Behind The Scoreboard - Claude Vinson


Thursday, December 16, 2010
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Behind The Scoreboard
By Claude Vinson

NFL nears playoff time

First, allow me to set the minds of those who have asked if we are going to do a collegiate coaching carousel this year at ease. You can bet your Bud we are.

However, it is during this time when the teams of the NFL really start to look ahead that we like to take a gander back. It seems almost impossible to begin talking about the Super Bowl already. Where did the season go? Who are the current leaders and how do they compare and rate?

Going into Sunday’s slate, there were two teams at 10-2 – New England and the Atlanta Falcons. Yes, the Atlanta Falcons. Listen, the Falcons were not all that shabby last season. They finished at 9-7 and this season lead their division (NFC South) ahead of, guess who? The defending Super Bowl Champs, New Orleans. The Falcons also gained a new status on Sunday of being one of the first two teams to reach 11 wins this season. The other team was the New England Patriots.

If you are old enough and watching football on this given Sunday and the Patriots and the Bears in Chicago, you just might remember another game termed the “Ice Bowl.” The Bears are also leading their division (NFC North). Well, they were. The Pats found the goal line multiple times in all that snow and embarrassed the Bears 36-7. Of course, we understand that New England is used to playing on fields like that. The Bears finished 7-9 last season and they haven’t been to the playoffs since their “Super” season in ’08. Could this spell trouble for their mentor?

There were three teams at 9-3 – Chicago, New York Jets and Pittsburgh. The Steelers went 10-3 on Sunday and Roethlisberger seemed to have recovered from last week’s bloody battle with the Ravens. The Steelers ended 9-7 last season and have been trying hard to get back their “Super” swagger from a couple of years ago. Their coach could also be feeling some heat if the Steelmen don’t make a run for it.

There were four teams with marks of 8-4 – Kansas City, New York Giants, Philadelphia and Green Bay. The Chiefs were 4-12 last season but they picked up a pair of tacticians from the Patriots and now lead their division. The Giants were 8-8; the Eagles and Packers were 11-5 each.

Now, if you are thinking that there is no SB team prediction in all of the above, then you are right and one smart cookie.

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