Nickel City Power Rankings: Week 11
Week 10. We should have a pretty good grasp on the league by now. But it somehow feels like we don’t? I’m not sure what that’s about. But none of the teams we are normally confident in are looking like their past dominant selves. And there are many teams that most would assume are pretenders that we are waiting for to fall off. Yet that hasn’t happened yet. So let’s rank them all!
1. Los Angeles Rams (7-2) (Last Week: 1) – I’ve talked about Matthew Stafford in this every single week that I’ve done it. And he deserves it. As do the Rams. The clear top team in the league, to me.
2. Philadelphia Eagles (7-2) (Last Week: 3) – It wasn’t the most convincing win. But the Bills lost and the Eagles won. So they move up to the 2 spot.
3. Indianapolis Colts (8-2) (Last Week: 4) – They’ve shown some weak spots the past two weeks. But Jonathan Taylor is still an animal. And you can basically just re-read what I wrote about the Eagles.
4. Seattle Seahawks (7-2) (Last Week: 6) – Has any team looked more impressive as of late? The Seahawks are a wagon.
5. New England Patriots (8-2) (Last Week: 8) – It’s unfortunate but the Patriots are also a wagon. And look like they could easily win the AFC East.
6. Detroit Lions (6-3) (Last Week: 9) – Time to get the most complete team in football back on the rails. Don’t let them catch fire.
7. Denver Broncos (8-2) (Last Week: 7) – They keep winning but never really do anything to impress me. As a result, I can’t move them up or down. They’ll stay here.
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3) (Last Week: 5) – I think we all were hoping that they would show up against the Patriots. Now we have to hope they lay an egg this week.
9. Buffalo Bills (6-3) (Last Week: 2) – Second straight week of the number 2 team dropping to the 9 spot. We thought they figured it out. They very clearly didn’t. Time to cross our fingers again.
10. Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) (Last Week: 14) – Herbert is taking a ton of hits. But they won again. And continue to hold the Chiefs at bay
11. Kansas City Chiefs (5-4) (Last Week: 11) – I can’t consciously demote them on the bye week. As much as I want to, anything lower than this would be lying to myself.
12. Green Bay Packers (5-3-1) (Last Week: 10) – Their defense looks elite. Like, scary elite. But they just can’t get anything going offensively. And have a mediocre record to show for it.
13. Chicago Bears (6-3) (Last Week: 16) – Ben Johnson is a good coach. And the Bears are showing competence as a result. Just not greatness.
14. San Fransisco 49ers (6-4) (Last Week: 13) – I don’t have much of a change with them. They find a way to be good regardless of situation. They’ll be in it down the stretch.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4) (Last Week: 12) – A winning record but woooooooof Aaron Rodgers. They’ll finish 9-8 and likely miss the playoffs. They’re not winning that division.
16. Baltimore Ravens (4-5) (Last Week: 19) – They have the majority of their team back from injury and are a game back in the division. Spoiler: they’re going to take it from the Steelers.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-4) (Last Week: 15) – We can continue taking shots in the dark about whether this is a serious football team or not. They’re middle of the pack for a reason.
18. Houston Texans (4-5) (Last Week: 20) – They’re defense is what is winning them games. It’s something that can result in them crashing just about anybody’s party. Don’t take them lightly.
19. Carolina Panthers (5-5) (Last Week: 17) – Is losing to the Saints worse than losing to the Dolphins? Probably.
20. Minnesota Vikings (4-5) (Last Week: 18) – J.J. McCarthy is an agent of chaos. I wouldn’t bet on this team with somebody else’s money. Because who knows what you’re getting?
21. Dallas Cowboys (3-5-1) (Last Week: 22) – It’s a bye week. And, although their defense will still be atrocious, at least Jerry traded for some pieces.
22. Arizona Cardinals (3-6) (Last Week: 21) – Moving them down a spot because of the L. They’re not terrible. But they’re definitely not good.
23. Atlanta Falcons (3-6) (Last Week: 23) – Same thing as the Cardinals. They’re not good. But definitely not the worst in the league. Standing pat, here.
24. Cincinnati Bengals (3-6) (Last Week: 25) – Joe Flacco may just get them through. Rumors are circulating that Joe Burrow may return for week 13. But it also may be too late.
25. Washington Commanders (3-7) (Last Week: 24) – Marcus Mariota will not win this team games. Without Jayden Daniels, they are lost.
26. Miami Dolphins (3-7) (Last Week: 28) – They showed up to absolutely dismantle the Bills in between firing their GM last week, and more front office personnel this week.
27. New York Giants (2-8) (Last Week: 26) – Jaxson Dart still looks like he could be decent. They got some bad injury luck this year, as well. But now, Brian Daboll is out as head coach.
28. New Orleans Saints (2-8) (Last Week: 31) – They haven’t done anything to deserve this jump. Other teams just look worse.
29. New York Jets (2-7) (Last Week: 30) – You won a game! Congratulations! It was against the Browns though, so we’re only going to move you up one spot.
30. Las Vegas Raiders (2-7) (Last Week: 27) – They lost to the Broncos. Not the worst loss in the world. But they lost 10-7. You can’t even put up double digits? Yikes.
31. Cleveland Browns (2-7) (Last Week: 29) – Do I really have to say more here than they lost to the Jets? They’re eagerly awaiting Deshaun Watson’s return.
32. Tennessee Titans (1-8) (Last Week: 32) – Any sliver of doubt that they are the worst team in football is now gone. It’s undisputed. Unanimous. The. Worst. Team. In. Football.
Nickel City Power Rankings: Week 10
Week 9 resulted in some shakeups. Some surprising results. All of our top four teams from last week lost in their matchups. These power rankings are in disarray as a result. Par for the course for the NFL in November.
1. Los Angeles Rams (6-2) (Last Week: 6) – Matthew Stafford is inevitable. He is not the MVP frontrunner, but he absolutely should be.
2. Buffalo Bills (6-2) (Last Week: 8) – This week was such a big win to keep them competitive in the standings. The quest for the one seed is back on.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (6-2) (Last Week: 5) – Howie Roseman refuses to sit still. He has reloaded his team for another deep playoff run
4. Indianapolis Colts (7-2) (Last Week: 1) – I’d love to say this is an indicator that Daniel Jones is still Daniel Jones. It’s not. They’re still going to be just fine.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) (Last Week: 7) – Sometimes the best thing you can do, is to do nothing at all. Which is exactly what they did on their bye week.
6. Seattle Seahawks (6-2) (Last Week: 10) – Sam Darnold is suddenly good. The Vikings are sad as a result. And now he’s got Rashid Shaheed to run next to JSN and Cooper Kupp.
7. Denver Broncos (7-2) (Last Week: 9) – I want them to lose a game or two. But they keep winning. And I’d actually be okay with them beating the Chiefs a time or two.
8. New England Patriots (7-2) (Last Week: 11) – They’re good. Potentially really good. But I still think there is going to be a surprising loss or two down the stretch.
9. Detroit Lions (5-3) (Last Week: 2) – I still think that this is the most complete team in the league. But they can’t help but stub their toe a few times every season.
10. Green Bay Packers (5-2-1) (Last Week: 3) – A loss to an inferior Carolina Panthers team. The offense struggled to put together a drive that resulted in points. I struggled to put them in my top 10.
11. Kansas City Chiefs (5-4) (Last Week: 4) – They still have an elite offense. But at 5-4 and with an extremely tough schedule coming up, I can’t consciously rank them higher.
12. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) (Last Week: 14) – While they had an extremely impressive win over the Colts, the Steelers are still the Steelers. And I hope to see them in the playoffs.
13. San Fransisco 49ers (6-3) (Last Week: 12) – It’s tough to fall in the power rankings after a win. But the win was against the Giants. And sometimes other teams are more impressive.
14. Los Angeles Chargers (6-3) (Last Week: 13) – I could write the exact same thing as I did for the 49ers here. They beat the Titans. I hope they can beat the Chiefs again down the road.
15. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3) (Last Week: 15) – They’re good? I guess? It’s the most reluctant version of being good. Jakobi Meyers doesn’t move the needle for me at all.
16. Chicago Bears (5-3) (Last Week: 16) – I’m leaving them here. It’s where they currently belong. What a stupid win. This team is chaos. It’s great.
17. Carolina Panthers (5-4) (Last Week: 19) – I don’t know what to make of this team. But I do know that hanging 40 on them looks pretty impressive for the Bills.
18. Minnesota Vikings (4-4) (Last Week: 21) – I was pretty certain that JJ McCarthy was going to be a bust. I’m less certain now. A good division win in an insane division.
19. Baltimore Ravens (3-5) (Last Week: 23) – They’ve move up. They’re probably going to continue to move up as they continue to get healthier. I’d rather not see them again this year.
20. Houston Texans (3-5) (Last Week: 17) – Every time I think I know what this team is, they do something that makes me throw my arms up in the air and re-evaluate.
21. Arizona Cardinals (3-5) (Last Week: 25) – If your backup QB gives you a better shot to win than your franchise QB, you’re in a bad spot.
22. Dallas Cowboys (3-5-1) (Last Week: 18) – Not even Quinnen Williams can make this defense look competent. Any team playing against the Cowboys should hang up 14 more points than usual.
23. Atlanta Falcons (3-5) (Last Week: 22) – They were so close to helping the Bills out. Instead, they disappointed the Mafia for the second time this season.
24. Washington Commanders (3-6) (Last Week: 20) – What an unfortunate injury for Jayden Daniels. Marcus Mariota isn’t going to take you anywhere.
25. Cincinnati Bengals (3-6) (Last Week: 24) – Joe Flacco definitely gives them a shot to win games. They lost an extremely stupid one. That being said, there’s nothing about this team without Burrow that scares me in the slightest.
26. New York Giants (2-7) (Last Week: 26) – They lost again. This is where they belong. Mostly because they’re still better than the teams that are below them.
27. Las Vegas Raiders (2-6) (Last Week: 29) – Geno Smith was good in Seattle. He is in a terrible situation in Vegas. As are Jeanty and Bowers. It’s bleak.
28. Miami Dolphins (2-7) (Last Week: 27) – This team is nowhere. They needed to do what the Jets did and tear it down completely. Only trading Phillips is a half measure.
29. Cleveland Browns (2-6) (Last Week: 28) – Get back to me when they figure out their quarterback situation. Gabriel? Sanders? Did they start the right one? Who knows? Who cares, even?
30. New York Jets (1-7) (Last Week: 31) – They moved up a spot by default simply because the team that moved down as a result is willingly starting a worse quarterback than before.
31. New Orleans Saints (1-8) (Last Week: 30) – They shouldn’t have moved away from Rattler. Even while losing. And yet, they did.
32. Tennessee Titans (1-7) (Last Week: 32) – Do I have to actually write anything about this team?