NFL Second Half Storylines
The futility of the Oakland Raiders will be a story to watch in the second half of the NFL season – Photo from Oakland Raiders
So other then another season in which Buffalo doesn’t see playoff football, what else can we expect to occur down the stretch? Without further adieu, here are five things that are ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, ONE HUNDRED PERCENT, WITHOUT A DOUBT, ETCHED-IN-STONE, LAY THE OSAP, BET THE MORTGAGE, GUARANTEED TO HAPPEN.*
1. THE OAKLAND RAIDERS WILL NOT WIN A GAME THIS SEASON
It’s about time the 2008 Detroit Lions get some company as the only 0-16 teams in NFL history, and that list will double this year. The Raiders currently sit 0-9 heading into Sunday’s contest in San Diego. Six of their remaining seven games are against teams with winning records. The best chances for a Raiders win are likely at St Louis and home to the Buffalo Bills. This is a Raider team that fired head coach Dennis Allen after an 0-4 start. The guy they brought in to replace him? Well he immediately did this….
Sparano’s only mistake here was not digging a hole big enough to throw the last 10 years of Raider football in there with him. (Props to the guy asking if anyone had an extra shovel) Fun game for next time you and your buddies are hanging out, try to name five current Oakland Raiders…just don’t expect to go anywhere anytime soon. Tacking on the end of last year makes the current Raiders losing streak 15, and despite stalwart play from rookie linebacker Khalil Mack, that streak will hit 22 leading into next season.
2. THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS WILL WIN THE NFC
Seems like an odd statement to make about a team who is 5-4, and lost to the Austin Davis-led St Louis Cardinals at home doesn’t it? San Francisco currently sits third in their division, behind the 6-3 Seahawks and the 8-1 Cardinals, and have allowed 7 more points then they have scored this season. They have played the entire season without star linebacker NoVorro Bowman, and will be without defensive leader Patrick Willis the rest of this season. Their offense continues to sputter on a weekly basis, and it seems all but a done deal that head coach Jim Harbaugh will leave the team after this season.
So clearly this is a team to ride to the Super Bowl right?
Why do I like the 49ers? Think of the “F-You” potential here if Harbaugh takes his team to another Super Bowl knowing he will be shown the door after this season. All-World Sack Master Aldon Smith returns from suspension this week with fresh legs, giving a much needed boost to the beleaguered defense. With Justin Smith, Aldon Smith, Ray McDonald and standout rookie Aaron Lynch, the 49ers defense is going to live in opponent’s backfields the rest of this season.
Look for Colin Kaepernick to start using his legs more to extend plays and move the ball down the field. The Niners remaining schedule sees favourable matchups with the New York Giants, Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders on it. They play Seattle twice, and will win both those contests…complete with Michael Crabtree catching the winning touchdown pass on Richard Sherman to right this wrong.
3. THE DALLAS COWBOYS WILL NOT MAKE THE PLAYOFFS
The Cowboys got overwhelmed on opening day in Dallas by the 49ers and then proceeded to rip off six straight wins behind DeMarco Murray and his 456938271 yards rushing. This included a very impressive win in Seattle over the defending champions. Since then they have lost at home to Washington and Arizona before handling the Jaguars in England.
Dallas comes off the bye next week travelling to face the Giants, then host Philadelphia, go to Chicago and Philadelphia, host the Colts and finish the season in Washington. They will likely have to go 3-3 over that six game stretch to finish at 10-6 and have a shot at the playoffs. This will not be happening. Quarterback Tony Romo is one hit away from missing more time with his back injury, and the backup situation looks like this for Dallas.
The Cowboys defense is statistically as worse as last years abomination, they just haven’t been on the field as much thanks to the dominant running attack. As teams focus on shutting down DeMarco Murray, who is sure to slow down, that defense will be leaned upon, and that is not a good thing. Dallas will finish with a winning record but it won’t be enough to make the playoffs in the NFC.
4. THERE WILL ONLY BE THREE COACHES FIRED AFTER THE SEASON
There’s probably as many as 11 coaches who need to be fairly worried about their status following this season, but only three will see a pink slip, and one of those coaches will be Denver’s John Fox. It’s hard to imagine that a coach who lost in the Super Bowl last season and has a very strong chance of returning this year, could be canned, but reports out of Denver have anything less then a Super Bowl title ending Fox`s run.
I have the Broncos losing in the AFC Title game which would make John Fox coach number one in the firing list. You could make the argument that Jack Del Rio and Peyton Manning are the coaches in Denver anyway, and all John Fox has to do is clap his hands excessively throughout the game anyway. Next on the list in Atlanta`s Mike Smith and the Jets Rex Ryan. Yes, this is finally the year Rex can`t complete the `five-game winning streak at the end of the year to save his job.` The caveat to these firings is that the GM`s should go with the head coaches because it`s been a joint failure. With all due respect to Guelph Gryphon Thomas Dimitroff, the Falcons are a disaster on the defensive side of the football and have been throughout his tenure. There is simply too much talent on the offensive side of the football for this team to struggle and a change in leadership is needed.
If I had a nickel for everytime various NFL broadcasters have said `say what you want about Rex Ryan, but he gets his guys to play for him`, I could probably buy the Jets and do the firing myself. A 31-0 loss to the Chargers and a 20-point loss to the Kyle Orton-led Bills tells me all I need to know. John Idzik brought in Eric Decker at the start of the season and Percy Harvin at the mid-point, but you could have Jerry Rice and Randy Moss running patterns and it wouldn`t matter with Geno Smith and Michael Vick as your quarterbacks. Overall Rex has had a good run in New York and I think he could succeed elsewhere in the NFL. With his defensive acumen he will be given that chance, Idzik not so much.
Many would think that Marc Trestman would be next on the list after his Bears are 3-6 and have given up 4583 points in the last two weeks, but I think the former Grey Cup winner gets another year in Chicago. Jeff Fisher hasn`t done much to turn around the St Louis Rams, but he hasn`t had a chance with Sam Bradford on the field. Gus Bradley and Ron Rivera also will get another year, Tom Coughlin has attained the status with the Giants where he can decide when he retires, and Tony Sparano not returning doesn`t count because he`s only an interim coach…well and he seriously buries footballs underground.