NFL season preview 2012
By Justin West
The NFL season is here and once again our favorite professional football teams will take the field every Sunday for the next 17 weeks in what should be a very exciting season. Some of the tops headlines include, Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning making his return on the field with the Denver Broncos after sitting out last season from neck surgery.
Rookies Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III look to have success in their first year of action. The New York Giants look to defend their title despite having the toughest strength of schedule in the NFL this season, and the New York Jets experiment of quarterbacks Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow.
Kean University students favor either the Jets or Giants. Even though neither team plays each other this season, their always seems to be a rivalry going on. James Lewis an undecided sophomore says “The Jets will do better than the Giants or they will finish with the same record. I want the Jets to win the Super Bowl but I expect the Baltimore Ravens to win.”
The Giants look to bring back most of its solid core that helped them win a championship last season. Third year wide receiver Victor Cruz who took the world by storm with a franchise record 1,536 receiving yards and his entertaining salsa dances will look to improve even more this year.
Olaoluwa Ogunyemi sophomore mathematics major said “The Giants are the best.”
As for the Jets, they dominated headlines when they acquired Tim Tebow from the Denver Broncos this off season. Mark Sanchez is still the starting quarterback but this only creates a controversy with the fan favorite Tebow on the roster to challenge Sanchez for the job.
Tebow’s old team the Denver Broncos signed former NFL MVP Peyton Manning. All eyes will be on the older brother of Eli this season, as Peyton shakes off his neck surgery and competes for a Super Bowl title.
According to Si.com’s rankings, they ranked all the NFL teams to this season the Green Bay Packers despite losing to the Giants in the playoffs last season, are still ranked as the best team in football. Power rankings change from week to week but many still believe they are the team to beat this season.
Teams on the rise include the San Francisco 49ersand Baltimore Ravens. The New England Patriots are always favorites as long as former NFL MVP Tom Brady is their quarterback.
Out of a poll of roughly twenty students at Kean, more than half are rooting for the New York Giants to win the Super Bowl this season.
“The Giants will clearly dominate,” said Andrew Joseph, a sophomore film major. Some students can’t decide between the Jets and Giants and see both as evenly matched up teams.
Jeffrey Mense, an undecided freshman said “I’m very excited for the season. There have been many interesting trades and draft picks but as for the Jets and Giants, they both have superstar teams.”
This season also will also feature replacement referees to start the year.
“We need the regular officials back, the replacement officials stink, and they’re not official enough,” added Joseph.
This season should shape up to be one of the best ever because there are a number of teams that could meet in the Super Bowl this year. There will be plenty to talk about at football parties as the year goes on.
Staff Super Bowl Picks