NFL 2012: Questionable Calls

Peyton Manning (Photo credit: Jeffrey Beall)

The National Football League is the most popular and most powerful in pro sports.  That much is obvious.  But as the 2012 season opens, some cracks are growing in the facade of Commissioner Roger Goodell's lucrative fortress.

(1) The league has been locking out its onfield officials due to a contract dispute, and it looks like that will continue into the regular season.  Replacement referees, cobbled together from various college and semi-pro leagues, have been universally criticized during the pre-season for their sloppy performance.  The last time this happened was in 2001, but back then nobody was concerned about the safety of the players due to concussions as they are now.

(2)"Bountygate", in which some New Orleans Saints players and personnel have been fined and suspended by the NFL for allegedly targeting certain opposing players with deliberate injury for a fee, has been losing steam.  Some of the Saints players have been appealing their suspensions with some success.  And the team doesn't appear to have been too damaged on the field, despite the loss of coach Sean Payton.

(3) Follow the bouncing ball:  Number one draft pick Andrew Luck replaces Peyton Manning at quarterback with the Indianapolis Colts.  Manning goes to the Denver Broncos and replaces Tim Tebow, who takes his "Tebow-mania" act to New York playing backup for the Jets.  Robert Griffin III becomes the Washington Redskins' latest quarterback savior.  Donovan McNabb, Chad (Ochocinco) Johnson and Terrell Owens are all out of football.

(4) Two changes to your TV schedule:  Sunday doubleheader games will now kick off at 4:25 in the East (3:25 in the Midwest), ten minutes later than usual.  Which guarantees that the entire CBS prime time lineup will be delayed by at least 45 minutes, because games almost never end on time.  Also, "Thursday Night Football" on NFL Network will now be on every week, with the exception of Thanksgiving night.  That one goes to NBC.

As for the Minnesota Vikings, it shouldn't stretch the imagination too much that they have replaced the Detroit Lions as the worst team in the NFC North.  Christian Ponder is still a question mark at quarterback.  Adrian Peterson is recovering from his injury, and one wonders if he'll ever be the same player again.  The defense, outside of Jared Allen, leaves a lot to be desired.  Put that together, and you have the Vikings finishing with a 4-12 record.  Well, at least they're not going to Los Angeles.

Finally, our division and wild card picks:

NFC EAST  New York Giants
        WEST  San Francisco 49ers
         SOUTH  New Orleans Saints
         NORTH  Green Bay Packers
         WILD CARD  Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions

AFC EAST  New England Patriots
         WEST  Denver Broncos
         SOUTH  Houston Texans
         NORTH  Baltimore Ravens
         WILD CARD  Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs