Week 8 NFL power rankings
Here's how I see the top half of the league stacking up:
1. New England Patriots (8-0) -- I like the Patriots this weekend against the Colts so they take over the No. 1 spot. New England tallied a ridiculous 34 first downs in its 52-7 win against the Redskins.
2. Indianapolis Colts (7-0) -- Don't worry Colts fans. All Indy has to do this weekend is win at home, and I'll have the Colts back up there at No. 1. It took the Colts awhile to get things going against the Panthers, but they outscored Carolina 21-0 in the second half for a 31-7 victory. Indy has started 7-0 or better in three straight seasons. Incredible. Can't wait for Sunday.
3. Dallas Cowboys (6-1) -- Is it really a good career move for Tony Romo to be partying with Britney Spears at this point? Did he hire Terrell Owens' ex-publicist or something? Romo has 67 million reasons to be alive after agreeing to a six-year contract extension. The Cowboys had a bye last weekend and will travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles in the Sunday night matchup this week.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) -- Complete effort in a 24-13 win at Cincinnati. The Steelers are 5-0 this season when Willie Parker runs for 100 yards. According to sportsbook.com, Pittsburgh is a nine-point favorite over the Ravens for Monday night's game, Week 9's biggest line.
5. Green Bay Packers (6-1) -- Great ending to the Monday night game with Brett Favre hitting Greg Jennings for an 82-yard bomb in overtime. Green Bay has allowed more than 16 points just twice this season.
6. San Diego Chargers (4-3) -- Four teams with starting quarterbacks completing less than 10 passes won in Week 9. Philip Rivers was 7-for-11, and LaDainian Tomlinson failed to rush for 100 yards for the fifth time this season, but the Chargers didn't need them as they pounded the Texans, 35-10. San Diego has won three in a row.
7. Tennessee Titans (5-2) -- It hasn't been pretty, but the Titans won again, beating the Raiders 13-9. Vince Young hasn't thrown a touchdown pass since Sept. 24, and his line was pretty ugly in the win: 6-for-14 for 42 yards. But on the bright side, the defense ranks fifth in the league, and LenDale White has rushed for over 100 yards in back-to-back games.
8. New York Giants (6-2) -- Remember watching the Giants play the Cowboys in Week 1? Who then could have predicted that defense would lead New York to victories in six of its next seven games? And don't forget about Brandon Jacobs. Now healthy, he's run for over 100 yards or more in three of his last four games. We'll finally get to see just how much the Giants have improved when they take on the Cowboys in Week 10.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2) -- Here's what running back Fred Taylor had to say about Tampa Bay's defense wanting to force backup quarterback Quinn Gray to make plays: "Everybody was in the box, even George Bush. But we were going to ride the run." Gray found Matt Jones for the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter. Impressive win by the banged-up Jaguars, beating the Bucs on the road.
10. Washington Redskins (4-3) -- I guess Joe Gibbs knew what he was talking about when he called the Redskins the biggest underdog in the history of sports last week. It's tough to really penalize Washington though, considering the Patriots are pounding everybody. Cornerback Carlos Rogers is out for the season.
11. Kansas City Chiefs (4-3) -- They won four of five going into the bye week and now have a big matchup at Arrowhead against the Packers. Defense allowing just 16.1 points per game.
12. Cleveland Browns (4-3) -- Only Tom Brady has thrown for more touchdown passes than Derek Anderson. Incredible. I think it's time to start taking the Browns seriously, but games against the Seahawks, Steelers and Ravens over the next three weeks will tell us for sure.
13. Baltimore Ravens (4-3) -- Well, it's time to see whether this team just isn't that good or if getting guys back healthy means a playoff run. Steve McNair, Trevor Pryce and Jonathan Ogden all practiced yesterday and are expected to play in Monday night's showdown against the Steelers.
14. Tampa Bay Bucs (4-4) -- Jeff Garcia had yet to throw an interception entering Sunday's game, but he was picked off three times against the Jaguars as Tampa Bay lost its second straight winnable game. Meanwhile, the defense was unable to force a turnover. Pretty easy to see why they lost.
15. Detroit Lions (5-2) -- I've been trying to hold off from putting the Lions in the top-16 all season, but they earned it with a win at Chicago. And Jon Kitna is fired up: "I don't play this game for any other reason but to win a Super Bowl. I'm not trying to go to the playoffs. I'm not trying to win 10 games. I'm not trying to do moral victories. I'm trying to win a Super Bowl. If I don't feel like I can win a Super Bowl, I'm out." Might Detroit actually reach the 10-win mark like Kitna predicted?
16. Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) -- This could be short-lived if they receive a pounding from the Cowboys next week. Donovan McNabb looked more comfortable against the Vikings, and the Eagles are relatively healthy as they reach the midpoint of the season.
Comments
It is time to see the real Ravens team that went 13-4 last year back mostly intact. Obviously you don't believe they are better than KC or the Browns even with a healthy McNair. You basically lost all credibility in your ratings by swapping the Pats to number 1 now. You may as well have stuck with the Colts until they get beat if you are just going to admit now you were just picking the defending champ blindly up to this point.
Did you not think NE was better all along?
Posted by: jeremiah w | October 30, 2007 2:26 PM
I am fine with your opinions for the power rankings except for one thing... the Detroit Lions should not be behind the Tampa Bay Bucs. My reasoning is this, Lions 5-2 where the bucs are 4-4. In addition, they were beaten by the Lions. Sooo, worse record and beaten by the Lions yet they are apparently better somehow... Please explain
Posted by: Durkee | October 30, 2007 2:43 PM
Jeremiah:
I agree that Sheil would have been better served either switching to the Patriots much earlier, or not at all. However, your argument on the Ravens is quite slanted.
The Ravens lost to the Bengals, Browns, and Bills. They've beaten the 49ers, Rams, Cardinals, and Jets. Why should they be rated any higher than they are? I can't figure out why they're even rated in the top 16.
Beat the Steelers in their house and then you can complain if you're ranked lowly. Whining that you're behind Cleveland (Who beat you guys already) and Kansas City (Who's on much more of a roll than the Ravens) is ridiculous.
I'm a Giants fan, but I can fully comprehend why they're not "ranked" as high as their record states. We've beaten a bunch of inferior teams and lost to Dallas and Green Bay. Until we beat upper echelon teams, we won't be regarded as one.
That's a key difference between the Giants and the Ravens. The Giants are beating the teams they're supposed to. The Ravens aren't.
The injury excuse is played out, as well. Every team is missing players. It's part of the game. McNair, Ogden, and McAlister won't help you beat Indy or NE when you're losing to the Bills without 'em.
Posted by: Bryan | October 30, 2007 4:55 PM
Durkee:
You make a good point. I'm still having trouble buying the Lions, and the Bucs could have easily won their last two games. You're right though. For the purpose of weekly power rankings, I probably should have had Detroit above Tampa Bay.
As for the others, I was going to make the Patriots No. 1 a few weeks ago, but the Colts were coming off a bye week so I felt like it was a cheap time to make the switch.
Like I said, I moved the Patriots up this week because I think they're going to beat Indy. It would have served no purpose to list Indianapolis No. 1 and then pick them to lose later in the week, especially since they're playing at home.
Anyway, thanks for reading, and I appreciate the comments.
Posted by: SHEIL | October 30, 2007 10:45 PM
PLEASE !!!! STOP !!! referring to last years 13-4 season in regard to ANYTHING this year .. unless to look at the numbers and see something different than I do.
The Ravens won only 4 of games against teams with winning records the year before ... and 2 of them were against the same team ... the Steelers.
This team can't beat a good team on any regular basis. Over their next 6 games you'll all see that. 3-3 at VERY best. That brings them to 7-6.
Just like their play calling ... MEDIOCRE !!
8^(
Posted by: BillickBAsher4 | October 31, 2007 11:44 AM
Regarding the Steelers:
"This is a statistic I mention because people who lean on it show me they don't really understand football: In games in which Fast Willie goes over 100 yards, the team is 5-0. In games in which he doesn't, they're 0-2. It's like saying, they're 5-0 in games in which they score more points."
--Dr. Z, Sports Illustrated.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/dr_z/10/31/rankings.part1/index.html
Posted by: Nate | October 31, 2007 1:53 PM
If last year did not mean anything, why did everyone like SD and NE before the season started? The Ravens have not had nearly all that talent on the feild at the same time this year. Last year when they did, they had the second best record in football and beat the number 1 seed. Losing one good linebacker did not hamstring the defense, but losing the best defensive end and one of the starting corners for all but one game have. The Rams may not be a good team, but they have a good offense that was completely dominated by the Ravens D finally playing both starting corners.
The injuries are an excuse, a reason, an expalanation for the bad performances. They still have been able to go 4-3 just like San Diego, who has not had the major injuries to the starting QB, 3 O linemen, and top 2 tight ends, in a weaker division. Clayton has also been hampered all year by a high ankle sprain. Teams only have 53 players, when you have 7 starters out, most of whom have been to the Pro Bowl multiple times, it is going to hurt your team. Getting them all back, and getting all those reps for the back ups, should make a dramatic improvement. The difference is somewhere between a squad that can beat a really good Steeler team 58-7 in 2 games, to the one that could not score a touchdown against Cleveland or San Fran.
The "Power rankings" are supposed to rank the teams based on talent available for the next game, not the record they earned with 1/3 of the starters in street clothes.
The injuries aside, they still have the #2 ranked defense, the #2 leading rusher, and the leading reciever in the NFL. People who don't think McNair can't play anymore should just look at Brett Farve and old Vinny out there slinging the rock. They make Steve look like a young buck. Todd Heap is our redzone offense, we will be respectable there when he is healthy.
Posted by: jeremiah w | October 31, 2007 4:34 PM
"I'm still having trouble buying the Lions"...are you joking me?? Have you not been watching them this season. They are 5-2 and are undefeated against their entire division (I do realize that they haven't played the Packers yet). They've beaten the Bears twice (breaking a record by scoring 34 points in the 4th against their defense). I'm not a Lions fan at all, but Kitna is having a great season and this team deserves a lot more credit than they are given.
You have a 4-3 San Diego at number 6 because they have won 3 in a row, but have a 6-2 Giants at number 8 who have won 6 in a row. Yes, San Diego has been dominant, but the Giants deserve a higher ranking. The Dolphins game was close, but that whole game was a mess. They were playing in horrible conditions on jet lag (both teams suffered from this).
I also disagree with your placement of the Eagles. They don't deserve that last spot. I think people expected them to be good so when they win a game they skyrocket through the rankings. They are not contenders at all this year. I don't care what anyone says. They'll end up in 4th or 3rd (depending on if the Redskins fall apart). Who to replace them with? Well how about the Panthers. You have a struggeling Bucs team at number 14 who are sitting at 4-4 in the NFC South, but you haven't ranked the Panthers who are first in the NFC South at 4-3 and lost last weeks game against a dominating Colts team. Lions need to be ahead of the Bucs and so do the Panthers.
Lastly, the Seahawks need to be on your list too.
Posted by: Dave | November 2, 2007 2:44 PM