Sunday Insider: Fourth-and-five

September 11, 2011 at 5:39AM

Three observations ... • With Colts QB Peyton Manning (neck) out, the hot seats get even hotter for Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio and Texans coach Gary Kubiak. No excuses in the AFC South anymore.

• Can an NFL so-called "dream team" be assembled and succeed under the league's salary cap? The Eagles have the cornerbacks to give it a run against some potent NFC offenses.

• With Rex Grossman and John Beck at QB for the Redskins, the Coaching Shanahans (Mike and Kyle) are going to have a hard time proving last year was Donovan McNabb's fault.

Two bold predictions ... • We'll find out just how valuable four-time MVP Peyton Manning is when the Colts finish 5-11 this year.

• As cool as it would be to see the Lions make a Super Bowl in the next 100 years or so, let's temper the playoff buzz until Matthew Stafford proves he can survive a sack. Lions miss playoffs. Again.

about the writer

about the writer

Mark Craig

Sports reporter

Mark Craig has covered the NFL nearly every year since Brett Favre was a rookie back in 1991. A sports writer since 1987, he is covering his 30th NFL season out of 37 years with the Canton (Ohio) Repository (1987-99) and the Star Tribune (1999-present).

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