NFL: AFC Contender/Pretender

AFC: Contender/Pretender 

As we get to the last seven weeks of games, we’ve seen teams in the AFC look elite one week to horrible the next. Look at the Ravens, who after beating division rival Pittsburgh last Sunday lost to the Seahawks yesterday. Pittsburgh has gone from good to bad to great to good. The Jets lost three games in a row at the beginning of the season. Buffalo and Cincinnati came out of the gate looking like actual football teams. The Patriots look mortal. With such a logjam in the conference, it’s time to clear up the AFC playoff picture...its time to decide whose a contender, and whose a pretender. 

Baltimore Ravens (6-3; tied for 2nd place in AFC North): Baltimore is one of the most confusing teams I’ve ever watched. In some games, such as against the Jets and Steelers, they look like the best team in the league. Then, when they play teams like Arizona and Seattle, they barely win or lose. That’s a good sign for Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, but the Ravens have too good of a defense to falter late in the year. I don’t know if it will be out of the division or wild card, but Baltimore should be a team that plays deep into the winter. 

Verdict: CONTENDER

Buffalo Bills (5-4; tied for 2nd place in the AFC East): It may be too soon, but you have to wonder if the Bills are re-thinking that $50 million extension they handed Ryan Fitzpatrick earlier this year. In the past two weeks, Fitzpatrick and the Bills have been held to poor performances against the Jets and Cowboys. Fitzpatrick completes a high percentage of his passes, but his arm is weak and he’s starting to make poor decisions with his throws. The Bills still have two games against the Patriots and Jets, along wit match ups with scrappy teams like Denver, San Diego, and Miami. They could be right back in the thick of things with victories over New England and New York, but I get the feeling that the slipper is coming off of this cinderella team. 

Verdict: PRETENDER

Cincinnati Bengals (6-3; tied for 2nd place in AFC North): Yesterday, for the first time all season, Andy Dalton looked like a rookie quarterback. Dalton threw two interceptions and struggled against the Pittsburgh defense. The Bengals got off to a hot start with he benefit of playing poor teams like Cleveland, Jacksonville, and Indianapolis. Over the next seven weeks, Dalton and the Bengals will have to play the Ravens (twice), the Steelers, and the Texans before meeting up with St. Louis and Arizona. I can see the Bengals getting to 9 wins, but it takes 10 to get into the playoffs from the AFC in this day and age. If they can steal a game from Pittsburgh or Baltimore, they might sneak in. I don’t see it. 

Verdict: PRETENDER

Denver Broncos (4-5; tied for 2nd in AFC West): I’m going to get this out of the way right now, the Broncos are not as good as Cincinnati or Buffalo, but they might have a better chance at making the playoffs. Currently, Denver has the tie-breaker over Oakland and Kansas City. To me, it looks like no one really wants to win the division. The Chargers are playing like they never win, Oakland is as bipolar as any team, and Kansas City stinks. Denver, however, is a team with a great defense and a “quarterback” who can run it like no other. As history tells us, a strong defense and a good running game leads to victories. Somehow, someway, the Broncos keep winning. I don’t think they’re good, but they play in a division that can help them out. 

Verdict: CONTENDER

Houston Texans (7-3; 1st place in the AFC South): It looks as though the Texans have already locked up the South, currently standing 2.5 games ahead of the Tennessee Titans. However, the Texans still have to play games against Atlanta and the Titans, so a late season collapse is not out of the question. For all the talk focused on the Ravens, Patriots, and Steelers being the AFC elite, the texans have quietly put together a strong season. Should they stay the course and make the playoffs, they’ll be a scary team to face. 

Verdict: CONTENDER

New England Patriots (6-3; 1st place in the AFC East): For as vulnerable as the Patriots have looked this season, they seemed to have turned it around after defeating the Jets last night. Now in soul possession of first place in the East, don’t look for New England to lose any ground in the coming weeks. When all is said and done, the Patriots will more than likely enter the playoffs with a first round bye and a top seed out of the AFC.

Verdict: CONTENDER

New York Jets (5-4; tied for 2nd place in the AFC East): The Jets had a chance to take first place in the East last night and squandered it. Corner man Donald Strickland got exposed by Rob Gronkowski all night. Now the Jets will have to compete with Buffalo, Cincinnati, and either Pittsburgh or Baltimore for a wild card seed. They hold a tie breaker over Buffalo, but still have to play the Giants, Eagles, and Bills in the next seven weeks. Knowledge says they can afford to lose two more games this season if they want to make the playoffs, but with that schedule it will be no easy feat. 

Verdict: CONTENDER

Oakland Raiders (5-4; 1st place in the AFC West): I thought for sure that the Raiders would have fallen out of contention by now, considering Darren McFadden being injury-riddled and Carson Palmer being...well...Carson Palmer. However, the Raiders looked excellent Thursday night against the Chargers, with Palmer looking like he’s developing quite the chemistry with his receivers. With the Raiders in the division drivers seat, all they will have to do is hold off the Fighting Tebows of Denver to make the playoffs. 

Verdict: CONTENDER

Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3; 1st place in the AFC North): If you were going to tell me that after 10 weeks the Steelers would have lost to Houston and the Ravens (twice) and still be in first place in the division, I would have called you crazy. For as weird as the Ravens have been this year, the Steelers have been weirder. Just like the Ravens, Pittsburgh can look dominant one week and porous the next. I think they have the experience and ability to make it into the playoffs out of the crowded North, but there is no telling who will win the division. 

Verdict: CONTENDER

Tennessee Titans (5-4; 2nd place in the AFC South): Oh, what could have been for the Titans this year. With Peyton Manning out and the Colts playing awfully, the Titans had a legit shot to steal the division. Then, Kenny Britt was lost for the season due to a torn ACL. Chris Johnson only just got his first 100-yard rushing day (and first touchdown) of the season yesterday. The Titans are only 2.5 games back of Houston, but it may be a little too much too late for Tennessee. 

Verdict: PRETENDER

PREDICTIONS:

AFC East- New England Patriots (1 seed)

AFC North- Pittsburgh Steelers (3 seed)

AFC South- Houston Texans (2 seed)

AFC West- Oakland Raiders (4 seed)

Wild Card- Baltimore Ravens (5 seed)

Wild Card- New York Jets (6 seed)

Wild Card Round- Pittsburgh over New York; Baltimore over Oakland

Divisional Round- Baltimore over New England; Pittsburgh over Houston

Championship Round- Pittsburgh over Baltimore 

NFL: Week Nine Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (7-0): The bye week did nothing to knock the Packers off of the number one spot. If anything, the off week and extra time to rest and get the offensive line healthy will only make the Packers better from here on out. Beware though, most teams this season have come out flat after the bye week, most likely due to the new CBA stating players get four days off during the bye week. 

Last Week: #1

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2): Pittsburgh’s victory over the Patriots launched them up four spots to the number two ranking. Big Ben and the Steelers offense looked great, utilizing Heath Miller and the tight ends to expose the Patriots depleted secondary. Crucial matchup this week against the Ravens, a rivalry game that could decide the division. 

Last Week: #6

3. San Francisco 49ers (6-1): The 49ers are six wins away from clinching the division. If they do get to 12 wins, they could be heading to a first round bye. Not enough words can be said about the job that Jim Harbaugh has done with this team and the offense. On defense, rookie Aldon Smith is making a strong Rookie of the Year campaign. 

Last Week: #5

4. New England Patriots (5-2): I have the Patriots higher than the Ravens by a hair. The Patriots schedule gets tough from here on out, with a home game against the Giants this week before playing the Jets in week 10, a game that could decide first place in the AFC East. 

Last Week: #2

5. Baltimore Ravens (5-2): Ravens. Steelers. Tied for first place in the division, playing eachother this Monday night. Does it get any better than that? The Ravens did not play well against Arizona on Sunday, and even though Joe Flacco led them back in the second half, I still don’t believe he’s the type of player that can lead this team deep into the playoffs. 

Last Week: #4

6. New York Giants (5-2): That was almost a huge letdown for the Giants if they had lost on Sunday against Miami before playing New England this week. Eli Manning did a great job in the comeback effort, but it will be detremental to the Giants for them to put the Miami game behind them and look to air it out against the Patriots defense. 

Last Week: #7

7. New Orleans Saints (5-3): One week the Saints look like the second best team in the league. Last week against the Rams, they looked horrible. Steven Jackson ran the Saints defense into the ground, and Drew Brees had his worst game of the season. With Atlanta getting hot, the Saints have to be looking over their shoulder in the division. 

Last Week: #3

8. Detroit Lions (5-2): Good losing streak ending game against Denver for the Lions. Matt Stafford and Calvin Johnson connected for 125 yards and a touchdown, a combination that needs to be consistent if the Lions want to make the playoffs this year. 

Last Week: #8

9. Buffalo Bills (5-2): Buffalo completely demolished the Redskins Sunday in Toronto, racking up 9 sacks in the process. Ryan Fitzpatrick got banged up but remained in the game. Huge divisional matchup with the Jets this week, a game that could make or break the Bills postseason run. 

Last Week: Not Ranked

10. New York Jets (4-3): A bye week for the Jets this week, with a huge game against Buffalo on the horizon this week. The Jets absolutey need to be able to run the ball against a poor Buffalo defense. If they do that and manage to take Fred Jackson out of the game, they should win. Look out for Bills wide receiver David Nelson against Antonio Cromartie this week as the prime matchup. 

Last Week: #10

NFL: Week Six Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (6-0): Aaron Rodgers and the Packers had the most deceiving 24-3 victory last week against the Rams. Rodgers threw for 300+ yards for the fourth time this season, but the defense gave up 424 total yards from St. Louis. Green Bay goes into week 7 as the best team in the league right now, gearing up for the 1-5 Minnesota Vikings, where rookie Christian Ponder makes his first pro start. 

Last Week: #1

2. Baltimore Ravens (4-1): Baltimore came out of their bye week and defeated the Houston Texans 29-14. Joe Flacco threw for 304 yards and Ray Rice rushed for another 101 yards, but the offense only put up one touchdown along with five field goals courtesy of Billy Cundiff. The Baltimore defense held Houston, who was without Andre Johnson again this week, to only 293 yards of total offense. The Baltimore defense remains the strong point of the team, and with the Patriots and Saints looking decent at best this week, the Ravens have leapfrogged back into the top-2. 

Last Week: #4

3. New England Patriots (5-1): If it weren’t for the most vanilla play calling on the Cowboys second to last offensive drive of the game, the Patriots may have suffered their second loss of the season. The New England defense looked spotty again this week, giving up 300 yards passing to Tony Romo. However, just as in years past, the Patriots won the battle in the two-minute drill, with Tom Brady driving the team down field before connecting with Aaron Hernandez on the game winning 8 yard touchdown pass. Dallas proved again that if you can knock down Brady and apply pressure, the Patriots are not as dominant as they seem. Unfortunately, that needs to happen for 60 minutes of play not 58, because if you put the Pats in position to win the game in the last two minutes, they’ll beat you every time. 

Last Week: #3

4. New Orleans Saints (4-2): How devastating could it be to lose your head coach in the first quarter to an MCL injury? In the case of the Saints, pretty devastating. Coach Sean Payton is the head signal caller for the Saints offense, and when he left the game the offense faltered. He was not responsible for the fourth down end zone interception Drew Brees threw into the arms of safety Quincy Black, but losing your head coach and play caller really does affect the performance of a team. The Saints loss to Tampa Bay was brutal, as now the two teams stand atop the NFC South at 4-2.

Last Week: #2

5. San Francisco 49ers (5-1): I’m not even going to get into the post-game shouting match between Jim Harbuagh and Jim Schwartz, just know that I would not want to go toe-to-toe with Harbaugh. The 49ers defense was spectacular on Sunday, holding Calvin Johnson to zero touchdown catches, and the Lions never even looked his way on their last two drives when it mattered most. When losing 10-0 early, the 49ers stuck to their guns and ran Frank Gore up and down the field. If the defense and running game can remain dominant and Alex Smith continue to play smart football, the 49ers could be on their way to a first round bye in the playoffs. 

Last Week: #9

6. Detroit Lions (5-1): How badly does America want to see the Lions and 49ers meet up again in the playoffs? The game was not pretty, sloppy play on offense by Matt Stafford and the rest of the Lions, but these two teams are good. The 49ers proved that if you can take Calvin Johnson out of the game, the Lions aren’t going to dominate you. If Johnson and Stafford can get back in a groove for the rest of the year, the Lions will be able to walk into the playoffs. 

Last Week: #5

7. San Diego Chargers (4-1): Week 7 will prove whether or not the Chargers are overrated. On the season, the San Diego four victories came against teams with a combined win total of four (Denver, Miami, Minnesota, and Kansas City). The Chargers were only able to beat those teams by an average margin of 6 points. This Sunday against the Jets could expose San Diego, especially if Vincent Jackson is on Revis Island and tight end Antonio Gates still nurses his toe injury. 

Last Week: #6

8. Oakland Raiders (4-2): The Raiders were so devastated by the collarbone injury to starting quarterback Jason Campbell that they traded away two first round picks to Cincinnati for Carson Palmer this morning. What this shows is that Hue Jackson and the silver and black are fighting to make the playoffs this season. If Palmer can come in and be accurate enough to make some plays when the Raiders aren’t running it with Darren McFadden, then they’ll be able to do just that. 

Last Week: #10

9. New York Giants (4-2): The Giants were able to bounce back nicely this week with a 27-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills after losing to Seattle last week. The emergence of Jason Pierre-Paul on the defensive line as allowed Giants fans to forget about all the injuries the unit has had this year. They now find themselves atop the mediocre NFC East at 4-2, with key games against New England and San Francisco on the horizon. 

Last Week: Not Ranked

10. Buffalo Bills (4-2): The slipper may be falling off the foot of the Bills this year. The defense got exposed Sunday against the Giants. All year we’ve seen them make big plays on interception returns for touchdowns in key moments, but the Buffalo defense just is not that good. They enter an extremely tough stretch in the coming weeks that could determine their playoff fates, with games against Washington, the Jets, Dallas, Miami and then the Jets again. 

Last Week: #8

Honorable Mentions: Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2, beat Jacksonville 17-10), Washington Redskins (3-2, lost to Philadelphia 20-13), New York Jets (3-3, beat Miami 24-6) Cincinnati Bengals (4-2, beat Indianapolis 27-17)

NFL: Week Five Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (5-0): Is Aaron Rodgers the best quarterback in the NFL right now? His stats seem to say so. Rodgers enters week 5 with a 122.9 QB rating, 1,721 passing yards and 16 total touchdowns (14 in the air, 2 on the ground). Looking at the Packers schedule, they have three distinct tough games against the Chargers, Giants, and Lions. Rodgers has Green Bay steamrolling to at least a 14-2 record. This is a team, even with injuries on the offensive line, that just wins. 

Last Week: #1

2. New Orleans Saints (4-1): I guess that classic week 1 matchup between the Packers and Saints wasn’t just a game between two good teams, it looks like it was a matchup of the two best teams in football. Drew Brees is one of the best pure passers in the game right now, and if it weren’t for the Saints defense they would be blowing a lot of teams out. Great comeback over the Carolina Newton’s last week. 

Last Week: #4

3. New England Patriots (4-1): The Patriots drop a spot in this weeks rankings despite running the ball down the throats of the New York Jets in last weeks 30-21 victory. Tom Brady and Wes Welker have gotten all the press for the Patriots relatively uniform start to the season, but if Benjarvus Green-Ellis can continue to rack up 100-yard games, the offense will become all the more dynamic. The only red flag is the Patriots’ 32nd rank defense. 

Last Week: #2

4. Baltimore Ravens (3-1): Baltimore had an early season bye week last week. The defense is playing this season like Ed Reed and Ray Lewis are both in their twenties. This team will only go as far as Joe Flacco can take them, and that should worry Ravens fans. 

Last Week: #3

5. Detroit Lions (5-0): The Lions are 5-0! The Lions are 5-0! For the first time in some 30 years, the Detroit Lions are 5-0. Monday night’s game against Chicago showed that the Lions are not perfect because of an easy schedule. The Detroit defense is the modern day version of the steel curtain. Oh, and Calvin Johnson’s pretty good too. 

Last Week: #5

6. San Diego Chargers (4-1): San Diego has been able to put together a solid start to the season despite losing Antonio Gates for the last few couple of games to injury. Gates is expected to be back for week 8 against the Jets, but until then Phillip Rivers will have to continue to make due with Vincent Jackson. 

Last Week: #6

7. Washington Redskins (3-1): The Redskins make their first appearance in the top 10, and they didn’t even play a game last week. With losses by the Giants, Jets and Bears, the Redskins are given credit for being first in the NFC East. Rex Grossman has caught some heat because of his weight (does anybody remember Donovon McNabb?), but he has put together a bit of a comeback tour. The Redskins picked the perfect year to play like this, with Philadelphia, New York, and Dallas all underperforming. 

Last Week: Not Ranked 

8. Buffalo Bills (4-1): Is it just me, or has every week had a highlight of a Buffalo player returning an interception for a touchdown then jumping into the stands? The Bills are still riding high this week after embarrassing the Eagles in Buffalo. For the life of me I can’t decide whether the Bills defense is lucky or just down right good. My guess is a little bit of both. Much like the Redskins, the Bills couldn’t have picked a better season for their resurgence, as the Jets are woefully unimpressing. 

Last Week: Not Ranked

9. San Francisco 49ers (4-1): As impressing as the play of the Redskins, Bills, and Lions have been this year, the 49ers and rookie head coach Jim Harbaugh have been the most impressive turnaround. The Lions have an amazing group of talent around them, as do the Bills with Fred Jackson. Beyond Patrick Willis and Frank Gore, the 49ers have nothing. Widely expected to win the Andrew Luck sweepstakes at the start of the year, Harbaugh and the Niners have put together an amazing season. The defense can play against anybody, and Alex Smith is showing (some) signs of the skill the Niners drafted him for seven years ago. 

Last Week: Not Ranked 

10. Oakland Raiders (3-2): I thought the Bills, Lions, Redskins, and 49ers being in the top-10 was weird. Throw in the Raiders? Woah. Oakland is the only 3-2 team on this list, and it isn’t just because of the passing of Al Davis. The Raiders are good. The defense fast and athletic. Darren McFadden is one of the most underrated players in the game. Jason Campbell is playing well enough to win, and Sebastien Janikowski can kick a ball from Connecticut to Massachusetts. When it comes down to it, Hue Jackson just has the Raiders winning...baby. 

Last Week: Not Ranked 

Honorable Mentions: New York Giants (3-2, lost to Seattle 36-25); Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2, beat Tennessee 38-17); Houston Texans (3-2, lost to Oakland 25-20)

NFL: Week Four Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (4-0)- Aaron Rodgers notched up 70 points in my fantasy league this week after a 408 yard passing, six total touchdown day (four in the air, two on the ground). Rodgers has had his best season to date so far, and if there are people who don’t put him in the Brady-Manning-Brees echelon then I would love to meet them. 

Last Week- #1

2. New England Patriots (3-1)- Wes Welker is having the season of all seasons for the Patriots this season. Through the first-quarter of the year, Welker has 40 receptions for 616 yards and five scores. Until teams can learn how to stop Welker from going over the middle or on short slants, the Patriots will continue to win. They head home for a divisional game agains the bipolar New York Jets, but if history tells us one thing its that anything can happen when these two teams meet. 

Last Week- #2

3. Baltimore Ravens (3-1)- The score doesn’t reflect it, but the Ravens offense was nowhere to be found in the second half of Sunday night’s 34-17 win over the Jets. Quarterback Joe Flacco went the entire third quarter without completing a pass, but the Baltimore defense forced four Jets turnover, three of which went for touchdowns. The Ravens are showing that they are for real this season, and with the Steelers playing without an offensive line, it looks as though Baltimore is already close to punching their playoff ticket. 

Last Week- #3

4. New Orleans Saints (3-1)- Drew Brees didn’t light up the Jacksonville Jaguars defense like so many thought he would, but the Saints still managed to in 23-10. Tight end Jimmy Graham continued his superb season with a 10 reception, 132 yard and one touchdown day. Next week the Saints head to Carolina for a (surprisingly) difficult divisional game against Cam Newton and the Panthers. 

Last Week- #4

5. Detroit Lions (4-0)- Its time to give the Lions the respect they deserve. So far this season their the league’s comeback kids. Down by 24 points in the third quarter in Dallas, the Detroit defense got them right back into the game, taking two Tony Romo interceptions to the house before Matt Stafford and Calvin Johnson connected on two second half touchdowns, the latter a game winning score that put the Lions ahead for good. So far this season Johnson has had four straight two touchdown games, a Lions first. Detroit will go as far as Stafford can take them, but its time to give them the respect they deserve; the Lions have come to play. 

Last Week- #7

6. San Diego Chargers (3-1)- This is where the power rankings list starts to get a little hazy. There are a boatload of teams that are 3-1 so far, but some of them I don’t believe are better than some of the leagues 2-2 teams. This isn’t the case for the Chargers, though. San Diego has quietly put together a strong first month, their only loss coming at the hands of the Patriots. I don’t believe the Chargers are among the elite in the AFC this year, but they are going to be a team no one will want to face in late December. 

Last Week- Not Ranked

7. Chicago Bears (2-2)- The Bears move up three spots from last week to this week, even though they only beat the Panthers by 5. The Bears will continue to be competitive, but if they can’t fix the offensive line then they will not be able to keep up with the Packers and Lions in the AFC North. And also, why do teams still kick the ball to Devin Hester?

Last Week- #10

8. New York Giants (3-1)- The Giants won last weekend in Arizona on a controversial call where wideout Victor Cruz fell to the ground on a catch and was not touched, but the whistle was blown and Cruz let the ball go. According to the NFL rulebook, a player is considered down if he makes himself known to be down, as if to say he slides or falls to the ground on his own. I’m not sold on the Giants, I think the defense as no depth and the offense is not explosive enough to keep winning. However, Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs continue to bowl over people, and the Giants continue to win. 

Last Week- Not Ranked

9. Houston Texans (3-1)- The Texans seem to like to jump in and out of the top 10. The defense played extremely well against Pittsburgh, pressuring Big Ben and taking him out at the knees, the only way to tackle a 6 foot 5 inch quarterback. The team will be hurt by not having Andre Johnson (hamstring) for the next game or so, but it seems as if Arian Foster is fully healed (30 carries for 150 yards and a touchdown). 

Last Week- Not Ranked

10. New York Jets (2-2)- I’m not ready to give up on the Jets just yet. The offensive line was absolutely terrible in Baltimore Sunday night. I’m not giving Mark Sanchez a free pass for the loss (the Jets lost by 17, while Sanchez was responsible for giving up 21 points), but it must be pretty hard to make plays when the offensive line gives you 2 seconds of free time in the pocket before it collapses on you. The Jets will look to get All-Pro center Nick Mangold back for this weeks game against New England, but a loss to the Patriots will knock the Jets out of the top 10, and maybe even the divisional race. 

Last Week- #5

Honorable Mentions- Buffalo Bills (3-1, lost to the Bengals 23-20); Washington Redskins (3-1, beat the Rams 17-10); Tennessee Titans (3-1, beat the Browns 31-13); Philadelphia Eagles (2-2, lost to the 49ers 24-23)

NFL: Week Four Storylines

5.) Buffalo Bills v Cincinnati Bengals- The Buffalo Bills are in sole possession of first place in the AFC East. Don’t believe it? Yeah, me neither. The Bills are 3-0, and Ryan Fitzpatrick is making himself look like the best quarterback to come through Buffalo since Jim Kelly (Sorry, Doug Flutie). If the Bills play as well in this week as they have all season, it will be a blowout. However, the Bengals defense is no pushover, and Andy Dalton is starting to look like a solid NFL quarterback. If the Bills win in Cincy, they will go 4-0 for the first time since 2008. 

4.) Pittsburgh Steelers v Houston Texans- At the start of the season, many people were predicting that this be the year that the Houston Texans make the leap from good team to playoff team. So far the Texans are 2-1 after losing a shootout to the New Orleans Saints last Sunday. This week, the Texans face another test in the Steelers. It is said if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best, and last year the Steelers were the best in the AFC. If the Texans can knock a potential playoff team down a peg and beat Pittsburgh, it will send a message throughout the league that this year is the year for the Texans. 

3.) New England Patriots v Oakland Raiders- Last week gave us a four interception performance from Tom Brady and a 200+ rushing day for Darren McFadden. This week, the Patriots look to bounce back from a devastating loss to the Bills as the Raiders are riding high after beating the New York Jets and their “unstoppable” defense. Its never a good sign when a team flies across the country after a bad loss, so the Raiders are in prime position to capitalize and send a statement throughout the league that the silver and black is back. 

2.) Detroit Lions v Dallas Cowboys- The Lions are 3-0 for the first time in my lifetime. The Cowboys are coming off a tight win against Washington on Monday Night Football. Detroit has been the comeback kids of this young season, but their wins have come against Minnesota, Tampa Bay, and Kansas City. The Cowboys represent the best team that Detroit has seen in the first four weeks, and a win in Dallas would be huge for the young Detroit team. 

1.) New York Jets v Baltimore Ravens- Rex Ryan makes his triumphant return to Baltimore, the place he was passed over for head coach three years ago. The Ravens went with John Harbaugh, and since then they’ve been in the playoffs every year. This season the Ravens and Jets have both had games where they look like Super Bowl contenders, and also games where they look like they won’t even sniff the playoffs. The Ravens demolished the Steelers in week one, only to lose a game to the below-average Tennessee Titans in week two. The Jets started off 2-0 before being run into the ground by the Raiders last week. Forecasts for Sunday night show 40 degrees and rain, and you know what that means; alot of defense, and alot of running the ball. Winner of this game will take a huge step forward towards the playoffs, while the loser will be left at .500 entering week five. 

NFL: Week Three Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (3-0)- The defending Super Bowl champs did it again last week against the Bears. The defense looked much better than in weeks past, but evidence shows that a Pee-Wee football team could get pressure on Jay Cutler with his offensive line. The game was dominated by the Packers, but a phantom holding call on a Johnny Knox punt return touchdown hindered the Bears comeback attempt. Green Bay gets another easy opponent in the Denver Broncos before visiting Atlanta in week five. 

Last Week- #1

2. New England Patriots (2-1)- How happy were fans everywhere thats not Boston after Tom Brady threw four interceptions to the Bills? Buffalo showed that the Patriots can be beat if you apply pressure to the quarterback and attack the weak secondary of New England. They only remain number two on the list because the Jets lost a pathetic game to the Raiders, who the Patriots visit this week. 

Last Week- #2

3. Baltimore Ravens (2-1)- The way the Ravens have played this year is the perfect symbol for this NFL season. Every week shows a different type of team. The Ravens dominated the injury riddled St. Louis Rams last week, its yet to be seen if the Ravens and Joe Flacco are actually this good, or if they are just capable of destroying bad teams. They face a key AFC battle with the New York Jets this Sunday night, with the winner moving to 3-1 and the loser having their playoff hopes hurt. 

Last Week- #6

4. New Orleans Saints (2-1)- The Saints have a message for the NFL: don’t bet against Drew Brees, ever. Brees won a shootout with Matt Schaub and the Texans in New Orleans last Sunday to move on to 2-1 on the year. The defense proved yet again that they are a work in progress, but just like the Patriots and Packers, the Saints will win games if it rests on the shoulders of the quarterback. 

Last Week- #5

5. New York Jets (2-1)- Can you tell me the last time a team ran for 200+ yards against a defense that Rex Ryan worked on? You have to go all the way back to the 1995 Cardinals, where Ryan was an assistant coach under his father Buddy. Darren McFadden torched the Jets defense on the ground, and Antonio Cromartie did his best to hand the game over to the Raiders with four defensive penalties and a fumble on a kick return which set up the Raiders go-ahead touchdown. Lost in the headlines was Mark Sanchez, who threw for a career best 369 yards, even with a broken nose that occured on a non-call hands to the face by Jarvis Moss. The Jets go to Baltimore this Sunday night in a game that will have playoff ramifications already. 

Last Week- #3

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1)- Are the Steelers good? I’m not sold on them yet. Pittsburgh needed a last second field goal to defeat the awful Indianapolis Colts in Indy. The win was important, however, as it kept them tied for first place in the AFC North with the Ravens and Cleveland Browns. 

Last Week- #7

7. Detroit Lions (3-0)- Detroit are this years comeback kids. Entering halftime down 20-0, the Lions and Matt Stafford came all the way back to defeat the Minnesota Vikings 26-23 in overtime. I’m not sure if they won because their that good or because the Vikings refused to hand the ball off to Adrian Peterson with a 20-point lead, but if Stafford stays healthy and continues to throw touchdowns to Calvin Johnson, the Lions will keep moving up in the rankings. 

Last Week- #10

8. Philadelphia Eagles (1-2)- How about that “Dream Team”? The Eagles showed again that they didn’t improve enough on the offensive line to become a dominant team. Mike Vick got hurt again, this time with a “bruised hand”. How much longer can the Eagles turn to Mike Kafka and remain in the top 10? Not long. 

Last Week- #4

9. Buffalo Bills (3-0)- The Bills played their Super Bowl on Sunday, defeating the Patriots on a last second field goal after being down 21-0. If the Bills can maintain solid play on offense, then they will make the playoffs, i guarantee it. However, the defense will lose them games, even if they did pick Brady off four times. 

Last Week- Not Ranked 

10. Chicago Bears (1-2)- I had to choose between the Bears and the Atlanta Falcons for the #10 spot in this weeks rankings. I went with the Bears only because Matt Ryan is having an awful season so far. The Bears will live and die with Jay Cutler, but if he doesn’t get more time in the pocket then they will lose, alot, this year. 

Last Week- #8

Honorable Mentions- Atlanta Falcons (1-2, lost to Tampa Bay 16-13), San Diego Chargers (2-1, beat Kansas City 20-17), Houston Texans (1-2, lost to New Orleans 40-33)