Week 7 Power Rankings: the Top 7 from each conference

[gettlemanjack]

The Top 6 in the NFC again feature no teams from the NFC South, which Sports Illustrated called "a smoldering mess"

-Sports Illustrated (Cowboys #1)

-NBC Sports (Chargers #1)

-FOX Sports (Chargers #1)

-CBS-Kirwan (Chargers #1)

-CBS-Prisco (Broncos #1)

-Yahoo Shutdown Corner (Broncos #1)

-The AP Pro32 (Broncos #1)

-NFL.com (Broncos #1)

-ESPN (Broncos #1)

NFC

1/1/1/1/1/2/2/2/2 Cowboys (NFC East) - #1

1/1/1/2/2/2/2/3/3 Eagles (NFC East) - WC

1/2/4/4/4/4/5/5/5 Cardinals (NFC West) - WC

3/3/3/3/3/3/4/4/6 Seahawks (NFC West) - #1

4/4/5/5/5/6/6/6/6 49ers (NFC West)

3/4/5/5/6/6/6/6/7 Packers (NFC North) - #1

5/7/7/7/7/7/7 Lions (NFC North)

7/7 Panthers (NFC South) - #1

AFC

1/1/1/1/1/2/2/2/2 Broncos (AFC West) #1

1/1/1/1/2/2/2/2/2 Chargers (AFC West) - WC

3/3/3/3/3/3/3/4/4 Colts (AFC South) - #1

3/3/4/5/5/5/6/6/6 Bengals (AFC North) - #1

4/4/4/5/5/5/5/6/6 Patriots (AFC East) - #1

4/4/4/5/5/6/6/6/6 Ravens (AFC North) - WC

7/7/7/7/7/7/7/7 Browns (AFC North)

7 Chiefs (AFC West)

[gettlemanjack]

Yahoo Sports:

[gettlemanjack]

CBS Sports:

The Browns' next three games are at Jacksonville, home against Oakland and home against Tampa Bay. Those teams are a combined 1-16. The Browns have a real shot to be 6-2 ... Brian Hoyer mania is sweeping across Ohio, and for good reason. Now the hurdle is playing well without All-Pro center Alex Mack, who's gone for the year with a broken leg.

Washington Post:

"Yes, the Browns are for real. Coach Mike Pettine and QB Brian Hoyer have seen to that. They’ve been competitive in every game and they completely outplayed the Steelers on Sunday. Hoyer is thriving even without suspended WR Josh Gordon. Can the Browns be a legitimate playoff contender? That might be a bit of a stretch. But it cannot be completely ruled out at this point, and they already have taken several significant steps back toward respectability."

Sports Illustrated:

"There is not a superstar on this (Browns) roster. Nor does Cleveland seem to need one... which speaks to the all-for one mentality the Browns seem to have right now"

[gettlemanjack]

CBS Sports: Brian Hoyer mania is sweeping across Ohio, and for good reason.

Hoyer is #5 in the NFL in jersey sales this week, the only QBs ahead of him are Luck, Wilson, and Peyton Manning

Hoyer’s No. 6 jersey has accounted for 46 percent of all Browns’ jerseys sold in the last week. Sales of Cleveland Browns jerseys in general jumped to #3 in the NFL, behind the Seattle Seahawks and the Philadelphia Eagles

it is the also first time Hoyer has passed up Manziel in jersey sales

Sports Illustrated:

"Brian Hoyer jerseys have finally started outselling Johnny Manziel jerseys nationwide for the first time"

Local outlets are selling Hoyer tees reading "Brian Cleveland" in all caps, "Home Grown Hoyer," etc

Hoyer is currently #3 in the NFL with two game-winning drives and #1 in the NFL with two comeback wins

He led Cleveland on a game-winning drive against the Saints after taking over at his 4-yard line with the Browns trailing 24-23 and 2:46 remaining.

He then led Cleveland to the biggest comeback win in NFL history, overcoming a 25-point deficit to defeat the Titans on Oct. 5.

and last week, he led Cleveland to a 31-10 beatdown of rival Pittsburgh. It was only the 2nd time in history the Browns have won at Heinz Field (the other was 2003). Cleveland hadn't beaten the Steelers so soundly since 1989. It was the first time the Browns beat a division-rival by 20-plus points since 2003. Roethlisberger came into the game with a 18-1 record vs the Browns (the loss was in 2009). ESPN: "The victory legitimizes Hoyer as the team's unquestioned leader."

Over the past six quarters, the Browns have outscored their opponents 50-10.

[PandaPancake]

ESPN is quietly sobbing right now.

[Goondal]

The Browns are this year's Kansas City. Build a strong record early by beating nobody, then will collapse down the stretch.

[gettlemanjack]

The Browns are this year's Kansas City. Build a strong record early by beating nobody, then will collapse down the stretch.

would be a miracle if Browns end up as good as the Chiefs last year (ten 2013 Pro Bowlers, finished 11-5, lost by 1 point to Colts in one of the most thrilling playoff games of all time)

[gettlemanjack]

Broncos TE Julius Thomas is on pace for 28 touchdown catches this season (single-season record is 23, Randy Moss in 2007)

[gettlemanjack]

Chargers RB Branden Oliver has back-to-back 100-yd rush games with a Rush TD. He's the 1st Chargers rookie to do that since LaDanian Tomlinson in 2001

[gettlemanjack]

Saints 2013 Pro Bowl 3-4 DE Cam Jordan with huge late hit on 3rd and 10 to keep Lions alive

and now Saints 2nd year safety Kenny Vaccaro comes up with an INT on Stafford

10 point game with 9 min left. Lions favored by 2.5

[gettlemanjack]

Just showed Rodgers' post game interview on TV saying "Hopefully the Saints can help us out and beat Detroit"

NOPE! Lions advance to 5-2, tied #1 with the Pack for #1 in NFC North. At 5-2 they each have a 75% chance to make the playoffs based on what 5-2 teams have done 1990-now

[gettlemanjack]

Lions 26-year-old WR Golden Tate this season:

154 vs Saints

134 vs Bills

116 at Jets

93 vs Giants

Tate was a 2nd R pick out of Notre Dame where he caught for 1,496 his junior year (#3 in NCAA) before going pro. Ran a 4.42 forty at the NFL Combine

[gettlemanjack]

Matthew Stafford now has most TD passes in Lions history

[gettlemanjack]

Broncos TE Julius Thomas is on pace for 28 touchdown catches this season (single-season record is 23, Randy Moss in 2007)