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erwin: Back Again. won the Throwdown.

erwin: Back Again.

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Somewhere In, IN
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SIFS Tourney Round 1: Topic: Which sub-500 NFL team will have the best chance to make the playoffs next season?

IrishR#1: USA! USA! USA! said 04/13, 07:44 PM
Last year, there was a team that outscored their opponents by 54 points, had one of the best RB combos, and the 12th ranked scoring defense. They played a game versus a playoff team 6 times. They were 8-8. That team is the Minnesota Vikings.

The offense is developing well. Tavaris Jackson started to play much better at the end of the year, and he ended the year with a 58.2 completion %. The Vikings don't need him to be Tom Brady. He just has to manage the game, because the Vikings running game is one of the best in the game.

Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor combined last year for 2185 yds, 19 TDs, and 48 receptions. To top it off, both of them had a ypc average of over 5.

The receivers are young and are getting better. Bobby Wade, Robert Ferguson, and Sidney Rice all had over 12 yards per catch. Add that to the addition of Bernard Berrian, and Jackson has some quality targets.

The Vikings also went out and signed Madieu Williams, a pro bowl caliber safety, and Gus Frerotte, a good mentor for Jackson. They also didnt lose any great players.

Defense and division will be covered in the next arguments whenever erwin responds.

erwin: Back Again. said 04/13, 08:53 PM
I will say the New Orleans Saints.

First, they have one of the league's best quarterbacks in Drew Brees. Their rushing attack should be much better this year with both Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister. They also have an absolute stud in receiver Marques Colston, plus there's also Devery Henderson to take pressure off Colston.

The Saints really improved their defense. First, they traded for Jonathan Vilma and signed Dan Morgan. That really makes their linebacking corps respectable now. They also went out and signed a pretty good corner Randall Gay. Gay played well last year for the Patriots.

Also, there are two very good defensive ends in Will Smith and Charles Grant. Grant should bounce back from his disappointing 2007 season.

Also, the Saints play in a pretty weak division. The division winner last season, Tampa Bay, only won 9 games. They did not make many improvements. Neither did the Panthers, and the Falcons just plain suck. The Saints finished at 7-9 last year and made some big improvements to their defense...they have a better chance to make the playoffs than the Vikings.

P.S. I was going to pick the Vikings.

IrishR#1: USA! USA! USA! said 04/13, 11:25 PM
The Saints, like last year, will be way overrated. The running game will be mediocre again. Reggie Bush is not a pro-style running back, and Deuce McAllister is coming off of another knee injury.

They can sign Randall Gay, but that still doesn't make their secondary any good. Their secondary is one of the worst in the league.

Yes, the NFC South isn't great, but the Bucs will hopefully get Carnell Williams back, so the offense is a little more potent. The Vikings have a much easier division. Let's look at the NFC North QBs the Vikings D will have to face: Rex Grossman, Aaron Rodgers, Jon Kitna, and Kyle Orton possibly. Any mediocre defense would have a field day with it.

The Vikings have great defensive tackles in Pat and Kevin Williams. The defensive backs are also improving. The addition of Madieu should help the safeties.

The schedules are about equal with the NFC South playing the NFC North. The Saints also plays the AFC West, Niners, and Redskins. The Vikings play the AFC South, Giants, and Cardinals. I don't think that makes too big of a deal.

erwin: Back Again. said 04/14, 04:35 PM
The Vikings pass defense was pretty bad too. Don't forget that they were last in the NFL in passing yards given up per game. A new safety is not going to completely change that. The Saints did have some pieces in place, and also, they're targeting a corner in the draft. With this year's corner class depth, they'll nab a good one.

Reggie Bush is still transitioning to the NFL. I believe he will be a very good back. Remember, he has some of the best hands for a running back also.

McAllister is a powerful runner. He's injury prone, yes, but when he is on the field, he's pretty good.

The Vikings might have good defensive tackles, but the Saints have two good pass-rushing DEs. So that's pretty even.

The Vikings have the tougher schedule, by what you said. The AFC South is arguably the league's toughest division. The Giants and Cards are no pushovers either. The AFC West as two of the NFL's worst teams in the Chiefs and Raiders, the Niners are overrated, and the Redskins still have a lot of work to do. I think the Saints have an easier schedule.

Taking everything into account, signings, schedules, whatever it is, the Saints have the better chance to make the playoffs.

IrishR#1: USA! USA! USA! said 04/14, 06:52 PM
The Vikings are getting better in the secondary. Antoine Winfield is a great cornerback who is overlooked by the media. They also picked up Michael Boulware, who had a great rookie year in Seattle before being replaced by Jordan Babineaux. With Darren Sharper and Madieu Williams also at safety, they have an up-and-coming secondary.

The Saints need more than one corner. Randall Gay does not change that. Jason David is awful, and Aaron Glenn and Mike McKenzie are over-the-hill. They need more than one okay corner.

Reggie Bush will not be a good back. He's too small and he cannot make defenders look like fools in the NFL like he did at USC.

McAllister isn't a powerful runner when he's on crutches, where he has been for a while now. I doubt he will ever be back to his old self.

Kevin Williams and Pat Williams are on a different level than Charles Grant and Will Smith. The Williams' are perrenial All-Pros. Grant and Smith are good ends, but not on the Williams' level.

The Vikings do have a tough schedule, but the Saints are playing some tough teams in the West. The Chargers and Broncos should be pretty tough.

The Vikings will win the North.

erwin: Back Again. said 04/14, 07:08 PM
Sure the Vikings are getting better. The Saints are too. But, really, the Vikings won't go from the bottom of the league in terms of pass defense to the top.

Boulware is decent. Madieu Williams? He's pretty injury prone. Sharper is really getting up there in terms of age. He's 32 years old now, and he's not the same player as he once was. And Winfield is way better in run support than against the pass.

Reggie Bush might not be a Pro Bowler, but he's a very good third down back. His hands out of the backfield and his speedy, elusive style of running is a very good complement to Deuce McAllister.

I'm still calling them even talent on the defensive line. The Saints have good DEs and okay tackles, and the Vikings have good DTs and okay ends. So, in my mind that's pretty even.

My main point is the schedule. The Vikings schedule is much tougher than the Saints. The Packers should be pretty good this year even without Favre, and the Lions are on the rise. They've got some tough games, and the Vikings will suffer.

The Saints will win the NFC South.

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