2008 NFL Season Preview: 12 Burning Questions

The Patriots have the easiest schedule in the NFL in 2008, based on last season’s record, at .387. Furthermore, Randy Moss and Tom Brady have had a year to play together. Things look good for the Patriots to have a great year.

I think the Patriots will have a great year. What they won’t have is a historic year, like they did in 2007. The New England Patriots were starting to slow down by Week Nine last year. From the Week Nine game against the Colts to the Super Bowl, the Patriots averaged 29.5 points per game, compared to the first eight games where they averaged 41.4 points per game.

Tom Brady had 30 touchdowns and two interceptions in his first eight games. He had 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions in his last 11 games of the season. Moss had 11 touchdowns in his first eight games and 13 touchdowns in his last 11 games. Wes Welker also slowed in the second half of the season.

I’m not saying this team played bad the second half of the season. They won 10 of those last 11 games and the loss was by three points. What I am saying is that they were immortal the first eight games of 2007, and after that, they were a team that won some big games, but played seven games that were decided by 10 points or less.

What I expect are the Patriots to pick up where they left off in the 2007 season, not where they started the 2007 season. I think 4,000 to 4,200 yards and 30-35 touchdown passes are likely for Brady. I think Moss will have 80-90 catches for 1,300-1,400 yards and 12-15 touchdowns.

I think the Patriots will not be able to run the table a second-consecutive year, based on the losses they had on defense, and the fact that their offense won’t be so explosive. 13-3 is a realistic record. The schedule looks pretty easy to start. I think the Patriots will be primed to lose their Week Six game at San Diego.

1) Where does Brett Favre play in 2008, and if not Green Bay, how do the Packers fare without him?

I’m done trying to guess this. It keeps taking a lot of unpredictable turns. Based on what the Packers are communicating publicly, it seems as if they are ready to go with Aaron Rodgers, whether he plays the camp of all camps or has one to forget.

Thompson and McCarthy seem to be 100 percent behind him. Whether people agree with that position doesn’t matter. Brett Favre is no longer the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers.

That makes it hard to see Favre in a Packer uniform for the start of the season. I can’t imagine he would want to hold a clipboard, or that the Packers would want him to do that.

Thompson is already referring to the Packer players as No. 4’s former teammates. That means he will return to retirement and possibly come out should Rodgers get injured. It might also be possible another quarterback gets injured, and the Packers would agree to deal him. I think it is very possible he never plays again.

As far as how the Packers do in 2007, I picked an 8-8 season before Favre retired, and the pressure on Rodgers to perform will be at an all-time high. If he starts slow, the call for No. 4’s name will be heard throughout Lambeau Field and the media.

It is so hard to replace a legend, even with the greatest of coaches. Mike Shanahan is 130-78 since he took over in Denver back in 1995. However, his career is a tale of two parts. From 1995 to 1998, he went 47-17, which is .734. He was 7-1 in three playoff appearances and won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998.

However, since 1998, he is only 83-61, which is a .576 percentage. He is 1-4 in the playoffs and has not been back to a Super Bowl.

It hasn’t been as if the cupboard has been bare in Denver since 1998. He was able to replace Terrell Davis after the Super Bowl runs, and the defense has had some good seasons. What Shanahan has sought, and not been able to find, is a replacement for John Elway.

Bubby Brister, Chris Miller, Brian Griese, Gus Frerotte, Steve Beuerlein, Danny Kanell, Jarious Jackson, Jake Plummer, and Jay Cutler have all tried. They have had mixed levels of success, with Jake Plummer being the most successful, and Jay Cutler showing the most promise. However, without John Elway, Mike Shanahan has been an above-average coach.

That isn’t meant to diminish what Shanahan has accomplished. In my book, he should be in the Hall of Fame. All the great coaches need great quarterback play to win. What we don’t know is if Mike McCarthy is a good head coach, or if Favre made him look better than he was.

Mike Sherman looked like a good head coach when he took over, and that quickly faded, even with Favre there through it all. We don’t know what Rodgers can do. 59 career passes is not enough to make a determination.

You could tell me the Packers could go 4-12 or 12-4, and I could really agree or disagree. There are too many unknowns on this team. Given the history or replacing legendary quarterbacks, first-year quarterback struggles, the tougher first-place schedule that features the AFC South, and a hold-out by Ryan Grant, who was their only rushing offense in 2007, and I think 8-8 is a fair guess at this time.

I don’t see how this team contends for the playoffs without Favre.

So what is your burning question for 2008? Do you think I answered these on the head, or do you think I got it all wrong? Let me know your thoughts.

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