NFL Drama! The 50 Biggest Storylines That'll Shape the 2010 Season
From Brett Favre to Michael Vick, if there's one thing the NFL is never short on, it's drama.
The NFL is a movie of the week, every week for one team or another. Players go down, rookies come up, and there's always a story of redemption lurking around the corner.
The storylines that make up each week of the NFL converge at some point to help shape the storyline of the entire season.
A thread here, a thread there, there's always more than one story that can hold your attention throughout the season.
Can Brett Favre Win Another Super Bowl?
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Brett Favre came out of retirement for the 50th time for one reason: to win his second Super Bowl.
Will he be able to achieve his goal?
Brett Favre Can't Let Age Slow Him Down
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Brett Favre is no longer a young man. There's something about being over the age of 40 even the most determined heart can't overcome.
The body only can take so much pounding.
The Colts Have To Have A More Complete Team
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Peyton Manning has gotten the Indianapolis Colts to the playoffs on will power alone.
But one man can't win a Super Bowl.
Joseph Addai now has added a running game element to the offense. The Colts need to keep working on the total package.
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Jerry Jones Needs To Put Internal Squabbles To Rest
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If Jerry Jones is going to be as actively involved in the team as he is, then everyone needs to know who's giving the orders on the field, Jason Garrett, or Wade Phillips.
Tony Romo Must Evolve
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Tony Romo will have a handful of really good games before looking like he forgot how to play the position, and his playoff performances are loaded with the "Bad Tony" kind of stats.
Romo has to become the complete quarterback owner Jerry Jones keeps advertising him as.
Mike Shanahan And The Redskins Must Have A Good Marriage
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Mike Shanahan is the Redskins now. As much as Joe Gibbs was under the gun when he came back a few years ago, so will Shanahan be similarly judged going forward.
Such is the life of a Super Bowl-winning coach.
The Giants Are On A Mission To Prove They Still Are Super Bowl Bound
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The Giants entered this season with a lot of questions. Those questions didn't go away after being thoroughly beaten by the Indianapolis Colts.
Tom Coughlin has to prove he still has what it takes to take the Giants to another Super Bowl.
Troy Polamalu And The Pittsburgh Steelers Defense
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Troy Polamalu and the Steelers defense hid during the preseason. Now they're out in full force and the league should be very afraid.
This defense will be feared throughout the season, and will carry the team through any turmoil at the quarterback position.
Ben Roethlisberger
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Ben Roethlisberger's performance after his suspension ends will be under the microscope. His ability to make plays despite having one of the worst offensive lines in the league is nothing short of spectacular.
The only question is, how good will the Steelers be once he comes back?
Vince Young and The Titans
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The Titans already have benched Vince Young once this season, and history shows head coach Jeff fisher will do whatever he feels is best for the team.
How much more leash is Young going to be given before Fisher finally just reels him in for good?
Chris Johnson and 2,000 Yards
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If Chris Johnson is going to reach 2,000 yards this season, he's going to need to step it up a little bit.
Johnson got his contract, he's going to have to earn it now.
Is Mike Singletary Going To Pull It All Together?
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Mike Singletary is the kind of coach you want to like and you want to root for.
His 49ers are supposed to be a playoff team this year, now it's on him to prove his supporters' faith is rewarded.
Josh Freeman's Growth
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The season still is young, but Josh Freeman is impressing a lot of people.
His growth will be charted and tracked, and hopefully Bucs fans will see a team they can really get excited about again.
Mike Holmgren and Eric Mangini's Relationship Status: It's Complicated
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Mike Holmgren made the decision to keep Eric Mangini and his staff around for the 2010 season.
Mangini is on the hot seat. To think anything else would be fooling yourself.
The Cleveland Quarterback Carousel
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Sometimes it seems like the Browns have had more starting quarterbacks than franchise wins since their return in 1999.
The Browns have to find consistency at the position, or the losses will continue to mount.
Revis Island
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On the field or off, Darrelle Revis always will be in the headlines in 2010. Revis is the Jets defense.
His performance, or lack thereof, will be a huge factor on whether or not the Jets make the playoffs.
Mark Sanchez, Superstar
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No quarterback is under the microscope like Mark Sanchez.
His success or failure will be the subject of a future Hollywood project, of that we should all be sadly certain of.
Pete Carroll's Evolution As A Coach
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Pete Carroll has to prove he learned from his past mistakes during his first stint in the NFL.
He's off to a pretty good start in Seattle. Can he carry it through to January?
The Oakland Raiders Always Have Drama
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Good thing the Raiders traded for Jason Campbell. Now that Bruce Gradkowski is the starter, the question is: how long?
The Raiders, like a few other teams, need to stop the quarterback roulette wheel.
Bill Belichick And His Offense
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Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. You don't get one without the other. What are they doing? Where are they going with the plays? Can Bill win without Brady if he gets hurt again?
The Boston media will continue to cover this non-story until Tom Brady or Bill Belichick retires.
Bill Belichick And His Defense
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Did Belichick do enough to improve the defense this year? Are his moves the last few years going to pay off and get the Patriots back in a Super Bowl?
If it's not Tom Brady, the talking heads will be focusing in on Belichick's famed defense.
Chan Gailey Has An Uphill Battle
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We could talk about quarterback issues, but what would be the point?
The story of the Bills is a story of a franchise in need of direction and talent. Chan Gailey is the answer for now. This season will tell us if he's the answer for the future.
Tim Tebow
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You can not talk about the Denver Broncos now without talking about Tim Tebow.
Tebow's development this year is the single most compelling storyline to come out of Denver. Tebow's fan base is fanatic and this really is a good thing for the NFL.
Kyle Orton's Crusade To Stay Ahead of Tim Tebow
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Of course, Kyle Orton still is the Broncos starting quarterback until head coach Josh McDaniels says otherwise.
Orton, despite his contract extension is well-motivated this season as Tebow stands on the sidelines.
Sam Bradford's Rookie Year
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Sam Bradford's rookie year will be a story, no matter how it plays out.
Rams fans certainly hope it has a happy ending.
Lions Full Of Stars
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The Lions have two first-round draft picks from 2010 on their roster and starting: Jahvid Best and Ndamukong Suh.
Watching these two rookies develop will be a very exciting story to follow.
Can Matthew Stafford Recover and Return?
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Can Matthew Stafford recover from his throwing shoulder injury this year and be effective?
Stay tuned.
Are The Chiefs For Real?
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The Chiefs now have Charlie Weis as their offensive coordinator, Romeo Crennel as their defensive coordinator, and Scott Pioli as their general manager.
Is Bill Belichick the keystone to this arch, or will a dynasty emerge in Kansas City?
Does Bill Parcells' Departure Signify Anything?
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The Miami Dolphins have been guided the last few years by Bill Parcells. Now he has taken a step back from the organization and is a "consultant."
Head coach Tony Sparano now is the face of the organization. It's up to him to keep Parcells' legacy of winning alive.
Michael Vick, Kevin Kolb, and The Eagles Quarterback Drama
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Kevin Kolb lost his starter's job by being concussed. Michael Vick is Michael Vick.
Vick has to win or it's going to get ugly in Philadelphia.
Andy Reid Is Staking His Reputation On His Quarterback Moves
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Andy Reid moved Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins, put everything behind Kevin Kolb and now has benched him after two quarters for Michael Vick.
It's safe to say that if he's wrong, there might be some repercussions.
Derek Anderson and the Arizona Cardinals, As Insane As It Gets?
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Derek Anderson never has been the model of a consistent quarterback, and tends to overthrow receivers and toss interceptions when the game is on the line.
He's already been benched once this season for an untested rookie. Expect this drama to continue all season and ask Cleveland fans how it ends.
Can Beanie Wells Emerge As An Elite Running Back?
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With the Cardinals' passing game uncertain, Beanie Wells is coming back off of injury.
His ability to become an elite running back in the league will determine if the Cardinals have a chance of pulling it together to make the playoffs.
The Vincent Jackson Saga
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Vincent Jackson swears he'll never play another game for the Chargers, while Chargers GM A.J. Smith refuses to budge on his offer and won't trade him.
There are no winners in this game.
Ladies and Gentleman, The Houston Texans!
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The Texans announced their presence to the league in Week 1 with a convincing win over Peyton Manning and the Colts.
The gauntlet has been thrown down. The Texans can't falter now.
Jacksonville Jaguars Floundering Through Another Year
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David Garrard and the Jaguars were supposed to get off to a better start in 2010.
Now, Garrard's stats are in the sewer, Luke McCown is out for the season with a knee injury, and the team now is up against the ropes to make sure this doesn't become a lost year.
Who Are The Cincinnati Bengals?
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The Bengals have two of the flashiest wide receivers in the league along with Carson Palmer under center and a pretty good defense.
But with the Steelers and Ravens in the same division, can the Bengals put all the pieces together to win the division again in 2010?
Ray Lewis And The Fountain of Youth
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Does this guy age?
Opposing quarterbacks and offensive coordinators keep waiting for age to catch up with the Ravens' best defensive player for the last century, but it has yet to happen.
Joe Flacco Has To Overcome His Slow Start
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Joe Flacco hasn't looked like Joe Flacco so far in 2010.
That can all start changing and Flacco will be the sensation he was when he was handed the starter's job a few years ago. Don't read too much into the first few weeks, it can be misleading.
The Falcons Have To Overcome RB Injuries
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The Falcons placed Jerious Norwood on injured reserve, but quarterback Matt Ryan is the key to this offense now.
The Falcons proved they can score big against a week defense in the Cardinals game, but were shut down by the Steelers.
The Falcons can't become a one-dimensional team and hope to make the playoffs.
The Saints Are Defending The Lombardi Trophy
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The Saints are the defending Super Bowl champs. Every game they go into will have that storyline hanging over everything else.
All things considered, it's not a bad place to be.
Jimmy Clausen Means The Future Is Now
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Jimmy Clausen lasted two weeks on the bench, now he's the starter for the Carolina Panthers.
If the game can slow down enough for him, the Panthers will be all right.
The Clausen factor now is a big story.
The Green Bay Packers Are On A Mission
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Aaron Rodgers and the Packers did not come near their goal last year.
This year the mission is clear and the execution of it to date is superb. The Packers' ability to not make the same mistakes they made last year will be the key to the season.
Clay Matthews
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Clay Matthews, the Packers 2009 first-round draft pick, had a great rookie season.
He continues to improve in 2010. Is he the next "big star" on defense?
Alex Smith's Ability To Not Be Horrible
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Alex Smith can be a good quarterback, he just doesn't perform like one on a consistent basis.
As the 2010 season progresses, his ability to be consistent will be a major talking point.
The Dolphins Defense Is Rising
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Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan has his unit already looking like one of the top 10 defenses in the league.
Nolan's coaching ability to keep that unit an elite one will help guide this team to a playoff berth.
Is Matt Leinart Relevant?
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From first-round draft pick and face of the Arizona Cardinals franchise to backup quarterback in Houston.
Matt Leinart's relevancy continues to decline. Will something happen to change that?
Concussions and How to Deal With Them
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The NFL has been under serious scrutiny on how it deals with concussions the last few years.
Kevin Kolb is just the latest poster child on how long a player should sit out after receiving a head injury.
Union Trouble
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The league is operating under an uncapped salary structure, the players are voting to decertify in an attempt to avoid a lockout in 2011, labor troubles are increasing in the NFL.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will have his hands full until a new CBA is reached.
An 18-Game Season
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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is pitching an 18-game season as part of a CBA negotiating tactic.
The players, and many fans, are against it. This debate won't end until a new CBA is reached.
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