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Posted: Wednesday October 11, 2006 11:40AM; Updated: Wednesday October 11, 2006 11:40AM
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NFL Power Rankings
Rank LW Team
11 12
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-2)
Beware the bye week. Bars stay open late, police blotters turn up some interesting athletic names. But why so negative? This is a high-achieving team that doesn't need any sarcasm from smart-ass New York-area writers.
12 15
St. Louis Rams (4-1)
After that in-depth analysis you've just read, maybe it's time to lighten up a bit. I like the fact that defensive coordinator Jim Haslett was able to bring three of his talented defensive coaches from his Saints staff. They've been getting some fine play from vastly underrated (why is this the only time you hear the word "vastly" used? vastly underrated, vastly overrated) MLB Will Witherspoon and OLB Pisa Tinoisamoa, whom they say is playing with a dislocated elbow.
13 16
New Orleans Saints (4-1)
I saw the following written regarding rookie punter Steve Weatherford, who is booting them so well that injured regular Mitch Berger might not get his job back next year: "Weatherford might wind up the Wally Pipp to Berger." Dear fellow journalist: Wally Pipp was the Yankees' regular first baseman, who sat out the game with a headache one day, thereby paving the way for Lou Gehrig. He wasn't, you see, the guy who ... oh, why do I bother?
14 21
New York Giants (2-2)
I love working in the N.Y. area, but boy, when the media guys latch onto someone who pops a little, they never let go. First it was Jeremy Shockey, who had to come out of the Redskins game with a bad ankle but managed to pick up a couple of damaging penalties while he was in there. You never know whether it'll be a "write this down" or an "I'm not talking" from this guy, which, I guess, makes him intriguing. Before Washington came to town it was ex-Skins LB LaVar Arrington's turn. Yeah, some lively copy was provided, but this guy has been one big zero for the Giants. He's invisible in coverage. He doesn't even line up as a third-down rusher, which at one time he did effectively for the Skins. New York has plenty of guys who are better at it than LaVar. Against Washington I got him for one meaningful play. One. He leaped high and knocked down a pass.
15 19
Minnesota Vikings (3-2)
I heard one telecaster say that Minnesota held Detroit to "16 yards Russian." I guess when you use foreign measurements, you get 'em all screwed up.
16 20
Carolina Panthers (3-2)
Center Justin Hartwig played four years in Tennessee with Albert Haynesworth. Lest you think that the stomping incident was an isolated occurrence, here's what Hartwig had to say about his ex-teammate: "When he's getting beat, he tends to lose control of his emotions and he gets irrational and he doesn't think straight. At the beginning of training camp my second year, I was blocking him during a pass-rush drill and he was bull-rushing me. When he let up, I dropped to my knees and he reared back and kicked me in the chest. I grabbed his foot.... I was going to dump him on his back. One of the other linemen came in and cleared him out.... I never talked to him. He's just the kind of guy I stay away from."
17 14
Dallas Cowboys (2-2)
What I get a kick out of is how all these network analysts tell you about how T.O. is overplayed to death ... and there's certainly more to talk about, blah blah blah, and right before they go to commercial you hear, "Stay tuned to our in-depth Terrell Owens analysis at halftime." Here's my analysis: He alligator-armed a pass against the Eagles when he saw strong safety Michael Lewis, a serious hitter, bearing down. Gave up on it. Made it look like a wide throw. It was one of his two drops, to go with his three receptions. He's back to his 49ers days, when he would pull that stunt regularly, giving up on patterns and turning them into diatribes against his QB, Jeff Garcia. He provided more of that crap in his sideline show Sunday, but I don't think Drew Bledsoe is going to let T.O. turn him into another Garcia. Lord knows Bledsoe has his own problems these days, he doesn't need another one ... a receiver who chickens out and then screams about how the QB neglects him.
18 10
Washington Redskins (2-3)
Just as puzzling as his team's performance is the way free safety Sean Taylor handles himself. He'll screw up deep patterns, but he'll also make some huge plays. Against the Jaguars I thought he and Santana Moss were the best players on the field. Against the Giants he didn't do much of anything, except give up a 46-yarder and a two-yard TD to Plaxico Burress. Oh yes, and according to a few Giants, he took a few shots at the end, during Eli Manning's kneels, for heaven's sake. "Better not go low," 265-pound running back Brandon Jacobs yelled at him. "You're a DB, not a linebacker." "We'll see you in a few weeks," guard Rich Seubert added.
19 22
Kansas City Chiefs (2-2)
I had it all figured out: Chiefs, with the NFL's third-ranked defense, would give first-time Cardinals starter Matt Leinart a really rough go. What's the line? Three points? A steal, which was what I told some of my friends who like to make a little friendly investment every now and then. So what happens? Leinart comes out hot, completes his first six throws, has K.C. down 14-0, and the Chiefs finally win it 23-20, thanks to a last-minute field goal. Sunday night I got a call. "Thanks for your help. Don't ever give it to me again." I asked what the matter was. A three-point margin, a push, right? "I laid 3½," I heard. Silence. And I actually collected a win for this in the magazine.
20 17
New York Jets (2-3)
Eric Mangini has a five-second rule: They dwell on the preceding game for five seconds and then move on. I can see the film session of their 41-0 loss to Jacksonville. Five seconds are devoted to one good block. The guy who threw it is asked if he saw it. "No, I was tying my shoe.... Hey, Coach, could you run the film back one time?"

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