Houston

This could be an exciting season for the Texans if Matt Schaub can stay healthy.  Schaub is one of the best young quarterbacks in the league.  In 11 games last season, he had 2241 yards and 9 TD’s.  He has two excellent receivers in Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter who will distinguish themselves this season.  While Coach Kubiak wants to avoid a pass happy offense, that might not happen with the injuries at running back.  He is an excellent pure passer who has developed a nice rapport with Andre Johnson.  He did have offseason shoulder surgery on his non-throwing shoulder which shouldn’t be a problem.  The Steelers defense is very good, ranked number one in the league last season.  This will be a tough start for Schaub going against a defense that allows 177 yards per game through the air.  As much as we like this offense, Pittsburgh’s defense will be ahead of them and throw in you’re at Heinz field and this spells trouble.  We see 230 yards and 1 TD. 

Ahman Green laughed at the mere notion of carrying the ball 25 times in the Texans’ season opener Sept. 7.  He’ll get to that, he said, but it won’t be this week.  “Twenty-five carries, first game, whoo!” Green said. “That’s a little tough.”  Coach Gary Kubiak doesn’t plan to push his luck. When he finally sees Green back on the field, he has no intention of pushing the veteran starter so hard that Green lands right back on the sidelines. So Kubiak is leaving his options open, saying Green, Chris Taylor and Steve Slaton all might get carries against the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Steve Slaton’s talent should separate him from everyone else on the depth chart at some point this season anyway. He has shown flashes of being something special, but coaches are reluctant to throw him into the mix.  Green will get the start, look for 12 to 15 carries in the first game.  Green did not have a carry during the preseason so even if he does start, we would not play him.  Chris Taylor will also see carries.  He ran for 100 yards on 33 carries and scored once.  Finally, Slaton, the rookie ran for 138 yards on 34 carries scoring once.  Until the offense shakes out who will get the carries, it will hard to play any of the backs as a number one or two back. 

The cream of the crop at receiver is Andre Johnson.  Johnson missed time early in camp due to a groin injury.  He did not have a catch in the third preseason game and finished with no catches in two games played.  Johnson only played in 9 games last season, catching 60 passes, 8 for touchdowns.  He averaged almost 1 TD per game, which is perfect for your number one receiver.  This will be a tough matchup going against CB Deshea Townsend.  We still see Johnson with the advantage due to his youth, quickness and soft hands.  Look for 5 to 8 receptions with 85 yards and a TD.  A player that could turn into a welcome surprise is Kevin Walter.  Walter had a career year in ’07 with 65 receptions for 800 yards and 4 touchdowns.  His production did tail off when Johnson returned.  However, look for him to flourish with the single coverage and turn into a nice third receiver.  During the preseason, he led the team with 13 receptions for 166 yards and 2 TD’s.  You heard it here first, we would not be surprised if he ended with 6 to 8 touchdowns. 

Going into 2007, we expected big things from Owen Daniels.  He had the sixth-most receiving yards by a tight end last season, Daniels didn’t score a touchdown until week 12.  He ended with 3 scored in the last five games, which is what we expected early in the season.  We see him as a low starting tight end, as long as he gets into the endzone.  The Steelers were very good keeping tight ends out of the endzone last season, limiting them to 3 in 16 games. 

Kris Brown had a phenomenal year in ’07 kicking 25 of 29 field goals, and adding 40 extra points.  If the offense does what we expect it to do, Brown is a real sleeper.  While the first week is probably not a great indication of what will happen as we don’t see the offense producing big points.  Likely we will see 2 field goals and 1 extra point. 

Pittsburgh

This will be a different year for the Steelers.  They went to the Super Bowl in 2006 and then suffered a hangover last season.  They will be back to their usual selves and produce 10 wins.  Ben Roethlisberger had a good preseason completing 70% of his passes with 2 TD’s and 1 Int.  Big Ben was bothered by a groin injury early in camp, he is healthy now.  In 15 games last season, he threw for 32 touchdowns and 11 Interceptions.  The Texans defense is better, but will struggle against this offense.  When you combine a strong running game with the passing attack, this could be a blowout.  We see 35+ passes with 2 TD’s out of Roethlisberger.  Bryon Leftwich was signed in early August due to the injury to Charlie Batch.  Leftwich will be the backup this season.

One of the biggest disappointments in 2007 was Willie Parker.  He still ran the ball 320+ times and gained over 1300 yards.  However, he went from 13 touchdowns in 2006 to 4 touchdowns in 2007.  Fast Willie Parker will only be as good as the short yardage, goal line carries he gets.  He could still get the goal line cracks, or they will go to Carey Davis or Rashard Mendenahll.  He was not the goal line guy last season due to durability problems.  Remember, he is a small back and the team did not want to see him getting hurt on these carries.  We love this guy and with him going against a soft defense, we start him in week one.  The Texans run defense allowed 114 yards and 1.3 touchdowns per game.  Parker should have no problem getting 100 yards, the question will be if he scores?  We would still play him.  Davis is the starting fullback and odds are he will only be blocking.  Mendenhall is a rookie so he did have some of the rookie problems during training camp.  Yes, he did fumble three times in two games.  That is a no, no with coach Cowher.  However, he did rush for 79 yards on 21 carries in the preseason finale.  He led the team in rushing with 222 yards on 54 carries, scoring once.  The other two rushing touchdowns went to Davis and quarterback Dennis Dixon.  We see Mendenhall spelling Parker for 5 to 7 carries and possibly getting the goal line work.  He is bigger then Parker, built more for this type of work.  This one will have to play out over the first couple weeks of the season.  Mewelde Moore is expected to be the third down back.  He won’t get many carries, look for him to see 2 to 4 receptions out of the backfield. 

When you have a soon to be ordained great quarterback, you must have some good receivers surrounding him.  Big Ben does with Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes.  Ward is one of the toughest receivers in the league though is not getting any younger.  He missed three games last season and is now recovered from offseason knee surgery.  He has been less than 1,000 yards the last three seasons and has seen his touchdown totals drop from 11 in 2005 to 6 and 7 the last two seasons.  Youngster Santonio Holmes came in strong in ’07 and is turning into the go-to-receiver in the offense.  Holmes had 8 touchdowns on only 52 receptions.  He has excellent speed, soft hands and runs good routes.  During the preseason, he had the only two touchdowns by a receiver.  Holmes will also return punts so there is the extra chance of him running one back.  Still, this duo is in the top seven in the league for a reason.  Ward is the hard worker and will go over the middle for the tough catches.  He will block and do what it takes for the team to win.  He will be heavily involved in the game plan and should see 5 to 7 receptions.  Holmes will see fewer receptions, though will be the one getting the ball in the redzone.  The Texans corners, Fred Bennett and Jacques Reeves will struggle covering these guys.  Look for solid games with Holmes slightly better.  Nate Washington is the third receiver out of the slot.  He has great speed and will see a few receptions.  Rookie Limas Sweed is the fourth receiver and could see some playing time in the redzone.  He is a big target and will eventually be a starter.  Roethlisberger wanted a big receiver and he finally has one now. 

The Steelers use plenty two tight end sets so look for Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth to have success.  Miller didn’t do much during the preseason, catching 3 passes for 30 yards.  During 2007, he caught career high 47 receptions for 566 yards and 7 touchdowns.  His receptions could drop with the additions of Limas Sweed and Mewelde Moore.  Still, he has good hands and is a weapon in the redzone.  The Texans allowed 8 touchdowns to tight ends last season, so there is a possibility here. 

It has never been easy kicking at Heinz Field.  Jeff Reed converted on 92% of his field goals, up from 74% the previous season.  The Steelers are good at scoring in the redzone, which limits his field goal attempts.  We see between 20 and 24 field goals at year end.  He should have another 40+ extra points season.  We see 1 field goal and 3 extra points. 

 

Quick Stats	Rank	Rush	Pass	TD Rush	TD Pass	YPG Rush	YPG Pass
Houston Offense	14	22	11	12	24	99	234
Pittsburgh Defense	1	3	3	6	22	90	177
Pittsburgh Offense	17	3	22	9	34	135	192
Houston Defense	24	19	24	15	25	114	230
Last Three Games
Houston Offense	14	22	11	12	24	99	234
Pittsburgh Defense	1	3	3	6	22	90	177
Pittsburgh Offense	17	3	22	9	34	135	192
Houston Defense	24	19	24	15	25	114	230

 

Jacksonville

The Jaguars start off with an interesting game against the up and coming Titans.  David Garrard will get the start and looks to be more of a passer this season.  The focus in ’07 was on the run game and defense.  Garrard completed 64% of his passes with 18 TD’s in 12 games, an average of 1.5 TD’s per game.  We expect to see him improve including throwing the ball deep more.  This is still a run happy offense so don’t think that is going to change.  However, the success of the running game will make the passing game.  Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter likes what he sees in Garrard and will take advantage of his skills more.  Of course, not at the demise of the running game.  Now, if the receivers could get healthy, Garrard would have someone to throw too.  The Titans pass defense was ranked 10^th in the league allowing 199 yards and 1.3 TD’s per game.  We expect them to be just as good, especially early in the season as defenses are always ahead of offenses.  We see 1 TD for Garrard. 

The two-headed monster Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew led the Jaguars to the second best rushing attack in the league.  Taylor has played in 15 games each of the last two seasons, throwing that “always injured” stigma in the trash.  He doesn’t score many touchdowns, 5 each of the last two seasons but has been over 1100 yards two years in a row.  We see 15 carries and with a 5 yard per carry average around 75 yards.  He only caught 9 passes last season so don’t expect much there.  Jones-Drew doesn’t carry the ball that much but has a nose for the endzone.  He will see 10 to 12 carries and 2 to 3 receptions per game.  He has 24 touchdowns in two seasons with most coming in ’06 when he scored 15.  Still, he is one of the best short yardage backs in the league and will be in the top 12 at year end.  Jones-Drew does have a mildly sprained ankle but he should be very close to 100% on opening day.  The Titans run defense is historically good with Albert Haynesworth a great run stuffer.  When you match a good defense and a good offense, it should be an intriguing match.  Jones-Drew should get into the endzone once.  Greg Jones is the starting fullback and will see a couple of carries.  He also could see goal-line carries as he is a big back who will find the endzone. 

Jerry Porter underwent hamstring surgery in May.  He was on PUP all preseason and just returned to practice Monday.  Last week Coach Jack Del Rio said that Porter needed two weeks of practice time before he'll play in a game. If that's the case, we'll probably see Porter in week two against Buffalo. But you never know, Del Rio might change his mind and bring Porter in earlier.  For now, we have to believe that Porter will not be ready to play.  Reggie Williams will be the team’s number one receiver.  Williams missed most of the preseason after arthroscopic knee surgery in August.  He played in the fourth preseason game, hauling in one pass for 7 yards and 1 TD.  Williams was the teams leading receiver in ’07 with 10 touchdown receptions on only 38 receptions.  He is a big and strong receiver who works well in traffic.  If he only caught more passes, he could be a second receiver.  For now, we say he is a third receiver.  He will match up against CB Nick Harper. Harper is a solid corner which will provide a challenge for Williams.  Still, we see Williams getting loose for a short touchdown reception.  Matt Jones will get the start for Porter and could be a surprise.  He was not as committed as he should be in the past, but has really worked hard and now has the confidence of his quarterback.  Jones had 10 receptions for 131 yards during the preseason.  He had 24 receptions in 2007 with 4 of them going for touchdowns.  Over the last three seasons, he has 13 touchdowns.  Jones is a big target who will cause problems for defenses.  If he can remain committed, he could put up big numbers while Porter is out.  Troy Williamson and Dennis Northcutt are the next two receivers and will see little playing time. 

David Garrard has been saying throughout the offseason that he wants to throw the ball more to Marcedes Lewis.  Lewis caught 37 passes for 391 yards and 2 touchdowns last season.  He missed time during the offseason with a knee injury but is healthy.  He is a big receiver with soft hands and can find the seam.  We will see the Jaguars use two tight end sets often so Lewis won’t be forced to block all the time.  The Titans defense played extremely well against tight ends last season, allowing 3 touchdowns in 16 games.  We expect Lewis to see 3 or 4 receptions, nothing in the endzone.  George Wrighster is recovering from ACL surgery and was placed on the PUP list.  He will miss the first six weeks of the season.  Greg Estandia and Richard Angulo will backup Lewis.

Josh Scobee missed eight games last season due to a strained quad.  He injured it in the opening game and returned later in the season.  He did kick 12 field goals and 26 extra points once healthy.  We don’t expect a high scoring game but field goals could be what decide the game.  We see 2 field goals and 2 extra points. 

Tennessee

The Titans hoped quarterback Vince Young would get a hot hand in the preseason finale against the Packers. Instead, he got a hurt hand.  Young suffered an injury to his throwing hand late in the second quarter when he hit it on a helmet.  Coach Jeff Fisher didn't sound the least bit concerned about the injury, and even said X-rays weren't necessary. Young said he's "fine."  During the preseason, Young completed 29 of 64 passes for 290 yards, 0 touchdowns and 1 interception.  It was an awful preseason for Young.  He averaged 4.7 yards per attempt which is very low, telling us he was throwing to his running backs and tight ends.  He will need to figure out how to get the ball downfield.  The Jaguars defense is very good, causing problems for Young in his previous four games.  In four career games, Young has 2 touchdowns.  He did have his best game in week 10 last season with 257 yards passing, 52 yards rushing and 1 TD.  We don’t expect much success through the air, so just over 200 yards, 20 yards rushing and 1 TD. 

The one area where the Titans should be better is running the ball.  LenDale White will start with Chris Johnson sharing time with him.  White has had a good preseason, rushing for 127 yards on 30 carries, an average of 4.2 yards per carry.  White is able to run between the tackles, while Johnson has speed and can get to the outside.  We expect to see a near even split of carries.  Each game will be a little different depending on who is having success.  Johnson had a great preseason rushing for 182 yards on 33 carries and 2 touchdowns.  He averaged 5.5 yards per carry, if he can continue on that pace, he will be getting more carries then White.  We see White getting 12 to 15 carries and 50 yards and Johnson around the same but getting into the endzone once. 

The receiving situation is better than last season so Young can be happy about something.  Justin McCareins comes over from the Jets and has one job and Justin Gage has the other.  Gage is expected to be the number one receiver based on experience with the offense.  He caught 55 balls for 750 yards and 2 TD’s last season.  Not real great for a number one receiver that started eight games.  He has excellent size and will go over the middle in traffic.  Young has a good rapport with him, we expect Gage to be the top receiver at year end.  McCareins played three seasons for the Titans from 2001 to 2003 with a total of 69 receptions.  He did start some games for the Jets though most recently was the third receiver.  He is not a big touchdown guy either, catching 3 over the last three seasons.  Brandon Jones will be the third receiver.  Now you can see why Young has so much trouble throwing the ball.  He has targets, nothing like what he used to have at U of Texas.  Anyway, the Jaguars corners Rashean Mathis and Drayton Florence should do a good job limiting the receivers.  McCareins has the more difficult matchup against Mathis. 

We do expect Young to involve the tight end more in the offense now that he has a good one.  Alge Crumpler comes over from Atlanta and should have success.  Young likes throwing the ball short and Crumpler is able to get open in the 5 to 12 yard range.  He has some knee problems last season, causing him to miss a couple of games.  He is healthy and would like to return to the years when he caught 5, 8 and 5 touchdowns in successive seasons.  During the preseason, Crumpler caught 5 balls for 39 yards.  Jacksonville is not as good against tight ends as we would have thought, allowing 8 touchdowns in 16 games last season.  Crumpler will go up against a safety and could find his way into the endzone. 

Rob Bironas missed the entire preseason due to a groin injury.  He is expected to practice this week and play Sunday.  The team cut the other kicker Jon Vaughn so if Bironas was not going to be ready, we would have expected him to remain on the team.  Bironas was the top field goal kicker in the league with 35 of 39 made.  He kicked 8 field goals in one game, a record.  His strong leg and great accuracy make him a must start every game.  While he may not be kicking 50+ yarders with the groin injury, the fact that the Jaguars redzone offense struggles, will give him a few short field goals. 

 

Quick Stats	Rank	Rush	Pass	TD Rush	TD Pass	YPG Rush	YPG Pass
Jacksonville Offense	7	2	17	18	28	149	208
Tennessee Defense	5	5	10	11	21	92	199
Tennessee Offense	21	5	27	17	9	131	179
Jacksonville Defense	12	11	15	12	20	100	214
Last Three Games
Jacksonville Offense	7	2	17	18	28	149	208
Tennessee Defense	5	5	10	11	21	92	199
Tennessee Offense	21	5	27	17	9	131	179
Jacksonville Defense	12	11	15	12	20	100	214

 

Dallas

The Cowboys are ready to make another run at the Super Bowl with their young quarterback, Tony Romo.  Romo has a familiar cast with the only change, Julius Jones being banished to Seattle.  The offensive line is one of the best in the league and will make both the run and pass games highly effective.  Romo had a good preseason, completing 24 of 31 passes for 232 yards and 1 TD.  He had a breakout season in ’07 with 4211 yards passing and 36 TD’s.  It would see this would be hard to beat but he will come close.  As long as he keeps his mind in the game and away from Jessica Simpson, he will be fine.  The Browns defense did not show much last season against the pass and won’t do much better here against this strong offense.  The secondary is below average and the line will not get a good pass rush.  The huge offensive lineman will protect Romo and lead this team to a big offensive game. 

As we said, Julius Jones is gone, replaced by another Jones, Felix.  Marion Barber moves from backup to starter and will get the bulk of the work.  Even though he was listed as backup in the past, he was the more valuable player.  Another solid preseason for him, rushing for 121 yards on 22 carries, scoring once.  While he did not have as good of season in ’07, he ended with 12 TD’s.  Over the last two seasons, he has 28 TD’s one of the highest totals in the league.  He will run between the tackles, following blocks from Deon Anderson.  He also has soft hands, catching 44 passes last season.  He is an every down back so don’t look for Felix Jones to get too much work, other than spelling Barber for 4 to 6 carries.  The Browns run defense is no match for this offense and this back.  While they only allowed 8 TD’s last season, Barber will score once.  Jones will backup Barber and return kicks.  A smallish, speed guy who compliments Barber well. 

What can we say about Terrell Owens that has not already been said before?  He scored 15 touchdowns last season and has 28 touchdowns over the last two seasons.  Doesn’t that number sound familiar?  He is the second best receiver in the league and has long as he stays healthy, he will end with 12 to 15 touchdowns.  He matches up against CB Brandon McDonald.  McDonald is young and unpolished but has potential.  The veteran receiver will show him a thing or two on Sunday.  Patrick Crayton is the second receiver and will be the possession guy.  He had his best season in ’07 with 50 receptions, 7 for touchdowns.  Now that he will start 16 games, he should have a much better season, averaging 4 to 7 receptions per game and possibly scoring 10 touchdowns.  While that is a stretch, it is possible.  Owens will always gather the crowd, so Crayton will get single coverage.  In this instance, it will be CB Eric Wright.  Wright is a veteran who should play well.  Crayton had one of only two receiving touchdowns during the preseason.  However, Crayton is just too good and should find the seam and catch 5 to 7 passes.  Sam Hurd, the team’s No. 3 receiver, has been ruled out for the opener after suffering a high left ankle sprain while running a reverse in the first quarter Thursday night against Minnesota. Wade Phillips is considering keeping just two receivers active against the Browns, but only because he has Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten.   "Witten can be a third receiver," Phillips said. "He’s a force out there, so he can be a third receiver if you need him."  Isaiah Stanback, who appeared to be seizing the kickoff return role before dislocating his shoulder, is expected to play in Cleveland. However, the plan is to limit Stanback's role to the No. 3 WR.  With Stanback back at practice, we will likely see him in that role, though don’t rule out seeing Witten and Bennett on the field at the same time. 

Jason Witten will be the third receiver and the starting tight end.  He had his best season ever 96 receptions, 7 for touchdowns.  A big target, he will be the second option in the offense behind Owens.  He was thrown to 141 times that is an average of 8 per game.  He has not missed a game in three years and will take advantage of the safety.  Keep in mind Brodney Pool will not play leaving a hole in the Browns secondary.  Romo will know that and take advantage of it.  We see 5 to 7 receptions and a score.  Rookie Martellus Bennett should see significant playing time as the second tight end and move over when Witten plays the slot.  Bennett is best known for his antics on the Cowboys HBO show.  He started off training camp very slow but has matured and gotten better.  He still not where he should be but he is better than Tony Curtis.  Though, Curtis led the team during the preseason with 9 receptions for 65 yards.  We see a couple of receptions. 

Usually the first game is not an offensive juggernaut.  While most games will be like that, this is one that we see the Cowboys coming out of the gate and scoring points.  Nick Folk is one of the best kickers in the league and will get plenty of chances to kick.  He kicked 26 field goals and 53 extra points last season.  We see 2 field goals and 3 extra points. 

Cleveland

Derek Anderson missed the final two preseason games due to a concussion.  There is speculation that he will not play with Brady Quinn starting.  We don’t see that happening.  Anderson returned to full practice Monday and looked good.  He didn’t see much action during the preseason and was not impressive.  He completed 8 of 15 passes for 40 yards and 1 touchdown.  It doesn’t get very easy for him as he faces a Cowboys defense that is very good.  The secondary is much better now with the addition of Adam Jones and the fact Roy Williams will be taken out on passing downs.  We see Anderson starting out slow, especially since he has not worked with the rest of the team.  Remember, Jamal Lewis and Braylon Edwards have missed time due to injury so the first team hasn’t played together.  Is he a one year wonder or will he put up the big numbers like he did last season.  He totaled 3787 yards and 29 touchdowns.  We see the offense struggling with Anderson throwing for 250+ yards and 1 TD.

Jamal Lewis reported to training camp in excellent shape, 10 pounds lighter then he was at the end of the season.  Then the injury struck.  He strained his hamstring in mid-August and missed the final two preseason games.  He did not practice Monday but is expected to be back on the field Wednesday.  During the preseason, Lewis carried the ball 9 times for 24 yards, an average of 2.7 yards per carry.  2007 was a big season, rushing for 1304 yards and 9 touchdowns.  He has 18 touchdowns over the last two seasons.  The offensive line is one of the best in the league which will allow the passing game time to throw and the running game big enough holes to have success.  They did lose Rex Hadnot to injury in the preseason finale so his status is up in the air right now.  The Cowboys run defense is very good, allowing 95 yards per game, ranking 6^th in the league.  We don’t see a huge game for Lewis, though he should see 65+ yards and 1 score.  Jason Wright is the backup with Jerome Harrison seeing playing time.  Wright was impressive in the preseason finale and will steal a few carries from Lewis.  Harrison is a good third down back and will catch a couple of passes out of the backfield. 

Browns receiver Braylon Edwards explained for the first time last week during an interview on the Jim Rome show exactly what happened the day teammate Donte Stallworth gashed his foot.  "I wasn't running barefoot, I had on socks,'' Edwards said.” Basically I take my shoes off after every practice. As soon as practice is over with, Romeo (Crennel) finishes up, I take my shoes off, stretch and then I go inside.  Well, this particular practice, myself and Donte messed up on a play, so we had to go run dome over-and-backs. Donte and I were racing and messing around and I got ahead of him and then he caught up with me and I slowed down thinking it was over with. He was messing around and just jumped on me, playing around a little. When he jumped on me and came down, his cleat gashed into my ankle, so it was just a case of horseplaying going wrong.''  He said he's 100 percent, but acknowledged he might be winded at times after missing about three weeks since suffering the gash Aug. 10.  Edwards is practicing and while listed as probable he will start.  This should be an interesting matchup between him and CB Terrence Newman.  Newman is one of the best in the league going up against Edwards, one of the best in the league.  Edwards has height, speed and good hands.  He had 16 touchdowns last season, an average of one per game.  This will be a tough game but we do see him getting in for one score.  Donte Stallworth has seen his numbers going down the last two seasons.  You would have thought being in New England last season with Tom Brady that he would have career numbers.  Well that did not happen.  He has been the only healthy receiver of the bunch and will be ready for week one.  He is a good vertical threat who in 2006 averaged 19.1 yards per reception.  Over his career, he is averaging 15.1 yards per reception.  He will be the third guy looked to after Edwards and Kellen Winslow.  We see 3 to 5 receptions per game and 6 touchdowns by year end.  Adam Jones gets the job of covering him and should do a good job locking him down. 

If you are looking for a receiver that is going to catch a lot of passes, Kellen Winslow is your man.  He has 171 receptions in his first two years along with 8 touchdowns.  The area where we would like to see him improve is in touchdowns.  It seems when the team gets in the redzone, Edwards is the guy getting the ball.  Winslow was bothered by a hamstring injury early in camp that is all healed.  The key improvement over 2007 was his yards per reception that went from 9.8 to 13.5.  He is being used on longer routes and gaining more yards after the catch.  The Cowboys secondary is very good and we will likely see Anthony Henry pickup Winslow, he is the nickel back.  The secondary allowed 3 touchdowns to tight ends in 2007.  While we expect 5 to 7 receptions, we don’t see Winslow scoring. 

When your team scores many points, the kicker is usually very valuable.  He kicked 26 field goals and 42 extra points in ’07, his best season ever.  Over the last three seasons, he has an 84% conversion percentage.  We don’t see a huge offensive output, though we could see 2 field goals and 2 extra points for this very accurate kicker. 

 

Quick Stats	Rank	Rush	Pass	TD Rush	TD Pass	YPG Rush	YPG Pass
Dallas Offense	3	17	4	14	36	108	256
Cleveland Defense	30	27	25	8	28	130	230
Cleveland Offense	8	10	12	13	29	118	232
Dallas Defense	9	6	14	12	19	95	213
Last Three Games
Dallas Offense	3	17	4	14	36	108	256
Cleveland Defense	30	27	25	8	28	130	230
Cleveland Offense	8	10	12	13	29	118	232
Dallas Defense	9	6	14	12	19	95	213

 

Carolina

The Panthers season went down the tubes in ’07 when Jake Delhomme was injured in week three.  Delhomme underwent “Tommy John” surgery and has had an excellent recovery.  During the preseason he has completed 20 of 34 passes for 213 yards, 2 TD and 2 Int.  Not a bad start.  His numbers went down in 2006 but if he can get back to 2005 numbers when he threw for 3421 yards and 24 touchdowns, the Panthers will have a much better season.  This is a passing team, though; the running game has gotten much of the accolades during the preseason.  Delhomme will be without his favorite target, Steve Smith, in week one due to his suspension.  The other problem is that he is facing the Chargers, one of the best defenses in the league.  The secondary is exceptional, allowing 1 TD per game last season.  Everything seems stacked against the pass game, they are on the road, playing the Chargers and no Smith.  Make no mistake about it, Josh McCown is being brought in to be the No. 2 quarterback behind Jake Delhomme. McCown's base salary of $1.95 million this season and $1.75 million in 2009 tells you everything you need to know about that. McCown is still young (29) and has good experience (31 starts in six seasons with the Cardinals, Lions and Raiders).

Going into training camp, Jonathan Stewart was expected to beat out DeAngelo Williams for the starting job.  That never happened as Williams was on a mission.  Coach Fox is loyal to veterans and will go with Williams as the starter as long as he produces.  In his two year career, he has averaged 4.6 yards per carry, scoring 4 touchdowns last season.  He is a strong inside runner who can get outside also.  He should excel in the Panthers zone-blocking scheme.  The offensive line is rated a “C” on our scale so they will not hurt the run game.  We expect to see 15 to 20 carries from Williams then Stewart as the change of pace back.  Stewart rushed 14 times for 103 yards and 1 touchdown, that being a 50-yard scamper.  This compared to Williams who rushed for 188 yards on 14 carries and 3 touchdowns.  Stewart missed most of training camp after toe surgery.  When he started the third preseason game and rushed for 100 yards, we did not see any problems with his toe.  We expect to see more of Stewart as the season progresses, for now, 6 to 10 carries. 

As we are sure you are aware, Steve Smith will miss the first game due to his suspension as a result of a fight with CB Ken Lucas.  He will be back on