WhoDat205

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...mqb/index.html

This one's for you, Euphora:

1. Indianapolis: If the Colts are to win the title again, and I think they enter the season with a good chance to go back-to-back, they may need Tony Dungy and defensive coordinator Ron Meeks to have the best coaching years of their career. Gone: starting corners Nick Harper and Jason David, former starting safety Mike Doss, starting weakside linebacker and 2006 leading tackler Cato June and in-the-rotation defensive lineman Montae Reagor. Interesting schedule. Indy could easily start 5-0 (New Orleans, at Tennessee, at Houston, Denver, Tampa Bay) and struggle after the Week 6 bye. How about this punching-bag four-pack: at Jacksonville, at Carolina, New England, at San Diego -- in the span of 21 days. The Colts will have to outscore teams all year, and I believe they will.

2. New England: Maybe the interior run defense is better than it played at Indy in the second half. It had better be Sept. 16 when LaDainian Tomlinson and a very good offensive line come east to Foxboro. Two years ago, LT went for 134 yards on 25 carries in a 41-17 Charger rout of the Pats in New England. I like the Patriots now because you can't overstate the importance of this offseason's best free-agent haul ... maybe ever, particularly when it comes to the receiver corps. Tom Brady can finally outscore people.

3. San Diego: Best depth, 1 to 53 on the roster, in the NFL. And maybe, if Philip Rivers can play in the Manning-Brady league, this will be the Chargers' year. Any of the first three teams on this list can win the Super Bowl, which should surprise no one.

4. New Orleans: I'm counting on Reggie Bush being more versatile and just plain better. It's ridiculous that he rushed for a fullback-like 3.6 yards per carry last year. He'll be at least a yard better because he knows the best carries are sometime the zero-yard gains, which are better than the seven-yard losses. He's already learned that -- in December, Bush averaged 5.1 yards per rush. The Saints scored 30 or more points six times in November and December last year. I expect 10 of those days this year.

5. Chicago: The Bears should win home field advantage in the NFC again because of their weak division, but two things scare me about Chicago: Rex Grossman at quarterback and Lance Briggs' potential holdout. I've had enough of the e-mails defending Grossman. Those don't mean anything, Bearaholics. The way a QB plays matters, and Grossman has to be 25 percent better for this team to win a Super Bowl. Moreover, Brian Urlacher won't be Urlacher without Briggs, who makes the Chicago defense so versatile because he's an athlete and hitter on par with Urlacher.

"defence's personal to allwats double team or watch is over, that one reason why the saints or not any good." - Vador101

Cassady37

I disagree that they could easily go 5-0 to start the season. New Orleans can score with them easily, and their defense is no where near what it was last year, while ours has improved. Titans are dangerous also with Young at QB. Houston could be a surprise with Schaub at QB. To say they could easily go 5-0 is stretching it a bit in my opinion. I also disagree with Chicago being in the top 5, give me a break. Grossman????

ScottyRo

Definitely. I'll be surprised if they win a game.

Seriously, when did Schaub become a starting QB? He has lost the only two starts he has made. The Texans would have been smart to keep Carr and bring in Schaub to compete for the starting slot.

WhoDat205

That rich. There are so many ways that sentence could go.

Euphoria

What is so funny to me is that so may of these people who post crap just so they can have a job all have been taking the high road of late. "Pick the team that won the last SB as favorite until they lose". Where is the balls, where is the glory in picking a dog to win it all huh? In fact thats the way they finished the last season... this should be a clue they dont' know what they are talking about.

Colts - Saints, the last I checked Colts still have Manning. The only good thing about this is we may actually get some points in this game and also we aren't playing it in the Dome where Manning seems to toss TD's at will.

Cassady37

We'll see. I think Schaub, in a non-Michael Vick system, will shine. I always thought he had the intelligence and the physical tools to be a really good QB. And I think Kubiak is just the mentor he needs to solidify his skills. And they will win their share of games, just not enough to make the play-offs.

papz

I think the money Schaub signed for was excessive but I'm a big supporter of his. I think he'll be a solid starting NFL quarterback.

JOESAM2002

I live just south of Houston and i'm here to tell you, it doesn't matter who the Texans have as quarterback until they get an offensive line! I'd like to see them do well but it just ain't gonna happen.

BlueDevil1978

Those chump Bears -- THE WORST NFC CHAMPION IN THE HISTORY OF THE NFL. At least Peter King is giving Detroit a nod to improve some (#13 overall in the NFL, #6 in the NFC). If they can improve the competition in the worst division in the league, the NFC North, then perhaps in won't be an automatic cake-walk for those chump Bears.

WhoDat205

I gotta say, I think the Colts - Saints has all the makings to be one for the ages. It's a potential SB preview. A what coulda been game. Peyton has the obvious ties to NO. David playing his first game against his old team. There are tons of story lines.

That's not to mention the fact that two of the 4 best offenses in the league are squaring off.

Only 52 days away!