Teams poised for a Super Bowl run: Part 2

5. Minnesota Vikings - Now I know this might upset a few, and believe me it was a tough decision, but I honestly believe the Vikings could be the dark horses of the NFC this year. They have no pressure at all and not many are mentioning them. As opposed to the start of last season, their offseason movements have mostly gone under the radar, despite picking up quarterback Donovan McNabb in free agency, and losing wide receiver Sidney Rice. Assuming McNabb doesn’t go down injured like Brett Favre did last year, he could be a step in the right direction for the Vikings. And it may be that he is the difference-maker for Minnesota this season, helping them to sneak into the play-offs via a wildcard spot.

Although they’ve lost Sidney Rice, the Vikings still have a number of big playmakers, including Bernard Berrian, Percy Harvin, tight end Visanthe Shiancoe and of course Adrian Peterson. Even while struggling at the quarterback position last season, and missing Rice through injury, they still managed to out rank rivals Chicago Bears in terms of offence, and it seems their defence is still as strong as ever, ranking eighth overall in the league last season.

The Vikings have also been strengthened offensively by the addition of wideout Michael Jenkins, a big-framed receiver who has played under offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave before. Jenkins departed Atlanta after the Falcons traded up to select receiver Julio Jones in the 2011 draft – a move that shocked most back in April.

McNabb may have had a tough season with the Redskins last year, but that was mostly down to a lack of protection from what was a weak offensive line. The Vikings OL, however, was much more impressive – allowing Brett Favre to be sacked just 22 times last season, one of the lowest in the league. With more time to make passes, McNabb could be very dangerous.

Don’t write the Vikings off just yet, they still might pose a threat in their division.

4. Philadelphia Eagles - How could I not include the Eagles after they made big waves in this year’s free agency period. Having already been coined the ‘Dream Team’, the Eagles have a lot of pressure to do well this season, and a Super Bowl appearance is a feat that I see being highly attainable.

They have been the most consistent team in the NFC East in recent years, making the play-offs on eight occasions in the past 10 years. With the few key changes they have made, it is entirely possible to see them finally going the distance.

Having strengthened the roster by bringing in Vince Young as a backup QB, it means that if Vick does get injured, they will have a signal caller who is still capable of getting the job done. Also, with the addition of Cullen Jenkins, Jason Babin and big time cornerbacks Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha, hopefully the Eagles’ red zone defensive woes will be put to bed.

3. Atlanta Falcons - With ‘Matty Ice’ Ryan at the helm, the Falcons have come very close to mounting a serious Super Bowl run in recent years. This season, the team will be much the same as last year, with a few new additions. The Falcons surprised a lot of people when they jumped up the draft ladder to pick up wide receiver Julio Jones. Atlanta’s front office must have seen something they like in the player, and he could have a huge role this season with his speed and athleticism. Early reports from pre-season training camp are that Jones has been lighting it up – prompting talk that the team’s decision to give up a whole host of draft picks may be vindicated immediately. The Falcons now have an offence bursting with talent, and one which looks set to explode again this season.

One problem with the Falcons last year was that they lacked a game-changing pass rusher. This lack of pressure on the quarterback left them vulnerable in the secondary and, as a result, they were torn to pieces by Aaron Rodgers in the playoffs. Hopefully by adding Ray Edwards this will not be as damaging a problem as last season.

2. New England Patriots - With Tom Brady back to his best, look out for the Patriots to dominate the AFC again this season. The possibility of an undefeated season for the Pats might not be as laughable as it sounds either, as Belichick has managed to keep most of their key players during the past offseason.

Bill Belichick is a man who knows what he is doing in free agency, and picking up wide receiver Chad Ochocinco and defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth will without doubt enhance the team’s Super Bowl prospects.

The most important signing, however, is likely to be defensive end Shaun Ellis. Ellis spent 11 years at bitter rivals the New York Jets , helping coach Rex Ryan mould the defence into one of the most feared in the NFL. Now that he has crossed the bitter divide, he takes with him all his experience and knowledge of how the Jets defence operates. It looks as if the Patriots might just have the edge over the Jets, exactly what they need if they are to pay a visit to Lucas Oil Stadium in February.

1. Green Bay Packers - Everyone is now fully aware of just how dangerous Aaron Rodgers can be. On the back of last season’s success, only a fool would fail to predict them making a return to the big one.
History is also in the Packers’ favour; every other time they have featured in a Super Bowl, they have repeated the achievement the following year.

Last season the Packers did it the hard way, winning the Super Bowl after finishing the year in one of two NFC wildcard berths, and they did it missing key players such as TE Jermichael Finley and RB Ryan Grant. This year, after adding reinforcements in the draft and free agency, the Pack have increased the strength and depth of their roster still further.

They are a legitimate threat to any team in the NFL, and I expect to see them at the summit of their division come January.

Packers to repeat?

Last pre-season there were many analysts predicting the team with the best shot at Super Bowl glory was one of the NFL’s oldest and most decorated: the Green Bay Packers.

GM Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy had assembled a young, talented crop of developing talent – sourced mainly through the NFL draft, something Thompson believes in so admirably. Then came the injuries, the slip-ups against teams like the Redskins, Dolphins and Lions, and it suddenly dawned on the Packers faithful that the Wisconsin outfit might not even make the play-offs.

The hot team in the NFC were the Falcons, and the Patriots seemed unbeatable once again as they went on an eight-game winning streak in the AFC – one which would have been a 14-game run had they not suffered a surprising loss to the Browns in week 9. Suddenly nobody was talking about Green Bay as a legitimate Super Bowl candidate anymore: big mistake.

The Packers rallied behind their leader Aaron Rodgers late in the season. Having carried his team for most of the year, the quarterback who replaced Brett Favre at the helm was never going to let the two concussions he suffered keep him out for long. Despite a growing list of injuries to key players, Rodgers and McCarthy continued to defy the odds. It seemed that every time someone went down, McCarthy found a way to patch-up what appeared to be a sinking ship. Players such as undrafted rookie Sam Shields stepped up to the plate big time, and after a crushing win against the New York Giants in week 16 the Packers had their postseason destiny in their own hands. Only one team stood in the franchise’s way: arch rivals the Chicago Bears.

In what was a drab encounter Green Bay scrapped a 10-3 win at Lambeau Field and the rest, as they say, is history. Chicago’s loss came back to haunt them as they were outfoxed by Mike McCarthy’s team in the NFC Championship game. The Pack were on a roll, and after demolishing every team like a wrecking ball as they gathered momentum in the postseason, they went on to claim their fourth Super Bowl title, and as number six seeds nonetheless. The question is, can they repeat?

The last time a team won back-to-back NFL championships was six years ago, when the New England Patriots were victorious in Super Bowl XXXVIII and XXXIX. The 2010 champions, the New Orleans Saints, looked well-placed to do so in the eyes of many observers last season. But after a solid, yet unspectacular regular season, which saw them slip under the radar and into the play-offs hot on the heels of division rivals the Atlanta Falcons, Drew Brees and co. were unceremoniously dumped out of the postseason at the first hurdle. By a team who won the NFC West with a 7-9 record no less: the Seattle Seahawks.

The Packers have key players such as RB Ryan Grant and TE Jermichael Finley back from injury, and have once again added a strong group of rookies from the draft. Going by what the record books say, the smart money would be on a return to the play-offs, with the franchise falling just short of winning another Super Bowl ring. But then again, every time Green Bay has won a Super Bowl they have reached the big game the following year – winning one and losing the other. If McCarthy and co. can lead a team decimated by injuries and without a running game to speak of – at least until the arrival of James Starks in the postseason – to Super Bowl glory, then imagine what they could do with a fit and healthy roster.

And with Aaron Rodgers having finally stepped out of Favre’s shoes with a Super Bowl ring of his own, there is a real possibility this franchise could become a dynasty over the next decade – much like the Patriots team that dominated the early part of the last one, the 70’s Steelers and Green Bay themselves in the 60’s, when the franchise was coached by the legendary Vince Lombardi. If ever the franchise had a chance to recreate just a snippet of his success, surely this crop of players are the ones who could do it.

Without Vick will the Eagles season remain flightless?

It looks highly likely that as soon as the lockout is lifted, (if it is lifted) a move might be imminent for the Eagles Kevin Kolb in the free agency market.

Kolb has already made it clear he wants to be a starter in the NFL and judging by Vick's phenomenal season in 2010 it doesn't seem likely he will feature in the Eagles plans any time soon.

Kolb has already been linked with many teams in desperate need of a QB, the latest being the Cleveland Browns. This move seems unrealistic however considering the Browns already have Colt McCoy in his second season with the offence and the last thing Kolb needs is a fight for starting position with a player he might not be able to better.

No matter where Kolb ends up I fear it could leave the Eagles looking very bare in the quarterback department.

Starting quarterback Michael Vick returned to the NFL emphatically last season, producing clutch touchdowns and key downs when required. Many question whether he can produce the same performances that he did for the upcoming 2011 season however.

In 2002, for the first time Vick started every game with the Falcons. He threw for just under 3,000 yards, 16 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. This season proved to be the most impressive and he never bettered this performance during his time at the Falcons. Interceptions and fumbles became more apparent, and his quarterback rating dropped. So will we see a similar outcome again at the Eagles?

Admittedly Vick had his most positive season to date last season with the Eagles, posting his first quarterback rating average above 100, but did he produce this because he had a point to prove?

Defences will be more weary of his abilities next season as well. The Eagles thrived on their big game changing abilities in 2010 which I doubt will be so accessible again.

Vick showed his toughness and ability to get the job done when required, but his physical and stubborn method of obtaining yards could see him get into trouble. It was clear he was a huge target for many pass rushers and with Kolb out of the picture, and Vick ailing, it begs the question of whether Eagles hopes of the playoffs will greatly diminish in this scenario.

Currently without Kolb or Vick the leadership responsibility could fall to Mike Kafka. Kafka, 23, was the fifth QB selected in the 2010 draft behind Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow, Jimmy Clausen and Colt McCoy. He is quick, able to run like Vick but still has a lot to learn.

Kafka is yet to feature in his first NFL game, having only played in the four preseason matches of 2010. In those four matches Kafka threw three picks and one touchdown but it was all very valuable experience for the youngster.

Kafka still obviously has weaknesses at present in his strength and accuracy so will he be able to cope with the pressure in the event of a Vick injury, or will Andy Reid be prepared to pick up a replacement in the free agency?

Discipline Matters

The theory is that if you want to win, you must maintain discipline amongst the ranks. Discipline involves not only respecting players and making mature decisions, it also involves not giving away penalties.

In the NFL recent stats show that if you consistantly give away free yards because of penalties you will lose. The stats don't lie, take the Atlanta Falcons for instance. They had the least number of penalties in the league for 2010 and their record was a comprehensive 13-3.

Guess who gave away the most penalties? The 49ers, Titans, Lions - all teams that had poor seasons finishing with six wins and ten losses, a win percentage of 33%. The team with the worst discipline happened to be the Oakland Raiders, who finished on 8-8. The Raiders might of improved their chance of winning the AFC West had they not of been penalized so frequently.

The only team that managed to seemingly get out of jail free were the Eagles. Philly were ranked the 3rd most penalized team in the NFL. However, the Eagles were resilient and still managed to come away with a 10-6 record reaching the playoffs. Could they have gone further however and saved some important losses if fouls had of been prevented and how did Eagles still manage to go so well despite all these mistakes?

Next season season be sure to note that the teams that keep the mistakes to the minimal will be featuring again in the playoffs.