2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings

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

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

Last week: 11 (+0)

Record: 5-4

The Packers just can’t catch a break. Seneca Wallace struggled mightily in relief of an injured Aaron Rodgers against the Bears, completing 11 of 19 for 114 yards and an interception, which makes sense considering he was unprepared. He started out better against Philadelphia, but then got hurt, which led to an even more unprepared Scott Tolzien coming into the game, 6 days removed from the practice squad. He completed 24 of 39 for 280 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions. Tolzien is now the starter going forward, until Rodgers comes back, with Wallace going on IR. He’ll have more preparation time this week going into New York and has easy games against the Giants and Vikings, before they go to Detroit on Thanksgiving. They won’t win that game without Rodgers though and they probably won’t win the division without winning that game. That will leave them fighting for a wild card in the loaded NFC.

Week 10 Studs

RT Don Barclay

LG Josh Sitton

LE Mike Daniels

CB Tramon Williams

Week 10 Duds

RT Marshall Newhouse

RE BJ Raji

ROLB Clay Matthews

LOLB Mike Neal

MLB Brad Jones

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

Chicago Bears: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#12)

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

Last week: 13 (+1)

Record: 5-4

Another one bites the dust on the Bears’ defense. Before the season, the Bears had 6 above average or better starters, Julius Peppers, Henry Melton, Lance Briggs, Tim Jennings, Charles Tillman, and Major Wright. Henry Melton is already out for the season. Charles Tillman is now out until the playoffs, if they can make them. Lance Briggs is out indefinitely. None of those guys were playing up to their ability before going down anyway. Julius Peppers is showing his age and Major Wright is regressing in a major way. They are allowing opponents to move the chains at a 77% rate, which could only get worse thanks to injuries. Injuries, age, and departed coordinators have derailed a one proud defense in the worst way. They’ll need Josh McCown to continue playing well as Cutler’s backup to stay relevant with Cutler out indefinitely as well. He was not ready to return from his groin tear last week and now has a high ankle sprain as well.

Week 10 Studs

WR Brandon Marshall

Week 10 Duds

RB Matt Forte

LG Matt Slauson

LE David Bass

DT Corey Wootton

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

San Diego Chargers: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#13)

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

Last week: 15 (+2)

Record: 4-5

There’s no shame in losing at home by 8 to the Broncos, especially when you match them score for score, but lose because you had to settle for two field goals. It’s no surprise the Chargers were able to move the ball with the Broncos, because their rate of moving the chains is 2nd only to Denver (82%). Their defense, which allows opponents to move the chains at an 80% rate, is a huge problem, but the AFC is weak enough that they could still sneak a playoff spot. The big concern is that King Dunlap might have suffered his 3rd concussion of the season, which could put him out a while. The cheap free agent signing has been one of the better left tackles in the game this season.

Week 10 Studs

None

Week 10 Duds

TE Antonio Gates

CB Shareece Wright

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

Tennessee Titans: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#14)

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

Last week: 12 (-2)

Record: 4-5

The Titans lost at home to the Jaguars, but you can’t really blame them for not getting up for a winless team with a Thursday Night clash with the Colts upcoming. Even the Colts were caught looking forward to that matchup in a big way. They did lose Jake Locker, but Ryan Fitzpatrick played admirably in his absence, as they played both Kansas City and Seattle tough. Locker wasn’t why this team is in the hunt. Fitzpatrick can rely on a stout defense led by Alterraun Verner and Jurrell Casey to keep them in the hunt with an easier schedule upcoming. They’ll still be favored in at least 4 of their final 7 games and if they can win those games and pull one upset, they’d be in the driver’s seat for a playoff spot with a tiebreaker over the Chargers and Jets.

Week 10 Studs

LT Michael Roos

LG Andy Levitre

LE Derrick Morgan

LE Ropati Pitoitua

DT Antonio Johnson

DT Jurrell Casey

Week 10 Duds

QB Jake Locker

RB Chris Johnson

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

Arizona Cardinals: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#16)

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

Last week: 19 (+3)

Record: 5-4

It might sound crazy, but if the 49ers lose in New Orleans this week, and the Cardinals win in Jacksonville, they’ll have the same record at 6-4. I don’t expect that to hold until the end of the season, but the Cardinals are a solid football team. They’ve beaten both Detroit and Carolina, two likely playoff teams, this season. Ultimately, poor quarterback play in the loaded NFC will probably keep them out, but they shouldn’t be taken lightly at all.

Week 10 Studs

RE Calais Campbell

LOLB John Abraham

MLB Karlos Dansby

Week 10 Duds

RT Eric Winston

LG Daryn Colledge

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

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

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

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

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

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

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

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

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

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

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

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

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]

[switch_ad_hub]