What do you all think?
Pats are perfectly positioned for playoffs
Hector Longo
FOXBORO — This week, ESPN released its regular National Football League power rankings. Your New England Patriots, 5-3 at the midway point of the season, weren't in the top 10.
They are a middle-of-the road No. 12.
Clearly, Matt Cassel may be wowing the local audience, but the career backup doesn't play nationally.
New England backers have to be chuckling right now. Nobody in these parts gives Kerry Collins and the unbeaten Titans the time of day. And the Steelers? Last time we looked on Monday night, it was Byron Leftwich — that is, released by the Jaguars and left on the scrap heap Byron Leftwich — at the controls of the 6-2 AFC North leaders.
Unlike a year ago, when Tom Brady and Randy Moss were pummeling teams on a weekly basis, there is no beast in the AFC. Eight of ESPN's top 10 teams are from the NFC. Even with the Titans, the AFC has the look of the NFC from a year ago.
But just who is ready to make that late December Giants move?
Arguments can be made for as many as 10 teams to succeed New England as conference champion.
"You have to beat the champs if you want to be the champs," said Trent Edwards, who'll quarterback one of those potential suitors, the 5-3 Buffalo Bills, here Sunday in a matchup of AFC East leaders.
At least Edwards takes the Patriots seriously.
Perhaps that has something to do with the nine straight beatings New England has dropped on the Bills, dating back to the Lawyer Milloy-inspired 31-0 massacre to open the 2003 season.
Even without Brady, New England has a championship cast intact, considering the mediocrity of the AFC.
Common sense dictates that Cassel and this offense, which has scored 21 points a game, has to get better.
For a minute, let's pretend Cassel and the ageless Collins is a wash. Doesn't New England match up pretty favorably if 8-0 Tennessee is the measuring stick?
Offensive line ... Patriots.
Offensive weapons ... Patriots.
Defensive front seven ... Draw.
Secondary ... OK, Tennessee.
Coaching ... Pats. He is still Bill Belichick, right?
Of course, the AFC being the AFC, New England is one of many using this same logic.
Buffalo, the AFC East leader since Day 1, would rate a logical choice. The Bills dominated September, going 4-0 to start the year.
"We've lost the last couple of games, maybe not games we normally would have lost and (we) haven't played at the level we are normally capable of playing to," said Edwards. "We're hopefully going to be able to turn that around and that's more of the reason why it's a big game."
Like Cassel with the Patriots, Buffalo's fate hinges on Edwards, who has thrown three of his five interceptions and taken seven of his 18 sacks in the last two weeks, losses to Miami and the Jets.
If the Pats, Steelers, Titans and Bills don't fit your top contenders' list, the Jets and Miami wouldn't mind stepping into the void.
New York can trot out one of two healthy Hall of Fame QBs currently under center in the NFL, Brett Favre. Indianapolis, with the other (Peyton Manning) still nursing a weak pulse at 4-4, would like to believe it can catch fire in the final month and make a run.
Jacksonville, the Hillary Clinton of the AFC, was everybody's choice for a successor when this race began.
David Garrard and the Jaguars, now 3-5, have been outscored on the season, which is never a positive sign. Still, this is a team that was on the brink at playoff time a year ago and packs the running game and the defense to win it all.
Baltimore will again make its bid with an unproven rookie quarterback in Joe Flacco, who rates 25th overall in the league.
And San Diego, operating without its defensive Brady (linebacker Shawne Merriman), remains on life support at 3-5, but with offensive talent that is the envy of the conference.
Since the Bill Parcells regime here, November and December have been the months that mattered.
Despite all the injuries, New England has taken care of business and now sits in a favorable spot as the real games begin.
With Cassel in for Brady, it's all anyone could really ask, even if ESPN doesn't concur.
Yet.
http://www.eagletribune.com/pusports/local_story_311005928.html?keyword=topstory
Pats are perfectly positioned for playoffs
Hector Longo
FOXBORO — This week, ESPN released its regular National Football League power rankings. Your New England Patriots, 5-3 at the midway point of the season, weren't in the top 10.
They are a middle-of-the road No. 12.
Clearly, Matt Cassel may be wowing the local audience, but the career backup doesn't play nationally.
New England backers have to be chuckling right now. Nobody in these parts gives Kerry Collins and the unbeaten Titans the time of day. And the Steelers? Last time we looked on Monday night, it was Byron Leftwich — that is, released by the Jaguars and left on the scrap heap Byron Leftwich — at the controls of the 6-2 AFC North leaders.
Unlike a year ago, when Tom Brady and Randy Moss were pummeling teams on a weekly basis, there is no beast in the AFC. Eight of ESPN's top 10 teams are from the NFC. Even with the Titans, the AFC has the look of the NFC from a year ago.
But just who is ready to make that late December Giants move?
Arguments can be made for as many as 10 teams to succeed New England as conference champion.
"You have to beat the champs if you want to be the champs," said Trent Edwards, who'll quarterback one of those potential suitors, the 5-3 Buffalo Bills, here Sunday in a matchup of AFC East leaders.
At least Edwards takes the Patriots seriously.
Perhaps that has something to do with the nine straight beatings New England has dropped on the Bills, dating back to the Lawyer Milloy-inspired 31-0 massacre to open the 2003 season.
Even without Brady, New England has a championship cast intact, considering the mediocrity of the AFC.
Common sense dictates that Cassel and this offense, which has scored 21 points a game, has to get better.
For a minute, let's pretend Cassel and the ageless Collins is a wash. Doesn't New England match up pretty favorably if 8-0 Tennessee is the measuring stick?
Offensive line ... Patriots.
Offensive weapons ... Patriots.
Defensive front seven ... Draw.
Secondary ... OK, Tennessee.
Coaching ... Pats. He is still Bill Belichick, right?
Of course, the AFC being the AFC, New England is one of many using this same logic.
Buffalo, the AFC East leader since Day 1, would rate a logical choice. The Bills dominated September, going 4-0 to start the year.
"We've lost the last couple of games, maybe not games we normally would have lost and (we) haven't played at the level we are normally capable of playing to," said Edwards. "We're hopefully going to be able to turn that around and that's more of the reason why it's a big game."
Like Cassel with the Patriots, Buffalo's fate hinges on Edwards, who has thrown three of his five interceptions and taken seven of his 18 sacks in the last two weeks, losses to Miami and the Jets.
If the Pats, Steelers, Titans and Bills don't fit your top contenders' list, the Jets and Miami wouldn't mind stepping into the void.
New York can trot out one of two healthy Hall of Fame QBs currently under center in the NFL, Brett Favre. Indianapolis, with the other (Peyton Manning) still nursing a weak pulse at 4-4, would like to believe it can catch fire in the final month and make a run.
Jacksonville, the Hillary Clinton of the AFC, was everybody's choice for a successor when this race began.
David Garrard and the Jaguars, now 3-5, have been outscored on the season, which is never a positive sign. Still, this is a team that was on the brink at playoff time a year ago and packs the running game and the defense to win it all.
Baltimore will again make its bid with an unproven rookie quarterback in Joe Flacco, who rates 25th overall in the league.
And San Diego, operating without its defensive Brady (linebacker Shawne Merriman), remains on life support at 3-5, but with offensive talent that is the envy of the conference.
Since the Bill Parcells regime here, November and December have been the months that mattered.
Despite all the injuries, New England has taken care of business and now sits in a favorable spot as the real games begin.
With Cassel in for Brady, it's all anyone could really ask, even if ESPN doesn't concur.
Yet.
http://www.eagletribune.com/pusports/local_story_311005928.html?keyword=topstory
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