2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings

New York Giants: 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings (#21)

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

Last week: 18 (-3)

Record: 0-4

Like with the Steelers, the Giants have not won a game and are ranked ahead of teams that have won games. Again, if you want teams sorted by record, go to ESPN.com’s NFL Standings (or their NFL Power Rankings because they’re pretty much the same thing). Any talk of firing Tom Coughlin (or Mike Tomlin for that matter) is absurd. If the Giants had lost to the Cowboys week 17 in 2011 and missed the playoffs, rather than winning that 2nd Super Bowl, I kind of would have understands the calls for his job, but after he won that 2nd Super Bowl, he guaranteed himself job security for life. He’s signed to an expensive contract through 2014, which he signed after the 2nd Super Bowl season, and may retire at the end of next season, though he’s earned the right to continue coaching if he chooses to.

Week 4 Studs

DT Mike Patterson

CB Prince Amukamara

Week 4 Duds

RG James Brewer

TE Brandon Myers

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Washington Redskins: 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings (#22)

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

Last week: 24 (+2)

Record: 1-3

The Redskins won their first game of the season in Oakland, but honestly I wasn’t that impressed with them. They should have blown out the Matt Flynn led Raiders, but they didn’t, as their offense mustered just 24 points (7 off of a return) against a replacement level Raiders defense. Fortunately for them, they have a bye week to get things sorted out and are only 1 game back of the division lead, with the division leader facing the Broncos this week.

Week 4 Studs

LT Trent Williams

ROLB Brian Orakpo

Week 4 Duds

TE Logan Paulsen

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Philadelphia Eagles: 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings (#23)

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

Last week: 23

Record: 1-3

The Eagles have still really only looked good in that one half against an awful Washington defense. They looked competitive with the Broncos early on, but were kicking field goals instead of scoring touchdowns in the first half, which is not how you beat the Broncos. Down big in the 2nd half, they couldn’t do anything to keep it close. It’s not Chip Kelly’s fault. He has a defense that continues to be terrible, forcing a league worst 11 punts, while his quarterback is turnover prone and has problems converting in the red zone. He’ll do a better job with better personnel in 2014 and beyond.

Week 4 Studs

None

Week 4 Duds

RT Lane Johnson

MLB DeMeco Ryans

CB Cary Williams

FS Earl Wolff

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Cleveland Browns: 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings (#24)

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

Last week: 29 (+5)

Record: 2-2

The Browns have somehow vaulted to the top of the AFC North two weeks after losing Brandon Weeden to injury and trading Trent Richardson to the Colts. While it’s not a surprise that they wouldn’t miss Brandon Weeden that much, I don’t think anyone was expecting Brian Hoyer to play well enough to mask the loss of Trent Richardson. After 33 first downs to 13 punts in the first 2 games of the season, the Browns have 41 first downs to 10 punts in the past 2 games, while turning the ball over 5 times (included failed 4th downs) to 7 times in the first 2 games. Hoyer’s performance against the Vikings could have been seen as a fluke, but after they knocked off the Bengals last week, it’s time to believe in Brian Hoyer a little bit. He’s not great, but he’s the best quarterback the Browns have had in 5 years. This has allowed their defense to shine.

Week 5 Studs

RT Mitchell Schwartz

Week 5 Duds

LG John Greco

ROLB Barkevious Mingo

MLB Craig Robertson

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Pittsburgh Steelers: 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings (#25)

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

Last week: 22 (-3)

Record: 0-4

Yes, I know the Steelers have won a game and are higher rated than teams that have won games. If you want teams sorted by record, go to ESPN.com’s NFL Standings (or their NFL Power Rankings because they’re pretty much the same thing). The Steelers are not a good team by any stretch of the imagination, but they are going to be a more dangerous opponent going forward than any of the teams below them on this list. Having a quarterback like Ben Roethlisberger is often a trump card.

Week 4 Studs

WR Antonio Brown

TE Heath Miller

TE David Johnson

Week 4 Duds

LT Mike Adams

MLB Vince Williams

CB Cortez Allen

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New York Jets: 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings (#26)

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

Last week: 25 (-1)

Record: 2-2

Brandon Moore retired. Mark Sanchez is out for the season. And ESPN took down Butt Fumble as Worst of the Worst. And yet, somehow, the Jets manage to continue to make themselves the butt of jokes (I’ll let you decide whether or not the pun was intended). Geno Smith fumbled this week off of his OWN butt trying to move the ball from one hand to another behind his back like some sort of Harlem Globetrotter. The fumble was recovered by Tennessee in the end zone for a touchdown. You can’t make this stuff up.

Week 4 Studs

RE Sheldon Richardson

Week 4 Duds

QB Geno Smith

LG Vlad Ducaase

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Buffalo Bills: 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings (#27)

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

Last week: 27

Record: 2-2

The difference between old Defensive Coordinator Dave Wannstedt and new Defensive Coordinator Mike Pettine has been immense. Pettine’s new hybrid 3-4/4-3 defense, coming over from the Jets, has really had this front 7 playing well, with guys like Marcell Dareus, Mario Williams, Kyle Williams, and early Defensive Rookie of the Year frontrunner Kiko Alonso. As a result, opponents are moving the chains on 69% of opportunities, one of the better rates in the defense, despite a banged up and thin Buffalo secondary. If only the offense could move the chains at a higher rate than 68%.

Week 4 Studs

RG Kraig Urbik

C Eric Wood

DT Marcell Dareus

MLB Kiko Alonso

CB Aaron Williams

SS Da’Norris Searcy

Week 4 Duds

QB EJ Manuel

ROLB Mario Williams

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St. Louis Rams: 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings (#28)

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

Last week: 20 (-8)

Record: 1-3

The Rams keep adding talent, but they never seem to get any better. Their retooled offensive line isn’t playing up to expectations. Rodger Saffold is out, while veteran Scott Wells has been awful at center. Chris Williams continues to prove he’s not a starting caliber player, while even Jake Long has not been the franchise left tackle they thought they were getting. Rookie Tavon Austin, who was supposed to invigorate Bradford’s receiving corps, has looked like, well a rookie, while Jared Cook has been pretty hit or miss. Defensively, Chris Long and James Laurinaitis, who have been signed to long extensions recently, aren’t living up to their salaries. The same is true of Cortland Finnegan, who was signed to a 50 million dollar deal last off-season. He’s suddenly morphed into the worst cornerback in the NFL, allowing 16 of 19 for 248 yards and 3 touchdowns before getting “hurt” against the 49ers. With another two 1st round picks this year, the Rams have a lot of decisions to make on which highly paid veterans to dump and which youngsters to give up on.

Week 4 Studs

None

Week 4 Duds

QB Sam Bradford

RB Daryl Richardson

C Scott Wells

FS Rodney McLeod

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Minnesota Vikings: 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings (#29)

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

Last week: 30 (+1)

Record: 1-3

I don’t really have anything interesting to say this week about the Vikings, who went to the land of the redcoats this week for a game of 0-3 teams between them and the Steelers. Instead I’ll talk about how stupid expansion to London would be. The NFL is so much less foreign than leagues like the NBA, the MLB, or the NHL and yet none of those leagues have tried teams abroad (unless, you count Canada). There’s a reason for that. The grueling schedule of the NFL doesn’t help matters.

Week 4 Studs

RG Brandon Fusco

DT Fred Davis

Week 4 Duds

QB Matt Cassel

FB Jerome Felton

LE Brian Robison

MLB Erin Henderson

CB Josh Robinson

FS Harrison Smith

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 2013 Week 5 NFL Power Rankings (#30)

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

Last week: 28 (-2)

Record: 0-4

This Josh Freeman situation gets weirder and weirder every week. Multiple people in the know have referred to “off the field issues” with Freeman that they refuse to get into for personal reasons (it’s not drugs, he passed a numerous amount of tests since entering the NFL). His privacy should be respected, but whatever they are, I’m giving the Buccaneers the benefit of the doubt with how they are handling the situation, keeping Freeman away from the team. He’s already the 3rd string quarterback and will likely be granted his release sometime in the next week or so, after the Buccaneers make a futile attempt to trade him. Mike Glennon is the present for the Buccaneers now and has 12 more games to prove he’s the future. A likely combination of struggles on the field, a top-5 pick, and Schiano getting canned probably loses Glennon his job for 2014.

Week 4 Studs

DT Gerald McCoy

Week 4 Duds

QB Mike Glennon

RB Doug Martin

RG Davin Joseph

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