NFL Power Rankings - Week 7
I know some of you may have been expecting a Dodgers eulogy. Not happening. I don't want to talk about it. All I can say is that the Dodgers had better have started working on signing Manny about 14 hours ago. We always throw money at guys who do nothing but take up space. Let's try throwing some at one of the top 5 players in the game. Just a thought.
Back to the NFL. Not too much of a shakeup, but I can say this. I'm getting more and more confused each week by about a third of the NFL. I have no explanation for how the Rams won a game, nor do I have one for why a quarterback would take 8 steps out of bounds before realizing where he was on the field. I can say this. I am very confident with my top few teams and even more confident with my bottom few. Of course that could all change next week. On to the rankings.
32. Detroit Lions (0-5)
The Lions are transforming from a team that just gets spanked every week into a team that finds new ways to lose. Eventually they'll be the team that makes losing an art. They could give 0-16 a real shot. Their defense isn't horrible, but their offense sure is.
31. Kansas City Chiefs (1-4)
Operation Bet Against The Chiefs begins this week. They have no QB, a top 5 tight-end who wanted to be traded, a running back complaining about lack of touches and calling out his team, and we haven't even gotten to the defense. The only thing I'll say about their defense is that they might want to improve on that 182.2 rushing yards allowed per game. Good luck with the Titans this week Chiefs fans.
30. Oakland Raiders (1-4)
As a Raiders fan I am beyond happy that we got that win out of the way. This is a bad team with a coach who doesn't know how to win. On the bright side, the Raiders look to be a lock this weekend against the Jets. I know that sounds weird, but let me explain. Vegas has the line set at Jets minus 3. It seems like a lock that the Jets will cover. 90% of the money is on the Jets, yet the line hasn't moved. Thus, under the theory that Vegas doesn't like losing money, I'm going to guess they know something that the betting public doesn't. The Raiders will win this weekend. Or they'll lose by 60 points. One or the other. There's no middle ground on this one.
29. Cincinnati Bengals (0-6)
I need Marvin Lewis' agent. How that guy hasn't lost his job is beyond me. It's safe to say that the Bengals are not scoring more than 10 points this week, so after the 35-3 loss they'll suffer against the Steelers, where does that leave them? Same place they're at now, taking the season one loss at a time. I miss Ocho Cinco. I need him back in my life.
28. St. Louis Rams (1-4)
Don't worry, Operation Bet Against The Rams is still intact. I told you at the beginning of the operation, you can't get shaken up. When you look back at the end of the season, the operation will be a guaranteed 10-6 or better. One win doesn't change the fact that the Rams have no offensive line or defense. I almost hope they somehow win this week just so people will think they're good again and Vegas screws the line up on them for another month.
27. Seattle Seahawks (1-4)
What is it going to take for the rest of the world to realize that this is a very bad football team? I know a lot of people out there are going to talk themselves into taking the points this week in Tampa. I call those people suckers.
26. San Francisco 49ers (2-4)
It's paining me to drop the Niners every week. I really think this team should be good. Someone has to tell them that Frank Gore should be Options 1-7 on offense, and then someone needs to change the battery on the defense. I still wouldn't be surprised if the Niners somehow got it together. Maybe that's just me living in fairy tale land.
25. New York Giants (4-1)
Just kidding. I'm just picturing the faces of my Giants fan readers as they saw this. Priceless.
25. Cleveland Browns (2-3)
Consider me unimpressed. Their victory last week will look a lot less impressive in about a month. At least they figured out that their offense should consist of at least 5 deep balls a game. I'm going to need them to look frisky in Washington to be convinced.
24. Houston Texans (1-4)
That Andre Johnson catch was unreal. They should have lost about 4 times in that game. I guess it evens out with the Sage Rosenfels game. I fully expect the Texans to climb to the middle of the pack before all is said and done. With Detroit in town they'll be well on their way.
23. Miami Dolphins (2-3)
The miracle train made a pit stop. I'm still impressed by the Dolphins because their talent pool is pretty thin yet they seem to be a solid football team. I have a feeling we'll be hearing from them in 2-3 years.
22. Chicago Bears (3-3)
How on Earth did they blow that one. I think the Bears' meltdown was more impressive than Miami's this weekend. They have an important home match-up with Minnesota this week and I'm not sure that they'll be up to the task.
21. Minnesota Vikings (3-3)
I really wanted them to lose to the Lions. They had zero offense and couldn't protect Frerotte at all. They deserved to lose and the only reason they didn't is because Detroit is that bad. If there's such a thing as bouncing back from a win, Minnesota's performance this coming week will be it.
20. Baltimore Ravens (2-3)
Ever since that personal foul in Pittsburgh, things just haven't gone the Ravens' way. Getting pounded by Indy probably didn't help the Ravens' collective psyche much either. They need a win in Miami to avoid a tailspin and you never know what happens when you play that Dolphins team.
19. New York Jets (3-2)
Possibly even less impressive than the Viking's win over the Lions was the Jets' win over the Fitzpatrick-led Bengals. This is a very average team, but lucky for them they're playing in a very average division.
18. Arizona Cardinals (4-2)
They'd be vying for the Super Bowl if they played all of their games at home. What happens to Kurt Warner & Co. when they go on the road though? I'm not too optimistic for their road game in Carolina following this week's bye.
17. New Orleans Saints (3-3)
I don't think they deserve too much credit for beating an uninspired Raiders team. How much are teams paying Raiders coaches to have Janikowski attempt 80-yard field goals every game by the way? The Saints figure to get banged up a bit when they go to Carolina this week.
16. New England Patriots (3-2)
Wow. I used to think that a QB could not possibly be worth more than a touchdown a game. I honestly think that Brady might be worth 10 points a game with Cassel as his backup. The Patriots' offense is horrible. We'll see what happens when they face an equally putrid Denver defense.
15. Atlanta Falcons (4-2)
I don't know how long this run for the Atl will last, but it's safe to say that I was wrong about them. They doubled my prediction for season wins and have done so in impressive fashion. They have a tough game in Philly following the bye. All of a sudden that's a winnable game though.
14. Green Bay Packers (3-3)
Once again, we here at RW are not overly impressed when teams that are half-decent beat up on one of the worst teams in the league. The Packers needed that win, they're a good team, but this spot seems about right for them. Beating Indy would be big.
13. Carolina Panthers (4-2)
They need a bounce back game after last week. They have New Orleans in town so the pieces are all set up. They just need to execute, and get Jonathan Stewart back involved. No, I'm not just saying that because he's on my fantasy team.
12. Denver Broncos (4-2)
I'm not entirely sure why they're underdogs against New England. Apparently, Vegas thinks Denver's defense is that bad. If you're the Broncos, you've got to hope that that's not the case. I still like Cutler to get this team back on track.
11. New York Giants (4-1)
Got you again! You Giants fans are so gullible.
11. Philadelphia Eagles (3-3)
I want to see how the Eagles play with a healthy Brian Westbrook. I think they could be a Super Bowl contender with a healthy team. Until then, they're just a middle of the pack squad.
10. Washington Redskins (4-2)
They lost at home to the Rams. Enough said. There's zero excuse for that. I have half a mind to drop them another five spots for that one.
9. Indianapolis Colts (3-2)
They're starting to get guys healthy (except Addai) and the results are in. The Colts are still good at football. They beat one inexperienced QB, how about another?
8. San Diego Chargers (3-3)
I know they did it against Matt Cassel, but it was still impressive. The bad news is, this is still a Norv Turner team, so you never know when they're going to show up.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2)
I'm back aboard Chucky's pirate ship. It's good to be back. The Bucs got back to business and they look like another tough team that might be missing one piece. I don't think it will matter with the Seahawks traveling cross-country to play them.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3)
What can I say? I really like this Jaguars team. I think they're on the verge of pulling a Pittsburgh and coming out of nowhere in the weeks to come.
5. Dallas Cowboys (4-2)
I don't know, but I think now is a perfect time for Romo to get injured. It forces Grandma Wade to focus on the running game and short routs that might open up the deep ball as a change-up. If they can't cover a touchdown in St. Louis, then I don't know what to tell you.
4. New York Giants (4-1)
Ok, not kidding this time. Honestly, I think that the Giants will be dropping a few more spots when their schedule toughens up a bit. No, I don't consider a road game in Cleveland a tough game. And no, I won't be impressed if they do what even Matt Cassel could do and put points up on the Niners. Talk to me after the Pittsburgh away, Dallas home, Philly away stretch that starts next week.
3. Buffalo Bills (4-1)
The more I think about it, the Bills are really undefeated. J.P. Losman isn't really a QB, so the Bills didn't really lose that game. It was closer to a forfeit maybe. San Diego comes to town this week and could be in for a tough time.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1)
I'm always the last one on the Steelers' bandwagon, so I'm starting early this season. Outside of that loss at Philly where nobody on the O-Line bothered to show up, the Steelers have looked like a team that definitely can win it all this year. Let's just say that I don't envy Mr. Fitzpatrick's situation this weekend.
1. Tennessee Titans (5-0)
They go to Kansas City, so it's basically like having two bye weeks in a row! It's never pretty, but there isn't a better defense in the league. They control the line on both sides of the ball.
WEEK 7 PICKS
San Francisco +10.5 at New York Giants
Pittsburgh -9.5 at Cincinnati
Tennessee -9 at Kansas City
Minnesota +3 at Chicago
Buffalo -1 vs. San Diego
Carolina -3 vs. New Orleans
Dallas -7 at St. Louis
Miami -3 vs. Baltimore
Houston -9 vs. Detroit
Oakland +3 vs. New York Jets
Indianapolis -1.5 at Green Bay
Cleveland +7.5 vs. Washington
Tampa Bay -10.5 vs. Seattle
Denver +3 at New England
Season: 45-40-3
Back to the NFL. Not too much of a shakeup, but I can say this. I'm getting more and more confused each week by about a third of the NFL. I have no explanation for how the Rams won a game, nor do I have one for why a quarterback would take 8 steps out of bounds before realizing where he was on the field. I can say this. I am very confident with my top few teams and even more confident with my bottom few. Of course that could all change next week. On to the rankings.
32. Detroit Lions (0-5)
The Lions are transforming from a team that just gets spanked every week into a team that finds new ways to lose. Eventually they'll be the team that makes losing an art. They could give 0-16 a real shot. Their defense isn't horrible, but their offense sure is.
31. Kansas City Chiefs (1-4)
Operation Bet Against The Chiefs begins this week. They have no QB, a top 5 tight-end who wanted to be traded, a running back complaining about lack of touches and calling out his team, and we haven't even gotten to the defense. The only thing I'll say about their defense is that they might want to improve on that 182.2 rushing yards allowed per game. Good luck with the Titans this week Chiefs fans.
30. Oakland Raiders (1-4)
As a Raiders fan I am beyond happy that we got that win out of the way. This is a bad team with a coach who doesn't know how to win. On the bright side, the Raiders look to be a lock this weekend against the Jets. I know that sounds weird, but let me explain. Vegas has the line set at Jets minus 3. It seems like a lock that the Jets will cover. 90% of the money is on the Jets, yet the line hasn't moved. Thus, under the theory that Vegas doesn't like losing money, I'm going to guess they know something that the betting public doesn't. The Raiders will win this weekend. Or they'll lose by 60 points. One or the other. There's no middle ground on this one.
29. Cincinnati Bengals (0-6)
I need Marvin Lewis' agent. How that guy hasn't lost his job is beyond me. It's safe to say that the Bengals are not scoring more than 10 points this week, so after the 35-3 loss they'll suffer against the Steelers, where does that leave them? Same place they're at now, taking the season one loss at a time. I miss Ocho Cinco. I need him back in my life.
28. St. Louis Rams (1-4)
Don't worry, Operation Bet Against The Rams is still intact. I told you at the beginning of the operation, you can't get shaken up. When you look back at the end of the season, the operation will be a guaranteed 10-6 or better. One win doesn't change the fact that the Rams have no offensive line or defense. I almost hope they somehow win this week just so people will think they're good again and Vegas screws the line up on them for another month.
27. Seattle Seahawks (1-4)
What is it going to take for the rest of the world to realize that this is a very bad football team? I know a lot of people out there are going to talk themselves into taking the points this week in Tampa. I call those people suckers.
26. San Francisco 49ers (2-4)
It's paining me to drop the Niners every week. I really think this team should be good. Someone has to tell them that Frank Gore should be Options 1-7 on offense, and then someone needs to change the battery on the defense. I still wouldn't be surprised if the Niners somehow got it together. Maybe that's just me living in fairy tale land.
25. New York Giants (4-1)
Just kidding. I'm just picturing the faces of my Giants fan readers as they saw this. Priceless.
25. Cleveland Browns (2-3)
Consider me unimpressed. Their victory last week will look a lot less impressive in about a month. At least they figured out that their offense should consist of at least 5 deep balls a game. I'm going to need them to look frisky in Washington to be convinced.
24. Houston Texans (1-4)
That Andre Johnson catch was unreal. They should have lost about 4 times in that game. I guess it evens out with the Sage Rosenfels game. I fully expect the Texans to climb to the middle of the pack before all is said and done. With Detroit in town they'll be well on their way.
23. Miami Dolphins (2-3)
The miracle train made a pit stop. I'm still impressed by the Dolphins because their talent pool is pretty thin yet they seem to be a solid football team. I have a feeling we'll be hearing from them in 2-3 years.
22. Chicago Bears (3-3)
How on Earth did they blow that one. I think the Bears' meltdown was more impressive than Miami's this weekend. They have an important home match-up with Minnesota this week and I'm not sure that they'll be up to the task.
21. Minnesota Vikings (3-3)
I really wanted them to lose to the Lions. They had zero offense and couldn't protect Frerotte at all. They deserved to lose and the only reason they didn't is because Detroit is that bad. If there's such a thing as bouncing back from a win, Minnesota's performance this coming week will be it.
20. Baltimore Ravens (2-3)
Ever since that personal foul in Pittsburgh, things just haven't gone the Ravens' way. Getting pounded by Indy probably didn't help the Ravens' collective psyche much either. They need a win in Miami to avoid a tailspin and you never know what happens when you play that Dolphins team.
19. New York Jets (3-2)
Possibly even less impressive than the Viking's win over the Lions was the Jets' win over the Fitzpatrick-led Bengals. This is a very average team, but lucky for them they're playing in a very average division.
18. Arizona Cardinals (4-2)
They'd be vying for the Super Bowl if they played all of their games at home. What happens to Kurt Warner & Co. when they go on the road though? I'm not too optimistic for their road game in Carolina following this week's bye.
17. New Orleans Saints (3-3)
I don't think they deserve too much credit for beating an uninspired Raiders team. How much are teams paying Raiders coaches to have Janikowski attempt 80-yard field goals every game by the way? The Saints figure to get banged up a bit when they go to Carolina this week.
16. New England Patriots (3-2)
Wow. I used to think that a QB could not possibly be worth more than a touchdown a game. I honestly think that Brady might be worth 10 points a game with Cassel as his backup. The Patriots' offense is horrible. We'll see what happens when they face an equally putrid Denver defense.
15. Atlanta Falcons (4-2)
I don't know how long this run for the Atl will last, but it's safe to say that I was wrong about them. They doubled my prediction for season wins and have done so in impressive fashion. They have a tough game in Philly following the bye. All of a sudden that's a winnable game though.
14. Green Bay Packers (3-3)
Once again, we here at RW are not overly impressed when teams that are half-decent beat up on one of the worst teams in the league. The Packers needed that win, they're a good team, but this spot seems about right for them. Beating Indy would be big.
13. Carolina Panthers (4-2)
They need a bounce back game after last week. They have New Orleans in town so the pieces are all set up. They just need to execute, and get Jonathan Stewart back involved. No, I'm not just saying that because he's on my fantasy team.
12. Denver Broncos (4-2)
I'm not entirely sure why they're underdogs against New England. Apparently, Vegas thinks Denver's defense is that bad. If you're the Broncos, you've got to hope that that's not the case. I still like Cutler to get this team back on track.
11. New York Giants (4-1)
Got you again! You Giants fans are so gullible.
11. Philadelphia Eagles (3-3)
I want to see how the Eagles play with a healthy Brian Westbrook. I think they could be a Super Bowl contender with a healthy team. Until then, they're just a middle of the pack squad.
10. Washington Redskins (4-2)
They lost at home to the Rams. Enough said. There's zero excuse for that. I have half a mind to drop them another five spots for that one.
9. Indianapolis Colts (3-2)
They're starting to get guys healthy (except Addai) and the results are in. The Colts are still good at football. They beat one inexperienced QB, how about another?
8. San Diego Chargers (3-3)
I know they did it against Matt Cassel, but it was still impressive. The bad news is, this is still a Norv Turner team, so you never know when they're going to show up.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2)
I'm back aboard Chucky's pirate ship. It's good to be back. The Bucs got back to business and they look like another tough team that might be missing one piece. I don't think it will matter with the Seahawks traveling cross-country to play them.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3)
What can I say? I really like this Jaguars team. I think they're on the verge of pulling a Pittsburgh and coming out of nowhere in the weeks to come.
5. Dallas Cowboys (4-2)
I don't know, but I think now is a perfect time for Romo to get injured. It forces Grandma Wade to focus on the running game and short routs that might open up the deep ball as a change-up. If they can't cover a touchdown in St. Louis, then I don't know what to tell you.
4. New York Giants (4-1)
Ok, not kidding this time. Honestly, I think that the Giants will be dropping a few more spots when their schedule toughens up a bit. No, I don't consider a road game in Cleveland a tough game. And no, I won't be impressed if they do what even Matt Cassel could do and put points up on the Niners. Talk to me after the Pittsburgh away, Dallas home, Philly away stretch that starts next week.
3. Buffalo Bills (4-1)
The more I think about it, the Bills are really undefeated. J.P. Losman isn't really a QB, so the Bills didn't really lose that game. It was closer to a forfeit maybe. San Diego comes to town this week and could be in for a tough time.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1)
I'm always the last one on the Steelers' bandwagon, so I'm starting early this season. Outside of that loss at Philly where nobody on the O-Line bothered to show up, the Steelers have looked like a team that definitely can win it all this year. Let's just say that I don't envy Mr. Fitzpatrick's situation this weekend.
1. Tennessee Titans (5-0)
They go to Kansas City, so it's basically like having two bye weeks in a row! It's never pretty, but there isn't a better defense in the league. They control the line on both sides of the ball.
WEEK 7 PICKS
San Francisco +10.5 at New York Giants
Pittsburgh -9.5 at Cincinnati
Tennessee -9 at Kansas City
Minnesota +3 at Chicago
Buffalo -1 vs. San Diego
Carolina -3 vs. New Orleans
Dallas -7 at St. Louis
Miami -3 vs. Baltimore
Houston -9 vs. Detroit
Oakland +3 vs. New York Jets
Indianapolis -1.5 at Green Bay
Cleveland +7.5 vs. Washington
Tampa Bay -10.5 vs. Seattle
Denver +3 at New England
Season: 45-40-3
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