2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings

Seattle Seahawks: 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings (#1)

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Last week: 1

Record: 4-0

The Broncos have a higher points differential than the Seahawks (88 to 62), but the Seahawks have a better ratio of points for and points against than the Broncos, scoring 109 points to 47 points for their opponents (2.32), as opposed to 179 points for the Broncos, as opposed to 91 points for their opponents (1.97). The Seahawks have arguably played the tougher schedule, as well. They could absolutely beat Denver on a neutral field. They have the secondary to limit Denver’s passing offense and are better suited to winning a game in the cold later in the season, particularly in a cold weather Super Bowl.

Week 4 Studs

C Lemuel Jeanpierre

LE Red Bryant

LE Cliff Avril

RE Michael Bennett

DT Brandon Mebane

Week 4 Studs

RT Michael Bowie

RG JR Sweezy

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Denver Broncos: 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings (#2)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings, Broncos, Uncategorized

Last week: 2

Record: 4-0

You could definitely call the Broncos 1b to the Seahawks’ 1a. I have the Broncos 2nd here. I think in a cold weather Super Bowl, the Seahawks would be at an advantage. That being said, the Broncos are playing out of their minds right now. Peyton Manning is completing 75.0% of his passes for an average of 9.4 YPA, 16 touchdowns, and no interceptions. He won’t play THIS well all season, but he and the Broncos have a very good chance to break the touchdown record (50), the yardage record (5476), and the points record (589).

Week 4 Studs

QB Peyton Manning

WR Demaryius Thomas

LT Chris Clark

RT Orlando Franklin

RG Louis Vasquez

Week 4 Duds

CB Tony Carter

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New Orleans Saints: 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings (#3)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings, Saints, Uncategorized

Last week: 3

Record: 4-0

Right now, I think the Saints are the 3rd best team in the NFL and could compete with Seattle or Denver on a neutral field. They are 3rd in the NFL in terms of moving the chains, doing so on 81% of chances. A strong offense is nothing new in New Orleans. Even with Sean Payton gone last year, the Saints were 4th in the NFL in points scored behind only the Patriots and Broncos. However, they are also playing very well on defense, allowing opponents to move the chains on just 66% of chances, 3rd best in the NFL. This is a huge change from last year, when they allowed the 2nd most points per game in the league and surrendered the most yards in NFL history. They are +15% in differential in terms moving the chains, as opposed to how often their opponents are. That’s the best in the NFL through 4 games.

Week 4 Studs

QB Drew Brees

ROLB Junior Galette

Week 4 Duds

None

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New England Patriots: 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings (#4)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings, Patriots, Uncategorized

Last week: 4

Record: 4-0

Are the Patriots lucky to be 4-0? Absolutely. They’ve had a very easy schedule and 3 of their wins have come by a touchdown or less. That being said, being 4-0 is certainly better than being 2-2 and things will only get better for the Patriots going forward as they start to get weapons back, starting likely with Danny Amendola this week. If the Patriots are at close to full strength later in the season for a home game against the Broncos, I don’t know why they couldn’t go toe to toe with Manning and win that game.

Week 4 Studs

LT Nate Solder

C Ryan Wendell

CB Aqib Talib

Week 4 Duds

None

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San Francisco 49ers: 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings (#5)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings, 49ers, Uncategorized

Last week: 5

Record: 2-2

They still have issues, which I why I’m not moving them back up, but the 49ers looked as good as I knew they were against the Rams, blowing them out 35-11 in St. Louis. Now they have 10 days before a big Sunday Night Football matchup with the Texans. They should continue to play well and prove their rough start was a fluke, especially with Patrick Willis expected to return.

Week 4 Studs

FB Bruce Miller

LT Joe Staley

LG Mike Iupati

DT Glenn Dorsey

MLB NaVorro Bowman

CB Tarell Brown

Week 4 Duds

QB Colin Kaepernick

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Kansas City Chiefs: 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings (#7)

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Last week: 12 (+5)

Record: 4-0

The Chiefs aren’t in the top-4 with the other 4-0 teams because their opponents have a combined record of 3-13. They’ve faced 3/4s of arguably the worst division in football, the NFC East, along with a Jacksonville team that’s worse than any team since the 2008 Lions and even that’s a debate. They won’t be able to rely on winning the turnover battle every game going forward and in the first game they didn’t win the turnover battle, they were stuck in a tough battle at home with the 0-4 Giants, before a punt return blew the game open. They’re a very solid football team, but all 6 teams ahead of them on this list are greater contenders for the Super Bowl.

Week 5 Studs

QB Alex Smith

LOLB Justin Houston

ROLB Tamba Hali

SS Eric Berry

Week 5 Duds

RT Donald Stephenson

LG Geoff Schwartz

C Rodney Hudson

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Detroit Lions: 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings (#8)

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Last week: 9 (-1)

Record: 3-1

I’ve had the Lions higher than the Bears all season and the Lions did a very good job of supporting me this week, not only winning, but winning when they had a very powerful situational trend working against them (divisional home favorites before being divisional road dogs are 16-48 ATS since 2002). They have a very good chance to be a playoff team this season.

Week 4 Studs

LE Israel Idonije

DT Ndamukong Suh

SS Louis Delmas

Week 4 Duds

TE Brandon Pettigrew

LE Willie Young

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Dallas Cowboys: 2013 Week 5 Power Rankings (#10)

stevenlourie 2013 NFL Power Rankings, 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings, Cowboys, Uncategorized

Last week: 8 (-2)

Record: 2-2

The Cowboys lost in San Diego, but there’s no shame in losing to a decent San Diego team in San Diego, with a huge trend working against them (Non-divisional home dogs are 37-11 ATS since 1989 before being divisional road favorites, while, teams are 20-35 ATS since 1989 as non-divisional road favorites before being non-divisional home underdogs). They still have as many wins as the rest of the division combined and look like a heavy favorite in the worst division in football. This is a talented team that could give Denver a scare this week in Cowboys Stadium.

Week 4 Studs

LT Tyron Smith

RT Doug Free

RG Brian Waters

MLB Sean Lee

Week 4 Duds

DT Nick Hayden

CB Morris Claiborne

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