NFL hits midway point

By Mike Walsh

Feliz dia de los Muertos! It’s the end of October and that can only mean one thing…that it’s time to take a look at the NFL at it’s mid-way point and try to figure out what is going on. Or, more accurately, it’s time for me to write down random thoughts from across the league to try to piece together some semblance of a hierarchy in the NFL.
Here’s what we know:

The NFC West is horrible. Sean Alexander should have dressed up like Eddie George for Halloween. Since Alexander adopted Eddie George’s ‘jog lightly into the back of the offensive line and fall down at first contact’ style of running it’s been hard to tell them apart anyway. No word on whether Ray Lewis took Alexander’s soul the way he did with George. We do know that Ray murdered two people. Good times.
Santana Moss is AWOL. Can someone check Rae Carruth’s trunk? He might break the fantasy WR record for most times added and dropped in one season.

The Bears are awful. Their two-year window of opportunity was smothered by an overwhelmed Sexy Rex Grossman and their decision to go with a running back who cried on draft day and on his first day of training camp as a rookie instead of the back with the biggest biceps this side of Napoleon Kaufman. Not to mention Mike Brown’s luck ran out and Urlacher having an arthritic back. Ouch.
The Falcons can’t decide between The Pianist and the star of Super Size Me II, Byron Leftwich. And, if Cat Fancy didn't ruin Warrick Dunn’s career, playing with no threat of a passing attack has.
The Vikings should just direct snap to Adrian Peterson every down instead of letting Tavaris Jackson get in the way. By the way, can you name the Vikings starting receivers? Me neither.
The Panthers are choosing between Testaverde and Carr, which is like choosing the way you want to die while on death row. Either way, it’s gonna get ugly.
Daunte is decidedly NOT on a roll. How long can it take JaMarcus to learn the offense? They seem to only run three pass plays, throw it up for grabs deep, try to thread the needle over the middle or just drop back until you get sacked. I think he’s ready. The Raiders defense needs to know that the head coach is actually trying to score points.
Chad Pennington might never start an NFL game again with that noodle arm.
Derek Anderson?
The Dolphins look like they will be the first franchise to have a 16-0 season and an 0-16 season. Congratulations!

So what are we left with? Who are the teams with a chance to get to/win the Super Bowl?

San Diego- I know I know, they looked awful to start the season. But Rivers found a go to target with Gates, who learned how to play football by playing Madden. They are starting to click on offense. Sadly, Norv Turner is prominently involved, which means they have no chance to actually win.

Green Bay- Great young defense. Brett Favre has tricked himself into thinking he doesn’t suck…for now. There will come a time when he thinks it is 1997 instead of 2007 and he will try to wing the ball between three defenders one too many times and cripple the Pack. Plus they can’t run the ball, so their defense will get tired if they try to protect a lead.

Jaguars- If Garrard comes back healthy and Stroud comes back pissed they will be tough. Although we saw what Indy did to them this season already.

Giants- Eli is still inconsistent and is in danger of becoming the Dom DiMaggio to Peyton’s Joe. He could have a nice career, but he’ll never stack up to his brother. There defense is ferocious and will keep them in games when Eli is being Eli.

Dallas- Well, we saw what New England did to them. And Tony Romo might not be ready for primetime. That said they are probably the best all around representative for the NFC.

Pittsburgh- They don’t have dynamic receivers. I don’t trust Big Ben either. They just don’t stack up against…

Colts- They’ve won 12 straight going back to last year. Peyton is controlling games beautifully on offense and their defense is stepping up big time. I still don’t understand the commercial with Marvin Harrison floating in a tank of Dolphins, but whatever. They do everything well, they don’t have any blaring holes and they have the confidence to beat anyone, including…

Patriots- Going through the 2007 schedule like they are playing Madden on all-pro instead of all-madden. They don’t let up and they take the other team’s will and squash it. ’ve never seen anything quite like it. Maybe the 1989 Niners…maybe.

And there’s the rub. The best three football teams play in the same conference, which means that at least one of the three won’t even make it to the AFC championship game. Barring something catastrophic, the Colts and Pats will do battle in the AFC championship game and the winner will steamroll some under-qualified team from the NFC.

So what do we know? We know that the Super Bowl will be played two weeks earlier than usual this year because the AFC Championship will, for all intents and purposes, be the Super Bowl.