1.Cleveland Browns (9-1): They’re winning games by a 28ppg margin, however, they’ve had the easiest schedule in the league of anyone not named HD. A lot has to do with their division, but the truth is they haven’t really been tested with any of the heavy hitters of PML. By the looks of the schedule, it won’t happen until playoff time.
2. Green Bay Packers (9-1): The Packers are now on an 8 game winning stream since dropping to the Saints earlier in the season. Rashan Gary just got superstar status and Lukas Van Ness shouldn’t be too far behind. This team is getting scarier by the week.
3. New England Patriots (8-1): If anyone is going to step up pound for pound with the Browns I got the Patriots. They’ve taken down the Packers and Rams this season, and look poised for another deep playoff run. Looking forward to watching them finish their story this cycle.
4. New Orleans Saints (9-2): Pre-cycle if you told me a JC led Saints team in season 2 would have Derek Carr under center playing the best football of his career, I would have called you a liar. But here we are, and Carr has the Saints looking like the team to beat in the NFC.
5. Kansas City Chiefs (8-2): Big win against NFC powerhouse JC and the Saints. They looked totally in control and comfortable the entire game and made the big plays when they counted. If you didn’t believe in the Chiefs, then you should now.
6. Los Angeles Chargers (8-2): I’ll say it now, if you think JT Woods is dangerous now, wait until he gets some abilities to go with it. At 8 interceptions, he is anchoring the Chargers defensive backs and at 8-2, the young kids Codes put his faith in are surely delivering.
7. Los Angeles Rams (8-3): The Rams hold a thin lead over the rest of the division and I expect to be tight all cycle. Hopefully Father Time is willing to extend 33 year old Aaron Donald some bonus time at the level he is playing now. He is averaging just over a sack a game and makes that defense that much more dangerous.
8. Seattle Seahawks (7-3): The Seahawks were upset by the Dolphins this past week at home which possibly leads me to believe they aren’t who we thought they were. After this turn of events, it will be difficult to convince me they belong in the same conversation as the Packers, Saints, and Rams.
9. Arizona Cardinals (7-3): Que and the Cardinals narrowly escaped the visiting Commanders this past week, but a win is a win and the Cardinals have extended their streak to 3. After a slow start to the rookie season, speedster Xavier Worthy has been lighting up the boxscore over the past 4 weeks with over 600 yards and 5 touchdowns.
10. Houston Texans (5-5): Haven’t seen Keraun with his back against the wall in quite some time. Is it possible the Titans and Colts give him a run for the divisional crown? Each passing week, it seems like a realistic possibility. They have the Patriots this week before a what could be two potential showdowns against the Colts and Titans back to back.
11. Denver Broncos (5-6): Could Denver be a sneaky wildcard play this season? DK is not a name you want to see on your schedule regardless of the situation, so I’m just saying, if he happens to sneak into the big dance, could he pull it off? Can’t deny Super Bowl pedigree.
12. Detroit Lions (6-4): An unlikely pair of rookies continue to lead the offensive attack for the Lions as late third round pick Andrew Armstrong and 5th round TE Keon Zipperer give Jared Goff reliable weapons on the field. I say reliable because Jameson William just can’t seem to stay on the field for a full season. When he does though, he’s a scary assignment. In just five games Williams has compiled 536 yards and two scores.
13. Minnesota Vikings (5-5): As I said in previous columns, the return of Jefe won’t be good for Wimmy and the Vikings as they dropped back into the L column at the hands of the Bears. This division doesn’t have room for 4 contenders, so somebody will always be the odd-man out.
14. Buffalo Bills (5-5): Bills have lost 3 in a row and to be quite frank, I am not sold on their ability to defeat the upper tier teams, even with the Buffalo Bills. They’ve hit a crossroads in their season, and at .500, they do have a very reasonable schedule that with the current roster, they should be able to sneak into the playoffs if they could just take care of the games they should win.
15. Dallas Cowboys (4-6): Cowboys have now won 2 straight and Drama is making good so far on his promise to reclaim the division after a disastrous start to the season. If I am a betting man, the Cowboys are my pick to represent the group come playoff time.
16. Pittsburgh Seelers (5-6): Curt is running a top 5 offense behind Zach Wilson and co. If the defense could step up a tad, I got the Steelers securing the final wildcard spot in the AFC.
17. Philadelphia Eagles (5-5): The collapse is in full affect ladies and gentleman. I couldn’t write a better script. Picture this, Dramaman rises from the basement of the NFC north to take back what is his, the NFC East crown, from the evil HD and his Philadelphia Eagles.
18. Atlanta Falcons (5-6): Very shocked to see a world beater like Nef go down to the Cowboys after making history the week prior. Does he have any more magic up his sleeve to slay the beast of the NFC South? They come in as heavy dogs against the Saints, but as history has taught us, Nef has all the makings for a great underdog story.
19. New York Jets (5-6): Caleb is looking very pedestrian like his rookie year even with his top tier attributes and abilities. Seems like we’re going back and forth each week debating the validity of the Jets draft day deal for Williams. This tells me they need some consistency which is setting them apart from the contenders.
20. New York Giants (5-6): Ewers put up a huge dud in the biggest game of his young career throwing 5 interceptions in a game that could have put the Giants in sole possession off first place in the division. The good news is they’re still right in the thick of things going into the bye week before a big showdown with the surging Cowboys.
21. San Francisco 49ers (3-7): At a .634 played strength of schedule, no other team is even above the .600’s. They came up big against the Jets this past week under a solid attack from Christian McCaffrey. The way things look now, the 49ers have to be eying their quarterback of the future with a potential top 5 selection this draft and the good part is no team inside the current top are qb needy.
22. Las Vegas Raiders (4-6): Whats going on with the Raiders defense? They are world beaters stopping the pass but are just letting teams run wild on them? Other than that, this would have been the ideal landing spot for one Drake Maye.
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7): The Buccaneers boast a top 5 offense and a bottom 3 defense. Those combinations usually don’t work out too well in the long run. The defense should be addressed this off-season to keep opposing teams off the scoreboard.
24. Miami Dolphins (4-6): Down but not out are the Dolphins of Miami. Season ain’t over yet as they took down the Seahawks this past week in one of the biggest surprises of week 11. Can they keep the magic alive for the Rams and Patriots the next two weeks?
25. Indianapolis Colts (4-7): Like vultures, the Colts and Titans are circling the Texans with similar aspirations to take the division. The Colts enter the bye week with the wounded Texans ahead. Far fetched, but sitting 2 games back, it’s not out of the realm.
26. Tennessee Titans (4-6): Dlloyd is playing his best football of the season on a 3 game streak after their bye week. Can they keep the magic alive long enough for their 2 games against the Texans?
27. Carolina Panthers (4-6): Big win by the Panthers this past week against the big bad Eagles. If there’s one thing Byrce Young has done a great job of this season, it is getting everyone on the offensive depth chart involved in the offense.
28. Chicago Bears (3-7): Can Jefe be relevant again this cycle? I believe so, but it won’t be this season. They have the cap space to make some big trades or signings this off-season. I expect a totally elevated roster next year.
29. Washington Commanders (3-8): Miles and his Commanders played the Cardinals relatively close this past week which is a good sign for the struggling franchise. I wonder if Maye is still the quarterback of the future, or do they consider going back to the drawing board as Miles becomes another season wiser to the world of PML.
30. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-8): I had really high aspirations for the Jaguars this season. Needless to say, myself and others are highly disappointed a season and half into the cycle.
31. Cincinnati Bengals: Bengals fans got a taste of life without Xfactor Burrow as they lost by 55 to the Browns. He’s set to lose his abilities and I don’t see the situation in Cincy getting any better.
32. Baltimore Ravens: Ravens can’t lose on their bye week. That’s the good news. The betting public is heavy on the Commanders this week. Says a lot about the situation in Baltimore.
