American National Football League - 2008/2009

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27th August 2008, by

Who'll be the Giants of the NFL this Season?

HISTORY

After half a year of retirements, trades, drafts, training camps, unretirements and preseason games, the 2008 National Football League season is set to get underway.

Last year saw a dark horse outsider rise swiftly through the ranks to beat the leviathan that was New England. However, the reigning Super Bowl champs - the New York Giants - have fallen again, pushed to seventh spot by Centrebet's odd-setters. This is not surprising considering all the offseason moves around the league.

Here's a look at Centrebet's top ten rated teams, and my predictions for the 2008 season.

1) New England Patriots ($4.50) - The Pats have had a quiet postseason after their shock loss in Super Bowl XLII. Instead of trying to build on their 18-1 team in 2007, they used the loss as motivation to refocus themselves for this year. Most pundits believe the 2008 team will not be able to go 16-0 through the regular season again, and they're probably right. Everyone saw how the Giants rattled the Pats QB Tom Brady with a superior pass rush. He can expect to get chased a lot this season, as rivals built their D-Lines in preparation.

My guess: The Pats go 13-3 but fall in the second week of the playoffs.

2) San Diego Chargers ($8.00) - The Bolts, as the Chargers are known, may experience a huge loss before the season even begins. Pro Bowler and Defensive leader Shawn 'Lights Out' Merriman may miss half the season, if not the entire season, to repair ligament damage to his knee. This would leave a huge hole in the once vaulted defensive machine that already seemed aging last season. And we haven't even looked at the other side of the ball where QB Phillip Rivers and 2006 NFL MVP LaDanian Tomlinson try to return from postseason surgery. In a very competitive Conference, can the Chargers keep their edge over the pack?

My guess: The Bolts will struggle early, but end up 12-4 and roll into the AFC Championship game.

3) Indianapolis Colts ($9.00) - After watching the Giants take over their mantle, the 2006 Title Holders would have been filthy. Sure, Indy QB Peyton Manning would have enjoyed seeing his brother Eli beat his old rival, New England. Yet the rest of the Colts would have been thinking a few 'What ifs'. What if Dwight Freeney and Anthony McFarland had been healthy all year round? Would they have allowed the Chargers to put up 28 points in the Division Finals? Well, they'll have this season to find out. With all the men healthy to run, the Colts will look to regain the Vince Lombardi trophy.

My guess: With a fired up Peyton Manning, the Colts go 14-2 and win the AFC Championship.

4) Dallas Cowboys ($11.00) - Before Brady was running away from the Giants D-Line, the Cowboys QB Tony Romo got to meet them firsthand. In the Divisional Final only 4 points separated the 'Boys and the eventual Super Bowl winners. In the postseason the Cowboys went out and restocked, bring in NFL Bad Boy Adam 'Pacman' Jones and a variety of rookie talent. Most pundits believe they're bound for the Super Bowl, as their path leads through the much easier NFC. Yet will Romo be able to win when it counts most: the Playoffs?

My guess: In spite of some great competition, the Cowboys are looking good enough to win it in 2008.

5) Jacksonville Jaguars ($15.00) - Last year QB David Garrard was a complete unknown. After serving as a back-up the previous season, he was suddenly given the reins over a Jags team with great young talent. People laughed. This was bound for failure. People were wrong. Garrard led his side to an impressive 11-5 records and right through the Steelers in the Wildcard round. This offseason they've retooled their defence, looking to bring in a pass rush to counter their AFC rivals. Unfortunately, though, they no longer have the element of surprise. Can they handle being in the 'favourites' seat?

My guess: Behind a strong running game the Jags get nine wins, but falter in the Wildcard round.

6) New Orleans Saints ($17.00) - Last year this time they were deemed the top team in the NFC. Then they lost their first four games of the season. Suddenly they were nothing, pundits claiming their success was behind them. Then they won four games in a row. And so their season went until they narrowly missed the playoffs. Yet they didn't waste the offseason brooding. Instead they brought in playmakers to help boost a lacklustre defence. Then they brokered they deal to rob the Giants of TE Jeremy Shockey. And so they head into 2008 looking like the goods once again. Can they back it up this time?

My guess: Putting last year behind them, the Saints go 10-6 but fail to run the gamut of the playoffs.

7) New York Giants ($17.00) - When they finished celebrating their Super Bowl victory journalists were still calling them the team of the future. And yet now they're forgotten in all the talk for this year's big game. The offseason began with the retirement of defensive legend DE Michael Strahan. Then Shockey headed to the Deep South. Finally, only one week ago, Pro Bowl DE Osi Umenyiora went down with a season-ending knee injury. Are the Giants headed for the on-and-done run of most Super Bowl teams? Or can they surprise again to claim the Lombardi trophy?

My guess: With a target on their backs the Giants go 9-7, scrape into the playoffs, but lose in the Wildcard round.

8) Philadelphia Eagles ($21.00) - The Eagles were big players this offseason, starting out the free agent period by signing CB Asante Samuel. After last season's disappointment, the Eagles wanted to make sure they were ready for 2008. Yet they still have some lingering questions. Can former Pro Bowler QB Donovan McNabb lead this team through the tough NFC East? Will the uninspiring Wide Receiver corps add depth to this offence? Can the Defence placate CB Lito Sheppard enough to play opposite Samuels?

My guess: The Eagles don't improve over their 2007 form, finishing 8-8 and missing the playoff cut.

9) Pittsburgh Steelers ($26.00) - For a few weeks at the beginning of 2007, the Steelers seemed to be setting the standard in the NFL. They could throw long; they could run all day; they could stop anyone. Then it all went pear-shaped. First RB Willie Parker broke his leg. Then Head Coach Mike Tomlin let his starters rest for the playoffs. And when they finally got to play against the upstart Jags, nothing seemed to go right. In the offseason they took a huge hit when they lost mainstay, RG Alan Faneca. Now QB Ben Roethlisberger is carrying a few niggly injuries into the season. Can the Steelers find the form that led them to the 2005 NFL Title?

My guess: Tomlin will correct rookie mistakes to get this team firing, but they won't make it out of Division Finals.

10)Seattle Seahawks ($26.00) - Rebuilding by numbers has been the aim of this offseason. With the run attack letting down a balanced team in 2007, the Seahawks let go the 2005 NFL MVP Shaun Alexander, who's best running days were clearly behind him. They also went out and picked up free agent RB Julius Jones. Yet many wonder if he'll be the answer to their problems. His productivity was so low in Dallas that they had no interest in bringing him back. Can he carry Head Coach Mike Holmgren's hopes of going out on top?

My guess: Thanks to an easy schedule, the Seahawks manage 10 wins, but stumble one game before the NFC Championships.

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last update : 27th November 2008 23:50