After four weeks we have four undefeated teams. The 49ers are back again to make another run at the Super Bowl. As good as this team has been over the past six seasons, they have really never come close to winning it all. At some point age will catch up to this team and so time is running out. That being said Jim Plunkett is having a great start to the season with a 109.6 rating. The Rams are close behind at 3-1 and the Saints seem to be showing a bit of life at 2-2. Still the 49ers are the team to beat in the NFC West.
Chicago sits atop the NFC Central. They are playing very well. They have a very solid defense and their offense is looking better. They still need to improve if they hope to have any kind of life in the post season, but right now they are focused on just making it there. The Lions and the Packers look to be the only real threat in the Central. Probably the defending NFL champion Lions are the real team to watch here.
Dallas and Philadelphia both sit at 4-0 atop the NFC East. Dallas has looked very good so far this season. After their deep run in the playoffs last year it is not a surprise to see them back strong. They are the early season pick to win the NFC in 1982. The Eagles are not much of a surprise either. Their offense is so good it didn't take much improvement on defense to get them to 4-0. Still with such a shaky defense and little depth they are only an injury or two away from falling out of the pack. The Giants are an interesting team to watch at 2-2. As bad as they've been the past few seasons, they have a very dangerous passing game and could play spoiler for a few teams this year.
The Jets are the only undefeated team in the AFC and so far are the best team in the Conference. But they are in a tough Division with Miami and New England sitting at 3-1 and the Colts at 2-2. All of these teams have the potential to win the Division and make this the toughest Division in the NFL. The big surprise in this group is New England who have played very well in these first four games, especially their defense which has only allowed 37 points.
Houston and Cleveland sit atop the Central and seem to be the only two teams with any chance. The Steelers so far have completely collapsed as they give up huge points each game, and the Bengals seem to be worse each year. The Browns and Oilers both depend on defense, but it's hard to imagine either team doing much in the post season, since they have so little offense.
San Diego lost a tough game to Miami last week for their first loss of the season. They are by far the best team in the AFC West, where the big story is the collapse of the Chiefs. The Chiefs offense is really struggling this year. The Raiders and the Seahawks are both hanging around at 2-2 and many consider the Seahawks to be a good contender to win the Division and even the AFC, but llike the Chiefs their offense is struggling right now. If they can turn things around they will be very dangerous.
Trades
Sea 3rd year FB James Hadnot for Den 7th year S Kurth Knoff
SD 8th year DT Louie Kelcher for SF 4th year WR Roy Green
Statistics
QBs
SF Jim Plunkett 109.6
NYJ Vince Evans 108.4
Phi John Walton 96.2
RBs
Phi Ricky Bell 377yds
Bal Billy Sims 360yds
Mia Benny Malone 352yds
Recs
Det Mel Jacobs 538yds
NYG Jim Robinson 449yds
NYJ Ronnie Moore 412yds
Games to Watch in Week 5
Seattle 2-2 at Los Angeles 3-1
The Seahawks need to get their offense going if they hope to make the playoffs, but this is going to be a tough game to get going. The Rams should be able to take advantage of the questionable Seahawks defense and may blow them out.
Chicago 3-1 at Green Bay 2-2
A win here by the Bears on the road would go a long way toward making them the Division champs as the Packers are seen as one of their biggest rivalries. The Packers will have a tough time doing anything against the tough Bears defense.
Detroit 2-2 at New York Jets 4-0
This should be a very good game, but it's hard to imagine the Lions being able to matchup agains the Jets who seem to have so much right now on both offense and defense.
San Francisco 4-0 at Oakland 2-2
How good is Oakland? I don't think they are very good but we'll see what they can do at home against one of the best teams in the League.
Dallas 4-0 at Houston 2-2
This will be a tough road game for the Cowboys against one of the most physial teams in the league.
New York Giants 2-2 at Cleveland 2-2
Two teams on the bottom last season they both are showing some life in 1982. The Browns have a real shot at winning the Division.
Chicago sits atop the NFC Central. They are playing very well. They have a very solid defense and their offense is looking better. They still need to improve if they hope to have any kind of life in the post season, but right now they are focused on just making it there. The Lions and the Packers look to be the only real threat in the Central. Probably the defending NFL champion Lions are the real team to watch here.
Dallas and Philadelphia both sit at 4-0 atop the NFC East. Dallas has looked very good so far this season. After their deep run in the playoffs last year it is not a surprise to see them back strong. They are the early season pick to win the NFC in 1982. The Eagles are not much of a surprise either. Their offense is so good it didn't take much improvement on defense to get them to 4-0. Still with such a shaky defense and little depth they are only an injury or two away from falling out of the pack. The Giants are an interesting team to watch at 2-2. As bad as they've been the past few seasons, they have a very dangerous passing game and could play spoiler for a few teams this year.
The Jets are the only undefeated team in the AFC and so far are the best team in the Conference. But they are in a tough Division with Miami and New England sitting at 3-1 and the Colts at 2-2. All of these teams have the potential to win the Division and make this the toughest Division in the NFL. The big surprise in this group is New England who have played very well in these first four games, especially their defense which has only allowed 37 points.
Houston and Cleveland sit atop the Central and seem to be the only two teams with any chance. The Steelers so far have completely collapsed as they give up huge points each game, and the Bengals seem to be worse each year. The Browns and Oilers both depend on defense, but it's hard to imagine either team doing much in the post season, since they have so little offense.
San Diego lost a tough game to Miami last week for their first loss of the season. They are by far the best team in the AFC West, where the big story is the collapse of the Chiefs. The Chiefs offense is really struggling this year. The Raiders and the Seahawks are both hanging around at 2-2 and many consider the Seahawks to be a good contender to win the Division and even the AFC, but llike the Chiefs their offense is struggling right now. If they can turn things around they will be very dangerous.
Trades
Sea 3rd year FB James Hadnot for Den 7th year S Kurth Knoff
SD 8th year DT Louie Kelcher for SF 4th year WR Roy Green
Statistics
QBs
SF Jim Plunkett 109.6
NYJ Vince Evans 108.4
Phi John Walton 96.2
RBs
Phi Ricky Bell 377yds
Bal Billy Sims 360yds
Mia Benny Malone 352yds
Recs
Det Mel Jacobs 538yds
NYG Jim Robinson 449yds
NYJ Ronnie Moore 412yds
Games to Watch in Week 5
Seattle 2-2 at Los Angeles 3-1
The Seahawks need to get their offense going if they hope to make the playoffs, but this is going to be a tough game to get going. The Rams should be able to take advantage of the questionable Seahawks defense and may blow them out.
Chicago 3-1 at Green Bay 2-2
A win here by the Bears on the road would go a long way toward making them the Division champs as the Packers are seen as one of their biggest rivalries. The Packers will have a tough time doing anything against the tough Bears defense.
Detroit 2-2 at New York Jets 4-0
This should be a very good game, but it's hard to imagine the Lions being able to matchup agains the Jets who seem to have so much right now on both offense and defense.
San Francisco 4-0 at Oakland 2-2
How good is Oakland? I don't think they are very good but we'll see what they can do at home against one of the best teams in the League.
Dallas 4-0 at Houston 2-2
This will be a tough road game for the Cowboys against one of the most physial teams in the league.
New York Giants 2-2 at Cleveland 2-2
Two teams on the bottom last season they both are showing some life in 1982. The Browns have a real shot at winning the Division.
Monte Clark is tired of only coming close with this generation of 49ers. The Kelcher pickup could turn out to be the trade of NFL82.
ReplyDeleteKelcher's 1979 card says his shoe size is 16EEEE. "Fans chant LOO, LOO, LOO when Louie makes a tackle," says Kelcher's 1981
card. “The best football player on the team and perhaps the best defensive tackle in the league. Louie was the stay-at-home lineman who helped give the Chargers’ better pass rushers like Gary Johnson and Fred Dean their freedom. He also was a team captain and leader who instilled confidence just by his presence on the field. He will be sorely missed ...” Bisheff, Steve “Don’t Sell Chargers Short, Chirps Smart Money in NFL” The Sporting News (Vol. 188, No. 10: Sept. 8, 1979) 22.