NFL Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells once stated, “You are what your record says you are.”
That point is hard to argue, but just because only one team has a perfect record through four weeks of the season does not necessarily mean they are the best.
The NFL has nearly completed 25 % of its 2022 regular season schedule which gives a tiny sample size of where teams are sitting.
The standings show Philadelphia Eagles are 4-0 but does anybody really believe they are a legit Super Bowl contender other than their diehard fans?
Let’s examine that record a little more closely.
The Eagles have had a soft schedule with wins over Detroit, Minnesota, Washington, and Jacksonville.
Last I checked, neither the Lions, Vikings, Commanders nor the Jaguars made the playoffs last season.
In fact, neither of those four teams had a winning record in 2021.
Yes, “you are what your record says you are,” but sometimes that is misleading.
The Eagles have a realistic chance of not only winning their division but finishing with the best record in the NFC and perhaps the best in the league.
The reason for that is that the soft schedule will continue for most of the remaining of 2022.
Of their 13 remaining games, none are against the LA Rams, San Francisco, Tampa Bay, Buffalo, Kansas City, Cincinnati, or any other elite team except Green Bay.
They even get a break by playing the Packers at home (Nov 27th).
Of their 12 other games, five are against teams in their own NFC East division: Dallas (2), NY Giants (2), Washington
The other seven are against Arizona, Pittsburgh, Houston, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Chicago, and New Orleans.
Whether you like the Eagles or not would you bet on them, even with home-field advantage, in the playoffs against the Rams, 49’ers, or Bucs, all of whom are sitting just
2-2?
I wouldn’t and I doubt the majority would.
One more nugget on the Eagles; they lead the league in turnover stats at plus eight, a pace of plus two a game which is nearly impossible to keep up.
Parity seems to be the story at the quarter pole with nearly half of the 32 teams sitting 2-2 entering Week 5.
Denver was one of those 15 teams at .500 until they lost an ugly Thursday night game, 12-9 in overtime to Indianapolis.
Colts beat Broncos 12-9 (OT).
Seven FGs.
Denver had a chance to tie it…went for the win…and lost.
What a horrible game. https://t.co/BNXlpY9wCj
— Michael Taube (@michaeltaube) October 7, 2022
All teams in the NFC West are 2-2 but do not expect Seattle to keep up at that rate.
The Seahawks have given up 115 points, second most in the NFL with Detroit (141) the only team that has surrendered more.
Of the seven teams that have a 3-1 record, three of them are in the AFC.
Those three, Buffalo, Kansas City, and Miami are contenders that should reach the playoffs.
Of the four in the NFC at 3-1, Green Bay would top that list while Dallas and Minnesota are off to a good start but still may have difficulty qualifying for the postseason.
Give the New York Giants credit for being at 3-1 but it is likely they will fade away.
The Giants are last in the entire league in passing yards averaging just 139.5 per game.
Of the now 14 teams at 2-2, the New York Jets, Chicago and Seattle are overachieving and will not be a threat come Christmas.
The Atlanta Falcons are also in that 2-2 group but they are more competitive than most people gave them credit for.
No, I do not believe they will be a playoff contender but they are not a pushover and are one of seven .500 teams that have scored more points than they have given up.
Indianapolis is the 15th team with a .500 record at 2-2-1 but the Colts offense, led by aging QB Matt Ryan, is awful.
The 37-year-old Ryan looks uncomfortable at best since joining his new team.
COLTS HOLD OFF THE BRONCOS IN OT, 12-9 👀
Matt Ryan: 26-41, 251 YDs, 0 TD, 2 INT pic.twitter.com/v7uOHkOh4v
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 7, 2022
Of the seven teams at 1-3, I would rate Las Vegas as the best of that bunch followed by New Orleans and New England.
The other four, Pittsburgh, Washington, Detroit, and Carolina have a long season ahead.
The Houston Texans are the only winless team at 0-3-1.
Are they the worst team in the league?
The record says yes and they are near the bottom in both team offense and defense. stats.
Recent history shows a team can lose five games but as long as they peak at the right time can be primed to win the Super Bowl.
The LA Rams in 2022 were 12-5, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021 were 11-5 before they got hot at the right time and went on to win football’s biggest prize.
As observers and fans, we love to draw conclusions early but in this year’s NFL, the only conclusion to this point is we are really not much further ahead than we were in early September when all teams were 0-0.
Cat Scan podcast:
Prince George Cougars Director of Scouting Bob Simmonds talks about his RCMP days including being a limo driver for Queen Elizabeth and a bodyguard for political dignitaries. He also discusses many aspects of the Cougars team in this week’s Cat Scan podcast.
CAT SCAN: @Hartley_Miller chats with @PGCougars Director of Scouting @RiderFanBob in this week’s episode | #cityofpg https://t.co/DRDq89HnXq #PrinceGeorge #northernbc #sports pic.twitter.com/Me92mNVI0U
— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) October 6, 2022
FROM THE QUOTE RACK:
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving says he turned down a four-year, $100 million-plus extension a year ago because he wanted to remain unvaccinated. Apparently, it was a one-shot deal.
*Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times http://www.seattletimes.com/author/dwight-perry/
The neurologist that cleared Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa to play last Thursday night (September 29th) has been fired. They also dismantled the phone booth that served as headquarters for his medical school.
*Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California
Tom Brady says his shoulder feels fine and he expects to play Sunday. No word about the cold shoulder he’s getting from Giselle.
*Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com
In Case You Missed It:
ESPN claims there will be a huge demand for 18-year-old French basketball star Victor Wembanyama in the next NBA draft. At a 7-foot-three — and still growing — I’d say expectations are high.
*Western Canadian comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com
Hartley Miller is the news and sports director/supervisor plus morning news anchor for 94.3 the GOAT and Country 97fm. He is in his 10th season as the radio colour commentator for P.G. Cougars’ home games. Hartley has been on the Prince George airwaves since 1979 and is the author of You Don’t Say (sports quotes).
Something going on in the Prince George area you think people should know about?
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