NFL Pretenders or Contenders?

Bianca Long

Every year, as football fans and sports analysts, we pretty much know what teams in the National Football League are going to be good, and which ones aren’t. There are the teams that get off to a good start, but eventually work their way back to the bottom, in their respective places. 

There are also the teams that surprise us by how good (and sometimes bad) they are playing. Halfway through the 2014 season, there are several teams that seem to have a new identity, going against the NFL ‘s status quo.

Going into this year’s football season, can you honestly say that you knew that the Cowboys were going to be as good as they are? Granted, they have always been a fairly decent football team, but this year the Cowboys seem to be more than just decent. No one knows for sure how long this Cowboy luck is going to last, but one thing is for sure, the team is playing at a very high level, and have their eyes set on the Division Title.

And what about the Arizona Cardinals? Despite having several key injuries, Arizona seems to have a good grip on the NFC West, and are currently the division leaders.

Of course there are the teams that you expect to be good. The Broncos, Packers, Colts, and Patriots all seem to be living up to preseason expectations, and are in their respective places thus far. On the other side of the coin, teams such as the Raiders, Jaguars, and Browns just cannot seem to work their way up from the bottom.

But the shocking aspect of this season, are the teams that seem to have found their way to an unfamiliar spot at the bottom.

Take the defending-champs for instance. The Seahawks just don’t seem to have the same fire that they had a year ago on offense and defense.  Now think about the 49ers. ESPN analysts originally had them ranked among the top five in the league in preseason rankings, but now they are not even considered a threat due to numerous key injuries. 

And let’s not forget about the NFC South. The New Orleans Saints lead the division despite only having four wins. At this point, it is safe to say that every team in that division is playing bad football, despite the high-caliber players that the division has.

One thing is for sure; this season has been full of records, upsets, and surprises that go against all of our predictions. The only thing that we can do now, is sit back and watch as the second half of the season unfolds.