NFL '05 – Is this The Year?

Arizona Cardinals
New head coach Dennis Green was brought in for his winning ways with the Vikings despite his all-controlling desires. The Cardinals, desperate for signs of life, any signs of life, were willing to give him that. The drafting of Larry Fitzgerald with their third overall pick was supposed to complement 2004 Rookie of the Year Anquan Boldin and 2004 first round pick Bryant Johnson. The trio, along with the aging Emmitt Smith and young gunslinger Josh McCown was supposed to liken the Cardinals to the gun-slinging ways of Randall Cunningham and the 1998 Vikings. Oh how things can change. Anquan Boldin is out for an extended period of time due to an injury, and both Johnson and Fitzgerald missed important time over the off-season. Without being able to develop a solid bond with McCown, the Cardinals may struggle to score points. Their defense did not make too many strides, and may have actually taken a step back, with the placement of 2003 Super Bowl MVP Dexter Jackson on the Injured Reserve. The Cardinals are not going to make a drastic step towards winning this year.

Atlanta Falcons
Michael Vick got through the off-season healthy. Somewhat. Ok, he has a tweaked hamstring that may affect his play early on, but it's no broken fibula. The Falcons replaced Coach Dan Reeves with Jim Mora, Jr. and lost a huge chunk of their coaching staff to the Redskins. The story of the Falcons is their return to the 4-3 base defensive scheme after a failed attempt to convert to 3-4. Linebacker Keith Brooking must be happy, but, unfortunately, the defense will still be stumped. They brought in DeAngelo Hall as a shut-down corner, but he will be out for roughly two more mouths. It is never a good thing for a team ranked dead last in defense to have more offensive off-season splashes. The contributions of rookie receiver Michael Jenkins could help, but he can't help the #32 defense. Vick is a great player, but he can't help the defense either. It is no secret what the Falcons will need to work on.

Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens added on both sides of the ball, trading for Kevin Johnson at their dreadful receiving corps and adding the storied Deon "Prime Time" Sanders. Aside from those notable additions, their team looks the same. The Ravens will once again pound the ball with Jamal Lewis (provided he's not at a trial) behind the superb blocking of Jonathan Ogden and Alan Ricard. The defense is still anchored by Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, and the blossoming of Terrell Suggs, Gary Baxter, with the addition of Deion Sanders can only help. So why can't they, with the #1 rushing game and one of the top 5 defenses not make it past the AFC Championship game? Their #32 passing game. The Ravens will, again, turn to Kyle Boller to man the air, but this time he has a new weapon- Kevin Johnson. He had 1,097 yards with the Browns in 2001 and is known to have some nice pair of hands. But he is no elite receiver. The passing game likely will focus on Todd Heap yet again, but Kevin Johnson will have to replicate his 2001 success and Travis Taylor must become the deep threat the Ravens absolutely need for Jamal Lewis.

Buffalo Bills
In contrast to the Falcons, the Bills had a great defense. Ranked #2, in fact. But their offense was horrible. #29 horrible. That's why it's great news that Willis McGahee is performing well and Lee Evans is proving to be the deep threat the Bills missed so much. News is that Bledsoe looked great during camp, but if pre-season was of indication, with a 72.5 passer rating, the Bills are going to be groaning at missed opportunities again. Maybe the Bills will be able to get their offensive chucking again and challenge the Patriots. But it all rests upon their offensive line, Drew Bledsoe making good decisions, Travis Henry and McGahee getting along and their new head coach being able to keep up the wonderful defense Gregg Williams left behind.

Carolina Panthers
The Panthers stood pat, and that may have been the worst mistake they've ever done. Their offensive line has been wrecked by injuries, pushing the Panthers to make a trade for a lineman with less than a week to go for the season. Their secondary did not gain any significant additions, despite it being the obvious Achilles Heel of the team. Perhaps Tom Brady shredding them during the Super Bowl was not enough of a pointer. But the biggest question of all looming over the Panthers will be whether they are simply one-shot wonders. A lot of their core players are young and were retained. Age and disassembly are no excuses. Jake Delhomme will be answering a whole host of questions with his performances, but many experts and scouts seem to be sold on his abilities. Perhaps he is the next Tom Brady-type quarterback. The return of Mark Fields to the defensive side of the ball after recovering from cancer is going to be a huge boost to the team, both on the field (he was their best defensive player in 2003) and in the locker room, where he supposedly had a huge effect during last season's Super Bowl run. This year, we learn whether their young players getting better or if their Super Bowl run was just a fluke.

Chicago Bears
Following a series of questionable off-season moves, including the firing of Dick Jauron (opposed by many players) and the signing of Thomas Jones (Anthony Thomas got 1000+ yards in 13 games), the Bears look to be in, well, better shape than before. Sort of. Their excuse last year was "our key players were injured." So what now, seeing as how those same offensive linemen and cornerbacks are injured again? The Bears are looking iffy for the opener, with both projected starting cornerbacks day-to-day and Brian Urlacher possibly rusty after missing a month. Their offense is in the hands of a sophomore QB in Rex Grossman and a wash-out RB in Thomas Jones. The trade with Miami for Adewale Ogunleye may look like a defensive coup, but they did part with Marty Booker. Ogunleye must prove that he can still produce without Jason Taylor on the other side, and Grossman must prove he can handle the offense without the sure-handed Booker. On the bright side, they do still have a healthy sophomore corner Charles Tillman, famous for wrestling the ball away from Randy Moss.

Cincinnati Bengals
After their feel-good story last season, the Bengals, believe it or not, despite all their off-season moves, may fall backward. Heavily. Marvin Lewis handed the offense to sophomore caller Carson Palmer over Jon Kitna, which may turn out to be a bad short-term move. Palmer posted a good 88.5 passer rating over the pre-season which gives confidence to the Bengals. The Bengals traded away Corey Dillon, handing the ball off to the young Rudi Johnson, who, ironically, is also in contract year. They're expecting big things of him. The Bengals hope Deltha O'Neal, a bust in Denver, can revive his struggling career in Cincinnati. Of course, the pressure is high as they have essentially labeled him Their Offseason Splash. Coach Lewis will need to work his defensive magic with the Bengals to keep them in contention, as their offense is likely to sputter along the way.

Cleveland Browns
What is up with those Browns? First they have a RB competition that lasts until the last week. They name Lee Suggs their starter… and then he gets injured? The Browns made two big additions, the signing of Pro-Bowl QB Jeff Garcia and the drafting of, possibly Hall of Fame material, Kellen Winslow, Jr. Along with the receiving corps of Quincy Morgan, Andre Davis, and Dennis Northcutt, the Browns look solid on offense. Until you look at their offensive line, of course. Garcia is no longer as durable as he used to be, although he still is tough. The Browns absolutely will not survive any major injury to Garcia, and their offensive line has definitely been their most questionable section on offense for a long while. Their defense did not make many strides, either, as they still will rely on first round busts Courtney Brown and Gerard Warren to anchor their underachieving defensive line. Their secondary looks no different from the one Jamal Lewis trampled, which cannot signal good things against elite backs. The youngsters on defense are going to have to really step up their play to keep the defense from sinking into the abyss.

Dallas Cowboys
Every off-season has its share of surprises). This year was no different, and the biggest surprise of them all probably goes to the Dallas Cowboys, who cut Quincy Carter for yet undisclosed reasons. That led to a gaping hole in their offense… and the responsibility to shoulder the quarterback position fell to Vinny Testaverde. Now, Testaverde is a solid quarterback, but you're not going back to the playoffs with Testaverde as your quarterback anymore, not in the NFC East. Parcells seems to be betting on the Testaverde to Keyshawn connection bringing him to the playoffs, at least, publicly. But it probably hinges more on the play of rookie Julius Jones. Eddie George has shown the Cowboys what the Titans already knew, symbolized by his more carries than yards in the last preseason game. The Cowboys bring back one of the best defenses in the league, but to get back to the playoffs in this competitive league, Testaverde will have to show us some of his magic again.

Detroit Lions
What are they trying to build here, a track team? The Lions drafted Roy Williams and Kevin Jones, giving them one of the speediest teams in the league. Coupled with a healthy Charlie Rogers and Az-Hakim, the Lions have some of the fastest offensive tools in the league. But success or failure all falls down to Joey Harrington, who will have to keep up his pre-season success (86.6 passer rating with 2 touchdowns and no turn overs). Unfortunately his accuracy will need to go up from 53.8. Their defense took a big hit with Boss Bailey out for the season, and they'll need to find a way to improve a squad that ranked #24 overall. The situation does not look good until safeties Brock Marion and Brian Walker get healthy.

Denver Broncos
Notable gain: Champ Bailey. Notable loss: Clinton Portis. That about sums up this Broncos team which is looking to fight its way back into the playoffs. Is Champ Bailey as great a cornerback as he is hyped? Bailey will need to prove his abilities, as his days of shutting down Terry Glenn and Todd Pinkston are over. The one big-play receiver he played regularly against (Amani Toomer) consistently burned him- a fact that likely was not lost to Joe Gibbs. The Broncos are confident they can replace Portis, as their franchise has been a running back production factory over the years. Quentin Griffin will likely become their next 1000 yard rusher… unless Tatum Bell takes over the job mid-way through the season. Whatever the results, the Broncos have to be happy with the way their off-season went. Now if only Jake Plummer could connect with Rod Smith and Ashley Lelie, the Broncos might actually get somewhere.

Green Bay Packers
The Packers, must, deal, with, Mike, McKenzie. Yes, Ahmad Carroll may become a great cornerback. Perhaps a future fixture on their team. But in this day and age, with the defensive back rules changing, the need for Mike McKenzie in their division only becomes more urgent. Hey, they're dealing with a man named Randy Moss. On the offensive side of the ball, the problem looks, again, like the receiving corps. But fear not, help is on the way. Javon Walker looks like a potential star playmaker. Look no further than his 9 touchdowns last season for proof. Robert Fergusen is maturing into a threat as well. Donald Driver, believe it or not, may actually end up the third receiver when all is said and done. Brett Favre will lead this team far again. Who knows, the Super Bowl is not entirely out of the question with Favre behind the huddle.

Houston Texans
It's really a pity the Texans were placed into one of the toughest divisions in football, the AFC South. Not only did they have to play catch-up with Eddie George, they had to contend with Peyton Manning and Mark Brunell too! Well, times have changed. The Titans, while still serious contenders, are no longer the threat they used to be, due to salary cap purges. The Colts are looking at this year as The Year or Bust, and the Jaguars steadily went downhill and have recently begun rising again. Enter the Texans. In their third year of existence, the Texans look solid. Third year man David Carr passing to sophomore playmaker Andre Johnson and solid Jabar Gaffney, a good RB tandem in Domanick Davis and Tony Hollings, solidifying defensive core with Dunta Robinson and Marcus Coleman… again, it's a pity they're in the AFC South. They're maybe a year or two away from being serious playoff contenders.

Indianapolis Colts
The Colts as a franchise are looking at this year as Bowl or Bust. After allocating a ridiculous portion of their payroll (although there was little helping it) to Peyton Manning, the Colts no longer have enough to secure both other parts of their Big Three. That means, sadly, Edgerrin James is going to be the odd man out. The Colts are simply not as good without Edge. Harrison will be running all over the place with the new DB rules, but Edge is still an integral part of their offense. And that's why the Colts will be playing this year with urgency. Their defense is finally looking like what Tony Dungy wants, and their offense will be scoring tremendous amounts of points the whole season. The burning question will remain their defense and whether Tony Dungy managed to create his mastermind defense quick enough.

Jacksonville Jaguars
Noticed how three of the AFC South teams are consecutive alphabetically? That aside, the Jaguars have made great leaps since their faltering over the past few seasons. Jack Del Rio has done an unnoticed job at turning this franchise around quickly. Granted, he had a great, solid base to begin with. The offensive reigns have been completely handed to Byron Leftwich, who posted one of the greatest rookie passer ratings in NFL history. He has a good number of weapons including former Pro-Bowler Jimmy Smith and Fred Taylor, who's finally beginning to shed the nickname 'Fragile Fred.' The addition of Reggie Evans will only help his cause. Del Rio is going to be working on the defense around-the-clock, however, coming up with a way to pressure the quarterback. The releasing of Hugh Douglas was a move not many clubs would have made- admitting a mistake early. But that does not signify that the Jaguars have a better option at the pass rush, their big X factor coming into the season, given how Del Rio works off of an aggressive blitz scheme.

Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs were supposed to be offensive juggernauts, but even that is in question after a myriad of quick injuries. With injuries Johnny Morton and Marc Boerigtor, their receiving corps is in shambles. Priest Holmes and Tony Gonzalez will not be able to pull the offense, no matter how great they are. The pressure is on Trent Green to make something happen on offense, because their defense will be mediocre at best. We already know Priest Holmes can do his work in the red zone (27 touchdowns last season). Perhaps Tony Gonzalez' production will actually rebound this year after a descending trend the past few years.

Miami Dolphins
Their biggest off-season move? It was one they'd rather not have made- the retirement of Ricky Williams. That aside, the Dolphins are… in trouble, to say the least. David Boston is injured for the season, whose absence led to the trade for Marty Booker. That gives them quite a receiving duo in Chris Chambers and Marty Booker. In a semi-brilliant move, the Dolphins traded for the Rams' expendable backup tailback Lamar Gordon. But Chambers and Booker still have noone throwing to them behind no offensive line. That just doesn't work. Their defense will be under constant pressure and will likely face a huge workload. It would be no surprise for them to end up fourth- quite a fall from a double digit win season. That's what the loss of Ricky Williams would do to you.

Minnesota Vikings
After being shockingly pushed out of the playoffs last season with a last second Nate Poole touchdown, the Vikings realized that, despite the splendid efforts of Corey Chavous and Brian Russell, they needed a shutdown corner. Enter Antoine Winfield, who will likely be the difference maker in the Vikings defense. Randy Moss will be running rampant on offense, and the Randy Ratio may come back into effect… although not on purpose. We know their offense can get it done. The addition of Marcus Robinson and the emergence of Nate Burleson will only help. But can their young defense, with two linebackers under the age of 26, hold up against Ahman Green and hang on for the division? The Vikings sure hope so.

New England Patriots
The rich got richer. Off-season splashes? The easy answer is Corey Dillon, the former single-game rushing record holder. Unfortunately, he turns 30, but he does give the Patriots a much-needed pounding, dominant rusher. But I'm going to say rookie Defensive Tackle Vince Wilfork may be their biggest splash. Wilfork fell in the draft, for reasons unknown. Supposed to be a top 10 pick, the Patriots nabbed him in 20s. He replaces Ted Washington and gives them a young, potentially dominant player. And judging from how Belichik was able to use Asante Samuels, Wilfork is going to fill the void left by Ted Washington quite well. The Patriots look to be favorites to repeat because they are young, solid and deep.

New Orleans Saints
The new division winner of the ever shifting NFC South? The Saints have steadily built one of the youngest, deepest defensive and offensive lines in the league. Their offense looks solid, with Aaron Brooks and Deuce McAllister. The X factor will be Donte Stallworth and his hamstring. Stallworth is considered one of the fastest players in the league and has tremendous big-play potential. But he'll need to become consistent quickly after having two seasons disrupted by his hamstring. Their secondary is still less than mediocre- not drafting Marcus Trufant last season will come back to haunt them. But their team as a whole is good enough so that, barring a third straight late-season meltdown, they can go charging into the playoffs. They lost to the Bengals, Tigers, and Cardinals in the last three games in 2002-2003 when needing only one win.

New York Jets
The Jets are happy Chad Pennington got out of the off-season healthy. Chad Pennington is happy he got a huge pay raise. With Pennington healthy, the Jets immediately become a playoff contender. How their defense holds up will be the big question. Santana Moss succeeded in replacing Laveranues Coles and the addition of Justin Macareins will only make things better for the entire team. Curtis Martin looks fresh for the opener, which is a huge change from before, as well. A huge chunk of the defense rests upon Jonathan Vilma, their rookie inside linebacker. Their run defense was not as good as a playoff contender would hope to have and they know that. Vilma will be key to stopping the opposing rushing offenses and carries quite a burden. Dewayne Robertson likewise will have to step up his play from his rookie season and carry the momentum from the last few games into this season. The two youngsters will be keys to the Jets' playoff push.

New York Giants
Last season the Giants were supposed to be contending for the Super Bowl. This season doesn't look very bright. They essentially traded Kerry Collins for Kurt Warner (quite a downgrade, in my opinion) in order to buy time for Eli Manning, Jeremy Shockey is proving to be the most hyped injury-prone player ever, and their locker room can't be too pleasant. Michael Strahan was rather vocal in his protests over the downward spiral of this team (along the lines of not-another-rebuilding-project, I'm-getting-old) and he is supposed to be one of the locker room leaders. Drafting Eli Manning was definitely a move for the future, as tend to be most quarterback drafts, and that will likely not move the Giants anywhere in their division. Last place sounds about right, despite the infusing of the domineering Tom Coughlin as head coach.

Oakland Raiders
The Raiders keep getting older and older, and releasing Tim Brown does not make up for the signing of Ted Washington and Warren Sapp. Norv Turner wants a pounding rushing offense that gets through the air with play action, but having a running tandem of Tyrone Wheatley and Justin Fargas may not be what he had in mind. Rich Gannon proved to be one of the more intriguing stories over the off-season as he stiff-armed Kerry Collins for the starting gig, hoping to reproduce his 2003 MVP season. Gannon had a respectable 81.9 rating, a far cry from Collins' 140, but he was solid and consistent. Jerry Rice and Jerry Porter will be carrying the air attack now, and the Raiders offensive line got a significant upgrade with the drafting of Robert Gallery. The question now is whether they can make all the pieces fit together in a return to winning ways.

Philadelphia Eagles
For a definition of "Free Agency Splash," look no further than the Eagles this season. They scored the marquee offensive player (Terrell Owens) and the marquee defensive player (Jevon Kearse). Heck, they even yo-yo'd Jeremiah Trotter and Hugh Douglas into the fold. Eagle-Town finally has their big play receiver, waving good bye to the years of seeing McNabb struggle with just Todd Pinkston. The loss of Bobby Taylor and Troy Vincent will hurt as they are putting two relatively inexperienced corners into action simulataneously. Eagle-Town will not be very pleased if the Eagles cannot make the final push into the Super Bowl this season. Andy Reid has done a brilliant job at handling this team and it is difficult to imagine him failing to make it back to the Championship. But can he bring the Eagles to the final prize? Nah.

Pittsburgh Steelers
The team is a far cry from the bygone years, where you could tune in to the Steelers and expect a rough, physical defense constantly blitzing and a pounding running game that consistently was among annual. The Steelers of now are very, very different. Their defense is no longer the dominant force it once was, with their ability to rush the passer highly questionable. Their secondary is iffy at best, and the defensive back rule adjustments are not going to be of any help. The Steelers want a renaissance of the Steel Curtain badly on that side of the ball. And on offense, their team rides the arm of Tommy "TommyGun" Maddox or Ben Roethlisberger. So how about that horrible rushing game? Well, Duce Staley is a solid back, but he is no pounding runner, and Jerome Bettis is showing definite signs of wear and tear. We can still expect to see Bettis trucking hapless defenders, but it's not going to be every play anymore. The Steelers receiving corps are athletic, but a lot of their playoff hopes will rest upon their struggling defense.

San Diego Chargers
The Chargers likely made The Second Worst Decision In Franchise History by acquiring Phillip Rivers in the draft instead of Robert Gallery. Drew Brees is looking, again, like the franchise quarterback he was expected to be two years ago. A franchise tackle like Robert Gallery would have been more helpful for the team- and marquee tailback LaDainian Tomlinson. This team looks like it is going nowhere. Their defense is still has more holes than Swiss Cheese, their receiving corps is dreadful, and their offensive line is, surprisingly, even worse. It's a wonder how LT has been able to do what he has done in this team. Don't be surprised if the Chargers go 0-16. That's just how bad this team is.

San Francisco 49ers
If one season can change a team a lot, this is it. Gone are Pro-Bowlers Jeff Garcia and Terrell Owens. Gone is a veteran back in Garrison Hearst. It's a good thing they kept Pro-Bowl Linebacker Julian Peterson. PR would have had a load on its hands had they let him go. That said, the offense now is in the hands of Tim Rattay, passing to Branden Lloyd. Rookie receiver Rashaun Woods has garnered comparisons to Terrell Owens with his great yards-after-catch ability, but he is likely two years away from becoming anything close to Owens. If there is one bright spot on this offense, it is Kevan Barlow, who now finally has the entire job to himself. Barlow ran for more than 1000 yards last season while somewhat sharing the job with Garrison Hearst, so the Bay Area may expect a solid back (how long has it been since that's happened?) wearing gold and red. Still, the Niners likely will end up far behind the 'Hawks and the Rams in this division.

Seattle Seahawks
The 'Hawks have matured, and maybe now the receivers will learn to hold onto the ball. A lot of hype surrounded Koren Robinson and Darrell Jackson last season, but the two dropped the most passes among starting receivers last season. Ok, perhaps the Lions dropped more, but for a duo so highly regarded, it's a wonder how they dropped so many. A lot of the 'Hawks offensive production will depend on how sure-handed the two have become. Shaun Alexander has become a solid, consistent commodity, and Matt Hasselbeck is showing why Coach Holmgren placed so much confidence in him. Their defense will be challenged with stopping the run- something they could not do last season- and gained a good tool with rookie tackle Marcus Tubbs. The loss of Shawn Springs will hurt, but thankfully they do have Marcus Trufant able to ease the loss and the signing of Bobby Taylor to offset losses somewhat. When healthy, Springs was an elite cover corner. D-Coordinator Ray Rhodes may need to take a more aggressive approach this season, as the DB rule changes will cause a problem for passive defense philosophies.

St. Louis Rams
The Greatest Show on Turf will be led by Marc Bulger who, for once, no longer has Kurt Warner staring over his shoulder. Marshall Faulk is going to walk the thin line of health and production, while rookie Stephen Jackson looks on to spell Faulk whenever necessary (he led the NFL in rushing yards during the preseason). The big eyes will be on defense, though, as the play that ended their 2004 season was Jason Sehorn being completely juked out and getting burned. They lost D-Coordinator Lovie Smith to a head coaching job in Chicago, so it'll be interesting to see if they can keep up the pace. Kicker Jeff Wilkins placed himself in the upper echelon of dependable kickers, making the Rams' offense dangerous indeed.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This team should rename itself to the Tampa Bay Ex-Raiders. Jon Gruden, Tim Brown, Charlie Garner, they're all ex-Raiders. Another turbulent off-season ends as Brad Johnson has, despite swirling rumours, he retains his job. Again. But one thing's certain, Chris Simms is looking over his shoulder and gaining ground. The Bucs look to have a successful rebound season after unloading popular veterans such as Warren Sapp and John Lynch. Offensive lynchpin Mike Alstott returns from a neck injury, and their offensive line upgraded… a bit. It will be up to Jon Gruden to use his offensive savvy to cook something up, and Monty Kiffin will be challenged to use his new, younger personnel to their maximum abilities.

Tennessee Titans
For the second straight season, the Titans have been hurt in the off-season by the salary cap. This time players such as Jevon Kearse were let go. But the biggest damage will be the defecting of Robaire Smith to the Texans. The Titans would have been able to replace Kearse with Carlos Hall, but had no answers for a missing DT. They delt Justin Macareins to the Jets believing that Tyrone Calico would be a solid slot receiver, but Calico injured both PCLs in the final preseason game. Luckily, the Titans are pretty deep at the position. Chris Brown has replaced Eddie George well, leading the AFC in rushing yards over the preseason. Peter Sirmon's and Joe Nedney's respective season ending injuries leave the Titans dangerously thin at LB and needing a kicker for the second straight season, but with Steve McNair at QB, the Titans' potential is still unknown. That is, if McNair can stay standing.

Washington Redskins
Yet again the Redskins make a giant quantity of moves over the off-season. Yet again the results are iffy. Their defensive line still looks only decent and their linebacker corps looks thin, what with Michael Barrows still injured. Shawn Springs and Fred Smoot have been burned often during the preseason, and their lone bright spot seems to be the play of phenom rookie safety Sean Taylor. However, the last preseason game against the Falcons brings hope for the defense. The Skins have had trouble running the ball still, despite the addition of Clinton Portis. Much of it could be attributed to their suddenly decimated line, as Jon Jansen and Chris Samuels have gone down with injuries. Mark Brunell barely edged Ramsey as the starting play-caller, and that leaves plenty of worries for the Skins passing game. However, Gibbs and his staff claim they have shown nothing during the preseason, so that leaves some optimism ahead. Hey, it's Gibbs, anything could happen, right?

Bold Predictions

Wild Card Weekend
New England – Bye
Indianapolis – Bye
Baltimore over Buffalo
Kansas City over Tennessee
Minnesota – Bye
Philadelphia – Bye
Green Bay over Seattle
St. Louis over New Orleans

Divisional Playoffs
New England over Kansas City
Indianapolis over Baltimore
Minnesota over St. Louis
Green Bay over Philadelphia

Conference Championships
Indianapolis over New England
Minnesota over Green Bay

Super Bowl
Indianapolis over Minnesota

Rushing Leader: Ahman Green
Receiving Leader: Marvin Harrison
Most Passing Yards: Peyton Manning
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Kevin Jones
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Sean Taylor
Most Surprising Team:Chicago Bears
Most Disappointing Team:Denver
MVP: Peyton Manning

Hey, don't hold it against me if I'm wrong, I'm assuming a lot of things here. Like Mike McKenzie going back to the Packers. Stats were taken from NFL.com.