Philadelphia, PA -- Taken out of context, it is a statement that few with fully-functioning brain mechanisms would utter, but the coaching staffs and personnel of 32 NFL teams will chant it like a mantra: I hope to be in Detroit this February.

Ford Field will be the host of Super Bowl XL on Feb. 5th, 2006, and while the weather outside is likely to be bleak, inside the Motor City's climate- controlled stadium there figures to be a festival of pro football delights.

Three of the last four Super Bowls have been decided by three points, and the competitive balance that has been achieved in this age of the salary cap means those boring, blowout Super Bowls that were commonplace in the 1980s and early '90s are largely a thing of the past. The winner of all three of those recent nail-biters, the New England Patriots, are The Sports Network's pick to win it all once again.

Call it awe or call it cowardice, but we're not prepared to pick against New England head coach Bill Belichick or his cerebral quarterback, Tom Brady, who are 9-0 together in postseason play. The Pats will have challengers in their quest to become the first team in NFL history to win three straight Super Bowls (the Packers won pre-merger NFL titles in 1965-66 and the Super Bowl in 1967), but we won't be prepared to pick against New England until the team gives us a reason to.

Look for the Patriots' assembly line to continue running at peak efficiency in Detroit this winter.

Below are all of The Sports Network's unsolicited predictions, awards, and trends for the NFL's 86th season, beginning with our projected league standings. Full preseason previews of all 32 league teams are available under the "Season Previews" banner on the left side of the Sports Network home page:

NFC East 1. Philadelphia (11-5) 2. Dallas (9-7) 3. N.Y. Giants (7-9) 4. Washington (5-11)

NFC North 1. Minnesota (12-4) 2. Detroit (9-7) 3. Green Bay (6-10) 4. Chicago (5-11)

NFC South 1. Atlanta (11-5) 2. Carolina (10-6) 3. Tampa Bay (7-9) 4. New Orleans (6-10)

NFC West 1. Seattle (9-7) 2. Arizona (8-8) 3. St. Louis (6-10) 4. San Francisco (5-11)

NFC Wild Card Round: Dallas over Atlanta, Carolina over Seattle NFC Divisional Playoff: Minnesota over Carolina, Philadelphia over Dallas NFC Championship: Minnesota over Philadelphia

AFC East 1. New England (12-4) 2. N.Y. Jets (10-6) 3. Miami (7-9) 4. Buffalo (5-11)

AFC North 1. Pittsburgh (12-4) 2. Baltimore (10-6) 3. Cincinnati (8-8) 4. Cleveland (3-13)

AFC South 1. Indianapolis (11-5) 2. Jacksonville (8-8) 3. Houston (7-9) 4. Tennessee (6-10)

AFC West 1. San Diego (10-6) 2. Kansas City (9-7) 3. Oakland (7-9) 4. Denver (6-10)

AFC Wild Card Round: Indianapolis over Baltimore, San Diego over N.Y. Jets AFC Divisional Playoff: New England over San Diego, Pittsburgh over Indianapolis AFC Championship: New England over Pittsburgh Super Bowl: New England over Minnesota

OFFICIAL AWARDS Most Valuable Player: Daunte Culpepper, Minnesota Offensive Player of the Year: LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Defensive Player of the Year: James Farrior, Pittsburgh Offensive Rookie of the Year: Cadillac Williams, Tampa Bay Defensive Rookie of the Year: Antrel Rolle, Arizona Coach of the Year: Mike Tice, Minnesota Comeback Player of the Year: Steve Smith, Carolina

BREAKOUT PLAYER Julius Jones, Dallas. Jones' stated goals for 2005 are 1,700 yards and 20 touchdowns, and while that's a bit ambitious, the second-year pro is going to get every opportunity to carry the load in Big D. It is no secret that the Cowboys are going to play ball control, defensive-minded football this year, with Jones used to chew up plenty of yardage and clock time.

BREAKDOWN PLAYER Trent Dilfer, Cleveland. It's impossible not to like Dilfer, a positive, life- affirming team guy who has started on the same number of Super Bowl teams as Brett Favre. But if the 33-year-old Dilfer, who hasn't played even half a season since that glorious year in Baltimore, makes it through 16 games in 2005 as a productive and intact quarterback, there will be a lot of shocked people in NFL circles.

FIRST-ROUND FANTASY PICK YOU'LL REGRET Priest Holmes, Kansas City. He'll be 32 by Week 5, he comes off a serious knee injury that cost him half of 2004, and he'll receive fewer touches following the emergence of Larry Johnson in the backfield. Holmes won't go completely into the tank, but his days of 15+ touchdowns per season are likely a thing of the past.

UNDRAFTED FANTASY PLAYER YOU'LL PUT A WAIVER CLAIM ON Samie Parker, Kansas City. Parker played in just four games and caught a grand total of nine passes last season, but with Johnnie Morton gone, the 2004 fourth-round pick out of Oregon becomes the Chiefs' No. 2 receiver opposite Eddie Kennison. Kansas City likes to wing the football around, and while defenses are concentrating on Kennison and tight end Tony Gonzales, Parker is going to have ample opportunity to shine.

FIRST UNEMPLOYED QUARTERBACK TO FIND WORK IN 2005 Vinny Testaverde. Yes, he'll be 42 in November, but he did throw for 3,532 yards last season, and someone will be desperate enough to bring him in when injuries attack. After all, Jeff George picked up an NFL paycheck last year, remember?

FIRST UNEMPLOYED RUNNING BACK TO FIND WORK IN 2005 Eddie George. The guy's taken more hits than Snoop Dogg, but he's only 31 and is still tough to bring down in short-yardage situations. Give me George over Dorsey Levens or Maurice Clarett any day of the week.

TEAM THAT REALLY WILL BE THAT GOOD New England. Predict their doom all you want, but the Patriots still have Tom Brady at the controls of the offense, Corey Dillon in the backfield, a litany of good receivers, terrific offensive and defensive lines, an elite pair of safeties, and Bill Belichick at the top. The absence of Tedy Bruschi and Ted Johnson isn't going to be this team's undoing any more than the absence of Ty Law and Tyrone Poole sunk the team last year. Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel are gone, but both of their systems remain in place. And as we should have learned in the past four years, it's the system, not the personnel, that makes the Patriots what they are.

TEAM THAT WILL BE BETTER THAN EXPECTED Detroit. Yes, they've been wretched in the preseason, but it will be impossible for this offensive unit not to come together at some point in the very near future. Kevin Jones, Roy Williams, Mike Williams, Charles Rogers, and Marcus Pollard in the same lineup are going to be dangerous, no matter who plays quarterback or who is on the line. An average defense will probably keep the Lions out of the playoffs, but Steve Mariucci's team will emerge from 2005 with a winning record and be in the hunt for the postseason into the final weeks.

TEAM THAT WON'T BE AS GOOD AS EXPECTED Denver. There is no way all of Mike Shanahan's risks are going to pay off. Mike Anderson. Jerry Rice. The Browns' starting defensive line from last season. Three rookies playing a prominent role at cornerback. OK, the offensive line is still great and Champ Bailey and John Lynch remain in the secondary, but overall, it looks like there is less talent than what was present in last year's uninspiring 10-6 campaign.

TEAM THAT WILL BE GOOD, BUT NOT THAT GOOD Carolina. Sports Illustrated says the Panthers are going to win the Super Bowl, but I have serious doubts. The backfield situation is uncertain. The offensive line is average. There's a rookie at the strong safety slot. None of that is enough to keep the Panthers out of the playoffs, and they won't be an easy out in the postseason. But is Carolina better than the Eagles? How about the Falcons or Vikings? Probably not.

TEAM THAT WILL BE BAD, BUT NOT THAT BAD Miami. People forget that while the Dolphins were a 4-12 abomination last year, the battered defense still held up pretty well. Now healthy, the Miami "D" is going to be a pain in the neck to each of its opponents, every week. The offense is still a mess, but the presence of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams will at least give that unit a pulse. They won't touch the Patriots or Jets in the AFC East, but the Fins will raise expectations for a promising 2006.

TEAM THAT REALLY WILL BE THAT BAD Cleveland. Romeo Crennel is going to end up as a success in Cleveland, but the first-year head coach won't have a particularly pleasant first year by the lake. The Browns have more new starters (around a dozen) than any team in the league, which will give them an expansion-type look. Add to that the fact that Cleveland will toil in a division with three strong and stable clubs (Baltimore, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh), and Cleveland fans aren't going to come away from 2005 with much about which to cheer.

LEADING TEAM IN THE MATT LEINART SWEEPSTAKES Cleveland. Trent Dilfer is a stopgap at best, and third-round draft choice Charlie Frye (Akron) may come from the MAC, but he's no Ben Roethlisberger. The USC left-hander Leinart likely would have been the first pick had he skipped his senior season, and there's little reason to believe that his stock is going to go down. Browns fans will try to put the name "Tim Couch" out of their minds after their team selects Leinart early on Draft Day '06.

LEADING TEAM IN THE REGGIE BUSH SWEEPSTAKES San Francisco. The Niners got their quarterback of the future, Alex Smith, in the 2005 Draft, but still lack any type of big-play threat in the rushing and receiving game. USC's Bush, who can also return kicks, can do a little bit of everything and will cause matchup problems aplenty. At the very least, he'll be the club's next Roger Craig. That is, unless Bush goes the Leinart route and decides to stay in school for another year.

NEXT COORDINATOR TO BECOME A HEAD COACH Jim Fassel, Baltimore. Fassel probably would have been an NFL head coach in 2005 had there been more than a scant three openings, and instead took over offensive coordinator duties in Baltimore. His task - turning Kyle Boller into an effective quarterback - will be tough, but if Boller makes even modest improvement, Fassel's stock will rise. Fassel was 58-53-1 in seven seasons with the Giants (1997-2003), and led the G-Men to the NFC title in 2000.

NEXT HEAD COACH TO BECOME A COORDINATOR Norv Turner, Oakland. That Turner even got another head coaching job after a middling seven-year tenure with the Redskins (1994-2000) was something of an upset. Turner has a great offensive mind, but his laid-back-to-a-fault demeanor hardly inspires greatness in his teams. The Raiders don't look strong enough on defense to make the playoffs, and the notoriously impatient Al Davis will probably make Turner pay with his job.

BEST MONDAY NIGHT GAME Indianapolis at New England, 11/7. Peyton Manning is 0-7 in his career at New England, including playoff defeats in each of the last two seasons. In last year's memorable AFC Divisional Playoff, Manning couldn't get his team into the end zone during a 20-3 loss. Archie's second son will have much to prove.

WORST MONDAY NIGHT GAME Washington at Dallas, 9/19. Sure, it's Redskins/Cowboys, and rivalries usually bring out the best in all participants, but Washington is going to be pretty bad and both the Redskins and Cowboys are going to play boring, methodical, run-control offense all year. I'll take the under, no matter what it is, and I'll also bet that the local news starts before midnight.

BEST HOLIDAY GAME Minnesota at Baltimore, 12/25. I'm in Baltimore just about every Christmas night as it is (I'm from there), but instead of getting drunk with Pop-Pop and Uncle Jerry, I'll be in the M&T Bank Stadium Press Box watching two probable playoff teams square off in what will likely be an important game for both. Pass the egg nog.

MOST INTRIGUING GAME BETWEEN TWO GOOD TEAMS Philadelphia at Atlanta, 9/12. The Falcons feel that they arrived a year ahead of schedule in 2004, and that this season will be the year that they realize their Super Bowl potential. To find their way onto NFL observers' short-lists of candidates for Detroit and Super Bowl XL, Michael Vick and company will have to beat the Eagles on their home field. Next Monday's contest will also give the world a chance to see Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens in the same huddle for three hours.

Next Wednesday at the Line of Scrimmage: Week 1 Predictions, Opinions, News and Notes