The SoCalSportsGuys NFL Bye Week

So this week I’m taking a bye week from the usual format of NFL Power Rankings. I’m stepping back and looking at what the season has had to offer. Its been a great eight weeks of NFL action. But what have we learned from this season so far ? 

We know the Falcons are benefiting a great deal from a weak schedule. The Eagles are an up and down team. They are floating around .500 and are no longer trying to salvage their season but their very jobs (Michael Vick and Andy Reid). The Jets quarterback situation would have been a great one had they been playing NCAA teams. Mark Sanchez is fighting to keep his job and Tim Tebow doesn’t even know what position he is playing. Rex Ryan’s weight loss is about the only positive negative of the 2012 Jets. 
We know RG3 is a F#$@ing beast maybe even “Black Jesus”.  Adrain Peterson is not human. Seriously who recovers from a torn ACL and MCL injury like this? Andrew luck is far from a bust but not exactly the Colts savior this season either." Hey Peyton, we're down 24 points at the half work your magic" is the Broncos game plan week after week. Manning has been determined to keep his team from losing.
 If you don’t believe in the sophomore jinx, just ask Cam Newton. He’ll tell you there is something beyond all reasonable logic effecting his 2013 campaign. Oh and if you don’t believe in the Madden curse go ask Calvin Johnson how his season is going - just one touchdown in seven games.

We know Roger Goodell should be fired for almost letting replacement refs taint an NFL season (more important to gamblers such as myself) with bad calls and this bounty scandal that has yet to been put to bed. How many appeals do the Saints players get? Am I the only who thinks he is professional sport’s answer to Vince McMahon? I think the games played every Thursday night (Goodell’s answer to McMahon’s WWE Smackdown!) was a good move gone bad. I like the concept of having football throughout the week but even as a fan (who gambles on just about anything), do we really need to watch Arizona vs St. Louis on prime time? Or Kansas City at San Diego this Thursday? Goodell's feud with Johnathan Vilma and various NFL players (list is to long to go into detail) mirrors that of McMahon's and any of his WWE employees except they have yet to kick his ass during a press conference. Which will be the single greatest thing to happen to the NFL during his term as Commissioner if it happens. I just can’t decide which wrestling group is best to compare the 2013 New Orleans Saints to. Yes I just compared the NFL to WWE and I'm not ashamed for doing so.

Chris Johnson is on my fantasy team and I can’t remember a player that has had me second guessing starting him week after week. His production has been near the bottom and just when I’m about to bench him, boom, he suckers me back in with a performance like the 195 yard and two TD game against Buffalo a few weeks ago. Games like that leave me with more questions than answers and hating Johnson more for having a good game followed by a bad one. I feel like anyone of the following people in this commercial.
The contenders aside from the Falcons (who may not be as good as their record advertises) are definitely the Texans, Giants, 49ers, Bears and Packers. These teams have been exceptional either offensively such as the Packers and Giants or defensively like the 49ers and Bears. The Texans are the one team that is playing well on both sides of the ball. Offensively they are a force with a strong running game by Arian Foster (who leads the league with nine rushing TDs). Defensively the Texans rank second overall in net yardage and eighth in total points allowed. 
So far this season these teams have been getting the job done and have the least amount of weaknesses on their rosters. Then there are the good teams, the teams that can pick up wins but have weaknesses that can easily be exploited. 
Take the New England Patriots - A daunting offense of explosive weapons from the running backs to the tight ends, the Patriots can out gun anyone. Problem is they give up big plays with their weak secondary late in games and find themselves with a not so impressive record. Patriots benefit from playing in a division that includes the Jets, Bills and what I believe to be a decent team the Dolphins. Teams that I consider in this circle are the Broncos, Steelers, Ravens, and Vikings.

The Steelers a team of which I am a fan of, have been inconsistent with all the injuries to running backs, offensive lineman and safety Troy Polamalu. The Steelers have managed to stay above .500. Big Ben is having a great campaign ranking in the top-5 in almost every passing category and has only been sacked 13 times, one of the lowest totals in the league. With the Ravens fighting through their own struggles the AFC North division is up for grabs but not so fast Bengals and Browns fans that doesn’t include your bottom of the barrel franchises. 

The Vikings and Broncos are doing much better than I expected they would. I figured Peyton would have needed time to get things together but he came out shooting. Aside from the usual loss he receives from Tom Brady and the Patriots (somethings just never change) Manning has been looking sharp and is turning Demaryius Thomas into a elite wideout. Peterson has been carrying the Vikings and is currently leading the league in rushing with 775 yards. Minnesota may find themselves in the playoffs if they continue to grind out victories.

Then there are the not so good teams, what I like to call the Pretenders. I really don’t want to dig to deep on all these teams but just to name a few Saints, Dolphins, Seahawks, Cardinals, Cowboys, Eagles, and Redskins. Vick and Reid are under heavy fire after the not so impressive season the Eagles have had. The Saints are battling through games with Drew Brees having a phenomenal season but are still not gonna make the playoffs unless Tebow gets traded there to help balance out the bad karma. 
The Seahawks can play some D but that's about it. Offensively they've been pretty bad, rookie QB Russell Wilson has had some pretty bad games that resulted in wins and some fairly good games that have resulted in losses. The Dolphins are 4-3, surprisingly. But Ryan Tannehill will be sidelined and Matt Moore will be taking over for the time being. After the bold prediction of leading the league in rushing Reggie Bush has had six games of 69 yards or less and has only cracked the 100 yard mark once. 
RG3 is my rookie of the year through eight games. The QB has displayed a phenomenal level of explosiveness and raw talent. He’s done a lot to put his team in position to win, the Redskins defense has not done so. Tony Romo is still the gun slinger that I love to hate. I love it when he displays his level of incompetence with his five interception games and hate it when he’s putting the Cowboys in position to win with a final drive that suckers Dallas into saying Romo is elite and messes it all up with an interception on a throw away pass.

Figuring out the halfway mark MVPs this season has been a tough one. In the AFC Manning and Big Ben are having great seasons with near identical statistics and winning records. Both are playing behind sub par offensive lines and not so great defenses. In the NFC its another toss up between Ryan, Rodgers, and I’m making the case for Brees and Eli Manning to be included in the mix. Brees is doing it all, Manning is getting wins in the clutch. I can’t remember when was the last time there has been so many QBs having such great seasons. Thanks Roger Goodell for tying the secondary’s hands making the NFL a pass-first league and not letting me include a running back or wide receiver in the MVP race.

Its been a great season thus far a lot more football has to be played. Teams will begin to make stronger pushes for playoff spots in the coming weeks. The Falcons might not even lose a game this season. Has anybody looked at their schedule? Currently the Colts are in the last spot for an AFC Playoff berth and if Luck gets the Colts back into the playoffs I’m taking back my RG3 Rookie of the Year award. 
So here’s to another great NFL season.

NFL Week 6 Power Rankings

1)Atlanta Falcons (6-0) Previous Rank 2 - Facing a well prepared Oakland defense, Atlanta failed to turn this game into a laugher. The  Falcons found themselves ahead after Asante Samuel took a Carson Palmer interception to the house to give them a 20-13 lead. If not for that interception the game could have definitely gone the other way. Oakland gave Atlanta problems but nonetheless the Falcons are the only undefeated team left in the league.Matt Ryan has done an exceptional job at distributing the football. Roddy White has 37 receptions for 533 yards, Tony Gonzalez 43 receptions for 430 yards, and Julio Jones 30 receptions for 376 yards. Each receiver has four touchdowns and average over 10.0 yard per catch. They travel to Philadelphia this week to face the Eagles who have dropped two straight to lesser opponents.
*Editor's note* If Philadelphia beats Atlanta next week, the Eagles deserve to be number one the following week.

2)Houston Texans (5-1) Previous Rank 1 - Were they past due for a bad game? Or is this what happens when you face a good team? Not having linebacker Brian Cushing had a definite impact on the Texans defense this past Sunday night. The Texans suffered their first lost of the season. Arian Foster had his worst game this season two TDs with only 29 rushing yards. Matt Schaub threw two INTs and no TDs. The Texans defense looked sluggish and confused all night as they gave up six passing TDs to Aaron Rodgers and his receivers. The Texans failed their first test against stiffer competition and will now have to prepare for the Baltimore Ravens this Sunday.

3)Baltimore Ravens (5-1) Previous Rank 4 - The Ravens have won four straight after surviving a 481 yard performance by the Dallas Cowboys. The banged up Ravens' defense could not stop Dallas' running backs as they gave up over 90 yards to each back. Cowboys' kicker Dan Bailey missed a would be game winner in the final seconds giving the Ravens the victory. The Ravens benefited greatly from Jacoby Jones's 108 yard kick return in the third quarter. Baltimore heads to Houston this week without Ray Lewis and will need more of the luck they had this past week to beat the Texans.
*Editor's note* Which team is responsible for Baltimore's only loss? That would be the "lowly" ranked Eagles.

4)New York Giants (4-2) Previous Rank 6 - The best performance of the weekend goes to the Giants for their absolute dominance over the 49ers. The Giants held the 49ers out of the end-zone and allowed only a David Akers 42 yard field goal in the first quarter. The Giants host RG3 and the Redskins this Sunday looking to keep the pace in the NFC East.
*Editor's note* Again. Who is responsible for dishing New York one of their losses? If you guessed the Eagles, you're correct.

5)San Francisco 49ers (4-2) Previous Rank 3 - Even after the 80 yard rushing game against the Giants this week the 49ers still rank first in rushing. Alex Smith threw three INTs and Frank Gore was held to 36 rushing yards on only eight rushing attempts. The 49ers just played the worst game of their season and will now have a chance to redeem themselves when they host the Seahawks tonight in a match up between the best teams in the NFC West.

6)New England Patriots (3-3) Previous Rank 5 - Tough luck has plagued the New England's season. The Patriots could easily have a record of 6-0 as they have yet to be beaten by more that two points. The Patriots secondary clearly has some issues that need to be addressed now more than ever after being lit up by a Rookie QB with QBR of 43.8. Even in a loss like this, the Patriots offense still managed to get 475 yards of total offensive yardage. New England hosts Mark Sanchez and the Jets this Sunday and will look to avoid falling below .500 in a favorable division match up.

7)Chicago Bears (4-1) Previous Rank 7 - The Bears are coming off a bye week with an opportunity to display how prepared they are for the Lions. Jay Cutler has seven TDs and seven INTs and will need to be more focused for the rest of the season as the Bears could be legit contenders in their division.

8)Green Bay Packers (3-3) Previous Rank 11 - They beat the Texans last week, a team that was believed to be a better team. Green Bay's offense did what its always been capable of doing and that's light up the score board and make it all but impossible for more balanced teams like the Texans to catch up. Aaron Rodgers tied a franchise record with six TDs and 338 yards for a passer rating of 133.8. Jordy Nelson was the recipient on three of Rodgers' TD passes and now has gotten a bit of a confidence boost after only having one TD prior. Green Bay travels to St. Louis to face the sixth ranked pass defense in the league.

9)Minnesota Vikings (4-2) Previous Rank 9 - Minnesota was within five points before a 76-yard TD run by RG3 sealed the Redskins' victory. Minnesota's offense settled for field goals early failing to find the end-zone on three red-zone trips in the first quarter. Christian Ponder had 352 yards, two TDs, and two INTs and his lowest QBR of the season at 37.3. Minnesota's stingy rushing defense gave up 183 yards on the ground which is the most they have given up in a single game all season. Vikings host the Cardinals this Sunday an will look to bounce back as they are a game back of the Bears in the NFC North.

10)Denver Broncos (3-3) Previous Rank 13 - Peyton Manning did it again he led the Broncos into another come from behind victory. Denver's defense stepped it up big. They buckled down in the second half shutting down the Chargers offense. This team can be dangerous when both the defense and offense click like they did in the second half against San Diego. The Broncos get a much needed bye week before hosting the Saints.

11)Arizona Cardinals (4-2) Previous Rank 10 - Another loss for the Cardinals, this time in overtime to the Bills. Larry Fitzgerald caught 93 of Kevin Kolbs 128 total passing yards for the game. Arizona stalled offensively numerous times and got a 61 yard Jay Feely field goal just to send the game into overtime. Arizona ranks 28th in total offense and face a stingy Vikings' defense this Sunday.

12)Philadelphia Eagles (3-3) Previous Rank 9 -  The bye week couldn't come at a better time as the Eagles have dropped two straight. Philadelphia continues to turn the ball over.  Michael Vick added another two INTs to his total. For every TD pass Vick has thrown he has thrown an INT, he has eight passing TDs and eight INTs. With the firing of defensive coordinator Juan Castillo this week, Philadelphia will look for improvement on defense. The Eagles face Atlanta and New Orleans in the next weeks to come.
*Editor's note* This is preposterous! Philly has beat two of the top four teams and they are ranked 11th? Oh the humanity! 

13)San Diego Chargers (3-3) Previous Rank 12 - Antonio Gates and Phillip Rivers came out swinging giving San Diego a 24-0 lead entering the second half against Denver. Then they fell apart defensively as Manning picked them apart. Rivers turned the ball over a total of five times in the second half, three interceptions and two lost fumbles. San Diego enters their bye week and will travel to Cleveland when they return to action.

14)Seattle Seahawks (4-2) Previous Rank 18 - Seattle took advantage of New England's weak secondary last week. Russell Wilson had his first three TD passing game of his young career and was just seven yards shy of having his first 300 yard passing game. Seattle now owns a 4-2 record and will face another tough test tonight against the 49ers.

15)Washington Redskins (3-3) Previous Rank 23 - RG3 did it with his legs piling up 138 rushing yards and two TDs to add to his 182 passing yards and a passing TD. The rookie kept Minnesota's defense at bay all day resulting in Washington's first home victory of the season. RG3 coming back from a concussion injury had his best passing day of his young career with a near perfect QBR of 97.6. The Redskins face the first place New York Giants.

16)New Orleans Saints (1-4) Previous Rank 16 - Coming off a bye week, Drew Brees and company get to face the 31st ranked pass defense in the league. Very interesting to see what the Saints do against Tampa Bay's weak secondary.

17)Pittsburgh Steelers (2-3) Previous Rank 15 - The Steelers are now 0-3 on the road after their loss to Tennessee last Thursday night. The defense continues to look sluggish. Safety Troy Polamalu has been sidelined due to a calf injury and the Steelers defense is no longer forcing turnovers at the rate they once did. Big Ben continues to make big plays while on the run and is having a much better TD to Interception ratio currently 10-2 while ranking fourth in QBR. The Steelers will look for their first road win of the season as they travel to Cincinnati for a Sunday night showdown.

18)Cincinnati Bengals (3-3) Previous Rank 14 - Andy Dalton had three INTs in the Bengals' loss to the Browns. Dalton now has 11 turnovers to go along with his 12 touchdowns on the season. Facing the Steelers this week, Cincinnati will need a victory before heading into their bye week to get above .500.

19)Dallas Cowboys (2-3) Previous Rank 17 -   Cowboys fans question did your boys really have this one as you all have claimed. Let's look at the stats. Dallas rushed for a total of 227 yards and one TD. Romo threw for 261 yards, two TDs, and one INT. Not great but could have been worse, it is Romo after all. So the Cowboys played one of their best games all season and still managed to lose. Failing to tie things up on a two-point conversion pass to Dez Bryant followed by a recovered onside kick. Dallas had one last chance at it but Dan Bailey missed a 51-yard field goal attempt in the final minute. No, Dallas fans they never had it. The Cowboys will travel to Carolina to face Cam Newton and the Panthers.

20)Detroit Lions (2-3) Previous Rank 20 - Coming out of their bye to face the Eagles, the Lions found themselves down 10 with five minutes to go. Matthew Stafford threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Nate Burleson. The Lions capped off regulation time with Jason Hansen's 19-yard field goal to tie things up and force OT. Detroit sacked Vick twice and forced a punt. Matthew Stafford took over at the 50-yard line and five plays later, the Lions found themselves victorious after a Hansen 45-yard field goal. Detroit possesses the weapons to wins games like this on a more consistent basis. Why they are 2-3? That's beyond me!They head to Chicago to face the Bears Monday night.

21)Miami Dolphins (3-3) Previous Rank 21 - Ryan Tannehill had two TDs and 0 INTs in the victory over St. Louis. Tannehill now has a total of four TDs. Miami isn't exactly destroying teams but they are grinding out victories, being careful with the football, and not forcing Tannehill to do to much. The Dolphins get a bye this week before their matchup with the Jets.

22)Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-3) Previous Rank 22 - The Buccaneers finally get a victory after dropping three straight. Josh Freeman came out of the bye week much sharper completing 15 passes for 328 yards and 12.62 yard per completion average. Mike Williams got the big play he had been lacking all season catching a 62-yard touchdown pass. Now with some momentum going forward, the Bucs will need to keep their foot on the gas as now they host New Orleans.

23)St. Louis Rams (3-3) Previous Rank 19 - The Rams needed a victory badly against the Dolphins last week. St. Louis takes on Green Bay, New England, and the 49ers over the next four weeks. A brutal stretch that can easily cripple their season.

24)Buffalo Bills (3-3) Previous Rank 24 - Buffalo picks up a win to bring them back to .500 and surprisingly they didn't give up 40+ points in the process. After the overtime win, Buffalo now ranks 32nd in allowed rushing and 20th in passing defense. Fitzpatrick got his first victory without having a 100+ passer rating. With both C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson splitting carries, Buffalo's ground game is carrying the team and is helping maintain the pace.

25)New York Jets (3-3) Previous Rank 25 - The reigns are beginning to pull Mark Sanchez back as he only attempted 18 passes for a total of 82 yards and two TDs. The offense is clearly going back to the ground game and the Jets are no longer asking Sanchez to win games but are doing everything they can to keep him from losing them. Shonn Greene had a great game rushing for 161 yards and three TDs. The Jets are much better when they try to control the tempo by running and keeping their banged up defense off the field. Despite facing a weak secondary in the New England Patriots this week don't expect Sanchez to be having a shootout with Tom Brady.

26)Tennessee Titans (2-4) Previous Rank 26 - Did the Titans beat the Steelers or did the Steelers beat themselves? I've been asking myself that question all week aside from me second guessing Chris Johnson every week. The Titans took advantage of the Steelers banged up defense allowing Johnson to carry the ball 19 times for 91 yards and played a more balanced game for a change. It worked! The Titans head to Buffalo this week and if both defenses play as bad as they have all year look for someone to have a 200 yard ground game.

27)Carolina Panthers (1-4) Previous Rank 27 - Carolina looks to get a victory coming out of their bye week after losing three straight. Panthers are currently 1-2 at home and need a big game from Cam Newton.

28)Oakland Raiders (1-4) Previous Rank 29 - Unlike the Cowboys' fans, the Raiders' fans took a much tougher loss much better. Maybe it's the level of alcohol involved? The Raiders put up a great fight against a high powered Falcons squad and made it very interesting in the fourth quarter. Had it not been for Palmer's INT the Raiders could have very well been victorious. Now the Raiders have a chance to get a win against Jacksonville this Sunday, all they have to do is make less mistakes and play with the same intensity they had in the Falcons game.

29)Indianapolis Colts (2-3) Previous Rank 30 - Andrew Luck is only a rookie and the Colts are asking a lot out of him. At times he has shown glimpses of being able to make the transition into the NFL look easy but like any other rookie he can regress just as easily. The Colts rank third in passing defense and host the Browns with a chance to get to .500.

30) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4) Previous Rank 31 - Blaine Gabbert currently has 796 passing yards and continues to fail at making big plays. The Jaguars' passing offense is awful ranking 32nd and their ground is not much better ranking 22nd. The Jaguars had a bye week to figure things out on both sides of the ball.

31) Kansas City Chiefs (1-5) Previous Rank 28 - Brady Quinn's first shot at the starting job may be his only shot. Quinn finished the day with a 15.7 QBR, not much of an improvement over Matt Cassel. Why don't the Chiefs just give Ricky Stanzi a chance? Anything over a 20 QBR will be a big step up for them at the QB position. The Chiefs are in a bad situation and will really need this bye week to get back on track if they ever were on track to begin with.

32)Cleveland Browns (1-5) Previous Rank 32 - The Browns didn't get to 0-6 as I thought they would. This isn't a bad team it's clearly a work in progress team and wins aren't to be expected. Cleveland benefited from three INTs from Dalton to help split the season series with the Bengals. Can traveling to Indianapolis this week can be what the Browns make it two straight wins?

NFL Week 5 Power Rankings

1) Houston Texans (5-0) Previous Rank 1 - Super Bowl bound? Still too early to tell if this team has what it takes but the Texans by far have been the most impressive team this season. Arian Foster is averaging 106.2 rushing yards per game and Matt Schuab has yet to have a 300 yard passing game largely in part to the fact that the Texans have a well balanced offensive scheme keeping opposing defenses on their toes. Now they didn't humiliate the Jets on Monday Night but they did get the win. Texans now will face Green Bay and Baltimore without star linebacker Brian Cushing who may be suffering from a torn ACL. Houston definitely will face its stiffest competition thus far in the weeks to come and we can finally get a true evaluation of what this team is all about.

2)Atlanta Falcons (5-0) Previous Rank 2 - A lot like the Houston Texans the Atlanta Falcons have yet to face stiff competition but have gotten the job done against lesser opponents. After an exciting matchup with the Redskins this past weekend the Falcons find themselves at 5-0 for the first time in franchise history. Another huge game for Tony Gonzalez 13 receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown he is by far Matt Ryan's favorite target. The Raiders come to town this week lets just say if you have any Falcons on your fantasy be sure to start them.

3)San Francisco 49ers (4-1) Previous Rank 4 - The only blemish with the 49ers is they rank 27th in passing yards but who cares when you rank 1st in rushing and have the best defense in the NFL. The 49ers racked up 621 yards a new franchise record ironically enough the last time they broke this record was against the Bills. Alex Smith cracked the 300 yard mark for the first time this season. In doing research I discovered that this was his 3rd career 300 yard game and the only time the 49ers have won when he has reached that mark. The 49ers are a very legitimate contender this season and now have an opportunity to flex their muscle against the New York Giants this week.

4)Baltimore Ravens (4-1) Previous Rank 3 - The Ravens couldn't find the end-zone this past Sunday in Kansas City luckily for them the Chiefs had offensive woes of their own. This should have been a blow out game for the Ravens but it wasn't Jamaal Charles rushed for 140 yards against the aging Baltimore defense. For the first team this season we get a glimpse of what happens when the offense doesn't show up for the Ravens. Nonetheless the Ravens now boast a 4-1 record and find themselves atop the AFC North and will now get a chance to pat their defensive statistics as none other than gun slinger Tony Romo and his Dallas Cowboys come to town.

5)New England Patriots (3-2) Previous Rank 9 - The rushing game of New England is opening things up for Tom Brady. New England ranks 3rd in rushing and as a result ranks 9th in passing. Even without tight end Aaron Hernandez the Patriots offense is looking the best it has in years. As far as defense goes they rank 30th in passing yards allowed at 291.6 yards per game and 8th in rushing yards. Teams definitely can attack New England through the air but cannot out shoot Tom Brady and his arsenal of unlimited weapons. They will now face the stingy Seattle Seahawks defense.

6)New York Giants (3-2) Previous Rank 6 - Ahmad Bradshaw and Victor Cruz each had a great performance against the Cleveland Browns this weekend. Bradshaw rushed for 200 yards and a touchdown. Cruz 5 receptions for only 50 yards but 3 of them for touchdowns. The Giants did everything right as they should have facing a very week Browns team. The Giants now face stiffer competition this week as they face the number one defense of the 49ers.

7)Chicago Bears (4-1) Previous Rank 10 - The Bears defense held the Jaguars to 3 points and only one failed trip to the red-zone. Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall have connected 19 times for 279 yards and two touchdowns in the last two games. As long as the Bears Defense continues to stop teams and Jay Cutler doesn't cough it up the Bears have a very prosperous season ahead of them. Chicago has a bye week and will face Detroit in week 7.

8)Philadelphia Eagles (3-2) Previous Rank 7 - The Eagles struggled this past Sunday in a loss to a banged up Steelers defense. Michael Vick fumbled the ball 3 times and now has 11 turnovers for the season. With a QBR of 51.7 he's been very careless with the ball but has yet to point the finger at anyone but himself. The offensive line is clearly built for the rush and continue to struggle when Vick is in the pocket. If Philadelphia plans on getting into the playoffs they need to stop turning the ball over.

9)Minnesota Vikings (4-1) Previous Rank 14 - The Vikings keep climbing up these rankings as they keep winning and are doing it very convincingly. They control the running game on both sides of the ball. Christian Ponder threw his first 2 interceptions of the season this past Sunday but other than that the Vikings were in complete control as they beat the Titans 30-7. They now will face the Washington Redskins.

10)Arizona Cardinals (4-1) Previous Rank 3 - It was bound to happen the Cardinals got their first loss at the hands of the St. Louis Rams. Its mind boggling to see a team ranked 25th in passing 31st in rushing offense and still have a 4-1 record. Arizona can improve to 5-1 as they face the Buffalo Bills.

11)Green Bay Packers (2-3) Previous Rank 7 - They lost to an emotional Indianapolis Colts team this week and Green Bay finds themselves below .500 for the 3rd time this season. Green Bay ranks 17th in both defensive categories and have given up 27 points in back to back weeks. They now head to Houston in a crucial game that can put them in a deeper hole if they can't pull out a win.

12)San Diego Chargers (3-2) Previous Rank 11 - San Diego didn't look that bad in their loss to the Saints this weekend. Phillip Rivers passed for 354 yards and a pair of TDs while spreading the ball to 8 different receivers. Sand Diego was in it this past week and if it wasn't for the two turnovers they might have gotten another victory. They face Denver this week in a crucial game that can get them a nice 2 game lead in the AFC west.

13)Denver Broncos (2-3) Previous Rank 12 - Three consecutive 300 yard passing games for Peyton Manning he truly is doing everything he can for the Broncos. Defensively the Broncos struggle when it comes to stopping the run ranking 21st. The Broncos for the most part have been very competitive in all three losses but as said earlier in the season they are relying on Peyton to be the savior and its starting to become a reciepe for disaster.

14)Cincinnati Bengals (3-2) Previous rank 13 - They finally loss to a lesser opponent. The Bengals found themselves in a position to win in the final minutes of the game until Andy Dalton threw an interception to seal a Miami Dolphins victory. Heading into Cleveland this week the Bengals have another shot at beating up on a bad team.

15)Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2) Previous Rank 16 - The Steelers got Rashard Mendenhall back this past Sunday and he rushed for 81 yards and a TD. Pittsburgh got a win on a final drive in which Big Ben converted 2 crucial third downs and ate up over 6 minutes off the clock. Big Ben now has 29 game-winning drives under his belt. Pittsburgh will face the struggling Tennessee Titans without Troy Polamalu.

16)New Orleans Saints (1-4) Previous Rank 27 - The Saints finally got a win after the awful first quarter to their season. The bye couldn't come at a better time as they now get a chance to focus on the road ahead. For now the Saints get to enter their bye week with the best passing offense in football but rank nearly dead to last in all other categories offensive and defensively. The Saints clearly have displayed how dangerous and unstoppable they can be offensively. If they come out of the bye week with a more focused defense they can certainly salvage whats left of their season. Many may disagree where I currently rank the Saints but honestly the following 16 teams would have a tough time matching them offensively.

17)Dallas Cowboys (2-2) Previous Rank 17 - Coming off a much needed bye week, Tony Romo gets a chance to redeem himself against the Baltimore Ravens defense. The Cowboys are currently ranked first in passing defense and will certainly need to stop Joe Flacco this week to have a shot at getting above .500.

18)Seattle Seahawks (3-2) Previous Rank 18 - The Seahawks have the stingiest defense in the league giving up only 258.6 yards per game. They picked up another win (this time legit) against the Carolina Panthers. The Seahawks can definitely run the ball and have a strong defense but will they be able to stop the high powered Patriots this week?

19)St Louis Rams (3-2) Previous Rank 19 - The Rams are the first team to get a win against the Arizona Cardinals holding them to just a field goal. After losing their best receiver Danny Amendola due to injury, the Rams now have to figure out a way to move the ball through the air as they rank 30th in passing offense. Sam Bradford continued with yet another unimpressive game completing only seven passes on 21 attempts - a 33.3 completion percentage. Bradford's QBR is still at an awful 37.3 and losing Amendola won't help his cause. The Rams head to Miami this Sunday in what seems to be a coin flip of a game.

20)Detroit Lions (1-3) Previous Rank 20 - The Lions are coming off a bye week to face Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles. If the Lions lose this week it'll be four straight losses and a lot of ground lost in their division. The Lions' defense is ranked 10th in passing yards allowed and 13th in rushing. Getting to Vick and slowing down his receivers will be key for the Lions to avoid another loss.

21)Miami Dolphins (2-3) Previous Rank 25 - The Dolphins are the best team when it comes to stopping the run allowing only 61.4 yards per game. Reggie Bush currently has 417 rushing yards - ranked 10th - and three touchdowns. Brian Hartline now has 514 receiving yards - ranked first - but only one TD. Miami will host the Rams this week and will need further production from their offense.

22)Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-3) Previous Rank 22 - The Buccaneers host Kansas City this week, they will need a win to avoid digging themselves deeper. Coming off the bye week, Josh Freeman has had time to regroup with his offense and looks for a chance to display improvement.

23)Washington Redskins (2-3) Previous Rank 15 - Robert Griffin III gave his fans a scare this past Sunday when he suffered a concussion. The Redskins are now 0-2 at home and will host the Minnesota Vikings. RG3 listed as questionable for the game.

24)Buffalo Bills (2-3) Previous Rank 21 - The Bills have now given up a total of 176 points to start the season and after a 45-3 loss this weekend to the 49ers, the Bills are looking for answers to fix their defense. Buffalo's defense ranks at the bottom, 24th in passing and 30th in rushing yards allowed per game. In their two victories this season, Ryan Fitzpaterick had QB ratings of over 100 and the Bill's defense held the opposition under 20 points. The Bills travel to Arizona this week needing a victory to get back to .500.

25)New York Jets (2-3) Previous Rank 24 - Mark Sanchez is under scrutiny and rightfully so. With only a QBR of 28.2 a completion percentage of 48.4 to go along with six INTs and three fumbles. Sanchez has shown no signs of progression this season. The Jets have lost two straight at home and now host Andrew Luck and the Colts. In Week-2, I would have said this is a favorable match up for the Jets but now there is no telling which Jets' team will show up.

26)Tennessee Titans (1-4) Previous Rank 26 - Touchdown Titans! That was all the Titans managed to get in their loss to the Vikings this past Sunday. As expected, Chris Johnson did nothing against the Vikings stingy run defense being held to a total of 29 yards from scrimmage. Matt Hasselbeck threw 43 times and only managed to get 200 yards. However, he did spread the ball connecting with 10 different receivers. Hasselbeck and the Titans have a lot of issues to address on offense.

27)Carolina Panthers (1-4) Previous Rank 23 - Three straight losses for Cam Newton and the Panthers. With the bye week coming up Newton will need to regroup and figure out why he has regressed this season. Newton has only four passing touchdowns and five INTs. The running game is also a problem for Carolina as Newton is their rushing leader with 209 yards for the season, making the Panthers one dimensional.

28)Kansas City Chiefs (1-4) Previous Rank 26 - The Chiefs held the Ravens to only nine points this past weekend in their loss. Matt Cassel was injured and Chiefs' fans celebrated him coming out of the game. The cheering is inexcusable but Cassel did have a QBR of 11.9 last week and had 27.5 this week before he came out. Brady Quinn will now have shot at the starting job as Cassel is listed as questionable and has yet to be cleared to practice as he is suffering from a concussion. The Chiefs travel to Tampa Bay this week.

29)Oakland Raiders (1-3) Previous Rank 29 - The Raiders are coming off a bye week heading to face the undefeated Falcons on the road. Oakland can find themselves in a 1-4 hole with a defense ranking 28th against the pass facing Matt Ryan. The Raiders secondary will have their hands full this week.

30)Indianapolis Colts (2-2) Previous Rank 31 - They did it for Chuck Pagano, the Colts upset the Green Bay Packers in what was the headline of the weekend. Andrew Luck threw for 362 yards (the most by any Colts' rookie in a game) and a pair of TDs, including the game winner to wide receiver Reggie Wayne. The Colts head to New York to face the Jets with a lot of emotion and momentum. It should be very interesting game to watch. Prediction - Andrew Luck gives Mark Sanchez and Tebow a lesson on what a Quarterback really is.

31)Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4) Previous Rank 30 - Blaine Gabbert now finds himself with a QBR of 38.6 and has only reached 200-yards once this season. Maurice Jones-Drew has 408 rushing yards and only one TD. The Jaguars continue their offensive downfall and get a bye week to sort this mess out. It's not looking too good for the Jaguars this season.

32)Cleveland Browns (0-5) Previous Rank 32 - It's still a work in progress in Cleveland as the Browns are looking for their first win this season. Brandon Weeden starts his campaign at a pitiful 12.6 QBR, five TDs and nine INTs. The Browns receiving corp doesn't have anybody with more than 200 receiving yards. Trent Richardson's 303 rushing yards ranks him 16th among backs. The Browns host the Bengals this Sunday and a win will mark the first time the Browns have beaten an AFC North Opponent since October 3, 2010.

A Small Biased Weekend Recap

First and foremost, I want to say may Corrie Sanders rest in peace. The former heavyweight champion was shot to death in South Africa during a robbery. Sander's finest hour in the Boxing ring came in 2003, when he upset and knocked out Wladimir Klitschko. Say "hello" to Bert Sugar and Joe Fraizer for us, Corrie.

Tragedy aside, what an eventful weekend of sports. The San Francisco Giants and the Cincinnati Reds clinched their respective divisions. The New Orleans Saints are now 0-3 in a season without head coach Sean Payton. Kansas City Chiefs' running back Jamaal Charles quieted the naysayers with a brilliant 233 rushing yards on 33 carries performance. The Baltimore Ravens rallied to beat the New England Patriots by a last minute field goal. I wonder if Billy Cundiff was watching the prime-time game?

Ravens' wide receiver Torrey Smith put on a performance of a lifetime on what was a painful night for him and his family. Early Sunday, morning Smith received a call letting him know his brother was killed in a motorcycle accident. Smith rushed to his family and let his team know he wanted to play tonight. It was a performance that brought back memories of the game Brett Favre played in after his father's death against the Oakland Raiders. Smith caught six passes for 127 yards and one touchdown. His 5-yard touchdown pulled the Ravens to within a score at 30-28 in the fourth quarter. After the game an emotional Smith was consoled by Ray Lewis on the field. A very heart warming image. 

Speaking of dramatic finishes, the Detroit Lions and the Tennessee Titans went into overtime. Titans' kicker Rob Bironas kicked a 26-yard field goal to give the Titans a 44-41 victory. Tennessee blew a 20-9 halftime lead and became the first NFL team to score five touchdowns of 60-yards or longer in a game. Shaun Hill filled in for Matt Stafford after Stafford left the game with a strained right leg muscle. Hill tied the game after a 46-yard "Hail-Mary" that was tipped from Titans' linebacker Akeem Ayers into the hands of Titus Young at the end of regulation. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Raiders game lacked the emotion of the prime-time game, but was a nail biter. Daaaaa Raaaaaidaz (you have to say that in a Chris Berman voice) upset the Troy Polomalu-less Steelers with a 34-31 victory. Oakland's WR Darrius Heyward-Bey was carted off the field after taking a hard shot to the head from Ryan Mundy. ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported that doctors do not believe Heyward-Bey suffered a concussion, rather a neck injury that will require further testing Monday. Let's hope Heyward-Bey's playing days are not over.

I wont even get into my damn Philadelphia Eagles' shellacking. The Cardinals improved to 3-0 after a 27-6 clipping of the Eagles.

Over on the MLB side of things, The Los Angeles Dodgers salvaged the series in Cincinnati with a 5-3 victory. Dodgers' ace Clayton Kershaw returned to the mound and was effective if not shaky in five innings of work. The southpaw gave up five hits, five walks, five strikeouts, all in five innings. What an odd night of work. Adrian Gonzalez' bat finally showed signs of life with a two home run night. The Dodgers' offense displayed it's depth in the seventh inning when they scored four runs, started by a lead-off home run from Gonzalez. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez fouled a pitch off his left leg in the inning, after shaking off the hit, Ramirez singled to left only to hobble down to first base. Dee Gordon pinch ran and replaced Ramirez. Gordon made a costly error in the eighth inning sailing a throw into the first row of stands on a routine grounder. The error led to a massive-shot off the bat of Dennis Phipps, making his second career start. 

With the win, the Dodgers keep pace in the NL Wild Card race, trailing the St. Louis Cardinals by three games with nine games left on their schedule. The Dodgers head to San Diego on Tuesday for three games against the Padres, they head home for the final home stand against the Colorado Rockies and Giants.