Madden NFL 18

Colin’s Top 10 NFL teams after 2017-18 Week 7

You know, a bubble team. I’m going to put Buffalo in, because they’re tied for the second fewest passes, touchdown passes allowed. They’re hard to score on, and they have a real pass rush. They do lead the NFL in turnover differential at plus 10, meaning some of this is random. You know, they’ve had a few fumbles go their way, and I think they’re limited with Tyrod Taylor. They’re better than I thought, but they don’t– they are not a team that can win shootouts. And I think the better you are as a team, you can win several different ways. But I like their defense. It’s a blue-collar football team. They don’t make a ton of mistakes. Bills at 10.

ANNOUNCER: Number nine.

– Kansas City is probably– there’s a gap between 9 and 10 here. Kansas City leads the NFL 6.5 yards a play. That’s a Vegas number. Kareem Hunt is still a monster out of the backfield, but there is some luck, too. They haven’t given the football away since their first play from scrimmage this year. So some of this success is sort of random. They’ve had a ball bounce their way. They’ve had a ball, you know, that maybe should have been a lost fumble. They get it back. Buffalo and Kansas City have some success due to randomness. I do think Kansas City, though, more explosive offensively is nine. Let’s go to eight.

ANNOUNCER: Number eight.

– Houston Texans. I may have them way low. My gut feeling is I’m way low, but I haven’t seen them play, because they had a bye this week. Since Will Fuller returned, the outstand– remember, he went to Notre Dame. Very good young receiver. Since he returned in week four, Deshaun Watson has 12.2 TDs and two picks, and a passer rating of 118. And their all-pro left tackle, Duane Brown, has ended his holdout. I just met him about a week ago. The Texans– remember how I said Philadelphia was my dark horse Super Bowl team before the season? The Texans are my dark horse Super Bowl team in season. I probably have them low at eight.

ANNOUNCER: Number seven.

– Pittsburgh Steelers. Listen, they’re outgaining. They’re the only NFL team in the NFL outgaining their opponents by 100 yards a game. And it took them a while to figure out this– I don’t know why it took them a while to figure out this– but basically give the ball to Le’Veon Bell 15 times, and they’re 4 and 0. When you can allow Big Ben to throw on play action– he’s not the same quarterback he used to be– this play– they have Antonio Brown, unbelievable. This organization drafts wide receivers better than anybody else. JuJu Schuster Smith from USC is their next star, in the next four or five years. Steelers at seven.

ANNOUNCER: Number six.

COLIN: I like Dallas more than everybody else. Listen, when Dak doesn’t turn the ball over, they’re 3 and 0. But what really impresses me with Dallas is DeMarcus Lawrence and David Irving, and eventually Taco Charlton and Jaylon Smith. They have a real pass rush. Do you know the Cowboys are the only team in the National Football League pressuring opposing quarterbacks 14 times a game? We know their offensive line’s good. Folks, the Cowboys’ defensive line– this is the first time it’s been formidable in years. This is a real football team. Had some issues early, figuring those out, got a bye week to get healthier. Sean Lee is back. Cowboys at six.

ANNOUNCER: Number five.

– I’ll take the Saints one spot ahead, because their defense tends to get you off the field sooner. They’ve allowed just six drives to reach the red zone in their last four games. Dallas will give you more long drives to keep it away from Dak, and that worries me at times. But, by the way, last couple of games– keep your eye out on this. Drew Brees, pretty flawless in the first month, has caught the turnover bug a little. But I have the Saints at five.

ANNOUNCER: Number four.

– I may have the Rams too high here. What I like is they’re becoming the team I think they should be. Running Todd Gurley. They are 4 and 0 when he’s rushed for 100 yards. So I think this is a Gurley special team’s defensive team, and I think your number two pitch is Jared Goff on play action. And listen, I like Jared Goff. But in the last month, last four games, he’s only completing 54% of his throws. He is still– he’s not Carson Wentz. He’s not Derek Carr. I don’t think right now he’s Deshaun Watson. Goff is a good offspeed pitch. They’re playing the way they should, though. Gurley, field position, defense.

ANNOUNCER: Number three.

-Best coached team in the league. What does a good teacher do? He mentors. They get better. Solve your problems. They have fixed their defense. It was a mess in the first four weeks of the year, allowing 44% conversion on third down. That’s an awful number. Now it’s down to 36%. They have basically lopped off about 40% of the offense they allow, and they have five different players with 25 plus receptions– Dorsett, Cook, Hogan, Gronk is back. They’ve got . Brady’s got a lot of components here with this offense.

NNOUNCER: Number two.

– Seahawks. Listen, their defense last couple of weeks, frightening. Best-scoring defense in the league. Best red zone defense in the league. And they’re one of two teams in the NFL with a passer rating. They hold teams below 70. Bottom line is you don’t do much, and Russell Wilson, who now is suddenly hot, will make a play late. I like the Seahawks at two.

ANNOUNCER: Number one.

– I’ve had Philadelphia now number one, second week in a row. I picked them to win the NFC East. I think the combination of offensive and defensive line play’s the best in football. I do worry about losing Jason Peters. Time of possession number two in the league. They rank top five in rushing offense, rushing defense. They do everything at least pretty well. No huge holes in this team. But again, Jason Peters is out. They may suddenly be very vulnerable. OK, so we’ve got all sorts of things to talk about.