Tag: Kansas City Chiefs

Week 12 Picks

Thanksgiving is upon us with an absolute feast of a schedule of games throughout the holiday weekend. Here are my picks for one of the most stacked slates of the season.

Cover photo taken from NFL.com.

Last Week: 9-5

Season Total: 95-67-1

Bills 27-20 Lions

Thursday, 12:30 PM EST, CBS

Thanksgiving kicks off with what should be a very entertaining game in Detroit. The Bills are playing their second straight game at Ford Field after the blizzard moved their game there last week. They’re going to be much more comfortable in this game than they were on Sunday against Cleveland, and I think their offense is going to look much better. Josh Allen should be able to string together a solid performance, and he has a penchant for tearing it up on Thanksgiving. I do think the Lions will be competitive though. They’re on a three-game win streak and have looked very good on both sides of the ball in recent weeks. They won’t back down from this challenge at all. But I think this is a bit too tall of a mountain for them to climb.

Cowboys 26-13 Giants

Thursday, 4:30 PM EST, FOX

If last week was any indication, then this game shouldn’t be close. The Cowboys are 9.5-point favorites for a reason. They looked unstoppable on both sides of the ball last week in Minnesota, while the Giants lost to a Lions team that hasn’t been anything special this season. Now, the Cowboys come home and should be able to handle this Giants team with ease. They already beat them this year on the road, and that was when Cooper Rush was starting. With Dak back and playing great ball, and with that defense being as dominant as they are, I think this one could be a blowout.

Patriots 20-17 Vikings

Thursday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

Everyone is jumping ship on the Vikings after their embarrassment/exposé last week. While I’m not ready to give up on them, I do think this is going to be another brutal matchup for them. New England’s defense has been great, and Kirk Cousins is bound to struggle in primetime against another stout defensive front. New England’s offense isn’t anything special, but they should look much better than they did last week amidst the elements in Foxboro. I just think this matchup plays right into the strengths of the Patriots with their defense and run game, and they should be able to escape with a close win.

Browns 21-18 Buccaneers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This is one of the more even matchups of the week for me. I think the Bucs are a better team than the Browns, but this feels like a very winnable game for Cleveland. Tampa is coming off a bye and had some good momentum going into it, but this is a tough road test for them. The Browns have been losing, but they’ve been competitive. Amari Cooper has been playing fantastic, and if they can get Nick Chubb going, then they can win any game. The key to this one is how the Buccaneers offense looks coming out of their bye. I’d like to think that they won’t be completely lethargic, but they have been lacking something all year long. This is a great opportunity to prove their worth as they try to get back over .500.

Titans 23-20 Bengals

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

This rematch of last year’s divisional playoff matchup should be a blast. This is the best game of the week in my opinion, as well as the hardest to pick. It’s easy to lean the Bengals way with how hot Joe Burrow and their offense have been, especially since Ja’Marr Chase is returning to the lineup after missing the last month or so with injury. Perhaps the result of that playoff game also lingers in people’s minds. But I just can’t bring myself to side with Cincy here. I just think this is a great matchup for the Titans. Being at home helps, but they are simply going to take advantage of all of the Bengals’ weaknesses. Their defensive front should feast on Cincinnati’s horrible offensive line, just like the Steelers did a week ago. Plus, Joe Mixon might not even play for Cincy, so Burrow will be dropping back time after time and will likely get hit over and over again. Derrick Henry has been unstoppable, and considering the Bengals couldn’t stop Najee Harris last week, I think the King could have another huge game. As long as Ryan Tannehill limits his mistakes and the defense keeps Burrow and company in check, the Titans should be able to out-execute the Bengals down the stretch and come away with this win. Or, Burrow and Chase could explode like they always do and carry Cincy to a win. Neither result would shock me.

Dolphins 38-10 Texans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Dolphins are one of the best teams in the NFL with perhaps the best, most explosive, most dynamic offense in the NFL. The Texans are the worst team in the league by a solid margin. This will be a complete wash. Next!

Jets 20-17 Bears

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

The Jets are finally doing the right thing and benching Zach Wilson. It’s about damn time. I’m glad they’re owning up to their mistakes. The reins are now being handed to Mike White, who was a bit up and down last year, but is definitely an upgrade over Wilson. If all else fails, they can always turn to Joe Flacco again, who wasn’t awful in his few starts this year. Regardless, I think the Jets are simply the better team in this game, and I expect their defense to do the heavy lifting on Sunday. The Bears will likely be able to play Justin Fields, but his shoulder injury will limit him. If they can ride David Montgomery all game long, then they could win. But that just doesn’t seem feasible.

Commanders 23-13 Falcons

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

There is not a universe where this game should be remotely close. The Falcons are a team that is incapable of throwing the football, boasting the second worst passing offense in the league with a measly 154.5 yards/game. They just lost one of their only viable pass-catchers with Kyle Pitts’ knee injury. While they’re a good running team, they’re going up against one of the most stout run defenses in the league on the road. The Commanders have give up the sixth least rushing yards per game in the NFL, and the defense is only getting hotter. With Chase Young finally returning to the lineup, they’ll have even more juice on that side of the ball. Like last week, the Commanders offense won’t have to do too much for them to come away with a win. All they have to do is rely on the run game and let their defense do the rest.

Panthers 13-10 Broncos

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Similar to the Broncos game a week ago, I don’t want anything to do with this, and I know you don’t either. I can’t believe I’m trusting Sam Darnold of all people to win a game, but like last week, I’m just going to drop this here and move on.

Ravens 24-20 Jaguars

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

This is a weird matchup. No matter what my pick would have been, I know I would feel weird about it. On one hand, I feel like the Jaguars could be competitive and maybe even win this game coming out of their bye. The Ravens looked dreadful last week and didn’t inspire a lot of confidence in their offense. On the other hand, this is another Florida homecoming for Lamar Jackson, and the first one went swimmingly. So, who’s to say it won’t happen again? I feel like Baltimore is going to look much better offensively in this game than they did last Sunday, but I also think the Jaguars are going to give them fits for a bit. It will probably be close for a while, but the Ravens pulling away late makes sense to me.

Chargers 27-24 Cardinals

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, CBS

Both of these teams suffered pretty tough primetime losses to division rivals last week. That makes this pick extremely difficult. The Chargers showed me infinitely more to like than the Cardinals did, especially offensively. Justin Herbert looked great now that he has all of his weapons available. We still don’t really know what’s going on at QB for Arizona, so it’s hard to put any faith in them to win. I do like both of their options, but, neither are better than Herbert. Moreover, the Cards defense got absolutely smacked on Monday, and I think that LA can take advantage of their weaknesses in the secondary. I just think the Chargers are ever so slightly better on both sides of the ball, so they’re my pick, even in a tough road setting.

Seahawks 24-16 Raiders

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, CBS

I don’t see a world where the Seahawks lose at home off a bye to a team as bad as the Raiders. The last time we saw Seattle was in Munich, where they suffered a tough loss to the Bucs. Now, they’re well rested off the international break, and should be ready to come home and smack a bad team. I’m honestly pretty excited to see how their offense plays. They can either lay a dud like they did in Germany, or they can get back to their dominant ways from the first half of the season. The latter seems much more likely, especially in a matchup like this.

Chiefs 31-10 Rams

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

A lot has changed for both of these teams since their absolute classic of a meeting four years ago in LA. The Rams have changed infinitely more than the Chiefs have, specifically in the department of being a good team. Kansas City is easily the best team in football, while the Rams have become a laughingstock that sold their soul for a ring. By all means, this should be a complete blowout for the Chiefs. They are hot and are showing no signs of slowing down. The Rams might not even have Matthew Stafford for this game, so that makes it even easier to project a total wash for KC.

49ers 24-13 Saints

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

The Saints got their mojo back last week, but they’re about to run into a complete wall in San Francisco. The 49ers are far and away the best defensive team in the league, and New Orleans doesn’t pose enough of an offensive threat to make me believe that this one will be close. Moreover, the Niners offense was clicking better than ever before on Monday night in Mexico. At home against an arguably worse defense, I see no reason for them to slow down.

Eagles 27-19 Packers

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

The Eagles need a game to get back on track and return to their dominant form from the first half of the season. I think this is their opportunity. Coming back home for another primetime game against a struggling Packers team seems like a promising chance to find themselves again. I think Jalen Hurts is going to have a huge game, and more importantly, I think Philly’s defense is going to bounce back in a massive way and put together a dominant performance. If the Eagles can limit Green Bay’s offense similar to how Tennessee did last Thursday, then they’ll control this one from start to finish.

Colts 16-13 Steelers

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

This is going to be low-scoring, smash mouth football from end to end. Both of these teams like playing defense and at least trying to run the ball, and both teams have done well at doing both of those things in recent weeks. The Colts have found their run game again since Jeff Saturday became coach, and the Steelers have seemingly unlocked Najee Harris again. So, that will be the name of this game, especially considering that both QBs aren’t exactly world-beaters. With this game being in Indianapolis where the Colts nearly just beat the Eagles, it’s pretty easy to pick Indy to win, but I think it’s going to be close and honestly pretty entertaining.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Post-Week 11 Power Rankings

Week 11 was ugly and messy, but told us so much about so many teams. Here’s how I stack it up as we head into Thanksgiving.

Cover photo taken from VSiN.

1 – Chiefs (8-2)

Death. Taxes. Patrick Mahomes beating division opponents on the road. Travis Kelce ripping the Chargers apart and breaking SoCal hearts. We all saw it coming, and it was still awesome. 15 and 87 are simply poetry in motion, and this is still the best team in the league. Sunday night’s game was a bit closer than I anticipated, and despite some heroics by the Chargers and Jerrick McKinnon’s best efforts to give the game away, there was no doubt who would win in the end. This offense is simply too dominant, and the defense is still playing well despite some hiccups on Sunday. The Chiefs are top of the league in total yards, passing yards, and scoring. Oh, and Mahomes has now won an impossible 25 straight games in November and December. So yeah, good luck stopping Kansas City.

2 – 49ers (6-4) 2

I know most of you think I’m insane for continuing to put the 49ers this high, but I don’t care. I feel so strongly about this team, and I think they’re the best in the NFC right now. It’s a pretty tight race between them and the two teams below them, but I feel the most confident in San Francisco at the moment. They are simply dominant on both sides of the ball, and when they are playing the way they want to, you aren’t going to get past them. The defense is obviously one of, if not the best in the league, but the offense is finally starting to get everyone involved, and it’s a beautiful sight. I’d wager that more Niners games down the stretch look like Monday night’s. And that is a terrifying thought.

3 – Eagles (9-1) 1

Philly’s cracks are starting to show. Losing Jordan Davis clearly has a massive impact on their defensive interior, and until newcomers Linval Joseph and Ndamukong Suh get more acclimated with this defense, their interior run-stopping ability will be hindered greatly. They did a solid job of containing Jonathan Taylor for the most part, but the weakness was clear. The bigger concern was the offense’s inability to move the ball on a Colts defense without its best player. The Raiders had a better offensive performance against Indy than the Eagles did. Perhaps the Commanders laid the blueprint of how to stop this team. They needed a wild JT fumble on a play that could’ve been blown dead to win on Sunday. It shouldn’t have been that close. Until they show us another complete performance, Philadelphia will keep on sliding.

4 – Cowboys (7-3) 3

The Cowboys are back after a single bad quarter/OT a week ago. All they did to respond was put together perhaps the single best performance of any team this year en route to the biggest road victory in franchise history. The defense was sensational, especially up front, as they destroyed the Vikings OL to the tune of 7 sacks. The offense was firing on all cylinders as everyone got involved, namely Tony Pollard, who has proven himself as one of the most dynamic and useful RBs in the league. Dak Prescott looked very comfortable, and the Cowboys looked like a complete juggernaut. They likely won’t have a better performance this year.

5 – Dolphins (7-3)

The Dolphins had the week off ahead of an absolute cupcake against Houston. I expect another offensive explosion out of them this week.

6 – Vikings (8-2) 4

That was as brutal as it gets in this league. I don’t want to throw in the towel and tell everyone who didn’t believe that the Vikings were legit at 8-1 that they were right, but they might have been onto something. I have no idea how you can come home after such a great win and get walloped so badly, but Minnesota didn’t have a semblance of a pulse on Sunday, and it was simply embarrassing. They should be ashamed of themselves. The good news is that they have nowhere to go but up. I don’t see them playing worse than that this season, and they get a shot at redemption in front of the nation on Thanksgiving. It’s going to be another tough one, but they can’t get any lower than this rock bottom.

7 – Bills (7-3) 1

The Bills are still not looking as good as they should be, but they’re back in the win column, and that’s all that matters. I will say that I like the way they’re running the ball lately, but other than that, I don’t see anything that stands out. Josh Allen has still been pretty average over the last month, and the defense continues to play below their standard. Buffalo is about to smack Detroit on Thanksgiving and the national media will start to fawn over them again, but I’d love to see them put together a complete, dominant performance against an actual team before giving them their flowers again.

8 – Titans (7-3) 2

The Titans just keep on winning. I don’t know if there’s a better culture in the league than the one Mike Vrabel has in Tennessee. They just play winning football week in and week out. Derrick Henry is still on a tear, Ryan Tannehill looks very comfortable off his injury, and this defense proved once again why they’re one of the best in the league, especially when fully healthy. Now, rookie WR Treylon Burks is getting involved offensively, which could give a huge boost to their virtually non-existent passing attack. Going into Lambeau and winning that convincingly in a primetime setting isn’t easy. But the Titans made it look like a walk in the park.

9 – Bengals (6-4) 2

Outside of getting thrashed by Cleveland on MNF a few weeks ago, the Bengals really weathered the storm while Ja’Marr Chase was out. They picked up two huge wins, albeit against pretty poor competition, and now sit in prime position to make a run at the division title with Chase returning to the lineup this week. Joe Burrow looked very comfortable without his top target, and even went Joe Mixon went down, Semaje Perine did a great job in relief. The defense did not play their best game by any means on Sunday, but they made all the plays they had to in order to lock it up in the fourth quarter. I feel great about this team now that their best player is returning and I’m super excited to see them make another push to the playoffs.

10 – Ravens (7-3) 2

I’m not going to try to guess or even make sense of Baltimore’s complete dud of a performance on Sunday. It was sloppy, it was ugly, it was lifeless, and it was straight up weird. But, they won, which is all that matters. I still don’t really know what to make of the Ravens at this point, but they keep on winning and still sit atop the division. I just have a feeling that won’t last very long.

11 – Seahawks (6-4) 2

Seattle had their bye this week ahead of a relatively easy matchup with Vegas on Sunday in the desert. It could turn into a shootout, so they should be thankful they got some rest in this week. I’m interested to see if they can keep up their dominance as the season winds down.

12 – Buccaneers (5-5) 3

The Bucs had the week off after the international trip last week. They head to Cleveland for a tough matchup with the Browns on Sunday, but if their defense keeps playing like they did going into the bye, they should be able to get back above .500.

13 – Commanders (6-5) 2

The winning ways are continuing in DC, and the formula keeps on being executed to perfection. It was the defense that stood out above everyone else in Houston, using an absolute dominant performance from start to finish highlighted by a handful of sacks and a pick six by Kendall Fuller to suffocate the Texans all game long. The offense also did its thing, as Taylor Heinicke played a very solid game and the run game continued to dominate. It was as complete of a performance as you could ask for. Now, Chase Young finally returns to give the defense another huge lift. I can’t wait to see what the next few weeks have in store.

14 – Patriots (6-4) 2

It wasn’t pretty by any means (in fact it was nothing short of miraculous), but the Patriots continued their win streak on Sunday thanks to a dominant defensive performance and one of the most clutch punt return touchdowns in recent memory. Mac Jones actually played quite well against a solid Jets defense, but a combination of wind blowing kicks and passes all over the field left the offense with virtually nothing to show for it. Still, the Patriots showed plenty to like on Sunday, and now sit in a playoff spot with seven games to go. The remaining schedule is tough, but at this rate, I like their chances.

15 – Jets (6-4) 3

I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times. Zach Wilson is by far the worst starting QB in the NFL, and his team is finally starting to agree with me. Robert Saleh knows it, and his teammates are taking notice of the narratives online. It’s only a matter of time before he’s rightfully shoved on the bench. And the Jets will be infinitely better off for it.

16 – Giants (7-3) 3

Is the Giants fugazi run finally coming to a merciful end? It just might be. Getting housed by the Lions in your own stadium is not exactly a promising sight. The offense has finally hit a wall, and the defense got torched, especially on the ground. The remaining schedule isn’t much prettier. New York has a massive Thanksgiving showdown in Dallas on Thursday, then the Commanders and Eagles twice each with tough matchups with Minnesota and Indianapolis sprinkled in. Are we positive that they can win any of those games? Let’s find out.

17 – Chargers (5-5)

I’ll give the Chargers credit: they were a lot more competitive than I imagined they would be on Sunday night. Getting Keenan Allen and Mike Williams back clearly did wonders for Justin Herbert, who was launching the ball all over the joint all game long and looked like his old self again. Even Josh Palmer made huge contributions. At the end of the day, they just couldn’t overcome Patrick Mahomes. So, I won’t be mean to the Chargers. For once, they don’t really deserve it.

18 – Cardinals (4-7)

I realistically should be dropping the Cardinals for Monday night’s absolute stinker, but it’s hard to beat elite teams with a backup QB. I really don’t have much else to say. They should be better when Kyler Murray returns to the lineup, but they’ll still be the same old mid Cardinals they’ve been all year long. They probably won’t look as bad as they did on Monday again, but we know this team is nothing special. Just keep on giving me Nuk fantasy points, and we’re chilling.

19 – Packers (4-7)

I had a lot more faith in the Packers to do literally anything on Thursday night, but they reminded us all that they still don’t do anything particularly well. The comeback against the Cowboys was nothing short of a fluke. The defense was porous once again as Derrick Henry absolutely manhandled them for sixty minutes, and they became the only secondary to allow Treylon Burks to do anything in his career. The offense really couldn’t get going either, despite two more touchdown catches by Christian Watson. Overall, it was just another bad Packers performance, one that we should all come to expect.

20 – Falcons (5-6) 2

The Falcons overcame the Justin Fields freight train in a pretty solid home win on Sunday. It did come at a cost, as Kyle Pitts is now likely out for the year with a knee injury, but he could never get involved enough offensively for me to believe that’s some sort of debilitating hit to that side of the ball. They did get Drake London involved, which is a great sign. And Cordarrelle Patterson broke the record for most kick return touchdowns in a career. On top of that, the defense finally came through and won them a game. It was just a solid afternoon all around in Atlanta.

21 – Browns (3-7)

The Browns keep on losing, but at least they showed some fight on Sunday in Detroit. Having the game moved on short notice didn’t seem to affect them, as they had a bit of a pulse. Amari Cooper continued to feast on opposing secondaries, but it just wasn’t enough as the defense laid a dud and the run game couldn’t really get going. I do think the Browns are going to look a lot better after Deshaun Watson comes back, but they still have one more game to go.

22 – Lions (4-6) 4

Look at the Lions stringing together impressive wins. Sunday’s might have been the best yet, as they smothered the Giants defensively and ran circles around them on the other side of the ball. Jamaal Williams poured in three touchdowns to take the NFL lead, Aidan Hutchinson continued his dominant ways, and the Lions have now won three in a row. They’re getting their groove, and are actually playing good football in outdoor environments. Plus, they should be getting Jameson Williams back soon, and the rookie is primed to make a huge splash. Thanksgiving’s showdown with Buffalo should be a lot of fun.

23 – Colts (4-6-1) 2

By all means, the Colts should have won on Sunday. They controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and outplayed the Eagles for 58+ minutes. But, an unfortunate Jonathan Taylor fumble and the greatness of Jalen Hurts prevented Indy from returning to .500. Still, it’s hard not to feel good about what Jeff Saturday is doing with this team. They’re playing solid, winning football, and using their bread and butter of a running attack as the backbone of their team. I think we’ll see the Colts be a lot more competitive down the stretch with their newfound formula.

24 – Bears (3-8) 4

The Bears finally returned to Earth on Sunday in a tough loss in Atlanta. They simply folded in all three phases, with special teams and the offensive line folding the most. I don’t really think the result of the game or anything that happened in it matters as much as Justin Fields’ shoulder, which got injured in the waning stages of the game. He should be good to go this week, but shoulder injuries always plague QBs, so hopefully he’s able to make a full recovery soon.

25 – Saints (4-7) 5

Good for the Saints to look like a real team again. It’s about time. Andy Dalton looked like a real QB, spreading the ball around and getting everyone involved. Chris Olave had perhaps the best game of his rookie season, highlighted by a long touchdown catch in which he absolutely torched perhaps the league’s best corner in Jalen Ramsey. The defense wasn’t great, bu they did what they had to do down the stretch. It helped that Matthew Stafford left the game with an injury.

26 – Jaguars (3-7) 1

The Jaguars had their bye this week ahead of a really intriguing matchup with the Ravens on Sunday. Believe it or not, I think Jacksonville might have a real shot in that one. But we’ll dive more into that on Thursday.

27 – Raiders (3-7) 5

The Raiders must have heard my slander (and must’ve known I took them +2.5), because their last few minutes in Denver on Sunday displayed more life than I’ve seen from them all year long. The Broncos defense was giving them fits all game long, but Derek Carr put on his big boy pants and led a fantastic drive to tie the game and send it to OT, then hit two huge passes to win it on a beautiful deep ball to Davante Adams. Adams had another big game, and Josh Jacobs got back to his productive ways as well. I’m not going to give this defense props for shutting down the worst offense in football, but that’s always a positive as well.

28 – Steelers (3-7) 1

I have one major takeaway from the Steelers’ performance on Sunday. That takeaway is that Najee Harris might not be completely cooked. He had a great game against a solid defensive front, and finally looked like he did in 2021. I’m not saying that he’s back by any means, but it was promising to see that. Kenny Pickett wasn’t awful either, especially when he was targeting George Pickens, who is easily Pittsburgh’s WR1 at this point. The defense got some key takeaways, but it wasn’t enough to stop the potent Bengals offense. I thought it would be closer, but I still like what the Steelers showed me.

29 – Broncos (3-7) 6

There is no reason to talk about the Denver Broncos in any context. Next!

30 – Rams (3-7) 6

I told you this team would look dreadful without Cooper Kupp. Outside of a long touchdown and maybe one other nice drive, this offense was stuck in quicksand against a Saints defense that isn’t very good. It didn’t help that Matthew Stafford got hurt again, but come on. This team doesn’t do anything well, and they looked completely lifeless, just as I predicted.

31 – Panthers (3-8) 3

You know, at least the Panthers were competitive for most of the game on Sunday. That’s a lot more than I can say for the team below them. Baker Mayfield was pretty bad, but so was the rest of the team, and so was the team across from them. It was just an ugly mess, and the inferior team always loses those kinds of games.

32 – Texans (1-8-1) 1

Yeah, this is way worse than I thought. The Texans are cooked in every aspect, as they can’t get anything going on either side of the ball anymore. Dameon Pierce has disappeared, Davis Mills is a statue in the pocket, and the defense might as well not even be there. Houston is on the fast track to the #1 overall pick, and they better pray they don’t mess it up. They have a plethora of picks and can turn this around pretty quickly. Cleaning house and starting over with a new star QB could do wonders for this franchise. Lord knows they need it.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 11 Picks

Last week’s upsets made for a losing record after several great performances. Let’s try to get back on track this week.

Cover photo taken from Dallas Cowboys.

Last Week: 6-8

Season Total: 86-62-1

Packers 20-17 Titans

Thursday, 8:15 PM EST, Prime Video

This week’s Thursday nighter is going to be a strange one. Both of these teams are in weird spots right now, with both picking up wins last week but still in a really precarious spot on the season. Both Green Bay and Tennessee could really use a win here, but the Packers need one infinitely more. I think they have some great momentum from their comeback last week and have found a wrinkle in their offense by getting Christian Watson involved. While I think the Titans defense is probably the best unit in this game, it’s hard to bet against the Packers at Lambeau with everything going right for them. Plus, I just don’t know what to make of Tennessee’s offense right now. This is bound to come back to bite me, but I’m rolling with the hot hand.

Bears 26-23 Falcons

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

I don’t trust the Bears to win a game convincingly to save my life. Hell, I don’t know if I even trust them to win a game at all at this point. But the Falcons are simply a team that’s reeling more than almost any other in football right now. Even at home, I don’t see anything to like with them. At least Chicago has Justin Fields, who has been one of the most unstoppable players in the league for the last month. I don’t know if he’ll be able to continue replicating his incredible performances, but I know I can trust him more than anyone on Atlanta. Maybe, just maybe, this is the one that the Bears finally win.

Bills 17-14 Browns

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The big storyline here is the weather. It’s going to be one of the biggest blizzards that someone ever decides to play football in with plenty of wind to boot. So, at the very least, this is going to be low scoring and close (as long as they don’t move the game). I actually wanted to pick Cleveland here, seeing as though the conditions likely favor the better running team. But there’s simply no way I can pick the Browns in a game like this. The Bills need this win badly, and these conditions favor them seeing as though they’re built for it. I know they lost to New England last year in that frigid wind-fest, but I just feel like this one will be different.

Eagles 24-16 Colts

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Eagles finally suffered their first loss on Monday night, and I think it’s safe to say they won’t have many more games like that for the remainder of the season. They have a great opportunity to bounce back in this one. If last week was any indication, the Colts will be feisty, especially returning home, so I think this game will be close for a bit. But the Eagles are simply so much better than Indy is on both sides of the ball, and that will prove to be the difference. They won’t let themselves get physically dominated like they did against Washington.

Patriots 25-17 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Let me get a couple of things straight. I think the Jets are better than the Patriots. I also don’t think this game should be a blowout. But history is simply pulling me in this direction. The Patriots own the Jets so bad that it’s almost embarrassing. Every time you think New York has the team that can overcome New England, they collapse. It happened earlier this year when I picked the Jets, so I’m simply not going to make that same mistake again. I think it’s worth noting that I have only picked one (1) Jets game correctly all year long, and that was when they beat Denver. So, take this with a grain of salt. I just don’t trust Zach Wilson to not give this game away like he always does. He has been awful in every game he has played against the Patriots, and I don’t see that changing. All New England has to do is capitalize on those mistakes, and they’ll be golden.

Saints 19-13 Rams

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Remember when these teams were good? Yeah, those were the days. Now, they’re two of the most unwatchable teams in football that will make this game an eyesore from start to finish. At least the uniform matchup is gonna be great! Simply put, the Rams are going to accomplish absolutely nothing with Cooper Kupp out. He is their entire offense, and they won’t be able to move the ball whatsoever, even against an awful Saints D. New Orleans has nothing promising on offense either, but they certainly have more to like than LA at this point. All they have to do is get Alvin Kamara involved, and they will win. It’s hard to tell whether or not they will, but you just have to pray they use common sense.

Giants 23-20 Lions

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

I wanted to pick the Lions so bad here. I just want the Giants to lose so bad. The question is whether or not I can trust Detroit in a spot like this. All signs point towards a resounding no, but they did put together another nice performance last week in Chicago, and that was a similar road environment to this one. But I just think this all boils down to a very simple matchup to assess. The Giants are the third best rushing team in football with 164 yards/game, led by this year’s top RB in Saquon Barkley. The Lions, meanwhile, have the second worst rush defense in the league, giving up an incomprehensible 160 yards/game on the ground. So, this will come down to whether or not Detroit can stop Barkley and the Giants on the ground. I simply do not see that happening. Maybe they can force Daniel Jones into some mistakes like they did last week with Justin Fields, but New York is simply better defensively than Chicago is, and that will also prove to be a huge factor.

Ravens 27-16 Panthers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

A 13-point spread seems a bit harsh, but this should be a blowout for Baltimore. They’re coming off a bye and likely getting some key offensive pieces back like Mark Andrews and Gus Edwards. The Panthers are coming off a mini-bye and a win last Thursday, but this is an infinitely tougher test than that one. Combine that with the fact that Baker Mayfield is starting this game for Carolina, and you have a disaster waiting to happen. The Ravens are way better on both sides of the ball and should control this one from start to finish.

Commanders 22-19 Texans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This is a must-win game. We cannot lose to the Texans after what we’ve done in the last 5 weeks. That’s the type of loss that completely derails a season beyond repair. This team has to stay focused and keep the good things going. This is the place where it would be so typical for them to lose. It has to be different this time. Yes, the Texans are a perfectly competitive team, but they also have the worst record in the league. I don’t care what the situation is. You have to win. The defense has to keep playing lights out, and boy would I love to see Chase Young make a huge impact in his return. The run game has to keep on moving the ball and making Taylor Heinicke’s life easier. And he has to keep feeding Terry McLaurin all game long. The formula is there and we should be able to execute it against the worst team in the league. Just… don’t lose.

Broncos 17-14 Raiders

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX

I hate both of these teams so much that I don’t even want to pick this game. I don’t want to even think about this game. I’ll just drop this here and move on.

Vikings 26-23 Cowboys

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

On paper, this is probably the game of the week. Look at the Vikings getting so much national love! Good for them. That’s great and all, but I really need them to pull through and win another one. They are coming off an incredibly draining, emotional win last week in Buffalo. They could either keep that momentum up and come home to pull off another huge win, or they could fall flat on the national stage. While the latter seems more likely, I’m not going to lose faith in this time that I’ve been riding all year long. The Cowboys are coming off a 4th quarter collapse and probably want to bounce back in dominant fashion, but it’s going to be hard. Minnesota is playing great offense and the defense has some mojo now. This is such an air-tight matchup that is so difficult to pick, but I just think the Vikings are the better team, so I have to rock with them. This is another opportunity for them to make a massive statement, and I think they’ll be up to the task.

Bengals 20-19 Steelers

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

Contrary to what you might think, this game should also be pretty tight. For starters, the first meeting between these teams was absolutely insane, and Joe Burrow had 5 turnovers. So don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion that Cincy will just roll in this game. I think Pittsburgh not having Minkah Fitzpatrick is a huge deal, but having TJ Watt is an even bigger deal. His impact was felt in a massive way last week, and I think the Steelers defense will once again make life uncomfortable for Joe Burrow, especially while he’s still without Ja’Marr Chase. The Bengals we saw two weeks ago against Carolina are nowhere close to the Bengals we’ll see this Sunday. This all boils down to whether or not they can out-physical their bitter rival and win a tough road game. They couldn’t do it against Cleveland a few weeks ago. It’s really hard to imagine them doing it this week. But, I can’t trust Kenny Pickett and this Pittsburgh offense. At least the Browns have competent players on that side of the ball. The Steelers have nothing. By all means, this is a must-win game for Cincinnati, and I think their defense will rise to the occasion and make the difference in this game. Just don’t be surprised if it goes the other way.

Chiefs 31-20 Chargers

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

These teams are trending in completely opposite directions. The Chiefs are scorching hot and my #1 team in the league right now as Patrick Mahomes continues to shred defenses en route to potentially another MVP. They’re getting everyone involved offensively, and the defense is finally playing up to its potential. The Chargers, meanwhile, won’t stop falling apart, and there’s nothing Justin Herbert can do about it. The defense isn’t good at all and is likely going to get torched once again by this unstoppable Chiefs offense. Precedent would suggest that this will be a close game due to this being the second meeting between these teams and it being in primetime at SoFi and whatnot. To that, I simply say that I do not care. The Chiefs are leagues better than the Chargers, and Mahomes shines on primetime no matter where he plays. Give me KC in dominant fashion.

49ers 23-14 Cardinals

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

We still don’t know who will be starting at QB for the Cardinals in this game, but it doesn’t matter. The 49ers are an infinitely better team that should be able to handle them all game long. Arizona is certainly competent, and either QB gives them a good shot to win, but San Francisco’s defense will simply be too much to overcome. The Mexico crowd should also have a blast watching the Niners run all over the Cardinals’ defense, which gives up the third most points per game in the league. There could be a lot more points scored in this game, but this feels right for where these two teams stand right now.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Post-Week 10 Power Rankings

An incredibly fun, upset-filled week has caused plenty of shuffling in this week’s rankings as we head into the final two months of the season.

Cover photo taken from The Phinsider.

1 – Chiefs (7-2) 1

For the first time in 7 weeks, we have a new #1 team. Kansas City has clawed their way back to the top thanks to another lights out performance. Yes, they were playing Jacksonville, but the way they won was very promising. They got newcomer Kadarius Toney involved, their committee of RBs continues to dominate, Travis Kelce found the endzone for the first time in weeks, and Patrick Mahomes is simply lights out right now. He is the MVP at the moment, and it’s hard to see him falling off that track. It wasn’t perfect, and I’d like to see them limit turnovers as much as possible, but it doesn’t matter as long as they continue to dominate on both sides of the ball like they have since losing to Buffalo. Just to put that dominance in perspective: they can clinch the division this week, and there’s still seven more games after that one. Yes, the division is awful, but this team has risen above the rest in the AFC in recent weeks and absolutely deserves this top spot.

2 – Eagles (8-1) 1

It finally happened, everyone run for your lives! Relax. The Eagles were never going undefeated. No team ever will. They were bound to lose eventually, and while I felt it was coming soon, I didn’t see it being to Washington, nor did I see it being in that fashion. The Eagles were physically dominated for 60 minutes on Monday night as their division rival shoved the ball down their throat for several long drives to dominate time of possession and set the tone throughout the game. It was the first time this year that the Eagles have been outplayed, and it was pretty shocking to watch. I have a feeling that this will be a much needed wakeup call for Philly. The rest of the schedule is still pretty easy, but this loss should give them their edge back ahead of big matchups like their second game against Dallas as well as both of their showdowns with the Giants, a very physical team.

3 – Vikings (8-1) 2

That was truly something. The Vikings won the game of the year on Sunday despite losing it at least three or four times throughout the course of the fourth quarter and overtime alone. They may have been gifted the game by Josh Allen, but they made every play they had to when they needed it most, and they proved to everyone that they’re not frauds like so many people thought. Kirk Cousins delivered one of his best Vikings performances ever, Dalvin Cook stepped up in a huge way, and Justin Jefferson stole the show as always, highlighted by the greatest catch I’ve ever seen. Most importantly, the defense did its thing to bring the Vikings back and eventually win the game late by forcing two redzone turnovers and scoring that incredible touchdown on the fumbled snap at the end of the game. The secondary, which I had plenty of questions about, came through to put a bow on it. It was a coming out party for the Vikings, who everyone should treat like the real deal. They have silenced the doubters.

4 – 49ers (5-4) 2

The 49ers won on Sunday night by playing their bread and butter football. They ran the ball all night long and relied on their defense to step up and make the plays necessary to win the game. Jimmy Garoppolo was practically a nonfactor outside of a rushing touchdown, but that’s not a bad thing at all. Getting Elijah Mitchell back was absolutely massive for this team, as the new duo of him and Christian McCaffrey simply wore down the Chargers defense all game long. While I’d love to see guys like Deebo Samuel get more involved, it’s not necessary at all. This run game is going to be one of the best in the league moving forward, and the defense is back to being elite now that they’re healthy again, as Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and Talanoa Hufanga absolutely took over late. I love this team from top to bottom and can’t wait to see what else is in store for them as this season winds down.

5 – Dolphins (7-3) 4

Tua Tagovailoa is shutting a lot of people up, including me. The Dolphins are now undefeated in games that Tua starts and finishes, and his last three have been incredible. He became the first QB in franchise history with three straight games of 3+ TDs and 0 INTs. That’s a remarkable streak, and his efficiency cannot be overstated. He’s the highest rated passer in the league by far. I know that it helps to be surrounded by an embarrassment of riches, but Tua is a huge part of this team’s success. The acquisition of Jeff Wilson continues to prove to be a huge one as he once again dominated, and the tandem of him and Raheem Mostert is a pretty dominant one. Now that this team has a great run game, who is going to stop their offense? I’ll have to see someone do it to believe that it’s even possible.

6 – Bills (6-3) 2

My suspicions were true. We are in that area of the season where the Bills fall apart after winning their Super Bowl by beating the Chiefs in Kansas City. Josh Allen is going on his yearly roller coaster where we have no idea what we’re going to get from him on any given snap. He now has six (6!) redzone turnovers in his last 10 quarters. That is awful. The Bills would have won easily if Allen didn’t commit any of the three absolutely atrocious 4th quarter/OT turnovers that he did. He has been straight up bad for the last 2.5 games, and it’s holding this team back. It doesn’t help that their secondary injuries are starting to catch up to them. Buffalo is just teetering right now, just like they did at this time last year. All of a sudden, they are third in their own division, just a game out of last place, a week removed from being the 1 seed in the conference. It’s not the easiest schedule moving forward, so Josh Allen has to get back on track if they want to get back in first place.

7 – Cowboys (6-3) 4

I really have no idea what happened to the Cowboys on Sunday. They lost their first game in franchise history in which they entered the 4th quarter with a 14+ point lead. They were 195-0 previously! That’s a remarkable statistic. They really had their way on both sides of the ball for three quarters outside of some questionable Dak Prescott throws. But in the fourth, it all fell apart. I get that Aaron Rodgers straight up owns this franchise, but it was pretty shocking to see this team that has been so sound all year long just fall apart like that, especially against a team that had lost 5 straight games and has looked awful for months. I think they’re going to be fine, but that was not a very promising sight.

8 – Ravens (6-3) 1

The Ravens had a much-needed bye this week as they try to get healthy offensively. This week, they should be getting big pieces like Mark Andrews and Gus Edwards back. Even if they don’t, they should have an easy time on Sunday at home against the Panthers.

9 – Seahawks (6-4) 1

The Seahawks were stifled practically all game long on Sunday in Munich. It was honestly weird to see, considering how dominant they’ve been on that side of the ball for the last month or so. But I wouldn’t say that Seattle had a bad game by any means. They ran into a good defense that is in the midst of a hot streak, and they lost a close, hard-fought game in another continent. I’m not so sure they would have lost if the game was in Seattle. Even if their defense was slightly better, they likely could have won. I still think this is a very solid team all around, and I expect them to be better in the coming weeks.

10 – Titans (6-3)

Sunday’s game taught me virtually nothing about the Titans. I will say that I loved their defensive performance despite being without two of their best defensive linemen in Bud Dupree and Jeffery Simmons. At the same time, it doesn’t take much to dominate the Broncos offense. Tennessee’s own offense was absolutely inept for the most part, needing a couple of big plays to win the game. It’s good that they got those plays, but they really don’t have anything else to show for their offensive performance. Ryan Tannehill looked fine in his return, which is more than they can ask for. The next few weeks are brutal, so we’ll see how far this formula can take the Titans.

11 – Bengals (5-4)

The Bengals had the week off, and not much happened around them. It’s still unlikely that Ja’Marr Chase will be back for the next couple of weeks, which definitely hurts. There are some toughies coming up, so they could use all the help they can get. But, I have faith in Joe Burrow and the rest of the team to compete and stay afloat in this tight AFC playoff race.

12 – Jets (6-3)

The Jets had their bye this week and were the massive beneficiary of the Bills losing to catapult them to 2nd place in the AFC East by virtue of their head to head win against them from Week 9. They should feel a lot better about their playoff chances now. They’ve got some tough games ahead, including an inevitable loss to the Patriots this week, but I still think the Jets have what it takes to stick around in the playoff mix for the next month or so.

13 – Giants (7-2)

I am so sick of talking about this team. It’s the same thing every week. Look, the Giants beat another awful team super unconvincingly! It was a boring game that nobody cared about! What a great team! No. I don’t care. Neither do you. While I love Saquon Barkley and have him in my top 5 MVP candidates right now, even he can’t get me to think this team is worth a damn. They can certainly prove me wrong in the next few weeks, but I severely doubt that happens.

14 – Buccaneers (5-5) 4

Post-divorce Tom Brady might be something special. Ok, maybe not, but the Bucs are playing pretty well since that split. Their biggest strength has been their resurgent defense, which has played back to back great games. Shutting down the Rams isn’t exactly impressive, but they had their way with a Seahawks offense that had been dominant for months coming into Sunday’s game. Tom Brady has played some nice games as well, despite the plethora of injuries around him, and the offense has seemingly found a wrinkle with Rachaad White coming out of the backfield. He’s more effective at this point than Leonard Fournette, so the run game could find a huge boost. This is still the second worst rushing team in football, so they could use that boost in a huge way.

15 – Commanders (5-5) 6

I’ve been trying to find the words to describe Monday night’s game for a while and I just can’t find them. I’m still so shocked at what I saw, but more importantly, I am so proud of this team. They went on the road on primetime in a spot where they always fold and absolutely dominated the best team in the league all game long to hand them their first loss. That’s so impressive, and actually inspires confidence in this team, which I haven’t had in a while. I won’t get my hopes up too high, but it’s hard not to feel good about where we stand right now. The defense continues to play lights out thanks to their dominant front, which is only getting better now that Chase Young is returning, and a surging secondary highlighted by the emergence of Benjamin St-Juste. The offense has been physical and dominant, which was on display all night long in Philly. The run game is working thanks to Brian Robinson’s toughness and Antonio Gibson’s dynamic ability. Terry McLaurin has been absolutely feasting in recent weeks and has been the best player on the field for several weeks now. Taylor Heinicke tried his best to give the game away, as always, but at the end of the day, he helped us win. The winning formula involves limiting his mistakes and physically setting the tone in the trenches. We’ve done that for the most part in recent weeks, and I feel great about our chances of doing so in the next two as well. This is the type of win that catapults teams to runs, like our win against Tampa last year, so we’ll see where this roller coaster takes us next.

16 – Patriots (5-4) 1

The Patriots had the week off ahead of a huge divisional matchup against the Jets. All of a sudden, the Patriots are only a game behind the Bills, which was unfathomable two weeks ago. If they can keep physically dominating in the next couple of weeks, then they will find themselves in the thick of the wild card race. It will be very difficult, as this is likely the hardest section of their schedule.

17 – Chargers (5-4) 3

The Chargers were about as competitive as I imagined they would be on Sunday night, but after their opening drive touchdown, they were pretty much inept for the rest of the game. Justin Herbert was just ok, the injury-riddled offense was anemic for the most part, Austin Ekeler couldn’t do anything, and the defense got pounded all night long. It was slightly worse than I anticipated, but I don’t expect anything out of this team anymore. Against great teams like San Francisco, they are just going to look outmatched. Prepare for a repeat of that this Sunday night against the Chiefs.

18 – Cardinals (4-6) 2

To put it plainly, the Cardinals are very good when they have to turn to Colt McCoy. Dating back to last year, all he does is win games. All that shows is that he is a great backup QB, as he always has been. Beating the Rams isn’t exactly an impressive feat. Beating the Rams with a backup QB is even less impressive. Combine that with the fact that Cooper Kupp sprained his ankle in the middle of the game, and you have one of the most “meh” wins of the 2022 season. Still, the Cardinals got everyone involved offensively, and for that, they should feel good about themselves.

19 – Packers (4-6) 6

I am not going to overreact and declare that the Packers are back or anything close to that, but they showed more fight in the 4th quarter on Sunday than in all of their previous 5 games combined. That means a lot. Their defense finally remembered how to play football, and their offense got massive contributions from Aaron Jones and, for the first time, Christian Watson. The rookie caught 3 huge touchdowns from Aaron Rodgers, who finally found touch on his deep ball again. The comeback was a truly great one, and the Packers should be proud of themselves. I have no idea what this could lead to for them with a brutal remaining schedule, but they finally have one thing on their side: momentum.

20 – Bears (3-7) 2

The Bears keep on moving up despite the fact that they keep on losing. Why? Well, Justin Fields continues to play like one of the most dynamic players in the league. Not just QBs, but all players. And losing is good for the Bears! They need that draft pick as high as possible to snag a great WR! Blowing a lead like that is quite embarrassing, and Fields’ pick six was a bad one, but for him to bounce back with another incredible TD run like he did is proof that this kid is the real deal. I love watching him play, and the Bears’ best-case scenario of him dominating while losing is coming to fruition every week. It’s truly remarkable that they became the first team in NFL history to lose 3 straight games in which they scored 29+ points. I don’t see any problems!

21 – Browns (3-6) 4

The Browns are back to being awful. To come out of their bye and get dismantled like that is pretty bad, even if they were on the road against one of the league’s best teams. Jacoby Brissett is really struggling, but the good news is that there’s only two more games of him. The bad news is that the season is pretty much over.

22 – Falcons (4-6) 6

Even though I picked the Falcons to lose on Thursday, I’m pretty embarrassed at how bad it was. They have simply devolved into a team that does nothing well on either side of the ball. They have the sixth worst total offense and third worst passing offense in the league. I don’t even think they want to try to throw it anymore. Drake London and Kyle Pitts continue to be absolutely wasted in Atlanta. Defensively, they’re second worst in total yards and sixth worst in points. Losing AJ Terrell effectively ended any hopes they had of being remotely viable on that side of the ball. The Falcons had a fun thing going for a bit, but the wheels have completely fallen off, and they are 100% cooked.

23 – Broncos (3-6)

This is the only thing I’ll say about the Broncos. If they scored just 18 points in all of their games this year, they’d be 8-1. Yes, you read that right. Eighteen points per game. Instead, they are the single worst scoring offense in football with a poor 14.6 PPG. Meanwhile, they’re the best scoring defense in the league, giving up just 16.6 PPG, in addition to being the 2nd best total defense and best passing defense. How is that even possible?! This team is a joke that is only getting worse, and I’m just about sick of talking about them.

24 – Rams (3-6) 5

This is the only thing I’ll say about the Rams. They just lost Cooper Kupp, who is going on IR with an ankle injury that will require surgery. Do not be surprised if they turn into the worst offense in football without him. They won’t be able to overcome him with Ben Skowronek as their top passing option, and they won’t be able to move the ball on the ground with their dead-last-ranked run game. They are going to be the most unwatchable team in the league moving forward. Mark my words.

25 – Colts (4-5-1) 4

Jeff Saturday proved me wrong. He proved us all wrong! Major props to him, and good for the team to find their edge that had been missing for so long. Saturday went back to Matt Ryan and it paid off in a huge way. Most importantly, he finally unlocked Jonathan Taylor, who had his best game since Week 1 and finally looked like his old self. Maybe the Colts will be a frisky team under Saturday for the rest of the year. Either that, or they just notched a one-score win over the worst team in the NFL.

26 – Lions (3-6) 1

The Lions actually played a good game in the outdoors. I was just as shocked as you were. They showed up in every phase of the game, and I was impressed. It definitely helps that guys like Amon-Ra St. Brown and D’Andre Swift are healthy again, and it also helps that Jeff Okudah has emerged as the CB1 they envisioned when they drafted him 3rd overall in 2020. Detroit has found themselves again, and it’s fun to watch.

27 – Jaguars (3-7) 1

The Jaguars were about as competitive as I expected they’d be on Sunday, if not more. Trevor Lawrence played a solid game, and Christian Kirk had a dominant performance. Their defense just couldn’t overcome the buzzsaw that is the Chiefs. I really don’t know what to make of the Jags at this point, as they show us something different every week, but I still feel like this is a solid young core. They might not have many wins left this year, but I like what’s going on in Jacksonville.

28 – Panthers (3-7) 2

I think the Panthers have themselves a gem in D’Onta Foreman. He has proven himself as a physical, dominant RB1 that can be a workhorse. They’re going to need him to keep that up now that they have to turn to Baker Mayfield once again thanks to PJ Walker sustaining an injury. All they have to do is take the ball out of Baker’s hands and put it into Foreman’s while their defense keeps doing its thing. Unfortunately, that might be tough this week against a very good Baltimore team.

29 – Steelers (3-6) 2

Just as I predicted, the Steelers got themselves another win because Mike Tomlin is absolute money coming off a bye. They weren’t impressive at anything other than their defense shutting down an anemic Saints offense with some of the worst QB play in the league. This team isn’t very good, but at the very least, they’re incredibly reliable in certain spots thanks to their great coach.

30 – Saints (3-7) 6

The Saints going from one of the most promising teams in the league to one of the worst, most unwatchable teams in the league has been extremely sad to watch unfold. I know they have injury problems out the wazoo, but it’s so much more than that. Dennis Allen has been an awful HC, Pete Carmichael might be the worst OC in the league, their QB play has been abysmal, they continuously forget that they have Alvin Kamara, and the defense just hasn’t been good enough. So much of what’s going on in New Orleans is laughable, and they desperately need to hit the reset button this offseason, if not sooner.

31 – Texans (1-7-1) 1

Despite being virtually not competitive at all in yet another loss, the Texans are being bumped up this week because there’s one team in this league that’s simply more embarrassing than the rest.

32 – Raiders (2-7) 4

That’s right. The Raiders are the worst team in the NFL right now. They are a complete and utter embarrassment, a weekly dumpster fire, and an unmitigated disaster across the board. Derek Carr has fallen off a cliff, Josh Jacobs has run into a wall, the defense might as well not exist, and the coaching staff is just laughably bad. Josh McDaniels could get outcoached by me, and my highest level of coaching is a flag football team for kids. The personnel decisions continue to make no sense and it continues to show on a weekly basis. Everyone needs to be fired; hell, the franchise should just disband at this point. The Raiders should be absolutely ashamed of themselves on all fronts.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 10 Picks

Last week was another good one for my picks, but this slate is filled with a lot of tossups that are a bit head-scratching. Hopefully it ends up being as successful as the other recent ones.

Cover photo taken from Tom’s Guide.

Last Week: 10-3

Season Total: 80-54-1

Panthers 23-20 Falcons

Thursday, 8:15 PM EST, Prime Video

If this game has a fraction of the drama of the first meeting between these two teams, then TNF will be appointment television. While I don’t see that being the case, I think this game will be pretty close if nothing else. The Panthers will likely be out for revenge on the Falcons, considering they should have beaten them two weeks ago if it weren’t for the penalty on DJ Moore after he caught PJ Walker’s late touchdown. This is a team that has played solid since they started blowing it up except for last week’s collapse in Cincinnati. I think they’ll be able to come back home and bounce back against an Atlanta team that I just have no idea what to make of at this point.

Seahawks 21-16 Buccaneers

Sunday, 9:30 AM EST, NFL Network

I understand why the Buccaneers are favored in this game. It’s pretty hard to pick against them here. They’re coming off a much-needed win, and the energy around the team feels different now. Their defense is playing great ball as well. But, all of that can be said about Seattle, who is riding a 4-game winning streak, playing great defense themselves, and is much better offensively. I need to see them be stopped to believe that they can be stopped. I’ve been raving about their winning formula for weeks now, and I think it’s going to carry them to victory once again. If the Seahawks can wear Tampa down with Kenneth Walker and Geno Smith doesn’t make mistakes, they should be able to win this one with ease.

Bills 27-17 Vikings

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

I think the Vikings are a good team. A great team even. I don’t think their 7-1 record is as much of a fugazi as everyone else does. That being said, I think they’re going to be completely overmatched in this game. The Bills are coming off a very tough road loss to a divisional opponent and have played pretty subpar football for the last six quarters. I think this is a tremendous opportunity for them to come back home and smack a great team to get back on track. Minnesota’s pass defense hasn’t been great all year long, so Josh Allen should have a field day after struggling against the Jets last week. Both of these teams need this win to show us all that they’re capable of being as great as we think they can be, but I’d wager that Buffalo needs it more. In this circumstance, I think they’re going to get it in dominant fashion.

Bears 23-20 Lions

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

The Bears are playing great offense right now thanks to the surge of Justin Fields as both a thrower and a runner. Their defense has been struggling since trading away their key pieces, but considering their opponent this week, they should have a bounce back day. The Lions are utterly incompetent offensively on the road, and while these divisional games are always tight, I don’t trust the Lions to overcome their own offensive woes. Moreover, I just think Fields will be too much for their defense to handle. He has been sensational in recent weeks, but they only have one win to show for it. Chicago deserves this one.

Broncos 17-14 Titans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

I don’t even know what the total is in this game, but no matter what it is, just take the under. This game is going to be dominated by the two sensational defenses. We still don’t know if Ryan Tannehill is going to suit up for the Titans, but even if he does, I don’t trust him or this Tennessee offense to move the ball on Denver. And I simply never trust the Broncos offense to do anything, even off a bye. The reason I’m picking the Titans is because they’re at home and are coming off a very tough road loss. I think they’ll use this game as an opportunity to bounce back from their 5-game winning streak being snapped and ride their defense to get back in the win column.

AUDIBLE: Tennessee is going to be without major pieces on their defense such as Jeffery Simmons and Bud Dupree, so I’m simply swapping the pick to Denver instead. They’re a popular bet this weekend for a reason, and that reason just got a lot more convincing.

Chiefs 31-14 Jaguars

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

There’s not much to this one. The Jaguars have been playing well as of late, but it means nothing. They typically can’t even overcome themselves, so how are they supposed to overcome the Chiefs at Arrowhead? Patrick Mahomes is going to shred this team alive. I think the X factor here is Travis Etienne for Jacksonville. If he can produce like he usually does against a stout Chiefs front, then maybe the Jags have a chance. But if he gets stifled, then this one will be over quickly.

Dolphins 26-20 Browns

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Browns played their best game of the season going into the bye and now come out of it with a road trip down to Miami. It feels like a good matchup for them on paper, so I think this one will be close for the most part. But it’s simply impossible for me to pick against the Dolphins with how scorching hot they are offensively. While Cleveland has a solid defense, nobody has been able to stop these WRs all year long. I doubt they’ll be the first. I don’t love Miami’s defense, and I think Nick Chubb is about to feast on them all game long, but I think they can make enough plays in the secondary against Jacoby Brissett to win this one in the end.

Giants 20-13 Texans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Look here! Another cakewalk of a victory for the Giants against an awful team! What a great schedule! By all accounts, the Giants win this one in a blowout. But, they never exactly look convincing, so I already know the Texans are going to hang around for a while in this one before New York uses a couple of 4th quarter drives to win it. It’s going to be extremely boring and remarkably predictable and I am going to hate it.

Steelers 17-16 Saints

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

I don’t want to pick this game at all. It’s a total nightmare for me. I want to pick the Saints because I think teams typically bounce back after awful primetime performances (see their TNF loss to Arizona and following shutout of Las Vegas). At the same time, I like Mike Tomlin’s Steelers at home off a bye. This is perhaps the worst Steelers team Tomlin has ever had, but to their credit, they’ve been very competitive at home, including a win over Tampa. I just don’t know what to make of the Saints at QB, and with the Steelers likely getting TJ Watt back, their defense should feast on New Orleans’ offensive line like Baltimore just did. I hate everything about this game, but I feel comfortable with this pick.

Raiders 27-10 Colts

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, CBS

This game is going to go one of two ways. Either the Jeff Saturday era in Indy begins disastrously thanks to a blowout at the hands of one of the worst teams in the NFL or it’s going to start surprisingly well by notching an unexpected, tough, hard-fought win. I personally think the former is more likely. I have absolutely no faith in the Raiders anymore, but surely they can win a game like this. Their offense is dealing with a ton of injuries and their defense is abhorrent, but come on. The Colts are an unmitigated disaster all around without a real head coach, playcaller, or QB, and they just got smoked last week. I don’t know what their winning formula is at this point. But maybe, just maybe, they show us something we haven’t seen before in this game. If that happens, then the Raiders franchise should just fold on the spot.

Cowboys 23-20 Packers

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

Believe it or not, I actually really wanted to pick the Packers here. I think this is a huge spot for them, and them getting a win at home against a great team to turn their season around feels more likely than not. But then I remembered that they’re the 2022 Packers who do absolutely nothing well and are likely going to be put in a chokehold by Dallas and their great defense. So, I’m meeting in the middle. I see the Cowboys winning this one close after the Packers put up their best fight in months. I don’t know why I feel like the Packers are going to be competitive in this game seeing as though their last home performance was a blowout loss to the Jets. I just know that Aaron Rodgers always shows up against the Cowboys. This time, it won’t be enough. I like the Cowboys defense too much, and I think their offense will do just enough to put them over the top.

Rams 20-17 Cardinals

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

This might be the biggest mid-off of the entire season. Both of these teams are mid enough, but considering that both Matt Stafford and Kyler Murray are dealing with injuries and might not play in this game, it could get worse. Regardless of any of that, I simply think the Rams are a better team overall with a much better defense that should be able to win them this game. That’s about all I want to talk about here. I have no interest in this matchup between two disasters of teams whatsoever.

49ers 24-20 Chargers

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

This game looked a lot better on the schedule two months ago, but it could still be a fun one. I don’t have any faith in the Chargers to win this one, but I think they’ll be competitive at the very least. They always tend to make things interesting, despite their plethora of injuries. Justin Herbert seems to be healthy, and if he is, then LA can hang around in any game. But the 49ers will be too much to overcome. They’re at home and off a bye, still getting healthier and better on both sides of the ball. The last time we saw them, they destroyed the Rams and CMC looked unstoppable. I don’t see why they can’t replicate that here. It won’t be a complete wash, but I think San Francisco will control most of this game and get back above .500.

Eagles 27-17 Commanders

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

There is simply no way that the Commanders are going to win this game. They probably won’t even be competitive. For starters, the Eagles are the best team in the NFL and absolutely dismantled Washington in Week 3. This is also on Monday night, a situation where this franchise has struggled for *checks watch* ever. Taylor Heinicke is still the starting QB, so that sucks. The defense is playing well, but we all know they’re going to get gashed by one of the best offenses in football. The off-the-field drama is getting louder and worse by the day with lawsuits and controversy galore. This franchise is in total disarray right now, and it’s about to get worse with another blowout loss at the hands of a division rival. This time, the entire country is going to see it. It doesn’t get much uglier than this folks.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Post-Week 9 Power Rankings

Following another fairly predictable week, there isn’t too much shakeup in the Power Rankings. But anything can happen from here on out as we eclipse the halfway point of the season.

Cover photo taken from Daily Norseman.

1 – Eagles (8-0)

I really don’t want to hear anything about this team’s schedule or their performance on Thursday, which is somehow being considered “subpar”. Just stop it. They were double digit favorites and covered easily. Nobody thought they were going to lose that game for a second. They were the superior team all game long outside of just two Texans drives that actually went somewhere. The defense stepped up big time, Jalen Hurts continued to throw the ball sharply, and the run game did its thing. This is still the best team in the NFL, and it’s still not very close.

2 – Chiefs (6-2) 1

Kansas City has plenty to feel good about after Sunday night’s tough win, but they also have a good deal to feel bad about. The main thing is their offensive line being awful, which I suppose we should just be used to by now. Going up against one of the best defensive fronts in the NFL, they got absolutely manhandled, and the Chiefs’ run game was nonexistent. However, when you have Patrick Mahomes, you don’t need a run game. He threw a whopping 68 passes and put the entire offense on his back. That’s what it took to win, considering KC’s defense did its thing against a very one-dimensional Tennessee offense, especially in the second half. Hard fought wins like that are the sign of a great team, and #15 continues to show everyone why he’s the best in the world.

3 – Cowboys (6-2) 1

The Cowboys had their bye this week, and it was fairly uneventful. They do get bumped up due to the actions of the team below them, but that’s about it. There’s rumblings of Odell Beckham Jr. signing with the team, which would be quite a sight to see, but I don’t know how much I buy it happening.

4 – Bills (6-2) 2

Losing to Zach Wilson? Really? After how much I slandered him and propped you guys up? After being nearly two-touchdown favorites? That’s bad. I know the Jets have a great defense, but this is a team that got smothered the previous week. There was no excuse to lose this game. Josh Allen has played pretty poorly in his last six quarters of football with 4 bad interceptions and zero (0!) touchdowns. We might be entering that part of the year where the Bills mess around for a few weeks before getting their stride back before the playoffs, but I thought we were past that. This team is far too talented to suffer that same fate. I expect a much better performance next week back at home.

5 – Vikings (7-1)

Minnesota just keeps on finding ways to win. You can talk about it being unconvincing and deny their success all you’d like, but what you can’t deny is them being six games over .500 and 4.5 games ahead in the division. Their defense played very well on Sunday except for one drive and one ridiculously lucky touchdown from Washington. The offense stifled for a little, and nearly gave the game away if it wasn’t for a pick six that got called back, but they made the plays necessary to win the game late. That has been the story of this team all year long. They just execute when it matters most, and that’s what makes them so successful.

6 – 49ers (4-4)

San Francisco had the week off as they continue to get healthy and prepare for a second half push to the playoffs. While they currently sit 1.5 games back in the division, I feel pretty good about their chances of making a run and getting a home playoff game. Even if they don’t, I know they’re good enough to win games in January.

7 – Ravens (6-3)

Congrats to the Ravens for finally winning a game convincingly after getting off to a great start. They completely shut down the Saints all game long thanks to their incredible defensive performance. The offense didn’t look great, but it didn’t matter. All they needed was a few scoring drives to ensure that the game was out of reach by the third quarter. It’s easy to give the offense a pass for the lackluster showing considering the injuries, and it was very promising to see their defensive dominance. I think the trade for Roquan Smith might just pay off for them.

8 – Seahawks (6-3) 1

Seattle has now won 4 games in a row, and most of them have essentially been in the same fashion. They force feed Kenneth Walker to wear you down and then let it fly or feed him some more to score on you. Then their defense does the rest. The Seahawks have shown us their formula week in and week out, and it continues to work with flying colors. As I’ve said in weeks past, I love this team’s personnel and their identity, and they play some of my favorite football of any team in football. They have a tough test coming up against a stingy Buccaneers defense on Sunday in Munich, but I think they’ll be up for it.

9 – Dolphins (6-3) 1

While I don’t love the way this defense is playing right now, there is no denying that the Dolphins are arguably the most stacked offensive team in the league. Tua Tagovailoa is playing great ball, leading the league in passer rating. The addition of Jeff Wilson is already paying dividends for the running game, and he is proving to be a pass-catching threat as well. They don’t need that though, considering Tyreek Hill is off to the best start to a season in the history of the league and Jaylen Waddle keeps on torching defenses. Miami is simply one of the must-watch teams in the NFL because of how fun they are on that side of the ball. They need to sure up their defense for this playoff push, but it might not matter. They’ll just outscore you instead.

10 – Titans (5-3) 2

That was about as impressive of a loss as you’ll ever see in this league. To go into Arrowhead with a rookie QB in his first road start and second career start to play one of the best teams in the league and control most of the game just to lose in OT is a sign that this Titans team is pretty good. You’d think they win that game if Ryan Tannehill is their QB. This defensive front continues to play like one of the best in the league, and Derrick Henry is making another OPOY surge. However, there are two areas that I didn’t like very much on Sunday night. The obvious one is the fact that this team has no wide receiver talent at all, and you simply can’t win in this league without WRs. Trading away AJ Brown looks like a worse move by the day. The other is that Malik Willis is obviously still very raw and needs a lot more time to sit and develop, but we honestly already knew that. Nobody was expecting him to light up the world in a situation like that.

11 – Bengals (5-4)

I won’t take too much stock in blowing out arguably the worst team in the NFL. We know the Bengals are a great home team, and we all saw that blowout coming. While Joe Mixon’s 5 touchdowns were fun to watch, Sunday’s game didn’t show me too much. This team still feels like it has a distinct ceiling while Ja’Marr Chase is out. Until he gets back, it’ll be really hard for me to feel great about where they stand.

12 – Jets (6-3) 1

Never in a million years would I have seen the Jets winning that game. I thought they’d get crushed, in large part thanks to Zach Wilson going up against a great defense. But Wilson barely had to do anything, as New York was able to use their identity of running the ball and playing great defense to pull off the upset. They get great contributions from their backup RBs Michael Carter and James Robinson, and their defense did the rest, led once again by Sauce Gardner. It was an absolutely massive win for this team to stay alive in the playoff race, and it proves to me that they can actually be great if their style of football works.

13 – Giants (6-2) 1

The Giants somehow lost to the bye week with DB Xavier McKinney hurting his hand on an ATV in Cabo. He’ll now be out for a few weeks, and the secondary will likely suffer for it. We’ll see how the defense responds, and we’ll see if the offense can keep up their unlikely success. This second half is going to tell us a lot about who the Giants truly are.

14 – Chargers (5-3)

The Chargers once again escaped by the skin of their teeth in another unconvincing performance against an average team. Nothing about this team moves the needle. I will say that Justin Herbert looked very solid, and the bye week probably helped him a ton. I also think the defense played a better game, although it wasn’t perfect by any means. Sunday’s game was a battle of who wanted to lose more, and of course the Falcons did. LA won’t get away with many more performances like that.

15 – Patriots (5-4) 3

The Patriots are somehow above .500. It’s largely thanks to playing one of the most embarrassing teams in the NFL who is clearly actively tanking. Again, nothing about New England really stands out, regardless of who plays QB for them. This is a very run-of-the-mill team that benefitted greatly this week from their opponent and the rest of the teams in this range falling apart around them. I still don’t like them.

16 – Falcons (4-5) 1

Sunday’s loss was pretty embarrassing for the Falcons. They simply did not want to win at all, repeatedly giving the game away in ridiculous fashion. Their style of football is only taking them so far, as they refuse to throw the ball. When they do, it’s hardly effective. I do like their defense, but they haven’t played great in recent weeks. I think the rest of the league is starting to figure Atlanta out, and for that reason, their winning ways might not continue much longer in 2022.

17 – Browns (3-5) 2

The Browns are coming out of their bye in a weird spot. They played their best game of the season heading into it, and now have just 3 weeks left before Deshaun Watson returns. But those three games are against Miami, Buffalo, and Tampa Bay. So, while we feel good about this team right now, this is about to be a potentially brutal stretch for them. Let’s find out what they’re made of.

18 – Buccaneers (4-5) 5

The Bucs are finally back in the win column in extremely unconvincing fashion. I’m sure that notching another win has to feel great for them, but they’re still an average to below average team that doesn’t move me much. Their defense did finally show back up and play one of their best games of the year, which is good to see. Perhaps they can use the momentum of Tom Brady orchestrating a perfect game winning drive on the day where he eclipsed 100,000 career passing yards and turn it into something productive. I’ll have to see it to believe it.

19 – Rams (3-5) 3

Snooze. This team is boring. They’re not good at anything. I’m starting to sound like a broken record at this point. They can’t get anything going on either side of the ball and it’s just so stale. I hate watching the Rams more than nearly every other team in the league just because there’s literally nothing to watch at this point. I know exactly what I’m going to get out of them every single week: nothing.

20 – Cardinals (3-6) 3

Speaking of boring NFC West teams that do nothing well, the Cardinals lost yet again on Sunday. That’s now a sweep completed by the Seahawks as Arizona didn’t do a single thing worth a damn for sixty minutes other than get a lucky pick six. They couldn’t even get DeAndre Hopkins going, which is typically the only thing they actually excel at. Nothing about this team is working, and relying on their talent to win them games has gotten them nowhere. They need to blow this thing up.

21 – Commanders (4-5)

Once again, we played exactly as I expected us to on Sunday. We were competitive throughout. We played good defense. And at the end of the day, we beat ourselves. I could have told you before the game that we’d be in a perfect position to win only to piss it away thanks to Taylor Heinicke’s inability to play QB and boneheaded plays and penalties. Oh wait, I did! It is just so predictable. The best news surrounding this team is the potential sale of it. In all fairness, that’s about the best news we’ve received in decades.

22 – Bears (3-6) 4

How can you not love what the Bears are doing? They’re losing games while developing Justin Fields by playing to his strengths and allowing him to flourish by playing his game. And boy, is he flourishing or what? Justin has been sensational for three weeks in a row, with the latest performance being the best yet with over 300 total yards and 4 total touchdowns. The highlight of the season came on Sunday with a 61 yard sprint to the endzone to punctuate a 178 yard rushing day, setting the record for most rushing yards by a QB in history. Fields how has 9 touchdowns and just 1 interception in his last 3 games, and while the Bears are just 1-2 in those games, it doesn’t matter. They’re blowing it up because they know they suck. They now have full confidence in their franchise QB, and so does the rest of the league. Now they can move forward and continue this rebuild around Justin Fields. It is so awesome to see.

23 – Broncos (3-5) 4

I suppose the Broncos won the bye week thanks to the utter incompetence of so many other teams in this range. They did trade away Bradley Chubb, but that was a necessary move to get a first rounder back, so I’d say they won the deal. Let’s see how it affects their defense in the back half of the year as they try to figure out this mess.

24 – Saints (3-6) 4

Just when you think the Saints have a good thing going, they go out and there and lay a complete dud. A week after shutting down a solid Raiders offense and putting together a great offensive performance, they played their worst game of the year thanks to being incapable of moving the ball or stopping backup WRs, RBs, and TEs. It was just embarrassing to watch unfold. I really think this team should go back to Jameis Winston at QB, but even if they do, it won’t make that much of a difference. They’re simply not good enough to be consistently competitive.

25 – Packers (3-6) 3

The Packers just keep on reaching new lows. I picked them to lose on Sunday, but I didn’t realize it would be that bad. Three redzone turnovers? Aaron Rodgers continuing to play like a shade of his past self? The defense still playing like garbage while dropping like flies? It is a complete, unmitigated disaster in Green Bay right now, and it’s likely only going to get worse. I can’t imagine what the future of this team looks like.

26 – Jaguars (3-6) 3

The Jags should feel good about themselves after finally being able to overcome their own incompetence to win a game. It helps when you’re playing a team that’s somehow more incompetent than you are. Travis Etienne continues to look like an absolute stud at RB, the receivers looked like their September selves, and the defense stepped up in the second half after getting absolutely torched to start the game. But this still isn’t a good team by any means. Jacksonville won between two bad teams because the other team is worse. It’s that simple.

27 – Lions (2-6) 5

The Lions finally got that elusive second win just as I predicted they would. It wasn’t exactly in the fashion that I expected, but it still worked. I was actually shocked to see Detroit win a game thanks to their defense. This is a unit that has been the absolute worst of any on either side of the ball in the NFL this year, and they put together their best game of the year. For once, it wasn’t on the offense. That’s a good thing, because those guys weren’t great, but they didn’t have to be. Good for the Lions.

28 – Raiders (2-6) 4

I can’t talk about this team anymore. It’s so exhausting. I’ll just leave you guys with this stat. In their first 61 years of existence, the Raiders blew a 17+ point lead just five times. In their first 8 games of their 62nd year of existence, they’ve done it three times. What a disaster.

29 – Colts (3-5-1) 4

The 2022 Indianapolis Colts are slowly becoming one of the most embarrassing teams I’ve ever seen. First they traded for the corpse of Matt Ryan, then benched him within the first two months of the year because he was un-shockingly awful. Their star player Jonathan Taylor has been a ghost all year long. Their defense can’t stay healthy. They hand the reins to Sam Ehlinger, who has also been unsurprisingly terrible. And now they fire HC Frank Reich, who has a winning record in his time in Indy despite the revolving door at QB. To top it all off, they bring in former center Jeff Saturday as the interim HC, whose highest level of coaching is a high school team that he led to a 3-7 record. It’s like this is Ted Lasso or something. Jim Irsay is absolutely unhinged right now, and while it makes for tremendous comedy, I feel really bad for the Colts. This was a great franchise that is now suffering an awful fall from grace.

30 – Panthers (2-7) 2

The Panthers predictably got blown out on Sunday. There’s nothing shocking about it. I still feel the same way I did before about this team. They’re clearly in rebuild/tank mode, and it’s going pretty well. I do feel bad for PJ Walker, who was looking really solid before playing horribly and being benched for Baker Mayfield. I hope he keeps his job, because he’s actually fun to watch and is probably a better option at this point than Baker is.

31 – Steelers (2-6) 1

I really, really wanted to put the Steelers at the bottom this week. But I’m giving them one last chance to prove themselves. Off their bye, they get a reeling Saints team at home and have a real chance to get back in the win column. I don’t feel confident in their chances to do so, but it doesn’t feel impossible. If they lose, you can bet I drop them to that #32 spot next week.

32 – Texans (1-6-1) 1

The Texans don’t feel like the worst team in football, but they’re just allergic to winning. They played a solid first half against the best team in the league, but the second half was just abhorrent. Davis Mills continues to look like anything but the answer at QB, Dameon Pierce was stifled for the most part, the WR group is generationally bad, and the defense is starting to show some cracks. The Texans are likely content with continuing to lose, so I suppose this is all good for them. But I feel like they’re better than this.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 9 Picks

Last week was my best of the season. Hopefully the winning ways continue this week with the shortest slate of the year thus far waiting.

Cover photo taken from NFL.com.

Last Week: 12-3

Season Total: 70-51-1

Eagles 29-14 Texans

Thursday, 8:15 PM EST, Prime Video

It doesn’t get much simpler than this. This is the best team in the NFL facing off against one of the worst teams in the NFL. Even on the road, this should be an absolute wash for Philadelphia. The Texans have had a competitive edge to them all year long, especially at home, but this is their toughest test yet, and they haven’t looked the part in the last two weeks. They better hope they show up defensively and keep the Eagles offense at bay. In the off chance that they do, their offense has to go through that tremendous Birds defense. It’s just not going to happen. This should be another field day for Jalen Hurts and company. At least one of your teams will win on Thursday night, Philly!

Chargers 27-24 Falcons

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Every time these two teams meet up, it’s absolute comedy. I’ve said it so many times before: they are the exact same franchise in two different conferences. So, at the very least, this should be close, especially with the Chargers coming off a bye. But they’re also coming all the way out east against a team that’s probably better than they are, and is certainly playing at a better level. Still, I feel like LA should come out on top here. I just don’t like how they’ve played all year long. I think the key for them is to get Austin Ekeler all the touches in the world, seeing how D’Onta Foreman dismantled the Atlanta defense last week. I don’t trust the Falcons to contain him, and with AJ Terrell likely still out, I don’t know if they can contain the passing game either. Their own offense can and will put points on the board and has shown us that they can win shootouts, but this feels like a bad matchup for them. It’s a total coinflip, so I’d avoid betting this one like the plague.

Dolphins 23-19 Bears

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

This is another wonky matchup for me. One one hand, the Dolphins have looked great since Tua’s return and boast the best, most productive WR duo in the NFL. They also just added Jeff Wilson and Bradley Chubb to boost the run game and the pass rush at the trade deadline. But, this is a tough road test against a Bears team that’s improving every week. Justin Fields had himself a very nice game last week against an elite defense, so who’s to say it won’t happen again? I don’t see there being a ton of points on the board here; it should be hard-fought throughout and dominated by each defense. In a game like that, I have to trust the better, more talented offense in Miami. It’s just too hard to pick against them with how scorching hot they can get offensively. I don’t see Chicago’s defense being able to stop them.

Bengals 28-17 Panthers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

The Bengals are a solid team that went on the road and got embarrassed on national television by a division rival. I feel extremely confident that they’re going to come home and play infinitely better against a worse opponent after being smashed like that. Even without Ja’Marr Chase, Joe Burrow is capable of putting up numbers against a defense as bad as Carolina’s. Moreover, Cincy’s defense should be fired up and ready to make amends for how poorly they played on Monday night. This just feels like the perfect bounce-back game for Cincinnati. They’re one of my most confident plays ATS (-7) this week.

Lions 30-27 Packers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Yes, you are reading this correctly. No, I am not joking. The Lions are an actually serviceable team at home, and they very nearly beat the Dolphins last week. Their offense just finds another gear at Ford Field, and the Packers defense isn’t nearly good enough to stop them. Dan Campbell will once again be coaching for his life in this game, and Detroit is just so desperate for a win. I think they’re going to be as fired up as ever against their bitter rival and muster up enough to get their first win in 7 weeks. Moreover, I don’t like anything the Packers are doing other than finally running the ball effectively, but they’ll need to rely on Aaron Rodgers to win this game for them, which I just do not have confidence in right now. I absolutely love the Lions +3.5. What a world.

Patriots 17-13 Colts

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

There is simply no way that the Patriots are going to lose at home to a team led by Sam Ehlinger. It’s a simple calculus. Bill Belichick owns young QBs, the Patriots are a better team at home, and the Colts don’t pose a threat. It’s very likely that Jonathan Taylor will once again be out for Indianapolis (as if that means anything at this point), and after seeing how he played last week against a similar defense to New England’s, I don’t trust Ehlinger to put up enough points with his arm to win this game. The Patriots might use last week’s dominant win over the Jets to slingshot them back into playing like a real team, and an easy matchup like this should help them tremendously.

Bills 24-10 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

This would not be a blowout if the Jets of 2 weeks ago were playing in it. Alas, they are without Breece Hall and still need to depend on Zach Wilson to win them football games. That’s a disaster waiting to happen, as we saw last week. He is embarrassingly bad and will be awful once again this week against a great Bills defense. While I think New York’s own defense is good enough to contain Josh Allen and company for a bit (Stefon Diggs vs. Sauce Gardner is appointment television), it’s only a matter of time before they explode. The Bills will win this game in dominant fashion on the backs of their defense, and their offense will do enough to just cover the spread.

Vikings 23-20 Commanders

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

I was very close to picking us in this game. My philosophy is simple: I have to see it to believe it. I can’t pick us to beat one of the league’s elite teams just because we’ve strung together wins against some bums. I need to be proven wrong before changing my mind. The Vikings aren’t exactly the scariest, most convincing 6-1 team ever, but there is no denying how good they can be. Their offense is as dynamic and scary as any in football, and while their secondary is pretty poor, their front seven is stacked and ferocious. It’s a pretty solid matchup for Washington, who might just be able to take advantage of a bad secondary. But do we really think Taylor Heinicke can beat a great team with his arm? I think the key for us is stopping Minnesota’s offense, especially containing Justin Jefferson. If you force the Vikings to beat you on the ground, then it plays right into our defensive strength up front. If they gash us through the air, then it’s over. I think that’s the more likely scenario. That would be one hell of a way to lose to Kirk Cousins in his proverbial homecoming.

Raiders 23-20 Jaguars

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Like the Bengals, I don’t think the Raiders are as bad as they showed us last week. It was pretty embarrassing, but they’re simply too talented to be that awful again. It doesn’t help that they’re back on the road for an east coast trip and a 1pm kick, but it does help that they’re facing one of the worst teams in the league. The Jaguars are only doing one thing well right now, and that’s letting Travis Etienne cook. But last week was indicative that they can’t just ride him to victory. I don’t think the Raiders defense is nearly as good as Denver’s, but I don’t think the Jags can win solely on the back of #1. They’ll have to rely on Trevor Lawrence to make plays, which I can’t bet on. In a game with two pretty bad teams, you have to side with the superior talent, which lies in silver and black.

Seahawks 27-21 Cardinals

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX

This is a very tough pick to make. I feel very confident in Seattle and how they’ve played in recent weeks, including shutting down the Cardinals offense at home a few games ago. I simultaneously think that Arizona is better right now than they were in that game solely because of DeAndre Hopkins and his productivity since his return. However, I still like the Seahawks here purely based off their consistency. I know that Geno Smith is going to sling it and Kenneth Walker is going to run all over people. While I know that Kyler Murray and Hopkins will get their numbers, I don’t trust Arizona’s defense or their run game at all. They can’t win the game with only two players. Seattle’s defense will put up another solid game and the Seahawks will find a way to notch yet another win.

Buccaneers 20-17 Rams

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

Both of these teams have had quite the fall from grace since their classic in last year’s Divisional Round. The Rams boast one of the least productive offenses in the league including the second worst run game and a defense that continues to falter. The Buccaneers meanwhile have the worst run game, a QB who gets no favors from anyone, and a defense that is also struggling despite its talent. So, there will either be a lot of defense in this game or none at all. And there will be a lot of passes thrown. For that reason, picking the Bucs is fairly easy. They have the better QB, the better weapons, and the better defense. Oh, and they’re also at home off a mini-bye after playing last Thursday. I can’t put any faith in the Rams right now, especially with Cooper Kupp dealing with some ankle issues. He is their entire offense (hell, he’s their entire team), and if he can’t go or is less effective than usual, then they don’t stand a semblance of a chance. Tampa needs this win badly, and I think they’ll step up and make enough plays to finally snap their skid.

Chiefs 30-20 Titans

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

The Chiefs are virtually unbeatable off a bye. At home against a Titans team that nobody really feels great about in primetime, they should waltz to a win. For one, we still don’t know if Ryan Tannehill will return for Tennessee. If he does, then he’ll likely be limited. If he doesn’t, then Malik Willis gets the keys to the car for a second straight week after completing just six passes last week in an unconvincing win over Houston. I trust Derrick Henry to make this offense at least slightly productive, but on the road against a great Chiefs defense that’s starting to get healthy, it will be in vain. Patrick Mahomes and company should put up their usual fireworks. Look out for trade deadline acquisition WR Kadarius Toney to get involved and make some plays in his first game as a Chief.

Saints 26-23 Ravens

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

I feel like last week could have been the performance to get the Saints back on track, especially defensively. Stopping Lamar Jackson off a mini-bye isn’t an easy task, but I think at home in a primetime environment, they can muster up just enough to put up another solid performance. New Orleans’ offense is seemingly finding its groove as well now that Alvin Kamara is back to his dominant ways. I don’t think Baltimore’s defense can stop #41, and for what it’s worth, Andy Dalton has been solid for the Saints. He’s the inferior QB in this matchup, but Lamar’s weapons around him are dropping like flies and it’s hard to project who if anyone is going to contribute on a weekly basis. I just think this is a good matchup for the Saints, and it’s hard to pick against them at home in primetime. That’s going to be a raucous scene that could prove to be the difference.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Post-Week 8 Power Rankings

Amidst the trade deadline and another great week of football, there are plenty more shakeups in this week’s rankings.

Cover photo taken from Dallas Morning News.

1 – Eagles (7-0)

The NFL’s best teams destroying some of its worst is never exactly the most revealing thing in the world. Sunday showed me once again that the Eagles can absolutely decimate you through the air if they want to. Their dominance in the run game is well-documented, but people forget just how good of a passer Jalen Hurts has become. It helps that AJ Brown is continuing to shred secondaries. This team is just so incredible on both sides of the ball, and is only going to get better defensively with the acquisition of Robert Quinn. How they’re not the universal #1 across the media is beyond me.

2 – Bills (6-1)

The Bills would probably tell you that they didn’t play the way they wanted to on Sunday night. They obviously got off to a great start, but after going up 24-7, they phoned in the rest of the game. Josh Allen threw two really bad picks to take points off the board, their defense let up, and they just looked lethargic. They luckily didn’t have to continue playing their best ball to stave off a bad Packers team, but I would’ve liked to have seen a more complete performance out of them, especially coming off a bye.

3 – Chiefs (5-2)

The Chiefs had the week off ahead of a suddenly huge primetime showdown with the Titans at home on Sunday night. If they look even slightly as good as they did against San Francisco, then we should see some more fireworks out of this team.

4 – Cowboys (6-2) 1

This team just keeps on playing better and better. I think that giving up points in bunches to the Bears makes them look worse, but they went up 28-7 in the blink of an eye. The rest of the game was simply keeping Chicago’s offense in front of them, hence the big numbers from them. It doesn’t change the fact that this defense continues to play like the best in the NFL, and their offense finally poured in a great performance highlighted by a hat trick from Tony Pollard. They are so dominant defensively that any above average game from their offense means they win by 20+. I think the league should be a lot more scared of Dallas than they might be right now.

5 – Vikings (6-1) 1

The Vikings are still winning games by closer margins than they’d like, but all that matters is that the winning ways are continuing. The streak has reached five games, and they looked very solid on Sunday, especially offensively. Kirk Cousins played a great game and everyone on that side of the ball continues to contribute greatly. Now, TJ Hockenson is being added into the mix after being traded by Detroit. I’m not sure how he’ll fit into the system, but in due time, he should be another great weapon for Cousins. I still want to see the defense sure up the secondary, but they’ll continue to get away with it as long as this offense keeps their scorching ways going.

6 – 49ers (4-4) 3

Who would have thought that Christian McCaffrey would make a huge impact in this offense after a full week of practice? CMC became the first player since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005 to throw, run for, and receive a touchdown in a single game. He was an absolute nightmare for the Rams, as he will continue to be for any and all defenses in the future. The rest of the offense looked just fine without Deebo Samuel, highlighted by another good game from Brandon Aiyuk, and the defense got back on track thanks to Nick Bosa being fully healthy again. His impact on the defense simply cannot be overstated, and it showed in bunches on Saturday. This team bounced back in a huge way from last week’s embarrassment, and I think they’re only going to get better. They are so much better than their record.

7 – Ravens (5-3) 1

This team is one of the hardest to make heads or tails of. I love Lamar Jackson, but I don’t know how to feel about the weapons around him. Nobody can stay healthy, but he continues to make it work. I don’t like this defense very much, but they played a solid game on Thursday. As a whole, I think this team is getting by on having a great QB and a generally talented roster, but we continue to see that they can’t play full games. I think they can be elite if they get healthy, but that feels unlikely for the time being. We’ll see how far Lamar can take them.

8 – Titans (5-2) 2

Honest question: how many people know that the Titans have won 5 games in a row? I feel like this team is getting completely lost in the mix of everyone else. It could be because of their cupcake schedule or their awful division, which is totally fair, but we have to put some respect on Tennessee. Winning on the road in a divisional game with a backup QB in his first career start isn’t easy. Handing the ball off to Derrick Henry over and over again is pretty easy though. He had his fourth consecutive 200 yard rushing performance against Houston. That is genuinely unfathomable stuff. None of the Titans wins on this streak have come against teams with winning records, nor have any of them been by more than 7 points. I know it’s not impressive, but they’re running away with the division and Henry is playing like an OPOY candidate. If no one else will respect them, I will.

9 – Seahawks (5-3) 3

How fun is this team? Everything they do is awesome. I never thought I’d see myself enjoying Seahawks football or them even being this good, but they are, and I am. They just keep on winning, and continue to do so in impressive fashion. Their defense stood out the most on Sunday, limiting the Giants all game long, allowing just 53 rushing yards from Saquon Barkley. Geno Smith did his thing again, DK Metcalf looked fine after suffering a minor injury last week, Tyler Lockett made amends for an uncharacteristic drop, and of course Kenneth Walker kept on scoring. This team now sits atop the division with a full game lead. I don’t know how long they’ll stay there with the Niners nipping at their heels, but it might be a tighter race than we thought.

10 – Dolphins (5-3) 3

Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are the best WR duo in the league. That argument has been put to bed. It might get to the point where they become one of the best duos we’ve ever seen. Both of them are so incredibly dynamic and talented. It makes every Dolphins game a must-watch. It helps that Tua Tagovailoa is playing solid ball. Granted, they won’t be playing the worst defense in the NFL every week. Moreover, their own defense needs to play vastly better than they did on Sunday. They should never have been a 27-17 hole in the first half alone. I will say that I loved the fact that they shut out the Lions in the second half. And the pass rush is getting a huge boost thanks to trading for Bradley Chubb. I love the way this team is playing, and they are so much better with Tua at the helm. Their playoff push is imminent against a fairly easy schedule.

11 – Bengals (4-4) 5

Last week, I declared that the Bengals were back. Then, Ja’Marr Chase’s injury was decreed way more serious than any of us expected. I’ve said for over a year that Chase is one of the most valuable players in the league thanks to his ability to alter the way this offense works and is played against by opposing defenses. With him out on Monday night, you could see just how much worse this team is. The Browns weren’t moved at all by just Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, who are typically open because of the attention that Chase gets. They couldn’t run the ball effectively without a threat of deep shots. They were absolutely manhandled, giving the rest of the league the blueprint to shut this team down while Chase is out. The next few weeks are a bit easy on paper, so Cincy better hope they can notch some ugly wins while #1 gets healthy.

12 – Giants (6-2) 5

The Giants finally lost a game they deserved to lose. About time! Their offense was an absolute sham for sixty minutes as their patented running game did a whole lot of nothing and Daniel Jones played his worst game of the season. Moreover, their defense, which has been so solid all year long, let up a lot of big plays and long drives. They were able to force some turnovers and get pressure, but it just wasn’t enough this time. And that’s what I’ve been waiting to see. The Giants have had a winning formula for a while, but it was only going to take them so far. Their games against actual teams will go like they did on Sunday. Luckily for them, their schedule is remarkably easy, with their next two games being at home against the Texans and Lions, so wins should still be pouring in for them.

13 – Jets (5-3) 2

The Breece Hall injury effectively ruined the Jets season. Now they can’t run the ball, which means the offense rests on the shoulders of Zach Wilson. And he is the worst starting QB in the league. I’m not afraid to say that there are several backups in the league, including his own, that are better than he is. If the Jets want to win, they should have Flacco under center. Wilson’s inability to read defenses and inexplicable tendency to hand the ball right to them multiple times a game is holding this team back so much. Despite the fact that they couldn’t run the ball, the Jets might have won on Sunday if it wasn’t for those boneheaded picks. Their defense could have played better, but I’m placing all the blame on the guy who was unfathomably selected #2 overall last year. He is the problem.

14 – Chargers (4-3)

I don’t know what the rest of the Chargers season will look like as they come out of their bye week, but I’m having a hard time feeling good about it. They’re still super banged up and simply not great across the board, and Justin Herbert needs to elevate his level of play. I don’t like their chances this week coming across the country to play a solid Falcons team.

15 – Falcons (4-4) 4

I’ve felt pretty good about the Falcons for a while now, and suddenly they have sole possession of first place in their division. That’s merely a product of how bad it is, but I’m not going to sit here and say this team isn’t good. Perhaps they should have lost on Sunday, but they found a way to win, as good teams do. Their offense continues to play very well, especially at home, but their defense sorely misses AJ Terrell. I think the secondary play can and will hold them back in future games, but for now, they’re content to be .500 in spite of their last two defensive performances.

16 – Rams (3-4) 1

I honestly might have the Rams too high here. As I’ve said all year, this team is the definition of mid. With Cooper Kupp nursing an injury, they could look like one of the worst teams in the NFL this week. He is their entire offense, although Allen Robinson is contributing ever so slightly. Matt Stafford is doing nothing, nor is the defense. The only good thing about this team is #10, as has been the case since the start of the year. If he can’t go this week, you’ll see just how reliant this team is on him.

17 – Cardinals (3-5) 1

The Cardinals looked exactly how I thought they would look on Sunday. They were competitive all game long, but when it came down to it, they could not execute. It was very predictable, and for that reason, I’m not going to be that harsh to them. It was a tough road test against a very good team, and they played a solid game. DeAndre Hopkins’ return from suspension has proven to be massive for this offense as he put together yet another monster statline, but the rest of the offense is just lingering. They need to get healthy in the RB room if they want to be better. The defense isn’t good and they’ll just have to live with that. But if they slightly improve, they really could be a playoff team.

18 – Patriots (4-4) 3

This team is weird. I expected them to look better after last week’s thrashing in primetime, and they did. They still could have and should have looked better considering how bad the Jets played, but a win is a win, and they’re back to .500. I don’t know how much I buy this team on either side of the ball, and their inconsistency makes it that much harder to read them. Mac Jones still isn’t playing well, but the emergence of Rhamondre Stevenson makes this offense viable. The defense played much better, which is good to see. I just don’t see New England actually rising to the occasion and beating the good teams on their schedule.

19 – Browns (3-5) 4

I thought the Browns would play well on Monday night. I did not foresee them playing their best game of the year by far and winning by nearly 20 against their division rival. After the Ja’Marr Chase news broke, I figured the Browns would win (and rushed to take them +3.5), but I didn’t see it being so dominant. Jacoby Brissett played a solid game, Amari Cooper was spectacular, and their RB tandem of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt finally returned to form. Chubb continues to play like the NFL’s best back, racking up TDs like it’s a video game. While the offense moved the ball up and down the field, perhaps the most impressive part of the performance was how their defense shut down and dismantled Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense from start to finish. Without Chase on the field, they couldn’t get anything going, and the Browns pass rush looked as good as we know they can be. I don’t know how many of these types of performances Cleveland has in them, but if they can get some more good momentum going with Deshaun Watson just 3 games away from returning, then perhaps they can turn their season around.

20 – Saints (3-5) 4

Like the team above them, I didn’t know the Saints had such a dominant performance in them. It certainly helps that Alvin Kamara is finally looking like himself again with an incredible 3-touchdown performance, but something got into their defense after being thrashed last week by Arizona. They absolutely locked down a very solid Raiders offense to the tune of the second shutout of the season thus far in the NFL. Josh Jacobs, who had been unstoppable coming into the game, had just 43 yards on the ground, and Davante Adams might as well have stayed in Vegas after just 1 catch for 3 yards. New Orleans’ dominance on both sides of the ball was very impressive, but it remains to be seen whether or not that can be replicated against the tougher teams on their schedule. This week’s primetime matchup with the Ravens should help us get a better understanding.

21 – Commanders (4-4) 4

Strap in folks, we’re going on our yearly Linsanity run. This year, it features 3 straight wins against 3 awful teams that will have this fanbase stirred up and ready for a “playoff push”. Left hand up, am I right? I wish people would temper their expectations. We should have lost to Chicago and Indianapolis, who both beat themselves. We realistically could have lost to Green Bay if it wasn’t for a defensive touchdown taken off the board. This team still is not good. However, it’s not all bad (for once). The defense has been playing very well, especially up front. I’m taking that with a grain of salt considering the offenses they’ve played. Taylor Heinicke has been… fine I suppose. The gameplan of throw it up to Terry McLaurin and praying has worked thus far since #17 is one of the best receivers in the NFL and continues to earn every penny of that extension. If there’s one good thing that comes from Heinicke starting, it’s that Terry gets the love he deserves. So yes, we are somehow back at .500 and on a streak. But the next two games are against the 6-1 Vikings and 7-0 Eagles. Prepare for this team to look as awful as they did on that 4-game losing streak.

22 – Packers (3-5) 4

The Packers have now lost four in a row. Despite that fact, they are content to continue with their roster being the same while the rest of the division around them makes moves. It’s a sign of the times in Green Bay. They seem perfectly fine with being bad. I do think they played alright on Sunday night, and it helps that Aaron Jones is becoming the central focus of the offense. But the defense is still getting torched, especially in the secondary, and they can’t throw the ball. The losing ways are going to continue for the Packers, and they have no one to blame but themselves.

23 – Buccaneers (3-5) 4

This has been perhaps the worst week of Tom Brady’s life, but I’m not here to beat him up. I’ll also lay off on beating up his team for once. Yes, this team sucks, but we already knew that. They’re the same team every single week, and that’s why they can’t win. They are simply not good at anything other than statpadding in the passing game. Every week is more of the same, so none of the Buccaneers’ struggles shock me anymore. They’ll just keep on plummeting.

24 – Raiders (2-5) 4

I should start a new rule where I don’t talk about your team if you get shut out. That seems fair. That being said, I can’t ignore how embarrassing the Raiders were on Sunday. They let a defense who has gotten gashed in nearly all of their games this year put them in a padded cell. Davante Adams had yet another game where he was invisible. Josh Jacobs’ hot streak ended and the rest of the team had no idea what to do, namely Derek Carr, who looked genuinely awful. We knew their defense was bad, so seeing them get gashed wasn’t shocking. But I never expected this offense to look so poor.

25 – Colts (3-4-1) 3

The first game of the Sam Ehlinger era went as expected. The Colts were simply mediocre all game long, and could have won thanks to being handed the game by the Commanders offense. But, their defense fell apart late, and they completely blew it. Ehlinger was painfully average, as was everyone else involved. Like so many other teams in this range, we know what we’re going to get out of Indianapolis every single week. It’s really shocking to see Jonathan Taylor continue to be a complete non-factor, but I’ve gotten used to it at this point. Teams won’t fear Ehlinger, and they don’t fear Taylor anymore either.

26 – Bears (3-5)

Despite another loss, it’s hard to not feel encouraged by what the Bears have been doing in recent weeks. Justin Fields has looked really solid and extremely comfortable as the offense around him continues to produce. He had a career day on Sunday with efficient passing and three total touchdowns. It helped that Chicago put themselves in a massive deficit early on, allowing Fields to put up numbers, but regardless, I was once again impressed. He looks much more comfortable in the pocket and is throwing the ball really well. The RB duo of David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert continues to shine as well. I’m not sure what the direction of this team is after dealing LBs Robert Quinn and Roquan Smith but trading for a WR in Chase Claypool, but I think they feel better about Fields too and are preparing to build around him for the future. I love to see that.

27 – Broncos (3-5) 2

Like so many other teams this week, the Broncos looked exactly how I expected them to on Sunday morning in London. The offense was able to put up enough points against a bad team, and the defense was able to shut down a solid offense when it mattered. They forced key turnovers in key moments, and it won Denver the game. I still think this team is relatively awful, but there’s no denying how good they are defensively. As I’ve said all year long, that defense will win them games against inferior competition. That is exactly what happened on Sunday.

28 – Panthers (2-6) 2

I feel pretty bad for the Panthers. Once again, they were competitive to the very end. They pulled off an incredible Hail Mary which should have won the game and missed two game winning kicks, including the extra point after that Hail Mary. D’Onta Foreman put up a monster statline in his first game as the team’s true RB1 and PJ Walker continued to look very solid as the QB1. I do think losing while putting up those numbers was the best-case scenario for this team, but it definitely stings.

29 – Jaguars (2-6) 2

Just about the only positive with the Jaguars right now is the fact that Travis Etienne has fulfilled the promise of being a true RB1. He had a huge game on Sunday morning in London and continues to be the best player on the offense. No one else is playing close to his level, especially QB Trevor Lawrence, who continues to lay a ton of duds on the field. His costly, bad interceptions lost the Jags the game, and he’s simply regressing. There’s nothing else but himself to blame it on. He has a RB, good WRs, a good coach, and a decent defense. He is the main reason this team is losing games.

30 – Steelers (2-6) 2

The Steelers have a real case for being the worst team in the NFL right now. Kenny Pickett hasn’t done anything in his starts, Najee Harris has regressed into Trent Richardson, and the defense is playing like one of the worst in the league. There isn’t a single thing this team does well. They are firmly in the running for the #1 pick, and it wouldn’t shock me at all if they end up with it by season’s end.

31 – Texans (1-5-1)

If you can’t beat a team playing their backup QB in his first start at home, then you’ve got problems. We all know the Texans have problems, though. None of this is remotely shocking. I think they could have and should have played better, but the Titans have absolutely owned them in recent years, namely Derrick Henry, who had his fourth straight 200-yard rushing day against Houston. Losing games is the best-case scenario for the Texans, so I’m sure they’re not too upset.

32 – Lions (1-6)

The Lions in a closed environment, especially at home, are simply different. It’s the only place where they can play like an actual football team. The offense got off to a blazing hot start on Sunday, but the second half was anything but. Getting shut out for the entire second half after putting up 27 in the first is a bit mind-boggling, but this is the Detroit Lions. Everything is mind-boggling. Now, they’ve dealt away TJ Hockenson and seem fully geared towards continuing the rebuild next year. It’s only a matter of time before Dan Campbell is sent on his way as well.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 8 Picks

Last week was my best of the year. Let’s see if the winning ways can continue in a slate stacked with marquee matchups.

Cover photo taken from Sporting News.

Last Week: 10-4

Season Total: 58-49-1

Ravens 20-17 Buccaneers

Thursday, 8:15 PM EST, Prime Video

This is a total coinflip. Both of these teams make it impossible to put faith in them to win games. The Bucs are at home and the public loves them, with this line shifting several points in their direction. But, they’ve also looked atrocious all year long. The Ravens are coming off a win, but it was rather unconvincing, as so many of their performances are. Still, I’m going to side with them to pull this out, and it’s mainly because of their run game. They are going to get guaranteed production out of Gus Edwards and Lamar Jackson, and maybe even Kenyan Drake. We just saw Tampa get bulldozed on the ground by Carolina, so the 5th ranked rushing offense should do the same. Moreover, it’s impossible to feel good about Tampa’s offense, even against a subpar Baltimore defense. If the only unit I can trust lies with the Ravens, then they’re my pick. Hopefully they can get their passing game going as well.

Broncos 13-10 Jaguars

Sunday, 9:30 AM EST, ESPN+

If you choose to wake up and watch this instead of spending your Sunday morning sleeping in, you are a sadist. This is going to be one of the worst games that the London NFL fans will ever have the displeasure of watching. I feel bad for them, genuinely. It’s still unknown whether or not Russell Wilson will suit up for the Broncos, but I don’t think it matters. This game will essentially be a repeat of last week’s game against the Jets, but since the Jaguars aren’t even half as good as New York, Denver should win this game regardless of who lines up under center. Their defense will keep the bumbling Jags offense in check and likely force multiple turnovers to set up just enough short fields to let their offense win the game. That feels way more likely than Jacksonville having some sort of offensive explosion.

Falcons 23-20 Panthers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Are the Panthers back? It’s highly unlikely. Still, this is a division game, so it should be close enough. The Falcons are no longer locks ATS, so this feels like a reasonable margin of victory. Atlanta has a lot to work on offensively, especially in the passing game, and if Carolina’s defense plays like it did last week, then they could notch another win. The Falcons have to get Drake London and Kyle Pitts as well as their other WRs involved for their offense to function effectively. They can’t run the ball 40 times a game and hope to win. I don’t know how much I trust them to do that in this game, but I think last week provided them enough of a wakeup call for them to look like they did a couple of weeks ago.

Cowboys 21-10 Bears

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

I would say this is a total mismatch, but I don’t think that’s entirely the case. Yes, the Cowboys have arguably the best defense in the NFL and the Bears have looked largely incompetent offensively for the majority of the season. But, last week was their best game yet, and they looked really good against a solid Patriots D. If they can replicate that performance, or at least that level of playcalling and execution, then perhaps they can stick around. Moreover, Chicago’s defense played a very solid game on Monday night, and Dallas’ offense is nothing impressive. This game feels like it plays into the Bears’ hands as both teams currently stand, but I just can’t bet against the Cowboys defense with how incredibly they’re playing right now. I think they’ll lock things down for a game very similar to last week’s.

Dolphins 28-20 Lions

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The only reason I think this game will be close is because the Lions haven’t given us any indication that they can’t play offense at home. It’s seemingly the only place they can function. There’s no way Detroit can keep up if they don’t get their key offensive pieces back, but Amon-Ra St. Brown will play, and D’Andre Swift should as well. But, they can’t function whatsoever on the other side of the ball, so the uber-talented Dolphins offense should have a field day. Their defense also had a turnaround performance on Sunday night, so we’ll see if they can keep that going and replicate it. This really shouldn’t finish as a one-possession game.

Vikings 26-23 Cardinals

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

While this may look like a clear-cut shootout on paper, I don’t think there will be an explosion of points on the board on Sunday. I think both of these defenses are competent enough to keep the other team in check. But, I think both of these offenses are good enough to make this one very entertaining. The Vikings are well-rested off their bye and the Cardinals played last Thursday, so there shouldn’t be any fatigue for either squad. It’s two solid squads going at it with pretty much no limitations, other than Arizona’s thin backfield. But Eno Benjamin looked great in his start last week, and should be able to handle the load well. This is honestly a tighter than matchup than most people would think, but I have to take the better team in Minnesota. It helps that they’re at home and coming off a bye. Their offense should put up their typical numbers and pull away late for a hard-fought win.

Raiders 31-24 Saints

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Now this is a shootout. I wouldn’t be surprised to see both teams go over 30 points in this game. Yes, the Saints are still very thin on offense, but that didn’t stop them from scoring 34 last week. The Raiders are also finally catching their stride offensively thanks to giving Josh Jacobs the volume of touches that he deserves. He has emerged as an OPOY candidate and should have another great game against a porous New Orleans defense. Vegas’ defense still isn’t one to put much faith in, but if this game turns out to be the shootout that I anticipate, then I can definitely trust their offense to put more points on the board. Andy Dalton is starting again for the Saints, and I think he can put up some good numbers, but this isn’t a game I think the Saints are built to win as their offense currently stands.

Jets 21-17 Patriots

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Does someone want to explain to me why the Jets are getting points in this game? I know they lost Breece Hall, but Michael Carter is a solid backup, and James Robinson is bound to make a big impact in this backfield. And it’s not like the Patriots have some sort of vaunted defense; the Bears just gashed them for 60 minutes on Monday. While I have little to no faith in Zach Wilson, I don’t think he needs to do much at all for the Jets to beat a bad Patriots team that has no idea what it’s doing on offense. New England is dealing with a self-made QB fiasco, and nobody has any clue what the resolution will be. Will Mac Jones be the starter moving forward? Is Bailey Zappe going to continue to play in games? A 2-QB system doesn’t work in this league. The Jets, despite their injuries, are the better team and are dealing with a lot less internal dysfunction right now than the Patriots, so I have more than enough faith in them to win at home. What an incredible statement that is to type out.

Eagles 28-13 Steelers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

This might be the most warranted double-digit spread I’ve ever seen. The Eagles, who are the league’s best team, are coming off a bye to face a Steelers team that is in absolute shambles at home. This will not be close whatsoever. Pittsburgh, despite playing a solid game defensively last week, has no idea what it’s doing on either side of the ball, whereas Philly is the most balanced team in the league. They will have a field day offensively, running all over the Steelers decimated defense, and they will make life hell for Kenny Pickett on the other side of the ball. Wins don’t come much easier than this for an undefeated team.

Titans 21-10 Texans

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, CBS

The Texans have proven to us that they are tough out, especially in the division. They beat the Jaguars and tied with the Colts. However, they now get the best team in the division, so this one should be a loss. Tennessee is playing boring but winning football right now, simply riding Derrick Henry and their defense to wins. Considering Houston’s brutal run defense, which is the worst in football, Henry should have a field day. And while I like Davis Mills, he’ll be under duress all game long against Tennessee’s elite pass rush. I’d like to think that this one will be close, but I just don’t see that happening.

Commanders 22-19 Colts

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

What was supposed to be one of multiple Carson Wentz revenge games is now a marquee matchup between backup QBs Taylor Heinicke and Sam Ehlinger. What a time to be alive. This game will likely be an unwatchable pile of garbage, but the one thing I have no doubt about is that it will be close. Both of these defenses are playing well enough to limit the production of bad offenses with backup QBs under center. It’s just a matter of which of those two can make the plays necessary to win the game. Considering I haven’t seen anything from Sam Ehlinger since he was wearing burnt orange on Saturdays, I’ll trust Taylor Heinicke, who has been in this situation before, to pull out a close on Sunday afternoon.

49ers 24-17 Rams

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

I’m rocking with the exact same score I predicted in the first meeting between these teams. Even though that game was a relative blowout for the Niners, who have upgraded since that game, I trust the rematch to be slightly closer, especially with the Rams coming off a bye. But, I just don’t see the 49ers losing after being embarrassed last week. Moreover, they’ll be coming off a full week for Christian McCaffrey to practice and continue being integrated, so he should be a big time difference maker in this game against an average Rams defense. Unless Matt Stafford and LA come out of their week off with a suddenly reinvigorated offense, they just can’t win this one. San Francisco always has their number and their defense is bound to make amends for last week’s pitiful outing.

Seahawks 24-19 Giants

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

It’s truly remarkable to think that this game between two teams I picked to have a combined 4 wins is the only one this week between two teams with winning records. The state of the NFL in 2022 is a wacky one. This should be fun, with two young teams that are vastly overachieving meeting head to head in what should be a great environment in Seattle. I’m done giving the Seahawks the benefit of the doubt at home, but I think that will play a factor. Daniel Jones hasn’t been anything great and can be affected by something like crowd noise. But, I do think his impact on this team’s success has been more than negligible. If he can continue throwing the ball efficiently and making plays with his legs, then he can hand the rest of the game to Saquon Barkley, who can win any game on his own. But Seattle’s defense is only getting better, and their offense has been great all year long. New York has a good defense that certainly has what it takes to bottle the Seahawks offense up, especially if DK Metcalf doesn’t play, but I’m putting my faith in Geno Smith and Kenneth Walker to lead Seattle to victory yet again and stretch their first place lead.

Bills 31-14 Packers

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

Going into the season, this was one of the games of the year. Many saw this as a Super Bowl preview. Now, it’s a blowout waiting to happen with Buffalo being double digit favorites against a stumbling Green Bay team with no direction. The Bills will be well-rested off their bye and should absolutely dismantle this Packers team that couldn’t even find a way to beat the Commanders. Their offense will let things fly through the air and their defense will make Aaron Rodgers look like the moody drama queen he is all game long. Just take Bills -10.5 and don’t look back.

Bengals 30-20 Browns

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

Simply put, these are two teams going in completely opposite directions. I know divisional primetime games are always close and low scoring and whatnot, but I just don’t see that being the case here. The Browns are bound to get ripped apart by Cincinnati’s elite passing attack that is only getting hotter as the weeks pass. I would like to think Cleveland’s rushing attack will do their usual thing, but the Bengals have a very stout defense that shouldn’t let too much by them. And we all know Jacoby Brissett can’t win this game with his arm. I think this is another huge game waiting to happen for Joe Burrow and company, even on the road.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Post-Week 7 Power Rankings

A fairly quiet and predictable week didn’t shake up the Power Rankings too much, but there is still plenty of movement as we head towards the halfway point of the season.

Cover photo taken from Cincy Jungle.

1 – Eagles (6-0)

Thanks to their bye week, the Eagles remain locked in the #1 spot. As I said last week, it’s not just because of their perfect record, but thanks to their incredible balance and dominance on both sides of the ball. They still leave a lot to be desired offensively in the second half of games, but when they get out to such huge leads, then maybe it won’t be that big of an issue in the coming weeks against a cupcake schedule.

2 – Bills (5-1)

Buffalo also had their bye this week, as if they needed one. This is the most unstoppable team in football at the moment, and I doubt they needed a week off to recharge. I fully expect them to continue dominating their subpar schedule for the rest of the way, starting this Sunday night at home against a bumbling Packers team.

3 – Chiefs (5-2)

The Kansas City Chiefs did their patented move of absolutely waxing a very good team after being beat and seemingly written off by everyone. All they did was go on the road and put up 44 points including six consecutive touchdown drives against the best statistical defense in the NFL. Patrick Mahomes was absolutely fantastic with a nearly flawless game other than an interception off a tip. Mecole Hardman offered up his best game as a pro. The defense locked down the 49ers after their blockbuster acquisition of Christian McCaffrey by making life hell for Jimmy Garoppolo all game long. It was a perfect game from KC, which they needed after their loss against Buffalo.

4 – Vikings (5-1)

The Vikings remain in the top 4 thanks to their bye week and their record. They have an interesting matchup with the Cardinals this week that could be a shootout, and I feel confident in Minnesota’s ability to keep their winning ways going, especially at home.

5 – Cowboys (5-2) 2

The Cowboys defense continues to prove why they should be considered to be the best in the NFL. They are just game-wreckers at every level, and it’s quite frankly incredible to think they’ve lost two games. The offense, even with Dak Prescott back, is nothing to write home about. But it doesn’t matter because of the dominance of the other side of the ball. Turnovers, sacks, PBUs, pressure, you name it. This team gets it. I think this defense is performing the best of any in the NFL at the moment, and it will carry them in the majority of their games, especially when they’re playing a team as incompetent as Detroit. But, I’d like to see more out of the offense (perhaps a trade is forthcoming a la Amari Cooper in 2018) before dubbing the whole team as elite or contenders.

6 – Bengals (4-3) 4

It took a while to get back on track, but the Bengals are officially here. The hangover is over (maybe they used that cure I gave them) and they’re finally looking like their old selves again. Joe Burrow is absolutely dealing, Joe Mixon is a menace, Ja’Marr Chase is once again unguardable, and the defense is back to their dominant ways. They dismantled a solid Falcons squad who hadn’t lost like that all year long thanks to the perfection of their passing game. Burrow might just be an MVP candidate right now, which is shocking considering how he began the year. This team 100% has what it takes to separate themselves from the rest of their awful division, despite their loss in Baltimore a few weeks ago. They’ve found their stride. Have fun stopping it.

7 – Giants (6-1) 1

Once again, the Giants found a way to win a game they frankly had no business winning. I don’t want to sound like a broken record at this point, so I’ll just bounce the Giants up a bit and leave it at that. I really don’t know how much longer this stuff is going to persist, but I have a feeling it’ll be a while before this team is exposed, if even at all. They just win and we have to deal with it.

8 – Ravens (4-3) 1

This team is just so unconvincing. Once again, they nearly implode with a double digit lead in the fourth quarter, this time against a pretty bad Cleveland team. They got the job done, but I don’t feel good about any of it. Lamar Jackson was nothing special, the WRs once again did nothing, and Mark Andrews didn’t even have a catch! They had to ride Gus Edwards of all people to victory in his first game back from injury. Their defense played a solid game, but again, it’s hard to feel good about where this team is headed with how they close out games. It started as a concern, then became a pattern, and is now a part of this team’s identity.

9 – 49ers (3-4) 3

The 49ers laid a dud. They got waxed. They got healthy and got CMC and it meant nothing. I even switched my pick to them and they let me down. However, most people do all of the above when running into the buzzsaw that is the Kansas City Chiefs. I still feel good about this team, but man, does that get harder by the day. Jimmy Garoppolo is a genuinely perplexing quarterback, and I don’t know how I can trust the Niners to contend with him under center when they play truly elite teams like the Chiefs. As I’ve said so many times before, there is a clear ceiling and floor with the 49ers. We just saw the basement.

10 – Titans (4-2) 1

Like the Giants, the Titans just find ways to win. It has been their identity for years now under Mike Vrabel, and it comes easy against their awful division opponents. Luckily for them, next up is the Texans, so you can expect this to keep going. This team is nothing special at all, but I have to respect their winning ways. They’re boring and conventional, but it works. Derrick Henry is continuing his dominant ways on the ground, and this front seven is one of the best in the league. They play a winning style of football that can carry them through their atrocious schedule for now. We’ll see what happens when it ramps up.

11 – Jets (5-2) 1

The Jets are 5-2 and just won their third straight game. But it really felt like a loss. Their tremendous phenom rookie RB and OROY favorite Breece Hall tore his ACL on Sunday and will miss the rest of the season. Moreover, standout guard Alijah Vera-Tucker will also be out for the year after tearing his triceps. Even after a nice road win, New York is feeling a lot worse today than they did last week. Still, the Jets are doing so many things so well, namely on defense. Their front seven continues to eat thanks to the long overdue emergence of Quinnen Williams, and DROY favorite Sauce Gardner is locking things down in the secondary. They also traded for RB James Robinson to help our their backfield woes, so they still should be able to run the ball well. I don’t believe in Zach Wilson, but he hasn’t needed to do much for this team to win. We’ll see how long it takes for the wheels to fall off.

12 – Seahawks (4-3) 7

After seven weeks, the Seattle Seahawks are in first place in the NFC West as the only team in the division with a winning record. What a world we live in. Seattle is a genuinely good team, and it’s time we just accept that. They are doing everything well, and it’s in large part thanks to the incredible contributions of their young pieces. Yes, Geno Smith is doing his thing at QB, but the new standout on offense is rookie RB Kenneth Walker, who has been a revelation in the last two weeks. The defense is also continuing to eat thanks to the excellence of their rookie DBs Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant as well as the continued dominance of their front. They went on the road and completely annihilated a team that most people think is a great one. This might not be an early season facade. This might actually be a playoff team.

13 – Dolphins (4-3) 2

Like so many other teams with similar records, it’s hard to see the Dolphins as a convincing squad right now. They’re just treading water offensively despite having some incredible pieces that should make them perform so much better. I don’t know how a team can look so average with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle catching passes, but it makes a lot more sense when you consider their fiasco at QB. Tua made his return on Sunday and didn’t look great or try to protect himself at all, which is just unbelievable. The defense and run game led by Raheem Mostert held things down for the whole game and was the reason they won, but they better hope to get more out of their passing game if they want to realize their potential like they did earlier in the year.

14 – Chargers (4-3) 9

I have been giving the Chargers the benefit of the doubt for months thanks to their injuries. It might be time to accept the fact that they straight up suck. Yes, their defense has been decimated by injury. It just got JC Jackson suffering a season-ending knee injury. But Jackson had been awful prior to the injury, just as many of their defensive pieces have been. They finally got Keenan Allen back and it meant nothing. Even Justin Herbert has looked extremely pedestrian all year long. The only thing the Chargers do well is force feed Austin Ekeler. THey just get pieced up way too easily, and it’s impossible to trust them to do anything good on any given Sunday. I’ve essentially given up on this team, and I don’t know how they can win me back at this point.

15 – Rams (3-3) 1

Thankfully for my eyes, the Rams had a bye this week to save us from watching their boring, lifeless team. They evidently won the bye and get nudged up ever so slightly this week, but don’t look too far into it. I still think this team is as mid as they come in this league.

16 – Cardinals (3-4) 6

This team is so strange. They needed an absolute disasterclass from Andy Dalton to get out to a huge lead on Thursday night and still almost blew it late. Their defense was incredibly porous outside of the turnovers. The offense did their thing thanks to the return of DeAndre Hopkins and great performance from 3rd string RB Eno Benjamin, but they were going up against an awful defense. I have no idea what the offense is going to look like in the coming weeks. All I know is seeing Kyler Murray and Kliff Kingsbury yelling at each other on the sideline doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence.

17 – Packers (3-4) 4

Last week, I said “when you think it can’t get worse in Green Bay, it gets much, much worse.” That’s exactly what happened for yet another week. The Packers have now lost 3 in a row to the Giants, Jets, and Commanders. In each game, their offense has looked completely inept while their defense gets dismantled. It’s safe to say that the Packers defense is straight up bad and was one of the most overrated units in football coming into this year, despite their great 2021. Aaron Rodgers looks completely checked out, as he always does when the going gets tough. The only positive thing from the Packers this week was their ability to get Aaron Jones involved, which clearly paid dividends for them. Imagine if they did that earlier! This is just a middle-of-the-pack team that I am sticking a fork in.

18 – Buccaneers (3-4) 4

I am also sticking a fork in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I mean, my goodness. This team is a flat out embarrassment in every sense of the word. Their performances in recent weeks have been unfathomably bad. Scoring 3 points as a 14-point favorite against the worst team in the NFL that is literally a fire sale at the moment after they dealt their franchise player should constitute relegation. The formerly-vaunted defense can’t even stop PJ Walker, D’Onta Foreman, and Chuba Hubbard. Tom Brady can’t do anything with the offense that they are running, but he is not without blame either. He hasn’t looked like himself, and it doesn’t help that his offensive line is perhaps the worst in the NFL. They are still the league’s worst rushing team as they can’t get anything out of Leonard Fournette anymore. It’s hard to comprehend, but this offense with Brady, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and more is the sixth worst scoring offense in the league. The Panthers, Commanders, and Bears score more points than the Buccaneers. Let that sink in.

19 – Falcons (3-4) 2

I don’t want to be too harsh to the Falcons, who failed to cover the spread for the first time this year. This is the first dud they’ve laid all year long, but man was it a bad one. I understand getting off to a rough start against an offense like Cincinnati’s, with the secondary having a terrible day and clearly feeling the absence of AJ Terrell, but their response was negligible at best. I like Arthur Smith as a coach, but I can’t fathom sticking to a virtually run-only offense when you get down by multiple possessions. I don’t know if they don’t trust Marcus Mariota to throw the ball, but they have very good pass-catching weapons on the team. How hard can it be to get Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and others involved in the passing game?

20 – Raiders (2-4) 3

I don’t want to overreact to a win against the Houston Texans, but I feel like the Raiders are starting to find their stride. The offense is continuing to move the ball with ease thanks to the dominance of Josh Jacobs and Davante Adams. The defense is stepping up too, stifling a passable Texans offense for most of the game. I still have a ton of questions about their secondary, but this team feels more than equipped to win shootouts. I have to see it against better teams before buying more stock.

21 – Patriots (3-4) 3

Monday night was absolutely hilarious in Foxboro. We saw Mac Jones seemingly lose his job, Bailey Zappe reignite the team and the fanbase, and then Zappe seemingly lose the job all within a matter of hours. Now, I have no idea what to make of this team. They don’t know who the QB is, and neither option is honestly great, although I’d rock with Zappe. The defense got picked apart by the Bears of all teams. They finally looked like they were putting something good together, and it completely fell apart. I guess this is what the Patriots are now. They’re not awful, but they’re nothing special and will likely hang around .500 all year long.

22 – Colts (3-3-1) 2

Speaking of QB fiascos, the Colts are benching Matt Ryan due to him being a statue of a dinosaur who brings nothing of value to a football team in 2022. His downfall has been sad to see, but it’s clear that he has nothing left in the tank. So, the keys to the car that has Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman Jr. are being handed to… Sam Ehlinger. Yes, that Sam Ehlinger. So, if you didn’t feel bad enough about the Colts before, now is the time to feel bad. Maybe he can lead this team to some wins here and there, but this team is nothing more than an average to below average waste of talent and potential. This is a weird move that might insinuate that they’re throwing in the towel for this season.

23 – Browns (2-5) 2

Man this team is embarrassing. I don’t even feel like talking about them. They’re just so bad. I wanna blame Jacoby Brissett, but it feels unfair to place all the blame on the backup QB. I actually think the majority of the blame lies with their defense, which has been straight up awful this season. They had so much potential, but all of that has gone out the window. Kareem Hunt has disappeared for some reason, and Nick Chubb has been mostly stifled for the last two weeks. This team is just a joke right now, and it’s only getting worse.

24 – Saints (2-5)

My perception on the Saints hasn’t changed one bit other than the fact that I feel a lot worse about Andy Dalton than I did before. Two of his three interceptions were awful, with one of them coming in the endzone. If the Saints score a touchdown there, Thursday night’s game might have gone differently. Their offense was doing their thing until that point, and it threw everything off. However, their defense continues to look poorer with every passing game, and that’s what holds this team back. Even with backup WRs, they’re able to move the ball. But it means nothing when the other side of the ball might as well not even exist.

25 – Commanders (3-4) 5

The 8th wonder of the world is why this team loves playing for Taylor Heinicke so much. Whenever he comes in, they just have an energy that otherwise is lacking. I will never understand it, but it works. Both sides of the ball put forth a pretty good performance against an admittedly bad Packers team, and despite some of Heinicke’s best efforts to give the game away, a second consecutive game was won to put the tank on hold. I know I say how much I want to lose and tank and whatnot, but it felt good to win a game like that. I won’t get my hopes up, even with Chase Young coming back soon, but I’m happy for the team. I suppose that’s all I can ask for at this point.

26 – Bears (3-4) 5

Simply put, the Bears put together their best performance of the year and perhaps the entire Justin Fields era on Monday night in Foxboro. The offense was actually clicking thanks to shockingly great playcalling and Fields limiting his mistakes, making great plays with his legs and his arm. Everyone got involved on offense, which I didn’t think they had in them. Moreover, the defense put together a great outing of their own thanks to a great game from their secondary headlined by rookies Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon. I don’t know if the Bears can keep this going, but I definitely feel better about them after this. Because at least now I know they have it in them to play a good football game.

27 – Jaguars (2-5) 1

It has gone from bad to worse to straight up dumpster fire for the Jags. Once again, they refuse to close out and win games. They continue to fall apart late in the clutch. Even when it looks like things are going well offensively, such as the emergence of Travis Etienne as the clear RB1, it doesn’t translate into enough points to win the game. And when the defense plays well, the wheels fall off in the 4th quarter. This is now 4 losses in a row for a team we all thought could make the playoffs after 3 weeks. It might continue to get worse from here.

28 – Steelers (2-5) 2

The Steelers have returned to Earth after a completely worthless performance on Sunday night. The offense might as well not have showed up, and while the defense played well enough to keep the game close, it meant nothing due to the incompetence of the other side of the ball. That has been the story of the season for Pittsburgh. They can’t put together a complete performance to save their lives, and they’re one of the worst teams in the league because of it.

29 – Broncos (2-5) 1

I won’t be too harsh to the Broncos for losing a game to a solid team with their backup QB playing. It’s not shocking that they couldn’t find the endzone, considering they have plenty of trouble doing that with their starting QB in the game. Their defense played another solid game, and once again, it meant nothing. I kinda feel bad for those guys.

30 – Panthers (2-5) 2

Seemingly every season, the team that’s clearly blowing it up and tanking puts together a hell of a performance against a “good” team for one of their lone wins of the year. The Jags did it last year against the Bills. The Jets did it in 2020 against the Rams. And the Panthers did it on Sunday against the Buccaneers. Good for them. They traded Christian McCaffrey and are trying to blow it up even further, but still dismantled Tom Brady and the Bucs in impressive fashion. Kudos to them. Now go complete the tank.

31 – Texans (1-4-1) 2

If nothing else, the Texans are consistent. They always hang around for a little bit before they inevitably get crushed. It’s honestly impressive that they stick to the formula so well. Sunday’s game was closer than the score would indicate, but who cares? The Texans are doing their job by continuing to lose games, and they better hope the Browns keep doing so as well. Imagine if they wind up with two top 5 picks.

32 – Lions (1-5) 5

The Lions have gone down the “sneaky good team with a great offense” to “worst team in the NFL” pipeline with swiftness in the last two months. It’s pretty sad, but incredibly predictable. Jared Goff was never going to continue putting up numbers. Against one of the league’s best defenses, he was absolutely atrocious with 4 turnovers. Amon-Ra St. Brown and D’Andre Swift can’t stay healthy at all. The defense is still absolutely awful. At least the other teams towards the bottom of the Power Rankings are competitive. The Lions might as well not show up on Sundays.

All stats taken from ESPN