Archive for November 29th, 2009
Played Like a Fool (Part Deux)
All finished with the National Football Conference, so let’s look at the contenders on the other side. Lots of possibilities in the American Football Conference, perhaps speaking to the depth of quality teams. A word of warning when reading this list: The picture in the AFC North will change five more times before the end of the regular season. Proceed with caution.
AFC
Unlike the NFC, the top two teams in the conference aren’t so cut and dry. Indianapolis is the top seed, of course, but with three clubs at 7-3 anything can happen. If I had to choose right now, I’d say New England gets in as the second seed. They have the biggest lead of any of the remaining division leaders. Truth be told, I just think they’re just better than the Cincinnati Bengals and San Diego Chargers. The Bengals should win the North and the Chargers should win the West. There are your four division winners — here’s a look at the many, many contenders for the two wild card positions:
Denver Broncos
Record: 7-4
Remaining Schedule: at Kansas City; at Indy; home to Oakland; at Philly; home to Kansas City
Prognosis: Not as easy as Broncos fans would like it, I’m guessing. The road games are tough, and if they don’t win one of those, they’ll only be 9-7. That might get them in, but it’s all a question mark when you consider how many other clubs are vying for a wild card spot.
Probability of post season: A big, fat maybe.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Record: 6-4
Remaining Schedule: at Baltimore; home to Oakland; at Cleveland; home to Green Bay; home to Baltimore, at Miami
Prognosis: Take away the Oakland and Cleveland games and that’s a tough schedule, too. Makes me re-think my position on the Broncos’ chances. Depending on how Big Ben responds when he comes back, if he comes back, the Steelers should be able to get in as a wild card. Once that happens, no one will want to play them.
Probability of post season: Probably (Roethlisberger pending).
Jacksonville Jaguars
Record: 6-4
Remaining Schedule: at San Francisco; home to Houston; home to Miami; home to Indy; at New England; at Cleveland
Prognosis: If they win the games they should win, they’ll get in. The back-to-back homers against the Texans and the Dolphins will tell the tale here. If they do get in, the Jags will be the most boring team to ever make the post season.
Probability of post season: Can’t see it happening.
Baltimore Ravens
Record: 5-5
Remaining Schedule: home to Pittsburgh; at Green Bay; home to Detroit; home to Chicago; at Pittsburgh; at Oakland
Prognosis: A split with the Steelers is likely, meaning they’ll have to win in Green Bay to have a real chance. That’s not too tall of an order. I have a feeling it will come down to the Ravens and the Broncos for the final spot.
Probability of post season: Like Denver, maybe.
Houston Texans
Record: 5-5
Remaining Schedule: home to Indy; at Jacksonville; home to Seattle; at St. Louis; at Miami; home to New England
Prognosis: No chance in hell.
Probability of post season: Zero.
Miami Dolphins
Record: 5-5
Remaining Schedule: at Buffalo; home to New England; at Jacksonville; at Tennessee; home to Houston; home to Pittsburgh
Prognosis: They’ll beat the Patriots and everyone will start talking about how a late-season push is underway in South Beach. Following the pretender script, they’ll lose to Houston and Pittsburgh to close out the schedule, finishing a game out of a playoff spot. Hooray.
Probability: Probably not.
