5 Most Interesting Storylines to Start NFL Season - Hurricanes919's Blog

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5 Most Interesting Storylines to Start NFL Season

Posted on September 5, 2013 at 06:42 AM.

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5 Most Interesting Storylines to Start NFL Season

We've waited many moons. Prepare the sacrifices and reagents. The time is finally upon us. The glorious rebirth of the NFL regular season is only hours away. Every fan is imbued with a renewed sense of hope, dare I say optimism, about his or her favorite football team and this weekend holds an unopened box of new sports narratives to latch onto throughout the coming fall and winter. The off-season has been generous however, supplying us with ample to chew on in the way of interesting storylines going into Week 1. Feast on the five I found most fascinating.

5. Jets Circus and Ringleader Ryan

The New York Jets are a joke. I only say this because at several points over the last 2 months I have audibly laughed at their plight. They have a wingbat for a coach, a rookie for a quarterback and Mark Sanchez. I don't know for certain, but I feel like I trace the fall back somewhere around the time of 'the butt-fumble'. Maybe the ship was headed for the ice berg at that point, but the bow broke when Mark Sanchez faceplanted into Brandon Moore's backside and then fumbled the football. Poor Sanchez, who can't catch a break, got drilled by Marvin Austin of the Giants in pre-season action and is sidelined indefinitely to start the season. This means Geno Smith takes the reigns. He has looked inadequate, to put it nicely, and certainly doesn't represent a clear cut #1 Quaterback when considering the cirumstances. And what is wrong with Rex Ryan? Is this guy cracking under the late night film sessions? Think about this... If Rex Ryan acts the way he does in front of Cameras, imagine the inane things he is saying and doing around the guys he spends most of his time with? He has been the ring leader of the Jets circus like atmosphere and his days in New York are numbered.

4. Payton Returns with Other Ryan

After serving a year long suspension for his association with 'Bounty-Gate' in New Orleans, Saint's Head Coach Sean Payton returns to the sidelines with a fiery new sidekick, Rob Ryan, as his defensive coordinator. The Saints finished 7-9 last season, going 3-3 in an unpredictable NFC South. Will division remain bunched up behind Atlanta? Or will the return of Sean Payton mean the return of a dominant Saints offense, lead by future Hall of Famer Drew Brees. The Saints look to have all the moving parts for a run at the division. Brees' lack communication with his friend and coach last season may have been a significant factor in their inability to contend with Atlanta for the NFC South crown. If the Saints pick up where they left off before Bounty-Gate, they would join an exclusive group of elite teams in the NFL.

3. Ravens Repeat?

Remember the Ravens? They won the Super Bowl last year. Remember? Sometimes I don't. The game itself was wonderful and memorable for several different reasons. However the Ravens won the thing and then everyone moved on. At least that's what it feels like. They've been dissed by the Power Rankers, the pundits, and the people despite winning the Lombardi trophy. When Super Bowl predictions are offered, the trendy picks are offered; Seattle, Denver, San Francisco. Nothing of the defending champs who, though they lost their most vocal leader, managed to actually do a decent job of replacing him with what was available. One Elvis Dumerville plus one Daryl Smith equals just about one Ray Lewis. Maybe even a little more if Joe Flacco manages to emerge into the leadership gaps left by Lewis' departure.

2. A Budding Rivalry Out West

This is my favorite. The top two teams in the NFC West are a joy to watch week to week. They both closed out last season playing impressive football, with the unfortunate results of both their final games being postseason losses. Their 2012-13 campaigns were impressive though and have created a stir across the league. Sports television air time that is typically reserved for ratings behemoths Dallas, New York and Philadelphia, has been replaced with highlights and interviews of Russel Wilson. Colin Kaepernick was a feature of the ESPN The Body Issue and even drew criticism and the unwanted attention of sports media for being spotted wearing a Miami Dolphins hat during the offseason. Media fanboys and star power appeal has been granted to these two clubs by the football gods. The football gods gave us something too. A Week 2, primetime, Sunday Night Football matchup between these emerging rivals. Could we be seeing the beginning of something like those Colts/Patriots games between Manning and Brady? Will this rivalry look like the Young/Aikman rivalry that stretched through the mid to late 90's? Kelly/Marino? Wilson/Kaepernick? Let's find out.

1. RG3

If I loved the last one, I hate this one. It's my least favorite but it is the most persistent of all. It's like an obnoxious cricket outside my window. "Grriiffffin, Grriiffffin", it chirps, keeping me awake. The obsession with all things Robert Griffin III has reached a tipping point. It was a constant over saturation of coverage while awaiting word from his Dr. on whether or not he'd play Week 1. Seriously, listen. We must abort this mission of returning the Redskins to prominence before they actually do it themselves. The Washington Redskins have even been mentioned as Super Bowl Sleepers. While I can't understand the hype around a young hip Subway spokesman wearing cool custom made T's about his recovery process, I can understand the hype surrounding his second season. Is the kid as good as he looks? Can he repeat those numbers? Will he lead the Redskins back to the playoffs? What's with the leg? Will it hold up? What's the temperature on the beef between RG3 and Coach Shanahan? These are burning questions I can't wait to have answered.