The first four weeks of the NFL season is in the books, and already there are some interesting storylines. Just like I did a couple weeks ago with the college football season, I'm going to highlight a few teams that football fans need to keep an eye on.
The Patriots and Packers are in a league of their own. This kills me to say, because I am a die-hard Bears fan, but I can't help but be in awe of just how dominant the Packers have been so far. There is no answer for Aaron Rodgers, and if somehow you are able to contain him, Eddie Lacy can still beat you on the ground. The defense is good enough that, barring injury, I don't see how this team doesn't make the Super Bowl. In the AFC, the Patriots are just as dominant. Brady still looks like he's in his prime, and Gronk is a matchup nightmare. They utilize a multiple running back system that is extremely effective, and just like the Packers, their defense is good enough to stop teams when they need to. As much as I don't want either team to win the Super Bowl, I don't see any other team that can match up.
The Colts still need some work. Now, it's still early, but the Colts were dark horse Super Bowl candidates during the preseason. I'll admit it, they were mine, too. It made sense. Andrew Luck seems to improve every year, and they added veterans Frank Gore and Andre Johnson. Through the first few games it is clear that both are past their prime, but that's the least of their concern. They have one of the worst offensive lines in football, and their front seven on defense isn't much better. It doesn't matter how great Luck is when he has less than two seconds to get rid of the ball and the defense can't stop a nosebleed. Now, they should still make the playoffs since the AFC South is the weakest division in football, but with all of their flaws, I can't see them competing with the Patriots in the playoffs.
The Bears aren't as bad as we thought. Not that most football fans care, but I just have to talk about my hometown team here. They opened with one of the hardest schedules in the NFL (Packers, Cardinals, Seahawks), and there were some bright spots. They were competitive against the Packers, looked good against the Cardinals until Cutler went down, and no team in the NFL could beat the Seahawks, on the road, with their second string QB. Cutler looked good for the most part against the Raiders, but I don't want to get too excited about beating an average NFL team. They still are nowhere near a playoff team, but some of my friends were giving me crap about them being the worst in the NFL, which just isn't true.
The Buffalo Bills are finally relevant. Shoutout to my pledge brother who's been a Bills fan his entire life, and has been trying to convince me that they were going to be good for two years now. They are 2-2, which isn't exactly cause for celebration, especially because they looked so bad this past week, but they are a QB away from being a real contender. Karlos Williams looks like a future Pro-Bowl running back, and they still have LeSean McCoy in the mix back there as well. Their defense is solid all the way around, and they have a playmaker at receiver in Sammy Watkins. The big question mark is Tyrod Taylor. He's looked good at times, but the more he plays the more film the defense will have available to adjust with. It'll be interesting to see if he progresses or regresses as the season goes on.
