ZOOM

ESPN will now carry Monday Night Football – and it dumped Mike Patrick and Paul McGuire from the Sunday Night gig in the process.

I have no idea why because they were pretty good.
NBC gets football back – leaving ABC on the outside looking in – and NBC gets the ABC Monday Night tandem of John Madden and Al Michaels.

It’s too bad too, because I was just getting used to Michaels doing NBA games on NBC.
There have been plenty of coaching changes this year – 10 new coaches total. Scott Linehan takes over my beloved Rams – and I’m not all confident it will make them better.

Detroit also has a rookie coach in Rod Marinelli, but they’ll still be terrible. But hey, former Butte College kid Shaun Bodiford is now a Lion.

The Raiders went out and hired Art Shell. Lest you thought that was nuttiest thing they did – they signed QB Jeff George. Yes that Jeff George. But within a week, they regained their senses (that’s a relative term with the Raiders) and waived.

Rumor is that George was cut because owner Al Davis wanted to make room for George Blanda.

So in the spirit of an old sports writer here’s my 2006 predictions:
AFC East
1. New England (12-4): Yeah, they’re not what they used to be. But until someone wins the division, you have to give it to them. Besides, they’ve still got Tom Brady.
2. Miami (10-6): They’re better with Duante Culpepper and they’ve got a nice defense. But got both Pittsburgh and New England on the road early and finish of the year in Indy.
3. NY Jets (6-10): Team gets way too much press for one that hasn’t done anything since 1969. If they played Iowa would anyone care? They’re a mess at QB, RB and WR and they no longer have Herm Edwards running the show and I’m not sure the new coach has a clue.
4. Buffalo (4-12): If you thought the Jets were a mess, take a gander at the Bills. J.P. Losman at QB? Wait, no, we’ll go with Kelly Holcomb. Uh, wait Mr. Beat Writer, we’re going with uh … um … hey do you know if the Raiders kept George?

AFC North
1 Cincinnati (13-3): If the preseason is any indication, Carson Palmer is just fine. And really in Bengal country that's all what to know. Who knows how that game against Pittsburgh goes with a healthy Palmer out there? I like Marvin Lews and the Bengals a lot.
2. Pittsburgh (11-5): Big Ben nearly killed himself on a motorcycle. Then he had an emergency appendectomy. You start wonder if it's just not his year. Maybe he should just stay in bed this year. Seriously, they lose Bettis and now won't have Ben for at least a week. It seems to me to be a Bengals division.
3.Baltimore (8-8): I like Steve McNair, but he's aging and Jamal Lewis is old for a RB. Has the defense got another dominant year in it?
4. Cleveland (6-10): No one hurts more for the Browns than our buddy at KPAY, Mike Baca. And this year won't be any better. Charlie Frye is the QB. Is he the next Palmer?

AFC South
1. Indianapolis: (10-6) Won't be as great unless that running game gets going without Edgerrin James. But can you get into Sunday's night's game? Peyton vs. Eli! How much fun is that!? This is the Colts division to lose.
2. Jacksonville (9-7) : If Fred Taylor and Byron Leftwinch can stay healthy this could be a darn good team. But they probably won't. First 4 weeks are brutal: host Dallas and Pittsburgh and then travel to Indy and Washington. All 4 teams are potential playoff teams. They could start 0-4 and finish 9-3.
3. Tenneesse (6-10): Rebuilding isn't easy and keeping Volek as the starter will be the key to Vince Young's development. I like LenDale White and he might be better on Sundays than Reggie Bush will be.
4. Houston (4-12) might be headed in the righ direction. They just have to keep David Carr on his feet.

AFC West
1. Denver: (11-5) If Jake Plummer plays in 2006 like he did in 2005, they'll be very tough. The running game should be solid and the defense is among the best in the AFC.
2. San Diego (9-7) : If Phillip Rivers can just manage the team -- Ladainin Tomlinson will do the rest. Is Marty Schottehomeir the guy to get the Chargers to that next level?
3. Kansas City (9-7): Trent Green is good QB and the defense will be even meaner under Edwards. I don't like that they've lost Al Saunders as the OC.
4. Raiders (4-12): Are we serious with the Art Shell thing? I guess if the Rams can haul back Chuck Knox (1992) why not Shell? The Raiders have nore serious QB issues than the Bills do and it will hurt them.