Mid-Season Musings

A few random thoughts on the season now that we're half-way through (for all but two teams)...

Best team - New Orleans Saints
No weaknesses anywhere to be found. Maybe their run defense a little bit. But it's not really easy to attack that because it's still a pretty good defense. Everywhere else is ridiculously strong.

Team most likely to rise up in the second half - Houston Texans
Two tough games down the stretch, the rest are definitely winnable. They're playing much better in a conference where a wild-card berth is pretty achievable at 10-6.

Team most likely to fade down the stretch. - Arizona Cardinals
Old in a lot of key places. And Warner going down would be a disaster for them. Leinart has shown an inability to get the job done, so I feel like if Warner goes down, that team could come unraveled quickly.

Most impressive season - Denver Broncos
Almost no one thought this team could win six games in the first half of the season. Made up of older players on defense, a questionable QB, and a HC and GM combo platter that ran a Pro Bowl cry-baby out of town and looked like they should be serving fries and sodas at a take-out window more than running a team, three wins was the optimistic situation. They've gone 6-2 against a tough slate, and looked impressive in the first half (even though I believe they'll fade down the stretch).

Most disappointing season - Tennessee Titans
I didn't expect them to be as good as they were last year. But I also didn't expect them to look like a bottom-feeder, either.

Most important player to his team - Peyton Manning
It's cliche to say, but really if you take him off the team, the Colts are maybe a .500 team at best, maybe way worse. He's having an incredible season, and making up for a complete lack of running game, and lack of run defense.
Troy Polamalu deserves a mention here as well. That defense looks completely different with him in there than without.

Best comeback - Cedrick Benson
What a story he's been. Cast off for dead, he comes back and re-dedicates himself to being the pick he was supposed to be coming out of the draft. He's a big reason for the Bengals' success this season.

Stupidest story-line - The Packers made the wrong decision letting Favre go
Have people watched Aaron Rodgers? Rodgers is playing as well if not better than Favre behind a swiss-cheese line, sacked twice as often as Favre. And let's not forget the difference between the Packers D and the Vikings D. Do people really believe the Pack would be 7-1 if Favre was still on the team?

Who will win the Superbowl - Saints over Steelers
And what a Superbowl it's going to be!

Who will win this coming off-season - Washington Redskins
Because that's what they do best.