Opinion corner: Good teams have leaders

The best weekend of football is around the corner as the best leaders the NFL has to offer will be going head-to-head.

There are no more upsets left. No victory should come as a surprise. Forget the beating the Patriots layed on the Texans a few weeks ago. If the Texans win on Sunday, it’s won’t go down as a huge upset. The Texans did start the season at 11-1.

It wouldn’t be shocking to see any of the remaining teams in the Super Bowl.

Each remaining team has different strengths, but there is one common thread among them: each team has great leadership.

Russell Wilson’s discipline and leadership helped Seattle overcome a 14-point deficit last week, which was their largest this season.

When Wilson scrambled for first downs, he didn’t slide, he went full steam ahead to gain every yard possible. When Marshawn Lynch was bulldozing down the sidelines, Wilson came out of nowhere to deliver blocks to help Lynch gain more yards.

The Andrew Luck-led Colts went into Baltimore, which all of a sudden displayed defense that was almost reminiscent of the early 2000’s.

The Ravens held the Colts to just three field goals, as they kept Luck off of the score sheet.

Was it a coincidence that Ray Lewis returns to the lineup and the team shuts down the Colts? Many would argue that Lewis is one of the greatest leaders in NFL history. His impact on the Ravens can never truly be measured, but it’s safe to say that they will not lack energy and motivation this weekend in Denver with No. 52 leading the defense.

In San Francisco, Jim Harbaugh leads the 49ers against the Packers. Harbaugh’s leadership has the 49ers favored against Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay.

Two years ago, San Francisco fans would have had a difficult time believing that their team would have made the NFC championship last season, and maybe again this season.

Opponents should never overlook Harbaugh’s leadership style. On paper, the 49ers are a good team. With Harbaugh calling the shots, the 49ers are a great team.

The Broncos and Patriots head into this weekend’s games heavy favorites, and it’s the same old faces that have led their teams to another great season.

Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have been exceptional this year and if it wasn’t for these two, the Patriots would be another average AFC team preparing for the draft. Instead, they’re a few wins away from making it to their sixth Super Bowl together.

Peyton Manning has made John Elway and John Fox look like geniuses as the Broncos have home field advantage.

Manning has made Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker look like studs this year and Knowshon Moreno has been very impressive the last few weeks. Take Manning’s leadership out of the equation and you’ve got three players who would probably never reach their potential.

There isn’t a shortage of talent in the NFL, butg great leaders are scarce. In a league that brags about parity, the biggest difference among the teams in the NFL is that teams with great leaders celebrate when they win championships, while teams like Dallas and Tennessee celebrate those odd years they make the playoffs.

Can you imagine the potential of the Dallas Cowboys if they had a true leader? Whether it was on the field, or on the sidelines, the Cowboys would have made the playoffs if they had leadership.

Jason Garrett and Tony Romo are not leaders. They can’t lead the Cowboys to the playoffs, and yet Cowboys fans boast about Romo as if he’s the one to bring a championship to Dallas. An average skill set with a lack of leadership is not the answer.

If owners and management within the NFL want to be Super Bowl contenders on a yearly basis, they better start with leadership qualities when selecting players and coaches. Without it, players will not be able to grow and teams will not be able to work as a cohesive unit as they work towards the ultimate goal.

Enjoy the greatest weekend of football, and focus on some of the best leaders in NFL history before they call it a day.

Jessy Sandhu is the founder of www.fantasymoves.com. He can be reached at jsandhu@fantasymoves.com.

Tags: sports, nfl, football