Sporting Joe NFL Power Poll: Week 7

Week seven has altered the rankings.  The Power Poll has booted both Seattle and Cincinnati.  A 3-3 record reflects Seattle’s current locker room strife and on-field inconsistency.  Cincinnati has the ugly images of a shutout loss to Indianapolis to blame for their absence.  Each of these teams is talented enough to make significant playoff runs but each team is also suddenly facing adversity.

1)      Denver- Having fricasseed a wounded 49ers defense; Peyton Manning now turns his attention to an angry, but depleted, Chargers defense.

            

2)      Green Bay- Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers began the season on the hot seat and that seat was warming up early in the season.  Now Capers, who many people forget teamed with Dick LeBeau from 1992-1995 to build the famed Blitz-Burgh Steelers, has fit his scheme to his talent.  The Packers are sitting at ninth in the NFL in scoring defense.

     

3)      Dallas- Many have lampooned Jerry Jones for his bumbling attempts at building a championship quality team.  It is time to acknowledge Jones’ role in building the 2014 Cowboys.  This team has a solid defense, the best run blocking offensive line in the NFL, a historically hot running back, and the most accurate kicker in NFL history.

4)      San Diego- Keenan Allen’s 2014 stat line speaks to his lack of production thus far.  His 354 yards and zero touchdowns indicate that a second half surge is in store for the second year wideout. 

  

5)      Indianapolis- MMQB writer Andy Benoit’s article arguing that Andrew Luck is on track to be the best quarterback in the NFL has been prescient.  Luck is leading a dangerous Indy team that has room for substantial improvement.

   

6)      New England- Sometimes divisional games are ugly, as evidenced by New England’s 27-25 escape from the Jets, but a win is a win.

   

7)       Arizona- The schedule is about to heat up for the Cardinals with three of their next four coming against Philadelphia, Dallas, and Detroit.

  

8)      Detroit- No Megatron, no problem is a welcome development.  The diversification and balancing of Detroit’s offensive attack bodes well for a playoff push.

 

9)      Baltimore- The Ravens are coalescing as the rest of the AFC North is stumbling.  This week’s contest in Cincy offers the occasion to seize control of the division.

10) Philadelphia- A bye week did not offer an opportunity for the Eagles to ascend the rankings.  Their week eight showdown with Arizona does.