On a special edition of “FOX NFL Sunday” live from Detroit on Thanksgiving, the crew broke down the landscape of the league entering Week 13.
Host Curt Menefee asked the gang which division leader surprised them the most at this point in the season. Both Michael Strahan and Howie Long agreed on the NFC’s surprise team, although they had their eyes on different AFC squads.
Will Bears, Colts Finish the Season Atop Their Divisions? | FOX NFL Sunday
NFC
In the NFC, Strahan and Long are in agreement: the Chicago Bears are the biggest surprise.
“Watching this team win so many close games, eight wins after winning five games all of last year, and to see the development of Caleb Williams, the Bears have really surprised me,” Strahan said.
Adding to Strahan’s point, Long noted that Johnson has done the main thing he was hired to do.
Long: “He was tasked with that one job — get (Williams) right and get the offense right.”
Terry Bradshaw noted that Chicago started the season with two losses and have won eight of their last nine games.
AFC
Strahan and Long disagreed in the AFC, though.
Strahan pointed to the Indianapolis Colts. Head coach Shane Steichen has finally found some consistency at quarterback with Daniel Jones, while the ground game led by Jonathan Taylor has been one of the best in the NFL.
Strahan: “Daniel Jones going there, the resurgence of the running game, the Colts surprised me.”
Long pointed to the AFC East, though, with that division being led by the New England Patriots. The Buffalo Bills have had a stranglehold on the division for years, but the Pats are back, led by quarterback Drake Maye and new head coach Mike Vrabel.
“That was a great team that needed a quarterback,” Long said. “The Patriots needed a lot of things — head coach, quarterback and stability — and I think they’ve got that.”
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