Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 1444 of 1503)

The NFL is just past the midway point and that means Bullz-Eye.com is cooking up some power rankings. In this installment, every team’s strength and flaw is front and center.

Here’s a sneak peak of the top and bottom five. To see the entire list and where your team ranks, click here.

1. Indianapolis Colts (9-0)
First Quarter Ranking: 2
Strength: It’s hard to believe, but it seems like Peyton Manning is getting even better at being an on-field offensive coordinator. Rookie Joseph Addai is quickly becoming what the Colts lost in Edgerrin James.
Flaw: It should be hard to find a flaw on an undefeated team, but Indy’s run defense has been horrid this year. Many pundits believe that the run defense will keep the Colts from a Super Bowl, and even with Manning playing as well as he is, I’d tend to agree.

2. Chicago Bears (8-1)
First Quarter Ranking: 1
Strength: The defense is making it tough for opponents to establish any kind of rhythm on offense. At times, Rex Grossman is playing at a Pro Bowl level and Thomas Jones is starting to find running room in a now balanced Chicago offense.
Flaw: At times, Grossman also looks like an utter disaster in forcing passes and throwing off his back foot. Teams are starting to gut the inside of the Bears run defense too.

3. San Diego Chargers (7-2)
First Quarter Ranking: 6
Strength: First year starter Philip Rivers has exceeded expectations in replacing Drew Brees while LaDainian Tomlinson has been…well, LaDainian Tomlinson. The secondary, which was arguably the worst in the league last year, has also played extremely well.
Flaw: It hasn’t entirely caught up to the Chargers yet, but the linebacker crew has been held together by duct tape the past couple of weeks. With Shawne Merriman serving a four-game suspension and Shaun Phillips out with a serious injury, Denver should take the division if San Diego trips up.

4. Denver Broncos (7-2)
First Quarter Ranking: 9
Strength: For yet another season, the Broncos are one of the league’s best in the rushing department, but that’s not the main reason why Denver is 7-2. The defense has been lights out and Champ Bailey continues to show why he’s the best overall cornerback in the league.
Flaw: Jake Plummer is going to cost this team a couple of games before the regular season is all said and done – especially when the Broncos run into opponents that can stop the run (like San Diego maybe?).

5. Seattle Seahawks (6-3)
First Quarter Ranking: 8
Strength: This team has banded together following the losses of Matt Hasselback and Shaun Alexander. Seneca Wallace and Maurice Morris have kept Seattle alive and the defense is starting to come around after a few bad outings.
Flaw: Besides getting slammed with two curses at the same time, the offensive line has really missing guard Steve Hutchinson. Pork Chop Womack has been brutal and even when Alexander is healthy again, the Seahawks are going to have trouble down the stretch if they can’t run the ball.

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-6)
First Quarter Ranking: 28
Strength: Losing Chris Simms has given rookie Bruce Gradkowski a chance to show that he can at least compete in this league. Ronde Barber has turned in some great games, most notably the two interceptions he returned for TDs against Donovan McNabb and the Eagles.
Flaw: Cadillac Williams has been average at best and the defense has allowed opponents to gash them on the ground almost every week.

29. Detroit Lions (2-7)
First Quarter Ranking: 29
Strength: Jon Kitna is playing some of his best football in Mike Martz’ system and Roy Williams is starting to become one of the better wide receivers in the league. When Martz uses him, Kevin Jones shows how tough of a runner he actually is.
Flaw: They’re still the Lions. After a huge upset over the Falcons, they lose to the 49ers at home. It’s Detroit.

30. Tennessee Titans (2-7)
First Quarter Ranking: 31
Strength: Rookie Vince Young has given the fans and the organization something to hope for in the near future.
Flaw: While Young adds some excitement, his passing numbers aren’t very good and the Titans defense is a disaster.

31. Oakland Raiders (2-7)
First Quarter Ranking: 32
Strength: The young defense flies around the football and the secondary statistically is one of the best in the league. Nnamdi Asomugha has turned in some solid performances at corner.
Flaw: The offense is probably one of the worst I’ve seen from an NFL team in a long time. Andrew Walter isn’t the answer, the offensive line is worse than terrible and Randy Moss hardly tries anymore.

32. Arizona Cardinals (1-7)
First Quarter Ranking: 24
Strength: Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald can be just as good as Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne some Sundays.
Flaw: Dennis Green, Dennis Green, and most importantly and above all else: Dennis Green.

Got issues? Here are a few NFL teams with major problems at the midway point:

-As if it couldn’t get any worse in Oakland, now wide receiver Randy Moss has come out and said that his poor production this season is because of how bad the team is. Oh, poor Randy Moss. It must be hard on him being on such a bad team. Forget the fact that good guys like Takeo Spikes have hardly ever been on a winning team. At least Spikes still gives 100% on every down he plays.

-Speaking of the Raiders, quarterback Andrew Walter called out offensive coordinator Tom Walsh after Oakland’s loss to the Broncos last Sunday. Walter said Walsh’s playbook lacked “depth” and that he’s asked Walsh “numerous times” for more short routes and a moving pocket. Walter is screwed with Art Shell, who will now probably start Aaron Brooks this Sunday. For what it’s worth though, I can’t blame the young man for his criticism of Walsh’s play calling. It’s horrid.

-Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said that defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan’s job is safe – for now. Cincy just gave up 42 points to the Chargers. I can only imagine how quick Lewis’ trigger finger is right now for the release of Bresnahan.

–Atlanta Journal Constitution columnist Mark Bradley wrote Monday how coach Jim Mora runs a poorly coached team. Making matters worse for the Falcons, sack artist Patrick Kerney is done for the season. Kerney joins Ed Hartwell, John Abraham, Kynan Forney and Jason Webster of starters who will miss significant time for Atlanta this season.

-Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press is calling for reality to step in once again for another dismal Lions season.

-Joe Gibbs and the Redskins have finally had enough with Mark Brunell. Jason Campbell is now in and good news for the first time starter – he won’t have Clinton Portis taking some of the pressure off of him. Portis will miss at least a month with a broken hand.

Okay, so it’s been 10 weeks and Monday Night Football has been able to at least establish its identity. Which is?

I’ve watched every single MNF game from front to back this season and I’m here to say after 10 weeks that I have no clue what ESPN is trying to accomplish. I don’t get Tony Kornheiser’s role, the floating scoreboard at the bottom of the TV screen and why MNF hasn’t evolved the way Sunday Night Football has. Please ESPN, stick the scoreboard back up in the left hand corner where it’s out of the way and use a flex schedule like SNF does so we don’t get Seattle-Oakland again, okay?

Kornhesier is a mess. Is he there to attract the common fan? To the extreme fan, his comments are useless and never hold any real substance. It’s obvious he isn’t a true fan and I can say this by the way he goes on PTI and says “Hey (Mike) Wilbon, I’m watching football now, because as you know, I’m doing MNF!” What? You’re watching football now? Aren’t you a sports writer? Don’t you work in sports? You’re watching football now!

If I wanted to hear an announcer talk about who is on their fantasy team every week, I would have my friends do the game. At least I would know actual fans of the sport would be covering the game.