The 17 game NFL regular season resembles a Triple Crown thoroughbred horse race, both in strategy and in the strain it places on participants due to its physically demanding and emotionally draining length.  Comprised of The Kentucky Derby, The Preakness and The Belmont Stakes, the Triple Crown offers the ultimate challenge to the world's finest equine athletes, with each successive race adding 1/4 mile in distance to the previous race.   This calls for the optimum blend of physical stamina, mental toughness and strategy.    There are basically 3 ways to approach the long TC races:  some horses are rabbits and come out quickly hoping to get the early lead and hang in gamely.  Others are plodders or pacers, attempting to keep a steady pace throughout the race.  Finally there are the closers:  those unique animals capable of building momentum and actually finishing the race under a full head of steam.  The mighty Secretariat, in setting the Kentucky Derby Record, actually ran each successive quarter of the Derby more quickly than the previous quarter.   And of course, there are the dogs:  long-shot participants with no real chance of winning without divine (or perhaps criminal) intervention.

  The last two Super Bowl Champs, each with a Manning at the helm, were classic closers.  Each team got off to a rather rocky start, but righted itself, found its footing and performed at their highest level during the last 3rd of the regular season and throughout the playoffs.  Who looks to have the winning strategy from our quarter-pole persptive?

The Rabbits:  Keep in mind that some rabbits are strategically entered to try to lure the plodders and closers into using up their energy early, thereby defeating them strategically where they would otherwise not be able to compete physically.   Here are the teams performing like Rabbits thus far:

Buffalo Bills:  Kudos to the Bills for an exhilarating and solid start, knocking off a tough Jacksonville squad on enemy turf and routing the supposedly talented Seahawks along with workmanlike victories over the Bengals & Raiders-both big time dogs.  With an absolute cake-walk of a season including 2 games each with the rebuilding Dolphins, wobbly Jets and mourning Patriots, look for Buffalo to hang on and gain a playoff spot this season.

NY Giants:  Does New York's strong finish last year combined with a good start this year suggest that the team is hitting on all cylinders?  Hardly.  While a good team with a maturing Eli figuring how to win in the NFL, the defense has lost ground this year and Plaxico's cameo as T.O. wannabe suggests too much drama for Prime Time again this year.  Look for the Gints to be served with wake-up calls from Dallas and Philly.   A very physical schedule remains for NY with Baltimore and Pittsburgh on tap as well.

Tennesse Titans:  These guys certainly aren't built like rabbits and Jeff Fisher's style of football has been known to win Superbowls.  By design the Titans are more of a plodder, so their quick start bodes ill for the AFC, especially the Colts and Jaguars.  The Titans achilles heel will be the QB position, where Fisher will likely rue throwing away a No.1 pick on Slackman Vince Young.   I don't see Kerry Collins taking anybody to the Superbowl unless its on a date, but the Titans will make the playoffs and might win a game or two there as well.