C.J. Spiller Starting, Tony Romo Struggling: 2010 NFL Week 1 Truths To Ponder

You can sit there all day and debate which storyline of the week is more compelling, but there often are some hard truths at the core of those storylines a lot of people don't want to admit.

If you're a fan of Team A, you really don't want to admit your team isn't going to be very good before they've played one regular season game, even if the reality is staring at you in the face.

The NFL has parity, and that's a good thing, but parity has winners and losers, and they're not the same winners and losers every year unless you're a fan of Detroit or Cleveland.

That's a lot of losing in those two cities.

Winning and losing aside, here are some hard truths fans need to face up to heading into 2010.

The Dallas Cowboys Aren't That Good

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HOUSTON - AUGUST 28: Quarterback Tony Romo #9 of the Dallas Cowboys holds his head as he sits on the bench in the fourth quarter during a game against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium on August 28, 2010 in Houston, Texas. Houston won 23-7. (Photo by

I've been saying it on here all offseason and getting KILLED by the Cowboys fans for it, but it's the truth.

The Cowboys just aren't that good, and it's going to be a long year in the state of Texas.

Tony Romo is considered an elite quarterback for no good reason. His stats aren't bad, but they're misleading.

Romo is the next generation of Donovan McNabb, that being he'll play some great games, especially during the regular season, and then collapse like a house of cards once the season is on the line.

Ironically, McNabb might be starting against Romo again this weekend. McNabb choked first in the playoffs last year, but Romo wasn't far behind. It takes these younger guys a little longer to learn.

As for the rest of the team, when your head coach wants the starters to get some quality time during Preseason Garbage Game 4, that's not good, no matter how you try and spin it.

Pete Carroll Already Failed in the NFL Once

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OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 02: Head coach Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks looks on against the Oakland Raiders during an NFL preseason game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 2, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty I

Look, I'm not doing your homework for you, so go look up the numbers yourself.

Pete Carroll went back to the college ranks for a reason. The situation at USC became impossible to stay ahead of, and jumping back into the NFL was the best career move available to him this year.

What other open college program would Carroll really have wanted this past year?

Exactly.

So, good luck to the Seahawks fans. You're going to need it.

The Buffalo Bills are Starting a Rookie Running Back

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TORONTO, CANADA - AUGUST 19: C.J. Spiller #21 of the Buffalo Bills runs with Gary Brackett #58 of the Indianapolis Colts during game action August 19, 2010 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Brad White/Getty Images)

Buffalo Bills fans, and Marshawn Lynch, were somewhat shocked to read the news this week that C.J. Spiller has been named the starting running back.

Lynch may still be sitting in front of his locker trying to figure out what the punchline of this joke is.

The truth is, the Bills are building for the future at the expense of 2010.

Not that they were going to go far in 2010 anyway, but that's not much of a consolation to Lynch or Fred Jackson, who stand to lose a lot of carries if Spiller is as good as advertised.

If you drafted your fantasy RBs before the news and took Lynch over Spiller, yeah, sorry dude.

Mark Sanchez Hasn't Proven Anything

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CHARLOTTE, NC - AUGUST 21: Quarterback Mark Sanchez #6 of the New Yorks Jets throws under preasure from Derek Landri #61of the Carolina Panthers during their preseason game at Bank of America Stadium on August 21, 2010 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Phot

Everybody loves Rex Ryan, "Hard Knocks," and whatever other hype surrounds the 2010 version of the New York Jets.

But quarterback Mark Sanchez had a shaky rookie season, and by shaky, I mean, he wasn't that impressive, all things considered.

Sanchez still has the potential to surprise everyone, including me, but he probably will be one of the bigger disappointments of the 2010 Season.

The Miami Dolphins are Not to Be Trusted

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JACKSONVILLE, FL - AUGUST 21: Head coach Tony Sparano of the Miami Dolphins watches the action during a preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field on August 21, 2010 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Let's take a hard look at this situation.

Bill Parcells is fading off into the sunset. A lot of former high-round draft picks are now on the bench or looking for work elsewhere.

Does this sound like a playoff team to you?

The Dolphins are the kind of team going into the season that Vegas hates, because they won't be able to get a good line on their games until about Week 4.

If you're a gambling person, stay away from the Dolphins until October. Ignore me at your peril.

The Vikings are a Mess

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NEW ORLEANS - SEPTEMBER 09: Quarterback Brett Favre #4 of the Minnesota Vikings at Louisiana Superdome on September 9, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Brett Favre still has talent, and between injuries and other factors, the Vikings just had a hard road to climb this past Thursday.

That being said, if Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels had been any good, Favre still would be retired at this point.

Favre may be better than a lot of other quarterbacks even at his age, but he is 40 going on 41 and time has a way of catching up to you when you least expect it.

If Favre has no one to throw to, and handing the ball of to Adrian Peterson 35 times a game doesn't work out, there's really nowhere else for the Vikings to turn to.

Vikings fans are in for a long year.

The Cincinnati Bengals Have Trainwreck Written All Over Them

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INDIANAPOLIS - SEPTEMBER 02: Carson Palmer #9 and Terrell Owens #81 of the Cincinnati Bengals talk on the sidelines during the NFL preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 2, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo b

Look, this just isn't going to work over the course of a 16-game schedule.

It sounds good, everything appears to be fine through the preseason, and everyone is in love with each other as Week 1 commences.

It won't last.

It didn't last in San Francisco, it didn't last in Philadelphia and it didn't last in Dallas.

We're discarding Buffalo because, well, it was Buffalo. (Sorry Bills fans, I do feel for you)

Terrell Owens will self-destruct. He can't help himself. I just don't know how else to get this through everyone's heads.

The question isn't whether Owens will throw Carson Palmer under the bus, but how many buses will Owens aim for?

Al Davis Still is the Oakland Raiders' Owner

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ALAMEDA, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis speaks during a press conference to announce the firing of head coach Lane Kiffin of the Oakland Raiders at thier training facility on Septemer 30, 2008 in Alameda, California. (Photo by Jed Jac

The Raiders are a team that looks much better on paper this year than it has in several years.

But that's the key phrase: "on paper."

The truth is Al Davis still owns this team, and he will find some way to screw it up. Davis died several years ago, and as we all know, the living dead don't learn from their mistakes.

They must have their brains, and if throwing the deep ball on 2nd-and-4 is the only way to get those brains, than Zombie Al Davis will throw the deep ball and make the call from his crypt.

Tom Cable is in a no-win situation, and so are the players. One day the Raiders fans will call on Van Helsing to save their franchise. Until then, the Raiders just won't be very good.

There Will Be No Tim Tebow This Week

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MINNEAPOLIS - SEPTEMBER 02: Tim Tebow #15 of the Denver Broncos carries the ball during an NFL preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings at the Mall of America Field at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, on September 2, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Ph

Tim Tebow is on the sidelines for awhile, Tebow Fans.

Just deal with it. It'll be OK, he'll be starting by Week 8 if Orton gets injured.