Listen to your Heart

This feels like an important elimination. The survivors will form my Top Ten.  A landmark in my search and, as such, I'm going to use an all together different method.  No stats, no external help...I'm just going to look at each team and deciding which one I can not realistically see myself supporting.

"Planning can only take you so far, sometimes you have to take a leap of faith" (which TV show?)

This will be the first time since my initial elimination of the Steelers that I will be deciding which team to eliminate.  I feel like Alan Sugar eyeing up the candidates in the boardroom or Simon Cowell sitting in his Barbados villa, listening to some tone deaf loon trying to sing.

So, in no particular order the candidates are:

"Get Ragnar off the roof!"

Minnesota Vikings - Surprising they've lasted this far.  On the one hand they've got the top Running Back in football, an excellent Receiver in Percy Harvin and last season's sack leader in Jared Allen.  Add to that a promising young quarterback and you've got the makings of a good team to support.  Then you see that they the only won 3 games in 2011 and can't help thinking that there are a lot of weak points outweighing the positives.
The question is - can I see myself supporting the Vikings?

No caption required

Cincinnati Bengals - A team on the up. Good young Quarterback, excellent young receiver and a solid defence. The future looks positive for the Bengals.  However, they are in a very tough division with the Ravens and Steelers, plus Who Dey is an awful mascot and I'm not a fan of their kit!  The Bengals are known for being a bit of a "snake bitten" franchise and don't have the most glittering recent history.
However, They can lay claim to the moment of the 2011 season!

Atlanta Falcons - The safe choice.  The Falcons are good in most areas, without being able to find the extra spark needed to win in the playoffs. It's unlikely that supporting the Falcons would lead to years of misery, but equally would it lead to Superbowl's and excitement? Maybe they are just a bit drab.  If this was a box ticking exercise then the Falcons would be in the Top Ten, but this is about my instincts and who I can see myself supporting.

Is he cool?

Green Bay Packers - See above.  Best QB in the game - check, strong support in the UK - check, likely to be contenders in 2012 - check.  It all looks good for Green Bay. But there's something bugging me about them.  Is it the Lambeau Leap?  Is it the fact I'd be labelled a glory hunter?  Or is it just because their fans wear cheese on their heads?

Are Buffalo's hopes resting
on this chin?

Buffalo Bills - The Jedward of the contest.  Nobody knows how they got here but they are still going.  They turn up to each round and perform badly but still manage to get through.  Maybe they are destined to win.  The team have been poor for years now, but remember back to October - the Bills were a threat and people were talking about the playoffs so maybe there is some potential there.  Admittedly, things went a bit pear shaped in the second half of the season, but hey, their Quarterback has a great beard!




Carolina Panthers - Another team on the up. Although seeing as they were the worst team in 2010, it was fairly inevitable.  Nonetheless, 2011 saw the Panthers improve immeasurably, largely thanks to the remarkable performance of rookie QB Cam Newton.  Newton broke numerous records and if I support the Panthers I'd be safe in the knowledge that the team had a leader for the next ten years. Having said that, they do have a remarkable ability to toss away leads and concede an alarming number of points.  Do I want to spend my Sunday evenings screaming at my laptop in annoyance?

Colin

Detroit Lions - Detroit are a couple of years ahead of Carolina in terms of upward progress.  0-16 in 2008 has been the catalyst for an impressive rebuilding operation. They've got a great quarterback for years to come and arguably the most unplayable receiver in the game.  But, again like Carolina, they do concede an awful lot of points.  Plus, I find their coach Jim Schwarz highly annoying and the nearest the NFL has to Neil Warnock.

Houston Texans - Great 2011 and had they not lost 2 quarterbacks they may have gone all the way.  The Schaub-Foster-Johnson triumvirate is one of the most solid in the league and their defence improved greatly under Wade Philips.  They also have the advantage of playing in a relatively weak division.  However, without wanting to sound like a Liverpool fan, they've got no history!

Smile and the world smiles
with you

Philadelphia Eagles - If this was played on paper (as opposed at a laptop!), then the Eagles would be in the Top Ten no problems. A star studded team that under-performed in 2011, the Eagles will once again be strongly fancied this season.  Any team with Vick, McCoy, Jackson (maybe) et al is bound to have a chance but will they flatter to deceive once again.  Coach Andy Reid isn't a man you'd want to sit next to on the train - and that's not just because of his girth.



Tennessee Titans - The dark horses. Seems like they get the least amount of media exposure in the UK, they are average in most position, but they do seem to get results.  Admittedly not quite enough to make the play offs or threaten the top teams, but Tennessee are a solid team.  However, it all seems a bit 5/10 across the board.  Star running back Chris Johnson is the main attraction, but he had a very mediocre 2011.  I'm just not sure whether the Titans have enough to make me want to support them.

Rex spots something he likes

New York Jets - If the Titans are the dark horses, then the Jets are very pale donkeys.  Lots of media coverage, always in the news, but quite often for the wrong reasons in recent times.  Coach with foot fetish, "captain" who quits on the team, average quarterback with a pop star ego.  But, the Jets did reach the Championship game in both 09 and 10, so they are clearly doing something right.

Hmm, this is difficult, I have renewed appreciation for Sir Alan and the Dark Lord Cowell.  I've spent ages thinking about my decision and I've weighed up every teams' pros and cons.  Do I get rid of a "safe" option, do I get rid of a team that concede too much or should I try to avoid supporting a really bad team?

In the end, I've decided to just listen to my heart and having carefully considered the evidence, there is one team that I just cannot see myself supporting.

Next time, I'll be starting the Top Ten with a look at back up Quarterbacks and what they mean for my remaining teams in 2012.


Oh, who have I got rid of? The Green Bay Packers. No explanation needed, it just feels right to eliminate them at this stage.