1.  The “Cardiac Cats” are Back

They aren’t making it look easy, but the Carolina Panthers are winning games, al be it in ugly fashion.  For the second straight week the Panthers struggled against a bad team, but still ended on the right side of the scoreboard, knocking off the winless Detroit Lions 31-22.  RBs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart combined for a team record 264 yards rushing against the Lions.  However, Jake Delhomme was held under 100 yards passing for the second straight week, a stat that can become troubling come playoff time.  Delhomme is a veteran, and more than likely he’ll get back on track.  Then again, if the dynamic duo at running back continues at this pace, Delhomme may not need to pass for 100+ to win.  Carolina is 7-3 and travels to Atlanta next week to play the gritty Falcons.

 

2.  Despite a still-injured pinkie and a Lame Coach, the Cowboys are Still Alive

As much of a cheeseball coach as Wade Phillips is, he still seems to manage to win ballgames.  Despite Tony Romo’s performance that showed some lingering affects of his pinkie injury, Dallas managed a 14-10 win over the rival Redskins Sunday night.  Hey, as long as Marion Barber can be a “Brandon Webb/Brad Lidge” kind of running back, the Cowboys will be in every game the rest of the way.  Barber scrapped for 66 4th quarter rushing yards, and basically put the game on ice by himself in the last 6 minutes.  The ‘Boys are 6-4, tied with the ‘Skins for second in the NFC East.

 

3.  The San Diego Chargers are the Most Underachieving Team in the NFL

If you had told me before the season started that the Chargers would have a healthy offense for the entire first half of the season and ony be 4-6 after week 11, I would’ve told you that your prediction was crazier than Al Davis being GM of the year.  But alas, here we are, playing Monday morning QB with the Chargers and wondering how they could lose this many games already?  The loss of Shawne Merriman early in the year ws big, but it wasn’t enough to implode BOTH sides of the ball.  And even with Ladanian Tomlinson running the ball, the Chargers still rank 26th in the league in rushing yards per game.  Ouch.  Not that losing to the Steelers by one point is embarassing, but we expected better.  The sad thing is in the absoultely awful AFC West, the Chargers are still alive.  The leader is the Denver Broncos at 6-4.  SD sits just 2 games back.

 

4.  The Texans are the best “bad” team I’ve seen in a while.

God bless the Houston Texans.  The not even a decade old franchise is ranked in the upper half of the league in points per game, yards per game, passing yards per game (they’re 5th), and rushing yards per game.  Still, they manage to lose games like Sunday’s 33-27 loss to the Colts because they have no idea how to close out games.  Sage Rosenfels has done well in place of the injured Matt Schaub, and Steve Slaton rolled up 156 yards rushing yesterday, tops in the league.  Still the Texans got outscored 24-14 in the second half, marking the fourth loss this year for the club that was determined by 7 points or less.  Still, the 3-7 Texans are playing well, and as soon as they figure how to NOT turn the ball over and close out games, they’ll be a team to keep an eye on in the future.

 

5.  The Tennessee Titans….really?

It boggles my mind that this team is still undefeated.  I’m not saying they’re not good, they’re just not a team predicated on perfection.  They’re relying on vagabond QB Kerry Collins to lead the charge, and so far he’s stepped up to the challenge.  However, the offense isn’t what wins games for this team, it’s the defense.  Giving up only 13 points a game (best in the league) will help any team win ball games.  I’m not convinced they’re the best in the NFL, but the Titans sure know how to win games so far. 

 

6.  In Terms of Immediate Impact, This May Be the Best Rookie Class Ever

The impact this rookie class is having on the league is proving to be one of the best we’ve seen in a while.  Two teams that struggled bad enough to have departing coaches last year have turned things around thanks to rookie QBs.  Of course I’m talking about Joe Flacco for the Ravens and Matt Ryan for the Falcons.  As for running backs, there are 5 rookies that are already over 500 yards rushing on the year, none with the last name McFadden.  Chris Johnson (Titans), Matt Forte (Bears), Steve Slaton (Texans), Kevin Smith (Lions), and Jonathan Stewart (Panthers) are all over 500 yards on the year running the ball, and none of them have less than 4 TDs.  And lastly, while rookie WRs aren’t always known for making a big splash in their first year, a few have.  Eddie Royal (Broncos) and DeSean Jackson (Eagles) are already over 600 yards receiving.  Throw in a couple of nice TEs (Dustin Keller, Jets, and John Carlson, Seahawks) that have over 27 receptions and 300 yards each, then you’ve got an impressive rookie class.

 

7.  Ties Suck, but so do the Bengals and Eagles

It blows my mind how Donovan McNabb throws 3 picks for the first time since 2006, and yet the Bengals can’t win.  It also blows my mind how the Bengals are 23rd in the league in run defense, yet the Eagles only hand Brian Westbrook the ball 14 times.  Bottom line from Sunday’s 13-13 tie at Paul Brown Stadium is that the Bengals desperately need a running game, and the Eagles desperately need a big-name wide receiver.  Simple as that.

 

8.  The Greed of the NFL Pisses Me Off Sometimes

Look, I want to make money as much as the next guy.  Believe me, I do.  I work in sales.  I understand the continual drive to obtain wealth.  However, when I miss two of the most exciting games in the NFL this season because I don’t subscribe to the NFL Channel, I get a little upset.  It’s not enough to force me into 2, maybe 3 games viewable on Sunday afternoon, now I must pay X amount of Benjamins just to see an occasional Thursday night game?  Why?  And furthermore, who are these morons paying for the NFL Network?  Is it really worth seeing preseason games and constant replays of last week’s games?  I don’t think so. 

 

9.  How Underrated is the NFC South?

The preseason favorite by many prognosticators to win the division was the Saints, who sit dead last.  However, they hold a record of 5-5, one that would make them tied for first in the NFC North.  The hapless Falcons who just a year ago began life without Michael Vick sit at a comfy 6-4 thanks to brilliant acquisitions of Michael Turner and Matt Ryan via the draft.  The Bucs, who won the division last year, are 7-3, and still not good enough to be first.  That spot belongs to Carolina at 8-2.  Yet the media love affair with Romo and the Cowboys and the Brady-less Patriots has caused great disillusion amongst NFL fans, distracting them from what will be the best divisional race in the NFL, if for no other reason than the fact that all the teams are actually good.