The NFC is in a rare situation. Most of the storylines have been because of unexpected powerhouses. Also many preseason favorites have crumbled. Anyways we need to explain this story from the perspective of a mad scientist.
Dallas Cowboys (Prepare Yourselves): Raise your hand if you thought that the Cowboys would be in contention once Dak Prescott got injured in Week 1? I don’t see many hands. (Most of those hands are Cowboy fans or employees) Well if you were to explain how Dallas was able to stay in the hunt despite the injuries it would be because of a few things. A 2-headed tandem at RB in Zeke and Tony Pollard, and a defense featuring Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs at the top of their games. In the words of Jimmy Johnson this is the best team that they’ve had since the dynasty years. I would feel more confident about Dem Cowboys if they didn’t blow a 17 point lead against the Packers. As long as they don’t get conquered by McCarthyism they should be able to at least win another playoff game. The road will be rough, but considering that JerryBoy is talking about a deep run like he always does I wouldn’t want to tell them that they can’t make it past the 2nd Round if I were an outsider.
New York Giants (Gutsy Fighters): There were 2 things that the Giants have lacked since Tom Coughlin was axed in 2015. Coaching and structure. Besides a fluke run in 2016, the G-Men never showed that mostly due to bad coaching and Dave Gettleman being the GM for way too long. This time around, it has been different. With Brian Daboll and his hard working mentality now on board the Giants went from a team living on past reputation, back to being a physical powerhouse. Daniel Jones may not be a top QB, but he is serviceable and is an excellent game manager. It also helps that Saquan Barkley has regained the form that made him a top back in the league. Their defense now with Wink Martindale calling the shots has been solid for what it is. The biggest difference than in years past? The G-Men have been able to win close games against teams that they should have lost to on paper. As I said, what a difference does good coaching make. I don’t know if they’ll overtake Philly and Dallas this year but they will be intriguing to watch in the 2nd Half. I wonder how they’ll do against Dem Cowboys on Thanksgiving? If they can win that game, they’ll have clear sailing towards a playoff berth.
Philadelphia Eagles (“The Greatest Team Ever” -NBC10 Philly): When I did the 2012 in Baltimore series, the emotions of reliving the time where one city was in the center of the sports world for a year were incredible. Guess who happened to be the most viewed fanbase of that series? Philadelphia. Their point was if Baltimore teams from that year could do what they did, so can we. They were right, the Phillies made the World Series, the Union made the MLS Cup, the Flyers are off to a solid start in the NHL, the 76ers are one of the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference in the NBA, and the cherry on top, the Eagles being undefeated through 9 games. When you look at their roster it’s the best they’ve had since probably their Super Bowl run in 2004. (Their 2017 team even with their title, didn’t have this much talent) The combination of Jalen Hurts and AJ Brown is like McNabb and TO in 04. Their running game with Miles Sanders is still potent. And they’ve put all of their opponents away early. On defense they have their flaws but they still do just enough to win games. The pressure of becoming the first team in 50 years of going undefeated for an entire season will be there. And knowing Philly they will never shut up about the possibilities of doing such a feat. How will they respond to the insane amount of pressure if they get close to it? You lost to the Commies. Welp karma hit your local news stations hard didn’t it.
Washington Commanders (The Crucified Damn Good Culture): Once again, the annual theme that has taken place with Washington is off the field headlines. All the talk is going to be about Dan Snyder potentially selling the team sometime in the near future, but it makes us forget what is going on with the team itself. The Commanders are once again dealing with endless mediocrity despite flashes of brilliance being shown. The Carson Wentz experiment didn’t work, but hey Taylor Heinicke is still there. And he got them back in the playoff hunt. But right now this is a hard team to judge. Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson have shown flashes at WR this year but can they play to their full potential? The same goes for Chase Young and the defense. They have an outside chance at a Wild Card spot, but in order to get that, everything must go their way. And then they beat the Eagles in Philadelphia on Monday Night Football. Is this 2020 again? (In fact they ended the other Pennsylvania teams perfect season during that crazy year too)
Chicago Bears (YARD SALE AGAIN): GET THE TANKS OUT OF THE SHED! DA BEARS ARE GOING TOWARDS THE SWEET PRIZE OF A TOP DRAFT PICK! Who cares if Justin Fields is balling this year, losing is in their best interest. Chicago’s rough year has only gotten worse. Not only did they have to deal with Khalil Mack and Allen Robinson leaving in the offseason, but 2 of their better defenders were traded at the midseason deadline. Robert Quinn and Roquan Smith. Both were traded to contenders in Philadelphia and Baltimore for 2nd and 3rd Round picks. I see that the Bears are playing the long range game. But I do have one question? Why did you trade a 2nd Round pick for Chase Claypool? (And it wasn’t the one they got from the Ravens) I know he has a big body radius but why? I think the McCaskeys love making bizarre moves for the sake of it.
Detroit Lions (Where’s the D?): I wouldn’t call the Lions a bad team, they are more of a squad that is searching for an identity. Through 4 weeks they had the best offense and the worst defense in the league by a wide margin. BOOM! And then they got shut out by the Patriots who were starting a backup in Bailey Zappe. Jared Goff at least is a major brightspot, but there are plenty of underachievers this year. We all said that Dan Campbell was a mystery box of a hire when he first got there. It hasn’t worked out so far but hey they’re at least hanging tough. Won’t you look at that they beat Green Bay and Chicago. The future is once again bright in Motown. How long until they get sentenced back to reality? Thanksgiving against the Bills. Maybe. (That or the Giants in Week 11)
Green Bay Packers (A Heap of Trouble): Think about it, the 1st 4 games for the Packers were basically a sign of things to come. They started 3-1 but they were winning ugly in those games including a defensive battle against the Buccaneers. But after that? BOOM! Well it appears that the Football Gods threw a pie in their face. Green Bay has been searching for the identity that made them great. Yes we can all blame Aaron Rodgers for losing to the Commanders and Lions but here’s the problem. The WR room is inexperienced, the O-Line is cooked, and there are injuries up and down the lineup. (No Davante Adams = No Jordy Nelson) I know the trend will be to hail the end of the Packers run but we all said the same thing in 2016 and they made us shovel our own snow for months. How will their response be to a 3-6 start this time? CRASH! Beating the Cowboys in OT while erasing a 14 point deficit, they’re making the playoffs in the end aren’t they?
Minnesota Vikings (Major Progress Found): There were reasons to be concerned about the Vikings in the offseason especially with a new head coach. They still had an elite offense, but could they manage to play up to their potential as a unit? So far Minnesota has been one of the top teams in the NFC. Their Week 10 win over the Bills is evidence. For years many thought that Kirk Cousins was holding them back, with the way he has played this year that hasn’t been the case. It also helps that Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson are by his side and putting up excellent numbers. (Throw in Adam Thielin for good measure too) Their defense has holes, but when needed they step up to the plate and hold off their opponents. Minnesota is all but a lock to win their division, the only question is seeding. Either way, there aren’t going to be many teams that want to play them in the playoffs especially at US Bank. The Vikings may play indoors but they aren’t a soft team with the way they are playing right now. Keep it up!
Atlanta Falcons (How is this Team Decent?): I thought that the Falcons were going to be one of the biggest tanks in the NFL this season. So far that hasn’t been the case. Atlanta is ok. Too good to be bad, too bad to be good. They’re in between. Marcus Mariota at least is a nice option at QB, and Drake London has become a stud at WR. Those are the only reasons as well as the leadership of Arthur Smith as to why the ATL isn’t in the basement. You know what’s funny, if they didn’t get screwed over by REFBALL in Week 5 against the Buccaneers, the Falcons would be in 1st place. Even if they are still under 500 this is much better than what pundits had in the preseason. They have a soft schedule to end the year, but will this be the time they overcome the odds, or are they not ready for the big time just yet. Momentum in this league can change on a dime, let’s see how they respond?
Carolina Panthers (Was Jerry Richardson that Bad of an Owner): Oh god. Looks like Dan Orlovsky is eating his words massively after what has occurred in Charlotte this year. (He had them making the playoffs in the preseason pull) Trading for Baker Mayfield was a desperation heave in every sense of the word. I know he will get plenty of hate but here’s the thing. Has David Tepper since he bought the team put a clear emphasis on developing solid lineman? Every move they have made this offseason has blown up in their face. (Bradley Bozeman left B-More for this) That’s why they got off to yet another rough start. Matt Rhule couldn’t survive the writing being on the wall, he was fired after Week 5. Christian McCaffery and Robby Anderson were traded 2 weeks later. And plenty of rumors were also surrounding DJ Moore and Brian Burns. Those 2 are luckily still with them. Speaking of Baker Mayfield he was benched in favor of Sam Darnold, who was benched in favor of PJ Walker. Walker is decent but not a long term starter. It sounds crazy but the Panthers play so well against their division, yet suck against everyone else. I don’t know how you can explain this. How are things going to get crazier? (DRAMATIC MUSIC) (PJ Walker out with sprained ankle) Let me guess they are putting PJ Walker on IR because they want Baker to play against his old boogeyman in the Ravens so he can prove himself. Sounds like a desperation move to save jobs.
New Orleans Saints (Fossils Everywhere): I could have told you this back in 2012. You don’t make playoff pushes with Dennis Allen. Did Mickey Loomis not see how much of a hack he was with the Raiders? That reputation has certainly carried over to the Big Easy. If you look at the Saints from a distance, you’ll say that they have talent across the board and are a QB away from another Super Bowl. Here’s my conclusion. You are not a QB away, you are a solid head coach away. It’s too bad that Sean Payton decided to take a mental break from football this year, or else you’d be in a much better spot. At least you have Alvin Kamara and Chris Olave balling out this year on offense. It’s going to take a miracle for them to get out of this, and I don’t trust them given the situation that they are in. One more thing, never trust an aging Andy Dalton to take you anywhere. You can ask Cincy, Dallas, and Chicago that too.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Injury Bowl Favorites): If I were to find a more snakebitten team in the league this year it would be the Buccaneers. It started right from the beginning of training camp. Once Ryan Jensen, and 2 other top linemen went down, the air came out quickly. Tom Brady for a while just wasn’t himself. Most of it was due to lacking an elite run game, or excellent O-Line. That’s what made him great the past 2 years with the Bucs. But hey the defense is still a fleshed out unit, well too bad because most of their secondary is also injured. The only reason why they even lead the NFC South is because the rest of the division is a gong show and obviously REFBALL being on TB12’s side. (I’m looking at you Carl Cheffers) How are they going to respond to such doubt at midseason and a long losing streak? BOOM! Well they beat up LA and Seattle. Who cares if Brady got divorced, everythings fine and they’re about to run with the division!
Arizona Cardinals (DESPERATION): I said it before and I’m saying it again. The Marquise Brown Trade literally describes the Cardinals organization as a whole. Get attracted to flashy people, give them massive contracts, throw the book at in terms of money in order to bring them to the desert, and then completely botch the whole thing with off the field chaos and injuries. Don’t me a Salty Marylander Arizona because it’s true. The only reason why the Cards were even in the discussion for a playoff spot is because of Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins carrying a bunch of overrated scrubs to relevance. Also why is Kliff Kingsbury still considered a top coaching mind. He is holding this team back with his lack of adjustments and one dimensional chess strategy. He just like most coaches in this league saw what Steve Nash did in Brooklyn and is making the same mistakes. This is why bad organizations stay bad. Not even hosting the Super Bowl is going to help them get out of the situation that they are in. The sad thing is that they aren’t even the most pathetic team in their own division…
Los Angeles Rams (Vegas Golden Knights of the NFL): This is the recipient of that honor. All they kept lecturing about was F-Those-Picks, Stan Kroenke ruling the sports world, and trying to buy another championship. This is what happens when you keep doing things like this over and over and over. It eventually catches up to you. The Rams this year have lost the identity that made them champions back last year. Most of the team is either half in or half out about their future, the veteran leadership is gone, Pokemon McVay is focusing way too much on a potential deal with Amazon to go into broadcasting, and their Offensive Line has taken a step back. Blame Matthew Stafford’s injury all you want, but since Whitworth and Weddle retired and Von Miller and OBJ left it’s been downhill ever since. Turns out that Bobby Wagner made a mistake taking less money than he did from Eric DeCosta. (Although if the Ravens signed him, there would be no Roquan Smith) Wonderful, if they still struggle and can’t finish above 500, their 1st Round pick which could be Top 10 will be in the hands of the Lions. The new age 2012 Ravens. Welp what can you do?
San Francisco 49ers (Finding that Missing Piece, we think) The Niners are such a hard team to look at. One moment they look like they could represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, the other they play down to their competition and have to rely on High End Talent to bail them out. This year has been a major example of that thinking. It also doesn’t help that management is about to ruin Trey Lance. Turns out that drafting him over JaMarr Chase, DeVonta Smith, and Jaylen Waddle was a mistake. Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t that bad of a QB. He may not have excellent stats, but his winning percentage is incredible. He just knows how to get the job done. Just like their younger brother in the Rams, San Francisco chucked the remainder of their draft capital at CMC and believed that he would be the main piece to get them over the top. So far McCaffery has been solid, but will he stay healthy? I know the media is anointing them as serious contenders but I just don’t know if they’ll make a run in the playoffs. Considering how weak the NFC has been this year, they do have a strong case. However the hunt for the Wild Card is only getting tougher. Can they save the jobs of both Shanahan and Lynch? There lies the question.
Seattle Seahawks (So Russ was the Problem): I know a lot of people, myself included, that thought the Seahawks would be one of the worst teams in football. Well they forgot about the culture that Pete Carroll has maintained plus an outstanding rookie class that has taken the NFC West by storm. Kennith Walker like he did at Michigan State has been the feature back in an underrated offense. DK Metcalf is in his prime and making things look effortless. Now if you were to ask me back in August that Geno Smith would be the leading candidate for Comeback Player of the Year I would have given you a weird look. Instead he has responded by putting up the best season of his career and proving that his narrative of being a bust is dead. Once again, that’s what the power of good coaching can do. Seattle isn’t a glamor team, but they know how to get the job done. With the lead in their division at the halfway point, things look promising for them. They didn’t even need a rebuild, they may actually make the playoffs and allow us to laugh at Denver. Do it boys, make Russell Wilson Jr III look like an idiot for leaving! PAUSE.
Most of the NFC in terms of playoff spots have been settled, but the Wild Card race and races in the NFC East, and West are going to be highly anticipated. Seeding Predictions?
- Vikings
- Eagles
- 49ers
- Buccaneers
- Giants
- Cowboys
- Seahawks
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