By Jimmy Sheldrup |
It’s only two weeks into this NFL season, and we are already witnessing some pretty remarkable story lines. Several presumed contenders are faltering out of the gates, while a couple of unheralded teams are leading their divisions.
AFC East
The New England Patriots hold down first in their division, which isn’t much of a surprise as defending champs. Tom Brady and company have picked up where they left off, with Brady playing with a little extra fire post Deflategate. The real surprise in this division is the New York Jets, who are also 2-0 after two weeks. Led by a stout defense, the Jets have been quite a surprise, especially after the Geno Smith incident. Although they are not much of a threat to the Patriots, it will be fun to watch the two teams play against each other.
AFC North
The Cincinnati Bengals currently lead the division at 2-0, thanks to strong play from quarterback Andy Dalton. If Jeremy Hill stops his fumbling, the Bengals may actually be the team to beat in this division. The only team the Bengals will need to worry about are the Pittsburgh Steelers. Antonio Brown and Ben Roethlisberger have kept the team afloat throughout the Le’Veon Bell suspension, but Bell returns this week, and who knows what he will bring to their already dynamic offense.
AFC South
The Jacksonville Jaguars are in first place. This is not a joke. The Jags are last in the league in points per game, and they are being outscored overall through two weeks, but the Jaguars lead the division at 1-1. Going forward, the Tennessee Titans may be a surprise contender in the division. Quarterback Marcus Mariota has given the Titans a much needed breath of fresh air, and will look to make the team competitive. The biggest loser of the season, though, happens to reside here in the AFC South. The Indianapolis Colts, for all their success last year, have been outscored by 26 points through two games. Given their situation with the offensive line, it doesn’t look like they will be scoring many points in the immediate future. At least Andrew luck is a nice guy, right?
AFC West
The Denver Broncos are the only undefeated team in the division, but that is bound to change soon. Peyton Manning has been subpar, and he has been the driving force behind the Broncos success in past seasons. This division is up for grabs, San Diego could be a threat, and Kansas City nearly beat the Broncos last Thursday. But, if Peyton can’t turn it on, the division is theirs to lose.
NFC East
The Dallas Cowboys are currently 2-0, but with injuries to Dez Bryant and Tony Romo (cue the Matt Cassel trade), expect them to falter for the next few weeks. Thankfully for the Cowboys, this division is struggling. The presumed challenger to Dallas was the Philadelphia Eagles. Even though they had the luck to play against a Romo-less and Bryant-less team, the Eagles still lost. At home. Between the hapless Eagles, and an 0-2 Giants team, this division will likely be fought between the Washington Redskins and a banged up Dallas team. But if Romo and Bryant come back to the team soon, expect the Cowboys to dominate this division.
NFC North
The NFC North is a division of extremes. The Green Bay Packers just beat out the Super Bowl runner-up Seattle Seahawks, and have asserted themselves as a top tier team. Currently 2-0, the Packers lead the division and likely won’t relinquish their status as top dogs. Aaron Rodgers, barring anymore serious injury to him or his teammates, will lead this team to the playoffs. On the other side of the division, reside the Chicago Bears. They have lost both of their games, and recently their quarterback, and have been outscored by 33 points in the two contests. It’s going to be a long season for Chicago.
NFC South
Last year’s worst division, the NFC South has really turned it around. Both the Carolina Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons are 2-0, and Tampa Bay is sitting pretty at 1-1. Looking forward, the Falcons look like the team to beat, especially with Carolina dealing with various departures and injuries. Only the New Orleans Saints are winless thus far at 0-2. They will likely remain the worst team in the division, as a lack of weapons will inhibit Drew Brees’ ability to lead an offense. This division won’t be pretty but it will be way better than last year.
NFC West
After two games, the division leaders are the Arizona Cardinals. The undefeated Cardinals have turned some heads this season, and lead the division 2-0. They lead the NFL in points scored, and although they have played only the Bears and the Saints, it is still an impressive feat. The Seattle Seahawks have been quite the disappointment thus far, dropping both of their two games. That being said, they started off poorly last year, and will still be the team to beat in the division. Especially with the Boom back in the Legion of Boom.
Jimmy Sheldrup is a sports reporter for The Beacon. He can be reached at sheldrup18@up.edu or @CJSsheldrup.
