RZ83 - Week 10 Power Rankings

by adelfish | 1 year ago | 0 Comments

Adel's Red Zone Power Rankings

Season 83 - Week 10

We are ten weeks into the first season of the cycle, and the playoff picture is starting to come together, as is the top ten of the draft. Teams that are out of the race are facing serious questions about their future, while the teams in the hunt for playoff spots are crossing their fingers the injury bug avoids them. What better time for another in-depth power ranking to see where your favorite team stands?

#32 - Los Angeles Rams (0-9)

If you are a fan of consistency, the Rams are your team. They kick off our power rankings again by holding up the rear, losing all three of their games since the last time we did this exercise. They flirted with their first victory of the season against Pittsburgh a couple weeks ago, which was absolutely horrifying for their draft dreams, but they managed to capture defeat from the jaws of victory. Mercifully, the Rams have a bye this week, where they can plan their upcoming futile gameplans for the remainder of the season. In my humble opinion, it's time to see what Stetson Bennett has. The rookie has been third on the depth chart all year long, and I don't see any upside in trotting out Matthew Stafford or Mitch Trubisky. Give the fans a reason to show some intrigue in this traveling circus.

#31 - Las Vegas Raiders (2-8)

After a 2-1 start, the Raiders are losers of seven straight games, plummeting to the bottom of the AFC standings. We should have known that they weren't believers in their roster after the trade of Davante Adams and the choice to go with rookie quarterback Aidan O'Connell, but I don't think anyone thought it would be this bad. Defensively, the Raiders desperately need help in the secondary. They have 5 total interceptions from defensive backs, two of which coming from veteran Marcus Peters. They have no contributors in their secondary that are young. Meanwhile, the future is bright up front, with rookie pass rusher Tyree Wilson sitting at 9.5 sacks. The Raiders have some pieces in place going forward, but have massive holes at key positions.

#30 - Pittsburgh Steelers (2-6)

Steelers fans had a brief moment of excitement as their favorite team managed two wins in a row over Baltimore and the inept Rams, but reminded them of how far away from competing they are with blowout losses to Jacksonville and Tennessee. As we discussed last time, the defensive side of the ball has been very disappointing, especially edge rusher T.J. Watt. He has 2.5 sacks through 8 games, but still somehow leads the team in getting to the quarterback. Even with the addition of star linebacker Demario Davis, the Steelers defense is simply not impactful enough. The offense is pedestrian, and needs their defense to hold up their end. That hasn't happened at all this season.

#29 - Dallas Cowboys (2-6)

Give credit to Dallas, they have been competitive in their last few games. They were given a victory by the Rams, then had two one-score losses to the Chargers and Eagles. Despite the fantastic protection that the offensive line has provided this season, the Cowboys offense has mostly been medicore, ranking towards the bottom of the league in yards, and first downs gained. Dak Prescott has thrown 14 touchdowns to 14 interceptions, failing to maintain and kind of turnover advantage. I think this Cowboys team has a future offensively if the coaching staff can continue to develop a gameplan, especially in the backfield. Rookie running back Duece Vaughn has started taking over lead back duties since Week 5, and is averaging 93 yards per game. 

#28 - Carolina Panthers (2-6)

Don't look now, but the Panthers are playing a lot better the last month. After finally securing a victory over Miami in Week 6, they dropped a 3 point loss to Houston in a shootout, then a massive upset victory over the Colts last week. Despite the amount of sacks rookie Bryce Young is taking, he is improving, throwing for a combined 580 yards and 5 touchdowns in their last two games. Rookie receiver Jonathan Mingo is really coming into his own as well, becoming Young's favorite target. This week Carolina face the Chicago Bears, which will be a great test to see if the past few weeks have been a trend or a mirage for the suddenly surging Panthers.

#27 - Houston Texans (3-6)

The Texans have proven that their coaching staff and talent level is good enough to beat teams in the bottom half of the league, but they are not ready to compete against upper-tier teams. the last two weeks have seen blowout losses to Tampa Bay and Cincinnati, plummeting the Texans to the bottom of the AFC South. For rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, the last month has been a struggle. Outside of a 3 touchdown game against the Panthers, the young signal caller has 1 touchdown to 8 interceptions. Besides Justin Jefferson, the Texans are simply outmatched around their young quarterback. They will look ahead to the draft to find more pieces for him.

#26 - Denver Broncos (2-6)

Denver is easily my favorite of the "2 win" teams, and I think they could end up in the middle of the pack by the end of the season. They are starting to find an identity over the last month, going 2-2 with wins over the Jets and Packers, and two close losses to the Chiefs. During that time, running back Javonte Williams has accounted for 533 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns. This has been so important for Russell Wilson, who has started to feast off play action again, throwing for 9 touchdowns in that same stretch. The issues are the same, the defense and the amount of turnovers from the offense. Despite the 9 touchdown passes, Wilson has thrown 8 interceptions, and the defense has given up 30+ poins three times. As I mentioned at the beginning, this Broncos team has found an offensive identity, now it's time to tighten up on defense.

#25 - New England Patriots (5-5)

It has been a tumultuous time in Boston since we last did a full write-up ranking. In the previous edition, the Patriots sat at #9 with a 5-1 record. Since then, the Patriots has suffered multiple suspensions, saw their head coach hang it up, then brought Coach Kad out of retirement to lead the franchise going forward. We don't have much to go on in the Kad era so far, outside of a blowout loss handed to them by the superior Indianapolis Colts, but the Patriots are clearly heading for a disastorous ending to a once promising season. The best part of the Kad hire? The Patriots now have a lawyer in the building to handle any future suspension issues.

#24 - Baltimore Ravens (4-6)

The Ravens are 3-1 in their last 4 games, with the victory over Detroit being a COVID-forfeit game, but at this point Baltimore will take it. Lamar Jackson and Coach Jim have begun to click, with Jackson throwing for 10 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions in his last 4 games, while also rushing for 200 total yards. If Jackson can continue on this trajectory, the Ravens have a real chance to fight for a wild card spot. They will be tested immediately to see if they are for real, as they face Cincinnati and the Chargers in back to back weeks. 

#23 - Miami Dolphins (3-6)

What a disappointing season for Coach Spencer and the Miami Dolphins, as they limp into their Week 10 bye following a dismantling handed to them by the Kansas City Chiefs. They were outgained 439 to 243 in the loss, and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa completed 53% of his passes and threw 2 interceptions. The bright spot as of late has been rookie running back De'Von Achane, who has become the feature back for Miami. It seems as this offense needs to get the ball to it's two star receivers more, Hill & Waddle. Jaylen Waddle leads the team with 35 receptions, and is currently the 35th receiver in Red Zone in terms of receptions, Tyreek Hill is even lower. Coach Spencer needs to go back to the drawing board, and find a way to get the ball in his playmakers' hands 7-10 times a game.

#22 - Arizona Cardinals (4-6)

Even if the Cardinals ultimately miss the postseason, they have performed well above any expectations they had coming into Season 83. Coach JP has done a very good job of getting this team to play above their talent level. Big wins recently over Cleveland, Seattle, and the 49ers way back in Week 3 show that when this team gets some talent, they will be a group to be taken seriously. The problem is inconsistency, with losses to Atlanta and Baltimore. This group is simply too talent-deficient to overcome better rosters. Keep an eye on Kyler Murray for potential MVP votes if the Cardinals flirt with a playoff spot, and budding wide receivers Rondale Moore & Darnell Mooney for Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors.

#21 - Cleveland Browns (4-5)

I famously have declared I am not a believer in this Browns team, even after they started 3-1. Boy do I feel vindicated. Since their Week 5 bye, the Browns have gone 1-4, with their lone victory being a 3 point heartstopper over the equally inconsistent Ravens. Cleveland dropped games to San Francisco, Indy, Seattle, and the Cardinals. With all this talent, some of these losses are simply inexcusable. In terms of yards, the Browns are the third worst in Red Zone, dead last in rushing touchdowns, and top ten in points allowed defensively. They are also third worst in Red Zone in getting inside opponents' 20 yard line. Simply put, their offense is stagnant, and they can't stop other teams from scoring. Cleveland has a "get right" stretch of games coming, with Pittsburgh, Denver, and the Rams. If they can't win 2 of those, fair to say the season is a wrap.

#20 - Atlanta Falcons (4-6)

After a 5 game losing streak saw Atlanta fans writing off their team, a 2 game streak against frisky Minnesota & Arizona teams has Falcons fans belieiving again. Listen, I don't believe in this team at all. Against teams with winning records, they are 1-4, with that win being against the Lions back in Week 3, and the coaching staff is extremely volatile. You can't argue with the improvement of quarterback Desmond Ridder the last month (8 TDs, 3 INTs), and the presence of rookie star running back Bijan Robinson. This defense has also been sneaky, with the pass defense top ten in yardage. I think they ultimately fall off, but it has been encouraging to see a resurgence this late in the season.

#19 - New Orleans Saints (3-6)

Despite being 3-6, I can't quit this Saints team. Maybe it's my infatuatuion with watching a wildly inconsistent coaching staff throw the ball all over the field. The Saints have gone 2-2 this past month, with wins over Houston and Chicago (!!), and losses to Jacksonville and Indianapolis.I have no idea week in and week out if they're going to blow a team out, get blown out, or lose by a field goal. Against Chicago, we saw the upside of Glenn, as Derek Carr threw for 275 yards and 3 touchdowns, and the defense has enough talent to slow down opposing offenses. It will be the same story every season, if the Saints can limit turnovers, they can play with anybody.

#18 - Minnesota Vikings (4-5)

The Vikings have been a roller coaster all season long, with extremely impressive wins over San Francisco and Philadelphia, a close loss to Kansas City, but then laying eggs against Chicago, Tampa, and Atlanta. I truly don't know what this team is capable of, and I think the coaching staff is surprised they are in this position. Trading Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson was essentially waving the white flag on Season 83, but the Vikes find themselves in the thick of a competitive NFC North race. Keep an eye on young linebacker Brian Asamoah for the Vikes, he's a name you'll see pop up around awards time.

#17 - Philadelphia Eagles (4-5)

The Eagles + Coach Blueprint experience continues to trudge along, going 2-2 last month with two very unconvincing wins against Miami & Dallas, then two rough losses to the Jets and Commanders. The Week 10 bye gives Philly some time to prepare for a stretch run of Kansas City, Buffalo, and San Francisco. Yikes. Philly's offense has leaned heavily on newcomer running back De'Andre Swift, who has accounted for over 200 total touches already, and over 1000 total yards. The Eagles should look into diversifying their playcalling. Getting Devonta Smith and A.J. Brown more invovled would help this offense tremendosuly. The star-studded defense still sits in the middle of the pack, they'll be needed if the Eagles are to survive their next three games. 

#16 - Green Bay Packers (4-4)

I feel like nobody is talking about the Packers, and it feels as though they've squandered some opportunities to really be in the driver's seat of the NFC North. They dropped two games to Minnesota and Denver recently, along with a heartbreaking 38-35 loss to Detroit in Week 4. These losses have them sitting in the bottom half of a very winnable division, with some really tough games on the horizon (Chargers, Chiefs, Giants, Bucs). The passing offense has really held this team back, as Jordan Love has thrown 7 touchdowns to 11 interceptions, and 3 of those 7 scores came against the Rams. If the Packers are to be a threat at all for this division, they need to find balance on offense, and put Jordan Love in situations to get some easy completions. 

#15 - Seattle Seahawks (4-4)

Seattle has taken some licks since their surprising 3-1 start, but they have been one of the most competitive and tough teams week in and week out. Of their 3 losses in the last 4 weeks, all have been by 7 points or less, including a field goal loss to Cincinnati in Week 6. Coach Longville has found a formula that has him in every single game, and it will be needed the remainder of the season. Seattle has games remaining against the Rams, Cardinals, Cowboys, Eagles, and Steelers, which are all very winnable. Regardless of what happens, I tip my cap to what this team has done with Malik Willis. In his last four games, he is averaging 250 yards per game, and has thrown 8 touchdowns to 3 interceptions. Couple that with his ability to run, and this could be a very dangerous offense going forward this cycle.

#14 - Detroit Lions (5-4)

How about those Lions! After limping to a 4-4 record into their Week 9 bye week, the Lions shock Red Zone by knocking off the Chargers in Week 10 by a score of 38-34, that saw Jared Goff throw for 316 yards and 4 touchdowns against one of the league's top defenses. The Lions have the pieces in place to be a frisky team, but have shown this year that they are capable of playing down to competition level. Some massive games are ahead, notably back to back against Chicago and Green Bay. Winning both of those games would put Detroit ahead for the NFC North crown. 

#13 - Chicago Bears (5-4)

Chicago drops two games in a row to fall into a suddenly competitive NFC North race, losing to the Chargers and Saints. The loss to New Orleans was a massive headscratcher, as they allowed 41 points to Glenn's Saints. The Bears defense is legit, ranking third in points allowed, and top ten in pass defense, and twelfth in rush defense. The unit is full of unheralded players who have been coached up tremendously by Coach Astin, especially waiver wire addition Preston Smith who leads the team with 9 sacks. Justin Fields has been an average quarterback this season, and has thrown 5 touchdowns in his last 4 games. The return of D.J. Moore should help spark this passing attack.

#12 - Indianapolis Colts (6-4)

Let's call that Week 9 loss to Carolina a fluke, as the Colts rattled off wins over Cleveland, New Orleans, and the Kad-coached Patriots on their road to a 6-4 record and a Week 11 bye week. The problem for Indy is that they seem to be clearly slotted into the third spot in the AFC South, losing twice already to Jacksonville and once to Tennesse. This puts them into a wild card race against teams like Tennessee, the Jets, Chargers, and New England (Don't worry, not for long on that one). The roller coaster ride of rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson is going to determine where this team goes, and unfortunately a lot of weight falls on his shoulders. The Colts pass defense currently ranks third worst in Red Zone, so they will find themselves in some high scoring affairs.

#11 - Los Angeles Chargers (6-3)

The last time we did the full writeup, the Chargers were 4-0 and ranked #1 in the Power Rankings. Since then, they are 2-3, and are giving up 30+ points per game. What happened to the defense from the first month of the season? Offensively, they are turning the ball over at a greater rate, with Justin Herbert throwing 3 touchdowns to 7 interceptions in those 3 losses, and are not getting needed impactful plays from their defense stars. Khalil Mack has 1.5 sacks this season, and the team ranks second worst in Red Zone with 13 total sacks. Offensively the stats are second only to Kansas City, but untimely turnovers have done them in. The talent and coaching pedigree is here, and the schedule does ease up over the next five games. A big final month against Buffalo and Kansas City could determine seeding.

#10 - New York Jets (6-3)

Despite their massive flaws on offense, the Jets find themselves competing with Buffalo for the AFC East, and have claimed some massive victories as of late of the Chargers and Chiefs, while also getting blown out by the Giants and Broncos. The Jets are the ultimate feast or famine team this season, they are capable of beating anyone, and equally capable of losing to anyone. The current offensive formula is not sustainable enough for a playoff team, with Aaron Rodgers having thrown 8 touchdowns to an eye-popping 18 interceptions. No matter how talented this defense is, this offense turns the ball over too often to put together 3 or 4 straight playoff wins. The Jets need to solve their turnover problem if they want to be taken seriously come January.

#9 - Cincinnati Bengals (6-3)

My Cincinnati stock has taken a big hit this month, as the Bengals have dropped games to playoff teams in San Francisco and Buffalo, and they barely snuck by the Seahawks in Week 6. They got back on track against Houston this past week, but I do have concerns about this team going forward. Offensively, you can't argue with the fact that Joe Burrow is still perfect, throwing 17 touchdowns to 0 interceptions, the suspension no doubt hurt this team. Burrow is second in my MVP ballot at this point. The division is among the weaker in the league, with their only current threat being a wildly inconsistent Browns team. The Bengals will be the AFC North champs, and will be a threat with Burrow, but I have concerns with their defense when they face the top AFC teams.

#8 - Tennessee Titans (6-3)

Riding a four game win streak, the Titans were embarassed on the road against Tampa Bay, a game where most of us were hoping for a playoff atmosphere-like showdown. The game saw rookie quarterback Will Levis complete 53% of his throws, threw 2 interceptions, and the defense was shredded by Trey Lance and Rachaad White. I still really like this team. The additions they made with Cordarrelle Pattesron and Marquise Brown have definitely improved this offense, and the defense has playmakers at all levels. I trust Coach Moji to guide his young quarterback as the season winds down. Levis has been turnover prone, he has gone 8 straight games with an interception. Cleaning that up will make this team very dangerous.

#7 - New York Giants (6-3)

After a 2-3 start, the Giants have rattled off four straight wins, including an extremely impressive stretch that saw them beat Buffalo, Washington, and the Jets. Suddenly the NFC East has become a battle between the Giants and Commanders. Saquon Barkley has been incredible, leading the league with 1177 yards and 13 touchdowns, and the passing offense has found a breakout star in rookie wide receive Jalin Hyatt. Defensively the Giants are stout against the run, and have made their way into top ten in sacks. Their secondary ranks 1st in interceptions, with five different players have 3 picks. They have been a great story with their young coaching staff, and I personally have the Week 11 rematch between Washington and New York circled. 

#6 - Buffalo Bills (6-3)