In the early part of the past decade, there was this idea of parody in the NFL. This started with the St. Louis Rams, who went from a 4-12 season in 1998, to a 13-3 season in 1999 and a Super Bowl championship. In 1999, the Baltimore Ravens finished a mediocre 8-8. The next season, in 2000, they finished 12-4 and captured themselves a Super Bowl title. In that same year, the New England Patriots were a dreadful 5-11 team. In 2001? You guessed it. 11-5 and Super Bowl Champions. As recently as two years ago, the Miami Dolphins won the AFC East a year after finishing 1-15. Pardoy. Everyone has a chance.

What’s my point with all of this? I have none. I just wanted to begin my 2010 NFL Preview with some overdone, tired narrative that you could hear from any highly-paid NFL expert. Let’s have some fun with this, shall we? Mini-previews for all 32 teams over the next few days. One thought on each team, important players, best case scenarios and worst case scenarios:

AFC East

Buffalo Bills
One Thought: What’s the opposite of the cream of the crop?
Vital Player: CJ Spiller. It would be completely foolish of me to expect Trent Edwards to be anything more than what he is (a mediocre quarterback who projects as a higher-end career backup). Spiller, a rookie, will need to carry this offense if they’re going to be successful.
Best-Case: Lee Evans steps up and plays like a #1 receiver, while the offensive line opens holes for the backfield and protects Trent Edwards just enough to give the Bills solid D some rest. The Bills win 7 games.
Worst-Case: The defense has to spend 40 minutes a game on the field because of the ineptitude of the offense. The Bills finish the season 1-15 and draft Ryan Mallet first overall in the 2011 draft

Miami Dolphins
One Thought: I’m sorry, is Chad Henne really as good as people think?
Vital Player: Ronnie Brown. If Brown can stay healthy, it will take a world of pressure off of Henne, of whom people are expecting more than he’s capable of.
Best-Case: Henne puts up Matt Schaub numbers, thanks in large part to the arrival of a content Brandon Marshall and the presence of a solid running game. The defense plays as well as they should, thanks to the rapid progression of young corners Vonte Davis and Sean Smith. The Dolphins win the division with a 12-4 record.
Worst-Case: Ronnie Brown tears his ACL, Brandon Marshall acts like Brandon Marshall, and Chad Pennington is their starting QB by Week 8. They finish just better than the Bills at 5-11.

New England Patriots
One Thought: Young defense. Very young defense.
Vital Player: Jerod Mayo. This could have been Ron Brace or Devin McCourty, but I’m going with Mayo because he’s the defensive QB and needs to play more consistently than last year and truly needs to take the leadership reigns now.
Best-Case: The defense gels. The offense shines. 13-3 and a Super Bowl title.
Worst-Case: Randy Moss throws a hissy fit, Wes Welker isn’t fully recovered, and the defense resembles a colander. They finish 7-9 and need to implode the whole thing in the offseason.

New York Jets
One Thought: Remember the 2009 Atlanta Falcons?
Vital Player: Mark Sanchez. The aforementioned Falcons played above their heads with a rookie QB, came into his sophomore year with high expectations, and missed the playoffs. Except the Jets won last year in spite of Sanchez, not because him. He needs to show some real improvement with all of these expectations or New York will turn on him and his pretty face.
Best-Case: Darrelle Revis shows up ready on day 1, Sanchez has an All-Pro alternate type season (think 3400 YDS, 21 TD, 10 INT..you know, David Garrard stuff), Shonn Greene performs like a true #1 back, and there’s a parade on Broadway in February.
Worst-Case: Rex Ryan, in a fit of unquenchable hunger, eats Mark Sanchez during a practice, leaving Kellen Clemens as the Jets starter. They finish 7-9 and New York Jets fans try to eat Rex Ryan.

Actual Predicted Results
New England Patriots 11-5
New York Jets 11-5
Miami Dolphins 7-9
Buffalo Bills 2-14

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens
One Thought: This is almost an exceptional football team.
Vital Player: Fabian Washington. You’re probably saying, “Who?” Washington, because of injury, is the Ravens #1 corner and by far the most important person on this team. If he cannot (finally) put together a solid season, after being a first round pick in 2005 (by the Raiders) the Ravens will not be as good as they should be.
Best-Case: The offense resembles the 1999 Rams and the defensive secondary holds together well enough to lead this team to a 13-3 season and their second Super Bowl title.
Worst-Case: Joe Flacco is not as good as I expect him to be and the secondary is even worse. They get lit up by the Jets in Week 1 and never put it together after that. 7-9.

Cincinnati Bengals
One Thought: Has anyone written about how they have two Wide Receivers who are known to be divas?
Vital Player: Cedric Benson. Last year’s numbers were good, but he’ll need to up that TD total for this to be a legitimate offense. Because Carson Palmer just doesn’t have it anymore.
Best Case: TO and Ochocinco make minimal noise, Benson rushes for 12 TDs and 1400 yards, C. Palmer stays upright (preventing J. Palmer from having to take an NFL snap), and the defense comes as advertised. That would be “very good.” Second straight division title. 12-4 season, Super Bowl loss.
Worst Case: Someone realizes that they have Terrell Owens, Cedric Benson, Chad Ochocinco, Frostee Rucker, Carlos Dunlap, Andre Smith, Roy Williams, and Pac Man Jones on their roster. After a Week 3 loss to Carolina brings them to 0-3, the phrase “locker room dissent” sprouts up. No one is happy. Everyone quits. They finish 5-11.

Cleveland Browns
One Thought: I kind of like this football team. No, really.
Vital Player: Jake Delhomme. Quarterback stability is very underrated when you’ve lacked it since Bernie Kosar left. Delhomme is a winner in need of a career revival.
Best-Case: They take advantage of toxic atmospheres in Cincy and Pittsburgh and band together forcing people to realize that maybe they aren’t as bad as people had thought. They finish 9-7.
Worst-Case: They’re just as bad as most people thought. Colt McCoy is a starting NFL QB by Week 9. That is not a good thing. 3-13.

Pittsburgh Steelers
One Thought: No, really, Dennis Dixon is a starting NFL QB.
Vital Player: Ben Roethlisberger. Dixon is the easy choice here, but he’ll only be playing 4 weeks. What kind of shape will Roethlisberger be in? Will we see a Tiger Woods like return where he just “doesn’t have it?” (Sidebar: Why are people comparing these two stories? Tiger was cheating on his wife with cocktail waitresses, porn stars, and club promoters. Roethlisberger has been accused of rape twice. One is much worse than the other.) Or will he come back like a man possessed?
Best-Case: Dixon holds it together nicely. Roethlisberger returns to a 3-1 team, and plays like a leader. The defense is in its vintage 2008 form. 12-4, division title, and a third Super Bowl somehow help repair “Big Ben’s” image because that’s how the sports media world reacts. See: Bryant, Kobe.
Worst-Case: Roethlisberger gets accused of sexually assaulting another female while on suspension, leading to his release and the keys being handed to a spread option QB who isn’t ready to be a pro-style QB. The defense is as lazy as I think they are. 5-11. Cleveland beats them twice for good measure.

Actual Predicted Results
1. Baltimore 12-4
2. Cincinnati 9-7
3. Cleveland 7-9
4. Pittsburgh 7-9

AFC South

Houston Texans
One Thought: For a passing team, they sure do have a lack of WR depth.
Vital Player: Arian Foster. Are we really expecting a mediocre college back and a guy with very little NFL experience to step up and be a 1200 yard back?
Best-Case: Foster has a big year, Steve Slaton is healthy enough to spot him on 3rd down and passing situations, Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson hook up for 17 TDs, the defense continues its improvement. Indy gets supplanted. 11-5 and a playoff berth.
Worst-Case: They remain just as mediocre as they’ve ever been. 7-9.

Indianapolis Colts
One Thought: This does not look like a Super Bowl contender.
Vital Player: Peyton Manning. I mean it. If he gets hurt, this is a 1-15 football team. He makes everyone (Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Mormon Do-Rag Guy) better. Curtis Painter does not.
Best-Case: They hold it together for one more year and win Peyton his second Super Bowl before finally having to rebuild.
Worst-Case: One year too late. They’re lack of size defensively, combined with shoddy coaching kills them in the middle (consecutive games against Philadelphia, Cincinnati, New England, San Diego, and Dallas). For good measure, Peyton gets hurt in the New England game. They miss the playoffs for the first time since….when was that? (2001…I was 17 years old)

Jacksonville Jaguars
One Thought: Boring mediocrity.
Vital Player: Whoever is quarterbacking them. Garrard or Luke McCown. It should be Garrard.
Best-Case: Every team they play is looking towards their next game, Jacksonville fights hard to grind out a 9-7 season. They sneak into the playoffs and get blown out in the Wild Card Round.
Worst-Case: Everyone takes them seriously, they play the games on paper and the Jaguars finish 5-11. Jarrett Dillard can tell his kids that he actually played in the NFL despite having attended Rice University.

Tennessee Titans
One Thought: See Jaguars, Jacksonville.
Vital Player: Vince Young? I guess.
Best-Case: The mantra, “Vince Young just wins football games” holds true and they surprise everyone, finishing 10-6 and fighting for the division crown.
Worst-Case: Kerry Collins has to play the quarterback position at any point during the regular season. 4-12.

Actual Predicted Results
1. Indianapolis 10-6
2. Houston 8-8
3. Jacksonville 5-11
4. Tennessee 5-11

AFC West

Denver Broncos
One Thought: Oh they’re the team that drafted that University of Florida QB?
Vital Player: Kyle Orton. Remember that thing about QB stability? It would do a world of good for such an underwhelming team to get a “better than expected” performance from Orton. He put up very solid numbers last year (It’s okay. No one noticed). He’ll need to put up, um, solider numbers this year to make them relevant.
Best-Case: Knowshon Moreno or Correll Buckhalter or Andre Brown or….someone steps up and has a solid (900 yards, 6 TD), healthy season at running back. Jabar Gafney, Eric Decker, Demaryius Thomas, Eddie Royal, Brandon Lloyd or….someone steps up and has a very good (80 Rec. 1100 Yards 8 TD) receiving season. The secondary plays consistently enough to keep them in games. 10-6 and competing for a Division title.
Worst-Case: None of the above happens. No one takes the reigns at the RB or WR spots. Orton struggles, leading to Tim Tebow getting the starting job 3/4 of the way through the season, whereby he struggles mightily before ultimately being injured severely trying to turn a 4 yard run into a 6 yard run, while losing by 21 to the Chiefs. 4-12 season.

Kansas City Chiefs
Thought: I keep saying that this is their year. Maybe this is their year.
Vital Player: Glenn Dorsey. No, I’m not joking. Their defensive line is, in a word, horrible. There is no depth there. Dorsey, who was the #3 pick in the 2008 Draft, has been nothing short of an abject failure in the NFL. A step-it-up year from him and I promise you the Chiefs will shock you. Because the rest of that defense is pretty good.
Best-Case: 8-8 season thanks to an improved defense and Matt Cassel having some time to throw the football.
Worst-Case: More of the same. 4-12.

Oakland Raiders
Thought: Call me crazy, but I think this is a playoff team.
Vital Player: Jason Campbell. I’m tempted to go with Darrius Heyward-Bey, except that I know he’s never going to amount to anything. Campbell has the rare opportunity to start fresh with limited expectations. He was treated very unfairly in Washington by people like myself. He, much like Kyle Orton, puts up solid numbers only to get highly criticized no matter what. This could be his true coming out party. And the Raiders need it to be.
Best-Case: Everyone looks at the schedule and says, “Phfawww…Oakland…hahahaha” only to realize that this defense is darn good and the offense is balanced and the offensive line can protect the quarterback. The Raiders shock a lot of people and win the division, going 11-5.
Worst-Case: Same old Raiders. Campbell is inconsistent, Darren McFadden can’t quite get it done, no one steps up at WR, the O-Line resembles swiss cheese with bullet holes in it, and the defense gets let down by the offense, eventually giving up by Week 5. They finish 4-12 and get to draft another future bust.

San Diego Chargers
Thought: I wonder who they’ll lose to in their first playoff game this season….
Vital Player: Malcom Floyd. He didn’t ask for Vincent Jackson, but he’ll have to fill his shoes. Just without the obnoxious petulance and grandstanding. Kidding aside, Floyd is the guy everyone will look to to replicate Jackson’s production. If he doesn’t, they’re not left with a lot of options, other than Antonio Gates being forced to break the single-season reception record.
Best-Case: Everyone says, “Vincent Jackson, who?” as the Chargers average 35 points a game, never missing a beat behind Rookie of the Year, 1400 yard back Ryan Mathews and new big-game receiver Malcom Floyd. Meanwhile the defense stays just cohesive enough so as to not allow 36 points a game. 12-4 and another playoff letdown.
Worst-Case: They’re awful defense gets exposed for what it is, while the offense is forced to try to score 45 points a game. They do it sometimes, but not enough. Norv Turner is fired and the Chargers are rebuilt on both sides of the ball. Ryan Mathews is still the Rookie of the Year.

Actual Predicted Results
1. San Diego 10-6
2. Oakland 9-7
3. Kansas City 6-10
4. Denver 4-12

AFC Playoffs
Wild Card Round: Indianapolis (4) over San Diego (5), New York Jets (3) over Oakland (6)
Divisional Round: Baltimore (1) over Indianapolis (4), New England (2) over New York (3)
AFC Championship: Baltimore (1) over New England (2)

Baltimore has it all, to me. Good, young, dynamic coach in John Harbaugh. Very good young QB who is ready to step his game forward. Elite running back (Ray Rice). Solid #1 WR (Anquan Boldin). #2 receiver looking for redemption (TJ Houshmanzadeh). Solid #3 receiver (Derrick Mason). Injured wide-out who is a dynamic late-season option (Donte’ Stallworth). Very good offensive line. Great defensive line. And great linebackers, led by a future Hall of Famer looking for one more title. The biggest question marks: Kicker and Cornerback. Tell me, who was New Orleans starting kicker on Opening Day last season? And who were their corners? Every aspect of the Ravens is good enough defensively to make up for two weaker corners. The injury to Dominique Foxworth was big. And being without Ed Reed for the first six weeks won’t be easy, but this is a team that will be led by their offense in my opinion. And that offense will be led by a potential MVP candidate in Joe Flacco. I love the Ravens in 2010.

Tomorrow (or whenever) the NFC and some postseason awards. And my Super Bowl prediction. SPOILER ALERT: The Ravens are going to be playing in my Super Bowl.