3afan
11-03-2005, 07:13 AM
http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/powerrankings
POWER RANKINGS
Current Team Previous
1 Indianapolis Colts 1
They come off the bye with their nemesis, the New England Patriots, up next. It's time they go to Foxboro and win a game.
2 Atlanta Falcons 4
Did Mike Vick spend the bye week working on the passing game? At some point, Vick has to get the ball outside to the receivers.
3 Pittsburgh Steelers 5
They didn't look good against the Ravens, but you will have those kinds of games along the way. The key is to find a way to win, and they did.
4 New York Giants 6
This team is for real. If the defense can continue to improve, they might be the Super Bowl team in the NFC.
5 Denver Broncos 7
The Broncos go to their bye week with a 6-2 record and atop the AFC West. They are doing things the Denver way: running the football.
6 Seattle Seahawks 9
The league's top-ranked offense has to hope the bye week didn't slow it down. They head to the second half as the clear favorite to win their division.
7 Cincinnati Bengals 11
Carson Palmer bounced back from the Steelers loss to play well against the Packers. The young defense has to play better in the second half.
8 Dallas Cowboys 12
Heading into the bye week, Bill Parcells has to feel good about his team. If not for a couple of tough losses, the Cowboys would be atop the NFC East.
9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2
The Bucs have always hated going to the West Coast, and it hasn't changed. Losing to the 49ers should never happen if this team is for real.
10 Carolina Panthers 15
Watch out, here come the Panthers. Jake Delhomme got it cranked up in a big way against the Vikings. Now he has to do it against Tampa Bay on the road.
11 Jacksonville Jaguars 8
Maybe they're not as good as they think. Losing to a crippled St. Louis team is not a good sign as they ready for the soft spot of their schedule. They're not good enough to count anything as a victory.
12 Philadelphia Eagles 3
How can they go from limiting LaDainian Tomlinson to 7 yards to getting gashed by the Broncos for 253? This team just doesn't look right, does it?
13 New England Patriots 14
They still don't look like they have the past few years, but you know it's coming. They get a chance to show it against the Colts.
14 Washington Redskins 10
The Giants smacked them back to reality. The offense was awful and the defense wasn't much better. It's funny how perception changes in a week.
15 San Diego Chargers 16
At. 4-4, the Chargers are scraping and fighting to stay in the playoff hunt. As long as Antonio Gates is catching passes and Tomlinson is running the ball, they might actually overcome a tough schedule to get there.
16 Chicago Bears 17
The first-place Bears. Doesn't sound right, does it? But believe it. The defense is for real and rookie quarterback Kyle Orton is playing well now, too.
17 Kansas City Chiefs 13
Who said the defense was fixed in the offseason? It sure doesn't look like it. This is the same old Chiefs.
18 Oakland Raiders 20
The Raiders are 3-4 and have won two consecutive games to get back into the playoff talk. The defense is starting to play better, which is a good thing.
19 St. Louis Rams 18
Joe Vitt did a nice job getting his team ready to play Sunday. They were scrappy and played tough. Steven Jackson is a man.
20 Miami Dolphins 22
The Dolphins bounced back after looking horrible against the Chiefs by dominating the Saints on the road. That's a sign of good coaching.
21 Detroit Lions 19
Joey Harrington or Jeff Garcia? Does it really matter which one the Lions trot out? Neither one of them is very good.
22 Buffalo Bills 21
There's no way they should have lost to the Patriots. They had them beat, but blew it in the end. That one will sting.
23 Baltimore Ravens 23
Without Ed Reed and Ray Lewis, they played as well as they could on defense against the Steelers. The offense even showed some signs of life. But does it really matter when they leave with another loss?
24 Arizona Cardinals 24
This trendy preseason pick is still a year or two or three away. They just don't have what it takes to run the ball, which cripples the offense.
25 New York Jets 26
When the Jets return to play, Vinny Testaverde is still their quarterback. But you can expect a quick hook if he struggles this week.
26 New Orleans Saints 28
Their season is basically done. They've had so many bad things go against them, they almost seem to expect them now. It truly is a season from hell.
27 Tennessee Titans 29
It's time to start looking ahead to the future, which might mean thinking about what it's like to be without Steve McNair. The Titans are young and McNair might not want to stick around for the rebuilding.
28 San Francisco 49ers 31
Mike Nolan has his team fighting, which is all a coach can ask of a young, banged-up team. Bouncing back from a thumping by the Redskins to upset the Bucs is a good sign for the long-term for this team.
29 Houston Texans 32
The Texans got their first victory and now go to Jacksonville to face a team they owned last season. Can they get No. 2? Is Dom Capers ready to make a push to save his job?
30 Minnesota Vikings 25
The Vikings' ship is sinking. And now Daunte Culpepper is out with a knee injury. The noose around Mike Tice's neck gets tighter by the week.
31 Cleveland Browns 27
Romeo Crennel has a lot of work to do to get this to be a playoff team. It soon might be time to play Charlie Frye.
32 Green Bay Packers 30
They've had way too many injuries to win many games. It looks like they might be picking first come April. Do you think Brett Favre will be around to see it?
POWER RANKINGS
Current Team Previous
1 Indianapolis Colts 1
They come off the bye with their nemesis, the New England Patriots, up next. It's time they go to Foxboro and win a game.
2 Atlanta Falcons 4
Did Mike Vick spend the bye week working on the passing game? At some point, Vick has to get the ball outside to the receivers.
3 Pittsburgh Steelers 5
They didn't look good against the Ravens, but you will have those kinds of games along the way. The key is to find a way to win, and they did.
4 New York Giants 6
This team is for real. If the defense can continue to improve, they might be the Super Bowl team in the NFC.
5 Denver Broncos 7
The Broncos go to their bye week with a 6-2 record and atop the AFC West. They are doing things the Denver way: running the football.
6 Seattle Seahawks 9
The league's top-ranked offense has to hope the bye week didn't slow it down. They head to the second half as the clear favorite to win their division.
7 Cincinnati Bengals 11
Carson Palmer bounced back from the Steelers loss to play well against the Packers. The young defense has to play better in the second half.
8 Dallas Cowboys 12
Heading into the bye week, Bill Parcells has to feel good about his team. If not for a couple of tough losses, the Cowboys would be atop the NFC East.
9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2
The Bucs have always hated going to the West Coast, and it hasn't changed. Losing to the 49ers should never happen if this team is for real.
10 Carolina Panthers 15
Watch out, here come the Panthers. Jake Delhomme got it cranked up in a big way against the Vikings. Now he has to do it against Tampa Bay on the road.
11 Jacksonville Jaguars 8
Maybe they're not as good as they think. Losing to a crippled St. Louis team is not a good sign as they ready for the soft spot of their schedule. They're not good enough to count anything as a victory.
12 Philadelphia Eagles 3
How can they go from limiting LaDainian Tomlinson to 7 yards to getting gashed by the Broncos for 253? This team just doesn't look right, does it?
13 New England Patriots 14
They still don't look like they have the past few years, but you know it's coming. They get a chance to show it against the Colts.
14 Washington Redskins 10
The Giants smacked them back to reality. The offense was awful and the defense wasn't much better. It's funny how perception changes in a week.
15 San Diego Chargers 16
At. 4-4, the Chargers are scraping and fighting to stay in the playoff hunt. As long as Antonio Gates is catching passes and Tomlinson is running the ball, they might actually overcome a tough schedule to get there.
16 Chicago Bears 17
The first-place Bears. Doesn't sound right, does it? But believe it. The defense is for real and rookie quarterback Kyle Orton is playing well now, too.
17 Kansas City Chiefs 13
Who said the defense was fixed in the offseason? It sure doesn't look like it. This is the same old Chiefs.
18 Oakland Raiders 20
The Raiders are 3-4 and have won two consecutive games to get back into the playoff talk. The defense is starting to play better, which is a good thing.
19 St. Louis Rams 18
Joe Vitt did a nice job getting his team ready to play Sunday. They were scrappy and played tough. Steven Jackson is a man.
20 Miami Dolphins 22
The Dolphins bounced back after looking horrible against the Chiefs by dominating the Saints on the road. That's a sign of good coaching.
21 Detroit Lions 19
Joey Harrington or Jeff Garcia? Does it really matter which one the Lions trot out? Neither one of them is very good.
22 Buffalo Bills 21
There's no way they should have lost to the Patriots. They had them beat, but blew it in the end. That one will sting.
23 Baltimore Ravens 23
Without Ed Reed and Ray Lewis, they played as well as they could on defense against the Steelers. The offense even showed some signs of life. But does it really matter when they leave with another loss?
24 Arizona Cardinals 24
This trendy preseason pick is still a year or two or three away. They just don't have what it takes to run the ball, which cripples the offense.
25 New York Jets 26
When the Jets return to play, Vinny Testaverde is still their quarterback. But you can expect a quick hook if he struggles this week.
26 New Orleans Saints 28
Their season is basically done. They've had so many bad things go against them, they almost seem to expect them now. It truly is a season from hell.
27 Tennessee Titans 29
It's time to start looking ahead to the future, which might mean thinking about what it's like to be without Steve McNair. The Titans are young and McNair might not want to stick around for the rebuilding.
28 San Francisco 49ers 31
Mike Nolan has his team fighting, which is all a coach can ask of a young, banged-up team. Bouncing back from a thumping by the Redskins to upset the Bucs is a good sign for the long-term for this team.
29 Houston Texans 32
The Texans got their first victory and now go to Jacksonville to face a team they owned last season. Can they get No. 2? Is Dom Capers ready to make a push to save his job?
30 Minnesota Vikings 25
The Vikings' ship is sinking. And now Daunte Culpepper is out with a knee injury. The noose around Mike Tice's neck gets tighter by the week.
31 Cleveland Browns 27
Romeo Crennel has a lot of work to do to get this to be a playoff team. It soon might be time to play Charlie Frye.
32 Green Bay Packers 30
They've had way too many injuries to win many games. It looks like they might be picking first come April. Do you think Brett Favre will be around to see it?