NFL 2007 Week 14: AFC Edition

AFC EAST: The last real hope for the Patriots to lose a game was dashed in their rout of the Steelers on Sunday. The Steelers were playing up and the Pats were playing down over the last few weeks, and everything looked set. Then the game started. The Steelers kind of looked like they were trying during the first quarter, but it all blew up in their face. New England didn’t have their best performance of the season, but they had way more than enough to withstand what Pittsburgh brought to the game. Both the Jets and the Dolphins could be traps for them but, much as I’d like to see it happen, I have a feeling that I’ll wind up disappointed. Buffalo’s mediocre surge toward the playoffs continued unabated against the Dolphins, but they’ll have a hard time the rest of the way. Cleveland, the Giants and the Eagles to finish the season is a tough river to cross and, with the injuries they continue to suffer, they’re going to have a hard time coming out with a winning record, let alone the playoffs. The Jets pretended to be a decent team over the last couple of weeks, but they dropped back to where they belong against the Browns. They got a ton of yards, both rushing and passing, and ran a whole lot of plays, but squandered everything they got. Despite their blowout of the Dolphins, they still aren’t really any better. While I say that Miami has gotten the short end of the stick a lot of the time this season, their performance last week against Buffalo was horrible. While I really think they are a better team than their record indicates, a lot of that game reminded me of the clips of the old Bucs 0-14 team.

AFC NORTH: Pittsburgh was the only good shot for a hero, but they blew it. For having such a strong record and being so well-regarded, they sure are an inconsistent team. Generally, they’ve played up or down to their opponents, but they only showed why they are in first place on a couple of drives. Otherwise, I may have just as easily been watching the Dolphins play. Now only one game back of the division lead, the Browns are an even more unlikely success story than last year’s Saints. They have the same benefit New Orleans had last year in the easier scheduling, but they’ve performed when they’ve needed to and have won all the games they were supposed to. They’re the most consistent team in the division and, with their remaining schedule as weak as it is, they could very easily wind up in control of the division. One of those teams, the Bengals, have been playing far better now than when they started the season, but they still have no shot at doing much for the rest of the year. They beat the woeful Rams in lackluster fashion; with an offense like they have, and a defense like the Rams have produced this season, Cincinnati really should be able to put more than nineteen points up. They are, however, no longer in last place, where they’ve been the majority of the season. That honor goes to the Ravens, who have now lost seven in a row. From a promising 4-2 to an abysmal 4-9, they are as much a story of failure as Cleveland is of success. Given the offensive production the entire time they’ve been in Baltimore, one has to wonder how much longer they’re going to give Billick to turn it around.

AFC SOUTH: The Colts are up to their old tricks again, putting thirty points up just barely into the second quarter. For all their dominance, though, they took Manning out in the third quarter and stopped playing defense to keep the score at a relatively respectable 44-20. I’m sure they could have put up eighty points, but that’s why Dungee’s not an asshole and certain other coaches are. Jacksonville, the way they’re playing, have all but wrapped up a wild card slot. They’re likely to beat the AFC West winner by at least two games and are clearly the best team in the AFC not leading a division. Their defense stomped all over Carolina and what looks like a worthless offense scored relentlessly throughout the game. They are now my official dark horse pick to enter the Super Bowl. Had the Broncos not won, the Titans would have ruined my Sunday. They completely fell apart at the end of the game, playing like they just didn’t care and letting the Chargers in the door. Did someone tell their defense to stop playing in the second half? It was a pathetic display and one that may still signal the end of Denver’s season…bastards…. The Texans are looking to spoil things for whomever they play. They kept Tampa from clinching and, based on how the underrated strength of their play right now, they could blow Denver out of contention and end their season. I like the Texans, and I really like Kubiak, but this could all change depending on Thursday’s outcome.

AFC WEST: Stupid damn Chargers and their comeback ways. Rivers has looked so bad this season, but they still win just enough to ruin the Broncos’ season. They have to lose two of their next three and Denver has to win out for them to win the division, but the disparity in play between the two teams has been obvious the last few weeks. Denver played their best football of the season last week, and it’s too bad they’re playing on a short week. They’re injury-ridden enough as it is. Still, their offense clicked like it hasn’t in a couple of years and their dubious run defense shored itself up enough to hold the Chiefs to sixteen yards on the ground. KC had seventeen rushes for sixteen yards. If you take away their longest of the game, they were sixteen for nine. Their offense and defense were both terrible, though not so bad as the Raiders, who laid face down for Favre to come have his way with. The best part is that they’ll likely choose another Robert Gallery with their third or fourth pick in the draft and remain this bad for years to come.