Not to dwell on the point week after week but . . . .
It’s hard to get excited about a league in which Rams and Raiders are top 10 teams (or, if not them, the Saints and/or Seahawks). The Patriots and Broncos are definitely elite. The Bengals, Packers (probably) and Panthers (maybe) are good. After that, there’s not much.
And since the (at most) five good teams all play in different divisions the chances are small of seeing two good teams play one another in any given week. The chances are high of seeing garbage football, like that debacle in the Dome on Sunday. It’s parity by way of having a lot of bad teams just looking to get lucky.
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1. Patriots (7-0)
Previous rank: 1. Result: Won 36-7 vs. Dolphins. Next: Sun. vs. Washington.
That’s six games in a row with 30 points or more scored. They are 7-0 for the first time since they went 16-0 in 2007.
2. Broncos (7-0)
Previous rank: 5. Result: Won 29-10 vs. Packers. Next: Sun. at Colts.
The defense dominated again. The offense finally returned the favor.
3. Bengals (7-0)
Previous rank: 2. Result: Won 16-10 at Steelers. Next: Thurs. vs. Browns.
A victory at the Steelers, just the sixth in 15 tries at Heinz Field, is the latest evidence these may not be the same old Bengals. They are 7-0 for the first time ever.
4. Panthers (7-0)
Previous rank: 4. Result: Won 29-26 (OT) vs. Colts. Next: Sun. vs. Packers.
They bogged down in the slop early against the Colts, pulled away before letting the Colts come back, and then won it in overtime. Now comes a big showdown at home against the suddenly vulnerable Packers.
5. Packers (6-1)
Previous rank: 3. Result: Lost 29-10 at Broncos. Next: Sun. at Panthers.
It was such a mismatch vs. the Broncos coach Mike McCarthy admitted he didn’t have his team ready to play fast. Strange to see the wide receivers unable to get open and QB Aaron Rodgers reluctant to take chances.
6. Cardinals (6-2)
Previous rank: 7. Result: Won 34-20 at Browns. Next: Bye.
They outscored the Browns 24-0 in the second half. Not many teams have that kind of firepower.
7. Vikings (5-2)
Previous rank: 8. Result: Won 23-20 at Bears. Next: Sun. vs. Rams.
They’ve won three in a row to pull within a game of the Packers in the NFC North. They haven’t played a tough schedule but they looked a lot better than the Packers when they went to Denver.
8. Falcons (6-2)
Previous rank: 6. Result: Lost 23-20 (OT) vs. Buccaneers. Next: Sun. at 49ers.
If you want to be charitable, they were down a starting safety going into the game and then lost top of their top three CBs during it. That doesn’t have anything to do with all those offensive blunders, though.
9. Rams (4-3)
Previous rank: 11. Result: Won 27-6 vs. 49ers. Next: Sun. vs. Browns.
Four pro games, four 100-yard plus outings for RB Todd Gurley. The Rams are 3-0 in the NFC West for the first time since 2004.
10. Raiders (4-3)
Previous rank: 13. Result: Won 34-20 vs. Jets. Next: Sun. at Steelers.
They lost their first 10 games last year but now are above .500 this late in the season for the first time since 2011. QB Derek Carr has seven TDs vs. zero interceptions over the past two games.
11. Saints (4-4)
Previous rank: 14. Result: Won 52-49 vs. Giants. Next: Sun. vs. Titans.
They are just two games behind the Falcons now. Even at 36-years old, Saints QB Drew Brees (seven TD passes) remains the best QB in the NFC South.
12. Seahawks (4-4)
Previous rank: 19. Result: Won 13-12 at Cowboys. Next: Bye.
After all of the drama and their many issues, they made it to the bye week at .500. They are still just two games behind the Cardinals
13. Washington (3-4)
Previous rank: 12. Result: Bye. Next: Sun. at Patriots.
After they rallying for the largest comeback in franchise history to beat the Bucs, idle Washington saw both the Giants and Cowboys lose. That’s a good bye week but now they get the Patriots.
14. Jets (4-3)
Previous rank: 9. Result: Lost 34-20 at Raiders. Next: Sun. vs. Jaguars.
Raiders QB Derek Carr carved up the defense just when it had earned a rep. The Jets lost QBs Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith to injury during the game.
15. Giants (4-4)
Previous rank: 10. Result: Lost 52-49 at Saints. Next: Sun. at Buccaneers.
Their special-teams miscues set the Saints up for the winning field goal. This is the best team in the NFC East, which is looking like last year’s NFC South.
16. Steelers (4-4)
Previous rank: 15. Result: Lost 16-10 vs. Bengals. Next: Bye.
QB Ben Roethlisberger returned from injury but blew a lead with two fourth-quarter interceptions. Now they are three games behind the Bengals.
17. Eagles (3-4)
Previous rank: 16. Result: Bye. Next: Sun. at Cowboys.
They’d be better off running the ball more and letting QB Sam Bradford throw it less. And when they do run, Ryan Matthews should be toting it more than DeMarco Murray.
18. Bills (3-4)
Previous rank: 20. Result: Bye. Next: vs. Dolphins.
They got healthy during the bye week, just in time for three straight games against AFC East foes. Beating the Dolphins would really help them in the Wild Card race
19. Chiefs (3-5)
Previous rank: 21. Result: Won 45-10 vs. Lions. Next: Bye.
Four different players rushed for TDs against the Lions. One of them was QB Alex Smith, who ran for 78 yards on five carries.
20. Texans (3-5)
Previous rank: 24. Result: Won 20-6 vs. Titans. Next: Bye.
They tied a franchise record with seven sacks against the Titans. They aren’t very good but they don’t have to be to win the AFC South.
21. Buccaneers (3-4)
Previous rank: 25. Result: Won 23-20 (OT) at Falcons. Next: Sun. vs. Giants.
A week after they blew a 24-point lead to lose to the Giants, coach Lovie Smith nearly gave the game away with his indefensible decision to go for it on fourth down against the Falcons. His defense and QB Jameis Winston bailed him out.
22. Colts (3-5)
Previous rank: 17. Result: Lost 26-23 (OT) at Panthers. Next: Sun. vs Broncos.
QB Andrew Luck didn't get going until late in the second half. They still can win the awful AFC South if he gets it together.
23. Dolphins (3-3)
Previous rank: 18. Result: Lost 36-7 at Patriots. Next: Sun. at Bills.
Well, that beat down certainly put a damper on that 2-0 start for interim coach Dan Campbell. Worse, star DE Cameron Wake suffered a season-ending Achilles injury.
24. Browns (2-6)
Previous rank: 22. Result: Lost 34-20 vs. Cardinals. Next: Thurs. at Bengals.
They led the Cardinals 20-10 at halftime before giving up 21 unanswered points. After three straight losses they’ll try to play spoiler against the Bengals.
25. Jaguars (2-5)
Previous rank: 27. Result: Bye. Next: Sun. vs. Jets.
Fans are grumbling about WR Marqise Lee sitting out the four weeks before the bye with a hamstring injury and GM Dave Caldwell said Lee would give the offense a boost. That the Jags are pinning hopes on a middling WR tells you about their season.
26. Chargers (2-6)
Previous rank: 23. Result: Lost 29-26 at Ravens. Next: Mon. vs Bears.
They lost on the final play for the third time this season. Four straight losses by a combined 22 points has them way on the outside of the Wild Card race.
27. Cowboys (2-5)
Previous rank: 26. Result: Lost 13-12 vs. Seahawks. Next: Sun. vs. Eagles.
They’ve lost all five games without injured QB Tony Romo. But the defense was a problem again, this time allowing three third-down conversions on Seattle’s winning drive.
28. Ravens (2-6)
Previous rank: 32. Result: Won 29-26 vs. Chargers. Next: Bye.
At least they haven’t quit. But they lost WR Steve Smith to a season-ending Achilles injury.
29. Bears (2-5)
Previous rank: 28. Result: Lost 23-20 vs. Vikings. Next: Mon. at Chargers.
There went their eight-game winning streak against the Vikings at Soldier Field. RB Matt Forte and WR Eddie Royal also went down with knee injuries.
30. 49ers (2-5)
Previous rank: 29. Result: Lost 27-6 at Rams. Next: Sun. vs. Falcons.
They failed to score a touchdown for the second straight game. A week after RB Carlos Hyde went down, backup Reggie Bush suffered a season-ending knee injury.
31. Titans (1-6)
Previous rank: 30. Result: Lost 20-6 at Texans. Next: Sun. at Saints.
They’ve lost six in a row and scored a total of 36 points over their last four. At this rate it’s hard to see how coach Ken Whisenhunt makes it to a third season.
32. Lions (1-7)
Previous rank: 31. Result: Lost 45-10 at Chiefs. Next: Sun. Bye.
If you are going to be bad, might as well be really bad so there’s a house cleaning and perhaps a No. 1 pick. A new OC didn’t help.
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