The BES Report An Innovative Look at NFL Team Performance
The top three teams in this week’s rankings remain unchanged from our Week 6 report. The Cowboys (5-1) enjoyed a bye week which gave star receiver Dez Bryant (knee) time to recover enough to where the team is optimistic of his return against the Eagles (4-2) in Week 8. Meanwhile, the Vikings (5-1) suffered their first loss of the season to the Eagles which taxed their BES Overall score by .22 points. Nonetheless, they hold steadfast to their No. 1 spot atop our rankings for a third consecutive week.
Likewise, the Patriots (6-1) again secure their No. 3 position in BES Overall after a 27-16 win over the Steelers (4-3) who were without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (knee) and consequently shuttled out of the BES Top-10 to their current 12th-place residence. Since quarterback Tom Brady’s return from suspension, the Patriots are 3-0 but draw a tough road rematch with the Bills (4-3) who rank sixth in BES Overall (3.00), seventh in BES Offense (2.83) and third in BES Defense (3.05).
The Packers (4-2) returned to the top-10 with a thorough 26-10 triumph over the division rival Bears (1-6). In the absence of runningbacks Eddie Lacy (ankle) and James Starks (knee), the Packers have unveiled a new offensive weapon in wide receiver/halfback Ty Montgomery. Montgomery compiled 60 yards on nine rush attempts and 10 receptions for 66 yards giving him a healthy 19 touches and 126 yards from scrimmage.
After two consecutive wins over the Raiders (5-2) and Saints (2-4), the Chiefs (4-2) rose from 14th to 11th and are on the cusp of breaching the top-10 for the second time this season. Their defensive unit holds its 8th-place ranking in BES Defense and boasts the fourth-highest Takeaways score (3.03) among all 32 teams. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have risen from 23rd to 17th in BES Offense, including categorical improvements from 2.05 to 2.38 in Ball security and from 2.54 to 2.83 in Pass Protection.
In Week 8, the Chiefs will travel to confront the Colts (3-4) who made a more impressive jump from 27th to 21st. Their offense has quietly been one of the league’s more potent, ranking fourth in scoring (27.7 points per game) and ninth in yards (372.4 yards per game). However, their defense, ranked 27th by the BES, is 28th in the league in both points allowed (28.7) and yards allowed (399.7) per game. The last time the Colts and Chiefs clashed was the wildcard round of the 2013 postseason in which the Colts overcame a 28-point, third quarter deficit to secure a stunning 45-44 victory.
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