SPF T.I. Poll (Week Sixteen)
Posted: Dec 20, 2007SPF laid down the gauntlet before last weekend's games. Many teams answered the bell. With two games left in the regular season, teams out of the playoff picture may have as much to play for as those that are in.
Don't sleep SPF fans, there is still much to be decided. There are still franchises in the balance.
Let's look at last week's "Team Identity" Poll:
THE ELITE
1. Dallas Cowboys
2. Indianapolis Colts
ON SOLID GROUND
3. Tampa Bay Bucs
4. Tennessee Titans
5. Houston Texans
THE POTENTIAL IS THERE
6. New Orleans Saints
7. Cincinnati Bengals
8. Jacksonville Jaguars
FREE FALL
9. Washington Redskins
10. Carolina Panthers
11. St Louis Rams
12. Miami Dolphins
13. Atlanta Falcons
Now, on to this week's....
1. Indianapolis Colts - They have their first round bye. They will be at home for their first playoff game, and then likely off to New England to play the Pats in the AFC Championship, assuming both teams win. This has been a great season in defense of their Super Bowl for the Colts.
This is a proven team.
2. Dallas Cowboys - Randy Galloway discusses the importance of Romo. For a team as deep as the Cowboys are, almost everything seems to rely on Romo.
SPF thinks that it is actually a good thing for the Cowboys to have a loss now. They need to refocus and realize their weaknesses. They need to rely less on Tony Romo and get their ground game going again.
This team wants to wrap up home field for the NFC. Each win matters now that they are tied with Green Bay (although the Cowboys hold the tie breaker).
For all the jokes about Jessica Simpson, Romo does need to keep his focus on football. Simpson needs publicity. She might be fun for a while, but she is also working on a "country" record in Nashville in hopes that she can revive a somewhat fallen career. Dating the Cowboys QB (something that singer Lorrie Morgan did with QB Troy Aikman as well) is also a nice calling card to the country audience.
Public romances almost always end badly. Jerry Jones is a shrewd marketer, but this has gone too far. QBs need to be focused on winning when they are at this point in the season. Let's not forget that Tony Romo choked away last season's playoff game by bungling a hold on a kick. He is not yet battle-tested.
The next game against Carolina will be a good test. The Cowboys need to get back on track with a solid win.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars - No team has been bashed more by SPF than the Jaguars so we are going to be the first to say that we are proud of their win. For all the playoff games under Tom Coughlin, which included a trip to the AFC title game, this was the most important game in the history of the Jaguars franchise.
It has been a long road in re-defining what the Jaguars are, but they have found it in Jack Del Rio and David Garrard. Going up to Pittsburgh and smashing them in the mouth in the snow at Heinz Field was an amazing accomplishment.
Jacksonville's passion for football and its blue collar roots have spurred many to assume that Jax would support the NFL like PIttsburgh does. They haven't. However, this team and this coach may have finally found their footing.
It isn't just about winning, but how a team wins. The Jags did it physically. That is a significant accomplishment considering their opponent.
The Jags are now poised to be a factor in the playoffs. If they win out, they will likely be playing a team that they have beaten before, either San Diego or Pittsburgh. Then, the will go to New England or Indy. Either game is a possible win.
The issue for the Jags is always the pressure of the game. When ESPN is writing that the Jags can beat the Pats in the playoffs, it worries us. If the Jags start buying their own press, they surprise with a horrible loss.
This team has proved a lot, but it needs to keep winning. It is a very good sign that their last home game against Oakland is a sell out. Things have turned around slowly for the Jags. They only need to win out and go into the playoffs with purpose to keep this momentum going.
4. Tampa Bay Bucs - Jon Gruden clinched his third division title since becoming the Bucs' head coach. His total represents half the franchise's total. Gruden has won two of these titles in years following subpar seasons.
There is little doubt that Gruden is a fine coach. There's also little doubt that Monte Kiffin might be the NFL's best DC by a longshot. The fact that the Bucs have the NFL's number one defense with no Pro Bowlers says quite a lot about his ability to build cohesive and effective units.
If Gruden could only develop more offensive stars, then the Bucs might be an elite team for years to come. He has been saddled with the loss of draft picks (sent to Oakland to acquire his services as coach) and salary cap issues left behind by previous GM Rich McKay. Neither have helped.
The Bucs will be working hard to make sure they are not a "one and done" playoff team. Let's see if they can finish strong and play that off.
5. Tennessee Titans - This column by David Climer tells the story of the Titans' playoff chance, but it also tells a much deeper story:
"Frankly, the fact that we're even talking about the playoffs midway through December is encouraging. Entering the season, this had the look of a 6-10 team."
This is exactly why the Titans under Jeff Fisher are always relevant and deserve kudos. Fisher seems to always get the most out of his teams, knowing which personnel to bring in and what buttons to press to keep them on a winning track.
Who knows whether the Titans will make the playoffs. That isn't the point for 2007. The point is that Fisher has kept the Titans strong in what could have been a down year while the rest of the AFC South stayed strong. He doesn't get the help of playing in a bad division like teams in the East or the West do.
6. Houston Texans - Houston is 7-7. They have improved their team. Mario Williams looks like a worthy #1 pick. Their only chink in an otherwise strong suit of armor is their winless record against division opponents.
Houston finishes the season at Indy and hosting Jacksonville. They need to win one of these games to prove that they can win a division game and finally have a non-losing season.
7. New Orleans Saints - The Saints also sit at 7-7 with an outside chance at the playoffs. Any shot at an NFC South crown went out the window two weeks ago when the Saints lost a close game to the Bucs in the Superdome.
Regardless of any playoff chance, the Saints need to win out. This team has struggled mightily with inconsistency all season. They finish against two team that also made the playoffs last year. The Saints beat the Eagles in last year's playoffs and lost to the Bears, the final regular season opponent, in the NFC Championship.
It will make a strong statement to the fans if the Saints can win out. It will also build confidence leading into 2008.
8. Washington Redskins - "Perhaps no team in the NFL has as much excuse to quit this December as the Redskins." Those words written by Tom Boswell could not be more true. SPF has already seen a more than one team completely tank it this season.
The Redskins have a chance to make the playoffs. They play the Vikings this weekend. A win against the Vikings this weekend would put the Redskins back in the hunt.
A playoff bid wold make for a nice and easy exit for Joe Gibbs. SPF still firmly believes that Gibbs must move so that the Redskins can do the same. This marriage hasn't worked out as planned.
Gibbs can ride out on a high note. Thanks all it will likely take.
9. Carolina Panthers - The Panthers moved out of free fall mode with their win against Seattle. SPF called it last week - the Panthers should have and did win at home against Seattle. It proves that good QB play has been what the Panthers have lacked this year.
Still, owner Jerry Richardson might fire Fox anyway. SPF thinks that he should be very careful about this kind of move. Fox's biggest issue is offense. That issue is shared by other SPF teams like Tampa Bay. It can be fixed with a good off season plan.
We think that this Saturday's game against the Cowboys is another great test for the Panthers. A win against the Cowboys keeps an 8-8 season in sight. That's important for Fox and his team.
10. Cincinnati Bengals - The season unraveled early as they lost in Cleveland in a barn burner. They play the seemingly playoff bound Browns again at home this weekend. Let's see how that turns out.
Last weekend, the Bengals allowed a bad team to find itself. The Bengals have been the cure for many team's ills this season.
This team needs to do a little "addition by subtraction". They can't afford the personalities they have. Ocho Cinco and his crew of WRs aren't helping out Carson Palmer who deserves better.
11. St Louis Rams - Jeff Gordon's column on the Rams' loss to the Packers reads like a medical chart for a terminally ill patient. It might be time to call for last rights. Bryan Burwell points out all the Packers fans dwarfing the Rams' fans.
The Rams need to be very careful in bringing back Scott Linehan. Even considering the injury issues, the Rams just haven't played with any sense of urgency under Linehan.
SPF gets the feeling that he's not destined for coaching greatness. Linehan embodies the assistant who just doesn't have the goods for the head job.
This franchise is in worse shape than they want to believe. Ownership can't afford another lackluster year.
12. Miami Dolphins - What a week! First, it comes out that Wayne huizenga is considering the sale of the Dolphins. Next, the Dolphins win their first game. Now, the news is that Huizenga won't sell and has hired Bill Parcells to run the football side of the organization, but not as a coach.
SPF shares Dan LeBatard's concerns. Parcells is a big name, but is he the right big name? If he were coming in to coach, then we might feel a little better. Parcells has had some success in the front office with the Jets. We'll never really know what he did for the Cowboys in regards to personnel.
Huizenga is an easy guy to work for because he lets his people do their thing. Usually, this is a good thing. In Wayne's case, he needs to be careful. Parcells is entering into uncharted territory. It is not even clear what day to day role he will have.
Mark this down, the fate of Cam Cameron will give Dolfans any early sign of how Parcells will run things. If Cam gets a reprieve, then Parcells is just cashing Huizenga's checks. Parcells should sweep out Mueller and Cameron as soon as the season's over.
(We don't agree with LeBatard on this one since he thinks these two stooges haven't had enough of a shot. They have. They had a very suspect draft and one win in 13 games.)
13. Atlanta Falcons - Well, Arthur Blank was left at the altar again. This time, Bill Parcells used Blank's interest to secure the job he really wanted - working for the Miami Dolphins.
Blank is all alone right now. ESPN has reported that Rich McKay won't be back as GM regardless of Parcells, even though he may stay as team president. McKay's specialty is marketing and stadium building, and Blank is still hotly pursuing those issues behind the scenes.
McKay's deficiencies as a GM are finally being reported. Jeff Schultz is wise in recommending that Arthur Blank take time.
Blank is a very "hands on" owner. He doesn't appear willing to change that. Perhaps he would be best serve to hire a good football operations guy and keep McKay in charge of all issues not directly related to football.
Whatever Blank decides, his ownership of the team will become the issue if his next move doesn't lead to sustained success. It's the bottom of the ninth...
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