There’s a reason it’s so difficult to do homework on Sundays, and it’s not simply due to the massive hangover you’re used to fighting.
The 2002 NFL season has become as unpredictable as the St. Louis weather, filled with interesting twists that captivate sports nuts and laymen alike. Ten weeks in, and there is still no clear cut Super Bowl favorite.
Teams that looked dreadful during the first month (Pittsburgh, St. Louis and the New York Jets) have climbed back into the playoff race thanks to collapses by fast-starting squads (Oakland, Arizona and Indianapolis). Parity has proven that your favorite team can win on any given Sunday.
A great debate has emerged about whether parity is a positive or a negative part of the game. When every team has a chance to win, the games become much more interesting. However, the fact is that football’s history is laden with teams that have dominated the league for long stretches of time. The 1960s belonged to the Packers. The Steel Curtain defense allowed Pittsburgh to dismantle opponents in the 1970s, and Joe Montana’s 49ers were the team to beat in the 1980s.
The reason for the lack of dynasties likely lies in the fact that teams have trouble retaining their homegrown talent because of free agency and the salary cap. Since the system’s institution in 1993, teams have routinely paid top dollar for free agents from other clubs. Thus, franchises are forced to either enter into risky long-term contracts with free agents or let them go without compensation.
Also, the difference in talent between teams is narrowing every year, with the possible exception of the terrible Cincinnati Bengals. Clubs with the best records get the worst draft picks, so it becomes extremely difficult to replenish a team after some players sign contracts elsewhere.
The San Francisco 49ers are a perfect example of how free agency and the salary cap can misdirect a dynasty. Beginning with the 1981 season, the Niners made the playoffs every year for 18 years. However, near the end of the run, they lost key players like Deion Sanders and Ricky Watters to free agency, and a huge portion of their salary cap was devoted to two superstars: Steve Young and Jerry Rice.
In 1999, with both players injured and ineffective, San Francisco finished 4-12. Because of the large sums of money owed Young and Rice, the club had to cut both players in order to gain enough salary cap relief to field a formidable team. The 49ers have become a top team again through shrewd personnel moves, but most teams are not so lucky.
Nowadays, the most dangerous teams come playoff time are usually the ones that play the best going into the post season. Last season, the Patriots rode a six game winning streak into the postseason and came out champions. With seven weeks remaining this year, it remains to be seen which team can ride a hot streak to a Super Bowl title.
Despite the fact that teams have recently failed to sustain success over the course of a few years, all franchises aspire to build a dynasty built around its cornerstone players.
The teams closest to accomplishing this seem to be Philadelphia and New Orleans. The Eagles have built around star quarterback Donovan McNabb and a dominant defense, while New Orleans has locked up quarterback Aaron Brooks to team up with sensational running back Deuce McAllister and wide receiver Joe Horn. The Rams can also build a dynasty of their own if the defense is upgraded.
Meanwhile, the best team currently is the Packers, owners of a league-best 8-1 record. However, that distinction may soon change in the up and down world of the NFL.
Every team has a weakness that can be exploited, and Green Bay’s underachieving defense, combined with nagging injuries to offensive cogs Brett Favre and Ahman Green, makes it a prime target for an upset. In the NFC, New Orleans, Tampa Bay and San Francisco are right on the Pack’s heels.
In the AFC, the picture is even more muddled. Only Pittsburgh stands alone atop its division. There is a three-way tie for first in the AFC East, and San Diego and Denver are tied for the best record in the AFC West at an unspectacular 6-3.
In fact, parity is so apparent in the AFC that 14 of 16 teams have a legitimate chance at a playoff birth. Only the Bengals and the expansion Houston Texans do not harbor hopes of playing in the postseason. Since teams are so evenly matched, it is hard to predict which ones will come out atop the heap.
Despite all of this, nobody disagrees that it will be fun to watch it all unfold. as we push more homework aside on those glorious Sundays.