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NFL Power Rankings: NFC East Rules

Posted Oct 02, 2008 12:00PM By Michael David Smith (RSS feed)

Filed Under: Cowboys, Giants, Redskins, NFL Power Rankings

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The NFC East is the best division in football, we all know, but just how good is it? In my view, the division has the three best teams in the NFL -- and the fourth-place team is plenty good, too. See where all 32 teams stack up in this week's NFL power rankings.

  • 1. Giants (3-0) | Previous Week: 3
    It wasn't a great bye week for the Giants, who had to suspend Plaxico Burress for two weeks because of unexcused absences. But it was a bye week in which they move back atop the power rankings, thanks to the Cowboys losing at home.
  • 2. Redskins (3-1) | Prev.: 11
    The first game of the season, that Thursday night affair at the Meadowlands, at the time looked like a fairly sloppy contest, but now it just feels like a hard-fought game between two very good teams. Funny how the teams' combined 5-0 record since then can change our perceptions.
  • 3. Cowboys (3-1) | Prev.: 1
    Prediction: Terrell Owens is going to spend the rest of the season complaining after any game in which the Cowboys lose and/or he doesn't get at least 100 receiving yards. And then when the playoffs start, the Cowboys are going to win and Owens is going to get 100 receiving yards, and all of a sudden everyone will remember why having Owens on the team is worth having to listen to all those complaints.
  • 4. Titans (4-0) | Prev.: 10
    Titans coach Jeff Fisher has been the best coach in football in the first four weeks of the season. When a quarterback goes in the tank the way Vince Young has, the team often goes in the tank with him, but Fisher hasn't allowed that to happen.
  • 5. Bills (4-0) | Prev.: 6
    Lee Evans is the most underrated wide receiver in football. Despite never having a great quarterback throwing him the ball, he's averaged more than 15 yards a catch every season he's been in the league. This year's average is ridiculous: 23.7 yards a catch.
  • 6. Buccaneers (3-1) | Prev.: 19
    Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden scoffed this week when it was pointed out to him that Brian Griese ranks 29th in the league in passer rating, 27th in the league in completion percentage and first in the league in interceptions thrown. "You've got some really good stats there," he told the Tampa Tribune. "He's also 3-0 as a starter, how about that? He's a winning quarterback for us." Take that, stat nerds! And move out of your mothers' basements already!
  • 7. Steelers (3-1) | Prev.: 7
    If they were healthy the Steelers would be my picks as the best team in the AFC, but they're not healthy. They're not even close to healthy. And with the hits Ben Roethlisberger takes, I have a hard time seeing him staying healthy all season.

  • 8. Chargers (2-2) | Prev.: 8
    Chargers nose tackle Jamal Williams is already dreading the team's trip to London this month and their long trip home afterward. And yeah, I can see how a 350-pound man would start to feel cramped after a 12-hour flight.
  • 9. Ravens (2-1) | Prev.: 5
    In some ways the Ravens actually showed more in their overtime loss to the Steelers on Monday night than they had in their two wins, at home over the Bengals and Browns. Two things stood out: This defense is very, very good, and Joe Flacco's arm is very, very strong. I'm not sure the offense is good enough for them to be Super Bowl contenders, but I do like the Ravens a lot more at the start of October than I did at the start of September.
  • 10. Eagles (2-2) | Prev.: 2
    You can make a case that the Eagles are the best team in the league, but the problem is that a 2-2 start in the NFC East is going to make things very difficult. Someone is going to miss the playoffs in this division, and right now I think the most likely candidate is Philadelphia.
  • 11. Broncos (3-1) | Prev.: 9
    Last week I said of the Broncos, "At some point they need to get that defense straightened out." After that ugly showing in Kansas City, I'd have to change "at some point" to "now." Jay Cutler is probably the MVP of the league through four weeks, but if the defense doesn't improve, this team won't win in January.
  • 12. Packers (2-2) | Prev.: 4
    Losing Cullen Jenkins for the season was a very bad break; if Aaron Rodgers' injury is worse than he thinks it is, that would be an even worse break..
  • 13. Saints (2-2) | Prev.: 20
    They'll have a much better chance of making noise in the NFC playoff race if they ever figure out how to use Reggie Bush.
  • 14. Panthers (3-1) | Prev.: 13
    Steve Smith scored a touchdown and then gave the ball to teammate Ken Lucas, who was on the business end of a Smith punch in training camp. Lucas said afterward, "I was going to congratulate him on the touchdown and he said, 'This is for you.' He took the high road and that showed a lot about him as a person." Maybe. But wouldn't it show more about him as a person if he just refrained from punching people in the first place?
  • 15. Bears (2-2) | Prev.: 14
    The Bears' goal line stand was outstanding, but let's not forget that the Eagles really outplayed the Bears for most of that game. I still say the Eagles are the better team.
  • 16. Jaguars (2-2) | Prev.: 12
    The biggest surprise of the season? Matt Jones actually looks like a decent wide receiver in Jacksonville. This was a guy whose career looked all but over when he was arrested for cocaine possession in July.
  • 17. Colts (1-2) | Prev.: 15
    I'm confident that Peyton Manning, who has struggled all year with a knee injury, will get on track sooner rather than later. But will the Colts' run defense? I'm not convinced.
  • 18. Vikings (1-3) | Prev.: 16
    It doesn't inspire much confidence when coach Brad Childress admits he doesn't understand the very basics of clock management when explaining why he decided to punt late in the game while trailing by 14.
  • 19. Patriots (2-1) | Prev.: 17
    It's amazing how the Patriots, who were the talk of the league throughout the 2007 season, are now almost totally forgotten. When I hear from fans and other writers, no one is even talking about the Patriots. Unless they're talking about the backup quarterback's wristband.
  • 20. Jets (2-2) | Prev.: 24
    Well, I guess we know Brett Favre is still capable of airing it out. The question is whether the defense is capable of stopping the other team's quarterback. At one point against the Cardinals, the Jets' defense gave up five straight long touchdown drives.
  • 21. Dolphins (1-2) | Prev.: 21
    Ricky Williams made it through the bye week without smoking pot, which is not to say he wasn't tempted.
  • 22. Cardinals (2-2) | Prev.: 18
    The Cardinals visited Walter Reed Army Medical Center last week, and when quarterback Kurt Warner threw a pass to a soldier with a prosthetic leg, the soldier jumped to catch it and broke the prosthesis when he landed. Warner autographed it for him.
  • 23. 49ers (2-2) | Prev.: 22
    Tight end Vernon Davis got up and started shouting after his one and only catch in the loss to the Saints. Coach Mike Nolan said after the game, "He got a little excited, yes he did, and I told him to sit down."
  • 24. Seahawks (1-2) | Prev.: 23
    With a trip to New York to face the Giants this weekend, the Seahawks are staring at a 1-3 start. Good thing for them the other three teams in the NFC West stink.
  • 25. Raiders (1-3) | Prev.: 26
    It hasn't been remarked on very much, but I thought new head coach Tom Cable did a good job at his press conference of walking the fine line of showing respect for his boss, Raiders owner Al Davis, without trashing his old boss, the fired coach Lane Kiffin. "I respect Lane Kiffin. I love the guy. I think he worked his tail off," Cable said.
  • 26. Falcons (2-2) | Prev.: 27
    It's nice for Falcons fans that they're exceeding expectations with a 2-2 start, but really, looking at their home schedule, you have to figure that those two wins -- home games against the Lions and Chiefs -- were their two easiest games of 2008. That doesn't mean they're going to go 2-14, but I bet they'll be closer to 2-14 than 8-8.
  • 27. Browns (1-3) | Prev.: 28
    Derek Anderson held onto his job for another week, but if the Browns don't improve soon, they do need to address their long-term quarterback situation. If Brady Quinn is the man going forward, he should be getting the snaps pretty soon.
  • 28. Bengals (0-4) | Prev.: 25
    The Bengals don't play very well, but at least Chad Ocho Cinco still talks a good game.
  • 29. Chiefs (1-3) | Prev.: 31
    A win over the Broncos bumps the Chiefs up a bit, but only a little bit, because that had more the feel of a game where the Broncos laid an egg than a game where the Chiefs played well. I do think Larry Johnson would still be a pretty good running back if he were in a halfway decent offense.
  • 30. Texans (0-3) | Prev.: 29
    It was a rough first month, with the losses and the hurricane, but maybe Oktoberfest is just the way to turn things around.
  • 31. Lions (0-3) | Prev.: 32
    There's some optimism around this team because they fired Millen, but let's not forget, these are still Matt Millen's guys. There won't be much of a chance of any real improvement until 2009 when, Lions fans hope, a new General Manager does some real house cleaning.

  • 32. Rams (0-4) | Prev.: 32
    The Rams lost 31-14 at home to the bills, and it says a lot about the Rams that their best game this season, by far, was a 31-14 loss at home. Scott Linehan is fired, Jim Haslett is the coach, and Marc Bulger is back under center. Those are positive changes, but this is still the worst team in the NFL.

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