Now that Week Three of the NFL season is complete, teams around the league are beginning to display the tendencies that will characterize them in the coming months. Some have played great defense, some have lit up the scoreboards. Some have over-achieved, while others have left us just scratching our heads.
It may be a little early, but Inside the NFL will use this juncture to take a step back from the weekly grind and see where teams are fitting in as the season moves on and the playoffs loom in the distant future.
Not that the Philadelphia Eagles face much competition in the NFC East, but it looks like they'll be running away with the division. Quarterback Donovan McNabb is playing as well as he ever has, and the addition of Terrell Owens adds a whole new dimension to the offense. McNabb and Owens have hooked up for five touchdowns in just three games. To put that in perspective, the wide receiver that led the Eagles in touchdowns last year had two, all season. Owens had two in the first half of his first game this season.
Throw in versatile back Brian Westbrook and tight end L.J. Smith, and the Eagles' offense becomes a pick-your-poison type of nightmare for defensive coordinators. The defense continues to play strong, aggressive football, but it could have trouble against a team that really runs the ball well.
That team might just be the Seattle Seahawks, the other 3-0 juggernaut in the NFC. The Seahawks possess one of the strongest offensive lines in football and an upper tier running back in Shaun Alexander who uses the line to its fullest potential.
Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is throwing efficiently to targets Darrell Jackson and Koren Robinson and will continue to improve. Seattle's greatest asset may be its much improved defense, which has allowed just one touchdown and two field goals in three games.
The New England Patriots had a bye this week, but they have to be included in this group. The hometown favorites haven't lost in ... well, in a long time. The streak currently sits at 17 games, and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere as the Pats continue to dominate on defense. The offense, with new addition Corey Dillon, has a multitude of weapons, and Bill Belichick is simply the best coach in football right now, hands down.
The Atlanta Falcons are 3-0, but they clearly aren't of the same caliber as Philly, Seattle, or New England. QB Michael Vick is still adjusting to coach Jim Mora's West Coast offense, as demonstrated by the fact that the Falcons managed a measly six points against the Arizona Cardinals this past Saturday. Still, if Atlanta continues to play good defense and Vick keeps adjusting and making the occasional sensational play, Atlanta could fend off the injury-ridden Carolina Panthers in the NFC South.
So far, Jacksonville Jaguars' games should include a warning: "Only watch this football game during the last 15 seconds. The first 59:45 of the game will be a waste of your time." Due to its impenetrable defense, Jacksonville is 3-0 against three strong opponents, and all three of the team's wins came on the final play of the game.
The Jags look good, but the last minute magic will run out one day. Jacksonville's offense has been mediocre at best, and eventually they'll need to score some points.
The New York Jets had their bye after starting 2-0 and have a pretty soft schedule until they take on New England in Week Seven. The offense is running on all cylinders under the leadership of Chad Pennington and Curtis Martin, but the defense will need to improve if the Jets plan to keep winning.
In the last nine years, 34 teams have started the season 0-3. Two have made the playoffs. That's bad news for the Kansas City Chiefs. No one's afraid to say it anymore. The Chiefs stink. Everyone on that team other than Tony Gonzalez and Priest Holmes stinks. The defense stinks worse than a wet dog that just had an accident on the kitchen floor. They're really bad.
As for the 2-1 and 1-2 teams, it may be too early to tell what's going to happen. The one standout is the 2-1 Indianapolis Colts, who can score about a googol points on anyone except New England. Even Patriots fans have to feel bad for a great team that just can't get over the hump against a bitter rival who wins all the big, close games ... err, never mind, that sounds eerily familiar in the New England area.
Inside the NFL thinks that before either the Colts' jinx against the Pats or the Red Sox curse against the Yankees ends, another historical pattern will reverse itself. The Miami Dolphins went undefeated in 1972. The way they're playing right now, they could go all season without winning a single game. Somewhere Don Shula's laughing, and Ricky Williams is smoking a joint and eating Funyons, laughing just as hard.
