Today, most NFL teams use the running game to establish or maintain field position, control time of possession, convert on those tough short-yardage situations, and set up bigger plays in the passing game—anything else is gravy. While balance is essential to consistent successful offense, it is the passing game that delivers the points in most systems. Points are what it’s all about, so quarterbacks, the key people who protect them, and their primary targets are all compensated well.

Running backs have been relegated to supporting roles in most offenses and, most of the time; even that role is split by two or more players. What’s more, running backs are often abused and discarded after they’ve outlived their usefulness, and rarely get that dream contract to finish out their careers. Now more than ever, the best football players in most college programs are running backs. Therefore, there will always be new, younger, and more talented backs to be drafted in each year’s college crop. Unlike other positions, a running back’s “prime” begins in his rookie year, and ends by the time he reaches his 28^th birthday, if he even celebrates that day as an NFL player. Those poor souls—theirs is the true gladiator position in a league of prima donnas. Long story short, they are always needed but rarely highly-valued.

What we are seeing in the draft, as a result, is far fewer running backs being selected in the top ten, and more taken in rounds two and three. Unlike in fantasy leagues all over the world, running backs NEVER go number one overall anymore. In fact, in the last twenty years, a running back has been selected number one overall only once, when the Cincinnati Bengals used their first pick in 1995 to take Ki-Jana Carter out of Penn State. Unfortunately, we all know how that decision turned out.

In the last few years, we have begun to see a clear shift in the way teams place the value tag on running backs. It is obvious that the only way backs are drafted in round one is if they have abundant speed, can be threats in the passing game, and can produce touchdowns—IMMEDIATELY. The 2008 NFL draft was highlighted by, in my estimation, the deepest and most talented running back class of all time. Five players from that outstanding class were selected in the first round, beginning with Oakland’s Darren McFadden at number four overall. The SLOWEST forty-yard-dash posted by any of them was a 4.48 by Jonathan Stewart, and he was drafted to be a power back in the two-headed system that Carolina uses. The fastest time in the entire combine, at any position, belonged to Titans speedster Chris Johnson, who blew coaches and scouts away with a blistering 4.24. Drafted with the 24^th pick, Johnson too was used in a backfield duo with power back, and former second rounder, LenDale White.

This year’s class is not nearly as deep as last year’s, but the first round will feature two players that will do what a first round back in today’s game is supposed to do—score points. My top running back in the 2009 NFL Draft is Knowshon Moreno, from the University of Georgia. It was evident the very first time I saw him carry the football, during his freshman year, that Moreno would be a first round pick. He has excellent speed, expecting to run in the low 4.4’s at the combine, decent size (about 210 lbs), and is a polished receiver, amassing 33 receptions for nearly 400 yards in his sophomore season at Georgia.

He is a big play threat whenever he touches the ball, accumulating a 5.6 yard per carry average behind a pedestrian offensive line in the very tough SEC, while scoring a total of 18 touchdowns in 2008. Moreno’s physical skill set includes a rare burst through the hole, and a fluidity that reminds me of Chris Johnson. He often changes direction without breaking stride, displaying tremendous quickness, leaving defenders with broken ankles and injured pride all over the field. He also displays surprising power for a man of his size, and finishes his runs with authority. This is not a guy who is going to run out of bounds very often, and prefers to deliver a blow rather than receive one. While his physical skills are impressive, it is his patience, vision, and ability to navigate through traffic and pick up extra yards that makes him the best back in this class. He uses his blockers very well, consistently setting opposing players up to be out of position when he makes his cut.

Moreno seems to have a sixth sense, at times, displaying an uncanny ability to feel the flow of the defense converging and adjusting his course to find the opening. No one compares to Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, and I doubt anyone ever will, but Moreno seems to have eyes in the back of his head the way Barry did, and has the same ability to stop on a dime, go from zero to sixty with just a few steps, and turn a short gain into six.

The best word I can use to describe Knowshon Moreno is “special”. I have him graded as a top ten pick, but doubt that my view is shared by any of the teams in the top ten, primarily due to needs and the number of highly rated players available. He will carry tremendous value starting at eleventh overall, and I fully expect Denver to take him at twelve. Historically, Denver has been a team which has consistently chosen to pass on first round running backs, and they do have defensive issues to address. Moreno is such a unique talent, however, that the Broncos will give serious consideration to making an exception in his case. Arizona would love for Moreno to slide to them at the twenty-first spot, but that is unlikely to happen. He should draw enough interest that teams will likely try trading up to take him if Denver passes. When all is said and done, I believe that he’ll go in the top 15 and will be a rookie of the year contender in 2009, barring injury.

It just sounds wrong to suggest that Ohio State’s Chris “Beanie” Wells could be second to any other running back prospect, doesn’t it? How could a player with 4.48 speed, weighing 235 lbs be second to anyone?

Well, that happens to be the case in this draft. That’s how good Moreno is! Wells is also very unique in that his size/speed combination is rare to find at any level. His scouting report will read much shorter than Moreno’s, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be less effective in the NFL. If Moreno were Michael Jordan, that would make Wells Shaquille O’Neal. So, what if he doesn’t have a jump shot? He can carry two defenders toward the backboard on his way to bringing it down! He don’t need no stinkin’ jump shot!

Wells’ skills are definitely best suited for a cold weather climate, where traction is often an issue, and field position is extremely valuable. He reminds me of a young Larry Johnson, but with a better burst. Wells is primarily a one-cut grinder who hits the hole quickly, runs behind his pads extremely well, and goes north and south with THUNDER. He’s got a tremendous stiff arm, amazing acceleration, excellent balance, and shows consistent patience to read and follow his blocks. He’s not going to make many people miss in the NFL, but most of them will be trying to get out of his way anyway. He has good field vision, has the burst to get to the edge, and enough straight line speed to hit the home run occasionally. He will face eight man boxes in the NFL, just like he did at OSU, so he will have his opportunities for big runs after he breaks through the line and sees the quivering lips of petrified DB’s. He is the definition of a workhorse back, and should get some looks early in the draft by Cleveland at number five, Cincinatti at number six, and possibly Green Bay at number nine.

Wells is a player that could slide substantially, because he is not a great receiver out of the backfield, and has only been used in the passing game on an occasional screen play. The only teams in the top twenty-five that would value a running back with his skill set currently sit in the top ten. As deep as the top end talent is in this draft, I doubt that any of them will pass on the other available players which present a better value at those slots. I have him graded as a top fifteen pick, in terms of talent, with excellent value beginning at sixteen overall. If he slides into the twenties, look for Cleveland or Cincinnati to trade back into the first round to take him.

While Moreno and Wells are the only two first round locks in this draft, LeSean McCoy from the University of Pittsburgh, and Shonn Greene from Iowa could possibly sneak into round one. McCoy is the quintessential “scat-back”, while Green is the exact opposite. Out of the Reggie Bush mold, McCoy is an extremely fast and elusive homerun hitter, but will have trouble in the NFL between the tackles. He, like Bush, has a tendency to bounce everything outside. He is best suited to be a change of pace back on third downs, or a speed guy in a two-headed attack. I have him graded as a second round pick, but many analysts have him going in round one. He is a guy that definitely needs the right system, and should be drafted with caution.

Shonn Greene is an excellent runner between the tackles, but lacks the speed to get around the edge consistently in the NFL. He is not a proven receiver and, again, needs the right system to be successful. A quicker version of LenDale White, he will be best out of the I-Formation playing on first and second downs. I also have him graded as a second round prospect, but am more optimistic about his ability to be successful in the NFL than McCoy’s. Greene is a tough football player who runs hard, is consistent, though not flashy, and will be the steal of the second round, much as Matt Forte was last year. Everything will depend on his role. If he lands a starting job out of training camp, he could be competing for Rookie of the Year honors in ‘09.

You determine the next topic in the “Let’s Talk Talent” series. Tell me which players, positions, or teams that you want analyzed, and I’ll put them under the microscope. Leave your questions or comments below. I’ll be checking back frequently.

Teams are becoming ever more frugal with their draft choices, and major college programs are being coached now, more than ever, by men with NFL ties or experience. These and other factors have spawned the conditions which exist today: college football players are better prepared to enter the draft, and teams have the increased luxury of being very selective, due to the large number of high quality players available. It’s a buyer’s market without a doubt!

Of course, the very top end talent (top 5 picks) will always be heavily coveted and fought over, thus the obscene signing bonuses that they command. The rest of the “NFL ready” players inevitably make up the remainder of the first round, primarily drafted in round one because of their tremendous size, strength, speed, quickness, and potential. Obviously those standards vary, depending on positional requirements but, regardless of position, the history of the draft as well as the league itself has shown that “size matters” and “speed kills”. Players are also frequently drafted early when they are perceived to be polished, and ready to compete for a starting job immediately. Conversely, rounds two and three are typically high talent guys that have one or more holes in their game and need some polishing. In rounds four through seven you will likely find developmental projects, special teams, and backups. Those expectations are changing, and changing quickly!

The current draft climate has moistened the soil in the second and third rounds which has yielded, and will continue to yield, some of the sweetest fruit of the annual harvest. Last year, there were too many immediate impact players selected in the second round to mention even half of them in one article, but Bears RB Matt Forte and Eagles WR DeSean Jackson lead the pack. More of the same in round three, with Lions RB Kevin Smith, Falcons WR Harry Douglas, and Panthers FS Charles Godfrey leading an outstanding group. If you’re looking for maximum value in the draft these days, look no further than the second and third rounds.

This year’s draft promises more overall talent and depth than last year’s—and that’s saying something! Who will be the steal of the draft come April 25^th? I offer two possibilities. In the second round, there should be a running back available from the University of Iowa named Shonn Greene. All you have to do is look at the film, and you’ll see a player that has all the tools to be a FEATURED back in the NFL. At 235 lbs, he runs between the tackles better than most current pros, has excellent power, great vision, and AWESOME balance. Can you say YAC (yards after contact)? How about consistency? All he did was gain over 100 yards rushing in EVERY GAME this season (13 total), including a 121 yard, three TD, performance in the Outback Bowl vs. South Carolina, a top rated run defense.

Greene will likely not be drafted in the first round because of his perceived weakness as a receiver and lack of break-neck speed. For my money, I don’t care if he runs a 4.6 at the combine, which he might. He will be a more productive back right away than guys that, undoubtedly, will take home much larger game checks. Despite the wealth of information available to talent evaluators, straight line speed remains the most overrated attribute in a running back. Reggie Bush is extremely fast, and was taken with the second overall pick in 2006, but won’t be making a Pro Bowl roster as a running back any time soon. On the other hand, I seem to remember a 4.55-4.60 back taken late in round one nearly 20 years ago. What was his name? Oh yeah, Emmitt Smith ring any bells?

To make a comparison, there really isn’t a back in the league, currently, that reminds me of Greene. I’d best describe him as a hybrid between the Titans’ LenDale White and the Jaguars’ Maurice Jones-Drew, if you can imagine what that looks like—a bowling ball made of heavy rubber traveling down a rocky hill, or something like that. In the right system, Greene could put up Pro Bowl numbers as a rookie. The New Orleans Saints, who will probably say goodbye to Deuce McAllister before the draft, or the Denver Broncos, who run a zone-blocking system similar to the run scheme Iowa uses, both need a durable “power” back, and should take a hard look at Greene in the second round—IF he is still on the board.

Shifting the focus to receivers, yet another wide out will emerge as a future star from the second, or possibly, the third round this year. Juaquin Iglesias, Oklahoma’s 6’1”, 200lb senior, is clearly one of the most polished receivers in this draft. He is a disciplined route-runner with quickness in and out of his breaks, consistently displaying excellent body control in all situations. He is blessed with great hands and above average speed, and has shown outstanding RAC (run after the catch) ability. He has also returned punts and kicks for OU, so he comes with the added benefit of return experience. Iglesias is a smooth operator in zone coverage, and reminds me of the Cardinals’ Steve Breaston, and a little of the Colts’ Anthony Gonzales. He would make an immediate impact as a slot receiver for a pass-first team like Indy, Arizona, New England, New Orleans, or San Diego in round two. The knock on Iglesias is that he doesn’t make the tough catch in traffic consistently, and doesn’t have top end speed to stretch the field. I’ve seen much game film of Iglesias this year, and both knocks are warranted. He is not likely to become a primary target in the NFL. Having said that, neither is Reggie Wayne or Anquan Boldin. Boldin was also a second round pick, by the way. Iglesias will be an excellent slot receiver from jump, and will develop into a solid secondary receiver for a team such as Detroit. He will not slide past them with the first pick of the third round, but I seriously doubt he has to wait that long.

Without question, this draft, like those past, will have its surprises, head scratcher’s, and maybe even a “you gotta be kiddin’ me” or two. Even in an exact science, which the draft is clearly not, there are bad scientists that make it look tougher than it is. Now that Matt Millen has been forcibly removed from his dark, damp laboratory, at least there won’t be any mad scientists to ruin it for any team, or any fan. In fact, on this occasion, the 0-16 Detroit Lions are heavily favored to win! What an event! Oh yes, the draft will have its cheers, and lots of them, resonating from the anxious crowds of loyal fanatics as well as other finger-crossed onlookers. It is truly an event like no other in football—a day where all teams compete at once, and no one has to walk away defeated.

1.  DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers.

Williams was the forgotten man in this backfield prior to the start of this season.  The Panthers drafted highly touted Stewart in the first round of the draft and many people believed that he was going to get a limited amount of carries during the season.  That was not the case and the move has payed off in a big way as both players have had great seasons thus far.  They lead the NFL in combined yardage with 1840, and are second in touchdowns with 21.

2.  Chris Johnson and LenDale White, Tennessee Titans.

This duo is the real Thunder and Lighting in the NFL.  The Titans, like the Panthers, drafted a running back in the first round this year.  The running of these two studs has re-energized the franchise and made them one of the best teams in league.  White is playing the type of football that he was known for in at USC, and Chris Johnson is playing the way Reggie Bush was supposed to play when he entered the league.  I have them ranked number 2, but by seasons end they can easily be number 1.  They have compiled 1768 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns.

3.  Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward, New York Giants,

You can also add in Ahmad Bradshaw, which gives the Giants an embarrassment of riches at the position.  The most amazing part of these players making this list is that neither one was a high pick in the draft.  Earth, Wind and Fire, have been playing well all year for the Gmen and should play a big role in the playoffs.  They have 1701 rushing yards and 14 total touchdowns between them (not including Bradshaw).

Honorable mention: Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor, Minnesota Vikings,  Micheal Turner and Jerious Norwood, Atlanta Falcons, Thomas Jones and Leon Washington, New York Jets.

Total Pro Sports – Can the Titans go perfect on the season?  They are 8-0 so far and are half way there.

How bout them Dolphins?????????? That’s right the Dolphins continue to improve each week.  The combination of Chad Pennington, Ronnie Brown and Ted Ginn Jr, make a lethal combination on the field to match up with.

NFL Power Rankings Movers And Shakers

The biggest shaker this week was the New England Patriots losing to the Colts, which saw them drop 8 spots to #14. Did you ever think the Patriots would be ranked #14 this season?  This is what happens when you lose your Pro Bowl quarterback for the whole season.

The Dallas Cowboys were the second biggest loser of the week losing 7 spots to #15, after loosing to the surging New York Giants. Do you see the trend here with the Patriots? No QB, an increase of loses in the loss column.

The biggest mover of the week were the Miami Dolphins and the New York jets who both jumped 7 spots to #17 and #10 respectively. The Dolphins won a tough game in Denver against the Broncos and move to .500 on the season.

The New York Jets won a huge division game against the Buffalo Bills.  What happened to the Bills? The bills were 4-0 at one point in the season, and now have lost 3-4.

Lets take a look at the rest of the league: NFL Power Rankings for week 9.

Rank	Team	Rec	PRV	Comment
1		8-0	-	Of their 8 wins, the most impressive was this week against the Packers. No the Titans did not blow the Packers out, what they managed was to show the NFL they can grind out wins as well. Up Next: Chicago Bears
2		7-1	-	Their defense is not missing Umenyiora one bit, that is in large part to the play of Justin Tuck. Eli Manning did not look great against the undermanned Cowboys turning the ball over numerous times. Up Next: Philadelphia Eagles
3		6-2	-	The Steelers did not miss a beat without Roethlisberger in the second half as Byron Leftwich played even better. The defense continues to get it done every year, what a genious Dick LaBeau is. Up Next: Indianapolis Colts
4		6-2	1	Bye Week. Up Next: Oakland Raiders
5		6-3	1	What happened to the offense on Monday night? Jason Campbell was not able to find anyone open all night especially his favorite target Santana Moss. The Redskins were simply over matched this week. Up Next: Bye
6		6-3	3	In a game they should have lost, they squeaked out a close one against the lowly Chiefs in Overtime. Up Next: Bye
7		5-3	5	The Cardinals smashed the Rams 34-13, lead by Kurt Warner passing for (23-34, 342), and T. Hightower rushing for (22-109). Up Next: San Francisco 49ers
8		5-3	3	Donovan McNabb had a huge game going (28-43, 349) against the Seahawks, winning an easy one 26-7. Up Next: New York Giants
9		5-3	5	Did you think the Falcons would lose to the Raiders?  A high school football team could beat the Raiders.  The Falcons won an easy one 24-0. Up Next: New Orleans Saints
10		5-3	7	The Jets are now 5-3 after a huge win on the road against division rivals Buffalo Bills.   Up Next: St. Louis Rams
11		5-3	1	Kyle Orton goes down and Rex Grossman comes in to lead the team to victory in the dying minutes of the game.  Who becomes the starting QB when Orton comes back? Up Next: Tennessee Titans
12		5-3	5	What is going wrong in Buffalo after starting the season 4-0 the Bills magical season has unraveled with losses in 3 out 4. The Bills will be fine if they don’t have to play teams from within the division. Up Next: New England Patriots
13		5-3	3	The Ravens fans are loving their #1 quarter back Joe Flacco, he lead the Ravens again this week to a win over the Browns.  This kid is a keeper, look for Flacco and the Ravens to continue to improve each week. Up Next: Houston Texans
14		5-3	8	The up and down season continues for the New England Patriots after falling to the Colts this week. Adam Viniateri stung his former team hitting the game winning field goal. Up Next: Buffalo Bills
15		5-4	7	Dallas just looks awful, they better hope Tony Romo comes back soon. Up Next: Bye
16		4-4	3	Green Bay is for real!! Even though they lost in over time, they put up a tough fight with the #1 ranked team Tennessee Titans Up Next: Minnesota Vikings
17		4-4	7	The Dolphins are now .500 after going into Denver and beating up on the Broncos. Chad Pennington, Ronnie Brown and Ted Ginn Jr are clicking on all cylinders. Up Next: Seattle Seahawks
18		4-4	3	The Colts win a game then lose a game.  Do you think they can ever find their stride and make a Playoff berth? We don’t think so.  Up Next: Pittsburgh Steelers
19		4-4	1	A week Off Up Next: Atlanta Falcons
20		4-4	2	The Vikings absolutely dominated the Texans this past week.  Lead by their star Adrian Peterson rushing for (25-139) and 1 touchdown.  If “AP” can rush like this every week they will fight for a win every game. Up Next: Green Bay Packers
21		4-4	6	What has happened to the Broncos? They lose another one to the surging Miami Dolphins and keep sliding in our rankings. Up Next: Cleveland Browns
22		3-5	2	A Week Off Up Next: Kansas City Chiefs
23		3-5	4	Whats going on with the Jaguars? A pre-season favorite to make it to the Super Bowl, the Jags lost again and now look like a team who could win a top 5 draft pick in next years draft.  Up Next: Detroit Lions
24		3-5	1	We all thought the Browns would be .500 after this past week.  We were wrong and they fall 2 games below .500 after losing to the Ravens. Up Next: Denver Broncos
25		3-4	-	The Texans lose to the Vikings and lose there starting QB Matt Schaub. Up Next: Baltimore Ravens
26		2-6	-	The Rams lost again, Surprising?????? Up Next: New York Jets
27		2-6	-	After beating up on the 49ers last week, the Eagles beat up on the them this week. Change is needed in Seattle. Up Next: Miami Dolphins
28		2-6	-	A high school football team could beat the Raiders!!!!! Up Next: Carolina Panthers
29		2-6	-	A week off. Up Next: Arizona Cardinals
30		1-8	1	Did you ever think that the Bengals would win their first game 9 games in?  We didn’t, the Bengals beat the Jags 21-19. Up Next: Bye
31		1-7	1	A game in which the Chiefs should have won, they lose in blow up in the dying minutes and lose in over time. Up Next: San Diego Chargers
32		0-8	-	0-8, the Lions continue to go perfect on the season. Up Next: Jacksonville Jaguars

Be sure to check back next week with our NFL Power Rankings for week 10.

Week: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |

Total Pro Sports – Some major changes in the middle of our NFL Power Rankings this week.

The Tennessee Titans are again the #1 ranked team in our NFL Power Rankings with a tough win against the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts kept the game close in the first half, but then it was all Titans the rest of the way. The Titans continue to rill both on offense and defense, now that there 7-0 and beating legitimate teams when will people start taking this team seriously?

The biggest loser this week was the Jacksonville Jaguars losing to the Cleveland Browns, which saw them drop 6 spots to #19. What was thought by most Jags fans to be a big year and a run for the Super Bowl, is slowly fading away as the Jaguars slip beneath .500 to 3-4.

The Arizona Cardinals were the second biggest loser of the week losing 5 spots to #12, after loosing to the surging Cleveland Browns. The Cardinals blew this game after holding a lead for most of the game.

The biggest gainer of the week were the Dallas Cowboys who jumped 7 spots to #8, with defensive win over the Bucs. The Cowboys finally played some defense and won a game for their team this week, the Cowboys offense was non existent against the Bucs.

The Baltimore Ravens seem to be back in business after winning back to back games. Joe Flacco is proving all doubters why he is the leader of the team and their future. The Ravens were our second biggest gainer in week 8 of the NFL Power Rankings gaining 5 spots from #21 to #16.

It seems after week 8, teams are finding their stride and getting positioned properly in there deserving spot on the NFL Power Rankings. The top teams are staying and the middle to bottom teams are makign the most moves.

Lets take a look at the rest of the league: NFL Power Rankings for week 8.

Rank	Team	Rec	PRV	Comment
1		7-0	-	Sometimes it’s not what the quarterback does it’s what he doesn’t do, and Kerry Collins did not turn the ball over as the Titans rolled to 17 fourth quarter points and beat the Colts on Monday night. Up Next: Green Bay Packers
2		6-1	-	The Giants played a perfect road game in beating the Steelers this week in Pittsburgh. The game turned in favor of the Giants when the long snapper was injured and forced James Harrison in that role. A bad snap, led to a safety and the Giants were able to score a touchdown on the following drive. The Giants defense was stellar again this week intercepting Big Ben 4 times. Up Next: Dallas Cowboys
3		5-2	-	The Steelers let one slip through their hands this weekend. They came up with a goal line stand early in the game and held the Giants to four field goals before giving up the only touchdown with 3:11 remaining in the game. Up Next: Washington Redskins
4		6-2	1	The score was no indication of the way the game was played on the field. The Redskins dominated every aspect of the game taking whatever they wanted from the Lions defense. Up Next: Pittsburgh Steelers
5		6-2	3	The Panthers got off to a slow start but picked it up coming out of the tunnel at halftime, scoring 21 points in the third quarter and holding on to win. Up Next: Bye
6		5-2	3	The Patriots may not have taken the Rams too seriously without Stephen Jackson but their lucky to walk way this week with a victory. This game should have been a note to the rest of the NFL, the Rams are not that bad. Up Next: Indianapolis Colts
7		5-2	3	What has happened to the Bills in the last three weeks? They get blown out in Arizona, they win impressively against the Chargers and this week they lose to the Dolphins. They must find the same consistency as they had the first 4 weeks. Up Next: New York Jets
8		5-3	7	The Cowboys didn’t look good on offense once again this week, however, their defense finally rose to the challenge and stifled the Bucs offense. Up Next: New York Giants
9		5-3	3	Disappointing performance against an injury riddled Cowboy team this week. The Buccaneers should be able to get back in the win column next week. Up Next: Kansas City Chiefs
10		4-3	-	A week off. Up Next: Detroit Lions
11		4-3	3	Coming off a bye week and a healthy Brian Westbrook the Philadelphia Eagles put together a stellar game against an improved Falcons teams. The Eagles went for 432 total yards and 1 interception. The biggest player on the field was Brian Westbrook, rushing for 167 yards and 2 touchdowns. If the Eagles can stay healthy they can easily be Super Bowl contenders. Up Next: Seattle Seahawks
12		4-3	5	The Cardinals could not hold a 17-3 lead against the Panthers, losing the game 27-23. Kurt Warner had a good game going 35-49, with 389 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. The Cardinal rushing attack was held to only 50 total yards, 30 of them by wide receiver Anquan Boldin. They better find a way to get their run game going or they will slowly slip. Up Next: St. Louis Rams
13		4-3	1	A week off. Up Next: Tennessee Titans
14		4-3	3	2 out of 3 members of the Big 3 showed for the loss against the Eagles. Michael Turner was held to 17 carries, 58 yards and no touchdowns. Look for the Big 3 to have a monster game next week against the Oakland Raiders. Up Next: Oakland Raiders
15		4-3	1	A week off. Up Next: Miami Dolphins
16		4-3	5	Did you think the Ravens would lose to the lowly Raiders? Well if you did then you should start watching another sport…..Try Cricket!!! Joe Flacco continues to improve and putting all doubters aside that he can quarterback an NFL game. Up Next: Cleveland Browns
17		4-3	2	The Jets squeaked out a last minute drive to hold off the Kansas City Chiefs. There was no reason for keeping the Chiefs in the game this long. The Jets need to worry about reducing the amount of turnovers each game. Up Next: Buffalo Bills
18		4-4	2	It didn’t matter that Reggie Bush did not play and that they were playing this game at Wembley Stadium, the Saints still won the game 37-32. Up Next: Bye
19		3-4	6	A loss to the Cleveland Browns drops their overall record below .500 to 3-4. The Jaguars had their chances to win the game but blew 2 opportunities to take the lead. Playoff hopes are slowly slipping away. Hopefully they can rebound against the “Bungals” Up Next: Cincinnati Bengals
20		3-4	2	San Diego flew overseas to play this game against the Chargers in London, England. They put on a show for the London fans, with a combined 860 total yards on offense and 69 total points. The only problem was the Chargers came out with a loss. Up Next: Bye
21		3-4	4	A tough match up this past week against the #1 ranked team in league the Tennessee Titans. They held a league going into half time 7-6 but could not hold the Titans off the rest of the game losing 31-21. A must win for the Colts who now move to 3-4. There playoff hopes are slowly slipping away. Up Next: New England Patriots
22		3-4	-	A week off. Up Next: Houston Texans
23		3-4	-	The Browns got off to a slow start this season but are now 3-4 and trying to turn the season around. Look fro the Browns to make a last minute push for the Playoffs. Up Next: Baltimore Ravens
24		3-4	3	The Dolphins handed the Bills with their second loss of the season. Lead by there QB Chad Pennington who went for 22-30, 314 yards and 1 touchdown. This game puts the Dolphins 1 game under .500 and keeps there hopes up for a playoff appearance. Up Next: Denver Broncos
25		3-4	1	The Texans won there third game of the season holding off the lowly Bungals. Up Next: Minnesota Vikings
26		2-5	-	The Rams lost, Surprising?????? Up Next: Chicago Bears
27		2-5	2	An easy win over a hurting 49ers team. Seneca Wallace had a nice day 15/25, 225 yards and 2 touchdowns. Most of those balls went to Leonard Weaver, thats right Leonard Weaver. Weaver helped the Seahawks win their second game catching the ball for 116 yards and 2 touchdowns. Up Next: Philadelphia Eagles
28		2-5	3	Stumped for words here……Clueless, Joke, helpless. You get the picture, wen will this mess ever come to an end. Up Next: Atlanta Falcons
29		2-6	1	The 49ers cant wait till the season ends, hopefully they can get a nice draft pick. Up Next: Bye
30		1-6	-	Almost won a game away from home but let the Jets have a last minute drive to win the game. Up Next: Tampa Bay Bucs
31		0-8	-	The Bengals or Bungals who knows, they lost again to the Texans. Up Next: Jacksonville Jaguars
32		0-7	-	That’s 0-7 with another loss to the Redskins, there hopes for a perfect season continues. Up Next: Chicago Bears

Be sure to check back next week with our NFL Power Rankings for week 10.

Week: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |

Total Pro Sports – Rolling, Rolling, Rolling, Rolling, the Titans keep on Rolling. Even though they played the last place Chiefs the Titans are still undefeated and #1 on our NFL power rankings. Who would have thought without their star Vince Young the Titans would be able to keep dominating teams. Vince Young where have you gone? That’s definitely the question that Titans fans are not asking themselves.

The biggest loser in our NFL Power Rankings this week were the Dallas Cowboys losing to the lowly St. Louis Rams, which saw them drop 9 spots to #15. With the loss of Tony Romo for an extended amount of time it seems that the Cowboys season is slowly going down the drain. The Indianapolis Colts are a team in disarray, they lost 8 spots to #17 in our NFL Power Rankings. After winning huge the week before they come into Green Bay and decided to start there practice squad.

The biggest winner this week in our NFL power rankings were the New England Patriots who jumped 9 spots to #9. The New England Patriots looked like the old Patriots when they could not loose a game. Hopefully this continues and the loss of Tom Brady is forgotten. The Packers had the second biggest increase in our power rankings moving up 8 spots to #12. They absolutely destroyed the Indianapolis Colts, and showed no signs that they miss Brett Favre.

Lets take a look at the rest of the league: NFL Power Rankings for week 7

Rank	Team	Rec	PRV	Comment
1		6-0	-	An easy win for the Titans, with every week that goes bye they continue to improve and solidify them selves as the number 1 team in the NFL. The Titans running backs ran all over the Chiefs “D” going for a total of 332 yards and 4 touchdowns. Up Next: Indianapolis Colts
2		5-1	-	The G-men came back this week after a disappointing loss to the Browns last and beat a down and out 49ers team, fro their 4th straight win at home. Up Next: Pittsburgh Steelers
3		5-2	-	A game in which we thought would be much closer turned out to be a blowout for the Steelers. 3rd string running back Mewelde Moore ran over the Bengals for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns. Do you think the Steelers will miss their top 2 running backs if Moore continues to run like this? Up Next: New York Giants
4		5-1	-	Trent Edwards comes back and the Bills win against a tough Chargers team. When Edwards is in the lineup, it seems as he gets the whole team clicking on all cylinders. Up Next: Miami Dolphins
5		5-2	-	If you were are a fan of either the Redskins or the Browns you probably fell asleep watching the game in the first half. A close win this week against the Browns, Clinton Portis had a huge week running 175 yards and 1 touchdown. Up Next: Detroit Lions
6		5-2	2	An easy win this week against a banged up Seahawks team. Look for the real test next week when the Bucs go to Dallas and face off against the Cowboys. This will really show us if they are for real. Up Next: Dallas Cowboys
7		4-2	-	A week off. Up Next: Carolina Panthers
8		5-2	3	Ok, so the Panthers are back! They came back hard this week beating up on the Saints 30-7. Where still trying to figure out what happened to this team last week when they played the Bucs? Up Next: Arizona Cardinals
9		4-2	9	The Pats looked like the old Patriots with Tom Brady at the helm. They absolutely dominated the game both on offense and defense. On offense, back up running back Sammy Morris went for 138 yards and 1 touchdown, and on Defense the Patriots caused 5 turnovers and 3 sacks. Up Next: St. Louis Rams
10		4-3	7	Who would have thought the Bears would be able to put up 48 points at home against the Vikings. What turned out to be a shoot out, the Bears held the Vikings off and won 48-41. Up Next: Bye Week
11		4-2	2	A week off. Up Next: Philadelphia Eagles
12		4-3	8	Even being undermanned the Packers team looked solid on offense and defense, beating the Colts 34-14. Up Next: Bye Week
13		3-3	1	A week off. Up Next: Cleveland Browns
14		3-3	-	A week off. Up Next: Atlanta Falcons
15		4-3	9	Wow, what has happened to the Cowboys? Another loss this time to the Rams. Slowly but surely they begin to fall even more. Without there Quarterback it seems as if their season is going down the drain. Up Next: Tampa Bay Bucs
16		4-3	6	Jay Cutler injured his finger early in the first half, and the Broncos turned the ball over 5 times. You can’t win a game with those kind of stats. Up Next: Bye Week
17		3-4	8	The Colts decided to bring there practice squad to Green Bay on Sunday, or that’s what it looked like. They just got absolutely destroyed on defense and offense, loosing 34-14. They better find a solution quick or else there season is done. Up Next: Tennessee Titans
18		3-3	3	We all thought with their emotional win last week against the Patriots, the Chargers would be all fired up and hand the Bills their second loss of the season. We were wrong, the Bill won 23-14. Up Next: New Orleans Saints
19		3-3	3	The Jets turned the ball over 3 times this week against the Raiders. Even though Thomas Jones had a monster game rushing for 159, this could not help the Jets against the dreadful Black Hole. Up Next: Kansas City Chiefs
20		3-4	-	After limping off the field late in the first half, Reggie Bush is off to to Alabama to see knee specialist Dr. James Andrews. This is horrible news for the now 3-4 Saints. Up Next: San Diego Chargers
21		3-3	3	The Baltimore Ravens held one of the leagues top running backs to only 27 total yards this past Sunday. Ravens rookie Quarterback Joe Flacco continues to mature with another stellar performance, 17/23, 232, and 1 touchdown. Up Next: Oakland Raiders
22		3-4	1	It’s time for upper management to look over there head coach Josh Childress and bring someone new in. Gus Frerotte was picked off 4 times and the team turned the ball over 5 times. You can’t win games or even think of keeping the game close turning the ball over this many times. Up Next: Bye Week
23		2-4	1	Kept their game close against the Redskins, but still lost in a low scoring affair. Up Next: Jacksonville Jaguars
24		2-4	2	Matt Schaub had a nice day throwing for 267 yards and 2 touchdowns. Lucky for the Texans they got off to an early lead and were able to hold that all game. Winning 28-21. Up Next: Cincinnati Bengals
25		2-4	3	The Raiders held the almighty Jets and there leader Brett Favre in place holding out and winning in overtime 16-13. JaMarcus Russell had a solid game throwing for 0 interceptions. He continues to mature game by game. Up Next: Baltimore Ravens
26		2-4	3	Fire the coach and win back to back games, thats the trend here for the Rams. The Rams have now gone back to back weeks beating the Redskins and now “God’s Team” the Dallas Cowboys. I guess a change at the coaching position was needed for the Rams. Nice Job! Up Next: New England Patriots
27		1-5	4	Ronnie Brown was held to only 27 total rushing yards and Chad Pennington threw for 295 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. The Dolphins are slowly coming back down to reality, after a couple of early season wins. Up Next: Buffalo Bills
28		2-5	3	Mike Nolan was supposed to be fired after next weeks game, it turns out the 49ers didn’t want to wait any longer. They fired him a week earlier. Up Next: Seattle Seahawks
29		1-5	2	The Seahawks came into Tampa Bay knowing they were far from winning this game. they lost 20-10. Up Next: San Francisco 49ers
30		1-5	-	Another week, another day, another game, another loss. The trend continues for the Kansas City Chiefs. Up Next: New York Jets
31		0-7	-	If I were a Bengals fan I would ask to forfeit the season. Up Next: Houston Texans
32		0-6	-	0-16 may be possible for this team. Up Next: Washington Redskins

Be sure to check back next week with our NFL Power Rankings for week 9.