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| Photo taken by Matt Rourke/AP |
Written by Ben Slavin
There weren’t too many close games this week, but 95% of fans enjoyed one game in particular. The Patriots lost. They didn’t just lose, either, they were dominated. Besides Patriots haters getting their fix, divisional games in the NFC East, NFC West, and AFC South went down to the wire and vintage Eli showed up. Between those close finishes, there were a whole lot of blowouts. Depending on which side of a blowout your team was on, you’ll either be pleased or saddened by your team’s rankings. Regardless, enjoy this week’s rankings.
Real quick let’s reiterate. Now that we’re into the season, teams will move up or down a lot based on trades, injuries, or big wins or losses. Who the opponent was, how close of a game it was, and in general how good the team looked will be considered more than just getting the victory.
32. Oakland Raiders (1-8, Same)
With a lead at the end of the first quarter, it looked like the Raiders might have actually showed up for once. Then came the next three and the Raiders went back to the team we know and love to laugh at. For the most part, the Raiders moved the ball well. They just couldn’t put the ball into the end zone. Defensively, they struggled to stop the Chargers just like they do every opponent.
31. San Francisco 49ers (2-8, Down 1)
That was not a great showing by the Niners. Every team has been able to shut down the Giants offense by pressuring Eli Manning. Monday night, he almost always had a clean pocket. San Francisco also couldn’t do much on offense after jumping out to a 20-10 lead as Nick Mullens struggled. Sadly, he isn’t the second-coming of Brett Favre.
30. Arizona Cardinals (2-7, Down 1)
The firing of Mike McCoy as offensive coordinator has been a blessing for the Cardinals offense. The biggest beneficiary has been David Johnson, who is finally being properly used as a receiver. With Johnson, Josh Rosen, and a competent offensive system, there’s hope for Arizona offensively.
29. New York Jets (3-7, Down 2)
We’ve seen a couple teams lose to the Bills and they were rightfully mocked without mercy. I don’t even know what to say about the Jets. How do you let Matt Barkley hand 41 on you? And for as much crap as Sam Darnold has gotten for his turnovers, he’s clearly the best quarterback on this team. New York has officially entered into The Great Tank 2018.
28. New York Giants (2-7, Same)
Eli Manning supporters had to be encouraged by that game. With time in the pocket, he was able to find receivers running actual routes instead of just dumping the ball off to Saquon Barkley 10 times. Giants fans even got to experience a vintage Eli comeback. This will hurt them in the long run with draft standing, so enjoy it now.
27. Buffalo Bills (3-7, Up 4)
Well that came out of nowhere. The Bills, who are on their fourth quarterback, dropped a 40 bomb on a solid Jets defense. Coming into the game, the Bills were a historically bad offense; Sunday, they were a shockingly great one. All hail Matt Barkley, King of Buffalo.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6, Down 1)
The Bucs were really the better team on the field Sunday. They moved the ball at will but killed their chances at victory with turnovers and missed field goals. Their defense, which has been among the worst in the league this year, was surprisingly stout. The Redskins rarely had long drives and only totaled 286 yards against Tampa’s 501.
25. Miami Dolphins (5-5, Down 1)
The Miami run defense we expected to be among the league’s worst is surfacing. Aaron Jones ran all over them and could’ve gone over 200 yards with more carries. Brock Osweiler is their quarterback, so you know that side of the ball isn’t much better.
24. Detroit Lions (3-6, Down 2)
The Lions potential playoff resurgence is dead. The offensive line has been atrocious lately and there’s no quick throws to Golden Tate to keep the pressure off Matt Stafford. Without a strong defense to compensate, it’s over for Detroit.
23. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6, Down 3)
The Jaguars are officially dead. I thought a bye week might be just what they needed to rejuvenate the defense. The Colts did whatever they wanted in the first half. Eric Ebron scored three touchdowns. How does that even happen? They came close, but any game where the Jaguars need Blake Bortles and the offense to make a comeback is unlikely to be a win.
22. Indianapolis Colts (4-5, Up 1)
The Colts came out firing Sunday, scoring touchdowns on 4 of 5 first half drives. Eric Ebron is turning into the dynamic playmaker the Lions hoped for when they took with the 10th pick. He’s been a force in the red zone and makes big plays the average tight end can’t. Even though they almost threw it away in the second half, this was a nice win for Indianapolis.
21. Atlanta Falcons (4-5, Down 4)
Atlanta was one of the hottest teams in the league after an injury-fueled rough start. Then they entered Cleveland. Steve Sarkisian’s play calling held the Falcons back again. The run defense imploded as Nick Chubb had a 92 yard touchdown and almost 200 yards total. In the heated NFC, the Falcons will have to nearly run the table now.
20. Cleveland Browns (3-6-1, Up 6)
Since firing Hue Jackson, the Browns have been much better. Shocker. Last week, they were competitive against the 9-1 Chiefs and this week they handled a hot Falcons team. With their defensive coordinator now leading the team, the defense stepped it up this week and shut down an explosive Atlanta offense. Plus, Baker Mayfield was amazing with some great throws into tight windows.
19. Denver Broncos (3-6, Up 2)
Denver had a week off to recuperate from Brandon McManus’ missed game winner. They’ll have a tough time rebounding against the 7-2 Chargers.
18. Cincinnati Bengals (5-4, Down 5)
Similar to Miami earlier in the year, the Bengals are revealing their true selves as a mediocre team that got lucky in a few games. A 51-14 loss is about as brutal a loss as there is. A.J. Green is out until December and Cincinnati will find it tough sledding until then. Their early wild card lead could be gone by the time he returns.
17. Washington Redskins (6-3, Up 1)
While they aren’t that good, the Redskins keep winning games. It might be luck. It might be skill. Either way, they are on track for the playoffs. When they get there, whoever ends up as the 5 seed is going to be grateful for the easy win.
16. Baltimore Ravens (4-5, Down 1)
Baltimore, losers of three straight, got their bye at the perfect time. Next week, they have their chance for both a rebound and revenge for a Week 2 loss against Cincy.
15. Philadelphia Eagles (4-5, Down 5)
The reigning Super Bowl champs are in trouble. Big trouble. They are now 4-5 and just got beat down by a division rival in Philadelphia. The Eagles are talented, but couldn’t overcome the Cowboys strengths (defense and run game). Golden Tate didn’t make the impact Eagles fans hoped for in his debut and the offense sputtered.
14. Dallas Cowboys (4-5, Up 5)
The Cowboys’ run offense is really starting to click. Even though his last couple years in Oakland were disappointing, the addition of Amari Cooper makes it so defenses can’t key in on Zeke so hard. At 4-5, Dallas is lucky to be in the weak NFC East. In any other division, they’d probably be dead; in theirs, they might just be the favorite.
13. Seattle Seahawks (4-5, Up 1)
Seattle now has three close losses to great L.A. teams, including back-to-back games against the Chargers and Rams. Seattle has three good running backs forming one of the best rushing attacks in the league. They also have a top five quarterback in Russell Wilson. The problem is the Legion-of-Boom-less defense.
12. Tennessee Titans (5-4, Up 4)
The Titans just had one of the best wins of the year and now sit at 5-4. The Patriots couldn’t do anything against Tennessee’s defense. Offensively, they did just enough with a strong run game and some clutch throws from Marcus Mariota to Corey Davis. With two straight big wins against teams with huge fan bases, the Titans are finally getting attention.
11. Houston Texans (6-3, Up 1)
Houston is one of the hottest teams in the league and they have to hope a bye won’t cool them off. They go for seven straight in Washington.
10. Green Bay Packers (4-4-1, Up 1)
Aaron Jones still hasn’t gotten the 25 touch game fans have been begging for, but it doesn’t matter. He turned 18 touches into 172 yards and 2 TDs. The Packers as a team didn’t look great, though. Green Bay only lead 14-12 at half and struggled to stop 57 year old Frank Gore and Brock Osweiler often. After back-to-back losses to great teams, a win was still welcome, no matter how ugly.
9. Carolina Panthers (6-3, Down 1)
The Panthers are a team that operate great as an underdog and often underwhelm when hyped. In a bold move, they decided to look awful against a Super Bowl contender in prime time to kill the hype. As Peter Brooks infamously put it in Dodgeball, “that’s a bold strategy, Cotton.” Even with that showing Carolina is still a good team in a year where good teams are scarce.
8. Chicago Bears (6-3, Up 1)
Mitch Trubisky is putting it together for Chicago. He’s made some nice throws and benefits from all the weapons in the Windy City. Then there’s the defense. For my money, the Bears have the best defense in the league when Khalil Mack plays. The team I’ve compared to the Eagles has the chance to make the same Super Bowl run.
7. Minnesota Vikings (5-3-1, Same)
The Vikings’ defense was dominant against the Lions last week and just had a week to rest. They’re rounding into form and have another chance to feast against the Bears next week. Chicago’s defense might be even scarier so be prepared for a slugfest.
6. New England Patriots (7-3, Down 3)
Every few weeks, there’s a "what just happened" game. Buffalo beating Minnesota counts, same for Detroit shocking New England, and this week, the Patriots made their second appearance. Tom Brady missed more than a few throws and the offense couldn’t do anything. Who’s ready for the return of the “The End is Near” headlines?
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2-1, Up 1)
The Steelers laid an absolute beating on the 6-2 (now 3) Panthers Thursday. Home teams always have a huge advantage on Thursdays, but this was something else. The Steelers pass rush dominated and their multitude of weapons were on full display.
4. Los Angeles Chargers (7-2, Up 1)
Welcome to the big four (for now, at least), Chargers fans. LA’s second team has quietly been dominant for over a month, save for a London trip. The defense has been every bit as good as the offense recently, which is tough since the Chargers offense is among the five best in the league.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (9-1, Up 1)
You know your team is great when a 12 point win is a disappointment. The Chiefs were favored by 16.5, but the game was back and forth for three quarters. It was clearly not the Chiefs’ best effort and they were lucky to face a Cardinals team incapable of taking advantage.
2. Los Angeles Rams (9-1, Same)
At 9-1, the Rams are clearly one of the best teams in the league. You’d still like to see them blow some teams out though. After winning their first two games by a cumulative score of 67-13, the Rams’ only stressless win was against the hapless 49ers. You could argue that close games have the Rams prepared for playoff football. Or that they’re somewhat flukey. Your choice.
1. New Orleans Saints (8-1, Same)
After handing the Rams their first loss, the Saints were at risk for a let down. Their game against Cincinnati was as far from a let down as you’ll see. Fifty one points is crazy even for a team with copious offensive talent like New Orleans. Their defense might be atrocious, but the Bengals offense is solid and the Saints held them to one non-garbage time touchdown.
Think your team is ranked too low? Or just in general think I know nothing about football? Go crazy in the comments.
That was not a great showing by the Niners. Every team has been able to shut down the Giants offense by pressuring Eli Manning. Monday night, he almost always had a clean pocket. San Francisco also couldn’t do much on offense after jumping out to a 20-10 lead as Nick Mullens struggled. Sadly, he isn’t the second-coming of Brett Favre.
30. Arizona Cardinals (2-7, Down 1)
The firing of Mike McCoy as offensive coordinator has been a blessing for the Cardinals offense. The biggest beneficiary has been David Johnson, who is finally being properly used as a receiver. With Johnson, Josh Rosen, and a competent offensive system, there’s hope for Arizona offensively.
29. New York Jets (3-7, Down 2)
We’ve seen a couple teams lose to the Bills and they were rightfully mocked without mercy. I don’t even know what to say about the Jets. How do you let Matt Barkley hand 41 on you? And for as much crap as Sam Darnold has gotten for his turnovers, he’s clearly the best quarterback on this team. New York has officially entered into The Great Tank 2018.
28. New York Giants (2-7, Same)
Eli Manning supporters had to be encouraged by that game. With time in the pocket, he was able to find receivers running actual routes instead of just dumping the ball off to Saquon Barkley 10 times. Giants fans even got to experience a vintage Eli comeback. This will hurt them in the long run with draft standing, so enjoy it now.
27. Buffalo Bills (3-7, Up 4)
Well that came out of nowhere. The Bills, who are on their fourth quarterback, dropped a 40 bomb on a solid Jets defense. Coming into the game, the Bills were a historically bad offense; Sunday, they were a shockingly great one. All hail Matt Barkley, King of Buffalo.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6, Down 1)
The Bucs were really the better team on the field Sunday. They moved the ball at will but killed their chances at victory with turnovers and missed field goals. Their defense, which has been among the worst in the league this year, was surprisingly stout. The Redskins rarely had long drives and only totaled 286 yards against Tampa’s 501.
25. Miami Dolphins (5-5, Down 1)
The Miami run defense we expected to be among the league’s worst is surfacing. Aaron Jones ran all over them and could’ve gone over 200 yards with more carries. Brock Osweiler is their quarterback, so you know that side of the ball isn’t much better.
24. Detroit Lions (3-6, Down 2)
The Lions potential playoff resurgence is dead. The offensive line has been atrocious lately and there’s no quick throws to Golden Tate to keep the pressure off Matt Stafford. Without a strong defense to compensate, it’s over for Detroit.
23. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6, Down 3)
The Jaguars are officially dead. I thought a bye week might be just what they needed to rejuvenate the defense. The Colts did whatever they wanted in the first half. Eric Ebron scored three touchdowns. How does that even happen? They came close, but any game where the Jaguars need Blake Bortles and the offense to make a comeback is unlikely to be a win.
22. Indianapolis Colts (4-5, Up 1)
The Colts came out firing Sunday, scoring touchdowns on 4 of 5 first half drives. Eric Ebron is turning into the dynamic playmaker the Lions hoped for when they took with the 10th pick. He’s been a force in the red zone and makes big plays the average tight end can’t. Even though they almost threw it away in the second half, this was a nice win for Indianapolis.
21. Atlanta Falcons (4-5, Down 4)
Atlanta was one of the hottest teams in the league after an injury-fueled rough start. Then they entered Cleveland. Steve Sarkisian’s play calling held the Falcons back again. The run defense imploded as Nick Chubb had a 92 yard touchdown and almost 200 yards total. In the heated NFC, the Falcons will have to nearly run the table now.
20. Cleveland Browns (3-6-1, Up 6)
Since firing Hue Jackson, the Browns have been much better. Shocker. Last week, they were competitive against the 9-1 Chiefs and this week they handled a hot Falcons team. With their defensive coordinator now leading the team, the defense stepped it up this week and shut down an explosive Atlanta offense. Plus, Baker Mayfield was amazing with some great throws into tight windows.
19. Denver Broncos (3-6, Up 2)
Denver had a week off to recuperate from Brandon McManus’ missed game winner. They’ll have a tough time rebounding against the 7-2 Chargers.
18. Cincinnati Bengals (5-4, Down 5)
Similar to Miami earlier in the year, the Bengals are revealing their true selves as a mediocre team that got lucky in a few games. A 51-14 loss is about as brutal a loss as there is. A.J. Green is out until December and Cincinnati will find it tough sledding until then. Their early wild card lead could be gone by the time he returns.
17. Washington Redskins (6-3, Up 1)
While they aren’t that good, the Redskins keep winning games. It might be luck. It might be skill. Either way, they are on track for the playoffs. When they get there, whoever ends up as the 5 seed is going to be grateful for the easy win.
16. Baltimore Ravens (4-5, Down 1)
Baltimore, losers of three straight, got their bye at the perfect time. Next week, they have their chance for both a rebound and revenge for a Week 2 loss against Cincy.
15. Philadelphia Eagles (4-5, Down 5)
The reigning Super Bowl champs are in trouble. Big trouble. They are now 4-5 and just got beat down by a division rival in Philadelphia. The Eagles are talented, but couldn’t overcome the Cowboys strengths (defense and run game). Golden Tate didn’t make the impact Eagles fans hoped for in his debut and the offense sputtered.
14. Dallas Cowboys (4-5, Up 5)
The Cowboys’ run offense is really starting to click. Even though his last couple years in Oakland were disappointing, the addition of Amari Cooper makes it so defenses can’t key in on Zeke so hard. At 4-5, Dallas is lucky to be in the weak NFC East. In any other division, they’d probably be dead; in theirs, they might just be the favorite.
13. Seattle Seahawks (4-5, Up 1)
Seattle now has three close losses to great L.A. teams, including back-to-back games against the Chargers and Rams. Seattle has three good running backs forming one of the best rushing attacks in the league. They also have a top five quarterback in Russell Wilson. The problem is the Legion-of-Boom-less defense.
12. Tennessee Titans (5-4, Up 4)
The Titans just had one of the best wins of the year and now sit at 5-4. The Patriots couldn’t do anything against Tennessee’s defense. Offensively, they did just enough with a strong run game and some clutch throws from Marcus Mariota to Corey Davis. With two straight big wins against teams with huge fan bases, the Titans are finally getting attention.
11. Houston Texans (6-3, Up 1)
Houston is one of the hottest teams in the league and they have to hope a bye won’t cool them off. They go for seven straight in Washington.
10. Green Bay Packers (4-4-1, Up 1)
Aaron Jones still hasn’t gotten the 25 touch game fans have been begging for, but it doesn’t matter. He turned 18 touches into 172 yards and 2 TDs. The Packers as a team didn’t look great, though. Green Bay only lead 14-12 at half and struggled to stop 57 year old Frank Gore and Brock Osweiler often. After back-to-back losses to great teams, a win was still welcome, no matter how ugly.
9. Carolina Panthers (6-3, Down 1)
The Panthers are a team that operate great as an underdog and often underwhelm when hyped. In a bold move, they decided to look awful against a Super Bowl contender in prime time to kill the hype. As Peter Brooks infamously put it in Dodgeball, “that’s a bold strategy, Cotton.” Even with that showing Carolina is still a good team in a year where good teams are scarce.
8. Chicago Bears (6-3, Up 1)
Mitch Trubisky is putting it together for Chicago. He’s made some nice throws and benefits from all the weapons in the Windy City. Then there’s the defense. For my money, the Bears have the best defense in the league when Khalil Mack plays. The team I’ve compared to the Eagles has the chance to make the same Super Bowl run.
7. Minnesota Vikings (5-3-1, Same)
The Vikings’ defense was dominant against the Lions last week and just had a week to rest. They’re rounding into form and have another chance to feast against the Bears next week. Chicago’s defense might be even scarier so be prepared for a slugfest.
6. New England Patriots (7-3, Down 3)
Every few weeks, there’s a "what just happened" game. Buffalo beating Minnesota counts, same for Detroit shocking New England, and this week, the Patriots made their second appearance. Tom Brady missed more than a few throws and the offense couldn’t do anything. Who’s ready for the return of the “The End is Near” headlines?
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2-1, Up 1)
The Steelers laid an absolute beating on the 6-2 (now 3) Panthers Thursday. Home teams always have a huge advantage on Thursdays, but this was something else. The Steelers pass rush dominated and their multitude of weapons were on full display.
4. Los Angeles Chargers (7-2, Up 1)
Welcome to the big four (for now, at least), Chargers fans. LA’s second team has quietly been dominant for over a month, save for a London trip. The defense has been every bit as good as the offense recently, which is tough since the Chargers offense is among the five best in the league.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (9-1, Up 1)
You know your team is great when a 12 point win is a disappointment. The Chiefs were favored by 16.5, but the game was back and forth for three quarters. It was clearly not the Chiefs’ best effort and they were lucky to face a Cardinals team incapable of taking advantage.
2. Los Angeles Rams (9-1, Same)
At 9-1, the Rams are clearly one of the best teams in the league. You’d still like to see them blow some teams out though. After winning their first two games by a cumulative score of 67-13, the Rams’ only stressless win was against the hapless 49ers. You could argue that close games have the Rams prepared for playoff football. Or that they’re somewhat flukey. Your choice.
1. New Orleans Saints (8-1, Same)
After handing the Rams their first loss, the Saints were at risk for a let down. Their game against Cincinnati was as far from a let down as you’ll see. Fifty one points is crazy even for a team with copious offensive talent like New Orleans. Their defense might be atrocious, but the Bengals offense is solid and the Saints held them to one non-garbage time touchdown.
Think your team is ranked too low? Or just in general think I know nothing about football? Go crazy in the comments.
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