NFL: Midseason Review

Ryan Ribeiro, Staff Writer '17
November 20, 2015

The season is at its midpoint and there are already some clear favorites both for the Super Bowl and for the first overall pick in this year’s upcoming draft. Injuries have certainly taken a toll on a number of teams, most notably the Steelers, Cowboys, and Ravens; however, the team holding up the Lombardi Trophy in February will be the team that overcomes adversity and obstacles and the team that is able to rise to the top, no matter what challenges are facing it. So, while the Patriots, Bengals, and Panthers stand as the only unbeaten teams in the league at this moment, there is still a ton of football to be played. And who knows? Maybe a team like the Colts gets out of its slump and makes a run at things, or, possibly, a healthy Tony Romo is all the Cowboys need to regain the dominance it had last year. If there is one thing the NFL promises every Sunday, it is the inability to predict what is going to happen. So, with that being said, let’s now take a look at how the rest of the season might shape out.

Playoff Predictions

NFC:

Carolina Panthers: The Panthers are showing no signs of slowing down on what has been an incredibly successful season following one last year in which they made the playoffs at 7-8-1. Cam Newton is quickly becoming a top MVP candidate while cornerback Josh Norman is giving Richard Sherman a challenge for the title of the best corner in the game. Everything is working for the Panthers right now and there is no reason to believe that will stop anytime soon.
Green Bay Packers: Every year Aaron Rodgers just finds ways to get it done while leading his team to the playoffs. This year should be no different as the offense looks as good as new even with top wideout Jordy Nelson watching from the sidelines with a bum knee. While the defense is once again average and not a strong suit for this team, they are playing well enough and letting Rodgers and the offense run the show. Although a few recent loses have placed the Vikings ahead, the Packers will once again find themselves in the playoffs this year.
Arizona Cardinals: A rejuvenated and focused Carson Palmer is leading the Cardinals and the ageless Larry Fitzgerald to what looks to be the first NFC West Division title in Arizona since Kurt Warner was its quarterback. The defense, led by All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson, is firing on all cylinders, and Chris Johnson is running like it’s 2009! The Cardinals are another dangerous team to watch in January.
New York Giants: Nothing about the NFC East is impressive this year, but if there is one bright spot it is Eli Manning and the Giants offense. Any quarterback can look good when they have Odell Beckham Jr. and his monstrous hands to throw to. However, he is not just doing all his magic this year with one hand, he is using both to catch the ball and propel the Giants into first place. While the defense looks like it is a work in progress, the presence of JPP has motivated it. Tom Coughlin’s job is on the line, so that means the Giants are destined for the playoffs and possibly another Super Bowl run.
Minnesota Vikings: Adrian Peterson is back and better than ever! Peterson currently leads the league in rushing and is leading the Vikings to an improbable run at the playoffs. Teddy Bridgewater is coming into his own at quarterback and fifth-round pick Stefon Diggs is having an historic rookie year. The offense of this team gets all the glitz and glamor, but the defense is no slouch either. Second-year linebacker Anthony Barr and underrated safety Harrison Smith are creating a “top 10” defense under new head coach Mike Zimmer in Minnesota. The Vikings are a team to watch as one that could surprise a lot of folks later on in the year.
Seattle Seahawks: Seattle has gone from the Super Bowl the past two seasons to becoming a candidate to possibly miss the playoffs this year. While they are certainly providing some worry in the hearts of the twelfth man, it does not seem plausible that a team as talented as the Seahawks will miss a chance at defending their NFC crown. Kam Chancellor is back for the defense and making plays all over the field which has kept them in games. However, the inconsistency of the trio of Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch, and Jimmy Graham is hurting this team. At this point Seattle might not seem like a contender, but there is no other non-division winner that can compete with them for this spot at the moment.

AFC:

New England Patriots: Bill Belichick and Tom Brady just know how to win. Even with an underwhelming supporting cast (not including Gronk, of course), Brady has routinely been able to get the job done. Putting Deflategate aside, the Patriots are proven winners and perennial division champs, and it does not look as if that will change any time soon. Although recently experiencing an unexpectedly close contest against the Gmen, the Pats remain undefeated. Expect to see them, yet again, where they have made a post in January: the AFC Championship game.
Denver Broncos: The saying “defense wins championships” may very well apply to this Broncos team. Peyton Manning is making age look like a deadly disease rather than just a number as his stats and play have severely diminished this season. However, with a defensive squad led by Von Miller, Demarcus Ware, T.J. Ward, and Aqib Talib, it is not out of the question to assume that Denver can be in every game and supplant Cincinnati later in the year to grab a bye this winter.
Cincinnati Bengals: Ladies and gentleman, the Bengals have arrived! Andy Dalton is finally showing the promise and leadership that was expected of him when he was drafted in the second round out of TCU. The rushing tandem of Giovanni Bernard and Jeremy Hill certainly helps relieve some of that pressure on Dalton, but any time you have a receiver with the size and skill set of A.J. Green, what team wouldn’t want to throw all day? And it’s not just Green that is helping Dalton out, either, as third-year tight end Tyler Eifert is quickly taking his place amongst the elite of the league. With all of these offensive weapons, the defense just needs to be good enough, and that is exactly what they have been. The Bengals should finally break out of its slump and not only win just one playoff game this year, but possibly even more.
Indianapolis Colts: It has not at all been pretty for the Colts this season. Andrew Luck has been in and out of the lineup with shoulder and rib issues and, even when he has played, he has been wildly inconsistent. Andre Johnson is the same old, washed up player he was when he left Houston and the addition of Trent Cole to the defense has not made much of a difference. Defense has always been a problem in Indy, but the South is just so bad that it is hard to imagine this team not winning the division.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger has not had his usual magic so far this season and that can largely be due to the multitude of severe injuries he has faced. A sprained MCL put the fate of the team, albeit briefly, in the hands of Michael Vick. With a somewhat favorable schedule down the road, it seems as if the Steelers will once again be visiting the playoffs.
Buffalo Bills: The Bills seem to have finally figured out how to run a productive offense with a below-average quarterback. With the change in quarterback before the season, Tyrod Taylor has proven to be an effective manager of the game. Despite some of his flaws, all has gone well up to this point, and while Taylor has not been great, he has been good enough. If the Bills can patch up their offensive line struggles and find a little more consistency in their pass rush led by studs Mario Williams and Jerry Hughes, the playoffs are certainly possible for this team. I like Rex Ryan to end Buffalo’s nine-year playoff drought this season with an improbable winning streak to end the season.