stormtrooper8
- Joined
- May 30, 2022
- Messages
- 11,163
Here are the rankings. Last week in parenthesis.
1. Chiefs (1) - They looked a little flat after a bye week, which was a little surprising. But credit to the defense for stepping up in the second half and winning that game for them on a night where the offense never really jelled. They have a home game against the Jags coming up, which should be a nice opportunity to get some things in order and have the train start running again.
2. Eagles (3) - It wasn’t a great performance by any stretch of the imagination, but against the Eagles got it done. I wonder what will motivate this team against the schedule they have. They are obviously going to walk to the playoffs…perhaps the overachievement of the rest of the division? They have the division rival Commanders coming to town on Monday night.
3. 49ers (4) - Perhaps this will be controversial, leapfrogging this team on a bye over the mighty Buffalo Bills. But I think this team is positioned to make a hell of a run after the bye week, with a week of getting Christian McCaffery acclimated to Kyle’s schemes. They have the injury-ravaged Chargers coming to town on Sunday night, who have been getting by just barely.
4. Bills (3) - This game was a good example of why this team is far from unbeatable. When they can’t get a run game outside of Josh Allen going, they are very vulnerable. Allen is great, but this was an example of how inaccurate he can be and how poor his decision making can be. The Vikings come to town, and will present a challenge to a defense that has been just getting by these past couple weeks.
5. Cowboys (7) - This team has been one of the best in the NFL this year, and they had a lot of momentum going into the bye. The question will be how they come out – will they be flat, or will they keep the train rolling? They visit Lambeau Field to take on a struggling group in Green Bay.
6. Ravens (6) - They didn’t do a ton of things well on Monday night and were down key offensive players, but we gotta give credit where it’s due. Lamar Jackson is a beast, and deserves every penny that he asks for. He won that game for them. Good momentum going into the bye week.
7. Vikings (5) - These Minnesota boys keep winning close games, and this was a nice come from behind effort. The offense looks a little disjointed, but the defense has been serviceable enough. They don’t look like true contenders, but they are setting themselves up for a nice seed. Going to Buffalo is going to be a nice progress check for them.
8. Bengals (32) - They did what they needed to do to get out of the cellar. The offensive line finally gave a good effort in the run game, which was very refreshing to see. The defense corrected some things as well, and looked great for the most part – albeit against bad competition. Good momentum to take into the bye week.
9. Patriots (10) - This team seems to finally understand who it is and what its formula for success is: run the ball, play solid defense, don’t turn the ball over. They do those things, and they are a tough out despite suspect playmaking and QB play. They have the bye week to hopefully get some pass game issues figured out.
10. Titans (8) - Despite the loss, I like how this team played. Malik Willis clearly doesn’t look ready yet, but I think he could be a solid starter one day. The defense also looked pretty good, and have shown some promising signs. They have a date with the Broncos in Nashville, so a nice opportunity to work on the passing game.
11. Dolphins (11) - Tua has continued to look really strong since returning, but I do continue to have some concerns about that defense. They let Justin Fields absolutely dominate them. Not a good sign IMO. Hopefully they can gain some confidence against a Browns team that has struggled through the air, but has been very efficient on the ground. Interesting game for them.
12. Seahawks (12) - Man this team really continues to impress me. Geno has been steady, though obviously he has some limitations. I really like how balanced their offense continues to be. What a great year for this franchise. They now go to Germany to play Brady and the Bucs.
13. Bucs (13) - Hell of a win for the Bucs, who continue to stay in games because of their tenacious defense. That was the story of their much needed win against the Rams, and the formula they likely will have to follow given their offensive line issues. The game in Germany against the Seahawks should be interesting.
14. Jets (15) - Great performance by this Jets team, who continues to be so impressive on the defensive side of the ball. They really had Josh Allen bottled up for most of that game, and were able to get consistent pressure. Sauce Gardner is also a stud. They are gonna have to find a way around their bad quarterback play though to be a legit contender. Good momentum into the bye week.
15. Giants (14) - This team had a tough loss heading into the bye week up in Seattle. Can they regain some of the momentum they had? It doesn’t get much easier than Houston at home.
16. Rams (9) - They can’t get anything going offensively, and have squandered some good performances by a defense that seems to be getting back to championship caliber slowly but surely. They really needed to add a playmaker, and they failed to do that. Maybe they can start to right the ship at home against the Cardinals this week.
17. Chargers (17) - They deserve credit for again finding a way to win, which is all you can do when you are on the road and suffering major injuries like these guys. The run defense continues to be a major concern, and this week will not be easy as they visit the 49ers off a bye.
18. Falcons (18) - Atlanta found itself again in a tight game, though this time they couldn’t pull it out. The secondary played a little bit better after two questionable performances, but it seems like it will be a challenge for them to overcome their weaknesses there going forward. They get to play Carolina for the second time in 3 weeks on Thursday Night football.
19. Commanders (19) - They fought hard, and the defense continues to be shaping up into what a lot of us thought they could be. Tough to lose a game like that, but they have at least shown they can be a competent football team. Some reasons for optimism. Going to Philly will be tough, but I give them a chance to keep it close.
20. Packers (16) - What a disaster this team is. No one is going to feel sorry for them. Rodgers is becoming an easier target day by day. How is that contract tasting now? The hot Cowboys come to town to try and pile on.
21. Cardinals (20) - They are good enough to be frisky and compete, but they continue to not have what it takes on either end of the field to get on the right side in close games. The coaching and QB play are both disappointing. They meet a struggling Rams team on the road in what could basically be a mid season elimination game.
22. Browns (22) - Cleveland looked good in its last showing. Can they come out of the bye with some momentum, and can they thwart a hot Miami team?
23. Steelers (23) - Pittsburgh limped into the bye after getting thoroughly outplayed in Philadelphia. It will be interesting to see this team’s motivation level when it plays New Orleans on Sunday.
24. Saints (24) - The loss was a big blow, but the Saints still have a lot to play for in a weak division. Tampa and Atlanta both look vulnerable. This team has to find a way to be able to stop the run, because they don’t have the juice offensively to carry them on a consistent basis. A trip to Pittsburgh could be successful.
25. Bears (26) - The defense has predictably continued to be shaky after losing some key playmakers around the trade deadline, but major props to Fields and the offensive coaching staff for making some pretty clear improvements these past few weeks. This will be a fun team to watch moving forward. Playing against Detroit’s defense could be nice for them.
26. Colts (21) - Belichick had his way with another young QB, as Ehlinger proved to be his latest victim. The team seems to be waiving the white flag on the year, as they don’t seem super interested in trying to compete even though they’re in a crappy division. They visit another reeling team in Las Vegas this week.
27. Lions (29) - Big win for a struggling Detroit Lions team, who at best wants to salvage a horrible season and try to at least make it a semi-respectable one. Their defense finally put together a complete game, though the offense still struggled quite a bit. Can they keep the momentum going in Chicago?
28. Jaguars (31) - How bout them Jags? Big win for them at home after coming back from 17-0 to keep themselves within striking distance in the sorry AFC South. Their defense finally clamped down in the second half after letting Carr/Adams have their way. Now they have to go to Arrowhead to face a Chiefs team coming off a lackluster performance.
29. Raiders (25) - This team has easily been one of the most disappointing on the season. They seem to show flashes of great offensive potential, but they just can’t put complete games together for some reason. It’s unfortunate, because they have quite a bit of talent. Indy at home should give them an opportunity to get back on the right track.
30. Broncos (28) - They come off the bye with a lot of question marks offensively. Can they get on their feet and get back into the wild card mix in the AFC? A trip to Nashville won’t be easy for them.
31. Panthers (27) - Complete shit show in Cincinnati – let’s call it what it is. Not sure why they don’t start Baker when he’s clearly better. You’re only 2 games out in the division. They have an opportunity to climb closer with Atlanta at home. Hopefully a primetime home game gets them going a bit.
32. Texans (30) - They looked pretty good at home for long portions of the game, but they just didn’t have the juice to get them over the jump. They visit the Giants, in what could be an opportunity for them to squeak out an upset.
1. Chiefs (1) - They looked a little flat after a bye week, which was a little surprising. But credit to the defense for stepping up in the second half and winning that game for them on a night where the offense never really jelled. They have a home game against the Jags coming up, which should be a nice opportunity to get some things in order and have the train start running again.
2. Eagles (3) - It wasn’t a great performance by any stretch of the imagination, but against the Eagles got it done. I wonder what will motivate this team against the schedule they have. They are obviously going to walk to the playoffs…perhaps the overachievement of the rest of the division? They have the division rival Commanders coming to town on Monday night.
3. 49ers (4) - Perhaps this will be controversial, leapfrogging this team on a bye over the mighty Buffalo Bills. But I think this team is positioned to make a hell of a run after the bye week, with a week of getting Christian McCaffery acclimated to Kyle’s schemes. They have the injury-ravaged Chargers coming to town on Sunday night, who have been getting by just barely.
4. Bills (3) - This game was a good example of why this team is far from unbeatable. When they can’t get a run game outside of Josh Allen going, they are very vulnerable. Allen is great, but this was an example of how inaccurate he can be and how poor his decision making can be. The Vikings come to town, and will present a challenge to a defense that has been just getting by these past couple weeks.
5. Cowboys (7) - This team has been one of the best in the NFL this year, and they had a lot of momentum going into the bye. The question will be how they come out – will they be flat, or will they keep the train rolling? They visit Lambeau Field to take on a struggling group in Green Bay.
6. Ravens (6) - They didn’t do a ton of things well on Monday night and were down key offensive players, but we gotta give credit where it’s due. Lamar Jackson is a beast, and deserves every penny that he asks for. He won that game for them. Good momentum going into the bye week.
7. Vikings (5) - These Minnesota boys keep winning close games, and this was a nice come from behind effort. The offense looks a little disjointed, but the defense has been serviceable enough. They don’t look like true contenders, but they are setting themselves up for a nice seed. Going to Buffalo is going to be a nice progress check for them.
8. Bengals (32) - They did what they needed to do to get out of the cellar. The offensive line finally gave a good effort in the run game, which was very refreshing to see. The defense corrected some things as well, and looked great for the most part – albeit against bad competition. Good momentum to take into the bye week.
9. Patriots (10) - This team seems to finally understand who it is and what its formula for success is: run the ball, play solid defense, don’t turn the ball over. They do those things, and they are a tough out despite suspect playmaking and QB play. They have the bye week to hopefully get some pass game issues figured out.
10. Titans (8) - Despite the loss, I like how this team played. Malik Willis clearly doesn’t look ready yet, but I think he could be a solid starter one day. The defense also looked pretty good, and have shown some promising signs. They have a date with the Broncos in Nashville, so a nice opportunity to work on the passing game.
11. Dolphins (11) - Tua has continued to look really strong since returning, but I do continue to have some concerns about that defense. They let Justin Fields absolutely dominate them. Not a good sign IMO. Hopefully they can gain some confidence against a Browns team that has struggled through the air, but has been very efficient on the ground. Interesting game for them.
12. Seahawks (12) - Man this team really continues to impress me. Geno has been steady, though obviously he has some limitations. I really like how balanced their offense continues to be. What a great year for this franchise. They now go to Germany to play Brady and the Bucs.
13. Bucs (13) - Hell of a win for the Bucs, who continue to stay in games because of their tenacious defense. That was the story of their much needed win against the Rams, and the formula they likely will have to follow given their offensive line issues. The game in Germany against the Seahawks should be interesting.
14. Jets (15) - Great performance by this Jets team, who continues to be so impressive on the defensive side of the ball. They really had Josh Allen bottled up for most of that game, and were able to get consistent pressure. Sauce Gardner is also a stud. They are gonna have to find a way around their bad quarterback play though to be a legit contender. Good momentum into the bye week.
15. Giants (14) - This team had a tough loss heading into the bye week up in Seattle. Can they regain some of the momentum they had? It doesn’t get much easier than Houston at home.
16. Rams (9) - They can’t get anything going offensively, and have squandered some good performances by a defense that seems to be getting back to championship caliber slowly but surely. They really needed to add a playmaker, and they failed to do that. Maybe they can start to right the ship at home against the Cardinals this week.
17. Chargers (17) - They deserve credit for again finding a way to win, which is all you can do when you are on the road and suffering major injuries like these guys. The run defense continues to be a major concern, and this week will not be easy as they visit the 49ers off a bye.
18. Falcons (18) - Atlanta found itself again in a tight game, though this time they couldn’t pull it out. The secondary played a little bit better after two questionable performances, but it seems like it will be a challenge for them to overcome their weaknesses there going forward. They get to play Carolina for the second time in 3 weeks on Thursday Night football.
19. Commanders (19) - They fought hard, and the defense continues to be shaping up into what a lot of us thought they could be. Tough to lose a game like that, but they have at least shown they can be a competent football team. Some reasons for optimism. Going to Philly will be tough, but I give them a chance to keep it close.
20. Packers (16) - What a disaster this team is. No one is going to feel sorry for them. Rodgers is becoming an easier target day by day. How is that contract tasting now? The hot Cowboys come to town to try and pile on.
21. Cardinals (20) - They are good enough to be frisky and compete, but they continue to not have what it takes on either end of the field to get on the right side in close games. The coaching and QB play are both disappointing. They meet a struggling Rams team on the road in what could basically be a mid season elimination game.
22. Browns (22) - Cleveland looked good in its last showing. Can they come out of the bye with some momentum, and can they thwart a hot Miami team?
23. Steelers (23) - Pittsburgh limped into the bye after getting thoroughly outplayed in Philadelphia. It will be interesting to see this team’s motivation level when it plays New Orleans on Sunday.
24. Saints (24) - The loss was a big blow, but the Saints still have a lot to play for in a weak division. Tampa and Atlanta both look vulnerable. This team has to find a way to be able to stop the run, because they don’t have the juice offensively to carry them on a consistent basis. A trip to Pittsburgh could be successful.
25. Bears (26) - The defense has predictably continued to be shaky after losing some key playmakers around the trade deadline, but major props to Fields and the offensive coaching staff for making some pretty clear improvements these past few weeks. This will be a fun team to watch moving forward. Playing against Detroit’s defense could be nice for them.
26. Colts (21) - Belichick had his way with another young QB, as Ehlinger proved to be his latest victim. The team seems to be waiving the white flag on the year, as they don’t seem super interested in trying to compete even though they’re in a crappy division. They visit another reeling team in Las Vegas this week.
27. Lions (29) - Big win for a struggling Detroit Lions team, who at best wants to salvage a horrible season and try to at least make it a semi-respectable one. Their defense finally put together a complete game, though the offense still struggled quite a bit. Can they keep the momentum going in Chicago?
28. Jaguars (31) - How bout them Jags? Big win for them at home after coming back from 17-0 to keep themselves within striking distance in the sorry AFC South. Their defense finally clamped down in the second half after letting Carr/Adams have their way. Now they have to go to Arrowhead to face a Chiefs team coming off a lackluster performance.
29. Raiders (25) - This team has easily been one of the most disappointing on the season. They seem to show flashes of great offensive potential, but they just can’t put complete games together for some reason. It’s unfortunate, because they have quite a bit of talent. Indy at home should give them an opportunity to get back on the right track.
30. Broncos (28) - They come off the bye with a lot of question marks offensively. Can they get on their feet and get back into the wild card mix in the AFC? A trip to Nashville won’t be easy for them.
31. Panthers (27) - Complete shit show in Cincinnati – let’s call it what it is. Not sure why they don’t start Baker when he’s clearly better. You’re only 2 games out in the division. They have an opportunity to climb closer with Atlanta at home. Hopefully a primetime home game gets them going a bit.
32. Texans (30) - They looked pretty good at home for long portions of the game, but they just didn’t have the juice to get them over the jump. They visit the Giants, in what could be an opportunity for them to squeak out an upset.
