No surprise. The Cowboys played well, especially defensively. I suppose that part is surprising. But the Patriots find a way at the end of the game for the millionth time in the last decade or so. There's no point rooting against them. At 5-1, they're light years ahead of the Jets, and so much better and more poised. Of course, having a Hall-of-Fame quarterback in Tom Brady(notes) and Bill Belichik as coach doesn't hurt.
Buffalo Bills-New York Giants - The Giants continue to fly under the radar, even at 4-2. Mostly, that's because they probably should be undefeated, and have a gauntlet of a schedule in the second half of the season. For one week, New York Jets' coach Rex Ryan ought to send a box of chocolates to Giants' coach Tom Coughlin for keeping the Bills within Gang Green's reach.
Indianapolis Colts- Cincinnati Bengals - It won't last long, because the Bengals have four games to play with thePittsburgh SteelersandBaltimore Ravens, but for now they are 4-2. See what a good defense can provide in today's NFL? Teams don't face them anymore, so when they do, it's a real obstacle. Factor in, of course, that the Colts are dreadful.
Jacksonville Jaguars- Pittsburgh Steelers - Maybe the Steelers aren't as good as everyone thought they'd be. Squeezing by the Jaguars? At home? Remember the Jaguars pasting by the Jets? It's surprising the Steelers couldn't duplicate that humiliation, especially since the Jets have played so terribly.
Cleveland Browns-Oakland Raiders - I actually thought the Browns would prevail here, convinced that, at some point, the Raiders would have to return to the third planet from the sun. Perhaps they, too, are a better team than everyone expected. Since I still don't believe wholeheartedly in Jason Campbell(notes), his absence shouldn't deter them all that much. But I also thought they wouldn't be any good this year.
Houston Texans- Baltimore Ravens - If it weren't for the Patriots' brilliance, I'd insert the Ravens in the Super Bowl right now. Though the Texans were shorthanded, it's impactful they were manhandled by the bully Ravens.
Glenn Vallach has been a football fan for most of his lifetime, but never played organized pigskin unless you consider the thousands of youth hours running slant routes on city streets with a friend serving as Joe Willie. Don Maynard was his idol, an adulation he took seriously, complete with a number 13 stitched to his sweatshirt. In later years, he modernized his admiration and included Wayne Chrebet. Receivers—always receivers. He remains a New York Jet fan through so much disappointment and embarrassment over the years. Coach Rex Ryan has rekindled a dormant fire, but sometimes he feels as if he doesn't understand the likely end result of all his efforts. It has been 42 years, after all.
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