Fresh out of college, newly-married, unable to get a job in anything even remotely resembling the field of journalism, your humble correspondent once did a two-year hitch teaching English and Social Studies in the Pittsburgh parochial school system.
We reveal this nugget from a tattered resume only because it is time for the mid-term assessment in the NFC and, with the entreaties of former principal Sister Mary Grace still rattling around my consciousness even after 25 years, it seems altogether appropriate that most franchises drew grades in the "C-range" level from ESPN.com.
Appropriate because, as that saintly nun used to remind her charges at every report card period, most people just tend to be average. No sin in that, of course, unless you are an NFL franchise. Then average doesn't quite cut it, and usually earns you a stint in front of the big-screen television come playoff time -- and an offseason of mental inventory.
Every pundit predicted, however, in preseason that the NFC would be the weaker of the conferences. And at the halfway point, that's exactly the case, with only the potent St. Louis Rams drawing an "A" rating. Then again, in the old "bell curve" system, the A's and the B's should approximate the number of C's and D's handed out, with C-level grades the most numerous.
And that's exactly how the NFC grades played out, with a half-dozen grades in the "C" category, and just five teams ascending from there. We tend to examine more than just how well a team plays to its potential than its raw win-loss record. With that in mind, here is a look at the first-half analysis:
Arizona Cardinals (2-6)
If the NFL ever decided to "contract" by two teams,
wouldn't this franchise, even with its new landing-path stadium actually
committed to blueprints now, be one of the franchises to disappear? The fans
don't seem to care, the media pays the Cardinals no attention, and good
young players never even get a sniff of the spotlight. Wide receiver David
Boston is one of the league's best players at his position. Right guard
Leonard Davis is arguably the NFL's best offensive rookie. But no one
outside the inaptly nicknamed "Valley of the Sun" knows either player. It's
time to abandon the Jake Plummer experiment because, the truth is,
home-grown talent only helps a franchise sell tickets when the team wins. No
sane person expected a playoff berth this year, but it was reasonable to
anticipate improvement, and there has been precious little.
Grade: D.
Atlanta Falcons (4-4)
Take away those two overtime losses to San Francisco and
the Falcons would be neatly positioned for a playoff berth. But despite
moments of brilliance, this is the ultimate "tease" team, a bunch that
characteristically has followed every bright spot with a pratfall. It's the
history of a franchise that, in nearly four decades, has never posted
consecutive winning years. That helps explain why, unless the Falcons face
an opponent that has a loyal expatriate following in metro Atlanta, there
are 30,000 empty seats in the showplace Georgia Dome. The season-ending
injury to tailback Jamal Anderson was a huge setback, but replacement
Maurice Smith has played well, and quarterback Chris Chandler has been near
the top of the passing stats. Former first-rounders Keith Brooking and
Patrick Kerney provide a pair of defensive building blocks.
Grade: C-minus.
Carolina Panthers (1-8)
Embattled coach George Seifert is only two defeats shy
of losing as many games this year as he did in his first three seasons
combined with the San Francisco 49ers. Bet the mortgage he'll get those two
losses, and probably several more as well, in the second half of an ugly
season. Seifert deserves credit for abruptly deciding during the offseason
to go with a youth movement. At age 61, most coaches wouldn't have the guts
to reverse course, fearing they wouldn't be around to finish the rebuilding
task. Alas, the Panthers are still paying the price of Seifert's veteran
free agent gaffes during the initial two years of his tenure, when Carolina
overspent on used-up defenders. But, please, no more moaning about how much
better off this outfit would be had it kept quarterback Steve Beuerlein. The
Panthers knew, as Denver found out, his elbow is shot.
Grade: D.
Chicago Bears (6-2)
Probably not as good as their 6-2 record, but one of the
great stories of the season's first half, and a compelling team that will
merit scrutiny in the two months left on the schedule. In retrospect, the
two miracle overtime victories camouflaged some deficiencies, most notably
the inability to move the ball vertically in the passing game. For the Bears
to succeed in the second half, offensive coordinator John Shoop has to
permit quarterback Jim Miller to throw the ball more than five yards, and
reconfigure a passing attack designed for the weaker-armed Shane Matthews.
There's an interesting dynamic going on with the quarterback
situation and everyone in the front office and coaching staff needs to get
on the same page. The offensive woes aside, this is a team that plays hard
every week and features an opportunistic defense.
Grade: B.
Dallas Cowboys (2-6)
Perhaps the single saving grace for coach Dave Campo, and
the one redeeming feature that kept the first half of the season from being
a total failure, is that the Cowboys play hard nearly every week. OK, so
there was that Sunday night collapse in Philadelphia, we agree. But
especially on the defensive side, Dallas players tend to go until the tank
hits "E," and that's an admirable trait for a team which knows it is going
nowhere. Even owner Jerry Jones, who once spoke openly of notching 10 wins
this year (maybe the anesthesia from his facelift was still in his
bloodstream) has backed off and realizes Dallas is in rebuilding mode.
Little wonder he tried to deal four starters before the trade deadline. The
good news is, for a change, there is plenty of cap room in 2002. The bad
news: No one knows if this team has an NFL caliber quarterback.
Grade: C-minus.
Detroit Lions (0-8)
For the last two weeks, coach Marty Mornhinweg has used
rookie Mike McMahon to replace starter Charlie Batch in spots, and the
strategy hasn't exactly sat well with the Lions top quarterback. So what's
next? Well, how about wheeling out Ed McMahon for a series or two, huh?
After all, he hosted "Star Search" and Detroit needs to launch an all-out
scavenger hunt, it seems, for players with a pulse. Truth be told, the
roster is a little bit better than its record. And the Lions got a steal in
defensive tackle Shaun Rogers, arguably among the premier five rookies in
the league. But the offensive personnel is an ill fit for the West Coast
design Mornhinweg has installed and injuries decimated the secondary early
on. The new football regime has alienated many of the holdover players and
has been too intransigent in some circumstances.
Grade: F.
Green Bay Packers (6-2)
People can talk all they want to about the alleged
resurrection of Brett Favre but, let's face it, he was still pretty good the
last few seasons. The real story of the Packers' first-half success, and the
component that could make Green Bay a viable threat to St. Louis for the NFC
berth in Super Bowl XXXVI, is a defense that continues to get better
basically every time on the field. Green Bay still isn't as quick as Miami,
but the Packers do run to the football better than nearly every other
defense in the league, and their run-blitzes in particular are uncannily
well-timed. Coordinator Ed Donatell, after a 2000 season in which he turned
Darren Sharper loose on opponents, has even further expanded the role of his
standout free safety. Favre is still the offensive linchpin, but it's
do-it-all tailback Ahman Green who has become the centerpiece player.
Grade: B-plus.
Minnesota Vikings (3-5)
What's that? You say you went to a Vikings game and
suddenly a hockey fight broke out on the sideline? Yeah, we believe it,
given the state of disarray in which Minnesota finds itself as the Vikings
scramble into the second half. Bottom line is that, despite a preseason in
which all seemed well, the losses on and off the field simply have caught up
to this team. You don't lose four Pro Bowl offensive linemen, one of them in
tragic fashion, and not feel the effects. You don't have your starting
tailback just up and retire and not have it make a difference. And you can't
have alleged team leader Cris Carter, one of the league's true frauds,
ranting every week on the sideline and just pretend that the family isn't a
dysfunctional one. When it comes to discipline, coach Dennis Green is AWOL,
and it's little wonder this talented bunch is a mess.
Grade: D.
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THINGS TO WATCH IN 2ND HALF
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1. Keep an eye on the sore right thumb of St. Louis quarterback Kurt Warner and
the balky, bruised knee of Rams tailback Marshall Faulk, because they might
be the only two things that could keep this powerhouse team from a second
Super Bowl appearance in three years. Warner acknowledged this week the
thumb is bothering him on some deep passes and coach Mike Martz allowed he
might have to change some playcalling tendencies. He will get more
aggressive treatment now over the balance of the season and, with big leads,
might even get yanked in the fourth quarter of some games. Faulk
demonstrated last week his knee is recovered well enough for him to be a
force, but the problem is a chronic one, and it could re-occur.
2. The Bears look liked a viable playoff contender in the first half, but could
really makes some noise if offensive coordinator John Shoop opens up the
passing game in the final eight contests. If he doesn't this is a team that
could struggle, since Chicago isn't quite as good as its record should
suggest, and might face some locker room problems. Chicago wide receivers
aren't sold on the dink-and-dunk attack. Of course, since general manager
Jerry Angelo hasn't endorsed Dick Jauron yet for '02, there are head coach
ramifications attached to the Bears' fortunes in the second half of the
season.
3. How much longer can Tampa Bay wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson go without
scoring a touchdown until he goes ballistic? The longer we get into the
season, the closer Johnson gets to plunging down the detonator. The Tampa
Bay locker room isn't the happiest place in the world, with teammates tiring
of Warren Sapp, and one verbal salvo fired into its midst could set off a
nuclear reaction.
4. Circle the Dec. 17 game between St. Louis and New Orleans on the calendar.
The game, at the Superdome, could offer all kinds of fireworks. Saints coach
Jim Haslett opened some wounds by referring to the Rams' finesse style, and
New Orleans players feel they can intimidate the St. Louis offense. Plus the
Saints might need a victory to secure a wild card spot in the NFC.
5. The improving health of Eagles tailback Duce Staley bears scrutiny because,
if he is fully recovered from his foot problems, Philadelphia becomes a
bigger player in postseason. Staley had a tremendous game last Sunday but
this question remains: Was it a breakout performance that signaled his
return or a blip on the radar screen? If Staley is anywhere close to 100
percent, the Philadelphia offense will be exponentially better.
— Len Pasquarelli
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New Orleans Saints (4-4)
We noted at the beginning of the season that it would
be interesting to see how the young, upstart Saints would handle the
prosperity of 2000 and all the lofty expectations for 2001. The verdict
through the first half of the season: Uh, not well. Make no mistake, this is
very much still a playoff caliber team, with a head coach who seemed to push
all the right motivational buttons a year ago. But the Saints have found
interesting ways to lose games they won a year ago and, for much of the
first half of the year, young quarterback Aaron Brooks wasn't the same
player he was in the second half of 2000. For whatever reason, Brooks hasn't
gotten outside the pocket and improvised as much, and he has made ghastly
decisions, particularly in "red zone" situations. Still, it's a team that
plays with a collective chip on its shoulder and should vie for a playoff
spot.
Grade: C-plus.
New York Giants (5-4)
Rarely have the defending NFC champions put together a
truly solid performance in all aspects, and that is bothersome, given that
the Giants of 2000 were the model of consistency. The team that never seemed
to beat itself last season, even with a paint-by-the-numbers approach that
bordered on ennui, instead has created ways to lose this year. The offense,
despite the fact Kerry Collins leads the NFL in completions of 25 yards or
more, is too predictable. It hasn't helped that versatile tailback Tiki
Barber has been nicked a lot, but neither has the playcalling of coordinator
Sean Payton been very imaginative, either. On defense, the Giants are
quicker in the secondary thanks to the rookie duet of Will Allen and William
Peterson. Left end Michael Strahan, challenging the sack record, has all
but secured defensive player of the year honors.
Grade: C-minus.
Philadelphia Eagles (5-3)
Their perch atop the division is a tenuous one, what
with all of the inconsistencies manifested in the first eight games, but the
Eagles are showing signs now of hitting their stride. The wild, blitzing
defense of coordinator Jim Johnson remains one of the NFL's best and most
brutal units and every opposition quarterback fears a barrage when they face
the Eagles. So no worry on that side of the ball, except for some bumps and
bruises. Most of the shortcomings have been on the offensive side, where the
ground game struggled, and quarterback Donovan McNabb seemed shackled to the
pocket. But there are signs tailback Duce Staley is finally rounding into
form and McNabb is starting to flash the wondrous skills that landed him on
the cover of all the preseason magazines. This is a team that could really
go into the playoffs on a second-half roll.
Grade: C-plus.
St. Louis Rams (7-1)
Take away one disastrous third quarter against New Orleans
three weeks ago and the first half of the Rams' season would be just about
perfect. Head coach Mike Martz probably won't win any popularity contests
among his peers but, in a league where so many teams just play not to lose,
it's hard not to like a guy who refuses to take his foot off the throttle no
matter the score. The biggest difference, of course, has been on the
defensive side of the ball, and coordinator Lovie Smith will merit some head
coach consideration soon because of the turnaround he is enacting. The
porous defense of last season has given way to a lightning quick assemblage
that flies all over the field and is creating takeaways. After finishing No.
23 statistically in 2000, the Rams are fourth now and surrendered 16 fewer
points per game than in the first half last season.
Grade: A.
San Francisco 49ers (6-2)
There are some hurdles awaiting the Niners in the
second half, especially in December, but this young and emerging team seems
competent enough to deal with them. In fact, the biggest problem might be in
getting the incredibly gifted wide receiver Terrell Owens to keep his mouth
shut. The relationship between Owens and coach Steve Mariucci is a
potentially volatile situation that cannot be overlooked, but the saving
grace is that the wide receiver hasn't allowed it to affect his performance,
even in practices. There are few coaching staffs doing a better job than
Maruicci and his bunch and few players are more indispensable to their team
than quarterback Jeff Garcia. Take him away, even for a game or two, and
this isn't the same team. Oh, yeah, polish up the "comeback player of the
year" award for tailback Garrison Hearst.
Grade: B-plus.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4)
Beyond a Monday night trip to St. Louis, the schedule
over the second half of the year isn't all that daunting. Then again, the
way the Bucs have played, they aren't scaring anybody, either. Maybe this
team just harbors a masochistic bent, one that demands they drive head coach
Tony Dungy crazy, dig themselves in a hole, then dig themselves out again
over the second half of the season. But this act is getting old, and the
Bucs are running out of excuses, and perhaps out of time. Everyone points to
the still stolid and unimaginative offense as the core problem, but the
defense hasn't dominated this season as it did in past year, and tackle
Warren Sapp has become a caricature, the guy who woofs so long at everyone
else that his bark inevitably loses its bite in the locker room. Still
enough talent to be in the playoffs, but is there enough resolve?
Grade: C-minus.
Washington Redskins (3-5)
Don't let the three-game winning streak the Redskins
fashioned before last week's bye fool you. If you're one of the pundits
thinking this team will show some spark the rest of the way, we offer two
words: Tony Banks. OK, sure, the itinerant passer has flashed some physical
skills during the team's rise from the scrap heap. And, yep, management has
actually spoken internally about a contract extension. But just as water
finds it own level, so, too, will Banks and the Redskins return to the lower
tier in the remaining two months. The winning streak hasn't changed the
minds of most of the veterans regarding coach Marty Schottenheimer and, his
public endorsements aside, owner Dan Snyder isn't totally sold yet on his
sideline boss. If there was a highlight in the first half, it's that
linebacker LaVar Arrington might be the real deal.
Grade: D.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
