2011 NFL Predictions

With the 2011 NFL season getting underway Thursday night with a very entertaining game between the Packers and Saints, it seems only fitting to put my 2011 predictions out tonight.

The fact that the NFL's opening game was able to take place on time wasn't necessarily a miracle, but two months ago, seemed almost unlikely.  Once the lockout was resolved, teams were able to get their business in order, sign the appropriate players, and start training camp on time, only without any of the other off-season workouts.

As a result, 2011 seems as though it will be as cut and dry as they come.  The "haves" will be those teams that have led the pack for a while, teams like the Patriots, Packers, Saints, and Eagles.  The "have nots" will be those teams with younger cores, who, with the lockout affecting spring and summer workouts, were unable to get their younger players the reps necessary to become viable challengers.  The Titans, Panthers, Bengals, and Seahawks come to mind.

More so than in years past, the 2011 season should see no real surprises.  With the news Thursday that Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning will be sidelined for most, if not all, of the 2011 season after undergoing a second surgery on his neck, the only thing that's seemed to shift is the balance of power in the AFC South.

With that said, below are my picks for the 2011 season:

	NFC West				AFC West
1	Cardinals	9-7		1	Chargers	8-8
2	Rams	8-8		2	Broncos	7-9
3	49ers	4-12		3	Raiders	5-11
4	Seahawks	3-13		4	Chiefs	5-11
	NFC North				AFC North
1	Packers	13-3		1	Ravens	13-3
2	Lions	9-7		2	Steelers	13-3
3	Bears	8-8		3	Browns	5-11
4	Vikings	6-10		4	Bengals	4-12
	NFC East				AFC East
1	Eagles	13-3		1	Patriots	13-3
2	Cowboys	8-8		2	Jets	12-4
3	Giants	8-8		3	Dolphins	8-8
4	Redskins	5-12		4	Bills	5-11
	NFC South				AFC South
1	Saints	13-3		1	Texans	11-5
2	Falcons	12-4		2	Colts	5-11
3	Bucs	12-4		3	Jaguars	4-12
4	Panthers	4-12		4	Titans	2-12

NFC Championship: Packers vs. Saints
AFC Championship: Ravens vs. Patriots

Super Bowl: Packers vs. Patriots

LeBron's Legacy Can't Stack Up With Other Greats

When it comes to gut-check time in sports, there are certain superstars in history that show they want to be "the guy" (or "the girl" in ladies sports).  There are names that come to mind: Michael Jordan, Curt Schilling, Derek Jeter, Kobe Bryant, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady to name a few.  One name that won't appear on that list is LeBron James.  His lackluster performance in the NBA Finals thus far has many asking questions about his heart and about his drive.  With the Dallas Mavericks taking a 3-2 series lead on Thursday night, it appears that LeBron is exhibiting neither.

This NBA Finals was supposed to be LeBron's coming-out party.  He made his bed by "taking his talents to South Beach," and this was the time he was supposed to sleep in that bed.  Unfortunately for Heat fans, LeBron is showing why his Cavaliers teams of the past always came up short at the end.  When you look back at championship teams led by Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, what you saw was an unwillingness to accept defeat.  Their drive and their heart carried their teams to multiple championships, not just one.  And, aside from Kobe's first three titles with the help of Shaquille O'Neal at his side, neither Jordan or Kobe had multiple superstars to play with.  LeBron has two in Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.  And what we're seeing from LeBron is more of a stance of "I'll take a back seat to let you two be the stars."  That's not the attitude of a champion.

Yes, champions are unselfish.  Champions know when to delegate.  But champions also know when it's time to take over and ensure victory.  With all the scrutiny placed on LeBron this season, this was his time to squash all of his "haters" and critics.  Instead, he's gained more of each, and in some cases, deservedly so.  Scoring 8 points in Game Four showed a complete lack of heart.  That performance was his first single-digit scoring performance in over four years, and it came at a time when he should've been having his best performance in four years.  When questioned after both Game Three and Game Four, LeBron insinuated that he was allowing Dwyane Wade to be "the guy."  This was a convenient reason given the results of each game.  But, had that game plan been one that was discussed before the series started, it's probably one that we all could've bought as legit.  Instead, we got the performances, followed by the "reason" for the performances.  Put two and two together here.

Thursday morning, a rumor began circulating that LeBron's Game Four performance came because of a lack of focus.  That lack of focus was apparently caused by something off the court.  Regardless of what this may have been, it shows his inability to compartmentalize outside situations and take control of things on the court, as a true leader would do.  Instead, he decided to defer to the other stars on his team...not in the way of delegation, but moreso in the way of pacification.  He chose to take himself out of the mix, and it cost his team a game.  After the game, as a result of his passive approach, he chose to put much more undue pressure on himself for Game Five, tweeting that "It's now or never."  What the Heat got was a slightly better version than the Game Four LeBron, but still a shell of what a leader should be.

And the result?  A long flight back to Miami with the likelihood of being sent home as the 2011 NBA Finals Runners-Up after Game 6, and an off-season to contemplate what you actually want your legacy to be.  The question is whether or not LeBron has the heart to change that legacy.  At this point, that doesn't appear likely.