in NFL Free Picks

As expected, the Patriots continued their rise back up the list while the Bears were bound to stumble in a third straight road game. Meanwhile, the Colts finally asserted themselves and grabbed top honors back. Speaking of being back, we welcome both the Saints and Seahawks back to our rankings and we banish the injury-riddled Jags- for now at least.

Rank     (PVR)            Team                Reason

1              2                  Colts                A dominant performance was just what we needed to see in order to allow Indy to reclaim the top spot.

2              4                  Ravens            We can’t deny the progress they’ve made on offense, nor the continued excellence of their defense. They are hot right now.

3              1                  Bears               That defense keeps them high on our rankings, but the passing game is just not top notch these days. Would they really go to Brian Griese?

4              6                  Patriots             We thought about putting them higher than the Bears on this list, but three home losses this season and the loss of Seau necessitate the Pats plateau-ing at number four- for now.

5              3                  Chargers           A sub par performance at home versus the Raiders left a bad taste in our mouths. Let’s see what they do against a jacked up Bills team this Sunday.

6              8                  Cowboys           We should elevate them higher just for releasing Vanderjagt. Romo-mania is gripping Big D and has even taken this list by storm.

7              7                  Broncos             It’s rare we don’t downgrade a team after a loss, but Denver now has the passing game capable of winning those tough matchups. Wow us, Mr. Cutler.

8              11                Chiefs                Things are very interesting in the AFC playoff race right now. Can the Chiefs get a vintage effort out of Trent Green the rest of the way? If they do, they will be dangerous.

9              -                   Saints                 Not turning the ball over seems to be the key to winning. Who knew? New Orleans is back in charge of their division and has a winnable game this weekend at home. Hmm, maybe they CAN make the postseason.

10            -                   Seahawks          Getting Hasselbeck back helps a great deal. However, they’ll need to take care of the ball better in order to round into 2005 form.

11            9                  Panthers            Can someone please explain this team to me? I just don’t get it.

12            12                Giants                The Music City Meltdown is what they’re calling it. Despite a loss to Tennesee, New York is better than the alternatives for this slot.

Honorable Mentions

Jaguars (For the love of Tony Boselli, can someone tell me what to expect from them this week?), Bengals (Some might say they belong on the list. Beating Cleveland doesn't get you there people), Jets (How can a team this bad be 6-5? A pathetic schedule, that’s how), Dolphins (We know, they’re under .500 and have lost their RB for the season, but something feels right about mentioning them).