Whitlock's 10 NFL truths

[Chunk..]

50k says that the Pats win more then 10 games this year?

The Superbowl hangover ain't gonna happen, get a grip! That loss made us angry, you shouldn't make the Patriots angry. A fair few teams this year are going to get stumped out of punishment. I ain't naming names but you know who you are! Be afraid!

[oldgringo]

Lamont Jordan was an excellent grab for the Pats too. He's a better version of Kevin Faulk.

[Mizzou]

I sat next to Whitlock on the plane coming back to KC from a game in Pittsburgh. He is so fat. I small talked to him for fifteen minutes then he just put on his earphones and blared tech n9ne the whole way. He's a good columnist he just gets too negative sometimes.

[Gareth Ivanovic]

I sat next to Whitlock on the plane coming back to KC from a game in Pittsburgh. He is so fat. I small talked to him for fifteen minutes then he just put on his earphones and blared tech n9ne the whole way. He's a good columnist he just gets too negative sometimes.

That's the reason why I don't like him. It seems that's all he does is be negative and rarely seems to say anything good about anybody. Like I said though I like the fact John Elway is his favorite QB.

[SonnyG8R]

Jason Whittlock is easily one of the most intelligent and thought provoking journalist in sports. I put him and Mitch Albom at 1 and 1A.

The thing about the patriots this season is that they have BY FAR the easiest schedule in the NFL. Check it out: http://www.nfl.com/kickoff/story;jse...o&confirm=true

If the Pats don't win at least 12 games I will be stunned...

[oldgringo]

Jason Whittlock is easily one of the most intelligent and thought provoking journalist in sports. I put him and Mitch Albom at 1 and 1A.

The thing about the patriots this season is that they have BY FAR the easiest schedule in the NFL. Check it out: http://www.nfl.com/kickoff/story;jse...o&confirm=true

If the Pats don't win at least 12 games I will be stunned...

That's what I'm saying....they play ****in nobody. Especially when you look at Pitt, who plays the most brutal schedule imaginable.

I sat next to Whitlock on the plane coming back to KC from a game in Pittsburgh. He is so fat. I small talked to him for fifteen minutes then he just put on his earphones and blared tech n9ne the whole way. He's a good columnist he just gets too negative sometimes.

Whitlock gets + points just for listening to N9na. KC connection.

[SonnyG8R]

10. Every head coach not leading a team nicknamed the Packers, Jets, Buccaneers or Vikings owes Brett Favre a gigantic thank you. The Favre saga pretty much allowed teams to go about the business of preparing without media distraction.

I'd assume that Bill Belichick and the Patriots — despite having to face Favre twice this season — are the happiest.

Without Favre, the NFL media would still be milking the pointless Spygate story and there would be a lot of talk about how the Patriots will rebound from their Super Bowl letdown.

For my money, New England's Super Bowl defeat will have a significant impact on this season.

OK, let me set-up my next point by adding a little context. I like the Patriots. I like the way Belichick and Scott Pioli have constructed their team/dynasty. I'm a huge Tom Brady fan. Other than John Elway, he's my favorite NFL quarterback of all time. I hope Brady wins two more Super Bowls before his career is through.

I think the Patriots are going to take a big step back this year. There's going to be a hangover from that Super Bowl loss and their 18-0 run.

The Pats lost to the Giants, an inferior opponent, because of the mental fatigue of going undefeated. What New England accomplished last season was far more impressive than what the Dolphins did in '72. The NFL wasn't the King of the sports world in 1972. There wasn't around-the-clock coverage and discussion of the 1972 Dolphins.

The last month of the 2007 season, the Patriots were mentally drained, and they weren't a great team. The team we saw at the end of last season is the team we will see this season. The Pats are still tired.

They'll win 10 games and lose in the first round of the playoffs. DON'T AGREE

9. I have a lot of respect for Carolina coach John Fox and the way he and the Panthers dealt with star receiver Steve Smith and his sucker-punching of teammate Ken Lucas.

I was shocked when I heard the Panthers suspended Smith for the first two games of the regular season. Carolina has missed the playoffs the past two years, finishing 8-8 and 7-9. There's considerable pressure on Fox and his coaching staff this season.

The team didn't have to suspend Smith and weaken their chances of beating the Chargers and the Bears. The Panthers could've hit Smith with mammoth fine and suspended him for the remainder of training camp.

Had the Panthers taken that action, no one would've raised much of a fuss. It was a training-camp fight.

Instead, Fox chose to send a strong message to his entire team that no one player is bigger than the organization, especially not a wide receiver. Good for Fox. COULDN'T AGREE MORE!

8. The NFL Truths obtained a rough draft of Pacman Jones' reinstatement letter to Roger Goodell. What follows are just a few of the highlights:

What's good, Roger? I mean, what's Goodell, Roger?

I'm just playing, Commissioner Goodell. This is Pacman Jones. My agent said I needed to drop you a letter saying why I should be reinstated. Well, as you know, I do a lot of work in the community supporting single mothers one dollar at a time.

I've included some reference letters from a few of the gals I've helped get through nursing school. They were embarrassed to include their last names, but I'm sure you will be impressed when you read the heart-tugging letters from Lexus, Athena, Diamond and Mercedes. Without my rain, these independent, hardworking women would not be in their seventh year of nursing school.


Also, my good friend Joe Pete, the owner of Magic City, has constructed a graph highlighting the negative economic impact my suspension has had on Atlanta strip clubs. Pacman's suspension has been worse than gas prices.

President Bush calls my rainmaking trickle-down economics.

Sincerely,

Pacman Jones IT'S FUNNY CAUSE IT'S TRUE

7. I loved running back Mike Hart when he was at Michigan. A sixth-round pick for the Colts, Hart will be the steal of the draft.

Hart fell to the sixth because he ran a 4.6 40-yard dash. He runs faster on the field because he runs decisively and with purpose. A fast guy who doesn't know where to go runs slower than Hart.

Hart won't beat out Joseph Addai. But Hart will be a starter in this league before the end of his career. He reminds me of Michael Turner, LaDainian Tomlinson's old backup. I AGREE HE'LL BE A SOLID BACKUP

6. The Rams should let Steven Jackson sit out the entire season.

It is mistake to overpay for any running back not named L.T. The Rams can develop a new running back. Jackson's talents aren't so unique that he's worth breaking the bank. Let him bounce. COULD NOT AGREE MORE

5. For several years, NFL Truths has complained that Jacksonville receiver Matt Jones is the poster child for lazy, irresponsible football players. Now that he's been busted for allegedly carrying cocaine maybe others will catch on.

The Jaguars might be the league's most dysfunctional football squad. Jack Del Rio's group has had as many players pinched as Marvin Lewis' Cincinnati Bengals. But I guess there are benefits to running a franchise in the deep south and in the middle of nowhere. AGREE MATT JONES IS USELESS

No one cares about the lawless Jaguars.

4. Am I the only one who thought ESPN's coverage of the Favre soap opera was appropriate?

There have been numerous complaints that the World Wide Leader went overboard with its coverage. I disagree. Favre is so talkative and forthcoming that the network had no choice but to report all the twists and turns. It was fascinating. I enjoyed every text message.

Yes, some ESPN NFL experts looked foolish claiming that Favre would never accept a trade to the Jets. But I enjoyed that, too. I particularly enjoyed Jay Glazer putting a clown suit on ESPN's army of reporters at the end.

Overall, Ed Werder, Chris Mortensen, Wendy Nix and all the rest did a great job. I watched. AGREE, BRETT ACTED LIKE AN ATTENTION WHORE AND ESPN WAS DOING IT'S JOB

3. This may be more of a wish than a belief, but Donovan McNabb is my pick for league MVP.

He's been written off by most the experts. He's too injury prone. He's overrated without Terrell Owens.

I love the way McNabb approaches the game. In the right situation -- had Owens supported McNabb the way Owens supports Tony Romo — McNabb could've been as good as Brady and Peyton Manning.

McNabb is going to have a rebound season and make his critics choke on crow. AGREE WITH THE SENTIMENT BUT MCNABB STILL LACKS QUALITY RECIEVERS

2. The Ball State Cardinals are going to run the table and make a bid to crash the BCS bowl party. I (spit) you not.

The Cardinals are loaded. In Nate Davis, they have quite possibly the quarterback with the most pro potential in the college game. Davis' favorite target is Wes Welker clone, Dante Love. The Cards have a 6-foot-6 tight end, Darius Hill, who can't be stopped in the red zone. Their right tackle, Robert Brewster, is one of the nation's best run blockers. Ball State punter, Chris Miller, is a two-time Playboy All-American.

Ball State is this year's Boise State. DON'T KNOW, DON'T CARE

1. Right now, I like the Colts to win the Super Bowl.

I know it's not a sexy prediction. It's just what I really think. Tony Dungy is going to christen Lucas Oil Stadium with a Super Bowl champion and then immediately retire. I MADE THE SAME PICK A MONTH AGO

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