Greeson: Falcons, Titans struggles are an area TV reality

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The NFL is a paradigm of parity, and that, in part, makes it as popular as it is.

Gamblers are hooked on that fact. Fantasy football players are confounded by that knowledge. The drama and unpredictability from a television standpoint make it the best reality TV going.

That said, this year there seems to be a cream rising and the dead weight falling more pronouncedly than in previous years. And with that divide comes clarity.

And cause for TV trepidation.

Since the NFL is territorial in its broadcast patterns and since the Falcons and the Titans -- the two closest franchises to the 423 and the ones that we get shown weekly on Sundays -- stink, we are going to be delivered a steady diet of meaningless games for the foreseeable future.

Hey, at least there's Sunday night football, right?

On to the power poll (beginning with teams that include some we likely won't get to see all that often):

• 1. Dallas. Yep, just like we all predicted, right? The Cowboys had one of the five worst defenses in NFL history a year ago, and they have flipped their script by becoming the best running team in the NFL with a defense that makes enough plays to win. Who knew? Still, even if the Cowboys win 14 games this year, the measure of this bunch in general and Tony Romo in particular will be in January.

• 2. Denver. Peyton Manning set the NFL record for TD passes. You may have heard about it. It made the papers. Did you know that he threw those 510 touchdowns to 45 players and Marvin Harrison caught the most of them with 112? And according to spotrac.com, Manning has earned a shade under $230 million during his NFL career, while the 45 chaps who collected TD passes from him have earned more than $600 million.

• 3. Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers told Packers Nation to relax a month ago. Five straight wins make that much easier. With a win Sunday night in New Orleans, the Discount Double Check may need to incorporate some sort of "Relax," M.O. in their next commercial.

• 4. Indianpolis. We've said this before and we believe it more now than ever: If the NFL reshuffled every player and had a redraft, Andrew Luck is the No. 1 overall pick. Period.

• 5. San Diego. Tough loss in a divisional road game. It happens. Let's see how the Chargers -- a team that has been a personification of a political election in that they are big news in September and October and forgotten after the middle of November -- react to it.

Bottom 5

• 28. Tennessee. OK, Titans fans, raise your hand for the rallying cry that is, "Is that Charlie Whitehurst's entrance music?" Man, the trio of Whitehurst-Hunter-Sankey is a little less intimidating than the Aikman-Irvin-Smith triplets, huh?

• 29. Minnesota. Teddy Bridgewater has shown flashes. You know who else has flashes? Your mom. And old-school cameras. So take that for what it is. Still, the Vikings get a pass considering their offensive centerpiece is in timeout and being punished. We'll stop talking now.

• 30. New York Jets. The worst offense in the league trades for a dynamic playmaker who may have the worst attitude in the league. Side question: Who gets a defensive coordinator job first, soon-to-be-fired Jets coach Rex Ryan or soon-to-be-fired Florida coach Will Muschamp?

• 31. Jacksonville. The Jags win a game! The Jags win a game! We don't know if rookie Blake Bortles will be a franchise guy, but he's certainly better than the bumbling buffet that has been Jacksonville quarterback play highlighted by Chad Henne and Blaine Gabbert.

• 32. Oakland. The Raiders are winless and it could be after Thanksgiving before they are less than a TD underdog. Oakland is a 7-point underdog this week at Cleveland and then goes to Seattle, vs. Denver, at San Diego, vs. Kansas City, at St. Louis, vs. San Fran. Ouch-standing. At least Al Davis is not alive to see this. If he was, he'd blame Lane Kiffin.

Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com.

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