A Long Season

I continue to marvel at the length of the NFL season and the twists and turns that can occur through its entirety. The Saints were given up for dead after an 0-4 start and disastrously poor play in games like the season opener vs. the Colts. And yet, now they are one of only 4 teams still alive for one of the two wild card spots.

 

Which brings me to the 6-8 Panthers, whose season appeared over after Jake Delhomme was placed on IR and the team went through a round robin of quarterbacks. And yet, they too are one of only four teams still alive for the playoffs.

 

The Steelers started strong but are now staggering to the finish line, and literally limping into the playoffs after starting RB Willie Parker broke his leg and is done for the season. Meanwhile, the Jaguars are coming on strong after surviving the early controversy about jettisoning starter and former #1 pick Byron Leftwich in favor of the inconspicuous David Garrard.

 

But perhaps the biggest surprise among the winning teams is the Chargers. Everyone was making the Norv Turner jokes earlier this season as the team floundered and hardly resembled last year’s 14-2 juggernaut. And yet, here we are with two games to go in the season and they are 8-5, Rivers is starting to play better and LT remains LT. They would be a tough second round game for either the Pats or Colts. Indeed, they and the Jags may be the two teams that could give the two AFC favorites a run for their money in the second round games.

 

The NFC team that might most resemble the Chargers is the Vikings, with dominant offensive and defensive lines, a punishing defense, a strong running game, and a barely competent QB. To think the Eagles beat the Vikes in Minnesota and yet it is Tarvaris Jackson that is leading the team with playoff aspirations.

 

And of course, the NY Giants remain the enigma. They remain on the verge of another late season swoon. Manning shows flashes of brilliance and extended periods of mediocrity. Coughlin is still a volcanic “leader.” Weirdly, though they technically have the inside track for one of the last two playoff spots, they lose every tiebreaker to the three other remaining teams: Saints, Panthers, Redskins.

 

If they don’t make it this year, I would imagine Coughlin is gone. Eli’s fate would be uncertain. But what are their fates if they do get in to the playoffs only to bow out after another 1^st round loss? I could easily see the Giants finishing strong and winning a first round game on the road vs. the Bucs or Seahawks. And I could just as easily envision them losing their last two games of the season and not making the playoffs.

 

Like I said, 16 games is a very long season. And we still have 2 to go. A lot can happen in two weeks. Just as a lot has already happened in the preceding 15.