Week 2 Power Rankings

Skinnypost.com waits until after Week 1 until we do our Rankings because we want to wait to see how teams play in live action. Each week we will compose our rankings of how we feel each team stacks up. Disagree with the rankings? Jump in and tell us why!

1. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Champs stay on top until someone knocks them off. The D’ hasn’t changed and Big Ben still makes enough plays to hurt you. Santonio Holmes appears to be taking the step towards stardom as he has had big games in the last two he played. The question is will the running game get better and help out Big Ben and their questionable O’ Line!

 

 

2. Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles D’ was all over the place forcing 7 turnovers. Anytime you get 7 turnovers you’re going to win. They scored on all three phases, Offense, Defense & Special Teams which is a sign of a complete team. If McNabb and Westbrook can stay healthy the Eagles have enough weapons and strong enough defense to go deep into the playoffs.

 

 

3. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens 501 yards on offense reaffirmed our hunch that the offense is getting better. Mark Clayton has stepped up his game and is the go to receiver for second year stud Joe Flacco. With Ray Rice and Willis McGahee running the rock and controlling the ball the offense looks as good in Baltimore as it ever has. The D’ with Ngata, Lewis and Reed is solid up the middle and with O’ coming on, watch out!

 

 

4. New York Giants

The G-Men are some monsters up front. Their D’ Line is simply nasty and they dominate games. If they get enough offense the Giants are going to be tough for anyone to handle. The two headed running attack of Jacobs and Bradshaw should carry this offense. The Giants need rookie Hakeem Nicks back as they could use a big receiver to go with their speedsters.

 

 

5. New England Patriots

This team is skating on thin ice. They have lost some great players this year, gone is R. Seymour, M. Vrabel and R. Harrison which is an awful lot of tackles and leadership. The studs on offense will carry this team only so far, they need a more consistant running game as Brady can’t continue to throw it up 53 times every week. When you have Brady, Moss and Welker you have a chance – it’s as simple as that.

 

 

6. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings, with the ageless wonder Brett Favre, look like they are ready for a Super Bowl run. You know the running game is the best in the league and the D’ with the Williams Wall and Jared Allen is set. The question is if Favre and his speedy receivers can give them enough week in and week out.

 

 

7. Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta made the best move of the offseason by adding All World TE Tony Gonzalez. He made an immediate impact in Week 1 and the Falcons are a very complete team on Offense. If John Abraham stays healthy all year and the secondary holds up the Falcons will be in good shape.

 

 

8. Tennessee Titans

Even though they lost in Week 1 this is still a good team. Their offense is dangerous with Chris Johnson running the rock and their Defense didn’t appear to miss Albert Haynesworth all that much. The Titans are going to be a tough match-up for any team that faces them this year.

 

 

9. Indianapolis Colts

Two words REGGIE WAYNE. Without him this team isn’t as strong as it once was. They still have the best QB in the game but there is something about the Colts that just doesn’t strike fear into the opponent as they once did. The D’ is capable but not dominant and without Reggie Wayne their receivers are just average.

 

 

10. Green Bay Packers

This team is poised to move up in the rankings. Their offense looks dynamic with Rogers, Jennings, Driver and Grant. The questions initially was on D’ but after a 4 pick performance that made Jay Cutler look terrible they have piqued our interest. If the D’ can continue to improve the Pack is going to make a Lambeau leap up this list!

 

 

11. Dallas Cowboys

Did Tony Romo look like he missed TO? Not in the slightest! Romo was able to spread the ball around and had a big Week 1. The question is two fold – are the Cowboys that good on offense or did they face a bad secondary in Tampa Bay? We don’t know yet so we’ll reserve judgement. For now they are confortably at 11 but could be trending up.

 

 

12. New Orleans Saints

This team is another team that looked great in Week 1 but played a lousy opponent. Are they that good? Drew Brees and the offense are but what about the D’? We will have to wait and see how they fair against a tougher opponent and it won’t be long as they play the Eagles in Week 2!

 

 

13. New York Jets

Has Rex Ryan changed the culture of this Defense or what? They made a good Houston offense look pedestrian in Week 1. They shut down Andre Johnson and Steve Slaton which is no easy task! The Rookie sensation Mark Sanchez played very well in his debut but faces the Pats this week in a huge game that will tell us a lot about where this Jets team stacks up.

 

 

14. Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks enjoyed a few things in Week 1. First was the return of a healthy Matt Hasselbeck and the other was the emergance of TE John Carlson who looked like a playmaker. The Seahawks enjoy a pretty weak division that is getting better but isn’t like the NFC East, yet!

 

 

15. San Diego Chargers

Everyone loves San Diego but I don’t see what makes them so great. Yeah they have a great QB in Philip Rivers and a great TE in Antonio Gates but the wheels on LaDanian Tomlinson are falling apart and 5’7″ Darren Sproles probably won’t be a 25 touch back due to his size and durability issues. Rivers will always give them a chance but the secondary and defense needs to step up to be considered a contender.

 

 

16. Arizona Cardinals

The NFC Champs game out in Week 1 and laid an egg, pure and simple. The offense never got going and the best receiver in the game Larry Fitzgerald didn’t get his first catch until late in the 2nd quarter. Kurt Warner and the offense will eventually find their rhythm.

 

 

 

17. Washington Redskins

The Redskins are enigma. They have the strength and size on the D’ Line to be great, they have the LB’s too the question is can anyone in the secondary tackle? DeAngelo Hall wiffed a few times that led to big plays and cost them a Week 1 win against the G-Men. Jason Campbell played well and the offense is capable but could really use a big WR to go with all the speedsters.

 

 

18. San Fransisco 49ers

Hats off to Mike Singletary for getting his troops prepared. Vernon Davis has turned the corner and you can thank Singletary’s no nonsense for it. Linebacker Patrick Harris looks like the real deal in the middle but questions remain at D’ Line and in the secondary. The 49er offense doesn’t really strike fear but if they get Gore going they’ll be OK.

 

 

19. Denver Broncos

With all the drama and issues that was the Broncos offseason they finally caught a break in the form of the “Immaculate Deflection”. The new 3-4 defense that Mike Nolan installed looked great in Week 1 keeping the Bengals offense off the scoreboard for 59 minutes. Once Knowshon Moreno gets going the Broncos could be a suprise team in the AFC.

 

 

20. Chicago Bears

The Bears had high hopes this offseason with acquisition of Jay Cutler. The gunslinger was supposed to come in and show them what’s up but instead showed them nothing. His 4 picks were just awful. He didn’t like he was in sync with his receivers and they need to shore that up. The biggest loss of Week 1 was defensive leader Brian Urlacher who is done for the year with wrist surgery. Let’s wait and see how they respond to adversity.

 

 

21. Buffalo Bills

The Bills were tough luck losers in Week 1 as Leodis McKelvin fumbled away any chance for an upset at New England. The defense looked good at times but they also allowed Tom Brady to score 2 TD’s late in the 4th Quarter and couldn’t do enough to get the win. The thing to watch with the Bills is how TO is going to mesh and how the O’ Line is going to hold up over 16 weeks.

 

 

22. Miami Dolphins

Last season’s suprise team isn’t really suprising anyone this year. The Wildcat may have run it’s course as teams are prepared for it. The Phins have a solid D’ but are young in the secondary and with all due respect the passing game of Pennington, Camarillo and Ginn doesn’t strike fear into defenses across the league. Ronnie Brown needs more than 6 carries for this team to win.

 

 

23. Houston Texans

Many pundits thought that this Texans team was poised for the playoffs this year with all the studs they have on offense. The defense has multiple first round picks and still hasn’t jelled as a group. Kubiak is a good coach and should get it turned around soon as I can’t envision Andre Johnson and Steve Slaton being a non factor each week.

 

 

24. Oakland Raiders

The Raiders seem to have a black cloud hovering over the Black Hole. They played a hardnosed inspired game against the Chargers and still found a way to lose. They have the weapons on offense and enough talent on D’ to win ball games. The question is if they can avoid costly mistakes and put a complete 60 minutes of football together.

 

 

25. Carolina Panthers

The Panthers may be better than this ranking but until Jake Delhomme shows us something this team isn’t going anywhere. The defense is solid and has enough playmakers to be a contender. The offense has the weapons as well and the best RB duo in the league the question as stated earlier is can Delhomme keep from turning the ball over, if you turn it over in the NFL – you lose!

 

 

26. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jags played a tough game against the Colts in Week 1 but still ended up on the short end of the stick. Maurice Jones Drew is the real deal but questions in the passing game remain. When your running back leads the team in catches…that’s not a good sign. Jack Del Rio’s defense is always tough and we should learn a lot about them this week with the Cardinals coming to town.

 

 

27. Cincinatti Bengals

The Bengals problems in Week 1? Drops! They had too many drops that stalled drives and killed momentum. The defense played well enough to win and save a fluke play they would be 1-0 but the bottom line is that this team finds a way to lose instead of finding ways to win. Until the culture changes in Cincy they will remain at the bottom of this list.

 

 

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs have some issues. Their QB position is not good at all as Brian Leftwich made too many costly interceptions and the secondary looked ‘Dazed and Confused’ against the Cowboys. The running game did receive a boost with the return of Cadillac Williams who showed the burst and power he once had. A bit of advice from Skinnypost – get Earnest Graham more involved in the offense!

 

 

29. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs are a team in a rebuild. Matt Cassel was brought in and given a ton of money to improve this offense but an early injury has prevented us from seeing how it will work out. Brody Croyle is not the answer as he has never won in the NFL in 9 starts. The defense is young but capable and Scott Pioli is yet another Patriot castoff trying to install ‘Patriot Way’…

 

 

30. Cleveland Browns

The Browns are not a good football team right now. They don’t have continuity at QB as Brady Quinn looked awful in Week 1. The Defense wasn’t much better as Adrian Peterson ran over them like a bowling ball. The Browns need to improve their play on both sides of the ball, at least they have Joshua Cribbs to catch punts…when the defense is able to force one!

 

 

31. Detroit Lions

The Lions are going to be good…in about 3 years. For now, they are a work in progress as they are young and rebuilding. Matt Stafford has all the tools and young weapons around him like Kevin Smith and Calvin Johnson. It may take some time but the Lions will win a game…we promise!

 

 

32. St. Louis Rams

The Rams are the worst team in the league…it’s unfortunate but somebody has to do it. Their offensive line is just terrible. They miss assignments and blocks – and that’s just in the running game! The defense, save Leonard Little, has no teeth and the offense, save Steven Jackson, has no playmakers. It could be a long season for Rams fans.