Why Eli Manning IS an Elite NFL QB (And in Brady's Class)

New York Giants QB caused a big stir when he claimed he was in the same class as New England Patriots QB and future Hall of Famer Tom Brady in an interview late last summer.  Most people quickly dismissed his claim as ludicrous and scoffed at the mere mention of Eli's name being in the same conversation as Brady's.

When you look at their numbers since they've come into the league, the conclusion to be drawn, however, is that the two really aren't that all different.  Brady, in 9 full seasons, has averaged just under 3,900 yards per season with 29 TDs, and 11 INTs.  Manning, in the 6 full seasons he has played, has averaged just under 3,600 yards per season, with 25 TDs and 17 INTs.  

But when we analyze the differences in these stats they make sense.  Brady has played 9 full seasons to Manning's 6, and seeing as Brady is currently in his prime, there is only reason to believe that Manning is just entering his.  That, paired with the idea that he amassed his top 2 passing seasons in his last 2 years seems to justify this.  He is currently on pace to shatter his previous career high of 4,021 yards in a season (he is on pace for over 4,800) and come close to last year's career-high 31 TDs.  Manning drew a lot of criticism for his 25 interceptions last year, which is a stat in and of itself which led people to claim it was a bad year for Manning despite his 2nd consecutive 4,000 passing yard season and the aforementioned career-high 31 TDs.  While that stat is one Eli would like to forget, he only has 5 picks through 7 games this season, which when extrapolated to a full year, is 11.  It seems as though last year's high INT total was merely an aberration.

On the subject of interceptions, Tom Brady had a remarkable season last year in which he only threw 4 of them to go along with his 36 TDs.  However, through 7 games this season, Brady already has 8, doubling last year's total not even halfway through the year.  Granted, comparing this total to last year's is hardly fair, but he currently has 3 more than Manning.  Brady has averaged 4 TDs per season more than Manning, but when we take out his insane 2007 year with 50 TDs, a severe outlier given his next-best total was last year's 36, his average drops to 26, a mere 1 more than Manning.  

The biggest "stat" that most people have used in this debate, however, is the rings.  Brady has won three to Manning's 1.  Tom Brady has won three Super Bowl titles, and the impressive part about them is that they all came in his first 4 years as a starter.  However, Brady is 0-1 in Super Bowls since then, his lone loss coming to the New York Giants.  Their QB? None other than good ol' Eli himself.  Manning, despite having to live in his brother, Peyton's, shadow for his entire career, is 1-0 in Super Bowls.  This is the same record as Drew Brees, who is unanimously considered an elite NFL QB.  This total is also 1 more than Philip Rivers, who after last year all but cemented his name in the conversation, despite a down year this year.  Brady's 3 Super Bowls, I would argue, are as much of a product as the team he's played for, one with a stellar defense with elite coaching and Adam Vinatieri's golden leg, as by his own efforts.  Now, before that gets misconstrued, I said as much of a product, meaning he shares the praise, but it is not by his merits alone. Manning has done so with an average to above-average coach in Tom Coughlin, and although he had a great WR in Plaxico Burress along with an amazing pass rush, it was Manning who led the game-winning drive in the Super Bowl, earning him MVP honors.  

As far as intangibles are concerned, Brady is considered the king with his label as a "winner".  While he wins a lot of games, and a heck of a lot in the regular season, he hasn't lived up to that title since the 2004-05 season, his last Super Bowl victory.  Manning's was as recent as the 2007-08 season and he only looks as though he is improving.  Now with a complete cast of WRs and a two-headed running attack to compliment the still-elite pass rush with Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora (another name I just correctly spelled without looking), Eli's stock should be on the rise.  This season the Giants' defense was decimated by injuries during training camp, so if they don't get it done this year with a makeshift secondary and linebacking corp, nobody should fault them, but by next year at the latest, the Giants will undoubtedly be in a position to make some noise.  That is, like I said, only if they don't do so this year with a 5-2 record approaching the second half of the season.

Inside 2 minutes left in the half, there are probably only enough QBs to count on one hand that I'd rather take over Eli, as he runs the 2 minute drill as well as anyone in this league.  If it wasn't for his brother being possibly the best QB the league has ever seen, he may get more of the credit he deserves.  Eli Manning is an elite QB in this league, and what better way than to prove it than by stacking his numbers against the poster-child of elite QBs and the one he claimed he was in the same class with?  I would argue that Eli Manning is indeed in the same class as Tom Brady, although probably a step behind him, and what class does Brady belong to? That would be the NFL's elite.  I've noticed, and maybe someday he'll get the credit and accolades he deserves from the rest of the football community.

Welcome, Eli. Feel free to unpack, you're here to stay.

-TA

Week 9 Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (7-0) (Last week: 1)-  Idle week for the Pack does nothing to their ranking.  The Pack are still the class of the league and Aaron Rodgers continues his impressive season with 20 TDs to only 3 INTs thus far.

2.  San Francisco 49ers (6-1) (LW: 4)- And the Niners continue to climb.  Frank Gore is proving he's back, registering his 4th consecutive game with 125+ yards on the ground and a rushing TD.  I'll be shocked if they don't have the division locked up by week 12.

3.  Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) (LW: 5)-  Big Ben threw the ball 50 times in Week 8 against New England, including a career-high 30 in the opening half.  Apparently that worked.  Pittsburgh pulled off a win against a quality team in New England and the Patriots pass defense was no match for Big Ben and company.  So much for that talk in the first couple weeks that the Steelers were getting too old.

4. Detroit Lions (6-2) (LW: 7)-  The Lions returned to their dominant form with a convincing 45-10 victory over Tim Tebow and the Broncos.  Their defense sacked Tebow 7 times and made him one dimensional, perhaps writing the book on how to stop Tebow altogether.  The Lions get a week to rest before taking on the Bears as Soldier Field.

5. New England Patriots (5-2) (LW: 2)-  Big Ben torched the Pats defense for 365 yards through the air while the Steelers tenacious pass defense kept Tom Brady in check.  As I've said so many times, the Pats can be a great team, but if they can't get their pass defense together, they won't be able to make that next step toward the Super Bowl.

6. Baltimore Ravens (5-2) (LW: 6)-  Well, they successfully gave the Cardinals a 21 point head start and said "Go ahead, we'll play just one half" before coming all the way back behind 3 Ray Rice rushing TDs to defeat Arizona.  Defense really stood up in the second half when it counted.

7.  New York Giants (6-2) (LW: 8)-  Sunday was ugly for a while as they found themselves trailing the winless Dolphins, but Eli Manning, who I feel is an elite QB in this league (post about this coming), got it done when it matters, coming from behind to win the game for the 4th time this season.  Now, the brutality that is the Giants schedule comes beginning this week in New England.  We'll see what this team is really made of in the upcoming weeks ahead.

8.  Buffalo Bills (5-2) (LW: 9)-  The Bills defense made a mockery of the Redskins offense, sacking John Beck a whopping 9 times and intercepting him twice en route to a 23-0 shutout win, handing Mike Shanahan the first shutout of his career.  The Bills' surprising season continues.

9. New Orleans Saints (5-3) (LW: 3)- You can't lose to a winless team and expect to stay near the top.  the Saints came off their 62-7 shellacking of the Colts very flat and couldn't even muster a single point in the first half against a team giving up the most points of any team in the league.  Brees has to be better than he showed Sunday and quick to avoid another loss to Tampa as the Bucs come to the Superdome this week with a healthy LeGarrette Blount.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) (LW: 14)- The Bengals kept their surprising season rolling with a 34-12 win over the Seahawks, in which the Dalton to Green duo was present again.  Don't look now but the Bengals are only a half-game back of the Steelers for the division lead.

11. Houston Texans (5-3) (LW: 13)- Houston turned in another win at home against Jacksonville this week in what wasn't anything spectacular but they did what they needed to do at home against a division opponent: win.  They look to increase their hold on the division this week against Cleveland at home.

12. New York Jets (4-3) (LW: 12)-  Big divisional game looms this week as the Jets travel to Ralph Wilson Stadium to take on the Bills in what could have huge implications on the AFC East race.  We'll see if the Jets really are returning to form or not.

13. Atlanta Falcons (4-3) (LW: 11)- Atlanta headed into the bye coming off a big win against Detroit and they'll look to build off that this week when they travel to Indianapolis to take on the winless Colts.  Shouldn't be too big of a problem, but then again look what happened last week when we thought an NFC South team would trump a winless team...

14. Chicago Bears (4-3) (LW: 16)- We'll see how much work the Bears put in during the off week as when they travel to Philadelphia to take on the suddenly rejuvenated Eagles under the lights on Monday Night.  

15. San Diego Chargers (4-3) (LW:10)- The Chargers downward spiral continued on Monday with a crushing OT loss to Kansas City.  It doesn't get any easier for the Chargers this week as they get the Packers at home coming off of the bye with an extra week to prepare.  The good news for the Chargers, though, is that the calendar switched to November, and Philip Rivers is 15-5 lifetime in November.

16.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3) (LW: 18)- The Bucs will look to make it 3 straight against the Saints when they travel to New Orleans this weekend, this time with starting RB LeGarrette Blount.  The Saints should prepare for a heavy dose of Blount after the Bucs watched Steven Jackson plow through the Saints on Sunday.

17.  Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) (LW: 21)- The Eagles soared back in a big fashion this week with a convincing 34-7 win over Dallas at home on Sunday Night Football.  LeSean McCoy ran rampant through a mediocre Dallas run defense as the Eagles seemingly had the ball all night.  They get the Bears at home this week in another primetime affair, this time on Monday night.

18. Dallas Cowboys (3-4) (LW: 15)- The Cowboys, who had looked sharp against St. Louis in Week 7, came out and completely got manhandled by a hungry Eagles team.  The 'Boys better wake up quick or their find themselves out of the division race before it even begins.


19. Oakland Raiders (4-3) (LW: 17)- Hopefully Carson palmer got a little more comfortable with the playbook during the bye.  They get Denver at home this week so it should ease them back into gear, and with news just breaking that the Raiders have reunited Carson Palmer with TJ Houshmandzadeh, the Raiders could be gearing up for an intense division race.

20.  Kansas City Chiefs (4-3) (LW: 20)- The Chiefs somehow stole a win from the Chargers after letting them come back and almost take it away on Monday night.  Matt Cassel showed poise and the defense picked off Philip Rivers twice and took the ball away from him with under a minute left in regulation, preventing a game winning field goal by Nick Novak.

21. Tennessee Titans (4-3) (LW: 19): Tennessee pulled out another one, and yet again it wasn't pretty.  They let the Colts hang around longer than they should have and Chris Johnson's struggles continue.  Javon Ringer came in late in the game and doubled Johnson's total yards.  Head Coach Mike Munchak says the team is sticking with Johnson as their primary back, but we'll see how long that lasts if these performances persist.

22.  Cleveland Browns (3-4) (LW: 23)-  The Browns hung tough with a very good San Francisco team, but Frank Gore punched them right in the mouth and Cleveland didn't have an answer.  They look to rebound this week as they travel to Houston for a tough road game against the Texans.

23. Carolina Panthers (2-6) (LW: 24)- Despite the record, Cam Newton continues to shine and if it weren't for a questionable holding call on the Panthers final drive that nullified a Cam Newton run that would have put Carolina inside the five, they might have won the game outright.  The Panthers have to feel good about their QB of the future, as well as the resurgence of Steve Smith.

24.  Minnesota Vikings (2-6) (LW: 28)- Christian Ponder picked up his first NFL win Sunday against the Panthers, and Adrian Peterson showed he is also a threat in the passing game out of the backfield.  Maybe the Vikes are beginning to right the ship.

25.  Washington Redskins (3-4) (LW: 22)-  Despite what their record says, I can't rightfully put the 'Skins ahead of the Vikes or Panthers.  They looked horrendous again on Sunday getting blanked by the Bills on the road.  They are headed downhill in a hurry.

26.  Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6) (LW: 26)- Blaine Gabbert had a poor showing Sunday against the Texans, as we should see for much of 2011 with a terrible cast around him. They're off this week before getting to play Indy.

27. Seattle Seahawks (2-5) (LW: 27)- Whether it's Whitehurst or Jackson at the helm, the Seahawks aren't going to win many games period.  Both QBs are backups at best and the Seahawks might as well mail it in and hope that the bottomfeeders steal some wins.

28.  Denver Broncos (2-5) (LW: 25)- One thing that was evident in the Broncos 45-10 loss to the Lions: Tim Tebow looked horrible.  He couldn't make throws that NFL QBs need to make and he was turned one-dimensional, which spells disaster for the Broncos.  He won't last the season as the starter, John Fox already thought he sucked.

29.  St. Louis Rams (1-6) (LW: 31)-  The Rams came out at home on Sunday and truly gave it to the Saints.  Chris Long and Robert Quinn were no match for the Saints' tackles as the defense sacked Brees 6 times and picked him off twice.  Oh, and see what happens when you give Steven Jackson the rock and let him do his thing?

30.  Arizona Cardinals (1-6) (LW: 29)- They were so close to knocking off the Ravens, but they couldn't seal the deal.  They let the Ravens march right back into the game and erase a 21 point halftime deficit.  It's going to be a long year in the desert.

31.  Miami Dolphins (0-7) (LW: 30)- The Dolphins came so close to finishing off the Giants but the defense couldn't stop them when it counted.  The Dolphins take one step closer to Andrew Luck.

32. Indianapolis Colts (0-8) (LW: 32)-  Another week, another one in the loss column.  That's pretty much all there is to say.

-TA

At the NFL Halfway Point: Where I Was Right, and Where I Was Wrong So Far

So, we've hit the halfway point for the NFL season for most teams, and it hasn't come without its surprises or disappointments.  So now is my time to admit where I went wrong in my predictions and claims, and also boast about what I was right about.  So without further ado, here it goes by conference.

AFC

Predictions that have made me look good so far:

1. Kansas City taking a step back: So far, heading into tonight's matchup with the Chargers, one with heavy implications for the division, Kansas City is 3-3, a game out of the division lead.  On paper, it doesn't look so bad, especially with a chance to tie the division lead, but Kansas City has not looked good. They came out in Weeks 1 and 2 and got blown out by Buffalo and Detroit by a combined 89-10.  Fortunately for them they have been able to play Minnesota, Indy, and an Oakland team caught between QBs to come from 0-3 to a respectable 3-3.  So I guess for most of this, I'm going by their play thus far, and taking a step back means a step back from the division-winning 10-6 record last year.  I also got a little lucky here because star RB Jamaal Charles went down for the year in week 2 (too bad I had him on my fantasy team).

2. The Texans stepping up to take over the AFC South:  I did make this prediction after it was announced that Peyton Manning could possibly miss a good portion of he season so it isn't so great, but I had them at 11-5.  So far they are 5-3 with a good handle on the division.  Arian Foster looks like the Arian Foster that broke out last year, and barring something unforeseen, they should begin to distance themselves from the rest of the division.

Predictions that have made me look bad so far:

1. Cincinnati being terrible:  At the beginning of the season I had the Bengals going 3-13.  I know, I know.  They have already come close to doubling that 8 weeks in at 5-2.  I had no idea that their offense would be this effective with a rookie duo at QB and WR, but in fact they have been stellar.  The defense has held up its end of the bargain as well, and the Bengals are tied with the Ravens at a mere half game back of the Steelers for the division lead.

2. Indy and Miami combining for 11 wins: The only excuse I have here is I wanted to put the Colts are 4-12, but couldn't do it because I didn't think Peyton Manning was worth 6 wins himself.  Turns out he was worth more.  Even if I had said 4-12 for Indy, that would be 9 wins combined for two teams that have 0 apiece at the halfway point.

What remains to be seen:

1. The Jets being the top Wild Card spot at 11-5: So far the Jets are 4-3, and on the outside of the playoff picture looking in.  However, they are well within striking distance.  If Rex Ryan's group can rebound defensively and pull out games like they did against San Diego in Week 7, then they could be well on their way, but if they sputter and continue to let opposing teams run at will on them, they will be watching the playoffs from home; it remains to be seen.

2. The Browns: I had the Browns taking a step forward to 7-9.  They currently are on pace to come close, sitting at 3-4.  However, they have been unimpressive and haven't shown me the real improvement I was looking for.  They have found a way to beat teams, albeit in a very lackluster fashion.  They really could tank or pick it up from this point forward; it remains to be seen.

NFC:


Predictions that have made me look good:

1. The Lions being a step-up team:  I had them at 9-7 and being a contender for a wild card spot.  They have surpassed my expectations so far and look well on their way to a playoff spot.  So I look good here in saying they will be a good team this year as a contrast to previous season, but not too great because I didn't think they'd be this good.

2. The Packers being the class of the NFC:  I had them at 13-3 this year and being the sure-fire best team in the NFC, which they have been, but by even more than I think most of us expected.  They sit at 7-0 and have barely been tested so far this season.  They are well on their way to 13-3, and if I had to bet, even better than that.  The title is theirs to lose.

Predictions that made me look bad:

1.  Cardinals winning the West:  This is perhaps the worst prediction I made of all, where I said the Cards would win this paltry division at 9-7. So far, it's been San Francisco running away at 6-1, while the Cards sit at a measly 1-6.  Kolb has struggled and the defense has been bad.  I guess they were more than just a QB away.

2.  San Francisco being bad:  I never published this, but let it be known I thought San Francisco would be terrible this year.  I thought they'd go about 4-12 and that there would be serious growing pains for first-year coach Jim Harbaugh.  Boy was I wrong.  The Niners look like they could be the 2nd best team in the NFC behind only Green Bay, and Frank Gore is back with 4 straight games with over 100 yards and a touchdown.  The defense has played tremendously as well.  Yet again, I was wrong.

What remains to be seen:

1. Tampa Bay taking a step back:  I thought Tampa would step back this year and go 7-9.  They currently sit at 4-3 and have been very inconsistent.  One week they lose 48-3 to San Fran, the next they beat New Orleans, then lost to Chicago in London.  They could replicate their 10-6 season from last year or they could also be 7-9 like I said; it remains to be seen.

2.  The Eagles: I had them winning the division at 11-5.  They started the year making a mockery of themselves and the "Dream Team" label by beginning 1-4, but since have reeled off consecutive wins against division opponents.  Last night against Dallas the Eagles looked like they may have finally figured it all out.  Andy Reid is now 13-0 coming off the bye as coach of the Eagles, and they could have been the turnaround point for the Eagles, who could either come back and take the division that is down this year, or they could continue their struggles as maybe Dallas was having one of their bad games that they have every other week; it remains to be seen.

Also, I would like to throw in a bit about Tebow.  Amidst the hype and the criticism, I claimed that he is a viable QB because he makes those around him better and he makes plays when you need him to because the guy wins.  I said he just needs some pieces around him. I am hereby retracting my statements after watching him play against the Lions yesterday.  He was awful.  As a quarterback, he cannot make the throws necessary to be a permanent player in the NFL.  The Lions made him one-dimensional as they took the lead early, and he looked lost.  The pick-six he threw in the second half from inside the 10 was an awful throw, which Eric Decker never even had a shot at.  He's definitely a human highlight reel and can make spectacular plays at key moments when presented to him, but when playing from behind against a good team, he won't be able to do what he did against Miami.  Maybe he can prove me wrong, but I'm going back to my calls I made when I was a huge fan of his at Florida where I said he would not make it in the NFL.  It looks like I was right then, and not now.

-TA

Week 8 Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (7-0) (Last week: 1)-  Minnesota made gave Green Bay their closest game since New Orleans in Week 1, but just like that game, they came out with the W. The Pack look like they could be on their way to, dare I say it, an unbeaten season.

2.  New England Patriots (5-1) (LW: 2)- The Pats had a bye week to rest up for Pittsburgh this upcoming week, but perhaps the biggest winner of the New England area was TE Rob Gronkowski who was seen out gallivanting with adult film star Bibi Jones.  I guess this really is just Gronk's world, and we're all just living in it.

3.  New Orleans Saints (5-2) (LW: 6)-  Normally I wouldn't condone a team getting jumped while on a bye, but with the way New Orleans played on Sunday night, I don't think there was anyone who could have beaten them, let alone the Colts.  We'll have to see how this offensive juggernaut continues on from here.

4. San Francisco 49ers (5-1) (LW: 5)-  Despite being jumped by New Orleans while on a bye, the Niners still move up a spot with the loss of San Diego.  While in the NFC West, a 13-3 season or something of the sort is nowhere near out of the equation.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) (LW: 8)-   After a worrisome start, Pittsburgh keeps reeling off wins, as a tough matchup with New England looms this week.  This will be a true test.

6. Baltimore Ravens (4-2) (LW: 3)-  Loss on the road to a bad Jacksonville team surely didn't look good as the offense struggled mightily, but I tend to think it was more of an aberration than a true sign of Baltimore's standing within the league.  They need to get it together offensively though.

7.  Detroit Lions (5-2) (LW: 7)-  Another loss for Detroit is slightly troubling, as they travel to Tebow Land to take on the Broncos.  Ndamukong Suh, though, is quickly getting a reputation for being a dirty player.

8.  New York Giants (4-2) (LW: 10)-  Climbing due to the blunders of the tail end of the Top 10.  Might as well give them a nice ranking for now as it is sure to drop soon with their brutal schedule.

9. Buffalo Bills (4-2) (LW: 11)- Bye week came at a good time after suffering their second loss of the season at the hands of the Giants.  They get a banged-up Washington team at home this week to get back on track.

10. San Diego Chargers (4-2) (LW: 4)- They gave the game away against the Jets as Rivers looked terrible in crunch time.  They travel to Arrowhead on Monday night to take on the Chiefs, where Brandon Flowers lurks.

11. Atlanta Falcons (4-3) (LW: 19)- Here comes Atlanta.  A big win on the road against Detroit keeps the Falcons within striking distance of the NFC South lead.  The bye should allow Matt Ryan enough time to heal to stay in the race.

12. New York Jets (4-3) (LW: 16)-  Big win in San Diego was huge for the sputtering Jets and their confidence.  They get a bye this week to gear up for a showdown with Buffalo.

13. Houston Texans (4-3) (LW: 15)- A very convincing win at Tennessee catapulted Houston into first place as last year's Arian Foster came back out to play.  They get Jacksonville at home this week.

14. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) (LW: 14)- I can't believe how a team with a rookie quarterback is still sitting pretty at number 14.  Guess that's what happens when you have a good record amongst a ton of mediocrity.

15. Dallas Cowboys (3-3) (LW:17)- Rookie RB DeMarco Murray broke out in a big way with 253 yards on the ground against lowly St. Louis.  He will have a good chance to replicate that performance, or at least come close, against Philadelphia's meager run defense.

16.  Chicago Bears (4-3) (LW: 18)- The Bears were able to hold on against the Bucs in London as the O-line is slowly getting it together, affirming Mike Martz's statement that he'd get the unit in gear.  The bye will give them extra time to recover from any jet-lag back to the States.

17.  Oakland Raiders (4-3) (LW: 9)- Shutout loss to Kansas City may have shown that there will be some rust to brush off for Carson Palmer and an accompanying transition period.

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3) (LW: 12)- After riding high off a win against New Orleans, they fell back down to Earth with a loss to the Bears.  The Bucs need to find some consistency if they want to stay in the hunt for the NFC South, because in Week 9 they have to travel to New Orleans to take on the Saints yet again after the bye.

19.  Tennessee Titans (3-3) (LW: 13)- The Titans are the newest Jekyll and Hyde team of the NFL.  After beating Baltimore earlier this year, Houston trounced them at home in a 41-7 laugher.  They'll have to be ready for Cincinnati this week.

20. Kansas City Chiefs (3-3) (LW: 22): Kansas City was very convincing in their rout of Oakland on Sunday as they intercepted Oakland QBs 6 times, 3 off both Kyle Boller and Carson Palmer.  Brandon Flowers is an emerging star in this league.

21. Philadelphia Eagles (2-4) (LW: 20)-  Big matchup looms with Dallas after the bye week as the Eagles look to chip away at their NFC East deficit.  They better be ready for DeMarco Murray.

22.  Washington Redskins (3-3) (LW: 21)-  The 'Skins keep falling apart.  After their QB woes, they've now lost their leading rusher Tim Hightower for the season to a torn ACL.  If their division wasn't so weak this season they may be falling out for good.

23. Cleveland Browns (3-3) (LW: 24)- After winning a horrendous game against Seattle, Cleveland is somehow sitting at an even 3-3.  It certainly isn't pretty but there's no denying their record.

24.  Carolina Panthers (2-5) (LW: 26)- Cam Newton is well on his way to setting the single-season rushing TD record for QBs as he picked up his 7th in only 7 games, equaling Vince Young's rookie record.

25.  Denver Broncos (2-4) (LW: 25)-  Well say what you want about Tim Tebow's horrendous first 3.5 quarters, he got it done when it mattered and delivered the W after being down 15 with just under 3 minutes to go.  The kid just wins.

26.  Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5) (LW: 29)- Who knew that Jacksonville would steal a win from Baltimore on Monday Night Football.  Give credit to the Jags' D for keeping Baltimore off the board for almost the entire game.

27. Seattle Seahawks (2-4) (LW: 23)- They should probably be given 2 losses for losing such a bad game to a below average team like they did.  Maybe they should starting looking toward the draft for an actual QB, maybe USC QB Matt Barkley.

28.  Minnesota Vikings (1-6) (LW: 27)- Christian Ponder made it interesting against Green Bay in his first career start and did a lot of things to give Viking fans hope for the future.  Unfortunately, for now it seems like there may be some temporary growing pains.

29.  Arizona Cardinals (1-5) (LW: 28)-  The disappointing season continues for Ken Whisenhunt's group as they stumble again against Pittsburgh to fall to 1-5.  A trip to Baltimore this week probably won't help matters.

30.  Miami Dolphins (0-6) (LW: 30)- They were so close.  But they let Tim Tebow do his thing and let the Broncos recover a key onside kick to set up the game tying drive before faltering in OT.  They travel to the Meadowlands for what should be another tough game against the G-Men.

31.  St. Louis Rams (0-6) (LW: 31)- The Rams still continue to lose. Things are only going to get worse this week against a New Orleans team fresh off a 62-7 win over a 0-6 team.  Good thing the Rams' record is.... oh.

32. Indianapolis Colts (0-7) (LW: 32)-  Colts' C Jeff Saturday claimed after Sunday night's embarrassment against the Saints that his team was outcoached.  OK, while that may have been true, you really think that was the difference? 55 points worth? Nothing is going right for the Colts and the end is nowhere in sight. 

-TA

Week 7 Power Rankings: Top 10 jumbles

First post as a legal drinking American...


1. Green Bay Packers (6-0) (Last week: 1)-  Pretty much toyed with St. Louis and decided not to play offense the second half, resulting in no points for either team.  Green Bay is in a league of its own at the moment.

2.  New England Patriots (5-1) (LW: 4)- The Patriots almost got upset at home by Dallas, but the Cowboys left too much time on the clock for short-haired Tom Brady.  He is proving short-haired Brady doesn't lose; it's all business now.

3.  Baltimore Ravens (4-1) (LW: 5)-  Solid win against Houston pushes the Ravens into the top 3.  Defense held Houston's offense to only 14 points, even though they were without star WR Andre Johnson, solidified the belief that their defense is still an elite group.

4. San Diego Chargers (4-1) (LW: 6)-  Bye week certainly can't drop you, and losses by New Orleans and Detroit bump them up.

5. San Francisco 49ers (5-1) (LW: 9)-   Alex Smith, who knew, led the Niners to a come from behind win against the unbeaten Lions.  I guess San Fran really is for real.

6. New Orleans Saints (4-2) (LW: 2)-  Loss on the road to a hungry Tampa team coming off a 48-3 shellacking by the 49ers proved to be a trap for the Saints, who were widely viewed to be in a major lull in the schedule.  A primetime matchup with the winless Colts, which should have been a big game, should get them back on track this week.

7.  Detroit Lions (5-1) (LW: 3)-  Loss to the 49ers left the Packers as the only undefeated and pushed this 5-1 team a game out of first in their division.  They get Atlanta at home this week, which could be tough if Atlanta figures themselves out.

8.  Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) (LW: 8)-  Pittsburgh looked great in the first half against the Jaguars, but somebody forgot to tell them they had to play another.  They still played well enough to win.  They have to travel across the country for their Week 7 matchup, but only to play a Super Bowl rematch against Arizona, a team really struggling right now.

9. Oakland Raiders (4-2) (LW: 10)- Newly acquired Carson Palmer should start right away and is an obvious upgrade at the quarterback position.  Did they overpay for him? Probably, but they're in win-now mode.

10. New York Giants (4-2) (LW: 15)- This may be the highest the Giants are ranked this year considering the rest of their schedule: after the bye and Miami they get New England, San Francisco, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Green Bay, Dallas, Washington, the Jets, and Dallas again. Yikes.


11. Buffalo Bills (4-2) (LW: 7)- Loss to the Giants brought them off of their high just a bit, but they have fallen behind New England in the division, a move that could be permanent with the return of short-haired Tom Brady.

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) (LW: 16)- Big time rebound last week for the Bucs.  After losing a laugher to the Niners, they responded big time with a 26-20 win over the Saints at home.  They play the Bears in London to try to stay tied atop the NFC South.

13. Tennessee Titans (3-2) (LW: 13)- Bye week gave Chris Johnson a needed rest after he tweaked his hamstring against the Steelers.  Home win against the Texans will give them a nice game and a half cushion atop the AFC South.

14. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) (LW: 20)- Andy Dalton and AJ Green could be a hookup we see for quite some time in this league.  For all the hype given to Julio Jones, it's been Green shining as the Bengals keep reeling off wins.


15. Houston Texans (3-3) (LW:12)- Big divisional game looms this week in Tennessee as the Texans try to take back the division lead.  They'll have to do it without Andre Johnson though, as he is still out recovering from his hamstring injury.

16.  New York Jets (3-3) (LW: 17)- They got back to .500 with a win over lowly Miami, but they didn't look good.  Sanchez looks shaky and if it wasn't for Revis they're defense would be in trouble.  Big matchup this week as San Diego come to town.

17.  Dallas Cowboys (2-3) (LW: 14)- Even though they may be behind the Redskins in the standings, I think they're a better team.  Romo and company almost got the job done in New England on the heels of the defense but didn't have enough time.

18.  Chicago Bears (3-3) (LW: 18)- So it was the Bears that sent McNabb to the bench.  Hester did what Hester does and returned a kickoff for a TD, while adding another on a long reception.  O-line looked much better against a very good pass rush, which is huge for them moving forward.

19. Atlanta Falcons (3-3) (LW: 19)- Well, they did what they needed to do and won a divisional game at home, even if it was only Carolina.  Tough game coming as they travel to Detroit to take on the Lions.

20. Philadelphia Eagles (2-4) (LW: 22): Big win for the Eagles on the road, knocking off rival Washington.  The defense looked much improved as Ryan Torain only managed 22 yards on the ground on 10 carries and picking off Sexy Rexy Grossman four times to send him back to riding the pine.

21. Washington Redskins (3-2) (LW: 11)-  John Beck now takes over the reigns for Mike Shanahan as the Redskins look all kinds of messed up on offense.  A loss to the Eagles was bad for a team trying to show its 3-1 start wasn't a fluke.

22.  Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) (LW: 25)-  The Chiefs look to get rolling off the bye at Oakland, facing the newly-acquired Carson Palmer.  The offense has been improved as late as Dwayne Bowe has gone back to being the Dwayne Bowe we saw much of last year, which is good news for the Chiefs, and they may have found something in RB Jackie Battle.

23. Seattle Seahawks (2-3) (LW: 23)- Coming off the bye Seattle will travel to Cleveland to take on the Browns.  Rookie undrafted WR Doug Baldwin looks to keep his impressive rookie campaign going as Seattle looks to stay within reach of San Francisco.

24.  Cleveland Browns (2-3) (LW: 24)- Hopefully Peyton Hillis' hamstring isn't an ongoing affair as those injuries seem to nag much more than others.  He didn't practice Wednesday, so that could be an issue for Sunday's tango with the Seahawks.

25.  Denver Broncos (1-4) (LW: 26)-  This week officially begins the Tim Tebow era in Denver.  The Broncos will be without star WR Brandon Lloyd, who was traded to St. Louis on Monday.  I guess they have a lot of faith in Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas. (Side note: I correctly spelled "Demaryius" without looking.  It's ok you can be impressed...)

26.  Carolina Panthers (1-5) (LW: 21)- Cam Newton probably played his worst game as a pro against Atlanta in Week 7, throwing 3 interceptions without a TD, so I guess the rookie is human.

27. Minnesota Vikings (1-5) (LW: 27)- I really wanted to drop them in the rankings, but nobody below them warrants moving ahead of the Vikes.  There is one positive though, it's now the Christian Ponder era in Minnesota as McNabb watches from the bench.  Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

28.  Arizona Cardinals (1-4) (LW: 28)- Coming off the bye, it doesn't get any easier as the Steelers come to town for a rematch of Super Bowl XLIII.  Kolb needs to play better because he is not living up to what they paid for him, both in the trade and his contract.

29.  Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) (LW: 29)-  Countdown until Jack Del Rio's firing continues... About all you can say about Jacksonville, who somehow scored a Monday night appearance against Baltimore.

30.  Miami Dolphins (0-5) (LW: 30)- Well, they beat the Jets pretty bad for just about the entire first half, but couldn't get anything going.  The Dolphins are just pretty bad.  Tony Sparano is a dead man walking.

31.  St. Louis Rams (0-5) (LW: 31)- The Rams just continue to lose. They'll probably have to play this week against Dallas on the road without QB Sam Bradford.  Good luck AJ Feeley...

32. Indianapolis Colts (0-6) (LW: 32)-  The quest for Andrew Luck continues as they fight the Dolphins and Rams to the finish line.  Sunday night's affair with the Saints should help them out.

-TA

Guest Blog: The Roller Coaster Ride Is Over...

Guest Blog by friend-of-the-blog and my personal best friend, AJ Welch.  Enjoy...

Well, the Garcia coaster has finally derailed. And let me tell you it was one hell of a bumpy ride. Throughout his whole career here at USC, Garcia has been one headache after the next; from his off the field suspensions, to his recent lack of talent and intelligence on the field.

 

Coming out of High School, Stephen Garcia was a highly recruited Qb, a four star recruit as a matter of fact. However, he was already tagged with the label of being a hand-full and an off field liability. You see, in his high school days, he would go around in the parking lots and slash tires, a modest hobby in his eyes I’m guessing. Still, these issues were seen as just some “high school pranks” and what not, he ultimately got recruited and offered a scholarship to play ball here at South Carolina.

Coming into camp in the summer, Garcia looked very promising as a starter, and a talented one at that. But wouldn’t you know his off field issues traveled with him to college. His first suspension came when was yelling and making a scene outside of his dorm, while sitting on a cooler of beer absolutely plastered. 

But this wasn’t enough for him, almost one month later, he received his second suspension. This time it came for keying one of his professor’s cars. Even better about this, is his professor SAW him doing this, amateur status Stephen, amateur.

After these two pretty much back-to-back suspensions, he seemed to be settling down and maybe changing his act…”maybe” being the key word. Meanwhile, his off field stupidity was not necessarily translating to the football field, when he was able to play granted. He was shaping up to look like an all SEC quarterback. In 2009 he threw for 2,862 yards and 17 TD’s, not too shabby.

However, with each upside, there always seemed to be a downside. He got suspended for a third time in the offseason for underage drinking. This started to shape the question in some fans minds if maybe he had a problem and needed some help with it. This was quickly forgotten however when Garcia was once again reinstated.

Once the season started in 2010, the fans were on the fence about their controversial Qb. He soon had fans on his side of the fence when he started the season with a bang. He led the Gamecocks to a big time victory over Georgia, a game the Gamecocks haven’t won in many years. He also came very close to defeating the future National Champion Auburn Tigers, in a shootout.

 

 Garcia celebrating after the upset

Then came the Alabama game, which will now probably be his most remembered game. He must have been drinking something magical in that kool-aid, because the man played out of his mind. He led the Gamecocks to their first victory over a #1 ranked team, and one of the biggest upsets in the school’s history.

This is one of the reasons I believe fans have been so loyal to him in these past two years. They caught a glimpse of the high caliber talent that he has, but for reasons unknown, he doesn’t bring them to every game. This is what makes him such a frustrating player to watch on the field, his inconsistency. He is one of the only quarterbacks I know who can be flawless against a #1 ranked team, and then look like hes in pop warner against a team the next week. He has so much talent but he doesn’t use it on a regular basis.

Then comes the two other suspensions that came this year. Both of which are again for stupid things. The first suspension was for his violation of the hotel room curfew at the Chick-Fil-A Bowl in Atlanta. Now I guess this one isn’t terribly stupid, I mean he is a guy just trying to get some play, but as a fan I don’t want my quarterback to be focused on that a night before a fairly substantial bowl game that he is playing in. His second suspension is just downright dumb. He was suspended for drunken disruptive behavior at a leadership conference. Wow, nothing quite says leadership like a drunk fool. This is honestly where, as a fan, I began to draw the line on Steven. When he failed to learn from his past incidences and made my school look like a joke, I think its only fair.

Overall, I do not hate/dislike Stephen Garcia. I would merely say I am very disappointed in him and think to myself what could have been. This year he has severly regressed; now whether or not it has anything to do with all these suspensions…I do not know. All I know is that this year the Gamecocks are chock-full of talent, and while he was under center he didn’t allow the talent around him to shine. All of the games he started were nail biters till the very end, with the Gamecocks managing to pull them out for a win. Until Auburn came to town, and Garcia couldn’t manage to pull it out. Connor Shaw got the start the following week and everyone suspected that Garcia would ride the pine the remainder of the year, now with his dismissal, he won’t even do that. I think this quote I heard sums it up beautifully, “He is a million dollar talent, with a ten cent mind”. So now, with Garcia dismissed from the team, we turn to a new chapter with Connor Shaw. I think the future looks very bright for this young man. He came out looking spectacular last week when he started at Qb. He threw for over 300 yards and 4 TD’s, matching Garcia’s season total. And another upside to this young man is that there are no off-field issues to give fans heart attacks about. We shall now see where our season takes us, and hopefully it is a smoother ride.

Week 6 Power Rankings: Bills, Raiders rise. Texans, New Yorkers fall.

1. Green Bay Packers (5-0) (Last week: 1)-  Looked like Atlanta would give them their first loss of the season... until Aaron Rodgers and company outscored them 19-0 in the second half.  Green Bay looks unstoppable.

2.  New Orleans Saints (4-1) (LW: 2)- Win at Carolina wasn't pretty, but yet another example of why you can't count out Drew Brees.  Road games against divisional opponents are always tough and another at Tampa awaits them this week

3.  Detroit Lions (5-0) (LW: 4)-  Who can cover Calvin Johnson? That question hasn't been answered yet.  Undefeated record and impressive play keeps them ahead of New England, but just barely.

4. New England Patriots (4-1) (LW: 6)-  Win against the Jets proves New England is still the team to beat in the AFC East, and quite possibly the AFC.  Short-haired Brady doesn't lose.

5. Baltimore Ravens (3-1) (LW: 3)-  Drop two spots is mostly a result of the bye week, but then again may be a settling into the spot they deserve. Home game against the Texans should be another good test of their defense this week.

6. San Diego Chargers (4-1) (LW: 7)-  4-1 start for this typically slow-starting team is only helping.  They head into the bye with their only loss coming against the Pats.

7.  Buffalo Bills (4-1) (LW: 15)-  Slip up against the Bengals may have just been an aberration.  Win against self-destructing Eagles gives them ammo into fact that the Bills may be for real.

8.  Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) (LW: 11)-  Big Ben clearly didn't like my bold prediction that he'd throw under 20 TDs on the year, erupting for 5 against the Titans in Week 5.  The aging Steelers may be getting it together.

9. San Francisco 49ers (4-1 (LW: 14))- Might as well give the Niners the division now.  Jim Harbaugh is showing he may be everything he was cracked up to be this offseason as he and Alex Smith(?) have led the team to a 4-1 start.

10.  Oakland Raiders (3-2) (LW: 17)- Emotional win for the Raiders against Houston catapults the Raiders into the top 10.  They get Cleveland in Week 6, look for a huge game from McFadden.

11. Washington Redskins (3-1) (LW: 13)- Bye week only helped them as the rest of the NFC East is trying to give them the division.  Week 6 showdown against tumbling Philadelphia can be huge for their confidence.

12. Houston Texans (3-2) (LW: 5)- Loss against Oakland brought them back to Earth.  A Week 6 win at Baltimore could put them right back into the Top 10 though.

13. Tennessee Titans (3-2) (LW: 10)- Last week's loss came to Pittsburgh, so it wasn't too bad for Mass Hasselbeck and company, but enough to knock them out of the Top 10.

14. Dallas Cowboyss (2-2) (LW:16)- Bye week may have come at the right time for Dallas as the Giants stumbled against the lowly Seahawks.  Dez Bryant and Tomo Romo needed the off week more than anyone as they travel to New England in a huge Week 6 matchup for the 'Boys.

15.  New York Giants (3-2) (LW: 9)- Week 5 meltdown against Seattle was embarrassing, but Eli's 3 picks didn't help.  The Giants look to get back on track with a home game against the emerging Bills.

16.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2) (LW: 12)- A 48-3 loss to San Francisco surely wasn't what Raheem Morris and his crew had in mind in Week 5, and it doesn't get any easier for the Bucs in Week 6 as the Saints come to town.  

17.  New York Jets (2-3) (LW: 8)- Lackluster loss to the Pats could have been a sign of a a free fall for the Jets, but luckily they get the winless Dolphins in Week 6.  But unfortunately for Rex Ryan, dolphins don't have feet...

18. Chicago Bears (2-3) (LW: 18)- The first static member of the Power Rankings.  Loss to the Lions surely isn't a bad loss, and they get the Vikings at home in Primetime on Sunday night to get back into the early Wild Card race.

19.  Atlanta Falcons (2-3) (LW: 19)-  A great first half from Matt Ryan and company had the Falcons in position to knock off the top-ranked unbeaten Packers, but the Pack had other ideas, shutting out Hotlanta in the second half, 19-0.  They need to learn how to finish off a lead, but they can't overlook Cam Newton and the Panthers in Week 6.

20. Cincinnati Bengals (3-2) (LW: 23): Win against the Jags continues Cincinnati's surprising season.  Who would have thought a team that looked doomed for a lost season, led by a rookie QB would be 3-2? Not me.


21. Carolina Panthers (1-4) (LW: 22)-  Cam Newton almost pulled off his first comeback win, but unfortunately they left too much time on the clock for Drew Brees.  A road win against Atlanta could get them out of the NFC South basement.

22.  Philadelphia Eagles (1-4) (LW: 20)-  The Eagles have had a chance to win every game they've played this year, yet they're 1-4.  Andy Reid looks like a dead man walking and the defense needs to wake up or their slide can continue against the 'Skins this week.


23. Seattle Seahawks (2-3) (LW: 27)- Charlie Whitehurst led the Seahawks to victory after losing Tavaris Jackson for the 2nd half to an injury (which could be a huge blessing in disguise for Seattle).  Win against the Giants was a very quality win as the defense picked off Eli Manning three times.

24.  Cleveland Browns (2-2) (LW: 24)- Hopefully they made the most of their bye week because their Week 6 matchup against Oakland will be a rough one.  We'll see how Colt McCoy continues his development.

25.  Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) (LW: 28)-  Stole back the game after a 17 point defecit against Indy.  But then again, it was Indy.  Regardless Matt Cassel seems to have regained his confidence and Dwayne Bowe continues his great season.

26.  Denver Broncos (1-4) (LW: 26)- Well, folks in Denver, you got what you want.  It's Tebow Time.  We shall see if he's the answer the fans are looking for or if he's just another QB for them to lose with.  It's his time now, but he did make it interesting against San Diego in Week 5.

27. Minnesota Vikings (1-4) (LW: 29)- Adrian Peterson broke out in Week 5 with three first-half TDs against the struggling Cardinals and the Vikes finally got their first win.  A Week 6 road matchup with the Bears on Sunday night awaits as they look to piece together consecutive wins.

28.  Arizona Cardinals (1-4) (LW: 21)- Bye week comes at a critical time after a worrisome blowout loss at the hands of Adrian Peterson and the then-winless Vikings.  Kolb and the offense is sputtering, although Beanie Wells is holding his own as the starting running back.  Kolb needs to find Larry Fitzgerald more because he'll catch anything.

29.  Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4) (LW: 25)-  Loss to the Bengals has Jack Del Rio one step closer to the firing he's been long overdue for.  This season is purely for Gabbert to develop, nothing else.

30.  Miami Dolphins (0-4) (LW: 30)- The Andrew Luck race is underway for the 'Fins as Chad Henne is very conveniently out for the season.  Maybe they keep Tony Sparano around long enough to fire him at the end of the year, or at least until they start winning.

31.  St. Louis Rams (0-4) (LW: 31)- Bye Week just gave the Rams an extra week to look forward to the Week 6 beatdown coming this week at the hands of the Packers. Yikes.

32. Indianapolis Colts (0-5) (LW: 32)-  Well, it looked good for them in the first half against Kansas City.  That is, before they squandered their lead and watched Kansas City take the game.  Current frontrunners for Andrew Luck given their next four opponents: Cincinnati, New Orleans, Tennessee, and Atlanta.  Hello, 0-9.


-TA