It's the midway point of the season and now the byes are done, so it is time to come out with my first, power rankings of the season 1-32. A bunch of teams are positioning themselves on the ledge of playoff status and there are 7 4-4 teams, where do they all rank? So without further ado, here it is the first and probably last due to the exorbitant amount of time it took me Power Rankings:
1. Indianapolis Colts, 8-0 - The Colts have major question marks with their defensive line and their ability to stop the run and yet it never seems to matter as Peyton Manning seemingly never has a bad game in the regular season anymore. While no one should expect the Colts to go undefeated, look at their schedule and tell me who is going to knock them off, Tony Romo and the Cowboys?, the inconsistent Eagles?, the Bungles?. I feel bad for whoever has Peyton Manning on their fantasy team, as once again this year you're going to see a lot of Jim Sorgi down the stretch, undefeated or not. With the Colts holding a two game lead and tie breaks over the 2 most likely candidates it looks as if we'll be seeing the RCA dome come January.
2. New England Patriots, 6-2 - So what they played like garbage last night, the Pats still have a very good defense, two very good running backs and one of the best QBs in the league, if you don't think the Pats will run through the remainder of their schedule and finish at worst 12-4 then I would have to question your mental state and ask you to look at who they have to play the rest of the way.
3. New York Giants, 6-2 - Not a pretty showing by the G-Men this week against the Texans but not to worry, the Giants did not have Plaxico, and it's not a Toomah missed much of the game after pulling up lame on an out rout. The Giants defense is now getting pressure on their opposing QB, and their offense with all their weapons is one of the most dangerous in the league. A big test at home against the Bears could help the G-Men establish homefield throughout the NFC playoffs.
4. Denver Broncos, 6-2 - Sure their defense go torched for yardage yesterday, but the Steelers actually have been torching teams on a consistent basis, however the Broncos forced them to do what they have done all year commit turnovers. The Broncos could very much use homefield in the playoffs, and while that #1 spot is close to out of reach given the Colts hold a 2+ advantage, the Broncos could feel comfortable if they can host the Pats at home in the 2nd round in back to back seasons. And then they can deal with the Colts in the RCA dome when that pops up.
5. Chicago Bears, 7-1 - Or as Colin Cowherd called them, the West Chicago Mountaineers. The Bears have gone through their cake walk first half of the season and showed a definitive weakness, they are not a good come from behind offense, and if you trust Rex Grossman as your QB in any tough spot then you are a braver man than I. Personally I could never trust Grossman down points in the clutch, and think his gung-ho attitude in pressure packed situations will lead to more and more mistakes. If the Bears can win this week in East Rutherford than they will have a great chance to lock up homefield something they will need come January.
6. San Diego Chargers, 6-2 - My question is in a close matchup versus a good team will the Chargers be able to win? I don't think there is any current evidence to say with confidence yes. While they could probably blow out 2/3 of the teams in the NFL, especially at home, against the top ten in a tight game you trust Philip and Marty ball? They need to win the West and get a bye before I would give them a legit chance of making it to the Superbowl.
7. Baltimore Ravens, 6-2 - I'll admit when I'm wrong and I was obviously wrong on the Ravens, I took too much in consideration of their performance last year and didn't quite realize how much of a deterrent from winning Kyle Boller was last year. And while I still will not trust their offense in a big spot, it appears as if their vaunted D is back in the flow of things, and seems to put up a td every week.
8. New Orleans Saints, 6-2 - How about Drew mutha f'n Brees? So much for the notion that LT and Gates made him a great QB the past two seasons. Brees has simply developed into a top 5 QB in the NFL and he is turning a kid drafted 225th, in Marques Colston, into a Pro Bowler and the rookie of the year. While I'm not sure if I trust the Saints to win a big road playoff game or shut another teams talented offense down, you have to enjoy watching Brees huck it for 300+ every game and the Saints running up the scoreboard.
9. Kansas City Chiefs, 5-3 - Ugh, the last thing I want to see is Herman Edwards enjoying a playoff run, and while I think their schedule is tough enough to keep them out they have now fully decided to get the ball in the hands of Larry Johnson 35 times a game and guess what, that works. It works very well. Much like the Jaguars, the Chiefs have a very difficult QB decision to make and it will very much influence whether or not they can make the playoffs.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars, 5-3 - The most confusing team in the NFL, bar none. This team is an enigma, losing to the Texans, how the hell did that happen? Completely dominating the Eagles in Philly, blasting the Jets and Titans before the game even cruised into the 2nd quarter. Here's the biggest question mark for Jack Del Rio, who's his quarterback? If its Leftwich can he avoid any pressure in the pocket, if its Gerrard can he make big throws when needed to bring his team back from a deficit.
11. Atlanta Falcons, 5-3 - As soon as you peg the Falcons as turning the corner and being a legit NFC contender they go out and get beat down by the Detroit Lions, go figure. One thing that remains the same in Atlanta, with the exception of Alge Crumpler their wide receiver core stinks, is unreliable, and does not have the confidence of their quarterback. With that being said, who is Michael Vick, is he the QB who torched Pittsburgh and Cincy in back to back weeks or is he the guy who struggled passing the ball against Detroit and in the first five games of the season.
12. Carolina Panthers, 4-4 - The much maligned yet still dangerous Panthers sit on the precipice of falling in or out of the playoff run. My take is they start making a move soon. Their schedule certainly isn't the easiest in the league but if they can win the next two at home and get on a roll I would expect Delhomme to lead this squad to a wildcard slot and/or push the Falcons and Saints for the South title.
13. Philadelphia Eagles, 4-4 - Ah, the Eagles another enigma in the NFL. A bunch of close losses including the 4th quarter collapse against the G-Men, sprinkle in some mightily impressive showings, and then a no show against the Jaguars and what do you get, a confused bunch who are trying to evaluate their season thus far. They still have Donovan and Westbrook, and the bye week certainly could help them regroup, but they have a bunch of work to do.
14. Dallas Cowboys, 4-4 - Think Bill Parcells heart lost a few years of pumping ability this past weekend. The Cowboys are a good team, and Romo has surprised me with his production the past two weeks, but if you look at their schedule despite their talent, they are going to have a very difficult time weaseling their way into the postseason.
15. Seattle Seahawks, 5-3 - Why is a 5-3 Seahawk team behind 3 4-4 teams you may be asking yourself? In addition you could be saying, hey didn't you pick the Seahawks to win the Superbowl, why are you down on them now? Well I'll give you a reason, and that reason is homefield advantage. Something that the Seahawks are in very large jeopardy of not being able to grab and without that I simply do not trust them to advance deep in the playoffs. In addition only time will tell if Hasselbeck regains his health and if Alexander ever becomes more than a game day decision sit out. If they can fight through this storm with Seneca and Morris and somehow surpass the G-Men and the Bears for homefield advantage then they would should back up to the top of these rankings but until that happens I expect the Seahawks to stumble into the playoffs.
16. Cincinatti Bengals, 4-4 - Chad Johnson is now officially inching closer to the he's not so cute anymore he's more like Terrell Owens, as now he is starting to complain about his production and usage in the Bengals system. Carson Palmer's numbers do not even remotely compare to his numbers of 2005, and neither do any of the overall offense numbers. The Bengals have played poorly since the start of October and now they are down by 2 and a tie break on the Ravens. Not a good spot to be in.
17. St. Louis Rams, 4-4 - Here's the crossroads of the Rams season, do they have the ability to head into Seattle and win a big game against a depleted roster. Win and you head out of Seattle tied for the division lead and hopefully healthy, while the Seahawks are still going to be a battered and bruised squad. On the other hand lose and you might as well pack up the gear and get ready to schedule your vaca's for the first week of January. With the way Bulger, Holt and Steven Jackson have been playing this season 4-4 is simply not acceptable.
18. Minnesota Vikings, 4-4 - Officially the lamest semi decent team in the NFL to watch. Unfortunately for me their epic matchup this weekend against the 49ers was televised and I'm pretty sure my retinas were damaged in the process. For all those who thought the Vikings were a legit team in the off season I would like to question why? They have a QB who is no longer reliable when that used to be his best and really only above par trait. They have wideouts who can't consistently hold onto the ball, and they have a perennial backup running back.
19. Washington Redskins, 3-5 - The Redskins have the potential to be a thorn in the side of all who come across them on their schedule, well until they decide to give Jason Campbell the starts once they are officially out of it. They have the weapons on offense to make it happen and there even have been consistent Chris Cooley citings the past three weeks. Their miracle of a win this past weekend gives them some hope and has them firmly on life support but if they could string some wins together they could possibly make the same playoff push they had last season. Or they could lose their next two on the road and give up on their season.
20. New York Jets, 4-4 - The Jets have no run defense, period. Their defensive line gets pushed back multiple yards on every rush attempt and their linebackers often find themselves in out of position with no opportunity to make the tackle. The regression of this defense from the playoffs two seasons ago is very disappointing. In addition Chad has been very inconsistent the past month of the season and had by far his worst game against the Browns. While the Jets will certainly end up with a better record than some of those listed ahead on the rankings, it is only because they play so many teams listed below them on the rankings.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers, 2-6 - Yes the Steelers are not going to make the playoffs, but they have had a difficult schedule and have played well in gaining yards and buttering their hands. The Steelers big downfall this season has been the turnovers, which have come at a constant stream. However, if you don't think that every playoff fighting team very much would like them off their schedule you are wrong.
22. Buffalo Bills, 3-5 - Is their really anything to look forward to in Buffalo other than maybe the Sabres, if you do hockey that is. The Bills are one of the many franchises who drafted a quarterback in the first round where it hasn't worked out, it has shown very limited signs of potential to work out, yet the team can't pull the trigger and get rid of him already. Think Kyle Boller / Joey Harrington situations. Right now I would be curious, if I was a Bills fan, as to the direction of the franchise's most important position.
23. Green Bay Packers, 3-5 - The Pack go behind the Bills due to their loss the past weekend which I found highly surprising. The Pack apparently can still turn into the turnover monster that has killed their franchise for the past two years. This team was never going to be a playoff team but I thought they might finish up as a .500 squad, but not that is very much in doubt. Brett's gonna hang it up in a losing season whether its this year or the next.
24. San Francisco 49ers, 3-5 - How are the 49ers 3-5? This is the same team that lost 41-0 earlier this season and was down 41-0 at the half to the Bears, right? One way or the other the 49ers have more wins than I think anyone expected and that is a credit to Mike Nolan cause when you look at their roster, who do actually see and think wow he's a good player. Frank Gore? Come on he didn't even have a big career at the U. Alex Smith? Anyone on defense? No, this team is better than expected but they still have a long way to go, before they will contend in the West.
25. Detroit Lions, 2-6 - Hey Matt Millen you actually appear to have made two valid draft choices in your tenure with Roy Williams and a resurgent Kevin Jones. Congrats on your 1 for 3 receiver draft success rate. So whats the issue with the Lions, oh their defense stinks, bad, I guess thats what happens when every single year you use your top draft picks on the offensive side of the ball.
26. Miami Dolphins, 2-6 - Bonus points for beating the Bears in Chicago. That's basically the only positive to be found in Miami. Ronnie Brown had a very good game against the Bears but I really would like to see more consistency from him in the run game and more production from the uber talented Chris Chambers. The Dolphins will probably end up going .500 down the stretch of the season.
27. Houston Texans, 2-6 - Andre Johnson is a stud he makes watching Texan games partially bearable. While Mario Williams and my preseason pick for rookie of the year Demeco Ryans are both playing well it still is clearly evident that the Texans have no running back worthy of future playing time on their roster. When draft day comes up expect the Texans to try to position themselves in the Adrian Peterson running.
28. Cleveland Browns, 2-6 - The lone bright spot in Cleveland might be the fact that the Soldier appears to be alive in well after his motorcycle accident as he is catching a bunch of balls every week. Other than that all you can do if your a Browns fan is hope that Winslow, Edwards and maybe even Frye develop into good players cause right now your roster isn't filled with a single must see player.
29. Tennessee Titans, 2-6 - Saw an interesting stat about Vince Young not rushing very often this weekend against Jacksonville. If Vince doesn't used his dynamic abilities than he simply put will never be an above average quarterback in this league. Michael Vick still has yet to establish himself as an upper echelon passer, and I don't believe Vince ever will, to coral him and make him a pocket passer is an incredible mistake and the Titans are never going to be a superb team if that occurs.
30. Oakland Raiders, 2-6 - Well its clear that the Raiders lack a quarterback that will have much influence in the future of their franchise. In addition Randy Moss can't simply make any QB a god, there is something to be said about his downward production after leaving the Vikings as there is with Culpepper's downward spiral when after Moss left town. Lamont Jordan was a waste of money I said it then, I say it now. He's not an elite back, never was never will be. He never could have adequately replaced Curtis Martin, and the Jets did the only sane thing in not busting open the piggy bank and letting him go. If you see a light at the end of this tunnel please let me know, cause I certainly don't. Pretty boy Quinn in a Raider uniform? Now thats laughable.
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2-6 - Just for those that don't remember the Bucs were in fact a playoff team last year and actually won their division, now they are one of the worst teams in the NFL, with a rookie QB who is very inaccurate and receivers that are so shocked when he throws a good ball that they drop it. In addition the Caddy appears to have a few flat tires, either that or the offensive line keeps on closing the gate when the Caddy tries to get out of the driveway. Now Tampa needs to decide whether Gruden is still the man for the job, and whether or not either Simms or Gradkowski is a legit QB of the future. Brady Quinn anyone?
32. Arizona Cardinals, 1-7 - The Cardinals are officially the biggest disaster in the NFL this season. They have two talented wideouts and Heisman Trophy winner at QB, and a perennial pro bowler at RB and yet have a difficult time scoring points? Bad coaching perhaps? Poor drafting / Assembling of an offensive line. My guess is Denny Green is out no matter what at the end of the season, and perhaps could be gone sooner. Watch next year will be the first year people do not hype them as the sleeper choice and it will be the first year they are legitimately decent. If I was them and I had the 1st pick I would trade down and draft some O-lineman who know how to open up some holes for the run game.
1. Indianapolis Colts, 8-0 - The Colts have major question marks with their defensive line and their ability to stop the run and yet it never seems to matter as Peyton Manning seemingly never has a bad game in the regular season anymore. While no one should expect the Colts to go undefeated, look at their schedule and tell me who is going to knock them off, Tony Romo and the Cowboys?, the inconsistent Eagles?, the Bungles?. I feel bad for whoever has Peyton Manning on their fantasy team, as once again this year you're going to see a lot of Jim Sorgi down the stretch, undefeated or not. With the Colts holding a two game lead and tie breaks over the 2 most likely candidates it looks as if we'll be seeing the RCA dome come January.
2. New England Patriots, 6-2 - So what they played like garbage last night, the Pats still have a very good defense, two very good running backs and one of the best QBs in the league, if you don't think the Pats will run through the remainder of their schedule and finish at worst 12-4 then I would have to question your mental state and ask you to look at who they have to play the rest of the way.
3. New York Giants, 6-2 - Not a pretty showing by the G-Men this week against the Texans but not to worry, the Giants did not have Plaxico, and it's not a Toomah missed much of the game after pulling up lame on an out rout. The Giants defense is now getting pressure on their opposing QB, and their offense with all their weapons is one of the most dangerous in the league. A big test at home against the Bears could help the G-Men establish homefield throughout the NFC playoffs.
4. Denver Broncos, 6-2 - Sure their defense go torched for yardage yesterday, but the Steelers actually have been torching teams on a consistent basis, however the Broncos forced them to do what they have done all year commit turnovers. The Broncos could very much use homefield in the playoffs, and while that #1 spot is close to out of reach given the Colts hold a 2+ advantage, the Broncos could feel comfortable if they can host the Pats at home in the 2nd round in back to back seasons. And then they can deal with the Colts in the RCA dome when that pops up.
5. Chicago Bears, 7-1 - Or as Colin Cowherd called them, the West Chicago Mountaineers. The Bears have gone through their cake walk first half of the season and showed a definitive weakness, they are not a good come from behind offense, and if you trust Rex Grossman as your QB in any tough spot then you are a braver man than I. Personally I could never trust Grossman down points in the clutch, and think his gung-ho attitude in pressure packed situations will lead to more and more mistakes. If the Bears can win this week in East Rutherford than they will have a great chance to lock up homefield something they will need come January.
6. San Diego Chargers, 6-2 - My question is in a close matchup versus a good team will the Chargers be able to win? I don't think there is any current evidence to say with confidence yes. While they could probably blow out 2/3 of the teams in the NFL, especially at home, against the top ten in a tight game you trust Philip and Marty ball? They need to win the West and get a bye before I would give them a legit chance of making it to the Superbowl.
7. Baltimore Ravens, 6-2 - I'll admit when I'm wrong and I was obviously wrong on the Ravens, I took too much in consideration of their performance last year and didn't quite realize how much of a deterrent from winning Kyle Boller was last year. And while I still will not trust their offense in a big spot, it appears as if their vaunted D is back in the flow of things, and seems to put up a td every week.
8. New Orleans Saints, 6-2 - How about Drew mutha f'n Brees? So much for the notion that LT and Gates made him a great QB the past two seasons. Brees has simply developed into a top 5 QB in the NFL and he is turning a kid drafted 225th, in Marques Colston, into a Pro Bowler and the rookie of the year. While I'm not sure if I trust the Saints to win a big road playoff game or shut another teams talented offense down, you have to enjoy watching Brees huck it for 300+ every game and the Saints running up the scoreboard.
9. Kansas City Chiefs, 5-3 - Ugh, the last thing I want to see is Herman Edwards enjoying a playoff run, and while I think their schedule is tough enough to keep them out they have now fully decided to get the ball in the hands of Larry Johnson 35 times a game and guess what, that works. It works very well. Much like the Jaguars, the Chiefs have a very difficult QB decision to make and it will very much influence whether or not they can make the playoffs.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars, 5-3 - The most confusing team in the NFL, bar none. This team is an enigma, losing to the Texans, how the hell did that happen? Completely dominating the Eagles in Philly, blasting the Jets and Titans before the game even cruised into the 2nd quarter. Here's the biggest question mark for Jack Del Rio, who's his quarterback? If its Leftwich can he avoid any pressure in the pocket, if its Gerrard can he make big throws when needed to bring his team back from a deficit.
11. Atlanta Falcons, 5-3 - As soon as you peg the Falcons as turning the corner and being a legit NFC contender they go out and get beat down by the Detroit Lions, go figure. One thing that remains the same in Atlanta, with the exception of Alge Crumpler their wide receiver core stinks, is unreliable, and does not have the confidence of their quarterback. With that being said, who is Michael Vick, is he the QB who torched Pittsburgh and Cincy in back to back weeks or is he the guy who struggled passing the ball against Detroit and in the first five games of the season.
12. Carolina Panthers, 4-4 - The much maligned yet still dangerous Panthers sit on the precipice of falling in or out of the playoff run. My take is they start making a move soon. Their schedule certainly isn't the easiest in the league but if they can win the next two at home and get on a roll I would expect Delhomme to lead this squad to a wildcard slot and/or push the Falcons and Saints for the South title.
13. Philadelphia Eagles, 4-4 - Ah, the Eagles another enigma in the NFL. A bunch of close losses including the 4th quarter collapse against the G-Men, sprinkle in some mightily impressive showings, and then a no show against the Jaguars and what do you get, a confused bunch who are trying to evaluate their season thus far. They still have Donovan and Westbrook, and the bye week certainly could help them regroup, but they have a bunch of work to do.
14. Dallas Cowboys, 4-4 - Think Bill Parcells heart lost a few years of pumping ability this past weekend. The Cowboys are a good team, and Romo has surprised me with his production the past two weeks, but if you look at their schedule despite their talent, they are going to have a very difficult time weaseling their way into the postseason.
15. Seattle Seahawks, 5-3 - Why is a 5-3 Seahawk team behind 3 4-4 teams you may be asking yourself? In addition you could be saying, hey didn't you pick the Seahawks to win the Superbowl, why are you down on them now? Well I'll give you a reason, and that reason is homefield advantage. Something that the Seahawks are in very large jeopardy of not being able to grab and without that I simply do not trust them to advance deep in the playoffs. In addition only time will tell if Hasselbeck regains his health and if Alexander ever becomes more than a game day decision sit out. If they can fight through this storm with Seneca and Morris and somehow surpass the G-Men and the Bears for homefield advantage then they would should back up to the top of these rankings but until that happens I expect the Seahawks to stumble into the playoffs.
16. Cincinatti Bengals, 4-4 - Chad Johnson is now officially inching closer to the he's not so cute anymore he's more like Terrell Owens, as now he is starting to complain about his production and usage in the Bengals system. Carson Palmer's numbers do not even remotely compare to his numbers of 2005, and neither do any of the overall offense numbers. The Bengals have played poorly since the start of October and now they are down by 2 and a tie break on the Ravens. Not a good spot to be in.
17. St. Louis Rams, 4-4 - Here's the crossroads of the Rams season, do they have the ability to head into Seattle and win a big game against a depleted roster. Win and you head out of Seattle tied for the division lead and hopefully healthy, while the Seahawks are still going to be a battered and bruised squad. On the other hand lose and you might as well pack up the gear and get ready to schedule your vaca's for the first week of January. With the way Bulger, Holt and Steven Jackson have been playing this season 4-4 is simply not acceptable.
18. Minnesota Vikings, 4-4 - Officially the lamest semi decent team in the NFL to watch. Unfortunately for me their epic matchup this weekend against the 49ers was televised and I'm pretty sure my retinas were damaged in the process. For all those who thought the Vikings were a legit team in the off season I would like to question why? They have a QB who is no longer reliable when that used to be his best and really only above par trait. They have wideouts who can't consistently hold onto the ball, and they have a perennial backup running back.
19. Washington Redskins, 3-5 - The Redskins have the potential to be a thorn in the side of all who come across them on their schedule, well until they decide to give Jason Campbell the starts once they are officially out of it. They have the weapons on offense to make it happen and there even have been consistent Chris Cooley citings the past three weeks. Their miracle of a win this past weekend gives them some hope and has them firmly on life support but if they could string some wins together they could possibly make the same playoff push they had last season. Or they could lose their next two on the road and give up on their season.
20. New York Jets, 4-4 - The Jets have no run defense, period. Their defensive line gets pushed back multiple yards on every rush attempt and their linebackers often find themselves in out of position with no opportunity to make the tackle. The regression of this defense from the playoffs two seasons ago is very disappointing. In addition Chad has been very inconsistent the past month of the season and had by far his worst game against the Browns. While the Jets will certainly end up with a better record than some of those listed ahead on the rankings, it is only because they play so many teams listed below them on the rankings.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers, 2-6 - Yes the Steelers are not going to make the playoffs, but they have had a difficult schedule and have played well in gaining yards and buttering their hands. The Steelers big downfall this season has been the turnovers, which have come at a constant stream. However, if you don't think that every playoff fighting team very much would like them off their schedule you are wrong.
22. Buffalo Bills, 3-5 - Is their really anything to look forward to in Buffalo other than maybe the Sabres, if you do hockey that is. The Bills are one of the many franchises who drafted a quarterback in the first round where it hasn't worked out, it has shown very limited signs of potential to work out, yet the team can't pull the trigger and get rid of him already. Think Kyle Boller / Joey Harrington situations. Right now I would be curious, if I was a Bills fan, as to the direction of the franchise's most important position.
23. Green Bay Packers, 3-5 - The Pack go behind the Bills due to their loss the past weekend which I found highly surprising. The Pack apparently can still turn into the turnover monster that has killed their franchise for the past two years. This team was never going to be a playoff team but I thought they might finish up as a .500 squad, but not that is very much in doubt. Brett's gonna hang it up in a losing season whether its this year or the next.
24. San Francisco 49ers, 3-5 - How are the 49ers 3-5? This is the same team that lost 41-0 earlier this season and was down 41-0 at the half to the Bears, right? One way or the other the 49ers have more wins than I think anyone expected and that is a credit to Mike Nolan cause when you look at their roster, who do actually see and think wow he's a good player. Frank Gore? Come on he didn't even have a big career at the U. Alex Smith? Anyone on defense? No, this team is better than expected but they still have a long way to go, before they will contend in the West.
25. Detroit Lions, 2-6 - Hey Matt Millen you actually appear to have made two valid draft choices in your tenure with Roy Williams and a resurgent Kevin Jones. Congrats on your 1 for 3 receiver draft success rate. So whats the issue with the Lions, oh their defense stinks, bad, I guess thats what happens when every single year you use your top draft picks on the offensive side of the ball.
26. Miami Dolphins, 2-6 - Bonus points for beating the Bears in Chicago. That's basically the only positive to be found in Miami. Ronnie Brown had a very good game against the Bears but I really would like to see more consistency from him in the run game and more production from the uber talented Chris Chambers. The Dolphins will probably end up going .500 down the stretch of the season.
27. Houston Texans, 2-6 - Andre Johnson is a stud he makes watching Texan games partially bearable. While Mario Williams and my preseason pick for rookie of the year Demeco Ryans are both playing well it still is clearly evident that the Texans have no running back worthy of future playing time on their roster. When draft day comes up expect the Texans to try to position themselves in the Adrian Peterson running.
28. Cleveland Browns, 2-6 - The lone bright spot in Cleveland might be the fact that the Soldier appears to be alive in well after his motorcycle accident as he is catching a bunch of balls every week. Other than that all you can do if your a Browns fan is hope that Winslow, Edwards and maybe even Frye develop into good players cause right now your roster isn't filled with a single must see player.
29. Tennessee Titans, 2-6 - Saw an interesting stat about Vince Young not rushing very often this weekend against Jacksonville. If Vince doesn't used his dynamic abilities than he simply put will never be an above average quarterback in this league. Michael Vick still has yet to establish himself as an upper echelon passer, and I don't believe Vince ever will, to coral him and make him a pocket passer is an incredible mistake and the Titans are never going to be a superb team if that occurs.
30. Oakland Raiders, 2-6 - Well its clear that the Raiders lack a quarterback that will have much influence in the future of their franchise. In addition Randy Moss can't simply make any QB a god, there is something to be said about his downward production after leaving the Vikings as there is with Culpepper's downward spiral when after Moss left town. Lamont Jordan was a waste of money I said it then, I say it now. He's not an elite back, never was never will be. He never could have adequately replaced Curtis Martin, and the Jets did the only sane thing in not busting open the piggy bank and letting him go. If you see a light at the end of this tunnel please let me know, cause I certainly don't. Pretty boy Quinn in a Raider uniform? Now thats laughable.
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2-6 - Just for those that don't remember the Bucs were in fact a playoff team last year and actually won their division, now they are one of the worst teams in the NFL, with a rookie QB who is very inaccurate and receivers that are so shocked when he throws a good ball that they drop it. In addition the Caddy appears to have a few flat tires, either that or the offensive line keeps on closing the gate when the Caddy tries to get out of the driveway. Now Tampa needs to decide whether Gruden is still the man for the job, and whether or not either Simms or Gradkowski is a legit QB of the future. Brady Quinn anyone?
32. Arizona Cardinals, 1-7 - The Cardinals are officially the biggest disaster in the NFL this season. They have two talented wideouts and Heisman Trophy winner at QB, and a perennial pro bowler at RB and yet have a difficult time scoring points? Bad coaching perhaps? Poor drafting / Assembling of an offensive line. My guess is Denny Green is out no matter what at the end of the season, and perhaps could be gone sooner. Watch next year will be the first year people do not hype them as the sleeper choice and it will be the first year they are legitimately decent. If I was them and I had the 1st pick I would trade down and draft some O-lineman who know how to open up some holes for the run game.
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