Best of the best
Each of the top four teams in last week's poll won this week, but it was the manner in which they won that has causes a stir up in the top 5. So this week, the No. 1 team is...
The New York Giants (Last week: No. 4)
There was a lot of skepticism about the Giants because in reality, they haven't beaten anybody, besides a Washington team that really shot themselves in the foot with poor play in Week 1. However, the way New York has been dominating those lesser teams suggests they are for real. In the Giants' last three games, the teams they faced are currently 1-12, but have beaten those teams by a combined point differential of 69 points. Eli Manning has not thrown an interception since the first game of the season and Brandon Jacobs is fourth in the league in yards per game and fifth in the league in yards per carry. In fact, the tandem of Jacobs and Derrick Ward are averaging an impressive 149.3 yards per game. That doesn't include any additional help from Ahmad Bradshaw (6.6 yards per carry) adds. Defensively, no one has been better at getting to the quarterback, which is a credit to the coaches, who have made adjustments to deal with the losses of Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora. They don't create a lot of turnovers, but when teams are converting just 31% of their third downs and your offense isn't coughing it up, turnovers aren't such a big deal.
Washington Redskins (Last week No. 3)
The Redskins rebounded in a big way since their Week 1 loss to the No. 1 team in the land. The most impressive part of the Redskins' win over the Eagles was the fact that the coaching staff found a way to move the football with their top receiver getting shut down for zero catches. Clinton Portis has really taken this team up on his back and carried them, averaging 107 yards on the ground in the team's four-straight wins and 133 yards in Washington's back-to-back wins over division foes. The defense has largely been underrated because it is not a flashy unit, but they are holding opponents under 20 points per game.
Tennessee Titans (Last week: No. 4)
The Titans' offense can be a bit of an adventure at times, but the defense is very, very good and the team as a whole is drawing comparisons to the Baltimore Ravens team that won Super Bowl XXXV. They lead the league in interceptions, forced fumbles, sacks and, most importantly, points allowed. Kerry Collins showed some flashes of his old, unreliable self early in the Week 5 game against the Ravens, throwing two interceptions, but was able to take advantage of a bad roughing the passer call and drove his team for the winning score. That's what you expect your veterans to do - take advantage of what's given to them.
Dallas Cowboys (Last week: No. 1)
The Cowboys offense is still an impressive unit, but defensively, Dallas has problems, especially in the secondary. Teams are able to move the ball fairly well through the air against the Cowboys, as Carson Palmer proved with his first strong performance of the season. On the ground, they have allowed less than 100 yards per game, but still have only faced one of this season's Top-10 running backs in Clinton Portis and he put up 121 yards against them.
Carolina Panthers (Last week: NR)
Sure, they haven't exactly beaten anyone of note, but since their Week 3 implosion against the Vikings, the Panthers have been playing with conviction on defense and an outstanding running game on offense. Defensively, the Panthers are a very underrated physical unit that doesn't give up much, especiallly against the run. They have stopped some of the league's top backs in their tracks, including Week 5, when they held Larry Johnson to a mere two yards. The offense is nothing spectacular, but they have two solid options in the backfield and they don't turn the ball over.
Worst of the worst
Houston Texans (Last week: No. 5 worst)
Sage Rosenfels went from being a hero who could start a quarterback controversy to a goat in the matter of less than five minutes as he blew what would have been a huge win against the reeling Indianapolis Colts. Part of the problem was the fact that the coaches left the ball in Rosenfels' hands insead of giving it to Steve Slaton or Ahman Green, who had been torching the Cotls' front seven all game long.
Cincinnati Bengals (Last week: No. 3 worst)
They at least gave the Cowboys a fight, but still haven't found a way to win. Carson Palmer has looked better the past couple of weeks, but still hasn't gotten Chad Ocho Cinco involved very much and the defense continues to struggle in all phases of the game.
Kansas City Chiefs (Last week: NR)
So much for a win against Denver being the turning point of the season for the Chiefs, who turned in a 127-yard offensive effort against Carolina. There's a lot of work to be done during the bye this week, but the Chiefs just don't seem to have the personel to pull anything off.
Detroit Lions (Last week: No. 2 worst)
Things just can't get much worse in Detroit. The team hasn't allowed less than 31 points to an opponent at all this season and each week the offense looks a little bit worse. The Lions had better pray that Jon Kitna's back issue isn't a serious issue, because he's the player on that team that gives them the best chance to win. That in an of itself is a pretty good indication of the state of affairs in Detroit.
St. Louis Rams (Last week: No. 1 worst)
The Rams come out of the bye only to face Washington and Dallas over the next two weeks. There's a new coach and Marc Bulger has rightly been made the starting quarterback again, but does it really make a difference at this point?
