kaufman@uiucdcs.Uiuc.ARPA (08/27/85)
Looking at the schedule for the upcoming season, I see three teams who have the potential to be the biggest disappointments of the year, finishing far behind where many predictions would have them. This is based not only on sheer strength of schedule (if that were the case, we'd bury the Chiefs), but also on teams' recent historical performance against certain other teams or in certain other stadiums. The classic example from last year would have been the Dallas-Buffalo game in which the upset would have been tempered somewhat by the fact that the Cowboys always have inordinate trouble with the Bills. Here then are the three potential flops in increasing order of potential disappointment. 1) The Dallas Cowboys: You think they have trouble with Buffalo, it's nothing compared with the problems they have with the entire AFC Central other than Houston. Over the last decade they've only won once or twice against those three combined. With reasonably strong entries from Pittsburgh and Cincinnati and a likely up-and-downer in Cleveland, this trend could easily continue. Add to this the fact that Dallas went 1-5 against the three other NFC East contenders last year and could be hard-pressed to match it, and suddenly 6-10 doesn't seem inconceivable. Oh yeah, there's also that trip to San Francisco. 2) The Los Angeles Rams: Especially if Eric Dickerson doesn't join the club. The Rams have a murderous slate including home-and-home with the 49ers and games against the top four in the AFC West (where I've predicted Denver to be the best 4th place team in history with a 10-6 record). The Rams also get to travel to Tampa and Philadelphia, two of the toughest places for visitors to escape with wins. If they don't go 4-0 against the Saints and Falcons, it will be a very long season. 3) The New England Patriots: Proving that their el foldo last December was no fluke at all. The key barometer will be the two Jet games. A Pat sweep and the season may be salvaged after all. A split and at least they'll be halfway respectable. A Jet sweep and, well, can you say 4-12? The only reason they'll finish third is because of the presence of the Bills and Colts in the division. New England gets to play the NFC Central this year. Don't laugh, they always have trouble against those teams. They'll probably get to play in Tampa Stadium on the day of the annual Monsoon Bowl. They draw the Raiders and Seahawks from the AFC West, and anyone who believes the Seahawks will blow another 23-0 lead against them is likely to be in for a big surprise. Ken Kaufman (uiucdcs!kaufman) "Here are the car keys. Careful, I had them in the oven."