NFL: The 2009 Season

The NFL season got underway on Thursday night with a gritty win for the reigning champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers, overcoming last season’s early season pacesetters, the Tennessee Titans in overtime.

With the regular season now up and running, it’s worth taking a quick look at the contenders. The beauty of the NFL is how open it is. Around half the teams in the league will fancy themselves for at least an outside run at a place in the Superbowl. After all, if last year’s runners up, the Arizona Cardinals can do it, after years as the butt of everyone’s jokes, then nothing is impossible

Genuine contenders:
New England, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York Giants, Tennessee, Baltimore, San Diego, Minnesota, Arizona, Dallas.

Outside bets:
Carolina, Chicago, Indianapolis, New Orleans, Green Bay, Seattle.

Of those outside bets, it seems a little early for the new regimes in Seattle or Indianapolis, with the latter being tipped for a disappointing season, although one should never write Peyton Manning off. Meanwhile Carolina have failed to string winning seasons together, Chicago need to develop, and New Orleans and Green Bay need to prove their new defences are as good as their offences.

Of the favourites, the reigning Steelers still look good, but may struggle with everyone gunning for them, and with their ongoing offensive line problems. The Patriots look very strong with Tom Brady back from injury, but need to prove the worth of their new-look defensive line-up. Dallas are, for once, a low profile team, and could break their 13 year playoff win drought, although the big prize is probably too much for them given their lack of playoff experience. Philadelphia look very strong, especially after last year’s run, but they have rebuilt. If the new players can gel with the veterans, and Michael Vick can help the offence rather than disrupt it, they could win the whole thing, however it might take another season for the younger players to settle in. The Giants have to prove they can score touchdowns without the imprisoned Plaxico Burress – last year they struggled badly once he was ruled out. The Titans and the Ravens need to show that there’s more to their games than defence and a powerful ruining game, but both sides, especially the Ravens with their veteran leadership, could go all the way. Of all the contenders, the Minnesota Vikings and the San Diego Chargers probably have the best all round teams. For the Vikings, the question is, can Brett Favre integrate into their side, and can he still perform to the championship-winning level of his earlier career? For the Chargers, a side who have flirted with success in recent years, its time to step up and make a serious challenge. With star linebacker Shawn Merriman back from injury, they have no excuses. Another playoff failure and coach Norv Turner could find himself out of a job, as the owners have proved impatient in the past with coaches who have failed to take this talented squad on to the next level.

This column’s prediction: New Orleans to be this year’s Arizona, coming up on the rails and surprising the NFC to beat the Eagles in the NFC Championship game and progress to the Superbowl, where they’ll lose to the Chargers, who will have overcome the Ravens in the AFC. A side note though, neither of those sides has ever won the Superbowl, and new sides do not win very often. The last first-time winner was Tampa Bay in 2002. However, the Chargers have as good a chance this year, as they have ever had.