AFC EAST Power Rankings
1. New York Jets 2-1 (Lost to BAL)
2. Miami Dolphins 2-1 (Lost to NYJ)
3. New England Patriots 2-1 (Lost to NYJ)
4. Buffalo Bills 0-3
I’m sure Bills fans are collectively saying good riddance to QB Trent Edwards. How the Bills figured just a month ago that he was the one to lead them is really a head scratcher. He always looked overwhelmed and unprepared. Remember a while back the Bills got off to a 5-1 start, then he got hurt, and was never the same. I would be surprised if he found employment in the NFL again. That’s how awful he had become.
The Jets have taken the early lead in the division with back-to-back wins over Miami and New England. The win over Miami was even more impressive considering they were visiting, and without super star corner Darrelle Revis. As a result, WR Brandon Marshall was able to do what he was brought to South Florida to for: 10 catches, 166 yards and a TD.
This week is interesting as for the second straight week the division plays each other. By Sunday evening each team will have played each other, and we as observers will have better insight as to who the favorite will be going forward. Next Monday night Miami hosts New England. Expect the Patriots to win a close low scoring game.
AFC NORTH
1. Pittsburgh Steelers 3-0
2. Cincinnati Bengals 2-1 (lost to NE)
3. Baltimore Ravens 2-1 (Lost to CIN)
4. Cleveland Browns 0-3
All three of Pittsburgh’s opponents thus far are 2-1, only losing to Pittsburgh. This week division rival Baltimore comes visiting for what promises to be a showcase of blue collar smash mouth football. One of the league’s premier rivalries, games are often decided by a field goal, as was the case with both last year.
Hometown boy Charlie Batch led Pittsburgh to an easy win over Tampa Bay and Baltimore is next in the last game before Big Ben’s return. The Browns played the Ravens tough but they usually play division opponents tough once or twice a year. WR Anauan Boldin has already paid huge dividends for the Ravens. The Bengals beat Baltimore in a defensive gem of a game two weeks ago, and shut down Carolina 20-7 last week. They have rebounded nicely from an opening week blowout loss to NE.
AFC SOUTH
1. Houston Texans 2-1 (Lost to DAL)
2. Indianapolis Colts 2-1 (Lost to HOU)
3. Tennessee Titans 2-1 (Lost to PIT)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars 1-2
Houston’s loss to Dallas wasn’t a big deal in the big scheme of things, but what a win would have done was stamp them as legitimate contenders. Wide reciever Andre Johnson’s injured ankle is no doubt of bigger concern. Indianapolis continues to roll as do the Titans, who handled the Giants with surprising ease.
AFC WEST
1. Kansas City Chiefs 3-0
2. San Diego Chargers 1-2
3. Denver Broncos 1-2
4. Oakland Raiders 1-2
Is Kansas City’s great start an abberation or a sign of things to come? I will say that I do not expect the Chiefs to make the playoffs. They opened eyes with a complete game win against San Diego in week one, a game in which I remarked they had several factors working in their favor (home opener, primetime lights, Chargers missing WR Jackson and OT McNeill). Then they went out and won again, then this past Sunday absolutely smashed a San Fran team nobody thought they would beat. And they did with 400-plus yards of offense. No bells, no whistles, just pure talent by the likes of QB Matt Cassell, WR Dexter McCluster and rookie TE Tony Moeki, whose one-handed TD catch was the Sportscenter play of the week. Convential wisdom cautions me against believing in a team so unproven. Just once can I think of a team as unproven going on to win by season’s end, and that was Kurt Warner’s ‘98 Rams. I do see the Chargers rebounding to take hold of the division this year. The Chiefs have a bye before back-to-back games against Indianapolis and Houston. If they win even one of those games, I’ll be a believer.
NFC EAST
1. Philadelphia Eagles 2-1 (Lost to GB)
2. Washington Redskins 1-2
3. Dallas Cowboys 1-2
4. New York Giants 1-2l
Tony Romo for all the criticism he receives, is a top shelf quarterback. I did say he may not be a good leader, but his talent is unquestionable. His new target WR Dez Bryant has the jersey, swag, stature and skill set of Michael Irvin. Though Houston was Vegas’ odds on favorite, many insiders would have viewed a Houston win as a coming out party of sorts for a neophyte franchise lacking in historic lore. The interstate battle was closely contested in the first half, but Dallas’ veteran squad overwhelmed the Texans in every facet of the game after the half. They are back on track after losing to really close games. After the bye expect Dallas to look very much like most expected them to in the preseason.
I really don’t have the time or know where to begin talking about how well Eagles QB Michael Vick has done for himself. His performance against Jacksonville was beyond impressive, he looked like one of the best in the game. He has people talking of him as the early frontrunner for MVP. The Eagles face the Redskins this week. That’s right, the return of QB Donovan McNabb, who held down the Philly organization for 11 years. He was hands down the best QB in franchise history in leading them to four NFC championship game and a Super Bowl appearance. Philly is 6 point favorites.
NFC NORTH
1. Chicago Bears 3-0
2. Green Bay Packers 2-1 (Lost to CHI)
3. Minnesota Vikings 1-2
4. Detroit Lions 0-3
The Bears may have found their man in QB Jay Cutler, tho he still has played errectic at times. Chicago’s 3-0 start is part luck (they REALLY did lose to Detroit), part credit to strong special teams and the acquisition of DE Julius Peppers, who has played lights out. This is still the black and blue division, even with the transition to all-out passing games.
I did pick the Packers to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl but the loss of RB Ryan Grant really hurts, the extent of which we probably have yet to see.
Minnesota can rely on a strong ground game as can the Bears. This will be interesting to watch as the season goes on because the top three in this division are really good. I do think Minnesota and Green Bay are still better than Chicago, but that is not guaranteed as the Bears displayed Monday night. Huge win.
NFC SOUTH
1. Atlanta Falcons 2-1 (Lost to PIT)
2. New Orleans Saints 2-1 (Lost to ATL)
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2-1 (Lost to PIT)
4. Carolina Panthers 0-3
Once the NFL season starts it speeds by, and so much goes on in the 32 team league that much can get overlooked. Atlanta just beat the last two NFC champs, 41-7 over AZ and a hard fought OT win over rival New Orleans (The Saints kicker blew the game missing a sure shot 29-yarder). Their lone loss remember was in OT to unbeaten Pittsburgh. This Falcons team may be the one nobody is paying attention to, that gels at the right time and surprises some people. Runningback Michael Turner is off to a great start to the season and appears be back to his 2008 form (1,690 yards), following his injury shortened season a year ago. Tony Gonzalez, the NFL record holder for yards, catches and TD’s by a TE, is the new ageless wonder and continues to perform at the highest level. His saavy, leadership and experience is an invaluable asset, one which money cannot buy. Also speaking of the offense, WR Roddy White has 3-straight 1,000 yard seasons and is really entering his prime as an athlete. He allows the Falcons to keep defenses honest and respect the deep ball, rather than stack the box against Turner.
After 3 weeks the Falcons have the league’s No. 2 rush offense and is 6th in scoring
Then there’s QB Matt Ryan, now in his third season, who has yet to make anyone suggest he is anything but a top-flight franchise player. The guy has a Celebrity putt-putt family fun night in ATL and is generally well-liked and unblemished in the football community. He was the guy team brass went to when they decided to dump Michael Vick, the one guy who made them legitimate for a half decade.
The Falcons have winless San Fran and Cleveland coming up, before what promises to be an insane atmosphere three weeks from now when they travel to Philly to take on Michael Vick and the Eagles. That promises to be a huge game which I honestly would pay to see. I can foresee wings and beer right now!
The Saints are 2-1 and really should be 3-0. However, as with nearly all Super Bowl winners, they have been challenged tooth and nail and have had to earn every yard. It’s gotta be incredibly difficult to rise to the occasion week after week as the hunted, but the Saints do have the talent to overcome. It will be interesting to see if they are able to stay playing their A or B game for 13 more weeks. This week they are 13 ½ favorites over winless Carolina, who has officially given the keys to rookie QB Jimmy Clausen. As long as they can contain, that Panther run game, I don’t think they’ll have much trouble getting back on track.
NFC WEST
1. Seattle Seahawks 2-1
2. Arizona Cardinals 2-1
3. St. Louis Rams 1-2
4. San Francisco 49ers 0-3
This division is the weakest in the league (by far, I think), though I can’t totally write off the Singletary-led Niners from challenging the surprisingly solid Seahawks just yet.
Dating back 20 years, the Cardinals had just one winning season prior to winning back-to-back division titles on the strength of a Kurt Warner led passing attack. Gone are key contributors Warner, WR Anquan Boldin, and defensive captain LB Karlos Dansby. Boldin and Dansby are chasing a rings in Baltimore and Miami, respectively, while Warner retired. Coach Ken Whisenhunt and others must have seen something to believe the team would be better without QB Matt Leinart, but Derek Andersen has played really terrible. Thrown in the fact the defense also lost a starting cornerback and got whooped 41-7 last week by Atlanta, and it becomes clear this team has went from contender back to bottom feeder fast.
The Rams won 1 game last year, two in ’08 and 3 in ’07. So they are in the midst of rebuilding and cannot be expected to be competitive in any capacity for a couple years.
Meanwhile the Seahwaks have a solid if not above avg. defense, le by one of the league’s top linebaacking units. They also have great speed on offense, a veteran leader in QB Matt Hasselbeck, and a coach in Pete Carroll with a chip on his shoulder returning to the NFL following unprecedented (yet somewhat illegal!) success at USC. He failed miserably in his previous stint in the pro’s and I think that will rub off well on the organization as a whole. All that said, after just three weeks the Seahwaks appear to be shoe-ins for the division crown, by default if not for talent.
