By Vincent Laguardia
Staff Writer
Year after year, some NFL team with low expectations comes out firing on all cylinders, much to the surprise of the league and its fans. Conversely, a team with high expectations usually comes out flat out of the gate and puts their team in an early hole. This season is no different, as a few teams have gotten off to nice starts, while others have faltered.
Surprises:
Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs (3-0) look much different than last seasons 2-14 team. With Alex Smith at the helm, Kansas City has taken down Jacksonville, Dallas, and Philadelphia in the seasons first 3 weeks. The Chiefs look like the lone challenger to Denver in the AFC West and have gotten off to the start they needed to keep pace with Peyton Manning and the Broncos.
Miami Dolphins: It’s not only their new uniforms that have the Dolphins looking like a totally different team on the field. Miami has begun its 2013 campaign with authority, taking down Cleveland and Indianapolis in the seasons opening weeks. Ryan Tannehill, making strides in his sophomore campaign, looks strong in his efforts to lead the Fins toward the postseason.
Baltimore Ravens: Yes, they were torn up in the NFL season opener by Peyton and the Broncos, but the defending champs have recovered from a shaky start to win two in a row, including a decisive win over the AFC power Houston Texans. Baltimore has a lot of holes to fill from last year, but a strong defense and the return of the injured Ray Rice should help the Ravens remain contenders.
Disappointments:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs are having all sorts of issues on and off the field. Relations between the players and second year head coach Greg Schiano are causing distractions, Josh Freeman’s starting job is in jeopardy, and Tampa Bay has lost its first two games on the final play of the game. The Bucs can’t afford to fall behind in a division as electric and competitive as the NFC South.
New York Giants: The Giants are known to start off the season a little slow. But after two turnover-filled disasters to start the year, Big Blue looks to be in some trouble. Injuries have plagued them, but if New York can’t hold onto the football and control the line of scrimmage, they might be looking at their first losing season since 2004.
Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers are known for their winning pedigree, but something just isn’t clicking in the Steel City. The Pittsburgh running game has been virtually non-existent and scoring has been a major issue. These problems must be addressed if the Steelers want to steal back some thunder from the defending champion Ravens in the AFC North.
