Franz’s 2012 NFL Power Poll – Week 11
Nov 15, 2012, 5:14 AM | Updated: Apr 28, 2015, 2:00 pm
1) HOUSTON TEXANS: +14 in sacks leads to being +10 in turnover margin. After a hard-fought win against Chicago, it will be nice to be home against Jacksonville.
2) ATLANTA FALCONS: Tough loss will be made better by taking out frustrations on Arizona. They must get Michael Turner more involved.
3) CHICAGO BEARS: Not a bad loss at all, but Chicago doesn’t look like a team trending upwards with a 30th ranked passing offense in a passing league.
4) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: Fourth-worst passing defense allowing 8.1 yards/attempt. NFL leading +16 turnover ratio saves bad defense.
5) BALTIMORE RAVENS: Bad offensive stats yet still fourth in points/game. They also get Pittsburgh twice in next three games.
6) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: Only three home games left. They are averaging a crazy 170 yards rushing/game (yes, that’s #1 in the NFL).
7) GREEN BAY PACKERS: Defense must increase turnovers created or decrease yards given up. They are a very banged up team so a bye week was desperately needed.
8) DENVER BRONCOS: The power poll is based on the entire body of work and not the trending direction or this team would be much higher because they’re in the middle of a potential eight-game winning streak.
9) PITTSBURGH STEELERS: Despite the loss of Polamalu, by far the best statistical defense. This doesn’t look good for a division showdown. Ben Roethlisberger out for Ravens game.
10) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: Worst passing team in the NFL. This is the perfect time for the bye week with Arizona being the only team coming to Seattle between now and Christmas weekend.
11) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: As the -9 turnover ratio keeps getting better, so does Indianapolis. They still have two games left against Houston.
12) NEW YORK GIANTS: Two-game losing streak, QB with a tired arm and Green Bay coming up would make a great time for a bye week. Do you get a Brett Favre type of feeling? Phil Simms: Eli Manning a champion, but he’s not elite.
13) MINNESOTA VIKINGS: Unacceptable to have the third-best rushing attack and only average 191 yards/game through the air. They have a tough schedule the rest of the way with Chicago twice in the next three weeks and only two home games left.
14) TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: Amazingly, the best rush defense and the worst pass defense, that’s hard to do…anyone else know this is the third-best scoring offense?
15) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: Thought this team had no chance to ever get into the top half of the poll…
16) DALLAS COWBOYS: Romo would be so much better off with a rushing attack better than 29th in the league…pretender or contender will be determined with weak but vital three-game homestand Cleveland, Washington and Philly.
17) CINCINNATI BENGALS: Completing only 31% of third-downs (only Washington is worse on third-down.)
18) MIAMI DOLPHINS: Pretty surprising one of the worst pass defenses in the league gives up less than three TDs a game. Normally fourth-down conversion rate isn’t a big deal, but allowing 90% (9-of-10) to be converted is a little obnoxious.
19) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS: Interested to see how the seventh-ranked defense handles Peyton in Denver. Rivers has been sacked 22 times and lost 142 yards.
20) TENNESSEE TITANS: Most 125+ yard rushing games in the first five years of a career is 27 by Eric Dickerson, Chris Johnson has 25.
21) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: Back-to-back 3-6 starts…sorry Andy, but you have to win seven straight to save your job.
22) NEW YORK JETS: Mark Sanchez has thrown two of his league-leading four red zone INTs on plays immediately following a Tebow wildcat play call.
23) WASHINGTON REDSKINS: Despite all their struggles, they still have five division games left to make a comeback in a weak division…defense allowing almost 400 yards/game.
24) DETROIT LIONS: I don’t care that you’re the #1 passing offense if you have to take 17 sacks and throw eight picks to get there.
25) ST. LOUIS RAMS: I know it’s not as bad as Arizona, but 25 sacks of Bradford is way too much. They need more plays taking advantage of the walking mismatch Lance Kendricks.
26) BUFFALO BILLS: Worst rush defense = worst scoring defense. Fitzpatrick is too smart to be completing only 62%.
27) ARIZONA CARDINALS: Not only last in the NFL in rushing, but also 450 yards below their own opponents in rushing. Kevin Kolb is still in third place in most sacks taken (it’s been a month since he’s played).
28) OAKLAND RAIDERS: Only Arizona has a worse rushing attack… only three teams give up 30 points/game. Welcome to the club, Oakland.
29) CAROLINA PANTHERS: Now that the special teams coach has been fired, I’m sure everything is looking up.
30) CLEVELAND BROWNS: All the stats say this is just a below average team, but Weeden is so bad statistically that the team has two wins.
31) JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: Offense is beginning to become historically bad, averaging barely two TDs per game.
32) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: They had a lead! Second worst turnover ratio in the league is Philly’s -11, nine turnovers better than KC’s -20.
