Most of the preparation for Baby #3 is finished, so I hope to be able to help out with the simming this week.
-Brad
1. Bengals at Bills 2. Jaguars at Texans 3. Cardinals at Rams Browns at Steelers
Raiders at Dolphins Broncos at Chiefs
Buccaneers at Ravens
Colts at Eagles
Titans at Cowboys
Bears at Redskins
Seahawks at 49ers Lions at Jets
Panthers at Saints Patriots at Packers
Half-Time Report In a departure from our usual format its time for a review of the divisions as we approach the halfway point in the race to Lousiana and Simbowl glory.
AFC
AFC NORTH A two horse race between the Bengals and the Browns who have yet to meet. The two games will be crucial as both teams have similar schedules and its likely the winner takes the division while the loser will be in a fight for a wildcard. As to who takes it it will be very interesting. The Bengals are the number one pass offense and number two overall, with a top 10 rush defense. The Browns meanwhile are a top ten pass defense team and top ten offensive rushers . Key figures will be Carson Palmer for the Bengals who have 3 receivers all over 500 yards and Clinton Portis for the Browns, and it will be mighty tight. We see the games being split and the Bengals just shading the division.
As to the Steelers and the Ravens they’re just making up the numbers in this one.
AFC EAST The Patriots are the force in the East standing at 7 and 1 and on the back of a 7 game winning streak. With LDT and Laurence Maroney both racking up 600 yards and a fairly straightforward schedule with the Titans being the only top 10 team they have left, expect them still to be top come seasons end. Of the others the Jets have been disappointing as have the Dolphins. The Bills on the other hand already have as many wins as in the whole of 2009 and were on a 3 game streak with HB Marshawn Lynch in fine form. The fact the game with the Vikes was tight is testimony to their improvement. Will they get into the wildcard fight? Unlikely as they have some decent teams left but they may surprise a few so don’t count them out just yet.
AFC SOUTH Another very close division that illustrates the depth of quality in the AFC with the Jags Colts and Titans all in there fighting. The Jags and Titans have to play each other twice with the Jags travelling to Indianapolis in the final week. Its anybodys title and the Colts who have the easier schedule will be hoping the other two split the series giving them a realistic shot. Key factors will be the Jags number one defense and how well they contain a resurgent Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne. Mario Williams with 14 sacks and Rashean Martin with 4 interceptions will be key. The Colts too have a very strong offense and if their defense can step up they may even shade it . The Titans have shown the fight to take a couple of tight games but will be hoping the narrow defeat to the lowly Chiefs doesn’t come back to haunt them.
AFC WEST Well it’s the Chargers at a canter in the West even though they’ve stuttered recently with defeat to the Broncos and a squeaky win over Cincinatti. The Broncos on the other hand are an enigma. They’ve beaten the Chargers and Jags in their last two games and only lost in OT to the Titans another top ten team, yet have lost to the Chiefs. They have 3 tricky games and 4 relatively easy ones and could easily finish with a winning season. They are an outside bet for a wildcard and much will hinge on Jay Cutler and the offense firing as Denver’s defense is formidable being ranked 2 overall. Again both the other two the Chiefs
and Raiders will be looking to 2011 even this early even with the Raiders upset of Arizona.
NFC
NFC NORTH Symptomatic of the majority of the NFC, tight division mainly as no-one can put together any kind of a winning run.The Vikings look the likely winners but the Packers if they can find some consistency and get Brandon Jackson firing might snatch it with their better divisional record. At the moment its Donald Drivers aged legs keeping them in it.The week 13 matchup may just be key. The Bears continue to look to the future and this may just be a season too early.The Lions will be praying for just the one win as the number one pick seems to be heading to Detroit or Miami.
NFC EAST Home of the only unbeaten team in USL, the impressive Giants who like San Diego in the AFC are the team to beat. The number one offense, number three defense and the weaknesses are difficult to spot, although allegedly the catering at home games sucks and one of the cheerleaders has a boyfriend. Such is the Nature of the NFC that the 3 and 5 Eagles and Skins could easily snatch a wildcard if they can put together any kind of streak. The Cowboys meantime will join Miami and the Lions at the top of the draft order.
NFC SOUTH Is this the worst division in USL? Quite possibly although to be fair it’s a bit of a mystery why this lot are performing so badly. That being said they are and if it carries on we could have a team with a losing record winning the division with the others unlikely to progress. The Saints have the easiest of the schedules on paper but the divisional match ups will be key. Close your eyes and take your pick its all up for grabs. At the time of going to press the Saints were waiting to stomp, sorry play the 49ers and a win would tie them at 4 and 4 with the Panthers who have the better divisional record.
NFC WEST Arizona are still the team to beat, notwithstanding their shock defeat to the Raiders but the Rams appear to have recovered from their early season stutters and have hit a rich vein of form winning 4 off the bat as they attempt to defend their title. They meet week 10 with the Rams looking to avenge a real close 2 point loss back in week 2. After that the Rams schedule looks pretty straightforward and it should go to the wire. Both teams have explosive offenses ranked in the top 10. The key may be how much the Rams miss Will Weatherspoon on defense. The other two look out of it especially San Francisco. Arguably a tremendous second half could drag Seattle back into it, but don’t hold your breath…..
So that’s how it looks across the USL with things beginning to take shape. Next week its back to our regular performances of the week but we’ll also be taking time to look at the early pacesetters in the race for rookie of the year.
