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GrnBay007
06-03-2008, 11:32 PM
Packers #6....not bad.

Paul Domowitch: Cowboys are the team to beat in NFL

By Paul Domowitch
Philadelphia Daily News

NFL TRAINING CAMPS won't open for another 7 weeks, but most of the adding and subtracting is complete. What you see right now on the league's 32 rosters is pretty much what you're going to get, unless Chad Johnson unexpectedly breaks the Bengals' resolve or the Dolphins ship Jason Taylor off to another NFL ballroom.

I'm allowed to believe what I want to believe right now. And what I believe is that the best team in football is the Dallas Cowboys.

Are they perfect? No. They lack depth at wide receiver, their offensive line is just OK and their quarterback throws too many interceptions.

That said, they still finished second in the league in points scored and third in total offense last season, and added a pretty good outside runner in the draft (Felix Jones) to complement bruising Marion Barber.

The offseason additions of cornerbacks Pacman Jones and first-rounder Mike Jenkins - assuming Jones gets his suspension lifted by Roger Goodell - improve a secondary that gave up just 19 touchdown passes last year.

As is usually the case in the NFL, injuries and quarterback play will ultimately determine who's still standing come next February. But right here, right now, the Cowboys are my team to beat.

Here are my current rankings, with 2007 regular-season records in parentheses:

1. DALLAS (13-3): Memo to Tony Romo: Women weaken legs.

2. NEW ENGLAND (16-0): The Pats have some age issues on defense, but oh, that offense.

3. JACKSONVILLE (11-5): Jags are done playing second fiddle to Peyton Manning and the Colts.

4. INDIANAPOLIS (13-3): Stood still in the offseason, but Manning gives Colts a chance to win every week against every team.

5. SAN DIEGO (11-5): Chargers will run away with the AFC West, regardless of how fast Philip Rivers recovers from his torn ACL.

6. GREEN BAY (13-3): If Aaron Rodgers can give the Packers anything, they have a chance to make it back to the NFC title game.

7. CLEVELAND (10-6): Additions of defensive linemen Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams give the Browns the run-stopping ability to thwart the Steelers in AFC North.

8. NEW YORK GIANTS (10-6): They caught lightning in a bottle last year, but free-agent losses at linebacker and likely retirement of Michael Strahan have weakened them.

9. PITTSBURGH (10-6): Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall are going to be one hell of a one-two running punch.

10. SEATTLE (10-6): Seahawks will be in a win-one-for-the-walrus mode as Mike Holmgren heads into his final season.

11. EAGLES (8-8): Their pass rush and QB play will determine how far the Eagles go this season.

12. MINNESOTA (8-8): Getting defensive end Jared Allen from the Chiefs was big, but the key to the Vikings' success will be the progress of QB Tarvaris Jackson.

13. BUFFALO (7-9): If defensive tackle Marcus Stroud has any gas left in his tank, Bills could make a playoff push.

14. TAMPA BAY (9-7): Offseason pickup of running back Warrick Dunn was huge. He will improve both the running and passing games.

15. NEW ORLEANS (7-9): Saints offense will be potent again, but did they improve their defense enough?

16. WASHINGTON (9-7): Added some big wideouts for its West Coast offense, but the defense is showing some age.

17. CAROLINA (7-9): The Panthers need more, much more, than 2 1/2 sacks from Julius Peppers this season.

18. TENNESSEE (10-6): It's time for Vince Young to step up and carry his share of the offensive load.

19. ARIZONA (8-8): Ken Whisenhunt has changed the locker-room mind-set, but the defense must improve if the Cards are going to make a playoff run.

20. HOUSTON (8-8): It's going to be difficult to improve on last year's 8-8 record in the tough AFC South.

21. BALTIMORE (5-11): Joe Flacco is nowhere close to being ready, so who's going to be the Ravens' starting QB?

22. ST. LOUIS (3-13): If the offensive line can keep immobile Marc Bulger upright, last year's 3-13 could be this year's 8-8.

23. DETROIT (7-9): Defense finished last in the league in '07. Don't look for much improvement in '08. Might be time for another Millen Man March.

24. KANSAS CITY (4-12): Chiefs had a dynamite draft (six of first 82 picks), but it could take a year for it to pay dividends.

25. CHICAGO (7-9): What is it going to take to make GM Jerry Angelo throw in the towel on QB Rex Grossman?

26. DENVER (7-9): Remember when Mike Shanahan and the word "genius" actually were used in the same sentence?

27. CINCINNATI (7-9): One positive of a possible Chad Johnson training-camp holdout: It will keep people's minds off the fact that the Bengals' defense stinks.

28. NEW YORK JETS (4-12): Jets were one of the biggest spenders in free agency. But a lot of it was on questionable purchases.

29. OAKLAND (4-12): What was Lane Kiffin thinking when he agreed to go to work for Al Davis?

30. SAN FRANCISCO (5-11): Another team that is paying dearly for an apparent first-round quarterback mistake.

31. MIAMI (1-15): Another 1-15 season is not out of the realm of possibility for Team Tuna.

32. ATLANTA (4-12): By midseason, the crowds at the Georgia Dome are going to look a lot like the ones Matt Ryan played in front of at Penn Charter.

Bretsky
06-03-2008, 11:39 PM
as long as Romo keeps getting the Simpsonbooty he won't have the energy it takes to bring a title home by the end of the year :lol:

MadtownPacker
06-03-2008, 11:54 PM
How the hell is a team that hasnt won a single playoff game in over a decade the team to beat??

Tarlam!
06-04-2008, 12:18 AM
How the hell is a team that hasnt won a single playoff game in over a decade the team to beat??


I was thinking the exact same thing!

Even though the Giants won it all last year, I still think the AFC is the stronger conference.

Bretsky
06-04-2008, 12:40 AM
Best Coach
Best QB

Still the Favorite

the_idle_threat
06-04-2008, 01:26 AM
as long as Romo keeps getting the Simpsonbooty he won't have the energy it takes to bring a title home by the end of the year :lol:

The problem is he'll be bored with her by the end of the year.

SMACKTALKIE
06-04-2008, 01:31 AM
I imagine Romo palying a Seinfeld-like chess match between his dick and his brain. That's a tough one though, that chick is HOT!!

GrnBay007
06-04-2008, 01:48 AM
I imagine Romo palying a Seinfeld-like chess match between his dick and his brain. That's a tough one though, that chick is HOT!!

Good for the Packers the dicky usually wins! :P Welcome to PR Smack.

twoseven
06-04-2008, 04:24 AM
'if AR can give the Packers anything' ?

Is that the equivalent to what Brett did in 07', or maybe anything should be changed to everything?

RashanGary
06-04-2008, 07:13 AM
Very good list IMO. There are a few tiny squabbles, but at this point in the offseason I think this guy did as good of a job as you could raising teh young up and comers and dropping the aging has beens in a way that could very well play out to be accurate (as accurate as June predictions go anyway).

LL2
06-04-2008, 08:46 AM
AR is going to surprise people this year. Brohm is going to wish he didn't get drafted by the Pack. At least I hope I'm right, but I am the guy has GB at #6.

KYPack
06-04-2008, 09:21 AM
I imagine Romo palying a Seinfeld-like chess match between his dick and his brain. That's a tough one though, that chick is HOT!!

Good for the Packers the dicky usually wins! :P Welcome to PR Smack.

That little head always out-maneuvers the big head.

cheesner
06-04-2008, 10:00 AM
I like GB at No. 6. That is about right with AR needing to prove himself.

As far as the cowboys - they are the offseason winners, can it translate to the field? I am thinking no. I don't think they have the coaching, and TO is due for some kind of shenanigans.

Patler
06-04-2008, 10:48 AM
"Dallas LoveFest 2008" is in full swing!

Note - "Dallas LoveFest 2007" closed early due to unforeseen scheduling problems. No games were scheduled after mid-January 2008!

DonHutson
06-04-2008, 10:53 AM
Yet another off-season article that over-emphasizes free agency and the draft and doesn't pay enough attention to what's already there.

The guy did rank GB fairly though.

Guiness
06-04-2008, 11:28 AM
Packers #6....not bad.

Good spot for them - basically teetering on the edge of the 'elite' teams, which is a lot of respect for a team that just lost BF, and also where they should be until Rodgers proves it as a starter in the NFL.

My biggest beef with the list is Dallas? #1? I just don't see it. I would've put at #5 or 6 (just ahead or just behind the Pack) and moved everyone else up a notch. The had a very good season, but didn't win a playoff game, and only went 9-7 the year before. If they put together another 13-3 type season, then talk to me about them being up there.

KYPack
06-04-2008, 02:55 PM
On my list, I'd move Dallas below us, but I love the pre-season hype. The more pressure on that bunch, the better.

The Jags can be a factor, but that D might not be at the same level. Some of their stud DLineman have moved on.

The Browns are getting a lot of the off-season hype and they might succumb to it, also.

Houston is my shock team. They probably won't challenge for the SB, but they have a lot of young talent that might put it together. They've got young stars all over the place and another year's experience could really help 'em like crazy.

Tarlam!
06-04-2008, 03:31 PM
and only went 9-7 the year before. If they put together another 13-3 type season, then talk to me about them being up there.

Pardon me, Sir, but the Pack only went 8-8 the year before and have recently lost a HOF QB.

One might argue the Pack are only real if they put up gaudy wins with A-Rod.

BallHawk
06-04-2008, 03:36 PM
How a team that had an undefeated regular season can not be the favorite is beyond me.

Guiness
06-04-2008, 04:13 PM
and only went 9-7 the year before. If they put together another 13-3 type season, then talk to me about them being up there.

Pardon me, Sir, but the Pack only went 8-8 the year before and have recently lost a HOF QB.

One might argue the Pack are only real if they put up gaudy wins with A-Rod.

And I did mention that, and said it justified their spot at #6, instead of being considered and elite team, which their 13-3 record would suggest.

oregonpackfan
06-04-2008, 06:06 PM
"Dallas LoveFest 2008" is in full swing!

Yeah, the media is embracing "America's Team."

As Texas would say, "Damn liberal media..." :)

bobblehead
06-04-2008, 06:09 PM
Yet another off-season article that over-emphasizes free agency and the draft and doesn't pay enough attention to what's already there.

The guy did rank GB fairly though.

Couldn't agree more, Personally I am gonna lay a nice bet on the chargers to win it all, I really think they are the most talented team in the NFL top to bottom.

I think that AJ Smith dude seems to be a notch above TT in talent evaluation, but has had more years to build that roster.

texaspackerbacker
06-04-2008, 08:37 PM
Fairly good list. Surprisingly respectful by the media of the Packers. 6th best in the NFL/2nd in the NFC, that's not bad coming from an objective source in the first post-Favre season--and with the addendum that it could go higher if Rodgers has more than merely mediocre success.

I could really see that happening--Rodgers being well above average.

The only upper echelon teams I think might not do as well as predicted are the Jaguars and the Giants. I just don't see the Jags as an elite team, and the Giants were a pure fluke.

GrnBay007
06-05-2008, 01:37 AM
Packers #6....not bad.

Good spot for them - basically teetering on the edge of the 'elite' teams, which is a lot of respect for a team that just lost BF, and also where they should be until Rodgers proves it as a starter in the NFL.


Agree. I was happy to see them at #6 considering there is still much unknown about Rodgers at this point.