It is always better writing these after a big win. This week the Chiefs game is even bigger when we host Monday Night Football against the Chargers. The Chargers have quite a few injuries and will be without their Pro-Bowl LG Kris Dielman. I wish him the best of luck and a speedy recovery.
The Chiefs have jumped up 3 spots from last week. The Raiders on the other hand fell down 6 spots after a loss. One panel member had the Chiefs at 17 while another member had them ranked 21st. The majority had the Chiefs at 18 or 19. Please jump along if you want to see exactly where the Chiefs landed this week.
The Packers haven't let up the number 1 spot all year and seem to be cruising. They were one of the five teams who stayed the same from last week. The Patriots and Saints follow closely behind. I'll have the record next to each team's name along with their change from last week.
There were three ties this week. The first tie was between the Bengals and Falcons. The second tie was a three way tie for the first time this year. That tie was between the Panthers, Redskins, and Eagles. The last tie was between the Broncos and Vikings. When I break a tie I throw out the highest and lowest ranking. I then take the most consistent ranked team from the remaining 6 rankings. However, for another first this year the Broncos and Vikings tied again. So I took the highest 2 and lowest 2 rankings out of the equation.
The highest jump this week with 5 spots goes to the Bears and Jets. The biggest drop this week with 7 spots goes to the Redskins. I want to thank the panel members once again! If you have any concerns you can contact upamtn.
1. Green Bay Packers (7-0) (+/- 0)
The question no longer who is the top team in the NFL, it is when will the defending champs finally lose?
2. New England Patriots (5-1) (+/- 0)
The Patriots have a very tough game against the Steelers next. They need to keep rolling to establish dominance in their division.
3. New Orleans Saints (5-2) (+ 2)
One of the worst parts of Tebow-mania is that nobody is really talking about how historic the Saints blowout of the Colts was.
4. San Francisco 49ers (5-1) (+/- 0)
The bye week was good to San Francisco as all three of the other NFC West teams suffered tough losses. With an extra week to prepare, they should be ready for the Browns.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) (+ 4)
Ken Whisenhunt's return to the Steel City was a forgettable one. The Steelers won the turnover battle for the first time this season, and Mike Tomlin's group blewout Ken Whisenhunt's group in a game that was not as close as the final score indicates.
6. Baltimore Ravens (4-2) (- 3)
When I was younger, I would play franchise mode on Madden as the Chiefs. At the age of 12, I would rig the game where the Chiefs' opponents never got past 50 yards in a game and no points. The Ravens' offense played worse than those offenses unfortunate enough to play Kansas City in those Madden games except for the drive when they scored a touchdown.
7. Buffalo Bills (4-2) (+/- 0)
The Bills should get a win at home against a Redskins team who has struggled the last couple of weeks.
8. Detroit Lions (5-2) (- 2)
Two losses in a row. Are these the Lions of old, or are they they ones that we seen earlier in the year?
9. New York Giants (4-2) (+ 1)
Lucky for the G-Men they get a second bye week in a row (Miami this week) because after week 8 they go on a seven week stretch where they play four division leaders and three games against division rivals.
10. San Diego Chargers (4-2) (- 2)
San Diego is coming off a game they should have won. Can they correct their issues in Arrowhead?
11. Houston Texans (4-3) (+ 3)
With injuries and questions about how tough they were going to be down the stretch, the Texans put on a stampede over their division rivals the Titans. Foster is healthy and that makes for a very happy Schaub.
12. Chicago Bears (4-3) (+ 5)
They beat the Bucs across the pond and if Martz remembers the best player on his team is a running back, they should continue to push for a wildcard spot.
13. New York Jets (4-3) (+ 5)
The Jets go into their bye week with a much needed win. They have a division match-up against the Bills in week 9 to prepare for.
14. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) (- 1)
Mike Brown is laughing at Carson Palmer all the way in Cincinnati. The Chiefs shutout the Raiders 28-0 in his debut, and made the son of Paul Brown look like a genius in the way he handle the Carson Palmer situation. Three interceptions for a 1st and 2nd rounder will do that to anyone.
15. Atlanta Falcons (4-3) (+ 4)
Does their win over Detroit mean that the Falcons are good, or that Detroit was overrated? I'd say it's probably more of the latter.
16. Dallas Cowboys (3-3) (+ 4)
If the Cowboys are going to make their move, the time is now. Week 7 started a seven game stretch where their opponents in those games are a combined 10-30 going into week 8.
17. Oakland Raiders (4-3) (- 6)
This couldn't be a better time for the bye week.
18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3) (- 6)
If the playoffs started today, the Bucs would be the first team out. This loss to the Bears could really hurt them since Chicago is the last team in right now.
19. Kansas City Chiefs (3-3) (+ 3)
Monday night means everything. A win and Kansas City is in total control.
20. Tennessee Titans (3-3) (- 5)
Facing off against the Texans they had a chance to make a statement, but instead they got brutalized and stomped by possibly the best team in the state of Texas.
21. Philadelphia Eagles (2-4) (+/- 0)
A bye week couldn't have come at a better time. Their next four games are all in the NFC, with three coming against playoff contenders. It's do or die time in Philly.
22. Carolina Panthers (2-5) (+ 1)
It seems like a matter of time until the Panthers breakout and go on a massive winning streak. I certainly wouldn't want to play them.
23. Washington Redskins (3-3) (- 7)
The wheels have officially fallen off the bandwagon and the losing combined with the injuries have landed the Skins in the "pretenders" category.
24. Cleveland Browns (3-3) (+ 1)
This was an ugly game, but look at the numbers and this game. The Browns won the yardage and turnover battle against the Seahawks, but failing to score points like that against a better opponent would have cost them a chance at .500.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5) (+ 3)
Wow, beating the Ravens is a huge thing for the Jags, even if it was aided by a phantom call on Bernard Pollard (and yes, it was a horrific call that should never have happened, and yes it just might have been THE turning point of the game).
26. Minnesota Vikings (1-6) (+ 1)
The lost, but sometimes a loss can be a positive. They played GB tough and Ponder looked like an upgrade over McNabb.
27. Denver Broncos (2-4) (+ 2)
It's Tebow time, but is it winning time?
28. Seattle Seahawks (2-4) (- 4)
The good news for Seattle, their defense held the opposing team to only 6 points on Sunday. It's too bad their offense could only muster 3. They'll have to do better than that this week as they face a tough Bengals defense.
29. Arizona Cardinals (1-5) (- 3)
Nobody expected them to beat the Steelers and, in hindsight, that was a good call. Joe Flacco has been playing almost as poorly as Ben Roethlisberger has been playing well, though. If the Cardinals want to turn their season around, it would be wise to take advantage of this.
30. Miami Dolphins (0-6) (+ 1)
They haven't won a game and the next two weeks are tough against the Giants and Chiefs.
31. St. Louis Rams (0-6) (+ 1)
Things in St. Louis have gone from bad to worse with the injury to Sam Bradford. But hey, how about those Cardinals?
32. Indianapolis Colts (0-7) (- 2)
They didn't just lose to the Saints, they got steamrolled in every possible way ... have the Colts given up on the season?