Month: November 2013

Dallas Cowboys: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#14)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings, Cowboys, Uncategorized

Last week: 12 (-2)

Record: 5-4

The Cowboys have a great offense which moves the chains at a 76% rate, but their defense allows opponents to move the chains at a 77% rate. If there was any doubt they had a bad defense, they allowed Christian Ponder to complete 25 of 37 for 236 yards, 1 touchdown, and an interception last week. Christian Ponder! The week before that, they allowed the Lions to generate 623 yards of offense and only almost won because they won the turnover battle by 4. They won’t be able to do that every week and their +10 turnover margin is going to be unsustainable going forward. They get DeMarcus Ware back this week, but that’s not going to solve all of their problems. They’re still the best team in the division, but only by default.

Week 9 Studs

QB Tony Romo

C Travis Frederick

RE Everette Brown

LOLB Bruce Carter

CB Orlando Scandrick

Week 9 Duds

WR Dez Bryant

RT Doug Free

RE Kyle Wilbur

LOLB Ernie Sims

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

San Diego Chargers: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#15)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings, Chargers, Uncategorized

Last week: 14 (-1)

Record: 4-4

The Chargers are legitimately a few plays away from 7-1. They blew a big lead to the Texans week 1. They lost on a late touchdown in Tennessee. And last week, they were a half yard away from the winning touchdown. However, they are currently at 4-4 and their schedule gets tougher from here on out, including 4 games against Denver and Kansas City. They also play Cincinnati. They have played well enough to be a playoff team, moving the chains at an 83% rate, as opposed to 81% for their opponents. However, I think they’ll get left out.

Week 9 Studs

QB Philip Rivers

WR Keenan Allen

LT King Dunlap

LOLB Jarret Johnson

Week 9 Duds

TE Antonio Gates

LE Kendall Reyes

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

New York Jets: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#16)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings, Jets, Uncategorized

Last week: 19 (+3)

Record: 5-4

The Saints lost in New England. The Patriots lost in New York. I don’t know why anyone was surprised the Saints lost in New York and I definitely don’t know why the line was 7. Yeah, they got blown out by the Bengals the week before, but that was just one week and few teams bounce back better from adversity than the Jets have over the past two seasons. Teams are now 44-23 ATS since 2002 after a loss by 35 or more, including 20-6 ATS as home dogs. We’ll see if they can continue this after the bye as they go into Buffalo.

Week 9 Studs

FS Dawan Landry

Week 9 Duds

QB Geno Smith

LG Brian Winters

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

Buffalo Bills: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#17)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings, Bills, Uncategorized

Last week: 26 (+9)

Record: 3-6

The team most likely to come out of nowhere to make the playoffs is the Buffalo Bills. They’ve have to go 6-1 at least the rest of the way, but they’ve played a tough schedule tough and now their remaining opponents are a combined 20-38. They’ve faced the Patriots, Chiefs, Bengals, Ravens, and Panthers at home and though they went 2-3, they could have easily won all 3 games, including last week, when their offense outscored the undefeated Chiefs’ offense, despite Jeff Tuel being under center. The Chiefs won on 2 turnover return touchdowns. The rest of the way, they will probably be underdogs just twice, including at a very beatable Pittsburgh team this week and at New England week 17, who could be resting starters. CJ Spiller might finally be healthy after last week’s explosive performance and they get EJ Manuel back this week. Manuel will have to convince me he’s an upgrade over Thad Lewis before I am sold on them 100%, because before his injury he wasn’t, but he certainly has the ability to do so.

Week 9 Studs

RB CJ Spiller

ROLB Mario Williams

Week 9 Duds

QB Jeff Tuel

TE Scott Chandler

C Eric Wood

WR TJ Graham

CB Stephon Gilmore

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

Baltimore Ravens: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#18)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings, Ravens, Uncategorized

Last week: 13 (-5)

Record: 3-5

In his career, Joe Flacco completes 60.4% of his passes for an average of 7.0 YPA, a touchdown every 25 throws, and an interception every 43 throws. This season, he’s completing 59.4% of his passes for an average of 6.9 YPA, a touchdown every 31 throws, and an interception every 34 throws. He hasn’t been worse this season than any other season, but his supporting cast around him isn’t doing their job and the Ravens were clearly expecting him to elevate his level of play. They didn’t have much choice but to pay him what he wanted this off-season because having Joe Flacco is still significantly better than not having Joe Flacco, but their season has been very disappointing, largely due to an offense that is moving the chains at a 69% rate, as opposed to 68% for their opponents. Their schedule gets easier going forward, but this week’s game against the Bengals in Baltimore is absolutely a must win.

Week 9 Studs

LT Eugene Monroe

Week 9 Duds

QB Joe Flacco

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

Cleveland Browns: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#20)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings, Browns, Uncategorized

Last week: 25 (+5)

Record: 4-5

The Browns are 4-1 in games where Brandon Weeden doesn’t start. Jason Campbell isn’t great, but he’s passable and completing 46 of 75 for 561 yards and 5 touchdowns. Like Brian Hoyer before him, he’s doing a great job getting the ball to Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron downfield and relying on a solid defense. As long as he can stay healthy, the Browns should continue to be a decent at worst football team going forward. However, their schedule doesn’t do them any favors, as, aside from 2 games against Pittsburgh and a home game against Jacksonville, they don’t face a team that is worse than 5-4, including the Jets, Bears, Patriots, and Bengals.

Week 9 Studs

CB Chris Owens

Week 9 Duds

RG Shawn Lauvao

TE Jordan Cameron

RE Desmond Bryant

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

Houston Texans: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#21)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings, Texans, Uncategorized

Last week: 17 (-4)

Record: 2-6

The Texans have lost each of the past two games, but the good news is that they might have found their quarterback of the future. Case Keenum has completed 35 of 59 for 621 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2 games. The Texans have been better than their record all along. They are moving the chains at a 76% rate, as opposed to 73% for their opponents. They’ve just been killed by turnovers (-11), inability to recover fumbles (41.2%), and return touchdowns (-6 touchdowns). Now with Keenum under center, things seem to be better. Again, they haven’t won, but losing by a combined 4 points to the Chiefs and Colts is almost like beating anyone else. The Texans have had a brutal schedule to this point, as 7 of their 8 opponents are currently 4-4 or better. Between the 49ers, Seahawks, Colts, and Chiefs, they’ve faced 4 of the top-10 teams in my Power Rankings. Their schedule gets easier from here on out, starting with the Cardinals this week.

Week 10 Studs

QB Case Keenum

WR Andre Johnson

LT Duane Brown

C Chris Myers

LE JJ Watt

RE Antonio Smith

Week 10 Duds

LG Wade Smith

LOLB Brooks Reed

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

Philadelphia Eagles: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#22)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings, Eagles, Uncategorized

Last week: 23 (+1)

Record: 4-5

The NFL is probably glad that Chip Kelly pulled Nick Foles and denied him the chance to break the single game touchdown record, after he tied it in the 3rd quarter with his 7th. I don’t think the NFL could sleep at night with Nick Foles as the single game touchdown record holder. Foles has put together an overall very solid season, completing 62.7% of his passes for an average of 8.7 YPA, 13 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. His clunker against Dallas where he completed 12 of 29 for 80 yards is relevant and deserves to be taken into consideration and it’s a small sample size, but he deserves to be the starter until he proves otherwise. I’m not convinced he’s the long-term starter, but he’s definitely better than Michael Vick right now.

Week 9 Studs

QB Nick Foles

LG Evan Mathis

RT Lane Johnson

RE Fletcher Cox

LE Vinny Curry

ROLB Trent Cole

Week 9 Duds

None

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

Washington Redskins: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#23)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings, Commanders, Uncategorized

Last week: 24 (+1)

Record: 3-6

The Redskins are at 3-6, which is right where they were last season when they ripped off 7 straight wins and won the division. The difference this year is that their remaining schedule is harder and their team isn’t as good. Last season, they’re final 7 opponents finished 48-64. This year, their final 7 opponents currently are a combined 34-33. Robert Griffin is also not the same quarterback he was last year and their team is not dominating the turnover battle like they did last year, when they finished +17. The good news is they play in the easiest division in football and it won’t take 10 wins to win like last year, but I still have Philadelphia and Dallas slightly ahead of them.

Week 9 Studs

QB Robert Griffin

WR Pierre Garcon

LT Trent Williams

RT Tyler Polumbus

LG Kory Lichtensteiger

RG Chris Chester

LOLB Ryan Kerrigan

Week 9 Duds

MLB London Fletcher

CB David Amerson

CB Josh Wilson

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]