2010 NFL Football Predictions: Five Statements of Veracity

With the 2010 NFL Football season upon us, I can’t help but think about all things football. Thus, when presented with the opportunity to come up with my five NFL predictions for the 2010 season, I jumped at the chance.

Here are five things other people doubt will happen, but I believe to be “Statements of Veracity” when it comes to the 2010 NFL Football season.

1. The Cincinnati Bengals will be a dominant football team.

I know everybody else thinks the Cincinnati Bengals are a train wreck…and they are. When you combine Terrell Owens, Chad Johnson, Pacman Jones, Cedric Benson, Tank Johnson and Matt Jones, all on the same team, their football team does start to look more and more like a circus. However, those same players are all very, very talented football players. Just think about it, wouldn’t five or six of those guys start on your team? The only guys on that list with questionable talent are Matt Jones and Pacman Jones, but at their best, they have made plays at the NFL level. So say what you will, but when you combine that kind of talent with Carson Palmer, Leon Hall, Johnathan Joseph, Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga, I think you have what amounts to a dominant NFL football team. What’s dominant? At the very least, I fully expect the Cincinnati Bengals to get a first round bye in the 2010 NFL Playoffs.

2. Brandon Marshall won’t dominate with the Miami Dolphins.

I know the Brandon Marshall trade that sent the talented wide receiver to the Miami Dolphins was a big deal for the South Florida, but it won’t be that big of a deal in 2010. With all due respect to Marshall and his new quarterback, Chad Henne, they both are slightly overrated as we enter the 2010 NFL football season. Brandon Marshall is a great receiver, and one of the top five or six pass catchers in football; however, he is not a deep threat. He doesn’t make a ton of plays down the field and along the sidelines. He’s great at going over the middle, running stops, slants and crossing patterns, but he’s entirely defensible on go routes and post patterns. Yes, he will still dictate coverage and his presence will help the Dolphins running game. But with the combination of a young quarterback like Henne throwing him the ball and Marshall already not a tremendous downfield threat, I don’t think we see the same stats out of Brandon Marshall that we have seen over the last several seasons. Don’t expect Brandon Marshall to be in this year’s Pro Bowl.

3. Anquan Boldin will return to the Pro Bowl.

Maybe this prediction isn’t as bold as I find it to be, but after taking Brandon Marshall down, I figured I mine as well prop somebody up. After a couple of years of battling injuries and contract negotiations, Boldin was set free in Baltimore this offseason, where he will play with the Ravens and try to resurrect his career. In my opinion, Boldin is among the top 10 wide receivers in football. Just like Marshall, he’s not the greatest deep threat, but unlike Marshall, his quarterback is a proven commodity. The Baltimore Ravens starting QB threw for over 3,600 yards last year and averaged 7.24 yards per pass. Needless to say, he’s not holding the Ravens back, not to mention, the Ravens already have other deep threats via Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton and perhaps even Donte Stallworth. Expect Boldin to get a lot of passes over the middle, on the sidelines and down the seam. He’s great at those routes and Flacco is great at throwing those routes. This should be a Pro Bowl season for Anquan Boldin.

4. Chris Johnson will rush for 2,000 yards in 2010.

For a while, I was of the mind that Johnson wouldn’t get to 2,000 rushing yards in 2010 because Vince Young would be there for the full season and the team would enter the year with more plays catered to Young’s abilities. However, now I am of the mindset that with Young in the fold all offseason, the Tennessee Titans are going to be a little more inclined to let their passing game fly. That should open the rushing lanes for Chris Johnson even more. Just imagine, if he’s on a team that can pass for around 200 yards per game, he could really get a few extra rushing lanes throughout the season. Believe or not, I think Young can do just enough to keep defenses honest, just as he did late last season.

5. Michael Vick will be the starting quarterback for the Eagles.

Kevin Kolb? Please! He is no Donovan McNabb and there’s nothing to suggest that he’s Aaron Rodgers either. Look, this Eagles team has so much young talent, that whenever the Eagles face a mediocre defense, they are going to look good, just as Kolb did in two starts last season. But when the Eagles get blitzed, pass rushed, and confused as defenses begin to hone in on Kolbe’s weaknesses, I fully expect him to become a shrinking violet. Enter Michael Vick, the quarterback that I believe finishes the season for the Eagles. I don’t know if it will be pretty, smart or if it will win the Eagles any football games, but I think it will be their best option by the end of the 2010 NFL Football season.

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