Five teams on the upswing in 2012

by | Mar 7, 2012 | 2012 season, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, NFL Random Thoughts

As the NFL closes in on free agency and then the draft, we’re closing in on the end of the “In Depth” series of reports we started publishing in mid-January on each of the league’s teams.

In getting a look at most of the franchises through the eyes of people who observe them more closely individually throughout the season than I do, I’ve learned a lot about what went right and wrong for them in 2011. A handful of them stand out as teams that could really make a jump, if they catch a few breaks, in 2012.

There’s a lot of player movement that will happen between now and late-July when training camps open, but here are my early picks for who could become the surprise teams of 2012.

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In depth: Denver Broncos

by | Mar 6, 2012 | 2011 season, 2012 season, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, NFL Random Thoughts

The Denver Broncos got off to a 1-4 start before Tim Tebow replaced Kyle Orton in a move that kick-started the team. All of a sudden the defense improved, the run game became more of a threat and the Broncos won seven of eight, including six in a row at one point.

The team slumped again at the end of the season but still made the playoffs, knocking off Pittsburgh before falling to New England. So just how good are the Broncos? How responsible was Tebow for the team’s success? And can he and a vastly improved defense take this 8-8 division champion to the next level in 2012 and beyond? Ian Henson from Broncotalk.net shared his thoughts with Zoneblitz.

Zoneblitz: Tim Tebow was good at times, bad at times but amazingly polarizing. What is your assessment of his season and is he the quarterback of the future? (more…)

In depth: Pittsburgh Steelers

by | Mar 4, 2012 | 2011 season, 2012 season, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, NFL Random Thoughts

The Pittsburgh Steelers certainly did better in 2011 than many previous teams coming off of Super Bowl losses. They finished 12-4 and got into the playoffs. But they were far from a dominant team, losing twice to division rival Baltimore and succumbing early in the playoffs to a plucky Denver team.

Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert will have their hands full in 2012 trying to match the success of the last two seasons. There remain questions along the offensive and defensive lines. Age is becoming a factor in several key areas, which means younger guys with promising skills but little experience will have to step up and play key roles. And salary cap issues mean Pittsburgh could lose other key contributors from past seasons, most notably deep threat wide receiver Mike Wallace.

But the Steelers are run as well as any team in the league. So where does this team go from here? Neal Coolong, assistant editor of Behind the Steel Curtain, joined us to share some thoughts. Here’s what he had to say:

Zoneblitz: Coming off of a Super Bowl loss, Pittsburgh had a pretty good season but didn’t win the division and lost to an inferior Denver team. What happened in the playoff game and how do you grade the 2011 season? (more…)

In depth: Detroit Lions

by | Feb 27, 2012 | 2011 season, 2012 season, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, NFL Random Thoughts

Not that long ago the Detroit Lions were a laughingstock, finishing the 2008 season without a single win. Those days are long gone now. With a stud receiver in Calvin Johnson and a quarterback in Matthew Stafford approaching elite levels, Detroit has a pair of stars on offense who are still getting better.

They’re complemented by talented skill players like Brandon Pettigrew, Titus Young and, if he can overcome his injuries, the exciting Jahvid Best. And on defense, Cliff Avril, Kyle Vanden Bosch and Ndamukong Suh star on a defensive line that anchors a fast-improving unit that helped the Lions finish 10-6 while earning their first playoff berth since 1999.

There are still improvements to be made, but this is a team built for sustained success. So how do they get to the next level? Zac Snyder, editor of the SideLion Report, shared some of his thoughts. Here’s what he had to say:

Zoneblitz: With Mikel Leshoure missing the season and Jahvid Best’s future uncertain, what does the future of Detroit’s run game look like?

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In depth: Atlanta Falcons

by | Feb 26, 2012 | 2011 season, 2012 season, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, NFL Random Thoughts

Coach Mike Smith and General Manager Thomas Dimitroff have manufactured the longest stretch of winning regular seasons in the history of the Atlanta Falcons. But the team has struggled mightily in the postseason, losing in blowouts to Green Bay and the New York Giants in back-to-back seasons.

Still, the cupboard is overflowing, with quarterback Matt Ryan and two stud wideouts in Julio Jones and Roddy White being complemented by a solid corps of players on both sides of the ball. But tight end Tony Gonzalez and running back Michael Turner are aging. And defensive end John Abraham and cornerback Brent Grimes are free agents. So where do the Falcons go from here and how do they take the next step toward becoming a Super Bowl contender?

Jamie Kelly, senior editor of Blogging Dirty, joined us to share his thoughts.

Zoneblitz: How would you assess Matt Ryan’s development? (more…)

In depth: Cincinnati Bengals

by | Feb 24, 2012 | 2011 season, 2012 season, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, NFL Random Thoughts

When Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco Johnson both moved on from Cincinnati heading into 2011 it looked like the Bengals could be in for another long season. But then a strange thing happened: Andy Dalton started finding AJ Green on a regular basis, the defense occasionally stepped up and suddenly this once-moribund franchise was being competitive every week.

There are still holes on this roster. But the Dalton-to-Green combination has Bengals fans and observers as optimistic as they’ve been in years. So how do the Bengals keep moving forward and avoid taking another step back? Josh Kirkendall, senior editor for the Cincy Jungle, gave us his thoughts.

Zoneblitz: Will Andy Dalton and AJ Green repeat the success of their rookie years? (more…)