The NFL is just days away with the Broncos and Ravens kicking off on Thursday night to open the season and after four preseason games there is plenty around the league that is still up in the air and some predictions heading into Sunday include thoughts on the Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, Terrelle Pryor and Colin Kaepernick.
The Raiders started Pryor in their first preseason game and all reports have Dennis Allen using him as the starter in Week 1 against the Colts. Matt Flynn now lost his job before he could even win it twice in two seasons after it happened with Russell Wilson last year in Seattle and whether or not it is due to an injury or just the fact that he didn't play well, Flynn will backup Pryor to start the year. While many assumed that Flynn would be the starter after the Raiders traded with the Seahawks for him, Pryor at least makes the team somewhat exciting.
Pryor started last season and while he didn't set the world on fire, he at least gives the Raiders an athletic quarterback that could bring some excitement to the offense. Oakland has talent on that side of the ball with Jacoby Ford, Darren McFadden and Denarius Moore, but without a consistent offensive line things will be much more difficult. Flynn didn't do much to win the job in the preseason, scoring just 10 total points with the offense on 13 drives, while Pryor had 32 in 14. Flynn comes in with no real starting experience, with his best game coming in a spot start for Aaron Rodgers at the end of a season where he threw for 480 yards and six touchdowns in a win over the Lions.
On the other side off the bridge, the San Francisco 49ers are expected to be back in the mix in the NFC this year after making it to the Super Bowl against the Ravens, especially now that Colin Kaepernick has had a full offseason. training camp and preseason as the starter. The team lost Delanie Walker in free agency and wide receivers Mario Manningham and Michael Crabtree to injuries, but that won't stop the team from being explosive. Kaepernick was fantastic once he took over last year and with Frank Gore and Vernon Davis still out there and the addition of Anquan Boldin, the unit will be able to score points.
The team signed Chris Harper from the Seahawks practice squad for depth and now have Boldin, Kyle Williams, Quinton Patton and Jon Baldwin and while that is not the "best" set of wideouts in the league, there is plenty of talent and potential spread across that group. Kaepernick has a way of firing people up around him as he plays and his leadership this season should be more vocal as the primary starter after taking over for Alex Smith.
