NFL Barometer: Week 13

How ’bout them Bears? Chicago’s defense is looking fearsome and has the Bears thinking they can beat anyone. This week, the Bears are the top mover in our Barometer, jumping from #11 all the way to a tie with Pittsburgh for the sixth spot. And speaking of climbers, don’t look now, but Brad Johnson has lifted the once woeful Vikings into the top half of the chart…

To compile these rankings, we asked several Cafe members who know their football to rank the NFL’s 32 teams from worst to first. Combining these rankings allows us to take a look at where each team stands at this point of the 2005 NFL campaign.

Rank	Change	TEAM	Avg Rank	d a n r	h a w k	S w i p e	A r l o
1 (1)		Indianapolis	1.0	1	1	1	1
The Colts can win against any team in any way. Offense, defense, special teams. Its all there.
2 (2)		Denver	2.3	2	2	3	2
Mike Shanahan’s squad got away with one on Turkey Day, but the good teams will find a way to beat other good teams on the road.
3 (4)		Cincinnati	3.5	3	4	4	3
The offense is starting to take the pressure off the defense. This week’s game in Pittsburgh is huge.
4 (3)		Seattle	4.5	4	8	2	4
I’ll get by with a little help from my friends … or my opponent’s kicker. Either one works.
5 (6)		San Diego	5.8	5	6	7	5
The rest of the AFC is hoping that these guys won’t make the playoffs. Their schedule has been brutal; in the NFC, they might be the top seed.
6-T (4)		Pittsburgh	7.3	6	9	8	6
This team is in trouble with injuries, lack of offense, and lack of confidence. Can the Steelers get their momentum back with a win against the Bengals?
6-T (11)		Chicago	7.3	11	5	5	8
That’s seven in a row. Wasn’t this team 1-3 not that long ago?
8 (9)		Carolina	7.8	7	11	6	7
What happened to the offense?
9 (8)		Dallas	9.0	12	3	12	9
The Cowboys probably should have won last week, but they looked better against the Broncos than anybody else so far this year.
10 (10)		New York Giants	9.8	9	7	11	12
Oh, Mr. Feely.
11 (7)		Jacksonville	10.5	8	14	9	11
Losing Byron Leftwich probably won’t be as crippling as you might think. David Garrard manages the offense well, but Lefty needs to be back for the playoffs
12 (13)		Atlanta	11.3	10	12	13	10
The Falcons enjoyed a nice bounce-back game against the hapless Lions, but the two previous home losses have this team scrambling for the playoffs.
13 (12)		Kansas City	12.3	13	13	10	13
Run, Larry, run. Johnson may carry Vermeil to the wild card at this rate.
14 (15)		Tampa Bay	13.8	16	10	15	14
The Bucs suffered a tough loss at home to a good Bears team. Chris Simms kept them in it, but Matt Bryant blew it. It will be tough for Tampa Bay to make the playoffs in the competitive NFC South.
15 (14)		New England	14.8	14	16	14	15
Big problems here: Tom Brady needs to play better even though a weak AFC east should guarantee the Pats the #4 playoff spot.
16 (18)		Minnesota	16.0	17	15	16	16
Brad Johnson is now 4-0 as a starter.
17 (16)		Washington	17.3	18	17	17	17
Major choke job on Sunday. LaDainian Tomlinson is good, but don’t you have to be waiting for him? I mean, he is the best player in football.
18 (19)		Philadelphia	17.8	15	18	19	19
Mike McMahon is better than people give him credit for, and the defense is stepping up. The Eagles are playing for pride now and hoping that Donovan McNabb is 100% for training camp next year.
19 (22)		St. Louis	19.8	19	24	18	18
Harvard? Does Harvard even have a football team?
20 (17)		Oakland	20.5	21	20	21	20
What happened to Randy Moss? Does he still play football? The Raiders have the most explosive player in football and he gets four looks a game. Poor coaching.
21 (21)		Buffalo	21.0	20	22	20	22
JP Losman better be learning fast because if Leinart or Quinn are around next year…
22 (25)		Miami	22.0	22	19	23	24
Jason Taylor was off the hook with a forced fumble and three sacks. These Dolphins don’t have quit in them with veteran leadership like Taylor and Zach Thomas.
23 (23)		Cleveland	24.0	23	28	22	23
Romeo Crennel is taking longer than we all thought, but he’ll get things turned around.
24 (20)		Baltimore	24.5	24	27	26	21
So much for that vaunted defense. The Bengals looked like they were doing seven-on-seven drills.
25 (24)		Arizona	24.8	26	21	25	27
No running game plus no defense equals a mediocre football team.
26 (27)		Tennessee	25.0	25	25	24	26
The salary cap destroyed this team, and Steve McNair will probably join Brett Favre in retirement next year. Is Billy Volek the future?
27 (26)		Green Bay	26.0	28	23	28	25
Brett Favre needs to sit and let Aaron Rodgers get some playing time. The season is done (even though every game is close), and the Packers have to start thinking about the future.
28 (29)		New Orleans	27.0	27	26	27	28
Unfortunately, beating the Jets is not impressive. At all.
29 (28)		Detroit	30.0	29	32	29	30
Matt Millen blamed Mooch for his own problems. They should both be gone, but the Lions are doomed to more of Millen for the foreseeable future.
30 (31)		New York Jets	30.3	32	29	31	29
This team is a mess. The Jets need playmakers at all the skill positions, and Herm Edwards may be moving on. A lot depends on the health of Chad Pennington’s shoulder.
31 (30)		San Francisco	30.8	30	31	30	32
How many QBs has this team started this year? Cody Pickett, Ken Dorsey, Tim Rattay, Alex Smith… Who’s next? Jeff George?
32 (32)		Houston	31.0	31	30	32	31
Whew. The Texans remembered just in time that wins don’t count and the important thing is getting Reggie Bush.

Legend
danr = danielrp
hawk = black_hawk8888
Swipe = SwiperNoSwiping

A big thank you to the football buffs who contributed to these rankings!

NFL Barometer: Week 13

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