Quarter Pole Report
By: Mike Devine
As we make the first turn of the NFL season it becomes clearer in terms of what teams can do and what they can’t do . It is a bit too early of course to make definitive statements with many teams but after four games we have a bit of a handle on where some teams may be going.
In the AFC East we pretty much know the Patriots are an offensive juggernaut and that their defense is full of holes and can’t get off the field on a regular basis. It will be a case of the offense having little margin for error against good teams and the defense while not be able to stop people they to have to find a way to get turnovers. This is a team that hasn’t won a play-off game in a while even after some stellar regular seasons and part of that reason is their defense is not at the same level as they were in their hey day. They will be entertaining as always but their long term prognosis may be similar to the previous few years. The Jets are having problems at QB and with their identity, their defense is still very good but until they get some rhythm on offense they are not going back to a conference championship never mind the Super Bowl.
The Bills are a great story but their defense is simply not good enough to let them compete week in and week out well enough to get a play-off berth in my opinion. The Patriots gave them a great gift but the Bengals outplaying them is a better indication of what they really are. Miami is Done end of story waiting for a new coach at some point and a new direction.
The South is Houston’s to lose and we can expect them to gain that elusive play-off berth. The king’s of 8-8 are past due at this point in their quest to make the play-offs and I fully expect them to easily get in as no one is a real challenger , even though Tennessee is playing a bit better than they were expected to. I have a feeling they come back to earth a bit this week at Pittsburgh who is desperate.
Speaking of Pittsburgh they are in transition, too many may be getting old at the same time but I saw improvement in some areas on Sunday in their loss at Houston where snap for snap played with the Texans pretty well, this is a franchise that figures out a way to maximize what they have and play through adversity. I expect continued improvement but may struggle to make the play-offs. Cincinnati and Cleveland personify mediocrity at it’s best. The Ravens have an improving Joe Flacco and a proud defense and have to be the favorite to win the division with the Steelers following a bit closer as the season goes on.
San Diego as usual has the best team out west but often play to competition aren’t as always focused like they should be and until they stop losing games to inferior competition aren’t to be taken seriously as Super Bowl contenders even with their talent level. Oakland is improving no question about it but they have some holes on defense and of course as long as Al Davis is in charge the Raiders are to be expected to not fulfill their potential. Denver is a mess and even Tim Tebow’s jersey sales are down. Ditto KC who has played with pride lately after being a glorified amateur beer league level team the first two weeks.
Washington is a surprise but more a case of a favorable schedule , Rex Grossman is likely to flat line at some point and start turning it over at a decent rate in division play, Dallas is talented but banged up and has an uncanny ability to blow leads as Tony Romo continues to display great talent and playmaking ability but also a propensity to make crucial mistakes at the wrong time. The Giants are a tough minded team that has achieved more than expected so far , the long term prognosis looks to me that they will miss the play-offs after Philadelphia gets their act together which has been a surprise but not a shock really as they are a bit thin at linebacker and on defense in general at this point due to some injuries in the front seven , something that a dynamic offense led by Mike Vick can only cover up so well, although I feel they will get it together at some point.
Tampa led by Josh Freeman at QB and a punishing run game led by 250 pound Lagarrett Blount has consistently found ways to pull out games in a variety of ways. The overall talent is about average to me may be slightly above that but they have a knack of making big plays and getting their opponents to make mistakes at key times. New Orleans is a talented team that should win the division but TB will have a say of course. Atlanta is a bust at this point , no question about it their great need to upgrade a strength by giving up a lot to get Julio Jones in the draft is looking like a stretch. I was skeptical of it at first , thought may be it will work but now early indications show the Falcons still lacking on defense and not always efficient on offense. At this point they have taken a step backwards no question and they may fail this year unless a few things change and I don’t have a lot of confidence in that. They have changed their identity on offense and Michael Turner and Roddy White aren’t playing the same roles this year, the defense is still not great and I don’t see them doing much this year, but it’s early of course, but things don’t look that great now. Carolina has a better than advertised Cam Newton and not a lot else, as they say in horse racing NO FACTOR.
Green Bay is the class of the league, PERIOD!, they have the best combination of offense defense , quarterback and coaching as any team in the league. And oh yeah DEPTH with a capital D. fully expect a one seed and a great chance at not only getting to the Super Bowl but winning it. Detroit is a great story but under closer examination is may be a year away despite the 4-0 start. Young talent , solid QB play may be the most outrageously talented Receiver in the game in Calvin Johnson and a monster defensive front and a bright coach are all great things but over 16 games I feel they eventually hit a rough patch and Stafford hasn’t been able to stay healthy for a full year and the one chink in the armor may be a suspect O-line which is exactly what this team may not be able to overcome eventually. Chicago is slightly above average to me, certainly not a major threat and I expect them to get nowhere near last year’s end point in the conference championship. Minnesota is a joke right now Donovan McNabb is about done now collecting a retirement check in Minny and the team is going nowhere fast.
The NFC Worst I mean West is looking like the WORST division in football again and San Fran is the class of this dreg of NFL society. SF is solid on defense and is better than the others marginally of curse but Seattle is lacking , Arizona is average on a good day and St Louis is always a team many like to say is going to be really improved , although the song always remains the same with them and it’s definitely a blues version of some old tune. Some has to make the play-offs and it looks like it’s San Francisco.