NFL Power Rankings

by Rexx on Nov 5, 2008 9:37 AM EST Comment 16 comments

ESPN's current NFL Power Rankings have the Baltimore Ravens moving up from 14th to 13th place in their latest poll. While that's pretty impressive, I look at four of the five teams ahead of us and just don't see it. Their comments about us state:

"Behind rookies Joe Flacco and Ray Rice, the Ravens have discovered an offense. Uh-oh! "

That's something you haven't heard mentioned along with the word "Ravens" in a long time. If it continues, look for this team to begin climbing over a bunch of others towards the upper echelon of the league. That we'll just have to wait and see, and we can start that discussion anew after taking care of business with another road victory in Houston.

For now, we rank 13th according to ESPN, but I'm not feeling the love from them like I think we deserve. While I don't have problems with the Patriots being ranked 12th, the four teams above New England all have not impressed me enough on both sides of the ball or from a consistency standpoint to warrant their rankings above the Ravens. They are, in order from 8th to 11th ranked, Cardinals, Bears, Falcons and Jets. I guess you could make an argument for the Falcons, as they have played pretty good this season and their shutout on the road, even against a woeful Raiders team, was still impressive. The Cardinals have been blown out by the Jets, the Jets have lost at Oakland and the Bears defense has been giving up points in bunches and barely beat a winless Lions team at home this past week.

If I was doing these rankings, I'd put the Pats up to 8th and our Ravens right behind them. If you want to put the Falcons ahead of us, then I'll say okay for just this week and revisit it after Sunday. So that puts the Ravens in 10th place in the rankings, and I'll line up the Bears, Jets and Cardinals behind us. The rest of the teams following them are arguable a spot of so, as are the nine ahead of us, but I still have to give Tennessee their props, as undefeated is undefeated. As the lone team without a loss, they surely deserve the top slot whether you feel they're for real or not. So far, their record, which includes a road win here in Baltimore, says they are.

I like to look at the top five as well as the bottom five. I totally agree with the top four, but am not convinced the Redskins deserve the 5th spot after looking pedestrian at home on MNF. I might consider putting the Eagles ahead of them, but since the Redskins defeated the Eagles, that creates an issue. Perhaps the Buccaneers should leap over both of them.

The bottom five is a bit easier, although I'd switch up the order that ESPN has listed. Despite their two wins, right now I have to put the Raiders last, behind the winless Lions. The next three from worst upwards would be the 49ers, Chiefs and Bengals.

Check out ESPN's Power Rankings here and let me know your thoughts. Thanks!

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If you guys take care of the next two games you’ll be somewhere near the top of those rankings. I refuse to watch your game this week against the texans playing Cool Hands Sage, but you guys should revel in it.

by steelguy99 on Nov 5, 2008 9:44 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Power Rankins arent too bad.

At least this week they didnt put a team with a 4-4 record above us. Our previous Power Rankings there were teams with worse record then us along with teams with losing records above us.

Week 4 rankings, there were 4 teams above the 2-0 Ravens sitting at 1-2. I guess it was because of the famous excuse going around the NFL of “Look who you have played” I mean, the 1-2 Chargers were ranked 9, we got 17, and we were allowing 160 yards per game and allowed 20 pts, against arguably two of the top offense in the NFL over prior seasons. No love

Week 5 rankings I was ok with, we showed the NFL that we could definitely hang with a “Premier” football team in the Steelers. On paper, we outplayed the Steelers in nearly every category, passing, running, receiving, 3rd down conversions, and time of possession. I think we all knew coming into that game that the team who got “The Play” was going to win the game, and that play was Flacco’s fumble, poor guy. But all in all not to bad in the rankings that week.

Week 6 rankings, we sit at 2-2 and got 15th. We were the 2nd 2-2 team ranked this high, Indi was the best sitting at #11 and Phili was ahead of us at 2-3 sitting at #12. Cant blame them here, again, we lost to the best team in football and again, outplayed them on paper in nearly every category.

Week 7, down in the dumps, 2-3 record, after getting our intestines ripped out through our mouth by the Colts, we get the 23rd rank. Guess who was ranked ahead of us, those scary Clevelend Brownies with the Orange Helmets. Gotta love it, but we deserved to be this low after that performance.

Week 8, we beat the infamous Wildpussy offense, go to 3-3, jump up 3 spots to 20. Good I guess, only problem I had was a losing team was still above us, the Chargers, but hey, they score mass amounts of tds, so the NFL loves them.

Week 9, yea man, 4-3, jump back up to 14.

It’s no secret that QB Joe Flacco has a strong arm. But who knew he had great hands, as evidenced by his 43-yard catch Sunday?

Bears, Cardinals, and Packers all above us, which I think we would Butt Rape all 3 of those teams if given the oppurtunity.

Then comes this week, Week 10. We give the NFL the highest scoring team this week, 37 points. Come back, on the road, from 14 down, with a Rookie Headcoach, Miami’s former head coach, now our Off. Coordinator, Rookie QB, and Rookie RB, and where do we sit, freakin 13. I agree rex, we should be at best 10, cause I still feel that the Jets, Cardinals, Falcons and Bears would all crumble to our style of football. But, Jets got Farve, Cardinals are the 2nd best Passing Offense in the NFL right now, Falcons are a great story because of DMX wannabe Mick ~~Tick~~ Vick. The Bears, well, come one man, Sexy Rexy is back there now, you think they are going to succeed? Ok, yes, we have not beat a team with a current winning record, but we have beaten teams that have beaten the likes of New England, San Diego, Buffalo, New York Giants, Jacksonville, along with ARGUABLY out playing the Steelers and Titans (Relax Steelguy).

But, the NFL hates that we are a bunch of hoodlums, who talk a lot of smack, hit people hard, kick field goals, and win games with scores of 18-6, 20-10. Sorry we do not have a Manning or an LT, but I can bet you this, wait a few more years, you will be witnessing a very special offense over here by the Bay.

by Mr MaLoR on Nov 5, 2008 10:21 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Side Note....

I feel as if the Steelers would have lost on MNF against Washington, I think they would have still been ranked in the top 6. They are one of the most historic franchises in the NFL and the NFL needs to keep their image up by making sure they are in a good spot. Just the way things go. The Steelers definitely get talked about more then most people think, they have a proven QB, their defense is nasty, and have a pothead on their WR corp. All about image in this league, gotta love those TD’s. (Again, relax SteelGuy)

by Mr MaLoR on Nov 5, 2008 10:27 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hey, watch it...

…there are a lot of potheads out there, and not just on the Steelers! Sorry, you just struck an old nerve here.

Rexx

by Rexx on Nov 5, 2008 11:07 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Nothin wrong with it man....

There might still be a few around these areas….Who knows : )

Just needed to throw it out there for the sake of the steelers, look at our very own derrick martin (if hes on the team anymore).

by Mr MaLoR on Nov 5, 2008 11:18 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

A couple of the people on ESPN rated us really low thats why we were stuck at 13.

3 people rated us as 8th, one person at 18th, and a few people between 14-16. Then James Walker who does the AFC North blog rated us at 10th and I think 1 other person.

But they average the votes of the staff/writers/employees or w.e on their site. Its like 9 of em or something. And thats why we got 13th.

I would have been content with 10th in all honesty

Life is nothing but Beats & Rhymes

by Matchz Malone on Nov 5, 2008 10:44 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

So would I

I think we are a team within the top 10. When you have the best defense in the league at running the ball, along with ranked 4th against the pass sitting as the 2nd best defense in the NFL, we should be ranked higher. Our offensive running game is ranked 4th in the NFL at 148.8 YPG. Im not trying too hard to knock on the Steelers (Well maybe) but right now, Big Ben has 1 more int then Flacco (Yes, I am aware that he has 10 tds). Flacco has more yards then Ben, and their running game is ranked in the lower half of the NFL. We are 1 game behind them in the AFC North, and are at a 5-3 with Rookies and back ups leading us at many of the most important positions. Steelers are 3, which I give them credit for, they destroyed Washington on MNF on the road, but I feel they got 3 based on their name and image they give this league.

Again I will say this to the new poster of BaltimoreBeatdown, (Relax Steelguy). I am not bashing anyone here, just trying to prove a point, and your team being ranked so high gives me some sort of a basis behind me statements

by Mr MaLoR on Nov 5, 2008 11:05 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Eh, I won’t argue that they are up where they are partly because of image. Who have the ravens beat? No one that important. Who have the steelers beat? No one that important, besides the redskins, but that only bumped us up one spot, which means we were overrated at #4 before that. The case can easily be made for the steelers to be overrated in power rankings. The steelers will need to prove that it is justified in the next few weeks, and the ravens will have the opportunity to move into the top 5 once they start playing in Jersey.

Regarding QBs. Ben has looked brilliant this year, and Ben has looked absolutely awful. Ben has 10 tds to 8 ints, Flacco has 5 tds to 7 ints. But despite this, Ben has a rating just a few points above Flacco. Flacco has a much, much higher completion rating than Ben does. I don’t think I need to mention here that Ben is a veteran QB with much higher receiving talent than the ravens.

by steelguy99 on Nov 5, 2008 11:26 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed....

I am more upset that teams like the Cardinals, Falcons, Bears, and Jets are all ahead of the Ravens right now. If you revisist this, where do you think the Steelers would be had they lost to Washington. I still think they would be top 6 because of the image that people have on Pittsburgh. They are one of the few faces of this League, and will always be praised very highly if they are making an impact in the NFL like they are today.

by Mr MaLoR on Nov 5, 2008 2:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This is why I can’t debate your point. How far did the steelers drop after NYG? One ranking, or two? Considering WAS was at 5 and we were at 4, I doubt we would have done much but switch. By beating the skins I think we’ve shown that we should be up near the top, but without it I would have put us much lower. The national media would not have though.

by steelguy99 on Nov 5, 2008 3:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Steelers deserve their ranking

Hate to say it and mind you, please don’t label me as defending them, but they beat us, went on the road on MNF and beat the highly rated (?) Redskins, and only lost to the Giants and Eagles in two close games. That said, they deserve to be highly ranked in this topsy turvy NFL world where no one team sticks out. However, a game between the Titans and Giants would be well worth the price of admission. I’d even like to see the titans-Steelers but think the Titans are a better team A-Z right now.

Rexx

by Rexx on Nov 5, 2008 11:10 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I think the Redskins are overrateed in the power rankings

They got absolutely manhandled AT HOME by the Steelers last Monday. That’s bad. #5? Are you kidding me?

The Steelers are a good team for sure with a very good defense, but I don’t think they have sustainability with that offensive line. Either their OL play improves, or the Steelers go nowhere come January.

It’s smart to downgrade the Ravens a bit. Our schedule is brutal. We have 3 games we should win (Cincy, Hou, Jax), and 1 game we can and need to win (Pit) and then a host of 4 nasty teams. Dallas will get all the kings horses and all the kings men back by the time we get to play them. Washington may be the weakest team of the 4, and they aren’t bad.

by math_geek on Nov 5, 2008 2:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

All the talk....

about the NFC East and the Brain Washing that has been going on saying that the NFC East is the best division to ever walk the face of this earth is why they get #5. Eagles had a rough start, so thats why they are where they are, Dallas I cant believe isnt top 10, since they have a pro bowler at every position right? NYG is the real only legitimate dominant team in that division RIGHT NOW. This half of the season is going to show the NFL and us fans if we are truly a good team, which I think we are at the moment. LETS GO!

by Mr MaLoR on Nov 5, 2008 3:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs