The Real and the Fake of the NFL

Entering Sunday, we had 7 undefeated teams in the NFL. Coming out of Sunday, there's still six remaining. Three teams picked up their first win of the season on Sunday with another one getting their first win Thursday night.

Dak Prescott continues to pile up the numbers yet his team sits at 1-3 while Tom Brady did something in his 20-year career that he's never done, throw five touchdown passes to five different receivers.

We have four games worth of data (for the most part) on these NFL teams. Which teams are real and which ones are tricking you?

REAL

  • BUFFALO BILLS- This team has so many weapons on offense, it isn't funny. While the run game is a bit suspect right now, QB Josh Allen is putting this team on his back and carrying them. The Bills are 4-0 and Allen has completed at least 70% of his passes in all four games and was 12 yards shy over the weekend of his fourth consecutive 300 yard passing performance. The defense got a boost with Josh Norman, who had a tackle for loss and a fumble recovery in his Bills debut. Buffalo beat bad teams in back-to-back weeks to start the season and now have beaten good teams in back-to-back weeks. While five out of their next six games are against teams .500 or better, Buffalo has shown that they can hang with anyone and beat them any which way.
  • CLEVELAND BROWNS- This team finally has an identity and it's running the ball. The Browns put up over 300 yards on the ground and that's with losing starting running back Nick Chubb in the first quarter of their win against the Cowboys. Odell Beckham seems to be back to his former self as he had 81 yards receiving on five catches with two touchdowns and also added 73 yards on the ground, including the game-sealing 50-yard touchdown run on an end around. Cleveland has put up 30+ points in three straight games for the first time since 1968 and while the competition hasn't been the greatest in their three straight wins (Cincinnati, Washington, and Dallas), they have found a recipe for success.

FAKE

  • DALLAS COWBOYS- They can't be this bad...can they? The defense continues to give up points by the truckloads, they can't force any turnovers, and opposing quarterbacks have all day to throw the ball. They also just gave up over 300 yards rushing to the Cleveland Browns, who lost Nick Chubb in the first quarter (but not before he rushed for 43 yards). The offense looks good on paper, but a lot of Dak Prescott's stats come when the team is down a bunch and has no choice but to throw (reminds you of Blake Bortles doesn't it?). The offensive line is not what it once was and they continue to abandon the run game. The Cowboys are lost but lucky for them, they are only a half game out of first despite sitting at 1-3.
  • CHICAGO BEARS- Sorry Bears fans but this is pretty obvious. Yes, the defense ranks inside the top 10 in points allowed and passing yards allowed, but the it is the offense that will continue to hold the Bears back. The team made a QB change last week as Nick Foles led the team to a comeback win over Atlanta but what does he do in his first start with the Bears? 26-42 for 249 yards, one touchdown and one interception. As a team, Chicago ran for 1.8 yards per carry in their loss to the Colts. This team sits at 3-1 but very easily could be 0-4. The NFC North is down this year with exception of the Packers so there's a bit of good news but this offense HAS to step up if they want to contend and there's nothing that they've done to show that they can.

PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES


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