Maddux Sports Blog

The last couple of years I have touted the Niners heavily at this time of year. That has only partly been a good thing. Two years ago I felt like a genius as they went 6-3 ATS down the stretch and looked like a real team on the rise. They rewarded my faith last year by going 5-11 ATS and looking like a team that could only be improved by folding. I’m too smart to fall for this team again, but I can’t help myself completely, so I will still pay close attention to this team I wish I didn’t like. Because of that, I am particularly intrigued by the ascension of J.T. O’Sullivan, the game one starter for the team.

O’Sullivan is the definition of a journeyman. He was drafted in 2002, and the Niners are his eighth team. He played his college ball in Division II at UC Davis. He was solid at that level for what it’s worth, and he set a record with six touchdowns in a single playoff game.

O’Sullivan came into the preseason as the third man on the depth chart behind Alex Smith and Shaun Hill. He had one big advantage, though - Mike Martz is the new offensive coordinator, and O’Sullivan had played with him in Detroit last year. That familiarity was enough to get him a chance, and he made the most of it. He has been clearly the best quarterback in camp. Though some of that is because both Smith and Hill seem incapable of sustained good play, O’Sullivan certainly deserves some credit.

I’m not at all optimistic about this team, and I doubt that O’Sullivan will stay behind center all season (especially given how expensive Smith is as a backup), but I think O’Sullivan has a better chance than many would give him credit for of making an impressive impact. Here are three good reasons why I think so.

1. Europe - NFL Europe obviously didn’t prove to be the fast track to NFL success for players. Still, I think that O’Sullivan deserves some credit for what he did over there. He sspent two different seasons in Germany - 2004 and 2007. The first time he led his team to the championship, and he repeated the feat in 2007 while being named offensive MVP. That doesn’t mean that he will be MVP here, but it does show that the guy does have some game, and he knows how to win if he is given a chance.

2. Martz - Martz obviously likes the guy, or O’Sullivan wouldn’t have had the chance to get where he is now. Martz has his share of issues, but he obviously has the ability to make a quarterback productive, and he isn’t afraid to run with an unconventional QB if he likes him. O’Sullivan won’t be the next Kurt Warner - largely because he doesn’t have the talent surrounding him that Warner did in St. Louis - but Martz could give us something worth watching.

3. Fate - Sooner or later the Niners deserve a break, don’t they? They screwed up by getting rid of Jeff Garcia, but they have paid for that by now, so maybe this is the first sign of hope for a pretty hopeless team. For the sake of his job, Mike Nolan sure hopes so.

I don’t know about you, but I am itching for the football season to get here. Aching, really. NFL training camps get under way right away, so America’s favorite sport has been on my mind a lot lately. We’ll obviously spend a lot of time talking about the league in the weeks and months to come, but before we get into any specifics I just wanted to reflect on some of the general thoughts that are bouncing through my mind at this point.

Jacksonville - I like this team. A lot. Their division is a bit softer than it has been. Their offense is solid. Their defense is significantly upgraded. Every year there are a couple of teams that I either make or lose a fortune on. I strongly suspect that Jacksonville is one of those teams. They aren’t going to surprise anyone, and the public is going to be aware of them, but I still thin that they will play well enough to make some money.

Seattle - At 10/11, the Seahawks are favored to win the NFC West. This is a sad statement on the state of that division. I guess I don’t dislike Seattle. How can you, really? There is just nothing to like about them, either. They are the vanilla ice cream of the NFL. If they were to fold right before the season started it would take six weeks before anyone would notice. I just wish I had enough faith in the Cardinals (2/1) to believe that they can finally realize their potential and win this division.

New England - The Patriots aren’t going to be as good as they were last year. Perhaps not even close. That being said, I will be more surprised than I have ever been by anything in my life ever (and I am a Michigan fan who was expecting to beat Appalachian State by 30) if the Pats don’t win their division this year. Easily. Incredibly easily. I’m not the only one to hold this bold opinion - the team is 1/10 to win the division.

San Diego - The Chargers might not even have to work as hard as the Pats will to win their division. There isn’t another team there that stands even a chance of being elite in my mind. Not even close

Minnesota - As a general rule I try to avoid hype whenever possible. The problem here, though, is that I am not sure I can. Minnesota has a ton of talent, I don’t respect their division or their conference, and they have a decent schedule. I don’t think that Minnesota is the best team in the conference, but I find it hard to convince myself that they aren’t among the elite.

San Francisco - The last two years at this time of year I have touted the Niners. It worked fabulously for me two years ago. It didn’t last year. I’m not going to do that again this year. I wish I could - they have some things to like. They just can’t get their act together. This team is dead to me.

Oakland - Some people say that the Raiders could be significantly improved this year. Some people also say that Elvis is still alive. I don’t think either is true. Maybe they will win a game or two more, but they still have a long way to go before they are respectable.

Tennessee - Here’s a prediction for you - this is the last year that Vince Young will be a full time starter in the NFL. No single reason, just a collection of little feelings.

Cincinnati - Marvin Lewis deserves to still be the coach of this team just as much as Roger Clemens deserves the benefit of the doubt - not even slightly. The Bungles have been a mess for a couple of years now, and they are going to be a mess again. The offensive talent that Lewis has wasted is almost criminal.

Kansas City - The Chiefs are going to be the worst team in the league. I feel pretty good about the chances of that. What do I like about this team? Pretty much nothing. Maybe Larry Johnson, but he’s fragile, and I really don’t like his chances of holding up without a line to protect him or a quarterback to provide other options to distract the opposing defenses.