Here are my rankings after week 5.  Let me know what you think!

 

1.                   Tennessee Titans        5-0 

 

The Titans won a hard fought battle with the Ravens on the road.  Their defense continued to play well and forced two interceptions.  The offense had their worst game of the year but the Ravens defense is the tops in the league.  The Titans special teams continue to improve weekly, winning the all important field position battle.   

 

2.                   Pittsburgh Steelers        4-1        ▲2

 

The Steelers and specifically Ben Roethlisberger showed the toughness needed to be at the top of the rankings.  Their running game is still a question mark due to injuries and time will tell if Big Ben can continue to take the beatings and remain in the game.  

 

3.                   Denver Broncos        4-1

 

The Broncos defense showed up against the Bucs on Sunday.  They will have to continue to improve defensively to stave off a desperate Jacksonville team on Sunday.

 

4.                   Buffalo Bills              4-1        ▼2

 

The bye week comes at a good time for the Bills.  They lost their QB, Trent Edwards early in the game with a concussion and weren’t able to contain the high octane Cardinals offense on the road.  It is tough to win on the road in the NFL and even with the loss the Bills are 2-1 away from home.

 

5.                   NE Patriots         3-1        ▲3

 

I’m really conflicted on the Pats.  If they are bringing Cassel along slowly and are taking the kid gloves off week-to-week then they will continue to improve up to whatever Cassel’s talent limits are.  Will that be enough?  They are at the Chargers this week and they should not win that game.  Belichick vs Turner…Big advantage to Belichick.

 

6.                   Baltimore Ravens        2-2        ▼1

 

They have a Super Bowl caliber defense.  It will keep them in most games.  With the continued development of the impressive rookie Joe Flacco, this team could be a tough out in the playoffs if they can get in.

 

7.                   Jacksonville Jags        2-3

 

The Jaguars slow start continues.  Other than the Chargers they are the most disappointing AFC team this season.  They are beat up on their offensive line and QB David Garrard is not off to the start his team was looking for.

 

8.                   Indianapolis Colts        2-2        ▲1

 

The Colts should be 0-4.  They are 2-2.  Those 2 wins have kept them in the race and as they get some of their injured players back they will improve.  That being said, I think this is about as high as they will get in the ratings.  I think they have depth problems and with Sanders out they can’t stop the run.

 

 

9.                    S Diego Chargers        2-3        ▼3

 

I got a lot of flak about putting them as low as I did last week.  This week they drop another 3 spots.  The coaching staff is lost and all the talent in the world won’t be able to pull them out of bad game plans and in game decisions this year.  This week they host the Patriots.  If they lose this game they won’t make the playoffs.

 

10.                New York Jets        2-2 

 

Fresh off their bye week the Jets get the Bengals at home, the Oakland and Kansas City next.  Could the Jets be 5-2 going into a showdown at Buffalo in the first week of November?

 

11.                Miami Dolphins        2-2

 

This is a great story for the Miami faithful.  They took the Jets to the end of the game in the opening week and have beaten the Patriots on the road and shocked the Chargers at home.  They have an above average running game and an efficient passing game.  If Ronnie Brown stays healthy the Dolphins could be the surprise of the AFC.

 

12.                Cleveland Browns        1-3         ▲1

 

The Browns move up by default during their bye week.  They have the Giants, Skins, Jags, Ravens, Broncos, and the Bills in the next six weeks.  1-9 is not out of the question.  I predict Brady Quinn will be in the lineup by the Jaguar game.

 

13.                Kansas City Chiefs        1-4        ▲1

 

The Chiefs like the Browns benefit from a bye week and move up the list.  This is as high as they will go this year.

 

14.                Houston Texans        0-4        ▼2

 

I almost put the Texans at the bottom.  Their collapse was epic and I don’t know if they can come back from something like that.  However the Raiders and Bengals also have major internal issues and I think the Texans will win some games.

 

15.                Oakland Raiders        1-3

 

A bye week for the Raiders came at a good time.  Will Tom Cable be able to rally the troops?  Like Al Davis I have no idea who Tom Cable is.  Maybe crazy Al will get lucky and this guy will turn out to be an excellent coach.  Raider nation can only hope.

 

16.                Cincinnati Bengals        0-5

 

The schedule doesn’t get easier for the Bengals in October.  They have played a few solid games and they gave the Cowboys all they wanted last week.  There are no moral victories in the NFL.  Marvin Lewis may not make it through the end of the season. 

 

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Last post (s) by Victor Minicozzi

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Tags: AFC, NFL, power rankings, Titans