Week One Power Rankings - Pack up to #5; Colts drop to #9

[woodbuck27]

Week One Power Rankings

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/09/14/week-one-power-rankings

1. New Orleans Saints (No. 1 last week; 1-0): It wasn't pretty, but the fleur-de-lis are still kings of the hill.

2. Baltimore Ravens (No. 3; 1-0): Less than two years after spoiling the Texas Stadium swan song, the Ravens screwed up the Jets' coming-out party at the new Meadowlands Stadium.

3. New England Patriots (No. 8; 1-0): Sending the Jets to 0-2 could be as satisfying for the Pats as any of their Super Bowl wins.

4. Minnesota Vikings (No. 4; 0-1): The schedule doesn't get much easier, but losing by only five on the night they raised the banner in New Orleans is no cause for panic.

5. Green Bay Packers (No. 7; 1-0): Despite handing out multiple concussions to Eagles players, the Packers need to learn how to deliver a knockout blow.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 10; 1-0): If Troy Polamalu stays healthy, the Steelers could be at No. 1 by Halloween.

7. Houston Texans (No. 13; 1-0): If the Texans don't get too carried away with a possible changing-of-the-guard win over Indy, this could be Houston's year to make some real noise.

8. Tennessee Titans (No. 17; 1-0): Why do we have a feeling that the team that used to play in Houston is on a collision course with the team that currently plays there?

9. Indianapolis Colts (No. 2; 0-1): Since starting the 2009 season with a 14-0 record, the Colts are 2-4, with an average margin of defeat in excess of 15.

10. New York Jets (No. 6; 0-1): Giants fans finally have forgiven the Ravens for Super Bowl XXXV.

Click on LINK for the rest of the rankings.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Florio, the Vikings fan, is the only one who has the Vikes ahead of us.

[HarveyWallbangers]

ESPN

http://espn.go.com/nfl/powerrankings?year=2010&week=2

1 (2) Saints 1-0-0 Offense faces another potentially difficult test with road game against 49ers looming on MNF. (Sando)

2 (3) Packers 1-0-0 The Packers cruised in Week 1 until the Michael Vick experience. (Walker)

3 (6) Ravens 1-0-0 The Jets did the talking, but the Ravens got the victory. (Walker)

4 (10) Patriots 1-0-0 Tom Brady has the Patriots' offense looking every bit as good as it did in their 16-0 2007 season. (Clayton)

5 (1) Colts 0-1-0 They've fixed or survived a bad run defense before. (Kuharsky)

6 (5) Vikings 0-1-0 There's no shame in losing a close game to the defending Super Bowl champs. (Walker)

[HarveyWallbangers]

CBS

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/13946226/nfl-power-rankings-forecast-so-far-is-mostly-cloudy

1 Saints
If the defense plays as it did against the Vikings, they just might repeat. That's how impressive that was. You know they won't score 14 points on offense in many games. They're too good.

2 Packers
Going to Philadelphia and winning on opening day isn't easy. That offense is going to be tough to stop all season long. But the defense has to tighten up some.

3 Patriots
Tom Brady and that passing game are still lethal. That's why they are still the team to beat in the division. Now they get the chance to show it to the Jets.

4 Ravens
They clearly were the better team against the Jets. That defense was dominant. But they have to turn yards into points, or that will cost them. Going to Cincinnati is a tough second game.

5 Colts
The defense looked awful against the Texans. It looked like it won't be able to stop anybody. Even a big passing day by Peyton Manning didn't save the day. Now they have to try to stop his brother.

...

14 Vikings
If they can't stretch the field better than they did against the Saints, the offense will struggle. Brett Favre needs help down the field.

[HarveyWallbangers]

USA Today

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2010-power-rankings.htm

Has us #1, followed by New Orleans, Baltimore, New England, and Houston. The Vikes are #8.

Not that any of this matters, but showing the counter of Pro Football Talk's rankings.

[3irty1]

That said I'm glad we have a few weeks for Clifton/Tauscher to shake off the rust before we face the queens. Its not that I fear or respect Jared Allen its just that I don't want to single handedly send him to the probowl again. Hopefully Clifton and Tauscher aren't completely made of rust.

[mraynrand]

Barring some total collapse by the Vikings, I wouldn't put the Packers ahead of them unless and until the Packers beat them head on.

[Tony Oday]

Barring some total collapse by the Vikings, I wouldn't put the Packers ahead of them unless and until the Packers beat them head on.

or until they start 0-2

[Guiness]

Power Rankings are something else, are they?

Vikings at 4 seems high...until you consider they lost to the team with the #1 ranking. They looked bad (on O), against what isn't considered a good D, which would've made me drop them lower. It remains to be seen if the Saints D is that good, or if the Vikes O is on the downslope. We should know by the time we see them.

Colts at #9 seems bad, but I can see it. Vikes at 14 (CBS) seems a little much, but the comment seems to indicate Prisco's thinking as I am *shudder*

I think the biggest enigma this year is Baltimore. Ray Lewis has to show his age eventually, doesn't he??? And I'm really not sold on Flacco. Seems to me that never before has a QB been lauded so much for doing so little. I heard commentators talking about his great performance on Monday. Um, sure, 250yds is ok. No TD's, 1 int is not. 52% completion (20/38) is nothing to write home about. What is it that makes him so good?

[Cheesehead Craig]

Power Rankings are something else, are they?

Vikings at 4 seems high...until you consider they lost to the team with the #1 ranking. They looked bad (on O), against what isn't considered a good D, which would've made me drop them lower. It remains to be seen if the Saints D is that good, or if the Vikes O is on the downslope. We should know by the time we see them.

Colts at #9 seems bad, but I can see it. Vikes at 14 (CBS) seems a little much, but the comment seems to indicate Prisco's thinking as I am *shudder*

I think the biggest enigma this year is Baltimore. Ray Lewis has to show his age eventually, doesn't he??? And I'm really not sold on Flacco. Seems to me that never before has a QB been lauded so much for doing so little. I heard commentators talking about his great performance on Monday. Um, sure, 250yds is ok. No TD's, 1 int is not. 52% completion (20/38) is nothing to write home about. What is it that makes him so good?

I too am baffled at the Flacco love. Watch him play QB, he rarely sets himself when he throws. He throws a lot of passes while fading back and thus he's off target. With the offensive weapons he has, he should be putting up ridiculous numbers if he's as good as he's billed to be.