Jaworski picks Dolphin to win division after watching the tape,

I have no credibility whatsoever, but I also believe wee win the division this year. It may be dumb, but call it a gut feeling.

 

I'm probably just being a homer but I have always liked Jaws. There are way to many talking heads on ESPN and I feel the channel needs more guys like Jaws or Mort who seem to actually do their homework and less guys like the Merril Hodge's and Sean Salsbury's (going back some years bringing up Salsbury) who seem to just wing on the air.

 

Now I'm really going to put a damper on your credibility....because I happen to agree.

 

I hope we can. This is a very tough sport to predict. I also feel that the Patriots should be the favorites just because of their past. However coming off their best season every 2007 and the Dolphins coming off their worst season ever 2007, must assumed the Pats would win in 2008.

 

I call this the anti-Bill Barnwell analysis

 

Just as I don't care when the so called experts say we won't win, I don't care when they say we will win.

Show me on the field.

 

This season will hinge on the first 4-5 weeks. It's that simple. The Colts, Falcons, Saints and Ravens is a monster. We very well could be 1-4 after all is said and done. If we somehow come of that stretch with 2-3 wins then we have a legitimate shot and a winning season. If we are sitting at 1-4, you can kiss the year goodbye. I think we can beat the colts though. It will be a hell of a game to watch.

However, the best bet for what would be considered an upset would be Baltimore. I just don't see them as being 'that' team anymore; they have simply lost too much talent to be the trouble spot they were before. It doesn't mean they are a pushover by any means, but they certainly could be that third win in that stretch.

Unfortunately the loss of Keller will be felt this year unless Clay can somehow become the guy we'd all like him to be. Catching 45-50 balls for around 500 yards with a few touchdowns in there. If not then Hartline or Miller has to step it up big time. Teams will invariably double Wallace and make those guys beat them. If Clay can produce the afore mentioned totals and Gibson helps keep the chains moving we can be a nice offense, but still not as good without Keller.

 

If we are an improved team, which ( myself included) some of us believe we are, then winning some of those games shouldn't be impossible. I think we surprise the colts big time personally.

 

Why is everyone all impressed with Jaws for taking the obvious pick in the AFCE.

 

Im excited and as optimistic as I've been in a long time. Nut there's no way were winning the east. NE has a turnover er machine for a defense and Amendola is an upgrade over Welker. Gronk is back week 3 in all likelihood and NE has a strong RB core. Oh, and Tom Brady. Who early in his career +prior to 07* has turned chicken **** into chicken salad.

NE wins the east and gets back to the AFC championship at worst.

 

I have talked to patriots fans who arent even close to as confident in their squad as you are. Amendola is an upgrade? Welker has been the most consistent, and most productive wr not named Calvin in the last 4 years (and hes already got 4 receptions in the 1st qtr of this broncos game). Amendola will be good but i REFUSE to believe he steps in and fills that kind of production.

I think they win the division too, but maybe not so impressively as years past.

 

Well, I obviously WANT the team to win the division, but I dont expect them to. I do expect them to have a winning season and be a strong contender for a Wild Card though. I think that 2-3 is both doable and reasonable through the first five. After that, get to .500 against the Bills, and its a 10 game season the rest of the way.

 

Defense. We need Jordan to be that guy we moved up for and we need him badly. If we can keep QBs unsettled, create just a few more turnovers, and- most of all- stay healthy, we can be on the opposite side of those close ones we lost last year. And those would've made all of the difference in the world. Still, lotta ifs. Nice to see love from Jaws.

 

i don't know Con, Baltimore is looking pretty good out there

 

I agree that the first 5 games of the season will determine our fate for the season. In a way this season kind of reminds me of 2009, we started off against the falcons, colts, and chargers (all really good teams) and went 0-3. Despite the fact that we did rebound that year and got to above 500 those 3 games really killed us (also losing the last 3 hurt equally as bad as well). We finished 7-9 that year but if you take away those 6 games we went 7-3 in the middle stretch of the season. The final 3 hurt us, however if we would have won just 1 of the first 3 games (should have beat the colts) we would have been in a much better position going down the stretch, and this year feels the same. I think we need to start at least 2-3 to stay in a good position for the playoffs.

 

What can Welker do that Amendola can't? Amendola also can stretch the field and attack defenses in ways Welker can't. Amendola is very good WR. I really like his skill set. I was hoping we would upgrade Hartline with him.

Either way, new england has offensive talent. They also have a very good oline and their stable of running backs is impressive. And not to mention Zach Sudfeld aka "baby Gronk." His blocking ability and redzone ability could really cause havoc once Gronk gets back.

I look at NE's roster and see talent and versatility. Given Belichick's Madonna-esque ability to reinvent the offense year after year, with Tom Brady running the show, reports of their demise are greatly exaggerated.


I will say this though... IF and it's a huge IF, Dion Jordan explodes in his rookie campaign, Jordan and Wake could very well win games double handedly. The potential for massive destruction is there.

 

If we start Charles Clay all year we will be picking top 10 and that means something went drastically wrong with Dion Sims and Michael Egnew's development. I dont think Clay is a starter, hes strictly a matchup player whose production is varying on a game by game basis. Gibson, Hartline, Matthews and our TE's have to produce. I am confident Miller will be a 1200 yard/8-10 TD guy and Wallace will give up 1200/8td type numbers. Thats 75 yards a game from each player. Wallace has done it, Miller will do it imo.

The first 5 can shake down a few different ways...Im somewhat optimistic that we can get through there 4-1:
Cleveland - Win
Colts - Changing the offense from what was great for them a year ago is a mistake imo. D is questionable, should be a good rematch from last year but we added some shiny new toys for Tannehill to help him in shootout games.
Falcons - Loss (one of the top 3 regular season teams imo...ryan, julio, white, gonzalez, Jackson...too many weapons)
Saints - Win (they cant stop anyone imo)
Ravens - Win (I can see Flacco having a very long day back there because aside from Smith their weapons are unimpressive)

Say what? Welker isnt as good as Amendola? I like Amendola but can he stay healthy for more then 3 games at a time before we say hes better then Wes Welker who just has the best 4 year run from a slot receiver ever? And Im not high on NE's D. They look like a TO machine at times because they play from in front a lot but their pass rush isnt very good and I dont think the secondary is worth a damn aside from Devin McCourty.

 

Say what now?

 

i dont think so..if were 1-4 the first 5 games but hung in those games...we can still win 8 or 9 of the next 11 games. Were still in good shape for atleast WC team IMO.

look at who we play
Buf-W
@ NE-L
Cin-L
@ TB-W
SD-W
CAR-W
@NYJ-W
@Pit-Toss up
NE-Toss up
@Buf-W
NYJ-W

 

He's the shiftiest mofo on the ****ing planet. The WR screen should be renamed "The Welker". Amendola is faster and bigger, and if your comparing them as more traditional wrs, he might have an edge on welker. But welker just stops on a dime and keeps his balance like no other. (See: his first TD from Peyton tonight. It wasn't the playcall, it wasn't the route, it wasn't the throw, it was just welker being welker)

But, again, I agree the patriots don't have any demise coming their way. I just think their going to lose more close ones than they are used to this season. Hopefully we can steal one.

 

they started off good...pure **** after halftime though. Team is beatable. Just get to flacco. helps that Oher outs. They're missing Boldin something fierce. no consistency on offense without him. No leadership on D without Reed/lewis

 

Also helps that the Ravens' #1 receiver got knocked out the game on a PR by their own guy.

 

Smith is their #1 receiver.

 

Doh...right. Forgot about him, as much as they were talking about the other guy.

 

I just hope we can win this Sunday. Repeat 16 times

 

Boldin is pretty beat up these days. He really struggles getting any separation from DB's. He still flashes of his former self, but at some point, you gotta move on. Long term, the Ravens know they're rebuilding and had to get younger and let the other guys develop. I think it was a good move.

 

The curse of the Welker is lifted. He's out of New England and in Denver and we no longer have to pay twice a year for trading Welker.

This really could be our year...read the signs from the football Gods...

Dumping Welker and lifting the curse...
Hernandez goes to jail for murder...
Signing and then cutting Tim Tebow effectively spitting on Jesus himself...

Whoa now...I see the great football in the sky starting to bounce South instead of North for a change.

 

I think (and hope) Sims is the guy who eventually starts at TE. I think he's more versatile than both Clay and Egnew - they should be situational guys. Clay has proved inconsistent. Even though as I've said before, losing Keller hurts, it just means we'll see more of Gibson.

I stand by 10-6, 9-7 at worst. I think we could be 3-2 after the first 5 weeks, with the two toughest games coming at home.

 

That, I think Atlanta is more beatable than people think. You have two rookie cornerbacks in Robert Alford and Desmond Trufant, both maybe a year or two away from being completely dependable starting alongside the gambler, Asante Samuel. The interior of their defensive line isn't all that impressive. They have a strong safety tandem and alright backers. Weatherspoon is a good player. I feel like we easily have the more talented defense.

On offense, they have an amazing receiving core with Jones, White, Gonzalez, and even Harry Douglas. But their o-line is very meh, we can take advantage of that.

It's more of a push than people think, Cam Wake should have an exceptionally good game, which will be needed because a lot of the success of that game will be forcing Matt Ryan into making mistakes on hurried throws. He had a decent year last year (32 TD, 14 INT, 99.1 RAT), but he also had a couple multiple-pick games. I feel like he could have one of those games when he plays us for that first home game.

 

Those teams had great defenses, early in his career Brady consistently had a QB rating in the 80's. While I agree that the Pats are the favorites, I also give us a chance to win the division

Amendola is absolutely not an upgrade over Welker

 

What were they supposed to do? Match the contract and accept paying the poison-pill that NE was going to put in it?

 

AND ELLERBE!!! lol

 

I like Jaws too but he also thought John Beck was going to be a good QB.

 

Czonka, kicke and Warfield.... Nuff said

 

Ted Ginn? Same front office.