Bumped again. One of my favorite 'level-headed' BTSC'ers updates this post for the second consecutive week. Hey, looks like I might need to be dropping my weekly defense comparison post, so this serves as a nice interim substitute for at least this week. - Michael Bean -
*************
Did I jinx my favorite NFL team by ranking them #1 last week? Oops. Won't make that mistake again. This week's rankings are extended to include all 7-2 and 6-3 teams in the NFL--and there are a lot of them. Like last time, I have solely considered a team's record against quality opponents--teams that currently have a winning record for the year. This time, I have ranked the teams strictly in order of winning percentage against quality opponents, breaking ties by number of quality wins and number of quality road wins. And the best team in the NFL is...
|
|
Overall |
Quality |
Quality |
Quality |
|
1) Patriots |
7-2 |
at MIA (5-4), BAL (6-3), at PIT (6-3) |
at NYJ (7-2) |
3-1 |
|
2) Saints |
6-3 |
at TB (6-3), PIT (6-3) |
ATL (7-2) |
2-1 |
|
3) Ravens |
6-3 |
at NYJ (7-2), at PIT (6-3), MIA (5-4) |
at NE (7-2), at ATL (7-2) |
3-2 |
|
4) Falcons |
7-2 |
at NO (6-3), TB (6-3), BAL (6-3) |
at PIT (6-3), at PHI (6-3) |
3-2 |
|
5) Eagles |
6-3 |
at JAX (5-4), ATL (7-2), IND (6-3) |
GB (6-3), at TEN (5-4) |
3-2 |
|
6) Steelers |
6-3 |
ATL (7-2), at TEN (5-4), at TB (6-3), at MIA (5-4) |
BAL (6-3), at NO (6-3), NE (7-2) |
4-3 |
|
7) Packers |
6-3 |
at PHI (6-3), at NYJ (6-3) |
at CHI (6-3), MIA (5-4) |
2-2 |
|
8) Giants |
6-3 |
CHI (6-3), at SEA (5-4) |
at IND (6-3), TEN (5-4) |
2-2 |
|
9) Jets |
7-2 |
NE (7-2), at MIA (5-4) |
BAL (6-3), GB (6-3) |
2-2 |
|
10) Colts |
6-3 |
NYG (6-3), KC (5-4) |
at JAX (5-4), PHL (6-3) |
2-2 |
|
11) Bears |
6-3 |
GB (6-3) |
at NYG (6-3), SEA (5-4) |
1-2 |
|
??) Bucs |
6-3 |
None |
PIT (6-3), NO (6-3), at ATL (7-2) |
0-3 |
With their impressive beatdown of the Steelers, the Patriots take the top spot with a 3-1 record against quality opponents. Surprisingly, the Saints rank as the best team in the NFC with a 2-1 quality record. The fact that the Saints have played just three quality opponents in nine games (and two of those three were at home) make this lofty ranking somewhat suspicious, however. Of three 3-2 teams, the Ravens get the nod for playing four of their five quality opponents on the road and still winning three of those games. After edging the Ravens on Thursday night, the Falcons edge into the #4 ranking, followed closely by the Eagles.
The Steelers have still faced more quality opponents than any other team and have another one coming on Sunday: the 5-4 Raiders. The team still has an impressive quality record, but the trend is not positive, as the Steelers have most recently sandwiched three quality losses around a fortuitous win over 5-4 Miami. The next four teams are just 2-2 against quality opponents, including the Jets, which have five wins over weak teams. I reported last week that the Giants are a fraud, and I stand by that, but these rankings uncover two more fraudulent teams: the Bears and the Buccaneers. These two are a combined 1-5 against quality teams.
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