St. Louis Rams
Key Additions: QB Sam Bradford, DT Fred Robbins, LB Na'il Diggs, WR Mardy Gillyard
Key Subtractions: QB Marc Bulger
The Rams are coming off a dismal one win 2009 season under first year coach Steve Spagnuolo. He inherited a team that was dreadful on defense and is still looking for the right pieces to get the Rams back on track. The Rams last year under Spagnuolo, known for the aggressive style he initiated on the Giants defense when he was there, were near the bottom of the league in sacks, interceptions, points allowed per game, and yards allowed per game. The Rams are young on defense, especially at linebacker. It is going to take probably another year or two for the Rams to get all the personnel on defense for them to be consistent. Fred Robbins has come over from the Giants and knows Spagnuolo's system, but he is on the back end of his career.
On offense, they are hoping that Sam Bradford can become what everyone in St. Louis hopes will be a quarterback as good as Kurt Warner once was. Bradford is going to get paid a lot of money for a rookie who wont even have taken the field before he sees millions. He has to convince the other 10 guys in the huddle that he is a leader. But the other 10 guys around him certainly lack the talent necessary to win. Steven Jackson, the running back, led the team in receptions last season. Anytime a RB leads a team in receptions, you know you are lacking at the wide receiver and tight end position. Donnie Avery is the only receiver remotely close to league averages among wide receivers. They are hoping 4th round pick Mardy Gilyard steps in and plays a big role in the offense. But the Rams just simply lack the personnel on the field in order to be successful. Steven Jackson was the only bright spot of the Rams offense totaling 1,416 yards rushing, but only 4 TD's. With the addition of Bradford, look for the Rams to become a little more balanced on offense if he can stay upright and avoid sacks.
Schedule:
1 Sunday, September 12 Arizona
2 Sunday, September 19 at Oakland
3 Sunday, September 26 Washington
4 Sunday, October 3 Seattle
5 Sunday, October 10 at Detroit
6 Sunday, October 17 San Diego
7 Sunday, October 24 at Tampa Bay
8 Sunday, October 31 Carolina
9 Sunday, November 7 BYE
10 Sunday, November 14 at San Francisco
11 Sunday, November 21 Atlanta
12 Sunday, November 28 at Denver
13 Sunday, December 5 at Arizona
14 Sunday, December 12 at New Orleans
15 Sunday, December 19 Kansas City
16 Sunday, December 26 San Francisco
17 Sunday, January 2 at Seattle
Not exactly a tough schedule, in fact they have the 31st hardest schedule in the NFL. Opposing teams were 115-141 last season. Winnable games before the Bye include the Raiders, Lions, and Bucs. After the Bye, the schedule gets difficult as the go to New Orleans and Denver and catch Atlanta at home. Look for the Rams to maybe peel off an unexpected home win or two, but I see them wining no more than 5 games this year.
Detroit Lions
Key Additions: WR Nate Burlesson, TE Tony Scheffler, DT Ndamukong Suh, RB Jahvid Best, DE Kyle Vanden Bosh, CB Dre Bly, DT
Key Subtractions: LB Larry Foote, LB Ernie Sims,
The Lions improved last season after the miserable 0-16 2008 season. O.K. then won two games, still an improvement none the less as they are still trying to pick up the pieces that former GM Matt Millen left. Mathew Stafford played unbelievably in his rookie year and they are looking to continue to build the team around him. They added WR Nate Burlesson to compliment Calvin Johnson and also a great TE in Tony Scheffler which gives the Lions options in the red zone. The Lions had only 16 TD's through the air last season. The Lions drafted RB Jahvid Best from California to add to a backfield that already has Kevin Smith, however he only averaged 3.4 yards per carry last season. The Lions offense must execute better and protect Mathew Stafford a lot better than they did last season.
The Lions have a void on defense with the departure of Larry Foote. Foote led the team in tackles and was a veteran presence on a young Lions defense that was last in the league last season. They were the only team in the NFL to average over 30 points allowed per game. The Lions were especially vulnerable through the air as opposing quarterbacks threw for over 4,200 yards and had a 68.1 completion percentage. They allowed 35 passing TD's to only 9 interceptions. Rookie Ndamukong Suh is going to have to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks and get in their face in order to improve the Lions passing defense. Suh, Corey Williams, and Kyle Vanden Bosh will be giving opposing offensive lines headaches next season. The Lions basically are a mess in the secondary and did not make the necessary additions in the offseason to improve. CC Brown and Dre Bly are not the answer the Lions are looking for. But putting pressure on the quarterback will hide that a little bit. The Lions offense is much farther along than the defense is right now, and for them to be any better than they were last year, the offense will have to carry the team.
Schedule:
1 Sunday September 12 at Bears
2 Sunday September 19 Eagles
3 Sunday September 26 at Vikings
4 Sunday October 03 at Packers
5 Sunday October 10 Rams
6 Sunday October 17 at Giants
7 BYE
8 Sunday October 31 Redskins
9 Sunday November 07 Jets
10 Sunday November 14 at Bills
11 Sunday November 21 at Cowboys
12 Thursday November 25 Patriots
13 Sunday December 05 Bears
14 Sunday December 12 Packers
15 Sunday December 19 at Buccaneers
16 Sunday December 26 at Dolphins
17 Sunday January 02 Vikings
The schedule does not look favorable as the Lions catch the AFC and NFC east, two of the toughest divisions in the NFL. The Lions have the 13th toughest schedule and opponents last year were 130-126. The Bills, Lions, Rams, and Bucs are the only games I see the Lions potentially winning. Given injuries and upsets they could possibly take one or two more, but 6 wins is looking like what the number would be for the Lions this season.
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