Better than Sliced Bread
Dallas moves into the top spot this week after their shellacking of Green Bay. I know I said the Giants wouldn't drop from the top spot until they lost, but there's some simple logic here. Dallas handily beat a team that was in my top 5 and is still a division leader. The Giants barely beat a team that was (SPOILER: and still is) in my bottom 5. Therefore, Dallas moves up into the top spot. Their offensive line has been spectacular in their protection of Romo. Jason Witten is the best tight end in the league. He can do it all. Felix Jones and Marion Barber make a better running back combo than Julius Jones and Barber did last year. This team is scary good. The real test will come in the playoffs.
The defending champs start 3-0? Their Super Bowl win obviously was more well-deserved than people gave them credit for at the time. Their D-line has played great after losing Osi. The Giants suspended No-Catch-ico for the next game for missing a team workout this week. But with their bye week coming up, he has an extra week to appeal the suspension. The offense came through when it needed to against the Bungles, but their defense buckled when it needed to clamp down. Still, going into the bye week 3-0 is no small task.
Just how good is Tennessee? They're 2 games up on Indy and Jacksonville in the division after 3 weeks. They face two good defensive teams in Minnesota and Baltimore before their bye week, but neither of those teams posesses much offense either, which means Tennessee's incredible defense will probably have a field day. Look for two low-scoring battles where defense and field position will make the difference. The tandem of Chris Johnson and LenDale White is paying huge dividends, but as Carolina found out in Minnesota this week, you can't beat the Vikes with just a running game. Kerry Collins has played well in replacement of VY, but he hasn't seen a defense like Minnesota yet.
This isn't anywhere near the Bills team you remember fondly from your childhood. This team runs the ball, plays sound defense, has a quarterback who is coming into his own, and is in the driver seat in the AFC East. They got a scare from Oakland this past week, but they should have a much easier time with St. Louis this coming weekend. Their only test before their bye comes in Week 6 when they have to travel to Arizona. Paul Posluzny for Defensive Player of the Year.
Let's face it, this team is a field goal and a blown call away from being 1-2. Nevertheless, the offense looks nigh unstoppable. Jay Cutler is playing great, but one has to be a little concerned about the defense. However, they have a 2-game lead in the division with wins over both San Diego and Oakland and get the hapless Chiefs this week. San Diego plays Oakland this weekend to determine 2nd in the division as Denver will hold their 2+ game lead on both teams no matter who wins.
Just missed: Baltimore
Just missed: Baltimore
Churning Butter is More Fun than Watching These Teams
With Miami beating New England, the Rams take over the bottom spot in the rankings. Their offense can't move the ball and their defense can't stop anyone. This is a bad combination. Behind Lane Kiffin, who is always on the hot seat by definition of his job, Scott Linehan is frying right now. He might be gone before the bye week. Which means if he survives this week, he had better find a way to get something done against Buffalo, because the bye week is right after that, which is the perfect time for a coaching change.
I know Herm Edwards is going through a rebuilding process, but this team really needs some run defense. Glenn Dorsey was supposed to help, but they've been run all over by Oakland and Atlanta. This team is falling to the bottom fast. There isn't a team on their schedule they have a chance to beat again until Week 13 when they have to travel to Oakland. If they lose there, they get 2 shots against Miami and Cincy in the last 2 weeks to avoid a losing season. The QB shuffle continues with Damon Huard back at the helm this week.
They fired Matt Millen today, so they have the chance to turn things around here. It might be too late to save this season, particularly with losses to Atlanta and San Francisco on the board already. They needed this bye week badly. They're going to have to figure out a way to spark the offense, because they get Chicago and Minnesota right out of the break.
The offense started to come around a little bit against the Giants. They showed some resiliency battling back to tie the game and send it to overtime. Chad Johnson must have traded his hands for his new name. He can't catch anything. They need to beef up the offensive line if they want to run the ball as much as they're trying to. Palmer still has mostly the same weapons as in years past, but this offense isn't nearly as explosive.
Their showdown with the Bungles this week will get one team off the shnide. The other? Well...it's going to be a long year. Cleveland fans know how we felt 2 years ago when Ben got concussed before the season and was never really himself. Anderson is struggling and Edwards can't hold on to the ball. The running game is going nowhere and they are injured up and down the lineup. Everyone who predicted Cleveland to win this division is hopping on the Baltimore bandwagon now.
Just missed: Houston
Just missed: Houston
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