NFL RECAP - NFC PICKS
Since the NFL regular season is in the books, time to take a look back and grade my preseason picks, starting with the NFC.
NFC EAST
The pick: DALLAS
The winner: PHILLY
What I got right: "The Eagles, coming off a disastrous 6-10 season, have shed T.O. and Andy Reid has turned over the roster. Most pundits are writing them off...but the team looks like they have something to prove and all signs point to them making their statement. The Skins now have plenty of playmakers but they are still hinging their success on the arm of Mark Brunell. Unfortunately for them Brunell is done, which means so are the Redskins. A trendy pick to win the division, despite their dismal preseason, in my book they'll finish last."
What I got wrong: "New York won't make the playoffs...at the end of the day defense will rule and the big D in Dallas will clinch the title."
Grade: B
I didn't get the pick right, but I did get a lot more right than wrong. I wanted to go with my heart and pick Philly to win the division outright, instead I softened and just gave them the wildcard berth. Happy to be wrong in this case.
NFC NORTH
The pick: CHICAGO
The winner: CHICAGO
What I got right: "Everyone's hands down pick, the Bears, have the defense that makes them a lock for the division, but looking beyond that they have some big questions on the other side of the ball, most notably at QB. Is Rex Grossman their long-term answer? While the Bears have some questions the rest of the division has no answers."
What I got wrong: "Of the 3 bottom dwellers Detroit seems to be headed in the right direction..."
Grade: A+
Pretty much all over this one. Green Bay sported a better record than I thought they would, but in the immortal words of Dennis Green, "they were who we thought they were."
NFC SOUTH
The pick: CAROLINA
The winner: NEW ORLEANS
What I got right: "...the wheels officially haven fallen off the Michael Vick bandwagon...The acquisition of Drew Brees, a great signing if he stays healthy, gives them a trio of Bush, Brees and Joe Horn that will make some plays."
What I got wrong: "The Saints will become America's team this year, but the feel good story will stop there as despite the arrival of some big name stars in town the rest of the talent isn't there, especially on defense. This team won't win much, but should be fun to watch and root for. Most have anointed Carolina as the team to beat in the NFC and for good reason."
Grade: F
Like most people, I missed the boat with the Saints. I thought they would stink and they were great. I thought Carolina would be great and they stunk.
NFC WEST
The pick: SEATTLE
The winner: SEATTLE
What I got right: "An injury to Shaun Alexander or Hasselbeck or a slow start and we could see this team unravel...I just think the rest of the division is too weak to let that happen. The chic pick to challenge Seattle is Arizona. The fact that the o-line was down right horrible last year should put a wet blanket on the party."
What I got wrong: "And in SF the only good thing that can be said is that they should be looking at another high draft pick this year, which given their lack of overall talent is a good thing."
Grade: A-
Like the NFC North I was pretty much all over this one. I expected Seattle to struggle, and they did. I though St. Louis might sneak up and challenge and they almost did. I thought people were overrating Arizona and I was right. SF was the miss, as they were better than I expected, hence the A- grade.
WILDCARD
The picks: PHILADELPHIA & TAMPA
The winners: DALLAS & NEW YORK
What I got right: "Depending on how the chips fall the East could boast both wild card berths and 3 playoff teams."
What I got wrong: "And in the other slot look for Tampa Bay to edge out St. Louis and slide into the second berth."
Grade: C- I was sniffing this one out but didn't have the gumption to slot the 2nd and 3rd place finishers in the East as the Wildcard winners. I picked Dallas to win the division and Philly to snag the top wildcard, which was close but no cigar as they were flip-flopped. With Tampa I was just dead wrong as they looked lost even before Simms got hurt. That and the fact that I thought the Giants would miss the playoffs determined the C- grade.
NFC record: 2-4
AFC recap tomorrow.
NFC EAST
The pick: DALLAS
The winner: PHILLY
What I got right: "The Eagles, coming off a disastrous 6-10 season, have shed T.O. and Andy Reid has turned over the roster. Most pundits are writing them off...but the team looks like they have something to prove and all signs point to them making their statement. The Skins now have plenty of playmakers but they are still hinging their success on the arm of Mark Brunell. Unfortunately for them Brunell is done, which means so are the Redskins. A trendy pick to win the division, despite their dismal preseason, in my book they'll finish last."
What I got wrong: "New York won't make the playoffs...at the end of the day defense will rule and the big D in Dallas will clinch the title."
Grade: B
I didn't get the pick right, but I did get a lot more right than wrong. I wanted to go with my heart and pick Philly to win the division outright, instead I softened and just gave them the wildcard berth. Happy to be wrong in this case.
NFC NORTH
The pick: CHICAGO
The winner: CHICAGO
What I got right: "Everyone's hands down pick, the Bears, have the defense that makes them a lock for the division, but looking beyond that they have some big questions on the other side of the ball, most notably at QB. Is Rex Grossman their long-term answer? While the Bears have some questions the rest of the division has no answers."
What I got wrong: "Of the 3 bottom dwellers Detroit seems to be headed in the right direction..."
Grade: A+
Pretty much all over this one. Green Bay sported a better record than I thought they would, but in the immortal words of Dennis Green, "they were who we thought they were."
NFC SOUTH
The pick: CAROLINA
The winner: NEW ORLEANS
What I got right: "...the wheels officially haven fallen off the Michael Vick bandwagon...The acquisition of Drew Brees, a great signing if he stays healthy, gives them a trio of Bush, Brees and Joe Horn that will make some plays."
What I got wrong: "The Saints will become America's team this year, but the feel good story will stop there as despite the arrival of some big name stars in town the rest of the talent isn't there, especially on defense. This team won't win much, but should be fun to watch and root for. Most have anointed Carolina as the team to beat in the NFC and for good reason."
Grade: F
Like most people, I missed the boat with the Saints. I thought they would stink and they were great. I thought Carolina would be great and they stunk.
NFC WEST
The pick: SEATTLE
The winner: SEATTLE
What I got right: "An injury to Shaun Alexander or Hasselbeck or a slow start and we could see this team unravel...I just think the rest of the division is too weak to let that happen. The chic pick to challenge Seattle is Arizona. The fact that the o-line was down right horrible last year should put a wet blanket on the party."
What I got wrong: "And in SF the only good thing that can be said is that they should be looking at another high draft pick this year, which given their lack of overall talent is a good thing."
Grade: A-
Like the NFC North I was pretty much all over this one. I expected Seattle to struggle, and they did. I though St. Louis might sneak up and challenge and they almost did. I thought people were overrating Arizona and I was right. SF was the miss, as they were better than I expected, hence the A- grade.
WILDCARD
The picks: PHILADELPHIA & TAMPA
The winners: DALLAS & NEW YORK
What I got right: "Depending on how the chips fall the East could boast both wild card berths and 3 playoff teams."
What I got wrong: "And in the other slot look for Tampa Bay to edge out St. Louis and slide into the second berth."
Grade: C- I was sniffing this one out but didn't have the gumption to slot the 2nd and 3rd place finishers in the East as the Wildcard winners. I picked Dallas to win the division and Philly to snag the top wildcard, which was close but no cigar as they were flip-flopped. With Tampa I was just dead wrong as they looked lost even before Simms got hurt. That and the fact that I thought the Giants would miss the playoffs determined the C- grade.
NFC record: 2-4
AFC recap tomorrow.
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