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Grantland's 2013 NFL Season Preview

Our staff's exhaustive coverage of the NFL season to come

2013 NFL Preview: The Features

AFC Power Poll
By Bill Simmons
The Sports Guy gets ready for some football by ranking the teams in the American Football Conference

J-E-T-S! Pain! Pain! Pain!
By Sean Fennessey
Eighteen months in NFL hell

Place Your Bets!
By Bill Barnwell
Let’s kick off the NFL season with a trip to Las Vegas to put our money where our mouth is

The NFL Contenders
By Bill Barnwell
In the final installment of our team-by-team preview, we look at who has the best shot at winning the Super Bowl

The NFL’s Rising Teams
By Bill Barnwell
In Part 3 of our team-by-team preview, we look at the franchises that will be taking a step forward in 2013

The NFL’s Falling Franchises
By Bill Barnwell
In Part 2 of our team-by-team preview, we look at the teams that will likely take a step back from their 2012 performances

The NFL’s Cellar Dwellers
By Bill Barnwell
It’s time to kick off our team-by-team preview with a look at the clubs that will be vying for the no. 1 pick in the 2014 NFL draft

London Calling
By Bill Barnwell
Moving a franchise to England is a complex proposition

Getting Defensive
By Bill Barnwell
You would be hard-pressed to find another group in history better than the wrecking crew from the 2011 NFL draft class

The Preseason Wrap
By Bill Barnwell and Robert Mays
From the Jets’ QB situation to the Arizona OL, the injury bug seems to be sweeping through the NFL

Thank You for Coaching
By Bill Barnwell
There are five simple situations that can be the difference between being a great head coach and an ex–head coach

The Quarterback Curve
By Chris Brown
What the newest class of star quarterbacks needs to master on its way to becoming Tom Brady or Peyton Manning

First & Goal
By Bill Barnwell
When your offense needs to punch in the ball at the goal line, which kind of back do you want taking the ball?

Nomentum, Part 1
By Bill Barnwell
It’s time to put to rest the ridiculous notion that momentum exists (and matters) in the NFL

Great Expectations
By Bill Barnwell
Let’s stop and think for a minute before we demand the return of the 2009 version of Chris Johnson

The Lion’s Share
By Bill Barnwell
After a forgettable 2012 season of bad bounces and bad luck, the numbers reveal a glimmer of hope in Detroit

All Day, All Season?
By Bill Barnwell
If the Vikings want a repeat of last year’s playoff run, Adrian Peterson’s legs are going to need to buck history

Don’t Sleep on the Chiefs
By Bill Barnwell
Kansas City won’t win the Super Bowl, but it also won’t repeat the disaster of 2012

The Curious Case of the Colts
By Bill Barnwell
Indianapolis went 11-5 last season … does it have even a chance at improving on that?

The GM of the Future
By Bill Barnwell
Chicago’s Phil Emery is showing how an open-minded mix of old- and new-school approaches to running a franchise is the best way to go

The Tree of Thompson
By Bill Barnwell
Packers GM Ted Thompson has designed the blueprint for how to rebuild an NFL franchise, and now his protégés are doing the same

Could LeBron James Really Play in the NFL?
By Bill Barnwell
A definitive answer to the ridiculous question that more than a few people have asked in all seriousness

The All–Bad Contracts Team
By Bill Barnwell
As this lineup shows, it doesn’t take much for the wrong team to spend too much on the wrong player

The Buc Stops Here
By Bill Barnwell
When the 2013 NFL season is over, Josh Freeman is going to be either a multimillionaire … or unemployed

Defending the Read-Option
By Chris Brown
There’s no simple solution for the NFL’s latest offensive trend, but after an offseason of searching, defensive coaches may finally have some answers

NFL Trade Value, Part 1
By Bill Barnwell
Bill Barnwell completes his ranking of the NFL’s top 50 most valuable assets, with a few notes from The Sports Guy

NFL Trade Value, Part 2
By Bill Barnwell
Bill Barnwell completes his ranking of the NFL’s top 50 most valuable assets, with a few notes from The Sports Guy

Gang of Four: The Sequel
By Bill Barnwell
Which of 2012’s young phenom quarterbacks will be even better this year?


NFL Preview Podcasts

The BS Report

NFL Preview Podcast Series With Bill Barnwell and Robert Mays


2013 NFL Preview: From the Triangle

Kirk Goldsberry: Pass Atlas: A Map of Where NFL Quarterbacks Throw the Ball
Andrew Sharp: The Andrew Luck Takeover Starts Now
Andrew Sharp: The Broncos and Ravens and Some Predictions for Football’s Welcome Back Party
RJ Bell: The Official Grantland Super Bowl Odds: Helping You Spend Your Money Since, Well, Today
Andrew Sharp: Bad Quarterback League, 2013: Spread Your Wings and Fly
Andrew Sharp: Hypocrisy, Insanity, and Ed Reed: Football Is Back
Bill Barnwell: What You Need to Know About the NFL’s $765 Million Concussion Settlement
Andrew Sharp: The Dallas Cowboys Are Trying to Kill Me
Bill Barnwell: It’s Tuel Time in Buffalo!
Andrew Sharp: The Jets Are Just Getting Started
Bill Barnwell: Broncos Defense Has Canceled Its Encore
Robert Mays: The Complete 2013 NFL Preseason Injury Recap
Andrew Sharp: Bracing for the RG3 Backlash
Chris Brown: Same Old Chip: What We Learned About the Eagles Offense in Their New Coach’s Preseason Debut
Bill Barnwell: We Went There: The Jaguars and Ravens Show Why They Are Who They Are in Training Camp
Chris Brown: Jason Witten, Master of the Option Route
Bill Barnwell: We Went There: Vikings Training Camp
Chris Brown: Adrian Peterson and the Lead Draw: The Vikings’ Throwback Play for Their Throwback Runner
Bill Barnwell: Maclin, Pitta Injuries Spell a Cloudy Future
Andrew Sharp: The Dallas Cowboys Are Doing Great
Bill Barnwell: The Football and Financial Implications of the Patriots Releasing Aaron Hernandez


The All-22 All-Stars

By Robert Mays

• Alex Boone Stands Tall

• Michael Bennett, Seattle’s Prodigal Son

• The Refinement of Reshad Jones

• Michael Roos, the Rock in Tennessee

• Jairus Byrd, an Unsigned Star

• Kyle Williams, the Underestimated Monster

• Dwayne Allen, the Colts’ Other Tight End

• Casey Hayward and the Value of a Nickel

• Eric Weddle, the Secret Superstar

• The Late-Blooming Evan Mathis

• The Rebirth of Cameron Wake

• Muhammad Wilkerson and the New Versatility

• John Sullivan, the Vikings’ Reliable Center


Offseason Workout

Comeback Kids
By Bill Barnwell
Ten teams went 6-10 or worse last year. Which ones are making the playoffs in 2013?

The NFL’s Numbers Game
By Bill Barnwell
What we can learn about the 2013 season by breaking down the past

The Momentum Factor
By Bill Barnwell
Does getting hot at the end of one season carry over to the next?

The NFL Leftovers
By Bill Barnwell
The rosters are pretty much set, but some teams forgot to do some of their shopping this offseason

NFL Kickstarter Campaign
By Bill Barnwell
Let’s break down some scenarios we’d like to see (but might take some money to bring about)

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