Monday night? Horrible loss incoming.
15. Seattle Seahawks (5-3): Pete Carroll was adamant that Geno Smith wasn’t the issue for the Seahawks’ offense in their non-competitive loss to the Ravens. That might be true, but he wasn’t part of the solution either.
14. Minnesota Vikings (5-4): Make the Josh Dobbs statue right now. What an unbelievable performance by the Vikings’ new QB.
13. New York Jets (4-3): Just like that, the AFC East is right there for the Aaron Rodgers-less Jets. What a weird, weird season.
12. Buffalo Bills (5-4): The Bills have a lot of problems, and none of them are easily fixed. The last hurrah of this version of the Bills might fizzle out before we get to January.
11. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3): The Steelers have no business being 5-3. And yet, like the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, Mike Tomlin finds a way.
10. Cleveland Browns (5-3): Embarrassing Clayton Tune gets you few points in these rankings.
9. Dallas Cowboys (5-3): Sunday was a perfect encapsulation of the last 30 years of Cowboys football: Just not good enough.
8. Miami Dolphins (6-3): The Dolphins might be the bad-good team. They trash the dregs of the NFL but have been handled by the NFL’s best. On fraud alert in South Beach.
7. Detroit Lions (6-2): Are the Lions for real? The jury remains out and will be for quite some time.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2): The Jags entered the bye with a share of the top spot in the AFC. They’ve done good work, but the real tests loom as they face the 49ers, Bengals, Browns, and Ravens in four of the next six weeks.
5. San Francisco 49ers (5-3): The bye week comes at the perfect time for the limping and weary 49ers. Will Kyle Shanahan be able to cook up a cure for what ails the Niners during the off-week?
4. Cincinnati Bengals (5-3): The Bengals are all the way back. As long as Joe Cool is healthy, the Bengals will be there in the end.
3. Baltimore Ravens (7-2): The Ravens have been the AFC’s best team through nine weeks, but I can’t have them jump Patrick Lavon Mahomes II just yet.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (7-2): After years of dragging a raggedy defense to the playoffs, Patrick Mahomes finally has a defense that is able to carry him. That’s good because these aren’t your dad’s Chiefs.
1. Philadelphia Eagles (8-1): The Eagles have their flaws, but they are the class of the league through 10 weeks. No question.
Monday evening? Terrible loss is on the way.
15. Seattle Seahawks (5-3): After the Seahawks’ non-competitive defeat to the Ravens, Pete Carroll was clear that Geno Smith wasn’t the problem for the offense. That may be the case, but he also wasn’t a part of the solution.
14. Minnesota Vikings (5-4): Immediately create the statue of Josh Dobbs. What an amazing showing by the rookie quarterback for the Vikings.
13. New York Jets (4-3): The Jets, who are without Aaron Rodgers, are right there in the AFC East. What a strange, strange season.
12. Buffalo Bills (5-4): Promotion There are numerous issues facing the Bills, and none of them are simple to resolve. Before January arrives, this season’s final gasp could end sooner rather than later.
11. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3): It is not appropriate for the Steelers to be 5-3. Nevertheless, Mike Tomlin finds a way, just like the creatures in Jurassic Park.
10. Cleveland Browns (5-3): You don’t get many points in these rankings by embarrassing Clayton Tune.
9. Dallas Cowboys (5-3): Sunday’s game perfectly summed up the Cowboys’ football history over the last 30 years: it was just not good enough.
8. Miami Dolphins (6-3): The Dolphins have the potential to be the underdog. The NFL’s finest have handled them despite them being the league’s dregs. South Beach is vigilant to fraud.
7. The 6-2 Detroit Lions: Do the Lions actually exist? The jury is still out and probably will be for some time to come.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2): The Jags shared the top spot in the AFC heading into their bye. They’ve performed admirably, but the 49ers, Bengals, Browns, and Ravens are their four opponents in the next six weeks, so these will be their true tests.
5. San Francisco 49ers (5-3): The 49ers, who are struggling and exhausted, are fortunate to have a bye week. During the week off, will Kyle Shanahan be able to find a solution for the Niners’ problems?
The Cincinnati Bengals (5-3) have made a significant comeback. The Bengals will prevail in the end as long as Joe Cool stays healthy.
3. Baltimore Ravens (7-2): Through nine games, the Ravens have been the best team in the AFC, but I can’t yet expect them to overtake Patrick Lavon Mahomes II.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (7-2): Patrick Mahomes has finally found a defense that can support him in the postseason after years of carrying a shoddy defense to the championship game. That’s fortunate since this Chiefs team isn’t your father’s.
1. Philadelphia Eagles (8-1): Despite their imperfections, the Eagles have led the league in scoring after ten weeks. Without a doubt.
