2011 Team Previews

After the way they started last year you figured that the Tennessee Titans were for real. However with all of Vince Young’s dramas, a host of injuries on their defensive line and some sub-standard play on the offensive line, things nosedived quickly.

The end result? A new Head Coach, a new starting quarterback and a new Titans team.

What does that mean for the 2011 Tennessee Titans? Opinions seem varied. Some think Matt Hasselbeck represents an upgrade, and can put them in contention in an AFC South in a state of flux. Others think this is a team in transition and is simply moving towards Jake Locker being ready before they can be competitive.

Let’s break it down why some think one way, and others think it different.

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Year two of the Mike Shanahan era in Washington is ready to roll and Shanahan has spent another off-season re-tooling it to his liking. Now less than 50% of the roster Shanahan inherited remains and Redskins fans will be eager to see results from that turnover this season.

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Some of the old headaches are gone as is the old school Redskins style of massive free agent investment. Results will determine whether this new strategy is perceived as shrewd investment or penny pinching.

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From 1-15 to 7-9, the Rams couldn’t have been more of a surprise in 2010.

Rookie of the year Sam Bradford played above and beyond expectations, while the defense found a nice groove to keep things competitive. There’s no doubt they took advantage of one of the easiest schedules the NFL had to offer and 2011 will not be so kind. St. Louis is now on everyone’s radar and will not be taken lightly. Playing the Eagles, Giants, Ravens, Redskins, Packers, Cowboys and Saints all in the first half of the season will be a true test to see if they are contenders or pretenders.

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Hands up if you saw the Bucs finishing 10-6 last season.
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Even the most fanatical of Buccaneers fans were shocked to see such a turnaround given their struggles in 2009, but by beating teams with losing records and with some impressive performances from their core young players, they almost managed to sneak into the playoffs.
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While they did barely miss out, their showing has set a level of expectations that they’re now expected to match. Will they be able to rise to the occasion, or will 2011 be a come-down year for a Bucs team that on the surface may not have made the leaps forward that other teams in their division have? Let’s look at some reasons to be confident in another run at the playoffs, and some reasons that suggest that these lofty expectations will not be met.
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With new coach Jim Harbaugh now at the helm of one of the NFL’s most storied franchises, the San Francisco 49ers have become one of the more interesting teams to watch heading into this season. It will be hard to tell what kind of stamp he will put on this team going forward and the preseason has given us very little insight into what the 49ers will have to offer over the course of the season.
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Did they add enough pieces through both the draft and free agency to warrant a run in the wide-open NFC West? While most critics would say no, the lack of a true powerhouse within the division will allow them to be in the hunt for a playoff berth until the bitter end.
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Nobody saw the Seahawks coming last season. In the regular season, even in the ultra-non-competitive NFC West, very few people picked them. Then the playoffs rolled around and less than no one picked them to overturn the Saints, which they duly did. How do they top that this year?
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Well, in spite of a division title and possibly the biggest upset in the NFL playoff history, the Seahawks still have plenty of room to improve on last season. A sub .500 record, only two road wins, and a 3-7 record outside of the hapless NFC West is the hallmark of a team with plenty of room to grow.
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They just win.
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Regardless of who is behind center, how many starters they are missing from the offensive line, or what injuries they have on defense. They just win.
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They, of course, are the Pittsburgh Steelers. A lesson to the league in the benefits of continuity, while not valuing any player above the Black and Gold. Whatever obstacles they’re faced with, they seem to overcome with that “Blitzburgh” mentality on defense.
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Except last year. Read the rest of this entry »

Recently it’s become a habit for the Chargers to win the division, make the playoffs, and then exit before reaching their target. Last year this tradition was broken as San Diego missed the playoffs altogether.
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Now they’re poised to erase 2010’s mistakes, return to the playoffs, and make a serious run at a title. There is a lot to like about this team, but the same can be said about a number of other teams in the AFC that the Chargers will have to fight through to get to the top. Can they rebound from their disappointing 2010 to make this push, or are their best years behind them?
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There’ve been a lot of changes since the Eagles lost the wildcard game to the Packers back in January. Eagles fans will be happy that the trio of Max Jean-Gilles, Nick Cole and Reggie Wells are no longer rotating at right guard. There were more significant losses on defense, however, as Brodrick Bunkley, Stewart Bradley and the All-Pro safety Quintin Mikell have now left the team.
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For a team going “all in” there are still a number of questions circling above them. Still, taking things in perspective, Philadelphia was 10-6 a year ago and seems to have got better.
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The 2010 season for the Oakland Raiders was just a bit out of balance. A strong showing in the run game wasn’t enough to offset a questionable passing offense and highlight defensive moments couldn’t hide the porous run D. Their record took a leap upward to an even 8-8 and promising young players emerged, but nonetheless, changes were in store. Taking the team into the 2011 season, promoted Head Coach Hue Jackson and his new coordinators, Al Saunders and Chuck Bresnahan, will attempt to build on the upswing with a team that has finally started to believe.
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