Some wins are overlooked in favor of overall achievement
Posted: Wednesday October 30, 2002 1:04 PM
This is the part of the season in which I officially say goodbye to the idea of remaining true to the I Beat You So I'm Ranked Higher Than You idea. In the early part of the year, yes, I try to maintain the purity of the concept, but now it's impossible. Look at it this way -- last weekend seven games ended with the underdog winning, straight up. This included Houston, the only double-digit dog on the board. What I'm attempting to do now, at roughly the season's midway point, is to rank my teams on overall, not one-game, performance. Thus you will see such upsetters as Atlanta and Houston ranked lower than the teams they upset. Sorry, but I can't throw my entire board out of whack because of one notable performance. So for those of you who are infuriated by this travesty of justice, please save the e-mails, because they've already been answered in the purest copout form.
Dr. Z's Power Rankings
Rank
LW
Team
1
1
Denver Broncos (6-2) They continue to show excellence on both sides of the ball, which is rare in this era of free agency, in which only one part of the operation usually is highly developed. Well, there's one area that's not up to par, but I'm saving that information for my column notes. What a teaser! I mean, would I have success running a marketing campaign, or what? Stay tuned. Send money. Don't leave home without one, etc.
2
3
Green Bay Packers (6-1) The competition faded, so the Pack moves up in its bye week. A member of the organization told me, in private, "Right now we have two major concerns, Brett Favre's condition, and how we do in your rankings. It's hard to say which one comes first."
3
4
Philadelphia Eagles (5-2) If you're running the defense, don't ever slant your line against Philly, because those big, fat O-linemen will take you the way you're going and run you right off the face of the map. The Giants found out the hard way Monday night.
4
5
San Diego Chargers (6-1) Another team aided by its bye week, as New Orleans got Asvicksiated (ugh). A warning: Don't take the Jets too lightly this weekend, because New York's got enough to ... ah, who am I kidding?
5
2
New Orleans Saints (6-2) Sure, I could have punished them more severely after Atlanta ran for 260 against them, but whom do I raise above them, the Niners, whom they recently beat? The Chiefs, who are rubbing their eyes in disbelief at being here with café society? The Bucs, coming off a sorry outing, the crippled Dolphins? Who, uh, whom? What's that you say? The Bills? Hmmm, I thought of that, too, but I don't want to jinx them by making them a target.
6
7
San Francisco 49ers (5-2) Some uneasy feelings about the way the Cardinals came back at their defense. The Raiders might do same on Sunday. Or we could see the Niners get on top early and run the ball down Oakland's throat for the rest of the afternoon. For more on this game, drift your eyes six spots downward to where this fascinating analysis continues in the Raiders section.
7
13
Kansas City Chiefs (4-4) Oakland opened in a three-wide set, which it usually does. K.C. brought in its nickelback, Ray Crockett. Oh oh, trouble right away. You knew he was going to be the target, and he was. Will this be the day that Tim Brown sets the all-time single-game, pass-catching record? But as the afternoon wore on the Chiefs got tougher, and that's what impressed me most and why they got a six-position hike in the standings. By the end of the contest they'd used Priest Holmes to bend the Raiders to their will, and on the final Raiders drive it almost seemed as if they were toying with Rich Gannon and the boys, defying them to dink their way down the field ... Sure, dink it all you want, we're up by 10.
8
8
Buffalo Bills (5-3) You know their offense is big league and it's going to score points. What Buffalo needs every week is a highly motivated defensive performance, and you almost never get that in the NFL on a consistent basis, but now here comes the first meeting with New England, the team that benched its guy, Drew Bledsoe, just at the right time. Then the welcome bye week. Then another motivational biggie for the defense -- the high-scoring K.C. powerhouse. Then a pep rally for the game against the Jets... remember them? They're the team that beat you in the opener, etc. I'm telling ya, Gregg Williams couldn't have scripted this thing any better.
9
9
Miami Dolphins (5-2) Cris Carter knows Packers. The question is, can he get open? And if he does, will Ray Lucas have the time needed to lay the ball in his hands? And how cold will it be on this frosty Monday night in Wisconsin? Warm-weather team going north, you know. Then, the following week it's another cold-weather game at night -- in the Jersey Meadows. As the colonel said at the beginning of Gunga Din, when he saw that pickaxe thing stuck in the wall, "I don't like it. I don't like it at all."
10
10
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) Warren Sapp called it "Old Bucs ball" last week. Sure, they beat up on a team without a quarterback that had 'em by the throat until it screwed up at the end. So what'll happen on Sunday? Oh, they'll win it something like 35-17. They always run up scores on the Vikings at home, a pair of 41's the last two years and nothing under 24 over the last four.
11
11
Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) They reign as sole kings of one of the NFL's weaker divisions, having already beaten each team in the AFC North and now getting their second go at them. The Tommy Maddox legend continues. Things are looking up, but it'll be a while until they're considered the serious Super Bowl contenders that they were in the summer.
12
6
Oakland Raiders (4-3) Here are the kind of stats I love playing with: The three featured runners (Marshall Faulk, LaDainian Tomlinson, Priest Holmes) who have faced the Raiders in their last three losses have a combined yardage, running and pass catching, of guess what? Try 545. And now Oakland's getting a taste of Garrison Barlow, the famed sleuth of British detective fiction. OK, Garrison Hearst, Kevan Barlow ... I'm straining, I know it. I don't want to jump the gun, but could there be some truth to the early contention -- which was much jeered in glorious September -- that those old Raider legs are starting to tire? It's something to think about.
13
18
Atlanta Falcons (4-3) I was on a talk show recently. I was asked if Michael Vick has unlimited potential. I answered no, it's been limited by the fact that he was hurt in college and hurt in the NFL. My reply wasn't taken seriously, as usual. But as wondrous as the kid is, it's a perilous way to live. I mean, sooner or later one of those guys who was a co-star in the highlight reels, tackling air, will have a chance for the big hit and he's gonna take it. Oh, hell, let's not look for trouble. Right now it's a terrific show and I wish all of them well down there.
14
12
Arizona Cardinals (4-3) The Snake gets 'em in trouble, then he bails 'em out, or almost bails 'em out. Same script each week, different opponent. At least he takes chances.
15
20
Cleveland Browns (4-4) The Jets had them whipped, then handed them the game. They turned off their pass rush, opened the middle of the field, and told Tim Couch, "Here, let's see what you can do." I don't think the Steelers will be that generous this weekend, but the game's in Cleveland, where this matchup been close for the last two years, despite a great disparity in talent level.
16
25
Washington Redskins (3-4) Welcome to the top half of our board. I had you there after Week 1, but quickly saw the error of my ways. The Skins will do OK as long as they don't need their QB to win it for them.
17
14
Indianapolis Colts (4-3) A late pick, a depressing performance by Edgerrin James, a defense that could play in spurts, but also got overwhelmed at times. This does not have the look of a team with a winning record.
18
15
Baltimore Ravens (3-4) Natural-grass team going on artificial turf against Atlanta, a speed outfit. And without Ray Lewis. And with the starting QB out. Still, it's a winnable game, and then the Ravens will be right back in the thick of the division hunt, and if you're getting as bored with this as I am, please flip over to ...
19
19
St. Louis Rams (2-5) Oops, no action here. Coming off a bye. Cardinals up next. An intra-divisional crucial. The great staredown between Marc Bulger and Kwamie Lassiter. Keep reading. I swear, this'll get better.
20
21
Tennessee Titans (3-4) But not yet. Should have lost to Cincinnati (what?). "They had us ripped, then he tripped." Matt O'Dwyer made the definitive goal line stop on Corey Dillon. The problem is that they're teammates. Right now, O'Dwyer could write his own ticket in Nashville, a ticket for parking in a speeding lane.
21
15
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4) They say that Mark Brunell simply hasn't been the same since the concussion he suffered via the Samari Rolle head shot. Three picks vs. the Ravens. Bouncing his passes against Houston. And Tom Coughlin is mad at his kicker again, this time Tim Seder, the Dallas import. Two missed field goals against the Texans, short kickoffs, etc. And how about Bobby Shaw standing there and watching Brunell's Hail Mary pass at the end bounce alongside him?
22
17
New England Patriots (3-4) Where do we start? Their red zone defense is next to last in the league. Four straight enemy running backs have gone for 100-plus against them. The last time this happened was in 1990 on Rod Rust's 1-15 outfit. The line couldn't keep the rush off Tom Brady and he couldn't, or wasn't supposed to, get anything going downfield. Otis Smith gets beaten deep every week. Tight end Cam Cleeland isn't playing and wonders why. They have five games coming up within 25 days, four of them on the road. Gotta stop this. Too depressing.
23
22
Carolina Panthers (3-5) Here comes a chart in the middle of everything. Of the five losses, four are by a total of 10 points and have come down to the last minute:
-- Game 4 -- Shayne Graham misses a game-tying 24-yard field goal with 16 seconds left in the 17-14 loss to Green Bay.
-- Game 5 -- Bill Gramatica kicks a 50-yarder with 16 seconds left in the 16-13 loss to Arizona.
-- Game 6 -- Quincy Carter's 24-yard TD pass on fourth-and-14 with 56 seconds left gives Dallas a 14-13 victory after the Panthers led 13-0 in the fourth quarter.
-- Game 8 -- Another Gramatica, this time Martin, kicks a 47-yarder with five seconds left as Tampa Bay erases a 9-3 Carolina lead in the fourth quarter to win 12-9.
24
23
New York Giants (3-4) I am mystified by some things, but you've heard that already. Why keep Kenny Holmes in there at right defensive end Monday night when he kept getting swept inside and into the wide blue waters of the Schuylkill River, when they've got a guy on the bench named Frankie Ferrara who at least will try to stand firm against the run? Why do they call rollouts for QB Kerry Collins, when it's a proven formula for disaster? All we keep hearing is that tough talk about heart and desire, when the old noodle's gotta come into play somewhere, does it not?
25
29
Seattle Seahawks (2-5) Boy, they must have been licking their chops in Dallas last week. I mean, it's great that Emmitt broke the record and everything, but every highlight shot I saw of that game failed to mention that there was another team on the field. And it wound up winning.
26
24
Dallas Cowboys (3-5) So what happens now? Does Emmitt keep getting fed the ball while Troy Hambrick, whose game actually does not seem as dynamic as it did last year, languishes on the bench, as usual? Or do we see the big push to keep Hambrick from free agenting out of town at season's end?
27
26
Detroit Lions (2-5) In four of Joey Harrington's starts he has moved his team into the red zone with a chance to win or tie at the end and come up short three times. But at least he's keeping them in it, which is more than what happened in the old days.
28
30
Minnesota Vikings (2-5) Hello there, a big kaboom against the Bears, a flash from the past. The NFC North has been called Green Bay and The Three Stooges. So which one is Minnesota? I say Curly.
29
27
Chicago Bears (2-5) And here comes Moe. I guess you can lay it off on the injuries. Everyone else does -- QB and three significant defensive starters. But maybe it's a case of the remarkable luck that carried them through 2001 finally running out.
30
31
Houston Texans (2-5) I know, they should be much higher after they beat Jacksonville. They will be in weeks to come. Just gimme one more win; that's all I ask. But the oddsmakers awarded them a great compliment by making them a three-point favorite over the Bengals. And here's an interesting research project for someone so inclined -- has a first-year expansion team ever been favored over anyone but another expansion team, also in its first season? Any e-mailer with a long archive of betting slips is requested to send in that information, with a notation to Jimmy that this is Eyes Only, Classified, Top Secret, etc.
31
28
New York Jets (2-5) OK, we all know that they blew it against Cleveland by sitting on the lead and handing the Browns gift-wrapped completions. But they looked like a real team while they were getting that lead in the first place, which gives us some hope for ... I can't continue this. Let's move on, OK?
32
32
Cincinnati Bengals (0-7) Once I read a terrific short story by Joel Sayre called Rackety Rax about how the mob takes over a football team. Nob a bad idea, really. Let's see, on the new, restructured Bengals, Tony Soprano would be the right tackle and offensive captain. His nephew, Christopher, would be the quarterback. Uncle Junior would be the coach. Sister Janice would be the blitzing linebacker. Furio would be the strong safety who'd keep getting fined by the league office for wipeout hits. Man, this is fun.
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