With week five of the NFL in the books, here are the InscriberMag’s NFL Power Rankings.
1.) San Diego Chargers (4-1): As stated last week, Philip Rivers is quietly beginning to make a strong case for NFL MVP. Three touchdown passes and 288 yards passing in a 31-0 win over the inept Jets only adds to his case.
2.) Seattle Seahawks (3-1): Russell Wilson is the man. Period.
3.) Denver Broncos (3-1): Peyton Manning moved into the NFL record books in throwing his 500th touchdown in a win over the Arizona Cardinals. His up-coming match-up against the sad-sack New York Jets could stand to only boost his impressive early-season numbers.
4.) Dallas Cowboys (4-1): It’s sad when Dez Bryant’s amazing catch in a over-time win against inter-state rival, Houston overshadows the new-look Cowboys emphasis on the run and potential MVP candidate in DeMarco Murray.
5.) Cincinnati Bengals (3-1): De-clawed and out-classed, Tom Brady showed his critics that he is still the “greatest living American” and the the Bengals are paper kittens.
6.) Green Bay Packers (3-2): It’s sad when your quarterback only goes 12-of-17 for 156 yards and three touchdowns in a 32-point rout, then again Aaron Rodgers has it like that #R-E-L-A-X
7.) Indianapolis Colts (3-2): Andrew Luck once again showed why he is widely considered the best young quarterback in the NFL in leading the Colts past a tough and battle-tested Ravens team.
8.) San Francisco 49ers (3-2): Once left for dead after losing to the Cardinals, it appears that Kaep and company are beginning to go back to their old formula of tough defense and letting Frank Gore tote the rock.
9.) Philadelphia Eagles (4-1): Despite a 34-28 win over the 1-3 Rams, it seems that Chip Kelly’s high-powered offense is in a bit of a funk.
10.) Baltimore Ravens (3-2): After schooling the Carolina Panthers, the Baltimore Ravens would get schooled by the best young QB in the business in Luck.
11.) Arizona Cardinals (3-1): So much for the Cardinals being legit, as Peyton Manning made them look like the pretenders that they are. No Carson Palmer, Drew Stanton makes them questionable.
12.) New England Patriots: Jimmy Garropolo who? Tom Brady silenced the critics with a vintage-like performance in destroying the AFC North-leading Bengals at home.
13.) New York Giants (3-2): It appears that after starting off slow, Eli Manning is finally getting comfortable in Ben McAdoo’s new West Coast offense, as he had unearthed two new toys in Odell Beckham Jr. and Larry Donnell in back-to-back weeks.
14.) Houston Texans (3-2): Houston has very little time to get over a tough loss to the Cowboys, as the hated Colts and Andrew Luck come to Space City.
15.) Buffalo Bills (3-2): It appears the Bills have found their quarterback in Kyle Orton. Scoring a big road upset over a high-powered Lions team, warrants their place here.
16.) Carolina Panthers (3-2): Don’t look now, but thanks to the faltering Falcons, average Saints and so-so Buccaneers, Carolina is beginning to establish themselves as the team to beat in the NFC South.
17.) Detroit Lions (3-2): You lose to a 31-year-old back up journeyman in Kyle Orton, who was once considering retirement at home? What’s wrong with you, Detroit!
18.) Cleveland Browns (2-2): SURPRISE! Hear me out readers! Perhaps the best 2-2 team in the NFL, the Cleveland Browns are the old 1980’s Kardiac Kids 2.0 reborn in taking years off your life in watching them and if not for a couple of last-second field goals could be 4-0 or 3-1.
Brian Hoyer—minus his dance moves—has Cleveland full of confidence and all of this without Josh Gordon. Coming back on the road down by 25 points, says that these are not your old Browns.
19.) Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2): How are the 3-2 Steelers below the 2-2 Browns—a team that they beat 30-27 in week one. Simple, this writer is going to burrow from a soccer term called a “false nine” which means a player that appears to be playing one position, but drops to another entirely is the best analogy in ranking the Steelers.
In their week one escape vs. Cleveland, they led by 24 points—27-3 at halftime, before having to rely on a late field-goal to win, would then be outscored 50-9 the next six quarters before getting back on track vs. Carolina in week 37-19.
After losing to a winless Tampa team at home, 27-24, the Steelers would struggle in beating a rookie quarterback in Blake Bortles on the road, 17-9. In alternating wins and losses in the first five games, Pittsburgh is old, inconsistent and the most overrated mediocre team in the NFL.
20.) New Orleans Saints (2-3): Bouyed by Khiry Robinson’s 19-yard touchdown run in overtime vs. division rival, Tampa. the Saints got a hard-fought and much-needed win.
21.) Atlanta Falcons (2-3): Considering their lack of success playing outdoors, why are they building a new retractable roof for this team in 2017?
22.) Kansas City Chiefs (2-3): As expected, the Chiefs came crashing back down to earth in Silicon Valley.
23.) Chicago Bears (2-3): Are these the Chicago Bears of the Cubs? Hard to fathom how a team as talented as Chicago could get beat by Buffalo at home and owned by Rodgers. Losing to Carolina is one thing, seeing the inconsistencies of Jay Cutler is another.
24.) Miami Dolphins (2-2): One week after beating the winless Oakland Raiders, the ongoing friction between Ryan Tannehill and Joe Philbin still lingers. A win against Philbin’s old team may remedy that.
25.) Minnesota Vikings (2-3): One week after getting destroyed by Aaron Rodgers at Lambeau, the Vikings better pray that Teddy Bridgewater is a quick healer.
26.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-4): Despite the overtime loss to the Saints, Tampa may have finally found their guy in Mike Glennon.
27.) St Louis Rams (1-3): One of the lone bright spots for an otherwise long season looks be the play of Austin Davis.
28.) Washington Redskins (1-4): And with the first pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins select……..
29.) New York Jets (1-4): Clearly, Geno Smith can’t tell the difference between being a bust and time zones either vs. the Chargers.
30.) Tennessee Titans (1-4): How the Titans enabled the Browns to pull off the largest road comeback in NFL history is mind-boggling. Jake Locker or Charlie Whitehurst—non withstanding—the Titans will be kicking themselves for a long time over this one.
31.) Jacksonville Jaguars (0-5): Playing the Steelers so close and tough is something in the Jaguars DNA that simply cannot be explained. Blake Bortles has a way to go to be called the next Big Ben, but clearly has the potential.
32.) Oakland Raiders (0-4): No words needed to describer the Silver and Black, as simple as a franchise that is clearly whack.
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