NFL

  • Power Rankings

 

Jim Lang's Power Rankings: December 9, 2008

TW LW Team Our Take
1 1 Now that the Titans have clinched the AFC South title, their next goal is locking up home field advantage throughout the post-season. Chris Johnson leads all rookie running backs this year and is averaging just under five yards a carry. Safety Michael Griffin had an interception to give him five on the year. Cornerback Cortland Finnegan also has five picks to help pace the Titans defence. You want a really amazing stat about the power and influence of the Titans offensive line? In the 12 games Kerry Collins has started, he’s only been sacked seven times.
2 1 After seven days of non stop questions from the police, the media, league officials and fans, the fallout from 'thigh-gate' began to affect the Giants. The G-Men did not look like themselves in their loss to the Eagles. Brandon Jacobs banged up his knee. Worst of all, the Giants defence got burned bad by Eagles running back Bryan Westbrook. Now, the Giants have to go to Dallas to play a desperate Cowboys team. A lot of people in the NFL will be watching closely to see if thigh-gate continues to affect the intensity and execution of a very good Giants team.
3 3 How many other NFL head coaches would celebrate a big play by pulling off a flying chest bump like the Steelers Mike Tomlin? The 36-year-old whiz kid in the "Burgh" had reason to celebrate. The Steelers scored 17 points in the final seven minutes of the fourth quarter to stun the Cowboys at a frigid Heinz Field. Deshea Townsend proved once again that with that defence, the Steelers always have a have a chance to win. Huge game this week in Baltimore as the Ravens and Steelers battle it out for first place in the AFC North.
4 6 Winners of six straight games, the Colts bounced back from last week's ugly win to put together a decisive victory over the Bengals. Last week, defensive lineman Robert Mathis scored the game winning touchdown for the Colts. This week, Mathis has two and a half sacks and six tackles to lead the Colts defence. If the Colts defence can continue to play to the same level of their offence, Tony Dungy's team will be tough to beat down the stretch. I like Peyton Manning and the Colts chances of making it seven straight wins as they take on the Lions this week at Lucas Oil Stadium.
5 8 Panthers – That was one of the most impressive ground assaults we have seen in recent memory on Monday Night Football. To do it against Monte Kiffin’s famed "Tampa 2" defence makes it even more impressive. DeAngelo Williams ran for 186 yards and two touchdowns. Rookie Jonathan Stewart chipped with 115 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers beat their NFC South divisional rivals with authority. That win convinced a lot of people, myself included, that the Panthers are for real. John Fox doesn’t have a lot of time to savour the fruits of his labour. In the next three weeks the Panthers will play the Broncos, Giants and Saints.
6 9 When the Ravens beat the Giants in Super Bowl 35, it was assumed that linebacker Ray Lewis was at the zenith of his remarkable career. Here it is, eight years later, and Lewis is as intense and scary as ever. Forget for the moment about anything he may or may not have done off the field; Lewis has to be considered the greatest linebacker of our generation. At the same time, Ed Reed might be the very best playmaking safety in the NFL. This sets up an epic game between the Ravens and the Steelers in Baltimore on Sunday. It has the potential to be the hardest hitting game in recent NFL memory. Rookie quarterback Joe Flacco has only thrown 3 interceptions in his last eight games. Over that same stretch of games, Brett Favre has thrown nine.
7 4 Whoa. I didn't think a Monte Kiffin defence could get punked that bad in such a big divisional game. Jeff Garcia put up some decent numbers. But it was the sorry state of the Bucs defence that will keep Jon "Chucky" Gruden up at night. In the Tampa Tribune Bucs middle linebacker Barrett Ruud used the word "embarrassing" to describe the effort against the Panthers. Now, the Bucs have a short week to work with as they prepare to face Matt Ryan and the Falcons in the Georgia Dome. I'm thinking Ruud and the Bucs defence will be in a particularly nasty mood for this game.
8 NR The team I just can't figure out just keeps winning and winning. The Broncos beat the Chiefs and have now won four of their last five games. Jay Cutler has now thrown 23 touchdowns and the Broncos have all but locked up first place in the AFC West. Up next, the Broncos are in Carolina to face the Panthers. It will be interesting to see if the paper thin Broncos defence can stop the Panthers power running game.
9 11 Wes Welker was never blessed with great size, or blazing speed or any other natural gifts that great athletes are blessed with. What Welker was blessed with was the heart of a lion. The man is totally incapable of being physically intimidated. The Patriots deserve credit from picking themselves off the mat and finishing off a very determined Seahawks team. As much as people like to hate Bill Belichick, you have to give the man credit for his coaching ability. According to NFL.com, the Patriots are 18 and 1 in games following a loss since the 2003 season.
10 12 Warning: Chop block Vikings defensive end Jared Allen at your own risk. The NFL or the NFL's Director of officiating can not be held responsible for whatever violent form of payback Allen will hand out to whomever dares try to take out his knees. Before tight end Visanthe Shiancoe became a star on YouTube for his physical attributes, he had a solid game against the Lions and caught a clutch touchdown. As the Vikings prepare to face the Cardinals; they still don't know if defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams will be in the lineup. If those two behemoths end up getting suspended for taking those diuretics, that would be a devastating blow to the Vikes defence.
11 7 There are times when I think Terrell Owens is one of the best football players in the NFL. There are other times when I think T.O. would be right at home in my youngest daughter's kindergarten class. Does T.O. really think that Tony Romo and Jason Witten conspired to keep the ball out of his hands? Romo doesn't need anyone to tell him how badly he flamed out against the Steelers. Witten certainly doesn't need a kindergarten style temper tantrum to tell him he ran the wrong pass route a number of times late in the game. The Cowboys' awful fourth quarter collapse has them on playoff life support from here on in.
12 NR I wanted to put the Jets at number 12 but Brett Favre and the Gang Green have played two straight brutal games. After beating the Bills at Rogers Centre in Toronto this past Sunday; head coach Tony Sparano and the Dolphins are on the verge of completing the greatest single season turnaround in NFL history. The Dolphins will now play the 49ers at home then the Chiefs on the road. That will set up an incredible game at the Meadowlands in the final weekend of the regular season as the Dolphins and the Jets will decide who wins the AFC East or one of the AFC Wild Card spots. Only two of the three top teams in the AFC East will make the post-season. There is a very real possibility that the Dolphins will be one of them.