The quality of NFL football appears to be on a downward trend not just from year to year but from week to week. I know that some things are cyclical but even teams that have cultivated an identity over a 15 to 20 year period are unrecogonizable now (Pittsburgh comes to mind).

There is one thing all the bottom feeders have in common——— poor management. It’s hard to overcome even if you have talent on the field which the Rams and Browns do not. The Raiders and Bucs have some talent but are not particularly well coached. The Bucs and the Rams have cap space to field better teams. A winning commitment is not there IMO.

Speaking of the Raiders, I agree that J. Russell sets the QB postion back 100 years with his poor play. Tom Cable and Paul Hackett (QB Coach) can’t seem to get through to this kid. I suggest Jedi mind control -—nothing else has worked.

Between the Bengals and Broncos if I had to put money on which team will go further in the playoffs my money is the Bengals. Marvin Lewis is an experienced coach. Palmer is a quality QB capable of making great plays in crunch time. Palmer has a consistent ground game led by Benson (second best back in football right now) and three quality WR’s . Oh, by the way Zimmer is coaching the hell out of that defense. Making chicken salad out of chicken soup.

The Broncos have be doing it with smoke and mirrors. McDaniels has done a masterful job of getting that team to by what he is selling given the disastrous state of the franchise in the off-season. But, Kyle Orton is his QB. In a tight spot with the game on the line especially late into the season Kyle Orton’s lack of talent as as NFL passer (can’t throw the deep ball among other things) will show up and cost them some games. He is what he is and that is a caretaker not a playmaker. He can’t carry a team and will make some bone headed decisions with the football in crunch time. It is said——- great players elevate those around them. Orton is not a great player.

In Tennessee, Fisher has hitched his wagon to Kerry Collins another guy with average talent as an NFL passer. Very similar to Orton but with a better deep ball and less mobility. Like Haynesworth, V. Young has to go. The Titans do not want to make the financial commitment to Young after this season. The owner likes him, the coaching staff not so much. Thus, the reluctance to play him.

On our division rivals the 49ers, I agree that they will come back to the pack. Shaun Hill is not the kind of QB that can make stick throws into tight windows on third down with the game on the line. The 20 yard out , the deep comeback, the curl route, Shuan Hill can’t make these throws consistently enough with accuracy to beat teams in crunch time. It’s Frank Gore’s team and not Hill’s.

Simply put the QB position in the NFL is a passing position. Those with great passer win, those without don’t win in December and January.

Good piece Bezekira.

How many do the wild cards teams need to make the playoffs with 5-6 teams at the 2-14 level?

Usually 10 wins gives a team a pretty good shot at the playoffs.

Due to all the bad teams in the league this year could we see an 11-5 team miss the playoffs?

Buffalo is a shit team that put everything they had into beating their much-hated division rivals on national TV. A win there likely would have salvaged their season somewhat; I’m a huge believer in momentum and confidence being the missing X factor in a lot of these games. That being said, we all saw how they lost, and that has simply trickled down and the players have been flat, emotionally, and only playing to their talent.

The Broncos weren’t getting much credit for their undefeated start but a win in Foxboro should have everyone believing that this is a playoff team.

Well damn, too bad they haven’t played in Foxboro in years, then. =P

I don’t get why people are so surprised at the Bengals’ success. Their defense ranked 12th overall last year, they were infused with an abundance of great, youth, athletic talent on that side of the ball (including, technically, LB Rivers), and they finished the season strong, going something like 4-1-1 in their last few games despite having Fitzpatrick under center. Palmer is one of the better QBs when able, and all reports were that he was 100% healthy, so combined with that potent D.. yeah, I don’t get why people are so surprised. I had them as an 8-10 win squad, and likely a wildcard.