And the season previews of the NFL get off the ground. Using Mike and Mike's "Two-a-Days" as a guide, I'll take a look at what I believe are the (political and financial) chances for these teams to see the next Super Bowl.
That in mind, we begin with the 10 worst teams in the league (the format is by draft-order, two a day until they're all done) from the first week:
Indianapolis:
Greeny: 6-10
Golic: 5-11
Me: 6-10
Andrew Luck is probably going to be "The Great White Hope" among young quarterbacks, especially with Newton and Griffin III running around. That's going to work in their favor some. Also working in their favor is not getting Houston until twice in the last three weeks. Six wins, with some help, is manageable here.
St. Louis:
Greeny and Golic: 4-12
Me: 2-14
Oh, Lord... This is one of the teams that either moves to Los Angeles, or becomes a real going-concern issue for the league at the rate things are going. The team went 7-9 year before last. The other four years out of the last five, they have eight wins combined, and have drafted first or second in the draft (they traded out for three firsts from the Redskins for Griffin III from the #2 slot last year) all four of those years.
And, besides Sam Bradford (who's an injury risk) and Stephen Jackson (ditto), this team's front office has been so incompetent that I can't see them getting more than two wins (even with a weak NFC West outside of San Fran) again this year.
Minnesota:
Greeny: 3-13
Golic: 4-12
Me: 3-13
See St. Louis -- and is it any wonder why these two teams are two of the teams in the front of the line if an NFC team wants to move to Farmer's Field in Los Angeles? They have one marketable player, and Adrian Peterson is banged up to Hell -- so by the time the last six weeks come by and it's a steady diet of Chicago and Green Bay, what are they going to have left?
Cleveland:
Greeny: 4-12
Golic: 3-13
Me: 2-14
This team could easily be about 1-8 by their bye week, and that's only because they play Cincinnati twice. There's going to be some AWFUL football again at the bottom of the NFL.
Only reason they MIGHT get more than two wins would be to screw over bettors. You start getting teams that are this bad, and people are going to look for attractive investments, rather than gambles. At that point is when the NFL might come to some bizarre results.
Tampa Bay:
Greeny and Golic: 6-10
Me: 4-12
Week One, home to Carolina, is going to say a lot as to whether this team fulfills the Mikes' predictions, or doesn't even make mine.
Tampa is a rudder-less ship, and has been for some time. Problem is, the league wants some sort of relevant team in Florida, and they don't have one right now.
Washington:
Greeny: 6-10
Golic: 7-9
Me: 6-10
When you give up three firsts, you're sold that Robert Griffin III is the new face of the franchise.
He gets a very workable first six weeks.
Then it goes south -- HARD.
Jacksonville:
Greeny: 3-13
Golic: 6-10
Me: 4-12, and probably needing a prayer to get that, and Maurice Jones-Drew to show up.
Maurice Jones-Drew, and NOTHING else.
No selling points.
Miami:
Greeny and Golic: 5-11
Me: 6-10, only because someone in the state of Florida has to, or they all tune out.
Comparatively easy schedule once you get out of the division, and God only knows what the Jets might or might not do.
Carolina:
Greeny: 7-9
Golic: 8-8
Me: 9-7, but they'll need league help to get there
$Cam was everything the league could want from him in Year One. He definitely has the "It Factor" to be the Next Vick, if the league needs him.
Only reason I wouldn't go double-digits in Year Two is the brutality of this schedule. NFC East-AFC West, going to Kansas City and to San Diego. At Philly, at Chicago -- the road schedule just runs the table on them, and probably holds them back.
Buffalo:
Greeny and Golic: 8-8
Me: 6-10
But they'll need a big run at the end, when the schedule gets easier, to get there. It does not start out easy, and Buffalo is another of those franchises where there future in the league has to be in some question -- though, in their case, a run to Toronto has been in the cards!
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