NFL AFC Conference 2015/16 Season preview

For any writer to do a full preview on all 32 teams and 8 divisions is a stretch, but I will give it my best shot. They say start with what you know,so I am starting with the AFC, the conference which is home to the reigning Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots.

Much has been made during this offseason about one man and the effect it will have on his team, it is easy to forget there are 31 other teams vying to win this season. And that is from a New England Patriot fan. I am biased, yet I accept this is a weird offseason leading into the preseason. If I was the Patriots I would accept the suspension and get the first four games, which on paper look no worse than a 2-2 record anyway (v Pittsburgh, @ Buffalo, v Jacksonville and @ Cowboys) and then reset the season come October with Brady under centre.

AFC East
My preview begins in the AFC East which thank to some key personnel moves on and off the field for certain teams, the division which has been New England's for nearly a decade is now under threat.  The Miami Dolphins realised that they need not only a capable QB for themselves, but a pass rush to attack the various QBs they face such as Brady. Therefore the signing of Ndamoukah Suh is a masterstroke, a player whose defensive capabilities are limitless but perhaps a change of climate will do him the world of good.

Rex Ryan, left New York, but did not get far heading north to Buffalo, staying in house and bringing a winning mentality to the floundering Bills who have enough offensive weapons to give any defence headaches all year. Expect Shady McCoy to lead the charge and with Sonny Williams the lead wide out in his second year, the pace will be tough to be second to the Patriots.

The New York Jets have a new head coach in former DC of Arizona, but the loss of
Sheldon Richardson for the season is huge for a team whose defence kept them in more games than you would think. Gene Smith is still the QB and that raises enough doubts that they will again be wooden spoon champions in the East.

The reason the battle for second will be tough is that the Patriots will again employ the siege mentality as us against them takes hold. With or without Brady, you anticipate that the presence of Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman will be sufficient for either Brady or Garrapollo to engineer victories. Much has been made of the losses on defence, no Revis, no Browner but time and again the Patriots have a turnover of defensive personnel and they either draft well or pick up free agents. The general acclaim afforded them for picking up Malcolm Brown in the draft indicates the nerves about the Patriots defence should be put on the back-burner.

Prediction: 1. New England 2. Miami 3. Buffalo 4. New York Jets

AFC North
So often this division has been one of feisty competition and resilience, now it looks like a division of teams failing to fulfil their potential. The theory of consistency holds true, but you can be a good regular season team yet you have to back it up in the playoffs. Something that has alluded the Cincinnati Bengals led by Andy Dalton and the still employed Marvin Lewis. For them it is easy, win the division and win a playoff game. Just one. Only one to have credibility.

Big Ben put up some huge numbers last season but as he ages, the stellar QB needs to adapt and utilise Le'Veon Bell this season to win the division, while the loss of Dick Lebeau will be a loss for any team.

The Cleveland Browns have another QB competition but it is between Johnny Football and Josh McGown, not exactly a great competition to begin with. Despite that who will the winner throw to
with Josh Gordon suspended for the season.

That leaves us with the Baltimore Ravens, a team with a perfect balance on both sides who have
quietly gone about their business and have the least questions to answer on the field. Can Flacco be less of a fluke and prove his elite status.

Prediction: 1.  Baltimore 2. Cincinnati 3. Pittsburgh 4. Cleveland

AFC West
Ordinarily this would be an easy decision and say the Denver Broncos with Peyton Manning at the helm would walk this division, get 12 wins minimum and compete with the Patriots for home field advantage. Yet the ageing Manning means the division is up for grabs although 10 wins might be enough for whomever. The biggest problem for Denver is protecting Manning, and Ryan Clady's injury at left tackle (Manning's blind side) will ask serious questions on his power of recuperation. A blessing for the Broncos was the advancement of CJ Anderson who gives Manning a great number to call at the line.

Elsewhere in the division, Kansas City have the most efficient QB but he had no downfield threat to keep them in high scoring games. Still a good defence marshalled by Andy Reid will make the the biggest threat to Denver.

San Diego have a good QB but a lot of questions on their defence and the four game suspension of Antonio Gates for PEDs is a big loss.

Oakland Raiders are not going to the be the laughing stock of the league, but again they have a young QB without much offensive weapons to help him mature and gain wins. Latavius Murray showed flashes of explosive game changing potential last year but is not considered their first choice RB, a mistake if they do not want to be dead last again.

Prediction: 1. Denver 2. Kansas City 3. San Diego 4. Oakland

AFC South
Quite possibly this could be the closest division in the AFC this season thanks to the elevation of one teams defence, and more consistent QB play hopefully coupled with the leader of the packs intention to not protect their star asset. This is the division that will see a real change of scenery.

Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts are many neutral observers tips to again reach the AFC championship game, yet to this observer the team have not done enough to beef up the offensive line to protect Luck. This makes it al the more remarkable when they play twice against the Houston Texans who can boast a defensive line that includes boy JJ Watt, the now fully fit Jadeaveon Clowney and newly acquired Vince Wilfork at defensive tackle - a scary combination. If the Texans can get a full season out of their QB either the young and maturing Ryan Mallett or dependable Brian Hoyer, some yardage out of Arian Foster (note Foster suffer a groin injury on 3-8-15) then the Texans are not only a division winner but a formidable opponent.

The Texans also have a favourable schedule. They open at home to Kansas City followed by a three game series versu three of the awful NFC South (Carolina, Tampa, Atlanta) so a possible 4-0 start perhaps, followed by a tough trip in Week 10 at Cincinnati for Monday Night Football with New England visiting Houston in Week 14. Not a terrible looking schedule, certainly not one to be scared of.

The other two teams have young QBs. Tennessee got Marcus Mariota and so changed their scheme, can the Hawaiian native lead the team to glory. It is down to expectation and Mariota should be given the keys for a season and not have a lot of pressure on his young shoulders.

Whereas, Blake Bortles is expected to progress and get more wins this year for the Jacksonville
Jaguars, Bortles showed flashes of quality coupled with bad rookie decisions, yet the acquisition of
Julius Thomas from Denver gives him a security blanket and red zone target.

Prediction: 1. Houston 2. Indianapolis 3. Jacksonville 4. Tennessee

Click here for my NFC preview.

Michigan v Minnesota Preview

Following on from two victories for the underdog in College Basketball - namely Wisconsin Badgers defeating the pre-season #1 ranked Indiana Hoosiers in their home court, and then last night the Maryland Terrapins defeating the North Carolina State Wolfpack.

Whilst both are considered upsets, both have back stories and followed trends.  The Badgers have now won 11 straight versus the Hoosiers, and Indiana Head Coach, Tom Crean has never beaten Bo Ryan's squad during his four years in the job.  And NC State continued their trend of losing the game after they beat either Duke or North Carolina; they easily defeated Duke at home (the Blue Devils themselves had excuses as they were without big forward Ryan Kelly).  The Wolfpack are 1-7 now in the game immediately after they now defeat one of their big ACC rivals.

So whilst on paper the results may be a surprise, they should not necessarily qualify for an upset.

Tonight, we have another one of those maybe games when #5 Michigan travel to #9 Minnesota for another huge Big 10 clash.  The Big Ten has got a huge game every night now, seemingly the strength of the conference is more stronger in Basketball terms than Football at the moment.

Michigan are 16-1 having suffered their first loss of the season at Ohio State on Sunday 56-53, where they shot a season-worst 38.3% from the floor and had 13 turnovers.  Minnesota are 15-2, themselves also coming off a loss to Indiana 88-81, in what many considered the best performance by the Hoosiers all season.  However, Indiana followed that up with a loss at home to Wisconsin as noted above.  Therefore, both sides are in need of getting back into the winning habit.

Where will this game be won? Well expect a lot of physicality from the Golden Gophers, Tubby Smith's side led by Trevor Mbakwe who has 8 rebounds a game, and led by Andre Hollins and Rodney Williams who both hit double digits regularly.  Much like Ohio State did also, was attempt to stifle Trey Burke who shot poorly and struggled to dish out dimes to his team-mate Tim Hardaway Jr.

Also, due to the physicality of the Golden Gophers, the Wolverines have to make sure they do not foul too often as Minnesota average over 20 trips to the foul-line.  If Minnesota can force Burke to look for a pass instead of a shot, they may have half the job done.  When a National Player of the Year is not doing his job of leading from the front then the team ethic of the Gophers may have a chance to shine.

Expect a close contest with winner lucky to hit over 70 points, but if the Gophers win, will it be considered and upset?  Or just another indicator that the Big 10 is the best conference in College Basketball this season?

Follow me on twitter @1amsports

Notre Dame v Alabama Preview

Much like me writing for this preview, for Notre Dame there is no better time than the present.

In Miami tonight, the Fighting Irish take on the Crimson Tide of Alabama - the current National College champions - for all the marbles to be declared the National title winners and the best team in College Football for the year 2012.

Ever since this game was made in December leading to 40 days of anticipation and preparation, there has been much spoken of between the two teams and where the game will be won or lost.

Firstly, this game will not be a high-scoring classic akin to the game between Vince Young's Texas and Reggie Bush's USC when there was 70 plus points, you will probably have a lower scoring game like last year's 21-0 match between Alabama and the LSU Tigers.  Both teams will also score that is certain.

Throughout the season, you have two teams that have committed the fewest turnovers but also teams have converted those turnovers into points and wins.  Notre Dame with the ever-improving Everett Golson under centre have a quarterback who commits few turnovers, maintains control of the ball helped by the dual threat running backs of Theo Riddick and Cierre Wood. Tyler Eifert who can play tight end or wide receiver is a potent threat to any defence.

Alabama have the better quarterback in AJ McCarron - a competent player who is able to make the bigger plays.  That deeper threat may lead to more takeaways, but as he showed in the road win at Baton Rouge - McCarron can handle huge national exposure and pressure.

The defences will probably have more of a say than the offences; Notre Dame has a renowned front seven led by Heisman Trophy finalist Manti Te'o they can stop the run led by senior Eddie Lacy and the younger TJ Yeldon.

Yet watch out for the ND red zone defence which twice this season has goal-line stops to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.  Alabama are no slouches themselves on defence, yet the inability to create turnovers against Johnny Manziel led to their one defeat at Texas A&M; for the Tide to win they need to pressure the composed Golson.

This may come down to versatility - and like the Seattle Seahawks have shown in recent weeks - there ability to score a lot of points is down to the great field position from punt returns and kick offs.  If Golson has less field to score on, then that will put less pressure on him and allows the defence to make their statement.

Another factor to remember is that this game is being played at night, the body clock of college athletes can be manipulated to perform at the optimum peak level when required.  Notre Dame have played the majority of their games this season late starting at 8pm prime-time.  Alabama have played a lot of mid-afternoon kick offs of 3-4pm; it may not matter but the physiology of young athletes cannot be discounted.

My prediction is that this may well come down to a field goal, the score will be 20-17 to the Irish who will gain their first National Championship since 1988.

Follow me on twitter @JamieGarwood 

Tyrann Mathieu

Here is a link to my newest post for 1amsports website (www.1amsports.com), about the dismissal of Tyrann Mathieu from LSU Tigers for substance abuse.

I am the US College Sports writer for this website; so expect some articles weekly regarding College Football moving into the Basketball arena come November/December.

It is a great website, full of like-minded individuals who love US sports and they cover all your favourites - MLB, NHL, NBA, NFL and Nascar also.

So please click on the link and enjoy:

http://1amsports.com/college-sports/college-football/the-dismissal-of-tyrann-mathieu

Regards
Jamie

Celtics v 76ers preview

Feel free to follow the link below, I wrote a piece about the Game 2 preview between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers in Boston this evening. Boston won Game 1 92-91 thanks to a triple-double by Rajan Rondo and double-double by Kevin Garnett.

Philly need a win to take back to the homecourt on Wednesday evening:

http://1amsports.com/nba/celtics-v-76ers-game-2-preview

Follow @1amsports on twitter for a UK perspective on all your USA Sport - NBA, MLB, NFL, MMA, Nascar are all covered with love and admiration by writers from all over the UK.

www.1amsports.com