If the season started today these are the teams I think are really going to break out
St. Louis Rams
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| In his 1st season Sam Bradford fell short of the NFC West crown, he will get it this year |
2010 Record: (7-9)
2011 Projection: (9-7)Flashback:
-The Rams entered the 2010 season with heralded rookie Sam Bradford as their signal caller, Steven Jackson in their backfield and not much else. Their WR core took its first big hit early in the preseason when they lost Donnie Avery to a torn ACL. They were left with few targets for Bradford to throw to, and still had question marks on defense. Despite all these questions they managed to go 7-9, and let a Sunday Night Football game slip away and lose their spot in the playoffs.
Outlook:
The Rams ended up with the 14th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, and they got a steal in Robert Quinn. Quinn missed the 2010 season due to a party he attended, that was hosted by NFL RB Frank Gore. He is a Top 5 talent, and will bring immediate help for the Rams young defense. Later in the draft the Rams addressed another big need by giving Sam Bradford more weapons. Lance Kendricks will give him a trustable guy down the middle, and WR Austin Pettis is a tremendous route runner. Overall, it was a solid draft for the Rams, and really helps them on both sides. After a solid draft, they will get Donnie Avery back, and Sam Bradford will now have a full year under his belt. All of that leads me to believe in this team, and that they can win the NFC West.
Detroit Lions:
2010 Record: (6-10)
2011 Projection: (10-6)
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| If Stafford can stay on the field, rather then the IR, the Lions will be good |
The Lions entered the 2010 season with high hopes after a very strong draft. First round pick Ndamukong Suh lived up to the hype, and looks to be the next star DT in the NFL. 2nd rounder Jahvid Best played well early, but then struggled towards the end of the year due to fatigue and being knicked up. Matt Stafford tried to stay on the field but ended up playing only 3 games. Despite the setbacks the Lions ended the season on a hot streak winning their last 4 games, giving them some momentum going into 2011.
Outlook:
The Lions had the 13th overall pick in the draft, and they lucked out when Nick Fairley fell to them. Fairley will pair up with Suh to create the scariest interior line in the league. It will make running the ball impossible, and force teams to go to the air. The Lions gave Stafford another target in Titus Young, a guy who can stretch the field and get open. They also addressed the RB position with Mike Leshoure who will split carries with Jahvid Best. An outstanding draft by the Lions put them in place to really start winning games, especially if Stafford can stay healthy. As long as Stafford can play an entire 16 games, and the rest of this team can live up to expectations, they have a good chance to win 10 games.
Houston Texans
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| Fans at Reliant stadium may finally witness a playoff game at home |
Last year: (6-10)
2011 Projection: (11-5)
Flashback
The Texans had high hopes going into 2010, believing that it would finally be the year they got over the (.500) hump and made the playoffs, instead they went 6-10, had the worst defense in the league, and Andre Johnson had a down year by his standards (only 8 TD's and 86 receptions). The biggest bright spot was Arian Foster who went from undrafted 3rd string RB to leading the league in rushing yards and touchdowns (1616 yards and 16 TD's). They finished 4 games back of the Colts, and fired their defensive coordinator, leaving Gary Kubiak on the hot seat.
Outlook:
The Texans went into the draft focused on adding pieces for their new 3-4 defense run by Wade Phillips. In the first 5 rounds, they targeted their DL and secondary. In the first round J.J Watt gives them a very talented but developing DE, who has shown skills to get after the QB. They followed it up by taking Brooks Reed, an energizer bunny who will never stop getting after the ball carrier. They also addressed their atrocious secondary with the selections of Brandon Harris and Rashad Carmichael. The Texans did a nice job of building their new defense, and may finally have a strong enough unit to put on the field. They have a great offense that can match any offense in the league, and they now have a nice defense that will progress as the season goes on, and could help lead this team to an AFC South crown.
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| Sean Smith is going to be a breakout player on a breakout team in 2011 |
Miami Dolphins
2010 Record: (7-9)
2011 Projection: (9-6)
Flashback:
The Dolphins entered the 2010 season, hoping that Chad Henne would be the future of their franchise. He ended up being benched and finishing with a stat line of 15 TD's and 19 INT's leaving Dolphins personnel and fans wondering what is next. The RB situation worked well with Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams continuing to split carries. The Dolphins lost 3 in a row which kills some momentum going into 2011
Outlook
The Dolphins went into the draft hoping they could get a good QB with the 15th overall pick. Unfortunately, none were available so they had to address the protection of their eventual QB. Mike Pouncey will bring toughness to their interior offensive line, and someone that can also bring leadership. They got insurance in case Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, don't come back with the addition of Daniel Thomas. Their defense will be even better with a year under Mike Nolan's defense. Look for CB Sean Smith to really break out as an elite Corner. With a good defense in place, and a strong offensive line and good WR core, the Dolphins could surprise some people.
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