NFL First Quarter Report: By the Fives

We are through the first quarter of games for most of the teams in the league, so let's take a look at how things stack up so far;

TOP 5 TEAMS
1. Tennessee (4-0) 102 Points For; 46 Points Against: The Titans have the best defense in the league, allowing only 11 ppg. Albert Haynesworth is the beast that drives the defense, and coach Jeff Fisher has Kerry Collins managing the games effectively on offense. Throw in the home run threat that rookie Chris Johnson gives them out of the backfield and the Titans will be tough to beat.
2. New York Giants (3-0) 83 PF; 43 PA: The defending Super Bowl champs have come out of the gate hot, but there is some turmoil brewing in the Big Apple. Plaxico Burress received a two week suspension for missing team meetings, and this is troubling considering that the Giants gave him a hefty extension prior to the season. Tom Coughlin has a tough task to keep this team focused the rest of the way.
3. Dallas (3-1) 120 PF; 89 PA: The Cowboys looked like the team to beat until last week's loss at home to Washington. Marion Barber only had eight carries, and rookie Felix Jones did not have a touch on offense in the loss. Terrell Owens was complaining about a lack of touches after the game, and it could be a matter of time before he goes into full tantrum mode.
4. Philadelphia (2-2) 110 PF; 74 PA: The Eagles dropped a close one to Chicago on Sunday night, but they were without Brian Westbrook who is recovering from an ankle injury. When Westbrook is healthy, the Eagles have proven to be one of the best in the league, and rookie D'Sean Jackson gives Donovan McNabb the deep threat he has so desperately needed.
5. Carolina (3-1) 80 PF; 70 PA: The Panthers have some tough wins in the early season, and the return of Steve Smith the past two weeks gives them an offensive play maker who is tough to stop. Rookie Jonathan Stewart adds a power runner to the mix, and John Fox has this team poised to make a playoff push.

BOTTOM 5 TEAMS
32. St. Louis (0-4) 43 PF; 147 PA:Scott Linehan is out and Jim Haslett is in. This is the same Jim Haslett who has coordinated the defense which has allowed 147 thus far. This is a team that gets blown out every week and needs more than a coaching change to turn things around.
31. Cincinnati (0-4) 52 PF; 87 PA: Since you should already know how I feel about this organization, here are my thoughts on the Cedric Benson signing. At first, I had the same reaction as most, which was shock. I thought it was a wasted signing that will only bring more shame to the team. After I thought about it, I don't mind it nearly as much. Benson was the fourth overall pick and showed flashes of good inside running ability with the Bears. Kenny Watson and DeDe Dorsey are hurt for the Bengals, so they had to make a move to get a running back. Why not take a flier on Benson? I am more worried about the rumors of his being a poor teammate than I am about his off the field issues. He could provide a push in the running game, and if not, he is gone at the end of the season anyways. For those of you who wanted Shaun Alexander, NO! Alexander is 31 years old and has run as soft as anyone in the league the past two years. He was the beneficiary of running behind Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson for all those years in Seattle, but there are plenty of reasons why no one wants him on their team right now.
30. Detroit (0-3) 59 PF; 113 PA: Lions fans can rejoice because the Matt Millen Era is finally over. Whether or not that makes any difference for a totally inept franchise is yet to be seen. Last time I checked Jon Kitna was still the quarterback and Rod Marinelli was still the coach.
29. Oakland (1-3) 78 PF; 101 PA: The Raiders have actually played ok since they were destroyed in the Monday night opener against the Broncos, but after watching that Al Davis press conference yesterday, there is no way I could put them any higher on the list. Davis actually seemed lucid and under control despite the fact that he looked like the Crypt Keeper's long lost twin. I actually tend to believe him over Lane Kiffin who seems more and more like a sneaky little weasel each day.
28. Cleveland (1-3) 46 PF; 78 PA: The Browns lone win is against the Bengals, so that should get thrown out the window. Derek Anderson just flat out is not any good. He was on fire the first half of last season, but he struggled down the stretch, and he is off to a terrible start to this season. I really cannot see this team winning more than five games this year, but everyone can take solace in the fact that they will be on national television four more times. YIPPEE!

Top 5 MVP

1. Drew Brees QB New Orleans: Brees has been on the money so far this season, compiling 1,343 yards, eight touchdowns, and a QB rating of 106.9. What is even more amazing is that he has done this without his favorite target Marques Colston. Brees will have to continue to play well if New Orleans wants any shot at the post season because the defense down there cannot stop anyone.
2. Albert Haynesworth DT Tennessee: There might not be another player in the league that has a bigger impact on his side of the ball than Haynesworth. He is an absolute monster in the middle, racking up 5 sacks already.
3. Jay Cutler QB Denver: Cutler is the main reason the Broncos are the surprise of the league at 3-1. He has 1,275 yards and nine touchdowns so far, and he has led his team to three shootout victories. Much like Brees, Cutler's defense cannot stop anyone, so his shoulder should be sore come winter.
4. Clinton Portis RB Washington: The Redskins are also a big surprise, sitting at 3-1 and in 2nd place of the ridiculous NFC East. Portis is one of the best all around backs in the league, and his play has helped reduce the pressure on young quarterback Jason Campbell. Portis can run and catch, but his blocking might be the thing that puts him at the head of the pack.
5. Adrian Peterson RB Minnesota; It is amazing how good this kid is. The Vikings have absolutely no threat in the passing game, and opposing defenses continue to stack 8 or 9 men in the box. Despite all of this, Peterson is still averaging 5.1 yards/carry and is the only offensive threat Minnesota has. At 1-3 the Vikings are in trouble, but if they can turn things around, it will likely be Peterson's doing which would be enough to push him to the top of this list.

Top 5 Rookie RBS: With such a great rookie crop of running backs, it is amazing to think that they guy who could become the best in the league in a few seasons is only fourth on my list of guys in his class, and the most explosive rookie RB doesn't even make the list (Felix Jones).

1. Chris Johnson RB Tennessee
2. Matt Forte RB Chicago
3. Steve Slaton RB Houston
4. Darren McFadden RB Oakland
5. Jonathan Stewart RB Carolina

Top 5 Coaches:

1. Jeff Fisher, Tennessee
2. Jim Zorn, Washington
3. Dick Jauron, Buffalo
4. Tom Coughlin, New York Giants
5. John Fox, Carolina

Top 5 Grizzled Quarterbacks:

1. Brett Favre, NYJ
2. Kurt Warner, ARZ
3. Kerry Collins, TEN
4. Jeff Garcia/Brian Griese, TB
5. TIE: Gus Frerotte MIN & Jon Kitna, DET.