1. Patriots (11-0) (1): A nailbiter against the Eagles, but the Pats do just enough to stay unbeaten. We’ve gotten so used to the blowouts, but don’t forget, this is the way they used to beat teams in their three Super Bowl seasons. They were rarely as dominant as they’ve been this year.
2. Cowboys (10-1) (2): Cowboys feast on Jets on Thanksgiving Day, and now it’s on to the Game of the Century against the Packers at home on Thursday. The game will go a long way toward deciding homefield advantage in the NFC playoffs. Which could go a long way toward deciding who goes to the Super Bowl.
3. Packers (10-1) (3): Brett Favre has lost his last eight against the Cowboys in Dallas, so he suggested to coach Mike McCarthy that perhaps he’s not the best one to talk about what it’s like to play in Big D. Good advice. Then again, the last time the Packers played in Dallas was 1999.
4. Colts (9-2) (5): Peyton Manning looks more like himself in Thanksgiving night win. Then again, he was playing the junior varsity in Atlanta. Now it’s on to the big boys against Jacksonville at home.
5. Jaguars (8-3) (4): What I like most about David Garrard is he doesn’t turn the ball over. I assume Jack Del Rio likes that, too. Now we’ll see if it’s good enough to beat the Colts in a game that could decide the AFC South title.
6. Steelers (8-3) (6): Never seen anything quite like this one. With monsoonal rains pelting a newly sodded field, the Steelers get a field goal in the final seconds to beat winless Miami 3-0. Unbelievable. Honestly, I don't know if the Patriots could have scored more than three points last night on that surface.
7. Browns (7-4) (8): The Browns are getting better by the day. Now we’ll see if they can win on the road in Arizona and stay within striking distance of the Steelers.
8. Buccaneers (7-4) (10): Bucs hope Jeff Garcia’s bruised back won’t keep him out against Saints on Sunday.
9. Seahawks (7-4) (9): Had it not been for Gus Frerotte’s fumbled snap on fourth and goal from the 1, the Seahawks might be licking their wounds from a colossal upset in St. Louis. Instead, they get the win and take a decisive step forward in the NFC West race.
10. Giants (7-4) (7): Eli Manning at his worst with four picks, three of which were returned for touchdowns and the other that set up another TD. At Chicago on Sunday. Not easy.
11. Chargers (6-5) (12): All’s well again in San Diego, where the Chargers thumped the Ravens. Then again, it could be catastrophe next week, the way this team has been all season.
12. Saints (5-6) (18): Drew Brees is back in business after a two-game slump, and the Saints are alive again in the wild card race.
13. Eagles (5-6) (17): Andy Reid says Donovan McNabb is his guy once he’s 100 percent. Question is: Who determines when or if he’s 100 percent?
14. Bears (5-6) (22): If the Bears beat the Giants at home on Sunday, this is going to be one hell of a wild card race.
15. Broncos (5-6) (11): Broncos nearly pulled it off in Chicago, but their decision to kick and punt to Devin Hester proved disastrous.
16. Titans (6-5) (14): Vince Young does a whole lot of nothing against the Bengals’ awful pass defense, and Tennessee suffers a major blow in Cincy.
17. Lions (6-5) (13): That’s three straight losses for the Lions, who are starting to act remarkably like … the Lions!
18. Vikings (5-6) (23): Vikes hope to get Adrian Peterson back this week. But they didn’t need him against the Giants, who let Minny right back into the wild card chase.
19. Texans (5-6) (15): This team is still a year – and a running back – away from being a playoff team.
20. Cardinals (5-6) (16): Kurt Warner knows a thing or two about miracle finishes. Now he knows a thing or two about life in Arizona. Sack, forced fumble in the endzone in OT, recovered by Niners. Oh, my.
21. Bills (5-6) (19): Back to Trent Edwards.
22. Bengals (4-7) (27): Oh, what might have been. That’s what you think when you see this team thump a playoff-caliber Titans team with three TDs for Chad Johnson and a hell of an effort by the defense.
23. Redskins (5-6) (20): Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Sean Taylor and the Redskins. Our deepest sympathy.
24. Chiefs (4-7) (21): Herm Edwards is at it again with clock management issues. This time, he should have gone for the late field goal instead of a first down. He got burned badly, and now any hope of a divisional title is likely gone.
25. Ravens (4-7) (25): This defense isn’t even average any more.
26. Panthers (4-7) (24): Only question is whether John Fox makes it to next year.
27. 49ers (3-8) (31): Too bad the Niners don’t play the Cardinals more often. They’re 2-0 against Arizona, 1-8 against the rest of the league.
28. Raiders (3-8) (30): Oakland takes advantage of questionable decisions by Edwards late in the game and pull out a win in KC. To which we say: Who cares?
29. Falcons (3-8) (29): Joey Harrington or Byron Leftwich … does it really make a difference?
30. Rams (2-9) (26): Would like to have seen this team with a healthy Marc Bulger all season. Bulger gets hurt again, and Frerotte still can’t pull it out with golden opportunity in the final seconds. Fumbled snap on fourth-and-goal from the 1 is perfect metaphor for the season. (Wow, we got “anomaly” in yesterday and “metaphor” in today. My high school English teacher would be proud.)
31. Jets (2-9) (28): If you are a Jets’ fan, you new this would happen: Dolphins would come oh-so-close against Steelers – which they did – only to set up possibility of them getting their first win on Sunday. In Miami. Against the Jets. Oh, the humanity!
32. Dolphins (0-11) (32): Talk about water torture. The Dolphins are beaten in the final seconds on the only score of the game, as Pittsburgh wins at rain-soaked Heinz Field. The misery continues.
Comments (8)
BG,
No comments on this weeks rankings? That's just not right... we can't let that happen...
Bears jump eight laces by capitalizing on a coaching mistake? Then by that logic, the raiders should be ranked what 22 (instead of 28?)
The Eagles move up four spots (from 17 to 13) on a loss? Well, I guess they are "the class of the division" :-)
I'm surprised to see the "JV" all the way up to 7th :-)
Meanwhile, the Steelers, who proved that they can not only play Football, but that they can do a pretty good impression of Mark Spitz, stay mired in the 6th spot. I guess they couldn't get out of the pool fast enough for you :-)
Well, at least Timmons found solid footing...
Keep up the good work Bob!
Bob,
Great job with rankings. After tomorrow's game, we will see who the class of the NFC is. One note, regardless of who wins, I believe that it isn't as defining as some are making it out to be. For example, as a Packer fan, I hope they win. But win or lose, tomorrow night's game will most likely just determine who has home field advantage. The loser of tomorrow's game can very well win the NFC championship.
I would like to know Bob, if after watching Sunday's game against the Eagles, you think the NFC could win the Super Bowl this year?
Bob,
Great job with rankings. After tomorrow's game, we will see who the class of the NFC is. One note, regardless of who wins, I believe that it isn't as defining as some are making it out to be. For example, as a Packer fan, I hope they win. But win or lose, tomorrow night's game will most likely just determine who has home field advantage. The loser of tomorrow's game can very well win the NFC championship.
I would like to know Bob, if after watching Sunday's game against the Eagles, you think the NFC could win the Super Bowl this year?
Not sure why few comments, but one reason could be that the blogs have been gummed up on the site the last couple days. Hopefully that problem has been resolved.
Then again, it could be because they are so perfect this week that no one could possibly have an issue with them.
:)
Seems like you might have been looking at the schedule while making your rankings - six games this week are between teams you've ranked next to each other. With five more games between teams four or less rankings apart. Should make for some good TV. I guess I'll need to spend Sunday visiting my buddy with the NFL Ticket on his dish!!!
btw - I was in Tampa on Sunday. If you watched the Bucs, you would have DOWNGRADED them.
GKSpeed:
You might be giving me too much credit for that schedule watching thing. I'm more concerned with whether a team beats another head-to-head and where to make the rankings afterward. Sometimes, it's dicey. For instance, the Raiders beat the Chiefs straight up, but the overall body of work by Kansas City exceeds that of the Raiders. I'm sure BBiB! will break out the old right-here, right-now argument, but that one was trickier than usual.
The problem with the Bucs: Yes, I know they are a boooorrring team to watch sometimes, but this is a league of mostly mediocre teams. Tough to put 'em lower.
I understand what your saying - and it's even harder when one of the teams in the head-to-head beats itself (as the Redskins did against the Bucs) and when teams get beaten 'outside the lines' with issues like Herm's clock management!