NFL Power Rankings heading into 2018’s fourth quarter

#18 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7)

Carolina Panthers v Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I kind of already wrote the Bucs off completely in my head and I still think some crazy stuff would have to happen, including them winning over the Saints this weekend, for them to go anywhere, but they still have a chance to make it as a Cinderella wildcard. The Bucs’ back and forth with their quarterbacks has been a story all season long. Ryan Fitzpatrick started the season off smoking hot, but got benched after one bad half.

Jameis Winston then repaid them with a couple of picks in that second half and was immediately named the starter again. While they won one game versus the Browns, who hurt themselves several times, Jameis turned the ball over eight times through their next three games and Tampa Bay made a switch under center once again, as Fitzy almost brought them back against Cincinnati.

Of course, once he got the starting gig back, he was too careless with the ball and was benched again mid-game two weeks later. Since then Jameis has held the job and after almost pulling off a comeback over the Giants, he has won them their last two games. After all that quarterback controversy, you would think that the Bucs are a two- or three-win team at this point, but they still have hope at 5-7. What’s even crazier is the fact that they have the league’s number one passing and total offense.

DeSean Jackson has re-established himself as one of the premier deep threats in the league, Mike Evans is already well over 1000 yards with 17 per catch on the season, O.J. Howard looked like a special talent before he got hurt but Cameron Brate was always one of Jameis’ favorite targets, plus Adam Humphries and Chris Godwin already have over 600 yards respectively. While they are eight in the NFL with about 63 percent pass play share and none of their backs have really emerged, I would still call this a somewhat balanced offense with how they spread the ball around through the air and they are number one overall in third down conversion percentage.

So why are they only tenth in points per game? Well, they have turned the ball over a total of 30(!) times – the highest mark in the league by five – and most of that yardage has been picked up in garbage time or when they ultimately came up short in comeback attempts. It doesn’t help that their defense had just eight takeaways all season before last Sunday. Outside of a few standouts like Jason Pierre-Paul and Lavonte David this defense has been atrocious. They are allowing just under 30 points a contest and they are second only to the Raiders in terms of yards and points allowed per play. But hey, if they win out they still have a shot.

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#19 Miami Dolphins (6-6)

Buffalo Bills v Miami Dolphins

Talk about having teams written off. After blowout losses to the Patriots, Texans and Packers this team never felt like a serious contender and that’s also why I have them at the bottom of teams in the playoff hunt. However, they have been right there in the hunt for pretty much all season. Last week was the first time they were below .500 and after that divisional win over the Bills they are right back at neutral status.

I like the Dolphins defense better than what the rankings indicate and how they are perceived by the general public. I know their run defense has been atrocious lately, but they are third in the league in total takeaways and they are also third in first half points allowed. That’s in large part due to some poor quarterback play on their part and the resulting time that this unit has to stay on the field, as Miami is also third-last behind the Bengals and Cardinals in time of possession. I think back to the Phins holding their first three opponents to 20 points or under before getting blown out in New England. But when I recall that game, that was far more on the part of their own offense. That unit picked up two first down until that final touchdown drive and turned the ball over a couple of times.

The defense actually held the Pats to a field goal, intercepted a pass from Brady and forced a punt to start that game, but then a fumble around their own 20 set up New England for a touchdown and that’s when that defense started to get tired defending long drives. Once Brock Osweiler took over for the injured Ryan Tannehill the team was kind of up and down, but also pulled off a crazy overtime comeback against the Bears and won a 13-6 slugfest against the Jets, where they intercepted rookie Sam Darnold four times.

Tannehill has been back in the starting lineup these last two weeks and he has looked as good he ever has. Still, their offense is a little weird. A 35-year old Frank Gore leads them in rushing even though they have a special talent in Kenyan Drake at the position, no receiver has cracked 50 catches and a guy who has touched the ball just 24 times leads the team in touchdowns (Kenny Stills with five). I love some of their defensive personnel when you look at those edge rushers and two excellent young DBs in Xavien Howard and rookie Minkah Fitzpatrick, but I want to see them win a big time. A rematch with their arch-nemesis Patriots, who they have given trouble at home several times, seems like the perfect opportunity.