2012 More Improved NFC Equipment
Every year the NFL sees a basement dweller from last year’s campaign rise from the ashes and surprise audiences with a sudden blessing of competition. Finding out who that team might be before it happens is next to impossible, mainly because the team’s chemistry and confidence are not reflected on paper. Yet year after year we idiots try like hell to erase the film from our crystal ball and, with careful analysis, outmaneuver random mouth breathers and dart throwers.
However, this time, I am not going to pronounce my highest probability of success. Instead, I have identified a handful of teams that improved themselves the most in the offseason and I hope that one of them on the list will rush to finally be able to show that a thorough examination of the facts consistently defeats bad luck and bad luck. instincts.
CHICAGO
Of all the teams on this list, the Bears might have the biggest advantage, and it all started with the personnel. The much maligned GM Jerry DeAngelo left along with OC Mike Martz. DeAngelo’s replacement Phil Emery brought immediate help to QB Jay Cutler by trading Brandon Marshall and selecting a younger version of Marshall at WR Alshon Jeffery (South Carolina). Martz’s philosophy of shooting to point alongside a suspicious offense was a terrible combination and never suited Cutler, whose arm strength far exceeds his accuracy.
With the receiving core propped up, the focus turned to the running game. Matt Forte finally received a well-deserved payday, despite concerns about his durability. The Bears addressed this by adding a stellar backup and a possible goal line / short yards on Michael Bush. Emery took advantage of the Raiders’ closing sale after the Davis era and solidified another weak point by acquiring what some say is the best backup quarterback in the league, Jason Campbell.
Still a concern is the offensive line, but Roma wasn’t built in a day and with the Martz system gone, Cutler won’t need to hold the ball forever. New offensive coordinator Mike Tice is a former offensive line coach and should be able to improve existing line technique. Also, look for the tight end to play or a more prominent role in 2012 under former TE, Tice. It’s a shame Greg Olsen isn’t around yet to reap the benefits of this new scheme, but Kellen Davis could be the benefactor, especially within 10.
The defense is aging and feeling a sense of urgency, but the core should be solid for at least another year. This may be the season the Bears battle Green Bay for division.
TAMPA BAY
It’s unlikely Tampa can fix the pirate ship in a single year, but new coach Greg Schiano (Rutgers) has come a long way this offseason. Schiano’s blue collar mentality should help a team that lacked discipline, drive and direction.
In addition to a solid draft, the team was active in free agency, landing one of the biggest fish in the pond in WR Vincent Jackson. They passed a second-round pick on dynamic RB Doug Martin (Boise St) to help spark a slow running game.
Defensively, the team selected Bolt safety Mark Barron (Alabama) as the seventh overall pick. Ronde Barber will return in his sixteenth season to help Barron’s mentor. The team is counting on second-round pick LB Lavonte David (Nebraska) to be the second coming of Derrick Brooks.
Expecting such a young team to regain the success it experienced in 2010 is too much. When the strength of the division is taken into account, the Bucs are unlikely to get through a playoff spot, but they should be much more competitive in 2011. If QB Josh Freeman and Jackson can develop some early chemistry, they could. quickly become one of the most productive duos in the league. With Martin a viable third-down option, he should see Freeman return to the way he had fantasy football owners drooling two years ago.
S T. LOUIS
New head coach Jeff Fisher has done a lot of house cleaning in St. Louis and the general consensus among league experts is that all changes are for the better. The defense must be improved immediately with strong additions in the secondary. Controversial Courtland Finnegan hails from Tennessee and will likely work apart from highly touted rookies Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson. Down the line, defensive ends Robert Quinn and Chris Long make up one of the league’s most formidable fast-passing tandems and are the strength of the team.
Fisher has been known to execute his RBs with force, especially when they are worthy of carrying the load. Expect to see Steven Jackson over-active this year with rookie Isaiah Pead (Cincy) serving as a supplemental change-of-pace running back.
The receiving core offers many options for quarterback Sam Bradford, but they all come with big “goals.” Rookies Brian Quick and Chris Givens look promising, but asking them to take on starting roles can be a bit of a stretch, as they are both unpolished. Fisher has been very high relative to former Giant Steve Smith, but historically microfracture recoveries have been ruinous for a WR’s career. Danny Amendola should come back from his dislocated elbow, but his tenacity far exceeds his raw ability. Donario Alexander and Greg Salas are raw and both are returning from shortened 2011 seasons. They should be competing for first-team time, but no one can guess at this point in the season who might show up as the Bradford boys.
On the less murky side, don’t forget about TE, Lance Kendricks. While he didn’t live up to the high expectations Fantasy owners had for him in 2011, a new offensive scheme and a year of familiarity with Bradford could pay off, especially with WR’s position so shaky.
So who on the list will make the leap to success and be this year’s 49ers? Probably none of the above. The Seahawks have new uniforms, so watch out for them. Something ridiculous like that will make a difference. And when it happens, I will exhale deeply through my mouth and proudly affirm, “I told you so.”