2011 NFL Power Rankings from Around the Web: Week 9

That one stung, didn't it? No, that's not what she said, I'm talking about this week's loss to the Chiefs. Something is seriously off with this Chargers team, and no one seems to be able to put their finger on it. Was it the shortened off-season? Is it the new coaches? Did the players all work out incorrectly during the lockout? Who knows?

This was a certainly a week of shake-up. Plenty of surprise victories and losses — the Chargers notwithstanding in that group. On average, the Chargers dropped about 6 spots this week compared to last week. I can only imagine the immense cluster of dumbfounded pundits and fans alike should the Chargers pull off a victory against the Packers on Sunday.

Notable Quotes

Fox Sports

Philip Rivers doesn't look like the Rivers we are used to. After Monday night's OT loss to the Chiefs, he leads the NFL in interceptions thrown (11) and the Chargers are in a three-way tie for the divisional lead. Too bad for them, they face the Packers, while both the Raiders and Chiefs have favorable matchups in Week 9.

Sports Illustrated

If the Chargers thought the fourth-quarter meltdown at the Jets was painful, how to describe the late-game self-destruction in Kansas City Monday night? The Halloween cliches must have been flying fast and furiously in the press box. San Diego's lack of killer instinct is still readily apparent, and now here come back-to-back short-week games against the powerful Packers and the talented Raiders. The Chargers' season is officially on the brink.

Reddit

The AFC West Champions asserted their dominance tonight. To look at the numbers, you would think that San Diego was the better team, however that was not the case. Play calling has become predictable, too many injuries on key players, and a quarterback who frankly is a shadow of himself.

Subjective Average

	Subjective
Packers	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1		1.000		0.000
Steelers	3	2	3	2	2	3	2	2	2	2	3	3		2.417		0.493
49ers	2	3	2	3	3	2	3	5	4	7	2	2		3.167		1.463
Patriots	5	4	7	4	5	4	5	4	3	6	4	4		4.583		1.038
Ravens	4	5	5	6	4	7	4	3	5	3	6	7		4.917		1.320
Lions	8	10	8	5	7	5	8	8	6	4	7	5		6.750		1.689
Bills	7	6	6	13	6	10	6	10	8	8	8	6		7.833		2.115
Giants	9	11	4	10	9	6	9	7	7	5	10	8		7.917		2.060
Saints	6	7	11	8	8	9	7	6	9	11	5	9		8.000		1.826
Texans	11	8	9	7	11	12	10	9	10	10	11	11		9.917		1.382
Bengals	14	16	12	15	10	8	11	13	11	9	9	10		11.500		2.432
Falcons	12	9	10	11	18	15	12	12	12	12	19	13		12.917		2.871
Bears	10	14	16	12	17	13	13	16	15	14	13	12		13.750		1.920
Jets	13	12	19	9	15	17	14	15	13	13	12	14		13.833		2.444
Chargers	15	13	14	19	16	18	16	11	14	18	16	17		15.583		2.216
Eagles	16	15	18	14	12	19	15	14	17	16	18	16		15.833		1.908
Buccaneers	19	17	17	16	19	14	19	17	16	17	14	15		16.667		1.700
Chiefs	18	19	13	17	13	16	17	19	20	15	15	19		16.750		2.278
Raiders	17	20	15	18	14	11	18	18	19	20	17	18		17.083		2.499
Cowboys	21	18	20	20	21	20	20	21	21	19	21	21		20.250		0.924
Titans	20	22	21	21	20	23	21	20	18	21	20	20		20.583		1.187
Vikings	23	23	25	22	22	21	22	22	24	24	25	25		23.167		1.344
Panthers	25	21	23	23	23	22	23	23	25	26	26	22		23.500		1.555
Redskins	22	24	22	24	24	24	25	26	23	25	22	24		23.750		1.233
Browns	24	25	24	26	25	25	26	25	22	22	23	23		24.167		1.344
Jaguars	26	27	26	30	26	28	24	24	26	23	24	26		25.833		1.863
Broncos	28	26	28	29	30	27	28	27	28	27	29	28		27.917		1.038
Seahawks	27	29	27	25	29	29	27	28	27	30	30	27		27.917		1.441
Rams	29	28	29	28	27	26	29	29	29	28	27	29		28.167		0.986
Cardinals	30	30	30	27	28	30	30	30	30	29	28	30		29.333		1.027
Dolphins	31	31	31	31	31	32	31	31	31	31	32	31		31.167		0.373
Colts	32	32	32	32	32	31	32	32	32	32	31	32		31.833		0.373

 

Observations:

• Steelers knocked off the Patriots and are now the top team in the AFC.
• Who expected the 49ers to be the next-best team after the Packers at any point this season? Not this guy.
• The Chargers are perfectly average now
• Miami and Indianapolis: terrible.

 

Subjective Standard Deviation

	Subjective
Packers	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1		1.000		0.000
Dolphins	31	31	31	31	31	32	31	31	31	31	32	31		31.167		0.373
Colts	32	32	32	32	32	31	32	32	32	32	31	32		31.833		0.373
Steelers	3	2	3	2	2	3	2	2	2	2	3	3		2.417		0.493
Cowboys	21	18	20	20	21	20	20	21	21	19	21	21		20.250		0.924
Rams	29	28	29	28	27	26	29	29	29	28	27	29		28.167		0.986
Cardinals	30	30	30	27	28	30	30	30	30	29	28	30		29.333		1.027
Patriots	5	4	7	4	5	4	5	4	3	6	4	4		4.583		1.038
Broncos	28	26	28	29	30	27	28	27	28	27	29	28		27.917		1.038
Titans	20	22	21	21	20	23	21	20	18	21	20	20		20.583		1.187
Redskins	22	24	22	24	24	24	25	26	23	25	22	24		23.750		1.233
Ravens	4	5	5	6	4	7	4	3	5	3	6	7		4.917		1.320
Browns	24	25	24	26	25	25	26	25	22	22	23	23		24.167		1.344
Vikings	23	23	25	22	22	21	22	22	24	24	25	25		23.167		1.344
Texans	11	8	9	7	11	12	10	9	10	10	11	11		9.917		1.382
Seahawks	27	29	27	25	29	29	27	28	27	30	30	27		27.917		1.441
49ers	2	3	2	3	3	2	3	5	4	7	2	2		3.167		1.463
Panthers	25	21	23	23	23	22	23	23	25	26	26	22		23.500		1.555
Lions	8	10	8	5	7	5	8	8	6	4	7	5		6.750		1.689
Buccaneers	19	17	17	16	19	14	19	17	16	17	14	15		16.667		1.700
Saints	6	7	11	8	8	9	7	6	9	11	5	9		8.000		1.826
Jaguars	26	27	26	30	26	28	24	24	26	23	24	26		25.833		1.863
Eagles	16	15	18	14	12	19	15	14	17	16	18	16		15.833		1.908
Bears	10	14	16	12	17	13	13	16	15	14	13	12		13.750		1.920
Giants	9	11	4	10	9	6	9	7	7	5	10	8		7.917		2.060
Bills	7	6	6	13	6	10	6	10	8	8	8	6		7.833		2.115
Chargers	15	13	14	19	16	18	16	11	14	18	16	17		15.583		2.216
Chiefs	18	19	13	17	13	16	17	19	20	15	15	19		16.750		2.278
Bengals	14	16	12	15	10	8	11	13	11	9	9	10		11.500		2.432
Jets	13	12	19	9	15	17	14	15	13	13	12	14		13.833		2.444
Raiders	17	20	15	18	14	11	18	18	19	20	17	18		17.083		2.499
Falcons	12	9	10	11	18	15	12	12	12	12	19	13		12.917		2.871

 

Observations:

• Let's throw out the 4 top teams in this list as they are the two teams at the bounds of the range.
• There is significant agreement that the Cowboys are a bottom-third team.
• Confidence in the Patriots is really beginning to falter.
• Atlanta, and the three first-place teams in the AFC West are all over the map.

 

Objective Average

	Objective
Packers	1	2	1	1	3		1.600		0.800
49ers	3	12	2	2	1		4.000		4.050
Bills	4	8	7	4	5		5.600		1.625
Lions	13	10	4	3	2		6.400		4.317
Patriots	5	7	8	5	8		6.600		1.357
Bears	15	15	5	6	7		9.600		4.454
Ravens	6	11	14	10	10		10.200		2.561
Steelers	11	4	9	12	15		10.200		3.655
Bengals	12	22	6	9	4		10.600		6.312
Eagles	16	3	11	11	12		10.600		4.224
Saints	7	5	15	7	24		11.600		7.088
Jets	2	14	17	14	13		12.000		5.177
Texans	8	1	13	13	25		12.000		7.849
Falcons	14	24	3	8	11		12.000		7.014
Cowboys	9	6	18	15	14		12.400		4.317
Giants	10	9	20	20	6		13.000		5.865
Chargers	24	13	16	17	16		17.200		3.655
Buccaneers	19	32	12	16	9		17.600		7.965
Chiefs	23	23	10	18	17		18.200		4.792
Raiders	18	18	19	19	18		18.400		0.490
Titans	17	16	22	21	28		20.800		4.262
Redskins	21	17	25	23	19		21.000		2.828
Vikings	20	25	21	22	20		21.600		1.855
Panthers	22	20	28	24	26		24.000		2.828
Jaguars	28	21	24	25	27		25.000		2.450
Seahawks	27	29	23	26	21		25.200		2.857
Rams	32	19	29	30	23		26.600		4.842
Browns	25	28	26	28	29		27.200		1.470
Cardinals	30	27	30	29	22		27.600		3.007
Broncos	26	30	27	27	30		28.000		1.673
Dolphins	29	26	32	31	31		29.800		2.135
Colts	31	31	31	32	32		31.400		0.490

 

Observations:

• Hmmm, Packers? Yep, they're good.
• Colts? Yep, they're terrible.
• Chargers are average again.
• Chiefs and Raiders are still below them … for now.

 

Objective Standard Deviation

	Objective
Colts	31	31	31	32	32		31.400		0.490
Raiders	18	18	19	19	18		18.400		0.490
Packers	1	2	1	1	3		1.600		0.800
Patriots	5	7	8	5	8		6.600		1.357
Browns	25	28	26	28	29		27.200		1.470
Bills	4	8	7	4	5		5.600		1.625
Broncos	26	30	27	27	30		28.000		1.673
Vikings	20	25	21	22	20		21.600		1.855
Dolphins	29	26	32	31	31		29.800		2.135
Jaguars	28	21	24	25	27		25.000		2.450
Ravens	6	11	14	10	10		10.200		2.561
Redskins	21	17	25	23	19		21.000		2.828
Panthers	22	20	28	24	26		24.000		2.828
Seahawks	27	29	23	26	21		25.200		2.857
Cardinals	30	27	30	29	22		27.600		3.007
Steelers	11	4	9	12	15		10.200		3.655
Chargers	24	13	16	17	16		17.200		3.655
49ers	3	12	2	2	1		4.000		4.050
Eagles	16	3	11	11	12		10.600		4.224
Titans	17	16	22	21	28		20.800		4.262
Cowboys	9	6	18	15	14		12.400		4.317
Lions	13	10	4	3	2		6.400		4.317
Bears	15	15	5	6	7		9.600		4.454
Chiefs	23	23	10	18	17		18.200		4.792
Rams	32	19	29	30	23		26.600		4.842
Jets	2	14	17	14	13		12.000		5.177
Giants	10	9	20	20	6		13.000		5.865
Bengals	12	22	6	9	4		10.600		6.312
Falcons	14	24	3	8	11		12.000		7.014
Saints	7	5	15	7	24		11.600		7.088
Texans	8	1	13	13	25		12.000		7.849
Buccaneers	19	32	12	16	9		17.600		7.965

 

Observations:

• Wow. Objectively speaking, the Raiders are very consistently ranked across the board. Just means they may not be as good as some hype suggests.
• Houston and Tampa Bay are all over the board. I realize different sites measure different metrics, but the Texans have a 24-position swing. Tampa Bay has a 23-position swing.
• Even when it comes to the Standard Deviation scale, the Chargers are decidedly average.

 

Overall Average

	Subj vs Obj
Packers	1.000	1.600		1.300		0.513		0.600
49ers	3.167	4.000		3.583		2.545		0.833
Patriots	4.583	6.600		5.592		1.465		2.017
Steelers	2.417	10.200		6.308		4.084		7.783
Lions	6.750	6.400		6.575		2.743		-0.350
Bills	7.833	5.600		6.717		2.229		-2.233
Ravens	4.917	10.200		7.558		2.993		5.283
Saints	8.000	11.600		9.800		4.452		3.600
Giants	7.917	13.000		10.458		4.299		5.083
Texans	9.917	12.000		10.958		4.513		2.083
Bengals	11.500	10.600		11.050		4.008		-0.900
Bears	13.750	9.600		11.675		3.466		-4.150
Falcons	12.917	12.000		12.458		4.524		-0.917
Jets	13.833	12.000		12.917		3.577		-1.833
Eagles	15.833	10.600		13.217		3.675		-5.233
Cowboys	20.250	12.400		16.325		4.345		-7.850
Chargers	15.583	17.200		16.392		2.817		1.617
Buccaneers	16.667	17.600		17.133		4.569		0.933
Chiefs	16.750	18.200		17.475		3.294		1.450
Raiders	17.083	18.400		17.742		2.199		1.317
Titans	20.583	20.800		20.692		2.519		0.217
Redskins	23.750	21.000		22.375		2.235		-2.750
Vikings	23.167	21.600		22.383		1.672		-1.567
Panthers	23.500	24.000		23.750		2.028		0.500
Jaguars	25.833	25.000		25.417		2.088		-0.833
Browns	24.167	27.200		25.683		1.955		3.033
Seahawks	27.917	25.200		26.558		2.323		-2.717
Rams	28.167	26.600		27.383		2.844		-1.567
Broncos	27.917	28.000		27.958		1.259		0.083
Cardinals	29.333	27.600		28.467		2.007		-1.733
Dolphins	31.167	29.800		30.483		1.352		-1.367
Colts	31.833	31.400		31.617		0.456		-0.433

 

Observations:

• Packers: yep. Colts: yep.
• If not for the Buccaneers, the three first-place AFC West teams would have made the perfect trifecta of mediocraty.

 

Overall Standard Deviation

	Subj vs Obj
Colts	31.833	31.400		31.617		0.456		-0.433
Packers	1.000	1.600		1.300		0.513		0.600
Broncos	27.917	28.000		27.958		1.259		0.083
Dolphins	31.167	29.800		30.483		1.352		-1.367
Patriots	4.583	6.600		5.592		1.465		2.017
Vikings	23.167	21.600		22.383		1.672		-1.567
Browns	24.167	27.200		25.683		1.955		3.033
Cardinals	29.333	27.600		28.467		2.007		-1.733
Panthers	23.500	24.000		23.750		2.028		0.500
Jaguars	25.833	25.000		25.417		2.088		-0.833
Raiders	17.083	18.400		17.742		2.199		1.317
Bills	7.833	5.600		6.717		2.229		-2.233
Redskins	23.750	21.000		22.375		2.235		-2.750
Seahawks	27.917	25.200		26.558		2.323		-2.717
Titans	20.583	20.800		20.692		2.519		0.217
49ers	3.167	4.000		3.583		2.545		0.833
Lions	6.750	6.400		6.575		2.743		-0.350
Chargers	15.583	17.200		16.392		2.817		1.617
Rams	28.167	26.600		27.383		2.844		-1.567
Ravens	4.917	10.200		7.558		2.993		5.283
Chiefs	16.750	18.200		17.475		3.294		1.450
Bears	13.750	9.600		11.675		3.466		-4.150
Jets	13.833	12.000		12.917		3.577		-1.833
Eagles	15.833	10.600		13.217		3.675		-5.233
Bengals	11.500	10.600		11.050		4.008		-0.900
Steelers	2.417	10.200		6.308		4.084		7.783
Giants	7.917	13.000		10.458		4.299		5.083
Cowboys	20.250	12.400		16.325		4.345		-7.850
Saints	8.000	11.600		9.800		4.452		3.600
Texans	9.917	12.000		10.958		4.513		2.083
Falcons	12.917	12.000		12.458		4.524		-0.917
Buccaneers	16.667	17.600		17.133		4.569		0.933

 

Observations:

• Denver pops up at the top of the list for once, but just because they're consistely terrible. Tebow be damned.
• Chargers still middle-of-the-pack on everything.
• What's most interesting about Tampa Bay here is they're the most inconsistently-ranked team, but the averages are very close to each other.

 

Difference in Averages

	Subj vs Obj
Steelers	2.417	10.200		6.308		4.084		7.783
Ravens	4.917	10.200		7.558		2.993		5.283
Giants	7.917	13.000		10.458		4.299		5.083
Saints	8.000	11.600		9.800		4.452		3.600
Browns	24.167	27.200		25.683		1.955		3.033
Texans	9.917	12.000		10.958		4.513		2.083
Patriots	4.583	6.600		5.592		1.465		2.017
Chargers	15.583	17.200		16.392		2.817		1.617
Chiefs	16.750	18.200		17.475		3.294		1.450
Raiders	17.083	18.400		17.742		2.199		1.317
Buccaneers	16.667	17.600		17.133		4.569		0.933
49ers	3.167	4.000		3.583		2.545		0.833
Packers	1.000	1.600		1.300		0.513		0.600
Panthers	23.500	24.000		23.750		2.028		0.500
Titans	20.583	20.800		20.692		2.519		0.217
Broncos	27.917	28.000		27.958		1.259		0.083
Lions	6.750	6.400		6.575		2.743		-0.350
Colts	31.833	31.400		31.617		0.456		-0.433
Jaguars	25.833	25.000		25.417		2.088		-0.833
Bengals	11.500	10.600		11.050		4.008		-0.900
Falcons	12.917	12.000		12.458		4.524		-0.917
Dolphins	31.167	29.800		30.483		1.352		-1.367
Rams	28.167	26.600		27.383		2.844		-1.567
Vikings	23.167	21.600		22.383		1.672		-1.567
Cardinals	29.333	27.600		28.467		2.007		-1.733
Jets	13.833	12.000		12.917		3.577		-1.833
Bills	7.833	5.600		6.717		2.229		-2.233
Seahawks	27.917	25.200		26.558		2.323		-2.717
Redskins	23.750	21.000		22.375		2.235		-2.750
Bears	13.750	9.600		11.675		3.466		-4.150
Eagles	15.833	10.600		13.217		3.675		-5.233
Cowboys	20.250	12.400		16.325		4.345		-7.850

 

Observations:

• Woot! The Chargers two averages now are more in line with each other. Only problem is, they've fallen enough that their subjective ranking now matches the objective ranking. We were kind of hoping for the opposite there ...
• So the Steelers knock off the Patriots and everyone jumps on their bandwagon. It may be premature, or it just may be that the objective stats haven't caught up to the Steelers yet.
• There is still hope being held out for the Ravens, Giants and Browns.
• People are so quick to dismiss the Cowboys. Apparently looks can be deceiving here, same story with the Eagles and Bears.

 

Sources

• ESPN
• Fox
• CBS
• USA Today
• Sports Illustrated
• ProFootballTalk
• NFL.com
• SportingNews
• Pro Football Weekly
• National Football Post
• SB Nation
• Reddit
• Football Outsiders
• Team Efficiency
• Team Rankings
• Sagarin
• BeatGraphs