2013 NFL Power Rankings

Baltimore Ravens: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#17)

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Last week: 18 (+1)

Record: 4-5

The Ravens essentially staved off elimination at home last week, beating Cincinnati in a game that never should have gone to overtime. They are now 26-4 at home since 2010 and, as average as they’ve been this year, they are still 3-1 there, with the one loss coming by 2 to the Packers. They still have 4 home games to go so they certainly aren’t out of the playoff picture, a game back of the 2nd wild card. If they make the playoffs, it’ll be because of their loaded defense, which is allowing opponents to move the chains at a 68% rate, not their offense that is moving it at the same rate.

Week 10 Studs

MLB Daryl Smith

CB Jimmy Smith

CB Lardarius Webb

Week 10 Duds

QB Joe Flacco

WR Marlon Brown

RT Michael Oher

LG AQ Shipley

RG Marshal Yanda

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Buffalo Bills: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#18)

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Last week: 17 (-1)

Record: 3-7

The Bills have 6 games remaining and will probably be favored in 5 of them, including 3 at home, where they have been very good, beating Carolina and Baltimore and almost beating Kansas City, New England, and Cincinnati. EJ Manuel struggled in his first game back, but he’ll get healthy and he won’t have to deal with rookie destroyer Dick LeBeau every week. CJ Spiller is getting healthier and so is their secondary. They’re 3-7, but don’t be surprised if they finish 8-8.

Week 10 Studs

RE Kyle Williams

LE Alan Branch

ROLB Jerry Hughes

DT Marcell Dareus

SS Aaron Williams

Week 10 Duds

QB EJ Manuel

CB Stephon Gilmore

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Philadelphia Eagles: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#19)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings, Eagles, Uncategorized

Last week: 22 (+3)

Record: 5-5

One of the weirder streaks in the NFL is that the Eagles have lost 10 straight home games, four off of the all-time record. Yes, they haven’t been a very good team over the past 2 seasons, but they also have won 6 of their past 10 road games. Spread wise, they’ve actually failed to cover in 12 straight home games, as opposed to 8-4 ATS in their last 12 road games. Sure, they have Nick Foles now, but even he struggled in his only home start of the season, completing 11 of 29 for 80 yards. Most of his action this season has been on the road, completing 70.8% of his passes for an average of 11.1 YPA, 16 touchdowns, and no interceptions. They’ll try to end that streak at home against the Redskins this week.

Week 10 Studs

RB LeSean McCoy

LG Evan Mathis

TE Brent Celek

CB Roc Carmichael

Week 10 Duds

RE Fletcher Cox

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Dallas Cowboys: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#20)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings, Cowboys, Uncategorized

Last week: 14 (-6)

Record: 5-5

It’s arguable the Saints’ win over the Cowboys was the most lopsided contest in NFL history. While the Saints set the NFL record with 40 first downs, the Cowboys ran just 43 plays. The Saints’ +31 first down margin was the best in NFL history. The closest came when the Steelers had 29 more first downs than the Browns in 1999 in a 43-0 victory. They outgained the Cowboys by 431 yards, the most lopsided yardage battle since the Patriots in a 59-0 victory over the Titans in 2009. It would have been even more lopsided if the Saints hadn’t muffed a punt and missed a field goal and the Cowboys hadn’t recovered an onside kick. Because of those 2 things, the Saints had just 9 drives and scored touchdowns on 7 of them, missing a field goal on one of the others and punting on the other one of the others. It was an absurd destruction. Sean Lee is out indefinitely and the Cowboys might just be out of functional football players on defense. Anthony Spencer is done for the year, while Jay Ratliff’s year never started. DeMarcus Ware is still limited with injury, while Jason Hatcher is out indefinitely. Youngsters Morris Claiborne and Bruce Carter never took the next step. They were counting on building around those guys.

Week 10 Studs

RG Mackenzy Bernadeau

Week 10 Duds

LE George Selvie

LOLB Bruce Carter

DT Jairus Wynn

MLB Sean Lee

MLB Ernie Sims

CB Micah Pellarin

FS Barry Church

SS Jeff Heath

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Houston Texans: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#22)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings, Texans, Uncategorized

Last week: 21 (-1)

Record: 2-7

Despite their 2-7 record, the Texans actually rank 12th in rate of moving the chains differential, moving the chains at a 75% rate, as opposed to 72% for their opponents. They probably aren’t as good as that (Football Outsiders has them 29th in DVOA), but they’ve just been killed by turnovers (-13) and return touchdowns (-7 touchdowns). They won’t make the playoffs are anything, but they’ll pull some “upsets” and be underrated down the stretch.

Week 10 Studs

LE JJ Watt

MLB Daryl Sharpton

Week 10 Duds

LG Wade Smith

RG Brandon Brooks

ROLB Whitney Mercilus

CB Brice McCain

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Washington Redskins: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#23)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings, Commanders, Uncategorized

Last week: 23 (+0)

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 37-36. 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 10 Studs

QB Robert Griffin

LT Trent Williams

TE Jordan Reed

Week 10 Duds

LG Kory Lichtensteiger

RG Chris Chester

LOLB Ryan Kerrigan

MLB London Fletcher

FS Brandon Meriweather

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Pittsburgh Steelers: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#24)

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Last week: 24 (+0)

Record: 3-6

Dick LeBeau is now 19-2 against rookie quarterbacks in his career after befuddling EJ Manuel and the Bills last week, in a 23-10 loss that wasn’t even as close as that (Buffalo’s touchdown was in garbage time). Manuel completed 22 of 39 for 155 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception in the loss. The Steelers are only 2 games out of a wild card, holding the tiebreaker over the Jets. They’ll have to beat a non-rookie quarterback this week to stay alive as the Lions come to town. They are better than their record, moving the chains at a 73% rate, as to 74% for their opponents, but I don’t have a strong read on them really.

Week 10 Studs

FS Ryan Clark

Week 10 Duds

RB Le’Veon Bell

C Fernando Velasco

LG Guy Whimper

TE Heath Miller

ROLB Jason Worilds

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Miami Dolphins: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#25)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings, Dolphins, Uncategorized

Last week: 25 (+0)

Record: 4-5

The Incognito/Martin situation and the loss of two starters on the offensive line were a big part of it, but the Dolphins’ loss to the Buccaneers was largely a result of this team’s lack of talent. GM Jeff Ireland should be fired, but not because of the Incognito/Martin situation. How much money did he spend on this shit show? They have been very good in both red zone, allowing a touchdown on 51.5% of red zone attempts, 11th, and scoring one on 64.3% of red zone attempts, 5th. However, they are moving the chains at just a 70% rate, as opposed to 77% for their opponents, a differential that is 29th in the NFL. Off-season acquisitions Mike Wallace, Dannell Ellerbe, and Philip Wheeler have not paid off. They’ll finish pretty far near the bottom at the end of the season.

Week 10 Studs

QB Ryan Tannehill

WR Rishard Matthews

DT Randy Starks

LE Derrick Shelby

CB Brent Grimes

Week 10 Duds

MLB Dannell Ellerbe

OLB Philip Wheeler

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New York Giants: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#26)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings, Giants, Uncategorized

Last week: 26 (+0)

Record: 3-6

Sure, the Giants have won 3 straight, but they were against the Raiders, Vikings, and Eagles, who haven’t won at home in 10 straight games. They weren’t particularly convincing in any of them. That being said, they are in the worst division in football by far and only a game and a half back. If they were to make the playoffs, they would be one of the worst teams to ever make the post-season, as they are moving the chains at a 67% rate, as opposed to 74% for their opponents, 30th in the NFL. I guess you can’t count them out though.

Week 10 Studs

RB Andre Brown

FB John Conner

DT Cullen Jenkins

CB Tramaine McBride

Week 10 Duds

RG David Diehl

C Jim Cordle

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