NFL Quick Thoughts Through Week 12

AFC Teams Squarely In The Playoff Picture (11 teams): New England Patriots (9-3), Miami Dolphins (6-5), Buffalo Bills (6-5), Cincinnati Bengals (7-3-1), Pittsburgh Steelers, (7-4), Cleveland Browns (7-4), Baltimore Ravens (7-4), Indianapolis Colts (7-4), Denver Broncos (8-3), Kansas City Chiefs (7-4), San Diego Chargers (7-4)

AFC Teams Out Of The Playoff Picture (5 teams): New York Jets (2-9), Houston Texans (5-6), Tennessee Titans (2-9), Jacksonville Jaguars (1-10), Oakland Raiders (1-10)

NFC Teams Still In The Playoff Picture (10 teams): Philadelphia Eagles (8-3), Dallas Cowboys (8-3), Green Bay Packers (8-3), Detroit Lions (7-4), New Orleans Saints (4-7), Atlanta Falcons (4-7), Carolina Panthers (3-7-1), Arizona Cardinals (9-2), Seattle Seahawks (7-4), San Francisco 49ers (7-4)

NFC Teams Out Of The Playoff Picture (6 teams): New York Giants (3-8), Washington Redskins (3-8), Chicago Bears (5-6), Minnesota Vikings (4-7), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-9), St. Louis Rams (4-7)

Clearly, there is still a whole lot to be determined in the NFL despite nearly three quarters of the season having already been played. Here are some quick thoughts through week 12 of the NFL year:

The New England Patriots Are Really Hot:

In the Patriots 42-20 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in week 11, undrafted third year running back Jonas Gray, who never even started at Notre Dame in four years and did not have a single rushing touchdown in his career, rushed for 201 yards and 4 touchdowns. Granted, Gray ran against a Colts defense that has been susceptible to the running game for seemingly 15 years since the days of Peyton Manning (remember that in the playoff game between these two teams last year, the Pats rattled off 234 yards and 6 touchdowns on the ground to advance to the AFC Championship Game). Nonetheless, out of seemingly nowhere, Gray became the third Patriot to run for 200 yards in a game, joining only Jim Nance and Tony Collins, who did so in 1966 against the Raiders and 1983 versus the Jets respectively, became the 5th running back in the last 45 years to have 200 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns in a game along with Barry Sanders in 1991, Corey Dillion in 1997, Mike Anderson in 2000, Doug Martin in 2008, and the first player to score his first four touchdowns all in one game since Herb Henderson in 1921. So what did Belichick and the Patriots do in week 12, they benched Gray after he was late to practice and then proceeded to pound on the once NFC North leading Detroit Lions, who have one of the best defenses in all of football, 34-9 in Foxborough. The Patriots, who are riding a 7-game winning streak since they were plumbed by the Chiefs on Monday Night Football on September 29th, could do anything right now and it would work out perfectly because that is how things are going in New England. Now, let's get one thing straight. I'm sure Belichick loved to show the world that he can do anything he wants and still get a victory, and simultaneously making thousands of fantasy owners thoroughly upset while he was at it must have been a nice added bonus for the smug coach. However, if the Pats thought that they absolutely needed Gray to win the game, he would have been on the field regardless of any internal disciplinary protocol. For example, Darrelle Revis was late to practice on October 21st, but Revis was out there on the following Sunday because they needed him to match up against Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall. The Pats were fine without Gray playing after their acquisition of power back LeGarrette Blount, who ran for 78 yards and 2 touchdowns against Detroit, and Shane Vereen catching the ball out of the backfield. The Patriots are one of those teams where the system is bigger than a majority of its parts. With Gray coming back into the fold next week against the Packers, the Patriots should continue their dominance running the football.

The change in the play of the Patriots has been striking. At one time, New England was a very unconvincing 5-2 heading into a stretch at home against Chicago and Denver, at Indy, home against Detroit, on the road at Green Bay and San Diego, and then home against Miami (teams at this point that have a combined record of 48-29 and five of which are in position to be in the playoffs). Many Pats fans would have taken a record of 9-5 after that brutal stretch, one of the toughest in the NFL this year, and yet New England has played its best football since its Super Bowl run in 2011 with four straight 21 point victories against the Bears, Broncos, Colts, and Lions, matching a record they set back in 2007. The Patriots are now sitting at 9-2 as they head into the tail end of their difficult schedule, and laughable articles about Jimmy Garappolo replacing Brady and there being friction in the Pats front office about Garappolo taking over the starting job can be put to bed forever. Rob Gronkowski returning to full health and looking like the Gronk from 2011 has been a major factor, if not the main reason, behind the Pats return to dominance on the offensive side of the football. The Gronk that is just punishing teams over the middle of the field with seam routes and blocking guys out of bounds with no regard for humanity and not looking limited coming off his ACL/MCL right knee injury has finally returned to New England over the past couple of weeks. After understandably not getting too many reps in the early part of the season and not having a game with at least 45 yards in the Pats 3-2 start, Gronk had 100 yards and a touchdown against the Bengals, 149 and 3 touchdowns versus the Bears (the first tight end with those numbers since Shannon Sharpe in 1996), 105 and a touchdown against the Broncos, and 71 and a touchdown against the Colts.

This is what I wrote about Gronk before the season. "Gronk has been limited in practice and will likely take some time to come back and return to his normal self, but the Pats really need the big tight end for the stretch run and the postseason more than anything else. His addition to New England's offense is so important and cannot be understated because of his value to Brady in unlocking defenses over the middle and in the red zone especially. At 6-6, Gronk is such a big body that it is almost impossible to get in front of him when he runs those inside seam routes and crossing routes over the center of the field, and with the new NFL rules, you also can't hit him up high to jar the ball loose (if you can't hit high, you have to hit low and remember T.J. Ward, now of the Denver Broncos, cost Gronk the end of his season last year when he got him down in the knees, the only spot you can hit now without getting flagged for unnecessary contact; thanks Roger Goodell). New England had a 58.11 red zone touchdown percentage in 2013-2014, which was still good enough for 8th in the NFL, but with Tom Brady at QB, only in 2009 did they have a lower touchdown success rate between the 20 and the goal line in the last 10 years and that had a lot to do with Gronk's absence. Clearly, in the red zone everything is compressed, so it is harder for smaller guys like Edelman and Amendola to find space and open field because everything is so clustered, and the two combined for just 8 touchdowns last season. New England dearly missed having the big body of Gronk to throw to up high in the red zone when things got tight and there were not as many open windows to throw to underneath. With Gronk returning, it gives Brady a dynamic option in the red zone and when he is under pressure and needs to get rid of the ball because of Gronk's ability to out muscle any defender whether it be a bigger but slower linebacker or a quicker but smaller safety (unless it is Kam Chancellor because he is just huge). It will also create more room for guys like Amendola, Dobson, and Thompkins to go down the field with all of the attention that Gronk's presence down the middle of the field deservedly creates (his presence off the field also seemingly creates a lot of notice amongst people, but that is for another time)."

If you look at the presence that Gronk has had for New England over their winning streak, he is as big a reason as any for why Tom Brady has suddenly played so much better since some of his struggles in the beginning of the year. The Patriots lead the NFL in red zone touchdown scores per game because of just how good Gronk and his big body is between the 20 and the goal line. Not only can Gronk box guys out because of his superior size and make plays in the red zone, but he commands so much attention and double teams from opposing defenses that it allows other guys to get free for Brady. For example, in the game against the Lions this past weekend, Tim Wright was able to catch two wide open touchdowns because Detroit put so many bodies on Gronk and the Pats used him as a decoy for Brady. The Pats have also begun to welcome opposing wide receivers to Revis island, which is now looking like one of the best signings of the off-season because he looks like the shutdown Revis from back in 2010 and 2011 (other great NFL off-season signings have been Golden Tate for Detroit, Emmanuel Sanders for the Broncos, Henry Melton for Dallas, Brandon Flowers for San Diego, and Branden Albert to sure up the offensive line in Miami). New England has shown that they can run the football (week two against the Vikings, week 5 against the Benglas, week 11 versus the Colts), throw the football (week 6 versus the Bills, week 8 against the Bears, week 12 versus the Lions), and shut teams down when their offense isn't clicking (week 3 against the Raiders), but like all Patriots teams since their dynasty began in 2001, it is all about the postseason. As long as Gronk stays healthy, this is as dangerous as we have seen the Pats in a couple of years.

The NFC South Is Really Bad and the AFC North Is Really Good:

Remember when we thought the 2010 NFC West was bad? The NFC South makes that division look like the 2000-2001 NBA Western Conference because the Saints, Falcons, Panthers, and Buccaneers are all really bad teams. The NFC South is so bad that the Bucs, who are 2-9, second to last in the NFC in points scored, tied for second to last in the conference in points against, and lost 56-14 to the Atlanta Falcons in week 3, are just two games behind the 4-7 Saints and Falcons in the division (the Jets are 2-9 and mathematically eliminated from the playoffs and the Bucs are actually right there in the playoff hunt somehow). The NFC South is so bad that the the Saints are tied for the division lead and have only had a worse 11 game start to a season when they were 3-8 back in 2005 in the Katrina year on their way to a 3-13 season. The NFC South is so bad that the Atlanta Falcons are 4-0 in divisional games (beat the Saints, Bucs twice, and Panthers) and 0-7 against all other teams in the NFL (loss to the Bengals, Vikings, Giants, Bears, Ravens, Lions, and Browns). The NFC south is so bad that the Panthers have not had a victory in their last 6 games (tie against the Bengals and losses to the Packers, Seahawks, Saints, Eagles, and Falcons), their longest such streak since they lost 7 in a row in their 2-14 year in 2010, and are just a game and a half out of the division lead. The NFC South is 1-10-1 against the AFC North, the AFC division that each of their teams are playing, and 4-7 against the NFC North, the NFC division that each of their teams are playing. Overall, the putrid division is 6-23-1 in out of divisional games, which is on pace to set the mark for the second worst out of division record behind the 2008 NFC West. Hopefully, the horrible NFC South winner will show the NFL that each of the divisional winners should not be guaranteed to host a playoff game, especially when a possible 6-10 Saints or Falcons is hosting a 11-5 Cowboys or Seahawks.

As their records would indicate, the Saints, Falcons, Panthers, and Buccaneers have each run into some very significant problems this season. New Orleans, which cut defensive end Will Smith and cornerback Jabari Greer, let linebacker Jonathan Vilma go, and lost safeties Malcom Jenkins and Roman Harper to the Eagles and Panthers respectively in the-offseason, is 27th in the league in opponents passing yards per game. In a Rob Ryan defense that loves to blitz five or six guys and keep their corners and safeties in single coverage, the Saints have not gotten the secondary play from Keenan Lewis, Corey White, Kenny Vaccaro, and Jamarca Sanford to substantiate their blitz heavy scheme. Drew Bress has also thrown 11 interceptions through 11 games, which has put the Saints in the bottom 5 of the NFL in turnover differential at -9 with the Redskins, Jaguars, Jets, and Raiders, all of whom are terrible teams. The Falcons have played exactly as you would expect from a Mike Smith coached team and found more ways to lose close games than most people would think is humanly possible. In their loss to the Browns this past week, Mike Smith inexplicably stopped the clock by calling a timeout with 55 seconds left before a third down play, which allowed the Browns to keep all three of their timeouts and mount a drive to set up a Billy Cundiff game-winning field goal as time expired. When Smith was asked about calling the timeout he said, "They [Cleveland] would have used the timeout if we hadn't," so why not save Cleveland and Mike Pettine the trouble and take the timeout for them right? In Carolina, meanwhile, Cam Newton is getting hit as we speak, as the former Auburn quarterback seems to be consistently under more pressure than anybody not named RGIII. Newton has been sacked 33 times this season, which is tied for the 5th most in the NFL, and was highlighted when the Eagles got to Cam 9 times on Monday Night Football back in week 10. The Panthers have used so many different offensive line combinations this year with injuries to left guard Amini Silatolu, left tackle Byron Bell, and right guard Trai Turner that it has killed Newton. Finally, the Bucs have been a complete mess on both sides of the football from the beginning of the season and have had few bright spots outside of dynamic rookie wide receiver Mike Evans. Can things get any worse for this disaster of a division? Well, Mike Smith could continue to mess up late game situations with his horrid clock management, Lovie Smith could keep on relying on the Tampa 2 defense, the Panthers could continue to allow Cam Newton to get beat up, and the Saints could continue to lose games at home (they have lost three in a row after not losing in New Orleans in a year), which means they wouldn't be able to get any victories at all with their road history.

Meanwhile, the AFC North is the exact opposite of the NFC South, and is reminiscent of the rugged 2013 NFC West. All four of the teams in the North are at least three games above .500 and while the Ravens, Steelers, and Bengals have been three of NFL's most consistent teams over the past decade, the emergence of the Cleveland Browns has made the AFC North really solid from top to bottom. The AFC North is the first division since the 1935 Western Division with the Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, and Chicago Cardinals to have a point in the season where all four of the teams are at least two games above .500. The Bengals, Steelers, Ravens, and Browns are an incredible 20-7-1 in out of division games, and all have positive point differentials, which only the 2007 NFC East and 2008 NFC South have accomplished for an entire season over the past 13 years. In fact, the AFC North's out of division winning percentage above .700 has only been done by seven divisions since the merger back in 1970, which is such an impressive mark. While none of the four teams in the AFC North are as imposing as the Patriots, Broncos, and likely even the Colts, it has the most depth of any division in recent NFL history with all their teams at 7 victories on the season through 12 weeks.

For the fourth straight year with Andy Dalton at quarterback, the Bengals have been able to rack up a lot of wins in the regular season. Cincinnati, who has not won a playoff game since they beat the old Houston Oilers in 1990, are really balanced on offense and are pretty sound on defense although they could use a better pass rush from players other than Carlos Dunlap (the Bengals have 14 sacks through 12 games, which is tied for 30th in the NFL and only ahead of the deplorable Raiders). Highlighted by right tackle Andre Smith, the Bengals rock solid offensive line has prevented Dalton from getting pressured on more passes than any other quarterback in the league and has helped their power running game with Jeremy Hill and the more shifty Giovani Bernard. The reason why a really average quarterback like Dalton has been able to be so successful in the regular season and a QB like Cam Newton has struggled so mightily is that Dalton's weapons, specifically his line and athletic wide receivers A.J. Green and Mohamed Sanu, are at the top of the entire NFL. Meanwhile, Cleveland, who are off to their best start since 2007, have looked nothing like the Browns of old, which is a very good thing, because of their great secondary play. Joe Haden is one of the best four cornerbacks in the league with Patrick Peterson, Revis, and Richard Sherman, and Buster Skrine has really come along despite teams throwing at him so often because of their fear of Haden. The Browns acquisition of big hitting safety Donte Whitner, has also allowed Tashaun Gipson the freedom to roam the field and follow the quarterbacks eyes on passing plays, which is why he leads the NFL in interceptions (the last safety to lead the NFL in picks outright was Ed Reed back in 2010). The Ravens have gotten through the entire Ray Rice mess that was brought about by the despicable actions of Rice himself, but also the incompetence of Roger Goodell and preserved to a 7-4 start to the season (I'm holding back on any Goodell hate although it is so tempting). Baltimore has not really excelled in any one facet of the game, but they have been above average on both offense and defense and are 5-0 against teams that are under .500. Steve Smith seems to be revitalized in his move to Baltimore despite changing teams for the first time after 13 years with Carolina, and has already had four games with at least 85 yards and a touchdown. Smith may not have the explosiveness he once did back in 2005 when he led the league in receptions, receiving touchdowns, and receiving yards, but he is still as tough and feisty as any player in the NFL. Elvis Dumervil's 10.5 sacks are the third most in the NFL and Will Hill, who endured so many off the field problems while with the Giants, has been a nice addition to a Ravens secondary that lost Aaron Ross for the season to a torn Achilles and Jimmy Smith to foot surgery. Finally, the Steelers have been really tough to figure out this year, as they demolished the Colts and Ravens in back-to-back weeks but have also suffered losses to the Bucs and Jets. They also were caught falling a little too in love with the passing game, which is justifiable when Big Ben throws for 12 touchdown passes in 2 weeks and Antonio Brown is second in the league in receiving yards, but they remembered in the second half against the Titans that their true identity is running the football (Le'Veon Bell finished that game with 204 yards and a touchdown).

The Dallas Cowboys Have By Far The Best Offensive Line In Football:

With the best tackle in football in Joe Thomas on their offensive line, the Browns have provided some really nice protection in the pocket for Brian Hoyer, which has allowed him to step up in the pocket and make some big throws down the field to streaking receivers. In Baltimore, with two of the best guards in football in Marshal Yanda and Kelechi Osemele and the quick Eugene Monroe at left tackle, Joe Flacco has been sacked just 14 times in 12 games for the Ravens, which is tied for the 4th fewest in the NFL, because of team's inability to get interior pressure on him (that says something because Flacco is possibly the slowest quarterback in the NFL aside from Tom Brady and the Manning brothers). The Seahawks offensive line highlighted by Max Unger and Russell Okung has opened up huge holes for Marshawn Lynch to run through in Seattle, which is why the Seahawks lead the NFL in rushing yards and rushing yards per carry. Phillip Rivers is third in the NFL in completion percentage in large part because of the time that his tackles D.J. Fluker and King Dunlap have given him to pick out Antonio Gates, Keenan Allen, and Malcolm Floyd, and Eddie Royal. Finally, there has been a resurgence in New England because of the consistency of their offensive line to give Brady time in the pocket to pick out his receivers down the field, which has been. However, the Dallas Cowboys offensive line of Tyron Smith at left tackle, Ronald Leary at left guard, Travis Frederick at center, Zack Martin at right guard, and Doug Free at left tackle is by far the best offensive line in the NFL, which is something we never thought we would have said about the Cowboys a few years ago when Romo was getting hit on almost every dropback and they couldn't get a running game going.

Obviously, having a great quarterback is the biggest factor in the success of a team because you almost always need a great QB to win a Super Bowl (I understand that Brad Johnson, Jeff Hostetler, Trent Dilfer, and Mark Rypien won Super Bowls, but you almost always need a top quarterback to get through the grind of the playoffs). However, the quarterback is the most dependent position in sports, and offensive lines in football are typically the strongest determinant of a team's ability to move the ball down the field because games are played from the inside-out starting in the trenches. Having an extra second to throw the ball in the pocket or going 3.5 yards before contact on running plays rather than 2.2 yards is often the difference between a playoff club and a team that is watching in January. The improvement in the offensive line of the Dallas Cowboys has enabled them more than anything else to a mark of 8-3 through 12 weeks, and a win away from not finishing at .500 for the fourth straight season since 2011 (last season, the Cowboys joined the 1983-1985 Green Bay Packers and the 1996-1998 Houston Oilers as the only team's to have three straight seasons with the same number of wins and losses). The dominance of the Cowboys offensive line has allowed DeMarco Murray to lead the league in running yards per game (123.1), first down runs (65), and rushing yards (1,354), and has put him on pace to pass Eric Dickerson in terms of total yards in a season. Tony Romo has only been sacked 21 times through 12 games, which is the 4th fewest in the NFC, and the Cowboys have only allowed more than two sacks once in their last 9 games (in comparison, Matthew Stafford has been sacked 33 times this season). When the Cowboys were trailing 28-24 with 3 minutes left in the fourth quarter and went down the field on their game-winning touchdown drive, Tony Romo was literally given all day to stand in the pocket and pick out his receivers. Granted, what was once a real strong point for the Giants defense during their two Super Bowl runs has turned into a major weakness, as New York has the 4th worst pass rush in the NFL in terms of sack numbers. However, what Dallas's offensive line did to the Giants was so impressive nonetheless, especially on the touchdown throw to Dez Bryant when Romo was allowed to survey the field for 7 or 8 seconds, grab dinner, date Candice Crawford, Jessica Simpson, and Carrie Underwood, and then toss the TD.

The centerpiece of the Cowboys offensive line is left tackle Tyron Smith, who is the best tackle in the NFL not named Joe Thomas. Taken with the 9th pick in the loaded 2011 draft out of USC (the Cowboys highest pick for an offensive lineman since they took John Niland with the fifth overall selection back in 1966), Smith is a monster in pass protection with his good hands and in run blocking for DeMarco Murray. He dominated Jason-Pierre Paul a few nights ago and held Robert Quinn, Chris Clemons, and Cliff Avril without a sack against the Rams, Jaguars, and Seahawks respectively. In the 2014 NFL Draft, as enticing as it would have been if the Cowboys selected Johnny Manziel with Tony Romo coming off back surgery, Jerry Jones did the prudent thing (who would ever thought we would say that) and took offensive guard Zack Martin out of Notre Dame to solidify the final piece of their ascending offensive line. It was just the third time since 1967 that the Cowboys had taken an offensive lineman in the first round with Howard Richards in 1981 and Smith in 2011 being the others (in comparison, the Rams have used the same number of first round picks on offensive linemen since 2005 alone with Alex Barron, Jason Smith, and Greg Robinson and the Packers and Bears have used 11 first rounders on the O-line since 1967). The Cowboys pick of Martin showed their shrewd emphasis on creating a dominant offensive line, which has paid off in the form of 8 wins and 3 losses through 12 weeks.

Top 10 Most Intriguing NFL Games

The release of the NFL schedule has become its own holiday, as the gaiety surrounding the unfolding of the pro football slate leaves fans in presentiment over the season to come. There are a few things about this year's schedule that are very conspicuous, including the multitude of players returning to their old stomping grounds, and the prodigious number of impressive prime time matchups. While the NFL is very unpredictable, it appears as if the schedule sets up very well for the Chargers, Cowboys, and Steelers. Meanwhile, the Saints, Packers, and 49ers all figure to have a much more rigorous regular season slate. Here are 10 NFL regular season games that should be amongst the most fascinating of the year:

Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos in Week 1:

The anticipation for the first game of the NFL season is a unique phenomenon. After nearly 7 months without an NFL game (not counting the preseason as an official contest), the opening kickoff is a sight that all football fans so desperately welcome. However, the opening night of the NFL will have a little different feel this season. First, due to a scheduling conflict with the Baltimore Orioles and Major League Baseball, the Ravens will not open up the 2013-2014 season at M&T Bank Stadium. The defending Super Bowl Champions have hosted the NFL kickoff game every year since 2004, but due to traffic and parking issues that would have been created if the Orioles and Ravens both had home games, the Ravens will head to Denver in week 1. The game will also feel a little abnormal because of how different the Baltimore Ravens will look on both sides of the ball. The Ravens were depleted in the offseason, as the team lost center Matt Birk (retirement), wide receiver Anquan Boldin (traded to 49ers), middle linebacker and team leader Ray Lewis (retirement), linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (signed by the Dolphins), outside linebacker Paul Kruger (signed by the Browns), cornerback Cary Williams (signed by the Eagles), safety Ed Reed (signed by the Texans), and safety Bernard Pollard (cut and later singed by the Titans). However, Baltimore did add pass rusher Elvis Dumervil, who will open up his 2013 campaign against his former team, along with safety Michael Huff, who will have his work cut out for him against the great Peyton Manning.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Jets in Week 1:

Oh how serendipitous this week 1 game has turned out to be. No offense to either the Bucs or the Jets, but typically a matchup between these two out of conference teams doesn't conjure up to much excitement or emotion. However, the Revis saga in New York has finally come to a conclusion, as the Jets traded the all-pro corner to who else but their week 1 opponent, Tampa Bay, for the 13th pick in this year's draft and a 2014 conditional pick. Revis, who signed a 6-year, 96 million dollar deal with the Bucs, will try to revamp a Tampa Bay secondary that ranked dead last in passing yards allowed per game in 2012. Along with newly acquired safety Dashon Goldson, who signed a 5-year, 41.25 million dollar deal in the offseason, the Bucs are hoping to fill up gaps that were wide open for opposing quarterbacks last season. However, for Revis, his return to New York will be more than just about improving his new team's secondary; it will be about showing the Jets his dissatisfaction with how he perceived he was treated in the form of a shutdown defensive performance. Revis was very frustrated with New York's handling of his trade rumors, and their unwillingness to comply with some of his demands concerning his injury. Thus, when he visits MetLife Stadium, Revis will be looking for personal revenge, which should provide a thrilling contest between two teams that may not even be in playoff contention come January.

Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Redskins in Week 1:

The Eagles-Redskins week 1 divisional matchup on Monday Night Football has two main headlines that will both prove to be very compelling. First, football fans around the country are fascinated to see what Chip Kelly has in store with his innovative and inventive offensive schemes. The former Oregon head coach likes to run his hurry-up offense, which creates havoc for defenses that have difficulty containing the speed and pace of their opponents. The Eagles certainty have very dangerous weapons, which fit quite nicely into Kelly's offense, as he will use the quickness of LaSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, and Jeremy Maclin to spread out defenses and exploit any holes deep in the secondary. Kelly's up-tempo style has never been seen before in the NFL, so coaches around the league will be watching to see how his offense will fare against a defense that ranked 5th in the league in rushing yards allowed per game last season. The other major storyline is obviously Robert Griffin III, and whether he will be able to return for the opening week of the season a little more than 8 months after tearing his ACL in the team's playoff loss to the Seahawks. If the gifted QB is able to play in week 1, all eyes will be on his mobility. Although RGIII can certainty be a very proficit pocket passer, his athleticism gives him an added dimension that is so difficult to account for defensively. If Griffin lacks the quickness that he possessed before the surgery, it could attenuate his unique ability to allude defenders and make plays with his feet.

Denver Broncos at New York Giants in Week 2:

Any time that two brothers rise up to play at the highest level of professional sports, it creates a unique interest amongst fans who are struck by the fortune of theses siblings. Whether it is the Lopez twins of the NBA or the Upton brothers of the MLB, relatives reaching the apex of sports is a very attractive commodity. However, when two brothers have combined to win 3 of the past 7 Super Bowls and are future hall of famers, it reaches a whole new level of fascination. Although Eli and Peyton have admitted that they are uncomfortable playing against each other, the Manning battle will be one of the most watched NFL games all season long. In their two previous meetings, Peyton has come out the victor in each occasion. In 2006, Peyton and his Colts knocked off Eli and the Giants 26-21 and in 2010, Peyton topped Eli once again in a 38-14 blowout. From now until their week 2 battle, Peyton and Eli will both be fielding a lot of questions about facing off against one another. However, while it is such a cliche, the game will come down to Peyton and the Broncos offense against the Giants defense and Eli and the Giants offense against the Broncos defense. Nonetheless, a Manning duel is good for the NFL and for its fans; just maybe not the best thing for the Manning family.

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks in Week 2:

Before Jim Harbaugh came to San Francisco and before the Seahawks were blessed to have Russell Wilson fall in their laps, the NFC West was the laughing-stock of the NFL. From 2004 to 2011, the NFC West never had more than one team with a record better than .500 and in 2010 the Seahawks became the first team to ever win a divison despite having a sub .500 record. However, coming into the 2013 NFL season, by many accounts, the two best teams in the NFL reside in the NFC West. Not only do the 49ers and Seahawks have rock solid defenses to go along with their huge offensive lines and fearless running backs, but they also have dynamic duel threat quarterbacks in Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson that can single-handedly propel their team to a victory. As if having top 5 defenses in 2012 wasn't good enough, both teams drastically improved in the offseason on the other side of the ball. The Seahawks made a very daring move by acquiring Percy Harvin from the Vikings and then signing him to a new 6-year, 67 million dollar contract. Although Harvin's toughness and willingness to persevere through difficult stretches has been questioned, there is no doubt that the offensive speedster is a very unique and talented wide out when on the field. San Francisco also made a significant upgrade with the acquisition of Anquan Boldin, who was arguably the biggest reason behind the Ravens Super Bowl run last season. Boldin's matchup with Seattle corners Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner could be the determining factor in the team's first divisional matchup in Seattle.

Kansas City Chiefs at Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3:

Eagles fans are notorious for their nature to become disgruntled with not only the opposing team, but with their own team. The booing and petulance of the Philadelphia fan base is sometimes seen as vile and iniquitous, and former head coach Andy Reid was at the end of many of those taunts, specifically towards the end of his tenure with the Birds when the team failed to make the playoffs two straight years. When Andy Reid returns to Lincoln Financial Field, this time as coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, the reaction from the Eagles crowd should be very interesting. There are some supporters of Reid who have very fond memories of all the Eagles accomplished with him at the helm. In 14 seasons with the team, Reid led the Eagles to the playoffs 9 times (2000-2004, 2006, 2008-2010). Philly also reached the NFC Championship game 5-times including four in a row from 2001 to 2004. However, there are some fans who refuse to forgive Reid for his numerous errors in terms of clock management in late game situations, and that are still very bitter that the Eagles never won a championship despite all of the great teams that Reid had at his disposal. Chip Kelly's arrival in Philadelphia, along with the addition of Alex Smith in Kansas City, has given both clubs a reason to look forward to a positive season, but for one game, there will be a lot of looking back.

Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts in Week 7:

For 14 incredible years, Peyton Manning was the Colts and the Colts were Peyton Manning. While Indy obviously had other legendary superstars like Edgerrin James, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Dwight Freeney, Manning meant more to the Colts than any other quarterback to a team in NFL history. Just look at 2011 when the Colts, without Manning due to his neck surgery, went 2-14, the team's fewest wins since they went 1-15 in 1991. The city of Indianapolis was so devoted to Manning that ticket sales were originally down for the beginning of last season due to people's resentment that the Colts let Manning go. The former number 1 pick was held in such high reverence from the Colt faithful that it was difficult for many to move on. While Andrew Luck more than proved last season that he is worthy of all the praise he has received, there will always be a special place in Indy for Peyton. Although it will be very difficult for Manning to play against his former club, the affection from the fans for all Manning accomplished with the team will be a spectacle to see. There have only been a few times in the history of sports that a superstar of the same ilk as Manning has returned to the city he once patrolled in another uniform. Thus, the matchup between the Broncos and Colts will not only be a high quality football game between two playoff teams from last season, but it will also be a matchup with unique emotion.

New England Patriots at Houston Texans in Week 13:

There is really no way around this statement: the Patriots absolutely owned the Houston Texans last season. In their regular season matchup in Foxborough, the Patriots clubbered the Texans 42-14. When the same two teams met in the Divisonal Round of the AFC Playoffs, the Patriots dominated once again at Gillette Stadium, this time coming out on top 41-28 in a game that wasn't even as close as the score indicates. In both contests, Tom Brady picked apart the Texans defense, which instead of mixing up coverages, continued to rely on man-to-man defensive schemes. Despite the fact that Johnathan Joseph and Danieal Manning are all-pro secondary players, it is a very perilous plan to play one coverage against a quarterback of the caliber of Brady. By not giving him different reads, Brady was able to sit in the pocket and become comfortable with the same defensive look over and over. Futhermore, the Pats limited the pressure of J.J. Watt on the quaterback, which gave Brady added time in the pocket that most QB's don't get against Watt and the Texans. This largely explains why Brady was able to throw for 296 yards and 4 touchdowns in the first game and 344 yards and 3 touchdowns in the second encounter. The Texans will greatly benefit from playing the Patriots in the friendly confines of Reliant Stadium. However, if J.J. Watt is unable to disrupt Brady's rhythm, it could be another long day for the Texans against New England.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens in Week 13:

Any time the Steelers and Ravens square off, you can expect the smash-mouth, physical style that these two teams always bring to the field. Over the past 10 years, no rivalry in the NFL has been more meaningful than the clashes between Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Since the formation of the AFC North in 2002, the Steelers or the Ravens have won the division 9 of the 11 times. As previously mentioned in this article, the Ravens are going to look like a much different team this season. However, the Steelers have also made some significant changes after finishing 8-8 in 2012, their worst record since a 6-10 campaign in 2003. Without some of the usual Pittsburgh suspects like running back Rashard Mendenhall, wide receiver Mike Wallace, linebacker James Harrison, and cornerback Kennan Lewis, the Steelers are going to have a fresh face in 2013. The relationship between Ben Roethlisberger and offensive coordinator Todd Haley, which at times was a very strenuous and arduous partnership, will have to improve in order for the Steel Curtain to find success in 2013. In their matchup with the Ravens in the finale of the Thanksgiving Day games, the Steelers will have to prove that they can run the ball on a Baltimore defense susceptible to the ground game in order to open up the down field attack for Big Ben.

Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers in Week 14:

While there are a multitude of interesting matchups on this year's schedule due to the storylines of players returning to former teams or brothers squaring off once again, the Falcons-Packers game is so compelling just because of the high quality that both teams play at. Atlanta and Green Bay's championship aspirations were both cut short by the San Francisco 49ers last season and each team will be Super Bowl or bust once again in 2013. This late-season contest, which could possibly decide home-field advantage for the NFC in the playoffs, has the very real possibility of being an offensive slugfest. With Julio Jones quickly becoming one of the best wide outs in the NFL, the Falcons now have the most explosive wide receiver tandem in the league with Roddy White and Jones. Futhermore, with the return of Tony Gonzalez, despite his constant suggestions that he was going to retire, the Falcons could certainty pick apart a Green Bay defense that lacks a true shutdown corner. Much like the progression of Jones, the emergence of Randall Cobb has added a totally new dynamic to an already loaded Packers offense. Cobb's quickness and ability to play in the slot provides a perfect mix for the smooth route running ability of Jordy Nelson and the intermediate game of Jermichael Finley. Additionally, Atlanta is a nice matchup for a Packers offensive line that greatly struggles with the pass rush, as the Falcons registered the 2nd fewest sacks in the NFC in 2012. The Falcons-Packers week 14 contest could be the most enthralling and back-and-fourth game all season long.

New England Patriots - Baltimore Ravens First Half Reaction

Half-time Score: New England Patriots 13 - Baltimore Ravens 10

The Ravens Early Offensive Struggles: In their first three drives, the Ravens went three and out all three times and were struggling to get anything going offensively. They had -6 yards of total offense and the pocket was collapsing time after time on Flacco, as he had been sacked twice and forced to run once on 6 dropbacks.

Lardarius Webb's Interception: The play that changed the first half was Lardarius Webb's interception on a poorly thrown ball from Tom Brady that was intended for Julian Edelman. It changed the momentum of the game and gave the Ravens the kick start that they definitely needed to get going. With the Patriots in Baltimore territory after just marching down the field 50 yards for a 29 yard field goal, Webb interception gave Baltimore confidence and allowed Flacco and the offense to settle down.

The Ravens and the Patriots Moving The Ball: After the interception, the Raven's offense looked like a completely different unit. Flacco hooked up with Torrey Smith on a 42 yard pass, which set up a 20 yard Billy Cundiff field goal. On their following possession, the Ravens went 80 yards down the field for a touchdown. However, Tom Brady was Tom Brady and he used his variety of receivers and tight ends to lead the Patriots up and down the field.

Missed Opportunities From Both Quarterbacks: Both Brady and Flacco missed opportunities for big plays in the first half. Brady missed a wide open Rob Gronkowski down the seam, which would have been an easy 22 yard touchdown because Ed Reed fell for the run fake. However, Brady overthrew Gronk and the Pats had to settle for a field goal. Flacco also missed a chance after he failed to connect with Torrey Smith, who had created separation down the field and would have had a 69 yard touchdown if he as able to track down the pass from Flacco. Flacco threw the ball as high as he could but Smith was unable to locate the ball earlier enough to make the catch.

Top 10 NFL Matchups (Let's Hope We Have A Season)

1. New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers in Week 1: The last two Super Bowl Champions should provide a show on the opening night of the NFL. The Saints had a very disappointing end to their season last year when they were ousted in the NFC Wild Card Game, as they allowed 41 points to the Seahawks. They will look to sure up their defense this year when they play the defending champion Green Bay Packers. It will be one of the best quarterback matchups of the year when the two former Super Bowl MVP's, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees, met up at Lambeau Field on September 8th.

2. New York Giants at Washington Redskins/ Dallas Cowboys at New York Jets in Week 1: The two cities that were directly affected by the terrorist attacks on September 11 will be hosting games on the 10th anniversary of those attacks. Giant’s spokesman Pat Hanlon said, "For nearly 10 years, we have felt an obligation to use our platform to make sure none of us ever forget the tragedy and heartbreak and courage and heroism of Sept. 11. That responsibility becomes even greater." The always shy Rex Ryan said, "That stadium is going to be full of emotion, not only the people from the area but in the entire country. [It's] The fact that it's the 10th anniversary of 9/11."

3. Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons in Week 2: The Falcons home opener will be against a very interesting opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles. Oh yes, Michael Vick will return to Atlanta for the first time as a starter. Emotions will obviously be high especially with the game being on at primetime on Sunday night. Vick had 6 very memorable seasons with the Falcons before was implicated in an illegal dog fighting ring. The Eagles open the regular season for the first time since 2002 with two road games.

4. Indianapolis Colts at New Orleans Saints in Week 7: The Sunday Night primetime game on October 23rd will feature a Super Bowl rematch from 2010 when the Saints beat the Colts 31-17. It will also feature a great quarterback battle between Drew Bress and Peyton Manning. Bress isn't the only one who sees New Orleans as special in this match up as well. Peyton's dad Archie played for the Saints and Peyton was born, grew up, and played high school football in New Orleans. The last time Peyton was playing in New Orleans against the Saints was in 2003 when the Colts beat the Saints 55 to 21 and he tied his career high throwing 6 touchdowns in one game. 

5. San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8: Many people including myself were very surprised that Norv Turner retained his job after the Chargers failed to make the playoffs and were only 9-7 with all the talent that they had in their team last year. Although they scored the second most points in the league with 441 and were in the top 10 in points allowed, they missed out on the playoffs. The Chargers will try to take back the division title from the very surprising Kansas City Chiefs, who after a 4-12 season in 2009, won the AFC West at 10-6 last year. The Monday Night Football Game will be the second meeting between the teams and will be critical in the division race.

6. Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 9: Since 2002, the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Baltimore Ravens have won the AFC North 7 out of the last 9 years. They have dominated the AFC North. Whenever the Ravens and Steelers met you can always expect great defense, extremely hard-hitting, and the two teams playing to get on top of the division. Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton said, "The last few times we've played them [the Ravens] it always comes down to close games, and when you're in games like that, it's very emotional. You learn to start disliking a team even more." The Ravens will have even more incentive to knock off their rivals, as the Steelers ended their season last year in the Divisional Playoffs.

7. San Francisco 49ers at Baltimore Ravens in Week 12: Thanksgiving commemorates a feast that the pilgrims shared with their "brothers" the Native Americans. On Thanksgiving, Jim Harbaugh and his San Francisco 49ers will met his brother John Harbaugh and his Baltimore Ravens. They will become the first pair of brothers to meet as head coaches in NFL history. The game has allowed the Harabuagh family to have a little bit of fun. The brothers dad Jack Harbaugh said when asked if he was going to attend the game, “No way. And Jackie [Harbaugh, his wife] and I have talked about it, and we will not be within two time zones of that venue, I promise you. We’re going to stay as far away from that as we can. We’ve seen these two guys compete for about 47 years, so… we’ll allow other people to enjoy it with us here in Milwaukee, [where we will be] watching on television.” John Harbaugh said though, "My dad and mom said they're not going to be within three time zones of the game, but we'll get them there somehow. What we're going to do is try to get Jim over to the house, get him some turkey, get some of that tryptophan working and get him a little bit tired for later."

8. Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots in Week 13: Many people consider this game the biggest rivalry in the NFL even through the teams aren't in the same division. The Pats have won more than 10 games ever year since 2003 and the Colts have won more than 10 games every year since 2002. These two teams have been the models of consistency in the NFL and they are lead by two of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Brady and Manning have won 6 of the last 8 MVP's including the last 4. 

9. Chicago Bears at Denver Broncos in Week 14: While the Colts and Patriots rivalry has been going on for the last ten years, a new rivalry will have its first square off in Denver on December 11th. Bears quarterback Jay Cutler will finally return to the scene of the crime. Before the 2009 season, Cutler requested to leave Denver saying, "Really, it's best for me to move on. "Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said after they dealt Cutler to the Bears, "Obviously, the trade went through with another team. We moved on. I'm very disappointed. I'm very disappointed." Cutler will definitely face a very hostile crowd in Denver, as emotions are still very high over his departure. 

10. Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers in Week 16: The Packers-Bears rivalry dates all the way back to 1921 and they have played each other in the regular season and playoffs a record 182 times. Jay Cutler will return to Green Bay for the first time since he had to leave the NFC Championship game with a knee injury, which he has heavily criticized over. The Week 16 game that is primetime on Christmas will certainly have a big impact on the NFC North division crown.