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Can You Guess Which NFL Division Leader Will Miss the Playoffs?

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Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Six weeks into the NFL season, some surprise teams have taken control of their divisions. The Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, and Detroit Lions weren’t mentioned in anyone’s preseason predictions, but they’re at the top of the standings nonetheless. On the flip side, the once-strong Cincinnati Bengals have started to look quite shaky at the top of the AFC North. The ScoreBig Scorekeeper will bet a fistful of NFL tickets that at least one of these teams won’t make the playoffs. Lets examine which team is most likely to disappoint moving forward.

Heading into their bye week, the Bengals looked like the class of the AFC. But after an old-school beatdown by the Patriots in primetime and a very underwhelming tie against the Panthers, Cincinnati looks extremely fallible. The team is missing A.J. Green dearly, but with a game in hand over suddenly-hot Ravens, Cincy should be fine so long as Marvin Lewis doesn’t have Andy Dalton killed.

The Lions are surprisingly atop the NFC North right now, mostly on the strength of their defense. Though Green Bay has recently started to look like themselves, the Lions should still make the postseason so long as they take care of business against the rest of their division.

Arizona seems like they could topple to a losing record by the end of the year. The team is very lucky to be 4-1, especially with Carson Palmer having missed so much time. Palmer seems to be healthy, for now, but Arizona has both participants in last year’s NFC Championship nipping at their heels. The Seahawks are down this year, but certainly not out. With two more games against Seattle and a trip to San Francisco still left on the docket, it could be a long close to the season for any fan with Arizona Cardinals tickets.

Carolina is far and away the most likely regression candidate. At 3-2-1 the Panthers have the worst record for any division leader, and they have a negative point differential to boot. The Panthers have put together some impressive wins, most notably the comeback against Chicago. But to be frank, they’re leading the NFC South because Atlanta Falcons tickets and New Orleans Saints tickets aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on right now. The NFC South went from one of the best divisions in football to the absolute worst in less than two years. The Saints still have six games at home, where they are 2-0 this season. I think New Orleans will get its act together and win this division with a 9-7 record, leaving Carolina on the outside looking in.

Disappointing Fantasy QB’s Destined for a Turnaround

Fantasy football drafting is not an exact science. Sometimes a late round pick can carry your team to the playoffs. Other times, your starting QB plays so badly, you wonder if he’s actively trying to sabotage your season. That has been the case with several QB’s this year including Cam Newton, Drew Brees, and Matthew Stafford. Cam Newton scored as many points in Week 1 as Johnny Manziel. (Side note: if you bought Cleveland Browns tickets hoping to cheer on Johnny football, find a lighter and burn those tickets because you don’t deserve them.) Brees has been below average for maybe the first time since he first picked up a football. And Matthew Stafford has been like a lost puppy without Calvin Johnson. But each of these guys could still be a boon to your squad moving forward.

As stated above, Drew Brees and the Saints have six more home games. His fantasy production is bound to get better in the Superdome. Cam Newton’s numbers were bad the first five weeks of the year, because he wasn’t a running threat at all.

Fans who bought Carolina Panthers tickets for those games watched Cam hobble around and look about as mobile as an overturned semi truck. But that poor fantasy trend seems to be shifting. Last week, Cam rushed for over 100 yards and a TD against the Bengals. This could be a sign that his ribs and ankle are finally healed, and he’s ready to return to the Top 10.

But the best candidate to help your fantasy team get out of the cellar and into the playoffs is Matthew Stafford. The logic behind this is simple: Calvin Johnson has never missed more than 2 games in a year. His history indicates he will be back healthy soon. And any QB who gets to throw to Megatron is assured to be Top 5. Even without Johnson, Stafford is having his best season in three years. His completion %, TD-INT ratio, and yards per attempt are all up. Target Stafford for a trade some time around the deadline and start him with confidence in the fantasy playoffs. You’re welcome.

Losing Streaks

The Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Washington Redskins are all working on impressive losing streaks. If you had to choose which is most likely to win this weekend, you’d certainly choose “D, None of the Above.” These days, fans buy Jacksonville Jaguars tickets for the Jumbotron and the pool, but definitely not for winning. Ditto for Raiders tickets but substitute crazy people in spiked shoulder pads and the ghost of Al Davis. The Redskins might win again this season if RGIII stays healthy when he comes back, but that doesn’t seem likely. If you’re a gambler, parlay the money lines against these three teams every week for the rest of the year. The winnings should put your kids though college.

You don’t have to pay box office price for your NFL tickets. Right now, you can save up to 60% below box office price with ScoreBig.com, where you save on every ticket you buy.

By Ryan Weisert

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