Five Up Five Down: The 5 Best and 5 Worst NFL Teams Week 10

Worst NFL teams week 10

Five Up Five Down: The 5 Best and 5 Worst NFL teams week 10 is where we rank the five best and five worst teams in the NFL. Anybody can list the best teams. It takes real skill to sort through the mess that is the bottom of the league.   Week 10 is hours away from kicking off in Pittsburgh on this crunchy groove Thursday. What did we learn from Week 9? The Saints offense with Drew Brees and Michael Thomas is unstoppable, Patriots, with major injuries and mediocre three-quarters of play, can still beat you by 14 points, The Oakland Raiders are the laughingstock of the league, and Jason Garrett might actually be on borrowed time. Does your team sadly qualify for worst teams for Week 10?

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5 UP: The 5 Best NFL Teams Week Ten

1. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (7-2) Last Week: 4th

As the legendary Boston band Aerosmith would sing, the train kept a rolling all night long in Week #9 win versus the Packers.  It seems like an eternity since that embarrassing loss in Detroit, and they are now winners of 6 straight. I figure I’ll get some heat and be very unpopular that I put New England in the number one spot with two losses, deal with it. They are better than anyone right now. It wasn’t pretty versus the Packers, but they beat them by 14 when the clock struck 00:00. Tom Brady (2,494 Yards 17 TDs 7 Int 97.6 QB Rating) is still the best at getting everyone involved, and his comfort level with Josh Gordon ( 5 catches 130 Yards TD) is growing. Cordarelle Patterson (11 carries for 61 Yards 1 TD) was converted into a “Big RB” and looked like a playmaker a typical Patriots move that works. Julian Edelman is the best do everything guy in the NFL.

The Patriots defense made Aaron Rodgers look mortal, which is another reason for all other teams in the NFL to be concerned. Defensive end Trey Flowers caused constant pressure vs. a beleaguered Packers offensive line. Bill Belichick is the master at getting it right. He sculpts whatever the talent he has into a cohesive, reliable defensive unit. Alex Cora brought the World Series trophy to Gillette Field.  Will it be any surprise if Bill Belichick brings the Lombardi Trophy to Fenway in April? No! The Patriots travel to Tennessee to take on the feisty Titans (4-4) and former teammate Malcolm Butler.  Mike Vrabel a former longtime Super Bowl-winning (2 TD catches in SB) Patriots LB is the Tennessee Titans Head Coach. The Pats will be 7 point favorites and hold a 26-15-1 record against the Titans/Oilers franchise.

2. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (7-1) Last Week: 3rd

Oh, the Saints went marching into the end zone a lot this past Sunday afternoon in the marquee match-up of the day. They hung the first loss on the Rams ledger by outscoring LA, 45-35.  Drew Brees and Michael Thomas might be the most lethal combo in the league. With Mark Ingram back healthy with the combination of Alvin Kamara, it’s just not fair to try and stop that running duo. The offensive line does a fantastic job of creating time and space for Brees and the running backs. New Orleans just signed WR Dez Bryant to add to an embarrassment of riches.

The defense is still the teams Achilles heel. Only nine teams have given up more points. The Saints D ranks 28th in the red zone. The good news for the Saints is the Chiefs and Rams are equally as inept at stopping opposing teams. In fairness to the Saints, they have suffered some injuries but if they want to be favorites to win the SB in Atlanta that D has to shore up some gaping holes in the secondary that Eli Apple will not cure.   Sean Payton’s crew has now beat the Ravens, Vikings, and Rams in consecutive weeks. It’s the simple reason why I leapfrogged them over KC.  This week is another tough test going to Cincinnati to take on the (5-3) Bengals. The Saints are 4.5 favorites over the Bengals, but Cincy leads the series 7-6.

3. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (8-1) Last Week: 2nd

Chiefs fans might be unhappy with me. Hey, you still have the best barbecue in the nation and time to move up our Unafraid rankings. Sure the Chiefs are 8-1 and just blew out the Cleveland Browns, and they get moved from two to three in my weekly rankings? What the heck am I thinking? I’m just more impressed with the Patriots and Saints. Chiefs have big wins (Steelers, Chargers, Jags, Bengals) but they still have major defensive concerns giving up 226 points. Good news for the defense, safety Daniel Sorensen was activated from the IR.

The offense is just playing Madden 19 on the easy level with a league-leading 101 point differential. Patrick Mahomes II is just insane with what he is doing (2,901 yards, 29 TD’s 7 INTs 116.7 QB Rating) though his consecutive 4 TD passes streak ended he has now thrown for 300 yards in 8 straight games. He is that good.  Travis Kelce has been a stud all year long (51 catches 741 yards 6 TDs). Kareem Hunt has also been playing at an All-Pro level and torched the Browns (17 Att 91 yards 2 TD’s 5.4 AVG). The Chiefs have the (2-6) Arizona Cardinals coming to town which should be another blowout win. The Chiefs are 18.5 point favorites (the Biggest spread of the year), and KC has won 8 out of the 12 contests with one ending in a tie between the two squads.

4. LOS ANGELES RAMS (8-1) Last Week:  1st

Oh, how the mighty have fallen!  From first to fourth in a brutal knockdown. I have preached all year long that the defense will be the downfall for Los Angeles. They skirted defeats to Minnesota, Denver, Seattle, and Green Bay with below average defensive display. Is Aaron Donald one of the best defensive players in the league? Yes, he is, and you could argue the best, but the LB core Dante Fowler or no Dante Fowler and that secondary is a sieve. Will Talib’s return help? It should, but what the heck has happened to Marcus Peters? Wade Phillips has to improve the defense if the Rams want to get back to the top spot in our rankings.

The offense once again put up some big numbers. Jared Goff led a massive comeback with a tremendous performance (391 Yards 3 TDs 70% and a 115.7 QB Rating). Todd Gurley was shut down and held to 68 yards vs. the Saints, but Brandin Cooks was a monster with 114 yards and TD. Why is Brandin Cooks on his third team in three years? What a player! The roadblock to Atlanta and SB 53 for LA could be the play of the defense. Rams will be home to Seattle (4-4) this week. The first meeting between the two teams was close; a 33-31 Rams NFC West win in October. Los Angeles are heavy favorites at 11.5 points, but Seattle has a 23-18 advantage in the all-time series.

5. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (6-2) Last Week: 5th

The Chargers went up to Seattle, and they balled. LA both defensively and offensively did what they needed to win in a 25-17 victory over the red-hot Seahawks. Melvin Gordon was special and ran for 113 yards. Keenan Allen looked like a top 10 Wide Reciever hauling in 6 catches for 124 yards. This offense led by Philip Rivers has so many weapons and will get better when Tight End Hunter Henry returns in December. Sure they are not seeing a lot of people show up at the StubHub Center, but this offense should be drawing more fans into those empty seats!

Why I think the Chargers could be the most complete team in our top 5 and my darkhorse SB entrant is because of the defense. They have only allowed 180 points this year. Joey Bosa is closing in on a return which led to an ESPN analyst to take an ill-advised swing at him. This unit is loaded with playmakers and a stout secondary. If you haven’t recognized Desmond King and what he is doing at the CB position check this out! The Chargers get to travel North with a divisional showdown against the woeful Oakland Raiders (1-7). LA is a strong 10 point favorite and beat Oakland 26-10 earlier this year. The Silver and Black do lead the all-time series 63-53-2.

Closing in on the top 5 this week:

Carolina Panthers (6-2), Houston Texans (6-3), Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2-1)

5 DOWN: The 5 Worst NFL Teams Week Ten 

28. ARIZONA CARDINALS (2-6) Last Week: 28th

Arizona did not move down or up our rankings due to enjoying a Bye Week. The Cardinals have two wins both against the equally inept San Francisco 49ers. Sam Bradford was released, which makes you wonder why he was even signed in the first place.  2018 has been a complete failure. You have to wonder if the Coach and GM won’t be getting a pink slip at the end of the year. One must feel for the future HOFer Larry Fitzgerald. You were hoping for a better year, but the Cardinals are falling apart at the seems. Do you miss Bruce Arians yet?

When you talk Worst teams NFL week 10, Arizona must be brought up. Cardinals rank 32nd in offense, and the defense is not far behind in being woeful. Josh Rosen continues to learn (1,072 yards 10 TDs 12 INTS). as well as be more accurate. The Cardinals after the Bye Week have to figure out a way to slow down the most prolific offense in Kansas City (8-1) as Patrick Mahomes II looks to make it 9 straight games throwing for over 300 yards. I see a colossal blowout in the making.

29. SAN FRANCISCO 49ers (2-7) Last Week: 32nd

Well, for a team completely devastated by major injuries everywhere, how refreshing was Nick Mullins last Thursday evening.  He put up a brilliant performance against the Oakland Raiders in a 34-3 win the 49ers second of the year.  One must wonder if the team should tank it yet could Mullins change that philosophy? Let’s temper the appearance with the fact the Raiders have the 2nd worst defense in the NFL. One guy who always shows up is Greg Kittle another gigantic performance (4 catches 108 yards with a TD).

The defense was impressive as well against the Raiders. They collected eight sacks and were constantly disrupting the running game. It was the best performance of the year from the defense that was spearheaded by Cassius Marsh and Deforest Buckner. San Francisco will get a chance to build on its successful performance on Monday Night against a struggling N.Y. Giants (1-7) team at home. The 49ers are 3 point favorites at home, and the series is dead even at 20 games apiece.

30. BUFFALO BILLS (2-7) Last Week:  29th

Oh, Nathan Peterman strikes again!  If you can select a fantasy defense off of the waiver wire going up against Peterman, do it. Let’s now role the interceptions reel.  What’s really crazy is Peterman has 11 INTs in his last 95 passes, whereas Aaron Rodgers has 11 interceptions in his last 993 pass attempts. It’s simply ugly. The Bears thrashed Buffalo 41-9. It was a forgettable game in what is turning into a forgettable season. It’s surprising that the Bills have two wins this year (Tennessee and Minnesota should be ashamed) and I think that Buffalo should just go all out tank mode.  Why put Josh Allen back in behind an offensive line that is simply horrendous?  He could get seriously hurt and has been sacked 21 times even with his mobility.

Buffalo has a short road trip to New Jersey as they take on the (3-6) N.Y. Jets. The Jets are favored by 7.5 points, but the Bills lead the all-time series against there AFC East rivals 61-54.

31. NEW YORK GIANTS (1-7) Last Week: 31st

Good news, the Giants didn’t lose or fall to 32nd in the rankings.  Though the Cowboys are gaining ground in whacked out franchise mode N.Y. Giants are still #1 in dysfunction. It’s such a messed up situation, I don’t know where to start! I thought with all the moves this team made in the offseason they were going to compete in the NFC East and be a playoff team. Lord was I wrong! Pat Shurmur looks lost, Eli looks like he should be in a retirement home, OBJ should be frustrated, and that offensive line with the high priced addition of Nate Soldier is a pile of dog crap. The Raiders at least realized it needed to tear it down.  The Giants didn’t do anything at the trade deadline, which was a big mistake.

The off-season for this franchise is going to be critical and the teams most important. When watching a Giants game, other than Barkley, you wonder why a total rebuild has not already begun. The Giants will face the 49ers on Monday Night. Eli will start versus the 49ers, which just makes you wonder does this organization get it. The combined record of these two proud franchises is (3-14).  Shouldn’t the league be able to flex this turkey bowl?

32. OAKLAND RAIDERS (1-7) Last Week: 30th

Laughingstock, unwatchable, miserable. Add a derogatory word, and it works describing the Silver and Black’s 2018-19 season. This is the worst team in the NFL.  How happy is Khalil Mack in Chicago to be out of this mess?   Jon Gruden, are we tanking yet? Well, they should.  Actually, the Raiders really need to tank next year as well to get Tua.  I don’t even know where to begin when you lose 34-3 to a (1-7) 49ers team its ugly. Derek Carr was sacked eight times, and nothing about the Oakland Raiders looked competitive last Thursday night.

The franchise should start prepping draft needs and continue unloading players in the off-season and be in full rebuild mode. Oakland will face the red-hot Los Angeles Chargers (6-2) at home this Sunday.  Expect the team to be dealing with its eighth loss of the year. The Silver and Black are the leaders of the worst teams NFL week 10.

Teams that are knocking on futilities door: 

Cleveland Browns (2-6-1), N.Y. Jets (3-6), Dallas Cowboys (3-5)

Come back next Thursday for Five Up Five Down: The five best NFL Teams and the five worst NFL Teams for Week 11.

Week 12: Playoff Push

Thanksgiving Day games have not been good recently, but I expect different this year. There are three good match ups. TheLions, Packers, Cowboys, Dolphins, Ravens, and 49ers are all respectable teams. This week, divisional races will become more convoluted. Especially the NFC East. No one wants to win, so the Eagles will come and snatch it.


Green Bay vs Detroit–  The unstoppable Packers roll into Detroit for Thanksgiving dinner. Aaron Rodgers is a human. Last week vs Tampa Bay he looked frustrated at times, but then he was spectacular when it counted. The Lions looked terrible in the beginning of the game but thanks to three Cam Newton interceptions they came back and won by 14. Detroit’s offense is iffy at best. Stafford has to play better for this team to make the playoffs. The Packers will leave Detroit with two dinner plates. Their own and the Lions.

Winner: PACKERS

Miami vs Dallas– Do not adjust your television, the Miami Dolphins are a good football team. They play 10 different running backs but they get the job done. Matt Moore is not playing break but he is not turning the football over. The Cowboys were a missed kick away from losing to the Redskins last week. This game will not need snow or Leon Lett for the Dolphins to win. Upset.

Winner: COWBOYS

San Francisco vs Baltimore– For all you people who do not think the 49ers are for real, we will find out this week. The Ravens are a good football team and will be a good barometer to judge the 49ers. These two teams are a near mirror imago of each other. Great linebacker, great running back, and, decent wide receivers. They both want to run the football and play great defense. This game will be about who executes the best.

Winner: 49ers

Minnesota vs Atlanta– The future of Christian Ponder is still up in the air. At times he look like he may be a franchise quarterback, but other times he looks like he is back at Florida State. No Adrian Peterson. Big problem. The Falcons got a gift with this game, rookie quarterback and no running game. If the Falcons cam keep Jared Allen away from Matt Ryan this will be an easy win.

Winner: FALCONS

Carolina vs Indianapolis– Superman has been Clark Kent for the last few weeks. These are the breaks of a rookie NFL quarterback. He started off cooking with Crisco, but hit the rookie wall. I think Cam will get some of momma home cooking this week and rebound for the end of the season. It does not hurt they are playing the Colts this week. There is nothing good happening in Indianapolis right now. Well, Pat Anger is leading the league in tackles.

Winner: PANTHERS

Tampa Bay vs Tennessee– Tampa Bay was very impressive even with loss to the Packers last week. LeGarrett Blount decided he didn’t need any blockers to run to the ball last week. He easily broke 20 tackles in the game. If he runs like that this week the Bucs have a chance to turn their season around. The Titans will be very motivated to win this week because they still have a chance to win the AFC South with Matt Shaub out in Houston. Chris Johnson had what we thought was a breakout game two weeks ago. Then, last week he was under 15 yards. Expect another low output from him.

Winner: BUCCANEERS

Arizona vs St Louis– This is a NFC West showdown. Yes I said that with a straight face. Kevin Kolb should be back this week for the Cardinals. Hopefully his time off helps him play better. I expected the Cardinals to have a few more wins at this point in time. Boy are they disappointing this year. The Rams expected to have a couple more wins too, but injuries have been mean to them.

WInner: CARDINALS

Cleveland vs Cincinnati– I told y’all Cleveland was going to max out at 14 points last week. Where did they end the game?…14. Please listen to the Cleveland radio host go crazy on his Browns. That is 10 minutes audio that will make your day better. The Bengals lost to the top two teams in their division (Ravens, Steelers), but they are still for real. They have a chance to pick up another game of their division leaders and possibly sneak in the playoffs.
Winner: BENGALS

Houston vs Jacksonville– I picked Jacksonville last week and they let me down. This week, they play a better team with a question mark at quarterback. I worked out this summer with Matt Leinart and I think he is ready for his opportunity this year. The Texans control their own playoff destiny, and won’t fall short. I think Jaguars fans are wondering if Blaine Gabbert is really the answer at quarterback. They are also wondering where is the pro bowl tight end they gave 35 million to this offseason. Maurice Jones-Drew cannot win games on offense alone.

Winner: TEXANS

Buffalo vs New York Jets– Am I the one who said the Bills had 9-7 written all over them? I was wrong. Make it 7-9. Now that they have lost their bell cow Fred Jackson, their playoff chances are out of the window. The Jets just came off losing a game everyone expected them to win. New York should rebound this week vs the exploding Bills. The only person who can change the outcome of this game is Mark Sanchez. If he plays terribly, the Jets may lose.

Winner: JETS

Pittsburgh vs Kansas City– Pittsburgh is a good football team and potential Super bowl team. Even though the Chiefs have added Kyle Orton, this game will be a mere speed bump for the Steelers.
Winner: STEELERS

Denver vs San Diego– Do you believe in Tebow yet? John Elway isn’t sold long term either. The Broncos defense is fierce and fast right now. Rookie Von Miller is a nightmare off the edge and has been a force against the run and pass. WTH is going on with Phillip Rivers? Seriously, he is awful right now. He leads the league in interceptions and is the main reason for the Chargers struggles. Ryan Matthews gets hurt every game so if Tolbert is out they are down to a guy they didn’t expect to get more that 20 carries on the season. I believe in Tebow and definitely do not believe in Rivers (this year).
Winner: BRONCOS

Washington vs Seattle-The Redskins put Rex Grossman back at quarterback, and guess what happened? They played well and would have beat the Cowboys if Gano could make a FG. They have to make a long trip to the West Coast and home of the 12th man. Seattle has been playing well they last couple weeks and should continue this week.

Winner: SEAHAWKS

Chicago vs Oakland– The Bears were looking like the second best team in the NFL. For weeks I have been saying I was waiting for Cutler to lose games and blow the season. Well he is going to indirectly do both now that he is out for the season. The Bears front seven can’t play quarterback. Haine will have a chance to prove himself and save the Bears season. Carson Palmer looks like the QB who took the Bengals to the playoffs. Oakland is running the ball well and playing great defense.

Winner: RAIDERS

New England vs Philadelphia– Philadelphia is likely entering a second game in a row without Vick at quarterback. Can Vince Young win 2 games in a row? Not throwing three picks again he can’t. The Patriots do have the last rated pass defense in the league so that should help him out. Expect the Phily defense to press across the board and blitz Brady anytime they line up in empty. That recipe was successful for the Steelers. Another good sign for the Eagles is that the Patriots don’t have a real running game so they should be able to pin their ears back and get after Brady some.

Winner: EAGLES

New York Giants vs New Orleans– This is a great matchup for Monday Night. This game means so much to both teams. They are both leading their closely contested division. A loss would muddy divisional waters and open up the door for chaos. I still have the Eagles making the playoffs. So that is influencing my pick for this game. New Orleans is getting hot at the right time. Brees and the offense are becoming the high powered team we are used to seeing.

Winner: SAINTS

Week 7: AFC Power Rankings

AFC Power Rankings

1.
I have two words for you… Tom Brady!

2.
Great defense and a running game will carry them.

3.
With the recent injury to Jason Campbell, the Chargers won’t get much of a fight in the AFC West
4.
The Steelers are good but not great. They should stay on the list all season

5.

Don’t expect them to remain on this list for long.

Week 6



This weekend of football is EXACTLY why I don’t and would never bet on sports (also I don’t wanna be Pete Rose’d). NFL games are one of the most unpredictable things, but everyone tries to predict them. Every week there are no shortage of office pools, fantasy leagues, and sports books taking bets. This week on paper looked like it would have a few good games, Giants v. Saints, Ravens v. Vikings, and a few locks like Eagles v. Raiders and Bills v. Jets, but “That’s why they play the game”.

I can never just watch 1 game at a time so I’m frantically station hopping trying not to miss anything. I need more TVs!!! I’ve never been home to watch this much football and I don’t want to miss a minute of it. I have friends on nearly every team and I hate missing plays. I loved watching Mike P get a sack on Jay Cutler, I cringed when Brian Williams came down wrong & hurt his knee, seeing “Baby” aka Marcus Stroud bouncing on the sidelines makes me laugh because I know that means he is about to go out there and ball. I must start playing soon or get more TVs.
Week 6 Recap:
I thought the Saints would beat the Giants simply because they were playing at home, but I didn’t expect the game to be so lopsided. The Saints were having a party in the end zone and everybody with a fleur de lis was invited. Every time I changed the channel someone new was scoring a TD.
The Vikings/ Ravens proved to be a very good game. Favre has the keys to a high powered sports car of a team. The Ravens used to have the most feared defense who at times would win games by out scoring the other team without help from its inept offense. Boy have the tables turned. Blame it on whatever you want, the D just ain’t what it used to be! Flacco still managed to lead them back from a big hole to have and opportunity to win the game, but they had a Ray Finkle (Ace Ventura) moment, wide left.
Bills v. Jets- The T.O. show has not gotten off the ground and they have scrapped the “no huddle” offense but some how managed to win in OT. The top passer in the game was Mark Sanchez with 119 yards. LOL seriously? Thomas Jones almost single handedly had more offense than both QBs combined. The Jets defense is looking real good this year (boy do the Ravens D miss Rex Ryan and Bart Scott). Sanchez threw 5 ints (Wow, welcome to the NFL) and they still held the Bills to 16 points. Wait, is the Bills offense that bad or Jets D that good? On the heels of back-to-back weeks of shaky play by Sanchez the Jets know they better find a way to simplify things and slow the game down for him or they will be watching playoff games at home.

Detroit v. Green Bay- I honestly did not watch 1 second of this game! Who did?
Kansas City v. Washington- I did not watch 1 second of this game either. I knew KC would win because the Redskins just have too much extracurricular stuff going on there right now. Coaches, owners, and players are all going in different directions. Washington has way more talent than KC but we all know talent alone does not win games. And anytime you hand your play calling duty over to a guy who was making Starbuck’s runs, you are in trouble.
I had no clue what to expect from the Jacksonville v. St Louis game. I was not sure if the Jags would rebound from the bruising they took last week or let the win less Rams come into D-U-V-A-L and get a victory . Mark Bulger made his return this week, but the Jags got the win. It was not impressive at all considering they were playing the Rams, who after Avery went down early were down to 2 receivers that you have never heard of. The Rams were left with Stephen Jackson, who the Jags couldn’t stop, even though he was the only weapon on the field. The Jaguars players and coaches have been quoted numerous times this year saying “We are looking for our identity as a team”. I Know the Jags Identity! From now on they will be known as the “Hyphens”, because their most effective weapons are Sims-Walker and Jones-Drew. The Jags will only win if they get the ball to the “Hyphens”.

Titans v. Patriots- To the delight of “Hyphen” fans everywhere the Titans where DESTROYED by the Pats during intermission of the Ice Capades. That’s about how long this game was competitive. The Titans lost Haynesworth and went from last seasons penthouse to this years outhouse. I think I saw Jeff Fisher at Snyder’s door trying to write him a check for Haynesworth.

Eagles v. Raiders- How, Why, What Happened??? Russell has a quarterback rating on the season that looks like Albert Pujols batting average, and the Raiders have a pigeon playing special teams defense, but they still managed to win . This game is exactly why I would never bet money on sports. The Eagles have looked brilliant at times this season and made you think they could possibly make a run. How can you possible explain this? Maybe it was the Cali weather.
The Monday Night Football game proved to be a good matchup. The “Uniforms”(Broncos) v. Chargers. FYI, I really like the Uniforms throwbacks, especially the socks. My two standouts of the game were Tony Scheffler and Eddie Royal a.k.a. Eddie Royale “Mc Cheese” (in Paris the 1/4 pounder at McDonald’s is really called that), had a spectacular game. He had a stellar rookie year but has been virtually invisible this season until Monday night where he made special teams “Special”. Scheffler made a couple big time catches. If you didn’t know who he was before this game, you do now. Very impressive. Darren Sproles is not one to be left off the highlight reel and he showed exactly why with his very own special play, a punt returned 71yds for a touchdown. This was a Great Game to watch.

Week 7 is on the way and what did we learn this week about this season? Absolutely Nothing and I can’t wait for next week’s games. I’m looking forward to watching the Terrible towels take on the Unbeaten Purple-people eaters, Bears vs Ocho–Diablo’s Bengals & Drew Brees vs Miami’s wildcat offense. It should be another great week of football.