The Jerusalem Post

With Saints and 49ers falling, who takes over No. 1?

- • By NATE DAVIS

The NFL Power Rankings by nature look at what teams have done thus far, but this week we’re looking ahead. With six or seven games left on the schedule, there are some matchups that loom larger than others in deciding how the story of the 2019 season will be written.

Some of these matchups will determine playoff seeding (49ers-Saints looks particular­ly fun). Others will decide the 2020 NFL draft order (see the Dolphins/Bengals/New York duo royal rumble). And still others involve fringe playoff contenders looking to stay alive.

Here are our NFL power rankings, heading into Week 11:

1. Baltimore Ravens (7-2): League’s most explosive offense – and new MVP front runner Lamar Jackson (?) – deserves the accolades. But ascending defense first to record TDs of 65-plus yards in three straight games since 1970 merger.

2. New England Patriots (8-1): Super Bowl LII rematch in Philadelph­ia looms all the more important with Baltimore now one game from moving into top slot of AFC’s projected playoff field. 3. San Francisco 49ers (8-1):

Gut-wrenching way to suffer season’s first defeat, but don’t forget San Francisco didn’t get help from injured George Kittle or Emmanuel Sanders.

4. New Orleans Saints (7-2): They laid egg size of a New Orleans hangover Sunday, but let’s not read too much into it. Nine points their fewest scored at home with Drew Brees at helm.

5. Seattle Seahawks (8-2): Upended Niners courtesy of their most impressive performanc­e of uneven season. Acquisitio­ns of Josh Gordon and Quandre Diggs could really help a team that needed play makers beyond Russell Wilson.

6. Green Bay Packers (8-2): It sounds heretical, but Aaron Jones – now tied for league lead with 14 touchdowns – is currently the top-performing “Aaron” for this bunch.

7. Minnesota Vikings (7-3): Don’t look now, but Kirk Cousins is 2-0 in primetime games this year. Good thing because Minnesota is scheduled to have at least three more.

8. Houston Texans (6-3): If Deshaun Watson and Lamar Jackson can replicate fireworks from their 2016 college showdown, then Houston-Baltimore will be game of the week.

9. Kansas City Chiefs (6-4): Patrick Mahomes now owns most passing yards (8,007) and TDs (68) in any quarterbac­k’s first 25 NFL starts... but it may not be enough to save Kansas City when it counts.

10. Dallas Cowboys (5-4): They’re 4-0 in divisional games, 1-4 otherwise. Good news, bad news situation... bad news being Dallas only has two NFC East games left.

11. Philadelph­ia Eagles (5-4): Backing the Brinks truck up for a guard often a questionab­le move... but giving Brandon Brooks a $54 million extension could be a bargain.

12. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4): Minkah Fitzpatric­k now entering defensive player of year conversati­on, swiping league-best five passes in seven games with Pittsburgh.

13. Carolina Panthers (5-4): NFL-high 36 sacks accomplish­ed by copious committee. Carolina has eight players with at least three, but only Mario Addison (7) has surpassed 4½.

14. Indianapol­is Colts (5-4): In case you hadn’t realized how capably Jacoby Brissett has filled Andrew Luck’s shoes... welp, now you probably have pretty good idea.

15. Oakland Raiders (5-4): Unfair to compare rookie Clelin Ferrell and departed Khalil Mack, but let’s do it anyway. Ferrell has 3½ sacks... Mack had four his entire rookie year.

16. Los Angeles Rams (5-4): Defense accounted for nine of 12 points Sunday... which pretty much explains why Sean McVay suffered first regular-season loss to AFC team.

17. Buffalo Bills (6-3): Their play is getting incrementa­lly worse, and schedule forecasts incrementa­lly harder with Miami, Pittsburgh among opponents that no longer project as lay-ups.

18. Tennessee Titans (5-5): Ryan Tannehill would be league’s sixth-rated quarterbac­k if he’d played enough to qualify in the rankings. He definitely qualifies as a season saver.

19. San Diego Chargers (4-6): Key injuries .. Philip Rivers trying to do too much .. off-field distractio­ns... we’ve definitely entered “same-old Chargers” territory.

20. Jacksonvil­le Jaguars (4-5): Fun fact – over course of his career, Nick Foles’ passer rating improves each successive month... so November/December exactly when you want him.

21. Chicago Bears (4-5): Mitch Trubisky is fair game, but remember that Chicago’s 36 takeaways in 2018 greatly aided him and offense. Team has 12 takeaways so far this year.

22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6): Fair or not, NFL’s Next Gen Stats can be really unkind. Bucs’ Breshad Perriman currently has league’s worst catch percentage (32.1%).

23. Arizona Cardinals (3-6-1): Christian Kirk snagged three TD passes Sunday, matching output from his first 18 games. If he gets going, “Air Raid” could reach new level.

24. Atlanta Falcons (2-7): Too little, too late for this team... almost surely too little, too late for Dan Quinn, maybe even GM Thomas Dimitroff. But this team can play.

25. Denver Broncos (3-6): We could be in for the quarterbac­k battle America never wanted – Brandon Allen vs Drew Lock with rookie set to resume practicing this week.

26. Cleveland Browns (3-6): Odell Beckham had three red-zone targets all year prior to Sunday, then got three in a single drive – two resulting in pass interferen­ce penalties.

27. Detroit Lions (3-5-1): Is Kenny Golladay most dangerous deep threat we don’t discuss? Back to those Next Gen Stats, no player averages more targeted air yards than his 16.5.

28. Miami Dolphins (2-7): Now just imagine if they’d held on to Minkah Fitzpatric­k... they’d be – what – very possibly 3-6?

29. New York Jets (2-7): Through 19 career starts, Sam Darnold has 24 TD passes and 24 INTs. Lots of work to do if he’s to get well clear of the dreaded Sanchez Line.

30. New York Giants (2-8): Real bummer watching Saquon Barkley get squandered to the tune of 27 yards over his past 28 carries. No wonder his dad roots for the Jets.

31. Washington Redskins (1-8): Probably right call to start Dwayne Haskins down the homestretc­h – though given supporting cast’s state, how much can be gleaned from his performanc­e?

32. Cincinnati Bengals (0-9): Sorry, Ryan Finley, but NFL ain’t fair (ask Andy Dalton). Bet here is you’ve got seven more games to convince Cincinnati not to draft another QB No. 1. (USA Today/TNS)

On TV: NFL Week 11: Sunday: Dallas Cowboys at Detroit Lions (live on METV at 8 p.m.); New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (live on Sport5+Live at 8 p.m.); New England Patriots at Philadelph­ia Eagles (live on METV at 11 p.m.); Chicago Bears at Los Angeles Rams (live on Sport5 at 3:20 a.m.). Monday: Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers (live on Sport5 at 3:15 a.m.).

 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Israel