Keeps on getting better!

What an exciting Week 5! The 2nd quarter of the season was full of surprises. There were upsets, thrashings, late game heroics and an overtime thriller. One thing is for certain: there is no dominant team this year. For any team that you think can win it all, I can find 5 reasons to agree with you and another 5 for why that team may not even make the playoffs.

But, there are a few front runners. Barring injury, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Atlanta figure to make a lot of noise come playoff time. It’s a crapshoot trying to pick the other teams trying to punch a ticket to Dallas come February.

Top 10 Thoughts for Week 5:

1. Either the Giants are underrated or the Texans are overrated. The Giants have played like gangbusters the last two weeks. That’s either a sign of a team coming together or the Bears and Texans are just average.
2. It was good to see the Redskins win a game we’ve seen them lose so many times in the past. If you would have told me that either Rodgers or McNabb would throw an interception in OT, 9/10 I would have picked McNabb…maybe the Redskins fortunes are turning.
3. Not sure which team is worse – Carolina or Buffalo. At least Buffalo is admittedly in a rebuilding year. The million dollar question is whether Coach Fox makes it through the year in Carolina.
4. Detroit is definitely better than their record implies. They were robbed in Chicago, were competitive in their other three losses and have been playing with their backup QB. Look for them to make some noise the rest of the way.
5. That loss by Cincinnati to Tampa Bay could mean the end for Carson Palmer and Coach Lewis. Throwing the ball with a chance to salt the game away? Costly interceptions? And where is Ochocinco? With Baltimore and Pittsburgh in their division, Cincinnati could ill afford to lose a game they had in the bag.
6. Either the AFC South is the toughest division or it’s the division that wins ugly. All four teams are 3-2 and all four teams have impressive wins and terrible losses on their resumes this year.
7. The Saints are another example of why repeating in the NFL is difficult. After bad losses to Atlanta and Arizona (and a rookie QB!), Sean Payton has to be shaking his head. Brees has looked good but the offense is missing that explosiveness from last year. It looks like the offense benefited from the defense producing turnovers and short fields and that isn’t happening this year.
8. Not that it’s all his fault but the “when will he be fired” watch is on full tilt in San Fran. The 49ers are 0-5 in a completely winnable division. If they go 0-6, I think that’s a wrap for Singletary.
9. San Diego/Oakland had to be the game of the day. Rivers had a monster game, Oakland had, lost, and regained the lead and Campbell had a decent game. If I’m a Charger (or a fan), I’m pissed at the GM for playing hard ball w/Jackson. With Jackson in the lineup, they would be at least 4-1, if not 5-0. Just saying.
10. Looking forward to Moss-Revis II. Actually, I want to see how Favre and his new toy do in their first game together. Will Favre force it to Moss and throw 3 INTs? Will the Childress game plan include feeding AD 25-30 times? While this is a pivotal game for both the Vikings and the Jets, you get the feeling that it’s a must win for the Vikings.