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 Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 9:31 pm
Greetings and Salutations everyone,
Seems like it was only yesterday the NFL season kicked off with week one. But with the conclusion of the Patriots/Dolphins Monday night game we are officially 1/4 of the way done with the season already. Some teams living up to their hype and playing as well as we expect, others we scratch our heads and wonder what in the world is wrong with this team? And we are starting to see Playoff hopefuls pull away from the rest of the pack and establishing themselves. So here is my ranking for the first quarter of the NFL season.
TOP 10
1. Baltimore Ravens- They are 3-1 with two tough road victories against the Jets and Steelers. The hard part of their season could be over.
2. New York Jets- This team is just 1 point away from being 4-0, and have already swept their division, Still playing like a team with Superbowl expectations from the off season.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers- Many said going 2-2 without Ben Roethlisberger would be a good start, the Steelers are 3-1, top 3 defense and get Big Ben back after their bye, this could be the scariest team following week 6
4. Kansas City Chiefs- Raise your hand if you knew that after 4 weeks the only undefeated team left would be the Chiefs? Didn't think so. Still not convinced they belong in the AFC elite class yet, but being the last undefeated team in the league deserves top 5 recognition.
5. Green Bay Packers- Played like the team to beat in the NFC weeks 1 and 2, lost to the Bears than rebounded with a too close to call win over the Lions, I debated ranking this team this high, but compared to other teams in the NFC I still think this one is the best in their conference.
6. Atlanta Falcons- 3-1 with a big win over the defending Superbowl Champions to take an early lead in the NFC South, but close call games like yesterdays last second victory over winless San Francisco shows this team isn't as stable as they could be.
7. Houston Texans- I expected the Texans to be a playoff contending team this year, but leading the AFC south after 4 weeks including a huge win over Indianapolis in week 1 makes this team a serious contender in the AFC.
8. New England Patriots- As long as Brady leads this team, it will always be a top 10 franchise, and they are right on the heals of the Jets in the AFC East.
9. Chicago Bears- Being the last undefeated team in the NFC deserves some credit, but they won their first game against the Lions due to a technicality, and last nights loss to a struggling Giants team was so ugly, that knocked them from what could have been a top 5 spot down to #9
10. New Orleans Saints- The champions are 3-1 and still winning games. But the manor of how they are winning brings question and concern to this franchise and more doubts to if they can repeat. But they remain in my top 10.
Muddled Middle
11. Indianapolis Colts- It's no surprise that Peyton Manning is having another MVP season. A 112.2 QB rating through 4 weeks with 11 TD and averaging over 341 yards per game. But the Colts are 2-2 with the two losses against division rivals. Cause for concern?
12. Washington Redskins- They have their issues and aren't quite a top tier team, but with two big wins over division rivals Dallas and McNabbs huge win against his former team yesterday, this team has a lot of momentum moving forward.
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Nice 2-0 start to their season, but a huge loss to Pittsburgh before their bye brought up some question as to if this team is ready to emerge? Or just had good days against poor Cleveland and Carolina teams?
14. Philadelphia Eagles- With Michael Vick, this team was a monster, without him they fell apart. Sad to see such a great team be so dependant on their QB to determine how good they can be.
15. San Diego Chargers- At times they look like the elite chargers squad we've seen the past few years, other times they play below what they are capable of. Some experts think they are off to a typical slow Chargers start but will have a late season surge to win the division. Yesterdays win is big, but we'll see how this team holds up against New England in 3 weeks.
16. Cincinnati Bengals- Despite having two great wide receivers in Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens, this offense is struggling, and even after T.O. has a career day 222 receiving yards on 10 catches, they still found a way to loose to Cleveland. So much potential to be an elite AFC team.
17. New York Giants- with their struggles against Indianapolis and Tennessee, I was ready to write the Giants off this season and mark them even lower on my list, but their win Sunday night over undefeated Chicago was Huge! And they are only 1/2 game behind the Redskins for the division led. All is not lost for this team.
18. Jacksonville Jaguars- Like the Giants this team started off with a win, then stunk it up with two misserable losses, but their victory over Indianapolis was the shot in the arm this team needed.
19. Miami Dolphins- They started off 2-0, their defenses allowed an average of 10 points in their first two games. Since then, against the Jets and Patriots they have given up 72 points. Their bye couldn't have come at a better time. After they come back in two weeks they'll have a rough stretch of games against Green Bay, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Baltimore. 3 of the 4 games are on the road.
20. Denver Broncos- A .500 team which at times shows signs of being good, and other times struggles to the point of wondering if they are going to be a serious contender in the AFC West? Kyle Orton is playing well enough so far, but the question in Denver is this, "When will the inevitable Quarterback change for Tim Tebow to starter happen?"
21. Dallas Cowboys- A very ugly start to their season, but a big win over state rival Houston before going into their bye gives the Cowboys some motivation. And they have a favorable line up the next 4 weeks to get them right back into talks of contending for the division if they play as well coming back.
22. St. Louis Rams- They started off 0-2, and many thought, "Same old Rams" But they have won back to back victories for the first time since 2008, and against .500 teams too. At this moment, could the St. Louis Rams, the 1-15 Rams from a year ago be the team to beat in the NFC West?
Bottom of the Barrel
23. Tennessee Titans- Lets sum up Vince Young and the Titans with one word, Inconsistency! When Young is hot, this team appears unstoppable, when hes not, they look pathetic. Hard to take the Titans as a serious playoff contender if Young can't stay consistent.
24. Seattle Seahawks- A big win in week one against playoff hopeful San Francisco built up a lot of hype for this team and the return of Pete Carrol, since then they played mediocre, and their 20-3 loss to St. Louis yesterday should raise some red flags to how this team is progressing.
25. Cleveland Browns- I thought about ranking the Browns higher, they've been tough and have been in every game this season. And their victory yesterday was a nice moral boost for them. But still being 1-3 isn't a good thing, and we'll see how tough they continue to play from this point on.
26. Minnesota Vikings- Like the Cowboys they got off to a rough 0-2 start, they did get their first win before going into their bye, but unlike Dallas who got it against a tough undefeated Texans team, The Vikings got theirs against winless Detroit. And a tough three game stretch against the Jets, Cowboys and Patriots could leave this team at 1-5 and far behind the division lead.
27. Arizona Cardinals- Their wins were ugly, and by a total of 5 points, their losses are even uglier and by a whopping 65 points! Derek Anderson has been benched, unproven rookie Hall steps in, this could be a very very ugly season for Arizona.
28. Oakland Raiders- What can I say? The Raiders are the Raiders. A two point victory over St. Louis is all that keeps them from being possibly number 31 or 32 on my list. But it's more than what the winless teams have at the moment.
29. San Francisco 49ers- The biggest opponent for the San Francisco 49ers this season, have been the San Francisco 49ers. They have the star power and potential to run away with this division. Strong showings against 3-1 teams like Atlanta and New Orleans, and only being 2 games behind for the division lead, still leaves hope for this team to bounce back.
30. Detroit Lions- Their game against the Bears should have been a win. Their losses to top NFC teams like Philadelphia and Green Bay were by a combined 5 points. This team will rebound and get several wins under their belt before the season ends.
31. Carolina Panthers- Before the beginning of the season I had my list of head coaches in trouble. And Jon Fox is right on course for getting canned. If he's lucky, at this rate, maybe he can avoid being fired till the end of the regular season.
32. Buffalo Bills- Just WoW, This team has allowed a whopping 125 points! allowed their last three opponents score over 30 points, and offensively look just horrendous. Other win less teams at least have something to build off of. The Bills just need a massive overhaul.
And there is my quarterly rankings. These rankings are my opinion, and I welcome everyone to rank the teams as they see fit as well. Feel free to leave comments, either positive or negative.
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:03 am
The 49ers remind me of the year the Jets went 4-12 they keep playing to their opponents. If they play a bad team they play bad but when they play a team that is good they turn it on and lose by a little.
The Ravens are not who I think should be number 1, divisional games have to be taken with a grain of salt because you play them differently and harder.
The Steelers are the team to beat for me They have a scary defense and if Ben is half as good as normal they are going to be unstoppable.
The Jets have the advantage of getting three stars back soon (Revis, Pace, Holems) and can play without them, so they are certainly number two.
The Bucs don't strike me as that good, but the Rams could be there instead. They have some good pieces there with Bradford and Clayton clicking and probably the best RB in the NFL.
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 6:16 pm
Saverio C. The 49ers remind me of the year the Jets went 4-12 they keep playing to their opponents. If they play a bad team they play bad but when they play a team that is good they turn it on and lose by a little. The Ravens are not who I think should be number 1, divisional games have to be taken with a grain of salt because you play them differently and harder. The Steelers are the team to beat for me They have a scary defense and if Ben is half as good as normal they are going to be unstoppable. The Jets have the advantage of getting three stars back soon (Revis, Pace, Holems) and can play without them, so they are certainly number two. The Bucs don't strike me as that good, but the Rams could be there instead. They have some good pieces there with Bradford and Clayton clicking and probably the best RB in the NFL.
You are entitled to your opinion to who the best team is, my list is just my opinion so I'm really no more right or wrong than you are. Only question I have for you, you questioned the Ravens being number 1 by saying that divisional teams should be taken with a "grain of salt" and that's why I shouldn't have favored them over Pittsburgh. But still agreed with me that the Jets should be Number 2, even though all three of their wins have been against divisional rivals. Should all three of their wins be taken with a grain of salt? Overall I think that the Ravens, Jets, and Steelers are the top three teams in the NFL, they all could be interchangable with each other. But at this point the Ravens is the one that has the wins against the Jets and Steelers. For that I'll give them the edge for now. But I do agree with you that I think the Steelers, as of right now, should be considered the most dangerous team, but we'll see how much Roethlisberger effects the offense from here on out.
As for the Buccaneers, I did question putting them that high, but their only loss as been to the Steelers, so even though they looked bad, against one of the top teams in the league I won't hold it too much against them. Lost of questions around this team whether if they are that good sitting at a 2-1 mark. For the moment, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. But that could quickly change.
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 6:45 pm
You are right that the Jets maybe to high up, but I simply don't think that beating the Steelers was as big of an accomplishment as beating the Jets was.
I just don't think that the Ravens beating the Steelers is as big as the Steelers being 3-1. Just as I think the Browns are still one of the worst teams in football even when they beat the Bengals.
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:31 pm
What the Bills need to be a better team?
A Quarterback, A Good Reciever, and a better Defense, to even contend with the others in their division.
Now to talk about what the Niners need,ummm good luck.
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 11:40 pm
KTS What the Bills need to be a better team? A Quarterback, A Good Reciever, and a better Defense, to even contend with the others in their division. Now to talk about what the Niners need,ummm good luck.
To help their new QB addition, bring in a good supporting offensive unit from free agency or trade. You don't necessarily need a star pro bowler at every position, but someone with experience who plays solid football to help your new rookie QB develop and mold into an effective starter.
Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't playing bad football right now, but I don't see him being the cornerstone QB this team needs to lead them back to prosperity. Since taking over for the departed Edwards he's had 4 TD passes and an 88.1 rating. If me manages to play at a decent rate, they could try and mold him into their starter and instead of drafting a QB with their #1 pick try going with a top Running back. A good running game can help keep pressure off of Fitzpatrick and allow them to have an offensive scheme that is run based and sets up an effective play action pass. Which I think could work better for Ryan. Right now their run game is virtually non-existant and their putting too much pressure on a QB who doesn't have what it takes to win games through the air with an all out passing attack.
So that's what I would do, After the season, new GM and Head Coach, if Ryan doesn't finish strong or showing potential, get a QB high in the draft and bring in solid experienced veterans to help him develop. If Ryan does play well enough then Draft a good Running back high in the draft to help take some of the pressure off of Ryan so he can play more to his strengths and not have to pass all the time.
The 49ers also needs a new QB, Alex Smith is still being too inconsistant, has 7 Interceptions, and a QB rating of 66.1. Not the worst in the NFL, but it is still pretty low. (currently ranked 30th or 29th among active QB's) The 49ers defense is a good strong unit, but their offense, despite their great weapons aren't doing them any favors. The 49ers need consistancy not only at Quarterback, but at Offensive Coordinator. Get a good Offensive Coordinator who won't leave the team or get fired after one season, a new Quarterback who can be an effective leader! I'm still in favor of giving David Carr a shot to lead this team. Not the best QB in the league, but a good solid QB who can be a starter. We know now Smith isn't the guy to lead the 49ers in the Future, we need to evaluate Carr to see if he can do it, if not, then we know we need a new QB this off season. Either through the draft, trade, or free agency.
I think Mike Singletary's job is safe... for now. He won't get fired during the season, but if the 49ers keep shooting themselves in the foot, or as one sports writer said, "The 49ers didn't shoot themselves in the foot against the Falcons, but they did give Matt Ryan the loaded gun." Then I can see this team parting ways with him at the end of the season. The 49ers are in a weak division, have a favorable second half of the year after their bye week. And with being only 2 games out of first place, Behind St. Louis of all teams, they still have a legitimate shot to right this ship, bounce back, and win their division. A better chance than any other 0-4 team to do so and still make the playoffs.
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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 7:27 pm
I know this is in your opinion and all, and I agree with it for the most part. The only problem I see with it though (and this is in my opinion), is that the Bears are to high. If the Bears can fix their o-line, maybe they could be there. So far they've only really BEAT Dallas, won due to a technicality against the Lions, and let the Packers beat themselves. Their record may say 3-1, but they have played like a 1-3. I'd rank them around 15ish and move everyone down.
But this just my opinion. Figured I'd chip something in since you took the time to type all this =p
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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 9:05 pm
i8th Wonder Of The World I know this is in your opinion and all, and I agree with it for the most part. The only problem I see with it though (and this is in my opinion), is that the Bears are to high. If the Bears can fix their o-line, maybe they could be there. So far they've only really BEAT Dallas, won due to a technicality against the Lions, and let the Packers beat themselves. Their record may say 3-1, but they have played like a 1-3. I'd rank them around 15ish and move everyone down.
But this just my opinion. Figured I'd chip something in since you took the time to type all this =p
I would like to also direct back to the 94/95 season. The Philadelphia Eagles went into San Francisco and beat them 40-8 in a very very ugly game. Yet San Francisco bounced back from that ugly win and won the superbowl that year. They fell pretty far from where I would have placed them if they would have won that game. But we'll see where they go from here. It's as Bill Cowher said once, you can't judge a team based on what they do when they are at their best, but how the respond from being at their lowest.
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Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 11:58 am
see i dnt think ppl give enough credit to the Detriot Lions you put the 30th i think there about 20-23. Remeber they should have beat the Bears in week one
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Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 7:44 am
Dark Shaddow305 see i dnt think ppl give enough credit to the Detriot Lions you put the 30th i think there about 20-23. Remeber they should have beat the Bears in week one
I did debate ranking the Detroit Lions higher on my list, a lot of the teams above them I think the Lions are just as good at between the 29-25 or 24 spots, but many of those teams have also been in close games that they should have won. If I made my list after their 44-6 romp of the St. Louis Rams, I might have placed them higher, but at the moment, I was looking at several close games they had. But many of the teams ranked in the bottom of my list all had those "Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda" games.
I'll be doing another ranking half way through the season. We'll see by then if the Lions can continue what they started against St. Louis and deserve to move up by then.
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