2012 NFL Season Preview: AFC

The New York Giants seek a repeat Super Bowl
title, something that hasn't been achieved since
New England won two straight in 2003 and 2004.

The NFL season is upon us. Amidst a season of drama and excitement that marred last season, the new season promises to feature more of the same, with even better plays and results on the stat sheet. With new rookies coming to the fold, and with top players switching teams, this season hopes to exceed the hype and excitement that 2011 generated. 

Here are the storylines that will follow all 32 teams throughout the season, to cut the story short. We begin with the American Football Conference.

AFC East

1. New England Patriots

2011 record: 13-3, AFC East Champions

Lost Super Bowl XLVI to Giants 21-17

Kept mainly the same roster from last year, but time is running out for Tom Brady. Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski should keep the Patriots firing throughout the season.

2. New York Jets

2011 record: 8-8

Missed playoffs

It's a quarterback dilemma for Rex Ryan. Is Tim Tebow the right man, or is Mark Sanchez the more capable quarterback? So far, a bad preseason for the Jets, who failed to score a touchdown. It's up to Tony Sparano to fix their anemic offense.

3. Miami Dolphins

2011 record: 6-10

Missed playoffs

Sparano left the team in disarray, with three losing seasons after a promising 11-5 record in 2008. Joe Philbin made the Packers contenders, but it's a rebuilding season for Miami, even with quarterback Matt Moore looking to build on a promising 2011 season. 

4. Buffalo Bills

2011 record: 6-10

Missed playoffs

12 years without a playoff berth was something Bills fans couldn't afford. Have the Bills found a hero in Mario Williams? Let's wait and see. Ryan Fitzpatrick, fresh from a new extension, should easily get the nod of starting QB over ex-Seahawk Tarvaris Jackson.

AFC North

1. Baltimore Ravens

2011 record: 12-4, AFC North Champions

Lost AFC Championship to Patriots 23-20

Four straight playoff berths under John Harbaugh should keep Ravens fans hungry for a Super Bowl trip. They kept much of the same team from last year, and if Ray Rice continues his stellar offensive performance, a second Super Bowl title may be in the offing.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

2011 record: 12-4, Wild Card Winner

Lost AFC Wild Card Game to Broncos 29-23

Lost to Tebowmania in the playoffs, the Steelers are back in the drawing board. But with Hines Ward retired, how much will affect the offense? This year's Steelers will be about Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu, with a younger and unproven crew brought along for the ride.

3. Cincinnati Bengals

2011 record: 10-6, Wild Card Winner

Lost AFC Wild Card Game to Texans 31-10

Now in his 10th season, coach Marvin Lewis has never won a playoff game, and this latest loss shows why Cincinnati is a Jekyll and Hyde team. Andy Dalton showed promise as a rookie, and the Bengals offense will revolve around him. However, another playoff loss or a late-season collapse may cost Lewis his job.

4. Cleveland Browns

2011 record: 4-12

Missed playoffs

A new owner in Jimmy Haslam III will be the focus for the Browns in a rebuilding year. Nine years without a playoff berth was hard to swallow for Browns fans, and if they want to get back there, their 28-year old rookie QB Brandon Weeden should prove that late-bloomers like him are as good as advertised.

AFC South

1. Houston Texans

2011 record: 10-6, AFC South Champions

Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs to Ravens 20-13

They made their first playoff appearance meaningful. Now what to do for an encore? Even if they lose Mario Williams, the Texans should improve from a basically intact roster, which includes a returning Matt Schaub, and a defense that is one of the best in the league last year.

2. Tennessee Titans

2011 record: 9-7

Missed playoffs

The addition of QB Matt Hasselbeck almost turned the Titans into playoff contenders. Now with Jake Locker ready to take over, all systems go for an improved season. Hasselbeck, however, will continue to play the role of locker room and bench voice in order to motivate the Titans in the long run.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars

2011 record: 5-11

Missed playoffs

This is another rebuilding season for the Jaguars. With a new owner in Shahid Khan and a new coach in Mike Mularkey, the Jaguars only hope to build upon a young talent in order to build a contender. But who will lead them on the field, Chad Henne or Blaine Gabbert?

4. Indianapolis Colts

2011 record: 2-12

Missed playoffs

Is Lady Luck smiling on Andrew Luck? The Colts hope a dose of 'good Luck' will turn the team around, if not making the playoffs immediately. 

AFC West

1. Denver Broncos

2011 record: 8-8, AFC West Champions

Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs to Patriots 45-10

Tebowmania went to the bright lights of New York, and in came an export from Indiana in Peyton Manning. But did the Broncos made a huge gamble in signing an aging Manning? 

2. San Diego Chargers

2011 record: 8-8

Missed playoffs

So close to making the playoffs, the Chargers' season will again hinge upon Philip Rivers' increasing age and viability. Another lost season and Rivers may move out of San Diego.

3. Oakland Raiders

2011 record: 8-8

Missed playoffs

Carson Palmer had a rebirth in Oakland after starting the season on the Bengals bench. Palmer's arrival almost helped the Raiders reached the playoffs. But with Palmer's mentor Hue Jackson gone and Dennis Allen in charge, will there still be magic in Oakland?

4. Kansas City Chiefs

2011 record: 5-11

Missed playoffs

The Chiefs never recovered from a slow start and missed the playoffs after winning the AFC West two years earlier. All eyes will again be on Matt Cassel, whose injury-riddled 2011 season was costly, and new coach Romeo Crennel hopes the Chiefs will bounce back from a dismal 2011 season. 

The NHL Shootout

One of the most exciting climaxes in an NHL game is a shootout. The shootout was introduced in the 2005-06 season in effort to decide a winner. In the past, ties are normal in the NHL. However, it usually takes away the excitement factor from the game. Thus, the shootout had to be implemented.

Rules

The shootout consists of three rounds. Teams select three skaters of their choosing. The team with the most shootout goals wins. However, in case of a tie through three rounds, an extra round is added, with additional skaters assigned to each round. Play continues until one team scores and the other misses or is stopped by the goaltender. Shootouts only occur after the game stays tied after a five-minute overtime session. The shootout winner will earn two points in the standings, the loser earns one point. 

What Makes It Great?

Shootouts are penalty shots without any penalties incurred. Shootouts are usually a test between the best goaltender on one team, and the best skaters on the other, and the excitement is more apparent when skaters run up the ice and perform some creative shots to befuddle the opposing goaltender. On the other end, the goalie needs to be at his sharpest, and must anticipate the moves of the opposing skater in an effort to prevent a goal. In essence, a shootout will make a difference between a won and a lost hockey game. 

Limitations

Shootouts occur only during the regular season. In the playoffs, as it has been the case throughout most of modern NHL history, if a game is tied after 60 minutes, a sudden-death 20-minute overtime is added to determine the winner. If the game stays tied after the overtime, additional overtime periods are added until a team scores. Shootouts are also negated during five-minute regular season overtime games in case a team scores in OT. 

Baseball in Review: June-July

Two-thirds of the baseball season is complete, so we look back at Major League Baseball's best and worst. After four months of slugging and striking, we've now reached the boiling point, where postseason races intensify and the race for October heightens.

Most Surprising Teams: AL

Forget their early season slip-up. The New York Yankees are playing like the Yankees of old, a seemingly invincible monster with 27 World Series championships bagged. And they got better with a former AL batting champion in Ichiro Suzuki. The Yankees, however, would have to deal without Brett Gardner and Mariano Rivera, their two supporting stars lost to injury for an extended period. Still, it is exciting to see Derek Jeter climb the hitting charts, Alex Rodriguez climb the home run charts, and CC Sabathia climb the wins and strikeouts charts, as their legacies continue to be enhanced in the Bronx. Honorable mention goes to the Chicago White Sox, thanks to the resurgent bat of Adam Dunn, and reliables such as Paul Konerko, A.J. Pierzynski and new White Sox addition Kevin Youkilis.

Most Surprising Teams: NL

While Washington kept winning despite the rash of injuries, June and July belonged to the Cincinnati Reds. They proved their dominance by winning ten straight games to end July, all without All-Star first baseman Joey Votto on the lineup. Johnny Cueto, Bronson Arroyo and Mat Latos supplied strong pitching, while Aroldis Chapman excelled in the closer's role. Brandon Philips, Jay Bruce and rookie Zack Cozart providing superb offensive support. Honorable mention goes to the San Francisco Giants, who enjoyed a superb June and July to go from the middle of pack to at least the top of the NL West. The All-Star Game saw Giants Pablo Sandoval, Buster Posey, Matt Cain and MVP Melky Cabrera orchestrate the NL's shutout of the AL, and the momentum continued the rest of the month, as San Francisco locked themselves in a power struggle with the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Most Disappointing Teams: AL

Obviously, Boston continues to be the biggest AL disappointment, but Seattle appears to be the team that is on a new direction. Ichiro Suzuki is aging fast, and the Mariners, after a 116-win 2001 season and years of excellent hitting from Ichiro, has hit a roadblock. And just before a mid-July series with the Yankees, they decided to trade Ichiro to the Bronx. And while Ichiro stayed in Safeco for the series, he did go to the Yankee clubhouse and wear the iconic interlocking 'NY' cap for the first time. It was a sad departure, but for Seattle fans, they are happy to start over. Honorable mention goes to the Minnesota Twins, who found themselves struggling despite the on-field returns of Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer, their key components during their runs to the AL Central title. 

Most Disappointing Teams: NL

Also going nowhere are the Philadelphia Phillies. After five straight win-loss improvements, they basically went from a top contender to a bottom feeder in the NL East. Injuries to Chase Utley and Ryan Howard were the primary culprits to their sudden fall from grace, but it also had to do with subpar pitching from Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay and Jonathan Papelbon, the lack of capable offensive power, and poor defense. They decided to start over as they traded Hunter Pence to San Francisco, Shane Victorino to the Dodgers, and Jim Thome to Baltimore. It is clear that Philly's NL East dominance is fading, and a new identity is needed. Honorable mention goes to Miami, as the Marlins' struggles continue on the field, and following trades of Omar Infante and Anibal Sanchez to Detroit, Hanley Ramirez to the Dodgers, and Gaby Sanchez to Pittsburgh, the Marlins, like the Phillies, are looking to rebuild for 2013.

Most Valuable Player: AL

The Angels, despite their high-profile signings of Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson, caught a big fish through its minor league system. Mike Trout debuted with the Angels last year, but in 2012 he was undoubtedly a rookie of the year candidate, thus we name him too as the AL Best Rookie for June and July. In June he batted .372 with three homers, 42 hits and 16 RBI, and in July he improved to .392 with 10 homers, 38 hits and 23 RBI. Trout's overall season numbers of .348 led the majors at the end of July, and he was the reason why the Angels leaped back into contention in the AL West. 

Most Valuable Player: NL

The Pittsburgh Pirates are in the same position as they were a year ago, posting a winning record at the end of July. Andrew McCutchen was the key during those periods. In June, McCutchen had a .370 batting average, and posted seven homers, 26 RBI and 40 hits. In July he continued his torrid stretch by norming seven homers, 15 RBI and 41 hits for a .446 average. That stretch raised his season batting average to .373, leading the NL in the category. They failed to end the futility record last year with McCutchen struggling towards the end, so his bat will be the key for the Pirates as they look to end a streak of 19 straight losing seasons. 

Best Rookie: AL

(see AL Best Player Mike Trout)

Best Rookie: NL

Once again, Bryce Harper takes the nod in the NL. The wonder kid continued his hot hitting spree by norming a .274 batting average, though he struggled in July norming just .222. Still, his bat contributed to his elevation to the top of the batting order, and with it, the Nationals kept winning despite a rash of injuries that come along with it. Harper made history as the youngest All-Star position player ever at age 19, although his night in Kansas City was forgettable as he bobbled a routine fly ball from Mike Napoli in the game, and finished 0-1 with a strikeout and a walk. The NL Rookie of the Year should be a runaway for Harper, provided he stayed out of the injury list and perform excellently.

Best Pitcher: AL

Jered Weaver had his stuff going during the no-hitter against Minnesota in May, but in June and July, he was as devastating as ever. He went undefeated through eight games, posting ERAs of 0.71 and 2.23 respectively, all towards lowering his season ERA to an AL-leading 2.29. Weaver's pitching is also the key reason why the Angels surged back to contention in the AL West, and if all goes right for Weaver and the Angels, they may as well break the two-year stranglehold of the Texas Rangers in the AL West. 

Best Pitcher: NL

R.A. Dickey made the All-Star team this year because of his success in the month of June, going 5-0 with a no-decision and a 0.93 ERA. Perhaps it's the mystique of the knuckleball that baffled opposing batters, or because Dickey's ammunition seems to be working to perfection. Whatever the reason, Dickey is enjoying a breakout year at age 37, an age where players are entering the twilight zone. Although his ERA went up to 5.13 and had a 2-1 record with three NDs, Dickey's 14-2 mark continues to lead the NL, and the Mets will need his arms more in an effort to make it back to the postseason.