Yes, we are finally bringing back the critically acclaimed Face Off, which has been a fan favorite in the years of Dave Dyer and Jim Laurin. Taking over the reins will be the highly savvy duo of sports editor Michael Kashtan and the scrappy young assistant editor, Jon Young. We will be discussing many topics in the months ahead and trying to outdo the other in various sports topics.
This week, we will be discussing the current NFL Power Rankings for week 5 and where we feel certain teams should be and shouldn’t be. There are many teams that were dominant last year who dropped down in the rank in this young season. Teams who we thought were going to be a force in the NFL look to be just mediocre. Here is where we stand on the topic so far in the early weeks of the 2008 NFL season.
Kashtan: Alright assistant, let’s get this year rolling on the right foot. Let’s first talk about the NFL in general, here we see teams who were at the bottom of the pack last year and are shooting up in the ranks to be a legit contender this year. We all know this is a long season, so we can’t make early predictions. I want to start out in the AFC side first; the real contenders, and the teams who I think might flop towards the end.
Let’s start with the black and gold, Pittsburgh Steelers. Here’s a team who looks pretty dominant as we start out the season. The Steelers did start out the season with a great win, beating the Houston Texans 38-17, but only to win just a close game against the Browns 10-6. The following game was a washout, as the Steelers lost against a tough Philidelphia team 15-6. Monday night was a battle between two great defenses, and the Steelers ended up battling to the end with overtime win 23-20. It just goes to show you that this team has what it takes to win close games, and they did win a Super Bowl a couple of years ago. They have a young coach and a great young Quarterback who has a never say never attitude. With the AFC looking kind of sluggish to start out the season, I pick the Steelers as a real contender.
Young: Mike, you’re going to need a Terrible Towel to wipe the tears from your eyes when I send you home crying to mommy. I’m going with the thundering herd from up state New York; the Buffalo Bills. The Bills are 4-0 and are playing in a weak AFC North and have been using a stout defense to lead the way for an even more potent offense. They have the right veteran leadership paired with smart and athletic younger players. With a strong line backing core with Kawika Mitchell and Paul Posluszny leading the way behind a massive defensive line led by off-season addition Marcus Stroud and Aaron Schobel the defense looks to be a force for any team they face. Their coaching staff is a veteran group who knows the ups and downs of the NFL and can prepare their team for them before hand. With Arizona, San Diego and Miami coming up with a bye before San Diego look for them to be at least 6-1 before they face off against the New England Patriots.
Kashtan: Jon, you really need to be a bit nicer to your boss, he could fire you at any moment you know. Anyways bucko, you did make up a good case for the Buffalo Bills in the AFC, but I just don’t know if that young team can withstand playing veteran teams who know how to play a full 16 week season like the Patriots, Colts, Steelers and even you can throw in the Denver Broncos. Even if the Bills do make the playoffs, do you honestly think they can beat the top-notch teams in the AFC?
Let’s get into the NFC side of the Conference now, as we think the Bills and the Steelers have the best shots so far in the season, I believe that the Eagles have the best shot and look like a real contender. Even at 2-2, I believe that those 2 loses were good for the team. There’s nothing wrong with a little adversity to the season, and as we know, the Eagles are a little banged up with running back Westbrook, tight end L.J. Smith and offensive lineman Shawn Andrews. Even with there starters out, they still had a chance against the Cowboys and the strong defense of the Chicago Bears. I would strongly recommend fans to watch out for this veteran team with new star additions of Asante Samuel and rookie players like DeSean Jackson emerging as a great player.
Young: Mike, you can’t cut the franchise player so I’m not worried but in the NFC I’m going with the Carolina Panthers. They have been playing very well averaging at least 20 points in 3 of their last 4 games. One of the games was an upset win over a pre-season favorite San Diego Chargers. Their defense has been playing well including an impressive in a 24-9 point romp of Atlanta and rookie quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Michael Turner. They play in a generally weak NFC South with Atlanta, New Orleans, and Tampa Bay and their schedule favors them with a good amount of weak teams down the stretch, including the Lions, Raiders; and another match with Atlanta. Look for the Panthers to roar their way up the rankings.
Alright kiddo, There were some great points in there and I have to say you did a great job for your first face-off. This is just the beginning of epic battles between two of the smartest sports guru’s this campus has seen in decades.