NFL top 10, week 11

NFL Top 10 Teams, week 11

Lots of things stay the same, but we are slowly learning a little bit more of who the best teams are. We are also seeing that some of the teams that started out great are faltering, and a couple of teams that fell on their face have been slowly waking up. But are those teams on the top 10? Let’s find out.

This week starts out kinda tough, because there are 8 teams that are 6-4, but of those eight, I only have room for 3 to fit in my top 10. With seven teams with better records, I have to allow them place. So now I have to decide which of these 6-4 teams are worthy to get in the top 10.

This was pretty tough, and there are some quality teams that are not on the top 10, but that tells you how tough the second half of this season is going to be just to make the wild card. But I digress…

#10 New England Patriots (6-4)

This could be the last time I put the Patriots here based on merit and last year’s loss in the Super Bowl. They are still the AFC Champs, and until someone knocks them out, the are still there. But a 6-4 record will not hold up long with teams like the Ravens, Broncos and Dolphins looking at that playoff spot. The loss to the Jets hurt them but they must recover quickly and play the Dolphins and the Steelers back-to-back. Few see them winning both…some see them winning neither.

#9 Indianapolis Colts (6-4)

It has been awhile since the Colts made my top 10, and it seems that they could be getting back into form. I had to put the Colts on the list this week because they have had a tougher schedule that most teams, and still have a winning record. That includes wins over the Ravens, Patriots and Steelers. Those are quality wins, in addition to being on a 3-game winning streak after losing to the Titans. With the next 5 games vs. losing record teams, the Colts can see 10 wins before seeing the Titans at the end of the season. Ten wins should get them in the playoffs, don’t you think?

#8 Arizona Cardinals (7-3)

Logic dictates that a 7-3 team should be ranked ahead of a 6-4 team, but I don’t agree so much with this situation. I would love to see the Cardinals do well, and their record certainly shows that, but in a division that just stinks, you can’t help but win 6 games. But you add on wins over Dallas, Buffalo and Miami, and you still have a pretty good team. All their losses came from quality teams, so this is indeed a good squad this year. They have a big game vs. the Giants before they face the Eagles, some think they need to steal one of those to stay in the top 10, but they place is likely assured since they will win the NFC West.

#7 Washington Redskins (6-4)

This spot was actually hard to place because it was the last spot available and I had to choose between the Redskins and the Cowboys. It was one or the other, and in several factors these two teams were pretty much dead even. They both beat each other, they have the same record, they both lost to the Rams. The only way I can justify the Redskins here is by the simple fact that I had them higher last week, and I didn’t want to drop them out of the top 10 completely. I still feel they are better than the Cardinals, and deserved to be higher than the Colts, who were not even ranked last week, and with the Pats slipping I had to at least acknowledge the AFC Champions one more week. But with 3 more quality opponents, we will see if this team can get to the playoffs. The Skins are showing some flaws in their armor…

#6 New York Jets (7-3)

If the playoffs started today, the Jets are in with this great record. It even creates the possible scenario of an all New York Superbowl….hmmm. But I worry about this team. Yes, this is the team that beat the Cardinals big… but didn’t they also lose to the Raiders? Yes this is a team on a 4 game winning streak, but wasn’t one of those wins just BARELY against the lowly Chiefs? Which team are we looking at? Their last six games will not be easy, beginning with the Titans, then with AFC West leader Denver, before facing the Bills and Dolphins once more. That AFC East title is not locked up yet, and neither is the playoff spot. Much work to do.

#5 Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3)

Like the Jets, if the playoffs started today, the Steelers would be in, but with a one game lead over the Ravens, there is little margin for error. Unfortunately, the Steelers has one of the toughest schedules down the stretch. They face division foe Cincinnati, and then face the Patriots, then the Cowboys before another divisional confrontation against the Ravens. THEN you face the Titans before closing the season out against the Browns. If we can agree that no division foe is ever easy, then all of these games are big for the Steelers. And with very little margin for error, this could make the difference on winning the AFC Central or watching the playoffs from home.

#4 Carolina Panthers (8-2)

I know I should put them just a bit higher, but I can’t. Their recent track record leaves me wondering what this team is really about. They shut out Kansas City 34-0, fine. Then lose to Tampa Bay, a division foe. They beat the Saints, which is not having a good season, then barely beat Arizona at home when we all know that western teams traveling to the east coast almost NEVER win. Then there’s those two close games to the Raiders and the Lions. How can you barely beat these teams and still be great? With the next 5 games against teams scrapping to make the playoffs, we will see if the Panthers are as good as the record, or just paper champs.

#3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-3)

I know the Buccs record isn’t better than the Panthers, but they did BEAT the Panthers, so I put them ahead. This is a team that, if they don’t win the division, they could steal a Wild Card spot from somebody. They’ve already beaten Atlanta and Carolina once, so they have an advantage, but they did lose to the Saints. They virtually own the NFC Central beating everybody except the Lions, and oh by the way that is who they play this week. This is a surprising team, not many are talking about them, and their schedule is favorable to will over 10 games. It might take 12 games to lock on a playoff bid, because they still have to play the Falcons and Panthers again, not to mention the Saints. Not many are taking notice, but they will soon.

#2 New York Giants (9-1)

I am VERY tempted to make the Giants the number 1 team because they are playing the tougher schedule, but their only blemish is that loss to the Browns, which prove that they CAN be beaten. Close games vs. the Bengals and Eagles, prove they are not completely dominant, but other than the Browns, nobody has put an “L” to the column. But the season is not over for the Giants, not by a long shot. Each of their last 6 games will be a battle. The Giants face NFC West leading Arizona, then 3 straight division games vs. the Redskins, Eagles and Cowboys, before facing NFC South contending Carolina and then finally the Vikings, currently in a 3 way tie in the NFC Central…oops, North. Even with a 3 game lead, that is not secure, so the Giants still have many wars to fight before they can be considered a lock in the NFC Playoffs.

#1 Tennessee Titans (10-0)

I am very tempted to switch these two teams, because I am STILL not convinced this is the best team in the NFL. The best AFC team…likely, but not the best NFL team. The Titans have only beaten 2 teams with a winning record, those being the Colts, who just recently jumped over .500 and the Ravens. I am sorry folks, I just can’t keep putting this team as the best, when they beat teams like the Chiefs, Jaguars, Bengals and the like. And with the Lions, Browns and Texans still coming up, they could easily win 13 games and get knocked out in the first playoff game they play. Yes they play the Jets, and finish the season against the Steelers and Colts, so we will see how great they really are. Undefeated season, I can’t see it. In a year where the AFC has been kinda down, it has been advantageous for the Titans to have 12 games in the AFC and only 4 NFC games, and none of those coming from the uber-competitive NFC East or the NFC South.

But having said all that, I still have to give them credit. They ARE undefeated, and as I said before, I cannot fault the Tennessee Titans for their schedule. It’s not the players fault, it’s not the coaches fault, it’s not the fans fault. They have to play the teams on their schedule. So for now, I leave them at number 1...but it will be limited.

So those are my top 10 teams of this week. If the playoffs were to start today, the NFC would have the Giants, Cardinals in for sure, with the NFC North scrapping for position and the NFC South with Carolina and Tampa Bay fighting for supremacy. This leaves a lot of things to happen in the next few weeks. In the AFC, we know the Titans would be in, along with the Jets, Pittsburgh and Denver, with the two wild card spots up for grabs between the Ravens, Colts, Dolphins and Patriots. Lots of things can still happen. We’ll see how that develops as time goes on.

Until next time……..