By: Katherine Lachcik, Reporter
Throughout the NFL season so far, there have been several unanticipated successes of teams that weren’t expected to do very well. The most noteworthy of these teams is the Arizona Cardinals, who stand at first place in the National Football Conference (NFC) West division with only three losses this season. Among other mentionable names are the Detroit Lions (2nd in NFC North) and, to an extent, the Dallas Cowboys (2nd in NFC East).
The successes of these teams have definitely been exciting for some fans. However, it’s hard to tell whether the teams will remain at a high ranking this season. Speculations about game and season outcomes are evident and commonly heard as the tension increases for the NFL season.
Varsity football player junior Seaver Bransfield says, “I’m not surprised by [the rankings]—there is no team that’s going to be the best, and that’s how the NFL should be.”
So far, this season’s standings have proved the difficulty of foreseeing NFL outcomes, especially considering the surprises in the NFC League. The stellar performances of the Cardinals and Lions, not usually the largest threat in the NFL given past seasons, have led some people to wonder if these teams will dominate further this season. Still, some people and fans have predictions that contrast with the achievements made by breakout teams.
Freshman Christian Walker says, “I think the Steelers are going to win it this season—overall, the Steelers are better than anyone else.”
Opinions and predictions about NFL results are varied among NFL followers. While some believe that this season’s most successful underdog teams will command the season, others are confident that generally high-ranking teams will be in the lead throughout the rest of the season and make it to the Super Bowl.
New England Patriots fan sophomore Taylor Meyer says the Patriots “have stepped up their game since last season. I think they’re going to get in the Super Bowl again.”
Also worth mentioning are the records of some teams that were expected to do better than they recently have been— for instance, the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. Each team had a successful season last year and were expected by some to keep a strong grip on the lead this season. However, the victories of other teams and their strengthened performances have caused last season’s high-ranking teams to lose the control they had last season.
The 49ers are currently placed at 3rd in the NFC West division and have a record of 7-5, an unexpected fall from last season’s 12-4 finish. Similarly, the Seahawks, winners of last season’s Super Bowl, have an 8-4 record, which is good but not nearly as well as last season (13-3 finish).
The successes of otherwise underdog teams and the somewhat substandard performances of generally high-ranking teams provide a perfect example of the difficulty in predicting the outcomes of games in the NFL.