The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

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Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

NFC East


New York Giants - Last Season 2-14

So the Giants managed to nab a second consecutive #1 pick, and used it in the most pressing way possible, selecting Florida State's Bryson Tracey. It does leave the Giants in the unenviable position that when this potentially strong QB class is evaluated in the future, they will be known as the team that had the first shot at picking from it, how will that pan out? Tracy will be the undoubted week 1 starter with Jay Cutler retiring and Kellen Moore being a non-factor last year. Tracy does get to enjoy a newly resigned Odell Beckham Jr, plus Reuben Randle, Victor Cruz and off season addition Allen Robinson. The main question offence will be an old looking line that needs some work. Defence is a similar story, with players who could do well and one obvious weakness. The defensive line is sound and 2nd round pick at OLB Javonte Givens should do well starting as a rookie. Corner is the elephant in the room, with old players that are on the downside of their career. The Giants should be better this season.

Notable Resignings - WR Odell Beckham Jr
Notable Additions - WR Allen Robinson
Notable Losses - QB Jay Cutler (retired - age)
Draft Pick - QB Bryson Tracy


Philadelphia Eagles - Last Season 6-10

After coming back down to Earth after a strong season, the Eagles disposed of the services of Chip Kelly and brought back a familiar face in Andy Reid, who now has a Super Bowl ring with Kansas that he could never win in Philadelphia. RG3s injury woes came back to bite him last term, but that was more an offensive line issue than anything else, the Eagles never really coped with the retirement of Jason Peters and rookie Deandre Hunter really struggled. After drafting LT Derrick Barkley, Hunter will switch to right tackle, hopefully signalling that an improvement will be on the horizon. Be it RG3 under centre or under the radar 2nd round pick in rookie BJ Blake, Philly still have the luxury of being a very strong running team with Murray and Murray, DeMarco and Latavius. Much like fellow NFC East team the Giants, their defence is largely well rounded but has a serious issue at corner. There is little depth there and the move to bring in Byron Maxwell from Seattle in 2015 should probably be questioned now time has passed. He hasn't lived up to the deal he was given and the Eagles need to move on.

Notable Resignings - None
Notable Additions - None
Notable Losses - WR Jordan Matthews (team)
Draft Pick - LT Derrick Barkley
New Coach - Andy Reid


Washington Redskins - Last Season 7-9

If anyone is going to knock the Cowboys off their perch at the top of the division, I would expect it to be the Redskins. In Mike Stark they have a legitimate QB who can win them games and they are pretty boldly going about surrounding him with play makers. AJ Green has been brought over as a free agent from the Bengals and he will play a huge role in this offence alongside Jordan Reed and the newly resigned DeSean Jackson. Washington should still be able to move the ball on the ground with a steady contribution from Alfred Morris and a good line led by Trent Williams. On defence, Aldon Smith has been signed to boost an already strong unit but he will need to pick up the intensity on a career that has begun to decline. 3rd year man Gordon Gooden is looking to be a promising player, coupled with Smith and this year's 1st round pick Antuan Hughes in the middle. At corner they are both deep and strong and last year's first round pick FS Shaman Parker enjoyed a very impressive rookie campaign last season.

Notable Resignings - LT Trent Williams (franchise tag), WR Desean Jackson
Notable Additions - WR AJ Green, OLB Aldon Smith
Notable Losses - None
Draft Pick - MLB Antuan Hughes


Dallas Cowboys - Last Season 10-6

The Cowboys didn't have as good a season as some predicted last season with 10 wins and a divisional round loss at the first hurdle for the NFC's #2 seed. Pivotal centre Travis Fredericks went down in week 14 though, having him back will be a huge boost to one of the league's best offensive lines that also resigned All-Pro Guard Zach Martin, albeit on a franchise tag basis. Behind that line, Tyson McBride will look to build on his rookie season in which he outperformed expectation. He could use a few more options, particularly at receiver, but Dez Bryant is a superstar and last year's 1st round pick TE Reshawn Martin looks more than capable. The most pressing issue on the defensive side of the ball was to resign Demarcus Lawrence, which the team managed relatively quickly in the spring. It likely Lawrence will replace Greg Hardy, who is now getting close to potential retirement. Safety remains the biggest question mark on this stacked defence, the team hasn't really taken steps to replace Barry Church as of yet.

Notable Resignings - RG Zach Martin (franchise tag), DE Demarcus Lawrence
Notable Additions - CB Sam Shields
Notable Losses - None
Draft Pick - WR Will Justice

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Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

NFC West


San Francisco 49ers - Last Season 7-9

John Harbaugh's first season saw a dramatic improvement in the win column for San Fran. The last few off-season have provided a number of questions that only time will have the answer to though. Firstly, LT Zach Jose was selected #2 overall last season, yet the 49ers have a very solid offensive line across the board. Jose spent his rookie season watching from the sidelines and 49ers have areas they pressingly need help with. Colin Kaepernick looks to be primed to be a 5 to 8 win a season QB that isn't going to win a Super Bowl at this stage of his career, but the 49ers didn't take a shot at the current QB draft class despite picking 9th. Instead, the took Shadd Farrell which may prove to be a sound pick as wide receiver is a current area of weakness. Carlos Hyde is still a good running back and should be productive behind that O-line. Defensively, things look a lot more competent. Von Miller, Navarro Bowman and Dontari Poe should all be active for an above average unit, but the 49ers could use a strong safety quite urgently.

Notable Resignings - RB Carlos Hyde
Notable Additions - None
Notable Losses -
Draft Pick - WR Shadd Farrell


Seattle Seahawks - Last Season 8-8

The Seahawks are a team on the decline. From 13 wins and a Super Bowl win, to 12 wins and a loss in the Super Bowl, to 11 wins, 10 wins and now 8 and missing the play-offs last season. Signing Andrew Luck to a long term deal will help their salary cap crunch but this roster is beginning to show its age and isn't as feared as it once was. The "Legion of Boom" is still largely intact, but last season under Mike Tomlin it was more like the "Legion of Gloom" with unrest and in-fighting. Bennett, Avril, Thomas, Chandler and Sherman all remain and need to get back on track quickly to help an offence devoid of talent. One bright spot for the defence was the emergence Jermichael Jordan at defensive tackle, their last first round selection before the Luck trade. As mentioned, the offence could be tough viewing this season. The Andrew Luck created cap situation ended up with Jimmy Graham as a casualty and he has left the organisation. Similarly, Marshawn Lynch was not resigned due to his advancing years and the Seahawks spent their 2nd round pick on Aggies RB product Keithen Dotson, which could prove to be a shrewd move if his scouting reports were accurate.

Notable Resignings - QB Andrew Luck, DE Michael Bennett, SS Kam Chancellor
Notable Additions - None
Notable Losses - RB Marshawn Lynch (Age), TE Jimmy Graham (injury)
Draft Pick - None


Arizona Cardinals - Last Season 8-7-1

The Cardinals snuck into the play-offs and made the most of it, but football fans from across the globe mourned the retirement of long time Cardinal and all round nice guy Larry Fitzgerald who hung them up before the season began. So many would have liked to see him get a ring that he richly deserved. Coach Arians rode off into the sunset after the Super Bowl win, leaving a roster relatively intact for Sean McDermott to use to make another run at a title. Russell Wilson now has 2 rings, boosting his legacy. Chris Ivory and David Johnson are a great combo in the backfield, though the offence could use a dependable slot receiver. Defensively, the worst thing you can level at them is possible that Calais Campbell is beginning to show his age, but he is still producing. OLB CJ Mincey needs to kick on from his rookie effort last year with a better season.

Notable Resignings - MLB Daryl Washington
Notable Additions - FS Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix
Notable Losses - None
Draft Pick - DT Ross Harmon
New Coach - Sean McDermott


St Louis Rams - Last Season 10-6

Joe Philbin finally got this Rams roster to put it all together, taking the team all the way to the NFC Championship game. He did it by dominating teams defensively using the pieces at his disposal, pieces that have been added to once again this season. Aaron Donald has been resigned and is a top 5 player at his position, and Terrence Knighton has been added to the mix at DT as well. James Laurinaitis has also been resigned to keep a strong linebacker group intact, plus their depth and strength in the secondary. If only the offence was a similar story! Herschel Robinson is continuing his development as a legitimate starter and fringe Pro-Bowl talent, but he still doesn't have enough around him outside of Todd Gurley. As well as needing skill players, the O also needs a better line, the Rams decided to address the latter of those issues this season. Ryan Clady has been recruited to play at tackle, and their 1st round pick was spent on Tackle Quadir Jamison. In order to continue their development, St Louis need to pick up receivers sooner rather than later.

Notable Resignings - MLB James Laurinaitis, DT Aaron Donald
Notable Additions - DT Terrence Knighton
Notable Losses - TE Jared Cook (family)
Draft Pick - LT Quadir Jamison

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Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

AFC North


Cleveland Browns - Last Season 5-11

Just as the Browns looked like they were on the cusp of something with a reasonable looking young roster, they have decided to make some moves and start again. It may not be a bad thing, but it is a very typically Cleveland thing to do. Mike Pettine is out as Head Coach after a 5 win campaign. Similarly, Manziel has lost his starting spot to the up and coming Nate Gray, that may be terminal. Manziel may not think so though and he signed a new contract to stay in Cleveland this off-season, presumably to wrestle his job back. Aundre Fuller is growing into the starting tail back role and is able to thrive behind a very strong offensive line. Martavis Bryant has moved over from NFC North rival Pittsburgh and should be a worthwhile addition. There are still some question marks about the supporting cast on defence around CB Joe Haden and FS Tashaun Gipson. The Browns could have another star in that secondary with #4 overall pick at corner Rashad James, but the front 7 could use an overhaul.

Notable Resignings - LG Joel Bitonio (franchise tag), LT Joe Thomas, QB Johnny Manziel
Notable Additions - WR Martavis Bryant
Notable Losses - SS Donte Whitner (age)
Draft Pick - CB Rashad James
New Coach - Gus Bradley


Pittsburgh Steelers - Last Season 8-8

John Fox's first season in charge didn't result in a return to the play-offs but the team did improve despite a tough division. Ben Roethlisberger is now entering his 15th season and won't play forever. There doesn't appear to be a contingency plan for that right now, but Fox managed to make the play-offs with Tim Tebow in Denver so maybe QB play isn't everything! Pittsburgh appeared to sabotage their roster to accommodate Antonio Brown during the off-season and a lot will be placed on his shoulders should success prove elusive. With Bryant leaving town for Cleveland, there is little on the WR depth chart behind Brown except for this year's 1st round selection Rainey Lamb and last year's 1st rounder Sherard Quarles, the Steelers will need both players to develop and contribute quickly. It could be the case that the 3 B's of Ben, Brown and Bell need to become Green Bay, scoring points for fun to overcome a very bad looking defence. Outside of Lawrence Timmons there is a complete gulf in talent on that side of the ball. Their secondary may be the worst in the league from a personnel perspective. Ryan Shazier and Arthur Moats were both released to accomodate the franchise tagging of Brown.

Notable Resignings - WR Antonio Brown (franchise tag)
Notable Additions - None
Notable Losses - WR Martavis Bryant (team), MLB Ryan Shazier (salary), OLB Arthur Moats (salary)
Draft Pick - WR Rainey Lamb


Baltimore Ravens - Last Season 9-6

You have to take your hat off to Mike McCoy who managed to put a solid season together in Baltimore despite a less than impressive roster. One reason for that is the astronomical cap number for current QB Joe Flacco. His number is north of $30m for this season and it makes building the rest of a 53 man roster a lot more challenging when 1 player takes up that amount of cap. It may be that Flacco gets moved on sooner rather than later though with the Ravens being one of the teams to dip their toe into the deep QB pool from the latest draft, nabbing Zach Nelson out of basketball power house but football small timers Butler. Ronnie Hillman is far from an elite back, wide receiver is thin at best with an underwhelming Malcolm Narcisse now looking like a bust. Their offensive line is the only real thing stopping the offence from being a write off. Unfortunately, the defence may be. CJ Mosley and Timmy Jernigan are respectable, but there are gaping holes at DE, FS, OLB and CB that need addressing very quickly.

Notable Resignings - MLB CJ Mosley, LE, Timmy Jernigan
Notable Additions - None
Notable Losses - None
Draft Pick - QB Zach Nelson


Cincinnati Bengals - Last Season 11-5

Cincinatti have largely kept their roster intact as Carlos Calhoun continues the push for this team to take the final step from regular season dominance to post season success. That task isn't made any easier by the departure of superstar receiver AJ Green who has cashed his chips with the team and left. That does create a hole at receiver that will hopefully be filled by 2nd year receiver Brandon Riley, but the majority of the rest of the roster is solid. Dalton, Hill and the offensive line remain intact with Tyler Eifert at TE. Their defence is still dominant, especially up front. Adding 1st round corner Rashad Scott is another solid move for the future but Coach Calhoun must be feeling the pressure to find success before this roster ages and it's window shuts for good.

Notable Resignings - TE Tyler Eifert, RB Jeremy Hill, OLB Vontaze Burfict
Notable Additions -
Notable Losses - WR AJ Green (team)
Draft Pick - WR Brandon Riley

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Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

AFC South


Houston Texans - Last Season 5-11

Ryan Mack saw enough last season to know that his team had to made 2 big moves to try and help his team be more competitive both now and in the future. Matthew Stafford has been brought over from Detroit and offers a significant upgrade over anything that has gone before him for quite some time, despite his declining ability with age. Secondly, the Texans used the #3 pick on Florida Gator Arryn Carroll to run the offence in the longer term. Both these moves were enough to appease Deandre Hopkins, who has resigned. Playing alongside Hopkins are the young and talented tight end duo of Rommell Taylor and Jared Lucas, who present significant match up problems for opponents. Defensively, it may be time to view Jadeveon Clowney as a bust. Whilst he is productive, his output and ability are not comparable to the position he was drafted. JJ Watt is the opposite, everything about his play outshines his draft position from 2011. The rest of the Houston defence is impressive. They have a deep and talented secondary, particularly at safety with the experience of Malcolm Jenkins. With solid QB play, this could be a play-off team.

Notable Resignings - WR Deandre Hopkins, DE Jadeveon Clowney
Notable Additions - QB Matthew Stafford, MLB Avery Williamson
Notable Losses - QB Colt McCoy, QB Geno Smith
Draft Pick - QB Arryn Carroll


Indianapolis Colts - Last Season 8-7-1

Life after Andrew Luck doesn't appear to be as bad as many fans feared with a season above .500 under their belt for the first time since 11 wins in 2014. Tomas Single deserves credit for the work he has done to rebuild confidence, particularly on offence. That confidence will have been enhanced significantly with the acquisition of AFC South rival QB Blake Bortles. He is a significant upgrade at the position and should bring more success in the future after he led the Jaguars to a Superbowl trip last year. Bortles could use more receivers, the drop off after TY Hilton is significant. Indy have continued to use their extra draft picks well, stocking up a defence that could develop quickly in the next few years. DT Caldwell is a real terror on the interior, and Vontae Davis at CB led the NFL in interceptions last year. Curiously, he was only signed to a 1 year deal last off-season, we'll see how that pans out.

Notable Resignings - CB Vontae Davis
Notable Additions - QB Blake Bortles
Notable Losses - RB Frank Gore (retired - age)
Draft Picks - MLB Aldrin Miles, DT Tyrone Griffin


Tennessee Titans - Last Season 9-6-1

Despite making the playoffs, Tennessee moved on from Ken Whisenhunt and brought in a Chip Kelly, who will surely be itching to get back working with Marcus Mariota. The Titans were also more than happy to open their wallet this off-season, signing a number of marquee free agents. Mariota, Delaine Walker and Kendall Wright will now be joined on offence by Jarvis Landry, Jimmy Graham and Tre Mason, and their offensive line received a boost with the addition of centre Russell Bodine. Defensively the Titans are still in reasonable shape with some holes but some star power. DE Casey and CB Jason McCourty are top tier players at their position, but there are questions at safety, particularly free safety. A lot for this unit could rest on the play of middle of the road outside line backers Brian Orakpo and Barkavious Mingo. If they excel, this unit could be very useful.

Notable Resignings - CB Jason McCourty, LT Taylor Lewin
Notable Additions - RB Tre Mason, WR Jarvis Landry, TE Jimmy Graham, C Russell Bodine
Notable Losses - None
Draft Pick - DT Jarrett Myrick
New Coach - Chip Kelly


Jacksonville Jaguars - Last Season 11-5

It will be very pleasing to the team that the Jaguars managed to make last season's Super Bowl, despite a loss this is a tremendous stride forward for the franchise. Entering his 2nd season, Gary Kubiak was dealt a massive blow as mainstay QB Blake Bortles bolted for Indianapolis, leaving Jacksonville in the lurch. The reason for it right now is unknown, perhaps the heartache of a Super Bowl loss, money, or a better offer, who knows? Starting wide receiver Allen Robinson has also left the organisation, with Stevie Johnson in to replace Robinson and Tyrod Taylor for Bortles. It's hard to say either player is an upgrade, but the Jaguars can still rely on Arian Foster and Julius Thomas. Defensively, Dante Fowler Jr is a standout, and the linebacking group of Telvin Smith, McClain and Posluszny is very impressive. The main requirement right now is a free safety, that is an area of weakness. Fans will be hoping the losses on offence don't derail the improvement of last season.

Notable Resignings - OLB Telvin Smith, MLB Paul Posluszny
Notable Additions - QB Tyrod Taylor, WR Stevie Johnson
Notable Losses - QB Blake Bortles (personal), WR Allen Robinson (salary)
Draft Pick - CB Rashaun Grayson

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Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

AFC East


Miami Dolphins - Last Season 2-13-1

A single tie was all that kept Mike McCarthy for 1st pick in the draft, but Miami will hope they now have their QB of the future. Ryan Tannerhill should keep his job for the time being but it might not be for much longer, especially if results continue. Skill positions are somewhat lacking for the Dolphins and Jarvis Landry leaving town won't have helped. The offensive line could also use some attention outside of Centre. Defensively, the team has the strongest line in the league. Floyd, Suh and now Mario Williams, despite his age. James McCray is developing into a quality middle linebacker, and Rey Maualuga has been added to play next to him. With play makers like that in the front 7, their secondary only needs to play average at best to get results. This could be Mike McCarthy's last season in Florida if things do not improve both quickly and dramatically.

Notable Resignings - None
Notable Additions - DE Mario Williams, MLB Rey Maualuga
Notable Losses - DE Cameron Wake (retired - age), WR Jarvis Landry (roster)
Draft Pick - QB Claude McDonald


New England Patriots - Last Season 8-8

The last time the Patriots finished outside the top 2 of their division? 2000, Bill Belichick's first season in charge and Drew Bledsoe was under centre. This also snaps the Patriots consecutive trips to the post season streak at 8, though they have still been to the play-offs 14 times in the last 17 years. Still, Nick Saban will be looking for a bounce back next season to quieten the doubters who still linger and arew growing louder. It may be the former Alabama man has identified the weak link, using the teams unusually high draft pick of #14 on QB Will Phillip, but for now Jimmy Garoppolo has been resigned. Rob Gronkowski will again be the focal point of an offence that contains Julian Edelman and a strong line. 3rd year RT Dulan Nunley is becoming a dependable option at the position, and Nate Solder resigned this off-season. The defence still belong to Devin McCourty, but the Patriots can still stick with a lot of teams due to their good but not great front 7, including Jamie Collins and Cesar Carter.

Notable Resignings - RT Nate Solder, WR Julian Edelman, SS Patrick Chung, QB Jimmy Garoppolo
Notable Additions - None
Notable Losses - None
Draft Pick - QB Will Phillip


New York Jets - Last Season 8-7-1

The retirement of two aging players in Nick Mangold and Antonio Cromartie, plus the signing of Sheldon Richardson to a long term deal have improved the outlook of the Jets cap situation significantly. Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker are both getting a little long in the tooth, but the experienced receivers are still performing for Jack Riley who is understandably integral to the offence. Desmon Toliver continues to make a name for himself as a dependable and reliable ground option, something that should work well in Riley's favour. However, neither Riley nor Toliver are helped by a patch work offensive line that has now lost D'Brickershawn Ferguson and Nick Mangold in recent seasons without really replacing either of them. Another aging star that needs a contingency plan sooner rather than later is Mr Revis, who's play has slipped in the last 18 months. Largely that has been bailed out by an overpowering defensive line that can create pressure against any offence. That defensive front also covers for a weak linebacker group.

Notable Resignings - DE Sheldon Richardson, WR Brandon Marshall, SS Calvin Pryor, MLB David Harris
Notable Additions - None
Notable Losses - C Nick Mangold (retired - age), CB Antonio Cromartie (retired - age)
Draft Pick - WR Rodnell King


Buffalo Bills - Last Season 11-5

Just when the Bills looked a little lost and ready for a reshuffle, Rex Ryan grabbed the roster by the shoulders and shook it into shape. An AFC Championship game loss wasn't on anyone's radar for this team and credit must go to Ryan for that. Largely, the roster has been kept intact, Mario Williams and Tyrod Taylor are the only starters to have jumped ship. Taylor's departure will silence many critics but after last season Bills fans might be regretting their unrest. Derek Carr was ineffective in Oakland and ultimately got the axe, but it remains to be seen what he will do in Buffalo. He won't have a lot to work with outside of LeSean McCoy and Sammy Watkins, a story Taylor knew all too well. Defence is a similar story. Marcell Dareus is a stud, but there are too few pieces around him. 2016 1st round pick at #19 David Boone is really failing to develop into anything more than a backup, something sure to disappoint the Bills front office. Safety and OLB are the points of weakness, but Ryan is sure to work his magic with this group once again.

Notable Resignings - DT Marcell Dareus, WR Sammy Watkins, MLB PReston Brown
Notable Additions - QB David Carr
Notable Losses - QB Tyrod Taylor (team), DE Mario Williams (team)
Draft Pick - RG Alex Norris

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Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

AFC West


San Diego Chargers - Last Season 6-10

In what was meant to be a fresh start in San Diego, the season failed to read the script. New coach, new owner, new stadium, the Chargers ended up propping up the AFC West. Rather than plan for life after Philip Rivers, the Bolts elected to franchise tag the long time passer and use their high draft pick elsewhere. That elsewhere happened to be corner, with Tyrone Briggs on his way to the West coast. He is needed as well as the depth chart at corner right now isn't strong. That is possibly the biggest question mark for the defence though, there is significant talent elsewhere. Ryan Shazier coming over from Pittsburgh should work well with Manti Te'o, and safety is another area of strength. On offence, Melvin Gordon continues to be a good though not great option at running back, but there are few weapons in the passing game once you get past Keenan Allen. How the Chargers could use an Antonio Gates in his prime right now.

Notable Resignings - QB Philip Rivers (franchise tag)
Notable Additions - ML Ryan Shazier
Notable Losses - None
Draft Pick - CB Tyrone Briggs


Oakland Raiders - Last Season 8-8

The Raiders and Jack Del Rio decided to make a few key tweaks in the off-season, hoping for a change via quality rather than quantity. Derek Carr has been moved on, clearing the decks for Max Shaw, the 4th rounder from a year ago. Also, Aldon Smith has moved on after the Raiders were less than impressed with his recent output. With Smith gone, the focus on defence is now 100% on superstar Khalil Mack, fresh off a massive contract extension. Around Mack, Hightower and Eldrin Garner should shine at linebacker, but that can't be said for the options at corner. Last year's 1st round Kevin Bernard sits atop the depth chart and he probably isn't ready for that at this stage. That could place scoreboard pressure on Shaw, who will need to lean on the speedsters of Gordon, Cooper and Ted Ginn Jr. to keep up.

Notable Resignings - DE Khalil Mack
Notable Additions - None
Notable Losses - QB David Carr (team), OLB Aldon Smith (team)
Draft Pick - CB Demarcus Parker


Denver Broncos - Last Season 10-6

6 wins in the final year under Gary Kubiak, to 10 wins and 5th seed in the AFC under Manning. It has been quite the change of fortunes for the Broncos, but can it be maintained? Last year's starting QB Ryan Nassib has already been placed on IR and is done for the season. Ryan Fitzpatrick has also retired, leaving Trevor Sieman and AJ McCarron as the most viable options on the roster. Denver has taken the step to sign free agent Marshawn Lynch in the hopes he can alleviate some pressure from the passing game. Defensively the team is fairly poor. Previous 1st round pick Shane Ray hasn't develop an NFL skill set and can be considered a disappointment. Outside Linebacker is also a problem though 1st round selection Sam Dwyer may remedy that down the line. At least Chris Harris and TJ Ward are still with the team. Harris even missed a third of last season with a hip injury and the Broncos managed just fine without him, it will still e good to have him back.

Notable Resignings - SS TJ Ward
Notable Additions - QB AJ McCarron, RB Marshawn Lynch
Notable Losses - QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (retired - age)
Draft Pick - OLB Sam Dwyer


Kansas City Chiefs - Last Season 11-5

A year removed from a Superbowl victory and the Chiefs still look pretty formidable. They weren't able to repeat, but did still take a trip to the playoffs as the 3rd seed. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough for a very ambitious Kansas front office and Andy Reid was shown the door. Replacing him is another coach who suffered from a harsh dismissal in Carolina's former Super Bowl winning coach Ron Rivera. The two big questions Riverboat Ron will face on offence is how to replace the retired Jamaal Charles and how long does he leave Alex Smith as the starter before he gives Drew Carter a chance. It could even come as soon as week 1, but we shall see. Elsewhere, the offensive line is showing signs of age, particularly at left guard and centre, though Travis Kelce is still a solid player. Defensively all the pieces remain apart from the linebackers. Justin Houston is the lone starter at that position from the Super Bowl winning roster and young blood needs to be injected. The Sean Smith led secondary should continue to be a top 5 pass defence in the league, it is a strong group of players.

Notable Resignings - TE Travis Kelce
Notable Additions - None
Notable Losses - RB Jamaal Charles (retired - age)
Draft Pick - WR Antonio Gore
New Coach - Ron Rivera

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Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Year 4 18/19 - Week 1

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Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Year 4 18/19 - Week 2


Bringing You The Hottest NFL News Since '99!


Kai Waters

Capital Gains.....And Losses

It seems too early into the season to be talking about something so important off of the pitch, but this one was has been on the back burner for longer than a lot of players have been in the league. The NFL have been at odds with the Washington Redskins for a long time and they are finally able to force their hand. The message is clear. Change, or get out.



What's In A Name, Anyway?

The team have been the Washington Redskins since 1937. So what is the problem? Why now? Simply put, why not much, much earlier? The raft of political and public pressure for a name change has been building for close to a decade now. However, real change occurred once the league realised this was becoming an issue for them rather than just Washington. In 2015, a federal judge upheld an order to cancel the trademark "Redskins", in short, allowing quite liberal (though not complete) fair use to any member of the public. For a league that thrives on exclusive marketing, merchandise and endorsements, that was terrible for business. Naturally, that is when the more serious action was taken.

We live in a world of litigation. Move and counter move. That is why the point above casts us back to 2015, but we are only now talking about this in 2018. In short, the NFL finally has sufficient political, public, and most importantly legal leverage to tell Washington to change, or face removal from the league. Rarely if ever has the NFL flexed it's collective muscles on this scale but in their opinion, enough is enough. In a move that is sure to stir up a hornet's nest of controversy, debate and ill will, many have already suggested the NFL has ulterior motives for this, but in a shrewd move the league office can take the high ground and kill off most, if not all, questions on that front. Change must occur because it's 2018. This is the right thing to do. In reality I agree, but if the league gets something it has wanted for a long time as a by-product, who is going to complain?



London Calling?

It is purely speculation at this point, but multiple sources I've spoken to have all pointed to the end of the road for Dan Snyder. On the surface, this is an avenue for "promoting positive change". It is not. That option disappeared as soon as Snyder and his team fought the league and this moved into the legal system. No, this is the league politely explaining to Mr Snyder to put the "For Sale" sign in the window and get out of town. The reason is to put a franchise in London.

From my conversations to date, it would appear that Mexico was a fortunate accident. Expansion wasn't planned for anywhere but London, however the situation presented itself and it made sense for all parties (except the people of Atlanta). London was always the end game and where the NFL wanted to end up. They needed justification for the International Series and the number of games that have been played at Wembley. It ended up being a body of evidence that could be used to facilitate the Falcons moving to Mexico City, but that was coincidental. The ground work was always to support a London franchise and that is what the NFL plan to push ahead with.

Whilst none of the above speculation about London has been confirmed, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if it proves to be true. Dan Snyder and his team have an problem and the NFL already has a solution to it, whether Snyder likes it or not.

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Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Also, going to be away for 10 days or so now, just so people are aware of the downtime. Still having a ton of fun with this though, can't wait to be back and posting!

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Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Year 4 18/19 - Week 4

Gridiron Scoop Dot Net

Everything NFL on the Down Low, Yo!

NFL Hot Seat - Carousel Time!


Dexter - @DexterScoop247

So people get in touch, and I do love hearing from my fan base. They say "Dex! Why are you always doing the same thing?" And you know, it's because it's successful, everyone keeps reading it! But I hear you all, clamouring for some diversity. So here it is! NFL Coaching Hot Seat edition. That's right. Coaches can become free agents to. And what's more, because I'm such a nice guy, I'll even hook you up with who I think might replace a coach if they get the boot. I am just the gift that keeps on giving....enjoy!

I Need More Time, It Was Just One Bad Season!

Ryan Mack - Houston Texans

Mack's inclusion on this list isn't even totally his fault. He took charge of a struggling team with a weak roster and they had a bad season, surprise! Was a single off-season enough to make the change needed to provide a starved fan base with some success? I'm not sure, but I think he gets a minimum of a 3rd year, unless he winds up getting the Texans a top 3 draft pick again.
Rating?


Tomas Single - Indianapolis Colts

All about the AFC South to kick us off! Single is another college new boy trying to achieve success with a pretty horrible roster. I think Blake Bortles will be the kicker for his future, maybe literally. Coach Single can't play the bad QB card now like he could when Andrew Luck was shipped out. But if Bortles can't bring success, I'm not sure Tomas can survive the chop. This is his 3rd year, and he didn't make the play-offs in his previous 2.
Rating?

Replacement? - Peyton Manning. Hey! I never said my predictions would be great! Denver tank, can Manning and he makes an emotional return to the mother ship in Indy. Too perfect not to happen.



Chuck Pagano - Green Bay Packers

Riddle me this one, reader. Pagano is coming off back to back 9 win season, both seasons ended up with a trip to the play-offs, and one of them even saw a losing effort in a Super Bowl. Chuck is money, right?! I'm not so sure the Packers brass see it that way. They are desperate to grab another ring while they still have Rodgers at their disposal. For any team, not winning a Super Bowl is a bad season. For the Packers right now, that seems to be true times 1,000 and coaches are paying for it.
Rating?

Replacement - Josh McDaniels. Pass first, offensive minded, head coaching experience, used to working with an elite QB. Ticks all the boxes.

One More Season, I'll Prove Everyone Wrong!

Carlos Calhoun - Cincinnati Bengals

At what stage do the Bengals start casting glances elsewhere? They did it with Marvin Lewis (not that he has gone on to better things), but you have to get a feeling that history is repeating a little here. This will be Calhoun's 3rd season. At what stage does the pressure of expectation start to show? I think anything less than a Super Bowl appearance might be too much.
Rating?




Todd Bowles - New York Jets

Local boy Bowles is still a popular man with the Jets. He's managed to stabilise them after a terrible first season, oversee the acquisition and development of a highly drafted QB and remain competitive in a consistently tough division. But! No playoffs. It's been 8 years since NYJ made the playoffs in fact, back in 2010. That's just too long. I think the Jets make the post season and keep Bowles around, they have a good roster. If they don't, it could be the end of the line.
Rating?

Replacement - Mike Singletary. Defence first, hard nosed, old school coach. Perfect for the Jets. Rumour has it he's been on a real road trip the past few season talking to a lot of well respected people in the game.

Jack Del Rio - Oakland Raiders

It's a strange proposition, but the last few years the Raiders have had a pretty strong roster. They had stand outs on defence, possibly the best defensive player in football not called JJ Watt in Khalil Mack, and a serviceable if not strong offence. With defence winning championships, how has Jack not got more from this team? Early in his tenure, nobody expected much from the Raiders. Now, expectation is there. That won't be a good thing if Del Rio can't deliver a deep run into the post season.
Rating?

Replacement? - Rex Ryan. He appears settled in Buffalo, but you never know. Does anyone have more fire and swagger to match Raider Nation than Rex? This would be too good to see!

Yeah, Yeah! I Was Leaving Anyway!!



Dan Quinn - Mexico City Diablos

Call this one a gut check. The timing fits, this will be his 4th season. In the other 3, the Falcons/Diablos have been reasonable, 8-8, 7-9, 8-7-1 and the play-offs in that year to. But doesn't that look like the sort of record that with 1 bad season, Quinn would be looking for a new job? Maybe the ownershipsouth of the border is very patient, but I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Quinn be moved on if the team has another middle of the road season.
Rating?


Mike McCarthy - Miami Dolphins

I'm not sure if this one is fair on Coach McCarthy or not. He was harshly ousted by the hyper edgy Packers, and after 2 seasons in Miami he's managed a respectable 8-8 and a horrible 2-13-1. I think the real factor will be just how true that two win season was. Was it really a blip? Or a sign of things to come? McCarthy is developing a tricky reputation for getting the boot when he still has a lot of offer.
Rating?

Replacement - Ken Whisenhunt. This one is just nailed on. The Dolphins love a good re-tread coach, someone who's been a head coach somewhere else, nothing glamorous, not a big money or big name pick up. Old Ken has Miami written all over him! He is like Joe Philbin 2.0.

Marvin Lewis - New York Giants

Marvellous Marvin went 3-13 in his first season with the G-Men, then even managed to top that by going 2-14 the year after, grabbing 1st pick in the draft. QB instability has hurt with Eli Manning leaving the team. Regardless, you can't have 5 wins in 2 years and expect to keep your job. A spectacular upswing is needed to save him, I'm not sure the Giants are capable of one.
Rating?

Replacement - Eli Manning. All the Mannings!! Let's get Archie out here as well. Seriously though, if Denver put out the SOS call to Manning Heights, why can't the Giants? Plus Eli retiring killed Marvin in the first place. It'd be too fitting for him to return and finish the poor guy off.

So there you have it. I think some go, some stay, not sure about a few others. Can I get back to talking about players now please?!

Peace Out!

Dexter

[Rumplebeanskin]

Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Year 4 18/19 - Week 5


Your One Stop Shop For Everything Pro Football!



Carson Dietrich, Senior Writer

Week 5 Power Rankings

Rank	Team	Record
1	Washington Redskins	3-1
2	Cincinnati Bengals	3-1
3	San Diego Chargers	3-1
4	Green Bay Packers	3-1
5	Dallas Cowboys	3-1
6	Buffalo Bills	3-1
7	New Orleans Saints	3-1
8	Miami Dolphins	3-1
9	New England Patriots	3-1
10	Houston Texans	3-1
11	Mexico City Diablos	3-1
12	New York Giants	3-1
13	Cleveland Browns	2-1
14	Pittsburgh Steelers	2-2
15	Arizona Cardinals	2-2
16	Detroit Lions	2-2
17	Minnesota Vikings	2-2
18	San Francisco 49ers	2-2
19	Jacksonville Jaguars	2-2
20	Denver Broncos	2-2
21	Tennessee Titans	1-2
22	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	1-2
23	Seattle Seahawks	1-3
24	Baltimore Ravens	1-3
25	Oakland Raiders	1-3
26	Kansas City Chiefs	1-3
27	Carolina Panthers	1-3
28	St. Louis Rams	1-3
29	Philadelphia Eagles	1-3
30	Chicago Bears	1-3
31	Indianapolis Colts	0-4
32	New York Jets	0-4

[Rumplebeanskin]

Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

100th post, the power rankings above. Awesome

[Rumplebeanskin]

Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Year 4 18/19 - Week 6



Your Path To The Hottest Draft Talent!


Lloyd Bowerman, Senior Draft Writer

Draft Preview - Offence

Last season's QB class already have a season under their belts and for the most part, are already paying dividends for their teams. To see what offensive weapons teams may be able to utilise next season, lets take a look and see what we can find. I should add, from everything I've seen this could be a pretty defence heavy draft.

OFFENCE

QB

• This class is understandably weaker than last season, but there are still 3 signal callers with a 1st round grade. There is a sharp drop off to the 4th round after that though.
  
• Josh Mitchell has the arm strength to make teams excited. The Wisconsin man uses every inch of his 6'2" frame to throw the ball hard and long if needed. Questions remain regarding his accuracy, that will need to improve at the next level.
  
• Around Mitchell sit Trett Hicks and Rob Pickett. Any 3 of the class could go highest, with Hicks and Pickett boasting more accuracy and a little less power than Mitchell if teams are coverting a West Coast passer.

RB

• For the first time in quite a while, I have 2 runners with a first round grade. Oklahoma All-merican Julius Collins is one, and Michigan State's Heisman finalist Tyronne Flowers is the other. The former is a hard power runner, the latter more elusive.
  
• After those two sits a closely ranked trio of Josiah Jordan, DeSean Hunt and Timothy Patrick. All should make nice additions for their teams and contribute, look at the 2nd or early 3rd for all of them to be off the board.
  
• After that, there is a sharp drop off to Hassan Woodson for me. He could have been so much more but his draft stock is hurting. It's not too late to sort his attitude, but it isn't helping him.

WR

• This is a weaker class. There could be a number of reaches in the 1st round that teams will live to regret. The biggest one could be Dre Hill. The SEC man from Florida has such questionable hands in my opinion.
  
• Jaren Jones is a little under the radar. Well, as much as you can be with his college production. The hype around him seems to have been overshadowed by players like Dejon Phillip and Josh Penn, but I like Jones a lot and I think he'll be productive.
  
• It wouldn't surprise me to see 4 or 5 receivers come off the board early, but I only have 2 that would be worthy of it. Mat Patrick is one, Jones is the other. From the tape of Ohio State, people really like Parker Monroe from this class. I couldn't disagree more.

TE

• It would appear last year's weak TE class was a sign of things to come. There's even less on display this year.
  
• One player to watch with interest is Dallas Reyes, the senior from Florida State. Some have him tagged with a 3rd or 4th round grade, but as a traditional blocking tight end it will be worth seeing where he ends up being selected.
  
• Brody Crosby is perhaps the most talented receiver in this class. At 6'5" and 245 he has a good frame, but it should be noted that he is a brave receiver going across the middle to make catches in traffic.

T

• There has been a lot of buzz around the media this season about this group of tackles, particularly on the all important left side. Some have as many as 5 guys going in the 1st, but I have 3.
  
• Kevin Wright played his 4 years at Oklahoma on the left side, but I don't see his game transferring that way at the next level. A strong run first technique is better suited to the right side. Nothing I've seen suggests his pass blocking will be good enough to play the left.
  
• Malcolm Drummond might be the most overrated player in this draft for me. I see very little on tape that impresses me, yet most appear to fall over each other to talk about him. His footwork is really below par for an apparent first round player.

G

• For the 1st time in a long while, I have a guard with a first round grade. That being a player that can contribute to his team immediately and should have a 6+ year career as a solid starter. Parker Small is the man, ironically named, from LSU.
  
• Chase Duncan is the next man in line after Small. Texas A&M have been wheeling out a number of solid line players in recent years and Duncan is no exception.
  
• Brandan Jordan from Ole Miss has shot down draft boards. The late season SEC heavy schedule really found him out, as did that Bowl game demolition. I'm not sure how far he might tumble after those games, there is a lot of film showing his shortcomings.

C

• The years of the 1st round centre appear to be firmly in the past. I do have 2, potentially 3 really solid players that should be good in the NFL, but all will most likely go at pick #33 or later.
  
• Kalen Fitzgerald from UCLA separates himself as the most promising prospect at the position, but not by a lot. I like the amount of explosion he displays and his toughness, despite his undersized 6'1" frame.
  
• Kris Simms is one player I'm really interested to follow. Out of FCS minnow Montana, I really like what he brings to the table. At 6'3", 305, he is a strong force in the middle of the line and can hit guys at the next level as well as anyone in this class. Some have him pegged as a 5th or 6th round guy, I want to put him much higher though. He could surprise people.

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Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Year 4 18/19 - Week 7


The Worldwide Leader in Sport


Ed Shakespear, NFL Analyst

When Adversity Calls, Not All Can Answer

The margins for success and failure in the modern game can sometimes be so minute they can be measured simply by a single spot of the ball. An inch here, an inch there, between winning and losing. In a sport rife with physicality, intensity and the need for unbreakable determination, one of the most frequent factors in determining a victor each season is the ability to handle adversity. This can manifest in many forms, both on the pitch and off it. Here are some teams that have experienced difficult times this season and more tellingly, how they have dealt with the situation.

Washington Redskins - 5-2
Heading into their bye week, the Redskins have faced a level of pressure this season rarely, if ever seen before. With opinions ranging from the political, sporting and even human rights, the spotlight on this team has been intense, even by the standards of the NFL. Credit to Head Coach Jay Gruden for keeping his team's focus in the right place.

Tennessee Titans - 1-5

Injuries are a factor for all 32 teams and shouldn't be used as an excuse. Granted, some can be more severe than others and timing can be key. The Titans lost Marcus Mariota early in the season, missing 2 starts with a damaged elbow. However, even with Mariota back, Tennessee have looked disjointed. They rank dead last in total offence and appear out of ideas before the season is even half completed. This is not the way that most fans thought the Chip Kelly era would begin.



Buffalo Bills - 5-1

The off-season quarterback carousel shaped the NFL landscape some months ago, ultimately leading to previous starter Tyrod Taylor departing the organisation for Jacksonville, ushering Derek Carr to Buffalo from Oakland. Whilst Carr hasn't particularly excelled, an average offensive output has led to a tremendous defensive response. 31st in total offence, but 3rd in points allowed on defence. With the offensive unit up against it, the defence has answered the call.

Chicago Bears - 0-6

After a promising first season under Jeff Fisher, the Bears seem intent on regression regardless of what the embattled coach tries to do. A public display of disillusionment from starting QB Nate Patterson hasn't helped matters, but on the field the team are self destructing. They lead the league in penalties by a significant distance and have blown 3 4th quarter leads in 6 games. A lone bright spot is Jose Lunsford's 4 interceptions, but he is a very small silver lining to a very large grey cloud right now.

New York Giants - 5-2

After some truly dire performances in the last 2 seasons, the Giants appear to have found a signal caller for the future and are rallying around him. With veteran help in the form of Allen Robinson, Victor Cruz and Odell Beckham, Bryson Tracy is exhibiting the kind of ability that led to him being selected #1 overall last summer. It may not be enough to keep Coach Lewis employed at this stage, but for a fan base that has toiled in recent seasons, the wins are most welcome.



New York Jets - 2-5

In an apparent play-offs or bust scenario for Coach Todd Bowles, the Jets were dealt a cruel blow just a few plays into week 1. Jack Riley went down under contact, a seemingly regulation looking sack of the New York quarterback. One MRI later and the 3rd year man out of Tennessee has broken bones in his foot, finishing his season as quickly as it began. Losing a star player, especially a quarterback like Riley, is always difficult, but the Jets are floundering in all 3 phases of the game. It is cruel for Coach Bowles, I feel his tenure will be up soon enough.

Miami Dolphins - 5-1

Sometimes, not all adversity is on a team but rather an individual within it. Ryan Tannerhill led the Dolphins to within a tied game of the #1 pick last season, a campaign which resulted in Miami selecting QB Claude McDonald #2 overall. Facing the prospect of losing his job and the stability of his career to date, Tannerhill has propelled the Dolphins to a tie atop of the AFC East, throwing 16 touchdowns to just 2 interceptions in the process. Whilst it is inevitable the team turns to McDonald at some stage in the future, Tannerhill is making sure it isn't likely to be any time soon.



Indianapolis Colts - 1-5

Another team heavily involved in the quarterback switches of the summer were the Colts. Landing Blake Bortles from divisional rivals Jacksonville was ushered in as the move to finally exorcise the ghost of Andrew Luck. So far it hasn't looked likely to happen any time soon. Whilst it is still early days, Bortles appears to be struggling with the complex Indianapolis offence. This may be remedied with some time, but that is something that Coach Single is unlikely to be afforded. I don't see many feel good stories emerging from this situation.

Ed Shakespear
ESPN

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Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Year 4 18/19 - Week 9


Your One Stop Shop For Everything Pro Football!



Carson Dietrich, Senior Writer

Mid Season Power Rankings

I've gotta say, before we get going. I'm gonna be sad to see Washington go. Mainly because the Cowboys have spent forever beating them down! Speaking of which, those guys in Dallas are the team to beat right now, no bias intended!

32) Baltimore Ravens - 1-7
No zero win teams this season at the half way stage, but these Ravens do look pretty terrible. Flacco is a cap hit monster and there just isn't enough around him to keep this team afloat. Mike McCoy is doing what he can, but a team that ranks 32nd in total D is always going to be near the bottom of the pile.

31) Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 1-6

It's been a harsh stretch for the Bucs, signs even looked a little brighter last season as well. Their division has seen the development of a powerhouse in Carolina and Tampa just haven't been able to keep up. The Saints aren't great but they're still outplaying these guys. Massive rumours of unrest from Jameis Winston and it shows on the field to, the team is dead last in turn over difference at -10. It's all on the young QB as well. This is a pass first offence, and he keeps passing it to the wrong team.

30) Chicago Bears - 1-6
Ah, Chicago. Welcome back! You made a dart up the rankings last season, and like a baby bird leaving the nest, I was happy to watch you go. And now look at you, back at home with the parents like a deadbeat kid! What happened?! Well, Alshon Jeffrey missing time won't help, but the Bears are killing themselves with bad play and flags aplenty. Shame, I thought you had gone off to a new life without me, Chicago....

29) Indianapolis Colts - 1-6
Blake Bortles, what happened?! How to turn a top level QB from Super Bowl contestant to basement dweller in 1 easy step. Trade him to the Colts. No easy way to say this, the guy has played brutal. It's going to cost his coach a job, but what is Single going to do? The defence has been doing ok, they're 3rd in sacks, but that offence? Not pretty.

28) Tennessee Titans - 1-6
The Chip Kelly effect. Take a reasonable roster, make some changes, alienate the fans, then produce mediocre results. Check, check, check and check! Don't get me wrong, missing Mariota for a spell is tough, but 32nd in total offence is really bad. They have so much offensive talent.

27) San Francisco 49ers - 2-6
The 49ers are currently defying a commonly held opinion in the NFL. If you run the ball well, you'll win games. Control the ball, control the clock, rest your defence etc. Well San Fran have a hot rushing attack, one of the best in the league, and their tandem of Carlos Hyde and Knile Davis is really getting it done. But they're not winning many games. Hopefully John Harbaugh can remedy that quickly.

26) New York Jets - 3-5
I don't like this one. Mainly because I like New York, and I like the way they play. Jack Riley is going to be a stud and I love watching him play. When he went on IR I figured it would be curtains for their season but to the credit of Todd Bowles, he still has them fighting at least. Not sure it will end well for him, but hey, at least they're giving him a chance.

25) Denver Broncos - 3-4
Perhaps the Peyton Manning magic has started to wear off now. Or it could be that he doesn't have much to work with. I'd be interested to know who is calling the shots on the QB situation. Is Elway telling his coach he could/should be winning with Ryan Nassib and AJ McCarron? Or does the front office want to draft a QB and the coach says no? Denver could use some help running the ball to, they're 30th in the league. Lots to consider.

24) Carolina Panthers - 3-4
A rare blip for Carolina. I've got to put them this low because of their record, but honestly I still see them coming back strong to claim at least a play-off spot. Their D has been typically impressive, stingy against the run and the 10 interceptions won't hurt either. But what about Cam? He missed time this season but never appeared on an injury report. The team are tight lipped, but no offence to 3rd year man Jared Leonard, he isn't Super Cam. I have no idea with this one.

23) Kansas City Chiefs - 3-4
Back to back recent Super Bowl winners ranked 24th and 23rd?! Joys of the NFL, rise and fall my friends. Eric Berry hitting the DL hasn't been good news, but Justin Houston is still ballin', he's got 7 sacks. This one is more about offence for me. When does the team move on from Alex Smith? Drew Carter is primed and ready, Smith looks a little past it, and the RB situation isn't great since Jamaal Charles. The now retired running back's hatchet job in the press recently regarding Smith's locker room leadership surely won't have helped matters, but I'm guessing that was kind of the point.

22) St Louis Rams - 3-4
Another team with a solid defence and more questions than answers on offence, that makes 3 in a row in the rankings! This time it's Todd Gurley. He's gone full "Beast Mode" but not on the field. Complete. Media. Blackout. Losing carries to Daryl Mack, Gurley hasn't spoken to a single reporter since week 2. A pending FA at the end of the year, who knows what happens. It's enough to detract from a tepid offence that ranks 30th in the league. A game between the Rams and the Titans would probably finish 2-0.

21) Jacksonville Jaguars - 3-4
Come home Blake, all is forgiven! Whilst the ex-Jag is yet to open up about why he left, the team aren't doing much under Tyrod Taylor and Bortles is committing career suicide for the Colts. One thing Taylor is doing is protecting the football. Winning the turnover battle is sure to help Jacksonville turn the corner before long.

20) Detroit Lions - 3-4
The Morgan Lucas era has begun for Mike Shula, potentially hitching their wagons together for the foreseeable future. It has gone reasonably so far, in that the shortcoming for the Lions can't particularly be pinned on Lucas. He has 1,442/13/6 but losing Ameer Abdullah to a quad injury has slowed the offence. Signs are bright for the young passer though, and for the Lions.

19) New Orleans Saints 3-4
I think this is the season the finishes off Drew Brees. Terron Armstead has been largely absent this season due to a persistent ankle injury and if there's one thing you don't want to have as a veteran QB is a shaky line in front of you. Those hits mount up before long. It probably doesn't help that when Brees is on the sideline, he gets to watch his 28th ranked pass defence get lit up by opposition signal callers. Bad mix.

18) Philadelphia Eagles - 4-4
When one Murray goes down, the other steps up. Demarco goes down with the quad injury and Latavius steps in. The main driver for the Eagles is a defence that has forced an absurd 20 fumbles in 8 games, recovering 16 of them. How they haven't won more games with numbers like that, I have no idea.

17) Oakland Raiders - 4-4
Max Shaw continues to show that he is the real deal. A 111.2 QB rating is helping fuel the #1 offence in football. Unfortunately the D has fallen off a cliff. Even with consistent All-Pro Khalil Mack, this team is still 30th in total D. You'd think that even if this unit can just get up to the high teens in the ratings, the offence will do the rest. If the defence is what holds the Raiders season back this year, there is no way the defensive minded Del Rio keeps his job for me.

16) Minnesota Vikings - 4-3-1
A real struggle of a season for the Vikings, I'm surprised that they are this high to be honest. Last season they seemed to struggle at the half way stage but grabbed more wins than they deserved, this season is no different. 32nd in sacks with 4, 31st in rush defence, and Teddy has 8 touchdowns to 7 interceptions. How they have the same number of wins as some of the teams around them, like Oakland, shows how funny the NFL can be.

15) Cleveland Browns - 4-3
Times certainly are changing in Cleveland as they look to establish themselves in the middle of the pack rather than at the bottom. Alex Mack's injury sucks, but the team now has more pieces in place to cover something like that from derailing the season. Fuller and Gray are creating a name for themselves, it's been a while since the Browns could say that. Added to that, Vincent Rey has been a machine at MLB. 4 fumbles forced, 4 recoveries, and top 3 in in tackles. Are the Browns putting together a contender?!?

14) Seattle Seahawks - 4-3
It's been a period of slow change for the Seahawks as they transition from a consistent Super Bowl contender down to a top 10 NFC side. Some trends do still remain though, a secondary that ranks 2nd in pass defence is hardly surprising from Richard Sherman and co. No Marshawn Lynch hurts this team. They need an established runner who can control the ball and work with Andrew Luck.

13) Pittsburgh Steelers - 4-3
Pittsburgh's decision to destroy their roster to keep Antonio Brown really could have back fired significantly more than it has. Brown is now injured, placing more pressure on young receiver Sherard Quarles (37 catches, 448 yards) and rookie Rainey Lamb (23 catches, 362 yards). The main issue in keeping Brown was the defensive players that couldn't be renewed. A 30th ranked rushing D has limited how often Pittsburgh can get their offensive stars the ball as teams consistently grind their way down the field on them. It's a stat that will ultimately harm their post-season chances, but they're plodding along for now.

12) Houston Texans 5-3
Like Cleveland, Houston are looking to make a run at establishing themselves as a more credible NFL force than in years past. That started with an upgrade at QB, though that hasn't gone entirely to play. Matt Stafford is injured, so rookie Arryn Carroll is under centre. Fortunately he has Deandre Hopkins doing what he does best, and Jaelen Strong is putting together another under the radar season of solid play. Possibly most pleasing of all for the Houston front office is Jadeveon Clowney's emergence this term. He has 6 sacks to JJ Watt's 3.5. We all know Watt can produce, but if Clowney can keep his production going to, that is what the team had planned when they nabbed him #1 overall.

11) Cincinnati Bengals - 5-3
Atop a relatively weak division, the Bengals are still likely to make the play-offs but appear off the pace compared to recent seasons. The pressure on Carlos Calhoun is really getting pretty crazy, just like it did for Marvin Lewis. Andy Dalton is still doing just fine without AJ Green, on course for a 5,000 yard passing season and 46 touchdowns. Jeremy Hill has 700 yards rushing behind him as well, like that's needed!

10) New York Giants - 5-2
I'm not going to lie, I didn't see this one coming. Back to back #1 picks to a more then credible performance this season. Bryson Tracy is a real star in the making. He makes plays with his arms and his legs. He looks like RG3 when he exploded into the league. Lets hope it ends a little better for New York though. The next step for the G-Men is to improve their defence, they are 31st in the league right now.

9) Arizona Cardinals - 4-2-1
Last year's Super Bowl winners are tucked in nicely and poised to push on. They are averaging a ridiculous 37.8 points per game and new coach Sean MCDermott is able to focus his efforts on the defensive side of the ball without detracting from the offence. Chris Ivory is still being productive in the twilight of his career, even with David Johnson waiting in the wings. I like these Cards a lot. Again!

8) Miami Dolphins - 5-2
Even more surprising than the Giants might be the Dolphins. Tied for the lead in the AFC East, Ryan Tannerhill is a changed man from last season. 4th in total offence, 6th in passing offence. Middle of the road on defence, but that defensive front is still the best in the league though. I doubt Claude McDonald planned on riding the pine this season after how Miami's offence looked last season.

7) Mexico City Diablos - 5-2
A rare chance to sit at the peak of the division, Mexico City are enjoying some Carolina down time. They're doing it with solid defence, Desmond Trufant is a leader for that unit and has 4 interceptions. Matt Ryan and Julio Jones aren't having particularly great seasons, but right now they don't really need to.

6) San Diego Chargers - 5-2
This is how the season was meant to go once Tom Gores took over the team a year ago, it just took an extra season to kick into life. The evergreen Philip Rivers is showing the Chargers that he could keep playing another 10 years at this pace, 2,234 yards, 17 TDs, 4 picks. Melvin Gordon is a willing bell cow in the running game, and the defence is 4th in points allowed. Shrewd drafting from here could see the Chargers dominate their division for some time to come if Oakland, Denver and Kansas don't get their act together.

5) Buffalo Bills - 5-2
With Derek Carr at the helm, he is providing a similar option to Tyrod Taylor. Ball security, no risk, reasonable reward. It isn't pulling up trees, they are bottom 3 in offensive production. That is the same story as last season, the results are the same to. Defence drives this team, Preston Brown is the league's tackle leader from MLB, and they keep games tight and low scoring before finding a way to get over the line.

4) New England Patriots - 5-2
There will be nobody more relieved to see the Patriots back up with the elite of the league than Nick Saban. The detractors and doubters were out in force after a down season last year but Saban has the team playing well again. Even the loss of Rob Gronkowski for 4 weeks with a gimpy hamstring was overcome. That defence looks legit again. 24 sacks so far and strong against the rush. Jimmy Garoppolo has a lot of support around him right now.

3) Green Bay Packers - 5-2
The Packers have become like that childhood board game, Buckaroo. How many pieces of equipment could you put on the damn thing before it bucks and you lose? Well, how many pieces can you take away from the Packers until they can't compete at this level? The answer is more than right now! Centre Corey Linsley is out. Even Randall Cobb is out. No matter, Rodgers will still lead the way and his offence is averaging 35.8 points per game. Clay Matthews has 6.5 sacks which is always going to come in handy. How are the Packers still this good?!

2) Washington Redskins - 5-2
This Washington team epitomises the ultimate them vs us mentality. Coach Gruden has been excellent in shutting out the voices and getting his team to work together. Alfred Morris is one of the most active backs in the league right now and should easily top 300 carries by the end of the season. Mike Stark doesn't need to push himself too far because of the run heavy offence and it is working for him. Seeing an NFC East team this high would hurt me.....were it not for the team I've got at #1!

1) Dallas Cowboys - 6-1
ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY DALLAS COWBOYS! Man, it's been a while since I could say that. They are top of the tree and rightly so! Tyson McBride is like Troy Aikman and Tony Romo combined, he is awesome. 2,363 yards and 17 touchdowns. Even losing Zach Martin to IR isn't enough to put the brakes on. 1st in total defence to, I didn't even mention that one. Offence, defence, we have it all!