Post by Cincinnati Bengals (Chris) on Oct 10, 2019 2:16:35 GMT -5
1. Kansas City 0 (4-0)- Despite a below-average performance by Kansas City’s standards, Brooks’ Chiefs managed to hold off the quarterback-less Seahawks with an 119+ point effort. Calvin Johnson’s poor day and a 0 from Joplo Bartu on defense limited the scoring output, but the proof is in the pudding, and the overall body of work suggests that the Chiefs reign supreme so far.
2. Miami +1 (4-0)- Going up against a less-than-full-strength Tampa Bay team, MIA pummeled the Bucs by putting up 126 points to TB’s 69+. It was a pretty all-around effort, and what we’ve come to expect out of Donny. There are some worries though, as Cutler looked less than stellar, and some of the talent is not quite elite. But none of this keeps the Dolphins out of the second spot, jumping one place in this week’s PRs.
3. New England +3 (4-0)- New England managed to stay undefeated for another week, despite a tough contest from Carolina. Jake Locker being inactive certainly didn’t help the cause, and that was taken into consideration here. Ladarius Green’s 0 as well as Jeremy Kerley’s effective 0 led to a 25.8-point offensive performance, putrid by anyone’s standards, certainly for someone hovering near the top of the league. Expect a rebound this week, and despite a less than stellar performance, NE climbs 3 places with the CIN, MIN and SEA losses to #3 overall.
4. Philadelphia +3 (3-1)- Back up the rankings after beating CLE handily, Andrew managed 115 points without fielding a quarterback this week and with a 0 from Sio Moore. The point production was a little low for PHI, but with the three losses from above move the Eagles back up despite the off week.
5. Pittsburgh +4 (3-1)- Alex Smith 30-point weeks are few and far between, but anything near that mark and Pittsburgh will be hard to beat. In addition to Smith, there were seven other players over 10 points and two hovering around or over 20 points. That led to Garrett leading the league in points this week (170) and beating up on the Redskins by 65. Was this the awakening we were expecting from PIT with two weeks of 135+ points in a row? The 4-spot increase may even be conservative.
6. Detroit +2 (3-1)- No starting TE or DL and two 0’s didn’t keep DET from rebounding after its first loss of the season, as the Lions racked up 135+ points and blew out Erik’s Texans. Randall Cobb, Luke Kuechly and Lavonte David all had 17+ point weeks, and Trent Richardson nearly did the same. That’s a formula for success that can be repeated on a weekly basis. Up two spots go the Lions, who are jumped by PIT only because of recent point totals.
7. Cincinnati -5 (3-1)- After three-consecutive wins to start the season, CIN finally falls after reaching #2 in the PRs a week ago. The 108+ point performance wasn’t terrible, especially considering the Bengals top-three scorers not named Nick Foles were on a bye in this one, but Foles’ worst career game came at the worst possible time for CIN, as the negative point total cost the Bengals in this 12+ point loss. CIN drops 5 spots as a result.
8. Minnesota -4 (3-1)- 134+ points usually gets you a win in this league, but tell that to Matt’s Vikings, who just posted exactly that figure in a 32-point loss to JAX. Just like CIN, the bye week hit MIN hard, and he had to go with two players who didn’t see action in Week 4. The result was a defeat that might not have even been averted if they had been replaced by productive options. Jacksonville was just that good this week. The Vikings drop 4 places.
9. Seattle -4 (3-1)- Three 0’s and a DB short on defense ended up doing in Cecil this week, as the previous #5 Seahawks fell to the #1 Chiefs. The extenuating circumstances suggest this team is much better than the PR this week, and with the acquisition of Brian Hoyer, at least a body at quarterback, SEA should start climbing back up the rankings beginning this week. For now, it’s a 4-spot fall for the Seahawks.
10. Jacksonville +1 (3-1)- The Jaguars are rounding into form after a 32-point thrashing of MIN in Week 4 and a 166+ point total score. The Jags only received one 0, as the whole team contributed, and most in a big way. The offense alone eclipsed 92 points. Any week that occurs, it’s likely going to result in a victory. Jacksonville only climbs one spot given how far the three teams in front of him fell, but the turning of the corner is noted after three-consecutive wins.
11. Baltimore 0 (3-1)- The Ravens took three 0’s and an injury-shortened game from Derek Carr and still managed to make it to 102+ points. Luckily, the Giants, BAL’s opponent, had several offensive players on byes and did not start anywhere near a full complement of players. Baltimore’s roller coaster scores are getting hard to predict, and the future likely promises more of the same with Derek Carr on a bye in Week 5 and perhaps even missing Week 6 to injury. For now, the point total is too little to reward even with the record. Goose’s team stays put at 11.
12. Arizona +2 (3-1)- The Cardinals continue to impress, this time scoring 121 points without a starting QB on the way to a 3+ point win over the Chargers. In the interim, only three players scored less than 4.8 points, and one of them was LeSean McCoy, which won’t happen every week. Back in the discussion for the NFC West given SEA’s QB troubles, it’ll be interesting to see how close that division battle becomes. The Cards rise 2 spots this week.
13. Dallas +4 (2-2)- Dallas is the strongest 2-2 team so far, and is even higher-ranked than the #18 Packers. With one man short, Chad Greenway inactive and Tom Brady’s worst-career game, the Cowboys still put up 121+ points on the way to a victory over previously #2 CIN. DAL rises 4 spots and looks like the natural #2 in the NFC East right now.
14. Tennessee +5 (2-2)- Two weeks in a row Tennessee has gone from among the worst to among the best, this time with a 155-point win spurred on by Matt Asiata and Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill, however, will regress, as he’s not likely to see defenses as bad as the Raiders on a weekly basis. This comes just after rampaging to 169 points a week ago. The Titans are quickly becoming a team to pay attention to in the AFC South. This week they climb 5 spots.
15. Denver +5 (2-2)- Despite not having an active TE or K this week and receiving a 0 from Jarvis Jones, Steve’s Broncos threw up nearly 129 points, a scary number considering those absences. With the NFC West looking pretty wide open behind Brooks, perhaps DEN is finally making its claim for that spot. The Broncos pick up 5 spots this week.
16. San Diego -4 (2-2)- Starting 2 inactive players with legitimate options on the bench, the Chargers lost a tight game they would have won with ease if Leif had set the lineup. It’s time for a new owner, and perhaps one that doesn’t ask the league to make their draft picks for them. The Chargers fall 4 spots. Nothing to see here.
17. Buffalo +9 (2-2)- Despite two offensive 0’s from wide receivers, the Bills beat the Falcons by over 40 points to level their record at 2-2. Jordy Nelson led the way with almost 25 points, while two other scored over 15. With Bortles at quarterback, expect there to be a growing period, but BUF is climbing rapidly, jetting up 9 spots this week.
18. Green Bay -8 (3-1)- Green Bay, like San Diego, is not setting his lineups, as he left pretty superb Mike Glennon on the bench over Carson Palmer, who was on a bye and long-reported to be out with an injury, as well as not starting any one of three ID players who played and scored over a defender on bye. Even with those additions, however, Green Bay’s ridiculous luck was bound to run out. The Pack falls 8 spots this week and will continue to do so with a delinquent GM.
19. Cleveland -4 (2-2)- With Josh McCown on the shelf, no starting TE this week and two defensive 0’s, it was unlikely the Browns were going to be able to contend with PHI’s firepower, even on a down week. The AFC North basement now has a clear-cut team, but it’s not like CLE won’t be competitive from here on out. Expect more than 72 points on a weekly basis. Down 4 spots, the Browns will try again next week.
20. San Francisco +2 (2-2)- In the lowest-scoring game of the week, Norman’s Niners pulled off a 4+ point win. Two offensive 0’s and a missing bench player to replace a player on a bye plagued the offense, and despite defense missing 4 players to a bye, no replacement was made for the one that could have been. Norman will have to set his lineup next week, or else it’s likely more of the same. But, he was playing Oakland, who still managed to lose despite only missing one player. San Francisco gains 2 spots to #20.
21. New York Giants -3 (1-3)- The Giants experienced an anomaly last week, with 7 players on byes. The absences wreaked havoc on his lineup, leaving him with 3 eligible offensive players and 8 defensive players. The results? A 76-point effort that saw NYG lose by 25+ points. Despite that, the Giants have more Week 5 byes and fall 3 spots due to the score and those around them in the PRs.
22. Atlanta -6 (1-3)- The Falcons fall right back down a week after their first win of the season. The negative scoring game from Kirk Cousins could not have been expected, and three offensive 0’s or effective 0’s limited the offense to 16.58 points. The defense also had three low scorers, but managed to rack up nearly 60 points. If the offense can do anywhere near that, it will be the first step in claiming a wide open division that as of now, looks every bit as bad as projected in the pre-season. ATL drops 6 spots for the 73+ point effort.
23. Carolina +2 (1-3)- The up-and-down (but mostly down) season for Sze continues, as his Panthers lost a heated battle with the Patriots by a margin of less than a point. The four 0’s, all from significant players, certainly didn’t help the Panthers’ cause, but the 105+ points, however, were encouraging for a team that has struggled to break the century mark this season. For the effort, and given that some of the teams above CAR lost this week, the Panthers move up 2 spots.
24. Indianapolis -1 (1-3)- Four 0’s, two 1.2’s a 2.7 and a bad Geno Smith outing later, the Colts fall to 1-3 on the season with a 12-point loss to the Chicago Bears, who were not that impressive theirselves. The inconsistency is killing J.R., who may now be falling too far behind to grab a wild card if he can’t catch back up in the division. One thing is for sure: 25-point defensive performances will beat you nearly every time. IND falls one spot to #24.
25. Tampa Bay -4 (1-3)- Without a full complement of players, the Bucs were almost destined to fail in Week 4. Maurice Jones-Drew wasn’t very helpful in his return, with an effective 0, and Hakeem Nicks continues to underwhelm. Cameron Wake and a host of other defensive players had poor games, and Julian Edelman suffered one of Tom Brady’s worst games as a pro. It all added up to a blowout loss for the Bucs, who are trending down, dropping 4 spots this week to #25.
26. Oakland -2 (1-3)- The Raiders fell to new lows this week, taking three 0’s and a near 0, and losing to SF while only scoring 75 points, despite only missing one player to SF’s multiple. The loss hurts, as the game was very winnable at that score, and that DEN has moved ahead of him in the division. The Raiders fall, like the real Raiders this week, 2 spots.
27. New Orleans +3 (1-3)- Eli Manning had another monster week, and despite three 0’s from the lineup, New Orleans beat the Jets by 23 points and racked up over 111 points for the second straight week. Four players other than Manning scored in double digits, and it’s looking like the doormat of the NFC South might be climbing out a little. How far the ceiling is depends on Eli’s consistency. The Saints rise 3 spots this week.
28. Chicago 0 (1-3)- Despite a 0 from the TE position and missing a DL spot because of byes, CHI put in one of its best performances so far, tallying 93+ points, including 61+ offensive points, on the way to its first win. Drew Brees’ uncharacteristically above-average season needs to improve if the Bears have a chance, but the balance is more impressive than it had been, and the first win is always the hardest. CHI stays put, however, at 28.
29. Washington -2 (0-4)- 0-4 and dropping like a fly, the Redskins actually put in a 105-point game this week, but face a juggernaut in Pittsburgh. Roethlisberger had a great game, but two defensive 0’s and a total of under 22 points on that side of the ball basically ended any chance WAS had of upsetting PIT. Further down the PRs WAS drops with this week’s loss.
30. New York Jets +1 (0-4)- Teddy Bridgewater performed, but three 0’s and some low scores all-around later, the Jets fell to the previously #30 Saints by 23+ points. The future of the team is bright, but there are just too many non-contributors right now that could play a part on a AFC East-contending team in a few years. For now, the Jets gain one spot.
31. Houston -2 (0-4)- The 72 points were another lowly total from a Texans’ team that has been anemic, both before Matt Cassell went down and since. The three 0’s (Cassell included) didn’t help, but none of the three figures produced by the offense, defense or special teams are going to do it for Houston to pick up a win. The Texans’ performance this week drops them 2 spots down to #31.
32. St. Louis 0 (0-4)- Four defensive 0’s hurt the Rams’ chances, but paired with three low-scoring offensive options and no TE, nothing was going to pick STL up out of the league cellar. Joe Flacco’s 31-point game was the highlight, but I’d be lying if I said there were any more. Dan Bailey was second on the team in scoring with 10 points, and the only other member of the lineup than Flacco to eclipse it.
2. Miami +1 (4-0)- Going up against a less-than-full-strength Tampa Bay team, MIA pummeled the Bucs by putting up 126 points to TB’s 69+. It was a pretty all-around effort, and what we’ve come to expect out of Donny. There are some worries though, as Cutler looked less than stellar, and some of the talent is not quite elite. But none of this keeps the Dolphins out of the second spot, jumping one place in this week’s PRs.
3. New England +3 (4-0)- New England managed to stay undefeated for another week, despite a tough contest from Carolina. Jake Locker being inactive certainly didn’t help the cause, and that was taken into consideration here. Ladarius Green’s 0 as well as Jeremy Kerley’s effective 0 led to a 25.8-point offensive performance, putrid by anyone’s standards, certainly for someone hovering near the top of the league. Expect a rebound this week, and despite a less than stellar performance, NE climbs 3 places with the CIN, MIN and SEA losses to #3 overall.
4. Philadelphia +3 (3-1)- Back up the rankings after beating CLE handily, Andrew managed 115 points without fielding a quarterback this week and with a 0 from Sio Moore. The point production was a little low for PHI, but with the three losses from above move the Eagles back up despite the off week.
5. Pittsburgh +4 (3-1)- Alex Smith 30-point weeks are few and far between, but anything near that mark and Pittsburgh will be hard to beat. In addition to Smith, there were seven other players over 10 points and two hovering around or over 20 points. That led to Garrett leading the league in points this week (170) and beating up on the Redskins by 65. Was this the awakening we were expecting from PIT with two weeks of 135+ points in a row? The 4-spot increase may even be conservative.
6. Detroit +2 (3-1)- No starting TE or DL and two 0’s didn’t keep DET from rebounding after its first loss of the season, as the Lions racked up 135+ points and blew out Erik’s Texans. Randall Cobb, Luke Kuechly and Lavonte David all had 17+ point weeks, and Trent Richardson nearly did the same. That’s a formula for success that can be repeated on a weekly basis. Up two spots go the Lions, who are jumped by PIT only because of recent point totals.
7. Cincinnati -5 (3-1)- After three-consecutive wins to start the season, CIN finally falls after reaching #2 in the PRs a week ago. The 108+ point performance wasn’t terrible, especially considering the Bengals top-three scorers not named Nick Foles were on a bye in this one, but Foles’ worst career game came at the worst possible time for CIN, as the negative point total cost the Bengals in this 12+ point loss. CIN drops 5 spots as a result.
8. Minnesota -4 (3-1)- 134+ points usually gets you a win in this league, but tell that to Matt’s Vikings, who just posted exactly that figure in a 32-point loss to JAX. Just like CIN, the bye week hit MIN hard, and he had to go with two players who didn’t see action in Week 4. The result was a defeat that might not have even been averted if they had been replaced by productive options. Jacksonville was just that good this week. The Vikings drop 4 places.
9. Seattle -4 (3-1)- Three 0’s and a DB short on defense ended up doing in Cecil this week, as the previous #5 Seahawks fell to the #1 Chiefs. The extenuating circumstances suggest this team is much better than the PR this week, and with the acquisition of Brian Hoyer, at least a body at quarterback, SEA should start climbing back up the rankings beginning this week. For now, it’s a 4-spot fall for the Seahawks.
10. Jacksonville +1 (3-1)- The Jaguars are rounding into form after a 32-point thrashing of MIN in Week 4 and a 166+ point total score. The Jags only received one 0, as the whole team contributed, and most in a big way. The offense alone eclipsed 92 points. Any week that occurs, it’s likely going to result in a victory. Jacksonville only climbs one spot given how far the three teams in front of him fell, but the turning of the corner is noted after three-consecutive wins.
11. Baltimore 0 (3-1)- The Ravens took three 0’s and an injury-shortened game from Derek Carr and still managed to make it to 102+ points. Luckily, the Giants, BAL’s opponent, had several offensive players on byes and did not start anywhere near a full complement of players. Baltimore’s roller coaster scores are getting hard to predict, and the future likely promises more of the same with Derek Carr on a bye in Week 5 and perhaps even missing Week 6 to injury. For now, the point total is too little to reward even with the record. Goose’s team stays put at 11.
12. Arizona +2 (3-1)- The Cardinals continue to impress, this time scoring 121 points without a starting QB on the way to a 3+ point win over the Chargers. In the interim, only three players scored less than 4.8 points, and one of them was LeSean McCoy, which won’t happen every week. Back in the discussion for the NFC West given SEA’s QB troubles, it’ll be interesting to see how close that division battle becomes. The Cards rise 2 spots this week.
13. Dallas +4 (2-2)- Dallas is the strongest 2-2 team so far, and is even higher-ranked than the #18 Packers. With one man short, Chad Greenway inactive and Tom Brady’s worst-career game, the Cowboys still put up 121+ points on the way to a victory over previously #2 CIN. DAL rises 4 spots and looks like the natural #2 in the NFC East right now.
14. Tennessee +5 (2-2)- Two weeks in a row Tennessee has gone from among the worst to among the best, this time with a 155-point win spurred on by Matt Asiata and Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill, however, will regress, as he’s not likely to see defenses as bad as the Raiders on a weekly basis. This comes just after rampaging to 169 points a week ago. The Titans are quickly becoming a team to pay attention to in the AFC South. This week they climb 5 spots.
15. Denver +5 (2-2)- Despite not having an active TE or K this week and receiving a 0 from Jarvis Jones, Steve’s Broncos threw up nearly 129 points, a scary number considering those absences. With the NFC West looking pretty wide open behind Brooks, perhaps DEN is finally making its claim for that spot. The Broncos pick up 5 spots this week.
16. San Diego -4 (2-2)- Starting 2 inactive players with legitimate options on the bench, the Chargers lost a tight game they would have won with ease if Leif had set the lineup. It’s time for a new owner, and perhaps one that doesn’t ask the league to make their draft picks for them. The Chargers fall 4 spots. Nothing to see here.
17. Buffalo +9 (2-2)- Despite two offensive 0’s from wide receivers, the Bills beat the Falcons by over 40 points to level their record at 2-2. Jordy Nelson led the way with almost 25 points, while two other scored over 15. With Bortles at quarterback, expect there to be a growing period, but BUF is climbing rapidly, jetting up 9 spots this week.
18. Green Bay -8 (3-1)- Green Bay, like San Diego, is not setting his lineups, as he left pretty superb Mike Glennon on the bench over Carson Palmer, who was on a bye and long-reported to be out with an injury, as well as not starting any one of three ID players who played and scored over a defender on bye. Even with those additions, however, Green Bay’s ridiculous luck was bound to run out. The Pack falls 8 spots this week and will continue to do so with a delinquent GM.
19. Cleveland -4 (2-2)- With Josh McCown on the shelf, no starting TE this week and two defensive 0’s, it was unlikely the Browns were going to be able to contend with PHI’s firepower, even on a down week. The AFC North basement now has a clear-cut team, but it’s not like CLE won’t be competitive from here on out. Expect more than 72 points on a weekly basis. Down 4 spots, the Browns will try again next week.
20. San Francisco +2 (2-2)- In the lowest-scoring game of the week, Norman’s Niners pulled off a 4+ point win. Two offensive 0’s and a missing bench player to replace a player on a bye plagued the offense, and despite defense missing 4 players to a bye, no replacement was made for the one that could have been. Norman will have to set his lineup next week, or else it’s likely more of the same. But, he was playing Oakland, who still managed to lose despite only missing one player. San Francisco gains 2 spots to #20.
21. New York Giants -3 (1-3)- The Giants experienced an anomaly last week, with 7 players on byes. The absences wreaked havoc on his lineup, leaving him with 3 eligible offensive players and 8 defensive players. The results? A 76-point effort that saw NYG lose by 25+ points. Despite that, the Giants have more Week 5 byes and fall 3 spots due to the score and those around them in the PRs.
22. Atlanta -6 (1-3)- The Falcons fall right back down a week after their first win of the season. The negative scoring game from Kirk Cousins could not have been expected, and three offensive 0’s or effective 0’s limited the offense to 16.58 points. The defense also had three low scorers, but managed to rack up nearly 60 points. If the offense can do anywhere near that, it will be the first step in claiming a wide open division that as of now, looks every bit as bad as projected in the pre-season. ATL drops 6 spots for the 73+ point effort.
23. Carolina +2 (1-3)- The up-and-down (but mostly down) season for Sze continues, as his Panthers lost a heated battle with the Patriots by a margin of less than a point. The four 0’s, all from significant players, certainly didn’t help the Panthers’ cause, but the 105+ points, however, were encouraging for a team that has struggled to break the century mark this season. For the effort, and given that some of the teams above CAR lost this week, the Panthers move up 2 spots.
24. Indianapolis -1 (1-3)- Four 0’s, two 1.2’s a 2.7 and a bad Geno Smith outing later, the Colts fall to 1-3 on the season with a 12-point loss to the Chicago Bears, who were not that impressive theirselves. The inconsistency is killing J.R., who may now be falling too far behind to grab a wild card if he can’t catch back up in the division. One thing is for sure: 25-point defensive performances will beat you nearly every time. IND falls one spot to #24.
25. Tampa Bay -4 (1-3)- Without a full complement of players, the Bucs were almost destined to fail in Week 4. Maurice Jones-Drew wasn’t very helpful in his return, with an effective 0, and Hakeem Nicks continues to underwhelm. Cameron Wake and a host of other defensive players had poor games, and Julian Edelman suffered one of Tom Brady’s worst games as a pro. It all added up to a blowout loss for the Bucs, who are trending down, dropping 4 spots this week to #25.
26. Oakland -2 (1-3)- The Raiders fell to new lows this week, taking three 0’s and a near 0, and losing to SF while only scoring 75 points, despite only missing one player to SF’s multiple. The loss hurts, as the game was very winnable at that score, and that DEN has moved ahead of him in the division. The Raiders fall, like the real Raiders this week, 2 spots.
27. New Orleans +3 (1-3)- Eli Manning had another monster week, and despite three 0’s from the lineup, New Orleans beat the Jets by 23 points and racked up over 111 points for the second straight week. Four players other than Manning scored in double digits, and it’s looking like the doormat of the NFC South might be climbing out a little. How far the ceiling is depends on Eli’s consistency. The Saints rise 3 spots this week.
28. Chicago 0 (1-3)- Despite a 0 from the TE position and missing a DL spot because of byes, CHI put in one of its best performances so far, tallying 93+ points, including 61+ offensive points, on the way to its first win. Drew Brees’ uncharacteristically above-average season needs to improve if the Bears have a chance, but the balance is more impressive than it had been, and the first win is always the hardest. CHI stays put, however, at 28.
29. Washington -2 (0-4)- 0-4 and dropping like a fly, the Redskins actually put in a 105-point game this week, but face a juggernaut in Pittsburgh. Roethlisberger had a great game, but two defensive 0’s and a total of under 22 points on that side of the ball basically ended any chance WAS had of upsetting PIT. Further down the PRs WAS drops with this week’s loss.
30. New York Jets +1 (0-4)- Teddy Bridgewater performed, but three 0’s and some low scores all-around later, the Jets fell to the previously #30 Saints by 23+ points. The future of the team is bright, but there are just too many non-contributors right now that could play a part on a AFC East-contending team in a few years. For now, the Jets gain one spot.
31. Houston -2 (0-4)- The 72 points were another lowly total from a Texans’ team that has been anemic, both before Matt Cassell went down and since. The three 0’s (Cassell included) didn’t help, but none of the three figures produced by the offense, defense or special teams are going to do it for Houston to pick up a win. The Texans’ performance this week drops them 2 spots down to #31.
32. St. Louis 0 (0-4)- Four defensive 0’s hurt the Rams’ chances, but paired with three low-scoring offensive options and no TE, nothing was going to pick STL up out of the league cellar. Joe Flacco’s 31-point game was the highlight, but I’d be lying if I said there were any more. Dan Bailey was second on the team in scoring with 10 points, and the only other member of the lineup than Flacco to eclipse it.