NOTE: All 20 teams will benefit from having a real off-season, with training camps and time spent with coaching staff.
AFC East:
New York Jets:
I actually pegged the Jets as a 13-3 team this season, winning the AFC East and being a possible Super Bowl contender. All that pretty much hinged on how well Mark Sanchez would improve. Even though Sanchez had a mediocre year, I did not expect the Jets run defense to break down as they did. The secondary is still there, thankfully, and keeping that unit will be key to stay competitive in this division, especially since Tom Brady, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Matt Moore will attack through the air. The defense has to improve their run defense. Santonio Holmes is another issue they will need to figure out. How reliable is Shone Greene? With LT most likely retiring, will we see more Joe McKnight?
Buffalo Bills:
A hot 3-0 start, including an upset over the Patriots had me thinking the Buffalo Bills were for real. I had this team projected as a 2-14 or 3-13 team. Coming into 2011, I thought the Bills were going to sleep through this season to get Andrew Luck in the draft. Trading away their veteran receiver Lee Evans and making no real move to replace him, I thought for sure this team was trying to fail. Even though they did finish 6-10, I saw signs that this could be a very dangerous team in 2012. Ryan Fitzpatrick has looked like Buffalo's solution for a long term QB. And when Fred Jackson comes back healthy, it will be a major boost for the Bills. There is still some issues at WR, on the fate of Steve Johnson or if the Bills are prepared to move on with David Nelson and Naaman Roosevelt. I would also like to see this offense work TE Scott Chandler more into the mix. He's been a good red zone target but I feel he's not properly utilized. But the biggest issue is to fix this awful defense. It might not be the players on this squad, it could be the staff. Look how Wade Philips turned the Texans defense around. Maybe the same could happen to Buffalo.
Miami Dolphins:
Adding the right coach could make all the difference for this Dolphins team. Matt Moore may have found a home in Miami, but if that's the case...what happens to Chad Henne? Reggie Bush too may have found a system that fits him. The run defense is there. A few tweaks to the secondary and who knows what could happen for Miami in 2012. But again, it could all depend on who will be the new head coach.
AFC North:
Cleveland Browns:
On a team with so many issues, the one cornerstone they can take into 2012 will be their pass defense. Management should definitely keep this group intact. However, the run defense could use a complete overhaul. As for offense, first thing's first...Peyton Hillis. A major disappointment from his 2010 explosion. He did not play like he deserves the money he wanted. Could be used in a possible trade. I do like Colt McCoy and I think he's one deep threat away from becoming a much better QB. With the likes of Vincent Jackson, Dwayne Bowe and maybe Steve Johnson hitting free agency, Cleveland could immediately upgrade their offense with one of these players.
AFC South:
Tennessee Titans:
9-7 is a fine way to end a season. Kenny Britt should come back healthy, Chris Johnson should return back to reality. Unfortunately, the defense might hit a snag should Courtland Finnegan hit free agency. But the bigger issue for me is quarterback. Is Matt Hasselbeck a caretaker quarterback? Just counting down until the day when Jake Locker can take over? Would Hasselbeck be okay with that role?
Jacksonville Jaguars:
One of the best running backs of 2011 and a formidable defense. The only thing left to do...is fix the awful passing game! Unlike Andy Dalton, Blaine Gabbert didn't have an A.J. Green or Jerome Simpson to throw to. And I don't blame Gabbert for 2011's poor stats. If anyone is to blame, it's former head coach Jack Del Rio. I wasn't a huge fan of David Gerrard, but he knew the system better than McCown and Gabbert. Perhaps a deep threat WR through free agency or the draft would help this team.
Indianapolis Colts:
I don't know Peyton Manning, I'm not around him and I imagine I will never get to know the answers to my questions. But I will still ask it. Why wait until May to get that surgery? Why didn't he get it the moment the 2010 season ended? It would have added about 3 months towards his recovery. But I don't know, maybe his surgeon was booked or maybe he kept putting it off for as long as possible. And yes, Bill Pollian should have started to consider a back-up plan the moment the Lock Out had been lifted. Bringing Kerry Collins out of retirement just days before the regular season was just an awful idea, and it's not that Collins didn't have anything left, it was throwing a new playbook at him that didn't help. Curtis Painter knew the system better than anyone else at the start of the season and I agree with Reggie Wayne that starting QB role should have been delegated to him. For 2012, they will have to figure out their defensive flaws and maybe even a new running back.
AFC West:
Oakland Raiders:
The Raiders were an odd team to me. There were moments they looked like divisional champions. And there were times they made the Colts look good. Even with Jason Campbell, Darren McFadden and a few other receivers out, there was still enough talent on this squad to get the job done. Carson Palmer was a bit rusty so I can't place blame entirely on him. If anything, I would blame the Raiders front office and Hue Jackson for questionable decisions. Such as benching Darrius Heyward-Bey for two games for no reason, other than to try out different WR formations like it was the preseason. For 2012, the offense doesn't need a lot of work save for Palmer's INT problem, but maybe they should even consider a running back-by-committee scheme like in New Orleans, especially with McFadden's injury history, I could see an all out ground assault with McFadden, Michael Bush and Taiwan Jones. But the bigger issue to tune up this defense.
San Diego Chargers:
A 4-1 start was something that San Diego had never seen in years. I had expected a 13-3 or 12-4 season. I'm not sure what went wrong, but it was simple and stupid mistakes, such as fumbling the ball in the final minutes in regulation at Kansas City. Or the several interceptions thrown against Green Bay. Or how Vincent Jackson would disappear from time to time. Should Jackson leave, I would expect that Malcolm Floyd and Vincent Brown could take over the starting WR spots with ease. Other than fixing up their defense, I'm not sure what else San Diego could do to get past this season.
Kansas City Chiefs:
Although I would like to say that injuries played a part with this team, but even when they had Matt Cassel and Jamaal Charles at the beginning of the season, something didn't look right with Kansas City. Now there will be new questions, on who should be the starting QB...Cassel or Kyle Orton. Frankly, I'm not really thriller with either one but I imagine I'd have to go with Cassel. Another issue is what will happen to Dwayne Bowe. Although if Bowe does leave, I imagine that Jon Baldwin will take over alongside Steve Breaston.
No comments:
Post a Comment