Thursday 22 August 2013 12:14, UK
Our look at the NFL this week is brought to you courtesy of Charles Dickens, who famously started his novel A Tale Of Two Cities with the immortal line, 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...'
Chicago: the pre-season Swingometer shows one of the highest Yay and Nay fluctuations when it comes to the Bears. Either the introduction of Canadian League alchemist Marc Trestman will turn Soldier Field into the city of gold, a la Jose Mourinho's original stint with Chelsea. Or Jay Cutler and Co will disappear in a blizzard of deep-flying footballs - and even more interceptions. Cincinnati: softly, softly catchee trophee might be the Bengals' mantra after two promising seasons and now a chance for Andy Dalton, AJ Green and BenJarvus Green-Ellis to break through the Paul Brown Stadium glass ceiling and open a serious march on New York. The Not-So-Fast brigade see things differently, of course, with Cincy falling victim to the usual Baltimore-Pittsburgh hegemony. Cleveland: Brandon Weedon, your time is Now, insist the soothsayers of north-eastern Ohio, with a quietly hard-nosed, chip-on-the-shoulder defence ready to grade the road for the quarterback's second-year coronation under new offensive coordinator Norv Turner. And yet it IS Brandon Weedon, and the Dawg Pound has pretty much forgotten what good quarterbacking is since Bernie Kosar hung up his pads. Dallas: they simply HAVE to get it right behind Tony Romo this year, don't they? After all, they have all the offensive pieces you could possibly want, short of a Sherman Tank. Dez Bryant is poised to become a fantasy superstar and the running game HAS to be better than 2012's 31st-ranked effort. But then this is still the House That Jerry Built, and you know how jerry-built edifices go... Denver: in Peyton they trust, and in Manning the Broncos potentially have an unstoppable air offensive, now with Wes Welker as wing commander in the slot receiver position. This was also a terror of a defence in last year and they are all ready to go again in '13. What's that you say? Elvis Dumervil...in Baltimore...contract snafu...Von Miller...in doghouse...6-game ban...Oh dear... Detroit: this one's pretty simple. Either Matt Stafford is going to step up as an elite quarterback, throw for 5,000 yards and make Calvin Johnson Fantasy League owners the happiest people on the planet. Or Matt Stafford is going to step up and throw even more interceptions than he did last season (17) and the Lions will again inhabit the NFC North dungeon. Green Bay: you can feel the sense of urgency for the season to start in the spiritual home of Vince Lombardi more than anywhere else in the States. The prevalent feeling - and Best Case Scenario - is that the Packers just need to get going again to mount the NFC's biggest threat, and play a bit of defence when they meet the 49ers again. Alternatively, Aaron Rodgers gets injured early on and someone called Graham Harrell will take over under centre and everything will go to hell in a Wisconsonian handbasket. Houston: "This time, this time," quoth the denizens of southern Texas, and you'd be right in thinking Matt Schaub and Co are desperately keen to right the play-off wrongs of the past two years, and that they have the wherewithal to achieve just that behind a defence that will see the return of Brian Cushing at linebacker and the arrival of ballhawk Ed Reed in the backfield. But then, it is STILL Matt Schaub and he has yet to convince most people outside Houston that he is capable of being The Man. Indianapolis: "If he was that good as a rookie, just think how good he'll be from now on," goes the thinking in Coltsville. They are, of course, referring to rookie quarterback Andrew Luck and the poise he showed in taking the team to the play-offs first time out. But remember that Sophomore Slump thing? Well, it may well be lurking in this corner of Indiana. Jacksonville: the February New York sky is most definitely the limit for last year's toothless big cats because, well, you have to dream big if you buy into Shahid Khan's Florida philosophy. Or you can look at this team, see no significant upgrades for '13 and think they'll be lucky to get two wins. Again. Kansas City: new coach, new hope in Chieftainville. And we all know how the New Hope worked out for Jedi followers everywhere (you know, Luke Skywalker, flashing light-sabres, death of Darth Vader, end of the evil empire, etc). So Andy Reid's arrival has fans definitely thinking of challenging for the play-offs behind new quarterback Alex Smith. But then, didn't Luke also get ambushed and half-murtilated by Vader before the Dark Side inexplicably had its hearts-and-flowers moment? Part Two coming soon...!
