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November 09, 2004
Week 10 NFL Power Rankings
| SPORTING NEWS POWER POLL - WEEK 10 | |||
| 1. | Patriots (7-1)
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This is a close call, but we're not ready to put the Steelers at No. 1. Patriots coach Bill Belichick had to play the Steelers in Pittsburgh without Corey Dillon two weeks ago. We all saw what the Patriots looked like with Dillon in Week 9 (Patriots 40, Rams 22), even though the Rams hardly had a healthy defensive back. | |
| 2. | Steelers (7-1)
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The Steelers, the hottest team in the NFL, passed another big test by beating the Eagles. Pittsburgh has the league's best run-pass balance and might have the best offense-defense balance, too. It outscored the last two undefeated teams 61-23. Three of the team's next four games, though, are on the road. | |
| 3. | Eagles (7-1)
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Don't overreact to the Eagles' first loss and QB Donavan McNabb's first poor performance. The Eagles just lost a road game to a red-hot team. | |
| 4. | Colts (5-3)
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QB Peyton Manning figured out in Week 8 that 35 points isn't always enough, and he should be aggressive to the finish line. Not many teams can keep pace. If the defense gives him a little help, the Colts will stay in the top five. | |
| 5. | Falcons (6-2)
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QB Michael Vick's team is winning, and he no longer is a hindrance. During the bye week, the Falcons put shotgun plays in the rotation to play to Vick's strength. Before the bye, the Falcons won at Denver. That victory looked even better after Denver whipped Houston last week. | |
| 6. | Chargers (6-3)
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The Chargers are poised to move into the top five during their Week 10 bye. QB Drew Brees has put up big numbers (18 touchdowns, 3 interceptions). RB LaDainian Tomlinson, TE Antonio Gates and WR Keenan McCardell are nice weapons. | |
| 7. | Vikings (5-3)
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Without WR Randy Moss for a few weeks, it'll be tough for the Vikings to stay in the top 10. The defense must pick up the slack while the offense figures out how to address the loss of its best weapon. QB Daunte Culpepper must carry the team. | |
| 8. | Broncos (6-3)
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The Broncos are not consistent enough to be ranked any higher. They have given up 77 points in the past three games. Two-faced QB Jake Plummer can carry an offense (19 touchdowns) or kill it (10 interceptions). The Broncos face two opponents with winning records the next seven weeks. | |
| 9. | Chiefs (3-5)
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The Chiefs' offense scares every team ranked higher. Like the Colts, Vikings and Rams, they are built to outscore opponents and sometimes just can't do it. The Chiefs scored 31 points in losing to the Bucs last week, more than eight winning teams. | |
| 10. | Jets (6-2)
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This balanced team can run the ball, complete a high percentage of passes and play sound defense. But because QB Chad Pennington is out for a few weeks, an ugly losing streak could be in order. | |
| 11. | Ravens (5-3)
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The Ravens were built to win with defense and a running game. Workhorse RB Jamal Lewis is back to take pressure off wide-eyed QB Kyle Boller. Boller shows some improvement, but a two-minute drill to win a game without TE Todd Heap is out of the question. | |
| 12. | Packers (4-4)
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The Packers started 3-4 last year and still won the division. Coming off a bye, the Packers are healthy enough to make another run. | |
| 13. | Rams (4-4)
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The Rams had two weeks to prepare for the Patriots and still were outcoached and outplayed. That home loss spoke volumes about this team's character. The Rams have speed and skill but no heart. | |
| 14. | Giants (5-3)
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The Giants are overachievers because of good coaching and an attitude adjustment. The poor offensive line gives up too many sacks, and defensive injuries -- especially the loss to Pro Bowl DE Michael Strahan -- will be devastating. When you lose at home to the Bears, it's a sign that things are falling apart. | |
| 15. | Seahawks (5-3)
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The underachieving Seahawks show up most of the time, but not every week. Coach Mike Holmgren has adjusted the offense to force-feed the ball to RB Shaun Alexander. Until QB Matt Hasselbeck proves to be a good decision-maker, this is Alexander's team. It's simple: Give Alexander 30 touches a game and win the division. | |
| 16. | Texans (4-4)
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There are lots of reasons to like the Texans -- especially QB David Carr and WR Andre Johnson. The Texans have all the tools to be great but are inconsistent. A 9-7 record is realistic, but a playoff spot might be a year away. | |
| 17. | Bucs (3-5)
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The Bucs ranked 20th last week, but a big win over the Chiefs puts them back on the map. Coach Jon Gruden now has a quarterback who can comprehend his offense, a quality running back and some healthy wide receivers. They still are in the playoff hunt. | |
| 18. | Jaguars (5-3)
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Without QB Byron Leftwich, the Jags probably won't orchestrate any fourth-quarter comebacks. This team is primed for a free-fall. The Jaguars barely scored enough with Leftwich. Only the bye kept them in the top 20. | |
| 19. | Lions (4-4)
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Coach Steve Mariucci is doing a fine job, but this team is a year away. The Lions are last in the NFL in rushing yards per game (75.0) because of a porous offensive line. The Lions can't afford to have QB Joey Harrington throw 50 times every week. | |
| 20. | Titans (3-5)
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If QB Steve McNair can stay on the field, the Titans will move steadily up the poll. If he can't play -- the more likely scenario -- the supporting cast's warts will show. | |
| 21. | Bills (3-5)
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The Bills are much better than their 3-5 record. C Trey Teague is back, and QB Drew Bledsoe has not been sacked in two games. RB Willis McGahee has three 100-yard games in four weeks, and the defense is good enough to spark a big second-half winning streak. | |
| 22. | Browns (3-5)
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It is hard to like this team. Coach Butch Davis has talent but can't bring it all together. Player morale is low and about to get worse -- over the next four weeks, the Browns face teams with a combined record of 20-8. | |
| 23. | Bengals (3-5)
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This team has a losing record but a winning attitude. The players trust the coach and believe patience will pay. However, the run defense is awful. A repeat of last season's second-half run will be hard to duplicate with games against Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New England and Baltimore remaining. | |
| 24. | Redskins (3-5)
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The offense hasn't broken the 18-point barrier in any game, but the defense is fantastic. Four of the team's five losses, though, have been by seven points or less. Coach Joe Gibbs seems determined to stick with struggling QB Mark Brunell even though he threw for only 58 yards in the win over Detroit. | |
| 25. | Cowboys (3-5)
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The Cowboys have lost four of five, and coach Bill Parcells' never-sunny disposition is pitch-black. If the Cowboys can't beat Cincinnati, their next two missions (Philadelphia and Baltimore) would seem downright impossible. | |
| 26. | Cardinals (3-5)
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At least coach Dennis Green has his team playing hard. The Cardinals can beat bad teams such as Miami and teams that take them lightly, such as Seattle. The Cardinals get an A for effort despite their C-minus talent. RB Emmitt Smith still is effective, and WR Anquan Boldin is back to team with Larry Fitzgerald to create a potent offense. | |
| 27. | Bears (3-5)
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To win at the New York Giants without QB Rex Grossman and RB Thomas Jones is surprising. Is it possible that QB Craig Krenzel and RB Anthony Thomas make this team better? We think so. The Bears have some winnable games coming up, especially if the defense can repeat its seven-sack performance. | |
| 28. | Raiders (3-6)
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This team has good talent, but defense is incapable of stopping anyone. | |
| 29. | Saints (3-5)
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The Saints are the league's biggest bust. QB Aaron Brooks, RB Deuce McAllister and WR Joe Horn form a fine offense, but the defense is the worst in the NFL -- 29.2 points per game allowed. There are teams with less talent in the top 15, but those teams play smart and compete hard every week. The Saints are right where they belong. | |
| 30. | Panthers (1-7)
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This team doesn't have enough healthy players to win games. When healthy next year, this team will be dangerous with a stout defense and QB Jake Delhomme running two-minute drills to perfection. | |
| 31. | 49ers (1-7)
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The spring talent drain and the autumn injuries turned bad to worse. Expect more of the same in 2005. | |
| 32. | Dolphins (1-8)
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Two weeks ago, the defensive dam finally broke when the DTs got hurt. RB Ricky Williams owes an awful lot of good people an apology for destroying this season. Many talented and good people will lose their jobs because of him, starting with coach Dave Wannstedt. | |
Posted by admin at November 9, 2004 08:41 PM