(Also at UltimateFootballBlog.com)
Welcome to the Ultimate Football Blog Week Five Power Rankings. Like most power rankings, this list is highly official and should never be doubted. If you disagree with it, you’re probably a moron.
I’ve decided to make a permanent change to the Power Rankings in that I’m adding a “special commentary” to the beginning of every rankings. Sometimes a quick blurb just isn’t enough to discuss the things I want to discuss. Since this is my article and this is the debut of the “special commentary” section, I’m going to discuss my Carolina Panthers, specifically Cam Newton.
Cam Newton isn’t himself this year. He’s coming off major ankle surgery in the offseason and a rib injury in the preseason. Anyone who has watched Cam this year can tell he’s not the Cam of year’s past. He no longer has that quick burst or escapability from the pocket. Because of that, he’s had to change his approach to the game. He’s had to make his reads faster and get rid of the ball quicker.
So far the results have been mixed.
Cam’s arm has always been underrated. He throws one of the hardest balls in football, which sometimes gets him in trouble as he tries to fit the ball in a tight window. It’s not that he can’t sit in the pocket and sling the ball around the field, it’s that he chooses to use all of his assets and he knows that his legs might be his biggest weapon. That has led to him taking a lot of hits over his first few years in the league, but it’s also allowed him to make some big plays.
That weapon is now limited and Cam and the Panthers are still trying to adjust. Last year he could get out of the pocket when there was pressure and make a play. This year he’s getting sacked partly because he still thinks he can escape the pressure. It’s led to a lot of bad sacks, but it’s all a learning experience for Cam.
And he’s learning. Let’s not forget that he’s playing in front of a mediocre at best offensive line and a whole new group of wide receivers that he had little to no time with during training camp. It’s tough to trust those guys when you haven’t had much time to work with them. There’s a reason why Cam continues to look for Greg Olsen on just about every play. As the season progresses and Cam starts to get on the same page with his receivers, the Panthers passing game could really thrive.
The injuries have turned Cam into a different quarterback. Is he better? That’s debatable. With DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, and Mike Tolbert all injured the Panthers could definitely use a running threat and Cam isn’t that threat right now. From the pocket though, he’s much more comfortable. And who knows if he ever would’ve developed that comfort level as a pocket passer had it not been for the ankle injury. The injury has forced him to become a more complete quarterback and rely less on his psychical gifts. When he finally gets back to near 100% healthy and is able to use those psychical gifts again, Cam could be very scary if he can balance himself out.
That said, no matter how banged up he is, and he’s pretty banged up right now, he’s still going to be Cam. He made an end around block on Lance Briggs on Sunday. A full on block. A lot quarterback’s in the league wouldn’t try to make the block. A banged up quarterback nursing at least three different injuries shouldn’t try to make that block. But Cam is going to be Cam.
1. College Football Upsets
Sorry NFL, college football had a better weekend than you. I’m not a big college football fan, but I love upsets and close games. There were plenty of those this past week as five of the top eight teams lost including three of the top four. Saturday was an awesome day of action, even for a non-college football fan like myself.
2. Eli Manning
Alright, we all made fun of Eli after the first two games when he had four interceptions. But since then he’s thrown eight touchdowns and only one pick. He definitely looks like Super Bowl Eli right now, which is a scary thing.
3A. Peyton Manning
You guys, he’s still really good at football.
3B. Demaryuis Thomas
Really good at catching footballs thrown by Peyton Manning.
4. The INT Battle
We have a 7-way tie for first. Jay Cutler is probably the favorite right now, but as long as Geno Smith is starting, you can never count him out. Also, Blake Bortles has 6 INTS with less than 100 passes attempted. That’s pretty impressive.
5. Charlie Whitehurst’s Ponytail vs. Ryan Fitzpatrick’s Facial Hair
Neither quarterback won, but man did they look stylish in defeat.
6. Greg Olsen
This week the Bears GM admitted that he made a mistake in trading Greg Olsen. Olsen proved just what a mistake it was when he caught six passes for 72 yards and two touchdowns.
7. Dez Bryant OT Catch
Jonathan Joseph is one of the top cornerbacks in the league and he played Dez Bryant almost perfectly on a 3rd and 9 in OT. Unfortunately for him, Dez is an elite wide receiver who can make near impossible catches. And he did just that against Joseph, grabbing a 37-yard reception to set up the Cowboys victory.
8. Phil Dawson
You go 5/5 including a 55 yard field goal, you get ranked in the top ten.
9. Pittsburgh Steelers Defense
Nobody on the Steelers offense lit up the terrible Jacksonville Jaguars defense, so I decided to give this spot to the Steelers defense, for making sure the Steelers offense didn’t blow this game.
10. Tony Romo Beasts J.J. Watt
J.J. Watt is arguably the best defensive player in football. So when Tony Romo shook him off on a clean tackle and then tossed a 43-yard touchdown to Terrance Williams, it was a pretty big deal.
11. Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski
I’ve been hard on both players in the past few weeks. And this week both players told me and the rest of the doubters to, “shut the hell up, we’re still really good.”
13. De’Anthony Thomas
I’m pretty sure Dustin James won’t run the power rankings this week unless I rank Thomas for scoring his first career touchdown. So here.
15. Austin Davis
Are we sold on Austin Davis yet? I’m sold on him being better than Geno Smith.
32. Geno Smith
The Bills benched EJ Manual and won. The Jets started Geno Smith and lost. Rex tried to correct his wrong by benching Geno at halftime, but it was too little too late. And now Geno will start again next week as Rex Ryan enjoys losing.
35. Top WR and TE
Calvin Johnson and Jimmy Graham are considered by many to be the best players at their position. And they both got hurt this weekend. Hopefully it’s nothing serious for either guy.
40. Jim Harbaugh’s Future
I don’t know if Jim Harbaugh is going to coach the 49ers next year or not. But I do know that he’s one of the best coaches in the league and any team would be lucky to have him.
50. LeSean McCoy
The Eagles are one of three teams that are scoring 30+ points a game and are 4-1. You would think that would mean that McCoy is putting up huge numbers. FALSE! McCoy has less than 200 yards rushing in 4 games and only one touchdown. You know things are going bad when Trent Richardson has more yards than you. Eagles fans would certainly like more production, but they won’t complain as long as they are winning. McCoy fantasy owners on the other hand.
54. Chicago Bears 2nd Half Offense
Last week the Bears scored 17 points and put up huge numbers against the Packers defense before getting shutout in the second half and eventually losing. This week they scored 21 points against the Panthers defense before only scoring three points in the second half. The Bears front office should only pay them half their contract.
58. Jim Schwartz
I’m cool with players wanting to carry a coach off the field after he beats his former team. But not when the coach specifically asks for it and when that coach is a coordinator. You sucked as a head coach in Detroit. Just let it go, man.
60. Alex Henery
Henery became the Detroit Lions placekicker because Nate Freese sucked. In his second game as the started, Henery went 0 for 3 on field goals as the Lions lost by three. Now the Lions will have a new placekicker because Alex Henery sucks.
100. Undefeated Teams
And then there were none.
150. Johnny Manziel
The Browns were down by 25-points and had nothing going. Johnny Football time, right? Nope. Brian Hoyer led the Browns back to victory while Manziel continued to warm the bench.
300. Thursday Night Games
Another Thursday Night, another blowout. MAKE IT STOP!
1,000. ESPN College Gameday
I like Katy Perry. I think she’s hot and her songs are catchy. But I don’t need her on a sports show picking college football games when it’s obvious that she has no clue what she’s talking about and just wants to make cock jokes.
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