Playoff Picture Still Blurry
AP - Right now the parody in the league is thick as there are only two teams in the NFL that are officially going to go into the playoffs come Week 16 of the regular season, the Houston Oilers (12-1) and the Buffalo Bills (11-2). What will the 1991 playoff picture look like? That's hard to tell.
It's obvious that the Houston Oilers and the Buffalo Bills are the dominant power house teams in the NFL at the moment. These two AFC teams have been taking down anybody they play against all year long. The Oilers have Warren Moon and Bo Jackson shoring up the offense, meanwhile the Buffalo Bills have their triplets of Jim Kelly, Thruman Thomas, and Andre Reed. This is obviously enough for both of those teams to easily skip the wild-card round and come that closer to making it to the Super Bowl. But after those two teams it gets blurry as to who is going to pull through.
It is unclear as to who is the best team in the NFC at the moment, record wise it would be a tie between the Los Angeles Rams and the Detroit Lions who are both 10-4, but those numbers may be deceiving. The Rams do have a high powered passing game with Jim Everett launching balls all season long to Henry Ellard and Willie "Flipper" Anderson. However they have an untested young rookie that's starting at running back in Ricky Watters. While Watters may be making a case for himself as rookie of the year, that doesn't mean he is one of the better backs in the league. Watters doesn't have important playoff experience which may end up costing the Rams. The Rams certainly have the defense with Kevin Greene, Darryl Henley, and Darrell Fullington highlighting it. But at times the secondary can find themselves in some trouble, like when they faced the San Francisco 49ers. As well as the fact that their trenches are weak in comparison to some of the other teams in the league.
The Detroit Lions are interesting since they've played so well with the likes of Barry Sanders tearing up defenses and quarterback Rodney Peete barely keeping the pass game alive. The quarterback switch by the Lions from Peete to Kramer has done two things. It has statistically led to a better passing game, but at the same time a 3-2 record is not as flashy as Peete's 7-2. Kramer obviously has not been tested in the playoffs and will need to at least stay as efficient and not make more mistakes then positives like he has so far. Sanders will easily carry that team as he has done for the past few seasons. The Lions defense is questionable outside of their star linebacker, Chris Spielman. They're pass defense is troublesome and against the high power-armed quarterbacks in the playoffs that may end up being their downfall.
In the middle there is a glut of teams that are attempting to fight their way into the playoffs. With other 10-4 teams like the Cincinnatti Bengals looking like they could surprise nothing is certain. The Cowboys, Dolphins, and Steelers are all sitting pretty at 9-5. Their victories and losses in the next few weeks will be integral in deciding whether or not they will be a wild card or a divisional round playoff team. The Steelers are going to struggle with the Browns (8-6) and Steelers in the same division. Meanwhile the Dallas Cowboys are one of the better NFC teams despite their young offense. But a 6-1 spurt over the past 7 weeks has brought many eyes on them. Quarterback Troy Aikman has been picking up his play of late and running back Emmitt Smith has been remaining consistent. They could easily be a surprise team in the playoffs.
Finally the wild-card spots are being cluttered up by 8-6 teams like the Chargers, Patriots, Eagles, Browns, Raiders, Seahawks, and 49ers. The Chargers, Eagles, Seahawks, and 49ers were all playoff teams last year in 1990, and it is surprising that the 49ers and Eagles are barely fighting to get in after an amazing 49er season, and a Super Bowl championship by the Eagles. Right now these teams have the most to loose by not winning their games in the following weeks. Luckily for the 49ers they only have to take on the Rams in the final week since they have a bye in Week 16. The Eagles however have some tough games against the Redskins and Cowboys in order to return in 1991 to the playoffs. The Chargers were surprising that they've managed to sneak in since having some trouble in their passing game this season. Marion Butts has definitely kept up on the ground for them, and their defense has remained strong against the rush and pressuring the quarterback. But the loss of Vencie Glenn seems to have hurt the Chargers secondary as they have struggled this year in comparison to last season. The Seahawks also have a bye week, like the 49ers, in Week 16, but then they'll have a key must-win game against the current best record Houston Oilers.
The people on the outside looking in are 7-7 teams like the New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants, and Indianapolis Colts. While they could make the playoffs it would require any of these teams to win both of their next two games outright. The team with the best chance is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who have a bye week in the final week of the season, meaning they only have to win Week 16's game against the Miami Dolphins, a 9-5 team, that'll be no easy task. Obviously the addition of Roger Craig to their run game has completely transformed that team as they are now fighting for a playoff clinch.
The only 6-8 team with a long shot of making the playoffs are the Washington Redskins. However it would require numerous instances for that to happen. The Redskins would have to win both their games, this week against division rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles, and next weeks game against the Los Angeles Raiders. Then they would have to have both the Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, and the Dallas Cowboys loose their next two games. It certainly is a long shot that it would occur, but there is still a chance none-the-less. If Jeff Hostetler and Rodney Hampton can do that it would be a miracle as these Giants players have certainly been criticized for not being Phil Simms and Ottis Anderson this season in both of their first times starting.
Many teams may find themselves being upset by a surprising squad, or they may end up rightfully entering into the playoffs. But one thing's for sure, the next few weeks will be electrifying.
