Whatever happened to parody in the NFL? What happened to everybody being equal and everybody having an opportunity? It sure isn't happening this season. I enjoyed ripping the Pack for their horrible start, but you know what I realzied? They're going to make the playoffs. The Giants and Seahawks are ahead of them right now, but their schedules have both been easier. The Lions and Cowboys are playing the part of contenders, and as the season wears on, both will be exposed. The Redskins may be able to climb back into things if Portis runs like he did last week, and if Brunell stops throwing to the wrong team. But really, as unbelieveable as it is, after losing 3 of their first 5, including ALL 3 at home, the Pack are still in the running, and may very well get in. THe Giants are 4-1 and are playing on the strength of their defense. Tiki Barber and Brenda Warner's husband have had resurrection seasons, but really, how long can this last? How long is it until The Bride of Goezar the Gozarian (Jeremy gave Warner's wife this nickname from the movie Ghostbusters, and it's bang on) returns to the form that got him ridden out of St Louis? And Tiki, after setting a single-season record for fumbles last year, CAN'T go fumbleless all year, can he?
The Seahawks are in trouble too. THey lost their best lineman, Grant Wistrom to injury, and the unit really wasn't playing incredibly well with him. In other words, they can be had. Yes it kills me to say it, but the PAck aren't quite out of it yet.
I have been concerned about the Vikes D all season. The offense rolled up over 600 YARDS OF OFFENSE Sunday night against New Orleans-- and they only won by a touchdown!!! Um, does that alarm anybody else? If you're scoring that much, shouldn't you be winning by 30? If Daunte Culpepper hadn't morphed into the football lovechild of Dan Marino and Joe Montana, the Vikes wouldn't be 4-1. The offense has been impressive, but they've HAD to be impressive. The offense is one of the league's best, and the D has easily been one of the worst.
And yet, after looking at the standings, I'm not that concerned for the regular season. Why? Because there's only 3 other teams in the league better than the Vikes. Really, other than the Pats, Colts and Eagles, who really scares you in this league? I know the Jets are undefeated but they'll be coming back to earth as soon as they play a decent team., like say, this Sunday against New England. Atlanta? Pittsburgh? Denver? The New York Football Giants? All of these teams, like Minnesota, has one loss, yet I'd take the Vikes without question over any of them. The Vikes have no D, yet they're going to be able to outscore anybody except the top 3.
Having said that, it could be 1998 all over again. An impressive, record-setting regular season that goes all-for-naught. The Vikes can wipe the floor with the rest of the league, but if they can't get by the Eagles, what does it matter? Or if they somehow do, what does it matter if they meet the Pats or Colts in the Superbowl? Minnesota meets Indy on Monday night in 3 weeks, and that will be the most telling game of the regular season. Philly already proved they were better, and as good as Minny's offense has been, I'd take Indy's and Peyton Manning over it right now, and I think Indy will outscore the VIkes in that game. They won't punt in the 1st half, and they may not in the 2nd either.
No matter how good the O continues to look, the defense HAS to come together. This was supposed to be the year. If I'm not mistaken, the talent's there, we've got a good defensive football mind in Cotrell, but it has to start happening. Otherwise, it will be another great regular season--and another heartbreaker for the Vikes. That is, unless you like getting all the way to NFC Championship game and losing. And this time around, we can't blame it on Denny Green.
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