NFL 2013 Preview - Cleveland Browns

CLEVELAND BROWNS                                                         

Head Coach: Rob Chudzinski

2012 Record: 5-11-0 (4th in AFC North)

New Players: WR Davone Bess; QB Jason Campbell; DL Desmond Bryant; LB Paul Kruger; K Shayne Graham.

Gone Elsewhere: WR/KR Josh Cribbs; K Phil Dawson; QB Colt McCoy; WR Mohamed Massaquoi; TE Ben Watson; S Usama Young; DL Frostee Rucker.

Offense: Quarterback Brandon Weeden (3,385 passing yards with 14 touchdowns and 17 interceptions) went through his rookie season as the starter and will be the man once again in Cleveland. Colt McCoy is gone and Jason Campbell is now the backup quarterback.

QB Brandon Weeden (3) and RB Trent Richardson make the Browns offense move.

Trent Richardson (950 yards rushing and eleven rushing TD) is the workhorse in the backfield and is joined by Montario Hardesty (271 yards) and Brandon Jackson, who gained 54 yards in very limited action.
The receivers are Greg Little and Josh Gordon, who both played well in their new roles as starters. Little made 53 receptions for 647 yards and four touchdowns while Gordon had 50 catches for 805 yards and five touchdowns.
Davone Bess comes over from Miami this season after making 61 receptions for 778 yards and one score. Another wideout is Travis Benjamin, who had 18 receptions for 298 yards and two touchdowns.
The tight end is Jordan Cameron (20 grabs for 226 yards and one TD), who takes over the starting spot after Ben Watson left in the off season.
The line has big Joe Thomas, one of the best in the business at left tackle, starting along with Mitchell Schwartz (right tackle), center Alex Mack and guards Jason Pinkston and Shaun Lauvao.
Cleveland finished 25th on offense (314 yards per game with 99 rushing per game and 215 passing) last year while averaging just under 19 points per game.

Linebacker D'Qwell Jackson

Defense: The Browns employ the 3-4 look and have Phil Taylor at the nose tackle along with ends Ahtyba Rubin and Desmond Bryant. The linebacking unit will see starters Jabbal Sheard (seven QB sacks),  D'Qwell Jackson, Paul Kruger and Craig Robertson in 2013.
The secondary has corners Joe Haden (three interceptions) and Chris Owens. The safties will be T.J. Ward and Tashaun Gipson. Serving as backups are Buster Skrine, Johnson Bademosi and rookies Leon McFadden (San Diego State) and possibly Jamoris Slaughter from Notre Dame. Another rookie pick is linebacker Barkevious Mingo (LSU), who will get a chance to play as well.
The Browns had 38 QB sacks last year while giving up 364 yards per game to go with 29 takeaways. Opponents scored 23 points per game last season.



OUTLOOK: New Head Coach Rob Chudzinski will have a veteran presence on his coaching staff in Offensive Coordinator Norv Turner, who was San Diego's Head Coach the previous six years.
Turner is well respected as an OC and should be a benefit to the young quarterback Brandon Weeden, who played decent in the starting role during his rookie season.
Improving on last season's mark (5-11) is a realistic goal for the Browns as they continue to improve and look to compete in the AFC North.
If running back Trent Richardson continues to improve along with Weeden and the young receivers, then the Browns will see an improved offense to go with a pretty good defense that likes to go after the football, evidenced by the 29 takeaways in 2012.
Getting off to a good start this season would do wonders for the team's confidence as well. The schedule is favorable early on and the young team just might start believing more and more each week if they learn to win on a consistent basis.
An 8-8 season is not out of the question as the Browns look to improve and compete in the AFC North this season and beyond.

2013 SCHEDULE

Sept. 8- vs. Miami
Sept. 15- at Baltimore
Sept. 22- at Minnesota
Sept. 29- vs. Cincinnati
Oct. 3- vs. Buffalo
Oct. 13- vs. Detroit
Oct. 20- at Green Bay
Oct. 27- at Kansas City
Nov. 3- vs. Baltimore
Nov. 10- BYE WEEK
Nov. 17- at Cincinnati
Nov. 24- vs. Pittsburgh
Dec. 1- vs. Jacksonville
Dec. 8- at New England
Dec. 15- vs. Chicago
Dec. 22- at NY Jets
Dec. 29- at Pittsburgh

NFL 2013 Preview - Cincinnati Bengals

CINCINNATI BENGALS                                                       

Head Coach: Marvin Lewis

2012 Record: 10-6-0 (2nd in AFC North)

New Players: LB James Harrison; QB Josh Johnson.

Gone Elsewhere: QB Bruce Gradkowski; CB Nate Clements; S Chris Crocker; LB Manny Lawson; DL Pat Sims.

Offense: The Bengals will have Andy Dalton back at quarterback following a decent second season in which he passed for 3,669 yards with 27 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Josh Johnson is the backup this season.

QB Andy Dalton

BenJarvus Green-Ellis gained 1,094 yards rushing and scored six touchdowns and will be the primary running back again this season. Rookie draft pick Giovani Bernard (North Carolina) and Cedric Peerman (258 rushing yards) will be the backups.
The wide receivers are led by A.J. Green, who had 97 receptions for 1,350 yards and eleven touchdown  grabs. Mohamed Sanu (16, 154, four TD) or Marvin Jones (18, 201, one TD) could be the other starter. Andrew Hawkins (51, 533, four TD) is listed number-two (behind Green) on the depth chart, but could start as well. The tight end is Jermaine Gresham, who had 64 receptions for 737 yards and five touchdowns.
Up front on the line is center Trevor Robinson, guards Travelle Wharton and Kevin Zeitler and tackles Andrew Whitworth and Andre Smith.

Bengals sack leader Geno Atkins

Defense: This opportunistic defense thrives on turnovers and had 30 takeaways last year, including 14 interceptions. The Bengals were sixth overall on defense, allowing 320 yards per game and 20 points each week.
In the 4-3 set, Cincy has Domata Peko and Geno Atkins (12 1/2 QB sacks) at defensive tackle with Carlos Dunlap (six sacks) and Michael Johnson (11 1/2 sacks) at the ends. Defensive End Wallace Gilberry added
6 1/2 sacks as well. Rookie Margus Hunt (SMU) will get a chance to play as well.
The linebackers include Rey Maualuga in the middle while manning the outside backer spots are Vontaze Berfict and free agent James Harrison, who has been a Pro-Bowl player with the Pittsburgh Steelers for nearly a decade.
The defensive backfield has corners Leon Hall and Terence Newman, who each had a pair of interceptions last season, while Taylor Mays and Reggie Nelson (three picks) are the safties.

OUTLOOK:  Back-to-back playoff appearances for the Bengals has momentarily removed Head Coach Marvin Lewis from the "hot seat" discussion entering this season, but the team would like to advance past the wild card round if they get back to the post-season again.
With Dalton and Green combining for big plays and the running game remaining consistent, the offense should be pretty solid once again in 2013 after averaging 24 points per game a year ago.
The defense is good and should continue to perform that way again this season. The pressure on opposing quarterbacks is outstanding, evidenced by the 51 sacks last year, which was third in the NFL. Cincinnati also ranked eighth in scoring defense, allowing 20 points per game.
As long as they play mistake free football (as has been the case the last two seasons) then expect the Bengals to be in the thick of the AFC playoff hunt again. They would like to win the AFC North for the first time since 2009 this season, but it won't be easy with defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore looming large in the division.
A 9-7 record is likely with a rugged schedule facing the team, but don't be surprised if the Bengals are a playoff football team once again.

2013 SCHEDULE

Sept. 8- at Chicago
Sept. 16- vs. Pittsburgh
Sept. 22- vs. Green Bay
Sept. 29- at Cleveland
Oct. 6- vs. New England
Oct. 13- at Buffalo
Oct. 20- at Detroit
Oct. 27- vs. NY Jets
Oct. 31- at Miami
Nov. 10- at Baltimore
Nov. 17- vs. Cleveland
Nov. 24- BYE WEEK
Dec. 1- at San Diego
Dec. 8- vs. Indianapolis
Dec. 15- at Pittsburgh
Dec. 22- vs. Minnesota
Dec. 29- vs. Baltimore

NFL 2013 Preview - Baltimore Ravens

BALTIMORE RAVENS                                                  

Head Coach: John Harbaugh

2012 Record: 10-6-0 (1st in AFC North)

New Players: LB Elvis Dumervil; S Michael Huff; DL Marcus Spears; LB Daryl Smith; WR Brandon Stokley; TE Visanthe Schiancoe; DL Chris Canty.

Gone Elsewhere: WR Anquan Boldin; S Ed Reed; OL Matt Birk; LB Dannell Ellerbe; LB Paul Kruger; S Bernard Pollard; CB Cary Williams; LB Ray Lewis (retired).

Offense: The Ravens have the Super Bowl winning quarterback in Joe Flacco, who during the regular season passed for 3,817 yards with 22 touchdowns and ten interceptions before going on a tear in the playoffs.

QB Joe Flacco

Flacco will lead the offense again after his breakout year and will be backed up by Tyrod Taylor.
The running game is led by Ray Rice, who was his usual steady self in 2012, going for 1,143 yards (4.4 ypc average) and scored nine touchdowns to go with 61 receptions for 478 yards and a touchdown. Along with Rice in the backfield is Bernard Pierce, who was a pleasant surprise rushing for 532 yards. The fullback is Vonta Leach.
The wide receivers will be without leading receiver Anquan Boldin, who took off for San Francisco after the Super Bowl season. That leaves Torrey Smith (49 receptions for 855 yards and eight touchdowns) and Jacoby Jones, who caught 30 passes for 406 yards and a touchdown, as the primary targets for Flacco. Also in the fold will be Tandon Doss and Brandon Stokley, a former Ravens player who caught 45 passes for 544 yards and five scores with Denver last season.
The tight end position will be without Dennis Pitta, who is out for the season following a hip injury in training camp. Replacing Pitta will be Ed Dickson (21 receptions for 225 yards) and veterans Billy Bajema and Visanthe Schiancoe, who played sparingly with New England last year.
The offensive line has center Gino Gradkowski (replacing the departed Matt Birk), guards Kelechi Osemele and Marshal Yanda and tackles Michael Oher and Bryant McKinnie.

Defense: This unit will be without two vital cogs from the past decade as Ed Reed and Ray Lewis are gone.
Lewis retired in style with the Super Bowl title and Reed bolted for the Houston Texans.
Back in 2013 will be defensive ends Haloti Ngata (five quarterback sacks) and Arthur Jones along with nose tackle Terrence Cody in the 3-4 look.
The linebackers are Terrell Suggs, Elvis Dumervil (11 QB sacks with the Denver Broncos), Jameel McClain

LB Terrell Suggs

and rookie Arthur Brown (Kansas State). Adding depth in the front seven are Albert McClellan, Courtney Upshaw, Chris Canty, Marcus Spears, Pernell McPhee and Josh Byrnes.
The secondary will see rookie Matt Elam (Florida) and Michael Huff at the safety spots with Ladarius Webb and playoff hero Corey Graham at the cornerback positions. Jimmy Smith and Chris Johnson provide depth.
The Ravens weren't necessarily stellar in the 2012 regular season, finishing just 17th on defense while allowing 351 yards per game. They also allowed 344 points but a plus-nine in the turnover rate helped immensely.

OUTLOOK: The infusion of youth on defense along with newcomers may take some time to get used to, but the Ravens have a swagger going into 2103 as the defending Super Bowl champions.
On offense, if Flacco can show that his post-season success was no fluke, then the offense should do it's part after averaging 353 yards a game last year, which was decent (16th in NFL) while also averaging just over 24 points per game.
The Ravens finally put it all together when it mattered most IN THE PLAYOFFS and managed to win the Vince Lombardi trophy, but doing it again is now the big challenge.
Head Coach John Harbaugh exudes a confidence and isn't afraid to challenge his team on occasion. In order to rise to the occasion in 2013, the Ravens will need the defensive changes to come together quickly, which is why they added a veteran presence like Elvis Dumervil. Having LB Terrell Suggs starting all season long will definitely help as well.
Playing in the tough AFC North is never easy and the Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers and even the Cleveland Browns will be tough games. Baltimore is a team that has fallen short in year's past, but coming in as the top dog this year, they know they have the targets on their collective backs.
Another playoff appearance should happen along with a 10-6 record once again. Whether the Ravens can rise up and win it all again remains to be seen. But they have tasted it and should be hungry once again.
Stay tuned.


2013 SCHEDULE

Sept. 5- at Denver
Sept. 15- vs. Cleveland
Sept. 22- vs. Houston
Sept. 29- at Buffalo
Oct. 6- at Miami
Oct. 13- vs. Green Bay
Oct. 20- at Pittsburgh
Oct. 27- BYE WEEK
Nov. 3- at Cleveland
Nov. 10- vs. Cincinnati
Nov. 17- at Chicago
Nov. 24- vs. NY Jets
Nov. 28- vs. Pittsburgh
Dec. 8- vs. Minnesota
Dec. 16- at Detroit
Dec. 22- vs. New England
Dec. 29- at Cincinnati

NFL 2013 Preview - Seattle Seahawks

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS                                                               

Head Coach: Pete Carroll

2012 Record: 11-5-0 (2nd in NFC West)

New Players: DE Cliff Avril; DE Michael Bennett; WR/KR Percy Harvin; DL Tony McDaniel; CB Antoine Winfield; QB Brady Quinn.

Gone Elsewhere: RB/KR Leon Washington; QB Matt Flynn; DL Alan Branch; WR Ben Obomanu; DL Jason Jones.

Offense: The one-two punch of running back Marshawn Lynch and quarterback Russell Wilson make the Seahawks tough to defend.
Lynch had his best ever season as a pro player in 2012, going for 1,590 yards on the ground (5.0 ypc average) and scored eleven touchdowns.

QB Russell Wilson

Wilson passed for 3,118 yards with 26 touchdowns andn only ten interceptions along with rushing for 489 yards (5.1 ypc average) and scored four rushing touchdowns.

Marshawn Lynch

The fact that Wilson was even the starter was surprising enough, but he put up awesome stats and that sent expensive free agent QB Matt Flynn packing his bags to the Oakland Raiders. Backing up Wilson this season will be Brady Quinn.
Along with that dynamic duo on offense, Seattle has Rob Turbin (354 yards
rushing) and rookie draft pick Christine Michael (Texas A&M)  adding depth to the running game, which finished third in the NFL last year, averaging 161 yards per game.
The wide receivers corps may be depleted this year as newcomer Percy Harvin (62 receptions for 677 yards and three TD with the Minnesota Vikings) is out possibly for the entire season with a knee injury while last season's team leading receiver Sidney Rice has had knee issues that has him seeing a specialist. Rice caught 50 balls for 748 yards and seven touchdowns.
Doug Baldwin (29, 366, three TD), Golden Tate (45, 688, seven TD), rookie draft pick Chris Harper (Kansas St.) and tight end Zach Miller (38, 396, three TD) are the other options for the passing game.
The line is set with center Max Unger, guards James Carpenter and Paul McQuistan and tackles Russell Okung and Breno Giacomini.

Defense: The Seahawks are ferocious defenders who will punch opponents in the mouth and then laugh about it.
The 'Hawks were a plus-13 on turnovers thanks in part to 31 takeaways (13 fumble recoveries and 18 pickoffs) which is a trademark of their opportunistic defense.
Up front in the 4-3 set will be tackles Tony McDaniel and Brandon Mebane. The ends are Red Bryant and free agent addition Cliff Avril, who registered 9 1/2 QB sacks with Detroit last year. Another sack master is end Chris Clemons, who had 11 1/2 sacks in 2012. Bruce Irvin (who is suspended for the first four games this year) added eight sacks as well.
Linebackers include Bob Wagner in the middle with Malcolm Smith and K.J. Wright on the outside. In reserve roles will be Mike Morgan, Heath Farwell and rookie Ty Powell (Penn State).
The secondary is one of the best in the NFL with safties Earl Thomas (three interceptions) and Kam Chancellor. The cornerbacks are Richard Sherman (eight INT) and Brandon Browner, who are both big and physical against opposing wideouts. Browner had three picks a year ago.
Seattle finished fourth overall on defense, yielding 306 yards a game, which included 103 on the ground and 203 passing yards allowed. Seattle was the stingiest scoring defense in the NFL in 2012, allowing just 245 points.

OUTLOOK: With their chip on the shoulder attitude and a strong defense, the Seattle Seahawks are a physical team that likes to mix it up and that is what Head Coach Pete Carroll likes to see.
If Russell Wilson plays like he did in his surprising rookie year, the team will be strong on offense once again because they already have Lynch in the backfield running the ball.
The problem might be the depth at wide receiver with the top two players out with injuries as the season opener approaches.
The defense is solid and barring injury, should be among the best in football once again this season.
It all adds up to another winning season for the Seahawks, but they will not be catching anyone off guard this season.
Figure on a 10-6 record for the team with a wild card playoff spot the likely outcome. How well they finish in the regular season will depend on division play, especially against the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks have a chance to have a very special season.

2013 SCHEDULE

Sept. 8- at Carolina
Sept. 15- vs. San Francisco
Sept. 22- vs. Jacksonville
Sept. 29- at Houston
Oct. 6- at Indianapolis
Oct. 13- vs. Tennessee
Oct. 17- at Arizona
Oct. 28- at St. Louis
Nov. 3- vs. Tampa Bay
Nov. 10- at Atlanta
Nov. 17- vs. Minnesota
Nov. 24- BYE WEEK
Dec. 2- vs. New Orleans
Dec. 8- at San Francisco
Dec. 15- at NY Giants
Dec. 22- vs. Arizona
Dec. 29- vs. St. Louis

NFL 2013 Preview - San Francisco 49ers

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers                                                   

Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh

2012 Record: 11-4-1 (1st in NFC West)

New Players: WR Anquan Boldin; CB Nnamdi Asomugha; S Craig Dahl; WR Austin Collie; DL Glenn Dorsey; QB Colt McCoy; K Phil Dawson; LB Dan Skuta; OL Adam Snyder.

Gone Elsewhere: QB Alex Smith; TE Delanie Walker; S Dashon Goldson; DL Isaac Sopoaga; DL Ricky Jean-Francois.

Offense: The 49ers turned to quarterback Colin Kaepernick last season and he showed he can do the job as former starter Alex Smith was sent packing to Kansas City in the off-season.
Kaepernick took over midway through the 2012 season and wound up passing for 1,814 yards with ten touchdowns and just three interceptions. He also is an effective runner who gained 415 yards and scored five times. Colt McCoy comes over from Cleveland and will be the backup.

QB Colin Kaepernick

The running game was the fourth best in the NFL a year ago, averaging 156 yards per game. Led by nine year veteran Frank Gore (1,214 yards, 4.7 ypc average and eight TD) and Kaepernick, the team has a nice blend going into this season. Kendall Hunter (371 yards, 5.2 ypc and two TD) and second year man LeMichael James provide good speed and depth to the running game.
The wide receivers will have Anquan Boldin coming over from the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens, where he grabbed 65 passes for 921 yards and four touchdowns last season. Boldin will start along with either A.J. Jenkins or rookie Quinton Patton (Louisiana Tech) until Michael Crabtree (out with a severe Achilles injury in the off-season) returns possibly by December.
Crabtree had a breakout year in 2012, catching 85 passes for 1,105 yards and nine touchdowns and his presence will be missed by the team. Mario Manningham is another option who made 42 receptions for 449 yards with a touchdown.
The tight end is Vernon Davis, who may also line up outside on occasion this year to keep opposing defenses honest. Davis made 41 catches for 548 yards with five scores. Rookie Vance McDonald (Rice) may get a chance at tight end as well.
The offensive line is comprised of center Jonathan Goodwin, tackles Joe Staley and Anthony Davis. The guards are Mike Iupati and Alex Boone.

Defense: The 'Niners play the 3-4 look and have nose tackle Glenn Dorsey along with ends Justin Smith (three QB sacks) and Ray McDonald.

LB Patrick Willis

The linebackers are the strength of the defense with Aldon Smith (19 1/2 sacks to lead the NFC) and Ahmad Brooks (6 1/2 sacks) on the outside while NaVorro Bowman and Patrick Willis man the inside spots.
The secondary has a few tweaks this year as gone is safety Dashon Goldson, but coming on board will be veteran corner man Nnamdi Asomugha along with rookie safety Eric Reid (LSU), who may get the starting nod.
Carlos Rogers and Tarell Brown are the starting cornerbacks and Donte Whitner is the strong safety. Either Reid or possibly Craig Dahl or Trenton Robinson will be the other starter.
San Francisco picked off 14 passes that contributed to a plus-9 in the turnover charts while finishing second overall in scoring defense, allowing 273 points last season. In addition, the defense was ranked third overall, allowing 294 yards per game.

OUTLOOK: It's all or nothing for the 49ers this season as they look to atone for last year's Super Bowl loss.
Head Coach Jim Harbaugh is very intense and will stop at nothing in motivating this team back to the big game, led by Kaepernick on offense and Willis on the star studded defense.
With a nice mix of running and passing on the offense, the 49ers trust that Kaepernick was no fluke in 2012 and as long as no key players go down with injuries, this team can produce once again.
The defense is solid and stops both the run (94 yards allowed per game) and pass (200 yards allowed) effectively. They also can get after the quarterback as Aldon Smith showed last season.
The 49ers will have many teams circling them on their schedules this season, so they better be ready. They will be tested early on with the first two games against Green Bay and on the road against the Seattle Seahawks.
The NFC West is pretty strong and they are expected to go neck and neck with the Seahawks for the division title all season. But the 'Niners are gearing up for another Super Bowl run in 2013 and the only way to do that is to prove it on the field, which they are definitely capable of doing.
Look for a 12-4 season and depending on how Kaepernick performs in the post-season, the 49ers just might take the next step and win it all this year.
 
2013 SCHEDULE

Sept. 8- vs. Green Bay
Sept. 15- at Seattle
Sept. 22- vs. Indianapolis
Sept. 26- at St. Louis
Oct. 6- vs. Houston
Oct. 13- vs. Arizona
Oct. 20- at Tennessee
Oct. 27- at Jacksonville
Nov. 3- BYE WEEK
Nov. 10- vs. Carolina
Nov. 17- at New Orleans
Nov. 25- at Washington
Dec. 1- vs. St. Louis
Dec. 8- vs. Seattle
Dec. 15- at Tampa Bay
Dec. 23- vs. Atlanta
Dec. 29- at Arizona

NFL 2013 Preview - St. Louis Rams

ST. LOUIS RAMS

Head Coach: Jeff Fisher                                         

2012 Record: 7-8-1 (3rd in NFC West)

New Players: TE Jared Cook; OL Jake Long; WR Tavon Austin; LB Alec Ogletree.

Gone Elsewhere: RB Steven Jackson; WR Danny Amendola; S Craig Dahl; WR Steve Smith; CB Bradley Fletcher; OL Wayne Hunter; WR Brandon Gibson; S Quintin Mikell.

Offense: Quarterback Sam Bradford is the lone player back from the 2012 roster as his three main wide receiving targets and running back (Steven Jackson) all are gone away to different teams entering this season.

QB Sam Bradford

Bradford passed for 3,702 yards last year, along with 21 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and will likely be backed up by Austin Davis or Kellen Clemens.
The running game features two youngsters battling it out in training camp as Daryl Richardson and Isaiah Pead will be the primary backs this year.
Richardson averaged just under five yards per carry in 2012, gaining 475 yards in the process. Pead played sparingly and had 54 yards on ten carries.
The receivers include tight end Lance Kendricks (42 receptions for 519 yards and four TD) as well as top draft pick Tavon Austin (West Virginia), Chris Givens (42, 698, three TD), Brian Quick (11, 156, two TD) and Austin Pettis, who made 30 grabs for 261 yards and four touchdowns. Tight End Jared Cook, who played with  Tennessee, caught 44 passes for 523 yards and four touchdowns last season.
Another rookie draft pick from West Virginia is Stedman Bailey, who will also get a chance to show his stuff at wide receiver.
The line has center Scott Wells, guards Rokevious Watkins and Harvey Dahl. The tackles are Rodger Saffold and Jake Long.

Defense: The D line has ends Chris Long (11 1/2 QB sacks) and Robert Quinn (10 1/2 sacks) along with tackles Kendall Langford and Michael Brockers. Reserve DE William Hayes had seven sacks a year ago.

Rams' sack leader Chris Long

The linebackers will be rookie Alec Ogletree (Georgia), Jo-Lonn Dunbar ( 4 1/2 sacks) and James Laurinitis in the middle.
Cornerbacks Cortland Finnegan (three interceptions) and Janoris Jenkins (four picks, including three brought back for touchdowns) are solid and safties Darian Stewart and rookie pick T.J. McDonald (USC) will likely round out the secondary. Reserves include Trumaine Johnson, Matthew Daniels, Rodney McLeod and rookie Brandon McGee (Miami, FL).
St. Louis finished 14th in the league on defense last season, allowing 343 yards per game and allowed just over 21 points per game. The Rams can get  after opposing quarterbacks as well, getting 52 sacks in 2012, which along with Denver, was tops in the NFL.

OUTLOOK: After averaging just under 19 points per game and 329 yards, the Rams decided to shake things up and clean house on offense, with the exception of QB Sam Bradford.
Head Coach Jeff Fisher is hoping the gamble with so many new players and rookies will pay off. It had better at some point because St. Louis opens with a very tough schedule and playing against San Francisco and Seattle twice won't make things any easier.
The Rams showed they can battle though and did beat and tie the 49ers last year. They also split their two games with the Seahawks.
If the defense can duplicate what they did with pressure on opposing quarterbacks and the secondary doesn't allow big plays, the Rams will be in plenty of games this season.
The big question facing St. Louis is whether the new pieces surrounding Bradford will come together quickly enough for the team to contend in the NFC West, where they went 4-1-1 last year.
If not, the Rams could be in for some tough sledding while rebuilding this season. In today's NFL, one never really knows what to expect, so the Rams will go at it and see what happens on a weekly basis.
A 6-10 finish might seem like a step backward compared to 2012,  but the team is headed in the right direction compared to where they were the past several years.

2013 SCHEDULE

Sept. 8- vs. Arizona
Sept. 15- at Atlanta
Sept. 22- at Dallas
Sept. 26- vs. San Francisco
Oct. 6- vs. Jacksonville
Oct. 13- at Houston
Oct. 20- at Carolina
Oct. 28- vs. Seattle
Nov. 3- vs. Tennessee
Nov. 10- at Indianapolis
Nov. 17- BYE WEEK
Nov. 24- vs. Chicago
Dec. 1- at San Francisco
Dec. 8- at Arizona
Dec. 15- vs. New Orleans
Dec. 22- vs. Tampa Bay
Dec. 29- at Seattle 

NFL 2013 Preview - Arizona Cardinals

ARIZONA CARDINALS                       

Head Coach: Bruce Arians

2012 Record: 5-11-0 (4th in NFC West)

New Players: RB Rashard Mendenhall; QB Carson Palmer; QB Drew Stanton; LB Lorenzo Alexander; CB Javier Arenas; S Yeremiah Bell; CB Antoine Cason; LB Karlos Dansby.

Gone Elsewhere: QB Kevin Kolb; RB Beanie Wells; RB LaRod Stephens-Howling; QB Jon Skelton; S Adrian Wilson.

Offense: The Cardinals will have a totally revamped look this season as both quarterbacks from 2012 are gone. Likewise, the primary ball carriers from the past few seasons are both gone, giving the running game a totally new look.
Veteran QB Carson Palmer comes over from the Oakland Raiders after passing for 4,018 yards with 22

New Head Coach Bruce Arians

touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Backing up Palmer will be Drew Stanton.
The running game, which averaged a paltry 75 yards a game and finished dead last in the league last season, will look to former Steelers' back Rashard Mendenhall (182 yards rushing in only six games played) as the primary ball carrier, provided he is one hundred percent healthy. Ryan Williams and William Powell will back up.
The wide receiving unit still has Larry Fitzgerald leading the way after a sub-par year in 2012 in which he caught just 71 passes for 798 yards and only four touchdowns. Andre Roberts (64, 759, five TD), Michael Floyd (45, 562, two TD) and rookie Ryan Swope (Texas A&M) are the other targets in the passing game. The tight end is Rob Housler, who had 45 receptions for 417 yards last year.
The offensive line was awful last season, evidenced by the weak running game and the fact that Cardinals' quarterbacks were sacked 58 times.  The center is Lyle Sendlein, the tackles are Bobby Massie and Levi Brown, the guards are rookie draft pick Jonathan Cooper (North Carolina) and Daryn Colledge.

Defense: The Cardinals weren't bad on defense in 2012, ranking 12th overall (5th against pass and 28th against the run) giving up 338 yards per game.
Three of their first four draft picks were defensive players, including a pair of LSU players in linebacker Kevin Minter and cornerback Tyrann Mathieu.

Patrick Peterson

The nose tackle in the 3-4 set is Dan Williams. The ends are Darnell Dockett and Calais Campbell. Linebackers include Daryl Washington (who is suspended for the first four games this year) along with Lorenzo Alexander, Jasper Brinkley, Karlos Dansby and Sam Acho. Minter is in the mix as well. Washington led the Cards with nine quarterback sacks a year ago.
The secondary, one of the better ones around the NFL, picked off 22 passes in 2012 and is led by the dynamic Patrick Peterson, who is also an excellent kick returner.
Peterson plays a corner spot and had seven interceptions while Jerraud Powers will man the other corner spot. The safties are Yeremiah Bell and Rashad Johnson, who picked off two passes last year. Veteran Antoine Cason and Mathieu will be in the mix this year and Jamell Fleming and Jonathon Amaya add depth.


OUTLOOK: New Head Coach Bruce Arians gets his chance after leading the Indianapolis Colts to a surprising playoff spot last season filling in for Chuck Pagano, who was going through cancer treatments.
There are many questions facing this team that got off to a good start (4-0) last year, then lost 11 of 12 games and finished in last place in the very strong NFC West division.
Can Carson Palmer recapture some of his past magic and combine with Larry Fitzgerald to give the team the deep threat it so sorely lacked in 2012?
How about Rashard Mendenhall coming back from injuries in Pittsburgh a year ago?
Can the offensive line protect the QB and open the holes for the running backs to flourish?
Too many big questions to answer and if even one of those scenarios doesn't play out, it could be a very long season in the desert once again.
It looks like 3-13 may be the mark for the Cardinals this season, which would signal bad news for the team. But then again, this is the NFL and one-year turnarounds are possible...  just not this year for the Cardinals.

2013 SCHEDULE

Sept. 8- at St. Louis
Sept. 15- vs. Detroit
Sept. 22- at New Orleans
Sept. 29- at Tampa Bay
Oct. 6- vs. Carolina
Oct. 13- at San Francisco
Oct. 17- vs. Seattle
Oct. 27- vs. Atlanta
Nov. 3- BYE WEEK
Nov. 10- vs. Houston
Nov. 17- at Jacksonville
Nov. 24- vs. Indianapolis
Dec. 1- at Philadelphia
Dec. 8- vs. St. Louis
Dec. 15- at Tennessee
Dec. 22- at Seattle
Dec. 29- vs. San Francisco