2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings

Green Bay Packers: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#11)

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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)

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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)

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

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)

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

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

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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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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

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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

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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

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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

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