Das Feller-Forum » Morgan had no shortage of key moments to refle

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS Reason for pessimism: Its kind of difficult to find much to be pessimistic about in Seattle in 2013. They were the second youngest team in football, so with all the success how will they react this season? Russell Wilson is no longer new to the NFL and teams have significant game film on him. He will have to elevate a new skill set to keep teams off balance. Percy Harvins absence is a concern as he would have been a game changer and a defence dictator. Still, there is very little pessimism with this team. Reason for optimism: The Seattle Seahawks won 11 games last year and in the six losses were by point totals of four, six, seven, four, and three. Seattle was within one converted touchdown of every game last year. Wilson is for real and Marshawn Lynch is the most physical runner in football; as much as Adrian Peterson. They won five regular season games in a row to end the season and in Week 16 beat San Francisco 42-13. The pass rush has improved in free as well. They are 59-29 at home since 2002, second only to Green Bay, and their defence leads the NFL in the most important statistic of all: fewest points allowed with (15.3 per game.) Not much to be pessimistic about; everything to be optimistic about. Prediction: First in NFC West. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS Reason for pessimism: It is going to be tough to get back. In 2011, San Francisco won 13 games and made it to the NFC Championship game only to lose to the eventual Super Bowl-winning New York Giants in overtime. Then last season, they won an impressive 11 games, made it all the way to the Super Bowl in Louisiana, had the ball for four plays on the seven yard line with time left but lost 34-31 to the Baltimore Ravens. Now Jim Harbaugh is 24-7-1 as a two-year coach. He know the business. But, can the players regenerate the energy necessary to grind out another season, play their best in the regular season and handle the pressure of a New York Super Bowl? Seattle will be better, St. Louis will be better, will the 49ers be better? They did lose eight players in free agency (to be expected) including significant losses Dashon Goldson and Delanie Walker. It really is Super Bowl or bust for the 49ers this season. Reason for optimism: Colin Kaepernick is just going to get better and better. He had an amazing year last year, or to be more accurate, half year. He has a very strong arm and now has Anquan Boldin to work with. Both Patrick Willis and Frank Gore could go down as the greatest 49ers ever at their positions before they retire and Navarro Boman would be the top linebacker on any team except with the 49ers. The individual talent may be better than any other NFL team. Greg Roman and Vic Fangio are excellent coordinators and if the 49ers win the Super Bowl, probably new head coaches. 2013 is all about unfinished business for San Francisco and just about every piece of the puzzle fits. Reality: I can see the 49ers keeping the Rams at a distance but dont know about Seattle. Week 2 at Seattle and Week 14 at home against Seattle are critical games. Prediction: Second in NFC West. ST. LOUIS RAMS Reason for pessimism: The last five years of Rams football have been pretty tough. With two, one, seven, two, and another seven; that totals 19 wins in the last 80 games. And this year they dont have Steven Jackson at running back. Jackson reminds me of the great Curtis Martin: durable, explosive, and able to get the job done year after year. The Rams will miss Jacksons consistency. We will know a lot about the Rams by Week 4: after opening at Arizona, they are at Atlanta, at Dallas and San Francisco on Monday night. To progress and be a playoff team, the Rams still have to improve in the kicking game: 31st and 26th in punt and kick return is not playoff efficient. They also have to improve their takeaway/giveaway ratio as they finished - 1 by the end of the season. The Rams are on the rise and everyone in the NFL knows it; especially San Francisco and Seattle. Reason for optimism: They could finish in first place in NFC West. For the first time in his NFL career Sam Bradford will have the same offence to run. He will improve just because of that fact. Tavon Austin will not only help the offence but the return game as well. And the Rams have an excellent kicker in Greg Zuerlein who made seven 50-yard plus field goals last season, including a 60-yarder. Still, the biggest reason is Jeff Fisher as head coach. His overall record is 149 wins, 128 losses and one tie. You add all those games up you have 278 games of coaching experience. If any coach can correctly evaluate, adjust, improve and capitalize based on experience, its Fisher. Reality: Its not that the Rams arent good, it is that the other teams are good too. If the Rams can stay healthy going into December and progressively improve then yes, they can knock either San Francisco or Seattle into third place. In December they play at San Francisco and in Seattle. This is a good team on the verge of great, but not quite yet. Prediction: Third in NFC West. ARIZONA CARDINALS Reason for pessimism: Basically the Arizona Cardinals are starting all over again. There five-year win totals are nine, 10, five, eight, and five. It really showed how good Kurt Warner was. Nobody felt Warners departure more that Larry Fitzgerald as a wide receiver. Each team in their division is on the way up and in some ways so are the Cardinals. They certainly are not unwilling to make tough moves, with an example being not re-sighing Adrian Wilson who will eventually be in the Cardinals Ring of Honour. Another was drafting Tyrann Mattheiu out of LSU, who has baggage. No risk, no reward . Last year the Cardinals won four in a row and then lost 11 of 12. The all-time low was Week 14 when they lost to Seattle in Seattle 58-0. Many said the Cardinals players just quit trying; pretty heavy criticism. Reason for optimism: Bruce Arians did a remarkable job with Andrew Luck and the entire situation with the Colts. He now has a more experienced quarterback in Carson Palmer and control overall as the top influence over football in Arizona. The question is do they have enough good players? Fitzgerald and Patrick Peterson are two of the best at wide receiver and cornerback. The unknown is running back and the right side of the offensive line. Some teams can absorb injuries because they have winning seasons and have been able to draft and sign players to enhance depth and special teams. Not Arizona, as they are still looking for 22 quality starters for both sides of the ball. With Arians, they have a chance to reach that goal, given time. Reality: They open at St. Louis , they end at San Francisco, and are at Seattle about mid-season. They also travel to New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Houston, and Indianapolis. Their schedule is real tough. Prediction: Fourth in the NFC West. Bob Griese Jersey . "If we could score a six in every game, obviously I would be pretty excited," Jones said. "Its a long week but a short week. Its a pretty short round robin from what were used to so you dont want to get behind the eight ball early. Mark Duper Jersey . - Skiing far more aggressively than in her season debut a day earlier, Lindsey Vonn was in provisional 10th place after the first 45 skiers in a World Cup downhill on Saturday. http://www.dolphinsrookiestore.com/Dolphins-Larry-Csonka-Jersey/ . Still, Inter moved one point ahead of Parma in the race for fifth place and the final Europa League spot. Udinese remained 14th, 11 points above the relegation zone. Inter was beaten 2-1 by Atalanta at home on Sunday and has won only seven of 16 matches at the San Siro this season, as the squad seems to still be searching for its identity under new owner Erick Thohir and first-year manager Walter Mazzarri. Josh Rosen Jersey . Sopoaga hit the upright with his first shot at goal from 15 metres. He then kicked nine goals in succession -- two conversions and seven penalties -- before being replaced in the 62nd minute, three points short of the Highlanders record for most points in a match. Cameron Wake Youth Jersey . Johnson shared an update after his surgery Tuesday on Twitter. He also wrote, "now lets get on the grind." The running back told The Tennessean he was having surgery in Pensacola, Fla.Eoin Morgan believes strength of character is carrying England through a dramatic World Twenty20 after his side held their nerve against Sri Lanka to claim a semi-final spot. England are likely to face New Zealand in the last four after their third win in a row but, like their victories over South Africa and Afghanistan, this one could easily have gone the other way.Having posted a target of 172 thanks to Jos Buttler (66no) and Jason Roy (42), England reduced their opponents to 15 for four only for Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews to hit a classy half-century that got his side to within a couple of strikes of a shock reversal. Athers: Buttler unstoppable Michael Atherton says Jos Buttler is one of the most destructive players in the game Yet when the game reached its closing moments in Delhi, it was England who showed their steel.Chris Jordan turned in two brilliant overs at the death, taking three wickets for just 13 runs - with Joe Root taking a stunning catch off Dasun Shanaka that may have been the pivotal contribution. Stokes says the England players hard work has paid off after they booked their place in the semi-finals of the World T20 Sri Lanka still needed 15 off the last over and Ben Stokes was magnificent in the heat of the moment, giving up just four to rubber stamp a 10-run run.This gives us a great deal of confidence. I think in three of our wins weve had to show an immense amount of character, he said.This was completely different in the way we were way ahead of the game, had them four down quite early and then Angelo got them back into the game.It asked a completely different question of us. But we showed quite a lot, both with the bat and the ball. We showed we are capable of playing both smart cricket and aggressive cricket. Nasser Hussain reviews Englands 10-run win over Sri Lanka, helping them to reach the semi-finals of the ICC World T20 I think weve struggled to do that in the last six to eight months or so and its an area we are constantly trying to improve, but today went a long way to doing that.ddddddddddddMorgan had no shortage of key moments to reflect on and was keen to spread the praise among all of those who stood tall at vital times.They were in the game right until the end so Stokes last over was as crucial as it gets, he said. The Verdict panel discuss bowling at the death after England advanced into semi-finals Rootys catch gave us a huge lift. Wickets are priceless at that stage of the game and given that it didnt allow the batsmen to cross was an even bigger benefit really.As well as Jos innings I thought Jason was outstanding as well. He showed great composure and when he wanted to take someone down he showed complete commitment.Well take a lot of confidence from the overall performance. We can give it a couple of days to let the dust settle, reflect on what happened and take the absolute beauties into the semi-final. Watch Australias crunch clash with India, in Mohali, on Sky Sports 2 HD from 1.30pm on Sunday. Also See: England reach World T20 semis Buttler thrilled to reach semi Athers: Buttler unstoppable Sky Cricket Podcast ' ' '