Have you noticed that the NFL’s National Football Conference has turned into the NBA’s Eastern Conference? Look at the lack of quality teams in the NFC and you can’t help but think Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston has the potential to be the kind of mismatch we’ve seen in the NBA Finals the past two years.
All of the marquee teams this year are in the AFC, where Kansas City (11-1), New England (10-2), Indianapolis (9-3) and Tennessee (9-3) have emerged as the best of the best. The Super Bowl winner will come from this foursome, with the eventual NFC champion understanding what the Nets felt like getting whipped by the Lakers and Spurs.
Is the AFC just too good? Or is the NFC that bad? The answer is, both.
The Chiefs are having one of those special seasons; a solid offensive line, a dominant running game and explosive special teams have generated the kind of momentum that will be difficult to stop. Home-field advantage won’t hurt, either.
The Patriots have used 40 different starters, but a brilliant coaching job by Bill Belichick has them on an eight-game winning streak. The experience of hoisting a Super Bowl trophy two years ago will make them even tougher to eliminate.
The Colts have Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James and Marvin Harrison the way the Cowboys once had Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith. The Titans, despite stubbing their toes against the Jets Monday night, might have the most formidable team, if they can stay healthy.
Only two teams in the NFC are worth mentioning: the Eagles (9-3) and the Rams (9-3). The Eagles can’t stop the run (four straight opposing backs have gained 100 yards) and they remain largely a one-man team on offense, living and dying by the play of quarterback Donovan McNabb. The Rams have an easy schedule the rest of the way, but quarterback Marc Bulger is not playoff proven and has thrown 17 interceptions.
No other NFC team has a chance against a top AFC team. Dallas (8-4) was exposed by the Patriots and Dolphins, and Carolina (8-4) was exposed by the Cowboys. Minnesota at 7-5? The Bengals are better.
Perhaps this is payback for the 13 straight years when the NFC won Super Bowls XIX through XXXI.
The Titans-Colts clash this week is a must see. But the Pats and Colts may have played the best game of the season last week when New England used a goal-line stand on the game’s final series to claim a 38-34 win.
Too bad we won’t be able to see that kind of finish in the Super Bowl.
Touchdowns
You know you’ve had a good day when you pass Walter Payton and Jim Brown in the record books. Rams RB Marshall Faulk did that Sunday with three touchdowns, giving him 127 for his career, passing Payton (125) and Brown (126).
New England LB Willie McGinest not only made the game-saving tackle on the Patriots’ goal-line stand against Colts, but he made a quick recovery (wink, wink) from a leg injury suffered five plays earlier that stopped the clock and the Colts’ momentum when the Pats had no timeouts.
Fumbles
It’s the wrong time of the season for a field goal kicker to go into a slump. But the Panthers may be worried about K John Kasay, who missed FGs of 32, 38 and 49 yards and an extra point in a 25-16 loss to the Eagles. Before Sunday, he had not missed a field goal of less than 40 yards since the 1998 season.
49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia was awful in his first start since suffering a sprained ankle four weeks ago. He was intercepted four times and ultimately replaced in the fourth quarter of the 49ers’ 44-6 loss to Ravens.
Week 14
(Four Footballs)
Indianapolis (9-3) at Tennessee (9-3)
AFC South lead and home field at stake.
Dallas (8-4) at Philadelphia (9-3).
Eagles looking to command NFC East.
(Three footballs)
Cincinnati (7-5) at Baltimore (7-5)
Who thought this would be a rivalry?
Miami (8-4) at New England (10-2)
Pats can wrap up AFC East.