Now that we have had a few days to let it sit and percolate in our minds, let’s look back to see what we learned from last weekend’s mostly lackluster NFL games.
1. A lot of people are going to be concerned about my Buccaneers, but I’m not. Jeff Garcia wasn’t playing and they still took Atlanta to overtime. They are going to beat San Diego this week, then they will cruise past the Raiders with ease, and they’ll be comfortably in the playoffs. I still believe.
2. The Redskins are a mess. They are decidedly on my long list of teams I wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole over the last two weeks.
3. The Dolphins just keep winning, and they seem to have come up with an effective strategy for winning – bore the other team to death, then step over their dead bodies en route to the endzone. This is not a fun team to watch, but I am very happy for them.
4. There is no limit to the number of people who should be fired after that ridiculous debacle in Buffalo. It was a terribly bad decision on so, so many levels.
5. I hate the Colts, so take this with a grain of salt – I don’t think the Colts are going to do anything notable in the playoffs. Look at the last six games of the season for them – San Diego, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, Jacksonville and Tennessee. That last game is the only one against a playoff team, and by then Indy should have their position locked up so they’ll have no incentive to try. That means that Indy will be going into the playoffs not having been tested for almost two months. Not a good way to get ready for the final tournament.
6. Tarvaris Jackson is playing very well. Good to see a guy take advantage of a third chance. The guy has enough talent and, seemingly, determination that this one could stick.
7. If I had to pick just one NFC team to back right now it would be the Panthers. Especially if they can secure home field.
8. Part of the Cowboys win was that they are playing well, but a bigger part is that the Giants are not. Eli Manning is the least deserving Pro Bowler in the history of the Pro Bowl. He is not playing well, and that’s a massive understatement.
