ponyplayerdotca
12-11-2006, 12:46 PM
Monday nighter still to come: CHI. at St.L.
AFC
S.D. - Facets of all three teams (Off., Def., Spec.) are rolling. Should be #1 seed.
IND. - Slipping and slipping fast. To me, in all honesty, they look like they quit after that KO return TD to start the 2nd half. May not even get a bye week now. Too many questions without answers. Over 300 yards rushing forfeited too. Yikes!
BALT. - When they're good, they're solid. But they can also look very ordinary when that meagre offense fails to show up. Could take #2 away from Colts down the stretch.
N.E. - Shutout? Almost lost to DET. in Foxboro? Without Rodney Harrison on defense, they seem less than adequate. And their offense has been making bundles of errors the last month. Division title seems like a hollow crown. They won't win a playoff game playing like that. Both Cincy and Jacksonville are more capable right now.
CIN. - Not assured of a wildcard spot, but playing the hottest football outside of San Diego right now. Odd how it was the loss vs. the Chargers that started their win streak. Obvious first round upsetter if they get in.
JACK. - Of the remaining teams still in contention, the Jags have a great team chemistry and are well coached. Not sure they will get in, but if they do, could upset any one of the division winners on wild card weekend (despite their weaker play on the road most games). How huge are those 2 losses to Houston now though? Could have won the division otherwise.
Others who looked bad but are still alive: NYJ., K.C., DEN. - everyone else needs a lot of help.
NFC
CHI. - Play tonight (should win?). If so, a 2-game lead with 3 games left should see them hold on to the #1 seed. Gotta get that QB position figured out over these next 4 games though. Rest of team is solid.
N.O. - Last night, the Saints demonstrated an overall dominance that I have seen this season. They certainly brought the Cowboys back down to earth by throttling them in front of their Dallas fans and a national TV audience. That onside kick was a nice touch too. Weapons galore, and they resembled the Chargers alot during that game too. Wow.
SEA. - Seahawks sure do look ordinary on the road, don't they? And with both QB and RB in the lineup, that excuse of why they haven't been as good is gone. Their D is awful some games, and yesterday was one of them. They won't have home field throughout this time around. Get them away from Qwest and put them to the test. Still a viable threat to any team in the post season though.
DAL. - Thud! The Tony Romo love-in can take a short breather now I hope. Not that the loss was much in the way of "his fault". The Cowboys looked more like the team that lost to the Giants on that Monday nighter than the streaking "best team in the NFC" I've heard for a month now. Now, they're in a dogfight for the division itself again, only one game up on NYG. and PHIL. After that showing last night, they don't scare anyone anymore. Good team, but overrated.
NYG. - Good win over another overrated pretender in Carolina. But they still aren't out of the woods yet. They have the inside track to a wildcard at the moment, but this week's game vs. Philly puts that up for grabs too. Lots can still happen in the wildcard zone.
PHIL. - Almost coughed up a 15-pt. lead in WASH. yesterday, but managed to hold on for win. Showdown vs. the G-men next week is their season, it would seem. Garcia stable and team rallying around him.
ATL. - So-so win over a bad Bucs team who've given up. Hosting the Cowboys this Saturday night. They have to be encouraged after seeing what the Saints did to Big D last night. No room for error with the Eagles/Giants ahead of them on tiebreakers.
These teams still have a chance, but aren't really contenders: MIN., CAR. - everyone else is in trouble.
(update CHI. and St.L. tomorrow)
AFC
S.D. - Facets of all three teams (Off., Def., Spec.) are rolling. Should be #1 seed.
IND. - Slipping and slipping fast. To me, in all honesty, they look like they quit after that KO return TD to start the 2nd half. May not even get a bye week now. Too many questions without answers. Over 300 yards rushing forfeited too. Yikes!
BALT. - When they're good, they're solid. But they can also look very ordinary when that meagre offense fails to show up. Could take #2 away from Colts down the stretch.
N.E. - Shutout? Almost lost to DET. in Foxboro? Without Rodney Harrison on defense, they seem less than adequate. And their offense has been making bundles of errors the last month. Division title seems like a hollow crown. They won't win a playoff game playing like that. Both Cincy and Jacksonville are more capable right now.
CIN. - Not assured of a wildcard spot, but playing the hottest football outside of San Diego right now. Odd how it was the loss vs. the Chargers that started their win streak. Obvious first round upsetter if they get in.
JACK. - Of the remaining teams still in contention, the Jags have a great team chemistry and are well coached. Not sure they will get in, but if they do, could upset any one of the division winners on wild card weekend (despite their weaker play on the road most games). How huge are those 2 losses to Houston now though? Could have won the division otherwise.
Others who looked bad but are still alive: NYJ., K.C., DEN. - everyone else needs a lot of help.
NFC
CHI. - Play tonight (should win?). If so, a 2-game lead with 3 games left should see them hold on to the #1 seed. Gotta get that QB position figured out over these next 4 games though. Rest of team is solid.
N.O. - Last night, the Saints demonstrated an overall dominance that I have seen this season. They certainly brought the Cowboys back down to earth by throttling them in front of their Dallas fans and a national TV audience. That onside kick was a nice touch too. Weapons galore, and they resembled the Chargers alot during that game too. Wow.
SEA. - Seahawks sure do look ordinary on the road, don't they? And with both QB and RB in the lineup, that excuse of why they haven't been as good is gone. Their D is awful some games, and yesterday was one of them. They won't have home field throughout this time around. Get them away from Qwest and put them to the test. Still a viable threat to any team in the post season though.
DAL. - Thud! The Tony Romo love-in can take a short breather now I hope. Not that the loss was much in the way of "his fault". The Cowboys looked more like the team that lost to the Giants on that Monday nighter than the streaking "best team in the NFC" I've heard for a month now. Now, they're in a dogfight for the division itself again, only one game up on NYG. and PHIL. After that showing last night, they don't scare anyone anymore. Good team, but overrated.
NYG. - Good win over another overrated pretender in Carolina. But they still aren't out of the woods yet. They have the inside track to a wildcard at the moment, but this week's game vs. Philly puts that up for grabs too. Lots can still happen in the wildcard zone.
PHIL. - Almost coughed up a 15-pt. lead in WASH. yesterday, but managed to hold on for win. Showdown vs. the G-men next week is their season, it would seem. Garcia stable and team rallying around him.
ATL. - So-so win over a bad Bucs team who've given up. Hosting the Cowboys this Saturday night. They have to be encouraged after seeing what the Saints did to Big D last night. No room for error with the Eagles/Giants ahead of them on tiebreakers.
These teams still have a chance, but aren't really contenders: MIN., CAR. - everyone else is in trouble.
(update CHI. and St.L. tomorrow)