Last week: 4 (-1)
Record: 6-2
On bye.
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2013 NFL Power Rankings
Kansas City Chiefs: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#7)
Last week: 8 (+1)
Record: 9-0
It’s worth noting that the Bills’ offense led by Jeff Tuel outscored the Chiefs’ offense led by Alex Smith. The Bills won by 10 because of two return touchdowns, but that’s not a sustainable method of offense. Their schedule gets a lot harder from here on out. Their first 9 opponents were a combined 27-49 and they’ve faced 3 straight 3rd string quarterbacks, but their next 7 opponents are a combined 34-23, including Denver twice, San Diego twice, and Indianapolis. Fortunately, they get Denver after a bye and Andy Reid is 14-1 off of a regular season bye, only losing last season on a Philadelphia team that eventually finished 4-12. However, I don’t think Reid has ever had a test as hard as on the road against this caliber of opponent. The early line has Denver favored by 7.5 as the odds makers know the Chiefs aren’t as good as their record. Reid was only an underdog by more than 3 off of a bye once in Philadelphia.
Week 9 Studs
MLB Derrick Johnson
Week 9 Duds
LG Jeff Allen
CB Brandon Flowers
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Carolina Panthers: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#8)
Last week: 10 (+2)
Record: 5-3
The Panthers have won 4 straight by 14 or more. Every team since 1990 that has won 4 straight games by a combined 80 points or more with at least a 14 point or higher margin in each game has made the playoffs. Of course, the teams they beat are a combined 6-27. This week will be a real test as they go to San Francisco and face an equally hot 49er team. I think they have enough to at least be competitive. They lead the NFL in rate of moving the chains differential, moving the chains at an 81% rate, as opposed to 69% for their opponents. They rank 3rd in DVOA according to Football Outsiders. They’re 3rd in point differential. We’ll know a lot more about this week after this week. They have a tougher schedule going forward, with two against the Saints and one against the Patriots, in addition to this San Francisco game, but I still think they have a chance to win the division and at least make the playoffs. They’re only a game behind New Orleans at this point.
Week 10 Studs
C Ryan Kalil
CB Drayton Florence
Week 10 Duds
None
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Detroit Lions: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#9)
Last week: 11 (+2)
Record: 5-3
On bye.
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Cincinnati Bengals: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#10)
Last week: 9 (-1)
Record: 6-3
The Bengals are undefeated at home, including impressive wins over the Patriots and the Packers. However, they just aren’t the same team on the road. They are 2-3 on the road and they haven’t won a single game by more than a field goal. They lost in Chicago. They lost in Cleveland (worse than Baltimore did last week). They barely won in Buffalo. They won in Detroit by a field goal. And last week, they lost in Miami. That loss wasn’t the Bengals’ only loss last week. They also lost defensive tackle Geno Atkins for the season with a torn ACL. Even though Atkins hadn’t been playing quite as well he was last season, he still was showing himself to be a top-10 defensive player in the NFL. You can’t just replace a guy like that. On top of that, they’ve already lost top cornerback Leon Hall for the season. Their solid defense might not remain solid for much longer.
Week 9 Studs
RB Giovani Bernard
ROLB James Harrison
Week 9 Duds
RT Andre Smith
C Kyle Cook
TE Jermaine Gresham
TE Tyler Eifert
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Green Bay Packers: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#11)
Last week: 5 (-6)
Record: 5-3
Despite all of their injuries, the Packers looked like one of the best teams in the NFL before last week and they looked to only be going up as their schedule got easier and they got guys back from injury, like Clay Matthews this week. However, losing Aaron Rodgers for 4-6 weeks might be the straw that breaks their season. Their schedule isn’t very hard over those 6 weeks (Philadelphia, @ NY Giants, Minnesota, @ Detroit, Atlanta, and @ Dallas), but Seneca Wallace was terrible, completing 11 of 19 for 114 yards and an interception, despite facing a weak Chicago defense. He’ll be better going forward as he becomes more prepared and more familiar with the offense, but I think the Packers are safely behind the Lions in the NFC North right now unless Rodgers can somehow make it back for Thanksgiving in Detroit.
Week 9 Studs
RB Eddie Lacy
Week 9 Duds
LE Johnny Jolly
MLB AJ Hawk
ROLB Nate Palmer
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Tennessee Titans: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#12)
Last week: 15 (+3)
Record: 4-4
The Titans have Jake Locker back and have weathered the worst part of their schedule, which was Kansas City, Seattle, and San Francisco in back-to-back-to-back weeks. Assuming they beat the Jaguars this week, they will be 5-4 going into next week’s Thursday Night Game with the Colts. They play the Colts twice in the 2nd half of the season, but also Jacksonville twice, Houston once, Oakland, and Arizona. Aside from the two Indianapolis games, their only other tough game is against the Broncos. I think this is going to be the 6th seed in the AFC.
Week 9 Studs
FB Colin Mooney
LT Michael Roos
Week 9 Duds
QB Jake Locker
RT Mike Otto
ROLB Akeem Ayers
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Chicago Bears: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#13)
Last week: 16 (+3)
Record: 5-3
The Bears are 5-3, but they aren’t as good as their record. They get Jay Cutler back this week, but I don’t think that’s going to solve their problems. Cutler only missed about 7 quarters and Josh McCown played about as well as Cutler could have in his absence, completing 59.0% of his passes for an average of 7.8 YPA, 3 touchdowns, and no interception. Cutler is a better long-term solution, but the offense is hardly the problem, moving the chains at a 78% rate. The defense is the bigger problem, allowing opponents to move the chains at a 77% rate. Henry Melton is out for the season. Lance Briggs is out indefinitely. Charles Tillman is dealing with a debilitating injury. Julius Peppers, Tim Jennings, and Major Wright are all struggling by their standards. They are forcing a league worst 30 punts and things have only gotten worse of late as their takeaway rate has predictably dropped and their health has gone downhill. Last season they were an elite stop unit that could also take the ball away from you. This you, if they are unable to come up with a takeaway, they have a very, very hard time getting you off the field and preventing you from scoring.
Week 9 Studs
QB Josh McCown
RB Matt Forte
WR Brandon Marshall
LT Jermon Bushrod
LG Matt Slauson
Week 9 Duds
RT Jordan Mills
SS Major Wright
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Dallas Cowboys: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#14)
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
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San Diego Chargers: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#15)
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
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