Eli Manning Becomes Highest-Paid Player In Football

A source has reported to ESPN that Eli Manning and the New York Giants have reached a deal that will make Manning the highest-paid player in the National Football League.

The six-year contract, worth a reported $97 million, will keep Manning with the Giants through the 2015 season and will include a reported $35 million in guaranteed cash.

Eli was named the Super Bowl MVP in 2008 when the Giants came from behind to defeat the New England Patriots. Although, you may better remember him from the 2004 NFL Draft when he was selected first overall by the San Diego Chargers. But, rather than follow the rules and play for the team that selected him, Eli cried and cried and threatened to sit out unless he was traded. Ever since then, Eli has been on my personal sh*t list.

 Does one football fan’s view of a guy really matter? Of course not, I’ve never met the guy and probably never will. But crying and pouting until you get your way is suppose to end in preschool. Eli is still a baby. And for those who think I’m coming off as an ‘Eli-Hater’…you’re right.

In no way am I convinced that Eli Manning is worth more than his brother Peyton. Not only is Peyton better overall (strategizing, mechanics, managing, leading, etc.), but I would argue that a few other quarterbacks from around the league could have started for the 2008 New York Giants and they would have still been Super Bowl Champs. Eli overpaid? I think so.

Plexiglass Burress Indicted By Grand Jury

Former New York Giants’ receiver Plaxico Burress was indicted on weapons charges today after he shot himself in the leg while visiting a Manhattan nightclub last year.

ESPN reports that the indictment charged the 31-year-old Burress with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and one count of reckless endangerment. Burress faces up to three and a half years in prison and will likely never take the football field again… at least not in the NFL.

So that’s the info and legal jargon bull crap. Now from a fan’s standpoint, this basically means a trial is coming for Plexiglass and his only chance to play football will be with the UFL.

2009 NFL Mock Draft – Wrapping Up The First Round

Rumor mills are buzzing and trading will soon begin as we quickly approach Draft day. It’s almost impossible to keep up with, but here is the last of my first round Mock as it stands right now…

21.) Philadelphia Eagles – Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee : Philly could take Knowshon Moreno here to help out Westbrook and eventually take over, but I can’t see Andy Reid pulling that move. McNabb is back on board and a receiver could really help the Eagles, one good receiver. However, I don’t think any of the top-receivers in this draft are the type of receiver that Philly needs because they don’t necessarily need the “speed” guy. With that being said, watch for the Eagles to select ANOTHER defensive player. Larry English may be big on some people’s boards but Robert Ayers is a more complete player and he comes from the SEC. Solid pick here for the Eagles and they have another selection just six picks later.

22.) Minnesota Vikings – Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois : The Vikings have somewhat of a hole over there at right tackle on the offensive line but that doesn’t seem to bother Adrian Peterson all that much (1,760 yards in ’08). I thought that the Vikings may try to go after a quarterback, but instead they traded for a guy named Sage Rosenfels. I guess that position is considered “okay”…for now. But there is still no doubt that Minnesota needs help at defensive back. The defense is Super Bowl ready but a good corner could propel them. I like Vontae Davis at #22. He’s fast, athletic, the best available, and an absolute steal at this position.

23.) New England – James Laurinaitis, ILB, Ohio State : New England is a hard team to predict, in anything. They could use help at strong safety but it would be a far reach for anyone at that position with the #23 pick. Not to mention the team has an even bigger need at the interior linebacker position. Tedy Bruschi is extremely old and he will need a replacement. Laurinaitis just seems like a Belichick guy to me. He may not be the fastest guy on Earth, but the Patriots make great players out of anyone who has good knowledge of the game, which Laurinaitis has. I know some people will think this is a slight reach, but I really think it fits.

24.) Atlanta Falcons – Brandon Pettigrew, TE, OSU : I think this is a no-brainer for Atlanta if Pettigrew is still around (which he should be). Roddy White is the big receiver, Matt Ryan is the stud quarterback, Michael Turner has brought a ton to the offense, and the defense played much better than expected. I could see Atlanta going after defense in this position but Pettigrew is the piece that is missing from the offense. With his pass-catching ability and blocking skills, he will put this offense over the top.

25.) Miami Dolphins – D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt : I really like Moore out of Vandy. He is a little small (5’9) and his forty time disappointed a few, but I think he will make a good pro player. The Dolphins are very slim at the defensive back position after the departure of Goodman across from Will Allen and D.J. Moore could come in and make a spark. Moore can also provide returning abilities, which he showed while in college. Is it a reach? Maybe. But you’ll notice that many of my predictions in the latter part of the round will receive the “reach” label.

26.) Baltimore Ravens – Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers : Baltimore needed some help at defensive back and they went out and got Dominique Foxworth, which will pay off nicely for them. They need help at defensive end but I think receiver is a bigger question mark. Derrick Mason is on his last games and they need someone opposite Mark Clayton (who just decided to start playing good football at the end of last year). Flacco is a young quarterback that needs a young target, I see Britt as that guy. Kenny Britt has climbed up a lot of people’s boards and I am very high on this guy. He’s 6’3 at 210 pounds and he ran a 4.4 at his Pro Day. He is a great catcher and he could really be the large target for the developing Flacco. Not to mention, Derrick Mason would serve as a great mentor to the rookie in terms of route running and reading defenses. Did I mention he’s only 20-years-old? If Jeremy Maclin slips this far then I would look for Baltimore to grab him. Otherwise, Britt is a really good option at #26.

27.) Indianapolis Colts – Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss : Indy needs to give Peyton a new target to throw to but I think they wait until the second round to address the receiver position. With the #27 pick, I see the Colts improving their atrocious interior defensive line and taking the best defensive tackle at this point in the draft. Peria Jerry seems to be either completely overlooked or chalked in as a future Colt, I think he fits pretty well. Although Jerry may seem to be overwhelmed at times, I think he can serve as a good rusher up the middle for the line.

28.) Philadelphia Eagles – Alex Mack, C, Cal : Everyone is talking trade-up right here for the Eagles. They will no doubt go for an offensive lineman but #28 may be slightly too low to get a really really good lineman. Assuming that the Eagles keep this pick, I see them taking the best offensive lineman on the board and that is Alex Mack. Again, watch for the Eagles to wheel and deal and try to go after Michael Oher. Andre Smith may be another possibility but I don’t think Andy Reid will put up with his bull crap and horrible work ethic. I also would not be surprised if the Eagles go for receiving help here and go after o-line help in the 2nd round, or vice versa. Oklahoma guard Duke Robinson is too much of a reach at this position, in my opinion.

29.) New York Giants – Darius Butler, CB, UConn : The Giants are stacked! This is a very difficult selection to predict. Knowshon Moreno is available and he could be the replacement for the outgoing Derrick Ward. They could also use some help at strong safety but Sean Smith is a free safety (?). With that being said, they could use some depth at defensive back. Sam Madison is getting older and Darius Butler could come in and help out in a year or so. In all honesty, this just a throw-up for me. I really don’t have any idea of what the Giants want to do. They needed some linebacker help but they went out and got Chris Canty, so the position is filled. The defense is loaded. The offense is loaded. With a situation like this, it usually indicates trading the selection or taking the best available talent. Knowshon Moreno is best available at #29 and a trade is very possible.

30.) Tennessee Titans – Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State : Tennessee, I think, still needs receiver help even after the Nate Washington signing but Heyward-Bey is too risky for the first round. The Titans are getting thin at cornerback due to Nick Harper’s age but no remaining cornerback is worth this high of a pick. After that, I like addressing the defensive end position. Jevon Kearse and Kyle Vanden Bosch are both in their thirties and we all know that these guys can’t play forever. There is a ton of options at this selection for a defensive end including Michael Johnson, Larry English, and Conor Barwin. However, Maybin had an outstanding year and his Pro Day performance has shot him up the boards as of late. Many criticize Maybin by calling him a one-year-wonder and pointing out his questionable size, but I don’t think there is any way you can pass up this potential when it falls in your lap.

31.) Arizona Cardinals – Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia : Will Moreno make it all the way to 31? The Cardinals hope so. Edgerrin James is on the way out and Moreno is the perfect fit in the desert. Moreno is a great pass-catcher out of the backfield and, in case you haven’t noticed, the Cards like to throw it. Moreno is an every-down back and he can breakout at any time. Moreno is a playmaker that would go great alongside Fitzgerald and Boldin (assuming he stays).

32.) Pittsburgh Steelers – Sean Smith, CB/S, Utah : Surprising enough, the Steelers do have holes to fill…but not many. Sean Smith is a BIG safety and he could fit the mold as a Steeler. He has tremendous ability and upside. He’s 6’4 and should be the Steeler’s starter after one year. However, the Steelers’ offensive line fizzled out a little bit last year. To me, the next best available lineman would be Oklahoma’s Duke Robinson but I’m not sure he’s a sure first rounder. Sean Smith is a good talent to be selected here, we’ll keep him at #32 for now.

Stay tuned for updates and my upcoming 2009 NBA Mock Draft!

Plexiglass Update

Plaxico Burress was sentenced yesterday and he will not play the rest of the NFL season, including the playoffs. As the days pass, more and more details of the story make it all more and more comical.

1.) Plaxico reportedly was wearing sweatpants. Is it just me or are you suppose to look semi-decent when you visit a club? Clubs usually have dress codes that often include no jerseys or SWEATPANTS. Sweatpants are worn to the gym, not the club.

2.) Plexi was apparently concealing due to a lot of jewelry. Surprise to me! I thought the “bling bling” was long gone, guess not. Plexi feels like he needs to carry a Glock just in case someone tries to jack him for his necklace(s)? Just a couple quick pointers from a non-athlete or millionaire: First off, dont wear tons of jewelry, we all know you have money even when you don’t wear it. And secondly, if there is suspicion that you’re going to get jumped at a certain place, then you probably shouldn’t go.

3.) Antonio Pierce and Ahmad Bradshaw are drug in. I almost felt sorry for Pierce when police said they wanted to search his vehicle and question him about a possible cover-up. However, I changed my mind real quick when I put myself into their shoes. If my buddy comes out of the house and he’s got sweatpants on with 10 diamond necklaces and we’re headed to Club Joe Schmo, I’m more than likely going to stop him before he gets in my Hummer and say, “Take the garbage off your neck and change your pants, you’re never gonna pick up any lady friends with that crap”. But I guess Antonio and Ahmad thought he looked ‘fly’ or something and they proceeded to be seen in public with this guy.

Is this situation actually comical? I think so. We’re talking about a Giant player and a man that shot himself (not life-threatening of course), so it’s funny to me. The skinny on the whole deal is that Plexi better get his act together before he’s off the Giants’ roster and out of the league completely. The guy continues to screw up time after time and doesn’t feel he needs to change. He’s a grown man, 31 I might add, and he needs to act like one. Which leads to the other point, 31 is getting up there in football years. If Plexi were a running back he’d be gone, but he’s not so he gets another shot. At 31 years old, if he wants any shot at collecting some cash, he should seriously take a look at himself.

Plexiglass Plaxico shoots himself…

Plaxico Burress, in my opinion, is one of the most stupid and worst teammates to have on your football team. He doesn’t practice, he misses meetings, he falls asleep in meetings when he does show up, and he always seems like he’s playing half-ass. But I must say, I thought his stupidity stayed within the realm of football…I was wrong.

New York Giants receiver Plaxico Burress has told the team that he accidentally shot himself Friday night, a league official told ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio.

The incident happened at the Latin Quarter nightclub on Manhattan’s East Side. The club is a sprawling 15,000-square foot, two-story restaurant and club located in the Radisson Lexington Hotel. Katia Laine, a manager at the hotel, told The Associated Press that police officers had been to the club.

Burress went to the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, where he stayed overnight. He was released from the hospital Saturday afternoon.

Now that we are all aware that the wound is not life-threatening, this is extremely comical. I have never liked Plexiglass and this gives me even more of a reason to keep that mindset. What the hell was he doing with a gun? And why was he messing with it to the point where it fires into his leg? The details will probably surface a little later on but the more interesting aspect of the whole deal will be to see how this effects Plexi’s roster spot with the Giants.

Lucky Seven: NFL Power Rankings Wk. 12

All of the teams I put in my Lucky Seven last week won except for the DeadSkins. Here’s how I see it going into week 12, hard to believe we’ve come this far:

1.) Tennessee Titans (1) – They are still without a loss and Kerry Collins is doing it without alcohol, I like it. It may not be attractive, it may not get any style points, but the Titans are the real deal. No explanation necessary.

2.) New York Giants (2) – They are so close to moving up to number one on the chart after crushing such a good Baltimore defense. However, they lost to the Browns and the Titans have beaten everyone they’re suppose to. We’ll see when the head-to-head match-up arrives.

3.) Pittsburgh (3) – They won an ugly one in some really tough weather. They were also apart of a game that cost bettors an estimated $66 million, which is why I stopped betting on the NFL. I still don’t think they lost their intensity but Big Ben scares me at times (along with his $27M this year).

4.) Arizona Cardinals (6) – They may not have beaten a great opponent, but they beat the Seahawks that was reasonably staffed. And their offense is just so dominant. The other teams that may have been in this spot had dismal games or just are not yet deserving. Warner is still up for the Heisman and Boldin is the best receiver in the league.

5.) Carolina Panthers (5) – They won a ugly game against Detroit. They did have an absolutely unbeleivable game on the ground, racking up over 200 yards. However, my not-so-favorite Delhomme cannot pass right now to save his life. He had just 98 yards passing and it makes the overall outlook of the Panthers’ offense unknown. I still like the Cards’ over this Panthers team right now.

6.) Washington Redskins (4) – Oh how the mighty have fallen. Just a few weeks ago this team looked like it could really make some noise. Then people realized that their offense is the most hilarious thing to watch in all of football besides Al Davis’ reactions to reporters. If defenses lock down Santana Moss (which isn’t all that tough) then this offense is completely flat. Campbell has no protection and the 5-yard passes on 3rd and 12 isn’t going to get it done. The defense is getting turnovers but they have no pressure from their line. Serious issues need to be addressed on both the lines if this team has any hopes of doing anything.

7.) Tampa Bay Bucs (7) – They sit here behind the Skins’ because the Skins’ should still be able to beat these guys. Tampa Bay has been on a pretty solid roll and Jeff Garcia continues to impress the people that thought AARP couldn’t play football. Their receiver situation is a little shakey but I really like their defense and it could take them to the playoffs as a division-winner.

Atlanta may have dropped their game last week but they are destined to win the division, according to the crazy NFC South stat that says the team that finishes last in the division one year is the division winner the next. Ravens are still kind of on my radar but I am looking more at the other purple team, the Vikings. They dropped one but the NFC North is wide open.

Lucky Seven: NFL Power Rankings Wk. 11

I take a little time away from the NFL weekly Power Rankings and some things have certainly changed. Here’s my opinion of the top seven teams in the NFL going into week 11:

1.) Tennessee Titans – They’re on the road to the Super Bowl; who could argue otherwise? Defense is dominant, running attack is balanced, and Kerry Collins controls the football games. My only concern is lack of wide receiver production, a problem that has plagued the organization for the past couple years. However, big-time play from the Titans’ tight ends have made up for the slack.

2.) New York Giants – They’re in the toughest (no arguments allowed) division in football. Their running game is the most balanced in the NFL, even more than the Titans. I don’t like Eli but he finds ways to get the ball to the unexpected. No-name guys are producing for this team and that’s why the Giants will go far. The whole team plays as one unit…minus Plexiglass of course.

3.) Pittsburgh Steelers – The Steelers are a beat up ball club right now and it still doesn’t stop them from being the most physical team in the NFL. Two of Pittsburgh’s key players (Roethlisberger and Parker) are out and they continue to find ways to win. I won’t count out Pittsburgh until they miss the playoffs.

4.) Washington Redskins – They dropped a tough one to Pittsburgh on national television and took it into the bye with them, hopefully they come out with a little more fire. The Skins’ problem is not scoring touchdowns and thinking it’s okay to score field goals. They have a chance to sweep the Cowboys on Sunday night and they need to take advantage of the opportunity. Portis is 50-50 on whether he’ll play Sunday night, and his health could possibly determine the Skins’ future.

5.) Carolina Panthers – Self-explanatory. I may not be a huge supporter of Jake Delhomme but he can definitely sling the football and that’s what seems to work in Carolina. Steve Smith is one of the top receivers in the league and DeAngelo Williams is having a good year on the ground thus far. But what is really winning ball games for the Panthers is their defense. The Carolina defense has given up only 133 points on the year, which is the lowest given up in the NFC. Carolina’s 7-2 record puts them in a prime spot to carve their own path to the playoffs.

6.) Arizona Cardinals – It seems like the Cards’ should be playing in the Big XII rather than the dismal NFC West. Kurt Warner has Heisman-like numbers (Fanzak article) and it looks like their running the spread offense with big receivers on each side. I like the Cardinals to win the division and do some damage in the playoffs using their high-powered offense.

7.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Tampa is similar to the Carolina Panthers, and never did I think two teams from the NFC South would make the top seven teams in the league. In fact, the NFC South has proven to be quite a force in the NFL this season. Jeff Garcia is showing that he really isn’t that old and the defense continues to be their strong point. Tampa is a good ball club but they need to keep an eye out for Atlanta who is hot on their tail.

Watch out for teams like the Atlanta Falcons and the Baltimore Ravens. Both have rookie quarterbacks but have found ways to prove the early critics wrong. Atlanta’s offense is on fire right now while the Ravens’ defense continues to be the best in football. The scary part is that Flacco is turning the corner, or so it seems, and the team could possibly be just as good on offense as they are on defense. I also wouldn’t say anything about the Patriots. They have the best coach in the league and they have 98% of the undefeated team from last year.

Lucky Seven: NFL Power Rankings Wk. 8

Not a whole lot changed over the past week that influenced any major changes to the Lucky Seven. In fact, only one team dropped one position and one new team took the place of an old one. Take a look and get ready to see some fireworks around the NFL this week.

1.) Tennessee Titans (1) – This team has to be the most feared team in the NFL right now. They go against the Indianapolis Colts this week in a match up that a lot of people are saying is in the favor of the underdog. Say what you want, I like the Titans entire team.

2.) Pittsburgh Steelers (2) – Smash mouth football is defined when you watch a Steelers game. This team is so physical and their defense is a nasty group of huge guys. I would take the Pittsburgh Steelers over almost anyone in the NFL right now, even without Willie Parker.

3.) New York Giants (3) – They didn’t just beat the 49er’s last week, they shut down the 49er’s last week. Although Frank Gore has been up and down recently, the Giants’ defense put a padlock on his ankles and allowed him to do absolutely nothing (which resulted in a fantasy loss for me). Brandon Jacobs seems to be getting better every week and the Giants haven’t shown any rumble in the tank after dropping a big one to Cleveland. However, these Eli v. Big Ben comparisons are absurd and there is no way that I will convinced that Eli is better than Ben Roethlisberger. Check out the match-up this week when the sack-leading Steelers pressure little Eli ten times more than Cleveland did….then come back and talk about comparisons.

4.) Washington Redskins (4) – It has gone from home team bias to pure truth, the Redskins are a good football team. They have already proven the critics wrong by winning 4+ games and I believe that, if they can get past a Detroit Lions team this week (yes the Detroit Lions), then they can win 7 of their last 8. And the reason I say ‘get past the Lions’ is because, we have yet to see the Skins demolish an opponent who they are actually suppose to demolish. They looked past the Rams and it bit them, lets see how it changes against the worst team in the league.

5.) Tampa Bay (NR) – Wow. The Tampa Bay Bucs have gone from nothin to somethin pretty quick. Jeff Garcia is back and he is certainly doing what we all know he is capable of. The defense is stellar and the Bucs look like the current front-runner in a real toss-up division. Looking at their remaining games, this Bucs team could be on to something pretty special. I’m just guessing, but I would say that the Bucs are going to be favored in the all but maybe two of their last nine games unless something odd were to happen.

 6.) Buffalo Bills (5) – They did win a tough game against San Diego last week, but its hard to put them above the Cardinals after the Cardinals have already pounded them three weeks ago, 41-17. Buffalo is a good football team and I think they make it to the playoffs, but their record isn’t all that strong. The only team they have beat thus far worth arguing for is the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sure San Diego is a good team, but they have underachieved this year and the Chargers had to make the cross-country leap. Buffalo makes the playoffs, but is possibly the weakest team there.

7.) Arizona Cardinals (6) –  I think it’s only fair because they beat two really good teams (BUF and DAL) before going into their bye week. During the bye week they got some rest and brought back some guys, including the crazy-nice Anquan Boldin. I look for the Cardinals to continue their little winning streak on way to capturing the NFC West with a possible record of 9-7 or better.

Lucky Seven: NFL Power Rankings Wk. 6

Teams are now giving themselves a true identity after about five games. The mighty have fallen, the pawns have moved up on the totem pole, and the season could not be off to a better start. Here’s my updated rankings going into next week.

1.) New York Giants (1) – They didn’t do anything to lose their ranking from last week, they beat Seattle. However, this team has played nothing except a sack of marbles and some old baseball cards thus far. They did play Washington in Week 1 and they won by a slim margin. There’s no doubt that D.C. wins when the G-Men come to FedEx Field.

2.) Tennessee Titans (2) – Like the Giants, they won last week and did nothing to take away from their ranking. Although the win was far from pretty, did anyone expect different? The Ravens have an awesome defense and the Titans’ not-so-proven offense got it done when it needed to. Say what you want about the personal foul call on the last drive, the officials have been horrible so far this year.

3.) Washington Redskins (5) – They have taken care of all their division road games (2-1), they have beat the early SB favorite in Dallas, and they have all the confidence in the world. Their next few games will look like the start of the Giants’ first four games and they should be nothing less than 7-1. The Redskins are easily the hottest team in the NFL right now.

4.) Dallas Cowboys (3) – I know they won last week, but did you see the game? They allowed the Bengals to rally back and make a game out of it, in Dallas. The Cowboys should have easily beat the Bengals by 17 points, if you take into account the analysis on both teams. The Cowboys have had a rough couple of weeks lately.

5.) Pittsburgh Steelers (6) – Big Ben is the definition of Pittsburgh. The guy is a machine that still throws for 300+ yards on a seperated shoulder…try it sometime. The Jags may not be what everyone expected, but they are certainly no slouch. The Steelers defeated a good Jacksonville team and they continue to prove that they are a tough team that loves to get their nose in it.

6.) Carolina Panthers (NR) – They got their fire power back. Their backfield seems to be legit. And I really like the athleticism on defense. I didn’t expect the Panthers to be atop the NFC South at this point but they have shown some good stuff. We’ll have to track and see how they hold up.

7.) Denver Broncos (NR) – Their incosistency makes picking them a little wobbly, but they have an offense that kills. Selvin Young needs to pick it up a bit, but Cutler has the ability to throw HUGE numbers. Their defense needs to show some streaks of the old Denver. These guys have a chance to do big things in the AFC if they can get it together.

Denver and Carolina will have tough bouts this week as they take on Jacksonville and Tampa Bay, respectively. The Titans have a bye week and the Giants play Cleveland, I expect them to hold their positions along with the Redskins. Keep an eye out.

Lucky Seven: NFL Power Rankings Wk. 5

It was a crazy card for Sunday’s games last week, which means that my perceived power rankings felt a bit of a shakedown. Denver dropped out all together while the Washington Redskins broke into my top seven after being in the 13-18 range last week. Here’s what I got:

1.) New York Giants (3) – The G-Men moved up two spots without even playing last week. They are, however the defending SB champs. I have a problem believing that the Giants are as good as people think; they barely beat the Redskins in week one that should have been a lot worst and they had to take the Bengals to overtime in order to seal the deal. I even like Seattle to upset the Giants this Sunday.

2.) Tennessee Titans (5) – They may not have played a lot of good teams, but their defense is as physical as anyone’s in the league. Defense can win ball games, ask the 2000 Ravens. When you look at them in the long run, their receivers are average and Kerry Collins is there starter. No, Kerry’s not racking up DWI’s anymore. He’s guiding a pretty good Titans team. Wait for these guys to beat a quality squad, possibly Ravens defense this week.

3.) Dallas Cowboys (1) – They took a tremendous loss in a division where you cannot afford to do it. And please don’t say that they had an off-day, because you’re an idiot. Players get paid millions of dollars to play and believe it or not they want to win, they were simply out-played by a Washington team that perfectly executed their game plan. Washington proved that shutting down the Cowboy playmakers is the key to victory. Regardless, Dallas is still the best talent team in the NFL.

4.) Buffalo Bills (7) – They moved up a lot in my rankings because, even though their games are close, they prove week after week that they can pull it out when it matters. I like the Bills but they have the same problem that Tennessee does, they played bags of peanuts on Sundays so far. Wait for the quality team to visit them and see where they stand. Now that I think about it, jumping three spots for beating Oakland doesn’t sound right.

5.) Washington Redskins (NR) – They lose opening week to the defending SB champions by only nine points, shutting them down in the second half. They go on to beat two high-powered offenses in New Orleans and Arizona. Then they pull up the largest upset of last week when they demolished the Cowboys. The score made the game seem closer than what it was, and the Skins had plenty of opportunities to score without committing rediculous penalties. People may be sleeping on D.C. but they have yet to commit a turnover and they control the ball very well.

6.) Pittsburgh (4) – They barely beat the Ravens who started a rookie quarterback. I expected the Steelers defense to tear apart Joe Flacco limb by limb, with or without nose tackle Casey Hampton. Now factor in the health of the backfield and you get a 2-spot drop in the rankings after a hard-nosed win.

7.) Philadelphia Eagles (2) – They lose to the Bears in a game that they should have won. However, the game proved that the Eagles’ pass defense is suspect (Orton threw for 3 TDs). They can beat Pittsburgh but they can’t beat Kyle Orton? You have to beat the good teams to be the good team. I am tempted to put Carolina in the number seven spot, but I am a firm believer in the NFC East and I believe that any NFC East team would beat Carolina by atleast six.

I can’t wait to see what happens this Sunday. I expect to see the Giants lose, Tennesse has a tough game at Baltimore, and Washington is a 5-point underdog at Philly. I’ll catch up on the rankings next Tuesday.