Here we are at week 15 of the NFL season, and five of the league’s eight division champions have clinched their titles. Of those that have yet to be decided, the most competitive, arguably, is the AFC North. This division, for all intents and purposes, is a two horse race, with the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers as the thoroughbreds and the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens, respectively, as the also ran nags.
The winner of this division may not be decided until after the last weekend of the regular season is over. In fact with Pittsburgh at a 9-4 record and Cleveland at 8-5, only one game separates the two division leaders, and with no common opponents scheduled in the last three weeks of the season, they could end up with identical records, in which case Pittsburgh would be champion, as they hold the tiebreaker, having won both games against the Browns this year.
Cleveland’s remaining schedule includes Buffalo, the Bengals, and San Francisco, with a collective won-loss record of 15-24 (.384). Pittsburgh’s schedule has the Jacksonville Jaguars, St. Louis Rams, and the Ravens, whose won-loss record is only one game better at 16-23 (.410). So with one game difference in the won loss records of both the two teams still in the running for the division title and their collective future competition, the strength of schedule factor is virtually a moot point.
Ironically, both Cleveland and Pittsburgh have one game left against a division opponent, the Browns have the Bengals in week 16, and the Steelers have the Ravens in week 17, both being road games for Cleveland and Pittsburgh, and giving Baltimore and Cincinnati both chances to spoil the party for the teams from the Rock and Roll Capitol and Steel City.
Both the Steelers and Browns face their toughest challenges in terms of remaining opponents this weekend, as Cleveland hosts Buffalo and Pittsburgh hosts Jacksonville. The Jaguars have an excellent chance of beating Pittsburgh, and Cleveland should beat Buffalo, so the two teams could be tied after this weekend’s games have been played.
So, with all the variables, the could happens, and the should happens, taken into consideration, who will win the AFC North? I don’t make predictions, but I will call this a projection. If Cleveland does beat Buffalo and Jacksonville beats Pittsburgh, then I project that the season ends with both teams at 11-5, and the 2007 AFC North champions will be the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Browns will make the playoffs as a Wild Card team.
NBC Decided to go “green” on Sunday. All of their networks turned their logos green in an effort to draw attention to the environment, and the studio lights on the set of Football Night In America went dark and an eerie glow permeated the screen. Chris Collinsworth said something to the effect of “this lighting was meant for us” to Bob Costas. He may have been implying that the lighting, or absence thereof, was friendly to their less than attractive appearances, but rumor has it that after the show was over, he invited Costas out for a cocktail, ‘and maybe even something to drink‘.
Regarding Football Night In America, this show has me convinced of three things- One: Collinsworth, Jerome Bettis, and Tiki Barber were gifted athletes, but they make terrible football analysts. Two: Keith Olberman remains an obnoxious, pompous oaf. Three: Faith Hill could make me write bad checks.
Game of the week: New England and Indianapolis finally played THE game of the season. I personally was disappointed. This game was hyped for two weeks and both of these offensive juggernauts totaled a measly 44 points between them. I know, defense, defense, blah, blah, blah. I’m convinced Tom Brady has sold his soul to the devil. After Sunday’s game he has a quarterback rating of 131.8 for the season, with only 4 interceptions and is on pace to throw 66 touchdown passes, obviously the result of a deal with Beelzebub himself.
Game of the weak:The Texans beat Oakland 24-17. I’m a Texans fan (we are few but proud) and this game was not shown in the San Antonio viewing area. Apparently the local CBS affiliate thought the other game of the week in Indianapolis was more important. Texans RB Ron Dayne ran for 122 yards on 21 carries. Texan fans at the Battle Red Blog have given Dayne the nickname “London Bridge” for the way he falls down so easily. How bad is the Raiders run defense then? The Texans have a bye next week. The early line from Vegas is that “bye” is favored by 3.
The Browns gone from a 3-13 record last year to a 5-3 record after only 8 games. Cleveland fans don’t know how to act. First the Cavs make the NBA finals, then the Indians make it all the way to the ACLS, which can only mean the AFC title game has a reservation marked “Cleveland” at the table, right?
Detroit beat Denver 44-7. The 37 point gap was the most lopsided score of any game last weekend. What kind of job is Matt Millen doing now? The more appropriate question may be what kind of leader is Jon Kitna? The type every team should have.
The Cowboys beat the Eagles 38-17. I’ve just about decided that Wade Phillips is the benefactor of Bill Parcell’s tenure in Dallas. I mean Phillips’ past record as a head coach is just barely above .500 (I believe), and here Dallas is at 7-1 after Sunday night’s game? Is Wade that good a coach, or was the talent there when he got there and he just plugged in his system? Remember, the Cowboys’ Offensive Coordinator, Jason Garrett, was hired by Jerry Jones, not Phillips.
After starting out the season 0-4, the Saints have reeled off four strait Ws and are now at .500, just one game behind the first place Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who at 5-4 lead the NFC South arguably the worst division in the NFL.
The Steelers beat the Ravens 38-7. The Steelers have what I think are the best throwback uniforms of any team in the NFL, for what it’s worth (not much).
This season all the quarterbacks have a lime green inventory dot on the back of their helmets. Can someone tell me why? This would have come in handy in the early 90s when Thurman Thomas of the Bills misplace his helmet in the Super Bowl against Dallas.
