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Articles by Ryan Young
NFL Week 6 Power Rankings: 49ers Move Up To No. 1
Not only do we have a new No. 1 atop the NFL Power Rankings, but the entire top of the list has been shaken up heading into Week 6. There are but three undefeated teams remaining after five weeks of the NFL season, including one that isn’t quite like the others. Meanwhile, the preseason Super Bowl favorites have a losing record. The defending Super Bowl champs are an even 3-3 after a loss Thursday night. A remarkable 17 teams have either 3 or 2 wins as mediocrity reigns.
NFL Winners And Losers Of The Week: Is This The 49ers Year?
Taking stock of the key storylines of the week around the NFL before flipping the page to Week 6. Five weeks into the NFL season and only three teams remain undefeated. The San Francisco 49ers, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Minnesota Vikings. Who will be the last unbeaten still standing? (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) It’s starting to feel like this just may be the 49ers year.
NFL Week 5 Game Balls: Drake Maye Is Back!
Ranking the 10 most impressive and impactful performances from around the NFL in Week 5 led by Drake Maye’s continues resurgence in New England. Week 5 in the NFL showed that a top quarterback is truly back to form, teased that a top rookie has already arrived just a handful of games into his pro career and saw a pair of previously winless teams breakthrough.
College Football Week 6 Game Balls: Top 10 Individual Performances
These were the 10 most impressive and impactful individual performances from around college football in Week 6. Five of the top 16 ranked teams lost in Week 6, including Oklahoma taking down then-No. 1 Texas in the annual Red River Shootout and then-No. 2 Georgia outlasting No. 6 Alabama in the game of the week.
NFL Week 5: Preview, Perspective And Predictions
TeamFB7 has thoughts and predictions for every game on the Week 5 NFL slate. The NFC West was the best division in football last year, and it might just be even better in 2026. In our latest NFL Power Rankings, the San Francisco 49ers (No. 2), Seattle Seahawks (3) and Los Angeles Rams (4) held three of the top four spots.
College Football Week 6: Preview, Perspective And Predictions
No. 2-ranked Georgia visits No. 6 Alabama on Saturday in the top game of Week 6 in college football. TeamFB7 makes predictions for that game and every other top 25 matchup. Is Alabama football back? Like, truly back? Third-year coach Kalen DeBoer will get the chance to prove that Saturday, as there’s no better way to answer that question than a top-10 showdown at home vs. rival Georgia. (Photo by Getty Images) While Kirby Smart is 122-21 overall in his time at Georgia, he’s just 2-7 all-time vs.
3 Thoughts To Take Into The Weekend: Dallas’ ‘Embarrassing’ Loss, Todd Bowles’ Future, Updated NFL Hot Seat Rankings
Reactions to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beating the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, a fresh look at NFL head coach hot seat rankings and more.
NFL Week 5 Power Rankings: Top Contenders Separating After Four Games
No change at the top, but there was plenty of shakeup otherwise in the weekly NFL power rankings. So far, the single most impactful free agent signing of the offseason has proven to be the Kansas City Chiefs signing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III away from the Seattle Seahawks.
NFL Week 4 Winners And Losers: Falcons Flip Switch From Futile To Fun
Before turning the page to the start of Week 5 on Thursday night, it’s time to take stock of the winners and losers around the NFL in Week 4. Along with John Harbaugh to the New York Giants, we opined many times this offseason that the Atlanta Falcons made one of the best hires in landing former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski.
NFL Week 4 Game Balls: Top 10 Individual Performances
These were the 10 most impressive and impactful performances across the NFL in Week 4. Maybe the Seattle Seahawks should have found the money to keep running back Kenneth Walker III because the now Kansas City Chiefs staff is going to need to build a new trophy case to store all the TeamFB7 “Game Balls” he’s accumulating this season.
College Football Game Balls For Week 5: Top 10 Individual Performances
TeamFB7 ranks the 10 most impressive and impactful individual performances from around college football in Week 5. Week 5 of the college football season gave the TeamFB7 “Game Balls” committee plenty to consider, as evidenced by a loaded honorable mentions list of incredible performances that didn’t make the cut.
NFL Week 4: Preview, Perspective And Predictions
Thoughts and predictions for every matchup on the NFL Week 4 Sunday slate. Only five NFL teams remain unbeaten at this point and two of those go head-to-head Sunday as the revitalized Kansas City Chiefs visit the surprisingly spry Las Vegas Raiders. But that’s not the most intriguing game on the Week 4 Sunday schedule.
College Football Week 5: Preview, Perspective And Predictions
Predictions and perspective on every top 25 game for the Week 5 Saturday lineup across college football. The next class of college football’s star quarterbacks has arrived, and the two best of the best just happen to go head-to-head Saturday afternoon in the game of the week.
First-And-10: 10 Thoughts And Takes Leading Into College Football’s Week 5
TeamFB7 tackles the 10 most compelling topics across college football heading into the Week 5 schedule Saturday. Is one of the most high-profile coaches in college football coaching for his job the rest of this season? (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Are the Florida Gators truly back as a legitimate national title contender, or did the college football world overreact with the AP poll voters moving them up an incredible 13 spots to No. 8 after that emphatic win over Ole Miss?
NFL Week 4 Fast Takes: Trevor Lawrence Stirs Up Controversy By Avoiding Late-Game Touchdown
A handful of final thoughts and takes heading into the main NFL Week 4 slate with reactions from Thursday night. Even though the weekly NFL Winners & Losers column covers so much ground and intends to be thorough and all-encompassing, the news cycle never slows, some hot takes don’t quite fit that space and then Deshaun Watson goes out Thursday night and improbably wins a third straight game in the year 2026.
NFL Power Rankings Week 4: A New Team At The Top
The weekly NFL power rankings received quite a reshuffling heading into Week 5 with significant shakeup at the top. As much as the Los Angeles Rams still look like they’ll be one of the teams to beat once fully healthy, a 1-2 start can’t be overlooked. As much as logic and the depth of talent on their roster says the Houston Texans will surely turn this around, there’s no way to sugarcoat an 0-3 start.
NFL Week 3 Winners And Losers: Resurgence For Written-Off QBs
Before turning the focus forward to the start of Week 4 Thursday night, let’s take stock of the winners and losers from Week 3 in the NFL. From time to time, it’s just fun to lay out all the latest reasons why the NFL season — every season, this one being no different — is so endearingly wacky, unpredictable and even to a degree nonsensical.
NFL Week 3 Game Balls: Top 10 Individual Performances
After diving into the game tape and sifting through every box score from Week 3 of the NFL season, these were the 10 most outstanding individual performances. Game-winning interceptions, resurgent past-their-prime quarterbacks keying big wins, clutch kickers and some feisty Falcons contributed to full list of “Game Ball”-worthy performances from Week 3 of the NFL season.
College Football Week 4 Game Balls: Top 10 Individual Performances
After breaking down the tape and sifting through box scores from around the country, TeamFB7 filters down the weekly “Game Balls” list to the 10 very best or most impactful individual performances from college football’s Week 4.
NFL Week 3: Preview, Perspective And Predictions
Breaking down the Week 3 NFL schedule with score predictions! We opined Saturday morning how ruthless the college football schedule remains, even with the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, and how several teams would wake up on Sunday realizing their playoff hopes were already effectively dashed. The NFL doesn’t work quite the same way. Slow starts can be and have been overcome.
College Football Week 4: Preview, Perspective And Predictions
Saturday brings six college football matchups between top 25 teams as the season shifts to a full slate of conference play in Week 4. One of the charms of the college football season has always been its abject ruthlessness. Even the expanded College Football Playoff field hasn’t diluted that. There’s minimal margin for error, and this is about the point of the season that reality starts to hit teams in a very emphatic way. Take No. 12 USC hosting No. 20 Oregon on Saturday night, for instance.
NFL Power Rankings Week 3: Rams Still Team To Beat But Super Bowl Race Is Crowded
With two weeks of NFL action in the books, it’s time to update our TeamFB7 power rankings for Week 3 based on the early returns of the season. The NFL’s perpetual unpredictability has always been among its most compelling components. And sure enough, it’s only taken two weeks into the 2026 season to shake up much of what we thought we knew about the hierarchy of contenders and otherwise. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) The Las Vegas Raiders are 2-0.
NFL Winners And Losers From Week 2: Bills Made The Right Move, Hard Times For Harbaugh Brothers
Before turning the page to the start of Week 3 on Thursday night, let’s dive into the true winners and losers from the second week of the NFL season. Last week in this space, the feel-good vibes of the first weeks of the NFL season were still in full effect. The “winners” column dwarfed the “losers” list. After all, how bad could anything really be after one game? But two weeks in?
NFL Week 2 Game Balls: Top 10 Individual Performances
Spotlighting the 10 most significant individual performances from Week 2 of the NFL season. As much as the TeamFB7 “Game Balls” selection committee values spreading the attention around, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba simply left no option but to be featured here for the second straight week to start the season. In general, quarterbacks and wide receivers dominated the candidates list in Week 2 while two defensive players made the cut.
First-And-10: 10 Takeaways And Thoughts Entering College Football’s Week 4
Looking ahead to Week 4 of the college football season with some parting thoughts from last weekend, a look at the top-performing first-year head coaches, several quarterbacks deserving a special spotlight and the biggest games and storylines of the week ahead. The college football season did a mighty fine job keeping the intrigue level high during the uneven non-conference weeks.
College Football Week 3 Game Balls: Top 10 Individual Performances
Week 3 of the college football season allowed the picture to come more into focus. These were the 10 best all-around individual performances across college football last week. Quarterbacks usually get most of the attention and credit, so TeamFB7’s “Game Balls” selection committee has strived to make the bar especially high for QBs to make the list.
NFL Week 2: Preview, Perspective And Predictions
Get set for another Sunday of NFL action with our breakdown of the Week 2 slate, spotlighting the best games to watch and predictions for every contest. One of the wacky stats in football that gets recirculated every year is how the Chicago Bears have somehow, someway remained — not by choice but perhaps by pure organizational ethos (and a whole lot of bad quarterbacks) — the only NFL team to never have a QB put together a 4,000-yard passing season.
College Football Week 3: Preview, Perspective And Predictions
Breaking down the top storylines and matchups for Week 3 of the college football season with predictions for every top 25 matchup. College football has really cornered the American sports market on drama and theatrics. As compelling as the NFL is week to week, as internationally famous as the NBA’s biggest stars are these days, as captivating as the MLB postseason will be in a few weeks, only college football has this.
NFL Week 1 Game Balls: Top Individual Performances
Each week, TeamFB7 will cull through the box scores and crunch the game film to rank the 10 best individual performances around the NFL. On a week that saw the highest-scoring season-opener in NFL history, two former MVP quarterbacks lighting up the scoreboard, an ageless 32-year-old running back playing like he’s 22 and countless other stars stuffing the box scores, it was no easy task cutting the list at 10 for Week 1.
NFL Winners And Losers From Week 1: Patrick Mahomes And The Chiefs Are Very Much Back
Each week in this space, TeamFB7 will spotlight the biggest winners of the week — be it a team, coach, individual player or overarching storyline — while also levying criticism and second-guessing where deserved. Did the Los Angeles Rams lose their “Superteam” status after just one game along with their star pass rusher (and any sense for logic) in their jet-lagged debacle “Down Under”? Are the Kansas City Chiefs back even stronger in their 2026 comeback campaign?
College Football Week 2 Game Balls: Top 10 Individual Performances
Every week, TeamFB7 spotlights the 10 best individual performances across college football, awarding “Game Balls” to the select group that makes the cut. After crunching the tape and scouring box scores from around the country, the “Game Balls” department found a nice cross-section of worthy candidates from Week 2 of the college football season.
Predictions And Perspective On The Buffalo Bills
Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 went in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the Buffalo Bills. Perhaps some small part of the reason why last season was the tipping point for the Sean McDermott Era in Buffalo is that the Buffalo Bills finally had a path to the Super Bowl that didn’t involve the familiar obstacle that had denied them so many times before.
Predictions And Perspective On The Houston Texans
Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 went in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the Houston Texans. This isn’t a 2000 Baltimore Ravens or 2006 Chicago Bears type of situation. The Houston Texans aren’t trotting out Trent Dilfer or Rex Grossman at quarterback and hoping it won’t matter because their elite defense might get them to the Super Bowl regardless.
Predictions And Perspective On The Baltimore Ravens
Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 went in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the Baltimore Ravens. Lamar Jackson is already a two-time NFL MVP and finished second in the voting another year. He’s already the NFL’s all-time leader in rushing yards by a quarterback (6,522 and counting entering 2026). Quite simply, he’s must-watch entertainment every week.
Predictions And Perspective On The Philadelphia Eagles
Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 went in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the Philadelphia Eagles. If only looking at his resume on paper, it would seem outrageous to say that Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni is on the hotseat in any way in 2026.
Predictions And Perspective On The Los Angeles Chargers
Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 went in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the Los Angeles Chargers. The Los Angeles Chargers have the right quarterback in Justin Herbert. They have the right head coach in Jim Harbaugh. They have ample offensive skill talent, and they had a top 5 defensive in the NFL last year.
32 Teams In 32 Days: Predictions And Perspective On The Denver Broncos
Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 is going in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. Next up are the Denver Broncos, who get started Monday night vs. the Kansas City Chiefs. Sean Payton has led the Broncos on a steady trajectory through his first three seasons in Denver, from 8-9 to 10-7 and then the true breakout last year with a 14-3 record and run to the AFC championship game.
32 Teams In 32 Days: Predictions And Perspective On The Kansas City Chiefs
Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 is going in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. Next up are the Kansas City Chiefs, who get started Monday night vs. the Denver Broncos. The Kansas City Chiefs’ 2025 season is one of the more improbable regressions in the NFL in recent memory. Sure, star quarterback Patrick Mahomes sustained a season-ending knee injury, but that wasn’t until Week 15.
32 Teams In 32 Days: Predictions And Perspective On the Dallas Cowboys
Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 is going in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. Next up are the Dallas Cowboys. Every season for the Dallas Cowboys is intended to be THE season. The long-awaited breakthrough for a proud franchise that hasn’t gotten past the divisional round of the playoffs since its last Super Bowl title at the end of the 1995 season — more than three decades ago now.
32 Teams In 32 Days: Predictions And Perspective On The Chicago Bears
Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 is going in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. Next up are the Chicago Bears.
32 Teams In 32 Days: Predictions And Perspective On The Minnesota Vikings
Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 is going in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. Next up are the Minnesota Vikings. The extent of J.J. McCarthy’s stifling impact on the Minnesota Vikings last season is about to be fully quantifiable if new quarterback Kyler Murray, released by the Arizona Cardinals and signed to a one-year deal, can return the team to the playoffs.
32 Teams In 32 Days: Predictions And Perspective On The Green Bay Packers
Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 is going in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. Next up are the Green Bay Packers. On the surface, the Green Bay Packers have been one of the most stable franchises in the NFL during coach Matt LaFleur’s tenure the last seven years.
32 Teams In 32 Days: Predictions And Perspective On The Detroit Lions
Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 is going in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. Next up are the Detroit Lions. The Detroit Lions were one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL last season, plain and simple. After winning 27 games over the previous two seasons, the Lions opened last season tied for the fifth-best Super Bowl odds.
NFL Week 1: Preview, Predictions And Perspective
The NFL season kicked off earlier this week, but the Sunday/Monday slate is packed with compelling Week 1 matchups. We spotlight the games to watch and make predictions. The NFL season started where it left off, with the Seattle Seahawks and backup quarterback Drew Lock winning a Super Bowl rematch over the again-humbled New England Patriots, 13-10, on Wednesday night.
32 Teams In 32 Days: No. 17, Predictions And Perspective On The Pittsburgh Steelers
Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 is going in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. Next up are the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 17 in our preseason power rankings. For everything he accomplished, the respect he commanded around the NFL and the stability he brought to the organization, many Pittsburgh Steelers fans weren’t sad to see Mike Tomlin step down after 19 seasons as head coach.
College Football Week 2 Predictions: Ohio State-Texas Takes Center Stage
A look at the biggest games on weekend college football schedule, including one of the most anticipated matchups of the entire season. It’s only Week 2 of the college football season, yet one of the most anticipated and important games of the entire fall arrives Saturday. No. 1 Ohio State (1-0) at No. 4 (Texas), 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday night on ABC.
32 Teams In 32 Days: No. 18, Predictions And Perspective On The Cincinnati Bengals
Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 is going in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. Next up are the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 18 in our preseason power rankings. Let’s just get it out of the way up top — the Cincinnati Bengals are our pick to be the most overrated team in the NFL this season.
32 Teams In 32 Days: No. 7, Predictions And Perspective On The San Francisco 49ers
Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 is going in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. With San Francisco opening the season Thursday night vs. the Los Angeles Rams in Australia, we turn the focus to 49ers, who are No. 7 in our preseason power rankings.
32 Teams In 32 Days: No. 1, Predictions And Perspective On The Los Angeles Rams
Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 is going in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. With the Los Angeles Rams opening the season Thursday night vs. the San Francisco 49ers in Australia, we turn the focus to preseason favorites, who are No. 1 in our power rankings. There’s very few teams in the NFL that can say anything less than a Super Bowl championship this season would be a disappointment.
32 Teams In 32 Days: No. 2, Predictions And Perspective On The Seattle Seahawks
Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 is going in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. With the Seattle Seahawks opening the season Wednesday night at home vs. the New England Patriots in a Super Bowl rematch, we turn the focus to reigning champions, who are No. 2 in our preseason power rankings.
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