Browns ranked 23rd!!! Ahead of Bengals.

[hammertime]

Power Rankings Week 8: Situation Remains Stable at the Top

• 1. Jets (5-1) | Last Week: 1
  The Jets were on a bye this week, and the NFL had one of the uglier weekends of action that you'll ever see. Correlation or causation? Probably the former, although Rex Ryan's explanation of why it's the latter would be awfully entertaining. --Josh Alper
• 2. Steelers (5-1) | Last Week: 2
  The Steelers got by the Dolphins, though Miami fans want it noted that it was only because of the referee. Of course, those field goals the Dolphins had to settle for earlier in the game may have been a factor. Anyway, Pittsburgh now heads to New Orleans, where the struggling Saints are desperate to stay relevant.
• 3. Patriots (5-1) | Last Week: 3
  It's starting to feel like you could send Tom Brady out with offensive skill players he met five minutes before kickoff, and he'd still put up more than 300 total yards and win the game. Does that say more about Brady or the general state of the league? The answer really doesn't matter to New England, as long as the Pats keep on winning. --JA
• 4. Ravens (5-2) | Last Week: 4
  Don't read too much into the Ravens needing overtime to beat winless Buffalo. The reality is that no team blows out everyone it's supposed to, and it will do the Ravens good down the road to have found a way to win on a day where they clearly didn't have their "A" game.
• 5. Colts (4-2) | Last Week: 5
  Off a bye, the Colts get back at it next Monday night against Houston, which is going for a season sweep of Indy. The Colts might be banged up, but they're still formidable -- and don't count them out in a big game like this, especially at home.
• 6. Titans (5-2) | Last Week: 8
  An impressive win over Philadelphia kept the Titans' streak against NFC teams alive. It also gave them wins over two NFC East contenders -- the Eagles and Giants (they also beat the Cowboys, but that hardly looks like an accomplishment now). Tennessee's hope is that Vince Young will be available soon, which would be a good thing, because the Titans probably won't win long-term with Kerry Collins.
• 7. Giants (5-2) | Last Week: 9
  They keep knocking out quarterbacks, which is the second-best strategy they've come up with this season. The best is playing in the NFC, because they really don't look to have many challengers for the title of top team in the conference at the moment. It's a long season, of course, but the NFC doesn't appear to be getting any better. --JA
• 8. Falcons (5-2) | Last Week: 8
  After inexplicably blowing a 24-3 lead, Atlanta rallied and beat the game Bengals at home, thanks in part to Roddy White's big day. With New Orleans floundering and Tampa Bay still not having proven itself, the Falcons are a clear favorite in the NFC South.
• 9. Texans (4-2) | Last Week: 9
  Monday's game at Indianapolis represents a tremendous opportunity for Houston. The Texans have a chance to win a big road game and show themselves off on national television. It also would allow them to keep pace in the AFC South and create a gap between themselves and the Colts.
• 10. Redskins (4-3) | Last Week: 14
  DeAngelo Hall probably won't ever have another day like he did on Sunday, because he probably won't ever face another offense as hellbent on turning the ball over as the 2010 Chicago Bears. The Redskins didn't have much working beyond Jay Cutler-to-Hall on Sunday, but this year doesn't call for much to win games in the NFC. --JA
• 11. Saints (4-3) | Last Week: 6
  Drew Brees would probably like to forget Sunday's debacle against Cleveland. He is now tied with Brett Favre for the league lead with 10 picks in seven games, and it doesn't get any easier Sunday night for the defending champions, as Pittsburgh comes calling.
• 12. Eagles (4-3) | Last Week: 7
  Kevin Kolb's nickname isn't E-Z (at least not that we know of), but it should be after the way he played against the Titans this week. He made Andy Reid's life easy by offering no argument for keeping Michael Vick on the bench for another week. Now the Eagles just have to hope time off didn't hamper Vick. --JA
• 13. Buccaneers (4-2) | Last Week: 16
  It's not fair to say the Bucs haven't really proven themselves, but they haven't. That could happen in the next two weeks, as Tampa plays road games at Arizona and Atlanta on consecutive Sundays. That will show us where this Buccaneer team stands in the NFC South, and in the NFC as a whole.
• 14. Dolphins (3-3) | Last Week: 13
  On the long list of ways to lose a football game, there's probably not a more painful one than the way the Dolphins lost on Sunday. You just can't get gifted two drives inside the opponents' 25 two minutes into the game and come away with only six points in the NFL. What? You thought I was talking about something else? --JA
• 15. Chiefs (4-2) | Last Week: 15
  Good teams blow out bad teams at home, and after taking care of business against the Jaguars, Kansas City has earned the right to be called a "good team." The Chiefs are sticking to the winning formula of good defense plus a great running game, and it should continue to work for them. --R.J. White
• 16. Seahawks (4-2) | Last Week: 18
  In the battle for first in the NFC West, Seattle's defense trumped all, holding the Cardinals to 10 points in an easy win. Seattle's trade of Deion Branch has unearthed a valuable passing-game weapon in Mike Williams, who hauled in double-digit catches for the second straight week. --RW
• 17. Bears (4-3) | Last Week: 12
  Consecutive home losses to allegedly inferior teams must have Bears fans griping a bit. They blew a chance to pull away in the NFC North, and now must deal with the Packers nipping at their heels again. The bye comes at a good time, as it gives Chicago a chance to regroup.
• 18. Packers (4-3) | Last Week: 21
  Aaron Rodgers improved to just 2-11 in games decided by four points or less with Sunday's win over Minnesota, but the fact he got it done against Favre means something. Now, coach Mike McCarthy has to figure out why Rodgers and his receivers were so out of sync Sunday night. That won't work against the Jets.
• 19. Cardinals (3-3) | Last Week: 17
  Max Hall's day was looking pretty ugly even before he was knocked from the game with a concussion, as he completed just four passes in 16 attempts. He's still the starter, and he'll have better days, but Arizona opponents should expect a heavy dose of the running game moving forward. --RW
• 20. Raiders (3-4) | Last Week: 27
  Darren McFadden looked much closer to 100 percent than 70 percent on Sunday, racking up four TDs in the Raiders' epic blowout of the Broncos. The onus will be on Tom Cable to remind this team throughout the week that its still just 3-4, as such a big victory may breed overconfidence in the players. --RW
• 21. Jaguars (3-4) | Last Week: 20
  The Jaguars got thumped by Kansas City, as backup quarterback Todd Bouman just couldn't play well enough, and the Jags didn't show up at all on defense. They've been blown out a lot this year, so even a 3-4 record might be deceiving.
• 22. Vikings (2-4) | Last Week: 19
  Brett Favre's ankle fractures are just the latest drama for a team that's made plenty of headlines but seems to be really good at coming up short on Sundays. If the Vikings can't beat the Patriots, it might be time to consider benching Favre, whether he wants to play or not.
• 23. Browns (2-5) | Last Week: 30
  That win over New Orleans came out of nowhere, but it's another sign that the Browns are really tough, even if they're not that good. Eric Mangini pulled out all the stops in Sunday's win, and it has to give Colt McCoy some confidence, even though his numbers weren't impressive.
• 24. Bengals (2-4) | Last Week: 23
  Cincinnati continues to disappoint, losing to Atlanta after rallying from 21 down to take a lead at the end of the third quarter. While the offense finally stepped up on Sunday, the defense eventually found a way to let the team down.
• 25. Rams (3-4) | Last Week: 24
  This Rams team is for real. St. Louis was 10 seconds away from beating a very good Tampa Bay team on the road, and even at 3-4, the Rams are still very much in the NFC West hunt -- especially if Sam Bradford (no interceptions for second straight week) continues to play like a seasoned veteran. --RW
• 26. Chargers (2-5) | Last Week: 25
  The 2-5 Chargers will be more than ready to turn the page on October after next week, and this is a team that does their best work in November and December. They look headed in the right direction already, as they dominated the Patriots in nearly every aspect of the game in Week 7, save for the most important part: the score. --RW
• 27. Broncos (2-5)) | Last Week: 22
  What an embarrassment -- the Broncos allowed Oakland to score the most points in that franchise's long history. The game was over in the first few minutes, as the Raiders held a 24-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. One positive: Knowshon Moreno looked healthy and capable of making a big contribution to the offense. --RW
• 28. Panthers (1-5) | Last Week: 32
  They may have needed a last-second field goal to beat lowly San Francisco, but a win is a win. The Panthers will take it at this point, because there simply aren't a lot of likely wins left on this schedule with this team.
• 29. Cowboys (1-5) | Last Week: 28
  Look at it this way, Cowboys fans: it's not like the team was any good when Tony Romo was healthy. Now you can stop fretting every week and simply sit back and start thinking about who you'll take with one of the first three picks of the draft. Or just watch the Rangers and ignore this mess. --JA
• 30. Lions (1-5) | Last Week: 26
  Off a bye, the Lions need to figure out their quarterback situation, and a healthy Matthew Stafford could make a huge difference. Washington hasn't overwhelmed anyone, so despite the difference in records, Sunday's contest is definitely a winnable game for Detroit.
• 31. 49ers (1-6) | Last Week: 29
  Unable to build momentum after a Week 6 win, Mike Singletary must be squarely on the hot seat in San Francisco. An offense with David Carr would be a disaster, and as the 49ers head across the pond for a London-based game against the Broncos, disaster looms in the distance. --RW
• 32. Bills (0-6) | Last Week: 31
  Ryan Fitzpatrick is rapidly nearing induction into the Hall of Fame reserved for players who win someone a fantasy season because they took Kevin Kolb in the draft and backed him up with Derek Anderson. He's putting up numbers and the Bills are playing hard, which would lead to a win in a more just world. --JA

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

Holy shit ....do yo proof-read? hahahhaa


*I fixed it for ya. Thanks hammer!

[CrimsonDawg]

Originally Posted by TheBestPlayersPlay

Holy shit ....do yo proof-read? hahahhaa

NFL Power Rankings Week 8: Situation Remains Stable at the Top -- NFL FanHouse

[Tobalaz]

Holy Shit!
We're ahead of the Chargers and the Cowboys and they're both supposed to have some of the league's top qbs in Rivers and Romo!
You're not supposed to be running that far back in the power rankings with explosive passing offenses like that.

[Jax Dawg]

Originally Posted by Tobalaz

Holy Shit!
We're ahead of the Chargers and the Cowboys and they're both supposed to have some of the league's top qbs in Rivers and Romo!
You're not supposed to be running that far back in the power rankings with explosive passing offenses like that.

Yes, according to all the experts you can't win without the star QBs and star WRs like Dallas, San Diego and Minnesota have. All that explosiveness has added up to a combined record of 5-14 for those three offensive juggernauts.

Maybe playing Defense, Teamwork and Coaching do have a future in this league after all.

[DawgFan]

Yeah...pretty amazing.

The Browns 'suck' according to the experts, but have won 2 games despite having their healthy starting QB...who by the way also sucked in their opinions...for only 1/2 of a game.

Meanwhile, Dallas is 1-5 while having the media darling Romo for all EXCEPT 1/2 of a game...and they are JUST NOT being written off.

Amazing the media....just amazing.

[Legacy Fan]

Originally Posted by Tobalaz

You're not supposed to be running that far back in the power rankings with explosive passing offenses like that.

Well this is the new, new NFL, Tobz. Get with the times. Dual & triple-threat punters are the new QBR!

[Enigmatic Evil]

We're 21! We're 21! We're 21!

To be ranked above the Bengals, Cowboys, Chargers and 49ers is pretty funny. Given how we're the ultimate underdog n' all

[hiwaygal]

Originally Posted by Legacy Fan

Dual & triple-threat punters are the new QBR!

Absolutely!

I think with Zastudil's issues we should draft a new punter in the first round!

[Greythan]

Hey, its a QB league. Everyone knows that. Everyone, that is, but the history books. The history books show championship teams are just as likely to have a stellar defense/balanced team as to have an epic QB.

Trust me, I'd like to maximize our opportunity by having both.

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

Power Rankings: Oh yeah, we’ve got ‘em

October 27th, 2010 | Author: Khaled Elsayed


The season is well and truly under way, and even in this crazy NFL season we’re starting to see it take shape. With that in mind, Pro Football Focus’ resident Chic Geek, Khaled Elsayed, is putting the shame of his weekly predictions behind him and moving on to ranking the 32 teams of the NFL.
Here’s a look at the good, the bad and the ugly the NFL has to offer.


1. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-1)
THE GOOD: They’re making life very difficult for quarterbacks right now. It’s just tough to score points on them.
THE BAD: How long until Big Ben shakes off his funk?
THE UGLY: Injuries. They crippled the Steelers last year and they’re threatening to cripple them this year. Losing Aaron Smith hits an already thin defensive line.

2. New York Giants (5-2)
THE GOOD: In Ahmad Bradshaw (+10.5 on the season), they have a running back who is playing as well as any other in the league.
THE BAD: Their receivers are real playmakers, but they need to stop helping opposing defenses make plays by tipping the ball (10 drops, six INTs toward wideouts).
THE UGLY: You need to protect your quarterback. Is David Diehl the guy you want doing that?

3. New York Jets (5-1)
THE GOOD: Perfect in their division so far, they seem to be getting better as they’re getting players back from suspension/ injury.
THE BAD: The language Rex Ryan uses. Won’t somebody think of the children?
THE UGLY: The management of Darrelle Revis’ injury. Revis (-1.9) needs to sit until he’s completely healthy. He’s too good to be left hamstrung by his hamstring later on in the season.

4. New England Patriots (5-1)
THE GOOD: Tom Brady (+13.2) looks better than he did last year.
THE BAD: I’ve never been a fan of throwing as much mud at the wall and seeing what sticks. Sometimes the Patriots’ defense seems a bit of a guessing game — they’ve got 19 different players averaging 15+ snaps a game.
THE UGLY: Brady’s hair. But that may be/is just jealousy on my part.

5. Tennessee Titans (5-2)
THE GOOD: How well their defense is playing. The line is getting up the field (in a disciplined manner) and making life easier for the cornerbacks (who are playing extremely well).
THE BAD: It doesn’t look like Chris Johnson is going to break the single-season rushing record.
THE UGLY: Potentially losing Kenny Britt to any type of suspension. This kid has major talent and is starting to put it together. Cornerbacks just can’t compete with him at times.

6. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)
THE GOOD: They’re moving the ball well on offense.
THE BAD: That pass rush (graded in the league’s bottom 10) really needs to step up.
THE UGLY: The cornerback play of Fabian Washington (-2.7) and Lardarius Webb (-2.7). They may as well have taken Sunday off.
7. Philadelphia Eagles (4-3)
THE GOOD: Michael Vick returns. Say what you want, but getting a guy playing that well back in the team is a good thing.
THE BAD: Teams are starting to look at Ellis Hobbs and see the potential to take advantage of him.
THE UGLY: Eagles fans scare me too much to write anything bad about them.
8. Atlanta Falcons (5-2)
THE GOOD: After starting on fire last year and dropping off into inconsistency on offense, the Falcons seem to be getting better. How much of this is down to Roddy White growing into one of the league’s best?
THE BAD: Watching Matt Ryan leave the game for a play makes you all the more concerned about the play of LT Sam Baker (-18.8).
THE UGLY: When you get thrown at 20 times and allow 17 completions, you probably shouldn’t be starting for an NFL team. Sorry, Chris Owens.
9. Houston Texans (4-2)
THE GOOD: Is there a better, more balanced offense?
THE BAD: Is there a worse, more exploitable secondary?
THE UGLY: Losing DeMeco Ryans for the year means reshuffling their entire linebacker unit — a unit that had already been struggling. The back seven is a mess right now.
10. Kansas City Chiefs (4-2)
THE GOOD: They game plan as well as anyone on offense and defense. Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel are assistant coaches of the year right now.
THE BAD: I don’t care if Thomas Jones had a big game against the Texans, Jammal Charles needs more touches.
THE UGLY: What media analysts predicted for the Chiefs at the start of the season. Everyone was wrong. Very wrong.
11. Indianapolis Colts (4-2)
THE GOOD: Peyton Manning is still Peyton Manning.
THE BAD: Losing Dallas Clark to injured reserve is something they may struggle to overcome.
THE UGLY: A Colts team that is winless in their division? Unheard of.
12. Green Bay Packers (4-3)
THE GOOD: They’re the class of the NFC North by default.
THE BAD: Those injuries have got to take a toll.
THE UGLY: Actually that injury situation is beyond bad. It’s ugly like Sloth from the Goonies. Hey, you guys!
13. Miami Dolphins (3-3)
THE GOOD: They do a great job of giving Chad Henne time and getting to the opposing quarterbacks.
THE BAD: Last year they missed out on the playoffs by losing a lot of close games. Any sign of that changing?
THE UGLY: They had Cameron Wake (eight sacks in six games, +16.8) on their roster last year and opted to use Joey Porter instead. I can’t forget or forgive that.
14. New Orleans Saints (4-3)
THE GOOD: Out of sync, but there’s talent on this roster. It didn’t become bad overnight.
THE BAD: Has complacency set in? Do they feel a sense of entitlement to beat teams like the Browns? Were they … lucky last year? Lots of unanswered questions right now.
THE UGLY: Defensive ends get pressure. Not the Saints’ DEs. They’re passengers right now and making life tough for Gregg Williams.
15. Washington Redskins (4-3)
THE GOOD: Four interceptions in a game? Four interceptions in a game! DeAngelo Hall had barely come up with four incompletions his way before Sunday.
THE BAD: It’s hard to get a read on whether the offense is inconsistent, still developing or just lacking in talent.
THE UGLY: The play of DT Ma’ake Keomeatu has been a huge disappointment so far.
16. Oakland Raiders (3-4)
THE GOOD: It’s taken forever and a day, but the Raiders have developed an identity. Who knew that stability would produce that?
THE BAD: We still feel far too close to Kyle Boller starting at quarterback.
THE UGLY: Tom Cable is not a pretty man, but we can expect to see a lot of him on the Raiders sideline. He’s turned that franchise around.
17. Chicago Bears (4-3)
THE GOOD: The defense is playing very well and Brian Urlacher’s return has really galvanized the unit.
THE BAD: Whoever plays at offensive tackle.
THE UGLY: Jay Cutler’s medical bill. Though if you’re his doctor, you’re thankful of the Bears’ protection putting your kids through college.
18. Cleveland Browns (2-5)
THE GOOD: The coaching. The Browns have been competitive this entire season, and they’ve done it playing guys who were surplus on other teams.
THE BAD: You wonder if, despite the good job he is doing turning things around, Eric Mangini’s project may be cut short.
THE UGLY: Jake Delhomme at quarterback. He’s such a liability right now that he’s the biggest threat to their offense.
19. Seattle Seahawks (4-2)
THE GOOD: Chris Clemons’ emergence as an absolute menace of a pass-rusher. Tackles beware.
THE BAD: They’re still overmatched against decent teams away from home.
THE UGLY: That they’re the best team in the NFC West shows how bad the division is.
20. San Diego Chargers (2-5)
THE GOOD: Philip Rivers is playing as well as ever.
THE BAD: Despite Rivers playing as well as ever, it’s not enough to carry the rest of a team that can’t do the little things right.
THE UGLY: Do you blame the coaches or do you blame the players? I blame the players because the amount of mental errors they’re making says more about their lack of sense than bad game planning.
21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2)
THE GOOD: They somehow find themselves with a 4-2 record while developing some young talent.
THE BAD: I expected more from DE Stylez G. White this season. If you’re going to have a name like that you need to produce.
THE UGLY: Raheem Morris saying his team is the best in the NFC. There’s confidence building and then there’s killing your own credibility. You’re not even the second-best team in your own division.
22. Minnesota Vikings (2-4)
THE GOOD: Adrian Peterson isn’t fumbling like he used to and is running as hard as ever.
THE BAD: This team is in turmoil and the young talent isn’t coming through. They may have missed their window last year.
THE UGLY: I haven’t seen those alleged pictures of Brett Favre but I can’t imagine it making my day any better.
23. Cincinnati Bengals (2-4)
THE GOOD: Carson Palmer made better decisions against the Falcons. He’s not hurting the team as much now.
THE BAD: They don’t get to play against Chris Owens every week.
THE UGLY: With Adam Jones gone for the year, their secondary is left with a plethora of players either injured or recovering from injury. They’re vulnerable.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4)
THE GOOD: Kirk Morrison has been a welcome addition to the defense.
THE BAD: What happened, Daryl Smith? You were so good last year and this year you’ve been exposed … a lot.
THE UGLY: The horrible situation at safety. There isn’t a worse group in the league.
25. St Louis Rams (3-4)
THE GOOD: Sam Bradford isn’t playing like a rookie for the most part, and the Rams aren’t playing like the worst team in the league they were last year.
THE BAD: To blow a lead like that against an offense like the Bucs. That’s the kind of game that will cost them in a competitive but weak NFC West.
THE UGLY: They’re third in the NFC West standings. Ugh.
26. Dallas Cowboys (1-5)
THE GOOD: Dez Bryant is starting to show off his talent.
THE BAD: The Giants kept giving them the ball and they couldn’t do anything with it. That defeat wasn’t on luck, it was on an inability to execute.
THE UGLY: Tony Romo’s clavicle. If there season wasn’t over beforehand, it ended when Romo went out and Kitna proceeded to lead a succession of three-and-out drives until the Giants backed off.
27. Detroit Lions (1-5)
THE GOOD: They’re better than their record. Much better. They’re always competitive and that offense has some serious potential on it.
THE BAD: The lack of credit Jeff Backus gets as one of the most consistent left tackles in the NFC over the last two years.
THE UGLY: It takes time to break a losing mentality, but right now that’s the biggest battle this talented team is facing … and they’re losing.
28. Denver Broncos (2-5)
THE GOOD: The surprising play of Brandon Lloyd. He has never been this good and there was no reason to believe he’d ever be this good. But he has, and then some.
THE BAD: They often look formidable, and then flop at other times. Where do you place the blame? Coaching?
THE UGLY: Getting humped like that by the Raiders. That was inexcusable.
29. Arizona Cardinals (3-3)
THE GOOD: Beanie Wells looks like a talent.
THE BAD: Whoever they put at quarterback is going to get hit hard and hit often. They’ve not done enough to fix their pass-protection problems.
THE UGLY: If Joey Porter is the answer, what is the question?

30. Carolina Panthers (1-5)
THE GOOD: The defense is playing to a high level, remarkable given the offseason losses to free agency and injury.
THE BAD: One game doesn’t make Matt Moore a savior, even if it is more than Jimmy Clausen looked capable of.
THE UGLY: It’s a bit sad to watch John Fox doing a decent job with the limitations placed upon him. Such a waste.

31. San Francisco 49ers (1-6)
THE GOOD: London is really nice this time of year. Enjoy it, guys.
THE BAD: This team just isn’t responding to the coaches. There’s no excuse losing to the Panthers with some of the talent they have on their team.
THE UGLY: The realization they’re a much worse team without Alex Smith. Oh, it’s true.

32. Buffalo Bills (0-6)
THE GOOD: They were competitive, and QB Ryan Fitzgerald actually gives their receivers a chance.
THE BAD: The offensive line seems to alternate between incapable to run block and pass block. Some weeks both.
THE UGLY: You’re the only winless team in the league, and the talent on your team makes that something that could continue.

[Neo]

Originally Posted by hiwaygal

Absolutely!

I think with Zastudil's issues we should draft a new punter in the first round!

What are you smokin'? We should sign Reggie Hodges to an eight year 100 million dollar extension. Draft picks are to precious. (edit) We could also incorporate Josh Cribbs in our new Wildcat Punt Formation. (AKA The Cardinal/Flash Wildcat Punt Formation Package)