it and bring their record to 4-3, which is unbelievable considering how they started the season.

Thanks for reading.

Steve

NFL Week 7: Games to Watch

Our internet service at home has been down all week, and we just got it restored within the past hour. So this week's preview blog post is going to be less detailed than normal ... (yeah, ha ha, real funny. You can thank me later, smart aleck).

My record in last week's four preview games was 2-2, taking my season record to 17-7 (.708).

Here are this week's four games to watch ... 

CHARGERS (4-1) @ JETS (3-3)

The Jets have been horrible on offense, being saved by their tough defense. And the Chargers haven't really beaten anybody yet. On top of all that, Rex Ryan insulted Norv Turner on the radio this week. Should be interesting.

San Diego 28, New York 17

BEARS (3-3) @ BUCCANEERS (4-2)
The Bears and Bucs travel to London to play the NFL's annual game in the UK. Not sure why the league keeps doing this; it hurts everybody involved, except the NFL's expansion dreams.

Tampa Bay 24, Chicago 16

FALCONS (3-3) @ LIONS (5-1)
Atlanta continues to be confused, and confuse all of us, about who and what they are. A trip to Detroit to take on the ticked-off Lions won't help. 
Detroit 31, Atlanta 27

TEXANS (3-3) @ TITANS (3-2)
Houston has not taken advantage of the Colts' stumble, and Tennessee is better than expected. The winner of this AFC South showdown will have the upper hand on the division title.

Tennessee 24, Houston 21

Missouri Round-up

The Missouri Tigers hosted the No. 4 nationally-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys at Faurot Field in Columbia today. Unfortunately, I was there in person to see the dismantling of the Tigers. Mizzou is now 1-3 in Big XII Conference play, and a down season is well underway. Not sure we are ready for the SEC.

The Rams and Chiefs both go on the road for tough away games this week -- KC @ Oakland and STL @ Dallas. It doesn't look good for either squad. It looks like an 0-3 weekend for Missouri's teams.

Thanks for reading.

Steve

NFL Week 6: Games to Watch

We are five weeks into the 2011 NFL Regular Season and if there’s one thing for sure, this year is turning out to be the season of surprise – surprises positive and surprises negative. On the plus side, we have great unexpected success stories in Buffalo, Detroit, San Francisco and Washington. And on the down end, we have teams laying eggs like Indianapolis, Minnesota, Philadelphia and St. Louis.

 

Two months ago, who would have thought the 49ers at Lions game would one of the biggest ones on the Week 6 schedule. Well, it is. And the records for the teams in the Eagles-Skins game are backwards from what everyone expected. That’s why they play the games.

Last week I went 3-1 on these preview games; overall I'm 15-5.

Here are four of this week’s best games.

49ERS (4-1) @ LIONS (5-0)

These two teams are the talk of the NFL football world, going a combined 9-1 through five weeks of games. Detroit was somewhat expected; San Francisco was not. The 49ers were terrible last year, they have a rookie head coach and the lockout kept them from installing a new system this summer. None of it seems to have mattered. And the Lions are rolling, winning in every conceivable fashion. The edge goes to the Lions playing at home.

Detroit 31, San Francisco 24

BILLS (4-1) @ GIANTS (3-2)

This is a hard game to figure. Buffalo is one the real surprises of the season so far; the team’s only loss so far is a road loss to the Bengals. The Bills have beaten New England, Oakland and Philadelphia, and certainly look like a team that is for real. The Giants are, again this year, one of those tough teams that just seem to find a way to win. Their defense has been hit hard by injuries, but they find a way to put players on the field and gut out hard-fought victories. The G-Men do it again this week, but just barely.

New York 24, Buffalo 23

EAGLES (1-4) @ REDSKINS (3-1)

It’s hard to say which of these teams is a bigger surprise – Philly on the down side or Washington on the plus side. Everyone has heard all about the Eagles’ talent and how they were supposed to be winning. And everyone has grown accustomed to doubting the Redskins’ talent and Mike Shanahan’s coaching. Well, maybe Washington is finally putting it together. The team is leading the NFC East and hosts the reeling Eagles. They keep on surprising and the Eagles keep on falling.

Washington 27, Philadelphia 24

TEXANS (3-2) @ RAVENS (3-1)

At the beginning of the year, most folks probably looked at this match-up and just marked is as an easy win for the Ravens. And maybe it will be anyway. But when you look closer at this game, it gets more and more interesting. The Texans are balanced on offense, and Wade Phillips finally has the team playing some defense. The Ravens are a hard team to figure, going hot and cold from week to week. Flacco is still inconsistent, but Ray Rice is the offensive engine. He’ll deliver again.

Baltimore 23, Houston 21

Missouri Round-up

The Missouri Tigers celebrate the centennial of the Homecoming where homecomings all began. Mizzou welcomes the Iowa State Cyclones to town for the big party, and everybody remotely associated with the university hopes they don’t spoil it. The Tigers are 2-3 and already 0-2 in conference play; I don’t see how they can lose this one at home. The Chiefs are off on their BYE this weekend, and the Rams will probably wish they were by the time they leave Green Bay. I fully expect the Packers to destroy St. Louis’ undermanned Rams. Run for cover, fellas.

As always, thanks for reading.

Steve

NFL Week 5: Games to Watch

This week seems a little down in terms of big games on the schedule. I’ve selected four of the best ones to preview. Last week I went 2-2 on these preview games; overall I'm 12-4.

Here’s a quick look at a few of the big games on tap this weekend.

TITANS (3-1) @ STEELERS (2-2)

Tennessee is one of the surprise teams of the first quarter of the NFL season. If you asked somebody to predict the Titans’ record with Kenny Britt out for the season and Chris Johnson not contributing much, not many would have said anything above .500. And the Steelers are on the opposite side; they are struggling mightily with injuries and poor play. I still give the nod to the ‘burgh on this one.

Pittsburgh 20, Tennessee 19

EAGLES (1-3) @ BILLS (3-1)

This game featuring two teams doing the opposite of what they were expected to do. Many people though Philly was going to light the world on fire with all its talent, and the Bills were supposed to be … well, the Bills. Their records are flip-flopped from what the experts thought would happen. But even with the Eagles struggling, they will win this one with their backs firmly against the wall.

Philadelphia 27, Buffalo 24

 PACKERS (4-0) @ FALCONS (2-2)

This rematch of last year’s Divisional Playoffs pits two teams seemingly headed in opposite directions. The Packers are flying high and blowing out everybody they play, despite playing less-than-stellar defense. The Falcons are schizophrenic, playing great one week and mailing it in the next. The offense was expected to be explosive with the addition of Julio Jones. Another loss for Atlanta this week.

Green Bay 35, Atlanta 27

BEARS (2-2) @ LIONS (4-0)

The only O-line in football more offensive than the one in Pittsburgh is this unit in Chicago. Cutler is getting killed. If not for their special teams, the Bears would be in a world of hurt. Combine a bad offensive line with one of the best defensive lines in football (Detroit), and it may be a long day for the midgets of the Midway. No come-from-behind dash this time as the Lions go crazy at home, and it isn’t as close as the score indicates.

Detroit 31, Chicago 21

Missouri Round-up

This weekend should be a good one for Missouri’s football teams. Mizzou travels to Manhattan to take on Kansas State, and based on how the team looked two weeks ago in Norman against OU, I say they come out with a win. And it looks like the best case scenario for both the state’s NFL teams. The Chiefs head to Indianapolis to take on the winless Colts. Indy looked better on Monday Night against Tampa Bay, but I think KC gets win No. 2 in Indiana. And the hapless Rams are on their BYE week, so at least they won’t lose.

As always, thanks for reading.

Steve

NFL Power Rankings: Week 5

The NFL regular season has passed the quarter pole, and we are beginning to see which teams are for real (Packers, Patriots, Lions), which ones are still pretending (Dolphins, Vikings, Rams) and which ones we aren’t sure about just yet (Bears, Raiders, Cowboys). 

The NFL Power Rankings are published bi-weekly here on MTSS, being updated every odd-numbered week based on team results to date. Our rankings are our best (kind-of) educated guess at which team would beat the ones listed below it in the rankings. You get the idea. The biggest movers were Tennessee (+12) and Philadelphia (-14). If you have been paying attention, those should make sense.

(Week 3 rankings are in parenthesis.)

1.  (1) Green Bay (4-0) – Aaron Rodgers is the early season MVP. Brett who?
2.  (7) Baltimore (3-1) – Dominating defense; struggling offense.
3.  (2) New England (3-1) – Tom Terrific breaking records every week.
4.  (8) Detroit (4-0) – Unbelievable back-to-back comebacks in Weeks 3-4.
5.  (3) New Orleans (3-1) – Hitting on all cylinders since the Week 1 loss to Packers.
6.  (11) Houston (3-1) – The new 3-4 defense is definitely improved.
7.  (16) Buffalo (3-1) – A great start, then the trap game against the Bungles.
8.  (9) San Diego (3-1) – Chargers haven’t beaten anybody good as of yet.
9.  (15) New York Giants (3-1) – The G-Men not expected to be 3-1 at this point.
10. (22) Tennessee (3-1) – One of the few teams playing solid D this year.
11. (20) Washington (3-1) – Still not sure how good they are or aren’t.
12. (21) San Francisco (3-1) – One of this season’s early season surprises.
13. (14) Tampa Bay (3-1) – Haven’t really beat anybody yet, but appear strong.
14. (4) New York Jets (2-2) – Offense is struggling mightily. Sanchize stinks.
15. (13) Chicago (2-2) – Devin Hester is great. The O line is another story. Porous.
16. (10) Pittsburgh (2-2) – Ben is hurt. The defense is getting old. Struggling.
17. (17) Oakland (2-2) – Hue says they will win the division. Maybe.
18. (5) Atlanta (2-2) – Not as good as expected. Offensive identity is unclear.
19. (12) Dallas (2-2) – Who really knows what this team is. Rough so far.
20. (6) Philadelphia (1-3) – The Dream Team is having a nightmare season.
21. (25) Cincinnati (2-2) – They lose easy ones and win tough ones.
22. (24) Cleveland (2-2) – One of the least threatening offenses in the league.
23. (27) Carolina (1-3) – Cam continues to light it up. Team is competitive now.
24. (19) Arizona (1-3) – Kolb struggling. Defense improving. Cards have hope.
25. (26) Jacksonville (1-3) – Gabbert at the controls now; needs WR help badly.
26. (31) Kansas City (1-3) – Finally in the win column. Now beat somebody with a win.
27. (23) Denver (1-3) – John Fox still figuring out what he has. Should use Tebow more.
28. (32) Seattle (1-3) – The Hawks are actually improving, but headed for division cellar.
29. (28) Indianapolis (0-4) – Reggie Wayne was right. Painter should be starting.
30. (18) St. Louis (0-4) – The Rams get worse every week. Spags may be in trouble.
31. (29) Minnesota (0-4) – Donovan is terrible. Time to see what Ponder can do.
32. (30) Miami (0-4) – Too many holes to plug in this sinking ship.

So what do you think? Sound off. Let us know where you think we’ve got it right, and for sure where you know we have it wrong. Join the conversation.

As always, thanks for reading.

Steve