NFL Power Rankings: Week 1
15. Jacksonville Jaguars (Previously Chicago Bears)
The Jaguars only get a huge rise because the A.F.C. looks like this for the 2011 N.F.L. Season. Chargers, Texans, Patriots, Ravens, Steelers, Jets. And then nothing in the A.F.C. West. Nothing in the A.F.C. North. Unlikely in the A.F.C. East and the Jaguars. Good spot to be in. They are legitimate playoff contenders right now because of how bad the Colts looked.
14. Dallas Cowboys (Previously Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Looked really good at times. Looked very undisciplined at times. Still there stock is up just because of how bad some of the other teams in the conference looked (the Giants for one).
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Previously Baltimore Ravens)
It’s not good that they lost a game at home. But they lost to a good team. They’re still young and talented with an improving quarterback.
12. Chicago Bears (Previously Houston Texans)
Had the Cowboys not imploded they might have found themselves here in the playoff picture. But they did. The Bears looked impressive. The Falcons are a sexy pick to win the division again and the Bears dominated them at times.
11. New Orleans Saints (Previously Detroit Lions)
The team that looked the best in a loss was probably the Saints. They were literally a yard away from being a two point conversion away from tying. Also, how can you kill the team for giving up a lot of points on defense. That’ll probably be a problem this year, but the Packers can make any defense look bad.
10. New York Jets (Same)
I was actually thinking about dropping the Jets even though they won. They just let the Cowboys come in there and abuse them. They didn’t look good for much of the game, but somehow they won. They are not the Same Old Jets.
9. Detroit Lions (Previously Saints)
The Lions didn’t even lay lights out along the defensive line and they still had a huge game. Matthew Stafford is the real deal. Will he stay healthy? I’m still concerned about the Lions running game as well if Best gets hurt.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (Previously St.Louis Rams)
They dropped more than the Falcons did, despite both looking pretty bad is because the Steelers looked really old on defense on Sunday. Polamalu, James Harrison, James Farrior. They are getting old on defense. They still have Big Ben and I like their weapons, but some injury concerns along the offensive line doesn’t help.
7. Atlanta Falcons (previously Indianapolis Colts)
I’m not going to kill them, but one more week like this past Sunday and I will. I thought the Bears weren’t going to be very good this year, but they looked like they were a class above the Falcons on Sunday.
6. Houston Texans (previously Atlanta Falcons)
Power rankings to me doesn’t always me how good you are. It means how good of a position are you in. The Texans are in a great position. The Colts looks absolutely terrible without Peyton Manning. I wrote an article last week. Is Bill Polian still a top talent evaluator? I think it looks questionable now with how poor the rest of the Colts roster looked without Peyotn Manning.
5. Baltimore Ravens (Previously San Diego Chargers)
Wow. I had the Ravens disrespected heading into the season, but they absolutely dominated the Steelers and were very impressive. I think Joe Flacco looked the best I’ve seen him. If he plays like that, this team is going to be very good.
4. San Diego Chargers (Previously Pittsburgh Steelers)
The Chargers always start the season very slow. Look out league. The Chargers weren’t awful in their first game. That division is going to be a cake-walk for the Chargers this year they are sitting in a great position of power.
3. New England Patriots (same)
14-2 last year with a young defense just learning the ropes should be even better this year. And Tom Brady. That’s all you need to know.
Tom Brady. That’s all you need to know.
You should also know that Albert Haynesworth was playing like a man possessed (most of the time). That’s a bad sign for the league.
2.Philadelphia Eagles (previously Eagles)
On paper this team is excellent. They have a good QB, a good RB, very good WR, an abundance off talent in the secondary and at the defensive line and a plus coach (who just happens to do some crazy things on game day). I think their linebackers are bad to awful, and I’m not convinced the offensive line is much improved, but the paper champions can hold my number two spot right now.
That’s what I wrote before. I’d add that the run defense in general is not impressive, but they are still good.
1. Green Bay Packers. (Previously Green Bay Packers)
Until the Champs are knocked off they are number one. Its really hard to repeat, but the lockout could actually help the Packers avoid the Superbowl hangover because they had a lengthy delay from the day they win the Superbowl until real football activities started. That’s what I said in my preseason rankings. And yup. The Packers are still good.
Let me know how much of an idiot I am (or genius. But that’s never happened yet so I won’t hold my breath 🙂
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