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.

Hot Takes House 5: College Football, NFL, Rae Carruth, Rondo, CP3 Fight, Pac-12

Hot Takes House 5

The Hot Takes House 5 is open for business. These are hot takes and fun from the weekend. Send us your hot takes to ImMad@unafraidshow.com, and they may make the next week piece. Do not read any further if you are easily offended.

Hope you enjoy Hot Takes House 5. See you next Monday! Send us your hot takes to ImMad@unafraidshow.com, and they may make the next week post.

FUN FACT: Movie trailers were originally shown after movies, which is why they were called “trailers.” (Only problem ways people wouldn’t stay to see them)

1. Rule #1 Don’t let your mouth write checks your ass can’t cash.

My dad used to say that all the time. It has proved to be sage advice in my life. This guy clearly didn’t get the memo!

2. I was encouraged about the toughness of NBA players after the Rajon Rondo, Chris Paul, and Brandon Ingram Fight.

For over a decade NBA players would have dustups but nobody ever really wanted to fight. Guy just wanted to make people believe they would fight even when they wouldn’t. Chris Paul, Rondo, and Ingram brought back the NBA of old back to the court.

We never want to see fighting in the games. However, some things are worthy of a fight. Under no circumstances can you spit on somebody and not expect to get not to get in a fight. I never condone my sons fighting as an early measure of problem-solving. However, if somebody spits in my kid’s face, he has dad’s blessing to whoop his ass! And if my son got spit on and did nothing, he and I have a serious problem.

3. One of the most humbling things in sports is the “Walk of Shame” quarterbacks have to take back to the sideline after throwing a pick 6.

The quarterback knows everyone in the stadium and on national television is looking at him with disgust. The networks leave the camera on them the entire walk to the sideline. It’s like wathcing somebody walk home at 10am on Sunday morning in their Saturday night party outfit. Nobody on the team even looks or talks to the quarterback as he humbly passes by. He can just feel all the judgment upon him. Everyone is thinking, “You idiot. You just threw the game away.” There is some truth to this because elite quarterbacks do throw picks but rarely throw pick 6’s.

Every quarterback throws interceptions. However, there is a big difference between throwing an interception and throwing a pick that results in points for the other team.

Imagine the thoughts that go through Peterman, Bortles, Carr, and Keenum’s mind when they walk to the sideline. They have to wonder how many more times this can happen before they are benched.

The only “walk of shame that could rival a quarterback is a kicker who misses a chip shot or extra point to lose the game.

*Clears throat Washington Huskies vs. Oregon, Baltimore Ravens vs. New Orleans Saints.

4. Are the Jacksonville Jaguars delusional or self-sabotaging by continuing to act like Blake Bortles is going to get better?

The Jaguars have to give up hope that Blake Bortles is going to get better. He is the only thing standing between the Jaguars and a trip to the Super Bowl. Bortles lost another pair of fumbles Sunday. He has 26 games since the start of 2014 committing multiple turnovers, the most such games by any player in the NFL in that time. Even when he’s not throwing picks of fumbling, he struggles with accuracy.

Unbelievably, the team is not even considering a trade for a quarterback.

The Jaguars sat out the quarterback derby this offseason and extended Blake Bortles instead of going after Kirk Cousins or Alex Smith. They also could have traded for Teddy Bridgewater just like the Saints did.

5. The New York Giants made the same mistake the Jaguars did when they drafted Saquon Barkley instead of a quarterback.

The Jaguars passed on Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson when they drafted Leonard Fournette. Now, they are in an untenable position. The New York Giants could have drafted, Darnold, Rosen, or any number of other quarterbacks to secure their future. Instead, they took a great running back, and can’t win football games.

The reality is that no matter how a running back is he does not impact winning and losing nearly as much as a quarterback. Look at how Todd Gurley’s season was when Jared Goff was bad as a rookie. The team lost, and Gurley’s stats were underwhelming. Now, Goff is playing well; the team is 6-0 and Gurley is an MVP candidate.

6. “This year’s Chiefs home playoff loss is going to be glorious. They are so talented and fun… but we all know how this ends.” -Doug Gottlieb

This take is hot as it comes, but there is no evidence in history to refute it. I love watching the Chiefs play. Mahomes is the most exciting player in the NFL. The combination of Mahones, Hill, and Hunt make the most explosive team in the league.

At this point, we know how good the Chiefs are in the regular season. We also know that the franchise has had a history of underachieving in the playoffs. They have only won one playoff game since 1993.

Unless Kansas City has turned over a new leaf, we will be seeing Tom Brady and the Patriots representing the AFC in the Super Bowl again.

7. When it comes to the College Football Playoffs, winning your conference and playing a good schedule is only relevant to non-SEC teams.

Danny White, Athletic director at UCF, has some thoughts on the College Football Playoff. He’s not wrong. The media creates a narrative that the committee just so happens to follow. Winning your conference and playing a good schedule is only relevant to non-SEC teams. The SEC has not been dominating college football. Alabama has been dominating everyone. They should charge the rest of the conference rent for how good they make the rest of them look.

The SEC gets pumped up as being so tough, but the reality is their non-conference schedules are extremely soft, and they only play eight conference games. The imbalance in college football schedules has been exploited by teams. Fans are the real losers in college football because there are only 12 regular season games, and so many are wasted on sub-par competition.

8. The parity in the PAC-12 North for 2018 is crazy. 4 of the 20 best teams in the country are in one division: Oregon, Washington, Washington State, and Stanford.

I challenge you to find a tougher division in college football. There is not one. Alabama looks unbeatable, but we have no idea how good Florida, Kentucky, and UGA are. The Big Ten has Michigan, Iowa, and Ohio State that look like top teams, but they don’t all play each other. Clemson is the lone top-tier ACC team. The Big XII has an impressive Oklahoma and Texas, but it drops off from there.

9. If Clay Helton gets fired, will coaches be lining up to leave their jobs to take the USC head coaching job? Is USC still a Top-5  job?

The last time the USC head coaching job was vacant coaches weren’t lining up to leave their current jobs to head to USC. The Trojans are a college football blue-blood, so they always have the potential to reemerge as a consistent top 5 team. The thing that further complicates the question is USC’s recruiting. The Trojan’s consistently land 5* recruits every year no matter the coach or their record. So why haven’t coaches shown an eagerness to leave their current jobs to coach at USC?

I don’t think USC is still a top 5 job, but it is a top 5 college football blue-blood. Right now, Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, Clemson, Georgia, and Michigan all seem like more desirable locations.

10. I saw Alabama do the most bush league thing I have ever seen a Nick Saban led team do. They gave Butch Jones a Gatorade bath after they beat the terrible Tennessee Vols.

Alabama came into the game favored by almost 30 points. There was nothing special or notable about the win. Before Tennessee beat Auburn in week 7, they hadn’t won an SEC game since Nov. 19, 2016. Is that really worth a Gatorade bath? It seems pretty pathetic considering Butch Jones built the current Tennessee team that is so bad right now.

What was there to celebrate for Alabama? Was it vindication for Jones? If so, how? Butch Jones was not treated unfairly or fired without cause from Tennessee. The program was in shambles, and the once proud Vols program is one of the worst in the SEC.

If I were Jones, I would have been extremely bothered by the sympathy Gatorade bath.

11. Rae Carruth is now out of jail after serving nearly 20 years surrounding the murder of the woman who was pregnant with his child, Rae Carruth Jr.

Charlotte paper has had a seven-day mega-article on the entire case. The prosecution offered all four defendants a plea deal down to 2nd-degree murder. The trigger-man, Van Bret Watkins took the deal. The jury had an issue with charging Rae with 1st when the guy who actually shot the gun was only going to get 2nd. Doesn’t make much sense to me, but that was their thinking per the article.

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Jalen Ramsey Finally Has Nothing To Say About Anything

Jalen Ramsey

For the first time in a while, Jalen Ramsey is silent.

After the Jaguars suffered an embarrassing 40-7 defeat at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys, Ramsey was silent at his locker, mumbling short phrases and one-word answers to reporters. This is a far cry from the trash talking loudmouth that fans have come to love and hate.

The loss to the Cowboys marked the second straight game where the vaunted Jaguars defense allowed more than 30 points (70 points in 2 games). Once thought of as an AFC contender, the Jaguars have now lost 3 out of 4 games to fall to 3-3. Both the offense and defense have hit a standstill. Ramsey had another chance to speak Thursday in front of the media, and once again, Ramsey deflected most of the questions while giving short, simple answers.

Remember that this is the same Jalen Ramsey who put the rest of the NFL on notice with his famous GQ interview where he called Josh Allen “trash” and called Matt Ryan, “overrated.” It seems that the losing streak has taken a hit on the confidence level of the Jaguars including Ramsey.

Silence is Not Golden

I am not going to sit here and start an “Old man yells at cloud” debate. I don’t mind Ramsey’s trash-talking whatsoever. In fact, I believe it’s great for the game and creates an exciting narrative for the NFL. If a player has to chirp to get an edge and it leads to success on the field, I’m all for it. In a time where we beg athletes to be more open and more forthcoming, Ramsey’s brutal honesty is somewhat refreshing. His answers in that article were not staged or planned. They were off the cuff, which is something I appreciate even if I don’t agree with all of his beliefs.

That being said, if you are going to talk when times are good, you must be able to face the music when times are bad. If you are going to chirp and take shots at other players, you can’t go quiet when your team is struggling. I’m not suggesting that Ramsey has to continue to chirp when losing because if he did that, then it would be a case of sour grapes. However, giving one-word answers and acting standoffish when the media asks fair questions after losses is unacceptable. This is the time to face the music. There is no definitive “right way” to handle a loss. You can be pissed off after a loss. You can be upset and angry with yourself. However, I can tell you that what Ramsey has done is not an acceptable way to handle the media as a professional.

Let’s see if a win on Sunday marks the return of the talkative Ramsey.

Check out the NFL 5 Best and 5 Worst Teams for Week 7.

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.

Highest Bidder!: Coaches and Players Loyalty for Sale

While the USC faithful have been celebrating the firing of Lane Kiffin, few realize how many people are affected when the head ball coach gets his walking papers.
In my FIRST position meeting in Jacksonville, my tight end coach Alfredo Roberts introduced me to the NFL. He said, “When teams don’t win in sports, two things happen, coaches get fired or players get fired. The coaches just got fired, so guess who is next if we don’t play well.”. In the world of college and professional sports everything boils down to two things, winning/losing and money. Good players are released or traded because they make too much. The NCAA continues to find additional revenue streams to make money from athlete’s likeness. Coaches aren’t fired because they have too many years and too much money left on their contract.
Ever wonder why coaches win and continue to ask for additional years to their contract? Head coaches typically have a guaranteed contracts, unless they get fired for “cause”. FYI, losing is not “cause”. You have to pull a Bobby Petrino (Arkansas) or Mike Rice (Rutgers) to get fired without pay. The head coach gets all the praise with wins, and all the blame when you lose. But, it is nice to be the head man because when you get fired with years left on your contract, you have a golden parachute. If I were a head coach, sign me through the 2025-26 season.
When coaches like Lane Kiffin, Norv Turner, Rick Neuheisel, or Lovie Smith don’t live up to

expectations and are fired, they leave with some financial security. They often have assistant coaches who are doing a great job, but they typically get thrown out with the head coach. You could be the best tight end coach in the world, but when the head man goes, so do you.

Assistant coaches and their families are affected the most. Most assistants make peanuts compared to the head coaches salary.  Even when the head coach doesn’t get fired, they often change assistants through the years (for various reasons). There is NO job security. Assistant coaches are typically journeyman until they get the job security of being the head coach. Most never achieve their dream, and are tied to finding job with the guys they have worked with in the past who get jobs. Their families are drug across country searching for stability and their dreams to come true. As much as assistant coaches love the game, they are no different than any other husband/father. They are using their particular set of skills to provide a comfortable, and stable life for their families. Since 1999, when I graduated high school, Alfredo has had a job every year because he is a GREAT tight end coach, but has made stops at Florida Atlantic, Jaguars, Browns, Buccaneers, and is currently at the Colts. He has a wife and kids, but the only roots he can put down are the roots on his coaching tree. Imagine every year, win or lose, not knowing if you will have a job. Imagine the stress it puts on your wife, children, friendships, and families to move from place to place for years, just hoping for the day you land the big job.
According to USA today, “The average major-college football assistant coach now earns roughly $200,000, a USA TODAY Sports analysis finds”. The list of the top 124 college coaches 2012 salaries and their assistants totals is very interesting.
Next time you wonder why there is very little loyalty in sports, know why. If you were a coach would you be loyal to a program or team that will throw you out without notice? Or would you continue to look for the best available opportunities until you optimize your personal goals, and maximize your family’s happiness?
A pro coach’s dream career should look like this: Get a position as a quality control coach for an NFL team, do well and a position coaches job opens up on that staff, someone recognizes you as a young talent and you land a coordinator job, your offense/defense is tops in the league for 2 years, an owner takes a huge leap of faith and hires you NFL coaching job with not head coaching experience, win a bunch of games, win a Super Bowl, get a long term contract, get fired with 3 years left on your deal, ride off into the sunset and have fun being a grandpa, and hold seminars and mentor new young coaches.
A college coach’s dream: Get a position coach job in college, someone recognizes you as a young talent and takes a huge risk on you as a coordinator, you have great success and land a head coaching job at a mid level division 1, beat some big teams and go to bowl games, get a job a big school who has been struggling, build the school into a powerhouse, get a NFL coaching job, win a Super Bowl, get a long term contract, get fired with 3 years left on your deal, ride off into the sunset and have fun being a grandpa, and hold seminars and mentor new young coaches.
Coaches have to look out for themselves and do what is best for their families. That type of system trickles down to the players. So when your favorite player changes team, just realize it is part of the cycle. Loyalty is sports is bought, and it usually only lasts until someone else has a bigger, better deal for you. Is your loyalty for sale?