Tag: rankings

1 – Cardinals (8-1) 1

The Cardinals are back on top, dethroning the Packers by proving they have something that Green Bay apparently does not: depth. And the Cards have it in bunches. Without Kyler Murray, DeAndre Hopkins, A.J. Green, and J.J. Watt, in addition to losing Chase Edmonds on the first drive of the game, all Arizona did was waltz into the Bay and throw the 49ers all over the place. It was domination from start to finish, even with the fossil that is Colt McCoy leading the way under center. The offense got another huge hand from James Conner, who now has 11 touchdowns from scrimmage (all in his last 7 games) to take the league lead in that category. The defense continues to be dominant as well, forcing 3 turnovers. This is quickly becoming the deepest and potentially best roster in football. They deserve to be back at #1.

2 – Packers (7-2) 1

If you think the Packers deserved to be dropped significantly for their performance on Sunday, you either didn’t watch the game or you just don’t get this league. The worst part about their game was Jordan Love, who was a major disappointment. But… he’s the backup QB. And the man he backs up is the defending MVP. I didn’t think he’d struggle that much, but it was the kid’s first start in lieu of all of the off-the-field drama surrounding the franchise’s COVID policies (or lack thereof). In my opinion, the story of the game was the Packers defense, which was extremely impressive once again. This is a unit filled with studs, and they have more coming once they all get healthy. In my opinion, this is still the team to beat in the NFL, and once Aaron Rodgers is back, you’ll forget this week even happened, from an on-the-field standpoint, at least.

3 – Buccaneers (6-2) 2

Tampa won their bye week by watching some teams above them collapse, but also by getting much healthier. Both Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski should be back this week, giving the offense a huge boost. Not like they’ll need that against Washington of all teams.

4 – Titans (7-2) 3

I don’t know how this team does it. Through anything and everything, all the Titans do is win, win, win. Without their best player, Derrick Henry, on the road, facing one of the best teams in football on Sunday Night Football, Tennessee slammed their fist on the table and put together one of the most impressive wins of the season. The story of the game was their defense, which is suddenly an elite unit. Remember how I’ve been knocking this team for 2 years now for not having a pass rush? Yeah, throw that out of the window. This defensive front had their way with the Rams offensive line, namely Jeffrey Simmons, who had 3 sacks of his own. The secondary also continues to be lockdown, as Kevin Byard had a pick six, which was the second of two consecutive interceptions for the defense. The offense struggled as much as I thought they would, but it didn’t matter. They did what they had to do to get the job done. It’s a winning formula that can clearly work against some of the league’s elite. Even without Henry, this is just a winning football team. It’s honestly incredible to watch.

5 – Rams (7-2) 2

I did not see that coming. This team got a very harsh reality check on Sunday night for the entire country to see. It wasn’t pretty. I’m not entirely sure what happened to this offense, but they got stifled every time they had an opportunity to get something going. The defense didn’t do a terrible job, in fact they had a great game, holding the Titans to under 200 yards of offense. But the early turnovers were simply too much to overcome. They were facing a good defense themselves, but I’m so used to seeing the Rams be so great offensively that this was a disappointment. I still have plenty of faith in this team, and there’s no shame in losing to another great team like Tennessee, but they better get buttoned up to old form quickly in the hyper-competitive NFC.

6 – Ravens (6-2) 3

The Ravens are a team that I don’t know what to make of, but I have to love the way they play. They just find ways to win, and it all comes back to Lamar Jackson. He’s putting together a serious MVP campaign, and his ability to lead this team to victory in so many different ways is truly something to behold. He continues to have a great season through the air and on the ground, but he has also been able to bring this team back time after time, and Sunday was another brilliant example of that. This is a resilient bunch led by one of the most resilient QBs we have in this league, and their next man up mentality is working like a charm so far this season. The defense is still a major issue, but as long as Lamar keeps bailing them out, this team will continue to win games. I’d love to see more balance across the board, but this is working, so I can’t complain too much.

7 – Cowboys (6-2) 3

Everyone is allowed to lay a complete dud. This was the first dud of the Cowboys’ season. I think the biggest problem for this team on Sunday was Dak Prescott, who, in hindsight, probably shouldn’t have played in this game. He was terrible, as was the rest of the offense, which had no reason to get shut down by a Broncos team that just traded way its best defender. Dallas’ defensive woes also caught up to them in this game, as they were picked apart by Teddy Bridgewater of all QBs, and were also gashed on the ground to the tune of almost 200 rushing yards given up. I doubt we’ll see the Cowboys look this bad again, especially because Dak will only get healthier, but I think their defense might be their achilles heel once again moving forward. I can only sit back and laugh at those who crowned Trevon Diggs as their DPOY through 6 weeks because he was a pick magnet.

8 – Bills (5-3) 2

I have no idea what is going on with this team. Something is wrong with this offense. If I’m being honest… I think it’s Josh Allen. In recent weeks, he has been nothing short of terrible. The Josh Allen we got on Sunday was the version of him we were used to seeing before last year. Between terrible reads, awful throws, bone-headed decisions, a plethora of bad QB traits that Allen once had are beginning to rear their ugly heads once again. Buffalo’s defense is just fine, but Allen can’t continue to hold back this offense. With the Patriots catching up in the division and the wild card race looking as tight as ever, this team can’t afford for Allen to regress into his old self.

9 – Chargers (5-3) 2

That was a really nice win for the Chargers. It was a bit closer than I would’ve liked, but they got back on track with a much-needed W. I think the story of this team thus far is that they’re eliminating a lot of Charger-isms. They’ve been going on game-winning drives, milking clock late in games, kicking game-winning field goals, etc. Even if it doesn’t translate into immense success this season, you can tell things are trending upwards in LA. It helps when Justin Herbert is your QB. Herbert had one of the best QB games of the season, and he continues to be a complete treat to watch. The defense still needs to tighten up if this team wants to pull away in a conference littered with 5-win teams.

10 – Patriots (5-4) 3

I’d argue that no team in football is trending up more than the Patriots. We knew this team was good; that was evident in their fight in so many close losses. But now, they’re turning those close losses into impressive wins. The defense is still playing spectacularly, forcing turnovers and even getting in the endzone themselves. But, the story continues to be Mac Jones and this offense getting better and better as the season progresses. You can tell it’s getting easier and easier for this offense to do its thing with each game, and I don’t think they’ve even scratched the surface of their potential yet. Their schedule is extremely tough, but this New England team is going to make things extremely interesting in the back half of the season. I am incredibly intrigued to watch it play out.

11 – Steelers (5-3) 3

Pittsburgh is yet another team that is looking very, very good as of late. Yes, Monday night’s win was a little too close for comfort, but they were in cruise control for most of that game. The Bears deserve some credit for fighting back. This offense is playing good, efficient football, and the two star rookies Najee Harris and Pat Friermuth are a big reason for that. This defense is also still incredible, despite some slip-ups late in that game. This is just a solid team all around, and they have a good, winning formula. As long as they follow it, they should find themselves playing football in January.

12 – Browns (5-4) 5

The Browns are back. Or so I hope. Sunday’s victory was everything I’ve been looking for out of this team in 2021. We knew OBJ was a problem, but man, I have never seen a team change so much in the absence of a single player. Everyone on this team was on fire in Cincy on both sides of the ball. It was a complete and utter clinic. Donovan Peoples-Jones is emerging as a bonafide WR1, Nick Chubb is still one of the best backs in football, and Baker Mayfield is back to his late 2020 ways. Seriously, there aren’t a lot of offenses more fun to watch than this one when they play the way they did on Sunday. If the Browns can continue to play like this in the back half of the season, they can make a serious push in this division. I think they have what it takes.

13 – Bengals (5-4) 5

Sigh. Everything was so good just a few weeks ago. Back-to-back bad losses for this team have them falling in the standings, as the once-first-seeded Bengals now sit in dead last in the AFC North. Still, I have a lot of faith in this team. Joe Burrow is as resilient as they come, and this upcoming bye week should help them refocus and get back on track in the second half. I am concerned with Cincy’s defense, which seems to be regressing into its old self. This is an explosive offense, but they cannot afford to be weighed down by a defense that gives up big play after big play. The second half schedule is absolutely killer. The Bengals need to figure it out this week if they want to remain afloat in this wild playoff race.

14 – Colts (4-5) 1

I won’t go crazy over the Colts blowing out Josh Johnson and the Jets, but I was still impressed with what I saw on Thursday night. The story continues to be Jonathan Taylor and his awesome play as he continues quickly emerging into one of the NFL’s best backs. This defense also found themselves getting back on track, but again, it was Josh Johnson. I still think this is a very solid team all around, and as long as Carson Wentz is playing with his head on his shoulders, they will find themselves winning games. They can only hope that he doesn’t throw the season away.

15 – Saints (5-3) 3

Ok, I am being a bit harsh to the Saints. They showed a ton of fight and resilience to be able to come back and take a late lead on Sunday. But, I have two problems with what I saw in that game. For one, they should never have even been in that position against a team like the Falcons. Secondly, they should not have given up that game-winning drive. You guys know how much I love this defense. Where were they on Sunday? They stifled the run game to just 23 yards, but Matt Ryan threw for 343 yards and had his way with the secondary all game long. I know that’s the weaker link of the defense, but come on now. I do think this team will be fine, but it’s still so hard to get a read on them.

16 – Raiders (5-3) 6

The Raiders are like Groundhog Day. It’s just the same thing over and over and over again with this team. It’s unbelievably tiring, and I’m not even a fan of this team. They started out the season red hot? Oh, that just means they’ll fall off and return to mediocrity. Their former first rounders are emerging into stars? Nope, they have off the field issues and are no longer on the team. Derek Carr is playing like an MVP candidate? Nah, he’ll flutter against the Giants. It happens every single season. This is a 9 win team at best and that’s all I can say about them. I refuse to continue to be fooled. I’m done taking the Raiders seriously.

17 – Chiefs (5-4) 1

Was I supposed to be impressed with the Chiefs’ win on Sunday? For the second straight week, KC put together an uninspiring win that makes us feel worse about the team. Only scoring 13 points with all of that offensive talent is just inexcusable, even against a defense as good as Green Bay’s. I will say that I was impressed with Kansas City’s own defensive performance, but they were facing Jordan Love, not Aaron Rodgers. Had Rodgers been playing, this game would have been a wash. This team is still bad and has no redeeming qualities, and I will not be fooled by a couple of unimpressive wins.

18 – Seahawks (3-5) 3

Seattle is another team that won their bye week by likely getting Russell Wilson back from injury ahead of a pivotal matchup against the Packers. With Russ back, perhaps the Seahawks can turn their season around. I doubt it’ll happen, but at least we don’t have to watch Geno Smith play anymore.

19 – Broncos (5-4) 3

I genuinely have no idea where any of that game from. None. For the first time since Week 3, the Broncos looked impressive. Their defense was spectacular against a seemingly unstoppable Cowboys offense, and their own offense had their way in both the passing and running game all day long. They were severely underestimated by everyone, which was for a good reason, but came out and proved us all wrong. I’m not expecting to see Denver do this again this season, but good for them to shut us all up for a week.

20 – Vikings (3-5) 1

Ok. This is getting really tiring. I still believe this team is better than their record, but I’m waving the white flag with them. If they were truly better than their record, perhaps they’d actually be winning all of these games that they manage to lose. Good teams don’t fumble games away, miss game-winning kicks, lose to Cooper Rush, or throw away double digit leads. It’s as simple as that. This team just isn’t good enough to get over the hill that they have constructed in front of themselves. There are plenty of people to blame, and pointing fingers is a waste of time. Sometimes, you just gotta look inward.

21 – Eagles (3-6) 2

I’d say the Eagles are in the midst of a best case scenario season. They’re showing flashes and their young pieces are playing well, yet they’re still losing and heading towards multiple top draft selections. Great success! I like what I’m seeing from this team on both sides of the ball, and I think this rebuild is going well. That’s more than can be said about some of their division counterparts. This is honestly a decent team that can give anyone a fight and win games on any given Sunday.

22 – Falcons (4-4) 2

Yes, the Falcons picked up a very nice division win on Sunday. No, I don’t really care. I still have plenty of problems with this team, and a couple of wins isn’t going to magically erase them. This isn’t a playoff team despite currently being in the playoff picture. That’s why theres 9 more games left to be played. I will admit that the Falcons are playing a lot better than I though they would be, but I still don’t see it with this team, despite being at .500. Beat a bonafide good team at full strength and then we’ll talk.

23 – 49ers (3-5) 5

Like their once-fellow Bay Area residents, I am done with this team. How do you get blown out at home by the Cardinals B team offense? Yes, that is still a solid B team, but there’s no excuse for the 49ers to have played as poorly as they did on Sunday. Just none. Both sides of the ball are falling apart and this season is going nowhere fast. Even when Trey Lance is ready to play, it won’t magically solve all the other issues with this team. It’s just going to be another lost season in the Bay. They better hope Lance is as good as they think.

24 – Bears (3-6) 2

Like the Eagles, the Bears are in a good spot right now. They clearly have their franchise QB in Justin Fields, who played what was easily his best game as a pro on Monday night. He delivered throw after throw with extreme accuracy, took several hits and got back up, and led a clutch go-ahead drive that their defense subsequently threw away. But, as long as Fields continues to grow and impress and this team continues to lose, I’d say they’re doing well. I’m not some sort of tanking advocate, but I do recognize when losing has its advantages. Good losses are perhaps the best thing a team like the Bears can ask for.

25 – Giants (3-6)

I’ll admit, I was impressed with the Giants this week. I knew they’d play the Raiders close, but to beat them outright was something I didn’t see coming. It was largely thanks to another great defensive performance, as that side of the ball continues to prove its worth. The offense doesn’t have anything going for it, but the other side of the ball is playing extremely well. Good for them. They should look into fixing the offense, though. Just a suggestion.

26 – Panthers (4-5) 6

I could be overreacting here, but things are definitely cooked in Carolina. Remember that great defense they had a month ago? They’re still falling apart each and every week? Remember the 3 weeks that Sam Darnold was good? Now he’s playing like the worst starting QB in football. And to make matters worse, he’ll miss at least a month with a shoulder issue. So, even with Christian McCaffrey back, this offense is doomed. P.J. Walker is a solid backup, but he can’t salvage this absolute mess. I don’t know if anyone can.

27 – Jaguars (2-6) 2

How can you not feel good for this team? That was an awesome win for a franchise that needs as many as they can come by. You can tell this team has an energy that so many other bottom-of-the-barrel teams don’t, and Urban Meyer might just be proving that he can really do this in the NFL. I’m happy for him and the rest of this team. I enjoy watching them all succeed. Just don’t throw away a top 5 pick.

28 – Washington (2-6) 1

Last week was my favorite in the season because I didn’t have to subject myself to the torture of watching this team play. Unfortunately, they return to action this Sunday for an inevitable blowout at the hands of Tom Brady. At least it’ll be fun to watch him play.

29 – Jets (2-6) 1

Life’s too short to kick the Jets while they’re down. I have relished in that a lot over the years, but I won’t do that this week. Getting stomped by a good team after your starting QB gets hurt is nothing to be ashamed of. I hope Mike White gets healthy soon, because he actually makes this team somewhat watchable.

30 – Dolphins (2-7)

Congrats to the Dolphins on winning the worst game of the season on paper. Maybe if they had left any sort of impression on the field other than the fact that they’re still terrible, they’d get moved up a bit this week. But that’s not happening. A 17-9 win over the Texans is disgusting. At least they can say that they won.

31 – Lions (0-8)

For the first week this season, the Lions didn’t lose a game! Good for them. We’ll see how many similar weeks they have in 2021.

32 – Texans (1-8)

No.

All stats taken from ESPN.

1 – Packers (7-1) 6

Against all odds, the Packers pulled off the impossible last Thursday. Going on the road to take on the only undefeated team in football without their top 3 WRs, their LT, their star CB and pass rusher, or even a defensive coordinator, they out-played the Cardinals from start to finish en route to the biggest win of the season in the NFL thus far. It wasn’t flashy, it wasn’t electric, but it was incredible team football to pull off a feat that nobody thought they could. It was more than enough to put them at #1. Aaron Rodgers is playing like he’s in his prime, making something out of nothing, and this defense has been extremely physical and continues to make play after play despite being riddled by injuries. They ran the ball all over a good defense and looked like the best team in football. In my opinion, that’s just what they are.

2 – Cardinals (7-1) 1

I’m not going to punish the Cardinals too hard for losing. They were the 32nd team in the league to do so. They played well enough to be within a single play of beating the Packers, and that was with DeAndre Hopkins missing most of the game. I was a bit concerned with Kyler Murray, as he struggled for the majority of the game and seemed to be hurt once it was over. Hopefully he’s alright. I was also concerned with the defensive performance out of Arizona, as they were ran all over and had a hard time stopping the Packers’ practice squad WR core. But, it was a big game against a fantastic team, and in the NFL, these things happen. This team is still great and a very close loss to the best team in football doesn’t discount 7 weeks worth of top tier play.

3 – Rams (7-1) 1

The Rams are playing a lot better than it might seem by putting them at 3, but you have to keep things in perspective. Since their lone loss to the Cardinals, they have played a Seahawks team that lost Russell Wilson mid-game, the Giants, Lions, and Texans. So, yes, they look fantastic. I honestly think they look like the best team in the league. But their opponents have been dreadful, and they still lost a game to a team above them. I don’t always give teams the advantage just because of a head-to-head matchup, but I think this is an exception. Still, I love watching this team play, and they’re only getting better. The acquisition of Von Miller from Denver solidifies their pass rush as one of the best in football to go along with a star-studded secondary, and their offense needs no introduction at this point. As it stands, from a roster perspective, this is probably the best overall team in the league.

4 – Cowboys (6-1) 1

I don’t know what it is with this team, but they have something. That ever-enticing it factor that they talk about is very apparent in Dallas. Going on the road in a primetime game against a good Vikings team was going to be hard enough, but Dak Prescott was ruled out just before the game due to his calf issues. With backup QB Cooper Rush getting the start, I certainly had no faith in the Cowboys to win. So, naturally, he threw for 325 yards and 2 TDs including the game-winner in the final minute. Oh, and their defense shut down a star-studded Minnesota offense all game long to the tune of 278 total yards and a staggering 1-for-13 on 3rd down conversions. No matter what the circumstance or who the opponent, all this Cowboys team does is persevere and win. They have playmakers everywhere on offense to make up for any lack at any position, and their defense is seemingly getting better by the week. In a dreadful division and an already weak schedule, it’s hard to foresee this team losing many more games this season. We’re all doomed.

5 – Buccaneers (6-2) 2

Can we all pump the brakes for a second? Let’s be adults about this. Did the Bucs lose on Sunday? Yes. Was it bad? Kind of. Losing to a backup QB who hasn’t played in this league in several years is never a good thing. But, there are some facts that need to be taken into account. For starters, like I said above with Arizona, a close loss to a good team doesn’t discount half a season’s worth of excellent football. Moreover, Tampa was without two key offensive pieces in Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski in addition to their never-ending defensive injury list. Oh, and the Saints have had the Bucs’ number in a huge way since Brady got there, as he’s now 0-3 against them in the regular season. This is just how the NFL works. I’m trying to be rational here and I’m giving the Bucs a pass because I know they’re still one of the NFL’s best teams and I believe in Tom Brady. But let’s not lose to any more backups, ok?

6 – Bills (5-2) 2

I’m not very fond of good teams playing bad teams close. If I expect it to happen, then sure. But you guys know how I feel about the Miami Dolphins. A team this good should not be struggling with a team that bad for that long. I know I always say division games are close, but the Bills have a history of destroying the Dolphins in recent years. In any case, they pulled away late and got the job done (and covered, thank you very much). Even if I didn’t like this one game for the Bills, it doesn’t change the fact that I’ve loved how they’ve looked otherwise. This is still one of the best offenses in football, and is the best statistical defense in the league by a large margin. They’ll be just fine, especially with their cupcake schedule.

7 – Titans (6-2) 1

Tennessee pulling through in overtime and picking up a win to cement their spot atop the AFC South on Sunday was absolutely massive. It would have been huge anyways, but the news that they’ll be without Derrick Henry for 6-10 weeks with a foot injury makes it that much bigger. This team runs through their star RB, and without him, I have no idea how they’re going to look. Luckily, they have a cushion to figure things out, now 3 games up in the division. I like Ryan Tannehill, but this offense doesn’t necessarily have a plethora of weapons. I have a bad feeling that without Henry, this team will fall apart. But, Mike Vrabel is a good head coach, and this team just finds ways to win. It’s just such a shame to lose one of the NFL’s best and most beloved players. I hope that they keep it together.

8 – Bengals (5-3) 2

There is nothing that irks me more than great teams losing to terrible teams. Remember how I treated the Titans for losing to the Jets? So, you might be wondering why I’m not putting the Bengals in timeout this week. Well, it’s fairly simple to be honest. They were absolutely jobbed. Cincy stopped the Jets on a crucial 3rd down deep in their own territory, but the refs called an inexplicable unnecessary roughness call on the Bengals for a helmet-to-helmet collision in which the New York player lowered his head way down and into the collision itself. Thus, the Jets were gifted a first down and ended up driving to cut the lead. After an unlucky tipped INT and another touchdown, it was upset city. It’s not the Bengals’ fault. Granted, you shouldn’t really be in that situation against a team as bad as the Jets in the first place, but Mike White came out and played an incredible game that none of us could have seen coming. For all these reasons, and the fact that they’ve been one of the best teams in the NFL thus far, I’m cutting the Bengals some slack this week.

9 – Ravens (5-2)

The Ravens had a much-needed bye in Week 8 ahead of a tough matchup this week with the Vikings. Hopefully they took the time during the off week to figure out their defensive issues, because we all know that if they don’t tighten up that side of the ball, there will be more losses to come.

10 – Raiders (5-2) 1

One normal week is all I ask for with the Raiders. Just one. Only a franchise like this can lose to their bye week. You guys know the story with Henry Ruggs III by now, so I won’t get into it. Only time will tell how that affects this team moving forward.

11 – Chargers (4-3) 1

I’m not entirely sure what happened to this team. The Chargers defense has taken a complete nosedive, as even after a bye week, they were torn apart by a average to above average Patriots offense. The other side of the ball hasn’t been pretty either, as Justin Herbert and company have struggled mightily in back to back games. All of a sudden, the young star QB has a turnover problem, and the once potent weapons around him have disappeared. I haven’t heard Mike Williams’ name called since the Browns game. You would think that a team this talented and well-coached would look significantly better coming off a bye, but that wasn’t the case. The schedule isn’t terrible moving forward, so hopefully this team buttons itself up in the next few weeks, otherwise they could get lost very quickly in a wild AFC playoff race.

12 – Saints (5-2) 4

I will finally give the Saints the credit that they very much deserve, but I still have some concerns moving forward with this team. The obvious one is that Jameis Winston will miss the remainder of the season with an ACL injury in what was an unfortunate situation on a high tackle on Sunday. Trevor Siemian was effective in relief and got the win against a great Bucs team, but I don’t know how I feel about him as a full-time starter moving forward. What I do know is that this team just finds ways to win. It has been the case for years now. Whenever Drew Brees went down with injury, the backup was ready to go and this team didn’t lose a beat. Who’s to say that won’t be the case with Siemian under center? This defense is spectacular and the offense gets the job done. With a favorable schedule and a great team from top to bottom, this can easily be a playoff team. We just have to see if Siemian is built for it.

13 – Patriots (4-4) 4

The evil empire is inevitable. The Patriots are back after some huge wins and find themselves right in the thick of the AFC wild card race. Honestly, I think this team is a heck of a lot better than a lot of other teams in the conference that are just treading water right now. This defense is finally playing up to their talent, and the offense has seemingly figured itself out. It wasn’t going to be instantly effective with Mac Jones under center, but the rookie seems to have found his groove, and this offense looks extremely efficient because of that. It’s a perfect formula to win games, and this team has proven that they can play up to some elite competition. Now that they can get over the hump and beat those great teams, I don’t see how this team doesn’t find their way into the playoffs.

14 – Steelers (4-3) 5

Well, well, well. We meet again, Pittsburgh. I dreaded this happening, but alas, I saw it coming from a mile away. After 3 straight good-looking wins, the Steelers appear to be back. Their defense has been spectacular, and their offense is doing just enough to put up more points than the opposing team. The offensive line is playing better, and the passing attack has been surprisingly effective throughout this win streak. But it’s no secret that this team’s forte is their defense. As long as they continue suffocating opponents all game long, especially on the ground, then this team will have what it takes to make the playoffs. What they’ll do once they get there is yet to be seen, but the Steelers are back to playing their brand of football, and they’re looking good doing it.

15 – Colts (3-5) 2

Yikes. That was just… yikes. I’ll give the Colts credit for a couple of things. For starters, they jumped out to a double digit lead early on Sunday and looked unstoppable. That is, until they started getting stopped. That all culminated in perhaps the worst play I’ve ever seen from a QB at any level of football, as Carson Wentz “threw” a beyond inexplicable pick six while being tackled in his own endzone to almost lose the game with less than 2 minutes left in the game. But, Wentz and Indy bounced back and went down to tie the game and force OT, which is another thing I want to give them credit for. A team can easily be derailed by such a poor sequence of events, but they overcame that adversity. Overtime, however, brought more unfortunate happenings. Another poor Wentz pick set up the game-winning FG for the Titans to bury this team 3 games behind Tennessee in the standings. This was so winnable for the Colts, but they got the Carson Wentz of old, and that’s what ruined them. I still think Wentz has been very good this season, as has the rest of the team, but it’s a huge uphill battle from here. Do they have what it takes to climb that hill?

16 – Chiefs (4-4) 1

What do you want me to say about the Chiefs? You are all seeing the same product I am. This team didn’t look great in recent weeks, that’s no secret. But it’s time to call them what they are right now: bad. Their offense is invisible. When they do get things going, they become a turnover factory. They can’t run the football, and their pass protection has been dreadful. Travis Kelce has become a non-factor. And the defensive woes need no introduction. Not even Patrick Mahomes can right a ship sinking this fast. It’s ugly, it’s unfortunate, and it hurts to see. But, this is what the Chiefs are right now. I don’t know what it will take to save them.

17 – Browns (4-4) 3

Alright Cleveland, what’s your excuse? Whatever it is, I don’t want to hear it. The Browns are finally healthy on offense, so it’s only right that they put together their worst offensive performance in their biggest game of the season thus far. Even with Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb, and Jarvis Landry back, this team refused to move the ball on Sunday against an albeit excellent Steelers defense. Odell Beckham Jr. is as invisible as ever and probably won’t even be on this team by this time next week. The defense hasn’t been bad, but their offense hasn’t been able to do enough to show for anything, which is not something I was expecting to type out this season. Baker is still a problem, but not having a run game to make up for that will set this team back. I don’t expect them to have that problem against most teams, but when it happens, the Browns are hopeless.

18 – 49ers (3-4)

The Niners’ win in Chicago on Sunday was pretty nice. There’s not much I can say about it. It’s what I expected out of this team, and I’m glad they proved me wrong. I will say that I was impressed with their offensive performance, as Jimmy Garoppolo looked very good and the run game was dominant led by Elijah Mitchell. The defense didn’t play as well as I thought they would, but when you win by double digits, you can’t complain too much. If the 49ers can channel this into more good performances against good teams, then they can definitely turn this season around. Unfortunately, I just don’t see that being the case.

19 – Vikings (3-4) 7

I am being extremely harsh to the Vikings this week, but it’s what they deserve. I’ve had such high hopes for them, and time and time again, they fail to deliver on that promise. They couldn’t even beat a backup QB at home on Sunday. The Cowboys are a great team, but come on now. With the offense at full strength, you have to put together more than just 16 points, even against a good defense. This team was inexplicably 1/13 on 3rd down. Their defense played well enough to win the game, but the offense refused to do anything all game long. I don’t know who to blame, and I don’t to waste any time or energy thinking of an answer. I will simply take this team off the pedestal that I’ve had them on for so many weeks.

20 – Panthers (4-4) 3

Good on this team for avoiding the embarrassment of losing to the Falcons. I didn’t think they had it in them, but apparently they do. It doesn’t mean very much to me, however. It was still an extremely poor offensive showing, and that was to be expected. Once again, Sam Darnold left the game, this time after getting popped by a defender. Even when he was in the game, this offense was invisible. At least Christian McCaffrey is coming back soon. Or so they hope.

21 – Seahawks (3-5) 1

Unlike what I predicted, the Seahawks saved themselves from the embarrassment of losing to the Jaguars. Good for them. Behind a strong performance by Geno Smith and both star WRs, alongside a cosmically-rare good defensive performance, the outcome on Sunday was never in doubt. I still don’t have much faith in this team with Geno under center, but the good news is that Russell Wilson seems to be progressing fast in his recovery and should be back in the coming weeks. Once he’s back, things could get back on track, but I still think this defense holds the Seahawks back too much for them to be in the playoff picture.

22 – Broncos (4-4) 2

On Sunday, the Broncos won perhaps the worst professional football game I’ve ever watched. They weren’t impressive in doing so. In fact, they almost fumbled the game away at the end (literally). But, they proved to be the lesser of two terribles and came away with the flimsiest win you’ll ever see. There’s nothing more I can say about that. On the topic of Von Miller, however, I think the trade benefits Denver greatly. Yes, Miller is a franchise legend, but he was set to be a free agent this offseason and he surely wasn’t coming back. Now, they get a 2nd and a 3rd, as well as some money off the books. Great value.

23 – Eagles (3-5) 1

The Eagles put together perhaps the most confusing blowout I have ever seen on Sunday in Detroit. I knew they’d beat the Lions, but I didn’t think it would be that bad. Moreover, I still can’t explain how they put up the numbers they did. Jalen Hurts barely did anything all game, nor did their pass-catching threats. The entire offense ran through 2 backup RBs in Boston Scott and Jordan Howard, who is somehow still in the league. In any case, it was a good win for a team that needed it and is now sitting alone in 2nd place in the NFC East. Unfortunately, blowing out the Lions means next to nothing.

24 – Falcons (3-4) 3

There’s nothing I can say about this team. The most notable thing that happened to a Falcons player this week was Matt Ryan’s hand getting stepped on. The offense laid a complete dud and while the defense wasn’t bad, it wasn’t enough. It’s not very often that we can say that about the Falcons. It’s ok Atlanta. At least the Braves just won the World Series.

25 – Giants (2-6)

Credit to the Giants for sticking around all game long on Monday night. Nobody gave them a chance, but they were in it till the very end. They went out with a whimper, but we are all about moral victories here in the NFC East. The loss was like so many others for the Giants this season. The defense did its thing, but the offense couldn’t find a pulse and it ended up being their downfall. There are plenty of problems on that side of the ball, so I don’t know who to blame, but I’m not trying to point fingers anyways.

26 – Bears (3-5)

I was honestly impressed with the Bears on Sunday. At least, from an offensive perspective. Justin Fields looked solid, making some good looking throws and having one of the best runs of the season for a touchdown. But, the defense was a complete mess from start to finish, and their offense couldn’t do enough to overcome that. But, if their offense continues to get better, than perhaps this team will find themselves winning games again this season.

27 – Washington (2-6)

No, I won’t talk about this team. I refuse to. It is a waste of time, and I am sick of it. You couldn’t pay me to care about these sorry losers right now. They have broken me.

28 – Jets (2-5) 3

Honestly, good for the Jets. They didn’t deserve to win on Sunday, but they did more than enough to do so anyways. Mike White looked absolutely awesome and he 100% deserves to be this team’s starting QB moving forward. I saw more from him in one game than I have ever seen from Zach Wilson. He’ll get another chance to prove himself on national TV on Thursday night in Indy, and while I don’t think he’ll have another 400-yard day, I’m not ruling out the possibility of him putting together a nice game. In any case, he needs to be the starter, even when Wilson returns from injury.

29 – Jaguars (1-6) 1

Remind me to never put my faith in the Jaguars again. Thank you very much.

30 – Dolphins (1-7)

Credit to the Dolphins for somehow hanging around with the Bills for most of the game on Sunday. That might be the highlight of their season for all of 2021.

31 – Lions (0-8) 2

Uh… yeah. The story of this team used to be scrappy losses. Now it’s getting 40-pieced by the Eagles. It’s just bad. They’ll surely win a game eventually, but it’s getting harder and harder to envision that happening.

32 – Texans (1-7)

The Houston Texans are a football team. Honestly, they’re barely that anymore. That is literally all that can be said about this team.

All stats taken from ESPN.

1 – Cardinals (7-0)

No surprises here. I was considering shuffling around the top a bit, but it just didn’t feel right moving the Cardinals down for covering a 20-point spread. It wasn’t the flashiest of victories on Sunday, but it didn’t need to be. Both sides of the ball still did their thing, and they won extremely convincingly. This week will be arguably their toughest test yet, getting a hobbling Packers team on Thursday night, but I have no doubt they’ll do their thing yet again.

2 – Rams (6-1)

I don’t really care that the Rams were in a dogfight with the Lions on Sunday because it’s exactly what I predicted would happen. Detroit pulled out all the stops and still lost by multiple possessions, and it’s because this team is just that good. Matt Stafford continues to spread the ball around all over the place, and the passing game was the highlight of the game for the Rams. Stafford had 334 yards and 3 touchdowns, Cooper Kupp continued his sensational play with 156 yards and 2 TDs on 10 catches, and the defense slammed the door on the Lions to secure the win. It may not have been what people wanted to see, but it was a vintage Rams win, and it was precisely what I expected out of them.

3 – Buccaneers (6-1)

Tampa absolutely bullied the Bears for 60 minutes on Sunday. It was a thrashing on both sides of the ball. I thought Chicago’s defense would at least slow down this potent offense, but that simply wasn’t the case. Touchdown drive after touchdown drive combined with a dominant defensive performance had this game over before it even started. Tom Brady was sensational once again, throwing for 211 yards and 4 more touchdowns, including his 600th career regular season TD pass, to increase his league lead in both categories. Leonard Fournette is continuing to dominate out of the backfield, and you simply can’t guard every pass-catching weapon that the Bucs have. The defense made Justin Fields’ life a living hell, forcing 5 turnovers. If it wasn’t for a few redzone miscues, the score would have looked even uglier. Regardless, it was an awesome performance from Tampa, and I’m not sure if any team in the NFL is currently capable of stopping them.

4 – Bills (4-2)

The Bills had the week off, but luckily get to stay in place for now. I’m sure the bye was helpful for them to figure out their defensive woes, but I don’t think it’ll matter. Their upcoming schedule is remarkably easy, and I don’t see them struggling much until playoff time.

5 – Cowboys (5-1)

Dallas was on a much-needed bye last week as Dak Prescott gets healthier for a huge primetime clash with the Vikings on Sunday night. All signs are pointing towards him being good to go, and they’ll need him. I’m excited to see how they perform in primetime.

6 – Bengals (5-2) 3

The surprise team of 2021 just keeps on surprising. I picked the Bengals to beat the Ravens, but blowing them out is something I never could have foreseen. That was a close game for a while, but they simply blew it open in incredible fashion in the second half, and it’s thanks to more amazing play from Joe Burrow and Jamarr Chase. Their spectacular 82-yard touchdown connection in the 3rd quarter is what opened the floodgates, and they did not look back. Burrow finished with a whopping 416 yards and 3 touchdowns, with Chase catching 8 passes for an incredible 201 yards and the aforementioned score. Moreover, their defense is continuing to do big things, as they barely let the Ravens move the ball on them while the game was still close. It was simply a dominant, seemingly demon-exorcising game on both sides of the ball, and now, this team is the #1 seed in the AFC. I know it’s early, but I have no doubts that this is a playoff team. They are just so much fun to watch, and I can’t wait to see what else they have in store for us this season.

7 – Packers (6-2)

The Packers weren’t very impressive on Sunday, but they didn’t need to be. Washington shot themselves in the foot all game long, and Green Bay did what they needed to do early to put the game to bed. They were outgained and honestly outplayed offensively, but their defense made the necessary plays to make sure Washington never got back in it. There was nothing flashy about the win, but again, flash wasn’t necessary. This week will be a tough one, as they head to Arizona on a short week to take on the 7-0 Cardinals. To make matters worse, they’ll be without Davante Adams after a positive COVID test. I didn’t think they’d win that game anyways, but without him, it might not be close.

8 – Titans (5-2) 7

Ok, fine. I’ll put some respect on the Titans. I recognize that beating the Chiefs doesn’t mean what it once did, but to beat any team the way they did on Sunday would be impressive. It was absolute domination from start to finish. Their offense had a field day against KC’s terrible defense, and their own defense, which you know I don’t like, absolutely shut down what is one of the best statistical offenses in football. Patrick Mahomes was in hell, and it never felt like the Chiefs had a chance. A 27-0 halftime lead will demoralize any team. The Titans have proven me wrong in recent weeks since losing to the Jets, and if their defense can keep up this level of play, then they could be a real contender in the AFC. I just need to see it more consistently before buying more stock. But, I’ve bought just enough to finally put them in the top 10.

9 – Ravens (5-2) 3

So uh, what the hell happened? For the most part, this team was absolutely stifled on Sunday. They were outplayed, outcoached, and outclassed by a team that they have dominated for so many years. It almost didn’t feel real. The Ravens didn’t have the worst statistical day, but those stats are empty when you lose by 24 points at home. The biggest issue with this team continues to be the defense, which was torn apart to the tune of 520 yards allowed. The secondary is a mess that can’t cover a traffic cone, and they aren’t generating enough pressure to influence the pass game. As long as that’s the case, I don’t see this team contending in the AFC. I wouldn’t be surprised if they make a move for a DB at the deadline. They need it badly.

10 – Chargers (4-2) 2

LA had a bye this week, so there’s nothing to report on here. The upcoming schedule has some challenging games, so I’m excited to see how the Chargers perform in the next few weeks. I hope they don’t let me down.

11 – Raiders (5-2) 1

The Raiders did exactly what I thought they’d do on Sunday. They easily dispatched of a scrappy Eagles team, and Derek Carr was brilliant once again. The Vegas QB had 323 yards and 2 touchdowns on a wild 91% completion (31/34). The defense continues to look improved in the absence of Jon Gruden, outside of some garbage time statpadding from Philly. This team now sits atop the AFC West, and I honestly think they can keep that going. I do think the Chargers are better than them, and they showed that by beating them, but I like the football I’m seeing in Vegas right now. The only thing that can slow them down is themselves, but they seem to overcome adversity pretty well.

12 – Vikings (3-3) 1

Minnesota had a bye this week, and now get their toughest test in a primetime showdown with the Cowboys this Sunday night. I’m excited to see how they perform in that game, and I think it will be a solid benchmark for how real this team is. I’ve been buying their stock all year long, and I hope they don’t let me down.

13 – Colts (3-4) 8

The Colts are officially here. I loved what I had seen from this team in recent weeks, and now it’s all coming to fruition. They are winning games and looking awesome doing it. The defense is back to form, and the offense is seemingly unstoppable. Carson Wentz is looking like his former self, Jonathan Taylor is still unstoppable out of the backfield, and Michael Pittman Jr. is looking like one of the more lethal young WR threats in the NFL. They head into a bye as a team a lot better than their record suggests, and I think they have what it takes to make a real playoff push. They were very unlucky to start this season, but now that they’re starting to win games, I have a lot of faith in the Colts.

14 – Browns (4-3)

I was honestly impressed with the Browns on Thursday night. I really didn’t think they’d win without Baker Mayfield, but Case Keenum stepped in and did his thing. The real star of the show was D’Ernest Johnson, a 3rd string RB filling in for the injured Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Johnson had an impressive 146 yards and a touchdown on just 22 carries. The offensive line is getting back healthy and proving that they are still one of the best in the league. I think I could run for 100 behind those guys. The defense also did its thing against a lethargic Broncos offense. I still don’t know how I feel about this team, especially as their injuries linger. The next few weeks will dictate how Cleveland’s season is going to go.

15 – Chiefs (3-4) 5

Oh brother. Where do you even begin with the Chiefs? This team is falling apart. This is genuinely a bad football team right now. The offense is still putting up stats, but the stats are extremely empty. Just look at them only scoring 3 points and turning the ball over 3 times against a bad defense. Patrick Mahomes continues to be a turnover machine, and the previously explosive offensive weapons are now nowhere to be seen. The biggest problem continues to be the defense, which might as well not take the field at all. There’s just nothing going right in Kansas City, and while I previously trusted Mahomes to make sense of all this madness, he’s proved that he’s incapable of doing so. The Chiefs better hope they find some answers, or this season could be over in a blink.

16 – Saints (4-2)

Is this the worst 4-2 team ever? Probably not. But they’re not a great team by any stretch. The truth about the Saints is there are only 2 things that are good about them. The first is Alvin Kamara, who is still one of the most unstoppable players in football. On Monday night, he had 179 total yards, including 128 receiving yards on 10 catches. The second bright spot in New Orleans is the defense, which has been great for the most part all year long. They shut down an albeit nonexistent Seahawks offense all game long outside of a single long TD pass, and it was very impressive to watch. I just don’t think it’s a formula that will translate into enough wins to put this team in the playoffs, especially with a tough schedule.

17 – Patriots (3-4)

The Patriots had some kind of hostility they were clearly letting out on the Jets on Sunday. 551 yards of offense and 54 points, with 20 coming in the 4th quarter, is a sign of a team that was trying to prove a point. I’m not going to go crazy over a blowout of the Jets, but I was still impressed with the Pats. Mac Jones continues to be efficient and sharp, the run game is back to putting up good numbers, and the defense is back to showing up. I think this team has the ingredients to make the playoffs, but they’re clearly still figuring out a lot of moving parts.

18 – 49ers (2-4) 7

I’m done making excuses for this team. They looked good for a while on Sunday night, but after that, they turtled and played scared football. They 100% deserved to lose. And they deserve the slander. This roster is way too talented to play such conservative football, and I trace it back to Kyle Shanahan. His playcalling and coaching style just aren’t going to work in today’s NFL, yet he refuses to adapt or change anything. The Niners were dominating with the run and, subsequently, the play action, but they refused to use it to their advantage. Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t exactly a QB that can beat you with his arm. The secondary is also very bad, and it hurts the defense tremendously. I just don’t like what I’m seeing out of this team, and I don’t know what it’ll take for them to get back track.

19 – Steelers (3-3) 1

The Steelers had a bye ahead of a huge matchup with the Browns this week. If they can pull a win out, then their season can turn around in a massive way, and based on how they played going into the bye week, it might not be too far-fetched. More on that tomorrow.

20 – Broncos (3-4) 1

This team is just bad. That’s what they have devolved into. The offense is nonexistent, and the once-strong defense can’t even slow down 3rd string RBs. Now, Von Miller is hurt once again, and the defense will get even worse because of it. There’s just nothing to like in Denver. It’s turning into a big, big shame. Hopefully they figure out the QB position this offseason.

21 – Falcons (3-3) 5

Somehow, the Falcons are sitting at .500 through 6 games. Actually, I’ll tell you how. The schedule has been dreadful. Granted, I don’t want to keep them too low, because they are playing better football than the teams currently below them. But I’m not buying any of this team’s stock. Once the schedule actually gets real, there won’t be many positives left to talk about. But, as it stands, this is a decent team with a fun offense, and Kyle Pitts is turning into a legitimate threat. Good for him.

22 – Seahawks (2-5)

Talking about this team is a colossal waste of time. As long as Russell Wilson is out, they won’t be worth a damn. Geno Smith has been dreadful as the starter, and the defense is just as bad as ever. Yawn. Next!

23 – Panthers (3-4) 3

Remember when everyone was crowning this team after starting 3-0? Remember when you all said Sam Darnold was back because he beat the Jets and the Texans? Yeah, those were the days. There’s a reason I never believed in this team. They don’t have what it takes, and it starts with Darnold. The only thing keeping this team together was Christian McCaffrey, and they are now 0-4 without him. Darnold can’t do a thing on his own, and he deserved to be benched long before he actually was on Sunday. Getting crushed by the Giants in 2021 is an absolute disgrace. Deshaun Watson is the only thing that can save this team, and the chances of him coming here is next to none. So, this is a hopeless football team.

24 – Eagles (2-5)

I’ll give the Eagles credit for one thing. They are the premier statpadders in the NFL. Nobody does it better than the Birds. They go down 30 and turn it on in every single 4th quarter. It’s honestly impressive. Unfortunately for Philly, the first 3 quarters also matter, and they aren’t very good in those. It’s just more of the same every week with this team. I am confident in their pieces moving forward, but this is all they’re going to be in 2021.

25 – Giants (2-5) 4

The Giants decide to show up about once a month, and last week’s thrashing of the Panthers filled that quota for October. This still isn’t a very good team, and they still lack a general direction, but good on them for picking up a nice win. Now, they get to be the team that the Chiefs inevitably bounce back against on national television. A very nice prize indeed.

26 – Bears (3-4) 3

This team is a disgrace. There are a lot of other words that can be used to describe the Bears, but I think that’s the most fitting one. They refuse to do anything to improve in areas that are lacking more than any other team in football. Throwing out your first round rookie QB against an elite defensive front with that abysmal offensive line is obviously never going to work. Fields had 5 ugly turnovers as the defensive line got to him time after time and he refused to pick up blitzes or feel the pressure in the pocket. It was everyone’s fault. On the other side of the ball, the defense got absolutely terrorized. How do you explain giving up 35 points in the first half? You don’t. The coaching, decision making, and play of this team is just an absolute joke. That’s that.

27 – Washington (2-5) 2

What do you want me to say about this team? Sunday’s loss was just more of the same garbage we’ve seen all season long. I will give the team credit for putting up a good offensive performance and a relatively good defensive game, in the sense that they looked like an actual NFL defense at times. That doesn’t change the fact that they got carved up whenever the Packers decided to do so. It was a strange game for the offense, as they outgained Green Bay by 127 yards and never punted the ball, yet only put up 10 points. It was a day of questionable decisions and redzone woes. Taylor Heinicke is quickly playing his way out of the starting QB job, and he can’t leave soon enough. I’m not saying he’s the root of all the problems with this team, but I’m ready to never see him play for my team again.

28 – Jaguars (1-5) 1

Thankfully for my eyes, the Jags had a bye last week. They are trending in the right direction, but that doesn’t mean I want to watch them play. Does anyone?

29 – Lions (0-7) 1

The Lions pulled out all the stops, and I mean all the stops on Sunday in LA, and honestly executed them pretty well, but it just wasn’t enough. I guess you can’t win a game in the NFL with fake punts and onside kicks. This is still a good team with plenty of nice pieces that does not deserve to be 0-7. Jared Goff is still terrible, but this team will be in prime position to draft a top QB this year, and I think that will do wonders for them.

30 – Dolphins (1-6) 2

I’ve thought this is arguably the NFL’s worst team for a few weeks now, and they continue to provide merit to that argument. Yes, they had a late comeback and could have won on Sunday, but why are you even down by multiple scores to the Falcons in the first place? Oh right, it’s because Tua Tagovailoa isn’t an NFL QB. Just trade for Deshaun Watson and get it over with.

31 – Jets (1-5)

How do you come off a bye and give up 54 points while only scoring 13? By being the Jets, of course! Oh, and now Zach Wilson has a knee injury that will keep him on the sideline for a bit. Only this team. They will never get it right.

32 – Texans (1-6)

Nothing to see here. Just another blowout loss in which the Texans didn’t even look like an NFL team. Just another Sunday in this league.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Note: Sorry for not getting out yesterday’s Week in Review. I fell really sick after going on a trip and had no energy or will to finish it. Again, I’m sorry, and I’ll try and stay healthy enough in the future to keep pumping these out. I’ll get a bit more in depth today to try and compensate for that.

The 2021 season is now just over a quarter of the way done, and if we’ve learned anything so far, it’s that nothing is set in stone. So many teams are still doing all sorts of things, good and bad, that make this job just as difficult as ever. There has been plenty of shuffling through five weeks, and I assure you, we are nowhere close to that being over. Let’s stack up the teams 1-32 after another riveting weekend of football:

1 – Bills (4-1) 1

There is no team that even comes close to the hellishly hot streak the Bills are currently on. I’ll recognize that beating the Chiefs doesn’t mean what it once did, but the way they did it is still remarkably impressive. That was seemingly never even a game. They had whatever they wanted, especially through the air, with Josh Allen throwing for 315 yards and 3 TDs on just 15 completions. Allen is now the odds-on MVP favorite, and the Bills have the 2nd best odds to win it all behind the Bucs. Again, as I said before the season, this schedule is disgustingly easy, and the hardest part of it is now behind Buffalo. I really don’t see them wavering from this top spot at all this season.

2 – Cardinals (5-0) 1

This one spot drop isn’t Arizona’s fault. They are still the NFL’s lone undefeated team, and are still playing very good football. The Bills just happen to be even hotter right now. Also, I wasn’t expecting the Cardinals’ offense to be so stifled against the Niners on Sunday, but that is a very solid defensive unit, so they get a pass. Kyler and co. still did what they had to do to come out with a win, and I still don’t have many doubts about this team. They have one of their toughest tests this week against Cleveland, and I’m very excited to see how they handle that. It will continue to clear up any and all questions that may exist with this team.

3 – Rams (4-1)

LA was essentially gift-wrapped a victory on Thursday night thanks to the injury sustained by Russell Wilson, but still, the Rams played a very solid game from start to finish. It was essentially exactly what I expected to see out of them. Matthew Stafford was very solid, they were able to run the ball effectively, and their defense slammed the door shut on the hobbling Seahawks. Everyone seems to have forgotten how good this team is, or lost their infatuation with them, but it’s important to keep things into perspective. It’s a long season, and this is still one of football’s best teams. Let’s keep overreactions to a minimum, please.

4 – Buccaneers (4-1)

Sunday’s blowout was exactly what the Buccaneers imagined themselves being this season. It just took them a while to realize it. Tom Brady continues to be magnificent as he threw for 411 yards and 5 touchdowns without even breaking a sweat. The GOAT now leads the NFL in passing yards and is 2nd in TDs, and every passing week, he makes it look more and more effortless. The defense is also continuing to show signs of improvement, despite being very beat up, but they’re also playing some pretty poor offenses, so I’m taking that with a grain of salt. In any case, this offense is simply too talented, and that will be enough to carry them to plenty of wins while the other side of the ball gets back healthy.

5 – Chargers (4-1)

What else do the Chargers have left to prove this season? They can win close games. They can win barnburners. They can win defensive battles. They can come back and win. They can beat you through the air. They can beat you on the ground. They can beat you with their defense. They’re as aggressive as anyone and it almost always pays off. They have everything going perfectly. The one problem they have is kicking, but this is the Chargers. That will always be an issue. Justin Herbert is playing like a true MVP, Austin Ekeler is the definition of a bowling ball out of the backfield, Keenan Allen and Mike Williams are establishing themselves as perhaps the best WR duo in football, and while their defense got gashed last week, it’s still a very talented unit that likely won’t play that poor again. This team is just so damn stacked, and if the season was ending today, I’d probably pick them to win the AFC. I’m praying they can keep it up.

6 – Cowboys (4-1) 1

Dallas continues to dazzle on a weekly basis. Everything that has made this team so great through about a quarter of the season continues to be on full display every single week. The offense is just so talented and balanced, as both the passing and rushing attacks are as lethal as any in football. The defense is also showing up and showing out, especially in the secondary, as CB Trevon Diggs nabbed his 6th INT in 5 games on Sunday. Yes, this all happened against a bad Giants team that was without Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley within 2 quarters, but I feel like this would have happened anyways. I’d love to see this type of performance against a proper team, and I think it’s only a matter of time before that happens.

7 – Browns (3-2) 1

Offensively, the Browns looked as good as you possibly could in a loss. I mean that as literally as possible. Before Sunday, teams that scored over 40 points with no turnovers in a game were 443-0 in NFL history. Imagine being so good that you end a streak like that. I was honestly shocked with how bad Cleveland’s defense was, but I felt the same way about the Chargers defense. This was just an all-time shootout, and it doesn’t always go your way. The Browns probably should have left LA with a W, but some limitations are clearly still there that held them back from doing so. They just got too conservative in the end, and I think it’s a reflection of a lack of trust in Baker Mayfield. On the other side, the Chargers were going for every 4th down and Herbert was making every throw. I just don’t know if this team can go to the next level if they don’t trust their franchise QB to take them there, but at this point, I don’t even know if he has what it takes to do so.

8 – Packers (4-1) 2

Sunday’s game in Cincinnati was one of the funniest I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching, and the Packers just happened to win the coin toss orchestrated by the football gods to come out on top. After a sequence of 5 missed kicks in the last 3 minutes + OT, Mason Crosby finally split the uprights to win it for the Packers. You can say they deserved to lose, but the Bengals fumbled away just as many chances as Green Bay did. Even though they won, I’m not sure I liked what I saw out of the Packers. All of the problems I have with them are still apparent. They are still way, way too dependent on Davante Adams, who had a monster game with 206 yards and a TD on 11 catches, but he can’t be the only WR capable of making plays. Their defense also clearly felt the absence of Jaire Alexander, as they were ripped apart through the air. The schedule isn’t the easiest in the world, so the Packers better hope they become a more complete team before it’s time to take on the NFL’s elites.

9 – Ravens (4-1) 2

Special. Game-changing. Electric. We’re running out of words to describe Lamar Jackson. The star QB led a 19-point comeback on Monday night, and did so in incredible fashion, throwing for 442 yards and 3 touchdowns as well as two 2-point conversions on a record-breaking 86% completion, the highest EVER for a 400-yard game. Oh, and he also added 62 on the ground. #8 accounted for 504 of the team’s 523 yards of offense. That’s a stat that just doesn’t make sense. He now has more total yards than EIGHTEEN (18) TEAMS. It’s just historic and incredible to watch. What isn’t incredible to watch, however, is this defense. They’re the ones who dug the hole to begin with, and they laid a complete dud. They gave up 513 yards of offense, including 402 passing, and let the Colts march all the way down the field for what should have been the game-winning drive if they hadn’t missed a FG at the buzzer. Lamar is awesome, but he cannot carry the entire team on his back every game, especially to this extent. Baltimore is a few breaks away from being 1-4. They better hope they improve, especially defensively, and start winning games a lot more convincingly before I bump them up.

10 – Bengals (3-2) 5

I’m sure you have a lot of questions here. The Bengals in the top 10? Jumping up 5 spots for losing? Especially when they should have won? What’s going on here? Allow me to explain. This team is pretty dang good. And more than that, they’re as resilient as any team I’ve seen this season. Falling behind does not faze this team whatsoever, no matter what the deficit is. You can always count on them to be in it when time is winding down. It’s honestly a testament to Joe Burrow and his own resilience. He has vastly exceeded my expectations and has been very good this season. It helps that Jamarr Chase continues to be one of the standout receivers in football in just 5 games. Just ask yourself this: how would we be perceiving this team had Evan McPherson made one of the several kicks he missed late in this game? Cincy would be 4-1 with stars all across the offense and a defense that did enough to beat Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Yes, your special teams has to be good enough to secure victories, but this is a rookie who already had 2 game-winners this season. Let’s cut the kid some slack. I think this is still a very solid team that can definitely make a playoff push, and they’re certainly playing a lot better than many other “contenders” so far this season.

11 – 49ers (2-3) 1

Yes, this team has lost 3 straight games, but I really liked what I saw out of them on Sunday. Going on the road and relatively shutting down one of the best offenses in football is no small feat. If it wasn’t Trey Lance’s first start, there’s a good chance San Francisco could have won that game. And they still almost pulled it out. This team will be just fine no matter who is under center as long as their defense continues performing like that. If it has to be Lance for an extended period of time, he’ll just continue getting better with more and reps. If they have to go back to Jimmy G, they get a QB who knows the system better than anyone with a history of winning. This was also a very difficult stretch of the schedule, and while it’s still a tough one, it gets easier. I think this week’s bye will help them a lot moving forward.

12 – Chiefs (2-3) 3

This is just bad. Really, really bad. Not only was Kansas City’s defense embarrassed once again, but their offense put up possibly its worst performance in the Mahomes era. They continue to be extremely careless with the ball, and they could not get anything going whatsoever downfield. Defensively, this is the worst team in football. They are now last in points allowed and second to last in yards allowed, and they couldn’t stop a nosebleed if it was just one drop of blood. They are sorely missing Chris Jones up front, as they can’t generate even a semblance of a pass rush. Their offense isn’t doing them any favors either, as they’ve seemingly been figured out by opposing defenses. They cannot run the football at all, and losing Clyde Edwards-Helaire to injury doesn’t help that at all. Against competent defenses, they just aren’t nearly as lethal as they have been in recent memory. I don’t know what this team can do to get better, because I don’t know if they have what it takes. I still trust Patrick Mahomes more than almost anyone in football, but this defense is just unsalvageable.

13 – Vikings (2-3) 3

This jump is the result of several teams falling apart, but I still think the Vikings are pretty good. They should have lost on Sunday, somehow, but they pulled off the late victory and are still going to be competitive. Their schedule is absolutely brutal, so it’s good that they’re picking up wins where they can. In my opinion, the stories of this team have been the emergence of two unlikely contributors: the defense and Alexander Mattison. This is clearly a vastly improved defensive unit after last year’s disgracefully bad one, and it has been the key to them being in every game they’ve played so far. And Mattison has been the most productive RB on this team through 5 weeks, as he put up another great game in lieu of Dalvin Cook being injured on Sunday. This team is going to need all the help they can get moving forward, so getting that out of unlikely sources is going to be very important.

14 – Saints (3-2) 4

I told you I’d take things as they came with this team. Last week’s performance was a pretty damn good one, so they’re right back to where they were 2 weeks ago. Granted, it was against a rather embarrassing team, but they did what they had to do, and then some. New Orleans predictably sliced through a porous Washington defense, as Jameis Winston put on a very good performance through the air, and Alvin Kamara was back to his old ways of being one of the most lethal threats out of the backfield in football. I don’t know if this team will sustain this; in fact I doubt they will as they won’t face a defense this bad again this season. But, they’ve deserved this spot for this week.

15 – Broncos (3-2) 1

The Broncos were barely competitive on Sunday before a late comeback attempt, and the fault lies on both sides of the ball. Even with Teddy Bridgewater playing, this offense laid another dud. And for some reason, this defense has forgotten how to play football in the last 2 weeks. They made the Steelers look like a real offense, which is honestly impressive. I’m just not too sure what to make of this team after their last 2 losses. As the schedule gets tougher, things might get uglier in Denver.

16 – Raiders (3-2) 6

Ohhhhhhhhhh boy. Where do I begin? I was already going to punish this team for laying a complete stinker against a bad Bears team at home on Sunday, but I could never have envisioned what followed. HC Jon Gruden resigned on Monday night following the surfacing of old emails sent across the NFL containing an inexplicable amount of bigotry. Gruden was in his 4th year of a 10 year, $100 million deal, and luckily, the Raiders don’t have to worry about paying him that anymore. Now, Rich Bisaccia takes over as the interim head coach, and I have no idea what the trajectory of this team will be anymore. The next few weeks in Vegas are going to be bizarre, and I just can’t help but feel bad for them.

17 – Patriots (2-3) 2

I really don’t know how the Patriots struggled as much as they did on Sunday. Having to come back from 13 down against perhaps the worst team in football isn’t a great look. Moreover, the Texans were starting rookie QB Davis Mills, and Bill Belichick is notoriously dominant against rookie QBs. In any case, New England avoided the big-time embarrassment and are back on the right track. They aren’t without their concerns, especially after this week’s performance, but they also have plenty of positives to take away at the moment, mostly concerning Mac Jones and his performance as the starting QB thus far. But I just don’t think this team has what it takes to be great just yet.

18 – Panthers (3-2) 1

Before this season, I didn’t believe in this team at all. At 3-0, I didn’t believe in this team at all. And still, I don’t believe in this team at all. I hope everyone is off of one of the shortest-lived bandwagons in recent memory, as the Panthers are seemingly falling apart. I don’t care that Christian McCaffrey is out, there is no excuse to lose to the Eagles. None. Especially if you’re up by double digits on them. I mean come on. The offense isn’t nearly as productive, Sam Darnold is back to being the Sam Darnold of old, and this once-“elite” defense can’t even stop Jalen Hurts. Be honest with yourselves about Carolina. They’re not good.

19 – Seahawks (2-3) 6

This could quickly become the ugliest situation in the NFC. Without Russell Wilson, this team is nothing. Genuinely nothing. I’d be shocked if they win a single game while he’s out, outside of their gimme against Jacksonville. Russ jammed his finger in an unlucky manner on Thursday night, and will now be out 6-8 weeks. In his stead, Geno Smith will be quarterbacking the Seahawks, which doesn’t inspire confidence in anyone. This defense is also still terrible, and it’s not getting any better. Russ was the only thing keeping this mess together, and without him, it is going to fall apart fast. What a mess.

20 – Titans (3-2) 1

I’m not giving this team any flowers for beating up on the Jaguars. I still haven’t forgotten that loss to the Jets. Still, I’ll give the Titans credit for putting on a good show on Sunday. Derrick Henry continues to be an incredible force and must-see TV. I still don’t believe in this defense very much, as they were honestly struggling for a bit. But, I don’t believe in much of this team. No flowers for you.

21 – Bears (3-2) 3

Chicago is now 2-0 in Justin Fields’ starts. The numbers don’t lie! The real star of the show on Sunday was the defense, which locked up a potent Raiders passing offense. Fields still did his thing, and the run game also surprisingly contributed, even without David Montgomery. It’s a good formula that can clearly work against good teams, but I’d really like to see more out of this passing game before I put more faith in the Bears. Still, I’m loving what I’m seeing out of Fields and still very confident in his ability to lead this team to more victories.

22 – Steelers (2-3)

Against all odds, the Steelers looked like a real offense on Sunday. They were getting it done all across the board, and for the first time in seemingly forever, they finally got the run game going. Najee Harris won for 122 yards and a touchdown on 23 yards, and the team amassed almost 400 total yards of offense. This was against a Broncos D that has been pretty solid so far this season, so I was honestly impressed. That being said, I need to see this more consistently before bumping Pittsburgh up. We’ll see whether or not they’re capable of doing so.

23 – Colts (1-4)

Man. That was one of the more rough blown leads and losses I’ve seen in a long time in this league. The Colts were nothing short of fantastic on both sides of the ball through 3+ quarters on Monday night, as they were dominating on offense and suffocating the Ravens defensively. Even after blowing the lead and finding themselves in a tie game, they missed a FG at the buzzer to send the game to OT, where they didn’t even possess the ball en route to the loss. It’s just a shame. After putting up over 500 yards of offense with Carson Wentz throwing for over 400 and getting another fantastic performance from Jonathan Taylor, Indy has nothing to show for it. Now, they sit at 1-4 with seemingly no upward trajectory. I just feel really sorry for them.

24 – Washington (2-3) 4

What can I say about this team at this point? Everything I’ve said that is wrong with this team is still as prevalent as ever. They refuse to show up against any teams worth a damn, and the defense is still abhorrent at best. This is the second worst scoring defense in the league, giving up 31 PPG, and they aren’t showing any signs of getting better. They can’t generate any pressure, and they couldn’t cover a receiving core of people in wheelchairs. The Taylor Heinicke experience is also continuing to be a rollercoaster, as every other week he looks like the XFL QB he once was. I’m just sick of this team being inconsistent at best and one of the worst teams in football at worst. If they don’t want to care, then why should I?

25 – Eagles (2-3) 2

I’ll give Philly credit: they’ve shown plenty of promise in spurts this season. Sunday’s comeback victory was a realization of that potential that I know they have, especially offensively. I truly believe that the Eagles have some of the best young talent in football, and I honestly enjoy seeing performances like this that help back that claim up. This defense still isn’t without its issues, but they stepped up when they needed to on Sunday to secure the win. Good for the Birds.

26 – Falcons (2-3) 2

Congrats on beating the Jets, I guess? It was a bit closer than it needed to be at the end in London, but the Falcons looked good enough throughout the game, especially on offense. It was the coming out party for Kyle Pitts, who had 119 yards and a touchdown on 9 catches. I’ve been waiting for him to emerge as a real threat in this offense, and while I recognize that he was playing the Jets, I’m hoping he can keep this up. It will help make this team more watchable.

27 – Giants (1-4) 2

How can you not feel bad for this team? After a beautiful performance in NOLA led by Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley, both pivotal members of the offense suffered seemingly serious injuries on Sunday in Dallas. Jones got dinged up on a run on the goal line which knocked him out of the game, although he could return as soon as this week if he clears concussion protocol. Barkley, however, rolled his ankle on a freak incident after a play and had to be carted off. He could be out long term, which is just awful to see, especially seeing how he was finally returning to form after last year’s ACL injury. There was already not much going for New York, and now it’s only getting worse. The only bright spot is the emergence of rookie WR Kadarius Toney, who had a monster game with 189 yards receiving, but it’s still just a sad time for this team. I just feel horrible for the Giants.

28 – Dolphins (1-4) 2

Yeesh. This team is all sorts of disgusting. Jacoby Brissett has seemingly lost the ability to look like an NFL QB, and this defense is somehow getting worse. What was supposed to be the saving grace of this team is now its weakest spot. I don’t understand how this is happening, but it’s just an ugly sight. There is no saving the Dolphins in 2021.

29 – Lions (0-5)

Man. This is sad. Once again, the Lions had a hard-earned victory snatched right from them in unfortunate fashion, as another long-distance FG at the buzzer sent them to their 5th straight loss. That came after a big-time turnover to get the ball back, score a touchdown and a 2-point conversion to take the lead with barely any time left. The defense just still couldn’t get the job done, giving up enough yardage to set up a game-winning kick. I’m not even surprised that HC Dan Campbell was in tears after the game. I would be too.

30 – Texans (1-4) 1

Look at the Texans being competitive again. How scrappy of them. Houston almost pulled off the upset of the week, but they remembered that they were tanking, so they blew a double digit lead to ensure they didn’t commit the heinous act of winning a game. Sunday was honestly best case scenario for this team. They looked solid and still lost the game. They should see that as an absolute win.

31 – Jets (1-4) 1

You know, at least the Jets were somewhat competitive on Sunday in London. I still think it’s disrespectful that we subjected our friends across the pond to watching this joke of a team, but it could have been worse. Zach Wilson was still an errant turnover waiting to happen, but they made things interesting at the end, and that’s all we could have asked for.

32 – Jaguars (0-5)

Bad bad bad. Still oh so bad. Not getting any better. There’s nothing I can say about this team. They’re just as much of a mess as they were a week ago, if not more of one. At least Urban Meyer didn’t get caught getting twerked on this week! I call that a big-time improvement.

All stats taken from ESPN.