From: spork@camelot.bradley.edu (Richard Izzo)
Subject: Will there EVER be a dominant AFC team???
Organization: Bradley University
Distribution: na
Date: 28 Dec 92 20:25:56 GMT

What can an AFC watcher do when the number one seed in the playoffs is
11-5?  This time, we can't blame tough schedules or bad luck.  This is
the worst AFC ever.  Pittsburgh doesn't have a healthy (or good) QB;
Buffalo is devastated by injuries to their best players (only their 
wide receivers have been spared, but don't tell that to Beebe; he's
still probably dizzy from that hit last night).  San Diego, although 
a building team, has THEIR QB down, and they haven't played the big
boys much (or too well).  Miami is also building, but most of their
receiving core is aging, and their backs didn't produce.  Houston has
the potential, but they're permantently inconsistent.  Kansas City 
STILL needs a QB, their backs (Okoye, Word, and Harvey Williams) didn't
improve.  Meanwhile, any playoff team in the NFC (except the Skins and
maybe the Eagles)could wipe out the entire AFC without flinching.

	My only personal enjoyment this season is that the Broncos
finally reached their potential this year.  Thank the gods Denver
and their overrated quarterback, along with their overrated everything
else on that team, finally got what they deserved; namely, a living 
room seat in the playoffs.  Watching the Chiefs cream Denver (and 
especially Derrick Thomas creaming Elway in the end zone) was true
beauty.

	Finally, anyone in the AFC can reach the Super Bowl, but it's
like a cow fighting for the first place in line to the slaughterhouse.
In my opinion, the only teams who can defeat an NFC team in the Super
Bowl are Kansas City and San Diego, mainly because their defenses hit 
hard, NFC-style.  Anyone else reaching the Super Bowl have not a chance.

	And, for 1993, the playoff teams of the future:

1. Green Bay.  If they don't belly-flop like they did in 1990 after a 
winning record, they could join Minnesota in the playoffs next year.

2. Seattle.  Don't laugh.  They have much of the defense shored up, and
if they draft a QB, dump Stouffer (get him a job at a concession stand),
and retain Gelbaugh as a lead-in for a rookie QB (much like DeBerg for
Elway in '83), and build a solid offensive core around Chris Warren, Flores
could wind up with a playoff team the next year (aided by a fifth-place
schedule, the Kingdome, and a weak AFC).  Mind you, a lot of their losses
were by less than a touchdown this year.

3. Cleveland.  Reason?  Typical AFC Central revolving door.  Either 
Pittsburgh or Houston will flop next year, and there's actually talent
there, namely WR Michael Jackson and Mr. Metcalf.  Bellichek (sp?) is
no Ray Handley, either.

	Permenantly dead teams?  If the Phoenix Cardinals:
A. drop their ticket prices by half
B. murder Bidwell in his sleep
C. switch players with the Cowboys
D. move the team to Memphis (where there are probably more cardinals
   than in Phoenix)

...they'll be plyoff-bound by 2034.

Good day.


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[]  rich.				     Bradley University   []
[]  spork@camelot.bradley.edu		     Peoria, IL	 	  []
[]  Kansas City 27, New Orleans 19 in da Super Bowl		  []
[]  And yes, I believe in the tooth fairy too.  Your point?	  [] 
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