Guarantees/Stonecold Locks for 2012

[Avante]

Lions beat the Rams in week one

We will hear...he has world class speed...when talking about RGIII

The Buffalo Bills won't win the AFC

The Oakland Raiders will lose a game because of stupidity

Peyton Manning will not be the same QB

Jerry Jones will be seen yucking it up with a Cowboy lead only to end up crashing and burning

Reggie Bush will not lead the league in rushing

We will hear about how long Ray Lewis has been in the league

The Niners will win the west

Cam Newton will be even better

Brian Quick with the Rams will make an impact

We will hear..."check out those guns"..when talking about rookie running back Robert Turbin with the Seahawks

Tim Tebow will start a few games because Sanchez is sucking, then Tebow will suck even worst and back comes Sanchez

The Texans win their division

Andrew Luck will shine, the Colts won't

Trent Richardson will knock at least one backer out of the game

[Clipper Nation]

Avante will still welch on bets and consistently bring the shameless bads...

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Wow, you're really going out on a limb with those predictions

[Avante]

Avante will still welch on bets and consistently bring the shameless bads...

Still lost

[J.T.]

Andrew Luck will shine, the Colts won't

The Colts won't shine, but nobody should expect them to. They were the worst team in the NFL last year, and they just lost the greatest quarterback of all-time. I'm expecting them to finish 2nd in the division this year as I don't think they are as bad as they were last season after this draft. They are also no longer playing the worthless Tampa 2 defense which seemed to require all of their corners to play 10 yds off their man at all times.

Not to mention the coaching regime change has to be a net plus. Jim Caldwell had a losing record as a head coach in the NCAA and took the Colts to the Super Bowl (and could have had them there at 18-0 if he wanted to). I'm excited to see what Pagano can do, he only has legit NFL experience as a defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator and his team made it to within a dropped TD pass of appearing in the past Super Bowl. He is unproven as a head coach but I like the NFL experience on the resume as opposed to just getting the job because Tony Dungy named you the successor. 6-10, 7-9 for this team isn't impossible and I think people will underestimate Luck and Fleener's chemistry early on as that combo carries over to the pros.

[Avante]

The Colts won't shine, but nobody should expect them to. They were the worst team in the NFL last year, and they just lost the greatest quarterback of all-time. I'm expecting them to finish 2nd in the division this year as I don't think they are as bad as they were last season after this draft. They are also no longer playing the worthless Tampa 2 defense which seemed to require all of their corners to play 10 yds off their man at all times.

Not to mention the coaching regime change has to be a net plus. Jim Caldwell had a losing record as a head coach in the NCAA and took the Colts to the Super Bowl (and could have had them there at 18-0 if he wanted to). I'm excited to see what Pagano can do, he only has legit NFL experience as a defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator and his team made it to within a dropped TD pass of appearing in the past Super Bowl. He is unproven as a head coach but I like the NFL experience on the resume as opposed to just getting the job because Tony Dungy named you the successor. 6-10, 7-9 for this team isn't impossible and I think people will underestimate Luck and Fleener's chemistry early on as that combo carries over to the pros.

Good stuff JT, now lets look at their schedule.

at Chicago...loss
Minnesota..win
Jacksonville...win
Green Bay...loss
at Jets...loss
Cleveland...win
at Tenn...loss
Miami..win
at Jacksonville...loss
at New England...loss
Buffalo...loss
at Detroit...loss
Tennessee..win
at Houston..loss
at KC..hmmm?
Houston..loss

I got..6?-10

[J.T.]

I'm gunning for the Colts to keep Houston shut out in Indy. They did it with Dan Orlovsky at QB last season (although Texans did have injury problems for that game). At the same time though it's their last game of the year, and beating Houston at home before going into the offseason would be a key building block for that offense. The most talented roster isn't always the one that wins big games in the NFL, it's the one that executes the best and takes advantage of the situations the game puts them in. I'm hoping this next era of Colts teams is better at that, the last one put all the weight on Manning's shoulders and it broke his neck.

I'm expecting the Colts defense to be a little better this year, but that will be what loses them games this year. Last year it was trying to run Peyton Manning's offense without Peyton Manning at QB.

[Avante]

I'm gunning for the Colts to keep Houston shut out in Indy. They did it with Dan Orlovsky at QB last season (although Texans did have injury problems for that game). At the same time though it's their last game of the year, and beating Houston at home before going into the offseason would be a key building block for that offense. The most talented roster isn't always the one that wins big games in the NFL, it's the one that executes the best and takes advantage of the situations the game puts them in. I'm hoping this next era of Colts teams is better at that, the last one put all the weight on Manning's shoulders and it broke his neck.

I'm expecting the Colts defense to be a little better this year, but that will be what loses them games this year. Last year it was trying to run Peyton Manning's offense without Peyton Manning at QB.

It's going to take them a couple more drafts/free agents before they are any kind of a legit threat. Right now everyone wishs they played them.

[J.T.]

It's going to take them a couple more drafts/free agents before they are any kind of a legit threat. Right now everyone wishs they played them.

I know that, their defensive back situation is pretty terrible outside of Antoine Bethea, who has been racking up 100+ combined tackles from the safety position a few years running now. That's insane for a safety, but it also speaks volumes about the front seven of your defense. Your safeties should not be stacking up tackles like that, they should be making plays or more specifically, preventing the other team's skilled wideouts from making plays.

I'm just saying from the standpoint of a team that is trying to return to a culture of greatness and winning, that last game against Houston at home in Indy has to be circled at this point. It is for me anyway. As a young team that is trying to reload its roster with fresh talent, that's the last game of the year. By then Luck should have a good idea of what to expect from NFL defenses and will most importantly be playing a team for the second time, meaning we'll get to see how he adjusts and prepares for them. Fair or not, Colts fans were spoiled by Manning and that's the guy everyone will always compare Luck to, not RG3. I fully expect Indy to return to the playoffs by the 2014 season at latest. If not then they shouldn't have tanked for Luck (and they did in a couple of games, no doubt) and allowed Manning to finish his career with the team that drafted him, as he probably wanted.

I just have more faith in that team than most others do. I don't think they're as bad as they showed last year, a lot of that was just demotivation because Manning wasn't there and utter lack of preparation to deal with that situation. They had just come off an uncharacteristic training camp and preseason due to the lockout business and Manning was ruled out with little time to sign a solid backup and prepare for that. It was just an overall poorly managed situation. They can't be anything close to that bad again with a regime change that promotes more openness between staff, a QB with actual talent and some solid offensive weapons (I think T.Y. Hilton is going to surprise some folks). You're right that nobody should be afraid of playing these guys right now, but this team is primed to develop nicely as long as injuries don't derail the team.

[gaKNOW!blee]

100 tackles is not insane for a safety when he plays on a ty defense. It's quite common.

[Avante]

I know that, their defensive back situation is pretty terrible outside of Antoine Bethea, who has been racking up 100+ combined tackles from the safety position a few years running now. That's insane for a safety, but it also speaks volumes about the front seven of your defense. Your safeties should not be stacking up tackles like that, they should be making plays or more specifically, preventing the other team's skilled wideouts from making plays.

I'm just saying from the standpoint of a team that is trying to return to a culture of greatness and winning, that last game against Houston at home in Indy has to be circled at this point. It is for me anyway. As a young team that is trying to reload its roster with fresh talent, that's the last game of the year. By then Luck should have a good idea of what to expect from NFL defenses and will most importantly be playing a team for the second time, meaning we'll get to see how he adjusts and prepares for them. Fair or not, Colts fans were spoiled by Manning and that's the guy everyone will always compare Luck to, not RG3. I fully expect Indy to return to the playoffs by the 2014 season at latest. If not then they shouldn't have tanked for Luck (and they did in a couple of games, no doubt) and allowed Manning to finish his career with the team that drafted him, as he probably wanted.

I just have more faith in that team than most others do. I don't think they're as bad as they showed last year, a lot of that was just demotivation because Manning wasn't there and utter lack of preparation to deal with that situation. They had just come off an uncharacteristic training camp and preseason due to the lockout business and Manning was ruled out with little time to sign a solid backup and prepare for that. It was just an overall poorly managed situation. They can't be anything close to that bad again with a regime change that promotes more openness between staff, a QB with actual talent and some solid offensive weapons (I think T.Y. Hilton is going to surprise some folks). You're right that nobody should be afraid of playing these guys right now, but this team is primed to develop nicely as long as injuries don't derail the team.

Great to see someone who knows their stuff, I'm with you on all of that.

I picked up on T.Y.Hilton a couple years ago, as we coming out of FI he didn't get the respect that he deserves. In a word...dynamic...another one of those make up miss, gone!!!

I don't know how far back you go but imagine a Colt offense with a Hall of Fame, QB (Unitas) RB (Lenny Moore the first great receiving back) WR (Ray Berry) and TE (John Macky).

[DeadlyDynasty]

thinking the Bills won't win the AFC...you ing peasant

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

100 tackles is not insane for a safety when he plays on a ty defense. It's quite common.

I think JT's point was that there's a major problem with the defense when the safety is racking up so many tackles. Especially when it's a free safety like Bethea.

[Avante]

thinking the Bills won't win the AFC...you ing peasant

Did I not say...Guarantee/Stonecold Lock? I don't..think...they won't win the AFC I know they won't.

Oh yeah, don't be calling me ing names muther er, I'll reach thru this monitor and knock that pin head of yours right off that pencil neck, got that er?

[DeadlyDynasty]

Did I not say...Guarantee/Stonecold Lock? I don't..think...they won't win the AFC I know they won't.

Oh yeah, don't be calling me ing names muther er, I'll reach thru this monitor and knock that pin head of yours right off that pencil neck, got that er?

Wow, are there only children on this site?

Sheesh!

[Avante]

Wow, are there only children on this site?

Sheesh!

You throw a punch I hit back and now it's.....

[benefactor]

Oh yeah, don't be calling me ing names muther er, I'll reach thru this monitor and knock that pin head of yours right off that pencil neck, got that er?

Doubtful.

[Avante]

Doubtful.

Funny how this works, why not tell DD he might not wanna call others names. Well?

[gaKNOW!blee]

I think JT's point was that there's a major problem with the defense when the safety is racking up so many tackles. Especially when it's a free safety like Bethea.

Oh...my bad.


Although I was kind of hoping to use that as a segway to talk on donte whitner lol.

[VBM]

VY will put one of these drives together.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Oh...my bad.


Although I was kind of hoping to use that as a segway to talk on donte whitner lol.

The worst is New England.....last year their starting secondary was 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th on the team in tackles

both starting corners having almost 90 tackles a piece

[Blake]

VY will put one of these drives together.

it's been a while since I've seen a VY nuthugger.

I hope to see them come out again some day the way they used to.

[VBM]

it's been a while since I've seen a VY nuthugger.

I hope to see them come out again some day the way they used to.

I'm more of a Fitzpatrick pessimist. He won't finish the year as the starting QB. James Harden already proved this is a bad year for beards.

[lakerhaterade]

Wow, you're really going out on a limb with those predictions

yeah, I will be one to bet with the OP on some things

I plan on being a rich man tbqfh

[J.T.]

Bethea is one of the best safeties in the league right now. He's not on Ed Reed's level, but he's amazingly consistent. He's four tackles shy of having a career average of 100 per season and he's only missed five games his entire career. On a team that Bob Sanders robbed of both cap space and a roster spot for YEARS, that's got damn solid. He's spent his entire career chasing RBs that should have been tackled 7 yards earlier because Bill Polian couldn't draft interior defensive linemen or linebackers if his life depended on it. Pat Angerer is pretty solid at LB though, think he finished top 3 in the entire NFL in tackles last season. There are some bright spots on this team. I think Tom Zbikowski taking the starting SS position from Bob Sanders's ghost (who might as well have been playing SS for the Colts since 2009) is a net plus. It's going to be the corners who kill this team. I don't trust a single one of them in a big game moment right now. I don't know what the free agent market for corners is going to be next season, but the Colts are going to have a lot of cap space when the dead cap money from Manning's deal and all the other guys they cut comes off the books at the end of the year. If Andrew Luck has a promising rookie season I can see marquee defensive free agents getting the works from Indy.

Basically I see the Colts at 6-10 like I said earlier. I'd say five of those are on the defense, three on Luck and two on just running into an elite team (GB, NWE). Although the Pats game they'll probably have a chance in just because the Pats like to choke against lesser compe ion and it's still a rivalry game. Those be the hardest to predict sometimes.