I'm feeling much better about our chances today

For some reason, I all of a sudden don't feel like we are doomed. A few possible hypotheses as to this sudden optimism:

1) We've been playing injured. (for instance, Tom's rib, shoulder, finger combo). Hopefully there is some time between now and the playoffs to recover.

2) Our record is now a respectable 9-5. So is Cincinnati's. And that seems like a good place to be.

3) While we thought Carolina would be an easy game, they then went and upset the Vikings this week. Now, you could point to the Vikings and say that there were some issues there (such as Favre refusing to be benched...classy), but the point is that they were capable of more than we allowed them.

4) Remaining games for Miami: Houston and Pittsburgh. Remaining games for the Jets: Colts and Cincinnati. I feel good about the possibility that both teams will lose at least one of these games.

Wouldn't it be great if the Colts made it to 15-0 then lost to Buffalo? Can you imagine? Ouch.

And then there was none...

The Bucs won a game against Green Bay. Who would have guessed that? And a decisive win too with an interception for a TD in the last minute of play for a 38-28 victory. The Bucs were in their hawt throwback uniforms, so maybe they should stick with that creamsicle look. And with that, I can retire the 'Winless Bucs' tag.

Green Bay fans, I am sorry. That is a lousy two weeks. First you lose at home to Favre's Vikings, now this. But I have a tip for you: an offensive line would be of great benefit to the team as a whole, and Aaron Rogers in particular.

But you know what we do still have? Undefeated Colts. Today they eked out a victory against Houston with a missed field goal in the final seconds to win 20-17. How many times can this happen? How many times can things go their way in the last seconds? It's like they took the Patriots' 2007 mojo or something. I truly, truly hope that next week it will stop.

Incidentally, Carolina is currently up on the Saints 17-3. We did see the Saints come back big time against Miami a few weeks ago, so I'm not counting them out. But I am still surprised.

Teams I wasn't expecting to go 0-2

Tennessee Titans
Carolina Panthers

Oh, and I'm not at all surprised that Detroit is 0-2, but I am saddened. They had the lead today into the third quarter. That is a bummer.