Each NFL season I like to take Week 17 to look back at what the prognosticators, including yours truly, had to say before the season. To review my division-by-division predictions, visit the bottom of the September 2007 archive page.
Legend:
SI = Sports Illustrated
PFW = Pro Football Weekly
TSN = The Sporting News
Me = Yours truly
AFC East
Predicted
order SI PFW TSN Me
1 Patriots Pats Pats Pats
2 Jets Jets Jets Jets
3 Bills Bills Bills Bills
4 Dolphins Fins Fins Fins
Comment: No one saw a potential 16-0 Patriots season, and no one foresaw the Jets’ and Dolphins’ near-complete meltdowns.
From my fingers: “If QB JP Losman trends upward again, the Bills may surprise.” I was half right. Rookie QB Trent Edwards helped the Bills get on track.
AFC North
Predicted
order SI PFW TSN Me
1 Bengals Ravens Bengals Ravens
2 Ravens Bengals Ravens Bengals
3 Steelers Steelers Steelers Steelers
4 Browns Browns Browns Browns
Comment: No one even came close on this division. The Steelers were a mild surprise and the Browns were a huge one. As disappointing as the Bengals were, the Ravens’ fall from 13-3 to 4-11 is stunning.
From my fingers: “If anyone can get the football to TE Kellen Winslow and WR Braylon Edwards, (the Browns) might be on to something.” But I completely blew this: “I see more questions than answers with (the Steelers).”
AFC South
Predicted
order SI PFW TSN Me
1 Colts Colts Colts Colts
2 Titans Jaguars Jaguars Jaguars
3 Jaguars Titans Titans Texans
4 Texans Texans Texans Titans
Comment: PFW and TSN nailed it. I liked Houston to be even more improved than it was, and I figured Tennessee could not overcome all of its offseason losses.
From my fingers: “As much as (Vince Young) runs with the ball, it's hard to imagine he won't get injured at some point, which would make the Titans one of the league's worst teams.” Well, they survived his injuries to contend for a playoff spot and prove me wrong.
AFC West
Predicted
order SI PFW TSN Me
1 Chargers Chargers Chargers Chargers
2 Broncos Broncos Broncos Broncos
3 Chiefs Chiefs Chiefs Chiefs
4 Raiders Raiders Raiders Raiders
Comment: The order was right, but everyone thought the Broncos would be a playoff team. Oops.
From my fingers: “If QB Jay Cutler improves and RB Travis Henry gets healthy, (Denver’s) offense will be high-powered. Stopping the run will be the barometer of the defense, perhaps ultimately the team's success.”
My playoff picks: New England, Indianapolis, Baltimore, San Diego, Denver, New York.
Actual: New England, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Jacksonville and either Cleveland or Tennessee.
NFC East
Predicted
order SI PFW TSN Me
1 Eagles Eagles Cowboys Cowboys
2 Cowboys Cowboys Eagles Eagles
3 Giants Redskins Giants Redskins
4 Redskins Giants Redskins Giants
Comment: Allow me to gloat about the Cowboys and Redskins, but everyone overrated the Eagles and underrated the Giants.
From my fingers: “A (Giants) team that appears unsettled under Coach Tom Coghlin might come apart at the seems by midseason.” Actually, the Giants were coming together and playing very well at that point.
NFC North
Predicted
order SI PFW TSN Me
1 Bears Bears Bears Bears
2 Packers Packers Packers Packers
3 Vikings Lions Vikings Vikings
4 Lions Vikings Lions Lions
Comment: No one saw the Packers’ rise to 12-3 and the Bears’ fall. The Vikings also rank as a surprise team.
From my fingers: “The Pack has no one, literally, to run the ball, and that will be their undoing. Had they kept Ahman Green or acquired a suitable replacement, they'd be a playoff team.” Meet Ryan Grant everyone.
NFC South
Predicted
order SI PFW TSN Me
1 Saints Saints Saints Saints
2 Panthers Panthers Panthers Panthers
3 Bucs Bucs Falcons Bucs
4 Falcons Falcons Bucs Falcons
Comment: This ranks with the AFC North as the surprise division. No one saw the Bucs’ comeback. The Saints probably weren’t as good as they appeared in 2006, nor as bad as they appeared early in 2007. TSN really blew this one – the Bucs last?
From my fingers: “The Panthers get (the No. 2) spot by default because I think the teams below them are horrible. Two years ago, Carolina looked like a budding dynasty, but now it appears to have a lot of holes.” Guess the Bucs weren’t so horrible.
NFC West
Predicted
order SI PFW TSN Me
1 Seahawks Seahawks 49ers Seahawks
2 Rams 49ers Seahawks 49ers
3 49ers Rams Rams Rams
4 Cardinals Cardinals Cardinals Cardinals
Comment: The injury bug bit the Rams hard, but TSN again takes it on the chin here. Based upon this, the Cardinals have to rank as a surprise team.
From my fingers: “A fashionable pick as a division winner, the 49ers need three things to happen for that to become a reality: Alex Smith must continue to progress at QB (and do so despite his third coordinator in three seasons), RB Frank Gore must stay healthy (he was nicked in preseason and has a lengthy college injury history), and the Niners need some receivers to emerge.” Smith and Gore were hurt, and Smith is beginning to look like a bust.
My playoff teams: Dallas, Philadelphia, Chicago, New Orleans, Seattle, San Francisco
Actual: Dallas, Green Bay, Seattle, Tampa Bay, New York and either Washington, Minnesota or New Orleans.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
NFL Week 16 preview
Who says there are no good matchups left this season?
Washington (7-7) at Minnesota (8-6) has NFC wild-card implications and is an elimination game for the Redskins.
The New York Giants (9-5) have to travel to Buffalo (7-7), where once-paralyzed Kevin Everrett is expected to be honored. A Giants loss and wins by New Orleans and Minnesota, and New York would face a must-win vs. the Patriots next Sunday.
Speaking of, the 14-0 Pats host the 1-13 Dolphins. So many story lines here. Undefeated season on the line against the last franchise to accomplish the feat. The presence of former New England coach and Bill Belichick mentor, Bill Parcells, in the Dolphins' front office. Then there is the weather factor.
The battle for NFC playoff positioning continues as well. Dallas has to bounce back on the road at Carolina and retain home-field advantage, while Green Bay looks to exact revenge on one of two teams - Chicago - that defeated it this season.
Seattle, Tampa Bay and San Diego are jockeying for the No. 3 spot in their respective conferences. Jacksonville, Cleveland and Tennessee are battling for AFC wild-card slots.
Upset specials: I see three this week - I think Washington will beat Minnesota to keep its playoff hopes alive. The Vikings were not overly impressive in beating the Bears and have a shorter week. ... I think Houston will surprise Indianapolis, which will rest a lot of players as its locked into the AFC's No. 2 playoff spot. ... And San Francisco will upset visiting Tampa Bay.
Season record on upset picks: 7-8 and in quite a slump.
Washington (7-7) at Minnesota (8-6) has NFC wild-card implications and is an elimination game for the Redskins.
The New York Giants (9-5) have to travel to Buffalo (7-7), where once-paralyzed Kevin Everrett is expected to be honored. A Giants loss and wins by New Orleans and Minnesota, and New York would face a must-win vs. the Patriots next Sunday.
Speaking of, the 14-0 Pats host the 1-13 Dolphins. So many story lines here. Undefeated season on the line against the last franchise to accomplish the feat. The presence of former New England coach and Bill Belichick mentor, Bill Parcells, in the Dolphins' front office. Then there is the weather factor.
The battle for NFC playoff positioning continues as well. Dallas has to bounce back on the road at Carolina and retain home-field advantage, while Green Bay looks to exact revenge on one of two teams - Chicago - that defeated it this season.
Seattle, Tampa Bay and San Diego are jockeying for the No. 3 spot in their respective conferences. Jacksonville, Cleveland and Tennessee are battling for AFC wild-card slots.
Upset specials: I see three this week - I think Washington will beat Minnesota to keep its playoff hopes alive. The Vikings were not overly impressive in beating the Bears and have a shorter week. ... I think Houston will surprise Indianapolis, which will rest a lot of players as its locked into the AFC's No. 2 playoff spot. ... And San Francisco will upset visiting Tampa Bay.
Season record on upset picks: 7-8 and in quite a slump.
An Extra Helping of Tuna
Well, this didn't take very long.
Bill Parcells was masterful in playing the Dolphins against the Falcons this week, ultimately gaining more money and power in the process to run the entire Dolphins football operation less than one year than leaving his job as Cowboys coach.
This isn't the first time the Tuna has had a fishing expedition such as this. His record indicates two things - he won't stay long in Miami (lasted no more than four years in his past three NFL jobs), but the Dolphins will be in far better shape when he departs than when he arrived (all three teams - Patriots, Jets and Cowboys became playoff teams).
What that in mind, I'd like to take a look at the status of the coaches in the NFL. I expect more offseason turnover in the AFC than the NFC this year:
AFC
Baltimore - Yes, Brian Billick has won a Super Bowl, but that was six seasons ago, and the Ravens have lost eight in a row after a 4-10 start. The team is aging at several key positions and there are signs of dissension. This will be the second losing season in three years, wrapped around a 13-3 campaign that ended with a divisional-round playoff loss. It might be time for a change as the Ravens rebuild.
Buffalo - The Bills have overcome numerous injuries and free-agent losses to post a 7-7 record. Dick Jauron has done an excellent job.
Cincinnati - The Bengals have gone from 11 wins to eight to five in the past three seasons. Another team seemingly in disarray, Coach Marvin Lewis might pay.
Cleveland - Romeo Crennel has the Browns at 9-5 and in serious contention for a playoff spot. One more victory, and Cleveland will equal its total from the past two seasons.
Denver - Has the master lost his touch? After not winning fewer than nine games in the past five seasons, Mike Shanahan's Broncos have to win out just to hit seven Ws. More disturbing, they've gone from 13 to 9 to 5 in the win category in spite of annual retooling.
Houston - Year 2 of the Gary Kubiak era has gone well, showing improvement in wins (6 to 7 with two games left) and competitiveness. Keeping the skill position players healthy on offense should lead to further improvement.
Indianapolis - Tony Dungy has the Colts at 12-2 despite numerous injuries, free-agent losses and the Super Bowl champion's target.
Jacksonville - The Jags have bounced back under Jack Del Rio and could make a lot of noise in the playoffs as a wild-card. This team plays to its strengths (running, defense) as well as any. Plus, making the call to release QB Byron Leftwich and go with David Garrard was brilliant, albeit tough.
Kansas City - The Chiefs lost RB Larry Johnson to injury and struggled at QB, but four wins after making the playoffs last season and winning 19 games the past two seasons combined? I think Herm Edwards will get a third season, but it's debatable.
Miami - Cam Cameron has overseen a 1-13 disaster. With Parcells' entrance, I foresee a massive house cleaning.
New England - Bill Belichick can stay as long as he likes, particularly if the Pats go 19-0.
New York - In one season Eric Mangini has gone from "Man-genius" to "Oh Man!" as the Jets have fallen from 10-6 to 3-11. Still, it would be a mild surprise if he was shown the door.
Oakland - It's tough to tell if anything has improved under first-year coach Lane Kiffin. It's not thee 2-14 disaster of 2006, but I think the plan was to win more than four games and establish some semblance of an ascent. Frankly, I would not be shocked if the Raiders switched coaches again. The problem is their talent level is not as deep as they might have thought.
Pittsburgh - Mike Tomlin was an excellent hire, and the Steelers are heading back to the playoffs with a bit more balance on offense and their trademark defense.
San Diego - After a 1-3 start, the Chargers have hit their stride under Norv Turner, who took a lot of heat early. If the Bolts are healthy, they have the talent to make noise in the playoffs.
Tennessee - Year-in, year-out, the Titans play hard. They'll likely improve on last season's eight wins with middle-of-the-pack talent and could reach the playoffs. Jeff Fisher has reinforced to me that he's one of the best in the business.
NFC
Arizona - Racked by injuries to some of their best players (Matt Leinart, Adrian Wilson, Eric Green and Anquan Boldin), the Cardinals have been much more competitive under first-year coach Ken Whisenhunt.
Atlanta - It just keeps getting worse here. The next coach will have his work cut out for him.
Carolina - The Panthers need to win their final two games to match last season's 8-8 record. They're on their fourth QB of the season, but their defense has been more hit and miss than in the past. Still, John Fox seems safe.
Chicago - Lovie Smith has done a good job with a team that has shown a lot of vulnerabilities due to injuries, a shaky QB situation and some key free-agent losses (RB Thomas Jones and several D linemen).
Dallas - If the Cowboys don't at least reach the Super Bowl or other teams try to poach offensive coordinator to be their head coach, I could see owner Jerry Jones pulling the plug on Wade Phillips and naming Garrett coach.
Detroit - The Lions are improving under Rod Marinelli, but the losing culture that has been so prevalent still needs some overhauling. A 6-2 start has turned into 6-8.
Green Bay - The youngest team in the league has won 16 of its past 18 games since starting 4-8 under Mike McCarthy. Brett Favre looks better, the ground game is coming around and the defense and special teams are special.
Minnesota - Brad Childress has remained patient, stuck with his plan and it's paying off. Minnesota has won five in a row to pull into playoff contention and already has one more win than last season.
New Orleans - The reality is the Saints weren't as good as last season's NFC Championship Game appearance indicated and not as bas as their 0-4 start this season. Sean Payton has adjusted well in the face of injuries to his running backs.
New York - The Giants are picking a bad time of the season to get injured and play poorer. Anything less than a playoff spot and it's fairly certain Tom Coghlin is gone. Even if the G-men reach the playoffs and get smoked in the wild-card round he might be gone.
Philadelphia - Another team that has been hammered by injuries and QB controversies, the Eagles would be crazy to let Andy Reid or QB Donovan McNabb go in the offeseason.
St. Louis - The Rams have been hammered by injuries, too, but the amount of penalties and other mistakes they make indicate some coaching issues. They're going to finish with at least four fewer victories than last season's 8-8 squad, and most of their star players aside from Steven Jackson are hitting the age when a decline is possible. I don't like Scott Linehan's chances.
San Francisco - A lot of the momentum gained from last season's seven victories has been lost, again due in part to injuries at QB and RB. I don't know if this team is as bad as four wins, but it's certainly not a playoff team. Mike Nolan isn't going anywhere, but the 49ers have to improve - a lot - on offense to compete.
Seattle - The Seahawks again won the West, and they have the talent to win a few playoff games and maybe reach the Super Bowl. Mike Holmgren continues to do a very good job and not get a lot of recognition for it.
Tampa Bay - Like him or hate him, Jon Gruden has managed rebuild on the fly and win the South. The South is one of the worst divisions in football, but Tampa has gone from four wins to nine and could finish with 11.
Washington - Joe Gibbs' place is secure, but one wonders how much more he'll put up with. The Sean Taylor slaying rocked the team and the league. The past few editions of the Redskins have been up and down, not a description typically used with past Gibbs teams.
Bill Parcells was masterful in playing the Dolphins against the Falcons this week, ultimately gaining more money and power in the process to run the entire Dolphins football operation less than one year than leaving his job as Cowboys coach.
This isn't the first time the Tuna has had a fishing expedition such as this. His record indicates two things - he won't stay long in Miami (lasted no more than four years in his past three NFL jobs), but the Dolphins will be in far better shape when he departs than when he arrived (all three teams - Patriots, Jets and Cowboys became playoff teams).
What that in mind, I'd like to take a look at the status of the coaches in the NFL. I expect more offseason turnover in the AFC than the NFC this year:
AFC
Baltimore - Yes, Brian Billick has won a Super Bowl, but that was six seasons ago, and the Ravens have lost eight in a row after a 4-10 start. The team is aging at several key positions and there are signs of dissension. This will be the second losing season in three years, wrapped around a 13-3 campaign that ended with a divisional-round playoff loss. It might be time for a change as the Ravens rebuild.
Buffalo - The Bills have overcome numerous injuries and free-agent losses to post a 7-7 record. Dick Jauron has done an excellent job.
Cincinnati - The Bengals have gone from 11 wins to eight to five in the past three seasons. Another team seemingly in disarray, Coach Marvin Lewis might pay.
Cleveland - Romeo Crennel has the Browns at 9-5 and in serious contention for a playoff spot. One more victory, and Cleveland will equal its total from the past two seasons.
Denver - Has the master lost his touch? After not winning fewer than nine games in the past five seasons, Mike Shanahan's Broncos have to win out just to hit seven Ws. More disturbing, they've gone from 13 to 9 to 5 in the win category in spite of annual retooling.
Houston - Year 2 of the Gary Kubiak era has gone well, showing improvement in wins (6 to 7 with two games left) and competitiveness. Keeping the skill position players healthy on offense should lead to further improvement.
Indianapolis - Tony Dungy has the Colts at 12-2 despite numerous injuries, free-agent losses and the Super Bowl champion's target.
Jacksonville - The Jags have bounced back under Jack Del Rio and could make a lot of noise in the playoffs as a wild-card. This team plays to its strengths (running, defense) as well as any. Plus, making the call to release QB Byron Leftwich and go with David Garrard was brilliant, albeit tough.
Kansas City - The Chiefs lost RB Larry Johnson to injury and struggled at QB, but four wins after making the playoffs last season and winning 19 games the past two seasons combined? I think Herm Edwards will get a third season, but it's debatable.
Miami - Cam Cameron has overseen a 1-13 disaster. With Parcells' entrance, I foresee a massive house cleaning.
New England - Bill Belichick can stay as long as he likes, particularly if the Pats go 19-0.
New York - In one season Eric Mangini has gone from "Man-genius" to "Oh Man!" as the Jets have fallen from 10-6 to 3-11. Still, it would be a mild surprise if he was shown the door.
Oakland - It's tough to tell if anything has improved under first-year coach Lane Kiffin. It's not thee 2-14 disaster of 2006, but I think the plan was to win more than four games and establish some semblance of an ascent. Frankly, I would not be shocked if the Raiders switched coaches again. The problem is their talent level is not as deep as they might have thought.
Pittsburgh - Mike Tomlin was an excellent hire, and the Steelers are heading back to the playoffs with a bit more balance on offense and their trademark defense.
San Diego - After a 1-3 start, the Chargers have hit their stride under Norv Turner, who took a lot of heat early. If the Bolts are healthy, they have the talent to make noise in the playoffs.
Tennessee - Year-in, year-out, the Titans play hard. They'll likely improve on last season's eight wins with middle-of-the-pack talent and could reach the playoffs. Jeff Fisher has reinforced to me that he's one of the best in the business.
NFC
Arizona - Racked by injuries to some of their best players (Matt Leinart, Adrian Wilson, Eric Green and Anquan Boldin), the Cardinals have been much more competitive under first-year coach Ken Whisenhunt.
Atlanta - It just keeps getting worse here. The next coach will have his work cut out for him.
Carolina - The Panthers need to win their final two games to match last season's 8-8 record. They're on their fourth QB of the season, but their defense has been more hit and miss than in the past. Still, John Fox seems safe.
Chicago - Lovie Smith has done a good job with a team that has shown a lot of vulnerabilities due to injuries, a shaky QB situation and some key free-agent losses (RB Thomas Jones and several D linemen).
Dallas - If the Cowboys don't at least reach the Super Bowl or other teams try to poach offensive coordinator to be their head coach, I could see owner Jerry Jones pulling the plug on Wade Phillips and naming Garrett coach.
Detroit - The Lions are improving under Rod Marinelli, but the losing culture that has been so prevalent still needs some overhauling. A 6-2 start has turned into 6-8.
Green Bay - The youngest team in the league has won 16 of its past 18 games since starting 4-8 under Mike McCarthy. Brett Favre looks better, the ground game is coming around and the defense and special teams are special.
Minnesota - Brad Childress has remained patient, stuck with his plan and it's paying off. Minnesota has won five in a row to pull into playoff contention and already has one more win than last season.
New Orleans - The reality is the Saints weren't as good as last season's NFC Championship Game appearance indicated and not as bas as their 0-4 start this season. Sean Payton has adjusted well in the face of injuries to his running backs.
New York - The Giants are picking a bad time of the season to get injured and play poorer. Anything less than a playoff spot and it's fairly certain Tom Coghlin is gone. Even if the G-men reach the playoffs and get smoked in the wild-card round he might be gone.
Philadelphia - Another team that has been hammered by injuries and QB controversies, the Eagles would be crazy to let Andy Reid or QB Donovan McNabb go in the offeseason.
St. Louis - The Rams have been hammered by injuries, too, but the amount of penalties and other mistakes they make indicate some coaching issues. They're going to finish with at least four fewer victories than last season's 8-8 squad, and most of their star players aside from Steven Jackson are hitting the age when a decline is possible. I don't like Scott Linehan's chances.
San Francisco - A lot of the momentum gained from last season's seven victories has been lost, again due in part to injuries at QB and RB. I don't know if this team is as bad as four wins, but it's certainly not a playoff team. Mike Nolan isn't going anywhere, but the 49ers have to improve - a lot - on offense to compete.
Seattle - The Seahawks again won the West, and they have the talent to win a few playoff games and maybe reach the Super Bowl. Mike Holmgren continues to do a very good job and not get a lot of recognition for it.
Tampa Bay - Like him or hate him, Jon Gruden has managed rebuild on the fly and win the South. The South is one of the worst divisions in football, but Tampa has gone from four wins to nine and could finish with 11.
Washington - Joe Gibbs' place is secure, but one wonders how much more he'll put up with. The Sean Taylor slaying rocked the team and the league. The past few editions of the Redskins have been up and down, not a description typically used with past Gibbs teams.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Cleaning up Week 15 in the NFL
Refreshing play of the week: Philadelphia's Brian Westbrook stopping at the Dallas 1-yard line on a late run to ensure the Eagles could run out the clock and upset the Cowboys, rather than scoring and giving Dallas a slim chance of rallying.
Warrior of the week: Say what you will about the Dolphins this season, but Miami's Jason Taylor willed his team to win its first game. Taylor was all over the field, blocking a field goal, getting two sacks and playing every play as if it was his last during the Dolphins' overtime victory against the Ravens.
Stats of the week: Two of the top four scorers among kickers are rookies - Green Bay's Mason Crosby (first with 130 points) and Dallas' Nick Folk (fourth, 117). ... 11 running backs have topped 1,000 yards rushing thus far, and another 10 are 201 yards or fewer away from the milestone with two weeks to play. Last season, 23 backs topped a grand. ... 14 receivers have surpassed 1,000 yards, and nine more are 100 yards or fewer closer. In 2006, 19 players reached that plateau. Does anyone else see a trend here this season?
Fantasy fodder: Most fantasy football participants load up on running backs early in their drafts. That strategy was not as sound this season as in seasons past. Of the top 11 scorers among non-kickers, five are wide receivers, including Nos. 1, 4 and 5 (Randy Moss, Terrell Owens and Braylon Edwards).
Pro Bowl picks
The annual announcement of Pro Bowl selections serves as a good reminder of the role politics plays in that process.
Fan voting is equally weighted with coaches'and players' voting. So while the NFL likes to play up the fact that fans have a say in the process, the reality is coaches and peers have twice as much say.
Some interesting stats' from Tuesday's rosters for the Feb. 10 game:
The Dallas Cowboys, who have the NFL's second-best record (12-2) had 11 players selected. The 14-0 New England Patriots and the AFC West San Diego Chargers (9-5) had eight apiece.
However, the Indianapolis Colts (12-2), had just five players picked, while the Green Bay Packers, also 12-2, had four selections.
Contrast that with the Minnesota Vikings, who had seven players picked despite an 8-6 record and a questionable shot at making the playoffs.
At the other end of the scale, neither the NFC South champion Tampa Bay Bucs nor the Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4), the wild-card team no one wants to face, had anyone selected.
Another oddity: the Chicago Bears, last in the NFC North, had four players picked.
Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor, who died in late November after being shot during a robbery attempt at his Miami-area house, was voted to start at safety for the NFC. Taylor led the NFC in interceptions at the time of his death.
Fan voting is equally weighted with coaches'and players' voting. So while the NFL likes to play up the fact that fans have a say in the process, the reality is coaches and peers have twice as much say.
Some interesting stats' from Tuesday's rosters for the Feb. 10 game:
The Dallas Cowboys, who have the NFL's second-best record (12-2) had 11 players selected. The 14-0 New England Patriots and the AFC West San Diego Chargers (9-5) had eight apiece.
However, the Indianapolis Colts (12-2), had just five players picked, while the Green Bay Packers, also 12-2, had four selections.
Contrast that with the Minnesota Vikings, who had seven players picked despite an 8-6 record and a questionable shot at making the playoffs.
At the other end of the scale, neither the NFC South champion Tampa Bay Bucs nor the Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4), the wild-card team no one wants to face, had anyone selected.
Another oddity: the Chicago Bears, last in the NFC North, had four players picked.
Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor, who died in late November after being shot during a robbery attempt at his Miami-area house, was voted to start at safety for the NFC. Taylor led the NFC in interceptions at the time of his death.
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