Who are Your Sleeper Picks for the NFL This Year?

[Dave2112]

Ok, with 2 weeks in the bag, who are your sleeper picks? For those uninitiated, I'm not talking about the teams that are obvious choices ( Colts, Eagles, etc. ), I mean the Cinderella teams, the ones that nobody's talking about or nobody's giving a chance to...but will likely sneak up on everyone.

I'm going with Minnesota and New Orleans in the NFC, Cincinnati and Buffalo in the AFC.

No one's giving the Vikings a chance this year, but here they are at 2-0, albeit an ugly 2-0. Without star power, they're doing what they must to survive and finding success in places they never looked before. They benefit from a weak division and even though Chicago looks to have a killer defense, they always play the Bears hard.

New Orleans should blindside a lot of teams looking past them. They're back home with a playoff-caliber quarterback and a doing-better-than-your-average-first-round-pick Reggie Bush. The defense is better than anyone is noticing.

Speaking of which, I believe it'll be Cincy's defense that gets them deep into the plyoffs this year, not just Carson Palmer...who, by the way, seems to be doing well considering the horrific injury he sustained last year. Great receivers and a Pro-Bowl caliber running back as well.

And Buffalo? Well....this one's just a gut feeling. A real deep gut feeling.

So, who do you think are the real sleeper picks this year?

 

[german]

I agree with Buffalo, McGahee is quietly putting up nice numbers and he will soon find the end zone and when that happens teams will have to play against their good D.

But I have to say the Jaguars, same as McGahee; Fred Taylor is putting up some tough yards against great defenses in Dallas and Pittsburgh. People say he has injury problems - his in his 7th or 8th season and only twice has he been put on I.R.

The NFC is much harder but I like how the Falcons are playing, Vick is doing what Vick does best.

Kust

 

[TckleBelly2006]

ok, i got 1 question. i thought we were naming sleeper teams? not sounding harsh, but i don't think cincinnati and jacksonville are sleeper teams based on their records. everyone knows that cincinnati is good, and jacksonville was 12-4 last year. but for my sleeper picks:

AFC:
1. Buffalo - i agree with this one, but not becuase of mcgahee. he's no sleeper. jp losman is the sleeper. he struggled last year and even lost his starting job at one point to kelly holcomb, the back up for buffalo. but near the end of last season, he was slowly coming on and i think this is the future quarterback for buffalo. plus, also having dick jauron as the head coach helps that team excel forward easily.

2. NY Jets - did anyone realize that chad pennington is back? and also did anyone realize that that team is playing really good? i mean, they did barely lose to new england, but i think they are good enough with having pennington back and a solid offensive line that this team will spark. just wait and see.

NFC:
1. Arizona - they have all the right pieces in place. they just need to act on it. their defense is a little off, but their offense and passing game is great. the running game will get better as time progresses, but when you have 2 wide receivers that are very talented like anquan boldin and larry fitzgerald, and a talented back like edge, expect them to succeed this year.

2. New Orleans - everything Dave2112 said, lol

 

[slacker2114]

I have to agree. Cinderella teams, to me and my friends/fellow football fans are usually teams who were .500 or worse the previous year. But that's just me.

My picks...I'm sticking with Arizona in the NFC. Originally, I had stated I thought this would be Houston's breakout year, and considering Carr's stats, they ARE doing well. He just needs more protection. And I also have to agree on Buffalo. They're been rather impressive the first two weeks.

 

[german]

Cinderella teams, to me and my friends/fellow football fans are usually teams who were .500 or worse the previous year.

I agree with that, but that doesn't necessarily mean 'sleeper teams', really even though they went 12-4 last year the Jags now are only getting attention, the shut out win against Pittsburgh on Monday Night Football has thrown them in the spot light. Even with there win against Dallas the week before; the talk was about the lack of preparation between Owens and Bledsoe and how it showed.

Also when Smith retired pretty much every one had said they had no chance.

Kust

 

[Dave2112]

Yeah, I agree with Slacker that the Jags aren't really a true "sleeper" team, but I can see German's point...to a point. The fact that they were 12-4 last year has seemed to have gotten lost on a lot of folks.

The only reason I included Cincy as a sleeper team is that many are writing them off as "they had a fluke good season last year."

Also, I picked Buffalo and Cincy because out of the poor teams from last year in the AFC, I really don't see any of them going much farther this year. The idea was to pick teams you think are going to surprise a lot of people with unpredicted success, and again I don't see too much changing in the AFC from last year.

I do have to agree with the bloke who brought up the Jets. I didn't pick them as a sleeper because I'm not so sure Pennington is going to stay healthy all season, but if he does they've got a good shot.

 

[ticklingfeet4fu]

I am a Jets fan>>> Chad Pennington staying healthy??? Don't make me laugh.

Sleeper teams: Though I agree that Cincinnati was a really good team last year the fact that they lost Carson Palmer and was thought to be lost until November or December kinda makes them a sleeper, doesn't it??? My sleeper is Arizona and Detroit in the NFC. I know that Detroit is 0-2, but they play good defense. I am willing to stick it out with this team. I happen to like San Diego as a sleeper also.

 

[TckleBelly2006]

Chad Pennington will stay healthy and I'm wondering on the tigers a little. They are 0-2,and I think it's interesting beause they have good defense. But I'm the blunderhead who picked the Jets, and they have a solid start.

 

[Krokus]

Saints, Baby! New Orleans Is Alive