2008 NFL Midseason Report: AFC
At the midpoint of the season, we’re left with one undefeated team and one defeated team. It’s obvious that the playoff push is wide open for the six spots for each conference. Is push what I’m really looking for? It’s not a race, and it’s not a chase, but this is a blog so I can say things like the playoff push.
Without further adieu here is my take on the NFL season to this point, and predictions for the rest of the year. (NFC report coming in my next post)
AFC EAST
New York Jets (5-3)
Meet the Jets, come on in and greet the Jets, Brett Favre, such a gunslinger, he threw six touchdowns in one game, I think that in itself should get the Jets a playoff spot. Oh wait, this is a team that lost to the Raiders, was handed a win in Kansas City. I believe the changes on the offensive line have been the main reason for the quick turnaround. This is a team with many weapons and a hot Favre could easily get them to 10-6. Can the defense hold up and which Favre are you getting the one with the six touchdown game, or the one that has nine in his other seven starts?
Prediction: (9-7) I see more of the latter in the previous question, that coupled with a less than dominant defense spells mediocrity, however eight wins is double what they had last year.
New England Patriots (5-3)
Despite their three point loss Sunday Night, the Pats are still quietly tied for the division lead. The patchwork offense has rallied around green quarterback Matt Cassel, who is both efficient and unimpressive, much like green products. This team is flying under the radar with notable contributions from household names such as Benjarvus Green-Ellis and Bristol Myers-Squibb. Bill Belichick may be doing one of his best coaching jobs to date.
Prediction: (10-6) the second half schedule is a bit tougher, a playoff birth is not impossible, making any noise is improbable.
Buffalo Bills (5-3)
All this talk about circling the wagons over the years apparently leads to jumping on the Bills bandwagon. I for one will have nothing to do with it. Marshawn Lynch is averaging a pedestrian 3.5 yards per carry and no Bill has more than 2 sacks. One thing to like is the Bills remaining schedule is very favorable, but I feel that the Bills do not do anything particularly well and are not a lot different than the Patriots. Can Trent Edwards step up to the level of playoff quarterback?
Prediction: (9-7) Buffalo reminds me of this years Cleveland Browns, they could reach 10 wins, but could also miss the playoffs at 10-6. I think they will drop a game against a lesser opponent. Hello Toronto!
Miami Dolphins (4-4)
What a pleasant surprise the Phish have been. Greg Camarillo’s touchdown last year kept Miami from 0-16, enter Bill Parcells, Chad Pennington and mix-in some offensive formations named after animals and you have a frisky team. Did you know Joey Porter has 11.5 sacks? No you didn’t, I had to fact check that with Mark Gastineau. The Dolphins are an interesting squad who have enough capable players and seem to be playing with purpose. Every part of me wants to believe they can have a winning season, but I also don’t believe one of my favorite game managers Chad Pennington can stay healthy for 16 games.
Prediction: (8-8) I think anyone 7 months ago would have been ecstatic to see Miami win six games let alone eight. A favorable schedule could lead to sniffing the playoffs, but I see the boys from Florida cooling off as the temperature drops.
AFC SOUTH:
Tennessee Titans (8-0)
What else can you say except they are doing the boring things that every coach wants: Control the line of scrimmage run the ball, stop the run, excellent special teams. Arguably the best coach in the game, Jeff Fischer, has this team eying the Super Bowl. Somehow, Albert Haynesworth is playing at full effort and LenDale White is doing his best “Thunder” impression since he was sharing the carries with Reggie Bush.
Prediction: (14-2)
The defense is amazing; they run the ball for four and a half yards a carry and don’t turn the ball over. Does it matter that the leader in touch down receptions is projected at two? The Titans play their game and few teams will be able to score enough points to make Kerry Collins beat them, which is a good thing for Titans fans. Collins has had playoff success before, I’m not sure whether he can bring the Lombardi Trophy to Tennessee, but I do see a dominant regular season run.
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-5)
A trendy Super Bowl pick has fallen from grace. How important is a healthy offensive line? Ask the Jaguars, injuries across the o-line has killed the once vaunted running game and put too much pressure on lets say it again “game-manager” David Garrard. What is more difficult to explain is the less than impressive play from the defense which seems ordinary at best.
Prediction: (7-9)
The Jaguars were expected to do what the Titans are doing…great defense and a ball-control offense with enough juice to win close games. However, that has not happened, the two first round pass rushers have provided very little and injuries have relegated this team to being lucky if they make it to .500
Indianapolis Colts (4-4)
The Colts have been beat up have won several games they appeared to have no business winning. Two schools of thought exist: 1) The Colts are a team that will continue to find ways to win or (2) The Colts can’t keep winning close games and will fade fast. At times Indy has looked old, but they still have Manning, Addai and Wayne on offense, Bob Sanders and Dwight Freeney on defense.
Prediction: (10-6)
The Colts have weathered a storm of difficulties and have their heads barely above water at 4-4. Peyton has not played his best, I’d be hard pressed to bet against him in the second half. The Titans are the class of the South, but the Colts have won too many games over the years to be counted off in a playoff setting if they can make it in.
Houston Texans (3-5)
A three game win streak breathed hope into a dire situation, a year after the Texans reached 8-8. The Texans can’t seem to catch a break, they have the potential to be a dominant offense with Steve Slaton, Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels. However, the key is the quarterback play, Matt Schaub’s health is as risky as a speculative stock in October. He cannot stay on the field and although Sage Rosenfels is serviceable, he is not going to lead them to playing in January anytime soon.
Prediction: (6-10)
Boy, do the Texans wish they were in the AFC West! The talent level is getting there, with a season’s worth of health at quarterback maybe the Texans will break through. Unfortunately, this is not that season.
AFC WEST:
Kansas City Chiefs (1-7)
I for one, have been awed by the Chiefs ability to be as competitive as they have been, they could easily have three wins at the least. When you consider that they have lost their top two quarterbacks and franchise running back, one win seems about right, but this team has been spunky. The audition for next year’s team begins and the focal points of this story will be Tyler Thigpen and Jamaal Charles, who else is excited?
Prediction: (3-13)
The Chiefs seem to be getting the most out of what they have, and they don’t have much. They are a fun team to watch and you can’t help but admire their ability to stay competitive while starting a third string quarterback from Coastal Carolina and a third string running back albeit a second round pick. The Chiefs could will most likely beat the Raiders and win at least one game they shouldn’t, they are still a long way away, but a shrewd off-season could lead them to being 2009’s Miami Dolphins…and in the AFC’s weakest division, that could be something special.
San Diego Chargers (3-5)
My original AFC Super Bowl pick has a losing record. What do they have you might ask. Well, they have the best running back of the last generation (he looks healthy even under that visor) the best tight end in the game and the AFC’s best performing quarterback to this point. In a division where nobody seems to want to lay claim, nine wins could be plenty. The good news is that the schedule has AFC West Teams!!! The bad news, San Diego was rumored to have given up 44 points during their bye week in a scrimmage with Texas Tech, oh and they are coached by Norv Turner.
Prediction: (9-7)
I would love to say this team could win ten games, but the defense will cost them at least one more game, however, this is a team that lost two heart-breakers to start the season, they have not caught a break. They probably will not catch all the breaks, but with their offense, six wins in the second half can be achieved. If they make the playoffs, they could be dangerous.
Oakland Raiders (2-6)
As a Raiders fan, I could turn this into a rant of epic proportion, but I will save that for another day. They have downgraded at coach, tanked in free-agency and well they have operated like the Raiders again. The organization has now seized claim to the most dysfunctional in the league now that Matt Millen has been kicked out of Detroit. The fact that the Raiders have two wins is amazing considering they had three first downs last week.
Prediction: (3-13)
Anyone who watched the Atlanta game would he hard pressed to think the Raiders could win another game this year. Well, someone will not show up and something good will happen. Other than that, it will be another rough half season where either McFadden or Russell will be shut down for the last few games. Shane Lechler is the best punter of all-time, and he is getting plenty of work.
Denver Broncos (4-4)
Three games into the season, the Broncos looked like an offensive juggernaut and a Super Bowl contender. Oh how things have changed! The Broncos have yet to top twenty points in the last five games, and injuries are mounting. The good news is that they lead the awful AFC West, that fact alone could get them into the playoffs if things fall right for them. However, they were gifted a victory against San Diego, don’t count on that happening again.
Prediction: (8-8)
Looks like the Broncos are going to be throwing the rest of the way, do they have a chance to win the division? Definitely. However, the defense looks as bad as the offense has looked good at the beginning of the season. It’s tough to win shootouts for an entire season.
AFC NORTH:
Cleveland Browns (3-5)
The quarterback controversy in Cleveland has been all the rage, however nobody seems to give G.M. Phil Savage enough credit for getting a solid defense on the field. The inconsistencies on offense have hurt the team, however this team is better than it is given credit for. They are the only team to have beaten the Super Bowl Champion Giants. With Brady Quinn getting the keys to the offense, things will get interesting one way or the other.
Prediction: (6-10)
The jury is out on Brady Quinn, his eight game audition, if in fact it ends up being that long, could end up being one of the bigger story lines of the second half if it is a successful experiment. Expect a mixed bag, a reverse of last year’s 10-6 season that fell short of the playoffs.
Baltimore Ravens (5-3)
I would argue that the Ravens have had the most impressive season all things considered. With a rookie quarterback, no stars at the skill positions and a rookie head coach, the Ravens have only three losses. Deeper analysis shows us that two of the losses came at the hands of arguably the AFC’s two best teams: Tennessee and Pittsburgh each by three points.
Prediction: (9-7)
I’ll eat crow, or rather Raven if Baltimore makes the playoffs this year. The Ravens are Tennessee Light, the offense has young talent and the defense is a veteran one, it will be interesting to see if this team will become a better offense than defense in the next couple seasons. A tough second half schedule will unmask the shortcomings at quarterback, but who knows….maybe I’ll be crying never-more come playoff season.
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
The recent injury to Ben Roethlisberger could lead to problems down the road, the inability to protect him could be the undoing of what looks like a championship caliber team. The Steelers have enough elite veteran talent to compete with anyone. Can the offensive line pick up its play and can the team stay healthy?
Prediction: (11-5)
This is a team only a couple years removed from a Super Bowl title, if Byron Leftwich must step in for a prolonged period of time, he should be able to win with the talent around him, it was only three years ago that many believed he would take the next step toward a top tier quarterback. The bottom line is that in a conference where hardly any team has more strengths than question marks, the Steelers along with the Colts possess the best combination of proven talent and experience.
Cincinnati Bengals (1-8)
Maybe Chad Johnson was right about that finishing 8-8 prediction. Wait, these are the bungles, Carson Palmer doesn’t look like he’ll be back. It feels like a decade ago that the Bengals were 12-4 and a team on the rise. There just is not enough talent, discipline is lacking and the fact Marvin Lewis still has a job tells you everything you need to know, this team is pretty much resigned to being a league doormat, why change the coach?
Prediction: (3-13)
The Bengals won’t lose this week, they are on a bye. That seems to be one of the only weeks this season they won’t have an L attached to the outcome. I’d say the over/under on wins this year is at 2.5. I’ll be optimistic and go with three. From the Bengal Comedy Files who else loved the Cedric Benson signing, couple that with bringing Chris Henry back….I think we all know that Michael Vick’s next stop is down to Dallas, Oakland and the Bengals being the front-runner.
Playoffs:
AFC West: San Diego (9-7) AFC East: Patriots (10-6) AFC North: Pittsburgh (11-5)
AFC South: Tennessee (14-2) Wild Cards: Jets (9-7) Colts (10-6)
Wild Card Round: San Diego defeats New York & Indianapolis defeats New England
Divisional Round: Tennessee defeats Indianapolis & San Diego defeats Pittsburgh
AFC Championship: Tennessee defeats San Diego
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment