You guys ever think "What If?" I do all the time.

The Top “What If” Moments in College Football 2010

-Patrick Woo

Any college football fans out there? Here's something for you. I've put together what I think are the top ten "What If" moments from the 2010 college football season. Here they are, counting down.

Your thoughts are always welcome.

10. Kellen Moore leads the game-winning touchdown drive against Virginia Tech and derails the Hokies’ season from the start. (Sept. 6)

What if it didn’t happen?

Virginia Tech lost a heartbreaker to Boise State and when you lose your first game in college football it’s hard to block out the fact that the rest of the season will be an uphill battle for the BCS. The loss to Boise State hit the Hokies’ mentality and they came out flat after a short week in their next game against James Madison. The Hokies were upset 21-16. Looking back now, if the Madison loss had never happened, Virginia Tech would have been widely considered the best one-loss team in the nation for much of the season.

9. Penn State quarterback Rob Bolden gets injured against Minnesota. (Oct. 23)

What if it didn’t happen?

Granted, it was against the Minnesota defense, but true freshman Rob Bolden was finally having a great game and got help from the running game as well. Then Bolden got hit and suffered a concussion and was relieved by Matt McGloin. The rest is history for Penn State fans as McGloin became the full-time starter for the rest of the year, Bolden is displeased that he did not see playing time when he got healthy, and now there is major QB drama in Happy Valley. If Bolden never gets hurt, does he finish out the season playing well and carry that over to 2011? We can only speculate.

8. Vick Ballard has a career day against Arkansas…then fumbles it away. (Nov. 20)

What if it didn’t happen?

Vick Ballard put together career highs in rushing yards and touchdowns for Mississipi State against Arkansas en route to almost pulling off the upset. The turn of events at the end of this one were nothing short of dramatic as Arkansas RB Knile Davis fumbled the ball to give Mississippi State the opportunity to tie the game and send it into overtime (ironically Davis also set his career high in rushing in this game). Then in overtime, the Bulldogs were in perfect position to win the game and Ballard headed for the endzone and was tackled at the 1-yard line and fumbled the ball through the endzone. Arkansas got the ball and won the game. Had Ballard not fumbled the ball and Mississippi State retained possession, it’s safe to say they would have won and Arkansas would not have played in the Sugar Bowl, perhaps opening the door for Boise State or Michigan State to get into a BCS Bowl and now we know how ugly it would’ve been if it was Michigan State.

7. Danny O’Brien throws a crucial interception against Florida State. (Nov. 20)

What if it didn’t happen?

Maryland needed one win to clinch the ACC Coastal Division a year after going 2-10. They outplayed Florida State for most of the game before letting the Seminoles take the lead in the second half. Down 23-16, Maryland put together one last drive and Danny O’Brien threw an interception in the endzone. Had that not happened, the game would have gone to overtime and we can only speculate from there but if Maryland would have won that game, they would have represented the Division in the ACC Championship Game, but more importantly for their fans, would have been in a better bowl game than the Military Bowl.

6. Arkansas blocks Ohio State’s punt in the Sugar Bowl…and falls on it? (Jan. 4)

What if it didn’t happen?

Arkansas needed a defensive stop and then a miraculous blocked punt to have a chance to beat Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. Well, it happened. Arkansas got the blocked punt and had a clear path to the endzone had the Razorbacks scooped the ball up and ran forward. However, they did what they are fundamentally taught to do and fell on the ball to save the possession. You can’t blame them for it but Ryan Mallett went on to throw an interception and Arkansas lost. It’s hard to get the idea out your mind that Arkansas had the Sugar Bowl win gift wrapped with that punt block and rejected it.

5. Ryan Clarke fumbles the ball at the goal-line and UConn wins. (Oct. 29)

What if it didn’t happen?

West Virginia had never lost to UConn in six meetings but found themselves in a physical Big East battle. The game went to overtime tied at 13-13 and Ryan Clarke picked the worst time for his first career fumble as he coughed in up in overtime and Lawrence Wilson recovered it for UConn. Next in overtime, UConn’s Dave Teggart kicked the game-winning 27-yard field goal. Looking back at how the Big East played out now, this was the moment where UConn gained the right to play in the Fiesta Bowl representing the Big East. It could’ve been West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl beating Oklahoma (okay…more speculating…) or at the very least, it would have been a more entertaining Fiesta Bowl.

4. Jerrod Johnson throws one away. (Sept. 30)

What if it didn’t happen?

It was the first conference game of the season for both Oklahoma State and Texas A&M so what’s the big deal? Turns out that this game defined the Big 12 South Champion.

The two teams were tied at 35-35 and Texas A&M QB Jerrod Johnson was simply throwing the ball away but it was intercepted by Oklahoma State and they got possession with just over a minute to go and ran the hurry-up offense to perfection and set up Dan Bailey’s game-winning field goal as time expired.

The Big 12 South Division ended up in a three-way tie between Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M and the Aggies beat the Sooners so they would have won the tiebreaker and represented the South in the Big 12 Conference Championship Game. In other words, Oklahoma would have never made the BCS and the Fiesta Bowl would have hosted Nebraska or Texas A&M instead. Oh my, how things could have been.

3. Auburn survives thanks to two Clemson miscues. (Sept. 19)

What if it didn’t happen?

Can we imagine how the BCS would have shaped out if Auburn did not go undefeated? Clemson had a chance to end Auburn’s 13-game win streak against them but gave away two opportunities to win.

First the Tigers blew the 17-0 lead, but in overtime tied at 24-24, Auburn took the lead 27-24 off a Wes Byrum field goal in overtime’s first possession. Clemson had a chance to tie or win. Going for the win, Kyle Parker found a wide open Jaron Brown in the endzone and the ball came off of Brown’s fingertips. What if he had caught that? Clemson wins and Auburn doesn’t play for the BCS title. Next, Clemson has a chance to at least send the game to double overtime. Freshman kicker Chandler Catanzaro makes the 26-yard attempt to go for double overtime but Clemson got called for an illegal snap. Catanzaro had to kick again from 32 yards and missed it. Auburn survived. Imagine if they didn’t. Does TCU then play for the national championship? Wow.

2. California misses a costly field goal. (Nov. 13)

What if it didn’t happen?

The entire landscape in the BCS could have been changed as California slowed down the nation’s top scoring offense in Oregon. Rob Beard missed two field goals for Oregon from 37 yards and 48 yards that could have come back to haunt the Ducks but luckily the Cal Bears weren’t having sweet dreams. The end result was an Oregon 15-13 win to remain undefeated. What’s remembered is that California allegedly faked injuries to slow down Oregon and Oregon survived. What’s forgotten is that California should have won, but Giorgio Tavecchio missed a 29-yard field goal at the beginning of the fourth quarter that would have gave Cal a 16-15 lead over Oregon that as we saw would have been enough to win. What if Cal makes that field goal and beats Oregon? Everything would have changed.

1. Kyle Brotzman has a nightmare in Reno. (Nov. 26)

What if it didn’t happen?

I’m sure Kyle Brotzman is still having nightmares about that night in Reno, Nevada. The consensus was that Boise State needed just a win to overtake TCU in the BCS Standings and book a trip to the Rose Bowl, perhaps the national championship game. Nevada made a furious comeback in the fourth quarter but Kellen Moore and Boise State had a knack for finding ways to win the game. In theory, they found a way to win again.

Kellen Moore, as we know is majoring in clockwork with the Boise offense, had 13 seconds to win the game. He threw a bomb down the field as Titus Young laid out for a miraculous catch inside the 10-yard line and all of a sudden Boise State was going to win the game. But Kyle Brotzman missed the field goal and the game goes to overtime. But Boise is composed, they’ll find a way to win in overtime, right?

Brotzman missed another field goal from 29 yards in overtime that would have given Boise State the lead. The rest is history. Nevada’s Anthony Martinez kicks the game-winning field goal and the “Boise Bus” breaks down and their dreams are snatched away from them. Boise State ends up shunned from the BCS and plays in the Maaco Las Vegas Bowl.

One can only think, “What if Brotzman didn’t miss?”

Mr. Heck's Regular Season Awards

With a crazy 2010 regular season finally in the books, it's time for my annual "Regular Season Awards." I know what you're saying, and yes my title for these awards isn't very creative, but it will have to do until I can come up with a fancier name, sorry.

Most Valuable Player: Tom Brady

Everyone seems to wanna give this award to Michael Vick. But, the truth is Brady was far more consistent throughout the season than Vick. While Vick went his first seven games without an interception, he threw six in the last five games of the season. Brady through four all season and ended up playing the final 11 games without an interception. Twelve of Brady's 16 games he threw for multiple touchdowns and had a quarterback rating of 100 or better in 12 games. Vick was an all-around solid player this season, but Brady put up numbers reminiscent of New England's undefeated regular season in 2007.

Runner ups: Michael Vick, Phillip Rivers

Rookies of the Year: LeGarrette Blount (offense) and Ndamukong Suh (defense)

For Blount, the road to the NFL was a rocky one after his punching incident in week one of the college football season last year after his Oregon Ducks fell to the Boise State Broncos. He was suspended indefinitely and his chances at going pro were put in jeopardy. Tampa Bay, looking for a consistent runner who could play on first and second downs, claimed Blount off waivers (from the Titans) on September 6. It wasn't until week four against the Cardinals that Blount broke out and raised some eye brows with a 120 yard, two TD performance. He went on to break 1,000 yards rushing with four 100-yard games and a couple of highlight reel plays (jumped completely over two defenders on two separate occasions this season). Blount's Bucs just barely missed out on the playoffs this season, unfortunately.

Suh, a Heisman trophy finalist in 2009, made an immediate impact in the NFL this season. The 6'4'', 307 pounder was first among defensive tackles with 10 sacks as he started all 16 games this season. Suh's 66 total tackles was seventh-best among defensive lineman. The former Nebraska Cornhusker forced fear in to his opposition with a big hit he put on Cleveland Browns' quarterback Jake Delhomme in the preseason. Suh was fined $7,500 by commissioner Roger Goodell for the hit in which he slammed Delhomme down to the turf. Suh, unlike my offensive rookie of the year Blount, was awarded a Pro Bowl selection this season. This is the first of what should be many in the years to come for Ndamukong.

Runner ups: Sam Bradford (offense) and Eric Berry (defense)

Breakout Player: Arian Foster

Houston seemed to be lost for words as soon as they learned that their rookie running back Ben Tate would miss the rest of the season after suffering a leg injury in the very first preseason game. A couple weeks later they would discover a guy who would carry the workload for a majority of the season. Foster, who ran the ball just 54 times for 257 yards and three touchdowns in his rookie season last year, ran all over the Indianapolis Colts in week one (a franchise-record 331 to be exact). Foster put up seven 100-yard games and five multi-TD performances throughout the season, and ended the 16-game schedule with a league-high 1,616 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground. Foster is on the radar in 100 percent of fantasy leagues after this season.

Runner ups: Peyton Hillis, Cameron Wake, Brandon Lloyd

Comeback Player of the Year: Michael Vick

He didn't get my MVP vote, but the fact that he went from not playing in the league at all in 2007 and 2008, to just 13 pass attempts and 24 rush attempts in 2009, to a Pro Bowl selection and an MVP-type performance in 2010 warrants this award. Vick's career-high 3,018 yards and 21 touchdown passes showed the NFL world that Vick can--and will--throw the ball. His 676 rushing yards and nine TDs sure did help too. I look forward to seeing what he and the Eagles do in the playoffs.

Runner ups: Brian Urlacher, Braylon Edwards

Biggest Disappointment: Brett Favre

What can I say? After last season's career year, we probably should have been expecting a letdown in 2010, but yet we're still all disappointed that it had to end this way. His consecutive games played streak was ended and the last image we may have of Favre is of him being slammed in to the turf by a rookie defensive lineman, causing a concussion on a rock solid Soldier Field surface in a 40-14 loss. Favre's 19 interceptions and Minnesota's 6-10 record sure didn't help matters. There's still a chance he could come back in 2011, but I really do not expect it to happen. I think he has finally discovered that his body can't take the beating any longer.

Runner ups: Donovan McNabb

Coach of the Year: Lovie Smith (Chicago)

Green Bay and Minnesota made all the headlines and front pages this off-season, but it was in Chicago where all the hard work finally paid off during the 2010 season. Quarterback Jay Cutler put up over 3,000 yards and 20 touchdown passes for the fourth straight season and was able to protect the ball a little better than last year, going from 26 int's from '09 to 16 this season. He had to adjust to yet another offense as Mike Martz was brought in as the coordinator. But it was really Lovie's defense that was able to get the Bears' its first division title since the year they played Indy in the Super Bowl back in 2006. Good luck to Lovie and his Bears in the playoffs.

Runner ups: Todd Haley

If you have any other awards you would like to "hand out" feel free to inform me of them in the comment section.

Photo Credit
LeGarrette Blount: AP Photo/Bill Haber
Arian Foster: AP Photo/Dave Einsel
Brett Favre: AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt

Steelers, Falcons Solidify First Round Byes; Other News from Early Game Action

With Mike Tomlin's Pittsburgh Steelers easily handling AFC North rival Cleveland Browns, 41-9, in their 1:00 P.M. match-up, the Steelers clinched both the second seed in the AFC playoffs and a first round bye. Atlanta, on the NFC side of things, took care of Carolina, 31-10, to take the top seed and of course the first round bye.

Despite coming out with the victory over Cincinnati and finishing the season with a 12-4 record, the Baltimore Ravens had to settle for the fifth seed in the playoffs while Rex Ryan's Jets hold the sixth seed.

Other headline-making news in the football world today:

*With their loss to Oakland and Indy's recent 23-20 victory over Tennessee--thanks to a game-winning field goal by veteran Adam Vinateri--the Kansas City Chiefs were bumped down to the fourth seed. Peyton's win awarded him Kansas City's third seed.

*AFC Wild Card Match-ups for next week:

Baltimore @ Kansas City

New York @ Indianapolis

(Note: The Colts have tied an NFL record with their ninth consecutive playoff appearance)

*Jacksonville, needing both a win and a Colts loss, were doubled up by Houston, 34-17, and subsequently eliminated from contention.

*The Bucs, needing a win to have a shot at making the "Second Season" A.K.A. the postseason, defeated the already playoff-bound New Orleans Saints. New Orleans, whether they won or lost, basically already had the fifth seed wrapped up.

*Unfortunately for Tampa, they needed both the Packers and Giants to lose for them to move on. That didn't happen after Green Bay defeated Jay Cutler's Bears 10-3, putting the Pack in as the sixth seed. Which also means that despite New York's 17-14 victory over the Skins, they will miss the playoffs this season.

*With the Eagles' loss to Dallas, Chicago was given the No. 2 seed, Philly now holds the No. 3 seed.

*The NFC Wild Card match-ups are still up in the air. We know the Eagles will be hosting the Packers, but it's unclear who the Saints will be playing. The winner of the St. Louis/Seattle prime-time matchup will host New Orleans next week. Either way, I do think it's safe to say the Saints will be moving on to the second round, but you just never know. Anything could happen.

*Coaching changes: both Minnesota's and Dallas' interim coaches, Leslie Frazier and Jason Garrett respectively, are expected to be named their team's head coaches.

The games that didn't matter:

Patriots(#) 38, Dolphins 7

Jets (#) 38, Bills 7

Lions 20, Vikings 13

Chargers 33, Broncos 28

Niners 38, Cardinals 7

# already clinched a playoff spot

Photo Credit

Ray Lewis: AP Photo/Rob Carr

NFL Kick-off 2010: Last-Second Season Preview

The Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints will battle it out tonight in the NFC Championship game rematch at the Superdome. What does this mean? Football is back, baby!

I kinda almost ran out of time to do my full preview so here it is. My last-second preview (literally!).

Who will come out on top of each division:

AFC North

Baltimore*
Pittsburgh
Cincinnati
Cleveland

Outlook: With the additions of Anquan Boldin and T.J. Houshmandzadeh on the offensive side of the ball there's no way Joe Flacco doesn't have a stellar season under center. The only thing holding Baltimore back from making a Super Bowl trip is the devastating injuries to Ed Reed and Domonique Foxworth in the secondary.

AFC East

New York*
New England#
Miami
Buffalo

Outlook: Many people think the Jets are going to let everyone down, although it's not likely. I mean, the talent is most certainly there and the defense is back to top-tier with the return of shutdown corner Darrelle Revis. Sanchez is only maturing with time and L.T. is anchoring the backfield. Arguably the best defense in the league+a more than capable offense=victories.

AFC South

Indianapolis*
Houston#
Tennessee
Jacksonville

Outlook: There's an unwritten rule in the NFL that you can't bet against Peyton Manning, and I don't think it's right to break that rule. Past the Indianapolis Mannings, I believe Houston will make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history with a wild card berth and Chris Johnson will break 1,800 yards with 15 touchdowns for Tennessee's 9-7 team.

AFC West

San Diego*
Oakland
Denver
Kansas City

Yes, you read that correctly. Oakland will be a second-place team thanks to the several injuries the Broncos have suffered during training camp/preseason and the sputtering in rebuilding that Kansas City has suffered. Philip Rivers' Chargers, despite not having Vincent Jackson to throw to, will once again take the division crown.

NFC North

Green Bay*
Minnesota#
Chicago
Detroit

Outlook: It's time for Aaron Rodgers to finally claim his spot among the elite. Rodgers right arm will be the main reason why Green Bay takes the division, but the Packers also have a stellar defense and a great duo of receivers to throw to. Minnesota will take a wild card spot but there's no way Favre and the Vikes are able to repeat last year's performance, especially without Sidney Rice for the first six weeks of play.

NFC East

Dallas*
New York
Philadelphia
Washington

Outlook: Could this finally be Romo's year? I think it may be. With the addition of rookie Dez Bryant and last year's resurgent Miles Austin looking as strong as ever, Romo's offense could produce even better results on it's way to a division title. McNabb and Shanahan aren't going to magically turn the Skins around on their own, Eli will fall just short of taking the G-Men back to the playoffs and Kevin Kolb will struggle in his first full season at the helm.

NFC South

New Orleans*
Atlanta#
Carolina
Tampa Bay

Outlook: Another one of those unwritten rules: it's not a very good idea going against the defending champions...or Drew Brees for that matter. It wont be quite as easy for the Saints this season because everyone will be bringing their A game to New Orleans, but that shouldn't stop them from taking the division away from Atlanta.

NFC West

Seattle*
San Francisco
Arizona
St. Louis

Outlook: So many people want to try and say San Francisco will be the breakout team and take the NFC West this season, but they really don't have a definite starting quarterback as of right now. It could be Alex Smith, it could be David Carr, it could be newly signed former Heisman winner Troy Smith. Heck, it could even be former Ball State quarterback Nate Davis, who was cut two days ago but later returned to the team's practice squad. I'll take the veteran Seattle Seahawks, who made some huge improvements via the draft and free agency, to capture the West instead.

Playoff Picture:

AFC

1. Colts
2. Ravens
3. Jets
4. Chargers
5. Patriots
6. Texans

NFC

1. Packers
2. Saints
3. Cowboys
4. Seahawks
5. Vikings
6. Falcons

Wild Card Round:

Jets defeat Texans
Patriots defeat Chargers

Cowboys defeat Falcons
Vikings defeat Seahawks

Divisional Round:

Colts defeat Patriots
Jets defeat Ravens

Packers defeat Vikings
Cowboys defeat Saints

Conference Championship:

Colts defeat Jets
Cowboys defeat Packers

Super Bowl:

Cowboys defeat Colts
*Tony Romo finally proves he can win, leading Dallas to its first Super Bowl appearance/victory since the 'Boys beat the Steelers in the 1995 Super Bowl.

SB MVP: Miles Austin

Regular season awards:
MVP: Chris Johnson
Offensive POY: Chris Johnson
Defensive POY: Demarcus Ware
Comeback POY: Jay Cutler
Offensive ROY: Dez Bryant
Defensive ROY: Ndamukong Suh
Coach of the Year: Gary Kubiak
Breakout POY(s): Tashard Choice and Felix Jones

Ten BOLD Predictions for the season (in no particular order):

1. This year is finally Favre final season (Lets pray it is).
2. Sam Bradford throws more picks than TDs.
3. Adrian Peterson limits his fumbles and breaks even more tackles than last season.
4. Tim Tebow makes 6-7 starts at quarterback.
5. Mark Sanchez throws 20 touchdown passes...and 15 or less interceptions.
6. Michael Crabtree has a career year in San Fran
7. Big Ben gets sacked 40-plus times despite missing the first four games due to suspension.
8. Michael Turner's numbers continue to decrease in Atlanta.
9. Jake Delhomme revives career in Cleveland.
10. Despite losing starting job to Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs finishes season with double digit TD totals.

Now that you know who is going to win the Super Bowl I guess there's really no point in you watching this season, but enjoy it anyways, 'cause there may not be a 2011.

Twelve Injuries With the Most Impact on How the Season Unfolds

The one thing coaches fear the most during training camp and preseason is having their star player go down with a major injury. The burden is almost inevitable, though, and the injury bug is bound to hit a couple teams each year.

Here is a list of 12 of the biggest injuries of the offseason and how it will impact their respected teams.

Wes Welker, New England Patriots

Obviously this was an injury suffered last season rather than during the preseason, but it just so happens to be one of the most-watched injuries of the preseason. As of three days ago Welker was saying he "doesn't feel the same" though he still plans on playing week one.

I mean, if Welker himself is saying he isn't 100 percent, then there's no way he's gonna be able to go out there and catch 10 passes for 150 yards and a score. This will certainly be an interesting situation in New England.

Donovan McNabb, Washington Redskins

Head coach Mike Shanahan is now saying that he expects McNabb to be able to start the season opener, but that doesn't mean we're just going to forget the fact that McNabb isn't feeling his normal self.

Yes, it's true, we're used to seeing a hurting McNabb. But there's no question it will leave a mark on this Skins offense this season and, personally, I don't think the Redskins have much on offense without McNabb under center. Keep an eye out in D.C.

Montario Hardesty, Cleveland Browns

Hardesty, the Browns first round pick this season, has had his season end before it even began. Despite Hardesty's blown out knee, Cleveland's GM Tom Heckert has decided to stand by his pick and believes he will make a full recovery.

I wonder how much of an affect this will have on Cleveland's rebuilding process.

Elvis Dumervil, Denver Broncos

Denver's top defensive player, and last year's sack leader with 17, is out for the season with a chest injury. It's not only the Dumervil injury that will hurt Denver, but it's the injury to his replacement, Jarvis Moss, who could miss some time as well. Not to mention Lendale White, on the offensive side of the ball, who is expected to miss the entire season with an ankle injury.

Let's face it, Denver is in trouble this season and it all starts with the devastating Dumervil injury.

Byron Leftwich, Pittsburgh Steelers

Ok, I admit it, this injury will have more of an impact on the first four weeks of the season rather than the entire season, but that's still a pretty solid impact. Getting off to a great start as opposed to a terrible start could play a role in the playoff hunt at the end of the season.

When Leftwich went down with a knee injury and it was announced that he could miss two to four weeks, the Steelers search for their starting quarterback for the first four weeks of the season (while Big Ben serves his suspension) abruptly ended, and Dixon was practically handed the starting role. Or so it seemed.

Although Dixon has earned the right to start, and appears to be the guy for head coach Mike Tomlin, veteran quarterback Charlie Batch has yet to be ruled out of the chase. The Leftwich injury surely shook up this QB battle.

Malcolm Kelly, Washington Redskins

The large, 6'4'' third year receiver landed on the injured reserve after re-aggravating his left hamstring last week. Kelly, one of the few weapons in the Skins' arsenal, was poised to break out this season with McNabb coming in to take over for Jason Campbell.

I was expecting Kelly to get quite a few looks in the red zone considering his size, but McNabb may have to rely on the unproven Devin Thomas a bit more now.

Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch, Buffalo Bills

There's no question that the Bills' backfield has taken some hits this preseason. Lynch finally returned to action in the team's preseason finale after suffering a sprained ankle in the opener, but Jackson is supposed to be taking it easy for the first few weeks of the regular season after injuring his hand.

Whether they both play week one or not, they are not going to be themselves from the start, which isn't exactly good news considering they will be traveling to Lambeau the second week of the season. Looks like rookie C.J. Spiller will have to step up.

Michael Bush, Oakland Raiders

After showing some signs of brightness throughout his first two NFL seasons in Oakland, Bush will be sidelined for 4-6 weeks after suffering a broken thumb. Surgery is expected and it may be a lingering issue in the future.

Looks like if Al Davis doesn't want Darren McFadden to assume a heavier workload, then he will have to go out and sign a veteran via the free-agent wire.

Ed Reed, Baltimore Ravens

Still battling numerous injuries, Ballhawk Reed was placed on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list and will miss six weeks, possibly more. Much like Pittsburgh and Polamalu, the Baltimore Ravens' defense is no where near the same without Reed in the lineup.

With Domonique Foxworth out for the season with a torn ACL and Fabian Washington struggling to hold the corner spot, Baltimore's secondary will be taking some beatings without Reed.

Sidney Rice, Minnesota Vikings

After news came out that Sidney Rice was undergoing hip surgery and will miss at least the first six weeks of the regular season, Minnesota's front office went out and signed two other receiversGreg Camarillo and deep threat Javon Walker. Walker was cut less than two weeks later.

Rice, Favre's favorite target in 2009, will be greatly missed in the Vikes' offense and may even end up missing more than just the six games.

Donte' Stallworth, Baltimore Ravens

Stallworth suffered a broken foot in Baltimore's preseason matchup with the Giants and will miss about two months of play. Stallworth wasn't one of the top targets in Baltimore's arsenal of receivers, but the injury was enough to persuade Baltimore to go out and sign veteran T.J. Houshmandzadeh after he was released by the Seahawks.

One door closes, another one opens.

Ben Tate, Houston Texans

Just like Montario Hardesty in Cleveland, rookie running back Ben Tate's opening season ends before it even begins. In a preseason matchup with the Cardinals Tate broke his ankle after just two carries. Tate was carted off the field and it was later announced he will go on the IR and will undergo ankle surgery.

Between this major injury and the ailing Steve Slaton, who had a disappointing campaign last season, Houston went out and signed Derrick Ward for insurance to Arian Foster.

Other Injuries to Watch out For:

Troy Polamalu: The chances of his knee injury carrying over to 2010 is highly unlikely after watching him in August, but anything can happen so watch out for it just in case.

Percy Harvin: Harvin's migraines aren't supposed to force him to miss much playing time, but considering he collapsed while watching practice because of them, it sounds much more serious than originally said.

Brian Urlacher: Urlacher's calf injury isn't supposed to be serious, either. Meaning he probably wont be sidelined by it, unless of course he re-aggravates it while in action. Urlacher, 32, missed all but one game last season from an unrelated injury but at the linebacker position this injury probably wont go away anytime soon.

Brett Favre: Favre's surgically repaired ankle is what forced him to wait so long to make a decision. Who knows if it will make it through all 16 regular season games.

Quarterbacks Making Headlines: 15 Questions Surrounding QBs

By far the most important position on the field, quarterbacks receive a lot of heat for messing up, but also get a lot of credit when their respected teams starts winning games.

This year it seems as though most storylines surround the franchise's signal caller.

Here's my take on the headlines involving franchise quarterbacks:

Can Brett Favre Take Minnesota to the Big Dance in his Final Season?

Obviously we all know that Brett Favre has, in fact, returned to the Vikes for his 20th season in the league, and that this will more than likely be his final season. But, what we don't know is how his ankle will hold up.

The one thing that was keeping Favre from making his decision earlier looks to be his bum ankle that he has had surgery on. With loss of Sidney Rice, Minnesota's go-to guy in '09, for at least the first six weeks of the season, Favre's numbers could see a dip from last year's career-highs.

There's no way Favre plays better than he did last season, meaning no, I don't think he will be able to even win the division much less represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

Will Tim Tebow Start any Games in Denver this Season?

After watching his impressive preseason, Tebow very well may have jumped ahead of Brady Quinn on the Broncos' depth chart. Tebow has shown me that, with a little more hard work off the field, Tebow can be a starter in the NFL. I mean, he can't do any worse than what JaMarcus Russell and Matt Leinart have done in their careers, can he?

Tebow has nothing to lose and a whole lot of potential. Personally, I'm rather tired of all these people hating on the guy.

How Much Maturity will Mark Sanchez Show in New York?

New York will be looking to pass a little more often with the loss of the team's leading rusher last season, Thomas Jones. Second year running back Shonn Greene will still be adjusting to carrying the load, and who knows how much Ladainian Tomlinson will be able to handle at his delicate age.

All things point to a pass-more-often New York offense with Sanchez (20 INTs last season) at the helm. He's looked solid at points during the preseason, but I don't see him throwing 25 TDs and anything less than 15 INTs this season. At this point, I believe the Jets' stellar defense is the only thing keeping them in championship contention.

Can Dixon hold Down Job until Big Ben Returns?

The good news in Pittsburgh on this wonderful afternoon is that Big Ben's suspension was reduced by Roger Goodell from six games to four games. But, the bad news came yesterday when Byron Leftwich hurt his knee in the preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers.

Today Leftwich was diagnosed with a sprained MCL and he will be out for two to four weeks. Leftwich's injury basically confirms that Dennis Dixon will be the starter for the first four games, which includes a matchup with Pittsburgh's arch rival, the Baltimore Ravens.

Dixon's lone start as an NFL quarterback was against the Ravens, at prime time on Monday night. Considering the amount of pressure he had on him to step up, Dixon played a solid game in the team's 20-17 overtime loss. Dixon stood tall in the pocket, taking hits after many of his passing attempts. Dixon completed less than half of his passes and threw an interception, but his upside showed too as he ran for 27 yards and a touchdown, and threw another one.

There's still a chance that veteran Charlie Batch becomes the starter instead, but all things would lead me to believe that Dixon will be given the role.

How Much will the Addition of Boldin Help Joe Flacco?

Former first round pick Joe Flacco, entering his third NFL season, has improved after each offseason and this season shouldn't be any different. Especially with his team's latest additions. Bringing in YAC-master Anquan Boldin should be the most beneficial acquisition. With Ray Rice and Derek Mason already to Flacco's disposal, Boldin's 586 receptions and 44 career touchdown catches could be enough for Flacco to set career highs in basically every major statistical category.

With the defense being Baltimore's biggest weakness now, expect head coach Jim Harbaugh to go to the air a bit more this season, giving Boldin and rejuvenated tight end Todd Heap plenty of targets. Since Big Ben will miss the first four games of the season, Flacco may take over the spotlight among AFC North quarterbacks this year.

Can McNabb Return Washington to the Playoffs?

I know what you're thinking: why is this even a question? Well, the truth is I came up with this question before the rumors about McNabb possibly missing the season opener began to spread around the 'net. Without McNabb, the Redskins offense has nothing. Even after releasing Willie Parker the backfield is just overcrowded with over-the-hill vets, and the only legit receiving threat on the roster very well may be tight end Chris Cooley.

Even with McNabb, after looking at the rest of Washington's offensive depth chart I really don't see him doing much. You can't forget that Washington is in the NFC East, meaning they would have to beat out the Cowboys, Giants and Eagles. Sorry, that's just not gonna happen.

Despite Lack of Weapons, How will Rookie Bradford Fare in St. Louis?

If you're a fantasy owner who has Steven Jackson on your team then I'm sure you're loving the fact that Bradford will be the starter because, yes, that means Jackson will get the ball quite a bit in an attempt to keep the pressure off Bradford.

Obviously Bradford isn't going to step up here from day one and dominate the league, but I see him having a Stafford-like performance in his rookie campaign: not too great a team record, but solid performance. It was good that Bradford got hit quite a bit in the preseason, this will make it a little easier to adjust to the speed of the game, and his preseason numbers weren't too bad either.

Improvement for Jay Cutler in 2010?

Cutler clearly isn't the favorite in the windy city after leading the league with 26 interceptions last season, but since he was at the very bottom of the league in '09, it really shouldn't be too hard to make an improvement this season. A little help from his relatively unknown receiving corps would be a huge help, but all Cutler really needed improvement on this offseason was limiting the mental mistakes which caused him to throw so many interceptions.

Adjusting to the new offense may be his biggest concern right now, though. If he can settle down quickly in this offense I think he will be ok. Cutler is my pick for comeback player of the year.

Is Aaron Rodgers Earning a spot atop the List of Elite Quarterbacks?

With two straight solid seasons of 4,000-plus yards and 28-plus TDs it's tough to not include him with the guys such as Manning and Brees, but right now he may be stuck down there with the likes of Romo and Matt Schaub.

He has a really good chance at taking this Packers team--which has a stellar D and solid run game to complement Rodgers' game--all the way to the Super Bowl this season, but until he does so I think we will need to keep him off any list that includes Manning, Brady and Brees.

Will Matthew Stafford's Lions Improve this Season?

The addition to this Lions team that will help Stafford the most would probably have to be rookie back Jahvid Best. Best has playmaking ability and is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. Nate Burleson at the receiving position was another solid addition that will aid Stafford's second season.

Stafford had a rough ending to the 2009 season (8 INTs in last three games played), but performances such as his five touchdown thrilling victory against the Cleveland Browns showed us that he has guts and is a great leader. After injuring his throwing shoulder on a pass with just seconds left in the game, Stafford went back out and threw the game-winning touchdown to give the Lions a one-point victory.

Just like every other struggling rookie quarterback, Stafford will just need to get past the mental errors and limit his mistakes.

Is Arizona Better off Without Leinart?

It was confirmed today that the Arizona Cardinals ended the Matt Leinart era by releasing the longtime bench-warmer after he spoke out about his frustration earlier this week. He claimed to have 'beaten out' veteran Derek Anderson for the starting job.

While his numbers didn't look too bad, Leinart's intangibles haven't impressed many people. He has failed to prove himself as a leader and has struggled while under pressure. Lets face it, this guy is a bust and will never be nothing more than a clipboard holder in the NFL. Arizona's best bet was to do exactly what they did: release Leinart and start Anderson. Kudos to you, Arizona!

Jake Delhomme's Redemption season?

If I hadn't already said that Jay Cutler is my pick to win the comeback player of the year award this season, Delhomme would've gotten the nod. So I guess you'll have to be my runner up, Jake.

Personally I am glad he got a fresh start, it was desperately needed. Cleveland may not exactly be the best place for a fresh start, but it will have to do. The season-ending injury to rookie RB Montario Hardesty wont have a positive effect on Cleveland's offense, but Jerome Harrison may be enough to take a little pressure off Jake, allowing him to eliminate some of his mistakes. I'm not expecting a Pro Bowl performance or anything like that, but certainly a great improvement on his 2009 campaign which included just eight TD passes and 18 INTs.

Matt Moore v.s. Jimmy Clausen: Who wins out?

I'm giving the edge to the 26-year old Moore, who backed up Delhomme for the last several years. In just eight starts since 2007, Moore put up a record of 6-2 with 11 TD tosses. After Delhomme struggled to get anything going last season, Moore stepped in and threw for eight TDs and just two INTs in five starts. The team went 4-1 over that span as he threw for over a 1,000 yards and completed 61.6 percent of his passes.

His late-season performance alone should be enough to give him the starting role this season. He has proven himself and the rookie Clausen has struggled during the preseason. Moore will be the opening day starter, mark my words.

No Questions to be asked in New England, or is there?

Interestingly enough, Brady struggled against the Ravens in the playoffs last season, losing a rare playoff game by blowout (33-14). Brady threw three INTs and just 154 yards in the game. This was the last game we've seen Brady play and it seemed to have worried some people.

His regular season was stellar as always (4,398 yards, 28 TDs, 13 INTs, 96.2 rating), but he shines the brightest in the playoffs and he just didn't show up that day. This is very minor in my eyes, but we have to realize that everyone is human and things are just going to be going downhill from here as he approaches his mid-30s. Questions surround New England's receiving corps and the backfield has never been all that consistent either. I'm not worrying if I'm a Pats fan, but the end seems to be in sight in my opinion.

Romo's Year to take the 'Boys all the Way?

The weapons are all there. Stellar defense. Solid run game. Weapons in the passing game.

If Romo is to win a Super Bowl, I think this would be the year. Romo ended Dallas' playoff win drought, proving he has the potential to win when it matters most. That's not a concern. Not in my eyes, anyways. With Miles Austin and rookie Dez Bryant leading the air attack and running back Tashard Choice poised to breakout, I really don't see this team not winning in the playoffs.

I'll go ahead and say it here first, Dallas and Green Bay will be playing for the NFC Championship this January. I won't say who will win until I come out with my last-second season preview in the next several days, but they will be the two fighting for a chance at the Super Bowl.

Any other questions you would like answered? Just let me know in the comments. Don't forget to come back to read my last-second NFL preview in the coming days.

Top Rookie RBs to Keep an Eye On in 2010

When it comes to the National Football League, it's pretty tough attempting to gauge how rookies will fare in their first season, let alone their career.

A perfect example would be Emmitt Smith, who just got inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this past weekend. Quite a few experts, including Mel Kiper JR. himself, didn't think Smith had the size to be a successful running back in this league. What did he end up doing? Oh, nothing big. Just finishing his career as the league's all-time leading rusher.

Other more recent guys, i.e. Steve Slaton and Matt Forte had great rookie campaigns but have fallen since then.

This year's rookie class seems to be pretty deep when it comes to running backs. Here's the guys you may want to keep an eye on this pre- and regular season.

Top Five (rankings, stats according to ESPN.com's fantasy game):

1. Ryan Mathews, San Diego Chargers

Taken with the 12th overall pick in the draft, Mathews' stock is rising with the absence of Canton-bound Ladainian Tomlinson, who left for New York this offseason. San Diego's other running back Darren Sproles seems to have the most success as a third down back/return man, meaning Mathews should get quite a few carries. He is the only rookie running back who is projected for 1,000 yards this season.

2. Jahvid Best, Detroit Lions

Despite playing his ball in Detroit this season, I think Best has the most upside out of all of this year's running back class. The fastest back drafted, Best is the biggest threat coming out of the backfield as well and is owned in 100% of ESPN's fantasy leagues. Don't be surprised if Jahvid (projected for 660 rushing yards, 364 receiving yards and six TDs) has a solid preseason and starts ahead of Kevin Smith week one, especially because of Smith's injury.

3. C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills

With Marshawn Lynch's days in Buffalo numbered, Spiller could see more touches come his way as the season progresses. Despite being the first running back selected (No. 9 overall), Spiller is only projected for 800 yards and four touchdowns.

4. Montario Hardesty, Cleveland Browns

Last year's eighth-best rushing offense gets a huge boost from Hardesty after being taken in the second round. Projected in the top 50 backs, Hardesty is projected for 800 yards and eight TDs in 2010. Hardesty wont be the opening weekend starter, but will see quite a few carries come his way considering Jerome Harrison has yet to carry the load full-time and may need some help carrying the team.

5. Ben Tate, Houston Texans

With Steve Slaton disappointing, Houston needed to get another top-tier running back in the draft, which is why they selected Tate in the second round. Tate, projected for 600 yards and eight TDs, has a lot of potential and could easily land the starting role in the preseason. Tate's combination of size and speed gives Houston the perfect feature back for years to come.

Also published on Bleacherreport.com

Fantasy Football: Top 10 Keepers For 2010

With August just around the corner, it's time to start preparing your keeper league football team for the season. Picking the right keepers is key to starting your season off right.

Here is a look at the 10 best players to hold on to for this year.

Honorable Mentions

Ray Rice, RB

A revamped Ravens offense will limit Rice's production, meaning he may not get quite as many balls thrown to him, but he will still be the primary back in the team's rushing attack.

DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, RBs

Williams and Stewart are by far the best running back duo in the game today and possibly in the top 10 or 15 of all time. Both backs could easily break 1,000 yards, plus maybe we'll see double digit TD totals from the two considering they will have an inexperienced quarterback under center.

Reggie Wayne, WR

He's still the primary, go-to guy in Indy, but the return of Anthony Gonzalez could limit his production. Not to mention the fact that breakout receiver Pierre Garcon made a living catching key passes from Manning late last season.

Philip Rivers, QB

Losing Vincent Jackson (and possibly offensive tackle Marcus McNeill) for the beginning of the season will hurt Rivers' stock badly. Probably the primary reason he was left out of my top 10.

Matt Schaub, QB

Houston was the best passing team in the league last season, and if Steve Slaton struggles again this year he could be passing the ball even more often.

Frank Gore, RB

Many guys would say he's a top 10 keeper, but for some reason he doesn't quite impress me as much as he impresses everyone else. I mean, yes, he did have a monster '06 season, but since then he's only been getting as much as 1,100 yards a season and has scored in double-digits only once. I do like his consistency and his ability to come out of the backfield, though.

The List:

10. Michael Turner, RB

Turner ran for only 871 yards last season, but that was because he ran the ball only 178 times in 11 games (4.9 yards per carry). With Turner back and healthy this year, he will hopefully play all 16 games and get the ball much more often. Especially since defenses will be focusing more and more on emerging QB Matt Ryan and the passing attack led by Roddy White.

Also, keep in mind that Atlanta likes to use Turner in the red zone. He scored 10 times on his 178 carries, giving him back-to-back double digit touchdown seasons.

9. Tom Brady, QB

Brady has surely dropped down the list pretty far over the last couple of seasons, which may have been caused by his inconsistent 2009 season in which he had great games but also had disappointing performances. According to ESPN, Brady had four games which he scored less than 10 fantasy points.

The return of Wes Welker early in the season will certainly help Brady out a bit, but he still may not be able to match that of Rodgers, Brees and Manning.

8. Andre Johnson, WR

Johnson is the go-to guy in last season's best passing offense. That, alone, should be enough to put Johnson, a physical, 6'3'' wideout from Miami. Johnson has put up two straight 1,500-plus yard seasons.

In his seven NFL seasons, the four-time Pro Bowler has yet to catch 10 or more touchdown passes in a single season, but this may finally be the year he accomplishes that feat. With Schaub, a top 10 quarterback, passing more than ever, Johnson could put up yet another 1,500 yard season as the Texans make the first playoff appearance in franchise history.

7. Maurice Jones-Drew, RB

Jones-Drew finally broke through for his first 1,000 yard season in 2009, but has been a touchdown machine in all four of his professional seasons.

Jacksonville doesn't exactly have what you would call a potent aerial attack (ranked 19th in passing yards last season), meaning the offense is revolved around MJD. In the red zone is where Jones-Drew has the most success--running for a career-high 15 touchdowns last season and a total of 34 in his previous three seasons.

The 25-year old back has been overlooked by such names as Johnson, Peterson and Jackson, but Jones-Drew is still a top-tier keeper and an automatic first round pick in non-keeper leagues.

6. Aaron Rodgers, QB

Believe it or not, a couple of "experts" have come out and said that Rodgers is the best fantasy quarterback out there. Although I highly disagree that he's the best of the best, he is still a top-five talent and ahead of Brady, Favre, Schaub and Rivers.

In his first two complete seasons as the starter in Green Bay, Rodgers has passed for 8,472 yards, 58 TDs and 20 INTs. Despite being sacked a league-high 50 times last season, Rodgers posted a rating of 103.2 while leading the Pack to an 11-5 record and a playoff spot.

Chances are Rodgers sees more time in the pocket and doesn't get sacked 50 times in 2010, meaning his numbers could see an increase from last season. Scary, I know.

5. Steven Jackson, RB

Much like Maurice Jones-Drew, St. Louis' offense revolves around Jackson. Especially since this year they will likely have rookie Sam Bradford under center.

Jackson only scored four times in 2009, which ties a career-low. But this year, he could easily score double-digit TDs. In 2006, he caught 90 for over 800 yards, plus his 1,500 yards and 13 TDs on the ground. That may have been four years ago, but he has yet to hit the wall and was just plagued by injuries in '07 and '08.

With Jackson looking to be back to full health, we could see a season much like his career-best 2006 campaign.

4. Drew Brees, QB

As scary as this may sound, New Orleans didn't lose anyone from their 2009 offense over the offseason. Brees threw for 4,388 yards and 34 TDs last season for an offense which ranked first in overall offensive yards gained.

Robert Meachem had a breakout season last year--45 receptions, 722 yards, nine TDs after just 12 receptions in his rookie season in '08--while Lance Moore had a bad year. If Brees can get more production from Meachem and a bounce-back year from Moore, Brees could improve on both his yards and touchdowns.

3. Peyton Manning, QB

What can I say about Manning? Everyone knows he is the most consistent quarterback in the game, who basically runs the offense on his own. But, his receivers will be back and healthy this year, meaning plenty more fantasy points from Mr. Fantasy himself.

Expect another 4,500 yards and 30-35 TDs. You know, the usual stat-line for Manning.

2. Adrian Peterson, RB

The definition of an off-year for AP? 1,300-plus yards and a league-high 18 rushing touchdowns.

Peterson's stock has been hurt badly by late season fumbles, which hurt his owners' chances of winning a league championship (this included me, lost by a couple points in the semi-finals). But, the yards and touchdowns will be there and he will have help from rookie Toby Gerhart, which will help keep AP's legs fresh.

If Adrian can work on holding on to the ball during camp, he could take his spot back as No. 1 fantasy player by season's end.

1. Chris Johnson, RB

Becoming just the sixth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000-plus yards in a single-season is what put him atop the fantasy rankings. On 358 carries, Johnson average 5.6 yards per carry and managed to get himself in to the end zone 16 times (14 rushing, two receiving).

Opposing defenses will be out to get Johnson, and defensive coordinators will most likely revolve their game plans around No. 28. That being said, he wont be able to break 2,000 for a second straight season, but because of Tennessee's offense he will certainly produce great numbers.

Other Possible Keepers: Tony Romo, Brett Favre, Larry Fitzgerald, Miles Austin, Donovan McNabb, Randy Moss.

Early Outlook: AFC North

There is still a lot of things that will need to be--and will be--settled when training camp is in full swing in the first part of August.

But until then, the speculation surrounded certain teams will continue to spread around the league. Here are the early favorites, darkhorses, storylines, etc. that litter the AFC North division.

Favorite: Baltimore Ravens

With another year under young Joe Flacco's belt, plus the addition of a couple play-making receivers (YAC pro Anquan Boldin and deap threat Donte' Stallworth), Baltimore's offense seems to be exactly where head coach Jim Harbaugh wants it to be. Ray Rice will get his fair share of carries and continue to be a threat out of the backfield as well. The biggest question mark surrounding this team is, believe it or not, on defense.

There's a rather large possibility that All-Pro free safety Ed Reed will miss the first six weeks, maybe even more. With that said, Baltimore's secondary will surely be lacking. The affect of the gaping hole in the lineup could be equivalent to the Polamalu injury of last year (in Pittsburgh). However, the Ray Lewis-led front seven will be intact and the Reed injury may not be all that bad considering the improvements made on the other side of the ball.

With or without Reed, Baltimore is still the favorite up North.

Darkhorse: Cleveland Browns

Mike Holmgren has completely rebuilt the Browns this offseason. Getting rid of quarterbacks Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn and signing veteran Jake Delhomme, who was in dire need of a change in scenery. If the offensive line can keep Delhomme off his back, Cleveland's offense may have a shot at scoring some points as long as he limits the turnovers. Young Cleveland wideouts such as Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie will get their chance to shine with a proven quarterback under center.

It will be interesting to see how Jerome Harrison adapts to being the new No. 1 running back, although he will receive help from James Davis and rookie Montario Hardesty.

On defense, Cleveland boosted its secondary by drafting cornerback Joe Haden in the first round. Cleveland will hopefully be able to improve on the overall defense, which was ranked 29th against the pass, and 28th against the run (31st overall in yards allowed; 22nd in points allowed). If they can get a healthy Shaun Rogers (NT) and D'Qwell Jackson (ILB) back in the lineup, that would help plug running lanes and hopefully open up the pass a bit more.

Offensive MVP: Ray Rice
Defensive MVP: Troy Polamalu
Best Quarterback: Ben Roethlisberger (despite 4-6 game suspension)
Best Running Back: Ray Rice
Best Receiver: Anquan Boldin
Best Tight End: Heath Miller
Best Offensive Lineman: Joe Thomas
Best Defensive Lineman: Haloti Ngata
Best Linebacker: Ray Lewis
Best Defensive Back: Troy Polamalu
Best Special Teamer: Josh Cribbs
Best Head Coach: Mike Tomlin

Rookie of the Year: Montario Hardesty
Comeback Player of the Year: Troy Polamalu

The Other Two:

Steelers...Big Ben's 4-6 game suspension is the only thing holding Pittsburgh back this season. Dennis Dixon isn't quite the same player as Ben, and may struggle a bit early on. The loss of Super Bowl XLIII MVP Santonio Holmes may end up being devastating if Mike Wallace doesn't live up to his expectations. Troy Polamalu's return is the headline on the other side of the ball and may turn this team around. The reason for Pittsburgh's 9-7 record last year is because of the loss of Polamalu in the secondary. Once Roethlisberger returns, Pittsburgh should turn things around for the good.

Bengals...A healthy Carson Palmer will be a huge plus, but I have my doubts about the offense as a whole. Ochocinco has certainly seen better days and seems to be focused on other, non-football activities (such as his MTV show). Cedric Benson, the big surprise of last year, has run in to more off-field troubles this offseason and his days may be numbered. With this offense in a wreck, I would have to say that Cincinnati may find themselves in third, maybe even last place behind the rebuilding Browns.

13 Games to Watch in 2010

For NFL fans, the summers are usually pretty long.
I don't know about you guys, but I am sort of ready for the action to kick-off right now, not in September.  But, nonetheless, we are forced to play the waiting game.

While you are attempting to pass the time, I came up with a list of 10 games to watch this upcoming season.  Enjoy!

Week 1: MIN @ NO

This game alone may be one of the main reasons Favre is leaning towards returning for another year. What better way to start off the season than to get a shot at going in to the defending champs' dome and giving them a beating.

Week 1: BAL @ NYJ

You know Rex Ryan has this game circled on his calendar.

Not only does the second year head coach get to face his former employer, but this game will also provide intriguing match ups between last year's top ranked defense (Jets) and last season's fifth ranked rushing offense, led by little man Ray Rice.

To top it all off, the game will be the first game of a Monday Night doubleheader on ESPN.

Week 2: NYG @ IND

The two Manning brothers have gone head-to-head only once in their careers, back in week one of the 2006 regular season. Peyton, the elder of the two, came out on top in the 26-21 thriller.

Just like in '06, Peyton and Eli will most definitely be the center of attention in this week two showdown, so I would expect plenty of passing, and a high-scoring affair in front of the crowd inside Indy's Lucas Oil Stadium. The fact that the game will be in primetime will only add to the hype.

Week 5: MIN @ NYJ

Favre/Sidney Rice vs. Revis, Peterson vs. Ryan's hard-hitting D, Jared Allen vs. second-year QB Mark Sanchez. All three of those match ups should be getting you pumped for this week five showdown between AFC's runner up and the NFC's runner up. Once again, in primetime.

Week 6: DAL @ MIN

This game marks the beginning of a tough road ahead of Dallas. After this game between 'America's Team' and Childress's Vikings, Dallas plays five division games and match ups with Jacksonville, Green Bay, New Orleans and Arizona. If Dallas wants to make a run, they will have to play well against Jared Allen and Co. in this week six smack down in the Metrodome.

Week 8: PIT @ NO

It will be interesting to see how Big Ben plays after returning from his suspension. Much like Dallas, the Steelers will have to win this game if they expect to make a run and this will surely be the perfect test for Pittsburgh's defense. Brees vs. Polamalu will make this Sunday Night game a must-see.

Week 9: DAL @ GB

A shootout between Tony Romo and Aaron Rodgers, what more could you ask for? Despite figures such as Demarcus Ware and Charles Woodson on the defensive side of the ball, I would expect a high-scoring, back-and-forth game between these two pass-oriented teams. Seems to me we will need to keep our Sunday night's free this fall.

Week 10: NE @ PIT

By now many of you are probably noticing a bit of a pattern. Many of these games on my list involve great head-to-head quarterback showdowns, and this one is no different. We always witness a show every time Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger step on to the field against each other. If Wes Welker is back in the lineup by the time week 10 rolls around this game could get just that much more interesting.

Week 11: IND @ NE

Coach Belichick's gaff in last year's New England/Indy game, which costed him a big ol' W, could be one of the biggest headlines heading in to this year's Brady/Manning Bowl. No need to hype this game up too much more really, the Patriots and Colts always play a great game.

Week 12: SD @ IND

This game will test Indy's midseason durability as they will be coming off an intense road game against the Pats, and will play San Diego and Dallas in back-to-back weeks. Meaning, yes, three straight 2009 playoff teams. I expect yet another great game between these two teams.

Week 13: PIT @ BAL

With strong safety Troy Polamalu back in Pittsburgh's lineup, hopefully as healthy as ever, the Steelers defense should be back to their 2008 form. With Joe Flacco's maturity, and another weapon in his arsenal (Anquan Boldin), we could see a little firepower on the offensive side of the ball rather than just the normal defensive struggle we see between these two teams.

Week 15: GB @ NE

Only thing that will make this late-season game between two playoff contenders is if it were being played in Lambeau. But, good news is it will still most likely be played in very cold weather in Foxboro. There's a chance one of these two teams could already have a playoff spot locked up, but if not, we will see a great game between two Pro Bowl quarterbacks.

Week 17: DAL @ PHI

Thanks to commissioner Goodell, all week 17 games will be between division rivals. I don't know about everyone else, but I love the idea. Dallas and Philly always play tough against each other. Even without McNabb in the picture, we will be able to witness a great game between two teams who aren't very fond of each other.

Keep your calendars open this fall and you will see some great football being played.