OK, I have come to the conclusion that there is a team worthy of the top spot, maybe even two.
So here it goes:
1. New York Giants (7-1).
They are worthy. They are worthy. I am a believer that this is the team to beat in the NFL. They are mentally and physically tough. They bench their most talented player and it doesn’t matter. Sound familiar? Yes, they are the Patriots without the glitz (Tom Brady) or glamour (Bill Belichick). They pound the ball on offense. They don’t ask too much of Eli Manning. And they play very well on the road. It’s official. They are the best team in the NFL.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2).
Am I crazy? No. This team is better than the No. 3 team, despite the record. Mind you, the NFL is not a great league. In most years, this Steelers team wouldn’t crack the top seven teams. But in this watered down, boring league, they are good. Again, like the Giants they are tough on both sides of the ball. They also have a very good, if not great quarterback, in Ben Roethlisberger. Their win over the phonies in Washington was impressive. Both of the their losses were acceptable (Giants and at Philly). They are the team to beat in the AFC.
3. Tennessee Titans (8-0).
They are a product of their schedule, a good team who has played weak opponents. Their quarterback will kill them when the games really count. He is a third-tier guy. The Titans defense is bordering on great (Steelers is better), which explains everything. They can also run the ball with two backs. The Titans are at Chicago and at Jacksonville. I am predicting at least one loss in Chicago and possibly Jacksonville, too. That would put these guys at a respectable 8-2, which is more in line with their talent.
4. New England (5-3).
Call me crazy, but I believe the Patriots are becoming just what I predicted a few weeks ago, a good football team. Their loss was disappointing in Indianapolis, but every mistake (including the head coach’s few) are correctable. I believe the fact they can run the ball and stop the run means so much. Matt Cassel might be a decent to good quarterback by the time the games really matter. Again, in another era, these Pats aren’t sniffing the Top 10. They are a Top 5 team now. We have to also start giving the offensive line its due. They have protected the quarterback and helped the running game become a factor in this league.
5. Philadelphia (5-3).
These guys are like roaches. You can’t kill them. They are a very well-coached, well-oiled machine. Brian Westbrook is an MVP candidate. He gets better every season. He’s a bigger, stronger Kevin Faulk, which means he’s a No. 1 back and star in this league. Quarterback Donovan McNabb continues to play at a pretty high level and I love the way this team pressures the top opposing team’s quarterback.
6. Chicago Bears (5-3).
I probably have them too high with Rex Grossman taking over at QB, but I will defer until after their game with the Titans. I like this team. They are more balanced than they were when they went to the Super Bowl. They have five different, equally proficient pass-catchers. They can run the ball (Matt Forte has 641 yards in eight games). The key is Kyle Orton returning as QB. If he’s not there, the Bears are a .500 team.
7. New York Jets (5-3).
Am I joking? No. The Jets are a pretty good team with an emphasis on pretty good. Brett Favre hasn’t yet worked out all his kinks, but the Jets hang around and make plays on both sides of the ball. They rebounded nicely after the bad loss to the Raiders (16-13, in OT) three weeks ago. They’ve had a soft schedule, but the fact they went into Buffalo, which needed a win, and pretty much handled them is saying something.
8. Tampa Bay Bucs (6-3).
This and the Panthers (they’re next) are two teams I can’t figure out. Both appear to have very good talent but both appear to be mediocre on Sundays. The Bucs rank in the top eight in offense and defense. But I’m still not buying. Their problems at QB probably hurt them. They host the Vikings on Sunday then play the Lions and Saints. If they are 9-3 after this, I will put them in the top 3 or 4, guaranteed.
9. Carolina Panthers (6-2).
A good team or a decent team that hasn’t played anybody of note and beat yet? I’ll go with the latter. They’ve played five of their eight games at home, which has helped. And their next three weeks border on easy (Oakland, Detroit and Atlanta), which means they should be 9-2. Jake Delhomme is still talented but unimpressive. And their defense is decent, but not as good as the talent professes. I am predicting a loss over the next three games.
10. None.
I had the Washington Redskins here, but they were a mess when the bright lights were on last night. Buffalo, Baltimore, Arizona and Atlanta are all 5-3, too, but are unknown qualities. The Bills have blown a good thing. The Ravens are riding a rookie QB. The Cardinals are playing an easy last place schedule. Atlanta might be, because of Matt Ryan, the team to break out of this group. Stay tuned.
