NFL Power Rankings
www.si.com
1
Last Week: 1 Baltimore Ravens (3-0)
After all those years of offensive struggles, the Ravens have totally remade themselves into a machine on that side of the ball. And it must be a sight to behold in Baltimore. In their two home dates so far, the Ravens offense has averaged 490 yards, 30 first downs and 36 points per game. Since starting last season 2-3, Baltimore has gone 14-3 including playoffs, with two of those losses coming against the hated Steelers, and the other against the Giants. The Ravens simply don't lose any more to inferior competition.
2
Last Week: 2 New Orleans Saints (3-0)
Only the Cowboys are out-rushing the Saints' 170.7 yards per game, and what a double-edge sword it is to try to play defense against New Orleans these days. Try to cheat up and take away the Saints run game, and Brees will pick you apart all day long with his right arm. Lay back and concentrate on keeping the Saints receivers in front of you, and your safeties are going to be rushing up on run defense for four quarters. We can't wait to see if Rex Ryan and his aggressive Jets defense provides a blueprint for slowing both the Saints running and passing games. Coaches around the league have their Xerox machines at the ready.
3
Last Week: 3 New York Giants (3-0)
Watching some of New York's utter domination at Tampa Bay on Sunday, it occurred to me that these two teams met in the first round of the NFC playoffs a little less than 21 months ago, on the same field. About now, I'm guessing that feels like another lifetime ago for your average Bucs fan, who probably can't quite envision when they might see another home playoff game. Giants fans can't quite remember what it feels like to not make the playoffs.
4
Last Week: 5 Indianapolis Colts (3-0)
Yeah, that Colts passing game really misses Marvin Harrison. Or the injured Anthony Gonzalez for that matter. Indy leads the league in passing through three weeks, with 322.7 yards per game. I'm starting to think Peyton Manning could consistently beat you throwing to three guys from the local plumbers and steamfitters union. But knowing Peyton, he'd want to choose the guys himself.
5
Last Week: 4 New York Jets (3-0)
If Rodney Harrison can call Terrell Owens "a straight-up clown" for not saying much of anything in his postgame news conference Sunday in Buffalo, what label will he use to describe Jets receiver David "Straight-up" Clowney, who was de-activated last week against the Titans because New York head coach Rex Ryan didn't appreciate him complaining about his Week 2 playing time via Twitter? Such minor annoyances are the only thing that passes for trouble these days in Jet-land.
6
Last Week: 7 Minnesota Vikings (3-0)
OK, a few house-keeping items to check off our list in the wake of Minnesota's last-second survival at home against San Francisco: Brett Favre's biceps tendon? It's fine. Can Favre still make a throw of longer than 20 yards? Uh, let's go with affirmative on that one. And when they have to, can the Vikings win with something other than their running game and defense? Yes. Yes, I'd say so.
7
Last Week: 9 New England Patriots (2-1)
The Patriots don't look real good right now for cutting veteran receiver Greg Lewis just before the season started and keeping the older Joey Galloway, who has struggled to find a role in New England's passing game. Galloway likely gets more time to see if he can contribute, but I wouldn't bet the mortgage just yet that he makes the whole season as a Patriot. We've seen New England cut its losses in midseason many times before.
8
Last Week: 6 Atlanta Falcons (2-1)
The Falcons are one of four teams that drew the early Week 4 bye this year, and of that group, only Philadelphia is going to enjoy its break. The Eagles are the only team coming off a win. Atlanta, Arizona and Carolina all have to sit around this weekend and think about how they got handled rather easily last week. I'm not even sure how the NFL determines who gets its bye when, but I did notice that these four teams have something in common of recent vintage: Last January, it was the Cardinals going through the Falcons, Panthers and Eagles on their way to that improbable Super Bowl run.
9
Last Week: 10 Philadelphia Eagles (2-1)
Andy Reid decided this week to end the team's second go-round with veteran quarterback Jeff Garcia and begin its third with veteran linebacker Jeremiah Trotter. Given the Eagles injury situation at linebacker and the eye-opening production of third-year quarterback Kevin Kolb, that just makes sense. But now we get to play the always popular game of Where Will Garcia Land? Given the past six years or so of Garcia's career, all guesses are valid.
10
Last Week: 12 San Diego Chargers (2-1)
The Chargers are talking this week about the need for going into Pittsburgh -- yet again -- and being more physical. Matching the Steelers bruising style of play with some hitting of their own. A lot of teams have talked like that before a game against the Steelers, but very few have actually accomplished it. With defensive tackle Jamal Williams out for the season, outside linebacker Shawne Merriman still not himself, and San Diego's offensive line missing two starters, I don't see how the Chargers and their No. 2-ranked passing game win the physical battle. Or the game.
2009 Power Rankings: Week 4
www.espn.com
1 (1) Ravens 3-0-0 They've got a great defense and an offense averaging 34 points per game. (Chadiha)
2 (3) Colts 3-0-0 The Colts seem to be in their traditional early season form, which means they are hard to beat. (Kuharsky)
3 (2) Giants 3-0-0 The Giants stay ahead of their long injury list by winning. (Clayton)
4 (7) Saints 3-0-0 They're 2-0 on the road and have four of their next five games at home. (Sando)
5 (5) Vikings 3-0-0 Brett Favre has lived up to the hype so far. (Chadiha)
6 (8) Jets 3-0-0 The Jets team that beat the Titans on Sunday might have more staying power than the 8-3 Jets that beat Tennessee in 2008. (Clayton)
7 (10) Patriots 2-1-0 Tom Brady might not have his offense in sync yet, but you can see it's coming. (Clayton)
8 (4) Falcons 2-1-0 You know the Falcons have made progress when a road loss to the Patriots stands as a disappointment. (Sando)
9 (9) Eagles 2-1-0 Expect Donovan McNabb to return after the bye week, but Kevin Kolb kept the offense humming during his absence. (Clayton)
10 (12) Packers 2-1-0 They should be pumped for their first meeting with Brett Favre. (Chadiha)
11 (24) Bengals 2-1-0 They haven't been this impressive since winning the division in 2005. (Chadiha)
12 (11) Chargers 2-1-0 They have a great opportunity to make a statement in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers will be feeling desperate. (Kuharsky)
13 (20) Broncos 3-0-0 A great start against lightweights will now be measured against a much tougher five-pack. (Kuharsky)
14 (14) Bears 2-1-0 It's now hard to remember how lousy Jay Cutler played in Week 1. (Chadiha)
15 (13) 49ers 2-1-0 Nothing quite like a home game against the Rams to cleanse the palate following the taste of bitter defeat. (Sando)
16 (6) Steelers 1-2-0 Think they miss Troy Polamalu? (Chadiha)
17 (15) Cowboys 2-1-0 Tashard Choice and Felix Jones prove the Cowboys can still have a running offense when Marion Barber is injured. (Clayton)
18 (16) Titans 0-3-0 Drops have to be a big practice issue this week, on special teams and for pass targets. (Kuharsky)
19 (18) Cardinals 1-2-0 The bye week comes at a good time because Kurt Warner is hurting and the Cardinals have much to figure out. (Sando)
20 (17) Texans 1-2-0 The Texans lost one they had to have to the Raiders last year. They'll try again, this time in Houston. (Kuharsky)
21 (21) Bills 1-2-0 Terrell Owens' 185-game reception streak was snapped Sunday. The next thing to snap will be T.O. (Clayton)
22 (27) Jaguars 1-2-0 Would a win over winless Tennessee qualify as an upset at this point? (Kuharsky)
23 (22) Seahawks 1-2-0 Two of their top three corners are out and the other one, Ken Lucas, has been banged up. Hello, Peyton Manning. (Sando)
24 (19) Dolphins 0-3-0 With Chad Pennington likely done for the season, the rebuilding program officially begins with new QB Chad Henne. (Clayton)
25 (25) Panthers 0-3-0 Who are these guys? Carolina seems to be searching for its identity three games into the season. (Sando)
26 (23) Redskins 1-2-0 As much as Clinton Portis is being stopped on goal-line plays, maybe Jim Zorn should let Portis call a few plays. (Clayton)
27 (26) Raiders 1-2-0 Raiders' passing average: 119.7 yards per game. Next worst passing average: Cleveland (146.7). (Kuharsky)
28 (31) Lions 1-2-0 That won't be the last victory they get this season. (Chadiha)
29 (29) Browns 0-3-0 As ugly as this looks, it's only going to get worse. (Chadiha)
30 (30) Chiefs 0-3-0 Improved third-down efficiency on offense has to be one of the Chiefs' top priorities. (Kuharsky)
31 (28) Buccaneers 0-3-0 Raheem Morris was all smiles when the Bucs hired him as head coach. He could not have known what awaited. (Sando)
32 (32) Rams 0-3-0 If QBs Kyle Boller or Marc Bulger cannot find open receivers, it's probably because there aren't any. (Sando)
Power Rankings
www.cbssports.com
1 Giants · Trends 1
Beating Tampa Bay isn't that impressive, but doing it the way they did after a big divisional road game at Dallas is. They are running it as well as anybody, which has been the offensive key.
2 Colts · Trends 2
They have to be thrilled with their 3-0 start because they haven't been close to being full strength. Watch out when they get their players -- see: Bob Sanders -- healthy.
3 Saints · Trends 4
Even with the passing game not clicking, they found a way at Buffalo. Now comes the fun stuff: Their passing game against the Jets defense. Can't wait.
4 Ravens · Trends 5
Joe Flacco is the biggest difference in this team. The defense is still top notch, but Flacco's passing ability takes them up a level. He can win games now with his right arm.
5 Jets · Trends 6
Rex Ryan loves a challenge. He has one this week in the Saints offense. For Mark Sanchez, it will be his first major road test. The Superdome will be loud. Does he go to 4-0?
6 Vikings · Trends 7
At 3-0, they get a huge division test when Brett Favre faces his former team, the Packers. Start the hype. Oh, it did this past Sunday.
7 Patriots · Trends 8
Tom Brady is starting to show signs of coming to life. That's bad news for the rest of the league. Fred Taylor is running the ball well, which helps.
8 Falcons · Trends 3
They head to their bye off a bad loss at New England. They did nothing in the second half. The run defense has to play better.
9 Eagles · Trends 11
Kevin Kolb is making life without Donovan McNabb a lot easier. The emergence of DeSean Jackson bodes well for the rest of the season.
10 Chargers · Trends 13
Is there any doubt this is Philip Rivers' team? The Chargers are a passing team now, which is OK with Rivers running the show. The Steelers will challenge that passing game Sunday.
11 Cowboys · Trends 10
Yes, they beat the Panthers on Monday night. Did it look good? For a half, it was bad. They finally got it going, but we'll know more about them when they go to Denver this week.
12 Bengals · Trends 14
They have to avoid a letdown against the Browns. Past Bengals teams might not have, but this team is better. Even so, they need to be careful.
13 Steelers · Trends 9
Their defense is letting them down late in games. They miss Troy Polamalu in a big way, especially in the fourth quarter. The good thing is the running game showed some life in Cincinnati.
14 Packers · Trends 15
You don't think these guys want to beat up Favre this week, do you? Aaron Rodgers will be juiced as well to prove the Packers made the right decision. They did, by the way.
15 Broncos · Trends 16
Maybe Josh McDaniels knew what he was doing after all, and we were all wrong. That defense is really playing well, not giving up a touchdown the past two games. Of course, it was against Cleveland and Oakland.
16 Bears · Trends 19
The past two weeks we saw why they traded to get Jay Cutler. The kid can play, even if some, like my colleague Clark Judge, don't think he can.
17 49ers · Trends 12
They're one Brett Favre laser away from being 3-0. The defense is really making strides. They have to play without Frank Gore for a couple of weeks, which hurts.
18 Cardinals · Trends 17
That Super hangover looks very real. They have not played well, especially on defense. It's hard to believe that is the same defense that played so well in the playoff run.
19 Seahawks · Trends 20
Too many injuries are crippling this team. They didn't lose because of Seneca Wallace playing for Matt Hasselbeck, but the injuries are adding up.
20 Titans · Trends 21
Message to Titans: Win at Jacksonville this week or kiss the playoffs goodbye. If they start 0-4, they're done.
21 Dolphins · Trends 22
Chad Pennington is gone for the season, so now they turn to Chad Henne. It was time anyway. Find out if he's the long-term answer.
22 Redskins · Trends 23
At 1-2, with that loss to the Lions, things aren't going so well. Jim Zorn has to be feeling the pressure already.
23 Bills · Trends 24
Where is Terrell Owens? Anybody? Wasn't he supposed to liven up that passing game? He hasn't. Or is Trent Edwards the reason?
24 Jaguars · Trends 27
Their offense came alive against the Texans, which is a good sign for the rest of the season. But that defense isn't very good. It has to play better.
25 Texans · Trends 18
They've used a lot of first-round picks on defensive players the past six years and they can't seem to stop anybody. What the heck is going on? Changing coordinators might not have been the answer. It's the players.
26 Raiders · Trends 25
I thought JaMarcus Russell would turn the corner this season. He did: Smack dab into a truck called the Ryan Leaf Delivery Service. Nothing ever gets completed. Russell hasn't improved at all, and neither have the Raiders.
27 Panthers · Trends 26
Could anyone have imagined this team getting off to an 0-3 start? They can't pass the football very well. That limits them big time. It will be tough climbing out of this hole.
28 Lions · Trends 32
What Matt Stafford did against the Redskins is a good indicator of things to come in the future. Be patient, Detroit. You have the right guy.
29 Buccaneers · Trends 28
This season is officially a disaster. That offense is horrible and the defense can't stop anybody. That's a bad combination. Is benching Byron Leftwich the answer? They think so, so Josh Johnson takes over.
30 Rams · Trends 29
The offense just can't score enough. It looks like Marc Bulger's injury could put Kyle Boller in as the starter at quarterback. But they have bigger issues than just QB.
31 Chiefs · Trends 30
Are they starting to wonder about Matt Cassel? They should. They paid a lot of money to a player who isn't playing well and isn't taking shots down the field.
32 Browns · Trends 31
They are an offensive disaster. They can't score. And all Eric Mangini can do is play coy on the quarterback situation and do his usual mumbling about things. Nice hire.
TV Schedule
Sunday, 10/4
1:00 PM ET
Baltimore
New England
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Tampa Bay
Washington
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Tennessee
Jacksonville
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Oakland
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Cincinnati
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Seattle
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New York
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New York
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Dallas
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St. Louis
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San Diego
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