Cowboy Nation Week 5 Power Rankings

“I want a new drug
One that wont hurt my head
One that wont make my mouth too dry
Or make my eyes too red” – Huey Lewis and the News “I Want a New Drug”

A lot of teams are in need of a new drug. Bye weeks are coming on heavy. Not too mention the bust players of the season who are either underperforming or have gone down with injuries. Time for a new drug, and in Cowboy Nation, the free agent market isn’t exactly a talent pool. In fact, I would say it’s more like the CFL. It only seems imminent that trades soon come from the horizon before Sunday’s games begin.

1) The Raging Sherpas – Shea Dixon: (4-0) If I had a vote this past weekend, I wouldn’t have voted for USC to be jumped by LSU. There are two 4-0 teams in the league, and both are hot. As for the Power Rankings, the Sherpas stay at the top spot. And, frankly, not much is going wrong with this team. Tom Brady has been on point all season. Add T.O. and Marion Barber III to the list and you have three of the top players on the NFL’s two best teams. Fortunately for the Sherpas, that means points. LT finally got his engine running this past weekend, until they basically benched him at halftime. Though things are rocky in San Diego, LT should eventually get the touches he is paid for. The Sherpas have swept the competition thus far. Yet, the first “true” test should come this week against Kastanos.

Last Week's Ranking: 1

2) Walker TX Ranger – Brian Norris: (4-0) The Sherpas fell short of 100 points for the first time this season. The Rangers did the same, except it was only one point short of the mark, as they defeated the Shreveport Battlewings 99-54 in a game between two of the teams three undefeated teams. Now just two remain. As for the Rangers, Norris is sitting on two good things. For one, his player’s are all red hot, and he is the current point leader in the Cowboy Nation standings, which is what matters in the end. Two, he happens to be sitting on heavy trade bait. He has two of the top five QBs in the NFL on his roster. Trent Green should be safe to ride during his by week. So, let the offers roll, for it seems that either Brett Favre or (gasp) Carson Palmer could be on the trading block. With less touches going the way of Maroney and Co. in New England, offers also seem to be sought from Norris for a 2^nd running back behind AP. Whatever happens, if this team stays this hot, Chuck Norris should clinch a playoff spot halfway through the season.

Last Week's Ranking: 2

3) Shreveport Battlewings – Beau Fleming: (3-1) The Battlewings fell hard against the TX Rangers, putting up a season-low 54 points. Trouble is indeed brewing. This team has no QB, with Smith out four weeks and Bulger out indefinitely (given health and ineffectiveness). The bench doesn’t offer much, given half of its players are stricken with injury or buried beneath a depth chart. Jason Campbell will be this team’s starter, unless the Battlewings make a trade by Sunday. The WR core is fine, but moves at the RB and QB could be made to strengthen this team. Right now, team owner Fleming knows that he is in third place with a seventh or eighth place team. 3-1 is a great record to start off the season, yet time will tell if this team can battle injuries and manage bye weeks to capture a playoff spot.

Last Week's Ranking: 3

4) I’m 40, I’m a Man – Jon Kastanos: (2-2) This team was tough to not put at the number three spot. Through four weeks, Kastanos has put up the third most points in the league. The competition has also been tough, given Kastanos has had the 4^th most points scored on him in the four weeks combined. The three teams ahead of Kastanos also happen to be the three teams who have had the least amount of points scored on them thus far. This team is strong across the board, especially when anchored by Romo. Nothing flashy, but this team will put up points in the 80-plus range every week. Kastanos has a playoff team on his hands. Question is, can everyone keep pace with production thus far?

Last Week's Ranking: 5

5) The Aints – Dean Mijalis: (2-2) The Aints, well, ain’t doing much. They have put up the fourth least amount of points in the league, while sitting among the bottom half of the teams in the points against category. McNabb was a letdown this week, but the points aren’t coming because of injuries. Marvin Harrison remains banged up, while Stephen Jackson is still out (not to even say he will be back to form when he does return). Add to that the fact that Plaxico might not go this weekend, and Mijalis is looking at a tough week ahead. Not to mention it’s McNabb’s bye week, and The Aints don’t currently have another QB on the roster. Unless waivers fall the Aint’s way with the gift of points, Mijalis could fall to 2-3 this weekend, a far cry from how this team began the season.

Last Week's Ranking: 4

6) GREEK MAFIA – Andrew Mijalis: (2-2) It’s hard to argue that this isn’t the hottest team in the league, at least in respect to their slow start. Mafia has put up the league’s second least amount of points, but wins are wins, and this team is .500 after a 0-2 start that made them look like on of the worst teams in the league. And, if you didn’t catch Monday night’s showdown, it was a doozy. Down 19 points, MAFIA was led to victory by TJ Housh and Wes Welker, who combined for, you guessed it, 20 points. Then again, simply starting Jamaal Lewis would have sealed the deal much earlier for Mijalis. No harm no foul, and Mijalis will gladly welcome Vince Young and Clinton Portis back to the roster this week, able to snatch a surprising victory despite their absence.

Last Week's Ranking: 7

7) Intramurals Brother – Matt Conway: (1-3) Slow start. Injuries
. Etc. This team doesn’t just look good on paper, they look good when they get on the field. Problem is, the injury bug is living in the Brother’s house. That said, the players he needs to have on the field aren’t getting their very often. Rudi Johnson was out. Anquan Boldin was out. Vernon Davis is still out. Even Mark Clayton is banged up. Yet, when this team was down and out two weeks ago, it was head coach Dan Hawkins that kicked the team in the rear and got them their first win. It seems now, yet again, they have made the move that they needed. Moving out Ronnie Brown was risky, but when this team gets healthy, they are easily one of the most dangerous rosters in the league.

Last Week's Ranking: 6

8) Team Beastmode – Daniel Roane: (2-2) I’m not sure what to say here. The team plowed this weekend, but three of the players that added to the big point totals all went for their biggest weekends so far this season. That isn’t gonna happen every week. We’re in Baton Rouge, and Roane was mocked when he let half the rookie Tigers onto his roster. Buster Davis isn’t fantasy ready, but it seems Roane struck gold with Dwayne Bowe. Three TDs through four weeks is red-hot for the rookie WR. Stud WR Braylon Edwards also happens to be having the year of his life, running like a train after his slow week one start. Dallas Clark is the elite TE in the league right now, and Ronnie Brown gives Roane the production he lacked at RB. Problem is, where does he go from here? He acquired Chris Brown, but he is of no more value than Maurice Jones Drew, who Roane put on the free agent market just last week. So, in a sense, Roane traded Colston and Winslow for Brown. Of course, Brown is the load carrier in Miami. Yet, giving away two top playmakers in return for one seems like a decision of desperate times and measures rather than rationale thoughts.

Last Week's Ranking: 11

9) Shrute Farm Beets – Patrick Crawford: (1-3) It’s troubling that the Beets were at full strength this week and no starter, outside Big Ben, found the endzone. Frank Gore was held in check for the second week in a row. LaMont Jordan was in the same boat, and might find himself in a deeper hole given that Dominic Rhodes is coming off of suspension and is the hot item on the free agent market. Edge needs to find more production, but that can wait. What can’t is the WR spot. Every week Crawford tests a new tandem, and none have paid off. That bad luck continued when he released Patrick Crayton, who had a career day on Sunday and also looks to be a hot free agent item heading into this weekend. Then again, a career day is a career day. This might not ever happen again. Caveat Emptor.

Last Week's Ranking: 9

10) Team Faith – Jason Burklow: (1-3) All this team needs is faith and they are destined for the playoffs. Things in New Orleans are rocky, so hopefully the week off gave Drew Brees the time he needed to clear his head and begin to put up the fantasy numbers that his value comes with. The running game isn’t overly powerful, but it often gets the job done. When Andre Johnson gets healthy, this team has an extremely dynamic duo at the WR spot. The Steelers defense and Jeff Reed should continue to put up big points while things are going good in Pittsburgh. Faith.. I see this team climbing back above .500 soon.

Last Week's Ranking: 8

11) The Bottom Dwellers – Ryan Smelley: (1-3) Last week I said everyone was in the mix, even 0-3. The Dwellers proved that this week when they knocked out their first win of the season. In fact, Larry Johnson just might have arrived for team owner Ryan Smelley. Thomas Jones is not a bad sidekick to LJ, and Santonio Holmes had a scorching weekend. Eli at QB didn’t look bad against the Eagles, but he didn’t look amazing. He looked, well, like Eli. If Torry Holt can get the Rams sparked on offense, this team could be primed to make a run at a playoff spot. Don’t count out Marty and Co. And, let us not forget, Smelley lost out on Deuce when he went down for the season. If a run is made, Smelley will be one of the more impressive stories of the league.

Last Week's Ranking: 12

12) Baby Matrix – Andrew Ashby: (1-3) This team has lost three straight games and sit right at the bottom of the Power Rankings. Javon Walker has been injured half the season, while Devery Henderson and Roddy White offer little in his place. Getting Devery Henderson and Reggie Bush rolling will be huge for this team. When Johnson gets healthy, expect Schaub to take the reigns of this team. A hot Javon Walker won’t hurt either. This team needs help quick, so something must happen. Then again, Cowboy Nation is a $30 per team league. Owner Andrew Ashby probably has other things on his mind.

http://www.iprdata.com/ipr/eventDetail/id-3493.html

It is the International Poker Rankings database. And, of course, Baby Matrix is at #168, raking in over $4,000 at a satellite tournament for the WSOP. Add to that the $30,000 tournament that Ashby won at the Beau Rivage last month, and the bottom of the Power Rankings isn’t something he loses sleep over. In fact, he might just buy this site and shut it down..

Last Week's Ranking: 10