Issue 3

THE “HELLO FROM THE OUTSIIIIIIIIDE!!!!!! OF THE PLAYOFF PICTURE” ISSUE

Hello…..ok I’m done with the Adele reference. This past holiday season, if you ever turned on your radio or have a significant other, I think you will relate to how obnoxiously over played this song could feel like. Especially when it’s a Tuesday and it’s already the 9^th time you heard it that week.  This song felt like the holiday theme song, right next to the same Mariah Carey song you have been hearing for the past 15 years. Guys, I don’t hate Christmas. But there is only so much Christmas music you can listen too. But you didn’t come here for the Christmas carol holiday review. Nope, it is week 13. It’s been nearly a month since the last power rankings and you are wondering your place in this digital football universe we have created.

Now here’s the big picture view of the league now. At this stage in the season, there are only 3 division leaders that are clear favorites to win their respective divisions barring a colossal late season meltdown: Seattle, Dallas and Cleveland.  In every other division, the competition is wide open. With 3 of the top 5 records in the AFC residing in the AFC North and those teams playing at a high level, the only hope for teams NOT in the AFC North to make the AFC playoffs is to win their divisions. These next 5 weeks of games will have a lot on the line for teams in the AFC East, South and West, where there are 3 team races for 1^st place this late in season; along with teams in NFC North and South. Atlanta and New Orleans are tied neck and neck at 8-3 with a matchup between them next week to maybe decide who wins division and who plays in wild card. This is great stuff folks. Make sure to continue streaming these games and watching them. These are great matchups coming up that should be talked about.

Also want to wish everyone a happy New Year. We have had couple people come and go, some bumps on the road; an example being the confusion with our rulebook, something that we hopefully fixed with the Colts’ excellent rewrite of the rules. And now we are a league of 30 members right now heading into the last half of the season before playoffs in year 2. Being here from the beginning I see a stability coming on that we had been hoping and working for since this league started. I think this is something we should be proud of. We have a healthy mix of individuals in our group. From the show up and play my game type guys to the trash talkers. A healthy mix of personality to make for a competitive and fun environment. Thanks to all the guys that have been here since season 1. Can’t build much without a solid foundation. And thanks to all the new guys that have come on and stuck around. Cause you can’t build on a foundation without the proper pieces in place. Cheers to 2016 and cheers to you fellas. And now, your Week 13 Power Rankings.

POWER RANKINGS

POTENTIAL PLAYOFF BOUND TEAMS

TEAMS THAT HAVE CLINCHED, OR ARE A WIN OR TWO AWAY FROM CLINCHING A PLAYOFF SPOT BARRING A TOTAL COLLAPSE

1)      Dallas Cowboys (9-2) – A top 10 offense with a bend but don’t break defense, the Boys have earned the number 1 spot by beating the other 2 teams that round out the top 3 in back to back weeks. With 2 division games left and an undefeated record in division play, the Cowboys are looking TO run the table on the NFC East and earn the #1 or #2 seed in the NFC.  But a tough week 13 match up against the Falcons could derail those plans.

2)      Cleveland Browns (10-1) – The Browns suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of a very good Dallas team. Nothing to be ashamed of given the remarkable season the Browns have had so far. Their greatest competition for the AFC crown lies from within their own division. But they might not be so worried after sprinting to a 4-0 division record as well. A dangerous offense led by the MVP caliber play of Johnny Football, I don’t think anyone is trying to see this team in the playoffs this year.

3)      Seattle Seahawks (9-2) – The most complete team in the league right now.  The Seahawks swept their division and are sitting pretty waiting for the playoffs. Their main worry is whether they can secure a top 2 seed. #1 Overall offense and #1 overall defense. These boys are scary

4)      Minnesota Vikings (10-2) – I feel like I owe an apology to the Vikings. In my previous article, I found the 3-1 Vikings to be extremely flawed with no running game and an unresponsive Derek Carr. 9 Weeks later this team has only lost one other game, Derek Carr has thrown for 34 touchdowns, and they are in contention for the #1 seed in the NFC. Minnesota shut me up and ill swallow my pride and my words. Vikings I salute you!

5)      Indianapolis Colts (9-3) – The colts have been overlords of the AFC South for two years now, and barring an insane turnaround from the other teams in the league, the colts look to wrap up their division with a win against the Texans next week after a disappointing week 13 loss to the Vikings. However, a Texans win in week 13 followed by another against the Colts and the AFC South all of a sudden becomes very interesting. The Colts hope to avoid that.

6)      Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) – The Steelers have quietly turned their season around and have produced a staggering amount of offense in a short period of time. Top 3 in offense and defense, this is a going to be a wild card team absolutely no one wants to play. Antonio Brown and Leveon Bell are playing incredible football. A week 17 matchup with the Bengals could help decide the 5 or 6^th seed…or even 1^st place in the AFC North.

7)      Cincinnati Bengals (8-4) – A great team all season, the Bengals weakness is a defense that at times can seem to stop no one. Jeremy Hill has terrorized opposing defenses with the amount of broken tackles, and AJ Green/Eifert receiving combo is unstoppable at times. Defense will be key for their playoff run

8)      Atlanta Falcons (8-3) – Last year’s Super Bowl champs started the season a little slow, but have pulled out a another excellent year. It is a race to the finish with both the Falcons and the Saints with the same record, and one game left to play against one another. Best Division race this year.

9)      New Orleans Saints (8-3) – Drew Brees has pulled out what feels like one last remarkable run to the playoffs and possibly the super bowl. A tight race for the NFC South, New Orleans will have to get through the Falcons and Vikings and hope the Falcons cool off to hang on to the division. Week 14 will say a lot about these two teams.

THE MUDDLED MIDDLE

Teams fighting for contention. Most likely will need to win out and get some help to guarantee playoff spots. Many teams in this category are one loss away from being out of playoff race.

10)   Green Bay Packers (7-4) – With the best chance to make the playoffs of all the teams in the muddled middle, Green Bay controls its own destiny. Win 4 out of their next 5 and they are in guaranteed in as the wildcard. What worries me is that 4-5 upcoming games are division games which are always tough. While they are 2-0 in division play, they have yet to play a very good Minnesota team that is looking to seal the deal within the division. A wild card spot is most likely for the Pack. But if they can sweep the Vikings and win out…I’m just saying.

11)   Houston Texans (6-5) – 4 of the last 5 games for the Texans are against teams with losing records. The Texans are 2 close losses away from being a division leader. And now the only hope for the playoffs is to win out and beat the Colts week 14. The Colts losing their matchup against the Vikings seems to have opened the door for the Texans. Now all they have to do is run through it before it closes on them. Your move Houston.

12)   Philadelphia Eagles (6-5) – The Eagles, led by rookie QB Chance Glass, have boasted a top 10 defense for much of the year. Their weakness lies in the defense which ranks in the bottom 20. Winning out and hoping for a meltdown from the Cowboys or Packers is the only chance they have for the playoffs at this point.

13)   Buffalo Bills (6-5) – Bills, along with the rest of the AFC East, have it pretty straight forward at this point, out win the division. Tied with the Jets with both  games against one another left to be played, and the Patriots 2 games behind with a very favorable schedule, the Bills are the early favorite in what could come down to a Week 17 decision for the crown in the AFC East.

14)   Washington Redskins (6-5) – Washington fans are probably in for a rough 5 weeks. Technically still alive in the playoff race, the Skins put together a quality win against the Panthers and own the tie breaker between them now. However they might need a full blown miracle to run the table and make playoffs. 3 of their last 5 opponents are in the top 5. And with a middle of the road offense and defense, it will be a tall task to go 5-0 to finish season.

15)   Carolina Panthers (6-5) – Panthers are one of those teams that are way better on paper than their records show. I kind of hope they don’t make playoffs, get another high draft pick in a position of need (LB or Safety) and tear it up next year. Cam is a stud, the measurables on rookie running back Sealii Houston are awesome, and they have two 6-4 or taller receivers on the outside who are 23 and younger. Even if they don’t make playoffs, this team should bounce back next year and contend immediately. Anything less would be considered a disappointment.

16)   Tennessee Titans (6-6) – The Titans might have played themselves out of contention following a blowout loss to the Patriots this week. Though not totally dead in the water, they will need a lot of help to get in. If your team is playing the Colts or the Texans in the next 5 weeks, Titans fans might just jump on your bandwagon as well.

17)   New York Jets (6-5) – Jets are at a crossroads here. A pointed effort to end the season will get them in the playoffs. However, Geno Smith is still Quarterback. Do you build for the future and get a high draft pick to grab a qb of the future? Or do you play for right now and hope for the best in next year’s draft. These questions will definitely be answered in the next two weeks

18)   Kansas City Chiefs (5-6) – Kansas is having a miserable season. All they seem to do well is run the ball. And yet the mediocrity of their division has them in first place in AFC West and making the playoffs. However, 2 teams in that division are only one game behind, and the way the Chiefs have played as of late, who knows where this will go. All I know is that the chiefs might host a playoff game with a losing record. What a time to be alive.

19)   New England Patriots (5-7) – And the rollercoaster continues. The Patriots have not won two games in a row all season. The Jimmy G experiment has been moments of bright spots with terrible inconsistencies. Mathematically still in the race for the AFC East, they would need to win out and get lucky. Rookie studs Connor Philip and Markeith Mills are neck and neck for rookie of the year honors, and in recent weeks, QB play has improved. Another L in the loss column will signal the end of any playoff dreams and the beginning of a long off season to work on a team that desperately needs DBs.

20)   San Diego Chargers (4-7) – At 4-7 the chargers are only 1 game out of 1^ST place in AFC West. That should tell you about the state of that division and this football team. A great rushing team, the Chargers have struggle all season keeping opponents yardage down and off the score board. They have allowed the 3^rd most rushing yards this season. Can Phillip Rivers pull them out of purgatory and into the playoffs?

21)   Oakland Raiders (4-7) – Hard to see the Raiders go much further when you average more rushing yards than passing yards. A one dimensional team at the moment, the raiders should probably focus on building the team this offseason. They have some you pieces to work with for the future.

REGULAR SEASON PURGATORY

Teams all but eliminated from playoff contention.

22)   St. Louis Rams (5-6) – Though they have a better record than some teams above them, the NFC West is all but won. DJ Woods hopes to finish his rookie campaign strong to close out the season and prepare for 2017.

23)   Detroit Lions (5-6) – 4 out of 5 teams coming up for the Lions have winning records. It’s going to be a rough close out to the season. A stud receiver in the draft with some free agent splashes could turn this team around.

24)   New York Giants (4-7) – The Giants came into the season knowing this might be a rebuild year. A rookie QB and RB leading the charge might hint that. Rookie Huff’s interception numbers are unacceptable and should be the hardest thing the Giants work on this season. You can’t win in this league when your QB throws for 31 INTs.  But the potential is there, and if they can draft a couple more studs, Giants will be good to go.

25)   San Francisco 49ers (4-7) – Everyones punching bag this season. The CPU niners need some TLC and a committed GM to get them out of this mess.

26)   Baltimore Ravens (4-8) – I think it’s safe to say that Flacco is not elite. This team got old fast and needs to make major splashes and smart picks in draft to avoid 3 consecutive losing seasons.

27)   Arizona Cardinals (3-8) – The Cardinals showed up against the Pats and demonstrated why they should never be taken lightly. These guys are a qb away from making some noise in the  NFC West

28)   Miami Dolphins (2-9) – Dolphins got a lot of work to do this offseason. They can take some solace in the fact that they could ruin the playoff chances of the Bills and the Patriots in consecutive weeks. The offseason can’t get here fast enough for these guys

29)   Denver Broncos (2-9) – Broncos need a QB. Period. Nothing else matters, until someone competent takes the reigns of this team. And after QB, oline. Those should be their number one targets for next year.

30)   Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9) – Trading Blake Bortles was a terrible idea in hindsight. Now you enter this draft with a top pick again. And in need of a QB, again. Rookie running back Venton Samuels was a steal in the 2^nd round and should only get better with more time in the offense.

31)   Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-9) – At least you aren’t 0-16. If bucs can add another RB and WR to the team and grab some solid defensive players, it’s quite possible this could be a playoff team next year.

32)   Chicago Bears (0-11) – And with the first pick in the draft, the Chicago Bears select…..

ISSUE 2

THE “IS IT TOO EARLY TO PANIC…?” ISSUE

Fun Fact- The top 10 teams so far have an all-time playoff record of 140-166. The next ten teams are sporting a 178-157 all -time playoff record. 7 of the top 10 teams at this point in the season have losing playoff records. And one of them will probably win the Super Bowl this year. What a time to be alive.

So you started season 2 of CDNFL, right? Just got out of the draft, new players on your roster; Might have had a great season last year, or maybe you had a terrible season and looking forward to debuting that round 1 draft pick. Now you are getting some practices and game preps in, looking through your schedule thinking, “you know what. This might be the year…”Until reality comes and wipes that stupid grin off your face. 4 weeks in and your team has zero to 1 victories, you don’t like your new QB, and your still wondering “how the fuck DO you stop a corner route?” But fear not fellow GMs. This article is 50% for you. We are going to face some cold hard truths today, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. So swallow your pride and follow me down this rabbit hole.

So to answer the first question, “is it too early to panic?” The answer is…Maybe. Now that doesn’t mean its fire sale season for a 0-4 Jacksonville Jaguars (who played a very competitive game against a top 10 opponent), but knowledge is power fellas and right now it’s might be time to look at the numbers. A very telling stat of how and where you season is going is point differential. And looking through the league, we are looking at 16 out of 32 teams with a negative point differential. 4 more teams with a point differential of less than a touchdown. There were 7 blowouts in week 1, 11 in week 2 and 10 in week 3. It’s become a trend. Defenses around the league have been shredded by these air it out, pass happy offenses. 7 teams are averaging over 400 yards a game with 4 more putting up 380 or more consistently to open the season. And meanwhile, 10 teams have defenses averaging over 400 yards of total offense allowed. Good lawd that’s a lot of yards per game. Chargers defense has their own nickname now too, The Legion of Ample Room to Throw (If the CPU GM for the Chargers had feelings…I am sure they would understand.) This lack of competitive defense to start the season might be due to a couple of things. Retirement, free agency and new players that maybe haven’t completely fit in may be part of the trend. But you have to wonder if this is a trend that will continue as the top offenses settle into their in-season offensive rhythm.

Now that everyone without a winning record is sad and questioning why they play madden, here is some good news, its week 5! The first 4 weeks came and went. A quarter of the season in and everyone is still very much in it. (Just ask Saints) And some of the lowest teams in the power rankings have some great positives to move forward with. Chargers have the worst defense in the league, but are top 5 in almost every offensive category; Jaguars played an excellent game against the Vikings that got away from him. Eagles may have a losing record but the future is bright. Chance Glass is a stud at QB, and they put up 45 against a very good Dallas Cowboys team. So chin up motherfuckers, still plenty of football to be played. And now, with Season 2 a quarter of the way done, your full, 32 team, Week 5 Power Ranking

1)      Cleveland Browns (4-0) – To answer my own question from last week. Yes, the Browns are for real. Averaging 46 points a game (1^st in league), 410 yards of total offense per game (4^th) and only allowing 17.5 points a game (4^th), the Dog pound has simply been unstoppable. At home or on the road, it doesn’t really matter. With Johnny Manziel playing the best football of his career (13 TDs, 3 INTs), and rookie of the year contender Cooper Sam (6 TDs) already his favorite target, Browns are set up for the present and future. Let’s just hope the past doesn’t come back to haunt them.

2)      Dallas Cowboys (4-0) – Cowboys make the leap to the 2 spot after two impressive victories in the face of some pretty stiff competition. The NFC East threw whole kitchen sink at the Cowboys these last two weeks by putting up 51 against the Eagles and outlasting the Giants last week. If the Cowboys can beat the Bears this week and follow that up with another victory against the Redskins in week 6, they are looking at a 6-0 start with a 3-0 division record. Look for the Cowboys to turn it up the next two weeks and take a commanding lead of their division and the NFC.

3)      Cincinnati Bengals (3-0) – An early bye week means the Bengals had no chance of moving up in the rankings, and with the Cowboys playing lights out football, the Bengals fall to number 3. But don’t be fooled, this team is still dangerous and very much ready to prove itself this year. With the number 1 defense in the league, Bengals won’t be allowing much offense when you play them. But they will be tested. These next three weeks they play every team in their division. None have a losing record. Next 3 weeks will tell us a whole lot about this Bengals team.

4)      Indianapolis Colts (4-0) – Colts look to be one of the most balanced teams. A top 5 offense to compliment a top 5 defense, there aren’t many glaring weaknesses. Jeremy Langford has been an excellent addition to the offense, third in the league in rushing; and with Andrew Luck 5^th in passing, opposing defenses can’t be too excited to play the red hot Colts. And with a favorable schedule the rest of the way, the Colts are in perfect position to jump to the number 1 seed and go deep into the playoffs.

5)      Atlanta Falcons (3-1) – After starting the season with an ugly loss against the Seahawks, the Falcons are now 3-1 and own the tie breaker against the Saints and Panthers for the lead in the NFC South. Last year’s Super Bowl champs have a top 10 defense leading the way. But they aren’t perfect. One of the best offenses last year, the Falcons have fallen to 20^th overall. As the season continues we will see if Matt Ryan and the gang can get it together as the defense continues to carry this team forward.

6)      New Orleans (3-1) – Led by a rejuvenated Drew Brees, the saints are looking like a team that is picking up where it left off last season. Saints fans are literally wondering out loud, “who dey?” when looking at their team. An ugly loss against the Falcons keeps them from going any higher in the rankings. This team goes as far as Drew Brees takes them. The pass defense is getting the job done but allowing 120 yards a game is unacceptable, and could mean trouble come playoffs. The Saints will enter the bye week number 6 in power rankings, followed by 4 games against teams with losing records. Mardi gras is starting early this year in New Orleans.

7)      Seattle Seahawks (3-1) – One of the best rosters top down, the Hawks also benefit from playing in the weakest division in the league this year. But don’t tell them that. Averaging almost 175 yards rushing per game, Marshawn Lynch and that stable of running backs have scored a total of 7 rushing touchdowns to go with Russell Wilsons 10 passing TDs. Saints handed them first loss of the season this week, but look for that to only motivate this group as they continue on their mission for another Lombardi trophy.

8)      Minnesota Vikings (3-1) – Looking at the Vikings, this is an extremely flawed 3-1 team. They should feel good about where they are right now. But 4 weeks in with one of the great running backs of our generation and you have only managed to give him the ball 58 times for only 190 yards? That can’t happen. This team needs Adrian Peterson to be unleashed. A great defense keeps the Vikings in contention, but if they want to be considered a serious bet for the Super Bowl, AP needs to wake up and Derek Carr needs to throw more touchdowns.

9)      Carolina Panthers (3-1) – As you can see, the NFC South is well represented in the top 10. The Panthers are running the ball as good as anyone these days. With Cam Newton being a dual threat QB, and Johnathon Stewart leading the charge at running back, look for the Panthers to continue running the ball down an opponent’s throat. Surprisingly, the Panthers have a top 15 offense, but defense is where they are struggling, giving up 389 yards on average. Having built an identity off their defense in recent memory, plugging those holes in the D should be their main priority moving forward.

10)   Washington Redskins (3-1) – The Saving grace for this team is that defensively they are extremely impressive. Offensively, not so much. No run game and RG3 completing only 53% of his passes have the Redskins really trying to find their offensive identity. A bye week now is perfect for a mini regroup. After the bye week, the Redskins face a gauntlet of tough opponents, with matchups coming up against the Cowboys, Giants, Packers and Browns. If you are a Redskins fan, you may want to restock your alcohol cabinet.

11)   New York Jets (3-1) – Number one in the AFC East, the Jets have taken full advantage of the putrid starts the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots. A middle of the road offense and defense, Geno Smith has led the New York Jets to an improbable 3-1 record. Zac Stacy and Chris Ivory have formed a very formidable duo in the backfield. And Devin Smith is absolutely demolishing defenses, leading the team with 474 REC yards and 6 TDs. Jets play 3 top 10 teams in next 4 weeks. We will see how for real this team really is in a few weeks.

12)   Houston Texans (2-2) – Apparently, the Texans decided that they would no longer be running the ball. Ryan Mallet (seriously?) is 4^th in league in total yards and has thrown for 12 touchdown passes already. Second in points scored, this team won’t go down without a fight. Their defense on the other hand, is flat out terrible. 30^TH in yards allowed. Allowing 33 points per game, the Texans HAVE to score lots of points to get in. It took 63 points to beat the chargers. Texans got the Colts coming into town this week, and with no JJ Watt for the next two weeks, Houston defense might be in for a world of hurt. Should be an offensive explosion this week.

13)   New York Giants (2-2) – A young team with tons of potential, the Giants are staying competitive with an awesome duo at QB and running back. The first pick in last year’s draft has to get his turnovers down, but his measurable are pretty great. This team might eventually stumble under the weight of its rookie class and growing pains, but for now they are fun team to watch. Gave the Cowboys a run. (Side note: rookie QB has 90 speed and agility with an 87 SAC and MAC. Holy shit.)

14)   New England Patriots (2-2) – Oh how the mighty have fallen. After starting the season 11-0 and losing in the Super Bowl last season, the Patriots have found it pretty hard to pick themselves up post Brady. First, the bad news. New England has no pass defense. A weak free agency period coupled by a draft weak in corners, the patriots are struggling to stop anyone from passing the ball. The defense is allowing on average 270 yards per game (26^th), with teams averaging 31 points against the patriots. With the AFC full of high powered passing offenses, New England might be in for a world of hurt. Especially considering the next 3 games are against the Jets, Browns and Bengals. The good news? Patriots are still putting up points. Jimmy G leading the league in passing yards, the offense is moving the ball better than Brady’s last year as Quarterback. Running back Markieth Mills and WR Connor Phillips (8TDs) are rookies leading the league in rushing yards and receiving yards respectively. And arguably the best linebacking core in the game, the defense isn’t hopeless, but at this point in the season, the Patriots might be digging themselves in a hole that might be too deep to climb out of.

15)   Green Bay Packers (2-2) – The Packers have dropped the last two games by at least two scores. But if you look closely, it’s pretty easy to find the cause. Aaron Rodgers went from completing 81% of his passes to completing 68%. And since week 2 has thrown 5 INTs. That just can’t happen. The Packers have enough great players to where they can turn it around, but it has to start by limiting turnovers.

16)   Buffalo Bills (2-2) – Bills are going through some growing pains right now. After starting the season with a loss to the Patriots, the bills have found their identity. Defense. Top 10 in overall defense, the Bills are notoriously difficult to move the ball against. Offense is a completely different story. The 32^nd in passing yards per game, and 30^th overall in yardage, the Bills offense needs to wake up. Teddy Bridgewater was not brought in from the Vikings to complete just 47% of his passes. Buffalo is scary when they are on (held the Patriots to 5 points total in one game last year…smh), so I expect them to turn it up as the season progresses.

17)   Baltimore Ravens (2-2) – Though Ravens have dropped the last two games, they have some great offensive pieces. Perriman in his second season is balling. He is a scary combination of speed and height. And with rookie Derek Savoie tearing it up in the slot, the offense should continue to improve. The ravens get a bye, followed by a tough matchup against the Steelers.

18)   Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2) – This is probably too low for Pittsburgh and I have a feeling I will hear it from their fans. Only thing keeping them this low right now are the two losses at the beginning of the season to the Browns and Cowboys. The top two teams held them to less than 21 points. They have since responded with a high scoring performance against the Patriots and a total destruction of the Dolphins. A Great outing against the Bengals will go a long way in boosting their rankings and proving to the league that they are a team to beat.

19)   Detroit Lions (2-2) – Another team that probably deserves more credit than its being given, the Lions have a top 10 offense with a defense that may be stingy on yardage but is still giving up too many points. A blowout loss to the Panthers followed by a heartbreaker against the Vikings, the Lions needed a victory against the Texans last week to get back on the horse. With their matchup against division rival Green Bay Packers looming, a win before their bye would do a lot for their power ranking and their odds at winning the division.

20)   Oakland Raiders (2-2) – Having lost two starting safeties (William Gay for rest of season), the raider’s defense cannot afford to lose any more players on defensive side (28^th in pass defense). There seems to be a shuffle at qb as both Matt Mcgloin and Jimmy Clay are getting play time. Latavius Murray is having a great season so far though, leading the number 1 rushing attack in the league. Some stability at QB and better defensive play will go a long way in helping the Raiders succeed this season.

21)   Tennessee Titans (2-2) – Simply put, losing Marcus Mariota for 13 weeks this season might just be too much too overcome. Mettenberger has a big arm, but accuracy concerns are a major issue with him. Before Mariota went down, the Titans had the 10^th ranked scoring offense. We will see if Mettenberger can fill his shoes in the meantime.

22)   Kansas City Chiefs (1-3) – On paper, this team should be much better. Chiefs are having problems moving the ball. Bortles has thrown more picks that TDs. Their saving grace is that their division is struggling right now and a victory against the Bucs should put them back on the right track. A 1-4 start might be too much to climb out of in a stacked AFC conference.

23)   Philadelphia Eagles (0-3) – The Eagles were a defensive stop away from beating the Dallas Cowboys in an epic matchup. They put up 45 points against the number 2 team in the land. Rookie QB Chance Glass looks to be a stud, while Demarco Murray and Ryan Matthews lead the 6^th ranked rushing attack. This season might be a wash for the Eagles, but this team just might pull it all together in time for a deep season run into the playoffs

24)   Miami Dolphins (1-3)

25)   San Francisco 49ers (1-3)

26)   Arizona Cardinals (1-3)

27)   Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-3)

28)   Denver Broncos (1-3)

29)   Chicago Bears (0-4)

30)   St Louis Rams (0-3)

31)   Jacksonville Jaguars (0-4)

32)   San Diego Chargers (0-4)

Gonna start off the bat by stating that this is a work in progress. Titans did a pretty good job last season coming up with the rankings, and I figured that is something we should continue and maybe even expand upon. As a co-commissioner, I can’t offer much in the day to day upkeep via GROUPME because of my job and hours I work. But I think I would like to take this and make this my contribution to the league. Don’t have much experience writing these kinds of articles but here I am, giving you some weekly insight into our football league. My long-term goal for this would be to come out with an article every 2-3 weeks in the league, with every week an update on power rankings. Maybe even some interviews with people in the league, we seem to have some interesting individuals and if someone has a story they want to share, than why not provide them a medium to tell it. I will stick to a top ten write up this week and build up from there. Also there are some 2-0 teams that just recently got picked up so I will be watching some of those games to see how they play. I am open to any ideas you all might have to make this better. I am hoping this only enhances our experience in this league. And now, Power Rankings.

(These rankings are based on experience against opponent + twitch + league rankings + team stats)

1)      Cleveland Browns (2-0) – Are the Browns for real? Two straight weeks dropping 50+ gets you first place in the power rankings, but can they sustain this level of production? We will find out this week when they face another turnaround story from last year, the Baltimore Ravens, in our Game of the Week match up. Browns are number one in total offense and points, Manziel leads the league in touchdowns and he has a two headed monster at running back averaging 9.6 and 7.6 yards respectively. Holy shit Cleveland, someone check on Jim Brown to make sure he is still breathing, because this can’t be real life.

2)      Cincinnati Bengals (2-0) – There is no denying that the State of Ohio is where the best football is being played in this young NFL season. Coming off a tight win against a solid Titans team, the Bengals than followed it up with a dominating effort against the Buffalo Bills. Top 10 in total points scored, the Bengals were one of the hottest teams last year before suffering a disappointing playoff loss. They are looking to continue their streak of regular season success to prepare for a deep playoff run. Cincinnati, being that they share a state with Cleveland, should assist in checking up on Jim Brown. Seriously, Browns and Bengals in the 1 and 2 spot? He may not know what year it is at this point.

3)      Atlanta Falcons (1-1) – While there may be teams with better records out there, the Atlanta Falcons are still a top three team in this league until proven otherwise. A loss to a CPU Seahawks team, while upsetting, is not necessarily a condemnation for the rest of the season. Last year’s Super Bowl champs turned it around week 2 and handled the Saints in a lopsided battle. If Matt Ryan and Julio Jones wake up, and Tevin Coleman continues to run hard, this team will be very difficult to beat moving forward.

4)      Dallas Cowboys (2-0) – One of the top seeds last year, Dallas brings back most of their starters from last year. So what we have is a top 5 team from a year ago, a little older, a little wiser and even more dangerous. Dez Bryant is impossible to cover 1 on 1 and the O-line creates holes so big, Emmit smith can still run behind those bad boys. Speaking of ancient players, Tony Romo is still the QB of the Cowboys. While not as mobile as a he used to be, he is still deadly accurate and can carve a defense up like a turkey on thanksgiving. A turkey which will be served on Thanksgiving while you sit there and watch yet another Cowboys game, like every other year. And don’t forget the lions, because traditions right? Excuse me, I am rambling, Thanksgiving football sucked this year...Good luck Cowboys.

5)      Baltimore Ravens (2-0) – “and with the 1^st pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens select…” these were the words many ravens fans expected to hear next year after another brutal season following their 3-13 in 2015. But the Ravens had plans of their own this year. This team is on fire right now sporting a top 10 offense and a top 5 defense. Flacco is playing flawless with a 5 TDs 1 INT and no sacks. The Ravens are high in the Power Rankings but things can change in a hurry. Of their next 4 opponents, 3 are in the top 10. (Browns, Patriots, Bengals). We will see if the Ravens are for real in the next 3-4 weeks. Should be some good sim football.

6)      Indianapolis Colts (2-0) – After a full season of shopping Andrew luck around, the Colts have decided to keep him and so far, it has gotten them a 2-0 start with their offense ranking 2^nd in passing and total yards. I think it’s safe to say for now, Andrew is not going anywhere. A great team last year, the Colts hope to shake off the disappointing loss to the Chiefs last year in the playoffs. Colts hope to get revenge this week when they visit the Chiefs at Arrowhead. Speaking of the chiefs….

7)      Kansas City Chiefs (1-1) – The chiefs followed up a disappointing loss to the CPU Raiders by absolutely man handling the Broncos and dropping 64 on them. While that could say more about the broncos defense than the chiefs offense, the eye test and stats show that Kansas City will be a threat this year and their matchup against the colts should prove to be a great one.

8)      New England Patriots (1-1) – Life after Brady has proven to have its ups and downs. The Super Bowl runner-ups are in the midst of a youth movement right now as 18 starters on offense and defense are under the age of 27. Young but talented, this group hopes Jimmy Garrapolo can bring the offense together with a rookies starting at RB and WR,  and lead this team to the playoffs. Coming off a dominating performance against the Bills, the Patriots defense could not keep up with a CPU lead Dolphins team that threw for 5 TDS. They hope to turn it around this week against the Steelers.

9)      Green Bay Packers (2-0) – Packers have quietly had a solid start to the season. Aaron Rodgers is completing 81% of his throws with 4 TDS and 1 INT. Packers are coming off an 11-5 season that ended in blowout fashion against the Seahawks. The cheese heads have what it takes on offense, but question marks surround their defense. They have been very middle of the pack this year. (you see what I did there? Yeah you did) A couple of dominating performances this year can change that perception, and their ranking.

10)   Minnesota Vikings (2-1) – While the Vikings offense is finding their grove with new additions Derek Carr, Calvin Johnson and Justin Blackmon getting acquainted, the defense has stepped up, ranking top 10 in points allowed and top 5 passing yards allowed. The Vikings are off to a solid start but must contend in a division shared with another top 10 team, the Packers. It will be an interesting battle for tops in that division.

Teams on the Cusp:

New Orleans Saints (1-1) – One of the great stories from 2015, the Saints started the season 1-4-1, only to finish the season at 10-5-1 and making the playoffs. An embarrassing loss to the Falcons last week keeps them out of the top ten this week. But Drew Brees and Co. look like they might have another playoff run in them.

Houston Texans (1-1) – Texans have been able to put points in both games played this season. A strong showing against CPU Titans has them looking up. This week’s game should tell us more about their identity as a football team.

Too early predictions

MVP: Aaron Rodgers

Offensive Player of the Year

AFC: Johnny Manziel

NFC: Aaron Rodgers

Defensive Player of the Year

AFC: Joe Haden

NFC: Luke Kuechly

Rookie of the Year

AFC: Connor Phillip

NFC: Thomas Huff