NO, you may NOT go!
At this moment, there are nine teams in Division I that have unfortunately been delivered the news that they cannot compete for a post season game. That’s tough news for those teams, but if you look at this carefully, it might also say something about the conference, and the strength of it (or lack of strength). Let’s take a quick look at these teams and what it may represent in the conference they come from.
North Texas represents the Sun Belt Conference and was actually one of the first teams to fall out of the post season picture. This is one of 2 teams in the nation that still has no wins to their credit. So how does this represent the conference?
This 8-team conference isn’t one of the power conferences, but is still competitive inside their own. Nobody’s saying that they should have a team in the BCS bowls, but that does not mean these guys can’t play. But the fact that no one IS talking about a BCS or big wins for the conference seems to be shown in the representation of North Texas. Of all the conferences, this may be the one that few talk about when it comes to top 25 caliber, and often times the proof is in the representation of their lowest team, that being North Texas. Before the next couple of weeks, there may be 3 more teams that fall out of any chance of a bowl.
Utah State and Idaho represent the WAC (Western Athletic Conference) and both of these teams will be watching the post season together. Utah State is 1-7 and Idaho is currently 2-7. This is part of the implications when it comes to a team like Boise State who is currently undefeated, and why some don’t believe they belong in a BCS Championship. In a way there is argument here, when you have two teams that are already out of any post season. One may argue that teams like this make it easier for Boise State to pick up wins and advance up the polls.
And there may be some truth to it, but Boise State does what it can to play a competitive schedule and so far they have not lost. And let’s not lose the fact that there are some pretty decent teams in the WAC, such as Fresno State, Hawaii and San Jose State. You can very likely see 4 teams playing somewhere after the regular season is over, but when the authorities of the BCS look at teams like Boise State and their conference, they will continue to label them “BCS Busters” because technically they don’t belong with the “big dogs”. Having two teams already out of post season seems to be proof of that.
Ohio University and Eastern Michigan from the Mid American Conference are also out. With both teams being 2-7, it won’t be long before several more teams out of their conference are added next weekend. Four more teams may be added by the end of Saturday, bringing question to the strength of the conference.
And even with Ball State at 8-0, few people will put this team in the top ten because the strength of schedule is very suspect. Again, this does not mean these teams are not competitive, but when one looks at the conference, they look at the best teams, and the worst teams, and see how easy it was for the best teams to get those wins. One may argue that if Ball State was in another conference, they would not be undefeated. So it does make a difference when it comes to the strength of the schedule, but at the same time, do not fault Ball State for being undefeated…they played everyone on their schedule.
San Diego State represents the Mountain West Conference, and are also out of any hopes of a post season, and will be joined by another very soon. But here’s the counter to this argument, there are already FOUR teams that are already eligible. So it’s hard to say that the MWC is not as worth when you’ve already got several teams already eligible for a bowl. We can expect that from the power conferences, but the MWC is not one of those power conferences. This is a GOOD conference, and even in such conferences, there will always be a “cellar” team. So even though San Diego State is out, and Wyoming at the door, this is still a credible conference.
But having said that, it still plays against teams like Utah, who stand undefeated. BYU was the early talk of the town, and before them, TCU, both having lost a game, so one wonders how long before Utah loses one game in this competitive arena. All it takes is one loss to lose any hopes for a BCS Championship, but MAYBE one loss keeps them in the picture for a BCS bowl. The fact that there is only one team not going to post season as this moment helps a bit.
SMU and Conference USA is a strange thing. A conference with 12 teams, and one team now out of post season, yet only one that is currently eligible. It’s amazing that only Tulsa with 8 wins is eligible, and Rice being the only team that can become eligible this weekend, one argues if this is a competitive conference or a very soft one. It wasn’t too long when we sang the praises of ECU, now everyone outside of NC has forgotten them. Outside of Tulsa, who has already qualified, and Rice, who MIGHT qualify with a win this weekend, nobody else will qualify for a bowl for at LEAST two weeks, if even then.
For that reason, Tulsa will not be given serious consideration when it comes to a BCS Championship even if they go undefeated. One wonders if they will even get a serious bid at a BCS Bowl, rather than the Liberty Bowl. I am sure the conference would love to have a representative in the bigger bowls, but a lot of things have to happen for them to get in that ball room. There is little doubt that the conference just isn’t strong enough to warrant an undefeated team in the National Championship.
And then there’s the Pac-10, with the state of Washington out of luck this year. With Washington University winless at 0-7 and Washington State at 1-7, this is a sad year for the state. This is odd because the Pac-10 is a power conference, not like the MWC or Conference USA. And yet, they have one shot at the National Title with USC. The problem is that unless the current undefeated teams lose, Southern Cal won’t get in.
It is quite possible that half of the Pac-10 won’t see post season, which raises some questions about the strength of the conference this year. Some have said that according to the computers, USC cannot improve their current rankings by the numbers, but of course they can improve their POSITION if Texas, Penn State and Alabama lose a game… or two.
But this speaks some volumes how a power conference can have two teams already out of any hopes of post season. With two teams with a combined 1-14 record, how easy has it been (or will it be) for USC and Oregon to snatch up two easy wins? It can make the conference lose some punch when it comes down to those one-loss teams like USC and others like Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma and the like. It will play a factor, but ultimately, USC needs charity to get to a national championship.
You can indeed tell the strength of a conference by the best teams, but you can learn a lot from the teams on the bottom too. As the weeks go on, we will see more teams fall outside the post season, but the balance of who is great and who was bad will play a role in who really is the best teams in the Division I…we shall see…
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Best NFL teams week 8
Week 8 Top 10 NFL Teams
It would seem that we have learned a little bit more about the NFL and the teams that are trying to get to the post season, but one thing that keeps all our guesses in check is the fact that the NFL is not always about the BEST team, rather the HEALTHIEST. And a lot of people may argue that, but you need not look any further than some of the best teams and the key players that are out either this week, the next two weeks, the next month or gone for the season due to injuries.
But regardless, you still have to play with the players on your roster, so we must still try to identify the best 10 teams in the NFL. Let’s get to it. This week is harder because there are 17 teams that have a winning record, and one team even at .500. There was a lot of shifting last weekend so we really aren’t much closer to knowing the best than the beginning of the year.
#10 Philadelphia Eagles (4-3)
This was pretty hard because there are a bunch of 4-3 teams out there. I counted 8 teams with this record and one with 4-4 (Saints). But after you get past all the other looking records, I HAD to pick one of these teams. I will not argue with anyone who debates this pick but I put the Eagles here because they are in perhaps the best division in the NFL. This is not a division where one team is perfect and everybody else is below .500, or where the best team is 4-3 and the others are right behind them. This is a very competitive division. The Eagles have lost to three teams currently over .500 and may well see post season action. But injuries have many worried how far this team can go, and at least 6 of their upcoming games are going to be true battles. We know only 3 teams at best from the NFC East are going to the post season, and right now this team is the odd man out.
#9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-3)
I had this team in the top 5 last week, and thought they could beat the Cowboys, but as they say, that’s why they play the game. They took a quick fall but this does not mean they should be forgotten. The Buccs have lost 3 games, but each on an average of just over a field goal. Losing to the Saints by 4 at the beginning of the year in New Orleans is nothing to be ashamed of. Losing to Denver at Mile High Stadium by 3 points is not bad either, if you have to take a loss. Even losing to Dallas AT Dallas by 4 points isn’t the end of the world, although most would say that Tampa should have taken that. These are close losses that can be fixed. Nobody has blown them out the water, which shows this is a team that can stay in the game. Keep your eyes on this team, I smell post season for them.
#8 Dallas Cowboys (5-3)
The difference between this team and the Buccaneers is the simple fact that Dallas beat the Buccs last weekend, so that makes them better. Say what you want about those three losses, but at the time they lost, we thought these teams were pretty bad. When Dallas lost to the Redskins, people didn’t know how good the Redskins were. When they lost to Arizona, we didn’t know this could very well be a team we will see in post season. When they lost to the Rams, who knew they could have turned this team around. Now this does not completely defend those losses, but the more important issue is the injuries on the team. As I said at the top, sometimes the best teams are the healthiest, so one has to wonder about the Cowboys. 6 of their last 8 games are against teams that can get in the playoffs, and their very next game is against the Giants. A rough road to travel when you are not healthy.
#7 Buffalo Bills (5-2)
I’ll be honest, I am still not fully convinced of this team, but we cannot ignore the record. I understand that they cannot change the schedule, but this does not mean they get an automatic bye in the post season. And consider that to this point, they have only played one divisional game…and lost. Now they face the Patriots twice and the hungry Jets twice, as well as facing Miami again…I fear for the Bills, and not just because it’s near Halloween. They have a stretch where they play the Browns, Chiefs and 49ers, this could be a good point to fine-tune the team in the midst of a tough storm. People forget that the AFC East is pretty good, with the Pats, Jets and Miami. The Bills are going to have to step it up because it looks like the better teams are BETTER than the Bills.
#6 New England Patriots (5-2)
You can’t count out this team yet, there seems to still be some hope in them, and why not? Nobody has really locked down the AFC, and with so many teams within 2 or 3 games apart, there is hope for anybody. The Patriots come off a tough win against the Rams. If the NFC is indeed tougher this year, then the Patriots have been spared because they only play 4 NFC teams, one being the 49ers they recently defeated, as well as the turnaround Rams. With Seattle and Arizona, the latter at home, the Patriots won’t have to fear the NFC until the Superbowl…if they get there. But they will have their hands full playing teams like the Steelers, Bills, Dolphins and even a desperate Colts team. We’ll see how this turns out.
#5 Washington Redskins (6-2)
Eyebrows were raised when the Redskins lost to the Rams, but they have been forgiven since that same team beat the Cowboys. But two wins in the last 2 weeks does not really solidify them as the elite…I mean, they did beat the Browns only by 3, and the Lions only by 8. An elite team has to dominate the lesser foes, and they don’t come any lesser than those two teams this year. So there is question that maybe the league has figured the Redskins out. With a game vs. an injured Steelers team, we may still not know the true answer. But with upcoming games against the Giants, Cowboys, Eagles and Ravens, we will see all we need to see. We shall know if this is a playoff bound Redskins team, or a pretender. There is still many more games left to play.
#4 Carolina Panthers (6-2)
It’s odd that I have this team above the Buccaneers, since in head-to-head the Panthers lost to the Buccs. But this is a very good team when all cylinders are clicking. Many wondered if this was a team that played great one weekend, then forgot how to play the next weekend. The real question is that right now, the Buccaneers are the only real quality team the Panthers have played…and lost. Wins against the overachieving Cardinals, the struggling Saints, the hapless Chiefs, the upstart Falcons and others still has me wondering if this team is for real. But with only 2 losses, we cannot debate that. And with games vs. the Lions and Raiders, we won’t really learn that much more about them. But the last 6 games will really show the NFL what these Panthers are really about. We will see what we shall see very soon on this Carolina Panthers team.
#3 Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)
This team should be lower but you wonder if this team is still getting better or are they wore down with injuries. But how can you lower a team that lost only to the Giants and the Eagles? This is still a good team, and in the AFC, these guys have just as good a chance as anybody else to make the playoffs. And let’s not forget, this team has injury problems as well. With a very mixed schedule of decent teams and bad teams, we are going to see if Pittsburgh can be consistent in winning. One of the knocks on this team is the strength of schedule hasn’t really tested this team. The Texas, Browns and Bengals aren’t really great tests for a great team, but then again, we aren’t saying this team is great. With the Redskins, Cowboys, Patriots and Titans on the schedule, this will be a hard path to the post season for the Steelers…made even harder with injuries.
#2 New York Giants (6-1)
It appears the Superbowl Champs are still in the mix big time, and nobody else save one can challenge them on the winning record. The Giants are the only team with one loss, and last week defeated my #2 team in the Steelers. So they MUST be one of the best, right? Up until last weekend, I questioned the strength of the Giant’s foes, but after beating the Steelers I still want to see more. Consider this, 8 of the last 9 games that the Giants must play are against teams with a winning record. Up until last weekend, 1 of the 6 previous games was against a team currently with a winning record. It’s time we see what the Champs are all about. The NFC East is tough enough to get through, but add on the Ravens, Cardinals and Panthers and wow, this could get interesting.
#1 Tennessee Titans (7-0)
Is everybody on the bandwagon yet? This is the only undefeated team in the NFL at 7-0, and the reason the 1972 Dolphins have not sipped of the undefeated champagne. But again, I put this team here only by default, and that is not to insult the Titans. We have not really seen this team tested because only 1 team out of their 7 has a winning record, and their division is made up of teams all under .500. Yes they are a very good team, but I am not putting them in the Superbowl, I can’t even guarantee them that they will win the first game in the playoffs. They just have not played a tough enough schedule to say that now. And further, 4 of their last NINE games are against teams currently over .500. The schedule just isn’t showing that this is the best team in the NFL, but because they are undefeated, I must give them that respect. I also have to do so because it’s not the Titan’s fault that the Bengals, Texans, Colts and Chiefs are so bad this year. They play who is on the schedule, and they win. And because they are perfect so far, this makes them number 1.
So, that’s our look at the best NFL teams this week. I mentioned that there were 18 teams that were .500 or better, but if you add in teams that are just one game under .500, that adds on 6 more teams. This means you still have 24 teams in the mix… anything can happen…
It would seem that we have learned a little bit more about the NFL and the teams that are trying to get to the post season, but one thing that keeps all our guesses in check is the fact that the NFL is not always about the BEST team, rather the HEALTHIEST. And a lot of people may argue that, but you need not look any further than some of the best teams and the key players that are out either this week, the next two weeks, the next month or gone for the season due to injuries.
But regardless, you still have to play with the players on your roster, so we must still try to identify the best 10 teams in the NFL. Let’s get to it. This week is harder because there are 17 teams that have a winning record, and one team even at .500. There was a lot of shifting last weekend so we really aren’t much closer to knowing the best than the beginning of the year.
#10 Philadelphia Eagles (4-3)
This was pretty hard because there are a bunch of 4-3 teams out there. I counted 8 teams with this record and one with 4-4 (Saints). But after you get past all the other looking records, I HAD to pick one of these teams. I will not argue with anyone who debates this pick but I put the Eagles here because they are in perhaps the best division in the NFL. This is not a division where one team is perfect and everybody else is below .500, or where the best team is 4-3 and the others are right behind them. This is a very competitive division. The Eagles have lost to three teams currently over .500 and may well see post season action. But injuries have many worried how far this team can go, and at least 6 of their upcoming games are going to be true battles. We know only 3 teams at best from the NFC East are going to the post season, and right now this team is the odd man out.
#9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-3)
I had this team in the top 5 last week, and thought they could beat the Cowboys, but as they say, that’s why they play the game. They took a quick fall but this does not mean they should be forgotten. The Buccs have lost 3 games, but each on an average of just over a field goal. Losing to the Saints by 4 at the beginning of the year in New Orleans is nothing to be ashamed of. Losing to Denver at Mile High Stadium by 3 points is not bad either, if you have to take a loss. Even losing to Dallas AT Dallas by 4 points isn’t the end of the world, although most would say that Tampa should have taken that. These are close losses that can be fixed. Nobody has blown them out the water, which shows this is a team that can stay in the game. Keep your eyes on this team, I smell post season for them.
#8 Dallas Cowboys (5-3)
The difference between this team and the Buccaneers is the simple fact that Dallas beat the Buccs last weekend, so that makes them better. Say what you want about those three losses, but at the time they lost, we thought these teams were pretty bad. When Dallas lost to the Redskins, people didn’t know how good the Redskins were. When they lost to Arizona, we didn’t know this could very well be a team we will see in post season. When they lost to the Rams, who knew they could have turned this team around. Now this does not completely defend those losses, but the more important issue is the injuries on the team. As I said at the top, sometimes the best teams are the healthiest, so one has to wonder about the Cowboys. 6 of their last 8 games are against teams that can get in the playoffs, and their very next game is against the Giants. A rough road to travel when you are not healthy.
#7 Buffalo Bills (5-2)
I’ll be honest, I am still not fully convinced of this team, but we cannot ignore the record. I understand that they cannot change the schedule, but this does not mean they get an automatic bye in the post season. And consider that to this point, they have only played one divisional game…and lost. Now they face the Patriots twice and the hungry Jets twice, as well as facing Miami again…I fear for the Bills, and not just because it’s near Halloween. They have a stretch where they play the Browns, Chiefs and 49ers, this could be a good point to fine-tune the team in the midst of a tough storm. People forget that the AFC East is pretty good, with the Pats, Jets and Miami. The Bills are going to have to step it up because it looks like the better teams are BETTER than the Bills.
#6 New England Patriots (5-2)
You can’t count out this team yet, there seems to still be some hope in them, and why not? Nobody has really locked down the AFC, and with so many teams within 2 or 3 games apart, there is hope for anybody. The Patriots come off a tough win against the Rams. If the NFC is indeed tougher this year, then the Patriots have been spared because they only play 4 NFC teams, one being the 49ers they recently defeated, as well as the turnaround Rams. With Seattle and Arizona, the latter at home, the Patriots won’t have to fear the NFC until the Superbowl…if they get there. But they will have their hands full playing teams like the Steelers, Bills, Dolphins and even a desperate Colts team. We’ll see how this turns out.
#5 Washington Redskins (6-2)
Eyebrows were raised when the Redskins lost to the Rams, but they have been forgiven since that same team beat the Cowboys. But two wins in the last 2 weeks does not really solidify them as the elite…I mean, they did beat the Browns only by 3, and the Lions only by 8. An elite team has to dominate the lesser foes, and they don’t come any lesser than those two teams this year. So there is question that maybe the league has figured the Redskins out. With a game vs. an injured Steelers team, we may still not know the true answer. But with upcoming games against the Giants, Cowboys, Eagles and Ravens, we will see all we need to see. We shall know if this is a playoff bound Redskins team, or a pretender. There is still many more games left to play.
#4 Carolina Panthers (6-2)
It’s odd that I have this team above the Buccaneers, since in head-to-head the Panthers lost to the Buccs. But this is a very good team when all cylinders are clicking. Many wondered if this was a team that played great one weekend, then forgot how to play the next weekend. The real question is that right now, the Buccaneers are the only real quality team the Panthers have played…and lost. Wins against the overachieving Cardinals, the struggling Saints, the hapless Chiefs, the upstart Falcons and others still has me wondering if this team is for real. But with only 2 losses, we cannot debate that. And with games vs. the Lions and Raiders, we won’t really learn that much more about them. But the last 6 games will really show the NFL what these Panthers are really about. We will see what we shall see very soon on this Carolina Panthers team.
#3 Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)
This team should be lower but you wonder if this team is still getting better or are they wore down with injuries. But how can you lower a team that lost only to the Giants and the Eagles? This is still a good team, and in the AFC, these guys have just as good a chance as anybody else to make the playoffs. And let’s not forget, this team has injury problems as well. With a very mixed schedule of decent teams and bad teams, we are going to see if Pittsburgh can be consistent in winning. One of the knocks on this team is the strength of schedule hasn’t really tested this team. The Texas, Browns and Bengals aren’t really great tests for a great team, but then again, we aren’t saying this team is great. With the Redskins, Cowboys, Patriots and Titans on the schedule, this will be a hard path to the post season for the Steelers…made even harder with injuries.
#2 New York Giants (6-1)
It appears the Superbowl Champs are still in the mix big time, and nobody else save one can challenge them on the winning record. The Giants are the only team with one loss, and last week defeated my #2 team in the Steelers. So they MUST be one of the best, right? Up until last weekend, I questioned the strength of the Giant’s foes, but after beating the Steelers I still want to see more. Consider this, 8 of the last 9 games that the Giants must play are against teams with a winning record. Up until last weekend, 1 of the 6 previous games was against a team currently with a winning record. It’s time we see what the Champs are all about. The NFC East is tough enough to get through, but add on the Ravens, Cardinals and Panthers and wow, this could get interesting.
#1 Tennessee Titans (7-0)
Is everybody on the bandwagon yet? This is the only undefeated team in the NFL at 7-0, and the reason the 1972 Dolphins have not sipped of the undefeated champagne. But again, I put this team here only by default, and that is not to insult the Titans. We have not really seen this team tested because only 1 team out of their 7 has a winning record, and their division is made up of teams all under .500. Yes they are a very good team, but I am not putting them in the Superbowl, I can’t even guarantee them that they will win the first game in the playoffs. They just have not played a tough enough schedule to say that now. And further, 4 of their last NINE games are against teams currently over .500. The schedule just isn’t showing that this is the best team in the NFL, but because they are undefeated, I must give them that respect. I also have to do so because it’s not the Titan’s fault that the Bengals, Texans, Colts and Chiefs are so bad this year. They play who is on the schedule, and they win. And because they are perfect so far, this makes them number 1.
So, that’s our look at the best NFL teams this week. I mentioned that there were 18 teams that were .500 or better, but if you add in teams that are just one game under .500, that adds on 6 more teams. This means you still have 24 teams in the mix… anything can happen…
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