National Football League - "They Never Change"

What really gets to me is the weight that all these analysts put into the first two games of the year. They look at a 2-0 team and put them in the conference championship based solely on the record. Look, I'm rooting for Cincinnati this season. But they beat the Browns and the Vikings, neither of which have looked at all impressive this year. It's not time to christen them as an NFL powerhouse. And while we're mentioning the Vikes, they're far from done at 0-2. They have talent, and are in a pathetic division. If they can right the ship, there's no reason why they can't make a run deep into the post-season.

I just don't understand how these people who supposedly know so much can keep getting suckered into this trap year after year. In 2003, Buffalo started off 2-0, whupped the Patriots 31-0 and was a consensus pick to win the AFC East and reach the conference championship. By Week 17, it's the Patriots at 15-2 returning the 31-0 favor against a Buffalo team that limped through the rest of the year. In 2001, the 2-0 Colts had scored 70 points in their first two games until they lost to the 0-2 Patriots. The Colts missed the playoffs, the Patriots won the Super Bowl. I apologize to the Jags, Saints, Bengals, and Panthers fans for all these New England examples. It's just what I know best, and also some of the best examples of this. Have a look:

What can you conclude from that table?  The only thing you can conclude is that you can conclude NOTHING from the first two weeks of the season. For every 2-0 2003 Carolina Panthers who went to the Super Bowl, there' s a 2004 Jaguars who missed the playoffs. For every 0-2 2004 Miami Dolphins, there's a 2003 Philadelphia Eagles going to the NFC Championship.

And here's where I contradict myself - because I'm about to make some predictions. But these predictions aren't based on a team's record, or their overall play so far. These are predictions based on what we've come to expect from certain teams over the years and how that matches up with what we've seen the past two weeks.

1. The Colts defense isn't fixed.

"All Hail Indianapolis!" That's what the papers read on Monday. They have the number one ranked offense and now the number one ranked defense. They've finally made the leap! 

Excuse me, but who did the Colts play these past two weeks?  Baltimore and Jacksonville? Have they not been two of the worst offensive teams in the league in recent years? 

Hold the Chiefs to three points and we'll talk. Until then, the Colts are going to have to keep this up against teams that actually see the end zone more often than Hailey's comet.

2. Carolina is no lock for the Super Bowl.

If I had see the Patriots lose a game, I'd want them to lose to the Panthers. I've stated many times how much I love this Carolina team. But they lost to the Saints, and the Patriots lost to themselves. I'm not saying Carolina didn't play well, but I can't remember the last time I saw that many dropped passes, overthrown passes, penalties, blown challenge opportunities, dropped interceptions, and just overall stink coming from New England. The NFC is a horrible conference, and anything can happen. But last week's win certainly doesn't validate them as a contender.

3. The NFC is just terrible.

Do you really like this Eagles team?  But who else do you pick?  Carolina seems like the trendy option, but after that, Atlanta?  Who's next after that?  The Giants? The Cowboys? The Bears?  I can't believe I even mentioned them. This whole parity idea can be tossed out the window. The AFC is vastly superior and teams like Indy and New England have dominated year after year for a while now. The Baltimore Ravens of this world won't be seen for a few years.

I've mentioned these already above but...

4. The Bengals aren't making the playoffs.

They aren't topping the Steelers. That puts them in a wild card run-off with the Jets and Jaguars, and possibly San Diego if they right the ship. I just don't see the Bengals playing up to their level.

5. The Viking aren't sunk.

Yes, they stunk it up these first two weeks. No, maybe they aren't as good as people thought. But they play in one weak division, so they have plenty of wiggle-room to get out of this funk.

6. The Dynasty hasn't died.

The media has never liked the Patriots. In fact, they only began to give them respect after their third title, simply because their was no denying their superiority. So leave it to ESPN to jump at the chance knock the Patriots down a notch, the first chance they get. You think the three titles would earn them a mulligan, but no. They're under the Colts and the Steelers. And that's semi-understandable. But what really gets me is that they're below the Eagles as well. The Eagles stunk it up against the Falcons on Monday night. They're 1-1 as well, and considering that the victory was against the Niners, it's ridiculous that they're above us.

But the Power Rankings don't mean squat. If anything, being a little bit of an underdog is exactly what this team needs. The Patriots feel most comfortable when their backs are against the wall. And heading into Pittsburgh with the prospect of dropping to 1-2 is just what the doctor ordered to get this team on track. The Patriots will win that game. The Patriots will win the Super Bowl. The Dynasty didn't die in Carolina.