Here’s a weekly look at the top and bottom five in the NFL:
1. New England Patriots (7-0)
Previous Rank: #1
Sunday was a great example of how good Tom Brady is. Bill Belichick pulled him during the forth quarter of a blowout, but inserted him back into the game after Miami cut the score to 49-28 and immediately he threw his sixth touchdown pass of the day. Remarkable.
2. Indianapolis Colts (7-0)
Previous Rank: #2
Jacksonville lost starting quarterback David Garrard to an injury Monday night, but it wouldn’t have mattered if he had played the entire game. Indy ran at will all night and the game was never in doubt. The Jags were supposed to be a true test for the Colts, but the game only proved how good Indy actually is.
3. Dallas Cowboys (6-1)
Previous Rank: #4
The most encouraging thing that occurred for the Cowboys this past weekend was that the defense played with emotion. The Dallas offense has been great, but the play of the defense will be the true factor in whether or not this team can make a deep postseason run.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)
Previous Rank: #3
Pittsburgh’s loss on Sunday night proved that even though the Broncos haven’t played well at times this season, Denver is still a tough place to win. The Steelers are going to have to cut down on the turnovers or else more losses will be coming soon.
5. New York Giants (5-2)
Previous Rank: N/A
Eli Manning is playing with tons of confidence and the defense is smacking people around and wrecking havoc – the G-Men are currently the hottest team not named the Patriots or Colts.
28. San Francisco 49ers (2-4)
Previous Rank: N/A
It’s getting hard to watch this train wreck every week. Wow, what a promising offseason turned into mush thanks to a few key injuries. One good note, however, has been the play of rookie middle linebacker, Patrick Willis. That guy is an absolute playmaker.
29. New York Jets (1-6)
Previous Rank: #29
Has someone seen Thomas Jones? He has two games of over 100 rushing yards and that’s it. Other than that, he’s rushed for: 42, 67, 35, 36 and 67 yards. And oh by the way, he has zero touchdowns – none, zero, zilch!
30. Atlanta Falcons (1-6)
Previous Rank #30
The Michael Vick saga, the key injuries (they’ve lost two left tackles to season-ending injuries and it’s only Week 8!), Byron Leftwich providing a spark and then going down – somebody on the Falcons really did a number on the football gods, because clearly this team is cursed. Perhaps the worst curse of all, however, is the curse of the Joey Harrington. That guy just sucks the life right out of every team he plays for.
31. Miami Dolphins (0-7)
Previous Rank: #31
The Dolphins have one of the worst defenses I’ve ever seen and that’s hard to swallow considering they still employ Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor. The ironic part is that the offense is actually playing well this year; although with Ronnie Brown now out for the year with an ACL injury, that is likely to change soon.
32. St. Louis Rams (0-7)
Previous Rank: #32
It’s flabbergasting to see a team with so many offensive playmakers struggle so much. Steven Jackson is set to return this week from injury, but this team is so off track right now, it hardly matters.
I seem to remember a 5-1 team going into New York and knocking the Giants around pretty good…
The Pack are demoted because of their BYE week, JP. Out of sight, out of mind…
But just for you and the rest of Pack Nation:
6. Green Bay Packers
Previous Rank: N/A
Why? Because they’re the best damn team in the NFL – that’s why!
Still flyin’ under people’s radar, John. Just the way we like it.
I have hopes for Koren Robinson – a talented player who might finally understand just how fortunate he is. Green Bay is a pretty good place for that to happen,
As he gets into game shape, he can hopefully take some of the stress off the rookie and second year wideout. If he can return to form, we’re one step closer to fielding a very formidable team.
Now if we could just find a real running game and keep Favre out of those “I just gotta make a play!” moments. We might really have something here.
I need to say something public about Max McGee. Air Force pilot, Packer Great, broadcaster, businessman, and a charitable dynamo with regard to juvenile diabetes. Dead at 75.
Max was one of the fixtures in my father’s storytelling while we listened to Packer games on WTMJ AM620 – living in Chicago at the time, he referred to that station as Radio Free Milwaukee: a joke that took some learning to understand. Max doing color commentary along with play by play guy Jim Irwin were the personification of the Green Bay Packers for me. Even when the Packers were playing the Bears, and we could get the broadcast, we would turn the sound down and sit next to that crackly old transistor radio. My grandfather’s radio. The only one in the house that could pull in WTMJ.
The stories of Max’s carousing, his tormenting of Vince Lombardi’s legendary discipline and his uncommon athletic talent were common conversations around my home. McGee was quoted, “When it’s third-and-10, you can take the milk drinkers and I’ll take the whiskey drinkers every time.”
My Dad was old school – we didn’t talk much when I was growing up, but tuning in on Sundays with Max and Jim was just the thing. Those afternoons meant the world to me.
God’s speed, McGee.
Nice words about McGee. I used to turn off the TV commentators and listen to the Irwin/McGee broadcast instead. Good times.
Oh how those mighty Rams have fallen. Some, I don’t know who, but some seemed to think they would win it all this year. Idiots I say.
I love Brett FAVRE and if I wasn’t straight I would like him even more! LOL – He is the man though. The Pack are back and I hope that he plays one more year so that we can draft another franchise man in 2008 or 2009 draft, just dont see much potential in Rodgers. I know………. he hasn’t had the chance to show anybody yet, but I just have a feeling he won’t be a good one.
What do you guys think???
I think a lot of people feel the same way you do about Rodgers, Nick. He seemed to be improving each year in the preseason, but obviously Favre isn’t going to give him the chance to play in a meaningful game. There were grumblings that the Packers were looking to trade him during offseason (one rumor had him going to Oakland as part of a deal for Moss), but obviously nothing came out of it.
Personally, I think the 49ers picked the right QB in Alex Smith in ‘05, but I don’t fault the Pack for selecting Rodgers, either. Pundits had him projected as a top 10 quarterback and at the time, Favre was waffling about his future, so GB took a shot when he fell so far. Of course they could have landed a player that would probably be helping them now (Logan Mankins and Heath Miller come to mind), but you can’t fault them for taking a guy they thought would be a franchise QB and their backup plan to Favre.
As far as me not including the Packers in my top five, let’s just get it out in the open so you don’t all lynch me: I’m extremely worried about their lack of a run game. Just like you guys, I’ve watched a ton of football and the formula has always been, if you can stop the run and run the ball, you’ll make a deep playoff run. I know, I know – the Colts couldn’t stop the run last year, but they did in the postseason and it’s a big reason why they were able to get over the SB hump. Having an elite passing game helped as well, of course…
I love Green Bay this year and ask JP, I was one saying in preseason that they were better than people thought (although I didn’t like their pick of Justin Harrell with Reggie Nelson still on the board). I saw them more as an 8-8 or 9-7 team, but they’re playing great right now and I give them all the credit in the world. If they start running the ball more effectively, I’ll love them even more…just my thoughts.
Tony! I haven’t seen you around these parts since the NFL draft my man – welcome back!
You know, I’ve got a good friend that actually had the Rams going to the Super Bowl…wow! I had them at 8-8 in my NFL Preview for Bullz-Eye, which doesn’t look too good either.
I’ll tell my friend that you called him an idiot though and thanks for posting again, haha….