After I failed to post the rankings last week, I'm back at it. You're still going to hate my Miami ranking, but I'm telling you, the Dolphins are dangerous. There was actually some shake-up on the back end this week, too, so don't stop reading after number 10. Oh, and the "last week" and "change" categories are actually talking about last week. Remember, I had them done, but couldn't get them up here. So, here we go ...
1. New Orleans Saints (last week's rank: 1; change: 0): They've been living on the edge the past two weeks, but still managing to win nonetheless. The defense isn't great, but with that offense, it doesn't need to be.
2. Indianapolis Colts (2; 0): Many other teams with they were in the position where a "bad game" consists of beating a desperate, motivated team without playing that well.
3. Minnesota Vikings (7; +3): The Vikings leapfrog three teams with byes with their impressive win in Lambeau. Is you-know-who's arm going to hold out?
4. Denver Broncos (3; -1): This is a temporary one point fall, but don't you get the feeling this is only the beginning of the deluge?
5. New England Patriots (4; -1): By the end of the next four weeks (games against Miami, Indianapolis, New York Jets and New Orleans), it's not unrealistic to think New England could be at the top of these rankings.
6. Cincinnati Bengals (5; -1): The Bengals are 1-4-1 coming off of bye weeks under Marvin Lewis. If they make it 1-5-1 this week, the 2009 Bengals doubters will return in full force.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (6; -1): Denver didn't look very good against Baltimore, but Pittsbugh fans would be foolish to think that going into Denver on a Monday night will be an easy win.
8. Philadelphia Eagles (9; +1): Philadelphia's "A" game is better than anyone else in the league's "A" game. They don't bring it consistently during the regular season, but it's something to watch for come playoff time.
9. Dallas Cowboys (10; +1): I hate to be that guy, but it's no surprise Dallas is moving up in the top 10: it's November, not December.
10. Baltimore Ravens (14; +4): That was a season-saving victory against the Broncos this week. Now they just need another one in Cincinnati.
11. Atlanta Falcons (11; 0): On NFL GameDay Final on the NFL Network, Deion Sanders said that Joe Flacco is starting to leave Matt Ryan behind. After watching the Falcons-Saints game, I think I believe him.
12. Green Bay Packers (12; 0): There's no need for them to be upset about their 4-3 mark after week 8. If they win the games they're supposed to win (starting this week at Tampa Bay), they'll be fine.
13. Miami Dolphins (15; +2): Ted Ginn, Jr. What a game. It's great to see guys get bounce-back games like that. Maybe Miami's running game will have one against New England this week.
14. Houston Texans (18; +4): See "Stat of the Week 3." I really, REALLY, can't wrap my head around that.
15. San Diego Chargers (19; +4): An average ranking for an average team. 4-0 against sub-.500 teams, 0-3 against +.500.
16. Arizona Cardinals (13; -3): Arizona, I just don't understand. As the rest of the NFC West continues to be terrible, I suppose their bad losses don't matter that much, though.
17. New York Giants (8; -9): And the Giants get dropped into the bottom half of the league. Their defense hasn't been showing up and their offense isn't good enough to compensate.
18. Chicago Bears (20; +2): The Bears hope that their blowout against Cleveland got them back on track, and wasn't just an abberation because it was against Cleveland.
19. New York Jets (16; -3): And now New York fans are starting to feel a little bit of the pain Baltimore fans have felt for the past four years ... Just shut up, Bart Scott.
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (17; -3): That was a bad loss for Jacksonville to take. How could Maurice Jones-Drew only get eight carries in that game?
21. San Francisco 49ers (21; 0): Alex Smith played fairly well in San Francisco's tough loss to the Colts. Their defense sure played tough, tough.
22. Carolina Panthers (23; +1): Don't look now, but the Panthers are 3-4. You don't want your team to face them when they have their running game going.
23. Buffalo Bills (22; -1): Buffalo could have made a big statement against Houston, but they didn't. It's a shame Trent Edwards can't ever seem to stay healthy.
24. Seattle Seahawks (25; +1): Yea, they moved up one after losing by double digits to Dallas. I couldn't stomach Oakland being above them.
25. Tennessee Titans (30; +5): I respect Jeff Fisher for pulling the plug on Kerry Collins and I respect Vince Young for - at least temporarily - seeming to get it all together. I respect the Titans organization in general.
26. Oakland Raiders (24; -2): Donovan McNabb has 1/6 of the number of pass/catches to himself as Russell to Heyward-Bey.
27. Kansas City Chiefs (27; 0): I'll be sick if Larry Johnson gets another chance. Jamaal Charles has promise and should be playing.
28. Washington Redskins (29; +1): They get moved up one A) because the Browns are the Browns and B) because there's a resemblance of talent there that gives you a fleeting suspicion they could play better after their bye.
29. Cleveland Browns (28; -1): What good will firing your GM during the middle of the season possibly do? Someone find me this answer.
30. St. Louis Rams (32; +2): Their victory was overshadowed by one of the dumbest plays I have ever seen in professional football.
31. Detroit Lions (26; -5): Oh, Lions. You better pray Tampa goes winless or else you'll take your usual perch back.
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (31; -1): Dumbest call I've ever seen that I knew was going to be the dumbest call I would ever see when it was made: Jon Gruden, during the preseason, saying the Bucs would win 9 games.
Division Rankings: Woah! After three NFC divisions took numbers 1-3 a few weeks ago, this week, it's thee AFC divisions. There are a bunch of big interconference games the next few weeks that will be bound to shake this up.
1. AFC North (last week: 1): 13.00 average rank amongst the four teams
2. AFC East (3): 15.00
3. AFC South (6): 15.25
4. NFC East (2): 15.50
5. NFC North (4): 16.00
6. NFC South (5): 16.50
7. AFC West (7): 18.00
8. NFC West (8): 22.75
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Last Week's Power Rankings:
As promised, here's a brief overview of the power rankings I had assembled from last week that never got up here. I hate to post these right after Tyler puts the work into an actual post, so please scroll down.
Anyway, the top 10 was as follows:
1. New Orleans Saints
2. Indianapolis Colts
3. Denver Broncos
4. New England Patriots
5. Cincinnati Bengals
6. Pittsburgh Steelers
7. Minnesota Vikings
8. New York Giants
9. Philadelphia Eagles
10. Dallas Cowboys
The bottom 10 ... eh. You don't care about the bottom 10. Anyway, the "bye" question really comes in this week, with numbers 4, 5, and 6 all not playing. Minnesota certainly looked very good and had a great win at a good Green Bay team, but does that win make them better than the Steelers - who they just lost to - or the Bengals - who had beaten the Steelers? So you have to look at it that way. Meanwhile, Denver could fall a lot. Not really fair considering their one loss was on the road to a truly desperate team, but such is life. Everyone's still rooting for them, but I'm not sure anyone had their heart into rooting for the Broncos 100%.
Other teams I may not know what to do with this week:
13. Arizona Cardinals: All of a sudden, the Giants win doesn't look so great, does it?
18. Texans: If the playoffs started today, the Texans would be in them.
23. Carolina Panthers: They're 3-4, which means - assuming Atlanta loses tonight - they're a game back in the loss column behind other NFC playoff "contenders."
All this and more tomorrow.
Anyway, the top 10 was as follows:
1. New Orleans Saints
2. Indianapolis Colts
3. Denver Broncos
4. New England Patriots
5. Cincinnati Bengals
6. Pittsburgh Steelers
7. Minnesota Vikings
8. New York Giants
9. Philadelphia Eagles
10. Dallas Cowboys
The bottom 10 ... eh. You don't care about the bottom 10. Anyway, the "bye" question really comes in this week, with numbers 4, 5, and 6 all not playing. Minnesota certainly looked very good and had a great win at a good Green Bay team, but does that win make them better than the Steelers - who they just lost to - or the Bengals - who had beaten the Steelers? So you have to look at it that way. Meanwhile, Denver could fall a lot. Not really fair considering their one loss was on the road to a truly desperate team, but such is life. Everyone's still rooting for them, but I'm not sure anyone had their heart into rooting for the Broncos 100%.
Other teams I may not know what to do with this week:
13. Arizona Cardinals: All of a sudden, the Giants win doesn't look so great, does it?
18. Texans: If the playoffs started today, the Texans would be in them.
23. Carolina Panthers: They're 3-4, which means - assuming Atlanta loses tonight - they're a game back in the loss column behind other NFC playoff "contenders."
All this and more tomorrow.
Caps Face New Challenge
Sunday night, the Caps lost to the Blue Jackets in overtime. Not really a big deal. They got a point, and in the first 2 months of the season, the key thing is to maximize the number of points you can get. Yea, it's never good to lose, but the team can certainly bounce back and is still in good shape (only 2 regulation losses in 14 games).But the bigger story, without a doubt, was that Alex Ovechkin left the game with an apparent shoulder injury. You can read my game story here.
After the game, the big question was: "How long is he out for?"
Naturally, the Caps said he was day-to-day with an upper body injury. If you follow the team, you know that means that it could be anything from a minor foot injury to a season-ending neck injury.
On Monday, the team announced that Ovechkin's injury was an upper body strain and that he was "week-to-week." This was an interesting announcement, considering earlier that day Bruce Boudreau said he could play this weekend and Ovechkin said the injury wasn't serious. So, which one is it?
No matter what, the team has to figure out how to play without the best player in the world. The reigning MVP, Ovechkin was off to one of the best starts in his career - he led the league with 14 goals and 23 points in the month of October. They played the third period without him, and scored 3 goals. But that's a small sample size. Now they have to play New Jersey without their biggest threat and emotional leader. On paper, it sounds like a disaster.
But what if I told you it could be a good thing? You'd say I'm crazy, right? Well, maybe I am, but I think this could do wonders for this Caps team.
First of all, the team is forced to rally and learn how to score the gritty goals that they rarely get. 3 of their 4 goals were what I would call gritty goals. Laich's first one was a textbook rebound goal, his second one was a weak, low shot through a screen by Mike Knuble (who I'll get to in a second), and Quintin Laing's almost-game-winner was pretty much the definition of a garbage goal. As long as Ovechkin is out, the team is going to need the secondary scoring to really, really pick up. Not only do Alex Semin and Nicklas Backstrom have to shoulder more of the load, but guys like Chris Clark, Laich, Tomas Fleischmann, and Keith Aucoin all have to become more dangerous. Ovechkin's 20 minutes a night is going to be filled by someone. But who?
Well, last night, Boudreau ran these lines after the injury:
Laich-Morrison-Knuble
Fleischmann-Backstrom-Semin
Laing-Steckel-Bradley
Clark-Aucoin
If Ovechkin goes on the long-term IR, then they'll have to call up someone. I would bet they call up Alexandre Giroux, who always tears up the AHL but can't stick in the NHL. Personally, I'd like to see a guy like Francois Bouchard, Oskar Osala, or Andrew Gordon get a shot. All three put up good numbers and all add a little something different. But that still depends on whether or not Ovechkin actually visits the IR for the first time in his career.
Another solution is to put Michael Nylander into the lineup. His conditioning stint with AHL Grand Rapids is just about finished. Would they put him in? They don't need another center, but they could probably move some people around and make it work. But based on what the team's done so far, I don't think we'll be seeing #92 in the lineup.
No matter what, the absence of Ovechkin gives the team a chance to learn how to play without their superstar. Too many times have I seen the team get complacent and rely on a great game/play by Ovechkin to bail them out. Now, they're all going to have to dig deep and work harder for their goals. Especially on the powerplay. I really liked what I saw from the Laich-Morrison-Knuble line in the third period Sunday, and I loved that Knuble and Laich were all over Steve Mason on each goal. Knuble's play is such a boost to the offense, and not because he's some dynamic scorer. He just knows where to be when the skilled players have the puck: in front of the goaltender. He's perfected that role and he's definitely teaching it to guys like Laich and Fleischmann. If those guys can continue to step up offensively, it could go a long way to making the team that much closer to being a Cup winner. The secondary scoring is what has been lacking in some key situations/games.
A couple games without #8 out there to score his usual goal(s) may give other players a chance to play more playoff-style hockey; that is, dump it in, work hard in the corners, play good defense, and get the boring, ugly goals that the elite teams can get. We saw it in the third period yesterday and I am interested to see if the team changes up its gameplan without Ovechkin. There's still loads of offensive talent out there, but Semin has been far too cute lately and while Backstrom has played well, he could show just how good he really is by playing well without Ovechkin.
This team is good enough to win the Southeast division, even if Ovechkin misses a week or two. The division is terrible and there is enough talent to end up on top. It's all about learning to play playoff hockey and this is the kind of test a talented, but sometimes immature/lazy team may need to get it going. And while I never like to hear the words "Ovechkin" and "injured" in the same sentence, the Caps could turn it into an opportunity to show just how good they really are.
Revamped Blogging Mindset
I'm ashamed to say that my (our, if I can speak for Tyler) blogging has been quite subpar lately. I didn't even post power rankings this past week (shock-gasp-cry of disappointment). It's a new month, though, and with that I'm going to try to get a post up on this thing every single day of November. You know, except for November 1, which I already missed. Anyway, things to keep an eye out for ...
- A recap of last week's power rankings. I won't bother posting them because most teams have played another game since then. I will go over, though, who moved the most, and a preview of this week's rankings.
- This week's power rankings. Where do the Ravens and Broncos fit in after the beatdown in Baltimore? How low will the Giants fall? Are the Vikings completely back?
- A World Series recap when it's over (which might be tonight). Unless the Phillies make a comeback, it will certainly be a disappointing series in terms of game quality.
- A recap of Wednesday's show: It's either going to be NFL midseason awards or an NCAA basketball preview. Either way, I'll recap the action since I know a lot of you can't listen to the show.
Monday, October 26, 2009
As Much As We All Complain, This Series Should Be Good
Let's face it. If you don't love the Yankees, you hate the Yankees. You hate them because of all the money they spend. You hate them because their fans wet themselves whenever they get a two out single already up 8-1 in the 8th inning. You hate them because Derek Jeter (pictured right) is just so freaking good. You hate them because their best player is a cheater you would want on your team every day. You hate them because they represent everything wrong with baseball. You hate them because Joe Girardi is younger than some of his players. The list goes on.Let's face it. If you don't love the Phillies, you hate them because - after all, they're from Philly. These are the worst fans in the world. THEY BOOED SANTA CLAUS, THOSE JERKS! THEY CHEERED WHEN MICHAEL IRVIN LITERALLY DIED! And even though you think the Phillies are a pretty cool team, you still have to hate them, because, after all, they are from Philadelphia.
All that aside ... if you actually call yourself a baseball fan (and even if you don't), this should be a great series. Think of the pitching match-ups. Sabbathia vs. Lee in an Indian rematch? Hamels vs. Burnett featuring the best number two pitchers in baseball? Pedro vs. Pettitte in a "I swear I'm not too old" game 3? It's great stuff. And who has the closer advantage? Seemingly Rivera, the best closer of all time, but postseason 2009 Brad Lidge is looking a lot like 2008 Brad Lidge.
Then you look at their lineups. Who do you want batting cleanup for you: A-Rod or Howard? You don't know? Yeah, me neither. I see your Teixeira over Utley batting third and raise you a Werth over Posada batting 5th.
Bottom line: I'm sticking to what I said before the postseason started: Yankees in 6. That being said, I would not be surprised for a second if this went 7, and I have the feeling this will be a MUCH better matchup than Phils-Rays last year.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Black and Gold Love
Disclaimer: this is going to be the most homer post I'll ever make in my life, and that's the way I want it to be. It may sound like rambling, but it's something I've always wanted to write out because people do wonder how I can be both a Steelers and Capitals fan. I hope you enjoy it.
When I was younger, I wasn't a big NFL fan. I watched it casually and played NFL video games, but never really felt attached to any team. I enjoyed watching it but would never have considered myself a hardcore fan despite going to a couple Redskins games. The only sport I really dove into was ice hockey. That was until 2004. In that year, the NHL canceled a season. For me, it was devastating. The Capitals had just drafted Alex Ovechkin and I really wanted to see him play. Now, I had to hope the NHL and the NHLPA would agree to a new CBA and I could see my Washington Capitals play again. When the season officially was delayed, I needed to find a sport to watch. So, naturally, I turned to football and the NFL.
Like most kids, I looked to my parents for what teams to like. My dad is from Detroit and is a Lions fan, but is more of a Redskins fan. He isn't a hardcore fan but he watched every Sunday and even went to a couple games. My mom is from Pittsburgh and grew up going to Pitt Panthers football games and watching Franco Harris and Terry Bradshaw. She watched the Steelers any time they were on TV at home.
So, when the NHL canceled the season, I decided I'd become a Steelers f
an. I had watched them casually and knew a handful of players on the team and some of the history. My mom and her family (all from Pittsburgh) would teach me whatever else I needed. Yes, it was weird that I would be a Caps fan and Steelers fan. The Caps and Pens had played in the playoffs and were definitely rivals. They still are. Trust me, I hear about it.
Well, I've been pretty lucky. Since 2004, they've been incredibly successful. In 2004, the Steelers drafted Ben Roethlisberger. I had watched that draft and was pretty disgusted at what Eli Manning did. When the Steelers took Roethlisberger, I was really happy: he had an awesome name, he went to a small school that went under the radar, and he seemed like a cool guy. So, as the NFL season began, I watched the Steelers and watched Roethlisberger have a magical rookie campaign. I watched Jerome Bettis have a great season and learned to absolutely fall in love with Hines Ward's smile. I was heartbroken when the Steelers got beat by Tom Brady and the Patriots in the AFC Championship game. It was a terrible way to end a great season.
The NHL may have locked out but the NFL opened up my eyes to a whole world I had barely touched. After that season, I, like so many others before me, fell in love with the NFL. It in no way replaced the NHL: when the season resumed in fall 2005, I watched it and loved the Caps with the same amount of enthusiasim as I had before the lockout. Ovechkin helped. But the NFL gave me another sport to really enjoy, and the Steelers gave me another team to love.
As the next couple years went by, I divulged deeper and deeper into the NFL and the Steelers. I watched the Steelers ride the Bus home to a Lombardi Trophy in 2006. I defended Ben Roethlisberger's touchdown run and subsequently freaked out when he was nearly killed in a motorcylce accident. I watched Bill Cowher finish his Steelers career with an 8-8 season. I went to Latrobe, Pa., for training camp and I visited Heinz Field for the first time in 2006 for a pre-season game against the Vikings. It was more than I ever could have imagined.
The terrible towels, the scenery, the excitement...captured me. It was different than anything I had ever experienced. I wal
ked through Steelers history and saw pictures and videos of Swann, Stallworth, Bradshaw, Lambert, Greene - a whole generation I had never experienced. I felt a little bit out of it. So many Steelers fans had lived that dynasty or had grown up learning about it. I hadn't. The more I studied, the more I watched, the more I wish I could have watched those teams.
In January of 2009, I drove to Pittsburgh to watch the Steelers take on the Chargers in their first playoff game. I had never been to a Steelers regular season game and had no idea what to expect. It was going to be sub-freezing and I didn't really know where to go or where my seats were. Once I got situated, everything changed. I went from feeling like an outsider to feeling like a family. For the first time, I felt like a part of Steeler Nation. I waved my Terrible Towel with 60,000 people and high-fived the random guys in their mid-twenties who sat behind me. I may have left the game frozen, but it was definitely worth it.
Watching last year's team win a Super Bowl was an emotional roller coaster, mostly because the Steelers loved taking every game down to the wire. It was a wonderful experience. I knew Tomlin was a great coach and Big Ben shut up every single critic with his legendary drive. I loved it. The Steelers were the class of the NFL.
And this past Sunday, as I watched Big Ben tear apart the Cleveland defense yet again, I kept repeating to myself the following phrase: I love this team. I really do. I love watching the black and gold play every Sunday and I love everything the team is and stands for. I love the Rooneys, I love Tomlin, I love the fact that the team is such a reflection of the city of Pittsburgh. I may not be from there and I may not have been a member of Steeler Nation since my birth like so many have, but I really love the team.
I can't really put a finger on it, but everything about the team draws me to it. It starts up top with the Rooneys, goes down to the players on the field, on to the coaches, to Heinz Field, and all the way to the city itself. I love the way the offense is run, the personalities they have, the history. I think the defense is the best in the NFL and that Troy Polamalu is the best safety in the NFL. I love the fact that the team produces star linebackers like no other team in history. It's not like I just started feeling this way this week - trust me, I loved watching the team from the moment I started to. But whatever it was, this weekend really made me think about all that's happened the last four years or so.
I'm sure it's normal for hardcore NFL fans to feel like this about their team; I can just about guarantee you that Tony feels this way about the Ravens.
But it took me longer and I usually feel I have to prove myself to people who don't get that I can be a Caps fan and a Steelers fan. It's not orthodox, but I don't care. I love both teams. But watching the Steelers every Sunday, watching Tomlin, Big Ben, Troy, and Hines out there feels perfect for me. And even if the team struggles, I still love watching them. Luckily, there have been few consistent struggles. They'll come, and I'll enjoy following the team just as much.
I'll love swinging my Terrible Towel until the day I die and I'll Unleash the Fury until my voice is gone, and there's nothing that will change that. I'll argue with people who hate everything about the team, the city, and the people for probably the rest of my life. I'll be forced to defend my DC-Pittsburgh fandom for a long time, but that doesn't bother me. My blood can and will run Steelers Black and Gold and Capitals Red.
When I was younger, I wasn't a big NFL fan. I watched it casually and played NFL video games, but never really felt attached to any team. I enjoyed watching it but would never have considered myself a hardcore fan despite going to a couple Redskins games. The only sport I really dove into was ice hockey. That was until 2004. In that year, the NHL canceled a season. For me, it was devastating. The Capitals had just drafted Alex Ovechkin and I really wanted to see him play. Now, I had to hope the NHL and the NHLPA would agree to a new CBA and I could see my Washington Capitals play again. When the season officially was delayed, I needed to find a sport to watch. So, naturally, I turned to football and the NFL.
Like most kids, I looked to my parents for what teams to like. My dad is from Detroit and is a Lions fan, but is more of a Redskins fan. He isn't a hardcore fan but he watched every Sunday and even went to a couple games. My mom is from Pittsburgh and grew up going to Pitt Panthers football games and watching Franco Harris and Terry Bradshaw. She watched the Steelers any time they were on TV at home.
So, when the NHL canceled the season, I decided I'd become a Steelers f
an. I had watched them casually and knew a handful of players on the team and some of the history. My mom and her family (all from Pittsburgh) would teach me whatever else I needed. Yes, it was weird that I would be a Caps fan and Steelers fan. The Caps and Pens had played in the playoffs and were definitely rivals. They still are. Trust me, I hear about it.Well, I've been pretty lucky. Since 2004, they've been incredibly successful. In 2004, the Steelers drafted Ben Roethlisberger. I had watched that draft and was pretty disgusted at what Eli Manning did. When the Steelers took Roethlisberger, I was really happy: he had an awesome name, he went to a small school that went under the radar, and he seemed like a cool guy. So, as the NFL season began, I watched the Steelers and watched Roethlisberger have a magical rookie campaign. I watched Jerome Bettis have a great season and learned to absolutely fall in love with Hines Ward's smile. I was heartbroken when the Steelers got beat by Tom Brady and the Patriots in the AFC Championship game. It was a terrible way to end a great season.
The NHL may have locked out but the NFL opened up my eyes to a whole world I had barely touched. After that season, I, like so many others before me, fell in love with the NFL. It in no way replaced the NHL: when the season resumed in fall 2005, I watched it and loved the Caps with the same amount of enthusiasim as I had before the lockout. Ovechkin helped. But the NFL gave me another sport to really enjoy, and the Steelers gave me another team to love.
As the next couple years went by, I divulged deeper and deeper into the NFL and the Steelers. I watched the Steelers ride the Bus home to a Lombardi Trophy in 2006. I defended Ben Roethlisberger's touchdown run and subsequently freaked out when he was nearly killed in a motorcylce accident. I watched Bill Cowher finish his Steelers career with an 8-8 season. I went to Latrobe, Pa., for training camp and I visited Heinz Field for the first time in 2006 for a pre-season game against the Vikings. It was more than I ever could have imagined.
The terrible towels, the scenery, the excitement...captured me. It was different than anything I had ever experienced. I wal
ked through Steelers history and saw pictures and videos of Swann, Stallworth, Bradshaw, Lambert, Greene - a whole generation I had never experienced. I felt a little bit out of it. So many Steelers fans had lived that dynasty or had grown up learning about it. I hadn't. The more I studied, the more I watched, the more I wish I could have watched those teams.In January of 2009, I drove to Pittsburgh to watch the Steelers take on the Chargers in their first playoff game. I had never been to a Steelers regular season game and had no idea what to expect. It was going to be sub-freezing and I didn't really know where to go or where my seats were. Once I got situated, everything changed. I went from feeling like an outsider to feeling like a family. For the first time, I felt like a part of Steeler Nation. I waved my Terrible Towel with 60,000 people and high-fived the random guys in their mid-twenties who sat behind me. I may have left the game frozen, but it was definitely worth it.
Watching last year's team win a Super Bowl was an emotional roller coaster, mostly because the Steelers loved taking every game down to the wire. It was a wonderful experience. I knew Tomlin was a great coach and Big Ben shut up every single critic with his legendary drive. I loved it. The Steelers were the class of the NFL.
And this past Sunday, as I watched Big Ben tear apart the Cleveland defense yet again, I kept repeating to myself the following phrase: I love this team. I really do. I love watching the black and gold play every Sunday and I love everything the team is and stands for. I love the Rooneys, I love Tomlin, I love the fact that the team is such a reflection of the city of Pittsburgh. I may not be from there and I may not have been a member of Steeler Nation since my birth like so many have, but I really love the team.
I can't really put a finger on it, but everything about the team draws me to it. It starts up top with the Rooneys, goes down to the players on the field, on to the coaches, to Heinz Field, and all the way to the city itself. I love the way the offense is run, the personalities they have, the history. I think the defense is the best in the NFL and that Troy Polamalu is the best safety in the NFL. I love the fact that the team produces star linebackers like no other team in history. It's not like I just started feeling this way this week - trust me, I loved watching the team from the moment I started to. But whatever it was, this weekend really made me think about all that's happened the last four years or so.
I'm sure it's normal for hardcore NFL fans to feel like this about their team; I can just about guarantee you that Tony feels this way about the Ravens.
But it took me longer and I usually feel I have to prove myself to people who don't get that I can be a Caps fan and a Steelers fan. It's not orthodox, but I don't care. I love both teams. But watching the Steelers every Sunday, watching Tomlin, Big Ben, Troy, and Hines out there feels perfect for me. And even if the team struggles, I still love watching them. Luckily, there have been few consistent struggles. They'll come, and I'll enjoy following the team just as much.
I'll love swinging my Terrible Towel until the day I die and I'll Unleash the Fury until my voice is gone, and there's nothing that will change that. I'll argue with people who hate everything about the team, the city, and the people for probably the rest of my life. I'll be forced to defend my DC-Pittsburgh fandom for a long time, but that doesn't bother me. My blood can and will run Steelers Black and Gold and Capitals Red.
NFL Power Rankings 2009: Week 7
Oh, baby. We had some movers and some shakers this week, from the top to the (almost) bottom and virtually everything in between. The division rankings have been completely turned upside down. This week also marked just about the first week that you have to factor in fluke games: We know by week 7 Oakland is not better than Philadelphia, nor is Buffalo better than the Jets. Comment and tell me what you think ...
1. New Orleans Saints (last week's rank: 3; change: +1): I said last week that the Saints would leapfrog the Colts if the Saints took down the Giants, and boy did they ever fulfill there. You didn't take Drew Brees in the first round of your fantasy draft why?
2. Indianapolis Colts (2; 0): With games at St. Louis, home against San Francisco and home against Houston, you think Indy is already looking forward to week 10 against the Patriots or what?
3. Minnesota Vikings (4; +1): They're just as lucky as they are good, but you have to be both to be a successful team in this league. Brett Favre has turned Sidney Rice into a star.
4. Denver Broncos (5; +1): Forget doubting whether they're good or not. It's time to start thinking whether they're actually the best defense in the NFL. They're playing like it.
5. New York Giants (1; -4): Obviously, it's no easy task to come into New Orleans and win, so the loss is no surprise. I am a bit taken aback by how easy the Saints made it look, though.
6. New England Patriots (8; +2): Make no mistake. Keith Bulluck is a bad, bad man. Bill Belichick should have thought about that before putting Tom Brady in to start the second half.
7. Atlanta Falcons (9; +2): Their defense is playing just good enough to win games with that great offense of theirs. The playoffs - albeit probably as a wild card - are definitely in sight.
8. Chicago Bears (10; +2): Yeah, I know. They lost. As everyone else around them crumbled, I respected their tough loss on the road during prime time the most.
9. Cincinnati Bengals (7; -2): I don't think the loss to Houston told us anything about this Bengals team that we didn't already know. Of course they're still the Bengals. It will need to take a few more bad losses for me to believe they're not good this year, though.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (11; +1): They've quietly won 3 in a row and they definitely don't look like they've hit their stride yet. They're clearly the favorites in the North this year.
11. Philadelphia Eagles (6; -5): The Eagles are going to be playing a game this coming week very similar to the one this past week: against a weak opponent (Washington) with a lot to prove after lots of criticism the previous week. Hopefully they don't overlook this one.
12. Green Bay Packers (17; +5): They have to make sure not to overlook Cleveland before the you-know-who reunion part II.
13. Miami Dolphins (13; 0): Their game against New Orleans this week will be fascinating to watch. If they get down early, how much (if at all) are they going to abandon their incredible running game?
14. Baltimore Ravens (14; -2): Is Frank Walker the worst player in the NFL? No? You think Chris Carr is?
15. Dallas Cowboys (16; +1): They have a chance for a huge statement game this week against Atlanta. I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up being one of the games of the week; Dallas, off their bye, should come out fired up.
16. San Francisco 49ers (18; +2): The beneficiaries of a bye week, San Fran gets bumped back into the top half. Who would have thought them and Arizona may actually have an interesting division title race?
17. Arizona Cardinals (19; +2): They can definitely turn some heads if they play with - they don't even have to win - the Giants this weekend. Everyone wrote them off after their 1-2 start but they're 3-2 now.
18. New York Jets (18; -4): Hmm, I don't look so dumb now for having the Jets at 14 last week. With the run support he was getting, a bad performance by Mark Sanchez would have won that game. It just so happens he turned in a God-awful performance.
19. Jacksonville Jaguars (21; +2): They have to feel pretty good going into their bye week at 3-3. If they can keep flying in under the radar, they are certainly a playoff sleeper.
20. Houston Texans (22; +2): Like Jacksonville, the division title is out of reach this year. There's a sixth spot in the playoffs begging for someone to claim it, though.
21. San Diego Chargers (16; -5): Division race over? You would have to think so. I fully expect them to make a late-season charge into a crowded AFC wild card race, however. (Sense a theme?)
22. Carolina Panthers (23; +1): The invisible line has been moved! The Panthers still lead the pack of "so terrible I should be competing for the number one pick" teams but this week they're at 22! Who's the addition to the pack? ...
23. Seattle Seahawks (20; -3): It's Seattle! Sorry, when you lose by 20+ at home to a division rival that's not even that good, you belong in here. I don't care what you did to Jacksonville the previous week.
24. Buffalo Bills (28; +4): You know, at 2-4, the Bills are only a game out of a playoff spot 6 games into the season. Just saying.
25. Oakland Raiders (29; +4): You know, at 2-4, the Raiders are only a game out ... Okay, no I really take it too far this time. If the Raiders make the playoffs I will quit being a football fan.
26. Detroit Lions (24; -2): You forgot just how bad the Lions were last year until you watched them with Daunte Culpepper back in, didn't you? What's that? You didn't watch the Packers-Lions game? ... Yeah, me neither.
27. Kansas City Chiefs (30; +3): Remember when people were talking about the Chiefs being a sleeper team with Matt Cassel as their quarterback?
28. Cleveland Browns (27; -1): Things aren't looking up when your quarterback goes 9 for 24 and it's considered a vast improvement over the previous week.
29. Washington Redskins (25; -4): Jim Zorn, you're being humiliated. End it.
30. Tennessee Titans (26; -4): The Titans have played worse in every single one of their games so far this year. Which was the fluke? Last season or this one?
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (31; 0): How come I can name 3 quarterbacks and 3 runningbacks on this team, but a total of 3 other players on the rest of the squad?
32. St. Louis Rams (32; 0): Fine, I lied. They're not better with Kyle Boller as their quarterback. Do you think they've already conceded the game against Indy this week because they're thinking about Detroit the following week?
Division Rankings: Wow, what a logjam in the middle. One team with a 15.00 average and three others with a 15.25. I broke the tie by giving the division with the best team the highest ranking, and down from there. As such, the NFC now has the best three divisions in football. It is tough to argue ...
1. NFC North (last week: 2): 12.25 average rank amongst the four teams
2. NFC East (1): 15.00
3. NFC South (5): 15.25
4. AFC East (4): 15.25
5. AFC North (3): 15.25
6. AFC South (6): 17.75
7. AFC West (7): 19.25
8. NFC West (8): 22.00
1. New Orleans Saints (last week's rank: 3; change: +1): I said last week that the Saints would leapfrog the Colts if the Saints took down the Giants, and boy did they ever fulfill there. You didn't take Drew Brees in the first round of your fantasy draft why?
2. Indianapolis Colts (2; 0): With games at St. Louis, home against San Francisco and home against Houston, you think Indy is already looking forward to week 10 against the Patriots or what?
3. Minnesota Vikings (4; +1): They're just as lucky as they are good, but you have to be both to be a successful team in this league. Brett Favre has turned Sidney Rice into a star.
4. Denver Broncos (5; +1): Forget doubting whether they're good or not. It's time to start thinking whether they're actually the best defense in the NFL. They're playing like it.
5. New York Giants (1; -4): Obviously, it's no easy task to come into New Orleans and win, so the loss is no surprise. I am a bit taken aback by how easy the Saints made it look, though.
6. New England Patriots (8; +2): Make no mistake. Keith Bulluck is a bad, bad man. Bill Belichick should have thought about that before putting Tom Brady in to start the second half.
7. Atlanta Falcons (9; +2): Their defense is playing just good enough to win games with that great offense of theirs. The playoffs - albeit probably as a wild card - are definitely in sight.
8. Chicago Bears (10; +2): Yeah, I know. They lost. As everyone else around them crumbled, I respected their tough loss on the road during prime time the most.
9. Cincinnati Bengals (7; -2): I don't think the loss to Houston told us anything about this Bengals team that we didn't already know. Of course they're still the Bengals. It will need to take a few more bad losses for me to believe they're not good this year, though.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (11; +1): They've quietly won 3 in a row and they definitely don't look like they've hit their stride yet. They're clearly the favorites in the North this year.
11. Philadelphia Eagles (6; -5): The Eagles are going to be playing a game this coming week very similar to the one this past week: against a weak opponent (Washington) with a lot to prove after lots of criticism the previous week. Hopefully they don't overlook this one.
12. Green Bay Packers (17; +5): They have to make sure not to overlook Cleveland before the you-know-who reunion part II.
13. Miami Dolphins (13; 0): Their game against New Orleans this week will be fascinating to watch. If they get down early, how much (if at all) are they going to abandon their incredible running game?
14. Baltimore Ravens (14; -2): Is Frank Walker the worst player in the NFL? No? You think Chris Carr is?
15. Dallas Cowboys (16; +1): They have a chance for a huge statement game this week against Atlanta. I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up being one of the games of the week; Dallas, off their bye, should come out fired up.
16. San Francisco 49ers (18; +2): The beneficiaries of a bye week, San Fran gets bumped back into the top half. Who would have thought them and Arizona may actually have an interesting division title race?
17. Arizona Cardinals (19; +2): They can definitely turn some heads if they play with - they don't even have to win - the Giants this weekend. Everyone wrote them off after their 1-2 start but they're 3-2 now.
18. New York Jets (18; -4): Hmm, I don't look so dumb now for having the Jets at 14 last week. With the run support he was getting, a bad performance by Mark Sanchez would have won that game. It just so happens he turned in a God-awful performance.
19. Jacksonville Jaguars (21; +2): They have to feel pretty good going into their bye week at 3-3. If they can keep flying in under the radar, they are certainly a playoff sleeper.
20. Houston Texans (22; +2): Like Jacksonville, the division title is out of reach this year. There's a sixth spot in the playoffs begging for someone to claim it, though.
21. San Diego Chargers (16; -5): Division race over? You would have to think so. I fully expect them to make a late-season charge into a crowded AFC wild card race, however. (Sense a theme?)
22. Carolina Panthers (23; +1): The invisible line has been moved! The Panthers still lead the pack of "so terrible I should be competing for the number one pick" teams but this week they're at 22! Who's the addition to the pack? ...
23. Seattle Seahawks (20; -3): It's Seattle! Sorry, when you lose by 20+ at home to a division rival that's not even that good, you belong in here. I don't care what you did to Jacksonville the previous week.
24. Buffalo Bills (28; +4): You know, at 2-4, the Bills are only a game out of a playoff spot 6 games into the season. Just saying.
25. Oakland Raiders (29; +4): You know, at 2-4, the Raiders are only a game out ... Okay, no I really take it too far this time. If the Raiders make the playoffs I will quit being a football fan.
26. Detroit Lions (24; -2): You forgot just how bad the Lions were last year until you watched them with Daunte Culpepper back in, didn't you? What's that? You didn't watch the Packers-Lions game? ... Yeah, me neither.
27. Kansas City Chiefs (30; +3): Remember when people were talking about the Chiefs being a sleeper team with Matt Cassel as their quarterback?
28. Cleveland Browns (27; -1): Things aren't looking up when your quarterback goes 9 for 24 and it's considered a vast improvement over the previous week.
29. Washington Redskins (25; -4): Jim Zorn, you're being humiliated. End it.
30. Tennessee Titans (26; -4): The Titans have played worse in every single one of their games so far this year. Which was the fluke? Last season or this one?
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (31; 0): How come I can name 3 quarterbacks and 3 runningbacks on this team, but a total of 3 other players on the rest of the squad?
32. St. Louis Rams (32; 0): Fine, I lied. They're not better with Kyle Boller as their quarterback. Do you think they've already conceded the game against Indy this week because they're thinking about Detroit the following week?
Division Rankings: Wow, what a logjam in the middle. One team with a 15.00 average and three others with a 15.25. I broke the tie by giving the division with the best team the highest ranking, and down from there. As such, the NFC now has the best three divisions in football. It is tough to argue ...
1. NFC North (last week: 2): 12.25 average rank amongst the four teams
2. NFC East (1): 15.00
3. NFC South (5): 15.25
4. AFC East (4): 15.25
5. AFC North (3): 15.25
6. AFC South (6): 17.75
7. AFC West (7): 19.25
8. NFC West (8): 22.00
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