Five up Five Down: 5 Best and 5 Worst NFL Teams Week 4

5 Worst NFL Teams

Five up Five Down: 5 Best and 5 Worst NFL Teams Week.  There are some significant changes in the rankings. What did we learn in Week 3? The refs hate Clay Matthews and the new roughing the passer rule is a joke.  Many teams have not invested in an offensive line properly. Baker Mayfield might be the answer in Cleveland. We also learned that being heavy favorites doesn’t guarantee anything in the NFL, costing some of us some money in Vegas.  Just ask the Vikings, Jaguars, and Patriots fans about that.  Minnesota was a 16.5 point favorite on Sunday and lost by 21 points at home, a historic upset indeed.

5 UP: 5 Best NFL Teams

1.  LOS ANGELES RAMS (3-0)  Last Week: 2nd 

The Los Angeles Rams are the most complete team in the NFL. The Rams are number one in our 5 Up due to an NFL best, plus 66 point differential. They dominated the Chargers in winning the Battle of Los Angeles.  Todd Gurley broke out for 156 total yards including 105 on the ground, and Jared Goff continues to get better (80 % completion level vs. Chargers 354 yards and 3 TD’s), which is scary for opposing teams.  The Rams did suffer some devastating injuries losing both stud Cornerbacks Marcus Peters (might miss 1-2 weeks currently a game-time decision vs. Vikings)  and Aquib Talib (for 4-6 weeks).  If the team has a weakness right now, it’s stopping the run (giving up 5 yards a carry).  Next up: a battle with the Minnesota Vikings (1-1-1) on Thursday night, who come into L.A. with all kinds of red flags.  Some viewed this game as a possible NFC Championship preview.  The Rams want revenge for a 24-7 loss last year in Minnesota.   L.A. is currently 6.5 point favorites with an 80% probability win rate against the Vikings even though Minnesota leads the all-time series 27-16-2 with five straight wins against the Rams.

2.  KANSAS CITY CHIEFS  (3-0) Last Week: 4th

Patrick Mahomes II (896 Yards, 13 Touchdowns, 137.4 QBR, with zero INT’s) is just awesome!  If you have him on your fantasy team, you are winning a lot. After three weeks he is not only the best QB in the NFL, he is the league’s best player. Check out this TD pass by Mahomes against the 49ers, which is utterly ridiculous.  I still think after three weeks the Chiefs defense is soft (allowing 472 yards per game). How long can this last?  Lots of pressure on the 7th ranked offense to make-up for the 32nd ranked defense.  The Chiefs need more out of RB Kareem Hunt and his 3.2 yards average, but then again Andy Reid is not a running back guy (runningbacks under Reid are not in the top 20 in looks since 2013).  Chiefs are 4.5 point road favorites against AFC West Divison rivals the Denver Broncos (2-1) on Monday Night.  Kansas City leads the all-time series 61-54.

3. MIAMI DOLPHINS (3-0)  Last Week: Unranked

Indeed one of the best surprises this year has been the Miami Dolphins.  Some experts did think that Adam Gase was going to get this team headed in the right direction, but 3-0 no way! Well, the fins are a perfect 3-0 and leading the AFC East.   Let’s check it a bit.  They have beaten the Titans, Jets, and Raiders (teams with a combined 3-6 record), but they are doing the little things right and are having fun as witnessed by this TD vs. the Raiders.

The loss of DE William Hayes is going to hurt.  Hayes tore his ACL on this play trying to avoid getting a penalty for roughing the passer.  Ryan Tannehill is playing within the system, and it’s paying off (73% completion ratio, 7 TD’s only 2 INT’s with a 121.8 QBR).  Miami can make a believer out of all of us with a win in Foxboro on Sunday afternoon against the suddenly desperate (1-2) New England Patriots.  This game is at Gillette Stadium, where Tom Brady is 14-1 vs. Miami and the Dolphins and despite being unbeaten, will be heavy underdogs by getting 7 points.  Vegas wants a show me win as well, but hey, maybe Tom’s daughter, Vivian will be pulling for Miami!  The Patriots lead the all-time series 54-51.

4. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (2-1) Last Week: 3rd 

Well, the Jaguars were ranked number one by many in the power ranking, but not mine.  I still think the Jaguars will be representing the AFC in the Super Bowl, but some red flags have developed.  The loss of LT Cam Robinson could be huge, and the lack of depth at the WR position is very concerning.  After a huge week against the Patriots, Blake Bortles came back to earth vs. the Titans (155 yards, zero TD’s).  The Franchise is fully invested in #5, who they feel is a “champion.”  Look, Jacksonville’s defense will continue to be strong, but the offense needs to pick up the pace. If they can put up 17 points, the defense will win most games by themselves.  The Jags only move down one spot in our Five Up, but they better take care of a rookie QB and the (1-2) N.Y. Jets on Sunday at home.  Vegas has the Jags as 7.5 point favorites but the Jets hold a 7-6 series lead, including last years dramatic 23-20 win in overtime.

5.) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (2-1) Last Week: Unranked

Carson Wentz is back!  The future NFL MVP makes all the difference in the team’s chances at repeating.  The Eagles defense is still excellent and can cause nightmares for opposing teams offensive lines.  The running game has room for improvement, but RB Wendell Smallwood might become a new Philly favorite (17 carries 84 yards 1 TD 4.9 avg). What makes the Eagles so tough is that the offensive line has been so strong and underrated.  The offense is going to get a lot better, and that defense is just incredible!  Philly will be in Tennessee to battle the stingy Titans on Sunday as 3 point favorites.  The Eagles are 0-2 in Nashville but are 7-4 vs. Titans/Oilers all-time.

Closing in on the top 5:  Honorable Mention

Baltimore Ravens (2-1), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1), Cincinnati Bengals (2-1)

5 DOWN: 5 worst NFL teams

28.  BUFFALO BILLS (1-2)  Last Week: 32nd

Oh my, how one week can change everything!  The Bills were the NFL’s worst team last week.  It looked hopeless.  I bought into an on-air host from a big network saying the Vikings were going to cover easily. Buffalo, not only beat the heavily favored Vikings (-16.5), they embarrassed them 27-6.  Josh Allen (196 yards, 1 TD, no interceptions, numerous big runs) showed some serious athletic prowess and bravery with this effort on Anthony Barr that sparked the Bills to a big win.

The Bills defensive line lead by Jerry Hughes terrorized the Vikings offensive line all day, creating three critical turnovers. The Bills will try to make it two for two over the NFC North as they battle the Green Bay Packers (1-1-1) at Lambeau.  Vegas isn’t buying the Bills colossal upset over the Vikings.  The Packers are 10-point favorites, but the Bills hold an impressive 8-4 advantage in the all-time match-up vs. Green Bay.

29.  SAN FRANCISCO 49ers (1-2) Last Week: Unranked 

This has been a disastrous stretch for the San Francisco 49ers.  Fans must be in a deep depression. They have played okay, but losing your starting RB before the season starts and now losing Jimmy Garoppolo to a torn ACL is a nightmare no team can recover from.  This ranking is more about the future of this season than it is reflective of how they have performed so far.  When your season is in the hands of C.J. Beathard or someone from off the streets (Tom Savage gulp!), it’s a recipe for failure.  They will travel down the coast to play the (1-2) Los Angeles Chargers.  Vegas sees this as a blowout and have made the Chargers 10.5 point favorites.  The series is tied at seven games apiece.  The Chargers have won 4 in a row, but the 49ers have the biggest win in the series with a 49-26 win in Super Bowl XXIX.

30. OAKLAND RAIDERS (0-3)  Last Week: 29th 

Defense is an issue, and I hate to say I told you so!  When you trade Khalil Mack away, this should not be surprising.  Mack has four sacks this year, while the Oakland Raiders have three total as a team.  Here is what is disheartening for Raider fans. The team has lead in all three games going into the 3rd quarter.  They have been outscored in the 2nd half, 64-17.  Derek Carr continues to throw bad interceptions, like this one against the Rams, and on Sunday you had this costly mistake.   The Raiders will be at home to face Baker Mayfield, and the (1-1-1) rejuvenated Cleveland Browns, who should be undefeated.  The Raiders are 2.5 point favorites against Cleveland and hold a 14-10 career record against them.  

31. HOUSTON TEXANS (0-3)  Last Week: Unranked

What is going on with The Houston Texans?  I thought this team would be ready for a significant turnaround.  Unfortunately for Houston fans, losing has been very prevalent with the team now holding an ominous streak of 9 straight loses dating back to last year.  Many are getting restless and tired of Head Coach Bill O’Brien (31-36) and his generic play calling.  Will he become the latest Patriots assistant to fail as a Head Coach?

The key to this team’s issues has been the play of the offensive line and defensive secondary.  DeShaun Watson, who is back after devastating injury, has been sacked ten times already and has run away from pressure on numerous occasions.  He is not at the level he played at last year (871 yards 5 TD’s  3 Int’s 89.9 QBR) but is getting closer.  A tough match-up against the Colts (1-2) in Indy is up next on Sunday.  The Texans will be 1.5 point underdogs and, unfortunately, historically are woeful vs. the Indianapolis Colts (7-25).  They lost both contests to Indy last year.

32.  ARIZONA CARDINALS (0-3) Last Week: 31st 

Awful!  At one point, the Cardinals were beating the Chicago Bears 14-0.  It appeared that the Cards were going to get out of the Five Down list.  Nope!  They scored no points in the 2nd half.  Sam Bradford continued to look awful (3 turnovers), which lead to the Josh Rosen era beginning.  With a talented roster, Arizona should be better than this.  I feel the Cardinals are making a huge mistake putting Rosen behind this weak offensive line (6 sacks numerous pressures).  Somehow, RB David Johnson, the Cardinals best player, is averaging just 3.4 yards and the team needs more from him in the running game.  The Cardinals rank dead last in every offensive category with a date against a very aggressive defense looming.  The Cardinals are an NFL worst, minus 54, which makes new Head Coach Steve Wilks cringe.  The Cards have another home game coming up against the Seattle Seahawks, and it will mark the 39th meeting between the two clubs. The Cardinals have a slight 19-18 lead in the series.  Seattle is favored by 3 points on Sunday afternoon.

Knocking on futilities door: 

N.Y. Jets (1-2), Seattle Seahawks (1-2), New England Patriots (1-2)

Come back next Wednesday for Five Up Five Down, The 5 best NFL Teams and the 5 worst NFL Teams Week 5.

NFL Week 8 Facts

Finally, we are here, at the meat and potatoes of the NFL season. This is the point in the season where the cream rises to the top, and the rest fall by the wayside. In the first few weeks of the season, the standings are muddy. All the teams are separated by only a game or so. Now you will see glaring differences between contenders and pretenders. There is a lot of football left. I will let you in on the key match ups to watch out for, and players who will have a direct impact on the playoff picture. If everything about your team or favorite players is not flattering, don’t be mad at me. Facts are Facts. Leave your comments below.

New England vs Pittsburgh– The game of the day! This game will rest on the shoulders of both teams defense. There have been serious questions raised about both defenses. The much maligned New England run defense will get a test this week when they visit the steel city. Old, long toothed, aging, and gray haired are just a few of the adjectives used to describe the Steelers defense. The Patriots defense showed up tough at the end of the Cowboys game, so I know they can play D when they need to. Since their week 1 shellacking by the Ravens, the Pittsburgh defense has ranked 3rd in the NFL. They are giving up 107 yards per game on the ground which is not typical, but the Patriots are not exactly rushing juggernauts. The Steelers defense is great but the Patriots have the great equalizer… Tom Brady! I’m excited to watch this game, but I think we will see a rematch in the AFC Championship game. PATRIOTS
Dallas vs Philadelphia– Big rivalry games in college football have nicknames. Dallas vs Philly. The Individuals were supposed to become a team and make the playoffs! Asante Samuel is making me doubt everything I said. There is an obvious fracture between him and the front office and coaches. I’m afraid his issues will spill into the locker room and destroy my prediction of the Eagles being the first 1-4 team to make the playoffs. I have Dallas missing the playoffs this year and Eagles making it, but who knows now. I will not pick the winner of this game, but I will say, whoever wins this game will make the playoffs. Since I didn’t pick a winner, I gave you a Cowgirl instead!

New Orleans vs St. Louis– Sean Payton will be coaching from the booth but don’t expect this game to be a repeat to Jaguars/Ravens on Monday Night. The Saints will cruise to victory. Which player playing in this game has 45 rec 674 yards 5 TD? I’ll wait… Tight End Jimmie Graham. SAINTS

Detroit vs Denver– I wish these two teams weren’t playing this week. I have been very vocal on my twitter about being a Tebow supporter. I also said that Detroit Dougies were in for a reality check after all that dancing on Monday Night Football. The Dougies dropped two games in a row, and I think they rebound this week. So if Detroit wins, I’m right, but Tebow loses. Ugh! If Stafford plays… Detroit wins. DETROIT
Minnesota vs Carolina– Cam…Cam…Cam! I did not expect this at all. The Panthers have had an opportunity to win every game this year. In the preseason, it looked like Cam would lean on his tight ends more and his receivers could struggle. Wrong! Newton is throwing for a lot of yards, and Steve Smith is on pace for a career year. Reality is, for now, Cam is a rookie and middle of the road passer.  He has only 8 touchdowns vs 9 ints, but to his credit, he is 2nd in the league in rushing touchdowns. With the exception of Adrian Peterson, where are the running backs who got paid this year (i.e. Chris Johnson, Deangelo Williams)? 
I’m really excited about this game, Christian Ponder vs Cam Cam Cam. Neither team will make the playoffs this year, but there is hope for the future in both places. I will watch this game and won’t care who wins because I know I’m in for some excitement from Cam, Peterson, and Harvin. Superman is in the building! PANTHERS

San Diego vs Kansas City– This a battle between one of the most explosive offenses in the league vs one of the NFL’s worst. The Chiefs had the potential to be a very explosive offense, but the loss of speedy running back Jamaal Charles and tight end Tony Moleaki have put a dent in the Chiefs offense. With wins over the Vikings, Colts, and the blowout of Oakland last week, 3-3 KC is very deceiving. San Diego already beat KC in week 3, but neither team had any outstanding performances. Fantasy owners: Vincent Jackson, Phillip Rivers, and Dwayne Bowe will produce this week. CHARGERS

Indianapolis vs Tennessee– I can only give you one good reason to watch this game: Chris Johnson. He has to get going soon… right? This could be the game. Johnson is on pace to rush for a whopping 716 yards on the ENTIRE season. This is why he is not on the top running back list right now. Back to the game. If tennessee hass any chance to win the division and make the playoffs, this is a must win. The Titans were looking good before Kenny Britt got hurt. They are now playoff pretenders. Indy is in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes vs Miami, but this is a game they could accidentally win. TITANS?






Jacksonville vs Houston– Andre Johnson may play against the Jags. Fantasy owners wait to start him until next week even if he does play. Jacksonville played their best game of the season against the dismal Ravens offense. Even though the Jags have a good defense, expect either Matt Shaub or Arian Foster to have a big game. The Jaguars have a really good defense, but the Texans offense will be too much. The Texans will have the inside track to the playoffs in the AFC South after a win Sunday. TEXANS
Arizona vs Baltimore– This is the perfect game for the Ravens to bring their offense back to life. Expect Ray Rice to have a big game vs the Cardinals 26th ranked defense. Larry Fitzgerald got the QB he wanted, the contract he wanted, but did not get the results he wanted. With no real running game, and no #2 receiver, the Cardinals are not looking good this season. Hopefully they draft well. With all that said, I’m not sold on Joe Flacco as an elite NFL QB. If the Cardinals can get a couple turnovers and Kolb can have a good game vs Haloti Ngata (Go Ducks) and company, this could be another shocker. RAVENS

Good News Seattle, you have one of the toughest stadiums for opposing teams in the league. The 12 man is serious. After a 6-3 “shoot out” loss to the Browns, this seems like exactly what you need to get a win. Bad News, Seattle does not have a quarterback. Last week, your running back Marshawn Lynch didn’t even make it out of warmups. Cincinnati is a young team with a nice schedule that could end up 10-6 with a wildcard spot. Yes I said it… but don’t quote me just yet. Expect AJ Green, Andy Dalton, and Gresham to all have a nice game. CINCINNATI 
Remember planking? New trend! #Tebowing
Miami vs New York Giants– Ill watch the highlights. GIANTS
Washington vs Buffalo– For some reason, I do not believe in the Bills yet (Don’t be mad at me Drayton). Buffalo has 9-7 written all over them. Compared to the recent past, that is a drastic improvement and fans should be proud. The Redskins look a mess. Quarterback issues, runningback issues, and injuries are piling up. BUFFALO
Cleveland vs San Francisco– With the combination of being in the NFC West and a schedule like this, it would take a major meltdown for the 49ers to miss the playoffs. 49ers