Parity shamarity.
Pete Rozelle’s vision of the NFL included no consistently dominant franchises and every team having a chance to win, as long as possible into every season. This year, that’s not the case.
Nine of 32 teams have two wins or fewer, through nine weeks. Seven of those teams have played nine games.
The nine two-win teams are Miami, New England, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Las Vegas, the Giants, Carolina, and New Orleans.
While none are eliminated yet, most will have to run the table or come close to it, since 9-8 has been the minimum to earn a wild-card berth, since the playoff field expanded to 14.
It’s bad for the league. Fan bases will check out by Thanksgiving. Seats will be empty. Overpriced (except in Atlanta) food and beer won’t be sold. Kids won’t have jerseys of their favorite player from their favorite NFL team on their Christmas list, right behind Fraggle Stick Car.
