Tuesday, September 23, 2014

What A Week

Unscripted NFL Power Rankings
2014 Week 4

Nipping at #10's heels:
Ravens (#16), Lions (#15), Saints (#14)
Colts (#13), 49ers (#12), Packers (#11)


10. New England Patriots (2-1)
Last Week: 3rd
Best Ranking: 2nd (Week 1)
Quarterback Tom Brady figures to be grumpy again after this one, as the offense continues to struggle. The problems are across the board, starting with poor protection from the offensive line, extending to questionable play-calling (three throws to open the game against the NFL's worst run defense), time management issues in the red zone at the end of the second quarter, and limited pass-catching options outside of Julian Edelman. We could go on, but the bottom line is that the offense is not in a good place right now. What are the solutions? The game was ugly and produces more questions than answers about the team. But the end result is this: The Patriots are 2-1 and the Patriots are now 12-1 in home openers at Gillette Stadium, which opened in 2002. - Mike Reiss

9. Chicago Bears (2-1)
Last Week: 13th
Best Ranking: 9th (Week 4)
This is the “backbone” building Marc Trestman always talks about. Two road wins in a row should build confidence for the club before it hosts the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, followed by back-to-back outings at the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons. A 2-1 start with two of the first three games on the road is a major win for the Bears. Remember, after the loss in the season opener to the Buffalo Bills, there was the thought Chicago might start 0-3. That’s a distant memory now. The Bears entered Monday having scored 21 points off five takeaways, which tied for third in the NFL headed into Week 3 matchups. Chicago generated two more takeaways in the first half, leading to 14 points, with another takeaway in the second half. - Michael C. Wright

8. Carolina Panthers (2-1)
Last Week: 7th
Best Ranking: 7th (Week 3)
It means the Panthers aren't made for prime time. Their only two losses in their past 15 regular-season games have been on Sunday night. This one ended a five-game win streak; the other, at New Orleans the past season, ended an eight-game streak. Both were ugly, and both were the only times in the 15 games that Carolina allowed more than 20 points. This one was worse because it was at home against a Pittsburgh team that entered the game having struggled to score. The Panthers (2-1) travel to Baltimore to face the Ravens (2-1) and Steve Smith, Carolina's all-time leading receiver who was released in March. - David Newton

7. Atlanta Falcons (2-1)
Last Week: 15th
Best Ranking: 6/5 tie (Week 2)
The Falcons, whose NFC South record improved to 2-0, are extremely dangerous when they are clicking on all cylinders. Quarterback Matt Ryan set the tone early by marching his team on a a six-play, 70-yard scoring drive, capped by his 3-yard touchdown pass to Harry Douglas, in the first three minutes of the game. The Falcons scored 21 first-quarter points, and it was pretty much over after that. If the Falcons can jump ahead early like they did Thursday night, not many teams will be able to keep up with them. And if the defense plays inspired football like it did, the Falcons could be unstoppable. But let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet. It's just one game -- although a very dominating one -- but the Falcons have to find their rhythm on the road at Minnesota the next time out. - Vaughn McLure

6. Arizona Cardinals (3-0)
Last Week: 12th
Best Ranking: 6th (Week 4)
This is a team that knows how to scrap together a win. It was tough at halftime to believe the Cardinals could come back, but whatever Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said worked. The second-half Cardinals looked nothing like the first-half Cardinals. (However, some credit has to be given to the 49ers for imploding for a third consecutive second half.) And that’s good news for this team, which might be without starter Carson Palmer for a while. Arizona figured out a way to slow down 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in the second half, and on offense, the Cardinals were able to convert on third down and turn scoring opportunities into touchdowns instead of field goals. If Arizona can start putting together full games, it could be a dangerous squad. - Josh Weinfuss

5. San Diego Chargers (2-1)
Last Week: 10th
Best Ranking: 5th (Week 4)
With the win, San Diego moves to 2-1 on the season. Since 2013, the Chargers are now 5-2 in East Coast games that begin at 10 a.m. PT. Playing the Seattle Seahawks usually leaves the opposing team bruised and battered afterward. Before Sunday, since 2013 opposing teams in the game after playing the Seahawks were 6-9-1 (not counting Week 17 of 2013 -- the Rams did not make playoffs), according to ESPN Stats & Information. While the Chargers dealt with their fair share of injuries this week, they traveled across the country and managed to earn a hard-fought road victory after defeating Seattle at home in Week 2. - Eric D. Williams

4. Philadelphia Eagles (3-0)
Last Week: 4th
Best Ranking: 4th (Week 4, 3)
The Eagles remain undefeated and in first place in the NFC East. This game presented even more adversity than their two comeback wins against Jacksonville and Indianapolis. The Eagles lost center Jason Kelce to injury in the first half, leaving them with just two of their original five starting offensive linemen. That rendered LeSean McCoy and the running game ineffective and left Foles to carry the load. He did, throwing two perfect strikes for touchdowns to Jordan Matthews in the second quarter. In the fourth, after Washington tied the game at 27, Foles absorbed a big hit by Washington defensive tackle Chris Baker. The officials ejected Baker for the hit. Foles stayed in the game and made some of his best throws of this season, never letting the physical pounding affect his performance. - Phil Sheridan

3. Cincinnati Bengals (3-0)
Last Week: 5th
Best Ranking: 3rd (Week 4)
Sunday's 26-point win means that the Bengals are the best team in the NFL on this side of the Mississippi River. This third straight win - the most impressive in a string of early-season dominating victories - proves that. At home these last two weeks, the Bengals have showed relatively few weaknesses. Their offense has been dynamic and explosive, their defense remains suffocating, and their special teams have been adequate enough, spearheaded by punter Kevin Huber. Sunday's win was also the Bengals' 11th straight at home in the regular season, setting a franchise record. It's the longest home winning streak in the league. - Coley Harvey

2. Denver Broncos (2-1)
Last Week: 1st
Best Ranking: 1st (Week 3)
Once again, the Broncos got a good enough day from the defense to defeat the rugged, opportunistic Seahawks, but the Broncos' stars simply never came out on offense. When they waded into the offseason with the intent to fix their defense, the Broncos wanted a nastier, more versatile unit that could both get to the passer and still hold opposing run games in check. The Broncos had it all going on that side of the ball Sunday, especially in the second half. But quarterback Peyton Manning had just 141 yards passing by the end of the third quarter, Demaryius Thomas didn't have his first catch until just before the end of the third quarter, and while the Broncos scrapped their way to overtime, those lost possessions on offense earlier in the game were a little too much to overcome and the defense was too gassed to get the stop. - Jeff Legwold

1. Seattle Seahawks (2-1)
Last Week: 2nd
Best Ranking: 1st (Week 4, 2, 1, Post-Draft)
Now that was the game everyone thought the Super Bowl would be. After giving up a game-tying drive at the end of the fourth quarter, Seattle took the ball 80 yards at the start of the overtime period and won it on Marshawn Lynch's 6-yard run. The Seahawks got the bad taste out of their mouths after the past weekend’s loss at San Diego and proved they’re still the best in the Super Bowl rematch. The Seahawks enter their bye week before heading across the country to play the Washington Redskins on Monday Night Football on Oct. 6. It's the first time the Seahawks have played the Redskins since the playoff game two years ago, which Seattle won 24-14 at FedExField. - Terry Blount

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