NFL SWOT Analysis: NFC West

Arizona Cardinals

Strengths – Kurt Warner had his renaissance throwing the ball to Fitz, Boldin and Breaston last year. That passing attack is mostly responsible for their near Super Bowl championship. The rest of the team came together just well enough to allow the passing game to accomplish that near-feat. The 3-4 defense is a great fit for the personnel on the team. Specifically, the defense plays to the strengths of DEs Darnell Dockett and Calais Campbell. The DBs came into their own last year. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie-Solomon-Smith-Barney-Booz-Allen-Hamilton made the transition from a small school rookie to a #1 CB without much of a learning curve. With the addition of Bryant McFadden, the DBs are potentially stronger.

Weaknesses – I will probably get a lot of grief for this, but the offensive line is not as good as what we saw in the playoffs. They came together, but I won’t be surprised one bit when they “shine” as the weakness of this team. Mike Gandy is the only lineman that I would have confidence in at this point, and somehow, he was the only one who’s play suffered during the playoffs. Also, as great as the passing attack is, the team lacks a safety valve receiver, and lost both Edgerrin James and J.J. Arrington, their best receivers out of the backfield. There was some hope for Ben Patrick, but his suspension for the early part of the season undermined that progress.

Opportunities – With Beanie Wells nursing an ankle, Tim Hightower gets a gift shot at reclaiming the starting RB role that he failed to impress in late last season. On defense, Alan Branch and Gabe Watson have the size to man the NT position, yet neither has stepped up. Bryan Robinson is not the answer, and at his size should not be standing in either players’ way from claiming the starting NT job.

Threats – Will there be high expectations for a team that barely won the worst division in football (maybe the worst we’ve seen in decades)? This is a mediocre team that got hot in the playoffs. Also, will Boldin’s unhappiness show? This team needs Boldin, as he takes full advantage of the coverage Fitz draws.

Passing/Receiving the Torch – Going out on a limb with this one. Adrian Wilson may be slowly getting ready to share the torch to Antrel Rolle, who made the conversion from CB to FS, and did better than expected. If Rolle continues to rise, Wilson and his contract could potentially come to the forefront.

Position Battle – RB: Beanie Wells vs. Tim Hightower. Both should share time, but the battle will be over who gets more balls handed to them. Hightower came out of the gate on fire last season when working inside the red zone. If Beanie Wells can dominate between the 20s, The cards may have a potent weapon where they lacked one last year.

Rookie Contributors – Beanie Wells will probably get most of the spotlight as a rookie, however don’t sleep on Cory Brown. He is an unheralded rookie out of UConn. He could surprise and get a lot more playing time than most would think.

St. Louis Rams

Strengths – The upgrades on the O-Line should go a long way towards patching things up. Jason Brown will be originating line calls and leading this line for the next few years, at least. Jason Smith was my highest rated OT in the draft, and will be eased in at RT. Despite how bad this team was, it is not short of offensive leaders. Marc Bulger, Steven Jackson and Jason Brown must take this team over, and help those around them excel.

Weaknesses – How does this team expect to stop any receiver with the set of CBs they have? Ronald Bartell is up and down (luckily, he stepped up last year), and Tye Hill gets out-played on most weeks. The Rams have a foursome of highly drafted CB talent. Can they step up? The LB corps is one of the weakest in the league. The team needs James Laurinaitis to step up. The WRs are not ideal. Someone must emerge from that group. Actually 2-3 must emerge for this team to get out of the hole it has dug for itself.

Opportunities – While the outlook for this team is bleak, they are in the weakest division in the league. If a couple of players pick up the slack and the veterans can perform to their standards, this team has a slim chance to surprise. Alex Barron was an athletic lineman, much in the mold of what teams are looking for today at LT. However, he was stuck on the right side with Orlando Pace there. Could Barron realize his full potential on the left side.

Threats – Have the holdovers on the team bought into the “Loser Mentality”? If so, it may be time to clean house completely. The team also needs to send a message to Richie Incognito, for him to tone down his behavior. This was the knock on him in college and it’s haunting him in the NFL. He nearly cost the team their first win, because he lets his temper get out of hand. How long will the team tolerate his behavior? Will it take losing a game because of him? This is the wrong kind of influence to have around young players.

Passing/Receiving the Torch – Looks like the torch may go from the Lions to the Rams as the worst team in 2009. However, San Fran may beat the Rams to the punch.

Position Battle – On a team like this, there should be a lot of open battles. The one that catches my eye is at WR. While Laurent Robinson, Donnie Avery and Keenan Burton are the top 3 WRs on the team, they will battle to see which of those three spots they will occupy. Avery should be the clear cut #1 though.

Rookie Contributors – Jason Smith is behind Adam Goldberg for now at RT, but should see the starting role at some point this season. Laurinaitis could see time at MLB, moving Chris Draft to the strong side. DT Dorell Scott could be a dark horse. The team could use a run stopper up front.



San Francisco 49ers

Strengths – Frank Gore has been outspoken and is finally taking on a leadership role with this club. He may be the only bright spot on offense. On defense, you have Patrick Willis as the type of leader you build an entire defense around. Mike Singletary has his prodigy/protégé. The D-Line may be somewhat of a no-name crew, but they actually have the right pieces to fit their style of the 3-4 defense. In the D-Backfield, they might finally have some decent depth.

Weaknesses – The overall theme of this team is under-achievers. Regardless of who the QB is (Shaun Hill, Alex Smith, Damon Huard, Gio Carmazzi), there is a lot of doubt whether he will be able to lead the team anywhere. Regardless of the QB, he will not have a great set of targets to work with. To make matters worse on offense, Vernon Davis is the biggest tease in football. He was one of the fastest and strongest players coming into the league, and has done nothing but disappoint. While the O-Line is led by an over-achieving center in Eric Heitman, the rest of the line was highly touted coming into the league, and has also disappointed.

Opportunities – This is Mike Singletary’s chance to show that he can whip an under-achieving team into shape. He could build a legacy off of this situation. Those who knew and remember him as a player have no doubt that he has the brass to do it. One player that could use that brass is Manny Lawson. He has all the tools to be a great pass rusher in the 3-4, but still has not lived up to his potential. He’s in the final two years of his tiny rookie contract, and might want to make a case for a renegotiation for the uncapped year. Delanie Walker could prove that he’s the better TE for this offense than Vernon Davis.

Threats – The amount of under-achievers on this team is way too high, and could be cancerous to the team. If they continue on this path, it may be time to do some major house cleaning.

Passing/Receiving the Torch – Tarell Brown is the closest to receiving a torch. He may start getting some sparks from Nate Clements as the #1 CB. He is the type of over-achiever that this team needs.

Position Battle – It’s a 5-man race (when Crabtree decides to join the fray it will be 6). Josh Morgan and Isaac Bruce are penciled in as starters. Brandon Jones is dealing with an injury. Jason Hill is the home run threat who has some length. He has the most potential (outside of Crabtree). Arnaz Battle was once a starter, and hopes to regain that form again.

Rookie Contributor – Michael Crabtree is an idiot. Mark my words, he will lose more money in the long run by holding out of valuable time than he will make by holding out. Grade-A IDIOT. The real rookie gem on this squad might be Glen Coffee. He should win the RB2 role behind Gore, and is poised to surprise. There is a Dark Dark Horse in Ricky Jean-Francois. He played the same 3-4 DE position at LSU, and seems to be fitting in here.



Seattle Seahawks

Strengths – The front seven is probably the brightest spot on this team. The LB corps are every LB coach’s dream. Lofa Tatupu leads the defense from the middle. Leroy Hill played so well last year, the team felt it could move high-priced Julian Peterson, to make room for Aaron Curry. The three together could be dominant. The D-Line has mostly quality no-name talent. If they can tie up the blockers, the LBs can play freely and cause many problems for offenses. Young DEs Lawrence Jackson and Darryl Tapp need to step up for this to be an elite front seven.

Weaknesses – Can this team really survive with Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett as the feature backs? The middle of the O-Line hasn’t looked good and only makes it tougher on the running game. The CBs must step up this year. Kelly Jennings is in danger of being cut or traded for next to nothing if he doesn’t turn things around. Marcus Trufant and Ken Lucas team up again, but they were probably a better tandem when they were younger. The young talent at CB is not the kind that you put out there as a starter. Josh Wilson is too small to be an every down CB.

Opportunities – The surprise this team might have up its sleeve is the passing game. After putting 47 WRs on IR last year, theyhave a healthy bunch with the additions of T.J. Houshamazilla…WhosYoMama…Houshmandzadeh and rookie Deon Butler. John Carlson could be a pro-bowl caliber TE, though it doesn’t help that Tony Gonzalez is in the NFC now.

Threats – Does Matt Hasselbeck have it anymore? I quietly had them in the QB derby on draft day, knowing they could take Sanchez and put him in the perfect situation to sit for a year behind Hasselbeck for at least the start of this season.

Passing/Receiving the Torch – Walter Jones might be passing the LT torch to Sean Locklear soon. If Jones gets hurt or falters, Locklear will take the position and not give it back. This will also open the door at RT for Ray Willis.

Position Battle – WR3: Deion vs. Deon. Branch vs. Butler. Look for the veteran to have the early lead, but the rookie will push.

Rookie Contributor – Aaron Curry is the obvious stud rookie on this team. In many eyes, he was the class of the 2009 draft. He should do a lot for this club. Penn State burner, WR Deon Butler, is hard to keep up with on the field and has a little Bobby Engram to him. Utility lineman Max Unger could find his way into the RG mix with Mansfield Wrotto when Ray Willis moves to RT.

Clement’s Weekly Picks & Prognostications…Week 13

Several teams came down to Earth last week. Several players too.

1) Chris Collinsworth summed up what any true Jet fan knew. Never trust the Jets, even with Favre around. If they lose @San Fran, they won’t make the playoffs. Mark it down.

2) Matt Cassell isn’t Tom Brady. He also might not be worthy of $50-million. Then again, maybe the Steeler D is just THAT good. If they lose @Seattle, they won’t make the playoffs. Mark it down.

3) Arizona and Kurt Warner aren’t legitimate playoff contenders. Look at their losses. Beating Dallas at home isn’t enough anymore. If they want any respect, they better travel to New England in a few weeks and pull off a total shocker.

4) Pick your poison as to who’s more disappointing in ’08: San Diego or Jacksonville?

5) Who in the WORLD is the MVP: Peyton Manning or Eli Manning? Or is it…Matt Ryan???

NFL Picks: 37-22 [Not my best week at 2-3. Far from my worst, too.]
Upset Special: 9-10 [A winning record is just 2 games away. 2 games…]

Crazy as it seems, Chad Pennington may garner some MVP-consideration if the Phins are playoff bound. Seriously.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints (-3)
It’s no secret that the Falcons are a completely different team away from the Georgia Dome. Or are they? Despite traveling back from the West Coast – with a victory over the “Not so Super” Chargers might I add – I’m taking MVP-candidate Matt Ryan and the Falcons to tab a huge W. By the way, if the Falcons make the playoffs, Ryan should be the NFL MVP. Seriously.

Philadelphia Eagles @ NY Giants (-8)
Unlike their last meeting – in which the Iggles inexplicably were favored by 3 points – the G-Men are getting plenty of respect (this time from Vegas!). Despite potential distractions to defensive-captain Antonio Pierce (regarding Plaxico aka Cheddar Bob), I like the G-Men to make their move to 12-1 and potentially lock up rest 3 straight weeks before their first playoff game. However, I don’t like it by 8. Maybe it’s a late “fluff” TD (shout out to Jeramy) or a close game. Either way, I’m taking the 8.

Dallas Cowboys @ Pittsburgh Steelers (-3)
Don’t underestimate the rest the ‘Boys got after winning big on Turkey Day. Ditto for the confidence the Steelers have after beating down the Pats in the second-half in Foxboro. If Ward/Holmes can become bigger factors, the road to the Super Bowl goes through the Steelers. James Harrison and Lamar Woodley will cause too many trouble to a still-suspect Cowboy O-Line. It might hit the 3 on the head; however, unless Romo really is the NFL MVP, I like the Steelers to move to 10-3, possibly by 10…or 3.

Washington Redskins @ Baltimore Ravens (off)
You won’t find many spread on this game…YET. Nevertheless, I’ll treat it as a pick’em. I like rookie QBs (i.e. Flacco) at home a lot more than on the road. What’s the key to beating the Skins? Stop Portis and the rush attack. While Campbell is due for a breakout, it won’t be against this defense. I’m taking the Ravens. By the way, it’s WAY too under the radar what a free agent bust Jason Taylor has been. He might be the weakest trade-acquisition this side of Troy Williamson.

Upset Special #1
Miami Dolphins @ Buffalo Bills (-1)
Somebody explain to me please why this game is in Toronto? While it depends solely on the health of Trent Edwards, I’m going to call out an upset here. Could it be I don’t want the Phins (and Pats) in a three-way tie with the Jets at the end of the week? Of course. Nevertheless, Buffalo might be tricky here; especially if the weather can be any sort of factor.

10 Fantasy Playoff Insights
***Anyone with a bye is in a fraud fantasy league. Or maybe a 12-team league that allows too many people in.***
1) Who's going to be Vincent Jackson on Sunday?
2) Coles and Cotchery are starting to really hurt fantasy owners at the wideout position.
3) Start John Carlson. No questions asked.
4) Matt Cassel isn't Billy Volek from a few years ago. You better start him though.
5) Tim Hightower shouldn't be starting, even in a flex spot.
6) Derrick Ward is still worthy of a flex spot-start.
7) If you can decide how to manage your Seahawk wide receivers, you're spending too much time dissecting your fantasy roster.
8) Don't start Cadillac Williams yet.
9) Bernard Berrian won't catch another 99-yard TD; however, he will catch a TD or two this weekend. Bet on it.
10) Darren Sproles proved Thursday night that he's a relevant playoff fantasy starter right now.

See you next week!

Clement’s Weekly Picks & Prognostications…(Late) Night Turkey Day Edition

Sorry for the timing of this post; however, the busy day got the best of this writer.

First off, happy Thanksgiving to all. If for some reason the holiday isn’t your thing, I at least hope you have the day off. Although I suppose if anyone is working, at least you’re getting paid extra.

If none of these reach out to you. I pity you.

While the regular NFL edition will get its due tomorrow, I decided to peg out a “holiday edition” for the five of you who look forward to this weekly-column.

Probably came as no surprise to YOU that CJ/White both had MONSTER days.
Did it to me?
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

NFL Picks: 33-18 [A LaDell Betts fumble cost me 3-0, but not the Skins the game.]
Upset Special: 9-10 [That late 2-point conversion that failed for San Fran cost me a winning record in a dismal “upset” season of picks.]

…spreads courtesy of oddsmaker.com…

Tennessee Titans vs. Detroit Lions (+ 11 ½)
The lack of this game being 11-0 vs. 0-11 might turn off fourteen of the twenty-eight viewers who aren’t connected to this game for fantasy or as a Lions/Titans fan. Nevertheless, the Titans are on a short week after a brutal ***-kicking from the Jets. Meanwhile, Detroit is starting to hear 0-16 more and more every day. I expect this game to be very very ugly. That means the Lions are going to be 0-12, losing by 12 or more points.

Seattle Seahawks vs. Dallas Cowboys (-13)
This game – for Dallas – needs to be against an NFC East rival every year. Rotate between the three or have the guys to make this game Dallas vs. Washington every year. Nevertheless, Seattle is a BAD team who doesn’t even play well at home – no less on the road – this season. Julius Jones returns to Dallas as the starter and will be a non-factor. Look for Romo to light up the air and toss 3-4 TDs and keep pacifying his wide receiver known commonly as TO. 13 is a TON of points to leave out there. I’m taking em though, as I see this as the second route of a lukewarm Turkey Day schedule.

Arizona Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Eagles (-3)
It boggles my mind the spreads that come out for Philly at home. I know that public money and the oddsmakers are always “behind the scenes”; nevertheless, Arizona was beaten up by the Giants and will travel cross-country easier than their last two-week stay. While the weather might be frightful, Andy Reid and Donovan F. McNabb aren’t going to salvage much out of this season. My real interest is on the play of erratic Cardinal LB Dansby and how Coach Wisenhunt manages an underachieving rushing gameplan (not necessarily the talent). Would 1 or 2 I formations – outside of the red zone – kill this team? Maybe. Sorry Iggles fans, you won’t cover or win.

See you tomorrow with the Friday edition. Here’s to shooting for 40-25. Then maybe 50-30 by playoff time.

Happy holiday.

Friday's Quick Hits

A few quick hits on this fine Friday. Less than 49 hours and counting to the 1pm ET Sunday kickoffs.

- In the minds of many, Lane Kiffin is irrelevant. To people who have played football, they have viewed his public display of insubordination as an affront to the sport. I view it as courage and long overdue public criticism of Al Davis, who lost it 20 years ago. Mind you, that's a conservative estimate. Gregg Doyel describes it much better than I do or ever will in this piece about Kiffin's bravery. Simply stated, Kiffin continues to position himself for his next NFL head coaching position. If he wants a college head coaching position, he can go that route as a secondary option.

- On Wednesday, I asked the question, "Can Koren Robinson Make Good in Seattle?". The more operative question is, "Can Koren Robinson can get in football shape and learn enough of the playbook to warrant snaps against the Rams?" I know, that's a long question and you've already put too much into your work week. Bear with me.

- I forgive you, Ed Hochuli. Others who are struggling to stay classy may not. Unlike other game officials, you did not cower after a botched call that unfortunately led to the wrong team winning. You took e-mails from the haters and you responded to them. I've been to a number of college basketball games and a good portion of which involved controversial calls deciding games (the worst one of which was UConn/Washington in the 2006 Regional Semifinal - UW got jobbed and UConn got theirs two days later). The view, which I've seen more than once, that I cannot get out of my head is that of zebras sprinting to the locker room to avoid any measure of accountability. I am fully aware that many of those wishing to make zebras accountable are heavily inebriated; however, some of us are only drunken with sporting integrity.

- Adrian "All Day" Peterson spent all day missing practice Thursday. As a note to our readers, I have been adamant that due to his running style and inability to stay healthy and the need to carry this team on his shoulders without a proven quarterback, Peterson would get injured and miss significant time on or before the sixth game of the season.

- Also, loyal college basketball fans, I just got my hands on my first college basketball preview magazine. Midnight madness is less than a month away ...

Can Koren Make Good in Seattle?

Yesterday afternoon, speculation quickened about Koren Robinson's unexpected return as two more Seattle WRs (Logan Payne and Seneca Wallace) succumbed to injuries on Sunday.

By the evening, the much-maligned Robinson signed a one-year deal with the Seahawks (also trading for Keary Colbert). Never short on talent, Robinson was selected by Seattle with the 9th overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft. In his second season, he caught 78 passes equaling 1240 yards and 5 touchdowns. However, Robinson's maturity never matched his ability to make plays on the field, and has numerous brushes with the law.

Though Robinson has seemingly turned the corner in his personal life, can he compete at a high level? We will find out quickly as Robinson will have a great opportunity to put up numbers against the St. Louis Rams (prior to the Seahawks' Week 4 bye), who surrender a league-worst 327.5 ypg in the air.