Super Bowl prediction thread

[Arlie Rahn]

So, post your predictions for Sunday's big game.

[Arlie Rahn]

I'll kick it off whit Indy by a TD.

[TravisL]

I'm going with Arlie..but I'm giving them two TD's. ;)

[mystic]

colts win by 10

Colts 34
Bears 24

[wooodaddy]

Bears 24 Colts 14

[Brotherfury]

i am so torn by this game... my heart says Chicago (being from the midwest, and having lived in chicago for 7 years... but i also want Peyton since once he gets the monkey off his back, and can finally be considered the truely great quarterback that we all know he is (could be)

Brotherfury

[Remianen]

Colts 37, Bears 24

Bob Sanders picks off Rex Grossman 3 times (returning one for a score) to win the MVP. The Bears will be so pre-occupied with stopping Dwight Freeney that Robert Mathis will rack up a pair of sacks and Booger McFarland will get one too.

[Trashbear]

I'm going upset here and picking the Bears on the strength of their D. I'm predicting a capable Bears secondary will hold the Colts to under 20 and that same defense's linebacking corps will create turnovers that lead to scoring opportunities for Grossman. Then, Devin Hester runs a return back for 6 and the final score ends up...21-17 Bears.

[Brotherfury]

Colts 37, Bears 24

Bob Sanders picks off Rex Grossman 3 times (returning one for a score) to win the MVP. The Bears will be so pre-occupied with stopping Dwight Freeney that Robert Mathis will rack up a pair of sacks and Booger McFarland will get one too.

That would make it sweeter but even more so is to have dallas clark catch a td pass then both my Iowa boys would make names for themselves in the big game :D

Bro-ham

[thug saint oga]

if rex grossman gets a ring before peyton......then the old adage is correct....defense wins championships.

[weirdo_man]

All of you clowns have no right to have an opinion on this game. I, on the other hand, have been raised in Indiana a die-hard Bears fan and currently live on the Purdue campus, which is probably the place in the world closest to half Bears fans and half Colts fans.

As mentioned I am a die-hard Bears fan, but I truly believe that this game is too close for anyone to actually make a guess. One small thing in the game could easily tilt it to one team or the other, and, as mentioned, I truly believe that this is too close for anyone to make a guess that isn't pure speculation or hope.

It could be anywhere from 3-0 to 49-52 to 7-38. There's no calling this game because it could go either way in many ways.

[Brotherfury]

[QUOTE=weirdo_man;193533]All of you clowns have no right to have an opinion on this game. I, on the other hand, have been raised in Indiana...
QUOTE]

I was raised in Iowa about 5 hours from chicago, i lived IN the city proper (Wrigleyville and Uptown to be exact) I was there for 3 Bulls titles... I lived and breathed everything chicago sports... So like i said before my heart is torn between wanted to see the bears win and seeing manning reinforce his obvious talent.

BUUUUUUT... the real kicker after all that?!?

I'M a SEAHAWKS fan!


Bro-ham

[TravisL]

Im a Cardinals fan but since I know they'll never see a super bowl, or a win for that matter...im shooting for the Colts this time.

[wooodaddy]

Im a Cardinals fan but since I know they'll never see a super bowl, or a win for that matter...im shooting for the Colts this time.

I got ya beat, I'm a Lions fan..:p so I guess I'm sticking w/ the NFC North..

[TravisL]

Woah Lions. I am so sorry friend. Im just happy the Cardinals have SOMEONE they can trade off a win with. They should marry.

[uruloke]

Bears 27, Colts 24

[Remianen]

All of you clowns have no right to have an opinion on this game. I, on the other hand, have been raised in Indiana a die-hard Bears fan and currently live on the Purdue campus, which is probably the place in the world closest to half Bears fans and half Colts fans.

As mentioned I am a die-hard Bears fan, but I truly believe that this game is too close for anyone to actually make a guess. One small thing in the game could easily tilt it to one team or the other, and, as mentioned, I truly believe that this is too close for anyone to make a guess that isn't pure speculation or hope.

It could be anywhere from 3-0 to 49-52 to 7-38. There's no calling this game because it could go either way in many ways.

Someone says that every single year ("It's too close to call!") and every single year, they're wrong. One small thing tilts EVERY game. Last year, it was shoddy officiating, it's always something.

I'm picking the Colts because at SOME point, the Bears D has to break down and NOT bail Rex out of a hole. The Bears D is also prone to overpursuing which can be death against a smart quarterback who isn't afraid to check down to the back in the flat. Rex doesn't do that. With the Colts keying on the run, Rex is going to have to beat them and I don't think he can. Plus, with Urlacher having to cover Dallas Clark, that's one less person in Peyton's face (and if they put someone else on Dallas, it's lights out since Urlacher's their best 'backer in coverage).

While it's definitely possible for Rex Grossman to have the game of his life, given his body of work, I'm not convinced. Shade coverages confuse him into making really bad decisions throwing the ball and that's not something you just snap out of in 2 weeks.

[Trashbear]

Someone says that every single year ("It's too close to call!") and every single year, they're wrong. One small thing tilts EVERY game. Last year, it was shoddy officiating, it's always something.

I'm picking the Colts because at SOME point, the Bears D has to break down and NOT bail Rex out of a hole. The Bears D is also prone to overpursuing which can be death against a smart quarterback who isn't afraid to check down to the back in the flat. Rex doesn't do that. With the Colts keying on the run, Rex is going to have to beat them and I don't think he can. Plus, with Urlacher having to cover Dallas Clark, that's one less person in Peyton's face (and if they put someone else on Dallas, it's lights out since Urlacher's their best 'backer in coverage).

While it's definitely possible for Rex Grossman to have the game of his life, given his body of work, I'm not convinced. Shade coverages confuse him into making really bad decisions throwing the ball and that's not something you just snap out of in 2 weeks.

Good points all, but I think special teams is gonna play a huge role. The Bears set a return TD record this year and ripped off some large returns that didn't go for scores. Add to the fact that Indy has been gashed quite a bit on kick coverage (including a long return in the New England game by Ellis Hobbs) and I think that's going to be the factor that gives Chicago the edge.

I'm interested to see what kind of looks Chicago is going to give Manning. They won't sit back in a 2 Deep Zone, he'll eat that up, so it's gonna take smart blitzing and great coverage by the corners. They may also have to steal a page from New Enlgand and mug the hell out of the receivers at the line of scrimmage. I'm sticking with the Bears by a TD courtesy of special teams.

[weirdo_man]

I'm picking the Colts because at SOME point, the Bears D has to break down and NOT bail Rex out of a hole. The Bears D is also prone to overpursuing which can be death against a smart quarterback who isn't afraid to check down to the back in the flat. Rex doesn't do that. With the Colts keying on the run, Rex is going to have to beat them and I don't think he can. Plus, with Urlacher having to cover Dallas Clark, that's one less person in Peyton's face (and if they put someone else on Dallas, it's lights out since Urlacher's their best 'backer in coverage).

Uh, do you know anything about the Bears linebackers? Lance Briggs was a pro-bowler for a reason, and all that Urlacher and Briggs ever do in interviews is give props to the unheralded Hunter Hillenmeyer. All three of them can cover tight ends, but every player on the team will take turns covering Dallas Clark just like last week when the Bears shut down the Saints Tight End after he had like 8 catches in their first playoff game.

Also, who's to say that the Bears won't shut down Manning early on and get a lead? Then the Bears can drop into coverage, the front 4 can pass rush, and the Bears defense won't get tired like the New England defense did. That's the only reason that the Colts bears the Patriots.

And I'm just playing devil's advocate for whoever you call here, because I truly believe this game is uncallable with any reason. There are way too many things that can happen, especially considering Manning's shotty performance so far in the playoffs. His passer rating is worse than Grossman's so far in the playoffs.

[FarkenGudstuf]

Colts 31, Bears 28 on a Vinatieri field goal

[mjdgoldeneye]

Bears 21 Colts 17

Hester won't have a TD, but he'll have at least a 60 yrd return (kick).

Bob Sanders will have 1-2 Interceptions.

Peyton will pwn, Rex will do ok.

Freeney won't matter, Addai will be shut down.

Da Bears D will be the deciding factor.

(Random Predictions made on Feb 1st, Document them! :D )

[CapCee]

I got ya beat, I'm a Lions fan..:p so I guess I'm sticking w/ the NFC North..

Thanks for the company, wooodaddy, I'm not the only tormented soul here whose season was over before it started!!! Lions over Patriots in Super Bowl 42 by a Jason Hanson field goal.

[Trashbear]

For the Lions to win against the Pats in the Super Bowl it would have to be more like...Hanson kicks a grenade into Tom Brady's right shoulder.

And in closing: Fire Millen.

[TravisL]

Colts defeated the Bears! Woot, I won a piece of the pool! :D

[HHUK]

I think the Colts are going to win.

[juggaloninjalee]

Im surprised about the amount of Lions fans here. I happen to be one as well. I live in Saline, Michigan... Ann Arbor basically and have been a Lions fan my whole life. I support all the Detroit teams. I was wrong on my prediction. I thought the Bears would pull it out due to Peytons thumb but his thumb was not a hinderance.

[wooodaddy]

Im surprised about the amount of Lions fans here. I happen to be one as well. I live in Saline, Michigan... Ann Arbor basically and have been a Lions fan my whole life. I support all the Detroit teams. I was wrong on my prediction. I thought the Bears would pull it out due to Peytons thumb but his thumb was not a hinderance.

we are great in number my friend.. I live in Alabama now, but my family is still up in the Auburn Hills and Flint area.. I thought the Bears would be a little tougher on D for the Colts to pull it out, but oh well.. Lions win next year or so or maybe 10 or 15 years.. :o

[PoisonedSuperman]

Next year Bills vs. Saints or Giants.

[Remianen]

I thought the Bears would be a little tougher on D for the Colts to pull it out, but oh well.. Lions win next year or so or maybe 10 or 15 years.. :o

Kinda hard to be "tougher on D" when you have to be on the field for almost 40 of the game's 60 minutes. I think the Bears just got a lot of bad breaks. Losing Cedric Benson was probably the biggest since it killed their ability to create a rhythm for their running game (by contrast, look at how the Colts established that rhythm with Addai & Rhodes or how the Pats did it with Dillon & Faulk or the Giants with Tiki & Brandon Jacobs). The 1-2 punch in the running game is extremely useful and the Bears had used it very effectively through the last 4 weeks of the season and in the playoffs. But Rex Grossman is not a championship caliber quarterback right now though he might be fairly soon. With that defense backing him, he just has to play smart and take what the opposing defense gives him (see: Trent Dilfer) and stop eyeballing receivers downfield. Peyton completed 10 short passes to a back and only two deep (i.e. 20+ yard) passes, which is probably something Rex can learn from. Keep the defense off the field so they don't get gassed in the first half and forced to show all their wrinkles before the game's truly on the line.

And sorry to say but the Lions need an organizational overhaul before they'll ever be competitive. I can tell you one thing though. There's going to be a run on "all purpose backs" (ala Joseph Addai) come April. The Lions would do well to avail themselves of at least one (though not with their first round pick, egad!). I think they need a much better college scouting department. It seems every year, the rich get richer by drafting and signing low-round players who turn out to be more capable than their first round counterparts.

And PoisonedSuperman, you could make a pretty penny with that prediction, should it come true. I really doubt the Bills will develop quickly enough to make it to the big game that soon. But they will (I'd peg them for Super Bowl XLV personally), assuming they don't have an upheaval before then.

[PoisonedSuperman]

We were on the verge of the playoffs this year, we just need to find someone to take Nate Clements spot, other then that we are still going to be solid.

I wish we would cut Spikes who is a big waste of money, being hurt all the time and keep Clements but the cap hit would probably be to much to keep Nate anyways.

[Imarevenant]

And sorry to say but the Lions need an organizational overhaul before they'll ever be competitive. I can tell you one thing though. There's going to be a run on "all purpose backs" (ala Joseph Addai) come April. The Lions would do well to avail themselves of at least one (though not with their first round pick, egad!). I think they need a much better college scouting department. It seems every year, the rich get richer by drafting and signing low-round players who turn out to be more capable than their first round counterparts.


Believe me that's a fact that every one of us Lions fans knows. The problem is that Ford Sr. either doesn't care about winning as long as the team is making money or Millen has his hooks in real deep with him. I'd say it's probably a little of both.

I don't believe that Running Back is a huge issue for the Lions though, Kevin Jones is a good all purpose back. And we didn't get to see what Calhoun has this year. If Jones injury is serious than they'll need to address it early in the draft but KJ was by far the most valuable player on the Lions offense this year.

The real issue the Lions have (and they've had the same issue for damn near 10 years) is that the Offensive Line is well below average. They gave a boat load of money to Damien Woody, who was known to be lazy (which is why the Pats let him walk). So, what did he do in Detroit, that's right, he continued to be lazy and got fat and is half the player he was in New England. The Lions still don't have a decent Right Tackle, unless Jonathon Scott makes a tremendous leap this coming year. Demulling was a mistake Free Agent hiring at Right Gaurd and we have to hope that the 35 year old Ross Verba can return to form next year after a couple injuries.

The only decent OLinemen the Lions have is Backus, whose decent but not worth the big contract he recieved. And Raiola, whose a bit undersized, but to me was easily the most productive player on the line. He's very unpopular amongst most fanst though.

The bottom line is until the Lions fix the OLine or some players step up, like Scott or Frank Davis, the Lions offense is going to struggle. Kitna had very little time in the pocket last year and KJ was constantly forced to make a move in the backfield. It may not be sexy, but the game of football is won in the trenches, hell, the Colts Offensive Line deserved the MVP more than Manning ever did; especially Right Guard Jake Scott who mauled Urlacher and made him a non-factor at the Line of Scrimmage (Urlachers 11 tackles were mostly made downfield in pursuit). Why teams don't start with the Offensive and Defensive lines kills me; that's why Arizona can't win with one of the top WR groups in the league and a pretty good RB, and it's why the Lions will continue to struggle until it's addressed.

As for their Defense it starts with the line again. Saun Rogers is one of the best Defensive Tackles in the game (although he could be better but is notoriously lazy) but he has no help. Sure, Hall had 11 sacks a couple years ago and followed that up with 5 the year before and 5 last year (although in only 7 games last year). Kalimba Edwards is a huge waste of money and has been a career underachiever. The only other player on the DLine I have any confidence in is Cory Redding, and it's shaky confidence at best. This unit is uncapable of putting pressure on the QB which results in breakdowns in coverage and it will continue to happen until the Lions draft or sign a real DE that can beat the tackle and put some pressure on the QB.

[Remianen]

Believe me that's a fact that every one of us Lions fans knows. The problem is that Ford Sr. either doesn't care about winning as long as the team is making money or Millen has his hooks in real deep with him. I'd say it's probably a little of both.

William Clay Ford is the closest thing to Bill Bidwell that you'll see in the NFL. They don't want to win, they want to make money. They fail to realize that winning makes you MORE money than being a perennial cellar team. The Patriots, who play in an area not as 'sexy' as Detroit, as well as the Broncos, both make more money (when you consider contribution to the league's profit sharing pool) than the Lions. Since Barry Sanders retired, the Lions have had ZERO marquee type players. So their merchandising opportunities are near zero (how many non-Lions fans owned #20 jerseys?).

I don't believe that Running Back is a huge issue for the Lions though, Kevin Jones is a good all purpose back. And we didn't get to see what Calhoun has this year. If Jones injury is serious than they'll need to address it early in the draft but KJ was by far the most valuable player on the Lions offense this year.

Lemme ask you a question. In today's NFL, what happens if/when KJ goes down with an injury? Hindsight being 20/20, who's the better #2 pick? Charles Rogers or Larry Johnson? That's what I mean about the Lions being well suited to consider a running back with their second round pick. Yes, they need O-linemen and yes, they have other need areas. But in today's NFL, injuries are a part of everyday life. We've already seen how teams are loading up with two starting caliber quarterbacks. We've seen how two starting caliber running backs can help a great deal as well. Do teams change their schemes when Reggie Bush lines up behind Drew Brees, as opposed to when Deuce is back there? Kevin Jones is extremely talented, yes. But he's not a downhill runner (think: power back in the old vernacular). Plus, it's NEVER a bad thing to have depth at running back.

The real issue the Lions have (and they've had the same issue for damn near 10 years) is that the Offensive Line is well below average. They gave a boat load of money to Damien Woody, who was known to be lazy (which is why the Pats let him walk). So, what did he do in Detroit, that's right, he continued to be lazy and got fat and is half the player he was in New England. The Lions still don't have a decent Right Tackle, unless Jonathon Scott makes a tremendous leap this coming year. Demulling was a mistake Free Agent hiring at Right Gaurd and we have to hope that the 35 year old Ross Verba can return to form next year after a couple injuries.

This is what I mean about needing to improve their scouting. Ever notice how the same handful of teams always seem to produce high quality talent at certain positions? Being a Broncos fan, for years I've been subjected to "Hell, anybody can run for 1,000 yards behind that O-line". It's true to an extent, but that's because the organization knows how to scout people for that position. It's not perfect (see: 2003 where the Broncos select an offensive tackle with Larry Johnson, Willis McGahee, and Dallas Clark still on the board) but I think it was Jimmy Johnson who taught the league that the best talent doesn't necessarily go in the top 10 of the first round. With the number of top 10 picks the Lions have had over the last decade or so, you'd really think they could be championship material by now. But no, it's always the perennial playoff teams who seem to come away with the best talent. I don't mean the best talent according to Mel Kiper or Matt Mayock. I mean the best talent come opening day leading to the second season (the playoffs). What round did Jake Scott get picked in? :)

He's very unpopular amongst most fanst though.

Most fans are...how can I put this nicely....ignorant. They don't know how important the less hyped positions are. There's a reason most quarterbacks (and running backs now too) buy their O-linemen Rolexes and cars and stuff. They know where their bread is buttered. Your typical fan wouldn't know why speed is at all important in an offensive guard or why a team would draft a 280 lb center over a 320 lb one. Most fans know the 'marquee positions' and that's it.

The bottom line is until the Lions fix the OLine or some players step up, like Scott or Frank Davis, the Lions offense is going to struggle. Kitna had very little time in the pocket last year and KJ was constantly forced to make a move in the backfield. It may not be sexy, but the game of football is won in the trenches, hell, the Colts Offensive Line deserved the MVP more than Manning ever did; especially Right Guard Jake Scott who mauled Urlacher and made him a non-factor at the Line of Scrimmage (Urlachers 11 tackles were mostly made downfield in pursuit). Why teams don't start with the Offensive and Defensive lines kills me; that's why Arizona can't win with one of the top WR groups in the league and a pretty good RB, and it's why the Lions will continue to struggle until it's addressed.

Curious, what round did Jake Scott get drafted in? :) Some teams DO place a heavy emphasis on line play. Not surprisingly, these are the same teams who show up in the playoffs so often, people are actually surprised when they don't make it. These are teams with Super Bowl wins in the current era (some with multiple wins) and/or are expected to have Super Bowl wins in the near future. Also, I'd disagree with your assertion that teams don't start with the lines. That's the only way to explain why people like Damien Woody get top dollar contracts after a modicum of success. People saw him as the anchor of the Patriots' O-line and started throwing money at him. Look at LaCharles Bentley who had success for a LOSING team. They threw money at him too, last year. The problem is, some teams are so desperate for talent, they throw money at the wrong thing. They need to throw money at their scouting departments so the Jake Scotts get discovered before the rich get richer by drafting them.

I think you see my point. The main reason many teams suck every year is because they fail to read between the lines (pun intended) and pin their hopes and dreams on their first round picks. They act like the second through seventh rounds are there for window dressing (though the second round is getting a lot more respect of late). Most fans are the exact same way. I'm pretty much the opposite. I'm more interested in who the Broncos pick in rounds 3-7 than the first two since those are the players who give us the most cap room (signing for far less than 1st and 2nd rounders) and thus, the most bang for the cap buck. The Lions have holes (as does every team) but many of those holes could be plugged with ONE draft class. You heard me. ONE. It might not get them to the Super Bowl but come on, given how weak the NFC is, it's possible. An 8-8 team made it in this year which means the bar isn't nearly as high as it is in the AFC.

[Imarevenant]

They don't want to win, they want to make money.

Yes indeed. This is a fact that Ford Sr. is completely oblivious to. But as long as the season tickets keep selling and concessions get bought up he won’t change. He’s making money with minimal effort and that’s all that matters to him. I can’t wait until Ford Jr. takes over as he’s known to be very unsupportive of Millen and the losing culture surrounding the team.



Lemme ask you a question. In today's NFL, what happens if/when KJ goes down with an injury? Hindsight being 20/20, who's the better #2 pick? Charles Rogers or Larry Johnson? That's what I mean about the Lions being well suited to consider a running back with their second round pick. Yes, they need O-linemen and yes, they have other need areas. But in today's NFL, injuries are a part of everyday life. We've already seen how teams are loading up with two starting caliber quarterbacks. We've seen how two starting caliber running backs can help a great deal as well. Do teams change their schemes when Reggie Bush lines up behind Drew Brees, as opposed to when Deuce is back there? Kevin Jones is extremely talented, yes. But he's not a downhill runner (think: power back in the old vernacular). Plus, it's NEVER a bad thing to have depth at running back.


I know what you’re saying and agree, although bad for fantasy stats, the use of two RB's is a powerful tool to have. I just don’t think Running Back needs to be addressed in the draft unless KJ’s injury is more serious than the Lions are letting out. And the question about his health will be answered in the draft. Whether or not they draft a RB on the first day will tell me and everyone else all we need to know about how KJ is rehabilitating. Personally, I think Calhoun and Shawn Bryson can still be good compliments to KJ and think the draft is needed to address more pressing needs.

As for KJ not being a good downhill runner, I have to disagree with you on that one. Throughout the season he showed that he’s improved considerably at being able to take a hit and carry defenders for a few extra yards.



This is what I mean about needing to improve their scouting. Ever notice how the same handful of teams always seem to produce high quality talent at certain positions? Being a Broncos fan, for years I've been subjected to "Hell, anybody can run for 1,000 yards behind that O-line". It's true to an extent, but that's because the organization knows how to scout people for that position. It's not perfect (see: 2003 where the Broncos select an offensive tackle with Larry Johnson, Willis McGahee, and Dallas Clark still on the board) but I think it was Jimmy Johnson who taught the league that the best talent doesn't necessarily go in the top 10 of the first round. With the number of top 10 picks the Lions have had over the last decade or so, you'd really think they could be championship material by now. But no, it's always the perennial playoff teams who seem to come away with the best talent. I don't mean the best talent according to Mel Kiper or Matt Mayock. I mean the best talent come opening day leading to the second season (the playoffs). What round did Jake Scott get picked in? :)


Believe me I understood you and completely agree. It’s part of what needs to happen with getting rid of Millen. The whole front office is failing this team and it starts at the top. One of the big problems with the Lions is they usually do have great drafts if you go by the Kiper type draft boards. They continually draft players who are slipping down to them in the 2cd, like Boss Bailey, Kalimba Edwards, or Saun Cody, and while it worked in the case of Saun Rogers, for the most part all they’ve gotten in return was injury prone underachieving players. There was a reason those players were slipping right?

The draft sheets of the Kipers and Mayocks have done nothing but cause scouts to get quite lazy, in my opinion. It takes staffs like New Englands’ and Pittsburghs to see through the hype and take the best player for their systems. That’s why the Pats end up taking someone like Logan Mankins, who was at best graded to be a low 2cd or early 3rd round pick, at the end of the first round only to get questioned by a so-called “expert” for reaching.
(Scott was a 4th or 5th round pick btw :D )



Most fans are...how can I put this nicely....ignorant. They don't know how important the less hyped positions are. There's a reason most quarterbacks (and running backs now too) buy their O-linemen Rolexes and cars and stuff. They know where their bread is buttered. Your typical fan wouldn't know why speed is at all important in an offensive guard or why a team would draft a 280 lb center over a 320 lb one. Most fans know the 'marquee positions' and that's it.

I wish it wasn’t but I continually get the suspicion that it is true. I think it’s mainly due to me having worked for almost 6 years with a college football team that it’s hard for me to imagine why fans in general don’t get these things. I’m constantly opposed to most of the people I know who follow the sport, because, things that they aren’t watching for seem completely obvious. I notice that while friends are zoned in on what the QB is doing, I’m busy watching the footwork of linemen and how well receivers are getting off their break. And, this solely has to do with working so closely with coaches and players and soaking in the game through 3 hour practices everyday and while on the sideline during games.


Curious, what round did Jake Scott get drafted in? :) Some teams DO place a heavy emphasis on line play. Not surprisingly, these are the same teams who show up in the playoffs so often, people are actually surprised when they don't make it. These are teams with Super Bowl wins in the current era (some with multiple wins) and/or are expected to have Super Bowl wins in the near future. Also, I'd disagree with your assertion that teams don't start with the lines. That's the only way to explain why people like Damien Woody get top dollar contracts after a modicum of success. People saw him as the anchor of the Patriots' O-line and started throwing money at him. Look at LaCharles Bentley who had success for a LOSING team. They threw money at him too, last year. The problem is, some teams are so desperate for talent, they throw money at the wrong thing. They need to throw money at their scouting departments so the Jake Scotts get discovered before the rich get richer by drafting them.

I’ll retract my position with regards to the Defensive Line, most teams do start here with the defense. However, aside from the Tackle position most teams undervalue the Offensive Line. The big money contracts thrown at the Woody’s and Bentley’s are completely a byproduct of teams just not putting the time and effort into scouting drafting, and developing actual talented Gaurds and Centers. You never see these guys drafted early because they are grossly undervalued. The teams that do a good job of recognizing the strengths in having gaurds that have good footwork and can pull are those we usually see in the playoffs; your Bronco’s, New England, Philly. Other than them, most teams seem to have the idea that anyone can play guard if you put them next to good tackles and it’s these teams that end up having to overspend through free agency. It’s why many teams (Oakland, Tampa, Detroit) have so much trouble running up the middle and establishing a decent ground game.

I wish the Lions were capable of doing something like what the Jets did in the draft last season. They had problems both running and passing, and while most fans and draft “experts” thought the solution would be to take Leinert or try to trade up for Bush they did the smart thing and took a very good Left Tackle and Center. And while the running game still needs some help, the passing game did quite well.


I think you see my point. The main reason many teams suck every year is because they fail to read between the lines (pun intended) and pin their hopes and dreams on their first round picks. They act like the second through seventh rounds are there for window dressing (though the second round is getting a lot more respect of late). Most fans are the exact same way. I'm pretty much the opposite. I'm more interested in who the Broncos pick in rounds 3-7 than the first two since those are the players who give us the most cap room (signing for far less than 1st and 2nd rounders) and thus, the most bang for the cap buck. The Lions have holes (as does every team) but many of those holes could be plugged with ONE draft class. You heard me. ONE. It might not get them to the Super Bowl but come on, given how weak the NFC is, it's possible. An 8-8 team made it in this year which means the bar isn't nearly as high as it is in the AFC.


I believe we agree on much more than we disagree, and like you the 3-5 round are by far the most interesting of the draft for me. I'm quite interested to know what late round picks you'd like to see the Bronco's make actually. As for the Lions, while I do believe it is within the realm of possiblity for the Lions to improve significantly with this draft and free agency period, I have no faith in Millen and co. to do so. About the only person I have any faith in is Mike Martz, and that scares me.

[Trashbear]

Too many teams like to make sexy picks in the draft or pickup someone hot in free agency (Dan Snyder) but neglect the offensive line. As I have always said...think of your team like a car. You've got the running back, which is like a set of tires. You've got the wide outs, which are the flash and sizzle on your car, the spoilers, the fins, the trim, and maybe even your nitrous boosters if you have a nice import tuner. You've got your quarterback, who is of course the driver. But the engine is your offensive line and if your engine craps out then you ain't going anywhere brother. Now, if you take the best driver in the world, put him in a car that looks phenomenal and has a sweet set of high-performance tires on it but forget to put an engine in the car, how far is that car going to go? The Texans need an offensive line like Ric Flair needs a cardiologist, but they picked Mario Williams instead of D'Brickashaw Ferguson because he was a sexier pick. Everyone likes d-linemen and the sacks and pass rushes, but no one except people who understand the game like things like blocking ratios a Sacks Prented Indexes. Give me a top flight Left Tackle over just about any other position.

[PoisonedSuperman]

The thing about drafting D'Brickashaw Ferguson is althought he was great in college and he was good last year, too many times in the past have teams picked offensive lineman high in the draft and they turned into bust. Look at Robert Gallary, he's terrible but since he was a top 5 pick he's getting paid crazy amounts of money. My Bills took Mike Williams a few years ago, he turned out to be trash.

With everyone talking about the Lions in here, I was hoping the lions would of took Williams that here so we could of got Harrington but now it doesn't mattar as they both suck. Even though Joey was my favorite college QB of all time.

[Imarevenant]

The thing about drafting D'Brickashaw Ferguson is althought he was great in college and he was good last year, too many times in the past have teams picked offensive lineman high in the draft and they turned into bust. Look at Robert Gallary, he's terrible but since he was a top 5 pick he's getting paid crazy amounts of money. My Bills took Mike Williams a few years ago, he turned out to be trash.

With everyone talking about the Lions in here, I was hoping the lions would of took Williams that here so we could of got Harrington but now it doesn't mattar as they both suck. Even though Joey was my favorite college QB of all time.


This happens with every position though, so I don’t know why you would single out the Offensive Line. Just an example, looking at the top 5 picks in the draft from 1999-2003, you’ll see various busts.

Charles Rogers
Joey Harrington
Gerard Warren
Courtney Brown
Peter Warrick
Tim Couch
Akili Smith
Ryan Leaf
Curtis Enis

All these guys made a ton of money, just because of where they were drafted, and contributed little to the teams that drafted them. Busts are just part of the draft process they are going to happen no matter what the position, you just have to hope that the scouts and team management have done a well enough job to stay away from these guys. And judging from this quick list the Lions Bengals and Browns sure failed at this :eek: