You think it’s hard to predict the games and standings from week to week? Try picking MVP candidates. There are five or six different candidates emerging every week. We’ll do this as one post again today and start separating them out next week. And I’m sure by this time Tuesday everything will be turned upside down again. Enjoy the games today everyone!
MVP Power Rankings
1. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles—He didn’t play last week and yet the Eagles still won, but barely, on the road in San Fran. Against a team that still hasn’t won a game yet. And hence my case is made again. And when Kolb and the Eagles lose at home to the Falcons today, fans in Philly will be chanting Vick’s name, which will have made my case again.
The way the Saints have been winning each week has been like a gift to their fans. That is, it’s been a SURPRISE each week. Sometimes they dominate, sometimes they make it more interesting than it should be, and sometimes they flat out get a, well, gift, from the opposing team. Last Sunday it was the latter against a Washington team that let the Saints back in the game by missing a chip shot field goal. Drew Brees and company took care of the rest, and that’s why our man remains atop this list, with Peyton Manning right there behind him.
1. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints—He’s got a 111.3 QB rating to lead the NFL—3536 passing yards, 69% completion percentage and 29 touchdowns to 10 picks. Oh, and yeah…his team is 12-0 and has already clinched the NFC South.
2. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts—Not much different from Brees’ numbers—3685 passing yards, a ridiculous 70% completion rate, 25 TDs and 11 interceptions…and the same 12-0 record for his Colts, with a clinched AFC South.
3. Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings—A much more human game for Favre against Arizona Sunday night, but despite those 2 interceptions, he still threw for 275 yards and two scores. It just wasn’t enough, and even worse, the Cardinals may have gotten into the Vikings’ collective head.
4. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers—Despite being sacked a league high 45 times, Rodgers had led his team to four straight wins and has them in position for a wild card berth. And he probably hates this comparison, but his numbers are very Favre-esque: 3399 yards, 25 TDs, 7 picks.
5. Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengals—After missing a few starts due to injury, Cedric returned (albeit against Detroit) and promptly carried 36 times for 110 yards. Sure, there are two RBs with more yards per game (Chris Johnson and Steven Jackson), but Benson is making more of an impact for his team…the definition of MVP.
Honorable Mention—Chris Johnson, Titans; Philip Rivers, Chargers; Adrian Peterson, Vikings; Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars, Reggie Wayne, Colts; Jared Allen, Vikings; Vince Young, Titans; Elvis Dumervil, Broncos; Darren Sharper, Saints; Randy Moss, Patriots; Wes Welker, Patriots
NFL purists always say that teams with momentum heading into the postseason are always the most dangerous. Well after two impressive wins, their latest being a 30-10 victory over the Broncos on Sunday, the Carolina Panthers might be the most dangerous team in the NFC right now.
With all due respect to the New York Giants, Carolina has been the most impressive team in the NFC the last three weeks. In their last three games, the Panthers came back multiple times in a thrilling victory over the Packers at Lambeau Field, absolutely ran over the Buccaneers last Monday night and then handled Denver in convincing fashion on Sunday.
What has been the most impressive thing about Carolina the past three weeks is the way they’ve run the ball. Quarterback Jake Delhomme hasn’t necessarily been that impressive (Steve Smith has one again made Delhomme look better than he is), but he hasn’t needed to be because the running duo of DeAngelo Williams and rookie Jonathan Stewart has been so good. Plus, the Panthers’ defense has really tightened things up again, just in time for the playoffs.
The Panthers still have a tough road ahead of them because they have to travel to the Giants and Saints the next two weeks. But they also have a two-game lead over the Bucs and Falcons in the NFC South, meaning they have to win just one of their two remaining games to clinch the division. It’ll be interesting to see if the Panthers can not only can claim the NFC South crown, but also win out and achieve home field advantage throughout the postseason.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Jeff Garcia was a limited participant in Thursday’s practice again and his playing status for Sunday’s game against Atlanta remains up in the air.
Garcia injured his calf earlier this week and has been limited on Wednesday and Thursday. Buccaneers Coach Jon Gruden said Garcia injured the same calf that limited him during training camp, but it was not the same part of that calf.
“It’s a concern,” Gruden said. “It’s a calf injury. It’s not the same part of the calf, but it is a concern. It’s a part of life. Hopefully he can get well in the next day or two. We need him.”
Gruden said backup QB Luke McCown has taken the majority of reps during practice this week and he will likely play if Garcia is unable to go. As of right now, it appears Garcia will be a game-time decision in Atlanta.
“That’s the first time in the last couple of months we’ve seen him throwing the ball as well as he is,” Gruden said. “It’s a good sign for us.”
Garcia should play but this has to be a major concern. The Falcons have only lost once at home this year and haven’t lost back-to-back games all season. (They’re coming off a 29-25 loss to the Saints last Sunday.)
This is a pivotal game for both teams in the NFC South, so one would assume Garcia will play. If not, Atlanta might load up to stop the run and force McCown to beat them through the air. Of course, this could be Gruden playing a mind game with the Falcons, too.
For all the talk about how Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees is an MVP candidate this season, the Tampa Bay defense made him look ordinary in the Buccaneers’ 23-20 victory on Sunday.
Brees threw for 296 yards and two touchdowns, but he was also picked off three times, including once on the Saints’ final offensive possession. Granted the weather did neutralize the potent New Orleans’ offense, but Brees looked awful. He consistently threw into double coverage and often behind his receivers. I hate to keep piling on Brees because he’s been fantastic all season, but the Saints’ defense played well enough to win. But he just wasn’t very good in the clutch.
Both the Bucs and Panthers won on Sunday, which means the Saints’ best hopes for a playoff spot is the Wild Card. And if the Falcons beat the Chargers, then even the Wild Card looks bleak.
Tampa, meanwhile, couldn’t separate itself in the NFC South, but they essentially control their own destiny. They still have to play the Panthers and Falcons one more time, but they also hold the series advantage against those teams, too. And with the way their defense is playing, they’re going to be tough come playoff time.
The NFC South just got more interesting with the Falcons’ 45-28 stomping of rival Carolina. The Panthers are now tied with the Buccaneers at 8-3 for the division lead, while Atlanta sits one game back at 7-4.
This game featured two teams heading in different directions. They might be 8-3, but Carolina has really struggled the past couple of weeks thanks to ineffective play by Jake Delhomme and a defense that can’t limit the big play. Things don’t get any easier for the Panthers either, with the Packers, Bucs, Broncos, Giants and Saints remaining on the schedule.
Meanwhile, this was a massive win for the Falcons. Mike Smith’s decision to go for it on fourth and goal midway through the fourth quarter up 24-21 showed that this team is aggressive. The play resulted in a Michael Turner touchdown (his third of four on the day) and provided a huge spark of momentum for the Falcons, who added two more scores with less than five minutes remaining in the game.
The Falcons finish by traveling to San Diego and New Orleans before facing the Bucs at home in three weeks. They also play in Minnesota and host the Rams at the end of the season, so a 10-6 finish isn’t out of the question, although beating the Saints and Bucs will be imperative in making the playoffs.
The East might get more attention, but the South is highly underrated in the NFC. If the Falcons don’t stumble last week against the Broncos, three teams would be 8-3 right in South. The title race in this division is going to be thrilling to watch over last five weeks.
The stats are one thing – the Bucs held Gus Frerotte to only 138 yards passing and Adrian Peterson to only 85 yards rushing – but you have to remember that Tampa has the most conservative offense in the league, too. They don’t score a ton of points and they don’t have many explosive playmakers, either. Jon Gruden’s offense relies on the running game and Jeff Garcia not turning the ball over. That’s it. The rest is in the defense’s hands to win the game.
At 8-2, Carolina has been awfully impressive and Matt Ryan has made Atlanta an instant contender in just his rookie season. But with how good the Bucs’ defense is playing, I wouldn’t be surprised if they win the NFC South again this year.
Tampa might be the blandest team in football, but they play their game better than anyone. They keep their game plan simple, don’t turn the ball over and play outstanding defense. They’ve also beaten the Panthers and Falcons earlier in the year and match up incredibly well against both of those teams. The only drawback is that they have to face each of those teams on the road over the next couple months.
The Bucs probably don’t have enough offensive firepower to make a deep postseason run, but barring a collapse they’ll make the playoffs and they’re going to be incredibly tough to beat. (Especially if they get a home playoff game.)
Is it the AFC East, with the Patriots, Jets and Bills all at 5-3? Is it the NFC East, with the Giants, Redskins, Eagles and Cowboys, who have a combined record of 23-10? Or is it the NFC South, where the Panthers, Buccaneers, Falcons and Saints have a combined record of 21-12?
Sunday’s Best:Colts (3-2) at Packers (3-3), 4:15 PM CBS
There are some brutal matchups this week, so this one wins by default. The Colts will try to carry the momentum from last weeks blowout win against Baltimore into Green Bay this Sunday, but will be without running back Joseph Addai. Dominic Rhodes gets the start, but head coach Tony Dungy has said that Clifton Dawson and Chad Simpson will see some opportunities as well. Peyton Manning played his most complete game of the season last week and might get the opportunity to exploit a banged up Packers’ secondary if Al Harris (spleen) continues to be hobbled (although word is Harris might play). The Packers meanwhile, have not had much success running the ball this year with Ryan Grant, which is unfortunate given that Indy’s main defensive weakness is stopping the run. If Green Bay can’t get the running game going, they’ll again rely on QB Aaron Rodgers to make big plays to wideouts Greg Jennings and Donald Driver in the passing game. This is a huge game for both teams, especially for the Colts considering they’re currently looking up at the 5-0 Titans in the AFC South.
Upset Watch:Jets (3-2) at Raiders (1-4), 4:15 PM CBS
It’s incredibly hard to back the mess that is the Oakland Raiders right now, but they still have a ton of talent on their roster and the Jets have been awfully inconsistent this season. One week they look like playoff contenders and the next they’re getting drummed. Even though they walked away with a victory, New York didn’t play that well against Cincinnati and Brett Favre continues to turn the ball over. The Jets haven’t been able to run the ball successfully of late either, managing just 66 yards per game in the last three weeks. If Oakland is going to pull off a victory in Tom Cable’s home debut, they’ll need to run the ball effectively themselves. Because clearly QB JaMarcus Russell isn’t ready to lead this team on his own yet.
Intriguing Matchup:Cowboys (4-2) at Rams (1-4), 1:00 PM FOX
The biggest question on everyone’s minds (especially fantasy owners) is whether QB Tony Romo will play or not. Despite breaking his pinkie finger in the loss to the Cardinals last week, all indications are that Romo will in fact play. He’ll have a new weapon to throw to in Roy Williams, who the team recently acquired from Detroit at the trade deadline. But not only will it be interesting to see how effective Romo can be with a broken finger, it’ll also be intriguing to watch the many personalities the ‘Boys have on offense now that Williams and T.O. have to share looks in the passing game. Dallas has not played well since their Sunday night win against the Packers early in the year and the Rams proved last week in a win over the Redskins that they won’t be pushovers now that Jim Haslett is running things.
Other Notable Games: Saints (3-3) at Panthers (4-2), 1:00 PM ET FOX
While everyone is focusing on the East being the best division in the NFC, the South doesn’t have any teams below .500 right now. Some still believe the Saints are the best team in the division and they’ll get the opportunity to prove it this week in Carolina.
Browns (2-3) at Redskins (4-2), 4:15 PM ET CBS
What was the bigger fluke from Week 6 – the Browns beating the Giants or the Redskins losing to the Rams?
Titans (5-0) at Chiefs (1-4), 1:00 PM ET CBS
The Titans get to put their undefeated record on the line this week in Kansas City and fortunately for them the Larry Johnson-less Chiefs shouldn’t provide much of a challenge.
Why did Muhsin Muhammad leave Carolina for Chicago a few years ago? Oh yeah, money. Well he’s back in Carolina now and the Panthers couldn’t be more thrilled. Muhammad torched the Falcons for eight receptions, 147 yards and a touchdown as the Panthers rolled to a 24-9 victory.
The Panthers lost both of their offensive tackles during the game, but Atlanta still couldn’t get any pass rush. Jake Delhomme (20 of 29, 294 yards, 2 TDs) had all day to throw and while the running game wasn’t dominant by any means, it was good enough to keep Carolina balanced offensively. And the job the defense did against the Falcons’ rushing attack, which led the NFL coming into the game, was impressive. The Panthers’ front seven has been outstanding against top backs LaDainian Tomlinson, Adrian Peterson and Michael Turner so far this year.
As for the Falcons, they’re just a different team on the road than they are at home. And while that might be the case for most teams, it’s incredibly accurate for Atlanta, who can’t run (Turner had just 56 yards), play defense (Carolina racked up over 400 yards of offense) or get the ball in the end zone (three field goals, no touchdowns) on the road. And I have no idea why offensive coordinator Mike Murlarkey and the Falcons’ coaching staff abandoned the no-huddle offense after it worked so well early in the first half. Rookie Matt Ryan looked comfortable running the hurry up and Carolina’s defense was back on their heels, yet Mularkey ditched the approach until after the game was out of reach in the fourth. (Writer’s note: Head coach Mike Smith said in his post game press conference that the one series the Falcons used the no-huddle was scripted out before hand. Therefore, they weren’t comfortable allowing Ryan to run the no-huddle after that unscripted.)
The Panthers (3-1) are now cruising in the NFC South and they didn’t even play as well as they’re capable of today. With how well Delhomme and the defense is playing, Carolina looks like a legitimate contender in the NFC.
