Tuesday Tastings (Week 5): Nothing Is Easy

Posted: Oct 07, 2008

St Louis was off last week, so we are spared another missive on how terrible they are. The good news is that their temporary absence sways our SPF teams well into the positive over all.

The best of our teams are living by a simple rule - nothing comes easy in SPF country. Those that accept that challenge are thriving. Those that don't....

FINGER LICKIN' GOOD

Washington Redskins - After years of confusion during the Dan Snyder years, the Redskins have rediscovered their successful identity from the 80's. As Tom Boswell puts it, the Sklns punish their opponents with tough running and good defense. In consecutive weeks, these Redskins have worn down the Cowboys and the Eagles on the road.

Tennessee Titans - This team finds themselves in uncharted territory. Like the Redskins, they maul and manhandle opponents. The Redskins have a history of these (see their Super Bowl wins in the 1980's), but the Titans have never, even when they were the Houston Oilers, been 5-0.

Best of all, their fans appreciate the ugly quality of their winning brand of football. Going in and beating Baltimore in an out and out street fight tells you all you need to know about this team. As David Climer puts it, ugly wins are things of beauty.

Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons - After spending 2007 as fixtures at the bottom of our T.I. Poll, both the Dolphins and the Falcons have shown how to resurrect pathetic franchises. There is no magic wand. It really comes down to having good people in the front office, on the sideline, and on the field.

Although neither team is likely to be playoff bound this year, the foundation for many playoff runs has been laid in 2008 by smart, competent people. Terence Moore comments on how solid the Falcons coaches are, while Jeff Schultz marvels at the veteran-like abilities of young QB Matt Ryan.

The Dolphins are just plain fun to watch. After dropping their first two games, the Dolphins have beaten two of the AFC's best from last year, the Patriots and the Chargers, by running a college-type of spread offense featuring the explosive Ronnie Brown. In the strangely upside down AFC, it's possible that the Dolphins could be fighting for the playoffs all the way until the season ends.

SPF maintains that our fans are some of the most educated about football in the country. When organizations field teams like the 2008 Falcons and Dolphins, they know they are watching well run teams with quality decision makers at the helm.

Wins may be elusive, but winning organizations compete every week. It's nice to have ones in Atlanta and Miami for a change.

Indianapolis Colts - Yes, the Colts squeaked by the Texans in a game that the Texans basically gave away. Yes, the 2008 Colts look nothing like the well-oiled machine that won the SB two years ago. However, the NFL is about the grind and winning games that you don't necessarily deserve.

The Colts are learning to make things happen. In the process, they become more Peyton Manning's team than Tony Dungy's. This is a good thing as Peyton enters the second half of his brilliant career.

Carolina Panthers - SPF called for it and the Panthers delivered. Carolina brought down the hammer on the hapless Chiefs, just as they should do. This quote says it best:

“Denver allowed Kansas City hope,” cornerback Ken Lucas says about the Chiefs inexplicable victory against the Broncos last week. “We went out there from the start of the game and took all hope away and didn't give them a chance to feel like they had a chance."

Now, Carolina needs to keep playing this way each and every week.

TASTES KINDA OFF

Dallas Cowboys - The Cowboys won, but we are keeping them in TKO territory. Wade Phillips may be right that a win is a win, but style points do matter in Dallas.

Their fans expect the Cowboys to roll teams, not just win. That's probably unfair considering how hard it is to win, but it is the reality of the Cowboys.

The offense can't look as shaky as it did against Cincy. People are going to talk. Poor Tony Romo! The Jessica Simpson thing just doesn't help him at all.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Ugh! We've been on the Gruden/Bucs bandwagon, but the Denver game was had to stomach. It feels like Groundhog day as Brian Griese was knocked out, Jeff Garcia showed his multiple QB personality, and the offense let the defense down again.

As much as Gruden would like it to be otherwise, he and Jeff Garcia are stuck with each other until Griese is healthy.

Reading Gruden's postgame quotes also leaves SPF with a sense that Gruden didn't adjust all that well to Denver's special game plan for the Bucs offense. Of course, he could have just run the ball more...

We don't want to pile on. We like and respect Jon Gruden. However, he appears too stubborn at times in the way he runs his offense. Twice the Bucs have lost close, but winable games. They have more tough one ahead.

New Orleans Saints - So close and yet so far. The Saints spent their time in front of a national Monday Night audience showing everyone else what the Gulf Coast has long understood - the Saints are the ultimate tease.

Some in the Big Easy accept it while others are about at their wits end.

Unfortunately, 2008 looks like a repeat of 2007 when the Saints gave away at least 4 games that should have been wins. So far, the Denver, the Washington, and the Minnesota games fit into this category. All of those teams are quality teams, but isn't the idea to beat quality teams?

The Saints can't be a winner unless they do.

Cincinnati Bengals - How does this 0-5 team emerge from the pits? It shows signs that better days are ahead. Paul Daugherty says it best:

There is a competent team in there somewhere. Not a playoff team. Not a winning team. Not necessarily a team capable of doing anything but disappointing you. But a team that has played two beasts of the NFC East to almost a draw.

Next, it seems that despite the past two seasons of underachieving, the Bengals will stay with Marvin Lewis. Many in Bengal Land don't like this, but Lewis can turn this team around, probably by next season.

Lewis needs time because he has been overhauling his roster over the last two years. He has the main pieces in place on offense. He just needs consistency and growth. Here's what Lewis said after the Cowboys loss:

"[The difference between the Cowboys and our team is letting] your guys get out there and they have to play and work and when you're in your third and fourth year with those guys, those guys are playing better football."

Although many don't want to hear it, there aren't easy answers (that theme again!). Cleaning house year after year doesn't lead to anything but perpetual losing (see Lions and Raiders). This year won't be pretty, but we think that the Bengals should continue to get better each week.

STARTIN' TO TURN

Jacksonville Jaguars - The Jaguars might only be 2-3, but this team is beginning to stink like the now gone paper mills that used to litter the Jacksonville area. The 2008 Jaguars barely resemble the team that seemed to finally find itself last season. They are in the bottom half in both running the ball and stopping the run. Their hometown paper has decided that they've lost their identity.

SPF has been saying it for while. Jack Del Rio may have a winning record as the Jags coach, but he doesn't understand how to utilize his offensive playmakers. Now that his once dominant defense has lost some of its veterans and his offensive line is somewhat tattered, Del Rio's hardheaded coaching style doesn't allow his offense to spread the field and let QB David Garrard throw to his bevy of first round WRs.

A team can only win for so long without taking advantage on the field of the players that receive the bulk of the payroll. That's one easy answer for you!

Maybe the Jags can find their way and make it back to the playoffs. It really doesn't matter because so much more was expected of this team.

The worst thing is that the Jags had a chance to take the stage as Florida's best pro football team. The Dolphins were straight off of a 1-15 campaign and the Bucs weren't exciting anyone even after a short playoff run. As David Whitley points out, the Jags are an afterthough now. They can't even sell tickets in their home market.

Houston Texans - At least the drumbeat from the Houston Chronicle continues. Richard Justice is finally calling out owner Bob McNair. The Texans coughed up another win like they did at home against Tennessee last year.

Unlike the equally winless Bengals, there is no evidence that the Texans have a coaching staff, a front office, or personnel in place that can produce wins on the field.

There really are no easy answers for this team. It's a disaster that's about to hit the reset button yet again.