NFL Power Rankings for Week 3

Power Rankings WEEK 3
according to www.cbssportsline.com
1 Giants · Trends 3
Seeing how the passing game played in Dallas has to give this team hope for the rest of the season. Those young receivers came up big. Eli Manning was sharp. The defense needs to play better, especially against the run.
2 Colts · Trends 5
They showed Miami what's important in the NFL: Scoring points, not ball control. They've played two close games, but 2-0 is still 2-0, right?
3 Falcons · Trends 6
We'll know if they belong here when they go to New England next week and face an angry Patriots team. They better hope the defense tightens up. The offense can be explosive.
4 Saints · Trends 10
They play with their foot on the pedal all game long. It's a treat to watch. Drew Brees is on fire and Sean Payton doesn't let up. The defense is still iffy.
5 Ravens · Trends 11
The best thing to come out of the first two weeks is how well Joe Flacco has played. He has five touchdown passes in two games. But that didn't look like a Ravens defense in San Diego.
6 Jets · Trends 16
Defense, defense and more defense. Watch out when Mark Sanchez gets even better. This team is better than I expected.
7 Vikings · Trends 13
They've defeated two bad teams on the road, which was to be expected. The jury is still out. What happens when they have to throw to win?
8 Patriots · Trends 1
Where has the offense gone? What has happened to the big play? This isn't what we've come to expect with the Patriots. Tom Brady looks jumpy.
9 Steelers · Trends 2
At some point, they need to get the running game going. Ben Roethlisberger is taking too many big hits. It's a huge game this week at Cincinnati. Do the champs fall to 1-2?
10 Cowboys · Trends 12
Talk all you want about how poorly Tony Romo played, but if they don't improve on defense it won't matter. That unit has given up too many big plays in two games in the passing game. That needs to be fixed quickly.
11 Eagles · Trends 4
It's hard to gauge their loss to the Saints because Donovan McNabb didn't play. But he doesn't play defense. That unit was shredded.
12 49ers · Trends 14
They are playing some impressive defense, which we might have expected with Mike Singletary as the coach. Don't you still wonder if they can stay up here? Frank Gore is a beast.
13 Chargers · Trends 8
They have a ton of injuries already, which could impact their season. They will still win the division, but what about after that?
14 Bengals · Trends 19
That just might have been a season saver at Green Bay. The defense will be something to watch as the season progresses. It's pretty good. Are they ready for the champs? They better be.
15 Packers · Trends 9
The offensive line is an issue. Aaron Rodgers is getting hit and dumped way too much. The defense also didn't play well against the Bengals. Maybe they aren't as good as we thought.
16 Broncos · Trends 17
Josh McDaniels has his team at 2-0. You have to give him credit for that. The big shock has to be how well the defense is playing.
17 Cardinals · Trends 18
Kurt Warner and the offense played well against Jacksonville, with Warner doing what he wanted, and now might have to get in a shootout with Peyton Manning. Lots of passing that night will make for a fun game.
18 Texans · Trends 21
If they can play offense like they did against the Titans they will be tough for anybody they play. But that defense needs work.
19 Bears · Trends 20
So Jay Cutler isn't that bad after all. He played well in beating the Steelers to hush some critics. The better news is the improved play of the defense -- even without Brian Urlacher.
20 Seahawks · Trends 15
That was a tackling disaster in San Francisco and now Matt Hasselbeck has a broken rib. Ouch. Why does he always seem to get hurt?
21 Titans · Trends 7
They opened last season 10-0 and are staring 0-3 in the face with a trip this week to play the Jets. What happened to the defense? Where has all the nastiness gone?
22 Dolphins · Trends 24
They controlled the clock against the Colts, ran the ball for over 200 yards and did what they intended to do. But they didn't score enough touchdowns. That's what not having big plays does to a team, and the Dolphins now must go to San Diego.
23 Redskins · Trends 25
They aren't scoring points and just haven't looked that good on offense. They could have made a lot of survivor pool people angry if they lost to the Rams.
24 Bills · Trends 26
They've played well in their first two games, especially on offense. Fred Jackson might keep Marshawn Lynch on the bench. Can they slow the Saints?
25 Raiders · Trends 28
They could easily be 2-0. They just might be better than some expected. JaMarcus Russell now has two big fourth-quarter drives in two games.
26 Panthers · Trends 23
Even when Jake Delhomme doesn't throw it to the other team, they have issues. They can't stop anybody. The defense has become a major issue.
27 Jaguars · Trends 22
How far have they fallen since 2007? The real problems are on defense. They can't rush the passer, so the opposing quarterbacks have a field day. Just ask Kurt Warner.
28 Buccaneers · Trends 27
Remember when the Bucs were good on defense? They sure aren't now. They can't stop anybody. The pass defense is terrible.
29 Rams · Trends 29
Where, oh where is the offense? They just don't score. They have seven points in two games. Ouch.
30 Chiefs · Trends 30
They got Matt Cassel back and played better. But it's going to be a tough first season for Todd Haley.
31 Browns · Trends 31
They just don't do anything on offense. That's an issue that will carry on all year long. It's going to be a tough year for Eric Mangini and his gang. Still like him as a coach, Randy Lerner?
32 Lions · Trends 32
It was better against Minnesota, which is progress. Stop asking who should play quarterback. No matter what happens, it has to be Matt Stafford.




2009 Power Rankings: Week 3
according to www.espn.com

1 (10) Ravens 2-0-0 They're balanced on offense and tough on defense. (Chadiha)
2 (3) Giants 2-0-0 Mario Manningham might not be Plaxico Burress, but he's becoming an Eli Manning go-to guy. (Clayton)
3 (5) Colts 2-0-0 The first of two back-to-back prime-time road games went just fine in Miami. (Kuharsky)
4 (7) Falcons 2-0-0 Taking care of business within the division is key, but the Falcons can take another step if they win at New England on Sunday. (Sando)
5 (8) Vikings 2-0-0 So far, so good with Brett Favre in charge. (Chadiha)
6 (1) Steelers 1-1-0 They have got to find a running game. (Chadiha)
7 (12) Saints 2-0-0 Scoring 48 points at Philly isn't easy. Drew Brees is completing 75 percent of his passes to lead the MVP race early.(Sando)
8 (16) Jets 2-0-0 Rex Ryan has blitzed his way into first place in the AFC East. Division, beware. (Clayton)
9 (4) Eagles 1-1-0 Kevin Kolb put up great passing numbers, but the Eagles can't fly without Donovan McNabb. (Clayton)
10 (2) Patriots 1-1-0 Bill Belichick must go back to the drawing board for a November rematch against the Jets. (Clayton)
11 (6) Chargers 1-1-0 Might that home loss to the Ravens become an outcome that places a playoff matchup in Baltimore? (Kuharsky)
12 (11) Packers 1-1-0 Where was the Packers' pass protection (six sacks) and discipline (11 penalties) against the Bengals? (Chadiha)
13 (18) 49ers 2-0-0 The 49ers want to run the ball and they are, but don't overlook Shaun Hill. He's 9-3 as the 49ers' starter. (Sando)
14 (15) Bears 1-1-0 The Bears need more of the Jay Cutler who showed up to beat the Steelers. (Chadiha)
15 (13) Cowboys 1-1-0 Two problems don't go away: critical turnovers by Tony Romo and giving up big plays on defense. (Clayton)
16 (9) Titans 0-2-0 Mistake-filled first two weeks are fueling those critics who predicted a big drop-off after a 13-3 season. (Kuharsky)
17 (23) Texans 1-1-0 Everyone is wary of saying too much about the great victory in Tennessee, because historically the Texans have had some duds for follow-ups. (Kuharsky)
18 (17) Cardinals 1-1-0 Beating the Colts at home in Week 3 would validate the Cardinals' blowout victory at Jacksonville while potentially forcing a tie atop the NFC West. (Sando)
19 (19) Dolphins 0-2-0 The Wildcat dominated the Colts but Miami lost the game by four. Maybe the "Cat" isn't that wild. (Clayton)
20 (24) Broncos 2-0-0 Their two remaining games against the AFC North aren't likely to produce the same results their first two did. (Kuharsky)
21 (21) Bills 1-1-0 He's lost two offensive tackles and an offensive coordinator, but Trent Edwards is hanging in there as a no-huddle quarterback. (Clayton)
22 (14) Seahawks 1-1-0 Injuries always seem to be the big story for Seattle. Matt Hasselbeck's ribs aren't going to feel good any time soon. (Sando)
23 (20) Redskins 1-1-0 Playing St. Louis and Detroit in back-to-back weeks is a gift that buys time for the offense to start clicking. (Clayton)
24 (26) Bengals 1-1-0 This team would be 2-0 if it hadn't blown the final minute of its season opener. (Chadiha)
25 (22) Panthers 0-2-0 Jake Delhomme was much better in Week 2, but his two-game pace works out to eight touchdown passes and 40 interceptions. (Sando)
26 (27) Raiders 1-1-0 Better than many expected, but how long can they endure the poor play of JaMarcus Russell? (Kuharsky)
27 (25) Jaguars 0-2-0 It's time for the rookie wide receivers to see some action and make some contributions for the struggling Jags. (Kuharsky)
28 (29) Buccaneers 0-2-0 The Bucs have allowed 900 yards in their first two games. They even made the Bills look good. (Sando)
29 (28) Browns 0-2-0 Two blowout losses to open the season don't bode well. (Chadiha)
30 (30) Chiefs 0-2-0 Two turnovers, other miscues undid a lot of stat advantages in loss to Oakland. (Kuharsky)
31 (31) Lions 0-2-0 Even with two defeats, they already seem better than last season. (Chadiha)
32 (32) Rams 0-2-0 The Rams desperately need more punch from their passing game. Donnie Avery has been a nonfactor so far. (Sando)


NFL Power Rankings Week 3
according to www.si.com
1

Last Week: 4 Baltimore Ravens (2-0)
It was a real debate on whether to elevate the Ravens or the Saints to the top spot this week. Both have featured dynamic offenses thus far, with defenses giving up about 25 points per game. But the Ravens get the nod, based on the quality of their Week 2 win. They won at San Diego against a healthy Philip Rivers. The Saints won at Philadelphia, with an injured Donovan McNabb playing spectator. And if you're wondering, I checked and the Ravens and Saints don't play this season. Unless it's in Miami in early February. Can I get a mulligan on my Super Bowl pick?

2

Last Week: 5 New Orleans Saints (2-0)
The Saints are averaging 46.5 points per game, which is more than a touchdown per game higher than the record-setting 2007 Patriots, who put up 36.8 points per game en route to a 589-point regular season. So, by my math, if the Saints average 35.5 points per game from here on out, they score 590 this season and break New England's two-year-old mark. Not that that's a necessity or anything. The last three teams to hold the one-season scoring mark didn't win the Super Bowl: 2007 Patriots, 1998 Vikings, 1983 Redskins.

3

Last Week: 6 New York Giants (2-0)
Circle Week 6 on your calendar, then pinpoint the Giants-Saints matchup at the Superdome. Why? Because my hunch is we'll be watching 5-0 New York versus 4-0 New Orleans in an early-season showdown for NFC supremacy. All that stands in the way of the Giants reaching that game undefeated are trips to Tampa Bay and Kansas City the next two weeks, followed by a home game against Oakland. See? Like I said, 5-0.

4

Last Week: 13 New York Jets (2-0)
Yeah, OK, I've bought into Jets mania. New York jumps up nine spots this week, tying it with Cincinnati for the biggest leap of the week. Now it's a New York-New York doubleheader at the No. 3 and 4 spots in our rankings, and you know that kind of convergence always sparks dreams of a Giants-Jets Super Bowl. But the next two weeks will tell us plenty more about young Mark Sanchez and his first-place team. New York plays host to the desperate Titans this week, and then travels to New Orleans in Week 4.

5

Last Week: 11 Indianapolis Colts (2-0)
I swear it looked like Peyton Manning didn't even perspire in 85-degree Miami the other night. Suzy Kolber was sweatier. That's how little the Colts had the ball in a game that put the lie to the time-tested axioms that big rushing totals and dominating the clock leads to victory. Miami had the ball for 45:07 and ran for 239 yards, becoming the third team to lose this season among the six who have rushed for 200 yards-plus.

6

Last Week: 10 Atlanta Falcons (2-0)
The Falcons took care of business at home to start the season, beating both Miami and Carolina. But four of their next five games are on the road, and it's a grinder of a stretch: at New England, at San Francisco, at Dallas and at New Orleans, sandwiched around a visit from Chicago. If Atlanta can keep its nose above .500 at 4-3 through Week 8, the second half of the season sets up for another run at the playoffs.

7

Last Week: 12 Minnesota Vikings (2-0)
The Vikings are the league's only 2-0 team that has accomplished it on the road and you have to figure that bodes well. They didn't win their second road game of the season last year until Week 12, and they still managed to go 10-6 and win the NFC North. But road wins are no rarity so far this season. Visiting teams were 16-16 in the first two weeks, going 7-9 in Week 1 and 9-7 in Week 2.

8

Last Week: 2 Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1)
Look, there's no shame in losing at Chicago. I read somewhere the Steelers are 1-12 there against the Bears, so they've had some practice at it over the years. And the trip to the Windy City wasn't a complete lost cause, because the Steelers rushing game looked considerably better than it had against the Titans, even getting a rare contribution from Rashard Mendenhall.

9

Last Week: 1 New England Patriots (1-1)
I'm trying to imagine what would happen if Patriots owner Robert Kraft asked head coach Bill Belichick to record one of those fire-up-the-fans voice-mail messages for New England's season ticket holders, like the one the Jets' Rex Ryan did for New York before the Patriots game? While he's at it, Kraft might as well ask Belichick to release a detailed New England injury report.

10

Last Week: 7 Philadelphia Eagles (1-1)
Without McNabb in the lineup, I'm not of a mind to downgrade the Eagles too severely for that blowout loss at home to the Saints. But the whole quarterback contingent in Philly is a fascinating sub-plot that might extend all season, and it's as if QB collector Jon Gruden has taken control of Andy Reid's body -- now there's an image -- and can't stockpile enough arms.