Now that the first week of the NFL season is behind us, I will make my Superbowl predictions. The first week of action showed that even with the new kickoff being at the 35 yard line, there still can be some exciting kickoff returns. in fact, there were three kickoff returns this week, one more then there was at this time last year. But the number of touchbacks almost tripled from the same time last year. We also saw some electric play from the quarterback position, starting off with the first game of the season when the Packers and the Saints were slinging the ball all over the field. The great play continued throughout the weekend and ended with a Monday Night Football passing record. Tom Brady threw for 517 yards in the Patriots open game against the Dolphins. The first week also shows that the usual suspects will be the strong competitors this season. So here are my picks to who has a chance to go to the Superbowl and eventually become the Superbowl champions for 2011.
I think there are six teams that have a legitimate shot to win it all this year, the New England Patriots, the San Diego Chargers, the Baltimore Ravens, the New Orleans Saints, the Green Bay Packers, and the Philadelphia Eagles. Then there are two wildcard teams out there that I think could throw a wrench into these other teams scenarios and be a surprise representation for their conference in the Superbowl, the Chicago Bears and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
I think the Bears will have to make the playoffs as a wildcard team because they will not beat out the Packers. But as the Cardinals showed a couple of seasons ago, you just need to get into the playoffs then anything could happen. If their defense plays well all season and quarterback Jay Cutler doesn't implode, the Bears have a decent shot to making it to the big game. But in the end, I think the Bears will have a very successful season but come up just short again.
As for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the critics have wondered if their defense is just too old now and on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, it did look to be too old. But this is a prideful bunch in Pittsburgh and I can't see their defense letting them down again. The defense will be alright. The concern may be quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He can't just throw the ball to players on the other team and the Steelers as a whole can't turn the ball over seven times. I think the Steelers are too good of a team and will fix their concerns that were exposed during their week one loss. But all in all, I just think there are better teams out there this season and the Steelers will come up short as well.
The Philadelphia Eagles have enough talent to win it all with all their offensive weapons. Their concern should be on the defensive side of the ball and their shaky offensive line. But if their is one team that can afford to have a shaky offensive line, it's the Eagles, because Michael Vick is the existential mobile quarterback. I think though in the end, the weaknesses of the Eagles will be too much to overcome in the playoffs and the "Dream Team's" season will end early, not even making it to the Superbowl.
The San Diego Chargers have all the talent in the world and one of the toughest quarterbacks in league. The Chargers should run through the AFC West this season. It will be interesting to see how they compete with the stronger competition of playoff teams. One thing the Chargers have against them is their head coach Norv Turner. Turner has proven to be a great offensive coordinator, but has come up small as a head coach. I don't think Turner can lead his team as the head coach coming up short once again, but it won't be because of Phillip Rivers.
The Baltimore Ravens looked to be scary on defense and improved on offense. Flacco has always had great arm strength and now he has the receivers to throw to. This team will be hungry and they have an exciting coach to lead them to a championship. I just don't think that championship is going to be this year.
The Saints could be one of the scariest teams this year. They have a defense that likes to blitz and hit hard. Then they have a quarterback on the offensive side that has proven that he can win the big game. But as the Packers proved on opening night, the Saints defense can be scored on if they do not put pressure on the opposing quarterback. The Saints will be strong competition for that championship ring once again, but they will eventually lose to a better team.
That leaves two team that I think will be playing for that championship this season and they are familiar faces to the Superbowl scene, the Green Bay Packers and the New England Patriots. These two teams have something that every other team in the league this year doesn't have, the two best quarterbacks. The NFL has turned into a quarterbacks league and Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are very accurate when throwing the ball. The Patriots are young in the secondary but adequate. Their strength on defense will be that massive defensive line. The Packers may have the most prolific offense in the league this year and will display all those weapons on the big stage of the Superbowl again. The Packers defense is very strong, lead by big noise tackle, B.J. Raji. I think this matchup will be a great matchup with lots of points being scored, but in the end, I think the Patriots will be the champions. The Packers have a better all around team, but there is just too much going for the Patriots this season for them not to win. The Patriots have dedicated the season to team owner Robert Kraft's wife, who passed away before the beginning of the season. With that being the case, the Patriots will just want it more than any of the other teams this year and they have the team and the discipline to do it. The Lombardi trophy go from title town to the Pat's place.
-Jake Ipson
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