Baltimore still sits atop the AFC East undefeated. Their offense continues to play well, but their defense is still a bit questionable. No matter so far this season they have done what it takes to win. Miami continues to improve their play and still have the best defense in the Division and maybe the league. Meanwhile the Jets and Bills both sit at .500. If the Jets offense can find any consistency on the road, they may make a run at the playoffs, but that feels like a big if. The Bills meanwhile just need some offense, any offense as their defense is playing very well so far.
In the AFC Central the Oilers find themselves back on top. It looks like it's going to be a good race this year between them and Pittsburgh. The Steelers need better defensive play if they hope to win the Central Division.
Kansas City is the loan team in the AFC West that seems destined to be above .500 this season. Their offense is just as dangerous as ever and their defense is still playing better than they did last season. That makes them dangerous. The Raiders meanwhile seem to have found their offensive legs again, but their defense is absolutely dreadful. Denver, Seattle, and San Diego all look dreadful so far this season.
In the NFC West it is still San Francisco and New Orleans. The Saints are still struggling to find their offense, but their defense is playing fantastic. Meanwhile the 49ers have everything clicking and look to be the team to beat in the NFC. The defending NFC champ Rams are sitting at 1-3 and look to be done. It's time for rebuilding in Los Angeles.
Green Bay sits atop the NFC Central and with Tampa losing again Detroit has moved up as the main competitor for the Division title. Suddenly Tampa Bay doesn't look so solid, their offense has gotten a bit shaky. Perhaps this is why they traded away veteran starting quarterback Steve Spurrier and plan on starting rookie Rich Campbell. Meanwhile the Lions defense is looking much improved over last season and Greg Landry is still one of the best in the league. This makes them dangerous. But the team to watch is Green Bay who look fantastic so far this season.
After the first two weeks of the season I had already written off the Redskins. They simply didn't look very good, nothing like the dominant team of last season, but in week three they hit their stride and they now look like the team of last season. If they can keep this up we should have a good race between them, Green Bay, and San Francisco for the NFC title. Of course the 3-1 Cowboys don't want to be left out, but they still have to prove to everyone that they can hang in for the full season. Another team that may have found their stride are the Eagles. They scored a total of 24 points over the first two weeks, and a total of 100 points over the last two weeks. No one is sure where this offensive explosion came from, but Dick Vermeil is certainly hoping it will stick.
Trades
SF 4th year HB Rickey Anderson for Den 3rd year WR Jerry Butler
Det 6th year DT Perry Brooks for TB 15th year QB Steve Spurrier
Sea 6th year DT Steve Niehaus for Phi Rookie TE Pete Holohan
GB 6th year CB Mike McCoy for 7th year Dal FB Scott Laidlaw
Standings
AFC
East: Baltimore 4-0; Miami 3-1; New York, Buffalo 2-2; New England 1-3
Central: Houston, Pittsburgh 3-1; Cincinnati 1-3; Cleveland 0-4
West: Kansas City 3-1; Oakland 2-2; Denver, Seattle, San Diego 1-3
NFC
East: Washington, Dallas 3-1; Philadelphia 2-2; St. Louis 1-3; New York 0-4
Central: Green Bay 4-0; Detroit 3-1; Tampa Bay, Chicago 2-2; Minnesota 1-3
West: San Francisco 4-0; New Orleans 3-1; Los Angeles 1-3; Atlanta 0-4
Statistics
QBs
Hou Dan Pastorini 106.9
Dal Roger Staubach 98.9
Sea Brian Sipe 97.5
RBs
Phi Ricky Bell 554yds
Bal Billy Sims 483yds
Den Otis Armstrong 424yds
Recs
Det Mel Jacobs 424yds
Phi Charles Smith 411yds
StL Ike Harris 372yds
Games to Watch
Detroit 3-1 at Chicago 2-2
The Bears seem to be improving, though their passing game is dreadful. This is a must win at home for the Bears against a division rival.
Dallas 3-1 at Washington 3-1
It will be good to see how these two teams stack up against each other.
New Orleans 3-1 at Baltimore 4-0
This will be a tough game for the Colts. The Saints have the number one defense in the league. A win here for the Colts would make them the sudden East favorites.
Tampa Bay 2-2 at Houston 3-1
A rough way for a rookie quarterback to start his career in the NFL, but Tampa Bay needs to shake things up. They have built a solid team, they just need a leader. Houston's defense will be really going after the rookie this should be a fun game.
In the AFC Central the Oilers find themselves back on top. It looks like it's going to be a good race this year between them and Pittsburgh. The Steelers need better defensive play if they hope to win the Central Division.
Kansas City is the loan team in the AFC West that seems destined to be above .500 this season. Their offense is just as dangerous as ever and their defense is still playing better than they did last season. That makes them dangerous. The Raiders meanwhile seem to have found their offensive legs again, but their defense is absolutely dreadful. Denver, Seattle, and San Diego all look dreadful so far this season.
In the NFC West it is still San Francisco and New Orleans. The Saints are still struggling to find their offense, but their defense is playing fantastic. Meanwhile the 49ers have everything clicking and look to be the team to beat in the NFC. The defending NFC champ Rams are sitting at 1-3 and look to be done. It's time for rebuilding in Los Angeles.
Green Bay sits atop the NFC Central and with Tampa losing again Detroit has moved up as the main competitor for the Division title. Suddenly Tampa Bay doesn't look so solid, their offense has gotten a bit shaky. Perhaps this is why they traded away veteran starting quarterback Steve Spurrier and plan on starting rookie Rich Campbell. Meanwhile the Lions defense is looking much improved over last season and Greg Landry is still one of the best in the league. This makes them dangerous. But the team to watch is Green Bay who look fantastic so far this season.
After the first two weeks of the season I had already written off the Redskins. They simply didn't look very good, nothing like the dominant team of last season, but in week three they hit their stride and they now look like the team of last season. If they can keep this up we should have a good race between them, Green Bay, and San Francisco for the NFC title. Of course the 3-1 Cowboys don't want to be left out, but they still have to prove to everyone that they can hang in for the full season. Another team that may have found their stride are the Eagles. They scored a total of 24 points over the first two weeks, and a total of 100 points over the last two weeks. No one is sure where this offensive explosion came from, but Dick Vermeil is certainly hoping it will stick.
Trades
SF 4th year HB Rickey Anderson for Den 3rd year WR Jerry Butler
Det 6th year DT Perry Brooks for TB 15th year QB Steve Spurrier
Sea 6th year DT Steve Niehaus for Phi Rookie TE Pete Holohan
GB 6th year CB Mike McCoy for 7th year Dal FB Scott Laidlaw
Standings
AFC
East: Baltimore 4-0; Miami 3-1; New York, Buffalo 2-2; New England 1-3
Central: Houston, Pittsburgh 3-1; Cincinnati 1-3; Cleveland 0-4
West: Kansas City 3-1; Oakland 2-2; Denver, Seattle, San Diego 1-3
NFC
East: Washington, Dallas 3-1; Philadelphia 2-2; St. Louis 1-3; New York 0-4
Central: Green Bay 4-0; Detroit 3-1; Tampa Bay, Chicago 2-2; Minnesota 1-3
West: San Francisco 4-0; New Orleans 3-1; Los Angeles 1-3; Atlanta 0-4
Statistics
QBs
Hou Dan Pastorini 106.9
Dal Roger Staubach 98.9
Sea Brian Sipe 97.5
RBs
Phi Ricky Bell 554yds
Bal Billy Sims 483yds
Den Otis Armstrong 424yds
Recs
Det Mel Jacobs 424yds
Phi Charles Smith 411yds
StL Ike Harris 372yds
Games to Watch
Detroit 3-1 at Chicago 2-2
The Bears seem to be improving, though their passing game is dreadful. This is a must win at home for the Bears against a division rival.
Dallas 3-1 at Washington 3-1
It will be good to see how these two teams stack up against each other.
New Orleans 3-1 at Baltimore 4-0
This will be a tough game for the Colts. The Saints have the number one defense in the league. A win here for the Colts would make them the sudden East favorites.
Tampa Bay 2-2 at Houston 3-1
A rough way for a rookie quarterback to start his career in the NFL, but Tampa Bay needs to shake things up. They have built a solid team, they just need a leader. Houston's defense will be really going after the rookie this should be a fun game.
So the 49ers acquire an 11th wide receiver in Butler (13 receptions, 12.4 yards per catch and a score through four games with Denver this season).
ReplyDeleteSan Francisco has no fumbles yet this season.
DT1 Jeff Perlinger, a new starter in his sixth season, has 11 tackles and six sacks so far. DE1 Howie Long, the first-round draft choice out of Villanova, has five tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery.
The 49ers' only other new starters this season are C1 Brian Murray, acquired from Cleveland in the Tony Reed trade this offseason, and CB2 Eric Harris, San Francisco's third-round draft pick out of Memphis State in NFL77.
In many ways, this week's trades signal the end of the NFL76 expansion era. Tampa traded its first and only starting quarterback, Spurrier. And Seattle traded its first-ever draft choice, Niehaus, who had lost his starting position this season.
ReplyDelete