My Dallas Clark Blog

Interested in that other Texas football team? Why not, especially if you live down south of the DFW metroplex and want to root for someone closer to home. The Houston Texans are members of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference and are a relatively new team, first being launched in 2002. While the team's win-loss record leaves much to be desired, Houston fans still hold loyalty for the team, as the original Houston Oilers moved to Tennessee (and became the Tennessee Titans) while the original Dallas Texans became the Baltimore Colts and later the Indianapolis Colts. True Texans still love to show their support to a "truly Texan" team, which fights alongside the Cowboys to represent the Lone Star State. In 2007 the Texans' 6th season was underwhelming, as the team settled on a final 8-8 score. However, it should be noted that this was the first year that the team achieved a non-losing season in the franchise's short history.

What's in store for Houston fans in the coming season? First consider the team's changes in management. The team is continuing to follow head coach Gary Kubiak, who returns for the third year, and will add Alex Gibbs as the assistant head coach. He will replace Mike Sherman, who left to become head coach over at Texas A&M. Meanwhile, Kyle Shanahan will take over the job of offensive coordinator. Owner Bob McNair and General Manager Rick Smith are betting that the status quo will continue to improve, as the Texans are a relatively new team and on the upswing as regards total victories.

The team had some notable additions in preparation of the upcoming season, including linebacker Kevin Bentley, running back Chris Brown, quarter back Quinn Gray, cornerback Jacques Reeves, line backer Chaun Thompson, center Chris Myers and safety Nick Ferguson. However, the team also lost a few key talents such as Charlie Anderson, Michael Boulware, Danny Clark, Von Hutchins, Jerome Mathis, Jeb Putzier, Mike Flanagan, Steve McKinney and Shawn Barber.

How about the draft picks of the season? The Houston Texans had seven selections in the draft; they traded their second round selection to the Atlanta Falcons to land quarterback Matt Schaub (who later replaced David Carr), and then gave their sixth-round pick to the Denver Broncos for center Chris Myers. Other notable draft signings included offensive tackle Duane Brown from Virginia Tech, cornerback Antwaun Molden from Western Kentucky, running back Steve Slaton from West Virginia, linebacker Xavier Adibi from Virginia Tech, defensive tackle Frank Okam from Texas, safety Dominique Barber from Minnesota and quarterback Alex Brink from Washington State.

Fans remain enthusiastic about the Texans' chances for the upcoming season, particularly since they have tried to build up important positions such as cornerback, running back, offensive tackle and strong safety. The team's first preseason game will be against the Denver Broncos, while the first regular season opponents will be the Pittsburgh Steelers. Say what you will about the Texans, they are a very tough team considering their challenging schedule and the fact that they keep improving their scores year by year.

NY GIANTS (-4) VS. Washington Redskins: The Giants kick off the 2008 NFL season and the defense of their Super Bowl title on Thursday night against a Redskins team that begins the Jim Zorn era. Zorn has installed a pass-happy scheme for Washington and QB Jason Campbell has the accuracy and strong arm to make it work. Of course this is also the third different offense he has had to learn in the last three years so expect some struggles early on as he tries to adapt. DE Jason Taylor comes over from Miami to shore up the line but he currently is listed as questionable with a knee sprain. For the Giants, the loss of DE Osi Umenyiora to season-ending ACL surgery and retirement of Michael Strahan will certainly take some bite out of the pass rush but Justin Tuck is on the verge of becoming a star and Mathias Kiwanuka has great pass rush ability so things won't fall apart in that aspect. The offense has the chance to be very good with a great corp. of RB's and solid depth at the WR position led by Plaxico Burress who looks to put his ankle issues behind him in his quest for a new pact. As far as the game goes, the Giants do qualify in a solid 28-15 ATS angle against a division foe at home but the -4 is a tad high for our liking. Both teams will be jazzed up a nationally televised kickoff so expect the best from both squads. Washington also has some angles that favor them here so it's best to stay clear of this game altogether. If the line drops to -3 then jump on the Giants with confidence but at -4 it's in that danger zone of a field goal game. One major commandment of football betting is to be extra careful with Week 1 games due to the lack of knowledge of the teams and that certainly is the case with this game. THE PICK: PASS

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (-7.5) VS. St. Louis Rams:*******BEST BET*****

BUFFALO BILLS (-1) VS. Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks come into the season as one of the most overrated teams in the NFL. The pass-happy 'Hawks have major issues in the receiving department as Deion Branch wont be available until possibly midseason and the leading pass catcher looks to be the very mediocre Nate Burleson who flopped in that role with Minnesota. The infusion at the RB position with Julius Jones and TJ Duckett will surely help and the defense looks great led by LB Lofa Tatupu and CB Marcus Trufant. This team however struggled on the road at times in 2007 and now they must open 2008 across the country against a Bills team that always gives a good effort. Buffalo is nothing to write home about but they have an emerging offense led by super talented RB Marshawn Lynch and very smart QB Trent Edwards. All-Pro OT Jason Peters is still holding out as we write this which could hurt but the rest of the unit is solid enough to get the job done. The defense also looks to be good as DE Matt Schobel leads a good pass rushing unit with some emerging players in the secondary. They certainly stand a good chance of beating the Seahawks here as a major betting no-no is going with West Coast teams in Week 1 on the road in the East. That's the setup here and the value clearly rests on the Bills who won't be getting much love as many bettors will take the points with the seemingly better team. Value is where you make your money and the home team has it and then some. THE PICK: Buffalo Bills (-1)

New York Jets (-3) VS. MIAMI DOLPHINS:*****STRONG OPINION***

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (-16) VS. Kansas City Chiefs:******STRONG OPINION***

Detroit Lions (-3) VS. ATLANTA FALCONS: This is truly the worst game on the slate for Week 1 and is one that looks to be unwatchable. The Falcons will start the Matt Ryan era right off the bat against a Lions team whose defense can't stop a retirement home team. Ryan will surely lean on the running of new RB Michael Turner and the pass catching of emerging star Roddy White. The offense line is a joke however and it wouldn't be surprising to me so se Ryan challenge David Carr's record for most sacks taken. For Detroit, they continue to wallow in mediocrity but they continue to add pieces to the offense in rookie RB Kevin Smith who looked good in preseason and second-year wideout Calvin Johnson who will be a star very soon. The Lions being the Lions however, they then go out and sign a washed up Rudi Johnson late of the Bengals and continue to give the ball to mistake-prone QB Jon Kitna. So expect nothing but struggles for both teams all year. This game is one to stay away from for sure and I would rather watch women's tennis than sit through this. THE PICK: PASS

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (-3.5) VS. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Saints went into the off-season hell-bent on improving a defense that let them down way too often last year. The offense could be the best in the NFL however led by the steady hand of QB Drew Brees and an explosive receiving trio of RB Reggie Bush, WR Marques Colston, and TE Jeremy Shockey. If the defense can be even average, then New Orleans could be sitting on a huge season. For the Buc's, Jon Gruden has successfully changed the look of his team on the fly as new young additions to the defense have reestablished the tradition of a hard hitting stop unit. MLB Barrett Rudd and DE Gaines Adams are on the cusp of stardom and they form the perfect blend with still effective vets LB Derrick Brooks and CB Ronde Barber. The offense is once again led by QB Jeff Garcia after failing to acquire Brett Favre and the Earnest Graham looks to build off a breakout year in the running attack. This is a classic match up of great defense versus great offense and should be fun to watch. The Saints struggled against Tampa last season and it wouldn't be a shock to see Gruden's bunch steal one on the road. Either way this looks to be tight contest between two bitter division rivals. The extra half point makes Tampa Bay an attractive pick. THE PICK: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3.5)

Cincinnati Bengals (-1.5) VS. BALTIMORE RAVENS: The Joe Flacco era begins in Baltimore as both Kyle Boller (injury) and Troy Smith (illness) couldn't answer the bell. Flacco played well in preseason at times and has shown the tools that made Baltimore salivate over his selection in the draft. Count on a heavy dose of RB Willis McGahee as the Ravens try to ease the transition for their franchise QB. On defense is where this team's strength lies as usual as Ray Lewis and company look to clamp down on opposing offenses as they have done so well over the years. They will look to do just that against a solid on paper Bengals offense. led by QB Carson Palmer. Palmer certainly has lots of weapons to throw to as Chad Johnson and TJ Houshmandzadeh form possibly the best wideout combination in the NFL. As far as the running game is concerned, Chris Perry gets his chance after Rudi Johnson was cut and there is no telling whether he can hold up over the course of the season as injuries have been a problem. This is a very tough game to call as the Bengals struggled tremendously on the road last season but with Flacco starting for Baltimore, things could take awhile for them to get going. One trend that does stick out is that the Ravens qualify in a 33-19-1 ATS home underdog season opening angle so based on that aspect, we will go with the home team to stay competitive. THE PICK: Baltimore Ravens (+1.5)

Jacksonville Jaguars (-3) VS. TENNESSEE TITANS: These teams played a crazy series last season as each won on the other's home turf. Both teams also had successful 2007 seasons as each qualified for the postseason, with the Jags winning a game in Pittsburgh. Expectations are certainly high as we go into 2008 so this will be a barometer game for both squads. Jacksonville needs contributions from a so-so receiving unit in order to take that next step and the Titans needs QB Vince Young to learn to be a better passer for them to progress. This game figures to be a defensive contest as both units can lockdown any offense so the UNDER is worth a look. The Titans are also in the better betting position as a home underdog at home against a division foe which has gone 33-19-1 ATS. Just like the Cincy-Baltimore game, we will take the points and back that solid trend. THE PICK: Tennessee Titans (+3)

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (-6.5) VS. Houston Texans:*******BEST BET******

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (-9) VS. Carolina Panthers: Another interesting game here as the Chargers have the look of a team destined to make the Super Bowl and the Panthers look to make a run of their own now that QB Jake Delhomme is back. The Chargers have stars all over the field at almost every position and 14-2 is not out of the question. The offensive is explosive with RB LaDainian Tomlinson, TE Antonio Gates, and WR's Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson. The defense is just as good with All-Pro LB Shawne Merriman, DE Luis Castillo, DT Jamaal Williams, and CB Antonio Cromartie. Carolina on the other hand more of a blue collar look to them but don't take this team lightly. Delhomme is a Super Bowl runner up so he has proven he can win games and take his team deep into the postseason. Also rookie RB Jonathan Stewart is the perfect fit in coach John Fox's run heavy offense. The problem is that WR Steve Smith is suspended for the first two weeks of the season due to sucker-punching teammates Ken Lucas in practice. Without Smith the offense looks almost punch less, at least from a passing standpoint. It's almost too easy to say the Chargers will cover this one easily but based on the matchups, you can't argue against it. The only problem is that Carolina historically is a great bet as an underdog under Fox (31-16-2 ATS, with Delhomme at QB its 19-4-1 ATS). Those are some serious trends to look over when going with San Diego as the Chargers are great at home as evidenced by them having a 22-6-1 ATS when not favored by more than 11. So based on last trend and the fact Smith is out, leans us toward the home squad. THE PICK: San Diego Chargers (-9)

Dallas Cowboys (-5.5) VS. CLEVELAND BROWNS:******STRONG OPINION*****

Arizona Cardinals (-2.5) VS. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: Certainly no one will be paying much attention to this one as both teams figure to struggle. The 49ers are in worse shape than the Cardinals however as its been determined that journeyman QB JT O'Sullivan gives them their best chance to win. Unreal. The Cardinals had their own QB issues as Kurt Warner beat out Matt Leinart in preseason. That's actually good news for Arizona as Warner had a great year last year and has much more ability to run the offense. WR's Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald should both have huge years with Warner at the helm and if RB Edgerrin James can give them one more good year, then this unit will be a major force. The defense needs work however but they do have some nice pieces in S Adrian Wilson and DE Bertrand Berry. They certainly wont have to work hard against a terrible 49ers offense that has only RB Frank Gore to scare people. Mike Martz comes over from Detroit to shore up the unit but there is no talent to work with. Hate going with Arizona on the road as they certainly have a long track record of letting down to the opponent but no way we back the 'Niners in any situation. THE PICK: Arizona Cardinals (-2.5)

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (-9.5) VS. Chicago Bears: Colts QB Peyton Manning looks like he will play after having an abscess removed during the preseason. He will once again lead an offense that is one of the NFL's best and is expertly run. Manning will have four great options to throw to in star WR Reggie Wayne, TE Dallas Clark, emerging WR Anthony Gonzalez, and the returning from injury WR Marvin Harrison. Harrison's return is huge in that the offense will be much tougher to contain with him on the field. Throw in the great running of Joseph Addai and the Colts are one of the bets units out there on offense. The defense on the other hand struggled toward the end of last season due to injuries but star DE Dwight Freeney is back and S Bob Sanders looks like he is ready to go. When all hands are on deck, this is a very tough defense to score points on. The Bears certainly are no strangers when it comes to struggling to score points. Kyle Orton is in QB and rookie RB Matt Forte will run the ball. Not very scary. The defense is decent as there are big names up and down the roster but this is the same group that struggled badly toward the end of 2007. The Colts will be able to score no matter who they play and the Bears just don't have the ability to hang tight. If Manning doesn't play however then we pass. THE PICK Indianapolis Colts (-9.5)

GREEN BAY PACKERS (-2.5) VS. Minnesota Vikings: The Aaron Rogers era begins on Monday night at home against division rival Minnesota. The whole Brett Favre drama was certainly a major distraction for the Pack but they have said all along that Rogers is their guy and he looked all right in preseason. For Minnesota, QB Tarvaris Jackson is the key to the whole team's fortunes as every other unit looks outstanding. If Jackson can be even somewhat decent, then the Vikings could be Super Bowl-bound. The defensive line looks to be one of the best units ever assembled with incoming star DE Jared Allen joining stud DT's Kevin and Pat Williams to make life miserable for opposing passers. That will spell big trouble for Rogers who really couldn't have drawn a worse assignment from a pass rushing sense. RB Adrian Peterson is looking to build on a ridiculously awesome rookie year and so Green Bay must be ready on D to make sure this game doesn't get away from them early. This is a very tough game to call as it could go either way. There is way to much uncertainty here so it would be best to stay away as there are no trends pointing firmly toward either squad.. THE PICK: PASS

Denver Broncos (-3) VS. OAKLAND RAIDERS: There is nothing that Mike Shannahan loves more than to beat up the Oakland Raiders. Ever since he was unceremoniously fired by Al Davis as coach many eons ago, Shanahan has made it a point to stick it to his former boss whenever he can. The opportunity is there again as the Raiders are very young and raw on offense with QB JaMarcus Russell and RB Darren McFadden. The wideout corps is weak and there surely will be struggles for Russell early on. The defense needs a comeback from DE Derrick Burgess in order to be able to stay in games. The Broncos on the other hand have an emerging talent in QB Jay Cutler who has successfully dealt with the diabetes that plagued him last year. Cutler has a cannon of an arm and will be looking to air it out. The running game will also churn along as always with Selvin Young being the guy to pick up the workload. Oakland could certainly make strides this season but they have to go through some growing pains before they can take that step. Denver is the safe choice in this game. THE PICK: Denver Broncos (-3)

Co-founder of http://www.yourwinningpicks.com/ in our tenth year of supplying sports handicapping and fantasy sports information.

Here is another free handicapped pick for Week 2 of the NFL season this Sunday:

********BEST BET*******New Orleans Saints (-3) OVER TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: What a letdown by the Saints as they were absolutely blown out in every facet of the game on national TV against the Colts. The biggest surprise was not the struggling defense, but the struggling offense as QB Drew Brees never found a rhythm and wound up passing for only 192 yards, with most coming in garbage time, and 2 interceptions. The running game also struggled as Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister combined for only 76 rushing yards. Consider this game an anomaly however as the Saints should be able to get back on track against a weak Buccaneers team whose defense is a shell of its former excellent self. The Buc's D played well in the first half last week against Seattle but gave way in the second half as opposing QB Matt Hasselbeck threw for 222 yards and a TD, while RB Shaun Alexander topped the 100 yard mark with a 105 yard game. The Saints have a much more well-rounded offense than does Seattle and Brees should be able to throw downfield to Marques Colston and Devery Henderson with much more success. McAllister and Bush should also be able to find good running room and this will further help the passing game going into the latter stages of this encounter.

For the Buc's, it was a disappointing debut for QB Jeff Garcia who failed to bring over the magic from Philadelphia and thus wound up throwing for 201 yards and no TD's. RB Cadillac Williams also had to leave the game early with bruised ribs and his status for this week's game is currently listed as doubtful. That means backup Michael Pittman will carry the rushing load and he is a decent short-term option who can catch the ball out of the backfield. The problem here is that the passing game lacks weapons outside of an aging Joey Galloway and the Saints will have a much easier time containing them compared to last week when Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, etc. ran wild all over their secondary. The lack of good passing options will also force Garcia to hold onto to ball long enough to allow the Saints' Pro Bowl ends Will Smith and Charles Grant to put massive pressure on him and thus increase the likelihood of turnovers.
We certainly don't see the Saints starting the season 0-2 and this small line is almost insulting to such a good team. Bet hard on the Halos. THE PICK: Saints (-3)

Cofounder of http://www.yourwinningpicks.com/ in our tenth year of supplying sports handicapping and fantasy sports information.

It's one thing for fans to give up on their team. It's entirely another for the players to give up, too.

But after watching last night's 45-21 humiliation at the hands of Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, it was apparent that the Birds themselves have joined Eagle Nation in giving up on the 2006 season.

What happened last night on the artificial turf of the RCA Dome was a travesty. From the very first snap, Eagle defenders were manhandled and pushed all over the field by the bigger, stronger Colts offensive line.

Philadelphia Eagles were being tossed to the ground like sacks of potatoes, opening up gaping holes for Indy's stud rookie running back Joseph Addai (24/171). After totaling only three touchdowns through the first 10 games of the regular season, the first-year man out of LSU ran for four against an Eagle defense that has clearly quit.

Of course, even if they hadn't quit, the Birds still probably would have lost this game. They are physically no match for the Colts and chances are the score would have been similar no matter how motivated the Eagles were.

But last night's loss was an embarrassment. From the first snap they were overmatched, falling behind 21-0 early in the second quarter, allowing the Colts to do whatever they wanted.

And like a good team should, the Colts took advantage, rushing for a staggering 237 yards, piling up 420 yards of total offense. And that includes a fourth quarter in which Indy mercifully pulled in the reigns.

It has been clear for weeks that the biggest problem in Philadelphia is the defense. In fact, it was evident last year as well. The Birds, with their philosophy of going with "small but quick" players, have been getting pushed around since the start of the 2005 season.

What is the problem here? Is it the personnel? Is it the philosophy? Has defensive coordinator Jim Johnson lost his touch? Has the rest of the NFL caught up to his schemes?

To all those questions, the answer is yes.

Perhaps the play that best crystalized what this Eagles defense is all about was Addai's third touchdown run, six minutes into the second quarter. As Addai stretched left, OLB Matt McCoy was completely plowed over by Indy TE Dallas Clark, opening up a huge hole that allowed Addai to score virtually untouched.

I repeat. A pass-catching tight end absolutely obliterated a starting outside linebacker on a supposedly competent defense.

Watching it made me want to vomit.

But McCoy's not the only culprit, not by a long shot. Watching Darwin Walker and Mike Patterson get eliminated at the point of attack, Trent Cole and Darren Howard disappear before our very eyes, Shawn Barber and McCoy get bullied, and Brian Dawkins and Sean Considine miss arm tackle after arm tackle, you wanted to throw a paper weight at your TV screen.

And it isn't as if the Eagles haven't addressed these defensive concerns in past offseasons. With their last two first-round picks, the Birds have drafted Mike Patterson (I'll give someone $200 if they can give me a rational explanation for the contract extension the Eagles gave Patterson a few weeks ago) and Broderick Bunkley, who was deactivated after missing the team flight to Indianapolis on Sunday and has been nearly invisible all year long. This past off-season, they spent big money on defensive end Darren Howard as a free agent and signed OLB Shawn Barber to a one-year deal.

But one thing they've neve done is invest seriously in the outside linebacker position. Even with gobs of salary cap space, the Birds have never valued the linebacker position, instead concentrating on investing in a small, quick, quarterback-pressuring defensive line.

Only, the defensive line hasn't been getting any pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Cole and Howard have disappeared. Jerome McDougle has been the franchise's worst draft pick since Mike Mamula. Patterson and Walker not only can't generate any pressure on the inside, they're too undersized to clog up any running lanes either. And because Andy Reid and Jim Johnson have inexplicably and completely ignored the linebacker position, the Eagles are simply no match for teams with any hint of size.

The team's defensive philosophy has to change. Perhaps it's time for Jim Johnson to find employment elsewhere and for a new defensive coordinator to take the reigns. A defensive coordinator who is capable of making in-game adjustments. A defensive coordinator who understands that size matters. A defensive coordinator who gets the concept that playing stiffs at linebacker will eventually catch up to you.

And while Johnson no longer has some of the players that once made his defenses great (Corey Simon, Hollis Thomas, Carlos Emmons), what has transpired over the last year and a half is his own fault. Together with Big Red, this is the defense he has constructed. These are the players he wanted for his system. It is he and Reid who have drafted these stiffs and signed these free agents.

And it isn't working. It's an embarrassment.

A new philosphy can only happen with the dismissal of Jim Johnson as defensive coordinator. The Eagles need a new direction on defense, and they need it now.

Of course, there were other storylines last night. Jeff Garcia, filling in for Donovan McNabb, played pretty darned well, moving the Eagles offense up and down the field when they had the ball.

Brian Westbrook and the offensive line continued to show that, given the opportunity, they can be a dominant running force.

Andy Reid showed once again that he has completely lost touch with reality in calling that bizarre Hank Baskett pass play to start the Eagles' second drive, a play-call that screamed panic.

While mathematically still very much alive (thanks to losses by the Giants and Panthers yesterday), the Eagles are through. Instead of rising to the challenge of playing without their starting quarterback and proving the Delaware Valley wrong, the Birds did nothing but reinforce our cynicism and skepticism by stinking up the joint last night.

They have quit on their season.

And for that, there is no defense.

John Stolnis is a staff writer for http://www.phillysportsline.com

1. Peyton Manning - Indianapolis Colts

Every year, Peyton Manning comes out and passes like there is no tomorrow. His 31 touchdowns were the best in the league in 2006, and his 4,397 passing yards were second only two Drew Brees. Yes, Brandon Stokley is gone, but rookie Anthony Gonzales should do fine in his absence, and with receivers Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and tight end Dallas Clarke returning in 2007, Peyton Manning will stay on top of his game.

2. Carson Palmer - Cincinnati Bengals

Talented, but troubled receiver Chris Henry will miss 8 games, but that doesn't mean Carson Palmer will miss a beat, especially when he can throw the ball to guys like Chad "Ocho Cinco" Johnson, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Last year, he passed for 4,035 yards and 28 touchdowns, and with a solid running game to keep defenses off balance, there is no reason why Palmer won't post similar numbers.

3. Marc Bulger - Saint Louis Rams

When Scott Linehan became the head coach of the Saint Louis Rams in 2006, there was no surprise Marc Bulger would air it out. After all, Daunte Culpepper had great seasons when Linehan was offensive coordinator in Minnesota, and even Gus Ferotte faired well in Miami when Linehan held the same position in Miami. Now that Marc Bulger has had a year to ingest Linehan's offensive system, don't be too shocked if he improves on his 2006 performance, in which he passed for 4,301 yards and 24 touchdowns.

4. Drew Brees - New Orleans Saints

Drew Brees showed he wasn't finished piling up the numbers in 2006, when he passed for a league leading 4,418 yards and 26 touchdowns for a New Orleans team that was down and out. With speedy young receivers Marques Colston and Devery Henderson, and with a one two punch at running back with Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush who can both catch passes out of the backfield, defenses will have a hard time stopping the cool Brees.

5. Tom Brady - New England Patriots

Tom Brady has only broken the 4,000 yard passing mark once in his career, but has passed for at least 23 touchdowns in each of the last five years. The amazing thing is that he has accomplished this without a franchise receiver, and now he has one in Randy Moss, not too mention speedster Dante Stallworth. Look for Brady to break the 4,000 yard passing plateau for the second time in his career, and don't be too surprised if he tops his career high of 28 touchdown passes.

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AFC
East: The AFC East, in my opinion, will be the most competitive division in the NFL this year.
WHY? Because...

Dolphins- Miami is coming off of a very frusterating year. Once they lost Ronnie Brown and Chad Pennington, the fans lost hope in Miami. Now remember, three years ago, the Dolphins were one of, if not the worst team in the NFL. They nearly became the first team in NFL history to go 0-16, but they defeated the Baltimore Ravens, who went 5-11 that year, on the last day of the regular season. The following year they went 11-5, and then last year's upset. This year, they have two powerful running backs, a young quarterback that has experience, and now a star wide receiver, which they were missing last year. I don't have any questions about the offense, but the defense I'm not so sure on. We'll see how it plays out.

* Patriots- New England could be one of the best teams in the NFL (again). They have Tom Brady at full health, they have to star wide receivers: Randy Moss and Wes Welker, and their defense is ready for any type of offense. This could lead to, once again, another Super Bowl ring for Tom Brady.

* Jets- The Jets are overrated. Let me remind you who carried the team last year; it wasn't Mark Sanchez, it wasn't Jerricho Cotchery or Braylon Edwards, nor was it Shonn Greene. Thomas Jones was the only reason why the Jets even got close to entering the Super Bowl. He had 14 touchdowns, 1402 yards, and tripled Shonn Greene's stats in almost every category! These are the "amazing" stats that the Jets put up in 2009 (the following are averages): 12.5 points (31st), 237 yards (30th), 147 passing yards (29th), and 89.5 rushing yards 22nd). Unless the offense can turn it around, I don't think that the Jets are going anywhere.

* Bills- Once again, the Bills are on the bottom of the list in the East...and they aren't going to surprise anyone. They will have another great rushing season, but their passing really needs to kick it up. I think they should have taken a quarterback in the first round instead of C.J. Spiller. Trent Edwards just isn't the right guy for the job. A rookie quarterback with a good arm, who doesn't need the ball all of the time. Tim Tebow is a guy that would have fit in.

* Standings after 2010:
x-Patriots: 12-4
x-Miami: 10-7
Jets: 9-7
Bills: 3-14
North: This division will also come down to the last game.
WHY? Because...

* Bengals- The Bengals could be the most powerful teams they have ever had in their franchise history, but they could also be a HUGE upset. Carson Palmer will have three top wide receivers to throw to, Ochocinco, Bryant, and Owens, and they have Cedric Benson coming off probably his best year in his career. Their defense will be a mystery every week, and so will tight end Jermaine Gresham.

* Ravens- The Baltimore Ravens had a great year last year...and their about to have an even better year. Anquan Boldin will help Joe Flacco out a ton. Last year Flacco had one main receiver to go to, Derrick Mason. Todd Heap was the other main target at the start of the season, but it turned out to be a disappointing year. Now with Heap hoping to have an excellent year to add on to his great career stats, Anquan Boldin ready to finally win the big one, and Derrick Mason in one of the last years, I would say they are going for it all.

* Browns- The Browns, sadly, could actually be a good team to watch this year. Jake Delhomme doesn't have a Steve Smith to throw this year, but Mohamed Massaquoi will be a great substitute. Jerome Harrison could be one of the top ten running backs this year, which will open up the passing game. The only thing a Browns fan should be worried about is the defense. Now that Jake Delhomme is helping the offense out, the defense will probably be off of the field more.

* Pittsburgh-Where should I start? Obviously Big-Ben is out for the first four-six weeks, Rashard Mendenhall is coming off of a great season, and they lost Santonio Holmes. Hines Ward should have another good season, and the loss of Santonio Holmes will open up the slots for Mike Wallace and Antwan Randle El. My predictions for the top performers this year are: Roethlisberger- 17 TD, 56.8 Perc., 3467 yds, Mendenhall- 276 ATT, 11 TD, 12,889 yds, Ward- 78 Rec., 5 TD, 879 yds.

* Standings after 2010:
y-Ravens: 12-4
Bengals: 9-7
Steelers: 8-8
Browns: 4-12

South: The AFC South will be a pretty competitive division, again, but I think it will be up to the Colts and the Texans. WHY? Because...

* Colts- The Colts won't be much different then last year. Peyton Manning will have another great year, Reggie Wayne will have over 1,000 yards, Joseph Addai won't get many carries, and Pierre Garcon will have to play a big role if the Colts want to make it to the Super Bowl again. Dallas Clark is healthy, and this could be the year.

* Jaguars- Jacksonville needs a quarterback and wide receivers. David Garrard could make it to the playoffs, but he wouldn't go anywhere. If you want to get to the playoffs in this division, you will have to work. Jones-Drew isn't able to carry the whole team by himself. If they had a good passing game to rely on, there wouldn't be anything to worry about. Mike Sims-Walker isn't enough to complete a wide receiver roster; they need another target to throw to. Aaron Hernandez would have been a great draft pick for the Jags.

* Titans- Again, one running back won't carry the whole team to the playoffs. There just isn't enough talent on this team to go anywhere. The defense could use some work, Vince Young would probably appreciate another receiving target, and Chris Johnson won't be able to run the ball if the passing game doesn't work. I don't see playoffs in the Titans next two years.

* Texans- Houston is a huge contender this year. Matt Schaub has Andre Johnson as his main target, and together, they could get total over 1,500 yards this year. Kevin Walter is an underrated fantasy player. He is the 2nd stringer, and he could 100 to 150 points this year. Arian Foster has taken over the role of running back this year. Steve Slaton worked hard, but didn't quite make it. Their tight end, Owen Daniels is probably going to get five to ten touchdowns, and over 600 yards. If the defense can keep the score under 20 points almost every game, the Texans are going to be a touch team to beat.

* Standings after 2010:
y-Colts: 14-2
x-Texans 11-5
Jaguars 7-9
Titans 6-10

West: The AFC West won't be much of a competitive season. I don't think it will even take the winning team to get over ten wins to get into the playoffs.
WHY? Because...

* Raiders- Oakland does have a better team than last year, but not good enough to get to the playoffs. Jason Campbell has Heyward-Bay and Schilens as main targets. Zach Miller could also be a big one. The defense is terrible and the running backs aren't that good either. The only thing that the Raiders are good for this year is to knock out other teams.

* Chargers- San Diego is going to make the playoffs, there's no question. Philip Rivers could get over 4,000 yards again this season, but without Vincent Jackson, I would say maybe 3,500. Malcolm Floyd is a question mark. He could either do really good or really bad. The defense doesn't look that bad, and Ryan Matthews is going to be a great addition.

* Chiefs- Kansas City has one more year to improve. I don't think they will have a chance this year, but maybe next year. Once these two years are over they are going to lose a lot of their good players. Jamaal Charles won't have much trouble, if Matt Cassel can find Dwayne Bowe and Chris Chambers. The defense isn't the greatest, and that's the main thing that is going to irritate them.

* Broncos- With the mystery of who's starting at quarterback, and the lack of talent at wide receiver, Denver doesn't have much of a chance. McDaniels is trying to use what he can with Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter, while the defense has just a couple of problems to fix. Eric Decker will probably end up being one of the three starting wide receivers by the end of the year, if he stays healthy.

* Standings after 2010:
x-Chargers 11-5
Broncos- 8-8
Chiefs- 5-11
Raiders- 2-12

Patrick Parker is the top notch fantasy reporter. Go to him for the most recent news stories and the true way to win in your fantasy football leagues. Get highly recommended hot news stories and turn your fantasy team into the dream team! And even better check out this incredible site and get all of your fantasy reports when you want it! http://fantasyresort.weebly.com/

The Houston Texans represent a virgin regarding the NFL Playoffs since their inception into the league in 2002. Head Coach Gary Kubiak and Texans fans have reason to believe that will change in 2008 and quite frankly I am on the bandwagon as well. The team has developing skill positions and a defense that has been built around DE Mario Williams (remember when everybody ridiculed the Texans for taking Williams over Reggie Bush?) and now features first round draft pick LB Brian Cushing out of USC. Basically, the Texans are trying to build a foundation whose main purpose is to stop Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts and I believe they are getting closer towards that objective. Furthermore, the Texans have multiple players who possess significant fantasy value including Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson, Steve Slaton, Kevin Walter, and Owen Daniels. Let's analyze the fantasy prospects for the Texans heading into 2009.

I have never really been sold on Schaub since his departure from Atlanta but I am slowly moving closer in that direction. Schaub is still not in my top 10 QB prospects but depending your particular draft strategy may represent someone that you hone in on come draft day. Schaub obviously has some nice weapons to work with and that improves his draft stock significantly. Johnson, in my opinion is the 4th best receiver in the NFL behind Randy Moss, Larry Fitzgerald, and Calvin Johnson and always posts amazing reception numbers. Johnson clearly is Schaub's go to guy and there is nothing to say anything will change this year. Schaub has a cannon arm, and is getting much more adept at reading defenses and adjusting accordingly.

Furthermore, teams must respect Slaton with more defenders in the box thus allowing for more open lanes for Schaub to look down field. In summary, Schaub can be a low end number 1 fantasy QB for owners who utilize the drafting strategy of stockpiling RB's and WR's in the early rounds while waiting to get a QB in the later rounds. I am not a proponent of this strategy and do not think it is conducive to winning but as I have mentioned in other articles there are still plenty of ignorant fantasy owners who refuse to try anything different on draft day. As they say the definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. All in all though if you miss on one of the elite options at QB then Schaub is more than serviceable.

Slaton was a nice surprise for owners in 2009 similarly to Matt Forte and Chris Johnson bursting onto the scene with 1282 yards and 9 TD's and he also chipped in with 50 receptions for 377 yards and 1 TD. I had the latter 2 ball carriers and they assisted me to a championship and Slaton followed suit by also helping countless owners to their leagues title. Needless to say I don't think that Slaton will be there in the 10th-14th rounds which are probably where he was drafted in 2008. Where should Slaton be drafted in 2009? I don't know if I am completely sold on Slaton yet but that is not saying much because I am not really sold on any of the top tier RB's with the exception of Adrian Peterson and MJD. Bottom line is that Slaton will be picked somewhere in the late 1st round/early 2nd round and that will be good value for him. Personally if I am picking in the 8-12 range where Slaton would be a viable option I will most likely end up taking Larry Fitzgerald or Calvin Johnson.

Regarding the Texans receiving corps the focus lies with Johnson, Walter, and Daniels all of whom are viable fantasy options heading into 2009. Johnson is without question one of the top 5 WR's in the NFL today but he is towards the bottom of that list for me on account of a couple variables. I have had Johnson a couple times throughout the years and both instances he has let me down be getting hurt and missing a lot of time and as a result I have avoided Johnson recently on draft day. Furthermore, Johnson piles up massive amounts of catches and yardage but never seems to score that much as evidenced by his career high 8 TD's in 2008. I like Johnson but not nearly as much as I like Fitzgerald, Randy Moss, and Calvin Johnson all of whom have proved to be TD machines during their careers. Obviously however, you can't go wrong with A.

Johnson as a number one fantasy WR as long as he stays healthy. Walter represents a WR that everyone seems to be afraid of and yours truly was a prime example of this last year. I drafted Walter late in last years draft and I watched him score TD's from my bench week after week while suffering through the inadequacies of Jericho Cotchery from the Jets. For some reason last year I just couldn't pull the trigger playing Walter more often even though he far outshined Cotchery in terms of numbers. The few occasions I did play Walter last year he did nothing but whenever he was on my bench (which was often) he produced in a big way. Don't kid yourself as Walter is entrenched as the number 2 WR on a potent offense with a good QB. Moreover, having Johnson on the other side helps Walter out immensely as he constantly faces single coverage. Consider Walter as and excellent number 3 WR or Flex option in drafts this summer and if you get him late he is an absolute steal. At this time no other Texans WR warrants a draft selection this August.

Daniels is another overlooked option for most fantasy owners despite putting up good stats year after year and despite making his first Pro Bowl in 2008. Daniels caught 70 balls for 862 yards but only had 2 TD's to show for all of his production. There lies owners concern with Daniels. He just doesn't score that much so a lot of his catches and yardage totals go for naught. However, Daniels remains one of Schaub's main targets and you have to think that the TD's will increase and if they do Daniels will be a fantasy stud. In the very least Daniels is a very nice fantasy option if you miss on one of the elite TE's such as Dallas Clark, Jason Witten, or Antonio Gates so keep him in mind on draft day.

Remember when everyone was ridiculing the Texans for taking Williams over Bush? Well, who is laughing now? I believe that would be Charlie Casserly and his former team the Texans because Williams is a Pro Bowler and Bush is rapidly approaching the term bust. The Texans have been improving their defense year after year in an effort to stop Manning and the Colts and I believe that they are getting closer. They continued that trend this year by drafting USC LB Brian Cushing with their number 1 selection in this year's draft. Cushing and Williams along with DeMeco Ryans fortify a defense that is quickly becoming a unit to monitor especially if you are combing the waiver wire looking for a stop gap DST solution.

In summary, the Texans are a rapidly improving team on both sides of the ball and have no shortage of players who could greatly assist your fantasy team in some capacity come this fall. Next up: The Tennessee Titans.

Chris Limburg is the fanatical purveyor of gothicfootball.com: A Oakland Raider and fantasy football blog that provides commentary on everything that is the NFL and fantasy football. Sign up for my free newsletter at: [http://www.gothicfootball.com]