Fifteen weeks in, and I think we've got an idea who's good.
There were some bumps in the road to be sure. But now that the midseason slumps have gone away, the elite teams have separated themselves and now the arguments about contenders will rage.
I guess most people were talking about Carolina vs. the Giants the last two days. It was a good game, although closer than expected. Cam Newton locked it up late with a drive for the game-winning field goal; I'm still not a fan of field goals when it's winning time, but the way he played was clearly MVP-level.
And if they finish undefeated, he's the guy. Hell, he might get it even if they don't finish undefeated, that's how well he's played.
The picks were a little better, at 10-6 straight up. Had no idea Indy would lose at home to the Texans (an embarrassing loss if there ever was one) or that New Orleans would fail to show up again.
Here are the Rankings for Week 15:
1.) Carolina (14-0) [no change]
Newton looks like the MVP and the Panthers remain undefeated. His poise late was admirable; despite being down, he knew they were going to win and then made it happen. Now we'll see what happens as the team tries to navigate getting ready for the playoffs and possibly going undefeated. Is 16-0 more important than resting players? It ought to be, but stranger things have happened.
Next opponent: at Atlanta (12/27)
2.) Arizona (12-2) [no change]
It was more bombs away than the previous game, for sure. Then again, they had a RB go for well over 150 yards, so I'm not sure they're trending in the proper direction offensively. People talk about balance, and whatnot, and that's fine, but passing is going to win games and Arizona does that exceedingly well. For them to not try to shorten games by burying opposing teams under a pile of points is silly. They clearly are not a team like Minnesota that lacks offensive firepower.
Next opponent: vs. Green Bay (12/27)
3.) New England (12-2) [no change]
It was practically a given. We presume that the Pats will eventually get healthy, though if they have Brady and Gronk minimum, they'll win at least one playoff game. That would put them in the AFC championship again, actually. I don't see anyone beating them, until it happens.
Next opponent: at NY Jets (12/27)
4.) Green Bay (10-4) [+1]
It's been a little bit since the Packers went out and dominated the opponent. If people were expecting that sort of thing with McCarthy calling the plays again, well, you were wrong. There's still the possibility of domination in the last two weeks, but I wouldn't expect it. Although they could pull out wins late like they have the last three weeks and be just fine, they won't have bonafide contender status because at the moment they are little more than a speed bump.
Next opponent: at Arizona (12/27)
5.) Cincinnati (11-3) [+1]
I thought they might have been a little vulnerable. Then I remembered they were playing San Francisco. Not much has changed for the Bengals, though, although I guess it could be argued that they play it even more conservatively on offense without Dalton. If McCarron is all he claims to be, it should be a cakewalk this week, more or less.
Next opponent: at Denver (12/28)
6.) Denver (10-4) [-2]
Are the Broncos "in trouble"? Based on the inconsistent play on offense and the presence of other strong teams in the AFC, it's easy to say yes. They're also held back by a coach who thinks he's better than Peyton Manning, this despite the fact that Peyton won a Super Bowl more recently. This week, they'll have their hands full and will be counting on their defense to hold down the opposition.
Next opponent: vs. Cincinnati (12/28)
7.) Seattle (9-5) [no change]
The team "nobody wants to play" (already a tired meme) keeps chugging along. Wilson-to-Baldwin is suddenly a dangerous QB/WR combo that just produces touchdowns when it counts. Is it easier to do that against Cleveland than a top-tier NFC team? Probably, but every win counts the same, and all that nonsense. The Seahawks finally get a shot at the Rams again; I'm expecting a bloodbath given the respective trajectories.
Next opponent: vs. St. Louis (12/27)
8.) NY Jets (9-5) [no change]
On a short week, the Jets managed to win a tougher than expected game against the Cowboys. It took a late field goal and some miscues by the opponent though, and that has to be slightly concerning. They obviously won't be getting any lucky breaks this week.
Next opponent: vs. New England (12/27)
9.) Kansas City (9-5) [no change]
Eight down, two to go. Can't stop, won't stop winning. It's still difficult to believe that losing Charles and starting 1-5 somehow led the Chiefs to where they are presently. And with Denver's question marks at QB plus an easy closing schedule, it's entirely possible that KC wins the AFC West. Was that even a consideration in Week 7 or 8? Not likely.
Next opponent: vs. Cleveland (12/27)
10.) Minnesota (9-5) [no change]
They took advantage of a weak Chicago team despite the loss of Peterson to injury. If he's out for a lengthy period, it could be troublesome. The Vikings offense isn't meant to be downfield passing all the time and if they're forced to do that, they'll lose. Still, they have another game against Green Bay, so they're in the driver's seat.
Next opponent: vs. NY Giants (12/27)
That's all for this week. See you next week.
