Next year's dark horse

[Dave Gray]

OK.  The Saints won it all.  We might have predicted that they'd be halfway decent, but I doubt many of us had them storming through the NFC and beating the Colts at the end of the year.  But every year, it seems like one mid-grade team comes forward and lights up the joint.

Who is your prediction for next year?

[YoFuggedaboutit]

I say the Falcons are primed for a big jump.  Just like the Dolphins, they took a few steps back this year, but they've got a ton of weapons on offense and a pretty solid defense. 

[fyo]

The Saints did have the highest-scoring offense the year before, so it's not exactly like they were mediocre, like you seem to be implying. A young, very high-scoring team... I don't think I know anyone who didn't think they'd be better in 2009.

I think the Ravens, although they were 9-7, whereas the Saints were 8-8, are well-poised to make the jump. Of course, considering that they actually made the playoffs with those 9 wins (and beat the Pats), it won't FEEL as much like they're coming out of nowhere (I still dispute that the Saints did, so...). The Ravens have 2 starters on offense 30 or older. Their center (Matt Birk) and Derrick Mason. Okay, so they need a receiver, but other than that, they look very much set.

Their aging defense isn't actually as old as one might think. Sure, Ed Reed and Ray Lewis have played forever, but other than that, they only have two starters 30 or older: DE Trevor Price and NT Kelly Gregg. They spent their 2nd - 4th draft picks last year on defenders. Time for those young guys to step up. Remaining needs can be filled in the draft this year and suddenly the defense looks good again.

I don't think there are any other teams as much like the Saints of 2008 as the Ravens, but if the requirement is "no playoffs", we're looking at teams like Carolina, Houston, or Tennessee. Or the 8-8 Giants, of course, who had a bad year in a tough division. Actually, that's not too bad a comparison, since both teams spent a lot of time around 8-8, but the Giants SB win means that they won't really feel like they're coming out of nowhere.

[Philly Fin Fan]

There was an article similar to his on CBS Sportsline the other day

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/12915117/the-winning-formula-five-that-can-make-super-jump

He picked several teams which were out of the playoffs this year who can make that jump. His picks: Texans, Dolphins, Falcons, Giants and Steelers.

In my opinion- the teams that I think have the best shot at something like this: Texans or Titans

Both have a good QB. Titans have a great running game, Texans a great passing game. Both have solid defenses that might be able to step it up and take it to the next level.

[Sunstroke]

49ers win 10 games next season on the strength of their top-3 defense and improved passing game, win the NFC West and win their first round playoff matchup before losing in the second round.

It's a dark horse, indeed, but it's dark red and dark gold...

[TonyB0D]

TEXANS

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Chiefs

[jtex316]

Don't discount Washington with new head coach Mike Shannahan!

[bsfins]

I'm taking the 49ers,(Sorry I'm gonna jinx them),Cardinals lost Warner,that first step down to Linehart is a Dozy.the Rams and Seattle are retooling....The Light may have clicked on in the heads of Alex Smith,and Vernon Davis,and adding a Crabdiva can always help...gotta love me some Patrick Willis...

(edited for my Constant poor grammer)

[Tenshot13]

Dolphins

[AZ Fins Fan 55]

I agree.....I think the 49ers make a huge impact this next year.

[Sunstroke]

Too many people talking about SF...makes me a bit uneasy.

If the 49ers had a "good" QB. Not a great one, but a "good" one. A Matt Cassel-type, or a healthy Marc Bulger-type or even a (gulp) David Garrard/Jason Campbell type, the 49ers would look primed for greatness. They have a talented and aggressive defense that has a lot of speed, they have a quality running game and two young developing very talented pass-catchers in Vernon Davis and Crabtree, and an O-line that is mediocre at the moment, but (and you heard it here first) is about to spend three of its five picks in the first 4 rounds on OL-beefiness.

Key is Alex "doll-hands" Smith... If he has finally turned the corner and can be a steady "caretaker" QB...a Jon Kitna-type, then I think SF can have an excellent season. Alex is only 25 years old...he came out real young, so that's still within the realm of possibility.

[Thundergod]

Bears

[Dave Gray]

The Niners look to be a good bet.  The loss of Warner, combined with the overall mediocrity of the West leaves an opening for a team like the Niners to step it up.  Plus, I think that Singletary has a good grasp of that locker room, and for a young team and a young coach, that hurdle is a big one.  Once you have your team buying in to what you do, it makes anything possible.

[Defense54]

Dolphins

Never know........we did give both Indy and the Saints a good run for the money at the begining of season when we were healthy.