Plenty of movers and shakers in after Week 3. The Lions, Bills and Raiders are on the move up while the Patriots give up the top spot to the defending Super Bowl Champs. Plus the Eagles and Cardinals are not so “Angry Birds” as they see significant declines.
| Rank | Last | Team | Comments |
| 1. | 3. |  |
(3-0) Where many say they should have been to start the season |
| 2. | 4. |  |
(2-1) Jimmy Graham is my hero! |
| 3. | 2. |  |
(2-1) What doesn’t kill you, only makes you stronger |
| 4. | 1. |  |
(2-1) Making it abundently clear that this is a team in need of a defense |
| 5. | 7. |  |
(2-1) A good ole fasioned butt woopin to the Rams is what good teams should do |
| 6. | 10. |  |
(3-0) My high-school daughter has never witnessed a Lion win in Minnesota |
| 7. | 6. |  |
(2-1) Rivers was wreckless and nearly cost his team the game |
| 8. | 5. |  |
(2-1) Nothing to be ashamed about losing on the road to the Saints. Stand proud |
| 9. | 16. |  |
(3-0) Best team in AFC? Perhaps not, but they’re pretty darn good! |
| 10. | 13. |  |
(2-1) Dramatic and important home divisional win. Youngry is doing work! |
| 11. | 9. |  |
(2-1) Hard to imagine an uglier, more agonizing win. Thank goodness for Wallace |
| 12. | 17. |  |
(2-1) McFadden makes them contenders every week |
| 13. | 12. |  |
(1-2) Matty Ice must be made of steel to take this kind of abuse |
| 14. | 14. |  |
(2-1) Romo trying to rewrite Favre’s book on Toughness. Center, Costa is gross-man |
| 15. | 7. |  |
(1-2) Another game another Vick injury. Passes dropping faster than expectations |
| 16. | 11. |  |
(1-2) Cutler hanging on to the ball too long is top reason he’s sacked so often |
| 17. | 18. |  |
(2-1) Strong performance by Eli in snapping 6 game skid against divisional rivals |
| 18. | 15. |  |
(2-1) Skins are a good team. Not sure how far team can go with Grossman. |
| 19. | 21. |  |
(2-1) Loss of Kenny Brit will be difficult to overcome and CJ’s play is not helping |
| 20. | 20. |  |
(1-2) Titans defense was key to shutting down Kyle Orton |
| 21. | 26. |  |
(1-2) Cam came down to earth in the pouring rain and got a W |
| 22. | 29. |  |
(2-1) Maybe Steven is right… at least he was this week. Smartest man alive — barely |
| 23. | 27. |  |
(2-1) Something to be said about going on road and beating a team you should beat |
| 24. | 23. |  |
(1-2) Gabbert’s debut was invisible due to heavy rain though adequate on paper |
| 25. | 24. |  |
(0-3) If games were 30 minutes long, this would be a top 10 team |
| 26. | 28. |  |
(1-2) Andy Dalton’s QB rating of 40.8 is all you need to know |
| 27. | 19. |  |
(1-2) Thought you were the best team in the division. Guess I was wrong. |
| 28. | 32. |  |
(1-2) TJacks saves his job… for now. |
| 29. | 25. |  |
(0-3) The promise that was this season, is quickly becoming a faded memory |
| 30. | 22. |  |
(0-3) Wow this team blows! Browns w/out their best player and still can’t win |
| 31. | 30. |  |
(0-3) Despite impressive performance by D the O is worse than expected |
| 32. | 31. |  |
(0-3) Division champs or chumps? San Diego played down to their woeful level |
I will be the first to comment, only because I feel the Cowboys get no love. They beat the unbeaten Redskins with a wounded QB, a deaf center & no wide receivers and they can’t move up, even one freaking spot? But hey, it’s YOUR rankings so they will be different than mine.
Great job Jeff! I know seem biased saying that now that the Packers are on top, but I’ve thought so every week. Power Rankings are easy to snipe at but hard to do. Kudos to you. Your comments are spot on as well. For example, Cutler. Early on he was making quick throws and had a lot of big gains. As the game wore on apparently the Green Bay D tightened down on coverage and he didn’t adjust, couldn’t get rid of it, went down. Same problem Rodgers had two years ago when he was sacked more than any other QB.
@ Mattman. I appreciate your comments, especially about Cutler. I remember being in the east end-zone of Lambeau for Favre’s return. I was literally screaming, “Aaron, throw the damn ball! Jennings is open.” then a sack.
I think this is a pretty fine ranking.
However I think 0-3 is the new hot this year. I think a lot of the 1-2 teams are a lot worse than the 0-3’s. But since the results are influencing the ranks, and should, they are getting near the buttom.
Minesota Vikings has been a letdown, but they have shown a lot of potential.
Colts, Dolphins and Rams seem like ok teams, needing one piece in the puzzle. Colts and Rams have even got the injuries to their star-pieces to point to. Dolphins seem to have a good defence, but no offence and the coaching doesn’t seem to do what they need. I think they could do far better with some more gimmicky play. Only truely bad 0-3 team seems to be Chiefs and I am not sure they are worse than all the 1-2-teams.
That is my take on the league at the moment!
Again im a Jets fan but i think you got the Jets a little too high, looked very vulnerable to the run against the Raiders, i remain optimistic that Rex will plug the holes against the Ravens, but another problem is the the Offensive Line, which Sanchez spent most time making dink and dunk passes cause he was pretty much running for his life,
Adding my two cents … just because it’s fun.
1 cent: I think you have the Jest way too high. They will likely lose this week to the Ravens, and then they’ll fall to the middle of the pack where they “belong”. (According to me…)
2 cents: I think maybe the Bills’ 3-0 performance (especially what they did, comebacks, beating NE who was up 21-0! and keeping Oakland’s rushing game in check for the most part – who the next week rolled up 250 yards against the supposedly amazingly tough Jest defense ….) Since they did beat two teams in your top 12 … I have them just a few notches higher, based completely on their 2011 performance (trying to ignore previous seasons!)
You go Greg!
Great job Jeff, keep it up.
At the rate the Bengals are moving up the power ranking by losing, I am not sure if I want them to win. just kidding. Nice power ranking though, plus they do look a little more ascetically pleasing this time around.
The Bills just beat the Pats, are the highest scoring Offense in the league and oh yeah are 3-0 and are 9th while the Lions are 6th and the Jets are 3rd???
Here is a sample of others power rankings…
CBS Sports: 3
“They have earned their way here. Beating New England helps their status.”
Patriots (4), Jets (11), Dolphins (29)
ProFootballTalk: 5
“The 2008 Bills started 4-0 and finished 3-9. The 2011 Bills who played for the 2008 Bills are very aware of that.”
Patriots (6), Jets (11), Dolphins (31)
NFL.com: 5t
“Wow, wow, and wow. There’s a lot to like about the undefeated Bills. While Ryan Fitzpatrick gets a lot of the credit — as he should — has anyone noticed that Fast Freddie is averaging more than six yards per carry? But back to the quarterback situation. How far removed is this franchise from the Rob Johnson, J.P. Losman, and Trent Edwards eras?”
Patriots (5t), Jets (8), Dolphins (27)
ESPN: 6
“Surprise! The AFC’s last unbeaten team resides in Buffalo.”
Patriots (3), Jets (7), Dolphins (29)
FOX Sports: 8
“Bravo!”
Patriots (7), Jets (10), Dolphins (28)
And don’t forget the Democrat & Chronicle’s Bob Matthews, ranking them at #2!!! (Though he admitted that was at least partly to rile people up…) :)
I think these 2011 Bills, are probably around 6 or so. I think the J-E-T-S Jest Jest Jest just need to be ranked lower on Jeff’s list here…
So the Bears are #16 because they lost to #1 and #2.
The Cowboys are #14 because they beat #23 (in overtime) and #18 barely.
Someone explain that to me.
Jeff, it is always easy to comment another one’s opinion. I therefore refrain from commenting, other than: keep it up. I like to see what your reason’s behind them are.
Steven is a homer. So am I: a huge Bears fan. I agree with your Cutler statement. Maybe it’s Martz his system which doesn’t work for Cutler. Who knows. All I hope is that Da Bears will say goodbye to Martz if this season doesn’t bring more or equal success as last season.
PS I am a guy :-)
A few weeks ago, I thought you had the Raiders a little high. I’m starting to believe! I think you underrate the Bears a little low, but hard to say with Cutler on his back all day, and they have a tough division. The Cowboys are the worst team in the NFC East, not the best. They should be right there at #20, in the group with Denver and Carolina. Buffalo still is a two or three more wins from proving they should be in the top five.