With a week to go, it's clear, to me at least, that this NFL season can be divided into two distinct seasons for many NFL teams. Some started off like world beaters, only to fade, pathetically. Others kicked off like Keystone Cops (note the title in the video), and wound up possibly playing for spots in that little post-season tourney they have every season.
According to research done by more qualified reporters, no team that has started out at least 8-3, since the formation of the four division set in the NFL in 2002, has not made the playoffs. This year, two teams, both not in control of their own destiny, could change that. Tampa, after a 9-3 start has fizzled, losing three in a row, and now need a win and Dallas loss in Week 16. The Jets, after inexplicable losses to Seattle and San Francisco, find themselves in need of a win and either a Patriots or Ravens loss to get in. The honest likelihood is that one of these teams will be the first.
But, it's not just them. Philly was 5-5-1 after 11 weeks, and now, while a 3 point effort against the Redskins hasn't helped them much, they find themselves in playoff contention. That Redskins team, the same one that was 7-3, dropped three straight before winning last week to ensure they wouldn't make the playoffs.
How about the indestructible Giants? The 11-1, home-field throughout the NFC locked up, Giants? They needed OT to beat the Panthers after a recent slide had them losing two in a row, unable to protect Eli Manning or stop anyone on D.
Finally, there's more, but I'll spare you with just one other. The Chargers have to be the most miraculous of them all, after starting off 4-8, they've rattled off three straight victories (tough road games, might I add, with a comeback in KC and a beatdown in Tampa). With the help of some good ol' Denver incompetency (see the Keystone Cops reference above), they're going to be playing for the playoffs, come next Sunday night.
Some of this, and some of that...
- How's this for comeback player of the year (do they even offer that in the NFL?): Antonio Bryant, WR for Tampa Bay. After not having played in the league in 2007, the former Niner, Brown and Cowboy has racked up nearly 1200 yards receiving (good for 7th in the league) and 7 TDs. With another over 100 yard game, he'd be in line for the second highest single season receiving yards total in Buc history. Bet no one thought that when he came into camp.
- Don't get caught up how the Reggie Brown play that ended the game in Washington. Facts are facts. It was the first time all season they hadn't scored a TD in a game. You can't win in you don't score TDs, and you shouldn't bank on scoring them with under a minute left. If you need to get caught up in something, ask yourself why Brown ran a route to the 1 yard line, and not a foot farther, into the endzone?
- Well, Dallas laid another egg on Saturday night, this time with stereotypically soft defense. Tony Romo supplied enough firepower offensively, but, when you give up two (not just one, but two!) rushing plays of over 75 yards in the fourth quarter, well, you're just a sad group. The defense was so porous, and the tackling so pathetic, I almost had to look away. Terence Newman, I've been a fan of the guy since he was taken from K-State, but he looked like a turnstyle (about 1:35 on the clip) on that Le'Ron McClain run.
- Finally, let's give Miami some real credit. They've been the team that no one wants to say is really that good, the team that's been doing just enough to win. Yet, this past week, despite the opponent, was an impressive victory. To play in KC, to score 38 points, to come from down 7 late in the third (something a Chad Pennington-led team, in this day and age, isn't built to do). That's a nice job for Tony Sparano's Fins, who, despite going 1-15 last year, could make the playoffs this year. Maybe there is some light at the end of the tunnel for Detroit Lions fans.
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