A
Axe Elf
Man, it seems like just a few days ago that I was checking and re-checking all my initial lineups and basically going crazy waiting for the season to FINALLY start--and now we’re 1/8th of the way through the season, with two games down.
Eight teams are undefeated--Denver, Seattle, Houston, New Orleans, New England, Chicago, Miami and Kansas City. I bet you din’t think Kansas City would be on that list--maybe not Miami, either.
If Kansas City can get by Philadelphia on Thursday--Andy Reid’s old team was just beaten by a much weaker Chargers team--they have pretty smooth sailing until their week 10 bye. They play the Giants (beaten by the Cowboys that they just beat), Tennessee, Oakland, Houston, Cleveland and Buffalo before their vacation week. Houston is about the only team there that seems like it could beat the Chiefs at this point--could Kansas City go into Denver after a week off sporting a 9-1 record? Denver could be 10-0 at that point, since they face Oakland, Philly, Dallas, Jacksonville, Indy and Washington in the meantime--so that Week 11 matchup could be for first place and home field advantage in the AFC West. The teams rematch again two weeks later, after the Chiefs host the Chargers, but then Kansas City closes against Washington, Oakland, Indy and the Chargers again--gotta love the fantasy playoff matchups for Jamaal Charles!
Of the undefeated teams, Chicago and New England seem to be the two teams least likely to make the playoffs. Chicago has won its two games by a combined 4 points, and has enjoyed home field advantage in both games so far. The stretch of games in Weeks 12-16 won’t be so friendly, as the Bears will be on the road for four of the five contests. The home closer in Week 17 against Green Bay could very well be for a final wildcard berth--and I’d pick Green Bay to prevail.
New England has won both of its games by a combined 5 points, and its opponents were Buffalo and the Jets. They had better make the most of next week’s home game against Tampa Bay, because their schedule is going to be a little more interesting through October, as they play three out of their following four games on the road. They get Atlanta, Cincinnati and New Orleans in that stretch, and then close the month by hosting the Dolphins in what may be a game that helps to decide the division title. The Patriots will need to get Gronk back sooner, rather than later--and teach some of these rookie WRs to catch--or New England could be looking at a 4-5 record going into their Week 10 bye. They catch Denver and Houston and the road game at Miami during the homestretch, so they could pretty easily end up 8-8 or worse if they don’t turn things around.
Another eight teams are winless--Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Tampa Bay, Carolina, Minnesota, Washington and the New York Giants. The two biggest surprises there are probably Washington and the Giants. Washington is going to need to improve its defense fast, or they are likely to be destined for one of the worst records in the NFL. Besides a tough divisional slate of Philly, Dallas and the Giants times two each, they face a brutal non-divisional schedule that features Denver, Atlanta, San Francisco, Chicago and Detroit--and suddenly Kansas City and San Diego don’t look like much of a break, either. The Giants have a similar uphill schedule, including the AFC West (at least they have Denver out of the way now), the NFC North, and Seattle from the NFC West instead of San Francisco. At least they get Carolina from the NFC South instead of Atlanta.
I don’t hold out much hope for Jacksonville, Pittsburgh or Cleveland to turn their seasons around either--although all three should have some key players returning soon that could keep their teams from looking like additional byes on opposing teams’ schedules. Carolina has a defense that should keep them in a lot of games, but their schedule really isn’t built to rise from the ashes of an 0-2 hole, facing the offensive powers in the NFC South, along with the remaining three NFC West teams, especially when they’re already sporting a loss to Buffalo. Tampa Bay is in a similar position, having already lost to the Jets and facing substantially the same difficult schedule as Carolina.
In short, I think the eight teams that are 0-2 are pretty much out of it already, but that two or three of the 2-0 teams are also likely to miss the playoffs.
Eight teams are undefeated--Denver, Seattle, Houston, New Orleans, New England, Chicago, Miami and Kansas City. I bet you din’t think Kansas City would be on that list--maybe not Miami, either.
If Kansas City can get by Philadelphia on Thursday--Andy Reid’s old team was just beaten by a much weaker Chargers team--they have pretty smooth sailing until their week 10 bye. They play the Giants (beaten by the Cowboys that they just beat), Tennessee, Oakland, Houston, Cleveland and Buffalo before their vacation week. Houston is about the only team there that seems like it could beat the Chiefs at this point--could Kansas City go into Denver after a week off sporting a 9-1 record? Denver could be 10-0 at that point, since they face Oakland, Philly, Dallas, Jacksonville, Indy and Washington in the meantime--so that Week 11 matchup could be for first place and home field advantage in the AFC West. The teams rematch again two weeks later, after the Chiefs host the Chargers, but then Kansas City closes against Washington, Oakland, Indy and the Chargers again--gotta love the fantasy playoff matchups for Jamaal Charles!
Of the undefeated teams, Chicago and New England seem to be the two teams least likely to make the playoffs. Chicago has won its two games by a combined 4 points, and has enjoyed home field advantage in both games so far. The stretch of games in Weeks 12-16 won’t be so friendly, as the Bears will be on the road for four of the five contests. The home closer in Week 17 against Green Bay could very well be for a final wildcard berth--and I’d pick Green Bay to prevail.
New England has won both of its games by a combined 5 points, and its opponents were Buffalo and the Jets. They had better make the most of next week’s home game against Tampa Bay, because their schedule is going to be a little more interesting through October, as they play three out of their following four games on the road. They get Atlanta, Cincinnati and New Orleans in that stretch, and then close the month by hosting the Dolphins in what may be a game that helps to decide the division title. The Patriots will need to get Gronk back sooner, rather than later--and teach some of these rookie WRs to catch--or New England could be looking at a 4-5 record going into their Week 10 bye. They catch Denver and Houston and the road game at Miami during the homestretch, so they could pretty easily end up 8-8 or worse if they don’t turn things around.
Another eight teams are winless--Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Tampa Bay, Carolina, Minnesota, Washington and the New York Giants. The two biggest surprises there are probably Washington and the Giants. Washington is going to need to improve its defense fast, or they are likely to be destined for one of the worst records in the NFL. Besides a tough divisional slate of Philly, Dallas and the Giants times two each, they face a brutal non-divisional schedule that features Denver, Atlanta, San Francisco, Chicago and Detroit--and suddenly Kansas City and San Diego don’t look like much of a break, either. The Giants have a similar uphill schedule, including the AFC West (at least they have Denver out of the way now), the NFC North, and Seattle from the NFC West instead of San Francisco. At least they get Carolina from the NFC South instead of Atlanta.
I don’t hold out much hope for Jacksonville, Pittsburgh or Cleveland to turn their seasons around either--although all three should have some key players returning soon that could keep their teams from looking like additional byes on opposing teams’ schedules. Carolina has a defense that should keep them in a lot of games, but their schedule really isn’t built to rise from the ashes of an 0-2 hole, facing the offensive powers in the NFC South, along with the remaining three NFC West teams, especially when they’re already sporting a loss to Buffalo. Tampa Bay is in a similar position, having already lost to the Jets and facing substantially the same difficult schedule as Carolina.
In short, I think the eight teams that are 0-2 are pretty much out of it already, but that two or three of the 2-0 teams are also likely to miss the playoffs.
