The Pulse: SportsNation's NFL Preview, Part II

Click here for the entire transcript of Dan Shanoff's Morning Quickie

It wasn't so long ago that Tom Brady and the Patriots were in the same position in the AFC as a host of NFC teams are this fall, hoping to emerge from obscurity and reach the Super Bowl. While AFC sleepers must confront two juggernaut teams in the Pats and Colts (and nearly 45 percent of voters pick one of those two to win the title), NFC teams have a less daunting road to travel.

Which team is most likely to keep Donovan McNabb, Terrell Owens and all of Philadelphia's drama from returning to the Super Bowl? SportsNation says it's the Panthers ... but keep an eye on the Vikings, Falcons and even Bill Parcells' Cowboys.

Which team has the best chance to unseat the Eagles as NFC champs? (22,430 votes)
35.5% Carolina Panthers
27.7% Minnesota Vikings
27.1% Atlanta Falcons
 9.5% St. Louis Rams

Which of these NFC sleeper teams has the best shot to reach the Super Bowl? (22,257 votes)
41.1% Minnesota Vikings
17.0% Dallas Cowboys
16.9% St. Louis Rams
13.3% Green Bay Packers
11.4% Seattle Seahawks

Which of last season's NFC playoff teams is most likely to miss the postseason this year? (4,575 votes)
53.6% Green Bay Packers
24.3% Seattle Seahawks
12.3% St. Louis Rams
 9.6% Minnesota Vikings

Which NFC team is most likely to rebound from double-digit losses to make the playoffs? (105,956 votes)
30.7% Dallas Cowboys
27.2% Detroit Lions
24.4% Arizona Cardinals
 9.1% Tampa Bay Buccaneers
 8.3% Washington Redskins

Which coach with a Super Bowl title has the most to prove this season? (110,960 votes)
35.7% Joe Gibbs
26.1% Bill Parcells
23.2% Mike Holmgren
14.7% Jon Gruden

The Eagles may have challengers in the NFC this season, but SportsNation still largely views the NFC East as a safe haven. Even with injuries to two key offensive components, the Eagles are the clear pick as division favorites.

Who will make the playoffs from the NFC East?
96.4% Eagles
64.4% Cowboys
52.9% Giants
33.6% Redskins

Following injuries to Todd Pinkston and Correll Buckhalter, who is your pick to win the NFC East? (78,709 votes)
57.5% Philadelphia Eagles
26.0% Dallas Cowboys
 8.6% New York Giants
 7.7% Washington Redskins

Which has a bigger impact on Philadelphia's Super Bowl hopes? (23,409 votes)
55.3% The good of Terrell Owens' talent
44.7% The bad of Terrell Owens' attitude

Who will be Philadelphia's offensive MVP this season? (23,409 votes)
67.9% Donovan McNabb
24.0% Brian Westbrook
 6.2% Terrell Owens
 0.7% Greg Lewis
 0.6% Reggie Brown
 0.6 %Other

How many touchdown receptions will Terrell Owens have this season? (24,495 votes)
47.0% 15 or more
23.6% 13-14
18.0% 11-12
11.3% 10 or fewer

What do you expect from the Cowboys this season? (36,553 votes)
50.6% Rely largely on defense
41.3% Balance between offense and defense
 8.0% Rely largely on offense

Who will be Dallas' offensive MVP this season? (36,553 votes)
77.4% Julius Jones
12.9% Jason Witten
 5.7% Drew Bledsoe
 1.7% Keyshawn Johnson
 1.2% Larry Allen
 1.1% Terry Glenn

Will this be Bill Parcells' final season as head coach of the Cowboys? (36,553 votes)
76.5% No
23.5% Yes

What do you expect from Eli Manning, who completed just 48.9 percent of his passes while throwing six touchdowns and nine interceptions as a rookie? (17,343 votes)
50.0% Substantial improvement -- He'll be in the top half of the league's starting quarterbacks.
46.1% Modest improvement -- He'll be more effective than last season but still not a major factor.
 4.0% No improvement -- He'll be just as inconsistent and throw more interceptions than touchdowns.

What is New York's biggest remaining weakness? (17,343 votes)
36.2% Eli Manning's growing pains
31.7% Durability of offensive line
17.0% Defensive tackles
 8.2% Lack of playmakers at OLB
 6.9% Durability of safeties

What is Washington's biggest remaining weakness? (15,736 votes)
59.5% Quarterback play
17.4% Joe Gibbs' adjustment to current NFL conditions
11.5% Lack of size and depth at wide receiver
 6.0% Pass rush from defensive line
 3.0% Sean Taylor's legal woes
 2.6% Replacing Antonio Pierce at MLB

Which quarterback would you start if you were Joe Gibbs? (15,736 votes)
71.4% Patrick Ramsey
17.7% Jason Campbell
10.9% Mark Brunell

Would you want Sean Taylor on your team? (15,736 votes)
76.1% Yes
23.9% No

The Redskins are going to surprise everyone with a better "O" and that nasty D to make the playoffs with the wild card.
Tim (Boston)

Cowboys, though it pains me to say, are a sleeper. They have great depth at running back, good receivers, but a piñata at quarterback. Their D should be much improved, and they have the Big Tuna on the headset in his third year. He always comes up big in year three.
Johnstone (Bucktown)

I'll say the Cowboys are a sleeper. I really like those kids they drafted on defense, and Julius Jones is a monster.
Rob (N.Y.)

We can hope and pray the Saints end up a sleeper, but I don't think it will happen. However, (and I hate saying this) my vote goes to the Dallas Cowboys. I think Parcells makes a push this year with the talent he has added through the draft on D. All they have to do is keep Bledsoe upright somehow.
DC (Altoona, Pa.)

Nate (Houston): Last year a lot of media people were saying that Joe Gibbs would have the ship righted by the second year, but this year 90 percent of the media are picking the Redskins to be bad again. What is your take? I think they have the potential to shock a lot of people and win 10 games.

Chris Mortensen: As we've gotten closer to the openers, I now list the Redskins as one of my potential "sleepers." Does that mean 10 wins? I guess it could but I don't see that many.

Click here for Mortensen's entire transcript

Mike (San Francisco, Calif.): Isn't it incredible that in spite of only having four draft picks, the Giants' rookie class may have the biggest impact? Webster, Tuck, and Jacobs have all flashed first-round ability, and how in the world did James Butler go undrafted?

Len Pasquarelli: Yeah, I thought right after the draft even that Ernie Accorsi did a terrific job with so few picks. That opinion was cemented when I saw the giants in camp. Webster is going to be terrific, but I think Tuck needs some weight. On Butler, I live in Atlanta, so got to see him play a lot. He's a prime example of a guy who didn't run well for scouts, and the scouts let that supercede the fact the guy is a solid football player.

Chris (Tulsa): Could the Dallas defense surprise some teams this year, and can they move past that wild-card bid with Bledsoe at the helm?

Len Pasquarelli: I think Parcells just needs to play the 3-4, stick with it, and that probably means playing a lot of kids. Bill was talking last week about going back to some 4-3 looks. Nah, play the 3-4, live with the mistakes, but be consistent. I agree that a lot of the veteran leftover talent is a perfect fit for the 3-4, but this draft will be remembered as the one that allowed the Cowboys to transition to the 3-4 front.

Click here for Pasquarelli's entire transcript

Randy Moss is gone, and it seems like the Vikings have never been so popular. With new primary target Nate Burleson hauling in passes from Daunte Culpepper, and a host of new faces on defense, the Vikings are SportsNation's pick as the class of the division.

Who will make the playoffs from the NFC North?
85.1% Vikings
69.1% Lions
64.9% Packers
27.3% Bears

What do you expect from the Bears this season? (20,168 votes)

70.9% Rely largely on defense
25.4% Balance between offense and defense
3.7% Rely largely on offense

When will Cedric Benson take over as a 20-carry-per-game runner? (20,168 votes)
43.0% Late this season
41.3% Early this season
13.2% Sometime next season
2.5% More than two years

Which of Detroit's three young receivers will eventually emerge as stars? (23,184 votes)
53.4% All three
25.4% Just Mike Williams and Roy Williams
 8.8% Just Charles Rogers and Roy Williams
 8.1% Just Roy Williams
 1.3% Just Charles Rogers and Mike Williams
 1.0% Just Charles Rogers
 1.0% Just Mike Williams
 1.0% None of them

Which newcomer will play the biggest role for the Lions? (23,184 votes)
23.4% Mike Williams
22.9% Marcus Pollard
22.3% Kenoy Kennedy
12.6% Jeff Garcia
 9.7% Shaun Cody
 9.2% R.W. McQuarters

What do you expect from the Packers this season? (22,127 votes)
83.6% Rely largely on offense
14.5% Balance between offense and defense
 2.0% Rely largely on defense

Will Brett Favre's streak of consecutive starts survive this season? (22,127 votes)
83.8% Yes
16.25 No

How will Green Bay's defense fare this season under new defensive coordinator Jim Bates? (22,127 votes)
42.7% A little better than last season
21.1% About the same as last season
20.8% Much better than last season
10.9% A little worse than last season
 4.4% Much worse than last season

What do you expect from Minnesota wide receiver Nate Burleson, who caught 68 passes for 1,006 yards and nine touchdowns last season? (20,099 votes)
63.7% Better numbers as the team's No. 1 receiver
23.6% About the same numbers as last season
12.7% Worse numbers without Randy Moss distracting defenses

Which newcomer will play the biggest role for the Vikings? (20,099 votes)
31.7% Fred Smoot
24.0% Pat Williams
17.1% Darren Sharper
 7.5% Troy Williamson
 5.4% Sam Cowart
 5.1% Travis Taylor
 4.8% Napoleon Harris
 4.5% Erasmus James

Dare I say Chicago is a sleeper? With the defense rock-solid, Cedric Benson finally in camp and the running attack ready to go, and an offense that isn't built on QB success, is it possible these guys could sneak wins in a weak division?
Steve (Domenichelli, Conn.)

The Lions have gotten the same hype the last three years in a row and have never produced. Why should they start now?
Lucas (Chicago)

I hate to say it, but Minnesota's D hasn't really performed any better than last year so far. Without improvement on D, the loss of Moss could really hurt this team.
Moe (Divonne)

Chris (New Baltimore, Mich.): What makes the Bears defense so good? It doesn't look like they've got a ton of star talent out there.

Len Pasquarelli: The unit has great collective speed, runs to the ball well and players tend to take care of their own responsibilities. It's a nice unit that is well-coached, and the front office has done a nice job cap-wise with the defense.

Click here for Pasquarelli's entire transcript

Jack (Chicago): What are your real impressions of Kyle Orton? It's not like Rex Grossman ever was that wonderful, so why are people so down on Orton? He would have been drafted in the first round, and a candidate for the Heisman, without his hip flexor. What gives? I realize he is a rookie, but the Bears are similar to last season's Steelers -- built for defense and running the ball. And it's not like Orton will be asked to win games. So what gives?

Chris Mortensen: Who knows? This league really doesn't have a great track record on projecting QBs. And it is really much more difficult to play that position in the NFL -- more so than any time in league history. But there was a knock on Orton that his release was a little long and slow and now, all of a sudden, it's been corrected. There was also a concern about whether the Purdue scheme would hurt him. Well, I think scouts were wrong. It may not be always pretty because he's a rookie but I think the Bears are pretty interesting and you're not far off on your thoughts.

Robert (Michigan): Joey Harrington: 3,500 yards, 30 TDs and 13 INTs, or 2,600 yards, 21 TDs and 15 INTs?

Chris Mortensen: To answer a couple of Lions questions, I don't know if Joey can have that big step-up year if the O-line doesn't come around. They have some talent issues from center-RG-RT. If the line does come around, then Joey will have a pretty good year and the Lions will be in contention. If not, it won't be pretty.

Click here for Mortensen's entire transcript

What is the best divisional battle in the league this year? It might just be the NFC South, where SportsNation needs a recount to decide the battle between the Falcons and Panthers. Voters aren't convinced Michael Vick has the targets he needs at wide receiver, but they still give the Falcons a slight edge.

Who will make the playoffs from the NFC South?
85.0% Atlanta Falcons
84.2% Carolina Panthers
58.2% New Orleans Saints
30.2% Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Who is your pick to win the NFC South? (11,192 votes)
45.9% Atlanta Falcons
42.8% Carolina Panthers
 6.1% New Orleans Saints
 5.0% Tampa Bay Buccaneers

After selecting a wide receiver in the first round each of the last two seasons, have the Falcons done enough to fix their weakness at the position?
56.3% No, they should have pursued a veteran fix through free agency or trade.
43.7% Yes, either Michael Jenkins or Roddy White will emerge as a legit No. 1 receiver.

Who will be Atlanta's most productive wide receiver this season? (31,854 votes)
60.5% Michael Jenkins
19.0% Brian Finneran
11.5% Dez White
 8.7% Roddy White

What is Atlanta's biggest remaining weakness? (32,101 votes)
39.4% Lack of an impact wide receiver
26.8% Opening with Eagles, Seahawks, Bills, Vikings and Patriots
24.4% Michael Vick's completion percentage
 5.0% Depth and health at safety
 4.3% Depth on the defensive line

Who will lead the Panthers in rushing yards this season? (8,600 votes)
71.7% DeShaun Foster
21.5% Stephen Davis
 6.9% Eric Shelton

Which newcomer will play the biggest role for the Panthers? (8,060 votes)
27.1% Rod Gardner
22.7% Ken Lucas
20.6% Mike Wahle
16.7% Thomas Davis
 5.9% Other
 4.1% Eric Shelton
 2.1% Idrees Bashir
 0.8% Stefan LeFors

Who should the Saints have taken with the 13th pick in the NFL Draft? (6,055 votes)
44.1% Derrick Johnson, LB
36.7% Jammal Brown, OT
 9.2% David Pollack, DE
 6.5% Mark Clayton, WR
 3.6% Alex Barron, OT

What's your take on head coach Jim Haslett? (6,055 votes)
60.9% He's an average coach; he's not entirely to blame but he's not entirely the answer.
21.7% He's an above-average coach trying to overcome bad luck and overrated talent.
17.4% He's overrated; this would be a playoff team with a better coach.

What is your impression of the Buccaneers' direction under Jon Gruden right now? (10,970 votes)
58.7% On the way up
41.3% On the way down

How long will it take Carnell "Cadillac" Williams to earn the majority of carries? (10,970 votes)
52.1% Start of the regular season
40.3% Midseason
 4.3% By the end of the season
 3.4% Next season

Which rookie running back will have the best season? (126,096 votes)
32.9% Carnell Williams
25.6% J.J. Arrington
18.4% Ronnie Brown
17.9% Cedric Benson
 5.0% Other

I think Tampa could at least be a wild-card team. They tend to play well in their division and are improving in skill positions.
Tom (Parkville, Md.)

The trendy sleeper picks are the Lions and Cardinals. But I am going out on a limb and saying the Buccaneers! Brian Griese has had a year under the system, Gruden's been good with most quarterbacks he's tutored (save Chris Simms, who might just be a hopeless case), and I'm loving Caddy Williams. O-line is weak, but so was the Chargers' last year! Defense is still good. Plus, lots of parity in the NFC. Go Pewter!
Kirk (Chaska, Minn.)

Atlanta is WAAAY overrated. Even if Vick learns to throw the ball (big IF), who will be there to catch it? Michael Jenkins? He got lucky in the preseason.
Bleto (Tampa)

Bruce (Visalia, Calif.): I can't believe the media has this love affair with Michael Vick. He make horrible decisions in the passing game and NO running QB has ever won the title (Young stopped running, that's why he won). What do you think of Vick?

Chris Mortensen: You make some legitimate points, but he is so different than any QB that's ever played in this league, including Steve Young. His presence alone makes the Falcons perhaps the most dangerous running team in the NFL. I don't think he's a horrible decision maker. I think last year he was still feeling his way in a new scheme and he has average WRs. He will be better this year, and, bottom line, the Falcons win a lot more than they lose when he's in the lineup. And he is one guy I'd pay money to watch play.

Click here for Mortensen's entire transcript

The Seahawks are SportsNation's pick to win the NFC West, but you get the feeling that has more to do with voters' concerns about Arizona's ability to protect Kurt Warner and St. Louis' ability to stop anyone than it does with Seattle's roster.

Who will make the playoffs from the NFC West?
79.0% Seahawks
64.7% Rams
57.1% Cardinals
15.2% 49ers

Which team will win the NFC West? (160,498 votes)
42.3% Seattle Seahawks
25.8% Arizona Cardinals
25.5% St. Louis Rams
 6.2% San Francisco 49ers

How many rushing yards will rookie J.J. Arrington gain this season? (8,671 votes)
52.0% 1,000-1,200
41.1% 501-999
 5.6% More than 1,200
 1.2% 500 or fewer

What is Arizona's biggest remaining weakness? (8,671 votes)
54.3% Protecting Kurt Warner
19.2% Relying on unproven J.J. Arrington
10.9% Reshuffled secondary
 9.1% Kurt Warner
 6.5% Defensive tackles

How long will it take Alex Smith to develop into one of the league's best quarterbacks? (9,115 votes)
50.3% 3-4 seasons
29.8% 1-2 seasons
15.6% He never will
 4.2% 5 or more seasons

Do you consider Mike Holmgren one of the league's best coaches? (7,873 votes)
58.5% Yes
41.5% No

What do you expect from the Seahawks this season? (7,873 votes)
60.5% Rely largely on offense
35.0% Balance between offense and defense
 4.5% Rely largely on defense

Who will be Seattle's defensive MVP this season? (7,873 votes)
25.3% Michael Boulware, S
24.2% Marcus Trufant, CB
21.0% Jamie Sharper, LB
19.5% Grant Wistrom, DE
 5.6% Ken Hamlin, S
 3.6% Andre Dyson, CB
 0.8% Rashad Moore, DT

Did the Rams significantly improve their defense through the draft and free agency? (9,609 votes)
53.6% No
46.4% Yes

Which newcomer will play the biggest role for the Rams? (9,609 votes)
40.5% Dexter Coakley, LB
33.2% Chris Claiborne, LB
15.2% Alex Barron, OT
11.0% Other

What is St. Louis' biggest remaining weakness? (9,609 votes)
29.1% Mike Martz's play-calling
24.9% Depth for the defensive front seven
22.6% Lack of playmakers at cornerback
17.7% Alex Barron's inexperience at right tackle
 5.7% Settling on a safety alongside Adam Archuleta

Everyone is saying Arizona is a sleeper. Why the heck not the Cards? I'm hoping J.J. Arrington gets some major yardage to help out the two terrific wide receivers they have. The defense is tight as well.
Wesley (Madison)

I'd like to see Arizona climb out of the cellar, and I think they can finally pull it off this year, if Kurt Warner goes back to his old self, not the one we've seen the last few years.
Dave (Tampa)

The Cardinals have great, young wide receivers and a former MVP (Warner) throwing them the ball.
Rob (Boston)

Seattle is overrated. Besides Shaun Alexander, I don't see a whole lot of talent on that team. And the defense has gotten steadily worse the last three years. No playoffs for them this year.
Tim (Rochester, N.Y.)

Sean (Los Angeles): Hey Mort, You do a great job. Anyway, why do the Seahawks get no love? Last year, lots of people picked them for the Super Bowl. Now, with the same team, people say the Cards or Rams will win the division. What happened?

Chris Mortensen: I think it's the same issue (usually the media's problem) that has always plagued the Seahawks -- they're kinda up there in that Northwest corner all by themselves, and they do get the short end of the stick. I think if their receivers rise to the occasion, they're a threat again -- obviously.

Click here for Mortensen's entire transcript

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