NFL Round-up: Week 5...

Who Rocked?
The Buccaneers continued their impressive start to the season by edging the Bengals by a slim 3 point margin. Although they ply their trade in a division with two genuine title contenders, the Falcons’ and Saints’ ability to tear strips off each other leaves the possibility of a decent record open. They won’t win the division, but they could surprise everybody and nick a Wild Card berth if the better units from the NFC North and East continue to take games off each other and finish with records that belie their talent.

The Colts beat the high-flying Chiefs in a game that restored normality and put the Colts back in the driving seat of their division.

Biased as this may be, the Cardinals pulled a huge shock out of the bag by beating a shell-shocked New Orleans side that is bleeding points as fast as it is losing confidence. Gone is the swagger of their Superbowl winning season, and in its place some pointed questions remain.

The Titans won a corker against the plummeting Cowboys who are rooted to the bottom of their division. The Colts, Titans and Texans are making the race for the AFC South division crown interesting, and with the forgotten Jaguars healthy victory over the winless Bills, it is surely the best in football right now.


Whose chances were knocked?
The Detroit Lions stiffed the much-improved Rams by an embarrassing score line of 44-6. The Rams have got to stop losing games like this if they hope to challenge for their division, which they can given the lack of a dominant contender in the NFC West. The Rams under Bradford and Spagnolo are better than this – much better. They will likely win the big and lose the little on the way to a disappointing 7-9 record and be left scratching their heads when the division goes to either the Cardinals (unlikely) or the Seahawks (probable) with a marginally better record.

The fancied Texans were handed a battering by the soaring Giants, who, if anything, look better than they did right now than when they won the Superbowl in January ’08. Manning is quietly compiling a fantastic record and reputation as a starter and, if the trend continues, should lead the G-men to the NFC East title and maybe even the Conference at the end of this muddled year.


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