The Stretch Run

Momentum meter

A look at the top dog in each division

As published in print Dec. 17, 2001

Raiders WR Jerry Rice

Being in first place means different things to different teams. What follows is a look at the momentum and positioning of each division’s leading team:

AFC East — Miami Dolphins. A week after crushing the Colts to give themselves some breathing room in the division, the Dolphins were decisively beaten by the 49ers. With that loss, Miami went from battling for home-field advantage in the playoffs to a fight for their life in the AFC East with the Patriots and Jets. Jay Fiedler’s ability to avoid interceptions is a huge key for Miami’s postseason run. (PFW editor-in-chief Ron Pollack examines the question "Do the Dolphins have enough offensive firepower to reach the Super Bowl?" in the current print edition of Pro Football Weekly.)

AFC Central — Pittsburgh Steelers. After beating the Ravens last week, the Steelers are AFC Central champs, and they can start thinking about locking up a No. 1 seed. The Steelers’ momentum is obvious, having won six straight games. They have an elite defense, an elite running game, and (holy smokes!) the passing game is even clicking. The Steelers are one of the rare teams in the NFL that has balance on both sides of the ball. The offense is red-hot, topping 300 yards in its last 11 games and surpassing 400 yards in five of those. The defense has kept the opposition below 300 yards in 11-of-13 games. If you really want momentum, how about the fact that Kordell Stewart has thrown just one interception in his last eight games? You want more shocking momentum? Steelers receivers have posted six performances of 99 yards or more in the past five games. These guys have become more than mere smashmouth artists. (PFW reporter Jim Wexell looks at Stewart's rebound from his post-"Slash" struggles in the current print edition of Pro Football Weekly.)

AFC West — Oakland Raiders. The Raiders are in firm control of the division, are in the playoffs and are competing for home-field advantage in the postseason — but it’s not like they have a ton of momentum. In the last three weeks, the Raiders have faced weak competition, yet they’ve lost to the Cardinals, beaten the Chiefs by a mere two points and beaten the Chargers by seven points. If Oakland is to be Super Bowl-bound, it would help if the team improved in the running game on both sides of the ball. The Raiders’ defense has allowed 165.7 rushing yards per game in its last seven outings. While the offensive numbers have not been terrible, Oakland has topped 100 yards rushing in only two of its last six games. Keep an eye on WR Jerry Rice, who has six TD catches the last five games.

NFC East — Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles are in firm control of the NFC East and have posted double-digit victories in each of the last three weeks. Though the Eagles have won six of their last seven games, there are some trends that are cause for concern. Their defense has allowed 124.2 rushing yards per game over the last five outings (although that’s partly because teams can’t throw on them). The offense has been held under 300 yards in four of the last five games. RB Duce Staley is averaging 2.7 yards per carry over the last four games.

NFC Central — Chicago Bears. It’s amazing how much better things look than they did a week earlier. The Bears’ win and the Packers’ loss give Chicago a one-game lead in the division. The Packers swept the season series, so the Bears must hang on to their slim lead. Chicago has clinched a playoff berth but could still end up anywhere from first to fifth in the playoff standings. If the Bears’ offense would show a little spark, the team’s posteason prospects would look sensational, but last week was the first time the offense topped the 300-yard mark since Week Eight. Given their limited offense, home-field advantage would be huge for the Bears, who would love a cold, defensive struggle in the playoffs. (PFW reporter Bob LeGere discusses the need for the Bears' conservative offense to pick it up a notch in order to have postseason success, in the current print edition of Pro Football Weekly.)

NFC West — St. Louis Rams. After defeating the Saints 34-21 on Monday night, the Rams have a one-game lead over the 49ers in the NFC West. St. Louis has won three in a row and 5-of-6 since a Week Seven loss to New Orleans. As well as both their offensive and defensive units are playing, the primary threat to the Rams' continued success is turnovers, as a minus-eight takeaway-turnover differential has been the team's major stumbling block this season. If the Rams have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, they will be very tough to beat since their speed is especially difficult to contend with on turf.

For an expanded look at the race for the postseason, see the PFW print edition's brand-new page, "The Stretch Run," including these additional features: "The Hot Topic: Teams once thought to be Super Bowl contenders"; "Spotlight on the San Francisco 49ers"; and "If the season ended today," a ranking of how the contenders would be seeded in the playoffs. All this and more is in the current print edition (Vol. XVI, No. 24) of Pro Football Weekly, dated Dec. 24, 2001, on sale at newsstands and bookstores across the country. Or you can subscribe online to PFW's print edition, or subscribe by calling 1-800-FOOTBALL (366-8225) and charging your subscription to a major credit card.

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2001 - 2002 Season