Top NFL Headlines Heading Into the Season

 By Broadside Correspondent Chris DeMarco

There have been numerous storylines leading up to the start of this upcoming NFL season, but these are the most intriguing and should be fun to watch throughout the season this year.

5. The TO Experiment, Part III

Another season, another team for disgruntled wide receiver Terrell Owens. This time, the victims are Trent Edwards and the Buffalo Bills. TO made life miserable for Jeff Garcia and the 49ers until he got his trade to the Eagles. He played brilliantly with the Eagles until he decided to throw Donovan McNabb under the bus and ended up released. He went to Dallas and complained Tony Romo did not love him enough until owner Jerry Jones got tired of him and released him. Unfortunately for Bills’ fans, he has found a home in Buffalo. It will be interesting to watch how he can torture young Edwards and the rest of the Bills organization.

4. The Cowboys: Life Without TO

It has been a bittersweet offseason for Tony Romo. He loses his headache in TO and then loses his girlfriend, Jessica Simpson. Romo no longer has any excuses on why he cannot win now and get his first playoff victory. With all the distractions finally gone, Cowboys’ fans expect to be competitive, but the bigger question may be how much did TO really affect the mindset of not only Romo, but his fellow receivers?  Will Roy Williams, Miles Austin and Patrick Crayton be able to step up this year? With all the “problems” out of their quarterback’s life, it will be interesting to see how he will do with a clear head.

3. Continued Success or Sophomore Slump for Ryan and Flacco?

Last season, both rookie quarterbacks Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco set the bar high for themselves with stellar rookie campaigns, with both leading their teams to the playoffs. Now, the biggest question is how they will follow their rookie seasons. Expectations will no doubt be higher than they were at the beginning of last season, and that is to be expected, but the even bigger question will be how Ryan or Flacco will react if their respective teams struggle this upcoming season, and how will it affect their mindset.

2. Will Tom Brady Return to His Old Form Following His Lost Season?

When Tom Brady went down last year against the Chiefs with that devastating knee injury, no one seemed sure if Brady would ever be the same quarterback. With that said, some still are not quite sure if Brady can be the same Super Bowl winning quarterback he once was. 

Will he be able to escape the incoming pass rush? Will he be able to tuck it in and run when no one is open? Will the Patriots regret not keeping Matt Cassel around as a security blanket if Brady re-injures his knee or plays poorly? The Patriots and Bill Belichick are both relying heavily on the production and Tom Brady’s knee to be successful this season. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

1. The Eagles: The Up and Down Offseason

Many things happened to the Eagles this offseason, making it one of the most notable offseasons for any one particular team. It started with not retaining the heart and soul of their defense, Brian Dawkins, allowing him to sign with Denver via free agency, and then the restructuring of Donovan McNabb’s contract, followed by trading for stalwart offensive tackle Jason Peters from the Bills and then using their top two draft choices on Missouri’s Jeremy Maclin and Pittsburgh’s LeSean McCoy. That was followed by the untimely death of their defensive leader Jim Johnson and a line of key injuries, most notably to linebacker Stewart Bradley for the year. To top it all off, the Eagles surprised us all by signing the lightning rod known as Michael Vick. The move has still left many Eagles fans baffled. Overall, it is going to be interesting to see how the team many experts believe to be the best in the NFC will react to everything, especially the loss of their two leaders in Dawkins and Johnson, along with how the team will act when the media circus surrounds them once Vick plays his first game.