Some changes this week, both in the actual rankings and in my approach. First, I'm abandoning the old format, which, believe it or not, was kind of onerous to produce each week. Second, I'm doing them really really late this week because my stupid job that pays me got in the way of my awesome blog that costs me time and effort. I'll be counting down from the bottom up, so you can feel the suspense building. Who will be #1? Will it be the only undefeated team left that is the consensus best team in the league? Hmm.
32. Buccaneers
31. Rams
30. Detroit
This group is collectively known as the Suicide Pool All-Stars. In 15 weeks I have picked against Detroit four times, St. Louis six times, and the Bucs twice. Needless to say, I'm doing quite well in my pool.
29. Chiefs
28. Seahawks
The Matt Hasselback era is over in Seattle.
27. Redskins
Is this team talented? We've heard over and over again about Jason Campbell being good but having difficulty because he's played in a different offensive system every year, even dating back to college. And after the Redskins ran a play where everybody, INCLUDING THE LINEMEN, ran out in a pattern to catch a pass, resulting in the quarterback (who was actually the field goal kicker) getting creamed as he threw the world's most predictable interception, I think the title of worst coaching staff is well in hand. If I was a Redskins fans, I would have been shopping for a new TV on Tuesday, because this one would have had a remote stuck in it.
26. Bears
Kyle Orton is winning in Denver while Jay Cutler chases the Bears single season interception record. At the start of the season, everybody talked about Orton's record as a starter being better than Cutler's, but more as a fascinating oddity than anything with real meaning. At some point, the numbers no longer lie.
25. Browns
24. Raiders
The Suicide Pool killers. The Browns have one of the most exciting players in football in Josh Cribbs (I would have said most exciting if not for DeSean Jackson). And the Raiders... let's see if I can get this statistic right: the teams that the Raiders have beaten collectively have the best record of any set of teams that a team has beaten this year. Did I say that right? What I mean is that they have beaten very good teams, including playoff contending Pittsburgh, Denver, Dallas, Philadelphia... and also Kansis City.
23. Falcons
22. Bills
21. Panthers
The Underachievers. Although Carolina has gotten markedly better since they benched their catastrophe of a quarterback. By the way, John Fox should be fired in Carolina for two reasons: one, for not benching Delhomme after the first 4 games; and two, for not only NOT benching him, but continuing to call more pass plays than running plays after it was clear that Delhomme was a head case and their running game was still dominant.
20. Niners
Beware the Crabtree Curse!
19. Jets
18. Steelers
17. Jaguars
16. Texans
Collectively known as the 7-7 hopefulls. They are ranked not in the order in which they could potentially make the playoffs (the Texans would be last since they lose all the tiebreakers) but in the order in which I think they could finish 9-7. The Texans have the best chance precisely because they don't actually have anything to play for anymore. They melt under the spotlight.
15. Giants
14. Cowboys
The Giants are a game behind and hold the tiebreaker. The Cowboys just pulled off the upset after the other shoe finally dropped on New Orleans. One of them is in, one of them is out of the playoffs. Neither of them will do much once they get there.
13. Ravens
12. Titans
Speaking of coaches who should be fired for not quickly addressing their quarterback situation, Jeff Fisher, you are done.
11. Broncos
10. Dolphins
BOLD PREDICTION ALERT: The Dolphins will be the best team to not make the playoffs this year.
9. Bengals
Way to be inspired by your teammate's death, Bengals.
8. Patriots
7. Cardinals
This Arizona team is better than the one that went to the Super Bowl last year.
6. Packers
I think they might be overrated, even by me.
5. Vikings
I had been blaming Brad Childress for underutilizing Adrian Peterson. Now it turns out that its Brett Favre's fault; he's been audibling out of run plays at the line so he can throw it, cause he's a gunslinger and a cowboy and Favre Favre Favre. That makes alot more sense.
4. Eagles
Anytime Donovan McNabb drops back for more than 3 seconds, I get a bad feeling in my stomach; I know he's about to launch the ball downfield to a wide open DeSean Jackson. Just unbelievable how that keeps working.
3. Saints
In the 2001 World Series, the night after Tino Martinez hit a game tying 2-run homer with 2 out in the ninth off Byun Yung Kim, Scott Brosius came up against the same pitcher in the same situation: 1 on, two out, down by two. We all thought: no way lightning strikes twice, right? That's what we were talking about as Nick Folk lined up for a game icing chippy field goal at the end of Saturday's game: no way Folk misses this kick so soon after Suisham missed his, right?
Except this time the Saints didn't capitalize on the gift from the Gods. As all the pundits say, will it be better for them to get that loss out of the way? Or have their close calls against poor teams this season been more indicative of their play, and instead they are just super duper lucky? I'm inclined to the later.
2. Chargers
I can't put them ahead of Indianapolis until...
1. Indianapolis
...Indianapolis loses to them in the playoffs.
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