Yes, the Colts have the best offense in the league that doesn’t reside in New England. But what about their performance through six games indicates they have any chance of slowing the Patriots offense when the two meet Nov. 4?
It’ll be like old times when New England visits the RCA Dome.
I won’t inundate you with Colts-Pats analysis two weeks away from the game (let’s leave that to ESPN), but I don’t see the game living up to the hype. A couple of reasons: Undefeated Indianapolis isn’t the juggernaut it was last year – it beat Tennessee and Houston by a combined total of eight points. Plus, the eventual Super Bowl-champion Colts beat a Pats team last year whose leading receiver was Reche Caldwell. The revenge-minded Patriots made a slight upgrade at that position.
On to more current events…
The most interesting NFL development in the last few weeks may be the budding NFC East, now the undisputed best division in football. The same New York Giants (5-2) that began an injury-littered, tabloid-pasting 0-2, is the hottest team outside the two participants in THE game on Nov. 4.
The same Redskins (4-2) who were an overtime field goal away from being responsible for the phrase first-place Dolphins, have lost only to the Giants and Packers.
Anytime the Eagles (2-4) are the worst team in the division, it’s a difficult one. It’s way, WAY, too early to count out Donovan McNabb and Co.. I know McNabb doesn’t have any weapons besides Brian Westbrook. He never does. Philly’s defense is allowing 17 points a game, not terribly concerning. The Eagles are just losing the close games they usually find a way to win. They’ll be back, just maybe not all the way back.
That leaves the best team in the NFC – the Cowboys (6-1). A popular opinion seems to be that the Cowboys are headed for (or already in) a skid. I don’t see it. Dallas only allowed the Vikings 65 passing and 131 rushing yards (63 to the league’s leading rusher) in a 24-14 win over Minnesota on Sunday. After an impressive game-opening touchdown drive, the Vikings next-best possession ended in a blocked field goal the Cowboys returned for a score. And when THE GAME is over, I’ll bet the Cowboys will have given the Patriots a better run than Peyton and the boys. Remember, against the Patriots Week 6, the Cowboys drove past midfield at the beginning of the fourth quarter trailing by a touchdown before a non-play-effecting holding call negated Dallas’ fourth down conversion, ending the drive and, as it turned out, the game.
Happenings within the NFC East will be frequent over the next few weeks. After a bye, the Cowboys are at Philadelphia, at the Giants, then home against Washington. The Redskins play Philadelphia week 10.
Lets glance at how the other divisions measure up to the NFC East:
NFC North: We all love Green Bay (5-1) but deep down we know the Packers are a flimsy first-place team. I think that makes the second-place Lions (4-2) down right fragile.
NFC South: David Carr – who is doing his best to prove it wasn’t the offensive line’s fault in Houston – is quarterbacking the first-place team (Carolina, 4-2). ‘Nuff said.
NFC West: The Arizona Cardinals (3-4) may not be in first yet, but they’re going to win this historically mediocre division.
AFC East: Seven weeks into the season, the Patriots (7-0) are leading the division by FIVE games.
AFC North: A non-playoff team last year, Pittsburgh (4-2) is showing some chinks in the armor.
AFC South: This is the second-best division in the league, comprised of Indy (6-0), Jacksonville (4-2), Tennessee (4-2) and Houston (3-4).
AFC West: The Chiefs (4-3), who once appeared destined for a top-five draft pick, lead a division that will produce only one quality team – San Diego (3-3).
