Post by Cincinnati Bengals (Chris) on Oct 10, 2019 2:33:44 GMT -5
1. Philadelphia +2 (7-1)- Philly is back to being top dog after the only two remaining undefeated teams lost this week. Again, the Eagles scored over 170 points, finishing second to Arizona in that regard in Week 8. There were too many superlative performances to pick out just one, but suffice it to say that Andrew is rolling.
2. Arizona +3 (7-1)- A week after cracking the top-5 for the first time, the NFC West-leading Cardinals climb three spots to #2. The 176+ points led the league, and Arizona accomplished that point total this week with an inactive TE to boot, beating the previously #8 Lions by a 50 spot. ARI is for real.
3. Miami -2 (7-1)- The #1 team for the last three weeks, Miami finally fell by 20+ points to Cincinnati. Jay Cutler and DeMarco Murray combined for over 45 points, but an accidental Reggie Bush start (inactive) and two defensive zeroes helped to seal it. In total, the defense and kicker only managed 45.5 points. That won’t do it most weeks, and this week was the rule. The fish drop two places.
4. New England -2 (7-1)- A week after a scare from CIN, the Patriots finally succumbed to PIT. The 32 points on offense were telling, and even with a starting quarterback going forward and some necessary offensive pickups this week, you begin to question what you saw in the early season from NE and if Chris gave away too much offense in recent weeks to stay near the top. The last few weeks will be telling. The Pats slide two spots to #4.
5. Dallas +1 (6-2)- The 44+ points from Tom Brady was half of the Cowboys’ Week 8 opponent (Carolina’s) total, and exceeded the whole total offered up by the Dallas D. In other words, it was an impressive performance from the three-time Super Bowl champ, and barely anything from anyone else. Anomaly? Maybe, but Dallas has been playing so well that’s it’s hard to discount them. With the top-two teams losing, they now own the league’s longest winning streak at 6.
6. Seattle +1 (6-2)- The best matchup of the week came from the two previous top-5 teams, SEA and MIN, as the Seahawks barely held off a frantic comeback attempt from the Vikes. Brian Hoyer paced the offense with 17 points, and was the only one on that side of the ball in double digits (whut?). The defense, however, accounted for nearly 110 points, and really sealed the victory for the resurgent Seahawks. SEA gets RGIII back this week, and climbs 1 spot to #6.
7. Pittsburgh +2 (6-2)- Rob Gronkowski put up nearly 25 points all on his own, and the 93-point offensive barrage would have come close to beating the previously undefeated Patriots by itself. But with an average defensive outing and a kicker on a bye, the Steelers still managed to crush the #2 team by over 40 points. PIT climbs up two spots with the impressive victory.
8. Jacksonville -4 (6-2)- The Jags fell short of their seventh-straight victory this week when Denver put up nearly 150 points. The 75 points Jacksonville’s offense compiled was impressive, but the 50 from defense and kicker combined was not nearly enough to do the job. The loss also opened the AFC South up just a little, but JAX should still be well on their way there.
9. Denver +2 (5-3)- Denver keeps winning, and now has a share of the AFC West lead. Anthony Barr continues to impress, this week with 27 points, and Brandin Cooks had 23. It’s a promising development for Steve’s two rookies. With the win, DEN rises 2 spots and is the top 5-3 team.
10. Cincinnati +2 (5-3)- While it was far from the most dominating performance we’ve seen from CIN, it does end the two-game slide and get the Bengals back within a game of the AFC North lead. All but two players topped 10 points on offense and Shayne Graham picked up 14 to brace an underperforming defense. The second time the Bengals have taken down #1 this year, they rise 2 spots with a 20+ point victory over MIA.
11. New York Giants +2 (5-3)- A 30-point game from the outgoing Peyton Manning and nearly 100 points from the defense and kicker combined led the way for the Giants. While Manning can no longer be counted on and the 85-point defensive weeks are likely the rarity, there’s no denying the Giants are in the NFC East race, and when they score 138 points like they did in a 20+ point win this week against ATL, they’re a force to be reckoned with. NYG rises 2 spots with the win.
12. San Diego +2 (5-3)- Very much the forgotten about team in the AFC West, San Diego is in a three-way tie for first after a 25-point win over Houston this week. Arian Foster, Matt Stafford and Antonio Gates did the heavy lifting offensively, combining for 75 of the unit’s 95 points. That was the total without a full complement of offensive players, because San Diego refuses to set a lineup, put players on injured reserve, get on the site, or do anything that makes him a member of this league in more than name only. But at 5-3…(insert good thing to say here, as I refuse to do so).
13. Detroit -5 (5-3)- The league’s top-scoring team couldn’t beat out this week’s top-scoring opponent, as Cam Newton, Julius Thomas, Mike Wallace and Jerick McKinnon all had substandard games. The vaunted offense wasn’t the only group to underperform though, as the less-than-mandated number of defenders fell short of 60. That, in combination with the opponent, made for a loss, and the Lions’ lead on a tough NFC North has evaporated. DET falls 5 places.
14. Baltimore +4 (4-4)- A correction is necessary from last week, as I had Baltimore as a 4-win team prematurely. This week, however, the Ravens reached that mark and won by 54 points against the Jets in the process. Baltimore ripped off an impressive 155+ points, courtesy of a 32+ point game from Emmanuel Sanders and four other players scoring at or over 16. BAL climbs 4 spots to #14.
15. Washington 0 (4-4)- Big Ben had almost 57 points on his own this week, a total that would’ve been more than halfway to beating Tampa by itself. Minimal contributions elsewhere aided the Skins the rest of the way, as Dave’s team took three zeroes and only four other players scored over 8 points. But, in the end, it’s a win, and the 128+ points is nothing to sneer at. WAS is still alive in the East, but is staying put this week because of the performances of the teams above and Baltimore’s big game.
16. Kansas City -6 (5-3)- The Chiefs, losers of three out of their last four, have hit a skid that has seen them fall to the halfway point of the PRs and into a 3-way tie for the AFC West lead. The defense was putrid last week with 37 points, despite a recovering offense with Matt Ryan looking more like a real quarterback and Jamaal Charles and Jason Witten doing sizeable work. But in the end, there was too much ground to make up to comeback against TEN. Brooks’ Chiefs drop 5 spots.
17. Tennessee 0 (4-4)- The 125 points, the second week of nearly 120 or better, was a sight for sore eyes in a low-achieving AFC South. The cast of characters was a strange one, as Ryan Tannehill was joined by Sanu, Weddle and Demario Davis to secure the 8+ point victory over KC. With the performance of the above teams, however, TEN stays put.
18. Minnesota -2 (4-4)- As hard luck as you can be when scoring 166 points, the Vikings lost to Seattle by just over 4, putting up the best losing effort of any team so far this season (I believe). The offense put up over 90 points, and the defense was just short of 70. This is where having a bad kicker really hurts. MIN drops 2 spots and becomes the best team this far down on the list.
19. Green Bay +1 (5-3)- Despite an insane amount of luck in scheduling/circumstances so far, Green Bay has finally made me eat my words, passing the 141-point mark and running it up on St. Louis. Carson Palmer, Brandon LaFell and Donte Moncrief all approached or topped 20 and the defense was decent enough. While LaFell in particular might come back to Earth, it was an affirmation of how much better GB is playing and why they should be taken serious. Still the league’s worst 5-win team, the Pack rise to #19.
20. Cleveland +2 (4-4)- The arrival of Martavis Bryant, as well double-digit games from five other stalwarts (and Haloti Ngata), led the Browns to the 137-point week and a 30+ point win over the Bills. The balance was impressive, and Cleveland is still hanging in there in the AFC North race. It’s fun to think of what this team can become with its future pieces. CLE rises two spots this week.
21. Houston –2 (3-5)- Making a strong case for the league’s best losing team, the Texans put up a 125 spot against the Chargers, only to fall significantly short. The 87 points by the offense was great, and 34 from Kyle Orton was unexpected. If Houston can get more than 39 from its defense and kicker, the end results might change sooner rather than later. I know the aforementioned title is one that no one strives for, but the accomplishments of this team don’t go unnoticed. HOU tumbles slightly to the #21 ranking.
22. Oakland +4 (3-5)- The Raiders had the opportunity to capitalize against a weak Colts team this week, and did just that, feasting on the 1-win team to the tune of a near 40-point victory. While Oakland wasn’t overly impressive by their own merit, there were several high points, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Two games out of the three-way tie for first in the AFC West, OAK still has a shot, though a slim one. They climb 4 spots in Week 8.
23. Buffalo -2 (2-6)- Despite Mark Ingram’s career-game, only two other players, Avery Williamson and Jerrell Freeman, hit the 10-point mark. That makes it hard to win any week, especially when the opposing team is closing in on 140 points. Sal will look for more points and more balance this week and going forward, but perhaps it’s already time to look to the future with some of the moves he made this week. The Bills have been officially eliminated from the playoffs with their loss this past week.
24. Chicago +7 (2-6)- Chicago, the benefactor of playing the league-worst in points this week (the 49ers), ran it up to the tune of a 63-point win, by far the largest margin of victory for the Bears on the season. Starting Drew Brees instead of Matt Schaub helps, as the former scored 31+ points this week. As a result of the win, and the point total, the Bears clumb 7 spots and aren’t mathematically eliminated in the NFC North.
25. Tampa Bay 0 (2-6)- The highest ranked team in the NFC South also lost this week, confirming that the team who wins the division will be no better than .500. It was pretty much the Philip Rivers and Louis Delmas show, as the two combined for just under half of TB’s 102+ points this week. There were only three to reach double-digits, and five zeroes or effective zeroes. By virtue of point total and the weak teams around them, the Bucs are spared in this week’s PRs.
26. St. Louis -3 (2-6)- After a sensational two weeks by the Rams, the St. Louis of old reared its head, and despite sporting a full complement of players, dropped a game to GB by 55 points. It wasn’t pretty, and there were plenty of zeroes to go around, but it’s also not likely to be typical from here on out. Joe Flacco 1-point games are not frequent, and when DeAngelo Williams and Eric Berry return, the STL team of the past two weeks could return. With the loss and Arizona’s win, the Rams are eliminated from winning the NFC West, and stumbles three spots.
27. San Francisco -3 (2-6)- Granted the Niners were down three players on byes, a QB, a DB and a kicker, but the 12 players who did play averaged just over 4 points. One player entered double digits, and the sum total was one of the sorriest performances by any team this season (the lowest score, in fact, produced all year). Also, SF is eliminated in the race for the NFC West.
28. Carolina -2 (2-6)- Carolina has found their starter of the future (or at least the near future) in Mettenberger, who posted nearly 18 points in his first full week of #1 duties. Beyond that, Carolina only had two players post over 10 points. It was about average for the Panthers, who lost to Dallas by nearly 50, dropped 2 places and still are tied for the NFC South lead with 6 defeats (facepalms while writing this).
29. Atlanta -1 (1-7)- The second-straight 117+ point game, Tim lost this time to the New York Giants. Jeremy Maclin had 34 points, leading the offense to just short of 90 points. The defense and kicker, however, failed to hit the 30-point mark combined, so all that good work offensively was for naught. One of these weeks, an NFC South team is going to have to win. Could Atlanta be that team? Maybe, but for now, they drop 1 spot to 29 overall.
30. Indianapolis -1 (1-7)- Geno Smith’s nightmare week, -12 points in just under a quarter, grounded the offense, which ended up with a new league record-low 2.62 points, effectively ending any chance for a team not facing San Francisco this week. Indy took it on the cheek this week to the other Bay Area team and fell to 1-7. J.R.’s team is now officially eliminated from the AFC South race, and drops a ranking to #30 in the PRs. Not how he wanted to start his Halloweeniversary. At least Geno can’t wreck things from the bench…we hope.
31. New Orleans -1 (1-7)- Granted they were going up against the now #1 Eagles, but the Saints looked as bad as ever, netting 65 total points (Thanks Vinatieri) and losing by over 100. The outbound Theo Riddick was the only other player to enter the double-digit stratosphere for the Saints. Basically, the Saints sucked this week, and are trying to avoid a last place finish in the league, falling one place to #31. In other news, they’re still alive in their division race. Curse you NFC South.
32. New York Jets 0 (0-8)- Despite an impressive 100+ point game, the Jets ran into a monster in Baltimore this week. Teddy Bridgewater and Heath Miller tried to carry the offense with over 30 points between the two, but four offensive non-factors and a mistake start of an inactive Brandon Flowers hindered the Jets’ effort. Joe Haden, Sharriff Floyd and Tashaun Gipson spearheaded an effort to get the defense to 60. A rare sign of life from the New York club, perhaps it’s a shimmer of light for what this team’s potential is for the rest of the year and next season.
2. Arizona +3 (7-1)- A week after cracking the top-5 for the first time, the NFC West-leading Cardinals climb three spots to #2. The 176+ points led the league, and Arizona accomplished that point total this week with an inactive TE to boot, beating the previously #8 Lions by a 50 spot. ARI is for real.
3. Miami -2 (7-1)- The #1 team for the last three weeks, Miami finally fell by 20+ points to Cincinnati. Jay Cutler and DeMarco Murray combined for over 45 points, but an accidental Reggie Bush start (inactive) and two defensive zeroes helped to seal it. In total, the defense and kicker only managed 45.5 points. That won’t do it most weeks, and this week was the rule. The fish drop two places.
4. New England -2 (7-1)- A week after a scare from CIN, the Patriots finally succumbed to PIT. The 32 points on offense were telling, and even with a starting quarterback going forward and some necessary offensive pickups this week, you begin to question what you saw in the early season from NE and if Chris gave away too much offense in recent weeks to stay near the top. The last few weeks will be telling. The Pats slide two spots to #4.
5. Dallas +1 (6-2)- The 44+ points from Tom Brady was half of the Cowboys’ Week 8 opponent (Carolina’s) total, and exceeded the whole total offered up by the Dallas D. In other words, it was an impressive performance from the three-time Super Bowl champ, and barely anything from anyone else. Anomaly? Maybe, but Dallas has been playing so well that’s it’s hard to discount them. With the top-two teams losing, they now own the league’s longest winning streak at 6.
6. Seattle +1 (6-2)- The best matchup of the week came from the two previous top-5 teams, SEA and MIN, as the Seahawks barely held off a frantic comeback attempt from the Vikes. Brian Hoyer paced the offense with 17 points, and was the only one on that side of the ball in double digits (whut?). The defense, however, accounted for nearly 110 points, and really sealed the victory for the resurgent Seahawks. SEA gets RGIII back this week, and climbs 1 spot to #6.
7. Pittsburgh +2 (6-2)- Rob Gronkowski put up nearly 25 points all on his own, and the 93-point offensive barrage would have come close to beating the previously undefeated Patriots by itself. But with an average defensive outing and a kicker on a bye, the Steelers still managed to crush the #2 team by over 40 points. PIT climbs up two spots with the impressive victory.
8. Jacksonville -4 (6-2)- The Jags fell short of their seventh-straight victory this week when Denver put up nearly 150 points. The 75 points Jacksonville’s offense compiled was impressive, but the 50 from defense and kicker combined was not nearly enough to do the job. The loss also opened the AFC South up just a little, but JAX should still be well on their way there.
9. Denver +2 (5-3)- Denver keeps winning, and now has a share of the AFC West lead. Anthony Barr continues to impress, this week with 27 points, and Brandin Cooks had 23. It’s a promising development for Steve’s two rookies. With the win, DEN rises 2 spots and is the top 5-3 team.
10. Cincinnati +2 (5-3)- While it was far from the most dominating performance we’ve seen from CIN, it does end the two-game slide and get the Bengals back within a game of the AFC North lead. All but two players topped 10 points on offense and Shayne Graham picked up 14 to brace an underperforming defense. The second time the Bengals have taken down #1 this year, they rise 2 spots with a 20+ point victory over MIA.
11. New York Giants +2 (5-3)- A 30-point game from the outgoing Peyton Manning and nearly 100 points from the defense and kicker combined led the way for the Giants. While Manning can no longer be counted on and the 85-point defensive weeks are likely the rarity, there’s no denying the Giants are in the NFC East race, and when they score 138 points like they did in a 20+ point win this week against ATL, they’re a force to be reckoned with. NYG rises 2 spots with the win.
12. San Diego +2 (5-3)- Very much the forgotten about team in the AFC West, San Diego is in a three-way tie for first after a 25-point win over Houston this week. Arian Foster, Matt Stafford and Antonio Gates did the heavy lifting offensively, combining for 75 of the unit’s 95 points. That was the total without a full complement of offensive players, because San Diego refuses to set a lineup, put players on injured reserve, get on the site, or do anything that makes him a member of this league in more than name only. But at 5-3…(insert good thing to say here, as I refuse to do so).
13. Detroit -5 (5-3)- The league’s top-scoring team couldn’t beat out this week’s top-scoring opponent, as Cam Newton, Julius Thomas, Mike Wallace and Jerick McKinnon all had substandard games. The vaunted offense wasn’t the only group to underperform though, as the less-than-mandated number of defenders fell short of 60. That, in combination with the opponent, made for a loss, and the Lions’ lead on a tough NFC North has evaporated. DET falls 5 places.
14. Baltimore +4 (4-4)- A correction is necessary from last week, as I had Baltimore as a 4-win team prematurely. This week, however, the Ravens reached that mark and won by 54 points against the Jets in the process. Baltimore ripped off an impressive 155+ points, courtesy of a 32+ point game from Emmanuel Sanders and four other players scoring at or over 16. BAL climbs 4 spots to #14.
15. Washington 0 (4-4)- Big Ben had almost 57 points on his own this week, a total that would’ve been more than halfway to beating Tampa by itself. Minimal contributions elsewhere aided the Skins the rest of the way, as Dave’s team took three zeroes and only four other players scored over 8 points. But, in the end, it’s a win, and the 128+ points is nothing to sneer at. WAS is still alive in the East, but is staying put this week because of the performances of the teams above and Baltimore’s big game.
16. Kansas City -6 (5-3)- The Chiefs, losers of three out of their last four, have hit a skid that has seen them fall to the halfway point of the PRs and into a 3-way tie for the AFC West lead. The defense was putrid last week with 37 points, despite a recovering offense with Matt Ryan looking more like a real quarterback and Jamaal Charles and Jason Witten doing sizeable work. But in the end, there was too much ground to make up to comeback against TEN. Brooks’ Chiefs drop 5 spots.
17. Tennessee 0 (4-4)- The 125 points, the second week of nearly 120 or better, was a sight for sore eyes in a low-achieving AFC South. The cast of characters was a strange one, as Ryan Tannehill was joined by Sanu, Weddle and Demario Davis to secure the 8+ point victory over KC. With the performance of the above teams, however, TEN stays put.
18. Minnesota -2 (4-4)- As hard luck as you can be when scoring 166 points, the Vikings lost to Seattle by just over 4, putting up the best losing effort of any team so far this season (I believe). The offense put up over 90 points, and the defense was just short of 70. This is where having a bad kicker really hurts. MIN drops 2 spots and becomes the best team this far down on the list.
19. Green Bay +1 (5-3)- Despite an insane amount of luck in scheduling/circumstances so far, Green Bay has finally made me eat my words, passing the 141-point mark and running it up on St. Louis. Carson Palmer, Brandon LaFell and Donte Moncrief all approached or topped 20 and the defense was decent enough. While LaFell in particular might come back to Earth, it was an affirmation of how much better GB is playing and why they should be taken serious. Still the league’s worst 5-win team, the Pack rise to #19.
20. Cleveland +2 (4-4)- The arrival of Martavis Bryant, as well double-digit games from five other stalwarts (and Haloti Ngata), led the Browns to the 137-point week and a 30+ point win over the Bills. The balance was impressive, and Cleveland is still hanging in there in the AFC North race. It’s fun to think of what this team can become with its future pieces. CLE rises two spots this week.
21. Houston –2 (3-5)- Making a strong case for the league’s best losing team, the Texans put up a 125 spot against the Chargers, only to fall significantly short. The 87 points by the offense was great, and 34 from Kyle Orton was unexpected. If Houston can get more than 39 from its defense and kicker, the end results might change sooner rather than later. I know the aforementioned title is one that no one strives for, but the accomplishments of this team don’t go unnoticed. HOU tumbles slightly to the #21 ranking.
22. Oakland +4 (3-5)- The Raiders had the opportunity to capitalize against a weak Colts team this week, and did just that, feasting on the 1-win team to the tune of a near 40-point victory. While Oakland wasn’t overly impressive by their own merit, there were several high points, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Two games out of the three-way tie for first in the AFC West, OAK still has a shot, though a slim one. They climb 4 spots in Week 8.
23. Buffalo -2 (2-6)- Despite Mark Ingram’s career-game, only two other players, Avery Williamson and Jerrell Freeman, hit the 10-point mark. That makes it hard to win any week, especially when the opposing team is closing in on 140 points. Sal will look for more points and more balance this week and going forward, but perhaps it’s already time to look to the future with some of the moves he made this week. The Bills have been officially eliminated from the playoffs with their loss this past week.
24. Chicago +7 (2-6)- Chicago, the benefactor of playing the league-worst in points this week (the 49ers), ran it up to the tune of a 63-point win, by far the largest margin of victory for the Bears on the season. Starting Drew Brees instead of Matt Schaub helps, as the former scored 31+ points this week. As a result of the win, and the point total, the Bears clumb 7 spots and aren’t mathematically eliminated in the NFC North.
25. Tampa Bay 0 (2-6)- The highest ranked team in the NFC South also lost this week, confirming that the team who wins the division will be no better than .500. It was pretty much the Philip Rivers and Louis Delmas show, as the two combined for just under half of TB’s 102+ points this week. There were only three to reach double-digits, and five zeroes or effective zeroes. By virtue of point total and the weak teams around them, the Bucs are spared in this week’s PRs.
26. St. Louis -3 (2-6)- After a sensational two weeks by the Rams, the St. Louis of old reared its head, and despite sporting a full complement of players, dropped a game to GB by 55 points. It wasn’t pretty, and there were plenty of zeroes to go around, but it’s also not likely to be typical from here on out. Joe Flacco 1-point games are not frequent, and when DeAngelo Williams and Eric Berry return, the STL team of the past two weeks could return. With the loss and Arizona’s win, the Rams are eliminated from winning the NFC West, and stumbles three spots.
27. San Francisco -3 (2-6)- Granted the Niners were down three players on byes, a QB, a DB and a kicker, but the 12 players who did play averaged just over 4 points. One player entered double digits, and the sum total was one of the sorriest performances by any team this season (the lowest score, in fact, produced all year). Also, SF is eliminated in the race for the NFC West.
28. Carolina -2 (2-6)- Carolina has found their starter of the future (or at least the near future) in Mettenberger, who posted nearly 18 points in his first full week of #1 duties. Beyond that, Carolina only had two players post over 10 points. It was about average for the Panthers, who lost to Dallas by nearly 50, dropped 2 places and still are tied for the NFC South lead with 6 defeats (facepalms while writing this).
29. Atlanta -1 (1-7)- The second-straight 117+ point game, Tim lost this time to the New York Giants. Jeremy Maclin had 34 points, leading the offense to just short of 90 points. The defense and kicker, however, failed to hit the 30-point mark combined, so all that good work offensively was for naught. One of these weeks, an NFC South team is going to have to win. Could Atlanta be that team? Maybe, but for now, they drop 1 spot to 29 overall.
30. Indianapolis -1 (1-7)- Geno Smith’s nightmare week, -12 points in just under a quarter, grounded the offense, which ended up with a new league record-low 2.62 points, effectively ending any chance for a team not facing San Francisco this week. Indy took it on the cheek this week to the other Bay Area team and fell to 1-7. J.R.’s team is now officially eliminated from the AFC South race, and drops a ranking to #30 in the PRs. Not how he wanted to start his Halloweeniversary. At least Geno can’t wreck things from the bench…we hope.
31. New Orleans -1 (1-7)- Granted they were going up against the now #1 Eagles, but the Saints looked as bad as ever, netting 65 total points (Thanks Vinatieri) and losing by over 100. The outbound Theo Riddick was the only other player to enter the double-digit stratosphere for the Saints. Basically, the Saints sucked this week, and are trying to avoid a last place finish in the league, falling one place to #31. In other news, they’re still alive in their division race. Curse you NFC South.
32. New York Jets 0 (0-8)- Despite an impressive 100+ point game, the Jets ran into a monster in Baltimore this week. Teddy Bridgewater and Heath Miller tried to carry the offense with over 30 points between the two, but four offensive non-factors and a mistake start of an inactive Brandon Flowers hindered the Jets’ effort. Joe Haden, Sharriff Floyd and Tashaun Gipson spearheaded an effort to get the defense to 60. A rare sign of life from the New York club, perhaps it’s a shimmer of light for what this team’s potential is for the rest of the year and next season.