1. Dallas Cowboys: 11-5
Hosting a Super Bowl doesn’t guarantee you a spot in the Super Bowl.
2. New York Giants: 9-7
Where’s the running game and the defense?
3. Philadelphia Eagles: 8-8
Will Philly fans miss McNabb at any point this year?
4. Washington Redskins: 6-10
A new coach and a new QB, but there are still a few headaches on the team.

Coaches

Tom Coughlin – Giants
Hard to believe it’s been three years since Tom Coughlin led the Giants to perhaps the biggest Super Bowl upset in NFL history.  Since then, the Giants have hit a snag in development.  Winning the division in ’08 didn’t guarantee they would repeat as Super Bowl champions as they were ousted by division rival Philadelphia in the divisional round.  Last year with a 5-0 start to the season, things began to look good for the Giants until they started a four game losing streak that resulted in a 3-8 record to finish the season 8-8.  In the midst of all the turmoil the defense had allowed 40+ points in three of their final four games.  Coughlin knows that in order to get back into contention, especially in the NFC East, it starts on the defensive side.  His job depends on it.

Mike Shanahan – Redskins
In owner Daniel Snyder’s ten year reign, the Redskins have only had three winning seasons and six different head coaches.  Mike Shanahan is now the eighth.  There is optimism though in D.C.  Shanahan brings a new attitude that starts at the top and is working its way down to the players.  He and new general manager Bruce Allen have total control over personnel decisions and so far it has worked with the acquisition of Donovan McNabb from Philadelphia, but so far has failed with Albert Haynesworth.  There will be some bumps in the road this year, but Shanahan has the Redskins thinking of being back in the lime light of the NFL.  With a legitimate quarterback at the helm, that could be sooner than later.

Andy Reid – Eagles
From the time Andy Reid was hired in 1999 he has had the same quarterback leading his team.  Now that McNabb is in Washington, Reid will turn his attention towards making sure Kevin Kolb doesn’t turn out to be a bust.  Reid has a knack for making the most out of seemingly hopeless situation.  McNabb for the longest time didn’t have the best receivers to throw to, but the Eagles had appeared in five consecutive NFC championship games.  Reid has more to work with on offense to help ease the transition over to Kolb, but they don’t have a dominant rushing attack to help take more of the burden off Kolb’s shoulder.

Wade Phillips – Cowboys
The talk of can the Cowboys win a playoff game with Tony Romo and Wade Phillips is now over.  They got past their division rival Philadelphia in the wild-card game last year, but were exposed against the Vikings in the divisional round.  Phillips has some question marks in how he handles his teams in big games.  At times the Cowboys look like they’re the best team in the NFL, but others they look like they belong in the middle of the pack.  With Cowboys Stadium being the sight for this years Super Bowl it won’t be said, but you can bet that owner Jerry Jones wants to see his team play in that game.  The Cowboys normally start out strong, but if they struggle early, it will interesting to see if Jerry keeps his finger off the trigger.

Best Acquisition: QB Donovan McNabb – Washington Redskins
No matter what you say about McNabb, you can’t deny that he is a proven winner.  The Eagles only had two losing seasons with McNabb at quarterback.  That is tough thing to do in a tough sports town like Philadelphia.  The Redskins haven’t appeared in a Super Bowl in almost 20 years.  McNabb doesn’t have a whole lot left in the tank, but he has at least three more good years left in him.  There isn’t as much to throw to in D.C. as there was in Philly, but that didn’t stop McNabb from being the Eagles all-time passer.

Quarterback – Grade
Giants – A
Cowboys – B
Redskins – B
Eagles – C

He isn’t the flashiest quarterback, but Eli Manning gets the job done.  Last year was by far his best season statistically.  He had great chemistry with his receivers Steve Smith and Mario Manningham.  The bigger emphasis on the passing game was due in large part to a change in philosophy with the coaching staff.  The weren’t getting the same push in the running game and instead went to the pass.  Like his brother Peyton, if Eli goes down the Giants are in serious trouble.
Tony Romo being the quarterback for “America’s Team” has perhaps the biggest monkey on his back.  He has always managed to keep a positive outlook on his position.  It helps when he has Jason Witten to throw to.  Romo has also brought out the best of Miles Austin who has become one of the biggest deep threats in the NFL in just one year.  Romo also has the benefit of having an owner that will do everything possible to put a winner out on the field.  The added pressure of the Super Bowl in Dallas might be too much for Romo to handle.
Washington has struck out on so many quarterbacks during the Daniel Snyder era.  This should be the home run they’ve been looking for.  Donovan McNabb is a proven winner and he has done so without a lot of receivers to throw to or a viable running game throughout his career.  McNabb has two tight ends in Chris Cooley and Fred Davis to target.  Santana Moss is still one of the best at running the deep route.  McNabb also has a good running back in Clinton Portis to fall back on should the passing attack fail during games.  Don’t expect a playoff run, but Washington will have a more balanced offense.
The Eagles have said good bye to their all-time passing leader and said hello to Kevin Kolb.  He has a handful of starts under his belt, but against inferior opponents.  The former second round pick was thought of highly when he was selected in the ’07 draft.  Everyone wondered why the Eagles selected a quarterback so high, but it has now become apparent this year.  The Eagles are a talented enough team to avoid a total meltdown in Kolb’s first year as starter, but if the Eagles fall short of the 8 win plateau, many will wonder if they’re in a full rebuilding mode.

Running Back – Grade
Cowboys – A
Giants – B
Redskins – B
Eagles – C

Dallas has a three headed monster at running back.  Any one of them can start for every other team in the NFL.  Marion Barber is the workhorse.  He’ll get the tough yards and is a constant threat to score in the redzone.  Felix Jones is the speedster.  Always a threat to run it all the way he’s used primarily on draw plays that utilize his speed.  Tashard Choice is the wild card.  He could be an every down back, but is better used as the third down back.  An underrated receiver he is also adept in pass protection for Tony Romo.
Ahmad Bradshaw will be named the starter, but Brandon Jacobs is still a big part of the running game for the Giants.  The Giants need both to be on their game to get back to the playoffs.  Jacobs is hard to stop in the trenches and Bradshaw is difficult in the open field.  Both complement each other well.  The only problem for the Giants is on third down.  They don’t have a reliable option there.  Bradshaw is by default by he isn’t great in pass protection.
Clinton Portis is getting really close to the end of his career.  The wear and tear on his legs is starting to catch up to him.  The Redskins hope to ease some of that off Portis this year which resulted in the signing of Larry Johnson.  Together they form a pretty good duo of backs that should provide a decent duo for McNabb and the offense.  Portis will still be the primary third down back due to his blocking skills and Johnson will be the primary back in the redzone.
The Eagles began the youth movement at running back last year with LeSean McCoy getting most of the carries due to Brian Westbrook’s multiple concussions.  McCoy showed some flashes of his potential, but he was non-existent in short yardage plays.  Mike Bell was signed to provide some stability in short yardage situations and at the goal line.  McCoy should get over the 1,000 yard plateau this year, but the Eagles should look to get him more involved in the passing attack. 

Wide Receiver – Grade
Cowboys – A
Giants – B
Eagles – B
Redskins – C

An already good group got even better when rookie Dez Bryant fell to them in the first round.  With Bryant the Cowboys will have a formidable combination of him and Miles Austin for quite some time.  Austin exploded for 11 touchdown catches and over 1,300 yards receiving last year.  He probably won’t come close to those stats, but expect his catches to go above 81.  Bryant is deceptively fast and is great at catching passes over the middle.  He fits that Anquan Boldin mold of a big physical receiver that isn’t afraid to make contact.  Jason Witten is still one of the best tight ends in the NFL.  He’s tough for linebackers to bring down when given room to move after the catch.  Roy Williams can still be productive, but this is his last chance to prove his worth on a contending team.
Eli Manning has a good group that has developed great chemistry with one another during one of the best passing seasons in Giants history.  Steve Smith had a breakout season with 107 receptions and over 1,200 yards receiving.  Mario Manningham added 822 yards and his 5 touchdown catches to the mix.  Both will be the go to guys for Manning.  Last years first round pick Hakeem Nicks came on slowly, but managed to have a productive year with 790 yards and 6 touchdowns.  Kevin Boss was a favorite target for Manning during their Super Bowl run when Jeremy Shockey was out with an injury.  Boss’ strength is mostly in blocking, but he is slowly becoming a great pass catching tight end.
Philadelphia has enough weapons at Kevin Kolb’s disposal to help ease him along in his first season as the starter.  DeSean Jackson is perhaps ready to dethrone Steve Smith in Carolina as the best deep receiver in the NFL.  His receptions will certainly increase from 62 of a year ago.  Brett Celek is a given at tight end.  He is the best target to throw to since he’s always in single coverage.  Celek’s quickness also allows him to lineup as a receiver to create mismatches.  Jeremy Maclin was often lost in the offense, but improved late in the season.  The former 1st round pick will need to create chemistry quickly with Kolb in order to bring more balance in the passing attack.
Both tight ends will be used often in the Redskins passing game.  Chris Cooley is still a Pro-Bowl caliber tight end when healthy.  Fred Davis, given the opportunity, proved his worth last year for the Redskins.  Both will instantly be McNabb’s favorite targets.  Santana Moss still has the speed that made him a 1st round pick for the Jets in ’01.  Moss will be what DeSean Jackson was for McNabb in Philadelphia.  A deep threat on every down.  Devin Thomas was given more playing time down the stretch last year and showed some potential, but he will be on a short leash with pressure to produce immediately.

Defense – Grade
Cowboys – B
Redskins – B
Eagles – C
Giants – C

Dallas has perhaps the most feared pass rush in the NFL and it starts with DeMarcus Ware.  It was a down year for Ware (11 sacks), but he still left his mark in most games he played.  Without Jay Ratliff and Igor Olshansky on the line, Ware wouldn’t be running as freely as he does.  Ratliff isn’t one to shy away from sacking the quarterback either.  His 13.5 sacks are second only to Ware in the last two years.  Keith Brooking and Bradie James patrol the middle for the Cowboys.  Brooking’s veteran presence and James’ speed and agility complement each other well in Wade Phillips’ attacking scheme.  The one area of weakness has always been the secondary.  Cornerback hasn’t been the problem with Terrence Newman and Mike Jenkins, but rather at safety.  No one has been able to cover the deep pass since Darren Woodson patrolled center field for the Cowboys.  That will need to change if the Cowboys are to play in the Super Bowl.
The Redskins are changing to a 3-4 defense, which is probably a good thing.  Washington has struggled to cause turnovers and switching the scheme might change that.  The most important part of the 3-4 is the defensive line.  If they don’t plug the gaps, blockers will be after the linebackers.  Albert Haynesworth will be counted on to help in that area, but with his attitude needing adjusting it’s a long shot.  It will be up to the linebackers lead by London Fletcher to make sure the new scheme is up to par.  Brian Orakpo and Andre Carter will the pass rushers of the edge.  Both combined for 22 sacks last year and should be able to duplicate that in a 3-4.  Fletcher will be joined by Rocky McIntosh in the middle to plug the running lanes and get after receivers over the middle.  Both are very good in both departments.  Carlos Rogers and DeAngelo Hall will have a lot of responsibilities this year.  More blitzing means more single coverage and both haven’t lived up to their first round potential in quite some time. 
The Eagles pride themselves on having an undersized front seven.  That’s how they’re always near the top in total defense with their team speed.  They took a few steps backwards last year due to injuries and guys getting older, but they’ve infused youth into the unit.  First round pick Brandon Graham will be starting opposite Trent Cole on the end.  Cole is still an excellent pass rusher and Graham will be expected to achieve at least a half-dozen sacks this year.  Brodrick Bunkley and Mike Patterson are two of the most underrated run stuffers in the NFL.  Both have a quick first step and are always pushing forward.  Ernie Sims was acquired from Detroit in a trade and instantly infuses some youth at linebacker.  With Stewart Bradley back from injury both will bring some stability to a unit that struggled against the pass and run last year.  Asante Samuel is still a ball-hawking corner always with a keen eye on the quarterback and receiver.  Rookie Nate Allen will be thrust into the starting safety spot left by free acquisition Marlin Jackson who is lost for the season.  Allen will be in a tough position of protecting the defense from the likes of Romo, Manning and McNabb in six games this year. 
New York, to put it simply was awful last year on defense.  Tom Coughlin cleaned house in the coaching staff and hired Perry Fewell from Buffalo.  Fewell will look to bring back the pass rush and dominate the passing game.  Their depth on the defensive line is second to none in the NFL.  Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka are every down ends that could play tackle if need be.  Osi Umenyiora is relegated to being a situational end, but is slowly earning his way back to getting more playing time.  First round pick Jason Pierre-Paul is a raw athlete, but will get plenty of looks to see what he can do as a pass rusher.  Keith Bullock is the new middle linebacker after spending his first 10 seasons in Tennessee on the outside.  Bullock brings needed veteran presence to a defense that will need a kick every once in a while and Keith is that guy.  Corey Webster fell off the map late last year and the Giants don’t need a repeat of that.  Aaron Ross struggled with a hamstring injury that kept him out of most games and they need his physical play to stop the best passing teams.  Antrel Rolle will immediately help stop the deep pass, but the Giants need former 1st round pick Kenny Phillips healthy to help.  Both Rolle and Phillips will complement each other well and create what Rolle had in Arizona with Adrian Wilson.

1. Green Bay Packers: 11-5
Hopefully Aaron Rodgers will be sacked less than 51 times.
2. Minnesota Vikings 10-6
With Brett Favre, Super Bowl contender.  Without, barely .500.
3. Chicago Bears: 7-9
Can Mike Martz fix Jay Cutler?
4. Detroit Lions: 6-10
Another year of progress from Stafford and a better defense will help.

Coaches

Mike McCarthy – Packers
A relative unknown when he was hired in ’06, McCarthy has slowly turned the Packers into a contender once again.  Everything was looking up when he had Brett Favre at the helm his first two years.  A 21-11 record isn’t bad.  An appearance in the ’07 NFC Championship had the football world wondering if McCarthy could keep it going.  With Favre’s retirement/departure from Green Bay, that meant Aaron Rodgers was thrust into the starting spot.  McCarthy has entrusted Rodgers with the offense and with a few bumps early on, the Packers are now a contender again after an 11-5 record that ended in a shootout with Arizona in the playoffs.  With some improvements on the offensive line, Green Bay should be a favorite to win the division and possibly the NFC.

Jim Schwartz – Lions
His first season was a relative success (2-14).  When you consider the previous year was a win less one.  Schwartz has a good core to build upon on the offense with Matthew Stafford at quarterback.  Calvin Johnson at wide receiver and Jahvid Best at running back.  Now he just has to get everything together on the defensive side.  Ndamukong Suh is not going to be the lone savior for the Lions defense, but he is a nice–great start.  Schwartz had a game changing tackle at Tennessee when he was defensive coordinator.  His name was Albert Haynesworth.  Suh is potentially better than Haynesworth in many areas.  Doubling last years win total will a point in the right direction, but the defense getting out of the cellar of the NFL will be a welcome sight.

Brad Childress – Vikings
You could say that without Brett Favre, Brad Childress would not be the head coach of the Vikings.  You have to admit that if you were Childress, you would be doing everything in your power to make sure Favre plays for you.  It’s wrong, but can you blame him?  Childress has the right group of players that fit the system he’s implementing.  It also helps to have Adrian Peterson as your running back.  There might be some problems on third downs now without Chester Taylor (Chicago).  This is essentially the make or break year for this Vikings team.  Super Bowl or bust.  The defense is still one of the best in the league.  Especially when it comes to getting the quarterback (48 sacks).  Childress might have to rely more on the defense this year than he would like with Favre banged up and Peterson prone to fumblitis. 

Lovie Smith – Bears
He is proof positive that if you can get a franchise to its first Super Bowl appearance in 21 years in ’06, you will have a free ride.  Even if your record is a combined 23-25 the next three seasons.  This is without a doubt his last chance at a winner in Chicago.  You want to know how he knows it?  He hired Mike Martz, who was the Rams head coach when Lovie was the defensive coordinator.  Martz will be charged with turning around an anemic offense that ranked 23rd in the league.  Lovie Smith is also losing touch with his defense.  Yes, losing Brian Urlacher during the first game of the season didn’t help, but he couldn’t seem to ignite any confidence from his players after the fact.  The boo birds in Chicago will be heard at the first sign of trouble.  The Bears aren’t the type of franchise to yank a coach in the middle of a season, but they might make an exception this year.

Best Acquisition: DE Julius Peppers – Chicago Bears
This was the first sign that Chicago was desperate when they outbid everyone to get the best free agent of 2010.  Peppers is considered a difference maker by most in the league.  He could play in any system, but his true value is taking on double teams.  In Chicago, that means all-pro defensive tackle Tommie Harris will be left with one blocker.  Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs will be free to make plays on the ball.  Peppers will get his double digit sack totals, but he will open everything up for the defense.  The secondary will benefit immensely from a consistent pass rush that ranked 13th last year.  The acquisition was needed not for the future, but for right now.

Quarterback – Grade
Packers – A
Vikings – A
Bears – B
Lions – B

Aaron Rodgers has solidified himself as one of the elite quarterbacks in just two years as a starter.  In just two years he’s thrown 58 touchdown passes and almost 8,500 yards passing.  That’s astonishing numbers from someone who’s replaced a legend in Green Bay.  He has a great group of receivers to throw to.  What’s even impressive is that he doesn’t have an elite running game to take pressure from the passing game.  Plus he’s been sacked more than a quarterback would like to be.  With an added emphasis to fixing the o-line, Rodgers should produce MVP type numbers.
What can I say, he’s Brett Favre.  Ready for another round, its become apparent that Favre is doing this not for the fun of the game anymore.  It appears to me that he just wants to be the man again.  He’s trying to dictate how to end his legacy, but lets be honest.  Not everyone can go out on top like John Elway.  Favre is one of the best, but this dog and pony show in the offseason is waning on his football triumphs.  The Vikings need him.  Unfortunately for Minnesota their chance came and went last year, but the old gunslinger has made us look foolish before.
Chicago does have one of the best young quarterbacks today.  He just needs some fine tuning.  For the Bears sake, they hope Mike Martz can fix it quick.  Cutler has great potential, but his interception totals were a concern to say the least (26).  He had combined for 37 in his first three seasons.  Whether it be a poorest line or hardly any playmakers on offense, the point of the matter is every quarterback has a bump in the road.  Cutler needs to get his confidence back.  The best way is to get the running game going and to better utilize the playmakers the Bears do have to Cutler’s advantage.
Taking the starting job from day one is not something most coaches would do, but in Detroit’s case was there a better one?  Matthew Stafford threw more interceptions than touchdowns (20-13), but he did show great poise under constant pressure and played hurt during their thrilling win against the Cleveland Browns.  That earned him some big points in NFL circles.  This year he has another weapon in 1st round pick Jahvid Best.  The former Golden Bear will be a sight for soar eyes on third down situations and on draw plays.  Getting Stafford more help on offense is the Lions reward for an impressive rookie campaign.

Running Back – Grade
Vikings -B
Bears – B
Packers – C
Lions – C

He’s still considered one of the best running backs in the NFL, but Adrian Peterson has a big flaw that was exposed most of last year and especially in the NFC Championship game, fumbles.  He did put work into fixing the problem, but not in the way that former Pro-Bowl running back Tiki Barber did by not holding the ball out in the open all the time.  Once Peterson realizes that, all will be well in Minnesota.  They will miss Chester Taylor, but gain another bruiser in Toby Gerhart.  The 2nd round pick will be a nice complement to Peterson’s style.
Chicago had a nice running game in ’08 with then rookie Matt Forte rushing for over 1,200 yards.  But ’09 had Forte rush for only 929 yards and his rushing touchdowns were cut in half (8-4).  That was due in large part to the Bears being down early and often in most of their games.  Thus the emphasis on passing the ball.  That has to change, but Mike Martz is a pass first guy.  That should help Forte be more involved as he has excellent skills in that department.  He has 120 receptions in his two seasons in Chicago.  Chester Taylor will an excellent third down back and will help on pass protection as well.
Green Bay has managed to have great seasons out of unknown running backs in the past decade.  Ryan Grant is just the latest example.  His last two seasons he’s rushed for over 1,200 yards and nearly 1,000 in his first season in Green Bay.  Grant doesn’t provide much in the passing game, but is an underrated blocker.  Brandon Jackson has been injury prone in his first three seasons, but is a nice change of pace back.  His value is on third down passing situations.
The Lions have a nice combination in the backfield.  Kevin Smith has been the constant force for his first two seasons.  An injury sidelined his ’09 campaign, but with a new running mate in Jahvid Best, the Lions will be looking for the same success most teams are having in the running game.  Smith will most likely get the bulk of the carries, but Best has shown he can handle his own.  Best will a nice weapon especially in dual-back formations with Smith.  The Lions need to take away some of the pressure from Stafford and put more emphasis on getting the running game on track.  They don’t need the next Barry Sanders, but getting into the middle of the pack would be nice.

Wide Receiver – Grade
Packers – B
Vikings – B
Lions – B
Bears – C

Having Greg Jennings, Donal Driver and Jermichael Finley as your three targets is always a good thing if you’re Aaron Rodgers.  This is the main reason for Rodgers’ early success.  Jennings has continued his breakout performance of ’07 in which he caught 12 touchdowns.  His yards went over 1,100 the next two years.  As did his receptions to over 65.  He has gained a great rapport with Rodgers the last two years.  Driver is all-time leading receiver in Packers history.  It helps having Favre throw you all those footballs and with Rodgers, Driver is sure to shatter the record books.  Finley was a relative unknown is his rookie year of  ’08, but he broke out in a big way in ’09 with 55 receptions, 5 for touchdowns.  Rodgers will continue to look his way in the redzone.
Minnesota suffered a blow when Sidney Rice went for hip surgery during camp.  He will most likely miss the first six games of the season.  Luckily the Vikings have enough weapons to offset that loss for a while.  Bernard Berrian will be thrust into the number role.  A hamstring injury sidelined him last year, but he still has breakaway speed and will continue to be the deep threat.  Percy Harvin was every where for the Vikings.  Whether it be out of the backfield or in the slot, he was a distraction for every defense.  Favre developed a great chemistry with Harvin, but he still has trouble with migraines and that could be a problem throughout the season.  Visanthe Shiancoe had a Pro-Bowl year with a career high 11 touchdown catches.  Favre loves throwing to tight ends in the redzone and Shiancoe is hard to stop when he smells the endzone.
The Lions made a move by signing Nate Burleson early in free agency.  The reason was to have a deep threat to offset the constant double coverage Calvin Johnson was receiving.  Burleson isn’t the best at catching the ball over the middle, but gets good yardage after the catch.  Johnson’s specialty is over the middle.  He is too fast for most corners and too strong for some linebackers.  In Detroit’s case the fourth time was the charm as Johnson was the fourth wide receiver selected in the first round in five drafts by the Lions.  Brandon Pettigrew developed a good chemistry with Stafford, but he struggled at times with the offense and that’s why Detroit acquired Tony Scheffler from Denver to bring some added motivation to Pettigrew going into this season.
Chicago focused on improving the defense in the offseason and decided to stay pat with the receivers they had.  Cutler developed good chemistry with some, but most were either hurt or inconsistent to gain Cutler’s trust.  Greg Olsen was Cutler’s favorite target catching 8 touchdown passes.  Olsen is good enough to play the slot for Chicago, but his numbers might go down with Martz running the offense.  Tight ends are used as blockers more than receivers in his system.  Devin Hester and Johnny Knox will need to learn the system in a hurry as Earl Bennett and Devin Aromashodu are waiting in the wings.  Hester and Knox have the speed Martz craves, but Bennett and Aromashodu have chemistry with Cutler on their side.

Defense – Grade
Packers – A
Vikings – B
Bears -B
Lions – C

Green Bay for the first time turned to the 3-4 defense.  Dom Capers proved that a team that has never used the system before can become a great defense over night as the Packers had the 2nd best defense in the league.  Thanks in large to the ball-hawking secondary led by 2009 Defensive Player of the Year Charles Woodson.  The Packers led the league with 30 interceptions, 9 by Woodson.  Nick Barnett and Clay Matthews were the constant force in the middle.  Barnett was healthy and had a blast running in the 3-4.  Matthews had an amazing rookie year leading the team with 10 sacks.  Look for him to post double digit sack totals most of his career.  The defensive line is big and bulky.  Cullen Jenkins is the workhorse.  Constantly getting into the backfield pressuring both the quarterback and running back.  Ryan Pickett will move to the outside leaving the nose tackle position to last years 1st round pick B.J. Raji.  Pickett will continue to produce, but the key will be Raji who looked lost at times last year.  With a few tweaks the emphasis will still be getting to the quarterback and causing turnovers.
Minnesota perhaps has the best front seven in the league.  Jared Allen, Ray Edwards and the Williams’ wall of Kevin and Pat form the best defensive line in the game today.  Edwards and Allen combine for 23 of the teams 48 sacks last year.  The Williams’ are the best run stuffing tackle combination in the league.  It’s no surprise that they ranked 2nd against the rush last year.  Chad Greenway is an underrated outside linebacker.  His motor is constantly running.  Ben Leber is decent in coverage, but has a knack for causing havoc in the backfield.  E.J. Henderson appears ready to play after a horrific leg injury ended his season late last year.  Once he went down the defense suffered a bit down the stretch.  The secondary has a needed boost of adrenaline with 2nd round pick Chris Cook aboard.  His size (6’2″) and deceptive speed will be trouble for most number one receivers in the near future.  Antoine Winfield isn’t the same corner he used to be, but can still help in run support.  Tyrell Johnson is slowly becoming a great safety.  He is sometimes prone to the deep pass, but is improving in that realm.
Chicago will definitely get and added boost with Julius Peppers on the defensive end.  Most quarterbacks were relaxed against the Bears last year knowing their lack of a pass rush, but they will have trouble sleeping the night before they play Chicago.  Brian Urlacher returning to Pro-Bowl form will be an added bonus.  The life was sucked out of the defense when he went down with an arm injury during the first game.  Two players that must return to form are tackle Tommie Harris and Lance Briggs.  If they have another sub par season fans will be demanding the Bears get a return on their investment from both of them.  The secondary still has some trouble spots, but it can only go up from here on out.  Charles Tillman is healthy.  Zackary Bowman gained valuable experience during last season.  This year figures to be a plus for the safeties as Chris Harris was signed from Carolina and Major Wright, a 3rd round pick out of Florida will help in both coverage and in stopping the run.
The Lions figure the best way to get a great defense is to start from scratch.  They’ve rebuilt the entire defensive line by the drafting of Ndamukong Suh 2nd overall, trading for Corey Williams and signing Kyle Vanden Bosch.  Vanden Bosch and Suh figure to make immediate impacts as their high motors and tough persona will spread throughout the ranks.  Williams was a bust in the 3-4 system in Cleveland, but in a 4-3 in Green Bay the previous year he looks to rebound to his old form.  Julian Peterson is the only viable option at linebacker.  The 11 year veteran is determined to see a winner in Detroit (Michigan State alum).  The secondary is revamped.  Chris Houston was the number one cornerback in Atlanta.  He was acquired to bring some added toughness to the secondary.  Louis Delmas was the lone bright spot as his toughness and tenacity were welcome, but it didn’t translate into much.  This year will different in the Motor City.

1. New Orleans Saints: 11-5
Defending the title is always harder than winning it.
2. Atlanta Falcons: 10-6
Will their defense step up to the plate?
3. Carolina Panthers: 6-10
John Fox is a lame duck coach with no proven QB.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 5-11
The growing pains continue for the new regime.

Coaches

Sean Payton – Saints
He has the where with all and the swagger to boot.  Sean Payton is an offensive genius, but also knows what buttons to push and at what time to push them.  The first move of the Sean Payton era was signing Drew Brees to be their franchise quarterback.  After the no-win situation of Hurricane Katrina plaguing the city of New Orleans, the Saints kept an upbeat attitude throughout and that’s thanks in large part to Payton.  In his first year (2006) they were one win away from getting to the Super Bowl.  Last year they struggled down the stretch losing their last three games of the season, but Payton kept the goal of a Super Bowl title at the top of the teams goals.  They responded with one of the best playoff performances of recent memory.

Mike Smith – Falcons
We always focus on the players turning around the franchise, but a large part goes to the head coach.  Mike Smith was a relative unknown when he was hired in 2008.  He was the defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars the previous five seasons.  Before that he spent time with the Baltimore Ravens coaching staff.  He had a pretty good resume and that showed with the turnaround in Atlanta following the Michael Vick debacle.  Smith was fortunate to have Matt Ryan fall to him at number three overall in ’08.  Together the Falcons have had the best two year run in franchise history.  The talent pool is over-flowing in Atlanta and Mike Smith is doing an excellent job at making the most of it.

John Fox – Panthers
No one likes a lame duck coach.  John Fox unfortunately is that coach.  He has the most wins in franchise history (71).  He has coached the Panthers to three playoff appearances.  And one of those playoff appearances resulted in a trip to the Super Bowl.  The first in franchise history.  It’s amazing that two other potential lame duck coaches, Norv Turner of San Diego and Gary Kubiak of Houston both received contract extensions before the season starts.  What do they have that Fox doesn’t as a head coach?  He has a daunting task with no proven quarterback and a suspect defense.  Not to mention that there are two teams ahead of his, talent wise.  It’s a no win situation.

Raheem Morris – Buccaneers
Eyebrows were raised when first year head coach Raheem Morris fired his offensive coordinator just a week before the season began.  Then it happened on the defensive side when his defensive coordinator resigned.  Morris stepped in and took over that department.  There were too many distractions for Morris and his staff that it’s amazing that Tampa Bay even won three games last year.  Morris will still oversee the defense this year and he does have an offensive coordinator in place.  There is a lot of room for improvement in Tampa Bay, but it will have to wait another year. 

Best Acquisition: CB Dunta Robinson – Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta has been struggling to find a great cornerback since they let DeAngelo Hall go.  Not since Ray Buchanan has the Atlanta Falcons had a legitimate threat to match anybody’s number one receiver.  Dunta Robinson they hope fits that mold.  He’s had a good career, but it has been mired with injuries and protests about his contract in Houston.  Whether the Falcons make a strong push into the playoffs will depend on the defense and whether they can compete with the high powered offenses of the NFC.  Mainly their division rival New Orleans.  Robinson will be a big part of that push they hope.

Quarterback – Grade
Saints – A
Falcons – A
Buccaneers – C
Panthers – D

You could make the argument for many players as being the best free agent acquisition since free agency was first implemented.  Every single time you would bring it up, you would have to mention Drew Brees.  No quarterback has done more for a franchise in such a short period of time.  His career was in jeopardy when he tore his shoulder in a playoff game in his last year with San Diego.  The Chargers chose to go with Philip Rivers and let Brees go.  What’s interesting about Brees is that both he and New Orleans wanted one another.  That sums up his outlook on more than football.  In terms of football, he’s right there with Peyton and Brady.
The Falcons struck gold looking back at the 2008 NFL Draft.  Both Miami and St. Louis passed on Matt Ryan and Atlanta gladly chose him third overall.  Miami has a good quarterback and St. Louis has their franchise quarterback now, but do you think they regret passing on Ryan?  He led Atlanta to the playoffs his first year and nearly clinched another playoff berth in ’09.  Ryan has a great running back to take pressure off him and the passing game, but he has shown the intangibles needed to make it in this league.  If he goes down, the offense suffers.
Tampa Bay has their guy in Josh Freeman.  Everyone figured he would sit out his rookie year, but with the constant personnel changes and the eventual benching of Byron Leftwich, the Buccaneers wanted to see what they had with Freeman.  He showed off his tremendous arm strength, but also surprised with his poise under pressure.  He has a slew of young receivers to get acclimated with and the offense hasn’t changed much.  Freeman has rare ability and the hopes of this regime rest with his right arm.
Carolina did not have a first round pick, but managed to draft one of the top quarterbacks in the draft with their second round pick.  Jimmy Clausen fell all the way to the 16th pick in the second round for reasons still unknown, at least in this writer’s eyes.  He will be competing with incumbent Matt Moore who is 6-2 overall as a starter, but that’s a bit over-hyped since the Panthers have a great running back combination.  Moore will probably get the first chance at the job because of his experience in the offense, but Clausen will be motivated and ready to play when called upon.
 
Running Back – Grade
Panthers – A
Falcons – B
Saints – B
Buccaneers – C

When you have two 1,000 yard rushers on your roster, you damn well better get an A.  DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart complement each other very well.  They both mutually don’t care who gets the ball more.  As long as the team wins, that’s all that matters.  You have to love that if you’re John Fox.  Williams is that speed back while Stewart has deceptive speed, but can run it right up the middle for short gains.  You won’t find a better duo than these two.  They keep each other fresh and it helps to have the kind of cohesiveness that Carolina has on the offensive line.
Atlanta’s one shining moment for their turnaround came with the signing of Michael Turner.  He was the change of pace back for LaDainian Tomlinson in San Diego.  The Chargers have missed him ever since.  Turner exploded for a 1,699 yard rushing season in ’08 and would’ve had well over 1,000 yards again had an ankle injury not sidelined him for most of the ’09 season.  Atlanta has good depth behind Turner in Jerious Norwood and Jason Snelling.  However, the Falcons running game isn’t the same without Turner’s deceptive speed.
At first glance it’s true that New Orleans did win their first Super Bowl through the air.  Looking again, they had a great balance in the running game to free up the passing attack.  Reggie Bush is that secret weapon the Saints will more often use as a decoy, but defenses still have to account for him on the field.  Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell were the workhorses in the backfield.  Bell left via free agency to Philadelphia which does leave a hole as far as depth goes, but Thomas is more than capable of handling a bigger load and Bush will be utilized more in packages that take advantage of his breakaway speed.
The Buccaneers got a healthy season out of their former first round pick Cadillac Williams.  Not a career year by any means, but a productive one.  His 3.9 yards per carry were below average, but Cadillac made up for it with his rushing yards (823).  Derrick Ward was a no show for most of the year.  An added workload seemed to be too much for him.  He’ll have to get used to it quickly or he will be looking for a new team.  Earnest Graham is now the fullback, but look for him to get more carries in short yardage situations.

Wide Receiver – Grade
Saints – A
Falcons – A
Panthers – C
Buccaneers – D

The Saints come at you with many different looks and so many weapons for Drew Brees to choose from.  Marques Colston has continued to succeed in New Orleans.  After an injury plagued ’08 season he bounced back to gain over 1,000 yards and nearly had double digit touchdown scores.  Devery Henderson is the other starter opposite Colston.  More of the deep threat, Henderson is streaky at times, but is still a threat to break away from any defensive back in the NFL.  Robert Meachem finally lived up to his first round potential.  His first two years were marred in injuries and inconsistency, he finally gained the trust of both Brees and coach Sean Payton and it resulted in catching 9 touchdown passes.  Jeremy Shockey was exactly what the Saints needed from him and that was a check down option for Brees when the receivers were covered.  Shockey’s backup David Thomas was an even bigger surprise than Meachem.  His blocking was a big help, but he made some key plays for the Saints Super Bowl run.
Atlanta has the receivers to match with any other team in the league.  Roddy White had a career high 11 touchdown catches and a third consecutive 80+ catch 1,100 yard season.  His running mate Michael Jenkins is well adept to the system and is an above average possession receiver.  Tony Gonzalez burst onto the scene and left his mark by finishing second in receptions (83), yards (867) and touchdown catches (6).  The future hall of famer will continue to help Matt Ryan get better as his career progresses.  Brian Finneran is an excellent possession receiver on third downs.  Harry Douglas will be looking to start what was expected to be a big season last year before he went down with a knee injury in training camp.
Carolina has a legitimate number one receiver in Steve Smith.  A quarterback’s delight to have.  His stats have gone down slightly, but he remains one of the best at getting yards after the catch.  After Smith it is full of question marks.  When will Dwayne Jarrett prove his worth as a first round pick?  This undoubtedly is his last chance in Carolina.  Will rookies Brandon LaFell and Armanti Edwards make an impact?  LaFell has big play potential.  Great size and speed, but will he pick up the offense quick enough to play right away.  Edwards will probably be used as a wildcat quarterback.  He was the quarterback at Appalachian State.  The same one who helped beat Michigan at the “Big House.”  Jeff King and Dante Rosario are good pass catching tight ends, but the tight end is used as a blocker more than a receiver in the Carolina offense.
The turnover at this position is amazing.  Two rookies will look to get plenty of playing time.  Second rounder Arrelious Benn and fourth rounder Mike Williams.  Both have break away speed and amazing potential with Josh Freeman as the quarterback.  Kellen Winslow Jr. was the leading receiver by a mile last year.  He will continue to be Freeman’s go-to-guy this upcoming season.  There are a couple of veterans who will look to make into the rotation.  Michael Clayton and Reggie Brown, both highly touted draft picks, are looking for another chance at making the cut.  Clayton had one good year, but that was in his rookie year (’04).  Brown was banged up for most of his career in Philadelphia and this could be his last chance at making an NFL roster.

Defense – Grade
Saints – B
Panthers – C
Falcons – C
Buccaneers – C

By no means were the Saints an elite defense, but they were the best ball-hawking defense in the NFL.  It starts with pressure and they were amongst the best at it by sacking the quarterback 35 times (tied for 13th).  Will Smith led the group with 13.  He will be good for another double digit sack total as long as he stays healthy.  Sedrick Ellis is turning into one of the best tackles in the league with his push up front on both run and pass plays.  Jonathan Vilma was as happy as can be when he was traded from the Jets 3-4 system into the Saints 4-3 base.  That’s his style and it fits him well.  Losing Scott Fujita (Cleveland) to free agency will hurt, but Scott Shanle has been a great coverage linebacker and underrated in stopping the run.  Darren Sharper was another great acquisition last year.  His 9 interceptions was tied for the league lead.   He will probably be out for the first six games due to knee surgery, but he will welcomed with open arms to help capitalize on quarterbacks mistakes.
Yes Carolina won’t have their best defensive player in Julius Peppers who is now with Chicago.  That doesn’t mean the Panthers won’t be able to stop anyone.  The still have Jon Beason as their middle linebacker.  Chris Gamble is still their number one cornerback.  Everette Brown and Charles Johnson will now get a chance to be the pass rushers they were drafted to be.  Both have excellent speed, but do need to work on their moves to better free themselves from blockers.  Beason has Thomas Davis on the outside with him at linebacker.  Both have tremendous speed to the ball carrier whether it’s the pass or run.  Both are great tacklers and finish every play.  Gamble has a good complement in Richard Marshall.  Marshall isn’t as good a tackler as Gamble against the run, but he is very close as far as coverage goes.  John Fox prides himself on making his defense one of the best in the league.  He usually succeeds.
Atlanta has to get better production out of their defense.  If they want to make it past the first round of the playoffs with the offense they have, they have to stop the other teams offense.  It starts up front with John Abraham and Kroy Biermann.  The top two pass rushers have to be near double digit sack totals for the pass defense to be ranked higher than 28th.  Curtis Lofton did a great job taking over the job of former teammate Keith Brooking.  His awareness was more than what the coaching staff expected.  Sean Weatherspoon their first round pick out of Missouri will bring some added speed to the linebacker unit.  He will be a fixture on passing downs.  Dunta Robinson is now the best defensive back on the roster and will have some nice pieces in Atlanta.  Thomas DeCoud and Erik Coleman are great tacklers, but not the best coverage safeties.  All the pieces should come together though with Robinson as the spark the defense needed to shore up the pass defense.
Tampa Bay still runs that famed Tampa 2 defense, but with a few tweaks.  Morris blitzes more than his predecessors.  That tends to leave the secondary exposed which doesn’t bode well for Ronde Barber and Aqib Talib.  Talib is slowly becoming a great cover corner and Barber still excels against the run, but has lost a step in coverage and doesn’t have that speed to catch up to the elite receivers.  Barrett Ruud fits the mold of Brian Urlacher for Tampa Bay.  Constantly in the middle of the action, Ruud has a nose for the football.  Quincy Black will be looked to be the next Derrick Brooks of the Tampa Bay defense.  Up front the Buccaneers invested a lot of money into their first two draft picks.  First rounder Gerald McCoy and second rounder Brian Price will be given the keys to disrupting the quarterback and running backs of the opposing teams.  That’s asking a lot from two rookies defensive tackles, but McCoy was thought of highly by some more than Ndamukong Suh.  McCoy will be the next generation Warren Sapp and Price will be Anthony McFarland.  At least that’s what the coaching staff thinks.

1. San Francisco 49ers: 9-7
Will this be the start of a new dynasty in San Francisco?
2. Arizona Cardinals: 8-8
How far (if at all) will Arizona drop without Kurt Warner?
3. Seattle Seahawks: 5-11
The Pete Carroll era is under way in the Seattle.
4. St. Louis Rams: 3-13
Anything over 4 wins will be a welcome surprise.

Coaches

Ken Whisenhunt – Cardinals
As head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, Whisenhunt has improved their record by one win each of the past three seasons.  The problem though is that was with Kurt Warner as the quarterback.  The punishment was too much for Warner and he decided to hang up the cleats.  Whisenhunt has to start over and his choices are between Matt Leinart and Derek Anderson.  Whisenhunt doesn’t hide the fact that Leinart is not his first choice for the job, but Anderson isn’t the best option either.  Ben Roethlisberger isn’t walking through that door for the Cardinals coach, who was the offensive coordinator during Big Ben’s first Super Bowl title in Pittsburgh.  This might not be a down year in Arizona with the talent surrounding the quarterback, but it will be a struggle to get some consistency out of the position.

Mike Singletary – 49ers
There isn’t any doubt of who is in charge in San Francisco.  Singletary’s no-nonsense attitude has gone through the ranks and it’s making believers out of the ones who used to cause problems.  Singletary has built a potentially elite defense and has a ball control offense to coincide with his philosophy of controlling the clock.  The 49ers haven’t had a record above .500 since ’02 and that was the last time they made the playoffs.  The team of the ’80s who also stayed in contention through the ’90s has perhaps the most upside of any team entering this season.  Maybe the third coach is the charm since their last playoff appearance to get them back into the competitive mix.

Pete Carroll – Seahawks
With Mike Holmgren out of the picture last year and his hand picked successor Jim Mora Jr. at the helm, Seattle was in a mini rebuilding mode.  Injuries, a 30th ranked pass defense and an inefficient running game led to Mora’s demise and he was let go after one season.  Looking to make a splash, right from the start Seattle had their sights set on USC head coach Pete Carroll.  Pete had already turned down a few jobs that were more appealing than Seattle’s, but he felt it was time and with sanctions coming USC’s way, you can decide if he had legitimate reasons for leaving USC.  Either way he’s back.  This is now his third chance in the NFL head coaching ranks and with the full support of the front office he will be given more time than Mora to build a winner in Seattle.

Steve Spagnuolo – Rams
It has been a rough learning curve for Steve Spagnuolo.  He was a hot commodity when the New York Giants won Super Bowl 42 as the defensive coordinator.  Now is the head coach for perhaps the worst team in the NFL.  Their is plenty of room for improvement.  Now that the Rams have a quarterback and one of the best running backs, they could move themselves out of the cellar.  The defense is the one flaw with the Rams.  Spagnuolo needs to get that side of the ball up to speed quickly or he will be looking for another coordinator job sooner than he thinks.  The Rams want to see improvement this year with their investment in Sam Bradford and with a new owner on the horizon time is running out fast.

Best Acquisition: WR Ted Ginn Jr. – San Francisco 49ers
It’s not so much for his pass catching ability.  He was a top 10 pick of the Miami Dolphins in ’07.  The reason, well I think it was for his big play ability mostly.  He still possesses that big play ability, but only on special teams.  He returned two kick-off returns for touchdowns in one game against the Jets last year.  San Francisco has ranked near the bottom of kickoff and punt returns for a long time.  Last they were dead last in punt returns and 23rd on kickoffs.  Ginn can be used in the slot and on deep pass patterns.  That will bring the big play to the passing attack and keep defenses honest which will help open up the running game. 

Quarterback – Grade
Cardinals – C
49ers – C
Seahawks – C
Rams – D

At first glance this is not the best division of quarterbacks.  Arizona has the slight edge still.  Matt Leinart is still an accurate passer.  Derek Anderson is only 3 years removed from his Pro Bowl season.  The edge is going to Leinart, but Anderson has the stronger arm to throw deep to the Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston.  Leinart just doesn’t have that charisma you want from your starting quarterback.  He seems to be disinterested at times in the game.  Anderson isn’t the ideal replacement for Warner either, but this is what Arizona has to work with.
San Francisco has had a very inconsistent time at quarterback.  Alex Smith has had a different offensive coordinator every year of his professional career.  For the first time he has the same coordinator and the same offense to work with in consecutive years.  That will help immensely.  Smith has developed a good rapport with his receivers.  He has a first class running game.  The only problem has been a suspect offensive line and being prone to turning over the football.  He showed a better touchdown to interception ratio last year (18-12).  With a better line, he could get past the 20 touchdown plateau for the first time.
Matt Hasselbeck like with Jim Mora Jr. is probably playing his last year in Seattle.  Back problems could force him out sooner.  His stats don’t show it, but he struggled to get in sync with the offense.  Primarily with T.J. Houshmandzadeh.  Seattle doesn’t have a viable option if Hasselbeck goes down.  Charlie Whitehurst was acquired from San Diego, but it’s yet to be seen if he is a NFL quarterback.  Pete Carroll would like to have stability here, but without a viable running attack the Seahawks will have constant pressure on the quarterback.
The Rams had no other choice but to select Sam Bradford with the first pick.  It starts at the top.  If you want to get better you have to improve the most important position on the field.  Bradford showed tremendous poise during his college days at Oklahoma.  He will have a huge learning curve in St. Louis.  The offensive line is still a work in progress, but Bradford does have a talented group of receivers to work with.  Not to mention Steven Jackson as his running back.  The Rams won’t be expected to repeat what Baltimore and Atlanta did with Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan respectively.  However, there is an expectation that there will be results in the first year rather than down the road.

Running Back – Grade
49ers – B
Rams – B
Cardinals – B
Seahawks – C

Had injuries not slowed Frank Gore down last year, he might have been the leading rusher in the NFC last year.  He is the rare power back that San Francisco has not had since Tom Rathman in the late ’80s.  Interestingly enough Rathman is the running back coach for the Niners.  Gore is an underrated pass blocker as well.  Very adapt at picking up blitzes.  Gore is the best option for the Niners and their best chance at getting into the playoffs.  Brian Westbrook was signed as the third down back and will help immensely in the passing game.
Steven Jackson was the leading rusher (1,416 yards) in the NFC and the teams leading receiver.  The latter has to change.  To avoid the wear and tear on Jackson, St. Louis has to ease Jackson’s role in the passing game.  It will be difficult with a rookie quarterback.  To add even more problems is the lack of a serviceable backup.  Jackson hasn’t had a decent backup since Marshall Faulk retired.  The Rams lone bright spot will be Jackson getting over 2,000 all purpose yards.
At about the half way point of the ’09 season the Cardinals realized that they had a pretty good running back in Beanie Wells.  Had he been given a chance at the starting job earlier, he would’ve rushed for over 1,000 yards.  Arizona will need to rely more on the running game this year with the question marks at quarterback.  Wells will be strictly used as the bruiser and a decoy on play action.  Tim Hightower has been a great third down back and is excellent in picking up the blitzing defenses.
Seattle’s main offensive problem was with the running game.  It looked as though Julius Jones would be the guy last year, but faded fast.  Edgerrin James was given a chance, but he was way past his prime.  Justin Forsett was a pleasant surprise.  His 5.4 yards per carry led the team and has given him the inside track at the starting job this year.  Leon Washington excels in kickoff returns, but he will be given ample opportunity to get some carries.  Jones is still around, but for how long remains to be seen. 

Wide Receiver – Grade
Cardinals – B
49ers – B
Seahawks – C
Rams – D

Even without Anquan Boldin the Cardinals still have the best wide receivers in the division.  Larry Fitzgerald is still one of the best at getting up the field and coming down with the catch.  His awareness over the middle is unmatched.  Steve Breaston is better suited as the third receiver, but he will do a good job in single coverage with Fitzgerald getting the double teams.  Early Doucet broke out during the playoffs last year and will take over Breaston’s spot in the slot.  Doucet has a bigger frame than Breaston which will help on crucial third down situations.  With these three they will probably have 75+ catches apiece. 
San Francisco has a bright future with this group.  It starts with their tight end Vernon Davis.  Davis solidified his status as an elite pass catching tight end with his first Pro Bowl appearance last year.  He should continue to put up 10+ touchdown seasons from now on.  Michael Crabtree, who is not holding out, has the potential to double his numbers from his rookie year (48 rec., 625 yards) in which he only played in 11 games.  Josh Morgan has a lot of upside, but time is starting to run out on his potential.  Ted Ginn Jr. will be given a chance at being the slot receiver and Delanie Walker is a back up tight end, but runs like a track star.
Seattle has had some disappointing history with receivers lately.  Deion Branch has never panned out since he was acquired in ’06.  Nate Burleson was the same as was let go.  They are hoping the same doesn’t happen with T.J. Houshmandzadeh.  T.J. is one of the best possession receivers in the NFL, but he seems to be distracted and is not the prototypical number one receiver most teams are looking for.  It makes sense because he wasn’t the number one receiver in Cincinnati.  Seattle has two young guns to work into the rotation.  Deon Butler showed a lot of promise, but wasn’t given a lot of playing time last year.  Rookie Golden Tate showed some big play ability at Notre Dame and Pete Carroll loves it from his days at USC.  Former USC standout Mike Williams will be given a chance at redemption during camp.  Tight end John Carlson is a well rounded pass catcher and an above average blocker.
The Rams will continue to use Steven Jackson in the passing game, but they must get more from Donnie Avery.  He had a great rookie year, but struggled with the unrest at quarterback and the lack of adequate pass protection.  Avery must forget about last year and develop good chemistry with Sam Bradford.  Tight end Daniel Fells was a nice surprise.  He will continue to get looks on third down and in the redzone.  Laurent Robinson probably would’ve had a career year had he not suffered a leg injury in the beginning of the season.  Rookie Mardy Gilyard will be given a chance to show what he can do.  For his size (6′ 187lbs) he is a very physical receiver.

Defense – Grade
49ers – B
Cardinals – B
Seahawks – C
Rams – D

The 49ers have slowly developed one of the best attacking defenses in the NFL.  It starts at head coach Mike Singletary’s old playing position, linebacker.  Patrick Willis has been one of the best since he entered the league.  When Takeo Spikes was signed in ’08 it seemed to elevate Willis’ game.  They both complement each other very well in the 3-4 defense.  They get great looks thanks to the defensive line.  Aubrayo Franklin is one of the best nose tackles.  Constantly holds down two offensive lineman which results in Willis or Spikes getting to the ball carrier.  Justin Smith is always running with great tenacity at the quarterback, but is best at stopping the run.  The secondary is the one weak spot on defense.  Nate Clements is slowly on the decline, but still has good coverage skills.  Shawntae Spencer is a solid tackler who does take chances, but knows when not to.  Dashon Goldson has become the teams best coverage safety and reminds those of Merton Hanks.  Michael Lewis is great at run support, but will be pushed by Taylor Mays who was a steal in the second round of the draft.
Arizona has developed a good 3-4 defense since Ken Whisenhunt’s arrival.  With a few tweaks here and there it has become one of the best at getting to the quarterback and getting interceptions.  There still are a few holes though.  The defensive line is anchored by Darnell Dockett and Calais Campbell.  Both are great pass rushers and underrated at stopping the running back.  The problem will be at nose tackle.  First round pick Dan Williams will be given every opportunity to win the job, but they would rather Gabe Watson or Alan Branch keep it secured this year.  The linebackers will be a bit over matched as Karlos Dansby left for Miami.  Now that leaves a hole in the middle, but they went out and signed Joey Porter to fill it on the outside.  Porter is on the downside of his career, but can still get after the quarterback on any given down.  Rookie Daryl Washington from TCU will be given Dansby’s spot.  Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is one of the best at getting to the ball, but still takes too many chances leaving his safety exposed over the top.  He still carries a lot of respect in the passing game.  Adrian Wilson could easily play linebacker, but he is just as good in coverage as he is in run stopping.  Kerry Rhodes will fill the void left by Antrel Rolle.  Rhodes played in a similar style in New York with the Jets.  He will be used mostly in coverage, but can spell Wilson on run support.
Pete Carroll always had a high octane offense at USC, but he was better known for his defenses.  He has a tall order with turning around one of the leagues worst.  Especially against the pass (30th).  It will have to start with pressure.  Chris Clemons will be tasked with being the prime pass rusher on the line.  He had only 3 last year with Philadelphia, but had 12 in ’07 & ’08 combined.  Perhaps the linebackers will have to do both rush the passer and stop the run.  On paper Lofa Tatupu, Leroy Hill and Aaron Curry are one of the best trios at linebacker.  Injuries have slowed Hill and Tatupu the last two years and Curry came on strong early, but faded fast down the stretch.  All three will need to be healthy to make an impact for Carroll’s defense.  Marcus Trufant when healthy is a great cover corner.  Very near the top, but he hasn’t lived up to the hype on a consistent basis.  Walter Thurmond must have made an impression on Pete Carroll when USC played Oregon.  Thurmond is a fourth round pick who has great coverage skills and was part of a good pass defense at Oregon.   First round pick Earl Thomas was the right pick for Seattle.  In that Bob Sanders mold, Thomas is great at defending the pass and coming up in run support.  Just look at Texas’ defense when Thomas was there.  Jordan Babineaux was the constant force in the secondary last year, but will be thrust back into a more comfortable role with Thomas aboard.
The defensive guru Steve Spagnuolo might have his work cut out for him in St. Louis.  They struggled mightily from stopping the pass to slowing down the run.  They will start over to get the pass rush going.  Leonard Little wasn’t resigned and that means Chris Long will be the lone threat.  Veteran James Hall has had some success, but doesn’t have the same speed of the edge.  James Laurinaitis was a pleasant surprise last year.  He took over the defense and has shown the same leadership from his playing time at Ohio State.  Ron Bartell and O.J. Atogwe are the veteran leaders.  Bartell is looking for some help at the cornerback position and he could get it from third round pick Jerome Murphy.  His size (6′ 196) is perfect for the zone scheme that will involve more blitzing from the front seven.  Atogwe is an adequate cover safety, but makes his name for his tackling ability in the running game.  The Rams will need him and fellow safety James Butler to improve on their subpar seasons if they are to get out of the NFC cellar.