Halftime brings marching bandwagons to this NFL season. The Packers are still ahead in points for, points against and high hopes. But they no longer march alone. Different drummers can be heard making noise in the background.
The Broncos and Redskins join the Packers as 7-1 starters, both more unlikely success stories than the Packers.
The Eagles, Steelers and 49ers are 6-2, all three weathering change and uncertainty at quarterback that would doom lesser teams.
The Broncos and Steelers again are giving the AFC designs on winning a Super Bowl.
“I don’t think anybody’s better than us,” Denver coach Mike Shanahan said a week before preparing for the Bears. “We can play with anybody. I said this before the year started. I really thought we could go and win every football game if we played to our capabilities.”
“Is this my best team?” owner Pat Bowlen said, recalling three Super Bowl runners-up. “I think so. My memory isn’t long enough, but I think it’s my best team ever, just from the standpoint of talent. And I think the chemistry is as good as it ever was.”
Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher agrees, labeling the Broncos as the AFC team to beat down the stretch.
“They’ve got the best record, and what they did to Kansas City (34-7 Sunday) has to be awfully impressive. They’re playing very, very well,” Cowher said.
There are eight teams at 5-3, all nicely poised for playoff runs. One sticks out like a herd of buffaloes rumbling in the distance. It isn’t the Bills.
Sorry, but the Dallas Cowboys are still the world champions. If anybody thought the Bears left them for dead on opening night, look again. They’re sitting in third place in the revived NFC East behind two teams staring nervously into the rear-view mirror.
“The Cowboys and Philly are still the teams to beat,” Redskins cornerback Darrell Green said Wednesday. “Philly beat us and Dallas won the Super Bowl. They have done it. We’re not the team to beat at this point.”
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The Cowboys play the Eagles in Dallas this week. The Eagles had their chance five weeks ago in Philadelphia to knock off the tottering champions, and couldn’t do it despite an all-out motivational blitz by coach Ray Rhodes. Now Rhodes is more circumspect as he takes his team to Dallas: “Lately, we haven’t beaten a good team on the road. This will be our test on Sunday.”
The Cowboys passed the first question in a four-week test of their own when they reminded former coach Jimmy Johnson in Miami last Sunday just how good they are. After the Eagles, the Cowboys go to San Francisco and then back home for the Packers.
For the Cowboys, it provides exactly the kind of challenge they need at exactly the time they are ready for it. With Michael Irvin back and players healing and rounding into shape following a deliberately soft training camp, the Cowboys are finding it difficult to muzzle their enthusiasm.
“I knew it would take time to get into pounding shape,” guard Nate Newton said Wednesday. “We ain’t all the way there yet, but we’re making steps every week to try to improve.”
Are the Cowboys the team to beat?
“Washington is the team to beat,” Newton quickly said. “One thing about the Dallas Cowboys, we’ve got great respect for a team with a winning record. We don’t go and say they haven’t played anybody. Washington and Philadelphia are having excellent seasons. We look forward to these games.”
“We still control our destiny,” quarterback Troy Aikman said, as if anyone had to be reminded. “We’re backed into a corner and we don’t have a lot of air, but I’m not uncomfortable in our position.”
Cowboys Vice President Stephen Jones added: “This team, when healthy, is capable of winning eight, nine or 10 games in a row.”
Newton soon warmed to the subject.
Are the Cowboys as good as they were last year?
“Nah, we’re nowhere near close, but we’re coming,” Newton said.
Will they get there?
“We plan to. It ain’t where you start, it’s where you finish.”
Another Super Bowl?
Newton could no longer contain himself. “Y’all don’t want us to be, but I’ll tell you like the little girl told them on `Poltergeist’: `They’re baaaaad.’ “