NFL Week 7 Power Rankings

Five Quick Hits

* The Hall of Fame released the nominees for 2005 this week. My list of 13 finalists to join the Seniors candidates: Dan Marino, Steve Young, Herschel Walker, Art Monk, Todd Christensen, Bob Kuechenberg, Harry Carson, Randy Gradishar, Kevin Greene, Derrick Thomas, Roger Wehrli, Don Coryell, and George Young.

* This year's MLB League Championship Games were incredible. That's why we love sports.

* Daunte Culpepper. Byron Leftwich. Donovan McNabb. What was that you were saying about black QBs, Rush [Limbaugh]?

* For the second week in a row, Jim Nantz called a reverse an end around. If he read my column, maybe Nantz wouldn't make embarrassing mistakes on national television.

* Jerry Rice should not be wearing 80 in Seattle. That jersey should always mean Steve Largent.

I frequently criticize television stations and their analysts in this column, often singling out my local FOX and CBS affiliates for showing the worst possible games. This week, though, we got Philadelphia/Cleveland, one of the best games I've seen all year, followed by the Patriots and Jets on CBS and Packers/Cowboys on FOX. I was terrified that CBS wasn't going to show the Pats game in my area, but the overtime thriller in Cleveland turned out to be the real gem.

Philadelphia penalties kept the Browns in it longer than they should have been, but Cleveland did not look like a 3-4 team. The home team played with inspiration, fire, and guts. Jeff Garcia finally seems to be getting some respect again, so I won't belabor the obvious, but he really led his team through the game, and reminded me of no one so much as John Elway.

The announcers got off to a poor start when Sam Rosen misidentified the active player on each of the first two plays from scrimmage, and Bill Maas used the term "blue-collar" at least 70 or 80 times. Why are fullbacks always "blue-collar", anyway? Also, and this isn't just Rosen/Maas, "mano y mano" literally means "hand and hand". The correct term is "mano a mano", which means, "hand against hand". Like fighting.

Three particularly noteworthy plays stood out to me. One was a long pass with 3:49 left in the third quarter. McNabb threw an incomplete pass to Todd Pinkston in tight coverage, and Pinkston went down. No flag was thrown. Right call. Receivers are getting as bad as soccer players.

On third-and-20 with 6:29 remaining in regulation, Garcia scrambled to his right before throwing the ball away. Again, this might seem like a routine play, but the Browns were down seven and time was starting to become a factor in the game. Garcia could have sprinted out of the pocket and tossed the ball over everyone's head, but he waited until he was completely trapped between the sideline and an oncoming defender, looking all over the field before he gave up on the play. Nothing was there, but that's the kind of play that makes a difference between people like Tim Couch and Garcia.

When Garcia ran for the tying score six minutes later, RB Lee Suggs was originally a receiver on the play. He saw Garcia pull the ball down to run, though, and immediately started looking for someone to block. When he finally found someone, he pulled up and watched his quarterback run it in, because the block he was about to deliver was to a defender's back, and would have nullified the touchdown if an official caught him. Little things that make a great player.

A great game, but they played 13 others this week, too, so let's go on to Week 7's power rankings. As always, brackets show last week's rank.

1. New England Patriots [2] -- Last week's column noted that New England has "a talent I have never seen before ... The Patriots play to the level of their opponents, +7". A talent that isn't unique historically to Bill Belichick's Pats, but is unparalleled in today's game, is New England's ball control. I don't just mean turnovers or time of possession. The Patriots just seem to control the whole flow of the game, and in critical situations, it seems like the ball is always in Tom Brady's hands. Corey Dillon's addition to the team is a major factor. It's amazing that the Patriots were able to accomplish what they did last season without a legitimate running game.

2. Philadelphia Eagles [1] -- Winning the coin toss in overtime isn't much better than a loss. The Patriots have beaten two good teams in a row, and the Eagles seem to be slumping (relatively speaking), so New England assumes the top position. The NFL should fine Terrell Owens for ripping down a fan's sign. On a different note, I have seldom been as worried watching football, as I was when Jason Short was lying on the ground unconscious. Short's injury turned out to be far less serious than it initially appeared, and he is listed as questionable for next week's game, but I feel like it's important to note that a lot of people breathed a sigh of relief when we saw Short moving.

3. Indianapolis Colts [3] -- A tough division loss to Jacksonville drops the Colts to 4-2, but I still think they're one of the three best teams in the NFL, maybe even the best. Indianapolis reminds me of the Packers in 1996. Green Bay had clearly become one of the dominant teams in the NFL, but they could never get past the Cowboys. In '96, though, the Panthers upset Dallas in the divisional round, Green Bay beat Carolina, and the Packers won the Super Bowl. If someone else is kind enough to beat New England in the playoffs, the Colts are my pick to win it all.

4. Minnesota Vikings [4] -- Mewelde Moore was the star against Tennessee, but Culpepper managed an efficient game, completing 80% of his passes (mostly for short gains) with no turnovers. If the MVP award was given out in October, Culpepper would probably be my choice. But he's not going to break any of Dan Marino's records.

5. New York Jets [6] -- Curtis Martin has more career rushing yards (12,352) than Jim Brown (12,312). Of course, Brown still leads Martin in rushing TDs (106-79), total TDs (126-88), rushing average (5.22 - 4.01), rushing yards per game (104.3 - 84.6), 100-yard games (58-41), 200-yard games (4-1), Pro Bowls (9-4), All-Pro seasons (8-1), and seasons leading the league in rushing yards (8-0). In Martin's best season, 2001, he ran for 1,513 yards, 10 TDs, and a 4.5 average in 16 games. He was named second-team All-Pro, behind Marshall Faulk, Priest Holmes, and Ahman Green. In Brown's best season, 1963, he ran for 1,863 yards, 12 TDs, and a 6.4 average in 14 games. He was named league MVP by United Press (which at the time was more prestigious than AP) and his closest competitor finished 845 yards back. Nothing against Martin, but I want to give some context to the numbers you see on television.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers [7] -- I know there's a lot of season left, but I would like to remind readers that before the season started, I several times mentioned Pittsburgh as a surprise team that would contend for its division. All my predictions on individual games are going wrong (most recently, Giants/Lions), and mentioning things like this make me feel better.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars [12] -- A victory over the Colts clearly establishes this team as one of the best in the NFL. The Jags beat red-hot Kansas City last week. A balanced attack hung 27 points on the vulnerable Indianapolis defense this week, and superior special teams contributed to a three-point victory that counts in the standings every bit as much as KC's 46-point margin over the Falcons.

8. Denver Broncos [5] -- I've often been tempted to turn off the sound so I didn't have to listen to bad announcers. This Monday I had no choice. My television wouldn't get sound on ABC, so I watched the game in total silence. It actually affected commercials more than the game. I have no idea what was going on in some of the ads, but I know a terrible throw by Jake Plummer when I see one. Champ Bailey, contrary to the hype both before and after the game, is not the best or second-best CB in the league.

9. Kansas City Chiefs [20] -- Sandwiching a close loss to Jacksonville between a convincing win over Baltimore and their 56-10 explosion against Atlanta does little to hurt KC's case that it remains one of the league's most potent offenses and best teams. A little more consistency would certainly be encouraging, but the Chiefs appear to be for real. The over/under for next week's game against Indy will probably be about 200, but that kind of game always ends up being 20-13 for some reason. Take the over anyway.

10. Baltimore Ravens [10] -- My friend the Ravens fan mentioned how great B.J. Sams is. I don't see it. He's a good returner, certainly, but Baltimore's blockers opened huge holes for him on both of his TD returns this season. Sams doesn't create things the way Dante Hall did last year, or Brian Mitchell did in the 1990s. They're hurting at offensive tackle. Jon Ogden, the best player on the team, is likely to miss next week's matchup in Philadelphia, and Orlando Brown is playing with a broken finger. Ogden's absence is a major factor, which is why the Ravens are behind the Chiefs. Based on the Week 1 game Ogden missed against Cleveland, Baltimore should probably be behind the Cardinals.

11. Detroit Lions [14] -- They got to Kurt Warner early and often, netting six sacks, three forced fumbles, and an interception. Kevin Jones averaged five yards per carry, Joey Harrington completed over 80% of his passes, and Roy Williams made a circus catch in the end zone. The Lions have beaten 3-3 Houston, 5-2 Atlanta, and the 4-2 Giants. And they're 3-0 on the road heading into a winnable game at Dallas.

12. New York Giants [8] -- Tiki Barber is probably the most explosive offensive player this side of Michael Vick, but Tom Coughlin's offense is too Tiki-centric. Utilizing your best player is one thing, but if the coach doesn't get his wide receivers and tight ends involved in the offense, the Giants are going to struggle moving the ball.

13. Houston Texans [15] -- This is the third AFC South team in the rankings, and we're not even halfway done. Put Houston in the NFC West and it would make the postseason. In the AFC, that doesn't seem likely. The Texans are a young team and the blocks are in place. They should be fun to watch for years -- and next year, they'll actually have nationally televised games, so you'll be able to watch them.

14. San Diego Chargers [16] -- Keenan McCardell had an immediate impact, catching five passes and leading the Chargers with 65 receiving yards. I notice no one talks about benching Drew Brees any more. If San Diego hadn't given up on him after three seasons, they wouldn't be in the awkward situation of having to get rid of Brees so that Philip Rivers can play. Then again, that sort of thing is working so well for Carson Palmer and Jon Kitna in Cincinnati.

15. Atlanta Falcons [11] -- This ranking might be a little generous, and I'm sure Packers fans don't appreciate it. In the last three weeks, Atlanta has lost to the Lions, beaten San Diego by one after trailing for most of the game, and lost 56-10 to a team with a losing record, giving up 36 first downs and a league-record eight rushing TDs in the process. A 32-yard run by your QB doesn't make up for that.

16. Green Bay Packers [19] -- It's long past time for commentators to stop awarding Nobel Prizes to quarterbacks who block. I think it was Tom Jackson, usually excellent, who I heard refer to Brett Favre's recent concussion in glorifying Favre's block this Sunday. Linemen and defenders hit the field a month after sustaining concussions, too, and they hit someone on every play. Furthermore, Favre used a cutblock (expertly delivered), which minimizes the impact on your head and frame. None of the overpraising is Favre's fault, but the fact is that anyone in the NFL should block if a teammate is running in his direction.

17. Cleveland Browns [18] -- On a day during which Browns RBs William Green and Lee Suggs exposed Philadelphia's run defense, FOX did a short feature on Cleveland's great running tandem of ... Earnest Byner and Kevin Mack. That pair ran for over 1,000 yards each in 1985, but I kind of thought the feature might include Hall of Famers Jim Brown and Bobby Mitchell (the greatest RB tandem in NFL history, from where I'm sitting), or Leroy Kelly and Ernie Green, or Greg Pruitt and Mike Pruitt, maybe even Marion Motley and Dub Jones. Nope, just Byner and Mack.

18. St. Louis Rams [13] -- NFC West teams are 0-4 against opponents from outside the NFC's junior varsity South and West divisions. The South isn't much better at 4-10. The 4-3 Rams haven't beaten anyone with a winning record.

19. Seattle Seahawks [9] -- Seattle opened this season 3-0 on the strength of its defense, allowing seven, six, and zero points, respectively, in those three games. Since then, the Seahawks have been torched for 33, 30, and 25, most recently against a Cardinals team that scores less than its baseball counterparts in St. Louis and was 29th in total offense before facing Seattle. Matt Hasselbeck, who threw four INTs, including one returned for a score, should probably take some responsibility, too. He played about as badly as someone can without being Ryan Leaf.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers [23] -- A different team than we saw at the beginning of the season. I like Brad Johnson, but his benching appears to have been the catalyst. Playing the Bears helps, too.

21. New Orleans Saints [24] -- Amazingly, the winner of their game at Oakland was bound to emerge with three wins. The Saints have beaten 1-5 San Francisco, 4-3 St. Louis, and 2-5 Oakland by a combined 11 points, including three scored in overtime against the Rams. I think it is very unlikely that Jim Haslett will coach this team next season.

22. Arizona Cardinals [28] -- They should probably be ahead of New Orleans, but I've already gotten burned by trusting the Bengals, and I'm not going to make the same mistake with Arizona.

23. Dallas Cowboys [17] -- They look awful, don't they? Troy Aikman mentioned that Dallas acts like a 5-11 team, not one that went to the playoffs last season. I think that sums things up nicely.

24. Buffalo Bills [25] -- My friends know I've been calling Drew Bledsoe overrated since the late 1990s. Loyal readers may even remember that my first column for SC, more than two years ago -- before Bledsoe had ever played a down in a Buffalo uniform -- made the same claim. I think I stand vindicated.

25. San Francisco 49ers [27] -- Steve Young is a slam-dunk for the Hall of Fame. He'll make it despite this year's crowded field. Roger Craig and Charles Haley fall just a little short. Key players on San Francisco championship teams, but the show would have gone on without them. Fred Dean had some nice years, but I don't consider him a real serious candidate. Dean deserves to be nominated, though. I'm not sure why Brent Jones is on the list.

26. Carolina Panthers [21] -- The Chargers held them to six points, and Carolina has scored the fewest points in the NFL so far this season. Jake Delhomme has had back-to-back terrible games. It's sad to see a team drop so far so quickly.

27. Tennessee Titans [22] -- Injuries are piling up, and there simply aren't adequate replacements on the roster. That can actually be a blessing in disguise. When good teams finish with bad records, they get early draft picks. If Steve McNair has another All-Pro season in him, the Titans could be a good bet in 2005. This season, however, they're toast.

28. Oakland Raiders [26] -- Last in the league in point differential (-57), and now that Miami has won, they're tied with Carolina for the longest active losing streak (4) in the NFL. They should probably be lower than this, but I don't have anyone to move up.

29. Cincinnati Bengals [31] -- Watching the game with no sound, I missed Michele Tafoya's sideline reporting -- she's the best of a bad bunch -- but I also really noticed how pretty she is. I also proved to be a surprisingly adept lip-reader, which solved my biggest worry: that I wouldn't be able to tell what was going on with penalties. Will I intentionally leave the sound off in the future? No. Did I miss it for MNF? No, I didn't.

30. Washington Redskins [29] -- This offseason, I relentlessly criticized the personnel, especially on defense and the offensive line. I was wrong about the defense. It's been spectacular. The offense has been worse than I imagined, worse than Steve Spurrier's. I picked them to finish 7-9 before the season began, but Washington will be lucky to win four more games this year, never mind five.

31. Miami Dolphins [32] -- Jay Fiedler is no one's Marino or Bob Griese, but when you watch Miami play, you can tell the team respects and responds to him. What Fiedler has that A.J. Feeley does not is leadership. Fiedler walks out there and his teammates won't stop fighting. He may not have a ton of natural talent, and sometimes he'll make bone-headed decisions like throwing directly to an opposing LB, but he's got that "something" quarterbacks need.

32. Chicago Bears [30] -- Exactly 77 years before their recent loss to Tampa Bay, Bronko Nagurski ran for a three-yard touchdown and the Bears beat the Lions 28-20 en route to a league-best 9-1-1 record. Happier days for a proud franchise.