Biggest Winner: Atlanta Falcons (+5)
Biggest Loser: Oakland Raiders (-7)
1. Green Bay Packers (7-0, +0): When you're undefeated, there are always bound to be some games that came down to be close, and this was one of those games for the Packers, playing away at a division rival. Of course, the offense had a great day but their defense allowed a nice day passing to rookie Christian Ponder, they were even down at the half. Good thing for the Pack, the Vikings can't really put two solid halves together, so the Packers were able to cruise to the victory.
2. New England Patriots (5-1, +0): The Patriots had a bye this week, but it wasn't a terribly good one for them since the Jets were able to win, making New England's control over the division a weak one, both Buffalo and New York are closing in. They'll need to keep at their winning ways in order to keep the division. But that shouldn't be too hard with Tom Brady as your Quarterback.
3. New Orleans Saints (5-2, +1): Its been quite some time since a team surpassed the 60-point mark, as New Orleans did Sunday night. They were 100% more prepared than the Colts, and showed it. Maybe people should injure Sean Payton more often if it gets this kind of reaction from his players... hmm...
4. Baltimore Ravens (4-2, -1): Sheesh, the Ravens have literally been jackal-and-hide this season. At least we know what triggers this change... Baltimore has been much better at home this season than on the road. However, they need to figure out their problems ont he road if they are really going to be a top team. That abysmal offensive performance Monday night won't stand.
5. Houston Texans (4-3, +4): The Texans answered critics against the Titans in a must-win division game. They destroyed their opposition 41-7, with Arian Foster breaking out in both rushing and receiving. Defensively, they limited Chris Johnson (who hasn't?) and forced turnovers. What more could you ask from your defense? They have been prone to the let-down, but all things appear to be clicking in Houston.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2, +0): Pittsburgh had a very nice week, watching their hated division rival, Baltimore, fall to the lowly Jaguars and dispatching the Cardinals in convincing fashion 32-20 in Arizona. This puts them back into striking range for the division.Their defense has been much improved since Week 1, so they will give the Ravens a run for their money.
7. San Francisco 49ers (5-1, +1): San Francisco will come off their bye with the NFC West title all but given to them. Each divisional rival lost again this week, meaning the 49ers have a comfy lead in the NFC West. They shouldn't let this lead get to their heads, however, they will still need a few more wins before they can cliche the division (then again, at this point, 5 wins may be enough...).
8. San Diego Chargers (4-2, -3): What is wrong with Philip Rivers this year? Last year, he looked like by far the best passer in the league. This year, he is completely interception-ridden, despite getting his favorite target, TE Antonio Gates, back in this game. Further, the defense could not seem to stop Plaxico Burress (who has been quiet previously this season) in the redzone.
9. Atlanta Falcons (4-3, +5): The Falcons were able to salvage their season at Detroit last Sunday, defeating them 23-16. Once again, there seems to be controversy with the Lions, as several Falcons came out saying that Lions defensive linemen Ndamukong Suh and Cliff Avril made unclassy comments regarding Matt Ryan's injury. Maybe Jim Schwartz's poor class is trickling down...
10. Detroit Lions (5-2, -3): The Lions now have dropped two straight at home, not a good sign for a team that was supposed to be improved. Matthew Stafford will be day to day, which is not a good sign since we all know how good the Lions are with Shaun Hill under center...
11. New York Jets (4-3, +4): The Jets showed up big against the Chargers. They were able to overcome a 14-3 early disadvantage to win by 6. Mark Sanchez is still terrible but had one of his better days, throwing three touchdowns (all to Plaxico Burress) and Shonn Greene finally broke out with 5.6 YPC. Meanwhile, the Jets defense picked Rivers off twice.
12. New York Giants (4-2, -2):The Cowboys are now nipping at the Giants' toes, so they will need to get a big win coming off their bye so they can breathe easier in the division. They should have no trouble against a horrible terrible awful Miami Dolphins team that allowed Tim Tebow to win in the final 5 minutes.
13. Buffalo Bills (4-2, -1): The Jets winning hurts Buffalo as much as it does New England, as now they are in a tough spot in the AFC East at 4-2. Are the Bills legit? Well, I don't think they are as good as their record indicates, but they are okay. They have a shot at playing for the wildcard this season.
14. Dallas Cowboys (3-3, +3): Holy God, DeMarco Murray... record setting day for the Cowboys. It seems that the Cowboys have found their man on the ground, as the rookie ran for 253 yards on 25 carries, and 1 touchdown. Looks like Felix Jones won't be getting his job back with his backup having that kind of performance.
15. Chicago Bears (4-3, -2): Chicago won, but they almost blew a pretty large lead in England. Matt Forte continues to impress, but not Jay Cutler, who threw another two interceptions against the Buccaneers. Good thing for the Bears, however, was their defese was able to force even more interceptions from Josh Freeman, four.
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3, +0): As mentioned above, Josh Freeman has been a liability this season. Coming off a strong 2010 campaign with 6 interceptions thrown all season, Freeman already has 10 in 2011. I don't know what's wrong exactly, but the Bucs need to find out soon or they will see their playoff chances slide away. With Earnest Graham now out for the year, they better hope they get LeGarrette Blount back after the bye.
17. Philadelphia Eagles (2-4, +1): The Dream Team had their bye to get ready for the Cowboys, and this game is for all the marbles. Beat the Cowboys, and they'll back back into the NFC East race. Lose, and your season is basically over. While its unwise to bet against Andy Reid coming off a bye, I don't really see how they can address their core problems... a weak linebacker corp and safety corp with a poor offensive line and a Quarterback who can't read the blitz.
18. Oakland Raiders (4-3, -7): Looks like Jason Campbell meant more to this team than I originally thought... and it looks like Carson Palmer may have been a poor pickup, after all. This was the first time in NFL history where two teammates at Quarterbacks threw 3 interceptions each in a single game, that shows just how bad the Raiders passing game is. To make matters worse, who knows how long they will be without star Runningback Darren McFadden, who went out early against the Chiefs.
19. Carolina Panthers (2-5, +3): Cam Newton is clicking, and I like it. Washington came to town wanting to get an easy win to get back into the NFC East race, but instead got handed a huge loss by the rookie. Its been a roller coaster ride for Cam Newton, as I expected, but boy, I never expected that it would be so thrilling. This kid is going to last in the NFL.
20. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2, +1): The Bengals sit at 4-2, with another easy game coming up this week in the Seahawks. This actually puts them in a competitive position in the AFC North, but as I said before, I believe their soft schedule is a big factor. They could very well be 5-2 after dispatching the Seahawks, but I don't see their success lasting this season.
21. Washington Redskins (3-3, -2): John Beck looked better than sexy Rexy Grossman, but that wasn't enough to overcome the Panthers. They took another huge blow in this game, losing RB Tim Hightower for the season. Look for them to turn to Ryan Torain... but it looks like the Redskins' strong start was a fluke. They now sit behind the Cowboys and Giants for the division, and aren't as talented as the Eagles.
22. Tennessee Titans (3-3, -2): I was so sure they would be able to figure out how to fix their running game with the bye week, but I guess I was mistaken. Chris Johnson looked helpless again, rushing for a mere 18 yards and even fumbling once. Hasselbeck completed less than his passes, and also threw two interceptions in a game where the Tenessee offense scored a mere 7 points. Yeah, this team's strong start was also a fluke (called it!).
23. Minnesota Vikings (1-6, +1): Christian Ponder looked pretty nice in his first start, but the Vikings once again have problems throwing two halves together. Their defense played the Pack very well in the first half, but tanked later into the game. If they focus on the things that made them successful, however, this team could get some wins under Ponder.
24. Cleveland Browns (3-3, -1): Winning 6-3 is ugly, we all know that. The Browns offense once again looked inept... Colt McCoy completed passes for a change, but once again has a yards per completion of under 10. The loss of Peyton Hillis in the running game is also noticed, as Montario Hardesty only rushed for 2.9 yards per carry in his absense. Joe Haden seems to be developing into a top tier CB, however, so there are some good signs defensively.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5, +2): Jacksonville's defense showed up again on Monday night, limiting the Ravens to a mere 7 points. Their offense continued to be inept, with even Jones-Drew entering the mix with 3 fumbles (the most he has ever fumbled in a game in his career). However, four field goals was enough to upset the Ravens, so there is reason for celebration in Jacksonville, as Gabbert celebrates his first win as an NFL starter.
26. Kansas City Chiefs (3-3, +0): Don't look now, but Kansas City has won three straight after losing their first three games. They picked off the Raiders a breath-taking six times in Oakland, snapping their division winning streak. After several key injuries, the player seem to be playing hard for Todd Haley. I don't see how they keep it up, however. They are no where near as good as last season.
27. Arizona Cardinals (1-5, -2): Kevin Kolb played okay, but the loss of Beanie Wells in this game hurt. He'll be out for a couple of weeks according to sources, which will hurt Arizona's chances of winning each game he misses, as he has been playing like a franchise back this season. Its sad... he kind of reminds me of Ronnie Brown. So much talent, but injuries seem to be dictating his career. I'm rooting for him.
28. Denver Broncos (2-4, +1): As Adam Schefter put it, Tim Tebow validated all of his critics and all of his supporters in his 18-15 overtime win against the Dolphins. After playing pitifully all game, he was finally able to get things going against a prevent Miami defense. While I'm not entirely convinced it wasn't just due to Miami ineptitude (they also fumbled an onside kick they recovered), Tim Tebow has intangibles. But does he have enough talent to be an NFL Quarterback? I'm not convinced. 
29. Seattle Seahawks (2-4, -1): Hmm... I guess this is why Pete Carroll decided to stick with Tavaris "Poop Salad" Jackson instead of switching to Charlie "Clip-board Jesus" Whitehurst (Seattle QB seem to have the best nicknames)... he was awful. He completed less than half of his passes for less than 100 yards, and also threw a pick. Also, Marshawn Lynch went down early into the contest whicah hurt them. Luckily, Leon Washington showed he can still be a legit RB in the NFL, rushing for 5.8 yards per carry. They need to include this man more in the rushing attack. 
30. Miami Dolphins (0-6, +0): Well, Miami was looking okay for 55 minutes. They abused Tebow early, sacking him countless times and not allowing a single point to the Broncos offense (well, part of it was due to two Matt Prater misses). However with the game on the line, Miami switched to a prevent defense which allowed Tim Tebow to orchestrate a huge comeback in overtime, 18-15. With by far the easiest game on the Dolphins schedule now a loss, the Dolphins are in complete Suck for Luck mode. Coach Sparano is safe according to reports, I mean, why assign an interim coach to get a few wins and ruin your chances of competing with the Colts for Luck?
31. St. Louis Rams (0-6, +1): Rams defense was awful, so they really shouldn't be "advancing" in the rankings, but they are lucky that the Colts happen to be worse than they are. We knew the Rams defense couldn't cover the pass. But what we didn't know was that they also can't cover the run as they allow a rookie runner making his first NFL start have a record-setting day against them. They also felt the loss of Sam Bradford at Quarterback, as AJ "Touchy" Feeley did not do a good job in his place. At least Steven Jackson is back, looking good. Things don't get easier for the Rams, though, as they play a Saints team next week who scored more points this week than the Rams have all season.
32. Indianapolis Colts (0-7, -1): Anytime you lose 62-7, you were out-coached. Yes, the Colts are bad without Peyton Manning but they have enough talent on that roster to compete. This team has given up on that coaching staff... and I feel bad for Jim Caldwell. Yes, he is useless as a head coach and benefited from Peyton Manning being the "true coach" on that team. But now he's fighting for his job after almost being the first first-year head coach to have an undefeated season.Predictions for Next Week
TKN's accuracy, Last week: 8-5 (61.54%)
Billy's accuracy, Last week: 7-6 (53.85%)
AFS's accuracy, Last week: 10-3 (76.92%)
TKN's Overall 2011 accuracy: 68-35 (66.02%)
Billy's Overall 2011 accuracy: 68-35 (66.02%)
AFS's Overall 2011 accuracy: 67-36 (65.05%)
For the second straight week, the Simulator has gotten the better of us, going 10-3 this week to follow up on its 12-1 performance last week. This means it just about catches up to us, only a game behind. At least I was able to make up my deficit against Billy, so now we're tied at 68 wins while the Simulator is in striking distance at 67. Will the Simulator have another good Week to take the lead? Sheesh... I hope not.
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| Sean Payton's Saints had more points last week than the Rams all season. |
TheKillerNacho: The Rams are completely collapsed, defensively not being able to stop the run nor pass. Offensively, if Bradford returns they could be solid... but they won't outscore Brees against their pitiful defense.
New Orleans 31, St. Louis 20
Billy:
New Orleans 42, St. Louis 28
American Football Simulator:
New Orleans 26, St. Louis 25
Jacksonville (2-5) @ Houston (4-3)
TheKillerNacho: Houston destroyed Tennessee last Sunday, and I expect them to destroy an even worse divisional rival in a similar fashion. Granted, division games are never for-sure, but it is one Houston should win.
Jacksonville 14, Houston 27
Billy:
Jacksonville 14, Houston 23
American Football Simulator:
Jacksonville 23, Houston 27
Miami (0-6) @ New York G (4-2)
TheKillerNacho: Miami is in a state of total collapse, while the Giants are playing at home coming off a bye. I think it is obvious who should be favored here. Even if the Dolphins somehow get a lead, they showed last week that they'll just let the opponent win in the 4th quarter.
Miami 10, New York G 24
Billy:
Miami 17, New York G 20
American Football Simulator:
Miami 20, New York G 24
Arizona (1-5) @ Baltimore (4-2)
TheKillerNacho: The Cardinals haven't won since Game 1, while Baltimore has looked unstoppable at home. While the Ravens fell to a trap game in Week 2 and last week, I do not think they will here playing at home against the Cardinals.
Arizona 17, Baltimore 24
Billy:
Arizona 10, Baltimore 37
American Football Simulator:
Arizona 18, Baltimore 29
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| Can Painter rally this team as his mentor did? |
TheKillerNacho: Both these teams have one thing in common: They were completely destroyed by their opponent in Week 7. Obviously, the Titans have more to play for and are the better team. They should win at home against a struggling Colts team.
Indianapolis 16, Tennessee 23
Billy:
Indianapolis 11, Tennessee 29
American Football Simulator:
Indianapolis 21, Tennessee 27
Minnesota (1-6) @ Carolina (2-5)
TheKillerNacho: I really like what I saw from rookie Christian Ponder against the Packers. Unfortanutely, I've liked what I've seen from Cam Newton all season long. I think it will be close, but the better rookie Quarterback will prevail.
Minnesota 20, Carolina 23
Billy:
Minnesota 24, Carolina 27
American Football Simulator:
Minnesota 24, Carolina 23
Detroit (5-2) @ Denver (2-4)
TheKillerNacho: Detroit has dropped two in a row at home, and now goes on the road to play Tim Tebow and the Broncos. Bad news for Tebow: the Lions are a much better opponent than the Dolphins. The Lions will build a larger lead, and won't lose it as easily.
Detroit 27, Denver 17
Billy:
Detroit 38, Denver 36
American Football Simulator:
Detroit 22, Denver 21
Washington (3-3) @ Buffalo (4-2)
TheKillerNacho: Washington is collapsing after a strong start. While John Beck played well, they were dropped by the 1-win Panthers, and now have to play a Buffalo team coming off a bye. All the signs are pointing to a Bills rout.
Washington 20, Buffalo 28
Billy:
Washington 13, Buffalo 28
American Football Simulator:
Washington 20, Buffalo 23
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| Andy Dalton has an opportunity to lead his team to 5-2 as a rookie. |
TheKillerNacho: Seattle managed a mere 3 points against the Browns behind Charlie Whitehurst, so they better hope that Tavaris Jackson is ready to go. Even if he is, though, the surprising Bengals will be a tough foe with their surprising defense.
Cincinnati 20, Seattle 13
Billy:
Cincinnati 25, Seattle 12
American Football Simulator:
Cincinnati 22, Seattle 21
New England (5-1) @ Pittsburgh (5-2)
TheKillerNacho: Good coaches hardly ever lose coming off the bye, and New England's Bill Bellichick is one of the best. The Steelers are formidable, but Tom Brady should be able to expose their average secondary. Defensively, the Patriots will need to continue the high level of play they displayed against Dallas.
New England 26, Pittsburgh 24
Billy:
New England 35, Pittsburgh 27
American Football Simulator:
New England 21, Pittsburgh 23
Cleveland (3-3) @ San Francisco (5-1)
TheKillerNacho: Cleveland will need to muster up more than 6 points if they want to win against the one-loss 49ers, and it'll be harder this week against a 49ers defense among the best in the league this season, at home, coming off a bye. Expect Colt McCoy to throw another 60 passes but score another abysmal amount of points in a loss.
Cleveland 10, San Francisco 21
Billy:
Cleveland 14, San Francisco 30
American Football Simulator:
Cleveland 23, San Francisco 24
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| With both coaches on the hot-seat, this will be an interesting battle. |
TheKillerNacho: Dallas-Philadelphia games are always close and entertaining games, so I'm excited. While this could go either way since this is an NFC East divison game, I'm going to bet Philadelphia for two reasons... One, Andy Reid is historically very good coming off a bye. Two, Tony Romo is due to throw another key game in the final seconds.
Dallas 21, Philadelphia 24
Billy:
Dallas 48, Philadelphia 41
American Football Simulator:
Dallas 24, Philadelphia 28
San Diego (4-2) @ Kansas City (3-3)
TheKillerNacho: San Diego needs to lick its wounds as they go into Kansas City to play a Chiefs game with a 3-game winning streak, coming off a shout-out in Oakland. Philip Rivers needs to concentrate and stop throwing interceptions... a feat that may not be so easy against a Chiefs defense who picked Oakland off 6 times last week.
San Diego 26, Kansas City 21
Billy:
San Diego 24, Kansas City 13
American Football Simulator:
San Diego 24, Kansas City 22
Question of the Week
Last week, I asked my readers "Of the 2011 surprise teams, which team is most likely legit (will make the playoffs this year and remain good for awhile)?" between the Buffalo Bills (4-2), Detroit Lions (5-1), Cincinnati Bengals (4-2), San Francisco 49ers (5-1), or Oakland Raiders (4-2). Most readers seemed to agree with me with the Detroit Lions, who received 50% of the vote. However, with the Lions' defeat on Sunday, it seems like the 37% who picked San Francisco or the 12% who picked Cincinnati may have been correct... Hmm...
There are now four rookie Quarterbacks starting for their teams so this week's poll is, "Which high-round rookie Quarterback will have the best NFL career?" between the Cam Newton (CAR), Christian Ponder (MIN), Andy Dalton (CIN), Blaine Gabbert (JAC), or Jake Locker (TEN). While I like pretty much all of them thus far who has started (except Gabbert, but it was well known he would be a project when he was drafted), I think obviously Cam Newton has been the best, and has the highest potential of the four. He's surpassed every expectation, and has provided a spark in Carolina. I liked Jake Locker in the draft, but I want to see how he plays in a real game before I say anything positive. He may get his chance if Matt Hasselbeck keeps playing like he did last Sunday...
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