| With the NFL season halfway over, it's fair to say | | | | through the skies. While they still have a slight chance |
| there have been a few surprises. Teams that were | | | | at making the playoffs, the only teams they've beat so |
| wonderful last year have already hung up the ol' | | | | far are teams that are bad. The playoffs are going to |
| pigskin, resigning to the fact that the only way they will | | | | be hard for the Jets to land.. |
| get into this year's playoffs is either with a ticket or | | | | Buffalo and Miami, rounding out the division at 3-5 and |
| wire cutters. Teams that were weak last year have | | | | 2-6 respectively, are done for the year. Buffalo is |
| dug in their cleats, making a run at the postseason. | | | | playing like they played in all four Super bowl losses |
| And, perhaps in the biggest surprise of all, Al Davis is | | | | while the Miami Dolphins have had a season marked |
| actually still alive. | | | | by the plummeting of previously high expectations. |
| For as many surprises there have been, there have | | | | Dante Culpepper, starting Quarterback at the beginning |
| also been a few things that weren't exactly shocking: | | | | of the season, has been replaced, putting him in his |
| Indianapolis is good, Arizona is bad, and Terrell Owens | | | | very own Inferno. |
| is still acting like a spoiled child, bent on taking his ball | | | | NFC West |
| and leaving. | | | | As the former NFC Champions, the Seattle |
| After 8 NFL games done and 8 to go, here is the | | | | Seahawks look like they have had their wings clipped: |
| breakdown of what has happened so far... | | | | with injuries to Matt Hasselbeck and Shawn |
| AFC West | | | | Alexander, they kind of have. However, they should still |
| The AFC West is the strongest division in football, | | | | make the playoffs and they should be healthy be this |
| with three teams possessing winning records. While | | | | time. Then, it's anybody's game. |
| the Denver Broncos and the San Diego Chargers are | | | | Behind Seattle are the St. Louis Rams, a team that |
| tied for first, they still have to play each other...twice. | | | | started off hot and has since lost three game in a row. |
| Denver must also play the Kansas City Chiefs on | | | | At 4-4, the Rams still have a viable chance to make |
| Thanksgiving in Arrowhead, a venue where Denver is | | | | the playoffs, but probably won't clinch home field |
| routinely made to look like Turkeys. San Diego, while | | | | advantage: the other teams simply won't meet them in |
| their schedule is rather soft with Oakland, Arizona, and | | | | St. Louie. |
| Buffalo in the wings, may have a hard time beating | | | | San Francisco, as usual, is "So 1990's" having won |
| Denver. This is mainly because Denver owns Marty | | | | only three games so far. While their record is dismal, |
| Schottenheimer, beating him on numerous occasions. | | | | they aren't the worst in the division. That title belongs |
| Only Denver can DRIVE him crazy. | | | | to the Arizona Cardinals. This team seems to have |
| KC, after starting off the season at .500, was | | | | cashed in all of their chips after giving up a fourth |
| absolutely destroyed by the Steelers. However, | | | | quarter lead to the then undefeated Chicago Bears. |
| they've rebounded to a record of 5-3. With a | | | | They presently have the worst record in the NFL. |
| moderate schedule, the remainder of the season could | | | | NFC North |
| go either way for KC. The Oakland Raiders, on the | | | | Chicago looked to give Indianapolis a run for its |
| other hand, are playing like people pretty much | | | | undefeated money until the Bears lost to the Miami |
| expected: horribly. At 2-6, their season is all but over. | | | | Dolphins. Looking more like Teddy Ruxpins than |
| Whether Denver, San Diego, or KC finishes first, there | | | | ferocious beasts, the Bears still have the best record in |
| is a great chance that both Wild Cards will come from | | | | the NFC but the Miami game could be a preview of |
| the AFC West. A division once known for weakness, | | | | things to come. If Chicago continues to turn the ball |
| this division is now the most competitive. | | | | over, other teams are going to make them into Bear |
| AFC North | | | | Skin rugs. |
| The biggest surprise in this division, if not the entire | | | | Minnesota, at an even 4-4, has as good a chance to |
| NFL, is Pittsburgh's fall from grace. Formerly known as | | | | make the playoffs as the rest of the NFC second |
| the World Champions, the Steelers are now just a | | | | place teams. However, their instability at quarterback |
| symbol...of disappointment. After losing to Denver in | | | | might prove to be a factor. Green Bay, at 3-5, likely |
| week 8, their hopes for making the playoffs are gone. | | | | needs to pack it in. Detroit, at 2-6, have made most of |
| Perhaps it just wasn't their year or perhaps the source | | | | the teams they've played look like Lion tamers. |
| of Ben Roethlisberger's talent was in his now removed | | | | NFC South |
| appendix. Whatever the reason, nothing - not even Bill | | | | Drew Brees has made things look Big Easy in New |
| Cowher's jaw - is enough to scare these players back | | | | Orleans, leading his team to a 6-2 record. Playing the |
| into winning. They will spend January watching the | | | | first season since the devastation of Katrina, New |
| playoffs from the couch, next to another team in their | | | | Orleans has become a pseudo-version of America's |
| division, the Cleveland Browns. | | | | Team. Rooting for them is easy, as long as they aren't |
| On the upside of this division, the Baltimore Ravens | | | | playing against the team to which you pledge your |
| and the Cincinnati Bengals claim the top two spots. | | | | allegiance. |
| Pending an outbreak of bird flu, the Ravens should | | | | Atlanta and Carolina, at 5-3 and 4-4, are not playing |
| clinch this division as they are sitting strong at 6-2. The | | | | as well as expected. While Atlanta appeared to be |
| Bengals, having a year laden with mediocrity, could | | | | getting hot, they recently lost to Detroit. Carolina, |
| easily miss the playoffs. The fact that there is turmoil in | | | | predicted to be Super Bowl contenders at the |
| the locker room, as Chad Johnson (Terrell Owens, Jr.) | | | | beginning of the season, were dealt a blow with the |
| stirs the pot, isn't helping. | | | | injury to Steve Smith. With him back, and a soft |
| AFC South | | | | schedule, they could potentially catch New Orleans for |
| In the southern part of the AFC, it's no surprise that | | | | first place. But, if they don't get hot, the Saints will go |
| the greatest team belongs to Indianapolis. As the only | | | | marching into the playoffs. |
| undefeated team remaining in the NFL, Indianapolis has | | | | The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, at a bad 2-6, are done |
| a chance to go unbeaten. However, the Colts have | | | | for the year. They may as well walk the plank. |
| been in this situation , we've all seen this episode. | | | | NFC East |
| Whether or not they will choke, or be taken out by a | | | | The younger Manning brother is making the family |
| hit man hired by the 1972 Dolphins, remains to be seen. | | | | name proud, leading the New York Giants to a 6-2 |
| | | | record and first place in the NFC East. While they |
| Jacksonville, a team that many had high hopes for, is | | | | faired poorly against the Texans, barely beating them, |
| staying steady at 5-3. However, in the AFC, the | | | | this is a good team, rivaling the Bears for best team in |
| playoff race is going to be tight and the Jaguars can't | | | | the NFC. Behind them are the Dallas Cowboys, |
| afford to lose to teams they should beat, like the | | | | otherwise known as the sideshow to Terrell Owens. |
| Houston Texans. | | | | Marked by TO's ridiculous antics, and several dropped |
| At the bottom of the division, the Tennessee Titans | | | | balls, Dallas sits even at 4-4. In a close division it could |
| and the Houston Texans sit, counting the days until the | | | | go either way, and it seems that the focus of this |
| season ends. Despite a few exciting plays from | | | | team should lie more on winning and less on TO. When |
| college standout Vince Young, Tennessee just doesn't | | | | it comes to Mr. Owens, the Big Tuna should have him |
| have the talent to hang in this league. Houston, as | | | | canned. |
| usual, is left with one of the worst records in the NFL, | | | | Philadelphia and Washington round out the division at |
| perhaps ruing the fact that they didn't draft Reggie | | | | 4-4 and 3-5. While this is still anybody's Wild Card race, |
| Bush. Gary Kubiak, in his first year as the Houston | | | | both of these teams' offenses need to ignite, or the |
| coach, needs to be careful about having a losing | | | | Wild Card will be dealt to someone else. Washington's |
| record. In Texas, they execute people for that. | | | | huge win over the Cowboys may be just what they |
| AFC East | | | | needed. |
| The New England Patriots sits on top of their division. | | | | For the majority of the teams, it's still anyone's |
| Their clinching a playoff berth is almost guaranteed, as | | | | game...the season is only halfway over. But, as |
| certain as Bill Belichick wearing a hooded sweatshirt to | | | | self-proclaimed experts of the NFL, we think we know |
| every game. This is because New England is talented: | | | | what will happen. And so, we offer this prediction: |
| Here's the story, of a man named Brady, who simply | | | | Playing in this year's Super Bowl will be, wait for it, one |
| doesn't know how to lose. | | | | AFC team and one NFC team. You heard it hear first, |
| Behind them at .500 sits the New York Jets, a team | | | | folks. Go ahead and call your bookie. |
| that is merely taxing on the runway rather than soaring | | | | |