| Week 6 |
| Rank | Team | LW
| Comment |
| 1. | Denver
Broncos (5-0) | 1 | Empires crumble, but the Broncos keep sailing on
placid waters. |
| 2.
| Minnesota
Vikings (5-0) | 6 | You can't keep 'em down, after they buried the Pack,
but I still feel this is a temporary residency. |
| 3. | Jacksonville Jaguars (4-0) | 3 | I see the Jags hanging in until the Oct.25 contest at
Denver. Then we'll really find out what's what. |
| 4. | Green Bay
Packers (4-1) | 2 | They didn't really give up 545 yards to the Vikings,
did they? DID THEY? |
| 5.
| San
Francisco 49ers (3-1) | 4 | If I were a coach, I'd rather lose a freaky one, like
the Buffalo game, than a must-win. |
| 6. | Kansas
City Chiefs (4-1) | 9 | Really liked their running game, through the rice
paddies, vs. Seattle. |
| 7. | New
England Patriots (3-1) | 11 | Took a lot of class to drive the length of the field
in the last minute against the Saints. |
| 8. | Miami
Dolphins (3-1) | 5 | Yeah, I know, they got nailed by the Jets, but they're
still higher in the rankings. Let's see what happens in the return bout,
OK? |
| 9.
|
Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) | 7 | Two notches lower after the bye week. Six more months
of byes and they'll be off the chart. |
| 10. | Oakland
Raiders (3-2) | 10 | An iffy proposition, with Donald Hollas running
things, but the defense has real verve and spirit now. |
| 11. |
New York
Jets (2-2) | 17 | They game-planned Miami perfectly. Another defense
that's coming on. |
| 12.
| Dallas
Cowboys (3-2) | 12 | Carolina this weekend, then Troy's back. Yep, things
are looking up. |
| 13.
| Seattle
Seahawks (3-2) | 8 | Watters, Moon, Galloway ... all on the bench in the
dying moments last week. |
| 14. | New
Orleans Saints (3-1) | 15 |
Yes, they could beat the Niners at home Sunday, and if that happens,
guaranteed, they'll be top 10. |
| 15. | Baltimore
Ravens (2-2) | 14 |
Another bye team that drops a notch. This column is rough on byes.
|
| 16. |
Atlanta
Falcons (3-1) | 18 | So what do we make of Dan Reeves's offensive
juggernaut? Remember, please, that their three wins have come against
teams with a collective record of 0-13. |
| 17. | Tennessee
Oilers (1-3) | 16 | Strong potential, weak results. I have a feeling
they'll come out winging after their bye week. |
| 18. | Tampa
Bay Bucccaneers (2-3) | 22 | You have to remain depressed about the offensive
production after the Giant victory. |
| 19. | New York
Giants (2-3) | 13 | Was last year's 10-5-1 a mirage and is the true
picture closer to the 6-10 of 1996? Sure starting to look like that, isn't
it? |
| 20. |
Cincinnati Bengals (1-3) | 19 | That's four out of five AFC Central teams that
suffered a bye-week drop. Maybe it's the way they practiced last week.
|
| 21. |
Chicago
Bears (1-3) | 23 | I've got a soft spot for the Bears because their win
over Detroit was one of the few I got right last weekend. |
| 22. |
Buffalo
Bills (1-4) | 30 | Post-Niners euphoria could end this weekend in
Indy. |
| 23. |
Arizona
Cardinals (2-3) | 21 | I'll take this team seriously when they get Jake Plummer out of the
dink mode and let him open it up. |
| 24. | Detroit
Lions (1-4) | 20 | I knew they'd be nervous, up there at No. 20 last
week. |
| 25. |
Indianapolis Colts (1-4) | 28 | Buffalo at home Sunday could be win No. 2, but that'll
be it for a while. |
| 26.
| St.Louis
Rams (1-3) | 25 | Another draggy team poised to make a move, this time
against the Jets at home. |
| 27. | San
Diego Chargers (2-3) | 24 | I've got 'em behind two teams they beat, the Bills and
Oilers, because it seems that defenses have gotten a read on
them. |
| 28. |
Washington Redskins (0-5) | 26 | At Philly, at Minnesota, when will it stop? Well, I
like them this weekend, but guess what? I've liked them EVERY
weekend. |
| 29.
|
Philadelphia Eagles (0-5) | 29 | The home contest vs. the Skins looks like their best
chance for a W until their homer vs. St.Louis in December. |
| 30. |
Carolina
Panthers (0-4) | 27 | Panthers gave up 51 to the Falcons; Iggles gave up 41
to the Broncos. Strictly a numbers game down here in the pits. |
