1. Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals continue to win and are still the only undefeated team in the league. Kyler Murray is still going strong in his MVP bid, and the addition of JJ Watt is paying huge dividends.
Kyler Murray and Arizona can’t stop winning 🥋 pic.twitter.com/gCnNhZVRn9
— PFF (@PFF) October 17, 2021
Drafting the speedy Rondale Moore was huge for this offense as he takes the top off of defenses and opens it up for Hopkins, Kirk and Green everywhere else. Wins at Tennessee (38-13), Rams (38-20), and Cleveland (37-14) were convincing for the Cardinals.
2.Buffalo Bills/Dallas Cowboys
The Buffalo Bills had a stronger hold on this spot before a tough Monday Night Football loss to the Titans. The Bills may be the most complete team in the league in all three phases, but Tennessee gave them all they could handle.
Tennessee made a fierce goal-line stance on fourth-and-1 from their own 4-yard line with 21 seconds left in the game to defeat Buffalo 34-31.
THE TITANS STOP JOSH ALLEN ON 4TH DOWN AT THE GOAL LINE 😱
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/XHMTWxqyXz
— ESPN (@espn) October 19, 2021
The defense stuffed the 240-pound Allen, who despite the loss continues his MVP candidacy for a second consecutive season. This team still has one thing on it’s mind and that’s bringing a Lombardi to Orchard Park, New York. The NFL isn’t about wants, it’s about results, and the Titans came up with the upset.
Dallas shares the second spot with Buffalo, as the Cowboys are off to the franchise’s best start since 2016 and defeated the New England Patriots for the first time since 1996 by a score of 35-29 in OT on Sunday.
BIG #VICTORYMONDAY MOOD ❕#DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/oHUgsewhoz
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) October 18, 2021
Former Cowboys star Michael Irvin is insisting that this is a Super Bowl year for America’s Team. There’s always a bunch of hype coming from ESPN concerning the Cowboys, but if Dak keeps balling and the defense keeps playing lights out, who’s to say that this 5-1 team isn’t legit. We will know more by the 17-game season’s halfway point.
3. Tampa Bay Bucs
The defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers have been ravaged by injuries, but with Brady at the helm they just keep on chugging along. The defending champions are capable of another long run in January once they get healthy. Watching Antonio Brown return to the world of elite receivers is a joy for any football fan.
https://twitter.com/FTBVids_YT/status/1448814414421921793
4. L.A. Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are led by Matthew Stafford, who has a new lease on life since arriving in Tinseltown after wasting away for 12 seasons in Detroit. Stafford is flexing the full bag of skills. His receiving core of Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods, Van Jefferson and DeSean Jackson is lethal. The defense is led by All-Pros Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey.
This no-look pass from Stafford 🤌
Up next: Lions at Rams 📺 @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/TuU8QBmoQg
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 18, 2021
Donald’s still wrecking offenses, and Ramsey is still a lockdown corner. Coach Sean McVay is proving to be a very capable a “leader of men.” They handed the New York Giants a supreme 34-11 butt-whipping on Sunday. The Rams are dangerous.
5. Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers and the cheesehead gang have hit their stride after a Week 1 beatdown by the Saints. Rodgers is rolling, and the Packers have won five straight games. Nobody is doubting Rodgers these days, and he owns the Chicago Bears.
“I STILL OWN YOU!”
Aaron Rodgers to Bears fans 🍿
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/PacXCtnqaC
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 17, 2021
He reminded his NFC North rival of that ownership at Soldier Field on Sunday. Rodgers is now 22-5 versus the Bears in his career. Only Tom Brady (32-3 against the Bills) and Big Ben Roethlisberger (23-3-1 against Cleveland) have better records against a single opponent.
Baltimore Ravens — There are a ton of people who think Baltimore belongs in the top five. The Lamar Jackson experience is a real thing. The multi-talented signal caller had his first 400-yard and four-TD passing game last week. This past weekend he just handed it off to his running backs, and they mauled the Chargers into submission 34-6. He did break another record though.
With today's victory, Lamar Jackson now has 35 wins as a starter. @brgridiron
That's the most for an NFL player before age 25 in history ⭐️
(H/T @statmuse) pic.twitter.com/MwENGMFgCP
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 17, 2021
Cincinnati Bengals — The Bengals are no longer doormats of the league. Led by “Bayou Joe” Burrow, the new-look Bengals excel in all three phases of the game. The special teams, however, came up short last week against the Packers. If Cincy hadn’t missed three crucial kicks Zach Taylor’s squad would be 5-1. Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is the real deal, and the magical connection he and Burrow have is part of the reason the Bengals took him No. 5 overall in the 2021 NFL draft.
