NFL Thoughts

Wow, that was a lot of points today.

The Colts are on their second drive, and this offense looks like it's starting to click. If everyone is healthy and the line holds up, they have so many ways to beat you: two good running backs, a great pass-catching tight end, three wideouts who can light it up, and Manning, who's no longer losing five or ten throws a game like he was in the first half of the year. The defense is still shakier than Bruce Seldon before the Tyson fight, but they could walk into the postseason as the AFC favorite. 

As far as Manning goes, it seems like the job he's done on a bum knee is getting way too little attention. I defer to Bill Simmons:

Put it this way: If Tom Brady played every down after two summer knee surgeries, limped around for all of September, kept his injury-depleted team alive with some clutch plays, rounded into shape and improbably positioned his team as a sleeper contender, I'd be covered in body oil and sparkle right now. Peyton Manning has to be the MVP through 11 weeks.

Steve McNair won an MVP while putting up worse numbers than Manning is now a few years ago for the Titans, basically for being banged up, but not too many people are talking about Manning as a candidate. I repeat my question during the famous Heisman Robbery of 1997: Where's the love?

Any team can look bad for a week, but the Titans got pantsed at home by a decent but unexceptional Jets squad, who ran all over them. That's a week after getting jumped on early by the Jaguars, and two weeks after not being able to run at all against the Bears. Basically, every week they look flawed in a new way. They still have to be the betting favorites to get out of the AFC, but the Titans were the least intimidating 10-0 team I've ever seen. 

Matt Cassel looks better every week. He may not look the same without Randy Moss and Wes Welker, but he's accurate, can make lots of throws, and is doing it without a really solid running game. The Scott Mitchell comparisons are unfair. I think he'd be worth a risk for Seattle, Tampa Bay, or any other team without any good long-term options at quarterback.