Ranking the Top 10 NFL Teams Right Now

Though the Super Bowl is still months away, the NFL playoffs are fast approaching, and we continue to get a clearer grasp of which teams are set to reach those playoffs and contend for the ultimate title in football.  Here is a ranking of the top 10 NFL teams likely to withstand the late season tests and truly make a run at this year’s championship:

10.)  Detroit Lions - Though they sit well perched atop the NFC North, there’s a general feeling that the Lions will stutter down the stretch and collapse based on their pathetic history of doing just that.  While I generally agree with that assessment, the Lions are a bit different this year in that they house a terrific defense.  If defense truly “wins championships”, Detroit could be ripe for a tremendous and surprising playoff run.

9.)   Philadelphia Eagles – Chip Kelly’s offense is great when it works, but tragic when it doesn’t. While they usually look good and win the games they should, they usually struggle against the league’s best.  I think an early exit to the playoffs will end their season again, especially since the questionable Mark Sanchez is now the starting quarterback.

8.)   Pittsburgh Steelers – Despite having a tough schedule ahead, the Steelers are usually late-season bloomers and their history of recent titles suggests they are certainly capable. If Troy Polamalu gets healthy and Ben Roethlisberger keeps doing his thing, the Steelers could make a daring run at the Super Bowl.

7.)   Indianapolis Colts – Andrew Luck is a megastar and that is essential to title contenders. The Colts’ passing attack is tops in the league, but until the defense gets fixed Indianapolis won’t win.  Nevertheless, anything is possible with a top QB and the Colts could just win it all if things go their way.

6.)   Seattle Seahawks – Struggling at 6-4, it’s easy to overlook how dominant the Seahawks were at the end of last year. All the championship pieces are in place but the team needs to step up their game a notch in order to repeat.  I doubt they will, but considering their success last year, who can really doubt Seattle?

5.)  Denver Broncos – Peyton Manning is very good, and the Broncos’ defense is good too. The team certainly has a point to prove following their depressing Super Bowl loss last year, and they could win it this time around.  But after a woeful loss to the St. Louis Rams this week and suffering a couple key injuries, who knows if there’ll be enough in the tank to repeat as AFC Champions.

4.)  Kansas City Chiefs – Andy Reid’s team is on fire, and their defense is great. They’ve beaten the Patriots and the Seahawks this season, showing up in big games.  Knile Davis and Jamaal Charles are a strong running back duo, and Alex Smith is playing smart and avoiding mistakes.  With the team starting to come together, the Chiefs might just get Reid his first title!

3.)  Arizona Cardinals – While they have the league’s best record (9-1) and a tremendous defense, their starting quarterback Carson Palmer went down for the season. Palmer was never elite and backup Drew Stanton is playing well.  However, their defense will dictate how far they go in the playoffs.  They have a tough schedule coming up and if they can come through as NFC West champs, they’ll have earned their chance to make a run.

2.)  Green Bay Packers – No one is playing as good as Aaron Rodgers these days, and with Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers making plays on defense, the spirit of the 2010 Super Bowl is alive and well in Wisconsin. But as we saw in a bad loss to the New Orleans Saints just a month ago, when the offense is slowed the Packers can be beat.  However, any team in this league is beatable, and the way Green Bay is playing right now bodes well for a championship.

1.)  New England Patriots – Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are the NFL’s strongest head coach/quarterback duo and they’ve routinely dominated the league for a decade. However, now 10 years removed from their last of 3 titles, time is running out and there’s an element of desperation in their play.  This could help the team rise up and claim a final Super Bowl title of this incredible dynasty!  They are the team to beat right now.

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Which 1-2 NFL Teams Have a Hope of Reaching the Playoffs?

Oh the perils of your favorite NFL team getting off to a poor start! For every team savoring in their early good fortune this season, there are equal numbers of team feeling quite the opposite; battered and bruised after several losses and unsure of where to turn for hope in the duration of this season. And while I’d be expecting the worst for any team that has started 0-3 (Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers), for those 1-2 teams there is still a small hope of salvaging this season, but they’ll need to pick up their game in a hurry.

While there are some of the typically poor teams currently sitting at 1-2, there are also several usually strong teams who were even involved in the playoffs last year that have gotten off to bad starts. These surprising poor starters include the Green Bay Packers, the San Francisco 49ers, the Indianapolis Colts, the New Orleans Saints, and the Kansas City Chiefs. That’s nearly half of last season’s playoff teams now suffering below .500!

In my mind these are the teams most likely to rescue their seasons. And history actually beckons warmly for several of them, including the Packers and 49ers, who both started 1-2 last year only to resurrect their hopes and make a strong playoff push.

The key ingredient for such teams is in how they finish the season, not how they’ve started it. Football teams are an organic being, as injuries, player development, and unforeseen future obstacles can alter a team’s shape and style immensely over the course of the year. NFL rosters look very different in September than they do in January and it’s the teams that can handle such change effectively that do well in the later months and typically end up claiming a playoff spot. Unquestionably, a great quarterback can also go a long way to leading a team back from a poor start to a potentially championship-winning season.

Each of the 1-2 teams I mentioned carries great starting quarterbacks (including Aaron Rodgers, Colin Kaepernick, Drew Brees, Andrew Luck, and Alex Smith) and this is why they still have hope. Other 1-2 teams that I wouldn’t expect to hear much of a whimper from are the Miami Dolphins, the New York Jets, the Cleveland Browns, the Minnesota Vikings, the Tennessee Titans, the New York Giants, the Washington Redskins, and the St. Louis Rams. These teams look to lack any sort of presence on the field and have been pretty marginable for years. Their poor records are due to simple lack of talent.

But for the better teams, they’ve just not clicked into high gear or have been unfortunate in the couple of key plays that can often decide a game one way or the other. Another thing to realize is that 1-2 is just a single game away from 2-1. A play here and there could have made the difference, and I’m sure you’ll find that most fans of 2-1 teams are more than satisfied with their seasons’ beginnings.

As the NFL season wears on, those slight hiccups or mistaken plays will carry less weight as the true contenders of the league emerge and get their needed wins. While I certainly wouldn’t be expecting a Super Bowl following two early losses for teams like the Packers, Chiefs, Colts, 49ers, or Saints, I think it’s far too early to be writing them off as has-beens or incapable of salvaging the season. In many cases they’ve done it before and these specific teams certainly have the talent capable to make a serious run at their respective divisions. But be careful, with their collective poor starts, I would only suspect 2 or 3 of these teams manage to right the ship and make the playoffs this year…

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NFL Season Picks Up Right Where it Left Off Last Season

The wonderful thing about the NFL is that with the worst teams getting the top draft picks, and with the inclusion of the salary cap, predicting who will remain dominant from one year to the next is a very inexact science.  Once great teams can implode very quickly while a “worst to first” occurrence in one of the NFL divisions seems to happen annually.  However, after watching week 1 of the 2014 NFL season, it seems like this year has picked up right where we left off from a year ago, with little substantial change.

In short, both Super Bowl participants of last year won big.  The Seattle Seahawks’ tough defense beat up on the Green Bay Packers (whose weak defense continues to look shaky).  Meanwhile, Peyton Manning and his high-octane Denver Broncos offense looked tremendous (even without the suspended Wes Welker) once again in their victory over his former team, the Indianapolis Colts.  However, the Colts still looked competitive, as Andrew Luck nearly pulled off a comeback reminiscent of his heroics last season in the NFL playoffs against the Kansas City Chiefs.  However, against a top-level team like the Broncos, his efforts weren’t enough.

Elsewhere, most of last season’s playoff teams won last week, including the Carolina Panthers, the Cincinnati Bengals, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Philadelphia Eagles.  A few surprises did rattle our predicting senses, like the Miami Dolphins tremendous comeback victory over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, and the Tennessee Titans dominating the Chiefs, who’s poor form late last season seems to have continued.

Largely though, it was the same players kicking off the year in the fashion we’ve grown used to.  The Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo continued to throw the ball (and the game) away to the defense with 3 interceptions, the San Diego Chargers found a way to ruin a strong lead over the Arizona Cardinals, and the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints battled to an exciting, close game which Matt Ryan and the Falcons won.

And unfortunately, the typical lowest of the low NFL teams continued their atrocious form, reminding fans that they are still paltry teams that shouldn’t even dream of glory; see the Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, St. Louis Rams, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

But what does warmly breathe new life for football fans is that the sport has officially returned.  Yes, your specific team may still be dealing with the frustrations of the past and a rather bleak outlook, but at least your Sunday afternoons have returned to normal with all the games on display!

And who knows, there are still 15 games for each team to decide their fate.  The great thing about the NFL season is that teams can easily overcome a loss by proving the doubters wrong the next week by winning and changing their fortunes.  The real drama of the season will arrive come December, when the playoff contending teams must get their acts together and earn vital wins.  But those days are still a long ways away.  For now, it’s time to simply enjoy the action because while half the teams lost their openers, the season still beckons brightly for everyone….Except the Rams…losing Sam Bradford to an ACL again is just tragic!

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2013 NFL Wildcard Playoff Games Preview

The 2013 NFL Playoffs have finally arrived, and they are all set to begin with the wildcard matchups this weekend. While the league’s top 4 teams earned bye weeks and get to rest their weary legs, these underdog football teams will be put to the test right away, with their entire seasons hanging in the balance.  While these supposed “lesser” NFL squads have a long and hard road to the Super Bowl, such teams often do win the big dance, so none of them should be counted out.  But who will get past that initial first hump and into the divisional round?  Here is a preview for the NFL wildcard games this weekend:

Kansas City Chiefs at Indianapolis Colts – The Chiefs will probably lose this game.  Not only did they lose to the Colts 23-7 just two weeks ago, but they have now lost 5 of their last 7 games, a rather grounding experience following their 9-0 start to the season.  The only playoff team that the Chiefs have beaten is the Philadelphia Eagles.  Meanwhile, the Colts have topped the 49ers, Seahawks, and Broncos, making them one of the most dangerous teams around.  Is Andrew Luck ready to lead a playoff run?  I think so:  Colts win 23-7.

New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles rebounded from a bad start and now feature one of the NFL’s most dynamic offenses.  With the emergence of quarterback Nick Foles, the team thrives around the explosiveness of DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy.  However, the Saints also feature a high-scoring offense led by Drew Brees.  They have quite a strong defense and could have potentially earned a bye if not for the surprising year by the Carolina Panthers.  Although the weather will be cold, I foresee a shootout with the Saints winning through a defensive stand late in the game:  Saints win 41-35.

San Diego Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals – This is a total offense vs. defense matchup.  Philip Rivers leads a delightful passing attack by the Chargers, while the Bengals defense is amongst the best in the league.  These are two solid teams that could both do well in the playoffs, but I think the miraculous Chargers dream ends this week, as Andy Dalton and AJ Green should be able to muster enough points while the Chargers get slowed down by that defense.  Nevertheless, the game should be close, possibly featuring a poetically just missed field goal by the Chargers at the end of regulation:  Bengals win 20-17.

San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers – The 49ers have the key ingredients for success in the playoffs: a strong defense and a powerful rushing attack spearheaded by Frank Gore.  They amassed a 12-4 record but are forced to go on the road as a wildcard team due to the great year by the Seattle Seahawks.  The Packers suffered to an 8-7-1 record with quarterback Aaron Rodgers missing nearly half the year.  However, he returned last week and won in miraculous fashion over the Chicago Bears, converting a dramatic last-minute 4^th and 8 for a touchdown.  They also have a strong running game led by rookie Eddie Lacy.  However, their defense is very questionable.  But with temperatures set to be in the single digits at Lambeau Field, this game will be a major test for both sets of players.  While Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers have dominated the Packers in recent games, Green Bay looks invigorated with Rodgers back at the helm, and I see them as a team of destiny: Packers win 28-24.

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Are the 3-0 KC Chiefs and Miami Dolphins Ready to Be the 2013 NFL Surprise Teams?

Every year some NFL team comes from out of nowhere to stun the league and put on a successful winning season.  During each offseason, there becomes a fun game of speculation in which media pundits and fans guess on which team will be next year’s surprise.  While most predictions are hugely wrong, time and time again the following NFL season comes equipped with a fun and new surprise team that threatens the established group of top football squads.  So far this year, the two surprises have been the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins, two teams with 3-0 records and hopes that are building up for a seat in this season’s NFL playoffs.  Are these teams for real, or are they among the many that got off to a hot start before fading back into oblivion down the season’s stretch?

 

One clear truth is that regardless of their hot starts, both teams have the unfortunate reality of being in the same division as a premier NFL quarterback.  The Dolphins will be competing against Tom Brady and the inspirational New England Patriots, winners of 9 of the past 10 AFC East division crowns.  Meanwhile the Chiefs are residing in the AFC West, a division marred by Peyton Manning’s arrival to the Denver Broncos, who are nearly everyone’s favorites to win the Super Bowl.  So will either team even have a hope of winning their division or is a wildcard position a more realistic goal?

 

I think the Chiefs have the strongest hopes for playoff success this season.  New head coach Andy Reid is a proven winner as shown by his previous work leading the Philadelphia Eagles.  Quarterback Alex Smith is going to be playing with a massive chip on his shoulder.  He was surplus to requirements with the San Francisco 49ers last year, even though he had led the team to a 6-2 record before a concussion resulted in his benching for Colin Kaepernick to take over.

 

Alex Smith is the ultimate “game manager” quarterback, who thrives when supported by a strong defense and great players around him.  The Chiefs have several key offensive playmakers like running back Jamaal Charles and wide receiver Dwayne Bowe.  With 4 touchdowns to 0 interceptions, Smith and the Chiefs have avoided turning the ball over all season long, and though they’ve yet to face a tough opponent, they have won all their games through tough defense and consistent offensive production.  Therefore, I feel the Chiefs are in a great position to sustain their success and have a real shot at the playoffs this year, which would complete a remarkable turnaround from last season’s 2-14 mark.

 

I’m less optimistic about the Dolphins’ hopes.  Their statistics reveal a rather average team, although their 4^th quarter comeback to beat the Atlanta Falcons was heroic.  Quarterback Ryan Tannehill is young, and while he will still be a bit error-prone as he develops, this season’s start bodes well for his future, and his play has been decent.  His offensive line needs to improve in protection though, as Tannehill has been sacked 14 times through just 3 games.  But, one hopeful statistic is that the Dolphins’ defense has produced 5 interceptions, showing they can make a play.  Also, the team has won close games, which will become all the more important in big games down the stretch, especially the two against the division rivals Patriots.  I would say there is still just a 50% chance that the Dolphins make the playoffs.  They will certainly be tested in their two upcoming games against the New Orleans Saints and the Baltimore Ravens.

 

Late September is still way too early to really know which teams are going to be the exciting turn-around stories in the NFL.  Injuries and tough division games can change these team’s prospects in a real hurry, but fans of the Dolphins and Chiefs should be feeling a heck of a lot better at 3-0 than they would at 0-3.  Let’s see if these teams can keep up their good play as the temperatures start to drop towards winter.  Also, we can look forward to the real tests as these teams play intense divisional matchups against the Broncos and Patriots!

 

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Will a Quarterback be the 2013 NFL Draft’s First Pick?

Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl Ticket & Coin Collection

The past 4 NFL drafts have seen a quarterback selected with the first overall pick. Last year saw Andrew Luck enter the NFL fold and he went on to have a great rookie season. Naturally, since the worst team in the league picks first there is often a strong demand for a franchise quarterback at this position, and this year is no different with the Kansas City Chiefs owning the spot. But this year’s draft class seems to be barren of a young franchise quarterback anywhere in the country. In fact, NFL draft guru Mel Kiper has boldly predicted that no quarterbacks will be selected in the entire first round! So will the Chiefs ignore their glaring need or roll the dice with one of the quarterbacks who will be desperate to prove scouts and experts wrong?

 

Kansas City has an entirely new coaching staff featuring head coach Andy Reid, formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles. New coaches often mean new quarterbacks, as they want someone whom they can develop and who will fit their scheme. Currently the Chiefs boast Matt Cassel as their starter. Cassel had modest success in 2010, leading the team to the playoffs, but he has regressed since then. Last season, performing quite terribly, Cassel was benched in favor of Brady Quinn and seemingly is reaching the end of his NFL career.

 

Chances are that the Chiefs will find a new quarterback this offseason either through the draft, a trade, or through free agency. Free agency looks to be rather barren. Although Super Bowl winning Joe Flacco has yet to re-sign with the Baltimore Ravens, I fully expect the team to hold onto him. Other than that, the free agency field is full of a bunch of players that have tried and basically failed to make an impact: Matt Moore, Jason Campbell, Tavaris Jackson, and Seneca Wallace. I don’t see a franchise quarterback on this list.

 

Perhaps the Chiefs could trade for a player. Andy Reid is familiar with Eagles backup Nick Foles, so perhaps he could initiate a trade for him. Or perhaps he could trade for a capable backup like Matt Flynn of the Seattle Seahawks, who lost his starter’s role to the sensational rookie Russell Wilson? Once again, I doubt any GM would want to trade a very good player, unless the Chiefs surrender that top draft pick, which again is doubtful.

 

Therefore, it appears that the only way for the Chiefs to find a franchise quarterback will be through the draft, and that will be no easy feat. Geno Smith of West Virginia is currently the player being touted for that pick. He has all the athletic traits and statistics that have drawn comparisons to Robert Griffin III, but seems to be criticized over his team’s poor finish to the year, when they lost 6 of their last 8 games. Nevertheless, Smith did perform well and accumulated 42 touchdowns to just 6 interceptions with a 71.2% completion percentage.

 

There are several other quarterbacks who are being touted for the NFL including Matt Barkley of USC, EJ Manuel of Florida State, Landry Jones of Oklahoma, and Mike Glennon of NC State, but neither has impressed spectacularly like Smith. However, with the NFL combine approaching, the full merits of each quarterback have yet to be displayed, and someone may shine for scouts and merit a serious look for the top pick.

 

Right now the primary choice is Geno Smith. He has the athletic traits and is apparently a bright person who even competed in chess club in grade school. Of course the Chiefs may have different plans and we will have to wait several weeks before those come to light, but if I was a betting man I would place money on Geno Smith being taken #1 in the 2013 NFL draft.

 

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Priest Holmes Returning To The Kansas City Chiefs?

Priest Holmes to return to the Kansas City Chiefs? 

 

After waiting 21 months, Chiefs' fans have received the good news that they have been waiting for.  It has been announced that three-time Pro Bowler Priest Holmes will be attending the Chiefs' training camp at UWRF.

Holmes joined the Chiefs in 2001 and since then he ranks first in the NFL with an average of 97.3 yards per game and 136 yards from scrimmage.  Holmes is one of the best blockers and pass-catcher running backs in the league.  His presence on the Chiefs' field has been missed dearly.

With Holmes' return, other implications arise.  Larry Johnson has been requesting new terms on his contract even though he has two years remaining on his current contract.  It has been reported that Johnson is requesting guaranteed money in the range of $28 million.  If Johnson holds out of camp, he will be fined more then $14,000 for each day he misses.  

Both running backs are extremely talented and have contributed tremendously to the Chiefs' organization.  Johnson had been selected in the 2003 draft even though Dick Vermeil had objected.  During this draft, Holmes was in his own contract negotiations and the selection of Johnson was probably done to gain leverage over Holmes.  After being drafted, Johnson had waited impatiently for two years for his chance to take over Holmes' position.  Vermeil and Johnson had a heated relationship during this time. 

After Holmes was injured, Johnson finally got his chance to prove himself in 2005.  Johnson replaced Holmes and immediately became a premier running back of the NFL.  During the 2006 season, Larry Johnson set an NFL record with 416 carries and rushed for 1,789 yards.  These stats broke the team's single-season record for the second year in a row. 

Priest Holmes will turn 34 in October and he has been inactive for almost two years.  Before suffering his neck and head trauma injuries on October 30, 2005 during the San Diego Chargers game, Holmes had broke his hip during the 2002 season.  After his hip surgery, Holmes did return with an impressive impact by rushing 1,420 yards and scoring an NFL record of 27 touchdowns.  Holmes came back with a vengeance the first time, but will he be able to do so again the second time?

The combination of Holmes and Johnson has proved difficult to teams in the past.  They are a dynamic duo that is hard to stop.  Can they both play for the same team this year?  And if so, will they continue their success and run all over their opponents.  The Chiefs need a lot of help since Trent Green has left for Miami.  Kansas City Chiefs' fans can only keep their fingers crossed that the team will be able to utilize both Holmes and Johnson and that they will both be team players and not be selfish about their position. 

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Chiefs to lose Trent Green?

There's word that quarterback Trent Green will not be with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2007. We hope that is not true as he is a good fit with Kansas City.

Green's agent, Jim Steiner, has stated the Chiefs are seeking to restructure Green's contract which will pay him $7.2 million next season. The Chiefs are also reviewing offers from other teams for Green's services. Green missed 8 games last seaon due to a severe concussion he received after getting tackled.

I am a big Chief's fan and I think it would be a big mistake for them to lose Green. He is not the best quarterback out there, but he is consistent and almost always near the top in quarterback rating. He has surely recovered from his massive concussion that he will be extremely effective in 2007. He needs some better receivers however. The only real guys he has to throw to is Gonzalez and Johnson. If he had some additional receivers, I think his numbers will increase drastically.

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