The Football Sickness Podcast

The Rams are coming off a season where they dominated intra-divisional play despite being in the NFC West with two of the league's powers in 2012. Things do not appear to have gotten any easier in 2013, but the Rams have continued to add talent all over the field, thanks in part to the RGIII bounty of draft picks. And as one of the league's youngest squads, they seem set up for a nice long run. But questions also remain. Will Sam Bradford benefit from a little stability and weaponry finally added to the offense? Can the defense repeat against the tough NFC offenses it will face? It's going to be another grind just to get through the season, but this team seems built for it. We asked Ryan Van Bibber of SB Nation and Turf Show Times to help us make sense of it all, and he drops Rams knowledge left and right. Better GET YOUR HELMET ON!!

The Lions are an enigma wrapped in a riddle. Despite electric talent all over the field, they have yet to put it consistently together to become one of the league's top teams. The Jim Schwartz Era has been underway longer than it might seem, and another mediocre finish could be a problem for the young coach. The team is committed to Matt Stafford to the tune of $76.5 million, and have surrounded him with an explosive but imperfect offense. The defensive front four is as nasty as they come, and should cause problems for the league's prolific passers. But in a tough division and a tougher conference, the Lions have very little margin for error.Ty Schalterhelps us break it all down. GET YOUR HELMET ON!!

In the first of our College Sickness Conference Previews, Lisa Horne joins Sen Sogah and Ryan Burns to break down the Pac 12. UCLA and Stanford met in the conference title game, and each looks poised to make a run at it again. But each has challengers aplenty. The conference is loaded with talent amongst both players and coaches. Don't let Chip Kelly's departure fool you: the Pac 12 is here to stay regardless. Longtime Pac observer, Heisman voter and college football writer Lisa Horne joined the guys to break it all down. Fair warning, Cal fans: it's no fun for you. Better GET YOUR HELMET ON!!!

It would be an understatement of massive proportions to say that 2012 did not go according to plan in Kansas City. The whole ship fell apart and sank under the weight of injuries, poor qb play, and insufficient leadership at all levels. As a result, they were all jettisoned and replaced with new men. In step Andy Reid, John Dorsey and Alex Smith to attempt success where Romeo Crennel, Scott Pioli and Matt Cassel left failure. The cupboard, however, is reasonably well-stocked, with recognizable talent at many key positions. Will it be enough to make the Chiefs competitive in what otherwise looks to be a one-horse race in the AFC West? We shall see. We asked BJ Kissel to bring his observations from camp and preseason to the podcast to help us make sense of what we're all about to see, and he's got plenty of good information for you. Sit back, relax and GET YOUR HELMET ON!!!

The Bears are another team with multiple big changes, having parted ways with Brian Urlacher and swapped Lovie Smith for Marc Trestman. There seems to be plenty of reason for optimism, as the bulk of the defense returns and Trestman's history brings a sense of promise to the offense. In a tough division and a tougher conference, the Bears are still among those teams we here at the Sickness consider potential contenders. Tons of talent. Just needs the right leadership and tweaking. Matt Clapp of Da BearNecessities, Sharapova's Thigh and The Friendly Blogfines joins us to break down his beloved Bears. Great football talk and some quality fantasy thoughts as well. You're going to need your noodle for this one so GET YOUR HELMET ON!!!

Coming off a couple of substandard seasons and an offseason worthy of the phrase "massive organizational overhaul," questions still abound for the San Diego Chargers. Can Philip Rivers rescue his career from its present downward spiral and return to previous form? Can they weather a storm of injuries on the offensive side of the ball? Have they done enough to address the pass rush? Fortunately, Steve Adler has answers for us, and good ones (even though they may not all sound like music to a Bolts fan's ears). Have a click and a listen. And if you're a Chargers fan, you know the hits are coming so GET YOUR HELMET ON!!!

They are the champions, my friends. The Baltimore Ravens rode a wave of emotion and execution to the second Super Bowl title of- and a perfect ending to- the Ray Lewis Era. But according to some, the afterglow was short-lived, and we should all be concerned for the very viability of the returning champs, what with all the injuries and turnover this offseason. Of course, there are also enough voices suggesting the Ravens have actually improved on defense, and there's a relatively weak AFC out there ripe for the picking. Regardless, we have some questions, and our friend Phil Gentile of the fantastic Purple Reign Show and twitter fame as @IHJJR, was kind enough to join us for some answers (and some gloating). Phil has his concerns, as you'll hear, but there's a good measure of confidence as well. He's even come around on Cap'n Joe Flacco. That Lombardi is persuasive, no? GET YOUR HELMET ON!!!

The Greg Schiano Era began in Tampa in 2012, and the first year saw its fair share of both promise and frustration. Then came the offseason, Revis Island, Dashon Goldson, Mike Glennon and more. Playing in a tough division and with much to prove, the Bucs come into the new season looking primed to make a move. Can Josh Freeman take his game and his team to the next level? That seems the key question. We asked former Bucs Operations Coordinator and 2013 Twitter sensation Joe Bussell, aka @NFLosophy, to come talk Buc Ball with us. Don't let the title fool you- Joe's all gridiron. You'd better make sure you GET YOUR HELMET ON!!!

Feels like we're always waiting for more with the Cowboys. From top to bottom, this seems like a team talented enough to compete for a Super Bowl, not just languish in relative averageness as it has done in recent years. But things can change, and our guest KD Drummond thinks this is the year. Have a click and a listen, and enjoy more Dallas Cowboys knowledge than you deserve to be privy to. GET YOUR HELMET ON!!!

Boy, how will we ever come up with something Eagles-related to talk about? There's hardly been any offseason news whatsoever.Oh. Right.So we needed a guest who could help us boil all this down. Mike Clay joins us to talk all things Eagles. Pro Football Focus Fantasy, Rotoworld, Yahoo...they ALL have him on their fantasy team, so you know you're getting the pure stuff here. Feed your Sickness on many levels by clicking on the "listen now" button below. This one hits hard. Better GET YOUR HELMET ON!!!

Don't look now, but the Bengals have made the playoffs three out of the last four years, and with the massive turnover in Baltimore and uncertainty in Pittsburgh, have become the popular favorite to win the always-nasty AFC North. They added a couple of new weapons to Andy Dalton's attack, and the defense is one of the league's stoutest. Could 2013 be the year for a Super Bowl run? Stranger things have happened. We asked our old friendJoe Goodberryto talk it out with us, and he dropped Bengal knowledge all over the place. Little known fact: Tigers love pepper. They hate Cinnamon. Click Listen. GET YOUR HELMET ON!!!!

The Redskins enjoyed a magical 2012, with the arrival of RGIII and a new era of hope and excitement. And with good reason. Dude balls. He rapidly infused the entire squad with the belief that they could win, and win they did, taking the NFC East. But he also lives on the edge, and it got him in trouble. Time to find out what he's learned. We asked our man Brent from Burgundy Blog to join us and break it all down, and he did not disappoint. Plenty of good stuff here, including lots of RGIII, the Return of the Rak (cue The Wipers...bonus points if you get this reference...), and what the Shannies might have up their sleeves in year 2 of the new era. Oh, and Sen does Eagle fan things while attempting to revoke Burns' Bruin Card. It's all fun and games until somebody loses their dignity. It's rough out there. Better GET YOUR HELMET ON!!!

Coming off a disappointing end to the 2012 season, the Houston Texans are looking to stake their claim to true Super Bowl contender status. With star power galore and a weakened AFC conference, they have to be feeling like the time is now. And indeed, it had better be, because some of their key cogs are approaching "aging" status. This is a team we here at the Sickness intend to watch closely this year, and we were lucky enough to have Lance Zierlein join Ryan Burns to break it all down for us. This one's got something for everyone, including a fantastic primer on the Zone Blocking Scheme that is so important to what the Texans do on offense. You know we like to get a little football nerdy here, and this conversation really feeds that Sickness. Have a click and a listen. GET YOUR HELMET ON!!!

The rebuild is in full swing in Oakland. Reggie McKenzie and Dennis Allen took on a substantial challenge, and it would appear the vast majority of the overhaul still lies ahead. Who is the quarterback? Can the superstar stay healthy? Will any of the young weapons provide a consistent, stable threat? Can the defense survive a near-total revamping? Questions abound in Oakland, and do so under a cloud of stadium funk and relocation whispers. In short, some good football would be real welcomed right about now. Our old friendChris HansenjoinsRyan BurnsandSen Sogahto talk all things Raiders. We love you, Raider Nation, but it could be a bumpy ride in the short time. We'd be remiss if we didn't advise you to GET YOUR HELMET ON!!!

Reminder: The Indianapolis Colts had the first overall pick in the 2012 draft. Granted, this was no ordinary No. 1, but that this team made the playoffs out of that position is impressive (and maddening to a certain Browns fan related to this podcast). A whole new regime and coaching staff has infused young talent and fresh energy, and the sky suddenly appears to be the limit.Ryan BurnsandSen Sogahwelcome old friendNate Dunlevyto break down the Colts 2013 season and give us a glimpse into the future. It could get fascinating. Better GET YOUR HELMET ON!!!