.18 Colt: The Chronicles of Peyton Manning

You had to have seen this post coming from a long ways away. Don't lie, people.

He's going to play, he's not going to play. He's going to play, he's not going to play. He's going to be traded, he's staying. He's going to play, he's not going to play.

UGH. UGH TIMES ONE THOUSAND.

In a way, I feel like Super Bowl Sunday was not a completely shiny moment for Mr. Eli Manning. Being that they were in Indianapolis, and they were in a building with that moniker "The House that Peyton Built." Sure, he won and received Super Bowl MVP in the process, but once the celebrating was over (even before that, come to think about it), people were probably thinking this:

Heaven only knows he shared headlines with Eli the next morning on ESPN.

I will admit this: I really felt bad for Eli Manning throughout the past three weeks. The G-Men looked fantastic throughout the playoffs, and that was ultimately overshadowed by the fact that there were trading rumors surrounding his brother Peyton and everyone was wondering if this was a moment to retire or something. What? Who cares at this point? Eli's here, he's touting a pretty stellar-looking team and they could possibly win the Super Bowl. In Indy. You know, where a Manning hasn't played since the 2010-2011 season? Oh, priorities...

As I turn this cannon around from these current speculations, I'm going to point this at Peyton's career now. We're going to take a trip down memory lane and try to venture a guess as to what on this green earth is going to happen to him during the offseason. I won't lie, I'd rather hear about it now than hear it six months from now. That's the heart of the MLB season, for cripes' sake.

From his ridiculous records, to his work ethic, to his Super Bowl ring, to his neck injury, the possible occurrence of illegal stem-cell treatment, and to his career currently being thrown up in the air, we've heard a lot of hubbub about Mr. Peyton Manning since before the NFL said the word "lockout."

Anyway, it's about high time we explore this epic story that is The Chronicles of Peyton Manning...

It all started here:

LOOK AT THIS DOLL FACE.
Even then he hardly had any hair. Awwww.

Nah, I won't go back that far. I will admit though...he's a cute kid.

The year was 1998...human cloning was declared taboo, Google was born, the film Titanic was a big deal, the Belfast Agreement made its presence, and most of all...Peyton Manning made his debut in a Colts' uniform under head coach Bill Polian. Okay, he didn't make much of a showing that year, to say the least; the Colts' had an awesome 3-13 season, and the team underwent a lot of fine-tuning during the offseason.

For the next ten out of eleven seasons, the Colts would then become the biggest threat in the AFC South. Tony Dungy began his reign halfway through, and the Colts would never see a season with less than ten wins (the exception is 2001 when they were 6-10). Along with this, Peyton Manning would pretty much wipe up passing yards like nothing else, having seasons with at least 4,000 yards passing. In this time period, he would achieve four NFL MVP awards (the most among players), eleven Pro Bowl selections, and a Super Bowl ring in 2007 with an MVP award to boot. And the kicker is...he's only 35. GOOD. TIMES.

With all firearms, however, they all get a little rusty and worn when not cleaned regularly. Right after the Colts' organization placed their franchise tag on Manning--why they didn't do this after Super Bowl XLI is beyond me--Manning began to have complications from a neck surgery he underwent in May of 2011. He had injuries before in the past; in college he had to wear a knee brace, so how would this be any different? Well, it was, and he wound up missing the whole season for this. We all know how this ended, right? Colts go 2-14 and fire head coach Jim Caldwell in the process. Although Manning was throwing footballs back in December, he was not placed in the lineups since they were not in any playoff contention at that point.

A controversy that began to spring up around September 2011 was a story that he was spotted taking a private jet to Europe to get stem-cell treatment. I actually wrote a post about this around that time too. Is it relevant now? Probably not. Nobody's talked about it since. If anything, it might have been media filler because Manning wasn't on the field and he wasn't doing anything overly exciting. However, last month brought some of that dirty laundry that probably wasn't true either. There were speculations going around that the Colts' organization wanted to trade Peyton Manning to bolster the team after an extremely weak season. Where rumors lie, the media does a Mexican hat dance on it. Well, nobody's talked about this post-Super Bowl either, so the general consensus believes that this was a crock o' crapolla too.

The only thing we have left to figure out is this: what now?

I hope he comes back. Why is that, you ask? I want him to pretty much shatter more records and shut everyone up that's been talking about him entirely too much. I'm looking at you, ESPN. Seriously. When one is injured and going through rehabilitation, I would like some peace and quiet--not some boisterous lies that can make people's blood boil because they're so ridiculous. Besides, he's 35, and if memory serves me right, there have been quarterbacks that played until the age of 40. Am I right, Brett Favre?

Is isn't like he's declining in quality or anything. The only thing you could possibly hold against him is that the injury that has taken him out of this past season was a neck injury. I hate to put it this way, but many athletes do not come back from neck injury 100% the same as they were before. However, he's still at a half decent age where he can have time to heal and not have it completely ruin the rest of his life. Do I think he still has about five years left in him? No, more like two or three. However, he should still make a Stone Cold Steve Austin styled comeback and just stun everyone in his path. That would be cool.

But at this point, the Chronicles continue. The only question that must be answered is in Peyton's hands.

I'm getting excited just thinking about it. Not really. I have my own life to live. But anyway, let's not all breathe down his neck (no pun intended) while he ponders this decision.

--AZ

1,000 Ways to Sport a Final Destination

(RIP Sarah Burke)

As a lot of you may have heard (or have seen, for that matter), Canadian freestyle skier Sarah Burke died in a freak accident while training for the Winter X Games. During a practice run, she landed on her head and went into cardiac arrest after performing a trick. She later died from the injury nine days later. Because of these events, people are asking why these things are allowed in the first place; people wonder why it's necessary to take the measures like that and do crazy things in a sport.

Hello? It's a sport. Everything is crazy in a sport.

If you look on the Internet, you can find a handful of cases who died in freak accidents playing sports from football to baseball to lesser mainstream sports such as tennis. Just because these instances are rare doesn't mean they should shut down operations of the sporting art when someone dies.

WE ARE THE 99% ...

...that actually get injured because we actually try to do it right.

Seriously, it's a rehashing of the saying that "it's all fun and games until someone pokes an eye out." If you don't get hurt doing something, you're not feeling that risk of what can happen when you truly do it wrong. If people get seriously injured trying to do a stunt that they aren't 100% ready for, then they are going to get hurt and they're going to know not to act like a stupid idiot ever again. However, there are people out there that do extreme things for a living. They know that there's a possibility that injury may occur but they look past that because they've trained and they've measured the pros and cons of something. Did knowing that I could suffer anything from a broken wrist to a concussion stop me from playing soccer? NO! Even when we COOK DINNER we can get hurt. This has happened before, ladies and gentlemen. Freak accidents have happened! People have even made a[n unnecessarily long] horror movie franchise based on these kinds of things.

I guess what you could say is that where there are accidents, adjustments need to be made. Maybe the halfpipes need to be shorter in height, or maybe more padding needs to be involved. Maybe there has to be different measures that have to be taken if medical personnel cannot be present as soon as an accident occurs. These things might not be necessary in certain aspects, but then again...you can never be too safe. (ha ha ha)

These freak accidents can happen to anyone doing just about anything. It's like that show 1000 Ways to Die but more like 1000 Ways to Hurt Yourself and Ask "How Did I Do That?"
-------


Time for a personal FLASHBACK...

I was an eighth grade cheerleader (feel free to laugh here).
I'll admit it--I was a total boy when I was little. I watched all of the action shows and played all of the sports to boot. However, a few years later, I really wanted to try and "fit in." So there I was, an awkward 13-year old girl trying to become more "girly" in a big way. I was going to join my grade school's cheerleading squad. It was so out of left field that my soccer coach even laughed at me for it (not in a serious way, mind you). We did simple cheers, created a routine, and toward the end of the year, we started learning how to do pyramids and mounts. Since I wasn't exactly a teeny-bopper, I ultimately found myself holding up said teeny-boppers and then learning how to catch them once they fell.
This all changed not too long after.
While doing a routine mount with a group of girls--I was in charge of holding the left foot--I began the lift and felt something pinch really awkwardly in my lower back. I managed to hold her up, but once she was put down, oh dear God, I was hurting. I eventually left the group a few weeks after. As for the pain, that subsided after a few weeks. However, because I played other sports, I would aggravate it in strange ways soon after. It went to a point where I was suffering from back spasms and needed my back to be readjusted. The last time I had a major problem was during a soccer practice; I was sprinting downfield and shifted my hips to face the person I was going after. My lower back flared up so badly that I wasn't able to stand for long periods of time. After having my back readjusted again I was placed on a steroid pack. By that point I left my soccer team and started being dormant in sports. I'd like to think my pain is over after doing yoga for two years and how to lift the right way (thanks, Dad).
----------

Whether it's alpine, swimming, soccer, cheerleading, and just about any other sport that isn't chess, you're putting yourself in danger. You're looking fear and injury in the eye for a good amount of it, and if you're not prepared mentally and physically, it's going to happen. I'm not saying that cases like Sarah Burke were expected due to mental or physical lapse, but the environment needs to be prepared for freak injuries or accidents.

If you don't wanna get hurt, then don't get involved. It's as easy as that. If there are extreme athletes out there that do what they do and get up after being injured, more power to them. These are the kinds of people that love what they do--okay, there might be a scratch or bruise or two, but it's all worth it in the end. This whole thing about staring fear in the face makes me think of The Gambler. Go on, listen to the song. It's a toe-tapper.

Let 'em prepare, and let 'em play. It's the time to play. Ask questions later, O.K.?

--AZ

Jumping Jacks (Or Apple Jacks...They're Yummy)

"Firstly, I'd like to thank the city of Cleveland for being so welcoming--I've always wanted to be a part of the Indians organization..."

(two years later)

"In my heart I always wanted to play for the New York Yankees..."

(six months later)

"The Oakland A's has a great organization and I'm glad to be a part of that..."

(one year later)

"Ever since I was a little boy, I always wanted to play for the Baltimore Orioles..."

Wait. What.

In my head, I always felt really bad for those guys who would be on the chopping block of a team (regardless of league) every two months or so because they just didn't have the ability to fit anywhere or they were just kind of "in the way" of some midseason trade and had to be let go. There have been so many athletes that have been on more than five teams in a career of ten or eleven years. You kind of wonder whether they kept moving their families with them or just gave up on that concept and said: "Hey guys, I'll be back and forth for about six months--hope you don't mind."

Well, this post is dedicated to the men I like to call Jumping Jacks...this is not to be confused with "Jumpin' Joe" from the film The Babe.

Think of the Jumping Jacks this way: because they're jumping to so many teams, people might not think it's because they're horrible at what they do (that's what being designated for assignment or getting released is for, kids), but it's because they have a sour reputation. Well...there are some instances where both are actually true.

"I present to you...Exhibit A."

Exhibit A: Milton Bradley

Oh yes, the dear Parker Brothers--wait. I knew I was going to get that name wrong again. Currently a free agent, he has played for eight teams since the year two-thousaaaaaaaand. No really, he has. It's not like he was a terrible player the whole time. Click here and see that he was not an abysmal player in the least bit. Unfortunately, this guy had massive bats in his belfry and sought for treatment in the most awkward times possible. For example, when he played for the Cubs, he stated that there was negativity in the organization and said something along the lines of, "no wonder these guys haven't won anything in 100 years." Then he'd apologize for saying something that a ten-year old would say. How sweet.

Here's a nice exception to this rule:

"I present to you...Exhibit B."

Exhibit B: Matt Stairs

Fourteen teams (one of which is in Japan), and the most pinch-hit home runs in Major League history. Awww, sounds like a happy ending, doesn't it? He may have jumped around to more than ten teams in a nearly 20-year career, but those years were productive years. The video above should just be enough proof of that.

If this sounds too journalistically cliched, I'm sorry, but he's sort of like an Apple Jack--he's too sugary to have all of the time but when the time is right, breakfast is just completely awesome with him. Plus, in his role, that's something that is only beneficial every couple of years. Guys like pinch hitters or particular linemen or fourth-line hockey players aren't usually your "franchise guys." They pretty much jump around like it's their job.

These "Jumping Jacks" are all a pawn in the realm of sports. They're like those cards you find in a booster pack that beef up your spellcaster and save them from impending doom--that is, until another good card that fits more efficiently comes your way. You know how people say they were "called" to do certain things in life? Well, these guys might not realize it, but they've answered their call to not be steady men. Oh no, I've spilled the beans.

Here's something you might not think of: it's almost a life lesson that people are going to come and go in your life, and some of them are going to make a lot of awesome memories with you, but you can't hold onto these people forever because they have to make a living on a different path.
[I can't end my post like that...that's so Disney that it makes me want to hurl up the Apple Jacks I actually ate for breakfast this morning...]

Anyway, it's not the most interesting path one can take, but sometimes they're that unknown spice in the spice rack that can really rock your dinner table. Okay, this is getting really bad. I'm ending it here.

JUMPING JACKS ARE GOOD.

--AZ

The NFL Postseason Slant for 2011-2012 - Featuring Newbies and Some Old Guys.

And just like that, another football season is over. Just when we thought we wouldn't have football this season (we just didn't have a preseason, per se), we had a jam-packed adventure over the past 20 weeks. We saw new teams rise to the occasion, teams that experienced greatness in the past and have finally returned, and some teams that we pretty much expect to be here every year because they just won't go away.

Here is my Slant for the 2012 NFL Playoffs.

(Just note here...I almost typed 2011)

Contender ready? Gladiator ready?

VEEEEEP

AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

AFC East: New England Patriots (13-3) - No shock here. Tom Brady had a fantastic season and with receivers like Wes Welker in tow, they've only had a few slip-ups on their way to the playoffs. Hopefully there won't be any upsets involving them will occur a la their game against the Jets last year. Thankfully, the choking Jets aren't even involved this year. Coast is clear for these boys. On the other hand, my main concern is the defense. Work on that, and they can work on their championship parade.
AFC North: Baltimore Ravens (12-4) - Oh my, 8-0 at home. It can't get any better than that when it comes to a team with a ferocious defense. I'm not a big fan of Joe Flacco, but he definitely brings it when it's absolutely necessary. The home field advantage is going to be a huge tool for these guys in the playoffs, and that defense...I can't stop talking about them. None of that The Blind Side stuff, of course.
AFC South: Houston Texans (10-6) - Welcome to the show, boys. Every time I think of one of the Texas teams in the playoffs, I think of Hank Hill saying, "An all-Texas Super Bowl...His Will be done." Although that's not the case, it's been an exciting season for these guys. Their defense has been downright nasty, and Arian Foster has been an absolute freight train along with Matt Schaub in the QB pocket. I don't expect the playoff jitters on this squad, but they might have problems if their minds aren't ready for the playoff atmosphere.
AFC West: Denver Broncos (8-8) - Oh, it looks like I was wrong. It seems that Tebow did something to the team that they just happen to win a lot during the fourth quarter. I never said it was a bad thing, it just happens too much. They need to play all four quarters if they actually want to make it past the Wild Card round this postseason.

AFC Wild Card Teams:
Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) - Ben's offensive line is going to be the deciding factor in the coming days. After his high ankle sprain, the line has not been able to give him coverage; then again, they haven't been good with that all year. They've been here before, so there are no jitters here, but the stakes are high, and I don't know if they're up to the occasion.
Cincinnati Bengals (9-7) - Wow, look at the AFC North-dominated Conference play here. Andy Dalton has been a godsend for this team. While there isn't anything outstanding about the team as a whole, there are several spark plugs throughout the team that can really make things happen. However, I don't really see them coming out of the first round alive.

NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

NFC East: New York Giants (9-7) - Although they haven't had the strongest of showings as in years past, their defensive line has found their orient in Jason Pierre-Paul among others in the G-Men's line. They should have nice bursts of fun stuff, but they don't look like Super Bowl contenders...yet.
NFC North: Green Bay Packers (15-1) - THIS is what a returning Super Bowl Champion team should look like. Aaron Rodgers is having the best season of his career (then again, how long has he really played? Thanks Favre) and the defense is coming into their own. It would not surprise me if they return to the big dance again. What else can I say? Their play should reflect everything.
NFC South: New Orleans Saints (13-3) - After a season for the ages for Drew Brees, it's been mostly an all-offensive blast from these guys. The defense will have their bursts as well, but when they nap, it's heavy pressure on Brees and company to make sure the passing game is effective. You might see something spectacular unless if they do a Seahawks-sized choke like last year. Trust me.
NFC West: San Francisco 49ers (13-3) - Oh look at this. After the numerous issues the team has had in years past, you'd never think you'd see these guys here anytime soon. In my honest opinion, this is the defense to beat--they've had the best defensive showing among NFC teams this season.

NFC Wild Card Teams:
Detroit Lions (10-6) - Here's another team that has had quite the turnaround this season. Matt Stafford was just what the Lions doctors ordered, as he's delivered a massive offensive sigh of relief for the team. The defense has also been a force to be reckoned with and could be a massive sacking squad if the opposing offensive line looks like a sponge.
Atlanta Falcons (10-6) - This is another team that has flourished on the offensive end as Matt Ryan is being the believable quarterback that he is. These guys have the capability to absolutely shock you when you don't expect it. I don't exactly expect them to make it all that far, but watching them shouldn't be taken lightly.

What a year. These next six weeks should be incredibly exciting. I'm not counting the Pro Bowl...that means absolutely nothing, am I right or am I right?

For playoff predictions, visit sportsnutblogs.tumblr.com during the week!

--AZ

So SUH Me

Forgive me for not sparing you of the stupid puns.

Okay, so a lot of you are already aware that Lions defenseman Ndamukong Suh is serving a two-game suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct during the Thanksgiving game against Green Bay. To people who only watch highlights of the previous matters that he's been involved in, people might think that it was the right decision to suspend Suh. To the "old school" people who have been around in the business for several years (or decades, rather) and have watched the game just as long probably thought that this was an inappropriate resolution.


Oh wait, it gets better--the NFL also wants Suh to take anger management classes. Oh. My. Oreos. I can list about five or six girls that I played ball against that need these classes a heck of a lot more than him. It's quite ridiculous if you ask me.

I'm pretty sure anger management classes can only do so much, and they can only deal with certain issues. There really isn't any way to calm certain kinds of sports-related aggression. Sports like football need that kind of aggression to have the player play at their best and to get the job done as efficiently as possible. However, that kind of aggression can get in the way when it comes to possibly injuring someone to the point where it was completely unnecessary. Those people you can't really cure of anything because they just have a mental problem somewhere down the line.

It is time for a sports psychology lesson (as learned last night):
Yaaaay, aggression in sports. Aggression can be: "an occurence of a result of a complex process mediated by one's thoughts, feelings, and emotions and resulting from the interaction of numerous personal and situational factors" (Weinberg, Gould 2010).



Isn't football all about this kind of aggression to begin with?
My father (bless his soul) would have spat on this suspension and then would have brought up all of the tough guys that pretty much tackled quarterbacks and all of the other little guys to the eighth circle of Hell. Did you ever think of that? Have you ever thought that guys have taken way more rougher beatings back in the day than they do now? Believe me, money helps this cause. Guys would be missing teeth and play with sprains and just about anything else that would be physically possible to play with. Several of these guys are still alive too. Some of them might be a little messed up in the head now, but that doesn't mean that they needed to be suspended for those hits. That's what football was all about back then. Back then, the guys really didn't play for the money; the athletes played for pride and for the love of the sport. Today, you can't be so sure. In all honesty, the money helps their cause to play at their best and avoid injury as best as possible. Sometimes, I can almost count on my mom going, "what's with this 'fair catch' crap??"


There's one case that goes in my way for this argument. One of the bigger cases who had a huge impact on the game and caused a lot of controversy is former NFL linebacker Lawrence Taylor. I know, one of the first things you think of is when he broke Joe Theismann's leg and ended his career (here's the break...it's nasty) but he was also famous for changing the way the game was played on defense. His style was said to be shades of the old days when guys would aim straight to exposed ribs and stuff like that. On the other hand, he was infamous for many issues he had off the field; he was known to have had a cocaine addcition and had numerous bouts of drinking. However, these missteps didn't keep him from being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Let's admit this now, some of the biggest scary guys can actually become incredibly successful in life--how about that? Sure, his registration of being a low level 1 sex offender now hurts this example a little bit, but he's publicly admitted that he lived a reckless life at times.
 
I just don't understand why people have to be suspended or fined everytime there's a rough hit or some form of unsportsmanlike conduct. I know that kids are watching and you want to set a good example, but there are also times when you have to be competitive and show a little aggression in your play. I don't care if Ndamukong Suh had a bit of a track record when it came to incidents like the one on Thanksgiving Day--there wasn't a serious injury that came from this problem. I only think that drastic measures should have been taken if Suh had continued that conduct throughout the rest of the game, but no, he was kicked out of the game during the third quarter because of the incident.
I could only imagine what would have truly become of The Fridge if they were giving him this kind of trouble...
 
--AZ

AZ's Slant on Sunday - ESPN: The Real-Life Psychological Thriller

(After writing this, I fully realize that this post will either make or break the dream I may have of maybe working at ESPN. Still I write.)


I don't know about you, but I'm getting absolutely irritated by the often unnecessary coverage on ESPN about the realignment of some NCAA teams, aren't you? There's that expression of beating a dead horse, right? I think there should be a new expression called "beating the Kentucky Derby" after all of this.

Me, being the nerdy "one who still reads newspapers" kind of person, I read a copy of USA Today a few weeks ago. It mainly highlighted how ESPN may be the driving force in much of the realignment occurring in NCAA sports conferences today. How is that, you ask? The article states: "As a TV rights holder, ESPN is a business partner to a wide array of conferences and schools (its total college outlay will average more than $700 million annually by next year)" (Berkowitz et al. 2011). Time out...really? Oh wow. We're talking about an overhaul of juggernaut proportions here. There are now speculations of scripting these things just so people can keep watching like it's some soap opera in danger of being canceled because it's "out of style."

Here's the thing though, they (ESPN) won't be a public "you do this or else" kind of group--they'll only really start talking about it once it's brought up. Once that happens, they'll blow it up to Chernobyl-like proportions so people have no choice but to talk about it at the dinner table with your sons/dad or at the bar with your buddies. If you read my previous post, you know exactly where I'm going with this. ESPN isn't exactly telling them what to do, but they're certainly making a big deal out of it so the people have it on their mind and their opinions have a possibility of swaying something.

It irritates me, is all. This is what the media does day in and day out. At this point, you're probably asking why I still insist on going into this field. Trust me, it's not for the swaying or the setting of the agenda for the people. I want to write about things, just as I am right now; however, when it comes to blowing something up, then we've got problems.

When it comes to the agenda, it's like the organizations watch the coverage, and then they go, "huuh, we're actually doing this? Since when?" Because of the false coverage, high officials start asking questions, and just to keep suit, the organization will try to deny the allegations, leading to more and more controversy. If it sounds like it's a bad thing if a team is covering something up, that will lead to more press (bad press at that). Geez, I wish I had a blackboard at a time like this. If I were to display examples to you, I'd draw something that would ultimately resemble a vicious-looking cycle. Nobody is safe from the press. ESPN is this huge conglomerate that can make or break you. They've been doing it for over 30 years now, so they're pretty much seasoned veterans when it comes to making a mountain out of a molehill. Do they do it all the time? No, but they're certainly infamous for showing favoritism toward certain topics (coughcoughTimTebowcoughcough). On that note, nobody would really care about what Tebow does personally if ESPN wasn't constantly breathing down his neck...am I right or am I right?

Anyway, media outlets that primarily deliver news have the tendency to pick brains and psychologically screw around with your mind in some way. Is it ethical? Unfortunately, that is still up for discussion. People have to make money, so people have to make news stories. Is starting certain moves such as talking about division moves the right way to go about making things interesting for the audience? Well...I don't think we're ever going to avoid it. This is going to horribly confuse presidents of University status, but it looks like the world of college football is sucked into the realm of psychological drama and they're [art of the all-star cast.

Oh, journalism. How two-faced can you be...

[You can find the digital article I had mentioned here. You're welcome.]


--AZ

NFL Midseason Slant for 2011-2012 -- Stuck in the Middle with...THEM

(Much of this post was composed before the Chargers/Raiders game that occurred last night. This will feature records after Week 9.)

Oh man. Oh man oh man oh man. We're halfway through already? That's too scary.

Let's take a look at the standings for this year's midway point in the NFL:

AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

Eastern Division

Three-way tie. (omfg)
New England Patriots (5-3) - Am I shocked about this one? Well...sort of. After losing two straight games to the Steelers and the Giants, Brady and the crew look daunting as always, but the defense has some holes to mend after two straight mishaps. Will they be the usual contenders? They should be. Their schedule looks to give the defense some time to recover.
New York Jets (5-3) - As for these polar opposites of the Pats, their defense has been excellent over their eight games, but the offense hasn't been at their strongest at all. Mark Sanchez has an inconsistent groove, and their running game wasn't what it used to be (what happened, LT?). With a roller coaster year so far, it may only go downhill for these green guys.
Buffalo Bills (5-3) - Wowwowweewow. Personally, I am shocked. This is usually the team you don't hear about all that often because they're usually sub-par among the rest of the teams in the AFC. However, this year could definitely be their year, as they've been shocking against big powerhouse teams like the Patriots. I like their chances. Here's hoping that their defense doesn't decide to start letting victories slip by toward the end. These guys by far have one of the easiest second half schedules in the league, and it would hurt to see them choke now.
Miami Dolphins (1-7) - One of these things is not like the others, one of these things just doesn't belong...ha. It's not like they make terrible showings or anything--they just come up short constantly. Even though they made an absolute killing this past week to the Chiefs (which is no big shock), things aren't looking as strong for them in the long run. They may be good front-runners for the spoiler though, don'tcha think?

Central Division

Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) - Wow, there is no such thing as the run when it comes to their defense. That's fantastic. Although Andy Dalton isn't an "elite quarterback" per se, they make lemonade out of lemons each week. They didn't exactly have the hardest schedule over the nine-week period, so they will certainly be tested during their second half of the season.
Baltimore Ravens (6-2) - The Ravens, as usual, have had a stellar defense with guys like Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs. As for offense, Joe Flacco will often be the man on the spot when it comes to the decision-making. With flexible choices through runners and receivers, possibilities are endless for this team. By the way, they like to beat the Steelers just like last week. All of this last minute stuff they've been doing over the past few weeks have been quite exciting, I'll tell you that much.
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) - I'm gonna get flack for saying this, but this team is often out-of-sync. In the case of offense, Roethlisberger can really turn it on at times, but sometimes the defense doesn't support the good offensive bursts. It can then go the other way around; the defense can be super awesome, but then the offense may come up short and then Suisham blows a super easy kick. This team will need couples therapy if they want to return to the playoffs and make a good showing this year.
Cleveland Browns (3-5) - Can they stop the pass? Oh heck yes. Can they stop the run? Oh heck no. With a weaker offensive squad, a lot of their games are going to look like a big low-scoring struggle (the 6-3 win over the Seahawks was the best game ever...just kidding). They will mainly have divisional matches coming up, and since they're all defensive powerhouses, things could get really sour for the Brownies.

South Division

Houston Texans (6-3) - These guys really have the potential to actually make it super far this year. The only issue for them is having the possibility of burning out once Week 10 rolls around. They've been making a great showing with Matt Schaub in the lead role at QB and with Arian Foster playing the role of "godsend." Their defense has also been fantastic, but there will be that one game where they'll make a costly mistake and it'll make them look like just an average team. Don't let the "wrong place at the wrong time" statistic fool you--they could be Super Bowl contenders come Week 17.
Tennessee Titans (4-4) - At .500, they're about as average as you could possibly get in the NFL. With stats that are ranked in the middle all down the line in the whole league (except for rushing, but that's beside the point), it can go either here or there for these guys. What can I say? Matt Hasslebeck could either have a good run with these guys and constantly make a good showing...it just depends on what the rest of the team will do at that time.
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6) - Here, my children, is statistically the worst offense in the NFL. The only thing keeping them alive at this point is Maurice Jones-Drew, their surprisingly strong defense, and their times of upsetting the opposition; I mean, that only really happened once against Baltimore, but that was huge. There's not much to say about these guys except they need a quarterback in the worst way. It's so sad. I want these guys to do well, it's just that their QB area is the equivalent of the next team I'm about to talk about...
Indianapolis Colts (0-9) - Wait a minute...they're the basement team I have to talk about this year????? I guess it's rather obvious that no Peyton Manning equals no winning season. Don't get me wrong, they've come close several times, but they never get the job done. There's no point in seeing Manning whatsoever this year. If he's back, I'll be severely disappointed...just finish the season out, guys. That's all.

West Division

Again, I did this before the Thursday night game. Thanks for screwing with my post, NFL Network.
Another three-way, eh? For some reason, this doesn't look as impressive...
San Diego Chargers (4-4) - Remember what I said about the Steelers? It's exactly the same for these guys. They have the potential to be really great; Philip Rivers is really rocking the quarterback role, and the defense has their shining times. Although they're at .500, the games they've lost have been close, so that means they haven't really been giving up in the usual ways. Did their game against Oakland stay that way yesterday?
Kansas City Chiefs (4-4) - Why do these guys like to fall asleep during certain games? It's almost as if they like to get spanked sometimes. I never thought Matt Cassel was a good lead, and well...there's never that much team chemistry showing out on the field. Think Jonathan Baldwin, kids. Can they look like a gelled team for the rest of the season? I say nay. It's just not happening.
Oakland Raiders (4-4) - These guys would look so much more impressive if the defense didn't like to scare everyone with high-scoring games. With a shaky quarterback position in tow, we'll see what Carson Palmer can deliver for the future. I like the rushing with Darrius Heyward-Bey in the lead spot for that.
Denver Broncos (3-5) - Warning: Tim Tebow will not be the person to "save" this team. It's not because he's a Born-Again Christian (there, I said it, now leave me alone). The defense is not that good, and that is why Denver is having a hard time. The management has been so poor that so many other things could have been done to this team during a game so that they wouldn't let certain losses slip through their fingers. Just sayin'. I'm gonna go and "Tebow" as I feed the dogs.


NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

East Division

New York Giants (6-2) - Me thinks that since Peyton is not around this season, there's hardly any pressure on Eli Manning, who is having one of the best seasons of his career. However, the G-Men have a really, really tough schedule ahead of them, so the defense will definitely be tested against some of the stronger offenses in the league. I will admit that I feel bad because this team has a good playoff shot, but could be severely upset if they don't remain strong in the second half.
Dallas Cowboys (4-4) - The only really bad blip on this team's radar is their slaughtering to the Eagles back in Week 8. Aside from this, their offense has been really effective with Tony Romo (with punctured lung action!) in QB and with rookie DeMarco Murray running away with stellar numbers at RB. All that needs to be avoided is injury from this point on and they could take the Wild Card no problem.
Philadelphia Eagles (3-5) - Some "dream team," eh? The defense is good on paper but is not jelling the way they should. Michael Vick might be great in the leadership role right now but he does not mix the pass with the run because he can't throw as well as the average QB. Speaking of the run, the rushing game is fantastic. LeSean--err, "Shady" McCoy is running these guys to the top in the league in rushing yardage per game. That's the only stable thing going for them at this point.
Washington Redskins (3-5) - Ouch. What the heck happened to their offense? After McNabb's exit, they've had two QB's (Grossman and Beck) that have been hot and cold for these guys. If the defense was as shaky as the offense, I'd be calling these guys the Colts of the NFC. Dead serious. The offense is not very strong at all. That needs fixing and fast.

North Division

Green Bay Packers (8-0) - Now that's what I'm talking about for a reigning Super Bowl-winning team. Aaron Rodgers is having a fantastic year, and he's putting up massive points for an undefeated team that is a massive force to be reckoned with. However, we're somewhat lucky that the offense has been on fire, because the defense is having a hard time keeping up with the opposing offensive passing game. I'd love to see the streak keep strong, but the defense is going to make that difficult.
Detroit Lions (6-2) - Here's another team that is absolutely scaring the crap out of me. Matt Stafford: most underrated QB right now. And their defense...oh man, when was the last time their defense was actually this good? I mean, they're having the "holey syndrome" where they're having issues with the run, but if you eliminate that from the mix, these guys will have a postseason in their sights as a Wild Card team. Ku-dos.
Chicago Bears (5-3) - These guys will have their little problems here and there, but they're making a good run as far as I'm concerned. Matt Forte is a beast in the rushing game, and Cutler has a safety issue with his offensive line. He will get fumed at times when he is not blocked. I think back to Week 2 against the Saints in that case. Hey da Bears, don't let the little things make you come up short.
Minnesota Vikings (2-6) - I'd like to hold an open forum here: who still thinks that Donovan McNabb should be a starting QB? He's been quite painful to watch unless if he hands off to Percy Harvin or Adrian Peterson. The defense makes me nervous too. Final answer: just finish the season out without needing to fire/beat the snot out of anyone.

South Division

New Orleans Saints (6-3) - Oh Drew Brees, my fantasy starting QB...you're the man--wait. Sorry...the team itself. Anyway, the Saints defense can be very hot and cold these days. You can see them hold a winless team to a touchdown (the Colts) and then the week after they'll gift-wrap 31 points to a then-winless squad (the Rams). Offense, stay classy. I like you guys. Everyone pretty much expects your offense to be top-10. I do, at least. Thanks for keeping my team a manageable 4-5, Brees.
Atlanta Falcons (5-3) - Oh Matt Ryan...my backup QB--crap, I did it again. If you look at the team on paper, they don't exactly look like the strongest squad, but they will make it happen. One side of the pigskin picks up after another when things go sour, and I like that. That's what teamwork is all about. Will they make it far? I'd like to see it happen, but I don't think the cute act is going to go much farther than this. "Easy" teams could really make them suffer.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4) - Don't get me wrong, these guys have deserved every single one of their wins, but aside from that, I'm not overly impressed with their team as a whole. Their defense has a few holes in it, and Josh Freeman can have his problems every once in a while. Yeah, you can take what I say as a grain of salt because they can surprise anyone on any given Sunday, but that's almost like flipping a coin.
Carolina Panthers (2-6) - From the looks of this team, why does it look like Cam Newton and Steve Smith are the only people on the Carolina offense? That's just...bad. Newton keeps putting up monster numbers and the offensive and defensive lines just look at it and go, "That's nice. We'll challenge you even more now." The running D is horrible, and it just makes a QB with promise look like some dude named Tim Tebow. Dead serious.

West Division

San Francisco 49ers (7-1) - SHOCKED AGAIN. Wow. They look like GODS in this division. Why? Deeeeee-FENSE. Alex Smith and crew on the offense aren't exactly the best in the league, but Frank Gore is keeping that line bearable for me. The defensive line (to me) is statistically the best defense in the NFC, and if the offense steps it up, they could have one heck of a run against the reigning Super Bowl Champion Packers.
Seattle Seahawks (2-6) - You look at the 49ers and then there's a cliff with three teams in it. Seattle is one of those teams that have a numerous amount of shortcomings. I never really thought Tavaris Jackson was a strong QB. In short, I still think this team is hungover from beating the Rams and the favorited Saints last year in the playoffs. Good season, boys.
Arizona Cardinals (2-6) - You're trying, Kevin Kolb, I know you are. You guys are only making good showings against teams poorer than you, and that's...just, really bad. The only shining points on this team are Early Doucet and Larry Fitzgerald at WR, and that's saying everything there. Give them the ball and points might be involved with that. End of story.
St. Louis Rams (1-7) - Weren't these guys supposed to be good this year too? I was just wondering because everyone seems to hype the Rams year in and year out and they disappoint. Sam Bradford dropped off after his rookie year and then that was pretty much it. I feel bad for you, guys. Just enjoy your World Series victory.

______________________________


And that just about does it for me here. It seems like this year is going to shock, surprise, and make you go, "wow, seriously?"

I like it that way.

Check back around the new year for the final results of this awesome season!

PS - Go listen to Stealer's Wheel's "Stuck in the Middle with You." You will not be sorry.

--AZ