NFL
Early Favorites The past few years have seen teams suddenly catch fire around this time to suddenly catapult themselves into the Super Bowl (Giants/Cardinals). It's hard to figure who that might be and it seems hard to imagine any of the favorites being knocked aside (of course at this point last year I never would guessed Arizona was on its way to the Super Bowl). New England and Indy perennial favorites seem to be heading to yet another AFC title matchup while New Orleans and Minnesota are cream of the crop in the NFC. All avoided let downs this week (Minnesota beating the bye)
Who Dey (Part II) If I was trying to find a team about to launch intself into that strata one would be Cinci. Cinci's D simply dominated Baltimore while Benson and Palmer continued to roll on. I had assumed at some point either Benson wouldn't produce or the D would be exposed. At 6-2 and an easy schedule the Bengals could be well placed for a late run.
Disappointments If I was going to label two first half disappointments they both reside in the NFC North: Green Bay and Chicago. Both before the season were picked as two of the better if not best teams in the NFC and both at this point are mediocre at best. Green Bay gave away a game to previously winless Tampa Bay while Chicago was thumped by Arizona.
College Football
Cinderella Goes Down Whether it was a team that got looking ahead to a big matchup, a team devastated by a hurt QB, or simply its luck ran out Iowa bowed out of the ranks of the unbeaten
this week. Iowa seemingly had been playing with fire for weeks both on the field with last second death defying wins and off via injuries as by the end of the game against Northwestern Iowa was on their 4rth string RB and 2nd string QB - Saturday it caught up to them....
Return of Tressel Ball Iowa's loss was particularly devastastating due the Return of Tressel Ball and the first win tOSU has had over a top 15 since Michigan 2006. Smothering defense, outstanding special teams, and mistake free offense (no turnovers/sacks) made the victory over Penn State definitive. The Sweatervest victory means that the winner of Iowa and tOSU will win the Big 10 and go the Rose Bowl.
Pac 10 Open Oregon's loss to Stanford would have been interpreted, if it happened in the NFL, as the proverbial let down game. However, Oregon really never had a chance at the Championship game and even with the loss still controls its destiny to win the Pac 10 so I think the loss isn't that significant. It does, though, now mean that 1 game seperates the top 5 teams in the Pac 10 so Oregon's margin for error is now zero.
Other thoughts - Another SEC game, another favorable call for a SEC elite, another victory by the SEC elite. Alabama officially clinched a birth in the National Championship Semifinal game better known as the SEC Championship Game when the SEC refs ruled against an LSU interception. Jahvid Best gets the nomination for scariest TD in awhile.
NBA
It's Still Early but two teams that have surprisingly done well are Phoenix and Miami (6-1 and 5-1) respectively. Phoenix substituted Channing Frye for Shaq while Miami added Quintin Richardson - hardily moves that should vault either into division leader status. Phoenix seems to be playing like it used (all offense no defense) which might be enough to get a playoff spot. Miami over the long haul has to rely on Jermaine O'Neal staying healthy and Michael Beasley continuing his productivity (less likely)
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