Two weeks ago, this column was introduced with the incredulity that we'd be at all concerned with draft position. After all, the Seahawks had just won in convincing fashion against a Dallas squad that looks to be very much in the fight for the NFC East crown.
But while we sit here with the same .500 mark that we had back then, the road to a playoff spot seems much more difficult than it did in Week 2. Thanks to Seattle's inability to win a divisional game, the Seahawks now sit last in the NFC West - a division that is no longer the cupcake that fans and pundits had been taking for granted the last several years. And it certainly didn't help that last week's game highlighted the team's weaknesses and mental lapses much more than it did showcase their strengths.
So, yeah. Looks like DraftWatch might be relevant this year after all.
Here's how the draft standings look after four weeks of play:
1. Saints (0-4, .516 SOS)
2. Browns (0-4, .525 SOS)
3. Chiefs (1-3, .435 SOS)
4. Raiders (1-3, .444 SOS)
5. Panthers (1-3, .484 SOS, 1-2 Div.)
6. Buccaneers (1-3, .484 SOS, 1-0 Div.)
7. Dolphins (1-3, .492 SOS)
8. Jaguars (1-3, .516 SOS)
9. Titans (1-3, .525 SOS)
10. Lions (1-3, .651 SOS)
11. Colts (1-2, .453 SOS)
12. Steelers (1-2, .484 SOS)
13. Broncos (2-2, .460 SOS)
14. Giants (2-2, .508 SOS, 0-2 Div.)
T15. Bills (2-2, .508 SOS, 1-1 Div.)
T15. Rams via Redskins (2-2, .508 SOS, 0-0 Div.)
17. Cowboys (2-2, .508 SOS, 1-0 Div.)
18. Jets (2-2, .516 SOS)
19. Patriots (2-2, .524 SOS)
20. Packers (2-2, 540 SOS)
21. Seahawks (2-2, .578 SOS, 0-2 Div.)
22. Rams (2-2, .578 SOS, 1-0 Div.)
23. Chargers (3-1, .400 SOS)
24. Bengals (3-1, .435 SOS)
25. Eagles (3-1, .476 SOS)
26. Ravens (3-1, .484 SOS)
27. 49ers (3-1, .531 SOS)
28. Bears (3-1, .532 SOS, 0-1 Div.)
29. Vikings (3-1, .532 SOS, 1-0 Div.)
30. Falcons (4-0, .391 SOS)
31. Texans (4-0, .435 SOS)
32. Cardinals (4-0, .578 SOS)
(Strength of Schedule is determined by combining the win-loss records of all 16 opponents on a team's schedule, giving double weight to divisional opponents. Divisional record is used to break ties, followed by a coin flip.)
Note to the NFL: I realize bye weeks are a necessary element of the regular season, as it allows teams to get some additional rest and get back up to full strength for the remainder of the year. But when you only have two teams not playing on the first bye week, it seems awfullly pointless - especially to guys like us who have to go from listing the straight records because everyone's played the same number of games to percentage points which take about three times as long to calculate. Next year, could you be a dear and do these bye weeks a little more efficiently? Thanks, you're too kind.
Anyway, the NFC West continues to reign as the biggest dog in the league right now, with a combined record of 11-5. Meanwhile, the NFC South is languishing as the weakest division; even with the undefeated Falcons, the other three teams in the division have a total of two wins between them. And in a cute little bit of trivia, all four divisions in the AFC have exactly seven total wins. (Of course, that means that they all have a sub-.500 record.)
All things considered, I hope that the Seahawks win in Carolina next Sunday; as much as I love doing this column (and I appreciate Danny bringing me into the fold of Field Gulls authors), I hope that DraftWatch doesn't become any more relevant than it already is. We'll be here next week regardless; see you then!