2016 NFL Power Rankings - Week Two!

ESPN and Sports Illustrated can eat it - these are the only pro football power rankings anybody needs.

By: Jimbo X
JimboXAmerican@gmail.com
@Jimbo__X

This Week's Episode:

"No rhyme, no reason, no rationality"

The Elites

01

Philadelphia Eagles (2-0)

Season Point Differential: +34

Like everybody else in America, I'm completely in the dark as to whether the suddenly high-flying Eagles are legitimately a good team or if they just had the benefit of playing two of the worst teams in pro football back to back. Carson Wentz (190 yards and a touchdown on 21 completions) and Ryan Matthews (32 yards and two scores on nine carries) are both overproducing offensively, but the defense still remains a little suspect: while Philadelphia did a very good job stopping the Bears' run Monday night (they held Chicago to just 64 yards on the day), they also let the frayed remnants of Jay Cutler's and Brian Hoyer's career lob the rock for a pretty decent 220 yards in their 29-14 victory.

02

Arizona Cardinals (1-1)

Season Point Differential: +31

After getting shown up by the Pats and their second-string quarterback last week, the Cardinals took out their frustrations on the hapless Buccaneers, who were absolutely creamed 40-7 by Carson Palmer and pals. The ginger gunslinger finished the game with 308 yards and three touchdowns on 18 completions, with Jared Brown, Larry Fitzgerald and David Johnson all posting 75-yard-plus receiving days. And then, there was Arizona's defense, which sacked Jameis Winston three times and intercepted him not once, not twice, not thrice but four fucking times.

03

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0)

Season Point Differential: +30

It was a hard fought victory, but the Steelers nonetheless manager to triumph over their much loathed rivals Cincinnati 24-16. Big Ben had a mixed bag of a performance (three touchdowns, two interceptions and 250 yards after being sacked), but the usual suspects - Antonio Brown, DeAngelo Williams and Sammie Coates - did their part to keep the offense competitive. Defensively, it was an even more jumbled picture last Sunday: while PIT managed to hold the Bengals run game to just 46 yards, they also let Andy Dalton air the shit out of the ball for 366 yards.

04

Carolina Panthers (1-1)

Season Point Differential: +18

After a disappointing outing last week, the Panthers rebounded in a huge way, absolutely throttling the 49ers (and their hatred of America) 46-27. Cam Newton finished the game with 353 yard and four touchdown passes, with receivers Greg Olsen and Kelvin Benjamin teaming up for 230 yards and three waltzes into the end zone on 12 catches. And the Panthers defense, finally, is beginning to look like the Panthers defense, having held San Fran to 65 yards rushing and intercepting Blaine Gabbert twice.

05

San Diego Chargers (1-1)

Season Point Differential: +18

Well, the Chargers didn't blow away this week's lead. In a commanding 38-14 win over the Jaguars, Philip Rivers collected 220 passing yards and four touchdowns on 17 completions, while Travis Benjamin (115 yards and two touchdowns on six catches) and Melvin Gordon (102 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries) also made fantasy footballers very, very happy. The big downside to the win? The Chargers also lost running back Danny Woodhead, who was carted off the field with a torn ACL, for the remainder of the season.

06

Houston Texans (2-0)

Season Point Differential: +16

The minimalist Texans bested the Kansas City Chiefs in usual minimalist Texans fashion. In their 19-12 win, Houston QB Brock Osweiler went 19 for 33 for 268 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions, with DeAndre Hopkins (113 yards and a solo TD on seven receptions) doing the bulk of the team's offensive production. Still, you have to give the Texans' defense credit - in a relatively understated performance, they managed to hold Alex Smith to 172 yards (after sacking him four times) and keep the potent Chiefs run game grounded at a relatively low 119 yards. And hey, how about those three turnovers for Houston's D?

07

Denver Broncos (2-0)

Season Point Differential: +15

In a 34-20 win over Indianapolis, Denver's D was definitely the x-factor, as Shane Ray and Aqib Talib combined for 14 defensive points. With numbers like that, you can probably overlook Trevor Siemian's fairly lackluster showing (266 yards, an INT and no TD passes) and Demaryius Thomas' and Emmanuel Sanders' inability to whiff end zone. And the Broncos rushing attack did indeed look pretty good, ultimately wrapping up the contest with 134 total yards, with C.J. Anderson finishing the game with 74 yards and a TD on 20 carries.

08

Minnesota Vikings (2-0)

Season Point Differential:+12

Through what can only be explained as some sort of magical voodoo, the Minnesota Vikings somehow managed to beat the Packers 17-14 in their new stadium home opener ... this, despite their franchise quarterback watching the game at home and LOSING Adrian Peterson early on in the contest. Give Sam Bradford all the credit in the world, because he was able to keep the Vikes' ship sailing along, finishing the contest with 286 yards and two touchdowns on 22 completions. His number one target? None other than Stefon Diggs, who finished Sunday night's matchup with 182 yards and a solo receiving TD on nine carries ... meaning, he averaged more than 20 yards per catch against one of the League's most proficient defenses. 

The Playoff Hopefuls

09

Baltimore Ravens (2-0)

Season Point Differential: +11

At the end of the first quarter, the Cleveland Browns led the Baltimore Ravens 20-2. Of course, Cleveland being Cleveland, they then proceeded to let Baltimore score 23 consecutive, unanswered points en route to 25-20 Ravens victory, because "fuck knowing what winning feels like" is the state motto of Ohio or something. As far as Joe Flacco's play, it was definitely a mixed bag: pro football's favorite non-elite QB concluded the game with 302 yards and a 2:2 TD-to-INT ratio on 25 completions.

10

New England Patriots (2-0)

Season Point Differential:+09

The good news for New England is that back-up Jimmy G managed to lob three touchdown passes before going down with an injury - aye, receivers Julian Edelman and Martellus Bennett finished the contest with a touchdown and 280 yards on a combined 12 catches, while Danny Amendola had two scores and 50 yards on four receptions. Expect the Pats to rely on LeGarrette Blount (who had 123 yards and a score on 29 carries in the Pats' 31-24 win over Miami last weekend) now that Jacoby Brissett looks like he will be the starter for New England until Tom Terrific returns in week five.

11

San Francisco 49ers  (1-1)

Season Point Differential: +09

Despite the 46-27 final score, the Niners/Panthers game was actually surprisingly close up until the third quarter. Blaine Gabbert (243 yard, two TDs and two INTs on 17 completions) had a pretty lackluster showing, while the Panthers' D completely neutralized Carlos Hyde and the San Fran rushing attack. And defensively, the 49ers just fell asleep, allowing the Panthers to rack up 353 aerial yards and another 176 on the ground.

12

New York Jets (1-1)

Season Point Differential: +05

In last Thursday's "defense optional" contest against divisional foes Buffalo, Ryan Fitzpatrick concluded the affair with 374 passing yards and a touchdown on 24 completions, while Matt Forte carried the rock 30 times for 100 yards and three saunters into the Bills' end zone. Of course, the 37-31 final tally lets you know not all is well with the Jets D - indeed, in a winning effort, they still let T-Mobile rack up 297 yards and three touchdowns, with Darrelle Revis at one point getting absolutely torched by Marquise Goodwin on a highlight reel-worthy 84-yard catch and run.

13

New York Giants (2-0)

Season Point Differential: +04

Hey, the Giants are undefeated, ya'll. And Eli Manning, for the first time in ages, seems to actually be, you know, good. In his team's 16-13 win over the Saints, he posted 368 yards (but no touchdowns) on 32 completions. The G-Men's key to victory in that one? Believe it or not, an early defensive score, courtesy of a blocked punt scoop-and-run from Janoris Jenkins. Considering how close the Giants' wins have been this year, it's only natural to be suspicious about the team's all of a sudden good fortunes - time well tell whether the Giants are the real deal or just plain lucky, and a whole lot sooner rather than later.

14

Dallas Cowboys (1-1)

Season Point Differential: +03

How about them 'Boys, going out there and beating them nasty, uncivilized Redskins 27-23 over the weekend? Dak Prescott razzle dazzled the Injuns with 292 yards on 22 completions (uh, just overlook the fact that he didn't lob any touchdowns and he got sacked four times) in addition to walking the ball in for a six-yard scrambling score. Making the win even sweeter, Ezekiel "She Fell Down Officer, I Swear" finally put up some substantial numbers, finishing the game with 83 yards on the ground and a TD on 21 carries. Sure, you could criticize Dallas' awful pass defense - which let Kirk Cousins air the ball out for 364 yards - but by that same token, you could also praise the Cowboys D for their efficiency in stopping the run. Hey. holding Matt Jones to just 61 yards on 13 carries is kinda' impressive. Well, sorta.

15

Detroit Lions (1-1)

Season Point Differential: +03

Talk about letting a game slip away! At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Lions were up 15-3 against the Titans, who were having difficulty in the red zone all afternoon. And - this still being Detroit, after all - they slowly let Tennessee crawl back into the contest, en route to a late, late come from behind 16-15 victory. If you are looking for bright spots, though, Matt Stafford (260 yards on 22 completions, with a 1:1 TD-to-INT ratio) did look pretty good, and standout wide receiver Marvin Jones (118 yards on eight carries) is slowly turning into an almost ready for the Pro Bowl type player.

16

Green Bay Packers (1-1)

Season Point Differential: +01

There are inexplicable losses, and then there's the Packers losing to the Vikings 17-14 over the weekend. While the Pack held the Vikes to just 30 yards of rushing offense (having AP injured will do that, I suppose), they just couldn't step Stefon Diggs, who lit their cheese-eatin' asses up for nearly 200 receiving yards. Offensively, the team played fairly well, I suppose, with Aaron Rodgers finishing the game with 213 passing yards, a TD and an interception on 20 completions. Oh, and did I mention that he got sacked five times for a cumulative loss of 30 yards? Well ... he did. 

The Middle of the Pack

17

Atlanta Falcons (1-1)

Season Point Differential: 0

In the most defense-phobic game since the last Raiders outing, Matt Ryan and company managed to outlast the high-powered Oakland offense en route to a 35-28 victory. Ryan had 396 yards and three touchdowns on the day, while the Falcons' run game managed to accumulate 139 yards on 29 carries. Defensively, though, Atlanta had little to be proud of: by the final horn, they had let Derek Carr rack up 299 yards of passing offense and three touchdowns of his own, in tandem with 155 yards of total Raiders rushing offense.

18

Kansas City Chiefs (1-1)

Season Point Differential: -01

The Chiefs offense definitely struggled in their 19-12 loss to the Texans. Alex Smith had no touchdown passes in the contest, ultimately concluding the game with just 186 aerial yards. Furthermore, the highly touted Chiefs' rushing attack just couldn't get it going either, with Charcandrick West and company producing no end zone appearances and a total of 119 point-less rushing yards. KC did manage to pick off Brock Os twice, though, but seeing as how the Chiefs had three lost fumbles of their own, I guess you can call their defense performance a great big wash in the grand scheme of things.

19

Seattle Seahawks (1-1)

Season Point Differential: -04

How did the Seahawks bounce back from their get-the-fuck-outta'-here 12-10 super-duper-narrow win over the Dolphins in week one? By putting even less points on the board en route to a 9-3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Russell Wilson's numbers were good (254 yards on 22 completions), but really, who gives a shit about passing states when none of those aerial strikes result in digits on the scoreboard? The 'Hawks rushing game was even worse: they finished the day with just 67 yards on 28 carries.

20

New Orleans Saints (0-2)

Season Point Differential: -04

Yeah, it's kind of a backhanded compliment, but the Saints really are the best win-less team in pro football. The Saints' sour luck continued over the weekend, as Drew Brees and pals lost a competitive (and surprisingly low-scoring) 16-13 contest. Indeed, Brees "only" had 263 passing yards on the day, while the Saints run game was a non-factor, contributing just 41 yards to the team's total offensive output. But at least they can take some solace in their run defense, which held the G-Men to a paltry 64 yards over the course of the afternoon.

21

Oakland Raiders (1-1)

Season Point Differential: -06

Hoo boy, the Raiders defense - after spending so much money on the likes of Sean Smith, Reggie Nelson and Bruce Irvin - has somehow not only gotten inexplicably worse compared to last year, but is now posting historically bad defensive numbers. Indeed, not since the fucking 1960s has an NFL team allowed their opponents 500 plus yards of offense in back-to-back games, but what do you know, these new look Raiders show do love them some NFL Fever 2003 style football. In a tough (albeit, competitive to the wire) 35-28 loss, the Raiders mustered plenty of offense (299 receiving yards, 155 rushing yards), but hot Christ, did the secondary got torched by Matt Ryan. Julio Jones, despite being covered by half the defense throughout the entirety of the game, put up 106 yards on five completions all by himself, while the Raiders D was all too obliging to let Austin Hooper and Jacob Tamme collect upwards of 75 yards a piece. And in case you missed it? You can relive all of the whimsy and wonder of the game through my less-than-unbiased peepers right here.

22

Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)

Season Point Differential: -07

Andy Dalton (336 yards and a touchdown on 31 completions) did his part, but the rest of the Bengals dropped the ball (literally) against hated rivals Pittsburgh. Giovani Bernard (100 yards and a TD on nine receptions) was really the only Cincinnati player to do anything of note, and even then, he still fumbled the pigskin and gave Pittsburgh an easy opportunity to score. In the 24-16 loss, the Bengals defense looked fairly anemic, allowing the Steelers to rack up 259 yards of aerial and 124 yards of ground offense.

23

Tennessee Titans (1-1)

Season Point Differential: -08

Marcus Mariota may have had a largely forgettable day on the field (224 yards, two TDs and an INT on 25 completions), but DeMarco Murray certainly helped bail out the anemic offense when it counted in the Titans come from behind 16-15 win over the Titans. He finished the game with 89 rushing yards plus another 56 receiving, while Delanie Walker concluded the contest with 83 yards and the game winning touchdown reception. And don't discount that defense, neither, seeing as how the Titans secondary managed to sack Matt Stafford four times for a cumulative loss of 22 yards. 

24

Miami Dolphins (0-2)

Season Point Differential: -09

In a 31-24 loss to the Brady-less Pats, Ryan Tannehill  had 389 yards and a two TD/two INT ratio with 32 completions, with receivers Jarvis Landry and DeVante Parker both collecting north of 100 yards a piece in the contest. Still, the Dolphins run game sputtered, with the team finishing the affair with a combined 70 yards on 16 rushing attempts ... and yeah, the less said about this team's pass coverage, I assure you the better.

Anxiously Awaiting the Draft

25

Buffalo Bills (0-2)

Season Point Differential: -12

After putting up 31 points and allowing 37 points in last Thursday night's loss to the Jets, the Bills management did the only thing that made any sense: they fired their offensive coordinator. If you ever find yourself up late at night, wondering why this franchise hasn't been to the playoffs since 2000 ... well, I reckon that's your answer.

26

Indianapolis Colts (0-2)

Season Point Differential: -18

The Colts did absolutely nothing in their 34-20 loss to Denver. The Broncos held the offense to a meager 170 passing yards (once you factor in the lost yardage due to the five times Andrew Luck was sacked) and Frank Gore and pals could only contribute 83 yards of rushing offense to the final tally. And if that stagnant "O" wasn't bad enough, it looks like Indy's defense is quickly crumbling, as well, having allowed Trevor Siemian to put up 266 passing yards while the Broncos run game collected 134 yards on the ground.

27

Los Angeles Rams (1-1)

Season Point Differential: -22

After getting positively "rekt," as the kids say, by the Niners in week one, the Rams made the hometown faithful happy with an upset 9-3 win over the Seahawks. In the first regular season pro football match up in the City of Angels since 1994, Case Keenum went 18 for 30 with 239 total passing yards, while Todd Gurley, uh, kinda ran for 51 yards and no scores on 19 touches. Still, holding the Seahawks ... just two years removed form a Super Bowl run ... to only a field goal has to be considered nothing short of impressive. Well, that is, unless the Seahawks just flat out suck offensively this year, which, frankly, may indeed be the case if these first two games of the season are any indication.

28

Chicago Bears (0-2)

Season Point Differential: -24

There are no real positives to take away from Chicago's 29-14 loss to the Eagles on Monday. Neither Cutler or Hoyer could lob any touchdown passes and the entire Bears run game was restricted to a meager 64 yards. Still, the defense put on a statistically decent showing, having held Carson Wentz to 190 yards and the Eagles running back corps to about 100.

29

Cleveland Browns (0-2)

Season Point Differential: -24

I don't know if modern science will ever figure out how the Browns managed to blow a 20-2 lead en route to their perplexing 25-20 loss to the Ravens over the weekend. Josh McCown was just sort of OK, throwing two touchdowns and two interceptions in his 260 yard day. Receiver Corey Coleman had two touchdowns and 104 yards on five catches, while cop-killing advocate Isiah Crowell finished the game with 133 yards and a score on 18 touches. And yet, despite all of this, the Browns still managed to find a way to barf up the keys to victory and FedEx it to Joe Flacco and pals - because come on, it's Cleveland ... what else would you have expected?

30

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1)

Season Point Differential: -26

What a stunning reversal of fortune here! Last week, the Bucs looked like a legitimate NFC South championship contender, and now, they are getting reamed out the ass by Arizona by a 32 point margin. Jameis Winston had his worst day since being accused of raping Florida State students last Sunday, finishing the game with four INTs, one touchdown, 221 passing yards after the sacks and a downright astonishingly low QBR of 26.4 Going 27 for 52 on passing attempts is no way to go through life, son.

31

Washington Redskins (0-2)

Season Point Differential: -26

Arch rival Dallas didn't whomp 'em as bad as the Steelers did in week one, but in many ways, week 2's narrow loss to the Cowboys was much, much more painful than the blowout loss at home to Pittsburgh. Kirk Cousins went 1-1 in the TD-to-INT department, finishing the contest with 350 total yards once you factor in the two times he got sacked. Alas, even with four receivers picking up 50 plus yards in the game, the Skins just couldn't punch the rock into the end zone ... which, seeing as how that's traditionally how you win football games, really can't be seen as anything other than a huge, season-sinking problem already.

32

Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2)

Season Point Differential: -28

After giving Green Bay everything they could handle last week, the Jags responded with a very, very bad showing against the Chargers, in which the men in teal were befalled 38-14. Blake Bortles had decent stats (329 yards and two touchdowns), but he also lobbed two interceptions and finished the game with an extremely poor 18.5 QBR. The running game also looked like crap, with the Jags running back corps only able to produce 69 yards on 11 carries. And way to give up four facile touchdown passes, guys!

Read More

LIVE Play-By-Play From Week 2's Raiders vs. Falcons Game!

The last Raiders game ever played on a baseball diamond?

By: Jimbo X

JimboXAmerican@gmail.com

@Jimbo__X

As has been tradition here at the Internet Is In America since 2012, join us LIVE on gameday as we give you REAL-TIME play-by-play for the Raiders' first home game of the season. Live coverage of the Silver and Black's home opener at the Oakland Coliseum begins at 4:25 p.m. eastern time Sunday, Sept. 18. Be sure to hit the refresh button frequently, as we'll be updating this motherfucker during every commercial break. And as always - do yourself a favor and bookmark us, and let all your fellow Raiders fans know what we're up to by posting links to our coverage on your social media pages. 

4:53 p.m.  - OK, I know I am almost an hour late. My girlfriend stumbled into an unannounced Kroger sale, and you know what happened next. 

4:54 p.m. - A scoreless game with about two minutes left in the first quarter. Falcons have possession around their own 20.

4:55 p.m. -  Falcons up to their own 40. Coleman gets about six on the play.

4:56 p.m. - Austin Hooper picks up another first down. The Falcons make it into Raiders territory as the first quarter ends.

4:57 p.m. - This is the only Raiders home game in the month of September. Which means this very well could be the the last NFL game ever played with baseball dirt still on the field.

4:58 p.m. - 19-yard pick up for Aldrick Robinson. Falcons now at the Raiders' 30.

4:59 p.m. - Falcons within 10 of the Raiders end zone. Second and seven. Freeman down to the OAK 5. 

5:01 p.m. - Third and four situation in the red zone. Sanu reels in a pass from Ryan, but it is short of the sticks. Here comes the field goal unit.

5:02 p.m. - And Atlanta makes it on the board first. 11:58 to go in the second quarter, the Falcons leading the Raiders 3-0.

5:04 p.m. - Taiwan Jones takes the kick off to about the 30. An illegal block in the back will push them back when the drive formally begins.

5:05 p.m. - Raiders at their own 18. Crabtree with about a nine yard pick up.

5:07 p.m. - Oh, it was actually enough for a first. Carr scrambles for about five. 

5:08 p.m. - And Murray picks up 10 on a pass. OAK up to their own 34 yard line.

5:09 p.m. - Richard swallowed up at the line. Let's call it a yard. 

5:10 p.m. - Second and nine. Seth Roberts gets about three yards. 

5:10 p.m. - Third and six. INCREDIBLE CATCH BY AMARI COOPER FOR A 25 YARD GAIN!

5:11 p.m. - Carr with a deep throw. Looks like it is intercepted. But it is pass interference on ATLANTA! 

5:11 p.m. - The turnover is denied, and OAK gets it at the ATL 1!

5:12 p.m. - TOUCHDOWN RAIDERS! Murray with a one-yard saunter!

5:12 p.m. - Sea-bass is automatic. Raiders now lead 7-3.

5:15 p.m. - Matt Ryan and pals take over at their own 25. Jacob Tamme gets 13. 

5:16 p.m. - Ryan overthrows on first down. 

5:17 p.m. - Second and 10 at the ATL 35. And Tamme reels it in to the OAK 43. 

5:18 p.m. - Ryan hits ground on first down. Second and 10 at the OAK 43. 

5:18 p.m. - No dice. Third and 10 for Atlanta.

5:19 p.m. - Robinson with a catch at the 32. But a flag is down. 

5:19 p.m. - No foul for holding. It's good enough for a first down.

5:20 p.m. - Atlanta at the OAK 33. Devonta Freeman runs down to the 23. 

5:20 p.m. - Falcons run it. They should probably have enough for the first down.

5:21 p.m. - Freeman dropped behind the line on first down.

5:21 p.m. - Julio Jones is wide open for a 21 yard score. He torches Sean Smith en route to the Raiders' end zone. 

5:22 p.m. - ATL 10, OAK 7.

5:24 p.m. - A muffed punt and the Raiders will begin their next drive around their own 1 yard line. 

5:25 p.m. - Crabtree gets about nine on first down.

5:26 p.m. - Second and one. DeAndre Washington with a HUGE 26-yard run up the gut. 

5:27 p.m. - Washington with about six on a catch and run. 

5:27 p.m. - Second and four at the OAK 40. Richard barely makes it back to the line of scrimmage. 

5:28 p.m. - Flag on the play. A ten yard penalty against OAK and a re-do of second down.

5:29 p.m. - Second and 14. Carr chased down in the backfield, and steps out of bounds at the line of scrimmage.

5:30 p.m. - Third an 14. And that's the two-minute warning.

5:31 p.m. - And Clive Walford gets drilled about three yards past the line of scrimmage. Fourth and 11. 

5:33 p.m. - Here comes the OAK punting unit. 

5:34 p.m. - A 73 yard kick return for the Falcons. And Marquette King gets called on a horse-collar tackle. So yeah, even more free yardage afforded to Atlanta. 

5:35 p.m.  - Atlanta at the OAK 10. Coleman gets about four. 

5:36 p.m. - Minute left in the half. Third and goal, with ATL at the OAK 3. 

5:36 p.m. - Coleman taken down at the line of scrimmage. Thirty eight seconds left, fourth and goal. 

5:37 p.m. - Two seconds added to the clock. Here comes the Falcons kicker. 

5:38 p.m. - Matt Bryant is automatic from 20 yards out. That makes it 13-7, Atlanta.

5:40 p.m. - Raiders take a knee in the end zone. Carr has two timeouts and 38 seconds in the half.

5:41 p.m. - Walford with a four yard pick up. Thirty-two seconds left.

5:42 p.m. - Murray picks up the first and immediately steps out of bounds. Twenty-seven seconds left. 

5:42 p.m. - Third and one, actually. Walford picks up the yardage and goes out of bounds. Twenty-two seconds left. 

5:43 p.m. - First and 10. Murray takes it to the 48. Sixteen seconds left. 

5:44 p.m. - Smith gets three yards. Nine seconds left. 

5:45 p.m. - Second and 6. Cooper drops a laser down the middle. 

5:45 p.m. - Six seconds. OAK takes a timeout. They have one left. 

5:46 p.m. - And Roberts gets the first down. First and 10, and here comes Janikowski. A 58-yard try.

5:47 p.m. - Short and wide. And that leaves it at 13-7, Atlanta heading into half time.

5:57 p.m. - At the midway point of the game, Atlanta has 227 total yards of offense, while Oakland has 167. Matt Ryan outthrew Derek Carr in the first half 150 to 116, while the Falcons outran the Raiders 77 yards to 51 yards. 

6:00 p.m. - Of course, Rich Gannon would be one of our announcers today.

6:01 p.m. - Raiders get the ball to begin the second half.

6:03 p.m. - Richard handling kickoff duties. He goes down short of the Raiders' 20.

6:04 p.m. - Crabtree with a 10-yard pick up.

6:04 p.m. - Murray gets two on first down. 

6:04 p.m. - Second and eight at their own 30. Murray finds a huge hole and he gets about 7. And Donald Penn is down.

6:07 p.m. - Third and 3. Jon Feliciano in on the offensive line. Roberts can't reel it in. Raiders decide to punt.

6:11 p.m. - Well, here's a new one. The Raiders are challenging the last play before the punt because there were 12 men on the line of scrimmage at the time of the snap.

6:12 p.m. - And the judges affirm it. The Raiders get the ball back, and it's first down for Derek Carr and company.

6:13 p.m. - First and 10 at the OAK 40. And Holton gets 14 on a sneaky end-around.

6:14 p.m. - Play called dead on first and 10. False start on Rodney Hudson. 

6:14 p.m. - First and 15. Smith on the catch and run makes it to the ATL 38.

6:15 p.m - Second and three. Murray with more than enough for the first.

6:16 p.m. - TOUCHDOWN RAIDERS! Clive Walford reels in a BOMB fom Derek Carr!

6:17 p.m. - And Sea-bass kicks a gimme. And Oakland retakes the lead, 14-13.

6:18 p.m. - That was a 31-yard touchdown pass to Clive Walford, for you fantasy footballers. 

6:20 p.m. - And the Falcons will take a knee in the end zone on the kick. 

6:21 p.m. - Freeman gets three on first down.

6:21 p.m. - Second and 7. Hooper takes it down to the OAK 29 on a 44-yard pass from Matt Ryan. 

6:21 p.m. - An 18 yard run for Freeman. And the Falcons are back in the OAK red zone. 

6:22 p.m. - DAVID AMERSON INTERCEPTS MATT RYAN IN THE ENDZONE!

6:24 p.m. - Derek Carr and pals back on the field at the OAK 20. Washington gets seven on a first down run.

6:25 p.m. - Donald Penn back on the line. Second and four. The play is whistled dead. A five yard penalty against Oakland.

6:26 p.m. - All right, second and nine now. Richard finds a huge hole for 29 yards. 

6:26 p.m. - Holding on Gabe Jackson negates the play. Now it is second and 18.

6:27 p.m. - And Richard gets about 10. 

6:27 p.m. - Third and nine. and Cooper gets it VERY close a new set of downs.

6:28 p.m. - It is inches short. 

6:29 p.m. - Fourth and inches situation at the OAK 30. And Oakland is challenging the call that ball placement was short of the gain.

6:32 p.m. - AND IT IS A FIRST DOWN AFTER ALL!

6:33 p.m. - First and 10 at the OAK 30. Crabtree covered by everybody.

6:33 p.m. - Second and 10. Washington dropped at the line.

6:34 p.m. - Third and 10. Two backs in the backfield. Murray gets two, but it is well short of the first down marker. Raiders gotta' punt.

6:35 p.m. - Falcons fair catch it at their own 15. 


6:37 p.m. - Coleman gets a 24-yard catch and run up to the ATL 39. 

6:38 p.m. - Hooper takes a big catch all the way down to the Raiders' 30. 

6:39 p.m. - Gabriel down to the OAK 17. 

6:39 p.m. - Second and one. Coleman with enough for the first down.

6:39 p.m. - Tamme reels in a touchdown pass, but there is a flag on the play. It's on OAK. Falcons going for two.

6:40 p.m. - Ryan does a sneak, and it is 21-14 Atlanta. 

6:42 p.m. - A 14-yard catch for Tamme. Taiwan Jones takes a knee and the Raiders will start at their own 25.

6:43 p.m. - Walford gets three. 

6:44 p.m. - Second and 7. And Murray busts it out for 15. 

6:44 p.m. - First and 10. And Carr scrambles for 5. 

6:45 p.m. - Short pass to Cooper gives the Raiders another set of downs.

6:46 p.m. - Raiders now in Falcons' territory. Washington with an eight yard run.

6:47 p.m. - Second and two. Washington just shy of the marker.

6:47 p.m. - And that's the end of the third quarter. Falcons still leading, 21-14.

6:50 p.m. - Olawale rumbles all the way down to the Falcons' 25.

6:51 p.m. - Murray gets five. 

6:51 p.m. - Second and six. And Murray is down to the Falcons' 3. 

6:51 p.m. - First and goal for the Raiders. 

6:52 p.m. - Murray creamed at the line. 

6:52 p.m. - Second and goal. Pass batted away from Amari Cooper.

6:53 p.m. - Third and goal. Throw to Andre Holmes isn't caught. 

6:54 p.m. - Fourth and goal. The Raiders are going for it!

6:55 p.m. - And CRABTREE REELS IT IN!

6:56 p.m. - Sea-bass in. It's automatic, and we have ourselves a tied game with 12 minutes to go in the fourth. 

6:57 p.m. - Falcons begin at their own 25. Freeman gets about 12. Defense is not allowed in the NFL anymore.

6:58 p.m. - Julio Jones brought down at the 47. 

6:59 p.m. - And the Falcons reel it in. 28-21. Sorry - I had to move my car and missed all that shit.

7:03 p.m. - So Justin Hardy caught the TD on some kind of fluky near-Raiders interception. Sounds about right.

7:04 p.m. - I don't even want to look at the Raiders' defensive numbers at this point. 

7:04 p.m. - Holy shit, Matt Ryan has 346 yards. 

7:05 p.m. - Carr throws it away on first down.

7:05 p.m. - Washington gets three. 

7:06 p.m. - Third and seven. Carr throws it away. Flag on the field. 

7:07 p.m. - Pass interference on the Falcons. The Raiders get a first down.

7:07 p.m. - Raiders at their own 40. Richard gets a couple on first down.

7:07 p.m. - Richard gets a nice block and picks up 6. Raiders at the 49 for a third and three situation.

7:09 p.m. - AND COOPER BEATS TROUFFANT FOR ANOTHER TOUCHDOWN!

7:10 p.m. - Actually, it's negated. Fourth down, and out comes the punting unit because Cooper stepped out of bounds. 

7:10 p.m - And Oakland is going for it on fourth and two!

7:11 p.m. - Richard may be short of the goal. It's short by a foot. Falcons take over at midfield. 

7:12 p.m. - The Raiders need a defensive stop here in the worst way possible. And considering how their secondary has looked so far today...

7:13 p.m. - Freeman gets six. 

7:14 p.m. - Second and four, and a third and three.

7:14 p.m. - It's a first down for Atlanta.

7:15 p.m. - Falcons well within Raiders territory now.

7:15 p.m. - Julio Jones within the 20. 

7:15 p.m. - Offsides call against the Raiders. 

7:16 p.m. - And the Falcons punch the ball into the end zone. Amerson slow to get up.

7:18 p.m. - Matt Bryant PAT is good. Falcons lead it, 35-21, with 4:35 to go in the fourth.

7:21 p.m. - Raiders take over at their own 25. Long bomb to Seth Roberts is no dice.

7:22 p.m. - Second and 10. Cooper reels it in at the OAK 41.

7:23 p.m. - Latavius Murry jukes and jives into Falcons' territory.

7:23 p.m. - Roberts runs for a new set of downs. 

7:23 p.m. - Olawale with another ten yards.

7:24 p.m. - Oakland at the Falcons' 19 yard line. 

7:24 p.m. - Olawale down to the six. 

7:24 p.m. - Second and goal. 2:20 on the clock.

7:24 p.m. - Andre Holmes reels in a six yard touchdown pass. Sea-bass is automatic. It's 35-28 Oakland.

7:26 p.m. - And the Falcons will take over at their own 10.

7:28 p.m. - Flag is down. No foul after all. 

7:29 p.m. - Freeman dropped behind the line. 

7:29 p.m. - Raiders take a timeout.

7:30 p.m. - Gabriel about two, maybe three yards shy of the new set of downs. And that will take us to the two-minute warning.

7:32 p.m. - Third and three. Sanu takes it to the Atlanta 35. 

7:33 p.m. - Julio Jones sidelined. One minute, forty-nine seconds left. 

7:34 p.m. - Second and eight for Atlanta. Oakland is out of time outs.

7:34 p.m. - Coleman stuffed behind the line. Clock is running.

7:35 p.m. - Third and nine. The back is way short. The punting unit is out. Falcons running out the clock before they punt. 

7:36 p.m. - Fourth and 5. Ten seconds left on the clock. Falcons punting. 

7:37 p.m. - The ball goes out of the end zone. 

7:37 p.m. - Two seconds left on the clock. Hail Mary time.

7:37 p.m. - Derek Carr at the Raiders' 15. Five wide.

7:38 p.m. - Crabtree gts pushed out of bounds on the Cal-Stanford attempt. That makes our final score from Oakland, 35-28 Falcons. 

7:40 p.m. - The Raiders fall to 1-1 on the season. Next up? It's an away game against the Titans, and needless to say, this defense is going to have to get its shit together and in a hurry.

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2016 NCAA Football Rankings (Week Two Update!)

Tell the Associated Press to take a hike ... these are the only college pigskin rankings you ought to pay any attention to.

By: Jimbo X

JimboXAmerican@gmail.com

@Jimbo__X

This Week's Episode:

When the school you root for beats the crap out of the school you actually attended

The A.P.? The USA Today's Coaches Poll? Whatever jibber-jabber is being puked out over at ESPN and Bleacher Report? Puh-leeze, we all know those alleged "Top 25" countdowns are pathetic jokes penned by homers, Power Five loyalists and Notre Dame nuthuggers. That's why I decided to release my own weekly rundown of the best FBS college football squads in the States, completely devoid of all the usual fanboyism and corporate malarkey that makes lists of the like elsewhere so unbelievably annoying.

Throughout the regular season, a new installment will go up every Wednesday morning, so you may want to bookmark this sucker for future reference ... and to show to all of your fellow NCAA football lovin' chums, so they can know that - at least somewhere out in the tangled, endlessly frustrating World Wide Web - there's someone on the Internet with some goddamn horse sense when it comes to ranking college 'ball teams.

01

Alabama (2-0)

Next Opponent: Ole Miss (Sept. 17)

In a 38-10 win over Western Kentucky, Alabama showcased their two most dangerous offensive and defensive attributes. While traditionally considered  a rushing-based attack, this year's Alabama squad appears to be much more aerial-minded, with QB Jalen Hurts and back-up Blake Barnett teaming up for two touchdown strikes and 351 passing yards on the day. Then, there's the Tide's bruising defense; holding the Hilltoppers to only 216 aerial yards is  something to brag about on its own, but holding the same team to just 23 rushing yards on the day? Yeah, this is definitely a team most SEC squads - or squads from any conference, for that matter - desperately do not want to see on their schedule. The big question now? Can the Tide head into Oxford this Saturday and get their biggest elephant of the last two seasons off their own backs? 

02

Houston (2-0)

Next Opponent: Cincinnati (Sept. 15)

In  42-0 blowout that was delayed for about an hour due to lightning, the Cougars absolutely ran Lamar off the field, with no less than three Houston players (Kevrin Justice, Mulbah Car and backup QB Kyle Postma) racking up at least 100 rushing yards on the day and collectively assembling five of the team's six total running touchdowns. And if you think that's impressive, just wait until you look at the team's defensive stats: not only did they prevent Lamar from sniffing the endzone once, they held the Cardinals to an insanely low 58 yards passing and an almost impossibly meager 15 yards rushing throughout the one-sided drubbing.

03

Wisconsin (2-0)

Next Opponent: Georgia State (Sept. 17)

The Badgers, as expected, battered the Akron Zips over the weekend, pummeling the hopeless, hapless and helpless Mid-American Conference team to the tune of 54-10. Bart Houston looked solid with two touchdown passes and and 231 yards on 15 completions (with receivers Jazz Peavy and Robert Wheelwright teaming up for 199 yards and two scores) while Wisconsin's running game was downright superb: Corey Clement had 111 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries and Bradrick Shaw had one trip to the end zone and 74 total yards on nine carries. Wisconsin's defense also shine, holding the Zip to a scant 136 receiving yards and only 88 yards rushing. 

04

Florida State (2-0)

Next Opponent: Louisville (Sept. 17)

In a game that saw Charleston Southern bench 10 starters for a bizarre book store violation, the Seminoles made short work of the Buccaneers, skewering the team 52-8. The triple threat of Deondre Francois (3 TDs, 262 passing yards), Dalvin Cook (2 TDs, 73 yards) and Travis Rudolph (2 TDs, 105 receiving yards) definitely proved their mettle on the field, with special teams wunderkind Jesus Wilson recording a stellar 89-yard punt return for six on the board. FSU now turns its attention toward Louisville, in what should be one of the most intriguing ... and impactful ... games of week three. 

05

Texas (2-0)

Next Opponent: California (Sept. 17)

The Longhorns steamrolled UTEP 41-7 over the weekend, with QB Shane Buechele tossing four touchdowns and collecting 244 yards on 22 completions. The bigger story? Just how good Texas' defense is. They limited the Miners to just 135 rushing yards on 40 carries and an extremely low 73 passing yards. And just like that, the long-faltering 'horns, all of a sudden, are once again relevant in the Big 12 championship discussion, for what seems like the first time since Barack Obama was elected. 

06

Texas A&M (2-0)

Next Opponent: Auburn (Sept. 17)

The Aggies had no problems at all with Prairie View A&M, absolutely crushing the Panthers in a 67-0 anti-contest. Trevor Knight lobbed three touchdown passes in the blowout, ultimately accumulating 344 yards on 21 completions (just for the lulz, he also ran the ball for 78 yards and collected another score with his feet.) Receiver Christian Kirk also had a solid showing, reeling in the ball five times for 106 yards and two trips to the end zone. Defensively, A&M also looked quite spiffy; at the end of the fourth quarter, they had allowed Prairie View to rack up 173 aerial yards and a minute 32 yards on the ground. 

07

Ohio State (2-0)

Next Opponent: Oklahoma (Sept. 17)

J.T. Barrett had no aerial touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 48-3 win over Tulsa. Then again, seeing as how Ohio State's run game accounted for four touchdowns and 268 yards overall, you can probably overlook his lackluster 149-yard passing day. Also: Ohio State's defense was positively killer, limiting the Golden Hurricanes to just 127 passing yards and only 61 yards rushing. Next stop for Ohio State? A much ballyhooed inter-conference tilt against Bob Stoops' Sooners this Saturday, which naturally, is going to be taxing as fuck tryingto figure out whose uniforms are whose. 

08

Michigan (2-0)

Next Opponent: Colorado (Sept. 17)

Central Florida was no match for the Wolverines, as Harbaugh's boys blasted the Knights 51-14. Wilton Speight lobbed the rock to the end zone four times, ultimately collecting 312 aerial yards on 25 completions. Wide receivers Amarh Dorbah (111 yards on five catches) and Jake Butt (86 yards on seven receptions) posted two touchdowns a piece, while the defense limited UCF to just 56 aerial yards on the day. The downside for the Michigan faithful? They only put up 119 rushing yards of their own, while allowing the Knights to put up 275 on the ground. 

09

Louisville (2-0)

Next Opponent: Florida State (Sept. 17)

The Heisman race is over, folks: just two games into the 2016 NCAA football season, Louisville QB Lamar Jackson has already posted 13 touchdowns. Oh, and by the way ... he sat out the entire second half of the Cardinals first game of the season. The phenom continued to impress with a 62-28 win over Syracuse, in which he racked up one aerial TD and 411 yards on 20 completions and scrambled for an additional four touchdowns and 199 yards ... including one facilitated by some straight up NFL Street level hurdling. Up next, Louisville hosts Florida State in their first truly competitive match-up of the year ... and needless to say, the outcome of this one is going to reverberate throughout the ACC landscape throughout the remainder of the season. 

10

Baylor (2-0)

Next Opponent: Rice (Sept. 16)

OK, it may be in poor taste to bring up all of the unfortunate extracurricular activities swirling around Waco in the offseason, but let's face it; Southern Methodist was practically begging Baylor to pound them out 40-13. I mean, look at how they were dressed for the game! Yeah, Seth Russell had two touchdowns and 226 passing yards, but SMU's defenders never told him to stop. I mean, if the contest wasn't consensual, then how come Baylor's defense let SMU rack up 229 passing yards on the day? My thoughts, exactly. 

11

Washington (2-0)

Next Opponent: Portland State (Sept. 17)

All you really need to know about the Huskies' 59-14 win over Idaho? Quarterback Jake Browning tossed the ball for 294 yards, collecting five touchdowns on 23 completions. No less than four Washington receivers had end zone visits, with Dante Pettis (88 yards, six catches) and John Ross (67 yards, seven catches) each punching it in two times a piece. Alas, even in a win so dominant, there are some obvious chinks in the Huskies' proverbial armor; most notably, Washington's run defense allowing the Vandals' underpowered backs to chalk up 218 yards on the ground. 

12

Clemson (2-0) 

Next Opponent: South Carolina State (Sept. 17)

If you are a Tigers fan, you have really got to be worried about Clemson. After an unexpectedly close call against Auburn, they follow up that underwhelming performance with yet another far more competitive than it ever should have been contest against a super-irrelevant Troy team. While Deshaun Watson did indeed engineer a lot of fourth quarter scoring drives to give Clemson the 30-24 win, the rest of the offense sputtered, with Clemson's running back corps accumulating a relatively meager 122 yards and no end zone visitations throughout the contest. The Tigers' D was likewise unimpressive, somehow allowing the Trojans to air it out for 245 yards. 

13

Iowa (2-0)

Next Opponent: North Dakota State (Sept. 17)

The Hawkeyes don't play the most exciting game of college ball - eschewing the flashy aerials, they simply go in there, week in and week out, and grind the pigskin into bacon salt en route to another rough and tough W. In Iowa's 42-3 throttling of Iowa State, QB CJ Beathard tossed the rock for three scores and 235 yards, as receiver Matt VandeBerg collected 129 yards and a TD on seven receptions. Meanwhile, Iowa's running back corps posted 198 yards on the day, with no less than three scramblers ... including Beathard himself ... dancing his way into enemy end zone. 

14

Oregon (2-0)

Next Opponent: Nebraska (Sept. 17)

There's no denying who the two biggest stars in the Ducks'44-26 win over Virginia were. Quarterback Dakota Prukop launched three touchdowns and finished the game with 331 yards on 21 completions, while running back hero Royce Freeman churned up the field for 207 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. What is effectively Nike University faces their first real test of the season this weekend, when they go toe-to-toe with unbeaten Nebraska in a game that could have big repercussions throughout the Pac-12 and Big-10.

15

Florida (2-0)

Next Opponent: North Texas (Sept. 17)

The Gators never took their feet off the throat of Kentucky, as they absolutely creamed the Wildcats 45-7. Luke Del Rio - who is related to Jack, but to the best of my knowledge not Alberto - had a field day against the perennial SEC East bottom-dweller, chalking up 320 yards and four touchdown passes, with top target Antonio Callaway registering 129 yards and a solo TD on five receptions. Florida's defense, believe it or not, was even more impressive: they held Kentucky to only 94 yards passing and a scant 55 rushing. 

16

Stanford (1-0)

Next Opponent: USC (Sept. 17)

The always singular Cardinal took a breather over the weekend, emerging this Saturday to go toe-to-toe with arch rivals Southern Cal in a prime-time throwdown. For those wondering, Stanford has pretty much owned the Trojans over the last decade, having won seven out of the last 10 match-ups (including last December's Pac-12 championshp game.)

17

Michigan State (1-0)

Next Opponent: Notre Dame (Sept. 17)

After a bye, the Spartans travel to South Bend for a Saturday night contest against the Fighting Irish. The longstanding rivalry was broken up by conference realignment in 2014, so this will be the first time Michigan State and Notre Dame trade blows since 2013. In case you were curious, Notre Dame won the last three meetings, and leads the all-time series 48-28-1.

18

Miami (2-0)

Next Opponent: Appalachian State (Sept. 17)

Despite quarterback Brad Kaaya playing like shit (in his 191 yard day, he lobbed two interceptions and no touchdowns), the Hurricanes nonetheless had no problems breezing past Florida Atlantic, as the "U" steamrolled their in-state rivals 38-10. You can thank Miami's run game for that, in particular back Mark Walton, who finished the game with 155 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Alas, the good times for Mark Richt and company may be short lived: this Saturday, they travel to Appalachian State's home turf for a noon match-up that already has many insiders clanging the "upset" bells.

19

Tennessee (2-0)

Next Opponent: Ohio (Sept. 17)

After a disastrous near-loss against App State in week one, the Vols somewhat redeemed themselves with a solid showing against West Virginia under the lights of Bristol Motor Speedway. In Tennessee's 45-24 victory, QB Joshua Dobbs looked much improved, lobbing the rock for three touchdowns on 10 completions (uh, just overlook the fact that he only had 91 passing yards on the day) plus another 146 rushing yards and two scrambling scores. Still, the Vols D looks porous as fuck; they let the generally offense-averse Mountaineers collect 214 aerial yards and another 186 on the ground. 

20

Georgia (2-0)

Next Opponent: Missouri (Sept. 17)

The Bulldogs almost incurred one of the most shocking upsets in recent college football history over the weekend, as they just barely got past Nicholls State (which I believe is in the college football tier reserved exclusively for special ed players) 26-24. Special teams errors cost Georgia dearly, with return specialist Isaiah McKenzie muffing the ball several times. Furthermore, UGA still hasn't resolved its quarterbacking dilemma, with starter Jacob Easmon, despite his 204 yard day, going a subpar 11 for 20 on pass attempts throughout the contest. 

21

Arizona State (2-0)

Next Opponent: UTSA (Sept. 16)

Don't look now, but the Sun Devils appear to have pieced together one of the most explosive offenses in all of college football. Look no further than standout running back Kalen Ballage, who set a new NCAA record with eight motherfucking touchdowns in their 68-55 win over Texas Tech. Oh, and their quarterback Manny Wilkins (358 yards and two touchdowns on 28 completions) ain't too shabby, neither. Granted, their passing defense is all kinds of terrible (they allowed the Raiders to accumulate 540 aerial yards and five touchdowns over the weekend), but hey - as long as you keep putting up NFL Blitz 2000 offensive numbers, I reckon you can overlook putting up the NFL Blitz 2000 defensive numbers.

22

Boise State (2-0)

Next Opponent: Oregon State (Sept. 24)

It wasn't easy, but the Broncos nonetheless managed to walk away from their weekend clash with Washington State victorious. In the razor thin 31-28 win, Boise State quarterback Brett Rypien (yes, the son of the former Redskins QB) played like utter dog shit, lobbing three interceptions and wrapping up the game with a cruddy 55.5 QBR (yeah, he got 299 yards, but come on, they always do.) Thankfully, the Broncos' defense managed to negate the Cougars run game, holding them to just 40 yards rushing, as BSU hero Jeremy McNichols collected 116 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. As for the bad news? This team's secondary sucks about as much as any secondary could ever possibly suck, as they allowed Washington State to rack up an absurd 480 aerial yards and four passing touchdowns in the contest. 

23

Navy (2-0)

Next Opponent:Tulane (Sept. 17)

The Midshipmen didn't rely on quarterback Will Worth's passing to save the day in their 28-24 win over UConn. Indeed, their QB only had 130 aerial yards on the day and no touchdown passes. Rather, Navy let their run game do all the talking (and scoring), with Worth scrambling into the end zone twice while regular running backs Dishan Romine (76 yards, nine carries) and Chris High (44 yards and a TD on seven carries) did the rest of the legwork. As impressive as Navy's 243 rushing yard day was, however, their defense shows some serious flaws - as apparent by Connecticut's 254 passing yard final tally.  

24

Army (2-0)

Next Opponent: UTEP (Sept. 17)

The Black Knights' run game absolutely murder death killed Rice, as Army racked up 348 yards on the ground en route to their blowout 31-14 victory. Running back Andy Davidson looked especially good, collecting three touchdowns in his 23-carry, 107-yard day. Army's upcoming game against Texas-El Paso will be an especially heart-wrenching one, as starting cornerback Brandon Jackson died in a car accident just hours after the team's pummeling of the Owls. 

25

Pittsburgh (2-0)

Next Opponent: Oklahoma State (Sept. 17)

In their first meeting in years, the Panthers bumped off in-state foes (and child rapist sanctuary since the 1970s) Penn State in a thrilling 42-39 finish. There's not much to say about Pittsburgh's aerial game (they had just 91 receiving yards all game), but there running attack is quite potent: by the final whistler, the Panthers had accumulated 341 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground. In a suddenly interesting match-up, the Panthers have a big opportunity to raise their stock this weekend, as they go toe-to-toe with an Oklahoma State team that is still fuming over their bullshit loss to Central Michigan last Saturday. 

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