The Top 5 Teams in the NFL?
According to Joe Theismann's column on EPSN, the Top 5 run NFL franchises today are as follows.
1.) New England Patriots
2.) Denver Broncos
3.) Dallas Cowboys
4.) Indianapolis Colts
5.) Baltimore Ravens
I think this list is totally ridiculous. Number one and number four are the only ones I can say I fully agree with. The Cowboys? They haven't had a consistently winning teams since Jimmy Johnson was Head Coach. Losing one man and losing everything with him is not a mark of a well run franchise. The Ravens? Why. They have a good defense, and for season after season they have done nothing to improve their mediocre as hell offense. Finally they picked up Steve McNair. Not a huge improvement really. The Colts I agree with. The Broncos? I'm not quite sure about the Broncos. Here are mine.
1.) New England Patriots
This choice is obvious. In ten years, the Kraft administration has taken the team from being the biggest joke in the NFL to five AFC Championship games, winning four of them, and four Super Bowls, winning three of them. They have done it with no huge stars, other than Tom Brady (and Corey Dillon in 2004) but instead by taking a business-first approach and building a solid team of good players on every position, who know their role and can execute it well. They also have been tough dealers, never paying too much for a player, and letting even the best ones go when they start to demand a lot of money. Despite this, they have built an NFL dynasty. An amazing achievement.
2.) Pittsburgh Steelers
Two coaches in 35 years, just now finally replacing Bill Cowher, a great coach. They have managed to avoid nearly ever having a bad season (this past year being an exception) and have remained almost constantly a consistent playoff contender.
3.) Philadelphia Eagles
Again, with a smart coach and good players, they have appeared in the playoffs time and time again, going to four NFC Championship games straight, culminating in a Super Bowl appearance in the 2004-05 season. Even this past year, having lost their star QB Donovan McNabb, they had a good enough guy at second string (Jeff Garcia) that they were able to rally and get to the Divisional Round of the playoffs, losing to the extremely hot #2 seed Saints. It is not the only big name loss the Eagles have shown they can handle (TO?). A very well run team.
4.) Indianapolis Colts
With the Dungy doctrine, this team has managed to shore up its defense and make it all the way, currently sitting as the reigning Super Bowl Champions. Meanwhile, while their O-Line leaves something to be desired, they have a stellar offense with Manning at QB. They can do anything, whether it be run the ball or throw it. But getting to the Super Bowl was not easy, and it took much longer than most would have suggested. Indy gets kudos for sticking to Dungy's plan and allowing him to do what he wanted to do with the team. It was not an easy decision, to be sure. Colts are not just packed with stars, they are a well run franchise. Would I be saying the same if they hadn't won the Super Bowl this year? I don't know, maybe not.
5.) Green Bay Packers.
I know, I know, this is an extremely controversial call. But they have, quietly, built a young, good, football team in Green Bay. They have traded away players when it was time to do so, and not taken the bait on grabbing big names that are over the hill (Corey Dillon, Randy Moss) or in other ways dangerous (Moss!). All that is holding this team back from really challenging the Bears over domination of the NFC North wears number 4. His name starts with "Brett Favre" and ends with an E.However, I cannot really blame them for not cutting the guy. He is an NFL legend, and their fan base would tear them apart. At some point, an NFL franchise is a business that needs to keep its customers happy. Nevertheless, in one or two seasons when Favre is gone, look for the Packers to be neck in neck with the Bears (last season's NFC Champs, who also went into the playoffs at the #1 conference seed with a 13-3 record) for domination of that division.
1.) New England Patriots
2.) Denver Broncos
3.) Dallas Cowboys
4.) Indianapolis Colts
5.) Baltimore Ravens
I think this list is totally ridiculous. Number one and number four are the only ones I can say I fully agree with. The Cowboys? They haven't had a consistently winning teams since Jimmy Johnson was Head Coach. Losing one man and losing everything with him is not a mark of a well run franchise. The Ravens? Why. They have a good defense, and for season after season they have done nothing to improve their mediocre as hell offense. Finally they picked up Steve McNair. Not a huge improvement really. The Colts I agree with. The Broncos? I'm not quite sure about the Broncos. Here are mine.
1.) New England Patriots
This choice is obvious. In ten years, the Kraft administration has taken the team from being the biggest joke in the NFL to five AFC Championship games, winning four of them, and four Super Bowls, winning three of them. They have done it with no huge stars, other than Tom Brady (and Corey Dillon in 2004) but instead by taking a business-first approach and building a solid team of good players on every position, who know their role and can execute it well. They also have been tough dealers, never paying too much for a player, and letting even the best ones go when they start to demand a lot of money. Despite this, they have built an NFL dynasty. An amazing achievement.
2.) Pittsburgh Steelers
Two coaches in 35 years, just now finally replacing Bill Cowher, a great coach. They have managed to avoid nearly ever having a bad season (this past year being an exception) and have remained almost constantly a consistent playoff contender.
3.) Philadelphia Eagles
Again, with a smart coach and good players, they have appeared in the playoffs time and time again, going to four NFC Championship games straight, culminating in a Super Bowl appearance in the 2004-05 season. Even this past year, having lost their star QB Donovan McNabb, they had a good enough guy at second string (Jeff Garcia) that they were able to rally and get to the Divisional Round of the playoffs, losing to the extremely hot #2 seed Saints. It is not the only big name loss the Eagles have shown they can handle (TO?). A very well run team.
4.) Indianapolis Colts
With the Dungy doctrine, this team has managed to shore up its defense and make it all the way, currently sitting as the reigning Super Bowl Champions. Meanwhile, while their O-Line leaves something to be desired, they have a stellar offense with Manning at QB. They can do anything, whether it be run the ball or throw it. But getting to the Super Bowl was not easy, and it took much longer than most would have suggested. Indy gets kudos for sticking to Dungy's plan and allowing him to do what he wanted to do with the team. It was not an easy decision, to be sure. Colts are not just packed with stars, they are a well run franchise. Would I be saying the same if they hadn't won the Super Bowl this year? I don't know, maybe not.
5.) Green Bay Packers.
I know, I know, this is an extremely controversial call. But they have, quietly, built a young, good, football team in Green Bay. They have traded away players when it was time to do so, and not taken the bait on grabbing big names that are over the hill (Corey Dillon, Randy Moss) or in other ways dangerous (Moss!). All that is holding this team back from really challenging the Bears over domination of the NFC North wears number 4. His name starts with "Brett Favre" and ends with an E.However, I cannot really blame them for not cutting the guy. He is an NFL legend, and their fan base would tear them apart. At some point, an NFL franchise is a business that needs to keep its customers happy. Nevertheless, in one or two seasons when Favre is gone, look for the Packers to be neck in neck with the Bears (last season's NFC Champs, who also went into the playoffs at the #1 conference seed with a 13-3 record) for domination of that division.
posted by Ben-T | 9:56 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home