Who is the Best in the NFC/AFC?

[JW]

Rankings after Sundays games (No need to look at Monday night as neither team will make the top 5 for me.

AFC
1. New England - Remained unbeaten through the bye week
2. Pittsburgh - Nice comeback against an improving Cleveland team
3. Indianapolis - Needed a win after the loss to NE, showing signs of hangover.
4. Jacksonville - Continue to win with Quinn freakin Gray at QB - Simply amazing
5. Buffalo - If it weren't for Adrian Peterson, Marshawn Lynch would be the Offensive rookie of the year. They run the ball and play good defense, would be 6-4 if not for the miracle comeback by Dallas

Dropping out - Cleveland - You have your division rival on the ropes and a chance to beat them, you need to put them away. Pittsburgh took the game from them.

NFC
1. Dallas - showed how good they were against a fired up Giants club at the Meadowlands.
2. Green Bay - Still a great team, and the only team outside of the NFC East that will challenge the Cowboys for NFC supremacy, but Dallas' win is a better victory over the Brooks Bollinger led Minnesota Vikings offense.

This is where it gets difficult - The Giants, Saints, and Lions all lost
3. Giants - being that they lost to the number 1 team in the NFC i will keep them right where they are. I still think that they are a good team and have a good pass rush and a good running game, but is Eli Manning good enough, that will continue to be the question.
4. Tampa Bay - Only because they lead the division coming off the bye week have an opportunity to create some distance between themselves and the rest of the South
5. Washington - Portis is running strong, Jason Campbell is playing well and not turning the ball over. The defense is solid, but will need a great performance to win in Dallas this sunday.

Dropped out
Detroit - were looking so good, but when you lose to Arizona and Kevin Jones has 4 carries for -4 yards you are not very good.
New Orleans - I know the Rams have a lot of offensive punch, but the Saints needed that win if they want to contend for the NFC south.

Teams to watch out for
San Diego
Cleveland
Tennessee
Detroit
New Orleans
Seattle - are they good or bad - they better beat the 9ers tonight if they want to be good.

[Chowdah Head]

the bad calls went both ways in that game, but i don't know if you watched the whole thing. if they couldn't blow them out with them missing key players please inform me of how its going to happen if they meet again with a healthy team.

New England had 10 penalties for 146 yards, Indy had 4 for 25. How exactly is that going both ways?

[JW]

the bad calls went both ways in that game, but i don't know if you watched the whole thing. if they couldn't blow them out with them missing key players please inform me of how its going to happen if they meet again with a healthy team.

New England had 10 penalties for 146 yards, Indy had 4 for 25. How exactly is that going both ways?

I don't know if indy is ever going to be completely healthy. Harrison has been out, and each week is listed as doubtful.

But we forget that the Patriot Corners are two of the best in the league in Ellis Hobbs and Asante Samuel, combined with Rodney Harrison, they have a very good Secondary. Its not the New Orleans Secondary back there, these guys can play.

I would say that 10 penalties for 146 yards would cancel out the Harrison injury making it a push.

[asulax]

"New England had 10 penalties for 146 yards, Indy had 4 for 25. How exactly is that going both ways?"

2 or 3 of them were pass interference calls that made up for about 100 of the 146 yds

[Chowdah Head]

Both of which were complete phantom calls

[Dan Warren]

"New England had 10 penalties for 146 yards, Indy had 4 for 25. How exactly is that going both ways?"

2 or 3 of them were pass interference calls that made up for about 100 of the 146 yds

BOGUS PI calls, and it was pretty clear.

[Dan Warren]

Well actually it is a big deal because they lost a first round draft pick. I also have worked for the Broncos/Giants and have two family members that played in the nfl so I do know a little bit about the nfl and how it operates behind the scenes, and a lot of people think this a big deal. Every team steals signs, every team gives fake signs to try and trick the other team, but nobody films it.

Goodell made it a "big deal" because he is new in office and who better to make an example of than the best team in the league. If every team in the league steals signs, and gives fake signs etc...then the Patriots aren't really guilty of "cheating", just breaking the rules. Or, if they are "cheating" then they are only guilty of doing it better than everyone else. Just like the football they play.

[JW]

Well actually it is a big deal because they lost a first round draft pick. I also have worked for the Broncos/Giants and have two family members that played in the nfl so I do know a little bit about the nfl and how it operates behind the scenes, and a lot of people think this a big deal. Every team steals signs, every team gives fake signs to try and trick the other team, but nobody films it.

Goodell made it a "big deal" because he is new in office and who better to make an example of than the best team in the league. If every team in the league steals signs, and gives fake signs etc...then the Patriots aren't really guilty of "cheating", just breaking the rules. Or, if they are "cheating" then they are only guilty of doing it better than everyone else. Just like the football they play.

So then is cheating ok?
If as long as you are cheating better than everyone else we should over look it?
Interesting thoughts

So what are Colts fans thinking today now that Dwight Freeney is out for the season?
This has all kinds of Ramifications for the Colts Defense - Teams don't have to Double team on the left side of the line. Teams can send the TE and RB out in pass patterns with a fear of really one good pass rusher. The Colts are going to have to blitz more, which will leave 1on1 coverage on the outside. Even though they have a great offense, I would be worried about the Colts winning the AFC south, as tight as that race is.

[asulax]

It will be hard to replace DF but no one gave the colts a chance when they lost all of the players in the off season. With every thing that went wrong in that game against the chargers it was still a close game. They probably only need to win 3 more games to make the playoffs so I am not that worried. Having home playoff games would be great, but it doesn't matter where those games are played bc anything can happen in the playoffs, look at san diego and baltimore last year.

[Dan Warren]

So then is cheating ok?
If as long as you are cheating better than everyone else we should over look it?
Interesting thoughts

If it is an accepted practice to steal signs in the NFL, and "everybody does it" as this guy says (and I believe) then why is there such an outcry that the Patriots videotaped the signs? If a coaching staff is using binoculars from the coaches box to steal signs, and record them down on paper, what is the difference?

I think that BB's arrogance got him in trouble on this one. He didn't need to tape the signals, especially from the opponents sidelines, but let's be real here, every team can do this, and most do. BB just did it in a way that was pretty flagrant, and I think he was going to do it until he go caught. I don't think he believed that Goodell was going to punish him that severely, and he was wrong. I think the perception that most have is that the Pats are the only team to steal signs, and that couldn't be further from the truth. It has been going on in football since the beginning of the game, and it always will. I have no problem with it. Use decoys, and do what you have to do to avoid getting your signals stolen. It's part of the game.

[JW]

I understand that probably just about every team in the NFL attempts to steal signs in game, but using a video camera to do it is a little different. It is like watching game film, each time you watch, you pick up on something different.

There was a precedent set for this in Major League Baseball. At one point Home teams were placing a camera in centerfield to attempt to steal signs from the opposing catcher, That was quickly banned by baseball, and there are always rumors of it occuring today.

I would say that video taping signs is stealing, but trying to figure out (or interpret) the signs just seems to be part of the game.

I would not focus too much on this and correlate it with the patriots success. They are a great football team. I was able to see them tear threw my Cowboys like they weren't there. We gave them a fight for 3 quarters, but in the 4th the Pats just toook over.

Enough already, This NFL season is turning out to be a great one, lets get back to talking about that.

Top 5 Runners at this point in the season
1. Adrian Peterson - will bounce back after a bad game vs the Pack
2. Joseph Addai
3. Brian Westbrook - is carrying the Eagle Offense
4. LT - if he got the ball more, would be the best back in the league this year
5. Willie Parker - Steelers doing what they do best with him.

[JW]

AFC
1. New England - What a way to come back from the bye week.
2. Jacksonville - Beat a talented (but not well coached) San Diego team
3. Indianapolis - Just got past the Chiefs and looked averaged doing it.
4. Pittsburgh - Lost to the Jets, that is a horrible loss
5. Cleveland - Nice win against the Ravens. Continue to play well on offense, but give up a lot on defense

Dropping out - Buffalo - Still a decent team, but needed to show more against NE

NFC
1. Dallas - Resilient Win against Washington Redskins team. TO is beginning to play out of his mind.
2. Green Bay - A definate Juggernaut, and the only team that I forsee challenging the Cowboys for Supremacy in the NFC.
3. Giants - Remain number 3 after a win against a Solid Detroit team.
4. Tampa Bay - Nice win after the bye. Good teams need to beat bad teams like this.
5. Seattle - Starting to put a few wins together, need to continue to do so if they want to hold of Arizona.
Dropped out
Washington - Injuries are really taking a toll on this team, i don't know what left they have, but Jason Campbell sure is playing well.

Teams to watch out for
Tennessee
Detroit
St. Louis - 2 wins in a row, definately not out of the race in the NFC west.

[Madlax16]

TO was rediculous! He had what?...4 touchdown receptions? HOW BOUT THEM CoWBOYS?!

[More Cowbell]

TO was rediculous! He had what?...4 touchdown receptions? HOW BOUT THEM CoWBOYS?!

moss had 4 tds in the first half. pats are unstoppable.

[Jolly Roger]

TO is beginning to play out of his mind.

High on the unitentional comedy scale JW, but begs the question whether Owens will do something to self destruct.

I see it if :

1 - Romo has 2 bad games in a row
2 - Witten gets more of the glamour passes
3 - Terrell is just gonna be Terrell