By Jason Jones

As we approach the first quarter mark of the NFL’s regular season, teams longterm success or failure should begin to come into focus.  Naturally, if you have no particular rooting interest, you might be inclined to look at the BAL/NE game or the NYJ/NO game.  I would not disagree with that sentiment.  However, the title reads “intrigue”.  Look, let’s call it like it is…Baltimore very well may be the best team in the NFL through the early going.  In addition, the Patriots just look lost.  They clearly are trying to come to terms with the loss of veteran defenders (specifically at the linebacker position).  They also really need to get the old Tom Brady back.  Or maybe, they need to get their WRs to get their proverbial heads out of their proverbial posteriors and just start catching the ball.  Baltimore should be up comfortably in the last few minutes of that game.

I would, however, agree that there is intrigue with the Jets-Saints game.  The “Sanchize” combined with a new attitude on defense has the Jets playing better than anyone would have imagined to this point.  And that my friends, is where we draw the creepy comparison.  Keys to the Jets success…1) Mark “Sanchize” is playing efficiently.  2) The defense is playing 300% better than anyone would have invisioned.  3) Big plays on offense from players who we are not accustomed to making said big plays.  This brings me to the game I find to be most intriguing.  Dallas @ Denver.  That’s right, I said it.  Dallas thought they would add through subtraction.  The loss of Terrell Owens may or may not have been the right decision.  Their usually strong defense is underachieving, at least from my perspective.  Tony Romo is falling apart at the seams.  I could go on.  Back to the afformentioned comparison.  Keys to the Broncos success…1) Kyle Orton is playing efficiently, 3 wins no picks.  2) The defense is holding down the #1 spot in the NFL for that category.  3) Big plays on offense from players who we are accustomed to making said big plays.  Clearly, I would rather see the Jets and Broncos square off this sunday.  The question is, “if they both win, who are you more impressed with?”

It is no secret that I have been just as critical as most when discussing the Broncos offseason and preseason.  If I were a conspiracy theorist, I may say McDaniel staged both of those scenarios, but a conspiracy theorist I am not.  Trading Cutler, Marshall’s shenanigans, showcasing Jabar Gaffney, bringing in a never was in Andra Davis, and McDaniel’s very Belicheckian approach to sharing with the media.  Not to mention, I can’t remember a preseason team that has looked so depressingly bad.  They deserved to beat the Bengals.  The Immaculate Deflection (Stoakley right place right time for the winning score) may have just been the football gods way of executing football justice.  They beat the tar out of the Browns and the Raiders, specifically the Raiders.  So what does that mean?  Good teams blow out the bad teams, beat the good teams when they have the opportunity, and make a good showing against the teams that are deemed to be better than them.  They have achieved the first part.  We will see with Dallas and New England if the second part holds true.  Make no mistake, I am not asserting that they are better than the national perception, nor that I believe they are a title contender.  Knowshon Moreno needs to continue his evolution to becoming the starting back, Eddie Royal and Brandon Marshall have to get back to 2008 form, and the defense needs to continue their stingy play.  Just remember that the national opinion dictated that the Broncos would be lucky to win 4 or 5 games all season long.  They can sweep Oakland, split with KC, beat Washington, I think they are better than Dallas, and there is always a team that loses a game to a team like Denver that they have no business losing.  That’s eight wins ladies and gentleman.

In the AFC, the Colts and Ravens are playing very solid ball, outside of that the AFC is wide open.  At least from my perspective the Jets and Broncos are far and away the most intriguing teams in the AFC.  It still remains to be seen how good these two teams will be over the course of the season.  Can the Jets hang with the Saints offense and can the Broncos really hang with decent to fringe playoff teams like the Cowboys.  As they say, “that’s why they play the games.”