So now that the Pittsburgh Steelers have taken the Super Bowl XL title... who do YOU think will make it next year?!?!

I'll do my Top 5 Teams:

1. New England Patriots- Why? After a terrible first half of the season they returned to about 85% of their Championship quality of play. Losing 2 coaches hurt them alot. And now they a have a season under their belt without Romeo and Charlie, next year they WILL win their 4th title out of 6 years.

2. Indianapolis Colts- Why? They had a setback at the end of last season with the death of Coach Dungy's son... I'm still iffy on if they can win a "big game"... but they'll try.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers- Why? Losing Bettis WILL hurt them more than most think. He was their motivation to win.

4. Denver Broncos- Why? They'll still be playing at the same calibur as last season and they may get T.O... which may or may not help...

5. Seattle Seahawks/Chicago Bears/New York Giants- Why? The way the AFC is playing... the NFC won't win a Superbowl again until Tom Brady/Peyton Manning/Ben Roethlisberger retire, they're just not good enough.

you really have to consider the San Diego Chargers.... look at there schedule, pretty easy!

They had a GREAT first half of the season this year... then they fell apart... not reliable enough

they felt apart because of injuries in the offensive line, meh!

The Boltz will own you all next season bitches!

........

Pats
Giants

Pats = Duh. They'll bounce back.
Giants = I think next year Eli Manning will start to really heat up. They had a good playoff season this one, so they'll be looking to become a real contender next year.

Pittsburgh will win its 6th, setting a new NFL record, oviously.

Indy, New England, NYG, Denver, and Jacksonville all have shots. But really, anything can happen. Who would have predicted a Seattle last year? Or that Pittsburgh would play, let alone win, at midseason?

Not the Patriots I can tell you that much. There reign is over, the other AFC teams have caught onto their game, and losing Weis and Romeo really hurt them this year.

Pittsburgh has to be a top contender since Bettis WON'T hurt them in the least. Also, Indy will bounce back from that loss in the playoff.

In the NFC, I see some teams coming out of nowhere to get into the playoff picture. However, the Panthers and Giants look to be the two best teams. But watch out for those Packers if they can stay healthy.

Yea, I don't think Bettis will be that big of a factor. I'm sure there was the "Let's do it for the Bus since it's his last year" thing, but this was his worst season (Not saying it was bad by any means) and they have Parker who is doing an awesome job.

Losing Bettis may not be a big loss... but it will be enough of a loss that they WILL NOT win next year. You could tell that this year they were extremely motivated to win it for him. Next year they're gonna need something that can motivate them like he did.

Cleveland Browns






















ok, i kid...i kid, but they should be a playoff caliber team in '06. Charlie Frye will continue to develop, they have a stud RB in Reuben Droughns and will (hopefully) have Winslow and Edwards ready to go. They also have nearly $30 million in cap space to spend. They won 6 games this year, and were close to winning a few others against very good teams. I see no reason why they can't jump to a 9 or 10 win team with all the money they have to spend. I will be very disappointed if they can't challenge for a wild card.

NFC East will be even stronger next year. Cowboys has a young defense that should only improve. Washington hired a new offensive coordinator to help out the pathetic offense. Eagle couldn't go any lower. And Eli Manning has another season under his belt.

1. Pittsburgh
2. Washington
3. Carolina
4. Indianapolis
5. Denver

On the cusp: Miami, San Diego, Atlanta, St. Louis (Don't laugh. They have all the talent and finally a coaching staff to go with it.)

The Pats time is up. Tom Brady can't win every game by himself. Losing Romeo and Weis hurt more than you can ever imagine.

The Giants won't go anywhere as long as Eli "Retarded Brother" Manning is their guy.

If Raiders can get Ken Whisenhunt, Steelers Offensive Coordinator for the Head Coach job and Dante Culpepper i'll be a happy camper, Raiders record doesnt really tell the story of their talent, they are better then that. They just need some tweaks. SB is a long way from them right now, but hopefully they can get into the playoffs next year.

Since the Steelers won the Super Bowl, they're the team to beat, but they should not be the favorites. That honor should once again go to the Patriots. That's not my hometown bias either, look at their schedule.

Home
Buffalo
Miami
N.Y. Jets
Houston
Indianapolis
Chicago
Detroit
Denver

Away
Buffalo
Miami
Jacksonville
Tennessee
Green Bay
Minnesota
Cincinnatti

Unless the Patriots have a barrage of injuries like they did this year, do you see many losses anywhere in there? That's why the Patriots lost six games this year. Their defense was in shambles and Corey Dillion didn't play for about seven weeks.

I see two potential losses on that schedule. Those are Denver at home and Cincy on the road. If the Colts keep Edgerain James, than maybe that's another one, but even says he has played his last game in Indy.

So who are the other threats in the AFC? Indy? They haven't won a big game yet. And their offensive coordinator is getting a head coaching job? Nope.

San Diego? HA.

Cincy? If Chad Johnson can keep his mouth shut, maybe, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Denver? The only reason they made it to the AFC Championship game is because the Patriots turned the ball over five times. If it weren't for those turnovers, they wouldn't have scored. If they get the same breaks they did against the Patriots, maybe they have a chance. That, and if Jake Plummer can finally mature into a decent quarterback.

Pittsburgh? They're probably the biggest threat in the AFC, and we all know how well they played against the Patriots in 2004. Different years? Yes. Different teams? Not really.

AFC CHAMPIONS: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

I could breakdown the NFC, but it's going to be the same old story next year as well.

NFC CHAMPIONS: SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Poor Seattle, they could be this decade's Buffalo Bills.

The Pats played about 2 impressive games the entire season. Their reign is over. And I think you're really shortchanging the Colts after they spanked the Pats on a Monday night game.

I see them losing to Indy, Chicago, Denver at home, and Cincy away. Those are locks in my mind. Miami looked good this year and will only improve and could hand the Pats a loss. I've never been impressed by the Jags. Even though I hate them, Minny is great in the Metrodump.

One mediocre season and now "their time is over"

Thats B-S and you all know it. The Patriots still have almost the exact same Super Bowl team they had last year the only difference this season was the injuries and the loss of their coordinaters... They've overcome the injuries as we saw by making into the playoffs. They've had a year to break in some new people and now I think they'll be back to their full potential

I've never really seen the Patriots play an amazing game outside of the playoffs... their a good team during the season because it's all preparation for the playoffs for them. They will go down in history as the GREATEST dynasty in football history when they win this year.

The difference between the Colts 2005 and 2006 is this. No Edgerain James. Unless he has an extreme change of heart, he's going to be leaving. And unless the Colts go out and get a Shaun Alexander, they won't have a running game. No running game, no play action pass. They won't be the same team next year. Also, their offensive coordinator is leaving for a head coaching job. Let's see how well Peyton can really control the offense by himself. Then there is Tony Dungy. He says he'll be back, and I give him credit for that. But look at how his team played in the final four weeks.

The Bears are going to beat the Patriots in Gillette Stadium? That actually will be the first major test for the Bears since they have become a good team. They're good against the NFC, but how about against a good AFC team on the road?

The only way Denver will win that game is if the Patriots turn the ball over again five times. Who knows, maybe Denver has their number? Or maybe Bellicheck will look at the video and not play Kevin Faulk as much.

As for Cincy, if they have Carson Palmer at 100%, they might have a shot. Without him, they don't have a prayer.

the pats have shown that they are as good as their missing coordinators...

ill take pittsburgh (youre the best unless someone beats you) and seatlle (again, youre the best until someone beats you)


we shouldnt even be taking about this because we dont know who's leaving teams and who's coming... plus the draft...

why do people think the pats are done? they seem to forget that in 2002 they finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs after winning the SB the year before. Then they bounced back to win the super bowl the next two years. i still think the pats will be a force to be reckoned with next year if they stay healthy.

Guys the steelers have no chance, and if they do its a very slim chance. They have 11 free agents, and probably the majority like Randle El will leave. If you tihnk about the Steelers got pretty lucky. Had no real injuries, got lucky in the Cincy game that palmer went down so fast, then against colts, Vandergagt who is usually very good kicker misses. And then against seahawks, alot of bad calls.

Next year the teams will be:

Pats
Broncos
Cincinnati
Dolphins (watch)
Chargers

Broncos, Broncos, Broncos.

We were just getting ready this year. It's much like 1996 when we went 13-3 and lost to the Jags in one of the biggest playoff upsets ever. People don't really remember that though since we followed it up with two SB championships.




At least that's my excuse.

Well...

Indy just lost a little hope for next year's Super Bowl... they lose their running back to... Arizona

Oh, and as if you didn't expect it... Randle-El leaves the Steelers... for Washington

So...

Pittsburgh's repeat likelyhood has gone down ALOT with that loss... and Indy loses a little steam, as if they had any..

Washington gains ALOT with that deal and I am confident to say that they will have a VERY good season next year

Cleveland may have just jumped to playoff contender. They've added LeCharles Bentley and Kevin Shaffer to bolster the OL, and added Joe Jurevicius, a solid veteran WR to compliment Braylon Edwards. They also got Ted Washington to plug the middle of the D-Line and stop the run. (Although his age is a bit of a concern). They will more than likely add a linebacker via the draft and a safety and perhaps another LB through free agency. Things are finally starting to head in the right direction for Cleveland and i can go into a season with a lot of hope for the first time in quite a while.

Well, the Patriots were basically shoe-ins for Super Bowl champions before the start of the season, to a mediocre team as of this moment. If the newest rumor is true, that Adam Vinatieri signed with the Indianappolis Colts this afternoon, they have lost........

Christian Fauria
Willie McGinest
David Givens
Tyrone Poole
Adam Vinatieri

So they just let go of the most clutch kicker in the history of the game? The only other kicker out there is Mike Vanderjagtass. Who else is there besides that? They need to stop with this, "We offer you this, if you get more from another team, congratulations and good luck", bullshit.

Who's next?

*cries some more* Adam has been my favorite player since he joined the team, I met him at one of their practices a few years back.

I am trying to have faith in Belicheck, but the lost of my favorite Pats player ever is a huge blow.