Monday, December 5, 2011

NFL Power Rankings Week 14

1. Green Bay Packers: 499 (473)
Previous Week: 1
Notes: The Packers proved that they are beatable by barely escaping an upset loss against the Giants. Aaron Rodgers also proved how clutch he can be and how easy a game winning drive can look. The road to 16-0 just got easier.

2. San Francisco 49ers: 408 (352)
Previous Week: 2
Notes: The only game standing in their way of a 14-2 season (and a clinch of a 1st round bye) is a home game against the Steelers. The 49ers are the better team this year and should win.

3. Houston Texans: 385 (351)
Previous Week: 3
Notes: No Schaub? No problem. The team faced their first real test without their star QB and pulled off an impressive victory.

4. Baltimore Ravens: 371 (346)
Previous Week: 4
Notes: The Ravens made it look all too easy against the Browns. Each game is very important for the rest of the season as it could mean the difference of a 1 seed and 5 seed come playoff time.

5. New Orleans Saints: 354 (314)
Previous Week: 6
Notes: This team is looking like one of the best in the NFL right now. The Packers should fear this team in the playoffs.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers: 345 (288)
Previous Week: 7
Notes: The second game between the Steelers and the Bengals looked nothing like the first with the Steelers completely dominating. The playoffs are now a definite, it's just a matter of fighting for the division instead of a wildcard.

7. New England Patriots: 335 (332)
Previous Week: 5
Notes: Some times a win will drop you a couple of spots in the rankings. A game against the Colts was one where they obviously were going to win, but still revealed the many holes this team this has on defense. They can't expect to be a Super Bowl team with that defense even with Tom Brady.

8. Detroit Lions: 231 (268)
Previous Week: 8
Notes: Tough loss for the Lions. They might need to take their next 3 against the Vikings, Raiders, and Chargers in order to make the playoffs.

9. Dallas Cowboys: 217 (236)
Previous Week: 9
Notes: A win over the Cards would have put the Cowboys in great position to take the NFC East. It would have happened if it wasn't for Garrett icing his own kicker. Now the games against the Giants are even more important.

10. Atlanta Falcons: 190 (207)
Previous Week: 12
Notes: A loss against a good Texans team on the road moves this team up 2 spots. They look like the best 7-5 team in the NFC right now.

11. Chicago Bears: 181 (208 )
Previous Week: 11
Notes: This looks like a completely different team without Cutler. A loss against the lowly Chiefs might be the game that keeps them out of the playoffs.

12. Cincinnati Bengals: 180 (223 )
Previous Week: 10
Notes: This team is starting to look less and less like the team we saw in the first half of the season. They have two remaining tough games (Texans and Ravens) and two games they should win (Cardinals and Rams). They'll need to take the two games they should win and one of the tough games most likely to make the playoffs.

13. New York Jets: 179 (127 )
Previous Week: 14
Notes: Not that the Jets are a Super Bowl caliber team by any means this year, but I predict they'll be the ones to take the 6th seed.

14. Tennessee Titans: 138 (110)
Previous Week: 15
Notes: The Titans will likely need to take one against the Saints or Texans to make the playoffs. No easy task. This team, however, has been doing a lot better than anyone would have thought.

15. Oakland Raiders: 98 (134)
Previous Week: 13
Notes: That loss puts the Raiders in a tough spot with two upcoming games against the Lions and Packers.

16. New York Giants: 82 (83)
Previous Week: 16
Notes: Although the Giants got their 4th loss in a row, they put up a good fight against the Packers. Bold prediction, the Giants take their remaining 4 and clinch the playoffs.

17. Denver Broncos: 79 (66)
Previous Week: 17
Notes: Tim Tebow looked better than he had in past games, but still needs to improve. That being said, he is still finding ways to win. The Broncos are the team to beat in the AFC West.

18. San Diego Chargers: 78 (32)
Previous Week: 20
Notes: Even at 5-7, the Chargers playoff hopes are very much alive. If they take the remaining 4, they will likely clinch the division.

19. Miami Dolphins: 34 (-13)
Previous Week: 21
Notes: This team very much deserves to be out of the bottom 20. If they played the first half like they have been the second half, they'd in the thick of the playoff race. Unfortunately too little too late.

20. Philadelphia Eagles: 28 (62)
Previous Week: 18
Notes: And it's now officially 100% over for the Eagles. Who would have thought 12 games in the Eagles would need to take the remaining 4 to even finish the season at .500

21. Buffalo Bills: 23 (51)
Previous Week: 19
Notes: The Bills are starting to look like the Bills that we are used to over the past couple of years.

22. Seattle Seahawks: 14 (-39)
Previous Week: 23
Notes: This team is fighting hard for their playoff life. They won't make it, but it's exciting to watch this team (who once looked like they had no shot) compete this hard.

23. Carolina Panthers: -21 (-83)
Previous Week: 27
Notes: The Panthers have fought their way out of the cellar in the NFC South. They are the better team than the Buccs and it's not surprise that they won that game.

24. Arizona Cardinals: -23 (-62)
Previous Week: 25
Notes: The NFC West has been the kryptonite for some of the NFC East teams and the Cardinals have been helping with this. A 7-9 or 8-8 record would be a lot more than what was expected from this team.

25. Washington Redskins: -41 (-22)
Previous Week: 22
Notes: The Redskins will be hoping to end the season better than the Eagles.

26. Cleveland Browns: -75 (-40)
Previous Week: 24
Notes: Won't be surprised if this team loses their remaining 4 games of the season.

27. Kansas City Chiefs: -86 (-130 )
Previous Week: 29
Notes: Their defense has been looking a lot better these past couple of games (even though their offense is horrendous). A nice win over the Bears that keeps their playoff hopes alive. I still think this team deserves to be ranked very low in the power rankings when you look at how they've played their entire season.

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: -120 (-80)
Previous Week: 26
Notes: Their 4-8 record is a lot more accurate representation of this team than the 4-2 record that they started off with.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars: - 121 (-85)
Previous Week: 28
Notes: Del Rio is gone, the Jaguars still suck.

30. Minnesota Vikings: -152 (-141)
Previous Week: 30
Notes: A good offensive effort against the Broncos, but once again the Vikings come up short.

31. St. Louis Rams: -251 (-215 )
Previous Week: 31
Notes: Normally this is the type of team that would be the worst in the NFL. Lucky for them they're playing with the 2011 Colts. Unlucky for them because they lose the #1 spot in the draft.

32. Indianapolis Colts: -398 ( -384)
Previous Week: 32
Notes: I was shocked that this team staged a comeback like they did against the Pats. This team is fighting hard still which says as much about their heart as it does their talent.

No comments: