1. Denver
Broncos (6-1)
Emmanuel Sanders
had a game for the ages versus the Chargers, hauling in nine receptions for 120
yards with three touchdowns.
2. New
England Patriots (6-2)
Tom Brady is the only
QB in NFL history to throw for 350+ yards and complete over 85 percent of his passes with 5 TDs
and zero interceptions in a game. He has accomplished this feat twice now, the
first coming in a 59-0 pummeling of the Titans in 2009 at Gillette Stadium. In
Sunday’s win, Brady threw for 354 yards against the Bears and he had as many
touchdown passes as he did incompletions.
3. Arizona Cardinals (6-1)
With the emergence of slot receiver John Brown, the Cardinals feature arguably the NFL’s top wideout trio with Michael Floyd and veteran Larry Fitzgerald lining up on the outside. Arizona has also found a gem in the kicking game with rookie Chandler Catanzaro setting an NFL rookie record by converting the first 16 field goal attempts of his career.
4. Philadelphia
Eagles (5-2)
Interceptions
continue to pile up for QB Nick Foles and the Eagles’ woes in the red-zone
remain a major issue for the defending NFC East champions.
5. Dallas
Cowboys (6-2)
A home loss to the
Redskins—led by third-string QB Colt McCoy—is unacceptable, but the panic
button should not be hit yet—provided Tony Romo’s back injury is just a bruise
as the team says.
6. San
Diego Chargers (5-3)
Philip Rivers is still playing at an MVP-caliber level, but his offensive line is holding him and the
Chargers’ offense back. Concerns also lie in a depleted San Diego secondary.
7. Detroit
Lions (6-2)
The Lions secured
an improbable victory for the second straight week, scoring the final 22 points
in their London tilt against the slumping Falcons.
8. Cincinnati
Bengals (4-2-1)
The Bengals swept
the regular season series versus the Ravens for the second straight year. The
sweep could go a long way in Cincinnati earning consecutive division titles for
the first time since the 1981-1982 seasons.
9. Seattle
Seahawks (4-3)
For the second
straight season, Seattle left Carolina with a road victory in a low-scoring
affair via a fourth-quarter TD pass by Russell Wilson, who went 4-of-4 for 53
yards on the Seahawks' game-winning drive.
10. Baltimore
Ravens (5-3)
Five of Joe Flacco's
seven interceptions this season have come when throwing the ball to wideout Torrey
Smith, including both picks in Sunday’s loss in Cincinnati. Flacco has thrown
five interceptions on 42 passes targeted to Smith (11.9 percent) in 2014. Flacco
has been intercepted just twice on the 237 passes directed at other wide
receivers this season.
11. Green
Bay Packers (5-3)
Aaron Rodgers
threw for 203 yards in the first quarter on Sunday night, the most he has
posted in a single quarter in his career. However, the Packers collapsed after
Rodgers pulled his hamstring, as the hobbled QB was unable to thwart the rout
at the hands of the Saints.
12. Pittsburgh
Steelers (5-3)
Ben Roethlisberger
became the only QB in NFL history to record multiple 500-yard passing games. He
set franchise records with 522 yards and 6 touchdowns in the victory over the
Colts.
13. Indianapolis
Colts (5-3)
Despite entering
the contest with the third-ranked defense, the Colts were torched for 639 yards
in a humiliating loss to the Steelers. Indianapolis failed to attain a sack for
the first time since its Week 2 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
14. San
Francisco 49ers (4-3)
Coming off Bye Week
15. Kansas
City Chiefs (4-3)
Justin Houston
sacked Rams QB Austin Davis three times and recorded four QB hits and five
tackles in the Chiefs’ blowout victory. Knile Davis had a 99-yard kickoff
return for a touchdown in the win. He became the fifth player in NFL history to
attain a 99-yard touchdown return in back-to-back seasons.
16. Buffalo
Bills (5-3)
The Bills are 3-1
with veteran Kyle Orton under center, who has helped jumpstart the promising
career of rookie WR Sammy Watkins (157 receiving yards and a TD against the
Jets).
17. Cleveland
Browns (4-3)
The Browns’
rushing attack has vanished since the season-ending injury to Pro Bowl center
Alex Mack. Behind a strong defensive effort, particularly from the secondary,
the Browns overcame their running woes to defeat the Raiders and avoid losing
to an 0-6 team with a rookie QB in consecutive weeks.
18. New
Orleans Saints (3-4)
The Saints must
continue to feed bonafide tailback Mark Ingram the rock. He rushed for 124
yards and a TD in the Saints’ commanding victory over the Packers. Ingram is
now averaging an otherworldly 5.7 yards per carry on the season.
19. Miami
Dolphins (4-3)
The Dolphins intercepted
Blake Bortles two times and returned both for touchdowns in their 27-13 win in
Jacksonville.
20. Houston
Texans (4-4)
21. Carolina
Panthers (3-4-1)
The Panthers are
1-4-1 in their past six contests, yet remain tied for the lead in the mediocre
NFC South.
22. Washington
Redskins (3-5)
Colt McCoy’s 83.3
completion percentage on “Monday Night Football" was the best mark by a Redskins
QB with at least 30 pass attempts in franchise history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
23. New
York Giants (3-4)
Coming off Bye
Week
24. Minnesota
Vikings (3-5)
Teddy Bridgewater
improved his record to 2-2 as a starting QB in the NFL, recording his
first-career road victory on Sunday.
25. Chicago
Bears (3-5)
The Bears’ defense
is falling apart. After surrendering 51 points to the Patriots, Chicago now
ranks 29th defensively in points per game, surrendering 27.8 per
contest.
26. Atlanta
Falcons (2-6)
Arthur Blank was
left in disbelief following the Falcons’ second-half meltdown in London.
“You’re up 21-0,” Atlanta’s
owner Arthur Blank told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s columnist Mark Bradley after
the game. “There’s no way you lose that game — just no way. There’s nothing
else I can say.”
27. St.
Louis Rams (2-5)
A week after
upsetting the defending champs, the Rams laid a dud against the Chiefs.
28. Tennessee
Titans (2-6)
Zach Mettenberger ought
to spend his time learning the Titans’ playbook, rather than taking unflattering
selfies.
29. Tampa
Bay Buccaneers (1-6)
The Bucs finished with 225 yards total offense in their overtime loss to the Vikings, just 66 coming
on the ground. QB Mike Glennon was sacked five times in the deflating defeat.
30. New
York Jets (1-7)
Before Geno Smith
got benched, he went 2-for-8 for five yards with three interceptions. It’s
officially time to terminate the Geno Smith-era in New York.
31. Jacksonville
Jaguars (1-7)
The Jaguars may
have handed rookie QB Blake Bortles the starting gig too soon. Bortles has four
interceptions returned for touchdowns and 12 interceptions on the year. He
threw two pick-six’s in a 27-13 loss to the Dolphins on Sunday.
32. Oakland
Raiders (0-7)
David Carr looks
like the real deal but his supporting cast is atrocious—leading many to believe
the Raiders will finish the season winless.
