By: Branden Davis
“ Any given Sunday” A term that is coined by former NFL commissioner Bert Bell, and is proven every single week in the NFL. Because you are dealing with the best football players in the world you can never count any team out. Click ‘read more’ to find out some teams this year that may shock the league when their game clock hits zero.
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills went 10-6, and went to the playoffs, so it doesn’t seem like they are a team that will “shock the league”. They lost in a crushing defeat in the wildcard vs. the Texans, because the team’s flaws were exposed. If they fix those flaws I believe in the coming year this team could have a shot at the Superbowl. The Bills just need some pieces on offense to help Josh Allen get comfortable throwing the ball. It would also help to work on his decision making skills while in the pocket, but I think it may help to bring some veteran playmakers on the wide receiving end.
Maybe bolster up the O-line a little even. The running back position is solid, and I believe Singletary will have a breakout season at the position. The defense has been pretty strong, but could use maybe 2 players with some passionate leadership to turn them into a powerhouse. If everything comes together the NFL will need to be on its toes when the Bills come barging in.
Indianapolis Colts
This team had a very rocky season last year. It started with Andrew Luck shocking the nation when he announced his retirement from the league. That left the Colts with the decision to play Jacoby Brisset as QB1. He played decent, but with 15 games played he had under 3,000 yards. It didn’t help that T.Y. Hilton, their best receiver, was dealing with injuries all year. Plus that with Adam Vinateri, one of the most reliable kickers in NFL history, was missing field goals left, right, and center. His future is uncertain at this point.
The bright spot on this team is again the defense. I believe that if they make the right moves with the draft, and free agency, they may be able to make a stand next year. They are in a division that has some heavy hitters, and if they want to keep up they will need some of their own. I think that they should maybe give another quarterback a go, and see what sticks. They showed promise at the beginning of the year. They even beat the now Superbowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. With the young talent they have it may be them heading to Tampa next year.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I can’t mention a breakout team list without one of the most talked about teams in the league, but for all the wrong reasons. Of course I’m talking about the Buccaneers. This team was a serious playoff contender last year, and would have made the playoffs if not for one factor. That is of course the turnovers. The team had 30 interceptions, and 11 fumbles over the season. The interceptions came from their quarterback Jameis Winston. He threw 30 INT and also 30 TD’s, which became an NFL record.
If he hadn’t been cooking up turnovers this season as naturally as someone breathes oxygen, then they might have had a chance at a ring. With stars like Mike Evans and the man who should have been the defensive player of the year, Shaquill Barrett, the future shines bright on this team. Who knows? Maybe Jameis could become a football god this year, and not throw so many turnovers? The bucs have been a team I’ve liked to follow for a while, and maybe this will be the year they punch their ticket back to playoffs for the first time since 2007.
Atlanta Falcons
I think we can all agree that the Falcons are one of the biggest disappointments every year. It always seems like they have a good team on paper, but when it actually comes time to play their on field production falls off a cliff. They are a team I want to root for, but since ‘28-3’ happened it’s been downhill. With stars like Julio Jones, Matt Ryan, Deion Jones, and Desmond Trufant, you’d think this team would be playoff bound.
The one thing that is really keeping them down is injuries. It’s truly been the killer to Atlanta’s chances. To win, they need to really bolster their depth. It is a key in winning when your starters may be hurt. The phrase ‘next man up’ isn’t just for show. It is a proven fact that even your secondary unit can match your first team as long as they put in the effort. That is nice and all, but the key here is to remain healthy. I think that would solve most of their problems. Maybe even pick up another running back since they seem to be injured most of the time. The Falcons have the pieces in place; now it is all just about the execution.
Arizona Cardinals
Now this is personally the team I believe will shock this league the most. They already have the offensive rookie of the year in Kyler Murray. He showed a lot of promise during the season, and I believe he could develop into a star. They also have the immortal Larry Fitzgerald who has somehow managed to have a decent season every year. Their pick up of Kenyan Drake seemed to be huge as well, because he made a huge splash when he arrived on the scene in Arizona, but he seems poised to test free agency leaving them once again with David Johnson at running back.
There is also the emergence of possibly the new WR1 Christian Kirk. The defense is the most suspect as it seems Peterson can’t hang too much with the best anymore. They need to really up that defense to stand a chance. If they can get him, Clowney can be the lead man on that defense and provide leadership. The division may be tough, but if Arizona plays sound football they can overcome that obstacle. The ball is in Arizona’s court, and it’s their game to lose.
With that all in mind every single team on this list can’t become great without the right mindset. Michael Jordan once said “Sometimes, things may not go your way, but the effort should be there every single night.” That’s what the Cardinals, Colts, Bills, Falcons, and Bucs have to live by this upcoming season. All these teams have the same goal, but the question is always, who will be the one to execute the best? Only time will tell but in the meantime which of these teams do you think will bring home the Chip’ first?
i like this one
ReplyDeleteI think the falcons are still going to be a disappointments
ReplyDelete