2. Atlanta Falcons (2-9, Previous: 31)
Remember last week when I said the Falcons had hit rock bottom? Just kidding! They found a way to get even rock bottom-er on Thursday against the Saints, dropping to 2-9 after a fifth-straight loss filled with fumbles, interceptions, sacks and a missed field goal. With that, Atlanta clinched its first losing season since 2007, and is officially eliminated from the division race with five long weeks remaining.
31. Houston Texans (2-9, Previous: 28)
Turns out, Matt Schaub wasn’t really the problem. Whatever poison is coursing through Houston’s veins has worked its way into Case Keenum, who followed up last week’s disaster with the worst game of his career as a starter on Sunday, throwing for a paltry 169 yards, no touchdowns and an interception as Houston lost its franchise-worst ninth-straight game. Insult to injury: the Texans lost to the former worst team in football, the Jaguars, who are now happy to share last place in the AFC
30. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9, Previous: 32)
The Jaguars moved out of the rankings basement (not to mention the AFC South basement) by finding a team that was actually worse and beating it. Thanks, Houston! Gus Bradley is finally finding a way to win. “It wasn't by accident,” he said after the game, and I believe him. At 2-9, no one’s calling his first season in Jacksonville a success, but given the players he has to work with, he’s at least given a reason for optimism for the future
29. Minnesota Vikings (2-8-1, Previous 29)
The good news is that the Vikings avoided a ninth loss on the season. The bad news is that they still didn’t win. Minnesota gave up a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter to the Packers’ backup-backup-backup QB Matt Flynn and managed just a field goal in double-overtime to settle for a tie. Jared Allen summarized the feeling nicely after the game: “I'm going to say it's like going to prom with your sister.”
28. Washington Redskins (3-8, Previous: 27)
The Redskins’ offense was shut down completely on Monday like a sad robot toy that shorts out. Just a fizzle and some smoke. RG3 had an especially tough game against the 49ers defense. In the first quarter, he went 1 for 6 for minus-1 yard and an interception. The team had 22 total yards of offense in the second half, while Griffin failed to score a touchdown for the first time in his career, college included. He was also sacked four times and was subjected to multiple vicious tackles and knockdowns. It’s a win for Washington that he’s still able to walk
27. Oakland Raiders (4-7, Previous: 26)
It’s great that Sebastian Janikowski kicked four field goals on Sunday. It’s a bummer that he missed two more. And it’s a shame that the Raiders had to settle for field goal attempts six times instead of finding their way into the end zone. Rookie QB Matt McGloin came back down to Earth versus the Titans as Oakland dropped to last place in the AFC West. (Getty Photo)
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-8, Previous: 30)
Fun fact: Sunday’s surprising victory over the Lions makes the Buccaneers the second team in history to win three straight games after losing its first eight (the 1978 St. Louis Cardinals being the other). Tampa Bay’s defense picked off Matthew Stafford four times and kept Megatron to regular human standards of success. Meanwhile, Nick Foles doppelganger Mike Glennon notched a season-high 138.4 quarterback rating (two touchdowns, no interceptions). (
25. Buffalo Bills (4-7, Previous: 23)
Thanks to their bye, the most interesting thing to happen to the Bills this week was the emergence of news that Jon Bon Jovi wants to buy them. Which is fitting, since at 4-7 Buffalo is living on a prayer to make the playoffs 24. New York Giants (4-7, Previous: 22)
Eli Manning looked utterly heroic in the fourth quarter on Sunday until the Cowboys charged down the field to win the game with a field goal in the final seconds. With that kick, New York’s four-game winning streak came to a halt, as did its playoff hopes. The good news is that for the first time all season, those Citizen Watch commercials about Eli’s “precision” didn’t look like a really mean joke
23. Cleveland Browns (4-7, Previous: 19)
Wide receiver Josh Gordon (14 catches, 237 yards, touchdown) was the lone bright spot for the Browns in a miserable game that saw QB Jason Campbell go down with a nasty head injury. Brandon Weeden stepped in and did several Brandon Weeden-y things as Cleveland dropped to 4-7 and plunged into the AFC North basement and out of the playoff conversation
22. New York Jets (5-6, Previous: 18)
Geno Smith is the guy those “Hang in there” cat posters were made for. The rookie QB flashes at times, but has been a feckless mess the past two weeks. In Week 11, Smith threw for just 103 yards, with three interceptions and no touchdowns. He responded in Week 12 by powering the Jets to a total of 3 points while throwing two more interceptions, giving him twice as many picks on the season (18) as touchdown passes. And yet, the Jets’ playoff hopes are still alive. Chin up, soldier!
21. Tennessee Titans (5-6, Previous: 25)
A belated happy birthday to Ryan Fitzpatrick, who threw a TD pass with 10 seconds left in the game to steal a victory for Tennessee. The 31-year-old played his best game yet for the Titans, putting his team in a six-way tie for the final playoff spot in the AFC.
20. Miami Dolphins (5-6, Previous: 17)
Truth be told, Miami could have easily squashed the Panthers’ seven-game win streak on Sunday. One more pass caught by Mike Wallace. One less miraculous play by Cam Newton. One less Luke Kuechly illegal hit to break up a touchdown. But a loss is a loss, a scandal is a scandal, and a mess is a mess. The Dolphins’ playoff hopes are still alive, but there are better teams with better chemistry who will push Miami out of the way.
19. St. Louis Rams (5-6, Previous: 21)
The Rams followed up their 38-8 rout of the Colts with a 42-21 shellacking of the Bears. Needless to say, things are getting fun in St. Louis. The rookie tandem of Tavon Austin and Zac Stacy should have the team poised to make a run for years to come. With Sam Bradford healthy now, they’d be nipping at Seattle’s heels instead of dwelling in the basement of the NFC West.
18. Baltimore Ravens (5-6, Previous 20)
After losing four of their last five games, the sputtering Super Bowl champs got a much-needed win on Sunday, humiliating the Jets in a 19-3 victory credited completely to the Ravens’ defense. Apart from a touchdown late in the third quarter, Baltimore relied on four field goals to get the job done as Joe Flacco underwhelmed again. When the defense is playing this lights-out, field goals are enough. That may not be the case on Thanksgiving when the Steelers come to town.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-6, Previous: 24)
Four weeks into the season, the Steelers looked like they were more destined for a retirement home than the Super Bowl. They’ve now won five out of their last seven games, and are one of six teams in the AFC battling for the final playoff spot. My money goes on the Black and Gold, but the road to East Rutherford goes through Baltimore on Thanksgiving
16. Green Bay Packers (5-5-1, Previous: 13)
With their fourth starting QB of the season behind center, Green Bay put an end to a three-game skid on Sunday. The game with Minnesota ended in a tie, but Green Bay’s comeback in the fourth quarter gave the team a much-needed spark. If Aaron Rodgers does indeed return soon, the arrow could be pointing up quickly
15. San Diego Chargers (5-6, Previous: 16)
Philip Rivers has been great this season, but nobody cares if you’re great when your team doesn’t win. The Chargers changed that on Sunday, handing the Chiefs their second-straight loss while Rivers threw for 392 yards and three touchdowns, the last one a game-winner with 24 seconds left. San Diego ended its three-game skid in style to become one of six 5-6 teams in playoff contention.
14. Chicago Bears (6-5, Previous 11)
The Bears muffed a chance to take first in the NFC North, but not for lack of effort from backup QB Josh McCown, who passed for 352 yards and two touchdowns. Chicago coughed up 42 points to the Rams and negated a 62-yard punt return for a touchdown by Devin Hester in the fourth quarter with a holding call. The Bears’ weaknesses were on full display, but with the Vikings up next, they should have an opportunity to bounce back
13. Dallas Cowboys (6-5, Previous: 14)
While Cowboys haters were given a reason to snicker this week when Jerry Jones announced his intentions to continue as both owner and GM for another 15-20 years, the wind was taken out of their snarky sails on Sunday as Tony Romo pulled off a clutch performance. The Cowboys sank the Giants with a field goal at :00 to pull into first alongside the idle Eagles. The NFC East race may come down to a Week 17 showdown with Philadelphia. 12. Detroit Lions: (6-5, Previous: 9)
The Lions lost two in a row for the first time this season and squandered a chance to retake first in the NFC North against the lowly Buccaneers. The return of Nate Burleson from a pizza-induced arm break did little to offset Detroit’s five turnovers, which included four interceptions thrown by Matthew Stafford. Messy stuff as the Lions’ arrow is pointing in the wrong direction at the wrong time. That said, the division lead is still there for the taking.
11. Philadelphia Eagles (6-5, Previous: 12)
Just a few weeks ago, the Eagles’ fast-paced offense was a gimmicky bust, Nick Foles was never going to be more than a backup QB, and Chip Kelly was packing his bags for USC. Three wins later, the Eagles are the projected favorites to win the NFC East, and Foles, whose cleats and jersey are already sitting in Canton, is on pace to break Aaron Rodgers’ QB passer rating record. Philadelphia has five games after its bye week to prove it’s not a fluke 10. Arizona Cardinals (7-4, Previous: 15)
Arizona dazzled again on Sunday against the Colts as Coach Arians’ new team trounced his old one in a 40-11 rout. Carson Palmer topped 300 yards again, 104 of which went to Michael Floyd. Meanwhile, Larry Fitzgerald had five catches for 52 yards and a pair of touchdowns, in the process becoming the youngest player in NFL history to reach 11,000 yards receiving. The Cardinals have very quietly put together the fourth-best record in the NFC, trailing only the Seahawks, Saints and Panthers. Sunday’s game in Philadelphia is a big one.
9. Indianapolis Colts (7-4, Previous: 7)
The Colts floundered again in their second routing in three weeks, falling to the Cardinals 40-11 while Andrew Luck threw for a total of 84 yards through three quarters before trying to stage yet another fourth-quarter comeback. It did not work. At all. Reggie Wayne’s absence may explain why Indianapolis’ offense isn’t clicking, but it doesn’t explain why the defense is going belly-up game after game.
8. Cincinnati Bengals (7-4, Previous: 8)
As the Bengals enjoyed their bye this week, their AFC North rivals in Pittsburgh and Baltimore found their footing, pulling within two games of first. Cincinnati plays them both in the final five weeks in what could be a very interesting stretch, especially if Andy Dalton keeps falling asleep at the wheel.
7. San Francisco 49ers (7-4, Previous: 10)
San Francisco found redemption in D.C. on Monday after two tough losses. The passing game was in full gear, with Colin Kaepernick throwing for three touchdowns and no interceptions while topping 200 yards for the first time in five games. Meanwhile, the 49ers defense ripped the guts out of the Redskins’ attack, holding RG3 and company to a pair of field goals, negative 6 yards in the first quarter and 22 total yards of offense in the second half.
6. Kansas City Chiefs (9-2, Previous: 2)
The big story in Kansas City is how the Chiefs suffered their second-straight loss on Sunday after starting the season 9-0. The bigger story is about how they lost their two best players, Tamba Hali and Justin Houston, two Pro Bowlers with 20 sacks between them this season. That’s not great news for a team that has coasted on its powerful defense and OK-ish offense. And it’s really bad news with Peyton Manning coming to town on Sunday.
5. Carolina Panthers (8-3, Previous: 6)
Former NFL coach Sam Rutigliano used to say that quarterbacks are like tea bags: You never know what you have until you put them in hot water. Cam Newton has been steeping nicely in the past two weeks, leading his team down the field for consecutive comeback victories against the Patriots and Dolphins. Carolina has now won seven straight and erased all doubts of whether it’s the real deal.
4. New Orleans Saints (9-2, Previous 3)
The Saints kept marching on Thursday against a flatlining Falcons team, although the game was closer than it should have been. The offense was short on highlight-reel moments (with the exception of Jimmy Graham abusing the poor goalpost), but Rob Ryan’s defense stepped up to make New Orleans’ 17 points enough. The Saints now have 11 days of rest before heading to Seattle for a big game with even bigger playoff implications
3. New England Patriots (8-3, Previous: 5)
Every team in the NFL should be nervous right now. The Tom Brady who showed up in the second half versus Denver, the Brady who overcame a 24-0 deficit, who scored 28 unanswered points, who pulled off the greatest comeback in franchise history, is a terrifying opponent. Sunday could be the start of a truly scary run to the playoffs.
2. Denver Broncos (9-2, Previous 1)
With a chance to finally snag first in the AFC West from the Chiefs, the Broncos blew it big-time in an overtime loss to the Pats that came down to a special teams blunder. Peyton Manning was sluggish for most of the game in frigid Foxboro, but Knowshon Moreno made up the difference with a career-high 224 yards on 37 carries. In the end, though, they blew a 24-0 halftime lead and lost a winnable game. Next week’s showdown at Arrowhead Stadium looms large.
1. Seattle Seahawks (10-1, Previous 4)
The Seahawks got a little scarier last week with the season debut of Percy Harvin. They’re the best team in the NFC right now, and they’ll have a chance to prove it on Monday when the Saints come for a visit. Russell Wilson has never lost a game at CenturyLink Field, and Seattle is coming off a bye week. Advantage: 'Hawks.
I'am 7-1 record with and against the spread of second half season. All my picks are on threads with SBR Sports Forum [NFL]. My Prediction Using my Formula with a more complete analysis and different betting style[ press every game I win] Betting only two or three games games a week, if I win 2 press the following week, if I win one out two, its a press again!!! If I win one out of three press again!!!. So far week # 6 through season half time I'am about 60% "it could have been worse" but the second half of season I will Kick some Azz with my new type Formula with a more complete analysis and different betting style.
~Thank You All For Reading My Threads & Best Of Luck On Second Half Of NFL Season~
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POWER RANKINGS WITH SUMMARY WEEK #12 [Very Complete Synopsis]"Excellent"
Week 12 Power Rankings By Jeff Royer, Xfinity Sports that I would like to share with SBR members.This is a Excellent Very Complete Synopsis Extremely Good & Outstanding!!!!!!
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Correction may refer to 32 Atlanta Falcons (2-9, Previous: 31)