Let's see 4th quarter playoff stats.

They decided to call themselves the Browns as a ploy. You see, their plan was to have their opponents not take them seriously. Most teams are called something fierce and threatening, like "Eagles", "Panthers", "Vikings", or something. They wanted their opponents to go "Pshhh, it's just the BROWNS! Who's afraid of a Brown?" And then the Browns would surprise them with a buttkicking on game day.

This plan, unfortunately, was hindered by the fact that the Browns cannot beat anybody.

Apparently, the players in the NFL discovered that you do NOT, in fact, have to be a Bengal to commit crimes! You learn something new every day.

Peyton Manning probably would not have joined the Broncos if he had waited until after the NFL Schedule came out to make a decision. Brutal schedule. I don't think that the Broncos are going to make the playoffs this year, which will make one heck of a story next offseason; John Elway is going to be on the hot seat.

Mehhhh. Some quarterbacks are elite. Some are good in the red zone. Tony Romo is good in the comfort zone; he can get into a rhythm and make plays, but if the game isn't going his way, he's just not as capable at putting the team on his shoulder and turning it around, compared to most of the other quarterbacks in the league. I trust Romo in quarters 1-3, but not 4.

Hmm. I'll take the bait. Their schedule is rough this year! Have you looked at it? After their bye week in week 5, the only "gimme" is the Browns game!

I actually like the Ravens to win it, even without Terrell Suggs.

The 49ers wide receiver corps was given a massive overhaul over the offseason. If the offense and his stats don't improve as a result, I think we're going to see Kaepernick by the time the season ends.

Hey now, the Falcons have a different OC this season. Their playcalling might not be as godawful now.

I'd be shocked if only one NFC East team made the playoffs. One of the NFC Wild Card teams will be from that division. As much as it kills me to say it as a Lions fan, I think the Bears will lock up the other NFC Wild Card slot.

That becomes tricky when you factor in injuries.

The Rams DID just get Cortland Finnegan and Janoris Jenkins this offseason, and they do have Chris Long and Robert Quinn rushing off the end... the Rams defense is going to cause problems this year. One of the best in the league? Probably not. Hard to close out games against? Most definitely.

The Dolphins have a soft schedule. Which is a shame, because their team is awful this year, so I'll give you that one.

The Browns are also a serious contender in the race for the #1 pick. Have you seen their schedule? Terrible.

But the Seahawks have so many quarterbacks! Too bad they don't have much of anything else.

The same thing that happens to Tony Romo's passing game when the 4th quarter rolls around.

Franky, yes. Look at the culture right now: players holding out of training camps and sitting out the start of the regular season looking for more money. Owners offering free agents monster contracts - take Albert Haynesworth. Signed to a 7-year, $100 million contract, and they released him after two seasons.

Let's create an imaginary wide receiver named Rick Rolled. He signs a contract with the Cleveland Browns for 4 years and $23 million. However, after 2 years, he is the top WR on the Browns and has had a 1,000 yard season. He demands a pay raise or he would sit out as much of the season as he could to still get credit for free agency (8 games, I believe). He signed a contract saying he would play for 4 years for $23 million. I don't see how it's okay for him to just decide not to honor it. If you don't want to be locked up in one pay grade for 4 years, or you think you're worth more, don't sign the contract.

This should go both ways. Owners should be just as contractually obligated. They also signed the document stating that they would employ Rick Rolled for 4 years and pay $23 million. If Rick turns out to be a bust, it's their own fault for signing him to a contract that long for that much money.

It's a contract. Both parties sign it. Both parties should have to be accountable for it.

Don'tcha wish they could develop linebackers like they develop defensive ends?

Jason Whitlock is a joke of a writer anymore. His articles are highly opinionated, even for opinion articles, in that he doesn't seriously address counter-arguments to his points. He makes his points without addressing the implications or real-world consequences of his ideas.

Heck, in this article, he says: "- Reduce the number of full-contact practices to one per week at all levels of football. Full-contact spring practice should be eliminated from amateur football."

Read that a few more times. Only one full-contact practice per week at all levels of football. Um, counter-point: No.

Here are a few better ideas for improving the NFL:

- Defenders can't lead a hit with the crown of their helmets into the helmets of other players. Cool. Make the same thing apply to running backs that are hitting the hole. If they lower their heads like a human battering ram, penalize them like a defender doing the same thing.

- Mandate "pants pads" again. As in, the thigh pads, knee pads, hip pads, etc. for all players.

- I don't remember where I read it, but I think I read an article where the author advocated redesigning the helmets so that they're LESS protective. In the older days of football, when it was arguably more violent and nasty than it is now in terms of brutality, players did not hit each other head-to-head because it was painful and risky for both parties. Now, with the heads more protected than ever, the skulls of both parties aren't in immediate danger, which makes it much more okay to hit each other head-to-head. I saw it worded much more concisely than this, but I think that, overall, we would see less concussions because the head would not be traumatized by repeated helmet-to-helmet blows.

- While I'm at it, I think they should actually make the contracts binding legal documents. Let's say that you hire somebody to fix your roof. Halfway through the repairs, the roofer feels like they're doing a really good job - better than you probably expected them to. So they demand more money or they won't finish your roof. Does this situation end anywhere but a court or a jail for breach of contract? No. So why are NFL players treated like this sort of thing is okay? Simply put, players should be expected to honor their contracts or face expulsion from the league. They're grown men signing contracts to play for X years for X dollars. If they think they're worth more, don't sign the paper in the first place.

I'll say this much: the NFC East is easily the most interesting division in the NFL right now. They feature the Cowboys with their revamped defense and the loved/hated Tony Romo, the Redskins suddenly seem dangerous again, the Eagles one year removed from their "dream team" status, and the returning Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

How much would it really hurt to replace a struggling Sanchez with Tim Tebow? I mean, really? Sanchez is awful.

Ultimately, winning a game happens in the trenches - at the line of scrimmage. One team's big guys against the other team's big guys. Teams with good quarterbacks, but awful lines, don't tend to fare very well (the big exception being Peyton Manning), whereas a good offensive line can mask many shortcomings within an offense (see: Tim Tebow).

Linemen are the most underrated commodity in the NFL. If I'm trying to build a team, the first thing I'm doing is fixing the lines. Offensively and defensively, whatever I can do to make sure that my lines can win the day.

The difference is, the Cowboys have had a team with a lot of talent that can never quite bring it together. The Lions have been a joke, and even right now when they're trying to roar into the powerhouse scene, they STILL can't fix their pass defense. It's pathetic.