In the din of a raucous Green Bay locker room last Sunday evening, with his
teammates in full celebratory mode after their critical victory over the
Chicago Bears, quarterback Brett Favre paused to deliver a dose of reality.
"Yeah, we're pretty good, I guess," acknowledged the unquestioned Leader of
the Pack. "But we still have a ways to go. The good thing is, we've still
got a month to keep improving. We've still got time to get beyond 'pretty
good' and see if we can be something special."
Fact is, while the incomparable Favre was assessing his own team, he could
have been describing the status of many NFC teams as the schedule turns to
the home stretch. Once again, ESPN.com has awarded only one "A" grade to an
NFC team in its third divisional report card of the season, and that went to
the St. Louis Rams. Since the last report at the midway point of the year,
though, several teams improved their standing and now four teams rate in the
"B" category.
Those four "B" teams could go boom or bust in the final month as the clubs
jockey for playoff position and higher seeds in the NFC postseason bracket.
As things now stand, it appears that five of the six playoff berths are all
but wrapped up, with the final wild-card spot being contested. But even some
standout teams, like Chicago and San Francisco, face tough schedules over
the final month of the slate.
"It's certainly no time now to let down," said Chicago center Olin Kreutz
after Sunday's loss. "You know the old saying about how the strong survive?
It's truer now than ever. No one can afford any slippage at this point in
the season. There's still a lot up for grabs."
Here is how ESPN.com rates the NFC teams heading into the final month:
Arizona Cardinals (5-7)
Does anyone outside the Valley of the Sun, with the
possible exception of all the cornerbacks David Boston has been torching of
late, realize that the Cardinals third-year wide receiver is on pace to post
the fourth-most receiving yards in NFL history? Some good things are
starting to happen for good-guy coach Dave McGinnis and, with the
resurrection of quarterback Jake Plummer, there is actually something to
build on for 2002. The young talent is beginning to develop, and our vote
for offensive rookie of the year is going to guard Leonard Davis, but the
Cardinals still have much work to do. A good sign is that the team didn't
quit early, when losses were mounting, and it appeared that this would be
another lost year. McGinnis needs a quality runner and some defensive help.
Grade: C-plus.
Atlanta Falcons (6-6)
Pending new owner Arthur Blank, a guy who knows a thing or
two about home improvement, will purchase the consummate fixer-upper
franchise. All the hammers and nails in every Home Depot store, though,
won't be sufficient hardware to refurbish a team that suddenly has reverted
to form. The attention paid to an allegedly improved offensive line has
evaporated, since Atlanta can neither run the ball nor protect its
quarterbacks. Starting tailback Maurice Smith has 130 yards in his last four
games and is averaging less than 2.0 yards per attempt. The Atlanta
quarterbacks have been sacked an average of once every 8.2 "dropbacks," the
worst ratio in the league. The good news is that three of the last four
games are on the road, where Atlanta has played far better than at home.
Grade: C-minus.
Carolina Panthers (1-12)
The past four defeats in an ignominious 12-game losing
streak have been by a total of 11 points, less than a field goal per game,
and this team has come to define frustration. Five times the Panthers have
lost games in which they led entering the final two minutes. Owner Jerry
Richardson might need an exorcist more than he does a new coach, although he
is likely to have the latter by the start of the 2002 season. It's hard to
imagine that, at age 61, George Seifert has the patience necessary to embark
on what could be a two- or three-year rebuilding project. It appears
ownership will seek a younger head coach, possibly from the college ranks,
to take on the task. The one plus, albeit a miniscule one, is that Carolina
had a decent 2001 draft and that rookie quarterback Chris Weinke has a year
to build on.
Grade: D.
Chicago Bears (9-3)
Some of the skeptics still suggest the Bears are still the
byproduct of converged good fortune this year but to make that claim is to
diminish the chemistry forged by the club and the ability to make almost
every game a close one. That said, a team has to win a "hump" game before it
truly matures, and last Sunday's loss at Green Bay represented the latest
failure to stand up and prove the Bears' mettle. Chicago has rebounded
nicely from every defeat this year, and it must bounce back from the Packers
loss with a win over Tampa Bay this week. Another slip and the critics gain an
even louder voice, which would not be good for the future of coach Dick
Jauron, still not endorsed by general manager Jerry Angelo for the '02
season. And, yeah, we'll say it again: Chicago must get more vertical in the
passing game.
Grade: B.
Dallas Cowboys (4-8)
OK, we confess, the four victories notched by the Cowboys
this season really are about double what we thought the club could achieve.
Maybe owner Jerry Jones can convince league officials to put the Washington
Redskins on the schedule every week. From a pure talent standpoint, Dallas
still has plenty of holes, and some of the solid veterans holding things
together will be cut loose after the season in moves that will further
deplete the quality. But give coach Dave Campo credit for getting the
Cowboys to play hard almost every week out, for surviving the revolving door
situation at quarterback, and for beginning to develop a few good youngsters
like tailback Troy Hambrick. There could be a couple more wins on the
schedule in the final month and if the Pokes win six contests, it's quite an
accomplishment.
Grade: C-minus.
Detroit Lions (0-12)
Getting a little bored from those weekly, but apparently
requisite, television shots of president and general manager Matt Millen
agonizing in the owner's box every time the Lions experience a tragic gaffe?
Yeah, so are we. Maybe it's time for Millen to strap on the pads and go back
to the playing field, huh? Every opponent cautions during the week of
preparation that the Lions are a better team than their record, and that
can't help but be the case, but there remains a notable bagel in the
left-hand column of the win-loss ledger book. Like the Panthers, the Lions
seem to invent new ways to lose, such as having munchkin-sized corner Jimmy
Wyrick trying to cover Tampa Bay wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson on the
deciding play in last week's loss to the Bucs. Little wonder Millen has a
weekly Excedrin headache.
Grade: F.
Green Bay Packers (9-3)
This is a team that continues to demonstrate that, if
you have three or four premier playmakers on both sides of the ball, that's
enough to win consistently in a league that's as diluted as this one is
right now. Brett Favre still makes some maddening decisions, like the last
minute interception he threw in an inexplicable loss to Atlanta, but he
remains one of the greatest clutch performers in league history. The "X
factor" for the Packers is becoming tailback Ahman Green, arguably the best
all-around back in the after Marshall Faulk. Defensive coordinator Ed
Donatell has done a superb job of putting young standouts like weakside
linebacker Nate Wayne and safety Darren Sharper into position to make plays,
and has gotten the most of out several veteran roleplayers like tackle
Gilbert Brown.
Grade: B.
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THINGS TO WATCH
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 1. Given their winless status, the Lions have become quite a novelty
item, and the kind of morbid curiosity that draws people to stop every time
they see a roadside accident will continue to mount with every defeat. No
team, of course, has ever gone 0-16 but the Lions have a real shot. For the
record, their remaining schedule is: Minnesota (Dec. 16), at Pittsburgh
(Dec. 23), Chicago (Dec. 30) and Dallas (Jan. 6). It will also be
interesting to monitor the performances of rookie quarterback Mike McMahon,
because how he plays could well determine the future of the injured
incumbent, Charlie Batch, in Detroit.
 2. Now that he's caught his first touchdown pass of the season, can Keyshawn Johnson spark a Tampa Bay passing attack that has to contribute more down
the stretch, at least if the Bucs are to continue the annual second-half
surge for a playoff spot? Also keep an ear to the ground for all the rumors
about the fate of coach Tony Dungy and the possibility of Bill Parcells
coming out of retirement to take over the team. It's better than even money
that Dungy survives, and Parcells isn't as interested in the Tampa Bay job
as some reports purport.
 3. Could either Rick Mirer or Tim Rattay take the 49ers to the
playoffs? Here's hoping the 49ers don't have to find out. But given the
wobbly condition of Jeff Garcia, who has been playing with knee and elbow
injuries, there is a chance that one of the 49ers backups could be called on
at some point down the stretch.  While on the subject of bruised
quarterbacks, it never hurts to monitor the status of Kurt Warner's right
thumb. The St. Louis star clearly has lost some of his accuracy on the deep
ball as the thumb problem continues. If he bangs his thumb off some
defender's helmet, the Rams could be forced to survive with journeyman Jamie Martin.
 4. The battle for the third and final wild card spot figures to be a real doozy. And unlike in some past years, the No. 6 seed in the conference could actually have a chance to be competitive in the playoffs, especially if it's New Orleans or Tampa Bay. There are some head-to-head battles that will involve the candidates for the final spot, beginning with New Orleans at Tampa Bay on Dec. 23, and those could make for some terrific matchups.
 5. How offensive coordinator John Shoop reacts to the criticism of the Chicago
Bears horizontal passing game could determine how well this surprising team
finishes. And, even more essential, it could determine whether head coach
Dick Jauron is back for the 2002 season. A few weeks ago, Shoop was roundly
criticized both locally and nationally for his conservative leanings, and he
came out the following week against Tampa Bay and loosened the reins. In the
wake of Sunday's loss at Green Bay, he is being again castigated. Who do the
Bears face on Sunday? Tampa Bay. Maybe it would be wise for the maligned
Shoop to revisit the game plan from the first meeting.
— Len Pasquarelli
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Minnesota Vikings (5-7)
In the midst of the ongoing circus sideshow typically
hosted by wideout Randy Moss, the ringleader with a terminal case of
foot-in-mouth disease, there have been some flashes of the old Vikings
explosiveness over the past month. And, uh, no, we're not speaking of the
sideline contretemps that seem to mark most Minnesota games. This remains a
dangerous club and one capable of being a spoiler in the final month of the
season. Still the weekly question that must be asked is whether the
explosive Vikings will show up or be supplanted by their implosive evil
look-alikes. Coach Dennis Green will be back in 2002, according to owner Red
McCombs, and maybe it's time he actually address the defensive holes that
have existed for years. Failure to do so could mean he won't be around for
2003.
Grade: D-plus.
New Orleans Saints (7-5)
Winners of three of their last five games, the Saints
have catapulted back into the NFC wild card chase and face a monumental game
next Monday night when they host a St. Louis Rams team despised by most New
Orleans players and coach Jim Haslett. The keys to the turnaround have been
the improved play of quarterback Aaron Brooks and wide receiver Joe Horn,
who have regained the swagger that marked their breakout '01 seasons. It was
only about a month ago that teammates were whispering that Brooks should
maybe be replaced in favor of Jeff Blake, and the second-year starter
responded with a five-game stretch in which he averaged more than 300
passing yards. The defense has stepped up its game, now leads the league in
sacks again, and middle linebacker Charlie Clemons has been a catalyst.
Grade: C-plus.
New York Giants (5-7)
Coach Jim Fassel has run out of guarantees, the players
are out of excuses, and it appears the Giants are out of the playoffs just
one year after representing the NFC in the Super Bowl. There have been
defensive lapses, for sure, like the shaky play of corner Jason Sehorn.
But much of the onus is on an offense that is slow, old upfront, and
terribly predictable. When is the last time you heard anyone mention the
name of offensive coordinator Sean Payton, a onetime hot commodity on the
rumor mill, as a head coach candidate? There have been some games when Tiki
Barber looks good but his tailback partner, Ron Dayne, has been a bust. And
defenses have figured out that quarterback Kerry Collins is in such a funk,
he couldn't read a kindergarten primer much less a two-deep zone coverage.
Grade: C-minus.
Philadelphia Eagles (8-4)
With the exception of the ugly stumble against the
Washington Redskins, the real Eagles team that was supposed to challenge to
go deep into the playoffs, finally has stood up and played to its potential.
Philadelphia has won five of its last six outings, with the victories by an
average of 19.6 points, and truly is on a roll. If the Eagles can avenge
that loss to the Skins on Sunday in Washington, they will have all but
wrapped up the division. Although there still are times when quarterback
Donovan McNabb struggles with his accuracy (anyone ever see this guy hit a
running back in stride on a swing pass?), and wide receiver Todd Pinkston is
mired in a bad funk, the offense is getting enough and running the ball more
effectively with Duce Staley. On the defensive end, the Eagles still use
every blitz in the book.
Grade: B-minus.
St. Louis Rams (10-2)
They have met the enemy and it is them, the only team
seemingly capable of knocking off the Rams being the Rams themselves, who
too often treat turnovers as just part of the consequence for the way they
play offense. Opponents take home from the weird Monday night loss to Tampa
Bay, and from the fact St. Louis is just 5-5 in its last 10 home games, but
the Rams remain the gold standard right now against whom everyone else is
measured. As long as quarterback Kurt Warner (thumb) and tailback Marshall
Faulk (knee) can gut through the pain, few teams have the personnel
wherewithal to hang with the St. Louis offense. And on defense, rookie
coordinator Lovie Smith continues to hone aggressive game plans, and get the
most out of a unit that really has very few Pro Bowl caliber performers.
Grade: A.
San Francisco 49ers (9-3)
For virtually the entire season, the 49ers have
overachieved, but now they face a dangerous stretch. Coming off a loss at
St. Louis last week, San Francisco now has three crucial tests this month:
home games against Miami on Sunday and Philadelphia on Dec. 23, and then a
game at New Orleans in the regular-season finale. And exacerbating the
situation is that quarterback Jeff Garcia is hobbled right now, with knee
and elbow injuries, and having to cut back a bit on his throwing schedule.
The stretch run is going to be a true test of just how far the Niners have
progressed this year, especially on defense. This is a team that moves the
ball versus just about everybody it plays. But the young defense, with seven
starters gleaned from the past two drafts, still has some uneven moments.
Grade: B.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5)
Yeah, once again, they're b-a-a-a-c-k. Left for dead
just a month ago, the Bucs have rallied again in late season, keyed by their
upset win at St. Louis two weeks ago. But as Tampa Bay demonstrated in
Sunday's nail-biter victory over winless Detroit, this still is a team that
doesn't score enough points, is getting precious little from its alleged
power running game, and is capable of perilous streaks of schizophrenia on
both sides of the ball. For now, the Bucs hold the final wild card spot in
the NFC, but they face a Bataan Death March of a schedule. After visiting
Chicago this week, the Bucs conclude with three straight homes games, but
they are against New Orleans, Baltimore and Philadelphia. Someone is going
to have to stick a stake through the Bucs' hearts, but this could be the
year they fall shy.
Grade: C-plus.
Washington Redskins (6-6)
Despite the fact some veterans still haven't bought
into the methods of coach Marty Schottenheimer, the Redskins have won five
of six games, and are truly in the thick of the NFC wild card race. The
staff finally took the governor off the quarterback position and Tony Banks
has throw the deep ball particularly well, especially to rookie wide
receiver Rod Gardner. There was always enough quality on defense to get by
but now veterans like corner Champ Bailey, who slumped badly in the first
half of the year, are playing significantly better. An overlooked key on
offense was the insertion of guard Ben Colemen into the lineup. His play at
guard has helped open up huge creases for tailback Stephen Davis, one of the
NFL's best power runners, and again the focal point of the offense.
Grade: C-minus.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
