2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings

Denver Broncos: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#1)

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Last week: 1 (+1)

Record: 8-1

Peyton Manning’s ankle is a concern going into the biggest game of their season thus far against the Chiefs (followed by the Patriots, followed by the Chiefs again). However, it’s very good to see that the Broncos are favored by 8 points over the Chiefs. This is the latest an undefeated team has been an underdog of this much. The odds makers, who always make money in the long run, know the Chiefs aren’t as good as their record. Even better, the public is siding with the Chiefs, looking at them and thinking “how can a 9-0 team be an underdog by this much?” It has all the making of a trap line. The Broncos should win by double digits, go into Kansas City and win later, and re-establish themselves as the top team in the AFC.

Week 10 Studs

WR Demaryius Thomas

RG Louis Vasquez

ROLB Von Miller

Week 10 Duds

SS Mike Adams

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Seattle Seahawks: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#2)

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Last week: 2 (+0)

Record: 9-1

The Seahawks got themselves back on track after two close calls against the Buccaneers and Rams with a blowout victory in Atlanta. They get Percy Harvin back ahead of the bye this week for their game against the Vikings, which should be another blowout win, which would get them to 10-1 going into the bye. After the bye, they play New Orleans and San Francisco in back-to-back weeks in games that could be very important for seeding purposes.

Week 10 Studs

RB Marshawn Lynch

WR Golden Tate

WR Doug Baldwin

LOLB KJ Wright

DT Brandon Mebane

DT Tony McDaniel

CB Walter Thurmond

Week 10 Duds

LT Paul McQuistan

LG James Carpenter

DT Clinton McDonald

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New Orleans Saints: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#3)

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Last week: 3 (+0)

Record: 7-2

After the Saints’ absolute trouncing of the Cowboys, in which they won by 32, despite muffing a punt, missing a field goal, and not recovering an opponent’s onside kick, they now lead the NFL in rate of moving the chains differential. They are moving the chains at an 82% rate, as opposed to 70% for opponents. This makes sense, as the Saints not only set the single game record for first downs, but also for first down differential (+31). They now have won their last 14 home games under Sean Payton by an average of 22 points per game. I don’t think anyone is beating them there. The Saints’ game in Seattle in a few weeks might as well be the NFC Championship given how good those two teams are at home and how the winner will almost definitely get homefield advantage through the NFC.

Week 10 Studs

QB Drew Brees

RB Pierre Thomas

FB Jed Collins

WR Marques Colston

RT Zach Strief

LG Ben Grubbs

RG Jahri Evans

C Brian La Puente

RE Cameron Jordan

Week 10 Duds

None

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Carolina Panthers: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#5)

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Last week: 8 (+3)

Record: 6-3

I had the Panthers at 12-4 before the season. That prediction looked dead in the water when they started 1-3, but they’ve won their last 5 games, the first 4 by 14 or more and last week by 1 point over the 49ers in San Francisco, by far their most impressive victory of the Cam Newton/Ron Rivera era. This close win came after they started 2-14 in games decided by a touchdown or less in the Cam Newton/Ron Rivera era. Ron Rivera has gone from a candidate to be fired to a candidate for Coach of the Year. I don’t know if they’ll win 12 games or win the division (they still have to play New England once and New Orleans twice), but they’ll make the playoffs and they’ll be very dangerous in the post-season.

Week 10 Studs

LG Travelle Wharton

Week 10 Duds

RB Jonathan Stewart

RG Nate Chandler

DT Star Lotulelei

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San Francisco 49ers: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#6)

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Last week: 5 (-1)

Record: 6-3

There’s no shame in losing to the Panthers, even at home, because of how good the Panthers are. Losing Vernon Davis mid-game certainly didn’t help. The 49ers might not have a huge chance of winning in New Orleans this week, because no one does, but going forward, the rest of their schedule isn’t hard. They’ll probably be favored in their final 6 games, including at home for Seattle, who isn’t the same team on the road. They probably won’t win the division, but they’ll be well positioned going into the post-season.

Week 10 Studs

LT Joe Staley

ROLB Dan Skuta

MLB Patrick Willis

Week 10 Duds

QB Colin Kaepernick

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Indianapolis Colts: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#8)

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Last week: 8 (+0)

Record: 6-3

There are definitely some fluky aspects to the Colts’ loss to the Rams. The Rams led just one methodical touchdown drive, scoring on two return touchdowns, and two long passing touchdowns. That forced the Colts to give up their game plan and put them out of their comfort zone. Since 1989, 5 teams have won a game by 25 or more despite losing the first down battle by 9 or more. 2 of them are the 2013 Rams. The Colts were clearly distracted by their upcoming game with the Titans on Thursday. However, the Colts certainly didn’t play well fluky things aside and they haven’t really played well over the past 2 weeks without Reggie Wayne. It’s a concern going forward. We’ll see how they play against the Titans.

Week 10 Studs

LE Cory Redding

ROLB Robert Mathis

Week 10 Duds

QB Andrew Luck

RG Mike McGlynn

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Detroit Lions: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#9)

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Last week: 9 (+0)

Record: 6-3

The Lions are 6-3 and could easily be favored in their final 7 games, unless Aaron Rodgers somehow comes back for their Thanksgiving game, which is unlikely. Unless they get complacent and flop down the stretch, this is the clear favorite to win the NFC North and end up in the 3 seed in the NFC. They could easily go from 4-12 to 12-4 and they haven’t actually played much better. Last season, they were killed by turnovers (-16), inability to recover fumbles (32.6%), return touchdowns (-10 touchdowns), and inability to win close games (3-8 in games decided by a touchdown or less). This year, they are +1 in turnovers, recover 39.1% of fumbles (which will probably still improve going forward), +1 in return touchdowns, and 3-2 in games decided by a touchdown or less. The narrative is that they’ve learned how to be a less sloppy team, but, at the end of the day, those things are all very random.

Week 10 Studs

QB Matt Stafford

RT LaAdrian Waddle

DT Ndamukong Suh

MLB Stephen Tulloch

Week 10 Duds

CB Darius Slay

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Cincinnati Bengals: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#10)

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Last week: 10 (+0)

Record: 6-4

The Bengals aren’t the same team on the road, losing in Chicago, Cleveland, Miami, and Baltimore and almost losing in Detroit and Buffalo. However, they are a dominant home team that is undefeated at home this season in 4 games and 4 of their final 6 games are winnable home games (Baltimore, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Minnesota). Because of that, they can make it into the playoffs without winning another home game, thanks to two close road victory. They’ll be shaky in the playoffs though because I don’t trust Andy Dalton and because they aren’t the same team without Geno Atkins and Leon Hall.

Week 10 Studs

LOLB Vontaze Burfict

MLB Vincent Rey

DT Brandon Thompson

Week 10 Duds

QB Andy Dalton

TE Tyler Eifert

FS Reggie Nelson

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