NFL Power Rankings Week 9
by Robert Ferringo - 11/3/2010

While the entire football world is wasting time on the drama involving Randy Moss, Donovan McNabb, the Vikings, the Cowboys, and a bunch of other guys that haven’t produced much of anything this year, there are a lot of stories that are sliding under the radar. And if Joe Public wonders why he is a consistent loser when it comes to NFL handicapping he can partially thank the bobblehead media for force-feeding sensationalist stories instead of actually trading in fact and stat.

NFL Power Rankings Week 8
by Robert Ferringo - 10/27/2010

As we head into Week 8 of the 2010 NFL season Minnesota (1-5), Dallas (1-5) and San Diego (2-5) are three of the worst teams in the league. In the meantime, Kansas City (4-2), Tampa Bay (4-2) and Seattle (4-2) are three of the best. (At least in the stat category that counts most: wins.) What the hell is going on in this league?

NFL Power Rankings Week 7
by Robert Ferringo - 10/20/2010

Save the violence. The big buzz in the NFL this week is the “outrage” over the vicious and savage play that we witnessed on the field last week. It was as if members of the bobblehead media suddenly realized: wow, football is a violent, angry, masochistic sport full of pain and punishment. And naturally, they had to bitch about it.

NFL Power Rankings Week 6
by Robert Ferringo - 10/13/2010

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) – How is this for old school: Pittsburgh is No. 32 in the NFL in passing (136 yards per game) but they are arguably one of the best three teams in the league. Obviously, Big Ben is back this week. And I expect him to be pretty sharp. But he’s not going to be a cure-all for their offensive issues, which include its leaky offensive line. Pittsburgh has won 12 of 13 games against the Browns and is a solid 9-4 ATS in those games.

NFL Power Rankings Week 5
by Robert Ferringo - 10/6/2010

New England sent the enigmatic wide receiver to Minnesota this week in a trade that has truly shocked the pro football world. There were rumors as early as Monday night that the Patriots could be shopping Moss, but I think very few people had Minnesota targeted as a landing spot. The Vikings sent just a third-round pick to the Patriots for one of the NFL’s all-time great receivers.

NFL Power Rankings Week 4
by Robert Ferringo - 9/29/2010

On several occasions last year I wrote about the fact that, for one season at least, parity was dead in the NFL. The top-tier teams were at least three or four touchdowns better than the bottom feeders and the head-to-head and peripheral numbers backed that assessment up. Teams like Detroit and St. Louis were setting records for futility (consecutive losses, point differentials, number of blowouts, etc.) while teams like New Orleans and Indianapolis stayed undefeated until they started benching their starters. It made for a truly odd season in a league where we’ve come to expect the unexpected.

NFL Power Rankings Week 3
by Robert Ferringo - 9/23/2010

I’m not going to break down every single team’s NFL strength of schedule and how these records relate to one another. But if my rankings seem screwy, or off, or if they don’t match up with the bobblehead media’s “standard” power rankings then you will know that it is because I’m applying Ferringo’s Theory of Football Relativity.

NFL Power Rankings Week 1
by Robert Ferringo - 9/9/2010

The symphony of violence that is the National Football League is about to commence. The tribes have assembled and the war drums are banging. Warrior training, and the synchronization of pain, is over. And it is time again to for the national psyche to be engulfed by the ritualized violence that marks each weekend in this time of the Harvest.

NFL Power Rankings Training Camp Edition
by Robert Ferringo - 7/30/2010

Right now is the most hopeful time of the year in football circles and at the moment there are 32 organizations trying to convince themselves that this is their Year, their Time for success, riches, fame and immortality. But we have a long way to go before we can get into that kind of talk.

NFL Power Rankings Week 17
by Robert Ferringo - 12/31/2009

There is absolutely no betting experience in sports as Week 17 in the NFL. Basically, it’s a freak show. And even though there is a week in between games there is absolutely no certain way of knowing how coaches are going to handle this week’s game plans.

NFL Power Rankings Week 16
by Robert Ferringo - 12/23/2009

They’ve been on the ropes for weeks and the Cowboys finally delivered the knockout. The Saints have covered their last three games against Tampa Bay but they are just 2-6 ATS in their last eight games.

NFL Power Rankings Week 15
by Robert Ferringo - 12/16/2009

Don’t overlook the fact that this New Orleans-Dallas game is kind of a regional rivalry game. They don’t play often but when they do there is usually plenty of vitriol. And like any rivalry game the favorite has been a money burner, going 0-6 ATS in the last six meetings.

NFL Power Rankings Week 14
by Robert Ferringo - 12/9/2009

It's at the point now where you want to be looking for a couple things. First, look for teams that start to pick up steam, both against the number and against opponents over the next few weeks. They are usually strong bets early in the postseason. (Oh, and even losing teams can "get hot" ATS in the last month and build on that momentum for next year. Ask Cincinnati.)

NFL Power Rankings Week 13
by Robert Ferringo - 12/2/2009

December football is playoff football. Now, this isn't the playoffs in the winner-take-all, take-your-ball-and-go-home, you-better-bring-your-ass-to-the-store-with-that manner that January heralds. But the playoffs have begun in the NFL, with teams in both conferences playing for their postseason lives every week from here on out.

NFL Power Rankings Week 12
by Robert Ferringo - 11/25/2009

The Saints have to be favored in this week’s Monday Night Football matchup with New England. But this may be one of the situations where the books are kind of pinned against a rock. They have to make the Saints the favorite even though the Patriots have been getting better and better each week while the Saints seem to have regressed. New Orleans is just 1-2 against the total – each of which was over 50.0 – in the last three weeks.

NFL Power Rankings Week 11
by Robert Ferringo - 11/18/2009

Talk about a letdown spot. Cincinnati has to be careful heading out to Oakland this week to face the Raiders. I have been on the Bengals bandwagon all season. But even I am surprised to see them laying nearly 10 points on the road, even if it is to Oakland. The Bengals are 0-8 ATS in their last eight games after playing the Steelers, including coming up short as a six-point favorite against Cleveland this year.

NFL Power Rankings Week 10
by Robert Ferringo - 11/11/2009

I have no idea what it's going to take to beat this team. They were getting rocked by Carolina and Miami and ended up winning both games by double digits. Wow. One thing I don't understand, though, is why teams aren't milking the clock - letting the play clock run down to two or three seconds before each snap - from the opening kickoff.

NFL Power Rankings Week 9
by Robert Ferringo - 11/6/2009

Kendrick Clancy’s absence was pretty obvious on Monday night. The Saints got pushed around up front for the first time this season. But things continue to click for this group and they are clearly the top team in the NFL.

NFL Power Rankings Week 8
by Robert Ferringo - 10/29/2009

The Saints have dominated their series with the Falcons. New Orleans is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 meetings and 4-1 ATS in the last five in the Superdome. The books have to try to do something to stop the Saints so I don't expect to see them laying less than 10-13 points until they start to lose.

NFL Power Rankings Week 7
by Robert Ferringo - 10/22/2009

The underdog is 7-2 ATS when the Vikings and Steelers get together with the road team winning three straight. However, I believe this may be a legit letdown spot for the Vikings after barely holding off the Ravens. That said, Minnesota has been outgained in three straight games - all wins and a 2-1 ATS run - and that's an indicator that things are slowing. Also, on the road against three awful teams (St. Louis, Detroit, Cleveland) the Vikings are 3-0 ATS but probably shouldn't be.