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Hello readers,

As I'm sure you have all been devastated by my prolonged absence (1 solid month) I have a bunch of new articles and ideas buzzing around in my head. So there's probably going to be a bit of break from the Offseason Questions segment I've been doing. I'm thinking I'm going to write about Terrelle Pryor's NFL prospects, T.O's ACL surgery, A new Heisman watchlist, and ssizing up the 2012 QB class. Should come out soon, can't really specify a date. As always input is appreciated (even encouraged, nothing creates web traffic like a good comments battle) send this blog to your friends and family (think of it as an early Christmas gift) and enjoy the fact that the lockout is almost over! No, Seriously!

Offseason Questions: Green Bay Packers

1.      Can the Packers Repeat?

That’s the question on everybody’s mind after the Packers’ victory in last season’s super bowl. The Packers seem stacked coming into next season and various media outlets have firmly situated themselves in their corner. The Packers are stronger on offense than defense with QB Aaron Rodgers returning after a season that vaulted him into the top 3 or 4 QB’s in the league. Also the Packers are stacked at wide out with the Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, rookie Randall Cobb, James Jones, Jordy Nelson and tight end Jermichael Finley. Meanwhile the Packers have some young talent on defense as well in linebacker Clay Matthews and cornerback Tramon Williams. On paper this team is built to win and possibly win big but a couple of potential obstacles could put a halt on another addition to Titletown’s reputation. The Packers play in a tough division and its only getting tougher. Don’t believe me? Fine let’s talk about that for a second. The Bears, are on the rise (aka the up&up) with an improving offensive line and a young QB in Jay Cutler who won the division last year, the Vikings are built to win now with RB Adrian Peterson running downhill, Jarred Allen running after Rodgers, and wide receiver Sidney Rice hoping to regain his ’09 form. But these were probably all things you knew, what you may not know is that the NFC North may have just become the toughest division in the NFC with the Lions on the rise. Let me just say that again, the Detroit Lions are showing promise, lots of it. Between talented but unproven QB Matthew Stafford, rookie wide out Titus Young, Jahvid Best, and Ndamukong Suh the Lions are no longer the division’s punching bag and that could hurt the Packers’ seeding come playoff time. Pair that with the fact that the other top division, the NFC South, may for the first time in a long time field 3 playoff teams and the Packers are going to be fighting hard to make it back.

2.      He’s Back

Now when one talks about the high injury season that the Packers endured last year this could mean a lot of people. But I’m talking about Finley, Jermichael Finley. Standing at 6’5” weighing 245 pounds Finley was an early pick last offseason to be one of the leagues best tight ends before experiencing a season ending injury chasing down a defender. Finley proved to have big play capability during Aaron Rodgers’ duel with Kurt Warner as he turned in a six catch 159 yard performance (second only to Kellen Winslow’s epic performance against Miami). Now Finley is back, mostly unnoticed compared to the media hype machine that surrounded him last offseason. Opposing coordinators would do well not to pat themselves on the back if the shaky handed wonder James Jones leaves.

3.      I’m Only One Man

Let’s be clear, the Packers could not run the ball last year. Attribute it to what you like, Brandon Jackson isn’t good, Kuhn is a fullback, Grant got hurt and Starks would have been good if he had played. Like I said do what you like with it, fact is the Packers sucked at running the ball and Rodgers ran far too much. Rodgers is the key to anything the Packers want to do in the future so it would be nice if he didn’t have to run that much. The Packers ranked 24^th in rushing at a flat 100 yards, and 6^th on rushing in the post season averaging 101 yards per game. The rushing average during the regular season was 3.8 and 3.7 in the postseason. Some might say this is really just knit picking a very solid team, that since the NFL is becoming a passing league running the ball is outdated. To that I’ll just say that nothing opens up an offense like a scared defense and if the defense knows that it’s a pass then they have all day to figure out a QB. Main point, Rodgers shouldn’t have to do it all himself, he’s only one man.

4.      Clay Matthews

I’ll be honest, I couldn’t come up with anything catchy or clever for this section regarding “the Claymaker” or the many other variants of his name that I’ve heard. Matthews is an absolute beast who comes from a long line of NFL linebackers and he has not disappointed. Matthews’ week in, week out work ethic has made him a media darling and his nice combination of speed power and relentlessness pursuit earned him a spot in the top 20 NFL Players list. Only one thing is ever really brought up of how Matthews could be better, a little help from his friends, specifically at the opposite outside linebacker spot opposite Matthews. What the Pack decide to do with this spot will be interesting to see going forward.

Off Season Questions: Washington Redskins

Washington Redskins

1.     So…John Beck

Who is this guy? Well John Beck was drafted in 2007 and apparently Mike Shanahan known in some circles as “That guy who benched a first ballot hall of famer in favor of Rex Grossman” thinks “the world of him”. Putting aside for one second my deep seated dislike and lack of respect for Shanahan I think we need to ask why exactly Shanahan thinks he’s so awesome that he deserves to be the starter. Shanahan says, according to ESPN, that he had Beck rated the highest in the 2007 draft class as far as quarterbacks were concerned. High praise right? Well let’s look at that star studded class of JaMarcus Russell, Brady Quinn, Kevin Kolb, Drew Stanton, Trent Edwards, Troy Smith, and Tyler Thigpen. Pretty epic draft class, their entire career records are so poor that Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is one win short of having more wins than all of them put together. So going back to Shanahan’s opinion, because that’s what it is…an opinion. Beck was not rated the highest in that draft class, that’s Shanahan’s opinion, he has not enjoyed anymore success than anybody in that draft class and has yet to win a single game in the NFL. He’s paired with a lunatic coach and one of the most dysfunctional organizations in the league second only perhaps to the Bengals.

2.     Which Leads Beautifully Into…

My next question! How far away from legitness are the Redskins? Answer: A long way, a really long way. The problem starts at the top, owner Daniel Snyder. Snyder has developed a nasty habit of throwing money on free agents and creating a tidal wave of hype that the player cannot hope to live up to. A perfect example of this is quarterback Donovan McNabb who is in limbo as waits to flee DC and never look back. McNabb, as I’ve talked about in earlier articles, was traded midway through last offseason from his beloved Philadelphia Eagles to division rival Washington. So of course several members of the media blew McNabb’s impact so far out of proportion that it was difficult to tell whether the Redskins had acquired McNabb or Gandhi. That the Redskins were viewed as being in contention for the NFC East last season is laughable. The Redskins organization has done this year after year bringing in high price free agents and swearing that this time is different. Back in the day this strategy had some merit and if the ‘Skins think that they’ve uncovered the next Matt Cassel then that’s great for them but I have my doubts. The Redskins this year showed signs of what the Raiders did last season, the beginnings of understanding that teams are built by the draft not by free agents. For instance last year I had the Raiders taking offensive lineman Bruce Campbell because he was fast, the Raiders always draft the fastest guy. Al Davis drafted Darrius Heyward Bay over the far superior prospect, Michael Crabtree due to 40 time. But then the Raiders shocked the world (and perhaps more importantly my mock draft) by taking Rolando McClain who was a solid prospect who instantly improved a pretty suckish Raiders defense. My point being that this season (with no free agency) the Redskins traded down and seem to have taken substance over style in solid pass rusher Ryan Kerrigan and running back Roy Helu (we’ll talk about him in a second). Teams have to be built through the draft especially when you have as many needs as the Redskins. If they continue to build through the draft and ease themselves off the crutch of free agency they should be contenders, till then the East belongs to Dallas, New York and Philly.

3.     The 100 Million Dollar Man

The Redskins have themselves a problem, about 100 million dollars worth of problems. Luckily (and by that I mean unluckily) for the Redskins those problems come nice and wrapped up in the behemoth that is Albert Haynesworth. Haynesworth is a diva defensive tackle who has made a few things abundantly clear. 1. He has no intention of playing nose tackle. 2. He has no intention of being a Redskin. 3. The sooner he leaves the happier everybody (with the possible exception of his new team) will be. Haynesworth is gonna be a tough sell to numerous teams due to his well publicized feud with Shanahan during last offseason, his ridiculously high pay isn’t exactly helping. But like it or not, the moving of Haynesworth will dominate the Redskins organization until he moves.

4.     Helu, Goodbye

Yes that is a Roy Helu name pun, it is my first and probably will not be my last. Helu is a solid runner out of the University of Nebraska whose had back to back 1000 yard seasons and had some very strong showings last season. Meanwhile in the Redskins signed backfield there is Ryan Torain who showed flashes of potential last season after Clinton Portis suffered an injury to his groin that made me wince just hearing it. Which one of these men emerges as the featured back of this Redskins offense may prove to be a bigger deal than most people are treating it as. Think about this for a second, the Redskins are starting John Beck at QB (unless Shanahan is just yanking our chain) with possibly Rex Grossman as his backup. This star studded QB line up comes into a suspect offensive line with one real receiver and two good tight ends. That’s it. There’s definite talent on defense (Brian Orakpo is a monster. Fact.) but there’s not enough talent to be on the field most of the game, and if Beck and Sexy Rexy struggle to find their one receiver while DeMarcus Ware rides them to the turf then the ‘Skins better find a damn running game or perish. So which will it be? Helu? Torain? A mysterious stranger from the ranks of the undrafted? Nobody will know till the season gets started.

Off Season Questions: New York Giants

New York Giants

1.     Can Eli Manning Step It Up

For most quarterbacks a season where they threw for over 4000 yards and threw over 30 touchdowns would be cause for celebration. Not for Eli Manning, the Giants quarterback also threw 25 interceptions, which held back a Giants team that just missed the playoffs. If Manning ever wants to see the Super Bowl again (and maybe have something over his elder brother) he’s gonna have to step up his accuracy. The weapons are there in human safety blanket Steve Smith, playmaker Hakeem Nicks and the field stretching presence of Mario Manningham but can Manning deliver?

2.     Do the Giants have a running back they can count on?

Ahmad Bradshaw had a good season rushing for over 1000 yards and being a solid option in the passing game. That being said Bradshaw has proven to be injury prone and the Giants may not be able to count on him to be there every down. Then there’s Brandon Jacobs… Color me skeptical of Jacobs abilities who turns 29 in July and frankly if I was the Giants I wouldn’t have him back. It wasn’t just Jacobs’ less than great production, that he looked tentative at times trying to pick what hole he wanted to go through it was the “Manning Bowl” where I made my decision. It’s generally frowned upon in football to act like a 2 year old. Lists of things that are unacceptable in the sport of football include grabbing people’s facemask, holding, running in the wrong direction oh yeah and hurling your helmet into the stands because you got pulled from the game. Guess which one of these helped me decide that Jacobs can’t be depended on? The Giants’ need at running back is far from dire, Bradshaw can be a home run hitter when he wants, but the Giants may need to start looking for somebody more long term.

3.     The Boy Who Would Be King Prince

One pebble can cause 1000 waves. Similarly on shutdown cornerback can cause 3-4 wins. That’s the potential impact of Former Husker, now Giant Prince Amukamara. Amukamara is blazing fast, with great coverage skills that served him well in a great Nebraska defense under Coach Bo Pelini. With a 4.43 40 time Amukamara has the speed and the height (6’) to cover Jackson or Austin. With Prince presumptively taking over the 1 spot at CB half of the field may now be unavailable to a bevy of very good NFC East offenses. With a very strong defensive line and a good pool of safeties lead by Kenny Phillips Amukamara may be the missing piece to put this already pretty dominant unit over the top.

4.     Revenge is a Dish Best Served Sometime This Season

As you might have noticed last season, the Giants got owned by the Eagles. True, the slot blitzes in the second game kept Vick and his hapless offensive line guessing but there was still the fact that the Giants lost and DeSean Jackson shall never be forgotten for the miraculous play that he made that day. With the Eagles sitting pretty at the top of the division the Giants need to hit them where it hurts, right in the win/loss column. The Giants get their first shot at the Eagles in week 3. It should be a hard hitting game as the Giants try and reap their vengeance for the utter humiliation the Giants suffered when this happened…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnutUk02Sk0

Off Season Questions: Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles

1.     Can Michael Vick stay healthy?

Wow. That’s all many people could say after seeing quarterback Michael Vick last season. This was not the Michael Vick that Altanta fans knew, the Vick who made one read and ran for it. Vick was making multiple reads throwing ropes to Jackson and Maclin, completing passes efficiently, staying in the pocket, and not throwing interceptions. It was truly an incredible transformation to watch and by midseason nobody really seemed to care about Kevin Kolb as anything besides Vick’s insurance policy. Which is coincidentally the whole point of this question. Vick was nearly superhuman throughout the season except for when he was hurt. Part of that can be attributed to simply pathetic effort on the part of the Eagles line, but part of that lie on Vick’s scrambling which can open him up to big hits. Vick’s ability to escape more often than not is not in question, what is in question is what happens on the times that he doesn’t.

2.     Oh To Be Young and Full of promise

The Eagles have one of the best young nucleuses in the league. Period. DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, LeSean McCoy and Brent Celek are some of the best at their position and coupled with reborn superstar Michael Vick have given the Eagles an edge similar to the University of Oregon last season, they can score from anywhere at any time. Can the offense score enough points to cover up lapses by a still suspect Eagles defense?

3.     Much Ado About Kevin

You really can’t just let this one slip by if you’re going to write about the Eagles this offseason. What’s going to happen to Kevin Kolb? Is he staying or going? And if (probably) going, where’s he going to go? The best package I’ve heard of was mentioned by John Clayton of ESPN in his mailbag, Arizona Cardinals second round picks in the next two drafts. Some might be reading this right about now and be asking why not a first rounder? I must admit I was asking myself the same question considering Kolb is almost certainly better than anyone the Cardinals or any other NFC West team besides the Rams has on the roster. Well that’s actually the problem, the Cardinals play in the worst division in the history of the NFL, that’s not my opinion it’s a fact. The NFC West was won last season, for the first time in league history, by a team that lost more games than it won. Thus a young guy like Kolb at the controls of a potentially very potent offense in Arizona might be able to get back to the top of the division and thus become a playoff contender moving their pick to the early 20’s as opposed to say #12. Second round picks are more predictable in that respect and offer a longer term pay off to the Eagles. Will Andy Reid buy it? That’s the question

4.     Behind a Strong Philly Offense Theres…

A pretty weak defense. Yup for all the prolific exploits of the Eagles offense (Miracle at the New Meadowlands included) the defense was softer than it should have been. The return of the injured Brandon Graham should lend some help to this defense but the addition of a shut down corner (Nnamdi Asomugha anybody?) would go a long way toward helping the Eagles.

Off Season Questions: Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys

1.     Will the defense perform under Rob Ryan?

Last year the Cowboys were in popular talks for the Super Bowl, the stage seemed set perfectly. The Cowboys fresh off a fairly productive season, winning their first playoff game in years, Romo was playing well and the team had a pair of good wide outs in Miles Austin and unproven (at the time) rookie Dez Bryant. The Super Bowl was going to be at the Jerry Dome, hopes had rarely been higher in Big D. Then of course the Cowboys ran into a problem, their defense. While the Dallas defense is home to a number of very good players (DeMarcus Ware, Keith Brooking and debatably Terrance Newman) the defense was atrocious last year surrendering 31 touchdown passes. In a division with the score from anywhere offense of the Philadelphia Eagles, and the stable of receivers chomping at the bit in New York, Dallas can no longer depend solely upon a strong offense. The question is whether this unit just needs a new season or whether Dallas needs an infusion of youth on defense.

2.     Ball’s In Your Court

Slightly related to the first question, the Cowboys did nothing to replace Safety Alan Ball who was an absolute liability in coverage last year. True, this wasn’t the strongest class of safeties with the first safety going in the second round, but it has become blatantly obvious that Ball is holding Dallas back and it will be interesting to see whether Jerry Jones and the Boys decide to make a play for Sam Huff if/when free agency starts.

3.     Can Tony Romo win the Big Game?

Throughout his career quarterback Tony Romo has faced criticism for choking under pressure, being more interested in hanging with celebrities than playing football and just not appearing completely focused at times. Coming back from a broken clavicle that sidelined him early in the season (effectively dashing any hopes the Cowboys had of a playoff run) Romo has a lot of questions to answer if he wants to remain the unquestioned starter of this team. Romo may never have had a more dangerous collection of pass catchers with Dez Bryant returning for his second season after a strong rookie season before being sidelined by an ankle injury, Miles Austin as his reliable #1 wideout and his good friend Jason Witten still attacking the center of the field. Romo’s backfield is strong with Felix Jones, Demarco Murray and possibly Marion Barber still backing him up. There will be no excuse for Romo to underperform this season and it will be a hellish offseason this time next year if he does.

4.     Can the Cowboys make the playoffs?

There are few division that are tougher in the NFL than the NFC East. With the exception of the Redskins (We’ll get to them in a little bit) all these rosters seem loaded with either big name players or players who are about to be big including Ware, Austin, Vick, Jackson, Tuck, Amukamara, Phillips, Nicks, Smith, Rolle, Bryant, Manning (I have my doubts but I’m obligated to put him on the list because he won a super bowl) and McCoy. Between all of these names it’s very legitimate to wonder whether the Cowboys have missed their window and this division is the Michael Vick show now. With a talented roster and a few key free agent pickups Big D could reinsert themselves in the conversation, but for now we just don’t know.

Super Exciting Update Time

Translation: Me talking about how I'm super busy this week but how there's light at the end of the tunnel.

Sup guys,
So it's the last week of high school (bittersweet etc.) and next week is finals. So there's good news and bad news there, bad news is that I'm swamped for the rest of week. Good news is that it's looking like I'll have next to no finals so I got a solid week to do what I do best, write sports articles when I could be using my time for something society considers "productive". Bottom line: Off season questions are gonna come out in droves next week. Also if you have an issue you want me to talk about, or a question you want me to answer it'll be time for my second mailbag (the first one was less than successful) drop it in there. I've been getting some questions about what I'm going to do once I'm out of offseason questions. To that I can't give a specific answer, but I can tell you that I have a lot of free time and an obsessive streak regarding football...so I'll figure something out.