Last week: 27 (+1)
Record: 2-6
On bye.
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2013 NFL Power Rankings
Atlanta Falcons: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#27)
Last week: 21 (-6)
Record: 2-6
There are bad stop units and then there is the Atlanta Falcons’ “stop” unit, which has forced a league worst 30 punts, as well as just 8 takeaways and 2 failed 4th downs. They are allowing opponents to move the chains at an 80% rate, which is 3rd worst only to Jacksonville and San Diego. Matt Ryan has done a very admirable job despite losing most of his weapons, completing 67.8% of his passes for an average of 7.4 YPA, 15 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, leading the offense to a 75% rate of moving the chains. However, they just can’t keep up with what their defense is giving up. Their schedule isn’t easy from here. They are very good at home usually, but they have Seattle, New Orleans, and Carolina all coming to town, with the Redskins being the only opponent representing a very winnable game. On the road, they go to Green Bay (probably once Rodgers returns), San Francisco, and a sneaky good Buffalo team. They do go to Tampa Bay, but there aren’t a lot of easy wins left on this schedule. This is just the season from hell for this football team.
Week 9 Studs
None
Week 9 Duds
DT Peria Jerry
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St. Louis Rams: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#28)
Last week: 28 (+0)
Record: 3-6
Kellen Clemens has predictably struggled, completing 37 of 70 for 387 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions in relief of the injured Sam Bradford. However, the supporting cast has done a good job of rising up around him and, as a result, the Rams have lost their last 2 games by a combined 12 points despite playing a top level Seattle team and a sneaky good Tennessee team. However, both of those games were at home. Now they go on the road to Indianapolis and they might not have enough to keep it together. A look at their schedule suggests that a home game against Tampa Bay might be the only game in which they will be favored going forward so they’ll have to pull a couple of upsets to finish with more than 4 or 5 wins.
Week 9 Studs
LT Jake Long
LE Chris Long
DT Kendall Langford
Week 9 Duds
LG Chris Williams
ROLB JoLonn Dunbar
SS Darian Stewart
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Oakland Raiders: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#29)
Last week: 29 (+0)
Record: 3-5
The wheels kind of fell off of this scrappy Raider team’s season last week as they allowed an NFL record tying 7 passing touchdowns to Nick Foles in a 49-20 loss. They are moving the chains at a mere 68% rate, as opposed to 74% for their opponents and defenses seem to have figured out Terrelle Pryor, who figures to be without Darren McFadden for the foreseeable future. Their home games remaining are all tough, Tennessee, Denver, Kansas City, and their road games aren’t much easier, as they face the Giants, Jets, Houston, San Diego, and Dallas. They might not win much more than a game going forward.
Week 9 Studs
LT Khalif Barnes
Week 9 Duds
QB Terrelle Pryor
LG Lucas Nix
RG Mike Brisiel
LE Jason Hunter
CB DJ Hayden
FS Brandian Ross
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Minnesota Vikings: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#30)
Last week: 30 (+0)
Record: 2-7
In his last two games, Christian Ponder has completed 42 of 58 for 410 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. However, you have to remember he was facing two defenses in Dallas and Washington that are among the worst in the NFL and he was facing the latter on a short week when they were coming off of an overtime game (teams are 3-17 ATS on Thursday Night after an overtime game). Washington’s terrible “stop” unit made even Matt Cassel look passable when he game on in relief of an injured Christian Ponder. Ponder is expected to be fine going forward and to keep his starting job, but the schedule gets a lot tougher, with trips to Seattle, Green Bay, Baltimore, and Cincinnati to go with home games against Chicago, Philadelphia, and Detroit. It’s very, very possible we see another quarterback change for the Vikings at some point. They aren’t paying Josh Freeman 3 million for one start and a half of a season riding 3rd string.
Week 9 Studs
RB Adrian Peterson
RG Brandon Fusco
RT Phil Loadholt
C John Sullivan
RE Jared Allen
LE Brian Robison
DT Sharrif Floyd
Week 9 Duds
ROLB Marvin Mitchell
ROLB Erin Henderson
CB Marcus Sherels
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#31)
Last week: 31 (+0)
Record: 0-8
The Buccaneers’ near win in Seattle last week just reinforces how difficult football is to predict and how ridiculous it is to suggest that any team is going to go winless (or undefeated) with half a season left to play. Winless teams can be very dangerous down the stretch and there’s value with betting on them as winless teams are 45-17 ATS in week 9 or later. This week Buccaneers get a Miami team that is distracted, to put it lightly, and not as good as their record. That game is in Tampa Bay and the Buccaneers have a very good chance to get their first win of the season.
Week 9 Studs
QB Mike Glennon
RB Mike James
FB Erik Lorig
DT Gerald McCoy
SS Mark Barron
Week 9 Duds
RG Davin Joseph
ROLB Jonathan Casillas
MLB Mason Foster
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Jacksonville Jaguars: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#32)
Last week: 32 (+0)
Record: 0-8
On bye.
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Seattle Seahawks: 2013 Week 9 NFL Power Rankings (#1)
Last week: 1 (+0)
Record: 7-1
The Seahawks were pretty flat in St. Louis this week, but they’ve been so good this season it’s hard to hold it against them. They return home this week where they should blow out the Buccaneers. With the exception of a home game against the Saints and a trip to San Francisco, the rest of their schedule is very easy so they could easily win 13 or 14 games and obtain a homefield advantage throughout the NFC, which is going to be key to their chances of winning the NFC and going to the Super Bowl.
Week 8 Studs
RB Marshawn Lynch
ROLB Bruce Irvin
Week 8 Duds
LT Paul McQuistan
TE Zach Miller
RE Chris Clemons
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Denver Broncos: 2013 Week 9 NFL Power Rankings (#2)
Last week: 2 (+0)
Record: 7-1
Peyton Manning threw 3 interceptions against the Redskins, matching his total from his first 7 games, but that was bound to happen. His level of play from earlier this season was simply unsustainable, even for him. Still, Manning played well and so did the defense, which has been rejuvenated by the return of Von Miller, in a 45-21 victory going into the bye. I still think the Seahawks are better equipped to win a cold weather Super Bowl and they looked better on the road against a mutual opponent in Indianapolis, but Denver is clearly a very, very solid football team.
Week 8 Studs
RB Knowshon Moreno
C Manuel Ramirez
ROLB Von Miller
DT Terrance Knighton
CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
Week 8 Duds
LE Derek Wolfe
DT Kevin Vickerson
MLB Wesley Woodyard
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New Orleans Saints: 2013 Week 9 NFL Power Rankings (#3)
Last week: 3 (+0)
Record: 6-1
The Saints have now won and covered in 13 straight games at home under Sean Payton. They aren’t quite the same team on the road, but, other than Seattle, their next toughest road games are in Carolina and Atlanta. They could easily win all of their home games (Dallas, Carolina, San Francisco, Tampa Bay) and lose maximum 2 road games, finish 13-3 and be in great position with a 1st round bye and home field advantage. The Jimmy Graham injury hurts, but he was still very dangerous in a limited role last week, catching 3 passes for 37 yards and 2 touchdowns on 19 snaps.
Week 8 Studs
RT Zach Strief
TE Ben Watson
ROLB Junior Gallete
Week 8 Duds
C Brian La Puente
MLB Curtis Lofton
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