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2004 year-end Top 10
Cold, Hard Football Facts for August 3, 2005
The Cold, Hard Football Facts will release their preseason Power Rankings before the start of the 2005 season. Here's a look back at our final 2004 rankings. Unlike other ranking systems, the Cold, Hard Football Facts put a premium on quality wins*, the single most accurate indicator of teams' relative strength. These were, in order and in no uncertain terms, the top 10 teams in football in 2004-05.
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I
New England (17-2; previous ranking, 2) - The Patriots have won two straight Super Bowls and three of the last four, set a two-season NFL record with 34 victories and just overcame the toughest postseason schedule in modern NFL history. If you're still not convinced or still think they're "lucky" then you are a bigger tool than we thought.
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II
Philadelphia (15-4; previous, 7) – The Eagles emerged from the woeful NFC and shocked us by going toe-to-toe with New England in Super Bowl XXXIX. Terrell Owens caught nine balls for 122 yards, but perhaps if he had found the end zone at least once Andy Reid would be hoisting the Lombardi trophy while wearing that black body suit. Count your blessings.
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III
Pittsburgh (16-2; previous, 1) - You land at the three spot when your team leads the league in total defense (258.4 YPG) and scoring defense (15.7 PPG). You also land here when your name is Cowher and you just can't seem to get it done. Cowher is an amazing 1-4 in AFC championship games.
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IV
Indianapolis (13-5; previous, 3) - Indy's D ranked 29th in total defense, 24th in rush defense, 24th in pass defense and 19th in scoring defense. That's not good enough to overcome Peyton Manning's annual postseason implosion - Colts have scored just 5.7 PPG in last three playoff losses.
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V
New York Jets (11-7; previous, 6) - The Cold, Hard Football Facts love Curtis Martin who, at 32, ensured himself a spot in Canton with career highs in carries (371) and rushing yards (1,697). The Jets also ranked 7th in total defense and 4th in scoring defense and were just a failed kick and coach's choke away from playing for the right to go to the Super Bowl.
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VI
Atlanta (12-6; previous, 9) - Jim Mora Jr.'s first season at the helm went well as Michael Vick played an entire season without getting injured. But an unbalanced attack was Atlanta's undoing. The Falcons offense ranked No. 1 in rushing yards and No. 30 in passing yards.
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VII
San Diego (12-5; previous, 4) - The Chargers looked good on paper with a 12-4 regular season record. But the quality wins quotient showed that they were a fraud. San Diego went 2-4 against teams with winning records and then, predictably, lost at home in the playoffs to the 10-6 Jets.
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VIII
Minnesota (9-9; previous, unranked) - The Vikings earn a top 10 spot by default, coming from the piss-poor NFC. Minnesota did go into Lambeau in the postseason and lay a 31-17 whipping on Green Bay before losing to eventual NFC champion Philly.
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IX
Green Bay (10-7; previous, 10) - Favre ended his season with another inadequate postseason performance: 22 for 33, 216 yards, 1 TD, 4 INTs and a 55.4 passer rating.
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X
Buffalo (9-7; previous, 5) - The Bills won 8 of their last 10 and were one of the stronger statistical teams in football in 2004: Buffalo ranked 7th in points scored and 8th in points allowed. With a season-ending victory at Pittsburgh, the Bills might have done some damage in the postseason.
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* The Cold, Hard Football Facts define quality wins as any victory against a team that currently possesses a winning record.
The Cold, Hard Football Facts X from XXXII list is compiled by contributor Chuck Robinson.
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