Week 6 got underway Thursday night, and the Chiefs easily dispensed of the Broncos, sinking just about any possibility Sean Payton and Russell Wilson had of making the playoffs. Denver is now 1–5, with its playoff odds hovering around 5%, according to Pro Football Focus (very early) projections.
People will always say that the NFL is a long season, but in reality, it is a series of microseasons that are only long for those teams capable of making it through the early stages unscathed. In this way, it really is analogous to a good footrace. For example: Latvia’s Agate Caune sprinted way ahead of the pack in this year’s track and field world championship and earned headlines for her brazenness. She represents the teams who start white hot but still contain what we would consider some element of instability (maybe the Dolphins). Then, there is the chase pack, full of racers who understand intimately the rigors of the distance ahead and are fully prepared (think: Eagles, Chiefs). Lastly, there is the group that drops off the back end before the race even gets interesting. This is a group lacking the tools to compete whatsoever. Even though it’s early in the race, we can count them out.
It’s that last group we’re talking about today. While it may seem counterintuitive to simply lop off a large segment of the league, it happens. So that we can get into some more interesting topics, though, I’ve broadened the parameters beyond just playoff chances.
