An early look at the football playoff picture

Many teams have played three games, so it's never too early to look at the playoff picture in South Jersey football.

Teams will qualify after eight games. The teams with the top eight power ratings per group will qualify, provided there are at least eight teams with .500 or better records.

So, as we head into October, postseason talk leads off this week's discussion.

Question: Washington Township is 1-2. Is it too late for the Minutemen to make a South Jersey Group 4 playoff run?

Answer: This is one of the top programs in South Jersey. But that said, the Minutemen have their work cut out. They hope to gain momentum off last week's 23-0 victory over Eastern. Now, Township has to travel to face The Inquirer's No. 1 South Jersey team, Cherokee, on Friday. In addition, the Minutemen have challenging games with Pennsauken and Shawnee before the playoff cutoff date.

Question: Are teams such as Seneca and Timber Creek in danger of not qualifying for the playoffs?

Answer: The short answer is yes. Both are 1-2 and are in a difficult South Jersey Group 3 bracket. What's worse is that they play one another on Oct. 29, which means at least one of them will have three losses by the Nov. 7 cutoff. Three losses could still earn one of the eight playoff berths, but it's not guaranteed. And both teams have other tough tasks.

Seneca for instance meets Shawnee and Camden Catholic the next two weeks. Timber Creek's game on Oct. 16 with 2-0 Woodrow Wilson could be an interesting challenge. If one or both of these teams don't make the Group 3 playoffs, it sure would say something about the strength of Group 3.

Question: Who has been among the most pleasant surprises?

Answer: Atlantic City and Vineland have done a great job under first-year coaches Thomas Kelly and Josh Hedgeman, respectively. But few teams have had a tougher early-season schedule than Moorstown, which was originally considered a year away from playoff contention. In addition, the Quakers have one of the toughest early-season schedules in South Jersey. Moorestown lost, 41-30, opening week to a Paul VI team that is ranked No. 3 in South Jersey by The Inquirer.

Then, in the last two weeks, the Quakers have defeated preseason Top 10 teams Seneca and Timber Creek. Junior Andrew Lisa has already thrown eight touchdown passes in an offense that spreads it around. The Quakers have gone from an afterthought to a potential South Jersey Group 3 playoff team.

Yet Moorestown will have its hands full this week, hosting a 2-0 Williamstown team that appears ready to make some noise in the South Jersey Group 4 playoffs.

Question: Can Haddonfield give West Deptford a game this week?

Answer: Absolutely. Can Haddonfield win? That's another question. Remember, Haddonfield beat West Deptford, 15-13, in last year's South Jersey Group 2 semifinal after losing to the Eagles, 35-13, in the regular season. Haddonfield suffered key losses to graduation but has outscored Sterling and Audubon, 55-0, during this year's 2-0 start.

Senior Kevin Davis has made a smooth transition from wide receiver to quarterback. In last week's win over Audubon, he completed 9 of 10 passes for 137 yards and rushed for 32 yards and two touchdowns. All very impressive. But the key can be whether Haddonfield can stop the powerful West Deptford ground game. West Deptford is coming off a decisive 28-6 win over a Woodbury team that won't relinquish its South Jersey Group 1 crown very easily.

The Eagles rushed for 318 yards, which is typical West Deptford football. Senior Vaughn Scott, who rushed for 180 yards and one touchdown, is among the top breakaway threats in South Jersey. The key to beating West Deptford is stopping the Eagles on first and second down and force them into passing situations. Easier said than done. This West Deptford team looks to be in midseason form and, despite being on the road, is the clear favorite in Friday's game.

Question: How impressive is Paul VI after being Seneca, 26-21?

Answer: How can anybody not be impressed by a team that has won 12 of its last 13 games and might have the best balanced offense in South Jersey? Jakwail Bailey had three touchdown receptions in showing he is among the top receivers in South Jersey, but what was most impressive is how the Eagle spread the ball around. QB Khaalig Burroughs is an intelligent player who doesn't force balls into coverage. When Seneca was covering Bailey tight, Burroughs found tight end Andrew Famular over the middle for some key completions. And Paul VI's running game is just as strong with senior James Kenner and junior Johnell Anderson both displaying breakaway speed. The Eagles have won three straight division titles, but this could be the strongest of the recent teams.

Question: Holy Spirit is 3-0 and has outscored teams 130-13. Can anybody in South Jersey touch the Spartans?

Answer: This is a good week to ask that question because the Spartans play host to St. Joseph in a highly anticipated 7 p.m. game on Friday.

If anybody doesn't remember, St. Joseph beat Holy Spirit, 19-14, last year. And while Holy Spirit has an experienced team returning, St. Joseph returns many of its key players. The Wildcats are 2-0 but haven't been tested and are coming off a bye week. Giving coach Paul Sacco two weeks to prepare for an opponent is a major plus for St. Joseph. That said, the Wildcats are still in the rare role of underdog, one that Sacco relishes. The key will be whether St. Joseph can run the ball on the Holy Spirit defense. If so, fasten your seatbelts because it should be an interesting ride.