Bengals 2012 Draft Order

The Cincinnati Bengals dealt Linebacker Keith Rivers to the Giants for the 167th overall pick Wednesday. Grabbing something for player that was most likely going to be cut. Rivers became expendable when the Bengals re-signed Manny Lawson last week and the Giants felt the addition was well worth such a late round pick.

The Bengals now have 3 extra picks from other NFL teams and look to be able to add a solid core of players through the the draft. Fans are bent out of shape for the team not going after more free agents, but you need to remember that despite Cincinnati  making a first round playoff appearance, they are in a rebuilding mode.

The QB to WR rookie combo will improve next year, but after a winning season the team is about to face a much more difficult schedule. The Bengals have a terrible track record for ruining NFL draft wealth, but in the last few seasons the Bengals have shown steps that they are learning to play the off-season game much better.

This trade may be minor, but Bengal fans need to at least acknowledge the fact that 5 years ago they would have just cut Rivers, without any success of making a trade and adding a draft pick.

Fantasy Football:

Historic Lambeau Field plays host to the divisional match-up this weekend between the New York Football Giants and the defending Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers. Previously meeting in week 13 in the Meadowlands, the Packers narrowly escaped with a victory, as Aaron Rodgers led the potent offense down the field in less than two minutes to help seal a three-point victory. Could this time around be different? Do the Giants hold a grudge? Are they seeking revenge? All these things will be resolved come Sunday.

Four years ago, these two empowered teams met in the NFC Championship with a trip to Super Bowl XLII on the line. Eli Manning marched his troops into swirling winds and negative temperatures at Lambeau Field to take on Brett Favre (his final game as a Packer) and the Green and Gold. The game ended in a 23-20 victory for New York who eventually went on to surprise the undefeated Patriots. Both of these teams have storied histories and have something to prove this Sunday. The Giants are looking for revenge from earlier this season while Aaron Rodgers and company look to spoil a surprising New York Giants playoff run. It’s going to be a Giant battle at the Frozen Tundra.

Green Bay’s Ball Control and Defensive Pressure

With a remarkable 15-1 season under their belts, the Packers are poised to make history again by heading back to the Super Bowl. Securing home field advantage throughout the playoffs has seeded the Packers at number one as they look to take down a rising Giants team. The Packers have been unstoppable this season, with the exception of a skid in Kansas City, and have easily defeated teams that have thrown everything their way. If Green Bay doesn’t want to be disappointed by a solid New York squad, they’ll have to have eyes in the back of their heads if they hope to make another run at the Lombardi Trophy.

The Packers go into Sunday’s game unscathed by injuries, with key players such as Charles Woodson, Greg Jennings, Brian Bulaga, Randall Cobb, and James Starks listed as probable. This may benefit a Green Bay team that was seriously hindered by injuries a year ago, giving them a bit of an advantage. The biggest player to watch for the Packers is undoubtedly the stellar quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The front-runner in line for MVP of the league this year has passed for 45 touchdowns, throwing only six interceptions, and tossing 4,643 yards. A 68.3 percentage completion (second highest in the league) has translated into a passer rating of 122.5. The numbers don’t lie and if Rodgers passes like he has all season, he should have no problem going up against the tough Giants defense. Problems can arise however, if Rodgers can avoid the Giants defensive pressure.

You could make an argument that the Giants have the best defense left in the playoffs because of the way they beat up on the Falcons, which brings me to a key match-up to be aware of in Chad Clifton versus Jason Pierre- Paul. Clifton returns after a sustained injury and is now pitted against one of the NFL’s best pass rushers. Getting pressure on Rodgers will slow him down and Jason Pierre-Paul is the prime candidate for the job. He recorded 16.5 sacks in just his second season in the NFL, and will give the Giants a fighting chance in stopping the aggressive Packers offense. Nonetheless, Aaron Rodgers is lethal outside of the pocket, so the Giants may need to think about other ways of putting pressure on Rodgers. Protecting Aaron Rodgers will be one of the biggest keys to victory for the Packers.

For the defense, they will need to put pressure on Eli Manning. Manning is a poised pocket thrower, but getting him out in the open may give the Packers some opportunities for a turnover. Defensive pressure isn’t something the Packers are known for, but with this being the playoffs, they’ll need to learn how to get to Eli Manning and throw him off his rhythm.

The Packers have such a potent wide-receiving corps that is hard to contain. With this match-up the Giants are likely to bring the heat more often than not. This pressure will make short passes and slant routes (a Packers specialty) more likely options. The guy to watch on the Packers offense will be tight-end Jermichael Finley. In his previous match-up with the Giants, Finley shined with six receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown. His biggest catch came on a 24 yard toss on the game winning drive that gave the Pack the W. Finley will be a key player in the Packers success come Sunday.

Ball control will be key if the Packers hope to overcome the Giants. Like I mentioned previously, the Packers have a dangerous receiving corps, but ball control issues may rear their ugly heads. The Packers receivers can be notorious for dropping passes. This cannot happen especially in a playoff game. Green Bay needs to emphasize the implications of having “butter fingers” and prevent those types of mistakes from occurring. It’s truly simple…catch the ball.

Overall, the Packers are favored to win in the re-match. They’re 15-1, have a solid offense, and they’re at Lambeau Field, all advantages the Packers could use. Yet, the Packers defense is something to worry about considering they’re ranked in the bottom three on pass defense this year. The secondary will have their work cut out for them if they hope to contain New York wide-outs Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks. The defense is notorious for giving up lots of yards, but in their defense (no pun intended) they specifically play for the interception, resulting in more yards for the opposition. We’ll see how well the Packers perform in a game that feels all too familiar.

New York’s Defense and Deep Threats

The New York Giants made the playoffs by the skin of their teeth this year, hosting a home playoff game for the first time in roughly a decade. After a slow start, the Giants rolled on all cylinders, stuffing the Atlanta Falcons run game and essentially holding Matt Ryan in check. Now, the Giants go on the road to one of football’s most historic stadiums in Lambeau Field to play the Packers, a re-match they’ve been dying for since week 13.

This game is a chance for the New York Giants to put a devastating hurt on a promising Packers season. Some unforgettable memories may loom large in this match-up, but some keys for the Giants are going to be slowing down Aaron Rodgers and the Packers aerial attack. The first time around the Giants used an array of defensive schemes that had Rodgers a little out of sorts early on, they may be able to fool him again, but the Giants will need to pepper in zone disguises and other confusing concepts in the backfield.

The Giants defense looks revitalized, especially up-front with dangerous man Jason Pierre-Paul leading the way. In their last meeting, the Giants dominated the line of scrimmage and only finished the game with two sacks on Rodgers. This time around, the Giants are going to need to find an alternate way of putting pressure on Rodgers, since Rodgers is so athletic and has no problem throwing the ball on the run. The Giants defensive line has seen a resurgence this year, especially now with Osi Umenyiora returning to the line-up. Umenyiora was absent during the week 13 match-up and essentially will help Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul put the heavy pressure on the Packers. Pressuring Rodgers may be harder than one might think, but it is something New York is seriously going to have to consider if they wish to stop the explosive GB offense.

Eli Manning and the offense needs to step up in a big way come Sunday, especially when they need to move the ball downfield. Manning is a solid passer against the blitz, which undoubtedly the Packers will use often, so look for Manning to throw for plenty of passing yards. However, he will need to be aware of some tricky defensive schemes the Packers so often like to use, such as blitzing linebacker Clay Matthews while using cornerback Charles Woodson as a decoy rusher. The Packers defense usually tries for the interception, so if Manning can read this well, consider him to have 300 or more yards through the air.

The ground game is going to be vital for the Giants. Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs may have been waved off a few weeks ago, but now the Giants have a legit rushing attack and have rediscovered how to avoid tackles. This could benefit them in the long run, especially if they control the clock.

The deep threats of Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks will be vital for a victory as well. The Packers secondary is shaky and if Manning has enough time, will find these two guys wide open down the field for easy scores. The long ball may prove worthy if the Giants utilize it well. We’ll see what transpires come Sunday.

Who Wins?

This is going to be a closer game than one might expect, but with the Packers back at full-strength and playing at home, the “Cheeseheads” look like to be in a good position to host the NFC title game. They’ve taken care of business all season long and aren’t about to let the happy go lucky G-men come in and ruin such a promising season.

Although the Giants have found their groove again in the running game and the passing game, not to mention coming close to defeating the Pack back in week 13, they may fall just shy up upsetting the former Super Bowl Champs.

Packers 31 Giants 27

Fantasy Football:

Week 16 matchups:

Eagles at Cowboys

Giants at Jets

Vikings at Redskins

Week 17 matchups:

Cowboys at Giants

Redskins at Eagles

NFC East Playoff Breakdown

Every year there is a division whose playoff race goes down to the wire. Last year it was the NFC West, this year we have been gifted with two of these divisions, one in each conference. In the NFC the focus is on the East division where any one of three teams could still make the playoffs, one of which is the Eagles with the alignment of the stars and a 8-8 record that mocks even the Seahawks playoff ticket from a season ago.

Here’s the Breakdown:
 

Dallas Cowboys (8-6)

Quietly consistent the Cowboys have found themselves in first position in the NFC East. They have done this by picking up wins at home and are 5-2 this year, no other team in the East is above .500 at home which highlights the importance of having a solid home advantage. The Cowboys must not be complacent going into the final two match-ups of the regular season as they are facing division opponents, so losses would significantly hurt their chances of getting to the playoffs. If the Cowboys were to get into the playoffs, they would be encouraged by their win at San Francisco in Week 2 of the regular season.

Make the playoffs if:

• They beat the Giants in Week 17 regardless of Week 16 results OR
• They beat the Eagles in Week 16 and the Giants lose to the Jets.

New York Giants (7-7)

The Giants shot out of the gate to start the season opening with a 6-3 record, unfortunately for them since then they have gone 1-4 and have allowed the Cowboys to leapfrog them for first place in the NFC East. However, with top players on offense and defense a journey deep into the playoffs is still possible for the Super Bowl XLII champions. The Giants still have the power to qualify in their hands, they know that if they win out their final games then they will be in the playoffs.

Make the playoffs if:

• They beat the Jets in Week 16 and the Cowboys in Week 17 OR
• The Giants and Cowboys lose in Week 16, the Giants win and the Eagles lose in Week 17.

Philadelphia Eagles (6-8)

Before the season began this roster was labelled the “Dream Team” with free agents taking less money in the belief that they would secure themselves a Super Bowl ring playing in Philadelphia. In contrary to this belief the Eagles have struggled this year and currently sit in third in the NFC East. This has resulted in some Eagles fans blaming the coaching staff for the under-performance of the team, which is further fuelled by some players having had public disputes with the coaches. Despite this the Eagles have won enough games to still have a chance to qualify for the postseason though results would have to favor the Eagles. It is worth noting that the Eagles are 3-1 in the division this year with only division teams to play.

Make the playoffs if:

• The Eagles win and the Giants lose in Week 16, the Giants and the Eagles win in Week 17.

Washington Redskins (5-9)

The Redskins shocked fans and pundits alike when they started the season 3-1, unfortunately for them the bye week came at the wrong time and after it they went on a 6 game losing streak. The streak all but eliminated Washington from playoff contention, before they were mathematically ruled out with losses to the Jets and Patriots in Weeks 13 and 14 respectively. The Redskins are now playing for pride, although they may not wish to win too many more games this year in order give themselves the best draft position that they possibly can.

The Redskins cannot make the playoffs.

Fantasy Football:

This is not what the city of Philadelphia anticipated heading into the 2011 NFL season. Charging into the latter half the year, the former NFC East champs find themselves at rock bottom this year. With a less than stellar record of 3-6 and fighting to stay alive as a team plagued by injury, poor performance, and a franchise quarterback whose failure to live up the hype has football nation asking, did he deserve the monstrous contract he acquired during the off-season? What the heck happened to the Eagles this season? But, more importantly, are the Eagles playoff hopes still alive? With nothing really left to lose, Philly can just sail along for the rest of the season without a worry, if they so choose. Unless, it’s not too late for this once to be thought, “dream team” to get back to wild card weekend. Here’s to hoping and praying for seven straight wins Eagles fans.

This weekend, the Eagles travel to the Meadowlands to battle their biggest NFC East rival, where last year Philadelphia pulled a rabbit out their hat, the rabbit being DeSean Jackson, who gave us “The Miracle at New Meadowlands.” It was one of the biggest come from behind victories in Eagles franchise history and now Sunday night, the Eagles could play spoiler to a Giants team that is looking to win the division this year. Currently, the Eagles are in bad shape. Michael Vick broke two ribs in their embarrassing loss last week against the Cardinals and Jeremy Maclin has been sidelined due to a hamstring injury. Both players are questionable for Sunday’s game. Yet, on the upside, wide receiver DeSean Jackson returns to action after missing a mandatory team meeting that kept him from the field last week and we’ll probably get a glimpse of Vince Young this weekend as Vick recovers from his injury. The Eagles hope to upset the Giants and will have to keep fighting for a slim opportunity to go beyond January.

If the season ended today, the Eagles wouldn’t even be close to making the playoffs, sporting one of the worst records in the National Football League. With only a handful of games left to play, Philly’s chances continue to get smaller as the weeks fly by. Looking ahead at their schedule, the Eagles may have their hands full, as they play host to the Patriots in week twelve, travel to Seattle and Miami in the following weeks, take on the struggling Jets back home while finishing with two division games against the Cowboys and Redskins. The rest of the schedule is mediocre at best, with their toughest games coming against the Patriots and the Cowboys. Could seven wins in a row grant the Eagles a playoff berth? It would certainly help out head coach Andy Reid who has been under fire lately and could make for one stellar finish to an otherwise disappointing season. With the playoffs sliding farther and farther away, the Eagles could always now just focus on ruining other teams opportunities to shine.

So, can the Eagles wake up long enough to push themselves to the playoffs? We’ll have to wait and see, but otherwise if the Giants are victorious this weekend, the Eagles “dream season” is pretty much gone. If there’s one thing to take into consideration, Philly can learn a lot from this season. They can correct the mistakes made, the opportunities missed, and figure out how to come back stronger next season. It’s not always sunny in Philadelphia, but for now the sun hasn’t officially set and now more than ever, it’s gut-check time for the Eagles.

All in all, the playoff hopes remain alive at the current moment, with even just one more loss excluding them for good, the Eagles need to stay positive and use wishful thinking. The season that was supposed to be never appeared for Philadelphia and now they are reeling for answers that don’t seem to be coming. It would be quite the spectacle to see the Eagles bounce back and make the playoffs, but time, determination, and wins for Philly will decide that. Again, here’s to hoping and praying for seven straight wins Eagles fans.

Fantasy Football:

Outside of the top two, the next half-dozen teams are seriously flawed.  Some have issues at quarterback, some have injury concerns, while others are too one-dimensional to take seriously over the long haul.  The Giants, after struggling out of the gate have hit their stride.  The early season issues with running back Brandon Jacobs appear to be behind everyone and the G-Men have run off four straight wins going into the bye.

Offensively they have great balance.  They have one of the best running back duos in Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. Bradshaw has come into his own this season as the primary runner. His slashing style complements Jacobs’ power running.  During the four game winning streak both backs seem to have accepted their role.  Neither guy seems to fit into the cliché of runners need to have X number of carries to be effective.  Keeping each guys’ workload down will only make the running game stronger as the season moves on.

They have great balance because of the nice collection of wide receiver talent the front office has assembled.  After getting burned by Plaxico Burress’ run in with the law, the Giants receiver core has rebounded nicely.  They have three young receivers – Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham that most teams would love to have on the roster.  Similar to the running backs, the wide receivers seem to have all fell nicely into their roles.

The offensive line has been together for the past few years and have given the offense stability in an area teams need it the most.  Outside of center Shaun O’Hara, all the starters have started all seven games.  O’Hara missed part or all of three games, but the stability of the offensive line has been the foundation of the effective running game as well as the sometimes explosive passing game.

Speaking of the passing game quarterback Eli Manning, while not putting up great numbers has been a steady hand behind center this season.  He has turned the ball over too much, but, across the NFC, poor quarterback play has killed a number of teams that were supposed to be near the top of the conference.  In the AFC Manning is middle of the pack, but in the NFC, few have played as consistently.

On the other side of the ball, the defense is really starting to hit its stride.  Before falling asleep late in the fourth quarter against Dallas, the Giants defense, on the road shut down what should be a solid offense.  They overcame the early mistakes by the offense and held them in the game until the offense got going.  Like the offense, the Giants’ defense is built from the line of scrimmage back.  While not as dominate as the Super Bowl championship year, the defensive line is one of the league’s top units.  Losing Mathias Kiwanuka for the season is going to hurt, but this defensive line is deep and nasty.  The whole defense seems to take its key from the head coach – no nonsense Tom Coughlin.

That brings us to the final reason the Giants look to be the class of the muddy NFC.  As much as he has been criticized, Coughlin has held the team together before and just continues to win.  When it comes down to it, he is an old school coach with an old school team.  Run the ball, make plays in the passing game when they need to and play tough defense.  Those are the things all coaches say they want to do.  The Giants do them and that might be enough to win the NFC’s primary and get on the final ballot as one of the last two teams standing as the NFC’s representative in Super Bowl XLV.

Fantasy Football:

1) Pittsburgh Steelers
They stole Sunday’s game on one of the worst botched (reviewed) calls I can remember, but that shouldn’t be a surprise because this is the Steelers. They lead the league in benefiting from terrible officiating over the past fifty years. Never the less, even if that call hadn’t gone in their favor, they would still retain the top spot. I know, I’m not happy about it either.

2)   New York Jets
We might as well just accept the fact that this team is elite, even if it is by default due to a lack of elite teams. Just because of their defense the Jets are going to be competitive with anyone they play. If they weren’t in New York and Mark Sanchez weren’t their QB, this team would be impossible to dislike.

3)  New York Giants
Probably the starkest turnaround from week one. Once they play a close inter-division game we can drop them a few spots and everyone can decry what a “fraud” they are.

4)  Tennessee Titans
More or less under the radar, and with the Kenny Britt’s coming out party, the passing game might be able to actually assist the running game, instead of working in direct opposition to it.

5)  New England Patriots
Are you ready for some more stories about how “gutsy” this team is? That’s what happens when you’re not employing Randy Moss. Either way, they’re not as good as they were, but they don’t have to be this season.

6)   Houston Texans
The off-week probably helped their cause for these means, because they limped into their bye. Still, the offense is explosive, even if they’re the Cowboys one win and the Giants used them as a springboard to this uncanny transition.

7)   Indianapolis Colts
Indy has taken a lot of grief for losing two close games to divisional opponents, but even with all their injuries, everyone’s pretty confident they can make up the difference with some no-names off the bench. Thus is the aura of Peyton Manning, he can make Blair White a pro-bowler.

8)   Atlanta Falcons
Virtually everyone who was supposed to improve in the NFC got worse or stayed roughly the same, and everyone who was supposed to be a bottom feeder slightly or drastically improved. As a result, a bunch of teams are meeting in the middle. In short, it opens the door for the Falcons to be an elite NFC team.

9)  Philadelphia Eagles
They run hot and cold, but I can’t blame them for dropping a game without DeSean Jackson, who’s the best small receiver in the NFL by a mile.

10)  Washington Redskins
Good coaching and limited turnovers gets you in the top ten. It’s that kind of year. In that respect, the McNabb experiment is working. By every other measure, it isn’t.

11)  Kansas City Chiefs
How great is it to have a quality football team playing at Arrowhead again? Is there anything to dislike about this team? Other than the inconsistency? (Note: Do not gamble on them).

12)  New Orleans Saints
Every time I watch the Saints this season, it looks like they’re fully taking advantage of living in a city with no last call or open container law.

13)  Baltimore Ravens
This is probably too low, and a result of my annoyance with the media coverage surrounding this team, but to my credit they’re really unlikable.

14)  Green Bay Packers
Sorry Packers, but you lose points for perpetually enduring injuries. When half your team is like Mr. Glass from Unbreakable, it speaks to a systemic conditioning issue as opposed to bad luck.

15)  Seattle Seahawks
Again, they should probably be higher, but this team doesn’t exactly inspire faith by winning games on Leon Washington kickoff returns. They’re starting to look like a lock to win the NFC West, though, so I probably shouldn’t have them outside of the playoffs.

16)  Miami Dolphins
If Miami misses the playoffs this season it will be the result of playing against a tough schedule in a tough division, and not necessarily a reflection on the quality of football they’re playing. I’d take them in a head-to-head against the Seahawks, for example.

17)  Oakland Raiders
Say what you will about Al Davis, the no-name quarterback, Tom Cable, this team is 3-4 and has a total point advantage on the season of +14, and three of their losses are only by one score.

18)  Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This is how sub-par the average NFL team is: A franchise that essentially cut its entire defense two seasons ago is 4-2, and arguably a playoff contender with a second year quarterback whose name half the league doesn’t remember. I liked Josh Freeman coming into the league, but this is unexpected.

19)  Minnesota Vikings
Well, he might as well retire, but no one wants their legacy to end with Jenn Sterger. But seriously, this might be the best 2-4 team in a long time, I just can’t put too much stock in that theory, though.

20)  Chicago Bears
Yeah, you may have beaten some divisional foes but no one buys into the Bears long term. They’ve had to dodge way too many bullets to get the 4-2 record. Needless to say, it doesn’t look effortless. It’s boring as hell, but not effortless.

21)   St. Louis Rams
Damn, I got a lot of mileage out of mocking the Rams for never having a defense, poor draft picks and wasting the prime of what should be Stephen Jackson’s hall of fame career. But it seems that’s all over, as this team could compete for their puttering division title or a wild card.

22)  San Diego Chargers
Starting off 2-5 doesn’t strike me as “the Chargers being the Chargers”, as has been the common dismissive to excuse them of their slow start to 2010. It strikes me as a team lacking all legitimate passing targets outside of Antonio Gates and a typically overrated defense. If they were on the other side of the Mississippi they would be toast by now.

23)  Cleveland Browns
Based on what I’ve seen thus far, this team should be rated higher. But their personnel is so unrecognizable that they need to compile more wins to move out of anyone’s bottom ten. This is probably unfair but perfectly understandable to most everybody.

24) Jacksonville Jaguars
Yeah, this team is a total enigma. Guessing the NCAA Tournament requires less good fortune than assessing the Jacksonville Jaguars.

25)  Cincinnati Bengals
I mentioned it before, but the Bengals really should have looked into trading Palmer before the season started (preferably during the draft). As he has carried his dreadful end to the 2009 season into 2010. This team was better when they were a slew of burgeoning ex-cons.

26)  Detroit Lions
If they still had Matt Stafford this might be a winning team right now. But as it stands, we’re looking at a scrappy underdog that at best can give teams fits without legitimately contending for a playoff spot.

27)  San Fransisco 49ers
They lost their quarterback, but there’s a good chance Troy Smith is not only an upgrade from Alex Smith, but a significant one at that. It’s a shame, if only that Alex Smith could get a fair shake, he might make something of himself in this league.

28)  Dallas Cowboys
Much like the Niners, Dallas has lost their quarterback, but they’re not getting a boost from it. The good news is they’re almost guaranteed a solid draft pick in 2011, the bad news is they’re going to have to wait until 2011.

29)  Denver Broncos
Much like Jacksonville, this is never the same team from one week to the next. Try as you will to figure them out, they’ll lose by thirty to the Raiders a week after being a questionable pass interference call from beating the second ranked team on this list. Have fun in England, Denver. It only made sense the NFL picked a team on Mountain time to travel to Europe.

30)  Arizona Cardinals
This might be the worst 3-3 team in the history of the league. Max Hall managed to produce a 13.5 quarterback rating after turning the ball over what felt like a dozen times in 2.5 quarters. But obviously Matt Leinart was completely irredeemable.

31) Carolina Panthers
Uh, they have a young quarterback who could maybe be a serviceable starter for a wild card team sometime in his career? Is this the silver lining? Meanwhile, for all the bitching Steve Smith does, he wasn’t exactly lighting the world on fire with his performance on Sunday.

32)  Buffalo Bills
0-16 is starting to become a real possibility. They might want to address that at some point. They should bring in some college ringers to improve their chances. Like Mark Ingram. The Bills haven’t addressed the running back issue for a good two months.

Fantasy Football:

Chicago Bears 3-0 vs. New York Giants 1-2

Two teams with different records that could easily flip places. The Bears have been close in all three contests and have made mistakes that could have cost them games. Where the Giants are the example on how to implode.

Fantasy games like this one are always tricky. You could see monster numbers from fantasy players or not hear their names all day. With both teams playing somewhat streaky football you should weigh your options before starting fantasy players from this game.

Fantasy Football:

Link

Fantasy Football:

It’s a little early to be predicting the first round of the NFL Draft, yet people love to speculate what teams will do (Mel Kiper 9.0 by March). Every year Gridiron Experts refuses to post a Mock Draft too early, so instead we’re posting a 3 part team needs mock draft, giving an educated guess to what teams might be thinking.

Not every position that is lacking on a NFL squad has to be filled with a first round pick. There are still a ton of free agents that are about to hit the open market, and second year players that can step in now that they have a year under them, and the first few weeks of March should completely change the draft. So here is a look at the NFL Draft based on how teams are sitting at the moment.

Read the First Article: Team Needs Mock Draft (Part 1)

11) Denver Broncos Team Needs: DT | DE | WR | QB

Strange to see Denver this high on the board considering the fast start to the season with new coach Josh McDaniel’s. The Broncos completely fell apart in the final month of the season, losing 4 games in a row, including losses to the Chiefs and Raiders.

The Broncos will likely try to improve their running defense through free agency and could target an offensive playmaker with pick 10. The Brandon Marshall trade rumors have started to fire up, causing many mock draft experts to target the top wide receiver landing in Denver.

Demaryius Thomas is high in our books, but a broken foot could hurt his stock value, making Dez Bryant a strong favorite. There is also a chance that if a top QB is available at 10 the Broncos could fill the shoes left by Jay Cutler. Either way the Broncos are sitting strong at pick 10 to take the best player available without the huge rookie money at the top of the draft.

12) Miami Dolphins Team Needs: WR | LB | SS

The Dolphins had injuries to key players in ’09, but did an amazing job filling position spots. Players stepped up week after week to fill roles unlike any other team. The Dolphins are a diamond in the rough; if they can stay healthy and add a couple playmakers, this team could challenge for the AFC East division title.

This young team is a year older and wiser now, and will try to grow on the accomplishments of the ’09 season. Personally Gridiron Experts would like to see this pick used on the offensive side of the ball, and we’re sure fans would agree. Adding a WR that can stretch the field would be ideal for this running attack, yet the team has enough rookies, and leadership would be nice as well.

We think trading this pick to a team like Arizona for a smart, tough WR like Anquan Boldin would be a great move. At 29 the trade wouldn’t be pick for player, but if a mid round pick came with Boldin, the Dolphins would walk away happy. Gridiron Experts sees pick 12 the first traded away pick of the draft, either down to gain more picks, or to another team for a veteran leader. The Dolphins are already a young team and need to add talent and wisdom now.

13) San Francisco 49er’s Team Needs: OT | WR | SS | KR

The only thing the 49er’s need to do this offseason is cut Takeo Spikes. Why? Because the veteran linebacker is a playoff curse. In the 12 years that Takeo Spikes has been in the NFL he has never been a part of a team that has made the playoffs…wow!

The 49er’s don’t really have any massive needs on the team, despite what some may say about QB Alex Smith.

Alex Smith was solid down the stretch and should have done just enough to have earned another opportunity to start for the 49er’s next season. There is a chance that Smith could succeed and lead this team into the post season if a smart offensive system can be installed that this young club can get behind.  Keep in mind we’re being optimistic, as newly hired offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye II doesn’t come with an impressive resume. Raye has never run an offense that has ranked high in any category that mattered, and his hiring makes no sense in the direction the 49er’s were playing football last year. Jimmy Raye is a running back coach with a strong run-first mentality, making this pick at 13 not one we see going to a sexy pick.

In all odds the 49er’s will try to build a power running offense that sets up play action passes to V. Davis and M. Crabtree…think New York Jets only in red jerseys.

OT Anthony Davis or Bruce Campbell would be great additions for the 49er’s at pick 13. While fans want a new QB, the organization has made it clear that a running game is the focal point. If the 49er’s wanted to get into a run & gun offense, then Jimmy Raye is the wrong guy.

14) Seattle Seahawks:

(Pick #2 for the Seahawks) Going with our write up on the Seahawks in part 1 of our Mock Draft, we are suggesting that Seattle add an OT with their first pick and take a running back at pick 14. We believe that the Seahawks need more in the backfield and can’t continue to run with such an average group of RB’s. C.J. Spiller would be a huge addition at 14, but Johnathan Dwyer might be a better pick as he has more meat on his bones. If the Seahawks moved down a few spots, added extra picks, and selected one of these elite RB’s, we would easily grade them with high marks.

Other options: take former USC star Taylor Mays to reunite the Trojan power.

15) New York Giants Team Needs: LB | FS | RB | OL

It’s fitting to see the Giants picking at 15 as they had a very middle of the pack season. When looking at this team’s overall rankings and depth chart you have to wonder why they could only put together an 8-8 season. Injuries were a major burden, but if you look harder you’ll see the G-Men were 3^rd from the bottom in points allowed per game. The big play was killer, and a new free safety or inside middle linebacker could revitalize this team’s shut down capability. We like LB Brandon Spikes, and have him ranked high on our boards. The Giants could add speed and size with the addition of this tough Florida linebacker.

16) Tennessee Titans Team Needs: DE | CB | DT | WR

Titan’s fans were in denial of what Albert Haynesworth added to their defense, and without him their interior strength was lost. Without the big man in the middle, opposing quarterbacks stretched the field on the Titans to death last season. Say what you want about Haynesworth, but when he was playing you needed two guys focusing their attention on him at all times.

So the question is, do the Titans look for the next massive DT, or re-vamp their defense to play without him? Clearly the 31^st ranked passing defense needs help getting pressure on the QB, and adding another CB won’t help the lukewarm number of sacks from last season. The difference from 2008 and 2009 was 12 sacks. We think the Titans go after the best available defensive lineman, whether it’s a big nose tackle or speed to rush the passer.

17) San Francisco 49er’s:

(Pick #2 for the 49ers) Going with our prediction of the team rebuilding around a power running game, we see one of the two picks going to beef up the offensive line, and the other going to upgrading an average at best passing defense.

18) Pittsburgh Steelers Team Needs: OL | LB | CB | WR

The Steelers ranked high in many offensive and defensive categories but walked away with a disappointing 9-7 season. Injuries took their toll, but a lack of execution in very winnable games had fans rolling their eyes.

This team still has an elite caliber to it, and is typically smart on draft day, but the arrogance of ignoring the offensive line problems needs to end now. Whether it’s through free agency or the draft, the O-line needs a boost. Big Ben was hit, knocked down, and sacked on a regular basis in ’09; a tackle that can play guard for a year would be a smart pick at 18.

Other needs to look at: putting in place young players to someday take over for these aging veterans. There are 5 players starting on defense that are 30+ years old, and guys like Hines Ward can’t be around forever; we expect a lot of depth to be added this year in the Steelers draft.

19) Atlanta Falcons Team Needs: CB | LB | DE | TE

The Falcons were another team plagued by injuries. The potential of Matt Ryan and another breakout season was put on hold, thanks to nagging injuries to himself and the offensive weapons around him. The Falcons only won three games on the road, but still walked away with a winning 9-7 record. If this team can add help to their secondary, Matty Ice won’t have to get into a shoot out each week to pull out a win.

We like the Falcons to take either CB Patrick Robinson or Perrish Cox at 19. Robinson might be gone by the 19th pick, but fans shouldn’t feel they have to settle for Perrish Cox. Cox is a player that could fit well into the Falcons defensive unit, also adding kick return options.

20) Houston Texans: SS | RB | WR | OL

The Texans were supposed to make the playoffs in 2009, but fell just short in the final couple weeks of the season. The team had to be very unsatisfied with their inability to finish off games, especially against divisional opponents. Houston blew leads in games that looked wrapped up, and kicker Kris Brown was a heartbreaker to say the least.

Gridiron Experts has been pleading for the last two years for this team to draft a big name running back. Steve Slaton is a great speedy weapon, but lacks bulk to move the pile and is clearly not an every down RB. A bruiser that can make short yardage and goal line carries a stress free occurrence would be huge addition for this team.

Other needs are clearly at the safety position. The Texans lack that last resort defender who can put fear in the eyes of receivers running across the middle.

Gridiron Experts thinks the Texans need to take a shot to move up and get themselves a big time safety, or find an excellent RB to move the pile.

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