Don’t Believe the Hype – 4 NFL Teams That Will Disappoint

Ok everyone. A little over 24 hours until the 2009 NFL season kicks off. In the spirit of the excitement, Brandon and I continue to bring you the NFL content you crave. Yesterday, we gave you our under-the-radar teams to watch out for this season. Today we shift to the other side and warn you not to put too much stock in the overhyped teams below. Disagree? Let us know.

Brandon’s picks

Chicago Bears
Everyone seems to think that Jay Cutler is going to bring instant glory to this historic franchise; I think otherwise. First of all, his only legitimate threats at receiver are his RB, Matt forte, and TE, Greg Olsen. Devin Hester is an unpolished speedster and if they simply plan on running fly routes they are in big trouble. They have a solid running game but Cutler is going to have to prove that he can carry this franchise late in the year when the games matter, which he failed to do at the end of last year. Their defense is also overhyped. Rod Marinelli is an excellent addition as a defensive line coach, but he is working with average talent. Their problems will become even more exaggerated if Tommie Harris doesn’t fully recover from his knee injury that has been lingering for over a year. They are also painfully thin in the secondary and if they have any hope of being the dominant defense people seem to think they can be, their linebackers are going to have to perform like supermen. They may be able to contend in their division, but SI was way out of line in picking them to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLIV.

No one knows what Cutler will bring to Chicago besides 'diabetus' and a smug, pouty smile.

Arizona Cardinals
Many think it a foregone conclusion that the Cardinals will repeat as NFC West champions simply because the division is weak and there are no legitimate threats to them. However, the Seahawks are vastly underrated and the Cardinals are simply not as good as people think. They squeaked into the playoffs last year and got hot at the right time. But with Kurt Warner a year older and Anquan Boldin’s hamstring acting up again, things may not be all roses in the desert. They want to implement a power running to complement their aerial attack, but for that to work Chris “Beanie” Wells is going to have to stay healthy and that seems to be a long-shot. Their defense is also extremely suspect and has looked pitiful this preseason. Their franchise player, Karlos Dansby, seems lost out there and in order for this team to compete they are going to have to actually stop people this year because the gas could be running out of their high-powered offense and I simply don’t think this team is built to win grind it out games.

The Cardinals are putting a lot of stock in a guy named "Beanie."

Sean’s picks

I thought about going with a couple AFC picks, but the fact of the matter is that most of the overhyped teams reside in the NFC. So instead, I’m going with one from each conference.

Dallas Cowboys
Every single year there’s a cluster of sports reporters and analysts who make the case that this is the Cowboys year. Tony Romo was supposed to be the savior there, a guy who could co-exist with Terrell Owens and bring some success to a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game since 1996. Unfortunately, Romo opted for a potential Butterfingers sponsorship in Seattle a couple years ago, proving how unreliable he can be in a big spot, and Terrell Owens in is a completely different climate now. Not to mention that Dallas mortgaged a much needed bright future for the mediocre play of receiver Roy Williams. Listen, I’m not saying they don’t have the playmakers or the talent, because they do. Despite Romo’s shortcomings he is still a decent QB in the regular season, and his mobility makes him dangerous. Felix Jones is primed for a breakout year and Marion Barber is a nice ground option. Their defense, headlined by manbeast DeMarcus Ware, is formidable. Unfortunately, when it comes to December, they quickly fall apart and start pointing fingers at one another. As long as puppetmaster Jerry Jones continues to wear a Wade Phillips facemask and call all the shots, this is always going to a talented team that is peppered with divas, jailbirds, and an inability to put it all together.

What endorsement will Romo target this year?

San Diego Chargers
This team is the definition of a mystery. They’ve had the necessary pieces to win a championship for a few years now, but inconsistent play, coaching changes, injuries, and Ed Hochuli have stood in their way. It’s pretty hard to make a case for this team winning a championship based simply on the fact that they were better and had the same core 2-3 years ago. Football isn’t a sport where a team ages like a fine wine; obviously experience can make for a better player, but the speed and strength of youth is hard to match. Tomlinson is now 30 years old, which is universally known as the beginning of the end for a runningback. I happen to disagree with the skeptics in that I believe LT will have a very productive season this year, but I can’t say that with any kind of certainty. If he doesn’t have a standout year I’m not going to be completely shocked. The fact of the matter is that even with all the question marks and all the inconsistency this team has displayed in the past couple years, combined with some off-the-field distractions in the form of Shawne Merriman, this team is still destined to win the division. Why? Because look who else is in it. The only claim I am making is that even when they do, they won’t instill fear in the hearts of their opponents because they have yet to beat their toughest competitor – themselves.

Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, and Daisy of Love be warned - Merriman takes out his bad days on female reality tv stars.