Rankings are cross-listed on sk7326's personal site:
Perfection will have to wait. With the Chiefs stunning the Packers and the Colts ripping out the Titans' playoff hearts, the 1972 Dolphins can pop some champagne, the 2007 Patriots can get their heads out of the pillow of remorse and seek assurance that the unbeaten 16-0 is still theirs alone, and the Lions and Creamsicle Bucs will be the only guests at their party. While this space has maintained that Green Bay is the league's best team, this is a tough game if you can't block - and with the injuries sustained Sunday, blocking has become just that much tougher. This of course is the first of many developments this week - including an emphatic statement (well, two emphatic statements) in San Francisco, a brief victory over God and a couple of truly wild dreams suddenly not being so wild anymore. As always, the rankings combine RPI, adjusted scoring margin, head to head, record vs common opponents and record vs good teams.
1 (1). Green Bay Communists (13-1) 31 pairwins
2 (3). New Eauxrleans Saints (11-3) 29
3 (5). Greater Boston and Providence Patriots (11-3) 29
4 (7). San Francisco 49ers (11-3) 27
5 (2). Baltimore Edgar Allan Poems (10-4) 27
6 (4). Houston Texans (10-4) 26
7 (6). Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4) 25
8 (8). Detroit Lions (9-5) 24
9 (11). Atlanta Falcons (9-5) 21
10 (9). Denver Incompletion Jesuses (8-6) 20
11 (10). Northern New Jersey Jets (8-6) 19
12 (16). Dallas Cowboys (8-6) 19
13 (14). Cincinnati Other Paul Browns (8-6) 16
14 (13). Los Angeles Raiders of Oakland (7-7) 15
15 (12). Northern New Jersey Giants (7-7) 15
16 (20). Seattle Seahawks (7-7) 15
17 (18). Los Angeles Chargers of San Diego (7-7) 14
18 (21). Philadelphia Eagles (6-8) 13
19 (19). Arizona Cactus Wrens (7-7) 11
20 (17). Tennessee Non Oilers (7-7) 11
21 (15). Chicago Bears (7-7) 11
22 (26). Carolina Panthers (5-9) 9
23 (27). Miami Dolphins (5-9) 8
24 (23). Kansas City Texans (6-8) 7
25 (28). Washington Racial Slurs (5-9) 7
26 (24). Buffalo Bills (5-9) 7
27 (25). Land Mass Surrounding Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-10) 4
28 (22). Jacksonville Jaguars (4-10) 3
29 (29). Cleveland Paul Browns (4-10) 3
30 (30). Minnesota Vikings (2-12) 2
31 (31). Cleveland Anaheim Rams of Saint Louis (2-12) 1
32 (32). Peyton Manning's Co-Workers (1-13) 0
Quick schedule ranks:
Best 8 (in order): Vikings, Broncos, Steelers, Bears, Raiders, Bucs, Lions, Rams
Worst 8 (in order): Redskins, Browns, Cowboys, Falcons, Cardinals, Jaguars, Texans, Saints
So going round the divisions:
AFC East: Well - the Patriots did not need the Jets help to clinch the division, as they scored a victory against the forces of diving Providence (as opposed to my beloved City of Providence). That said, the Jets were certainly obliging with their stunning turkey against the Eagles. Indeed, for New England and it's anti-vaunted defense, the week could not have possibly gone better, as the sea has parted for the outright #1 overall seed. There is no excuse for the Patriots not to get a Top 2 seed. Granted, the Dolphins coming in this week is not a gimme as Miami has spent the second half of the season playing like an above average football team, as Reggie Bush has made the full transformation from Kardashian scraps to restaurant quality starting running back.
AFC North: If an alien came from outer space knowing the rules of football (work with me here) and was told by earthlings that the Steelers and Ravens were the two best teams in one of the conferences, surely the extra terrestrial would have been highly incredulous. The Ravens defense was downright Patriots-esque with the way the Chargers buzzed through them. Fortunately for them the Steelers lost too, so at the end of the day the Magic Number slips down 1. Baltimore's two head to head edges (over the Steelers and Texans) loom large. Baltimore could slip into a wild card spot yet again, but they have quite the safety net here.
AFC South: The Texans are in. That's all that can be said certain, as injuries have ravaged them. Without the edge over the Ravens in the head to head, a #3 seed seems all but certain. Another win would be a good idea anyway to keep it safe. Tennessee's ghastly loss to Indianapolis did not kill their hopes to get the #6 seed - their schedule is still pretty cushy considering Houston not needing the Week 17 result - but if karma exists at all ...
AFC West: Tebow might not have felt His love washing upon his football team as the ball ricocheted off of him and his teammates in the fateful second quarter. (and if you think this is a cheap shot, Charlie Pierce gives me a leg to stand on) However, there was some mercy as Oakland snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Denver is still in pretty good shape here. At the same time, the Chargers are making their annual December push from the outside - and watching them clobber Baltimore wearing the sweetest dang uniforms in the league, teams should be happy they slept through half the season.
Wild Card: Somehow or another, the wild card scenario really didn't change - despite the Jets attempts to fight it - they might end up in the 6th position anyway. That said, 8-6 with the Giants and Dolphins to go does not an easy schedule make. Cincinnati and Tennessee both have easier roads. For now ...
The guess: 1. Patriots 2. Ravens 3. Texans 4. Broncos 5. Steelers 6. Bengals
NFC East: Well, Philadelphia sure looks awake, don't they? After we have been laughing at their demise, suddenly the Eagles are in a not-that-implausible scenario. The Giants getting crushed by the Redskins (if only Washington played them every week) for the second time, blew open the doors here. Now, there is no Wild Card coming from this bunch - that we know. Dallas or the Giants win out, there is your division champ. However, the Eagles are not just mathematically alive, but the single scenario they need to win the division is - considering the number of "IFs" involved - more plausible than they had any right to expect: 1) The Jets beat the Giants this week - since the Jets are a better team, this seems plausible ... 2) The Eagles win out - they throttled the Cowboys already once and the Redskins at home is a should-win ... 3) Giants beat the Cowboys - something they already did on the road. Three teams at 8-8, Eagles 5-1 division record drinks the milkshake up. The thing that could change the competitive scenario here is amazingly - television. If NBC takes one of these games, the Giants might be eliminated before kickoff, giving Dallas an edge. Of course if Dallas wins and Giants win this week, these words don't matter.
NFC South: Saints are in the playoffs and have the Falcons at dormie (hello golf jargon). Not much else to be said here. That said, if the Falcons win Monday night at New Orleans, the Saints will be forced to play its varsity in Week 17. Considering the unlikelihood of the Saints getting a bye, this could be a problem - all rest is good rest.
NFC North: Well cut the Packers and they bleed. The more important thing though are the injuries up front sustained in Kansas City. This is the sort of toll that can prevent a good playoff run. Packers are still obviously the favorites, but their margin for error has shrunk.
NFC West: The 49ers and the power grid at Candlestick Park both delivered impactful blows last night as the Steelers were just too beat up and overwhelmed. I am not sure the 49ers have the firepower to win the whole thing, but they have the defense to. The 1 game lead over the Saints in conference record means they win out and the #2 seed is their. Actually if the unthinkable happens and the Packers lose three in a row, the #1 seed would be theirs. But first things first. What a turnaround.
NFC Wild Card: Lions and Falcons comfortably at 9 wins. The Bears probably received their parting gift and their edition of NFL: The Home Game by now. In some ways they are the true tragedy of the season - a team that played a monstrous early schedule - starting really hitting their stride, and then Tim Tebow sent his God out to injure their best players rendering the offense inept to be kind - let alone the Sam Hurd business.
The Guess: 1. Packers 2. 49ers 3. Saints 4. Cowboys 5. Falcons 6. Lions
There are a lot of diaries in this lovely community dedicated to worthwhile things like social justice and making sure everyone has a chance to make his or her own dreams come true ... this is not one of those diaries.