San Jose, Costa Rica, Oct. 2, 2007 -- We are at the quarter-pole of the NFL season, and four teams remain unbeaten, split evenly among the AFC and NFC: Indianapolis, New England, Dallas and Green Bay are all 4-0.
No team has gone undefeated for a season since the 1972 Dolphins. Players on that team annually break open a case of champagne whenever the final NFL unbeaten falls on a given year.
WagerWeb.com gives you the chance to be on which team you think can make it the distance. Here is a look at the "Final Four":
Indianapolis, the defending Super Bowl champion, is undefeated for the third straight September, has the league's best September record (18-2) since 2002 and has won an NFL-best nine games in a row, including last year's playoffs. Peyton Manning has been his typical All-Pro self, and Joseph Addai has shined in his first season as the featured back. However, the Indy defense took a hit this week as starting linebacker Rob Morris will have season-ending surgery.
Indy started last season 9-0 and flirted with the unbeaten mark in 2005 with a 13-0 start. Colts' WagerWeb.com odds: 20-1.
New England is off to its best start since 2004, when it won the Super Bowl for the third time in four years, with an offense energized by the addition of receiver Randy Moss. Moss has seven touchdown catches, most in the NFL., and he's the first player in league history to have 100 yards in receptions in each of his first four games with a new team.
QB Tom Brady leads the league with 13 touchdown passes, his best total in any four-game span in his career. The Pats have outscored their opponents 148-48 and have scored in every one of their 16 quarters.
Incidentally, the Patriots play at two of their fellow unbeatens upcoming: Oct. 14 at Dallas and Nov. 4 at Indianapolis. Pats' WagerWeb.com odds: 15-1.
Dallas is 4-0 for the first time since 1995, the last time the Cowboys won the Super Bowl. The team has scored an NFL-high 151 points, and it seems to be getting better, increasing its margin of victory from 10 to 17 to 24 to 28. QB Tony Romo has become a franchise player, and he and receiver Terrell Owens have formed the best aerial combination west of New England.
And the defense, a weak spot in the first two games, has moved up to eighth in the NFL. The Cowboys' Week 6 game against the Patriots very well could be a prelude to a Super Bowl rematch. Cowboys' WagerWeb.com odds: 75-1.
Green Bay is the surprise of the 4-0 bunch, the first time the Pack have done that since 1998. Brett Favre is having his best season in years, and last week he became the NFL's all-time leader in touchdown passes.
Green Bay has won eight straight games dating back to last year, but the team's Achilles' heel is an imbalanced offense. Green Bay throws nearly 70 percent of the time, as the running game has been stagnant, averaging only 54 yards a game on 2.7 yards per attempt. Packers' WagerWeb.com odds: 500-1.
Odds on which NFL team will go unbeaten this regular season:
New England Patriots
15:1
+$1500
*Risk $100 to win $1500
Indianapolis Colts
20:1
+$2000
*Risk $100 to win $2000
Dallas Cowboys
75:1
+$7500
*Risk $100 to win $7500
Green Bay Packers
500:1
+$50000
*Risk $100 to win $50000
Philadelphia Eagles vs New York Giants - Donovan McNabb is looking like his old self again, is this a good time to bet on the Eagles?
By Jordan Walters
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer
The New York Giants appeared headed for an 0-3 start when they were down 17-3 at halftime last week against the Redskins. But the New York defense stiffened, allowing only 80 yards and no points in the second half, including a goal-line stand in the final minute, as the Giants rallied to win 24-17. That defensive effort was quite a change from the first two weeks, when the Giants allowed 80 points and 621 passing yards combined in losses to Dallas and Green Bay.
The Philadelphia Eagles, meanwhile, were dealing with Donovan McNabb's controversial statements on black quarterbacks heading into last week's home game with the Lions. Some were even thinking McNabb's time in Philly was about up.
After only producing total 25 points in season-opening setbacks to the Packers and Redskins, the Eagles scored touchdowns on their first five possessions against the Lions and finished the first half with 473 total yards, the highest total by an NFL team since 1991. McNabb was stellar, going 21 of 26 for 381 yards and four touchdowns, giving him a perfect quarterback rating of 158.3 for the game.
"When you're a great quarterback, you're going to have days where things aren't working," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "He knows that. He knows that if he keeps firing, good things will happen."
Running back Brian Westbrook also starred against the Lions, rushing for 110 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries, and making five catches for 111 yards and a TD. However, Westbrook has missed all of this week's practices but one and will be a game-time decision because of an abdominal strain.
"Anybody who does not believe he is playing, you are a fool," Giants defensive end Michael Strahan said. "He didn't leave the game because he was hurt. He left the game because he already had 250 yards and they were up by 50-something points. We expect him to play and are preparing for him to play."
Other key injuries for the Eagles include Pro Bowl safety Brian Dawkins, who is questionable this week, while Pro Bowl cornerback Lito Sheppard and left tackle William Thomas are doubtful.
One of New York's top offensive players also could miss or be limited in this game, as wide receiver Plaxico Burress, who is tied for the league lead with five TD catches, has a lingering ankle injury. Burress had 17 grabs, 323 yards and three TDs against Philly last year.
"Plax, we call him 'Game Day,' " middle linebacker Antonio Pierce said. "On game day he shows up regardless of what anyone wants to say about him during the week. The guy has been in the league long enough, eight years, and he knows how to take care of himself."
New York could also be without running back Derrick Ward, who is questionable with an ankle injury, but could get back starter Brandon Jacobs, who hasn't played since Week 1. Giants coach Tom Coughlin expects Ward to play, however, but not Jacobs.
One interesting stat to consider for this game: Philadelphia is 3-5 in weeks preceding a bye (as this one is) since Reid came to the club in 1999. But the Eagles have won seven of eight against the G-Men.
The lowdown: With so many key injuries, it's tough to gauge this game, and it will be worth your while to wait until the last possible second to place a bet. However, the Eagles (-3 on WagerWeb.com) seem recharged and Westbrook undoubtedly will play with a bye week upcoming, so go with Philly.
Tennessee Titans vs New Orleans Saints Betting Preview
By Jordan Walters
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer
Week 3 of the 2007 NFL season closes out tonight with the 1-1 Tennessee Titans traveling to 0-2 New Orleans, with the Saints -4 (over/under: 45.5) on WagerWeb.com.
Despite it being so early in the season, tonight is practically must-win for New Orleans Saints, the preseason favorite in the NFC. The Saints have been outscored 72-24 in losses to Indianapolis and Tampa Bay; the defending NFC South champs look to avoid their first 0-3 start since 1997.
Perhaps a return to the Superdome will help, as this will be the Saints' home opener. New Orleans players remain confident they can rebound from 0-2 to make the playoffs, as Kansas City did last year.
"They were a lot of people's preseason Super Bowl pick. They still have those same guys," Tennessee defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch said. "We know we're going to get a different team because it is their home opener and it's going to be a big emotional boost for them."
"By no means are we out of it," said New Orleans QB Drew Brees, who has thrown just one touchdown and three interceptions. "It sets you back, but it's nothing we can't overcome."
All of the hype for tonight's game focuses on the first pro matchup between Titans QB Vince Young and Saints RB Reggie Bush; Young, of course, led Texas to a thrilling national title victory over Bush's Southern Cal team on Jan. 4, 2006.
"You have two up-and-coming athletes who are really the faces of their franchises coming in and playing against each other on 'Monday Night Football' on the national stage. This game is all built up to be a great game," Bush said.
Bush's running back mate then, LenDale White, is with the Titans. Between White, Chris Brown and Young, the Titans average an NFL-best 211.5 rushing yards per game. New Orleans' backfield tandem of Bush and Deuce McAllister, meanwhile, combined for just 76 yards on 20 carries last weekend, and duo has yet to score a TD.
Defensively, New Orleans is allowing 391.0 yards per contest - second-highest in the NFC.
The Titans will try for their fourth straight victory over the Saints and third in a row at the Superdome. Jeff Fisher's club has gone 22-10 against the NFC over the past eight seasons.
However, look for a charged-up Bayou crowd to carry New Orleans to its first victory of the season.
An 0-2 start to the NFL season doesn't mean the year is over for any of those winless teams, but their playoff chances are slim.
Ten teams - Buffalo, Miami, New York Jets, Kansas City, New York Giants, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Atlanta, Oakland and New Orleans - are 0-2. (Three of those teams in the bad AFC East.)
And here's the bad news for them: only five teams (out of 59) since 2000 have rebounded from a 0-2 start to make the playoffs. Since the NFL expanded to a 16-game schedule in 1978, 26 teams that started 0-2 reached the playoffs.
Here's a look at what has gone wrong for each club:
* Buffalo Bills - Offense. Rookie running back Marshawn Lynch has been solid with 154 yards rushing on 37 carries and a TD, but the passing offense has been not good. QB J.P. Losman only has a dismal 251 total yards through the air in two games, and the Bills leading receiver is Roscoe Parrish with 81 yards. Buffalo has 23 first downs to 47 for its opponents. And the news gets worse: The Bills are at New England this week, and the Pats have clearly been the class of the league thus far. New England is an early 16.5-point favorite on WagerWeb.com.
* Miami Dolphins - The Dolphins are 0-2 for the third time in four years. Five turnovers were the culprit for their Week 2 loss to Dallas, but the rushing attack hasn't gone for more than 66 yards yet, so Miami is losing the time of possession battle. The Dolphins are +3 against the Jets for Week 3 on WagerWeb.com.
* New York Jets - Jets fans will blame Chad Pennington, but he has completed more than 76 percent of his passes with two TDs and no interceptions. The team lacks big-play opportunities when he is in there, however. Backup QB Kellen Clemens, who played well in the second half of a Week 2 loss to the Ravens, appears to be the starter-in-waiting. New York is -3 for this week against Miami on WagerWeb.com.
* Kansas City Chiefs - The Chiefs also were winless in the preseason, so they are in dire straits. There's a reason Damon Huard has been a journeyman QB for most of his career, and the K.C. offensive line is porous, with even Larry Johnson struggling. However, the Chiefs are -2 on WagerWeb.com for this week when they host the Vikings.
* New York Giants - What isn't wrong? The G-Men have allowed a league-high 80 points, Eli Manning is ailing and it seems just a matter of time before Coach Tom Coughlin is fired. They travel to 2-0 Washington this week, and there is no line yet posted on WagerWeb.com.
* Philadelphia Eagles - Donovan McNabb just isn't the same. He had decent numbers in Monday night's loss to Washington, but he has been off. In fact, McNabb has lost six of his last seven starts and is 9-12 since the Eagles lost the Super Bowl to New England in January 2005. McNabb is one-dimensional since his injury, becoming a pocket passer, and he doesn't have any receiving threats that scare other teams. The Eagles host 2-0 Detroit on Sunday; there is no line yet on WagerWeb.com.
* St. Louis Rams - If the Giants' Tom Coughlin isn't the first coach fired, the Rams' Scott Linehan may be. He is only 8-10 in his first go-round as an NFL head coach. Marc Bulger is putting up yardage numbers, but the running game stinks and Bulger is constantly under pressure. The loss of tackle Orlando Pace can't be overstated. St. Louis is +3.5 on WagerWeb.com for this week's game at Tampa Bay.
* Atlanta Falcons - Not sure anyone is surprised at this 0-2 club. Michael Vick's shadow has pretty much ruined this season. And Joey Harrington has been, well, Joey Harrington. A rebuilding job is in order. The Falcons are +4 on WagerWeb.com for Sunday's home game with Carolina.
* Oakland Raiders - The Raiders have actually looked much better this season on offense than last, but the defense hasn't matched its 2006 level yet in allowing 59 points. That should change, and Oakland (with Daunte Culpepper likely starting at QB) is a 3-point favorite on WagerWeb.com for Sunday's game against Cleveland.
* New Orleans Saints - Easily the most surprising 0-2 team in the NFL. The Saints, one of the favorites to win the NFC, have been outscored by a whopping 48 points so far this season and are 0-2 for the first time since 1997. Maybe Monday night's home opener against the Titans will change things, but the defense and offensive are equally responsible. "I'm very surprised," QB Drew Brees said. "We really need to take a deep look at ourselves, identify the problems and figure out how to fix it." New Orleans is -4.5 on WagerWeb.com for Monday's game vs. Tennessee.
When the NFL preseason kicks off next week, bettors should really start paying attention to the numerous debuts around the league. For many teams their first preseason game will be everyone's first look at a new rookie, a new head coach or a new free-agent addition. Here's a quick rundown of the all Week 1 NFL preseason games and who you should be keeping your eye on.
Indianapolis at Dallas - New Dallas coach Wade Phillips will be manning the sidelines for the first time in this game, which means you'll want to focus on the Cowboys' defense to get a few hints on what Phillips has planned for this season. The Colts will debut rookie wide out Anthony Gonzalez, most likely in the third receiver spot.
Cincinnati at Detroit - Presuming he ends his holdout, the Calvin Johnson highlight reel should start rolling in this game. The faster Johnson and QB Jon Kitna get acquainted in game situations, the better for Detroit. The Bengals have a decision to make at the third WR spot, where they'll be without Chris Henry for at least eight games.
New England at Tampa Bay - The first look at the Patriots' new additions (Randy Moss, Donte Stallworth, Adalius Thomas) will likely be a short one since all three are veterans and should adapt to the system rather quickly. The Buccaneers have to figure out their QB situation, making the preseason very important to Chris Simms and Jeff Garcia.
Jacksonville at Miami - The Jaguars need Byron Leftwich to start strong and stay healthy for once to be truly successful. Miami gets a look at new QB Trent Green, rookie wideout Ted Ginn Jr. and of course their new head coach Cam Cameron, who may have trouble adapting his old San Diego offense to what he has to work with in Miami.
Arizona at Oakland - Both teams have a new coach this year, with the Cardinals turning to Ken Whisenhunt and the Raiders giving Lane Kiffin a try. All eyes will be on newly-signed Daunte Culpepper as rookie QB JaMarcus Russell continues to hold out.
Seattle at San Diego - Not a lot of changes for either team, but new Chargers' coach Norv Turner should have fun with all the toys at his disposal in San Diego.
Philadelphia at Baltimore - Will Donovan McNabb be ready for this game? The Eagles' season could rely on McNabb returning at 100% from a knee injury, and if he plays in this game it will be a big step in his recovery.
St. Louis at Minnesota - Adrian Peterson?s road to the Vikings' starting running back job begins here. He could get a real boost up the depth chart if he performs well in this game and if Chester Taylor's arm injury is worse than suspected.
Atlanta at NY Jets - The Falcons will need to use the preseason to get backup QB Joey Harrington up to speed on the offense, since it looks like Michael Vick's days in Atlanta could be numbered. This will also be Bobby Petrino's first game as Falcons coach.
Kansas City at Cleveland - The battle for the starting QB job in Kansas City begins between Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle. This could also be the first time we see Brady Quinn take the field in a Browns' uniform, if he quits bickering over his contract and gets into camp.
Buffalo at New Orleans - Rookie running back Marshawn Lynch makes his first play for the starting job in Buffalo, while WR Robert Meachem will get another crack at showing why he should be starting in New Orleans.
Chicago at Houston - The Bears start what they hope is another Super Bowl run, while Houston begins their first season without QB David Carr now that Matt Schaub's in town.
Green Bay at Pittsburgh - The Packers need to find a starting running back to take some of the pressure off Brett Favre, while Pittsburgh will be on six days rest after playing in the Hall of Fame game this Sunday night.
Carolina at NY Giants - Can Dwayne Jarrett fill Keyshawn Johnson's old shoes as the No. 2 target in Carolina? An even bigger question is: Will Brandon Jacobs be an adequate replacement for Tiki Barber in New York?
Washington at Tennessee - The Redskins already lost tackle Chris Samuels last week so don't be surprised if Joe Gibbs restricts the participation of his regulars in this game. The Titans have to get their defense sorted out during the preseason and try to keep the Madden Curse from striking down Vince Young.
Denver at San Francisco - Jay Cutler starts his first full season as the starter in Denver and there could be a battle for the Broncos' second receiver spot throughout the preseason. The 49ers are rising, but Frank Gore could end up missing the entire preseason after suffering a hand injury.
The 2007 NFL preseason kicks off on Sunday, August 5 when the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrate their 75th anniversary by taking on the New Orleans Saints.
The neutral-site game at Canton, Ohio will mark the first time in more than a decade that the Steelers take to the field without Bill Cowher on the sidelines. New head coach Mike Tomlin will hope to get his career started with a win, but seeing how this is a preseason game, he'll more likely be happy to get through the game without an injury to one of his key players.
Neither the Steelers nor the Saints made any huge moves on the field during the offseason. The Saints didn't have much retooling to do after winning the NFC South last year, but the Steelers looked due for a few changes after a disappointing 8-8 season.
Unless an injury crops up in training camp between now and game time, expect most of the usual starters to see action early on in this game before giving way to the backups by at least the second half.
Ben Roethlisberger will likely be looking to get some kinks out of his game during the preseason this year after getting off to an awful start last season. Roethlisberger will see a few series with his usual receivers Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes, but don't be surprised if running backs Willie Parker and Najeh Davenport do most of the heavy lifting.
The Saints offense, led by Drew Brees, will be looking to pick up where it left off last season when it boasted the best offense in the NFC. Marques Colston will be out to avoid a sophomore slump after a breakout rookie campaign, while Devery Henderson and rookie Robert Meachem will battle for the starting job vacated by Joe Horn.
As good as the Saints are through the air, they may actually be even better on the ground. Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush form a formidable one-two punch out of the backfield, which could be even harder to stop if Bush gets more active this season.
The difference between sitting in your fantasy football league penthouse and falling into the basement is often deiced by who grabs the right sleepers and who gets caught with the year's bust. Last season, anyone who grabbed sleepers like Frank Gore or Jon Kitna was sitting pretty for their small risk, while anyone who got caught holding Edgerrin James or Mike Vanderjagt was sitting in last place.
By the end of last season, Holmes had stolen Cedrick Wilson's starting job in Pittsburgh. Holmes has great speed and size to get downfield and create separation with DBs. With a healthy Ben Roethlisberger under center, Holmes' numbers should be on the rise this season. And Santonio is a cool name to boot.
With Thomas Jones gone to the Jets, the starting job belongs to Benson in Chicago - now he has to prove he can handle it. Benson is a punishing back with speed to break off big runs when he gets room. Injuries have hurt Benson's growth the last two seasons, but he should rumble for more than 1,000 yards if he can stay healthy.
The Falcons were the No. 1 rushing team in the league last season and, no matter what happens with Michael Vick, there should still be lots of running in Atlanta again this year. Norwood shared the duties with Warrick Dunn last season, but with Norwood's speed and Dunn's advancing age, Norwood should become the feature back more and more as the season goes on.
Leinart is surrounded by a ton of talent and after going through some growing pains during his rookie campaign, he should be ready to break out this year. He may start slowly while adapting to a new system under a new head coach, but by midseason, Leinart should be racking up the TD passes to Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald.
Even with the athletic Antonio Gates in tow at TE, the Chargers need a real No. 1 wide receiver. Jackson fits the mould perfectly with deep speed and red-zone size. With Gates and LaDainian Tomlinson drawing most of the attention from opposing defenses, Jackson could be in for a breakout season.
Welcome to Miami, Trent, where the offensive line is a mess and the receivers are mostly washouts. Green's aging arm has no real value in the Dolphins awful passing game.
Taylor put together a fine season last year because he finally avoided any big injuries. Taylor will be lucky to avoid the injury bug two years in a row and, even if he does remain healthy, his carries will decline as blossoming Maurice Jones-Drew's duties increase.
Taylor ran for a ton of yards last season, but his touchdowns numbers were too low for a No. 1 fantasy RB. Taylor's days as the starter in Minnesota appeared numbered the instant the Vikings drafted Oklahoma stud Adrian Peterson. His value drops with every carry he loses to Peterson.
Don't expect Furrey to replicate the big-time numbers he put up last season. Furrey's receptions have nowhere to go but down with Calvin Johnson in town. Furrey could still have some solid yardage totals, but his trips to the end zone should be few and far between. Still has value, just in the later rounds. Don't base your pick on last year's stats.
Even before his dogfighting legal troubles mushroomed this summer, Vick was one of the last quarterbacks I would have drafted. Vick's play is so erratic and inconsistent that he can lead your fantasy team to victory once week and bring it crashing down the next. Vick might be worth taking as a backup, but don't make him your starting QB or you'll be sorry.
After the show that last year's rookie crop put on, the new class of 2007 has a lot to live up to. In case you may have forgotten, last year's rookies included the likes of Reggie Bush, Vince Young, Matt Leinart, Joseph Addai, Devin Hester, Maurice Jones-Drew and Marques Colston, just to name a few. Can this year's rookies live up to those lofty standards?
The quarterbacks taken in the first round of this year's draft, JaMarcus Russell and Brady Quinn, will likely start the NFL season the same place Young did in Tennessee last year. That would be on the bench. In Oakland, Russell has a cannon for an arm and elusive speed but he'll need some grooming to be ready for NFL-caliber defenses, and he'll be lacking the offensive weaponry he had surrounding him while at LSU. Quinn has the makeup of a great NFL quarterback, but he's got both Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson standing between him and the starting job in Cleveland. Quinn has better receivers than Russell does in Oakland, with Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow Jr. for starters, and if Cleveland struggles as much as they're expected to early on Quinn could find himself thrown into the fire by midseason.
Last year's rookie running backs excelled right out of the gate with Bush flashing his skills in New Orleans, Jones-Drew scoring 14 rushing TDs, and Joseph Addai winning a Super Bowl in only his first season. This year's running-back crop doesn't appear ready to repeat those outstanding feats, but there are two backs that could shine right away. Adrian Peterson is your prototypical NFL power running back. He's strong as an ox and also sports breakaway speed, but has proven to be injury-prone throughout his collegiate career. In Minnesota, Peterson will start the season sharing the carries with Chester Taylor. Taylor had some solid games last season, but seemed to run out of gas in the second half. Look for Peterson to spell Taylor more and more as the season goes on and possibly steal his starting job if he performs. Marshawn Lynch wasn't considered to be the best running back in the draft, but he may end up putting up the best rookie numbers. Lynch has a starting spot open for him in Buffalo and it should be his for the taking. If he does earn the starting role, Lynch could top the rookie stats by default because of his large number of carries.
You would think there was a lack of solid receivers in the league considering how many were drafted in the first couple of rounds. After so many teams lost out on Colston last year, maybe they were scared of getting scooped again. The cream of the draft crop is clearly Calvin Johnson. No other player looks as ready to step in and produce right away as Johnson does. With his speed, size and great hands, Johnson will make up an amazing receiving duo with Roy Williams in Detroit. The Lions may not win many more games this season, but they should boast a lethal passing attack. Other possible receiver standouts include Robert Meachem in pass-happy New Orleans, Dwayne Bowe in Kansas City (where their receiving corps is very weak), and Anthony Gonzalez who looks like a perfect fit as the No. 3 man in Indianapolis. Ted Ginn Jr., Dwayne Jarrett and Craig Davis could also break out.
A number of players changed their jersey during the offseason, which could shake up the playoff pictures in both conferences the 2007 NFL season.
The moves that will likely have the biggest impact on how things shake down were made by the New England Patriots. New England must not like watching other AFC teams play in the Super Bowl, because they did all they could to make sure they return to the big show this NFL season. Last season, Tom Brady's receiving corps was very weak. This year he may have too many options when he passes.
The Pats added once-elite wideout Randy Moss, who could be a huge steal if he can revert back to something close to the numbers he produced in Minnesota. Also added were Donte' Stallworth and Wes Welker. Stallworth is a bit of an injury risk, but he's a reliable receiver and a deep threat when healthy. Welker is a great No. 3 receiver because he's quick out of the slot and can find defensive holes. The addition of linebacker Adalius Thomas on defense should improve a Pats' D that was already one of the best in the league.
Sticking with the AFC, the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens were already considered by many to be playoff contenders even before they upgraded their rushing attacks. The Broncos maintained their old habits by ditching leading rusher Tatum Bell and bringing in power back Travis Henry. Henry is a workhorse who should fit in well with Mike Shanahan's hard-nosed offensive style. In Baltimore, the Ravens let Jamal Lewis go and brought in some youth in the form of Willis McGahee. Even though he's played three seasons in the league, McGahee is still only 25 and the move to Baltimore should reignite his career after two sub-par seasons in Buffalo. It's key to note that in Buffalo McGahee was part of an inconsistent and rather stagnant offense, and had to run behind a weak offensive line. He shouldn't run into any of those problems in Baltimore.
There wasn't a whole lot of quarterback shuffling during the offseason, but there were at least three moves that should pay dividends. Jeff Garcia was considered to be washed up before he led the Eagles to the playoffs last season with Donovan McNabb sidelined by injury yet again. Garcia moves on to Tampa Bay this season, where he'll have a solid receiver in Joey Galloway, but once Chris Simms gets healthy there may be a QB controversy brewing.
For the first time in Houston Texans' history, David Carr won't be the No. 1 quarterback. Carr was released after the Texans picked up former Falcons backup Matt Schaub. In limited action Schaub has looked great, but he may have trouble maintaining that success while playing fulltime in a lackluster offense behind a weak offensive line.
After months of speculation and hours and hours of trade talk, Trent Green was finally traded to Miami. Green has a former Pro Bowler to throw to in Chris Chambers, but the key word there is former when you're talking about Chambers' recent performance. Don't expect a lot out of Ted Ginn Jr. early on in the season. Once Ginn has trouble adapting to the NFL maybe the Dolphins will see why they should have snagged QB Brady Quinn when they had the opportunity.
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