So pre-season is underway and last night the 49ers beat a soft Colts and the Broncos lost against the Bengals. Both games were away, so the rookies won’t get their first taste of Candlestick Park or Mile High until next week.

With just 11 weeks until these NFL teams grace the UK’s shores we’re still watching with interest. But apart from the first games, what else has happened?

San Francisco 49ers

I spoke last week about the rookies coming good in the offensive line. Not such good news it that centre Eric Hietmann has broken his leg and could miss up to 8 weeks.

On the other side of the ball Scott McKillop is probably out for the season after tearing his ACL. Rookie NaVorro Bowman will hope to continue to improve to get play time with Takeo Spikes and Patrick Willis, who was last season’s Alumni Linebacker of the Year. Staying on Defence, Taylor Mays has been moving slowly up the depth chart and may break the first team in the next few weeks. He’s one to watch in the pre-season games.
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So with our final part of this year’s First Look series, we turn our gaze towards the AFC West. As well as the Chargers, who were part of the great entertainment at Wembley Stadium in 2008, NFL UK fans will also keep an eye on this division for the Broncos who will be visiting these shores at the end of October this year.

This was the division that I most accurately predicted last season, correcting stating that the Chargers would win and that the Broncos in second would not make the play-offs. I’d take some credit but really, who saw it any differently?

Let’s see if it’s as straight-forward this year…

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Being my first ‘Division’ prediction, ever, I figured I might as well do one for the division I know most about! The AFC North is usually an entertaining and exciting division. The matches are played well, and are usually close. Rivalry is fierce and the bouts are relentless. It’s always difficult predicting without seeing the four pre-season matches, but I’m going to give it a go.

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I did pretty badly with this last year, predicting that the Giants and Eagles would go into the post-season as winners and wildcard respectively. In the end, the Cowboys surprised and the Giants disappointed to swap places from my predictions. Unfortunately the ‘Skins did no better than I thought they would and were propping up the division.

Let’s see what’s happening for 2010…

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To start with we’re back to New York. Less than a week after releasing Thomas Jones (who has since signed with the Cheifs) the Jets have added LaDanian Tomlinson to the line-up. He’s got a fair deal to be a backup and although I think Jones was a better option, they’ve got LDT for a lot less than Jones was due. It would essentially be a crime not to use this as an excuse to post Electric Glide as unlike running backs that never gets old.

Carrying on with aging running backs, Larry Johnson is now a Redskin. He’s signed a surprisingly sensible 3 year deal that makes things interesting and has certainly improved the squad. If we can sort the line out, we might be able to actually make some yards now. Will Montgomery has resigned in this area.
Johnson has 2 years on Portis, but considerably less mileage. Hopefully he can contribute.
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Thursday, 10th September
Tennesse @ Pittsburgh, 10-13
This was a tight, tight game and the Titans can walk out of Heinz Field with their heads held high. Well, maybe apart from Rob Bironas. Chris Johnson lit it up a couple of times, as did the Ben/Santonio connection. But the real stars were both defensive units, certainly against the run.

Anyway, we both called this one correctly.

Sunday, 13th September
Jacksonville @ Indiana, 12-14
Well, we thought that this would be a close game and so it proved! Jones-Drew looked good as the focal point of the Jags attack, and the Colts did enough but will need to show us more if we’re going to believe in them this year.

Detroit @ New Orleans, 27-45
Drew Brees put on another passing clinic, completing 6 TD passes to 5 receivers. Matt Stafford wasn’t quite as impressive, but did get the Lions moving when the running game was shut down. On the plus side, the Lions did put up 27 points which is more than in any game last year. There were signs, but there’s still work to do.

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It’s opening day!  The first NFL week 1 game sees the Titans visit the Steelers tonight.  You can catch our views and NFL Week 1 Predictions here

Minnisota Vikings
Sorry, more Brett Favre news.  Get used to it though it looks set to continue for the season, and probably for the next phase of his retirement.

Favre Said - “I may not finish the year. If you would have asked me my first year if I would finish I’d have said, ‘I may not,”’ Favre said. “No one thought I’d play 18 straight years without missing a game, me included. I have no idea what’s going to happen. ”

Not really big news, he ‘might’ get injured; he ‘might’ have a week off?  It made the headlines though, so I am just passing it on.

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So I’ve played the new Madden; I’ve watched Any Given Sunday; a fairly new addition: bought tickets for the Wembley game and got my predictions down on paper. What’s left?

Ah yes, the NFL Fantasy League draft…

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It looks like it is quarterback news day today…

Detroit Lions
This is the news I was itching to see – Matthew Stafford is the Lions starting quarterback. It’s not that I have anything against Daunte Culpepper, it’s just that on a personal level I want to see what Stafford can do and how he progresses through the season.

From the Lions point of view I think it is the right choice. It is a symbol of a fresh start, and that is something the whole of Detroit need right now. 2008 saw the team and the citys biggest industry on its knees.

I am very tempted to pick a Lions win in this weeks predictions, but I think that is coming more from the heart than the head.
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All these questions about the starting QBs are being settled as pre-season looks to wrap up and the teams look to bed in and make solid plans for the season.

After San Francisco a few days ago, and the Jets, it’s the Buccaneers turn. As they’re London-bound in October, we’d been watching closely.

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