Article:Off-season Update (June 1st): Five Burning Questions Heading into '09..

Despite being an agonizing two months away from the opening of training camps, an NFL discussion is a must-have for every sports website/blog (whatever you wanna call AGM). What better way to get a heated debate going than bringing to mind five of the countless question marks heading into the 2009 regular season? Which rookie will make the biggest impact? Which twelve teams will manage to escape the regular season with a playoff berth? Who is MVP worthy?

Believe it or not, I am not here to discuss any three of those questions. Instead, I would like to dig a little deeper into the pile..

1. Randy Moss or Terrell Owens: Better WR in the East?

This question will most likely pop up in most water cooler discussions throughout the regular season, but what's wrong with a little forecasting, even in June? The story may have lost a little lust with the news of a healthy Tom Brady in New England. Actually, the healthy Brady is the key to this 'who will have a better '09 season' debate. Say what you want about T.O. being a positive impact for the young Trent Edwards and the rest of the offense, but since Brady's return last week, Moss gets the edge over Owens. Marshawn Lynch's legal troubles over the past 6-8 months hasn't helped Owens case much either. A solid run game is a major need for the Bills, who will have to rely on 28-year old Fred Jackson, who has just 188 career NFL carries, for the first three games (Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Lynch for the first three games of the season).

Numbers and talent-wise, Owens and Moss are pretty evenly matched. But, due to his supporting cast (efficient pass game with a healthy Brady; a more than capable run game with the duo of Laurence Maroney and veteran Fred Taylor), Moss gets the nod. From me anyway.

2. Will LA finally get their team back?

This morning, on a local radio station, I heard the news that the St. Louis Rams will most likely be sold, and soon. The news apparently broke sometime this weekend. Los Angeles has been waiting for this to happen for a very long time. The right thing to do is move the Rams back to LA, making the NFC West an actual western division. It makes no sense to have just three western teams in the NFC West, and I am almost positive that Los Angeles residents would enjoy cheering on the Rams more than the St. Louis fans have in the past. It may not happen this season, but this will happen. It has to!

Give LA their team back!

3. NFC Championship Repeat for Arizona?!

Of course, I think there's no way this is going to happen. The Cards have lost their offensive coordinator, Todd Haley, who took over as the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, and now have a new defensive coordinator after firing Clancy Pendergast in Februray. Of course, the Anquan Boldin talks have failed to cease, adding to Arizona's off-season drama. Who knows how much longer the 37-year old, one-time Super Bowl champion QB, Kurt Warner, will perform to his potential and the defense has a couple of holes as well. The Cards' '08 season was a long-shot, most likely a fluke. They have a shot at winning the NFC West, but I wouldn't go as far as to say another Super Bowl appearance, at this point anyway.

4. Resurged Bengals offense?

Like Tom Brady, Cincinnati Bengals' QB Carson Palmer claims he's as healthy as ever. But, the big question here doesn't involve Palmer, rather his receiving corps. One of the Bengals two Pro Bowl wideouts from last year, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, has left for Seattle, and no one--not even a fortune teller with a crystal ball--can predict how Chad Ochocinco will fare this season. We don't even know if he will be in a Bengal uniform come '09. Chad continues to skip Cincy's OTA's, and if you were talking to anyone but Carson himself, you would probably hear the same thing about how this team will do this season. Poor. The running game, led by former Chicago Bear--and troublemaker--Cedric Benson, will have its struggles this season, too. The depth chart is deep at the running back position, but filled with unproven, mediocre role players (i.e. Benson, Chris Perry, Kenny Watson).

I have yet to mention who the Bengals are going up against in the North--Baltimore and Pittsburgh. Both of the two mentioned teams were in the AFC Championship game last season, the latter of the two ended up SB XLIII champs, as you are well aware of by now. Sorry Carson, but your Bengals may spend another season at the bottom of the AFC North Standings (Brady Quinn will lead the Browns to a 7-9 record in '09).

5. Forget about Favre: Tarvaris or Sage?

I will try to leave the undecided Brett Favre out of this discussion, and stick with the two current Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks. Tarvaris Jackson, the young unproven one, and Sage Rosenfels, the veteran, who has made quite a living off holding the clipboard in his seven years in the league. With a running game, offensive line and defense like the Vikings', I really didn't understand why the front office decided to bring in Rosenfels, who signed a short-term deal with Minnesota at the end of February. What was said is they thought they needed to bring in an experienced game manager, someone who can protect the ball, giving AP as many carries as possible (which is how Minnesota usually win their games). Ok, I agree 100% with that. They do not need an All-Pro, gunslinging quarterback, but why waste your money on someone who has thrown just one more TD than INT in their seven-year career (30-29). Jackson's numbers are almost identical with Rosenfels' and Jackon is younger, and a little more mobile than Sage.

What I think I am having more trouble comprehending is their choice in QB's. Jeff Garcia was still available, and he is pretty much the definition of game manager, not to mention a mobile quarterback who happens to have a career QB rating of 87.5 and has six games played in the post-season. If the Vikes were that worried about backing Jackson up, they wouldn't have had a problem with spending a little extra money to grab Garcia. This tells me Jackson will continue to start at the quarterback position.

Other Questions:


 * Is this Houston's year to finally make their first post-season appearance?  I believe so, what do you guys think?


 * When will Romo win his first playoff game?  This year, next year, never?


 * Take your pick: Patriots/Jets, Broncos/Chargers, Vikings/Bears/Packers, Cowboys/Giants/Eagles...

Go for it!