LionsHuddle

Looking back at Week 11, here are our exclusive Power Rankings.

1. Colts- Go ahead and question the Colts defensive abilities after surrendering 37 to the Bengals. The point is, this team is 10-0 and if the crew on one side of the ball is lagging, the other one picks up the slack. That is the material of champions.

2. Broncos- Denver showed reasons for their home perfection by shutting out the Jets at Mile High Stadium. True, it is the Jets, but shutouts are a rare thing to come by in today’s NFL.



3. Seahawks- Narrowly squeaking by San Francisco should be cause for concern, however, with Shaun Alexander running the way he is (over 1200 yards on the season) and a 8-2 record to show for it, Seahawks fans should be worrying about extending their running back’s contract more than anything.



4. Chargers- Even with the Chargers’ scoring capabilities and their defensive functionality, the team is sadly only 6-4 and will have to finish nearly flawlessly in order to make it into the AFC postseason. Note to the oppositions: The Bolts could be one of the most dangerous wild cards the NFL has ever seen.



5. Steelers- The Steelers may have lost in Baltimore, but do not fear fans of the Steel city, for the almighty savior of Bill Cower’s career, Big Ben Roethlisberger will be back to save the day on Monday night versus the Colts. Wait, this game is versus the Colts? Hmm, I may have to take that one back. (The Steelers will at least be in the game though).



6. Panthers- Getting bounced in Chicago will never do a team justice in their pursuit of respect as the best team in the conference. The Panthers have shown vulnerability in crucial situations which may allow you into the playoffs, but not too much further.



7. Bengals- This team can flat out score the ball and as long as the defense can solidify leads, the sky is the limit for Cincy. Unfortunately, the D failed in doing just that as the Bengals were smacked in their own house for 45 points. Lucky for these Cats, the Steelers lost a gimme to the Ravens and are likely looking at another defeat at the hands of the Colts Monday night.



8. Jaguars- The Jags barely defeated a Titans team who was looking to play season spoiler in week 11, but still, a win in the NFL is always a hard fought one. With the Colts’ perfection and the Jags quality play (7-3), Jack Del Rio’s squad simply found themselves in the AFC South in a bad year.



9. Cowboys- After seeing the Giants’ collapse against Minnesota, it seems clear now that the Bill Parcels coached Cowboys should be division favorites. The Cowboys don’t seem to have any troubles scoring red-zone touchdowns which Denver has serious problems with in regards to giving them up so look for a potential Thanksgiving shootout in Big D.



10. Bucs- Chris Simms is evolving before our eyes into the quarterback the Bucs were hoping they would get with his pedigree. The Bucs have won two in a row as a result of Chris’ fine efforts.



11. Patriots- The Pats seem to be finally pulling away from the worst division in the AFC, the East. Having a substantial lead should help ease the mind of coach Belichick after the passing of his father. We offer our kindest condolences for the Belichick family.



12. Bears- Chicago’s shutdown of the Panthers should put all doubts aside. Not only is this team hot, (six game win streak) but by beating a good team, they have also proved they are for real in the NFC.



13. Falcons- If the Falcons have any hopes of even winning a wild-card, they must beat teams in Atlanta. A Turkey Day match up against the Lions may not be a home game, but certainly an easy opportunity for redemption.



14. Chiefs- KC is impossible to figure out. One week, the Chiefs get shut down at home by a not so great Bills team and then go on the road the next and knock the teeth out of the Texans (45-17). The question is, are the Texans that awful or are the Chiefs that inconsistent?



15. Giants- By putting the hurt on Philly, the Giants have all but assured themselves that the NFC East should be a two dog fight between them and the Cowboys. The only problem is, the Giants are one game back and are looking at Seattle next week. At least the Cowboys are playing the Broncos, another 8-2 team.



16. Redskins- Somehow, the Skins managed to lose a close battle at home versus the Raiders. These are not the kind of games you give up if you plan on earning a wild card.



17. Vikings- Out of the oblivion and back into the playoff picture, the Vikes are back at the .500 mark. To top it off, their schedule is more or less Cake, as the only game they have left to play outside is at Baltimore. Wait, why should Minnesota care if they play outside? They have won two straight in the grass.



18. Raiders- By beating a mediocre Washington team in DC, the Raiders have given us reason to believe that their schedule has been what has ruined their season and no so much Norv Turner.



19. Browns- Cleveland is by no means a good team, however, at 4-6 they are decent and with Romeo Crennel at the helm, this team could be playoff bound a lot sooner than some had previously guessed.



20. Eagles- Next year the defense will be older and the offense will need serious help in the receiving department. To top it all off the Eagles ownership is one of the stingiest in the NFL. Philly is shifting from NFC champs to chumps faster than you can say Madden Curse.



21. Ravens- Watching Baltimore and Pittsburgh duke it out in overtime without Big Ben is like watching two eighty year old men attempt to beat each other over the head with their canes. Not pretty.



22. Bills- The Chargers may have a powerful attack, but 48 points? The Bills D stunk it up once again and another “L” is tacked on to the Buffalo record to show for it.



23. Dolphins- According to Nick Saban, winning isn’t important this season as long as players learn new things for next season. In spite of how true this statement is, getting shut out by Cleveland is not appreciable by any means. Note to coach Saban, save these comments for yourself.



24. Cardinals- If watching Arizona win in St. Louis taught us anything, it was that the only way this team is capable of success is when Kurt Warner is perfect (Cards scored 38 but D gave up 28)



25. Lions- Detroit got slammed in Big D with Joey Harrington behind the wheel of the offense. It should be obvious at this point what position the Lions are likely looking to draft.



26. Packers- If Green Bay wanted to do themselves and Brett Favre a favor, they would trade him to a potential contender for a high round draft pick. He will always be remembered as a Packer, however, such a great career simply can not be capped off with the season the Yellow and Green are having.



27. Titans- Almost ruining the season for the Jags could just be the highlight of the 2005 season for Tennessee.



28. Rams- When St. Louis runs for six yards, it doesn’t matter who they are playing, it will be a loss. Maybe if Mark Bulger is out long enough, the Rams will finally learn the importance of the run.



29. Saints- Beating the Pats on the day Bill Belichick learned of his father’s death doesn’t sound like something a Saint would do. Give New Orleans props for acting in character.



30. Jets- Here is an equation for Jets fans: J+E+T+S-X=BAD. Your answer is, X equals quarterback, an O-line and more or less anything but a kicker. This team has been crippled by injuries.



31. Niners- The only thing keeping the 49ers from the worst spot is the fact that they came close to at least taking the Seahawks into overtime. In spite of their dreadful season, San Francisco is not giving up which is a positive sign for the years to come.



32. Texans- The saddest thing about the Texans struggles is that they are playing even worse than they did in their first year of existence. That’s right, Houston is worse than an expansion team.

Joey Harrington is expected to start in Dallas on Sunday. Mooch said earlier in the week if Garcia was healthy enough, he would start. It would seem that either Mooch had a change of heart, or Jeff is truly not healthy enough to take the starting job back.

Roy Williams makes his return to Dallas, and to produce after his biggest game of the season with 100+ yards and 3TD's. He will have a tough matchup with one of the best defenses in the league, and still not 100% healthy.

The game is going to be closer then most people expect, the Lions just need a lucky break or two to go their way for once and they could come away with the victory. The main focus should be to stop Terry Glenn and the deep ball. Let Dallas beat you with their inconsistent run game.

If the Lions want any chance of staying in the playoff picture, they must win this game, and the next game on Thursday against Atlanta.

Week 10 EXCLUSIVE Power Rankings.

1. Colts- Indy has a brutal remaining schedule with match-ups against top-notch teams such as the Bengals, Steelers and Chargers. So far however, the Colts have shown absolutely no sign that they are not completely capable of beating any opponent so although one, maybe two letdowns could be in sight, it is doubtful that any other team in the AFC will surpass the Colts record wise.

2. Steelers- The million dollar question for the Steelers as long as Roethlisberger and Batch are out is now whether or not to play Tommy Maddox at QB or use wide-out Antwaan for throwing purposes. Judging by Antwaan’s bomb to Heinz Ward last week, he could just be the better choice.

3. Broncos- What is the not so mysterious mystery behind the Broncos’ success? Jake Plummer has been playing at a near MVP level and simply doesn’t turn the ball over, at all!

4. Bengals- BYE

5. Panthers- The Panthers have won six in a row now and are starting to break away in the minds of many as the team that will represent the NFC in Detroit come February. Fantasy aficionados take note of the season Steve Smith has put together when drafting next season.

6. Chargers- Bye

7. Seahawks- If there was doubt in anyone’s mind that the Seahawks would win the abysmal NFC North, obliterating the Rams should eliminate any uncertainty. Next week at San Francisco will enable the surprisingly good Pac-Hawks to advance to 8-2.

8. Jaguars- This is the sort of team that is solid on both sides of the ball and has no bonafide superstars. Such a group incites pleasant memories of a successful team of the past few years. Oh yeah, that would be the Patriots. The Jags are playing fantastic.

9. Falcons- Atlanta was toyed with by the Packers and in their own building nonetheless. That is utterly objectionable for a team with playoff aspirations. The Falcons would be wise to defeat the Bucs in week 11, because their schedule for the rest of the season is a tough one.

10. Cowboys- Dallas advanced to a division tying 6-3 by beating a Philly team mired with distraction and controversy over T.O, in the last four minutes of the fourth quarter. Winning in dramatic fashion is always a nice morale booster, even if the team you beat comes from the city of booing and chokes. Next week could be a golden opportunity, playing the Lions, for the Boys to climb into divisional supremacy.

11. Bucs- When the fearsome defense plays awful, what better way to win than by beating a team 36-35 on a last minute two point conversion. Chris Simms must feel pretty good after shredding a pretty good Skins’ defense (he threw for three touchdowns). Such confidence will prove invaluable while pushing to make the playoffs.

12. Patriots- Beating the rebuilding Dolphins by a relatively narrow margin was to say the least, expected. Belichick will surely get coach of the year if this team makes it past the first round of the playoffs.

13. Redskins- When the defense fails, Washington does the same. This team can score the ball, but probably not well enough to outlast the opposition in a shootout. That being said, the Bucs were a bit lucky to have made the two point conversion and honestly, this game could have gone either way. Nice game by Clinton Portis also.

14. Chiefs- One glaring statistic speaks for itself in the Chiefs loss to the Bills. Offensive production: 3 points. KC must score the ball in order to stay in games and from the look of Trent Green’s miserable three int. no touchdown day, Larry Johnson needs to get hot in a hurry.

15. Bears- In Chicago’s five-game winning streak they have not beat a team over the .500 mark. Carolina is coming to town and it’s time for these Bears to prove they are not merely beneficiaries of an easy schedule.

16. Giants- What a way to go. The Vikings didn’t score a single touchdown on offense and still, they managed to defeat the Giants. Teams that have “Superbowl potential” can ill afford such boneheaded mistakes. Note to Eli Manning: Though you are improving you are not an elite in the NFL just yet.

17. Bills- J.P Losman played a mistake free game and the Bills reaped the rewards with a solid effort on the defensive side of the ball. If this kind of play becomes a trend for the inconsistent Bills, we could possibly see Buffalo give the Patriots a run for their money in the not so hot AFC East.

18. Dolphins- It’s hard to expect a rebuilding group to defeat the defending champs. The Phins made a valiant effort and fell short in the end. Nick Saban should be very pleased with the hustle of his young team over the course of the season, as they are only a few off-season attainable players away from division contention.

19. Raiders- Props to Oakland for almost working themselves back into a Broncos blowout by scoring 17 in the fourth quarter. A team with so many “attitude problem” players should be pleased with such effort against a marvelous team.

20. Vikings- If the defense can keep scoring and the offense can keep the opposition’s defense from scoring, the Bears could be looking over their shoulder after next week’s Monday night match-up at Green Bay.

21. Eagles- Donovan McNabb is looking like he is ready to hang it up for the season. Who can blame him? The controversy surrounding the Eagles makes the working environment uneasy and aggravating to practice in. The Eagles are also under .500 which, in the end, probably won’t cut it in their stacked division.

22. Lions- If only Joey Harrington would play that well against teams that aren’t pathetic like the Cardinals, the Lions may actually be heading somewhere.

23. Rams- Getting whacked by the Seahawks all but assured no division title for the former greatest show on turf and a very difficult route to the post season. Good luck getting there throwing the ball obsessively even though the Rams have a stud in Steven Jackson running the rock.

24. Browns- Giving up 34 to the Steelers and Charlie Batch says it all, the Browns are going nowhere fast.

25. Packers- How did the Packers manage to rip off a win in Atlanta the same week the Vikings did the same in New York? Regardless, these two are set to face off on Monday night next week in what is shaping up to be a decent game.

26. Cardinals- Any team that loses to the Lions had serious problems. Point made. Denny Green needs some defense and fast.

27. Jets- Getting blown out by the Panthers is becoming a trend for bad teams in the NFL. The Jets were no exception. Just another sad story of a team ravished by injuries.

28. Ravens- After putting up three against the Jags, the Ravens must ask themselves: Is Kyle Boller really the quarterback of the future? Whether the answer to the question is yes or no, from the looks of it, Baltimore won’t have Jamaal Lewis to rely on when things get hairy as he has been stinking it up too for Brian Billick.

29. Titans- Bye

30. Saints- Bye

31. Texans- The only thing keeping the Texans from being last is the fact that they scored 17 against the Colts, which is about as well as any team has done so far.

32. 49ers- It doesn’t matter who is quarterbacking or what the weather is, San Francisco simply can not find the end zone.

Exclusive Week 9 Power Rankings. Take a Look.

1. Colts- The metaphoric monkey is finally off the back of Peyton Manning. Not only did he and his Colts defeat the Pats on their home turf, but they did so by putting up 40 points. Now, the light comes at the end of the tunnel, as week 10 will give us an Indy match up with the Texans (at home nonetheless). 9-0 seems to be a definite for Tony Dungy unless something goes miserably wrong.


2. Steelers- Beating Green Bay these days is nothing to brag about, however, the Steelers did so with Charlie Batch starting. To make things better, Charlie will be starting next week against Cleveland. This opponent should prove to be a bit more difficult than Green Bay, but not much. Charlie Batch 2-0? Believe it!


3. Chargers- San Diego narrowly avoided a last minute defeat at the hand of the New York Jets. Although this game was almost another fourth-quarter meltdown, the Chargers took control of their own destiny by keeping New York out of the end-zone. Good momentum and a sigh of relief will accompany the Bolts into their bye-week.


4. Bengals- Carson Palmer should be a favorite in the MVP race as the Bengals head into their bye. Cincy has a 7-2 record to show for his superb play.


5. Falcons- Are you a Falcons fan waiting for Mike Vick to pass for 300 yards this season? Next week’s home game against a dreadful Packers squad should present a fantastic opportunity.

6. Broncos- Bye

7. Panthers- Desecrating a division rival, The Bucs, in Tampa is mighty impressive considering their 5-2 record before Carolina came to town. Panthers are hot, winning 5 games in a row and looking for more against the downtrodden Jets in week 10.

8. Seahawks- No surprise that the Seahawks annihilated the Cardinals, as they are a miserable team. What is surprising, however, is the fact that Seattle is 6-2 and is looking for home field advantage in the playoffs, coming out of last year’s laughable NFC West. Mike Holmgren, this is your year to take your team out of the first round.

9. Giants- Wiping the floor with the 49ers has become routine for most decent teams, the Giants were no exception. Next week presents the Giants with the Vikings, a team whose number they have had for years past. This notion, however, should not give the Giants a reason to sleep on the Vikes, as they are coming off a large win against the Lions.


10. Jaguars- Almost losing to Houston is frightening for a playoff contender. Still, Jacksonville pulled it out at the last minute and a win is a win. Next week versus Baltimore will allow the Jags an opportunity to welcome back Kyle Boller after multi-week layoff. It will be a “warn” welcome, to say the least.

11. Chiefs- Dick Vermeil has guts going for it to win his game. This move has possibly made him more popular in his locker room than any other coach in the league. Even though Priest Holmes is out for the year, Larry Johnson will surely fill in and will likely be even better.


12. Redskins- The Skins enjoyed sweet redemption (after being waxed by the Giants) by defeating the Eagles. Clinton Portis was apparently fined $20,000 for wearing the wrong shoes and socks this week. That is a harsh penalty for a harmless mistake.


13. Cowboys- Bye


14. Patriots- The magic is gone. A wide-margin loss to Indy was an embarrassment at home. Now the Pats must grind their way into the playoffs, which shouldn’t be that tough of a task in their sorry division, but their postseason is by no means a gimme.


15. Bears- Was their week nine victory a Chicago triumph or a Saint blunder? This seems to be the standard for the Saints this season, so I will choose the later. At least the Bears can rest easy knowing their two-game division lead is safe, no matter what the Vikes or Lions do since next week’s match up is one against San Francisco.


16. Bucs- This Bucs team started out smoking and has fizzled ever since, which can mean only one thing. Tampa Bay is the front-runner in this year’s “Team That Starts Out 5-1 and Sputters Down the Stretch Award” (won by the Vikings last year).


17. Raiders- Heartbreaks are becoming routine for Raiders. They are clearly better than their record states, no question about that and next week’s showdown with the Broncos will simply be another glaring example of Oakland’s brutal schedule.

18. Dolphins- Keeping it close against an NFC elite in the Falcons was a step in the right direction for the young Phins. Next week will allow Nick Saban to gain ground on the division rival Patriots, as they face off directly (yes, they are rivals because they both are mediocre this year).
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9. Eagles- Philly is in a state of utter chaos all thanks to number 81, not to mention the fact that they are sitting at the bottom of the NFC East. Was this just a matter of time?

20. Browns- Defeating the Titans is good progress for the young Browns. To make things better, Cleveland will get a shot at the Steelers next week sans-Rothlisberger. Charlie Batch, Charlie Batch, could be the chant after week 10.

21. Rams- Bye

22. Bills- Bye

23. Ravens- Will the return of Kyle Boller assist the bottom-feeding Ravens in their quest for glory? To sum it up in one word: No.


24. Jets- Keeping it close against the Chargers was likely all one could ask for from this injury-ridden squad. This team is going to need an overhaul in the off-season to potentially contend for the AFC high-ranks next year. Perma-injured, overpaid players don’t help a team one bit and the Jets clearly have a bunch of them.


25. Vikings- Brad Johnson really is not that bad when you think about the year Culpepper was having. Maybe the Vikes aren’t out of it just yet…


26. Lions- Joey Harrington is not capable of winning football games. Period.

27. Titans- It certainly is tiring talking about the Titans problems every week. Steve McNair is the only player keeping this team out of the 30’s.

28. Cardinals- Kurt Warner didn’t do so hot against the Seahawks. Haven’t we been saying this since the end of his glory days with the Rams? There could, however, be a revival of the greatest show on turf, next week, as Kurt takes to the surface at Ford Field against the Lions.

29. Saints- This team has shot itself in the foot so many times, the bullet holes are becoming meaningless. The Saints would be well-advised to tank it the rest of the season and pick up Matt Leinart in the draft, a guy who is not prone to bone-headed mistakes like the rest of this Saints crew.

30. Packers- The latest development in the Pack’s worst season in ages: A loss to Charlie Batch. No hall of fame player (Favre) deserves to see their career end in team destruction.

31. Texans- If the Texans wind up with a number one or two pick, will they trade it down? Domanik Davis and David Carr both are quality starters if given the correct protection. The Texans are so bad that they are already allowing draft speculations out of the gate.

32. 49ers- What will the Niners and the Indiana Pacers (NBA) have in common in a few years? The same season Reggie Miller is inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame and the crowd is roaring to the tone of “Reggie, Reggie” San Francisco fans will be shouting the same chant as Reggie Bush propels the 49ers back into the playoffs.

In Need of Bloggers. As a new Fan Site on the web, we are currently looking for Fans to voice their opinions and give updates on the team as often as possible. We envision lots of readership in the near future but only with your help. If you have thought about creating a blog in the past, but never got around to it, or you have your own blog but have stuggled to pull in an audience..this may be the perfect setting for you. If this sounds like it interests you please email me at Combs84@sbcglobal.com and Put "(Your Team Name) Blogger" in the subject. Thanks a lot, and I hope you will consider this opportunity.