Bizarro World

[blackcatgrowl]

I just picked up a newspaper from a mirror universe. I'm pretty sure of it.

It says that after 9 games, the Oakland Raiders are sitting op top of the AFC West, with KC in 2nd, and the Chargers in 3rd.

It also says the Jets are #1 in the AFC East with a 7-2 record in a tie-breaker with NE.

Oh... it also says the Vikings are playing a 40-something QB, there's a WR named TOcho, and Jerry Jones has a Cowboys team that is one of the lowest ranked in the NFL.

Oh... and the Panthers are 1-8.

Can all this be blamed on the fact the caps were gone this year? Or is it something deeper than that?

[BlanksKarma]

You forgot the Falcons have the best record in the NFC.

[dimbee]

The Vikings are paying that 40-something $13 Million or some awful number like that... or more maybe? Didn't they offer him another $3M to come back this season? My gah...

I think neither the Raiders nor Chiefs success thus far in the season is at all related to the cap or lack of one. Rather, I think both teams are seeing a mix of young players playing better and more mature in their games as well as some smart free agent moves. I don't think Jason Campbell broke the bank by any means for the Raiders. Matt Cassel was signed during a capped year and did the Chiefs pick up any free agents of note? I can't think of any off hand. I think both teams have head coaches that have the ears and hearts of their respective teams, which can't be quantified with numbers.

[dimbee]

If you want to mention a team that may have done more in Free Agency due to the lack of the cap, you might have mentioned the Bears, who are tied for first (but hold the tiebreaker currently) in their division. Nobody picked the Bears to have any marginal success...

Of course, all of this thread is based off of mid-season records. The NFL still has time to right itself, as it were.

[Henne Given Sunday]

HAHA You read the newspaper?!!??