From one season to the next, perhaps no league in sports is as unpredictable as the NFL. From top dog to bottom feeder, franchises can change overnight with one injury or bad personnel decision.
At the halfway point of the season, here’s a look back at the top storylines from a wild nine weeks of action. The good, the bad, the surprising — and who will square off in the Super Bowl.
JULIUS THOMAS EFFECT: Coming into the 2013 season, Julius Thomas, Portland State alum, was a relatively unknown commodity to most of the country. A physical specimen coming out of college, Thomas had spent much of his first two seasons injured. Combine that with having Tim Tebow as your quarterback in season one, and it’s understandable why he was flying under so many radars.
Enter, Peyton Manning.
Thomas, finally healthy, has had a breakout year, accounting for 450 yards and eight touchdowns. Another basketball-turned-football star, Julius has seen his stock skyrocket in the leagues most prolific offense.
“To have the kind of start I did in the NFL, to have a season-ending injury on your first catch in your second game, was…it was a roller coaster for me,” Thomas told Sports Illustrated’s Peter King.
“Now, to be practicing with Peyton Manning, it forces us all to play at a higher level, forces us all to be accountable so we’re ready for every Sunday.”
Thomas suffered an ankle injury on October 27th, but isn’t expected to miss much time.
If he can stay healthy, there seems to be no limit for the former Viking.
PHILLY FLOUNDERING: Coming off a disastrous 4-12 campaign in 2012, the Philadelphia Eagles and their fans thought they had turned the corner from the Andy Reid-era. The franchise felt stale under Reid, who took them to 5-straight NFC championships—including four in a row—during his tenure. So, they did the most un-stale of things, and hired Oregon head coach Chip Kelly.
It’s pretty much been downhill since then.
Not only have the Eagles struggled to a 3-5 record, but also their offense—perhaps the most talked about off-season topic in the NFL—has been less than stellar. A tough schedule, injuries, and a horrid defense have taken the magic out of Kelly’s first season.
What Andy Reid is doing has not helped either…
SHOULD WE HAVE SEEN THIS COMING? The Kansas City Chiefs were 2-14 last season. Their season was marred by off-season drama and inept quarterback play.
Out went Romeo Crennel, in came Andy Reid, and the rest, they say, is history.
The Chiefs are the NFL’s only unbeaten team at 8-0, riding a strong defense and the steady play of new quarterback Alex Smith.
The 2012 version sent six players to the Pro Bowl, leading the league, but had the worst record. If ever there were a team in need of a proven coach, this was it.
Eight games in, it seems they made the right call.
FIRST HALF SURPRISES: Trying to figure out the biggest surprise of the first half is almost impossible. There have been pleasant ones (the NY Jets, Terrelle Pryor, the Detroit Lions, the San Diego Chargers), and bad ones (Pittsburgh, the Giants, Eli Manning), but perhaps no story came more out of left field than the resurgence of the Indianapolis Colts.
Two years removed from disaster (bye-bye Peyton), the Colts have the best young quarterback we’ve seen in 30 years; young, talented skill position players around him; and ownership that will do whatever it takes to win.
Their 6-2 record might not be the surprise—they made the playoffs last year, after all. No, the biggest surprise is how well the franchise has handled adversity the past two seasons. Peyton Manning was let go. Head coach Chuck Pagano missed most of 2012 with cancer. His replacement during that time, Bruce Arians, left to coach the Cardinals. Through it all, they re-built a roster that was aging and broken down (are you paying attention, Pittsburgh?) and, yes, got Luck(y) by drafting the young QB out of Stanford. Having already notched wins over San Francisco, Seattle and Denver, the Colts appear to be destined for big things in 2013.
2ND HALF PREDICTIONS: It’s almost impossible to make predictions in this league, but what the heck…let’s have some fun!
MVP: Andrew Luck. The obvious choice would be Peyton Manning, who will likely set numerous records by the time the season is over. But something tells me that the Colts will win a game in January, in Denver, and that performance will net Mr. Luck his first MVP award.
COACH OF THE YEAR: This is a no-brainer: Andy Reid should have the trophy in his office already. He has taken a talented, but un-disciplined team, and already has six wins more than last season. He’s made Kansas City a serious threat.
FIRST COACH TO GET THE PINK SLIP: The time has come for Jason Garrett to end his tenure in Dallas. The team is too talented to continually lose games the way they do. It’s simply time to move on.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: When you have your own hash-tag cult following eight games into your career, great things are on the horizon. That’s what has happened to Buffalo Bills rookie, and former Oregon Duck, Kiko Alonso. Kiko has been nothing short of spectacular, with 81 tackles and four interceptions—including a 22 tackle performance against Cincinnati.
SUPER BOWL: New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts.
An outdoor Super Bowl in chilly New York is cause for concern for both of these dome teams, but they seem to be the most complete from top-to-bottom. New Orleans is 6-1, and nobody is talking about them.
The Colts have the three best wins by any team this year. Rob Ryan has made the Saints defense formidable, and Trent Richardson finally gives the Colts a running game. Both teams have great coaches, and could have two or three home games in the playoffs.
2014 Super Bowl champions: New Orleans Saints.
