|
Week 12 |
| Rank
| Team | LW | Comment |
| 1. | Denver
Broncos (10-0) | 1 | Bubby
Brister was averaging 28 yards a carry vs. K.C. until he took those
three kneels at the end, which knocked his average down to 10.6. Which is
precisely the reason why I've given up kneeling. |
| 2. | Minnesota
Vikings (9-1) | 2 | Randall
Cunningham, desperate to maintain his starting job, toughed it out on a
bad knee last week. There's no way Dennis Green is going to bench
him now, and why should he? |
| 3. | Jacksonville Jaguars (8-2) | 3 | Another wounded warrior, Mark Brunell, came
through. They're saying he's just fine, but that groin injury is worse
than they're letting on. |
| 4. | Atlanta
Falcons (8-2) | 8 | That bomb at the end against the Niners, when everyone
figured they'd run out the clock, was the gutsiest call I've seen all year.
Now they're smelling the roses -- only one team with a winning record
(Miami) left on the schedule, and that game's at home. But sometimes the
doggy teams bite you. Just ask the Jets. |
| 5. | Green Bay
Packers (7-3) | 9 | Miami fans will be writing nasty letters about my
pulling a switch in the standings, but the Dolphins will be in Foxboro this
weekend, while the Pack's in Minnesota, and things should work themselves
out, sort of. |
| 6.
| Miami
Dolphins (7-3) | 6 | Very difficult game to handicap, that Monday nighter
vs. the Patriots. Tradition favors the home team, but footballogically
speaking, I think injuries will tip the balance. I'm going with the
Dolphins. |
| 7.
| San
Francisco 49ers (7-3) | 4 | They threw 19 passes to Jerry Rice and then
everyone was shocked that he dropped one in the end zone. Hey, the guy's
36 years old. He was plumb wore out. |
| 8. | Oakland
Raiders (7-3) | 10 | Eric
Allen was having a Pro Bowl year at the right corner, but now he's out
for the year and they're facing that Denver machine with Marquis Walker in his
spot. Napoleon Kaufman
and strong safety Anthony
Newman have sprained ankles. Here's what I'd do: Rest them vs. the
Broncos, since the division's already a wrap, and send it all in on the
final five games. |
|
9. | Dallas
Cowboys (7-3) | 11 | With Deion limping (ankle) and Kevin Smith mugging Rob Moore in the end zone
on the game's final play and getting away with it, the Cowboys nearly blew
one to the rampaging Cardinals. But they've managed to buy Emmitt Smith a new pair of
wheels in the local 7-11, and they'll ride 'em till he drops. |
| 10. |
Tennessee
Oilers (6-4) | 12 | Loved their second half vs. the Steelers, when they
had to keep fighting the bad-field-position war and their defense kept
coming up big. |
| 11.
| New York
Jets (6-4) | 5 | A month ago I called them a yo-yo -- up for the tough
teams, down for the dogs. Dare I repeat myself? |
| 12. | Buffalo
Bills (6-4) | 13 | Say, where did that running game come from? If it's
legit, then the Bills are in good shape because three more games are in
Buffalo, where the Hawk, that vicious late-season wind, rises up out of
Canada and turns forward passes backward. |
| 13. |
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) | 7 | They went at the Oilers -- make that the Titans --
shorthanded. Carnell
Lake was limping severely and their kicking game was el zilcho with Norm Johnson out. Stay
tuned for the latest medical reports. |
| 14. | Seattle
Seahawks (5-5) | 14 | All of a sudden with everyone talking playoffs they've
turned dumb as the penalties pile up. Keep it up, fellas, and next year
Dennis Erickson will be watching his football on the TV at Ivor's
Clam House. |
| 15. |
New
England Patriots (5-5) | 15 |
Are you getting sick of all the injury talk? Me too. When a team like
Buffalo runs for 213 against you, the problems go deeper than Terry Glenn's sore
hamstring. |
| 16.
| New
Orleans Saints (5-5) | 16 | Kerry
Collins was functional. The defense added two more TDs. Somewhere
there's a formula in this, but I just haven't worked it out yet.
|
| 17. |
Arizona
Cardinals (5-5) | 17 | Bust-loose time for Jake the Snake. Were those 465
yards against Dallas a preview of things to come or a one-game aberration?
|
| 18. |
Tampa
Bay Buccaneers (4-6) | 18 | Not a bad effort last Sunday at Jacksonville. They
hung in until the very end vs. a superior team. With a manageable schedule
the rest of the way, I can still see a possible playoff spot for my
preseason Super Bowl pick (that's right, I won't let anyone forget it).
|
| 19. |
Kansas
City Chiefs (4-6) | 19 | While everyone was wringing his hands about those five
personal-foul penalties on the last Denver drive, I was asking, What was Shannon Sharpe doing that
got them so wild? I'd like to hear both sides of the story on this one.
All that blah-blah about Marty Schottenheimer coaching a gang of
thugs just doesn't do it for me. |
| 20. | New York
Giants (3-7) | 20 | If Jim Fassel weren't such a nice guy, the
NYC media would be ripping and slashing. Right now he's got to be asking
himself if his team is quitting on him. |
| 21. | San
Diego Chargers (3-7) | 24 | An inspirational victory behind Craig Whelihan's 15-for-42
afternoon, while Ryan
Leaf sits on the bench and wonders who he can get mad at
next. |
| 22. |
Baltimore
Ravens (3-7) | 21 | Just when you think the Ravens are ready to make a
move they pull a flopperoo. I really don't understand this team, but I'll
tell you one thing: There are too many bird-nickname clubs in the
NFL. |
| 23. |
Detroit
Lions (3-7) | 27 | Funny the way Barry Sanders keeps getting
them on national TV. They've played three, with two more to come and that
makes, let's see now, five, total. "Entertaining" is the
word the TV announcers use, but can you really say you were entertained by
that Chicago game? |
| 24.
| St.
Louis Rams (3-7) | 22 | I was going to bum a ride to St. Louis for the
Carolina game, but I was told that the back of the truck's all full.
|
| 25. |
Chicago
Bears (3-7) | 23 | Steve
Stenstrom got whacked and for a while it looked like we were going to
get a good look at backup Moses Moreno. He would
have been the first Moses to quarterback a team since ... since ... I'll
let you put the topper on this one. |
| 26. | Indianapolis Colts (2-8) | 29 | Dan
Marino and John
Elway each have 30-plus fourth-quarter come from behind wins. Peyton Manning now has one
and is closing fast. Hey, 15 plays, 80 yards, to beat the Jets, including a
fourth-and-15 conversion. He's still a baby, but he's shaking that rattle.
|
| 27. |
Cincinnati Bengals (2-8) | 25 | Will it be the fading Neil O'Donnell or the
formerly fading Jeff
Blake or the ever-popular Paul Justin? Stay alert,
while still another NFL quarterbacking drama unfolds over the next few
weeks. |
| 28. |
Washington Redskins (2-8) | 30 | A new star has risen in the east, Skip Hicks. The right
side of the O-line was out vs. Philly and the rookie still ran for 94
yards. Nothing like fresh young legs in November. |
| 29. |
Carolina
Panthers (1-9) | 28 | Steve
Beuerlein, a sturdy old trooper who has never smelled the big bucks,
gets a new three-year, $9 million contract, so he goes out and throws two
picks and no TDs vs. the Dolphins. Tell me, is there something
poisonous about the Panthers' money? |
| 30. | Philadelphia Eagles (2-8) | 26 | They're on a pace to record the fewest number of
points since the NFL went to 16 games 20 years ago. Who says there's no
excitement down here in the pits? |
