The
2007 NFL Week 7 Power Rankings. Click your favorite team for their NFL
Team Resources Page. |
| Rank |
Team |
Power Ranking
Comments & Notes Coming Soon... |
| 1. |
New
England Patriots |
Sportsbooks have found a
new enemy: quarterback Tom Brady. So, they've put the second largest
homedog spread in his way (+17 for the Dolphins). I'm still not sure
that's enough. |
| 2. |
Indianapolis
Colts |
With the Patriots' offense playing like Indianapolis,
people seem to have forgotten the actual Colts. They should be back
on everyone's radar if they are able to cover at Jacksonville on
Monday. |
| 3. |
Pittsburgh
Steelers |
Is it a coincidence New
England and Pittsburgh are also first and second overall in time
of possession? I don't think so. |
| 4. |
Dallas
Cowboys |
I've dropped the Cowboys only two spots from
last week. Being blown out by the Patriots at home shouldn't paint
a team as a bad bet these days. The Pats are just in a league of
their own right now. |
| 5. |
Jacksonville
Jaguars |
Fred Taylor has the bones
of an 80-year-old man, and Maurice Jones-Drew looks like an Oompa-loompa
from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but both have been
solid pieces to the Jaguars' fourth-ranked rushing attack (154.2
yards per game). If their yards stay consistent, their success should
continue. |
| 6. |
Green
Bay Packers |
The Pack are finding ways to win despite Brett
Favre marching past George Blanda's INT record and lacking a running
game that can sniff 100 yards. But how long can this last? |
| 7. |
Baltimore
Ravens |
Surprisingly, they scored
more than 10 points and covered, but it took five INTs and the leg
of Matt Stover to do it. This offense is rewinding to the 2000-01
season. Hopefully their defense is too. |
| 8. |
Tampa
Bay Bucs |
Jeff Garcia took a licking like Timex but was
still able to help the Bucs push against a tough Titans defense.
He's as resilient as this squad has been versus the spread. The recent
addition of speedy RB Michael Bennett should also help improve the
Bucs' West Coast offense. |
| 9. |
New
York Giants |
Quarterback Eli Manning may
look and play like a defective clone of his brother Peyton, but the
offense and defense are starting to look good enough to bet on. They
rank sixth in scoring at 25.7 points per game and are first in sacks
with 21 overall. |
| 10. |
San
Diego Chargers |
Pump your corny fight
song San Diego, the Chargers found their mojo and look poised
to continue their rise up our power rankings. In the last two contests,
LaDainian Tomlinson has averaged 132.5 rushing yards, and the defense
has averaged 8.5 points against. |
| 11. |
Washington
Redskins |
Speaking of Oompa-loompas… I've
said before that Jason Campbell needs taller targets than Santana
Moss (5 feet 10 inches) and Antwaan Randle-El (5 feet 10 inches)
to move the ball consistently on offense. Until then, the 'Skins
potential to explode on offense may go unrealized. |
| 12. |
Tennessee
Titans |
It doesn't seem to matter to Jeff Fisher if "LenWhale" White
(aka LenDale "White Castle") is running for just 3.2 yards per carry
as long as it helps them keep games close. The strategy is perfect
for betting, but can they do it without a dual-threat QB like Vince
Young around? We may find out this weekend. |
| 13. |
Carolina
Panthers |
Every time 43-year-old QB
Vinny Testaverde got sacked, I thought he was going to explode in
a cloud of dust like the trailer for The
Comebacks. Lucky for the Panthers, he didn't. And, he actually
looked better than David Carr throughout the game. |
| 14. |
Seattle
Seahawks |
The hail of boos heard on Sunday at Qwest Field
should say it all to bettors. This team lacks the consistency and
effort from years past. Add in their injury issues at wideout, and
the 'Hawks cannot be trusted ATS. |
| 15. |
Detroit
Lions |
They looked like anything
but Mike Martz's new show on turf against the Redskins in Week 5.
They get a chance to re-establish themselves as a great offensive
squad versus the Buccaneers' Tampa 2 defense this weekend. |
| 16. |
Kansas
City Chiefs |
Okay, I may have been premature in thinking
Herm Edwards ruined this team. Things are coming together on offense
and they're no longer the doormat they used to be on defense. |
| 17. |
Philadelphia
Eagles |
With RB Brian Westbrook back
in the lineup, Philly easily covered at the New York Jets. However,
I'm wary of this squad until Donovan McNabb can have two solid games
in a row. |
| 18. |
Arizona
Cardinals |
The loss ATS and the loss of Kurt Warner in
Week 6 forces me to drop this team nine spots. Despite a revitalized
running game, they won't survive with Tim Rattay under center. |
| 19. |
Cleveland
Browns |
The Cleveland offense took
Miami to "Brown Town" on Sunday (literally and figuratively) as five-point
faves, cementing their spot as early contenders for surprise squad
of the year. They also play no defense (average points against: 30.5),
making every game a shootout and – so far – all except
one over the total. |
| 20. |
Houston
Texans |
Like the Falcons, the Texans will continue
to drop unless they find some consistency on the ground. They haven’t
had a 100 yard rusher since Week 2 and have gone 1-3 straight
up and ATS since then. |
| 21. |
Denver
Broncos |
Hopefully, the bye week helped
the Broncos solve their issues with the run defense, the red zone
miscues and Jay Cutler’s maturity. They play the 4-1 Steelers
on Sunday. |
| 22. |
Minnesota
Vikings |
How good was Adrian Peterson in Week 6? I have
trouble posting his numbers (224 rushing yards off 20 carries) in Madden
NFL 08. The man's a beast. If the Vikings can run it effectively
40 times per game, this team could be a solid play in the next few
weeks. |
| 23. |
Chicago
Bears |
Just when they got more stability
out of the QB position, their defense helps Minnesota RB Adrian Peterson
look like Gale Sayers. |
| 24. |
San
Francisco 49ers |
Off their Week 6 bye, they get to play the
hottest team in the NFC: the New York Giants. They have the defense
to force Manning into making mistakes, but do they have the offense
to cover the 10 points? |
| 25. |
Oakland
Raiders |
San Diego looked like the
14-2 squad from 2006 on Sunday. Therefore, I'm not hanging that ATS
loss too heavily on Oakland's head. They get their last chance to
impress me this weekend versus Kansas City. |
| 26. |
New
Orleans Saints |
Reggie Bush looked like Reggie Bush for one
half of Sunday, and the Saints easily defeated the Seahawks. What
still worries me is their inability to close the door in the second
half. Bush had 88 yards rushing in the first half but just 10 in
the second and wasn't able to score. |
| 27. |
Cincinnati
Bengals |
Ugh. With the way their defense
is playing (32nd in points allowed at 31.2), something tells me you
won't be seeing any of Chad Johnson's endzone celebrations for a long time. |
| 28. |
Buffalo
Bills |
Who's gonna start after their Week 6 bye? J.P.
Losman or rookie QB Trent Edwards. For betting purposes, I actually
prefer Edwards. The gameplan is generally conservative when a rookie
gets the start, and the Bills will need to play that way if they
hope to cover the +3 spread versus Baltimore. |
| 29. |
Atlanta
Falcons |
After a promising start,
the Falcons are starting to look like the horrible team we thought
they had the talent to be. The problem has been their lack of a consistent
running game. Atlanta ranks 24th overall with 132.3 yards per game.
They ranked first in 2006. |
| 30. |
New
York Jets |
I don't understand you, Eric Mangini. Your
team is terrible; just start Kellen Clemens already, so we can find
out if you need to grab another QB from the draft. |
| 31. |
St.
Louis Rams |
Marc Bulger is coming back,
and the Rams play slumping Seattle on Sunday. The Rams could get
their first win and cover this weekend. |
| 32. |
Miami
Dolphins |
Isn't it ironic the franchise that had the
perfect season (17-0) is now going for the other perfect
season (0-16)? |
