2014 NFC Preview

JULIAN PRITCHER AND MIKE TREVELISE
September 5th, 2014
The season is upon us!  Welcome back #PickSixNation for another exciting and accurate year.  The 'NFL Genius' Julian Pritcher is back to give you accurate pick after accurate pick after finishing the 2013 season with an astonishing 71% correct-pick rate in a league where toss-ups are expected.  At Pick Six Previews we don't just give you something to read so you can stay busy.  As a nationally-recognized college football preview website with more accurate picks than ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Lindy's, Athlon, Sporting News, Yahoo, etc., we guarantee quality and accuracy in everything we produce, especially NFL.  We added on another NFL expert this season as we revamped our total NFL coverage.  Mike Trevelise joins the fold to not only uphold the gold-standard we've set at Pick Six Previews when predicting games, but also to help you win your fantasy league.

Without further adieu, the National Football Conference:

NFC EAST

   1. Philadelphia Eagles

MIKE TREVELISE
NFL Staff Writer
The Eagles will be projected everywhere from non-playoff team to Super Bowl champion. The defining factor here will be on Nick Foles. Coming off a monster 2013 campaign, will his stats will almost certainly regress because you simply can’t get better than throwing 27 TDs and 2 INTs. With another year in Kelly’s system, I expect Foles will be trusted to make more decisions and take more risks, which will naturally lead to some regression. I believe Foles is a very legitimate quarterback though and last year was not simply an anomaly. With the additions of Darren Sproles and Jordan Matthews, the return of Jeremy Maclin, and the emergence of Zach Ertz, I think this offense will again be top three in the league. The departure of Desean Jackson is a tough blow, but the Eagles can rely on Ertz more this year who should be a huge red zone target for them.

Almost everyone has faith in the Chip Kelly and his offensive scheme being successful, the real question is whether the defense can take a step forward this year after a rocky 2013 campaign. Malcolm Jenkins was a quiet addition without the same buzz as Jairus Byrd or TJ Ward, but I think he will have a very positive influence on the defense. He does a lot of things well and brings a bit of swagger, which previously only seemed to come from Cary Williams. Brandon Boykin may be the best player on defense, his size will keep him as the nickel corner, but expect the Eagles to keep him on the field as much as possible. The secondary is primed for a step forward, but the pass rush still needs to improve. I think that the defense will be improved this year, and frankly it doesn’t need to be an elite unit because the offense will be putting up enough points to compensate. The defining factor will be if they can force turnovers like they did last year. It will be hard to replicate their stats from last year (3rd in turnover ratio), but the minor improvements elsewhere should compensate for that step backward.

NFC EAST 1st place (9-7)

   2. Washington Redskins

MIKE TREVELISE
NFL Staff Writer
After a very disappointing sophomore campaign for Robert Griffin, the Redskins are poised for a bit of a rebound this year. Much of their potential success rests on new head coach Jay Gruden and his ability to get along with and appease RG3. The weapons are certainly there on offense for the Redskins. RG3 has his new target in DeSean Jackson who will line up opposite side from a very talented Pierre Garcon. Jordan Reed is also an emerging target in the middle of the field. The Redskins also somewhat quietly have one of the deepest and most talented backfields in the league. The biggest question mark on this potentially explosive offense is the quarterback. Can Robert Griffin settle for throwing the ball away sometimes and sliding in rushing situations? He is still learning that every play cannot be a touchdown. He needs to avoid getting hit. This has the potential to make or break this offense. 

I’m skeptical about the Redskins defense. The addition of Jason Hatcher could be a smart one, but he might be a prime example of having name bigger than his talent. The pass rush, however, should benefit somewhat from his presence, but make no mistake Ryan Kerrigan and Brian Orakpo are the premiere pass rushers on the roster. The secondary is littered with unlikable players (DeAngelo Hall, Brandon Meriweather), but Ryan Clark should bring a good presence to the table and ultimately bolster a very spotty defense.

The Redskins will benefit greatly from a healthy and wiser RG3 this year. He needs to progress and take that next step as a pro. If he does that they will scare a lot of teams, but if not then it won’t matter how many weapons he has around him. They should have a strong bounce back campaign.

NFC EAST 2nd (8-8)

   3. New York Giants

MIKE TREVELISE
NFL Staff Writer
The Giants are a team like most of the NFC East that doesn’t really do anything great. They have a recent history of flopping one season only to do well (and occasionally win a Super Bowl) the next year. I don’t think that sort of rebound is in store for them this year.

New Offensive Coordinator Ben McAdoo brings with him some hope for a dismal offense. This hope is perhaps without reason, though. His new system, which hopes to see a 70% completion rate from Eli Manning, does not seem to fit the personnel very well. Their best receiver is Victor Cruz who thrives when he is able to take his slot routes deep down field won’t be afforded the same time to develop his routes in the new quick throw scheme. Losing Hakeem Nix, who was hardly ever healthy anyway, will hurt their already weak offensive attack. I expect them to be near the bottom of most offensive categories.

Their defense is nothing to write home about either. Odell Beckham Jr. will be an athletic freak on offense and special teams, but you have to wonder if the Giants should have taken Aaron Donald with the twelfth pick in the draft. Their defensive line is less formidable than we’re used to seeing from them. If Jon Beason can get/stay healthy than he should be able to anchor a decent line backing corps, but without him they will look pretty lost. The secondary is probably their strongest unit on the team and bringing in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie should help them a lot. Ultimately this team is just too mediocre to do anything special this year.

NFC EAST 3rd place (6-10)

   4. Dallas Cowboys

MIKE TREVELISE
NFL Staff Writer
It really feels like the same story every year with the Cowboys. Again last year, they were almost there, but in reality they were far from a playoff team. Playing in a very weak division last year really benefitted them. This year, I don’t see anything that makes me suspect it will be any different than other years in Dallas. 

The offense is not the problem in Dallas. Tony Romo is an underrated quarterback, there are few people in the history of the league with the same ability to move around the pocket and avoid sacks like Romo. Unfortunately, there are also few people with the same ability to throw picks late in games. This year will be a new challenge for Romo after his back surgery in the offseason. Luckily for him, he has one of the best offensive lines in the league. DeMarco Murray’s strong running game combined with Dez Bryant and Terrance Williams outside make for a pretty good offense. This team will score a lot of points, but they will never be able to secure leads in games.

This defense is terrible, and that is an understatement. The offense can score all the points that they want, but without a defense that can stop anybody they will keep forcing Tony Romo into late game throwing pressure situations, and we all know how that goes. The defense has a lot of new faces on the line with the departures of DeMarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher, and the injury to Sean Lee. Whether or not they can stay healthy hardly matters since there is little difference between most of their starters and their backups.

Expect a disappointing campaign from this team, Jason Garrett seems to be Jerry Jones’ man, but if they win less than six games this season it will be hard to justify keeping him in town.

NFC East 4th place (5-11)

NFC SOUTH

   1. New Orleans Saints

MIKE TREVELISE
NFL Staff Wrtier
The Saints are the class of the NFC South. They earned a wildcard berth last season thanks in large part to Rob Ryan’s revamped defense. The passing game was the main focus of the offense as would be expected, and that should continue as long Drew Brees is the quarterback.

Drew Brees leads a pass heavy offense that relies on Jimmy Graham’s incredible talent. They’ve lost Darren Sproles, a dynamic back that caught a lot of balls out of the backfield, but replaced him, sort of, with small quick receiver Brandin Cooks. The offensive line is good and should keep Brees healthy. Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram will see more action with the departure of Sproles. Expect more of the same from the Saints offense.

The defense had a complete turnaround from 2012 to 2013. Rob Ryan is one of the best defensive coordinators in the league. The addition of Jairus Byrd is a key one and puts the Saints in a great spot at safety. Kenny Vaccaro is an emerging star who will do great next to a pro-bowl talent like Byrd. Cameron Jordan and Junior Galette should continue their sacking ways and lead this defense to another successful season.

The Saints made the playoffs as a wild card team at 11-5 last year, and this year they will make the playoffs as the NFC South champions. Barring a Jimmy Graham or Drew Brees injury, this team will be a force.

1st NFC South (11-5)

   2. Atlanta Falcons

MIKE TREVELISE
NFL Staff Writer
The Falcons are coming off of an embarrassingly bad 2013 campaign. Their defense was atrocious and their offense was severely handicapped due to several injuries. Matt Ryan struggled to perform up to his what we’ve come to expect from him. This year they will surely rebound, the question is how much can they really improve, given that is largely the same roster as last year.

The offense will improve from last season. Julio Jones and Roddy White are both back and healthy. They will be hungry to show the NFL why they are considered among the best in NFL. Matt Ryan will be more motivated than he has been in previous seasons. The addition of Jake Matthews through the draft is a critical for the Falcons O-line and one that Matt Ryan surely is thankful for. The biggest question mark for the Falcons on the offensive side of the ball is going to be at running back. It is almost a given that Steven Jackson will not stay healthy. Jacquizz Rodgers and Devonta Freeman need to be good enough to shoulder that load, but realistically the running game is going to be subpar in Atlanta.

Defensively this team is not very good. They didn’t make any significant moves to improve either. The d-line might improve with the Tyson Jackson signing and the addition of Ra’shede Hageman through the draft. But most likely the d-line will remain about the same. There is no talent on their pass rush, and their secondary goes real south real fast after William Moore. The team struggled mightily to force turnovers last year, and with the loss of Asante Samuel, a turnover specialist, the defense doesn’t seem as though improvement in their cards.

The Falcons were terrible last year, and they will get better this year. It would almost be impossible not to. It’s fair to wonder about Mike Smith’s job security heading into this season, but as long as the Falcons make it .500, he should be fine.

2nd NFC South (8-8)

   3. Carolina Panthers

MIKE TREVELISE
NFL Staff Writer
The Panthers in the opposite situation from the Falcons, they are coming off by far their best season in recent years. They are prime for a big decline this year. Cam Newton played well last year and Luke Kuechly led a dominant defense. This year losses on both sides of the ball will make it difficult to compete at the same level.

Cam Newton is entering his fourth NFL season, he seemed to make real strides in terms of leadership, but he is entering his first season without Steve Smith. Steve Smith will leave a hole in the Panthers’ offense. Last year, Newton had limited offensive weapons, now without Smith, it’s downright dismal in Carolina. Jason Avant and Jerricho Cotchery hardly make up for Smith and LaFell. Greg Olsen should get a lot of looks from Newton as he is the only competent receiver returning to the Panthers. Kelvin Benjamin has the potential to be a difference maker, but he is still pretty raw. The run game has been a constant in Carolina for years now, Williams and Stewart bring consistency to the offense.

Defense was the identity of the Panthers last season, and it will have to be again this year. The run defense and pass rush should remain as good as last year. Greg Hardy and Luke Kuechly lead a dominant front seven. The loss of Mike Mitchell and Captain Munnerlyn in the secondary will be difficult, but the addition of Roman Harper will help, and the front seven should carry the defense again.

Expect the Panthers to regress this year, but don’t forget how talented this team was last year. The defense is still dominant, and Cam Newton is growing into a very good starting quarterback. Newton needs to avoid making the game too much about his own talents, even if the talent doesn’t extend much further than that. If he can maintain leadership and be productive throwing the ball with the help of Benjamin emerging as a legitimate NFL receiver than this team will be okay.

3rd NFC South (6-10)

   4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

MIKE TREVELISE
NFL Staff Writer
The Buccaneers are coming off a tough year, but dumping Greg Schiano was a very good move and replacing him with a tough defensive minded coach like Lovie Smith is an even better one. Josh Freeman and the MRSA situation served as distractions in Tampa last year, and with both no longer an issue, the Bucs should improve.

Josh McCown needs to play this entire season like he did in his stint as the Bears’ starter last season and not like the 35 year old journeyman that he is. He has two weapons, similar to Jeffrey and Marshall, in Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans. Evans projects to be a raw athletic freak, but if he can pick up the NFL game quickly, it will help McCown immensely. The return of Doug Martin will be a positive for the Bucs, and pairing him with a physical back like Bobby Rainey will lead to an effective ground game.

The defense in Tampa is improved and very strong along the line. Gerald McCoy and William Gholston lead the unit and should help elevate Michael Johnson’s game as a pass rusher. Expect the Buccaneers to produce more turnovers this year. Lovie Smith is known for his tough defenses and creating turnovers. The secondary in Tampa is very good with the addition of Alterraun Verner; he will work well with Johnthan Banks. The safeties could be improved but should be serviceable in the cover 2 scheme.

The Buccaneers are difficult team to call, there is a lot on paper to like about them, but that has been the case in years past and they have disappointed. This year most likely won’t be any different, but if Lovie Smith can establish his identity from day one and McCown can perform this team could surprise some people.

4th NFC South (6-10)

NFC North

   1. Green Bay Packers

JULIAN PRITCHER
NFL Genius
The Packers were hit hard with injuries last year and yet, they still found a way to make the playoffs. This was partly due to the collapse of the Lions and Bears. Green Bay did just enough and won exactly when they needed to in order to take another trip to the postseason. In what seems like a recurring theme, the season ended in disappointment by losing another home playoff game to the San Francisco.

I don’t think they’ll end up playing the 49ers again in the playoffs, but winning the division again if very likely for this team. If Aaron Rodgers stays healthy, there’s no reason to think this team can’t beat up on all the bad defenses in this division. Rodgers isn’t quite running the show any longer either. Eddie Lacy had a good year last year and looks ready for another season of punishing defenders with his body. He isn’t the fastest running back in the league, but he has the Marshawn Lynch style of running where he looks to hit you, not the other way around. Lacy should run through nickel defenses that look to stop Rodgers from airing it out.

Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb make up two of the more underrated receivers in the league. Cobb seemingly came out of nowhere two seasons ago and has become a burner in the slot. He is pretty good after the catch too and can make defenders miss in space. Jordy Nelson just catches everything that is thrown at him.

The Packers improved their pass rush with the addition of Julius Peppers. He should make Clay Matthews job a little easier on the other side. Their inside linebackers are a little more concerning with A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones as the probable starters. The pass rush should make up for some of the deficiencies in the secondary. Barring a ton of injuries like last year, Green Bay looks like the class of this division.

Record: 11 – 5 (1st in NFC North)

   2. Chicago Bears

JULIAN PRITCHER
NFL Genius
With all the talk about the Bears in the offseason, one would think that this team played better last year. They finished 8 – 8, and second in the division behind the Packers who didn’t have Aaron Rogers for most of the season. Their offense, which scored 28 points a game last year (2nd in the NFL), could not overcome their horrendous defense.

 A team historically known for being tough on the interior of the defensive line and at linebacker, ranked dead last in run defense. They were 30th in points allowed and 30th in total defense. They could only stop people if they caused turnovers. Chicago tried addressing the interior through the draft, picking two consecutive defensive tackles in the second and third round. I expect one of those guys, either Ego Ferguson or Will Sutton, to take over for Steven Paea at some point this year. Chicago is still trotting Shea McClellin out there at outside linebacker, which isn’t good. Jon Bostic will probably take over for D.J. Williams at middle linebacker this season as well.  Lamarr Houston and Jared Allen will provide an upgrade to their pass and rookie Kyle Fuller should give them some youth in the secondary.

An overhaul of that defense from last year was completely necessary, but to think all these guys will have an immediate impact isn’t very realistic. They should be better, but not significantly.

The offense will be fine. Everyone seems to like Marc Trestman’s system. Anybody that can motivate Jay Cutler to care about football is probably a damn good coach. It’s like Cutler needs to be super accurate with his passes either. Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and Martellus Bennett are all huge targets for Cutler to look for across the field and in the redzone. Matt Forte is an underrated pass catcher as well.

Their improvements on defense should help but I don’t see a drastic change to this team.

Record: 9 – 7 (2nd in NFC North)

   3. Detroit Lions

JULIAN PRITCHER
NFL Genius
This team was sitting at seven wins last season with only four games left. The Lions needed to win one of those games to make the playoffs and they lost all four. Ending the season with four losses is bad enough, but this team had the chance to make the postseason, and they couldn’t muster more than 13 points against the Vikings in the last game. This collapse led Detroit to switch Jims. They fired bad boy Jim Schwartz and hired his polar opposite, Jim Caldwell. The Lions hope that Caldwell can ramp up the discipline in place of Schwartz, who just didn’t seem to care whether his team committed 17 penalties in a game.

Caldwell can stop the penalties, but more importantly, can he get Matthew Stafford to play up to his potential. His arm is seemingly a Death Star weapon. He has no problem firing fast balls and fitting the ball in tight spaces for completions over the middle. Stafford can throw deep balls all day as well. In all the ways Calvin Johnson makes Stafford better because of his height and length, Stafford can actually hit him deep every time he barbeques another measly little cornerback. All the arm talent in the world can’t make up for having proper mechanics and Stafford seems still hasn’t figured that out. He throws balls into the ground constantly because his weird sidearm release and lack of consistent footwork.

This team has some of the better offensive talent in the NFL. Golden Tate and rookie Eric Ebron will have an immediate impact in what should be a potent passing attack. Joique Bell and Reggie Bush are a nice tandem in the backfield as well. A league average defense last year should improve this season, but only enough to give them one more win than last year.

Record: 8 – 8 (3rd in NFC North)

   4. Minnesota Vikings

JULIAN PRITCHER
NFL Genius
If the Packers are the class of this division, the Vikings look to occupy the bottom. By far the least-talented team in the NFC North, Minnesota needs to figure out there quarterback situation before they can expect to compete. Matt Cassel was just announced as the starter, eventually to be replaced by Teddy Bridgewater. Bridgewater should be the best quarterback out of this year’s draft class.

Fans will have to deal with Cassel, at least for the first part of the season. It’s a sad situation for the Vikings because they have some pretty good weapons for Bridgewater to use eventually. Greg Jennings was once a really good receiver before he left Aaron Rodgers for the quarterback carousel that is the Vikings. Cordarelle Patterson proved to be a really good draft pick for them last year. The rookie could seemingly score every time he was on the field. Patterson should improve as a route runner this year and turn into a more complete receiver. Patterson and Adrian Peterson could be the only productive offensive players for Minnesota this year. Those are pretty good options to have if your quarterback is incapable of throwing touchdowns. The Vikings have an underrated offensive line as well. Whenever Teddy Bridgewater eventually takes over, he’ll have a good chance to succeed.

This team is young on the defensive side of the ball.  Xavier Rhodes and Sharrif Floyd were the team's first-round picks last year and could make a major jump this year.  And Anthony Barr and Scott Crichton were early picks this year.  Crichton will be important as he figures to step in and replace Jared Allen, who has been the team's best player since arriving in 2008.

While I don't expect this team to compete this year, there is a new regime and a new hope with Mike Zimmer and Teddy Bridgewater.

Record: 5 – 11 (4th in NFC North)

NFC WEST

   1. San Francisco 49ers

JULIAN PRITCHER
NFL Genius
The 49ers have been a model of success, making the NFC Championship the last three seasons under Jim Harbaugh. There’s no reason to think that they can’t get back to that level again this season.

All San Francisco has done is bring a few free agents to bolster their already deep roster. Stevie Johnson makes for a pretty good third receiving option after Michael Crabtree and Anquan Boldin. He could emerge into their first receiving option especially with Boldin getting a bit long in the tooth and Crabtree constantly being injured. We don’t really know how good Johnson is since he’s been stuck in Buffalo his whole career until now. Vernon Davis still on the roster and a second season for Vance McDonald gives San Francisco good depth at tight end as well.

They are going to need as many weapons in the passing game as they can get with an aging Frank Gore in the backfield and a lot of inexperience behind him. Second round pick Carlos Hyde should move into a starting role towards the end of the season. Gore’s physical style of running will finally catch up to him after 9 years of shedding tacklers and running through people. Hyde was considered the best back in the draft and seems to have the same physical edge that Gore ran with. He’ll benefit from Joe Staley and Mike Iupati, San Francsico’s maulers on the left side of their offensive line.

The defense will miss Navorro Bowman for a majority of the season because of a severe knee injury and Aldon Smith awaits his suspension from the league. Even without Smith, Ahmad Brooks and Dan Skuta provide solid pass rush depth. Chris Borland will most likely start for Bowman until he returns. An undersized rookie, San Francisco has enough talent to make up for his lack of experience.

While the 49ers defense might be a little worse because of injuries, expect their offense, with younger playmakers and an improving Colin Kaepernick, to be better than last year.

Record: 11 – 5 (1st in NFC West)

   2. Seattle Seahawks

JULIAN PRITCHER
NFL Genius
Last year’s Super Bowl winners look to repeat their success without a few key contributors. Former Seattle defensive coordinator, now Jaguars head coach, Gus Bradley took defensive ends Red Bryant and Chris Clemons to improve his own defense down in Jacksonville. Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond are gone as well. Michael Bennett and long-sleeved Byron Maxwell are expected to fill in for these absent players.

The defense should be fine, even with all the departures. Seattle still has the biggest home field advantage in football, as well as Earl Thomas and some guy named Richard Sherman to shut down an opponent’s passing game. Young linebackers Bruce Irvin, KJ Wright and Bobby Wagner will continue to solidify that run defense as well.

The Seahawks should be more concerned with their offense. Yes, they have everyone’s favorite nice guy Russell Wilson, but he lost two pretty good receivers in Golden Tate and Sidney Rice. Tate left for Detroit to make their passing game even scarier and Rice retired. They drafted Paul Richardson in the second round, but relying on a rookie receiver isn’t wise. Doug Baldwin will quietly get the job done through and Jermaine Kearse will show his face every once in a while.

Then there is Percy Harvin. One of the most talented and athletic offensive players in the NFL, Harvin can seemingly do anything. Adrian Peterson wasn’t even the best player on his own team the year he won MVP because of how good Harvin was at the beginning of the season. Since he arrived in the league, he has had injury issues. He only played in four games last year, and still managed to put together a highlight reel, including that kickoff return for a touchdown in the Super Bowl.

If Harvin can stay healthy (a phrase that was been written/said his whole career) Seattle’s depth issues on offense are all but solved. The run game won’t be as good with a shaky offensive line, but the Seahawks still have the talent to make another deep playoff run.

Record: 10-6 (2nd in NFC West) 

   3. Arizona Cardinals

JULIAN PRITCHER
NFL Genius
Arizona was pretty good last season. They finished 6th in total defense and their rush defense was the best in the NFL. Carson Palmer was good enough to get them to ten wins which was the dream scenario at the beginning of last season. Unfortunately, the Cardinals played in best division in football last year and those wins weren’t enough. The NFC West is still the best division and the Cardinals didn’t do much to improve.

Arizona’s offensive line is still a big weakness. There is hope for the left side however, with free agent from Jared Veldheer coming in from Oakland to play left tackle and left guard Jonathan Cooper recovering from his leg injury last year. Even if the offensive line is average with those additions, Carson Palmer is still a statue in the pocket. His lack of mobility is what guys like Aldon Smith and Robert Quinn like to exploit as they tear around the edge. Arizona doesn’t seem to know who their starting running back is either. Rashard Mendenhall retired after last season so that leaves Andre Ellington and Jonathan Dwyer as their best options. Ellington showed a good burst last year and has good hands. His size keeps him from becoming a 20 carry a game type of guy. Dwyer is bigger but slower, essentially the opposite. Neither are reliable starters, especially behind that shaky offensive line.

The Cardinals will have to rely on their defense again. Losing Karlos Dansby to the Browns will hurt their run defense, forcing them to rely on second year pro Kevin Minter. Rookie Deone Bucannon is another young player forced to start because of a lack of depth. Luckily for the young safety, he gets to play alongside Patrick Peterson and Antonio Cromartie, possibly the best cornerback duo in the league.

Arizona should have a good pass defense and pass rush with an underrated Calais Campbell coming back, but the Cardinals are very uninteresting on offense and will struggle to score, especially within the division.

Record: 8 – 8 (3rd in NFC West)

4. St. Louis Rams

JULIAN PRITCHER
NFL Genius
One of the more interesting teams in the NFL seems to have improved through the draft this year. The RGIII trade just keeps on giving. The first round pick Washington gave the Rams turned into the second overall pick in the draft. The Rams used it to draft a great tackle prospect in Greg Robinson. They also drafted Aaron Donald with their other first round pick. While he didn’t have the size that scouts wanted, some considered him the best interior lineman in the draft. If he plays up to expectations, and if Robert Quinn is even half the player he was last year, St. Louis could have the scariest defensive line in the league.

Their projected starters become a lot less exciting as we move back into the linebackers and secondary. James Laurinaitis is a decent starter at middle linebacker. Alec Ogletree should play a bigger role this year at outside linebacker. The secondary is where they are the most inexperienced. They will be relying on rookie LaMarcus Joyner to play in their nickel corner spot, but the pass rush should cover up their issues on the back end.

Even with lots of young talent, the Rams biggest issue is still their offense. Sam Bradford is the king of the check down. He rarely completes throws more than 20 yards down the field. It doesn’t help that the Rams have drafted so many busts at wide receiver the past few seasons. Chris Givens, Brian Quick, and Austin Pettis have all failed to become decent contributors in the passing game. Their latest “weapon” Tavon Austin showed very little playmaking ability last season. He has world class speed, but he has trouble getting off a jam at the line of scrimmage because of his size. Now, there are plenty of smaller receivers in the NFL that are successful, but offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer refuses to draw up creative ways to get him the ball.

Schottenheimer’s bland offensive approach and Bradford’s lack of a deep ball will doom this offense to be painfully average. In a division where defenses rule, the Rams won’t score enough points to be successful.

Record: 5 – 11 (4th in NFC West)
 

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