NFL at mid-season: the good, the bad, the ugly

Rss Weingarten Guest Writer

The NFL season is more than halfway over, and it has been quite a memorable first half. There are a number of remarkable story lines worth following.

The Colts, far and away the best team in the league right now, are 8-0 and could potentially make a run for an undefeated season, a feat that has not occurred since 1972. Peyton Manning has established himself as the best quarterback in the game, and he has a lot of great players to give the ball to.

The Bengals are, for the first time, also a force to be reckoned with. At 7-2, they have proven themselves capable of beating anyone in the league. Carson Palmer, their young, hot quarterback, is having a marvelous season.

The Giants, inspired by the death of long-time owner Wellington Mara, are on a roll, and have a great young quarterback in Eli Manning, Peyton’s brother. (I bet their Thanksgiving family football games are pretty intense.) Other teams, such as the Panthers, Redskins, Cowboys, and Steelers also enjoyed solid first-halves.

But perhaps the most inspiring story of all is the fact that the New Orleans Saints are even playing football at all. Only a few months after Hurricane Katrina ravaged their city, the Saints are playing hard and representing New Orleans well. Rumors that the Saints will be moved next season are shocking; as New Orleans rebuilds, it needs and deserves its beloved Saints to believe in and root for.

There have also been several disappointing teams. The Green Bay Packers, one of the most successful franchises in NFL history, started the season 1-7 due mostly to injuries and inconsistent play. It’s been terribly painful for Cheeseheads everywhere to watch Brett Farve, one of the best quarterbacks of all time, play for a loser in what is perhaps his last season.

The Minnesota Vikings, previously one of the most talented teams in the league, have been awful this season. Many people in the media connect their bad play to an excursion that team members took on a private boat with strippers. I was less surprised at the news of the team on a boat with scantily clad women than I was at the shock many people expressed about the event. Football players liking strippers? No way! No matter, Daunte Culpepper and the Vikings have a lot of work to do to make a run for the playoffs in the second half.

While the first part of the NFL season has been great on the field, it has also been tarnished by the off-the-field story that outshines them all: the Terrell Owens saga. If you don’t know, Owens, the talented but esoteric wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles, blamed his coach and his quarterback for multiple losses, including last year's Super Bowl. Owens said that his team would be better with another quarterback, and then challenged anyone on the team to fight him in the locker room. That Owens sure is a class act!

The Eagles responded by suspending Owens indefinitely. Who knows how this drama will play out, but in my opinion, T.O. needs to shut up and play. By disrespecting his team and the game of football, he is disrespecting the fans that love him and pay to see him play. No one doubts Owens' talent, but ability can only take you so far. Wake up, Terrell: people will still watch football even if you’re not on the field. Despite their ridiculous salaries and high-profile lives, football players are professionals, and it's time Owens started acting like one.

So, the NFL season is halfway over, but the best is yet to come.

Predictions? The Colts will not go undefeated, but should make the Super Bowl for the AFC as their strong offense and improved defense carry them past the Steelers and Bengals. The NFC is much more wide open. A number of teams have a chance to emerge, but I like the Washington Redskins (the fact that I am from Washington and a huge Redskins fan is irrelevant). They have a favorable schedule, a great coach, and, in Marc Brunell, a rejuvenated quarterback. In the Super Bowl, however, I think the Colts will be too much for my beloved 'Skins.

Either way, the TV lounges will be packed every Sunday as we hopefully watch more great stories play out on the field, and less soap-operas off of it.