Carolyn's Corner
Eight down,
eight to go. The math says it is
mid-season. Some say, "Oh, #*&$%!" Some say, "OMG!" The conventional wisdom says it
is time to take stock of the 2015 NFL teams.
But, at this
point, rather than taking a shot at answers (well, really more like opinions,
right?) about which team is where now and where it appears it will end up-- perhaps
just asking the questions and looking at the facts is more prudent. Because as we all know, “On any given
Sunday…”
To that end,
this is a compilation of 8 key questions, with short analyses. They are generated from a variety of sources*
and seem to be those resonating the most across the board.
Here we go:
| courtesy of datuopinion.com |
1. What
impact will Andrew Luck’s injury (abdominal muscle and lacerated kidney; out
2-6 weeks) have on the Indianapolis Colts hopes for the playoffs?
Maybe
minimal: They have the best
back-up QB in the league in Matt Hasselbeck, say many. The offensive line looked good against the
strong Bronco defense. They are in good
shape to win their division, having already beaten the Jaguars and Texans.
Maybe huge: Luck has a 90+ rating under the brand-new
Offensive Coordinator, obviously not easy to replace. Hasselbeck is not Luck. His consistency is an issue, even with a good
O line, as evidenced earlier in the season when he subbed for Luck. He is not as good in the pocket, the brand-new Offensive Coordinator’s
favored scheme. He also has a big number
of turnovers.
2. Will the New England Patriots be able to get past the season-ending injury to running
back Dion Lewis?
Maybe yes: It is what Bill Belichick does (well). The Patriots have had to do it many times before and have pulled it off. Moreover, they are as dominant now as they were in the 2007 perfect season, in a comparison of the first eight games.
Maybe yes: It is what Bill Belichick does (well). The Patriots have had to do it many times before and have pulled it off. Moreover, they are as dominant now as they were in the 2007 perfect season, in a comparison of the first eight games.
Maybe
no: Lewis has proven to be the 3rd
most valuable player on the team this season, after Brady and Gronkowski, as
his stats show. His caginess in both the
backfield and the secondary is a dynamic no other back for the Patriots equals this season.
3. Are the Carolina Panthers really “for real”?
Maybe yes: They are
undefeated at 8-0. They are #3 in this
week’s ESPN Power Rankings. They have
made it through what most will agree was the hardest part of their season,
beating Seattle, Green Bay, Indianapolis, and Philadelphia.
Maybe no: They used up a great amount of energy in
getting through the most difficult part of their season, but they might not
have the sufficient stamina to successfully go all the way. They still do not “feel” completely “real.”
4. Is the Denver Broncos defense as great as it seems?
Maybe
yes: No team has scored 30 points against them. No team has passed
for 300 yards. Only three teams have
accumulated over 300 total yards. One
sportswriter calls them the “boa constrictor” defense for their suffocating
play.
Maybe no: There is a case to make that they are the ones
responsible for the Bronco’s first loss.
After 6 mindless penalties last Sunday against the Colts, they looked
like something: arrogant
for thinking they are above the law, big-headed
for believing the hype and thinking they can do no wrong, selfish for not thinking of the consequences of a penalty for the
whole team, immature for allowing
juvenile impulses to win, or just too aggressive, for which Wade
Phillips has to find a way to take it down a notch. If it goes unchecked, it puts the Broncos in
a precarious position—and losers are rarely touted as great.
5. Has the death knell sounded for the Dallas Cowboys?
Probably: They are a talented team but just too injury-ravaged to do
anything more this season. Even with Dez
Bryant back and Tony Romo slated to be in week 11, it is too little, too late. The playoffs are out of their reach, but they
are a great choice for a comeback team next year.
6. Are the Atlanta Falcons really that bad?
Maybe: After the loss to
San Francisco, a team with little talent and arguably one of the worst
first-round QB draft picks ever in Blaine Gabbert, it is beginning to look
true. Moreover, they have lost 3 of
their last 4 games.
Maybe
not: They started the season 5-0.
7. Should Aaron Rodgers take the blame for the Green Bay Packers' 2 losses?
Maybe(at least a little):
His productivity has declined statistically in the last 4 weeks, and it
seems clear that he really misses Jordy Nelson, who was his great safety valve
in beating corners and getting open. Moreover,
his early chemistry with James Jones has regressed. But a top-tier player like Rodgers should find
a way to make it happen regardless.
Maybe
not: The offensive line has not
been playing as a unit. Defenses have been
able to keep him in the pocket and force bad throws. He is not able to scramble and make big
throws/plays. And the Packer’s defensive
secondary is depleted.
8. Can the Minnesota Vikings continue to rise?
Probably yes (surprisingly): They are
now 6-2 (who knew?) and tied with the Packers in the NFC North—and the Vikings hold the
tie-breaker! They are in the Top 10 of
several different Power Rankings for the first time this season. Coach Zimmer has a history of putting
together good defenses and has one this year. They had the good judgement to go with Teddy Bridgewater as QB, not
Johnny Manziel, and he is progressing nicely. The whole team is gaining confidence each week, and they have been
battle-tested. One sportswriter calls them the most intriguing team of the season.
And, as
always, now we wait and hope, wait and pray, wait and fume, wait and weep, and
wait and wait and wait some more…until that Big Day in February.
| courtesy of adage.com |
*Thanks to The
Bleacher Report, Yardbarker, Larry Brown Sports , numberFire [sic], 120 Sports,
Fox Sports, Pro Football Focus, This Given Sunday, USA Today Sports, Bring Me
the News, and NFL Media.
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