Now, this is more like it. Apparently my call to arms is all that was needed. I'd like to thank my loyal audience for letting me know that I'm not just writing for my own amusement. On to the mailbag…

There were some fairly loud rumblings about keeping the Colts over the Eagles. Most questioned how I could still have Indianapolis at #2 when it was obvious how much better the Eagles were. I won't say this is impossible, but read on for the rationale. Oh, and also read on if you want to hear people question my sanity, my intelligence, and whether or not I abuse illegal narcotics. Good times all around.

This one's from Scott (no location given):

"You have got to be kidding with Indy over Philly....how do you rank a team below Indy that has not lost, has won all games by over 10 points and is obviously a more well-rounded team? I am writing this before Sunday's match up pitting the Birds against the Panthers...I believe that after that game, you may change your mind. I will also make this bold prediction: The Eagles will be number one in your rankings this time next week after they decimate the Panthers and New England loses (at home) to the Seahawks. If the Eagles are 5-0 and the Patriots lose and you STILL rank them ahead, I will then confirm my creeping suspicion that you are clueless."

Thank goodness the Patriots were able to hang on and beat Seattle, otherwise I would have to confirm my cluelessness to the world. Because a win over the Panthers, while big for an Eagles fan, does very little for me. I'm not very high on Carolina, and haven't been all year. The only times they've moved up were when there was no other choice because others around them lost worse or the Panthers were on a bye. Regardless, I would definitely say that Philly is a more well-rounded team. But as the Ravens, Bucs, and Patriots demonstrated the past few years, the most well-rounded team doesn't always win. In today's NFL, it's just as good to have one dominant aspect to your game as to be balanced, just so long as one aspect of your game doesn't end up killing you in the end (Giants special teams two years ago, for example). I'll put it this way: if this were Madden, I'd give the Eagles an offensive ranking somewhere in the neighborhood of Indianapolis. And I'd put their defense well ahead. But when you go and play Indianapolis, and see first-hand what that offense is, it doesn't matter as much how good the defense is because no one can ever stop them. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this Colts offense CAN'T be stopped. But it is of my belief, and this is how I've ranked all season long, that at this point at least, if the two teams squared off in a neutral setting, the Colts would win the game. A lot can change between now and the end of the season, but keeping in mind that the Colts were my preseason Super Bowl pick, I'm going to give them some more leeway before I drop them from the #2 spot than I might give to someone else. I was very high on them before the season obviously, and I haven't seen much to deter me from that high opinion.

This next reader, named "Big Al" also questions putting the Eagles behind Indy, but his opening statement is obviously more important to the masses:

You must be smoking crack or something. How can you rank the Colts above the Eagles? The Colts beat the Titans, didn't exactly crush GB, eked out a win in Jacksonville, and like everyone else with a decent team, beat the snot out of Oakland. Meanwhile, the Eagles beat the 4-1 Giants, 3-1 Minnesota, and Detroit who is a surprising 3-1. So the Colts have played a bunch of teams with losing records and the Eagles have played teams with winning records, except for the Bears, and you rank them lower. What sort of drugs are you taking? Where are you getting your info or are you just looking to get emails?

I refer you to my earlier response for why I placed the Colts ahead of the Eagles. Why, then, did I reprint this letter? Because I wanted to settle it once and for all that I am not on drugs. Except opium.

I received a well-thought-out e-mail from a reader named Chase S. No wait, that's too obvious. We'll call him C. Stuart. Anyway, here's what he had to say:

Knowing that there are only three undefeated teams in the league, I scrolled down one by one waiting to see where you ranked the Jets. Not surprisingly, the other two undefeated teams were ranked first and third. However, you put TWO teams with two losses and FIVE teams with a loss ahead of the Jets. The Falcons? What in the world makes them better than the Jets? The Ravens offense is so pitiful, I don't know how you put them in the top ten. The Jags over the Jets? Come on. After the Patriots fall to the Jets next week, can you please put the Jets in their rightful spot--at number one?

Chase, I mean C…if the Jets beat the Patriots next week, they will indeed shoot way up the rankings. Their perceived lowly position is more a factor of my preseason expectations of them, coupled with them not beating a really good team yet. I know they haven't been tested, and I'm not faulting them for the schedule. After all, beat who you play, right? But they haven't dominated by any means, and I'm not going to let a fast start against some of the league's dregs affect my position on them. That is, until they beat some good teams. The W/L record comes into play, but nearly as important is a team's showing. The Jets haven't shown me much, especially against the lowly 49ers. Sure, they came back and won but great teams, top-3 teams, don't need to come back against the Niners. Every team is going to have a few hiccups during a season, but they had one before they even faced a good team. It could have been a classic case of looking too far ahead to New England. Luckily for the Jets, they held on. Now we'll see what they're made of. (P.S. Chase has set the new all-time record for using his team's name the most times in one e-mail.)

Ben from Onalaska, Wisconsin also questions my placement of the Jets:

I think the Jets should be better than #10. Maybe I'm exaggerating but I think they have looked very good this year even if it has been against sub par teams. I think you have to give them their due and put them ahead of average teams like the if-only-we-had-an-offense Ravens and Jaguars and maybe even Denver and Atlanta.

Onalaska, cool! My parents drove through there on a cross-country trip from Jersey to Mount Rushmore. My mom has always wanted to go to Alaska, and this was about as close as she's ever come, so she had a picture taken covering up the "on" in the sign for Onalaska. Funny lady, that Mrs. Brown. As for the letter, I can't justify putting the Jets ahead of Denver or Atlanta, who have quality wins over other quality teams and have looked better in doing so. I know, Atlanta hasn't been dominant in several wins, but keep in mind that this practice of mine is to hypothetically pit the teams against one another. I think Atlanta beats the Jets in a heads-up match.

From Paul in Detroit:

You rate 6 teams ahead of the Lions with more losses than they have, and you also have Atlanta in front of them despite their loss to the Lions. Not to mention the fact that 2 of Atlanta's wins came against the powerhouse teams of San Fran (# 30) and Arizona (# 31) (where they scored all of 6 points). The Lions wins came against your #25 and #26 ranked teams. I guess we'll have to drop a few spots if we beat Green Bay because that will prove that GB is really bad and the Lions must still stink, but get lucky enough for the win.

Paul, it appears we'll never know if Detroit would have risen or dropped with a win to Green Bay, because they did exactly what I thought they'd do - go out and play like the Lions. Yes, there is a Lions bias that is prevalent amongst many writers, and I think for good reason. Until a team shows you something, and I mean REALLY shows you something, it's hard to get too hopped-up about them. Entering this season, I didn't have the Lions anywhere NEAR competing. Following a few wins, I felt compelled to move them up in the rankings. But after last week's debacle, I'm quite happy I didn't go TOO far with them. Sure, they beat Atlanta. And sure, they're still doing much better than most people expected. But I can't place them ahead of a first place Falcons team, I just can't. And after this past week's loss to Green Bay, you probably understand why I didn't give them more credit.

Busy mailbag this week, people. Keep em coming!

Future questions/comments/rants should be sent to[email protected]. Please be sure to include your name and hometown/home state so I can properly credit you in the article.

Rank…Team……...W/L…(Last week)

1. New England Patriots 5-0 (1)
   Between the Pats, Sox, and John Kerry, it could be a nice autumn for New Englanders.



2. Indianapolis Colts 4-1 (2)
   Anyone else got the feeling that Marv is about to go absolutely nuts?



3. Philadelphia Eagles 5-0 (3)
   They're a Pats or Colts slip-up away from top spot contention.



4. Minnesota Vikings 4-1 (4)
   The Moss injury may not hurt Culpepper's stats, but it'll certainly hurt the team.



5. Denver Broncos 5-1 (6)
   Seeing Droughns' stat line, I think I tore both my ACLs jumping for joy.



6. Seattle Seahawks 3-2 (5)
   If only they tried covering Bethel Johnson as hard as they tried covering the spread…



7. Jacksonville Jaguars 4-2 (7)
   Offense is catching up to defense as the season wears on. Panthers comparison will last all year.



8. Atlanta Falcons 5-1 (8)
   Looking at the rest of their schedule, they could be a 12-win team.



9. New York Jets 5-0 (10)
   NOW we get to see what this team really is made of.



10. Baltimore Ravens 3-2 (9)
    They drop because a Ravens team without Jamal Lewis is not CLOSE to the same.



11. Pittsburgh Steelers 5-1 (11)
    How they overcome injuries will tell a lot about the quality of this defense.



12. New York Giants 4-1 (12)
    I never considered drafting Barber in any leagues. Please, someone shoot me now.



13. Saint Louis Rams 4-2 (13)
    I keep falling for the headline about Jackson being doubtful (they mean Tyoka, not Steven).



14. San Diego Chargers 3-3 (15)
    You know who they could really use right about now? Rodney Harrison.



15. Dallas Cowboys 2-3 (14)
    If we never again mention that I picked them to win the East, I'll give you all $5.



16. Tennessee Titans 2-4 (16)
    Fisher says McNair played a good game. Hmm, defending MVP + 4 picks = good?



17. Green Bay Packers 2-4 (18)
    ALIVE!



18. Detroit Lions 3-2 (17)
    Just as I suspected…not legit.



19. Houston Texans 3-3 (26)
    On the rise…



20. Cleveland Browns 3-3 (24)
    I still don't think they're very good, but wins are wins.



21. Carolina Panthers 1-4 (19)
    This has all the makings of 6-10.



22. New Orleans Saints 2-4 (23)
    PLAYOFFS?!? PLAYOFFS!?! Ahh, good times. And seemingly nothing has changed.



23. Oakland Raiders 2-4 (21)
    Has there ever been a team with such little direction and less of a plan?



24. Washington Redskins 2-4 (27)
    Much-needed bye week with several winnable games to follow. Response will be…



25. Buffalo Bills 1-4 (28)
    Now how about beating someone other than the worst team in football?



26. Kansas City Chiefs 1-4 (20)
    And yet they're favored AGAIN this week. When will everyone learn?!?



27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1-5 (29)
    You don't expect your vets to cost you in crucial situations like that.



28. San Francisco 49ers 1-5 (30)
    Weirdest fantasy strategy ever: Start Rattay against the good teams, so they'll play catch-up.



29. Cincinnati Bengals 1-4 (22)
    Let's not get crazy. Jon Kitna was good last year, but he's not exactly Dan Marino, either.



30. Chicago Bears 1-4 (25)
    Remember those articles comparing the Quinn situation to that of Kurt Warner? Me either.



31. Arizona Cardinals 1-4 (31)
    The good news is, they haven't lost in nearly two weeks.



32. Miami Dolphins 0-6 (32)
    Not quite as dramatic as the '72 Dolphins, but the '76 Bucs are ready to pop the champagne!

Super Shufflers Of the Week (+)

1. Houston Texans +7…Tennessee is downtrodden, but the Texans really did spank them, huh?



2. Cleveland Browns +4…Wins have to count for something here, despite my being unimpressed.



3. Washington Redskins and Buffalo Bills (tied) +3…Neither of these teams beat what you'd call a quality opponent, but it's easier to move up when you're so far down to begin with.

Plungers Of the Week (-)

1. Cincinnati Bengals -7…finally time to jump ship on a team I thought would contend for the playoffs



2. Kansas City Chiefs -6…Would never have moved them up in the first place, but teams ahead of them were doing even worse. Now, I think I'll keep em down for awhile



3. Chicago Bears -5…No need for me to explain this one after the offensive offensive (note the differences in inflection) performance