Cardinals Colts Lions among least convincing winning teams

sharon_orn

Fifteen weeks into the 2014  Mike Piazza Jersey NFL campaign, eight teams boast double-digit win totals: (11-3)  (11-3)  (11-3)  (10-4)  (10-4)  (10-4)  (10-4)  (10-4)But of course, not all double-digit winners are created equal. Which is the least-convincing team with 10-plus wins? It pains me to profe s a profound lack of faith in 's club, but the beat up on weaklings and get bullied by the likes of . Given the offensive line's blocking woes and the inability of and to make plays, it seems there is once again too much responsibility being placed on Luck's shoulders, causing him to force things. This team needs to lean more heavily on , and while shifting Richardson and Wayne into the shadows.  I don't know if the are the "least convincing" double- Jeurys Familia Jersey digit-win team, but 's obvious recent physical struggles leave me unconvinced they've got a return visit to the in their short-term future. The gla s half-full view of Denver's offense the past month goes like this: They're still winning games, and their emerging running game suits "playoff-style" football. The gla s half-empty view: The running game is covering up Manning's diminishing ability to push the ball downfield. The numbers reveal an inarguable decline. Manning posted a pa ser rating of 100 or better in six of Denver's first seven games this season, and he threw just three picks in that span. In the team's past seven contests, by contrast, Manning has topped the 100 mark just three times while throwing eight interceptions. Forget the stats, though, and just use your eyes: Manning's pa ses -- never confused for the tight spirals thrown by or -- are fluttering more than ever. , receivers had to continually adjust to underthrown balls. And what about the mysterious illne s (or was it a thigh injury) that (backup taking snaps!)? Point is, something's going on here ... and it doesn't look good. One thing seems clear: If Peyton's gonna get a ring in the twilight of his career, he'll have to do it the same way his bo s, John Elway, did: leaning on a once-unheralded running back.  The least convincing team in this group is Detroit. As I wrote in , the ' was more about Minnesota blowing its chances at scoring  Pedro Martinez Jersey an upset after taking a 14-0 lead. Detroit is certainly solid in every phase, but you can find better pa sing attacks, run games and defenses. hasn't been great this year. Give the and credit for being tough and clutch. I just don't think they're good enough to do damage in January.  I don't think there's a team in this group that doesn't deserve to have double-digit wins, but there are two squads with major question marks: the and . Arizona's defense is excellent, and the Cards might have found a running back in ; the second-year pro has stepped up in the absence of , posting 175 yards in the past two games at a clip of 5.1 yards per carry. The question is, can the run and pa s protect well enough to overcome the inexperience at the quarterback position?  Tug McGraw Jersey has not shown himself to be an accurate pa ser when he's played this year, including in his one preseason game (8 of 15 for 64 yards, zero touchdowns). As for the , their offense is very good over the air, but they have trouble both running and stopping the run. And Gary Carter Jersey  then there's the fact that Indy is 2-4 against teams with winning records, with the defense spawning concern in especially troubling lo ses . The schedule has helped and Co.  Detroit has been especially unimpre sive for a team that appears to be a lock for at least 11 wins. Yes, the have in the league, but this squad simply has not overwhelmed its opponents. Consider , which hinged on crucial mi sed field-goal attempts by Minnesota. I don't feel great about the heading into the playoffs, perhaps because they've disappointed before. That said, Detroit should beat the , especially if the home team plays , though it will be interesting to see if the can handle their first true cold-weather outdoor contest of the season.