Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Who Are the Candidates to Make a Run in the NFL

We see this every year now, a team that everybody had written off up until now starts to get hot and as we have seen in recent years, makes a run and ultimately either wins or challenges for the Super Bowl.  Sometimes, it takes a little luck as you can ask the Baltimore Ravens last year with maybe the worst defensive play in the history of football or even the Giants with David Tyree's catch, but these teams still come from the dead and put themselves in a position.  Many of them look pretty bad to start only to come on at the right time. 

People like to give credit too often to the coaches, but I also like to point out the fact that usually these teams are very talented and should have never been in the position to almost not make the playoffs.  The Giants come to mind as those teams that won the Super Bowl were loaded and almost didn't make the playoffs. When you have the talent, I tend to give less credit to the coaching.  To put Coughlin in the same breath as Belichick is laughable as the Giants are going to not make the playoffs for the second year in a row after winning a Super Bowl.  Last time I checked, they still have a franchise quarterback, some very good receivers and some talent on defense, which is more than what New England has at the moment and are still looking at a possible first round bye.

Can Flacco and Rice make another
unforeseen run to the Super Bowl?
Unfortunately, I got off topic and I tend to rant when that happens as my Belichick bias comes out in full force.  Who do I like this year to make a run?  Let us start with the defending champs, the Baltimore Ravens.  They have come from the dead and control their own destiny as they will win the AFC North if they win their last 2 games, not that it will be easy with New England coming to town and a season finale in Cincinnati.  Side note, they are a win away from going over their win total, which would make ATP 2 for 2 as KC already blew out their total.  Baltimore's defense is coming together as I thought it would be better than last year's and it now is.  Offensively, they are still figuring things out, but they would be a tough matchup for New England who can not stop the run, which would also keep Brady off the field.  If somebody can knock off Denver as I don't see last year happening again, unless weather plays a part, Baltimore could make another run.

In the NFC, who else but Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.  When Rodgers is healthy, there is not a better quarterback in this league.  He is not afraid of the cold or to go on the road and beat a #1 seed, so if anybody is going to beat Seattle, why not the Packers.  They do need to get their defense in check, but Seattle does not put a ton of points on the board, which would work for the Packers.  The biggest road block would be going to New Orleans as Brees at home could be doom for the Packers. 

I still have Seattle coming out of the NFC and anybody can come out of the AFC, but these teams are definitely candidates to make this type of run as they both have in the past.  Both were counted out recently and now both can be facing each other and it would not be that surprising.





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