The American
New York Jets
1. Rex Ryan is focused on defense. Most of the draft was spent on defense, and at their AFC championship-contending best, defense was the reason they were there. 2. There’s life beyond Revis Island. Darrelle Revis is gone, but the DBs played fine when he was injured in 2012 and they added Dee Milliner. 3. The offense never was much good. Sanchez was, even in the good years, no better than solid. Last year, fully distracted, he was horrible. The Jets still started 3-3 (almost 4-3) before an injury-torn WR corps dumped them to a 6-10 record.
Buffalo Bills
1. A fresh start at coach. Chan Gailey felt like a stop-gap. Doug Marrone feels like a direction, and an offenseminded coach for a team with... 2. A fresh start at QB. The cutting of Tarvaris Jackson this month illustrates the Bills are happy with Kolb v EJ Manuel for the start. Don’t doubt it: EJ is the guy. And we saw last year how good rookie QBs can change the NFL landscape in a heartbeat. 3. A maximized CJ Spiller. I wanted to say Robert Woods here because the rookie WR is going to have impact, but Spiller is a fantasy ‘must’ for the season. He gave way at odd times to Fred Jackson last year, but Marrone will emphasize the better athlete for 2000+ combined yards.
Oakland Raiders
1. It’s Matt Flynn or it’s Tyler Wilson. If Flynn doesn’t show plenty of what he teased back in Green Bay, Wilson will be given an early shot... and the Arkansas alum might be the first real fit the Raiders have had in years. 2. The secondary. In a division with Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers, an overhauled secondary will help.
Mike Jenkins, Charles Woodson and Tracy Porter arrive, and if rookie DJ Hayden’s ongoing injury complications straighten out, Oakland are set. 3. New focus. Parting company with Rolando McClain, Darrius HeywardBey, even Carson Palmer all draws a line under costly moves of the past.
Zach Ertz to Brent Celek at TE. 3. The pieces might jell this time. Many of the big signings of the past two years just didn’t settle. The likes of LB Connor Barwin, NT Isaac Sopoaga and SS Patrick Chung all point to solid play and a team mentality.
Cleveland Browns
1. Megatron. Calvin Johnson almost hit 2000 yards in a down year for TDs. 2. The defensive line is still fierce ...and now younger at DE. Rookie Ezekiel Ansah and ex-Seahawk Jason Jones join the cast of QB-blasters. 3. Strength of schedule. The Lions have one of the easiest non-division slates. Even the Bears and Vikings look like wobbly divisional rivals.
1. The coaches. Rob Chudzinski, a former hit as Browns OC, returns as head coach, but Ray Horton (DC) and Norv Turner (OC) were nice hires too. 2. The pass rush will be better. Ex-Raven LB Paul Kruger arrives, they used the no.6 pick on LSU’s Barkevious Mingo, plus ex-Raider DL Desmond Bryant brings inside pressure. 3. Brandon Weeden. It’s only been one year with Weeden, and his age creates impatience, but he could really click with Norv Turner.
Tennessee Titans
1. The line. Andy Levitre arrives from Buffalo and FSU’s Chance Warmack was drafted for the other guard position. Results should be immediate. 2. The line... helps the run game. Chris Johnson was a 2000 yard rusher in 2009, Shonn Greene a 1000-yarder the past two seasons. 3. The line... helps Jake Locker. Rookie Justin Hunter is added to his targets, and Locker has to start finding them for the Titans to progress.
Philadelphia Eagles
1. Chip Kelly’s offense may not look as wild and wacky as it did in college, but the freshness of it will still give defenses fits to begin with. 2. The skill positions are loaded. If the O-line can just find something, there’s Michael Vick, DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin outside, LeSean McCoy and Bryce Brown in the backfield, and they added rookie
Detroit Lions
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1. They weren’t so bad in 2012. Yes, last in their division, but a 7-9 record, and a points difference of minus-5. 2. They’re equipped to man cover. They drafted CB Johnthan Banks, traded for Darrelle Revis, and signed ex-49ers safety Dashon Goldson. 3. Now or never for Josh Freeman. They also drafted Mike Glennon. A shot across the bow for Freeman to put it all together this season.
Arizona Cardinals
1. Another new regime. Bruce Arians brings assistant coach Tom Moore and OC Harold Goodwin (formerly Colts OL coach) with him from Indy. 2. Carson Palmer = stability. Palmer is no longer a headline act, but he’s a genuine starter while the Cards have been a smudge at QB for a while. 3. Closer games. A change to a 3-4 base defense, the bolstering of the secondary with Antoine Cason and Yeremiah Bell, and the arrival of steady runner Rashard Mendenhall means the Cards at least will stay in touch in games in 2013. H
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