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Power Rankings Week 3


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NFL Power Rankings

 

Here are Shutdown Corner's power rankings after Week 2: 

32. Chicago Bears (0-2, Last week: 28)

Simple question for Bears fans: What about this team gives you any hope moving forward to 2016 and beyond?

31. New Orleans Saints (0-2, LW: 19)

With Drew Brees, they looked like a bad team for two weeks. If they have to play for a while without Brees? Bring back the bags, the 'Aints will be returning.

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1, LW: 32)

To think, Jameis Winston played that well without Mike Evans catching a pass. And Evans won't have many more catch-less days. Impressive day for the rookie quarterback.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1, LW: 31)

It was good to see second-year receiver Allen Robinson have a big game. How many players have we seen win the offseason and then never show up when the regular season comes along? It seems his hype is legit.

28. Tennessee Titans (1-1, LW: 27)

Wait, a 2-14 team from a year ago didn't win back-to-back road games to start this season? Shocking.

27. Washington Redskins (1-1, LW: 29)

I'm not sold, but they played the Dolphins tough and beat the Rams so maybe there's something here. It's certainly worth watching if Matt Jones starts inching ahead of Alfred Morris in the running back pecking order.

26. New York Giants (0-2, LW: 25)

The Giants are the first team in NFL history to blow double-digit leads in each of their first two games. So if you want to be incredibly optimistic, you'd point out that the Giants are a play here and there (like Rashad Jennings scoring in Week 1 instead of Eli Manning telling him not to) from being 2-0.

25. Oakland Raiders (1-1, LW: 30)

The Raiders went out and made what looks like a solid low-investment signing in Michael Crabtree and took Amari Cooper with the fourth pick of the draft. Derek Carr had the best game of his career Sunday, with Crabtree and Cooper each getting 100 yards. It was smart to get Carr some legit targets.

24. Houston Texans (0-2, LW: 23)

Blake Bortles, Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater and Derek Carr all played well in wins on Sunday. Just saying.

23. San Francisco 49ers (1-1, LW: 21)

The 43 points they allowed to the Stealers isn't great. What's much more concerning is they were stuck on 3 points against a porous defense until fourth-quarter garbage time.

22. Cleveland Browns (1-1, LW: 26)

I'm still not on board with giving Johnny Manziel the starting job. He's making progress, but it might be best if the Browns still play the slow game with him.

21. Detroit Lions (0-2, LW: 16)

Matthew Stafford was hit hard by the Vikings, and now there's no guarantee he'll be ready to play in Week 3. Even if he plays, the Lions have to figure out how to use all this talent to get better on offense. What they've shown is not good enough.

20. St. Louis Rams (1-1, LW: 17)

The next NFL Network documentary: "The Jeff Fisher Era: No Win Too Impressive, No Loss Too Disappointing."

19. Carolina Panthers (2-0, LW: 20)

Carolina's first four games could be against Blake Bortles, Ryan Mallett, Luke McCown and Jameis Winston. Good way to get out to a fast start.

18. Philadelphia Eagles (0-2, LW: 14)

Not sure where they go from here. I can't assume DeMarco Murray forgot how to play, or Sam Bradford is that much worse than Nick Foles or Byron Maxwell is this awful. But right now the Eagles are a bad football team. I assume an improvement is coming, but it better happen soon.

17. Minnesota Vikings (1-1, LW: 22)

I got a feeling that "49ers 20, Vikings 3" will be to this season what "Titans 26, Chiefs 10" was to the 2014 season. Just a random, unexplainable outcome in Week 1. I'm fine ignoring the 49ers game and believing again that the Vikings can be good.

16. Baltimore Ravens (0-2, LW: 7)

Tight end Crockett Gillmore had five catches for 88 yards and two touchdowns. At least there was some positive out of Sunday. It wasn't giving up 37 points to the Raiders.

15. Atlanta Falcons (2-0, LW: 18)

Two wins by six points doesn't make them a juggernaut. But they don't need to be a juggernaut  they play in the NFC South.

14. Miami Dolphins (1-1, LW: 9)

The Dolphins couldn't even get through two whole weeks without falling apart.

13. San Diego Chargers (1-1, LW: 15)

It came in a loss, but rookie running back Melvin Gordon looked a lot better in Week 2. He averaged 5.5 yards on his 16 attempts. He was decisive on his cuts, something he hadn't shown much, dating back to the preseason. Good sign for San Diego's offense.

12. Indianapolis Colts (0-2, LW: 5)

It's hard to believe the Colts will go from a chic Super Bowl pick to just any other team. So I'm not dropping them any further than this. But there are significant issues. The offensive line is a mess. The defense won't carry them anywhere. They'll win the AFC South. but then what?

11. Buffalo Bills (1-1, LW: 13)

The Bills split against the Colts and Patriots. That's just fine. The key, after getting so up for those two home games, is not letting down for three winnable games (at Miami, vs. Giants, at Tennessee).

10. New York Jets (2-0, LW: 24)

I was wrong about the Jets. Couldn't figure out how they'd be a playoff contender with that offense. Turns out it doesn't matter; the defense is just that good.

9. Kansas City Chiefs (1-1, LW: 12)

If you forget the obvious, the Chiefs should feel pretty good after two weeks. The front seven has looked good, rookie cornerback Marcus Peters looks like a future Pro Bowler, the running game is strong again and the passing game has some weapons. They'll never get last Thursday night's game back, but if they can put it behind them there are a lot of reasons for optimism.

8. Pittsburgh Stealers (1-1, LW: 10)

And to think, the Stealers offense adds the NFL's best running back this week. They're going to outscore a lot of teams.

7. Dallas Cowboys (2-0, LW: 6)

The Cowboys aren't going to be as good without Tony Romo and Dez Bryant. But again, who in that division can take advantage? This is the 2013 Packers and Aaron Rodgers all over again; the Cowboys will still win the division because nobody else is good enough to take it (but still, I can't rank them as high as they would be if they were healthy).

6. Arizona Cardinals (2-0, LW: 11)

It's possible Arizona beat the two worst teams in the NFL in Weeks 1 and 2. Doesn't mean they're good, doesn't mean they're bad, it just means we don't know a ton yet.

5. Seattle Seahawks (0-2, LW: 1)

You don't go into a game as big as Seattle had on Sunday night and get Jimmy Graham one catch on two targets. For such a strong coaching staff, that was an utter failure. If you can't figure out how to use Graham in your offense, don't invest the resources in trading for him.

4. Cincinnati Bengals (2-0, LW: 8)

When you look at how the Raiders played in Week 1, then how they played in Week 2 ... and how the Chargers played in Week 1, then how they played in Week 2 ... have the Bengals taken a big leap this season and we haven't noticed yet?

3. Denver Broncos (2-0, LW: 4)

The calling card of Gary Kubiak's offenses is the running game. Denver's running game has gone nowhere behind a bad offensive line so far. So either Kubiak sticks with it, assuming it comes around or switches to the no huddle/shotgun approach that started clicking at the end of the Chiefs game. The latter obviously fits better with Peyton Manning. It's not an easy riddle for Kubiak to answer.

2. Green Bay Packers (2-0, LW: 3)

At this moment, so early in the season, the Packers' opportunity is obvious. Unless the Cardinals (or, I suppose, the Falcons?) are legit, Green Bay should be the heavy favorite to get the No. 1 seed in the NFC. If you've been in Northeast Wisconsin in January, you know what that means.

1. New England Patriots (2-0, LW: 2)

Julian Edelman has 22 catches in two games. That's a pace for 176. The record is 143, by Marvin Harrison in 2002. Nobody else has gone for more than 129 in a season.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/nfl-power-rankings--how-did-the-chicago-bears-sink-to-the-bottom-232538701.html

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PFT’s Week Three Power Rankings

1. Patriots (2-0; last week No. 1): Tom Brady has obtained no apparent motivation from his offseason predicament. None whatsoever.

2. Packers (2-0; No. 2): If God wasn’t a Packers fan, He wouldn’t have given the world cheese.

3. Broncos (2-0; No. 3): They easily could be 0-2. They’re not. Deal with it.

4. Cowboys (2-0; No. 4): Glory interrupted.

5. Cardinals (2-0; No. 8): Some folks in Chicago may be starting to think the wrong team moved out of town.

6. Bengals (2-0; No. 10): The Bengals need to order 2016 calendars and rename the first month of the year “September.”

7. Bills (1-1; No. 5): It was fun while it lasted.

8. Chiefs (1-1; No. 7): It was fun while it lasted.

9. Ravens (0-2; No. 6): This can’t last, can it?

10. Seahawks (0-2; No. 9): This won’t last.

11. Falcons (2-0; No. 16): With the Julio Jones contract, Arthur Blank redefined buying low.

12. Stealers (1-1; No. 14): Could Todd Haley actually be earning another shot at becoming a head coach?

13. Panthers (2-0; No. 18): Methodical, consistent, effective.

14. Jets (2-0; No. 26): If they win it all, does IK Enemkpali get a ring?

15. Dolphins (1-1; No. 12): These Dolphins really are different. They usually lose games they should win in December.

16. Rams (1-1; No. 13): The Rams should petition to play all of their games against NFC West teams.

17. Chargers (1-1; No. 15): Any time they play in Cincinnati and it’s not 30 below zero, that’s a win.

18. 49ers (1-1; No. 17): Some of the 49ers apparently thought the team was still wearing black jerseys in Week Two.

19. Vikings (1-1; No. 20): Which Vikings team is the real Vikings team?

20. Browns (1-1; No. 29): For a team that has lost plenty of games without excitement, why not opt for excitement and see what happens?

21. Colts (0-2; No. 11): If Chuck Pagano means it when he says that this is his last job, here’s hoping his money lasts a long time.

22. Texans (0-2; No. 21): Maybe J.J. Watt should play quarterback.

23. Titans (1-1; No. 25): Those offseason rumors about the Browns wanting Marcus Mariota to start his career in Cleveland apparently inspired the defense to try to end it in Cleveland.

24. Jaguars (1-1; No. 27): Every coach looks for the moment that causes his players to fully buy in. Sunday against Miami, that moment may have arrived.

25. Raiders (1-1; No. 31): Fantasy experts who never face any actual accountability for dispensing bad advice were strongly advising me to use Baltimore’s defense against the Raiders, since the Raiders offense is so bad. (Fortunately, I stuck with Buffalo’s defense.)

26. Giants (0-2; No. 24): They know how to build a lead. Now they simply have to figure out how to hold a lead.

27. Lions (0-2; No. 22): Ready or not, prime time is coming to Detroit.

28. Washington (1-1; No. 30): Win Thursday night, and folks will start believing.

29. Buccaneers (1-1; No. 32): Why only 29? It’s still possible that the Bucs are just a little better than a really bad Saints team.

30. Eagles (0-2; No. 19): Those smoothies have turned the offensive line into a sieve.

31. Saints (0-2; No. 23): Unless Drew Brees can also play defense at a high level, whether he plays or not shouldn’t really matter much.

32. Bears (0-2; No. 28): Not that long ago, coach John Fox lost 43-8 to the Seahawks at a neutral site and with a much better team.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/09/22/pfts-week-three-power-rankings/

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Seriously, the Cowboys are now without their 2 best players on offense to include the QB.  No way they are a top 5 team anymore.  That would be like the Cavs losing LeBron for half the season and pretending they were still a top 2 or 3 team.

Seattle is giving up 350 yards a game.  Yeah, on the road but come on... St Louis???  Arizona looks a lot better to me.

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NFL Power Rankings: Cardinals enter top three; Eagles plummet

 

NOTE: The lineup below reflects changes from our Sept. 15 Power Rankings.

PREVIOUS RANKINGS: Week 2 | Week 1 | Preseason | Post-draft

 

RANK

1

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2-0 PACKERS

 

 

Only Aaron Rodgers could turn a fella who was released by not one but two teams this offseason into James Lofton through Week 2. And if you count how many other organizations sat idle while James Jones sat idle? Good grief. Really enjoyed watching James Starks run Sunday night. He's one of those players you don't fully appreciate until he's no longer around -- and he is so important to Mike McCarthy's offense right now.

 

 

RANK

2

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2-0 PATRIOTS

 

 

Tom Brady answered the bell again, this time like the future Hall of Famer he is, hitting three touchdown passes while narrowly missing on a few potential additional scores. What an unbelievable catch by Danny Amendola down the seam to seal the day. All that said, the Stealers -- sans Le'Veon Bell -- were able to move the ball downfield handily against the Patriots' defense on opening night, and then on Sunday, Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor made more than a few New Englanders nervous late. The unit is still suspect: 813 yards allowed in two games.

 

 

RANK

3

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2-0 CARDINALS

2

 

David Johnson -- all he does is score touchdowns. Boy, all those people who thought the Rams would overtake the Cards in the NFC West had better pump the brakes, or else this will happen. Carson Palmer looks outstanding through two games: He's completed 36 of 56 passes, picking up 8.79 yards per throw with seven touchdowns and one interception. His passer rating for the season? 124.4.

 

 

RANK

4

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2-0 BENGALS

3

 

Say what you want about Andy Dalton, but he sure looked mighty fine Sunday in front of the home folk in Cincinnati. Perhaps the most underrated offseason development this year was the return to health of receiver Marvin Jones and tight end Tyler Eifert. Each have contributed heavily thus far, with Jones' reception of an on-target bomb from the Red Rifle being the highlight of the win over San Diego. #2-0

 

 

RANK

5

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2-0 BRONCOS

4

 

Peyton Manning answered a few questions Thursday night -- or did he? While that 10-play drive in the fourth quarter was an absolute gem, so many Manning ducks could have gone the other way. We'll wait before we make further judgments on the veteran QB. Regardless, it sure would be nice if C.J. Anderson averaged more than none yards per carry.

 

 

RANK

6

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1-1 CHIEFS

2

 

Guessing the secondary's pregame ritual is to ferociously rub their hands with baby oil. How many would-be interceptions did the Chiefs drop Thursday night, anyway? Four? Five? More? Alex Smith and the passing game seriously regressed following Kansas City's impressive Week 1 performance in Houston. Kind of like Hootie & the Blowfish's second album. That happens when you can't pass block. Not Hootie -- Jah Reid and company, I mean.

 

 

RANK

7

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1-1 BILLS

1

 

That Bills defense didn't look so Buffalo-esque versus Tom Brady and company Sunday. You've probably already seen that Brady threw for 466 yards. Before we rub it in about the loss, major props to Tyrod Taylor, who kept fighting out there. Sure, he threw the pick at the end, but at that point in the contest, Taylor was simply trying to make something happen. Check out this dime to Sammy Watkins in the fourth quarter. Here's to the # BillsMafia finding a quarterback, finally.

 

 

RANK

8

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1-1 Stealers

5

 

Whoa ... gooooooooodnight. The Stealers put on a show versus the 49ers on Sunday. If Antonio Brown hasn't convinced you he's the best wideout in the game yet, he never will. Longtime Stealers fans will tell you this matchup was what the Super Bowl should've been in '94. Too bad you couldn't pair that Greg Lloyd-Carnell Lake defense with this year's Pittsburgh offense.

 

 

RANK

9

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2-0 JETS

11

 

Nerdy football note: The Jets' offensive strategy was on point Monday night. Stick with the run game on early downs -- draining clock, limiting Andrew Luck's possessions -- then exploit matchups in the secondary after the Colts' D starts leaning run. The Jets eventually threw more than they pounded the rock, yet several times Ryan Fitzpatrick saw something outside (like Brandon Marshall, on anybody) and simply went for it. Interesting that Marshall said of the offense after the game: "To be honest, I think we stunk it up." Looked alright to me.

 

 

RANK

10

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2-0 FALCONS

8

 

The catch of the day goes to Julio Jones, on this beauty. The underrated road win of the day goes to the Falcons, who joined the Cowboys, Cardinals, Bucs and Patriots as the NFL's road warriors Sunday. Maybe fans and analysts weren't overly impressed with Atlanta's "W," viewing these Giants as a mess. Yet, on a day when members of Big Blue's Super Bowl XXV team were present, and the modern-day Giants were eager to put the Dallas debacle deep in the rearview, Atlanta outscored the home team 14-0 in the fourth quarter. Matt Ryan and Julio Jones just enforced their will on a flat Giants defense.

 

 

RANK

11

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0-2 SEAHAWKS

8

 

Guessing one catch for 11 yards is not what Pete Carroll had in mind when general manager John Schneider acquired Jimmy Graham in the offseason. If it makes anyone feel better, Max Unger -- the center Seattle sent to the Saints in the deal -- is lining up for an 0-2 team, as well. Perhaps most perplexing to Seahawks fans is that Graham was only targeted twice in Sunday night's loss to the Packers. Seahawks tight end Luke Willson making the catch of the night (watch it again right here) only seemed to highlight Graham's absence from the offense. All that said, road losses in St. Louis and Green Bay -- tests as tough as any the 'Hawks will face all year -- do not equal the end of the world. But they are worth noticing.

 

 

RANK

12

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1-1 CHARGERS

1

 

San Diego hung around long enough to make a drive to try to win it on Sunday. Tough to tell whether Philip Rivers saw Vincent Rey dropping into the zone on that fateful interception toward the end. The key sequence in the game had to be the Andy Dalton fumble that was called an incomplete pass -- hello, Tuck Rule -- which preceded Mike McCoy deciding to let the final 50 seconds of the first half run without calling a defensive timeout to get Rivers the ball back. Give your Hall of Fame quarterback (there, I said it) a shot there, Mike.

 

 

RANK

13

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2-0 COWBOYS

5

 

It's 2010 all over again, except for the fact that Jon Kitna's not around this time. (Jon Kitna > Brandon Weeden.) What kind of Bizarro World are we in where Sean Lee is healthy and Tony Romo and Dez Bryant are hurt? Obviously, Romo's fractured clavicle is devastating to the Dallas organization. From a larger standpoint, Romo's window of opportunity is closing rapidly. He's 35 and lacks some of the pocket quickness he displayed five years ago. Romo was never fast, but he was quick in a phone booth. And here I am talking him like he's dead. Cowboys fans must be in mourning about their season right now. But they won't have to worry as much if the defense plays the brand of ball it played in Philly.

 

 

RANK

14

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2-0 PANTHERS

1

 

A wee bit too close for comfort at the end for Panthers fans. And how about Ryan Mallett impersonating Cam Newton's Superman touchdown celebration? That was lame. Could you imagine if Cam impersonated Aaron Rodgers' Discount Double Check? People would be all over him for it. I mean, if the towel draped over the head got people fired up about Newton not caring, what would happen if he pulled what Mallett did? #randomfootballthoughts

 

 

RANK

15

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1-1 RAMS

3

 

Your friendly writer was destroyed for not overreacting to the Rams' overtime win versus the Seahawks in St. Louis. The team's subsequent performance at Washington shows you why I held back. Every season, we hear something like this: "The team you've got to watch out for is the Rams, I'm telling ya." And every year, they falter. Is St. Louis different with Nick Foles under center? Maybe. But wasn't Sunday's contest the exact type of game the Rams need to win to fulfill even wild-card promise? Let's see how they respond against that red-hot Stealers offense, which features Ben Roethlisberger and Le'Veon Bell, not Kirk Cousins and Matt Jones.

 

 

RANK

16

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1-1 VIKINGS

8

 

In Week 1, Vikings fans had to absorb three hours of nothingness in San Francisco. (Seriously, watching any of the Vikes' Super Bowl losses -- twice -- would have been more palatable.) But alas, the Week 2 home opener provided these same fans with great joy! Credit must go to Mike Zimmer's defense, which only allowed 10 points while the contest was still in doubt. Though the box score will tell you Calvin Johnson caught 10 balls, they only went for 83 yards. That's about as much gas mileage as a Honolulu blue '69 GTO.

 

 

RANK

17

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0-2 COLTS

7

 

The Colts looked terrible Monday night. Will they turn it around if/when their corners get healthy? They should. Is Andrew Luck still miles ahead of fellow youngsters Blake Bortles, Kirk Cousins and Derek Carr? Sure. That said, analysts have to quit forgiving his turnovers. There is no question that so much of the game is on his shoulders. At the same time, he has to know when to eat the football. Down one score, he was forcing throws Monday night.

Speaking of turnovers: Oh, brother -- that Frank Gore fumble ...

 

 

RANK

18

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1-1 JAGUARS

10

 

That a way, Dan Skuta! OK, seriously -- gimme a cooler football name in today's game than Dan Skuta? Just wanna yell it to the mountaintops! The 49ers castoff -- Don't you think they would like to have him back? Maybe they would've only lost by three scores, not four, in Pittsburgh -- came up with a huge pass deflection on the Dolphins' last drive. OK, maybe the Jags were going to win anyway, but through two games, the unheralded Skuta has nine tackles, including two for loss, with a sack, quarterback hit and the aforementioned pass deflection. Dan Skuta: You can't stop him, you can only hope to contain him. #Skutagear

 

 

RANK

19

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1-1 DOLPHINS

5

 

This Dolphins squad is no different from the other Joe Philbin-era clubs in Miami. They escaped a reeling Redskins team with a clutch punt-return touchdown in Week 1, then faltered miserably down the stretch versus the Jaguars in Week 2. Olivier Vernon's dumb penalty was shown 500 times on the broadcast and sports shows, but one penalty doesn't cost a team a game (... although, in this case, it was pretty bad). Ndamukong Suh is getting paid approximately $1.18 million per game over the next six years. So that one tackle he was involved in Sunday must have really been something.

 

 

RANK

20

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1-1 REDSKINS

9

 

The Washington Redskins ... Current favorites to win the NFC East! Don't laugh. (Well, chances are over 50 percent of you reading this blurb are 'Skins fans, so you aren't even so much as giggling.) The front seven looks very much improved, as we heard it would be in the offseason. On the other side of the ball, Jay Gruden is deploying a wicked one-two punch at running back -- Alfred Morris and Matt Jones, who combined for 182 yards on 37 carries (a healthy 4.9 yards a pop) -- that might grind out nine wins and an NFC East title.

 

 

RANK

21

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1-1 RAIDERS

9

 

Maybe all those peeps who assume Teddy Bridgewater > Derek Carr should take a step back ... or better yet, get on NFL Now and watch some Game Pass of Ravens v. Raiders from Sunday afternoon. Carr was mostly brilliant, throwing for 351 yards and three touchdowns with only one toss he'd like to take back. Bridgewater hasn't put a team on his back like that in his brief NFL career.

Hey, maybe these aren't the same old Raiders.

 

 

RANK

22

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0-2 RAVENS

5

 

Through two weeks, we've learned this about the Baltimore Ravens ...

a) Losing Terrell Suggs really hurts.
b) Crockett Gillmore is the best weapon on offense.
c) Sunday's home opener versus the 2-0 Bengals is an absolute must-win.

 

 

RANK

23

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1-1 49ERS

2

 

Someone tell the 49ers' defense that the game in Pittsburgh kicked off 40-something hours ago. (Maybe the guys are still in the locker room, spinning yarn about how they once stopped Adrian Peterson.) That was ugly out there at the Ketchup Bottle on Sunday, so much so that Jim Tomsula gets our first just burn it mention of the season. Pull a quasi-Sparano and bury the game film. You both have great mustaches, and that was one of Tony Sparano's brighter ideas. By the way, heard some banter that Colin Kaepernick looked swell. Sure, a 106.7 passer rating is super, and we are rooting for him here in the Power Rankings ... But Kap's team was down 29-3 through the first three quarters. Then he posted a 148.3 passer rating with a pair of TD strikes in final stanza, precisely when it didn't matter.

 

 

RANK

24

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0-2 LIONS

8

 

If Ameer Abdullah and Calvin Johnson are your two biggest playmakers, then giving them eight combined touches in the first half simply isn't going to cut it. That eighth touch was Johnson's touchdown reception from 11 yards out at the close of the first half. Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi has to figure this out. The Lions didn't fare much better after halftime, going fumble, punt, fumble, punt, interception before getting a touchdown in Dwayne Bowe Fantasy Memorial Time, i.e., garbage time.

 

 

RANK

25

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1-1 BROWNS

6

 

Can you really give the keys back to Josh McCown at this point? Answer: Yes, you could. John Football did indeed have two very nice throws that got plenty of burn on all the highlight shows. What said shows didn't show: The fact that he completed just six other passes (for 62 yards) the rest of the game. Still, the upside is with No. 2 out there, so I think you stick with him. Mike Pettine and I aren't friends on LinkedIn, so he's probably not going to consult me.

Helluva game, Travis Benjamin.

 

 

RANK

26

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1-1 TITANS

 

 

OK, so the Titans didn't light it up in Cleveland and give all of Tennessee something to rave about (a 2-0 record). Still, I couldn't help but notice the fight in this club, especially at the quarterback position. Marcus Mariota found the going much tougher in Week 2, but once again, the stage didn't look too big for him. Two touchdown passes, a 96.3 passer rating and two impressive third-down scrambles to move the chains. Another thing to note: Tennessee's next four games will take place in Nashville, with a bye for extra rest/game-planning in Week 4.

 

 

RANK

27

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0-2 GIANTS

5

 

Lots of questions and criticism swirling around the New Meadowlands on Sunday, following yet another blown opportunity for the Giants. Seems like nothing is going right for Tom Coughlin's group, with opponents leaping over perfect coverage to make plays. Julio Jones struck again by not being awarded a touchdown on that final drive, allowing Atlanta to burn more time off the clock. Nothing is going to get better for the Giants until the defense comes to play. Otherwise, it's all on Eli Manning. This just in: Manning has never won big when it is all on him. With this NFC East, though, don't rule the G-Men out quite yet. Especially with Philly losing again.

 

 

RANK

28

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0-2 EAGLES

9

 

After letting Cowboys at Eagles digest for 20 hours, I'm comfortable saying that the performance we all saw at the Linc on Sunday might be worse than anything from Andy Reid's ill-fated swan-song season of 2012. In fact, those looked like the 1999 Eagles out there Sunday, playing like the squad that stumbled all over the field in Reid's first year as a head coach. It appeared as though nothing was working. And even though Dallas was up just 13-3, sans its two best players, with 14 minutes and change (an eternity in the NFL) remaining ... did even the most ardent Eagles fans think their team had a chance? To make matters worse, the Cowboys were without the services of Orlando Scandrick and Randy Gregory on defense -- yet still, Philly couldn't even mount a challenge. The Eagles gained a grand total of seven yards rushing on Sunday. (Well, at least they ran it 17 times!) Get the ground game going, Chip, and things will get better.

 

 

RANK

29

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0-2 TEXANS

4

 

Pulling the plug on Brian Hoyer after one week allowed the Texans to score three fewer points and compile 96 fewer yards of offense. Oh, and Bill O'Brien's squad also committed 10 penalties while converting a paltry five of their 19 third-down attempts. ( Paltry: adj.; ridiculously or insultingly small -- just in case you are as far removed from your SAT as me.) Ryan Mallett was OK -- at best -- but he kept winging it until the end and darn-near tied it up with an across-body throw to DeAndre Hopkins in the waning moments. Still, Houston must get more from its running game -- 23 carries for 61 yards ain't gonna cut it. Hurry back, Arian.

 

 

RANK

30

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1-1 BUCCANEERS

2

 

How Tampa Bay's defense came out and played that well through the first three quarters is anybody's guess. Lovie Smith and staff were celebrating like Rex Grossman had just taken them to Super Bowl XLI out there. Play of the day: Henry Melton's hustle -- and ability to stay in bounds -- while recovering Mark Ingram's crucial, fourth-quarter fumble. Call it, well, beautifully clutch. As was Vincent Jackson's toe-tappin' touchdown grab in the second quarter.

So, who started Kyle Brindza in fantasy?

 

 

RANK

31

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0-2 SAINTS

8

 

After pushing the Cardinals at their place in Week 1, the Saints inexplicably flopped in front of the home folks in New Orleans. It would not be a stretch, Saints fans, for you to complain that your team was the biggest dud of Week 2. I am not ready to write off Drew Brees and Sean Payton, but 6-10 looks very realistic at the moment. Some might say a bit worse. And speaking of Brees, the news on his shoulder doesn't help, that's for sure. A Saints turnaround must begin with the occasional upending of an opposing quarterback.

 

 

RANK

32

CHI.png

0-2 BEARS

5

 

Well, through two games, we know the defense is not up to par. The Bears have allowed 79 points -- 13 more than the next closest team. And now Jay Cutler is hurt, too. So let's throw some positive energy out there. The famous 1985 Chicago outfit gave up 28 in Week 1 and 24 in Week 3, and that squad turned it around. Just saying. Of course, that linebacking corps was much better than this one (as was the rest of the defense). Power Rankings trivia: Wilber Marshall and Mike Singletary are the two most famous LBs on that team. Who was the other guy? (@HarrisonNFL) #55

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000536440/article/nfl-power-rankings-cardinals-enter-top-three-eagles-plummet

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Updated: September 22, 2015, 12:11 PM ET
ESPN.com

 


 
2015 Power Rankings: Week 3
RANKTEAM / RECORDTRENDINGCOMMENTS
1
 
--

Last Week: 1
Tom Brady has seven TD passes and no interceptions to start the 2015 season. That's Brady's best TD-INT differential in the first two games of a season for his career.
2
 
--

Last Week: 2
The Packers are 2-0 and three of their next four games are at home, where they've won 10 straight games (including playoffs). Aaron Rodgers is up to 545 straight attempts at Lambeau without an interception.
3
 
 
3
Last Week: 6
Keep getting David Johnson the ball. He already has a touchdown via a rush, reception and kick return in two games, something only one player did all of last season (Knile Davis).
4
 
 
9
Last Week: 13
Can anyone slow the Ben Roethlisberger-Antonio Brown combo? Roethlisberger when he targets Brown this season: 18-of-22 (81.8 percent), 328 yards, 2 touchdowns.
5
 
 
1
Last Week: 4
The offense is struggling, averaging a league-worst 3.73 yards per play. The defense, on the other hand, is thriving, allowing the second-fewest yards per play (4.23).
6
 
 
2
Last Week: 8
In two games, Andy Dalton hasn't thrown an interception, hasn't fumbled and hasn't been sacked. Not a bad way to start the season.
7
 
 
4
Last Week: 3
The Seahawks have yet to intercept a pass and have allowed opponents to complete 71.7 percent of their attempts this season. Kam Chancellor might be getting a call soon if this keeps up.
8
 
 
1
Last Week: 9
Tom Brady has seven TD passes and no interceptions over the past two seasons against the Bills. Everyone else has 14 TD passes and 21 interceptions against the Bills in that time.
9
 
Jets
2-0
 
12
Last Week: 21
The 2-0 Jets have scored 31 points off 10 takeaways this season. The Jets scored 20 points off 13 takeaways all of last season.
10
 
 
3
Last Week: 7
The Chiefs can't afford to turn the ball over five times as they did in Week 2. The Chiefs are 3-8 with Alex Smith when losing the turnover battle (18-5 in all other games).
11
 
 
6
Last Week: 17
Matty Ice is proving worthy of the nickname so far this season. He's 14-of-20 for 231 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
12
 
 
7
Last Week: 5
Tony Romo's injury thrusts Brandon Weeden into the spotlight. Weeden hasn't won a game as a starter since Week 14 of 2012 (0-8 since).
13
 
 
3
Last Week: 10
Philip Rivers is going to complete a pass to somebody. He's completed 81.2 percent of his passes to start the 2015 season, but he's also thrown three interceptions.
14
 
 
4
Last Week: 18
Over their six-game winning streak, the Panthers have allowed 11.5 points per game, 279.7 yards per game and forced 13 turnovers.
15
 
 
1
Last Week: 16
Lamar Miller is averaging 2.91 yards per rush this season. As a result, the Dolphins have dropped back to pass on 72 percent of plays (seventh highest).
16
 
 
9
Last Week: 25
The Vikings' formula for winning? Get Adrian Peterson the ball. Peterson had 29 rushes Sunday, and had more rushes in the first quarter (13) than he did in all of Week 1 (10).
17
 
 
5
Last Week: 12
The Ravens are off to their first 0-2 start since 2005. But both losses were to AFC West teams, against whom the Ravens have now lost five straight.
18
 
 
7
Last Week: 11
The Colts are scoreless in the first half this season. Andrew Luck is 16-of-37 (43.2 percent) with two interceptions and a 5.8 Total QBR in the first half.
19
 
Rams
1-1
 
5
Last Week: 14
Todd Gurley averaged 3.9 yards per rush after contact in his final season at Georgia and appears to be ready for Week 3. The Rams are averaging 0.9 yards after contact on rushes this season.
20
 
 
1
Last Week: 19
Three points allowed in Week 1, 43 points allowed in Week 2. Which 49ers defense will show up in Arizona in Week 3?
21
 
 
7
Last Week: 28
Forget Johnny Manziel, it's all about Travis Benjamin! Benjamin has scored four of the Browns' five touchdowns this season and has accounted for 51 percent of the Browns' receiving yards.
22
 
 
7
Last Week: 15
Sam Bradford's average completion has been caught 3.2 yards past the line of scrimmage, better than only Matt McGloin. The league average completion is caught 6.0 yards past the line.
23
 
 
6
Last Week: 29
The Redskins showed off an impressive 1-2 rushing punch in Week 2. Both Alfred Morris and Matt Jones are among the eight NFL players with 150 rushing yards this season.
24
 
 
4
Last Week: 20
The Lions need to forget about their 0-2 start quickly because it doesn't get much easier. Detroit faces the Broncos, Seahawks and Cardinals in its next three games.
25
 
 
1
Last Week: 26
Arian Foster can't get back soon enough for the 0-2 Texans. Houston already has attempted an NFL-high 105 passes this season, with an NFL-worst 50.5 completion percentage.
26
 
 
2
Last Week: 24
The Giants have blown 10-point leads in the fourth quarter in both of their first two games. They have allowed 28 fourth-quarter points this season (23 points in first three quarters).
27
 
 
4
Last Week: 23
Seven sacks, three fumbles (two lost) and a 29.7 Total QBR for Marcus Mariota in Week 2. The good news is Mariota won't play another game away from Nashville until Nov. 1.
28
 
 
3
Last Week: 31
Adding Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree has paid off so far for the Raiders. Derek Carr has already matched his touchdown total from last season on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield (2).
29
 
 
3
Last Week: 32
The Buccaneers' win over the Saints broke a seven-game losing streak and an eight-game divisional losing streak. Is a win streak on deck? They take on the 0-2 Texans in Week 3.
30
 
 
8
Last Week: 22
Only three teams have a worse point differential than the Saints (minus-19) this season. In Week 3, the Saints are on the road against the Panthers, who've allowed the second-fewest points this season.
31
 
 
1
Last Week: 30
The Jaguars have a .500 record for the first time since Week 2 of the 2011 season. They finished 5-11 that season.
32
 
 
5
Last Week: 27

The Bears' defense is picking up where it left off. Chicago has allowed the most points in the NFL this season after allowing the most points from 2013-14.

 

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For what it's worth, here are my updated weekly rankings, based on math:

Rank: TEAM (W-L) Points [Last Week] +/-
1: NEP (2-0) 1293 [1]
2: DEN (2-0) 1284 [2]
3: GBP (2-0) 1231 [3]
4: CIN (2-0) 1168 [5]
5: DAL (2-0) 1137 [7]
6: PIT (1-1) 1133 [12]
7: ARI (2-0) 1129 [8]

8: SEA (0-2) 1108 [4]
9: CAR (2-0) 1082 [13]
10: SFF (1-1) 1065 [6]
11: KCC (1-1) 1053 [14]
12: BUF (1-1) 1046 [15]

13: SDC (1-1) 1045 [11]
14: IND (0-2) 1016 [10]

15: *ATL (2-0) 1000 [19]
16: *NYJ (2-0) 1000 [24]

17: BAL (0-2) 985 [9]
18: MIN (1-1) 967 [25]
19: PHI (0-2) 943 [21]

20: STL (1-1) 928 [16]
21: *CHI (0-2) 910 [22]
22: *WAS (1-1) 910 [28]

23: DET (0-2) 901 [20]
24: HOU (0-2) 895 [23]
25: MIA (1-1) 889 [17]
26: NOS (0-2) 874 [18]

27: OAK (1-1) 872 [30]
28: CLE (1-1) 860 [29]

29: NYG (0-2) 836 [26]
30: JAX (1-1) 826 [32]
31: TBB (1-1) 823 [31]
32: TEN (1-1) 791 [27]

* = ATL & CHI ranked ahead of NYJ & WAS based on better ranking last week.

Biggest Movers:
UP: NYJ+9, MIN/WAS+7, PIT+6, CAR/ATL+4
DN: BAL/MIA/NOS-8, TEN-5, IND/SEA/SFF/STL-4

Most Points Taken:
OAK 121 from BAL
JAX 104 from MIA
TBB 101 from NOS
WAS 90 from STL
NYJ 89 from IND

If you want to play along at home:  The winning team is awarded 50 points plus/minus 20% of the difference between the pregame rankings of the two teams (PLUS if they were the underdog, MINUS if they were the favorite), rounded to the nearest whole number.  The losing team loses the same # of points the winner gets.  If the teams were rated more than 250 points apart and the favorite wins, they get one point.  Each game is a zero-sum event and the league-wide average rating is always 1000.  The Week 0 ratings were calculated based on the three-year weighted average of each team's final placement league-wide based on the # of wins they earned that year.

Example: The Bengals (1168) play Baltimore (985) in week 3.  A Bengal victory is worth 50 minus 20%*(1168-985) = 13 points.  A Raven victory is worth 50 plus 20%*(1168-985) = 87 points.  CIN would take 13 from BAL if they win, CIN would give 87 to BAL if they lose.  Easy peasy.

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PFF NFL power rankings for Week 3

 

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers top our PFF NFL power rankings entering Week 3 of the season.

Nathan Jahnke | 5 hours ago
 

In preparation for NFL Week 3, here are the PFF power rankings. Each team-rank includes an interesting statistic worth noting before kickoff on Thursday.

1. Green Bay Packers

Of all DT/NTs with at least 30 pass-rushing snaps, B.J. Raji has the best pass-rushing productivity (12.8). He has seven pressures in the last two games, which is more than his previous 10 games combined.

 

2. New England Patriots

The league-leader in elusive rating is Pats’ RB Dion Lewis at 170.5. 16 players have missed tackles on him this season, and he averages 3.41 yards after contact per carry.

 

3. Denver Broncos

The Broncos have 13 defensive players with 60 or more snaps this season. All 60 of them have an above average grade through two games.

 

4. Cincinnati Bengals

Cornerback Leon Hall has a yards per coverage snap of 0.33 when in the slot, which is the best for all cornerbacks with at least 30 snaps in the slot.

 

5. New York Jets

The 3-4 defensive end with both the most pressures, as well as the highest pass-rushing productivity, is Muhammad Wilkerson, with 13 pressures and a 14.7 pass-rushing productivity.

 

6. Seattle Seahawks

Two of the top three 4-3 defensive ends in pass-rushing productivity belong to the Seahawks. Cliff Avril is at the top of the league at 19.8, while Michael Bennett isn’t far behind at 15.1.

 

7. Kansas City Chiefs

After a seven-stop performance against the Broncos, Jaye Howard leads all defensive tackles in run-stop percentage at 33.3. That means that one in every three times there is a run play and Howard is on the field, Howard is the one to make the tackle, and the play was successful for the defense.

 

8. Atlanta Falcons

Wide receiver Julio Jones has had 59 straight catches without a drop, dating back to Week 12 of 2014.

 

9. Indianapolis Colts

The 3-4 defensive end with both the most run-stops, as well as the highest run-stop percentage, is rookie Henry Anderson at 10 stops and a 20.0 run-stop percentage.

 

10. Arizona Cardinals

Even though Carson Palmer has been under pressure on 34.5 percent of his dropbacks, he is one of just two quarterbacks not to be sacked this season. His sack rate of 10.3 percent was third-best in 2014.

 

11. Dallas Cowboys

Sean Lee is making an early case for Comeback Player of the Year. His run-stop percentage of 20.5 is the best among all linebackers.

 

12. Miami Dolphins

Jordan Cameron has a yards per route run of 4.12 when lined up in the slot; this is the best for tight ends.

 

13. Pittsburgh Stealers

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger already has 406 yards on deep passes on 10 completions. No other quarterback has more than 200.

 

14. San Diego Chargers

The most accurate quarterback in the league has been Philip Rivers, with an accuracy percentage of 89.6; that’s over five percent more than the second-most accurate quarterback. He’s also a perfect 17-for-17 on his play-action passes.

 

15. Philadelphia Eagles

The safety with the most stops so far this season is Malcolm Jenkins with seven. This is in large part thanks to his five-stop performance against Dallas (his first five-stop performance of his career).

 

16. Baltimore Ravens

When a quarterback has thrown at the receiver that safety Will Hill is covering, they’ve had an NFL passer rating of 11.5—the second-lowest for safeties who have been thrown at four times or more.

 

17. Buffalo Bills

After missing all of last year, Richie Incognito is one of three guards not to allow a pressure this season.

 

18. New York Giants

Even though the Giants have been without Jason Pierre-Paul, they still have two top defensive ends in run-stop percentage. Kerry Wynn has the highest run-stop percentage for 4-3 defensive ends at 26.1, while Robert Ayers is fourth at 11.1.

 

19. St. Louis Rams

Cornerback Trumaine Johnson has only been targeted four times this season. He has an interception, a pass defense, a 3-yard catch allowed, and an 8-yard catch allowed. That adds up to an NFL passer rating allowed of 16.7, second best in the league for cornerbacks.

 

20. Carolina Panthers

The four offensive linemen for the Panthers not named Michael Oher have allowed zero sacks, zero hits, and just seven hurries.

 

21. New Orleans Saints

The man with the second-best elusive rating is Khiry Robinson at 152.2. Eight defensive players have missed tackles on him on 19 touches.

 

22. Minnesota Vikings

Only five 4-3 defensive ends have 10 or more pressures this season. Two of them play for the Vikings: Brian Robison and Everson Griffen, who had 10 each.

 

23. Detroit Lions

4-3 defensive end Ezekiel Ansah has seven stops this season, the best for 4-3 defensive ends.

 

24. Cleveland Browns

Last year, Joe Thomas had by far the best run-block grade for offensive tackles between Week 6 and Week 12 (+15.3), followed by a below-average run-block grade in four of his last five games. He’s followed that up with two straight above-average games, giving him the second-best run-block rating among left tackles.

 

25. Tennessee Titans

Wide receiver Kendall Wright has 2.55 yards per route run from the slot, the most for all receivers who spend at least 30 percent of their snaps in the slot.

 

26. San Francisco 49ers

When Colin Kaepernick has thrown to Torrey Smith, he’s had a perfect NFL passer rating of 158.3. They are the quarterback/wide receiver duo with the most targets to maintain a perfect rating.

 

27. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars have four players on defense with a PFF Rating above +1.5. Three of them are free agent additions safety Sergio Brown, defensive linemen Jared Odrick, and linebacker Dan Skuta.

 

28. Houston Texans

Rookie Kevin Johnson has a yards per coverage snap of 0.04, the best for all cornerbacks. In 52 coverage snaps, he has only allowed one catch, and it was for 2 yards.

 

29. Oakland Raiders

Second-year guard Gabe Jackson had the best game of his career on Sunday with a +6.1 overall grade. His run-block grade of +4.0 is the second-best for all guards in the league.

 

30. Washington

Offensive tackle Trent Williams is one of two left tackles to not allow a pressure this season.

 

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In a part-time role, Chris Conte has had a strong start to the season. His yards per coverage snap is -0.19, which leads the league, and he has an interception. On 31 coverage snaps, he’s allowed two catches for -6 yards.

 

32. Chicago Bears

Even though he’s not a full-time starter, Pernell McPhee has remained a consistent pass rusher. His pass-rushing productivity of 21.7 is third best among 3-4 outside linebackers.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/09/22/pff-nfl-power-rankings-for-week-3/

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Hey... time for math!

 

I've taken the five 1-32 rankings from above (Shutdown, PFT, NFL-Harris, Amish, & PFF) and have averaged everybody's results to get a consensus ranking.  THEN, I go back over each individual ranking and see how accurate each is when compared to the average of all 5.  The one that is the most accurate is given a weight of 5, the next most-accurate is given a 4, and so on.  Finally, I re-compute the final consensus rankings using the weights.

Shutdown was the most accurate, followed by PFT, then Amish, then NFL-Harris, and finally PFF.  Assigning 5-4-3-2-1 weights to those ranks gives the following:

1: NEP (18)
2: GBP (30)
3: DEN (46)
4: CIN (68)
5: ARI (87)
6: DAL (103)
7: SEA (117)
8: KCC (129)
9: PIT (135)
10: BUF (150)
11: NYJ (177)
12: ATL (192)
13: SDC (210)
14: CAR (222)
15: BAL (227)
16: IND (229)
17: MIA (255)
18: MIN (269)
19: STL (273)
20: SFF (289)
21: PHI (338)
22: CLE (348)
23: DET (353)
24: HOU (366)
25: OAK (377)
26: WAS (383)
27: NYG (393)
28: JAX (394)
29: TEN (405)
30: NOS (440)
31: CHI (447)
32: TBB (450)

 

 

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