PART 1 TEAMS 10-6
A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY NOT AGREE WITH THESE RANKINGS. THEY ARE NOT YOUR TYPICAL NFL.COM OR ESPN.COM
RANKINGS. I MASHED UP A LOT OF
STATISTICS TO COME UP WITH THE ORDER THAT I CAME TO. IT IS BASED ON A PLETHORA OF THINGS SUCH AS OFFENSIVE
YARDS PER GAME, POINTS PER GAME, ALONG WITH DEFFENSIVE STATS: YARDS PER GAME
ALLOWED, POINTS PER GAME ALLOWED, TURNOVER MARGIN PER GAME, TOTAL SACKS AND
TOTAL TAKEAWAYS. IN ADDITION TO ALL OF
THAT I ALSO FACTOR IN THE LEVEL OF COMPETION IN EACH OF THESE TEN TEAMS
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE THUS FAR.
10) ARIZONA
CARDINALS-
THE CARDINALS, IN MY OPINION ARE
PRETTY UNDERATED THIS SEASON. MANY
PEOPLE MAY NOT SEE THEM AS A BIG THREAT, HERE’S WHERE I BELIEVE THOSE PEOPLE
MAY BE WRONG. WEEK ONE SHOWED THAT THE
CARDS CAME INTO THIS SEASON HOT AND READY TO PROVE THEIR DOUBTERS WRONG. YES, THEY DID END UP LOSING, BUT BOY WAS THAT
AN IMPRESSIVE WAY TO KICK OFF THE SEASON, GOING INTO BUFFALO AND STARTING OUT
17-3 OVER THE BILLS, SMACKING THEM IN THE MOUTH IN THEIR OWN BUILDING. IT WASN’T UNTIL THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER
THAT BUFFALO TOOK THEIR FIRST LEAD OF THE GAME.
JOSH ALLEN DID WIND UP PROVING TO BE A LITTLE TOO MUCH AS HE WOUND UP
WITH FOUR TDS, 2 PASSING PLUS 2 ON THE GROUND.
BIG PROPS TO THE CARDS HERE, MANY WOULD’VE THOUGHT THE CARDS WOULD BE
BLOWN OUT ON THE ROAD HERE.
IN WEEK TWO THE CARDS BLEW OUT THE RAMS AT HOME IN A MATCHUP
THAT PUKA NACUA DID NOT PLAY AND COOPER KUPP GOT HURT IN, THOUGH IT WAS STILL A
41-10 VICTORY FOR KYLER AND COMPANY.
NEXT UP WAS A LOSS AT HOME FOR ARIZONA, HOWEVER IT WAS ONLY A 20-13 FINAL
AGAINST A MUCH SUPERIOR DETROIT LIONS, SO I AGAIN GIVE THEM MAJOR CREDIT
HOLDING A TEAM OF THE LIONS CALIBER TO ONLY 20 POINTS. THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS SHOWED US THAT ARIZONA
COULD BEAT THE 49ERS IN SAN FRAN, (NO MCCAFFREY + SOME DEFENSIVE INJURIES) THE
CHARGERS IN A COMEBACK VICTORY, AND THE DOLPHINS WITH THE RETURN OF TUA TAGOVAILOA. MIAMI ACTUALLY LED THE ENTIRE GAME, THOUGH ARIZONA
KEPT IT PRETTY CLOSE, IT WASN’T UNTIL ONE SECOND LEFT IN THE GAME THAT THE
CARDS KICKED A FIELD GOAL TO SEAL THE COMEBACK VICTORY BEHIND A MONSTROUS GAME BY
KYLER MURRAY (26/36, 307 PASS YDS, 2 TDS).
ARIZONA IS CURRENTLY IN FIRST PLACE IN THE NFC WEST AND KYLER
MURRAY IS NOT ONLY FULLY HEALTY, BUT IS GAINING TRACTION WITH HIS NEW NUMBER
ONE TARGET, MARVIN HARRISON JR. HE ALSO
HAS OTHER GREAT WEAPONS AROUND HIM ON THIS OFFENSE THAT IS CURRENTLY RANKED 12TH
IN YARDS PER GAME. TREY MCBRIDE IS QUITE
POSSIBLY THE BEST TIGHT END IN THE LEAGUE THIS SEASON, THROUGH THE FIRST EIGHT
WEEKS HE HAS COMMANDED 56 TARGETS WHILE REALING IN 42 RECEPTIONS, (BOTH RANK 2ND
AMONG ALL TE’S) WITH 446 RECEIVING YARDS (3RD AMONG TES). THE CARDS ALSO POSE QUITE A THREAT WITH THEIR
RUNNING BACK JAMES CONNER, WHO HAS 557 YARDS ON THE GROUND THIS SEASON AND HAS
CARRIED THEM ON HIS BACK FOR 39 FIRST DOWNS THIS YEAR (557 RUSH YDS RANKS 8TH
AMONG RBS, 39 1ST DOWN RUNS RANKS 2ND TO ONLY DERRICK
HENRY). THIS TEAM HAS AN OFFENSE THAT I
BELIEVE WILL CARRY THEM TO A PLAYOFF GAME THIS SEASON BEHIND AN OFFENSIVE LINE
THAT HAS ONLY GIVEN UP ONE SACK IN THEIR LAST FOUR GAMES. THEY ALSO HAVEN’T GIVEN UP ANY IN THE PAST
THREE WEEKS, WHICH IS THEIR LONGEST STREAK SINCE WEEKS 12-14 OF THE 1975
SEASON.
9) ATLANTA
FALCONS-
ATLANTA CAME INTO THIS SEASON WITH A
MUCH DIFFERENT MINDSET THAN THE PAST SEVERAL SEASONS. THEY CHANGE SEEMINGLY EVERYTHING ABOUT THE
OUTLOOK OF THIS TEAM FROM THEIR COACHING STAFF, THEY WENT FROM A RUSH FIRST
OFFENSE TO A PASS HEAVY TEAM. THEY WENT
AHEAD AND DRAFTED THEMSELVES A QUARTERBACK FOR THE FUTURE IN MICHAEL PENIX JR.,
THEY ALSO BROUGHT IN A PROVEN VERY GOOD VETERAN QB IN KIRK COUSINS, SURROUNDED
HIM WITH A PLETHORA OF TALENT, PLUS THEY BROUGHT IN TWO HUGE AQUISITONS RIGHT
BEFORE THE SEASON BEGAN TO HELP BOLSTER THEIR DEFFENSE. WITH YOUNG TALENTS SUCH AS RUNNING BACK BIJAN
ROBINSON, TIGHTEND KYLE PITTS, ALONG WITH WIDEOUTS DRAKE LONDON AND DARNELL MOONEY,
IT IS NO WONDER ATLANTA’S OFFENSE IS PRODUCING THE LEAGUES 7TH
RANKED YARDS PER GAME WITH KIRK COUSINS AT THE HELM. KIRK IS THIRD IN PASSING YARDS, (2,106 PASS
YDS) FIFTH IN YARDS PER GAME, (263.3 YPG) AND TIED FOR FIFTH IN PASSING TDS (14
TDS). THE FALCONS ALSO HAVE A HECK OF A
WIDEOUT IN DRAKE LONDON WHO IS ONE OF THE TOP RECEIVERS IN THE NFL THIS
YEAR. AMONG THE MAJOR RECEIVING CATEGORIES
THIS SEASON DRAKE HAS 48 RECEPTIONS, (T-4TH) 68 TARGETS, (5TH) 525 YARDS, (13TH)
5 TDS, (T-4TH) WITH 28 FIRST DOWNS. (28 FDS) NO DOUBT DRAKE LONDON HAS BEEN MASSIVE
FOR THIS OFFENSE THIS YEAR.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BALL ATLANTA
DEFINITLEY NEEDS SOME WORK AND IF I AM BEING HONEST, THIS OFFENSE HAS LARGLEY
BAILED THEM OUT OF SOME STICKY SITUATIONS SO FAR THIS YEAR. WHEN HEAD COACH RAHEEM MORRIS AND GENERAL
MANAGER TERRY FONTENOT DECIDED TO BRING IN ALL-PRO, PRO BOWL VETERAN SAFTEY
JUSTIN SIMMONS AND TRADE FOR A PREMIER EDGE RUSHER IN MATTHEW JUDON THEY
EXPECTED THIS DEFENSE TO IMPROVE IN WAYS THAT THEY REALLY HAVENT YET
SHOWN. UP UNTIL NOW THE BEST PART OF
THIS DEFENSE IS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE THE BALL AWAY TEN TIMES
(T-11TH). ATLANTA MAY HAVE THE OFFENSE
TO BE ABLE TO HANG IN THERE WITH THE BEST TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE AND ARE CURRENTLY
IN FIRST PLACE IN THE NFC SOUTH. THE
FALCONS HAVE NOW WON FOUR OF THEIR LAST FIVE GAMES AFTER STARTING OFF THE
SEASON 1-2. IF THEY CHOOSE TO ADD SOMEMORE TALENT TO THEIR
DEFENSE WITHIN THEIR D-LINE OR LINEBACKERS PRIOR TO THE NOVEMBER 5TH
TRADE DEADLINE, THEY WILL BE A VERY SCARY TEAM FOR ANYONE TO HAVE TO FACE IN THE
PLAYOFFS. FLACONS SHOULD MORE THAN
LIKLEY WALK AWAY WITH THE NFC SOUTH TITLE AT THE END OF THE SEASON, ALREADY
OWNING THE DIVISON WITH A 4-0 RECORD AND ONLY HAVE TO PLAY THE POROUS PANTHERS
AND STRUGGLING SAINTS ONCE MORE EACH.
THEY DO ALSO HAVE A FEW TOUGH CHALLENGES AHEAD WHEN THEY FACE TWO OF THE
BEST DEFENSES IN FOOTBALL THIS YEAR IN BACK-TO-BACK WEEKS AGINST DENVER AND THE
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS IN WEEKS 11 & 12, A MEETING WITH THE MINNESOTA
VINKINGS IN WEEK 13, THEN THEY WILL CERTAINLY HAVE THEIR HANDS FULL WHEN THEY
PLAY THE SENSATIONAL ROOKIE JAYDEN DANIELS AND THE WASHINGTON COMMANDERS COME
WEEK 17.
8) HOUSTON
TEXANS-
HOUSTON DOESN’T FEEL QUITE THE SAME
AS THEY DID LAST YEAR, AM I RIGHT? THEY
HAVE BEEN WINNING GAMES, SURE, BUT WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE TEAMS THAT THEY HAVE
PLAYED THIS YEAR, THEY REALLY JUST WON THE GAMES THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO. THEY BEAT THE 4-4 COLTS TWICE, THEY TOOK DOWN
THE BEARS WITH ROOKIE CALEB WILLIAMS WHO WAS PLAYING IN HIS SECOND START IN THE
NFL, TEXANS ALSO BEAT THE PATRIOTS AND THE JAGUARS...UMM...YEA, THEY BETTER
BEAT THOSE TEAMS. THEY ALSO WON A CLOSE
GAME AGAINST BUFFALO, WHICH I GUESS WE CAN GIVE THEM THEIR CHIPS WITH THAT
WIN. THEY WERE ROUTED BY THE VIKINGS,
WHICH I THOUGHT THEY WOULD HONESTLY PUT UP MORE OF A FIGHT THAN LOSING 34-7, THEN
THERE WAS THEIR LOSS TO THE GREEN BAY PACKERS.
THAT GAME HONESTLY COULD’VE WENT EITHER WAY AND IF NOT FOR A MINOR
MISTAKE ON HOUSTON’S END, THEY WOULD BE A 7-1 TEAM RIGHT NOW INSTEAD OF 6-2. HOUSTON HAS LOOKED MUCH BETTER FROM A
DEFENVISE STANDPOINT THAN LAST YEAR. THE
OFFENSE HAS HONESLTY COOLED OFF QUITE A BIT FROM LAST YEARS PROWESS.
HOUSTON HAS NOW LOST TWO OF QUARTERBACK C.J. STROUDS BEST RECEIVERS
IN NICO COLLINS AND SUPERSTAR STEFON DIGGS.
THIS OFFENSE DOES CURRENTLY RANK 9TH OVERALL, (351.4 YPG) AND
8TH IN PASSING YARDS (232.5 YPG).
ON OFFENSE THEIR MAIN FLAW UP TO THIS POINT HAS MORE SO BEEN THEIR RUN
GAME. HOWEVER, I DO EXPECT THEM TO TAKE
A BIT OF A HIT TO THEIR PASSING ATTACK NOW, UNTIL WIDEOUT NICO COLLINS IS ABLE
TO RETURN FROM INJURY. STEFON DIGGS ON
THE OTHER HAND HAD WORSE LUCK, GOING DOWN TO A NON-CONTACT INJURY THIS PAST
WEEK WHEN HE SUFFERED AN APPARENT TORN ACL.
IT WAS CRAZY TO SEE THIS WHEN HE STARTED TO RUN HIS ROUTE, HE TURNED TO
CUT AND JUST STARTED LIMPING. THIS TRULY
MAKES FOR A WILD ENDING NOT ONLY TO HIS SEASON, BUT ALSO TO WHAT COULD POSSIBLY
BE HIS TIME WITH THE HOUSTON TEXANS. WE
WILL HAVE TO SEE IF THEY OFFER HIM A NEW DEAL IN THE OFFSEASON AS THIS SEASON WAS
ACTUALLY THE LAST YEAR ON HIS DEAL DUE TO BUFFALO TRADING DIGGS TO HOUSTON THIS
PAST SUMMER WITHOUT EITHER TEAM EXTENDING HIM BEFORE OR AFTER THE BLOCK BUSTER
TRADE WAS MADE.
HOUSTON HAS DONE A VERY GOOD JOB WITH THEIR DEFENSE THIS
YEAR, HOLDING OPPOSING TEAMS TO ONLY 280.3 YARDS PER GAME (2ND IN
NFL). THEY ALSO HOLD THE 8TH
BEST TURNOVER MARGIN PER GAME (+0.5), THEY HAVE 12 TAKEAWAYS (T-8TH)
AND HAVE BROUGHT DOWN THEIR OPPONENTS QUARTERBACKS 27 TIMES (3RD IN
NFL). HEAD COACH DEMECO RYANS HAS THE
TEXANS RIDING HIGH IN A BAD AFC SOUTH DIVISION AND THEY ARE SITTING IN SECOND
PLACE IN THE AFC BEHIND THE KANASAS CITY CHIEFS. WITH AN UPCOMING SCHEDULE THAT HAS THEM
HOSTING THE LIONS, DOLPHINS, AND RAVENS, WHILE ON THE ROAD AGAINST THE JETS,
COWBOYS, AND THE CHIEFS, I THINK IT IS PRETTY FAVORABLE FOR HOUSTON. ONE OF THE MOST COMMON SAYINGS IN THE NFL IS
ANY GIVEN SUNDAY AND FOR GOOD REASON AS UPSETS CAN COME AT ANYTIME. HOWEVER, I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IN THE
SLIGHEST IF THE TEXANS WIND UP ENDING THE SEASON WITH AN 11-6 RECORD.
7) DENVER
BRONCOS-
THIS TEAM BEING RANKED INSIDE
ANYONES TOP TEN FOR ANYTHING RELTATED TO NFL RANKINGS MAY SEEM A BIT ARBITRARY
AT FIRST, TRUST ME I KNOW. THOUGH THE
FACTS ARE RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF OUR EYES, YOU JUST NEED TO LOOK AT THEM
PLAY. MOST WON’T GIVE THIS TEAM A CHANCE
OR THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT UNLESS YOU HAPPEN TO BE A DIRECT FAN OF THESE
DENVER BRONCOS OR YOU RESIDE IN DENVER, COLORADO. IT HAS BEEN A BIT OF A ROLLER COASTER RIDE
FOR THE DENVER FANS SINCE THEY BROUGHT IN HEAD COACH SEAN PAYTON ON FEBRUARY 3,
2023. THEY RUSSELL WILSON CHAPTER DIDN’T
GO AS EXPECTED, A LOT WAS MORTGAGED ON THAT SUB PAR MOVE AND ALAS THEY WILL BE
FEELING THOSE FINANCIAL AFFTECTS FOR A LITTLE WHILE, EVEN WITH DENVER MOVING
ONWARDS WITHOUT HIM. NONETHELESS, THE
BRONCOS HAVE SEEMINGLY FOUND THEMSELVES THEIR QUARTERBACK OF THE FUTURE AND BOY
DOES HE LOOK LIKE HE COULD BE SOMETHING SPECIAL.
THE NFL IS NOW EIGHT WEEKS SO FAR AND ROOKIE QB BO NIX, WHO
WAS THE LAST OF THE QUARTERBACKS TAKEN IN THE FIRST ROUND, HAS BEEN LOOKING BETTER
WITH EACH AND EVERY WEEK. BO HAS BEEN
COMPARED TO ONE OF THE GREATEST NFL QBS OF THE PAST TWO DECADES, DREW BREES,
AND THAT HE IS STARTING TO LOOK THE PART IN SMALL SMAPLE SIZES. BO NIX CURRENTLY LEADS ALL ROOKIES THIS
SEASON WITH 12 OVERALL TOUCHDOWNS, 8 PASSING TDS AND 4 RUSHING. DENVER’S ROOKIE HAS NOW BROKEN AN ALL-TIME
FRANCHISE RECORD FOR MOST WINS AS A ROOKIE QB, SURPASSING DREW LOCK AND MORE
NOTABLE THEIR LIVING LEGEND QB JOHN ELWAY.
MOST PEOPLE MAY NOT REALIZE IT, BUT THAT IS DEFINITLEY SOMETHING SPECIAL
AS THE BRONCOS HAVE NOT HAD ANY SUCCESS DRAFTING QBS SINCE JOHN ELWAY, WHICH IS
WHY THEY HAD BEEN LOOKING TO OUTSOURCE FOR VETERAN QBS VIA TRADES OR FREE
AGENCEY SIGNINGS AROUND THE LAST 20 YEARS OR SO. NOW LET’S PUT THINGS IN RETROSPECT HERE AS BO
HAS BEEN ASCENDING IN PERFORMANCE THE LAST FEW GAMES, THE BRONCOS ARE STILL FAR
FORM OFFENSIVE JUGGERNAUTS. THIS OFFENSE
THAT HAS BEEN LOOKING DECENT STILL RANKS 25TH IN THE LEAGUE AS THEY
ARE PUTTING UP AN AVERAGE OF 307.3 YARDS PER GAME. BOTH THEIR PASSING ATTACK AS WELL AS THE GROUND
GAME ISN’T EXACTLY A TOP TEN UNIT JUST YET, BUT THEY SEEM AS THOUGH THEY MAYBE
TURNING THE PAGE ON THEIR OFFENSIVE WOES.
THEY HAVE HAD VERY STRONG O-LINE PLAY IN THE PAST FEW GAMES NOW. THE RUN GAME HAS BEEN MORE EFFICENT, THEY ARE
PROCTECTING BO WHEN HE DROPS BACK TO PASS.
IN FACT, THE BRONCOS O-LINE HAS ONLY ALLOWED 11 SACKS (T-2ND)
THIS SEASON, 1.4 TIMES PER GAME (T-2ND), WITH A LEAGUE LEADING 4.01%
SACK PERCENTAGE.
NOW WE GET TO THE REAL REASON WHY THE BRONCOS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED
AS A POSSIBLE PLAYOFF CANDIDATE. WHAT IS
THAT OLD SAYING WHEN IT COMES TO WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS, OH RIGHT, DEFENSE WINS
CHAMPIONSHIPS. LET’S NOT GET TO CARRIED
AWAY, THE BRONCOS AREN’T GOING TO BE HOISTING A LOMBARDI THIS SEASON OR NEXT, BUT
THEY ARE PLAYING GREAT DEFENSE AND I THINK IT MAY BE TIME THEY GET A LITTLE
RECOGNIZATION FOR IT. DENVER IS ONLY
ALLOWING 282.6 TOTAL YARDS PER GAME TO THEIR OPPONENTS THIS SEASON (3RD).
THEY’RE ONLY ALLOWING 15.0 POINTS A GAME (3RD), HAVE A TOTAL OF 12
TAKEAWAYS THIS SEASON WHICH IS TIED FOR 8TH BEST IN THE LEAGUE, ARE
RANKED 4TH IN PASS DEFENSE (176.3 YPG), ALONG WITH BEING RANKED 7TH
IN RUSH DEFENSE (106.4 YPG). LASTLY, THE
BRONCOS ARE TAKING QBS DOWN LEFT AND RIGHT SEEMINGLY GETTING IN THEIR OPPONENTS
BACKFIELD WITH EASE AND HAVE PRODUCED 30 SACKS (2ND). WHEN IT COMES TO THIS TEAM THE DEFENSE HAS
OBVIOUSLY BEEN THE MOST PROMINENT PART OF THEIR SUCCES TO THIS POINT IN THE
SEASON.
DENVER HAD INITALLY STARTED THE SEASON 0-2 WITH TWO HEARTBREAKING
LOSSES 26-20 ON THE ROAD TO THE SEAHAWKS IN A GAME THAT STARTED TO SHED SOME
EARLY LIGHT ON HOW GOOD THIS DEFENSE COULD BE THIS YEAR AS DENVER HAD TAKEN
SEATTLE DOWN IN THEIR OWN ENDZONE TWICE FOR TWO SAFTIES IN THE SECOND
QUARTER. THEN THE BRONCOS FELL TO AT
HOME TO A GREAT PITTSBURGH STEELERS DEFENSE 13-6. FROM THAT POINT THE BRONCOS SEEMED TO TURN
THE CORNER AND WON THREE OR THEIR NEXT FOUR GAMES AGAINST THE TAMPA BAY BUCS
WHO WERE RUNNING HOT (HELD TB TO 7 POINTS), TOOK DOWN AN INTERESTINGLY BAD NEW
YORK JETS TEAM IN EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY.
THEY BEAT THE RAIDERS AT HOME WHILE SCORING 34 POINTS, FOLLOWED BY A
LOSS TO ANOTHER DIVISION RIAVL LOS ANGELES CHARGERS TEAM. AFTER THAT THEY BEAT DOWN TWO BAD NFC SOUTH
TEAMS TO WIN 5 OUT OF THEIR LAST 6 GAMES.
SO YES I UNDERSTAND THEY HAVEN’T PLAYED ANY ELITE TEAMS AS OF YET, BUT
THEY ARE ABOUT TO PUT THIS DEFENSE TO THE TEST IN THE NEXT FEW GAMES AS THEY
WILL BE FACING THE BALTIMORE RAVENS IN BALTIMORE THIS SUNDAY. AFTER THAT THE BRONCOS HEAD TO ARROWHEAD TO
PLAY THE SUPER BOWL CHAMPS AND DIVISION FOES, WHO DENVER FINALLY BEAT LAST SEASON
FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE PEYTON MANNING WON DENVER THEIR LAST DIVISION TITLE
AND SUPER BOWL. TWO ROAD CHALLENGES THAT
WILL UNQUESTIONABLY CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF THIS TEAM GOING FORTH. THEY WILL STILL HAVE TO PLAY SOME DECENT
TEAMS WHEN THEY WILL MEET THE FALCONS, THE COLTS, BENGALS, AND STILL HAVE THREE
MORE DIVISION GAMES REMAINING DOWN THE LINE.
THE BRONCS TRULY HOLD THEIR OWN FATES FOR A POSSIBLE PLAYOFF BIRTH THIS
SEASON AND AS OF RIGHT NOW THEY ARE THE NUMBER FIVE SEED IN THE WAY TOO EARLY
AFC PLAYOFF PICTURE.
6) GREEN BAY
PACKERS-
GREEN BAY IS A TEAM THAT HAS BEEN
ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL IN THE NFL, SEEMINGLY FOR THEIR ENTIRE FRANCHISE’S
HISTORY. THEY DON’T EVER LOSE A BEAT, FROM
BRETT FAVRE TO AARON RODGERS, TO JORDAN LOVE.
THIS GREEN BAY PACKERS TEAM HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST CONSISTENTLY GREAT OFFENSIVE
TEAMS BEHIND THREE QBS THAT HAS SPANNED OVER THE PAST 31 YEARS NOW. WITH MATT LAFLEUR AS THEIR HEAD COACH AND AN
ARSENAL OR SKILLED POSITIONAL PLAYERS SUCH AS RB JOSH JACOBS, WRS JAYDEN REED,
CHRISTIAN WATSON, ROMEO DOUBS, AND THE RECENT EMERGENCE OF TIGHTEND TUCKER
KRAFT, THE PACKERS LOOK LIKE A SURE-FIRE PLAYOFF TEAM FOR QUITE POSSIBLY THE FORESEEABLE
FUTURE. THEY DO HAVE TO PLAY IN THE NFC
NORTH, WHICH IN MY PERSONAL OPINION IS THE TOUGHTEST IN THE ENTIRE NFL. THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE DOMINANT DETROIT
LIONS, THE MIGHTY MINESSOTA VIKINGS, AND THE BUDDING CHICAGO BEARS. THIS DIVISION COULD POSSIBLY BE THE VERY
FIRST TO SEE ALL FOUR TEAMS ENTER THE PLAYOFFS THIS YEAR DEPENDING ON WHAT
HAPPENS IN THE EAST AND WEST DIVISIONS THE REST OF THE SEASON, THAT’S JUST HOW
GOOD THESE TEAMS IN THE NORTH ARE.
PACKERS HAVE ONE OF THE BEST OFFENSES
IN THE LEAGUE AS THEY RANK 5TH IN BOTH TOTAL YARDS (387.4 5TH)
AND RUSH YARDS (156.9 PER GAME, 5TH). THE PACKERS PASSING OFFENSE ALSO RANKS TOP
TEN (230.5 PER GAME, 9TH) AND COULD VERY WELL BE IN THE TOP TEN IF
NOT FOR JORDAN LOVE MISSING SOME TIME THIS SEASON WITH A FEW INJURIES. THEY ALSO RANK 6TH IN THE LEAGUE IN
POINTS (27.0 PER GAME). EVEN WITH
QUARTERBACK JORDAN LOVE MISSING SOME TIME THIS SEASON HE IS CURRENTLY TIED FOR
3RD IN PASSING TOUCHDOWNS (15 TDS). RUNNINGBACK JOSH JACOBS HAS BEEN
ABSOLUTELY TORCHING TEAMS THIS YEAR AS HE’S 4TH IN TOTAL RUSHING
YARDS THROUGH THE FIRST EIGHT WEEKS WITH 667 YDS. JACOBS ALSO RANKS 7TH IN YARDS PER
GAME (83.4 YPG). THIS OFFENSE HAS SOME
ELITE LEVEL TALENT AND SEEMS TO BE ROLLING ON ALL CYLIDERS AS OF LATE. THEY NEED TO KEEP LOVE HEALTHY AND THEY CAN
COMPETE WITH THE BEST TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE.
DEFENSIVELY, THE PACKERS ARE ALSO
NOT TOO SHABY. THEY ARE ALLOWING JUST
21.3 POINTS PER GAME (11TH), AND HAVE TALLIED 21 SACKS, WHICH RANKS
7TH OVERALL AND ALSO LEAD THE LEAGUE IN TAKEAWAYS. ONE OF THE BEST MOVES OF THE OFFSEASON FOR
GREEN BAY WAS SIGNING FREE SAFTEY XAVIER MCKINNEY, WHO STARTED HIS CAREER WITH
THE NY GIANTS. MIDWAY THROUGH THIS
SEASON MCKINNEY PACES THE NFL IN INTERCEPTIONS WITH 6. PACKERS HAVE HELD TEAMS TO JUST 111.6 YARDS
PER GAME ON THE GROUND, 10TH BEST IN THE NFL TO THIS POINT. THEY STARTED THE SEASON ON THE ROAD IN
INTERNATIONAL PLAY AGASINT THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES WHEN JORDAN LOVE WENT DOWN
TO INJURY PRIOR TO THE GAMES END. THOUGH
THEY ULTIMATLEY LOST THAT GAME THEY LOOKED PRETTY DAMN GOOD. THE FOLLOWING WEEK THEY HAD TO START THEIR,
AT THE TIME, NEWLY AQUIRED BACKUP QB MALIK WILLIS THEY HAD TRADED FOR FROM THE
TENNESSEE TITANS. WILLIS ACTUALLY LOOKED
PRETTY IMPRESSIVE FOR SOMEONE WHO HAD ONLY BEEN IN GREEN BAY FOR ABOUT 14 DAYS PRIOR
TO GETTING HIS FIRST START FOR THEM. THE
PACKERS WON WITH THEIR BACKUP AT THE HELM AGAINST THE COLTS 16-10, THEN MALIK
HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A “REVENGE GAME” AGAINST HIS OLD TEAM IN HIS SECOND
START. THE PACK WOUND OUT BLOWING OUT
THE TITANS AND WILLIS GOT TO HAVE THE LAST LAUGH WITH A 30-14 WIN ON THE ROAD. WEEK THREE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A WEIRD ONE
FOR GREEN BAY FANS. THEY STARTED OFF TERRIBLE
BUT CLIMBED ALL THE WAY BACK TO ALMOST BEATING THEIR DIVISIONAL RIVAL MINNESOTA
VIKINGS, WITH A FINAL SCORE OF 31-29.
JORDON LOVE REGAINED HIS FOOTING THE FOLLOWING WEEK AND THE PACKERS
HAVEN’T LOST A GAME SINCE CATCHING FIRE ON THEIR WAY TO WINNING FOUR STRAIGHT
AND THUS NOW WINNING SIX OF THEIR LAST SEVEN GAMES.
JORDAN LOVE HAS NOT PRACTICED YET
THIS WEEK BUT IS STILL LOOKING TO BE GOOD TO GO FOR THIS SUNDAY. THAT IS A GREAT SIGN FOR THE PACKERS SEEING HOW
THEY ARE ABOUT TO GO ON THEIE TOUGHEST 5 GAME STRETCH OF THEIR SEASON STARTING
THIS WEEK. THIS UPCOMING GAME COULD IS
QUITE POSSIBLY THE MOST MEANINGFUL GAME OF THEIR SEASON AS THEY PLAY HOST TO
THE CURRENT NFC LEADING DETROIT LIONS AT HOME.
THIS GAME COULD BE FOR ALL THE MARBLES IN TERMS OF WHO COULD WIND UP
WINNING THE NFC NORTH TITLE AT THE END OF THE SEASON. NEXT UP WILL BE ANOTHER DIVISION GAME AGANST
THE UP-AND-COMING BEARS ON THE ROAD.
FROM THERE THEY WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH BACK-TO-BACK TEAMS THAT ARE STARTING
TO GET HEALTHY IN THE NINERS AND THE DOLPHINS, LUCKILY FOR THE PACK BOTH GAMES
OUR ON THEIR HOME TURF. THEN IT WILL BE
A TRIP SOUTHEAST TO THE MOTOR CITY WHEN THEY WILL PLAY THE LIONS AGAIN. ONCE THOSE GAMES ARE IN THE REAR VIEW, THEY
WILL FACE TWO WEAKER OPPONENTS IN WHAT SHOULD SURELY BE WINNABLE GAMES WHEN
THEY MATCHUP WITH SEATTLE FOLLOWED BY THE NEW ORLEANS. THEIR REMAINING TWO GAMES WILL BE BACK TO
INTER-DIVISIONAL PLAY WITH THE VIKINGS AND THE BEARS.
GREEN BAY DEFINITLEY SEEMS LIKE A
TEAM THAT CAN POTENTIALLY CONTEND FOR A SUPER BOWL AS SOON AS THIS YEAR. I THINK THE MAIN OBSTICLE FOR THEM IS HOW THEY
FAIR AMONG THE BATTLES IN THEIR DIVISION.
THE LIONS ARE 6-1 AND LOOK ALMOST UNBEATABLE AS OF LATE, THE VIKINGS
HAVE LOST TWO STRAIGHTS, THOUGH STARTED THE SEASON 5-0 WITH A STRONG DEFENSE
AND AN OFFENSE WITH ONE OF THE BEST PLAY CALLERS AND SUPERSTAR RECEIVER JUSTIN
JEFFERSON. THOSE TWO TEAMS ARE NEVER FUN
TO SEE, LET ALONE HAVE TO PLAY THEM TWICE A YEAR, AND WHO KNOWS, MAYBE EVEN A
THIRD TIME IF THEY ALL WIND UP IN THE PLAYOFFS.
AS I PREVIOUSLY ALLUDED TO THE BEARS ARE ALSO ON THE RISE AND WITH THE
DEFENSE A TOP 8-10 UNIT THIS SEASON AND THEIR PRIZED ROOKIE QUARTERBACK CALEB
WILLIAMS STARTING TO FIGURE THINGS OUT ITS CERTIANLY NOT AN EASY DIVISION TO NAVIGATE
THROUGH. THE PACKERS ARE 5TH
IN THE NFC PLAYOFF PICTURE AS OF RIGHT NOW AND IF WE’RE BEING COMPLELTEY HONEST
WITH OURSELVES THE NFC IS LOOKING LIKE MORE OF A POWERHOUSE SO FAR THIS SEASON
THAN THE AFC WITH SEVEN OF THE TOP EIGHT TEAMS HAVING THREE LOSSES OR LESS AND
ONLY HAVING FIVE TEAMS UNDER .500, COMPARED TO THE AFC HOUSING EIGHT SUCH
TEAMS. TO FINISH MY THOUGHS ON THE EARLY
DOMINANCE OF THE NFC THIS YEAR, WHO KNOWS GREEN BAY COULD WIND UP IN 1ST
PLACE BY WEEK 18 OR THEY COULD COMPLETLEY MISS THE PLAYOFFS. THE NINERS ARE GOING TO GET HEALTHY, THE RAMS
HAVE STARTED TO GET HEALTHY, AND EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE LOOKED POOR SO FAR THIS
YEAR, I DON’T KNOW THAT WE CAN COMPLETEY COUNT THE COWBOYS OUT EITHER.
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