Each and every week, there are plenty of surprises to be had on the NFL gridiron. One of the reasons for its massive popularity is that on "Any Given Sunday," a heavy favorite can fall. It's what makes those Knockout Pick'em Pools so equally fun and frustrating.
But even for a league that's constantly celebrating its parity, the notion of favorite and underdogs has been skewed in a wild way these first two weeks. Three playoff teams from last year- the Saints, Colts, and Chiefs- are all licking their wounds at a combined 0-6. And in the meanwhile, teams whose wins were anticipated to be few and far between have been quite frisky thus far.
So let's recap what we've seen so far this season. Have some cupcakes become contenders? Are others just tasty-looking on the outside, but their inner fillings are gross? Without further adiue, NFL 2014's Cupcake Watch.
1. Buffalo Bills
Preseason Status: Longstanding culture of cupcak-ery
Blog's 2014 Projected Record: 6-10 (last in AFC East)
Through Two Games: These guys are the talk of the NFL! The Patriots have dominated their division since the turn of the millenium, and most anticipated that trend continuing this season. And if New England were to fall down a peg (wishful thinking going on 10 years now,) surely it would be Miami or the Jets who took the mantle, right? Well quarterback EJ Manuel and receiver Sammy Watkins are still just pups in this league, and they're playing like they never got the memo that Buffalo's been a perennial doormat. The Bills provided the shock of Week 1 when they upset the Bears in Chicago, and suffered no hangover whatsoever the following week when they throttled Miami at home. The Bills' rushing numbers both offensively and defensively have been tremendous, and Manuel has shown moxy. All the worry and mystery surronding the team's sale has been largely alleviated, and the Bills have played fantastic football.
Verdict: No longer cupcake, Wild Card contender
2. Cleveland Browns
Preseason Status: Hopes that Johnny Football could rescue them from cupcak-ery
Blog's 2014 Projected Record: 4-12 (last in AFC North)
Through Two Games: The Browns entered 14 with bucketfuls of bad karma. Their premier playmaker, wide receiver Josh Gordon, appeared to screw everything up with his season-long drug suspension. Though Cleveland had some ability on defense, the Gordon-less attack appeared to lack any kind of threats. Throw in the fact that the coaching staff seemed to have no clue what they wanted in terms of incumbent quarterback Brian Hoyer vs. hotshot rookie Johnny Manziel...and things looked beyond bleak. But the Browns went on the road in Week 1 to give Pittsburgh all they could handle (Steelers won on a last-second field goal). And in Week 2, the Browns were hosting an 0-1 Saints team looking to blow them out of the building...and it was CLEVELAND who shocked the NFL with a last-second field goal victory. Hoyer has played smart, capable football; the rushing attack has been sound; and the defense held a desperate Saints offense to a modest 24 points. Can they be for real? They have a surprisingly easy schedule over the next six weeks that may indeed beef up their record. But that lack of offense will eventually bite them.
Verdict: A much friskier cupcake than anticipated
3. Jacksonville Jaguars and 4. Oakland Raiders
Preseason Statuses: Two biggest cupcakes in football
Blog's 2014 Projected Record: Jacksonville 3-13 (Last in AFC South); Oakland 5-11 (Last in AFC West)
Through Two Games: We'll loop these two together because their tales are similar. Expected to be the prime contenders for the No. 1 pick in the 2015 Draft, both the Jaguars and Raiders went out on the road in Week 1 and were surprisingly competitive. The Jags had every Eagles fan reaching for industrial-strength Rolaids, jumping out to a huge lead on Philadelphia before the Birds woke up and notched a comfortable victory. The Raiders, meanwhile, gave the Jets quite a fight into the 4th quarter before bowing out. Unfortunately, both teams got their doors blown off in Week 2. Jacksonville lost 41-10 on the road to the Redskins while Oakland "celebrated" their home opener with a 30-14 loss to Houston. The metrics look ugly for both teams, leaving many to wonder if the Week 1 close battles will be among the season's highlights.
Verdict: As cupcak-ey as foreseen
5. Kansas City Chiefs and 6. Carolina Panthers
Preseason Statuses: 2013 playoff team due for a tumble into cupcake-ry
Blog's 2014 Projected Record: Kansas City 5-11 (3rd in AFC West); Carolina 7-9 (2nd in NFC South)
Through Two Games: A Tale of Two Bakeries. Kansas City has had a miserable start to the year, beginning with a road shellacking at the hands of (cupcake-fringe) Tennessee. The one-touchdown loss on the road to Denver looks encouraging, but the Chiefs caught a terrible break when star player Jamaal Charles went down with an ankle sprain. Charles was Mr. Everything for Kansas City last year, and it will be an enormous hit for the offense if he's out an extended period. The Chiefs are not nearly as bad as the other cupcakes, of course. But an upcoming schedule of Miami, New England, San Francisco and San Diego may have their record spiral out of control.
Carolina, meanwhile, absorbed all the doubters and haters during the preseason and didn't let it bother them one bit. Even with superstar quarterback Cam Newton hurt in Week 1, the Panthers went on the road to stun divisional foe Tampa Bay. And in Week 2's return of Cam, it was the defense who stole the show- holding Detroit's quality offense to just seven points. With the uncertainty of Tampa, Atlanta, and the shockingly 0-2 New Orleans within the division, Carolina is right where they want to be.
Verdict: Neither are cupcakes; Kansas City not a playoff contender due to schedule/injury. Carolina is as good a bet as any to win the NFC South once again.
7. St. Louis Rams
Preseason Status: Wounded cupcake in an impossible division
Blog's 2014 Projected Record: 4-12 (Last in NFC West)
Through Two Games: This one is really tough to gauge. That 4-12 projected record looked like a mirage after Week 1's 34-6 home bludgeoning at the hands of Minnesota. Quarterback Sam Bradford is hurt...playmaking defender Chris Long is hurt...and all hope seems lost. But then some guy named Austin Davis took over at QB and shocked Tampa Bay on the road. Besides star defenser Robert Quinn, St. Louis doesn't have anybody who will jump off the roster at you. But in a league where passing means everything, these guys are #5 in pass defense. Can they be for real? Absolutely not. But that win over Tampa was a good one for the fans.
Verdict: Minus Austin Davis' one shining moment, bonafide cupcake.
So there you have it! As far as tonight's game, take the hosting Falcons (-6.5) to beat down the Bucs. Tampa is scary close to cupcake territory, while Atlanta sees an NFC South divison up for the taking- having already beaten New Orleans earlier this season.
Thanks for reading!!
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