Power Rankings - Week 9

  Posted 10/30 by Mike Brown, Exclusive to Footballguys.com

• SD @ NO
• NYG @ Pit
• Ind @ Ten

Power Ranking

Rk Team Name Record (Prv.)

1. Titans 7-0 (1)
   Now THAT is how you make a statement in front of a national TV audience. Wow.
2. Giants 6-1 (3)
   Remember when it was simply assumed by many people (myself included) that the Giants would just fade back to the pack? How about um, they're Super Bowl favorites right now in the NFC -- and it's not close.
3. Steelers 5-2 (2)
   Mike Brown's Power Rankings: Where the team playing worse offensively than all but maybe five or six teams is ranked third overall.
4. Redskins 6-2 (5)
   So Washington went out and spent all these high draft picks on receivers to revamp the offense, and the guys getting it done are Portis, Moss, and Cooley. Well it's a damn good thing they added those rooks huh?
5. Bills 5-2 (4)
   If you're the Bills, with losses in two of your last three games and facing divisional opponents the next two weeks, this is the time to decide if you want to be contenders.
   (Cue Eye Of the Tiger theme music...)
6. Cowboys 5-3 (8)
   They're only this high because of what they did early and because they beat a quality team, but in all honesty I don't think they're anywhere near the sixth-best team in the league.
7. Bucs 5-3 (7)
   If Earnest Graham puts up anything less than 200 yards and two touchdowns this week, his life is a total failure.
8. Eagles 4-3 (9)
   Say, that Brian Westbrook's not half bad ya know?
9. Packers 4-3 (10)
   Here's a question. Does Donald Driver even play anymore?
10. Panthers 6-2 (11)
    With the unpredictable nature of this team, I wouldn't be surprised at all if they lose this week.
11. Bears 4-3 (12)
    Going into the season with Brees at QB in one of my leagues, never did I think I'd be starting Kyle Orton in Week 9 with complete confidence that I wasn't losing a thing. Playing the Lions does that to you.
12. Saints 4-4 (18)
    Marques Colston arrived in New Orleans in 2006, the same year as Drew Brees. Nothing against Colston, but watching Lance Moore and Devery Henderson and crew running circles around every defense makes me wonder who is actually more responsible for Colston's breakout seemingly from nowhere.
13. Patriots 5-2 (14)
    Oh by the way in case nobody noticed, they're tied for the fifth-best record in football.
14. Jaguars 3-4 (6)
    OK what the hell was that? The losses to Tennessee, Buffalo, Pittsburgh - all fine. But Cleveland? At home? You've GOT to be kidding me.
15. Chargers 3-5 (13)
    So with the change of defensive coordinator, why wouldn't the Chargers switch to a 4-3 scheme? When you have a nose tackle that can't stop anyone anymore and linebackers who are mediocre pass rushers, that seems to make sense, no?
16. Broncos 4-3 (15)
    How good is Ryan Torain going to be? Let's just put it this way: Jack Bauer has had him stashed on his bench since the preseason.
17. Colts 3-4 (16)
    Peyton Manning and the Colts are treading dangerously close to "Meg Ryan in In the Cut" territory. The signs are there for a drop-off, and it's getting close, but there might be one or two or three nude scenes that grab your attention and cause you to reevaluate. But then there's going to be a steep drop, and there'll be no coming back. Let this be the last time I ever write "Peyton Manning" and "nude scene" this close together.
18. Vikings 3-4 (17)
    I'm sick of writing blurbs about Adrian Peterson. Isn't there anyone else even remotely interesting on the Vikings? How about that Visanthe Shiancoe? Sure is a crazy name, huh?
19. Cardinals 4-3 (19)
    Edgerrin James has this week to prove to me that he still deserves to be on my roster. The next three matchups should be very telling as to whether he's ever going to be a viable fantasy option ever again.
20. Falcons 4-3 (20)
    I don't want to toot my own horn or anything, but I DID have Roddy White ranked one spot behind Roy Williams in my preseason rankings.
    Oh wait. Crap -- I did that wrong.
21. Ravens 4-3 (21)
    I just realized the Ravens have to play each team in the NFC East four over its last nine games. Oh, and they get the Steelers and Jaguars in there too. Their three easier games (against Cleveland, Houston, and Cincinnati) are all on the road. Ouch.
22. Jets 4-3 (22)
    This might be their ceiling. It's not supposed to take late-game heroics to beat the friggin Chiefs.
23. Texans 3-4 (23)
    In one of my leagues, Matt Schaub is the number one quarterback over the last three weeks. And how long ago did I trade Drew Brees for Adrian Peterson? You guessed it, three weeks ago. I'm getting sore from patting myself on the back so much.
24. Dolphins 3-4 (25)
    Is it possible that Ted Ginn is becoming a real football player? Another big game against a weak Denver secondary is looming...
25. Browns 3-4 (26)
    I'm getting close to giving up trying to figure out Cleveland too. They can join Jacksonville, Carolina, and Miami as teams that I just don't even want to try to guess on.
26. Rams 2-5 (24)
    If Donnie Avery isn't the most-traded player in fantasy football this week, I'll be shocked. Here's the kicker, though - in my opinion he hasn't reached his peak value yet.
27. Raiders 2-5 (27)
    I'm organizing a petition to change Darren McFadden's name to Fredo. You broke my heart, Darren. You broke my heart.
28. Seahawks 2-5 (29)
    Alright, non-Seahawks fans. You've got 30 seconds to name as many current starters on Seattle as you can. Ready? Go!
    (I got 12)
29. Niners 2-6 (28)
    There's a report surfacing that Mike Singletary mooned his team during halftime last week and that he gave them a speech with his pants down for several minutes. The end.
30. Chiefs 1-6 (30)
    You guys heard it all wrong. The quote was, "YOU PLAY - TO WIN - A GAME!"
31. Lions 0-7 (32)
    I'm calling it now. The Lions will not give up 10,000 points this season.
32. Bengals 0-8 (31)
    At least the Lions try to compete.

Super Shufflers of the Week

• New Orleans Saints (+6)...This was deserved despite the shoddy defensive play, because anyone watching that game felt the Saints had it in-hand the entire way.
• Dallas Cowboys (+2)...I didn't watch the game, but I looked at the stats. How in the HELL did they win? Anybody?
• Several teams tied (+1)

Plungers of the Week

• Jacksonville Jaguars (-8)...They got the benefit of the doubt until now, but they are proving they're not close to the elite yet.
• San Diego Chargers & Saint Louis Rams (tied) -2...The Rams drop is a case of teams behind them winning; it's easier to drop from that spot. The Chargers drop is because they are quickly proving they're very one-dimensional.
• Several teams tied (-1)