The number of unbeaten teams is down to two with just the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers still standing. New England got a good scare this past weekend as it too a last-second field goal to secure the win over the New York Giants.
Conversely, the Cleveland Browns are looking like the top candidate to land the No. 1 overall pick. There is some positive news out of Cleveland because Johnny Manziel has played well enough to earn at least one more start.
As usual, this projected 2016 NFL Draft Order is based on ESPN’s updated power rankings with a playoff scenario factored in.
Cleveland Browns (2-8)- The only positive coming out of Cleveland’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers is that Johnny Manziel earned another start. This franchise can’t start looking towards the future until it figures out the quarterback position.
San Francisco 49ers (3-6)- Blaine Gabbert earned himself another start which is a sign of how things have gone this season for the San Francisco 49ers.
Detroit Lions (2-7)- The Lions really tried to give Green Bay the win thanks to several bonehead mistakes. This win was an anomaly—expect a lot more losses than wins for the rest of the season.
Baltimore Ravens (2-7)- Baltimore not only lacks talent at key positions they also appear to lack tenacity. There just isn’t much fight left in this team.
San Diego Chargers (2-7)- The bye week will help with the Chargers injury problems but they still aren’t getting the likes of Keenan Allen back.
Dallas Cowboys (2-7)- Another week without Tony Romo and another Dallas Cowboys loss. This is streak is ugly and is showing that maybe the problems with this team go beyond Matt Cassel.
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6)- Jacksonville’s last minute win against the Baltimore Ravens kept their playoff hopes alive. It’s sad to say, but the AFC South doesn’t deserve to be represented in the playoffs.
Tennessee Titans
(2-7)- Tennessee’s lack of a running game is starting to have a negative effect on Marcus Mariota’s development. This is part of the problem of rushing a young quarterback on the field. He typically lacks the supporting cast to make things easier.
New Orleans Saints (4-6)- Rob Ryan had to go as things with the Saints defense continues to go south. The problem is that there’s talent on this roster which is why making a coaching change makes so much sense.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5)- The Buccaneers are improving each week and have worked themselves into the wildcard discussion. It’s fun watching the development of Jameis Winston who’s proving that he’s a winner.
Houston Texans (4-5)- Houston is either going to land a top-10 pick or land in the playoffs. This is how horrible the teams in the AFC South are playing this year.
St. Louis Rams (4-5)- It’s tough to get a read on the Rams as one week they look strong and the next they struggle. Most of it comes down to the lack of a passing attack which allows the defense to focus on shutting down Todd Gurley.
Washington Redskins (4-5)-The Redskins offense and Kirk Cousins are not as explosive as they showed against the Saints, but it does show some of the potential of the unit. Washington is still in the mix to win the NFC East.
Philadelphia Eagles (4-5)- It’s starting to look like all the early-year criticism of Chip Kelly is warranted. This offense lacks consistency, direction and the ability to produce big plays. It doesn’t matter who’s at quarterback because things ran the same with Sam Bradford and Mark Sanchez on the field.
Miami Dolphins (4-5)- The Miami Dolphins didn’t beat the Philadelphia Eagles as much as Philly beat themselves. Miami again struggled to establish a running game and Ryan Tannehill still can’t stretch the field.
Chicago Bears (4-5)- Chicago continues to play good football and are quietly making playoff run. They’re still issues on this roster, but it’s nice to see Jay Cutler making plays and protecting the football.
Kansas City Chiefs (4-5)- Kansas City won the turnover battle 5-0 against the Denver Broncos and that was the difference in the game. In fact, the Chiefs offense didn’t look all that impressive and just rode those extra possessions to victory.
Oakland Raiders (4-5)- The shine is starting to wear off the upstart Oakland Raiders. Their issues on the defensive side of the ball are something Derek Carr won’t be able to overcome each week.
New York Jets (5-4)- New York’s loss to the Bills can be squarely blamed on the fact they lost the turnover battle 4-0. The rest of this season gets interesting as Ryan Fitzpatrick prepares for surgery on his thumb. How he recovers will be a major factor in the team’s hopes.
Seattle Seahawks (4-5)- Seattle is really struggling right now and nothing speaks more to that than losing at home to division rival Arizona Cardinals.
Indianapolis Colts (4-5)- Things in the AFC South are starting to get a little tighter with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans on the Colts heals. The injury to Andrew Luck clouds the water with Indianapolis now having to rely on the 40-year old Matt Hasselbeck.
Buffalo Bills (5-4)- Thursday night was huge for the Bills as it pulled them even with the New York Jets and back in the playoff race. The key appears to be Tyrod Taylor who continues to play good football.
New York Giants (5-5)- New York’s loss to the Patriots this weekend was a heartbreaker. I felt that winning this game could’ve started the Giants on a long winning streak.
Green Bay Packers (6-3)- The Packers officially lost control of the NFC North after their loss to the Lions. Aaron Rodgers just doesn’t look comfortable and it maybe that he doesn’t have a lot of faith in this receivers.
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4)-Pittsburgh has to feel like their luck is changing after Ben Roethlisberger was able to make it through the Cleveland game without re-injuring himself.
Atlanta Falcons (6-3)- The Falcons still have a solid grasp on a wildcard spot, but things aren’t as safe as they were a few weeks ago. Atlanta has struggled over the past couple weeks and other teams in the NFC are starting to make a run.
Denver Broncos (7-2)- The sky is falling in Denver because there appears to be something seriously wrong with Peyton Manning. His health and the new offensive system have rendered him to a well-below average quarterback.
Minnesota Vikings (7-2)- The Vikings have taken control of the NFC North and appear to be playing their best football of the year. Adrian Peterson is on a hot streak and starting to dominate in years past.
Cincinnati Bengals (8-1)- Monday night’s loss wasn’t pretty but it isn’t a cause for concern. This is still an extremely talented team with a chance to make a Super Bowl run.
Arizona Cardinals (7-2)- Winning on the road against the Seattle Seahawks was huge for the Cardinals. It extended their lead within the division and also provided a ton of confidence.
Carolina Panthers (9-0)- Cam Newton is an extremely confident player right now and continues to produce. This team is playing with a chip on its shoulder and hasn’t had a game where they showed up unprepared.
Forfeited- New England Patriots (9-0)- New England looked vulnerable for the first time this season and it started when Julian Edelman was forced out of the lineup. It’ll be interesting to see if New England’s offense can keep up its level of play with Edelman expected to miss an extended period of time.
