Which early 'surprise' team(s) is for real?

[poptart]

Redskins 4-1
Broncos 4-1
Titans 5-0
Panthers 4-1
Bills 4-1


Quick takes
Redskins: improved team -- will be overtaken by both Dallas and NY in the long run -- NOT for real
Broncos: strong passing attack, awful defense, playoff fodder -- NOT for real
Titans: vintage Fisher team, mean defense, power running, limited mistakes ... Kerry Collins? -- FOR REAL ... with some hesitation
Panthers: well coached, super defense, playmakers on offense, power running -- FOR REAL
Bills: above average on defense, average on offense, well coached -- one of the better AFC teams, but ultimately NOT for real

Cardinals (3-2): average defense, can score points -- might be FOR REAL ... check back with me in a couple of weeks
Ravens(2-2): a 'get after it' defense, can the offense do enough? -- like the 'Tardinals, check back with me in a couple of weeks



react

[Felix]

Broncos: strong passing attack, awful defense, playoff fodder -- NOT for real



react

fuck off hater

[Tom In VA]

Quick takes
Redskins: improved team -- will be overtaken by both Dallas and NY in the long run -- NOT for real

Well the Giants have already overtaken them and everyone else in the division. It's up to the Boys or the Skins to overtake the Giants.

The Skins, are for real.

NFC Conference Final to close out Dallas' stadium between Washington and Dallas.

WAR MYOPIA

[Arch Angel]

poptart


Aren't you Alcula's boy toy? I heard he need servicing.

[poptart]

Thanks for your contribution to the thread, fuckface.

[Felix]

I'll be honest tart, insofar as the Broncos go you're spot on
lots of offense (potential, they've been sporadic of late) with a defense akin to a wet paper sack...it holds up for a while but eventually it bursts open and the contents spill all over everything

redskins are simply a case of the wrong team in the wrong division....were they playing in any other of the NFC divisions, I'd give them much better odds of finding the promised land

Titans, the jury is still out but they've got the defense that could potentially carry them to the finish line

the rest-I don't care enough to offer an opinion

[Screw_Michigan]

Thanks, Tom. Was about to mention that it's hard for the Skins to be overtaken by the Giants when the Giants are already on top and undefeated. Meanwhile, we're watching the current crumbling of the Girls. Sporadic offense with a horrible coach and a soft lineup with Team Obliterator running the show. If it wasn't for the Iggles' ticket for missing the playoffs with Westbrook having two broken ribs already punched, I'd say the Girls are the forerunner for most underachieving team flirting with not playing in January. JJ's already pulling out all the stops trying to keep his team of divas and primadonnas motivated to play. As they say in the Charm Fuckin' City Police Department, shit runs downhill and it's all downhill from here for the Girls.

[Mississippi Neck]

I agree that the Titans seem to be for real. I dont consider the Panthers a surprise team, just me though. Havent seen the Broncos or Bills much yet. What's not a surprise about the Skins is that there fans seem to still obsess over Dallas...lol.

[Tom In VA]

What's not a surprise about the Skins is that there fans seem to still obsess over Dallas...lol.

I wouldn't call it an obsession. Dallas is a great team, they share a division with the Redskins, a historically TOUGH division that seems to have been restored to it's TOUGH character. Any success the Redskins ever hope to achieve/have achieved - had to go through a tough Dallas team.

[Yer a Fuckin Jerkoff]

Titans are not for real. I like the defense but they are no better than the Bills. Seriously, who are the receivers for Tennessee? Back when they had Wycheck they were solid in terms of throwing the ball around, but now? A bunch of no-names, and Crumpler is a shell of his former self. Chris Johnson as a RB is similar to Neal Anderson- pretty good but he won't get you to a Super Bowl


Arizona is not for real because they are the Cardinals and it's never as good as it seems there.

Carolina: For real just because they seem to have a run in them once every couple years or so and this is one of those years. Solid all-around but the only weak spot is that jackass quarterback. Fox is a good coach but not INCREDIBLE like people were making him out to be back in 2003. if the defense can take steroids again they may be a SB contender.

Redskins: Maybe peaking too early, otherwise they are for real with a solid scheming defense and great disguises and shit there, but playing in the same division as the Cowboys and Giants will hurt them. Dallas is the team to beat not just in the NFC East but in the NFL. Giants are a mirage at 4-0. That Seattle team they beat sucks balls.

Broncos: Not for real. defense is too inconsistent, and Cutler makes too many mistakes.

Bills: Kind of like the Titans. They just look like a smoke and mirrors team to me and Dick Jauron needs to eat a few cases of Krispy Kremes. Pats will win that AFC East

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Redskins: Maybe peaking too early, otherwise they are for real with a solid scheming defense and great disguises and shit there, but playing in the same division as the Cowboys and Giants will hurt them.

What the hell are you talking about? Couldn't you say the exact same thing for the Cowboys? They have identical records, and the Girls lost to the Skins straight up. If anything, it's the Girls that should be worried.

[poptart]

Cardinals (3-2): average defense, can score points -- might be FOR REAL ... check back with me in a couple of weeks
Ravens(2-2): a 'get after it' defense, can the offense do enough? -- like the 'Tardinals, check back with me in a couple of weeks

ONE week later, the 'Tardinals are looking promising.
The Crows ... not so much.

[poptart]

Let's *bump* this one too.

[Yer a Fuckin Jerkoff]

Huge props to poptart for accurately nailing all of these teams for who they really were back in October when the picture wasn't clear.

He's dead on, even with his takes on the Tards and Ravens, who are both bubble teams at this point who MIGHT make some noise but there's too much "I don't really know" going on with them.

[poptart]

It's true, the Falcons might be THE surprise team of '08.

At the time I started this thread they were 3-2 and definitely under my radar.


Props to the dirty byrds.

[Cuda]

in light of the Falcons 2007 season, they went under everybody's radar in 08

Pops was pretty much dead-on with the rest: Tennesee Oilers & Carolina Panthers for real, Denver, Buffalo, & Warshington are all living a lie

[Tom In VA]

Looking back, I wish I had placed a caveat on my - admitted - myopia that would have been; they had to stay healthy.

But the Skins, while "Not For Real", in terms of being on the hunt for the big game have definitely exceeded my expectations - low - for a season with a new coach.

Zorn, - I like him. Now if we can only get an o-line and a d-line, we'd really be onto something.