Historians debate whether the British army band actually, as oft is written, played “The World Turned Upside Down” during the surrender to the Americans at Yorktown that ended the Revolutionary War. But it might have been so and probably should have been.
Similarly, we hear no requests for “The World Turned Upside Down” regarding current NFL standings, but it would be fitting.
Those standings seem to have been flipped by an unseen hand.
Imagine how eager you’d have been before the season to bet against the Kansas City Swifts and the Baltimore Ravens each being just .500 through 10 games at 5-5, while the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos each would be division leaders at 9-2, tied for the best record in the league.
If you saw that coming, I’d like some of what you are smoking.
On a less stunning scale, your beloved Steelers lead the AFC North, courtesy of a cake schedule and having the only record above .500 in the mostly pedestrian division.
Chicago’s Bears standing atop the NFC North at 7-3 is quite the surprise, as is Jacksonville at 6-4 and in the playoff hunt from the AFC South.
But some things remain NFL constants, including, but not limited to, the Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders continuing to stink like month-old fish.
It all provides an abundance of interesting story lines as the NFL prepares to head down the regular season’s homestretch.
The most riveting tale is that of the Swifts, who used to be the Chiefs until the NFL glommed on to the prominent relationship breakup songstress’s ongoing dalliance with a Swifts tight end (his position, not a physical description.)
As betting arrests plague other sports, and questionable officiating continues to dog the NFL, you’d think the football league would be on the hotline to make sure the Swifts don’t miss the playoffs and so take a bite out of ratings as the simpletons who tune in hoping for gratuitous shots of said songstress watching a game from a luxury box go AWOL.
How would the NFL, networks, and advertisers shake off such an absence?
In retrospect, I guess we should have seen the Swifts decline coming, if only for mathematical reasons. Last year, the Swifts won all their one-score games, posting a 10-0 record in such contests, and prompting some unseen hand speculation. This year, they are 0-5 in one-score outcomes.
A story on ESPN.com cited one computer index giving the Swifts nearly a 45-percent chance of missing the playoffs, this after having run off nine consecutive AFC West titles.
Don’t count out the Swifts, if only because of magician quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the aforementioned songstress, and the league’s vested interest in the Swifts making the field.
Regarding other surprises to date, were I a Bears fan, I would not be booking a Super Bowl trip. Same for the Patriots and Broncos fans.
Just enjoy the unexpected success so far, guys and gals and, when the likely playoff disappointment arrives, again, shake it off.
The Philadelphia Eagles are looking like a very strong candidate to challenge for a repeat Super Bowl win and could this be the year Buffalo’s Bills get back to a Super Bowl, and dare their fans dream, actually win one?
As a side note in the bad news, good news vein, my DISH satellite receiver experienced hard drive failure Sunday evening, just as I was viewing the dramatic end to the Seattle-LA Rams game. This failure also deprived me of the chance to watch the Eagles and Detroit Lions later Sunday night on the big-screen TV.
But there is a positive note regarding that DISH woe, which is unlikely to be resolved for six more days. It means I won’t be tempted to indulge in masochism and watch the putrid Monday Night matchup between the sad sack Dallas Cowboys and Raiders.
Talk about silver (and black) linings!
Sam Ross Jr's site 