Well, we are just about halfway through the NFL season and it is anyone’s guess who will be Super Bowl bound and even playoff bound for that matter. When you think the league can’t have any more parity, what happens? We get more parity.
It is a great thing for the NFL and its fans. Unlike baseball where basically the same teams compete for the playoffs every year, we have new teams on an annual basis making a run. A lockout is looming for next season and it will be devastating for fans (and us handicappers) and we can only hope it gets ironed out.
Here are some of the bigger 2010 NFL surprises:
1. Dallas Cowboys
This team has (had) arguably the most talent and here they are sitting at 1-6 (1-6 ATS). The most amazing thing is that the Cowboys have been outgained only once and that was the game Tony Romo went down. His absence was devastating for a bounceback bid and this team is officially done.
How do we go about handicapping this team going forward? Very carefully. It was pretty obvious that they threw in the towel against Jacksonville despite being a touchdown favorite. The linesmakers have finally caught up and the Cowboys now have a line swing of over two touchdowns going into this week. This is actually the first time this season we may have line value on Dallas but it may not matter. Which Dallas team shows up?
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Not many people outside of the Florida Gulf would have tabbed the Buccaneers to be in first place at this point of the season. Kudos to head coach Raheem Morris and what he has done to Tampa Bay following a 3-13 season last year. But is Tampa Bay really as good as its record indicates?
The Buccaneers five wins have come against teams a combined 12-24 with the Rams being the best of the bunch. The Rams? They lost to Pittsburgh and New Orleans by a combined score of 69-19 and on the season they have been outgained by four of seven opponents. In the three games they have won the yardage battle, it has been by a combined 72 yards. This week in Atlanta should confirm: contender or pretender.
3. All 32 head coaches still have jobs
There are a handful of teams that we can feasibly say are out of the playoff picture based on records and upcoming schedule. Carolina has gone from playoff contender, to middle of the pack spoiler, to bottom of the barrel in three short years. John Fox should feel pretty fortunate he has not been shown the door yet. Fade this team going forward.
Going back to Dallas, how does Wade Phillips still have a job? He must have something on Jerry Jones or maybe he and Jones may be coming out of the closet soon. This guy is laughable. He has lost his players this year and in his four years in Dallas, he has produced the biggest underachieving team in football. As a longtime Cowboys hater, even I feel bad for this sorry bunch of sadsacks. Maybe next year, well, probably not.
Matt Fargo is a professional handicapper for Covers Experts where we win only if you win.