NFL Power Rankings Week 17

Week 16 has come and gone and we now know the six teams that will represent the NFC in the playoffs, though the Saints are the only team to know the seed they will finish with.  In the AFC, the division winners are set, but both wildcards are up for grabs with the Ravens and Jets having the least confusing path; win and they’re in.  Here are the power rankings heading into the final week of the regular season. 

 

1.       Indianapolis Colts (1): Having just one loss keeps them at the top, but don’t be fooled, the Chargers are possibly the best team in the league right now.

 

2.       San Diego Chargers (3): The Bolts are my favorite to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl right now.  Everyone is clicking on all cylinders.

 

3.       New Orleans Saints (2): Losing to the Cowboys – acceptable.  Losing to the Bucs – cause for concern.  New Orleans must get it together next week or else head into the playoffs on a three game skid.

 

4.       Philadelphia Eagles (4): One of the most explosive offenses in the league.  One of five teams that can legitimately make a Super Bowl run in the NFC.

 

5.       Dallas Cowboys (6): Solid win against division rival Washington.  Not convinced this team can make much noise in the playoffs. 

 

6.       Cincinnati Bengals (7): Clinched the division title just days after WR Chris Henry’s funeral.  If my team can’t win the Super Bowl, then I’m jumping on the Bengals bandwagon.

 

7.       New England Patriots (9): Yup, Randy Moss is a quitter.  He quit giving people reasons to doubt him. 

 

8.       Arizona Cardinals (8): Unless they have a legitimate chance to move up to the second seed next week, don’t expect them to play their starters against the Packers, as they do not want to give anything away against a potential playoff opponent.

 

9.       Minnesota Vikings (5): Finally playing like I thought they would.  This team is good in almost every area, but aren’t great in any.

 

10.   Green Bay Packers (10): When they are on top of their game, they might be the best team in the NFL.  That offense is scary good. 

 

11.   Baltimore Ravens (11): Penalties have cost this team multiple games.  Good news is all they have to do is beat the Raiders and they’re in the playoffs.  Bad news is, four playoff teams or contenders have already lost to Oakland.

 

12.   Denver Broncos (13): From 6-0 to 8-7.  They’ve already won more games than I thought they would, but even after 6-0 I wasn’t convinced they were a playoff team.

 

13.   Pittsburgh Steelers (18): The Steelers jump up quite a few spots with their win.  They need help to get in as the six seed, but we all know what happened last time they were the six seed.

 

14.   Houston Texans (17): Houston has hope for the playoffs but needs a lot of help.  Either way, they could get their first winning season in franchise history.  WR Andre Johnson has to be the best in the league.

 

15.   New York Giants (12): Officially eliminated from the playoffs.  At least they gave the fans a good performance in the final home game in Giant Stadium… Oh, wait.

 

16.   New York Jets (20): Playoffs?  Believe it or not (despite what Rex Ryan says), a win against the Bengals, and the J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets are in.

 

17.   Tennessee Titans (14): They came up just a bit short of the playoffs, but they showed a lot of heart after an 0-6 start.

 

18.   Carolina Panthers (21): Two weeks in a row they have dominated with backup QB Matt Moore and backup RB Jonathan Stewart.  Seems like Jake Delhomme’s days in Carolina may be over.

 

19.   Atlanta Falcons (19): Injuries to Michael Turner and Matt Ryan really hurt this team.  Expect them to make a run next season.

 

20.   Miami Dolphins (16): Facing a 27-0 deficit was just too much to overcome for QB Chad Henne. 

 

21.   Jacksonville Jaguars (15): Not the performance you expect from a team with playoff aspirations.  This team needs some consistency from the wide receiver position.

 

22.   San Francisco 49ers (22): Just imagine how good they could be with a good quarterback. 

 

23.   Oakland Raiders (23): It sounds funny, but just imagine how good THEY could be with a good quarterback.  Heck, look how good they were with Bruce Gradkowski.

 

24.   Chicago Bears (25): Now THAT’S why the Bears traded for Jay Cutler.  They still need major help at the wide receiver position.

 

25.   Washington Redskins (24): K Shaun Suisham made a 23-yard field goal from the right hash mark!  A few weeks late in the minds of Redskins fans.

 

26.   Buffalo Bills (26): QB Brian Brohm got his first NFL start.  Unfortunately for Brohm, it didn’t go much differently than the games started by Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick.

 

27.   Cleveland Browns (28): Three straight wins for the Browns!  That’s three more wins than I thought they might win all season.  Either way, it won’t be enough to save Eric Mangini’s job.

 

28.   Seattle Seahawks (27): The only thing I think of when I think of Seahawks vs. Packers is “We want the ball and we’re gonna score.”  That would be in reference to the playoff game between the two teams a few years back.  This week’s 48-10 loss to Green Bay was probably just as tough to watch.

 

29.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers (31): The Bucs have three wins all season, two of those against teams with a total of 23 wins.  In comparison, the Seahawks have 5 wins against teams with a total of 18 wins.  I’m not real sure what it means, but it’s food for thought.

 

30.   Detroit Lions (29): Without QB Matthew Stafford, I’m not sure the Lions could be some college programs.

 

31.   Kansas City Chiefs (30): Top to bottom, this team is a mess but at least they have found their running back of the future in Jamaal Charles.

 

32.   St. Louis Rams (32): There is a reason many teams don’t even list a third-string quarterback on the roster; they stink.  Fortunately for QB Keith Null, so do 50 or so other players on that team.

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NFL Power Rankings Week 16

Week 15 saw a number of home teams go down, including the unbeaten New Orleans Saints.  Ten of the 16 home teams took a loss and three others came extremely close.  Eleven games were decided by a touchdown or less and at the end of the week, seven teams (six from the AFC) are sitting at 7-7 with two weeks to play.  In the AFC is looks as if nine wins could be enough to make the playoffs, whereas in the NFC we could see a team finish with 10 wins and be on the outside looking in.  The only thing we know for sure at this point is that the Indianapolis Colts appear to be the best team in all the land.  Here are the rankings for week 16.

 

1.       Indianapolis Colts (2): QB Peyton Manning locked up the MVP award this week.

 

2.       New Orleans Saints (1): The Saints’ loss could be a blessing in disguise.  Time to get their players healthy for a Super Bowl run.

 

3.       San Diego Chargers (4): Nine straight wins and counting.  Is it finally San Diego’s year?

 

4.       Philadelphia Eagles (5): Just imagine how explosive they can be if they can finally get RB Brian Westbrook healthy.

 

5.       Minnesota Vikings (3): No reason to panic, but plenty of reason to worry.  Minnesota was 1-10 on first downs, had problems tackling and dropped too many passes.  RB Adrian Peterson has been turned into a very average running back.

 

6.       Dallas Cowboys (9): Still not a lock for the playoffs, but beating the Saints was a huge boost.  The question is, which Cowboys team will show up if they make the post season?  Perhaps the more important question is, which kicker will the team show up with?

 

7.       Cincinnati Bengals (6): The death of a teammate can bring out the best in an entire team.  Nobody wants to face the Bengals come playoff time.

 

8.       Arizona Cardinals (8): Nearly lost to the Detroit Lions third string quarterback.  QB Kurt Warner must get things straightened out soon.

 

9.       New England Patriots (11): The defense played better, but they must step it up when they face better competition in the playoffs.

 

10.   Green Bay Packers (7): The pass defense was awful.  But this loss is on K Mason Crosby and more importantly the defensive coordinator.  Ever heard of blitzing?

 

11.   Baltimore Ravens (12): I guess nobody told QB Joe Flacco about the sophomore slump.  He continues to play like a veteran.

 

12.   New York Giants (13): The G-men getting hot when it matters most; will it be enough to propel them into the playoffs?

 

13.   Denver Broncos (10): The latest playoff contender to go down to the Raiders.  Denver is 2-6 in their last eight games; not how a team wants to head into the playoffs.

 

14.   Tennessee Titans (15): Vince Young just keeps on winning.  Despite the criteria, Young should garner serious consideration for Comeback Player of the Year.

 

15.   Jacksonville Jaguars (16): Valiant effort against a great Colts team.  At 7-7, the Jags face a must win this week against the Pats.

 

16.   Miami Dolphins (14): Miami fell just a bit short after facing a large deficit.  With two wins and a little help, they aren’t out of it quite yet.

 

17.   Houston Texans (19): Probably need too much help for a playoff berth, but two more wins in their final two games will give them their first winning season since becoming a franchise.

 

18.   Pittsburgh Steelers (20): Pittsburgh stopped the bleeding, but is it too late?  Oh and props to QB Ben Roethlisberger for throwing for over 500 yards.  I wonder if any fantasy owners dropped him due to possible bad weather and a tough matchup…. Oops.

 

19.   Atlanta Falcons (21): QB Matt Ryan returned from injury and led the Falcons to victory.  They need two more and some help from the Man upstairs if they want to play in January.

 

20.   New York Jets (17): Rookie QB Mark Sanchez is hitting that rookie wall, and hitting it hard.

 

21.   Carolina Panthers (22): Must be nice to have a backup quarterback and backup running back that play like Pro Bowlers. 

 

22.   San Francisco 49ers (18): Officially eliminated from the playoffs, but they play hard every week.  I expect big things from this team next year.

 

23.   Oakland Raiders (25): I give up on trying to figure out this team.  I’m clueless as to how they have five wins, four over very good teams.  QB Jamarcus Russell continues to do just enough to make everyone wonder if he will eventually pan out.

 

24.   Washington Redskins (23): If for some reason there wasn’t enough reason to fire Jim Zorn, he gave them another one with that brilliant fake field goal attempt.

 

25.   Chicago Bears (24): I wonder if QB Jay Cutler regrets his trade demand now. 

 

26.   Buffalo Bills (26): The Bills continue to greatly underachieve this season.  WR Terrell Owens had another brilliant performance hauling in two passes for 20 yards.

 

27.   Seattle Seahawks (27): I’m not sure what’s worse; scoring just seven points on the Bucs, giving up 24 points to the Bucs or simply losing at home against the Bucs.  Either way, it doesn’t matter which is worse seeing as the Seahawks pulled off all three.

 

28.   Cleveland Browns (30): Only the Browns could win a game with 66 total passing yards and two interceptions yet lose a game with 304 passing yards and four touchdowns.

 

29.   Detroit Lions (29): Third-string QB Drew Stanton nearly pulled off the upset over the Cardinals.  Just another sign that the Lions are moving in the right direction, despite just two wins in their past 30 games.

 

30.   Kansas City Chiefs (28): Who saw the Chiefs winning fewer games then the Raiders this year?

31.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers (31): Bucs rookie QB Josh Freeman took advantage of a depleted Seattle secondary and led the Bucs to their second win on the season.

 

32.   St. Louis Rams (32): Looks like the Rams will indeed finish with a worse record then last season.  Just imagine how great RB Steven Jackson would be if he played on a team that could throw the ball.

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NFL Power Rankings Week 14

Week 13 proved to be unlucky for some power house teams.  The Patriots go down to the Dolphins and the defending champion Steelers go down to… the Raiders?  Yes, it’s true; the defending champs lose at home to the Raiders and are in serious trouble of missing the playoffs.  Elsewhere, the Giants upend Dallas and the Cardinals beat the Vikings in a pair of miniature upsets.  And who could ignore QB Michael Vick’s return to Atlanta?  With just over a month until the playoffs, here are the week 14 rankings and how each team’s playoff chances are looking.

 

 

Teams’ previous ranking in ( ). 

 

1.       New Orleans Saints (1): QB Drew Brees threw for over 400 yards in the Saints improbable comeback victory.  They remain undefeated but the injuries to their defensive secondary are showing.  With the Falcons loss, the Saints clinched the NFC South.

 

2.       Indianapolis Colts (2): The Colts remained perfect and tied the record for most consecutive regular season wins.  Unless the Saints falter, the Colts will continue to occupy the No. 2 spot.  They have clinched their division and are close to clinching home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

 

3.       Minnesota Vikings (3): Despite the loss, the Vikings remain at No. 3 and in very little danger of being overtaken in the division.  However it was at this time last year the QB Brett Favre began to struggle.  Is he running out of gas again? 

 

4.       Cincinnati Bengals (5): Cincinnati notched another win and move into the top four for the first time this season.  They face a tough test next week as they play the Vikings; should they come out with a win, they will have the AFC North title wrapped up.

 

5.       San Diego Chargers (4): The Chargers fall a spot in the rankings because their defense could not stop QB Brady Quinn.  San Diego leads their division at 9-3 but face two division leaders in their next two games.  They are most likely playoff bound, the question is can they hold off the Broncos for the division?

 

6.       Philadelphia Eagles (8): Philly keeps their wildcard lead with a beat down of the Falcons.  QB Michael Vick was booed in his return to Atlanta, and responded with his first rushing and passing touchdowns of the year.

 

7.       Arizona Cardinals (9): Impressive home victory over a dominant Vikings team.  The offensive and defensive line of the Cardinals controlled the game.  The Cardinals appear to be a better team this year then the team that nearly pulled out a Super Bowl victory last season, and will be crowned division champs if they can get a W next week.

 

8.       Green Bay Packers (10): This team can play with anybody on both sides of the ball.  The defense has been a big reason for their four game winning streak.  CB Charles Woodson should be the defensive player of the year.  Green Bay still controls their own destiny but have got to play smarter; penalties are going to come back to bite them at some point.

 

9.       Dallas Cowboys (6): The Cowboys lack of running game did them in against the Giants.  Dallas still leads the division at 8-4, but it is entirely possible they will fail to make the playoffs, as they have the toughest remaining schedule of any team currently in the playoffs.

 

10.   Denver Broncos (11): RB Knowshon Moreno added to his impressive rookie numbers in his push for Rookie of the Year as the Broncos crushed the Chiefs 44-13.  Denver is in control of a wildcard berth but still fighting for a division title.

 

11.   New England Patriots (7): Despite an offense that can explode at any given time, the Patriots take a hit in the rankings as they fell to 7-5 after a one point loss to the Dolphins.  It doesn’t appear that the Pats are in danger of missing the playoffs and once they are in, they are still as dangerous as anyone.

 

12.   New York Giants (14): The Giants didn’t seem to dominate the Cowboys in any aspect, but were solid in every aspect.  The G-Men seemed to have turned things around just in time for the stretch run, but a tough schedule over the final four games could keep the Giants home for the playoffs.

 

13.   Baltimore Ravens (12): Though the Ravens offense was shutdown, they hurt themselves with penalties and turnovers.  Baltimore’s playoff hopes are still alive, but they have got to find their offense ASAP.  I’m thinking next week’s matchup against the Lions is just what the doctor ordered.

 

14.   Miami Dolphins (18): With an upset win over the Pats, the Dolphins playoff hopes remain alive at 6-6.  They play some tough teams but after a win against the Pats, and two near wins against the Colts and Saints, there is no reason to believe Miami couldn’t finish 10-6.

 

15.   Pittsburgh Steelers (13): The defending champs have lost four straight games, two of which came against the Raiders and Chiefs.  Pittsburgh likely needs to win its final four games to make the playoffs and with games against the Packers, Ravens and Dolphins, that will be a tough task.

 

16.   Jacksonville Jaguars (19): The Jags also keep their playoff hopes alive and move to 7-5.  Two of their final four games are against the Colts and Patriots, but there is still reason to be optimistic for Jags fans.

 

17.   Atlanta Falcons (15): The Falcons have fallen hard and fast.  Without QB Matt Ryan and RB Michael Turner the Falcons had no offense against the Eagles.  Atlanta sits at 6-6 and still are in the hunt for a wildcard, but unless they get healthy by next week when they face the Saints, it would appear that their playoff hopes are slim.

 

18.   Tennessee Titans (17): QB Vince Young and the Titans five game winning streak came to an end and for all intents and purposes, so did their playoff chances.  At 5-7, the Titans would need to win all four of their remaining games, and then need a ton of help.  Either way, the turnaround has been impressive and gives the Titans hope for the future.

 

19.   New York Jets (21): The Jets beat the Bills in the Thursday night game to move to 6-6.  They are still in the thick of the wildcard, and only one game out in the division, but with games against Indy and Cincy still on the schedule, it looks as if their mid-season slide may cost them a playoff berth.

 

20.   Houston Texans (16): Four straight losses by an average of less than five points per game has cost the Texans their first playoff appearance. 

 

21.   San Francisco 49ers (20): QB Alex Smith is playing extremely well right now and TE Vernon Davis has emerged as an elite tight end.  Look for this team to be a playoff contender next season.  Barring something short of a miracle, the 49ers are out of playoff contention this year.

 

22.   Carolina Panthers (22): The Panthers beat the Bucs without starting QB Jake Delhomme and without RB DeAngelo Williams.  Carolina will not be making an appearance in this year’s post season, but with a couple improvements in the off season, they could find themselves in the thick of things next year.

 

23.   Chicago Bears (25): The Bears beat the Rams, but it wasn’t the prettiest of games.  Either way at 5-7 and three straight tough games coming up, the Bears are all but out of the post season picture.

 

24.   Oakland Raiders (28): Break up the Raiders!  Two wins in their past three games, against the Bengals and Steelers.  Throw in a win against a good Philadelphia team and it’s hard to figure out why this team looks so bad at times.  QB Bruce Gradkowski has played out of his mind since taking over as the starter.  Don’t believe me?  He threw three touchdowns in the fourth quarter against the Steelers.  Jamarcus Russell has thrown two touchdowns ALL SEASON.  In case you weren’t aware, the Raiders won’t be making the playoffs.

 

25.   Seattle Seahawks (26): The Seahawks played spoiler this week, ending any hopes the 49ers had of reaching the playoffs.  At 5-7, the Seahawks have an outside shot at finishing with a respectable 8-8 record, and an excellent chance of not making the playoffs.

 

26.   Washington Redskins (24): Valiant effort against the unbeaten Saints.  In fact they really dominated the Saints for most of the game.  They won’t be making the playoffs this season but despite the poor record, the Redskins are playing hard every week.

 

27.   Kansas City Chiefs (23): After beating the defending Champs in week 11, the Chiefs have given up 87 points in their past two games.  On the bright side the Chiefs have two winnable games in a row next on their schedule.  The Chiefs too have been eliminated from playoff contention.

 

28.   Buffalo Bills (27): The Bills continued their disappointing season with a loss on Thursday night to move to 4-8.  I wish WR Terrell Owens would say or do something noteworthy so there would be more to say about this team.  Mathematically Buffalo is still alive, but it’s a safe bet they will be watching the post season from home.

 

29.   Detroit Lions (29): The rough season continues for the Lions.  However, the Stafford to Johnson connection will be a great one for years to come.  With just two wins, the Lions have been long eliminated from playoff contention.

 

30.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers (31): Poor Kellen Winslow.  To leave a bad Cleveland team, to a possibly worse Tampa Bay team.  This guy would be a top three tight end if he was ever put on a decent team.  As you may have guessed, the one win Bucs will not be making a late season surge for the playoffs.

 

31.   St. Louis Rams (31): K Josh Brown provided the only offense for the Rams, kicking three field goals against the Bears.  RB Steven Jackson continues to play hard for a bad team.  Despite playing in the worst division in football, the Rams have been eliminated from the playoffs for quite some time.

 

32.   Cleveland Browns (32): Quinn had one of his best games as a pro, throwing for 271 yards and three touchdowns.  It wasn’t quite enough for the Browns to pull the upset but maybe Cleveland has finally found their quarterback of the future.  The Browns are ranked dead last in almost every set of power rankings; do I really need to tell you their playoff outlook?

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NFL Power Rankings Week 12

What a week in the NFL!  Ricky Williams and the Dolphins got things started on Thursday with a seven point win over the Panthers.  Sunday brought us nine games decided by six points or less, seven of which were decided by three points or less, including two overtime games and two monumental upsets.  Monday Night Football kept the theme going as the Titans held off the Texans by three.  The Colts and Saints kept their quests for an undefeated season alive, and the Lions and Browns, yes that’s right the Lions and Browns, brought us the game of the week!  Yes week 11 was one to remember and thankfully we don’t have to wait around for week 12.  In just a few short days, the NFL is bringing us three games to watch while we sit back and stuff our faces with ungodly amounts of food.

 

1.       New Orleans Saints (1): 10-0 for the first time in franchise history.  The Saints face the Patriots next week but it wouldn’t surprise me to see a fairly low scoring game, at least in the first half.  A win for the Saints gives them a legit chance to go undefeated.

 

2.       Indianapolis Colts (2): 19 consecutive wins for the Colts dating back to last season.  They play the Texans in week 12, which is never easy for Indy.  A win in that game and they too could easily be looking at an undefeated season.

 

3.       Minnesota Vikings (3): Barring a pretty big collapse, the Vikings have the NFC North wrapped up and are now playing for a first round bye.  Once the division is officially theirs, don’t be surprised to see backup QB Tavaris Jackson getting some playing time to keep Brett Favre healthy and fresh.

 

4.       New England Patriots (5): New England got a good game from RB Laurence Maroney.  A consistent running game makes this team almost impossible to stop.

 

5.       San Diego Chargers (7): The Chargers are on a roll and now sit atop the AFC West.  Barring any major injuries the Chargers should be primed to make a playoff run.

 

6.       Cincinnati Bengals (4): The Bengals are not the first team to fall victim to the Raiders this year, but that won’t make the loss any easier.  They still lead the division and shouldn’t be in danger of losing it.

 

7.       Dallas Cowboys (8): Two straight weeks the Cowboys go 55 minutes or more without scoring a point.  That is not going to get it done when they play the Giants, Cowboys and Saints in the coming weeks.

 

8.       Arizona Cardinals (10): The Cardinals held off the Rams in week 11 but the head injury to QB Kurt Warner is critical.  It didn’t appear too serious and even if he misses a couple games, Arizona doesn’t appear to be in danger of losing its lead in the division.

 

9.       Philadelphia Eagles (12): WR DeSean Jackson has seven total touchdowns this year.  His 48 yard TD reception against the Bears was his shortest touchdown of the season.  Maybe the Eagles don’t need RB Brian Westbrook to be a contender.

 

10.   Pittsburgh Steelers (6): Troy Polamalu might be more valuable to his team than any other player to his own team.  The Steelers flat out are not the same without Polamalu on the field.  They face a tough Raven team in week 12 but follow that up with games against the Raiders and Browns.

 

11.   New York Giants (15): The Giants end their four game losing streak with an overtime win against the Falcons.  The defense however was not good and needs improvement if they want to be a contender.

 

12.   Green Bay Packers (14): The defense looked dominant for a second straight week, at least in the first half.  Injuries to LB Aaron Kampman and CB Al Harris could be crucial.  The Pack are 6-4 but are facing a trap game this week against the Lions on Thanksgiving.

 

13.   Baltimore Ravens (11): Another nail biter that goes against the Ravens.  They are 5-5 and in danger of missing the playoffs altogether.  They must get their offense back on track and can still be a threat to any team they play.

 

14.   Houston Texans (13): Same story every year.  The Texans seem to be on the verge of their first post-season appearance, only to come up short each time.  Nobody is sicker then Texan’s K Kris Brown after two missed field goals.  Houston faces Indy next week in a must-win game if they want to get back in the playoff race.

 

15.   Denver Broncos (9): Denver is falling fast and it is starting to appear that their 6-0 start was a fluke.  DE Elvis Dumervil is a stud and CB Champ Bailey is still solid but the rest of the defense is very average.  They have a tough schedule remaining and are in danger of missing the playoffs.

 

16.   Atlanta Falcons (16): I was very high on the Falcons in the beginning of the season, but their defense has just not been playing at the level it needs to.  Even at 5-5 the Falcons still have a shot to make it as a wildcard team.

 

17.   Miami Dolphins (19): No Ronnie Brown, no problem.  RB Ricky Williams scored three touchdowns and kept Miami’s slim playoff hopes alive at 5-5. 

 

18.   Jacksonville Jaguars (20): The Jags move to 6-4 but still remain ranked in the bottom half of the league.  This team just doesn’t have very many weapons, but as long as RB Maurice Jones-Drew continues to do his thing, this team very likely could finish at 10-6 and possibly sneak into the playoffs.

 

19.   Tennessee Titans (23): From 0-6 with Kerry Collins to 4-0 (4-6 overall) with Vince Young.  Young has now won his last eight straight starts.  The Titans have to win their remaining six games to have a chance at the playoffs, but suddenly it doesn’t seem so impossible.

 

20.   Carolina Panthers (18): Tough loss for the Panthers, all but ending any playoff aspirations they had.  They could find themselves playing a spoiler role down the stretch.

 

21.   San Francisco 49ers (17): The 49ers had five total passing yards at half and just dug themselves too big of a hole to comeback from.  WR Michael Crabtree scored his first NFL touchdown in the loss to the Packers.

 

22.   New York Jets (21): The Jets are 1-6 in their last seven games and after being considered early Super Bowl contenders, are on the outside looking in as far as the playoffs are concerned.  QB Mark Sanchez was picked four times in the game against the Pats.

 

23.   Kansas City Chiefs (25): Two straight wins for the Chiefs, including the upset of the week as they took down the defending Super Bowl champions.  Kansas City is going nowhere fast, but they will give teams everything they can handle down the stretch.

 

24.   Chicago Bears (23): QB Jay Cutler was off all night and outside of one 72 yard run by a rookie running back, the Bears ground game was non-existent.  Chicago’s playoff chances are history.

 

25.   Washington Redskins (26): Great defensive effort by the ‘Skins but it wasn’t quite enough to upset the Cowboys. 

 

26.   Seattle Seahawks (24): The Seahawks have been a disappointment this year in my opinion and don’t seem to be improving at all.  Other than WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Seattle has very little talent to build around.

 

27.   Detroit Lions (28): QB Matthew Stafford had by far his best game as a pro, throwing for 422 yards and five touchdowns.  Don’t be surprised if the Lions give the Packers all they can handle on Thanksgiving.

 

28.   Oakland Raiders (30): The Raiders pulled off their second upset of the season, knocking off the Bengals.  QB Bruce Gradkowski completed just 50 percent of his passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns but it was enough for Oakland to get their third win of the season.

 

29.   Buffalo Bills (27): WR Terrell Owens finally showed up for the Bills, hauling in nine catches for 197 yards, including a 98-yard touchdown.  Nonetheless, the Bills still lost to the Jags, and also lost RB Marshawn Lynch to an injury.

 

30.   St. Louis Rams (29):  A good effort by the Rams, but it wasn’t enough to come out with a victory.  RB Steven Jackson had his fourth consecutive 100 yard rushing game, the first time he has accomplished that in his career.  Week 12 looks like the best chance for the Rams to equal their win total from last season of two, but then again backup QB Kyle Boller will get the start with starter Marc Bulger out with an injury.

 

31.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers (31): Ugly game for Tampa against the Saints.  On the bright side, they were able to hold them to under 40, a feat four other teams could not do.

 

32.   Cleveland Browns (32): 24 first quarter points for the Browns, and it wasn’t enough to hold off the Lions.  QB Brady Quinn threw for 304 yards and four touchdowns but it wasn’t enough.  Looks like the Browns missed out on their best shot at getting win No. 2.

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NFL Power Rankings Week 11

Week 10 had some great games across the board with Sunday Night Football as the game of the week.  The Colts vs. Patriots lived up to and exceeded expectations.  Tom Brady and Peyton Manning threw for over 700 yards and seven touchdowns.  However Patriot’s coach Bill Belicheck’s decision to go for it on 4^th and 2 from his own 28 yard line with two minutes to go with a six point lead will be the most talked about topic at water coolers around the country.  I understand Peyton Manning is one of the best in football in the final two minutes but how do you not punt in that situation?  Even with a bad punt, the Colts probably have to go at least 60 yards.  Instead, the Colts have just 28 yards to go and easily win the game.  The Colts won the game and remain ahead of the Pats in the rankings, but don’t be fooled; The Patriots are back and clicking on all cylinders on offense.

 

Teams’ previous ranking in ( ).

 

1.       New Orleans Saints (1): It wasn’t pretty but the Saints remain undefeated after a 28-23 win against the Rams in week 10.  QB Drew Brees was human, throwing for 223 yards and two touchdowns as well as two interceptions.  RB Reggie Bush had his best game of the season with 98 total yards and two touchdowns.  The Saints should win next week to get to 10-0 as they prepare for the Patriots in week 12.

 

2.       Indianapolis Colts (2): I want to re-iterate that I have never seen a team win so many games they didn’t deserve to win.  With that said, the Colts are a great team that continue to win and light up the scoreboard.  Nobody seems to be talking about an undefeated season for the Colts, but I believe if they can get past the Ravens and Texans in their next two games, they will accomplish the same feat as the 2007 Patriots. 

 

3.       Minnesota Vikings (3): Minnesota kept the stranglehold on the NFC North with a win over the Lions.  WR Sidney Rice had a huge game with over 200 receiving yards and QB Brett Favre continued his MVP-like season.  If Favre can avoid his late season collapse from a year ago, the Vikings will very likely find themselves in the NFC Championship game.

 

4.       Cincinnati Bengals (6): Stand up if you predicted the Bengals would go 4-0 against the Ravens and Steelers this year.  I hope nobody stood up, because not even the savviest of football fans could have predicted this.  Not only did they grab the top spot in the AFC North, their next three games are against the Raiders, Browns and Lions.  If this team can stay distraction-free (this means you Mr. Ochocinco), they can be a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

 

5.       New England Patriots (5): I had New England ranked No. 2 at about 11pm eastern time on Sunday night.  Less than an hour later, I was in absolute shock at what I had witnessed and had to bring them back to No. 5.  Bill Belicheck is without a doubt a hall of fame coach.  With that said, he made perhaps the single worst coaching decision I have witnessed in my 20 short years on this earth.  Nonetheless, the Patriots offense is back and they are as dangerous as anyone in the league.  WR Randy Moss had nine catches for 179 yards and two touchdowns in the loss.

 

6.       Pittsburgh Steelers (4): The Steelers have won five of their last seven, but both losses were to the Cincinnati Bengals.  QB Ben Roethlisberger only completed 50 percent of his passes for 174 yards and the Steelers failed to score a touchdown.  S Troy Polamalu left the game with yet another injury which could prove costly down the stretch. 

 

7.       San Diego Chargers (10): Just a few weeks ago it seemed as if the Broncos were running away with the division and the Chargers would be lucky to battle for a wild card.  After week 10, it looks as if the Chargers are the team to beat.  Back to back wins against tough NFC East opponents, the Chargers have improved their record to 6-3 on the season as they head into Denver next week for an enormous division game.

 

8.       Dallas Cowboys (7): The Cowboys were shutout in Green Bay for the first 59 minutes and 22 seconds.  Not usually a formula for success. They had absolutely no running game and breakout WR Miles Austin was held to just 20 yards receiving.  It doesn’t seem to have a huge effect on the division race for Dallas, as the Eagles also lost and the Giants were on bye.  Look for them to bounce back in a big way next week against the Redskins.

 

9.       Denver Broncos (8): In all honesty, I would love to have put this team around the No. 15 mark but despite losing three straight, they are 6-3 overall and I’ll give them one more week to prove they are the Broncos we saw the first six weeks of the season, and not the Broncos we have seen the past three weeks.  How a team can beat the Patriots and lose to the Redskins is something I will never understand.  Nonetheless Denver better get it turned around in a hurry, which could be tough if QB Kyle Orton is out for any amount of time.

 

10.   Arizona Cardinals (14): For a while it looked like the Cardinals might lose yet another home game, but QB Kurt Warner threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns to lead Arizona to a 31-20 win over the Seahawks.  WR Anquan Boldin returned from injury to haul in eight receptions for over 100 yards.  It looks as if the Cardinals wrapped up the division with the win, as they have a two game lead and have a favorable schedule in the next few weeks.

 

11.   Baltimore Ravens (12): The Ravens are 5-4 but a missed field goal and a couple of questionable calls away from 8-1.  The AFC is a tough conference but if the Ravens manage to secure a wildcard spot (assuming the Bengals don’t complete choke down the stretch) they will be as tough as they come in the playoffs.  They do need to get their offense back to where it was at the first few weeks of the season though when they were putting up over 30 per game. 

 

12.   Philadelphia Eagles (11): I understand that RB Brian Westbrook was returning from injury, and always has some sort of nagging injury, but the Eagles do a terrible job of using him.  With the possible exception of WR DeSean Jackson, Westbrook is hands down the best player on the team and there is no excuse for him to not be getting at least 25 touches per game.  When the Eagles are clicking, they are a scary team.  However their inconsistency is going to hurt them and as of this moment, I do not believe they will end up in the playoffs, especially because Westbrook appeared to suffer another concussion. 

 

13.   Houston Texans (13): The Texans are coming off a bye and will face the rejuvenated Titans on Monday Night Football in week 11.  The division is not quite out of reach, but the Texans would likely have to win out if they wanted to overtake the Colts.  The defense needs to continue to play well but more importantly the Texans must get RB Steve Slaton going.  Ryan Moats is not the long term answer in the running game.

 

14.   Green Bay Packers (17): Now that is the defense I expected from Green Bay all season.  Well maybe not that good, but certainly something similar.  The Packers recorded five sacks and caused three turnovers.  CB Charles Woodson showed once again why he is one of the better defenders in the league by doing a little bit of everything; he forced two fumbles, had one sack, intercepted a pass at the goal line and led the team with eight tackles.  The offensive line continues to be a problem but a victory against a good team was huge for the Packers as they have a very tough schedule ahead of them.

 

15.   New York Giants (15): The Giants had a very efficient week; they gained ground in the division on both Philly and Dallas and didn’t even take the field.  Hopefully the Giants fixed some things during the week because their next four games are against the Falcons, Broncos, Cowboys and Eagles.  The Giants have lost four straight and even though they are capable of reeling off four consecutive wins, I don’t see them doing any better than 2-2 in their next four and I believe they will come up short of the playoffs. 

 

16.   Atlanta Falcons (9): The Falcons took a dive in the rankings this week, falling from the top 10 out of the top 15.  They could find themselves falling even further if the injury to RB Michael Turner will cause him to miss any games.  The Falcons are still a solid team, but the defense is a liability and their only hope of the playoffs is via a wildcard berth.  They currently sit at 5-4 and could be in danger of being passed in the division the Panthers.

 

17.   San Francisco 49ers (18): Five interceptions against the Bears on Thursday night proved to be just enough to escape with a victory.  RB Frank Gore accounted for the only touchdown and ran for 104 yards on 25 carries.  It would appear as if the 49ers’ only hope of the playoffs would be as a wildcard but I don’t see them getting more than four more wins and 8-8 simply isn’t going to be good enough this year in the NFC.

 

18.   Carolina Panthers (19): I wanted to move the Panthers up more than just one spot but couldn’t bring myself to do it.  They are definitely playing better than 18^th in the league and have three very winnable games coming up.  If they can win all three, they will improve to 7-5 and be talked about as a playoff contender.  However they are going to have to continue their hot streak beyond week 13 because they finish the season with the Patriots, Vikings, Giants and Saints.  It looks like the poor start to the season is going to cost Carolina a wildcard berth.

 

19.   Miami Dolphins (20): After five consecutive weeks at No. 20, the Dolphins finally move up with a win in week 10.  It took a last second field goal to get the win against the suddenly competitive Buccaneers.  The biggest story from this game is the injury to RB Ronnie Brown.  It would appear the Dolphins won’t have a shot at the playoffs, but any chance they do have rests on the shoulders of Brown, who ran for 80 yards and a score before the injury.

 

20.   Jacksonville Jaguars (25): The Jags got above .500 with a win against the Jets in week 10.  RB Maurice Jones-Drew continues to shoulder the load and QB David Garrard manages the game and takes care of the ball.  I didn’t give the Jags much of a chance before the season started, but it’s not inconceivable that they could finish the season with 10 wins and a good chance at a wildcard spot. 

 

21.   New York Jets (16): After three weeks, the Jets were considered a top five team and a possible Super Bowl contender by many.  After 10 weeks, they are a very average team hoping to finish with a respectable record.  QB Mark Sanchez still has a bright future and the defense is solid.  Unfortunately for the Jets their schedule for the final seven games isn’t easy. 

 

22.   Tennessee Titans (23): It’s not possible to go back in time, but Titan’s fans must be wondering what their record might be if QB Vince Young had taken over sooner than week eight.  Young has led the Titans to three straight wins and could possibly help the Titans finish the season at 8-8 which would be something to be proud of after the disastrous 0-6 start.  RB Chris Johnson had another impressive game running for 132 yards and two touchdowns. 

 

23.   Chicago Bears (22): QB Jay Cutler threw a career high five interceptions and now has a league-leading 17 for the season.  The Bears have a very slim chance at making the playoffs at this point.  They would probably have to go 6-1 down the stretch to have a chance and they still have games against the Eagles, Ravens and two against the Vikings.

 

24.   Seattle Seahawks (21): The Seahawks playoff chances went out the window with the loss to the Cardinals.  At 3-6 the only way for them to have any chance is to win out and I think it’s safe to say that won’t happen.  They did give Arizona a run for their money though.  QB Matt Hasselbeck threw for 315 yards and a touchdown and WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh had nine catches for 165 yards. 

 

25.   Kansas City Chiefs (26): In the who-cares game of the week, the Chiefs beat the Raiders 16-10 to get to 2-7 on the season.  With the release of RB Larry Johnson, Jamaal Charles ran for 103 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.  The Chiefs will battle the Raiders for the final seven weeks for third place in the division. 

 

26.   Washington Redskins (29): In the upset of the week, the Redskins beat the Broncos 27-17 on a nice game from backup RB Ladell Betts who was filling in for the injured Clinton Portis.  After giving up 14 points in the first quarter, the ‘Skins gave up just three the rest of the game.  This doesn’t make up for the loss to the Lions, but if they can build on this game, it might just save Jim Zorn’s job.

 

27.   Buffalo Bills (24): Buffalo put up a fight against the Titans, heading into the fourth quarter in a 17-17 tie.  Unfortunately for the Bills they gave up 24 points in the final period.  WR Terrell Owens had a blowup on the sidelines and finished the game with three catches for 85 yards.  RB Marshawn Lynch has been very disappointing since his return from a three game suspension.

 

28.   Detroit Lions (27): The Lions put up a fight in the first half against the division leading Vikings but the offense couldn’t really get anything going and the defense could not cover Sidney Rice of the Vikes.  Despite noticeable improvement from last year, the Lions will still finish as one of the worst teams in the league.  Their best chance for another win the rest of the season comes this week as they take on the Browns.

 

29.   St. Louis Rams (30): The Rams nearly pulled off the upset of the decade against the Saints this week.  The Rams had the ball in Saint’s territory and threw up a pass into the end zone on the final play but it came down incomplete.  RB Steven Jackson had a very solid 131 rushing yards and his second touchdown of the season.  The Rams are 1-8 but could pull out a couple more wins if they play like they did against the Saints.

 

30.   Oakland Raiders (28): RB Michael Bush ran for 119 yards on 14 carries, but that’s where the positives stop for the Raiders.  QB Jamarcus Russell had one of his trademark games, completing just nine passes for 67 yards before being benched for Bruce Gradkowski.  As bad as they are, the Raiders could still win two more games this season.  Then again, as bad as they are, there is a great chance they will find ways to lose against the Redskins and Browns and finish 2-14. 

 

31.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers (31): After taking down the Packers for their first win of the season, the Bucs almost made it two in a row behind QB Josh Freeman.  Freeman had a respectable game throwing for 196 yards and a score and has found his favorite weapon in TE Kellen Winslow.  The Bucs have seven games remaining, five of which are against tough divisional opponents.  It looks like the Bucs competitive ways might be over until next season.

 

32.   Cleveland Browns (32): QB Brady Quinn got the start on Monday Night Football against the Ravens and to say he played miserable would be an understatement.  Quinn was 13-31 for 99 yards and two interceptions, one which was returned for six and was sacked four times.  There are some bad teams in the NFL but it’s a pretty safe bet the Browns are the worst.  They have no running game and absolutely no talent or depth at wide receiver.  They most likely will have the first pick in next year’s draft.

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NFL Power Rankings Heading Into Week Eight

In week seven, six games were decided by 28 or more points, the Saints had to make a 21 point comeback, and the Vikings became the latest team to fall from the ranks of the unbeaten.  Raider QB Jamarcus Russell was finally benched, while 49ers backup QB Alex Smith replaced starter Shaun Hill and nearly led a second-half comeback against the Texans.  Week seven’s rankings look very similar to those of week six, as 18 teams remained in their previous spot.

 

Teams previous ranking in ( ).

 

1.       New Orleans Saints (1): QB Drew Brees committed four turnovers, but with the help of the defense was able to pull off a nifty 21 point comeback victory over the Dolphins.  The Saints gave up too many points, but they remain undefeated and the favorite to come out of the NFC.

 

2.       Denver Broncos (2): Denver goes on the road to face the Ravens in week eight.  I’ve had this game circled since after week three when a Broncos fan complained I had his team ranked way too low. I told him Denver had played three bad teams and they would soon be 3-5.  Needless to say, after week eight they can’t be worse then 6-1.  Oops, guess I goofed on that one.

 

3.       Indianapolis Colts (3): The Colts just keep on rollin’.  They thrashed the Rams and begin a three game stretch at home against the 49ers followed by the Texans as they tune up for a week 10 battle against the Patriots.

 

4.       Pittsburgh Steelers (7): The Steelers struggled much of the game against the Vikings but when their defense was needed most, it stepped up.  Or perhaps it was the beneficiary of some bad offense of Minnesota.  Either way the Steelers are getting healthy and look to be a serious threat yet again.

 

5.       Minnesota Vikings (4): The tide was turned against the Vikes this week.  Instead of the Vikings getting a little lucky and winning a game they probably shouldn’t, they lost a game they likely should have won.  They were mostly shutdown for the first three quarters but played well in the fourth.  Two red zone turnovers cost them dearly.  The Favre circus, part two returns this week as the Vikes head to Lambeau Field.

 

6.       New England Patriots (8): To the surprise of nobody, the Pats smoked the Bucs.  New England has a week eight bye, followed by four intriguing games. A division game against the Dolphins, a showdown against the Colts, a re-match against Rex Ryan and the Jets and then on the road against Brees and the Saints.

 

7.       Cincinnati Bengals (9): Cincinnati absolutely annihilated the Bears.  QB Carson Palmer threw for five TDs and RB Cedric Benson ran wild.  The Bengals have a bye this week, followed by two division games against the Ravens and Steelers.  However, even two losses may not hurt too badly as they follow up with games against the Raiders, Browns and Lions.

 

8.       New York Giants (5): A big-time let down at home against the Cardinals.  The Giants offense has disappeared and one has to wonder how healthy QB Eli Manning is.

 

9.       Philadelphia Eagles (10): It wasn’t the prettiest win but two things stuck out.  The acquisition of LB Will Witherspoon paid off immediate dividends.  Secondly, RB Brian Westbrook is incapable of staying on the field.  The Eagles are going to need him down the stretch if they want to make a run in the playoffs.

 

10.   Atlanta Falcons (6): The Falcons did not impress against the Cowboys.  As usual, the defense is the biggest issue for this team.  RB Michael Turner has taken a step back from his monster season last year though.

 

11.   Baltimore Ravens (11): Hopefully the Ravens got well rested during their bye because other than a matchup with the Browns in week 10, the Ravens upcoming schedule includes games against the Broncos, Bengals, Colts, Steelers and Packers.

 

12.   New York Jets (12): QB Mark Sanchez was seen eating a hot dog late in the game against the Raiders (though he tried to hide it as best he could).  Interpretation: Trying to avoid the camera while eating a hotdog was a far tougher task then beating the Raiders.

 

13.   San Diego Chargers (13): The Chargers man-handled the Chiefs in week seven.  It’s unusual to say a team is going to measure how much it has improved when it plays the Raiders, but that is the case for San Diego this week.  They struggled to beat the Raiders in week one and they need to win handily this week if they want to even be talked about as a legitimate contender.

 

14.   Green Bay Packers (14): 57-3.  That is the combined score of the Packers last two wins.  Lions and Browns.  Those are the two teams Green Bay beat.  With that said, the Packers did beat the teams they are supposed to beat.  They play at home in week eight against the Vikings and it is a must-win game for the Pack if they want to win their division.

 

15.   Dallas Cowboys (17): A convincing win against a solid team is something Dallas was desperate for and they got it.  They shouldn’t have a problem against the Seahawks this week, but they will have two more chances to beat good teams as they play Philly and Green Bay in weeks nine and 10.

 

16.   Arizona Cardinals (18): Arizona too was desperate for a win against a quality opponent and beating the Giants on the road was a great way to do that.  That is the Cardinal team that must show up every week if they want a chance to defend their NFC championship. 

 

17.    Houston Texans (19): The Texans are finally playing the way I thought they would play all year.  With that said, WR Andre Johnson appears to have suffered a fairly serious chest injury.  He must get healthy if Houston has any playoff aspirations.

 

18.   San Francisco 49ers (15): Backup QB Alex Smith took over to start the second half trailing 21-0 and nearly pulled off the comeback.  He threw for 206 yards and three TDs (all to TE Vernon Davis).  It was the Texans defense, but maybe this is finally a sign of things to come from Smith.

 

19.   Chicago Bears (16): An absolutely pitiful performance by the Bears.  Cutler threw three more interceptions and the defense gave up 45 points and nearly 500 yards of offense.  What the Bears need is a confidence boosting game, and who better than the Browns?

 

20.   Miami Dolphins (20): Many people predicted the Dolphins to upset the Saints and at halftime it looked like a sure thing.  However Miami was outscored 36-10 in the final 30 minutes and came up short.  The Dolphins are only 2-4 but they’ve proved they can play with just about anyone.

 

21.   Seattle Seahawks (21): Seattle is coming off a bye and will play a road game against the Cowboys.  Dallas played very well against Atlanta, but I could see the ‘Hawks giving the ‘Boys a run for their money in this one.

 

22.   Jacksonville Jaguars (22): The Jags too are coming off a bye and play the winless Titans.  WR Mike-Sims Walker should have a great game, assuming he postpones his late night rendezvous until after the game.

 

23.   Buffalo Bills (26): The Bills are bad, but apparently not quite as bad as the Panthers.  It is safe to say that WR Terrell Owens is no longer a top wideout in the NFL.

 

24.   Detroit Lions (24): Detroit is coming off their bye too and they are likely a favorite for the first time in close to two years.  QB Matthew Stafford may be out, but if WR Calvin Johnson is healthy, look for the Lions to beat the Rams and get their second win of 2009.

 

25.   Carolina Panthers (23): For the second straight week RB DeAngelo Williams ran well, and for the seventh straight week, QB Jake Delhomme threw an interception bringing his season total to 13.  As if that wasn’t bad enough, the Panthers take on the Cardinals this week whom Delhomme committed six turnovers against in last year’s playoffs.

 

26.   Kansas City Chiefs (25): RB Larry Johnson had some not so nice things to say about his head coach via twitter after Sunday’s blowout loss to the Chargers.  Maybe it’s just me but I don’t see Johnson being with Kansas City next season.

 

27.   Oakland Raiders (27): I cannot figure out how this team has two wins. Only once have they scored more than 13 points in a game and only twice have they given up fewer than 23.  QB Jamarcus Russell was finally benched for his poor play. 

 

28.   Tennessee Titans (28): Tennessee is coming off a bye and look to get their first win of the season against the Jags this week.  Even if they fail, they will have three straight games with good matchups and if all else fails, well at least they get to face the Rams before the season is over.

 

29.   Washington Redskins (29): The ‘Skins didn’t play as well as the final score indicated against the Eagles on Monday night.  RB Clinton Portis couldn’t get the ground game going and TE Chris Cooley is lost for the season with a broken ankle.  The front office says Jim Zorn’s job is safe for the season, but I am not sure how much I believe that.

 

30.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers (30): Three turnovers, nine punts and one touchdown.  That just isn’t going to cut it, especially when the opponent has Tom Brady lined up under center. The Bucs schedule just doesn’t give them many opportunities for wins. I believe this team has a very legitimate shot at going winless.

 

31.   Cleveland Browns (31): About 150 yards of total offense, at home, against a Packers defense that is slightly above average on a good day.  They easily could go winless the rest of the season, but they could also sneak up to three more wins, as they play some equally pathetic teams before the season ends.

 

32.   St. Louis Rams (32): This might be their only shot at a victory all season.  If they don’t beat the Lions, we could be looking at two teams going winless this season. 

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NFL Power Rankings Heading Into Week Eight

In week seven, six games were decided by 28 or more points, the Saints had to make a 21 point comeback, and the Vikings became the latest team to fall from the ranks of the unbeaten.  Raider QB Jamarcus Russell was finally benched, while 49ers backup QB Alex Smith replaced starter Shaun Hill and nearly led a second-half comeback against the Texans.  Week seven’s rankings look very similar to those of week six, as 18 teams remained in their previous spot.

 

Teams previous ranking in ( ).

 

1.       New Orleans Saints (1): QB Drew Brees committed four turnovers, but with the help of the defense was able to pull off a nifty 21 point comeback victory over the Dolphins.  The Saints gave up too many points, but they remain undefeated and the favorite to come out of the NFC.

 

2.       Denver Broncos (2): Denver goes on the road to face the Ravens in week eight.  I’ve had this game circled since after week three when a Broncos fan complained I had his team ranked way too low. I told him Denver had played three bad teams and they would soon be 3-5.  Needless to say, after week eight they can’t be worse then 6-1.  Oops, guess I goofed on that one.

 

3.       Indianapolis Colts (3): The Colts just keep on rollin’.  They thrashed the Rams and begin a three game stretch at home against the 49ers followed by the Texans as they tune up for a week 10 battle against the Patriots.

 

4.       Pittsburgh Steelers (7): The Steelers struggled much of the game against the Vikings but when their defense was needed most, it stepped up.  Or perhaps it was the beneficiary of some bad offense of Minnesota.  Either way the Steelers are getting healthy and look to be a serious threat yet again.

 

5.       Minnesota Vikings (4): The tide was turned against the Vikes this week.  Instead of the Vikings getting a little lucky and winning a game they probably shouldn’t, they lost a game they likely should have won.  They were mostly shutdown for the first three quarters but played well in the fourth.  Two red zone turnovers cost them dearly.  The Favre circus, part two returns this week as the Vikes head to Lambeau Field.

 

6.       New England Patriots (8): To the surprise of nobody, the Pats smoked the Bucs.  New England has a week eight bye, followed by four intriguing games. A division game against the Dolphins, a showdown against the Colts, a re-match against Rex Ryan and the Jets and then on the road against Brees and the Saints.

 

7.       Cincinnati Bengals (9): Cincinnati absolutely annihilated the Bears.  QB Carson Palmer threw for five TDs and RB Cedric Benson ran wild.  The Bengals have a bye this week, followed by two division games against the Ravens and Steelers.  However, even two losses may not hurt too badly as they follow up with games against the Raiders, Browns and Lions.

 

8.       New York Giants (5): A big-time let down at home against the Cardinals.  The Giants offense has disappeared and one has to wonder how healthy QB Eli Manning is.

 

9.       Philadelphia Eagles (10): It wasn’t the prettiest win but two things stuck out.  The acquisition of LB Will Witherspoon paid off immediate dividends.  Secondly, RB Brian Westbrook is incapable of staying on the field.  The Eagles are going to need him down the stretch if they want to make a run in the playoffs.

 

10.   Atlanta Falcons (6): The Falcons did not impress against the Cowboys.  As usual, the defense is the biggest issue for this team.  RB Michael Turner has taken a step back from his monster season last year though.

 

11.   Baltimore Ravens (11): Hopefully the Ravens got well rested during their bye because other than a matchup with the Browns in week 10, the Ravens upcoming schedule includes games against the Broncos, Bengals, Colts, Steelers and Packers.

 

12.   New York Jets (12): QB Mark Sanchez was seen eating a hot dog late in the game against the Raiders (though he tried to hide it as best he could).  Interpretation: Trying to avoid the camera while eating a hotdog was a far tougher task then beating the Raiders.

 

13.   San Diego Chargers (13): The Chargers man-handled the Chiefs in week seven.  It’s unusual to say a team is going to measure how much it has improved when it plays the Raiders, but that is the case for San Diego this week.  They struggled to beat the Raiders in week one and they need to win handily this week if they want to even be talked about as a legitimate contender.

 

14.   Green Bay Packers (14): 57-3.  That is the combined score of the Packers last two wins.  Lions and Browns.  Those are the two teams Green Bay beat.  With that said, the Packers did beat the teams they are supposed to beat.  They play at home in week eight against the Vikings and it is a must-win game for the Pack if they want to win their division.

 

15.   Dallas Cowboys (17): A convincing win against a solid team is something Dallas was desperate for and they got it.  They shouldn’t have a problem against the Seahawks this week, but they will have two more chances to beat good teams as they play Philly and Green Bay in weeks nine and 10.

 

16.   Arizona Cardinals (18): Arizona too was desperate for a win against a quality opponent and beating the Giants on the road was a great way to do that.  That is the Cardinal team that must show up every week if they want a chance to defend their NFC championship. 

 

17.    Houston Texans (19): The Texans are finally playing the way I thought they would play all year.  With that said, WR Andre Johnson appears to have suffered a fairly serious chest injury.  He must get healthy if Houston has any playoff aspirations.

 

18.   San Francisco 49ers (15): Backup QB Alex Smith took over to start the second half trailing 21-0 and nearly pulled off the comeback.  He threw for 206 yards and three TDs (all to TE Vernon Davis).  It was the Texans defense, but maybe this is finally a sign of things to come from Smith.

 

19.   Chicago Bears (16): An absolutely pitiful performance by the Bears.  Cutler threw three more interceptions and the defense gave up 45 points and nearly 500 yards of offense.  What the Bears need is a confidence boosting game, and who better than the Browns?

 

20.   Miami Dolphins (20): Many people predicted the Dolphins to upset the Saints and at halftime it looked like a sure thing.  However Miami was outscored 36-10 in the final 30 minutes and came up short.  The Dolphins are only 2-4 but they’ve proved they can play with just about anyone.

 

21.   Seattle Seahawks (21): Seattle is coming off a bye and will play a road game against the Cowboys.  Dallas played very well against Atlanta, but I could see the ‘Hawks giving the ‘Boys a run for their money in this one.

 

22.   Jacksonville Jaguars (22): The Jags too are coming off a bye and play the winless Titans.  WR Mike-Sims Walker should have a great game, assuming he postpones his late night rendezvous until after the game.

 

23.   Buffalo Bills (26): The Bills are bad, but apparently not quite as bad as the Panthers.  It is safe to say that WR Terrell Owens is no longer a top wideout in the NFL.

 

24.   Detroit Lions (24): Detroit is coming off their bye too and they are likely a favorite for the first time in close to two years.  QB Matthew Stafford may be out, but if WR Calvin Johnson is healthy, look for the Lions to beat the Rams and get their second win of 2009.

 

25.   Carolina Panthers (23): For the second straight week RB DeAngelo Williams ran well, and for the seventh straight week, QB Jake Delhomme threw an interception bringing his season total to 13.  As if that wasn’t bad enough, the Panthers take on the Cardinals this week whom Delhomme committed six turnovers against in last year’s playoffs.

 

26.   Kansas City Chiefs (25): RB Larry Johnson had some not so nice things to say about his head coach via twitter after Sunday’s blowout loss to the Chargers.  Maybe it’s just me but I don’t see Johnson being with Kansas City next season.

 

27.   Oakland Raiders (27): I cannot figure out how this team has two wins. Only once have they scored more than 13 points in a game and only twice have they given up fewer than 23.  QB Jamarcus Russell was finally benched for his poor play. 

 

28.   Tennessee Titans (28): Tennessee is coming off a bye and look to get their first win of the season against the Jags this week.  Even if they fail, they will have three straight games with good matchups and if all else fails, well at least they get to face the Rams before the season is over.

 

29.   Washington Redskins (29): The ‘Skins didn’t play as well as the final score indicated against the Eagles on Monday night.  RB Clinton Portis couldn’t get the ground game going and TE Chris Cooley is lost for the season with a broken ankle.  The front office says Jim Zorn’s job is safe for the season, but I am not sure how much I believe that.

 

30.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers (30): Three turnovers, nine punts and one touchdown.  That just isn’t going to cut it, especially when the opponent has Tom Brady lined up under center. The Bucs schedule just doesn’t give them many opportunities for wins. I believe this team has a very legitimate shot at going winless.

 

31.   Cleveland Browns (31): About 150 yards of total offense, at home, against a Packers defense that is slightly above average on a good day.  They easily could go winless the rest of the season, but they could also sneak up to three more wins, as they play some equally pathetic teams before the season ends.

 

32.   St. Louis Rams (32): This might be their only shot at a victory all season.  If they don’t beat the Lions, we could be looking at two teams going winless this season. 

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NFL Power Rankings Week 7

After six weeks, just four teams remain unbeaten.  Week six had a little bit of everything.  Numerous quarterbacks put up gargantuan numbers, the undefeated Giants were abused, the Eagles and Titans were embarrassed, though for different reasons, and that Favre guy was at it again. 

 

Teams previous ranking in ( ).

 

1.       New Orleans Saints (2): After two weeks of no touchdown passes, QB Drew Brees returned to form against the Giants throwing for 369 yards and four touchdowns. The Saints put up 48 points against the best defense in the NFC.  The Saints are clearly the favorites in the NFC.

 

2.       Denver Broncos (5): No one is more surprised than me that I have the Broncos No. 2.  However I rarely move a team if they had a bye which keeps the Colts at No. 3 and I believe the Broncos win over the Pats was more impressive than the Vikings win over the Ravens.

 

3.       Indianapolis Colts (3): With a bye week, any slight injury to Peyton Manning’s knee should be fine by now.  Even if it’s not, the Colts face the Rams and could win that game with QB Jim Sorgi at the helm and a few wide receivers off the practice squad.

 

4.       Minnesota Vikings (4): I have the Vikes remaining at No. 4 this week.  Despite the irony, I can’t move them up because even though QB Brett Favre led another comeback, the Vikings got lucky.  The Vikings could very easily be 4-2 right now.  However they are 6-0 and as much as I hate to admit I was wrong, they are a better team with Favre behind center, at least through six weeks.

 

5.       New York Giants (1): Whether or not the Giants are a top five team, I’m not sure. Yes they were 5-0 but had played an easy schedule.  When faced with a good team, they were destroyed. We might get a better read on this team depending on how they bounce back on Sunday night against another good offense against the Cards.

 

6.       Atlanta Falcons (7): Nice win against a pretty good team on Sunday night. I can’t wait to see how they perform against the division leading Saints in a few weeks.

 

7.       Pittsburgh Steelers (9): QB Ben Roethlisberger continues his aerial assault on the NFL. Big Ben recorded his second career 400 yard game this week against the Browns.  The Steelers will face the task of taking down the undefeated Vikings in week seven.

 

8.       New England Patriots (11): Tom Brady is back.  Sure the Titans are a completely different team than last year, but five TD passes in one quarter is impressive.  However, am I the only one that wanted to see Keith Bullock or any Titans defender bull rush Pats coach Bill Belicheck for not only putting Brady in to start the second half, but letting him continue to throw the ball up 45-0?

 

9.       Cincinnati Bengals (8): I don’t put too much stock into their loss against the Texans. The Bengals have still beaten some very good teams this year. The defense is going to have to get a little bit better though if they want to hold off the Ravens and Steelers for the next eleven weeks.

 

10.   Philadelphia Eagles (6): Quite frankly if you lose to the Raiders you do not deserve a spot in the top 10. With that said, every team does lay an egg at some point and I still believe the Eagles are one of the more talented teams in the league.  They have got to get RB Brian Westbrook going though.

 

11.   Baltimore Ravens (12): It’s not often I move a team up after a loss. It’s even less often when the team is just 3-3. However it’s clear that even though the Ravens have lost three straight, they are still a contender. Questionable calls by the refs in two games, and a game winning FG missed wide left is all that stands in the way of the Ravens from being 6-0.

 

12.   New York Jets (10): I wanted to drop this team out of the top 15 but their win against the Pats and RB Thomas Jones running for over 200 yards just made me not give up yet.  Three losses in a row and QB Mark Sanchez has played like most rookie QBs do.  If they don’t turn it around in a hurry, they may find themselves right where I had them to start the season at No. 21.

 

13.   San Diego Chargers (13): The Bolts put up a great fight in the first half, but were unable to do much in the final 30 minutes.  They have dug themselves quite a hole in the AFC West.

 

14.   Green Bay Packers (18): WR Donald Driver became the Packers’ all time leading receiver this week and QB Aaron Rodgers played flawless football.  The Packers are going to have to play football like this on a weekly basis if they have any hope of catching the Vikings.

 

15.   San Francisco 49ers (15): The 49ers are coming off a bye, they should have their star RB Frank Gore back, and first round draft pick Michael Crabtree is set to start.  Oh yeah, and they get to play the Texans.  Nice week to be a 49ers fan.

 

16.   Chicago Bears (14): I can’t quite get a good read on the Bears.  It seems that their success depends on QB Jay Cutler. Six of his seven interceptions have come in their two losses and they very nearly lost to Seattle when he had one interception and a lost fumble. 

 

17.   Dallas Cowboys (17): The Cowboys had their best week of the season and they never took the field. The Giants got torched by the Saints, the Eagles found a way to play worse than the Raiders and the Redskins… Well not much to say about them.  A win against the Falcons in week seven would be huge for the ‘Boys.

 

18.   Arizona Cardinals (19): A thorough beat down of the Seahawks in week six.  The running game is still nowhere to be found. However the biggest concern right now is the health of WR Anquan Boldin.

 

19.   Houston Texans (21): QB Matt Schaub looked excellent in a win over the Bengals.  Steve Slaton had over 100 receiving yards but has still struggled mightily in the ground game. 

 

20.   Miami Dolphins (20): The good news is the Dolphins are coming off a bye and should have most everyone pretty healthy. The bad news is they are facing Drew Brees and company. 

 

21.   Seattle Seahawks (16): The Seahawks have quickly turned into Jekyll and Hyde. A 41-0 drubbing of the Jags in week five and then they decide not to show up against the Cardinals in week six.  They need to play more consistent football if they want to win the NFC West.

 

22.   Jacksonville Jaguars (22): It took overtime for the Jags to beat the lowly Rams.  Nonetheless the Jags have a pretty favorable schedule the rest of the way. If RB Maurice Jones-Drew can keep it up, they are a dark horse to make the playoffs.

 

23.   Carolina Panthers (24): Two more turnovers for QB Jake Delhomme and he only threw for 65 yards.  Yet it was enough to beat the Bucs by a touchdown.  Steve Smith owners are surely getting frustrated, but DeAngelo Williams’ owners (those of you that were patient enough to continue using him) finally got what they had been waiting for.  Nonetheless the passing game has got to improve or the Panthers are going nowhere.

 

24.   Detroit Lions (23): No Matthew Stafford and no Calvin Johnson turned out to mean no points for the Lions.  It will be a much more competitive game when they face the Packers again on Thanksgiving.

 

25.   Kansas City Chiefs (28): The Chiefs finally got their first win under new coach Todd Haley.  RB Larry Johnson wasn’t overly special but did have his best rushing game, running for 83 yards. The Chiefs just don’t have a whole lot of talent to work with right now.

 

26.   Buffalo Bills (27): WR Terrell Owens is now averaging 2.5 catches per game and just under 36 yards and has scored one touchdown all year.  Needless to say it’s not surprise the Bills are 2-4. A nice win over the Jets but when you intercept six passes, you shouldn’t need overtime to win the game.

 

27.   Oakland Raiders (31): Jamarcus Russell outplayed Donovan McNabb? That may be up for debate but Russell turned in his best performance of the season, despite throwing two picks.  TE Zach Miller reeled in six catches for 139 yards and the lone TD of the game.  Nonetheless, it’s only one game but perhaps Russell has finally turned a corner.

 

28.   Tennessee Titans (26): Giving up 35 points is rough.  Giving up 35 points in one quarter (in less than 10 minutes of game clock) is downright incredible.  Losing 59-0 is embarrassing and thankfully the Titans have a bye this week.

 

29.   Washington Redskins (25): The Redskins are a mess.  Not counting the Giants, they have lost to the Lions, Panthers and Chiefs all of whom were winless at the time.  The 2 wins for the ‘Skins? Those came against the Rams and Bucs, both teams are winless and both wins came by five total points.  Yuck.

 

30.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers (29): QB Josh Johnson fumbled five times but somehow managed to recover four of them.  There is no nice way to say it, the Bucs are just awful.  To make matters worse, they face the Patriots in week seven.

 

31.   Cleveland Browns (30): On the bright side, QB Derek Anderson completed more than two passes this week.  Unfortunately he threw one pass to the other team and lost two fumbles.  As if that’s not bad enough, WR Josh Cribbs was second on the team in rushing attempts (six) and led the team in rushing with 45 yards. 

 

32.   St. Louis Rams (32): The Rams came so close to getting their first win, but came up just short in overtime against the Jags.  QB Marc Bulger played well but the defense gave up over 460 yards of offense.  I still believe the Rams will actually finish with a worse record than last season when they went 2-14.

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Power Rankings Heading Into Week Six

Week Five contained possibly the worst slate of NFL games I have seen in a long time.  With that said, the Dolphins and Bengals won a pair of thrillers, while the Broncos remained undefeated as they knocked off the Patriots in overtime.  So, without further ado, here are my rankings heading into week six.

Teams previous ranking in ( ). 

 

1. New York Giants (1): A thorough pounding of the Raiders sets up a battle of unbeatens in Week Six between the Giants and Saints. QB Eli Manning’s health doesn’t seem to be a problem.

2. New Orleans Saints (2): Tough to find a team with an advantage in their Week Six matchup with the Giants, but coming off a bye may be just enough for the Saints to take over the No. 1 spot.

3. Indianapolis Colts (4): The Colts appear to be unbeatable, but as good as Peyton Manning is, they absolutely must find a consistent running attack.

4. Minnesota Vikings (5): As many predicted, the Vikes are 5-0. We’ll find out how good the Vikings are in their next three games as they will face the Ravens at home, followed by road games against the Steelers, and division rival Packers.

5. Denver Broncos (11): Is there anyone out there that doesn’t believe in this team now? I’m not sure if I do, but I also believe they are far better than I ever thought possible. A division game against San Diego this week, followed by a week off, and then back to back games against two AFC powerhouses, Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

6. Philadelphia Eagles (8): Welcome back Donovan McNabb, and welcome to the league Jeremy Maclin. McNabb completed 76 percent of his passes, and threw for three touchdowns, two to Maclin who had six receptions for 142 yards. If they can keep RB Brian Westbrook healthy, and get him running like he is capable, this is a scary team.

7. Atlanta Falcons (9): Very impressive road win against the 49ers. Roddy White and Michael Turner finally gave fantasy owners what they had been waiting for. Even the defense started to play better.

8. Cincinnati Bengals (15): Three consecutive wins by three points, and four straight wins overall. Not to mention two of those wins against teams expected to finish very high in the AFC, and a win at Lambeau Field against a very good Packer team. It appears the Bengals may be for real, even with the departure of WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (10): The return of S. Troy Polamalu is right around the corner.  The difference he makes for their defense is incredible. Three straight weeks they have given up 20 or more points; two of those games against the Lions and, surprise, Bengals.  On offense, QB Ben Roethlisberger continues to put up impressive passing numbers.

10. New York Jets (7): WR Braylon Edwards’ debut with his new team was impressive.  Cleveland fans could not have been happy with how well he played. However, it was not enough to beat the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football. Perhaps going 3-0 and beating the Patriots wasn’t quite as impressive as we thought.

11. New England Patriots (3): The Pats may still be one of the most talented teams in football, but so far they haven’t been dominant on either side of the football, and they sorely need to get a consistent running game.

12. Baltimore Ravens (6): A home loss to the divisional foe Cincinnati Bengals drops the Ravens out of the Top 10. The Ravens appeared to be extremely well balanced after the first month, but they failed to run the ball successfully against an average Bengals defense.

13. San Diego Chargers (13): It’s unusual to face a must win game in Week Six, but the Chargers cannot afford to fall any farther behind the Broncos in the AFC West.

14. Chicago Bears (14): The Bears, or more importantly my fantasy team, need RB Matt Forte to start Week Six where he left off in Week Four. He shouldn’t have a problem with that against the Falcons defense this week. In fact, look for Forte to have a string of big games, as he doesn’t face an above average run defense until Week 11.

15. San Francisco 49ers (12): The 49ers got pummeled by the Falcons this week. They are off this coming weekend and should have RB Frank Gore back when they face the Texans in Week Seven.

16. Seattle Seahawks (19): The ‘Hawks put an old fashioned whopping on the Jags this week. WRs Nate Burleson and Houshmandzadeh each scored two touchdowns, and the defense pitched a shutout. There is no doubt that with a healthy Matt Hasselbeck this team can compete for the NFC West title.

17. Dallas Cowboys (17): WR Miles Austin set a Dallas record for receiving yards in a game with 250. Nonetheless, the ‘Boys needed overtime to put away the winless Chiefs.  It’s impossible to predict what Cowboy team is going to show up on a week to week basis.

18. Green Bay Packers (18): The Packers are 2-2, and with games against the Lions and Browns coming up, they could be 4-2 going into their Week Eight showdown at Lambeau with the Vikings, who could be 5-2 at kickoff of that game. The Packers signed long time OL Mark Tauscher to try and protect QB Aaron Rodgers.

19.  Arizona Cardinals (20): The defending NFC champs have some serious problems. They can’t run the ball effectively, and their defense underachieves on a weekly basis.  They were one yard away from blowing a 21-0 halftime lead against the Texans.

20. Miami Dolphins (22): QB Chad Henne abused a very good Jets defense for 241 yards and two touchdowns, while RBs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams did good damage on the ground. I’m not sure the Dolphins are this good, but then again I thought the Broncos would win five games all year…

21. Houston Texans (16): 2-3 after five weeks is not where I thought the Texans would be, but, as usual, their defense is a liability. RB Steve Slaton is having a miserable sophomore year.

22. Jacksonville Jaguars (21): Two straight wins, against divisional opponents no less, and then they lay an egg against the Seahawks. Nonetheless, the Jags should head into their bye week with a win against the Rams, and have a favorable schedule the rest of the way.

23. Detroit Lions (26): No Matthew Stafford and WR Calvin Johnson left the game early with an injury, and yet the Lions still put up a fight against the defending champion Steelers. Yes, they are 1-20 since the start of last season, but this is a different Lions team.

24. Carolina Panthers (27): It wasn’t a pretty win, but it was still a win. QB Jake Delhomme committed only one turnover, but only threw for 181 yards, and the Panthers ground game was stagnant yet again.

25. Washington Redskins (24): The Redskins are just not a very good football team. RB Clinton Portis is playing through injury, and QB Jason Campbell appears as if he isn’t going to be a starter in this league for very long.

26. Tennessee Titans (23): 0-5 and no sign of turning it around. It is time to begin the next Vince Young era.

27. Buffalo Bills (25): Is it too soon to say the T.O. experiment has failed? The Bills have been a huge disappointment. Two very good wide receivers, and two very solid running backs, and yet 20 total points in their last three games.

28. Kansas City Chiefs (29): They put up a good fight against the Cowboys, but came up just short in overtime. Larry Johnson has been miserable all year, and the defense isn’t very good. 

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (28): TE Kellen Winslow had a monster game, but take him out of the equation, and the Bucs couldn’t run, or throw on offense, and the defense let the Eagles do whatever they wanted. Simply put, the Bucs stink.

30. Cleveland Browns (30): QB Derek Anderson completed under 12 percent of his passes for 23 yards and an interception. Yet, somehow it was enough for the Browns to escape with their first victory of the year, 6-3. 

31. Oakland Raiders (31): Another week, another brutal performance by the Raiders offense. TE Zach Miller is the only bright spot on this team.

32. St. Louis Rams (32): The Rams actually put up a lot of yards against the Vikings, but nonetheless it was never a game. QB Marc Bulger didn’t start, but was 7-7 for 88 yards, and a score in garbage time.

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NFL Power Rankings Heading Into Week Five

The much anticipated matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers lived up to expectations in the first half.  Green Bay decided to pack it in and did not play well at all in the second half.  QB Brett Favre tore apart his former team, especially on third down.  So the Vikings joined the Giants, Saints, Colts and Broncos as the remaining undefeated teams.  So without further ado, here are my rankings heading into week five.

 Teams previous ranking in ( ).

 1.       New York Giants (1): QB Eli Manning was efficient, RB Brandon Jacobs was solid, WR Steve Smith played like you would expect someone by that name to play, and the defense was its dominant self for most of the game.  A sure fire win next week against the Raiders should set up a showdown for week six against the also undefeated Saints.  Biggest concern is the health of Manning’s foot.

 2.       New Orleans Saints (2): For the second straight week QB Drew Brees didn’t throw a touchdown.  For the second straight week the Saints won the game on defense.  It’s too early to predict an undefeated season, but if the Saints defense keeps playing at this level, it’s a distinct possibility.

 3.       New England Patriots (3): Impressive win for the Pats.  Possibly aided by some ticky-tack calls, but nonetheless they played well enough to win.  The lack of a consistent running game is bound to catch up sooner or later.

 4.       Indianapolis Colts (6): If QB Peyton Manning continues to have all of eternity to get rid of the football, the Colts will destroy everyone in their path.  Like the Patriots, they will need to find a consistent running game, at least once the playoffs come around.

 5.       Minnesota Vikings (7): Eventually this team will make a believer out of me, but they haven’t yet.  A garbage win against the 49ers, and despite the final score, they escaped against Green Bay.  The defense is great and RB Adrian Peterson is a stud, but I still think there are better all-around teams in the NFL.

 6.       Baltimore Ravens (4): The Ravens are still the real deal, despite their loss in week four.  The defense as we know isn’t as dominant as in the past, but it’s still solid and the offense is extremely well balanced.  I still like this team to take their division.

 7.       New York Jets (5): Disappointing week for the Jets, but nothing to make me think they aren’t still a great football team.  Defense wins championships and their defense is tremendous.  They have shut down WRs Randy Moss, Andre Johnson and Marques Colston so far this year. 

 8.       Philadelphia Eagles (8): The Eagles remain at No. 8 after their bye.  QB Donovan McNabb should be ready to go, but if not backup QB Kevin Kolb has been impressive.

 9.       Atlanta Falcons (9): The Falcons ranking also remains unchanged after their off week.  Their offense is still impressive, even with RB Michael Turner having a disappointing season thus far.  Defense is still the most important factor for this team.

 10.   Pittsburgh Steelers (11): The Steelers looked incredible in the first half on Sunday night on both sides of the ball.  Backup RB Rashard Mendenhall looked like a Pro Bowler and QB Ben Roethlisberger continues to show he can win games with his arm.  Nonetheless, the return of S Troy Polamalu can’t come soon enough.

 11.   Denver Broncos (17): The Broncos still haven’t made a believer out of me, even after starting 4-0.  The Cowboys are the only good team they have faced.  We’ll learn a lot from the Broncos in their next four games as they face the Patriots, Chargers, Ravens and Steelers. 

 12.   San Francisco 49ers (15): This team could arguably be 4-0, with two of those wins coming without their star RB Frank Gore.  A good test for them in week five from the Atlanta Falcons. 

 13.   San Diego Chargers (10):  A quarter of the way through the season, and the Chargers are already two games behind in the division.  They have a bye in week five to prepare for division leading Broncos in week six.  RB LaDainian Tomlinson has been a huge disappointment and needs to get it going.  The Chargers were finally able to get TE Antonio Gates going, hopefully a sign of things to come for Charger fans.

 14.   Chicago Bears (14): The Bears remain at No. 14 after a win against the Lions.  Jay Cutler played great for a third straight week and RB Matt Forte finally busted out of his slump.

 15.   Cincinnati Bengals (18): How does a team take down the Packers in Lambeau and the defending champs in back to back weeks, and come within mere seconds of tying the Browns?  It’s hard to figure the Bengals out but they do have a pretty good offense.  Their defense will have to create takeaways if they have any hope of challenging the Ravens and Steelers for the division.

 16.   Houston Texans (16): The final score indicated a blow out but the Texans offense still isn’t clicking consistently.  RB Steve Slaton has yet to reach 80 rushing yards in a game this year and needs to get it going if the Texans want to compete for the division title.

 17.   Dallas Cowboys (12): The Cowboys are the NFL’s version of Jekyll and Hyde.  Perhaps the Broncos are better than anyone thought, but either way Dallas needs to find a go-to receiver to complement TE Jason Witten.

 18.   Green Bay Packers (13): All bias aside, the Packers have serious problems.  No offensive line, no running game, zero defense on third down and they commit absolutely awful penalties. Not to mention they seem to be injury plagued every season.  QB Aaron Rodgers is a star in the making but it appears this team is going to underachieve greatly yet again.

 19.   Seattle Seahawks (19): QB Seneca Wallace has filled in for Matt Hasselbeck and done an admirable job, but the running game is non-existent.  The defense was torched by Manning but that’s not something to be ashamed of.

 20.   Arizona Cardinals (20): The Cards remain at No. 20 after their bye but have two favorable matchups in the next two weeks.  This is yet another team that needs to get some consistency from the running back position.

 21.   Jacksonville Jaguars (23): WR Mike Sims-Walker has emerged as a legitimate wideout while QB David Garrard was very impressive against a good Titans defense.  RB Maurice Jones-Drew had an off game but the Jags improved to 2-2.  They are going to need a lot more games like this one if they want to have a chance at the playoffs.

 22.   Miami Dolphins (25): The Dolphins really stuck it to the Bills in week four behind great performances from RBs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams.  QB Chad Henne did exactly what the Dolphins needed him to do in his first career start.

 23.   Tennessee Titans (21):  The Titans were embarrassed by the Jags in week four.  The Titans are now 0-4 and the beginning of a new Vince Young era might be upon us very soon.

 24.   Washington Redskins (24): After being beaten by the Lions, the Redskins bounced back to beat possibly a worse team, the Bucs.  RB Clinton Portis ran well but QB Jason Campbell committed four turnovers and may be at risk of losing his starting job.

 25.   Buffalo Bills (22): The good news is WR Terrell Owens caught a pass this week and RB Marshawn Lynch returned from his suspension.  The bad news is QB Trent Edwards threw for under 200 yards and three interceptions and the Bills got whitewashed by the Dolphins.  The Bills are quickly becoming one of the bigger disappointments in the league this season.

 26.   Detroit Lions (30): Have the Lions been ranked this high anytime this decade?  Either way there is no doubt they are an improved team.  QB Matthew Stafford did leave the game due to an injury but it’s not expected to be serious.

 27.   Carolina Panthers (27): Carolina remains unchanged after an off week but may not get much higher the rest of the season.  QB Jake Delhomme is likely to be benched in the near future and RB DeAngelo Williams has been a major disappointment so far.

 28.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers (28): This team may still be ranked too high.  There is just nothing positive to say about the Bucs.  QB Josh Johnson got his first career start but wasn’t impressive at all.  The Bucs are clearly looking to the future.

 29.   Kansas City Chiefs (29): I’m not sure what to say about the Chiefs.  QB Matt Cassel has played alright, but RB Larry Johnson is struggling and the loss of TE Tony Gonzalez seems to be having a serious impact on their offense.  They will compete with the Raiders for third in the AFC West.

 30.   Cleveland Browns (32): I said last week this team could legitimately go winless, and then they nearly beat a decent Bengals team.  No I don’t suddenly think the Browns are any good, I just think they may not be the worst team. 

 31.   Oakland Raiders (26): As if we didn’t realize this already, as long as Al Davis has anything to do with this franchise, they won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

 32.   St. Louis Rams (31): I know they were without QB Marc Bulger, but they were shut out by the 49ers and barely reached 200 total yards.  They may already be deciding who to take with their first pick in next year’s draft.

 

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