Midway Meanings: Nine Things We’ve Learned Nine Weeks Into The NFL Season

Peyton Manning Only Knows Greatness After his neck injury in 2011, Manning’s arm and ability were questioned not only by his then team the Indianapolis Colts, but he even had doubts about whether he could return to the game he’s changed. If his 2012 campaign for the Broncos wasn’t enough to convince everyone that the audible king keeps his crown as the leagues top QB, this season should cement his return. In Week 1 he recorded a record setting seven passing touchdowns against the defending champion Baltimore Ravens and hans’t slowed up yet. Nearly a decade and a half into his career and Manning’s still that dude.

The NFC Is The Most Unstable Conference In Football The Cowboys, Eagles, Giants and Washington are the most dysfunctional family not on Bravo or VH1. Three games mean the difference from payoff or early offseason for Dallas and Philadelphia (both 5-5) and New York and Washington (both 3-6). The Cowboys have been one of the best teams on paper throughout the Tony Romo era but still can’t crack the championship code, which team will show up for the Eagles is always the question, the Giants tend to have bounce back winning streaks and Washington will only go as far RGIII’s repaired leg will hobble them.

Darrelle Revis: Lonely Island When Darrelle Revis left the Jets organization for Tampa Bay, it seemed like the best move for him. But with the Bucs stuck at the bottom of the NFC South, shit was all good just a week ago for the shutdown corner. Actually, no it wasn’t. A week ago his team was 0-8. Shit was all sad besides his bank account, which Jets fans remind him about on social media. No telling if Tampa can turn things around, but hey, at least he’s healthy now. Good for him.

Adrian Peterson Can’t Be Stopped Last season, AP nearly broke the season single-season rushing yards record after tears to his ACL and MCL sidelined him. So how does he start a season in which he vowed to break said record? With a 78-yard rushing touchdown from the line of scrimmage. Simply put, Peterson would be amazing even without the comeback story. The Vikings best offensive weapon is 365 yards away from 10,000 career rushing yards and five touchdowns away from 90 on his career.

Nothing Was The Same For RG3 On the opposite side of the amazing comeback is the sad reality that Robert Griffin III doesn’t look nearly as quick or explosive as he did before injuries to his LCL and ACL ligaments. Luckily he has the charisma and arm strength to carry Washington for now, but who knows how long he’ll be able to last. Every cut he makes, every hit he narrowly avoids could be his last move on a football field.