Year: 2013

Chicago Bears: 2013 Week 7 NFL Power Rankings (#13)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 7 NFL Power Rankings, Bears, Uncategorized

Last week: 13 (+0)

It was obvious to anyone watching a depleted Giants team move the chains with ease against them, but the Bears defense is a shell of its former self. Last season, it was a dominant unit that could also take the ball away from you. Now if they can’t take the ball away from you, they generally can’t stop you from scoring, forcing just 19 punts in 6 games. Injuries and age are a huge part of it, as well as the departure of defensive minds Lovie Smith and Rod Marinelli.

Week 6 Studs

WR Brandon Marshall

LT Jermon Bushrod

DT Corey Wootton

Week 6 Duds

RE Julius Peppers

LE Shea McClellin

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Tennessee Titans: 2013 Week 7 NFL Power Rankings (#14)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 7 NFL Power Rankings, Titans, Uncategorized

Last week: 15 (+1)

Record: 3-3

The Titans hung tough in Seattle and were just the 2nd team to cover the spread there over the past 2 seasons. Ryan Fitzpatrick is obviously a limiting factor for this team and, to be fair, Jake Locker probably would have been as well once his interception rate increased from 0.0%. However, they have plenty of defensive talent and can frustrate opponents, holding them to a 72% rate of moving the chains. They’re in an unbelievable tough part of their schedule right now with Kansas City, Seattle, and now San Francisco back-to-back, but once they get through that, they have a chance to rip off some wins and compete for a playoff spot.

Week 6 Studs

DT Karl Klug

Week 6 Duds

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick

LG Andy Levitre

RG Chance Warmack

C Robert Turner

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Carolina Panthers: 2013 Week 7 NFL Power Rankings (#15)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 7 NFL Power Rankings, Panthers, Uncategorized

Last week: 17 (+2)

Record: 2-3

The Panthers seem to make a habit out of blowing out bad teams and suffering gut wrenching losses to solid or better teams. There’s plenty of talent on this football team. They’re moving the chains at a 79% rate, while their opponents are doing so at a 72% rate, the 6th best differential in football. And they get three easier games on their schedule coming up, as they host St. Louis and Atlanta and then go to Tampa Bay. They could easily be 5-3 in a few weeks. I’m not going to predict a playoff spot for this team, but if they can ever figure out how to win close games (2-14 in games decided by a touchdown or less over the past 2+ seasons) they’re going to challenge for 10 wins.

Week 6 Studs

FB Mike Tolbert

LG Travelle Wharton

TE Greg Olsen

CB Captain Munnerlyn

Week 6 Duds

None

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Houston Texans: 2013 Week 7 NFL Power Rankings (#16)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 7 NFL Power Rankings, Texans, Uncategorized

Last week: 14 (+2)

Record: 2-4

Do Texans fans still think TJ Yates is better than Matt Schaub? I never argued Matt Schaub was great or anything, but the switch to TJ Yates was obviously not going to provide an upgrade and he proved that as he completed 12 of 17 for 98 yards and 2 interceptions (including a pick six) in relief of an injured Matt Schaub against the Rams. Also, and I need to preface this by saying that this is not the majority of Texans fans, but the Texans fans who cheered when Schaub got hurt and Yates came in were not only incorrect, but deplorable. I really don’t think the Texans are going to be in position to get a real upgrade over Schaub any time soon unless they completely tank this season. Texans fans should just learn to accept him and his flaws. He’s going through a rough patch right now, but I don’t think this is indicative of the type of quarterback he is.

Week 6 Studs

WR Andre Johnson

RG Brandon Brooks

C Chris Myers

Week 6 Duds

QB TJ Yates

LG Wade Smith

MLB Brian Cushing

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Arizona Cardinals: 2013 Week 7 NFL Power Rankings (#19)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 7 NFL Power Rankings, Cardinals, Uncategorized

Last week: 20 (+1)

Record: 3-3

The Cardinals are in an interesting spot this off-season quarterback wise. Carson Palmer has been as advertised. Unfortunately, that advertisement said “will move the chains, but kills you with turnovers.” Palmer is completing 59.3% of his passes for an average of 6.7 YPA, 7 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions this season and he’ll be owed 8 million in an age 35 season in 2014. The Cardinals, however, probably won’t have a high pick to spend on a quarterback and they don’t have an internal developmental option unless you count Ryan Lindley (don’t count Ryan Lindley).

Week 6 Studs

RB Andre Ellington

CB Patrick Peterson

FS Yeremiah Bell

Week 6 Duds

QB Carson Palmer

LT Bradley Sowell

DT Alameda Ta’amu

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New York Jets: 2013 Week 7 NFL Power Rankings (#20)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 7 NFL Power Rankings, Jets, Uncategorized

Last week: 18 (-2)

Record: 3-3

Geno Smith was on the cover of the New York Daily News with the headline “A Star is Born,” after Geno completed 16 of 20 for 199 yards and 3 touchdowns in an upset road win over the Falcons on Monday Night Football. Apparently this is bad luck because Mark Sanchez was on the cover of the same magazine with the same headline as a rookie in 2009 and we all know how that ended. A week after the cover was published, Geno laid a dud at home against the previously winless Steelers. In all seriousness, people were way too conveniently forgetting Geno’s stinker in a blowout loss to the Titans the week before. He’s an inconsistent rookie quarterback and will remain that this season. It’s why I took Pittsburgh this week and why the line shifted to Pittsburgh -1 before the game.

Week 6 Studs

RE Sheldon Richardson

DT Damon Harrison

SS Antonio Allen

Week 6 Duds

QB Geno Smith

CB Antonio Cromartie

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San Diego Chargers: 2013 Week 7 NFL Power Rankings (#21)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 7 NFL Power Rankings, Chargers, Uncategorized

Last week: 23 (+2)

Record: 3-3

I wasn’t shocked about the Chargers’ win over the Colts. The Colts were in an obvious trap game spot between a home upset win over the Seahawks and an impending battle with former quarterback Peyton Manning and the undefeated Broncos. The Chargers have a great offense that moves the chains with proficiency (82% moving the chains on the year), which was able to keep a Colts offense, which seemed distracted to begin with, off the field. I’m not moving them up much for that reason. They’ll have to prove they can handle success, unlike last time, when they upset the Cowboys at home and then proceeded to lose in Oakland. Their defense also remains one of the worst in the NFL, allowing opponents to move the chains at an 80% rate.

Week 6 Studs

LT King Dunlap

FS Eric Weedle

Week 6 Duds

LG Johnnie Troutman

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Philadelphia Eagles: 2013 Week 7 NFL Power Rankings (#22)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 7 NFL Power Rankings, Eagles, Uncategorized

Last week: 24 (+2)

Record: 3-3

Nick Foles is better than Michael Vick. I had a suspicion that Chip Kelly’s offense was making a washed up Vick look better than he was and I’m more convinced of that now that he made Nick Foles look even better than Vick looked. He completed 22 of 31 for 296 yards and 3 touchdowns against an actually solid Tampa Bay defense. The Eagles have essentially said that Vick won’t necessarily get him starting job back when he returns from injury and I think that’s the right move. The Eagles’ defense is still too terrible for them to win the division unless Dallas continues to crumble from injury and the combined record of the 3 teams they’ve beaten is 1-14, but Foles’ emergence is a positive going forward.

Week 6 Studs

LG Evan Mathis

C Jason Kelce

TE Brent Celek

RE Fletcher Cox

LE Cedric Thornton

Week 6 Duds

MLB DeMeco Ryans

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