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NFL Power Rankings: Giants, Redskins, Cowboys, Titans Stay on Top

Posted Oct 09, 2008 12:00PM By Michael David Smith (RSS feed)

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

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The top four teams from last week's power rankings all won, and I think a general consensus is starting to emerge: The NFC East is by far the best division, with the Giants at the top and the Redskins and Cowboys nipping at their heals, while the Titans are the team to beat, for now, in a weak AFC.

Of course, this is the NFL, which means that we could be back here next week, wondering how we were all so wrong about the teams we thought were the best. For now, however, we'll forge ahead with the weekly Power Rankings.


  • 1. Giants (4-0) | Previous Week: 1
    The Giants have a couple of more easy games ahead, against the Browns and 49ers, but after that the schedule gets a lot tougher. As long as the defending champs remain unbeaten, I plan to keep them at the top of the Power Rankings.
  • 2. Redskins (4-1) | Prev.: 2
    If there's a concern for the Redskins, it's on special teams. It's time for them to admit they made a mistake in drafting punter Durant Brooks, who isn't getting the job done.
  • 3. Cowboys (4-1) | Prev.: 3
    That whole Terrell Owens crying on the sideline thing was strange, but I'll stick with what I wrote last week: Owens is going to be a distraction, but when the playoffs start and Owens is the best player on the field, everyone will remember why he's worth the distractions.
  • 4. Titans (5-0) | Prev.: 4
    Things sure are bizarre with the Titans' quarterbacks. Kerry Collins, who was once believed to be washed up, is looking good. Vince Young, who was once believed to be a star of the future, is looking like a mess. And coach Jeff Fisher is pulling some roster shenanigans with the third-stringer, Chris Simms. When was the last time a team this good had a quarterback situation this unsettled?
  • 5. Steelers (4-1) | Prev.: 7
    Steelers kicker Jeff Reed needs the bye week to rest his strained calf. And to get his hair done.

  • 6. Ravens (2-2) | Prev.: 9
    How do you figure this team? Their two wins are against maybe the two worst teams in the AFC; their two losses are against maybe the two best teams in the AFC. I would say we'll find out what kind of team they are on Sunday in Indianapolis -- except that we're still trying to figure out what kind of team the Colts are, too.
  • 7. Broncos (4-1) | Prev.: 11
    I questioned whether the defense was good enough to win a game on a day when the offense wasn't putting many points on the board, and with a win over the Bucs on Sunday the Broncos' defense answered that question. .
  • 8. Panthers (4-1) | Prev.: 14
    They have to feel good about being all alone in first place in the NFC South. They'd feel a lot better if Steve Smith were playing better, though.
  • 9. Eagles (2-3) | Prev.: 10
    Brian Westbrook has broken ribs, Donovan McNabb is "embarrassed," and overall things aren't looking so good in Philly. I still think they're a good team, and the Football Outsiders ratings think they're a very good team, but it's going to be awfully tough to make the playoffs in the NFC East.
  • 10. Buccaneers (3-2) | Prev.: 6
    It looks like Jeff Garcia is back in the starting lineup, and that should be good news for Tampa Bay fans. Jon Gruden falls in love with a new quarterback every season, and this season it was Brian Griese, but Garcia is the best quarterback on this team.
  • 11. Bears (3-2) | Prev.: 15
    The Bears are probably just a bit premature when they talk about going to the Super Bowl, but they're undoubtedly the favorites in a weak NFC North. .
  • 12. Bills (4-1) | Prev.: 5
    I know, Bills fans, you think a 4-1 team deserves to be higher. But I think an average team can go 4-1 against the Bills' weak schedule.
  • 13. Chargers (2-3) | Prev.: 8
    LaDainian Tomlinson had another sub-par outing on Sunday. Even Tomlinson's bad seasons are good -- he's on pace for more than 1,000 yards -- but Tomlinson definitely looks like he's playing at less than 100 percent.
  • 14. Packers (2-3) | Prev.: 12
    Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is playing through pain in his shoulder, and he deserves to be commended for that. But the Packers' offense is nowhere near as good as it was a year ago.
  • 15. Patriots (3-1) | Prev.: 19
    Tom Brady's knee surgery went well, but with the way the Patriots played against the 49ers -- and the way the rest of the AFC contenders are looking -- New England fans are thinking about more than just whether Brady will be healthy in 2009. This could be a playoff team after all.
  • 16. Saints (2-3) | Prev.: 13
    Now that's how you use Reggie Bush: Let him run free against a team that punts the ball right to him with plenty of room to build up a full head of steam before he reaches the first wave of coverage. Too bad the Saints wasted such a great special teams game from Bush and found a way to lose anyway.
  • 17. Jaguars (2-3) | Prev.: 16
    The only thing worse than the fact that the Jaguars always have so much trouble filling their stadium is the fact that a large portion of the fans who do show up are getting hammered and injuring other patrons.
  • 18. Colts (2-2) | Prev.: 17
    You know what Marvin Harrison's problem is? (I mean, other than the fact that he's getting sued over an off-season shooting.) It's that he's just not a very good football player anymore. It's not his fault; we all slow down in our 30s, and Harrison has a bad knee. It's just too bad for Peyton Manning and the rest of the Colts that he's still out there, dragging the whole team down. Colts coach Tony Dungy needs to bite the bullet and put Harrison on the bench.
  • 19. Vikings (2-3) | Prev.: 18
    Vikings coach Brad Childress celebrated that unlikely Monday Night win over the Saints by throwing his punter under the bus. I'm sure that inspires loyalty in the locker room.
  • 20. Jets (2-2) | Prev.: 20
    It's amazing how Brett Favre can basically do anything and the reaction is just, 'Oh, that's just Brett Favre being Brett Favre." I mean, really: Putting a dead animal in a teammate's locker? Can you imagine if T.O. pulled that kind of joke?
  • 21. Dolphins (2-2) | Prev.: 21
    The Miami Herald had an article this week about how front office boss Bill Parcells wouldn't allow success to go to the Dolphins' heads. There's a problem they didn't have to worry about last year.
  • 22. Cardinals (3-2) | Prev.: 22
    The Cardinals are all alone in first place in the NFC West. The Eagles must really wish they were in the NFC West right about now.
  • 23. Falcons (3-2) | Prev.: 26
    Matt Ryan is a good-looking rookie quarterback and Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood are both good running backs, but there's no player on this team who has meant as much as defensive end John Abraham.
  • 24. 49ers (2-3) | Prev.: 23
    J.T. O'Sullivan looked pretty good early in the season, but Patriots coach Bill Belichick devised a game plan that made him look like, well, J.T. O'Sullivan.
  • 25. Raiders (1-3) | Prev.: 25
    So what kind of head coach will Tom Cable be when he coaches his first game Sunday against the Saints? I think we're going to see JaMarcus Russell throw long early and often. I know that's what Al Davis wants to see.
  • 26. Browns (1-3) | Prev.: 27
    This team stinks, but one guy is playing very well: Nose tackle Shaun Rogers, whom Browns GM Phil Savage stole from then-Lions GM Matt Millen in an off-season trade. "Shaun has been what we had hoped for both on and off the field," Savage said. "He has played extremely well thus far and can play even better as he mixes in the system."
  • 27. Seahawks (1-3) | Prev.: 24
    Losing to the Giants is nothing to be ashamed of. Not even looking competitive against the Giants is something to be ashamed of.
  • 28. Bengals (0-5) | Prev.: 28
    I don't want to suggest that an NFL team give up on a season in early October or anything, but since the Bengals clearly aren't going anywhere this year, should they consider having Carson Palmer shut it down so that he doesn't make his injured throwing elbow worse?
  • 29. Chiefs (1-4) | Prev.:29
    I wonder if the Chiefs wish they could have the Jared Allen trade back, considering that 16 individual players have more sacks than the Chiefs have as a team.
  • 30. Texans (0-4) | Prev.: 30
    It was a great day to go out to Reliant Stadium and take in a Texans game -- at least, it was until Sage Rosenfels decided to do his best Edwin Moses impression.
  • 31. Lions (0-4) | Prev.: 31
    Getting rid of Matt Millen is not enough. They must also get rid of about 90 percent of the players and coaches Millen brought in. And a rebuilding project like that takes time. So no, Lions fans, Matt Millen is not done ruining your team yet.

  • 32. Rams (0-4) | Prev.: 32
    Here's something to keep an eye on for the rest of the season: The Lions and Rams have both given up 147 points in four games, meaning they're on pace to give up 588 points this season. The NFL record for futility is 533 points allowed, by the 1983 Baltimore Colts. Can either the Lions or Rams break that record?

Tags: NFL+Power+Rankings, NflPowerRankings

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