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2008 NFL Power Rankings Week 17

Seventeen weeks into the NFL season, and I still don’t see a sure thing in the top twelve teams. Sure, the Giants won it last year and should be favorites, but they have not looked like a champion in the past few weeks.

Then you have your sporadic squads-the teams no one saw coming. Teams like the Dolphins, Chargers, and possibly even the Cardinals could all continue their story-book seasons deep into January.

And building all the way up to the Super Bow will be a Favre-count, a coaching carousel, and questions upon questions for us to answer, ultimately, until we see a champion hoist the Lombardi Trophy.

So, with that said, here’s my championship match-ups, as well as the Super Bowl winner for this year:

I like the Colts to meet up with the Steelers, with the Colts eeking one out in Pittsburgh. The Colts have proved to me with nine consecutive wins that they’re the team to beat in the AFC. You can talk all you want about sloppy games or other teams’ better balance, but I’m not betting against Peyton Manning.

As for the NFC, I have to stick with my pre-season pick of the Eagles to represent the NFC. I see them topping the Panthers in the championship game. And yes, I realize that means the Giants lose in the first round.

With all that said, the Colts will continue their run all the way to the trophy. If your team isn’t in the playoff picture, read on to see where they rank for these season-ending NFL power rankings.

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NFL General

2008 NFL Power Rankings Week 16

Every analyst in the country has hop-scotched their way to, from, and ultimately back to the same ending result for the NFL season.

Ever since almost six weeks ago, when we finally realized teams like the Jaguars and Seahawks weren’t quite the title contenders we’d hoped they’d be, we all began to discover that maybe things really are written on the wall.

Maybe, even amidst all the off-season turmoil and the injury-plagued early going of the season, we still had it right from the very beginning. Well, at leasy partially.

Which brings me to the quick and sad conclusion, that yes, this year’s representative in the Super Bowl for the NFC (at least for the now) should be the New York Giants. As for the AFC…

In a conference where we’re still unsure if Joe Flacco is ready for the big dance despite only having to knock off the Jaguars,(we could say the same for Matt Cassel), we’re left with an almost seemingly bottomless pit of possibilities. Can the Jets, with their suddenly weak-armed and frail star quarterback, limp into the playoffs? Can the Chargers pull off the most unlikely and impossible turn around in one of the ugliest division closes of all time?

Hold that thought.

Because, much like all that off-season drama I referred to previously, this might just end up being a sorry pre-game highlight reel for the AFC Championship game.

Because, really, as interesting as all of these scenarios are, do any of these teams have a chance in hell against the Steelers or Titans?

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. And then there were the Indianapolis Colts…

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NFL General

2008 NFL Power Rankings Week 15

The Titans and Giants, as dominant as they appear to be, fall in the rankings, while their friends in the shadows (Pittsburgh) emerge as title favorites.

Yes, I’m starting to believe in the big-armed Ben Roethlisberger and his sketchy offensive line. But not because they can score, pass, run, or intimidate. It’s what’s backing them.

That defense is so imposing, that the only way to beat this team is to play even more sloppy, get even luckier, and simply out last them.

The Steelers, at least for a week, can grind out wins better than anyone in the business, and that mentality might be exactly what they need to stay at the top.

Other notable changes in the rankings:

I hope you have no sorrow for the Green Bay Packers, as they should have seem this coming. Would Brett Favre playing in green and gold mean a better record? I am positive that is true. Would it mean the Packers would be winning their division? Not necessarily.

Aaron Rodgers needs to get through his lumps, sure, but more of the blame needs to be cast on him than already is. There’s excuses abound for him to not be the scapegoat. The defense is awful, the amount of injuries is ridiculous, the punter was horrible, and the play-calling is questionable.

Hey, when your coach is sending your fullback in on a 4th and 1, it’s pretty obvious the fate of your team isn’t always resting in your hands. In other words, Rodgers can’t control everything-so no-he’s not completely to blame.

The Buccaneers take a big dive after losing back-to-back huge games.

The Houston Texans upset the Titans, and are now 7-7. They move up for their solid play and current hot streak.

My wild prediction of the week is…

The Colts will face the Steelers in the championship game.

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NFL General

NFL Power Rankings Week 14

Every week it feels like we’re getting a little closer to truly discovering which teams are for real, and which ones are slowly falling apart.

We still don’t know what’s going on in New Orleans, and quite frankly, it’s possible we never will.

We have no idea what to make of the AFC East. We know the Jets, Patriots, and Dolphins are good, but how good? And more importantly, are any of those teams great?

The Patriots are the team that is supposed to win the division, a favorite to hold home-field advantage, and a good bet to reach the Super Bowl. Even without Tom Brady, a trophy-less end to their season will leave every head in the house hanging.

The Jets don’t have it much better. The anointed one, Brett Favre, was landed in a block buster trade, and is supposed to save the day. The same can be said for Jets’ management and their other pricey off-season additions. At 8-5, they’ve already made huge strides, but what would a collapse do to this team? And would reaching the playoffs, only to lose in the AFC championship game, somehow be worse?

Then you have Miami, a former winless season candidate, with seemingly no chance of being in this equation at the beginning of the season, yet here they are. Some Miami fan who dropped 10 grand on them reaching the playoffs is trying his damndest to not wet his pants in his parents basement, while he kicks his ankles together in his race car bed. Yeah, it’s that serious.

When you’ve got big names, big contracts, and big expectations, the worst fear in the back of your mind (If you’re the Jets or Patriots) is not losing-it’s the Miami Dolphins.

These Dolphins are not your dad’s Dolphins. They couldn’t have done what they’re doing with Jason Taylor or Zach Thomas, or heck, even Dan Marino.

This is the no-name squad, the relentless bastards that won’t go away even if you waive a million dollar check in their face. No sir, they’re here to stay. Well, at least until the final game of the season, when the Jets beat them 31-10.

Like usual, until the season ends and we see our collection of 12 teams who DO have a chance at completing this puzzle, it will remain a guessing game. One that, for now, I will step away from.

Here’s a look at this week’s power rankings:

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NFL General

NFL Power Rankings Week 13

Just when you think you have it all figured out, the surging Jets lose, the Packers blow another chance, and the Panthers and Buccaneers keep winning.

Just what exactly, in this ridiculous NFL season makes sense anymore?

The Chiefs are as competitive as any other team, yet have two wins, and the Lions, much the same, are still looking for their first.

The truth is, last season we had two 10-1 teams (Dallas and Green Bay) in the NFC, with neither representing their conference in the Super Bowl. And in the AFC, the team that went undefeated couldn’t take home the crown, either.

What does this tell us?

Probably nothing. But if we’re going on pure speculation, (which we kind of have to by now) then we can start betting against the Titans and Giants right now.

If the gods were as good to us as we’d love them to be, we’d see the Packers emerge from their division to face the Jets. And maybe it will happen.

But that’s not where my money is.

If I had to dumb this season down to a crazy prediction right now, I’d go with Pittsburgh against Dallas. And in a warped season like this one, that just might be what’s going to happen.

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NFL General

2008 NFL Power Rankings Week 12

Oh, how the might have fallen. With the undefeated Titans joining the Giants as the only teams with one loss, they fall to second this week, as the Giants prove once again that they just might be the team to beat.

However, if the Jets can do this much damage to the previously assumed “best” team in the league, what does that mean for them? And more importantly, what does this mean for the rest of the league?

As much as I hate to say it, my guess is it means nothing. Not right now, anyways.

Sure, Brett Favre is playing good football, the Jets are solid on both side of the ball, and the Giants and Titans both can clearly be had. But that doesn’t mean the Browns are headed for a turn around, or that the Packers are going to the post-season, simply because they took Tennessee to over time.

In fact, their embarrassing loss to the Saints this Monday night showed us they’re not quite ready for playoffs without Favre, and they’re likely headed to a finish no better than 9-7.

So, then, what do we know? Again, I firmly stand on the guessing game plateau, shouting to the top of lungs; Nothing!

Until the Jets have more than a one game lead in their division, or anyone other than the Giants truly scares me in the NFC, we’re still looking at a Tennessee vs. New York title game. Well, probably.

That doesn’t mean a little Favre magic can’t mix things up in the playoffs though, does it?

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NFL General

2008 NFL Power Rankings Week 11

Another week is in the books, and outside of the Titans and Giants, we’re still unsure of how this season will play out.

Most analysts are positive we’ll be seeing the Titans and Giants square off in the final game of the season, and maybe I’m just seeing things differently, but I’m not completely sold on either team.

The Jets win over New England proves their relevancy, and a win over Tennessee would definitely garner some more national attention. And how about the Giants? Well, with two 6-4 teams in their division, as well as the Buccaneers and Panthers in their conference, they aren’t as safe as a lock as we once thought.

Ok, so where do we go from here?

I think the winner of the NFC North might do some damage in the post-season, but who that will be might not be decided until the final week of the season (the same could be said for the AFC East, as well).

But the most important thing to look at this season is the teams (other than Tennessee) that have come out of nowhere to request to be listed among the contenders.

Yes, whether we like it or not, we may have to start realizing the potential of the Cardinals and Dolphins, and possibly even the Falcons.

One thing is for sure, even after 11 weeks, we still have no idea how this will unfold. That is, unless you’re Merril Hoge, who is still backing the Steelers (and always will), or unless you’re Mike Ditka, who still believes it’s 1985 and the Bears will realize how good they really are.

But it’s too early for predictions, folks. So, for now, here’s where the teams stand. You’ll have to wait a few more weeks before I unleash my post-season predictions. But judging by the way the season has gone, I’m sure I will fall short.

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NFL General

2008 NFL Power Rankings Week 10

It’s a weird feeling. We knew we’d be here, but we were positive we’d never get here.

On one side, you have Brett Favre and his Jets going up against the Patriots for first place. The new guy with his new girlfriend, and he’s already gearing up for marriage? Nah.

Forget about the Jets winning the game, the playoffs, the Super Bowl, whether or not Favre comes back next season. No, none of that matters.

The main thing is what this off-season led up to. Was Ted Thompson right?

Well, Aaron Rodgers has performed well, but a closer look at the games and his stats show that while he hasn’t really been winning games, he hasn’t exactly been losing them, either.

So, while everyone watches the Jets and Patriots on Thursday night, in the back of their minds, whether they like it or not, they’re continuing to watch the beautiful play that is Favre vs Rodgers.

If you ask me, it’s just a guy playing on a new team, and if they win their next game, they just might be a shoe-in for the Super Bowl.

The way this season has gone, though, there are no guarantees. Unless you count the Lions losing every week. That’s almost a lock. But no, for almost every other team and player in the league, you can’t assume anything. You just have to keep watching…

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NFL General

2008 NFL Power Rankings: Week 9

Finally, we’re seeing some consistency in the NFL.

In the bottom five this week, all the teams have issues at the quarterback position, which is a perfect reason why their offenses are so ineffective.

In the top half, most of the teams have solid defenses, and know how to pound the ball at the end of games, and most importantly, know how to win.

The real question is, which team is best, and which team is worst?

While a lot of people would like to get technical and crunch the numbers, or read into the rest of each team’s schedule, I prefer to point out the obvious, and run with it.

The Titans and Lions are mirror images of each other. The Titans have stability at the quarterback position, can run the ball effectively, and can stop anyone when they have to.

The Lions, not so much.

After that, we’ve got the Steelers and Giants, who are the only other truly dominant teams. Everyone else is stuck together, as we await another week that hopefully provides answers.

Still not convinced your team is finished, or if the Colts or Patriots can get back to the top ten? Read on to see where your team rests.

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NFL General

2008 NFL Power Rankings Week 8

The three teams I’m most interested in?

No, not the Carolina Panthers, Pittsburgh Steelers, or even the undefeated Tennessee Titans.

Try the sloppy Cleveland Browns, the surging Houston Texans, and the surprising Miami Dolphins.

All three of these teams are still below .500, are inconsistent as can be, and quite possibly could be out of the playoff picture completely in three weeks.

However, their recent re-emergence into playoff relevance has me giddy with all the possibilities they bring to the table.

1. A quarterback controversy, combined with a coach on the hot seat, heading into a potential divisional opponent playoff match-up. If you haven’t guessed, that would be the Cleveland Browns.

2. How about the Wildcat toting, trick-play dealing, Ted Ginn running Miami Dolphins? Come on, who out there wouldn’t want to see Ricky Williams win a championship and take a drag while holding the Lombardi trophy? Yeah, me neither. But I feel for Chad Pennington.

3. Lastly, the Texans are so hot, I’m getting blisters, and I live in Wisconsin. The Schaub to Johnson connection is better than high-speed internet (sorry, roadrunner), and I simply cannot get enough of it. Oh, and Owen Daniels is becoming an elite tight end.

At the very worst, these three average teams have helped make this season fun to watch. And because of these three teams, I can’t wait to see what else 2008 has in store for us. But there’s 29 more teams to keep track of, whether we like it or not, so take a look: