#11: Who should be #1 after Eagles loss? Could Tua be in MVP conversation?

them that way. Colleen will be back hangover. Uh, if they hangover, permits her too, And luckily we can sail along here a little fireside chat um about the Power

Rankings as we had their week eleven. And you know where we stand right now is a place for me, as the Power Ranks guy, of a little bit of uneasiness, because as chaotic as the season has been, uh, I have taken some peace and tranquility from the mantra, the slogan, the saying it's the Big three, and a whole lot of let's see in that big three, of course, and this rolled right through September and October. You had the Bills,

who you knew were the cream of the crop. You have the Eagles that were winning every week, and you're like, even if they're not number one, they're locked and loaded. Number two, you had the Chiefs as the team that we're also clearly a Super Bowl contender and above the twenty eight other teams, twenty nine other teams, and um, now it doesn't feel that way as much because while I look at the top three of the power rankings, are about to take a look at the top ten.

You're gonna see, yes, the Eagles still in the top three, in fact, still a top the Chiefs still in the top three. So you have to teams in the top three still, But you got the Bills down at five, and you have all these other teams in the top ten that feel like they've closed the gap. So let's take a look at it right now. Eagles, even with that loss, we're gonna get into that. I kept at one.

The Chiefs up one spot off the win over Jacksonville to tow the Vikings, Yes, a huge win in Buffalo, beating the Bills and the referees to move up to

the number three spot. Up four, the Dolphins make a charge into the top five with another dominant showing by their offense and a good showing by their d So they're up eight spots to four, the Bills down three to five and a little bit of a funk obviously, and then you had the Ravens six, nine, Ers seven, Cowboys down four spots to eight after failing to get it done against the Packers, the Titans and Jets rounding out the top ten, and you know, the Eagles will

will start here because I think they were overdue for a bad game. Obviously. This is a team that has just cruised through the early early portion of the season, and you could make the you could make the comment, and certainly I have on the show to Colleen's dismay that obviously undefeated into something special if you're if you're taking that into November, But when are they going to really get tested? How are they going to react when

they get punched in the mouth? And I think we kind of expected maybe later in the season that would happen, maybe a Titans team who's on the schedule, Maybe the Cowboys when they see see them again with Dak Prescott, maybe the Giants who have found a way to win week after week this year. But it end up being

of all teams. The Washington Commanders, who take advantage of Eagles mistakes make big place to stay on the field and keep the powerful Philly offense off it, and they you know, get a little help themselves from game officials on some controversial calls and they steal a win away from the Eagles. So, you know, again sighting Colleen who's

nursing a hangover and we hope she's gonna make it through. Um, she kind of said, you know it would it be the worst thing to take a loss if you're if you're the Eagles, because you don't want to get caught flat footed later in the season when the game's uh matter more, perhaps even into the playoffs. Well, you don't have to worry about that anymore, Eagles fans, because the idea of a perfect season is over. Kick Mercury Morris's bunk bed and tell him to wake up. Why would

Mercury Morris have a bunk bed. He's like seventy five years old. I don't know his personal set up in life, actually, but wherever Mercury is maybe it's a water bed. That kind of makes more sense. I like that, Uh, he's his nineteen seventy two Dolphins. They're safe for another year. And it was a strange thing. This is why I keep the Eagles at number one, because I caught a little blowback on Good Morning Football this morning. Why are

they still here? Well, you, first of all, you don't have to drop a team just because they lost the way they lose matters. And I didn't think the Eagles, uh were exposed in this game. Put it this way, I mean, a primetime game can always be funky, uh and another team start us to believe. And really you could feel that shift in that building, that Washington who's an inferior team, but their ability to yes, take advantage of the turnovers, but run thirty four more plays than

the Eagles, it was astounding. They had the ball for room was forty one minutes, and I think, what, what's the craziest thing? And I'm not gonna say fluky, because that's not fair to the commanders, who really did play their butts off in this game. But to possess the ball for over forty minutes, two thirds of game time an average four point one yards per play, that's gotta be a record. So it wasn't like the Eagles are getting chewed up by a Washington offense that wasn't quite

the case. I thought they played fine. It wasn't like the Eagles offense was bad. In fact, they only had the ball twice in the first half. They scored touchdowns both times. They could have been a little sharper in the second half. The Quez Watkins drop on the fifty yard deep pass that we saw in the fourth quarter, I think that actually, more than anything else, including the the fugaz Brandon Graham personal foul that essentially salted away

the wind for Washington. Quiz Watkins catching a fifty ardor and setting up the Eagles uh for the win there, only to fumble when he got back up and lose the ball. It did feel like Philly was ready to take control of that game, and they didn't. So it was the commanders who take command. And yet it felt like the Eagles are gonna be fine. They lived for another day. And also, I don't see another team here that really jumps out to me as a true number one.

Who's number one in the NFL? Right now, let's talk about the Vikings. Okay, So the Chiefs. I like where the Chiefs are. The Chiefs are knocking on the door there, they're right there after that went over the Jacks. But it's the Vikings that I think some people are gonna naturally say, well, dummy, you have a team that wins every week. Just about now the Vikings with the same record as the Eagles. Now the Vikings who just beat the Bills in Orchard Park. Pick the Vikings. No, that's

that's what I This is my job. I get to choose. I think the making a job. Jump up four spots. The number three feels right for this team. And I have a lot again, like with the Commanders, so much respect for what this team did. They overcame um a seventeen point deficit late in the third quarter and made big play after big play after big play. And that's the case for this team as a team. That will matter in January because they're playing in the postseason. They're

gonna win this division. Um the way their records set up, the way the division is, or the Packers having a terrible start to the year, we will see Minnesota in the playoffs. Now it becomes a chance now that they're tied at least in record, Eagles have the tie breaker because of the head to head matchup in week two, You're in a position here where, um, you could maybe get the first seed in this conference, and then you

could knock out the wild card round. You could sit sit that out and then have two home games with a chance to get back to the super Bowl. That's down the road for now. I think there's something really exciting brewing here. Kris kirk Cousins, who has been the very picture of mediocrity in terms of UH team success throughout his career. Uh, he's always a five quarterback to

win eight of nine starts and make big throws. He was pretty he was actually looking kind of like the old Kirk Cousins in the first half of this game, but he got on the same page and started just shredding uh the Buffalo defense. Justin Jefferson obviously makes the catch of the year. You had a game changing run that eighty one yard or by Dalvin Cook. Sometimes you forget about how special he is, and that was a reminder that really got this game back into a competitive nature.

And then you had Patrick Peterson, you know, a guy that maybe isn't the same duty was in Arizona, but a ball hawk, uh for sure. So we're gonna talk more about the Vikings in a bit with our guest Stacy Dal's who has the NFC North on lock um. But let's then spin toward a little conversation about the Dolphins. This is Power Moves presented by Energizer the Miami Dolphins. I was a little bit slow to come around on

the Dolphins. I inc in retrospect. I don't have an issue if you look at the arc, if you follow the power rankings, um how they made their move up, then down, then back up the board, because you can't minimize what this team looked like without to a tongue of volo running the offense. They lost every game, but they've won every game that too has started and finished. And if you're a fan of an a f C team, you are afraid of this Dolphins offense. Because what they

did to the Browns this week. You can say, oh the Browns, who cares, it's there not a big time team. Go look what the Browns did on Halloween night and Monday Night football against Cincinnati. The Bengals were getting shut out midway through the fourth quarter before a couple of garbage time tds from Joe Burrow, but they completely shut down a Bengals offense that is explosive and came into that game completely on fire. I know they were without Jamr Chase, but that was a team that got humbled

by the Cleveland defense. So see Miami go on the field scoring six of their seven first drive never punt once. And to a listen, people want to get caught up with the too A thing and who's better to h or Herbert or tah or this or two or that tour right now is playing like Steve Young. I'm not saying he is that guy, but you look at his numbers. There was a m v P chant um in hard Rock Stadium during this game that broke out a couple of times, and you're like, oh, that's that's cute Dolphins fans,

But any like lent a second. They are I believe a half a game out of being the top seed in the a f C. To his stats and eight starts, has seven wins. He has eighteen touchdown passes, just three picks. He's completing sevent of his throws at a staggering nine point one yards per attempt average, which is league best. This is m v P production. And if if he were on the field for that month that he missed after that unfortunate head injury he suffered, he would be

along with Dolphins on a record setting pace. So I don't think it's outside the realm to have to in this conversation for m v p uh. And yet it's not just the passing game that's been humming. Jeff Wilson brilliant trade by Miami. He had a hundred and nineteen of the Dolphins rushing yards in this game. And oh, by the way, the defense. The one thing I was on this show Steve Weich last week pointing to as keep an eye on that. Uh, that might be the

thing that holds them back. They really shut down the Browns. Nick Chubb really couldn't get anything going until very late in the game when everything was decided. And it just feels like if Miami's defense just gets to an average level, that offense is going to take them to a lot of wins and into January. There's just one question at this point for me, which is, mhmm, can this team operate at this efficiency on offense when he gets cold? When you have to get out of Miami. But maybe

the goal here is not to leave Miami. You get you get this Windstreet cooking for another three or four weeks, then you could start putting your eyes on the top of the A f C. And then again, just like I was talking about with the Vikings, you know, you skip the wild card round, you get buy into the divisional playoffs, and you never leave Miami. You know, by

the way, the Super Bowl it's in Arizona. So Miami controls their destiny to not even have to worry about a cold weather conversation about how their offense would operate. So the Dolphins, I'm afraid of the Dolphins. As a Jets fan. Everyone should have a a level of trepidation the way they're humming right now. And let's finish our discussion about the top ten with the Dallas Cowboys. Not to go negative, but listen, you gotta you gotta mix it up. That's what we do in the power rankings.

The good and the bad must be discussed. And the Cowboys drop four spots to eight at lambeau Field fourth quarter, a chance to step on the throat of the Packers in their building, and unbelievable opportunity lost. I think for the Cowboys, Mike McCarthy and his big homecoming. He had a very uh had a beautiful tan uh knee length pea coat and a matching scarf rolling into the building and it's just like, this was McCarthy's day, this was Zaddie's day, and uh, Aaron Rodgers says, no, I respect you,

Mike McCarthy, but I'm gonna destroy you. And I I got um uh heat on around the NFL podcast for saying look out for Aaron Rodgers here stuff he was saying on the on Pat mcavie's show last week. Don't forget that I'm the two time m v P reigning MVP four times. Overall, the Cowboys were in more danger uh than I think a lot of people realized in this game, just because how desperate Green Day was and you saw that the way they played that fourth quarter.

So you know, the defense not being able to get the big stops both in the fourth quarter and then on the Packers uh driving overtime that ended with the game ending field goal. It's disappointing, mostly because the defense has spoiled us a little bit. You expect them to close that game out. So it says I think a lot about the Packers, but it also tells you that the Cowboys, as good as they've been this season on defense, still have work to do um and need that balance.

So disappointing effort on both sides of all. The offense did not make plays when they needed them. Maybe you could quibble and say, again I don't like bring it up the game officials, but it was a little bit of a rough week eleven on that front. Uh the could have been a past interference call on third down in overtime when Dallas was inside Green Bay territory. It was not called, and then uh Zaddy decides to go forward on fourth and three instead of the long field

goal doesn't work out, and the game's history. So it's a frustrating loss. But it doesn't make me think that the Cowboys are no good or they're ready for a big tumble. But it is a maybe a wake up call that again the league, as we get deeper into this season, teams like the Packers, like the buf that we expected to be good they might be ready to

make a push now. And all these teams that have resided resided in the top ten that felt like they were cut above that all these other teams, it's getting tighter. It makes it harder, you think, I after working for fourteen hours on Monday, and I sit down and at my couch and I just want to watch nice calm. Let's say thirty one fourteen Eagles win over the commandit. You know how easier that would have made my job. But that's just the way it is with the power rankings.

They the NFL wants to make things difficult. They want to keep as many teams involved, and that means the power ranks will always be moving. But I didn't move the Eagles. I thought about it though. All Right, we're just getting started here. Coming up next, Stacy Dale's a long time favorite. We'll join us to talk about what's going on in the NFC North. We'll talk those Packers, the Airs, Lions, maybe even the Vikings up next. All right,

welcome back to Power Kings percented by Energizer. Here's eleven through twenty. The Bengals off to buy stay at eleven. The Bucks up four after a nice win in Munich, up to twelve. Giants got some Giants fans that are annoyed with me. I don't know, but Mike Garret Folo is he is he a Giants fan? I know he's a Tri State area guy, but he gave me some heat. On Good Morning Football. We got the Seahawks down four to fourteen, Pats at fifteen, Packers up six to sixteen, uh,

Commanders up eight spots. After that, a great performance on Monday Night, knocking off the undefeated Eagles to seventeen. Chargers down three. They're so beat up to eighteen, the Cardinals up four and not buying in. But you know you took care of business against the Rams to nineteen, and the Chicago Bears. I don't care if you lose. You get the green arrow up to the top twenty. They're

making a charge. And speaking of the Bears and the Vikings and the Packers and the Lines, we must now welcome in one of our favorites, Stacy Dale's NFL Network reporter and an all around great woman. And Stacy, can I just start here? Um, you're wearing a blue denim jacket. Are you wearing the fabled Canadian tuxedo? Denim up top, denim down low? There? It is there, it is. I love Canada. Although these are black jeans, so it's okay. There's a little contrast there. And by the way, I've

been holding out, Kansas. I've been holding out. You know how many people want me to run through power rankings? You know, I I know there are some competitors out there, but I've been holding out to be with you. And here we are, Uh, finally, may you love yourself? Some Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers like the Packers win one game and you thrust them up. You know what.

I think, Maybe that's a little high, But I think what you're saying, I like the first part of what you're saying better that there are many imitators in the power rankings game, but there there's only one old zoos er power Rankings. I think, why don't we start. Let's get let's start with the Packers, all right? When I watched that game, and I and I know Aaron Rodgers talks and talks and talks, so maybe we get to a point where you don't have to you can tune

them out. But when he went on the McAfee show and made the comment, you know, people forget that I'm the reigning back to back m v p UM and then I was like, man, this feels like a spot where the Packers are going to put up a big fight. And maybe turn their season around. And they do it against the Cowboys. I guess I'm buying in a little bit, but that we might see a push for this team now and they are in consideration for the playoffs, which is why they cracked the top sixteen. You want to

push back on that. I don't want to push back on it because it's Rogers, right. I mean, you believe everything you hear on Pat McAfee. Uh, kudos to you. UM, love that show. But listen, I think with when you have a one seven passer rating after five straight losses and you faced the Dallas Cowboys and you throw with pinpoint accuracy like the m v P, the back to back m v P. Yeah, I'm gonna jump with you six spots because it's Aaron Rodgers and all of a sudden,

the rookie came alive. Christian Watson. We see right here with those three touchdowns is first game with a passing receiving touchdown, UM, which is pretty cool. And then the run game. I mean they've gone two of their last three games over two on the ground, Dan and Uh, I think that shows signs that the offense has finally

coming together. The past pros a little bit better. I'm disappointed with the injuries defensively, obviously, Stokes and Rashawn Gary are ma some losses defensively, But yeah, I'm okay with this jump because it's Aaron Rodgers, and I think maybe this premonition he had that they were going to win this game during the week means some more games down the road. And by the way, the last time they were four and six, it was two sixteen. I believe they were in the table. They finished ten and six

and they made it to the NFC Championship Game. Yeah, I'm just saying. I'm just saying the power rankings on some level, Stacy is like the here and now. But I think history, as my great friend Chris Wesling was known to say, history is instructive, and I just believe that they have a run in them. And and before we get to the vikings, I just want to say the Christian Watson development is huge. You know the fact that he literally dropped a seventy yard touchdown pass in

his first game on the first play from scrimmage. I don't want to make too much of it and make it a narrative based conversation here, but it really felt like it's set the tone for a very frustrating first two months, and they've been searching, they've been so change searching for someone to step up and fill that Davante Adams void on some level. If he can build off that game, it really does change so much. Well, the confidence there is, like I'll continue to use the word massive.

I mean, yeah, they haven't had production like that since Davante had a three plus touchdown receiving touchdown performance. And uh, you know this is one where you don't want to repeat history. If you're Christian Watson, we remember that drop he had. But the only way to get better in life is to make mistakes. So hey, he made a couple early. He actually had a couple of drops early in that game against Dallas Dan and uh, they came

to him on the sideline, Matt Lafleur, Aaron Rodgers. Uh, they corralled him and said, we're coming back to you, so you better get ready. And he's going to change the way defenses play. The Packers, I think a little bit because of how good their run game has been with jones E and aj Dillon. So hey, we'll see Thursday Night football. They may even have Randall cobback soon. I mean, they're they're not putting that out of the realm of possibility. Uh to kick off. There's a night

foo ball this coming week. One thing I struggle with that you said the only thing, Stacy is that people make mistakes and they learned from them. And then I look behind you, Stacy, and I see one of the great collegiate players of all time and Nay Smith's great game of basketball, amongst all the other success that you've had in your life and career, and it's like, well, I don't think you've made mistakes. Are you an outlier? No? I'm perfect. I'm perfect. Yeah, yeah, I I you know,

I forget that I played basketball. The only reminder is all the injuries that I have now in my later years. So you're a warrior. So well, that wasn't the goal that we're going to try to move forward. The Vikings um super impressive, Stacy, and I just I'm curious, Like Listen, I was one of the kind of doubters going into Buffalo. I wasn't alone, but I had no choice but to move them into the top three. Does that game warts

and all? Does that game remove any doubt to you that they're a true Super Bowl contender or is there still something in the back of your mind like they're still is in mind maybe you know, you know the Midwest, like that team has so much emotional baggage through the years that you you're almost waiting for the other shoe to drop, and yet here they are eight and one. Yeah,

so Cousins needs to win in the playoffs. And that's you know, kind of always why there's a little doubt, right the big games and the big moments, and Kirk Cousins can get the job done. He's getting the job done this season. It's the ko factor, man, It's the Kevin O'Connell factor. He has an incredible relationship with his new head coach who coached him previously. If you know Dan in Washington and now he's you know, at the

Helm here in Minnesota. I fully became a believer after this game in Buffalo because I don't know, you've been to him Mark Stadium. This thing is an I don't know if I've seen a tailgate like it. Uh. And and when you see you know, because I was there for the Packers game this year and uh, Sunday Night football that tailgate is something else these fans or something else. The Chiefs of the Bills mafia is a real thing. And for them to go in and do what they

did and then find ways to win. Right, the end of that game was unreal. That's an instant classic. But you know, looking at the numbers, five games they've won this season trailing in the fourth quarter, right, Kirk is responsible for five game winning drives this season. There's seven and oh and one score games eight and one for the first time since two thousand nine. Right, So they've all bought in. And again it's the Kevin O'Connell factor.

I was in London and I had the Vikings against I believe they play the Saints and uh and I talked to Delvin Cook during the week and after the game, and he said, all I want to do at the stage in my careers win. And Kevin O'Connell has a special way of teaching, UH, why why we're doing things, why the offense is what it is, why this play specifically is ran this way, And so I just really think there's a buy in. The defense is a hell of a lot better than it was over the past

couple of seasons. Uh, Darius Smith is back to his form and with the Neil Hunter up front, this thing is really good in Minnesota. And I'm all buying in on them. Yeah, and there was again and you know it's the past and the past is the past. But you know when they get when they get stuffed at the goal line? Uh. In that game, it just felt like one of those classic, you know, gut punch moments

for Minnesota. When Davin Cut drops the pass at the goal line on a free play, It's like, oh no, is this just gonna That's how we're gonna remember this great effort by Minnesota. And yet the fact that they found a way maybe things are changing. For the vice question, Yes, are you going to be the next media member to don the Kirk Cousins chains without shirt on? Are you going to be a Dan? Because if that's the case, I'm gonna fly to wherever that is to see it. Two.

Ware's it. Here's the problem. Here's the sneaky important part of the chain game. He's got to have like a banging bod and Kirk Cousins Is bod is like surprisingly saucy, it's a it's a good body. And then Patrick Peterson looked like he was cut out of marble. And it's just like, I'm not there yet, you know. Just give me about six to eight years with a personal trainer

and a dietitian and I will wear the chains. Let's check back in the mi Okay, okay, put a put a place of wager on that one pin in that one Let me let me ask you about the Bears, who are also getting better stacy, and a lot of that is connected to the quarterback. This feels like, even in a narrow loss in Cairo, Santos, make a kick, but make a kick, um you You feel like this is an important developmental year, transition year for this franchise.

And maybe you and I are doing this show God Willing a year from now and we're talking about the Bears in the top ten because now it feels like they got the quarterback who's hitting a stride. Now you just gotta have a smart offseason of building in the here and now they're competitive and fun on a weekly basis. Now. I don't know, Dan, if I've ever seen a fan base, because you know, I live in Chicago. It when the loss happens, like they don't leave. Everybody stays put and

there there. They've got their phones out right during the game. When Justin Fields has the ball, they're just they're just videoing him, like what's he gonna do on this next play? Since week five, he's averaging over a hundred yards rushing the football. It's insane what he's doing. I'm a little surprised you jumped them up one spot because they're losing and they've lost six of their last seven games. But there's promise and there's hope unlike I've ever seen in

Chicago for this football team. Like he leads all quarterbacks with seven and forty nine rush yards right, he's throwing ten passes though in six games since week five, This this product he's putting in. Performances he's putting together consecutively is really really impressive. I love how they've integrated Cole comm At at at the tight end. He's finally scoring this year, which he didn't do last year. And Darnell Mooney is back to form. The run game is the best in

the NFL. But you gotta win football games. And so when you mentioned the Cairo Santo, you know Santo's kick that feel missed extra point. I'm thinking, hey, don't throw a pick six too, But I'm also looking at it.

I'm also looking at though, Dan, like you figured out the run game, okay in Chicago, Luke GETSI is just you know, I talked to a couple of weeks ago about it, and I asked him when did you decide to put these runs in and he said, well, we implemented the offense in the off season and the runs

have always been there. But I'm like, this thing is substantially different, Like teams are looking at justin fields like they would look at Lamar Jackson as I've talked to opposing defensive players, because he is just so dynamic you don't know what is coming big play wise, and now in the last three games, they've averaged thirty past yards per games. So my thing in this Detroit game, let

him throw it around. I'm okay with the pick six, to be honest with you, because until he makes that mistake, he's not going to change that decision in the next game in the fourth quarter and win. So I think they're this close in Chicago. So I see why you brought him up one spot. No, And that's why, because you know it is the power rankings, not the power standings,

which I always have to remind people of that. And you know, a lot of the way I frame things as a fan and sometimes as an analyst is through my own Jets fandom. And I was thinking, you know, we we passed on Patrick Mahomes because we had Christian Hackenburg, we passed on Josh Allen because we had Sam Donald, And now you know, did we pass on Justin Fields because we we like Zack Wilson. I'm starting to get those pangs of fan regret because it does feel like

Fields might be right there. He's not there yet, as you saw from the interception, is passing game. There's still some ways to go there. But he seems like he might be special. And that that's all anybody was talking about, including on the A T N podcast when the Bears moved up to get Fields. This is an organization that needed a shot in the arm, and here it is. Wow, it is an absolute shot in the arm. I mean, what he's doing, he's doing record breaking things right now.

I mean he's got to spend these last again, these last five games, five hundred yards on the ground running the foot like this is insane. What he's doing. He's surpassed. He's number one most in the Super Bowl era in a five game span, surpassing Lamar Jackson. Like it is just and you could talk about the speed like it you don't even realize how fast he's going because he's so swift and he's so big. I mean, you're talking

about Cam Newton size. But I think you know, could end up being a certainly when you think about justin fields and his arm strength, just a hell of an acquisition. If he can continue this growth and evolution as the starting quarterback for the Chicago Bears. I mean, he's totally changed the landscape in Chicago at least as of right now. Absolutely, and finally, like real quick, because it wouldn't be right to the Lions fans who put up with a lot of garbage for the past I don't know, a hundred

years or so. Um, let's talk about the Lions real quick. I'm I'm relieved, um that they have this little two game winning streak. They get the monkey off their back of winning a road game. All I want because on the Round the NFL podcast that the team of around the NFL, we we like the lines. We want to see them to succeed I really enjoyed that hard Knocks season, and what we don't want is the second week of January for people like will Ian Rappaport very solemn on

Good Morning Football. There has not been a decision made yet on Dan Campbell. We want a nice close to the season that that sends the lines towards a off season of hope and optimism. Do you sense that they've turned the corner a little bit here? Um? I think so. I it's I'm going to have them on Thanksgiving, and so I'm really anxious to go and be around their team a little bit because I always take something away the energy of a team. So when you ask me

that question, Dan, let's talk in two weeks. Maybe you'll have me back for power rankings. How fortunate would I be? Um? But I think the first road victory. I was shocked that that is Dan Campbell's first win on the road as the head coach of the Detroit Lions. I know there was a tie in there at one point. I think one eleven and one or something as the record on the road. I could be mistaken, but I think that's those were the numbers. I like the talent on

this team. I really like the receivers. Obviously, DeAndre Swift when he's healthy is really good football player. Um, the defense, you did a good job against the Chicago Bears, and all you can do is stack wins in this league. And uh, you know it's a tough division. As you know, it's a division that runs the football, um and has I think all four teams have given others fits in the NFL this year in terms of how they've ran

the ball. So yeah, you as Allions fan, I love Dan Campbell, I love you know everything he represents as far as how he approaches his players. But wins are wins. Yeah, eight spots. They move up in the power rankings from one and hopefully, hopefully, uh they keep on moving up. Stacy. Yes, the first step the progress is winning in your division. Right, They've defeated the Packers, They've defeated there. We'll see as the season goes on how they fare against the rest

of the division this season. Stacy, you've said it all. You're in a Canadian tuxedo. I will begin the quest to go Kirk oh chains uh starting after the show, A dedication that you'll be as a great athlete yourself with aching knees or whatever the issues are. UM, I will feel that after the transformation, I undergo for you, Stacy, thank you for having me. There she goes the great Stacy Dale's thank you to uh Stacy. We will be right back after this to dig into the bottom twelve

of the Power ran its. It's gonna get sad, but let's go along for the ride. All right, welcome back to you Power Rankings presented by Energizer. Here is the bottom of the rankings. Yes, we just talked about the Lions. Yeah, they're in the twenties, but they're up eight spots to twenty one. The Falcons down five. Marcus Mariota's cratering right now, and you wonder how much longer Arthur Smith can deal with that. They're at twenty two. The Saints are just

having a bad year. They're at twenty three, down three spots. The Browns defense does not show up against Miami. But I don't know, I don't know if anybody stop in Miami right now. They're down five to twenty four. Steelers get T. J. Watt back and get a win, up three spots to the Rams down eight to six and seven. The Colts up three Uh, coming off that kind of shocking win over the Raiders. Uh, twenty eight Jaguars twenty nine, Raiders down five. My goodness, we'll get to them. Broncos

down four and thirty. Their quarterback can't play right now, that's an issue. Panthers out of the seller with that win over Atlanta at thirty one, and this the Texans back and they're familiar digs the thirty two spot. They have, you know what they have. They have Damian Pierce, who is really good, who's on pace for fifty yards this year rushing UM but not a lot else. So we'll see what happens there. But let's let's start by talking

the Saints. Um. Who a team that throughout the summer a lot of buzz around the Saints that they were going to make a push and be a team that could be potentially a Super Bowl contender in the NFC. And I remember saying I'm wrong all the time, but this one I was right about. I remember a lot of giving a lot of pushback because it's like everyone's

forgetting one thing number one. And we're talking Jamis Winston at the time, who's barely played after getting hurt early in the season, Jamis Winston is prominently involved with Andy Dalton behind him. There's a ceiling there, and to Sean Payton's out there anymore. It's Dennis Allen. And I think that's made a huge difference. This is just not the same team. They lose to the Steelers. Who are you know,

a team that's rebuilding, uh twenty to ten? And you know the drumbeat is only gonna grow louder now to get Dalton out of there and put in Winston. But I don't know what. I don't think that's gonna make a big difference. I think the offensive line is an issue. They struggled a block for Alvin Kamar. They struggled to protect. If you do not protect Jamis Winston, he will throw many interceptions. This is I know you're not hearing that

on alysis anywhere else. He will throw many more and you're gonna hear a lot of people saying, oh, what about Andy Dalton again? It's enough, It's enough. Here's what Dennis Allen said, by the way, after Sunday's Lust there's just a lot of different areas that we've got to improve on. Yeah, you know who else you can say that about the Rams who are bad. The Rams are bad. It is hard to repeat as a Super Bowl champion.

But you don't usually see a team crater like Los Angeles has I have him down eight spots, They had him an eighteen, had him hanging around kind of like what he was doing with the Bucks and the Packers, because like, well, maybe they figure things out. This team is not going to figure it out. And I know we Matthew Stafford out. Um. It was an uphill climb,

even against the backup quarterback and the Cardinals. But you gotta find a way to win that game, and you get you gotta get beat up in almost blown out basically by the Cardinals with Colt McCoy in your building, and I kept waiting to for you know, whether it be Jalen Ramsey or especially Aaron Donald, who I know is still grading out beautifully on PFF and the like. But make a play, guys, you know, pick up your defense. I know they're extremely frustrated on that defense, that the

offense isn't doing anything. But where the game changing plays, where the pick six is the force fumbles that the defense to give an offense a short field, it's not their fault, but I thought maybe they needed somebody to step up a big, big play. That cash is huge paychecks. They did not do it in that game. And now you have Cooper Cup moved to injured reserve on Tuesday after sustaining what was a high ankle sprain h on a diving attempt of a bad John Walford pass. And uh,

I don't know, he's out at least four weeks. And the way Sean McVeigh was talking, uh, in a logical sense, if the Rams are out of playoff contention, are you gonna rush back you know, arguably your best player. Uh. We might have seen the last of Cooper Cup this season. Uh, stay tuned on that. The Colts. I want to speak positively about a team. Now, I don't agree with the process of Colts owner Jim Ursay. And you know the

way uh he handled the firing of Frank Reich. The Jeff Saturday hiring was kind of insane, but also some of the uh, the handwringing that you heard from the likes of Bill Kauer and thousands of others calling it a disgrace to the game. Whatever or says the owner, he has a pre existing relationship with Saturday and Uh,

he gets to do what he wants. But what I thought was really unfair after watching the offense hum in an upset of the Raiders in Vegas, was that you would fire Frank Reich and then say, all right, now, Matt Ryan, a borderline Hall of Fame quarterback, he gets to come back and play. And then on top of it,

you get to go against a creating Raiders team. And oh, by the way, Jonathan Taylor, the best running back on the planet last year, who has been banged up playing behind a wretched offensive line, all of a sudden looks like Jonathan Taylor. Uh. The first time that Frank Reig Scott, I would throw my remote if I were Frank Reich and you know Reike's watching that game, I would throw my remote remote so hard at my flat screen on

my wall. It would go through the flat screen, through the wall and be found lodged in the chimney across the street at Nate's house. That's what would happen for me. And I don't usually lose my temper, but I would if I was Frank Reich. So good on the Colts for you know, being so professional in that game. The players I'm talking about in the coaching staff for finding

way to really go out there and look efficient. And I'm not saying that the Cults are gonna be a team to keep an eye on here, but the fact that they were able to come out of just a chaos drenched environment in Indianapolis, inside the your own walls and outside and and look so well put together in that game. It's a kind of a testament to the players and that remaining coaching staff. And finally, yeah, the Raiders, Man, geez,

what are we doing? What are we doing? That? You got Josh McDaniels in the midst of another disastrous head coaching um gig. And you had Mark Davis owner come out and say Rome wasn't built in a day and we're gonna be you know, patient with Josh McDaniels, which

I get it, I get it. And you have um Mike Garretfolo saying this morning that he doesn't even think that Mark Davis is liquid enough to be able to fire a coach with this many years left on his contract and then make another big higher So maybe his hands are tied a little bit financially, but you can't say that you can't do the Rome wasn't built in a dayline. When you're built, you just traded away future

draft picks for a superstar wide receiver. You had this high paid roster with a nucleus, and you you flatline this season. This is not exactly the same situation as the Lions or the Texans or any other number of teams that are truly in a rebuild. This is a team that has flopped. Uh So, ownership being showing patients in the head coach is maybe going to calm things down in the locker room, which they probably It's been a very deeply frustrating, as you saw with Derek Carr's

comments on Sunday Night season. Maybe they get to relax and breathe and don't worry about people getting fired right here and now. But jeez, the Raiders are tempting me to put them at last than the power rankings in a year that there were very people respected people, not me, respected people picking them to beat the Chiefs in the a f C. West. It goes to show your football it's hard to predict unless you're tug boat. Unless you

write the NFL Power rankings every week. Landing Tuesday morning, you catch this podcast, check me out on around the NFL. We'll welcome back Colleen next week and we'll dig into another week of madness, chaos drenched madness, and we like it that way until next week. Heed the Call. NFL Power Rankings is a production of the NFL in partnership with I heart Radio. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.