NFL Week 8 Kayfabe and Political Rankings

(This is one of those weeks the Rankings probably don't change with the Monday Nighter -- Chiefs vs. Giants.  But if the Chiefs want to be taken any degree of seriously in the second half of the year, they gotta put a number on the Giants and force the Manningcast to come up with some good material tonight.)

AFC:  I think the key word in the AFC, and this goes both ways, is CHAOS.

Kayfabe:

East:  Buffalo (5-2), 1 1/2 up on New England

North:  Baltimore (5-2), 1/2 up on Cincinnati

South:  Tennessee (6-2), 3 up on Indianapolis

West:  Las Vegas (5-2), 1 up on Los Angeles

2-3-4 Tiebreaker:  Raiders 4-1 AFC, Baltimore and Buffalo 4-2

3-4 Tiebreaker:  Strength of Victory:  Baltimore .368, Buffalo .205 (YEESH!!!)

6-7 Tiebreaker:  Strength of Victory:  Pittsburgh .516  LA Chargers .467

Wildcards:  CIN (5-3 outright), PIT (4-3, SoV Tiebreak), LAC (4-3, SoV Tiebreak)

So the order is:  TEN, LV, BAL, BUF, CIN, PIT, LAC

NE is now the first team out on conference win percentage (the 4-4's), regardless of what happens tonight.

Political:

1) Baltimore

But I wouldn't sleep on the possibility that the NFL has an upset somewhere here -- they do have a wildly easy schedule all the way into mid-December.

2) Las Vegas

Though if someone wanted me to flip the 2 and 3 on the basis of Derrick Henry, I won't stop you...

3) New England

Derrick Henry, foot surgery, out indefinitely.  Oof, they're running out of plans in the AFC fast.

But even this is going to require New Orleans to lose to somebody...

NOT SOLD ON:  Pretty much everybody else.  

See post above.  Several events since the end of play Sunday have forced a re-do.

DUD OF THE WEEK:  Jacksonville.  Yeah, they'll fire Urban Meyer.  That's not going to fix anything.

NFC:

Kayfabe:

East:  Dallas (6-1), 3 1/2 up on Philadelphia

North:  Green Bay (7-1), 3 1/2 up on Minnesota

South:  Tampa Bay (6-2), 1/2 up on New Orleans

West Tiebreaker at 7-1:  Arizona beat LA Rams 37-20 Week 4.  Second meeting:  December 13th

1-2 Tiebreaker:  Green Bay "won" (more like given) this week.

Wildcards:  LA Rams (7-1), New Orleans (5-2), Carolina (4-4) -- all outright.

Order:  GB, ARI, DAL, TB, LAR, NO, CAR

Kayfabe:

1) Dallas

They get the win last night, especially in an "NFL Special" (#26 now, 1 short of the record), and that might mean we now have an NFC front-runner.  But CeeDee Lamb needs to be brought to heel and there can't be any more drug suspensions.

2) New Orleans

Proxy over Green Bay at this point -- and one cannot sleep on the fact that they have the kryptonite for at least two of the four best teams in the NFC in kayfabe.  That said, however, the Winston injury could be MASSIVE in this regard, and there is fear it's a big one.

3) Tampa Bay

Remember, this is the POLITICAL Rankings.  That was not a good performance, and that was the Tom Bradys doing the job (that last INT was right at the defender, for the record -- watch the replay!).  That said, does anyone not think that Tampa would be given the win over Green Bay in January?  Thought not.

4) Green Bay

Have to at this point -- increasing Refball and the fact that E. Stan Kroenke might've just politically done in the Rams.  We'll see on that one.

NOT SOLD ON:  LA Rams -- yeah, you're 7-1.  And you have an owner who's about to pull an Al Davis on the league.  Had the Chargers not lost to New England, I probably put them as more likely to do damage in January than you at this point.

Arizona -- First taste of reality.

DUD OF THE WEEK:  E. Stan Kroenke.  Look, asshole.  I know you're arrogant enough to believe you can take on Goodell and the NFL.  But look at your neighbors to the east if you want to see what happens when you do...  You might make that shiny stadium a massive waste of money except for a couple Super Bowls and the Olympic Opening Ceremony, should we see 2028.