Sports by Big Tuna

Favre Worship Needs to End

This Brett Favre worship has gone on way too long. Don't get me wrong, I like the guy, he seems genuine and you can tell he really enjoys the game. He's also one heck of a QB. However, he is not the QB that everybody is building him up to be recently.

When he was set to retire everybody was talking about all the TD passes his thrown and the years of success he had with the Packers. They seemed to forget the high INT numbers he put up, but hell, he was retiring, why not remember the good stuff. The fun he brought, the wins he secured and the joy of watching him sling the ball from all angles. But once he came back people seemed to forget all the bad stuff all over again.

The Packers were painted as the bad guys because they wouldn't let him come back and push out a QB who had been busting his butt all off-season to create chemistry with the team. The media and fans made it seem like they were casting out a legend, instead of it being that Favre was trying to come back after leaving them to fill the hole, which they then did.

When he went to the Jets everybody immediately said they were Super Bowl caliber. He is just one man. One man, who throws a lot of interceptions. The Jets might be a playoff team, but they are not a Super Bowl team and that has more to do with their defense and Thomas Jones' 13 TDs than it does with Favre.

So how in the world did Favre make the Pro Bowl for the tenth time? Are you kidding me? The guy had an 86 QB rating and has 21 TD passes to go with his LEAGUE LEADING 17 INTs. How does the guy who leads the league in INTs make the Pro Bowl and to top that all off, he made it over the league leader in QB Rating. Phillip Rivers as the highest QB rating in the NFL and has done it behind a terrible OL and he will be watching as an undeserving Favre takes the field in Hawaii.

Sure there are more guys who made it when they weren't supposed to, but this Favre worship has gone on too long. People are forgetting what his flaws are and what people other than him are capable of doing. Just like Aaron Rodgers. You know, Favre's replacement. The guy who has a higher QB rating than Favre on a worse team.

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NFL Power Rankings, Week 16

With the top teams looking more vulnerable with each game, it’s looking like its anybody’s season. But the common factor in all good teams seems to be solid defense and ground control offense. If you want to win games against the good teams this late in the season, you better keep their defense off the field and work your way down it.

So here's my take:

TEAM
1. Tennessee Titans (12-2)	Had a chance to really cement their status as the top team in the league, but you can’t do that losing to teams that won’t even make the playoffs.
2. NY Giants (11-3)	It all starts with the offensive line. In the last two losses Eli has been sacked an average of four more times per game and the team has run for 60 YPG less than in the first 12 games.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3)	It’s December and Pittsburgh is ready to roll into the playoffs. Things don’t change that much over the years. They have a system and it works.
4. Carolina Panthers (11-3)	Man, they can run the football. With the defense that they are capable of playing and their ball control offense, they are going to be a tough team in the playoffs.
5. Indianapolis Colts (10-4)	That rough beginning to the season is an ancient memory. The Colts are back to the team of old where you never know which receiver is gonna go off for a huge game.
6. Dallas Cowboys (9-5)	A huge win for a team that could have very easily slipped into turmoil. Tashard Choice has been a great find for them, but they need Marion Barber is they are going to make any noise in the playoffs.
7. Baltimore Ravens (10-4)	Another team that gets by on defense and running the football. The only difference is that they don’t have one reliable tailback; they have three that they roll the dice with and take a chance.
8. Philadelphia Eagles (8-5-1)	They’ve just been a completely different team the last few weeks. McNabb has been efficient and accurate and Westbrook has looked as healthy as he has in ages.
9. Atlanta Falcons (9-5)	It wasn’t a complete performance, but these young Falcons continued to do what they’ve done all year: win close games any way they can.
10. Tampa Bay Bucs (9-5)	Antonio Bryant has finally found a groove, but they need to find out what’s going on and right this ship before they lose any more games.
11. Minnesota Vikings (9-5)	Maybe all Tavaris Jackson needed was a kick in the pants. He was given the job too easily and now that he’s needed to earn the job, he seems to have stepped his game up.
12. Arizona Cardinals (8-6)	Their playoff spot may be clinched, but they need to fix some of their problems or they are gonna be one and done come postseason time.
13. NY Jets (9-5)	Needed the help of a boneheaded call by the Bills to sneak out a victory and keep their chances of playoffs alive. But they desperately need to plug some holes.
14. New England Patriots (9-5)	Three way tie for first place in the AFC East and the Patriots are surprisingly looking like they could claim another division title.
15. Miami Dolphins (9-5)	No team has done more with less than the Dolphins. They only won one game last year and now they could be looking at a division title.
16. Chicago Bears (8-6)	A huge comeback win for them against the Saints, but it still showed some flaws. They really need to get Forte healthy and running effectively again, or their offense just doesn’t work.
17. Houston Texans (7-7)	Where were these Texans at the beginning of the season? We know they could put up points, but now they are winning defense struggles against tough teams as well.
18. Denver Broncos (8-6)	It’s a good thing for Denver that their division has played so poorly this year because they are in complete disarray. They have no runningback and a very inconsistent defense.
19. New Orleans Saints (7-7)	A late touchdown really put them in the drivers seat with the chance to come up with a huge win, but as usual, the defense let them down and may have kept them out of the playoffs.
20. Washington Redskins (7-7)	Man, what happened to the Redskins? A few weeks ago they seemed primed to coast into the playoffs and possibly even claim in the NFC East. Now, they are as good as done.
21. SD Chargers (6-8)	Barely squeaked by the Chiefs to keep their playoff hopes alive. They need to be more creative on the offensive end because running LT behind that OL just isn’t working.
22. Buffalo Bills (6-8)	Clearly they made the right choice going with Trent Edwards over JP Losman. He just doesn’t have it anymore. Not that he ever had it in the first place.
23. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-9)	Won the battle of the two teams that failed to live up to the pre-season expectations. They have some talent, but there is just no chemistry on this team.
24. GB Packers (5-9)	An embarrassing season for the defense hits a new low when they let up almost 130 yards through the air to Dennis Northcutt. It’s been a rough year.
25. SF 49ers (5-9)	They outgained the Dolphins, had more first downs and just flat outplayed them. Field position cost them the game, but it’s a step in the right direction.
26. Cleveland Browns (5-9)	You can’t win games with Ken Dorsey at Quarterback. It’s just that simple. They need to find a QB and stick with it if the team has any chance.
27. Seattle Seahawks (3-11)	Seneca Wallace has turned into a decent surprise at QB. He’s been efficient and his mobility is a huge asset for him.
28. KC Chiefs (3-11)	Another game where the Chiefs carried the lead in the fourth quarter just to blow it. They need to figure out how to close one out or they are never going to put something together.
29. Oakland Raiders (3-11)	A team with young talent who has a chance to someday turn into something special. But that day is far, far away from today.
30. Cincinnati Bengals (2-11-1)	Pulled one out against the slipping Redskins behind a surprise performance by Cedric Benson. He has talent if they can just get it out of him.
31. St. Louis Rams (2-12)	Couldn’t beat the Seahawks without their QB and with Maurice Morris as their RB. It’s just been a long, tough season for the Rams.
32. Detroit Lions (0-14)	Another game, another day to say that they at least have Calvin Johnson. With him and Kevin Smith, they might be able to put together some type of offense in the future.

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NFL Power Rankings, Week 15

Some teams are in and some teams are starting to slip out, but the season is starting to get interesting. With the Cardinals, Colts, Falcons, Cowboys and Giants looking at wrapping up playoff births, we could have some high flying offensive games in the postseason.

So here's my take:

TEAM
1. Tennessee Titans (12-1)	Both runningbacks looked dominant again. They make the Thunder and Lightning combo of Barber and Dayne look like a light drizzle.
2. NY Giants (11-2)	With Brandon Jacobs out of the game, the Giants just were not able to control the clock as well as they have all season. After watching Hixon today, they are going to miss Plaxico more than people think.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3)	Would have won by even more if they didn’t shoot themselves in the foot on multiple possessions in the first half. That defense is just scary good.
4. Carolina Panthers (10-3)	A statement win against a team that blew them out earlier in the season. They let up a bit at the end, but they are definitely playing well at the right time.
5. Indianapolis Colts (9-4)	Their schedule just seems to get easier and easier as it goes on. Looks like we’ll be able to see in the playoffs whether they are for real or just the product of a soft late season.
6. Tampa Bay Bucs (9-4)	Still sitting in decent position even after the Monday night loss. And what a game (and catch) for Antonio Bryant. If he can get consistant, it would be a huge benefit.
7. Baltimore Ravens (9-4)	Granted Clinton Portis was banged up, but they just manhandled the Redskins. Even when Joe Flacco doesn’t play well, he just seems to lead this team to victories.
8. Dallas Cowboys (8-5)	This is a very banged up team right now. They had to take on Pitt without Barber and with Ware hurt and the secondary banged up. They had the lead, but just collapsed late.
9. Arizona Cardinals (8-5)	Clinched their first division title in what seems like a lifetime with a throttling of the Rams. With that offense they are going to be fun to watch and a real danger to play in January.
10. Atlanta Falcons (8-5)	Had a chance to solidify a playoff berth, but fell short against the number one offense in the Saints. They can still get in, but the defense is going to need to step up.
11. Minnesota Vikings (8-5)	Tavaris Jackson was very impressive in relief of Gus Frerrote. It’s still too much to expect that he’ll finally realize his potential, but wouldn’t that be nice for Minnesota.
12. Philadelphia Eagles (7-5-1)	Beat the Giants all over the field all game. They didn’t score nearly as many points as they could have, but with the Philly defense of old out on the field, they didn’t need to.
13. NY Jets (8-5)	Looking more and more like the team that I never expected to make the playoffs. The more they lose and the more guys like Coles start talking trash, the more you question this team.
14. New England Patriots (8-5)	Needed a fourth quarter comeback to barely survive the two-win Seattle Seahakws. It doesn’t exactly instill confidence. Neither does their lack of a rushing attack.
15. Miami Dolphins (8-5)	Didn’t look pretty, but they kept their strong playoff hopes alive by besting the slumping Bills. They need that rushing attack to stay strong if they have any chance.
16. New Orleans Saints (7-6)	A huge victory over the Falcons. With Reggie Bush coming back and Pierre Thomas showing flashes of talent, they seem to keep stockpiling weapons on offense.
17. Denver Broncos (8-5)	They won the game and moved farther ahead in the division, but likely lost Peyton Hillis for the season. They can’t possibly have anybody else to run the football, can they?
18. Washington Redskins (7-6)	Without Portis this team just doesn’t function like it should. He toughed it out and played hurt, but he just wasn’t the same back, and they are not the same team.
19. Chicago Bears (7-6)	Another team to take advantage of Jacksonville’s dysfunction. But if they stand any chance of making the playoffs Matt Forte needs to show that he hasn’t hit a rookie wall.
20. Houston Texans (6-7)	It’s too little too late, but they are certainly playing like a playoff caliber team right now. With that defense and Shaub, Slaton and Johnson on offense, they have a strong core moving forward.
21. GB Packers (5-8)	If you didn’t think the blame went to the defense before, it sure seems obvious today after allowing over 400 yards passing to Shaub and the Texans.
22. SD Chargers (5-8)	Perfect week for the Raiders to show up on the schedule. LT may look like that ankle cost him a step, but Darren Sproles sure isn’t hurting for speed. He is an exciting player.
23. Buffalo Bills (6-7)	Another lifeless performance by the offense. Edwards was out and Losman couldn’t complete anything, but Lynch barely had 30 yards. Where’s the excuse for that?
24. SF 49ers (5-8)	It’s sad that they waited this long to play like they have a pulse. Hill is making a case to be the starting QB next year, but he’s more of a stop-gap than a true NFL starter.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-9)	Another week and another game that the Jaguars looked like it was the first year as an expansion team. They need to do some serious restructuring next year.
26. Cleveland Browns (4-9)	They have no healthy QB and a run defense that has not played up to their salaries. All that is a recipe for a terribly unproductive season.
27. Oakland Raiders (3-10)	When you watch JaMarcus Russell get lit up behind that make-shift line all you can think about is David Carr early on with the Texans. Let’s hope it doesn’t end up the same way.
28. Seattle Seahawks (2-12)	They had the Patriots down and out, until the fourth quarter. Seneca Wallace did all he could to lead that team to victory, but somebody needs to help.
29. KC Chiefs (2-10)	Another game and another blown lead for the Kansas City Chiefs. Sure they keep playing hard, but they need to prove they can win every now and then.
30. St. Louis Rams (2-11)	It seems like a long time ago that they won two games in a row and showed some signs of a pulse. It’s gonna be another early pick for the Rams in April’s draft.
31. Cincinnati Bengals (1-11-1)	Another week, another blowout for the Bengals. They can’t score on anybody and they can’t stop anybody from scoring. I have no idea why Carson Palmer is fighting to come back.
32. Detroit Lions (0-13)	Daunte Culepper looked a little bit like the QB of old and Calvin Johnson stayed hot, but they couldn’t close out another game where they had a late lead.

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NFL Power Rankings, Week 14

The playoff picture start to get a little clearer and teams start to see whether they have a shot at some January football. Hopefully, they can make more of their shot than good ol’ Plaxico “Cheddar Bob” Burress.

So here's my take:

TEAM
1. NY Giants (11-1)	If that was the next best team in the division then the Giants really have nothing to worry about after easily handling the Redskins, 23-7.
2. Tennessee Titans (11-1)	Poor Detroit. They didn’t stand a chance before the Titans got tripped up against the Jets. The running attack and defense were back to their usual selves on Thanksgiving.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3)	Having two talented runningbacks is a huge plus for any team. Pair that with a steady quarterback and a hard-hitting defense and you’ve got a Super Bowl caliber group.
4. Tampa Bay Bucs (9-3)	It was a close one, but that’s just the way Tampa Bay wins football games. Nothing flashy, nothing eye-catching, just efficient football when it matters.
5. Carolina Panthers (9-3)	D’Angelo Williams was bound for stardom when he came out of the University of Memphis, but it never quite happened for him. Until recently.
6. Indianapolis Colts (8-4)	The Colts and the Browns and the only TD is on a fumble recovery? Not the game I expected, but it notches another win for the Colts who will take as many as they can right now.
7. Dallas Cowboys (8-4)	This is a whole different team with Romo at the helm. They have so many weapons and their defense can be scary when its not all the field all game long.
8. NY Jets (8-4)	One week after becoming a legitimate contender they lay a huge egg. If their defense lets up that many yards to a 1^st year, college fullback then there are more holes than I thought.
9. Atlanta Falcons (8-4)	A big moment for Michael Turner, taking on his old team and up-staging his former shadow. This year it’ll be LT who watches Turner, as the Falcons will likely play in the postseason.
10. Baltimore Ravens (8-4)	I’m used to seeing the Ravens win games 10-6, not putting up thirty points in consecutive weeks. Maybe we are witnessing the re-birth of a franchise.
11. Arizona Cardinals (7-5)	Not the Primetime showing the Cardinals had in mind when they saw the Thanksgiving schedule. They just got beat up and down the field against Philli.
12. Washington Redskins (7-5)	A team that at one point looked as good as any in the league has slowly started to falter. Campbell is throwing picks again and Portis couldn’t even break 30 yards against the Giants D. Bad week.
13. New England Patriots (7-5)	Saw where they really stood in the AFC when they went head-to-head with Pittsburgh this weekend. They seemed more like the conference outcast than part of the clique.
14. Minnesota Vikings (7-5)	Looked impressive on both sides of the ball while dominating the Bears Sunday night. With Peterson they are always dangerous, but when their passing game works, they can play with most teams.
15. Miami Dolphins (7-5)	It wasn’t pretty and they needed a lot of help from their special teams, but their seventh win puts the Dolphins in the playoff hunt and makes last year a forgotten memory.
16. Denver Broncos (7-5)	Pulled out a big win when they needed one to pull ahead further in their weak division. But can they really expect that consistently from Hillis?
17. Philadelphia Eagles (6-5-1)	Looked like a completely different team this week. Maybe it was the short week, or maybe it was the benching, but McNabb was accurate and dominant.
18. New Orleans Saints (6-6)	Maybe nobody can stop Drew Bress. Only he can stop himself. The interceptions were costly this week and now the Saints have dug themselves into a deep hole.
19. GB Packers (5-7)	Sure people are going to talk about Favre when they ask why such a talented team is now under .500. But Rodgers has a 90.5 QB rating on the year. The blame really goes to that defense.
20. Chicago Bears (6-6)	Were not sharp in a big game against the Vikings. Although Forte proved again that he is going to be a star in this league, regardless of what defense he faces.
21. Buffalo Bills (6-6)	A heart-breaking loss against the Niners. The Bills outgained SF by almost 200 yards and had four possessions inside the red zone, but came away with one FG. Maybe they are cursed.
22. Houston Texans (5-7)	Certainly looks like that Mario Williams pick was the right choice for the Texans three years ago. Now if only they wouldn’t turn the ball over so much.
23. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8)	Congrats to Fred Taylor for tying the franchise TD record. He is a sure Hall of Famer playing on a inexcusably bad team right now.
24. SF 49ers (4-8)	Their offense was still woeful, but their defense did enough to keep the Niners close and some luck put another tally up in the win column.
25. Cleveland Browns (4-8)	A bad season gets even worse for Cleveland. After losing Quinn for the season it looks as though Anderson is gone too. That leaves en Dorsey as the lone QB and this is not the early 2000s in Miami.
26. SD Chargers (3-8)	When LT has more receiving yards than he has rushing yards, you’re in big trouble. The offensive line has given him no room to run all year. Which might cover up for the fact that his ankle can’t be 100%
27. Oakland Raiders (3-9)	When you beat a team that’s likely to end up in the playoffs, it seems easy to assume you can beat a team that has one win on the season. Maybe the Raiders assumed that too and didn’t prove it.
28. Seattle Seahawks (2-11)	They never stood a chance against the Cowboys. Julius Jones got shut down by his old team and Hasselbeck had no help. Luckily they only have four more games.
29. KC Chiefs (2-9)	Showed some guts after getting blown out last week. No matter how bad a season is going in KC, beating the Raiders is always a good thing.
30. St. Louis Rams (2-10)	Got into a kicking shoot-out with the Dolphins, but they can’t even seem to win those. It’s a sad sign when you don’t have a WR over 50 yards against one of the leagues worst pass defenses.
31. Cincinnati Bengals (1-10-1)	Getting blown out by division opponents is never a positive thing. Especially when the division opponent is the team built around defense and you’re the team built around offense.
32. Detroit Lions (0-12)	Now the whole world has seen just how bad the Lions truly are. It’s going to be very interesting to see who is left once the offseason begins.

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NFL Power Rankings, Week 13

As the season pushes closer to the playoffs, some teams start to sweat out their fears, while others worry about what kind of pick they’ll be getting. We’re gonna see tight battles in both instances with plenty of teams carrying six or seven wins and still hoping to sneak into the postseason; as well as five teams that only have two wins or less and are vying for that number one overall pick. Let’s just sit back and watch the drama unfold.

So here's my take:

TEAM
1. NY Giants (10-1)	Now that the Titans finally lost, people are going to start talking about the Giants again. They just dominate people at the line of scrimmage on both ends of the ball.
2. Tennessee Titans (10-1)	Survived ten weeks of doubts and close games, but couldn’t stretch it out, being throttled by the Jets by 21 points. It was fun while it lasted.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3)	The Steelers just keep quietly trudging forward, playing the same hard-nosed style of football that has made them competitive for years.
4. NY Jets (8-3)	The lone team to knock off the Titans so far this year. Their defense has really stepped up over the last few weeks and have made the Jets one of the toughest teams to play.
5. Tampa Bay Bucs (8-3)	It was only Detroit, but a very impressive offensive performance by the Bucs. It answered a lot of questions about how they would perform without Graham.
6. Carolina Panthers (8-3)	Scraping by in their last few wins finally came back to haunt them. They just couldn’t stop the run against the Falcons and are now right back in the middle of the playoff pack.
7. Arizona Cardinals (7-4)	Put up a good fight against possibly the best team in the NFL, but just couldn’t pull it off. Some penalties and onside kick drops really hurt them on Special Teams.
8. Indianapolis Colts (7-4)	Peyton Manning threw his first pick in his last four games, but the Colts offense still made key plays when it needed to and put themselves back in the hunt.
9. Washington Redskins (7-4)	It’s definitely not an impressive day when you almost lose to the Seahawks, but the important thing is that they held on to win the game and put themselves back in good playoff position.
10. New England Patriots (7-4)	Won a big division game against the Dolphins. Giving up that many points is still concerning given that their defense was supposed to carry them without Brady, but knowing them, it’ll be fixed by next week.
11. Atlanta Falcons (7-4)	Very big win against a tough Carolina team helps put Atlanta firmly in the playoff picture. As long as Michael Turner keeps grinding it out like that, they are gonna be in good shape.
12. Dallas Cowboys (7-4)	Two games back for Tony Romo and two wins for the Cowboys. There is no coincidence in that, he simply makes them a much better team.
13. Baltimore Ravens (7-4)	Rebounded from the Giants game by completely demolishing the Eagles. Their defense gave McNabb and the rest of the Eagles offense fits all day long.
14. Miami Dolphins (6-5)	Couldn’t control the game on the ground as much as they’ve been used to doing and it helped cost them the game and a shot at making noise in the division.
15. Buffalo Bills (6-5)	It was the perfect week to match up with Kansas City. The points allowed were a bit concerning, but the offense has to be feeling a lot better after this week.
16. Minnesota Vikings (6-5)	Used that dominant defense to shut down the Jaguars rushing attack and push forward towards a possible postseason birth.
17. New Orleans Saints (6-5)	It just looks like there is no team capable of stopping Drew Brees at the moment. With him and a now healthy Reggie Bush, the Saints stand a chance to outgun anybody.
18. Denver Broncos (6-5)	Just when you think they might be taking a step in a positive direction they give up the most points to Oakland that anybody has given up all year.
19. GB Packers (5-6)	For a team that was supposed to make its name with its passing defense, they let up far too many yards through the air. That was not the way to build off their dismantling of the Bears.
20. Chicago Bears (6-5)	Just like Buffalo, the Bears ran into the perfect opponent when they took the field against the Rams. Maybe this can get them back on the right track.
21. Philadelphia Eagles (5-5-1)	If you didn’t think it could get worse for them after tying the Bengals, you were sorely mistaken. Getting blown out by the Ravens offense and having your QB benched is not much better.
22. Houston Texans (4-7)	They don’t usually win games with defense, but right now I’m sure they’ll take any wins that they can get.
23. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-7)	I might have been the only person who thought there was still some semblance of the old Jaguars buried underneath. Not anymore.
24. Cleveland Browns (4-7)	After a big win against the Bills on the road in primetime, they manage to muster only six points against the Texans defense in a terrible loss.
25. SD Chargers (3-7)	They have now lost four games this season within the last twenty-four seconds of the game. Just a few more key plays and their record would be completely turned around.
26. SF 49ers (3-8)	Maybe if they had played the Cowboys without Romo it would have had a different ending. Unfortunately for the 49ers that wasn’t the case.
27. Oakland Raiders (3-8)	Their offense finally woke up a bit against a Denver team that looked like it was going in the right direction. They have some of the pieces, but not enough of them.
28. Seattle Seahawks (2-10)	Another game where they held close with a team that was far superior to them, but yet another game that ended in a loss.
29. St. Louis Rams (2-9)	Couldn’t hold the Bears offense down and couldn’t muster any points against their defense.
30. Cincinnati Bengals (1-9-1)	The tie gave them a ray of hope, but then a huge cloud came back over Cincinnati. They are just praying for the offseason right about now.
31. KC Chiefs (1-9)	On the positive side they scored over thirty points. On the negative side, they let up fifty-four and got blown out by a team that has been playing as poor as anybody lately.
32. Detroit Lions (0-11)	Well, the Titans have a loss, but the Lions still don’t have any wins. They put up some points against a staunch Bucs defense, but they can’t seem to keep points off the board.

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NFL Power Rankings, Week 12

Eleven weeks into the season and we still have an undefeated team and a team with no wins. It’s a little bit like last year except nobody seems to think the Titans are as dominant as the Pats, or the Lions as miserable as the Dolphins. But the last few weeks will answer some of those questions. And others, like where did the Buffalo team from the first four weeks go? And which Colts team will show up as the season wears on?

So here's my take:

TEAM
1. Tennessee Titans (10-0)	Another week, another victory. The only difference this time was that the Titans WRs put up massive numbers. Well, Justin Gage at least. They are winning games in all different ways.
2. NY Giants (9-1)	If it wasn’t for the Titans everybody would be talking about the Giants. While the Titans squeeze out close wins, the Giants just blow teams away.
3. Carolina Panthers (8-2)	They are not exactly pounding weak competition lately, but wins are wins. With eight of them in the bag, they are looking to start securing a playoff bye.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3)	When Big Ben doesn’t turn the ball over the Steelers are a tough team to beat. It was an ugly win, but that defense will make other teams look bad often.
5. Tampa Bay Bucs (7-3)	They got the win, but with Earnest Graham lost for the season, that’s a huge weight to put on the tiny shoulders of Warrick Dunn. I don’t know if he can still handle it.
6. Arizona Cardinals (7-3)	The receivers keep rotating the big games, but as long as all three of them are on the field, it’s going to be a tough task for any team to shut down this offense.
7. Washington Redskins (6-4)	They’ve seen a very promising season suddenly take a turn towards a potential postseason at home. Campbell needs to step back up and lead this team in the right direction.
8. NY Jets (7-3)	I still won’t say I’m a believer, but with the defense playing the way it has, there has been far less pressure on Favre to put the Jets on his back. Which is a good thing.
9. Indianapolis Colts (6-4)	They may have finally taken a permanent step in the direction of being a solid team again. Of course, they could very easily take another step backwards this week.
10. New England Patriots (6-4)	Matt Cassell is starting to look like an NFL starting quarterback more and more every week. Now if they could only find a running game to help him out.
11. Atlanta Falcons (6-4)	Could have put themselves firmly in the playoff picture with a win against the Broncos. They’ve been there before, but getting there this year would be something special.
12. Miami Dolphins (6-4)	They certainly don’t look pretty going it, but the Dolphins continue to win games and are proving that a solid running game can make up for deficiencies elsewhere.
13. GB Packers (5-5)	I don’t think many people saw that coming. A thirty-four point trouncing of the Bears keeps the Packers moving in the right direction.
14. Dallas Cowboys (6-4)	Well Romo wasn’t pretty, but he made the plays when he needed to, which is more than can be said for the guys that replaced him while he was out.
15. Philadelphia Eagles (5-4-1)	Its bad enough to be the first team to tie a game in the NFL in years. It makes it even harder to take when you tie a team that has barely shown a pulse.
16. Baltimore Ravens (6-4)	Ran into a big test against the Giants and failed miserably. I wonder if John Harbaugh even knows what is going on with his running backs at this point.
17. Denver Broncos (6-4)	Kept themselves alive with a big win over Atlanta led by another new rushing leader in former college FB Peyton Hillis. Do they keep more RBs on their roster than every other team combined?
18. Buffalo Bills (5-5)	Just when everybody started talking about how great Trent Edwards was looking, he reverted back to the type of QB the Bills are used to, immobile, inaccurate and with no confidence to speak of.
19. Minnesota Vikings (5-5)	This is a team whose defense and running attack are built to lead them to the postseason, but if they can’t be a consistent passing game going that is never going to happen.
20. New Orleans Saints (5-5)	Another win at the right time keeps the Saints in the picture, but Marques Colston needs to show that his thumb is no longer a problem if they are going to take it to the next level.
21. Cleveland Browns (4-6)	Win number one for Brady Quinn. The kid sure looked good, but the Browns have shown a scary inability to put games away when they have big leads.
22. Chicago Bears (5-5)	Not the statement the Bears wanted to make when they took on the Packers. They have some time left, but they need to move past that game quickly.
23. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-6)	Didn’t necessarily want to run into the Titans while trying to build some momentum off last weeks win. Now they need to start all over again.
24. Houston Texans (3-7)	Playing in the division with the Colts is a good barometer for a team’s progress. Right now the Texans just can’t seem to get over that hump.
25. SD Chargers (3-6)	Tough loss against the Steelers and a really random score. But its been a pretty random year for a team that most people thought could contend for a Super Bowl birth.
26. SF 49ers (3-7)	Climb out of the basement another step after taking on the Rams. They are really only a good, consistent QB away from being a playoff team.
27. Seattle Seahawks (2-9)	Hung tough with the Cardinals, but these teams aren’t even in the same league right now. The Seahawks are just a mess.
28. St. Louis Rams (2-8)	All the promise from those two wins in a row has vanished into thin air now. As has the performance of Donnie Avery. Where has he gone?
29. Oakland Raiders (2-8)	Oakland is simply very bad at putting the ball into the other teams endzone right now. Its unfortunate for them that that’s a very important part of winning football games.
30. Cincinnati Bengals (1-8-1)	Well, a tie isn’t a loss, so that’s one thing to be proud of. In fact it might be the other thing this once potent offense has to keep their heads up over.
31. KC Chiefs (1-8)	Well, they didn’t blow this lead, but they still lost another game. Good thing for them the Bills might be playing even worse football at the moment.
32. Detroit Lions (0-10)	They continue to keep teams close, but can’t seem to find that mythical win. Culpepper didn’t look too bad and he might be the one to help them overcome that obstacle.

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NFL Power Rankings, Week 11

So here's my take:

TEAM
1. Tennessee Titans (9-0)	Another week, another close victory keeps the Titans undefeated. Even without their normally sure fire running game, they were still able to follow Collins’ arm to a win.
2. NY Giants (8-1)	Great offensive performance propelled them to another big victory. With Jacobs running like that, it’ll be hard for anybody to play with them.
3. Carolina Panthers (7-2)	As of right now, D’Angelo Williams is doing his best to hold of Jonathan Stewart for the starting tailback job. He’s helping the Panthers win some games too.
4. Washington Redskins (6-3)	While the Cowboys tried to regroup and the Giants beat back the Eagles, the Redskins sat at home, getting rested to make a run at the NFC East crown.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3)	Willie Parker claims his injury isn’t that serious, but Steelers fans have to be holding their breath a little bit. Mewelde Moore is doing a fine job, but he is just not the same back.
6. Tampa Bay Bucs (6-3)	They have some work to do to make that offense more consistent and it starts with getting Joey Galloway back involved.
7. Arizona Cardinals (6-3)	Needed a late stand to beat the 49ers, but a win is a win. They need Hightower to give them a bit more, but with Breaston, Boldin and Fitzgerald all involved, they are scary.
8. New England Patriots (6-3)	Didn’t look pretty, but behind Cassel’s legs and their defense, they climbed their way to the top spot in the AFC East and reminded people that they have other players besides Tom.
9. Baltimore Ravens (6-3)	A week after Ray Rice goes off, John Harbaugh claimed both RBs would see equal time. Then McGahee dominated carries and scored 2 TDs. Maybe he tricked the Texans.
10. Atlanta Falcons (6-3)	Continued to play undefeated football at home. Matt Ryan is starting to look really comfortable, but that secondary really clamped down on Brees and the Saints.
11. Philadelphia Eagles (5-4)	Missed a huge opportunity to make up ground in the division. That defense never used to let up that many points. It can’t all be b/c of the Giants.
12. Indianapolis Colts (5-4)	Started to claw back to relevance after a huge win against the Steelers, but Marvin Harrison may never be the same WR that he was even two years ago.
13. NY Jets (6-3)	Yes, it was 47 points against the Rams, but that defense has been playing great over the last few weeks. Maybe it really was money well spent.
14. GB Packers (4-5)	Needed that win to keep pace in the division, but also to keep spirits high. On the plus side, Ryan Grant is looking strong again. On the negative, they are now under .500
15. Miami Dolphins (5-4)	The wildcat formation has led the Dolphins to another win and out of the cellar in the AFC East. They’ve been overshadowed by the Falcons, but this is a very nice one year turn-around.
16. Buffalo Bills (5-4)	They have won only one of their last five games after starting 4-0. Even more problematic than that is that three of those games were to teams in AFC East.
17. Minnesota Vikings (5-4)	Avoiding a big loss to the Packers when Crosby missed that 52-yard field goal. They look good when AP and Chester both get involved in the offense.
18. Dallas Cowboys (5-4)	I don’t think there could have possibly been a team that needed the bye week more. When Romo is under center, they can play with anybody, so don’t write them off yet.
19. Denver Broncos (5-4)	Two RBs on the IR, another with a lingering injury and Mike Shanahan is still able to pull something out of his hat. Torain looked pretty good for his first action.
20. Chicago Bears (5-4)	Maybe it was the Titans, or maybe it was Rex Grossman, but that wasn’t the same offense that has been taking the field the last few weeks.
21. New Orleans Saints (4-5)	They have some problems on offense with Shockey starting to cause the same problems he did in New York. They get Bush back after the bye, but it may be too late.
22. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-5)	There’s the running game that went missing over the last few weeks. Maybe Detroit is just what the Jaguars needed to get back on track.
23. Cleveland Browns (3-6)	Brady Quinn did what he could to keep the Browns in it, but they may have secured themselves a place outside the playoffs with that one and now they have a QB controversy on their hands.
24. Houston Texans (3-6)	Another team that just isn’t the same without their QB in the game. It’s shocking that there was supposed to be a controversy between Shaub and Rosenfels at one time.
25. SD Chargers (3-5)	OK, maybe they needed the bye week more than the Cowboys. They have just been terrible this season after coming so close to another Super Bowl trip last year.
26. St. Louis Rams (2-7)	The good will after those two wins seems to have worn off in St. Louis. The offense has continued its slide into the dumps and the defense is now playing equally as bad.
27. Oakland Raiders (2-7)	Three combined points in their last two games. That’s not going to make Al Davis happy in his Owners box.
28. Seattle Seahawks (2-8)	Seneca Wallace isn’t losing games for the Seahawks. The bad news: the rest of the team is bad enough to lose them for him.
29. SF 49ers (2-7)	Almost pulled off the upset against the Cardinals on the road, but came up just short. But that’s kind of been the story lately huh?
30. KC Chiefs (1-7)	They needed to get their RBs healthy, but Charles could do some damage in the league as he gets comfortable with the offense and the schemes.
31. Cincinnati Bengals (1-8)	Well, they can at least rejoice in not being the worst team in the NFL. Now if they can try to get more out of Cedric Benson than any other team has.
32. Detroit Lions (0-9)	The winless streak continues after getting drubbed by Jacksonville. Can they only hit Calvin Johnson on deep balls? How about some intermediate routes?

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NFL Power Rankings, Week 10

A lot of changes along the bottom half of the rankings this week as teams continue to show their true colors. And we still have one winless and one undefeated team in the NFL. Which one will remove the zero first?

So here's my take:

TEAM
1. Tennessee Titans (8-0)	They made plays when it counted and came away with yet another win. That defense is 100% for real and Chris Johnson is a treat to watch.
2. NY Giants (7-1)	They were licking their lips when the Cowboys came in without Romo. Jacobs was running people over all game and they destroyed Dallas.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)	Came back after losing to the Giants and showed that they are still among the NFL elite. But they need Big Ben if they are going to remain that way.
4. Carolina Panthers (6-2)	Move up a spot without even playing. If only the NFL was always this easy.
5. Washington Redskins (6-3)	The score was a bit deceptive. The ‘Skins had almost the same amount of total yards and the same distribution among passing and rushing yards, but those two INTs by Campbell really hurt.
6. Philadelphia Eagles (5-3)	The running game couldn’t get off the ground and there was a lot of David Akers, but they never really looked to be in trouble against the weak Seahakws.
7. Tampa Bay Bucs (6-3)	They definitely weren’t convincing, but that was a pretty impressive comeback against the Chiefs and at this point in the season winning is all that really matters.
8. Arizona Cardinals (5-3)	Another impressive offensive performance from Warner and Co. They definitely will have a strong running game for years to come the way Hightower is playing.
9. GB Packers (4-4)	Came closer to beating the Titans than any other team has, but they let them off the hook way too many times. Maybe once Harris and Bigby shake the rust off they wont drop that picks.
10. Baltimore Ravens (5-3)	Cancel what I said last week, Ray Rice now has played the best game of his rookie career. McGahee was active, but didn’t play and Rice took full advantage.
11. New England Patriots (5-3)	Failed to take the top spot in the AFC East after getting beat by the kicker that they let go a year ago.
12. Buffalo Bills (5-3)	Played the two supposed doormats of the division and lost both games. Not the way you prove to people that you are a team to take seriously.
13. Atlanta Falcons (5-3)	Won that game on offense and defense, keeping the Raiders off the board and piling up some good numbers of their own. They may sneak into the postseason.
14. New Orleans Saints (4-4)	Reggie Bush probably won’t make it back this week, but if he comes back against KC and Deuce keeps running the way he has been, this offense is going to be a machine.
15. Dallas Cowboys (5-4)	They should have gone with Brooks Bollinger to start the game. Brad Johnson just has nothing left in the tank and now they have dug themselves a very deep hole.
16. Chicago Bears (5-3)	Rex Grossman led the comeback. But it’s hard for Bears fans to keep their hopes up when they have seen him fail so many times. Expect to see a lot of Forte until Orton comes back.
17. Indianapolis Colts (4-4)	Not a typical Colts win, but they put one in the right column with solid defense and special teams. Just wasn’t as exciting as that game normally is.
18. NY Jets (5-3)	Great performance by their defense covered up a bad game from Favre and helped the Jets to a huge win and a share of first in the AFC East.
19. Minnesota Vikings (4-4)	Solid performance from Adrian Peterson and the Vikings are right back in the thick of things in the NFC.
20. Houston Texans (3-5)	Couldn’t pull off a fourth win in a row, and it probably didn’t help that they had to play most f the game without Shaub who was as hot as any QB in the NFL the past few weeks.
21. Miami Dolphins (4-4)	Maybe this team has a little more fight in it than I originally thought. The running game was held in check and they were still able to pull out a nice win.
22. Denver Broncos (4-4)	They get equally enigmatic Cleveland this week to hopefully turn things around, but with Pittman and Hall out for the year and Young injured, it’s going to be a tall order.
23. Cleveland Browns (3-5)	Getting outscored 17-0 in the 4^th quarter is not a good way to win a football game. Insert Brady Quinn at QB and hope that he can make some more things happen on offense.
24. SD Chargers (3-5)	They better use the bye week to figure some things out, because they are far too good a team to be playing this poorly.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-5)	Ladies and Gentleman we have the first team to lose to Cincinnati. It’s a pretty sad week in Jacksonville right now and that vaunted running game is struggling something fierce.
26. St. Louis Rams (2-6)	That’s where Torry Holt went. Now if they can only get Holt and Avery to make plays in the same game they may start winning with a bit more consistency.
27. Oakland Raiders (2-6)	Played flat and got embarrassed by a Falcons team that they could have beaten. Its two young team that are at different levels of rebuilding right now.
28. Seattle Seahawks (2-6)	Well it was fun for a week. This is just not a team that is going to scare anybody. Especially anybody respectable.
29. SF 49ers (2-6)	Needed the bye week badly. They have a new QB in, but it’s still not Alex Smith. I wonder if he’s career has taken the David Carr route.
30. KC Chiefs (1-7)	On the positive side, they don’t appear to be giving up. But they have got to start winning some of these games that they are just handing back to other teams.
31. Cincinnati Bengals (1-8)	The Bengals finally put one in the win column. Chad Ocho Cinco woke up enough to catch 2 TD passes and Cedric Benson showed he still has a pulse. Maybe they won’t end up with the worst record.
32. Detroit Lions (0-8)	Almost matched the Bengals with their first win, but the stars just do not seem to be aligned for the Lions this year.

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Magic Run Ends for Rays

After having your season ended in drawn-out fashion, the last thing you want to hear is that you should be proud to have even been in the position to begin with. But in the case of the Tampa Bay Rays, that’s exactly how they should feel.

Yes, they can be disappointed that they didn’t win just three more games and sure, they can feel crushed by watching the Phillies celebrate in front of them. But put into perspective what the Rays were able to do this year and you’ll find an amazing amount to be proud of.

The Rays were the worst team in baseball last year. They didn’t hit, they couldn’t field and they had trouble finding any consistent pitching. They were a team filled with young players carrying heaps of potential, but putting together terrible results. Then in one season they turned everything on its head. Sure, they only hit .260 as a team (good for 21st in the Majors), but their defense was one of the best, committing only 90 errors, 9th best in the Majors and having the 10th highest fielding percentage. With the trade for Matt Garza, the signing of Troy Percival and the immergence of J.P. Howell, the pitching improved leaps and bounds too, carrying the 3rd best ERA in the majors at 3.82 and coming in 2nd in the league with 52 saves.

In the playoffs, the hitting took off as well. BJ Upton found his swing despite a shoulder injury that will need surgery, hitting 7 HRs and knocking in 16 runs, both tops in either league. Evan Longoria continued to swing a hot bat coming off a wrist injury hitting six HRs and knocking in 13 runs, which would have put him atop the NL in both categories. Plus, the entire team caused havoc all over the basepaths.

But a funny thing happened in the World Series, the hits just stopped coming. The Rays hit only .212 uin the World Series and a team that couldn’t leave a runner on base in the Championship Series stranded what seemed like an entire town. Longoria, Upton and Pena went cold. Longira hit .050 getting only one hit in twenty at-bats. Pena wasn't much better, hitting .118 with only one extra abse hit and the hero of the previous series, BJ Upton, found himself stifled as well, hitting .250 with only one RBI. On top of all that, the pitching suffered as well. They couldn’t get the dominating outing that they needed so badly from one of their starters, as the team compiled a 4.50 ERA, almost a full run higher than their season ERA. JP Howell and Dan Wheeler both had ERAs over 6 and only Shield among the starters had an ERA under 4.50.

So was it just the Phillies year, or were the Rays simply a young team that ran out of gas a few blocks before the finish line? Sure the Phillies bullpen has been unstoppable all year long. Brad Lidge hasn’t blown a save and the team is 80-0 when they lead after 8 innings. But in the World Series Lidge and Romero proved to be the only two effective relievers, as Madson's ERA soared to just under 5. Sure Ryan Howard had three HRs in five games and Jayson Werth hit just under .500, but the Phillies hit only .262 for the series. If you look at performance alone there are countless reasons why the Phillies bested the Rays in quick fashion. However, after the season they put together, this year will always go down as the year the Rays lost the World Series.

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NFL Power Rankings, Week 9

As the playoff pictures begin to start taking shape, we are looking at a vastly different postseason landscape than we have become accustomed to. We already know there will be no Brady, but as the weeks play out it looks as their we may not see Favre or Manning throwing passes, or LT and the Jags two-headed tandem rushing for touchdowns.

So here's my take:

TEAM
1. Tennessee Titans (7-0)	Another huge win and this one coming in primetime against a division opponent. The last unbeaten in the NFL is looking very strong.
2. NY Giants (6-1)	Eli Manning looked flustered and jumpy and the offense couldn’t put the ball into the end zone…until it mattered late in the 4^th quarter. Good teams win those games.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)	Had the Giants on the ropes, but a bad snap and a porous offensive line prevented any significant offensive performances from the Steeler starters.
4. Washington Redskins (6-2)	Looked at some points like they were going to be the team to give the Rams and Lions their first wins, but they pulled their head out with enough time to rally and beat the Lions.
5. Carolina Panthers (6-2)	Climbed aboard Steve Smith’s shoulders and rallied to beat the Cardinals and make a claim among the NFC elite. Now if they can get consistent efforts from the RBs, who appear to both be hit and miss.
6. Philadelphia Eagles (4-3)	Westbrook was all over the field, running and catching the Eagles to an important victory. McNabb is going to have to be a little more effective throwing the ball if they are going to beat the better teams.
7. Tampa Bay Bucs (5-3)	The Bucs showed what happens when you let a team hang around by never putting the ball into the end zone with multiple opportunities.
8. Dallas Cowboys (5-3)	A week after losing Roy Williams and Pacman Jones, the defense rebounded with a solid performance that led to a Cowboy win. But this is not 2003 and they will not win games with Brad Johnson.
9. Arizona Cardinals (4-3)	They had the Panthers down early, but some crucial turnovers really hurt their chances. On the positive side, the return of Boldin gives them three legitimate WR threats again now that Breaston has emerged.
10. Buffalo Bills (5-2)	Played a very sloppy game coming off of a big win. Edwards looked uncharacteristically shaky and the offensive line failed to block well all game. Now the East is all tied up.
11. New England Patriots (5-2)	Reclaimed a tie for first place in the division with a comeback win against the rejuvenated Rams. They just keep rotating in those RBs and seem to still find a combination that works.
12. GB Packers (4-3)	They can use the bye week to rest some of their injured defenders and try to figure out how to get more long runs from Grant again, who has really seen his YPC plummet.
13. Baltimore Ravens (4-3)	Ray Rice played the best game of his rookie season and McGahee scored another TD as the Raven controlled the clock and dominated the Raiders. They are going to need to pound the ball to win.
14. New Orleans Saints (4-4)	Proved that they can still put up big offensive numbers even without Reggie Bush. Deuce proved that he can be a #1 RB again and Colston proved that he is back from his injury. A good week.
15. Atlanta Falcons (4-3)	Hung tough with one of the best teams in the NFC for much of the game, which is a testament to this young team. They have the pieces and are certainly going in the right direction.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4)	Had the bye week to prepare and still looked overmatched against the rebounding Browns. The passing attack was solid, but how could Drew and Taylor get nothing done against that defense?
17. Indianapolis Colts (3-4)	Is it possible that we are going to see a postseason without Brady and Manning throwing passes in the AFC? It’s slowly beginning to look that way.
18. Houston Texans (3-4)	For the third week in a row Matt Shaub has put on a clinic under center. Last week he won a game with the legs and this week, he throws for over 300 yards and 3 TDs. Something might be brewing.
19. Denver Broncos (4-3)	A great time for a week off in Denver. They really need to figure out what is going on with that offense and how they can get back to the performances they put up early in the season.
20. Chicago Bears (4-3)	Welcomed the bye week with open arms. If they can get a healthy secondary to join this newly potent offense they could still sneak into the postseason.
21. Cleveland Browns (3-4)	A gigantic win against the Jaguars has the Browns back in position to make some noise in the AFC. They are starting to regain the form that made them a popular sleeper pick.
22. Minnesota Vikings (3-4)	The two Williams’ on the defensive line both tested positive for banned substances. For a defense that is built on stopping the run, that might be the worst news you can get.
23. NY Jets (4-3)	Thanks to Brady’s injury, the wide open AFC East and the Chiefs, the Jets are only one game out of first place. Against a better team Favre wouldn’t have gotten away with all those picks.
24. SD Chargers (3-5)	They are searching for answers, but just aren’t able to put their finger on anything. A normally solid defense lets up 37 points and leads to their coordinator getting fired. Might take more than that.
25. Miami Dolphins (3-4)	Welcome to the NFL Tedd Ginn. After 18 months of trash from Ginn and a week after I called out Pennington for his poor performance, they torched the Bills secondary and led Miami to a win.
26. St. Louis Rams (2-5)	Put up a good fight and were a few plays away from coming up with their third straight win. Donnie Avery has been a great find at WR, but where has Torry Holt gone?
27. Oakland Raiders (2-5)	Went back to their dismal ways after pulling the upset over the Jets. Fargas was unable to move the ball on the ground and with the exception of Miller, they don’t have a consistent receiving threat.
28. Seattle Seahawks (2-5)	Seneca Wallace threw for 200 plus yards and 2 TDs and FB Leonard Weaver was the leading receiver and the Seahawks dominated the 49ers. Strange days.
29. SF 49ers (2-6)	After last week I didn’t think it was possible that any team could look worse than Seattle. But then the 49ers got blown out at home by the Seahawks, so…
30. KC Chiefs (1-6)	Had their chances against the Jets, but couldn’t capitalize on Favre’s mistakes. Without LJ, Jamal Charles might be the RB to watch going forward.
31. Cincinnati Bengals (0-8)	It might not be a stretch to say that the Bengals are the worst team in football. Why rush Palmer back when none of the games he is going to play will mean anything?
32. Detroit Lions (0-7)	Another game, another zero in the win column. They need more than Calvin Johnson on offense or they are never going to do anything but threaten to win.

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NFL Power Rankings, Week 8

It seems as though some teams are changing their fortunes, just not all of them were hoping for such a drastic shift. Denver and Dallas and continuing to struggle, while St. Louis and Cleveland are taking big steps in erasing the mediocrity of the beginning of their seasons. And what a week for back-up runningbacks. Melwelde Moore and Sammy Morris seemed to love having “Morr” of a role. (Sorry, couldn’t help it).

So here's my take:

TEAM
1. Tennessee Titans (6-0)	Funny, I don’t even think anybody has thought about Vince Young since Week 2 of this season. The Titans just continue to roll and are one of the toughest running teams in the league.
2. NY Giants (5-1)	Well, it was never gonna be fun for the team that came to the Meadowlands to play the Giants after last week’s loss. Jacobs looked very strong again carrying much of the offensive load.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1)	The depth they have in the backfield is just absurd. Melwelde Moore had another great game as the Pittsburgh starter and the Steelers are looking as dominant as ever.
4. Tampa Bay Bucs (5-2)	Didn’t look as dominant as the week before, but did enough to put away lowly Seattle. They are a much more solid offense with Garcia under center.
5. Washington Redskins (5-2)	Squeaked out a win a week after falling to St. Louis. The win is a good end result, but only mounting 14 points against Cleveland’s D is a bit concerning. Certainly wasn’t Portis’ fault though.
6. Philadelphia Eagles (3-3)	With Dallas struggling and Washington looking vulnerable two weeks in a row, the Eagles can come off the bye and put themselves in good shape to get back in the NFC East race.
7. Arizona Cardinals (4-2)	It’s their division to lose right now. After knocking the Cowboys off their pedestal last week, Arizona is primed to make some serious noise in the NFC.
8. Buffalo Bills (5-1)	Went into SD and came away with a victory against a talented, but under-performing Chargers team. They are really beginning to click on all cylinders.
9. Carolina Panthers (5-2)	Another team that rebounded after a brutal loss. They just manhandled the Saints and Jonathan Stewart is beginning to look like a star in the making.
10. Dallas Cowboys (4-3)	What a difference from the first four weeks. They are clearly not a dynamic offensive team without Romo. They bring in a huge weapon in Roy Williams, but lose his name brother, and possibly Pacman for the season. No good for that defense
11. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3)	With Indianapolis still proving to be an enigma, the Jags can take a firm hold of second place with a win over Cleveland coming off the bye week.
12. GB Packers (4-3)	Ryan Grant has continued to look better each week after starting the season on a really bad note. If he starts running like he did last year, this team is going to get hot, fast.
13. Indianapolis Colts (3-3)	Certainly not the way to build on the momentum of last week. Manning looked very ordinary against the Packers D and the Colts couldn’t stop the run.
14. Baltimore Ravens (3-2)	Willis McGahee may finally be regaining a little bit of strength in his knee, which would add another weapon to the offense for rookie Joe Flacco.
15. New England Patriots (4-2)	Well, it wasn’t Maroney, but the Patriots found a running game, gaining about three games worth of yardage against the Denver defense in the win.
16. SD Chargers (3-3)	Phillip Rivers looked a little sloppy and the INT he threw in the end zone was huge. They are running out of time to try and right the ship.
17. Atlanta Falcons (4-2)	They were starting to get hot, so the bye may not have come at the best time, but if they can keep the momentum going they may force people to take them seriously.
18. Denver Broncos (4-3)	You would think that after SD lit New England’s pass defense up, Denver would be able to do the same. Maybe the problems in Denver are bigger than initially thought.
19. Chicago Bears (3-4)	They are losing some heartbreaking games, but Kyle Orton has really opened some eyes. They need to get healthy in the secondary, or they are going to have problems stopping anybody.
20. New Orleans Saints (3-3)	Colston and Shockey were supposed to play, but didn’t and the Saints probably could have used them. They are really gonna need them now after possibly losing Bush for the majority of the remaining weeks.
21. Minnesota Vikings (3-3)	The defense certainly didn’t inspire much confidence, but Gus Frerrote has been good since becoming the starter. And with Peterson in the backfield, he only needs to be good.
22. Houston Texans (2-4)	Matt Shaub has started to settle in again under center, which is good news for a young team trying to rebound from a slow start. With Shaub, Johnson and Slaton, they can put up some points.
23. Cleveland Browns (2-4)	Just a few breaks away from winning their third game in a row. They can still make some noise, but they are going to have to go on a serious roll. They have the talent to do it.
24. NY Jets (3-3)	Losing to Oakland is never good for a team’s morale. It’s even worse when that team continues to lose ground in their division. The Jets need to hope Cotchery is not hurt.
25. St. Louis Rams (2-4)	Two games and two wins for Jim Haslett. And against two talented opponents. With Bulger, Holt and Jackson, the offense has the pieces to succeed if they can be used right.
26. SF 49ers (2-5)	Maybe its time for me to give up on them like everybody else. Or, maybe Josh Morgan will continue to blossom and add another weapon for J.T. O’Sullivan…
27. Oakland Raiders (2-4)	JaMarcus Russell played mistake-free football and the Raiders pulled out a close win on the strength of their defense. That’s a sentence that fans in Oakland want to start hearing more of.
28. Miami Dolphins (2-4)	New Yorkers used to say that Chad Pennington may not have been pretty doing it, but he won football games. Well, now he’s not playing pretty and not winning games. Chad Henne time.
29. Seattle Seahawks (1-5)	No healthy WRs and now Seneca Wallace starts at QB instead of Matt Hasselback. They are certainly not moving in the right direction right now.
30. Cincinnati Bengals (0-7)	Without Palmer and with no running game, this once prolific offense has been seriously grounded. Will they actually be the last winless team?
31. KC Chiefs (1-4)	Really saw the talent discrepancy between them and Tennessee this week. Brodie Croyle is out now, but he wasn’t really making much of a positive impact beforehand anyways. This is going to start getting ugly very soon.
32. Detroit Lions (0-6)	They put a lot of pressure on Calvin Johnson when they traded Roy Williams, but he certainly responded with a big game. At least one of their WR draft picks worked out.

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A Young Offensive Powerhouse is Born

When the Division Series games were over, I drafted an article in my head about the four remaining teams. The Dodgers, Phillies, Red Sox and Rays were all propelled towards success by great pitching and solid defensive play. Each team had a pair of aces, strong bullpens and among the fewest errors of any team in Major League Baseball. The Phillies proved this fact as they kept the Dodgers offense at bay all series and their bullpen was dominant in all four wins. But something funny happened when Tampa Bay met Boston, the Rays offense was uncharacteristically dominant.

This was a Tampa team that had no regular starter hit over .300 in the regular season. They had two legitimate home run threats, but one (Evan Longoria) was coming off a wrist injury and the other (Carlos Pena) struck out almost five times as much as he drove one out of the yard. This was your small market, small budget club that relied on under the radar free agent signings and solid, if unspectacular players over flashy stars. Their manager, Joe Maddon, even referred to shortstop Jason Bartlett as his one non-disposable player. Bartlett who hit .280 in the regular season and had one home run was irreplaceable? In Tampa’s system this would be true, and why? Because Bartlett solidified the infield defense, was a smart baserunner and made consistent contact. He was what Tampa’s offense was all about. Until the postseason started.

A first postseason is supposed to be overwhelming for young teams like the Rays. Instead it seemed to light a fire under them. The offense started building against the Chicago White Sox, led by Evan Longoria and his two home runs in his first two postseason at-bats. Then against the Red Sox, the offense absolutely exploded. They hit over .400 with runners in scoring position. They stole successfully over 90% of the time and they got the lead-off man on in seemingly every single inning.

And then there was the long ball. The postseason Rays have been a drastically different team than the regular season Rays. They hit over fifteen homeruns in the nine games against the White Sox and Red Sox. BJ Upton, who had hit only three home runs in his last 250 at-bats in the regular season was hitting what felt like a home run in every at-bat, seeing his postseason total climb to seven by the time the Red Sox series was over. That was good enough to put him one away from tying the record for most home runs in a postseason.

But he wasn’t alone. Longoria joined him with six homeruns heading into the World Series. And if Longoria didn’t put one out, then Carlos Pena was sure to. Heck, even Willy Aybar and Jason Bartlett (who had one HR all season) got in on the fun. Pair that was a healthy and resurgent Carl Carwford, who came alive when he went 5-5 in Game 4, and the top of the Rays lineup was a minefield to pitch through. It was reminiscent of the lineup the Red Sox trotted onto the field last year when opposing pitching staffs needed to get through Ramirez, Ortiz, Youkilis, Drew and Lowell, all healthy and all packing serious punch in their lumber.

So what does this mean for the upcoming World Series? Maybe the Rays will fade, as people have expected all year long, or maybe the fire will continue to burn. After all, teams don’t often come into Fenway Park in the postseason and push Boston around. Teams don’t also weather the Boston comeback like the Rays did. The Yankees couldn’t do it when they lost four straight in 2004 and the Indians couldn’t do it when they lost three straight last year. But they stood up to the challenge. So with continued solid pitching, clutch hitting, rangy defense, great team speed and an explosion of team power doesn’t that classify the Rays as a five-tool team? With those offensive tools now in the bag, they have truly become the team to beat going forward.

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NFL Power Rankings, Week 7

What a crazy weekend of last second wins and comeback drives.

So here's my take:

TEAM
1. Tennessee Titans (5-0)	It’s gotta be a great feeling, to rest up and watch all the teams in front of you lose while you get healthy.
2. NY Giants (4-1)	Tennessee now remains the only unbeaten team in the NFL after the Gianst got blown out by CLE. The Giants really could have used a win to gain some ground in the NFC East.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)	This is a team that needed a bye week more than anybody. They can rest up their top two RBs and come back stronger while still sporting a great record.
4. Dallas Cowboys (4-2)	A week after Wade Phillips downplayed the shaky win against the Bengals, the Cowboys sure didn’t answer any of the questions. They benefited from a few 1^st half calls and still couldn’t grab the win.
5. Tampa Bay Bucs (4-2)	A week after shutting down Denver, they bottle up a Carolina team that had 400 yards the week before. They are flying all over the field and look very solid right now.
6. Philadelphia Eagles (3-3)	Scored 23 points in the fourth quarter without their best playmaker. That’s a great sign for a team that will use its bye to get Westbrook and last years leading WR, Kevin Curtis, healthy.
7. Washington Redskins (4-2)	After winning four games in a row they come back home and lose to the previously winless Rams. Still had a solid 4^th quarter, but couldn’t find a way to make up for the early turnovers.
8. Indianapolis Colts (3-2)	Well those are the Colts of old. 31 points hung on the Ravens including two TD passes from Manning to Harrison. Felt like five years ago.
9. Arizona Cardinals (4-2)	After years of showing flashes of being a playoff team, they might actually take a big step this year. They beat the Cowboys all day long and would have won by more if it wasn’t for penalties and bad calls.
10. Buffalo Bills (4-1)	The bye week couldn’t have come at a better time for them with Trent Edwards recovering from the concussion that knocked him out of last weeks game.
11. Carolina Panthers (4-2)	Just got pummeled by the Bucs. The offense couldn’t get anything going and they now are tied atop the division. Doesn’t get easier next week against the Saints.
12. Denver Broncos (4-2)	It seems that after four weeks teams finally realized how to hold the Denver passing attack in check. Maybe Mike Shanahan should try giving Selvin Young more carries when he comes back.
13. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3)	This is a team that is really hard to figure out. They have all the pieces in place and proved last year that they can make late runs, but can they do it two years in a row?
14. New Orleans Saints (3-2)	Oakland isn’t a powerhouse by any means, but they have been playing some good defense the last few seasons. It’s scary to think that the Saints can hang 34 on a team without Colston and Shockey.
15. SD Chargers (3-3)	That’s more like it. Even without Chris Chambers they put together a dominant offensive and defensive performance to throttle to Patriots.
16. Chicago Bears (3-3)	What a comeback orchestrated by Kyle Orton to put the Bears up at the end. Too bad the defense wasn’t able to do the same. That’s a tough loss right as they were getting on a roll.
17. Baltimore Ravens (2-2)	When their defense gives up that many points they just aren’t going to win any games. They don’t have the offense to keep up with teams that can score quickly.
18. GB Packers (3-3)	They desperately needed a win and thanked the football gods that Seattle came to town. With the Bears loss they are still in great shape in their division, but their D needs to get healthy.
19. Atlanta Falcons (4-2)	Young teams with rookie QBs are not supposed to win games like that. Ryan showed poise beyond his years and now the Falcons are tied for 1^st in their division.
20. NY Jets (3-2)	They continue to hang tough in the AFC East. As Favre continues to get more comfortable in the offense, they are going to be a harder team to dismiss.
21. Cleveland Browns (2-3)	A huge win against the defending champs on Monday night. They really put themselves back in the mix.
22. New England Patriots (3-2)	Just looked terribly overmatched against the Chargers on Sunday night. Randy Moss can’t be happy.
23. Minnesota Vikings (2-3)	Another late second win in Week 6 kept the Vikings from being the first team to fall to the Bears. And another week with a big play from Berrian. They need him.
24. Houston Texans (1-4)	Just as it looked like the Texans would fail to hold onto another lead, they come right back and steal one from the Dolphins. Maybe this will get them going.
25. SF 49ers (2-4)	Gave up 23 points in the fourth quarter to blow a lead against the Eagles. With all the money they’ve spent on defense in the last few years, there is just no excuse for that.
26. Miami Dolphins (2-3)	Could have kept pace in the division, but a 4^th down QB draw changed all of that. They are going to need to find a consistent passing attack to go with their two-RB offense.
27. Seattle Seahawks (1-4)	Man, they really just look terrible. If this is Mike Holmgren’s last year, he really picked a bad one to go out on.
28. Oakland Raiders (1-4)	The problems exist all throughout this Raider team. They couldn’t get anything going against a shaky Saints defense and their D looked horrendous.
29. Cincinnati Bengals (0-6)	With the Rams and Texans winning, the Bengals are now one of two winless teams in the NFL. I can’t say anything more than that.
30. KC Chiefs (1-3)	Brought back down to earth this week. The offense was held in check and the defense looked terrible. It if wasn’t for the Lions looking worse they might actually have moved down.
31. Detroit Lions (0-5)	This close to pulling off a victory against Minnesota. Kevin Smith put together a great game against a good rush D, but they just needed a few more big plays.
32. St. Louis Rams (1-4)	Jim Haslett has coached more than a few bad teams in his day, so he just may be the guy to help the Rams out. They won this game on the defensive side, so now it’s time for the offense to wake up.

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Over-Managing Dooms Angels

With their season on the line Angel’s manager Mike Scosia tried to do what his team has done all year long, manufacture a run. The problem is, this time there was one major difference, Mike didn’t let his players execute as they had for the past six months.

The Angels won 100 games this season by moving runners over, hitting behind baserunners and getting timely hits. All series long the middle of the Angels order has wrecked havoc on the Boston defense and pitching staff. Torri Hunter himself had five hits with runners in scoring position. But when the rest of the order had their chance, the results were less than inspiring. So after tying Game Four in the 8^th inning, Kendry Morales led off the 9^th with a double off the Monster. After a sacrifice bunt by Howie Kendrick, Erick Aybar came to the plate with the go-ahead run on third base. The same Erick Aybar who won Game Three with a single up the middle. This time, however, Soscia asks him to bunt and after failing to execute and watching Reggie Willits get tagged out at third base, Aybar grounded out to first and swung all the momentum in the Red Sox favor.

Now, I know if Aybar had just executed his bunt we might not be having this conversation, but the simple fact remains that it was a move that did not need to be made. With one out and a runner on third there was multiple ways the run could have come across. Delcarmen had just thrown two pitches that almost hit Aybar, so the 2-0 count was strongly in his favor. He was sure to get a fastball that he could have hit with decent power to the outfield.

Even if he failed to launch the 2-0 pitch, the Red Sox had just been crossed up on signs the inning before, which allowed Vlad Guerrero to move up and then score on the Hunter base hit. A similar cross up could have won the Angels the game. A sacrifice fly would also have worked and with Ellsbury and Bay both having average arms, anything with reasonable depth would have scored the speedy Willits. Then there is a simple base hit. Aybar executed one the night before, so why did his manager think he couldn’t do it this time?

People always say the game of baseball is played between the lines. Managers are vital in game preparation and honing the skills of the players, but once the game starts their role takes a backseat. A hit and run sign here, a bunt sign there, changing a pitcher, pinch hitting, control the running game if you’re an experienced catcher like Soscia is, but that’s about it. Most of the speedy runners in the big leagues have the green light, so even steal signs are hard to come by. You can try and trick a team every now and again, but once the first pitch has been thrown it’s up the players to execute the pitches, swings and throws that will win a ball game.

The simple fact is that the more active a manager is during a game, the more likely he is to lose games for his team than win them. In this case, Soscia lost a big one for the Angels.

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NFL Power Rankings, Week 6

Only two undefeated teams remain. Again the usual crop of talent-laden teams continues to stumble as we truly see parity in the works. Some new cream rose to the top in Washington and Carolina and some young guns stepped it up.

So here's my take:

TEAM
1. NY Giants (4-0)	Gotta move them up after this week. I know it was Seattle, but the Giants offense is playing ridiculously well right now. Maybe the playoffs really were a coming out party for Eli.
2. Dallas Cowboys (4-1)	They got the offense back on track, but that’s not really a hard thing to do against the Bengals. They need another convincing win to regain some momentum.
3. Tennessee Titans (5-0)	Made it a little interesting after I finally showed them some respect and backed them. But the bottom line is, good teams find ways to win. Barring an epic collapse, they are gonna be playoff bound.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)	Without their top two RBs they were still able to slip past a rejuvenated Jacksonville team. These are the games they have to win in order to put them in a place to succeed when healthy.
5. Washington Redskins (4-1)	They are a scary team to play right now. Any team that can dominate the 4^th quarter the way they have been recently is always going to be a tough team to beat.
6. Carolina Panthers (4-1)	It wasn’t too much to assume that they were going to bring the Chiefs back to life, but the well-rounded game they put together was a thing of beauty. So was D’Angelo Williams’ effort to hold onto his job.
7. Denver Broncos (4-1)	A week after their defense falters they step it up and bail their offense out. If they can start putting the two pieces together in one game, they are going to be far more consistent and far more dangerous.
8. Tampa Bay Bucs (3-2)	They corralled Denver’s offense, which many teams haven’t done, but they couldn’t score on Denver’s defense, which every other team has done.
9. Philadelphia Eagles (2-3)	At some point, you can’t keep saying they are just losing to good teams. Especially when they are in the division they are in. They might be staring at last place in the NFC East.
10. Buffalo Bills (4-1)	Well, they were bound to lose a game at some point. The concussion to Edwards was troubling, but Warner’s ability to carve up the secondary was even more concerning.
11. Indianapolis Colts (2-2)	That would have been a disastrous loss for the Colts. They had a San Diego-like comeback against the Texans. Now they just need to avoid a San Diego-like follow-up week.
12. Baltimore Ravens (2-1)	Almost able to hand the Titans their first loss of the year. Instead, they’ll have to settle for their own first loss. They need to find a way to get a more consistent offensive output if they want to challenge.
13. Chicago Bears (3-2)	Well, the defense we knew would always be there, but that offense…that was a nice surprise. Kyle Orton really has been pretty special this year.
14. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-3)	Missed out on a chance to make up more ground in the division. Letting up 26 points to a Steelers team that was without its top two RBs is tough to swallow. And just when they were putting things together.
15. Arizona Cardinals (3-2)	Gave the Bills their first loss in impressive fashion. Kurt Warner continues to look as solid as ever leading a very talented passing attack.
16. SD Chargers (2-3)	Talk about one step forward and two gigantic leaps backwards. After surviving the OAK game and showing some life, they get stifled and beat by Miami. They’re two teams and one really sucks.
17. New England Patriots (3-1)	A good bounce back performance after getting shellacked by Miami. Belicheck is going to keep them competitive and if the offense keeps putting up this many points they are gonna be fine.
18. GB Packers (2-3)	It may not have ended the way they wanted it to, but you can’t fault Rodgers for it. He showed some serious balls fighting through that sore shoulder and coming up with a great second half.
19. Minnesota Vikings (2-3)	Came back to squeak one out against the Saints. It was a good thing Bernard Berrian decided to show up, but they won’t win many games with AP rushing for 32 yards.
20. New Orleans Saints (2-3)	Another game slips out of their grasp. They could have arguably won every game they’ve played this year. That’s a tough pill to swallow, especially when you are dealing with so many injuries.
21. Atlanta Falcons (3-2)	Well, I may have eaten my words again saying that the Falcons can’t move the ball against a strong defense. I know GB was without Al Harris, but the Falcons line prevented pressure on Ryan all game.
22. NY Jets (2-2)	May not have been the best time for a bye week coming off the best performance of Favre’s career, but they still have some question marks to figure out.
23. Miami Dolphins (2-2)	Another strong performance. After beating down the Pats, they used their defense to keep the Chargers offense in check. They are going to sneak up on people.
24. SF 49ers (2-3)	That’s two losses in a row for a team that seemed to be getting on the right track. They can still compete in their division, but they need to start coming up with wins.
25. Cleveland Browns (1-3)	Hopefully in the bye week they found a way to regain their old offensive groove. They are gonna need it if they plan on righting the ship.
26. Houston Texans (0-4)	Another tough loss for the Texans. They had the game in the bag, but failed to put the Colts away. You can’t do that and be successful in the NFL.
27. Seattle Seahawks (1-3)	Well, they got their healthy bodies back in place, but it didn’t change the overall performance. Their defense has continued to look pathetic and their newly returned WRs did nothing to help the offense.
28. Oakland Raiders (1-3)	It seems like all the crap teams were given byes this week. Maybe that’s why the football that was played was so much better. They need JaMarcus to keep developing.
29. Cincinnati Bengals (0-5)	Well, I’d be lying if I said I ever saw this coming. Another week and another game slips through their fingers. Without a miracle their season is going to end in serious disappointment.
30. KC Chiefs (1-3)	Brought back down to earth this week. The offense was held in check and the defense looked terrible. It if wasn’t for the Lions looking worse they might actually have moved down.
31. Detroit Lions (0-4)	Firing Millen was a step in the right direction, but there are tons of problems left. The defense for one. They gave up over 30 points to the Bears offense. Not a good sign.
32. St. Louis Rams (0-4)	Let’s be realistic for a second, they don’t have any problems that are going to be cured in a bye week. This is a team in serious need of an offseason

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NFL Power Rankings, Week 5

A lot of moves around the top few spots after this week’s action. Some big losses that rivaled some of the Week 1 upsets that we saw and some teams that seem to finally have shaken off the rust and are playing up to caliber. Also some major injury concerns heading into the next few weeks for some teams. And who would have thought that the Titans, Bills and Giants would be the last 3 undefeated teams in the NFL. This could be a crazy season.

So here's my take:

TEAM
1. Dallas Cowboys (3-1)	Where was the running game? Barber and Jones were barely involved in the offense and Dallas did not look like the same team. They may have been hurt by some terrible calls, but they were outplayed.
2. NY Giants (3-0)	They jump up a spot without even playing a game. We’ll see how they handle the target on their back, as they are the last undefeated NFC team left.
3. Tennessee Titans (4-0)	Beat a solid team in MIN and are continuing to prove me wrong week after week. With Kerry Collins leading these guys, they are going to be tough to get wins off of.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)	A tough, grind it out win against a solid Ravens team. The Defense was stout again, adding a TD to go with a punishing performance.
5. SD Chargers (2-2)	Well, they looked like the Chargers of old in one quarter, piling up 25 points to come back and beat OAK. They got the win, but they need to figure out which team they want to be.
6. Philadelphia Eagles (2-2	They’re just not the same team without Westbrook. He is one of the most dynamic playmakers in the NFL and they need him if they are going to compete.
7. Buffalo Bills (4-0)	Another come from behind win for the Baby Bills. A first half like that against a top notch team may be too much for them to overcome, but this team has shown fight and is well ahead of schedule.
8. Carolina Panthers (3-1)	That’s more like it. After falling to Minnesota last week, they stepped their game up by shutting down the young Falcons team. Jonathan Stewart might become a real threat by seasons end.
9. Denver Broncos (3-1)	Well, I said the D might cause problems, but I never thought that it would be against KC. Giving up 33 points to a team that has looked that bad is inexcusable. They need to figure it out, and fast.
10. Washington Redskins (3-1)	Just a gigantic win for the Redskins. This team has just dominated the 4^th quarter all season, like good teams do. Jason Campbell may have finally found an offense that he can settle in with.
11. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2)	And just like that, Jacksonville gets back in the mix. Scobee needed to put the finishing touches on it again, but the offense is starting to look better. Matt Jones may finally have woken up.
12. GB Packers (2-2)	Not the kind of rebound game that was going to convince Packers fans that Rodgers in the long-term option, and that was before the injury. With him no longer behind center and the CBs hobbled, the hill is getting stepper.
13. Tampa Bay Bucs (3-1)	Put the clamps on the Packer offense before knocking Rodgers out of the game and got a good rushing performance from Earnest Graham. With a lot of NFC injury concerns, they could sneak their way near the top.
14.) Indianapolis Colts (1-2)	This was a team that could definitely use the Bye week…and the practice. Another week for Manning to get comfortable again and another week for their OL to get healthy.
15. New Orleans Saints (2-2)	Could be 4-0 right now, but this team has absolutely no quit in it. And who would have thought that Lance Moore would be the one to step up in Colston’s absence? With him and Mecham coming along, they have weapons. Oh, and Deuce is back!
16. Baltimore Ravens (2-1)	Almost pulled off a big one against the Steelers. The running game is a big question mark now. Is McClain really their best runner? If so, they may be in a bit of trouble.
17. Chicago Bears (2-2)	A big win against Philadelphia to keep themselves relevant in the NFC. Kyle Orton has done a very admirably job managing this team, but they need to get Forte to contribute consistently to help him out.
18. New England Patriots (2-1)	They should get Maroney back for week 5 and with the way their offense looked last week, don’t be surprised if he suddenly becomes the focal point. Remember how good he looked in the playoffs…
19. NY Jets (2-2)	I still don’t think they are going to contend in the AFC, but Favre certainly looked more comfortable in the offense, tossing 6 TDs. If he and Coles gets on the same page, they have a shot.
20. Arizona Cardinals (2-2)	Two tough losses after a 2-0 start. This one was particularly tough to swallow after allowing 56 points to a Jets team that has looked very mediocre the last two weeks.
21. SF 49ers (2-2)	This was the win that could have put them on pace with my playoff prediction. Lucky their division is so shaky. They missed a big offensive opportunity with NO in town and need to get Gore involved more.
22. Minnesota Vikings (1-3)	Had a chance to climb back into the race, but ran into the buzz saw that is Tennessee. On the upside, Adrian Peterson quieted concerns about his hamstring with a 2 TD day. Without him, they are in bad shape.
23. Seattle Seahawks (1-2)	Another team that really benefited from the Bye week. They were practically out of WRs and really need a shot in the arm for Week 5. Hopefully they can get some healthy bodies in there.
24. Cleveland Browns (1-3)	Finally got one in the win column. It wasn’t pretty, but that was a must win game against the Bengals and playoff teams find a way to scratch them out.
25. Atlanta Falcons (2-2)	Another game and another reminder that the Falcons are not a contending team yet. They have the weapons, but against a good defense they just aren’t able to put it together.
26. Houston Texans (0-3)	Another promising team that has really failed to live up to the billing. They kept it close against Jacksonville and almost pulled it out, but they gotta get some wins soon if they stand a chance.
27. Oakland Raiders (1-3)	Another lead blown by Lane Kiffin’s Raiders. He’ll probably be fired, but its hard to blame it on him. They stocked up on injured WRs and their #1 pick wasn’t 100%. Not gonna win many like that.
28. Miami Dolphins (1-2)	This is a very intriguing team coming off their Bye week. They dismantled the Patriots and seem to have a few good 2-back offense in the works.
29. Cincinnati Bengals (0-4)	It’s amazing how quick the promise can just bleed out of a team. Without Carson Palmer, the offense could muster nothing against the Browns. With the attitudes on this team, a complete breakdown is not far off.
30. KC Chiefs (1-3)	Well, that was a shocker. KC took advantage of Denver’s defensive lapses and rode LJ to a victory. With him back in form and Huard under center, they might not finish with the worst record in the NFL. Might.
31. Detroit Lions (0-3)	Which team is going to be the last winless team? It could be Detroit, but I doubt it. Especially if Rudi Johnson can help Kevin Smith in the running game.
32. St. Louis Rams (0-4)	Have officially cemented their spot in the bottom of the rankings. The shake-ups in the lineup seemed to help in the first half, led by Leonard Little’s 4 sacks, but they need a long-term fix.

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