[G-men]

NFL Top 5: Biggest questions heading into the season
By JOSH NAGEL


With the NFL season just a few days from kicking off, several teams head to the playing field shrouded by question marks that might define their seasons.

Sports bettors and oddsmakers alike are just as curious as the clubs to find out the answers.

Although the pre-season provided no shortage of story lines, the regular season is where the final chapters will be written.

Here is a rundown of the Top 5 biggest questions to be answered in the upcoming NFL season:

Will Tom Brady return to his pre-injury form?

Brady’s health and effectiveness is going to be the biggest factor in determining the fate of the New England Patriots, the balance of power in the AFC and the result for future bettors who are backing the chalk (+400 at most sports books) to win the Super Bowl.

At 32, Brady is nearing the twilight of his physical prime. Although he hasn’t taken the beating that many quarterbacks endure over their careers, the severe knee injury he suffered in Week1 last year (a torn anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament) has spelled the beginning of the end for many NFL players.

Carson Palmer of the Cincinnati Bengals hasn’t been the same since suffering a similar injury. Although Brady never has been known for his mobility, he always has been just agile enough to stay out of harm’s way. If he can no longer do so, his career and the Patriots are in trouble.

Will Brett Favre be the difference-maker for the Minnesota Vikings?

There’s little doubt that Favre is the best option at quarterback on the Vikings’ roster. Whether his on-field play can offset the damage done during the process to sign him remains to be seen. Several Vikings players reportedly were turned off by Favre’s infamous waffling regarding his return, and they resented his absence during training camp.

Coach Brad Childress seems to have lost credibility by misleading his team regarding the franchise’s pursuit of Favre. If the coach and quarterback fail to receive the full support of the locker room, the Vikings could take a step backward.

Several oddsmakers have told Covers.com that Favre is worth a half-point to one point at most for the Vikings on the point spread. One oddsmaker who is a successful former handicapper said he believes Favre doesn’t help them at all.

Will the Michael Vick experiment work for the Philadelphia Eagles?

The Philadelphia Eagles appear to be an odd match for the return of the troubled quarterback. While the veteran coaching staff seems to be a good fit and the city seems to just judge Vick based primarily on his performance, you still have to wonder whether the signing is a good long-term fit.

In other words, the last time we checked, Philadelphia already had a mobile, athletic signal-caller behind center.

Controversy-magnet Donovan McNabb seems to have attracted another headline. Although many sources reported that McNabb endorsed the move, you have to wonder why he’d give himself another reason to look over his shoulder.

Will the Detroit Lions win a football game?

If you are a Lions fan, may Jim Schwartz with be with you. This moribund franchise, which collapsed at the feet of former general manager Matt Millen, can’t possibly do worse than last year’s historic 0-16 mark. The new regime is counting on its new coach, Schwartz, and an overhauled roster to change the team’s fortunes.

The season win total for the Lions is 4.5 at most sports books. The over seems a lofty goal at this point. No. 1 draft pick Matthew Stafford appears too inexperienced and erratic to be tossed into the starting lineup. The alternative is injury-prone journeyman Daunte Culpepper, who appears to have his best years behind him. If the Lions grab the money for over bettors, Schwartz deserves an extension.

Will Raiders coach Tom Cable have a job by the end of October?

If you were setting odds for the first NFL coach to earn a pink slip this season, Cable would have to be the odds-on favorite. This might be the only bet you’ll find this year in which the Raiders are a prohibitive chalk.

Forget for a moment that Cable allegedly clocked an assistant coach and might be facing legal charges as a result. If nothing else, the incident might have earned him a little more street cred with owner Al Davis.

The Swiss-cheese defense and lopsided losses will cost Cable his job. The Raiders defense has done its best to impersonate an 11-man crew of friendly ghosts disguised in silver and black and third-year quarterback JaMarcus Russell has failed to emerge as the franchise player the club coveted when they drafted him No. 1 overall.

Davis was hesitant to give Cable the permanent coaching job – it’s unlikely he’ll have any such apprehensions about taking it away.

[G-men]

NFC West Preview
By Kevin Rogers



Two of the last four NFC representatives in the Super Bowl have amazingly come from the NFC West, with Seattle playing for the championship in 2005, and Arizona last season. The Cardinals finished the regular season at 9-7, but came within two minutes of upsetting the Steelers, only to lose, 27-23.

Arizona made great strides last season, behind Kurt Warner's resurgence at quarterback, and Larry Fitzgerald's leap into the NFL's elite receivers. However, digging deeper into the Cardinals' improbable run, Ken Whisenhunt's club swept each of their division opponents, accounting for six of nine victories. The other three wins came against Miami in Week 2, Buffalo in Week 5, and Dallas in Week 6. The defense yielded at least 47 points in three separate contests against the Jets (56), Eagles (48), and Patriots (47).

The Seahawks took a step back in 2008, finishing 4-12 in Mike Holmgren's final season. It didn't help that quarterback Matt Hasselbeck missed nine games with a lingering back injury. Seattle's passing game is set to improve not only with Hasselbeck healthy again, but also the acquisition of ex-Bengal wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who caught 92 passes last season.

The 49ers started slow under Mike Nolan, but played well towards the end of last season with the installment of Mike Singletary as head coach. San Francisco won five of its final seven games to finish 7-9, while covering four of its last five games as an underdog.

The Rams hit a new low in 2008, claiming only two victories, as Scott Linehan is out as head coach and Steve Spagnuolo is in. The former Giants defensive coordinator comes into a dire situation in St. Louis, as the Rams are slowly starting over after the releases of wide receiver Torry Holt and offensive tackle Orlando Pace.

Here are the season win totals for the NFC West, according to Sportsbook.com.

Arizona Over 8.5 (-115) Under 8.5 (-115)
Seattle Over 8 (-160) Under 8 (+130)
San Francisco Over 7 (-145) Under 7 (+115)
St. Louis Over 5.5 (-160) Under 5.5 (+130)

The panel at VI had differing opinions on the top two teams in the division, on whether Arizona will come back down to Earth, and if Seattle bounces back this season.

Chris David, Brian Edwards, and I are all in agreement on the Seahawks rebounding in 2009, and becoming a playoff team once again. David says, "On paper, the Seahawks catch a real easy home schedule and could put up a 7-1 spot if it plays to its level. The road was trouble last year and will be tough again, however, new head coach Jim Mora Jr. has had success keeping a team focused, evidenced by his efforts in Atlanta."

Edwards says that Qwest Field will once again become the 12th man for the Seahawks, "Let's not forget that this team enjoys one of the premier home-field advantages in the league, thanks to the weather and travel for opponents."

Judd Hall disagrees with the panel on Seattle's chances for an 'over' this season. Hall believes the addition of rookie linebacker Aaron Curry from Wake Forest will help, but Hasselbeck's health is still a concern. Hall says, "Reports say that Hasselbeck is at full strength, but how long will that last with an offensive line that appears to be without Walter Jones. I don't see this club winning more than six games this season."

The chances of the Cardinals repeating their miracle run of '08 are likely, according to Hall. "It's an easy choice for people to fade the Cardinals here after falling in the Super Bowl. But they still have Warner, Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. I like Tim Hightower in the backfield with Chris "Beanie" Wells as a change of pace," Hall notes. "The schedule does have a couple lousy road trips in there (at Seattle, then at New York, at San Francisco, then at Detroit), but this team should have no problem making it back to the playoffs with 10 wins," Hall concludes.

David doesn't see the Cardinals duplicating last season's success. "A lot went right for Arizona in 2008 and playing as a favorite rather than an underdog is a much different role. The SB loser theory is another great fade tool and it applies to the Cards. In the last 10 seasons, the Super Bowl loser has failed to make the playoffs eight times, including the Patriots last year. Of those 10, five had nine or more wins but more importantly, only one team improved their win total. With that being said, an 8-8 record in the desert looks solid," David claims.

Edwards and I are in agreement on the Rams having plenty of issues this season. Mark Bulger's health is still in question this season, while the schedule does St. Louis no favors, with three of its first four games on the road. Steven Jackson is coming off a subpar season, and despite his immense talent, the running back still signed a mega-contract prior to last season, so his motivation is still in question.