Week 14 Power Rankings

Injuries are starting to mount. When we talk about teams going all the way, we talk about teams having very few holes, having good schemes, good coaches, etc. But the thing that always seems to prevail more than most is health. Last season, the Dolphins lost Tua for the playoffs and barely lost to Buffalo. It clearly impacted the game. This year has been a historic year for injuries - the players list of guys that have missed time is enormous, and many guys are done for the year. The NFL season is a marathon; don’t ever let anyone tell you any differently. As we get closer to Christmas, I’m sure each organization wants a healthy team under the tree.

Week 14 Power Rankings (November 30th-December 4th)

The Doctor Clears Most, if not All of You

1. San Francisco 49ers (+1) When this team is fully healthy, there is no one better. Any doubt was put to rest this weekend with a 42-19 thumping of the Philadelphia Eagles in their building. This team is undefeated when they have their full squad. That three game losing streak back in October? It was when both Trent Williams and Deb Samuel were on the shelf. It seems like the only thing stopping this team is health. It stopped them last year - will it happen again?

2. Baltimore Ravens (+1) Baltimore jumps up a spot after their bye. They have their own injury - Mark Andrews, who is due back sometime during the playoffs, but Lamar and the offense have done a great job masking his injury. The rookie sensation Zay Flowers has really blossomed in his first year. It seems the Ravens finally hit on a wide receiver. After 13 weeks, the Ravens are the most complete team in the AFC.

3. Philadelphia Eagles (-2) This loss was eye opening a bit. The Eagles got beat in every which way on Sunday. They have work to do if they want to get back to the Super Bowl. The addition of Shaw Leonard should hopefully help, but all of the sudden the SNF game next in Dallas is now huge. And outside of San Francisco, there may be nobody hotter in the league than the Cowboys.

4. Dallas Cowboys (+2) The Cowboys offense put up another 40 spot on the offensive side of the football this past Thursday, winning a close one 41-35 over the desperate Seahawks. Dallas has now put themselves in position to overtake first place in the NFC East with a win on Sunday Night when they host the Eagles. Dak Prescott has never looked better in his career and is now really in the conversation to take home his first MVP award.

You Have A Injury That is Hurting You

5. Detroit Lions (+3) The Lions got back on track Sunday in New Orleans with a 33-28 win, but the defensive woes continued. Right now, the Lions are a step below the NFC elite and I think would struggle containing high octane offenses like San Francisco and Dallas. The injury early in the year to CJ Gardner-Johnson has taken its toll as he was expected to be the vocal leader of the defense. That unit seems to be lacking that at the moment.

6. Kansas City Chiefs (-2) A disappointing loss to the Green Bay Packers on SNF showed the flaws of this years version of the Chiefs. The injury to Nick Bolton has really hurt this defense as it has not been itself the past few weeks. Jordan Love torched this defense last weekend, and they have a desperate Bills team coming in now off a bye. Can Patrick Mahomes save this team this season? Its the first time during his career where the Chiefs probably aren’t the favorite in the AFC.

7. Miami Dolphins (-) Miami stands pat this week after crushing another sub-par opponent. Is this team good? Yes. Yes they are. But I will not sit here and sing their praises until they beat a good team. They currently have the worst Strength of Victory (SOV) amongst all qualified playoff teams at .303!!!!! Tua, last week excused, has come down to earth a little bit. The piling of injuries of Terron Armstead worries me when it comes protection against good defensive lines. You saw what the Jets did. Oh, and by the way - Tyreek Hill should win the MVP.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars (-3) The Jags missed a golden opportunity on Monday Night to take control of the one seed in the AFC when they lost at home to the Bengals 34-31. That, unfortunately was the back story. This team got killed by injuries on Monday. Christian Kirk suffered a core muscle injury and will likely have surgery that will end his season, unless Jacksonville makes it to the AFCCG or better. Tre Herndon, Walker Little and Andre Cisco all suffered injuries. And then the motherload - Trevor Lawrence suffered a high ankle in a gruesome looking injury where we are all thankful it’s only a high ankle sprain. However much time he misses seriously impacts Jacksonville’s hold on the AFC South.

Try and Keep Your Young Stud Healthy

9. Houston Texans (+1) A thrilling win over the weekend agains the Broncos put the Texans at 7-5 after a heartbreaking loss last week. Houston didn’t come away unscathed though as Tank Dell is out for the season with a fractured fibula. Dell was CJ Stroud’s top target and it will be very interesting to see how this impacts Houston’s offense. This team has not really run the ball well this year, and they have the Jets up next. While the Jets can’t seemingly score…ever, their defense is very good, and it might be CJ Stroud’s biggest test yet. We will see how he responds.

10. Indianapolis Colts (+3) The Colts enter the top 10 for the first time this season. Gardner Minshew has done magnificent work since Anthony Richardson’s injury, and this team answered the bell after learning of the Jonathan Taylor injury. I’ll keep saying it - this team is 7-3 against teams not named the Jaguars. This is a good football team. And they have a playoff-type game coming up this week in a game against the suddenly alive Cincinnati Bengals.

11. Green Bay Packers (+3) The new “hottest” team in the league? Jordan Love is playing out of his mind right now, and he showed out again on the national stage. Love has arguably been the best QB in the NFL the past 3 weeks along with Brock Purdy, Dak Prescott and Trevor Lawrence. Even with this team missing Aaron Jones and Luke Musgrave, they are putting up numbers. It’s been fun to watch Love grow this season.

You NEED to Keep Your QB Healthy!

12. Denver Broncos (-3) Big loss in Houston - no other way to slice it. Right now, the Broncos are on the outside looking in, but they still have a favorable schedule the last five weeks of the season. Right now, they need to make sure Russell Wilson stays healthy. With the QBs dropping like flies, everyone is wondering whose next.

13. Los Angeles Rams (+2) The Rams were able to beatdown the Browns at home as they seem to now have all their horses on offense. The health of Matthew Stafford is paramount to this team’s playoff chances. The Rams have two tough games left - Baltimore (this week) and San Francisco. If they can find a way to win one of those games, 10-7 is on the table.

14. Buffalo Bills (+3) The Bills are a step above the “mid” teams. They are definitely one of the best 7 teams in the AFC, but now they need to find a way to get in. Their playoffs start this week when they play Kansas City. They also have Miami and Dallas left on the schedule. It will not be an easy road. We will see what the Bills are made of.

The Backup QB Crew…And the Seahawks

15. Cleveland Browns (-3) It seems like the Browns have been ravaged by injury the most this year losing three QBs, Nick Chubb, Amari Cooper amongst a host of others. There is also an argument Joe Flacco looked like their best QB all year last week. Either way, this team is in flux right now. I don’t think you can expect PJ Walker, DTR or Joe Flacco to lead you anywhere - and the Browns are getting a pissed off Jaguars team coming in this Sunday who is undefeated on the road this season. Can the defense pull out a great performance after two sub-par ones in a row?

16. Seattle Seahawks (-) Seattle’s postseason chances are slipping. Now losers of three straight, the Hawks find themselves at 6-6 and out of the playoffs if they started today. What started off as a promising season is now crumbling in front of them. Next up? A second date with the 49ers. Seattle is in danger of falling under .500 for the first time since Week 1.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers (-6) I finally started believing in them - and them got smacked in the face as to never not trust my judgement again. If you are a playoff team you do NOT lose to the Arizona Cardinals at home by double digits!!! The Steelers were never in this game. Kenny Pickett got hurt (again) and will be out 2-3 weeks. They have a soft game Thursday against the doormat Patriots. They may get in off their schedule alone, but this team is absolutely no threat.

18. Cincinnati Bengals (+2) Jake Browning? Yes, Jake Browning. What the. Bengals did on Monday Night was great for them and for the sport. Browning has had a career in the NFL of going through it and finally got his shot on the National stage and delivered. He went toe to toe with Trevor Lawrence and was able to get a victory in OT against a good football team. The Bengals are in the hunt - and now have a massive game against the Colts Sunday.

19. Minnesota Vikings (-1) The Vikes were on bye, so nothing to add that wasn’t said last week. It will be interesting to see who starts at QB this week.

You Would Think These Teams Would’ve Had Big Injuries

20. Atlanta Falconsss (-1) Did the Falcons go down a spot after winning a game? Yes. Why you ask? Because their offense is putrid. It’s like watching paint dry. Whoever wins the NFC South is doing a detriment to their long term success.

21. Los Angeles Chargers (+2) Last week, I sat here and said the Bears had the most uninspiring win of the NFL season. Leave it to the Chargers (always) to one up other teams in categories. They beat the Patriots 6-0. Now, yes, the shutout is great by the defense, but it’s not like they played Jake Browning and the Bengals! They played Bailey Zappe and the Patriots, who are the worst team in football. But more than that, 6 points from the offense? SIX - with Justin Herbert! Man, I can’t wait for this team to get a new coach.

22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-) The Bucs are just one of those teams that make you want to put your head through a wall. Somehow, someway this team controls their own destiny in the NFC South (again) and can be in first place with a win against the Falcons this week. The back to back 8-9 division champs is officially on the table.

23. New Orleans Saints (-2) Fuck this team. They suck. All the weapons, players, etc. It doesn’t matter. Bad teams find ways to lose, and the Saints are a bad team. Dennis Allen should get fired.

24. Las Vegas Raiders (-) If you told me that Jimmy G was not playing in Week 14, I would’ve thought he got injured, but alas, he got benched. For Aiden O’Connell. This team is in shambles. Again.

Injuries Wouldn’t Matter

25. Chicago Bears (-) On bye. Thank Christ.

26. Tennessee Titans (+2) Showed up this week for a change and almost won a football game. Took the Colts to OT where the defense couldn’t contain Gardner Minshew (lol). The Titans are approaching a full rebuild, probably somewhere they should’ve been a couple of years ago.

27. New York Giants (-) Tommy Devito is officially the starter over Tyrod Taylor. Someone needs to do a documentary on what happened to Tyrod in his career, cause it is bizarre. I don’t think anyone actually thinks that Tommy Devito is better than Tyrod Taylor. The Giants are still mathematically in the playoff race.

The Jets Need Their Own Category

28. New York Jets (-2) The Jets suffered the biggest injury of the season (yes, more than Joe Burrow). Aaron Rodgers would’ve probably masked a lot of deficiencies this team had, but it was almost good for the Jets in a way. It showed how far away from contention they really are. This roster is NOT as good as we thought, and it needs to be addressed in the off-season. I, for one, will be really keen to see if they draft a QB in this year’s draft. whispers…they should.

Do You Even Deserve a Category?

29. Arizona Cardinals (+1) They won a game! After an embarrassing performance agains the Rams, this team showed up. I still think of Jonathan Gannon’s first speech and wonder how many guys take the bus to the facility.

30. Washington Commanders (-1) What a fall from grace. Back to back games of giving up 45 points? Sacks galore? This team is actually pitiful. The mass player exodus on this team will be something to watch. Terry McLaurin and Jonathan Allen should be traded in the offseason.

31. Carolina Panthers (+1) The Panthers move up because they didn’t give up. Simple. They are still garbage in every sense of the word.

32. New England Patriots (-1) I mean in every which way possible - I would rather get waterboarded than watch the Patriots play football. This team has given up.

Week 10 Power Rankings

November is finally upon us! The leaves are falling and the cold weather is starting to set in. This is football weather. Teams are hitting and running the football is paramount as the season drags along. For the first time in over a month, we have a mainstay at the number one spot as the Philadelphia Eagles held on this week to defeat the Dallas Cowboys. This week’s theme? The middling teams. The teams jarring and jockeying for playoff positioning. That is now an important thing. We’ve had 9 rookie quarterbacks start a game this season, which is on the cusp of an NFL record, but guys are getting healthy. We can expect Deebo Samuel back this week for the 49ers as they travel to Jacksonville in one of, if not the best game of the week. Justin Fields also may return tomorrow against Carolina. So guys are getting healthy. And if you think your team is out - my Jaguars were 2-6 at this point last year before they went on their run. So anything is possible. Lets get to it!

POWER RANKINGS - WEEK 9 (November 2nd - November 6th)

Playoffs Already? Yes, Playoffs Already

1. Philadelphia Eagles (-) The Eagles broke the mini curse. After defeating the Cowboys in a 28-23 thriller, Philly just keeps racking up wins. Have they looked as dominant as last year? No. Bust does it matter? Also no. The Eagles are 8-1 and will be in the playoffs again looking to get back to their second consecutive Super Bowl.

2. Baltimore Ravens (-) The Ravens answered the bell yet again against a premiere opponent by destroying the Seahawks on Sunday. While the division may not be a lock yet, the playoffs absolutely are. This team is 7-2 and is not looking back. They are extremely dangerous.

3. Kansas City Chiefs (-) This team just doesn’t lose back to back games. The defense was on display again as they thwarted any type of Dolphins comeback Sunday morning in Germany. The offense still seems “broken” but while it finds itself, the defense is carrying the load. The secondary is the best its ever been under Reid.

The Kings of the Jungle

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (-) The Jags were on a bye this week, and the most important thing is that this team got healthy. Going into their game against the 49ers Sunday, all but Zay Jones should be suited up and playing. If the Jaguars came beat San Francisco at home, the team is officially a Super Bowl threat and a lock for the playoffs. Make no mistake, its a big game Sunday in Duval County.

5. Detroit Lions (+1) Our first mover of the week even though they were on bye. Their hold on the NFC North is strong, but all of the sudden the Vikings are coming up fast in the rearview mirror. An important game against the Chargers in LA is on deck. A loss and a Minnesota win shrinks the NFC North lead to one game.

6. Cincinnati Bengals (+2) Last week I said they were back. Boy, are they really back. Joe Burrow has looked incredible and the Bengals are back to being firm Super Bowl contenders. However, the hole they dug at the beginning of the year now causes every game to be important here on out in a crowded AFC.

All Eyes Are On You

7. San Francisco 49ers (+3) A week off for Frisco showed how good they actually are. Coming off a bye, look for things to get right as they travel to Jacksonville for a 1pm game. It should be a great game. Look for the Niners to get back to running the ball.

8. Dallas Cowboys (-1) A tough fought loss at Philly drops them a spot, but it seems we are the point in the year where “experts” are talking about the Boys in blue as Super Bowl contenders. Reminder - this team hasn’t been to a conference title game since 1995. And they will be judged on that and only that.

9. Miami Dolphins (-4) 0-3 against teams over .500. Not good enough. The Dolphins are officially the Cowboys of the AFC until they prove otherwise. This team is not a lock for the playoffs until they can beat those teams. A week off is much needed as they need to figure things out.

Getting Taped Up for the Fight

10. Cleveland Browns (+4) The defense did its job but pitching a shutout against rookie Clayton Tune and the Arizona Cardinals. They are sitting at 5-3 and currently the six seed in the AFC standings. Let’s see how good they are this week when they play the Ravens for a second time. Last time didn’t go well, and they want to be in the dance, they are going to have to beat their AFC North counterparties.

11. Minnesota Vikings (+1) And another one! Josh Dobbs doesn’t know anyone, but who cares. The Vikes fought back and stunned the Atlanta Falcons and are over .500 after starting 0-3. An incredible turnaround. Kevin O’Connell deserves a bunch of credit.

12. Seattle Seahawks (-3) Embarrassed in Baltimore. When Detroit did, they answered the bell the following week. Seattle is home for Washington this week. They should beat them. The difference between 6-3 and 5-4 is monumental. And Geno Smith needs to pick it up.

13. Houston Texans (+3) The CJ Stroud game. The kid is a baller and pulled a rabbit out of his hat Sunday. The front runner for the OROY, the Texans may have found something. They are on the outside looking in right now, but they are for sure in the fight.

14. Pittsburgh Steelers (+1) They cooled down the Will Levis train on Thursday as they handled the Titans, but they continue to win ugly. I’m extremely skeptical that it's sustainable but your record says who you are, and the Steelers are 5-3.

15. Buffalo Bills (-2) If the season ended today, the Buffalo Bills wouldn’t qualify for the playoffs. A lot of people in the off-season thought that Buffalo may not up to snuff this year and so far it’s been true. Yea, their talent is really good, but they need to win games. A hot Denver team is on deck at home Monday Night.

16. Los Angeles Chargers (+2) A statement win on Monday in Metlife against the Jets. Their offense wasn’t great, but the defense stepped up big time. The Chargers are now 4-4 and firmly in the hunt. They have a massive game at home against the Lions Sunday.

17. New Orleans Saints (-) They won a game they were supposed to. They are now 5-4 in what continues to be a see-saw season. They were the favorites for the division going into the season and may be the best of the bunch when it's all set and done.

Stuck in the Atmosphere

18. New York Jets (-7) An extremely uninspiring performance from the Jets on Monday where they really could’ve taken control of a ton. The offense simply didn’t show up. Zach Wilson aint it. The offensive line is terrible. And Robert Saleh should be coaching for his job. Don’t care about the Rodgers injury.

19. Washington Commanders (+4) It’s hard to pinpoint where they truly belong in the NFL. They are 4-5 and I think that’s about right. They gave up both of their young, premiere EDGE rushers at the deadline, sending a message to fans that they are essentially starting over. I think Ron Rivera’s days are numbered.

20. Indianapolis Colts (+5) In a game a lot of people thought they could lose, they handled their business. This isn’t a playoff team, but it’s not an easy out either. Take away their two losses to Jacksonville and this team is 4-3!

21. Las Vegas Raiders (+5) Pretty wild how much Josh McDaniels affected that locker room. An inspiring victory against the Giants at home on Sunday sets them up for a big, big matchup against the Jets on Sunday Night. A win puts them at .500 and in the mix for a wild card spot. Wild stuff.

22. Denver Broncos (-1) On a bye last week, Denver is sitting at 3-5 and made no moves at the trade deadline. Extremely interesting. I don’t hope this team thinks they have a shot at hell at the playoffs, but its going to be really interesting to see what happens down the stretch.

FRAUDS

23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-4) This team is cooked. I would’ve kept the door open if they won that game in Houston but after blowing it I’m done. And this isn’t Baker’s fault either. Its about everyone else outside of Baker that’s the problem.

24. Atlanta Falcons (-2) Arthur Smith should be fired. If not for anything else, for his usage of Bijan Robinson alone. You’re not smarter than everyone else man. Your team is under .500, so whatever you are doing isn’t working.

25. Tennessee Titans (-5) When we believe, they let us down. Will Levis wasn’t bad on Thursday, but he also wasn’t fantastic. Yes, he made a couple of throws, but as Mike Vrabel said - WE lost. The Titans can theoretically only afford two more losses and I just don’t think that’s in the cards.

What Do You Provide, Exactly?

26. Green Bay Packers (+4) Sure, they won. They beat Brett Rypien and didn’t look great doing it. Not a good first year under Jordan Love for the Pack.

27. Los Angeles Rams (-3) We got fooled and thought this team was decent. They are not. They are bad. 3-6 at the break and two games out of a wild card spot they are alive, but they need to go on some sort of run and still have to play the 49ers and Seahawks again.

28. Chicago Bears (-) I swear, this team just exists. Cole Kmet had a pulse Sunday. And this kid Bagent isn’t awful. But hey, Justin Fields may come back against the PANTHERS, so when he lights it up lets not forget to act like he’s Steve Young.

The Shit Under My Shoe

29. New England Patriots (-2) Holy shit, they’re terrible. We all saw it coming, but I think its worse than we anticipated.

30. Carolina Panthers (-1) Bryce Young, you have a TON of work to do.

31. New York Giants (-) My fucking lord. Just good christ. The fall from grace is astounding.

32. Arizona Cardinals (-) Kyler comes back this week. Soooooo about the tank?

Rookie Report Card - Quarterbacks

We are about to enter into Week 6. And every year, we have guys under center who are new to this called the NFL. And it's job and judgement to decide if they will make it or not after their first handful of games. Screw the Peyton Mannings of the world and the Trevor Lawrence’s - their first year struggles don’t count. Sarcasm, for anyone who can’t read between the lines. We don’t know how these guys are going to perform. However, what we can do is talk about what we’ve seen so far and how they have seemed to progressed. The future is young and bright for the three guys we are about to discuss - no matter the record, TD:INT ratio, or the amount of turnovers they’ve committed. These kids are learning on the fly - something the old heads would’ve never done. But in 2023, it’s a “what have you done for me lately” kind of world. Let’s check in on the three QBs…

Bryce Young - Carolina Panthers

63% COM, 750 PaYds, 5 TDs, 4 INTs

Grade: Incomplete

I truly struggled with Bryce. He’s already missed some time with an ankle injury, but also the team around him is seriously struggling. That isn't to say Bryce isnt struggling himself. One of the first things i noticed is that he has struggled with the pace of the NFL; When at Alabama, he ran a very uptempo spread offense. The antithesis has occurred for him so far in the NFL, which is perfectly warranted by a Rookie QB. I went and reviewed some game tape from the game against the Lions and another blaring issue is something that a fellow Alabama alumni in Tua Tagovailoa had - looking for wideouts that are NFL open and not Alabama open. You can see him go through his progressions, but it almost seems like he’s a little too afraid to throw the ball when it should be thrown. Instead he waits and ends up having to throw it away. This is something that has consistently gone on since Week 1. He definitely needs to improve on his quick decisions, which he should due to his high football IQ. One thing that also may factor into this is his time to throw, or lack thereof. He’s getting killed out there behind his offensive line, so maybe a little bit of happy feet has lead to indecisiveness when it comes to ball placement. When Young does connect with his WRs, I will say it’s always an accurate, nice ball for the most part. I do belive in time alot of this will be sorted out but because of the situation around him in Carolina, I need to give him an incomplete 

CJ Stroud - Houston Texans

61% COM, 1,461 PaYds, 7 TDs, 0 INTs

Grade: A-

What can be said about Stroud that hasn't already been said? Hes off to one of the greatest starts by a rookie QB ever, and he’s way farther ahead than most people including myself thought he’d be at this point. One thing I've noticed in his first games as a rookie QB is that he sees the field incredibly well; way better then he did in college. He’s constantly making the right play and actually has the opposite issue that Young has. He is already seeing guys that are NFL open and isn't afraid to throw them the football. This is big, because one of our biggest questions back in April was could he adjust to playing with lesser talent then what he did at Ohio State? Nico Collins is turning out to become a true WR1, but he had some dawgs over there in Buckeye Nation. He’s really elevated the play of the guys around him and that says a lot. The boys at Perfect Spiral actually have an early comp for him of Matt Ryan with more mobility. But just the way he sits in the pocket and delivers the ball shows early comparisons. One thing I definitely think he needs to clean up on is ball security; He’s done a great job of not throwing interceptions but he’s lost 3 fumbles on sacks so that needs to be cleaned up.

Anthony Richardson - Indianapolis Colts

59% COM, 577 PaYDs, 3 TDs, 1 INT

25 Rushes, 136 RuYds, 4 TDs

Grade: C

It really sucks to see Richardson’s season cut short as he’s been placed on IR with a Grade 3 AC Joint sprain. It’s uncertain if he will return this season, but he is eligible to come off during Week 10. He’s already missed time with a concussion and possibly, if surgery is needed - the rest of his rookie season. When he did play, we definitely got some highlights. He’s everything we thought he would be - in both the good and bad department. Lets start with the good; Shane Stehien has done a really good job of trying to incoporate what Richardson does well. He took a little bit of what made Hurts successful in Philadelphia early on and has applied it here. Richardson has been a force with his legs. When he gets going, it’s pretty hard to stop him. He has done well on deep ball passing and immedietly felt like he built a rapport with the players around him. With all the amazing praise though comes the criticism, and that’s been the accuracy issues that plagued him at Florida. He’s sailed easy balls over his receivers heads on short routes time after time and that really needs to be cleaned up. The big…big…big issue is that he needs to learn to protect himself and SLIDE!!! Two serious injuries in five weeks isn’t a great look and one of them could have been avoided if he just knew when to give up on the play.