Last Place Update

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. Once again, there is a new King of the Cellar. This week, for getting their first win of the season, the 1-5 Cleveland Browns got knocked off the throne by the 1-5 Kansas City Chiefs. Ever since Jamaal Charles put up Walter Payton type numbers against the New Orleans Saints in Week 3, that second victory has been as elusive as Charles is in the open field. The last time the Chiefs started off 1-5 was in 2009, when they finished with a 4-12 record. The last time the Browns started off 1-5 was in 2010, when they finished the season 5-11.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the San Diego Chargers. After blowing certain victories against the Saints and Denver Broncos, they turned a good 5-1 record into a mediocre 3-3 record. The last time San Diego started the season at 3-3 was in 2009, when they finished with a 13-3 record. Will they get into gear or compete for Kings of the Cellar?

Next Loss...

   Here's a bold prediction. The Chiefs will not lose this week. Okay, it's no prediction at all. Kansas City has a bye this week. They will host the Oakland  Raiders next week.

   Cleveland will visit the Indianapolis Colts, the defending Kings of the Cellar champions. Indy is doing better at 2-3, but the Browns could pull an upset here, too. Cleveland won two in a row once last season and it started at Indy. However, although both teams are better at quarterback, Indy is third against the pass, so the Browns should get the loss.

Let's look at the other 1 win teams...

   The New Orleans Saints will visit sunny Florida to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, fresh off their win over the Chiefs. As with the Browns and Colts, this is a toss-up. The Saints are 31st against the run and the Bucs are 31st against the pass. The is a game the Bucs should win, but the Saints have won their first game after the bye week the last three seasons. The team whose running game and defense shows up will win.

   The Carolina Panthers will host the Dallas Cowboys. This is the best defense the Panthers will face so far this season. After a heartbreak in Baltimore, the Cowboys should keep a struggling Cam Newton in check and get the win. If Newton plays like he did last season, this could be an upset.

   In a battle of 1-4 teams, the Jacksonville Jaguars will invade the Raider Nation to play the Oakland Raiders. This is Oakland's game to lose. Both teams have only been in contention for two games, including their lone victories. However, the Raiders have the better offense and should keep the Jags at one win.

Here are some historical scores for teams playing each other this week on October 16:

1955  Green Bay 30 - Los Angeles Rams 28
1960  Washington 24 - New York Giants 24
1966  New York Giants 13 - Washington 10
1983  Detroit 31 - Chicago 17
1994  New York Jets 24 - New England 17
1994  Pittsburgh 14 - Cincinnati 10
2011  Tampa Bay 26 - New Orleans 20
2011  Baltimore 29 - Houston 14
2011  Green Bay 24 - St. Louis 3