NFL Predictions: Which Teams Will Boast the Most Exciting Offenses in 2011?
Today in lockout news...
Oh yeah, that's right—I have locked out the lockout. Mentally, I am just preparing for the 2011 season like, you know, it is going to actually happen.
If you'd care to mentally prepare with me, take a look as I rank the offenses that project to be 2011's most exciting.
No. 10: New England Patriots
1 of 10
The New England Patriots offense is a lot better than it is exciting.
Tom Brady is so efficient and calculated; it is like watching a surgeon, and while performing a surgery is impressive, it is not all that exciting.
Limiting the Patriots to a precision short passing attack was the lack of a deep-threat in 2010. Once Randy Moss was traded, they really had no one to stretch the field.
I would expect the Patriots to draft someone who can stretch the field and consequently raise the excitement bar of their offense.
No. 9: Oakland Raiders
2 of 10
Before anyone gets their panties in a bunch, let me just say I do not think the Raiders offense is going to be better than the Patriots, but I do think it is going to be more exciting.
The Raiders have a big play offense, running and passing. Darren McFadden finally displayed the talent that made him the fourth overall selection in the draft. He just needs a crack of daylight, and he is gone.
And while the Raiders passing game may be horribly inefficient, it is made for big plays. They love to run the play-action off of their running game, and look down field, and you know they are going to have the speed.
In 2010, they finally seemed to train Jason Campbell to throw the ball deep. As long as he gets the blocking in 2011, he may need Tommy John surgery from chucking so many deep passes.
While McFadden is scintillating, the most exciting Raider in 2011 may be Jacoby Ford. Once the rookie, Ford got a chance to get on the field in 2010 he made the spectacular look routine.
No. 8: Dallas Cowboys
3 of 10
I don't think I need to tell anyone that the Cowboys vastly underperformed in 2010 with a 6-10 record.
Despite all of their problems and the loss of Tony Romo for the season in their sixth game, they still finished seventh in total yards.
The Cowboys improved once Jason Garrett took over the coaching duties, and you gotta believe, with Garrett being an offensive guy, he is going to be in Jerry Jones' ear to get him the offensive pieces he needs to carry the team.
The Cowboys already have plenty of playmakers. Dez Bryant flashed the potential that he may turn into one of the most exciting players in the game, and Felix Jones has the ability to take it to the house every time he touches the ball.
Throw in Romo's two favorite targets of Miles Austin and Jason Witten, and you have a diverse offense that is going to be very hard to game plan for.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
No. 7: Indianapolis Colts
4 of 10
Peyton Manning is so good it is almost boring.
"Oh look; Manning went to his fourth read in one-tenth of a second and found a wide open receiver. Hey look at that—Manning hit Reggie Wayne right in stride with a 50-yard out. Hmm...Manning just dropped the ball right into Dallas Clark's hands even though eight defenders were hanging on him."
In other words, he makes the extraordinary look routine.
They Colts suffered through more season ending injuries in 2010 then I ever remember one team having to deal with. They also had some spotty offensive line work, which was particularly rough at left tackle.
And they were still an exciting offense.
I expect they will be even more exciting in 2011. They will likely upgrade the O-line, and law of averages say they will be a healthier squad.
And Manning alone, despite his boring consistent awesomeness, is worth the price of admission alone. He is never afraid to go for the big strike.
No. 6: Kansas City Chiefs
5 of 10
Jamaal Charles makes opposing coaches hold their breath every time he touches the ball. He is quick, shifty and surprisingly tough to bring down.
He was the centerpiece of the Chiefs league leading rushing attack. He will be returning behind essentially the same offensive line, and while he may not have Thomas Jones with him in the backfield in 2011, that may actually be a good thing for the Chiefs, as it will free up more touches for Charles.
Their passing offense was a different story in 2010. Matt Cassel was wildly inconsistent. I am not sure Cassel will ever take the next step, but I do expect him to improve as the weapons around him get better.
Dwayne Bowe had an up-and-down 2010. If he can eliminate the drops, he is a Pro Bowl player. The Chiefs would be wise to bring in a wide receiver, either in free agency or the draft, to line up on the other side of him and that would really open up the passing game.
I am also expecting TE, Tony Moeaki, to follow up his impressive 500-plus yard receiving rookie season with even better numbers.
No. 5: New Orleans Saints
6 of 10
Drew Brees had a down year for him in 2010. In that down year, he still threw for 4,620 yards and 33 touchdowns.
And he did that with little-to-no running game.
Injuries left the Saints picking up running backs off of the waiver wire as 2010 went along.
Assuming they can avoid that in 2011, this figures to be a much more well-rounded and productive offense. The Saints have playmakers all over the field, and Brees knows how to find them.
And while Reggie Bush may not be an every-down back, he is one of the most exciting players in the game when he has the ball in his hands.
No. 4: Houston Texans
7 of 10
Andre Johnson suffered through a high ankle sprain through the majority of the 2010 season. Despite that he caught 86 passes for 1,216 yards. For excitements sake, let's hope he can stay healthy in 2011.
Matt Schaub is not going to be limited to throwing to Johnson. The Texans will likely have a healthy Owen Daniels running routes like a receiver from his tight end position, and Jacoby Jones is a solid third option in the passing game.
Despite all of that firepower in the passing game, the most exciting thing about the Texans may be their running game.
Arian Foster led the the league in rushing in 2010, as he flourished in the Texans' zone blocking system. The Texans offensive line should return in tact, and at 24 years of age, Foster should just be hitting his prime.
No. 3: San Diego Chargers
8 of 10
The 2010 San Diego Chargers offense ate up yards like no other mediocre team before or sense. And they did that without much of a running game and a banged-up and holdout-laden receiving corps.
Last year's Chargers squad had seven receivers catch over 170 yards worth of passes.
It is hard to imagine the Chargers having to deal with a more depleted group of receivers than they did in 2010, and if Vincent Jackson actually decides to play the whole season, it really doesn't matter who the other receivers are, because they are going to be open.
The Chargers will likely make a move this offseason to improve their offensive line. They are bringing back Mike Tolbert to the backfield, and they will hope that Ryan Matthews will improve from his rookie season.
Throw all of the above in with Antonio Gates' unmatched ability as a tight end in the passing game and Philip Rivers' ability to drop dimes over double coverage, and it is hard to imagine any scenario where this offense is not exciting.
No. 2: Green Bay Packers
9 of 10
For a defending Super Bowl champion, the Packers are amazingly young with very few free agents. This means they are likely going to be really, really good in 2011.
So good that it may limit their offense from being as exciting as it could be. With their excellent defense and high probability that they will be in the lead most of the time, this offense isn't going to need to take a lot of chances.
Still, with Aaron Rodgers and those receivers, there is going to be plenty of excitement.
Let us not forget that this is an offense that will see the return of Ryan Gant to boost the running game and Jermichael Finley to give Rodgers a dangerous pass-catching tight end to throw to.
The 2011 Packers: As exciting as they want to be.
No. 1: Philadelphia Eagles
10 of 10
You let Michael Vick run and chuck a ball around a football field with anyone, and it is going to be exciting. In this case, he is not with just anyone. In this case, he is surrounded by other exciting football players.
DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy, Jeremy Maclin and Michael Vick is such a dynamic nucleus of explosive offensive players that I want to jump up and cheer just typing their names.
While there are few things as exciting as the deep pass—and Michael Vick can throw a pretty one—you almost hope that the Eagles will keep things short to allow all these guys to run with the football.
The weakness of the 2010 Eagles offense was their offensive line. If they can upgrade the hogs up front, this offense may be banned viewing for people with heart conditions.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Post-June 1 Trade Candidates ☎️")
.JPG?w=600 "TO Talks Cowboys Relationship")
.jpg?w=600 "Taylor Heinicke Retiring")
.jpg?w=600 "49ers OC Hypes Mike Evans 🤩")