stormtrooper8
- Joined
- May 30, 2022
- Messages
- 12,845
Here are the rankings (last week in parentheses):
1. Chiefs (1) - The boys keep winning. They need to clean up a few things in their red zone execution, but their defense has really started to come around. Their trip to Cincinnati will be a nice test for them against a hot team, and will also provide an opportunity for redemption of sorts.
2. 49ers (2) - They seemed to sleepwalk through this game a little bit, but credit to their defense for putting on quite a show and keeping the Saints off the scoreboard. Hopefully they are not too banged up for their showdown against the hot Miami Dolphins this week.
3. Eagles (3) - Their performances have not been as sharp lately, and they continue to show some vulnerability on defense. Nevertheless they are 10-1, and the committee has to give them at least some respect for that and keep them in the top 3. This weekend will be a tough game at home against a hungry Tennessee team looking for a bounce back performance.
4. Cowboys (5) - They had a nice second half against a plucky Giants team in a game that I think we all knew would be a little tough for them on Thanksgiving. Kudos to them for getting it done. Now they get a depleted Colts team at home.
5. Bills (4) - I am a little concerned about the health of Allen and their inability to bring a strong defensive effort consistently. They’re 8-3 but definitely have not been as impressive as most thought they’d be. A tough TNF road divisional game will be interesting to see.
6. Bengals (7) - This team keeps covering numbers – 15-3 ATS in their last 18 (including playoff run), and 8-1 last 9 after dropping their first couple games this year. More importantly, they are finding ways to be productive and balanced on offense without a couple weapons (Chase and Mixon). They are going the right way and have an opportunity to make a big statement this weekend at home against the Chiefs.
7. Dolphins (9) - These South Beach boys keep moving along, and Tua continues to play solid football. They have benefitted a bit from the lack of good opponents, and I continue to worry about their defense. A road trip to Santa Clara will be a challenge for them, but a good test.
8. Ravens (6) - Tough loss on the road in Jacksonville, but it’s not as bad of a loss as it may seem on the surface. This team is making strides on the defensive end up front, but they remain pretty vulnerable on the back end. Nevertheless they are in the running with that run game. The Broncos at home this weekend provide a good opportunity to get back on track.
9. Titans (8) - They lost to a better team on Sunday, but hung around despite a pretty lackluster performance from Henry on the ground. They really need to get their run game going these next few weeks if they want to be a threat to any of the big boys in the conference.
10. Vikings (32) - Good win on Thanksgiving to take these boys out of their basement punishment for a week. The defense continues to look suspect though, getting picked a part this week by a bland New England offense. They should have some success against the Jets this week. Maybe an opportunity for them to finally win a game by double-digits.
11. Patriots (10) - Tough loss on Thanksgiving, though they may have a legitimate case in terms of bad officiating (block in back on KO touchdown, incomplete pass, etc.). Nevertheless the defense looked softer than usual. Home game against the Bills on Thursday is huge for them.
12. Bucs (11) - Tough loss against the Browns, though Brady looked very good. Some questionable clock management and decisions from the coach probably cost them a win here more than anything. Their offense isn’t explosive, but I do think they are a team that has some life in a wide open NFC. Big divisional game at home against New Orleans on Monday.
13. Commanders (13) - Washington got a little lucky at home against the Falcons, but credit to Heinicke for continuing to spark this team and lead them to wins. At 7-5, they are very much in the thick of the playoff race. Huge game on the road at MetLife against divisional rival Giants this week.
14. Jets (15) - Big win for New York over Chicago. As depleted as the Bears were, the offense of the Jets looked rejuvenated with White out there. Is that sustainable? Probably not, but I think they are better suited to compete down the stretch with Wilson out. Big game at Minnesota on Sunday.
15. Seahawks (12) - The offense continues to look very strong, but the defense continues to struggle quite a bit. They have been frankly horrendous these last few weeks, looking like what we expected at the beginning of the year. They get to face the crippled Rams this week, so that’s good news.
16. Chargers (17) - This team is seeing similar results but for a change, they have been on the right side of some close games. Awesome two-point play to get past the Cardinals. Problem is….they needed it to get past the Cardinals. I don’t think this team is very good because of all their injuries, though they get credit for changing their fortunes in close games (for the most part). Big divisional road game for them on deck in Vegas.
17. Giants (14) - The fall of this team’s defense is a bit concerning, as it was their defense being able to make plays that really has helped preserve their record to this point. They just don’t have the firepower offensively to make up for any slippage on that end. Big game at home against the Commanders with serious playoff implications. Who woulda thought that at the beginning of the year?
18. Falcons (17) - Atlanta missed a golden opportunity to take the lead in the NFC South after squandering a late goal line opportunity in that one. They’re a plucky team, and their defense is actually playing a lot better than I thought they would. They have a Steelers team with a little bit of momentum coming to town, so it's a big game for them.
19. Steelers (22) - The offense is showing some bits of life, though it seemed a little bit ugly in the second half against Indy – though the Colts have a good defense to some extent. With Tomlin at the helm, this team will continue to fight despite having a lack of talent. They have some winnable games down the stretch, including this week in Atlanta.
20. Lions (19) - Tough loss against the Bills on Thanksgiving. They seem to lack consistency, though they show flashes of the talent that had them pretty hyped at the beginning of the year. Their corners are playing a lot better, so that’s a bright spot. They have a very winnable game at home against the Jags coming up.
21. Packers (18) - This team really is a shit show. When their offense finally puts together a decent performance and gets the run game going, their defense decides to no-show. I think there is a lot of drama with this team, and it also looks like this may be it for Rodgers. They at least get the depleted Bears this weekend.
22. Cardinals (20) - Very tough loss for the Cards at home. They seemed to play a pretty balanced game at all, but their defense faltered at the end. Bye week for these boys, let’s see if they come out of it with some flare.
23. Raiders (28) - They’re jumping up a bit more because of the carnage around them, but they have definitely looked better as of late. Jacobs’ emergence this year really opens up a lot for them. The defense continues to look pretty bad for them. Must-win at home against the Chargers if they wanna potentially sneak back into the playoff hunt.
24. Jaguars (27) - Finally we saw the Jags be able to close out a competitive game! They’re not that bad when you look at point differential, but until Sunday they’ve struggled a bit in close-game situations. Their defense showed some gaping holes on the back end though, and I worry that they’ll struggle this week in Detroit for that reason.
25. Browns (26) - This team got pretty lucky against the Bucs, but a win’s a win! Now they have first-class, role model citizen DeShaun Watson coming back to visit his former team in Houston. God, this franchise is a joke.
26. Colts (23) - Jeff Saturday showed us the guy we thought he’d be with his lack of a game plan and clock management on Sunday. It’s crazy that this team goes away from Taylor so early, and often decides to put the ball in Matt Ryan’s hands. Good luck with that. Also, good luck visiting the red-hot Cowboys this weekend!
27. Bears (25) - Without Fields, this team is pretty anemic. Hopefully he’s not out for too long, though the season is basically over in terms of playoff contention, etc. Maybe they can pour on Green Bay’s season a little more this weekend. That’d be a joy to watch!
28. Saints (25) - I keep hearing how talented this team is, yet they continue to just flat out suck. They have so little to like offensively, and they are not well-coached at all. The defense at least is showing some life. They are technically still alive in the playoff race thanks to their division, and this game in Tampa is quite big for them.
29. Rams (21) - Time to really drop these guys. They were showing flaws even when “relatively” healthy, but the injuries have mounted to the point where this team is hardly recognizable. Unfortunate for them that they had a lost season, but not much they could do about it. They should be an easy win for teams going forward. Seattle at home as an 8-point dog is kinda hard to believe, but that’s the season it’s been.
30. Panthers (29) - Good job of them beating up on a sorry team. They still look REALLY bad on offense, but gotta give credit where credit is due. They’re still kinda live, I guess. Bye week for them.
31. Texans (31) - God, this team stinks right now. They can’t do anything well, honestly. Maybe DeShaun Watson coming back sparks something in them for a week. The tanking campaign appears to be in full gear though.
32. Broncos (30) - The shit show of this team has been fun to watch, I must admit. After getting finessed in Charlotte, they deserve the basement treatment over Houston. Hopefully they can score 10 points in Baltimore. I’m betting on them to cover cuz I’m an idiot, so don’t disappoint me. Cook, Russ! For once!
1. Chiefs (1) - The boys keep winning. They need to clean up a few things in their red zone execution, but their defense has really started to come around. Their trip to Cincinnati will be a nice test for them against a hot team, and will also provide an opportunity for redemption of sorts.
2. 49ers (2) - They seemed to sleepwalk through this game a little bit, but credit to their defense for putting on quite a show and keeping the Saints off the scoreboard. Hopefully they are not too banged up for their showdown against the hot Miami Dolphins this week.
3. Eagles (3) - Their performances have not been as sharp lately, and they continue to show some vulnerability on defense. Nevertheless they are 10-1, and the committee has to give them at least some respect for that and keep them in the top 3. This weekend will be a tough game at home against a hungry Tennessee team looking for a bounce back performance.
4. Cowboys (5) - They had a nice second half against a plucky Giants team in a game that I think we all knew would be a little tough for them on Thanksgiving. Kudos to them for getting it done. Now they get a depleted Colts team at home.
5. Bills (4) - I am a little concerned about the health of Allen and their inability to bring a strong defensive effort consistently. They’re 8-3 but definitely have not been as impressive as most thought they’d be. A tough TNF road divisional game will be interesting to see.
6. Bengals (7) - This team keeps covering numbers – 15-3 ATS in their last 18 (including playoff run), and 8-1 last 9 after dropping their first couple games this year. More importantly, they are finding ways to be productive and balanced on offense without a couple weapons (Chase and Mixon). They are going the right way and have an opportunity to make a big statement this weekend at home against the Chiefs.
7. Dolphins (9) - These South Beach boys keep moving along, and Tua continues to play solid football. They have benefitted a bit from the lack of good opponents, and I continue to worry about their defense. A road trip to Santa Clara will be a challenge for them, but a good test.
8. Ravens (6) - Tough loss on the road in Jacksonville, but it’s not as bad of a loss as it may seem on the surface. This team is making strides on the defensive end up front, but they remain pretty vulnerable on the back end. Nevertheless they are in the running with that run game. The Broncos at home this weekend provide a good opportunity to get back on track.
9. Titans (8) - They lost to a better team on Sunday, but hung around despite a pretty lackluster performance from Henry on the ground. They really need to get their run game going these next few weeks if they want to be a threat to any of the big boys in the conference.
10. Vikings (32) - Good win on Thanksgiving to take these boys out of their basement punishment for a week. The defense continues to look suspect though, getting picked a part this week by a bland New England offense. They should have some success against the Jets this week. Maybe an opportunity for them to finally win a game by double-digits.
11. Patriots (10) - Tough loss on Thanksgiving, though they may have a legitimate case in terms of bad officiating (block in back on KO touchdown, incomplete pass, etc.). Nevertheless the defense looked softer than usual. Home game against the Bills on Thursday is huge for them.
12. Bucs (11) - Tough loss against the Browns, though Brady looked very good. Some questionable clock management and decisions from the coach probably cost them a win here more than anything. Their offense isn’t explosive, but I do think they are a team that has some life in a wide open NFC. Big divisional game at home against New Orleans on Monday.
13. Commanders (13) - Washington got a little lucky at home against the Falcons, but credit to Heinicke for continuing to spark this team and lead them to wins. At 7-5, they are very much in the thick of the playoff race. Huge game on the road at MetLife against divisional rival Giants this week.
14. Jets (15) - Big win for New York over Chicago. As depleted as the Bears were, the offense of the Jets looked rejuvenated with White out there. Is that sustainable? Probably not, but I think they are better suited to compete down the stretch with Wilson out. Big game at Minnesota on Sunday.
15. Seahawks (12) - The offense continues to look very strong, but the defense continues to struggle quite a bit. They have been frankly horrendous these last few weeks, looking like what we expected at the beginning of the year. They get to face the crippled Rams this week, so that’s good news.
16. Chargers (17) - This team is seeing similar results but for a change, they have been on the right side of some close games. Awesome two-point play to get past the Cardinals. Problem is….they needed it to get past the Cardinals. I don’t think this team is very good because of all their injuries, though they get credit for changing their fortunes in close games (for the most part). Big divisional road game for them on deck in Vegas.
17. Giants (14) - The fall of this team’s defense is a bit concerning, as it was their defense being able to make plays that really has helped preserve their record to this point. They just don’t have the firepower offensively to make up for any slippage on that end. Big game at home against the Commanders with serious playoff implications. Who woulda thought that at the beginning of the year?
18. Falcons (17) - Atlanta missed a golden opportunity to take the lead in the NFC South after squandering a late goal line opportunity in that one. They’re a plucky team, and their defense is actually playing a lot better than I thought they would. They have a Steelers team with a little bit of momentum coming to town, so it's a big game for them.
19. Steelers (22) - The offense is showing some bits of life, though it seemed a little bit ugly in the second half against Indy – though the Colts have a good defense to some extent. With Tomlin at the helm, this team will continue to fight despite having a lack of talent. They have some winnable games down the stretch, including this week in Atlanta.
20. Lions (19) - Tough loss against the Bills on Thanksgiving. They seem to lack consistency, though they show flashes of the talent that had them pretty hyped at the beginning of the year. Their corners are playing a lot better, so that’s a bright spot. They have a very winnable game at home against the Jags coming up.
21. Packers (18) - This team really is a shit show. When their offense finally puts together a decent performance and gets the run game going, their defense decides to no-show. I think there is a lot of drama with this team, and it also looks like this may be it for Rodgers. They at least get the depleted Bears this weekend.
22. Cardinals (20) - Very tough loss for the Cards at home. They seemed to play a pretty balanced game at all, but their defense faltered at the end. Bye week for these boys, let’s see if they come out of it with some flare.
23. Raiders (28) - They’re jumping up a bit more because of the carnage around them, but they have definitely looked better as of late. Jacobs’ emergence this year really opens up a lot for them. The defense continues to look pretty bad for them. Must-win at home against the Chargers if they wanna potentially sneak back into the playoff hunt.
24. Jaguars (27) - Finally we saw the Jags be able to close out a competitive game! They’re not that bad when you look at point differential, but until Sunday they’ve struggled a bit in close-game situations. Their defense showed some gaping holes on the back end though, and I worry that they’ll struggle this week in Detroit for that reason.
25. Browns (26) - This team got pretty lucky against the Bucs, but a win’s a win! Now they have first-class, role model citizen DeShaun Watson coming back to visit his former team in Houston. God, this franchise is a joke.
26. Colts (23) - Jeff Saturday showed us the guy we thought he’d be with his lack of a game plan and clock management on Sunday. It’s crazy that this team goes away from Taylor so early, and often decides to put the ball in Matt Ryan’s hands. Good luck with that. Also, good luck visiting the red-hot Cowboys this weekend!
27. Bears (25) - Without Fields, this team is pretty anemic. Hopefully he’s not out for too long, though the season is basically over in terms of playoff contention, etc. Maybe they can pour on Green Bay’s season a little more this weekend. That’d be a joy to watch!
28. Saints (25) - I keep hearing how talented this team is, yet they continue to just flat out suck. They have so little to like offensively, and they are not well-coached at all. The defense at least is showing some life. They are technically still alive in the playoff race thanks to their division, and this game in Tampa is quite big for them.
29. Rams (21) - Time to really drop these guys. They were showing flaws even when “relatively” healthy, but the injuries have mounted to the point where this team is hardly recognizable. Unfortunate for them that they had a lost season, but not much they could do about it. They should be an easy win for teams going forward. Seattle at home as an 8-point dog is kinda hard to believe, but that’s the season it’s been.
30. Panthers (29) - Good job of them beating up on a sorry team. They still look REALLY bad on offense, but gotta give credit where credit is due. They’re still kinda live, I guess. Bye week for them.
31. Texans (31) - God, this team stinks right now. They can’t do anything well, honestly. Maybe DeShaun Watson coming back sparks something in them for a week. The tanking campaign appears to be in full gear though.
32. Broncos (30) - The shit show of this team has been fun to watch, I must admit. After getting finessed in Charlotte, they deserve the basement treatment over Houston. Hopefully they can score 10 points in Baltimore. I’m betting on them to cover cuz I’m an idiot, so don’t disappoint me. Cook, Russ! For once!
