Week 7 NFL Power Rankings

The Most Awful

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-6), No Move

We saw some signs of life from the Jaguars this week. They played their best game of the season against the best team in the NFL. Yes, they lost by 16, and it wasn’t all that close after halftime. But they put up a tougher first half fight than I ever thought they were capable of. Chad Henne is much better than Blaine Gabbert and is not that much worse than any other replacement level QB would be. Justin Blackmon is a major asset and gives this team at least a chance to be competitive the rest of the season. Looking at their schedule, I’m not willing to redact my 0-16 prediction just yet. But with the current roster, they should be in position to win one or two games in 2013.

The Pretty Awful

31. Minnesota Vikings (1-4), Down 4

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-5), No Move

29. New York Giants (0-6), Up 2

28. Oakland Raiders (2-4), Down 2

The Vikings have an absolutely dreadful defense. And the offense isn’t much better. They bring in Josh Freeman this week to see if he can get things going. If he can’t, then yes, they are this bad.

The Buccaneers, and all their talent, continue to astound me. I wasn’t completely on their bandwagon at the start of the year, but I didn’t expect this. To be fair, their schedule looks tougher and tougher as time goes on. The Jets and Cardinals aren’t actually as bad as we think they are (which you’ll see later). The Patriots and Saints are obviously really good. And the Eagles are starting to heat up. I’m not excusing the 0-5 record, but it isn’t the worst 0-5 ever.

The Giants get a slight bump for looking relatively competent against Chicago last Thursday. They didn’t win, of course, because Eli Manning will not stop throwing picks, but they only lost by six on the road to a solid team. Plus, can’t we see them reeling off seven straight wins and finishing 8-8? I can.

The Raiders looked like their old stinky selves against the Chiefs. The demotion comes mostly from Terrelle Pryor’s utter lack of effort to tackle Husain Abdullah after he threw a terrible interception. Shame on you.

The Rough Start

27. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-4), Up 2

I’m not convinced that the Steelers are this bad. They won a stereotypically Steelers-y game over the Jets to finally get them in the win column. They picked off Geno Smith twice, accounting for their first turnovers of the season. Ben Roethlisberger was efficient through the air, and avoided turning the ball over for the first time this year. It wasn’t a pretty win, but that’s the Steelers for you. If the defense steps up, and the Steelers figure out their offensive line situation (BIG if), they would be an average team. With a solid offensive line unit, they would probably be a playoff team.

The Jekyll and Hyde

26. Carolina Panthers (2-3), Up 2

Make up your mind, Carolina!!! Either you’re good or you’re bad! You cannot be both!

The Sinkers

25. Washington Redskins (1-4), Down 2

24. St. Louis Rams (3-3), Up 1

23. Buffalo Bills (2-4), Up 1

22. Cleveland Browns (3-3), Down 3

The Redskins are sinking in the sense that they went to the playoffs last year and now look totally incompetent. They are sinkers overall in 2013.

I predict the other three teams here to sink from this point forward. With a seemingly solid combined record of 8-10, you might be fooled into thinking that the Rams, Bills, and Browns might stick around in the playoff chase. Well, they won’t. I don’t know how the Rams have three wins. It makes no sense. They aren’t good at football. The Bills have zero quarterbacks, which is a problem. And the Browns have Brandon Weeden, which is worse than having zero quarterbacks. All pretenders, all of them.

The Fallen Stars

21. Atlanta Falcons (1-4), No Move

20. Houston Texans (2-4), Down 5

In my Week 1 Power Rankings, these teams were both in the top 10. The Falcons were number three, and the Texans, number eight. The Falcons I don’t feel so terrible about because they have had an apocalyptical run of injury. It doesn’t matter how good you are, you can’t win when that happens. As for Houston, they just aren’t the team we thought they were. I don’t know exactly what changed for them (nothing happened personnel wise), but they are stinking it up. I’m ready to cross off both teams for the year. The only consolation for both of them in light of their precipitous declines is that they have each other.

The Frisky Teams

19. Arizona Cardinals (3-3), Up 1

18. New York Jets (3-3), No Move

Like I said, the Cardinals and Jets aren’t that bad. The Cardinals defense continues to impress. They were on the field all day against San Francisco. The offense continually put them in tough positions. They held the 49ers to field goals on three drives that went inside their 30 yard-line. The score was 22-20 in the fourth quarter. Without the major defensive lapses that allowed Vernon Davis free reign of the end zone, they probably win the game.

The Jets didn’t look great against Pittsburgh, but there are going to be growing pains with Geno Smith. The team has a lot of raw talent, especially on the defensive side of the ball. If Smith plays smart, mistake-free ball they are going to be right in it in a lot of contests. Many people thought they might be the worst team in the NFL coming into the year. From what I’ve seen, they are far from it.

The Upward Trend

17. Philadelphia Eagles (3-3), Up 5

I like Nick Foles. I liked him at Arizona. I liked him in various relief efforts last year. And I liked him a lot last week. He has a sparkling stat line so far in 2013 – 41/61 for 542 yards, 6 TDs, 0 INTs. But the most important stat: He is 2-0 against Michael Vick’s 1-3. The question with Foles was whether or not he could operate Chip Kelly’s offense. I’m going to say yes.

The Downward Trend

16. Tennessee Titans (3-3), No Move

I don’t like Ryan Fitzpatrick. I didn’t like him at Harvard. I didn’t like him in various relief efforts in Buffalo. And I didn’t like him at all last week. He has an underwhelming stat line so far in 2013 – 41/78, 526 yards, 2 TDs, 4 INTs. But the most important stat: He is 0-2 against Jake Locker’s 3-1 .The question with Fitzpatrick was whether or not he should still be in the National Football League. I’m going to say no. See what I did there?

The Hodgepodge

15. Detroit Lions (4-2), Down 1

14. San Diego Chargers (3-3), Up 3

13. Baltimore Ravens (3-3), Down 1

12. Dallas Cowboys (3-3), Up 1

This is just a big lump of teams I don’t really know what to do with. They have all shown at times that they can be veritable contenders. But they have all also shown inconsistency and a propensity to choke in big moments. They could all make the playoffs, and they could all miss the playoffs. More likely, two of them make it and two of them fall short. Don’t ask me who though, because I still need more time to figure this group out.

The Rocks

11. Chicago Bears (4-2), No Move

10. Miami Dolphins (3-2), No Move

You’re going to love this analogy. The Bears and Dolphins aren’t the most exciting teams ever. They don’t really have explosive offenses. They don’t blow people out like the Saints and Broncos. But they play consistent football, take the ball away on defense, and win close games. They are solid and boring. Like rocks. Get it?

The Overachievers

9. Indianapolis Colts (4-2), Down 2

8. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2), Up 1

7. Kansas City Chiefs (6-0), Up 1

The Colts played a secretly terrible game at San Diego on Monday. Drops don’t really jump out at you from the box score. If we counted all the drops the Colts had that ended drives as turnovers, then everyone would notice. Now, the Chargers aren’t a terrible team, but they are a team the Colts should be able to beat. If these two teams played again on Sunday in San Diego, by some massive oversight by the NFL schedule makers, I’m not so sure that the Colts wouldn’t take that one.

The Bengals won on Sunday, which is what we really care about. But their inability to put away a Bills team led by Thaddeus Lewis is worrisome. They led by 14 in the fourth quarter, and ended up having to go eight minutes deep into overtime to grab the W. Maybe this is just the Bengals style, though. Remember when they were the cardiac cats? For a team that I, and many others, believe is going to the playoffs, they might not win a game by more than 10 all year.

You already know how I feel about the Chiefs. They have now beaten six teams with a combined 11-25 record.  Play a real team.

The Contenders

6. San Francisco 49ers (4-2), Down 1

5. New England Patriots (5-1), Up 1

4. Green Bay Packers (3-2), No Move

3. Seattle Seahawks (5-1), No Move

2. New Orleans Saints (5-1), No Move

I chose not to move too much around here, although I had more than enough opportunity to do so. The 49ers, Packers, and Seahawks all won, but looked less than stellar. The Patriots get a slight move up because they did win a hard-fought game. However, the Saints did not drop because I fully believe they lost that game, the Patriots did not win it. The Saints did everything wrong down the stretch. Every single thing. If you replayed those last three minutes 100 times, the Saints win 99 times. The Saints should still be undefeated and I still believe that they are the second best team in football.

The Leader of Men

1. Broncos (6-0), No Move

The final score didn’t look great, but the Broncos never broke a sweat against the Jaguars. They didn’t play anywhere near their ability and they scored 35 points and beat an NFL team by 16. They face better competition this week when they travel to Indianapolis.

Week 6 NFL Power Rankings

Week 6 NFL Power Rankings

The Worst

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-5), No Move

Last week I said the Jaguars were going to go 0-16. My mind hasn’t changed.

The Winless Wonders

31. New York Giants (0-5), Down 2

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-4), Up 1

29. Pittsburgh Steelers (0-4), Down 1

I mean, what can you say about the Giants at this point. They are really terrible. They could be “top two draft pick” terrible.

The Buccaneers and Steelers both got a much needed bye last week so they haven’t done anything particularly awful of late. I could still see these teams getting up to four, five, or six wins on the season, with all the talent they have on the roster. But until they get a notch in that win column, they have to stew down here in the bottom five.

The Suspicion Proved False

28. Carolina Panthers (1-3), Down 9

Last week, I revealed that I had a suspicion that the Panthers might be “under-the-radar” good. That was probably one of the dumbest things I have ever said in my life. They were abysmal on Sunday against Arizona. Cam Newton looked completely incompetent, and the offense flailed around him all day. Carolina is in real trouble going forward. Coach Ron Rivera is likely to be canned soon, and there are whispers of a quarterback replacement creeping up on Newton. It could be another long year.

The New Home of Josh Freeman

27. Minnesota Vikings (1-3), No Move

Do I think the acquisition of cast-off quarterback Josh Freeman will help the Minnesota Vikings? No, I do not. Let’s move on.

The Shams

26. Oakland Raiders (2-3), Up 4

25. St. Louis Rams (2-3), No Move

24. Buffalo Bills (2-3), Down 4

Don’t get excited, Raiders and Rams fans. The Raiders played a fluky game in the dead of the night, and it took five turnovers from the Chargers for them to sew up the victory. Terrelle Pryor looked like an MVP candidate against the weak San Diego defense, but I wouldn’t expect that trend to continue. As for St. Louis, well they played the Jaguars. Both teams are lucky to have two wins on the season.

The reason Buffalo is a sham is because they are going to be atrocious without E.J. Manuel under center. Their defense is being held together with glue and band-aids, and with the injury to Manuel, they are missing a few of their offensive playmakers. Add in Jeff Tuel as the starting QB for the next month, and it all equals a tough stretch ahead for the Bills.

The Meat of the NFC East Sandwich

23. Washington Redskins (1-3), Down 1

22. Philadelphia Eagles (2-3), Down 1

And what an unappetizing sandwich it is. The funny thing is that either of these teams could still win this decrepit division, although it is most likely that the Cowboys fall backward into the crown. I don’t think that the Redskins or Giants are good, but I don’t think they are awful either. I could see a run from either of them down the stretch, should Dallas stumble.

The Fall From Grace

21. Atlanta Falcons (1-4), Down 9

A home loss to the New York Jets seems to have sealed the Falcons fate for 2013. Already four games behind New Orleans, a comeback feels unlikely. To add insult to injury (or rather, injury to insult), star wide-out Julio Jones is out for the year with a foot fracture. There are simply too many injuries piling up for Atlanta. Their 2013 campaign has been effectively ruined.

The Surprising 3-2’s

20. Arizona Cardinals (3-2), Up 6

19. Cleveland Browns (3-2), Up 4

18. New York Jets (3-2), Up 6

I don’t like the Cardinals. I think their wins have come from an easy early schedule. I still don’t believe in Cleveland, despite three straight victories. Brian Hoyer, the man responsible to the team’s rejuvenation, is gone for the season, and much-maligned Brandon Weeden reclaims the reigns.

But I can’t help but like the New York Jets. Now, I don’t mean that I like them in an emotional way, because I irrevocably hate the Jets from an emotional standpoint. I mean that I like them from an objective, analytical view. The defense is really solid. Bilal Powell has stepped up in the running game. And boy, Geno Smith is exciting to watch. He’s just a playmaker. And as much as it hurts to admit it, Rex Ryan has done an unbelievable job with the cards he was given.

The Consistency Issues

17. San Diego Chargers (2-3), Down 4

16. Tennessee Titans (2-3), Up 2

15. Houston Texans (2-3), Up 1

It’s not time to give up on the Chargers entirely, but they playing inconsistent football just as I had feared they would. One week they look great, Philip Rivers looks poised, the defense makes big plays. Next week, Rivers throws three interceptions, the defense can’t stop anyone (read: Terrelle Pryor), and the whole team falls flat on its face. The Chargers are a middling team that I just can’t trust from week to week.

Tennessee is getting inconsistent play from the QB spot. It isn’t really fair because Jake Locker went down to injury and no one wanted Ryan Fitzpatrick to be taking the snaps. That being said, they had a real chance to win against undefeated Kansas City, but the offense just couldn’t muster enough to get over the hump.

And Houston, well, Houston needs a new quarterback. I’m sorry, but Matt Schaub has completely lost it. He laid an egg in Week 3 against Baltimore. He gave the game away in Week 4 hosting Seattle. And he played horrifically against San Francisco. Tough defense, I understand. But when you get that kind of production out of Arian Foster, and you wind up 0-3 with two blowout losses, you’ve got issues. Honorable mention to the defense, which has also been pretty bad.

The High Flyers

14. Detroit Lions (3-2), No Move

13. Dallas Cowboys (2-3), Up 4

These teams lost to Green Bay and Denver respectively last week, which is nothing to be ashamed of. The Lions, without Calvin Johnson were shut down in Lambeau, but that is an awfully tough place to play, and the Packers absolutely had to have that one. I wouldn’t read too much into that loss, they will still put up points with Megatron back in the line up.

And if we know anything, we know that the Cowboys can score. They went toe to toe with Denver and simply ended up on the wrong side of the ball at the end of the game. Yes, Tony Romo threw an interception with just two minutes on the clock, but Peyton Manning threw one as well, his just happened to come earlier in the game. The Cowboys had to play great on every play to knock off Denver, and they were great on all except for one.

The Stalwarts

12. Baltimore Ravens (3-2), Up 3

11. Chicago Bears (3-2), No Move

On the other end of the spectrum, you have the teams that are struggling to find a steady rhythm on offense, but have excelled on defense. The Ravens have crawled back into hunt after being embarrassed the first week of the season. They beat up on Houston’s offense, held Buffalo to 23 points despite FIVE Joe Flacco interceptions and stopped the Dolphins with the game on the line in Week 5. With all the changes that have happened on the defensive side of the ball, it is encouraging to see that unit playing well.

The Bears were even more impressive in a loss to New Orleans. The defense stood its ground through the most of the first half, holding the Saints to two field goals and a touchdown. They kept the offense in the game as long as they could. The only bad drive they allowed on the day came just before halftime, as they allowed the Saints to march 71 yards in two minutes and score before the break to make it 20-7. After that, the defense only gave up two more field goals, for a total of 26 points. I’ll take that in a heartbeat against the Saints. Unfortunately, the Saints defense was up to the task as well, and the Bears fell one score short.

The “I Need to See More”s

10. Miami Dolphins (3-2), Down 3

9. Cincinnati Bengals (3-2), Up 1

8. Kansas City (5-0), Up 1

The Dolphins looked great at 3-0 a couple weeks ago. Now they don’t look so hot after being blasted by New Orleans and losing a home game to Baltimore. I still believe, but I need to see more.

The Bengals redeemed themselves for losing to the Browns by turning around and beating the Patriots on Sunday. The defense was fantastic. The offense was not. And Tom Brady’s come back attempt was foiled, not by the Cincinnati Bengals, but by a timely, diluvial downpour that made it nearly impossible for the ball to come out clean. It was a massive win indeed, but I need to see more.  

The Chiefs have played the consensus worst team in football, three teams that play in the consensus worst division in football, and the Titans without their starting quarterback. I need to see more. Scratch that, I need to see anything.

The “I’ve Seen More Than Enough”

7. Indianapolis Colts (4-1), Up 1

A beat down of San Francisco AT San Francisco, a dismantling of Jacksonville, and a toe-to-toe win over the Seahawks. I am all in on Indy. I love the offense. I love the way the defense has showed up so far. They have already gained a stranglehold on the division, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them crack the top five soon.

The Locks

6. New England Patriots (4-1), Down 2

5. San Francisco 49ers (3-2), Up 1

4. Green Bay Packers (2-2), Up 1

3. Seattle Seahawks (4-1), No Move

2. New Orleans Saints (5-0), No Move

I’m locking these teams in today. It doesn’t matter if they won or lost last week, or if they don’t have a winning record at this point in time. It’s all the usual suspects anyways. They will all be in the playoffs in one form or another.

The Best

1. Denver Broncos (5-0), No Move

Obviously, the Broncos are locked in as well. They have been locked in since July. But they are still a cut above the rest, ergo their own category. They remain unbeaten, but they no longer appear untouchable. Dallas showed us the blueprint on how to score on them. Spread the field and air it out. We are still waiting on the blueprint for stopping Peyton Manning, but they do play better defenses later in the season. All in all, 16-0 looks a lot less likely now.

Week 5 NFL Power Rankings

The Worst of the Worst

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-4), No Move

The Jaguars are going to go 0-16.

The Winless and The Team that Only Beat the Jaguars (Which is Kind of Like Being Winless Anyways)

31. Tampa Buccaneers (0-4), No Move

30. Oakland Raiders (1-3), Down 1

29. New York Giants (0-4), Down 5

28. Pittsburgh Steelers (0-4), Down 2

This is a relatively surprising group of teams, isn’t it? Well, besides Oakland. Who would have thought that the Buccaneers, Giants, and Steelers would be three of the four winless teams a quarter of the way through the season? I imagine that there were people who predicted all three of them in the playoffs this year (not me, of course, I only picked two of them).

The Buccaneers blew another lead, this time against Arizona at home, which should never happen. The Giants were blown out for the third straight week, which should never happen unless you play Denver three times. And the Steelers were shredded by the potent receiving combination of Jerome Simpson and 58-year-old Greg Jennings. Did I mention that Matt Cassel was throwing to them? Starting 0-4 is more than enough for me to cross off these teams. And I was ready to cross off the Raiders in July.

The “I Can’t Really Think of Anything Witty but These Teams are Really Bad”

27. Minnesota Vikings (1-3), Up 3

26. Arizona Cardinals (2-2), Up 1

25. St. Louis Rams (1-3), Down 5

I don’t understand how a team with Adrian Peterson can be so putrid. Even in a winning effort against the lowly Steelers, the Vikings don’t exactly leave you feeling warm and fuzzy. The defense tried desperately to give the game away, but Ben Roethlisberger wouldn’t take it. Conversely, Arizona was more than willing to take the game Greg Schiano was trying to give them. Sorry to say it, but I don’t put much stock in beating a team whose coach should have been fired yesterday.

The Rams, unlike the other two, garnered some small amount of praise from me early on. I thought they were a decent team through the first few weeks, but their absolute stink bomb last Thursday has turned me off completely. Sam Bradford might be out of work soon, and so too might be much touted coach Jeff Fisher.

The Pleasant Early Season Surprises

24. New York Jets (2-2), Down 3

23. Cleveland Browns (2-2), Up 5

Now, I know the Jets were decimated by Tennessee last weekend, but they are still leaps and bounds ahead of where I thought they would be at this point.  The defense is still solid. I don’t know how Rex Ryan does it, but he has wrapped up a sure-fire defensive coordinator job when the Jets finally decide to jump ship. And we have to remember that Geno Smith is a rookie. He’s going to have days like this, where a good defense wraps him up and he inexplicably tries to switch hands with the football behind his back when he’s getting tackled inside his own five-yard line.

The Browns, though, I just don’t get it. What are we playing at here, Cleveland? Are you tanking? Two weeks ago it certainly seemed like you were tanking. I can understand beating the Vikings, but now you go and beat the Bengals? The Bengals are a good team, a playoff team. The Browns are now tied for the division lead and might be right in the thick of things. Although I doubt anyone is going to be surprised if Cleveland loses six straight and Jordan Cameron goes on IR with a stubbed toe.

The Unpleasant Early Season Surprises

22. Washington Redskins (1-3), Up 3

21. Philadelphia Eagles (1-3), Down 2

With the good comes the bad. The Redskins really lucked out playing the Raiders, because at least 25 NFL teams would have made them 0-4 on Sunday. Matt Flynn was unsurprisingly awful (it’s unsurprising because he couldn’t beat out Terrelle Pryor), and I’m going to assume that it wasn’t due to the Redskins defense, which has been proven to be inept.

The Eagles defense is just as bad, and the offense has seemingly gone cold. I did predict that the league would quickly figure out Chip Kelly’s offense, once more tape became available. And that is certainly a factor. But maybe they don’t really have the right pieces (read: Michael Vick). Maybe the Redskins defense played as poorly as any defense has ever played in the first half of that first game. Either way, the Eagles are moving in a decidedly poor direction.

The Roller Coaster

20. Buffalo Bills (2-2), Up 3

So, two weeks ago I was high on the Bills. I liked what I had seen against New England and Carolina, and I picked them to beat the Jets in New York. They didn’t, and they looked bad doing it. Then I swung the other way and gave them no chance against Baltimore at home. Of course, they won and forced Joe Flacco into five interceptions even though their defensive secondary is rife with injuries. So I really don’t know what to do with the Bills right now. Potentially, they are a decent home team and a push over on the road.

The Sneaking Suspicion

19. Carolina Panthers (1-2), Up 3

The sneaking suspicion here is that the Panthers might be pretty good. Look at what they have done so far. They lost a close game to a consensus top five team, Seattle. They were going in for the winning score when DeAngelo Williams fumbled the game away. Then they lost a fluky game at Buffalo, fueled by a poor decision by the coaching staff on a 4th-and-1 and a pass interference penalty. In Week 3, they decimated the Giants. I know I wrote off New York and they are undeniably bad, but you don’t often see teams shut out. The Jaguars haven’t even been shut out. Out of their Week 4 bye, the Panthers play Arizona, Minnesota, St. Louis, and Tampa Bay. They could be 5-2 after that stretch and pushing for a wild card in the NFC.

The Dashed Dream

18. Tennessee Titans (3-1), Down 2

Remember that the power rankings are based on the team that would take the field right now. And for the Titans, that team includes Ryan Fitzpatrick. With Jake Locker, the Titans undeniably deserve to be higher, probably in the top 12. But you have to think that Fitzpatrick is a major downgrade. Locker isn’t the greatest QB ever, but he seems to have made progress and built a nice rapport with his receivers. I really liked the way the Titans were playing, and figured them to be a factor in the AFC South. However, without Locker for at least the next few games against Kansas City, Seattle, and San Francisco, and an especially packed AFC wild card picture, I’m afraid the Titans are going to drift back into obscurity.

The Major Uncertainties

17. Dallas Cowboys (2-2), Down 3

16. Houston Texans (2-2), Down 1

15. Baltimore Ravens (2-2), Down 2

These three were all losers in Week 4. Baltimore took the worst of it, losing to the Bills. Dallas and Houston lost to markedly better teams in San Diego and Seattle respectively, but choked away second half leads making huge mistakes down the stretch. The thing that separates these teams from the bottom half of the league is their talent. We know they have the ability.

The Cowboys have Dez Bryant, Jason Witten, and DeMarcus Ware. The Texans have Arian Foster, Andre Johnson, and J.J. Watt. The Ravens have Ray Rice, Torrey Smith, and Terrell Suggs. These aren’t no-name rosters. But for some reason or another, they don’t play up to potential. That’s why they land in the middle of the ranks even though all three of them might still be the favorite to win their division. I don’t need to see breakout ability; I need to see consistency.

The Teams that Should be 4-0

14. Detroit Lions (3-1), Up 3

13. San Diego Chargers (2-2), Up 5

How nuts would everyone be going if the Lions and Chargers were 4-0? We are only a handful of plays away from that being reality.

The Lions lit up the Bears last week, and it was much more lopsided than the 40-32 final score indicates. Chicago racked up 16 points in the dying minutes of the fourth quarter to make it look competitive, but the Bears were never in it. Reggie Bush had a big day on the ground, and the Lions defense caused four Bears turnovers.

As for the Chargers, you can say whatever you want about the underwhelming run game, or the lackluster pass defense, or the banged up receiving corps. None of it matters, because Philip Rivers is in the zone. I don’t know how he got there or why he ever left, but he’s there. Look at his numbers: 105/142, 1,199 yards, 11 TDs, 2 INTs. He’s completing 73.9% of his passes, which is a humongous number. He has only been sacked six times in four games. I mean, he’s playing like a top five quarterback again, and I’ll take him over anyone not named Manning or Brees right now.

The Black and Blue

12. Atlanta Falcons (1-3), Down 2

The poor Falcons played a murderous schedule over the first four weeks, which happened to coincide with a rash of injuries to their squad. They had to go to New Orleans and Miami, and hosted New England. They lost each of those games by one score and they stalled in the red zone twice at the end of games with a chance to tie or go ahead. I don’t think the Falcons are as great as they have been in previous season, but I don’t think they are dead in the water either.

Their upcoming schedule is full of cream-puffs. In the next six, they get the Jets, Tampa Bay (twice), Arizona, Carolina, and Seattle at home. That should be at least 5-1 and I wouldn’t be shocked if they took all six. At this point, they aren’t going to catch the Saints in the NFC South, but 10-6 probably gets them to the playoffs. And I can still see them winning ten with their schedule.

The Initially Overrated

11. Chicago Bears (3-1), Down 3

10. Cincinnati Bengals (2-2), Down 5

I had the Bears and Bengals ranked too high last week. The Bears don’t deserve a top ten spot after their performance at Detroit. They were dominated in every facet of the game. They couldn’t get anything started until it was too late. And they couldn’t stop the Lions whatsoever. Jay Cutler threw up a stinker, but he does that every so often, so that doesn’t shock me. The defense is what shocked me. They are not a shutout defense. That much is obvious now. They are a takeaway defense. They rely on forcing turnovers, and when they don’t win that battle, they aren’t good enough to carry a poor offensive performance.

The Bengals came out absolutely flat against Cleveland. They could only muster 266 yards of offense and six measly points. Andy Dalton barely completed 50% of his passes and turned the ball over twice; A.J. Green was shut down by Joe Hayden; and up-and-coming RB Giovani Bernard could not get the ground game going, totaling only 37 yards. The Bengals had risen all the way to number five in my rankings, but take a tumble with this loss. If you want to be a playoff team, you cannot lose these division games.

The Weak Unbeaten

9. Kansas City Chiefs (4-0), Up 3

Look, I know it seems like I’m picking on the Chiefs. Yes, they have looked very sharp. Their defense is great. Andy Reid is a masterful coach. Here’s my only counterargument: The Chiefs have played the Jaguars (No. 32), the Cowboys (No. 17), the Eagles (No. 21), and the Giants (No. 29).

Kansas City is a top ten team, I give them that much.  But I don’t know that I allow them to rise much higher until they play Denver.

The Unforeseen Risers

8. Indianapolis Colts (3-1), Up 1

7. Miami Dolphins (3-1), No Move

Not much change here. The Colts blasted the Jaguars, but what else is new? And the Dolphins got blasted by the Saints, but I think the Saints are really, really good. The game got away from Miami and New Orleans never stepped off the gas. Plus, the Saints don’t lose at home.

We have good tests for these teams in Week 5, as Indy welcomes Seattle, and Miami hosts Baltimore. I still like both teams a lot and I expect both to win against formidable opponents.

The Still Really Good Despite Their Records

6. San Francisco 49ers (2-2), Up 5

5. Green Bay Packers (1-2), Up 1

Well, the 49ers rebounded well after their bad losses to Seattle and Indy. They really took it to the Rams. While the 49ers didn’t look unbelievably strong themselves, just the fact that they made the Rams look so bad instills confidence. I expect them to be solid going forward.

The Packers had a bye, which probably came at a good time for them. They had extra time for what looks like a great match up with division rival Detroit. This is about the time when Green Bay rips off nine straight wins and we forget they were ever 1-2.

The Unblemished

4. New England Patriots (4-0), No Move

3. Seattle Seahawks (4-0), Down 1

2. New Orleans Saints (4-0), Up 1

I still love the Patriots. I don’t know how they keep winning, but they do. I’m going to keep riding the Patriots until they give me a reason not to.

But, we do have some movement near the top here. The Saints leap frog the Seahawks in this week’s rankings, and I have a very simple explanation as to why. My power rankings are based on a neutral site contest between any two given teams. If these two played in Seattle, the Seahawks would win. If they played in New Orleans, the Saints would win. We can probably agree on that.

But who would win on a neutral field? I argue that the Saints would squeak it out. Seattle just turned in their second lackluster road performance. They easily could have lost at Carolina, and they should have lost at Houston. Yes, they are 2-0 on the road so far, but they have been less than impressive. I think the Saints are a slightly better team away from the Superdome than the Seahawks are away from Century Link.

The Broncos

1. Denver Broncos (4-0), No Move

The Broncos have not moved a single spot in these rankings, and I don’t know that they will. At all.

Week 4 NFL Power Rankings

Week 4 NFL Power Rankings

The Cellar Dweller

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-3), No Move

It’s really bad in Jacksonville. I don’t see where they are going to find a win this season. Their three divisional opponents are all decent teams, so I don’t see any W’s there. I also don’t imagine that this team can beat anybody on the road. So that already limits their chances to San Diego, Arizona, or Buffalo at home. It’s hard to go 0-16, but are you willing to bet your life savings on the Jags in any of those games?

The “Scraping the Bottom”s

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-3), Down 2

30. Minnesota Vikings (0-3), Down 5

Well, one of these teams went to the playoffs last year. And one was a hot playoff pick this year. Both of those are out the window. Josh Freeman has officially been relieved of his duties in Tampa Bay, as the team announced rookie Mike Glennon will be starting next week. And Christian Ponder may not have much longer in Minnesota. Both teams have gotten underwhelming performances from their defenses, and their offenses just can’t cut it. Top five draft selections could be coming here.

The “At Least They Have a Win”s

29. Oakland Raiders (1-2), Up 1

28. Cleveland Browns (1-2), Up 3

27. Arizona Cardinals (1-2), No Move

That’s really all you can say, isn’t it? At least they have a win. Oakland has been relatively competitive, beating Jacksonville and keeping close to Indianapolis. Cleveland pulled out a surprising victory in Week 3 after seemingly throwing in the towel on the season. And Arizona beat a solid-looking Detroit team and should have won against St. Louis too. They aren’t completely hopeless cases, but they still have a way to go.

The Winless Enigmas

26. Pittsburgh Steelers (0-3), Down 2

25. Washington Redskins (0-3), Down 2

24. New York Giants (0-3), Down 9

If anyone claims they predicted a combined 0-9 record for the Steelers, Redskins, and Giants through three weeks, that person is a liar. The Steelers, to be fair, have played three pretty good teams (two of whom I have in my top ten), but their problems are not easily fixable, nor are they small in number. You can’t fix an awful offensive line, not at this point anyways. You can’t fix the inability to rush the ball or protect the pass. And the defense is no longer strong enough to make up for all the offensive mistakes.

The problem for Washington is they just can’t stop anyone. Yes, they have played three solid offensive teams, but you can’t give up 98 points through three games and expect to be winning. Opposite the Steelers issue, the Redskins offense isn’t good enough for the defense to allow so many points.

The Giants, incidentally, cannot stop anyone either. And their offense can’t stop turning the ball over. That’s a pretty potent combination. Thirteen turnovers, and a whopping 115 points allowed. And yet, we can’t give up on the Giants, because they are so damn schizophrenic. I can give up on Washington and Pittsburgh, but I can’t cross off the Giants, not yet.

The Up-and-Comers

23. Buffalo Bills (1-2), Down 1

22. Carolina Panthers (1-2), Up 6

21. New York Jets (2-1), Up 5

Funny how all these teams with young quarterbacks end up clumped together, huh?

I like the Bills a little less than last week, seeing as they gave up 513 yards of offense to the Jets. But I do still like their weapons and their scrappiness. The defense has some things to work on, that’s for sure. The Panthers lit up the Giants, and Cam Newton finally looked like the Kordell Stewart-esque threat we’ve been waiting for. He was connecting on bombs down the field, and scrambling for scores on the ground. The defense abused Eli Manning, sacking him seven times on Sunday. They still have growing to do, but they look to be moving in the right direction now. And the Jets are 2-1. It all comes down to wins, and Geno Smith might just be a winner.

The “Why Aren’t They Better?”s

20. St. Louis Rams (1-2), Up 1

19. Philadelphia Eagles (1-2), Down 3

These teams are in this category for different reasons. The Rams have been building forever it seems, and it just doesn’t feel like Sam Bradford is going to get over the hump. How long do you give him? No matter what pieces they put around him, the Rams are a mediocre team at best. The Eagles, on the other hand, were being awarded the Lombardi trophy after the first 30 minutes of their season. Now they look more like the 4-12 team from 2012 than a playoff contender. Not only is the defense a major problem, the offense looked completely out of sorts against Kansas City, and maybe this world-shattering offense isn’t as effective as we thought.

The “Nobody Believes in Us”s

18. San Diego Chargers (1-2), No Move

17. Detroit Lions (2-1), Up 3

16. Tennessee Titans (2-1), Up 3

Each of these three teams has played above expectations, and could be 3-0 right now. The Chargers have enjoyed stellar play from quarterback Philip Rivers (something no one expected) but have watched as their atrocious pass defense has given away two fourth quarter leads (and tried to give away the third). The Lions offense has moved like a well-oiled machine, and the defense has done its job for the most part. They contained Adrian Peterson in a Week 1 victory against Minnesota, and they corralled Robert Griffin III in last week’s win at Washington. They gave away a late lead against the lowly Cardinals, which could come back to haunt them later, but they look poised for another run at the playoffs. The Titans revamped their defense and picked up the pace on offense, they too look like a team that could make noise down the stretch. The blown game against Houston hurts, but two solid wins against Pittsburgh and San Diego point this team’s arrow upward.

The Non-Winless Enigmas

15. Houston Texans (2-1), Down 5

14. Dallas Cowboys (2-1), No Move

13. Baltimore Ravens (2-1), No Move

I am finding it hard to get a grasp on these teams. The Texans pulled out two come-from-behind wins (but didn’t deserve them) and then got blasted by Baltimore. The Cowboys haven’t beaten anyone of value, and lost a close, sloppy game against the Chiefs. The Ravens lost to the best team in football, then beat the doormat Browns by eight. Their 30-9 win over Houston is deceiving, however. They were manhandled by the Texans in the first half, but were given gifts on a defensive and special teams touchdown.

Luckily for me, these teams have the chance to show me something soon here. In Week 4, Houston welcomes Seattle while Dallas travels to San Diego. Baltimore goes to Miami in Week 5.

The Feel Good Story

12. Kansas City Chiefs (3-0), No Move

I’m still not sure about the Chiefs. We know that the Jaguars are abysmal, so that win is meaningless to me. I also believe that the Eagles are not nearly as good as we want to believe, and the Chiefs didn’t exactly set the world on fire in that game anyways. I keep saying that if the Chiefs win, I’ll believe in them, but I really mean it this time.  If they remain unbeaten through games against the desperate Giants and the feisty Titans, they will crack the top eight, I promise.

The “We Might Really Be in Some Trouble”s

11. San Francisco 49ers (1-2), Down 8

10. Atlanta Falcons (1-2), Down 3

All of a sudden, the 49ers offense looks like it’s back in 2007. After a masterful 494-yard performance in Week 1 against Green Bay, the 49ers have accumulated just 461 in the last two games (not to mention only 10 points). San Francisco is really struggling without their receiving weapons (Michael Crabtree, Vernon Davis, and now Kyle Williams) and the defense has been uncharacteristically underwhelming. Not to mention, this bizarre story unfolding around Aldon Smith. Losing to Seattle and Indianapolis might not turn out to be the worst thing ever, but there are major red flags popping up in San Francisco.

The Falcons are simply getting picked apart by injury. Again, their losses to New Orleans and Miami (both on the road, by the way) are high caliber losses, but they just don’t look like the same Falcons team. The offense isn’t quite as potent as we’ve become accustomed to, and the defense isn’t holding late leads.

The Bracket Busters

9. Indianapolis Colts (2-1), Up 8

8. Chicago Bears (3-0), Up 1

7. Miami Dolphins (3-0), Up 4

These teams are threatening to challenge for divisions we assumed were locked up tight. The Colts, with new acquisition Trent Richardson and veteran Ahmad Bradshaw “running angry,” look poised to leap frog the Houston Texans, who have been less than stellar. These two play Week 9 in Houston. Likewise, the Bears, led again by their suffocating defense, already hold a two-game lead over division rival Green Bay. They also play in Week 9 at Lambeau Field in their first match up. Lastly, the Dolphins, who I love, aim to do the impossible and knock off the Patriots in the AFC East. Their first clash is in Week 8 at Foxborough.

The Fluke Losing Record

6. Green Bay Packers (1-2), Down 2

The Packers are going to be fine. The 49ers had eight months to prepare for them, and it took everything they had (plus an Anquan Boldin push-off) to take them down. And after all the mistake the Packers made in Cincinnati, they led by 16 points in the second half and were in the act of salting the game away when rookie Jonathan Franklin coughed it up. The Pack lost to two good teams on the road. They won’t lose many more this year.

The “Ready to Take the Next Step”

5. Cincinnati Bengals (2-1), Up 3

With all that said about the Packers, what a massive win for the upstart Bengals. The defense did a fantastic job keeping the offense within striking distance. Andy Dalton made big plays down the stretch. A.J. Green continues to be a monster, even when he doesn’t record a catch in the first half. And how about Giovani Bernard, the rookie out of North Carolina? This kid looks like a superstar in the making. The Bengals continue to strike gold in the draft, and they have built this team into a real contender.

The Still Untested

4. New England Patriots (3-0), Up 2

All I know is that Tom Brady is really good at football. The Patriots pounded the Buccaneers, as the defense looked great again. This time though, Brady was able to sync with his young receivers, and the offense moved well. The Patriots have now played three teams in the bottom 12 of my rankings, but I’m going to keep them high because I believe Danny Amendola and Rob Gronkowski will come back soon. And when that happens, this team is going to roll.

The Still Relatively Untested

3. New Orleans Saints (3-0), Up 2

Likewise, two of the Saints’ wins have come against teams in the bottom six. But they did defeat the Atlanta Falcons (before many of their injuries), so they get the slight bump here. The offense is doing what it always does, but the defense continues to surprise with solid performances. The Saints are dangerous, and nearly untouchable at home.

The Cream of the Crop

2. Seattle Seahawks (3-0), No Move

1. Denver Broncos (3-0), No Move

These teams are really interchangeable. I don’t know who I would pick to win if these two played on a neutral field tomorrow, I really don’t. It’s the Broncos offense versus the Seahawks defense, a match up of epic proportions. Denver leads the league in both yards per game (486.7) and points per game (42.3) while Seattle leads the league in yards allowed per game (241.7) and points allowed per game (9.0). I’m salivating just thinking about it. Unfortunately, these teams aren’t scheduled to play this year. We might have to wait until February to figure out who is truly number one. 

Blake Show NCAA Tournament Bracket Picking Podcast Competition!

The first annual BSNTBPPC is now underway! Over the past few days, I have brought together the best and brightest in college basketball fandom, and recorded podcasts outlining their tournament selections. They have all entered into a closed group on ESPN, and the entrant with the highest scoring bracket will take home the prestigious prize.

Quick Note: My bracket will also be found in the group, but I am not eligible for the championship or prize. It is there for two reasons. First, I'm pretty sure I have to enter a bracket because I created the group. And second, my finalized bracket (as of 8:57 am this morning) was greatly influenced by my conversations with these people.  It will be interesting to see how their combined knowledge fairs against each individual's.

We were supposed to have six competitors in this contest, but unfortunately I encountered technical difficulties while I attempted to conduct the sixth and final podcast with Kenny. He still has a bracket entered in the competition and we will be sure to record a podcast with him at some point before the tourney's close.

Without further ado, let the madness begin.

1. Cousin Noah

2. Spencer

3. Ryan

4.  Edward

5. Joe

Golden Bears End Regular Season On a Disappointing Note

It was just one of those nights, you know?

You come in so fired up. You're flying high on a win streak, and you feel unbeatable. You think that there's nothing your opponent can do that you can't handle. 

And then you get smacked in the mouth. 

California's men's basketball team had won seven games in a row (and nine of their last ten) heading into their matchup last week with hated cross-town rival, Stanford. These were all Pac-12 Conference wins; a conference that is projected to have five or six teams in the Big Dance this year. Since the start of February, Cal has beaten Arizona, UCLA, Colorado and Oregon twice—that's five wins against four projected tournament teams in the span of four weeks. Needless to say, the Bears were hot. 

But they hadn't beaten Stanford.

On January 19, Cal went to Palo Alto and lost 69-59 in a game that wasn't even that close. The Golden Bears were at the tail end of a 4-7 midseason slide. They were moving in the wrong direction. They were on the road in a hostile environment. That loss was certainly disappointing, but definitely not shocking. 

This loss was both.

It's hard to be mad at the team because they didn't play a terrible game. They shot 50 percent from the field, made 15-of-18 foul shots, and out-rebounded Stanford 26-21. They scored 70 points (above their season average) and their two big offensive weapons, Allen Crabbe and Justin Cobbs, had great shooting nights (24 points each). This wasn't one of those drubbings where a team just has an uncharacteristically bad shooting night.

But it was a drubbing.

It was just Stanford's night. They jumped ahead of Cal early in the first half and threatened to pull away several times throughout the first 20 minutes. Cal was able to stay within striking distance and cut the lead to three at halftime.

But the Cardinal came flying out the gate in the second half, opening up a 16-point lead within the first six minutes. As a Cal fan, I would say that during that run, Stanford was the beneficiary of several questionable foul calls. But as a sports fan, that's not an excuse for losing by double digits. You can't rely on the referees. All refs suck. 

Crabbe and Cobbs kept coming though. Finding themselves down by 19 at multiple points in the half, they fought back. But as soon as the lead dipped below 15, Stanford would answer with a devastating three. I swear to you, it happened three or four times. Cal would string together a couple scoring possessions, the crowd would start to get back into it, Stanford's offense would move the ball around for 30 seconds, and someone would drain a three as the shot clock expired. 

The box score says Stanford shot 9-of-17 from behind the arc. I was there, and I'll tell you, it felt like 15-of-17. There is not a more frustrating feeling. They won't miss, what can you do?

Honestly, Cal is probably lucky the score only shows a 13-point margin of defeat. Stanford was never able to extend the lead into the 20's, but the game easily could have gotten out of hand. With the way Stanford was shooting, it could have been a 30-point blowout. That probably doesn't look great on a tournament resume. 

So where do we go from here? Cal heads into the Pac-12 tournament with a lot less momentum than if it had started a week ago. They are lamenting the missed opportunity to win a portion of the regular-season conference championship, and perhaps have had their confidence shaken a little by the Stanford shellacking. We can only hope that the loss lights a fire under them and gives them a boost through tournament action. 

They did secure the number two seed and a first round bye, which means they will play the winner of Utah and USC (two teams they swept this season) this coming Thursday. They should be able to find their way to the semifinals, likely facing Oregon (another team they swept). There is no doubt they have the ability to make a run to the finals, and it would certainly help their seeding in the Big Dance.

They are a virtual lock for March Madness after their impressive conference play, but an early round loss in the Pac-12 tournament could mean a No. 10 or No. 11 seed, and a first round date with a UNC, Memphis or Notre Dame. While a tournament championship could propel them into the 6-7 range, drawing a much more manageable Colorado, Wichita State or La Salle. 

When Cal gets going, they can go toe-to-toe with anyone in the Pac-12. They proved that. Now, they just have to figure out how to get it going again. 

NHL Playoff Preview

Let me begin with a disclaimer: I do not pretend to be an NHL expert. For years, my loyalties have resided with the NFL, MLB, and NBA. A month ago, I might have been able to name 10 professional hockey players, mainly from hearing names on SportsCenter and from watching the Gold Medal game at the 2010 Winter Olympics. But 30 days ago, on March 11, 2012, I sat down to a Kings-Blackhawks game. I had promised to follow hockey for a week to get a glimpse into its world. But I soon found that a week was not enough. I developed feelings for the Kings, akin to those I feel for the Chargers. My heart pounded in overtime periods and sudden death shootouts. I felt the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. And when the Sharks’ Ryane Clowe, while sitting on the bench, reached over and poked the puck away from a rushing Jarret Stoll, I felt more anger than I had since Ed Hochuli screwed the Chargers in 2008. Mock me if you will. Call me a bandwagon fan for rooting for the Kings (and Clippers). But I am a connoisseur of sports, and when San Diego doesn’t provide me a team, I must venture north to find my own. The Kings have earned a place in my heart.

That being said, I am clearly biased, so take my analysis with a grain of salt. Also, my month of hockey fanship has been focused greatly on the Pacific division, so my knowledge of the rest of the NHL (especially the Eastern conference) is seriously lacking. But I forge on nonetheless.

Western Conference:

Vancouver Canucks (1) vs. LA Kings (8)

Not the first round matchup I was hoping for. Not only are the Canucks the best regular season team in the NHL for the second straight season, but the Kings enter the playoffs in the midst of a downward spiral, unable to protect 2 goal leads in back to back games against the San Jose Sharks (not to mention dropping a shootout to the Minnesota Wild, which should never happen to a playoff team). However, the Kings managed to split the season series (2-2) with the Canucks and if goalie Jonathan Quick plays to potential (league leading 10 shutouts this season) the Kings might have a chance. As much as I would love to agree with Barry Melrose, I find it much more likely that the Kings make an early exit.

Prediction: Canucks in 6

St. Louis Blues (2) vs. San Jose Sharks (7)

St. Louis led the Western Conference for much of the season, but saw a late slide (4-4-4 in their last 12 games) sink them into 2^nd place, finishing just 2 points behind the surging Canucks. The Sharks on the other hand, made a strong playoff push, finishing on a 7-2 run, grabbing a playoff spot after trailing several teams (Calgary, Colorado, Dallas) who did not qualify for the postseason. That being said, the Blues swept the season series 4-0 and the Sharks have clear defensive issues. They will have to score a lot (against the number 1 defense in terms of goals allowed) to have a shot here.

Prediction: Blues in 5

Phoenix Coyotes (3) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (6)

I only paid attention to the Coyotes at the very end of the season, while the Kings were fighting them for the Pacific division. So I only saw them go 5-0 down the stretch, scoring 16 goals in those games. Naturally, I assumed they were an offensive juggernaut. Looking at the season statistics, however, they are run of the mill offensively, but have a startlingly stingy defense. Great. The Coyotes seem to be getting hot at exactly the right time. And despite finishing 4 points behind Chicago, they get home ice because they won their division. I also believe them to be the better team at this moment.

Prediction: Coyotes in 6

Nashville Predators (4) vs. Detroit Red Wings (5)

Kind of like an 8-9 matchup in March Madness. These teams were separated by just 2 points in the final standings. They had the same number of wins; Nashville just managed to lose in OT two more times than Detroit. Not much difference at all. What’s important to note here is that the Red Wings were the single most bipolar team this year, when it came to playing at home and playing on the road. You may remember that the Wings set a record with 23 consecutive home wins, en route to an overall 31-7-3 home record. However, they finished 17-21-4 in road contests, not a mark that would imply enough success to grab a 5 seed. This is why it was so important for Nashville to gain the home ice advantage here. It will be a tough, competitive series, but the Predators prevail in the end.

Prediction: Predators in 7

Eastern Conference:

New York Rangers (1) vs. Ottawa Senators (8)

Look at the preseason power rankings that came out way back in October. Now start scrolling down. Keep scrolling. Little more. And there they are. The Ottawa Senators, all the way at the bottom in dead last. Now, Mr. Scott Burnside, whoever you are, I get it. It is extremely difficult to make predictions like that before real games have been played. But come on man! You have to get the 30 spot right! They don’t have to finish dead last, but your cellar dweller has to dwell somewhere in the cellar. They cannot be in playoff contention, and they certainly cannot MAKE the playoffs. It’ll be interesting to see if Burnside gets to do the rankings next year. But I digress. As for the series, not going to be close. It’s great that Ottawa made it this far; it’s great for that franchise and Canada as a whole. But New York will dominate them in the only first round sweep I’m willing to call.

Prediction: Rangers in 4

Boston Bruins (2) vs. Washington Capitals (7)

The Bruins seem to me to be pretty solid. They are 2^nd in goals scored, and 6^th in goals allowed. We all know that Tim Thomas can get hot (see 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs). And it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Bruins make another deep playoff run. The real question here is the Capitals. This was a team that was supposed to breeze to the Southeast division title (they had won it the past 4 years straight). This was a team, led by Alex Ovechkin, that was supposed to compete for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. This was a team that started 7-0-0! And yet this was also a team that nearly missed the playoffs, and a team that was sloppy and disorganized and unmotivated. I do believe that Ovechkin is good enough to propel his team to a couple wins, but consistency wins out for Boston.

Prediction: Bruins in 6

Florida Panthers (3) vs. New Jersey Devils (6)

Well we are finally going to have an upset here… technically. The Panthers took advantage of the Capitals inconsistency by snagging the division title with just 94 points (perspective: the Kings finished with 95 points… and the 8 seed in the West). That is the lowest point total for a division winner since the Tampa Bay Lightning won that same Southeast division with 93 points in the 2002-2003 season. Much unlike the 3-6 series in the Western division, the 6 seed seems much more the safer bet. The Devils racked up 102 points, 8 more than Florida, and touted one of the league’s best defenses (ranking first in the penalty kill). And to top it off, the Panthers had a goal differential of -24, which is absolutely mindboggling. Obviously the lowest for a playoff team. And there were even 5 teams that missed the playoffs (Buffalo, Winnipeg, Montreal, Dallas, Colorado) who had a better goal differential than Florida. It’s kinda like when the Seahawks won the NFC West with a 7-9 record and a -97 point differential… except that they went on to beat the Saints in the playoffs. Don’t expect similar results here.

Prediction: Devils in 5

Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (5)

Fun fact: Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are 304.6 miles apart, which is dumb because I was under the impression that they were right next to each other. I mean, Pennsylvania is not a large state. But you could not have picked two spots farther apart that both resided inside it (well you could, but just humor me). Philadelphia and New Jersey would actually have been a closer series, by some 200 miles. Anyways, this series is really a coin toss. And when that happens, you have to ask yourself “Which team has that guy?” In this case, that guy is Sidney Crosby.

Prediction: Penguins in 7