NFL Power Rankings Week 6: Are Vikings and Cowboys Really This Bad?
We're in Week 6 of the NFL season, and at this point, it's safe to say we have a feeling for most of the teams and players in the league and what they are this season.
Some have surprised and some have disappointed us mightily, and that's where I'm going to focus. I've given you 15 disappointments—players and teams that have not lived up to expectations through Week 6.
If there's anyone else you think deserved to be on the list, leave it in the comments.
No. 15: Kevin Kolb
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The Kevin Kolb era got back on track a little bit last Sunday against San Francisco, but who knows how long it's going to last once Michael Vick gets healthy.
Kolb looked bad against Green Bay in the opener, and he looked just as iffy against Washington two weeks ago. It's been a disappointing start after Donovan McNabb was traded to the Redskins in the offseason.
A lot of this has to do with Andy Reid, but Kolb has been a disappointment.
No. 14: Knowshon Moreno
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After getting nearly 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns last year, people thought Knowshon Moreno was going to have a breakout season in Denver.
Now Moreno hasn't played since Week 2 and only has 111 yards and two touchdowns this year. It's not all Moreno's fault, because Denver will just not run the ball and throws it until Kyle Orton's arm falls off. It's stunning how bad the Broncos are at running the ball.
No. 13: Shonn Greene
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After Thomas Jones was let go and went to Kansas City, the Jets turned to Shonn Greene as his replacement.
Now we're in Week 6, and LaDainian Tomlinson has had a career revival, leaving Greene as more of a situational back—just the opposite of expectations for their roles coming into the season. Greene did have a big touchdown run last week against Minnesota, and maybe that's what turns around his season.
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No. 12: Darrelle Revis
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After last year and all of the talk about Revis Island, not to mention his summer-long holdout over a contract dispute, there were high hopes for Darrelle Revis.
Now Revis has struggled with a hamstring injury and missed a few games, and I have to say it's been a disappointing showing. After Randy Moss scored that touchdown on him and he missed time with the hamstring, he talked more smack on Moss—and then didn't cover him against the Vikings.
Revis said his hamstring flared up again. He may miss more time. So disappointing.
No. 11: Carson Palmer
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After Carson Palmer's knee injury, it seems like his skills have diminished and his ceiling has lowered.
Palmer has killed the Bengals with his play this year. He looks like he's lost arm strength, and he's been forcing the ball into tight spots, resulting in plenty of interceptions. Palmer cost his team last week with an interception that set Tampa Bay up to take the win.
The Bengals might want to start thinking about looking at a quarterback in the near future.
No. 10: Indianapolis
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Normally at this point in the season we would be talking about how the Colts are yet again undefeated and looking like a Super Bowl favorite.
However, Indianapolis is 3-2, and two of those losses are to division foes in Houston and Jacksonville. That's something that never happens to the Colts, and with injuries in the secondary it might be too much for Peyton Manning and company to overcome.
The Colts aren't a bad team, but they aren't as great as they used to be.
No. 9: Derek Anderson
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While Derek Anderson wasn't looked at as a valid replacement for Kurt Warner, no one thought he'd be this bad.
If someone told you that Max Hall would be starting for Arizona at this point in the year, you'd assume that Anderson got hurt at some point. But no, Anderson played his way out of the job and is on the bench with no sign of return.
When your choices are Anderson and Max Hall, you're in trouble.
No. 8: Cincinnati
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While Carson Palmer has been a disappointment, so have the Bengals. After picking up Terrell Owens, you'd think the Bengals would be playing better than they are now.
Palmer's a big part of that, but the defense isn't any good either. There a lot of holes in this team and they need to be fixed in a hurry. There are a lot of combustible elements in the locker room, and Owens is already speaking up a bit. This could turn into an avalanche.
No. 7: Carolina Running Backs
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The Panthers are winless, and it's been an all-around disaster in Carolina, but the biggest disappointment has been the running game in DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.
After both being 1,000 yard-plus rushers last year, the duo has combined for just 436 yards and two touchdowns so far. It doesn't help that Carolina can't throw the ball, but you'd think the Panthers would be getting better production from their running game.
No. 6: San Diego
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You'd think after a bunch of slow starts to the season the San Diego Chargers would have learned to come out with some intensity and get a few wins. Yet here we are, approaching Week 7, and the Chargers have lost to Kansas City, Seattle and Oakland.
While the Chiefs aren't bad, those other two teams are. That has a whole lot to do with Norv Turner, if you ask me. There's a pattern here, and if the Chargers don't fix things soon, it's going to be a long year. Philip Rivers is having a great year, but it's not enough as of yet.
No. 5: Dallas
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The Cowboys just keep finding ways to lose games, and an excessive celebration leading to a long kickoff return and a game-winning touchdown is up there with the toughest Dallas losses this year.
Dallas isn't a bad team by any stretch of the imagination, but they aren't a disciplined team, and it's killed the Cowboys this year. That falls on Wade Phillips. Penalties are a reflection of the coaching. Phillips was clearly born to be a coordinator, not a head coach.
I'm not sure if I see Phillips as coach of the Cowboys past this year.
No. 4: Minnesota
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The Vikings were a few plays away from the Super Bowl last year. Now they're one more loss from being totally out of it in the NFC playoff hunt.
Minnesota has been brutal on offense, as injuries, poor coaching and mental errors have doomed the Vikings this year. Brad Childress has totally mismanaged this team. His handling of game situations is just mind-boggling sometimes.
The Vikings need a win badly on Sunday. A loss and they're done.
No. 3: San Francisco
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When you're projected to win your division and you haven't won a game yet, you are a massive disappointment.
Alex Smith has looked bad and Mike Singletary has looked lost at times. The 49ers are a sloppy football team that consistently finds a way to make a couple of terrible plays that just change the entire complexion of the game.
Changing the offensive coordinator isn't solving things in San Fran.
No. 2: Brett Favre
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Sure, when you hold out of training camp and delay an ankle surgery after having an amazing year, you don't put yourself in a position for success. But Brett Favre has just killed the Vikings this year.
Favre has thrown interception after interception this season. He cost the Vikings again on Monday with a late pick six that sealed the game. The scandal around Favre has also served as a distraction, which hasn't helped matters.
If you're looking for issues with Minnesota, it starts and ends with Favre.
No. 1: New Orleans
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When you're the Super Bowl champs, you need to play better than New Orleans has been playing. Even if you're as dinged up as the Saints are, there is no excuse for losing to Arizona the way that they did.
Drew Brees hasn't had the same mojo that he had in past seasons, and neither does the team. The explosiveness isn't there, and the defense isn't causing the turnovers that put the offense in position to put points up on the board.
New Orleans needs to shake out of its funk quickly if it wants to try and repeat.
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