With the first half of the NFL season wrapped up, there a couple of storylines that have dominated the headlines and the attention of football fans alike.
First off, let me get to the Philadelphia Eagles. The so-called “Dream Team” has been anything but with a record of 3-4 to open the season. What has really let the Eagles down thus far is their defense. They have a group of young linebackers whose lack of experience has hurt the defense, especially against the run. While the Eagles may not have gotten off to the start they envisioned, they still have an abundance of talent that may lead them to the playoffs. With playmakers like Michael Vick, LaSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, and Nnamdi Asomugha there is no way this team can be counted out just yet.
Perhaps the biggest shock of the season thus far has been the emergence of the San Francisco 49ers. After going 6-10 last year, the team has the second best record in the league this year at 6-1. What’s the difference you may ask? It’s none other than first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh. After having unprecedented success as head coach of the Stanford Cardinal, his move to the NFL has not been smoother. With pretty much the same group of players from last year, Harbaugh has managed to turn the 49ers into a playoff contender. It is apparent that this guy was born to coach and has the rare ability of knowing how to get the most out of his players.
Then there’s the lowly Indianapolis Colts who stand at 0-8. I knew quarterback Peyton Manning was important to this team, I just had no idea how valuable he was. With Curtis Painter running the show, the Colts are 27th in the league in passing, whereas they have been consistently in the top 5 the last ten years with Peyton Manning. The defense hasn’t been helping either. They are ranked 27th in total defense, with pro bowlers Reggie Mathis and Dwight Freeney having virtually no impact. Just go ask the New Orleans Saints who piled on 62 points on the Colts defense last week.
The Buffalo Bills is another team that has raised some eyebrows thus far. They lead their division at 5-2, already having beaten teams like the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles. Ryan Fitzpatrick has proven himself to be one of the more consistent quarterbacks in the league with a 97.9 passer rating and a 68% completion rate. Fred Jackson has also established himself as a top 3 running back, behind only Adrian Peterson and Matt Forte. He is on pace to rush for 1,648 yards and accumulate 14 touchdowns.
Playing quarterback in the NFL is generally seen as the most demanding position in sports because of the preparation time and scrutiny that comes with the position. Rookies aren’t supposed to have success, just don’t tell that to Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers and Andy Dalton of the Cincinnati Bengals. These rookie quarterbacks have shown that they have earned the right to start for their team through their consistent play and keen decision making. While Carolina may only be 2-6, Newton is one of the lone bright spots. He is second in the league in passing behind Drew Brees and is on pace to pass for more than 4,700 yards for the season, which would be a rookie record. On the contrary, Dalton may not have the gaudy stats of Newton, but his Bengals team sits comfortably at 5-2. He and fellow rookie A.J. Green have got fans in Cincinnati excited and have reason for optimism.
It's like the whole league's gone crazy. I mean, the fact that the Colts have NO victories without Peyton is just OBSCENE. It really shows you how important he was to the team and just what an amazing quarterback can do with so-so players. Not only that, but I can't remember the last time I heard the Bills used in a sentence alongside the words "good," "promising," and "playoffs." It'll be a great post-season though, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteYeah the whole NFL season is all turned around I really thought the Eagles would do some big things this year, but they just flopped. I'm a huge Vick fan and I wanted him to do really well this year. Oh well, maybe next year.
ReplyDelete