NFL 2011 Season Preview: An in-Depth Look at the Upcoming Season

Yes! We will have football in 2011.

It's been a while since I've done a football story. I've spent the last two years as a featured columnist for the Yankees on this website, but I'm pretty excited about football and wanted to do this preview, so here goes.

The lockout lasted for 132 days, but after long, lengthy negotiations, battles of words in the media between the players and the owners and lots of waiting for the fans, the NFL season will happen.

Last year, we saw for the third time in recent history a wild card team run the table on the road to win the Super Bowl.

The Green Bay Packers were the No. 6 seed in the NFC and beat the Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears, which got them to Super Bowl 45 and beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25.

Aaron Rodgers won the Super Bowl MVP award, solidifying himself as a true elite NFL quarterback.

On September 8, the Packers will open up the 2011 regular season on NBC by playing the New Orleans Saints at Lambeau Field.

We're a week away from football season. How will your team do in the new season?

AFC East: 1. New England Patriots

The Patriots' 2010 season ended on a sour note for them.

After finishing with the best record in the AFC and all of football, they got a first-round bye and were knocked out of the playoffs by the Jets 28-21 at Gillette Stadium.

The Patriots have yet to win a playoff game since Super Bowl 42, when they were upset and defeated by the Giants in 2008.

But despite the playoff struggles of late, that won't stop the Patriots from being the same team that's made them one of the most consistent over the last 10 years.

With Tom Brady running the offense, he always finds a way. They are without Randy Moss now, but they did add Chad Ochocinco to go with Wes Welker at wide receiver.

The defense added another controversial player by trading for Redskins cast-off and defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.

Will Bill Belichick be able to shape up Haynesworth?

2010 record: 14-2

2011 predicted finish: 12-4

2. New York Jets

For the second year is a row, the Jets made the AFC Championship game, but came up a little short.

They were knocked out of the playoffs when they were defeated by the Steelers 24-19 in the AFC Championship Game.

The Jets are back and ready for another playoff run in 2011 and have high expectations.

They re-signed Santonio Holmes and let Braylon Edwards and Jericho Cotchery walk away as free agents, but they did make a bold signing in the summer.

They brought in former Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress after he spent the last two and a half years in prison after shooting himself in the leg back in late 2008.

They also gave Mark Sanchez another dependable target to throw to in former Ravens wide-out Derrick Mason.

With Holmes, Mason and Burress, along with Dustin Keller, Shonn Greene and LaDanian Tomlinson, the Jets offense is pretty loaded.

But the big question remains: Can they get over the hump to be the best team in the AFC?

2010 record: 11-5

2011 predicted finish: 11-5

3. Miami Dolphins

There will be a new backfield for the Dolphins when they start 2011.

Long-gone is the duo of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. Brown went to the Eagles, while Williams went to the Ravens.

Now in the backfield will be Reggie Bush, formerly of the New Orleans Saints, and Larry Johnson, formerly of the Chiefs and Redskins.

Right now, Bush will likely be the main back, with Johnson being given another opportunity after being in trouble most of his career.

Bush never lived up to the hype in New Orleans that he had from his college career of USC, but maybe a fresh start will be what he needs.

Chad Henne is still the starter, although many fans were hoping for the Dolphins to try and trade for Kyle Orton.

He does have Brandon Marshall to throw to, but Marshall is really the only major deep-threat target Henne has, unless you want to count Bush in there.

They haven't been as good of a team since 2008, when they last won the AFC East. You have to wonder if Tony Sparano will be on the hot seat after 2011 if they don't have a winning season.

2010 record: 7-9

2011 predicted finish: 6-10

4. Buffalo Bills

Oh, how the fans of the Buffalo Bills yearn for the glory years.

How they hope for Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed to dominate on offense and Bruce Smith to crush quarterbacks on defense.

How they hope for four straight AFC Championships and Super Bowl appearances.

Hell, they can even hope for Doug Flutie from 12 years ago, which was the last time Buffalo was a playoff team.

Now let's fast-forward to 2011, where the Bills are absolutely horrible.

Now, the offense is run by Ryan Fitzpatrick, who would be nothing more than a backup or third string quarterback on most NFL teams.

But not on the Bills. Nope. He gets to start. (Note to fantasy football team owners: Do not draft Fitzpatrick under any circumstances.)

Chances are, their biggest offensive threat could be former Jets receiver Brad Smith. Smith was best known for running the Wild Cat offense on the Jets and could bring that to Buffalo.

Hey, if Fitzpatrick really falters or gets hurt, maybe Smith can step in as the regular quarterback.

The only trouble is, Smith needs a decent offensive line to block for him.

2010 record: 4-12

2011 predicted finish: 3-13

AFC North: 1. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers won the AFC Championship last year and got to Super Bowl 45, but fell just a little short against the Green Bay Packers.

They didn't roll over after being down 21-10 in the first half and made a game out of it, but Green Bay was meant to be back in February.

Coming back with a lot of returning players from a year ago, the Steelers look like they can be a contender again in 2011.

Ben Roethlisberger has kept himself out of trouble, out of college bars and bathrooms (thankfully) and focused on football.

Rashad Mendenhall has developed into an every-down back, and Mike Wallace has emerged as a deep-threat for Big Ben.

Add on long-time veteran Hines Ward and former Jet Jericho Cotchery, and the Steelers have some weapons on offense.

On defense, you know defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau will have all sorts of tricks up his sleeve, especially guys like James Harrison and LaMar Woodley blitzing all over the field.

2010 record: 12-4

2011 predicted finish: 13-3

2. Baltimore Ravens

After all these years, it's still the Ray Lewis show in Baltimore.

And while he's still back there playing linebacker for the Ravens, they will always have a feared defense.

He's got some help out there like Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata that make the defense still one of the most ferocious ones in the league.

While on offense, every year Joe Flacco has been in the league, he's been to the playoffs.

He's been to an AFC Championship Game in his rookie year and won a few more playoff games after that.

The same goes for head coach John Harbaugh, who took over the team the same year Flacco came into the league.

Harbaugh has a franchise quarterback in Flacco he can count on for the next several years.

And Flacco has some nice weapons to throw to in Anquan Boldin and Lee Evans, who came over from the Buffalo Bills.

Plus, Ray Rice has become one of the premier backs in the entire league, and is a top three pick in anyone's fantasy draft.

Barring any setbacks, Flacco and Harbaugh should see the postseason again for a fourth straight year.

2010 record: 12-4

2011 predicted finish: 11-5

3. Cleveland Browns

Well, it didn't take long for Mike Holmgren to get sick of Eric Mangini, as that reign lasted all of one year.

Mangini was fired after a 5-11 season, and Holmgren brought in Pat Shurmur as the new head coach.

Most probably don't know too much on Shurmur. He was the quarterbacks coach for the Eagles from 1999 until 2008; then, Steve Spagnuolo hired him to be the offensive coordinator of the St. Louis Rams and helped turn their offense around from 1-15 in 2009 to 7-9 in 2010.

His efforts in the offense and molding Sam Bradford is what Holmgren noticed and wanted to bring into Cleveland. Now, Shurmur can guide another young mind in Colt McCoy.

Entering his second season in the league, it's now McCoy's show. How well he handles it remains to be seen.

He'll have Peyton Hillis to hand off to, who exploded out of nowhere onto the national stage, rushing for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Hillis is also now featured on the cover of the new Madden 12 video game, so you have to wonder if Hillis will fall jinx to the "Madden Curse," or will he duplicate his success?

Either way, the Brady Quinn for Peyton Hillis trade the Browns and Broncos made is being talked about as one of the worst Denver has ever made because of what Hillis can be on offense.

2010 record: 5-11

2011 predicted finish: 6-10

4. Cincinnati Bengals

What a mess in Cincinnati.

This team won their division just two short years ago, but you would never be able to tell from the team that will be taking the field in 2011.

Carson Palmer "retired" after the Bengals failed to honor Palmer's request to trade him after he got sick of playing in Cincinnati, so they drafted rookie Andy Dalton to be their next quarterback.

Honestly, the Bengals should either trade Palmer or just release him. He doesn't want to be there, so why put up the fight?

They also traded one of their best and most outspoken players in Chad Ochocinco to the Patriots,so Dalton will have tons of fun trying to throw to people downfield, being he isn't being put on his back.

They also had Terrell Owens leave after just one quietly productive season, and he is recovering from offseason surgery.

Marvin Lewis has been the coach of this team since 2003 and has only gotten his team to the playoffs twice; granted, both times, they won the AFC North: once in 2005 and once in 2009.

He has seen a lot of his players do a lot of stupid things and end up getting arrested, like his current running back Cedric Benson.

Lewis could find himself on the hot seat and maybe out of a job if the Bengals don't produce results. But if I were Lewis, maybe it's the best thing to get out of there and start fresh.

2010 record: 4-12

2011 predicted finish: 3-13

AFC South: 1. Indianapolis Colts

Don't worry about the Colts. They will be just fine.

Whether Peyton Manning is ready to play for Week 1 against the Houston Texans or Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns, Peyton will find a way to get on the field.

He's been recovering from offseason neck surgery, and they signed the shortly-retired Kerry Collins as an insurance policy just in case Manning had any relapses with the recovery.

Manning makes this team work, and he makes the offense gel and click no matter who his wide receivers are.

He's got a great one with Reggie Wayne, along with a really great tight end in Dallas Clark.

Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie emerged onto the scene, mostly because they worked really hard to move up on the depth chart and developed into crucial receivers in Peyton's offense.

Many have always wondered if and when the Colts were going to fall.

Some thought after Tony Dungy left. That didn't happen.

Some felt 2010 was it. That didn't happen.

Don't expect it to happen in 2011, either.

2010 record: 10-6

2011 predicted finish: 11-5

2. Houston Texans

So, who had Steve Slaton as one of their fantasy running backs when the 2010 season started?

And how many of you dropped him once Arian Foster came onto the scene? Probably everyone.

Foster emerged as the premier back for Houston after he rushed for 1,616 yards and 16 touchdowns, and as long as he stays healthy, you can expect more from Foster.

Teams will surely be gearing up to try and stop Foster, but that's easier said than done.

Foster will also take the pressure off Matt Schaub, getting the ball to his favorite target and one of the best wide receivers in the NFL in Andre Johnson.

Johnson only continues to get better each season and is clearly in the top five for best wide-outs in the league.

On defense is where Houston has had their problems. They allowed 427 points last season, which is a big reason why they finished 6-10.

So they made a major change in bringing in former Cowboys coach Wade Phillips to be their defensive coordinator.

As a head coach, Phillips is not great. But as a defensive coordinator, Phillips is one of the best in the league.

With a defense that features Mario Williams, DeMarco Ryans and Brian Cushing, Phillips should get this turned around and maybe even Houston into the playoffs, finally.

2010 record: 6-10

2011 predicted finish: 10-6

3. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars think they finally found their franchise quarterback in this year's draft.

They took Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert with their first round pick in hopes of being their next big-star quarterback.

David Garrard seems like he's worn out his welcome in Jacksonville, so it's only a matter of time before it's Gabbert's show in Jacksonville.

Behind him he's got one of the league's best in Maurice Jones-Drew, who is a fantasy stud that can rush and receive for yards and touchdowns.

At times, he seems to be the entire offense.

During the offseason, MJD was criticized for calling Bears quarterback Jay Cutler a quitter, but many felt he had no room to talk when he didn't play in the final two games of the season for the Jaguars, who at the time were 8-6 and fighting the Colts for the AFC South division.

They ended up 8-8 on the season, which wasn't terrible.

But for Jack Del Rio, who has been around this team for quite some time, Jacksonville management may be running thin on patience for Del Rio.

Del Rio could be on the hot seat if the Jags don't produce a winning season in 2011.

2010 finish: 8-8

2011 predicted finish: 8-8

4. Tennessee Titans

So this is a major transition year for the Tennessee Titans.

This is the first season without Jeff Fisher as the head coach, who was relieved of duties after 16 years with the team.

He'll probably only be out of the league for just this season. I expect Fisher to be back somewhere as a head coach next year.

Taking Fisher's place is long-time coach and former player Mike Munchak.

Munchak was a former offensive lineman for the Houston Oilers, who then became an offensive line coach for the Oilers, then the Titans and held the position from 1996 until 2010.

Now, he gets to take over as the main guy in Tennessee, where he'll have his work cut out.

They released Vince Young, and Kerry Collins is now in Indianapolis.

They have Matt Hasselbeck for the short-term.

They drafted rookie Jake Locker out of Washington in the 2011 NFL Draft to be the long-term solution.

Hasselbeck will be the starter for now, but he's always been injury prone, so Locker could be forced into action quicker than expected.

The on-going issue since the lockout ended has been the holdout by running back Chris Johnson, which ended on Thursday when he signed a four-year extension for $53 million, $30 million of which is guaranteed.

Johnson rushed for 1,364 yards and 11 TD's last season and evolved into one of the best running backs in the league, so Tennessee had no choice but to pay him.

2010 record: 6-10

2011 predicted finish: 7-9

AFC West: 1. San Diego Chargers

Normally, the Chargers usually lock up the AFC West every season, but nobody expected the Chiefs to be as good as they were last season.

San Diego is always one of those teams with a ton of talent, but always under-performs, especially when it comes to the playoffs.

Since getting drafted and becoming a regular starter in the league, Philip Rivers is 55-25 for the Chargers, which has equaled a ton of division titles and playoff seasons.

But in the postseason, the closest Rivers has gotten to a championship was the 2007 AFC Championship Game, where they were defeated by the Patriots.

The same can be said about head coach Norv Turner and his playoff misfortunes.

As the head of San Diego, he's a career 64-41, but only 3-3 career in the postseason.

A lot of fans have wondered if Turner would get the axe if San Diego faltered or failed to make it. Some even thought after they didn't make the playoffs last year, Turner was almost sure to get canned, but he didn't.

The Chargers developed two new options out of the backfield in Ryan Matthews (678 yards, seven TD's) and Mike Tolbert (735 yards, 11 TD's) to go along with their deep threats of Vincent Jackson, Malcolm Floyd and Antonio Gates.

But as long as Rivers has his weapons on offense and they stay healthy, there's no reason why the Chargers shouldn't win the division and get back to January football.

2010 record: 9-7

2011 predicted finish: 10-6

2. Oakland Raiders

Look out, but the Raiders could be a team on the rise.

After being one of the worst teams in the league since they were embarrassed by the Buccaneers in the Super Bowl eight years ago, Oakland showed signs of life and hope.

Then, we all were remembered why Al Davis is crazy, because he fired the very popular and player-friendly head coach Tom Cable, who had no trouble catching on as an assistant coach with the Seahawks.

So in steps new head coach Hue Jackson, another first-timer this season.

Jackson was previously an offensive coordinator for the Redskins, Falcons and most recently, the Raiders last season, an offense that scored 410 points in 2010.

That was enough for Davis to actually fire another coach and give Jackson an opportunity.

Long gone is the era of JaMarcus Russell, and Oakland has some stability with Jason Campbell as their starter.

Oakland did draft Ohio State quarterback Terrell Pryor in the supplemental draft, but he will have to sit out the first five games of the regular season.

Who knows if Pryor will eventually get to take over the offense, or get worked in somehow, so expect Campbell to be the starter for now.

The Oakland running game was very successful with Darren McFadden (1,157, seven TD's) and Michael Bush (655 yards, eight TD's) and should continue to be the strength of the offense.

The passing game saw tight end Zach Miller leave for free agency, but they did acquire former Giants tight end Kevin Boss, who was their starter for three years.

I don't think Oakland will be a playoff team in 2011, but they are slowly taking steps to getting back to being one.

2010 record: 8-8

2011 predicted finish: 9-7

3. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs were one of the bigger surprises in 2010.

They finished 4-12 the season before, and head coach Todd Haley brought in a lot of help.

He brought in Charlie Weis to run the offense and Romeo Crennel to run the defense, which helped tremendously to their 10-6 and division winning season.

A lot of people credited Weis as a big reason why Matt Cassel had a Pro Bowl season, throwing 27 touchdown while only throwing seven interceptions.

Kansas City also had one of the better running attacks in the league with the emergence of Jamaal Charles (1,467 yards and five TD's) to go along with veteran Thomas Jones (896 yards, six TD's).

They added former Ravens running back Le'Ron McClain to the running game. McClain got phased out of the offense when Ray Rice took over the bulk of the carries.

In the postseason, Kansas City got embarrassed at home against the Ravens 30-7 and were bounced out in the first round.

Since then, Weis left to become the offensive coordinator of the Florida Gators, so you have to wonder how well Cassel will do without the guidance of Weis.

Haley was at one time an offensive coordinator when he was with the Arizona Cardinals, but he also had a Hall of Famer in Kurt Warner as his quarterback and Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin as his wide-outs.

I don't think the Chiefs are going to sneak up on people like they did in 2010, and they take a step back in 2011.

2010 record: 10-6

2011 predicted finish: 8-8

4. Denver Broncos

Well, the Josh McDaniels era in Denver didn't last very long now, did it?

McDaniels finished 8-8 in his first season, but then got to a 3-9 record in 2010 and was fired as Broncos head coach.

Denver also went through their own "spygate scandal" last season when a Broncos video director taped a San Francisco 49ers walk-through practice and attempted to give it to McDaniels. McDaniels claimed he never saw the tape, but the league fined him and the team $50,000 each.

A month later, McDaniels got canned, but got a job being the offensive coordinator for the Rams.

In comes John Fox to run the show, as he spent the last nine years running the Carolina Panthers and was one quarter away from having them win the Super Bowl against the Patriots seven years ago.

Fox saw that the Panthers were going in a totally new direction and withstood a 2-14 season before leaving to join Denver, where he will get the chance to try and clean up the mess McDaniels made in Denver.

For now, Kyle Orton is the starting quarterback, although if you asked some of the fans, they will still tell you they want Tim Tebow to be the starter, even though many people have said Tebow is not even close to being ready.

Even former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason went on record as to saying why Tebow is not an NFL material quarterback.

They added former Ravens running back Willis McGahee to compliment Knowshon Moreno, who only played in 13 games and rushed for 779 yards and five TD's.

Fox could be in for a long first year in Denver. It's still a work in progress.

2010 record: 4-12

2011 predicted finish: 5-11

NFC East: 1. Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles went on a little shopping spree once the lockout ended.

They locked up one of the best shutdown cornerbacks in the league with Nnamdi Asomugha, formerly of the Raiders.

They brought in Ronnie Brown from the Dolphins to compliment LeSean McCoy in the running game.

Also brought in was former Titans quarterback Vince Young to be the backup to Michael Vick, who recently got a six-year extension to finish his career in Philadelphia.

Cullen Jenkins (Packers), Jason Babin (Titans) and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Cardinals) were also brought in to revamp the Eagles defense.

But in one of their most surprising moves, they added Steve Smith from their rival New York Giants to go with their receiving corps of DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin.

Getting Smith to the Eagles was a cold, hard slap to the face to the Giants fans all over since he was one of their more reliable receivers. Smith is still recovering from micro-fracture surgery, so when he'll be able to play in 2011 is unknown.

The Eagles are loaded with talent this year. This may be Andy Reid's best chance of winning a Super Bowl since taking over as the head coach in 1999.

The key will still be the health of Vick, which is why Young was brought in. Kevin Kolb was traded to the Cardinals in the Rodgers-Cromartie deal, so if Vick gets hurt, the offense falls on Young.

But for now, it's still the Michael Vick show in the city of Brotherly Love.

2010 record: 10-6

2011 predicted finish: 12-4

2. Dallas Cowboys

OK, so Dallas finished 6-10 last season, but it was a tale of two Cowboys teams.

You had the 1-7 team, who played absolutely pathetic under Wade Phillips before he got fired.

That led to the long overdue hiring of offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, who finished the year at 5-3 and looked pretty good.

The players believe in Garrett. They know what he brings to the table. He was a long-time backup for the Cowboys, but many felt he was always destined to be a coach in the NFL, and now he has his chance.

One of the keys to the Cowboys having a chance in 2011 is the health of Tony Romo.

Romo got knocked out for the season during the Monday night game against the Giants, which lead to Jon Kitna being the starter, who went 4-5.

When focused on football, Romo has the ability to make plays by scrambling out of pressure, using his feet, seeing the field and getting the ball out of his hands.

Long-gone are both Marion Barber and Roy Williams; both ended up with the Chicago Bears.

So now, the running game will mainly fall on Felix Jones, who rushed for 800 yards and one TD in 2010. Tashard Choice will be his compliment, who had 243 yards and three TD's a year ago.

With Williams gone, it's mostly going to be Dez Bryant and Miles Austin as the go-to guys for Romo. We all saw Austin emerge as a star, and Bryant has the makings of being one too, pending he can keep his attitude in check.

On defense, Rob Ryan was brought in to add pressure schemes to a defense with one of the best pass rushers in the league in DeMarcus Ware.

With Ryan calling the plays on defense, Dallas could see their defense being better than it was a year ago. They gave up 436 points on defense in 2010, which was the second worst in the league.

Their key is not making stupid penalties, which has always been a recent Dallas down-fall. If they cut out penalties in crucial spots, it could end up leading to more wins.

2010 record: 6-10

2011 predicted finish: 10-6

3. New York Giants

We have now reached my favorite team. Now, I love my Giants, but I'm leaving my bias out of this.

Because oh my, what a mess the Giants have on their hands.

Since the lockout has ended, they have had one of the worst summers in team history.

Where to begin....Osi Umenyiora was holding out for either a trade or a new contract and was going to end the holdout, but then needed arthroscopic surgery on his knee and will be out at least a month.

In the second preseason game against the Bears, corner Terrell Thomas tore his ACL and will be out for the entire season.

In that same game, they also lost rookies Marvin Austin and Brian Witherspoon to season-ending injuries.

As if that doesn't help, Steve Smith bolted for the Eagles and Kevin Boss joined the Raiders, which leaves Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham as the only two main receivers left from last year.

Nicks did emerge as a potential breakout star with 1,052 yards and 11 TD's in 13 games, while Manningham showed he can be a deep threat with 944 yards and nine TD's.

Eli Manning will have his work cut out for him, hoping guys like Domenik Hixon, Victor Cruz, Devin Thomas and Michael Clayton can contribute in the passing game. He did throw 31 TD's, but also threw 25 picks, a number he needs to cut back on.

The strength of this team will be the running game with Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. But don't be surprised if Da'Rel Scott gets a few chances to show off his speed.

The other strength will be their defense and the pass rush with Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka and Jason Pierre-Paul, plus Umenyiora when he gets healthy. But their defensive backfield is very thin.

This is a make or break year for Tom Coughlin, who is 65-47 career with the Giants and is four years removed from winning Super Bowl 42 with this team.

The Giants have missed the playoffs two years in a row now, and with the pressure to win, and the potential that former Steelers coach Bill Cowher is waiting for the Giants job to open up, Coughlin, now 65, needs a playoff trip to save his job.

But with the way the season is shaping up, as much as I hate to say it, I think this is Coughlin's last year as coach.

2010 record: 10-6

2011 predicted finish: 8-8

4. Washington Redskins

The Redskins made two big changes to their roster when the lockout ended.

They traded quarterback Donovan McNabb to the Vikings, mostly because he and Mike Shanahan did not get along.

They also traded overpaid and extremely lazy defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth to the Patriots. Haynesworth didn't like how the defense was being run, and he and Shanahan also didn't get along either.

Now, they did bring in Barry Cofield from the Giants to replace Haynesworth, a pretty good move.

They're likely to replace McNabb with former backup quarterback Rex Grossman, who once took the Bears to the Super Bowl.

Grossman made one of the dumbest predictions in the offseason, saying the Redskins would win the NFC East in 2011.

I wonder how that's going to happen, Rex, considering you could be on the bench when the season really gets going and they put in John Beck.

Lets all remember Grossman when he was with the Bears and how they couldn't wait to boot him out of Chicago because of how horrible he played.

Beck's also been nothing more than a backup quarterback as well, starting out with the Dolphins in 2007 and that's really the last time he took NFL snaps.

I don't think neither Grossman nor Beck are the long-term solutions at quarterback for Washington, and I was surprised to see they didn't draft one.

Maybe they're hoping for Andrew Luck in 2012.

2010 record: 4-12

2011 predicted finish: 3-13

NFC North: Green Bay Packers

The home of the reigning and defending Super Bowl Champions.

First it was the Steelers in 2005, then the Giants in 2007 and then the Packers in 2010 played road warriors, ran the table and defeated the Steelers 31-25 to win Super Bowl 45.

Aaron Rodgers cemented himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the league by winning the Super Bowl MVP with his three touchdown performance.

With all the talk of the Eagles being the "Dream Team" of the NFC, this is actually the best team in the NFC right now with the most balanced lineup on both sides of the ball.

Their offense, which is lead by Rodgers, is flat out scary. Ryan Grant will return from a season-ending injury to give Green Bay another weapon to go along with Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson and Jermichael Finley.

Defense, led by Dom Capers, is one of the best in the league and allowed only 240 points in 2010, which was the second best in the NFL.

Clay Matthews has solidified himself as one of the league's best linebackers, recording 60 tackles and 13.5 sacks one year ago.

In the defensive backfield, Charles Woodson and Nick Collins are two of the best in the league; Collins had a huge interception of Ben Roethlisberger in the first quarter that went for a touchdown in Super Bowl 45.

Mike McCarthy has this team on the right path and set to be a winner for the next five years, pending any serious injuries. The Packers are the team to beat in the NFC.

2010 record: 10-6

2011 predicted finish: 14-2

2. Chicago Bears

Jay Cutler is the guy in Chicago. Their fate rests on his shoulders.

A year ago, Cutler threw for 3,274 yards and 23 touchdowns and got the Bears to the NFC Championship Game, but sat out the second half due to injury and Caleb Hanie tried his best to beat the Packers, which wasn't happening.

Now in 2011, he has Marion Barber and Roy Williams, both coming over from the Cowboys, added into the offense to help out.

Barber is a bruising running back who can wear down opponents in the fourth quarter. He'll also be a compliment to Matt Forte.

Williams, who never lived up to the hype in Detroit or Dallas joins a receiving core that includes Johnny Knox, Earl Bennett and Devin Hester; not exactly the greatest, but they can get it done.

On defense, Julius Peppers is in his second year with the team, but last year, he showed signs of slowing down with only eight sacks.

The Bears paid big money for Peppers to get double-digit sacks and wreck havoc against opposing offenses. 2011 will be the true telling is Peppers is slowing down, or he just had an off-year.

Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs are still two key linebackers for the Chicago defense. Urlacher is 33 now, but he still hasn't showed any signs of slowing down, as he made 125 tackles a year ago.

I think the Bears will be around the playoff chase all year long, but can they keep Cutler protected enough for him to stay on the field? He got sacked 52 times in 2010.

2010 record: 11-5

2011 predicted finish: 10-6

3. Minnesota Vikings

Finally. It looks like Brett Favre FINALLY retired. (Wait, let me check ESPN just in case he decided to come back again.....OK, no un-retirement, thank god.)

So now it looks like it's now Donovan McNabb's turn to run the offense for now, that is until rookie Christian Ponder is ready.

This will be McNabb's third team in a matter of three years, going from the Eagles to the Redskins and now the Vikings.

He's not the same player he once was, but he's still got enough experience and arm strength to get the job done.

Sidney Rice, the team's leading receiver, left for the Seahawks, which will make Percy Harvin the main target down field.

The team's strength will still be the running game behind Adrian Peterson, who ran for 1,298 yards and 12 touchdowns a year ago.

This will be Leslie Frazier's first full season as the head coach for the Vikings.

He took over the reigns after Brad Childress was fired at the 3-7 mark and finished 3-3.

He was the defensive coordinator for the team over the last four seasons and was always a candidate to get interviewed for head coaching jobs, but now has his own gig in Minnesota.

The team can move forward from the Favre era, but they're still in that transition era.

2010 record: 6-10

2011 predicted finish: 7-9

4. Detroit Lions

The Lions are not one of the worst teams anymore. Long gone are the days where Matt Millen was running the team right into the ground.

Head coach Jim Schwartz has done a very good job of attempting to turn around this team, and he's still got his work cut out for him.

Matthew Stafford was drafted to be the franchise quarterback, but he's had a lot of problems staying on the field by being healthy.

If he can stay healthy, the Lions stand a chance. If not, they don't stand a chance, because Shaun Hill or Drew Stanton are meant to be the starter.

Stafford has a playmaker in Calvin Johnson, who is one of the league's best when he's not being double and triple covered.

Stafford and the offense must use guys like Nate Burrelson, Brandon Pettigrew, Tony Scheffler and Jahvid Best to take some of the pressure off getting the ball to Johnson.

On defense, Ndamukong Suh had become one of the best defensive linemen in football, recording 10 sacks in his rookie year.

His strength and size can overpower most offensive lineman, which leads to Suh getting double teamed, but sometimes, that doesn't even stop him.

Some have referred to Suh as being a dirty player because he has slammed opposing quarterbacks to the ground, but that's Suh's style.

If you take away his aggressiveness, you might as well just put him on the bench.

The defense will be built for the future around Suh. Schwartz knows this.

2010 record: 6-10

2011 predicted finish: 6-10

NFC South: 1. Atlanta Falcons

In 2010, we saw the Falcons offense take off and explode beyond expectations.

Matt Ryan continues to get better, as he threw for 3,705 yards and 28 touchdowns and only nine interceptions.

He is 0-2 in the playoffs, but he's only been in the league for three years. The more playoff experience Ryan gets, the better off he'll be for Atlanta.

One of the big reasons why Ryan was so good in 2010 was Roddy White, who has developed into one of the better receivers and a must-have in fantasy leagues.

White caught 115 passes for 1,389 yards and 10 touchdowns and made the Pro Bowl.

Another Ryan-favorite is long-time veteran and tight end Tony Gonzalez, who caught 70 passes for 656 yards and six touchdowns. Gonzalez is 35 years old, but he's still one of the most reliable players on offense in the league.

Michael Turner ran for 1,371 yards and 12 touchdowns and is now the go-to back for this team now.

On defense, John Abraham is their best pass rusher with 13 sacks in 2010.

I wonder if the Jets regret letting Abraham go to Atlanta? Maybe.

Mike Smith has been very successful since taking over in 2008, and they should continue to see success in 2011.

2010 record: 13-3

2011 predicted finish: 12-4

2. New Orleans Saints

The Saints are two years removed from being the Super Bowl Champions in 2009.

But they're still set up for success as long as they have Drew Brees leading this team.

When the Saints won Super Bowl 44, it took Brees out of the very-good quarterback discussion and placed him in the elite quarterback league where Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are.

Brees threw for 4,620 yards and 33 touchdowns last season and is one of the league's most accurate passers.

Brees has a very good core of receivers, led by Marques Colston, who had over 1,000 yards in 2010. With Colston, Brees also has Lance Moore, Devrey Henderson and Robert Meachem to throw to, all of which are dependable targets.

Reggie Bush left for the Dolphins, but he was never the guy they expected at running back. Now taking the bulk of the carries will be Chris Ivory and Pierre Thomas.

The Saints also added former Bears center Olin Kruetz to the offensive lineman. Kruetz is as tough as they come and should help protect Brees in their passing attack offense.

Their defense has been turned around, a lot of which is due to coordinator Gregg Williams adding in blitzes and pressure packages, which has made them one of the better units in the league.

Sean Payton has done a great job since taking over New Orleans in 2006, which includes that Super Bowl championship in 2009.

He should have another shot at the playoffs again in 2011.

2010 record: 11-5

2011 predicted finish: 11-5

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Head coach Raheem Morris had a lot of pressure taking over for Jon Gruden in 2009.

They finished 3-13 and were miles away from looking like a team that could compete.

Then in 2010, the Buccaneers surprised the entire league by playing beyond expectations and went 10-6 and were in the thick of the NFC playoff chase.

The finally figured out that Josh Freeman is the long-term solution as their quarterback. Freeman threw for 3,451 yards and 25 TD's, while only allowing six interceptions.

LeGarrette Blount also became the featured back for the Buccaneers rushing for 1,006 yards and six touchdowns.

With Cadillac Williams now with the Rams, Blount is the only option now in Tampa.

Mike Williams also had a good rookie season for Tampa Bay, catching 65 passes for 964 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Kellen Winslow, Jr. showed everyone how reliable of a target he can be when he stays healthy, as he caught 66 passes for 730 yards and six touchdowns.

Can Tampa Bay repeat their success of 2010 and continue to overcome expectations?

It'll only get harder, and I think in the future, Tampa will be back to being a contender, but I think in 2011, they take a step back.

2010 record: 10-6

2011 predicted record: 9-7

4. Carolina Panthers

The Panthers were the worst team in the NFL last season, ending at 2-14.

They let John Fox go after nine years and brought in Ron Rivera to be the next head coach.

Rivera was a linebacker in his NFL career and won a Super Bowl with the Bears in 1985.

After retiring, he became a coach for the Bears and Eagles, then returned as the defensive coordinator for the Bears, then became the defensive coordinator for the Chargers.

Rivera now gets his opportunity to be a head coach in the NFL. But, he's got a mess to sort out in Carolina.

On offense, Carolina was one of the worst in the league, scoring only 196 points, which was dead last.

It was pretty clear Jimmy Claussen was not the answer at quarterback, which led to the Panthers taking Auburn quarterback Cam Newton with the first overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft back in April.

Some have wondered how Newton will adapt and play in the NFL, but only time will tell if Newton is for real or another first round quarterback bust.

DeAngelo Williams re-signed when the lockout ended, and him and Jonathan Stewart are still one of the best 1-2 punches on offense.

One of the problems last season was Williams not staying healthy, as he only played in six games.

Charles Johnson picked up the slack from losing Julius Peppers on the defensive line, as he got 11.5 sacks and a nice contract extension as his reward.

Even with Johnson, the Panthers still surrendered 408 points, which won't win any games in the NFL.

Rivera is in for a long first season. They still might be the worst team in the NFL in 2011.

2010 season: 2-14

2011 predicted finish: 1-15

NFC West: 1. Seattle Seahawks

Usually, a 7-9 season doesn't get you into the playoffs.

Nobody told that to the Seahawks last year, who beat the Rams in Week 17 to win the NFC West and got the fourth seed in the playoffs.

Nobody expected anything from Seattle against the Saints, but the Seahawks shocked the world when they knocked off the defending champions at Qwest Field 41-36.

But the Seahawks run in the playoffs was short-lived when the Bears knocked them out the following week.

Long-time quarterback Matt Hasselbeck signed with the Titans and they brought in Tarvaris Jackson from the Vikings.

Jackson only got one season to be the starter in Minnesota before they brought in Brett Favre and Jackson got bumped to the backup duties. He'll have his chance to start now in Seattle with Hasselbeck gone.

He'll have a familiar face with him in Sidney Rice, who also came over as a free agent from the Vikings. Rice was injured most of 2010, but back in 2009, Rice caught 1,312 yards and eight touchdowns.

Rice will join Mike Williams, who was a bust with the Lions, but caught on in Seattle and had 65 catches, 751 yards and two touchdowns in 2010.

This is Pete Carroll's second stint in the NFL after having huge success and winning national championships at USC.

In the NFC West, Carroll could stick around for a while in Seattle.

2010 record: 7-9

2011 predicted finish: 9-7

2. St. Louis Cardinals

It's officially Sam Bradford's team now in St. Louis.

Bradford was one game away from beating the Seahawks and winning the division all as a rookie.

During his rookie season, Bradford threw for 3,512 and 18 touchdowns for the Rams and can only improve.

Head coach Steve Spagnuolo brought in former Broncos coach Josh McDaniels to be their new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, so he'll have a lot to do with helping guide Bradford going forward.

Cadillac Williams will join Steven Jackson to make a decent 1-2 punch if Williams can hold up and be healthy.

Jackson ran for 1,241 yards and six touchdowns in 2010 and always carries the load for the Rams.

Bradford's best receiver, Donnie Avery, was out the entire season with a torn ACL, but is expected to be back and healthy for 2011.

Avery will join Brandon Gibson and Mike Sim-Walker, formerly of the Jaguars, as reliable targets for Bradford to go to down the field. Gibson lead the team in receiving in 2010 with 53 catches, 620 yards and two touchdowns.

On defense, Spagnuolo is still making this unit into a decent group, as they ranked 12th in the league in total points allowed with 328.

James Laurinaitis has established himself as a consistent linebacker since getting drafted out of Ohio State in 2009. The son of former WWE wrestler Animal, Laurinitis had 114 tackles and three sacks in 2010.

They can bring a decent pass rush at the ends, with James Hall getting 10.5 sacks and Chris Long, son of former Raiders Hall of Famer Howie Long, had 8.5 sacks.

St. Louis is still a team on the rise and they seem to believe in Spagnuolo.

2010 record: 7-9

2011 predicted record: 7-9

3. Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals went from being a Super Bowl contender and the division winners for two straight years to being in last place in 2010.

Derek Anderson definitely wasn't the answer at quarterback with a 2-7 record, so it forced the team to make a trade.

They traded away cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to the Eagles in exchange for quarterback Kevin Kolb.

Kolb was originally thought to be the heir to Donovan McNabb when he left Philadelphia, but Michael Vick had different plans, which allowed the Eagles to deal away Kolb.

We've only seen flashes of what Kolb can do, but we know he'll be Ken Whisenhunt's main guy now in the offense.

He will have a really nice target to throw to in Larry Fitzgerald, who just signed an eight-year, $120 million extension to stay with the Cardinals.

It was a smart move for Arizona, who just locked up one of the top receivers in the league. Steve Breaston left the Cardinals to sign with the Chiefs, so that leaves it up to Fitzgerald and Early Doucet as the main targets for Kolb.

On defense, the Cardinals used their first round pick to bring in Patrick Peterson, a cornerback from LSU. The Cardinals see Peterson as a potential star for their defense, and they got a good glimpse of that when he picked off Philip Rivers for a 34-yard touchdown in the third week of the preseason.

It might be a season or two before we see Arizona back in the thick of the NFC playoff race.

2010 record: 5-11

2011 predicted finish: 6-10

4. San Francisco 49ers

It didn't take long for the 49ers to get tired of Mike Singletary, as he got the axe after a disappointing 6-10 season in 2010.

They brought in another first-time head coach in Jim Harbaugh.

You all remember Harbaugh as the former quarterback from the Bears and the Colts, then turned head coach for Stanford, leading them to a 12-1 season and winning the Orange Bowl by beating Virginia Tech 40-12.

Four days after they won the bowl game, the 49ers gave Harbaugh a five-yeal deal to be their next head coach.

Harbaugh has a lot of work ahead of him.

He still has Alex Smith as his quarterback; why, I'm not sure. Maybe Harbaugh is hoping they get Andrew Luck in the draft in 2012.

Harbaugh knows Luck pretty well considering he was his coach at Stanford.

Smith still does have weapons to work with; he has Michael Crabtree and now Braylon Edwards, who came over from the Jets, to throw deep, and he has a very good tight end in Vernon Davis, who is getting a lot better.

Davis caught 56 passes for 914 yards and seven touchdowns in 2010.

The last time the 49ers were a playoff team was back in 2002, when Jeff Garcia was the quarterback, Terrell Owens was the top wide receiver and Steve Mariucci was the head coach.

Seems like a long time ago when this team used to be a staple in the playoffs. It could still be a while longer before San Francisco fans see the playoffs anytime soon.

2010 record: 6-10

2011 predicted finish: 4-12

Playoff Teams

In the AFC:

AFC East: New England Patriots

AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers

AFC South: Indianapolis Colts

AFC West: San Diego Chargers

Wild Card: New York Jets

Wild Card: Baltimore Ravens

In the NFC:

NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles

NFC North: Green Bay Packers

NFC South: Atlanta Falcons

NFC West: Seattle Seahawks

Wild Card: New Orleans Saints

Wild Card: Dallas Cowboys

Are you ready for some football? In a week, the 2011 season will finally take place, starting with the Packers-Saints on NBC. Sit back in your favorite chair, grab a beer, get your hat and jersey on and get geared for 17 weeks of some NFL football.