stormtrooper8
- Joined
- May 30, 2022
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Here are my rankings heading into Week 6 (last week in parenthesis):
1. Chiefs (1) - Another lousy start against a divisional rival at home, but again they are able to overcome it thanks to the brilliance of Patrick Mahomes and a defense that knows how to make adjustments. Now they have a rare home underdog situation in a clash of the top 2 teams in the NFL
2. Bills (2) - A classic blowout performance against a badly inferior opponent. It could be a normal site. The question is if they can step up and do the same against quality opponents, and if they can string two great performances together. They struggled in their last two such games, so we’ll see how they fare in Arrowhead.
3. 49ers (4) - The defense is really something special, even though they now are a little banged up, and the offense seems to be turning a corner as well. Once they add some pieces back on offense, then they could very well shoot up the #1. To me they are the best team in the NFC.
4. Eagles (6) - They got it done on the road, which is never easy in this league, but they still feel a little too feast or famine to me to think they are as good as their record. They have a nice schedule going forward so they should be able to bank plenty of wins. Decent test this weekend at home against Dallas.
5. Bucs (7) - Their letdown in the 4th quarter was a little concerning (perhaps more so to bettors lmao), but their defense in general had a nice bounceback game against a team that has been playing pretty well offensively. The offense is starting to get a little pop in it as well, though they really let their foot off the gas and continue to not execute well in the red zone.
6. Ravens (10) - That was a big win for this team in a prime time spot despite not being super clean offensively, especially in the pass game. The run game did pretty well against a stout run defense, and the defense has really started to turn a corner: they held two of the best quarterbacks in the game to pretty tame performances in back to back weeks. Good sign for them moving forward.
7. Packers (3) - They looked great for a half, then looked in playoff form in the second half and especially down the stretch. I think their offense will continue to get better, but their run defense remains a concern and they are starting to falter on that end all the way around. They need a get right game against the Jets
8. Rams (5) - Their offensive line should be fixable to some extent, but they had yet another discouraging performance. Their defense though has started to look better and I think they now have an opportunity to get right again with a weak opponent on deck. It also seems that they aren’t playing with much urgency though. Maybe they will finally have a fire lit under them
9. Cowboys (11) - This team keeps winning, thanks to an awesome defense and a stout running game. Credit to McCarthy for getting the ball in his best playmakers’ hands and not asking Cooper Rush to do too much. This team should take a step forward offensively with Dak back soon, though they need to remain a run-first football team.
10. Vikings (12) - Kirk Cousins looked sharp in the first half – as did most of the team – but they really fell asleep in the second half. The 4-1 start is great but I think they are going to struggle quite a bit with consistency as the year progresses and the games become more meaningful.
11. Bengals (8) - The offense got off to a slow start, and the play calling was very questionable in the second half with a chance to take a commanding lead. The defense looked pretty good yet again, and the running game finally got going. Higgins hopefully can be/stay healthy, or else the offense may struggle a bit.
12. Chargers (13) - That was a good comeback win for the Chargers on the road, despite having yet another concerning defensive performance. I wonder how much their defensive issues can be fixed given the health of their roster.
13. Patriots (15) - If this team doesn’t make too many mistakes and rides that defense and running game, they should be able to be right in the playoff mix. Zappe seems like a capable starter if Mac continues to have injury issues. They have a good opportunity to get back to .500 in Cleveland.
14. Titans (14) - The win in Washington was not pretty, but that wasn’t a great spot for them given the match-up issue and the fact that the Commanders were pretty desperate. I like the direction the team is moving in – Tanny is playing well, Henry getting back to normal, line is jelling. I think they will win the division.
15. Dolphins (9) - This may seem like a harsh drop, but there are too many questions about the QB position moving forward. On top of that, there is no reason to give up 40 points to the Jets….that just can’t happen.
16. Colts (18) - What an ugly win in Denver. The offensive line has some serious concerns moving forward, and Ryan also has been problematic for them. The good news is their defense is starting to find a nice rhythm, and that’s with some pieces missing. Redemption opportunity at home against Jacksonville.
17. Cardinals (16) - Arizona looked very flat for the first half, but they did show a bit of fight in the second half that makes me believe they are still a very average football team. Their defense is starting to show some life, which is a very encouraging sign moving forward. They have a lot of work to do though.
18. Raiders (17) - Great first half in Arrowhead. It looks like Carr and Adams are really starting to jell pretty well together. The problem is their defense is way too leaky, and I’m not sure they have the personnel to really make much progress on that end. Still, they are better than their record and I expect them to pick up some wins in not too long.
19. Giants (25) - It may seem odd to put a 4-1 team right behind a 1-4 team, but hey at least they are in the top 20 now! I think they have a good formula to maximize the talent they have, but unfortunately their ceiling is limited because of how bad Daniel Jones is. He’s playing about as well as he can and he still kinda sucks.
20. Jets (26) - The Jets are the other overachieving New York team devoid of talent, but finding ways to win. Good for them. Zach Wilson has shown some improvement, but unfortunately I think he is too raw for them to be able to sustain this. The defense is starting to play quite a bit better though, which could help them sustain a little bit of success in the short term.
21. Browns (21) - Another close loss for Cleveland, who now has 3 losses by a combined 6 points. Their running game has continued to be impressive, and Brisset has done OK even with his limitations. But their defense has been very disappointing given how much talent they have. They have a big one against New England this week.
22. Falcons (23) - The Dirty Birds found another way to pull off a late game cover; they really are the kings of garbage time, and against the spread in general (now 5-0!). Their offense regressed back to normal, but their defense has been plucky for a few weeks in a row now surprisingly. I wonder how sustainable that is.
23. Saints (28) - The offense finally showed some life in a high-scoring win against Seattle. Having Kamara back makes them more dynamic, and Hill went off! I honestly think they are better as an offense with Andy Dalton back there – way more stable. The defense continues to struggle though, and I wonder how they will fair with Cincinnati coming to town this week.
24. Seahawks (24) - Seattle continues to get production out of Geno Smith, and more impressively their running game is really starting to come together. They were nearly able to win back-to-back road games, which definitely would have surprised most. The defense unfortunately continues to struggle, and I think their youth and inexperience there is going to continue to cost them some games. Big game against Arizona this week.
25. Jaguars (21) - This team still had relatively high expectations after being competitive in Philly, but those may dampen a little bit with the dud against Houston. They are well-coached and think they are not going to falter back to the normal Jags this season, but I wonder if they have enough pieces offensively to be able to win higher stakes games later in the season.
26. Steelers (22) - That was a pretty brutal loss in Buffalo – a game that couldn’t have ended soon enough. That was weird to see from a Tomlin-coached team. They obviously have shortcomings on offense, but there are a lot of concerns starting to mount on the defense as well. They are just not quite the same without Watt, but I don’t know if they are even that elite with him in there.
27. Bears (29) - They climbed a couple spots despite the loss – sorta by default, but also by the fact that they really showed some fight that I dind’t know they had. I give some credit to Fields who, despite his season struggles, really is a gamer and I think he can become more effective even without major stat lines.
28. Lions (27) - That was a pretty head-scratching dud from Detroit, who followed up scoring 45 points in Week 4 with a goose egg in Week 5. They may have had a beating coming, given the Patriots desperation and the fact that Belichick is usually pretty good after a loss. But this team really is reeling right now, and the Hard Knocks Dan Campbell magic appears to have worn off pretty quickly.
29. Texans (32) - Major props for Houston for getting their first win. They have been so feisty this season even in some losing efforts, and despite their lack of talent, really should’ve had a win by now. I’m glad they were able to get it as a sizable dog too. They’re the type of team that’s going to keep fighting no matter the score, and may be a nice dog to play in future weeks.
30. Commanders (31) - They showed a good amount of fight against Tennessee and had an opportunity to win it at the end, but Wentz made another late-game head-scratching throw. Their offense at least showed some sparks after being so dreadful. They need a win on Thursday in Chicago.
31. Panthers (30) - This team continues to go the wrong way. On top of their obvious offensive woes, their defense is starting to let up a little bit as well. The firing of the coach is probably the right move, but this team has a lot of problems personnel wise. So maybe some more changes need to be made in the front office.
32. Broncos (19) - What a dumpster fire this team is. Their defense has been steady for the most part, but even they haven’t been that great. Russell Wilson continues to be a below average quarterback, and soon enough we may well very look at his contract as the worst in NFL history.
1. Chiefs (1) - Another lousy start against a divisional rival at home, but again they are able to overcome it thanks to the brilliance of Patrick Mahomes and a defense that knows how to make adjustments. Now they have a rare home underdog situation in a clash of the top 2 teams in the NFL
2. Bills (2) - A classic blowout performance against a badly inferior opponent. It could be a normal site. The question is if they can step up and do the same against quality opponents, and if they can string two great performances together. They struggled in their last two such games, so we’ll see how they fare in Arrowhead.
3. 49ers (4) - The defense is really something special, even though they now are a little banged up, and the offense seems to be turning a corner as well. Once they add some pieces back on offense, then they could very well shoot up the #1. To me they are the best team in the NFC.
4. Eagles (6) - They got it done on the road, which is never easy in this league, but they still feel a little too feast or famine to me to think they are as good as their record. They have a nice schedule going forward so they should be able to bank plenty of wins. Decent test this weekend at home against Dallas.
5. Bucs (7) - Their letdown in the 4th quarter was a little concerning (perhaps more so to bettors lmao), but their defense in general had a nice bounceback game against a team that has been playing pretty well offensively. The offense is starting to get a little pop in it as well, though they really let their foot off the gas and continue to not execute well in the red zone.
6. Ravens (10) - That was a big win for this team in a prime time spot despite not being super clean offensively, especially in the pass game. The run game did pretty well against a stout run defense, and the defense has really started to turn a corner: they held two of the best quarterbacks in the game to pretty tame performances in back to back weeks. Good sign for them moving forward.
7. Packers (3) - They looked great for a half, then looked in playoff form in the second half and especially down the stretch. I think their offense will continue to get better, but their run defense remains a concern and they are starting to falter on that end all the way around. They need a get right game against the Jets
8. Rams (5) - Their offensive line should be fixable to some extent, but they had yet another discouraging performance. Their defense though has started to look better and I think they now have an opportunity to get right again with a weak opponent on deck. It also seems that they aren’t playing with much urgency though. Maybe they will finally have a fire lit under them
9. Cowboys (11) - This team keeps winning, thanks to an awesome defense and a stout running game. Credit to McCarthy for getting the ball in his best playmakers’ hands and not asking Cooper Rush to do too much. This team should take a step forward offensively with Dak back soon, though they need to remain a run-first football team.
10. Vikings (12) - Kirk Cousins looked sharp in the first half – as did most of the team – but they really fell asleep in the second half. The 4-1 start is great but I think they are going to struggle quite a bit with consistency as the year progresses and the games become more meaningful.
11. Bengals (8) - The offense got off to a slow start, and the play calling was very questionable in the second half with a chance to take a commanding lead. The defense looked pretty good yet again, and the running game finally got going. Higgins hopefully can be/stay healthy, or else the offense may struggle a bit.
12. Chargers (13) - That was a good comeback win for the Chargers on the road, despite having yet another concerning defensive performance. I wonder how much their defensive issues can be fixed given the health of their roster.
13. Patriots (15) - If this team doesn’t make too many mistakes and rides that defense and running game, they should be able to be right in the playoff mix. Zappe seems like a capable starter if Mac continues to have injury issues. They have a good opportunity to get back to .500 in Cleveland.
14. Titans (14) - The win in Washington was not pretty, but that wasn’t a great spot for them given the match-up issue and the fact that the Commanders were pretty desperate. I like the direction the team is moving in – Tanny is playing well, Henry getting back to normal, line is jelling. I think they will win the division.
15. Dolphins (9) - This may seem like a harsh drop, but there are too many questions about the QB position moving forward. On top of that, there is no reason to give up 40 points to the Jets….that just can’t happen.
16. Colts (18) - What an ugly win in Denver. The offensive line has some serious concerns moving forward, and Ryan also has been problematic for them. The good news is their defense is starting to find a nice rhythm, and that’s with some pieces missing. Redemption opportunity at home against Jacksonville.
17. Cardinals (16) - Arizona looked very flat for the first half, but they did show a bit of fight in the second half that makes me believe they are still a very average football team. Their defense is starting to show some life, which is a very encouraging sign moving forward. They have a lot of work to do though.
18. Raiders (17) - Great first half in Arrowhead. It looks like Carr and Adams are really starting to jell pretty well together. The problem is their defense is way too leaky, and I’m not sure they have the personnel to really make much progress on that end. Still, they are better than their record and I expect them to pick up some wins in not too long.
19. Giants (25) - It may seem odd to put a 4-1 team right behind a 1-4 team, but hey at least they are in the top 20 now! I think they have a good formula to maximize the talent they have, but unfortunately their ceiling is limited because of how bad Daniel Jones is. He’s playing about as well as he can and he still kinda sucks.
20. Jets (26) - The Jets are the other overachieving New York team devoid of talent, but finding ways to win. Good for them. Zach Wilson has shown some improvement, but unfortunately I think he is too raw for them to be able to sustain this. The defense is starting to play quite a bit better though, which could help them sustain a little bit of success in the short term.
21. Browns (21) - Another close loss for Cleveland, who now has 3 losses by a combined 6 points. Their running game has continued to be impressive, and Brisset has done OK even with his limitations. But their defense has been very disappointing given how much talent they have. They have a big one against New England this week.
22. Falcons (23) - The Dirty Birds found another way to pull off a late game cover; they really are the kings of garbage time, and against the spread in general (now 5-0!). Their offense regressed back to normal, but their defense has been plucky for a few weeks in a row now surprisingly. I wonder how sustainable that is.
23. Saints (28) - The offense finally showed some life in a high-scoring win against Seattle. Having Kamara back makes them more dynamic, and Hill went off! I honestly think they are better as an offense with Andy Dalton back there – way more stable. The defense continues to struggle though, and I wonder how they will fair with Cincinnati coming to town this week.
24. Seahawks (24) - Seattle continues to get production out of Geno Smith, and more impressively their running game is really starting to come together. They were nearly able to win back-to-back road games, which definitely would have surprised most. The defense unfortunately continues to struggle, and I think their youth and inexperience there is going to continue to cost them some games. Big game against Arizona this week.
25. Jaguars (21) - This team still had relatively high expectations after being competitive in Philly, but those may dampen a little bit with the dud against Houston. They are well-coached and think they are not going to falter back to the normal Jags this season, but I wonder if they have enough pieces offensively to be able to win higher stakes games later in the season.
26. Steelers (22) - That was a pretty brutal loss in Buffalo – a game that couldn’t have ended soon enough. That was weird to see from a Tomlin-coached team. They obviously have shortcomings on offense, but there are a lot of concerns starting to mount on the defense as well. They are just not quite the same without Watt, but I don’t know if they are even that elite with him in there.
27. Bears (29) - They climbed a couple spots despite the loss – sorta by default, but also by the fact that they really showed some fight that I dind’t know they had. I give some credit to Fields who, despite his season struggles, really is a gamer and I think he can become more effective even without major stat lines.
28. Lions (27) - That was a pretty head-scratching dud from Detroit, who followed up scoring 45 points in Week 4 with a goose egg in Week 5. They may have had a beating coming, given the Patriots desperation and the fact that Belichick is usually pretty good after a loss. But this team really is reeling right now, and the Hard Knocks Dan Campbell magic appears to have worn off pretty quickly.
29. Texans (32) - Major props for Houston for getting their first win. They have been so feisty this season even in some losing efforts, and despite their lack of talent, really should’ve had a win by now. I’m glad they were able to get it as a sizable dog too. They’re the type of team that’s going to keep fighting no matter the score, and may be a nice dog to play in future weeks.
30. Commanders (31) - They showed a good amount of fight against Tennessee and had an opportunity to win it at the end, but Wentz made another late-game head-scratching throw. Their offense at least showed some sparks after being so dreadful. They need a win on Thursday in Chicago.
31. Panthers (30) - This team continues to go the wrong way. On top of their obvious offensive woes, their defense is starting to let up a little bit as well. The firing of the coach is probably the right move, but this team has a lot of problems personnel wise. So maybe some more changes need to be made in the front office.
32. Broncos (19) - What a dumpster fire this team is. Their defense has been steady for the most part, but even they haven’t been that great. Russell Wilson continues to be a below average quarterback, and soon enough we may well very look at his contract as the worst in NFL history.
