POWER RANKINGS FOR THE 1ST QUARTER OF THE REGULAR SEASONWith the season one quarter of the way over, lets have a look at what the "experts" think of the teams.
1. New England Patriots (3-0) | Last Week’s Rank: 1
The Patriots didn’t exactly need a bye three games into their season, but never quibble with a week off in the NFL. Let the DeflateGate payback resume this weekend.
2. Green Bay Packers (4-0) | Last Week’s Rank: 2
The offense wasn’t in high gear in the victory over the 49ers. But it didn’t need to be. QB Aaron Rodgers and the Packers merely did what was needed, and not much more.
3. Cincinnati Bengals (4-0) | Last Week’s Rank: 4
QB Andy Dalton is off to a superb start to the season with nine touchdown passes, one interception and a passer rating of 123.0. Yes, what really matters for Dalton and the Bengals this season is what happens in the playoffs, assuming they get there again. Regardless, he deserves a nod for his early season exploits.
4. Denver Broncos (4-0) | Last Week’s Rank: 5
Peyton Manning is off to the seventh 4-0 start of his NFL career. No other QB has had more than four such starts to a season. But this time, Manning’s 4-0 beginning is not about him. It’s about the Denver defense.
5. Atlanta Falcons (4-0) | Last Week’s Rank: 6
Are they for real? Who knows for sure. There’s a long, long way to go. But there certainly is a new look and a different feel to things in Dan Quinn’s first season as coach. And any time you have a pocket passer as capable as Matt Ryan, a wide receiver as dominant as Julio Jones and an emerging runner like Devonta Freeman, there are some intriguing possibilities. As long as offensive coordinator Kyle Shahanan doesn’t dust off the 2012 RG3 playbook to use against the Redskins this weekend, the Falcons should be fine.
6. Seattle Seahawks (2-2) | Last Week’s Rank: 7
They held on to win Monday night thanks to Kam Chancellor’s game-saving defensive play against Calvin Johnson. But there are issues. The offensive line didn’t do QB Russell Wilson any favors. Wilson made some improvisational plays but also had late fumbling issues. The offense wasn’t the same without injured RB Marshawn Lynch. Remember when the Jimmy Graham trade seemed like a big deal?
7. Carolina Panthers (4-0) | Last Week’s Rank: 8
The Panthers seem to be doing it with mirrors. There is no Kelvin Benjamin all season on offense and there has been no Luke Kuechly on defense since the opener. QB Cam Newton has precious little help. But it’s tough to argue with 4-0.
8. New York Jets (3-1) | Last Week’s Rank: 16
The Jets haven’t exactly gotten great play from QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. He has seven TD passes, six interceptions and a passer rating of only 78.1. But the Jets are winning so there’s no reason to fret about it at the moment.
9. Arizona Cardinals (3-1) | Last Week’s Rank: 3
The Cardinals suffered from getting field goals instead of TDs against the Rams. It’s a game that Arizona probably shouldn’t lose at home. But the Cardinals must regroup as they face two straight road games — at Detroit and Pittsburgh.
10. Minnesota Vikings (2-2) | Last Week’s Rank: 10
The Vikings couldn’t pull off a win in Denver. But they were right in the game with the Broncos, even on the road, and there still are reasons to feel good about their chances of being a playoff contender.
11. New York Giants (2-2) | Last Week’s Rank: 18
Everyone can dream now in the NFC East. The Giants have followed two should-have-been wins with two actual wins. They are the team to beat in the division. Granted, that’s not saying much. But it’s a far better spot than the Giants were in two games ago.
12. San Diego Chargers (2-2) | Last Week’s Rank: 19
It took rookie kicker Josh Lambo two tries, aided by an offside penalty following his initial miss, to kick the game-winning 39-yard field goal against the Browns. But that qualified as reliable kicking by Sunday’s league-wide standards.
13. Indianapolis Colts (2-2) | Last Week’s Rank: 17
Coach Chuck Pagano did the right thing by sitting down QB Andrew Luck with his ailing right shoulder Sunday. He protected the franchise player even amid all the talk that Pagano’s job is in jeopardy. Getting a win with Matt Hasselbeck filling in was a bonus. Now it’s a short work week for Luck to attempt to get ready to face the Texans on Thursday night. There are reports that the Colts are planning for Luck to play. But it might make sense to try to get another victory with Hasselbeck — it’s only the AFC South, after all — while resting Luck a bit longer.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2) | Last Week’s Rank: 11
The Steelers were ahead of the NFL curve with their kicker woes. The rest of the league is just now catching up while Pittsburgh moves on to its fourth kicker since the preseason. The bar has been lowered considerably in terms of job expectations for Chris Boswell. The good news for the Steelers is that fill-in QB Mike Vick played well enough to win Thursday night against the Ravens. If Coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Todd Haley remember in short-yardage situations that they have RB Le’Veon Bell on the roster, the Steelers might be able to hang in there until Ben Roethlisberger returns.
15. Washington Redskins (2-2) | Last Week’s Rank: 24
Kirk Cousins cemented his status as the Redskins’ starter at QB for the foreseeable future — in everyone else’s eyes as well as those of Coach Jay Gruden — with the late 90-yard TD drive that beat the Eagles. The Redskins are far from great. But they do enough well with their running game and on defense, and they have enough good parts around Cousins, that they could remain in the conversation in a division that is shaping up to be pretty bad.
16. St. Louis Rams (2-2) | Last Week’s Rank: 27
Recent NFL history says the Rams were not justified in using the 10th overall selection in the NFL draft on a RB because productive runners can be gotten in later rounds. Todd Gurley’s 146-yard rushing performance in Sunday’s win at Arizona says otherwise. An already interesting team becomes even more so if Gurley remains anywhere near as productive. But when someone figures out which version of the Rams is going to show up from one week to the next, let the rest of us know.
17. Baltimore Ravens (1-3) | Last Week’s Rank: 22
The win Thursday night in Pittsburgh came courtesy of the Steelers’ kicking woes and curious coaching decisions. But the Ravens also emerged with ever-increasing injury issues at wide receiver. Most importantly, they’ll be without Steve Smith Sr. when they face the Browns Sunday in Baltimore. A loss would undo all the good that was accomplished in Pittsburgh.
18. Buffalo Bills (2-2) | Last Week’s Rank: 9
If only the Bills were as good as they think they are. That team wouldn’t be overwhelmed at home by the Giants. Coach Rex Ryan needs to start worrying a little less about his team’s “fight” and a bit more about some disciplined play.
19. Dallas Cowboys (2-2) | Last Week’s Rank: 12
The Cowboys are 0-2 since Brandon Weeden took over as the starter for injured QB Tony Romo. It’s certainly not all Weeden’s fault. He actually did a pretty good Romo impersonation with his late-game TD throw to WR Terrance Williams in New Orleans on Sunday night. But it’s not working with Weeden and it will be interesting to see if Coach Jason Garrett turns to Matt Cassel, who was obtained in a trade after Romo was hurt, at some point soon.
20. Oakland Raiders (2-2) | Last Week’s Rank: 15
If you’re actually going to be a decent team — and the Raiders’ recent upswing has enabled them to aspire to that — you need to go to Chicago and beat an opponent that was in the shape the Bears were in.
21. Kansas City Chiefs (1-3) | Last Week’s Rank: 13
The Chiefs have lost to a trio of still-unbeaten teams in the Broncos, Packers and Bengals. There is no shame in that. But it certainly gives Kansas City less margin for error the rest of the way.
22. New Orleans Saints (1-3) | Last Week’s Rank: 31
Drew Brees isn’t done quite yet. His 359-yard, two-TD passing performance Sunday night against the Cowboys demonstrated that. But he and the Saints still have a long way to go to get back to respectability.
23. Chicago Bears (1-3) | Last Week’s Rank: 32
Playing a game without Jay Cutler at QB allowed the Bears and their followers to see just how bad the alternative is. So, yes, having him back this past weekend was a good thing.
24. Tennessee Titans (1-2) | Last Week’s Rank: 25
Rookie QB Marcus Mariota returns from his first NFL bye week to continue a string of four straight home games that still includes matchups with the Bills, Dolphins and Falcons.
25. Philadelphia Eagles (1-3) | Last Week’s Rank: 14
Memo to DeMarco Murray: Average more than 1.6 yards per carry and you’ll probably get the ball more often. Until then, it’s probably best to remain quiet and not draw too much attention to your lack of production. Chip Kelly certainly deserves the blame he’s getting. But he’s not the only one under-performing. Chip Kelly has taken the Eagles from pretty good to, so far, pretty awful
26. Cleveland Browns (1-3) | Last Week’s Rank: 20
GM Ray Farmer is back from his four-game texting suspension. So all is fixed now, huh? Not quite. Maybe Farmer can begin planning to use another first-round draft pick on a QB that his coach won’t play.
27. Miami Dolphins (1-3) | Last Week’s Rank: 21
The firing of Joe Philbin as the team’s coach Monday was justified, given the Dolphins’ 1-3 record this season and Philbin’s failure to reach the playoffs in any of his previous three seasons. But anyone who expects things to turn around abruptly under Philbin’s interim replacement, Dan Campbell, probably isn’t being realistic.
28. Houston Texans (1-3) | Last Week’s Rank: 23
The Texans are sticking with Ryan Mallett as their starter at QB. Is that a good thing?
29. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-3) | Last Week’s Rank: 26
The Jaguars certainly had their chances in Indianapolis. And they’re certainly not alone league-wide in lamenting their Week 4 kicking woes.
30. San Francisco 49ers (1-3) | Last Week’s Rank: 28
QB Colin Kaepernick has no TD passes and five interceptions in his past two games, in which he has connected on only 22 of 44 throws for 227 yards. His passer rating for the season is down to 67.7. The 49ers will either have to find a way to halt Kaepernick’s regression or consider making a change. Of course, that change would be to Blaine Gabbert.
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-3) | Last Week’s Rank: 29
It was an ugly, four-interception performance for rookie QB Jameis Winston against the Panthers. That gives Winston more interceptions (seven) than TD passes (six). But if anyone expected him to make a seamless transition to the NFL with this team around him, they were being overly optimistic.
32. Detroit Lions (0-4) | Last Week’s Rank: 30
The NFL acknowledging the missed call at the end of the game Monday night will be of little consolation to the Lions. They should have had another chance to win. Even so, Calvin Johnson still lost the ball at the goal line just when the Lions seemed poised to get into the win column. The defense played well but an offense that includes QB Matthew Stafford, Johnson and fellow WR Golden Tate couldn’t do its part.
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