2014 Week 13
Nipping at #10's heels:
Chargers (#16), Dolphins (#15), Ravens (#14)
Steelers (#13), Bengals (#12), Chiefs (#11)
10. San Francisco 49ers (7-4)
Last Week: 10thBest Ranking: 3rd (Week 2, Post-Draft)
Kaepernick's 30-yard touchdown pass to Boldin in the first quarter did more than give the Niners the 7-0 lead; it also tied a franchise record. It was the 18th straight game in which Kaepernick had thrown a TD, tying him with Hall of Famer Steve Young, who did it from Oct. 9, 1994, through Nov. 26, 1995. The 49ers are now riding a three-game winning streak for the second time this season. Next, San Francisco hosts a Seahawks team - coming out of a win over the division-leading Arizona Cardinals - on Thanksgiving night in what many see as a possible playoff elimination game between two second-place clubs. - Paul Gutierrez
9. Seattle Seahawks (7-4)
Last Week: 11th
Best Ranking: 1st (Week 6, 5, 4, 2, 1, Post-Draft)
In a typical NFC West slugfest, the Seahawks keep hope alive in the NFC West race with a win over the division leaders. The 1st place Cardinals (9-2) still are two games ahead of Seattle (7-4) with five games to play. The two teams will meet again on Dec. 21 in Arizona. But first Seattle will have to play the other second place team in the division, the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks have won four of their past five games after starting the season 3-3. - Terry Blount
8. Philadelphia Eagles (8-3)
Last Week: 8th
Best Ranking: 4th (Week 8, 4, 3)
The Eagles will remain atop the NFC East standings entering their Thanksgiving Day date with the Dallas Cowboys. Beating the Tennessee Titans was not pretty, but the Eagles were still able to hang 40 points on the scoreboard. It started with rookie Josh Huff's 107-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Except for a lapse in the second quarter, when the Titans scored 17 points and put together two long drives, the Eagles' defense played miles better than it did in Green Bay last week. The offense had problems - two more interceptions for Mark Sanchez, poor play in the red zone - but was good enough. - Phil Sheridan
Last Week: 8th
Best Ranking: 4th (Week 8, 4, 3)
The Eagles will remain atop the NFC East standings entering their Thanksgiving Day date with the Dallas Cowboys. Beating the Tennessee Titans was not pretty, but the Eagles were still able to hang 40 points on the scoreboard. It started with rookie Josh Huff's 107-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Except for a lapse in the second quarter, when the Titans scored 17 points and put together two long drives, the Eagles' defense played miles better than it did in Green Bay last week. The offense had problems - two more interceptions for Mark Sanchez, poor play in the red zone - but was good enough. - Phil Sheridan
7. Dallas Cowboys (8-3)
Last Week: 9th
Best Ranking: 2nd (Week 8)
The Cowboys absolutely needed to win Sunday night and Tony Romo’s touchdown pass to Dez Bryant with 1:01 to play proved to be the difference. With the win the Cowboys kept pace with the Philadelphia Eagles and improved to 8-3, equaling their win total from each of the past three seasons with five games to go. The last time the Cowboys were 8-3 was in 2009, and that also happens to be the last time they made the playoffs. It took some time for the defense to get its legs, but it was able to end the Giants’ final drive, giving the 'Boys the win and setting up a manic five-game finish that includes two games against the Eagles. - Todd Archer
6. Detroit Lions (7-4)
Last Week: 5th
Best Ranking: 4th (Week 11, 10)
Playing the New England Patriots was always going to be a struggle and perhaps the Lions' toughest game of the season. However, there should be legitimate concern with Detroit's offense right now. The Lions have gone two straight games without a touchdown and despite shrinking the play-calling sheet in order to help find offensive rhythm and consistency, the Lions gained 335 yards - right around their 332.3 yard per game average - but once again appeared largely inconsistent. Perhaps a bigger concern was the return of the drops for the Lions - an issue in 2013. Detroit had at least six drops against the Patriots, including three potential touchdowns. - Michael Rothstein
Last Week: 5th
Best Ranking: 4th (Week 11, 10)
Playing the New England Patriots was always going to be a struggle and perhaps the Lions' toughest game of the season. However, there should be legitimate concern with Detroit's offense right now. The Lions have gone two straight games without a touchdown and despite shrinking the play-calling sheet in order to help find offensive rhythm and consistency, the Lions gained 335 yards - right around their 332.3 yard per game average - but once again appeared largely inconsistent. Perhaps a bigger concern was the return of the drops for the Lions - an issue in 2013. Detroit had at least six drops against the Patriots, including three potential touchdowns. - Michael Rothstein
5. Indianapolis Colts (7-4)
Last Week: 7th
Best Ranking: 3rd (Week 8)
This was supposed to be a bounce-back game for the Colts. After the way New England beat them last week, they had to do more than simply win. But that wasn’t the case, as the Colts struggled for more than a half before they got going by scoring 14 points in the third quarter. The Colts shook off giving up five sacks and fumbling six times, losing three of them. The offensive line was atrocious in the first half, giving up five sacks, but played better in the second half, not giving up a sack in the final 30 minutes of the game. Houston’s loss to Cincinnati gives the Colts a two-game lead over the Texans in the AFC South with five remaining. - Mike Wells
4. Denver Broncos (8-3)
Last Week: 4th
Best Ranking: 1st (Week 9, 8, 7, 3)
The Broncos, 2-3 on the road, felt a dent put into their home dominance for most of the day. The Dolphins were well prepared, particularly on offense, where they consistently found room to work against the Broncos' specialty packages. Miami had success early in the run game, building a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter. The Broncos didn't have their first lead of the day until they scored the go-ahead touchdown with 5 minutes, 1 second left to play. Next, The Broncos have a chance to put the clamps on the AFC West race with a prime-time showdown with the Chiefs (7-4) in Arrowhead Stadium. - Jeff Legwold
Last Week: 4th
Best Ranking: 1st (Week 9, 8, 7, 3)
The Broncos, 2-3 on the road, felt a dent put into their home dominance for most of the day. The Dolphins were well prepared, particularly on offense, where they consistently found room to work against the Broncos' specialty packages. Miami had success early in the run game, building a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter. The Broncos didn't have their first lead of the day until they scored the go-ahead touchdown with 5 minutes, 1 second left to play. Next, The Broncos have a chance to put the clamps on the AFC West race with a prime-time showdown with the Chiefs (7-4) in Arrowhead Stadium. - Jeff Legwold
3. Arizona Cardinals (9-2)
Last Week: 2nd
Best Ranking: 2nd (Week 12)
The Cardinals were without Larry Fitzgerald, who missed his first game since 2007 with a knee injury. Without Fitzgerald, Arizona turned to Andre Ellington more than it probably should have and narrowed its play calling. Arizona's passing game was limited and it cost the Cardinals, who scored just three points, their second loss of the season. Any team without its star and leading receiver would be expected to struggle, but quarterback Drew Stanton seemed lost. And the running game continued to be an issue, accounting for 64 total yards. After four games - three of them wins - of solid football, Stanton looked like a backup for the first time this season. - Josh Weinfuss
2. Green Bay Packers (8-3)
Last Week: 3rd
Best Ranking: 2nd (Week 13)
The Packers (8-3) now have first place in the NFC North to themselves for the first time this season. They came into the weekend tied with the Detroit Lions, who lost to the New England Patriots as the Packers recorded a win over another division foe, the Minnesota Vikings. But things could change again next week given that the Patriots are next up on the Packers' schedule. And then there's still the Week 17 game against the Lions at Lambeau Field. There's much to be decided in the division, but Sunday's win put things in the Packers' hands. - Rob Demovsky
Last Week: 3rd
Best Ranking: 2nd (Week 13)
The Packers (8-3) now have first place in the NFC North to themselves for the first time this season. They came into the weekend tied with the Detroit Lions, who lost to the New England Patriots as the Packers recorded a win over another division foe, the Minnesota Vikings. But things could change again next week given that the Patriots are next up on the Packers' schedule. And then there's still the Week 17 game against the Lions at Lambeau Field. There's much to be decided in the division, but Sunday's win put things in the Packers' hands. - Rob Demovsky
1. New England Patriots (9-2)
Last Week: 1st
Best Ranking: 1st (Week 13, 12, 11, 10)
The Patriots showed they can continue to win in different ways - they played suffocating pass defense and aired it out on offense - in recording their seventh straight victory. They improve to 9-2, the best record in the AFC. The Patriots have won 14 straight games against NFC North opponents, a streak extending back to 2002. That record will be put to the test yet again when the Patriots visit the Packers next Sunday in a highly anticipated meeting between two teams viewed by some as the NFL's best. - Mike Reiss
No comments:
Post a Comment