NFL Week 3 Power Rankings

Here's a Ferringo's-eye view of Week 3 in theAtlanta, at Denver, bye, hosting Buffalo and
National Football League:hosting Indianapolis. But hey, according to every
guffawing columnist across the country they're
New England at Pittsburgh (-3)the Best Team Ever so it shouldn't matter, right?
Once again, the Patriots are involved in the4) Cincinnati Bengals (2-0) - The Bengals made
Game of the Week. They're dogs entering theone of the largest jumps from last week's Power
Steel City, and are going up against the bestRankings (up eight slots from 12). But memo to
team in football right now. Ben Roethlisberger hasChad Johnson: don't call out Mike Brown (just ask
a ridiculous 153.6 passer rating, which is nearlyMarcus Pollard). I hope my Bears knocks these
perfect. He's also 16-1 as a starter, which is nearlyguys back into the Dave Shula Days.
perfect and is looking to avenge the only loss of5) Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) - Despite their
his pro career - a 41-27 blowout at the hands ofoff-field issues, they already have a division road
the Pats in the AFC Title Game last January.win and are averaging 161.5 yards per game on
the ground. However, they are just 1-4 ATS in
Pittsburgh is once again the top running team inDenver, where they play on Monday.
the league, bruising its way to 170.5 yards per6) Philadelphia Eagles (1-1) - McNabb and Owens
game (without their two best runners) and 4.7share the cover on this week's Sports Illustrated.
yards per carry. The Steelers also rank fourth onI don't buy the love fest. It's easy to get along
defense, but are just 17th against the run. Thewhen you're up 42-3 at home, but let's see what
Patriots, on the other hand, are only averaging 2.4happens when they're in a tough spot.
yards per carry, and they are the 12th-ranked7) Carolina Panthers (1-1) - Peter King said that
defense in the NFL. In two games, they've yieldedBrees' interception against the Broncos last week
23.5 points a game.was one of the worst he's ever seen. My vote
goes to Jake Delhomme's toss to New England's
Per usual, Tom Brady will be the key to anyMike Vrabel, who returned it for a TD.
upset chance that New England has. Brady's8) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1) - Losing safety
shoulder is officially listed as probable, and he'll beDonovin Darius for the year is a huge blow. Also,
looking to avenge his poor performance (69.3Byron Leftwich is on his way to becoming the
rating) against Carolina last week. That rating wasnext Steve McNair - doesn't practice due to injury
the 17th worst of his 73 starts (in which he isthen steps up and plays/leads his team on
58-15). However, he's 10-4 in games following hisSunday.
previous 14 losses and has posted a passer rating9) Atlanta Falcons (1-1) - Backup QB Matt Schaub
close to 95 in those games.has been an All-World Preseason player the last
two years, and there are actually some rednecks
Cincinnati (-3) at Chicagoin Georgia that would love to see him get his own
The Pats and Steelers may be the Game of theshot. Those same folks have an IQ lower than
Week, but I really think that this is the mostVick's passer rating of 73.4. Atlanta is 2-11 in
intriguing matchup of Week 3. It pits two young,games that Vick hasn't started in the last three
up-and-coming teams - one with a high-poweredyears.
offense and one with a hard-hitting defense -10) Washington Redskins (2-0) - I really didn't
each trying to make a name for itself among thethink Mark Brunell could still throw it that far. I
top teams in their respective conferences.guess Roy Williams didn't think so either.
11) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0) - They've only
In this corner, Cincinnati has been the "Bestfaced 32 rushing attempts in two games, but the
Team That Nobody is Talking About" thus far byBucs defense is giving up only 40 yards per game
demolishing Cleveland and Minnesota. The Bengalson the ground and 2.5 yards per carry.
and their Big Three - Carson Palmer, Chad12) Dallas Cowboys (1-1) - Blame that loss on
Johnson and Rudi Johnson - have led Cincy to thewhichever linebacker that was that got juked by
No. 1 offense in the league. They are averaginga 57-year-old Brunell on that 3rd-and-27 scramble.
462 yards per game, with 157 coming on the13) Buffalo Bills (1-1) - Bills fans, this is what you
ground and 305 through the air. Palmer has beenget with a first-year QB. Trust me, I know. I'd be
lights out (five TD's and a 107.8 rating), and ismore worried about Willis McGahee dancing in the
being backed by a defense that has alreadyholes.
forced a ridiculous 10 takeaways.14) Seattle Seahawks (1-1) - Seattle is that quiet,
shifty guy in the corner booth of the bar. He
And in this corner, Chicago has been the "Bestseems unassuming, but you keep looking over
Team that Everyone Forgot Existed" until theyyour shoulder because you don't know if he's
posted a 32-point win last week over the Lions.going to snap and kill everyone or just get blasted
The Bears have gone back to their roots - runand stumble home.
the ball (114 ypg, 4.1 ypc) and playing good15) Chicago Bears (1-1) - Brian Urlacher has 15
defense (7th overall). This is a big spot for asolo tackles and three sacks in two games. Now
team that's on the verge of having somewhere are all those ass-clowns that said he was
confidence. If they can defend their turf theyoverrated? Also, linebacker Lance Briggs has just
enter their bye week on a 2-1 roll with putridbeen wrecking people.
Cleveland waiting on the other side.16) Denver Broncos (1-1) - Remember how
everyone ripped on them for picking up the
But a win is far from given. Kyle Orton playedBrowns front four (worst in the league against
well for Chicago last weekend (translation: nothe run in '04)? Well, Denver is currently 22nd
turnovers) and will again have to protect the ballagainst the rush (115 ypg) with K.C. rolling into
against the Bengals.town.
17) New York Giants (2-0) - If they go on the
Atlanta at Buffalo (2.5)road and beat San Diego I still won't jump on the
There are certainly quarterback issues for bothbandwagon - but I'll be very, very impressed.
of these teams. Mike Vick is listed as questionable18) New Orleans Saints (1-1) - After what
this weekend with a sore hamstring, and J.P.they've been through and where they've been
Losman is unofficially questionable after gettingthrough over the last month (Oakland to Texas
benched last week for one drive against Tampato Carolina to New York and now to Minnesota)
Bay. I would put Vick at about 85 percent to play.Jim Haslett has a right to vent. That team just
Also, Losman will again seize the reigns forlooked worn out in the fourth quarter of that MNF
Buffalo, and don't be surprised to see Mikegame.
Mularkey dig into his bag-of-tricks and pull out19) New York Jets (1-1) - The good news is that
some gimmicks this weekend.Curtis Martin didn't tear any knee ligaments (MRI
was negative). The bad news is that safety Erik
This game will be a slugfest. Atlanta is fifth in theColeman just had thumb surgery and may not be
league in rushing (157 ypg, 4.6 ypc) and Buffalo isavailable.
15th (100 ypg, 3.8 ypc). The Bills are second in the20) Detroit Lions (1-1) - Monday, Steve Mariucci
league in total defense, but are just 30th insays that the team has no interest in ex-Buc
rushing after getting rolled by Tampa Bay (191Shaun King. Tuesday, King and Jeff George
rush yards) last Sunday. Atlanta, on the otherworked out for the Lions. Tick-tock, Joey
hand, will most likely be without cornerback/kickHarrington. Tick-tock.
returner Allen Rossum and defensive end Brady21) San Diego Chargers (0-2) - This isn't a bad
Smith, who are two key cogs. Rossum isteam at all. However they've absolutely given
particularly important because the Falcons areaway two games already. Ah, Marty Ball.
already without corner Kevin Mathis - leaving the22) St. Louis Rams (1-1) - I still don't think they're
secondary very vulnerable.running the ball enough. However, they are third in
the league in offensive time of possession (34:07
New York Giants at San Diego (-5.5)per game).
I hope Eli brings his ear plugs. This will be23) Oakland Raiders (0-2) - Despite playing two
Manning's first appearance in San Diego, the cityof the best rushing teams in the NFL, the Raiders
that drafted him first overall in 2004 even thoughD is giving up a paltry 3.0 yards per carry.
he said he wanted nothing to do with thatHowever, they need to start pressuring
organization. Also, Manning and the 2-0 G-Men willquarterbacks. Their two sacks are tied for worst
be rolling into the den of a team that, at 0-2, isin the league.
desperate for a win.24) Tennessee Titans (1-1) - Their win over
Baltimore last week wasn't a fluke from the
Yes, the Giants are 2-0. But they are thestandpoint that while they don't have the depth to
fraudulent kind of undefeated. They tooled on thecompete this season, they certainly have the
Cardinals (who doesn't?) and then topped antalent to jump up and bite an unsuspecting team.
emotionally spent Saints club in a "road" game in23) Baltimore Ravens (0-2) - Right now their
Jersey. They have scored 69 points so far. Prettyrun-pass ratio is almost 3-to-1, but not the way
impressive, right? But they're 26th in total offenseyou'd expect. So far they've thrown 95 passes to
and have run the second fewest plays (104) ingo with only 34 rushes. Unreal.
the league. They've mostly been the beneficiary26) Miami (1-1) - People are already calling Ronnie
of special teams flukes and turnovers.Brown (34 attempts, 94 yards, 0 TD's) a bust
Defensively, they're allowed 370 yards perbecause he's not putting up the numbers that
contest.Cadillac Williams (54-276-2) is. I think it's way too
early to be making those claims.
San Diego, on the other hand, is playing well until27) Minnesota Vikings (0-2) - Just a thought, but
it matters. Drew Brees and Co. were on theirmaybe it's not Randy Moss that they miss the
way to a crucial road win over Denver lastmost. Maybe it's former offensive coordinator
weekend until Drew Brees threw a horrible INTScott Linehan (now in Miami).
that Champ Bailey returned for a touchdown. The28) Cleveland Browns (1-1) - As bad as the
week before, they had benched Antonio GatesPackers were, any time you go into Green Bay
and decided to give LaDainian Tomlinson only twoand get a win it's an accomplishment.
touches in the fourth quarter of a four-point loss29) San Francisco 49ers (1-1) - They lost by 39
to Dallas. It's tough to have must-win games inpoints, but I had to move them up one slot this
September, but this is pretty close for the Bolts.week because the teams behind them looked
that awful.
FREE PICK (YTD 0-1): This week I like30) Arizona Cardinals (0-2) - Kurt Warner got
Indianapolis to cover the 13.5 against the Browns.sacked five times last week and was hit six
In 2004 the Colts had one of the Greatestothers. If they can't get the running game going -
Offenses Football Has Ever Seen. But over theirMarcel Shipp will start this weekend - then they're
last three games - dating back to the playoff lossgoing to get Warner killed. Their run-pass ratio is
in Foxboro - they've managed just 12 points per37 rushes to 98 passes. Not good.
contest. I'm looking for them to break out in a big31) Green Bay Packers (0-2) - Wow. This team
way at home against a Cleveland team that'sis a total mess, on all fronts, and shows no signs
30th in the NFL against the pass. Also, I think theof improving. They just don't have the talent on
Brownies are due for a letdown after a tougheither side of the ball.
road win in Lambeau last Sunday.32) Houston Texans (0-2) - Jason Babin and Philip
Buchanon - a tandem whom the Texans traded a
1) Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0) - It's really tough tocombined five first-day draft picks for the rights
be picky about a team that's looked so good, butto - have both been benched.
they are allowing the opposition to convert 48
percent of their third downs.Questions or comments for Robert? e-mail
2) Indianapolis Colts (2-0) - This team has the
purposeful look of a group on a Mission. It hasn'tDoc's Sports Handy Links:2005 NFL
been smoke and mirrors, but good ol' fashionedSchedulesSuper Bowl 2006NFL power
toughness. Let's see if they can sustain it.rankingsDoc's Sports Handicapping Service
3) New England Patriots (1-1) - This game at1-866-238-6696Since 1971 Doc's Sports has been
Pittsburgh is part of their Murderer's Rowrecognized as one of the leaders and most
schedule that has them hosting San Diego, attrusted names in sports handicapping information.