#20 The Denver Broncos

www.WeAreTheHecklers.com

Have you seen a team with more off season drama in years? New coach Josh McDaniels and Jay Cutler have had a falling out, and most recently a love fest. Well Kyle Orton better step up. Then of course, there was/is the Brandon Marshall problem.

1	Sep 13	DEN @ CIN	Paul Brown Stadium	1:00 PM
2	Sep 20	CLE @ DEN	Invesco Field at Mile High	4:15 PM
3	Sep 27	DEN @ OAK	Oakland Coliseum	4:15 PM
4	Oct 04	DAL @ DEN	Invesco Field at Mile High	4:15 PM
5	Oct 11	NE @ DEN	Invesco Field at Mile High	4:15 PM
6	Oct 19	DEN @ SD	Qualcomm Stadium	8:30 PM
7	Bye
8	Nov 01	DEN @ BAL	M&T Bank Stadium	1:00 PM
9	Nov 09	PIT @ DEN	Invesco Field at Mile High	8:30 PM
10	Nov 15	DEN @ WAS	FedEx Field	1:00 PM
11	Nov 22	SD @ DEN	Invesco Field at Mile High	4:15 PM
12	Nov 26	NYG @ DEN	Invesco Field at Mile High	8:20 PM
13	Dec 06	DEN @ KC	Arrowhead Stadium	1:00 PM
14	Dec 13	DEN @ IND	Lucas Oil Stadium	1:00 PM
15	Dec 20	OAK @ DEN	Invesco Field at Mile High	4:05 PM
16	Dec 27	DEN @ PHI	Lincoln Financial Field	1:00 PM
17	Jan 03	KC @ DEN	Invesco Field at Mile High	4:15 PM

All of the problems aside, perhaps the Broncos can improve. They don't really have that much going for them though. Last years stars: Jay Cutler to Brandon Marshall.

Don't forget folks, Mike Shanahan is now long gone. But they open Bengals, Browns, Raiders so that will gain momentum hosting Dallas. They close the year KC-Colts-Raiders-Eagles-KC. I see win loss win loss win.

I see at best a 7 - 9 campaign from the Broncos this year.

- Dave

#21 The Washington Redskins

www.WeAreTheHecklers.com

The NFC East is going to be incredibly interesting this year.

1	Sep 13	WAS @ NYG	Giants Stadium	4:15 PM
2	Sep 20	STL @ WAS	FedEx Field	1:00 PM
3	Sep 27	WAS @ DET	Ford Field	1:00 PM
4	Oct 04	TB @ WAS	FedEx Field	1:00 PM
5	Oct 11	WAS @ CAR	Bank of America Stadium	1:00 PM
6	Oct 18	KC @ WAS	FedEx Field	1:00 PM
7	Oct 26	PHI @ WAS	FedEx Field	8:30 PM
8	Bye
9	Nov 08	WAS @ ATL	Georgia Dome	1:00 PM
10	Nov 15	DEN @ WAS	FedEx Field	1:00 PM
11	Nov 22	WAS @ DAL	Cowboys Stadium	1:00 PM
12	Nov 29	WAS @ PHI	Lincoln Financial Field	1:00 PM
13	Dec 06	NO @ WAS	FedEx Field	1:00 PM
14	Dec 13	WAS @ OAK	Oakland Coliseum	4:05 PM
15	Dec 21	NYG @ WAS	FedEx Field	8:30 PM
16	Dec 27	DAL @ WAS	FedEx Field	8:20 PM
17	Jan 03	WAS @ SD	Qualcomm Stadium	4:15 PM

Washington might have one of those schedules where you look at every game, and think "loss, win, win, loss" etc. However the actual team itself is one of the most - "either going to be great" or "going to suffer" kind of teams. Jason Campbell only threw for 13 TDs and 6 INT's last year. It's not awful but they need far more. Clinton Portis, a pro-bowler, ran for 1,487 but carried the ball 342 times. That is going to weaken him significantly. In my opinion, the Redskins this year will fall on the shoulders of Campbell. He still has a lot to prove and will either dominate or falter this year.

Cowboys, Eagles, Giants...no easy games.

I can see the Redskins reeling off wins against the Rams, Lions and Tampa with some momentum going into the Carolina game and possibly the Chiefs. After that? The only other win is against the Raiders - but I can see the Raiders beating the Redskins on matchups alone.

This is without question the most difficult team to predict in my opinion. How will Haynesworth impact the division? That could give them HUGE advantages over the Giants which will mean more wins. I hate to say this, but I can see them going anywhere from 6 - 10 to 10 - 6.

I'll say 9-7, but the NFC East is going to be a heck of a division this year.

#22 Houston Texans

www.WeAreTheHecklers.com

1	Sep 13	NYJ @ HOU	Reliant Stadium	1:00 PM
2	Sep 20	HOU @ TEN	LP Field	1:00 PM
3	Sep 27	JAC @ HOU	Reliant Stadium	1:00 PM
4	Oct 04	OAK @ HOU	Reliant Stadium	1:00 PM
5	Oct 11	HOU @ ARI	University of Phoenix Stadium	4:15 PM
6	Oct 18	HOU @ CIN	Paul Brown Stadium	1:00 PM
7	Oct 25	SF @ HOU	Reliant Stadium	1:00 PM
8	Nov 01	HOU @ BUF	Ralph Wilson Stadium	1:00 PM
9	Nov 08	HOU @ IND	Lucas Oil Stadium	1:00 PM
10	Bye
11	Nov 23	TEN @ HOU	Reliant Stadium	8:30 PM
12	Nov 29	IND @ HOU	Reliant Stadium	1:00 PM
13	Dec 06	HOU @ JAC	Jacksonville Municipal Stadium	1:00 PM
14	Dec 13	SEA @ HOU	Reliant Stadium	1:00 PM
15	Dec 20	HOU @ STL	Edward Jones Dome	1:00 PM
16	Dec 27	HOU @ MIA	Land Shark Stadium	1:00 PM
17	Jan 03	NE @ HOU	Reliant Stadium	1:00 PM

Houston has never had a solid option at QB untill Schaub came along, and he threw for over 3000 yards last year, and I sense much improvement. The defense has also come along very nicely for the Houston squad.

With a solid defense, and opening against the Jets, as much as it pains me to say it - I feel the Texans will win that game. Oakland, Cincannati, San Fran, and Seattle should all be wins, but so are their games against Rams, and the Bills.

So when it really boils down to it, I can see the Texans improving a game from their 8-8 campaign last year, moving up to 9-7, but that's about it. The AFC South is a hell of a division and the Texans are ready to put on some heavy gloves.

- Dave

#23 The Green Bay Packers

www.WeAreTheHecklers.com

1	Sep 13	CHI @ GB	Lambeau Field	8:20 PM	NBC
2	Sep 20	CIN @ GB	Lambeau Field	1:00 PM	CBS
3	Sep 27	GB @ STL	Edward Jones Dome	1:00 PM	FOX
4	Oct 05	GB @ MIN	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	8:30 PM	ESPN
5	Bye
6	Oct 18	DET @ GB	Lambeau Field	1:00 PM	FOX
7	Oct 25	GB @ CLE	Cleveland Browns Stadium	1:00 PM	FOX
8	Nov 01	MIN @ GB	Lambeau Field	1:00 PM	FOX
9	Nov 08	GB @ TB	Raymond James Stadium	1:00 PM	FOX
10	Nov 15	DAL @ GB	Lambeau Field	4:15 PM	FOX
11	Nov 22	SF @ GB	Lambeau Field	1:00 PM	FOX
12	Nov 26	GB @ DET	Ford Field	12:30 PM	FOX
13	Dec 07	BAL @ GB	Lambeau Field	8:30 PM	ESPN
14	Dec 13	GB @ CHI	Soldier Field	1:00 PM	FOX
15	Dec 20	GB @ PIT	Heinz Field	1:00 PM	FOX
16	Dec 27	SEA @ GB	Lambeau Field	1:00 PM	FOX
17	Jan 03	GB @ ARI	University of Phoenix Stadium	4:15 PM	FOX

Not a giant challenge for the Packers as many folks are expecting them to improve. However with Bengals, Browns, Lions x2 and the Seahawks on the schedule, they will do very well as Aaron Rodgers jumps into the limelight. However, I could be in a minority here assuming the Packers will have a short leash with him if he under performs this year, especially with all of #4's pressure.

All I have to say, is the Pack better win on Nov 1st.

I can see a 9-7 record for Green Bay this year though, and that is a conservative estimate. Expect good things.

-Dave

#24 The San Francsico 49ers

www.WeAreTheHecklers.com


The San Francisco 49ers have not seen extreme amounts of glory in quite some time. After Joe Montana, Steve Young and Jerry Rice, they haven't had very much star power. Vernon Davis was going to be great, and maybe some humility was what he needed, however the QB options out west are incredibly limited. Alex Smith never seemed to work out. Head coach Mike Singletary has not yet announced who his starting QB will be, and he has no reason to feel the need to.

Unfortunately for the 49ers, the spotlight has been the fiasco with Michael Crabtree. Their team plays a very moderate schedule - opening with the defending NFC champs.

1 Sep 13 SF @ ARI University of Phoenix Stadium 4:15 PM
2 Sep 20 SEA @ SF Candlestick Park 4:05 PM
3 Sep 27 SF @ MIN Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 1:00 PM
4 Oct 04 STL @ SF Candlestick Park 4:15 PM
5 Oct 11 ATL @ SF Candlestick Park 4:05 PM
6 Bye
7 Oct 25 SF @ HOU Reliant Stadium 1:00 PM
8 Nov 01 SF @ IND Lucas Oil Stadium 1:00 PM
9 Nov 08 TEN @ SF Candlestick Park 4:15 PM
10 Nov 12 CHI @ SF Candlestick Park 8:20 PM
11 Nov 22 SF @ GB Lambeau Field 1:00 PM
12 Nov 29 JAC @ SF Candlestick Park 4:05 PM
13 Dec 06 SF @ SEA Qwest Field 4:15 PM
14 Dec 14 ARI @ SF Candlestick Park 8:30 PM
15 Dec 20 SF @ PHI Lincoln Financial Field 1:00 PM
16 Dec 27 DET @ SF Candlestick Park 4:05 PM
17 Jan 03 SF @ STL Edward Jones Dome 1:00 PM

In terms of winnable games, they face Seattle week two, and host the Rams week 4. Simply because the game is right after the bye, they should take care of the Texans, but that is no lock. Fortunately, the 49ers play the Seahawks one more time, and of course, the Lions and Rams again.

In a weak division, the 49ers should come in second or third, but an overall record of 8-8 is plausible. Tops.

- Dave