CJ Haddad
Journal Staff

To say this NFL season has been unpredictable and exciting would be a pretty accurate statement. At the halfway point in this campaign, the playoff picture is starting to become a little clearer. Some teams are reaching desperation points, while others are feeling comfortable atop their divisions.

This year has brought some great disappointments, yet there are teams who have emerged as contenders, those who were not even considered before the year began. In the second half of the year, teams will be clawing and scratching to play in Dallas for the Super Bowl at the end of the year.

Some top teams projected to be powerhouses before the season started have dropped off considerably. Those teams include the 2-7 Cincinnati Bengals, the 4-5 San Diego Chargers, the 3-6 Minnesota Vikings and the extremely underperforming 2-7 Dallas Cowboys.

Recently, the Cowboys fired Head Coach Wade Phillips, replacing him with defensive coordinator Jason Garrett. With an injured Tony Romo, Cowboys’ fans will have to resign themselves to a below-average season.

When the Bengals added Terrell Owens prior to the season, pairing him with Chad Ochocinco, they created one of the most tenacious and vocal receiving pairs in the NFL. Although equipped with these receivers, the Bengals are ranked only 15th in the NFL in offense.

The San Diego Chargers have excelled tremendously offensively, leading the NFL in total offense and passing offense. They also are second in the NFL in defense, but cannot find a way to win. Their quarterback, Phillip Rivers, is having a career year and will be in the MVP discussion if his play continues the way it is.

The biggest problem with the Minnesota Vikings could be the decision that excited everyone during the offseason. Yes, we’re talking about the return of Brett Favre. Favre is underperforming tremendously compared to his career year last season. The Vikings’ defensive line has also underperformed greatly, thus putting more pressure on the quarterback.

This NFL season has been a toss up every week. It seems that no matter the matchup, any team could come out on top [except for the Buffalo Bills who just earned their first win of the season this past week]. The New York Jets, New England Patriots, and Atlanta Falcons all share the best record in the NFL, posting a 7-2 mark, respectively. There is a mix of teams with 6-3 records who are still in contention for their division, if not already leading it.

Some teams are even atop their divisions, like the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs, who are tied in the AFC West, and the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West. The defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints are sitting behind the Atlanta Falcons with a 6-3 record, and look to turn it on in the second half.

The surprising New England Patriots have an impressive 7-2 record, which is tied with the Jets in the AFC East. With the loss of big-time receiver Randy Moss, the Patriots have looked to a multitude of options to help lead the team each week.

Rex Ryan’s Jets have seemingly backed up their boisterous predictions before the season. We all heard the ramblings in HBO’s series, Hard Knocks. Young Mark Sanchez is keeping his cool under center and their defense is fifth in the NFL in total defense and rushing defense.

Watching the second half of this NFL season will be interesting. Will we expect to see the teams we have been accustomed to seeing every year, like the Colts and Ravens, or will we have some surprises like the Raiders and Chiefs? Preseason Super Bowl favorite Green Bay has been performing up to standard with a 6-3 record, which is tied with the Bears for the lead in the NFC North.

A pleasant surprise for some—but clearly not all—is the return and success of Michael Vick. Although he has been in and out with rib injuries, he was named Player of the Month in September. His Eagles are also in the upper echelon of the NFC East with the New York Giants who, prior to this Sunday, were playing good football.

Every year the NFL brings us our surprises, but this year has truly been an exciting one and will continue to be that way until the final week of the season.