From Big Ben to Brett Favre, Jets hype to Bengals wideouts, Tebow-mania to the brutal NFC East the 2010 NFL season may be the most anticipated ever

JIM RUBERA
Special Contributor

(Rubera writes for The Spop, a great web site that delves into sports and pop culture.  He is an avid football fan and will be contributing to JSB from time to time.)

The most popular sport doesn’t need any help getting people excited for a season. The constants are enough to hold the fans’ attention. The Saints will be exciting. The Colts and the Patriots will play each other. Coaches will get fired. Players will get arrested. But this year there are a lot of unusual situations that we will see for the first (or last) time. I can’t remember a prior season that had so much going on before it even started. All seasons have their storylines, but this upcoming 5 month stretch is overflowing with potential and it’s hard not to be overly enthusiastic about the following:

Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers

Ben will spot his rival quarterbacks in the league a four game head start as he sits suspended for a month after being accused of sexual misconduct with a college girl. Again. The Steelers missed the playoffs last year by a hair after losing two of their first three with Roethlisberger. They made their run in the middle of the season winning five in a row and then their final three of the year. Then they accused other teams of tanking at the end to prevent them from getting into the playoffs because “nobody wanted to play them.” Whether that’s true or not doesn’t matter. The point is they were hot and ready to be an elite AFC team again.

Since then they have lost leading receiver and Superbowl MVP Santonio Holmes to the Jets and their two time Superbowl winning quarterback to suspension for a quarter of the season. They’ll be hard pressed to hold the fort down without him playing Atlanta, Tennessee, and Baltimore (with Tampa Bay mixed in). Let’s see if they can rebound and play catchup to the Colts, Jets, and Chargers in the conference and the Ravens and Bengals in their own division.

Missing the playoffs two years in a row might mean the end for coach Mike Tomlin, which would be unfortunate because he’s a damn good coach.

The T.O. and Ochocinco Show

In the same year that two of the biggest egos in the league star in their own reality TV shows, they will also get to line up together for the first time. Their independent touchdown celebrations and trash talk are legendary. The possibilities are endless now that they’re on the same team. Look for a cooperative effort of flamboyance in the endzone, on the sidelines, and on the press conference podiums. Not to mention, these are still two pretty good receivers (when they’re not double covered) who can stretch the field, so actual football highlights may be in order as well. Nobody expects this marriage to last more than a year or two due to Owens’ needy personality and declining skills, so enjoy it while it lasts. As long as the Bengals are in contention, they should be highly entertaining. Which bodes well, because this team is very good.

Brady and Moss: The Final Act?

Randy Moss is in the final year of his contract. So is Brady (as of 8/21), but nobody expects he’s going anywhere. Moss has already spoken out about the Patriots claiming that because “they don’t really pay” he expects this to be his last year in New England. It’s true that Brady hasn’t won any of his three Super Bowls with Moss, but those championships came back when the Patriots defense had the advantage every week. Since Moss has been in New England, he and Brady have covered up for the mediocre (at best) defense with offensive supremacy. They each set individual records at their positions in 2007 and went right back to business with double digit touchdown hookups in their second season together in 2009.

With at least 8 winnable games this season and Russell gone, the Seymour trade, which looked shrewd at the time, could be the latest Belichick decision to blow up in his face.  Maybe Al Davis knows what he’s doing after all.

If this is their last year together, and for all they know it is, look for them to play with urgency. If Moss departs, it will likely be for money to a place where he can pad his stats and try to catch Jerry Rice’s touchdown record, not necessarily to a place where he has a better chance to win. And the Patriots will have to come full circle with a revamped philosophy based on their new younger defense, which may not be ready to carry the torch next year. Basically, this could be Brady’s and Moss’ last chance at a championship.

J-E-T-S Hype

Where to begin. Let’s start with Hard Knocks on HBO, which could make this year’s Rams squad look like a team of destiny. The starters look crisp. Everybody’s cocky. Players want to play for the coach. Fans want to hang out with him. Individual stories and backgrounds get the viewers emotionally attached to the team, even though they are the football equivalent of the Yankees. But the Jets didn’t need this kind of exposure. They cornered the market on publicity last year when they made Rex Ryan their head coach and backed up his trash talk by going to the AFC championship with rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez.

This year the coach has already gone public saying that his Jets will win the Superbowl and signing the ESPN tour bus on behalf of the team “Soon to be champs.” Their self-confidence and the public’s expectations are fueled by last year’s run along with the big name additions in the offseason. On the offensive side of the ball the Jets added ESPN’s Offensive Player of the Decade LaDainian Tomlinson and aforementioned Superbowl MVP Santonio Holmes. Combined with last year’s mid-season acquisition Braylon Edwards and breakout running back Shonn Greene, the Jets should put significantly more points on the board. Defensively the Jets were the best in the league last year. Adding cornerback Antonio Cromartie and future Hall of Famer and Patriot killer Jason Taylor only makes them scarier. They also drafted a very good corner in Kyle Wilson.

The only chink in the armor is the absence of Darrelle Revis, the best cornerback in football. Revis is holding out for a new contract and has already passed the point of no return, forfeiting roughly $20 million in future years because of his refusal to report in time. He had a lot to do with how outstanding the defense was last year, consistently shutting down the opponents’ best receiver. However, if Revis is a 10, the combination of Cromartie and Wilson are about an 8 or 8.5. They will still be very good. And with the improved offense they won’t have to count on holding opponents to less than 17 to have a chance to win. That being said, the Revis situation is just another thing to keep an eye on this year on a team that has all eyes on it already.

College Rivals Getting Their Own Teams. Again.

In the 2005 BCS national championship game Matt Leinart and Vince Young led their teams in one of college football’s most exciting games ever. They then spent the next two years watching their NFL quarterback jobs get taken by dinosaurs. Leinart couldn’t avoid embarrassing himself and his team with publicized hot tub and beer bong photos. He did, however, avoid 4th quarter and clutch time possessions as his coach subbed in Kurt Warner when it counted.

Warner took the job for good and led the team to a Superbowl that they were a minute away from winning. Young had his ups and downs when given the chance to start. He then went AWOL in 2008. Literally. Neither his family, friends, or coach knew where he was, provoking worries of depression and suicide. Young was found safe at a friend’s house, but the damage had been done. An injury and a beaten down ego forced the Titans to go with Kerry Collins as the starter saying publicly that Young would have to “earn the job back.” Warner retired and Collins went 0-6 to start last season. Leinart and Young are being given a second chance to live up to expectations as leaders of a franchise. They’ll have a little help. Arizona has one of the top receivers in the league in Larry Fitzgerald and Tennessee has rushing leader Chris Johnson. It will be exciting (or ugly) to see which of the college rivals makes the most out of their new opportunities.

Is Jay Cutler Really That Bad? Is Kyle Orton Really That Good? Is Brandon Marshall Really That Valuable?

Cutler and Marshall = fireworks. Orton and Marshall = 6-0 start with Marshall catching 101 balls. Cutler without Marshall = 26 interceptions with a losing record. We’ll see how Orton handles his turn losing Marshall. We’ll see how Chad Henne handles his turn with Marshall. And we’ll see if Cutler can get back to mediocre or better in Mike Martz’s new pass-happy offense.

The Baptism of Tim Tebow

Kyle Orton just signed a one year extension for a lot of money, so he is the clear starter. But Tebow, who some say may be one of the best college football players ever, will see the field. He’s arguably a better runner than a passer, so in the era of the wildcat you can bet he’ll see plenty of snaps. The argument of how good an NFL quarterback he will be started before he even began his final year at Florida. His leadership and desire have never been criticized. But his accuracy, mechanics, and habits have. We won’t get a complete answer this year, but we’ll finally get a chance to see him on the big stage. Another interesting aspect will be if and for how long he tries to openly convey his wholesome philosophy. It didn’t go over well at the scouting combine. Funny story. If stuff like that happens 100 times this year, the public might hear about five of them. Still, those are five stories we all want to hear.

Pete Carroll: From Shame to Fame to Blame to More of the Same?

Carroll was not a horrible NFL coach in the 90s. He had a winning record (33-31). But has been known as a failure for his inability to maintain control over his players. Legend has it that he once told Terry Glenn to sit on the bench. Glenn blatantly ignored him, stayed in the game, and caught a touchdown. He never had the ear of the team after that. He retreated to USC and rejuvenated a juggernaut on the West Coast. He won two national championships and went on a 67-7 streak, most of which (thanks to Reggie Bush) officially never happened.

Carroll clearly had much better luck bossing kids around, but he ditched the Trojans right before it hit the fan, announcing that he had accepted the head coaching job in Seattle just a few months before the NCAA penalized USC for the Reggie Bush fiasco. The sanctions crippled USC’s recruiting efforts for the near future since they include a two year post-season ban and took away 30 scholarships. Carroll claimed to not have seen the storm coming and simply made a personal decision to leave his throne in California for his rain coat in Seattle. It will be interesting (and possibly telling) to see if he’s really up for it or if he’s in over his head again. The latter may indicate that he, indeed, made an escape to the best available option.

Addition By Subtraction? Will the Chargers continue to be elite without LaDainian Tomlinson?

Hoping to get over the hump, they shipped out the franchise cornerstone to hand the team completely to Philip Rivers. He will be replaced by draft pick Ryan Matthews who has similar characteristics in a younger body.

Will the Raiders continue to be a doormat without Jamarcus Russell?

The biggest bust since Ryan Leaf is gone and arriving in his place is Jason Campbell, one of the more consistent quarterbacks in the league who doesn’t put up big numbers but doesn’t take many chances. The fate of the Patriots will also be decided by this swap. New England owns Oakland’s first round pick next year as a result of the Richard Seymour trade, which in the Jamarcus Russell era would have been a lock for a top 10 overall pick. The Raiders won 5 games last year and picked 8th. With at least 8 winnable games this season and Russell gone, the Seymour trade, which looked shrewd at the time, could be the latest Belichick decision to blow up in his face. Maybe Al Davis knows what he’s doing after all.

NFC East

1. Can the Cowboys be the first team in history to host a Superbowl? Jerry Jones sure thinks so. The rankings, the pros, and the analysts have Dallas ranked at the top of the league in talent. Tony Romo may be a heck of a golfer, but he has still yet to come up clutch when it counts. He has a new club in the bag with new receiver Dez Bryant and we’ll see if Miles Austin is for real. Keep an eye out for the game when their dream dies (because it will) and be sure to watch for Jones’ reaction in the owner’s box.

2. Donovan McNabb in Washington. There’s a good chance this will be successful and most will point to McNabb as the savior, but it doesn’t appear that the quarterback position has been the problem for the Redskins. And if it has been, an aging and less mobile McNabb is not that much of an upgrade from a still improving and still young Jason Campbell. Mike Shanahan taking over is going to be the real difference maker. He will provide the leadership and organization that the franchise has been lacking for a long time.

3. Can Kevin Kolb be Aaron Rodgers? Rodgers sat for a few years behind a veteran and came out blazing when the team was turned over to him. Kolb appears to be cut from the same cloth. He was fairly successful in his two emergency starts last year, throwing for a ton of yards,

4 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions (to the champion Saints and their ball hawking defense). He seemed to have good rapport with deep threat DeSean Jackson and tight end Brent Celek. We’ll see if he can still put up the numbers when teams have the chance to prepare for him. 4. The Giants. Not sure what to look for. But we get/have to watch them at 4pm every Sunday on Fox. So whatever it is, we’ll see it.

That Guy in Minnesota

If you’ve read this far, you’re an NFL fan and don’t need to be told what’s going on. You have to believe that this, finally, is the last go around. Love him or hate him, wouldn’t it be something for him to play in the Superbowl in what should be the last game of his career? It would be the first time ever that every fan had a rooting interest in the game. Half wanting him to lose and to watch his dreams be crushed for all to see. Half wanting him to win and do what he’s been trying to re-accomplish for 15 years. It would break the ratings record (as it does every year) if he played any old boring team. God forbid if Manning, Brady, or the Jets are on the other side of the field.

Photo: AP

Popularity: 7% [?]