If you didn’t think the NFC North Division was up for grabs before the season, you know it after two weeks.
It’s the only NFC division with two 0-2 teams. The 0-2 teams are the division’s two returning playoff teams, Minnesota and Green Bay.
It is the first time the Vikings and Packers have been 0-2 the same season.
For the first time since 1980, two quarterbacks from one division threw five interceptions in a game. Those quarterbacks were from the NFC North, Minnesota’s Daunte Culpepper and Detroit’s Joey Harrington.
The last time it happened was when Danny White of Dallas and Jim Hart of the St. Louis Cardinals did it from the old NFC East.
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Nice combination
The Bears’ Kyle Orton, that poor rookie prematurely thrust into action, was the only NFC North quarterback without an interception Sunday.
The 15 points yielded by the Bears’ defense is the fewest in the NFC through Sunday. The combination of defense and a quarterback who doesn’t throw interceptions is enough to win a lot of games. In the NFC North, it could dominate.
As predicted, the Bears’ defense has been the most consistent unit in the division so far.
The Packers had no offense in their opener at Detroit and their defense lost to Cleveland at Lambeau Field.
The Lions had good defense against Green Bay, especially against the run, but couldn’t shut down the Bears’ rush and force a rookie quarterback to beat them. The Lions’ offense was promising against Green Bay and nonexistent against the Bears.
The Vikings have found neither offense nor defense. While the focus has remained on Culpepper’s eight interceptions and the absence of Randy Moss, the collapse of the defense in yielding 504 yards to Cincinnati is at least as big a problem for coach Mike Tice.
The Vikings had hoped to retool with a more solid defense, but Cincinnati receivers ran free all day while Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer was unscathed.
Palmer hot
Palmer is the hottest quarterback the Bears are scheduled to face in the next several weeks. This could change, of course, but after this week, the Bears play Cleveland’s Trent Dilfer, Minnesota’s Culpepper, Baltimore’s Kyle Boller or Anthony Wright (or maybe even Kordell Stewart), Detroit’s Harrington again, New Orleans’ Aaron Brooks and San Francisco’s Tim Rattay.
Dilfer was plenty hot against Green Bay on Sunday but is not known for long streaks of excellence. Culpepper looked clueless against Tampa Bay and Cincinnati. The Bears can only hope that lasts. The Ravens have to be wondering why they ever let Dilfer go.
Meanwhile, in his last five games, Palmer has completed 75 percent of his passes. Still, he is dwelling on two red-zone interceptions against Cleveland and Minnesota.
“I have three turnovers already this season,” Palmer said. “I’ve had a number of passes I normally don’t miss that I’ve missed. I still have a lot of room to grow.”
AFC vs. NFC
You think the AFC isn’t still better than the NFC? The Bengals and Browns were the third- and fourth-place teams in the AFC North. They handily beat the Vikings and Packers, the second- and first-place teams from the NFC North.
Upside down
In the NFC, going from worst to first is a short trip.
In the NFC South, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished last in 2004 and are now first.
In the NFC West, the San Francisco 49ers were last in 2004 and are now first based only their 1-0 division record.
In the NFC North, the Bears were last and are now first with their 1-0 division record.
Cadillac increases lead
Tampa Bay drafted the Cadillac and intends to drive it.
Selected after the Miami Dolphins took Auburn teammate Ronnie Brown and the Bears took Cedric Benson, Carnell “Cadillac” Williams has rushed 51 times for 276 yards, the most yards ever in a rookie’s first two games.
While sharing time at Auburn with Brown, Williams averaged 240 carries his junior and senior seasons. He’s on pace for 400 carries so far, although 300 is a more reasonable target. The Jets’ Curtis Martin led the league last year with 371 carries.
“Giving the ball to a guy 25 to 30 times, if they are going to get 140 or 150 yards, there is going to be a long run in there somewhere,” Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. “That’s one of the reasons we keep giving the ball to the same guy, because we think he is special and it’s just a matter of time before he finds a way.”
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At 5 feet 11 inches, 215 pounds, Williams is the smallest of the three top rookies. Although less than 10 pounds lighter than Benson, it was Benson who was supposed to be the proven workhorse. After 1,112 carries at Texas–compared with Williams’ 741 and Brown’s 507 at Auburn–there was concern that Benson already had too much mileage on his legs.
Williams, who lists the 5-10, 205-pound Walter Payton among his idols, isn’t afraid of the workload.
“Go back to Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith and those guys. They weren’t 230- or 240-pound backs, but they did it every week. So I’m thinking, Why can’t I do it?” Williams said. “In due time, we’ll find out.”
Patriot games
The Patriots will provide a good idea of whether they can repeat in the next month when they continue one of the toughest stretches of challenges a champion has ever faced.
After their loss at Carolina, they travel to Pittsburgh, where they meet the 2-0 Steelers in a rematch of last season’s AFC title game. After playing a lone home game against AFC West champion San Diego, the Patriots are back on the road Oct. 9 at Atlanta and Oct. 16 at Denver. If they are over .500 by their off week Oct. 23, the Patriots have to feel good about November and December.
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