<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Forget these fiveIt's not too early to discount some overhyped teamsby Jeffri ChadihaUpdated: Wednesday May 31, 2006 1:03PMRonnie Brown and the Dolphins won their last six games of the 2005 season.With my fellow scribes announcing their Super Bowl picks earlier and earlier, I'm taking a different tack: I'll tell you which five teams won't be there. I'm not talking about the easy picks, either. There won't be any 49ers, Packers, Texans or Raiders on this list. Instead, I'm going after those teams that have enough talent to possibly grace NFL-preview magazine covers but also have enough problems to leave their fans disappointed.If I'm wrong about this, you can shoot me an angry e-mail. Until then, I've got a pretty bad feeling about these five teams.1. Miami: The Dolphins will be a popular pick to win the AFC East for those who only look at how Miami finished 2005. Yes, coach Nick Saban did lead his team to six straight wins after a 3-7 start. But that run also included five victories against teams that didn't make the playoffs -- Oakland, Buffalo, San Diego, the New York Jets and Tennessee -- and a sixth win against a New England team resting its starters for the playoffs. The main question here is whether quarterback Daunte Culpepper can regain his Pro Bowl form. If he can't, then these Dolphins remind me of last season's Buffalo Bills, a team that rode into the year with a wave of high expectations and flopped under the pressure.2. Philadelphia: If I'm an Eagles fan, I have some major concerns about this offense. It's starting to look a lot like it did back in the days before Terrell Owens blew into town. There isn't a receiver who really scares a defense. The running game isn't intimidating either, not when Brian Westbrook will be splitting carries with Ryan Moats and the oft-injured Correll Buckhalter. Even with a healthy Donovan McNabb back at quarterback, there are plenty of reasons to think that the best days of this perennial NFC contender have passed. One look at the competition in the NFC East -- where Washington, Dallas and the New York Giants have improved -- should cement that opinion.Chiefs quarterback Trent Green turns 36 in July.3. Kansas City: This team could fall apart at any moment. First, they're old: A handful of key offensive starters are in their mid-30s, including quarterback Trent Green, Pro Bowl linemen Willie Roaf and Will Shields and leading receiver Eddie Kennison.They're also playing with most of the same defensive personnel that finished 25th overall last season. Unless the Chiefs do the logical thing and sign free-agent cornerback Ty Law, there's no reason to think this season will end any differently than the last.4. San Diego: Another AFC West team that hasn't done much to improve this offseason. I won't believe that Philip Rivers is a better quarterback than Drew Brees until I see him play in a Pro Bowl. I also can't understand how a team so desperate for a reliable receiver to take some pressure off Keenan McCardell pulls off such a weak trade. The Chargers ended up with Rashaun Woods, a first-round bust with the 49ers who couldn't find a role on that offensively challenged team. Tight end Antonio Gates is a great player, but he's not going to keep the passing game from being San Diego's downfall.5. Minnesota: As much as I like new head coach Brad Childress, I have to question his personnel on offense. He needs Chester Taylor -- or someone else -- to prove the running game will be reliable. He needs Troy Williamson, last year's first-round pick, to mature into a legitimate big-play threat at receiver, especially now that Nate Burleson has moved on to Seattle. He also needs quarterback Brad Johnson, who turns 38 this season, to prove that he's still effective. Those are a lot of needs for a team that finished with a flourish in 2005 (the Vikings won seven of their final nine). It's unlikely that it'll find answers to all of them.http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writ...bowl/index.html</div>Basically says everything ive been saying all offseason long now.
I don't see how the Vikings are overrated. Every problem he says they have, they had last year. And that team went 9-7 after starting the season terribly. Now I don't see the Vikings winning the Superbowl, but I don't think many out there do. I see them as a solid 9-10 win team. I don't think that is overrating them.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (links @ Jun 1 2006, 02:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I don't see how the Vikings are overrated. Every problem he says they have, they had last year. And that team went 9-7 after starting the season terribly. Now I don't see the Vikings winning the Superbowl, but I don't think many out there do. I see them as a solid 9-10 win team. I don't think that is overrating them.</div>I agree. I don't see us winning the super bowl but I don't think anyone really does. I would agree with this if it were from last year but this year I think we are underrated if anything. Most are predicting us to have a top 15 pick..
I read this the other day and couldn't help but agree with everything he said. Miami, KC, Philly SD especially. As you guys said I don't think many expect Minny to do all that great.so its unfair to call them overrated.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ Jun 1 2006, 11:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>One look at the competition in the NFC East -- where Washington, Dallas and the New York Giants have improved -- should cement that opinion.</div>Gotta love how they put the SKINS first there. I agree with this list though entirely.
the vikes are overratted becuase brad johnson played out of his ass last year. I don't agree that the phins are overratted. The phins play harder then almost any team i saw last year. that alone deserves to get them off this list.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Johnny White Guy @ Jun 1 2006, 03:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ Jun 1 2006, 11:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>One look at the competition in the NFC East -- where Washington, Dallas and the New York Giants have improved -- should cement that opinion.</div>Gotta love how they put the SKINS first there. I agree with this list though entirely.</div>Which in reality doesnt mean anything...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Johnny White Guy @ Jun 1 2006, 05:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>It does too, thats the first most improved team that came to whoever wrote that's mind.</div>he said in reality.. not the writers mind/opinion
I don't know anyone overrating the Eagles. No professional I've seen has said they'd win the division, most say they are the 4th team in their division in fact.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jon_Vilma @ Jun 1 2006, 07:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I don't know anyone overrating the Eagles. No professional I've seen has said they'd win the division, most say they are the 4th team in their division in fact.</div>I've heard quite a bit of the 'They went to the NFC Championship without TO talk'. It was a different, and better, team then and they are in a much tougher division and conference now.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jeefunk @ Jun 2 2006, 12:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>*puts on flamesuit*I'd put the 'Skins on there w/all their overpaid FAs</div>Whatever it takes to win the SB works for me.We still got enough money to get Law and a few others, but we're done with FAs.
What a ridiculous article. They're just trying to piss people off. No one is expecting these teams to be amazing. How 'bout they make an article about the Cardinals - the "flavor of the off-season."
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kliquid @ Jun 9 2006, 04:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>What a ridiculous article. They're just trying to piss people off. No one is expecting these teams to be amazing. How 'bout they make an article about the Cardinals - the "flavor of the off-season."</div>More like trying to calm down the biased fans of those teams who think that someone like Herm Edwards (although a noticeable downgrade from Dick Vermeil) is going to lead the Chiefs to a 13-3 year.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flockers @ Jun 2 2006, 03:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>It must be nice for the Vikings to go into a season and not be expected to do much.</div>Must be frustration towards the Vikings for taking Hutchinson away?
