Five Quick Hits
* Jason Witten this week passed Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome for third-most receptions ever by a tight end. I don't think people realize how consistent Witten has been, or what a great career he's already had.
* With his three-day goatee, Lions coach Jim Schwartz looks like a Bond villain. "No, I expect you to die, Mr. Harbaugh Bond."
* Denver's defense is quite bad, but rookie linebacker Von Miller is having a nice season, with 8 sacks and 2 forced fumbles.
* I like Mike Tirico (best play-by-play man in the NFL), and I know he cares about doing a good job, so it just amazes me every time he adds 17 yards to the spot on the field when calculating a field goal. It's 18, Mike. The snap goes back 8 yards.
* FOX has got to be kicking itself right now for not showing the Ben Henderson vs. Clay Guida fight. What a great advertisement for the UFC that would have been.
***
I hate it when television networks move their studio shows to the stadium. I hate it a lot. I have no idea what it's supposed to add to the viewer's experience. The announcers are already there, as well as (usually) a sideline reporter, so why fly your studio team out to somewhere no one can hear them? Doing the whole show on-site just gives drunken homers a chance to shout down the analysts, and guys who make Forrest Gump look like Albert Einstein repeatedly wave or pose for the camera.
NFL Network's live broadcast from San Diego, totally inaudible at times, highlighted all the reasons not to do your show at the stadium. The whole broadcast, actually, was sub-standard, but this nonsense about going on-site has just got to end. Maybe it works in college; I don't know. In the NFL, it's never a good thing. On to this week's power rankings, brackets indicate last week's rank.
1. Green Bay Packers [1] — Aaron Rodgers leads the NFL in passer rating (an obscene 130.7). Tom Brady is second (102.0). Rodgers' lowest passer rating in any game this season was 111.4, at Chicago in Week 3. His worst rating of the season would still rank first in the NFL. This was his third straight week with a rating over 140, a unique accomplishment. Rodgers' TD/INT differential (+25) is equal to that of the second- and third-best QBs combined (Brady, +13, and Drew Brees or Matthew Stafford, +12 each).
2. San Francisco 49ers [3] — Last season, the 49ers ranked 16th in points allowed, 13th in yards allowed, and tied for 25th in takeaways — basically average, despite an incredibly weak schedule. This season, playing an improved schedule, they're 1st, 12th, and 1st. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman rightfully fussed over Patrick Willis on Sunday, but you know who led the Niners in tackles? NaVorro Bowman. How many times did you even hear his name, much less elegies about his speed and tackling? Bowman, who had 11 solo tackles and 4 assists against the Giants, leads the NFC in tackles and leads the NFL in solo tackles. Frank Gore jacked his knee and missed the end of the game this week, but the injury reportedly is not serious, and he's expected to play in Week 11.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers [4] — I agree with Ryan Clark. The NFL's policies on player protection are a joke. If you're really working for player safety, you don't need to look like you're trying to protect players. The NFL is not making an earnest effort in that area, so it frequently takes public action to create the illusion that the league cares. If you care about player safety, the solution is easy: suspend and eject players who commit flagrant offenses, and don't take any action against those who play the way they're supposed to. The fundamental problem is that the league punishes accidental fouls (and occasionally clean hits) the same way it treats deliberate head-hunting. So there's little incentive for players not to go head-hunting: the punishment is the same, and no one gets suspended or ejected for anything short of an actual punch.
If the league is going to fine guys like Clark tens of thousands of dollars for playing football the way it has always been played, he might as well go Jack Tatum in there and aim for the kill. The NFL never takes any meaningful action against dirty players unless they talk to the media about it, in which case threats abound. Pathetic. Everything that comes out of the league office just oozes contempt for the players. The league's supposed safety measures are totally cosmetic, a P.R. exercise by an organization too busy patting itself on the back to actually do anything about a legitimate problem.
4. Chicago Bears [7] — Jay Cutler is obviously pleased to have Earl Bennett back (6 rec, 81 yds), but this win was all about the defense, which created 5 turnovers. Major Wright and Peanut Tillman both returned interceptions for touchdowns, and Devin Hester added another touchdown on special teams, so Chicago's offense (1 TD) won't be bragging in practice this week. The Bears have won four in a row and scored at least 30 points in three of those.
5. New England Patriots [5] — Huge games, obviously, from Andre Carter (4.5 sacks) and Rob Ninkovich (2 INT, TD). But Cris Collinsworth couldn't stop talking about these no-name players showing up out of the blue, and this is what I was talking about when I named Carter the most underrated DE of the last decade. He's in the top 10 among active players in career sacks (75), and with 9 already, he's well on his way to his fourth season of double-digit sacks. I know he's never stomped on anybody's face, or been a healthy scratch because of his bad attitude and poor conditioning, but Carter has had a better career than Albert Haynesworth, who made much bigger headlines when they both left Washington for New England this offseason.
6. New Orleans Saints [8] — Last four games against Atlanta have all been decided by a field goal, twice in overtime. The Saints won their latest meeting partly thanks to an unusual decision by the Falcons (see below), but it's not the first time this series has had a play-call controversy. Last season, in Week 3, there was almost a mirror experience. The game went into overtime, and New Orleans, playing at home, attempted a field goal on first down rather than going for the end zone or trying to improve field position. The kick missed, and the Falcons eventually won. The Saints have a bye in Week 11, then four of the last six games are at home, where the team is 4-0 this season.
7. Houston Texans [9] — I had them ranked 4th before the news of Matt Schaub's injury. Schaub is a top-10 QB, and it's tough to imagine the team will be nearly as effective with Matt Leinart. Yards per completion is a fun statistic that can serve as a general "degree of difficulty" barometer for quarterbacks. It's skewed, of course, by plays like Arian Foster's 78-yard TD, but in general, a high yds/comp figure indicates a quarterback who throws downfield, whereas a low mark suggests that the player throws a lot of those annoying bubble screens along the line of scrimmage. Top 8 yds/comp, 2011 to date: Schaub (13.9), Rodgers, Eli Manning, Kevin Kolb (!), Cam Newton, Ben Roethlisberger, Brady, Philip Rivers. Bottom 4: Colt McCoy (10.1), Josh Freeman, Matt Cassel, John Beck.
Houston ranks in the NFL's top 10 in offensive yardage, points, yards allowed, and points allowed. The only other team among the top 10 in all four categories? Dallas. Neil Rackers missed a 37-yard field goal and had an extra point blocked in Week 10.
8. Baltimore Ravens [2] — Bring their best against the Steelers, but now have three puzzling losses to mediocre opponents. The Ravens are 4-0 at home, just 2-3 on the road. Ray Rice, who averaged 80 rushing yards per game in the first five, has averaged just 40 in the last four. Rice only carried 5 times this week, and he just has to be a bigger part of the game plan. Special teams were a problem against the Seahawks, with returner David Reed losing two fumbles and getting called for unsportsmanlike conduct. Even on a good play, a punt that pinned Seattle at the 3-yard line, Edgar Jones desperately groped for the ball while he was in the end zone, which would have created a touchback. Not an impressive week for this team.
9. Atlanta Falcons [12] — I'm a pretty big advocate of going for it on fourth down. I think coaches go with the "safe" option to punt or try a short field goal far too often, settling for close losses when they should go for the win. But I believe Mike Smith made the wrong decision on Sunday. If you don't pick up the first down, you almost guarantee the loss; New Orleans' chance of scoring from that field position had to be over 90%. Even if you get the half a yard, you're still at your own 30-yard line, needing a lot more before you're in position for the win.
I've heard some people compare this to Bill Belichick going for it against the Colts in '09, but I don't buy the comparison. The Patriots were up by 6 with 2:08 left, and the fourth down play ran the clock down to the two-minute warning. You make that first down, the game is over: the Patriots had a lot more to gain than the Falcons did. They also had less to lose. Whereas New Orleans only needed a field goal and was basically in range immediately, the Colts still had to score a touchdown. Turning the ball over inside your own 30-yard line is a much bigger deal when a field goal loses the game. I supported Belichick's decision, but not Coach Smith's.
10. New York Giants [13] — I frequently rip Eli Manning, and the amount of media coverage he gets is totally out of proportion to his actual level of play. But Eli made some great throws on Sunday, including a few that were positively Peyton-esque. Eli is having probably his best season, but the spectre of his annual December collapse looms ahead. I can't think of another player who so reliably regresses in the last month of the season.
11. New York Jets [10] — First home loss of the season. The Jets travel to Denver in Week 11 for Thursday Night Football, and it could be trouble. They're 1-3 on the road, and Denver is not the easiest place for opponents to play, especially on a short week. The limited practice also matters because Denver runs such an unusual offense; you'd like extra preparation. And while the Jets have a reputation as a great defensive team, the reality is that they're only great at pass defense; they're vulnerable against the run, which is all Denver really does. And after the emotion of the Sunday night game against a major rival, what will they have left for the Broncos?
12. Dallas Cowboys [16] — Largest margin of victory in 11 years. This was a dominant win, so it's no good trying to single out the heroes, but Dallas would be crazy to put Felix Jones back in a starring role when he returns from injury. DeMarco Murray should be the featured back, getting 20-25 touches every game. He's rushed for over 600 yards in the last four weeks, topping 130 three times.
13. Detroit Lions [6] — Worst third-down percentage in the NFL (28%). Detroit has lost three of its last four, scoring under 20 points in each of the losses. Calvin Johnson is a phenomenal weapon, but the Lions need more ways to threaten opposing defenses. Matthew Stafford threw as many interceptions (4) in Week 10 as in the previous eight games combined.
14. Cincinnati Bengals [11] — I know they lost, but its remarkable how little people are talking about the beating they laid on Ben Roethlisberger: 13 hits, including 5 sacks. Bad news: CB Leon Hall, who intercepted one pass on Sunday and knocked down two more, left the game just before halftime with what turned out to be a torn Achilles. He'll miss the rest of the season.
15. Buffalo Bills [14] — Lost three of their last four, the most recent both ugly (combined 71-18). Stevie Johnson, who had only 8 yards this week, hasn't had a 100-yard game all season, and only has 1 TD in the last six games. The Bills are 4-1 at home (including 1-0 in Toronto), just 1-3 on the road.
16. Tennessee Titans [23] — Chris Johnson finally had a breakout game, posting season-highs for rushing yards (130) and average (4.8), including a 25-yard run in the fourth quarter. He added 4 receptions for 44 yards. The defense totally controlled Cam Newton and the rest of the Panthers, and Marc Mariani added a 79-yard punt return TD on special teams. The Titans are quietly 5-4 and in playoff contention.
17. Oakland Raiders [21] — Won in the trenches. The offensive line pushed San Diego around all night, and Kamerion Wimbley (4 sacks) just ruined Brandyn Dombrowski after Charger tackle Marcus McNeill left the game with an injury. Carson Palmer seems to be settling into the offense with remarkable alacrity. Statistical oddity: the Raiders have scored exactly 24 points in three of their last four games. They're probably the favorite, right now, to win this unpredictable and unimpressive division.
18. Philadelphia Eagles [15] — Multiple injuries, but a good team doesn't lose to the Cardinals at home, no matter who's hurt. The Eagles are one of three teams that just wrapped up a three-game homestand, the others being Kansas City and Carolina. All three teams went 1-2. It'll be interesting to see what DeSean Jackson's role is going forward. Inactive on Sunday because of on-field performance declines and off-field attitude problems, Jackson needs to step up with Michael Vick and Jeremy Maclin both banged up. Jackson is unhappy about his contract, and I don't necessarily blame him, but I wouldn't touch the guy in free agency. He's not reliable.
19. Arizona Cardinals [26] — Played pretty well over the last month, going 2-2 with the losses to Pittsburgh and Baltimore. No shame in those. It's tough to tell if John Skelton has provided a spark on offense, or if he's just had favorable matchups against the reeling Eagles and Rams, but certainly he's gotten Larry Fitzgerald involved, and that's something this team has to do. Defensive lineman Calais Campbell, who came up with his first career interception this weekend, is having a fine season. Campbell has surpassed Darnell Dockett as the premier defensive player on the team.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers [19] — Albert Haynesworth started against Houston, registering 4 tackles and an assist, plus blocking an extra point. Not bad, but Tampa still allowed 268 yards before halftime. The Bucs have lost four of their last five, by an average score of 31-14. Josh Freeman threw 3 interceptions against Houston, dropping his passer rating to 72.6 (28th in the NFL). This after last year's 95.9 rating ranked 6th. Freeman's 13 INTs in 2011 are more than twice as many he gave away last season (6).
Tampa is tied for 29th in the NFL in point differential (-77) and could easily rank lower than this.
21. Minnesota Vikings [20] — Did a nice job of getting pressure on Aaron Rodgers, and a poor job of everything else. Christian Ponder showed veteran poise at times, but it's tough to evaluate the kid with such a mediocre receiving corps. Michael Jenkins, the former Falcon, leads Minnesota in receiving yards (411) and touchdowns (3). If Jenkins played for Green Bay, those same stats would rank 4th and 5th on the team, respectively.
22. Jacksonville Jaguars [24] — One of only four defenses allowing under 300 yards per game. The offense is pathetic, Maurice Jones-Drew and a prayer, but this defense is good enough that the Jags can be competitive. Worst sack percentage in the NFL:
1. John Beck, 10.2%
2. Blaine Gabbert, 9.8%
3. Matt Moore, 9.7%
In case you were wondering, David Carr Tim Tebow would be at the "top" of the list (11.8%), except he hasn't thrown enough passes to qualify. Among the 33 QBs with at least 120 attempts, Gabbert ranks last in completion percentage (47.9%), yards per attempt (5.3), and passer rating (63.6). Beck will drop out of the qualifiers next week, so Gabbert will probably take over last place in sack percentage, as well.
23. San Diego Chargers [18] — Mounting injury problems don't excuse their 0-4 record since the bye. The offensive line is a train wreck, and the defensive front seven isn't much better, but everyone has injuries at this point in the season, and not everyone collapses under them. San Diego's offense is playing tentatively, like it's psyched out, and the team doesn't win close games. Almost every year, we hear about the Chargers underachieving, but maybe they're just not very good.
24. Denver Broncos [25] — The last time a team attempted only 8 passes in a game was 2008, when the Patriots and Bills played in winds so severe that neither team threw into the wind in the first half. The last time a team completed only 2 passes was 2009, twice. The Titans went 2-for-14 in their 59-0 loss to New England, and the Browns were 2-for-17 in a 6-3 victory over Buffalo. Eric Crouch Tim Tebow obviously doesn't have NFL skills as a passer, but his decision-making has been reasonably sound, with only one interception in 105 attempts.
25. Kansas City Chiefs [17] — Rollercoaster season: three losses, four wins, two ugly losses. The Chiefs went 2/11 on third downs against Denver. Matt Cassel is expected to miss most or all of the remaining games with an injured throwing hand; Tyler Palko replaces him. For the love of all that is beautiful, don't pick up Palko for your fantasy team.
26. Seattle Seahawks [29] — Kicker Steven Hauschka made five field goals against his former team, and Marshawn Lynch delivered another big week, with 167 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown. Seattle overcame 13 penalties for 100 yards and 4 Baltimore first downs to break a three-game losing streak. Did anyone else think it was messed up that NBC's Dan Patrick mocked Kam Chancellor after he suffered a concussion? Let's see how you act after one of those, tough guy.
27. Carolina Panthers [22] — On average, they out-gain opponents by 39 yards per game but get outscored by 5.2 points per game. Why? Turnovers (-4) and special teams. The Panthers' return units are terrible, especially Armanti Edwards on punt returns. They can't cover kicks, either, yielding 3 punt return TDs and a 28.3 kickoff return average.
28. Miami Dolphins [28] — Defense has come around since the Week 1 thrashing from Tom Brady, and now allows under 20 points per game, 8th-best in the NFL. Against Washington, Karlos Dansby finished with 9 solo tackles, a sack, a batted pass, and an interception, probably his best game as a Dolphin.
29. St. Louis Rams [31] — Steven Jackson's efforts on a team with no other offense to speak of are pretty impressive.
30. Cleveland Browns [27] — Lined up for a go-ahead 22-yard field goal attempt with 2:13 left, but the snap was bad and the kick sailed, and they lost to the Rams. The Browns host Jacksonville in Week 11. The NFL's last zero-zero tie was Giants at Lions in 1943.
31. Washington Redskins [30] — Arguing about who should start at quarterback is ridiculous. Rex Grossman is worst in the NFL in TD/INT differential (-5) and he repeatedly leads his receivers into nasty hits by the defense. I wouldn't want to catch passes from him. John Beck is worst in the NFL in sack percentage (10.2%) and touchdown percentage (1.5%), his indecision as great a weakness as Grossman's unmerited confidence. Beck went 0-3 as starter against teams with a combined record of 15-12 (.556), Grossman 3-3 against teams who have combined to go 21-33 (.389). I don't think it matters who's throwing the passes; they both stink and the team is awful. Parting with Donovan McNabb was a mistake, and it was cowardly last season to let him be the scapegoat on a team that simply didn't have much talent.
32. Indianapolis Colts [32] — Average time of possession this season is 24:36. Yes, the Colts lose time of possesion by an average of almost 11 minutes.
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