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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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Houston Texans: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#21)

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

Last week: 17 (-4)

Record: 2-6

The Texans have lost each of the past two games, but the good news is that they might have found their quarterback of the future. Case Keenum has completed 35 of 59 for 621 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2 games. The Texans have been better than their record all along. They are moving the chains at a 76% rate, as opposed to 73% for their opponents. They’ve just been killed by turnovers (-11), inability to recover fumbles (41.2%), and return touchdowns (-6 touchdowns). Now with Keenum under center, things seem to be better. Again, they haven’t won, but losing by a combined 4 points to the Chiefs and Colts is almost like beating anyone else. The Texans have had a brutal schedule to this point, as 7 of their 8 opponents are currently 4-4 or better. Between the 49ers, Seahawks, Colts, and Chiefs, they’ve faced 4 of the top-10 teams in my Power Rankings. Their schedule gets easier from here on out, starting with the Cardinals this week.

Week 10 Studs

QB Case Keenum

WR Andre Johnson

LT Duane Brown

C Chris Myers

LE JJ Watt

RE Antonio Smith

Week 10 Duds

LG Wade Smith

LOLB Brooks Reed

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Philadelphia Eagles: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#22)

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

Last week: 23 (+1)

Record: 4-5

The NFL is probably glad that Chip Kelly pulled Nick Foles and denied him the chance to break the single game touchdown record, after he tied it in the 3rd quarter with his 7th. I don’t think the NFL could sleep at night with Nick Foles as the single game touchdown record holder. Foles has put together an overall very solid season, completing 62.7% of his passes for an average of 8.7 YPA, 13 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. His clunker against Dallas where he completed 12 of 29 for 80 yards is relevant and deserves to be taken into consideration and it’s a small sample size, but he deserves to be the starter until he proves otherwise. I’m not convinced he’s the long-term starter, but he’s definitely better than Michael Vick right now.

Week 9 Studs

QB Nick Foles

LG Evan Mathis

RT Lane Johnson

RE Fletcher Cox

LE Vinny Curry

ROLB Trent Cole

Week 9 Duds

None

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Washington Redskins: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#23)

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

Last week: 24 (+1)

Record: 3-6

The Redskins are at 3-6, which is right where they were last season when they ripped off 7 straight wins and won the division. The difference this year is that their remaining schedule is harder and their team isn’t as good. Last season, they’re final 7 opponents finished 48-64. This year, their final 7 opponents currently are a combined 34-33. Robert Griffin is also not the same quarterback he was last year and their team is not dominating the turnover battle like they did last year, when they finished +17. The good news is they play in the easiest division in football and it won’t take 10 wins to win like last year, but I still have Philadelphia and Dallas slightly ahead of them.

Week 9 Studs

QB Robert Griffin

WR Pierre Garcon

LT Trent Williams

RT Tyler Polumbus

LG Kory Lichtensteiger

RG Chris Chester

LOLB Ryan Kerrigan

Week 9 Duds

MLB London Fletcher

CB David Amerson

CB Josh Wilson

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Pittsburgh Steelers: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#24)

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

Last week: 18 (-6)

Record: 2-6

The Steelers are one team that I don’t really have a beat on. Their offense has been massively improved since the bye, but their aging defense seems to be heading in the opposite direction. Any time you allow 55 points, even to the Patriots, who can tear up anyone when they’re right, it’s a bad sign. They are still getting killed in turnovers (-11), which probably won’t continue going forward, especially since it’s largely the result of a 26.3% rate of fumble recovery. They are moving the chains at a 73% rate, as opposed to 75% for their opponents, allowed by their defense. I still think they are more likely to go 4-4 the rest of the way than 1-7, but it’s tough to tell. They have the looks of a rough off-season ahead of them as they look to reload and rebuild.

Week 9 Studs

WR Jerricho Cotchery

LE Cameron Heyward

LOLB LaMarr Woodley

Week 9 Studs

C Fernando Velasco

CB William Gay

FS Ryan Clark

SS Troy Polamalu

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Miami Dolphins: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#25)

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

Last week: 22 (-3)

Record: 4-4

I’ll get into the Richie Incognito situation in depth in a different place, but purely on the field, I think it’s going to have a very negative effect. They are probably going to be without 2 of their starting offensive linemen for the season on an offensive line that was already one of the worst in the NFL. It’s also going to be a huge distraction and disruption of team chemistry. I don’t see them being able to get up for winless Tampa Bay this weekend and this isn’t the type of team that can afford to be distracted and unprepared. Largely due to their weak offensive line, they are moving the chains at a mere 70% rate offensively, while their retooled defense is not living up to expectations, allowing opponents to move the chains at a 76% rate. Their schedule isn’t easy from here on out, especially if they can’t beat Tampa Bay. After Tampa Bay, 5 of their final 7 games are against teams currently 4-4 or better and one of them who isn’t is a sneaky good Buffalo team that already beat them in Miami.

Week 9 Studs

QB Ryan Tannehill

C Mike Pouncey

LE Cameron Wake

RE Olivier Vernon

Week 9 Duds

LOLB Philip Wheeler

SS Reshad Jones

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Atlanta Falcons: 2013 Week 10 NFL Power Rankings (#27)

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

Last week: 21 (-6)

Record: 2-6

There are bad stop units and then there is the Atlanta Falcons’ “stop” unit, which has forced a league worst 30 punts, as well as just 8 takeaways and 2 failed 4th downs. They are allowing opponents to move the chains at an 80% rate, which is 3rd worst only to Jacksonville and San Diego. Matt Ryan has done a very admirable job despite losing most of his weapons, completing 67.8% of his passes for an average of 7.4 YPA, 15 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, leading the offense to a 75% rate of moving the chains. However, they just can’t keep up with what their defense is giving up. Their schedule isn’t easy from here. They are very good at home usually, but they have Seattle, New Orleans, and Carolina all coming to town, with the Redskins being the only opponent representing a very winnable game. On the road, they go to Green Bay (probably once Rodgers returns), San Francisco, and a sneaky good Buffalo team. They do go to Tampa Bay, but there aren’t a lot of easy wins left on this schedule. This is just the season from hell for this football team.

Week 9 Studs

None

Week 9 Duds

DT Peria Jerry

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