NFL Power Rankings Week 8: AFC West Movers and Shakers (Chiefs Up, Chargers Fumble Game Away, Broncos Just Bad)

Time  for the weekly power rankings. This week has seen a lot of movement because of some absolutely pitiful performances. The Charges tried as many ways as possible to lose the games vs the Chiefs, what’s up with Philip Rivers this season by the way? After a few huge seasons, he has been bad this year. Heading into the game he had 7 touchdowns to 9 interceptions and after four quarters of football, he had 7 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a huge botched fumble.

32.  Indianapolis Colts (Previously Colts)

I thought the Colts had enough pride to put together a few good showings this season amd maybe squeak out a few wins. I could not have been more wrong. They are absolutely terrible.

Peyton Manning, if he is their quarterback moving forward should win M.V.P every year until he retires. In fact, Peyton Manning should win some M.V.P votes THIS year with how bad this Colts team is.

He’s also not paid enough.

They are playing absolutely awful.

31.  Miami Dolphins (previously Dolphins)

I’m beginning to think that Matt Moore isn’t a bad option as a backup quarterback, and he’s had the Dolphins close to two wins, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.  Had the Rams come out and played poorly again I might have been able to move the Dolphins up a spot in their good battle vs the Giants, but the Rams walloped the Saints, so no luck for the Dolphins.

30. Arizona Cardinals (Previously Rams)

The Cardinals had a huge lead vs the Ravens and a chance to pull of a major upset like the Rams did, but lost it at the end. It would have been the second embarrassing loss in a row for the Ravens. The Cardinals now have a lot of division games left, but also games vs the Eagles, Cowboys, and Browns. The Cardinals have an outside chance to suck for Luck. This upcoming game vs the Rams is a big one for the Cardinals as they will be playing vs the Rams.

29.  Seattle Seahawks  (previously Arizona Cardinals)

The Seahawks  lost a game to the most underrated team in the league the Cincinnati Bengals so I can’t really knock them much. The Seahawks have some obvious talent, but also some really glaring weaknesses.I still wonder why kind of effect Pete Carroll’s insistence on mass roster change has on this team’s continuity and ultimately success.

28. Denver Broncos (Previously Seattle Seahawks)

The Broncos have just played two really big stinkers in a row. Yes they won last week, but that game was just brutal on all levels to watch. The Denver Post just called Tim Tebow the worst starting quarterback in the N.F.L. And John Fox hasn’t committed to Tebow starting this week. There are problems on defense and offense and the Broncos have a long way to go to overcome the mess Josh McDaniels left Fox and the front office.

27.  St. Louis Rams (previously Jacksonville Jaguars)

Probably too much of a move up after just one Victory, but boy what an impressive victory. On top of that the Rams have played one of the league’s most difficult schedules through the first 8 weeks of the N.F.L. season. The next four weeks they have games vs the Cardinals, Browns, Seahawks, and Cardinals. A month from now the Rams could be on a five game win streak.

26.   Jacksonville Jaguars (previously Denver Broncos)

The Jaguars have now played pretty well in two weeks in a row, but they are not a good football team. Blaine Gabbert looks terrible. That’s not to say he can’t become a good N.F.L. quarterback (though I don’t think he will). Maurie Jones Drew is probably one of my favorite players in the N.F.L. to watch. How good is this guy? It’s hard to get a good read on how talented this team could be over the next two seasons.

25.  Carolina Panthers (previously Cleveland Browns)

The Panthers are this year’s Detroit Lions, next year the Panthers are going to win a lot of games, this year they are not quite ready. At some point though they have to be knocked for losing, they are 2-6 and I can’t put the Vikings here after they just beat the Panthers in Carolina.

24.  Cleveland Browns (previously the Minnesota Vikings)

Somehow, someway the Cleveland Browns have three wins this season and with games remaining against the Rams, Jaguars, and Cardinals they could end the season 6-10 which is about 2-3 more wins than I thought they would before the season because of all the transition they were going through.

The real question for the Browns now is going to be, is Colt McCoy still this teams’s franchise quarterback? I still think he has shown enough to get a little more time. The Browns are lacking good weapons at WR, RB, and tight end in my opinion.

23. Minnesota Vikings (previously Carolina Panthers)

The Vikings get a little boost because of how talented they are and because they have played well the last month. Adrian Peterson and Jared Allen can win games by themselves at times. Also, Christian Ponder looks much better than Blaine Gabbert, very, very early in their careers. I’m interesting in seeing how Jake Locker looks if/when he gets a chance this year.

22. Tennessee Titans (previously Titans)

I’m going to leave the Titans right here for now until they show me a little more.  A win is a win, but a win vs the Colts doesn’t impress me much. Chris Johnson got a fat contract and drafted by me in the first round in my fantasy draft for NFLmocks writers and so far that looks absolutely terrible on both accounts (I got him at 5th overall so it wasn’t a top two pick or anything). The Titans still don’t look the same since Kenny Britt got hurt

21.Washington Redskins (Previously Kansas City Chiefs)

The Bills do that that good of an offense to make the good Washington Redskins defense to look average, but the Bills defense is not any good really. They should not have been able to shut out the Mike Shanahan run Bills offense. The Bills came into the league with paltry sack numbers, but essentially pitched a tent and camped out in the Redskins backfield as John Beck was running for his life. The Bills had a whopping 9 sacks (double what they had entering the season). Terrible performance by the Redskins who are clearly on a downward slide.

20. Dallas Cowboys (Previously Eagles)

The Dallas Cowboys got shellacked by the Philadelphia Eagles, as another Ryan family member finds his mouth eventually gets him in trouble. I haven’t been buying the Cowboys making a huge run here and running away with the division that Skip Bayless and others have been selling. First they just got pounded by the Eagles and now they will play the Seahawks (should win), and then Buffalo isn’t such an easy game as people have been making it out to be. The Dolphins after that (and who knows maybe the Dolphins will be trying really really hard to get their first win vs the Cowboys), @Arizona, vs New York, @ Tampa Bay, Philly, and Giants again.

The way I see it that’s only three easy games out of 9 games.

19. Oakland Raiders  (previously Redskins)

The Oakland Raiders were on a bye, but move down a spot because of impressive performances by the Chiefs and Eagles. Here’s what I had to say about the Raiders last week.

I’ve been their biggest supporter all season as a quality team and this is how they repay me? They looked like garbage. I think they threw more pick sixes then they completed passes. That’s not good. The injury to Daren McFadden completely changed the dynamics of the game and should relay to everyone how good an important he is to their success. M.V.P. like good.

18.Kansas City Chiefs  (Previously Oakland Raiders)

Apparently the Cheifs players don’t understand that when bloggers put you at the top of the Suck for Luck rankings after three games of the season, they’re suppose to continue to lose the rest of the season. They didn’t get the memo.

An inspired performance vs the Chargers, their fourth good game in a row. I thought Todd Haley was working his way to getting fired, instead he’s turned this whole thing around.

17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Previously Houston Texans)

The Buccaneers wee on a bye last week, here’s what I had to say about them

Last year everyone was putting Josh Freeman ahead of Eli Manning in quarterback rankings. Kind of looks silly right now. Maybe it’ll even out by the end of the year, but right now  7 TD and 10 INT for an average yards per attempt at 6.4 doesn’t look nearly as good as 11 TD and 5 INT with an average yards per attempt at 9.1.

Freeman clearly has not takent he step forward everyone expected. Is  he battling some under-reported injuries? I hope so. I was hoping he’d step his game up. This team is the second hardest team to get a handle on in the league (the Titans are the first) it seems like any week they could come out and destroy a good team or come out and lay a clunker.

16.  Philadelphia Eagles (Previously Bengals)

And predictably, here come the Eagles. If anyone paid attention they’d know the Eagles do this every year without fail. They start the season poorly and then come roaring on strong in the second half of the season. Now the problem with the Eagles will continue to be if Vick gets hit and beat up then Vince Young will have to come in and play. And right now he’s zero completions in one attempt with an interception.
Vick has trouble staying healthy because he’s not a huge quarterback firstly, and secondly he doesn’t make reads at an elite level so he gets hit a lot too. But wow, are they explosive when they are on. LeSean McCoy is a perfect fit for their system and really a quality back.

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