NFL Week 3 Power Rankings

The NFL hasn’t only been a headline on ESPN in the past weeks; it’s been on multiple news channels due to off-the-field events. To mention a few of the wrongdoers I’m thinking of Ray Rice, Ray McDonald, Greg Hardy, Aaron Hernandez, Wes Welker, Josh Gordon, Le’Veon Bell and most recently Adrian Peterson. These guys have made headlines for domestic violence, murder, the usage of marijuana and other recreational drugs, performance-enhancing drugs, you name it. However, the NFL season is well underway and we’re starting to see what teams are made of. With that being said I’m going to put the off-field events aside for now and focus on what’s happening on the field with this season’s first power rankings.

32) Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2)

The Jaguars shocked everybody by putting together a 4-12 record last year. They were looking to improve on that this year and coming in to the season they had a small chance. They added Toby Gerhart to the mix, and a few defensive pieces as well. The Jags played well in week 1, as Allen Hurns burst on to the scene and they found themselves up 17-0 at the half. It seems as if they were just as surprised as we were, because nobody was prepared to be playing with a 3-score lead. They lost the game 34-17, and took that bad momentum through this week. Kirk Cousins steamrolled the Jaguars in a 41-10 beat down, which proved to me that they are still the worst team in the NFL. Lastly I’ll add that Henne has been sacked thirteen times so far, 9 of those coming from the Redskins this week.

31) Oakland Raiders (0-2)

Is it just me or does it seem as if the Raiders never get any better? They picked up Derek Carr, which isn’t a bad move but it isn’t very beneficial. If anything, they just stepped sideways. They picked up MJD who’s getting worse every year, and a receiver whose only true value comes with the arm of Aaron Rodgers. (James Jones). Their offense is as disheveled as it’s ever been, and for some untold reason Darren McFadden hasn’t been booted yet. How much does this man need to fail before Oakland realizes that he’s never going to amount to what he was supposed to? Their defense is the only thing they have “going” for them and it’s still not nearly enough to compete. They’ve given up the sixth most points in the AFC despite having Justin Tuck, Carlos Rogers, Tarell Brown, Khalil Mack, LaMarr Woodley and of course Charles Woodson. They can be considered bottom feeders once again.

30) New York Giants (0-2)

I don’t want to do this but I have to. I honestly get sad when I watch the Giants, due to piss-poor quality of play. The O-line is putrid, in both run and pass protection. Each of their receivers drops more balls then Braylon Edwards… Remember him? The guy that was good for at least 1 drop per game on a wide-open over-the-middle crossing route? Imagine having four of him on the field at once. In addition to their sub-par hands they all run routes like Randy Moss and DeSean Jackson; the only difference is that they aren’t athletic or big enough to get away with it, perhaps with the exception of Victor Cruz. Lastly there’s Eli. Poor, poor Eli. Yeah I know he throws a lot of picks. At least half of those are deflected balls from his receivers, and another quarter of them are from his receivers running incorrect routes. I’m not trying to say Eli is great, because he’s not. But don’t be fooled by thinking that the Giants horribleness is a product of Eli. I say all these bad things about the G-men, and the saddest part is that they actually have a chance to make playoffs. For now NYG is going to remain in the bottom of my rankings.

29) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2)

Like last year, the Bucs are barely losing. Also like last year, the Bucs haven’t shown signs of being able to beat an NFL team. Bobby Rainey is doing a good job running the ball, but that is it. That is literally it. The passing game is gross to watch, and the defense is focusing on preventing big plays, so teams are getting whatever they want underneath.  They’ve allowed 28 first downs through the air, which is a killer for the defense. They also got out-possessed in both games, more so by the Panthers than the Rams. So despite only losing by a combined 8 points, the Bucs are this low because they cannot score enough, especially with Doug Martin hurt.

28) St. Louis Rams (1-1)

The Rams beat the Bucs this week so if you’re expecting me to be impressed, you got it all wrong. As I just said the Bucs don’t pose much of a threat to anyone, so this victory from the Rams was almost guaranteed. However I will say that if Zac Stacy can continue to run effectively, and if the defense can continue to get stops in the coming weeks, the Rams may surprise us with a handful of genuine wins.

27) Minnesota Vikings (1-1)

We all knew the Pats were going to smack the Vikes, but i didn’t expect Cassel to toss 4 balls their way. Okay I knew he would commit a few turnovers, cause there is no way that Minnesota can go 2 straight weeks without a turnover. Anyways, Matt Asiata supplied a respective outing in AP’s absence but it wasn’t enough. Minnesota could scrape out a couple wins in the first half of the year, and if Peterson comes back sooner rather than later, they have a chance to be a spoiler team in the NFC. If Peterson gets permanently suspended though, they will continue the sub-par showings.

26) Kansas City Chiefs (0-2)

I really don’t want to put the Chiefs this low, but I have no choice. Their defense is underperforming, Jamaal Charles has 19 things wrong with him for the fourth straight season, and Alex Smith is failing to run an aggressive offense. They don’t look like themselves, and I don’t know why. Granted I’ve been saying the Chiefs were overrated since they were 6-0 last year, but still. I know they’re better than this. Until someone for KC steps up and makes a difference they’re going nowhere but down.

25) Tennessee Titans (1-1)

It was a historic week for the Titans! Delanie Walker was their first player to catch 10 balls for 140 yards since Drew Bennett in 2004. They also have the best pass defense in the league. I don’t know how that happened, but they’re bound to come back down to Earth soon. I’m not convinced by the Titans win against the Chiefs considering how awful KC looks. I’ll be keeping a close eye on Tennessee in coming weeks.

24) Atlanta Falcons (1-1)

ATL has the second worst pass defense and the seventh worst run defense. They’re twenty-first in rushing, but it’s okay cause they’re the “best” passing team in the business (based on total yardage). They beat New Orleans in week 1 in OT on a Matt Bryant field goal, but they looked out of sorts against the Bengals this past week. I need to see some form of consistency before I put them any higher.

23) Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1)

Sorry Pittsburgh but you are not good and your beloved QB isn’t impressive to me. Maybe my bias is kicking in but a win against the Browns on a game-winning field goal isn’t something to be overly excited about, and getting beat down by the Ravens this week only makes matters worse. If they can hold their own against Carolina in week 3, I’ll reconsider their status.

22) Miami Dolphins (1-1)

Well, they beat New England! At least there’s that. After week 1 I had multiple people telling that Miami is a legit playoff contender this year. I told them to not jump the gun after 1 strong performance. Low and behold the Dolphins rolled into Buffalo with confidence and left with nothing but sad defeat. Don’t worry Miami fans! You have a chance to bounce back in the next couple weeks with the Chiefs and Raiders, both of which are struggling 0-2 teams.

21) New York Jets (1-1)

The Jets should be 2-0. They really should, but Marty Mornhinwig didn’t trust his quarterback. Instead he tried to play hero and it cost NYJ a big game. I want to give credit where credit is due here: Geno has played well thus far and the rest of the Jets roster is actively involved in the team’s early success. If they can keep performing at this same level I think they can challenge teams like San Diego for a wild card spot.

20) Washington Redskins (1-1)

Washington would be a lot lower had RG3 not gotten hurt. It sounds bad, but Kirk Cousins gives them the bets chance to win. He deserves his time in the starting role, and I hope he gets more than a few weeks in the number 1 spot. I honestly considered ranking the ‘Skins higher, and for good reason. They’re tenth in passing, third in rushing, third in opponent passing yardage, and they’re fourth in opponent rushing yardage. They have a test coming up with Philly, but I think they can handle it.

19) Dallas Cowboys (1-1)

Per usual Dallas has a chance to make a splash this year, but won’t amount to the hype. They’re 1-1 so far with a disgusting performance and a strong outing. The Dallas team that we see wavers from week to week, so we’ll see how they handle St. Louis this week. On a quick side note, I’d like to point out that DeMarco Murray has started off the year with back-to-back 100-yard games. Also, Jason Garrett is now 7-1 when his team runs more than passes. Take a hint Jason, and take advantage of the ground game.

18) Baltimore Ravens (1-1)

The old Ravens with Ray Lewis and Ed Reed were exciting, and Bernard Pollard too. Now when I see their logo or team name I immediately get bored. Joe Flacco is one of the most boring athletes I’ve ever had the displeasure to watch, and their defense has lost its pizazz. Even Terrell Suggs has lost his appeal. Their defense is still solid but they don’t do anything exciting. Flacco meanwhile is still the most overpaid guy in the league. The Ravens will do okay this year, they’ll win when they’re supposed to win and they’ll lose when they’re supposed to lose. I don’t sense any shocking performances so they’ll most likely be hovering around the middle of the pack all year.

17) Cleveland Browns (1-1)

I don’t expect people to understand why I have the Browns this high. But I’ll tell you that Brian Hoyer is good, they have a quality ground game (even with Ben Tate out), and their defense is surprisingly not terrible. Cleveland is now 4-1 when Hoyer has started at QB, and they should be 5-0 (defensive slip-up week 1 @Pittsburgh). Not to mention the Browns haven’t turned the ball over once this year. Don’t look now but they may be in position to make a playoff run when Josh Gordon returns in week 11.

16) Buffalo Bills (2-0)

Forgive me if I don’t put the undefeated Bills ahead of a few winless teams. They’ve earned 2 respectable wins; they’re sixth in rushing and fifth in run defense. They’re +4 in turnovers and their defense is solid. EJ Manuel is also playing well and they have the outright lead in the AFC East. Nevertheless, facts are facts and they are still the Bills. I doubt they’ll continue winning like this for long, but I’ll give them credit for what they’ve accomplished thus far.

15) Detroit Lions (1-1)

They should be better than they are but for some reason they can’t stop beating themselves. This past week Calvin Johnson only caught 6 balls for 83 yards. His numbers should never be that low, I do not care who he plays. Stafford going 27/48 is also inexcusable. Those two should light it up every game, so when they score a mere 7 points it puts sincere doubt in my mind. I know we’re only 2 weeks in and I’m being pretty harsh, but I’ll go crazy if I see Detroit underachieve for the fourth straight year.

14) Chicago Bears (1-1)

The Bears got a lot of help from the zebras against the 49ers so don’t tell me how good they are. I’ll give credit to Jay Cutler but I’m going to wait a little while longer before I invest in the Bears. As we’ve seen in the past they’ve been injury prone, and prone to under-performing.

13) New Orleans Saints (0-2)

I have a feeling that I overrated the Saints coming in to this year. Their defense has looked terrible thus far and it’s not like they’re playing elite offenses either. They rank dead last in pass defense and they’re in the bottom half of the league defending the run. If they can’t get their act together on both sides of the ball it’s going to be a long and painful year for them.

12) Indianapolis Colts (0-2)

The Colts have narrowly missed winning both games in this early season, and they played two of the better teams in the league. I’m not going to drop them too far down because I know they’ll pick it up soon. But Luck needs to get it together and do what we all know he’s capable of. Don’t worry folks, Indy will climb into the single digits soon enough.

11) San Diego Chargers (1-1)

I’d like to put my boys higher up after their win against Seattle but I can’t. They’re too unpredictable and too unsteady to be trusted. Plus after their second consecutive Monday night blow-up who knows how they’ll do this year. Rivers looks great so far, and the defense is performing better than I expected. The big question mark of this season will be the offensive line. With Nick Hardwick out the line is crumbling. We saw 5 holding calls come in the red zone this past week, including 3 by the backup center, and we can’t forget his 2 fumbled snaps either. The Chargers have potential to fall to as low as twentieth and as high as fifth. Until I see them more they’ll hover around this spot in the rankings.

10) Houston Texans (2-0)

The Texans have gotten off to a hot start and for their sake I hope it continues. It will be painful to watch them fall apart again like last year, but I don’t think JJ Watt will let that happen. They’ve beaten 2 sub-par teams so we won’t know how good they really are until about midseason when they get into the meat of their schedule. For now I’ll let them keep climbing.

9) Green Bay Packers (1-1)

The Packers honestly haven’t looked very good so far. They got spanked by the Seahawks and narrowly escaped the Jets. Their defense s getting torched by every running back it sees, and it doesn’t bode well for their future. If they can’t pull it together soon then they’ll find themselves behind in their division. To me, the most worrisome thing about Green Bay is the tentativeness of Aaron Rodgers. The fact that he didn’t throw Richard Sherman’s way is still unnerving. Whether it’s a lack of trust in his receivers, or a lack of confidence in himself to beat the fearsome cornerback, it doesn’t look good for anybody. The season is early but I would keep on eye on this squad.

8) Arizona Cardinals (2-0)

The Cardinals might be overrated but it’s hard to overlook they’re victories. They didn’t dominate the Giants or Chargers, and they don’t do anything in superb fashion. In fact, as I’m writing this I’m already questioning my decision to put them at the 8 spot. We’ll see how good they really are this week when they play the 49ers at home. As of right now I’ve bought the Cardinals due to their all-around solid play.

7) Philadelphia Eagles (2-0)

Nick Foles hasn’t been his usual self yet this year and that’s the only reason why they aren’t higher. They pulled off a huge win against Indy on Monday night. so they’ve proven that they can win in tight situations against good teams. Seventh is a fair spot for them but don’t be surprised if they move up a few rungs on the ladder throughout the next month.

6) Carolina Panthers (2-0)

I probably have the Panthers lower than they deserve after 2 solid wins. Despite their stellar defensive play and solid offensive production, I’m waiting for a collapse on the offensive end. I’m ready for Carolina to prove me wrong but until they do I’ll keep them out of the top 5.

5) New England Patriots (1-1)

Like the Saints, I’m worried I overrated the Patriots coming into the year. Despite putting up 50 points through the first 2 weeks, the Pats are twenty-seventh in passing and sixteenth in rushing. They handled the Vikings with ease for obvious reasons but I’m curious to see how they look against top tier teams. I want to wait until they play the Bengals in week 5 before I put them any higher than fifth.

4) Cincinnati Bengals (2-0)

I love Andy Dalton, I really do. He’s ridiculously underrated and no matter what he does people don’t seem to recognize him for it. He lost his go-to guy this past week but still took care of the Falcons with relative ease. I love the combination of Bernard and Hill in the backfield, and combined with their defense the Bengals have turned into one of the best teams in the NFL for me. We’ll see in the coming weeks if I’m right but I have confidence that the Bengals are on a promising path.

3) San Francisco 49ers (1-1)

Here it is, my surprise pick of the week! I have no issue with their loss to Chicago, because as I was watching that game I knew that wasn’t the real 49er team. I think they’ll bounce back this week and torch Arizona. Harbaugh will put them through a week of torture at practice and whip them back into shape. I have no doubt in my mind that San Francisco is still a top tier team in this league.

2) Denver Broncos (2-0)

They’re Denver. I don’t know what else to say. Peyton has looked nearly flawless as usual. They haven’t turned the ball over yet, and the defense is clearly better than last year. However they aren’t the best team in the NFL. They’re obviously Super Bowl contenders and they are clearly the best team in the AFC, but they aren’t my number 1 team.

1) Seattle Seahawks (1-1)

Last year I continuously held the Seahawks at the top of my power ranking, and people wondered why. They proved to everybody why they were number one last year, and they’ll do the same this year. I think they will adapt to whatever teams throw at them from here on out, and next week they’ll look just as good as they did in week 1. In no way am I saying Seattle is invincible, but I’m not worried about Denver. Seattle is still the best for me, hands down.

Also, while I’m writing about the Seahawks, I want to say that Richard Sherman is still the best cornerback in the league. I do not care that he let up 4 catches this week. If anybody is expecting him to not get thrown at all year than they don’t know football. It’s impossible to stop everybody all the time, but Richard Sherman does it more than anybody else. Philip Rivers knows how good he is which is why he threw to receiver-linebacker and tight end-linebacker matchups the majority of the game. People need to stop expecting perfection from Sherman, that’s all I’m trying to say.