We’re through the first quarter of the season now and each of the NFL’s 32 teams has played at least 4 games. A few, such as Dallas, after pulling out a seemingly impossible win over the Bills Sunday, sit at 5-0. They are the elites.
But other teams have taken us by surprise. Other players, too. It’s time to celebrate those players and teams that have gone above and beyond the expectations we set for them, celebrate their accomplishments, and look forward to what the rest of the season has in store.
You’re going to see greatness here; you’ll see the ones truly blowing our minds.
10. Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers — The Packers are on a roll. In fact, it was clear Sunday to those who watched the game that the Green and Gold are a better team than the Monsters of the Midway. Brett Favre is playing better than he did 5 years ago, and he reminds us just how good he is every time we’re able to watch him. The Packers sit at 4-1 now, a record no one would have predicted before the season started, and in prime position to win the NFC North.
9. The Houston Texans (and Matt Schaub) — Did anyone see this coming? Granted, they’re only 3-2, but they’ve played great all season, even giving the Colts some trouble. Quarterback guru Gary Kubiak is working wonders with Schaub — the plan to let Carr go in favor of the young Schaub has proven wise — and the young gun is earning the respect and, just as important, the friendship of his teammates.
8. Randy Moss — Just imagine if he had gone straight to the Patriots instead of first going to hapless Oakland. Tom Brady loves to throw his way and it’s scary how good the two are when things are clicking. They’ve developed a chemistry that rivals the greatest in history and we’re only 1/4 of the way through the season. Seriously. Scary.
7. Mike Tomlin — He’s done an admirable job coaching the Steelers since the departure of Bill Cowher. In fact, he’s taken the team to the top, among the best teams in the NFL this season. They’ve dominated opponents in four of their first five weeks, their only loss coming against Arizona. Tomlin has the Steelers looking better than they did when they won the Super Bowl a couple years ago.
6. Tony Dungy — The Colts are showing no signs of a Super Bowl hangover, despite being ravaged with injuries. And most of the credit can go to Tony Dungy. He’s kept his guys doing what they do — his philosophy — and it’s shown. At 5-0, the Colts are an elite team and a clear threat to anyone (yes, even the Patriots) when the postseason rolls around.
5. Tony Romo — After we questioned his confidence after the brutal — though now forgotten — botched hold in the playoffs last season, Tony Romo has emerged better than ever before. In fact, he’s more Brett Favre-ish than ever before. How good is he? He’s so good that he wins his five-interception game.
4. The Oakland Raiders offense — Through four games this season the Oakland Raiders have averaged an uncanny 194.2 rushing yards per game. In case you didn’t know, that’s better than anyone else in the NFL. It’s nearly 30 yards per game better than the Steelers, and the team’s yard per carry average — 5.3 — 0.4 points better than anyone else in the NFL. And hey, it seems Daunte Culpepper isn’t affected by his knee. How else can you explain his running for 3 touchdowns (and throwing two more) in a victory over his former team, Miami?
3. The New York Giants – Most pundits left them for dead after the way the season began, losing a shootout to Dallas and following it up with a blowout loss to the Packers. Did I mention Eli Manning and Brandon Jacobs were struck by injuries that threatened to sideline each for a month? So what did the team do? They rallied, Manning and Jacobs are back, the Giants are on a three game tear and in the thick of the NFC East. And while everyone else ogles (understandably) at Randy Moss’s performances this season, don’t overlook Plaxico Burress who also has 7 touchdown receptions this season as Manning’s favorite target.
2. Kurt Warner — One word: wow. Kurt Warner has played exceptionally well this season as Matt Leinart’s backup and he nearly rallied the Cardinals to a victory week 2 against Baltimore. The result was a dual-quarterback scheme that no one believed in. Meanwhile, Arizona managed two consecutive wins, including a statement win over the Steelers week 4. Now they sit at 3-2, on top of the NFC West, and Kurt Warner is the lone gun since Matt Leinart’s season-ending injury Sunday. Somehow I think Cardinals fans are okay with that.
1. The AFC South — 2007’s best division, the AFC South is quickly gaining recognition. With a juggernaut — Indianapolis — a solid Jacksonville team and two up-and-coming franchises led by two talented, young quarterbacks — Houston and Tennessee — the South is the only division in the NFL with four teams with at least 3 wins this season. Tennessee sits in fourth with a 3-2 record. Meanwhile, the Raiders (2-2), Panthers (3-2), and Cardinals (3-2) lead their divisions. Talk about parity, eh?
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