Who has the best team?
I like The Executioners. Trent Edwards has TO now so that could help out his passing game, while Warner still has Boldin and Fitz. Jackson is a top RB, while Lewis and Smith are both the main backs for their teams. Lynch could be deadly when he sorts out his legal troubles and returns to the field. I love the fact that they drafted WRs, especially the #1 and #2 overall in Fitz and Johnson. That is a deadly combination, and if Braylon has a rebound year and gets back to form he will be great too. Ward is a good WR too, and Clark is a solid TE. The Eagles Def should be one of the best, they have a lot of playmakers this year. And no complaints about Elam at kicker.
Who should start for flex muhammad/bruce/sproles/thomas?
Thomas won't play much, if any at all. Muhammad might get a couple of targets, but Delhomme will be looking for Steve Smith all day against a tough Philly D. "Uncle Ike" Bruce is getting old and Josh Morgan has replaced him as the #1 receiver for the Niners. Since Sproles will be used to spell LT and LT is fresh out of the gate, I don't see him being used much to start the season. However, if the Chargers run up the score on the Raiders, they'll stick to the ground and pull LT out early for Sproles (or Bennett, so watch out for that). Sproles is also a return man and has been known to bust out a TD or two every now and then. I think Sproles has the most upside, especially against the Raiders. EDIT: Pierre Thomas was visibly limping after practice late last week and was on the injury list as probable. But, he had a "run-in with a fence" over the Labor Day weekend and suffered a laceration in an "undisclosed location" that required a few stitches. So, the Saints downgraded him to questionable. With Mike Bell having a great preseason and to rest Thomas an extra week, Mike Bell is the starting RB for the Saints to start the season. At most, Thomas will get a couple of touches. More likely, he won't even be in the game. Source: ESPN.
Given what we know at the start of the playoffs, what team is most likely to win Super Bowl XLVI (46) -- and why?
Walking through it game-by-game....Wild Card RoundHouston (3) defeats Cincinnati (6) -- I'm up in the air on this one because the Texans are royally screwed if they fall behind and have to rely on some combination of Yates/Delhomme/Garcia to bail them out. But I think solid rushing attack plus decent defense takes care of a rookie QB on the road.New Orleans (3) defeats Detroit (6) -- Detroit is headed the right direction, but drawing New Orleans as a wild card is a little too much a little too soon. If the Niners play in a different division, the Saints are a #2 seed.Atlanta (5) defeats New York (4) -- both teams have been up-and-down, but I think Atlanta is getting hot at the right time, so I'll give them the edge.Pittsburgh (5) defeats Denver (4) -- if there's one team I trust to squash Tebow like a bug, it's Pittsburgh with their mobile linebackers and Polamalu. And I'm not sure Mendy being out is a deal-breaker YET. As a personal aside, if we lose to Tebow, I may go into the Quora Isolation Tank for a week or two. :PDivisional RoundNew England (1) defeats Pittsburgh (5) -- I think this is where being banged up comes back to haunt the Steelers. And I fear what the two TE sets will do to us. The image of Gronkowski relentlessly abusing William Gay is just too fresh in my mind.Baltimore (2) defeats Houston (3) -- I think the Houston QB situation can get past Cinci. I don't think they get past that Ravens' D.Green Bay (1) defeats Atlanta (5) -- Atlanta looks good at times, but I'm not sure Matty Ice can get in a shootout with Aaron Rodgers.New Orleans (3) defeats San Francisco (2) -- it's been a nice story, but they got fat off the NFC West, and they're gonna get exposed against Brees = CHECK PLEASE!Conference ChampionshipsBaltimore (2) defeats New England (1) -- I think defense and Ray Rice swing a very close contest the Ravens' way. And MAN I hate typing that.New Orleans (3) defeats Green Bay (1) -- also a very close call. Home field will be a nice advantage for the Pack, but I think the Saints are just a little more well-rounded. Green Bay's defense CAN be picked apart and their running game is nothing special. If this is an especially bad-weather game, I could see that swinging it back to the Pack.Super BowlNew Orleans defeats Baltimore. Brees FTW! Or perhaps Flacco FTL!
Antonio Bryant??????
he should be fine in tampa