All Access Football Report: Week 6
Coaching matters in the NFL. The NCAA polls are a farce. Plus, video preview on this weekend's upcoming marquee matchups. Only on AAF, your home for REAL football talk!
Volume XXIV Edition LVIII | AAF Report Week 6
Today’s AAF Report is presented by Sports Management Worldwide, now offering graduate programs in association with Concordia University! Learn more about earning your Master’s Degree in Sports Management and Sports Leadership. In addition, you can earn an MBA or Doctorate Degree with SMWW, “The Global Leader In Sports Education!"
All Access Football would like to congratulate the following SMWW alumni! Props to Nicholas Lacina, who was hired by the Minnesota Vikings after taking the Football Video Performance Course. Plus, Adam Urrutia who was hired by the Los Angeles Rams and new NC State player personnel assistant Jackson Mercer, both of whom completed the Football GM and Scouting Course. Have what it takes to become the next SMWW Success story? Get started here.
NFL PARITY CREATES LACK OF CLARITY
(photo: NFL)
The Kansas City Chiefs have won three Super Bowls in the last five years but one feat they did not accomplish during that span, is starting the season 5-0. This is far from the best Chiefs team that we have seen but that’s the way the NFL rolls. Kansas City continues to find ways to win as they enter their bye week undefeated and prepare for a Week 7 showdown with the San Francisco 49ers, the current favorite in Vegas to win the NFC, despite their 2-3 record.
It’s no surprise to see the usual AFC suspects atop our power rankings in Baltimore and Buffalo, who fell just short against Houston, also a heavyweight contender. They continue to chase the Chiefs. However, in the NFC, San Francisco will need to fend off some young gunners in Jayden Daniels and the Commanders, along with a now healthy Jordan Love and the Packers who look primed to make a run in the second half of the season. One can not discount the Vikings, who remain the lone undefeated team in the NFC.
Upon further evaluation, the Chiefs and 49ers would also happen to be two of the most banged up organizations in the NFL, which is a true testament to the importance and value of coaching.
Kansas City won Monday night, despite not having running backs Isiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire, wideouts Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown, three offensive lineman and four defensive linemen, including defensive end Charles Omenihu. Quite thee feat.
Meanwhile, San Francisco has struggled out of the gate (again) and many assume that they will just kick it into gear when needed but there will be more turbulence to come. While the team is getting healthier, it lacks the same explosive identity without running back Christian McCaffrey, whose status has been speculated about, as he could miss months, or possibly the entire season.
The Ravens 41-38 victory over the Bengals in Week 5 was the best game of the year thus far. This week, the Texans clash with the Packers in a contest that features two long shots to go deep into the playoffs. Most telling will be the Lions at Vikings game, where we will find out if the Minnesota success has been real or mirage.
It’s why they play the games. It’s why we watch. The whacky NFL, where any given Sunday, we have become bound to expect the unexpected. Got an early Super Bowl prediction? Drop it in the comments, we’re curious to hear who YOU got …
NCAA PERCEPTION DECEPTION IS MALPRACTICE
(photo: NCAA)
There is more than meets the eye with the current NCAA football polls being published for public consumption. The massive ‘group-think box,’ which is the national media (and apparently the coaches in the case too) believe that a loss means you automatically need to fall drastically in the national polls. Let’s peel it back a bit.
There really is no need to overreact to one loss this early in the season. The fact that Georgia is ranked ahead of Alabama in the national polls is pure comedy. Alabama just defeated Georgia 41-34 two weeks ago and romped Wisconsin the week prior 42-10 but are being penalized for losing to a tough Vanderbilt team this past week 40-35. It’s bound to happen with the weekly gauntlet of the SEC, we see it occur annually.
Our message is simple, don’t be bamboozled by what is being fed by the media/coach polls and just about every overpaid talking head in America.
The eye test tells us that either Alabama or Georgia would likely defeat Ohio State on a neutral site. Georgia visits Texas in two weeks on October 19th in a potential playoff elimination game. Alabama will face at least four more ranked conference opponents before the season wraps up, so they’ll have plenty of opportunity to finish right where they belong, while Ohio State will need to fend off Oregon this week and then travel to Penn State on November 2nd.
Our college football rankings shall remain where our confidence lies (see below).
One other matchup worth keeping an eye on this week is The Red River Rivalry, as Texas travels to Oklahoma for the 120th matchup between the two schools (Texas leads the all-time series, 63–51–5). While the Longhorns enter this contest favored by two touchdowns, we have seen some fortuitous outcomes in the past.
Below are the latest All Access Football rankings, polls and award watch candidates:
NFL POWER RANKINGS
Kansas City Chiefs (5-0)
Baltimore Ravens (3-2)
Detroit Lions (3-1)
Houston Texans (4-1)
Buffalo Bills (3-2)
Minnesota Vikings (5-0)
Washington Commanders (4-1)
Green Bay Packers (3-2)
San Francisco 49ers (2-3)
Los Angeles Chargers (2-2)
NFL SOUR RANKINGS
Carolina Panthers (1-4)
Tennessee Titans (1-3)
Cleveland Browns (1-4)
New England Patriots (1-4)
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4)
Las Vegas Raiders (2-3)
Indianapolis Colts (2-3)
Miami Dolphins (2-3)
New York Giants (2-3)
New York Jets (2-3)
NFL QB RANKINGS
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
Lamar Jackson, Ravens
Josh Allen, Bills
Matthew Stafford, Rams
Brock Purdy, 49ers
CJ Stroud, Texans
Sam Darnold, Vikings
Joe Burrow, Bengals
Aaron Rodgers, Packers
Dak Prescott, Cowboys
SERRITELLA ON SPORTS RAGE — HOUR II
Tune-in to Sports Rage every Tuesday night on SXM Channel 159 & Sports Grid TV with host Gabriel Morency, who is joined by AAF founder Ric Serritella. In this week’s edition they breakdown the mess in the Meadowlands that is the New York Jets, a big scope look at the NFL landscape, some young guns who could be coming for the top spot and much, much more REAL football talk! Buckle up [90-minute mark].
*Be sure to catch Ric Serritella on Scouting The League Podcast later this week!
CFB POWER RANKINGS
Texas Longhorns (5-0)
Alabama Crimson Tide (4-1)
Georgia Bulldogs (4-1)
Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0)
Ole Miss Rebels (5-1)
Miami Hurricanes (6-0)
Penn State Nittany Lions (5-0)
Oregon Ducks (5-0)
Tennessee Volunteers (4-1)
Clemson Tigers (4-1)
HEISMAN TROPHY WATCH
Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
Cam Ward, QB, Miami
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
Carson Beck, QB, Georgia
Jaxon Dart, QB, Ole Miss
Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon
Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson
Sheduer Sanders, QB, Colorado
Kurtis Rourke, QB, Indiana
NFL DRAFT TOP 10 PROSPECTS
Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado, Jr, 6001, 181, 4.52
Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama, rJr, 6015, 220, 4.48
James Pearce Jr., ER, Tennessee, Jr., 6036, 242, 4.55
Will Johnson, CB, Michigan, Jr, 6020, 202, 4.44
Mason Graham, DT, Michigan, Jr, 6024, 320, 4.95
Carson Beck, QB, Georgia, rSr, 6042, 218, 4.80
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado, Sr, 6012, 198, 4.70
Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri, Jr, 5110, 208, 4.40
Mykel Williams, ER, Georgia, Jr, 6036, 265, Jr, 4.55
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona, Jr, 6040, 210, 4.45
Great stuff, Ric. Looks like you are taking time to warm up to the greatness of CJ.