The season we thought would never start on time is now a month gone believe it or not. After six months of painstaking labor talks the season has not only started, but in the blink of an eye here we are at the end of Week 4. Some teams came out of the gate as we expected, while others defied every stat in the book and have outperformed the league. Lets take a look at how the first quarter of the 2011 NFL season stacked up.
NFC EAST
Washington Redskins (3-1) - After a drama filled 2010 season with Donavon McNabb and Albert Hanesworth, Mike Shanahan and company have shed the baggage and come into 2011 with a spunky young defense and non other the "Sexy Rexy" Rex Grossman at the helm. The Redskins handled the division rival Giants in Week 1 with ease, and followed up with wins against Arizona and St. Louis. Washington's only loss this season came against the Dallas Cowboys in a 18-16 fist fight that ended on a game winning Dallas field goal with 1:47 to play. The Redskins will see the beat up Eagles in Week 5. It's still early but a win here and Washington can start putting themselves in the conversation for potential playoff contenders.
New York Giants (3-1) - Unpredictable. Thats the only way to describe the NY Giants. They started the season with an embarrassing performance against the Redskins. Then in consecutive weeks spanked the NFC West favored Rams and preseason favorite Eagles, holding each to just 16 points. Week 4 was no different. A slugfest in the desert against the Arizona Cardinals saw them down 20-10 at the end of the third quarter, but with some Tom Coughlin magic fairy dust they scored 21 fourth quarter points to win the game 31-27. At this point with any other team Week 4's game would be a turning point and momentum changer, but I can see the Giants easily blowing their next three games against Seattle, Buffalo, and Miami (all at home). The struggles Dallas and Philadelphia have seen will give the Giants a little breathing room as the season goes on, but again, you just never know with this squad.
Dallas Cowboys (2-2) - America's team needs a break. A fan base can only take heart attacks while watching their beloved Cowboys so many times. Dallas has had ten straight games decided by three points or less. Sunday nights opener against the Jets at the Meadowlands was no different, and seemed to set the tone for Tony Romo's squad. Speaking of Tony Romo, has there ever been a player who was loved/hated by fans around the league as much as this guy. He gets ripped after coughing up the Jets win, then one week later is praised as a god among men when we trotted out in the fourth quarter with a bruised rib and a punctured lung to throw a 77 yard pass to Jesse Holley to put them in line for a game winning field goal in OT. In Week 3 they eeked out a win against Washington, but then Week 4 turned the tables again as Romo let a 20-3 lead dissipate to Sam Bradford's Lions resulting in a 34-30 loss. If Dallas wants to redeem themselves from last seasons disaster, they need to start playing with the consistency of an elite team every week. **Side note - Dez Bryant is a little girl. **
Philadelphia Eagles (1-3) - Vick. Maclin. Jackson. McCoy. Celek. At the start of the season the Eagles were the cat's pajamas. With arguably the most explosive and dynamic offense in the game and the huge addition of free agent Nnamdi Asomugha in the defensive backfield, on paper the Eagels were the team to beat. Think again sports fans. While the Eagles rank second in the league in rush yards (182.0/game) their front four on the offensive line have been ineffective at protecting Michael Vick in the pocket. Vick has been smacked around in every game this season, especially in Week 3's meeting with the Giants where he left the game due to a badly bruised hand. Heading into red hot Buffalo for Week 5, the Eagles are coming off three straight losses to Atlanta, New York, and San Francisco. Philadelphia needs to right the ship quickly because the schedule only gets harder as they match up with the deep AFC East this season.
NFC NORTH
Detroit Lions (4-0) - You may be getting old, but dont worry you read that correctly. The Detroit Lions are undefeated and are tied for the best record in the NFL with last years Superbowl Champion Green Bay Packers. Matthew Stafford is finally healthy and has developed great chemistry with Calvin Johnson and Brandon Pettigrew down field. The Lions are fourth in the league in passing yards (321.7) and have finally seemed to put it all together. For two consecutive weeks, Stafford has led massive second half charges. Down 20-0 against Minnesota and 20-3 this week against Dallas, Stafford not only made the games close, but come out with the W. Lets not forget about Ndamukong Suh, the 6'4", 307 pound DT out of Nebraska now in his second season in the pros. This kid is as legit as it gets and drives opposing offenses mad. **The Lions are 4-0 for the first time since 1980**
Green Bay Packers (4-0) - The Packers seem to have started just like they left off last season, which does not bode well for the rest of the league. Funny thing is Green Bay is undefeated, yet they haven't played a quality end to end game this season. With quality wins over New Orleans and Chicago, both playoff teams last season, Aaron Rogers and company have outscored opponents 148-97(only to be bested by the Lions 135-76). Wide recievers James Jones and Jordy Nelson have handed most of the receptions, but Jermichael Finley has emerged as one of the premier Tight Ends in the league. Rogers and Finley connected for three touchdowns in their Week 2 win over Chicago, and have been ripping defenses apart ever since. Speaking of defense, 80s hairband wannabes Chris Matthews and A.J Hawk, along with nose tackle B.J Raji have led the Packers to league best run defense (55.0 yards/game). The Packers are no doubt a threat to repeat as Superbowl Champions.
Chicago Bears (2-2) - Daaaaa Beeeeeears! (Sorry I had to). Chicago has been exactly what their record says they are, average. They were trounced by the Saints and Packers, but put up winning fights against the Falcons and the quietly dangerous Panthers (more on them later). The thing about the Bears is they just arent a fun team to watch. The only remotely interesting element they bring to the table is watching Devin Hester return punts for touchdowns every other game. Jay Cutler throws way to many interceptions in tight games and quite frankly he just does not get it done in crunch time... anyone remember last years NFC Championship game? Thought so. With the Lions now being relevant and the Packers continuing their winning ways from last season, I'd say Bears are out of the early playoff picture.
Minnesota Vikings (0-4) - If passing the ball was illegal in the NFL, the Vikings would probably be tops in the league. Sadly this is not the case. Adrian Peterson continues to churn out 80-100 yard games averaging 5+ yards per carry. The guy is a stud-muffin of pure talent that makes good NFL defenses look foolish. On the other side of the ball the Vikings defense, led by Jared Allen, have kept opponents running game under control yielding just 67.3 yards/game (4th in the league). It seems like the inability for teams to run against Minnesota has made their losses closer then they should be. Oh and I almost forgot, Brett Favre was traded in for a not so new and improved Donavon McNabb. McNabb has provided the Vikings with the 29th best passing game and an inability to hold leads late in games. Even though Minnesota just drafted QB Christian Ponder, its probably best to fold it up early and prepare of the Andrew Luck Sweepstakes.
NFC SOUTH
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) - The future is bright for the Buccaneers. After finishing 2010 with its first ten win season since 2005, it seems like the Bucs have found something really special in its squad of young talented guys. Heading the charge is 23 year old Josh Freeman, who seems to have the invaluable ability to keep Tampa fighting late in games, especially when they are down. In Week 2 against the Vikings, Tampa was getting shut out 17-0 at the half until Freeman took control of the game and marched his team back to a late 24-20 win. Additionally, 24 year old LeGarrette Blount has been equally effective for Tampa Bay. Blount has rushed for 4.5 yards/carry and 3 TDs so far this season. Blount has been key in crunch time icing the clock, and in Week 4 he unleashed a 35 yards run from scrimmage late in the fourth quarter to put Tampa up 24-17. While inexperience may play a factor late in the season and when the playoff discussion starts creeping in, the Buccaneers are a good team regardless with an "us against the world" mentality. This is the type of team you never want to mess with.
New Orleans Saints (3-1) - The Saint 2010 season ended with a first round playoff loss to the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks. Brutal. They began 2011 with a loss at Green Bay in the season opener. Brutal. But have no fear, Drew Brees is here. New Orleans rebounded well coming off the Week 1 loss with three straight wins against Chicago, Houston, and Jacksonville. What makes the Saints so good is that they are a tremendously balanced team. Drew Brees is a top five QB every year (2nd in pass yards, 338.0), also Darren Sprolles and Mark Ingram are a great two headed monster in the offensive back field that can keep their defense fresh and off the field through the game. The Saints have only scored less then 30 points once this season, and by looking at their schedule going forward, it doesnt look like the scoring is going to slow down despite not have a top ten receiver for Brees to target.
Atlanta Falcons (2-2) - The Falcons do a lot of things good, but nothing great. They have a stud QB in Matt Ryan, an excellent receiving core with Roddy White and rookie Julio Jones, and the explosive Michael Turner holding down the Running Back position. The talent is there, the skill players are there, it just seems they can never put together a great season start to finish. This year is no different. In Week 1 Atlanta laid an egg in Chicago then rebounded against Philadelphia in Week 2. Everyone thought beating the anointed Eagles was a defining early win... then they go and lose to Tampa and narrowly escape a loss this week with a 30-28 win in Seattle (led 27-7 at one point). The pieces are certainly in place, now it comes down to execution. If the Falcons can somehow find a rhythm and put it together they will be a dangerous team down the stretch.
Carolina Panthers (1-3) - America's Sweetheart of 2011. Cam Newton may have been the most controversial collegiate athlete of the past decade. Despite many allegations, Newton tuned out the white noise and led his Auburn Tigers to a BCS Championship and ultimately won the Heisman Trophy and was the number one overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Yet, everyone said he wasnt going to make it in the NFL. Newton hushed all haters from the get go as he put up a rookie record 422 passing yards in Week 1, then followed it up with 432 and 374 yard performances in following weeks. The kid is the real deal. Unfortunately, Carolina is not quite ready to compete with the big dogs around the league. However, an influx of great young talent as well as veteran leadership from WR Steve Smith makes Carolina a tough team to beat each week even though their record doesn't stand out.
NFC WEST
San Francisco 49ers (3-1) - This is why I have a hard time understanding sports. The 49ers, who have arguably the worst offense in the NFL (28th in passing/30th in rushing) are in first place in the NFC West and just came off a monumental 24-23 upset win against the Eagles in Week 4. It just doesnt make sense. Alex Smith is the starting QB for this team. Alex Smith! Smith is a scrub that has been dragged through the league for seven years with nothing to show for it. Check that, he has one thing... 54 interceptions and 53 touchdown passes for his career. 'Nuff said. The only value this team has is RB Frank Gore, and even he has been suffering from injuries for most of the season. I guess its encouraging that rookie Kendall Hunter has played well while filling in for Gore. I'd say the 49ers have no chance, but then again the Seahawks won this division last year at 7-9 so who knows.
Seattle Seahawks (1-3) - "Beast Mode" can only last so long. Seattle won this division last year, and at 7-9 everyone under the sun thought their first round playoff match-up against the Saints would be a laugher. Well that why you play the game because the Seahawks, with the help of their 12th man Qwest Field, stunned the Saints and advanced with the Wild Card victory. However, Tim Hasselbeck has retired and handed the reigns to Tarvaris Jackson who for six years has done little to nothing for the Minnesota Vikings. The Seahawks have no receivers, no tight ends, and "one hit wonder" Marshawn Lynch just isnt a player you can anchor a running game around. Their only win of the season came in a 13-10 squeaker against the Cardinals, and Week 4's narrow loss to the Falcons I attribute more to Atlanta's ineptitude then great Seattle play. The Seahawks are going nowhere fast and thats not a trend I see changing.
Arizona Cardinals (1-3) - The Cardinals are the one team in the West after four games that I think can put it together and have a nice little season. Although they have started with three losses, two have come against good Washington and NY Giants teams. In Week 4's loss, Arizona gave up an ungodly 21 points in the fourth quarter to Giants, which they had no response for. On the bright side, Arizona has veteran QB Kevin Kolb as well as perennial All Pro WR Larry Fitzgerald to get this team back on track as the season progresses. Also, RB Beanie Wells has been surprisingly outstanding with no less then 90 total yards a game and five touchdowns. Thats as good as any recipe for success in the NFC West.
St. Louis Rams (0-4) - Every year we have a team that in preseason everyone loves to break out, but they crash and burn. The Rams are this seasons crash and burn team. In their defense, the Rams have one of the hardest schedules in the league this year. Their first four games were against the Eagles, Giants, Ravens, and Redskins... and the next three games come against the Packers, Cowboys, and Saints. Thats a hellacious first seven games. The problem with the Rams though lies in its offense. Sam Bradford is averaging only 202.0 yards/game and has had lots of trouble in the red zone. The Rams have the second worst points differential in the league sporting an unimpressive -67. Also, the injury to RB Stephen Jackson has really hurt the Rams running game placing a huge burden on Bradford. 0-4 is near impossible to recover from in this league, and with the schedule St. Louis has in front of them 0-7 might be right around the corner.
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills (3-1) - Welcome to our second shocker of the season. The Buffalo Bills are no longer circling the wagons, but instead are in first place in the AFC East. Yes, thats right, first place. Led by Harvard grad Ryan Fitzpatrick, a late bloomer who was written off by everyone around the league, this team won huge back to back games against the Raiders and Patriots in Weeks 2 and 3. The Bills have seen career performances from Fitzpartick, RB Fred Jackson, WR Steve Johnson, and LB Nick Barnett. The Bills are 11th in the league in passing (276.0 yards/game) and 4th in rushing yards (155.0 yards/game), making them one of the best overall offenses of the first four weeks. The only weary thing about the Bills is the trap game loss they suffered in Week 4's game in Cincinnati. The Bengals havent beaten the Bills since 1988. Thats before I was born. Of course, coming off their huge win against New England, Buffalo goes and loses a dog fight in Cincinnati 23-20 to a below average Bengals team. Buffalo sees a stretch of very good teams in the next few weeks including the Eagles, Giants, Redskins, Jets, and Cowboys. It will be a true test to see if this club is for real or not this year.
New England Patriots (3-1) - Maybe its because I'm a Jets fan, but Tom Brady's gig of being a QB from another planet is getting old. Im convinced Bill Belichick had Brady genetically engineered in a lab somewhere to be an MVP candidate every year. This year is no different with Brady slinging a lead leading 437 yards/game, 11 TDs, and 113.8 QB rating. The Patriots have a wealth of options with Wes Welker, Deon Branch, Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski all being viable threats down field. New England has scored over 30 points a game in every game this year. They were tested early in Week 2 against the Chargers and handled them easily with a convincing 35-21 victory. However, Week 5 poses another challenge as they face Jets in Foxborough for bragging rights in the East.
New York Jets (2-2) - Get ready for take off folks. Through four games this has already been a roller coaster ride of a season. The Jets opened Week 1 with an emotional Sunday night game on the tenth anniversary of September 11th at home against the Dallas Cowboys. When the dust settled and Jet and Cowboy fans were released from hospitals, the Jets came out on top with a late fourth quarter win, 27-24. Week 2 was a breeze at home against Jacksonville. Right now the team looks good. Two wins and it doesn't seem like they have even hit their stride yet. However, Week 3 was a punch in the mouth as Oakland ran on the Jets defense at will and issued New York their first loss of the season. But the worst came this past week as the Jets were at the Ravens in Week 4. This one was ugly. QB Mark Sanchez completed just 11 of 35 passes, lost 3 fumbles, and threw one interception. If you were wondering that is amounts to a 30.5 QB rating. To make matters worse, the Jets trademark "ground and pound" running game has been ineffective as they are 30th in the league in rushing behind RB Shone Green (71.0 yards/game). At this point, Special Teams is the only area where the Jets are firing on all cylinders, but that cant carry a team for an entire season. The Jets better hope All Pro Center Nick Mangold's Week 3 ankle injury heals quickly because in Week 5 they play the division rival Patriots in Foxborough.
Miami Dolphins (0-4) - On the surface I feel bad for Miami. Brandon Marshall is an awesome Wide Receiver and even though he gets to bask in the sunshine of Florida everyday, he has to put up with Dumb and Dumber aka. Chad Henne and Tony Sparano. I wouldnt trust these two with a pen and paper let alone a professional football team. With four straight losses, two of those coming at home giving more proof to the Miami home disadvantage, their season looks over already. Now with the Bills being relevant again, the AFC East is going to be as hard as ever to contend for, which make Miami a contender for nothing but the Andrew Luck Sweepstakes. The Dolphins have a Bye in Week 5 then see the Jets at the Meadowlands in Week 6. Hellooooooo 0-5.
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens (3-1) - Why do I feel like the Ravens were written off during the preseason? Going into Week 1, Pittsburgh was heavily favored, and even after the Ravens spanked the Steelers 35-7, people still didnt give them respect. After that win all the media said was, "oh, that was their Superbowl." What the hell does that even mean? Its Week 1 people! Anyway, the Ravens are good, and they cemented that idea in everyones minds after their Week 4 win against the Jets. RB Ray Rice has played on another level so far this season leading the team in both rushing and receiving yards. Through four games Rice has already combined for 539 total yards and 4 TDs. On the other side of the football, Baltimore's defense has been as good as ever. They are third in the league against the rush (72.5 yards/game) and ninth in the league against the pass (212.0 yards/game). Looking ahead the Ravens get a bye in Week 5 to get them fresh for a showdown in Houston against the always dangerous Texans.
Cincinnati Bengals (2-2) - It boggles my mind how the people of Cincinnati put up with Carson Palmer for as long as they did. His last few years he was nothing but a three and out QB with no upside. Fortunately, this off-season the Bengals unloaded Palmer, Terrel Owens, and Chad Ochocinco, while beefing up their club via the draft. With the fourth overall pick in the 2011 Draft the Bengals took WR A.J Green out of the University of Georgia. Green was Georgia's number one receiver for two years. The Bengals also drafted QB Andy Dalton out of TCU with the 35th pick in the 2011 draft. Both Dalton and Green has made huge impacts on this Bengals team, and have played important roles in keeping Cincinnati's head above water in what seems to be a very average AFC North this year.
Cleveland Browns (2-2) - While Cinci is a good 2-2, Cleveland is a bad 2-2. Thus far they have had a very easy schedule getting their wins against two 0-4 teams. Colt McCoy has not lived up to expectations and it seems Payton Hillis' breakout year last year was a one time deal. While the Browns have put up good defensive numbers against the pass (3rd in the league 187.3 yards/game), opposing teams have run all over them giving up an average of 128.7 yards/game. In addition, the offense has been anything but good scoring over 20 points in a game only once. While the Browns schedule going forward isnt terrible, there is little chance they turn this around into a winning season.
Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2) - Have the Steelers run out of gas? Everyone wrote off Baltimore in Week 1 and then the Ravens smacked up the Steelers 35-7. From there Pittsburgh had two feel good games with wins against struggling Seattle and Indianapolis, only to follow it up with a Week 4 loss to Houston. Roethlisberger seems to be his normal self with just about 300 yards/game, but the Steelers running game has suffered as a result of a shaky offensive line. Injuries may be playing a role in all this but everyone in the league deals with injuries. Head Coach Mike Tomlin has taken this team to three Superbowls in six years so this team is no doubt in good hands, but it seems the Steel Curtain is missing something they have had in past years. Never count them out, but if Pittsburgh is going to do something special this season they better figure out how to beat the good teams in the league.
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans (3-1) - I might eat these words in a few weeks... but has Houston finally put it all together? Coming off a big Week 4 win against the Steelers the Texans have cemented themselves as a contenders this season. Matt Shaub's rather average play has been overshadowed by the excellent running game headed by Arian Foster and Ben Tate. Tate, who has been filling in for Foster while he's been nursing a hamstring injury, has produced well with 4.7 yards/carry and just under 100 yards/game. In addition Andre Johnson has been his same old self averaging 14.1 yards/catch a game. Unfortunately Johnson suffered a minor hamstring injury in Week 4, but doesn't look to be too serious. Look for the Texans to take a commanding lead in the South with a soft schedule down the road.
Tennessee Titans (3-1) - The play of Chris Johnson this season has been the single most disappointing performance of the first four weeks. In four games he has yet to break 200 yards and only has one touchdown. Hes averaging only 2.9 yards a game with only one 20+ yard run on the season. Fortunately, for Tennessee Matt Hasselbeck has been resurrected from the dead and sits eighth overall in the league with 280.5 passing yards/game. The Titans had a notable win against the the Ravens in Week 2, and followed it up with convincing wins against the Broncos and Cleveland. Tennessee has been able to beat the teams it should beat and excelled against a tricky Baltimore defense. The Titans face a huge test this week when they go into Pittsburgh to face the Steelers.
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-3) - The Jags are bad. Simple as that. They have leagues worst passing offense averaging only 137.5 yards/game while scoring just under 12 points per game. The only redeeming quality they possess is in the form of wreckingball RB Maurice Jones-Drew who has rushed for 97.8 yards/game with 5.1 yards/carry. If not for Drew this team wouldnt break ten points a game because QB Blane Gabbert has yet to break 200 yards passing in a single game. Unfortunately, Jacksonville is nothing but a Andrew Luck Sweepstakes contender this season as they see Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Houston in coming weeks.
Indianapolis Colts (0-4) - Boy do the Colts miss Peyton Manning right about now. Manning, who underwent neck surgery during the off-season is out indefinitely in order to properly recover. This means young bright eyed Curtis Painter will be sitting under center at least the first half of the 2011 season. The only thing anyone really remembers about Painter is his abysmal second half performance against the Jets last year in the last game of the regular season, which ultimately let the Jets into the playoffs and onto the AFC Championship game. The last time the Colts were 0-4 was Manning's rookie year in 1998. As a matter of fact the last time Indianapolis has lost four in a row was back in 2001. Needless to say the Peyton Manning train was a fun one to ride for the past ten years, but it doesn't look like its pulling back into the station any time soon. The Colts are in the back quarter of the league in every major offensive and defensive category, and have yet to score more then 20 points all season. Although in recent weeks against Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay they have been able to keep things close late, Painter is nowhere near the closer that Manning was, and each game resulted in a loss. Its possible Manning never comes back this season, and in that case, Indianapolis should be all in for the Andrew Luck Sweepstakes. What better way to groom the future of their franchise then to have him under the tutelage of Peyton Manning.
AFC WEST
San Diego Chargers (3-1) - The Chargers record as of this point seems to say they are a legit team. However, when you look at the wins they have, its is far from the case. Of their three wins, all have come at home to sub .500 teams, two of which are 0-4. The alarming thing is that even though they played bad teams, the wins were not convincing, with the largest margin of victory being 10 points in Week 4 against the Dolphins. In Week 2's match-up in New England, San Diego was dominated on both sides of the ball as Brady unleashed for 432 yards and 3 touchdowns. Every year Philip Rivers is donned an elite level Quarterback. Maybe he's just an elite level fantasy Quarterback. Rivers is ranked sixth in the league in passing (313.8 yards/game) yet the Chargers have only scored over 20 points a game once this season, and that was in their 35-21 loss against the Patriots. Additionally, while WR Vincent Jackson and RB Ryan Mathews have performed as advertised, TE Antonio Gates has not. Gates, a perennial Pro Bowl Tightend, has had only 8 catches for 74 yards with no touchdowns in four games this season. Even with the issues San Diego faces, the AFC West is extremely weak, which leaves the door open for the Chargers in the post season.
Oakland Raiders (2-2) - Despite their 2-2 record, the Raiders have been impressive so far this season. Jason Campbell and Denarius Moore have seemed to develop some good chemistry in the passing game and Darren McFadden has been spectacular. McFadden rushed for 171 yards in Week 3 against the heralded Jets defense, averaging 9.0 yards/carry and 2 TDs. What's encouraging is that in their two losses against good teams Buffalo and New England, Oakland has managed to keep the games within reach with an opportunity to possibly win. Its not totally unreasonable to think that the Raiders could give the Chargers a run late in the season for a shot at the division. Dont hold your breath, but its not unreasonable.
Kansas City Chiefs (1-3) - After making the playoffs just one year ago the Chiefs started off the 2011 season in the worst possible way, 0-3. Granted all three loses came to very good teams in the Bill, Lions, and Chargers, the Chiefs failed to score more then once in two of the games. On paper Kansas City seems to have some viable options with WR Dwayne Bowe and RB Jamaal Charles guiding the offense behind the still developing QB Matt Cassel, who from time to time shows signs of brilliance. However, the season ending ACL injury to Jamaal Charles in Week 2 has severely hurt this teams chances of doing anything special this season.
Denver Broncos (1-3) - Its crazy to think that three short years ago Tim Tebow was the king of college football and now he's a full time bench warmer in Denver. Before the season started the Tebow/Orton debate was somewhat of a news story until the world realized that Tebow just couldnt compete as a Quarterback on the pro level. Kyle Orton seems to be the only asset Denver has right now and even he is having a shaky season thus far by his standards. Wide Receivers Eric Decker and Brandon Lloyd are really the only targets Orton has, and they have yet to crack 100 yards receiving for a single game. Denver's only win this season has come against the Bengals, and it doesnt look like they will have a chance to get another W until at least Week 7 when they go to Miami. The positive for Tebow is that he doesn't have to get hit a lot on the field during another miserable season in Denver.
Well thats the first four Weeks of the 2011 NFL season in a nut shell. Just in case you scrolled all the way to the bottom, heres a brief recap...
Top Dogs - Detroit Lions, Green Bat Packers, New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens
Promising Up and Comers - Washington Redskins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans
Identity Seekers - Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets
Dumpster Divers - Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars
~ Shilz
NFC EAST
Washington Redskins (3-1) - After a drama filled 2010 season with Donavon McNabb and Albert Hanesworth, Mike Shanahan and company have shed the baggage and come into 2011 with a spunky young defense and non other the "Sexy Rexy" Rex Grossman at the helm. The Redskins handled the division rival Giants in Week 1 with ease, and followed up with wins against Arizona and St. Louis. Washington's only loss this season came against the Dallas Cowboys in a 18-16 fist fight that ended on a game winning Dallas field goal with 1:47 to play. The Redskins will see the beat up Eagles in Week 5. It's still early but a win here and Washington can start putting themselves in the conversation for potential playoff contenders.
New York Giants (3-1) - Unpredictable. Thats the only way to describe the NY Giants. They started the season with an embarrassing performance against the Redskins. Then in consecutive weeks spanked the NFC West favored Rams and preseason favorite Eagles, holding each to just 16 points. Week 4 was no different. A slugfest in the desert against the Arizona Cardinals saw them down 20-10 at the end of the third quarter, but with some Tom Coughlin magic fairy dust they scored 21 fourth quarter points to win the game 31-27. At this point with any other team Week 4's game would be a turning point and momentum changer, but I can see the Giants easily blowing their next three games against Seattle, Buffalo, and Miami (all at home). The struggles Dallas and Philadelphia have seen will give the Giants a little breathing room as the season goes on, but again, you just never know with this squad.
Dallas Cowboys (2-2) - America's team needs a break. A fan base can only take heart attacks while watching their beloved Cowboys so many times. Dallas has had ten straight games decided by three points or less. Sunday nights opener against the Jets at the Meadowlands was no different, and seemed to set the tone for Tony Romo's squad. Speaking of Tony Romo, has there ever been a player who was loved/hated by fans around the league as much as this guy. He gets ripped after coughing up the Jets win, then one week later is praised as a god among men when we trotted out in the fourth quarter with a bruised rib and a punctured lung to throw a 77 yard pass to Jesse Holley to put them in line for a game winning field goal in OT. In Week 3 they eeked out a win against Washington, but then Week 4 turned the tables again as Romo let a 20-3 lead dissipate to Sam Bradford's Lions resulting in a 34-30 loss. If Dallas wants to redeem themselves from last seasons disaster, they need to start playing with the consistency of an elite team every week. **Side note - Dez Bryant is a little girl. **
Philadelphia Eagles (1-3) - Vick. Maclin. Jackson. McCoy. Celek. At the start of the season the Eagles were the cat's pajamas. With arguably the most explosive and dynamic offense in the game and the huge addition of free agent Nnamdi Asomugha in the defensive backfield, on paper the Eagels were the team to beat. Think again sports fans. While the Eagles rank second in the league in rush yards (182.0/game) their front four on the offensive line have been ineffective at protecting Michael Vick in the pocket. Vick has been smacked around in every game this season, especially in Week 3's meeting with the Giants where he left the game due to a badly bruised hand. Heading into red hot Buffalo for Week 5, the Eagles are coming off three straight losses to Atlanta, New York, and San Francisco. Philadelphia needs to right the ship quickly because the schedule only gets harder as they match up with the deep AFC East this season.
NFC NORTH
Detroit Lions (4-0) - You may be getting old, but dont worry you read that correctly. The Detroit Lions are undefeated and are tied for the best record in the NFL with last years Superbowl Champion Green Bay Packers. Matthew Stafford is finally healthy and has developed great chemistry with Calvin Johnson and Brandon Pettigrew down field. The Lions are fourth in the league in passing yards (321.7) and have finally seemed to put it all together. For two consecutive weeks, Stafford has led massive second half charges. Down 20-0 against Minnesota and 20-3 this week against Dallas, Stafford not only made the games close, but come out with the W. Lets not forget about Ndamukong Suh, the 6'4", 307 pound DT out of Nebraska now in his second season in the pros. This kid is as legit as it gets and drives opposing offenses mad. **The Lions are 4-0 for the first time since 1980**
Green Bay Packers (4-0) - The Packers seem to have started just like they left off last season, which does not bode well for the rest of the league. Funny thing is Green Bay is undefeated, yet they haven't played a quality end to end game this season. With quality wins over New Orleans and Chicago, both playoff teams last season, Aaron Rogers and company have outscored opponents 148-97(only to be bested by the Lions 135-76). Wide recievers James Jones and Jordy Nelson have handed most of the receptions, but Jermichael Finley has emerged as one of the premier Tight Ends in the league. Rogers and Finley connected for three touchdowns in their Week 2 win over Chicago, and have been ripping defenses apart ever since. Speaking of defense, 80s hairband wannabes Chris Matthews and A.J Hawk, along with nose tackle B.J Raji have led the Packers to league best run defense (55.0 yards/game). The Packers are no doubt a threat to repeat as Superbowl Champions.
Chicago Bears (2-2) - Daaaaa Beeeeeears! (Sorry I had to). Chicago has been exactly what their record says they are, average. They were trounced by the Saints and Packers, but put up winning fights against the Falcons and the quietly dangerous Panthers (more on them later). The thing about the Bears is they just arent a fun team to watch. The only remotely interesting element they bring to the table is watching Devin Hester return punts for touchdowns every other game. Jay Cutler throws way to many interceptions in tight games and quite frankly he just does not get it done in crunch time... anyone remember last years NFC Championship game? Thought so. With the Lions now being relevant and the Packers continuing their winning ways from last season, I'd say Bears are out of the early playoff picture.
Minnesota Vikings (0-4) - If passing the ball was illegal in the NFL, the Vikings would probably be tops in the league. Sadly this is not the case. Adrian Peterson continues to churn out 80-100 yard games averaging 5+ yards per carry. The guy is a stud-muffin of pure talent that makes good NFL defenses look foolish. On the other side of the ball the Vikings defense, led by Jared Allen, have kept opponents running game under control yielding just 67.3 yards/game (4th in the league). It seems like the inability for teams to run against Minnesota has made their losses closer then they should be. Oh and I almost forgot, Brett Favre was traded in for a not so new and improved Donavon McNabb. McNabb has provided the Vikings with the 29th best passing game and an inability to hold leads late in games. Even though Minnesota just drafted QB Christian Ponder, its probably best to fold it up early and prepare of the Andrew Luck Sweepstakes.
NFC SOUTH
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) - The future is bright for the Buccaneers. After finishing 2010 with its first ten win season since 2005, it seems like the Bucs have found something really special in its squad of young talented guys. Heading the charge is 23 year old Josh Freeman, who seems to have the invaluable ability to keep Tampa fighting late in games, especially when they are down. In Week 2 against the Vikings, Tampa was getting shut out 17-0 at the half until Freeman took control of the game and marched his team back to a late 24-20 win. Additionally, 24 year old LeGarrette Blount has been equally effective for Tampa Bay. Blount has rushed for 4.5 yards/carry and 3 TDs so far this season. Blount has been key in crunch time icing the clock, and in Week 4 he unleashed a 35 yards run from scrimmage late in the fourth quarter to put Tampa up 24-17. While inexperience may play a factor late in the season and when the playoff discussion starts creeping in, the Buccaneers are a good team regardless with an "us against the world" mentality. This is the type of team you never want to mess with.
New Orleans Saints (3-1) - The Saint 2010 season ended with a first round playoff loss to the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks. Brutal. They began 2011 with a loss at Green Bay in the season opener. Brutal. But have no fear, Drew Brees is here. New Orleans rebounded well coming off the Week 1 loss with three straight wins against Chicago, Houston, and Jacksonville. What makes the Saints so good is that they are a tremendously balanced team. Drew Brees is a top five QB every year (2nd in pass yards, 338.0), also Darren Sprolles and Mark Ingram are a great two headed monster in the offensive back field that can keep their defense fresh and off the field through the game. The Saints have only scored less then 30 points once this season, and by looking at their schedule going forward, it doesnt look like the scoring is going to slow down despite not have a top ten receiver for Brees to target.
Atlanta Falcons (2-2) - The Falcons do a lot of things good, but nothing great. They have a stud QB in Matt Ryan, an excellent receiving core with Roddy White and rookie Julio Jones, and the explosive Michael Turner holding down the Running Back position. The talent is there, the skill players are there, it just seems they can never put together a great season start to finish. This year is no different. In Week 1 Atlanta laid an egg in Chicago then rebounded against Philadelphia in Week 2. Everyone thought beating the anointed Eagles was a defining early win... then they go and lose to Tampa and narrowly escape a loss this week with a 30-28 win in Seattle (led 27-7 at one point). The pieces are certainly in place, now it comes down to execution. If the Falcons can somehow find a rhythm and put it together they will be a dangerous team down the stretch.
Carolina Panthers (1-3) - America's Sweetheart of 2011. Cam Newton may have been the most controversial collegiate athlete of the past decade. Despite many allegations, Newton tuned out the white noise and led his Auburn Tigers to a BCS Championship and ultimately won the Heisman Trophy and was the number one overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Yet, everyone said he wasnt going to make it in the NFL. Newton hushed all haters from the get go as he put up a rookie record 422 passing yards in Week 1, then followed it up with 432 and 374 yard performances in following weeks. The kid is the real deal. Unfortunately, Carolina is not quite ready to compete with the big dogs around the league. However, an influx of great young talent as well as veteran leadership from WR Steve Smith makes Carolina a tough team to beat each week even though their record doesn't stand out.
NFC WEST
San Francisco 49ers (3-1) - This is why I have a hard time understanding sports. The 49ers, who have arguably the worst offense in the NFL (28th in passing/30th in rushing) are in first place in the NFC West and just came off a monumental 24-23 upset win against the Eagles in Week 4. It just doesnt make sense. Alex Smith is the starting QB for this team. Alex Smith! Smith is a scrub that has been dragged through the league for seven years with nothing to show for it. Check that, he has one thing... 54 interceptions and 53 touchdown passes for his career. 'Nuff said. The only value this team has is RB Frank Gore, and even he has been suffering from injuries for most of the season. I guess its encouraging that rookie Kendall Hunter has played well while filling in for Gore. I'd say the 49ers have no chance, but then again the Seahawks won this division last year at 7-9 so who knows.
Seattle Seahawks (1-3) - "Beast Mode" can only last so long. Seattle won this division last year, and at 7-9 everyone under the sun thought their first round playoff match-up against the Saints would be a laugher. Well that why you play the game because the Seahawks, with the help of their 12th man Qwest Field, stunned the Saints and advanced with the Wild Card victory. However, Tim Hasselbeck has retired and handed the reigns to Tarvaris Jackson who for six years has done little to nothing for the Minnesota Vikings. The Seahawks have no receivers, no tight ends, and "one hit wonder" Marshawn Lynch just isnt a player you can anchor a running game around. Their only win of the season came in a 13-10 squeaker against the Cardinals, and Week 4's narrow loss to the Falcons I attribute more to Atlanta's ineptitude then great Seattle play. The Seahawks are going nowhere fast and thats not a trend I see changing.
Arizona Cardinals (1-3) - The Cardinals are the one team in the West after four games that I think can put it together and have a nice little season. Although they have started with three losses, two have come against good Washington and NY Giants teams. In Week 4's loss, Arizona gave up an ungodly 21 points in the fourth quarter to Giants, which they had no response for. On the bright side, Arizona has veteran QB Kevin Kolb as well as perennial All Pro WR Larry Fitzgerald to get this team back on track as the season progresses. Also, RB Beanie Wells has been surprisingly outstanding with no less then 90 total yards a game and five touchdowns. Thats as good as any recipe for success in the NFC West.
St. Louis Rams (0-4) - Every year we have a team that in preseason everyone loves to break out, but they crash and burn. The Rams are this seasons crash and burn team. In their defense, the Rams have one of the hardest schedules in the league this year. Their first four games were against the Eagles, Giants, Ravens, and Redskins... and the next three games come against the Packers, Cowboys, and Saints. Thats a hellacious first seven games. The problem with the Rams though lies in its offense. Sam Bradford is averaging only 202.0 yards/game and has had lots of trouble in the red zone. The Rams have the second worst points differential in the league sporting an unimpressive -67. Also, the injury to RB Stephen Jackson has really hurt the Rams running game placing a huge burden on Bradford. 0-4 is near impossible to recover from in this league, and with the schedule St. Louis has in front of them 0-7 might be right around the corner.
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills (3-1) - Welcome to our second shocker of the season. The Buffalo Bills are no longer circling the wagons, but instead are in first place in the AFC East. Yes, thats right, first place. Led by Harvard grad Ryan Fitzpatrick, a late bloomer who was written off by everyone around the league, this team won huge back to back games against the Raiders and Patriots in Weeks 2 and 3. The Bills have seen career performances from Fitzpartick, RB Fred Jackson, WR Steve Johnson, and LB Nick Barnett. The Bills are 11th in the league in passing (276.0 yards/game) and 4th in rushing yards (155.0 yards/game), making them one of the best overall offenses of the first four weeks. The only weary thing about the Bills is the trap game loss they suffered in Week 4's game in Cincinnati. The Bengals havent beaten the Bills since 1988. Thats before I was born. Of course, coming off their huge win against New England, Buffalo goes and loses a dog fight in Cincinnati 23-20 to a below average Bengals team. Buffalo sees a stretch of very good teams in the next few weeks including the Eagles, Giants, Redskins, Jets, and Cowboys. It will be a true test to see if this club is for real or not this year.
New England Patriots (3-1) - Maybe its because I'm a Jets fan, but Tom Brady's gig of being a QB from another planet is getting old. Im convinced Bill Belichick had Brady genetically engineered in a lab somewhere to be an MVP candidate every year. This year is no different with Brady slinging a lead leading 437 yards/game, 11 TDs, and 113.8 QB rating. The Patriots have a wealth of options with Wes Welker, Deon Branch, Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski all being viable threats down field. New England has scored over 30 points a game in every game this year. They were tested early in Week 2 against the Chargers and handled them easily with a convincing 35-21 victory. However, Week 5 poses another challenge as they face Jets in Foxborough for bragging rights in the East.
New York Jets (2-2) - Get ready for take off folks. Through four games this has already been a roller coaster ride of a season. The Jets opened Week 1 with an emotional Sunday night game on the tenth anniversary of September 11th at home against the Dallas Cowboys. When the dust settled and Jet and Cowboy fans were released from hospitals, the Jets came out on top with a late fourth quarter win, 27-24. Week 2 was a breeze at home against Jacksonville. Right now the team looks good. Two wins and it doesn't seem like they have even hit their stride yet. However, Week 3 was a punch in the mouth as Oakland ran on the Jets defense at will and issued New York their first loss of the season. But the worst came this past week as the Jets were at the Ravens in Week 4. This one was ugly. QB Mark Sanchez completed just 11 of 35 passes, lost 3 fumbles, and threw one interception. If you were wondering that is amounts to a 30.5 QB rating. To make matters worse, the Jets trademark "ground and pound" running game has been ineffective as they are 30th in the league in rushing behind RB Shone Green (71.0 yards/game). At this point, Special Teams is the only area where the Jets are firing on all cylinders, but that cant carry a team for an entire season. The Jets better hope All Pro Center Nick Mangold's Week 3 ankle injury heals quickly because in Week 5 they play the division rival Patriots in Foxborough.
Miami Dolphins (0-4) - On the surface I feel bad for Miami. Brandon Marshall is an awesome Wide Receiver and even though he gets to bask in the sunshine of Florida everyday, he has to put up with Dumb and Dumber aka. Chad Henne and Tony Sparano. I wouldnt trust these two with a pen and paper let alone a professional football team. With four straight losses, two of those coming at home giving more proof to the Miami home disadvantage, their season looks over already. Now with the Bills being relevant again, the AFC East is going to be as hard as ever to contend for, which make Miami a contender for nothing but the Andrew Luck Sweepstakes. The Dolphins have a Bye in Week 5 then see the Jets at the Meadowlands in Week 6. Hellooooooo 0-5.
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens (3-1) - Why do I feel like the Ravens were written off during the preseason? Going into Week 1, Pittsburgh was heavily favored, and even after the Ravens spanked the Steelers 35-7, people still didnt give them respect. After that win all the media said was, "oh, that was their Superbowl." What the hell does that even mean? Its Week 1 people! Anyway, the Ravens are good, and they cemented that idea in everyones minds after their Week 4 win against the Jets. RB Ray Rice has played on another level so far this season leading the team in both rushing and receiving yards. Through four games Rice has already combined for 539 total yards and 4 TDs. On the other side of the football, Baltimore's defense has been as good as ever. They are third in the league against the rush (72.5 yards/game) and ninth in the league against the pass (212.0 yards/game). Looking ahead the Ravens get a bye in Week 5 to get them fresh for a showdown in Houston against the always dangerous Texans.
Cincinnati Bengals (2-2) - It boggles my mind how the people of Cincinnati put up with Carson Palmer for as long as they did. His last few years he was nothing but a three and out QB with no upside. Fortunately, this off-season the Bengals unloaded Palmer, Terrel Owens, and Chad Ochocinco, while beefing up their club via the draft. With the fourth overall pick in the 2011 Draft the Bengals took WR A.J Green out of the University of Georgia. Green was Georgia's number one receiver for two years. The Bengals also drafted QB Andy Dalton out of TCU with the 35th pick in the 2011 draft. Both Dalton and Green has made huge impacts on this Bengals team, and have played important roles in keeping Cincinnati's head above water in what seems to be a very average AFC North this year.
Cleveland Browns (2-2) - While Cinci is a good 2-2, Cleveland is a bad 2-2. Thus far they have had a very easy schedule getting their wins against two 0-4 teams. Colt McCoy has not lived up to expectations and it seems Payton Hillis' breakout year last year was a one time deal. While the Browns have put up good defensive numbers against the pass (3rd in the league 187.3 yards/game), opposing teams have run all over them giving up an average of 128.7 yards/game. In addition, the offense has been anything but good scoring over 20 points in a game only once. While the Browns schedule going forward isnt terrible, there is little chance they turn this around into a winning season.
Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2) - Have the Steelers run out of gas? Everyone wrote off Baltimore in Week 1 and then the Ravens smacked up the Steelers 35-7. From there Pittsburgh had two feel good games with wins against struggling Seattle and Indianapolis, only to follow it up with a Week 4 loss to Houston. Roethlisberger seems to be his normal self with just about 300 yards/game, but the Steelers running game has suffered as a result of a shaky offensive line. Injuries may be playing a role in all this but everyone in the league deals with injuries. Head Coach Mike Tomlin has taken this team to three Superbowls in six years so this team is no doubt in good hands, but it seems the Steel Curtain is missing something they have had in past years. Never count them out, but if Pittsburgh is going to do something special this season they better figure out how to beat the good teams in the league.
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans (3-1) - I might eat these words in a few weeks... but has Houston finally put it all together? Coming off a big Week 4 win against the Steelers the Texans have cemented themselves as a contenders this season. Matt Shaub's rather average play has been overshadowed by the excellent running game headed by Arian Foster and Ben Tate. Tate, who has been filling in for Foster while he's been nursing a hamstring injury, has produced well with 4.7 yards/carry and just under 100 yards/game. In addition Andre Johnson has been his same old self averaging 14.1 yards/catch a game. Unfortunately Johnson suffered a minor hamstring injury in Week 4, but doesn't look to be too serious. Look for the Texans to take a commanding lead in the South with a soft schedule down the road.
Tennessee Titans (3-1) - The play of Chris Johnson this season has been the single most disappointing performance of the first four weeks. In four games he has yet to break 200 yards and only has one touchdown. Hes averaging only 2.9 yards a game with only one 20+ yard run on the season. Fortunately, for Tennessee Matt Hasselbeck has been resurrected from the dead and sits eighth overall in the league with 280.5 passing yards/game. The Titans had a notable win against the the Ravens in Week 2, and followed it up with convincing wins against the Broncos and Cleveland. Tennessee has been able to beat the teams it should beat and excelled against a tricky Baltimore defense. The Titans face a huge test this week when they go into Pittsburgh to face the Steelers.
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-3) - The Jags are bad. Simple as that. They have leagues worst passing offense averaging only 137.5 yards/game while scoring just under 12 points per game. The only redeeming quality they possess is in the form of wreckingball RB Maurice Jones-Drew who has rushed for 97.8 yards/game with 5.1 yards/carry. If not for Drew this team wouldnt break ten points a game because QB Blane Gabbert has yet to break 200 yards passing in a single game. Unfortunately, Jacksonville is nothing but a Andrew Luck Sweepstakes contender this season as they see Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Houston in coming weeks.
Indianapolis Colts (0-4) - Boy do the Colts miss Peyton Manning right about now. Manning, who underwent neck surgery during the off-season is out indefinitely in order to properly recover. This means young bright eyed Curtis Painter will be sitting under center at least the first half of the 2011 season. The only thing anyone really remembers about Painter is his abysmal second half performance against the Jets last year in the last game of the regular season, which ultimately let the Jets into the playoffs and onto the AFC Championship game. The last time the Colts were 0-4 was Manning's rookie year in 1998. As a matter of fact the last time Indianapolis has lost four in a row was back in 2001. Needless to say the Peyton Manning train was a fun one to ride for the past ten years, but it doesn't look like its pulling back into the station any time soon. The Colts are in the back quarter of the league in every major offensive and defensive category, and have yet to score more then 20 points all season. Although in recent weeks against Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay they have been able to keep things close late, Painter is nowhere near the closer that Manning was, and each game resulted in a loss. Its possible Manning never comes back this season, and in that case, Indianapolis should be all in for the Andrew Luck Sweepstakes. What better way to groom the future of their franchise then to have him under the tutelage of Peyton Manning.
AFC WEST
San Diego Chargers (3-1) - The Chargers record as of this point seems to say they are a legit team. However, when you look at the wins they have, its is far from the case. Of their three wins, all have come at home to sub .500 teams, two of which are 0-4. The alarming thing is that even though they played bad teams, the wins were not convincing, with the largest margin of victory being 10 points in Week 4 against the Dolphins. In Week 2's match-up in New England, San Diego was dominated on both sides of the ball as Brady unleashed for 432 yards and 3 touchdowns. Every year Philip Rivers is donned an elite level Quarterback. Maybe he's just an elite level fantasy Quarterback. Rivers is ranked sixth in the league in passing (313.8 yards/game) yet the Chargers have only scored over 20 points a game once this season, and that was in their 35-21 loss against the Patriots. Additionally, while WR Vincent Jackson and RB Ryan Mathews have performed as advertised, TE Antonio Gates has not. Gates, a perennial Pro Bowl Tightend, has had only 8 catches for 74 yards with no touchdowns in four games this season. Even with the issues San Diego faces, the AFC West is extremely weak, which leaves the door open for the Chargers in the post season.
Oakland Raiders (2-2) - Despite their 2-2 record, the Raiders have been impressive so far this season. Jason Campbell and Denarius Moore have seemed to develop some good chemistry in the passing game and Darren McFadden has been spectacular. McFadden rushed for 171 yards in Week 3 against the heralded Jets defense, averaging 9.0 yards/carry and 2 TDs. What's encouraging is that in their two losses against good teams Buffalo and New England, Oakland has managed to keep the games within reach with an opportunity to possibly win. Its not totally unreasonable to think that the Raiders could give the Chargers a run late in the season for a shot at the division. Dont hold your breath, but its not unreasonable.
Kansas City Chiefs (1-3) - After making the playoffs just one year ago the Chiefs started off the 2011 season in the worst possible way, 0-3. Granted all three loses came to very good teams in the Bill, Lions, and Chargers, the Chiefs failed to score more then once in two of the games. On paper Kansas City seems to have some viable options with WR Dwayne Bowe and RB Jamaal Charles guiding the offense behind the still developing QB Matt Cassel, who from time to time shows signs of brilliance. However, the season ending ACL injury to Jamaal Charles in Week 2 has severely hurt this teams chances of doing anything special this season.
Denver Broncos (1-3) - Its crazy to think that three short years ago Tim Tebow was the king of college football and now he's a full time bench warmer in Denver. Before the season started the Tebow/Orton debate was somewhat of a news story until the world realized that Tebow just couldnt compete as a Quarterback on the pro level. Kyle Orton seems to be the only asset Denver has right now and even he is having a shaky season thus far by his standards. Wide Receivers Eric Decker and Brandon Lloyd are really the only targets Orton has, and they have yet to crack 100 yards receiving for a single game. Denver's only win this season has come against the Bengals, and it doesnt look like they will have a chance to get another W until at least Week 7 when they go to Miami. The positive for Tebow is that he doesn't have to get hit a lot on the field during another miserable season in Denver.
Well thats the first four Weeks of the 2011 NFL season in a nut shell. Just in case you scrolled all the way to the bottom, heres a brief recap...
Top Dogs - Detroit Lions, Green Bat Packers, New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens
Promising Up and Comers - Washington Redskins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans
Identity Seekers - Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets
Dumpster Divers - Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars
~ Shilz
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