AFC South: AFC East
Countdown Live: 2013 NFL draft, Rds. 4-7
April, 27, 2013
Apr 27
10:00
AM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
Join our ESPN.com NFL experts for Rounds 4-7 of the 2013 NFL draft.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at noon ET. See you there.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at noon ET. See you there.
Countdown Live: 2013 NFL draft, Rds. 2-3
April, 26, 2013
Apr 26
4:00
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
Join our ESPN.com NFL experts for Rounds 2 and 3 of the 2013 NFL draft.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 6 p.m. ET. See you there.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 6 p.m. ET. See you there.
Countdown Live: 2013 NFL draft, Round 1
April, 25, 2013
Apr 25
5:00
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
Join our ESPN.com NFL experts for the first round of the 2013 NFL draft.
We'll be analyzing every pick from 1 to 32. We'll get started an hour early at 7 p.m. ET, so submit your questions and comments and we'll see you there.
We'll be analyzing every pick from 1 to 32. We'll get started an hour early at 7 p.m. ET, so submit your questions and comments and we'll see you there.
Join our ESPN.com NFL experts as they play general manager for their divisions and execute a 2013 first-round mock draft.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at noon ET. You can also participate via Twitter using the hashtag #bloggermock. See you there.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at noon ET. You can also participate via Twitter using the hashtag #bloggermock. See you there.
Join our ESPN.com NFL experts for the AFC playoff matchup between the Houston Texans and the New England Patriots.
Contribute your thoughts and questions at 4:30 p.m. ET. See you there.
Contribute your thoughts and questions at 4:30 p.m. ET. See you there.
NFL: Week 15 knee-jerk reactions
December, 18, 2012
12/18/12
1:44
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
You’ve heard the chatter by the sports pundits and on the talk shows. Heck, you might even have heard it here. So, are the knee-jerk reactions about your team based in reality? Our NFL bloggers weigh in.
NFC Knee-jerk Reactions | AFC Knee-jerk Reactions
WEEK 14
| Team | Knee-jerk reaction | Reality or not? |
|---|---|---|
| AFC EAST by James Walker | ||
 | Walker, can the U.S. block Chan Gailey at the border? We don't want him back in Buffalo. He can stay in Toronto after that performance! | To my knowledge Gailey did make it back to Bills headquarters. But after losing 50-17 to Seattle, I'm not so sure he coaches beyond this season. These final two games are big. |
 | Walker, I'm convinced Brian Hartline is a legit No. 1 receiver. He just had his first 1,000-yard season. | Hartline is a solid No. 2 option, but he will aim to get paid like a No. 1 in free agency next year. Do you think the Dolphins throw the money truck at Hartline? |
 | Walker, the Patriots blew their chance for a first-round bye. They won't win the Super Bowl. | The Patriots no longer control their own destiny for a bye, but there's still two weeks left. This team is good enough to win at home or on the road. And it's just a matter of who gets hot in January. |
 | Walker, I don't care how much the Jets guaranteed Mark Sanchez next year. If he's the starting quarterback, I'm going to puke! | Well, the Jets are stuck with Sanchez for better or worse in 2013. He will be on the roster, either as a starter or one of the league's most expensive backups at $8.25 million. |
| AFC WEST by Bill Williamson | ||
 | The Broncos will win out and will get a bye. | I don't see Denver losing at home to the Browns or the Chiefs. Expect the Broncos to finish the job and get the bye. |
 | Sunday's 15-0 shutout loss at Oakland was a new on-field low for the 2-12 Chiefs. | No doubt. They garnered 119 yards of offense and were shut down by a defense that has been one of the worst scoring defenses in the NFL. The Chiefs are simply awful. |
 | The fact is Terrelle Pryor played just a few snaps, which means the Raiders simply see him as a wrinkle option and not a full-time option at this point. | I think that point is clear. I don't think Oakland brass trusts Pryor enough to think it is worth seeing him start right now. |
 | Ryan Mathews' latest injury -- he broke his clavicle and is out for the rest of the season -- is proof the third-year running back will never make a big difference. | There is no doubt, Mathews' injury issues are a concern. I don't want to write him off yet, but next season is a crucial one. If he can't get it together next year, the Chargers may have to cut bait. |
| AFC NORTH by Jamison Hensley | ||
 | The Ravens are in the playoffs but they're not a playoff team. They've lost three in a row, including getting routed by Denver. There is no way this team is going to win a playoff game, much less make a serious run at the Super Bowl. | Injuries and Joe Flacco's struggles have been the Ravens' downfall in December. There's always a chance Flacco can bounce back. But if the Ravens can't get healthy on defense, Baltimore will have trouble winning anything in the postseason. |
 | The Bengals are ready to take over the AFC North. They're younger than the Ravens and Steelers, and they're playing better than them. Cincinnati has won five of its past six games and is playing its best heading into the playoffs. | Even though the Bengals currently hold the final playoff spot in the AFC, they've haven't clinched anything yet. They still have to go to Pittsburgh on Sunday. Andy Dalton is 0-3 against the Steelers in his career. |
 | Brandon Weeden is too old to develop. He got outplayed by Redskins rookie Kirk Cousins, a quarterback picked three rounds after Weeden. If you're changing the general manager and coach, you might as well change the quarterback, too. | A new coach and general manager may prefer to have "their guy" at quarterback. But there aren't a lot of options out there. Do you really want Michael Vick or Matt Barkley throwing passes for Cleveland next season? |
 | This looks like a team in turmoil rather than a Super Bowl contender. Ben Roethlisberger is questioning the play calling. Rashard Mendenhall, the leading rusher for the previous three seasons, was suspended. Too much drama for December. | These problems surface when a team loses four of five games. But the Steelers can't lose sight of the fact that they remain in control of their playoff fate. They're in the postseason if they win the next two games. |
| AFC SOUTH by Paul Kuharsky | ||
 | J.J. Watt is having the greatest defensive season in the history of the world. I remember saying how much I love that pick. | That's funny, I remember you booing. He's been phenomenal. I have to look at Lawrence Taylor's MVP season for comparison. |
 | Man, we don't measure up very well to the Texans. I love this team and the story it's writing, but it's awfully hard to see the Colts winning in the postseason. | Getting in is a giant deal, and the Colts are on the verge of that. You get in and take your chances. There are upsets every year. Why not Indy? |
 | Man, this is miserable. We can't even report a tackle eligible correctly. Looks like we're going to draft No. 2, which at least means we can't screw up the No. 1 pick. | There may be no singular player at the top of the draft, but Jacksonville absolutely has to find a difference-maker wherever it is picking. |
 | Hey, we can still beat a really bad team that serves us up five turnovers. Jake Locker had one nice drive, but he's sure not making me feel confident long-term. | I expected this team to be 2-1 in its final three games. So far it's on pace. It's not huge, but it's something. |
Join our ESPN.com NFL experts as they break down "Monday Night Football" between the New York Jets and the Tennessee Titans.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET. See you there.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET. See you there.
NFL: Week 14 knee-jerk reactions
December, 11, 2012
12/11/12
1:37
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
You’ve heard the chatter by the sports pundits and on the talk shows. Heck, you might even have heard it here. So, are the knee-jerk reactions about your team based in reality? Our NFL bloggers weigh in.
NFC Knee-jerk Reactions | AFC Knee-jerk Reactions
WEEK 14
| Team | Knee-jerk reaction | Reality or not? |
|---|---|---|
| AFC EAST by James Walker | ||
| Walker, my 10-year-old can coach better than Chan Gailey. I will lose my mind if I have to watch him for another season. | Sunday's home loss to the Rams was inexcusable, and Gailey's head-scratching decisions are to blame. But his future probably rests on the final three games. |
| Walker, the Dolphins are playing tough but losing -- and I'm OK with that. | That's probably the best way to look at things. This is a rebuilding year for Miami and the team showed some good things, but there's plenty left to fix. |
| Walker, I already bought my plane ticket to New Orleans a couple of weeks ago. Now, I'm getting ready for the title parade in Boston the following week. | Make no mistake, New England's win against Houston makes the Patriots the AFC favorites. But anything can happen in a one-game scenario in the playoffs. |
| Walker, I can't believe what I'm about to say. But I think the Jets will make the p--p--p--playoffs! | The Jets have won two in a row and are only one game out of the final wild-card spot in the AFC. They have an easy schedule and certainly have a shot. |
| AFC WEST by Bill Williamson | ||
| Denver's red zone woes in Oakland will be a major problem moving forward.The Broncos were just 2-of-7 in the red zone against the Raiders. | It is an area the Broncos need to fix. But this is Peyton Manning we're talking about. He'll fix it moving toward the playoffs. |
| Running back Jamaal Charles just had his third straight 100-yard rushing game, and he has 1,220 rushing yards this season after tearing his ACL. He is the best running back in the AFC West. | No question about it. Charles is special and he's clearly ahead of the likes of Darren McFadden, Ryan Mathews and the injured Willis McGahee in the division. |
| Oakland's defense has allowed 46 points in the past two games after giving up 169 points in the four previous games. This Raiders' defense is improving. | Well, the points explosion has slowed, but Oakland's defense is still leaky and it will be seriously reconstructed after the season. |
| The Chargers played hard for coach Norv Turner and won in Pittsburgh on Sunday. The win will help to save Turner's job. | No chance. Not going to happen. Unless the 5-8 Chargers somehow make the playoffs, Turner is on his way out. It was a nice win in Pittsburgh, but it won't change the bottom line. |
| AFC NORTH by Jamison Hensley | ||
| The Ravens are in panic mode. They've lost two straight and fired their offensive coordinator. Even if Baltimore gets into the playoffs, this team won't be making any noise in the postseason. | The Ravens haven't looked like a playoff team in more than a month and they're backing their way into the playoffs. But they can turn things around before the postseason begins by showing championship mettle in season-ending games against three playoff contenders: the Broncos, Giants and Bengals. |
| The Bengals are still the Bengals. Every time you start to believe in this team, it lets you down. There's no excuse for losing a nine-point, fourth-quarter lead to the Cowboys. | The Bengals lost a golden opportunity to take over that final playoff spot in the AFC, but that disappointing loss hasn't changed their chances of making the postseason. Cincinnati still has to beat the Steelers next week to make the playoffs for a second consecutive season. |
| The Browns are playoff contenders. They've won three straight and can finish 8-8 if they win their next three. Pat Shurmur has earned the right to remain head coach for 2013. | Cleveland has certainly surprised everyone with this late run after starting the season 0-5. But winning at Denver and Pittsburgh to finish the season is a tall order. The Browns, though, have raised expectations for next season. |
| A mature team like the Steelers shouldn't be this inconsistent. Pittsburgh can win at the Ravens with Charlie Batch but loses at home to the Chargers with Ben Roethlisberger? This is a bad sign, especially when a letdown like this happens in December. | The biggest problem for the Steelers is that they play down to the level of their competition. Luckily for the Steelers, the next two opponents (Dallas and Cincinnati) have winning records, and the season finale is against the suddenly hot Browns. |
| AFC SOUTH by Paul Kuharsky | ||
| We are toast. This great season is going to wind up an illusion. No way we can beat the Patriots in a rematch. | It was an awful showing. But Houston is allowed to recover and do better next time. |
| We're going to win the division. How crazy is that? Houston is the team that will be tight on Sunday. | Settle down. Beating the Texans twice is a super tall order. |
| Just our luck. We can get the No. 1 pick in a year there is no clear-cut No. 1 pick. | There will be big value up there. But yeah, it would have been a lot better to have stunk last year. |
| Mike Munchak says this team is better than 4-9. Yet I look at the standings and it says the Titans are 4-9. | You are what your record is. Saying otherwise equals spin. Own it better. |
Monday Night Live: Texans-Patriots
December, 10, 2012
12/10/12
6:11
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
Join our ESPN.com NFL experts for the game of the week as the Houston Texans take on the New England Patriots on "Monday Night Football."
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET. See you there.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET. See you there.
Twitter Double Coverage: Texans vs. Pats
December, 5, 2012
12/05/12
1:14
PM ET
By
James Walker and
Paul Kuharsky | ESPN.com
Getty Images, USA TODAY SportsNew England quarterback Tom Brady faces off with Houston's Matt Schaub in a fight for AFC dominance this Monday night.Two of the NFL’s top teams will meet at Gillette Stadium when the New England Patriots host the Houston Texans on “Monday Night Football.”
There are great matchups all over the field in this game. Can Houston quarterback Matt Schaub out-duel Patriots quarterback Tom Brady? Will New England’s secondary shut down Houston Pro Bowl receiver Andre Johnson? Will Texans standout defensive end J.J. Watt be a disruptive force?
The winner of Monday’s Patriots-Texans game likely will be the favorite to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl in February. ESPN.com AFC East blogger James Walker (@ESPN_AFCEast) and AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky (@ESPN_AFCSouth) discussed the various angles Wednesday on Twitter.
You’ve heard the chatter by the sports pundits and on the talk shows. Heck, you might even have heard it here. So, are the knee-jerk reactions about your team based in reality? Our NFL bloggers weigh in.
NFC Knee-jerk Reactions | AFC Knee-jerk Reactions
WEEK 13
| Team | Knee-jerk reaction | Reality or not? |
|---|---|---|
| AFC EAST by James Walker | ||
| The Bills are hot. They will run the table and make the playoffs. | The Bills have won two of three and that's not hot enough. At 5-7, they would need a lot of luck to even have a chance at the playoffs. It's a wrap. |
| I keep going back and forth on this Ryan Tannehill guy. One week I think he's Dan Marino, and the next week I think he's another Chad Henne. Which is it? | Well, Tannehill is neither. Let's not put too many expectations on his going to the Hall of Fame. But also don't label him a draft bust after each bad game as a rookie. |
| I'm getting a little worried, Walker. The Patriots scored only 23 points when I'm used to them scoring 40 points. Is my bar too high? | Relax, Patriots fans. New England won't light up the scoreboard every week. Miami's defense is tough at home. New England will be fine. |
| Greg McElroy for president! He's much better than those two tomato cans: Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow. | Let's keep McElroy's performance in perspective. He threw for only 29 yards in New York's 7-6 victory. Let's not crown him as the next Tom Brady just yet. |
| AFC WEST by Bill Williamson | ||
| Denver is going to get the No. 2 seed and a bye in the AFC playoffs now that it is 9-3 and tied with Baltimore and New England for the second-best record in the conference. | Not so fast. Yes, Denver has an NFL-high seven-game winning streak and is playing at a high level. But New England and Baltimore won't roll over. The Broncos have to keep on winning if they expect to get the bye. |
| Brady Quinn should be considered a candidate to start next year after having the best Total QBR game of any Kansas City quarterback in the past five years in a win against Carolina. | Let's see if he can keep it up. If Quinn can be efficient and timely in the final four games, maybe he can be considered a contender for the job next year, but I think the Chiefs will look for a new starter. |
| There is a legitimate chance Dennis Allen will last just one season in Oakland. | I'm starting to think it's a real possibility. If the 3-9 Raiders go winless in the final four games, owner Mark Davis will have a hard timing finding a reason to keep Allen. I think he needs another year, but it's not my call. |
| The Chargers could go 4-12 and end up losing 11 of their final 12 games. | Why not? Does this team look capable of winning a game right now? Offensively, it is a mess, and the defense folds in the fourth quarter. I don't think the Chargers will go winless the rest of the season, but it is clearly possible. |
| AFC NORTH by Jamison Hensley | ||
| The Ravens lost to a third-string quarterback at home. How can anyone expect them to beat RG3, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning and Andy Dalton the rest of this month? That Steelers loss has created a lot of doubts. | The loss to the Steelers is deflating, especially because it came against an undermanned division rival. But the Ravens can still clinch a playoff berth Sunday with a win at Washington and can make a run at the No. 2 seed in the AFC by beating the Broncos. |
| The Bengals have won four in a row. That comeback in San Diego shows this is a special team. Cincinnati is more than a playoff contender -- it's a Super Bowl contender. | The Bengals are one of the hottest teams in the league, but let's take a deep breath. Cincinnati shouldn't be able to say "Super Bowl" until these Bengals players win a playoff game first. Still, you have to be impressed with how the running game and defense have bounced back. |
| The Browns have won four of their past seven games and are starting to look like a team on the upswing in 2013. Maybe the Browns shouldn't get rid of Pat Shurmur as head coach. | The new regime probably decided to part ways with Shurmur long before the Browns started to turn things around. The Browns already have pushed out president Mike Holmgren, and they probably will fire general manager Tom Heckert after the season. It's hard to believe Shurmur would survive the housecleaning. |
| That win in Baltimore in going to catapult the Steelers. This is starting to look like 2005, when they won their last four games to make the playoffs as a wild-card team before winning the Super Bowl. | It's a nice story that the Steelers saved their season with a surprisingly strong effort by backup Charlie Batch. But the Steelers need Ben Roethlisberger to win the Super Bowl. His health will determine how far Pittsburgh goes in the postseason. |
| AFC SOUTH by Paul Kuharsky | ||
| With our beat up secondary Tom Brady is going to light us up. I see 11-2. | The Texans have become masters at finding a way to win, and that could happen in New England, too. |
| Remember when we doubted the idea of letting Peyton Manning go and drafting Andrew Luck? Me neither. | It's hard to say anything bad about the Colts' future. Or their present. |
| Is this thing over yet? | With four games left, it's about evaluating youth and QB Chad Henne. |
| Fire everyone. And convince me in the next four games that QB Jake Locker is the guy. | A new staff isn't always the answer when things go bad. Let's see what they do in the last month of the season. |
NFL: Week 12 knee-jerk reactions
November, 27, 2012
11/27/12
1:30
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
You’ve heard the chatter by the sports pundits and on the talk shows. Heck, you might even have heard it here. So, are the knee-jerk reactions about your team based in reality? Our NFL bloggers weigh in.
NFC Knee-jerk Reactions | AFC Knee-jerk Reactions
WEEK 12
| Team | Knee-jerk reaction | Reality or not? |
|---|---|---|
| AFC EAST by James Walker | ||
| I can't remember the last time Chan Gailey made a good coaching decision. My mind is made up: Get Gailey outta here! | Lately, Gailey has certainly been more of the problem than the solution in Buffalo. If things don't turn around quickly, Gailey probably won't be back next year. |
| Forget what I said about Chad Henne last week, Walker. I'm glad we drafted Ryan Tannehill. He's pretty cool. | Dolphins fans have to come to their senses about Tannehill. He's a rookie who will go through growing pains. The key is learning from those mistakes. |
| I just bought my airplane ticket to New Orleans for Super Bowl weekend. I fully expect the Patriots to be there. | I hope this isn't a nonrefundable ticket. The Patriots look Super in November. But it's all about who stays healthy and gets hot in January. It's too early to crown anyone. |
| Fire Rex Ryan! Fire Mike Tannenbaum! Fire Fireman Ed! FIRE EVERYBODY! | Sure, the Jets were an on-field circus in their 30-point loss to the Patriots on Thanksgiving. But there are still five games left for Rex Ryan & Co. to prove they deserve one more year. Let's see what happens. |
| AFC WEST by Bill Williamson | ||
| The Broncos' flat performance against the Chiefs is a sign that this team is ready to take a dip. | Nope, it's the NFL. Every week is different, and it is difficult for any team to play at a dominant level on a weekly basis. This isn't college football. You aren't dinged for unimpressive wins. |
| There is no such thing as the Arrowhead Stadium home-field advantage anymore. The Chiefs are 0-6 at home for the first time since 1976. | Yes, but don't blame it on Arrowhead Stadium. It's not the stadium's fault, and it's not the fan base's fault. It's this team's fault. Give the stadium and the fans a good product, and Arrowhead will again be a house of horrors for visiting teams. |
| It's time to think about using Terrelle Pryor in Oakland. The season is lost. Let's see what the kid can do. | It's difficult to argue. But the Raiders' 3-8 record is not Carson Palmer's fault. He's not the problem. |
| The Chargers' defensive collapse on the Ravens' fourth-and-29 conversion Sunday was the biggest gaffe in the NFL this season. | It's hard to argue against that. All anyone wants to talk about is how the Chargers allowed a first down in that circumstance. That play will never be forgotten. |
| AFC NORTH by Jamison Hensley | ||
| The Ravens came back from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Ray Rice converted on fourth-and-29. This is shaping up to be a special season. | The win in San Diego could be the Ravens' signature victory. Everything is falling into place for the Ravens, from the AFC North title to the second seed in the AFC. The challenge is to keep up that momentum heading into the postseason. |
| The Bengals are playing like the best team in the division right now. They're not just beating teams. They're beating them up. Who Dey! | What's really impressive about the Bengals' three-game win streak is the margin of victory. They're beating teams by an average of 21 points. Cincinnati has the chance to deliver another rout at reeling San Diego. |
| The Browns are starting to turn things around. The win over the Steelers was huge for the confidence of this young team. This is a great sign for the 2013 season. | Cleveland is 3-3 after starting a disastrous 0-5. It won't be enough to save Pat Shurmur's job, but the Browns definitely are building momentum that can carry over into next season. |
| The Steelers are falling apart. They turned the ball over eight times to the Browns. How can you expect Pittsburgh to hold on to the final playoff spot in the AFC when it can't hold on to the ball? | The loss at Cleveland doesn't leave the Steelers much room for error in December. They probably have to win four of their next five games to secure a playoff spot. But this team will get a boost when Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu return. |
| AFC SOUTH by Paul Kuharsky | ||
| This team is pretty bad for a 10-1 team. The defense has been getting away with murder. We're not worried about Tennessee, but that trip to New England for "Monday Night Football" is going to be ugly. | Houston's ability to find ways to win even with one side of the ball struggling has been remarkable. The defense has hit a lull, but it's going to bounce back. |
| Never mind these people talking about how we've not beaten anyone and can't do damage in the playoffs. Our team has tremendous purpose and will continue to surprise. | There is nothing wrong with beating lesser teams when they are on your schedule. If the Colts keep going like that, it'll be a season to be proud of. |
| In Chad Henne we trust. If they had turned to this guy earlier, maybe we would be in better shape. It sure was fun to watch the Jags win. | It's completely understandable why the team hung with Blaine Gabbert for as long as it did. And Henne's first relief appearance in Oakland gave us no hint he would be such an upgrade. |
| Hooray, they fired Chris Palmer. Couldn't they have done away with Jerry Gray, too? Losing at Jacksonville makes me question how much longer I can root for this team. | It's a reasonable move, and Dowell Loggains has a chance to be a good coordinator. But expecting further change in season is silly. |
NFL: Week 11 knee-jerk reactions
November, 20, 2012
11/20/12
1:30
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
You’ve heard the chatter by the sports pundits and on the talk shows. Heck, you may have even heard it here. So are the knee-jerk reactions about your team based in reality? Our NFL bloggers weigh in.
NFC Knee-jerk Reactions | AFC Knee-jerk Reactions
WEEK 11
| Team | Knee-jerk reaction | Reality or not? |
|---|---|---|
| AFC EAST by James Walker | ||
| Did you see how we beat the Dolphins? It's time to run the table and make the playoffs, baby! | The Bills have an easy schedule, but this team isn't consistent enough to win out. Buffalo has a big game at Indianapolis next week that is a must-win. |
| I can't believe quarterback Ryan Tannehill laid two eggs in a row. I want Chad Henne back! That guy was a stud on Sunday. | Calm down, Dolphins fans. Tannehill is a rookie who must go through some growing pains. He's ahead of schedule by simply playing this year, and he'll only get better. |
| The Patriots' defense made Andrew Luck look like Trent Edwards. New England's defense won't be an issue the rest of the year. | This was a promising performance, but I'm not sure New England's defense is out of the woods just yet. But the offense is so good, it may not matter. |
| We are coming for the Patriots on Thanksgiving! We almost had them at their place, but we let them off the hook. Can't wait! | Yes, I think the Jets have a chance at the upset. Rivalry games often can go either way regardless of record. The Jets also have the benefit of catching the Patriots on a short week. |
| AFC WEST by Bill Williamson | ||
| The Broncos' offense is in serious trouble with starting running back Willis McGahee out for at least six weeks. | This offense revolves around Peyton Manning. McGahee will be missed, but Manning will find a way to make it work. |
| The outrage displayed by Chiefs fans will force Kansas City ownership into making a change at both general manager and coach. | Unless the 1-9 Chiefs somehow get hot at the end of the season, I do think the Hunt family will feel no choice but to clean house. The fan base would completely revolt if a change isn't made. |
| Oakland owner Mark Davis is seriously considering making changes because he expressed disappointment with his team's brass following Sunday's game. | No, we're not at that point, but Davis' words are worth paying attention to. It shows his frustration, and frustrated owners are always worth watching. |
| The Chargers' problems on offense are not all the fault of quarterback Philip Rivers. He just isn't getting much help. | That is very much true. Yes, Rivers is causing his own problems with his chronic turnover issues, but look at this group as a whole. It is not helping its quarterback at all. |
| AFC NORTH by Jamison Hensley | ||
| The Ravens beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh and beat up Byron Leftwich. Baltimore now owns the AFC North. The Ravens now need to worry about getting a top-two seed in the AFC. | With a two-game lead over Pittsburgh and given the current quarterback situation with the Steelers, it certainly looks like this is the Ravens' division to lose. But the Ravens could fall on Sunday at San Diego, where they've had problems. If the Steelers win at Cleveland, it's back to a one-game margin heading into another Ravens-Steelers grudge match. |
| The Bengals took care of business at Kansas City and will have no problems with Carson Palmer coming to town. Cincinnati is one game back of the banged-up Steelers for the final playoff spot. Watch out Pittsburgh, here come the Bengals! | The Bengals have a favorable schedule ahead: Oakland, San Diego, Dallas and Philadelphia. But they still need to win at Pittsburgh in late December. If the Bengals finished tied with the Steelers at the end of the season, the Steelers would have the tiebreaker edge because of the season sweep. |
| The Browns can't finish games. They were up 14-0 to the Giants earlier this year and lost. They were leading the Cowboys 13-0 at halftime on Sunday and lost. Will this agony ever end? | The close losses are heartbreaking, but there is reason for hope. Being competitive shows that there is talent on this team. The next step is finding a way to get these young players over the hump late in games. |
| It looks like Charlie Batch is now going to start with Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich being hurt. Will he be able to hold up at 37? Can he beat the Browns in Cleveland? This is starting to look bad for the Steelers. | Batch is certainly the last resort in terms of quarterbacks on the current roster, but he has won before. He's 5-2 as a fill-in starter for Pittsburgh and has shown the ability to be a game manager (look at the game against the Rams last season). But it will be time to worry if the Steelers lose at Cleveland. |
| AFC SOUTH by Paul Kuharsky | ||
| Our defense is horrible! What happened? We made the Jaguars look like a dangerous offense. Johnathan Joseph is hurt. Megatron will detroy us. | Even the best teams have a bad day. And when you win on your bad day, that's a pretty good development. The Texans are probably going to lose more than one game, and it won't be catastrophic. |
| So much for those playoff hopes. That team that took the field in New England was horrible. They didn't deserve to be on the same field with the Patriots. | Being a playoff team and being an elite team in the AFC are two very different things. The Colts can easily be the first without being the second. |
| Even on our best day we lose and give up massive quarterback and receiver performances. Blaine Gabbert is done here. Chad Henne and Justin Blackmon can beat the Titans, can't they? | It's been a long time since the Jaguars felt good about themselves. And even after blowing that game in Houston, there is reason to feel more upbeat than they have in a long time. |
| Losing to Jacksonville on Sunday might be a new low for this team. Who's going to cover Justin Blackmon? | Maybe they found their footing with the big win in Miami and with self-scouting over the bye week. I don't see five or six wins the rest of the way, but Tennessee can play better down the stretch. |
Join our ESPN.com NFL experts for the rivalry game between the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET. See you there.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET. See you there.
Twitter Double Coverage: Colts vs. Patriots
November, 14, 2012
11/14/12
4:25
PM ET
By
Paul Kuharsky | ESPN.com
US PresswireIs the rivalry between the Andrew Luck-led Colts and the Tom Brady-led Patriots as good as it used to be?For a long time, Colts vs. Patriots has meant Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady.
Can they pull a road upset against the defending AFC Champions? Bruce Arians has drawn up plenty of game plans against Bill Belichick, but it's the Patriots who could find more to exploit in this matchup.
ESPN.com AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky (@ESPN_AFCSouth) and ESPNBoston's Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) discussed the game on Twitter this afternoon.
AFC SOUTH SCOREBOARD
Sunday, 9/8
1:00 PM ET Oakland Indianapolis 1:00 PM ET Tennessee Pittsburgh 1:00 PM ET Kansas City Jacksonville
Monday, 9/9
10:15 PM ET Houston San Diego - ESPN/WatchESPN
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Paul Kuharsky
Kuharsky joined ESPN.com in 2008 after 12 years covering the Oilers/Titans and the NFL for The (Nashville) Tennessean. The New Jersey native and Columbia graduate lives in Nashville with his wife and son.
