The regulars are there, Green Bay, New England and Denver; but I doubt that many would have listed the Cincinnati Bengals and the Atlanta Falcons among them. But the numbers don't lie, they are not only unbeaten but showing they have the ability to overcome adversity in the late stages of a game. The Falcons fought back with a dramatic win over the Washington Redskins and the Cincinnati Bengals rose like the Phoenix after falling behind to beat back-to-back Super Bowl NFC Champion Seattle.
In either case you could have left early thinking the games were over and I'm sure fans would have done that a few years ago. This Cincinnati team has a personality that knows nothing of the sort when it comes to throwing in the towel and the Falcons with Seattle's former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn now have the Pacific Northwest mentally embedded in the Dirty Birds. Both teams have a focus that won't allow them to join fans in celebrating the early success as they know it's a long way to game 16. Focus, focus, focus is what will ensure season long success vs. success after just 25% of the season has concluded.
New England
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
PCT
|
PF
|
PA
|
STRK
| |
4
|
0
|
0
|
1.000
|
149
|
76
|
W4
| ||
Love or hate New England, Tom Brady or "The Hoodie" Bill Belechick they find a way to win. The find players to fit their system and the same could be made of the Packers. You find yourself scrambling to find their roster to see if these guys making plays even went to college. Yes they did and they simply do the specific things well that the position on that team requires. When a team has an identity, a style of play, it makes it a little easier to get fits, but it still depends on whose left on the board when there time comes. Trust me there's still a little lady luck involved...but that's how former Miami of Ohio basketball/football star Quinten Rollins got drafted in the second round; and he ironically showed a return on his investment returning a Nick Foles pass for a pick six this past week.
We all know a Peyton Manning led team is always dangerous but my bigger question to Denver is will he hold up for 16 games? Peyton looked slowed and banged up at the end of last season and as the games toughen up and the defensive pressure increases, I don't see him withstanding the onslaught down the stretch.
Well these six are now stacked like dominoes and it remains to be seen if any of these teams can run the table. Its even harder now that the last time the New England did it before losing to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl allowing the Dolphins to have yet another champagne toast as the only team to run the table.
When I originally wrote this blog I completely forgot about the surprising Carolina Panthers who head to Seattle, coming off a loss to the Bengals. I think this might be the first team to fall from the ranks of the unbeaten but you never know. With Atlanta in first place I didn't give them the respect they deserve.
If you're a fan enjoy the ride because it feels good now but bad when it ends because they're only two spots in Super Bowl 50. And with five unbeaten teams, three will certainly not make it, giving this group a 40% chance to have two of them playing in Levi Stadium next February. The rest will say we started out like gangbusters! but we can all say it together "It's not how you start, it's how you finish."
I'm finished for today and we'll see how these five fare going down the stretch. That's the way I see it sitting in The Box Seat. I'm Wayne Box Miller
Great look at the teams, Box...if I were a betting man I would go with....
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