Jason Campbell is slightly above average

I've been snowed in since Friday afternoon, and on a long enough timeline it's inevitable that I'd make a list of my top 16 NFL quarterbacks. This was inspired by a discussion as to whether Jason Campbell was above average.

1. Peyton Manning
2. Tom Brady
3. Drew Brees
4. Aaron Rodgers
5. Philip Rivers
6. Brett Favre
7. Ben Roethlisberger
8. Tony Romo
9. Donovan McNabb
10. Eli Manning
11. Matt Schaub
12. Carson Palmer
13. Joe Flacco
14. Jay Cutler
15. Matt Ryan
16. Jason Campbell
17. David Garrard

Had Kurt Warner not retired he'd be #8.
So 32 teams, #16 and above constitutes above average. Everything I'm hearing is that Jason Campbell will be back, at least on a one year deal, so Washington could be doing a lot worse.

Another freaking list

Empire Magazine has released their list of the 100 greatest movie characters of all time, and it's not a bad list. My grievances are the omissions of Colonel Nicholson as portrayed by Alec Guinness in The Bridge on the River Kwai, and Terry Malloy as portrayed by Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront. Characters I'm not a huge fan of that are on the list are Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell in the Escape... movies), White Goodman (Ben Stiller in Dodgeball), and Donnie Darko.

100. Martin Riggs - Lethal Weapon 1-4

99. Hal-9000 - 2001: A Space Odyssey

98. Charles Foster Kane - Citizen Kane

97. Clarice Starling - The Silence Of The Lambs

96. Ethan Edwards - The Searchers

95. Freddy Krueger - A Nightmare On Elm Street 1-6, Wes Craven's New Nightmare

94. Buzz Lightyear - Toy Story 1 & 2

93. Martin Q. Blank - Grosse Pointe Blank

92. Randal Graves - Clerks

91. Scarlett O'Hara - Gone With The Wind

90. The Wicked Witch Of The West - The Wizard Of Oz

89. Princess Leia Organa - Star Wars Episode IV-VI

88. Jessica Rabbit - Who Framed Roger Rabbit

87. Dracula - Dracula

86. Roy Batty - Blade Runner

85. Vincenzo Coccotti - True Romance

84. Agent Smith - The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions

83. Mr. Blonde - Reservoir Dogs

82. Marv - Sin City

81. Wolverine - X-Men, X-Men 2, X-Men: The Last Stand

80. Norman Bates - Psycho

79. Boba Fett - The Empire Strikes Back, Return Of The Jedi

78. Axel Foley - Beverly Hills Cop

77. Ed - Shaun Of The Dead

76. Dr. Emmett Brown - Back To The Future 1-3

75. Marge Gunderson - Fargo

74. E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial

73. Jack Torrance - The Shining

72. V - V for Vendetta

71. Snake Plissken - Escape From New York, Escape From L.A.

70. Atticus Finch - To Kill A Mockingbird

69. Keyser Soze - The Usual Suspects

68. Napolean Dynamite - Napolean Dynamite

67. Frank Booth - Blue Velvet

66. The Bride - Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2

65. White Goodman - Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story

64. Withnail - Withnail & I

63. Wall-E - Wall-E

62. Mathilda - Leon

61. R.P. McMurphy - One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

60. Ace Ventura - Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls

59. Tommy Devito - Goodfellas

58. Rick Blaine - Casablanca

57. Brick Tamland - Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy

56. Juno MacGuff - Juno

55. Lt. Frank Drebin - The Naked Gun

54. Luke Skywalker - Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return Of The Jedi

53. Luke - Cool Hand Luke

52. George Bailey - It's A Wonderful Life

51. Mal Reynolds - Serenity

50. Quint - Jaws

49. Walter Sobchak - The Big Lebowski

48. Tony Stark - Iron Man

47. Blade - Blade, Blade II, Blade: Trinity

46. Anton Chigurh - No Country For Old Men

45. Amelie Poulain - Amelie

44. Peter Venkman - Ghostbusters

43. The Man With No Name - The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

42. Alex DeLarge - A Clockwork Orange

41. Mary Poppins - Mary Poppins

40. Patrick Bateman - American Psycho

39. Marty McFly - Back to The Future 1-3

38. Donnie Darko - Donnie Darko

37. Edward Scissorhands - Edward Scissorhands

36. Harry Potter - Harry Potter 1-6

35. Maximus Decimus Meridius - Gladiator

34. Rocky Balboa - Rocky 1-6

33. Tequila - Hard Boiled

32. Jason Bourne - The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum

31. Aragorn - The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

30. Jigsaw - Saw 1-5

29. Daniel Plainview - There Will Be Blood

28. Gandalf - The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

27. Tony Montana - Scarface

26. Ron Burgundy - Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy

25. Yoda - The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi

24. Ash - Evil Dead I, II & Army of Darkness

23. Harry Callahan - Dirty Harry

22. Ellis 'Red' Redding - The Shawshank Redemption

21. Michael Corleone - The Godfather Parts I-III

20. Forrest Gump - Forrest Gump

19. Jules Winnfield - Pulp Fiction

18. Travis Bickle - Taxi Driver

17. Hans Gruber - Die Hard

16. Neo - The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions

15. Ferris Bueller - Ferris Bueller's Day Off

14. The Terminator - The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

13. Gollum - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Return of the King

12. John McClane - Die Hard 1-4

11. James Bond - Goldfinger

10. Vito Corleone - The Godfather

9. Ellen Ripley - Alien 1-4

8. Captain Jack Sparrow - Pirates Of The Caribbean 1-3

7. The Dude - The Big Lebowski

6. Indiana Jones - Indiana Jones 1-4

5. Dr. Hannibal Lecter - The Silence Of The Lambs, Hannibal, Red Dragon

4. Han Solo - Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return Of The Jedi

3. The Joker - The Dark Knight

2. Darth Vader - Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jed, Revenge of the Sith

1. Tyler Durden - Fight Club

Larry Bird #9? WTF?

ESPNs list of the 25 greatest college basketball players is finally out, except for number one, leaving us wondering if it's going to be Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Lew Alcindor.

1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
2. Oscar Robertson
3. Bill Walton
4. Bill Russell
5. Pete Maravich
6. Jerry West
7. Bill Bradley
8. David Thompson
9. Larry Bird
10. Wilt Chamberlain
11. Jerry Lucas
12. Christian Laettner
13. Michael Jordan
14. Elvin Hayes
15. Magic Johnson
16. Patrick Ewing
17. Tom Gola
18. Ralph Sampson
19. Elgin Baylor
20. Bob Kurland
21. Tim Duncan
22. Austin Carr
23. Calvin Murphy
24. David Robinson
25. George Mikan

These lists are difficult to evaluate, with such concentrated bodies of work, but it's a joke Larry Bird isn't higher. He took Indiana State to the finals and lost to one of the greatest teams ever. Indiana freaking State. They're a 16 seed without Larry Legend. Clearly a top three guy at the least.

The 25 Greatest Players in College Football

ESPN has been counting down their top 25 college football players (presented by IBM) all year, and now although ESPN hasn't officially revealed the top two, I've been able to find the results.

1 Red Grange
2 Barry Sanders
3 Hershel Walker
4 Doak Walker
5 Sammy Baugh
6 Jim Thorpe
7 Tony Dorsett
8 Bo Jackson
9 Roger Staubach
10 Vince Young
11 Charles Woodson
12 Earl Campbell
13 Glenn Davis
14 Hugh Green
15 John Elway
16 Tom Harmon
17 Bronco Nagurski
18 Jim Brown
19 Dick Butkus
20 Charley Trippi
21 Archie Griffin
22 George Gipp
23 Johnny Rodgers
24 Reggie Bush
25 Ernie Nevers

This is a tough list to put together. In Heisman voting, you're comparing players across conferences, because no two teams play the same schedule, or even close to it. But you're also comparing players across eras, with different emphasis on the running or passing games, preparing for the NFL, or even (gasp!) education. At first blush, I'm most surprised about the omissions of, in order, Matt Leinart (finished 6th, 1st, and 3rd in Heisman voting in three seasons, 37-2 as starter), Ricky Williams (left Texas as all time D 1-A leader in rushing yards and TDs), and Marcus Allen (first college player over 2,000 yards rushing in season, with 2,342 in 1981). Less surprising is O.J. Simpson being left off the list, although he still holds the record for largest margin of victory in Heisman voting.

When ranking these guys, it seems like people were penalized for staying four years. Vince Young has one National Championship and zero Heismans in two seasons (although he may end up taking Reggie Bush's), and Leinart has one championship and one Heisman in three seasons. Young is 10th and Leinart is unranked. Barry Sanders was phenomenal, but he really only started for one season while Herschel Walker started for three, finishing in the top 3 in Heisman voting each season. Yet Sanders is ahead of Walker.

My top 10 comic book movies

I've been working on this for a while, trying to come up with criteria. If I count Sin City, then I have to count Road to Perdition, but do I have to count Oldboy, which is based on a manga? And if I count mangas, then do I have to count animes? So I decided to count movies based on graphic novels, but not mangas. I'm a big fan of comic book movies and incredibly qualified to put this list together. Just missing the cut was History of Violence, Ghost World, TMNT (2007), and Batman (1991).

1. Sin City (2005). 8.4 on imdb, 77% on Rotten Tomatoes. Featuring an all star cast, this masterpiece stayed incredibly faithful to Frank Miller's graphic novels.

2. Batman Begins (2005). 8.3 on imdb, 84% on RT. Nominated for an Oscar for Cinematography, this grounded in reality loose adaptation of Frank Miller's Batman: Year One has set the tone for a new generation of superhero films.

3. X2: X-Men United (2003). 7.9 on imdb, 87% on RT. Closely based on the transcendent X-Men graphic novel God Loves, Man Kills this sequel featured fantastic action sequences and a relatively coherent story arc, even if the ending feels unnecessary.

4. Road to Perdition (2002). 7.7 on imdb, 82% on RT. Won an Oscar for Cinematography and receiving five other nominations, Sam Mendes's follow up to Best Picture American Beauty features fantastic performances by Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, and Jude Law. Based on a series of graphic novels.

5. Spider-Man 2 (2004). 7.8 on imdb, 93% on RT. The reverse Empire Strikes Back of the Spider-man franchise, because part 1 ends on a downer and part 2 ends on a happy note. Didn't falling into the trap of every other superhero franchise which brings in multiple villians for the sequel (see Superman II, Batman Returns, X2, The Dark Knight, TMNT 2, ...).

6. American Splendor (2003). 7.7 on imdb, 94% on RT. This beats out Ghost World for the most unconventional comic book movie, but the Harvey Pekar biopic starring Paul Giamatti is a great watch.

7. 300 (2006). 8.0 on imdb, 60% on RT. The third movie on this list based on a Frank Miller graphic novel, the mechanisms on the home front were added so this wasn't 117 minutes of gore, but I would have preferred it that way.

8. V for Vendetta (2005). 8.2 on imdb, 72% on RT. The third movie based on the work of Alan Moore (From Hell, LXG) and the first one that is good, this Orwellian look at a future UK is an underrated adaptation.

9. Spider-man (2002). 7.4 on imdb, 90% on RT. This origin movie hit all the right notes. Many scenes feature shots incredibly similar to comic book panels in composition, making by far the best directed comic book movie at the time of it's release.

10. Superman: the Movie (1978). 7.3 on imdb, 93% on RT. There are so many points in this movie that get your blood pumping: the opening rift of John Williams' theme, when he bumps into the cat burgler, when he opens Lex's safe, when he throws the crystal. Christopher Reeve is one of the best casting choices ever, and Gene Hackman and Marlon Brando are as good as it gets as actors.

Week 10 Power Rankings

In last week's power rankings, one of my valued readers questioned my reasoning for putting the Seahawks ahead of the Saints. Bottom line - they have better players. Still, the Saints are still very much alive in the NFC South, but next week at Houston looks like a huge game for both teams. The Jaguars made the biggest move up, jumping 7 spots, and the Chiefs made the biggest move down, falling 10 spots.

1. New England Patriots (9-0) (Last week: 1) AFC East - 2 1/2 lead on the Colts with 7 to play, just give them homefield
2. Indianapolis Colts (7-2) (2) AFC South - should have beat Chargers, but injuries hay have caught up with them
3. Dallas Cowboys (8-1) (4) NFC East - did have a 2nd half lead against New England
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2) (3) AFC North - besides at New England, their 2nd half schedule is favorable
5. Green Bay Packers (8-1) (6) NFC North - Ryan Grant has run for 100+ in 2 out of 3, starting to become a complete team
6. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-3) (13) AFC South - take away loss to Colts and they've won 6 out of 7
7. Tennessee Titans (6-3) (5) AFC South - 3-2 in games decided by 4 points or less
8. Cleveland Browns (5-4) (8) AFC North - Thomas, Winslow, Edwards, and Cribbs are cinch Pro Bowlers; they've had only 1 since 1999
9. San Diego Chargers (5-4) (12) AFC West - get blown out by Vikings one week, beat the Colts the next?
10. New York Giants (6-3) (10) NFC East - their most impressive win is at Washington, could be staring at another 2nd half slide
11. Seattle Seahawks (5-4) (11) NFC West - could easily run the table in the second half
12. Buffalo Bills (5-4) (15) AFC East - Dick Jauron, 2 time Coach of the Year?!?
13. Detroit Lions (6-3) (9) NFC North - they play Green Bay in 2 weeks in their biggest Thanksgiving day game ever
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-4) (17) NFC South - if they drafted Peterson they'd be the NFC favorite
15. Houston Texans (4-5) (18) AFC South - they're getting Andre Johnson back and could make a run
16. Denver Broncos (4-5) (21) AFC West - play 4 out of the next 6 on the road
17. Washington Redskins (5-4) (16) NFC East - still have to play Dallas twice and Giants in New York, probably not making playoffs
18. New Orleans Saints (4-5) (14) NFC South - Bush had no chance on 4th and 1, exactly why he can't be a #1 back
19. Arizona Cardinals (4-5) (24) NFC West - have lost 3 games in the last 30 seconds
20. Kansas City Chiefs (4-5) (10) AFC West - LJ injury was huge, could easily lose out
21. Philadelphia Eagles (4-5) (25) NFC East - they have 2 flukish losses, but 2 flukish wins as well
22. Baltimore Ravens (4-5) (19) AFC North - 0-4 against AFC North, 3-0 against NFC West
23. Carolina Panthers (4-5) (20) NFC South - are you surprised Testaverde turned into a pumpkin?
24. Chicago Bears (4-5) (27) NFC North - is Grossman the starter now? Who cares?
25. Cincinnati Bengals (3-6) (26) AFC North - 1-6 against teams not named the Ravens
26. Atlanta Falcons (3-6) (28) NFC South - 2-0 coming out of their bye
27. Minnesota Vikings (3-6) (23) NFC North - without Peterson this is generous
28. Oakland Raiders (2-7) (22) AFC West - JaMarcus Russell is too well paid to be 3rd string
29. New York Jets (1-8) (29) AFC East - time to see what they have in Clemens
30. San Francisco 49ers (2-7) (30) NFC West - time to cut the cord on Nolan and Alex Smith
31. St. Louis Rams (1-8) (32) NFC West - their schedule was too weak to go winless, will target Jake Long in draft
32. Miami Dolphins (0-9) (31) AFC East - at home against Buffalo coming off a bye was their best shot at a win

Division Power Rankings (by sum of team rankings)
AFC South - 30 (-8 from last week)
NFC East - 51 (-1)
AFC North - 59 (+3)
NFC North - 69 (+4)
AFC West - 73 (+8)
AFC East - 74 (-2)
NFC South - 81 (+2)
NFC West - 91 (-6)

The All 25 or Under Team

In the preseason Peter King did an All Future team, and a few days ago I saw Bill James's top baseball players under the age of 25 list. This, along with my entry on the phenoms in the NFC North and a comment I posted regarding up and coming players in the NFC East, motivated me to make my All 25 or Under Team. My criteria: these are the guys I'd most want on my team right now, so I take potential over accomplishment, and their current level of play over potential. I went with a three receiver, single back offense because I'd rather have a stud receiver than a fullback, and a 4-3 defense. If you want to run a 3-4, replace Haloti Ngata with DeMeco Ryans.

Quarterback: Ben Roethlisberger (March 2, 1982, 4th year). This came down to Big Ben or Vince Young. Take away the fact that Roethlisberger has won a Super Bowl and played through a massive head injury, appendicitis, and concussion, all in the same season. He's got a career QB rating of 91.9, while Young's is 65.2.

Running back: Adrian Peterson (March 21, 1985, 1st year). If Peterson wasn't takng the league by storm, this would have been a tough call between Stephen Jackson and Joseph Addai.

Wide receiver: Roy Williams (December 20, 1981, 4th year), Larry Fitzgerald (August 31, 1983, 4th year), Braylon Edwards (February 21, 1983, 3rd year). It was easy picking these three; I'm not ready to anoint Calvin Johnson just yet. This is the order I'd take them, because Williams is the most dangerous of the three after the catch and Fitzgerald might have the NFL's best hands, but I'd love to have any of these three. Marques Colston would be my fourth wideout.

Tight end: Kellen Winslow, Jr. (July 21, 1983, 4th year). KW2 may have come back from microfracture surgery with more explosiveness than he had before. Jason Witten finishes a distant second.

Offensive tackles: Marcus McNeil (November 16, 1983, 2nd year), Joe Thomas (December 4, 1984, 1st year). McNeil should have been Rookie of the Year last year, and if it weren't for Peterson Thomas might get my vote this year. If I had to pick a right tackle I'd probably take Willie Colon, but I'd be crazy to take Colon over Joe Thomas.

Offensive guards: Logan Mankins (March 10, 1982, 3rd year), Shawn Andrews (December 25, 1982, 4th year). Chris Snee also received some consideration, but these are two of the league's best.

Center: Nick Mangold (January 13, 1984, 2nd year). The former 1st round pick is an easy choice for the pivot.

Defensive ends: Osi Umenyiora (November 16, 1981, 5th year), Jared Allen (April 3, 1982, 4th year). Both of these guys are a little old for this squad, but they're also two of the top ends in the league. Allen is a free agent after this season and is likely to be franchised.

Defensive tackles: Tommie Harris (April 29, 1983, 4th year), Haloti Ngata (January 21, 1984, 2nd year). Harris is probably the best DT in the league, and Ngata is probably the league's strongest player. Ngata's upside gave him the nod over Luis Castillo.

Outside linebackers: Shawne Merriman (May 25, 1984, 3rd year), DeMarcus Ware (July 31, 1982, 3rd year). As the league's two best linebackers, these picks were easy. Kamerion Wimbley would probably be a distant third.

Inside linebacker: Patrick Willis (January 25, 1985, 1st year). My preseason pick for R.O.Y. and the likely winner, Willis gets the nod over a stacked field with DeMeco Ryans, Jonathan Vilma, Ernie Sims, Lofa Tatupu, and A.J. Hawk. Willis is the one mike I've seen this year that consistently moves the pile backward.

Cornerbacks: Dunta Robinson (April 11, 1982, 4th year), DeAngelo Hall (November 19, 1983, 4th year). Hall has played well this year but has been a constant distraction; he'll likely be on the market in the offseason. Robinson stands out over Nathan Vasher and Ellis Hobbs, who both might be products of their system.

Safeties: Sean Taylor (April 1, 1983, 4th year), LaRon Landry (October 14, 1984, 1st year). Taylor is an obvious choice. At first I was deciding between Donte Whitner and Kerry Rhodes for the other spot, but if you were picking teams and were looking and Landry, Whitner, and Rhodes without pads, you'd take Landry in a second.

Kicker: Stephen Gostowski (January 28, 1984, 2nd year). Gostowski gets the nod over Nick Folk on the strength of his kickoffs: sixth in the league in touchback percentage.

Punter: Daniel Sepulveda (January 12, 1984, 1st year). The rookie is dropping punts inside the 20 at a league leading 51.5%, an absurd number.

Return specialist: Devin Hester (November 4, 1982, 2nd year). Another slam dunk.

Week 9 Power Rankings

Another wild week of NFL football, but not a lot of changes besides kicking the Chargers out of the top 10 (dropping 7 spots to 12th, tied with Denver for the biggest drop), and showing some love for the Saints 4 game win streak (who move up 7 spots). I moved up Seattle despite the overtime loss to a good team and dropped the Redskins despite the overtime win against a bad team. The AFC West dropped 17 spots as a division, I'm pretty sure the biggest drop this year for a division, balanced out by the NFC North moving up 10 spots and the NFC South moving up 9 spots.

1. New England Patriots (9-0) (Last week: 1) AFC East
2. Indianapolis Colts (7-1) (2) AFC South
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) (3) AFC North
4. Dallas Cowboys (7-1) (4) NFC East
5. Tennessee Titans (6-2) (6) AFC South
6. Green Bay Packers (7-1) (7) NFC North
7. New York Giants (6-2) (10) NFC East
8. Cleveland Browns (5-3) (11) AFC North
9. Detroit Lions (6-2) (15) NFC North
10. Kansas City Chiefs (4-4) (9) AFC West
11. Seattle Seahawks (4-4) (12) NFC West
12. San Diego Chargers (4-4) (5) AFC West
13. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3) (8) AFC South
14. New Orleans Saints (4-4) (21) NFC South
15. Buffalo Bills (4-4) (17) AFC East
16. Washington Redskins (5-3) (13) NFC East
17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-4) (19) NFC South
18. Houston Texans (4-5) (23) AFC South
19. Baltimore Ravens (4-4) (16) AFC North
20. Carolina Panthers (4-4) (18) NFC South
21. Denver Broncos (3-5) (14) AFC West
22. Oakland Raiders (2-6) (20) AFC West
23. Minnesota Vikings (3-5) (27) NFC North
24. Arizona Cardinals (3-5) (22) NFC West
25. Philadelphia Eagles (3-5) (24) NFC East
26. Cincinnati Bengals (2-6) (25) AFC North
27. Chicago Bears (3-5) (26) NFC North
28. Atlanta Falcons (2-6) (30) NFC South
29. New York Jets (1-8) (29) AFC East
30. San Francisco 49ers (2-6) (28) NFC West
31. Miami Dolphins (0-8) (31) AFC East
32. St. Louis Rams (0-8) (32) NFC West

Division Power Rankings (by sum of team rankings)
AFC South - 38 (-1 from last week)
NFC East - 52 (+1)
AFC North - 56 (+1)
NFC North - 65 (-10)
AFC West - 65 (+17)
AFC East - 76 (-2)
NFC South - 79 (-9)
NFC West - 97 (+3)

Top 100 sports blogs

Juiced Sports Blog ranked the top 100 most influential sports blogs, which of course I'm not on. A huge omission if Profootballtalk, which should be number one, as they are one of the largest news sources for the NFL in any media. Young, Black, and Fabulous is another omission, but they're not as centered around sports.

In a related note, I considered starting a second blog which would be more focused on Washington, DC area sports, but I was heartbroken to find out that crabcakesandfootball.blogspot.com was taken. And they've never made a single post.

Week 8 Power Rankings

A week without a lot of upsets keep the top 10 the same this week, setting the stage for Super Bowl 41.5 next week. The bottom five also stayed the same , as Atlanta's release of Grady Jackson kept the Falcons behind the Jets despite New York's awful play. The biggest riser is New Orleans, moving up 4 spots, and biggest fall belongs to Houston, dropping 5 spots. Across the board this is the most stable my power rankings have stayed from one week to the next, which led to me going 11-2 in my picks for this week, good for 2nd in my pool.

1. New England Patriots (8-0) (Last week: 1) AFC East
2. Indianapolis Colts (7-0) (2) AFC South
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) (3) AFC North
4. Dallas Cowboys (6-1) (4) NFC East
5. San Diego Chargers (4-3) (5) AFC West
6. Tennessee Titans (5-2) (6) AFC South
7. Green Bay Packers (6-1) (7) NFC North
8. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2) (8) AFC South
9. Kansas City Chiefs (4-3) (9) AFC West
10. New York Giants (6-2) (10) NFC East
11. Cleveland Browns (4-3) (14) AFC North
12. Seattle Seahawks (4-3) (13) NFC West
13. Washington Redskins (4-3) (11) NFC East
14. Denver Broncos (3-4) (12) AFC West
15. Detroit Lions (5-2) (16) NFC North
16. Baltimore Ravens (4-3) (15) AFC North
17. Buffalo Bills (3-4) (20) AFC East
18. Carolina Panthers (4-3) (17) NFC South
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3) (19) NFC South
20. Oakland Raiders (2-5) (21) AFC West
21. New Orleans Saints (3-4) (25) NFC South
22. Arizona Cardinals (3-4) (22) NFC West
23. Houston Texans (3-5) (18) AFC South
24. Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) (27) NFC East
25. Cincinnati Bengals (2-5) (23) AFC North
26. Chicago Bears (3-5) (24) NFC North
27. Minnesota Vikings (2-5) (26) NFC North
28. San Francisco 49ers (2-5) (28) NFC West
29. New York Jets (1-7) (29) AFC East
30. Atlanta Falcons (1-6) (30) NFC South
31. Miami Dolphins (0-8) (31) AFC East
32. St. Louis Rams (0-8) (32) NFC West

Division Power Rankings (by sum of team rankings)
AFC South - 39 (+5 from last week)
AFC West - 48 (+1)
NFC East - 51 (-1)
AFC North - 55 (no change)
NFC North - 75 (+2)
AFC East - 78 (-3)
NFC South - 88 (-3)
NFC West - 94 (-1)

My top 10 vampire movies

Vampires are so much cooler than other classes of monsters. Zombies and werewolves are more limited in power, and since they stick out in crowds zombie and werewolf movies are limited in scope. Frankenstein and Mr. Hyde generally stick to their literary roots, which is even more limiting. Vampire flicks can cover everything from superhero to teen angst movies. In honor of Halloween, here are my top 10 vampire movies.

1. Nosferatu the Vampire (1922). 8.1 on imdb, 98% on Rottentomatoes. Considered among the greatest silent movies, it's amazing that this 85 year old genre defining classic remains scary. Absolutely still worth a watch. Number 16 on RT's Top Horror Movies.

2. Dracula (1931). 7.7 on imdb, 92% on RT. Poor Bela Lugosi. You'd have to figure the accomplished Hungarian stage actor would have turned down this life defining title role if he had to do it over again. He died penniless; Frank Sinatra reportedly paid for his funeral. Still, great movie, among the most influential of all time. Number 25 on RT's Top Horror Movies.

3. Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2000) 7.7 on imdb, 70% on RT. The director of the transcendent anime Ninja Scroll takes a swing at the sequel to the 1985 anime classic Vampire Hunter D. Among the best anime ever produced, with over the top action and some incredible villains.

4. Near Dark (1987). 7.0 on imdb, 91% on RT. Fantastic movie whose influence is seen in dozens of horror movies. Terrific cast with Bill Paxton in possibly his finest role. ("We keep odd hours," one of the best lines ever.) Made Kathryn Bigelow's career. Number 34 on RT's Top Horror Movies.

5. Dracula (1992). 7.2 on imdb, 82% on RT. So what if it's not as great as the sum of its considerable parts? It's still a cool movie with a great choice for the title role even if the rest of the casting falls flat.

6. Interview with the Vampire (1994). 7.3 on imdb, 69% on RT. A terrific translation of a terrific book with a terrific cast. The cast is completely stacked: Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Kirsten Dunst, Antonio Banderas, Stephen Rea, and Thandie Newton.

7. Shadow of the Vampire (2000). 6.8 on imdb, 82% on RT. More of a dark comedy than horror, Malkovich and Dafoe make for a great onscreen duo. Terrific concept based on the original Nosferatu. Number 38 on RT's Top Horror Movies.

8. The Lost Boys (1987). 6.8 on imdb, 74% on RT. A classic 80s Coreys movie. Kiefer Sutherland shines in an early role. I wanted to put it higher for nostalgia, but this is where it belongs.

9. Day Watch (2006). 7.0 on imdb, 65% on RT. An amped up follow up to the amped up Night Watch (2004), it loses a bit if you missed the first part of the trilogy. Available today on DVD.

10. Blade II (2002). 6.5 on imdb, 56% on RT. An entertaining sequel based on the comic book character directed by Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth). Perhaps a bit loud and over the top, but it's never dull.

Week 7 Power Rankings

Halfway through week 3 the Chiefs and Giants both looked dead and buried. The Chiefs had scored 16 points and the Giants had allowed 97 points in two and a half games. Since then the Chiefs have scored 86 points and the Giants have allowed 52 points in four and a half games and both are firmly in the Wild Card hunt. Garrard's injury could be huge for Jacksonville, in a division with no margin for error. That's the problem with cutting your backup QB a week before the season. The biggest riser is Denver, moving up 6 spots, and the biggest fall belongs to Tampa Bay, dropping 8 spots.

1. New England Patriots (7-0) (Last week: 1) AFC East
2. Indianapolis Colts (6-0) (2) AFC South
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) (3) AFC North
4. Dallas Cowboys (6-1) (4) NFC East
5. San Diego Chargers (3-3) (6) AFC West
6. Tennessee Titans (4-2) (9) AFC South
7. Green Bay Packers (5-1) (7) NFC North
8. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2) (5) AFC South
9. Kansas City Chiefs (4-3) (10) AFC West
10. New York Giants (5-2) (12) NFC East
11. Washington Redskins (4-2) (15) NFC East
12. Denver Broncos (3-3) (18) AFC West
13. Seattle Seahawks (4-3) (16) NFC West
14. Cleveland Browns (3-3) (13) AFC North
15. Baltimore Ravens (4-3) (8) AFC North
16. Detroit Lions (4-2) (21) NFC North
17. Carolina Panthers (4-2) (17) NFC South
18. Houston Texans (3-4) (19) AFC South
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) (11) NFC South
20. Buffalo Bills (2-4) (23) AFC East
21. Oakland Raiders (2-4) (14) AFC West
22. Arizona Cardinals (3-4) (26) NFC West
23. Cincinnati Bengals (2-4) (27) AFC North
24. Chicago Bears (3-4) (28) NFC North
25. New Orleans Saints (2-4) (25) NFC South
26. Minnesota Vikings (2-4) (22) NFC North
27. Philadelphia Eagles (2-4) (20) NFC East
28. San Francisco 49ers (2-4) (24) NFC West
29. New York Jets (1-6) (29) AFC East
30. Atlanta Falcons (1-6) (30) NFC South
31. Miami Dolphins (0-7) (31) AFC East
32. St. Louis Rams (0-7) (32) NFC West

Division Power Rankings (by sum of team rankings)
AFC South - 34 (-1 from last week)
AFC West - 47 (-1)
NFC East - 52 (+1)
AFC North - 55 (+4)
NFC North - 73 (-5)
AFC East - 81 (-3)
NFC South - 91 (+8)
NFC West - 95 (-3)

This team needs its own sitcom

Watching an piece on Jeanie Buss last night on ESPN, I was shocked how similar she looked to Jan from The Office. Which of course makes Phil Jackson Michael Scott. Down the roster and into the front office, there are numerous parallels between the Lakers and the workers at Dunder Mifflin. As great as The Office is, how entertaining would a Lakers sitcom be?

Jeanie Buss = Jan Levinson-Gould. The resemblance is uncanny. Jeanie is a woman in the male dominated world of sports management, Jan was a woman in the male dominated world of corporate management.
Jan: Michael, come over after work tonight. I miss your…body.
Michael: I dunno. I feel…I drive a lot. I’m spending a fortune on gas…
Jan: I’ll give you $200. If I get up before you I’ll leave it on the dresser.
Michael: I dunno…that makes me kind of uncomfortable…
Jan: $300?

Phil Jackson = Michael Scott. They're both the boss of their team and were/are dating their boss. Phil has written multiple bestsellers, Michael wrote Threat Level: Midnight. Phil's unusual motivational techniques have included comparing Rick Adelman to Hitler; Michael's unusual motivational techniques have included comparing slavery to the Holocaust.
Michael: Olympics of suffering right here! Slavery versus the Holocaust, come on!

Michael: Why don’t we just go as teams to demonstrate our teamsmanship.

Kobe Bryant = Jim Halpert. They're both Philadelphia natives. Kobe used to live in Italy, Jim used to date an Italian girl. Kobe helped orchestrate Shaq's trade to Miami, Jim's relationship with Pam led to Roy's firing. This of course makes Vanessa Pam and the girl from Colorado Karen.
Jim: I miss Dwight. Congratulations Universe, you win.

Shaquille O'Neal = Roy Anderson. Neither are part of the team anymore. Shaq drives a Superman Ford Expedition, Roy drove a Ford pickup in season one. Shaq hates training camp, Roy hates Dunder-Mifflin get-togethers.
Roy: I am going to kill Jim Halpert.

Kwame Brown = Meredith Palmer. Kwame is coming back from offseason shoulder and ankle surgery, Meredith is coming off of rabies and a cracked pelvis. Kwame was charged in connection with a DUI in the offseason and was investigated for sexual assault, Meredith is an alcoholic and sex addict.
Meredith: You know what? Don’t even worry about it. Everyone was so drunk I bet no one even remembers a word you said.

Meredith: The uterus is different from a vagina. I still have a vagina.

Lamar Odom = Kevin Malone. Both are bald and seem to have facial expressions limited to a smile and scowl. Odom has averaged 64 games played a season due to a series of injuries, Kevin suffers from anal fissures. Odom loves to sing, Kevin is in a band.
Kevin: I just want to lie on the beach and eat hot dogs. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.

Kurt Rambis = Dwight Schrute. Rambis preceded Jackson as coach of the Lakers, and Jackson kept him on as an assistant. Just like Dwight has the bogus title "Assistant to the Regional Manager," Rambis was recently named "Vice President of Business and Basketball Integration." Rambis's nickname is Rambo, Dwight has his own crossbow range.
Dwight: I have been Michael’s number two guy for about 5 years. And we make a great team. We’re like one of those classic famous teams. He’s like Mozart and I’m like…Mozart’s friend. No. I’m like Butch Cassidy and Michael is like…Mozart. You try and hurt Mozart? You’re gonna get a bullet in your head courtesy of Butch Cassidy.

Andrew Bynum = Ryan Howard. Bynum was the youngest player in the league the last two seasons, Ryan is the youngest guy in corporate. Bynum has seen a meteoric rise from high schooler to a valued Lakers asset they wouldn't trade for Jason Kidd, Ryan has seen a meteoric rise from intern to corporate.
Ryan: If I had to I could clean out my desk in 5 seconds and nobody would know I had ever been here. And I’d forget too…

Vladimir Radmanovic = Kelly Kapoor. Radmanovic is Serbian, Kelly is Indian. Radmanovic lied about a shoulder injury so the Lakers wouldn't void his contract, Kelly lied about being pregnant so Ryan would talk to her. Radmanovic averaged career lows across the board last season, Ryan dumped Kelly last season.
Kelly: If Ryan is laid off I will kill myself. Like Romeo and Juliet (the Claire Danes one).

Mitch Kupchak = Toby Flenderson. Just as Toby often stands in the way of Michael's schemes, Kupchak's horrible trades have stood in the way of Phil Jackson coaching a productive team. Of course, it made more sense for Toby to frown upon the Boy Scouts coming to Casino Night than for Kupchak to trade Caron Butler for Kwame Brown.
Toby: Actually, I didn't think it was appropriate to invite children since it's, uh, you know...there's gambling and alcohol...and it's in our dangerous warehouse...it's a school night, and you know, uh... Hooters is catering. You know, is that not—is that enough? Should I keep going?

Derek Fisher = Stanley Hudson. Fisher asked to be released from the Jazz and signed with the Lakers so he could be at a city with facilities to care for his daughter, and Stanley has a game "called work hard so your children can go to college.”
Stanley: This here is a “run-out-the-clock” situation. Just like upstairs.

Luke Walton = Creed Bratton. The combination of Walton's dad being a hippie and the rumor of Luke dating Britney Spears make him the only Laker potentially dirty enough to compare to Creed.
Creed: I’m not offended by homosexuality. In the 60s I made love to many, many women – often outdoors in the mud and the rain – and it’s possible that a man slipped in. There’d be no way of knowing...

Brian Grant = Oscar Martinez. Brian Grant was paid an ungodly sum by the Heat, much of which he earned from the bench, Oscar got a three month vacation so he wouldn't sue.
Kevin: Hello Oscar, how was your gay-cation?
Oscar: That’s very funny.
Kevin: Yeah? I thought of that, like, two seconds after you left.

Week 6 Power Rankings

The biggest surprise of week 6 has to be the Saints showing against Seattle. Seattle looks completely bipolar - they're 3-3 and have won by 3, 14, and 20 and lost by 3, 11, and 21. I wanted to drop them precipitously, but I'd still pick them to beat half the teams in the NFL, so I only dropped them three spots. ESPN made a big deal about the Giants crushing the Falcons on Monday Night, but I'm ready to crown their ass quite yet. I did move them up three spots. The Vikings scored a mild upset over the Bears, the Bucs won at home against the VY-less Titans, and Vinny Testaverde outplayed Tim Rattay. The Panthers moved up 8 spots and Bears dropped 8 spots in the biggest moves of the week.

1. New England Patriots (6-0) (Last week: 1) AFC East
2. Indianapolis Colts (5-0) (2) AFC South
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) (3) AFC North
4. Dallas Cowboys (5-1) (5) NFC East
5. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1) (6) AFC South
6. San Diego Chargers (3-3) (8) AFC West
7. Green Bay Packers (5-1) (7) NFC North
8. Baltimore Ravens (4-2) (10) AFC North
9. Tennessee Titans (3-2) (4) AFC South
10. Kansas City Chiefs (3-3) (16) AFC West
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) (18) NFC South
12. New York Giants (4-2) (15) NFC East
13. Cleveland Browns (3-3) (14) AFC North
14. Oakland Raiders (2-3) (9) AFC West
15. Washington Redskins (3-2) (11) NFC East
16. Seattle Seahawks (3-3) (13) NFC West
17. Carolina Panthers (4-2) (25) NFC South
18. Denver Broncos (2-3) (17) AFC West
19. Houston Texans (3-3) (12) AFC South
20. Philadelphia Eagles (2-3) (23) NFC East
21. Detroit Lions (3-2) (24) NFC North
22. Minnesota Vikings (2-3) (31) NFC North
23. Buffalo Bills (1-4) (22) AFC East
24. San Francisco 49ers (2-3) (27) NFC West
25. New Orleans Saints (1-4) (30) NFC South
26. Arizona Cardinals (3-3) (19) NFC West
27. Cincinnati Bengals (1-4) (21) AFC North
28. Chicago Bears (2-4) (20) NFC North
29. New York Jets (1-5) (26) AFC East
30. Atlanta Falcons (1-5) (28) NFC South
31. Miami Dolphins (0-6) (29) AFC East
32. St. Louis Rams (0-6) (32) NFC West

Division Power Rankings (by sum of team rankings)
AFC South - 35 (+11 from last week)
AFC West - 48 (-2)
NFC East - 51 (-3)
AFC North - 51 (+3)
NFC North - 78 (-4)
NFC South - 83 (-18)
AFC East - 84 (+6)
NFC West - 98 (+7)

The Top 10 Video Games of All Time

I've been working on my top 10 video games list for a while, but the problem was defining the criteria. Of course I'd rather play Halo 3 right now instead of the original Zelda, but Zelda's greatness in unquestioned. So as a video game addict, I'm defining greatness as to what degree I'm chasing the feeling I got when I first played these games. For example, when I play any new hockey game I'm hoping to achieve the same kind euphoria I got when I played the original NHL Hockey on Sega Genesis. I'm strictly a console gamer, so PC games were excluded.

1. Super Mario Bros. Nintendo Entertainment System. I don't remember whose house it was, but I was at someone's birthday party when I caught a glimpse of a television on top of a dresser between a wall and a closet, across from the foot of a twin bed. This kid had just gotten the Nintendo Entertainment System Deluxe Set, bundled with Super Mario Bros. and two other titles. It was unlike any toy I had ever seen. With it's bright colors and large characters, it made Atari and Commodore 64 games look archaic. It wasn't long before I got my own, as my other toys went the way of Woody in the first two thirds of Toy Story.

2. Final Fantasy VII. Sony PlayStation. With over 40 minutes of still gorgeous full motion video and the biggest virtual world ever seen, this 4 disc behemoth redefined the epic. Friends of mine would sit in my room and watch me play. As a cheer emanated from my room as I neared the end, my neighbor in college burst through my door draped in a towel, as his obviously frustrated girlfriend followed a few minutes later in an oversized t shirt.

3. Tetris. Game Boy. I was skeptical about Nintendo's cartridge based handheld system when it first came out, until the first time I played Tetris not tethered to a television. Sorting the endless stream of blocks was incredibly addictive, and led to the incredible lifespan of the Game Boy.

4. Grand Theft Auto III. PlayStation 2. It set the standard for sandbox gameplay, which basically refers to the unlimited freedom you have to continue the game's narrative or to just wreak havok as you see fit. There was just so much more to do in the world of Liberty City than in any other PS2 game, and numerous imitators were spawned.

5. The Legend of Zelda. Nintendo Entertainment System. The first game which featured an internal battery to save your progress (previously games used passwords or started you at the beginning when you turned the system off), it was also the first true adventure game, with never-before-seen nonlinear gameplay and equipable weapons and items.

6. Super Mario 64. Nintendo 64. The third launch title on this list, this silky smooth 3D platformer set the standard for all 3D games at the time, as well as the proper use of an analog stick on a console. Tomb Raider was released on PlayStation as a competitor, but the controls of Mario 64 set it apart.

7. Super Mario Bros. 3. Nintendo Entertainment System. The moment it was revealed in the climax of The Wizard, it became the most anticipated game of all time and it did not disappoint. The best selling non-bundled game of all time, the graphics were unlike anything anyone had seen, and the gameplay was deep, althought the story wasn't.

8. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Nintendo 64. When OoT came out, the question most commonly asked was "How is anyone going to improve upon this?" The most revolutionary aspect of the control scheme was the "Z targeting," where you could hold a button to strafe an enemy. The number one reviewed game of all time according to gamerankings.com.

9. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Sony PlayStation. This old school 2D adventure game proved that you didn't need a third dimension for a good time. The role playing aspects had been done before in Super Metroid, but this title featured amazing animations and an all time soundtrack.

10. Soul Calibur. Sega Dreamcast. Widely considered the greatest fighting game of all time, the graphics were such a cut above anything seen of PlayStation or Nintendo 64, and the 3D gameplay was also next generation. The number two reviewed game of all time according to gamerankings.com.

Honorable mentions: Chrono Trigger, Contra, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Final Fantasy III, Gears of War, GoldenEye 007, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Halo, Halo 2, Herzog Zwei, John Madden Football, Metal Gear Solid, NHL Hockey, Star Wars: Knight of the Old Republic, Street Fighter II Turbo, Super Metroid, Tecmo Super Bowl, Tekken 3

Week 5 Power Rankings

Injuries rocked my power rankings this week. Carolina can't be taken seriously without a healthy Jake Delhomme, and Arizona demands to be taken seriously without Matt Leinart complaining to the press. I've been calling for the Cleo Lemon era to begin in Miami and it's finally upon us; I still dropped them behind an Atlanta team that has managed to hang around in games against better opponents.

1. New England Patriots (5-0) (Last week: 1) AFC East
2. Indianapolis Colts (5-0) (2) AFC South
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) (4) AFC North
4. Tennessee Titans (3-1) (5) AFC South
5. Dallas Cowboys (5-0) (3) NFC East
6. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-1) (7) AFC South
7. Green Bay Packers (4-1) (6) NFC North
8. San Diego Chargers (2-3) (12) AFC West
9. Oakland Raiders (2-2) (11) AFC West
10. Baltimore Ravens (3-2) (10) AFC North
11. Washington Redskins (3-1) (15) NFC East
12. Houston Texans (3-2) (13) AFC South
13. Seattle Seahawks (3-2) (8) NFC West
14. Cleveland Browns (2-3) (16) AFC North
15. New York Giants (3-2) (17) NFC East
16. Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) (18) AFC West
17. Denver Broncos (2-3) (9) AFC West
18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2) (14) NFC South
19. Arizona Cardinals (3-2) (21) NFC West
20. Chicago Bears (2-3) (26) NFC North
21. Cincinnati Bengals (1-3) (20) AFC North
22. Buffalo Bills (1-4) (27) AFC East
23. Philadelphia Eagles (1-3) (23) NFC East
24. Detroit Lions (3-2) (19) NFC North
25. Carolina Panthers (3-2) (25) NFC South
26. New York Jets (1-4) (22) AFC East
27. San Francisco 49ers (2-3) (24) NFC West
28. Atlanta Falcons (1-4) (29) NFC South
29. Miami Dolphins (0-5) (28) AFC East
30. New Orleans Saints (0-4) (30) NFC South
31. Minnesota Vikings (1-3) (31) NFC North
32. St. Louis Rams (0-5) (32) NFC West

Division Power Rankings (by sum of team rankings)
AFC South - 24 (-3 from last week)
AFC North - 48 (-2)
AFC West - 50 (no change)
NFC East - 54 (-4)
AFC East - 78 (no change)
NFC North - 82 (no change)
NFC West - 91 (+6)
NFC South - 101 (+3)

My top 10 Tom Hanks movies

I watched Tom Hanks' second appearance on Inside the Actor's Studio this week, inspiring me to compile my top 10 Tom Hanks movies.

1. Saving Private Ryan (1998). Easy choice. Should have won Best Picture. Hanks got his fourth Oscar nomination for this one.

2. Toy Story (1995). Tough call for number 2, but this Pixar classic redefined animation, more so than A Bug's Life, which came before.

3. Philadelphia (1993). Extremely depressing movie that netted Hanks his first Oscar, leading to a memorable acceptance speech. Director Jonathan Demme's followup to Silence of the Lambs.

4. Big (1988). There were some inferior copycat movies that came out the same year (18 Again!, Vice Versa), but Big managed to stand out to such a degree that Robert Loggia, with over 200 roles to his credit, is known as the boss from Big. Hanks received his first nomination for the role.

5. Toy Story 2 (1999). The only Pixar sequel, they manage to integrate new characters and make a movie that might even improve on the original.

6. Catch Me If You Can (2002). Spielberg and Hanks' second collaboration, it's an enjoyable period piece with a great cast featuring DiCaprio, Walken, Martin, Martin Sheen, Jennifer Garner, James Brolin, Ellen Pompeo, and Amy Adams.

7. Apollo 13 (1995). An underrated space exploration movie, it was nominated for best picture.

8. Forrest Gump (1994). The only Hanks movie to win best picture, the role also won Hanks his second consecutive best actor win. I'm not a huge fan, but it's lunacy to leave it off this list.

9. Road to Perdition (2002). An underrated gangster movie, it's Sam Mendes' followup to American Beauty.

10. Cast Away (2000). Zemeckis' second collaboration with Hanks (Gump), Hanks received his fifth and most recent nomination (he should have got one for Ladykillers) which he deserved, because he obviously carries this movie. I mean, the second lead is a volleyball. I agonized a little between this and The Terminal for the 10 spot.

Week 4 Power Rankings

A wild weekend of football rocks the power rankings. David Carr doesn't look like much of a backup in Carolina, making me knock them down 6 spots, with Delhomme's future in doubt. Five touchdowns with 103 yards of offense out of Culpepper make me, I can't believe I'm doing this, bump the Raiders up to the 11 spot. On a neutral field I'd actually pick the Raiders, who went 2-14 last year, to beat the Chargers, who went 14-2 last year. Talk about a tale of two coaching changes! The Browns, Chiefs, and Giants tie the Raiders with the biggest leap with 9 spots, the Eagles and Bears drop 10 spots a piece.

1. New England Patriots (4-0) (Last week: 1) AFC East
2. Indianapolis Colts (4-0) (2) AFC South
3. Dallas Cowboys (4-0) (4) NFC East
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) (3) AFC North
5. Tennessee Titans (2-1) (6) AFC South
6. Green Bay Packers (4-0) (7) NFC North
7. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1) (8) AFC South
8. Seattle Seahawks (3-1) (12) NFC West
9. Denver Broncos (2-2) (10) AFC West
10. Baltimore Ravens (2-2) (5) AFC North
11. Oakland Raiders (2-2) (20) AFC West
12. San Diego Chargers (1-3) (9) AFC West
13. Houston Texans (2-2) (11) AFC South
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) (21) NFC South
15. Washington Redskins (2-1) (17) NFC East
16. Cleveland Browns (2-2) (25) AFC North
17. New York Giants (2-2) (26) NFC East
18. Kansas City Chiefs (2-2) (27) AFC West
19. Detroit Lions (3-1) (23) NFC North
20. Cincinnati Bengals (1-3) (14) AFC North
21. Arizona Cardinals (2-2) (24) NFC West
22. New York Jets (1-3) (15) AFC East
23. Philadelphia Eagles (1-3) (13) NFC East
24. San Francisco 49ers (2-2) (18) NFC West
25. Carolina Panthers (2-2) (19) NFC South
26. Chicago Bears (1-3) (16) NFC North
27. Buffalo Bills (1-3) (31) AFC East
28. Miami Dolphins (0-4) (22) AFC East
29. Atlanta Falcons (1-3) (32) NFC South
30. New Orleans Saints (0-3) (29) NFC South
31. Minnesota Vikings (1-3) (28) NFC North
32. St. Louis Rams (0-4) (30) NFC West

Division Power Rankings (by sum of team rankings)
AFC South - 27 (no change from last week)
AFC North - 50 (+3)
AFC West - 50 (-16)
NFC East - 58 (-2)
AFC East - 78 (+9)
NFC North - 82 (+8)
NFC West - 85 (+1)
NFC South - 98 (-3)

Worst NFL trades of all time

The Angry T has compiled another great list: the 5 worst NFL trades of all time. Not making the cut (not that they should be in the top 5) are Jeff George for Andre Rison, Chris Hinton, and a pick, or Earnest Byner for Mike Oliphant (not to be confused with Tim Olyphant from Deadwood).

Lloyd can make that catch, now about an easy one?

The Angry T has a pretty strong list of their top 15 football catches. I've been working on a similar list, but it's hard as hell to find NFL video online. Plus when you find it, the NFL can demand it be taken down at any moment.