At the halfway point in the season, one undefeated team and two winless teams remain.
The Packers are undefeated. More about their game below. Meanwhile, the close-but-no-cigar Dolphins hit the road to face the Chiefs, while the not-even-close Colts host the Atlanta Falcons. I give Miami more hope. Their opponent is poorer, and so far their effort seems far better.
The New Orleans Saints are fresh off their embarrassing loss to the formerly winless Rams. They hope to bounce back against the Buccaneers. I’m sure the Saints are the better team, but the Bucs can pull an upset, and clearly New Orleans is capable of being upset. Furthermore, a share of the division lead is on the line, which adds intensity to the Bucs and pressure to the Saints.
The Jets no doubt fancied themselves the Patriots’ chief competition in the NFC East. Little did they know that the Buffalo Bills would come of age this year. Buffalo is tied with New England atop their division, though the Bills hold the head-to-head edge. Amazing. The Jets are a game behind both, and they need this win. It’s a 3-team race in the AFC East, but it’s easy to imagine New York emerging from this weekend two games back.
Which brings us to the Patriots game against the visiting New York Giants. These two teams will always be associated with one another because of the way the 2007 season ended. Meanwhile, in 2011, people are speaking very highly of Eli Manning’s play, and some folks smell another Giant upset. Personally, I do not.
Nor do I expect an upset in DC this Sunday, much as I’d like to see one. I’m growing a bit weary of the media’s newfound love for the San Francisco 49ers. I’d like to see them stumble, but I don’t think the Redskins are the team that can trip them up.
In truth, the 49ers pose a real threat to the Packers. They are only one game behind in the Conference standings, but they have the advantage of playing in a cushy division.
The best game of the weekend promises to be the Baltimore Ravens in Pittsburgh on Sunday Night Football. It’s already a great rivalry, plus they’re the top two teams in their own division, as well as two of the best in the entire AFC. And then, to make matters still more tantalizing, they met in Week One, and the Ravens annihilated the Super Bowl-losing Steelers. The talk began about Pittsburgh being old and slow. Well, now they are fancied as one of the the second-best team in the NFL, they’re playing at home, and it’s going to be on national TV. I’m glad I’m not a Ravens fan!
Meanwhile, back home in the NFC North, half of our Division is on vacation this week. The Viking and Lions both won big last Sunday, and now they are sitting home rooting against the Bears and the Packers.
The Bears are featured this week on Monday Night Football as they head to Philadelphia. When last we saw the Eagles, they were undressing the Cowboys in front of a prime time audience. They showed some of their “dream team” potential, and I fully expect them to take care of business against the Bears.
For a fleeting moment in the wake of Detroit’s two-game skid, the Bears looked like they might climb back into the NFC North race. I think by the end of this weekend, Chicago fans will come back to reality.
Finally, we come to the Packers big game.
Green Bay is playing on the road -- a long road -- but they are coming off their bye. The Chargers, meanwhile, are coming off a short week after their disastrous and unnecessary loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football.
Peter King thinks San Diego will rebound:
Just when you think you've got it all figured out, the Chargers find a way to steal one from the last unbeaten team in football. My reasoning: San Diego will run the ball well and hold Aaron Rodgers to eight or nine possessions. In the last four games, the Pack has allowed 138 rushing yards per game, and the Chargers have rushed for 130 yards a game. Mike Tolbert, this is your moment.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/peter_king/11/03/week.9/index.html#ixzz1clEPf3xv
Personally, I don’t see it. I think the greatest threat to the Packers is the kind of team that gets stronger toward the end of a game: the team with the mental toughness and passion that does their best work in the fourth quarter. Closer types. But that’s not San Diego.
Green Bay comes into the game a perfect 7-0. The Chargers, meanwhile, bring a disappointing 4-3 record. Also, consider the four teams that the Chargers have beaten. In order of appearance, they defeated the Vikings by 7, the Chiefs by 3, the Dolphins by 10, and the Broncos by 5. Their conquests have a combined record of 8-21. And their average margin of victory has been less than a touchdown. That’s horrible!
I feel bad for both Norv Turner and Philip Rivers because I think they’re both quality guys. And conventional wisdom is that this is an exceedingly talented team. So far, though, I’d say that the 2011 Chargers stink.
Still, on any given Sunday…. Just ask the New Orleans Saints!
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