Ten Intriguing Questions for the 2009 NFL Season

The 2008 NFL season played out as one of the most intriguing seasons in NFL history.

The Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots, overwhelming preseason favorites, each failed to reach the playoffs. The Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins, regarded as the two worst teams in the NFL, each won 11 games and made the post season. The Arizona Cardinals, thought by many to be the worst playoff team in league history, surprised everyone but themselves by playing their way to the Super Bowl.

The season finished with a Super Bowl that will live forever as one of the most exciting and controversial games in NFL history.

The drama of the 2008 NFL season makes 2009 one of the most hotly anticipated seasons in league history. As we approach the 2009 NFL draft, here are 10 questions regarding the 2009 season that we are all anxious to have answered.

1. Will the Cowboys be better without Terrell Owens?

Terrell Owens created lots of drama in Dallas last season, so the Cowboys finally decided to part ways with the narcissistic player in the interest of maintaining team chemistry.

But what now?

Is the team going to count on Roy Williams to be the guy next year when he was basically invisible playing opposite of Owens last year? If he is unable to produce with Terrell Owens drawing double teams on the other side, how will he fare when he is getting double teamed himself?

An interesting quandary associated with Terrell Owens is that teams get used to his production. When the team gets tired of his act and releases him, it comes with a price in the form of a hole in the offense.

This is why teams that get rid of Owens do not typically improve right away, and I do not believe the Cowboys will be any different in 2009.

2. Is Vince Young finished?

The 2006 NFL rookie of the year experienced a shocking derailment of his career in 2008.

Vince suffered a knee injury in week 1 and reportedly battled depression after being booed by the fans. The day after the game Vince’s family called the Titans because they were concerned with his mental state and the possibility that he may do harm to himself.

I will not make light of his situation and I hope that Vince is feeling better, but from a football standpoint, Vince Young appears to be Tim Couch with good legs. Not only that, but he appears to have permanently lost his job to Kerry Collins, who just signed a 2 year $15 million extension.

If Vince Young is to prove me wrong, he might have to do it with a new team.

3. Will the Detroit Lions ever win another game?

Trivia time!

What NFL team achieved the only undefeated preseason record in 2008?

The ironic answer to the question is the Detroit Lions. During the regular season, the Detroit Lions found every way imaginable to lose football games. They fell behind early, lost big leads, came up short in shoot-outs, and fell short in defensive struggles.

The only thing that every game had in common is that the Lions lost. Jim Schwartz brings in a new staff and a new attitude, but the psychological damage of the 2008 season will not be easily undone.

Unfortunately the Lions will not be able to use preseason games as confidence builders, as they will constantly be reminded of the 2008 squad’s preseason brilliance.

4. Is Matt Cassel the real deal?

There are two ways to look at Matt Cassel’s 2008 season.

One perspective says that he put up good numbers while leading his team to a solid 11-5 season, barely missing out on the playoffs. A second perspective is that Cassel lost 5 more games than Brady in 07, threw 29 TDs less than Brady in 07, threw for 1,100 yards less than Brady in 07, and had a QB rating 28 points less than Brady in 07.

He also failed to reach the playoffs with a squad that had been the most dominant regular season team in history in 2007.

Count me unimpressed.

Matt Cassel can thank Randy Moss and Wes Welker for the $14 million he will make in 2009. I seriously doubt he will ever see that kind of money again.

5. Who will play quarterback for the Cleveland Browns in 2009?

The Cleveland Browns have one of the more interesting quarterback situations in the league, with one-hit wonder Derrick Anderson and former 1st round pick Brady Quinn on the squad.

Rumor has it that new coach Eric Mangini is not particularly fond of either guy, and might be looking at drafting a quarterback in the first round.

This says a lot about the arrogance of Eric Mangini.

Brady Quinn is by most accounts a smart guy with the tools necessary for an NFL quarterback, and he hasn't had a chance to show what he can do in the league.

The Browns made a big investment acquiring Quinn and the fans in Cleveland want to see him get his shot.

If the Browns move Quinn and the Browns do not find success in the next couple of seasons, this will be Mangini’s last shot as the Head Coach of any NFL team.

6. Can Jay Cutler succeed in Chicago?

The biggest trade in the off season sent Jay Cutler to the Bears.

His likely primary target in Chicago is Devin Hester, who has only become a full time receiver in the last year. I have seen enough of Hester to believe he will be an outstanding receiver, and he will benefit from having a QB that can throw the ball in tight places.

Cutler can make the deep throw when Hester is behind the secondary, as he will be frequently. Cutler also has a big time threat in the backfield with Matt Forte, something the Denver Broncos have not had in recent seasons.

Look for big things from Jay Cutler and the Bears in 2009.

7. Can the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins do it again?

The Miami Dolphins had the biggest single season turnaround in league history, but the Falcons turnaround might have been even more remarkable.

For the Dolphins, the turnaround can be attributed to outstanding play from Chad Pennington, the “wildcat” offensive set, and a new found toughness on the defensive side of the ball.

The Falcons turnaround is attributed to the acquisition of Michael Turner, efficient play from rookie QB Matt Ryan, and a defense that often bent but rarely broke.

The Dolphins challenge will be continued production on offense and the challenge for the Falcons will be replacing five defensive starters.

The Falcons and Dolphins will face off in a fascinating opening week match up.

8. Can Tom Brady be his old self again?

Tom Brady returns from a serious knee injury suffered in 2008 to try and recapture the magic of the 2007 season, when he led the Pats to the first 16-0 regular season in NFL history.

Quarterbacks often play tentatively when returning from serious knee injuries, and I think Brady will follow that pattern. I am predicting a 15 to 20 percent drop off in his numbers from 2007, meaning I suspect he will only throw for 4,000 yards and 40 TDs.

It is nice to drive a Ferrari when everybody else is driving a Mustang.

9. Can the Steelers do it again?

Ok, I personally find this question about as interesting as watching paint dry, but the defending champs have to be part of the discussion.

I’ll just keep it short. If you play defense the way the Steelers play defense, you always have a chance. However, I would not call them prohibitive favorites because the offensive line is an inconsistent group.

10. Which team is going to make a surprise run in the playoffs?

The Cardinals seemed to limp into the playoffs last year after clinching their division early. Popular sentiment is that team’s can’t “turn it back on” when the post season arrives, but the Cardinals apparently did not get the memo.

What team has a chance to make a similar run in 2009?

I look to the NFC South, where all four teams play at least 13 games against teams that were 8-8 or better in 2008. Those brutal schedules might produce a division champion with a 9-7 record.

Interestingly, the Carolina Panthers, out of division schedule in 2009, is an exact replica of the Cardinals out of division schedule in 2008. The Cardinals went 3-7 in those games, but they still made it to the Super Bowl.

Recent history tells us that teams with difficult non-division schedules perform well in the playoffs, and the 2009 NFC South champion should be seriously battle tested.

Those are the 10 questions I want answered 2009. What are you looking forward to in the 2009 season?