HOUSTON TEXANS Reason for pessimism: You wonder if they will always be a playoff team and never a championship team. They do have individual great players in J.J. Watt, Andre Johnson, Arian Foster, and Brian Cushing, but something hard to identify is still missing. An indicator of that was late in the year when Houston had the division lead with a 12-2 record but failed to clinch it early by losing to Minnesota and Indianapolis. At quarterback its hard to criticize Matt Schaub. He made the Pro Bowl last year passing for 4,008 yards, and 22 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. Yet, in his head-to-head competition with the best quarterbacks it isnt always Schaub that wins the battle. Reason for optimism: They have too many good players not to come together and have a great year. Wade Philips defence didnt dominate in 2012 as it did in 2011 but that will change this year for the better. Arian Foster is as good as any NFL running back with a top left tackle in Duane Brown. If the Texans can find a compliment to Andre Johnson the offence will take another step forward. Is it DeAndre Hopkins, the teams first-round draft pick? The Texans are a team that needs little to improve upon. Watt, Cushing, and hopefully a healthy Ed Reed down the middle is perhaps the best combo in the league. They just need all 22 starters to play 16 games. Reality: This is a playoff team that if the ball bounces the right way can be a championship team. The two key dates are November 3rd and December 16th; home and away against the Indianapolis Colts. A repeat of last years +22 take away/giveaway is also a top priority. Prediction: First in AFC South. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS Reason for pessimism: Yes, the Colts had a year to remember. From 2-14 to 11-5, last years team was special. But this year it starts all over again. When you look at the Colts wins from last year it was remarkable how many were close scores that could have gone either way. Against Minnesota, they won by three points. Green Bay, same thing. They beat Cleveland by 4 and Tennessee by six in overtime. They got by Miami by three, Detroit by 2 and Tennessee again, this time by four. That is seven games that were dependent on Andrew Luck playing either come from behind football to win or "kill the clock" football to preserve the win. Remarkable! It is unrealistic however to think it can happen again. Also Luck took an immense amount of punishment last year: 41 quarterbacks sacks and an incalculable number of hits. That cant happen again this year or a 16-game experience from the sophomore QB is unrealistic. Reason for optimism: Luck threw 627 passes in his rookie year. He saw every possible coverage and combination of coverages there are in pro football. The organization threw him in and said you will be tested, and he passed. All the Colts have to do is protect Luck better by finding better players. Gosder Cherilus will be the new right tackle and the Colts third and fourth picks were interior lineman. Another 41 sack total for this year is unlikely. Also, in what can be classified as a logical yet brilliant move, the teams new offensive coordinator is Pep Hamilton, who coached Luck at Stanford. Excellent move! Former OC Bruce Arians was remarkable and will probably do remarkable things in Arizona, but the Colts can overcome that with head coach Chuck Pagano back fulltime. The Colts know trying to duplicate what they did last year will be difficult, but their schedule is pretty good and so is their quarterback. Reality: This year will be harder than last with two games against Houston and San Francisco right away, then Denver in late October and Cincinnati in early December. But the rest of the schedule has very winnable games. Prediction: 2nd in the AFC South. TENNESSEE TITANS Reason for pessimism: Nobody gave up more points than the Tennessee Titans did last year. They allowed 30 or more points eight times and allowed Chicago to score 51 on them and Green Bay 55. Realistically, it is going to take more than one football season to change that. At quarterback, Jake Locker will have to make a quantum leap forward to offset the logical point total opposition teams may score. Locker can make the spectacular play from time to time, but his completion percentage has been just 56 and 51 his first two years. As for talented but troubled receiver Kenny Britt it is now or never time to turn around his career. Reason for optimism: The Titans made some major moves in free agency, signing RB Shone Green, OG Andy Levitre, TE Delanie Walker, and a good strong safety in Bernard Pollard. Three of the four will start and the fourth, Green, will have a significant role filling in for Chris Johnson. Locker is the teams No. 1 guy and he knows it. Logic says he takes over the job and improves. With an improved offensive line and Johnson carrying the rock, it may be easier to improve than anticipated. Last year Johnson had touchdown runs of 80, 83, and 94 yards. Reality: With so many points allowed last year, how fast can the starting 12 on defence improve even with the addition of Pollard at safety? When you look at the starting defensive roster there are very few names that you recognize as impact players. Too think the Titans will go from most points allowed to top 10 in fewest is unrealistic. Prediction: Third in AFC South. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS Reason for pessimism: When you look over the last five years of Jaguars football it has been difficult to accept. Win totals of five, seven, eight, five, and only two last year. And now in 2013 a new head coach, new offensive coordinator, and new defensive coordinator . They have not been to the playoffs since 2007 and since 1999 the Jaguars have only been to the playoffs three times. And what is even more significant is that there best player, RB Maurice Jones-Drew, does not seem satisfied playing in Jacksonville. Whether it is an injury issue or a contract issue, Jones -Drew is the reason the Jaguars can or cannot run the ball. I understand why Jacksonville drafted Luke Joeckel at tackle second overall. He was very consistent and played good competition at Texas A&M. But they need a quarterback. Now there are some good ones to come out in the 2O14 draft and perhaps getting one then is their plan. Still, Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne are in make or break years. If either does not improve in a big way, the Jaguars will have another difficult season. When you consider this team plays four of their first six games on the road and one in London, England against San Francisco in Week 8, they could hit "re-building mentality” by November. Reason for optimism: Gus Bradley, the new head coach for Jacksonville, was a main reason for the Seattle Seahawks defensive success last year. He know the type of player he needs and how to use him. It is more of duplication than re-creation for Jacksonville to be special without the ball. And they already have a solid middle linebacker in Paul Posluszny, so Step One is accomplished. At wide receiver, you would have to think first-round pick Justin Blackmon knows this is it for him. Hes a great player that cant seem to stay out of trouble . There is another Blackmon out there if the first one does not live up to expectations and new General Manager David Caldwell will find him. The Jaguars do have players and pieces to develop but it will take time. Reality: Another last place finish in the AFC South. The team is unknown at quarterback, offensive line, and pass rush. Last year Jacksonville had six games of 10 points or less. Theres a long way to go. Prediction: Fourth in the AFC South. Curt Schilling Diamondbacks Jersey . Al Harrington, another former Knicks forward, scored 22 of his 24 points after halftime for the Nuggets, allowing them to withstand Anthonys attempt to rally the Knicks after his poor shooting had them behind until the final minutes of regulation. Anthony finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds, missing 20 of 30 shots in the Knicks sixth straight loss. Custom Diamondbacks Jerseys . When the next inning rolled around Wednesday, though, Nationals manager Matt Williams sent Strasburg to the mound to face the top of the Dodgers order in what would become a 3-2 victory for Washington, the first time this season the No. http://www.diamondbacksapparelsshop.com/...ck-jersey-c-11/. The 26-year-old slider from Calgary posted a time of 50.464 seconds, 0.573 seconds back of leader Natalie Geisenberger. The German led the overall World Cup womens standings this season and continued her dominance by putting down a track record time of 49. Paul Goldschmidt Diamondbacks Jersey . It was the most lopsided loss in Lakers history. Darren Collison had a team-high 24 points while starting at shooting guard for the injured Jamal Crawford. Chris Paul added 13 points and 11 assists for the Clippers, who apparently are trying to make up for decades of humiliation at the hands of the Lakers all in one season; theyve won the last two meetings by a combined 84 points. Taijuan Walker Diamondbacks Jersey . Marian Gaborik had two goals and an assist and Martin Jones made just 17 saves to record his fourth shutout of the season as the Kings snapped a three-game losing skid with a 3-0 victory over the lowly Oilers on Thursday.NHL broadcaster Pierre McGuire admitted he was taken by surprise when at the end of his post game interview with P.K. Subban following the Canadiens Game 7 win over the Bruins in the second round, after the Montreal defenceman planted a huge kiss on McGuires forehead as he exclaimed, "Yeah baby!" before heading off to celebrate with his teammates in their dressing room. "I didnt see that coming at all," McGuire told TSN.ca recently. But what McGuire has always seen coming was the performance and level of play Subban showed in the Canadiens run through to Game 6 of the 2014 Eastern Conference Final. Subban finished the playoffs with 14 points in 17 games, with seven of those points coming in that series win over the Bruins. He played a major role in helping Montreal upset the Presidents Trophy winners and helped lead his team to within two wins of their first Stanley Cup Final berth in 21 years. As McGuire pointed out, it wasnt just Subbans skill - that helped him win the 2013 Norris Trophy - that allowed him to take a big step forward in the playoffs, but also the enthusiasm he showed in that interview and how he applies that both on and off the ice. "I remember when P.K. went to his first World Junior Championship and talking to him before he flew over to Pardubice," McGuire said. "He was beaming and just so excited to go over there and to be part of the experience. Obviously then he was such a raw talent and hes worked hard to get to where he is now. But that excitement and enthusiasm for the game has never faded. Its still there now and thats a main reason for what youre seeing now. Thats why hes a leader. He loves the game; he plays it the right way and youre seeing that more and more now. Can he improve? Yes and hell tell you that. But what youre seeing now is the potential anyone who knew him well saw." While winning the Norris Trophy last season impressed his teammates, that passion for the game and what he did to help the Canadiens go deep into the playoffs was equally if not more impressive. "Hes definitely maturing and hes showing why he won the Norris Trophy," said teammate Carey Price on Saturday. "He had an excellent postseason. For us to win the Cup, were going to need him to play that way. Hes a fun-loving guy; hes fun to hang out with and he makes it enjoyable to come to the rink every day. Hes a really good buddy of mine obviously and I was happy to see him succeed in the playoffs and prove a lot of doubters wrong." Canadiens defenceman Mike Weaver was acquired at the trade deadline and in his short time as Subbans teammate, realized how infectious the 25-year-olds love of the game was having an effect on him..dddddddddddd "I think a lot of the time the enjoyment of the game is sometimes forgotten," said Weaver, who is an unrestricted free agent in July. "You almost gotta get back to the time when you had fun playing hockey and instead of it being a job, its more of a privilege. Playing with him and even in playing in Montreal, I started to enjoy the game again." When told of Weavers comments, a flattered Subban told the media that enjoying the game and embracing the moment has always been an important part of his approach. "I enjoy every moment," Subban said on Saturday. "Through the ups and downs you have to because as much as careers are long, theyre short too. You just dont know what can happen so you have to enjoy your time when youre out there. The playoffs are a fun time to play and I obviously enjoy playing that time of year." Subban, who is a restricted free agent again this July (this time with arbitration rights), will continue to be a hot topic as the offseason gets under way. But before he headed off for what will be his shortest summer yet as an NHLer, he made it clear he wants to continue to enjoy the playoff moments with the Canadiens and help them build towards and achieve their ultimate goal of winning their 25th Stanley Cup. "Theres something about that," Subban explained. "Theres something about building a team and being part of a special group that youve seen grow from the bottom up and add blocks along the way. Theres something special about winning with a team like that. I believe we have an opportunity to do that here. I look at the Montreal Canadiens winning the Cup in 93 and only being to the conference finals two times since then, and Ive been to them both times. A lot of guys go their whole career and never make it to a conference final and get to within two wins of a Stanley Cup Final, so I understand the importance of taking advantage of those moments. Its unfortunate we didnt get that done this year, but I know that the future is bright and theres going to be plenty of opportunities for us to redeem ourselves and take that next step." James Murphy is a freelance reporter who also writes for NHL.com, the Boston Herald and XNsports.com. He covered the Boston Bruins/NHL for last 11 seasons writing for ESPNBoston.com, ESPN.com, NHL.com, NESN.com, the Boston Metro, Insidehockey.com and Le Hockey Magazine. Murphy also currently hosts the radio show "Murphys Hockey Law" heard Saturdays 9-11 AM ET on Sirius/XM NHL Network Radio and 4-6 PM ET on Websportsmedia.com. In addition to that, he is a regular guest TSN 690 in Montreal and Sirius/XM NHL Network Radio as well as a hockey analyst on CTV Montreal. Youth NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Throwback Jerseys Disocunt Football Jerseys China Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale NFL Gear Cheap Jerseys ' ' '