Mid-season observations

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racepug
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Mid-season observations

Post by racepug »

The way I see it only 5 teams in the N.F.C. look like they'll have a chance to contend for the conference title after the season: AZ, the LAR, the Bays, and a team that shall go unnamed. Which means that a couple of teams in the N.F.C. will be in the playoffs that probably don't really deserve to be there but that's the way things are in the N.F.L. right now.

In the A.F.C. I don't have any idea which is the best team right now (and neither does Tony Dungy). My guess? TEN. But at different times this season I've thought the best team in the A.F.C. was: Kansas City, BUF, the LAC, and even CIN. But right now I'd go with TEN. I think Mike Vrabel has done a GREAT job in Nashville and nobody else stands out for me from that conference right now (admittedly, that could very well change in just a few days). The only thing that I think is certain about the A.F.C. is that neither JAX, HOU, MIA, nor the NYJ will sniff the playoffs this year. I think every other team in the conference will be in the hunt for the playoffs up until late December if not January.

The biggest surprise for me this season (up to this point)? Probably AZ being in first place (and this close to being unbeaten) this late in the season. Second place would be the "Chefs" being so poor this season after terrorizing most of the rest of the N.F.L. for the last 3 seasons. At this point I'm not even sure that K.C. makes the playoffs this season, let alone defends its conference title. A couple of weeks ago CIN being in first place was "up there" as far as surprises for me this season but since then they've stumbled, badly (hopefully they'll recover as they're the only team from their division that I can stomach).

Care to offer your opinions on football (whether or not related to my post, here) at this point in the season?
Last edited by racepug on Sat Nov 13, 2021 3:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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GameBeforeTheMoney
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Re: Mid-season observations

Post by GameBeforeTheMoney »

I agree with you on the Titans. Tragic to see Henry out for the season but Tennessee seems to just keep toughing games out. They do look like a real contender and I wouldn't be surprised to seem them in the AFC Championship Game or even Super Bowl.
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JWL
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Re: Mid-season observations

Post by JWL »

The Arizona, Rams, Dallas, Tampa Bay, and Green Bay quarterbacks all have YPAs above 8. Patrick Mahomes and Ryan Tannehill are below 7. If your quarterback is below 7 and now doesn't have Derrick Henry, that's not good. Julio Jones has never been quite right this season. His injuries have certainly hurt Tannehill but still I don't love that quarterback situation they have there.

I was critical of Cincinnati taking the wideout over the lineman but it has worked out. I like Baltimore.

My preseason Super Bowl pick was Rams vs Chiefs. I'll now change that to Rams vs Ravens.
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74_75_78_79_
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Re: Mid-season observations

Post by 74_75_78_79_ »

I shouldn't be too surprised of the Cards doing well, especially with Kyler at QB. But my picking them last was simply a case of "someone" having to finish that spot and me feeling that each of their division foes would be better as well as each making the playoffs. The Bengals? Honestly, I briefly semi-flirted with predicting something good of them, felt Burrow was only going to make himself more known, but just couldn't place them above any of the three in their division and decided to take a "maybe next year" approach.

The Chiefs? I already sensed a slide of sorts. Still winning many regular season games but more in the vein of Mahomes now getting to experience, at least for the next few years, what Brees and Rodgers have gone through since '09 and '10 respectively. And, hey, I did have Chiefs finish top-seed but lose right away to Cleveland. But mediocre record or maybe not even making the playoffs?? Didn't expect them to start like this! But Patrick may still be able to "turn it on" like a switch, Chiefs get "hot", and maybe (just maybe), despite the team's more-obvious-than-ever lack-of-dimension, actually forge themselves a top-seed after all - especially considering that everyone in the AFC thus far has lost at least two games! Hey, you never know (but, yeah, it don't look too good).

I'm still sticking with my Bucs-over-BIlls/Brady MVP Super Bowl pick. Packers and Browns I still have as conference bridesmaids though I still have the latter not winning their division. I'm still staying with New England winning their division. And, look, they're just a half-game behind! Mac Jones, 'Rookie of the Year'? Yes, that still stands and especially the same with Belichick being named 'Coach of the Year'.

And the "or Joe Judge" ALSO still stands along with NYG still winning the NFC East! Yes, quite unlikely, but I'm going to be stubborn til the end. Yes, Chiefs have a better shot at streaking to that top-seed. Dallas has done better than I thought and I guess I should have known better! But though it may end up being too-little-too-late, those G-men just may be coming around now! And they got a BYE WEEK to even better fine-tune things! At LOOK who they'll be PREPARING for all this time!! They pull that off (and look at their following games), it can sure give 'em a dangerous-to-the-rest-of-the-league momentum-boost! Going on a surge as Big D goes through a slump? Don't sleep on that possibility! Remember, just two-and-a-half games separate them!

Plenty of season to go.
JameisLoseston
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Re: Mid-season observations

Post by JameisLoseston »

Ja'marr Chase has just about run away with OROY completely
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74_75_78_79_
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Re: Mid-season observations

Post by 74_75_78_79_ »

JameisLoseston wrote:Ja'marr Chase has just about run away with OROY completely
Thing is, fair or not, if Belichick’s Pats make playoffs - especially if they win division - and Mac maintains good enough numbers throughout, and here he took over on a losing team that no longer had Brady…looks like the voters will give him the nod.
racepug
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Re: Mid-season observations

Post by racepug »

GameBeforeTheMoney wrote:Tragic to see Henry out for the season
Maybe it's not such a bad thing (for him) that he's out. I read an editorial just the other day about how, in some ways, the N.F.L. is still all about a "warrior" mentality in that many expect players to just "tough it out" as the season progresses. Get this - in the article the author cites "ESPN Stats & Info" for this little nugget: "Henry's 219 carries to start the year were the most by a player in the first 8 games of a season in NFL history." He adds that that's on the heels of Henry's career-high 378 carries last season.
JameisLoseston
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Re: Mid-season observations

Post by JameisLoseston »

74_75_78_79_ wrote:
JameisLoseston wrote:Ja'marr Chase has just about run away with OROY completely
Thing is, fair or not, if Belichick’s Pats make playoffs - especially if they win division - and Mac maintains good enough numbers throughout, and here he took over on a losing team that no longer had Brady…looks like the voters will give him the nod.
It would probably require Cincinnati to concurrently miss the playoffs, and Chase's performance to continue regressing as it has the past couple weeks.

Fun fact: until Ben Roethlisberger in 2004, only one QB had ever won OROY... and it was some JAG bum in a year where no rookies did much of anything at all.
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