NFL Draft Bleacherreport Andrew Luck Sweepstakes Top 5 teams

**banyon** · 09-19-2011, 09:23 PM

NFL Draft 2012: Top 5 Front-Runners in the Andrew Luck Sweepstakes
By
Andre Khatchaturian
(Featured Columnist) on September 19, 2011

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/8...ck-sweepstakes

Finishing last place in the NFL this year comes with awesome perks. By finishing with the worst record, the league's cellar-dweller will have the opportunity to draft a once-in-a-generation type of quarterback from Stanford named Andrew Luck.

Luck could have gone No. 1 overall this past April in the draft, but he opted to stay in school and finish his college degree. He has turned around Stanford football, and because of that, he's been regarded as one of the best quarterback prospects.

Many have speculated that certain teams are trying to tank this season in order to draft Luck. Although that may not be the case, there are still some extremely atrocious teams in the NFL this year.

After two weeks of football, here are the five worst teams in the NFL.

Or, to put it more lightly, here are the top five front-runners in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars

Last week Luke McCown had a quarterback rating of 1.8 against the New York Jets. He threw four interceptions and was completely out of rhythm as the Jaguars fell flat, 32-3.

The Jaguars did draft Blaine Gabbert at 10th overall last year, but it's clear that no team should pass up on Andrew Luck. They can trade Gabbert for some other draft picks and be in good shape if they continue to play poorly and get the opportunity to draft Luck.

The Jaguars will probably start Gabbert as the season progresses. He played well in garbage time against the Jets, but it'll be interesting to see how he plays as a starter.

Maurice Jones-Drew is pretty much the only guy producing anything on offense. Other than that, the Jags are a mess. Their low attendance also doesn't give them much of a home advantage and makes them a prime candidate for relocation to Los Angeles.

4. Denver Broncos

The Broncos may be 1-1 and they're getting solid play from quarterback Kyle Orton, but this is mainly because they've played two home games against two below-average teams; they barely beat the Cincinnati Bengals at home.

The road gets tougher for the Broncos. They go to Tennessee next week to play a Titans team led by veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. The Titans also have an explosive wide receiver in Kenny Britt, and people don't give them too much credit.

The schedule gets even more difficult for the Broncos as they have to go to Lambeau Field to play the defending champion Green Bay Packers, then come home to play the San Diego Chargers.

Denver also plays against the Lions, Jets, at San Diego, Chicago and New England. It's not too hard to mark these games as losses for the lowly Broncos. These teams will expose the Broncos' weak defense, and if Denver is faced with injuries, they could easily fall into a downward spiral and end up with Luck.

3. Indianapolis Colts

Who would've thought the Colts would be on this list in July?

Reality stinks for Indianapolis. The year they host the Super Bowl, Peyton Manning goes down, and the Colts become an afterthought.

It's really incredible how valuable Manning is/was for the Colts. Without him, they've only scored two offensive touchdowns, and both of them came in situations where the game was already wrapped up.

Kerry Collins was thrown into a very difficult situation, and he's still slowly learning the complex Colts offense. He can't move the ball once he gets into the opponent's zone, and they constantly had to settle for field goals because of it against Cleveland.

Folks, Cleveland blew out Indianapolis this past Sunday—this is how bad they are.

If the Colts do end up with the worst record, the question then becomes the following:

Do they trade Peyton Manning and draft Luck, or do they have him sit a few years to learn from Manning the mentor?

2. Seattle Seahawks

The defending NFC West champions (I just gagged saying that) are going to have a very long season.

There are a confluence of reasons why the Seahawks will look more like Seachickens.

For one, they don't have a quarterback, or an offense for that matter. Tarvaris Jackson can't move the ball, and the Seahawks have had difficulty scoring. It's true that they played against a high-profile defense in the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road this past Sunday, but they struggled against the 49ers, too.

In fact, Marshawn Lynch has rushed for 44 yards the whole season—and he's the leading the team in rushing yards.

Sidney Rice's injury doesn't help either.

The Seahawks have been outscored 57-17, and quite honestly, Pete Carroll's "rah-rah" attitude doesn't work in the NFL. He's not serious enough to be a successful NFL coach. Instead of focusing on the game he pulls pranks on his players—guys like Bill Belichick and Mike Tomlin don't do that.

Carroll has to clamp down and focus on football, but then again, if he can just tank the season...

1. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs are easily the worst team in the NFL—and by a lot.

Forget that they've been outscored 89-10 in their first two games.

Forget that the Lions were running up the score on 4th-and-goal against them.

That's all bad.

But the Chiefs' players are all dropping like flies. Jamaal Charles is reportedly out for the season after getting injured in Detroit. Their star tight end Tony Moeaki is also on the IR and out for the season.

On the defensive side, safety Eric Berry is done, too.

The Chiefs also lost Charlie Weis to the University of Florida over the offseason, and this has really affected Matt Cassel's game.

But most of all, the reason why the Chiefs have the best shot at Luck is because of their schedule.

There is a five-week stretch in November and December where they play at New England, home against Pittsburgh, at Chicago, at the Jets and home against Green Bay. This may be the knockout punch that sends them to the abyss and helps them land Luck.

It's also important to note that other teams competing for Luck have some winnable games on their schedules this year.

The Seahawks are in the weak NFC West, and they've historically been a fantastic home team. They'll win a few games.

Kerry Collins will eventually learn the Colts' offense, and they'll be able to win a few games as the season progresses.

The Chiefs, on the other hand, are slowly losing respect for their head coach who has never played in the NFL, and the fact that he's never played in the league is already an easy way to lose respect in the locker room. This, combined with a tough schedule and a plethora of injuries, will allow the Chiefs to have the opportunity to draft Luck and revitalize their franchise for the next decade.

Sometimes finishing last ain't all that bad.

Mr_Tomahawk · 09-19-2011, 09:24 PM

We're #1 bro!

**Bugeater** · 09-19-2011, 09:26 PM

well thank ****ing god someone at bleacherreport informed us about this because we never would've known otherwise

**hometeam** · 09-19-2011, 09:27 PM

that about sums it up

MoreLemonPledge · 09-19-2011, 09:27 PM

TO THE SHIP

**banyon** · 09-19-2011, 09:29 PM

This guy had us #1 also:

http://thebiglead.com/index.php/2011...us-contenders/

1) Kansas City Chiefs: Won the West and made the playoffs in 2010, but a dropoff was expected. But nobody expected this: Outscored 89-10, and two of the team’s best players are out for the year: RB Jamaal Charles and safety Eric Berry. The Chiefs travel to San Diego this week (they’ll be at least 2-touchdown dogs), and should be 0-3 before hosting the Vikings and then traveling to Indy (it’ll be dubbed: The Loser Gets Andrew Luck Game). It’s only been two weeks … but I’m not sure I can find three wins on this schedule. Unless Cassel starts to air it out with 50 passes a week … ah, who am I kidding: Andrew Luck to the Chiefs!

And this guy:

http://www.draftboardinsider.com/cgi...%20Sweepstakes

Kansas City Chiefs-When the season started the dozens and dozens of Chiefs fans I know had high hopes. I live in the heart of Chiefs territory so it’s not hard to get a feel for the pulse of the franchise. Fans were excited. Exciting skills players like RB Jamaal Charles, RB/WR Dexter McCluster, WR Dwayne Bowe, TE Tony Moeaki, and rookie WR Jonathan Baldwin playing behind an improved offensive line. On defense you have anchors like OLB Tamba Hali and SS Eric Berry. 1st round picks all along the defensive front. But what happens? Well first off injuries. Baldwin gets hurt in a fight with a teammate, Moeaki lost for the year before he can even take a snap, and now Charles and Berry done for the year. You mix that in with a team that just looks lost and unprepared and the recipe for an 0-16 season is certainly a possibility. If with that would come a new head coach and without a doubt a new quarterback.

If I were a betting man and wanted to rank these bottom 8 in terms of draft it would look something like this.

8. New York Giants

7. Minnesota Vikings

6. St. Louis Rams

5. Miami Dolphins

4. Carolina Panthers

3. Seattle Seahawks

2. Indianapolis Colts

1. Kansas City Chiefs

It's a consensus. We're the worst!

rocknrolla · 09-19-2011, 09:29 PM

Quote:

The Chiefs are easily the worst team in the NFL—and by a lot.

**cdcox** · 09-19-2011, 09:29 PM

#1 with a bullet!

Pitt Gorilla · 09-19-2011, 09:31 PM

Ace Gunner · 09-19-2011, 09:32 PM

it's true I read it here

**dirk digler** · 09-19-2011, 09:32 PM

Great.

Now Haley and Cassel DON'T **** THIS UP

Ebolapox · 09-19-2011, 09:33 PM

I'll be SO ****ING HAPPY if we get andrew luck.

arrowheadnation · 09-19-2011, 09:53 PM

Would be the #1 selling chiefs jersey of all time before he even plays a down. I guaran-damn-tee it!!!

Dante84 · 09-19-2011, 09:59 PM

This is so ****ing funny.

I mean, there's so much hope in every loss we have.

Embrace the awful. It's the only way to exercise the demon of futility.

**007** · 09-19-2011, 10:04 PM

This is going to be like the SI curse. We are ****ed.

09-19-2011, 09:23 PM
banyon Supporter Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Hermosa, SD Casino cash: $10176551	Bleacherreport Andrew Luck Sweepstakes Top 5 teams NFL Draft 2012: Top 5 Front-Runners in the Andrew Luck Sweepstakes By Andre Khatchaturian (Featured Columnist) on September 19, 2011 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/8...ck-sweepstakes Finishing last place in the NFL this year comes with awesome perks. By finishing with the worst record, the league's cellar-dweller will have the opportunity to draft a once-in-a-generation type of quarterback from Stanford named Andrew Luck. Luck could have gone No. 1 overall this past April in the draft, but he opted to stay in school and finish his college degree. He has turned around Stanford football, and because of that, he's been regarded as one of the best quarterback prospects. Many have speculated that certain teams are trying to tank this season in order to draft Luck. Although that may not be the case, there are still some extremely atrocious teams in the NFL this year. After two weeks of football, here are the five worst teams in the NFL. Or, to put it more lightly, here are the top five front-runners in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. 5. Jacksonville Jaguars Last week Luke McCown had a quarterback rating of 1.8 against the New York Jets. He threw four interceptions and was completely out of rhythm as the Jaguars fell flat, 32-3. The Jaguars did draft Blaine Gabbert at 10th overall last year, but it's clear that no team should pass up on Andrew Luck. They can trade Gabbert for some other draft picks and be in good shape if they continue to play poorly and get the opportunity to draft Luck. The Jaguars will probably start Gabbert as the season progresses. He played well in garbage time against the Jets, but it'll be interesting to see how he plays as a starter. Maurice Jones-Drew is pretty much the only guy producing anything on offense. Other than that, the Jags are a mess. Their low attendance also doesn't give them much of a home advantage and makes them a prime candidate for relocation to Los Angeles. 4. Denver Broncos The Broncos may be 1-1 and they're getting solid play from quarterback Kyle Orton, but this is mainly because they've played two home games against two below-average teams; they barely beat the Cincinnati Bengals at home. The road gets tougher for the Broncos. They go to Tennessee next week to play a Titans team led by veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. The Titans also have an explosive wide receiver in Kenny Britt, and people don't give them too much credit. The schedule gets even more difficult for the Broncos as they have to go to Lambeau Field to play the defending champion Green Bay Packers, then come home to play the San Diego Chargers. Denver also plays against the Lions, Jets, at San Diego, Chicago and New England. It's not too hard to mark these games as losses for the lowly Broncos. These teams will expose the Broncos' weak defense, and if Denver is faced with injuries, they could easily fall into a downward spiral and end up with Luck. 3. Indianapolis Colts Who would've thought the Colts would be on this list in July? Reality stinks for Indianapolis. The year they host the Super Bowl, Peyton Manning goes down, and the Colts become an afterthought. It's really incredible how valuable Manning is/was for the Colts. Without him, they've only scored two offensive touchdowns, and both of them came in situations where the game was already wrapped up. Kerry Collins was thrown into a very difficult situation, and he's still slowly learning the complex Colts offense. He can't move the ball once he gets into the opponent's zone, and they constantly had to settle for field goals because of it against Cleveland. Folks, Cleveland blew out Indianapolis this past Sunday—this is how bad they are. If the Colts do end up with the worst record, the question then becomes the following: Do they trade Peyton Manning and draft Luck, or do they have him sit a few years to learn from Manning the mentor? 2. Seattle Seahawks The defending NFC West champions (I just gagged saying that) are going to have a very long season. There are a confluence of reasons why the Seahawks will look more like Seachickens. For one, they don't have a quarterback, or an offense for that matter. Tarvaris Jackson can't move the ball, and the Seahawks have had difficulty scoring. It's true that they played against a high-profile defense in the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road this past Sunday, but they struggled against the 49ers, too. In fact, Marshawn Lynch has rushed for 44 yards the whole season—and he's the leading the team in rushing yards. Sidney Rice's injury doesn't help either. The Seahawks have been outscored 57-17, and quite honestly, Pete Carroll's "rah-rah" attitude doesn't work in the NFL. He's not serious enough to be a successful NFL coach. Instead of focusing on the game he pulls pranks on his players—guys like Bill Belichick and Mike Tomlin don't do that. Carroll has to clamp down and focus on football, but then again, if he can just tank the season... 1. Kansas City Chiefs The Chiefs are easily the worst team in the NFL—and by a lot. Forget that they've been outscored 89-10 in their first two games. Forget that the Lions were running up the score on 4th-and-goal against them. That's all bad. But the Chiefs' players are all dropping like flies. Jamaal Charles is reportedly out for the season after getting injured in Detroit. Their star tight end Tony Moeaki is also on the IR and out for the season. On the defensive side, safety Eric Berry is done, too. The Chiefs also lost Charlie Weis to the University of Florida over the offseason, and this has really affected Matt Cassel's game. But most of all, the reason why the Chiefs have the best shot at Luck is because of their schedule. There is a five-week stretch in November and December where they play at New England, home against Pittsburgh, at Chicago, at the Jets and home against Green Bay. This may be the knockout punch that sends them to the abyss and helps them land Luck. It's also important to note that other teams competing for Luck have some winnable games on their schedules this year. The Seahawks are in the weak NFC West, and they've historically been a fantastic home team. They'll win a few games. Kerry Collins will eventually learn the Colts' offense, and they'll be able to win a few games as the season progresses. The Chiefs, on the other hand, are slowly losing respect for their head coach who has never played in the NFL, and the fact that he's never played in the league is already an easy way to lose respect in the locker room. This, combined with a tough schedule and a plethora of injuries, will allow the Chiefs to have the opportunity to draft Luck and revitalize their franchise for the next decade. Sometimes finishing last ain't all that bad.
Posts: 44,355

09-19-2011, 09:24 PM	#2
Mr_Tomahawk Prestige Worldwide Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Spring Hill, KS Casino cash: $3130526	We're #1 bro! __________________ Adopt-A-Chief: John Dorsey
Posts: 18,384

09-19-2011, 09:26 PM	#3
Bugeater The Maintenance Guy Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Renovated Bugeater Estate Casino cash: $6252680	well thank ****ing god someone at bleacherreport informed us about this because we never would've known otherwise
Posts: 70,443

09-19-2011, 09:27 PM	#4
hometeam Supporter Join Date: Jul 2011 Casino cash: $4191956	that about sums it up
Posts: 10,635

09-19-2011, 09:27 PM	#5
MoreLemonPledge M-I-Z S-E-C Join Date: Apr 2009 Casino cash: $10004927	TO THE SHIP __________________
Posts: 6,039

09-19-2011, 09:29 PM	#6
banyon Supporter Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Hermosa, SD Casino cash: $10176551	This guy had us #1 also: http://thebiglead.com/index.php/2011...us-contenders/ 1) Kansas City Chiefs: Won the West and made the playoffs in 2010, but a dropoff was expected. But nobody expected this: Outscored 89-10, and two of the team’s best players are out for the year: RB Jamaal Charles and safety Eric Berry. The Chiefs travel to San Diego this week (they’ll be at least 2-touchdown dogs), and should be 0-3 before hosting the Vikings and then traveling to Indy (it’ll be dubbed: The Loser Gets Andrew Luck Game). It’s only been two weeks … but I’m not sure I can find three wins on this schedule. Unless Cassel starts to air it out with 50 passes a week … ah, who am I kidding: Andrew Luck to the Chiefs! And this guy: http://www.draftboardinsider.com/cgi...%20Sweepstakes Kansas City Chiefs-When the season started the dozens and dozens of Chiefs fans I know had high hopes. I live in the heart of Chiefs territory so it’s not hard to get a feel for the pulse of the franchise. Fans were excited. Exciting skills players like RB Jamaal Charles, RB/WR Dexter McCluster, WR Dwayne Bowe, TE Tony Moeaki, and rookie WR Jonathan Baldwin playing behind an improved offensive line. On defense you have anchors like OLB Tamba Hali and SS Eric Berry. 1st round picks all along the defensive front. But what happens? Well first off injuries. Baldwin gets hurt in a fight with a teammate, Moeaki lost for the year before he can even take a snap, and now Charles and Berry done for the year. You mix that in with a team that just looks lost and unprepared and the recipe for an 0-16 season is certainly a possibility. If with that would come a new head coach and without a doubt a new quarterback. If I were a betting man and wanted to rank these bottom 8 in terms of draft it would look something like this. 8. New York Giants 7. Minnesota Vikings 6. St. Louis Rams 5. Miami Dolphins 4. Carolina Panthers 3. Seattle Seahawks 2. Indianapolis Colts 1. Kansas City Chiefs It's a consensus. We're the worst! __________________ “When war breaks out people say: 'It won't last, it's too stupid.' And war is certainly too stupid, but that doesn't prevent It from lasting.” ~Albert Camus, The Plague.
Posts: 44,355

09-19-2011, 09:29 PM	#8
cdcox www.nfl-forecast.com Join Date: Sep 2000 Casino cash: $2421769	#1 with a bullet!
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09-19-2011, 09:31 PM	#9
Pitt Gorilla Banned! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: NOT Columbia, MO 65201 Casino cash: $3030194	__________________ Your son is a bench warmer because of your weak genetics not because of the coach Norlin Mommsen is disgusting.
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09-19-2011, 09:32 PM	#10
Ace Gunner First Overall Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: kcmo Casino cash: $10007271	it's true I read it here
Posts: 10,580

09-19-2011, 09:32 PM	#11
dirk digler Please squeeze Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Clinton, MO Casino cash: $3344644	Great. Now Haley and Cassel DON'T **** THIS UP
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09-19-2011, 09:33 PM	#12
Ebolapox remember, remember Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: como Casino cash: $2179903	I'll be SO ****ING HAPPY if we get andrew luck.
Posts: 26,427

09-19-2011, 09:53 PM	#13
arrowheadnation MONTANA #19 Join Date: Mar 2005 Casino cash: $6297357	Would be the #1 selling chiefs jersey of all time before he even plays a down. I guaran-damn-tee it!!! __________________ Things I need to happen in order to die happy.... KU wins a National Championship....Check! The Royals win a World Series....Check! The Chiefs win a Super Bowl....FINALLY!!!
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09-19-2011, 09:59 PM	#14
Dante84 Tossed Salad & Scrambled Eggs Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: ATX & OPKS Casino cash: $1871996 VARSITY	This is so ****ing funny. I mean, there's so much hope in every loss we have. Embrace the awful. It's the only way to exercise the demon of futility. __________________ ..
Posts: 19,587

09-19-2011, 10:04 PM	#15
007 Shaken. Not stirred. Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: London Casino cash: $14060126 VARSITY	This is going to be like the SI curse. We are ****ed. __________________ My dear girl, there are some things that just aren’t done. Such as, drinking Dom Perignon ’53 above the temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s just as bad as listening to the Beatles without earmuffs.
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