Let’s start by stating the obvious: There’s a lot going on. Tensions are high. And the battle between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs at the top of the NFL power rankings is merely the tip of the iceberg.
So let’s get right to it.
On the day of the 59th U.S. presidential election, our expert NFL panel has elected to give you one telling stat for each team in our latest power rankings.
This week, the panel includes editors Geoff Lowe and Craig Battle, and staff writers Mike Johnston and Emily Sadler.
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
2020 record: 7-0
Last week: 1
Telling stat: See the 2020 record above
Their 7-0 record tells you all you really need to know about how dominant this Steelers team is — the last undefeated club standing this season. (ES)
2. Kansas City Chiefs
2020 record: 7-1
Last week: 2
Telling stat: +9 turnover differential
Here’s one way to ensure you win ball games: give away the ball less than you take it away, and so far the Chiefs are leading the league by that measure with 14 takeaways against just five turnovers. They’ve also thrown the fewest interceptions in the league, with just one to date. (CB)
3. Seattle Seahawks
2020 record: 6-1
Last week: 3
Telling stat: 88.0%
So far this season, the Seahawks are scoring touchdowns on an NFL-best 88.0% of their red zone opportunities, which leads the next-closest team — the Titans — by more than eight percent. (CB)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2020 record: 6-2
Last week: 7
Telling stat: 70.3 opponent rushing yards per game
The Bucs are allowing the fewest rushing yards per game, and just 3.2 yards per rushing attempt. (MJ)
5. Baltimore Ravens
2020 record: 5-2
Last week: 5
Telling stat: 5-2
That five is great, but let’s talk about the two. The good news is that the Ravens’ only losses have come at the hands of two undefeated (at the time) clubs. The troubling part is QB Lamar Jackson’s performance in both defeats. Against Kansas City in Week 3, Jackson threw for just 97 yards with a single TD pass and a pair of fumbles. Sunday against Pittsburgh, another showing unbefitting of the reigning MVP: a season-low 46.43 pass completion percentage, two interceptions, and a trio of fumbles in the biggest game of his season to date. (ES)
6. Buffalo Bills
2020 record: 6-2
Last week: 8
Telling stat: 672 rushing yards allowed over last four games
What has always been a strength of Sean McDermott’s teams in Buffalo has suddenly become the Bills’ biggest weakness as the defence continues to bleed rushing yards. Opponents are averaging 168 yards on the ground against Buffalo over the last month, and will be a big part of opponent game plans in the future until the Bills prove they can stop the run. (GL)
7. New Orleans Saints
2020 record: 5-2
Last week: 10
Telling stat: 100+ in six straight
Alvin Kamara has gained 100 or more total yards in six straight games, which is the third-longest streak in Saints franchise history. It’s going to be all Kamara all the time, especially with Michael Thomas still out. (MJ)
8. Tennessee Titans
2020 record: 5-2
Last week: 4
Telling stat: Back-to-back rushing titles
Derrick Henry is on pace to be the first player to lead the NFL in rushing yards in back-to-back seasons since LaDainian Tomlinson did it in 2006 and 2007. (MJ)
9. Green Bay Packers
2020 record: 5-2
Last week: 6
Telling stat: 60%
Of Aaron Rodgers’ 20 touchdown passes thrown this season so far, more than half have been caught by either wide receiver Davante Adams (seven) or tight end Robert Tonyan (five). Imagine what Rodgers would do with a little more help. (ES)
10. Indianapolis Colts
2020 record: 5-2
Last week: 13
Telling stat: 11 INTs
The team’s defence deserves a pat on the back for leading the NFL in interceptions with 11. (MJ)
11. Arizona Cardinals
2020 record: 5-2
Last week: 11
Telling stat: 1st in yards, 8th in points
The Cardinals lead the league with nearly 420 yards of offence every game, but are just eighth overall with 29.0 points per game. Upping the efficiency is priority one if this team is to overtake the Seahawks, who excel in that regard (see above). (CB)
12. Los Angeles Rams
2020 record: 5-3
Last week: 9
Telling stat: 1-3 vs. non-NFC East teams
It’s been said before, and we’ll say it again. The 5-3 record is misleading here as four of the Rams’ wins have come against down-on-their-luck NFC East clubs. They scheduling gift has given them time to right the ship, but they’ve yet to show they can do it. (CB)
13. Chicago Bears
2020 record: 5-3
Last week: 12
Telling stat: Six straight games with one INT
Backup-turned-starter Nick Foles, at the helm of Chicago’s on-again, off-again offence, has thrown an interception in six straight games – the longest active streak going. (ES)
14. San Francisco 49ers
2020 record: 4-4
Last week: 14
Telling stat: .750
No, Jimmy Garoppolo wasn’t looking great Sunday before re-aggravating his ankle injury. But the team is 3-1 this season when he’s been able to play a full game, and 1-3 in games in which he didn’t dress or couldn’t finish. Now Garoppolo is expected to miss at least a month, after which the 49ers’ season may be over. (CB)
15. Las Vegas Raiders
2020 record: 4-3
Last week: 16
Telling stat: 3.2 SRS
According to Pro Football Reference, that’s the average Simple Rating System number for Las Vegas opponents so far this year, and it’s the second highest in the league next to only the Texans. Which all goes to say the Raiders have faced a relative buzzsaw so far, and have gutted out a 4-3 record. (CB)
16. Miami Dolphins
2020 record: 4-3
Last week: 17
Telling stat: 18.6 points allowed per game
After a shocking blowout win over the Rams this past weekend, the Dolphins now boast the NFL’s best scoring defence and have allowed just 130 points in seven games. The story heading into this past weekend was a change at quarterback, but it might be time to start paying more attention to this Dolphins defensive unit. (GL)
17. Cleveland Browns
2020 record: 5-3
Last week: 15
Telling stat: 1.1 sacks per game
Myles Garrett’s nine sacks on the season has him atop the league (alongside Aaron Donald) in the category and saw him named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for October. His six-game sack streak heading into Sunday’s bout versus Vegas was the league’s longest.
18. Cincinnati Bengals
2020 record: 2-5-1
Last week: 23
Telling stat: 221 completions
Joe Burrow has completed 221 passes through his first eight games, which is the most completions made by a rookie quarterback in his first eight games in league history. His 2,272 passing yards on the year so far have him on pace to break Andrew Luck’s rookie record for total yardage through the air by a rookie QB. (ES)
19. Philadelphia Eagles
2020 record: 3-4-1
Last week: 22
Telling stat: 16 turnovers
Carson Wentz’s league-leading 16 turnovers have been the Eagles’ biggest impediment to success so far in 2020, and that’s saying something considering all of the injuries Philadelphia has dealt with this season. Wentz’s four turnovers on Sunday vs. Dallas would’ve cost the Eagles the game against almost any other team, and will be Philadelphia’s downfall if No. 11 can’t clean up his play. (GL)
20. Denver Broncos
2020 record: 3-4
Last week: 24
Telling stat: 1
Prior to Sunday’s furious fourth quarter, Broncos QB had thrown exactly one touchdown pass in 16 quarters. Then he threw three in the final frame against the Chargers alone. He’ll need to show more of that to stake his claim as the Broncos’ QB of the future. (CB)
21. Los Angeles Chargers
2020 record: 2-5
Last week: 18
Telling stat: %$!*&Q(W*#%&&!JDJ&@!
Sorry, the Chargers’ latest loss broke the calculator. (CB)
22. New England Patriots
2020 record: 2-5
Last week: 20
Telling stat: Telling stat: 19.4 points scored per game
New England’s 136 points is the fourth-fewest in the NFL through Week 8, and the Patriots offence has scored fewer than 12 points in three of its last four games. Bill Belichick’s team has finished as a top-10 scoring offence in each of the past 16 seasons, a streak surely to come to a halt in 2020. (GL)
23. Detroit Lions
2020 record: 3-4
Last week: 21
Telling stat: 97.1 rushing yards per game (and falling)
With just 680 rushing yards on the season, the Lions have the third-worst run game in the league. And just when it looked like Detroit might change its ways — they tallied 180 rushing yards against the Jaguars in week 6 — they went and posted just 93 in their next two games combined. (ES)
24. Minnesota Vikings
2020 record: 2-5
Last week: 28
Telling stat: You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take*
*Past the line of scrimmage. (ES)
25. Atlanta Falcons
2020 record: 2-6
Last week: 27
Telling stat: 3 wins losses
The Falcons have lost three games this year during which they had a 95 per cent or better win probability. They hang on and win those games like they should’ve, and they’re a 5-3 team with realistic playoff aspirations. (MJ)
26. Carolina Panthers
2020 record: 3-5
Last week: 19
Telling stat: 8 sacks in 8 games
The pass rush has been an issue and Carolina is averaging just one sack per game. The Panthers have fewer sacks as a team than Aaron Donald and Myles Garret do individually. (MJ)
27. Houston Texans
2020 record: 1-6
Last week: 25
Telling stat: 4 takeaways
The Texans have forced just four turnovers in seven games, which ties them for the league low with the Raiders and Packers. They’re also the only team without at least two interceptions. (MJ)
28. Washington Football Team
2020 record: 2-5
Last week: 26
Telling stat: 185.9 passing yards allowed per game
While there’s still plenty of questions left to answer on the offensive side of the ball, Ron Rivera’s defence has been making it tough for opponents, especially in the passing game. Washington’s 1,301 total passing yards allowed are the fewest in the NFL by a significant margin, a result of an overhauled secondary and a dominant defensive line that only needs to rush four to get pressure. If Washington stays relevant in the NFC East, the defence will be why. (GL)
29. Dallas Cowboys
2020 record: 2-6
Last week: 29
Telling stat: 32.6 vs. 7.3
In the games Dak Prescott started for the Cowboys this season, the team was scoring an average on 32.6 points per contest. In the three games started by Andy Dalton and Ben Dinucci, Dallas’s offence is barely averaging a touchdown’s worth of points. You can look at many of the Cowboys’ stats since Prescott went down, but none is more telling than the 25.3 fewer points per game the team is scoring. (GL)
30. Jacksonville Jaguars
2020 record: 1-6
Last week: 30
Telling stat: 2.1 opponent punts per game
Jacksonville’s opponents are averaging just 2.1 punts per game, which is the lowest mark in the league through eight weeks. (MJ)
31. New York Giants
2020 record: 1-7
Last week: 31
Telling stat: 35 turnovers in 20 career games
Another turnover-happy quarterback in the NFC East, Daniel Jones now has 13 turnovers in eight games after handing the Buccaneers possession twice on Monday night in what was a very winnable game for the Giants. Jones’s 35 turnovers in 20 career games are on pace with only notorious draft bust Ryan Leaf, and will likely end the 23-year-old’s time as the starting QB for Big Blue. (GL)
32. New York Jets
2020 record: 0-8
Last week: 32
Telling stat: 32nd
Thirty-two is a number that can be applied to multiple facets of the Jets offence, an even more damning indictment on “offensively minded” head coach Adam Gase than New York’s 0-8 record. The Jets offence ranks 32nd in points, 32nd in total yards, 32nd in passing yards, 32nd in first downs, 32nd in third-down conversions, 32nd in red-zone percentage… you get the picture. (GL)
Source: – Sportsnet.ca
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