SPF's Week Eleven Pre-Pregame Show

This week, more than any other this NFL season, the fan will find out who their teams are.  Are teams going to the playoffs?  Will they be Super Bowl contenders?  Are they on the rise even if playoffs aren't likely?

We shall see.

EARLY GAMES

San Diego (5-4, 1-3 away)
Jacksonville (6-3, 2-2 home)
(NFL FIlms Preview)

SPF has been down on Jax all year.  This is now their time to prove us wrong.  They took down the Titans in Nashville last week.  Now, they have to beat the Chargers at home. 

The Jaguars have to run the table to prove the Del Rio regime's worth.  That run potentially started in Tennessee last week.  It must continue today.

Tampa Bay (5-4, 1-3 away)
Atlanta (3-6, 2-2 home)
(NFL FIlms Preview)

We're sure that people are chalking this up as an easy win for the Bucs.  However, the Falcons are finding some life behind the coaching of Bobby Petrino.  Byron Leftwich will get the start today if he's fully healthy. 

This will be an interesting game.  The Falcons have started to play with a chip on their shoulder which is a huge testament to Petrino who has faced more adversity than any first year coach in some time.  He lost his star player, and then had to face a player revolt from his veterans, and he also has enjoyed almost no support from the Atlanta sports media.  To have the Falcons still in contention for the NFC South is nothing short of amazing.

The Bucs must keep winning to stay on top of the division.  They have showed resilience as well, but they are only one Jeff Garcia injury from last place.

So which is it?  A new team emerging in the NFC South or the Bucs staying the course towards a playoff berth?

We shall see...

Kansas City (4-5, 2-2 away)
Indianapolis (7-2, 3-1 home)
(NFL FIlms Preview)

The Colt have faced some serious adversity over the last two weeks.  People forget that the Colts have faced adversity throughout the Dungy era.  Losses in the NFL can often do more for a team than wins.  They should allow teams and their coaching staffs to fully evaulate and correct their weaknesses before the playoffs begin.

Last year, the Colts couldn't stop the run.  It was almost embarrassing.  When the playoffs came, these problems were corrected, and they ran the table.

Kansas City will be starting Alabama QB Brodie Croyle.  He was given the starting job in training camp, and he lost it in the pre-season.

The Colts should win easily as they begin their surge towards a Super Bowl title defense.

New Orleans (4-5, 2-2 away)
Houston (4-5, 2-2 home)
(NFL FIlms Preview)

This matchup of two 4-5 teams feels more lopsided than it looks, but maybe SPF is overrating the Saints.  The Texans finally have Andre Johnson back, and their offense looked a lot different with him in the lineup.

Again, this game will tell everyone where these teams stand.  The Texans have almost no chance to go to the playoffs, but they need to make it to 8-8 to show progress under Gary Kubiak.  The Saints have to show that they are still a legit contender for the NFC South.

This is another close one to call, but its result will cast a shadow over the rest of each team's season.

Carolina (4-5, 4-1 away)
Green Bay (8-1, 4-1 home)
(NFL FIlms Preview)

This game may well save the job or seal the fate of John Fox.  The Panthers have been a notoriously bad home team over the last few years, but they often turned the tables on the road. 

Green Bay could be vulnerable coming off their easy win against Minnesota.  In the NFL blow out wins usually give the winner a false sense of confidence.

John Fox probably deserves another year, but he needs to show that his team is fighting each week.  If they tank, ownership will start questioning whether he has lost the team.


Arizona (4-5, 1-4 away)
Cincinnati (3-6, 2-2 home)
(NFL FIlms Preview)

The Bengals have shown that they can beat the Ravens.  Now let's see if they can beat anyone else.  The return of Chris Henry helped a little too much considering how unreliable he is off the field, but Marvin Lewis, like John Fox, need to show ownership that he hasn't lost his team.

SPF continues its belief that the Bengals are on the cusp of being a great team.  Their issues are correctable in the off season.  They would also be best served if they finished strong.

Winning at home against the Cardinals should not only be possible, but expected.  The Cardinals coaching staff is filled with ex-Steelers so they know the Bengals well.  The Cardinals are also fighting for a playoff berth in the mediocre NFC West.

The could be a very good game.

Miami (0-9, 0-4 away)
Philadelphia (4-5, 1-3 home)
(NFL FIlms Preview)

In a game where winning no longer matters, the Dolphins are finally worth watching.  Rookie QB John Beck is starting.  Cam Cameron must show that he knows how to develop young QBs.  He did it well with Phillip Rivers last year in San Diego.

The development of John Beck will be one of the key points that Wayne Huizenga uses to evaluate the Cameron/Randy Mueller regime.  If Beck shows signs of being a legit QB, Cameron might get to return next year. 

If he plays like Cleo Lemon, game over.

Washington (5-4, 2-2 away)
Dallas (8-1, 3-1 home)
(NFL FIlms Preview)

SPF isn't sure that any game has more long term implications for a franchise than this week's installment in the yearly Redskins-Cowboys rivalry.  One of the NFL's true rivalries, this game has often been seen as the historic battle for the South.

Owner Daniel Snyder took a big risk in bringing back Joe Gibbs.  Dick Vermeil worked out in St Louis, but Gibbs' history is part of the Redskins lore.  If he wins, the franchise has been re-established.  If he loses, there aren't too many cards left to play.

The results so far have been mixed, and they are heading towards disaster.  Gibbs seems at odds with today's wide open NFL.  He has all the pieces in place right down to a high-flying OC, but he refuses to use them.  His conservatism on offense has cost the Redskins all season.

A loss in Dallas will only highlight how much further along the Cowboys are.  They are mirrors of one another, but Jerry Jones replaced his legendary coach (Bill Parcells) with a coach that wanted to actually let the players play.  Dallas is a much better team because of Wade Phillips letting that happen.

A loss here likely means the final nail in the coffin for Joe Gibbs Mark II.

St. Louis (1-8, 1-4 away)
San Francisco (2-7, 1-3 home)
(NFL FIlms Preview)

The Rams got up off the map last week, but they must keep winning.  The Niners are falling apart in what appears to be the last dying breaths of the Mike Nolan era.  If Scott Linehan doesn't want to be following Nolan out the door, he needs to win this important road game.

Linehan finally saw his veteran offensive stars show interest as they throttled the Saints last week.  He must keep winning to keep their interest.

Tennessee (6-3, 3-1 away)
Denver (4-5, 2-3 home)
(NFL FIlms Preview)

The Titans play on Monday night against Denver led by former Vandy QB Jay Cutler.  The Titans were outworked by Jacksonville, and they must get back to Fisher's style of football.

The Titans still have a legitimate shot at the AFC South, but everyone in the NFL seems to have written off the Titans because of Vince Young.  For a young QB that has won as much as he has, he is under severe scrutiny.

This game is a very good test for the Titans.  We shall see where they stand.

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