Reasons to Be Optimisitic for Every NFL Franchise for 2011
As of February 7th, at 12:00 a.m. every team in the National Football League was once again undefeated.
Sometimes it's hard to look past some of your favorite team's flaws, but despite this there is always a reason for optimism.
Every team is once again on an even playing field, and nobody knows what the 2011 season will bring.
Here are reasons for optimism for every NFL franchise heading into the 2011 season.
Arizona Cardinals
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There is good news, Arizona fans.
The probability of Max Hall, Derek Anderson, John Skelton or Richard Bartel being the starting quarterback of the Cardinals in 2011 is slim to none.
Who the quarterback will be is still completely up in the air, but just knowing that it won't be one of the four from last season is a good sign.
The Cardinals have a talented offense, they just need someone to lead the way.
Atlanta Falcons
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It's hard to find a reason not to be optimistic about the Falcons in 2011.
They have one of the younger and more talented offenses in the league. Matt Ryan and the rest of the offense will only improve off the 13-3 season.
The defense did show some signs of struggle, especially in the loss to the future Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers.
The Falcons will likely focus on defense in the offseason.
With an improved offense and defense, and coming off of a great season, there is much to be optimistic about in Atlanta.
Baltimore Ravens
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Excluding Joe Flacco and Ray Rice, the Baltimore Ravens are primarily an older football team.
In some cases this may be a reason to panic, but for the Ravens it may be the opposite.
There are veterans on the defense, which is routinely one of the best in the league. They know that their time is running out to win a Super Bowl.
The Ravens have gotten close the last few seasons and this team could make a very strong push in 2011 as a Super Bowl contender.
A reason to be optimistic: These players are nearing the end of their careers; at this point it's go big or go home.
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Buffalo Bills
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The Bills may have gone 4-12, but there actually is reason to be optimistic in Buffalo.
First, the emergence of of Steve Johnson as a No. 1 receiver.
He had up and down games, but Johnson proved he has the skill set to be a number one guy.
Second, the defense.
Not the entire defense, but the passing defense. The Bills actually finished third in the NFL in passing defense last season.
They did also finish 32nd in rushing defense.
That's why they have the No. 3 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. They can now look to improve that aspect of the defense.
Carolina Panthers
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This is a bit of a no-brainer. There is nowhere to go but up.
They have a new coach and the first pick in this year's draft.
It's hard to get excited when the team had the worst in the league last year, but every move will be a step in the right direction.
Well, unless they go 0-16. Chances are pretty good that won't happen, though.
Chicago Bears
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I know it can be difficult for Chicago fans to be appreciative sometimes (ex. Jay Cutler) but the Bears are poised to make another playoff run next season.
That's more than most teams in the NFL can say.
The Bears have one of the top defenses in the league each and every season.
The offense has shown improvement over the last few seasons with Jay Cutler at quarterback. Although it seems like that's difficult for some fans to accept, it is a good thing.
Chicago barely lost against the Super Bowl champions in the playoffs with a third-string quarterback. Not many teams have that sort of ability.
Cincinnati Bengals
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The Bengals offense was nothing short of pathetic last year. With talent like Palmer, Ochocinco, Owens and Benson on the field it's hard to believe how poorly the team played.
The addition of Jay Gruden is something for Cincinnati fans to get excited about. Gruden has been a coach in the AFL and UFL, along with being an assistant to John Gruden in the NFL.
The Bengals offense should take a step in the right direction this season even with the departure of Owens, and the possible departures of Ochocinco and Palmer.
Cleveland Browns
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Colt McCoy could be a great quarterback down the road for the Cleveland Browns. He had ups and downs as the starter last year, but had two quality wins over the Patriots and the Saints.
If the Browns go out and get McCoy a weapon it could be the start of something great in Cleveland.
Peyton Hillis also had a breakout season last year.
The Cleveland offense is slowly improving. They are in a tough division and will face plenty of struggles, but they are looking like a better team than in recent years
Dallas Cowboys
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Dallas fans don't really need a reason to be optimistic—they will be anyway.
It seems like every year the Cowboys are in the Super Bowl talks before the season starts, and this year will be no different.
Tony Romo will be returning from injury, which automatically puts Dallas back in the game as one of the top teams in the NFC.
Jason Garrett looks like a promising head coach for the Cowboys as well. As long as he doesn't become a yes-man to Jerry Jones, the team should be fine.
Denver Broncos
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Josh McDaniels is gone, so Broncos fans can be at ease. It appears that the team will go a full year without trading away a star player.
If that's not reason enough to get excited, the unanswered questions about Tim Tebow should keep everyone on edge.
If Tebow does get the start, it should be a fun season to watch the Broncos.
Detroit Lions
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The Detroit Lions have quietly been improving.
The team needs Matt Stafford to stay healthy for an entire season. If he can, they actually could have the opportunity to go 8-8 in 2011.
To some teams this would be a disappointment, but after going 0-16 just three years ago, a season with eight wins would be a blessing.
Green Bay Packers
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I don't care about trends. This slide is completely unnecessary.
I know reigning Super Bowl champions have a history of struggling in the following season, but it's nothing to get caught up in.
The Packers just won the Super Bowl. The team was decimated with injuries all season. Those players will be returning.
The team will be just as good, if not better, in 2011.
Houston Texans
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Arian Foster burst into the nation spotlight last season with a breakout year. The newly found running game is going to be helpful for the Texans in making a playoff run next season.
It finally could be that year for Houston.
The offense is set to win. Schaub, Foster and Johnson make for a nightmare for opposing defenses.
Wade Phillips comes in looking to turn around the Texans' troubles on defense. Although Phillips was not a great head coach, he has a great defensive mind and should help Houston.
The Titans are in an obvious slump, and Jacksonville may have problems on defense. The only real competitor for Houston will be Indianapolis, and believe it or not they showed signs of taking a step back as well.
It could be the year Houston makes the playoffs.
Indianapolis Colts
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Without Peyton Manning, the Colts are likely a six-win team at best.
Indianapolis should just be thankful Peyton is returning. He alone makes the Colts a playoff contender year after year.
The return of Dallas Clark is going to be a huge thing to look forward to for Colts fans also. Many of the struggles the Colts had down the stretch were due to the absence of Clark.
Jacksonville Jaguars
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Nearing the end of last season, it appeared as though the Jaguars were contenders for a playoff spot. Then, they lost the last three games of the season.
Maurice Jones-Drew was injured in the first of those three games.
The Jaguars had the third-ranked rushing offense last season. The loss of Jones-Drew may have been the difference in making and missing the playoffs.
The defense needs to improve, and Jacksonville will likely focus on it in the offseason.
They could be a dark horse for a playoff run this year.
Kansas City Chiefs
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The Chiefs made a fantastic jump last season winning the AFC West. Look for that impressive run to continue in 2011.
Kansas City has the best playmaker in football in Jamaal Charles. He averaged 6.4 yards per carry last season.
Matt Cassel benefited from the top-ranked running game as well, and things are looking up for the Chiefs.
Although Charlie Weis is no longer the offensive coordinator, the team still has the talent to succeed next year.
Miami Dolphins
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It was an up-and-down year in 2010 for the Miami Dolphins.
The running game was a disappointment and after implementing the wildcat offense a few years back, the Dolphins have been one of the more successful running teams.
Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams struggled last season.
However, the Dolphins did have one of the best defenses in the league. They need to improve on points allowed, but a lot of that was to blame on the minus-12 turnover ratio.
The team was sixth in total yards allowed.
Defense still wins championships, so it's something for the team to build off of in 2011.
Minnesota Vikings
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Not knowing who your quarterback is going to be next year is a tough situation. Tough or not, the Vikings should be happy about it.
It's time to move on from the Favre experiment and look towards the future.
That future could be Ryan Mallet or Cam Newton. Maybe it could even be Kevin Kolb.
It's uncertain at this point, but it's a good uncertainty. Even though it means success may be limited in 2011, Minnesota is set to build for a run in a few years.
New England Patriots
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The Patriots had the best regular season record in the AFC last season, and in Week 15 they actually beat the Green Bay Packers.
The Patriots will be contenders as long as Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are in New England.
On top of that, the Patriots have two first-round picks in the upcoming NFL Draft.
A dominant team has the opportunity to be even more dominant in 2011.
New Orleans Saints
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The Saints were overlooked often last year due to the play of the division rival Atlanta Falcons.
New Orleans was one of the most balanced teams in the league, ranking 11th in scoring offense and seventh in scoring defense.
If it wasn't for a defensive collapse against the Seahawks in the playoffs, we could be talking about a different Super Bowl champion right now.
This team still has very similar capabilities as the team that won the Super Bowl a year ago.
They will be a contender yet again in 2011.
New York Giants
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The New York Giants were eight minutes away from making the playoffs.
If it wasn't for the devastating breakdown against Philadelphia, they would have been in the hunt rather than the Eagles.
The team ranked in the top 10 in passing, rushing and scoring offense; the defense ranked in the top 10 in passing and rushing defense.
The Giants deserved to be in the playoffs the past season, and chances are they will make a run again next year.
New York Jets
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What is there to not be excited about if you are a Jets fan?
Rex Ryan is the coach of the team, and the defense will be as dominant as always.
The offense made strides in 2010, and Mark Sanchez seems to be one short step away from taking this team to the Super Bowl.
It's a step that the Jets could take in 2011. Sanchez will be in his third year, and shows signs of becoming a top quarterback.
Oakland Raiders
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Last season, Tom Cable led the Raiders to their best record since the 2002 season.
The performance led to Cable being let go by the organization. Only in Oakland right?
Despite this, there are things to be excited about for Raiders fans, particularly the emergence of a past top draft pick.
Running back Darren McFadden had a breakout season, something Oakland fans have been waiting for since he was drafted.
It appears that the team now has a solid No. 1 back.
Philadelphia Eagles
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Mike Vick, LeSean McCoy, Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson.
I don't think anything needs to be said here.
This offense is fast and fun to watch. This offseason, Vick will have time to prepare for a full season at quarterback. It's been forgotten that what he did this season came from off the bench.
An offseason of preparation as the starter will do wonders.
The defense. Well, the red-zone defense can't get any worse.
It seems that Juan Castillo will be implementing a much simpler defense than Eagles fans have seen in recent history. Nobody knows how it's going to work out at this point, but it can't be much worse than last year.
Pittsburgh Steelers
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It appears that Ben Roethlisberger has decided to grow up. This is great news if you are a Steelers fan.
Big Ben has always been a good player, but now the organization can rely on him in other ways. It should go a long way in improving the offense for next season.
The defense will be dominant like always.
There really isn't much to say. This team just made the Super Bowl and is going to make a run at it again in 2011.
San Diego Chargers
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Without a doubt, the best team in football to not make the playoffs in 2010.
All the Chargers need to do is get off to a quicker start, and they will be well on their way to a Super Bowl.
They finished the season as the second scoring offense and the 10th scoring defense, yet somehow ended with a 9-7 record.
The team was so inconsistent it was unreal.
The only real improvements that are needed are on special teams. It's amazing how many times special teams killed the Chargers last year.
This is a team that has the potential to make a Super Bowl run—it's amazing they haven't already.
San Francisco 49ers
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The 49ers are a quarterback away from winning the division, and making a run in the playoffs.
They have Michael Crabtree, Vernon Davis and Frank Gore, and that is not to mention one of the best offensive lines in the league.
The crazy part is that the quarterback may already be on the roster: Alex Smith.
Don't freak out just yet, 49er fans.
Jim Harbaugh loves what he sees in Alex Smith. He has made this clear. He is also the first coach that Smith has had that will actually teach and help him improve.
So really, Harbaugh may be the difference the 49ers needed.
The NFC West is weak, and the 49ers will be in the running in 2011.
Seattle Seahawks
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The Seahawks were awful on offense. They were awful on defense.
Yet they still managed to win the NFC West and pull off one of the biggest upsets in postseason history. At the end of the day I guess winning is all that matters.
It could be a very good sign of things to come for the Seahawks. You can't complain when a new coach takes a team to the playoffs in his first year.
It may not have been pretty and it may not be pretty next year, but Pete Carroll gets his team to play hard and win games.
St. Louis Rams
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The Rams were just one win away from winning the NFC West and advancing to the playoffs. It became pretty apparent that Sam Bradford was the right choice at No. 1 overall in the 2010 Draft.
From the worst team in the league to a few plays from the playoffs.
After a year of experience, it should be great to see what Bradford and the Rams are able to put together next year.
In one of the weaker divisions in the league, they could easily make a run for the playoffs yet again.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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If the Buccaneers played in any other division in the NFC, chances are they would have made the playoffs. They were one of the most overlooked teams last season.
Quarterback Josh Freeman played outstanding, throwing for 25 touchdowns to just six interceptions.
LeGarrette Blount has become a clear starter at running back and the defense also finished ninth in points allowed.
This is a young team poised to make many playoff runs for many years to come. It's only a matter of time before people start giving them the respect they deserve.
Tennessee Titans
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The Titans finished last in the AFC South last year. Jeff Fisher's reign as head coach is over. The Vince Young era came to an early conclusion.
The team is in rebuilding mode and will likely face many struggles this year. It's the beginning of a new era for the Titans.
The good news is, the Titans still have one of the top running backs in the league.
Not much is known about the philosophy that Mike Munchak will bring as head coach. Being an offensive lineman, chances are it will be a physical type of football.
Washington Redskins
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Mike Shanahan's first season as Washington's head coach didn't go quite as the team hoped.
However, Redskins fans need to understand that a turnaround wasn't going to happen overnight.
Good things come in time, and now Shanahan has his second offseason to really start shaping the team to his liking.
It's expected the Redskins will go with a quarterback in the first round of this year's NFL Draft. If so, Shanahan will be looking to find the next franchise player for the Redskins.
Rumor is that player may be Jake Locker. No matter who it ends up being, it's something for Washington fans to get excited about.
All four quarterbacks with a first-round grade in this year's draft seem to have a lot of potential, so the team will likely get a great player for the next few years.
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