I'd argue it was the most exciting weekend of NFL action.
The drama in Baltimore.The upsets in Kansas City and Oakland.
A great Sunday night game going to the gritty, undermanned Eagles, sparked by a huge blocked field goal in the fourth quarter.
And yet somehow the Lions and Browns topped them all.
Plus, we have the surprise team to watch for the tournament.
It's time for the Schein 9.
1. Foaming at the mouth
The Ravens, Steelers, Texans, Bengals and Broncos all lost.
The window is wide open for a surprise team to make a stunning run toward the playoffs.
Enter Tony Sparano and the Miami Dolphins, now at 5-5. Miami has a great opportunity to crash the playoff party this season. Really.
An experienced quarterback on IR? A star runner done for the year? No problem. The Dolphins are a physical team. They are fundamentally sound. They are supremely coached. It's amazing to watch.
As guard Justin Smiley told us Friday on Sirius NFL Radio: "The way we practice and hit on Wednesdays and Thursday, the way Bill Parcells set the tone for the organization, the way Coach Sparano coaches, no team in the NFL outworks us. I don't like to make guarantees, but I will guarantee you that."
Sparano has done an excellent job and he has surrounded himself with an elite group of assistant coaches that mirror the intensity set by the head coach and Parcells.
Think back to last Thursday and a sudden crazy rash of injuries up front against Carolina. Other teams would fold. Instead, Sparano's guys were ready for anything, and the offensive line was dominant.
And the story of Ricky Williams is remarkable. Remember when Ricky quit in July 2004. Think about the drug issues and the trip to the CFL. Ricky has been nothing short of a model citizen under Parcells and Sparano. With Ronnie Brown on IR, Ricky and Ronnie has been curtailed to just Ricky, and Williams is back to his All-Pro form, darting and powering past the Panthers Thursday night. And all that idle time living in tents has kept his legs fresh.
I cannot get enough of watching Chad Henne play quarterback. The moxie in a must-win road game to throw the ball away and avoid a sack. It sounds like a minor thing, but Henne soaked up knowledge from Chad Pennington on how to win. Then there's the ability to improvise and hit Davone Bess for a key first down. Plus the arm strength. The accuracy. The ability to make plays on the road during his first season on the field.
The defensive backs are young but showing promise. Vontae Davis and Sean Smith are clicking. Up front, Randy Starks has played great. Joey Porter and Jason Taylor are playing dominant ball.
Some thought the Miami schedule down the stretch was daunting. Take another look.
Miami has road games in Buffalo, Jacksonville and Tennessee. Home games include New England, Houston and Pittsburgh.
I believe the Dolphins beat the Bills in Buffalo this weekend. You can't compare the coaches or the offensive lines. There will be more Dolphins fans than Jags fans in Jacksonville. Give Jacksonville credit for the 6-4 record, but Miami is a more consistent team. The Titans have changed their fortunes, but that's more than a winnable game in Tennessee. I'll call it 3-0 for Miami on the road down the stretch.
Miami always plays New England tough. And it's a major advantage getting both Houston and Pittsburgh in South Florida. Miami will have a big leg up on Pittsburgh in special teams. The Week 17 game between the Fish and Steelers will be for a spot in the playoffs. Seriously.
There are six games left. I'm calling for 4-2 minimum. Nine wins might actually get you into the playoffs with all of the recent upsets and the predictable Broncos crash back down to earth.
Remember the road seemed impossible last year and Sparano showed them the way. Nobody thought Miami would make the playoffs until they actually did. At Week 10 last year, everyone thought it would be the Jets and/or Patriots. The Dolphins won't be outcoached or be physically dominated. And that counts for a lot down the stretch.
