Welcome to the first edition of the Loser Rankings. For those unfamiliar with the rankings, it is quite simple to learn. It is like the power rankings, but instead of the best teams, I focus on the worst teams in the league. Each week, I choose five teams.
Those teams with the fewest wins will obviously get top priority. If your team is winless, chances are, they will make it on this list. But I’ll also factor in net points, blowouts, losing streaks, maybe even a team with a bad string of luck as of late. Speaking of bad luck…
1. New Orleans Saints (0-4 record)
It hasn’t been a fun start to the New Orleans Saints season. They had a tough loss this past weekend in Green Bay.
To be honest, I could have started this last week and put the Saints at No. 1 just because of their meltdown loss at home to Kansas City.
To be fair, the offense has been good and by offense I mean Drew Brees, who leads the league in passing.
The defense has been terrible though. They’re giving up 32.5 points per game, fourth highest in the league.
They will need to get it together this week. They play San Diego in front of a national television audience. The last thing the Saints want is to enter the bye week with a 0-5 record.
2. Cleveland Browns (0-4 record)
Cleveland is the only other winless team in the NFL. But the Browns have been in some close games this season. All four of their games have been decided by 10 points or less. Their losses have been to Philly, Cincy, Buffalo(y) and Baltimore(y).
They face a tough road test this weekend when they play the Giants. With a second chance to win the Paul Brown Bowl (Cincinnati) on Oct. 14, the Browns would like to get some kind of momentum.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-3 record)
If you take away the win at Indianapolis, it hasn’t been a fun year for the Jaguars. Sure they went to overtime with Minnesota, but the Vikings have been in some interesting games this season.
The Jaguars are No. 3 on this list because they have scored just 62 points this season. The Colts have scored y61 points, but they also had the bye week and the last I checked, teams don’t score points on bye weeks (they should, but I’ll save my crackpot theories for another time).
The offense in Jacksonville is just terrible though. They average 15.5 points per game (worst in the NFL), 254.3 yards per game (worst in the NFL) and 146.3 yards passing per game (second worst behind Seattle).
The Jaguars have one more game before the bye week. They have a home game against Chicago. They could be staying on the list for at least another week.
4. Kansas City Chiefs (1-3 record)
Even with their comeback win in New Orleans, this hasn’t been a fun year for the Chiefs.
They’re coming off a nightmare game in Arrowhead against San Diego. And if that’s not enough, Matt Cassel is under a lot of heat with the KC fans, who want him benched.
They’re home to play Baltimore this week. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Chiefs move up in the rankings next week.
5. Detroit Lions (1-3 record)
If you’ve ever read my posts at my old blog, which you probably haven’t so I’ll shut up, the Lions were a popular mainstay on the blog.
The Lions entered this season as a favorite to win the NFC North. They haven’t gotten off to the start that they would have liked. That happens when you lose to Tennessee.
Detroit has a bye and thanks to the bye rule, they won’t be in next week’s rankings. Why? Because they didn’t lose! Hence, the name! (NOTE: If a team wins, they won’t be in the rankings for a week. That is my personal rule.)
Detroit will play back-to-back road games in Philly and Chicago and, well…they are at risk of moving up in the poll. But hey, enjoy the bye week and enjoy not being in the rankings next week.
So there you have it. The first edition of the Loser Rankings for Aerys Offsides. Maybe you agree! Maybe you think I’m an idiot. Either way, you’re probably right!
