American Football’s premiere platform rarely fails to disappoint and this year has been no exception. High scoring games, exciting new talent and the decline of many storied franchises has meant that the first third of this season has brought about many talking points. NFL fans will have been delighted to see defensive tactics overcome by inventive, brash offences. The result has been high scoring, intensely competitive games that have kept fans glued to their armchairs all across the world.
Many of the most successful sides of the recent past have found themselves fall on their collective faces as newcomers finally begin to produce performances which live up to their potential. The lockout seems to have created a much more even playing field with the more experienced and technical franchises failing to produce anywhere close to top form in their opening games. The team that has taken advantage of the oppositions’ mistakes has more often than not been the victor due to the reduced pre-season creating much more error-strewn performances.
The Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts and New York Jets are just three of the sides which have slid down the NFL pecking order in recent weeks. But while hope will still be there for the Eagles and Jets that they can make a burst for the post-season, the Colts will have to get ready for a rebuilding phase.
Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are some of the sides who have started fast in their attempt to see their name engraved on the Vince Lombardi Trophy in Indianapolis next February. Youthful exuberance and energy has put sides such as these in the position to become consistent contenders for American Football’s top prize for the next five years.
There have been many winners and losers in an eventful season so far. Here are just a few of them.
Winners:
1. Detroit Lions: Who could begrudge this side a bit of success? They are members of the infamous club of franchises who have never won the Lombardi trophy and truth be told they have never looked likely to change that fact in recent years. In 2008 they became the first franchise in NFL history to go a full sixteen game season without a single victory. However this youthful side has started very well in their attempt to retrieve some much needed respect for the historical franchise. Matthew Stafford is maturing into an elite NFL quarterback and wide receiver Calvin Johnson Jr has taken advantage of his excellent form with nine touchdowns receptions in just five games. There is also an excellent resilience about this team epitomised by their 24 point comeback away at the Dallas Cowboys in week four which helped to sustain their four game unbeaten run since the beginning of the season.
2. Cam Newton: What does he think he is doing? He was supposed to be a complete “bust”. Another Jamarcus Russell. Another reason to poke fun at this unsuccessful Carolina franchise. What he has done is successfully disect a number of the league’s most stubborn defences. In five appearances the rookie has over 1,500 passing yards to his name. This figure is made even more astonishing by the fact that his group of wide receivers is widely regarded as one of the worst in the league. He has leapfrogged superstars such as Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger to become the most quarterback in the league (in Fantasy Football). His performances have been a lone bright spark in a season of excitement, yet resultant disappointment for the Panthers. They have four defeats from five games despite the rookie heroics of Newton.
3. Buffalo Bills: Like the Detroit Lions, Buffalo are attempting to become NFL champions for the first time in their history. Since their astonishing era in the early 90’s when they lost four successive Super Bowls, the Bills have found themselves in the doldrums. Sparse appearances in the post-season have ended in disappointment, most notably their loss to the Tennessee Titans in the “Music City Miracle” in 2000. Little was expected of this plucky outfit at the beginning of the season but they have surprised the most respected of football scouts to become leaders of the AFC East ahead of the famed New England Patriots. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has lead his side manfully while running back Fred Jackson has performed consistently to offer the Bills a powerful and efficient ground game. Two victories over pre-season favourites in the form of the Eagles and Patriots have shown Buffalo’s form to be no fluke. Bills Nation will just hope it can last!
4. Green Bay Packers: Little has been said about the Wisconsin side’s form in the first few weeks but they have shown nothing that we didn’t already know. They finished last season in incredible fashion, effectively winning six knockout games in a row to bring back the Lombardi Trophy to its home in Lambeau Field. They have begun this season in equally destructive fashion dismissing talented Bears and Saints sides on their way to an unbeaten five game start to the 2011 season. A side ravaged by injury last season is now back to full strength. Ryan Grant’s return at running back alongside James Starks means that the Packers have a duel-pronged attack to go along with the sensational Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. It will take a very good side to dethrone these guys this year!
5. European NFL Supporters: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stated on Sunday that he hoped for a second regular season to be played in London. The game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Chicago Bears in two weeks time will be the fifth regular season game to be played in Wembley and the NFL are interested in expanding the series to include a second overseas game per season. Whether or not players or management will be in favour of these gruelling mid season trips across the Atlantic probably won’t matter as long as the owners recognise the opportunity to generate extra revenue from large markets who are hungry for live football. It is inevitable that the “International Series” will expand and that American Football fans will have an even better chance to see the sport’s best in action up close and personal.
Losers:
1. Indianapolis Colts: American football may be a team game, but you would be going a long way to find another side who relies on their star player in the same way as the Colts do on quarterback Peyton Manning. The far superior of the Manning brothers has been declared out for the regular season as a result of neck surgery. In his absence the Colts have lost all five games and have experimented with two replacements in the form of veteran Kerry Collins and the unproven Curtis Painter. Their most devastating defeat came on the opening day of the season went they were steamrollered by AFC South rivals the Houston Texans. Could this be the end of a ten-year dynasty in Indianapolis which has brought them to two Super Bowls?
2. Tim Tebow: He is one of the most popular players in the league yet he is still waiting for an opportunity to flaunt his talents as first choice quarterback with the failing Denver Broncos. He was expected to get his opportunity after a promising rookie season last year but the Broncos head coach John Fox has stuck with the error-prone Kyle Orton much to the disgust of home fans and football supporters across America. Tebow will be regarded as one of the most successful college quarterbacks of all time after his four-year stint at the University of Florida. However his unorthodox technique has left most NFL experts sceptical about his capability to make the crucial passes when he is being chased down by the most fearsome tacklers on the planet. It is fairly certain that his chance will come this year after a poor opening to the season from the Broncos and Orton. Tebow made a cameo appearance last weekend in their 29-24 defeat to the San Diego Chargers, making one touchdown pass and almost completing an unlikely comeback after replacing a struggling Orton at half time.
3. Philadelphia Eagles: Why do sports stars always fall into the trap of building up expectations of an incredible season? The Eagles’ Vince Young’s description of his side as the “dream team” will come back to haunt them if they fail to turn their season around soon. There is no doubt that Philadelphia have strengthened since the promising 2010 season but they have failed to live up to their billing in the opening weeks with four defeats in five games. Losses to the Falcons, Giants, 49ers and Bills have left this star-studded line up with an uphill task to try and force their way into the post-season. Their controversial quarterback Michael Vick will have to prove his mettle as leader of the side to try and resurrect their chances of Super Bowl glory.
4. Dallas Cowboys: They never fail to disappoint, do they? Two wins and two losses mean that the Texan side are still well in contention for the post-season but questions have been raised about their mental strength after two staggering final quarter collapses to the New York Jets and Detroit Lions. Their self-destruction at home to Detroit in week four will leave a particularly bitter taste in the mouth. After three-quarters they were in complete control over one of the league’s most in-form teams but eventually lost a 24 point third quarter lead. They certainly have the talent to go all the way but consistency and self-belief are certainly lacking.
5. Veteran Quarterbacks: Many of the league’s most decorated and well-known playmakers have been forced to watch from the sidelines after many years in the limelight. For the first time in almost twenty years Brett Favre will play no part in the NFL season after no franchise took the risk of employing the injury-prone football legend. Peyton Manning will miss the majority of the season while seasoned campaigners David Garrard, Carson Palmer and Kerry Collins have all been ousted from their respective teams. It has been a season of new beginnings and many other NFL stalwarts will be looking over their shoulders.
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