LOS ANGELES, November 10, 2012 — Before getting to the second half of the NFL 2012 season, let’s check the standings from the first half.
AFC EAST
New England Patriots 5-3
Miami Dolphins 4-4
New York Jets 3-5
Buffalo Bills 3-5
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens 6-2
Pittsburgh Steelers 5-3
Cincinnati Bengals 3-5
Cleveland Browns 2-7
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans 7-1
Indianapolis Colts 6-3
Tennessee Titans 3-6
Jacksonville Jaguars 1-8
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos 5-3
San Diego Chargers 4-4
Oakland Raiders 3-5
Kansas City Chiefs 1-7
NFC EAST
New York Giants 6-3
Philadelphia Eagles 3-5
Dallas Cowboys 3-5
Washington Redskins 3-6
NFC NORTH
Chicago Bears 7-1
Green Bay Packers 6-3
Minnesota Vikings 5-4
Detroit Lions 4-4
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons 8-0
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4-4
New Orleans Saints 3-5
Carolina Panthers 2-6
NFC WEST
San Francisco 49ers 6-2
Seattle Seahawks 5-4
Arizona Cardinals 4-5
St. Louis Rams 3-5
With all due respect to the unbeaten Falcons, there is not a single team in the league this year that is a lock to win it all. As for the 7-1 Bears, they may stumble in the NFC North and get overtaken by a resurgent Green Bay team. The 49ers will run away with their division, and the Giants already have. Denver has Peyton Manning and the rest of the AFC Worst does not.
The same goes for the Patriots in the AFC East and Tom Brady. The Ravens and Steelers are not as dominant as in prior years, and injuries have decimated Baltimore. Yet playing in a division with Cincinnati and Cleveland helps pad the records. Houston should be able to hold off the Colts although it will not be a surprise of down the stretch if they fall short of home field or even a first round bye.
The Washington Redskins game last week failed to predict the presidential election, and thankfully in the wake of Hurricane Sandy both the Giants and Jets will be on the road. The Jets had a bye week last week, which may mean absolutely nothing.
The race is wide open, and critics are lambasting what they see as “parity.” This has never been an accurate term. The NFL is not mired in mediocrity. It is better than ever. There are great teams and bad teams, but “Any given Sunday” still exists. This is not parity. It is competitive balance. May the second half of the season be as suspenseful. Now on to the games.
Indianapolis Colts (3) @ Jacksonville Jaguars was the Thursday night game.
(Colts cover)
Oakland Raiders @ Baltimore Ravens (7.5)
(Ravens win but fail to cover)
Denver Broncos (4) @ Carolina Panthers
(Broncos win but fail to cover)
New York Giants (4.5) @ Cincinnati Bengals
(Giants win but fail to cover)
Tennessee Titans @ Miami Dolphins (6)
(Dolphins win but fail to cover)
Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings (Pick ‘em)
(Vikings win)
Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots (11)
(Patriots cover)
Atlanta Falcons (2.5) @ New Orleans Saints
(Upset special, Saints win outright)
San Diego Chargers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3)
(Upset special, Chargers win outright)
New York Jets @ Seattle Seahawks (6.5)
(Seahawks win but fail to cover)
Dallas Cowboys (1) @ Philadelphia Eagles
(Upset special, Eagles win outright)
St. Louis Rams @ San Francisco 49ers (11.5)
(49ers win but fail to cover)
Houston Texans @ Chicago Bears (1) is the Sunday night game.
(Bears cover)
Kansas City Chiefs @ Pittsburgh Steelers (12.5) is the Monday night game.
(Steelers cover)
Brooklyn born, Long Island raised, and now living in Los Angeles, Eric Golub is a columnist, blogger, author, public speaker, satirist and comedian who is obsessed with the National Football League. There is no offseason. Every February he pretends to care about other sports while sobbing uncontrollably each Sunday until September.
Eric is the author of the book trilogy “Ideological Bigotry, “Ideological Violence,” and “Ideological Idiocy.” When not watching football, his only other hobby is Republican, Jewish women. Republican, Jewish women, you may contact Eric above.
Follow Eric on Twitter @TYGRRRREXPRESS Eric Golub is an independent writer for the Communities. Read more from Eric at his TYGRRRR EXPRESS blog. Read more: NFL 2012 Predictions | Washington Times Communities
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