At halfway point, NFL is all about the quick change

By Sal DeFilippo

Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009 | 1:15 p.m.

It’s about halftime as far as the 2009 NFL regular season is concerned, and heading into the intermission the Saints and Colts still boast zeroes in the loss column, while Tampa Bay won its first game to ensure their won’t be another winless team this season. How fast can things change in the NFL? Seven seasons ago, the Buccaneers and Raiders were in the Super Bowl. Heck, four weeks ago, the Giants were 5-0 and considered a dominant team.

Every NFL season is filled with surprises, though, so let’s reflect on a few of those in our own halftime show.

The good: Along with the Saints’ evolution and the Colts’ ability to seemingly be 8-0 at this point ever year, you have to be impressed with the Bengals’ 6-2 start. They face a tough test at 6-2 Pittsburgh this week. Also, speaking of Cincinnati, you have to be impressed with the NFL itself, for to 20,000-to-1 ROI with its fine of Chad Ochocinco this week.

For those who don’t know, Ochocinco jokingly walked toward an official with a $1 bill during an instant-replay review of one of his receptions, as if he were going to bribe the official for the call to go his way. The league didn’t think it was so funny, slapping a fine to the tune of 20 grand on the-artist-formerly-known-as-Johnson. In a tough economy, that’s an amazing return. Perhaps Chad will now change his name to Unodollar.

The Cowboys, despite losing T.O. in the offseason and with all the circus surrounding their new stadium and a scoreboard large enough to warrant its own ZIP code, are also 6-2.

And love him or hate him, it’s hard to argue with the 7-1 mark Brett Favre and the Vikings have posted in the first half. That Peterson fella in the backfield ain’t so bad, either.

The bad: The Washington Redskins are 2-6, with wins against – brace yourselves – the Rams and Buccaneers (by a combined five points), and losses to the Lions and Chiefs thrown in there. That proud franchise is, in a word, hemorrhaging.

Tennessee is also 2-6, and that’s after posting consecutive wins. Last year, the Titans were an AFC-best 13-3 and came charging out of the game with 10 consecutive wins.

What’s in store for the second half? To me, the teams caught in the middle are intriguing – the Ravens are as dangerous as any 4-4 team in recent memory, the Texans are a legitimate 5-4, the Giants will rebound and several other near-or-at .500 teams – the Jets, 49ers, Bears, Packers and Jaguars – are enigmas.

So, halfway through the season, we’re right where we usually are – with no real idea what to expect the rest of the season. Would we want it any other way?

Sal’s picks: A 1-2 week last weekend (thanks for allowing that backdoor TD, Jaguars!) moves the season mark to 13-12-2. This week, I’ll take the Packers-Cowboys over 47½, the Saints -13½ at the Rams and the Lions +16½ at the Vikings.

****

The media/celebrity picks:

Lance Burton, Monte Carlo master magician (18-9)

Falcons -1½ at Panthers

Lions +16½ at Vikings

Ravens -11 at Browns

****

Anthony Crivello, star of "Phantom - Las Vegas Spectacular" (14-13)

Lions-Vikings over 48

Dolphins -9½ vs. Buccaneers

Cardinals -8½ vs. Seahawks

****

Carrot Top, Luxor headliner (17-10)

Broncos -4 at Redskins

Falcons -1½ at Panthers

Packers +3 vs. Cowboys

****

Terry Fator, Mirage headliner (13-14)

Broncos -4 at Redskins

Cowboys -3 at Packers

Steelers-Bengals over 41½

****

Oscar Goodman, mayor of Las Vegas (14-13)

Falcons -1½ at Panthers

Cowboys -3 at Packers

Bengals +7 at Steelers

****

Ryan Greene, Las Vegas Sun sports writer (12-14-1)

Jets-Jaguars under 43½

Colts -2½ vs. Patriots

Redskins +4 vs. Broncos

****

Alicia Jacobs, KVBC entertainment reporter (16-11)

Jets -6½ vs. Jaguars

Falcons -1½ at Panthers

Patriots +2½ at Colts

****

Kevin Janison, KVBC meteorologist (11-16)

Dolphins-Buccaneers over 44

Colts-Patriots under 50

Packers-Cowboys over 47½

****

Christine Killimayer, Greenspun Interactive sports reporter (12-15)

Raiders -1½ vs. Chiefs

Eagles +2½ at Chargers

Patriots +2½ at Colts

****

Wayne Newton, "Mr. Las Vegas" (13-13-1)

Patriots -2 ½ at Colts

Packers-Cowboys over 47 ½

Bengals +7 at Steelers

****

Frank Caliendo’s Fantasy Studs of the Week

XXXAaron Rodgers, Green Bay and D’Angelo Williams, Carolina

Last week’s rating:

TOUCHDOWN. The always-dependable D’Angelo Williams didn’t disappoint against New Orleans, rushing for 149 yards and two touchdowns – the only two scores of the day for Carolina. Aaron Rodgers of Green Bay was hampered by three picks, but threw for a respectable 266 yards and two scores, too.