Post by Jeremy on Sept 25, 2015 12:41:44 GMT -6
I ranked the teams, did writeups for the top 10 and shorter summaries for other teams. Let me know what you think.
1) New England Patriots (3-0) - When you're the defending Super Bowl champions, you don't lose the top spot until you lose a game. New England has been firing on all cylinders, with the best run defense in football and the second best defense overall. Tom Brady has been his usual terrific self, and Rob Gronkowski has been at the top of the conversation for MVP so far, on pace for 26!! receiving touchdowns.
Reason for optimism- Brady to Gronkowski is the best quarterback/receiver tandem this year.
Reason for concern- If a team can shut down Gronkowski, the Patriot's 17th ranked offense could easily sputter.
2) Seattle Seahwawks (3-0) - When you're the defending Super Bowl runner-up, you stay in second until you lose or the team ahead of you loses. Seattle has been an offensive juggernaut, with the second rated scoring offense and total offense. Defensively, they've given up yardage, but hold the sixth best scoring defense in the league.
Reason for optimism- The passing attack has been very good, and Jimmy Graham hasn't even gotten started. Once he gets into a groove, this offense could be even scarier than it is.
Reason for concern- Marshawn Lynch turns 30 this year and is on pace for 384 rushing attempts. If he breaks down, is Fred Jackson going to be enough to keep the running game going?
3) San Francisco 49ers (3-0) - The league's best defense has spearheaded the 49ers rise to try and unseat the Seahawks in the NFC West. Teams are averaging a paltry 10 points and 217 yards per game against this stifling defense, and the combination of Carlos Hyde's gritty running and COlin Kaepernick's surprising ball control has lead this team to a perfect start of the season.
Reason for optimism- If you can't score, you can't win. Scoring on this defense is not an easy task.
Reason for concern- 2 games with the Seahawks, one with Arizona, one with the unbeaten Falcons, one with the unbeaten Bengals. Two of the 49ers wins have had a margin of one touchdown or less. Against better offenses, can the defense keep up?
4) Tennessee Titans (3-0) - No team has been so surprising through the first three games. The Titans own the league's biggest points differential, with 65 points separating them from their opponents this year. They own the league's 4th best offense and 10th best defense, and have only turned the ball over once. Marcus Mariota is trying to put an early lock on AFC Rookie of the Year, leading an offense that is top 8 in both passing and rushing.
Reason for optimism- Already two games up in their division, the Titans have 5 division games remaining. The other teams in their division are a combined 1-8.
Reason for concern- Mariota has been very good at protecting the ball. However, if the rookie experiences a bad game, will be be able to move on, or will he be shaken?
5) Cincinnati Bengals (3-0) - Cincinnati has quietly been putting together a very good start of season run. They have been controlling the ground game, with the eighth ranked rushing attack and the second best rush defense. Jeremy Hill has been terrific so far, and Andy Dalton owns a 71% completion percentage with a 109.6 rating.
Reason for optimism- Cincinnati has had no trouble controlling the ball on the ground, and stopping the run should let them key on the pass on defense.
Reason for concern- If a game turns into a passing shootout, Cincinnati will likely lose. Andy Dalton is on pase for 21 interceptions on the year, and they own the 25th best passing defense in the league.
6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) - For a 2-1 team to be ranked ahead of a 3-0 team, something special has to be happening. Tampa has ridden Jameis Winston to a 2-1 record, with their only loss coming on a last second interception and field goal to fourth-ranked Tennessee. Tampa Bay is in the top 7 in scoring offense, scoring defense, total offense, and total defense. Let that sink in for a minute.
Reason for optimism- Is there a weakness to Tampa's game? The running attack has been nonexistent, but mainly because who needs to run when you're passing for 280 yards a game?
Reason for concern- If a team is able to shut down Jamies Winston, how does Tampa win? Their rushing attack has been one of the worst in the league.
7) Atlanta Falcons (3-0) - The league's best passing offense, Atlanta has Matt Ryan fighting for the MVP award already. On pace for 4800 yards and 48 touchdowns, Ryan's only black mark has been the 5 picks through three games. The defense has also given up 24 points a game despite ranking in the top 10 in yardage surrendered, so Ryan has been forced to chuck the ball.
Reason for optimism- Tevin Coleman has done very well moving the ball on the ground, freeing up Ryan to exploit passing lanes. He's had one huge game and two mediocre games, so we're looking forward to how he does next.
Reason for concern- This division, once a laughingstock, is beginning to look tougher and tougher. New Orleans is the lone winless team, although they just tied the Panthers in a very tight game.
8) Carolina Panthers (2-0-1) - Had they been able to beat the Saints instead of tie last week, Carolina would rank in the top 5. One word describes this team- offense. They own the league's top overall offense, and both Cam Newton and Montee Ball are both on pace for 1000 yard seasons. Defensively, they are middle of the pack at best.
Reason for optimism- Control the ball, control the game. The Panthers should always lead in time of possession with this rushing attack.
Reason for concern- If any team in the top 10 has potential to fall, it's this one. Their first three games have all come against winless teams. Also, their offense runs totally through Cam Newton- one injury to him, and this team could falter.
9) Buffalo Bills (2-1) - Although their defense definitely misses Kiko Alonso, the LeSean McCoy trade seems to be working. McCoy is on pace for over 1800 yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground. Their rushing defense has been very good so far, surrendering less than 50 yards on the ground.
Reason for optimism- Their only loss is to number one ranked New England by two points. Any number of things go differently in that game, and this is a top 5 team.
Reason for concern- When your offense runs through a guy with injury history, even coming off two seasons of 16 games started, there is some concern. Many offense rely on only one player- this offense has done nothing outside of McCoy.
10) Miami Dolphins (2-1) - The hardest part of this ranking was who to put at 10. There are a lot of good 2-1 teams, but Miami gets the nod here. Other than one blowout loss to the Bills, Miami has been a very tough team this year. Their defense has been very good so far, and has kept them in games. If Ryan Tannehill can play like he did week 2, this team has a shot at taking a wild card in the AFC. If he gives up four picks a game like he did against Buffalo, then this team will plummet in the rankings fast. Personally, I believe the second case.
Reason for optimism- The defense has been solid up and down, and Jordan Cameron is on pace for 1500 yards.
Reason for concern- Tannehill has to get on form. He faces a weak Jets defense this week and a bye after that, but in the four games after the bye he faces 3 top 10 teams in Tennessee, New England and Buffalo. The Dolphins will likely have to win two out of those three to make the playoffs.
11) Minnesota Vikings (2-1) - Adrian Peterson has carried this team to the top of the NFC North. Can he stay healthy while Bridgewater develops?
12) Arizona Cardinals (2-1) - A stifling defense has carried an anemic offense. Can Carson Palmer jumpstart things fast enough to catch the Seahawks and the 49ers?
13) Kansas City Chiefs (2-1) - Alex Smith has let the Chiefs pace Jamaal Charles, with only 50 carries from Charles so far. Will their limit on early season carries pay off later with Charles having fresh legs in the late season stretch?
14) Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2) - Their two losses have both come from undefeated, top 5 teams, and both were by a touchdown or less. However, they needed to blow out the 0-3 Rams to prove they are a threat to Cincinnati, and they didn't.
15) Dallas Cowboys (1-2) - The team is falling like a rock after a record-setting win week 1. They could go into the bye at 3-2 or 1-4. Their season will be decided in the next two weeks.
16) Washington Redskins (2-1) - They own the 5th best scoring defense, while being 16th in defensive yards. Is it luck keeping the opponents off the board, or are the yards coming in garbage time?
17) Oakland Raiders (2-1) - This Derek Carr-Amari Cooper connection could be very good for a long time. If their defense tightens up, this could be a surprise playoff team.
18) Indianapolis Colts (1-2) - A terrible start to the season has the Colts reeling. Can Andrew Luck bounce back before the Titans are too far ahead?
19) Detroit Lions (1-2) - Who would have thought that the Lions defense would be carrying them so far? Matthew Stafford has been simply terrible.
20) Chicago Bears (1-2) - Since winning week 1, the Bears have been blown out twice. They can put yards on the board, but can they figure out how to convert those yards into points?
21) New Orleans Saints (0-2-1) - We can't rank them higher due to being winless, but this team has played better than their record shows. Can they outscore Romo and get their first win this week?
22) Philadelphia Eagles (1-2) - Did anyone really think Sam Bradford would stay healthy? An ugly 4 interception game from Mark Sanchez has fans begging for Tim Tebow.
23) San Diego Chargers (1-2) - Melvin Gordon has been playing well, but the team has only given him 36 attempts. Will they try to pound the ball against their next three opponents, all of whom have bottom-10 rush defenses?
24) Denver Broncos (1-2) - It feels painful to rank Peyton Manning this low, but this team has suffered as Peyton experiences his worst season since his rookie year.
25) Green Bay Packers (1-2) Brett Hundley had no idea he'd be the only QB in Green Bay, but after a career-ending injury to Aaron Rodgers, he's been thrust in. He's performed admirably, but the rest of the team hasn't.
26) Cleveland Browns (1-2) Owners of one of the worst offenses in the league, the Browns defense has played very well. One has to wonder how much more time Johnny Manziel gets- he's been (almost) the worst QB in football.
27) New York Jets (1-2) The absolute worst offense in the league, the Jets can't decide if Geno Smith or Ryan Fitzpatrick is the answer. Bryce Petty has yet to get his shot, but if the other two can't step up, he may get some snaps.
28) Baltimore Ravens (0-3) - The best of the 0-3 teams, the Ravens have simply been outmuscled on defense. Joe Flacco is trying, but he can't keep up with other teams scoring.
29) St. Louis Rams (0-3) - Victims of injuries, the Rams lost Nick Fairley for the year and Nick FOles for the next 4 weeks at least. The defense has a lot of questions, but Todd Gurley has been a bright spot.
30) New York Giants (0-3) - After Eli Manning's injury, Ryan Nassib has been battling Johnny Manziel for worst QB in football. Manziel has thrown a touchdown- Nassib hasn't, and he leads the league in picks. One would hope that Eli's return would turn the ship around, but the defense is the absolute worst in football- ranked 32nd across the board.
31) Jacksonville Jaguars (0-3) Growing pains have been painful for Blake Bortles. However, his offensive line has protected him- no sacks so far. Dante Fowler has been the lone bright spot on defense, with 3 sacks.
32) Houston Texans (0-3) - No one wants to be the worst team in football, but if you average less than a touchdown per game, that's what happens. Ryan Mallett and Matt Flynn have combined for 2 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, and both have completion percentages under 44 percent.
Way-too-early playoff and award picks
AFC East- New England
AFC North- Cincinanti
AFC West- Kansas City
AFC South- Tennessee
Wild Card 1- Buffalo
Wild Card 2- Oakland
NFC East- Washington
NFC North- Detroit
NFC West- Seattle
NFC South- Carolina
Wild Card 1- San Francisco
Wild Card 2- Atlanta
AFC Championship- Patriots over Titans
NFC Championship- 49ers over Seahawks
Super Bowl- Patriots over 49ers
MVP
1) LeSean McCoy, BUF
2) Rob Gronkowski, NE
3) Matt Ryan, ATL
4) Adrian Peterson, MIN
5) Marshawn Lynch, SEA
Offensive Rookie of the Year
1) Marcus Mariota, TEN
2) Jamies Winston, TB
3) Tevin Coleman, ATL
4) Melvin Gordon, SD
5) Brett Hundley, GB
Defenseive Rookie of the Year
1) Dante Fowler, JAC
2) Trae Waynes, MIN
3) Marcus Peters, KC
4) Hau'oli Kikaha, NO
5) Stephone Anthony, NO
1) New England Patriots (3-0) - When you're the defending Super Bowl champions, you don't lose the top spot until you lose a game. New England has been firing on all cylinders, with the best run defense in football and the second best defense overall. Tom Brady has been his usual terrific self, and Rob Gronkowski has been at the top of the conversation for MVP so far, on pace for 26!! receiving touchdowns.
Reason for optimism- Brady to Gronkowski is the best quarterback/receiver tandem this year.
Reason for concern- If a team can shut down Gronkowski, the Patriot's 17th ranked offense could easily sputter.
2) Seattle Seahwawks (3-0) - When you're the defending Super Bowl runner-up, you stay in second until you lose or the team ahead of you loses. Seattle has been an offensive juggernaut, with the second rated scoring offense and total offense. Defensively, they've given up yardage, but hold the sixth best scoring defense in the league.
Reason for optimism- The passing attack has been very good, and Jimmy Graham hasn't even gotten started. Once he gets into a groove, this offense could be even scarier than it is.
Reason for concern- Marshawn Lynch turns 30 this year and is on pace for 384 rushing attempts. If he breaks down, is Fred Jackson going to be enough to keep the running game going?
3) San Francisco 49ers (3-0) - The league's best defense has spearheaded the 49ers rise to try and unseat the Seahawks in the NFC West. Teams are averaging a paltry 10 points and 217 yards per game against this stifling defense, and the combination of Carlos Hyde's gritty running and COlin Kaepernick's surprising ball control has lead this team to a perfect start of the season.
Reason for optimism- If you can't score, you can't win. Scoring on this defense is not an easy task.
Reason for concern- 2 games with the Seahawks, one with Arizona, one with the unbeaten Falcons, one with the unbeaten Bengals. Two of the 49ers wins have had a margin of one touchdown or less. Against better offenses, can the defense keep up?
4) Tennessee Titans (3-0) - No team has been so surprising through the first three games. The Titans own the league's biggest points differential, with 65 points separating them from their opponents this year. They own the league's 4th best offense and 10th best defense, and have only turned the ball over once. Marcus Mariota is trying to put an early lock on AFC Rookie of the Year, leading an offense that is top 8 in both passing and rushing.
Reason for optimism- Already two games up in their division, the Titans have 5 division games remaining. The other teams in their division are a combined 1-8.
Reason for concern- Mariota has been very good at protecting the ball. However, if the rookie experiences a bad game, will be be able to move on, or will he be shaken?
5) Cincinnati Bengals (3-0) - Cincinnati has quietly been putting together a very good start of season run. They have been controlling the ground game, with the eighth ranked rushing attack and the second best rush defense. Jeremy Hill has been terrific so far, and Andy Dalton owns a 71% completion percentage with a 109.6 rating.
Reason for optimism- Cincinnati has had no trouble controlling the ball on the ground, and stopping the run should let them key on the pass on defense.
Reason for concern- If a game turns into a passing shootout, Cincinnati will likely lose. Andy Dalton is on pase for 21 interceptions on the year, and they own the 25th best passing defense in the league.
6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) - For a 2-1 team to be ranked ahead of a 3-0 team, something special has to be happening. Tampa has ridden Jameis Winston to a 2-1 record, with their only loss coming on a last second interception and field goal to fourth-ranked Tennessee. Tampa Bay is in the top 7 in scoring offense, scoring defense, total offense, and total defense. Let that sink in for a minute.
Reason for optimism- Is there a weakness to Tampa's game? The running attack has been nonexistent, but mainly because who needs to run when you're passing for 280 yards a game?
Reason for concern- If a team is able to shut down Jamies Winston, how does Tampa win? Their rushing attack has been one of the worst in the league.
7) Atlanta Falcons (3-0) - The league's best passing offense, Atlanta has Matt Ryan fighting for the MVP award already. On pace for 4800 yards and 48 touchdowns, Ryan's only black mark has been the 5 picks through three games. The defense has also given up 24 points a game despite ranking in the top 10 in yardage surrendered, so Ryan has been forced to chuck the ball.
Reason for optimism- Tevin Coleman has done very well moving the ball on the ground, freeing up Ryan to exploit passing lanes. He's had one huge game and two mediocre games, so we're looking forward to how he does next.
Reason for concern- This division, once a laughingstock, is beginning to look tougher and tougher. New Orleans is the lone winless team, although they just tied the Panthers in a very tight game.
8) Carolina Panthers (2-0-1) - Had they been able to beat the Saints instead of tie last week, Carolina would rank in the top 5. One word describes this team- offense. They own the league's top overall offense, and both Cam Newton and Montee Ball are both on pace for 1000 yard seasons. Defensively, they are middle of the pack at best.
Reason for optimism- Control the ball, control the game. The Panthers should always lead in time of possession with this rushing attack.
Reason for concern- If any team in the top 10 has potential to fall, it's this one. Their first three games have all come against winless teams. Also, their offense runs totally through Cam Newton- one injury to him, and this team could falter.
9) Buffalo Bills (2-1) - Although their defense definitely misses Kiko Alonso, the LeSean McCoy trade seems to be working. McCoy is on pace for over 1800 yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground. Their rushing defense has been very good so far, surrendering less than 50 yards on the ground.
Reason for optimism- Their only loss is to number one ranked New England by two points. Any number of things go differently in that game, and this is a top 5 team.
Reason for concern- When your offense runs through a guy with injury history, even coming off two seasons of 16 games started, there is some concern. Many offense rely on only one player- this offense has done nothing outside of McCoy.
10) Miami Dolphins (2-1) - The hardest part of this ranking was who to put at 10. There are a lot of good 2-1 teams, but Miami gets the nod here. Other than one blowout loss to the Bills, Miami has been a very tough team this year. Their defense has been very good so far, and has kept them in games. If Ryan Tannehill can play like he did week 2, this team has a shot at taking a wild card in the AFC. If he gives up four picks a game like he did against Buffalo, then this team will plummet in the rankings fast. Personally, I believe the second case.
Reason for optimism- The defense has been solid up and down, and Jordan Cameron is on pace for 1500 yards.
Reason for concern- Tannehill has to get on form. He faces a weak Jets defense this week and a bye after that, but in the four games after the bye he faces 3 top 10 teams in Tennessee, New England and Buffalo. The Dolphins will likely have to win two out of those three to make the playoffs.
11) Minnesota Vikings (2-1) - Adrian Peterson has carried this team to the top of the NFC North. Can he stay healthy while Bridgewater develops?
12) Arizona Cardinals (2-1) - A stifling defense has carried an anemic offense. Can Carson Palmer jumpstart things fast enough to catch the Seahawks and the 49ers?
13) Kansas City Chiefs (2-1) - Alex Smith has let the Chiefs pace Jamaal Charles, with only 50 carries from Charles so far. Will their limit on early season carries pay off later with Charles having fresh legs in the late season stretch?
14) Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2) - Their two losses have both come from undefeated, top 5 teams, and both were by a touchdown or less. However, they needed to blow out the 0-3 Rams to prove they are a threat to Cincinnati, and they didn't.
15) Dallas Cowboys (1-2) - The team is falling like a rock after a record-setting win week 1. They could go into the bye at 3-2 or 1-4. Their season will be decided in the next two weeks.
16) Washington Redskins (2-1) - They own the 5th best scoring defense, while being 16th in defensive yards. Is it luck keeping the opponents off the board, or are the yards coming in garbage time?
17) Oakland Raiders (2-1) - This Derek Carr-Amari Cooper connection could be very good for a long time. If their defense tightens up, this could be a surprise playoff team.
18) Indianapolis Colts (1-2) - A terrible start to the season has the Colts reeling. Can Andrew Luck bounce back before the Titans are too far ahead?
19) Detroit Lions (1-2) - Who would have thought that the Lions defense would be carrying them so far? Matthew Stafford has been simply terrible.
20) Chicago Bears (1-2) - Since winning week 1, the Bears have been blown out twice. They can put yards on the board, but can they figure out how to convert those yards into points?
21) New Orleans Saints (0-2-1) - We can't rank them higher due to being winless, but this team has played better than their record shows. Can they outscore Romo and get their first win this week?
22) Philadelphia Eagles (1-2) - Did anyone really think Sam Bradford would stay healthy? An ugly 4 interception game from Mark Sanchez has fans begging for Tim Tebow.
23) San Diego Chargers (1-2) - Melvin Gordon has been playing well, but the team has only given him 36 attempts. Will they try to pound the ball against their next three opponents, all of whom have bottom-10 rush defenses?
24) Denver Broncos (1-2) - It feels painful to rank Peyton Manning this low, but this team has suffered as Peyton experiences his worst season since his rookie year.
25) Green Bay Packers (1-2) Brett Hundley had no idea he'd be the only QB in Green Bay, but after a career-ending injury to Aaron Rodgers, he's been thrust in. He's performed admirably, but the rest of the team hasn't.
26) Cleveland Browns (1-2) Owners of one of the worst offenses in the league, the Browns defense has played very well. One has to wonder how much more time Johnny Manziel gets- he's been (almost) the worst QB in football.
27) New York Jets (1-2) The absolute worst offense in the league, the Jets can't decide if Geno Smith or Ryan Fitzpatrick is the answer. Bryce Petty has yet to get his shot, but if the other two can't step up, he may get some snaps.
28) Baltimore Ravens (0-3) - The best of the 0-3 teams, the Ravens have simply been outmuscled on defense. Joe Flacco is trying, but he can't keep up with other teams scoring.
29) St. Louis Rams (0-3) - Victims of injuries, the Rams lost Nick Fairley for the year and Nick FOles for the next 4 weeks at least. The defense has a lot of questions, but Todd Gurley has been a bright spot.
30) New York Giants (0-3) - After Eli Manning's injury, Ryan Nassib has been battling Johnny Manziel for worst QB in football. Manziel has thrown a touchdown- Nassib hasn't, and he leads the league in picks. One would hope that Eli's return would turn the ship around, but the defense is the absolute worst in football- ranked 32nd across the board.
31) Jacksonville Jaguars (0-3) Growing pains have been painful for Blake Bortles. However, his offensive line has protected him- no sacks so far. Dante Fowler has been the lone bright spot on defense, with 3 sacks.
32) Houston Texans (0-3) - No one wants to be the worst team in football, but if you average less than a touchdown per game, that's what happens. Ryan Mallett and Matt Flynn have combined for 2 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, and both have completion percentages under 44 percent.
Way-too-early playoff and award picks
AFC East- New England
AFC North- Cincinanti
AFC West- Kansas City
AFC South- Tennessee
Wild Card 1- Buffalo
Wild Card 2- Oakland
NFC East- Washington
NFC North- Detroit
NFC West- Seattle
NFC South- Carolina
Wild Card 1- San Francisco
Wild Card 2- Atlanta
AFC Championship- Patriots over Titans
NFC Championship- 49ers over Seahawks
Super Bowl- Patriots over 49ers
MVP
1) LeSean McCoy, BUF
2) Rob Gronkowski, NE
3) Matt Ryan, ATL
4) Adrian Peterson, MIN
5) Marshawn Lynch, SEA
Offensive Rookie of the Year
1) Marcus Mariota, TEN
2) Jamies Winston, TB
3) Tevin Coleman, ATL
4) Melvin Gordon, SD
5) Brett Hundley, GB
Defenseive Rookie of the Year
1) Dante Fowler, JAC
2) Trae Waynes, MIN
3) Marcus Peters, KC
4) Hau'oli Kikaha, NO
5) Stephone Anthony, NO