Follow WoyRMU15 on Twitter

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

I Am Not a Human Being review.


If rappers were synonymous with novels, Jay-Z would be "The Godfather" while Tupac and Notorious B.I.G. would be "Gone With the Wind." However, what novel would best describe the self-proclaimed best rapper alive?

"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."

If you're an unbiased fan of Weezy, the title fits absolutely perfect. At times he can truly claim that title of "best rapper alive," - Tha Carter II, Da Drought 3, and Dedication 2 - but then there are times where he should be mentioned with awful rappers such as Soulja Boy and Lil' B; Rebirth, Dedication 3, a few songs off of Tha Carter III are some examples. I don't know if it's exactly his doing, but Lil' Wayne is the most inconsistent rapper of our time.

Does he still have talent? Of course he does. It's the fact that he dumbs down a lot of his music - mainly his recent stuff - to appeal to the mainstream crowd that makes it seem like he's wasting that talent. The dude is still young too, just turning 28, while other big-time rappers are in their 30's or pushing 40's door down. (Yes, I stole that line from an Eminem song if you didn't notice.)

Out of all his releases, the last one that was completely enjoyable was No Ceilings. The way that he rapped over beats such as Swag Surfin', Death of Auto-tune, and Run This Town made me feel like he was recapturing his Tha Carter II form that would place him again with the greats in the game today.

Like I said earlier, Rebirth was complete trash save Drop the World ft. Eminem and Tha Carter III was mildly inconsistent with stand-out tracks Tie My Hands ft. Robin Thicke, (That reminds me, Weezy makes awesome songs with Robin Thicke. Do another track together, please.), Dr. Carter ft. Jay-Z, and Let the Beat Build saving it. He needs a complete project in order to gain some credibility back in people's eyes. But enough with the ranting, let's get into this album I Am Not a Human Being.

First off, who names a track Gonorrhea? [1.5/5] The beat is insane (Spoiler: I say this a lot throughout the review.) but besides that, the rest of the track leaves something left to be desired. Wayne's verses are completely horrible and the hook is possibly the worst one I've ever heard. On the bright side, Drake's flow is perfect for this beat and I love his part, but the lyrics aren't very impressive.

Hold Up [3/5] is better, even though I hated it at first. The beat is another good one and the hook is actually pretty decent. Whoever this T Streets dude is though, they shouldn't be on this track. I hate decent songs brought down because of a horrible guest appearance.

I hated With You [3/5] so much when I first heard it. The beat isn't one of my favorites, but it's still a good one and Drake comes through with a nice hook. Wayne's verses aren't great, but they're aren't bad either. It's just a chill track overall.

The second single of this, I Am Not a Human Being [0.5/5] is completely awful; I can't even make it through the whole thing. That's such a shame because once again the beat is bananas and would be ripped to shreds by so many rappers. Even Weezy could give a much better effort on this, but there he goes dumbing down his lyrics again. The "Together we stand and fall on yall/Ballin' with my bloods, call it b-ball" line is usually when I usually hit next.

I'm Single [4.5/5] is supposed to be the same song with added Drake vocals from No Ceilings, but you can't even notice Drizzy on the hook. I really wish they would have gave him the hook by himself, but I digress. This is still a very good song, combining another chill beat with some nice story-telling lyrics. (It's not really a story per say, but you get what I mean when you listen to it.)

Nicki Minaj makes her first appearance on What's Wrong With Them [2.5/5]. Once again, nice beat, but mediocre lyrics. However, Nicki does a nice job on the hook with her singing voice instead of rapping and I really, really like the one line from Weezy: "The world is on my shoulders/Should I dust my shoulders off?" This could have been a very good track with a better effort from Wayne.

The first single, Right Above It [4/5], has one of my favorite beats in quite some time. I only liked the beat out of this entire song for a while though, but I've recently warmed up to Drake's verse. The hook isn't horrible, but I hate the voice Wayne's using for it. His verses were a little better than usual on this project, but he still drops a good bit of wack lines in there. Did I mention about the beat being absolute fire?

I can't get through Popular [0/5] without trying to punch myself in the face. (Okay, I wouldn't actually punch myself in the face, but I'm just trying to explain how bad it is.) I don't like the beat - for once - and Wayne comes in with a recycled line from Bedrock. He even tries to drop a Chris Johnson line to help me warm up to the track, but sorry Weezy, that was to no avail. Lil' Twist is horrendous too.

Why can't he make more songs like That Ain't Me? [5/5] This track reminds me more of the Tha Carter II Wayne than any track since that actual album, mainly because of his voice. It's not annoying and whiny like usual, plus couple that with some good lyrics and you've got yourself easily the best song on this album. This song shows me right here that Wayne still has it in him and hopefully we'll get much more of this on Tha Carter IV. Jay Sean does a great job on the hook and the beat is great, as always.

One of the richest men alive has a song named after them in Bill Gates. [4.5/5] He goes back to his No Ceilings voice and drops some hard bars on another killer beat. I thought this song would be a joke when I saw the tracklist, but I'm pleasantly surprised about it. The hook sucks though.

Weezy brings out most of the whole Young Money crew in YM Salute [2.5/5]. For the umpteenth time, another great beat, ruined by some mediocre to horrible verses; and I'm not talking about Wayne's verse this time. Lil' Chuckee and Lil' Twist have higher voices than Justin Beiber and aren't talented at all. Jae Millz wasn't that bad, but he was so much better on 6 Minutes of Death on Mood Muzik 2 and Gudda Gudda is complete garbage. Nicki Minaj again gets hook duties and does great, plus has a decent verse; why didn't they give her the 10-year olds' bars? Oh, and Wayne's verse was alright. This could be a good song if Alvin and a chipmunk didn't open their mouths.

YM Banger [1/5] starts out like it's going to take I Am Not a Human Being's beat, but it's different and still a good one. But once again, a good beat is ruined by the actual rapping. Do I have to say how bad Gudda Gudda is again? He really wants me to change the song before I get to the second verse. Wayne's verse was bad too, but his voice was tolerable. Jae Millz actually drops the best verse and Tyga has - thankfully - his only feature on here.

So once again, we got an inconsistent project from Wayne [2.7/5] but it exceeded expectations honestly. After hearing the second single to this, I wanted to give it one listen and laugh before writing a horrible review. Most of my comments about the album seem negative, but he's honestly got some real gems on here.

That Ain't Me once again reminds me so much of classic Wayne and I really hope he's back to that instead of the trash that is Popular and I Am Not a Human Being. Bill Gates was pretty good as well and I'm Single could have gotten a 5/5 if it wasn't for me already hearing this song on a previous mix-tape.

Wayne came out and said that this music was actually recorded before he went to jail, which gives me hope for Tha Carter IV. With the sober time he spent sober in prison, he could, actually he should come out with an amazing album here in a few months. I want to become a big fan of Weezy's again, I really do, but he needs to drop the garbage that appeals to the 13-year old girls and start getting back to what made him a star. I've still got a little faith Lil' Wayne, please don't let me down.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Titans @ Giants grades.

Another ugly game, but this time it ended in good fashion as a Titans fan. Here's some grades for the game.

Quarterback: A-
- I should actually put an incomplete here, but I'll give Vince Young the benefit of the doubt. I won't get into too much about the first half performance of his (spoiler: there's a rant coming in a later section) but he looked very, very good in the second half. That touchdown pass to Kenny Britt was a thing of beauty and reminded me sort of the ending touchdown on the 99-yard drive last year.
Runningbacks: B
- Again, a skewed grade because of other factors, but 125 yards is 125 yards. Chris Johnson didn't play particularly well (spoiler: I go into this later) but he ran for a tough 125 yards and two touchdowns. Javon Ringer had some nice carries when he was in.
Receivers: A-
- Nice performance by the receivers when they got the chance. Justin Gage had a nice sliding catch in the first half and Kenny Britt's two catches were things of beauty. He fought off Terrell Thomas on a nice thrown ball by Young, then just a few plays later, got his Madden "Rocket Catch" on, skying up to catch another good thrown ball.
Offensive Line: C
- One sentence describes this group. We miss Kevin Mawae.
Defensive Line: C
- There were some positives and some negatives of this group. We had a Ball sack (get your mind out of the gutter, I was talking about Dave Ball) and some nice stops behind the line of scrimmage from Jason Babin. However, they were very inconsistent on getting pressure on Eli Manning, which worries me because that wasn't a great offensive line they faced. Jacob Ford was definitely missed, and William Hayes was a non-factor coming back from injury.
Linebackers: C
- Once again, there were some positives and negatives. Will Witherspoon seemed to be in on every play and Stephen Tulloch was his typical self. Jamie Winborn is godawful though; I'm surprised Rennie Curran wasn't activated today in case Winborn was struggling. Gerald McRath will help this unit out tremendously when he comes back from suspension.
Secondary: D+
- Almost 400 yards passing? I don't care that he had to throw for most of the third quarter and all of the fourth, that's terrible. Jason McCourty had an interception, then left with an injury. Cortland Finnegan was inconsistent. Alterraun Verner saw some time and played alright. Michael Griffin was flying all over the field once again, recapturing that '08 form. But still, almost 400 yards? We need to clear that up, pronto.
Special Teams: A
- What a performance. If Brett Kern didn't shank one punt, this is an A+. Rob Bironas made his field goals and booted a few kickoffs deep. Marc Mariani was dangerous once again as a returner. Then you have the play of the game, when Griffin stopped his momentum and downed a punt inside the one-yard line, which ended up being a safety just a few plays later. That completely turned the tide of the game.
Coaching: F
- It's rant time. Let's look at a number; the number 4. What does that number stand for? That was the amount of pass plays we ran in the first half. I don't care who the hell you have at quarterback, you don't pass the ball four times in the first half, especially when your ground game isn't doing anything. CJ had 17 carries in the first half...17! He's going to be beat up mid-season if we keep on running him like this. We need to trust VY more and pass it at least 20 times a game, then balance the run plays between CJ (give him 20-25 carries a game) and Ringer (give him 5-7). Ringer is fine change-of-pace back, use him please! Just horrendous playcalling today, it almost cost us and it will cost us if we do that again.
Player of the Game: Michael Griffin, FS
- He's back to '08 form, it's official. What a game by the free safety as he picks up another Woy's Word Player of the Game award. (I'm sending him a trophy as we speak.) I already documented his great special teams play on the punt, but in addition to that, he led the team with 11 tackles and forced a big fumble on Ahmad Bradshaw in the red zone to preserve the lead. He's back to his ballhawking self, and that'll make this defense so much better.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Steelers @ Titans grades.

Seven turnovers. That's all that needs to be said. Here's the position by position grades for the loss against Pittsburgh.

Quarterback: D
- We know why Dick LeBeau is in the Hall of Fame now. If you haven't faced him before, you're pretty much screwed. Vince Young actually looked really good before the end zone pick by Troy Polamalu, and it went all downhill from there. The line didn't give him much protection at times, but both interceptions were inexcusable. Chris Johnson is to blame for the fumble. Kerry Collins then came in and after turning the ball over himself, he moved the ball on a secondary playing soft coverage and had the team in position to tie the game late. Make no mistake though, Young should and will be the starter next week.
Runningbacks: C-
- There's also a reason why the Steelers defense hasn't given up a 100-yard rusher often. They were all over Johnson, making sure he couldn't break any long ones. He actually did have one that would have been an 85-yard touchdown, but it was called back because of the (predicted) holding call by Eugene Amano. Javon Ringer was a non-factor.
Receivers: B-
- Not going to bash them too much, but VY had some time to throw in the pocket at times and no one gets open? Credit the Steelers secondary for playing well. They stepped up when Collins came in near the end, but the secondary was playing very soft. Nate Washington is a much better player than before, that's for sure.
Offensive Line: D
- Again, credit the Steelers defensive schemes, but the offensive line misses Kevin Mawae. Amano's hold was huge; I believe he didn't have to grab Chris Hoke in order for CJ to break a big one. Hoke wasn't going to touch him either way.
Defensive Line: A+
- Can I say enough about this group? One of the top defensive line units in the league; I don't care that they've played two mediocre offensive lines so far. They got pressure on Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch all game and stuffed the Steelers running game. This is all without William Hayes, starting defensive end, by the way. Imagine if we reacquire Albert Haynesworth...oh boy.
Linebackers: A-
- Can't say anything bad about the linebackers, they did a solid job. Just like the defensive line, they're without a starter in Gerald McRath, so they're going to be that much better when he returns from suspension. Dixon's scramble for a first down and Mendenhall's long run could be attributed to over-pursuing
Defensive Backs: A
- Couldn't really judge them with the pressure we were getting, but they also played a great game from what I saw out of them. Cortland Finnegan and Jason McCourty made some big tackles.
Special Teams: A-
- This would get an A+ if Marc Mariani doesn't fumble the opening kickoff. After that, he was great bringing it back on kickoffs and punts. Rob Bironas made his only field goal attempt and executed a perfect onsides kick. Brett Kern punted it well all day.
Coaching: C
- Chuck Cecil gets an A, the rest of the staff gets a F. The offensive gameplan was horrid, going back to Fisherball approach with run, run, pass, punt. Why do you leave Johnson in to block an All-Pro linebacker in James Harrison? And I still don't understand the pulling VY for Collins move, but it better not cause any controversy as of who's the starting quarterback. It has to be Young.
Player of the Game: The defensive line.
- I can't give it to one player of the Titans, so I'll just give it to the entire defensive line. From Tony Brown to Dave Ball of all people, everyone was in there doing something well. Again, once Hayes comes back, we have ourselves a top-5 unit in the league.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Passion, Pain & Pleasure review.

Before last year, I didn't take Trey Songz as a serious artist. I hated both of his first two albums and didn't want to give his third album, Ready, a listen until I heard Neighbors Know My Name off of it. That song right there changed my entire opinion on Trey and he's now one of my favorite artists, with Ready being one of my favorite albums ever.

With that being said, I was very excited about his upcoming album Passion, Pain & Pleasure. I had very high expectations for it and was really hoping it would be near or surpass the quality of Ready. Did Trey do that?

1.) Here We Go Again (Intro) - 1.5/5
- What is up with this intro? It doesn't fit the theme the album whatsoever. Not to mention, it had enormous expectations to live up to with one of my favorite intros, Panty Droppin'. (Later Note: This fits in perfectly for one of the iTunes bonus tracks, Love Me Better, however. I don't review songs that aren't on the actual physical copy of the album though.)
2.) Love Faces - 5/5
- Thank God this makes up for the horrible intro though. This track leaked a few weeks ago and I've been playing it non-stop. The hook is perfect, and the lyrics are perfect for a love-making track; they look deeper into the act of sex. It's one of my favorites this year.
3.) Massage - 4.5/5
- Another sex track, but you expect this from a R&B album; especially from Trey. This song is another winner, focusing on what a woman wants, how they feel and such. It's just a hair under Love Faces, but that's probably because I've listened to Love Faces so much more than this. Another winner here.
4.) Alone - 3.5/5
- Very catchy, but nothing special. I don't skip it though.
5.) Bottoms Up ft. Nicki Minaj - 4/5
- I thought this would get extremely old to me, but it hasn't. It's a club banger and was the first single off the album. Hook is catchy, like most club songs, and Nicki's guest appearance was nice.
6.) Pain (Interlude) - 4.5/5
- Before getting into this interlude, let me just mention that the interludes on Ready were absolutely money. Ready to Make Love, Hollalude and if you want to add the intro Panty Droppin', made that album so much better. This is a great interlude as well, setting up perfectly for the next track.
7.) Can't Be Friends - 5/5
- I've gotta be honest; I don't exactly know which song is my favorite on this album. One day it's Love Faces, one day it's this, one day it's a song later on in the album. This song leaked a while ago and it really hit me beside of the stuff I was facing at the time. This reminds me so much of Yo Side of the Bed (I know, there I go making comparisons to Ready again) and that was my favorite song on the previous album. The video is amazing as well; just a powerful song.
8.) Please Return My Call - 4.5/5
- Can't Be Friends shifts right into this one, as Trey wants the previous girl to return his calls. Another song that fits perfectly into the album's theme and the interlude, and the vibe of it seems like it's a song from the 90s. I like that a lot.
9.) Made To Be Together - 5/5
- I can't even explain how much I like this song. Everything about it is on point.
10.) Pleasure (Interlude) - 4/5
- Another solid interlude here, but it didn't reel me in like Pain did.
11.) Red Lipstick - 4.5/5
- You had to figure the Pleasure section was directed towards sex. Obviously, the title isn't misleading, as this song focuses on the kissing action. The hook is another one I've had stuck in my head for a while.
12.) Unusual ft. Drake - 4/5
- Trey Songz and Drake? This screams major radio play. The lyrics are definitely not PG-13 rated, however it's another good song. Drake's verse is much better than the last guest appearance of his I heard (Made - Big Sean).
13.) Doorbell - 5/5
- Way to finish off the Pleasure section of the album. Everything about this song is great, I can't even start to explain.
14.) Passion (Interlude) - 4.5/5
- The interludes are just as good as Ready's after hearing this one.
15.) Unfortunate - 2/5
- There's a reason why this is called Unfortunate...it's unfortunately on the album. Too slow and boring for this project, compared to the rest of the tracks.
16.) Blind - 3.5/5
- I at first hated this song, but it's grown on me a little bit. I'll skip it every now and then, but it's definitely not in the category of Unfortunate (the category I originally lumped it in). I really like the chorus.
17.) You Just Need Me - 3.5/5
- I could see this one being a single as well. It's upbeat and just a very fun track, without straying too much from the album's theme.
18.) Already Taken - 4.5/5
- I honestly didn't know this was on the album, but I liked it already when I heard it in previews for Step Up 3D. This actually has the most listens out of all the songs on my iTunes, but the part after the second verse brings this down from a 5/5. I honestly think this song would fit Ready more though.
Overall: 4.1/5

Trey did it; he put out another great album just a year after putting out a classic. The way he set up the track list was perfect with the sad/lonely tracks after Pain, the sex tracks after Pleasure and so on. A few things could have improved this to put it up in Ready-category, but it's still going to be an album I'll be listening to for a while.

If he continues at this pace and puts out another great album within the next two years, I'll have no problem calling him the R. Kelly of this generation of music. He's already near that level, but one more album will cement it for me. Some of R&B's biggest stars have fizzled out lately, like Chris Brown and Mario (don't hate on Mario, I was a big fan of his a few years ago) but it looks like the brightest star of them is here to stay.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Raiders @ Titans grades.

Slightly worried about the opener against Oakland, I was relieved to see the Titans dominate the Raiders on both sides of the ball en route to a 38-13 blowout. Here's my grades for the game and a look into next week against the Steelers.

Quarterback: A-
- Guess who's leading the NFL in quarterback rating right now? Not Peyton Manning, not Drew Brees, not Tom Brady; Vince Young is. He had an outstanding game to start the season, going 13-17 for 154 yards and two scores. His command of the offense is much improved and his accuracy was spot on for almost every pass. The incompletions came off a Justin Gage drop, a route where Gage should have came back to the ball, a thrown away pass because of pressure and a batted down pass intended for Marc Mariani. He ran the ball well also, evidenced by the first offensive play for Tennessee with the option. The grade is a A- though because he fumbled away the ball early on a sack.
Runningbacks: B+
- Looking at the stats, you'd say that Chris Johnson had his typical game. However, he was bottled up for most of the contest, as the Raiders stacked the box against him. He had a solid game but he'll have to play a lot better against Pittsburgh. Javon Ringer ran really hard and bumped up this grade. He needs to get more carries in order to keep Johnson fresh down the stretch.
Receivers/Tight Ends: B
- Are Nate Washington's drops a thing of the past? Let's hope so. The former Steeler had a nice game, catching three passes for 88 yards and a 56-yard touchdown. In addition to the long score, he made a nice sliding catch in the second and found the hole in the zone for a first-down first quarter catch. Bo Scaife and Craig Stevens did well at tight end. Kenny Britt was a non-factor and Justin Gage had a rough outing.
Offensive Line: B-
- This group looks like it'll miss Kevin Mawae just a little bit this season. The line gave up two sacks and missed a few blocks that bottled up Johnson, but they also provided near-perfect blocking on his 76-yard touchdown run. Not a huge concern of mine though, unless one of the starters gets an injury.
Defensive Line: A+
- Jim Washburn was right when he said this line was going to be a great group. I can't hype them up too much because they were playing Oakland, but I'm really confident in this no-name corps. Jason Babin was a terror of the edge, Derrick Morgan had a real nice sack (although it was called back because of the Tom Brady personal foul rule), Jacob Ford was a monster, and Dave Ball batted a few balls at the line. Tony Brown looked good, Jason Jones got some pressure inside and Jovan Haye had a nice stretch of plays.
Linebackers: B-
- Will Witherspoon played an excellent game after losing his mother earlier during the week. Stephen Tulloch was his typical self and Jamie Winborn didn't mess up at all, so I can't fault him. However, Darren McFadden caught too many passes over the middle, which concerns me. I'll be alright with this group when Gerald McRath comes back from suspension.
Secondary: B+
- Cortland Finnegan was treated like Nnamdi Asomaugha yesterday, which is promising considering his performance against New Orleans in the pre-season. Jason McCourty played pretty good; I'm upset that I didn't see rookie Alterraun Verner in there at second corner though. Vincent Fuller did a nice job when called upon at nickel and Chris Hope had an interception. Michael Griffin was back at '08 form, which will be a key if we expect to make playoffs.
Special Teams: A-
- Rob Bironas hit his only field goal and did a good job kicking the ball off. Brett Kern punted well, and the two new Titans - Tim Shaw and Patrick Bailey - each were in on every kickoff and punt. Mariani didn't do anything special, but he fielded every punt cleanly and was a shoe-string tackle away from breaking a long kick return.
Coaching: B
- Mike Heimerdinger called a good offensive game and Chuck Cecil did a great job dialing up blitzes on third down; the defense was so much better than the Oakland offense. However, Fisherball reared it's head again in the second half, as we let off the gas again and went to the typical "run, run, run, punt" formula. It's not a huge deal though.
Player of the Game: Michael Griffin, FS
- I can't say enough about his performance; he truly was a ballhawk out there. He statistically was the worst safety in the league last season after being one of the best in 2008, but the injuries and off-the-field problems are gone and the '08 Griffin is back. He unleashed some devastating blows, played nice coverage and had one of the best tackles I've seen in a while when he brought down Rock Cartwright a yard short of the first-down marker.
Early Prediction: Titans 17, Steelers 10
- The Steelers did some things really well on Sunday that have me worried about this game. That defense looks back to top form with the return of Troy Polamalu, but the offense is erratic under Dennis Dixon. He threw a few passes that should have been picked, but had his moments as well. Atlanta's defensive line had their way with Pittsburgh's offensive line, which has me really optimistic about our line. If the game was in Pittsburgh, I might be inclined to go the other way, but Tennessee will get the win in front of a loud home crowd at LP Field.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

AFC South preview.


Save the years Tennessee landed on top (2002, 2008), Indianapolis has reigned the AFC South with an iron fist. They've been just a tad spoiled though with the best quarterback in the league, Peyton Manning, taking snaps since the current divisional alignment took place. Whereas, the Jaguars, Texans and Titans have all been through multiple quarterbacks and down periods through that time.

This season is shaping up to be no different, as the Colts return as heavy favorites. And how can you not bet against them? They were 14-0 before deciding to rest their starters in the final two games against New York and Buffalo, and they've only gotten better with a solid draft class plus players returning from injury. However, the other three teams have squads that can win a Wild Card spot, which shows the depth of this division; it's no cake walk in the AFC South.

4.) Jacksonville Jaguars
Projected Record: 6-10
Post-Season results: N/A
Jacksonville is an interesting team to predict. They have enough talent to get over .500, but coaching them is still the infamous Jack Del Rio. David Garrard is your typical journeyman quarterback - in relation to his skill-set, not because of his travels in the league since he's been a Jaguar for life - who can have a big season one year and flop the next.

They do have some very good pieces that are the features of their offense. Maurice Jones-Drew is a top five runningback in the league and would get more attention in the division if it wasn't for that speedster in Nashville, while Mike Sims-Walker quietly had a breakout season last year. However, starting at quarterback once again is David Garrard, who's been awfully inconsistent since taking over for Byron Leftwich years ago. With draft analysts guaranteeing a Tim Tebow selection during this year's draft, and despite Jacksonville not taking the former Florida standout, you got to think Garrard's job is in jeopardy if he doesn't perform.

The defense improves with the addition of Aaron Kampman, who was a great pass rusher in Green Bay just a few years ago. He is coming off a torn ACL though, so who knows if he'll be a big factor this season for Jacksonville. Joining him on the line are a bunch of no-names, after the Jags released former Pro Bowl tackle John Henderson in the off-season. They better hope first-round reach Tyson Alualu can help make up for his absence.

Former Raiders linebacker Kirk Morrison lands in Jacksonville after being acquired for a fourth-round pick. He joins Daryl Smith to make up a solid linebacker corps, but the third spot is still up for grabs between Justin Durant and Russell Allen. As for the secondary, the cornerback slots are set with Rashean Mathis and Derek Cox. The safeties are the weak spot in the defensive backfield though, as Reggie "I don't want to tackle" Nelson and Gerald Alexander start back there. Alexander has shown flashes of potential, but he's very injury prone.

Josh Scobee is among the league's best kickers, while Adam Podlesh is okay at booting the ball on fourth down. Mike Thomas controls the returning game for Jacksonville.

The Jaguars surprised a bunch of people - me especially - after they were still in the playoff hunt with just a few weeks to go. They are a decent team when everything's clicking, showing that in a sweep of Houston and a blowout of Tennessee, but when they're off, they're horrible. Expect more of the same this season, but they won't be in contention for a playoff spot near the end like last year.

3.) Houston Texans
Projected Record: 8-8
Post-Season Results: N/A
"Houston's a darkhorse in the AFC." - random NFL analysts from 2007-10.

Do you remember hearing this over the last few years? Has it gotten annoying yet? Well, for me it has. Sure Houston has a talented team, and they've taken a small step forward by finishing 9-7 last season - their first winning season in history - but I haven't seen anything from them that leaves me to believe they'll take the next step by making the playoffs.

Their passing offense is one of the most explosive in the league. Matt Schaub is a top fantasy football quarterback when healthy and he gets to throw to the NFL's top receiver in Andre Johnson. Their receiving corps are one of the most underrated groups in the league, but they'll need them to produce a lot because of their mediocre rushing attack. Rookie Ben Tate was looked upon to improve that phase of their offense, but he's out for the season. That means Arian Foster and Steve Slaton will carry the load for Houston; not exactly a frightening duo.

They've also got some nice pieces on defense. Mario Williams has become the right choice as first selection in the 2006 NFL Draft. Brian "I train too hard" Cushing and DeMeco Ryans are two good, young linebackers, but besides those players, they're kind of shaky up front. Amobi Okoye hasn't lived up to his potential yet and the rest of the line is a bunch of no-names. Cushing and Ryans make up a great duo as heavy hitters, but the third guy is a major downgrade compared to those two.

The secondary is very shaky, which is a major problem if you face Peyton Manning twice a year. They lost their best player in the defensive backfield, Dunta Robinson, to Atlanta in free agency. Kareem Jackson was Houston's first-round pick and he should be a starter beside Glover Quin or Brice McCain, who both received a good bit of playing time as rookies. Bernard Pollard assumes Robinson's role as the head of the secondary, but the guy beside him, Eugene Wilson, is not exactly scary.

Kris Brown and Neil Rackers will compete for the starting kicking job, with Rackers as the predicted winner. Rackers had an awesome regular season for the Cardinals last season, but missed a big field goal that would have sealed the playoff game against Green Bay, so that should worry Texans fans just a bit. Matt Turk returns at punter again, while Jacoby Jones will have to fight off Trindon Holliday at returner.

This team has the potential to make the playoffs, but as long as Gary Kubiak is the coach, I'll never believe in them. They have some great pieces to build around, while other phases of their team are downright mediocre (running game, secondary). I just can't see them going better than 8-8 once again.

2.) Tennessee Titans
Projected Record: 10-6
Post-season result: lose in Wild Card Round
Tennessee has thrived on being underexposed. Coming off of a 10-6 year in 2007, they weren't talked about too much going into 2008. Instead of quietly going on with their season, they went 13-3 to claim the top seed in the AFC playoffs, where they were just a few controversial plays away from advancing to the AFC championship. The opposite happened last season, as many thought they were a Super Bowl caliber team, but they stumbled to an 0-6 start and had critics laughing.

With the hype Indianapolis and Houston is getting, Tennessee falls into the sleeper role they love. Vince Young returns for another year as the starting quarterback, coming in with a lot of momentum after taking over for Kerry Collins and leading the Titans on a 8-2 finish after their horrendous start. If you've watched him during last season and the pre-season this year, you can't help but be impressed of his progression passing the ball. He looks like an actual quarterback out there now and not a Michael Vick wannabe.

2006 rushing yards is one hell of an accomplishment, but Chris Johnson believes he'll have a better season this year, predicting 2500 rushing yards. He won't get near those numbers, but the best runningback in the game will make life easier for Young. I think he'll get less carries as last year, leaving former Michigan State standout Javon Ringer as the likely replacement to pick up those attempts.

The receiving corps is your typical no name group, but Jeff Fisher has said this might be the most talented bunch he's had here in a while. Justin Gage, Nate Washington and Kenny Britt will all catch the majority of the balls, but don't be surprised if third-round pick Damian Williams and Lavelle Hawkins make impacts as well. Bo Scaife, Craig Stevens and Jared Cook give Tennessee a solid group of tight ends, while their line-mates are some of the best in the league.

The defense, which is usually a given strength for the Titans, is the weakness of this team. They had their moments last season, but they also gave up 40+ points to San Diego and New England; the Patriots playing the role of bully in a 59-0 drubbing. With Keith Bulluck in New York, All-Pro corner Cortland Finnegan takes over the role of leader. Starting on the opposite of him will be either Jason McCourty or fourth-round pick Alterraun Verner, who has impressed many in both training camp and pre-season games.

The defensive line is again full of no-names, but their position coach Jim Washburn loves this group of players. Jason Jones - who had a four sack game against Pittsburgh in 2008 as a rookie - could be a potential Pro Bowler if he stays healthy, while their first-round pick was spent on All-American end Derrick Morgan. Along with Morgan, holdovers Jacob Ford, William Hayes and Dave Ball will have another pass rusher joining them in journey-man Jason Babin, who has impressed in training camp.

Without Bulluck, look for Stephen Tulloch to make a larger impact on the defense. The undersized middle linebacker has been a constant bright spot for the Titans for the past few seasons now, but he could make his name known now since he's out of Bulluck's shadow. Beside him will be new acquisition Will Witherspoon and Gerald McRath; who's suspended for first four games of the season. Rookie Rennie Curran will see a lot of playing time spelling all three starters.

One of the league's best kickers returns for Tennessee in Rob Bironas. Brett Kern was a solid mid-season pick-up last year at punter; he'll take over the starters role for good now with Craig Hentrich retired. The returner job is still up for grabs, but anyone is better than the pathetic effort they put out there last season.

If Vince Young can perform like he did last season, the Titans offense will be very explosive. History shows that the second year of a new defensive coordinator is much better, which is a good sign for Chuck Cecil's squad. The first eight weeks of the season provide some tough games, but if they can get out of that stretch at least 5-3, the Titans will be playoff bound again, setting themselves up for a possible Super Bowl run in 2011.

1.) Indianapolis Colts
Projected record: 13-3
Post-season result: win Super Bowl
As long as Peyton Manning is under center, the Colts will always be a double-digit win and playoff team; usually earning that playoff berth as the AFC South champion. Like I said before, they've only been dethroned twice since the new divisional alignment took place and that doesn't seem to change this season.

One of the given positives of the offense is Manning, but let's not forget the deep receiving corps he gets to throw to. All-Pro Reggie Wayne has taken the leader's role over for Marvin Harrison a few years ago, but he had two breakout pass-catchers in Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon join him. Add one of the top tight ends in the league in Dallas Clark and Anthony Gonzalez, returning from injury, and you have one of the best groups in the league.

The running game is solid when it's used. Joseph Addai doesn't get the credit he deserves and always performs well when given the chance in big games. Donald Brown is a talented back-up who have some fans wanting him to start, but his pass protection skills are mediocre. Former Michigan Wolverine, Mike Hart, is a fan favorite.

The offensive line is the one true weak spot on this Colts offense, which only adds to Manning's legend. They added Adam Terry, Andy Alleman and rookie Jacques McClendon to help shore that up, but it'll be interesting to see if they do just that.

Once the weak spot of the team, the Colts defense is now a strength. The defensive line is headlined by Pro Bowl duo Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, with Dan Muir, Antonio Johnson and Eric Foster playing inside. Look for first-round rookie Jerry Hughes to make an impact on passing downs. The linebackers are solid as well, led by defensive captain Gary Brackett. Clint Session is a highlight reel hitter, but the third spot is held by Philip Wheeler; the obvious weak spot of the group.

The defensive backfield has a big name back in it; but for how long? Bob Sanders, former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, is healthy once again and looks to get back to top form, but Melvin Bullitt is always ready if Sanders goes down again. Antoine Bethea is a Pro Bowler at the other safety spot, while Jerraud Powers and Jacob Lacey team up with Kelvin Hayden to give the Colts a nice trio of corners.

Adam Vinatieri also returns from injury and hopes to return to his Super Bowl hero play, while Pat McAfee impressed last year at punter and kickoff specialist. The returning game was a mess last season however, but rookies Ray Fisher and Brandon James should clear that up.

They made the Super Bowl last year after suffering numerous injuries, so after getting healthy and upgrading some key parts of their roster, there shouldn't be a question of who the AFC favorite is. If Manning and their most important starters can stay healthy, I don't see anyone beating them in the playoffs en route to the Super Bowl.

PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
AFC East: New England Patriots
AFC North: Baltimore Ravens
AFC South: Indianapolis Colts
AFC West: San Diego Chargers
Wild Card: New York Jets
Wild Card: Tennessee Titans

NFC East: Dallas Cowboys
NFC North: Green Bay Packers
NFC South: New Orleans Saints
NFC West: San Francisco 49ers
Wild Card: Minnesota Vikings
Wild Card: New York Giants
Wild Card Playoffs
Patriots over Titans
Jets over Chargers
Packers over Giants
Vikings over 49ers

Divisional Playoffs
Colts over Jets
Ravens over Patriots
Vikings over Cowboys
Packers over Saints
Conference Championships
Colts over Ravens
Vikings over Packers
Super Bowl XLIV
Colts over Vikings