AFC North Baltimore Ravens

Finished 2004 season 9-7, 2nd place in the AFC North behind Pittsburgh

Key returning starters:
Jamal Lewis – RB
Todd Heap – TE
Kyle Boller – QB
Ray Lewis – LB
Ed Reed - S

The Ravens coming off a disappointing season after missing the playoffs, are looking to re-emerge as a power house team that won a Super Bowl only a few years ago. The question this year for the Ravens, will this be Boller’s break out season? No more legal troubles for Lewis, a healthy Todd Heap and additional solid WR should make this a scary offense. In combination with one of the best defenses in the NFL in recent years, will the Ravens rebound?

2004 Stats:
Ranked 31st overall in offense, #16 ranked in AFC
Ranked 6th overall in defense, #4 ranked in AFC

Your thoughts on the Baltimore Ravens this upcoming 2005 season...strengths/weaknesses and your prediction on where they will finish in the division.

NFC East Washington Redskins

Finished 2004 season 6-10, last place in the NFC East

Key returning starters:
Clinton Portis – RB
Chris Samuels – OT
LaVar Arrington – LB
Shawn Springs – CB
Matt Bowen - S

The Redskins coming off a year with high expectations because of the return of Joe Gibbs to the coaching rank failed to make any impression in the NFL except defensively. Can Gibbs return to this team to glory or will off-season troubles (Sean Taylor) be too much of a distraction? How long will Gibbs stick with Ramsey as the starting QB, obviously their biggest concern heading into this season.

2004 Stats:
Ranked 30th overall in offense, #15 ranked in NFC
Ranked 3rd overall in defense, #1 ranked in NFC

Your thoughts on the Washington Redskins this upcoming 2005 season...strengths/weaknesses and your prediction on where they will finish in the division.

NFC East Philadelphia Eagles

Finished 2004 season 13-3, 1st place in the NFC East, NFC Champions, lost to the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX

Key returning starters:
Donovan McNabb – QB
Brian Westbrook – RB
Terrell Owens – WR (maybe)
Lito Sheppard – CB
Brian Dawkins - S

The Eagles finally got over that hump of 3 straight NFC Championship games losses and faced off against the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX only to have their season come to an abrupt end. Having these players come back, one would have thought a repeat season for the Eagles, but the question is has Terrell Owens off-season contract disputes and media charades become too big a distraction for the Eagles to overcome?

2004 Stats:
Ranked 9th overall in offense, #5 ranked in NFC
Ranked 10th overall in defense, #3 ranked in NFC

Your thoughts on the Philadelphia Eagles this upcoming 2005 season...strengths/weaknesses and your prediction on where they will finish in the division.

NFC East New York Giants

Finished 2004 season 6-10, 2nd place in the NFC East behind the Eagles

Key returning starters:
Eli Manning – QB
Tiki Barber – WR
Jeremy Shockey – TE
Amani Toomer – WR
Michael Strahan - DE

The Giants are coming off a rebuilding year and rookie season for Eli Manning. The big question from the Giants camp is what kind of year will Manning have? The Giants brought in All-Pro receiver Plaxico Burress to give Manning a dangerous offense with Barber, Shockey and Toomer.

2004 Stats:
Ranked 23rd overall in offense, #11 ranked in NFC
Ranked 13th overall in defense, #5 ranked in NFC

Your thoughts on the New York Giants this upcoming 2005 season...strengths/weaknesses and your prediction on where they will finish in the division.

NFC East Dallas Cowboys

Finished 2004 season 6-10, 3rd place in the NFC East behind the Giants and Eagles

Key returning starters:
Julius Jones – RB
Keyshawn Johnson – WR
Jason Witten – TE
Roy Williams – S
Dat Nguyen - LB

The Cowboys are coming off a dismal 6-10 season when high expectations were placed on this team. With the free agent signing of Drew Bledsoe and the switch to the 3-4 defense, can this team find the chemistry it needs to be a contender in the NFC East?

2004 Stats:
Ranked 14th overall in offense, #7 ranked in NFC
Ranked 16th overall in defense, #7 ranked in NFC

Your thoughts on the Dallas Cowboys this upcoming 2005 season...strengths/weaknesses and your prediction on where they will finish in the division.

AFC East New York Jets

Finished 2004 season 10-6, 2nd place in the AFC East behind the Patriots, lost in division round of playoffs to Pittsburgh 20-17 in OT

Key returning starters:
Chad Pennington – QB
Curtis Martin – RB
Wayne Chrebet - WR
John Abraham – DE
Jonathan Vilma - LB

The Jets coming off an impressive season by upsetting the heavily favored San Diego Charges in San Diego in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, only to lose by a field goal to the Steelers in Pittsburgh because of two missed (make-able) field goals. Big question from J-E-T-S camp is, can Chad Pennington stay healthy all season?

2004 Stats:
Ranked 12th overall in offense, #7 ranked in AFC
Ranked 7th overall in defense, #5 ranked in AFC

Your thoughts on the New York Jets this upcoming 2005 season...strengths/weaknesses and your prediction on where they will finish in the division.

AFC East New England Patriots

Finished 2004 season 14-2, 1st place in the AFC East, AFC Champions and Super Bowl XXXIX Champions

Key returning starters:
Tom Brady – QB
Corey Dillon – RB
David Givens – WR
Mike Vrabel – LB
Rodney Harrison - S

The Patriots are being considered the dynasty of the NFL of the 21st century this far, 3 Super Bowl wins in the past 4 seasons and they just continue to look unbeatable. However, this season they will look to continue to be the team to beat in the AFC without their Offensive and Defensive Coordinators from the previous Super Bowl victories, as well as their defense without captain and team leader Tedy Bruschi who will miss the entire 2005 season due to a mild-stroke suffered 10 days after the conclusion of Super Bowl XXXIX?

2004 Stats:
Ranked 7th overall in offense, #4 ranked in AFC
Ranked 9th overall in defense, #7 ranked in AFC

Your thoughts on the New England Patriots this upcoming 2005 season...strengths/weaknesses and your prediction on where they will finish in the division.

AFC East Miami Dolphins

Finished 2004 season 4-12, last place in the AFC East

Key returning starters:
Chris Chambers - WR
A.J. Feeley - QB
Randy McMichael - TE
Jason Taylor - DE
Zach Thomas - LB

The Dolphins had a busy off-season, obviously a team that is looking to rebuild, first by bringing in successful LSU head coach Nick Saban and having a solid draft, with big pickup Ronnie Brown. Plus the re-addition of former All-Pro and current All-Pro Indo Smokin' Ricky Williams.

2004 Stats:
Ranked 29th overall in offense, #15 ranked in AFC
Ranked 8th overall in defense, #6 ranked in AFC

Your thoughts on the Miami Dolphins this upcoming 2005 season...strengths/weaknesses and your prediction on where they will finish in the division.

AFC East Buffalo Bills

Finished 2004 season 9-7, 3rd place in the AFC East behind NY Jets and NE Patriots.

Key returning starters:
Willis McGahee - RB
Eric Moulds - WR
Lee Evans - WR
Takeo Spikes - LB
Lawyer Milloy - S

The Bills this season will depend on the fresh arm of J.P. Losman to direct a potentially dangeous offense led by sensations Lee Evans and Willis McGahee.

2004 Stats:
Ranked 25th overall in offense, #13 ranked in AFC
Ranked 2nd overall in defense, #2 ranked in AFC

Your thoughts on the Buffalo Bills this upcoming 2005 season...strengths/weaknesses and your prediction on where they will finish in the division.

Sports Junkies NFL Preview

The directors of the Sports Junkies site have decided to do our own preview of all 32 NFL teams for the upcoming 2005 season.

The purpose of this NFL Preview is to get our minds set for the upcoming season as well as to talk some intelligent football. I know all of us like a certain team and want to bash teams like the Raiders, but lets try to see some serious, intelligent football talk going on. This is a great preview for all you folks who are in the NFL Junkies Fantasy Football League, time for you to start thinkin', talkin' and breathin' football.

1st Ballot HOF?

Tim Brown officially retired today as an Oakland Raider ending his remarkable 17-year NFL career. With exactly a 100 receiving touchdowns, just shy of 15,000 yards receiving, and a Heisman Trophy for Notre Dame in 1987, how could they exclude Brown from the HOF. This post...is he a first ballot Hall of Fame inductee?

Your thoughts on this question as well as about the career of Tim Brown.

10 and Counting...

Tiger won his 10th major at St. Andrews today and did not resemble the Tiger of old but more like the Tiger of new which looks better. Any comments?

Absolutely Remarkable!!!

Tiger Woods heads into the weekend at The Open Championship, otherwise known to us Americans as The British Open, played on the birth of golf St Andrews in Scotland with a 4 stroke lead over home town favorite Colin Montgomerie. Hard to believe Tiger is 11-under par, played a near flawless round on Friday, a bogeye free 67 and is looking like he is going to win his 10 career major.

What are your thoughts on Eldrick Tiger Woods and his chances for #10 - his quest for the Claret Jug

Oh hail the homerun KING

There is only 1 way to describe Bobby Abreu's home run derby performance...

WOW

Your thoughts on the All-Star game and Bobby's home run derby performance!

Be Allowed to Play?

Should Kenny Rogers be allowed to play? He was technically suspended 20 games by the commish, however, a stupid "appeal" means this punishment can be pushed off, paving the way for Rogers to be at the All-Star Game.

Your thoughts on whether or not he should be in Detroit!

Fair or Not?

Is it fair or not that Michelle Wie gets a sponser exemption to play in a PGA event? She is 15 years old, without a doubt the upcoming Tiger Woods physique of the LPGA tour.

Wie is cracking down the field at the John Deere Classis in IL this week, hoping to become the 1st woman to make the cut in a PGA event in 60+ years.

Your thoughts about her in this event and what are her chances?

I'm ready for some football! Already!

I hate this time of year! Aside from the bikini babes of summer this time of the year just stinks for sports. The NBA playoffs are over, baseball is boring with no steroid using homerun hitters and we all know that Lance Armstrong is going to win again. I can't wait until we get to see some football action here in a few months. We are such football junkies we are already signing up for our fantasy football leagues. It's going to be worth the wait though. I have a feeling this NFL season will be one for the ages. I thought this little animated gif can spark some off season football talk.