Tier I - The Awful Teams
32.) Cleveland Browns (0-8 = 119-202)
31.) San Francisco 49ers (0-9 = 143-239)
30.) Indianapolis Colts (3-6 = 162-260)
29.) New York Giants (1-7 = 129-207)
Halfway through the season, we have seen some needed stratification - bouyed by a couple blowouts last week. We have a clear bottom foursome in my mind, though we can argue this gets expanded. But these four are clear bottom. The Browns and 49ers are obvious. Two of the three wins the Colts have are against the bottom two teams. The Giants have lost a lot of close games, but you can't avoid the awful negative point differential at this point. Also, we really do have to start looking at whether it is worth giving someone other than Eli a shot.
Tier II - The Slightly Less Awful Teams
28.) Chicago Bears (3-5 = 134-171)
27.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-6 = 158-198)
The Bears have a competent defense, and a great running game, with no QB. Trubisky has done nothing so far to impress me. But even the formula so far seems to resemble John Fox's early Carolina tenure, when they went 7-9 in 2002, the year before breaking out in 2003. The difference is I don't know who plays the Steve Smith role and that type of no-offense approach doesn't really work in 2017. The Bucs are just a disaster, now having to shut down Winston for a few weeks. I never really much liked the Dirk Koetter hiring. They started 8-5 last year, but are just 3-8 since.
Tier III - The Sad-Sack QB Teams That Won't Sign Colin Kaepernick
26.) Green Bay Packers (4-4 = 181-191)
25.) Houston Texans (3-5 = 229-208)
24.) Arizona Cardinals (4-4 = 139-201)
23.) Miami Dolphins (4-4 = 116-179)
All four of these teams would have a shot, a real shot, if they had their QB. I realize there is a lot of sorry QB situations in the league. Most of the time I don't agree. There are always bad teams. What really sucks is when great QBs go down, which we have these four. The Cardinals and Dolphins had the worst of the four QBs, but also had the least to lose. The Stanton/Moore replacements can keep them competitive. The Packers and Texans however? They're more or less screwed. Bill O'Brien not only doesn't have the defense that carried them to the 2015-16 AFC South Titles, but a better division than in previous years. The Packers are just ruined - and I hope for Aaron Rodgers sake they don't try to rush him back. They need a re-set.
Tier IV - What The Hell Happened
22.) Denver Broncos (3-5 = 150-198)
The Broncos have been the same team for three years now. A great defense with no real QB. The best QB they've had the last three years are early-2017 Trevor Siemian, or late-2015 Brock Osweiler. That is not great. What really hurts them is their defense is showing signs of fading for the first time. It is so hard to keep a great defense together, especially when it was so personnel-heavy instead of scheme-heavy (like Pittsburgh or Baltimore).At this point, I have no idea why they don't try Paxton Lynch. If this isn't the right setting for him then that is truly a wasted 1st round pick, a troubling sign for Elway who also wasted a 2nd round pick in 2012 on Osweiler, and a 2nd and 3rd round picks over the years on RBs (Montee Ball, Ronnie Hillman).
Tier V - The Bod Teams with Decent Records
21.) Baltimore Ravens (4-5 = 190-171)
20.) Cincinnati Bengals (3-5 = 129-158)
19.) New York Jets (4-5 = 191-207)
18.) Los Angeles Charges (3-5 = 150-152)
None of these teams are very good. But all somehow have life. The race for the Wild Cards in the AFC will be a strange one. We have three 5-3 teams (one of which being the current AFC South leader) where none seem like truly safe bets, and then this host of 4-5/3-5 teams. The Bengals and Chargers on paper are the best two teams. The Jets have to be excited about the growth of a lot of younger players, and are actually the team out of the four that might be in teh best position going forward. For Baltimore, their defense/special teams is good enough to get to 8-8 somehow, but serious questions have to start being asked about the longterm structure of the team (Flacco/Harbaugh/Newsome). They've danced around it a bit with a very good 2014 season and a ride to nearly winning the division in 2016, but its harder to escape now, especially when the ramifications of the Flacco deal are starting to play up more.
Tier VI - The Good Teams with Decent Records
17.) Washington Redskins (4-4 = 177-194)
16.) Atlanta Falcons (4-4 = 168-159)
15.) Detroit Lions (4-4 = 206-186)
These three teams are, to me, all better than the four AFC teams I just covered. Problem though, is the NFC competition is so much higher. The current wild-card teams are 6-3 (Carolina) and 5-3 (Seattle/Dallas), but all three have a resume and/or experience to go on. The Falcons have looked like garbage for a good month now. The Lions are promising, and have a truly easy schedule coming up, but it is still hard to picture them catching or passing one of those three. The Redskins are to me the least likely of the three, but have a competency that will keep them around .500 all year. The middle of the NFC is just a lot more competent and trustworthy than that of the AFC.
Tier VII - The Good Team with a Bad Record
14.) Oakland Raiders (4-5 = 196-214)
The Raiders are the one team below 5-3 that I think can make a run at the playoffs. First, they get one more game against KC and a potential season sweep. They have a tough schedule, with New England coming up (in Mexico City), and trips to Kansas City and Philadelphia, but Philly might have stuffed locked up by their Week 16 date. The Raiders top level is quite high, and they are unlucky to not be 5-4 at this point with injuries and close losses. Having Lynch back and productive really helps.
Tier VIII - The Good Teams with Good Records
13.) Tennessee Titans (5-3 = 181-193)
12.) Seattle Seahawks (5-3 = 189-149)
11.) Buffalo Bills (5-3 = 174-149)
10.) Dallas Cowboys (5-3 = 226-178)
And now we get to the clear top of the league. Out of these 13, 12 can make the playoffs. 12 currently are in the playoffs (Dallas/Seattle tying for the #6 seed in the NFC). The chance of the 12 playoffs teams coming from these is low, but not too low. The Titans have strange losses, but very good health at this point and an easy schedule. The Seahawks are the opposite, but history tells us they get better in the 2nd half of the season, and still feature a Top-5 DVOA defense. The Bills may have been playing over their heads, but still can pretend to have their sights on the division with both New England games left. Dallas is somewhat similar with having both Philadelphia games left, and have been great after their bye. Any of these four teams deserve to be in the playoffs, and I wouldn't mind watching any. We might be in a year of 'no-top-teams', but I don't know if there's been such a deep set of good teams this late into a season in a while.
Tier IX - Defense First
9.) Carolina Panthers (6-3 = 168-159)
8.) Minnesota Vikings (6-2 = 179-135)
7.) Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3 = 206-117)
All three teams have great defenses. All three have defenses that are healthy. The Vikings have been a great defense. The Jaguars have been a scary one. The Jaguars are on pace for 70 sacks, 20 interceptions, and are giving up a QB rating of 63.5. Their once porous rush defense has given up less than 100 yards in 3 of the last 4 games. The Vikings defense hasn't been as crazy good, but as strong as always. The Panthers have shown a few holes, but lead the league in yards allowed for the old-timers, and have had three games giving up less than 10 points, should have had a 4th (Chicago scored 3 points on offense), and multiple games where they gave up garbage time points. They're on pace for 56 sacks. The problem with all three teams is obvious: their offenses. The Jaguars have a QB they can't trust. The Vikings have QB issues. The Panthers have had OL issues and traded away their supposed #1 receiver. Oddly, the way I have them ranked has it in opposite direction of how high I think each team's ceiling is. Just I have more faith in their defenses staying great with JAX>MIN>CAR than their offenses suddenly turning a corner.
Tier X - Offense First
6.) New England Patriots (6-2 = 216-179)
5.) Kansas City Chiefs (6-3 = 253-208)
Two teams that are the exact opposite of the three above, and since offense is slightly more consistent than defense, they get ranked higher. I still think NE's defense is trash, despite their relatively light points allowed total which belies things like 6 missed field goals, a hilariously stupid overturned TD, and multiple 4th down stops in plus territory, all during their 4 game win streak (4 games where their offense also dropped a level, but no one wants to mention that). The Chiefs defensive issues are also coming out in force. The loss of Eric Berry is being felt, but their run defense has been fairly porous in their losses. Offense can keep and sustain them but they are plying with fire.
Tier XI - The Solid All Around Very Good Teams
4.) New Orleans Saints (6-2 = 221-155)
3.) Los Angeles Rams (6-2 = 263-155)
2.) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2 = 167-131)
I think the reason people perceive the league to be down right are mostly due to the best teams halfway through the year not being the ones that we thought it would be. It isn't Dallas and Green Bay and (arguably) New England. Only Pittsburgh is a preseason favorite that has lived up so far - and even they have faced questions while quietly fielding the league's 2nd best defense and an offense that seems ready to break out. The Saints and rams are very good teams. The Saints defense has been excellent for 6 games now. They have regained some semblance of home field. The Rams have been better. They are on pace to score 526 points... the same total they scored in their 1999 Greatest Show on Turf heyday. If anything the defense should get better and pick up for any inevitable dropoff the offense has.
Tier XII - The Current Clubhouse Leader
1.) Philadelphia Eagles (8-1 = 283-179)
The Eagles lost in Week 2 to the Chiefs. They then won their next two close over the Giants (27-24, a crazy game that was 14-0 at the start of the 4th quarter) and 26-24 over the Chargers in LA. That is not a truly impressive 3-1 start. Their last five games? Dominant. Huge wins over the Cardinals, 49ers and Broncos. A solid, not as close as it seems, win over the Redskins. And then another solid win in Carolina. Granted, four of those five were at home, and four of their next five are on the road (DAL, SEA, LAR, NYG). How they do in those four should give a better indication, but right now there is nothing to complain with for a team that is starting to resemble the 2015 Panthers.
Playoff Projections
AFC
1.) Pittsburgh Steelers = 13-3
2.) New England Patriots = 12-4
3.) Kansas City Chiefs = 11-5
4.) Jacksonville Jaguars = 11-5
5.) Buffalo Bills = 10-6
6.) Oakland Raiders = 9-7
NFC
1.) Philadelphia Eagles = 13-3
2.) New Orleans Saints = 11-5
3.) Los Angeles Rams = 11-5
4.) Minnesota Vikings = 11-5
5.) Carolina Panthers = 10-6
6.) Seattle Seahawks = 10-6
Looking Ahead to Next Week's Games
Byes: Baltimore Ravens (4-5), Kansas City Chiefs (6-3), Oakland Raiders (4-5), Philadelphia Eagles (8-1)
14.) New York Giants (1-7) @ San Francisco 49ers (0-9) (4:25 - FOX)
13.) New York Jets (4-5) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-6) (1:00 - CBS)
I call it "When do pitchers and catchers report for the Mets and Yankees" Sunday, as the Jets and Giants have given New York very little. The Giants @ 49ers game is about as bad as it gets. The Jets, for their part, have been surprisingly good so far, and they have a solid chance to get to 5-5 for the year. Honestly, if they finish 7-9 or better, Todd Bowles deserves serious consideration for Coach of the Year. People assumed that team was literally tanking and he's made them stunningly competent.
12.) Cleveland Browns (0-8) @ Detroit Lions (4-4) (1:00 - CBS)
11.) Cincinnati Bengals (3-5) @ Tennessee Titans (5-3) (1:00 - CBS)
10.) Green Bay Packers (4-4) @ Chicago Bears (3-5) (1:00 - FOX)
I call it "This is what happens when three interesting teams are on the bye" Sunday, as we just have three games I don't care about. With the Browns, I guess this is one of their last shots to get a win? In reality, the first four teams may be among the league's least memorable, interesting franchises in the last 15 years. Then we get the rivalry that, with Rodgers out and the Bears bad, doesn't really matter.
9.) Seattle Seahawks (5-3) @ Arizona Cardinals (4-4) (TNF - NBC)
8.) Miami Dolphins (4-4) @ Carolina Panthers (6-3) (MNF - ESPN)
I call it "back to SOP for Primetime Games" Thursday and Monday, as man these are some very sad night games. NBC gets into the Sunday Night Football action for the first time with a not great game. The Seahawks and Cardinals have played some classics over the years, but those have involved Carson Palmer, not Drew Stanton. This could be a good 'get-right' game for them. The Dolphins, the leagues worst .500 team, goes to Carolina which could turn really ugly if the Panthers defense is on its game.
7.) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) @ Indianapolis Colts (3-5) (1:00 - CBS)
6.) Houston Texans (3-5) @ Los Angeles Rams (6-2) (4:05 - CBS)
5.) New England Patriots (6-2) @ Denver Broncos (3-5) (SNF - NBC)
4.) Los Angeles Chargers (3-5) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3) (1:00 - CBS)
I call it "One Good vs. One Bad" Sunday, as we get four games that feature one top team face off against one of the league's lesser lights. It's sad to get so many of these, but these games generally start to pile up the longer we go into the season. Each has some reason for intrigue. Can the Steelers not lay an egg against an eminently beatable team? Can the Rams continue to roll? Can the Patriots not do what they normally do in Denver? Can the Jaguars win a game against an offense that might make Blake Bortles have to make a play? The way its listed is in ranking of how likely I think an upset is possible.
3.) Minnesota Vikings (6-2) @ Washington Redskins (4-4) (1:00 - FOX)
2.) New Orleans Saints (6-2) @ Buffalo Bills (5-3) (1:00 - FOX)
1.) Dallas Cowboys (5-3) @ Atlanta Falcons (4-4) (4:25 - FOX)
I call it "Just plain old solid good football games" Sunday, as we get three games that are, simply put, rather nice. The Redskins are probably not in the class of the five other teams in this group, but they have a sneaky high ceiling if they can protect Kirk Cousins, though that will be tough against the Minny defense. The Saints @ Bills is just a really nice intra-conference matchup. The Saints have beaten up on a soft schedule so this will be a nice test, likely their toughest game since Carolina in Week 3. The Cowboys @ Falcons should have been a marquee game, and a Falcons win could get them started on a run, but really it is a great test for two NFC teams moving in opposite directions at the moment.
32.) Cleveland Browns (0-8 = 119-202)
31.) San Francisco 49ers (0-9 = 143-239)
30.) Indianapolis Colts (3-6 = 162-260)
29.) New York Giants (1-7 = 129-207)
Halfway through the season, we have seen some needed stratification - bouyed by a couple blowouts last week. We have a clear bottom foursome in my mind, though we can argue this gets expanded. But these four are clear bottom. The Browns and 49ers are obvious. Two of the three wins the Colts have are against the bottom two teams. The Giants have lost a lot of close games, but you can't avoid the awful negative point differential at this point. Also, we really do have to start looking at whether it is worth giving someone other than Eli a shot.
Tier II - The Slightly Less Awful Teams
28.) Chicago Bears (3-5 = 134-171)
27.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-6 = 158-198)
The Bears have a competent defense, and a great running game, with no QB. Trubisky has done nothing so far to impress me. But even the formula so far seems to resemble John Fox's early Carolina tenure, when they went 7-9 in 2002, the year before breaking out in 2003. The difference is I don't know who plays the Steve Smith role and that type of no-offense approach doesn't really work in 2017. The Bucs are just a disaster, now having to shut down Winston for a few weeks. I never really much liked the Dirk Koetter hiring. They started 8-5 last year, but are just 3-8 since.
Tier III - The Sad-Sack QB Teams That Won't Sign Colin Kaepernick
26.) Green Bay Packers (4-4 = 181-191)
25.) Houston Texans (3-5 = 229-208)
24.) Arizona Cardinals (4-4 = 139-201)
23.) Miami Dolphins (4-4 = 116-179)
All four of these teams would have a shot, a real shot, if they had their QB. I realize there is a lot of sorry QB situations in the league. Most of the time I don't agree. There are always bad teams. What really sucks is when great QBs go down, which we have these four. The Cardinals and Dolphins had the worst of the four QBs, but also had the least to lose. The Stanton/Moore replacements can keep them competitive. The Packers and Texans however? They're more or less screwed. Bill O'Brien not only doesn't have the defense that carried them to the 2015-16 AFC South Titles, but a better division than in previous years. The Packers are just ruined - and I hope for Aaron Rodgers sake they don't try to rush him back. They need a re-set.
Tier IV - What The Hell Happened
22.) Denver Broncos (3-5 = 150-198)
The Broncos have been the same team for three years now. A great defense with no real QB. The best QB they've had the last three years are early-2017 Trevor Siemian, or late-2015 Brock Osweiler. That is not great. What really hurts them is their defense is showing signs of fading for the first time. It is so hard to keep a great defense together, especially when it was so personnel-heavy instead of scheme-heavy (like Pittsburgh or Baltimore).At this point, I have no idea why they don't try Paxton Lynch. If this isn't the right setting for him then that is truly a wasted 1st round pick, a troubling sign for Elway who also wasted a 2nd round pick in 2012 on Osweiler, and a 2nd and 3rd round picks over the years on RBs (Montee Ball, Ronnie Hillman).
Tier V - The Bod Teams with Decent Records
21.) Baltimore Ravens (4-5 = 190-171)
20.) Cincinnati Bengals (3-5 = 129-158)
19.) New York Jets (4-5 = 191-207)
18.) Los Angeles Charges (3-5 = 150-152)
None of these teams are very good. But all somehow have life. The race for the Wild Cards in the AFC will be a strange one. We have three 5-3 teams (one of which being the current AFC South leader) where none seem like truly safe bets, and then this host of 4-5/3-5 teams. The Bengals and Chargers on paper are the best two teams. The Jets have to be excited about the growth of a lot of younger players, and are actually the team out of the four that might be in teh best position going forward. For Baltimore, their defense/special teams is good enough to get to 8-8 somehow, but serious questions have to start being asked about the longterm structure of the team (Flacco/Harbaugh/Newsome). They've danced around it a bit with a very good 2014 season and a ride to nearly winning the division in 2016, but its harder to escape now, especially when the ramifications of the Flacco deal are starting to play up more.
Tier VI - The Good Teams with Decent Records
17.) Washington Redskins (4-4 = 177-194)
16.) Atlanta Falcons (4-4 = 168-159)
15.) Detroit Lions (4-4 = 206-186)
These three teams are, to me, all better than the four AFC teams I just covered. Problem though, is the NFC competition is so much higher. The current wild-card teams are 6-3 (Carolina) and 5-3 (Seattle/Dallas), but all three have a resume and/or experience to go on. The Falcons have looked like garbage for a good month now. The Lions are promising, and have a truly easy schedule coming up, but it is still hard to picture them catching or passing one of those three. The Redskins are to me the least likely of the three, but have a competency that will keep them around .500 all year. The middle of the NFC is just a lot more competent and trustworthy than that of the AFC.
Tier VII - The Good Team with a Bad Record
14.) Oakland Raiders (4-5 = 196-214)
The Raiders are the one team below 5-3 that I think can make a run at the playoffs. First, they get one more game against KC and a potential season sweep. They have a tough schedule, with New England coming up (in Mexico City), and trips to Kansas City and Philadelphia, but Philly might have stuffed locked up by their Week 16 date. The Raiders top level is quite high, and they are unlucky to not be 5-4 at this point with injuries and close losses. Having Lynch back and productive really helps.
Tier VIII - The Good Teams with Good Records
13.) Tennessee Titans (5-3 = 181-193)
12.) Seattle Seahawks (5-3 = 189-149)
11.) Buffalo Bills (5-3 = 174-149)
10.) Dallas Cowboys (5-3 = 226-178)
And now we get to the clear top of the league. Out of these 13, 12 can make the playoffs. 12 currently are in the playoffs (Dallas/Seattle tying for the #6 seed in the NFC). The chance of the 12 playoffs teams coming from these is low, but not too low. The Titans have strange losses, but very good health at this point and an easy schedule. The Seahawks are the opposite, but history tells us they get better in the 2nd half of the season, and still feature a Top-5 DVOA defense. The Bills may have been playing over their heads, but still can pretend to have their sights on the division with both New England games left. Dallas is somewhat similar with having both Philadelphia games left, and have been great after their bye. Any of these four teams deserve to be in the playoffs, and I wouldn't mind watching any. We might be in a year of 'no-top-teams', but I don't know if there's been such a deep set of good teams this late into a season in a while.
Tier IX - Defense First
9.) Carolina Panthers (6-3 = 168-159)
8.) Minnesota Vikings (6-2 = 179-135)
7.) Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3 = 206-117)
All three teams have great defenses. All three have defenses that are healthy. The Vikings have been a great defense. The Jaguars have been a scary one. The Jaguars are on pace for 70 sacks, 20 interceptions, and are giving up a QB rating of 63.5. Their once porous rush defense has given up less than 100 yards in 3 of the last 4 games. The Vikings defense hasn't been as crazy good, but as strong as always. The Panthers have shown a few holes, but lead the league in yards allowed for the old-timers, and have had three games giving up less than 10 points, should have had a 4th (Chicago scored 3 points on offense), and multiple games where they gave up garbage time points. They're on pace for 56 sacks. The problem with all three teams is obvious: their offenses. The Jaguars have a QB they can't trust. The Vikings have QB issues. The Panthers have had OL issues and traded away their supposed #1 receiver. Oddly, the way I have them ranked has it in opposite direction of how high I think each team's ceiling is. Just I have more faith in their defenses staying great with JAX>MIN>CAR than their offenses suddenly turning a corner.
Tier X - Offense First
6.) New England Patriots (6-2 = 216-179)
5.) Kansas City Chiefs (6-3 = 253-208)
Two teams that are the exact opposite of the three above, and since offense is slightly more consistent than defense, they get ranked higher. I still think NE's defense is trash, despite their relatively light points allowed total which belies things like 6 missed field goals, a hilariously stupid overturned TD, and multiple 4th down stops in plus territory, all during their 4 game win streak (4 games where their offense also dropped a level, but no one wants to mention that). The Chiefs defensive issues are also coming out in force. The loss of Eric Berry is being felt, but their run defense has been fairly porous in their losses. Offense can keep and sustain them but they are plying with fire.
Tier XI - The Solid All Around Very Good Teams
4.) New Orleans Saints (6-2 = 221-155)
3.) Los Angeles Rams (6-2 = 263-155)
2.) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2 = 167-131)
I think the reason people perceive the league to be down right are mostly due to the best teams halfway through the year not being the ones that we thought it would be. It isn't Dallas and Green Bay and (arguably) New England. Only Pittsburgh is a preseason favorite that has lived up so far - and even they have faced questions while quietly fielding the league's 2nd best defense and an offense that seems ready to break out. The Saints and rams are very good teams. The Saints defense has been excellent for 6 games now. They have regained some semblance of home field. The Rams have been better. They are on pace to score 526 points... the same total they scored in their 1999 Greatest Show on Turf heyday. If anything the defense should get better and pick up for any inevitable dropoff the offense has.
Tier XII - The Current Clubhouse Leader
1.) Philadelphia Eagles (8-1 = 283-179)
The Eagles lost in Week 2 to the Chiefs. They then won their next two close over the Giants (27-24, a crazy game that was 14-0 at the start of the 4th quarter) and 26-24 over the Chargers in LA. That is not a truly impressive 3-1 start. Their last five games? Dominant. Huge wins over the Cardinals, 49ers and Broncos. A solid, not as close as it seems, win over the Redskins. And then another solid win in Carolina. Granted, four of those five were at home, and four of their next five are on the road (DAL, SEA, LAR, NYG). How they do in those four should give a better indication, but right now there is nothing to complain with for a team that is starting to resemble the 2015 Panthers.
Playoff Projections
AFC
1.) Pittsburgh Steelers = 13-3
2.) New England Patriots = 12-4
3.) Kansas City Chiefs = 11-5
4.) Jacksonville Jaguars = 11-5
5.) Buffalo Bills = 10-6
6.) Oakland Raiders = 9-7
NFC
1.) Philadelphia Eagles = 13-3
2.) New Orleans Saints = 11-5
3.) Los Angeles Rams = 11-5
4.) Minnesota Vikings = 11-5
5.) Carolina Panthers = 10-6
6.) Seattle Seahawks = 10-6
Looking Ahead to Next Week's Games
Byes: Baltimore Ravens (4-5), Kansas City Chiefs (6-3), Oakland Raiders (4-5), Philadelphia Eagles (8-1)
14.) New York Giants (1-7) @ San Francisco 49ers (0-9) (4:25 - FOX)
13.) New York Jets (4-5) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-6) (1:00 - CBS)
I call it "When do pitchers and catchers report for the Mets and Yankees" Sunday, as the Jets and Giants have given New York very little. The Giants @ 49ers game is about as bad as it gets. The Jets, for their part, have been surprisingly good so far, and they have a solid chance to get to 5-5 for the year. Honestly, if they finish 7-9 or better, Todd Bowles deserves serious consideration for Coach of the Year. People assumed that team was literally tanking and he's made them stunningly competent.
12.) Cleveland Browns (0-8) @ Detroit Lions (4-4) (1:00 - CBS)
11.) Cincinnati Bengals (3-5) @ Tennessee Titans (5-3) (1:00 - CBS)
10.) Green Bay Packers (4-4) @ Chicago Bears (3-5) (1:00 - FOX)
I call it "This is what happens when three interesting teams are on the bye" Sunday, as we just have three games I don't care about. With the Browns, I guess this is one of their last shots to get a win? In reality, the first four teams may be among the league's least memorable, interesting franchises in the last 15 years. Then we get the rivalry that, with Rodgers out and the Bears bad, doesn't really matter.
9.) Seattle Seahawks (5-3) @ Arizona Cardinals (4-4) (TNF - NBC)
8.) Miami Dolphins (4-4) @ Carolina Panthers (6-3) (MNF - ESPN)
I call it "back to SOP for Primetime Games" Thursday and Monday, as man these are some very sad night games. NBC gets into the Sunday Night Football action for the first time with a not great game. The Seahawks and Cardinals have played some classics over the years, but those have involved Carson Palmer, not Drew Stanton. This could be a good 'get-right' game for them. The Dolphins, the leagues worst .500 team, goes to Carolina which could turn really ugly if the Panthers defense is on its game.
7.) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) @ Indianapolis Colts (3-5) (1:00 - CBS)
6.) Houston Texans (3-5) @ Los Angeles Rams (6-2) (4:05 - CBS)
5.) New England Patriots (6-2) @ Denver Broncos (3-5) (SNF - NBC)
4.) Los Angeles Chargers (3-5) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3) (1:00 - CBS)
I call it "One Good vs. One Bad" Sunday, as we get four games that feature one top team face off against one of the league's lesser lights. It's sad to get so many of these, but these games generally start to pile up the longer we go into the season. Each has some reason for intrigue. Can the Steelers not lay an egg against an eminently beatable team? Can the Rams continue to roll? Can the Patriots not do what they normally do in Denver? Can the Jaguars win a game against an offense that might make Blake Bortles have to make a play? The way its listed is in ranking of how likely I think an upset is possible.
3.) Minnesota Vikings (6-2) @ Washington Redskins (4-4) (1:00 - FOX)
2.) New Orleans Saints (6-2) @ Buffalo Bills (5-3) (1:00 - FOX)
1.) Dallas Cowboys (5-3) @ Atlanta Falcons (4-4) (4:25 - FOX)
I call it "Just plain old solid good football games" Sunday, as we get three games that are, simply put, rather nice. The Redskins are probably not in the class of the five other teams in this group, but they have a sneaky high ceiling if they can protect Kirk Cousins, though that will be tough against the Minny defense. The Saints @ Bills is just a really nice intra-conference matchup. The Saints have beaten up on a soft schedule so this will be a nice test, likely their toughest game since Carolina in Week 3. The Cowboys @ Falcons should have been a marquee game, and a Falcons win could get them started on a run, but really it is a great test for two NFC teams moving in opposite directions at the moment.
