2020 NFL Week 4: Four Teams Up, Four Teams Down

2020 NFL Week 4 was a wild one, from all of the close games to the postponements of games due to COVID-19. There are teams that should be enthusiastic about their hopes, and others who should be gearing up for the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes.

Best Team In the League: Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs beat the Patriots 26-10 on Monday night thanks to their (wait for it) defense. They were opportunistic and forced four turnovers by the Patriots’ backup quarterback combination of Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham. Mahomes did his thing and did not turn the football over (officially), and the Chiefs look like the most complete team in the league after four weeks.

Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts are a force to be reckoned with. They have allowed a combined 29 points in their last three games since losing their opener to the Jaguars. Even though two of those opponents were the Jets and Bears, defense wins championships in this league (unless you are playing Patrick Mahomes). If Philip Rivers continues to not turn the ball over, the Colts will be primed to contend in the AFC South.

Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns put up 49 points against the porous Dallas Cowboys defense in 2020 NFL Week 4. Even though Nick Chubb is out for the foreseeable future, the Browns have a potent running game with Kareem Hunt. Kevin Stefanski has transported what he did with Dalvin Cook in Minnesota to Cleveland. Once again, if Baker Mayfield does not turn the ball over, the Browns will be able to compete. However, against the stout Colts defense, they will be put to the test. Indianapolis at Cleveland has quietly become the game of the week for Week 5.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers looked like they were primed for criticism this week until they got a lucky fumble before halftime against the Chargers. This play completely changed the game. Tom Brady was able to have a Brady-esque performance, throwing for 369 yards and five touchdowns in the 38-31 victory. If Brady is able to avoid the pick-sixes on outside throws, which he has two of now this season, the Buccaneers will contend for the NFC title. Not just the South, the title. Their defense is able to get pressure on the quarterback. They also are good at getting opportune turnovers.

Four Down: New York Jets are the Worst Team In the NFL

How is Adam Gase still a head coach in the NFL? His play-calling is stale and predictable. The New York Jets were not able to get a sustained rushing attack going with Frank Gore against the Denver Broncos’ defense in 2020 NFL Week 4. His defense, led by Gregg Williams and his (just somewhat) shady reputation, got seven unnecessary roughness penalties, which possibly cost the Jets the game. They were playing a quarterback who had never sniffed an NFL field until trash time in Week 3. They got three interceptions, but none of them were based on good scheming. Sam Darnold’s development has been greatly hindered by having to play for a stubborn head coach. The Jets and Broncos did not even shake hands at the end of the game, showing the stubbornness and sheer arrogance of the Jets head coach.

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos reaped the benefits of playing the Jets in 2020 NFL Week 4, and still almost lost the game. Brett Rypien, making his first career start, made horrible decisions. The Broncos need Drew Lock back to have a chance against some of the teams they are playing the next few weeks (Patriots and Chiefs). Melvin Gordon looked good, but the team is still far too injured to compete. Also, head coach Vic Fangio’s decision making late in games is still in question. Even with a nine-point lead, the Broncos looked grossly incompetent at ending the game. There should not even be a situation where Rypien can get lit up like that at the end of the game.

New York Giants

The New York Giants play hard on defense, but their offense is too depleted right now. They have scored a total of 47 points this season. To put this in perspective, the Cleveland Browns had 49 points in one game this week. Daniel Jones still looks like a developmental project. With the Giants being primed for a top draft pick, it is entirely possible they go after Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields if Jones does not show improvement.

Houston Texans

The Houston Texans only lost by eight points to the Minnesota Vikings in 2020 NFL Week 4. They have been victims of a tough schedule to start the season. However, they are yet again stuck in a hole to start the season, and it cost Bill O’Brien his job. His decision of trading DeAndre Hopkins is looking worse and worse each week. To make matters worse, the Texans traded their first round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft to the Miami Dolphins in the Laremy Tunsil trade. Thus, there is no reason for the Texans to tank. Even with O’Brien’s firing, expect the Texans to bounce back against the Jaguars this week.

Do you agree with our four up and four down? Tweet us @unafraidshow with your opinion.

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

5 Worst NFL Teams Week Eight

Five Up Five Down

Five Up Five Down: The 5 Best and 5 Worst NFL Teams Week Eight 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 Eight is hours away from kicking off in Houston. What did we learn from Week 7? Kicking woes impact even the best in the game in 2018, The Chiefs can play defense, Drew Brees is so underappreciated, Adam Thielen is historically good, Jags QB position is a mess, and rookie quarterbacks will be rookie quarterbacks.

5 UP:  The 5 Best NFL Teams Week Eight

1. LOS ANGELES RAMS (7-0) Last Week:  1st

The Rams finished up a three-game road trip undefeated with a comfortable victory over the 49ers. Los Angeles is pacing the NFL with the most yards per game. Only the Chiefs and Saints average more points per 60 minutes. Todd Gurley is the centerpiece of the offense (686 yards 11 TD’s 4.8 Avg.) as he ran for two more touchdowns versus the 49ers. Jared Goff rebounded from two subpar weeks with a very efficient 75 % completion afternoon with 2 TD’s against San Francisco and no turnovers. Jared now has put up (2,130 Yards 14 TD’s 5 INT 112.7 Ratings) and gets a chance to battle Aaron Rodgers and a Packers secondary that is a pure mess.

The defense had a statement game creating four turnovers and shutting down a 49ers team that looked very well last week in Green Bay. Rams cashed in with 24 points on four turnovers which made Wade Phillips very happy. The Rams will welcome the Packers at home and are 9.5 point favorites against the (3-2-1) Packers. How close is the all-time series between the two teams? In 94 previous meetings, they are dead even 46-46-2 with the last meeting coming in 2015. The Packers have won five in a row in this match-up. Let’s hope the Rams are finished with those hideous uniforms, which were the worst in the league last Sunday.

2. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (6-1) Last Week: 2nd

After a heartbreaking loss to New England, the Chiefs came home and put on a beatdown of epic proportions on the Cincinnati Bengals. Patrick Mahomes II is putting on a show that we have never seen before. He has started eight games in the NFL, has a QB rating of 109.4 and has thrown 22 TDs compared to 6 ints. On Sunday night, he lit up a Bengals defense that looked lost trying to defend him throwing for 358 yards and 4 TD’s while running for another 45 yards. He is making the QB position look easy, and this reminds me of Dan Marino’s rookie year as far as putting up video game numbers. Another positive for the number one scoring offense in the league is Kareem Hunt (15 carries 86 Yards 5.7 AVG and a hurdle that will be a highlight forever) had another fantastic week totaling 141 yards from scrimmage and 3 touchdowns.

The Chiefs defense was embarrassed versus the Patriots, and they took it out on the Cincinnati Bengals. They held the Bengals to 10 points and stuffed Joe Mixon all night long. Kansas City also dared Andy Dalton to beat them, and the Bengals quarterback threw for a meager 148 yards with an interception. The only thing that drives Chiefs Defensive Coordinator, Bob Sutton, crazy is the stupid penalties. The Chiefs defense is the most penalized team in football, and within 5 minutes they were called for 12 men on the field twice. Chiefs this week, are 10 point favorites against the Denver Broncos (3-4) at home against a team they just beat in week four (27-23). Broncos lead the all-time series 62-55, but the Chiefs have won the last six against there AFC West rivals.

3. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-1) Last Week: 4th

Thanks to a missed kick and the fact Drew Brees is a defies father time, the Saints got a huge win over the Baltimore Ravens on the road. Drew Brees is now one of only 4 quarterbacks to throw 500 touchdown passes in the NFL. The Saints high powered offense is led by Drew Brees, but Alvin Kamera (363 Yards rushing and 362 yards receiving with seven total TD’s) and Michael Thomas (588 4 TD’S) are two lethal weapons that defenses are having a hard time stopping. Sean Payton has done a masterful job of spreading the wealth around in his play calling and confusing defenses with unique looks.

New Orleans defense played better in Baltimore this past week but still rank 28th overall in the NFL. They will need to shore things up playing a Minnesota Vikings offense that has found a running game recently and are on a three-game winning streak. Minnesota is a 1-point favorite over the Saints and has a 22-11 series lead over the Saints. Last season the Vikings beat the Saints twice, including this one which is known as the Minnesota Miracle.

4. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (5-2) Last Week: 5th

The Patriots are back but are still giving up way too many points. Thanks to a goal-line tackle on a hail mary attempt, they escaped Chicago with a 38-31 win. Tom Brady was solid again (277 yards 3 TD’s) and is gaining trust with new addition Josh Gordon (4 catches for 100 yards). A concern in the Windy City was the knee injury that rookie RB Sony Michel suffered. The good news is it’s not season-ending. What’s impressive is RB James White comes into a game and defenses still for whatever reason don’t guard him or can’t guard him.  The Patriots offensive line has done an excellent job recently protecting Brady and creating running room for the backs.

A Bill Belichick defense that is ranked 28th in the NFL would have everyone panicking if they didn’t understand the history of the Patriots. If this team is not in the Top 10 come December then maybe those in the Foxboro offices should be concerned. No coach is better at improving a defense when deep into the winter months. The best way to cure a defense is a trip to Buffalo to battle the (2-5) Buffalo Bills. Tom Brady has already called out the Bills Mafia, and New England is 14 point favorites against Buffalo. The Patriots have dominated the series vs. AFC East rivals (72-43-1) and have won 5 out of the last six contests

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

The Chargers enjoyed tea and crumpets in England and hanging onto a dramatic 20-19 victory over the Tennessee Titans who decided to go for the game-winning two-point conversion. Philip Rivers was solid again, and he is having a tremendous start to a season (17 TD’s 2,008 Yards 17 TD’s and 3 INT’s 117.8 Ratings). The QB needed to be good because Melvin Gordon was out nursing his hamstring. The Chargers have quietly one of the best wide receiving cores in the NFL and when this offense is entirely healthy, watch out! This offense is the real deal and a Rams vs. Chargers Super Bowl a very realistic possibility.

The defense is about to get a lot better. It’s not like they have been bad and unlike teams above them, the Chargers have a solid defense. Joey Bosa, arguably the team’s best player will be back after the Bye Week. Bosa will add more to a pass rush that has missed him since his injury. San Diego has still managed to sack the quarterback 18 times, but with Bosa back they will be more lethal. A rookie in the NFL not getting enough love? Chargers S Derwin James is an absolute stud! Chargers will enjoy a bye week and when they get back for week #9 will travel to Seattle to battle the Seahawks.

Closing in the top 5 this week: Minnesota Vikings (4-2-1), Washington Redskins (4-2), Carolina Panthers (4-2)

5 DOWN: The 5 Worst NFL Teams Week Eight

28. BUFFALO BILLS (2-5) Last Week:  Unranked

This team is a disaster!  Buffalo is lucky that the Cardinals and Raiders have been more inept, but each of those teams will be better by the end of the year. The Buffalo Bills are starting Derek Anderson.  WTF is going on? Anderson hasn’t started a game since 2016, and it looked that way vs. the Colts throwing three interceptions. This team went from the playoffs to rebuild in eight months.  I would like to give the benefit of the doubt to Coach McDermott, but he needs to go and NOW! First, it’s one thing to know that Nathan Peterman stinks but then to put him back in and then tell the fans that Derek Anderson will be the guy? Inexcusable!  I realize Josh Allen got hurt, but he should never have been put behind one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL.

Someone is making abysmal decisions and why did they ever trade Tyrod Taylor? It seems like whenever Buffalo is about to take a step in the right direction they shoot themselves in the foot. The defense has battled its ass off, but this team needs to take a chapter out of the Raiders page, trade anyone of value for picks. The Bills are looking at a double-digit loss to the Patriots coming up this weekend in upstate New York. Tom Brady is 28-4 against the Bills. When’s the Draft?

29. OAKLAND RAIDERS (1-5) Last Week: 32nd

Good News! They didn’t lose this past week, but the bad news is they didn’t play. Well, Jon Gruden said his team is not tanking. That’s great.  Gruden grinders getting up at 4 am to put together a dated offensive system. I like Coach a lot.   He is a stand-up guy, but this team is brutal and close to being one of the worst in the NFL. If this team is not tanking, they are putting up star players for sale.  Carr, Conley, and Cooper who was moved to Dallas for a first round pick are all available. For Oakland, it was a good move getting a first round pick for Amari Cooper, but Derek Carr looks like a lost soul. Is he fixable? Well, that is what Jon Gruden is supposed to do.

As far as the defense, they are minus 66 point differential – 3rd worst in the league. It’s ugly, and the lack of depth is the fault of the entire organization. Hey, Khalil Mack says hi from Chicago. The good news for the Raiders is that they have the (2-5) Indianapolis Colts in town. It will be a chance for the Silver and Black to get a win. Oakland leads the all-time series (9-7) but are 3 point underdogs at home.

30. NEW YORK GIANTS (1-6) Last Week: 29th

The Giants offense should not be this bad. Any team that allows the Atlanta Falcons to look like a good defensive squad has to be horrible. Pat Shurmur who was really good designing a terrific gameplan in Minnesota as an offensive coordinator seems to be making all the wrong calls in New York. He got upset with Eli in Atlanta for not getting OBJ the ball.   It would help if Coach had an offensive line that would play better.  Rookie Will Hernandez is struggling and Eli Manning might be slow, but he has barely any time to make medium to deep throws.  With these names: Barkley, Beckham, Engram, Shepard and Soldier things should be better than this.  How bad has the offense been? They have trailed for over 280 minutes this season – the worst in the NFL.

The defense is trying to battle but because the offense cannot sustain drives, they are on the field way too much. They contained Atlanta for 3 quarters then got tired when the Giants could not get anything going offensively. Way too many 3rd down conversions are being given up the New York who should consider making moves for draft picks. The Giants will be at home this Sunday as the first place Washington Redskins (4-2) come to MetLife Stadium in an NFC East rivalry game.  Giants have lost 19 of there last 24 games. Giants lead the all-time series (100-68-4)

31. SAN FRANCISCO 49ers (1-6) Last Week: 30th

After a tough loss to the Green Bay Packers, the 49ers came home to challenge the undefeated Los Angles Rams and got blown out. C.J. Beathard had Aaron Donalds named tattoed to his chest as the All-Pro DT sacked him four times.  Four turnovers (2 INT and 2 Fumbles) had Head Coach Kyle Shanahan upset after the game. The only player who performed well on Sunday was Tight End Greg Kittle (5 catches 98 yards TD).

The defense actually showed well versus the high powered Rams offense. What killed them were the 4 turnovers that the offense gave the Rams. They held Goff to 202 yards and Gurley to 63 yards on the ground.  The 49ers have been undermanned with a lot of injuries but this should now be a tank job. The 49ers travel to Arizona to battle the equally inept (1-6) Cardinals in an NFC West battle. 49ers lead the all-time series (29-25).

32. ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-6) Last Week: 31st

What momentum the Cardinals gathered from a decent showing in Minnesota they lost entirely in one of the ugliest performances ever seen on an NFL field. Arizona got battered, bruised, and manhandled in Denver 45-10 and it wasn’t that close. Josh Rosen threw two pick-sixes which capped a miserable evening from a rookie quarterback who was under pressure all night (21-39 194 Yards 1 TD and 3 INT’S).  David Johnson’s poor season continued with just 39 yards vs. Denver. He has (335 Yards 5 TDS at a 3.2 AVG) not been given much help with an offensive line that gets beaten and pushed back on a regular basis.   It didn’t take long after the game for the team to hand offensive coordinator Mike McCoy his walking papers.  The question is how much time will rookie head coach Steve Wilks get?

As if things can’t get worse in the desert, Cardinals All-Pro CB Patrick Peterson has asked to be traded. The team has said they have no interest in moving Patrick, but if offers do come in, it will start with a first and 4th round pick in any discussions.  The Cardinals will be home to face the (1-6) 49ers. They beat San Francisco 3 weeks ago (28-18) so a chance to get a win and move out of the 32nd spot in our rankings.

Teams that are knocking on futilities door:

Indianapolis Colts (2-5), Cleveland Browns (2-4), N.Y. Jets (3-4)

Come back next Thursday for Five Up Five Down: The five best NFL Teams and the five worst NFL Teams for Week 9.

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

5 Worst NFL Teams Week Five

It sucks when your team is inching closer to being part of the 5 Worst NFL Teams as Week Five is closing in. Thanks, Minnesota, close to being part of the five worst teams are you kidding me? What happened to that vaunted Mike Zimmer defense? Better get it right in Philly, or I cant save you next week for being in the five down, the five worst NFL teams oh my! I need a drink.

Ah yes, it’s that time of the week for 5 Up 5 Down: The five best and five worst teams in the NFL.  We are Unafraid to piss you off by adding clubs who probably don’t belong in the Top 5. Sorry, Jacksonville at least your team doesn’t stink right now! Week 5 is here as the Colts and Patriots kick things off tonight.  As always, There are some movers and shakers in our rankings, but we also have the Bills and Cardinals who are staples at being part of the Worst 5 in the NFL. What did we learn in Week 4? The Titans have a head coach with brass balls, seeing Quarterbacks with 50 or 60 passes and 400 yards is becoming a typical thing, Earl Thomas has a unique way of saying goodbye, Patrick Mahomes II is a star, and the Rams are the ultimate show in the NFL.

5 UP: The Five Best NFL Teams 

1.  LOS ANGELES RAMS (4-0)  Last Week: 1st

No surprise here these Rams could overtake, “The Greatest Show on Turf” soon with the numbers they are putting up. I think the Rams just scored another touchdown against the Vikings while you were reading this.  My question was, could Jared Goff take the next step?  He has climbed over that step and is now atop the mountain.  In my mind, Jared joined the elite in the NFL as witnessed by these picture-perfect passes vs. a shell-shocked Vikings defense. Goff tossed a perfect game (158.3 Rating) and has amassed some fantastic numbers so far this year (72.4 % 1,406 Yards 11 Td’s just 2 INT’s with a stunning 127.3 OBR).   The Los Angeles Rams are the best team in football right now, but they are not as complete as I thought they were.

The defense has real issues at the LB position, and the secondary got torched by Kirk Cousins. The Rams are number one in our 5 Up due to the perfect record, high octane offense and an impressive plus 73 point differential. What is scary is they can be much better than this. A battle with division rivals, the Seattle Seahawks (2-2) on Sunday afternoon in the Emerald City is next. Las Vegas has the Rams at 7.5 favorites, and the all-time series stands at 23-17 for Seattle (they split both games last year). For the Rams, this kicks off three straight weeks on the road against some stiffer defenses (Seahawks, Broncos, and 49ers), but I fully expect them to win all of these game. Congrats Rams, two straight weeks atop our five up rankings.

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

We wanted to see Patrick Mahomes II (1,200 Yards, 14 Touchdowns, 126.5 QBR, with zero INT’s) get tested and he did in Denver on Monday night. I’m going to call him “Kid Dynamite,” found a way to get his 2nd win in the Mile High City (won last year in his first start as a Pro). The Broncos had some pressure on Patrick who once again used his feet to buy time to make big plays. He showed us some rookie throws which were fortunately not intercepted, but when the team needed him in the 2nd half, he delivered. This kid has that Brett Favre quality with improvising ability like changing hands to make a key play. He is pure excitement at the highest level becoming my favorite QB to watch in the NFL.

The Chiefs defense which has struggled a lot this year (ranked 32nd coming into the match-up) made some big plays as well. That interception by Eric Murray was a thing of beauty. An aspect that the “D” has done well all year is making some key stops on third down. They prevented another Keenum miracle at the end of the game to keep the record perfect. K.C. will have its toughest test of the year so far as the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-1) come to town.  The Chiefs are 3 point favorites, but the Jags lead the all-time series six games to five.

3. TENNESSEE TITANS (3-1) Last Week: Unranked

I had to bump Jacksonville out of our Top 5 this week since they won ugly on Sunday (plus the Titans beat them).  A team that won me over for having the gutsiest coach in the NFL are the Tennessee Titans. What a dramatic call against the Eagles to go for the win and sidestep the tie.  A huge 4th down conversion with game-tying FG in reach. Thank you, Mike Vrabel we hate ties! That win vs. the defending Super Bowl Champs is one that builds team unity, confidence and a season of epic success. You don’t believe me watch this postgame speech by my new favorite Head Coach.  Oh, by the way, Marcus Mariota is growing into an amazing leader, and we might have also seen the birth as well of an elite wide receiver, in Corey Davis.

Tennesee is quickly becoming a team that many around the NFL don’t want to face. The Defense is playing great, and a dramatic gutsy overtime victory versus Philly is why the Titans hold the third position in our 5 Up rankings. The Titans will travel to Buffalo (1-3) to battle the Bills. Tennessee is 3 point favorites to get the road win, and they lead the all-time series 28-17. One can never forget the Music City Miracle between these two teams in 2000 one of the great endings of all-time.

4. CHICAGO BEARS (3-1) Last Week: Unranked

So I am mixing it up in my five up. This team deserves a chance to be here since they should be (4-0) right now. Mitch Trubisky had a career day throwing for six touchdowns and the Bears receiving core (Robinson, White (amazing at blocking), Gabriel, and Miller) is improving right before our eyes. Some things the Bears need to do better is run blocking and running the ball. Neither Howard or Cohen have been consistent and with a young QB that is still developing that needs to improve.  I like how Matt Nagy goes after it very aggressive, similar to Sean McVay.

The biggest monster of the midway is Khalil Mack. He is the first player since Robert Mathis (2005) to record a sack and force a fumble in four straight games. It’s incredible to watch the rest of the defense pick up its energy level and try to emulate the play of the defensive MVP of the league right now. Chicago Bears fans should be very excited with a young team on the rise, and they will get a week off to enjoy it and root against the NFC North rivals.

5. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (3-1) Last Week: Unranked

It’s all about the spectacular Alvin Kamara who created history on Sunday. He was a monster last week, and he can beat you in so many ways. The Saints offense keeps getting more creative. Sean Payton might be the best play-caller in the business. Drew Brees is on the verge of becoming the all-time leading passer in NFL history. We don’t talk enough about him, but we are watching one of the all-time greats continue to play at a very high level.

If the defense can get its act together (allowing 30 points a game), then this team could represent the NFC in Atlanta for Super Bowl 53. The Saints battle the Redskins on Monday Night at home and are currently 7 point favorites. Washington leads the all-time series 17-9, but the Saints beat the Skins last year in OT, 34-31.

Closing in or falling out of our top 5 this week: Honorable Mention

Miami Dolphins (3-1), Cincinnati Bengals (3-1), Jacksonville Jaguars (3-1), Baltimore Ravens (3-1), Philadelphia Eagles (2-2).

5 DOWN: The Five worst NFL teams 

28.  HOUSTON TEXANS (1-3)  Last Week: Unranked

The Houston Texans should send Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Frank Reich a thank you card. Thanks to a horrible decision to go for it in OT on their side of the field, the Texans were able to end a horrific 9 game losing streak.  DeShaun Watson played well (375 Yards 2 touchdowns) despite being sacked seven times and hurried on numerous occasions.  Like many offensive lines in the NFL (Vikings, Cardinals, Bills) the Houston Texans Big Boys up front stink right now! I realize that Patrick Mahomes II is the new fancy toy to drool over but watching DeShaun versus the Colts, you know he is going to be a Super Star.

The defense needs to get its act together. When you have Watt, Clowney, and Whitney things shouldn’t be this poor (every game they have allowed 20 or more points).  A Battle of Texas this Sunday Night as the Cowboys (2-2) come to town. Houston is favored by three and a half points, but the Cowboys lead the all-time series three games to one. I’m going to go on a limb to say; the Texans will not be part of the five worst NFL teams next week.

29.  N.Y. JETS (1-3)  Last Week: Unranked

Well after week one, New York Jet fans were thinking Super Bowl. Okay maybe that is a little much but a road win in Detroit by a ton of points this might be a 9 or 10 win season. Nope, rookie quarterback falls back down to Earth, but it’s not all his fault.  Sam Darnold has been okay, but the offense is so intricate without any stars that things need to be simplified quicky. The bigger issue might be developing on the other side of scrimmage.

The defense is holding a players-only meeting to talk about eliminating miscommunications.  The Jets are making way too many mistakes, and this is squarely on Todd Bowles shoulders. An ominous sign for a Head Coach who is already on the hot seat. New York will welcome the Denver Broncos to MetLife Stadium. The Jets will be two-point favorites, but Denver leads the all-time series 20-15-1.  How long will the J-E-T-S be part of the five worst NFL teams, this week will be a true indicator.

30. OAKLAND RAIDERS (1-3)  Last Week: 30th

The Raiders are fortunate to have won on Sunday against Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns. They came within an inch of being 0-4. In a must win, the offense got it done. Derek Carr put up huge numbers (437 yards 4 TD’s 2 INTS), and Jared Cook is becoming an unstoppable weapon. The offense has been putting up big numbers, but the problem is on the other side of the ball.

While Khalil Mack is doing things we haven’t seen since 2005 in Chicago, The Raiders defense can’t stop the run, pass, or opposing teams from scoring. Only Tampa Bay has given up more points. One shining star has been the play of rookie Maurice Hurst who has shown on tape over and over.  Oakland’s defense needs only to be average for this sinking ship to float again. In four games though that defense looks like it will keep the Silver and Black in the five worst teams in the NFL. The Raiders will play what seems to be a home game in LA versus the Chargers (2-2). San Diego will be 6 point favorites, but the Raiders lead the series 63-52-1.

31. BUFFALO BILLS (1-3)  Last Week: 28th

After shocking the world with a huge upset the week before in Minnesota, the Bills true colors came out as they got embarrassed 22-0 to the Packers at Lambeau. Josh Allen, as our George Wrighster has pointed out on many occasions, was very inaccurate on Sunday. He looked like a deer in headlights thanks to an offensive line that allowed seven sacks.  LeSean McCoy returned and ran for a paltry 24 yards. The Buffalo Bills showed us all at Lambeau field why they might be picking first in the 2019 NFL Draft.  An awful football team who will use this year to gain experience. Hopefully, Josh Allen’s confidence won’t be destroyed.

The Bills will always be part of the 5 worst NFL teams here in 2018-2019. Arizona is somehow below them right now in our rankings, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Cards overtake Buffalo at some point this year. The Good news for the Bills is they are home this Sunday, but the bad news is it’s against the red-hot Tennessee Titans. Hey, at least the Buffalo Wings are really good, and the Sabres drop the puck this week.

32.  ARIZONA CARDINALS (0-4) Last Week: 32nd

The Cards look to be a staple in the 5 worst NFL teams.  Another week and another poor outing by the Cardinals offense. In four weeks of play, this team has put up an NFL worst 37 points. I am guessing soon the defense might take out some anger on that offense in practice. The Cardinals have shown some fight the last two weeks, but 0-4 is pathetic.  Josh Rosen did provide a glimmer of hope (180 Yards 1 TD’s no interceptions), but this offense is just brutal. Please set Larry Fitzgerald free.  He deserves a chance to finish his career with something better than this. What is going on with running back David Johnson?  Fantasy owners are going crazy!

The Cardinals travel to San Francisco to battle division foes the (1-3) 49ers. Niners are 4 point favorites at home and lead the all-time series 29-24, but the Cards have won the last six match-ups.

Teams that are Knocking on futilities door:

San Francisco 49ers (1-3),  N.Y. Giants (1-3), Detroit Lions (1-3), Minnesota Vikings (1-2-1), Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2-1)

Come back next Thursday for Five Up Five Down, The five best NFL Teams and the five worst NFL Teams for Week 6.

The Fact Is: Week 6

It’s Week 6, and Facts are Facts!

Eagles are still The Dream Team… In your dreams!

There is no ‘I’ in team, and there’s no ‘D’ in Philly either. This collection of Individuals called a defense “can’t stop a nose bleed” (Bart Scott voice). Even with the horrendous play by The Individuals defense, Philly still could be 4-1, or 5-0. Dropped passes, poor pass protection leading to interceptions, fumbles, and bonehead plays are the headlines for Eagles highlights. With all this said, call me crazy but The Individuals still have a good chance to make the playoffs. They will scrape a couple ugly wins together and make a serious playoff run.

The Eagles locker room is in disarray right now. There are a lot of people talking and not a lot of people listening. Everybody wants to stop the underachieving, but they have only been together a short period of time. With the whole off season missed due to the lockout, the leadership they need to pull themselves out of this funk has yet to emerge. You have players yelling at each other, cussing, and talking under their breath. They all want to win and have ideas on how to win, but until they establish a leader and buy in to the plan the Eagles will be The Individuals.

This week: at Redskins – Individuals win

I want to give Detroit a nickname but I refuse to contribute to foolishness!

I predicted Detroit would take a huge leap and make the playoffs this year. So far I look like a genius, but I saw something on Monday Night Football that concerns me. When you heard Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson, and Suh talking in the off season they expected to play well and make the playoffs. I understand most of the players on their team are used to losing, and were excited to win on MNF, but did you see all the dancing after the game? It was ridiculous! Players were doing the dougie, the running man, and cranking that soulja boy. You won a regular season game in the beginning of October, that’s all it was. This reminded me of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic a couple years ago. A bunch of young talents…All Flash…No Finish. Detroit fans, buyer beware. These guys should still make the playoffs, but are in for a reality check. Hopefully it doesn’t cost them the season when it happens.

Ok I changed my mind, the Lions are now the Detroit Dougies

America’s Economy > America’s Team

The US economy is more stable than the Cowboys. One half it’s high fives and elbows and the second half it’s tears and tissues. I hate to blame 1 person for all of a teams struggles, but Romo has to take blame for this. He has literally thrown 2 games away (Jets, Lions). Watching a Cowboys game with a fan is a hilarious experience. I liken it to watching the day trader analyze the Dow Jones ticker for 3 hours. My sisters fiance’ is a Cowboys fan and he swears Romo is a Top 5 quarterback and the Cowboys are a Top 5 team. He thinks they should blow everyone out and it’s hilarious to watch his hopes and dreams crushed every week. It’s virtually impossible to predict the Cowboys games or seasons, but they are must see TV. You would be a fool to turn a Cowboys game off early. Whether they are up by 24 or down by 17, the game is NEVER over.

The Cowboys are the most consistent team in the NFL. They are consistently inconsistent!

This week America’s team travels to Foxboro – Patriots win (this won’t end well)

What is going on with the Bills and 49ers? Good News/Bad News

I hate to be the barer of bad news…. but, the Bills are going to finish 9-7 or 10-6 and miss the playoffs. The good news is this is a step in the right direction, and Bills fans finally have hope for the future. They have played from behind in every win, and that’s not a good sign. You cannot keep winning games with a young team playing from behind. Fitzpatrick is proving himself a quality QB but don’t drink the kool-aid until the ink is dry on his new deal.

Good news 49ers fans, unless you have a major injury you will make the playoffs! This will be the best season since Jeff Garcia to T.O. was the go-to combo. Keep your Superbowl dreams in your dreams for now though. The NFC West is still the NFC West.

Is the NFC West really the worst division in football?

As a former member of the AFC South it really pains me to say the NFC West is no longer the worst division in football. The AFC South is not very good right now, an 8-8 or 9-7 team will win this division. We all now know Peyton Manning is the most important player on his team. When Brady went down a few years ago the Pats still won 10 games. The Colts will be LUCKY (pun intended) if they don’t go defeated (0-16). Jack Del Rio has imploded the Jags again and with no WRs and a rookie QB they don’t stand a chance. The Tennessee Titans are looking ok right now with Hasselbeck at QB but the Chris Johnson who wanted a huge payday is nowhere to be found. I think the loss of Kenny Britt for the year is going to be this teams achilles heel. At the start of the year my money was on the Houston Texans to win this division, but injuries to Mario Williams and Andre Johnson have opened up the door for the Titans to steal.

It’s really scary how good Cam Newton can be. I hope he continues to work for years because I want to watch!

Green Bay Packers are the best team in the NFL. #ThatIsAll

Indianapolis Colts- trying to figure out how they are going to draft Andrew Luck without making Manning mad.

New York Giants- have a ton of talent but too many injuries to make a serious run at a championship.

New Orleans Saints- least talked about 4-1 team in the league and we will keep it that way for now.

New York Jets- Rex Ryan has some serious work to do with that defense. They were talking Superbowl at the beginning of the year, now they talking about “Playoffs…playoffs…” (Jim Mora voice)

Ladies and Gentlemen… Those are the Facts!

WEEK 3: Winners & Top 5 Fantasy

Two weeks in a row I have been your one stop shop for picks and fantasy football heros. So far my record is 27-5. Very impressive start, but this week will be one of the toughest this season. The Steelers are having QB problems and are playing a young, hot Bucs team. The Dolphins Wildcat does well against the J-E-T-S. The Saints don’t have their biggest wildcard to ground the Falcons. The Texans are 2-0 but are they poised enough to take over the state of Texas? Only a student of the game and a person with a keen eye for trends and forecasting the games could see these things happening. Good thing you got me. I wont let u down. If you need fantasy football help earlier in the week hit me up on my twitter.

Titans v Giants– Chris Johnson gets back on track to get to the 2500 yards that he won’t get to this season. He should win the rushing title again this year with about 1871 yards. Fantasy owners: Vince Young will finish this game. TITANS

Cowboys v Texans– It’s hard to even think about the Cowboys 0-3 after all the preseason hype but this is a make or break game for both teams. The Texans must show they are or real and are ready to take the next step to being an elite team. The Cowboys on the other hand must win if they are to have any chance of making the playoffs. This should be a close one. TEXANS

Steelers v Buccaneers– The Steelers are on major league “Upset Alert” right now. With no Dixon, no Big Ben, 1/2 Leftwich, the Steelers turn to Charlie Batch. Batch is a quality backup, but he gets hurt every time he plays. With an iffy QB situation and a much improved Bucs team at home, this could be the perfect storm. BUCCANEERS

Falcons v Saints– Can the Saints offense find a way to get kick started and win without Reggie “The President” Bush? Yes, only because they are playing at home. SAINTS

Raiders v Cardinals– The Commitment to Excellence is not quite excellent but they will win. Fantasy owners: Jason Campbell will be back, maybe not this game but he will be back and play well. RAIDERS

Jets v Dolphins– The Jets couldn’t stop the wildcat last year. What makes you think they will stop it this year? Nothing. DOLPHINS

Monday Night Football

Packers v Bears – This game features two of the leagues best young gun slingers and should prove to be a Big Time shootout. PACKERS

Other Winners: 49ers, PATRIOTS, RAVENS, VIKINGS, REDSKINS, EAGLES, CHARGERS, COLTS, BENGALS

QBs: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick

RBs: Frank Gore, Rashard Mendenhall, Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Ray Rice

WRs: Randy Moss, Steve Smith (NYG), Santana Moss, Steve Breaston, Terrell Owens

TEs: Heath Miller, Vernon Davis, Antonio Gates, Dallas Clark, Brent Celek

Def: Cincinnati, Baltimore, San Diego, 49ers

Week 7: The Blowouts

I decided to watch a Fantasy Football show on ESPN for a few minutes while the pre-game shows were on and I have come to this conclusion, they are clueless. I should come out with my own Fantasy predictions, I couldn’t possibly be more wrong than them. After the games were over and all the statistics collected, so many of the players they predicted to have bad games had excellent games, and those who they said would show up big were Fantasy sleepers. There were 13 games this past weekend, 8 of them were decided by 16pts or more. The schedule gave us a lot of lop sided games this weekend. Hey, it happens, but we have to look at the positives. It could be summer time between the end of NBA till football starts, a.k.a. purgatory.
Week 7 Recap:
Jets v. Raiders- Mark Sanchez won easily with another sub 150 yd performance. Rex Ryan must have read my week 6 review, K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple Sanchez). Ryan kept the plan basic and held his young QBs hand so he could not make a mistake. He even let him bring a sack lunch to work with a hot dog in it. Tough defense and running the football wins games, especially against the Raiders. Remember, the Ravens won a Superbowl with NO offense and Trent Dilfer at QB.
On a side note, in a post game interview JaMarcus Russell said, “I really don’t think it’s me personally…I really don’t think it’s me, do you?” ROFLMBO, is he serious? The team is bad but really…”I really don’t think it’s me”? (I’m almost in tears laughing)

Saints v. Dolphins- The Dolphins jumped out the gate like stallions while riding the back of Ricky Williams (Pause). Everyone who thought New Orleans Saints were front runners were silenced. This week they were the comeback kids after trailing for the first time all season. The Saints looked like “sinners” in the first half down 24-3. Everything that could go wrong for the Saints did, until :05 left in the 2nd quarter when the Dolphins called timeout and let Drew Brees talk Sean Payton into going for it instead of kicking the field goal. The score was 24-10 at the half and I was watching the game thinking, “Hmmm, the Dolphins better hope the “sinners” come back out for the second half because if the Saints show up it’s gonna be trouble, trouble.”
And as I predicted, trouble showed up…. Who dat say dey gon’ beat dem Saints??

Bills v. Panthers- Did T.O. play? Buffalo has not been impressive this year and their offense has been awful, but you know who is worse on offense, The Panthers. They have to be one of the top 2 most disappointing teams of the season (Tennessee Titans). There are a lot of teams less talented, that you don’t expect much from, but the Panthers have a dynamic backfield (D. Williams, J. Stewart go ducks) and WR Steve Smith, and they have defensive end Julius Peppers. FYI Bills DB Jarius Byrd had 2 interceptions in the game and is second in the league with 5 (Go Ducks!).
Chargers v. Chiefs- Nickname of the week goes to Vincent “Up Top” Jackson. He is not going to lead the league in catches but he leads the league in deep ball catches. Deep balls require so much athleticism, concentration, and a great pair of hands. If the route is not over 20 yds he wants no part of it. Oh yea, the Chargers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 37-7
Falcons v. Cowboys- Atlanta had a big win last week against the Chicago Bears, but this week didn’t quite go so well. The Falcons are hurting at corner back right now and Romo took advantage of it. Miles Austin made this week look like a carbon copy of last week. He broke tackles and made big catches to get to his second consecutive week over 170 yds with 2 TDs. The Cowboys grounded the Falcons air attack and hogtied Michael Turner. This game was more about the Falcons not playing very good defense than the Cowboys playing great offense.

The Titans did not lose this week. They didn’t play either.

Bengals v. Bears- There was so much commotion due to the launch of the OchoCinco News Network and iPhone application the Bengals were wondering whether they would cancel the game or not. They decided not only to play, but play EXCELLENT and blew out the Chicago Bears. Everybody played well, Carson Palmer 5 TDs, OchoCinco 10 receptions 2 TDs, Cedric Benson 189 yds rushing TD. Which leads me to ask where was the Bears D?
In other news, the Colts played Steven Jackson. We didn’t have to watch this game to know what happened. Manning continued his assault on the NFL record book and ascension to Greatness. Unless the Rams can manage to beat the Detroit Lions this week, chances are high they will finish the season “Defeated” (0-16), and tie the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the longest losing streak of all-time (26). Stephen Jackson could lead the league in rushing on a 0-16 team. How incredible would that be?
Packers v. Browns. Green Bay is quietly playing some really good football. I’m not gonna be the one to let the cat out of the bag and ruin their season. If they beat the Vikings this week the cat will be out of the bag.
In what could turn out to be a rematch of the Superbowl, the Steelers played the Vikings.
*Note to all NFL Players, in case you didn’t know, Adrian Peterson is a Grown Man. If you are going to attempt to tackle him bring everything you got, or you will be left looking “Gay” (Before you start trippin on me, he ran over William Gay).

Back to the game. Roethlisberger…smerger…erger was very accurate and impressive. He showed great touch and fit many passes in small windows. Both Defenses looked impressive, especially the Steelers who scored twice on defense. Neither running game really got too far off the ground but you just have to love the way Peterson plays the game. The game was very physical and very closely contested, the way football should be.
Monday Night: The game looked like a horror film “Attack of the Quarterback” starring Jason Campbell and Donovan McNabb. Campbell was sacked 6 times, and hit countless others. McNabb was sacked 3 times and hit many more. Jason Campbell limped around the field and I felt sorry for him. He has come under much criticism in the past few weeks, but how can anyone deliver the ball effectively when they are getting hit that much?

The Eagles offense didn’t impress much, but Desean Jackson and the Eagles Defense shined. Jackson is a threat to go to the house every time he touches the ball. Punt Returns, Wildcat, Receiving, Reverses, if he can get his hands on the ball, he might just get to the endzone. The Eagles defense was very opportunistic, bringing pressure and forcing turnovers. Where was this last week against the Raiders?
What did we learn this week? If it looks like a blowout on paper, it will be. Please don’t try and use this logic next week. It is for sure to backfire on you in a bad way. I have some games Highlighted for week 8. St Louis @ Detroit, someone has to win, right? Favre vs the Cheese Heads at Lambeau Field. The “Uniforms” vs the Ravenous offense. And the NY Football Giants vs the Eagles.
Please keep Leon Washington in your prayers. He suffered a really bad compound fracture. I’m praying he has a speedy recovery & rehab!! Keep ya head up Bro!!!