Purdue: Fight for survival
While I was writing a blog on Southern Cal, I saw a comment on one of my older blogs that pertained to the Boilermakers. So I decided to blog a moment about that.
This isn’t about putting down Purdue, this is about writing a blog to examine the season this team has had and how, at this moment, there is still a chance to qualify for a bowl. I realize a lot of sports bloggers like to write with hate, I don’t usually write that way. Mind you, sometimes I get emotional but I believe we all have a place in our hearts for our favorite teams, whether they are undefeated or winless. So for the fan of Purdue, I blog this out:
A lot of people look at the record of Purdue and shake their head, since a 3-6 record does not seem that impressive, and with a 1-4 record in the Big 10, things don’t look too good. But at this very moment, if you read this before this weekend, the Purdue Boilermakers have not been excluded for post season play.
There is still hope, if you believe in them.
But how likely is it? Let’s look at this team and examine how their season has unfolded:
Last year this team was 8-5 and it was said last year that Purdue beat the teams they were supposed to, and lost to the teams they were supposed to. But it was still a winning record and season, beating Central Michigan in a bowl. The problem was that this team had not yet turned the corner to beat quality teams. That had to change this year if they had a chance.
All started well with a big win over Northern Colorado before falling in a close overtime game against then ranked #16 Oregon. There was still hope because the Boilermakers played well against a strong team and it gave them momentum in a win over the same Central Michigan team they have now beat THREE times in two years.
But something didn’t quite go right after that. I personally was so sure that Purdue could beat Notre Dame, and would have bought me a jacket from Steve and Berry’s to support them (sad that they are going out of business). But Notre Dame beat the Boilermakers 38-21 as Purdue suffered their first away loss of the year.
Then Purdue ran into one of the hardest stretches of games in the nation. Losing to then #6 Penn State, and followed by a loss to then #12 Ohio State. But what is remarkable here is that the points were only 36-9, or about 18-5. I gotta tell you, to lose to a top 15 team by this score is NOT that bad, if you have to lose. I know that does not soothe too many Purdue hearts but it’s not like USC dragging teams by 50 points.
And who knew Northwestern would be as good as they were this year, or even Minnesota, both of which Purdue had to face back to back? Five of the teams Purdue has faced this year have been ranked, or ARE currently ranked. This is a very tough schedule for the Purdue Boilermakers, and it almost seemed like it was taking it’s toll.
Then came a slight change when Michigan came to town, and took a loss home with them. Even though it was close, Purdue showed they could put up the points when given the opportunity. And that win gave them a temporary pardon from being exiled from post season.
But with three games remaining, there is no room for error. No more losses or Purdue will see no post season. All of their life lines are gone. They MUST win the last three.
And the toughest of the three is next…Michigan State, currently ranked #18.
If ever there was a time to stand up, this has to be it. Purdue has been charged with winning the easy games and losing the others. To date this may be true in beating lowly Michigan, and Northern Colorado and even Central Michigan. But when it comes to a real scrap, the Boilermakers seem to fall short. That has to change if they have any chance at all for post season.
And if it helps, Michigan State COULD be that team. The Spartans have a history of balking the second half of their seasons. If this team is looking too far ahead against Penn State at the end of the year…the Boilers just MIGHT steal this one…and it would take trickery to do it. Head on, the Spartans are too strong and have much more to play for. But if their head is not into it, it can be a Purdue win.
If they can get past Michigan State, what lies ahead would be a little easier. A road trip to Iowa and finishing the season at home against Indiana could set up a chance for Purdue to not only qualify for a bowl, but to set the next year up for a better season.
It’s there for you Purdue, three wins in three games……
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Southern Cal in BCS
Southern Cal in National Championships?
I was watching some of my favorite shows (“Around the Horn” and “PTI”) and there was talk about USC and Head Coach Pete Carroll. It appears he thinks the BCS “stinks”.
I wonder why?
Is it because his team isn’t IN it at this moment? Gosh, why is it that people whine so much about stuff when they are outside, looking in. It’s sour grapes and you’d think USC could bridle their tongue and let things play out.
Right now, in the current BCS Standings, Southern Cal is ranked #7 and out of the BCS Championship…so naturally there is a lot of whining going on. What’s next, will Notre Dame cry about how they ought to get an automatic BCS bowl if they have a winning record?
Come on guys, let things play out before you start saying what “stinks”.
But let’s examine the pros and cons of USC getting to the National Championship, shall we? The BCS has them at #7, what then are the credible wins and losses (albeit one loss) for this team, and how strong is the Pac-10 to support this record?
That first win over Virginia looked decent, then we saw the Cavaliers slump and then questioned the strength of this win for USC. But recently Virginia has turned it on, and with some help they just might get in a bowl.
The second win over then #5 Ohio State was huge and seemed to show that this was THE team to beat…but the Buckeyes have fallen a little too, though still quite tough. Don’t take anything away from USC on this one, but the Big 10 is slowly developing a bad rep of “losing the big ones”.
Then there’s the Oregon State loss, which dropped USC like a hot rock. All that talk about them being unbeatable came crashing down, and brought the Trojans back to earth. It seemed that the chance for a National Title was over.
Then came the rebirth and the stomping of then #23 ranked Oregon 44-10. This was the beginning of an insane run to get back in the top spots for the Trojans. Shutting out Arizona State and Washington State before allowing Arizona only 10 points got USC back in the top 10 but there were just too many other good teams ranked above them. Last week’s win over poor Washington has USC right where it is now.
This is a pretty decent conference, the Pac-10, but USC’s wins over Washington, Washington State and Arizona State are not impressive. Those three teams are 3-22, so who are you impressing by beating them by 498 points a game? Yet we can counter with the Oregon State and Oregon games, and we cannot ignore Ohio State and surging Virginia. At the very least, this is a good team.
And consider, they play #21 California next, and it is likely they believe they need to crush them by at least 50 to sway some votes…style points as they like to say. Games against Stanford and UCLA won’t mean much, and the Notre Dame game might be about style points too.
So what can USC do to get to the BCS. The simplest answer is simply to win, but there is more to it. We know the team that has the best shot right now is Penn State because like USC there is no conference championship and their remaining schedule isn’t as tough as the SEC or Big 12.
We also know that between Texas Tech, Texas and Oklahoma, there is going to be a few more losses to pass around. Nobody sees Texas Tech going undefeated, so their reign as #2 is limited, and some even think Oklahoma can beat Texas Tech. But it might appear that Texas might actually still have the inside track to the BCS Championship. USC needs each of these teams to lose one more game.
And between Alabama and Florida, well nobody believes Alabama going undefeated either. At the beginning of the year, I would have given LSU a 90% chance of winning against Alabama, but I am not that confident in that…maybe a 55% chance. But even if Alabama gets by that, Florida will likely take them down. But if so, does this mean Florida takes the spot USC has their eyes on?
There may be lots left to play in the season, but even more would have to happen for USC, even with one loss, to get in the National Championship. That’s why Pete is singing the blues. But here’s a thought that maybe Pete Carroll, USC and the Pac-10 ought to do…
Change the conference to 12 teams.
Peel off a team from the WAC and MWC and make the Pac-10 into the Pac-12. That way you get the benefit of a conference championship, which can further make your record legitimate (not to mention the money on sponsors). I would also suggest the WAC and MWC consider joining up again but that is another story.
So does Pete Carroll have a point? Does the BCS stink because his Trojans are on the outside looking in? Maybe, but before you cry about the spilt milk, first wait until the milk has been spilt. There are still games to play, and by both computers and human polls, USC is NOT the best team in the NCAA…nor second…
Or third….
Or fourth….
I was watching some of my favorite shows (“Around the Horn” and “PTI”) and there was talk about USC and Head Coach Pete Carroll. It appears he thinks the BCS “stinks”.
I wonder why?
Is it because his team isn’t IN it at this moment? Gosh, why is it that people whine so much about stuff when they are outside, looking in. It’s sour grapes and you’d think USC could bridle their tongue and let things play out.
Right now, in the current BCS Standings, Southern Cal is ranked #7 and out of the BCS Championship…so naturally there is a lot of whining going on. What’s next, will Notre Dame cry about how they ought to get an automatic BCS bowl if they have a winning record?
Come on guys, let things play out before you start saying what “stinks”.
But let’s examine the pros and cons of USC getting to the National Championship, shall we? The BCS has them at #7, what then are the credible wins and losses (albeit one loss) for this team, and how strong is the Pac-10 to support this record?
That first win over Virginia looked decent, then we saw the Cavaliers slump and then questioned the strength of this win for USC. But recently Virginia has turned it on, and with some help they just might get in a bowl.
The second win over then #5 Ohio State was huge and seemed to show that this was THE team to beat…but the Buckeyes have fallen a little too, though still quite tough. Don’t take anything away from USC on this one, but the Big 10 is slowly developing a bad rep of “losing the big ones”.
Then there’s the Oregon State loss, which dropped USC like a hot rock. All that talk about them being unbeatable came crashing down, and brought the Trojans back to earth. It seemed that the chance for a National Title was over.
Then came the rebirth and the stomping of then #23 ranked Oregon 44-10. This was the beginning of an insane run to get back in the top spots for the Trojans. Shutting out Arizona State and Washington State before allowing Arizona only 10 points got USC back in the top 10 but there were just too many other good teams ranked above them. Last week’s win over poor Washington has USC right where it is now.
This is a pretty decent conference, the Pac-10, but USC’s wins over Washington, Washington State and Arizona State are not impressive. Those three teams are 3-22, so who are you impressing by beating them by 498 points a game? Yet we can counter with the Oregon State and Oregon games, and we cannot ignore Ohio State and surging Virginia. At the very least, this is a good team.
And consider, they play #21 California next, and it is likely they believe they need to crush them by at least 50 to sway some votes…style points as they like to say. Games against Stanford and UCLA won’t mean much, and the Notre Dame game might be about style points too.
So what can USC do to get to the BCS. The simplest answer is simply to win, but there is more to it. We know the team that has the best shot right now is Penn State because like USC there is no conference championship and their remaining schedule isn’t as tough as the SEC or Big 12.
We also know that between Texas Tech, Texas and Oklahoma, there is going to be a few more losses to pass around. Nobody sees Texas Tech going undefeated, so their reign as #2 is limited, and some even think Oklahoma can beat Texas Tech. But it might appear that Texas might actually still have the inside track to the BCS Championship. USC needs each of these teams to lose one more game.
And between Alabama and Florida, well nobody believes Alabama going undefeated either. At the beginning of the year, I would have given LSU a 90% chance of winning against Alabama, but I am not that confident in that…maybe a 55% chance. But even if Alabama gets by that, Florida will likely take them down. But if so, does this mean Florida takes the spot USC has their eyes on?
There may be lots left to play in the season, but even more would have to happen for USC, even with one loss, to get in the National Championship. That’s why Pete is singing the blues. But here’s a thought that maybe Pete Carroll, USC and the Pac-10 ought to do…
Change the conference to 12 teams.
Peel off a team from the WAC and MWC and make the Pac-10 into the Pac-12. That way you get the benefit of a conference championship, which can further make your record legitimate (not to mention the money on sponsors). I would also suggest the WAC and MWC consider joining up again but that is another story.
So does Pete Carroll have a point? Does the BCS stink because his Trojans are on the outside looking in? Maybe, but before you cry about the spilt milk, first wait until the milk has been spilt. There are still games to play, and by both computers and human polls, USC is NOT the best team in the NCAA…nor second…
Or third….
Or fourth….
College Football Playoffs, Scenario 1
College Football Playoffs: Scenario #1
Corporate sponsors, Athletic Directors and television station executives all met to discuss the opportunity to create a playoff for Division 1-A Football. The media whined like baby to get a playoff since every other sport does the same, but many argued that there is no true need to have a playoff because in most cases the best team comes out in the end.
But things have changed and we now look at the playoffs through a time portal of “what if”. What if there WAS a playoff in the Division 1-A? Would it solve anything or would it be the answer to years of debate?
Let’s explore this:
The argument first was about how many teams should be able to compete in these playoffs. The argument for 32 or 16 teams were immediately ruled out because if those teams were never in a position to play for a National Championship anyway, and would be a waste of time and extending a season far longer than it should.
There was heavy debate about having 8 teams, but most argued that in most cases the best teams are in the top 5, so allowing an extra three creates room for a good team to enter the contest when the argument is to get the BEST teams in.
The debate came to two conclusions: A four team playoff or a six team playoff, where the top two seeds get a bye. So we look into the “what if” portal to see how this would play out in a different universe…..
The NCAA recognizes the top 6 teams according to the BCS standings. As it stands the #1 and #2 teams will get a bye while the other teams vie for position. We are not very clear on the times these teams play, and under who’s bowls they will be playing, but we can see into the “what if” portal to see WHO is playing whom.
Alabama would be the #1 seed right now, and thus earn a bye. They would play the winner of the #4 vs. #5 game. Texas Tech, with the slimmest of margins, claims the #2 spot, and would also get a bye and play the winner of the #3 vs. #6 game. The ideology here is that of the lesser four teams, the better of those is paired against the least of the four, and the other two play one another. Thus, the 3 seed plays the 6 and the 4 seed plays the 5. But the playoffs also dictate that the LESSER of the two winner must play the #1 seed, while the GREATER of the two winners play the #2 seed.
It does get a bit complicated, but I’ll address that.
I see also in this portal of this universe that there are other factors to consider as well, but we may get to that in a sec.
The rest of the playoff picture seems to look like this: Because Penn State is currently the #3 team by the BCS standards, they will play the #6 team, that being Oklahoma. This leaves the #4 team in Florida to face #5 Texas.
As the number 1 seed, Alabama would face the lowest ranked team of the four and Texas Tech would face the higher seed. The Penn State/Oklahoma game would be a huge game to see, and many fans believe Oklahoma may have an edge because the Big 12 is a stronger conference and they have seen tougher foes than Penn State has faced. Many see Oklahoma winning that.
On the other side, the Florida vs. Texas game seems to be a classic. A delicious game of the two power conferences in a fight to try to settle this year’s argument of who really is the best conference. Forgive me folks, I just can’t see clear enough to tell you the winner of that one.
But it seems that the winner will face Texas Tech as the #2 seed, since Oklahoma’s win over Penn State makes them the lowest seeded team. They would face Alabama and set up a second match of the Big 12 vs. SEC…I do see Oklahoma winning that one.
So it looks like Oklahoma sits and waits for the winner of Texas Tech vs. either Florida or Texas…I think in either case, Texas Tech falls and you have an interesting scenario.
Oklahoma plays a rematch against Texas, or the rubber match of the Big 12 vs. SEC…hmmmm.
But this “what if” universe is not without controversy. Looking outside the playoff circle, Boise State and Utah scream for equality, claiming that the playoffs are not fair to non BCS conference schools. Both teams are undefeated but ranked #9 and #10 on the BCS rankings. The smaller schools scream “foul” and that they need to increase the number of teams in the playoffs. Even Oklahoma State, who’s only loss came to Texas, wonders why Florida is in the playoffs after losing to an unranked team, while the Cowboys hang their only loss to the then number one team in the nation.
And further still, the Pac-10 argues why their conference champion ranked in the top 10 cannot have a shot at the National Title. USC has one loss and is ranked #7 in the BCS polls.
But the ACC and Big East teams remain silent, knowing this wasn’t their year.
Maybe if we look into this universe next week, we can see if it gets clearer….
Corporate sponsors, Athletic Directors and television station executives all met to discuss the opportunity to create a playoff for Division 1-A Football. The media whined like baby to get a playoff since every other sport does the same, but many argued that there is no true need to have a playoff because in most cases the best team comes out in the end.
But things have changed and we now look at the playoffs through a time portal of “what if”. What if there WAS a playoff in the Division 1-A? Would it solve anything or would it be the answer to years of debate?
Let’s explore this:
The argument first was about how many teams should be able to compete in these playoffs. The argument for 32 or 16 teams were immediately ruled out because if those teams were never in a position to play for a National Championship anyway, and would be a waste of time and extending a season far longer than it should.
There was heavy debate about having 8 teams, but most argued that in most cases the best teams are in the top 5, so allowing an extra three creates room for a good team to enter the contest when the argument is to get the BEST teams in.
The debate came to two conclusions: A four team playoff or a six team playoff, where the top two seeds get a bye. So we look into the “what if” portal to see how this would play out in a different universe…..
The NCAA recognizes the top 6 teams according to the BCS standings. As it stands the #1 and #2 teams will get a bye while the other teams vie for position. We are not very clear on the times these teams play, and under who’s bowls they will be playing, but we can see into the “what if” portal to see WHO is playing whom.
Alabama would be the #1 seed right now, and thus earn a bye. They would play the winner of the #4 vs. #5 game. Texas Tech, with the slimmest of margins, claims the #2 spot, and would also get a bye and play the winner of the #3 vs. #6 game. The ideology here is that of the lesser four teams, the better of those is paired against the least of the four, and the other two play one another. Thus, the 3 seed plays the 6 and the 4 seed plays the 5. But the playoffs also dictate that the LESSER of the two winner must play the #1 seed, while the GREATER of the two winners play the #2 seed.
It does get a bit complicated, but I’ll address that.
I see also in this portal of this universe that there are other factors to consider as well, but we may get to that in a sec.
The rest of the playoff picture seems to look like this: Because Penn State is currently the #3 team by the BCS standards, they will play the #6 team, that being Oklahoma. This leaves the #4 team in Florida to face #5 Texas.
As the number 1 seed, Alabama would face the lowest ranked team of the four and Texas Tech would face the higher seed. The Penn State/Oklahoma game would be a huge game to see, and many fans believe Oklahoma may have an edge because the Big 12 is a stronger conference and they have seen tougher foes than Penn State has faced. Many see Oklahoma winning that.
On the other side, the Florida vs. Texas game seems to be a classic. A delicious game of the two power conferences in a fight to try to settle this year’s argument of who really is the best conference. Forgive me folks, I just can’t see clear enough to tell you the winner of that one.
But it seems that the winner will face Texas Tech as the #2 seed, since Oklahoma’s win over Penn State makes them the lowest seeded team. They would face Alabama and set up a second match of the Big 12 vs. SEC…I do see Oklahoma winning that one.
So it looks like Oklahoma sits and waits for the winner of Texas Tech vs. either Florida or Texas…I think in either case, Texas Tech falls and you have an interesting scenario.
Oklahoma plays a rematch against Texas, or the rubber match of the Big 12 vs. SEC…hmmmm.
But this “what if” universe is not without controversy. Looking outside the playoff circle, Boise State and Utah scream for equality, claiming that the playoffs are not fair to non BCS conference schools. Both teams are undefeated but ranked #9 and #10 on the BCS rankings. The smaller schools scream “foul” and that they need to increase the number of teams in the playoffs. Even Oklahoma State, who’s only loss came to Texas, wonders why Florida is in the playoffs after losing to an unranked team, while the Cowboys hang their only loss to the then number one team in the nation.
And further still, the Pac-10 argues why their conference champion ranked in the top 10 cannot have a shot at the National Title. USC has one loss and is ranked #7 in the BCS polls.
But the ACC and Big East teams remain silent, knowing this wasn’t their year.
Maybe if we look into this universe next week, we can see if it gets clearer….
Top 10 NFL Teams, week 10
Top 10 NFL Teams, week 10
Not to be confused, this is going INTO week 10, not after week nine, just wanted to make that clear.
As we get just past the half-way mark of the NFL season, there are still just as many questions to answer as the start of the season. It seems that the NFC seems to have a slightly stronger conference than the AFC, but there are still many games left to be played. So let’s jump right into this and count down the top 10 teams of the NFL as of the end of week 9, and heading into week 10:
#10 Baltimore Ravens (5-3)
This was kinda hard to start because when you look at the teams, there are currently 8 teams with a 5-3 mark, and that is where I start my countdown. There were some teams that were 4-4 and were on my list last week, but I think of the eight teams, the Ravens deserve to now be on this list. There are 4 teams on the top 10 that are 5-3, and the reason I have the Ravens here is because the only team of quality they defeated was Miami. With major games against the Giants, Eagles, Redskins, Steelers and Cowboys, their stay on this list is likely to be very brief.
#9 Chicago Bears (5-3)
What makes Da Bears better than the Ravens? Not much, except that their quality wins include Colts and Eagles. And the Bears kinda sit on top of their division, but this is not official. The thing here is the schedule for the Bears is not very challenging. Sure they have the Titans next, but they also have to play the Packers twice. This could be a playoff team that barely sees my top 10. Yet the schedule could have them moving up by default. Keep your eyes in Chicago, we really don’t know what to make of the Bears.
#8 New England Patriots (5-3)
The AFC Champs are still in the mix and are in a pretty tough division. I put the Patriots over the Bears and Ravens because they are still the AFC Champs until they fall under .500, and they do have quality wins over the Jets and Denver. I know some will question the strength of those two wins, so I won’t argue if you see differently. But the future for the Patriots may be rough. Games against the Bills twice (whom I have taken off my top 10), the Jets, Dolphins, Pittsburgh and the upstart Cardinals will be interesting to check out. The Pats can make the post season, but we are not fully sure if they are down for the count, or just wounded.
#7 Philadelphia Eagles (5-3)
For me to put the Eagles here means I think they are the best 5-3 team in the NFL. Remember there are 8 teams currently at 5-3, and I put the Eagles as the best of them. Why? I looked at their losses, quality losses to the Redskins, Cowboys and Bears. The Eagles also come out of a incredibly competitive division and they have key wins over Pittsburgh and Atlanta. This is a good 5-3 team, and I think the best 5-3 team in the NFL. But now the real test begins. They play the Giants twice, as well as the Ravens, Cardinals, as well as repeat games vs. Washington and Dallas. This might be the best team NOT to make the playoffs and their schedule is more brutal than the Pats, Ravens or Bears. Good luck Philly, you’re gonna need it!
#6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3)
So now we move up to teams that have a strong record. Two teams have a 6-3 record, and I put the Buccs second of those two. Why? I think this is a very strong division, but a loss to the Saints and Denver hurt them. These two teams are not even on my top 10, so these are not quality losses…well, I know some will argue for Denver, so I take that back. But their third loss to Dallas once was quality, now has fallen off. This does not mean this is a bad team, I mean, they could easily have 11 wins by the end of the year. But I think there are a few other NFC teams that will give them a run for their money. If the Buccs can knock off the Packers or Panthers again, then we might be looking at a really tough team to be reckoned with.
#5 Washington Redskins (6-3)
The other half of the 6-3 teams, I put the Redskins here over the Buccs because I felt that the division was slightly stronger than the NFC South. Both are VERY good, so we are really splitting hairs, but I give a nod to the Redskins. A loss to the Rams might be hard to swallow, but you can’t fault them for losses to the Steelers and Giants. This is a tough team in a tough division, with many tough games left to play. Half of their remaining games are against teams on my top 10 list (Cowboys, Giants, Ravens, Eagles) and the other half is well…(Bengals, Seahawks, 49ers). A 10 win season will be a strong possibility, but how strong do they need to be to make post season?
#4 Carolina Panthers (6-2)
You can argue that this is a position by default, because Carolina and one other team is 6-2, meaning they are a game behind other teams. They sit on top of the NFC South only on this measure, because remember they lost to Tampa Bay. All things being equal, the Buccs SHOULD be on top, but that will be settled later. The argument here however, is that the Panthers have wins over only 4 teams over .500, and two of those are on my top 10 list. Games against the Lions and Raiders will make them look pretty nice at an expected 8-2, but is this smoke and mirrors? If you believe the Saints are getting better, then the last 6 games for the Panthers will be a very, very hard test to survive. All of those teams are good enough to make the playoffs if it started today…will the Panthers make it after those 6 games?
#3 Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
The win over Washington was exactly what the Steelers needed, proving that the AFC is still in the house and that they need not fear the NFC East anymore. Losing to the Eagles and Giants on an average of 8 points means they were in the game, but I have heard stories about the weak schedule of the Steelers. Wins over the Bengals, Texans, Browns and Jaguars have been sniffed at. The Steelers need more credible wins, and their schedule will give them a chance to prove it. We don’t know about the Colts, but we do know that the Pats, Cowboys, Ravens and Titans will be true tests for the Pittsburgh Steelers. As it stands in my book, the Steelers will get a first round bye, and it is hard to see another team to take that spot away from them, but there is still many more games to play. Could health be a problem for the Steelers….
#2 New York Giants (7-1)
The only one-loss team in the NFC, this was an easy choice. The defending Super Bowl Champs ought to be on this list if they have a winning record, and with only one loss, they should be at least this high right? But wait, some have questioned the strength of schedule. 5 of their first 6 games were against teams currently under .500. The first win of the year over the Redskins could have been different. The win vs. Pittsburgh was a quality win, but now that last win over the Cowboys might not be as impressive as we first thought. And then there’s that embarrassing loss to the Browns. The Giants are quite touchable, and the next 7 of 8 games will put the champs through the fire. Only the Minnesota Vikings don’t have a losing record, but they are even at 4-4. This means that at the moment, the New York Giants must play 8 straight teams that could get in the playoffs…there will be more losses, but how many?
#1 Tennessee Titans (8-0)
Well, here we are again, with the Titans at the top of the list. Nobody else is undefeated, so there can be no argument about this one…but we can debate the true strength. I know I sound like a scratched CD, but I am still not fully convinced that this is the BEST team in the NFL. I won’t argue it as of now, but I cannot say this is the team to get to the Superbowl….not yet. Their first 3 wins were against the Jaguars, Bengals and Texans…currently 7-18 collectively. Not impressive, but it’s not the Titan’s fault. The next 3 games were wins over the Vikings, Ravens and Chiefs. The Vikings seem to be getting it together, the Ravens actually have a winning record and the Chiefs…well…
Collective those records of those 3 teams is 10-14. And that win vs. a quality opponent (Ravens) was only by 3 points. The last two games were against the Colts and Packers, and I have to give that to the Titans. These are in fact quality wins, but close ones. The Tennessee Titans have proven their place at #1 by being undefeated.
But it does not quench the thirst of whether this is the BEST team. Of the teams they have beaten this year, only the Ravens seem to be the best, and that leaves a bit to be desired, considering the Colts this year and the Packers. With games coming up against the Jaguars, Browns, Lions and Texans, it seems like 4 more easy wins. The Titans seem to almost be assured a bye already. They do have to play the Bears, Colts, Steelers and Jets, so it is hard to see them go undefeated. If they beat the Bears this weekend, they could then string enough wins to have people wondering if this team CAN go undefeated. With such a soft schedule, they just might…but what does it mean to gain such a prestigious mark if you can’t win the Superbowl?
We shall see…..
Not to be confused, this is going INTO week 10, not after week nine, just wanted to make that clear.
As we get just past the half-way mark of the NFL season, there are still just as many questions to answer as the start of the season. It seems that the NFC seems to have a slightly stronger conference than the AFC, but there are still many games left to be played. So let’s jump right into this and count down the top 10 teams of the NFL as of the end of week 9, and heading into week 10:
#10 Baltimore Ravens (5-3)
This was kinda hard to start because when you look at the teams, there are currently 8 teams with a 5-3 mark, and that is where I start my countdown. There were some teams that were 4-4 and were on my list last week, but I think of the eight teams, the Ravens deserve to now be on this list. There are 4 teams on the top 10 that are 5-3, and the reason I have the Ravens here is because the only team of quality they defeated was Miami. With major games against the Giants, Eagles, Redskins, Steelers and Cowboys, their stay on this list is likely to be very brief.
#9 Chicago Bears (5-3)
What makes Da Bears better than the Ravens? Not much, except that their quality wins include Colts and Eagles. And the Bears kinda sit on top of their division, but this is not official. The thing here is the schedule for the Bears is not very challenging. Sure they have the Titans next, but they also have to play the Packers twice. This could be a playoff team that barely sees my top 10. Yet the schedule could have them moving up by default. Keep your eyes in Chicago, we really don’t know what to make of the Bears.
#8 New England Patriots (5-3)
The AFC Champs are still in the mix and are in a pretty tough division. I put the Patriots over the Bears and Ravens because they are still the AFC Champs until they fall under .500, and they do have quality wins over the Jets and Denver. I know some will question the strength of those two wins, so I won’t argue if you see differently. But the future for the Patriots may be rough. Games against the Bills twice (whom I have taken off my top 10), the Jets, Dolphins, Pittsburgh and the upstart Cardinals will be interesting to check out. The Pats can make the post season, but we are not fully sure if they are down for the count, or just wounded.
#7 Philadelphia Eagles (5-3)
For me to put the Eagles here means I think they are the best 5-3 team in the NFL. Remember there are 8 teams currently at 5-3, and I put the Eagles as the best of them. Why? I looked at their losses, quality losses to the Redskins, Cowboys and Bears. The Eagles also come out of a incredibly competitive division and they have key wins over Pittsburgh and Atlanta. This is a good 5-3 team, and I think the best 5-3 team in the NFL. But now the real test begins. They play the Giants twice, as well as the Ravens, Cardinals, as well as repeat games vs. Washington and Dallas. This might be the best team NOT to make the playoffs and their schedule is more brutal than the Pats, Ravens or Bears. Good luck Philly, you’re gonna need it!
#6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3)
So now we move up to teams that have a strong record. Two teams have a 6-3 record, and I put the Buccs second of those two. Why? I think this is a very strong division, but a loss to the Saints and Denver hurt them. These two teams are not even on my top 10, so these are not quality losses…well, I know some will argue for Denver, so I take that back. But their third loss to Dallas once was quality, now has fallen off. This does not mean this is a bad team, I mean, they could easily have 11 wins by the end of the year. But I think there are a few other NFC teams that will give them a run for their money. If the Buccs can knock off the Packers or Panthers again, then we might be looking at a really tough team to be reckoned with.
#5 Washington Redskins (6-3)
The other half of the 6-3 teams, I put the Redskins here over the Buccs because I felt that the division was slightly stronger than the NFC South. Both are VERY good, so we are really splitting hairs, but I give a nod to the Redskins. A loss to the Rams might be hard to swallow, but you can’t fault them for losses to the Steelers and Giants. This is a tough team in a tough division, with many tough games left to play. Half of their remaining games are against teams on my top 10 list (Cowboys, Giants, Ravens, Eagles) and the other half is well…(Bengals, Seahawks, 49ers). A 10 win season will be a strong possibility, but how strong do they need to be to make post season?
#4 Carolina Panthers (6-2)
You can argue that this is a position by default, because Carolina and one other team is 6-2, meaning they are a game behind other teams. They sit on top of the NFC South only on this measure, because remember they lost to Tampa Bay. All things being equal, the Buccs SHOULD be on top, but that will be settled later. The argument here however, is that the Panthers have wins over only 4 teams over .500, and two of those are on my top 10 list. Games against the Lions and Raiders will make them look pretty nice at an expected 8-2, but is this smoke and mirrors? If you believe the Saints are getting better, then the last 6 games for the Panthers will be a very, very hard test to survive. All of those teams are good enough to make the playoffs if it started today…will the Panthers make it after those 6 games?
#3 Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
The win over Washington was exactly what the Steelers needed, proving that the AFC is still in the house and that they need not fear the NFC East anymore. Losing to the Eagles and Giants on an average of 8 points means they were in the game, but I have heard stories about the weak schedule of the Steelers. Wins over the Bengals, Texans, Browns and Jaguars have been sniffed at. The Steelers need more credible wins, and their schedule will give them a chance to prove it. We don’t know about the Colts, but we do know that the Pats, Cowboys, Ravens and Titans will be true tests for the Pittsburgh Steelers. As it stands in my book, the Steelers will get a first round bye, and it is hard to see another team to take that spot away from them, but there is still many more games to play. Could health be a problem for the Steelers….
#2 New York Giants (7-1)
The only one-loss team in the NFC, this was an easy choice. The defending Super Bowl Champs ought to be on this list if they have a winning record, and with only one loss, they should be at least this high right? But wait, some have questioned the strength of schedule. 5 of their first 6 games were against teams currently under .500. The first win of the year over the Redskins could have been different. The win vs. Pittsburgh was a quality win, but now that last win over the Cowboys might not be as impressive as we first thought. And then there’s that embarrassing loss to the Browns. The Giants are quite touchable, and the next 7 of 8 games will put the champs through the fire. Only the Minnesota Vikings don’t have a losing record, but they are even at 4-4. This means that at the moment, the New York Giants must play 8 straight teams that could get in the playoffs…there will be more losses, but how many?
#1 Tennessee Titans (8-0)
Well, here we are again, with the Titans at the top of the list. Nobody else is undefeated, so there can be no argument about this one…but we can debate the true strength. I know I sound like a scratched CD, but I am still not fully convinced that this is the BEST team in the NFL. I won’t argue it as of now, but I cannot say this is the team to get to the Superbowl….not yet. Their first 3 wins were against the Jaguars, Bengals and Texans…currently 7-18 collectively. Not impressive, but it’s not the Titan’s fault. The next 3 games were wins over the Vikings, Ravens and Chiefs. The Vikings seem to be getting it together, the Ravens actually have a winning record and the Chiefs…well…
Collective those records of those 3 teams is 10-14. And that win vs. a quality opponent (Ravens) was only by 3 points. The last two games were against the Colts and Packers, and I have to give that to the Titans. These are in fact quality wins, but close ones. The Tennessee Titans have proven their place at #1 by being undefeated.
But it does not quench the thirst of whether this is the BEST team. Of the teams they have beaten this year, only the Ravens seem to be the best, and that leaves a bit to be desired, considering the Colts this year and the Packers. With games coming up against the Jaguars, Browns, Lions and Texans, it seems like 4 more easy wins. The Titans seem to almost be assured a bye already. They do have to play the Bears, Colts, Steelers and Jets, so it is hard to see them go undefeated. If they beat the Bears this weekend, they could then string enough wins to have people wondering if this team CAN go undefeated. With such a soft schedule, they just might…but what does it mean to gain such a prestigious mark if you can’t win the Superbowl?
We shall see…..
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