Taking a midseason look at all 32 teams
Following are each team's prospects for the second half of the season, along with things I'm going to focus on for each club:
AFC
Baltimore (4-4)
The Ravens still have a shot at the playoffs, but to get there they have to win the games they will be favored in -- Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Oakland and Green Bay -- and find a way to split with Pittsburgh. I don't think 10 wins is a lock to get in the playoffs.
What I think they need is improved play from their corners and more pressure to protect them. Offensively, look for Ray Rice to continue to emerge as their go-to guy.
Buffalo (3-5)
The Bills have done a terrific job to be 3-5 with all the injuries they have had. They will have to play a spoiler the rest of the season. They play Miami, the Jets (in Toronto), New England and Indianapolis at home in the second half of the season.
I want to see how Trent Edwards finishes up and how Terrell Owens handles cold weather, windy conditions and not a lot of catches. T.O. has to remember he is playing for a job next season.
Cincinnati (6-2)
The Bengals are getting better every week on offense. Carson Palmer is improving as he gets healthier. Chad Ochocinco is playing his best football in years and Cedric Benson has never run better. What I want to watch is the continued improvement in the offensive line and if Andre Smith can give them a boost in December as an additional blocker to help in the running game.
Cleveland (1-7)
There are two main things to watch here. First is what happens at the QB position, where Brady Quinn again is the starter. I would give him the rest of the season to see what he can do. The other is if the Browns remain competitive with their effort on the field.
Denver (6-2)
The Broncos need to win the games they will be favored in: Washington, Oakland and Kansas City (twice). Their game with San Diego in Denver on Nov. 22 could decide the division.
Denver needs to find a way to get the ball downfield more in the passing game. Baltimore stopped the Broncos by sitting on their short routes, the heart of their offense, and blitzing Kyle Orton, who is effective reading it but is not mobile enough to escape the rush.
Houston (5-4)
The Texans face three straight division opponents after the bye, starting with Tennessee at home on a Monday night game. After those three games they play Seattle at home, at St. Louis and Miami, and New England at home to end the season. They are capable of winning 10 or more games with this schedule, but they have take that next step and win some close, hard-fought games, which they are likely to see in their next three weeks.
An interesting game to watch is against the Patriots. New England has played the final game of the season with reserves when they did not need the win. If Houston needs that game for the playoffs and New England doesn't, Houston could be playing for the playoffs against a lineup of backups.
The Texans miss Pro Bowl tight end Owen Daniels. Tight ends are a big part of their play-action passing game. How Daniels is replaced remains to be seen. They also need Ryan Moats and Steve Slaton to hold on to the football. On defense, Pro Bowl defensive end Mario Williams has been playing hurt for a good part of the year. Can he get healthy enough during the bye week to have a bigger impact in the second half of the season than he did in the first half?
Indianapolis (8-0)
This week against New England is a crucial game for the Colts. If they win, they would have a three-game lead over the Patriots for home-field advantage in the playoffs. If they lose, I could see New England gaining home-field advantage over the Colts.
I am going to watch two things on defense for the Colts. Can they stop a good running game without Bob Sanders? If they can't, teams can play keep-away from Peyton Manning. Also, they have to figure out a way to handle the losses of Marlin Jackson for the season and Kelvin Hayden over the next month.
On offense, they will get Anthony Gonzalez back for December, but I want to see if their running game can get going. They will need it in the playoffs. I would not be surprised to see the Colts lose a couple of games in the second half of the season. Injuries and a tough schedule will take their toll.
Jacksonville (4-4)
This team is the biggest surprise to me. I thought it would be a long year for the Jaguars, possibly looking at two wins at this point. This is a credit to coach Jack Del Rio and general manager Gene Smith.
In their final eight games, they play only three teams over .500: Houston, New England and Indianapolis. Still, I do not see them making the playoffs. But they can make it interesting in December. The Indianapolis game is on national TV in December; in the same situation last year the Jaguars almost beat Indianapolis, losing 31-24.
I want to watch how their young talent continues to play, including offensive tackles Eben Britton and Eugene Monroe, wide receivers Mike Thomas and Mike Sims-Walker, defensive lineman Terrance Knighton and cornerback Derek Cox.
Kansas City (1-7)
The Chiefs need to keep looking at players the rest of the season, whether it is their own young players or picking up guys like Chris Chambers to see if there is a value in keeping him for next year. Their No. 1 objective is to set a tone for the program and figure out who the keepers are. How much effort the players give the stretch will tell the coaches a lot. Up to now the overall team effort has been good.
Miami (3-5)
This team needs another year to become a perennial playoff contender. I know the Dolphins made the playoffs last season, but the talent is not there yet to be a contender every year.
The main people I will focus on are the two young quarterbacks: Chad Henne, to see how much consistency he develops, and how they use Pat White in the Wildcat. We saw the Dolphins use White as an option quarterback against New England, giving the Miami offense another dimension. The Dolphins need to be comfortable there in postseason evaluations. If they decide neither player is their future at the position, than that becomes a priority in the offseason.
New England (6-2)
This one is easy. The Patriots have arguably the two biggest games on the NFL schedule in the second half of the season. They play at Indianapolis this Sunday, which I think will be for home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs. The key in that game is which secondary and pass rush can best slow down the other team's pass offense.
The other big game will be on Nov. 30, when New England visits the Saints. This could be a preview of the Super Bowl. I want to see how Gregg Williams' defense fares against the Pats. The last time he faced the Pats in 2007, with the Washington Redskins, his defense was embarrassed.
New York Jets (4-4)
The Jets are not out of the playoff race, but they are a long shot. I think it will take 11 wins to get in and I don't think they can get to that total.
Braylon Edwards will be my main focus on the offense because he is in the last year of his contract and could be an unrestricted free agent if there is a new labor deal. Do the Jets invest or not? The other focus will be on Mark Sanchez and his development. How does he play in the Meadowlands in December and January?
Oakland (2-6)
Are they spoilers? The Raiders beat Philadelphia in Oakland. They play Cincinnati and Baltimore in Oakland. The two players I want to look at are Darren McFadden and Richard Seymour. McFadden has not been as productive as they hoped and they gave up a No. 1 draft choice for Seymour. He is a free agent at the end of the year. Do they sign him or let him go?
Pittsburgh (6-2)
The Steelers' game on Sunday with Cincinnati could be for the division. If they lose it will be hard for them to finish in first place. If they win, I think they will win the division.
The main player I am going to watch is running back Rashard Mendenhall. How does he finish the season? And where does Willie Parker fit in? If both are going good the Steelers will be hard to beat in the playoffs.
San Diego (5-3)
Sunday's victory over the Giants was huge. It was a must-game for both teams. San Diego was on the road and came from behind to win. This is the kind of victory that gives them and Chargers fans hope that this team can still take the AFC West or at least get into the playoffs. The Denver game on Nov. 22 could decide the division. If the Chargers, lose I think it will be hard for them to make the postseason.
The two players I am going to watch are running back Darren Sproles and linebacker Shawn Merriman. How does Sproles hold up in December? They need his explosiveness to make big plays and put points on the board. Merriman has come on the past month as a pass rusher. He is in the last year of his contract. Do the Chargers re-sign him or not? Also, his rush ability can cover up for problems in the secondary.
Tennessee (2-6)
The Titans clearly could be spoilers. They play Houston, Arizona, Indianapolis, Miami and San Diego in the second half. None of these teams cannot losses to the Titans.
The player to watch is Vince Young. He has a roster bonus of more than $4 million due in March. The Titans have to decide if he is their quarterback of the future. The key games for his evaluation are those in which he has to throw to win. Tennessee has gone back to its winning formula of emphasizing the run with Chris Johnson, the main reason the Titans snapped their losing streak.
NFC
Arizona (5-3)
I think the Cardinals have a chance to get on a run. They have been a roller-coaster team this year. I think at some point they are going to learn how to handle success.
The player I want to watch is Chris Wells. He has shown flashes of exciting running ability. Does he blossom into a consistent big-play back? To do that he has to master his pass protection. If he doesn't, the coaches will not have the confidence to play him more.
Atlanta (5-3)
The Falcons could be sleepers for a wild card. The key is their games with the Giants and Eagles, along with their division games. They cannot lose to Carolina and Tampa Bay, and they could be facing an undefeated New Orleans team at home in December. But I think the games against the Giants and Eagles will decide Atlanta's playoff fate.
Playing in big role in their success or failure in those games will be whether Michael Turner can keep up his recent surge and if the secondary holds up against Eli Manning and Donovan McNabb.
Carolina (3-5)
It will be hard for the Panthers to make up enough ground to get into the playoffs. They certainly can be spoilers with games against Atlanta, Miami, the New York Jets, New York Giants, New Orleans and Minnesota.
From a player point of view, there is nothing that jumps out to me. They know they need to get a young quarterback to groom to replace Jake Delhomme, and they want to keep Julius Peppers. The collective bargaining system next year will dictate how much that will cost.
Chicago (4-4)
It will be a disappointment in Chicago if the Bears don't make the playoffs. The season is not over yet, because they still have two games left with Minnesota, which would be important NFC games in addition to being division matchups. I am going to watch for the development of defensive end Gaines Adams and receivers Johnny Knox and Devin Hester.
Dallas (6-2)
The Cowboys' only two losses have been in the last minute to the New York Giants and Denver. In other words, they have been competitive in every game. With Green Bay, Washington and Oakland in their next three games, the Cowboys can get to 9-2. But that is when they run into a bear of a December schedule: the Giants, San Diego, New Orleans and Philadelphia, along with visiting archrival Washington. The Cowboys have struggled in December in recent years. If they struggle this time, the schedule will have had a lot to do with it.
On offense, the key will be the health of their running backs. When all three are able to play, they are tough to stop. On defense I want to see if cornerback Mike Jenkins continues his improvement.
Detroit (1-7)
The Lions' Nov. 22 game at home against Cleveland will give them a chance at their second victory. Of course, Cleveland will feel the same way.
I want to see how two players develop in the second half of the season. Matthew Stafford has to cut down on his turnovers. He can do that by not locking on one receiver, instead reading things out and being willing to throw the ball away or take a sack instead of forcing the ball. Also, Brandon Pettigrew needs to be more consistent catching the ball. If that happens, I am sure he will get more balls thrown to him. The Lions need to get him more involved in the offense to help Stafford.
Green Bay (4-4)
I am sure there is some disappointment in Green Bay with the Packers' record, especially their two losses to Brett Favre and the Vikings, but probably just as much as the one to the Bucs. I see a season of eight to nine wins, which would leave them short of the playoffs.
I want to see how the offensive line plays, especially the tackle position. This has to be a priority in the offseason. On defense I want to watch for the continued improvement of linebacker Clay Matthews and how defensive tackle B.J. Raji plays. Raji has been limited so far because of an injury. They also have him playing end instead of his natural tackle position. I want to see how that plays out.
Minnesota (7-1)
The Vikings should win the NFC North, but they do have some interesting games remaining: home against Cincinnati and the New York Giants, and at Arizona. I want to see how Brett Favre holds up over the second half of the season. They have monitored his throws in practice and the late-season bye will help him.
They have only two potential cold-weather games the rest of the season, including the playoffs: a Dec. 20 night game at Carolina and the next week, again at night, in Chicago.
New Orleans (8-0)
Can the Saints go undefeated? I doubt it. They have had to come from behind too many times so far -- but you cannot help but think about the possibility. They have two highlight games, both at home: New England (possible Super Bowl preview) and Dallas (possible NFC Championship Game preview). And don't forget about their final game on the road against division rival Carolina.
Their defense has been one of the biggest surprises in the NFL. I want to see how their secondary holds up against New England. I think they will struggle with Wes Welker and Ben Watson in their matchups. I assume the Saints will double-cover Randy Moss, because they do not have someone to match up on him one-on-one.
New York Giants (5-4)
The Giants are the most disappointing team so far. I thought they were one of the best teams in the NFL coming out of training camp. Injuries have certainly been part of the reason for their disappointing record.
They need to come out of the bye with some momentum and defeat Atlanta to get it going. The schedule is really tough with games against Minnesota, Philadelphia, Dallas and Denver.
I want to watch the play of the cornerbacks and their pass rush. They go hand in hand -- corners Corey Webster and Terrell Thomas depend upon the pass rush of Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Mathias Kiwanuka to force the quarterback's hand.
Philadelphia (5-3)
Just when you think the Eagles are going to get on a roll, they lose to Oakland and Dallas. They are still a dangerous team and I would be surprised if they are not in the playoffs. They visit Dallas in the last game of the season; I would not be surprised if that was for the NFC East championship.
I am going to watch three players on offense: Brian Westbrook, who looks like he has lost a step, and running back LeSean McCoy and wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, to see if they hit the "rookie wall." Both are explosive players.
St. Louis Rams (1-7)
The Rams have played hard all year despite their lack of success, and that is a credit to head coach Steve Spagnuolo. Like other teams with first-year coaches, they have to figure out which players are keepers for next year.
The player I want to focus on is rookie offensive tackle Jason Smith, to see how develops over the second half of the season. He has been hurt and missed some time. Asking him to play left and right tackle was a mistake.
San Francisco (3-5)
I think Arizona will pull away from San Francisco to win the NFC West, but with their defense the 49ers can be spoilers when they play Philadelphia late in the year.
I am going to watch quarterback Alex Smith. They are going to give him the rest of the season to see how he develops. I have been encouraged from what I have seen so far.
Seattle (3-5)
I thought Seattle would have contended for a division title, but that is not going to happen. Injuries have crippled the Seahawks' offense.
The thing I will watch most is how they compete, especially in road games at Minnesota, Houston and Green Bay, and to end the season at home against Tennessee.
Tampa Bay (1-7)
The Buccaneers' victory over Green Bay on Sunday was impressive -- and I like their old uniforms better than their new ones. I am not sure where their next win will come from, but in all honesty I did not see this one coming.
The player I want to watch is quarterback Josh Freeman. I thought he showed good poise in the second half against Green Bay. They are planning on him being their quarterback of the future and playing him this season mirrors how the Giants broke in Eli Manning and how the Eagles broke in Donovan McNabb.
Washington (2-6)
The Redskins have been consistent for the most part all year. They play it close on defense and can't score 20 points. Injuries are beginning to take their toll on the already-struggling offense.
I want to see how such high-priced players like Clinton Portis, Albert Haynesworth and DeAngelo Hall handle themselves with the press if the losses mount. Can they keep their composure and be team players?
The schedule is against them. Washington might be favored in only one game the rest of the season -- against the Raiders -- but the game is in Oakland and the Raiders play tough at home.
