September 3, 2012 Table Of Contents
SI.com
LEADING OFF
GOLF PLUS
U.S. Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III was already losing sleep over his four wild-card selections when Nick Watney entered the discussion with his out-of-nowhere victory at the Barclays
NFL 2012
A closer look at the players SI's pro football expert predicts will take home the hardware
By Peter King
An aerial explosion—multiple 5,000-yard passers in one season!—is forcing us to rewrite the record book and rethink what's possible
By Peter King
Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson, the most prolific quarterback-receiver combination in football, have lifted the Lions—and are ready to shake up the record book, too
He spits teeth, yanks down quarterbacks one-handed and, at 32, has emerged as a dominant football force through intense workouts, painstaking study and sheer will. San Francisco's Justin Smith is everything a defender should be
By Jim Trotter
Hero. Jester. Prodigy. Knucklehead. The league's best hope and worst nightmare. Rob Gronkowski of the Patriots is a 265-pound bundle of raw energy and rocking good times, and he could become the best tight end in history. Right now, though, he just wants to keep the party going
Aaron Rodgers versus Peyton Manning? Now that's a Super showdown worth wishing for
By Peter King
THE MAIL
Scouting Reports
Scouting Reports AFC EAST
Adding a stretch-the-field receiver to an already record-breaking attack will make the perennial power nearly unstoppable
By Ben Reiter
Prize free-agent pass rusher transforms long-dormant franchise into Super Bowl contender: Is Mario Williams Reggie White redux?
By Ben Reiter
What quarterback controversy? Time for this once-riven roster to zip its collective lips and get back to basics
By Ben Reiter
In case you haven't heard, there's a new sheriff in town. But does he have the horses to restore hope to the fans in Miami?
By Peter King
Scouting Reports AFC NORTH
The guard is changing before our eyes, and the future rests with a group of rising young defenders and a playoff-proven Joe Flacco
By Albert Chen
Andy Dalton and A.J. Green led a Queen City renaissance in 2011, but they'll have to think bigger to take this team to the next level
By Albert Chen
Can Ben Roethlisberger and Todd Haley coexist? That's the main story line on an offense playing the transition game
By Albert Chen
The greatest rookie experiment in memory might not produce an instant winner, but it should be a blast to watch
By Albert Chen
Scouting Reports AFC SOUTH
Time for the division's new power to prep itself for a long run at the top. First order of business: make a call at quarterback
By Don Banks
The wait is now over, this is officially Jake Locker's team. With a lethal supporting cast, he isn't being thrown to the wolves
The horseshoe on the helmet isn't there for nothing: As the post-Peyton era begins, at least they've got Luck on their side
By Peter King
There are posh new digs thanks to a free-spending owner, but the building of a contender begins with the second-year quarterback
By Peter King
Scouting Reports AFC WEST
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and the playmakers who missed 2011 are back with renewed postseason purpose
By Jim Trotter
There's a new guy in the saddle—you may have heard a bit about him—and he's sending everyone's confidence mile high
By Jim Trotter
The conference's perennial underachievers have a new mantra on defense: Keep it simple, don't overthink. But is that a Super Bowl formula?
By Jim Trotter
As a new era dawns for the Silver and Black, hopes hinge on whether Carson Palmer can find his franchise form of old
By Jim Trotter
Scouting Reports NFC EAST
A young running back's bruising style may have inspired just the attitude adjustment the Boys need to get back to the playoffs
By Don Banks
The defending champs' roster is again stacked with versatile and experienced players—except at one critical position
By Ben Reiter
The clock ticking on his Super Bowl quest, Michael Vick is vowing to carry the Birds on his wings this year. He's not dreaming
By Don Banks
In the nation's capital the hope for change now rests on the arm and legs of rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III
By Matt Gagne
Scouting Reports NFC NORTH
A new G.M. finally got this team up to speed with the rest of the league, but improvement doesn't come without a few risks
By Peter King
Everyone's playing catch-up with that record-setting offense—including the Pack's own younger, faster unit on the other side of the ball
By Don Banks
Who will shut down Calvin Johnson? Nobody. But who will contain the opponents' receivers? Much better question
By Peter King
Christian Ponder took his lumps in 2011. That's fine, as long as he follows the typical QB trajectory, especially the part about a big Year 2 leap
By Don Banks
Scouting Reports NFC SOUTH
Persistent playoff failure has this talented team recharging its offense to get even more dynamic—and checking its heart
By Peter King
They're missing some key components but still have a bounty (yeah, we went there) of talent. So they'll just go out and play
By Peter King
Cam Newton could be even better in Year 2—a terrifying thought for the rest of the league—but it won't matter if the D can't hold a lead
By Don Banks
For new coach Greg Schiano, it's all about the little things—even if that meant getting bigger in certain places
By Peter King
Scouting Reports NFC WEST
Somebody finally caught on, and a position of weakness—where were the wide receivers in 2011?—is suddenly a strength
By Jim Trotter
A physically intimidating secondary will play a primary role in determining where this franchise goes next under Pete Carroll
By Jim Trotter
While the offense tries to unravel the tangled web at quarterback, the defense looks to tackle a problem of its own: mastering the 3--4
By Jim Trotter
Steven Jackson leads the charge again. The difference? This time he has a coach with pedigree calling the shots
By Jim Trotter
POINT AFTER
Way Offsides, Five-Meter Penalty
By Phil Taylor
Departments
Lance Armstrong's decision not to contest the doping charges leveled against him ends a career and an era
From the sublime (or at least prime time) to the ridiculous (the rid-Lochte-ous?)—from fulfilling dreams to inspiring memes—here's a look at what some 2012 Olympians have been up to since the torch was extinguished in London on Aug. 12
By Dan Patrick
The Dodgers emphatically tore up their roster by raiding the listless, top-heavy Red Sox. The trick now is to avoid becoming Boston
By Joe Sheehan
THE CASE FOR ... Clay Courts at The U.S. Open
Edited by Alexandra Fenwick
After fireworks at Bristol, NASCAR nears its postseason with tempers on edge