Thanksgiving Day is traditionally a day of football, but this year’s games are mostly turkeys. Certainly the early games, the Titans vs. Lions and Seahawks vs Cowboys have no playoff implications unless by some miracle the Seahawks (a 12.5-point underdog) beat the Cowboys.
PossessionPoints.com recognizes that there is a fine line between the best and worst in the NFL. On any given day, one of the worst teams could well win, and by PossessionPoints Performance Rankings both the Seahawks and Lions are among the bottom five teams. So, it would not be out of reach for one of these teams to stage the upset of the day.
The first game that counts this week is the Giants vs. Redskins. The Redskins need this game more than the Giants as the Redskins are three games behind the Giants. Washington is presently tied with the Cowboys at 7-4, so a win is essential for them to stay as a prime contender for a wildcard spot.
Our second big game is the Bears vs. Vikings. This game is between the two teams tied atop the NFC North at 6-5. This Division will be won by either one of these teams or the Packers, and winning the Division is probably the only way into the playoffs.
The third big game is the Saints vs. Bucs. The Saints are 6-5 and Bucs are 8-3. The rest of the teams in this Division all have winning records as well. There very well might be a wildcard out of this Division, but the Saints cannot finish fourth and expect to make the playoffs with or without a wildcard.
Finally, the last big game is between the Steelers and Patriots. The Steelers find themselves one game up on the Ravens while the Patriots are one game behind the Jets. Both teams need this win to further their quest for a playoff berth.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
NFL Performance Rankings Week 12
New York, New York – it’s a hell of a town, and for the first time in the history of PossessionPoints.com, two NY teams are number 1 and number 2 in our Performance Rankings.
The Jets moved up in our Performance Rankings not only because they won their game against the Titans but because of how they won the game. The Jets also earned our Top Dog of the Week Spot in our weekly newsletter (Available for free on our site). Conversely, this one loss forced the Titans to tumble from number 4 on our charts all the way down to number 11. This tumble proves that win-loss records are not, as many football experts would have you believe, the only criteria in ranking football teams. In fact, PossessionPoints has never put the Titans as number 1 in our rankings because we include only mathematical factors from our in-game statistic and no emotional or subjective criteria. Although they were always highly ranked, the Titans did not warrant the number 1 spot according to the math. In the other matchups between top-performing teams, the Giants beat the Cardinals, but the Cardinals played well in this game. Because of their performance in this close contest, the Cardinals dropped only one position from number 2 to number 3. The Giants’ win allows them to continue to hold the number 1 spot which they have owned for most of the season.
This week, moving up the chart are teams that have hit some road bumps, but appear now to have found their stride. The Patriots moved from 13 to 10 and the Steelers jumped from number 9 to number 4. New England’s Matt Cassel has learned his Offense quickly and continues to improve each week. The Steelers have had Running Back injury issues, but with the return of Willie Parker, the Steelers look like the Steelers of Old.
We are aware that due to the Colts’ 7-4 record, many experts would like to place Indianapolis a lot higher in Rankings than they fall on our charts. In PossessionPoints, the Colts do not appear higher because of their early season performances which included a few miraculous wins as well as their four losses. As their game performance improves, so will their placement on our charts, but they have a way to go to get into the positive zone in PossessionPoints.
The Colts have climbed out of the bottom five, so now this group consists of teams with poor records none of which have any chance of making the playoffs. Worst among this group are the 2-9 Rams who sit at 32; the 1-9 Bengals who come in at 31; the 2-9Seahawks who own the 30th spot; the Chiefs who sit at number 29 with a 1-10 record; and the Lions, who despite being 0-11, are at 28. The Lions have shown some signs of life in the last few weeks. They have built early leads but mistakes have caused them to give up those leads. These early game performances account for their being the best of the worst in the bottom five. Maybe Thanksgiving will allow the Lions to redeem themselves with a win. Although playing the Titans, this may seem like a tall order.
The Jets moved up in our Performance Rankings not only because they won their game against the Titans but because of how they won the game. The Jets also earned our Top Dog of the Week Spot in our weekly newsletter (Available for free on our site). Conversely, this one loss forced the Titans to tumble from number 4 on our charts all the way down to number 11. This tumble proves that win-loss records are not, as many football experts would have you believe, the only criteria in ranking football teams. In fact, PossessionPoints has never put the Titans as number 1 in our rankings because we include only mathematical factors from our in-game statistic and no emotional or subjective criteria. Although they were always highly ranked, the Titans did not warrant the number 1 spot according to the math. In the other matchups between top-performing teams, the Giants beat the Cardinals, but the Cardinals played well in this game. Because of their performance in this close contest, the Cardinals dropped only one position from number 2 to number 3. The Giants’ win allows them to continue to hold the number 1 spot which they have owned for most of the season.
This week, moving up the chart are teams that have hit some road bumps, but appear now to have found their stride. The Patriots moved from 13 to 10 and the Steelers jumped from number 9 to number 4. New England’s Matt Cassel has learned his Offense quickly and continues to improve each week. The Steelers have had Running Back injury issues, but with the return of Willie Parker, the Steelers look like the Steelers of Old.
We are aware that due to the Colts’ 7-4 record, many experts would like to place Indianapolis a lot higher in Rankings than they fall on our charts. In PossessionPoints, the Colts do not appear higher because of their early season performances which included a few miraculous wins as well as their four losses. As their game performance improves, so will their placement on our charts, but they have a way to go to get into the positive zone in PossessionPoints.
The Colts have climbed out of the bottom five, so now this group consists of teams with poor records none of which have any chance of making the playoffs. Worst among this group are the 2-9 Rams who sit at 32; the 1-9 Bengals who come in at 31; the 2-9Seahawks who own the 30th spot; the Chiefs who sit at number 29 with a 1-10 record; and the Lions, who despite being 0-11, are at 28. The Lions have shown some signs of life in the last few weeks. They have built early leads but mistakes have caused them to give up those leads. These early game performances account for their being the best of the worst in the bottom five. Maybe Thanksgiving will allow the Lions to redeem themselves with a win. Although playing the Titans, this may seem like a tall order.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Young Guns vs. Old Dogs: Which Quarterbacks gain Favor in the NFL?
The NFL has long been a copycat league. Once one team finds success; the rest follow suit. Witness the popularity of the Wildcat Offense this year. It started with the Dolphins vs. the Patriots and soon became a gimmick that all teams used. If many teams are looking to their rivals for coaching trends, we have to wonder about the Quarterbacks in this league. Who is most in demand: the young guns or the old dogs?
We have all been inundated with Brett Favre stories and stats. Let’s face it: according to the media, Favre is the Miracle Man at the ripe old age of 39. But is he? Since Favre has come back to play and prove that his experience is still a valuable asset, other teams have come to rely on QBs of similar “advanced” age. Is this the NFL’s newest trend?
The Arizona Cardinals have the next most famous elder statesmen at the helm. At 37, Kurt Warner is once again the number one QB taking over for the highly touted young USC gun, Matt Leinert. While Warner has said in the past he knew he had more yet to offer, he wasn’t sure if a number one QB spot was in the cards. For Arizona, the switch to Warner has proved to be more than a blessing. Warner has not only led his team to the top spot in their Division, but the top spot with a considerable cushion.
We, at PossessionPoints.com,would be remiss if we overlooked two more seasoned QBs who have taken charge of most likely playoff – bound teams. First, is Kerry Collins who is 36 this season and second is Jeff Garcia of the Bucs who is 38. These two moved from backup status to starter after injuries and problems with younger QBs. Collins took over for Vince Young, supposedly the future of the Titans and has yet to lose while Garcia took over for Brian Griese, who while not exactly a young gun, was nonetheless considered the Bucs’ starter. One has to wonder if Garcia would have been the Dolphins’ QB had the Bucs succeeded in getting Favre instead of the Jets.
On the other side of the argument is the success that two rookies are having in the League this year. Conventional wisdom in the NFL has always been that young QBs need to sit and learn in order to become a successful leader of the team. If a team was forced to use a rookie QB as a starter, that team usually resigned itself to a losing or mediocre season. This year, two NFL teams threw caution to the wind and started Joe Flacco in Baltimore and Matt Ryan in Atlanta. While NFL experts viewed Ryan as the future of the beleaguered Falcons who thought they had nothing to lose by starting this season, Flacco was seen as a probable back-up behind both Kyle Boller and second-year man, Troy Smith. Injuries to Boller and a weird unrelenting viral infection to Smith, forced Flacco into the limelight. Both rookies have led their teams into some degree of surprising success in that both teams have a shot at the playoffs.
So, which trend might NFL teams follow after this season? If we take the hint from Minnesota, we might say that experience counts more. When Tavaris Jackson began to struggle this season, The Vikings had a choice in his replacement. On their roster, they had an “old” 37-year-old journeyman QB in Gus Frerotte and a rookie from USC, the football powerhouse, John David Booty. In a year when Quarterbacks from Boston College and University of Delaware are making their marks, you would think a rookie from USC would be ushered in easily. But the Vikings chose experience and have had great success.
When this season is done, and the Lombardi Trophy is handed out, it might well be which QB is holding the trophy that determines which direction teams will go next season. If a Manning is holding that trophy - well, all bets are off!
We have all been inundated with Brett Favre stories and stats. Let’s face it: according to the media, Favre is the Miracle Man at the ripe old age of 39. But is he? Since Favre has come back to play and prove that his experience is still a valuable asset, other teams have come to rely on QBs of similar “advanced” age. Is this the NFL’s newest trend?
The Arizona Cardinals have the next most famous elder statesmen at the helm. At 37, Kurt Warner is once again the number one QB taking over for the highly touted young USC gun, Matt Leinert. While Warner has said in the past he knew he had more yet to offer, he wasn’t sure if a number one QB spot was in the cards. For Arizona, the switch to Warner has proved to be more than a blessing. Warner has not only led his team to the top spot in their Division, but the top spot with a considerable cushion.
We, at PossessionPoints.com,would be remiss if we overlooked two more seasoned QBs who have taken charge of most likely playoff – bound teams. First, is Kerry Collins who is 36 this season and second is Jeff Garcia of the Bucs who is 38. These two moved from backup status to starter after injuries and problems with younger QBs. Collins took over for Vince Young, supposedly the future of the Titans and has yet to lose while Garcia took over for Brian Griese, who while not exactly a young gun, was nonetheless considered the Bucs’ starter. One has to wonder if Garcia would have been the Dolphins’ QB had the Bucs succeeded in getting Favre instead of the Jets.
On the other side of the argument is the success that two rookies are having in the League this year. Conventional wisdom in the NFL has always been that young QBs need to sit and learn in order to become a successful leader of the team. If a team was forced to use a rookie QB as a starter, that team usually resigned itself to a losing or mediocre season. This year, two NFL teams threw caution to the wind and started Joe Flacco in Baltimore and Matt Ryan in Atlanta. While NFL experts viewed Ryan as the future of the beleaguered Falcons who thought they had nothing to lose by starting this season, Flacco was seen as a probable back-up behind both Kyle Boller and second-year man, Troy Smith. Injuries to Boller and a weird unrelenting viral infection to Smith, forced Flacco into the limelight. Both rookies have led their teams into some degree of surprising success in that both teams have a shot at the playoffs.
So, which trend might NFL teams follow after this season? If we take the hint from Minnesota, we might say that experience counts more. When Tavaris Jackson began to struggle this season, The Vikings had a choice in his replacement. On their roster, they had an “old” 37-year-old journeyman QB in Gus Frerotte and a rookie from USC, the football powerhouse, John David Booty. In a year when Quarterbacks from Boston College and University of Delaware are making their marks, you would think a rookie from USC would be ushered in easily. But the Vikings chose experience and have had great success.
When this season is done, and the Lombardi Trophy is handed out, it might well be which QB is holding the trophy that determines which direction teams will go next season. If a Manning is holding that trophy - well, all bets are off!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
NFL Big Games for Week 12
It is crunch time in the NFL, and time for the teams who want to make the playoffs to either step up or pack up. We believe that there are no less than five big games of the 16 contests to be played this week.
The first on the PossessionPoints.com Big Game list is the Jets visiting the undefeated Titans. This game features two of the “elder statesmen” of the Quarterback position (We will have more on QBs in a separate article this weekend). Anyone following the NFL this year is waiting to see if any chinks exist in the Titans’ armor. The Jets and Titans are the number 4 and Number 5 teams in our RPM measure as well as the current top-rated teams in the AFC. While the Titans’ lead in their division appears secure, the Jets have a slight and vulnerable 1-game lead in their division. From that point of view, we would say that this game is bigger for the Jets than the Titans. However, the Titans would like to pick up where the Patriots left off last season and pave that perfect path to the Super Bowl.
Our second big game features the two teams that are nipping at the heels of the Jets in the AFC East: the Patriots and the Dolphins in Miami. The Patriots are looking to avenge an earlier one-sided loss to the Dolphins this season. These two teams appear to be playoff caliber as they are both in the top half of our RPM standings. The winner of this game will see their playoff hopes rise while the loser will find a very tough road ahead to the playoffs. This game is equally important for both teams.
The third big game is an inter-conference game as the Eagles visit the Ravens. The Eagles and Ravens are both in our top ten in our RPM, but neither of them are currently leading their divisions. Both teams have four losses and certainly need every win they can muster if they want to advance to the playoffs. In the preseason, few expected the Ravens to be a potential playoff contender, while many expected the Eagles to go far. Over the last few weeks, their positions have switched. The Eagles need to rebound to their early season form if they hope to keep their slim playoff hopes alive while the Ravens possess a chance of attaining a playoff spot by earning a wildcard spot or perhaps by overtaking the Steelers who are one game ahead of them in the Division.
Our next big game features two AFC teams fighting for their playoff lives. The Colts have seemed to have found their voice and legs and are taking their game on the road to San Diego to face the Chargers who have been inconsistent at best. The Chargers at 4-6 are probably not looking at a wildcard. They need to overtake the Broncos who are two games ahead of them in their Division. The Colts do have a shot at a wildcard and virtually no shot at their Division Title as they are four games behind the Titans. This contest is extremely important for both teams and definitely an example of where the winner steps up and the loser packs up.
Finally, we want to talk about the game where our Number 1 RPM team meets our Number 2 RPM team. If the BCS could only get so lucky with these stats, their lives would be easier. Neither one of these teams are looking at packing up, but the winner of this game may well identify who the “class” of the NFC really is. Should the Cardinals win, there is a strong possibility that the Cardinals and Giants could both earn first-round byes in the playoffs. The Panthers, who are currently at 8-2, are also looking at that possibility. We would view this as a bigger game for the Cardinals both for their own confidence and as a way to legitimize themselves as a power team in the NFC. For some reason, many experts have downplayed the Cardinals’ success this season and are insistent upon owing that success to playing in a very weak division.
Enjoy the games! This is going to be an exciting, important and decisive week.
The first on the PossessionPoints.com Big Game list is the Jets visiting the undefeated Titans. This game features two of the “elder statesmen” of the Quarterback position (We will have more on QBs in a separate article this weekend). Anyone following the NFL this year is waiting to see if any chinks exist in the Titans’ armor. The Jets and Titans are the number 4 and Number 5 teams in our RPM measure as well as the current top-rated teams in the AFC. While the Titans’ lead in their division appears secure, the Jets have a slight and vulnerable 1-game lead in their division. From that point of view, we would say that this game is bigger for the Jets than the Titans. However, the Titans would like to pick up where the Patriots left off last season and pave that perfect path to the Super Bowl.
Our second big game features the two teams that are nipping at the heels of the Jets in the AFC East: the Patriots and the Dolphins in Miami. The Patriots are looking to avenge an earlier one-sided loss to the Dolphins this season. These two teams appear to be playoff caliber as they are both in the top half of our RPM standings. The winner of this game will see their playoff hopes rise while the loser will find a very tough road ahead to the playoffs. This game is equally important for both teams.
The third big game is an inter-conference game as the Eagles visit the Ravens. The Eagles and Ravens are both in our top ten in our RPM, but neither of them are currently leading their divisions. Both teams have four losses and certainly need every win they can muster if they want to advance to the playoffs. In the preseason, few expected the Ravens to be a potential playoff contender, while many expected the Eagles to go far. Over the last few weeks, their positions have switched. The Eagles need to rebound to their early season form if they hope to keep their slim playoff hopes alive while the Ravens possess a chance of attaining a playoff spot by earning a wildcard spot or perhaps by overtaking the Steelers who are one game ahead of them in the Division.
Our next big game features two AFC teams fighting for their playoff lives. The Colts have seemed to have found their voice and legs and are taking their game on the road to San Diego to face the Chargers who have been inconsistent at best. The Chargers at 4-6 are probably not looking at a wildcard. They need to overtake the Broncos who are two games ahead of them in their Division. The Colts do have a shot at a wildcard and virtually no shot at their Division Title as they are four games behind the Titans. This contest is extremely important for both teams and definitely an example of where the winner steps up and the loser packs up.
Finally, we want to talk about the game where our Number 1 RPM team meets our Number 2 RPM team. If the BCS could only get so lucky with these stats, their lives would be easier. Neither one of these teams are looking at packing up, but the winner of this game may well identify who the “class” of the NFC really is. Should the Cardinals win, there is a strong possibility that the Cardinals and Giants could both earn first-round byes in the playoffs. The Panthers, who are currently at 8-2, are also looking at that possibility. We would view this as a bigger game for the Cardinals both for their own confidence and as a way to legitimize themselves as a power team in the NFC. For some reason, many experts have downplayed the Cardinals’ success this season and are insistent upon owing that success to playing in a very weak division.
Enjoy the games! This is going to be an exciting, important and decisive week.
NFL Performance Rankings Week 11
This week in the NFL, the Giants hold on to their number 1 position, and the Cardinals are biting at their heels at number 2. These two teams are the only two teams with a Green RPM in the PossessionPoints.com Performance Charts. However, this week something big has got to happen since the Giants play the Cardinals in Arizona. There will be more on this game in our Big Games of the Week Column.
We are quite surprised with the team that is in the Number 3 position: The Philadelphia Eagles. At 5-4-1, they are obviously above .500, but their performance has proved lackluster at best. We have to admit that the Eagles have always been the team to befuddle our measures and, of course, their fans with their game performances both on the win and loss side. In 2006, there were 7 games where a team with a Green Sweep lost. The Eagles were the winners in three of those odds-defying games which is why we are not too shocked to see their RPM remain high while their record falters. One day, we and the fans of Philadelphia will figure out this team. On another note, the Eagles will also be mentioned in our Big Games column as well.
As you can see from the Red and Green on the right side of the chart, there was a great deal of movement by teams in the middle of the pack. Because of their one-sided win which earned them our Top Dog Performance of the Week, the Packers have re-established themselves as the favorite to win the NFC North in our view despite the fact that it is currently a three-way tie with the Vikings and Bears.
The Colts still remain in the bottom half of the RPM, but they are steadily making progress and have climbed out of our RPM Red zone. They can thank their lucky wins in the earlier part of their season which helped them stay in contention for a playoff spot. If they continue to play with a positive RPM in this half of the season, they certainly can make the playoffs although it will be a tough road at best. There are three other teams who like the Colts have a 6-4 record and who are vying for a playoff berth: the Patriots, Dolphins and Ravens.
At this time, we would also like to pronounce the death of the playoff hopes of the teams who are all Red at the bottom of our RPM chart. These teams include the Chiefs in the 27th spot with a 1-9 record; the Lions who are at 28 with a 0-10 record; the 29th place Raiders at 2-8; the Bengals with a 1-8-1 record followed by the Seahawks and Rams, both with a 2-8 record.
We are quite surprised with the team that is in the Number 3 position: The Philadelphia Eagles. At 5-4-1, they are obviously above .500, but their performance has proved lackluster at best. We have to admit that the Eagles have always been the team to befuddle our measures and, of course, their fans with their game performances both on the win and loss side. In 2006, there were 7 games where a team with a Green Sweep lost. The Eagles were the winners in three of those odds-defying games which is why we are not too shocked to see their RPM remain high while their record falters. One day, we and the fans of Philadelphia will figure out this team. On another note, the Eagles will also be mentioned in our Big Games column as well.
As you can see from the Red and Green on the right side of the chart, there was a great deal of movement by teams in the middle of the pack. Because of their one-sided win which earned them our Top Dog Performance of the Week, the Packers have re-established themselves as the favorite to win the NFC North in our view despite the fact that it is currently a three-way tie with the Vikings and Bears.
The Colts still remain in the bottom half of the RPM, but they are steadily making progress and have climbed out of our RPM Red zone. They can thank their lucky wins in the earlier part of their season which helped them stay in contention for a playoff spot. If they continue to play with a positive RPM in this half of the season, they certainly can make the playoffs although it will be a tough road at best. There are three other teams who like the Colts have a 6-4 record and who are vying for a playoff berth: the Patriots, Dolphins and Ravens.
At this time, we would also like to pronounce the death of the playoff hopes of the teams who are all Red at the bottom of our RPM chart. These teams include the Chiefs in the 27th spot with a 1-9 record; the Lions who are at 28 with a 0-10 record; the 29th place Raiders at 2-8; the Bengals with a 1-8-1 record followed by the Seahawks and Rams, both with a 2-8 record.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
NFL Big Games for Week 11
This week, one of the biggest games is the very first one on the schedule. The Thursday night game between the Jets and Patriots offer serious repercussions. Right now, the Jets and Patriots are tied atop the AFC East at 6-3. While we forecast an extremely close game,PossessionPoints.com is giving the edge to the home Patriots. Even with this win, our glimpse into the future would have both the Jets and Patriots winding up their seasons at 11-5. Therefore, a win here by the Jets, could truly put them in the driver seat for their Division.
Another important contest is between the NY Giants and the Baltimore Ravens. While this game may not dictate the playoff future of either the Giants or the Ravens, it does help identify if one or both teams represent the “cream of the crop” or a Super Bowl contender. As of now, the Giants are our number 1 team in our Performance Rankings while the Ravens hold the number 5 spot. These teams are the highest ranked teams to be playing each other this week.
The last big game we want to highlight may not seem that big, but it pits the 6-3 Arizona Cardinals against the 2-7 Seattle Seahawks. We mention this game because the Cardinals are emerging as a top-flight team this season, while the Seahawks, who were the class of this Division in recent years, have fallen. The Seahawks are traditionally very tough at home, so the Cardinals get the chance to prove themselves in what may be their toughest remaining Division game.
Another important contest is between the NY Giants and the Baltimore Ravens. While this game may not dictate the playoff future of either the Giants or the Ravens, it does help identify if one or both teams represent the “cream of the crop” or a Super Bowl contender. As of now, the Giants are our number 1 team in our Performance Rankings while the Ravens hold the number 5 spot. These teams are the highest ranked teams to be playing each other this week.
The last big game we want to highlight may not seem that big, but it pits the 6-3 Arizona Cardinals against the 2-7 Seattle Seahawks. We mention this game because the Cardinals are emerging as a top-flight team this season, while the Seahawks, who were the class of this Division in recent years, have fallen. The Seahawks are traditionally very tough at home, so the Cardinals get the chance to prove themselves in what may be their toughest remaining Division game.
NFL Performance Rankings Week 10
This week, the Giants continue to hold on to their number 1 position. With their win over the Philadelphia Eagles, the Giants now have a full two-game lead in the NFC East. The number 2 team on the PossessionPoints.com Performance Rankings list will be a surprise to most people: The Arizona Cardinals. We will not get much of an argument over our number 3 team, the 9-0 Titans - except from those Tennessee fans who insist they should be at number 1. To be honest, the difference between the three top teams is not that great, and all three are in the PossessionPoints.com “Green” zone. When a team makes it “Green” in a single game, they win more than 90 percent of the time. The Performance Rankings are based on the season average so far, so to be “Green” in the Performance Rankings designates high-quality performance.
This week, we would like to spend some time examining the top three teams. The Cardinals have been near the top of our rankings all season including Week 5 when they held the number 2 spot with a 3-2 record. Since that time, their record has improved to 6-3. During Week 5, the Giants were still number 1 with a 4-0 record, and the Titans earned the number 3 spot also with a 4-0 record. Keep in mind that our Performance Rankings are based solely on in-game statistical performance. Again we stress, we do not take into account any subjective or emotional factors; we do not even take into account wins and losses. Wins and losses are a natural byproduct of our Performance measure: winning teams do well and losing teams do poorly.
In Week 5, while the Cardinals had two losses and the Giants and Titans had none, there were seven one-loss teams that were ranked below the Cardinals. Since that point in time, only one of those teams, the Panthers, have had as good a winning percentage as the Cardinals with three more wins and one loss. There were two teams that have gone 2-2 since that time as well, and they are the Redskins and Steelers. The Cowboys, Bills and Broncos, who were all 4-1 at Week 5, have since gone 1-3 to have a total record of 5-4. You will now find these teams at our number 22, 23 and 24 positions in our Rankings. So, needless to say, we do not feel the least bit remorseful at ranking the Cardinals at the number 2 spot back in Week 5 or now.
Let’s have some fun and take a closer look at the past of the top three teams and what the road ahead may look like. The Cardinals’ past opponents have a combined record of 40 wins and 41 losses. Their past opponents’ combined Relative Performance Measure or RPM is a poor -87. Many may think that the poor performance of their opponents is the reason why the Cardinals have done so well on our chart, but if you accept that you must say the same is true for the Giants and Titans. The Giants’ past opponents have a combined record of 32-49 and a -67 RPM while the Titans’ past opponents have a 34-47 record and a -54 RPM. This demonstrates that the strength of the opponents that the Cardinals faced is on an even par with those of the Giants and Titans.
If we look into the future, the Cardinals’ future opponents have a combined record of 30-33 and an RPM of -28. The Giants’ have a tough road ahead as their future opponents have a combined record of 40-23 and a +174 RPM. The Titans should cruise into the playoffs as their future opponents have a record of 27-36 and a -30 RPM.
If the Giants hold their number 1 ranking throughout the second half of the season while facing such a challenging schedule, we will be truly impressed. We won’t be surprised to see them fall back some in the RPM. However, remember that last year they won the Super Bowl after going 10-6 in the regular season.
Just for fun, we did look at some “traditional” power rankings. One had the Cardinals at number 6 – unchanged from Week 9 and the other had the Cardinals at number 8– up from number 9 in Week 9. Hopefully, the Cardinals will look at the Performance Rankings of PossessionPoints.com and realize that their team is as good as the Rankings say they are. Confidence is a huge part of football, and can make or break winners.
Not to neglect the bottom 5, they consist of the same teams as last week in a slightly different order. At the bottom of our rankings at 32 are the 2-7 Rams preceded closely by the 0-9 Lions, the 2-7 Seahawks, the 1-8 Bengals and the 2-7 Raiders.
This week, we would like to spend some time examining the top three teams. The Cardinals have been near the top of our rankings all season including Week 5 when they held the number 2 spot with a 3-2 record. Since that time, their record has improved to 6-3. During Week 5, the Giants were still number 1 with a 4-0 record, and the Titans earned the number 3 spot also with a 4-0 record. Keep in mind that our Performance Rankings are based solely on in-game statistical performance. Again we stress, we do not take into account any subjective or emotional factors; we do not even take into account wins and losses. Wins and losses are a natural byproduct of our Performance measure: winning teams do well and losing teams do poorly.
In Week 5, while the Cardinals had two losses and the Giants and Titans had none, there were seven one-loss teams that were ranked below the Cardinals. Since that point in time, only one of those teams, the Panthers, have had as good a winning percentage as the Cardinals with three more wins and one loss. There were two teams that have gone 2-2 since that time as well, and they are the Redskins and Steelers. The Cowboys, Bills and Broncos, who were all 4-1 at Week 5, have since gone 1-3 to have a total record of 5-4. You will now find these teams at our number 22, 23 and 24 positions in our Rankings. So, needless to say, we do not feel the least bit remorseful at ranking the Cardinals at the number 2 spot back in Week 5 or now.
Let’s have some fun and take a closer look at the past of the top three teams and what the road ahead may look like. The Cardinals’ past opponents have a combined record of 40 wins and 41 losses. Their past opponents’ combined Relative Performance Measure or RPM is a poor -87. Many may think that the poor performance of their opponents is the reason why the Cardinals have done so well on our chart, but if you accept that you must say the same is true for the Giants and Titans. The Giants’ past opponents have a combined record of 32-49 and a -67 RPM while the Titans’ past opponents have a 34-47 record and a -54 RPM. This demonstrates that the strength of the opponents that the Cardinals faced is on an even par with those of the Giants and Titans.
If we look into the future, the Cardinals’ future opponents have a combined record of 30-33 and an RPM of -28. The Giants’ have a tough road ahead as their future opponents have a combined record of 40-23 and a +174 RPM. The Titans should cruise into the playoffs as their future opponents have a record of 27-36 and a -30 RPM.
If the Giants hold their number 1 ranking throughout the second half of the season while facing such a challenging schedule, we will be truly impressed. We won’t be surprised to see them fall back some in the RPM. However, remember that last year they won the Super Bowl after going 10-6 in the regular season.
Just for fun, we did look at some “traditional” power rankings. One had the Cardinals at number 6 – unchanged from Week 9 and the other had the Cardinals at number 8– up from number 9 in Week 9. Hopefully, the Cardinals will look at the Performance Rankings of PossessionPoints.com and realize that their team is as good as the Rankings say they are. Confidence is a huge part of football, and can make or break winners.
Not to neglect the bottom 5, they consist of the same teams as last week in a slightly different order. At the bottom of our rankings at 32 are the 2-7 Rams preceded closely by the 0-9 Lions, the 2-7 Seahawks, the 1-8 Bengals and the 2-7 Raiders.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
NFL Performance Rankings Week 9
This week, the Giants hold the top spot on PossessionPoints.com’s Performance Rankings. The Giants improved their record to 7-1 which helps them maintain their lone position as leader of the NFC East. In the number 2 spot are the 5-3 Philadelphia Eagles who vaulted from number 5 to second place because of their throttling of the Seahawks. The Cardinals remain the number 3 team at 5-3.
The Eagles and Cardinals are good examples of the uniqueness of the Performance Rankings of PossessionPoints.com. You will not find many power rankings placing these two teams above the 8-0 Titans. However, by virtue of their strong performances, the Eagles and Cardinals have earned their slots. The 8-0 Titans do hold the number 4 position. You will see in our chart that these teams are painted Green which highlights the fact that they have the highest RPMs in the NFL. Remember, PossessionPoints is based on our exclusive in-game statistic - not bias or opinion.
The Teams that are shaded Red depict a pretty hapless group. The Chart shows the 2-6Seahawks, the 1-7 Chiefs, the 0-8 Lions, the 1-8 Bengals, the 2-6 Raiders and the 2-6Rams.
In the middle of the pack or the Yellow zone, there was not a whole lot of movement; however, there were some teams that made strides. The Dolphins moved from 19 to 10 in our chart, and the Steelers jumped from 17 to 7. Dropping significantly were the Redskins who fell from 13 to 20. They also saw their RPM turn negative for the first time this year. Despite their 6-3 record, the Redskins must turn their performances around to maintain their place or gain ground in the NFC East.
The Eagles and Cardinals are good examples of the uniqueness of the Performance Rankings of PossessionPoints.com. You will not find many power rankings placing these two teams above the 8-0 Titans. However, by virtue of their strong performances, the Eagles and Cardinals have earned their slots. The 8-0 Titans do hold the number 4 position. You will see in our chart that these teams are painted Green which highlights the fact that they have the highest RPMs in the NFL. Remember, PossessionPoints is based on our exclusive in-game statistic - not bias or opinion.
The Teams that are shaded Red depict a pretty hapless group. The Chart shows the 2-6Seahawks, the 1-7 Chiefs, the 0-8 Lions, the 1-8 Bengals, the 2-6 Raiders and the 2-6Rams.
In the middle of the pack or the Yellow zone, there was not a whole lot of movement; however, there were some teams that made strides. The Dolphins moved from 19 to 10 in our chart, and the Steelers jumped from 17 to 7. Dropping significantly were the Redskins who fell from 13 to 20. They also saw their RPM turn negative for the first time this year. Despite their 6-3 record, the Redskins must turn their performances around to maintain their place or gain ground in the NFC East.
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