Doug’s NFL Power Poll: Week 8

Doug says picking the Saints as the top team in the NFL is easy after that comeback last Sunday. The Colts keep beating teams handily and sit right behind the Saints. As for the Cardinals, they are creeping back up as they have a date with the Panthers in Glendale on Sunday.

	1. SAINTS: Only the best team in football can comeback against the best Wildcat in football on the road…has to prove it again vATL on MNF
	2. COLTS: I know it was @STL but still kept them to 6pts…three-game home stand will be interesting with SF, HOU & NE on SNF
	3. BRONCOS: If they go 8-0 with wins @BAL & vPIT, I don’t know where I’ll put them…I don’t care that he’s an asst, right now Mike Nolan is coach of the year
	4. PATRIOTS: Could drop out of the poll on a bye week…not their fault but winning @GB for MIN is too much to ignore
	5. VIKINGS: I’m not dropping you for losing on two fluke TD’s on the road…can’t keep you above CIN if you lose @GB since CIN won there—albeit with much less drama
	6. BENGALS: Only 2 teams are 3-0 in their division & CIN has vBAL & @PIT next…great 4th down % @8/10
	7. FALCONS: Win @NO and receive national respect while one game back of division with tie-break; lose, drop to 4-3 and probably fighting with AZ/SF division loser & CHI/PHI/DAL/GB for two wild card spots…I’ll slap the big game tag on MNF
	8. CARDINALS: Not one of my famous predictions but I smell an 8 game winning streak…it’s OK to be last in rushing but can we bump it past a 60 y/g average?
	9. STEELERS: Before vMIN combined records of teams they beat is 5-20 and they needed two freak TD’s to win @home—I’m not buying they’re an elite team
	10. GIANTS: Best defense in football—I don’t believe it either but that’s the stat…can’t explain how you can be first in defense yet be 16th in scoring defense while you’re +1 in TO ratio
	11. COWBOYS: Wake up Garrett—you average 5.6/rush yet you’ve thrown it 30 more times than you’ve run it
	12. RAVENS: If BAL loses vDEN, they’re the greatest team ever to not make playoffs…did you know Ray Rice is averaging 6y/carry?
	13. PACKERS: Think GB should be higher @ 4-2? think again–the wins are vCHI, @STL, vDET, @CLE
	14. TEXANS: Winning @CIN shows you’ve got talent; vSF showed you’re good; do it @IND and I’ll believe you’re elite…the catch is you have to take horrible running game to cold BUF 1st
	15. BEARS: You needed to chose to either keep Cedric Benson or stop Cedric Benson and you chose neither
	16. EAGLES: So I’ve figured out you can beat CAR, KC, TB & WSH but you can’t beat OAK—so what is it you’ve accomplished so far?…the whole season rests in next four games vNYG, vDAL, @SD & @CHI
	17. JETS: How can you have the number one running game and have 7 fumble recoveries and 7 picks yet be 4-3? Sanchez was his name-o
	18. CHARGERS: Your opponents have more 1st downs than you, more rushing yards than you, have a higher 3rd down % than you yet you have something no one else does…Norv
	19. DOLPHINS: 2nd in rushing and 4th in rush defense…too bad they score 24 pts/game and give up 25
	20. 49ERS: When you change QB’s when you’re 1 game back of first place, you’ve lost your team
	21. JAGUARS: Bad news—you’re 31st in pass defense; good news—you’re @TEN and they can’t throw
	22. BILLS: Highest a 3-4 team with a 6-3 loss to CLE has ever been in the history of the poll…this is officially the Mendoza line for the poll
	23. SEAHAWKS: I’m sorry but they need a new O-Line and a healthy defense and they won’t get it within the next two seasons—start building for 2011
	24. PANTHERS: In last 7 games (inc. vAZ in Jan) Delhomme is averaging 3 TO’s a game…this game is the “Indian Summer” for Delhomme’s career or he’ll be a head case the rest of his career
	25. RAIDERS: Russell’s a joke and so is any GM/Owner who drafted him
	26. LIONS: vSTL on Sun…how do you look @ your wife and kids while justifying a ticket purchase to this game
	27. CHIEFS: LJ has done less after signing his contract than Eric Byrnes
	28. REDSKINS: Now security is taking signs and telling people to turn their T-Shirts inside out
	29. BROWNS: They dumped Quinn’s 60% completions and 3 INT’s to put in Anderson and his 44% completions and 7 INT’s…2nd round pick Robiskie has one more catch than I do
	30. BUCS: They’ve named a new starter @QB because the 1st time they named a starter and the 2nd time they named a starter hasn’t worked out
	31. TITANS: This is not a must-win…you still have vBUF and vSTL on the schedule
	32. RAMS: OAK is second worst with net points of -115…do you have any idea how hard it is to be 36 pts worse than that?

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