1. Seattle
Seahawks (12-2) Last
Week: 1
The Seahawks blanked the Giants 23-0 in a possible Super Bowl rehearsal at MetLife Stadium.
Not only did the Seahawks’ victory put the club within a win from clinching
home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, the shutout also made 12 lucky people $35,000 richer in accordance to a promotion provided by Jet Chevrolet, a car dealership in Federal Way, Washington.
2. Denver
Broncos (11-3) Last
Week: 2
The Broncos accumulated season-lows in points (20), yards (295), and first-downs (19) in
their home loss to the Chargers. This defeat proved how beatable the Broncos
are when their offense does not dominate the game. The defense must improve for
Denver, which has surrendered 17 or more points in every game this season.
3. Carolina
Panthers (10-4) Last
Week: 5
Cam Newton accounted for just one TD—a 72-yard pass to DeAngelo Williams—in the Panthers’
30-20 victory of the Jets. This marked Newton’s 89th TD (including
passing and rushing) since entering the NFL in 2011, the second most touchdowns
for a player during his first three years in league history, trailing only Dan
Marino, who tallied 100 TD’s in his first three seasons…If the Panthers win
their final two games, they will earn the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in
the NFC playoffs.
4. San
Francisco 49ers (10-4) Last
Week: 6
The 49ers are playing their best football of the season, thanks in large part to QB
Colin Kaepernick, who completed 19 of 29 passes for 203 yards and two TD’s in the team's win over Tampa Bay.
5. New
England Patriots (10-4) Last
Week: 4
The Patriots wasted
a golden opportunity to seize control of the No. 1 seed in the AFC, losing in
devastating fashion to the playoff-hungry Miami Dolphins. However, no team in
the NFL has been ravished with more season-ending injuries to crucial players
(Vince Wilfork, Jerod Mayo, Sebastian Vollmer, Tommy Kelly, Rob Gronkowski)
than the Patriots, who have no reason to hang their heads after a hard-fought
defeat on the road.
6. Kansas
City Chiefs (11-3) Last
Week: 7
Jamaal Charles
scored a franchise-record five touchdowns to help clinch a postseason berth for
the Chiefs, a season after the club finished with the leagues-worst 2-14
record...If the Chiefs are able to win each of their final two games, they will
set the NFL-record for the largest win increase from one season to the next…The
Chiefs are the second team in NFL history to score 35+ points in the first half
in back-to-back games, according to ESPN
Stats & Information. The only club to accomplish this feat: the 2002
Chiefs. No other franchise has recorded 35+ first half points in consecutive
contests.
7. New
Orleans Saints (10-4) Last
Week: 3
The Saints’ road
woes (3-4 on the season) continued in their loss against the St. Louis Rams.
Unless they can upend the Panthers in Carolina, the Saints will likely have to
trek through the NFC playoffs away from the Superdome.
8. Chicago
Bears (8-6) Last
Week: 12
Jay Cutler was 5
for 7 for 71 yards with 2 touchdowns in the 4th quarter against the Browns,
posting a 99.2 QBR in the final period. Cutler's Total QBR in the 4th quarter
this season is now a league-best 95.2, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
9. Arizona
Cardinals (9-5) Last
Week: 10
The Cardinals surrendered 17 points in the final four minutes of regulation, but were able to
top the Titans in overtime, 37-34. The win kept Arizona’s playoff aspirations
afloat.
10. Miami
Dolphins (8-6) Last
Week: 14
Ryan Tannehill led the Dolphins on a game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter to propel his
squad to their most imposing victory of the season. He was 6-of-8 for
60 yards and a touchdown on the Dolphins’ clutch drive that won the game. Tannehill,
who threw for 312 yards with three touchdowns in the victory, has been red-hot in December,
posting eight touchdowns versus two interceptions to guide the Dolphins to a
perfect 3-0 mark in the final month of the regular season.
11. Philadelphia
Eagles (8-6) Last
Week: 9
The Eagles’
defense was one of the major components in their five-game winning streak.
However, the defense abandoned their strong play in their loss against the
Vikings, yielding a whopping 475 yards and 48 points.
12. Cincinnati
Bengals (9-5) Last
Week: 8
The Bengals were exposed on the national platform on “Sunday Night Football”, depicting why many
experts believe Cincinnati will be one-and-done in the postseason for the third
consecutive year.
13. Baltimore
Ravens (8-6) Last
Week: 15
Justin Tucker
saved the Ravens’ season for the second time in three weeks. After hitting five
field goals in a critical AFC North showdown on Thanksgiving night versus the
Steelers, Tucker was able to drill all six of his field goal attempts on “Monday
Night Football” against the Detroit Lions, including the game-winner from
61-yards out with 38 seconds left in regulation. Tucker became the fourth
player in NFL history to connect on a go-ahead field goal of 60 or more yards
in the final minute of the fourth quarter, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Tucker has now made
36 straight field goal attempts overall.
14. Indianapolis
Colts (9-5) Last Week: 13
Andrew Luck tossed two touchdown passes in the Colts’ 25-3 blowout victory over the hapless
Texans. Luck has 21 TD’s this season, becoming the fifth player in NFL history to
record 20 or more passing touchdowns in each of his first 2 seasons, according
to ESPN Stats & Information…Linebacker Roger Mathis forced a safety in the second half of their win. This
safety gave Mathis the Colts season record (16.5) and franchise record (108.0) for
sacks.
15. San
Diego Chargers (7-7) Last
Week: 16
The Chargers’
stunning upset over the Broncos kept their postseason hopes alive. Alas, the
Chargers must win-out and receive some help from other clubs to reach the
playoffs for the first time since 2009.
16. Green
Bay Packers (7-6-1) Last
Week: 18
The resolve of
these Packers is truly unbelievable. The no-quit Packers erased a 23-point
half-time deficit to shock the heavily favored Cowboys in Dallas. The Packers
defeated the Cowboys in Dallas for the first time since 1989 behind a resilient
showing by backup QB Matt Flynn, who threw four TD’s in the second half after
struggling mightily before intermission. The Packers’ defense completed the
comeback by intercepting Tony Romo twice in the final three minutes of
regulation. Sam Shields corralled the first interception, which led to the go
ahead TD run by Eddie Lacy. Tramon Williams picked off Romo on the ensuing
possession to wrap up the victory and keep the Packers alive in the wild NFC
playoff race.
17. Detroit
Lions (7-7) Last
Week: 11
The Lions
continued their season trend of self-inflicted punishment, committing eight
penalties and turning the ball over three times in a heart-breaking loss on “Monday
Night Football” versus the Ravens. Head coach Jim Schwartz is officially on the
hot seat after the Lions’ latest defeat and will likely be fired at the end of the season if the team is unable to make the playoffs.
18. Dallas
Cowboys (7-7) Last
Week: 17
Why did the
Cowboys abandon the run game in the second half with a double-digit lead over
the Packers? How can the Cowboys’ defense be the worst unit statistically in
NFL history with all the talent they possess on that side of the ball? What was
Tony Romo trying to accomplish with those two errant passes in the final three
minutes that were easily intercepted? What was Jerry Jones thinking by hiring
the 73-year-old Monte Kiffin to be the defensive coordinator? So many questions
in Dallas and yet once again the perpetually mediocre Cowboys have no answers.
19. St.
Louis Rams (6-8) Last
Week: 21
The Rams played the role of spoiler to perfection on Sunday, manhandling the visiting Saints in
a 27-14 victory…If the season ended today, the Rams would own the second
overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, courtesy of the Robert Griffin III trade
made with the Redskins from two years ago.
20. Pittsburgh
Steelers (6-8) Last
Week: 22
The Steelers
remained mathematically alive in the AFC postseason hunt by trouncing the
first-place Bengals on “Sunday Night Football.” Antonio Brown caught five
passes for 66 yards and a TD. He has 95 receptions on the season, tied for
second-most in team history.
21. Tennessee
Titans (5-9) Last
Week: 20
Credit the Titans for their miraculous fourth quarter comeback. Unfortunately, it is difficult for
a team to see the glass half-full following a loss with wholesale changes
looming for the franchise in the offseason.
22. New
York Jets (6-8) Last
Week: 19
Geno Smith threw
his 21st interception of the season in the Jets’ loss on Sunday in
Carolina. Panthers cornerback Captain Munnerlyn hauled in the interception and
returned it 41 yards for a touchdown. It was Smith's fifth pick-six, tying Joe
Namath's mark (1967) for the most in a single season in Jets history.
23. Minnesota
Vikings (4-9-1) Last
Week: 27
Matt Cassel fired two touchdown passes and added in a rushing score in the Vikings’ shocking
upset over the surging Eagles. Third-string tailback Matt Asiata rushed for his
first three career touchdowns, filling in admirably for the injured Adrian
Peterson. Greg Jennings hauled in 11 receptions for 163 yards and a TD in the
48-30 win. He became the fifth player in Vikings franchise-history to have at
least 10 receptions, 150 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown in a single
game, according to ESPN Stats &
Information.
24. Buffalo
Bills (5-9) Last
Week: 29
EJ Manuel followed
his worst game of his young career up with arguably his best, throwing two TD’s
and running for another score in the Bills’ 27-20 win in Jacksonville.
25. New
York Giants (5-9) Last
Week: 23
Eli Manning threw five interceptions and posted a 2.1 QBR versus the Seahawks, his lowest mark
since 2006, according to ESPN Stats &
Information.
26. Jacksonville
Jaguars (4-10) Last
Week: 24
The Jaguars’ three-game winning streak was halted, despite the impressive outing by backup
RB Jordan Todman, who rushed for 109 yards on 25 carries and caught four passes
for 44 yards.
27. Cleveland
Browns (4-10) Last
Week: 25
The Browns’
defense squandered a fourth-quarter lead for the third consecutive
week…Cleveland has lost eight of nine since their 3-2 start to the season.
28. Tampa
Bay Buccaneers (4-10) Last
Week: 26
The Bucs
registered a season-low 183 total net yards in their 33-14 home loss to the
49ers.
29. Atlanta
Falcons (4-10) Last
Week: 30
The Falcons were
able to knock off the Redskins 27-26 for their second win in three weeks.
30. Oakland
Raiders (4-10) Last
Week: 28
The Raiders have given up at least 49 points in two of their last three home games after
doing it just three times in their first 406 home games, according to the Associated Press.
31. Washington
Redskins (3-11) Last
Week: 31
Mike Shanahan must
really hate coaching the Redskins these days. How else can you explain his
decision to go for a two-point conversion instead of a game-tying extra-point
at the end of a 27-26 loss to the Atlanta Falcons? The plan was to showcase
Kirk Cousins—who completed 29 of 45 passes for 381 yards and three touchdowns—in
the hopes to lure a first-round draft pick from another squad for the backup
QB’s services, according to Shanahan. So why then, would Shanahan opt not to
put the game into overtime, where Cousins could further demonstrate his
abilities?
32. Houston
Texans (2-12) Last
Week: 32
The 2013 season cannot come to an end any quicker for the Texans, who have lost 12 straight
contests.
No comments:
Post a Comment