Chad Ochocinco, Oakland Raiders and 10 Dream Pairings We'd Love To See Happen

The NFL season is coming to a close and with only two teams left vying for the most sought after trophy in the game, the remaining 30 teams are thinking of ways to get there themselves next season.

The 2011 Senior Bowl is underway, and some of the nation's elite Draft prospects are putting on a show in Mobile, Ala.

Free agency looms overhead in the shadow of a possible lockout, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has vowed to cut his salary to $1 if the NFL in fact does experience a work stoppage.

With all that in mind, there are a number of exciting pairings we would like to see in the NFL next season, even if some of them are pipe dreams.

Here are 10 dream pairings we'd love to see in the NFL next season.

10. Healthy Matthew Stafford and The Detroit Lions

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DETROIT - NOVEMBER 07: Detroit Lions team doctor Kyle Anderson checks the right shoulder of Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions after leaving the game during the third quarter of the game at Ford Field on November 7, 2010 in Detroit, Michigan. The Je

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft has played only 13 games in a Lions uniform, not even a full season worth of games yet.

The two quarterbacks drafted behind him in 2009, Mark Sanchez and Josh Freeman, have helped turn their teams around.

The Lions are steadily improving around him on both offense and defense and the major missing cog in the their wheel of success is Matthew Stafford standing on the sideline rather than lining up under center.

Stafford started three games this season, went 1-2, but threw six touchdowns, one interception and had a quarterback rating over 86 in each of the three games.

The Lions have actually done things right for once, and now they need their franchise quarterback to get on the field and make things happen.

Assuming Calvin Johnson "completes the plays" with Stafford back, we could see the Lions become an actual competitive football team in 2011.

9. Mike Pouncey, Maurkice Pouncey and The Pittsburgh Steelers

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DENVER - AUGUST 29: Center Maurkice Pouncey #53 of the Pittsburgh Steelers watches from the sidelines against the Denver Broncos during preseason NFL action at INVESCO Field at Mile High on August 29, 2010 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the St

Mike and Maurkice Pouncey, twin brothers, attended high school in Lakeland, FL. and college at the University of Florida together, starting side by side every step of the way. Mike had to play defensive line due to injury as a Gator freshman but went back to the offensive line a sophomore.

Maurkice left Florida one year earlier and is now the starting center on the AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Mike stayed at Florida and is now the No. 1 interior lineman prospect in the draft.

Mike and Maurkice have won everywhere they have gone together, and life in Pittsburgh might bring about the same opportunities.

To see a pair of talented brothers starting side by side in Black and Yellow for years to come would go a long way towards the Steelers keeping Ben Roethlisberger standing upright. 

8. Chad Ochocinco "Johnson" and The Oakland Raiders

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CINCINNATI - NOVEMBER 21: Chad Ochocinco #85 of the Cincinnati Bengals watches the final minute of the Bengals 49-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills at Paul Brown Stadium on November 21, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Chad Ochocinco is reportedly changing his name back to "Johnson." He is also due a $6 million option season, and it is unlikely to be retained by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Chad's skill have diminished, and he is certainly not shy about discussing it with his "twit fam," but he is still a speedy, receiver that can bring energy to an offense and locker room willing to handle his antics.

Well, what better team to do that then Oakland Raiders?

Not only do the Raiders have a new coach, system and actual belief that they could be relevant next season, they also could use a veteran wide receiver presence to help their young squad.

Naturally other free agent wide receivers will also be on the market, but let's not pretend that Randy Moss would ever wear Silver and Black again. It's doubtful that Terrell Owens would want to go back to play by the Bay, even if Oakland is not San Francisco.

New "old" name and new team. Chad Johnson could be a revived force in Oakland.

7. Clay Matthews, Casey Matthews and The Green Bay Packers

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GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 10: Casey Matthews #55 of the Oregon Ducks looks on against the Auburn Tigers during the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game at University of Phoenix Stadium on January 10, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Get

Casey Matthews will likely not be a first round pick like his big brother.

It's important to note that he, in fact, is not his brother at all.

Casey likely projects as inside linebacker in a 3-4 defense at the NFL level. That defense happens to be the scheme his brother's NFC Champion Green Bay Packers run.

It my take some time, but it certainly would be fun to watch the two long-haired linebacking brothers play in the same defense.

The NFL bloodlines give Casey a fighting chance at the next level.

6. Randy Moss and The New England Patriots

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MIAMI - OCTOBER 04: Quarterback Tom Brady #12 and Randy Moss of the New England Patriots sit on the sidelines against the Miami Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium on October 4, 2010 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

Yes, Randy and Tom. I am talking to the two of you, don't look so surprised.

Tom Brady might be the consensus MVP for the 2010 NFL season, but he lost in the postseason for the third straight time, and it was more evident than ever what the absence of Moss really meant to the Patriots.

The New York Jets squashed the Patriots' underneath routes and never felt threatened by any of the Patriots' receivers to go deep.

No team, coach or quarterback will be able to get more out of Moss next season than the Patriots, Brady and Belichick would.

They talked about it when he got released in Minnesota and make no mistake, the Patriots are more dangerous with him around.

5. Brett Favre and The Green Bay Packers

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GREEN BAY, WI - OCTOBER 24: Donald Driver #80 of the Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre #4 of the Minnesota Vikings talk after the Packers defeated the Vikings 28-24 at Lambeau Field on October 24, 2010 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jim Prisching/Ge

Get this over with a soon as possible.

Have Brett Favre sign a one-day contract and retire as a Green Bay Packer. Case closed, end of story.

Of course, this is much easier said than done, but a Packer victory in the Super Bowl should ease the hatred the fans may have for Favre.

If we let him stay alive for too long he could come out on his walker in a few years and try to throw passes for the Bears or Lions.

4. Nnamdi Asomugha, Darrelle Revis and The New York Jets

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OAKLAND, CA - NOVEMBER 28: Nnamdi Asomugha #21 of the Oakland Raiders stands on the sidelines during the closing minutes of their loss to the Miami Dolphins at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on November 28, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra S

This pairing was talked about a few times in the past and could gain some real steam this offseason.

Nnamdi Asomugha and Darrelle Revis are two of, if not the two, best cornerbacks in league.

While the Jets do have a ton of their own players to take care of first, giving coach Rex Ryan two dominant shut down corners could actually make the AFC his playground.

With Revis and Asomugha shutting down receivers on both sides of the field, Rex could send eight men after the quarterback if he want, maybe even nine and possibly still get away with it.

3. Plaxico Burress and The New York Giants

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GLENDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 03: Wide receiver Plaxico Burress #17 of the New York Giants catches a 13-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter over Ellis Hobbs #27 of the New England Patriots during Super Bowl XLII on February 3, 2008 at the University of P

Leave it to the New York Giants to actually fuel their own rumors about not counting out the possibility of bringing Plaxico Burress back.

While the Giants have a burgeoning young group of receivers (assuming they re-sign Steve Smith of course), Eli has never and probably will never be as comfortable with a player as he was with Plaxico.

The Giants have not won a playoff game since Plaxico was sent to jail, and there's no doubt that fans have a ton of sentiment for the man who caught the game winning touchdown pass in Super Bowl XLII.

2. Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, Pete Carroll and The Seattle Seahawks

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JACKSONVILLE, FL - NOVEMBER 14: Matt Leinart #9 of the Houston Texans looks on before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field on November 14, 2010 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

All the USC boys back together again.

Mike Williams, the Seahawks new rejuvenated receiver spent one year with Leinart at the helm and we know all about Leinart, Bush and Carroll. Let's bring them all back.

Seattle needs to think about their quarterback situation for the future, and the picture shown here is just weird to look at with Leinart wearing a Texans No. 9 jersey.

It would take a lot of work, but Carroll got them all to USC somehow, so I'm sure he can legally find a way to get perennial backup Leinart away from the Texans and send something down to New Orleans worthy of Bush's value.

USC 2.0 in Seattle. They always thought they could beat NFL teams when they were in college anyway.

1. Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith

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WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 03: National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell, Rob Manfred, executive vice president of labor and human resources in the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball, Major League Baseball, NFL Players Association Executive Direc

All of this would make no sense without a new labor agreement for next season.

As Ari Gold of Entourage would say, "Let's get the two of them in a room together, BOOM, I will pay for it if I have to."