NFL Power Poll #3

1. Green Bay Packers (7-0)

They struggled against a bad Vikings team, but on the road against a divisional opponent, a close game isn’t really the worst thing in the world.  It’s a wakeup call without taking a loss.  The defense has some issues to work out, but they have the personnel to matchup with anyone, and Dom Capers will get that sorted out before the playoffs.

So long as Aaron Rodgers is under center, this team should be favored in every single game they play.  For some perspective, in the year that the Patriots went undefeated and Tom Brady threw 50 touchdowns, his passer rating was 117.  In Peyton Manning’s best statistical year, his rating was 121.  This year Rodgers’ rating is 125.7, comfortably ahead of either Manning or Brady’s best all-time level.  If he continues this type of play, we are looking at possibly the best season ever. 

2. San Francisco 49ers (5-1)

A perfect bye week for the Niners.  They get to rest, will hopefully get Braylon Edwards back to an offense that is starting to find it’s rhythm, and everyone in the NFC West lost.  The Rams sit at 0-6, the Cardinals at 1-5, and the Seahawks at 2-4.  With the way those teams are playing, Seattle is probably the only team that has a chance to even surpass five wins on the entire season, which makes San Fran the more likely to win its division than any other team.

The 49ers get Cleveland at home, then head to Washington to play a banged up and offensively inept Redskins team.  If they get to 7-1, they set themselves up for a first-round bye. 

3. New England Patriots (5-1)

The next few weeks will tell us a ton about the Patriots and also may allow the Jets and Bills to make this one hell of a race in the AFC East.  I still love New England’s offense; they’re just a point-scoring factory, but the defense is a real issue.  With games against the Steelers next week, then the Giants, Jets, and Eagles all upcoming, we should really see how good this team is and if they have the ingredients for another Super Bowl run. 

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)

I begrudgingly put the Steelers here because they’ve won three-straight games, and Ben Roethlisberger is playing at a really high level.  This spot came down to Pittsburgh and the Saints, but I say the Steelers are a more balanced team between offense and defense, so I’ll give them the nod over New Orleans.

5. New Orleans Saints (5-2)

I don’t think destroying the Colts tells us a whole lot about the Saints that we didn’t already know.  They are great on offense, and their defense thrives when they have a sizeable lead and can attack.  Drew Brees is having his typical great year but is still throwing a few too many interceptions.  This is a team that can beat anyone, anywhere, anytime, but I’m not in love with their defense. 

6. Atlanta Falcons (4-3)

This is where things really get sticky.  A host of 4-2 and 4-3 teams really haven’t separated themselves at all.

With two-straight wins, including a road victory at Detroit, I’ll give the six spot to Atlanta more because of their ceiling than how good I really think they are at this moment.  Talent-wise they can stay on the field with anyone, but Matt Ryan has to do better than his current 9-to-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio. 

7. New York Giants (4-2)

For right now we are looking at the best team in the NFC East, but they haven’t gotten their running game going, and the upcoming schedule is unbelievably brutal.  After the bye week they get a cupcake at home against the Dolphins but then travel to San Francisco, to New England, host the Eagles, go to New Orleans, host the Packers, then go to Dallas.  They might be favored in just one or two of those games and could potentially lose all of them.

8. Buffalo Bills (4-2)

A bye week was great as this team must get focused for the meat of their schedule coming up.  They have an excellent chance to put themselves in good divisional position hosting the Redskins this Sunday and welcoming the Jets the following week.  They also have the Broncos and Miami twice still on their schedule.  This team has a legitimate shot to make the playoffs.

9. Baltimore Ravens (4-2)

If they had done what I thought they were going to do, crush the Jaguars, they’d probably be second in my rankings.  But the NFL is a pendulum league, and this week it swung the opposing way for the once hot Ravens.

Losing a really ugly game against Jacksonville in prime time raised a lot of questions about their preparation and if Joe Flacco can really make this team a title contender.  Flacco has to complete more than 52% of his passes.   I really think he has the ability but must be more decisive and intelligent with his throws.

10. Chicago Bears (4-3)

I don’t like it, but if Chicago continues to realize that Matt Forte is pretty damn good, this is a dangerous team.  Ideally they need to limit Jay Cutler to twenty-five throws per game and work a ton out of play-action to both minimize his turnovers and his exposure to hits, though I’m not sure Mike Martz would ever be so logical.

11. Detroit Lions (5-2)

More than losing two-straight, what concerns me is the general trend going on with this team.  They are so reliant on the big play to Calvin Johnson and don’t have really anything resembling a feature back in the running game.  Also, surprisingly, considering their deep and talented defensive line rotation, they rank twenty-eighth in stopping the run.  This is a really dangerous and talented team, but they have some obvious holes that we glossed over in the hysteria of their 5-0 start.

12. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2)

I think they’re probably too young on offense to sustain their winning ways all season, but their defense is for real.  This fast, bruising, and talented defense will keep this team in a lot of games.

--from @AdamHocking

Week 7 Game Notes

Panthers over Redskins

Adam

• Cam Newton is a better athlete than Michael Vick.  Before you overreact, let me explain.  No, he’s not as fast as or as agile, but he’s easily the second-fastest starting quarterback in the league, and he combines that rare athleticism with the size and strength of Ben Roethlisberger.  Vick is as fast as anyone, but he’s barely 6-feet tall and 210 pounds soaking wet.  When you factor strength into the equation, Newton is the better overall athlete.
• The thing Newton was knocked for coming into the draft, his lack of accuracy has been one of his biggest strengths.  The kid is accurate, strong, poised: the complete package.  The Panthers hit a home run with this pick so long as Newton keeps working to improve.
• Steve Smith apparently just needed a quarterback; he’s the best receiver in football right now.
• The Redskins now look a lot more like the team we thought they would be heading into the season than what we thought they could be sitting at 3-1.  They don’t have a legit quarterback, and they lack playmakers. The defense though has some really special players.

Eric

• So, there’s John Beck for ya, Washington.
• This game was about Cam Newton though.  (Who else on Carolina could it possibly be about?)  Newton threw for 256 yards and a touchdown, rushed for another score, and only had five incompletions on the day.
• Newton has 7 rushing touchdowns through seven games.  The Panthers as a team rushed for 7 touchdowns all of last season.

Browns over Seahawks

Adam

• Let’s all just agree that this game never happened.

Eric

• I’m not even going to touch this one.

Falcons over Lions

Adam

• A really big win for the Falcons, they are too talented to linger around the .500 mark.
• Tony Gonzalez is now second only to Jerry Rice all-time in receptions, what a career for a guy who is still one of the best tight ends in the league in his fifteenth season.
• The Lions are developing an edge that I like.  They were feisty with both the Niners and Falcons in consecutive weeks, and I think that comes from fiery (read: maniacal) head coach Jim Schwartz.
• Calvin Johnson is so damn athletic, it’s not funny.
• If the Lions find a true feature back and a bolster the offensive line, this could be a top-2 offense in the league.

Eric

• The Upset of the Day Award goes to Atlanta for traveling to Detroit, the lions’ den, if you will, and knocking off the previously red hot Detroit Lions, who have now lost two-straight.
• The Falcons leaned on Michael Turner, who responded with 122 yards on 27 carries, so Matt Ryan wouldn’t have to do too much.
• Even with Julio Jones in the lineup, the Falcons are a running team.  Don’t forget that, Atlanta.
• In this game Tony Gonzalez moved into second place on the all-time receptions list.  Congrats, Tony.

Broncos over Dolphins

Adam

• Tim Tebow didn’t have amazing numbers, but he came through in precisely the way all of his supporters praise him for.  He was clutch, he improvised, he made plays on the run, and he made plays when it counted.  He also had one beautiful throw between triple coverage that looked like a big time, NFL-caliber pass.
• Yes, it came against a bad Dolphins team, but Tebow found a way to win.  If he keeps winning, nobody will care how pretty his spiral looks.
• The Dolphins stink.
• Tony Sporano is a dead man walking.

Eric

• For better or worse, anything the Broncos do from now on will all be attributed to Tim Tebow.
• For 54 minutes, Tebow and the Broncos couldn’t do anything against the Dolphins, but by erasing a 15-point deficit with just three minutes left to tie and force the game into overtime, that is all irrelevant.
• More than Tebow heroics I put this one on the Dolphins utterly disappearing over those waning minutes/overtime.

Jets over Chargers

Adam

• Memo to all quarterbacks: do not throw it near Darelle Revis.  He is having another monster year.
• Plaxico Burress finally broke out for the Jets, scoring three times and providing exactly what they need, a big red-zone target.
• Philip Rivers is not putting up near the numbers we are accustomed to with just an 83 passer rating.  His career rating is 96, and the past few years it’s been over 100.
• I’m not sure what is going on with him, but when he’s playing at his highest level, he’s behind only Aaron Rodgers and perhaps Tom Brady in terms of guys I’d want leading my attack.  He needs to get back to that level.

Eric

• Philip Rivers didn’t look quite right in this game.  By Rivers standards, he’s gotten off to a pretty terrible start to the season.  I hope he turns it around in the second half as I enjoy watching him put up video game numbers no matter who his receivers are.
• Plaxico Burress caught 3 touchdowns.  What is this, 2007?

Bears over Buccaneers

Adam

• Run the ball, Mike Martz.  Matt Forte is a stud, and your pass protection is awful.
• Marion Barber isn’t bad either, but he doesn’t seem to run with the same tenacity he used to.
• Jay Cutler is never going to change.  He will always make those few throws off his back foot that are just too stupid for words, and that’s why they Bears will never win a championship with Cutler leading the charge.
• Josh Freeman has not looked like the man we saw last year.

Eric

• Both quarterbacks were pretty awful in this game.  Who wasn’t awful was Matt Forte.  No player in the NFL accounts for as much of his team’s yardage as Forte, and in this game he accumulated 183 total yards and a score.
• Speaking of Forte’s touchdown, it is one of my favorite runs of the season so far.

Texans over Titans

Adam

• Arian Foster is a monster, and combined with Ben Tate, this is the best running back duo in football.
• When Andre Johnson gets back, this offense is scary.  It’s just a shame Mario Williams is out for the year.
• The Titans have been a Jekyll and Hyde team this year.  I can’t figure them out.
• Where are you Chris Johnson?

Eric

• This one wasn’t anywhere close.
• Props to Arian Foster and his 234 total yards and 3 touchdowns on the day.

Steelers over Cardinals

Adam

• Ben Roethlisberger has been playing great the past couple games.
• The AFC doesn’t seem to have a great team this year, so the combination of Steelers’ defense and Roethlisberger could be good enough to again make noise in the playoffs.
• The Cardinals fall to 1-5, and with the Rams winless at 0-6 and Seattle at 2-4, the 49ers might not have to win more than two additional games to take the division.  Honestly, do the Seahawks, Rams, or Cardinals strike you as teams that could win any more than six games?  That’s a stretch-and-a-half.

Eric

• After throwing for five touchdowns a week ago, Ben Roethlisberger continued to torch opposing secondaries, this week going for 361 yards and 3 scores.

Chiefs over Raiders

Adam

• The Chiefs have recovered from an awful start, but Matt Cassel just is not a very good quarterback.  Kansas City is still a very limited team.
• The Raiders gave up way too much for Carson Palmer.  Even if he plays well for a couple of years for them, he’s been on the decline ever since he tore up his knee in that 2005 playoff game.
• Oakland may still be a threat in the AFC West once Palmer gets a week or two to really get integrated, but once again the division seems like it’s the Chargers’ to lose.

Eric

• On a weekend with a whole heap of bad quarterback performances, this game took the cake.
• In a winning effort, Matt Cassel finished with a 38.3 passer rating.
• On the other side, the Raiders used three quarterbacks, all to equally dreadful effect.
• Kyle Boller started the game and was pulled after throwing three interceptions.  His passer rating was 22.3.
• Replacing Boller was someone who had been with the Raiders less than a week and hadn’t been with any team since the end of last season, Carson Palmer.  Palmer completed just 8/21 passes; like Boller threw three interceptions, one of which was returned by Kansas City for a touchdown, also like Boller; and compiled a whopping 17.4 rating.
• Terrelle Pryor came in for one play in the middle of the game and committed a false start.

Cowboys over Rams

Adam

• Dallas wasn’t as bad as their 2-3 record indicated coming into this game, and they just needed a confidence booster game to get back on track in the wide open NFC East.  Beating the Rams by 27 is just what the doctor ordered.
• DeMarco Murray looked like a freak at Oklahoma but seemed a bit of an afterthought as an NFL prospect.  He now holds the Cowboy single game rushing record, ahead of Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett.
• The Rams are every bit as bad as 0-6.

Eric

• Wow, DeMarco Murray.  The rookie third-round pick from Oklahoma rushed for 253 yards, which included an impressive 91-yard touchdown scamper on his first carry of the game.

Packers over Vikings

Adam

• This game was closer than it should have been, only because Green Bay receivers dropped passes.  Still, any way you slice it, 7-0 is an incredible start to a season, especially for a defending Super Bowl champ.
• Aaron Rodgers is not real.  His passer rating on the season is 126.  The next closest is Tom Brady at 105.  In Rodgers’ worst statistical game this year, Week 3 at Chicago, he went 28/38 for 297 yards with 3 touchdowns and a pick, a 111 rating.
• Packer receivers lead the league in dropped passes, making Rodgers’ staggering numbers that much more impressive.
• Who cares about the Vikings?

Eric

• What’s left at 7-0 besides some nitpicks?  As might be expected, the Packer defense is behind the Packer offense, but I didn’t think it would look like this.  27 points to a rookie quarterback-led, outside threat-less offense?  175 rushing yards to Adrian Peterson?  Dom Capers has some work to do.
• Aaron Rodgers is the first player to ever post passer ratings of 110+ in each of a season’s first seven games.
• More on Rodgers: he went 17/20 passing in the first half.  Two of his incompletions were drops from his receivers; the third was a spike to stop the clock on the two-minute drill.
• Christian Ponder made his first NFL start and looked okay.  He still has a long way to go.
• Like the last time he faced a rookie quarterback, playing the Panthers Week 2, Charles Woodson intercepted Ponder twice.
• Minnesota blows another halftime lead as they were up 17-13 at the break.

Saints over Colts

Adam

• Florida Atlantic really had no shot against Alabama…oh wait, this was an NFL Score?  Yikes, 62-7 should never happen on a professional football field.

Eric

• Ouch.
• Curtis Painter trying to do a Peyton Manning impression (making all his play calls at the line of scrimmage, receivers’ routes and protection) is not a good strategy.
• The Colts are the only team in the league to be outgained in every game.

Jaguars over Ravens

Adam

• This seems to be the story of the Ravens over the past few years: tantalize us with offseason additions and the potential growth of Joe Flacco, yet the offense never quite gels, and the defense, while still powerful, continues to age.
• I like Flacco, like his arm, his demeanor, and I think he can improve, but he has to become more accurate and more adept at reading and manipulating defenses.
• As Terrell Suggs said post-game, it's not all that complicated.  Get Ray Rice and Anquan Boldin the ball more often, and let the defense do its thing.
• If Jacksonville had any aerial attack whatsoever, they could be a dangerous team, but this is a passing league and rookie Blaine Gabbert's still learning the ropes.  Jacksonville ranks eleventh in rushing offense, and their defense is top-10 in both passing and rushing yards allowed per game.
• This was a nice win for the Jags, but this team is in full rebuild mode.  I like their defense up the middle with Tyson Alualu, Terrence Knighton, and Paul Posluszny.  Maurice Jones-Drew is a great player, and Gabbert may develop into a good starter, but overall the cupboard is pretty bare.
  

Eric

• If aliens came to Earth and asked me, “What’s so great about football?” this is the absolute last game I would show them.  Well, scratch that.  This Sunday’s putrid Browns-Seahawks contest would be the last game.  Jaguars-Ravens would be second-to-last.

--from @AdamHocking and @jeuneski

Week 7 Pick-Down

Matchup	Adam's Pick	Eric's Pick
Redskins at Panthers	Panthers	Panthers
Seahawks at Browns	Browns	Browns
Falcons at Lions	Lions	Lions
Broncos at Dolphins	Broncos	Broncos
Chargers at Jets	Chargers	Jets
Bears at Buccaneers (in London)	Buccaneers	Bears
Texans at Titans	Titans	Texans
Steelers at Cardinals	Steelers	Steelers
Chiefs at Raiders	Raiders	Raiders
Rams at Cowboys	Cowboys	Cowboys
Packers at Vikings	Packers	Packers
Colts at Saints	Saints	Saints
Ravens at Jaguars	Ravens	Ravens
	Adam	Eric
Week 6 Record	8-5	9-4
Season Standings	61-29	60-30

Bye Weeks: 49ers, Bengals, Bills, Eagles, Giants, Patriots

To see how the "Experts" stack up: http://espn.go.com/nfl/picks

The predictions here come from Adam and correspond to his picks.

Washington Redskins at Carolina Panthers
I backed off picking the Panthers last week, but I've thought all year they were pretty close to cracking the code.  Against a Washington team in the midst of a quarterback change, I think the Panthers grab their second win of the season.

Prediction: Panthers 20 – Redskins 14

Seattle Seahawks at Cleveland Browns
This game is in the running for ugliest game of the season thus far.  I'll take Cleveland for no other reason than they are playing at home.

Prediction: Browns 23 – Seahawks 14

Atlanta Falcons at Detroit Lions
I'm tempted to pick Atlanta here to start proving that last year's 13-3 squad is closer to their true identity than this year's .500 club, but I'm starting to think the Falcons just aren't a very good team.  Meanwhile, Ford Field is becoming one hell of a hard place to play, and coming off a really tough loss to the 49ers, I expect the Lions to come out swinging and end up winning just like this.

Prediction: Lions 34 – Falcons 26

Denver Broncos at Miami Dolphins
Ummm...they both suck.  Tebow.

Prediction: Broncos 19 – Dolphins 16

San Diego Chargers at New York Jets
The Jets’ defense isn't nearly as good as it has been in past years, and Phillip Rivers vs. Mark Sanchez is a flatout mismatch.  I trust the Bolts to put up more points than the offensively inept Jets.

Prediction:  Chargers 27 – Jets 20

Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

A football match in jolly old England, but this is the kind of football where helmets and pads collide in a smash-mouth affair.  I trust Josh Freeman more than I do Jay Cutler, and I think the Bucs are riding high after beating the division rival Saints.  I also think the Bears just aren't very good and will turn the ball over too many times to win.

Prediction: Buccaneers 23 – Bears 16

Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans
Another toss-up game, I'll go with the home team Titans who have a very solid defense, a good offensive line, and a veteran quarterback in Matt Hasselbeck playing at a high level.  The Texans are banged up with Mario Williams and Andre Johnson both out.

Prediction: Titans 24 – Texans 20

Pittsburgh Steelers at Arizona Cardinals
I don't think the Cards can protect Kevin Kolb in this game, and I don't think as a team Arizona can match Pittsburgh's physicality.  The Steelers need every win to keep pace with the Ravens and should take this game comfortably.

Prediction: Steelers 27 – Cardinals 17

Kansas City Chiefs at Oakland Raiders
No matter if Carson Palmer starts or Kyle Boller gets the nod for Oakland, there will be some kinks to work out in the passing game.  Good thing the Raiders are playing the less than explosive Chiefs, they should be able to ride their running game to victory.

Prediction: Raiders 17 – Chiefs 9

St. Louis Rams at Dallas Cowboys
Sam Bradford out, AJ Feeley in: season over for the once up-and-coming Rams.  Cowboys in a rout.

Prediction: Cowboys 31 – Rams 10

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings

There isn't a secondary in the league that can slow down Aaron Rodgers.  If there was, it certainly wouldn't be Minnesota's.  Compounding that problem, the Vikes are giving their first ever start to rookie signal caller Christian Ponder.  This one will get ugly fast.

Prediction: Packers 38 – Vikings 13

Indianapolis Colts at New Orleans Saints
Peyton Manning vs. Drew Brees would have been fun, but now it's Curtis Painter vs. Brees.  Doesn't have the same ring to it does it?  Saints take it easily.

Prediction: Saints 30 – Colts 16

Baltimore Ravens at Jacksonville Jaguars
To me this is probably a matchup of the most physically talented team in the AFC against the least talented team in the AFC.  It will show.

Prediction: Ravens 24 – Jaguars 6

NFL Week 7 Game Notes

Browns over Saints

Adam: -Whenever you return two interceptions for scores and four picks overall you are going to win, even if you're Cleveland.
-Drew Brees threw the ball fifty-six times, and whenever that happens, some bad things will occur.  Brees is on pace for twnty-three interceptions this year, yikes.

Eric: -How does a defensive lineman return two interceptions for touchdowns?  That is pitiful, Brees.

Chiefs over Jaguars

A: -The Chiefs are a confident bunch that has shown they can play right with very good teams, and they also show that they can blow out the bad teams.  Thomas Jones was great and Matt Cassell was efficient.  The Chiefs are going to be right in the mix of playoff contention, considering they get the Bills at home next week, and then play Oakland, Denver, Arizona and Seattle.
-The Jaguars are worse than their 3-4 record indicates.

E: -Two teams matched up here that have so far outplayed preseason expectations, but that's as far as Jacksonville could get.  The Jaguars' third string quarterback, Todd Bouman, was not going to get it done in Arrowhead against a very tough Chiefs team.
-The Chiefs are playing well right in the middle of a very cushy spot in their schedule.  They are probably going to build up a big lead in the division race and squash any hopes the severely underachieving Chargers have for a fifth straight division title.

Ravens over Bills

A: -Oh, the Bills.  They had this game and then just gave it away.  Ryan Fitzpatrick had great numbers but couldn't get the win.
-The Ravens thank their lucky stars that they escaped with the victory.  Anquan Boldin has been terrific and is on pace for eighty-seven catches and 1,200 yards.

E: -A win's a win, but this was a head-scratcher for the Ravens.  How does a legitimate Super Bowl contender get dragged into overtime by the winless Bills and get outgained 506-364?  This was a scare, and the Ravens have to be glad that they have time to fix the problems from Sunday, rather than being in a situation where they're trying to build momentum.
-It's good to see Ed Reed back on the field.

Panthers over 49ers

A: -The 49ers are in absolute disarray.  I never thought I would pine for Alex Smith, but once David Carr came in, that's exactly where I found myself.  If Smith can't play for a while and Carr starts, the 49ers will lose all those games.  Carr is horrendous, and it's just a shame that Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis are being wasted on this offense.
-The 49ers' defense was good against the run, but their coverage was awful against a terrible passing team.
-The Panthers have found their guy again in Matt Moore.  He wasn't incredible, but he was solid and made some really nice throws.  I'm not sure why they are interested in winning at 1-5, but more power to em'.  David Gettis is a player to watch at wideout; he's incredibly fast and ran some great routes.

E: -The Panthers notch their first win against a travelling, moribund franchise, the 49ers.
-Thanks to Charles Johnson, we'll now get to see if Alex Smith was the source of the 49ers' woes as another former first overall pick, David Carr, gets his chance to play quarterback.  Carr's Niners tenure did not get off to a good start though as he threw the interception that set the Panthers' game-winning field goal drive.
-There's no official diagnosis yet, but based on watching the play, I would be very surprised if Smith starts in London Sunday.

Titans over Eagles

A: -Andy Reid may be secretly smiling now that Kevin Kolb played poorly, and his decision to put Michael Vick back in gets a bit easier.
-The Eagles reach their bye week at a perfect time.   Still atop the division, they get an extra week to ease Vick back into things and get him fully healthy.
-The Titans scored thirty-seven straight points in this game, and Kenny Britt had the best day of any receiver so far this year.  Kerry Collins moved this football team up and down the field, even with mediocre production from Chris Johnson.

E: -Collins stepped up in a big way for the injured Vince Young to get the Titans past a surging Eagles team.  With Johnson bottled up for only sixty-six yards on the ground, Collins connected with Britt for big play after big play to the tune of seven grabs for 225 yards and three touchdowns.

Buccaneers over Rams

A: -Both these teams are really improved and likely got confidence from playing each other.
-The Bucs are 4-2.  They've won against some bad teams, but they've won the games and are right in the NFC South division race.  Josh Freeman has only thrown three interceptions this year and has been exactly the game manager this team needs.
-Sam Bradford is really good.  He throws a beautiful ball and is incredibly accurate.  He has three touchdowns and no interceptions in his last two games.  This team has a chance to win the NFC West because of Bradford's play, though Seattle looks like he best team in this division.

E: -In a matchup between two of the NFL's feel-good teams, unfortunately, one team cannot leave the game feeling good.  And after losing by the slimmest of margins, one point, that unhappy team was the St. Louis Rams.

Steelers over Dolphins

A: -This game came down to a strange replay call, which is really unfortunate, because this was a terrific contest.  The Dolphins have played very well all year, yet have had some tough loses.
-They are 0-3 at home and 3-0 on the road, wacky.
-The Steelers lucked out and get the benefit of a dubious call.  Still, Ben Roethlisberger is fully back in the swing of things and his team is 5-1.  Next week should be fun as the Steelers travel to New Orleans to play the Saints.

E: -Between a slow start and a controversial replay near the end, the Steelers seem pretty lucky to leave South Beach with a victory.

Falcons over Bengals

A: - The Bengals were awful in the first half, but exploded for twenty-two points in the third quarter, much like week one against the Patriots.  We have seen the Bengals put up points in bunches, but they have just been too inconsistent.  With Baltimore and Pittsburgh driving forward, the Bengals are being left in the dust.
-The Falcons take control of the NFC South with a nice win, and Roddy White had an enormous game.  Even bigger than White, Michael Turner is on a 1,300 yard pace.  Throw in Tony Gonzalez and the play of Matt Ryan and we may be looking at the most balanced offense in the NFC.

E: -Even after a twenty-two point third quarter, the Bengals learned that the hard way that The Falcons are practically unbeatable at home.  Ryan is 16-1 in the Georgia Dome.

Redskins over Bears

A: -The Redskins have won their four games by a combined seventeen points.  That is the difference Donovan McNabb and Mike Shanahan make.  They have been winning really ugly, but nonetheless are still right in the NFC East mix.
-Jay Cutler looked like maybe he had kicked the turnover bug early this year, but he threw four completions to DeAngelo Hall Sunday, who happens to be a Redskin.  Matt Forte isn't getting the ball enough in the run game, maybe that's because the offensive line is horrible, but they certainly aren't doing any better at pass protection.

E: -What a strange game; Cutler throws four interceptions, all to Hall, one of which was returned for a touchdown.  The Redskins' offense also did not look very explosive, but they didn't have to be with the Cutler-to-Hall connection on full display.  Ryan Torain did go over a hundred yards on the ground though.

Seahawks over Cardinals

A: -The Cardinals simply don't have a QB.  Too bad the 49ers have a two game head start on getting that top pick!!  Ha!!
-The Seahawks are the best team in this division by default.  Matt Hasselbeck is good enough, and Marshawn Lynch is solid carrying the ball.  Russell Okung is back and really helps this offensive line.

E: -In a situation that no one's quite sure how transpired, the Seahawks beat the Cardinals in a game where first place in the NFC West was on the line.  Just think about that one for a minute.
-Mike Williams continues his resurgent season under Pete Carroll and catches ten balls for the second straight week.

Raiders over Broncos

A: -The Raiders score nine points in a loss to the 49ers last week so...it just makes sense that they would put up fifty-nine points the next week.  What?
-Darren McFadden would be leading the league in rushing had he not missed two games with injury, and the Raiders are still in the mix at 3-4.
-I thought the Broncos were a better team than their record indicated, but when you get housed by forty-five points at home against Oakland, you are as bad as it gets, 2-5 and headed to London to face off with the vaunted 1-6 49ers

E: -Prior to this matchup, the AFC West cellar was full up with three 2-4 teams.  The Raiders blowed out and stepped up to the West's second tier behind Kansas City.  The standings are completely flip-flopped from where we thought they'd be before the season began.

Patriots over Chargers

A: -I'm not sure the Pats are as good as 5-1 would indicate, but give them credit, they keep finding ways to win.
-The Chargers aren't as bad as 2-5, but keep finding ways to lose.

E: -This game went down to the wire, and there was another fourth and short late where Bill Belichick went for it to try and run out the clock but failed to convert, like the Indy loss last year.  It didn't come back to bite him here though as Josh Brown missed the fifty yarder that would've tied the game.

Packers over Vikings

A: -The Vikes are in disarray with Brad Childress and Brett Favre bickering like an old married couple.  Next for the struggling purple people eaters comes a trip to Foxborough to play the Patriots.
-Favre has been just plain bad this year.  He has a passer rating of 68, has turned the ball over fourteen times (ten picks and four lost fumbles), and is on pace for twenty-seven interceptions, twenty more than last year.  Adrian Peterson might be the MVP if he were on a better team.
-The Packers struggled with running the ball and Aaron Rodgers made a few bad plays.  The defense didn't get enough pressure on Favre, but did pick him three times.
-At 4-3 the Packers are right in position to win their division, but they better be ready to play; their next four games are against the Jets, Cowboys, Vikings, and Falcons.

E: -The Packers escape with a win; Brett Favre was not so lucky.  He exits Lambeau with a fractured ankle and heel.

Giants over Cowboys

A: -For the Cowboys, this game started like they were going to get on a roll and save their season.  It's hard to believe a team this talented is 1-5.  Dez Bryant is a budding star, Roy Williams is playing great, and Miles Austin and Jason Witten are true stars.  With Tony Romo out for at least six weeks, any hopes of a revival in Big D are undone.  This team may be picking in the top five of next year's draft.
-Since losing consecutive games to the Colts and Titans by a combined forty-three points, the Giants have won four straight games by an average of just over twelve points per game.  Their defensive line is intimidating, and Jason Pierre-Paul is a nice addition to this athletic front.  He could be a breakout player in the second half of the season.
-Offensively the Giants look really good.  Their offensive line has recaptured their 2007 form, Eli is solid and getting the ball to one of the league's best receiving corps.  Hakeem Nicks is going to be a superstar, Steve Smith is a great route runner with smooth moves and great hands, and Mario Manningham is quick with big play ability.  Kevin Boss is a very good all around tight end.  And, oh yeah, Ahmad Bradshaw leads the NFC in rushing.

E: -It's not often that a team creates five turnovers, returns a punt for a touchdown, and still loses the game.  The Cowboys figured out a way to do it though.
-So long paper champions!