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Power Rankings Week 2


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NFL Power Rankings: Packers nab top spot; Chiefs enter top five

 

 

Embrace the Monday Night doubleheader! (Argh, how it wreaks havoc on having the Week 2 Power Rankings done in time ...)

There are those who would take a weekly MNF double-dip over TNF, but I don't see that happening. Thursday Night Football has become an institution. But the Week 1 matchups were fun, and that last double feature makes the start of the season extra enjoyable, especially if you were up at 1 a.m. on the East Coast still watching football.

Just because.

Speaking of TD, his Broncos won -- but did they surge in the rankings? No. In fact, the Chargers are nipping at their heels. Before we spoil the rest, take a gander below at how the teams stack up heading into Week 2. Feel free to share your take: @HarrisonNFL is the place.

Let the dissension commence!

NOTE: The lineup below reflects changes from our Sept. 8 Power Rankings.

PREVIOUS RANKINGS: Week 1 | Preseason | Post-draft | Post-free agency

 

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1-0 PACKERS

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Fans shouldn't be alarmed. On "NFL HQ" and "NFL Fantasy Live" on NFL Network on Friday, I predicted James Jones would score a touchdown fresh off the street in the first quarter. Made it by 43 seconds. Sticking with Green Bay as my Super Bowl 50 pick, whether you like it or not.

 

 

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1-0 PATRIOTS

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I think Tom Brady was kind of pissed off the last few weeks, don't you? Goodness gracious, the Pats' opponents have to try to gameplan to stop Brady and a healthy Rob Gronkowski. Those seam routes in particular, right up the hash, are so difficult to defend. Oh, and way to go, Dion Lewis. I like Dion. He didn't wander ... The back did settle down in zones enough to catch four balls last Thursday, though.

 

 

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0-1 SEAHAWKS

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Marshawn Lynch got the ball with the game on the line this time. Seattle could have used Kam Chancellor on a few of those plays out there in Sunday's overtime loss (see: Lance Kendricks' game-tying touchdown for the Rams). Playing opponents close is nothing new to the best team of this era. That said, when you consistently play them that close, 10-6 isn't that far removed from 13-3. Heckuva clutch play in the fourth, Earl Thomas. Not so much, Seahawks offensive line. #0-1, Russ

 

 

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1-0 CHIEFS

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Alex Smith looked awfully good in that first half on Sunday. The three touchdown passes held up. Maybe my offseason ranking of Smith as the 10th best quarterback for 2015 -- for which your friendly Power Rankings writer took some serious Twitter fire -- wasn't so far off. Oh, by the way, Kansas City's defense looked solid, minus the garbage-time touchdowns.

 

 

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1-0 CARDINALS

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Andre Ellington's knee injury hurts. The guy was banged up all last year. Sure, David Johnson scored the clinching touchdown in Sunday's win, but that came late, with the Saints trying to keep Arizona from getting a first down. The Chris Johnson signing now looms large, as the artist formerly known as CJ2K will have to pick up serious slack for however long Ellington is out. Carson Palmer performed well running that offense; he looked pretty mobile on that rollout touchdown pass. #encouraging

 

 

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1-0 BILLS

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The only thing sweeter than the Bills' defense stampeding the Horseshoe ... the only thing sweeter than that Buffalo crowd going bonkers all afternoon ... was that sweet shirt Tyrod Taylor was flyin' in the postgame news conference. #sweet #KeithSweatcirca1992 # Billsmafia

 

 

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1-0 BENGALS

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Little to not like about the Bengals' blowout win in Oakland. The offense averaged 6.1 yards per play while the defense held the Raiders to a mere 4.0 yards per play. That's a sizeable differential when averaged over 126 plays in an NFL game. That said, no one gets excited over Cincinnati winning in the regular season anymore, and that's just the way it is. Not unless Andy Dalton plays lights out.

 

 

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1-0 COWBOYS

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The Cowboys drop in spite of the win, due to the loss of receiver Dez Bryant (broken bone in foot) and pass rusher Randy Gregory (high ankle sprain) for four to six weeks. Gregory's absence will be palpable for that defense, as the rookie collapsed the pocket several times Sunday night before exiting. In other news ... somebody wake up the Cowboys' other wide receivers and let them know the game started.

 

 

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1-0 BRONCOS

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While watching portions of Ravens-Broncos with colleagues Dave Dameshek, Bucky Brooks, Ike Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew, the topic of whether Denver backup Brock Osweiler should enter the lineup this season came up. Too soon was the consensus, but the Broncos must be able to push the ball downfield. Taylor pointed out that Peyton Manning "overthrew Emmanuel Sanders on a vertical (route) and that is not easy to do." Manning certainly struggled in front of the home folks Sunday, although we should point out that the Ravens' defense is no pushover. Still, if there was any question before, it's clear now that the strength of this Broncos team absolutely resides on the defensive side of the ball.

 

 

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0-1 COLTS

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Looks like the Horseshoe dodged a tack with T.Y. Hilton's knee injury, which should only keep the receiver out for one to two games. Good news. Maybe everyone should pump the brakes on fitting Andrew Luck for that Hall of Fame jacket just yet. I have no doubt Luck will rebound, but the Colts were flat outplayed in Buffalo. Moreover, Luck was outplayed by Tyrod Taylor. Having new parts on offense is fantastic. But the benefits of continuity often trump the benefits of adding new parts. Let's see how Indy handles this.

 

 

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1-0 CHARGERS

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Panic? Maybe. Character? Check. Big win? Absolutely. San Diego was resilient enough to come back from a 21-3 deficit against a team that certainly has the makings of a playoff squad. The AFC West is going to be a three-way fight, and the Chargers have as strong a shot as the Broncos and Chiefs.

 

 

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1-0 RAMS

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Jeff Fisher is a long way from the 34-6 drubbing his Rams suffered in last year's home opener. While it remains to be seen how much longer fans in St. Louis will be able to watch NFL football in person, the local crowd was treated to a fun one for five quarters Sunday: two punt-return touchdowns, a huge fourth-down stop and, of course, a home W. This just in: Aaron Donald is a beast. And no, we aren't putting the Rams over the Seahawks. Too many six- and seven-win campaigns in the Rams' recent past for that.

 

 

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0-1 Stealers

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So Rob Gronkowski toyed with Stealers defensive backs like Clark Griswold toyed with Rusty in that footrace in the Wally World parking lot ... Chevy Chase even had a giant Gronkesque grin in that scene. The most disappointing aspect of Thursday night's loss to the Patriots was the amount of missed opportunities. DHB's feet notwithstanding, Ben Roethlisberger just missed Markus Wheaton on what could've been a touchdown, or at least a long catch and run to set up a score, in the first half. Still think Wheaton is going to have himself a campaign.

 

 

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1-0 DOLPHINS

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Jarvis Landry might not have put up huge receiving numbers, but man oh man was that a clutch punt return in the fourth quarter Sunday. Speaking of Miami pass catchers who dazzled in Week 1 matchups with Washington, anybody remember which Dolphins wideout lit up the Redskins for 178 yards and two scores on opening day in 1984? (I'm talking to you, old-school 'Fins fans. Hit me up @HarrisonNFL.) Oh, and this Dolphins defense could rank in the top five before 2015 is all over.

 

 

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1-0 PANTHERS

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All eyes are on Luke Kuechly and his health, with Ron Rivera saying that the linebacker, in the concussion protocol after leaving Sunday's game with a concussion, is "OK." The Panthers already lost key personnel on offense, and this team absolutely cannot afford to be without its defensive leader. Speaking of defense, Carolina imposed its will down in Jacksonville, allowing only 265 yards of offense, three third-down conversions and all of nine points. #1-0

 

 

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0-1 LIONS

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Nice start, Ameer Abdullah. The preseason Hall of Famer took his first carry to the house, showing the same explosive form that he flashed throughout August.

 

 

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0-1 RAVENS

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Narrow loss in Denver + season-ending injury for Terrell Suggs = terrible Week 1 for Ravens fans. To make matters even more irritating: Without that Joe Flacco pass right into Aqib Talib's gut, Baltimore definitely could've stolen a quality road W. If I know John Harbaugh, though, this team will bounce right back.

 

 

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1-0 FALCONS

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Nice home win, Dan Quinn. And a kudos to the defense, which got the stops when it had to (... even if Philadelphia moved the ball at will in the second half). The biggest props must go to clutch LB Paul Worrilow, whose third-down stop of Ryan Mathews forced that Cody Parkey duck late. Wonderful play by a guy who chipped in 12 more tackles on the night.

 

 

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0-1 EAGLES

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You know Chip Kelly did not want to send Cody Parkey out there for that field-goal attempt. That might have been the first time we've seen Kelly succumb to the what-every-other-coach-would-do mentality. Given Parkey's preseason, Kelly probably should have gone for it. But of course, hindsight's 20/20. Regardless, until the Eagles' defense proves it can play defense, middle of the pack (11-20) is where this team will be.

 

 

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1-0 JETS

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Heckuva job all the way around by the Jets. OK, it was the Browns. But come on. Ryan Fitzpatrick made some nice throws, particularly the lob to Brandon Marshall to stake New York to a double-digit lead. The defense will take care of itself. And that unit dodged a major bullet with Antonio Cromartie's MRI coming back clean. Cro's listed as week-to-week, but it definitely looked like it could have been much worse when he was carted off the field on Sunday with a towel draped over his head.

 

 

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1-0 49ERS

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After an offseason of tumult, departures, and prognostications of doom and gloom, what a way to open the season. In case you missed it, Carlos Hyde ran 20 times for 365 yards and eight touchdowns. And the front seven that everyone felt sorry for put their stamp on the game, with five sacks and making third down a living hell for the Vikings. (Oh, and here are Hyde's real numbers.)

 

 

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0-1 GIANTS

 

 

Acronym fun: PI on DRC. OK, so that call was the definition of ticky-tack. Unfortunately, given the arm around the waste, it is highly difficult for the ref to tell if Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was pulling on Terrance Williams at full game speed.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, allow me to explain why the Giants stay at No. 22 after a loss. This team might not be strong enough to compete for the NFC East crown, but Sunday night in Dallas, Tom Coughlin's group did more than enough to win. The key to this team actually making a playoff run: Rashad Jennings staying healthy all season.

 

 

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0-1 SAINTS

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A loss in Arizona does not spell doom for this football team. While the Falcons certainly acquitted themselves well in the opener, the rest of the South did not. The Panthers won, but couldn't generate much offense in Jacksonville. Tampa Bay looked like the '76 Bucs.

Sunday's outcome might have been different had that third-quarter pass not squirted off Marques Colston's hands ... and right into the waiting arms of Rashad Johnson. So much for New Orleans running the football more: Drew Brees threw 48 times and got sacked twice, while the Saints only compiled 20 rushing attempts (for a measly 54 yards). Ugh.

 

 

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0-1 VIKINGS

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Unimpressive loss to the 49ers all the way around. Adrian Peterson got about as involved as the deep snapper. On that note, we discussed the merits of Peterson getting handoffs out of the shot gun on "NFL HQ", which is a different than out of the I formation or seven yards behind the quarterback. In those situations, the running back gets more momentum and can see the whole defense. Back to the drawing board.

 

 

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0-1 TEXANS

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Sorry you had to sit through those first three quarters, Texans fans. Despite all the talk about the quarterback position in Houston, Kansas City's offense did what it wanted to do against the vaunted Texans defense. One play that particularly stood out was Travis Kelce's second touchdown, a long catch-and-run with the closest Houston defender having a beer at Gilley's. (Sadly, yet, it's still closed.) Back to QB spot for a second: The new equation seems to be BH + W1 = RM. (At least that's my feeling.)

 

 

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1-0 TITANS

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Marcus Mariota, superstar. All those draftniks who didn't think he was the answer for Tennessee -- those folks who cried bust -- got two really dirty Titans socks in the mouth. Four touchdown strikes, a perfect passer rating and a comfy seat on the bench for the fourth quarter of a blowout win? Not a bad debut. But if you think Tennessee's 42-14 win in Tampa was only about Mariota, think again. The Titans were flat out ballin' in every phase of the game. Yes, those Titans.

 

 

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0-1 BEARS

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It was a close contest at Soldier Field on Sunday. You have to love the Bears rolling out the 1940s-era throwbacks. Ultimately, the new-look defense in Chicago faltered in the second half, allowing Green Bay to score touchdowns on three of their four full possessions: Aaron Rodgers marched the Packers on TD drives of 59, 78 and 48 yards -- with the last one coming off a crushing Jay Cutler pick. Another middling performance from the Chicago QB, in case you only watched eight minutes.

 

 

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0-1 JAGUARS

 

 

For all the chatter about Blake Bortles and the young offense, all we saw in Week 1 was nine stinkin' points. The second half was particularly sucky: pick-six, punt, punt, punt, interception, turnover on downs. Gus Bradley's defense held the fort, but the cannons need to occasionally fire.

 

 

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0-1 REDSKINS

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It looked promising there for a while against Miami. Then the quarterback position happened. Make no mistake: The Redskins' defense did its job (and then some) versus an allegedly up-and-coming Dolphins attack. Yet, in 17 second-half attempts, Kirk Cousins could only manage 96 yards passing with a crippling fourth-quarter interception. OK, not horrible, but not enough to support a defense that answered the bell.

 

 

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0-1 RAIDERS

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Shoddy start to a season that appeared to carry some promise in Oakland. Not only did the Raiders suffer an embarrassing, lopsided loss in front of the Black Hole -- Oakland was down 33-0 in the third quarter -- but Derek Carr managed just a dozen passes before getting knocked out of the game with a bruised throwing thumb. Oh, and team leader Charles Woodson suffered a shoulder injury in garbage time. Maybe the Raiders weren't supposed to take down Cincy in the season opener, but a lot of people were excited about Oakland entering this season. That was just ugly on Sunday.

 

 

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0-1 BROWNS

 

 

Positive vibes weren't exactly flowing from this team in Sunday's three-touchdown loss to the Jets, but Brownie fans did get to catch a glimpse of what Johnny Manziel is (or is not) capable of. After a disastrous rookie year and an offseason of life changes, John Football was forced into action earlier than anticipated following Josh McCown's helicopter crash. Manziel's day: 13 for 24, 182 yards, one touchdown, one pick. Of course, 54 of those yards came on his second pass of the game. Still, there is no replacement for regular-season action.

 

 

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0-1 BUCCANEERS

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So, Jameis' rookie campaign didn't quite kick off as planned. Starting off his NFL career with a pick-six on his very first pass attempt was one thing, lining up for a third-and-42 later on was another. Yeah, and the fumbled exchange with Doug Martin was no bueno, as well. But the real concern is a defense that would not have stopped the University of North Texas on Sunday. At least defense isn't Lovie Smith's side of the ball. Well wait...

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000531124/article/nfl-power-rankings-packers-nab-top-spot-chiefs-enter-top-five

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Little to not like about the Bengalsblowout win in Oakland. The offense averaged 6.1 yards per play while the defense held the Raiders to a mere 4.0 yards per play. That's a sizeable differential when averaged over 126 plays in an NFL game. That said, no one gets excited over Cincinnati winning in the regular season anymore, and that's just the way it is. Not unless Andy Dalton plays lights out.

Scharm...? :unsure:

 

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Scharm...? :unsure:

 

Nope.   Just reality.       

Last year the Bengals started 3-0 then got whooped by Pats on Sunday Night Football.   All the air left the balloon.    Then late season they beat Denver on MNF then lose to Stealers on SNF, lose in the playoffs.   Thanks for playing.

We don't have a big passionate fan base.   There are thousands of face value tickets available for the home opener.   National Media doesn't have a reason to hype the Bengals.

Maybe if they go 5-0 beating Chargers, Ravens, Chief, and Seahawks (teams ranked decently on today's power rankings) the National Media and local fans will be forced to acknowledge the team.

It will be interesting if this team can do anything in the regular season to move the needle, but even today AJ Green was on the radio and it was conversation about winning a playoff game. 

 

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PFT’s Week Two Power Rankings

Rob GronkowskiAP

1. Patriots (1-0; last week No. 1): If the plan for covering Rob Gronkowski is to not cover Rob Gronkowski, the Pats will be in this spot for a while.

2. Packers (1-0; No. 3): Who’s this Jordy Nelson you’re talking about?

3. Broncos (1-0; No. 4): They’ve gone from the 1999 Rams to the 2000 Ravens in the blink of an eye.

4. Cowboys (1-0; No. 6): They’re winning games the way they used to lose them, which lays the foundation for long-lost glory.

5. Bills (1-0; No. 9): No matter how it ends this year in Buffalo, no one can take away how it started.

6. Ravens (0-1; No. 2): They’d be higher if you-know-who was elite.

7. Chiefs (1-0; No. 10): That “receivers aren’t catching touchdown passes” thing is a lot less meaningful after a road win.

8. Cardinals (1-0; No. 11): Maybe if they keep winning they can afford to re-sod the whole field and not just the middle of it.

9. Seahawks (0-1; No. 5): They should have thrown it.

10. Bengals (1-0; No. 12): Maybe Pacman Jones simply wanted Amari Cooper to experience how other teams treat the Bengals in the playoffs every year.

11. Colts (0-1; No. 7): Everyone in the organization needs to get on the same page quickly or this could implode.

12. Dolphins (1-0; No. 16): Cue Dean Martin from deck of the Stu Gots. “Like the league office said, that ain’t a kick in the head.” (Unless it was.)

13. Rams (1-0; No. 21): Those 21,000 empty seats have a memory they can share with their grandchildren.

14. Stealers (0-1; No. 8): Steel Curtain? A shower curtain would have provided more resistance to Gronk.

15. Chargers (1-0; No. 18): Imagine what that offense will be able to do once Antonio Gates is back.

16. Falcons (1-0; No. 22): Fake crowd noise isn’t necessary when the opponent is potentially a fraud.

17. 49ers (1-0; No. 25): Who’s got it better than us? (They can still use that, right?)

18. Panthers (1-0; No. 19): Even Petite Randy Moss has better hands than Ted Ginn.

19. Eagles (0-1; No. 14): People are surprised that the Ringo Starr of the Legion of Boom didn’t perform like Paul McCartney?

20. Vikings (0-1; No. 15): The Vikings aren’t ready for prime time. Or pretty much anything else.

21. Texans (0-1; No. 13): Maybe they should have jumped on Matt Cassel, after all.

22. Lions (0-1; No. 17): Aaron Donald looked great on Sunday. It’s a good thing the Lions didn’t draft a tight end instead of him. Oh.

23. Saints (0-1; No. 20): It’s going to be a lot harder to contend for the division crown on the wrong side of .500 this year.

24. Giants (0-1; No. 23): All the criticism of Eli and Coughlin gives G.M. Jerry Reese perfect cover for handing James Jones to the Packers.

25. Titans (1-0; No. 30): For the second straight year, the Titans managed a big road win to start the year. They’re hoping the rest of the season turns out a little better than 1-14.

26. Jets (1-0; No. 27): No, they won’t be playing the Browns every week.

27. Jaguars (0-1; No. 28): The “we have swimming pools!” distraction may not work much longer.

28. Bears (0-1; No. 29): It’s wasn’t a win, but it also wasn’t a disaster.

29. Browns (0-1; No. 24): At least the uniforms are an improvement.

30. Washington (0-1; No. 32): If only they had a better scout team safety, maybe they could have pulled out the win.

31. Raiders (0-1; No. 26): At this rate, Oakland taxpayers will indeed help fund a new stadium. With one condition: It must be built in any city other than Oakland.

32. Buccaneers (0-1; No. 31): Maybe the Bucs should add a “no blocking” and “no tackling” clause to the “no baseball” provision in Jameis Winston’s contract.

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/09/15/pfts-week-two-power-rankings/

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If Elliot Harrison can't think of anything to say that hasn't been said a million times before then how smart can he be?

Bengals have a shitty fanbase, but the football team is good.

So what do shitty fans have to do with a teams power ranking?

Nothing.

 

 

The Bengals dont  have a shitty fanbase.  Small market team with a franchise that hasn't won a playoff game in 25 years.  I am surprised they have that many people at the stadium every game.  

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The Bengals dont  have a shitty fanbase.  Small market team with a franchise that hasn't won a playoff game in 25 years.  I am surprised they have that many people at the stadium every game.  

You say they don't have a shitty fanbase and then express surprise they still have fans.

 

 

 

 

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You say they don't have a shitty fanbase and then express surprise they still have fans. 

 

 

 

 

No, I am expressing the reality of every fan base save Green Bay, you seem to think this is Cincinnati phenomena but it most certainly is not.  

You know which team had the third lowest attendance based on stadium capacity in 2014?  Dallas.   Probably had something to do with only winning 1 playoff game in 17 years before they finally won another one last January and the fact they hadn't had a winning season in 4 years.    There are over 6 million people living in the Greater Dallas/Ft Worth area....only 2 million here.  Hell, most of the  fans at Dallas' home opener last year were 49er fans. 

The vaunted Redskins came in at 91.7% capacity last year or 28th.  The REDSKINS.  Population of Greater DC...over 6 million.

24th place doesn't look so bad when you consider how small our market is. 

 

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Nope.   Just reality.       

Last year the Bengals started 3-0 then got whooped by Pats on Sunday Night Football.   All the air left the balloon.    Then late season they beat Denver on MNF then lose to Stealers on SNF, lose in the playoffs.   Thanks for playing.

We don't have a big passionate fan base.   There are thousands of face value tickets available for the home opener.   National Media doesn't have a reason to hype the Bengals.

Maybe if they go 5-0 beating Chargers, Ravens, Chief, and Seahawks (teams ranked decently on today's power rankings) the National Media and local fans will be forced to acknowledge the team.

It will be interesting if this team can do anything in the regular season to move the needle, but even today AJ Green was on the radio and it was conversation about winning a playoff game. 

 

I didn't think I needed a :ninja: there...

 

:ninja:

 

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Dallas is a bad comparison.    Largest seating capacity in the NFL.  With standing room only it's over 105K.    They are among the highest avrg ticket price.

Cincinnati business journal referenced a study a few months back about the ability of Cincinnati to support a 3rd major league team.

The findings came back showing Cincinnati barely met the criteria for 2 major league teams.  

Quite a few dynamics that effect attendance and fan support for the Bengals

1. Small Market and Region based market

2. Shitty fans or poisoned fans (however you want to call it) - Inside the market there are people that aren't going to physically or financially support the team.  This group of people is significant and the reasons are varied

3. If you have trouble appealing to fans inside the market, the results outside the market are going to be worse.   Lexington, Louisville, Columbus, Dayton, Charleston etc.  probably aren't very strong as far as attending.

Given the size and quality of the fanbase, the National media is going to give a collective yawn until they are forced to acknowledge it.   They are not going to get increased ratings, clicks, or whatever by hyping or being overly negative with the Bengals.

 

A good example is any yahoo sports writer that bashes or praises Coach Cal and the Kentucky Basketball Wildcats is going to get way more response than he would if he did the same for Marvin Lewis. 

 

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The team sold out 57 straight home games from the time Marvin arrived in 2003 until the T-Ocho Show arrived in 2010.

This has all been said before, but TVs and surround systems have gotten a lot bigger, better and cheaper, the on-screen graphics and information the networks put on the screen have gotten better, Directv's Sunday Ticket offering has gotten better (or so I'm told), tickets have gotten higher, parking has gotten higher, beer and bad food have gotten higher, and, in many cases, household income doesn't go as far as it used to.  

Attendance is a problem with live sports nationwide, as well as with other live events such as concerts (the Taylor Swifts of the world to the contrary).  Unfortunately, those associated with these live events (those who price the tickets, concessions, parking) refuse to acknowledge the supply and demand, instead holding fast to their inflated ticket, concessions, and parking prices.  They're getting their just reward.

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The team sold out 57 straight home games from the time Marvin arrived in 2003 until the T-Ocho Show arrived in 2010.

This has all been said before, but TVs and surround systems have gotten a lot bigger, better and cheaper, the on-screen graphics and information the networks put on the screen have gotten better, Directv's Sunday Ticket offering has gotten better (or so I'm told), tickets have gotten higher, parking has gotten higher, beer and bad food have gotten higher, and, in many cases, household income doesn't go as far as it used to.  

Attendance is a problem with live sports nationwide, as well as with other live events such as concerts (the Taylor Swifts of the world to the contrary).  Unfortunately, those associated with these live events (those who price the tickets, concessions, parking) refuse to acknowledge the supply and demand, instead holding fast to their inflated ticket, concessions, and parking prices.  They're getting their just reward.

That is a huge factor that many folks aren't considering...

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That is a huge factor that many folks aren't considering...

I would agree, but then I'd ask why it isn't a factor in Buffalo as well. Or Green Bay for that matter.  Both small market towns with low median incomes and low cost of living.  The NFL is expensive for them too.

It's a cultural thing. 

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I would agree, but then I'd ask why it isn't a factor in Buffalo as well. Or Green Bay for that matter.  Both small market towns with low median incomes and low cost of living.  The NFL is expensive for them too.

It's a cultural thing. 

Yeah, and Buffalo is depressed as shit (not to mention depressing), not sure about Green Bay in that regard. How do they match up in stadium size and population? I'm guessing about the same.

Very valid point...

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I would agree, but then I'd ask why it isn't a factor in Buffalo as well. Or Green Bay for that matter.  Both small market towns with low median incomes and low cost of living.  The NFL is expensive for them too.

It's a cultural thing. 

There is next to nothing else going on (from a National sports perspective) in both places.

Plus they drink a lot

A lot more than just about everywhere else

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I would agree, but then I'd ask why it isn't a factor in Buffalo as well. Or Green Bay for that matter.  Both small market towns with low median incomes and low cost of living.  The NFL is expensive for them too.

It's a cultural thing. 

Buffalo had a lower attendance percentage than we did last year,...92.4% vs 94.7%.   Stadiums are similar in size.   They have a population of 1.134 million in the area.  Bills' ticket prices are lower than Cincy but not significantly.  That is actually pretty impressive considering they haven't been to the playoffs in 15 years. 

Dallas' stadium holds 85,000 (the number NFL sales use)  and they have 6.9 million in the immediate area to fill it plus they have serious history i.e. 5 Superbowls.  Also, there is more money in Dallas than Cincy by a long shot.    Yep, ticket prices are higher but due to lack of recent success they are not even close to Seattle or New England price wise anymore.   More importantly, they are not filling the stadium, not even close.

PBS holds 65,535 and we have 2.1 million in the immediate area to fill it.    

Ticket price differences are significant but the interesting thing is this:  The best teams in the NFL over the past 10 years charge the most.  Seattle, New England, San Francisco, New York Giants, Chicago(obviously size works here) then Pittsburgh in order.    Seattle's ticket prices are 73% higher than Green Bay's. 

The teams at the lower end of attendance are teams who have had little to no luck in playoffs recently in every case.  In order its Oakland, St. Louis, Dallas, Tampa Bay,  Washington, Cleveland, Buffalo then Miami.   Success fills the seats and our fanbase is pretty much like everyone else's save maybe Green Bay.

 

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And now, back to power rankings:

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/powerrankings/_/year/2015/week/2

 

2015 NFL Power Rankings: Week 2

 
Updated: September 15, 2015, 1:15 PM ET
ESPN.com
Week: 
 
 

Thanks to New England's impressive opening victory and an early slipup by Seattle, the Patriots have snared the No. 1 spot in our hierarchy.

That isn't the only significant change stemming from an eventful Week 1. Two notable upsets and other impressive performances have resulted in plenty of shuffling.

ESPN's Power Panel has rewarded several teams -- including Buffalo, St. Louis and Tennessee -- for success out of the gate. The Bills cracked the top 10, jumping from No. 18 to No. 9, after dominating the Colts, while the Rams rose eight spots to No. 14 after knocking off the Seahawks. The Titans, fueled by rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota's four-touchdown gem, made a seven-spot jump to No. 23.

On the flip side, Philadelphia plummeted from No. 9 to No. 15 after its Monday night loss to Atlanta. Indianapolis took one of the biggest falls, going from No. 4 to No. 11.

 

Note: The comments below are provided by ESPN Stats & Information.

 

2015 Power Rankings: Week 2
RANKTEAM / RECORDTRENDINGCOMMENTS
1
 
 
1
Last Week: 2
Can anyone stop Gronk? After a three-touchdown performance against the Stealers, Rob Gronkowski now has a touchdown reception in seven straight games played.
2
 
 
1
Last Week: 3
The good? The Packers are 1-0 and heading home, where they've won nine straight (including playoffs). The bad? The Packers are playing the Seahawks, who has beaten Green Bay three straight times.
3
 
 
2
Last Week: 1
Don't put too much stock into the Seahawks' 0-1 start. Russell Wilson is now 1-3 in his career at St. Louis. He's 35-10 everywhere else.
4
 
 
1
Last Week: 5
The Broncos are 1-0, but there's cause for concern. Peyton Manning's last four games (including playoffs): 59.3 completion percentage, three TDs, five INTs and a 32.2 Total QBR.
5
 
 
1
Last Week: 6
Dez Bryant's injury puts a damper on the Cowboys' big comeback win. Bryant's 56 career receiving touchdowns are second most in the NFL since 2010.
6
 
 
4
Last Week: 10
Carson Palmer threw two touchdowns in the fourth quarter in Week 1. Palmer has an 88.0 Total QBR in the fourth quarter the past two seasons, best in the NFL.
7
 
 
7
Last Week: 14
Still no touchdowns by a wide receiver, but who cares? Alex Smith went 13-of-16 for 164 yards and 3 TDs Sunday when targeting his running backs and tight ends.
8
 
 
3
Last Week: 11
The emergence of Tyler Eifert adds just another weapon for Andy Dalton. Dalton passed for more than 100 yards when targeting tight ends Sunday for only the fourth time in his career.
9
 
 
9
Last Week: 18
Since the start of 2013, the Bills' defense leads the NFL in interceptions (44) and sacks (113). It just stopped Andrew Luck in his tracks. Next up? Tom Brady.
10
 
 
3
Last Week: 13
Philip Rivers' contract guarantees him the second most money among current NFL contracts. Rivers helped justify that by going 21-of-23 for 249 yards and two touchdowns in the second half Sunday.
11
 
 
7
Last Week: 4
What's the worst trend developing for the Colts in their past two games (including playoffs) -- Andrew Luck's 46.3 completion percentage or the Colts allowing five rushing TDs in those games?
12
 
 
4
Last Week: 8
No offensive touchdowns and 173 yards was not the season debut Joe Flacco and the Ravens were hoping for. No team gained fewer yards than Baltimore in Week 1.
13
 
 
6
Last Week: 7
Steel Curtain no more. The Stealers have allowed 34 pass TDs since the start of last season, better than only the Bears and Buccaneers.
14
 
Rams
1-0
 
8
Last Week: 22
The Rams' pass rush got off to a hot start Sunday, recording six sacks in the win against the Seahawks. The Rams had six sacks combined in Weeks 1-8 last season.
15
 
 
6
Last Week: 9
They each scored a touchdown Monday, but the Eagles are likely looking for more than a combined 13 yards on 11 rushes from DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews.
16
 
 
1
Last Week: 15
The Dolphins squeaked out a win, but big-money free agent Ndamukong Suh didn't make a big difference. The Dolphins allowed the third-most rushing yards in Week 1 (161).
17
 
 
6
Last Week: 23
How good is Julio Jones? Over his past 16 games played he has 175 targets, 113 receptions, 1,734 yards and eight TDs.
18
 
 
1
Last Week: 19
It's not always pretty, but the Panthers have won five straight regular-season games dating to last season, tied for the longest win streak in the NFL (Cowboys).
19
 
 
5
Last Week: 24
How do you replace Frank Gore? If you're Carlos Hyde, you rush for a league-high 168 yards and two touchdowns in your first NFL start.
20
 
 
8
Last Week: 12
How did the Lions follow up blowing a 13-point lead in the 2014 wild-card playoffs? By blowing an 18-point lead against the Chargers in Week 1.
21
 
Jets
1-0
 
5
Last Week: 26
Rex Ryan is gone but the Jets are still going ground-and-pound under Todd Bowles. The Jets rushed on 59 percent of their Week 1 plays, highest in the NFL.
22
 
 
6
Last Week: 16
Drew Brees got a lot of help from his friends to acquire his 355 passing yards in Week 1. The Saints gained 271 yards after the catch Sunday, most in the Brees-Sean Payton era.
23
 
 
7
Last Week: 30
The Titans scored 28 points in the first half Sunday with Marcus Mariota at quarterback. They scored 28 points in an entire game just once last season (Week 5 vs Browns).
24
 
 
3
Last Week: 21
Just take the sack, Eli. It's no surprise Manning threw it away late against the Cowboys. He had the second-most throwaways last season.
25
 
 
8
Last Week: 17
Teddy Bridgewater and the Vikings raised expectations last season, but being the only team unable to score a touchdown in the opener might lower those expectations again.
26
 
 
6
Last Week: 20
Brian Hoyer or Ryan Mallett? Hoyer's 12.3 Total QBR in Week 1 was second worst in the NFL. Mallett posted an 85.9 QBR in relief.
27
 
 
2
Last Week: 25
The Bears have now lost six straight games dating to last season. Only the Buccaneers have a longer active losing streak (7 games).
28
 
 
1
Last Week: 27
It might not matter who plays quarterback for the Browns this season. Cleveland has allowed 2,419 rushing yards since the start of last season, worst in the NFL.
29
 
 
3
Last Week: 32
The Week 1 loss drops Kirk Cousins to 2-8 in his career as a starter. Only Blaine Gabbert, Derek Carr and Jimmy Clausen have a worse W-L since 2012 (min. 10 starts).
30
 
 
1
Last Week: 31
The Jags' offense is dominated by youth as 92 percent of the team's scrimmage yards Sunday were gained by players with three or fewer years of experience. Unfortunately, that led to only nine points.
31
 
 
3
Last Week: 28
Amari Cooper finished with only 47 receiving yards in his debut, but the Raiders tried to get him the ball. His nine targets were second most among rookies in Week 1.
32
 
 
3
Last Week: 29

Good news. Jameis Winston's first NFL pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. The last quarterback to have that happen? Brett Favre (Elias).

 

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NFL Power Rankings: Packers nab top spot; Chiefs enter top five

Embrace the Monday Night doubleheader! (Argh, how it wreaks havoc on having the Week 2 Power Rankings done in time ...)

There are those who would take a weekly MNF double-dip over TNF, but I don't see that happening. Thursday Night Football has become an institution. That said, the Week 1 setup's always fun -- that last double feature makes the start of the season extra enjoyable (especially if you were up at 1 a.m. on the East Coast still watching football).

Just because.

Speaking of TD, his Broncos won -- but did they surge in the rankings? No. In fact, the Chargers are nipping at their heels. Before we spoil the rest, take a gander below at how the teams stack up heading into Week 2. Feel free to share your take: @HarrisonNFL is the place.

Let the dissension commence!

NOTE: The lineup below reflects changes from our Sept. 8 Power Rankings.

PREVIOUS RANKINGS: Week 1 | Preseason | Post-draft | Post-free agency

 

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1

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1-0 PACKERS

1

 

Fans shouldn't be alarmed. On "NFL HQ" and "NFL Fantasy Live" on NFL Network last Friday, I predicted James Jones would score a touchdown fresh off the street in the first quarter. Made it by 43 seconds. Sticking with Green Bay as my Super Bowl 50 pick, whether you like it or not.

 

 

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2

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1-0 PATRIOTS

2

 

I think Tom Brady was kind of pissed off the last few weeks, don't you? Goodness gracious, the Pats' opponents have to try to gameplan to stop Brady and a healthy Rob Gronkowski. Those seam routes in particular, right up the hash, are so difficult to defend. Oh, and way to go, Dion Lewis. I like Dion. He didn't wander ... The back settled down in zones enough to catch four balls last Thursday.

 

 

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3

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0-1 SEAHAWKS

2

 

Marshawn Lynch got the ball with the game on the line this time. Seattle could have used Kam Chancellor on a few of those plays out there in Sunday's overtime loss (see: Lance Kendricks' game-tying touchdown for the Rams). Playing opponents close is nothing new to the best team of the last few years. That said, when you consistently play them that close, 10-6 isn't that far removed from 13-3. Heckuva clutch play in the fourth, Earl Thomas. Not so much, Seahawks offensive line. #0-1, Russ

 

 

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4

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1-0 CHIEFS

3

 

Alex Smith looked awfully good in that first half on Sunday. The three touchdown passes held up. Maybe my offseason ranking of Smith as the 10th-best quarterback for 2015 -- for which your friendly Power Rankings writer took some serious Twitter fire -- wasn't so far off. Oh, by the way, Kansas City's defense looked solid, minus the garbage-time touchdowns.

 

 

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5

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1-0 CARDINALS

4

 

Andre Ellington's knee injury hurts. The guy was banged up all last year. Sure, David Johnson scored the clinching touchdown in Sunday's win, but that came late, with the Saints trying to keep Arizona from getting a first down. The Chris Johnson signing now looms large, as the artist formerly known as CJ2K will have to pick up serious slack for however long Ellington is out. Carson Palmer performed well running that offense; he looked pretty mobile on that rollout touchdown pass. #encouraging

 

 

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6

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1-0 BILLS

11

 

The only thing sweeter than the Bills' defense stampeding the Horseshoe ... the only thing sweeter than that Buffalo crowd going bonkers all afternoon ... was that sweet shirt Tyrod Taylor was flyin' in the postgame news conference. #sweet #KeithSweatcirca1992 # Billsmafia

 

 

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7

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1-0 BENGALS

4

 

Little to not like about the Bengals' blowout win in Oakland. The offense averaged 6.1 yards per play while the defense held the Raiders to a mere 4.0 yards per play. That's a sizeable differential when averaged over 126 plays in an NFL game. That said, no one gets excited over Cincinnati winning in the regular season anymore, and that's just the way it is. Not unless Andy Dalton plays lights out.

 

 

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8

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1-0 COWBOYS

2

 

The Cowboys drop in spite of the win, due to the loss of receiver Dez Bryant (broken bone in foot) and pass rusher Randy Gregory (high ankle sprain) for four to six weeks. Gregory's absence will be palpable for that defense, as the rookie collapsed the pocket several times Sunday night before exiting. In other news ... Somebody wake up the Cowboys' other wide receivers and let them know the game started.

 

 

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9

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1-0 BRONCOS

1

 

While watching portions of Ravens-Broncos with colleagues Dave Dameshek, Bucky Brooks, Ike Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew, the topic of whether Denver backup Brock Osweiler should enter the lineup this season came up. "Too soon" was the consensus, but the Broncos must be able to push the ball downfield. Taylor pointed out that Peyton Manning "overthrew Emmanuel Sanders on a vertical (route) and that is not easy to do." Manning certainly struggled in front of the home folks Sunday, although we should point out that the Ravens' defense is no pushover. Still, if there was any question before, it's clear now that the strength of this Broncos team absolutely resides on the defensive side of the ball.

 

 

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10

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0-1 COLTS

7

 

Looks like the Horseshoe dodged a tack with T.Y. Hilton's knee injury, which should only keep the receiver out for one or two games. Good news. Maybe everyone should pump the brakes on fitting Andrew Luck for that Hall of Fame jacket just yet. I have no doubt Luck will rebound, but the Colts were flat outplayed in Buffalo. Moreover, Luck was outplayed by Tyrod Taylor. Having new parts on offense is fantastic, but the benefits of continuity often trump the benefits of adding new parts. Let's see how Indy handles this.

 

 

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11

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1-0 CHARGERS

2

 

Panic? Maybe. Character? Check. Big win? Absolutely. San Diego was resilient enough to come back from a 21-3 deficit against a team that certainly has the makings of a playoff squad. The AFC West is going to be a three-way fight, and the Chargers have as strong a shot as the Broncos and Chiefs.

 

 

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12

STL.png

1-0 RAMS

7

 

Jeff Fisher is a long way from the 34-6 drubbing his Rams suffered in last year's home opener. While it remains to be seen how much longer fans in St. Louis will be able to watch NFL football in person, the local crowd was treated to a fun one for five quarters Sunday: two punt-return touchdowns, a huge fourth-down stop and, of course, a home W. This just in: Aaron Donald is a beast. And no, we aren't putting the Rams over the Seahawks. Too many six- and seven-win campaigns in the Rams' recent past for that.

 

 

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13

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0-1 Stealers

8

 

So Rob Gronkowski toyed with Stealers defensive backs like Clark Griswold toyed with Rusty in that footrace in the Walley World parking lot ... Chevy Chase even had a giant Gronkesque grin in that scene. The most disappointing aspect of Thursday night's loss to the Patriots was the amount of missed opportunities. DHB's feet notwithstanding, Ben Roethlisberger just missed Markus Wheaton on what could've been a touchdown -- or at least a long catch-an-run to set up a score -- in the first half. Still think Wheaton is going to have himself a campaign.

 

 

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14

MIA.png

1-0 DOLPHINS

1

 

Jarvis Landry might not have put up huge receiving numbers, but man oh man was that a clutch punt return in the fourth quarter Sunday. Speaking of Miami pass catchers who dazzled in Week 1 matchups with Washington, anybody remember which Dolphins wideout lit up the Redskins for 178 yards and two scores on opening day in 1984? (I'm talking to you, old-school Fin fans. Hit me up @HarrisonNFL.) Oh, and this Dolphins defense could rank in the top five before 2015 is over.

 

 

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15

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1-0 PANTHERS

3

 

All eyes are on Luke Kuechly and his health, with Ron Rivera saying that the linebacker, in the concussion protocol after leaving Sunday's game with a concussion, is "OK." The Panthers already lost key personnel on offense, and this team absolutely cannot afford to be without its defensive leader. Speaking of defense, Carolina imposed its will down in Jacksonville, allowing only 265 yards of offense, three third-down conversions and all of nine points. #1-0

 

 

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16

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0-1 LIONS

4

 

Nice start, Ameer Abdullah. The preseason Hall of Famer took his first carry to the house, showing the same explosive form that he flashed throughout August.

 

 

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17

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0-1 RAVENS

3

 

Narrow loss in Denver + season-ending injury for Terrell Suggs = terrible Week 1 for Ravens fans. To make matters even more irritating: Without that Joe Flacco pass right into Aqib Talib's gut, Baltimore definitely could've stolen a quality road W. If I know John Harbaugh, though, this team will bounce right back.

 

 

RANK

18

ATL.png

1-0 FALCONS

5

 

Nice home win, Dan Quinn. And a kudos to the defense, which got the stops when it had to (... even if Philadelphia moved the ball at will in the second half). The biggest props must go to clutch LB Paul Worrilow, whose third-down stop of Ryan Mathews forced that Cody Parkey duck late. Wonderful play by a guy who chipped in 12 more tackles on the night.

 

 

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19

PHI.png

0-1 EAGLES

9

 

You know Chip Kelly did not want to send Cody Parkey out there for that field-goal attempt. That might have been the first time we've seen Kelly succumb to the what-every-other-coach-would-do mentality. Given Parkey's preseason, Kelly probably should have gone for it. But of course, hindsight's 20/20. Regardless, until the Eagles' defense proves it can play defense, middle of the pack (11-20) is where this team will be.

 

 

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20

NYJ.png

1-0 JETS

1

 

Heckuva job all the way around by the Jets. OK, it was the Browns. But come on. Ryan Fitzpatrick made some nice throws, particularly the lob to Brandon Marshall to stake New York to a double-digit lead. The defense will take care of itself. And that unit dodged a major bullet with Antonio Cromartie's MRI coming back clean. Cro's listed as week-to-week, but it definitely looked like it could have been much worse when he was carted off the field on Sunday with a towel draped over his head.

 

 

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21

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1-0 49ERS

6

 

After an offseason of tumult, departures and doom-and-gloom prognostications, what a way to open the season! In case you missed it, Carlos Hyde ran 20 times for 365 yards and eight touchdowns. And that front seven everyone felt sorry for all offseason put its stamp on the game, racking up five sacks and making third down a living hell for the Vikings. (Oh, and here are Hyde's real numbers.)

 

 

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22

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0-1 GIANTS

 

 

Acronym fun: PI on DRC. OK, so that call was the definition of ticky-tack. Unfortunately, given the arm around the waist, it was highly difficult for the ref to tell if Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was pulling on Terrance Williams at full game speed.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, allow me to explain why the Giants stay at No. 22 after a loss. This team might not be strong enough to compete for the NFC East crown, but Sunday night in Dallas, Tom Coughlin's group did more than enough to win. The key to this team actually making a playoff run: Rashad Jennings staying healthy all season.

 

 

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23

NO.png

0-1 SAINTS

1

 

A loss in Arizona does not spell doom for this football team. While the Falcons certainly acquitted themselves well in the opener, the rest of the South failed to amaze. The Panthers won, but couldn't generate much offense in Jacksonville. Tampa Bay looked like the '76 Bucs.

Sunday's outcome might have been different had that third-quarter pass not squirted off Marques Colston's hands ... and right into the waiting arms of Rashad Johnson. So much for New Orleans running the football more: Drew Brees threw 48 times and got sacked twice, while the Saints only compiled 20 rushing attempts (for a measly 54 yards). Ugh.

 

 

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24

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0-1 VIKINGS

8

 

Unimpressive loss to the 49ers all the way around. Adrian Peterson got about as involved as the long snapper. On that note, we discussed the merits of Peterson getting handoffs out of the shotgun on "NFL HQ" -- that's different than getting the rock out of the I-formation or a healthy distance behind the line of scrimmage. In those latter situations, the running back gets more momentum and can see the whole defense. Back to the drawing board.

 

 

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25

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0-1 TEXANS

5

 

Sorry you had to sit through those first three quarters, Texans fans. Despite all the talk about the quarterback position in Houston, Kansas City's offense did what it wanted to do against the vaunted Texans defense. One play that particularly stood out was Travis Kelce's second touchdown, a long catch-and-run with the closest Houston defender having a beer at Gilley's. (Sadly, yet, it's still closed.) Back to QB spot for a second: The new equation seems to be BH + W1 = RM. (At least that's my feeling.)

 

 

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26

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1-0 TITANS

6

 

Marcus Mariota, superstar. All those draftniks who didn't think he was the answer for Tennessee -- those folks who cried bust -- got two really dirty Titans socks in the mouth. Four touchdown strikes, a perfect passer rating and a comfy seat on the bench for the fourth quarter of a blowout win? Not a bad debut. But if you think Tennessee's 42-14 win in Tampa was only about Mariota, think again. The Titans were flat out ballin' in every phase of the game. Yes, those Titans.

 

 

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27

CHI.png

0-1 BEARS

2

 

It was a close contest at Soldier Field on Sunday. You have to love the Bears rolling out the 1940s-era throwbacks. Ultimately, the new-look defense in Chicago faltered in the second half, allowing Green Bay to score touchdowns on three of their four full possessions: Aaron Rodgers marched the Packers on TD drives of 59, 78 and 48 yards -- with the last one coming off a crushing Jay Cutler pick. Another middling performance from the Chicago QB, in case you only watched eight minutes.

 

 

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28

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0-1 JAGUARS

 

 

For all the chatter about Blake Bortles and the young offense, all we saw in Week 1 was nine stinkin' points. The second half was particularly sucky: pick-six, punt, punt, punt, interception, turnover on downs. Gus Bradley's defense held the fort, but the cannons need to occasionally fire.

 

 

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29

WAS.png

0-1 REDSKINS

1

 

It looked promising there for a while against Miami. Then the quarterback position happened. Make no mistake: The Redskins' defense did its job (and then some) versus an allegedly up-and-coming Dolphins attack. Yet, in 17 second-half attempts, Kirk Cousins could only manage 96 yards passing with a crippling fourth-quarter interception. OK, not horrible, but not enough to support a defense that answered the bell.

 

 

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30

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0-1 RAIDERS

4

 

Shoddy start to a season that appeared to carry some promise in Oakland. Not only did the Raiders suffer an embarrassing, lopsided loss in front of the Black Hole -- Oakland was down 33-0 in the third quarter -- but Derek Carr managed just a dozen passes before getting knocked out of the game with a bruised throwing thumb. Oh, and team leader Charles Woodson suffered a shoulder injury in garbage time. Maybe the Raiders weren't supposed to take down Cincy in the season opener, but a lot of people were excited about Oakland entering this season. That was just ugly on Sunday.

 

 

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31

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0-1 BROWNS

 

 

Positive vibes weren't exactly flowing from this team in Sunday's three-touchdown loss to the Jets, but Brownie fans did get to catch a glimpse of what Johnny Manziel is (or is not) capable of. After a disastrous rookie year and an offseason of life changes, John Football was forced into action earlier than anticipated following Josh McCown's helicopter crash. Manziel's day: 13 for 24, 182 yards, one touchdown, one pick. Of course, 54 of those yards came on his second pass of the game. Still, there is no replacement for regular-season action.

 

 

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32

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0-1 BUCCANEERS

3

 

So, Jameis' rookie campaign didn't quite kick off as planned. Starting off his NFL career with a pick-six on his very first pass attempt was one thing, lining up for a third-and-42 later on was another. Yeah, and the fumbled exchange with Doug Martin was no bueno, as well. But the real concern is a defense that would not have stopped the University of North Texas on Sunday. At least defense isn't Lovie Smith's side of the ball. Well, wait ...

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000531124/article/nfl-power-rankings-packers-nab-top-spot-chiefs-enter-top-five

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Shutdown Corner NFL Power Rankings: A change at the top? Not yet

Shutdown Corner

Let’s go back to a simpler time, before we knew the proper psi for football inflation, when the first guy we thought of when we said “The Catch” was Dwight Clark and not Odell Beckham.

I’m talking about Week 1 of the 2014 season.

We learned so much about all 32 NFL teams in that season opener! Here were some of your big story lines coming out of that week:

The Tennessee Titans dominated the Kansas City Chiefs, winning 26-10 at Arrowhead Stadium. Jake Locker looked great, throwing for for 266 yards and two touchdowns.

Led by Knowshon Moreno’s 134 rushing yards, the most in the league in Week 1, the Miami Dolphins swarmed the New England Patriots. The Dolphins outscored the Pats 23-0 in the second half on their way to a 33-20 win.

The San Francisco 49ers, coming off a heartbreaking NFC championship game loss, jumped out to a 21-3 lead in the first quarter at the Dallas Cowboys and cruised to a 28-17 win.

 Cordarrelle Patterson looked like a breakout star for the Minnesota Vikings. He had 128 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown run, in a 34-6 win against the St. Louis Rams.

“When I get the ball in my hands, I expect great things,” Patterson said, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Aaron Rodgers had an 81.5 rating after a loss at the Seattle Seahawks. Derek Anderson had a 108.7 rating after leading the Carolina Panthers to a season-opening win at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

We know what happened next. The Titans lost 14 of their next 15 games. The Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl. Locker and Moreno are no longer in the NFL and Patterson has basically disappeared since that game. The Cowboys ended up being much better than the 49ers. Rodgers won the NFL MVP. Anderson … well, he didn’t.

We’ll look back on some of the things we saw in Week 1 this season as signs of things to come. Some other things will seem totally random by the end of the season. Maybe even by the end of September. Good luck figuring out what is truth and what is fiction after one week.

It’s hard to not overreact to what we saw in Week 1 because that’s all there is to analyze. But we wouldn’t freak out about some one-week anomaly in Week 10. So I’m not going to do so in Week 1. Not every team is going to move dramatically in the rankings just because of 60 minutes of football.

Here are the overreaction-free post-Week 1 power rankings:

 

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1, Last week: 29)

Jameis Winston wasn't good, but it's clear this is a poorly coached team. Losing 42-14 in the season opener at home, against a team that went 2-14 last year, is spectacularly awful.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1, LW: 30)

Trailing 10-9 in the third quarter, Blake Bortles threw a terrible interception that was returned by Josh Norman for an easy touchdown. If Bortles is going to make the leap, he can't keep making mistakes like that.

30. Oakland Raiders (0-1, LW: 28)

Derek Carr's injury didn't help, but the score was 17-0 before Matt McGloin ever threw a pass. And the Raiders lost safeties Charles Woodson and Nate Allen to injuries, making a bad secondary worse.

29. Washington Redskins (0-1, LW: 31)

Alfred Morris ran the ball well, the defense was good, but without DeSean Jackson there wasn't a lot of big-play ability. And Jackson will miss 3-4 weeks.

28. Chicago Bears (0-1, LW: 27)

Matt Forte looked fresh and fast with 166 total yards. As long as he continues to look that good, John Fox will continue to ride him.

27. Tennessee Titans (1-0, LW: 32)

Marcus Mariota was great, but also encouraging was that 2014 second-round pick Bishop Sankey had his best NFL game, with 86 total yards and two touchdowns.

26. Cleveland Browns (0-1, LW: 26)

Johnny Manziel wasn't great, but he likely got few practice reps during the week as the backup, was facing a tough Jets defense on the road, and his best receiver was probably Travis Benjamin. And he wasn't all that bad either.

25. New York Giants (0-1, LW: 22)

It's amazing how coaches spend 80 hours a week figuring out things like what an opponent's tendency is on defense in third-and-long situations, but not 30 seconds studying the proper way to manage a clock and win a game at the end.

24. New York Jets (1-0, LW: 25)

Before Sunday, Chris Ivory had played two seasons with the Jets. He had 20 or more carries in a game three times. He had 100 yards each time. Which leads one to ask, why was Sunday only the fourth time he was given 20 carries by the Jets?

23. Houston Texans (0-1, LW: 20)

Sunday was another reminder of how badly the Texans screwed up the 2014 draft. They still don't have a quarterback. The Brian Hoyer thing didn't even last four quarters before he was yanked. And this season, they'll still probably win enough games that they won't be able to draft one of the top quarterbacks in 2016.

22. Minnesota Vikings (0-1, LW: 16)

The offense looked miserable. Adrian Peterson had just 10 carries for 31 yards. Teddy Bridgewater held the ball too long. I don't want to move a team too much based on one week, but nothing looked too good.

21. San Francisco 49ers (1-0, LW: 24)

It's possible the defense is really good, and Carlos Hyde is a stud. Safety Antoine Bethea played as good of an all-around game as you'll see a safety have. The entire offseason isn't erased because of one game, but it was promising.

20. Carolina Panthers (1-0, LW: 21)

The Panthers will have to do better than 263 yards and one offensive touchdown to keep winning. They won't face the Jaguars' offense every week.

19. New Orleans Saints (0-1, LW: 19)

Arizona has a fairly good offense, but its 25 first downs came a little too easy. Nothing the Saints did in Week 1 would lead you to believe the defense improved much from last season.

18. Atlanta Falcons (1-0, LW: 23)

Forget a committee, Tevin Coleman seems light years ahead of Devonta Freeman in that backfield.

17. St. Louis Rams (1-0, LW: 18)

Great win. They've had great wins under Jeff Fisher before. What we need to see now is the Rams winning games that don't come against marquee opponents at home.

16. Detroit Lions (0-1, LW: 14)

Ameer Abdullah looked really good in his debut. But that begs the question: Why, oh why, did Abdullah get only seven carries in a game that the Lions once led 21-3?

15. San Diego Chargers (1-0, LW: 17)

Keenan Allen tied a Chargers record with 15 catches, and he had 166 yards in a comeback win. The rookie season version of Allen appears to be back. Not sure what happened last season, when he struggled.

14. Philadelphia Eagles (0-1, LW: 12)

Of all the coaches you'd think would be bold on fourth-and-1 late in the game, instead of taking a shot on a long field goal, you'd think Kelly would be No. 1 on that list. He kicked it, the field-goal attempt missed, and the Eagles lost.

13. Buffalo Bills (1-0, LW: 15)

Rex Ryan said Monday he's already done with his defensive game plan for the Patriots. I don't doubt it. What an atmosphere that will be in Buffalo on Sunday.

12. Kansas City Chiefs (1-0, LW: 13)

Week 1 was a nice statement. It doesn't mean much if the Chiefs don't follow that up with a home win against the Denver Broncos on Thursday night.

11. Arizona Cardinals (1-0, LW: 10)

The Cardinals appear convinced that Chris Johnson can be the lead back while Andre Ellington is out for perhaps a few weeks with a PCL sprain in his right knee. Maybe Bruce Arians sees something that wasn't apparent in Johnson the past few years.

10. Pittsburgh Stealers (0-1, LW: 8)

The secondary is just not good. It's going to be hard to fix it too much from here on out either. Ben Roethlisberger better take care of his arm because he's going to be throwing a lot this season.

9. Miami Dolphins (1-0, LW: 9)

A win is a win, although that one in Washington was sloppy. It makes no sense, however, why Lamar Miller had nine carries before the Dolphins' final drive to run out the clock. That needs to change.

8. Cincinnati Bengals (1-0, LW: 11)

Hope you got Tyler Eifert in the last couple rounds of your fantasy draft.

7. Baltimore Ravens (0-1, LW: 6)

Terrell Suggs' season-ending injury is a problem. So too is Joe Flacco throwing for 117 yards in the opener. The Broncos have a very nice defense but the Ravens don't have many weapons in the passing game.

 

6. Dallas Cowboys (1-0, LW: 7)

Without Dez Bryant, the running game takes center stage. The problem is that running game gained 80 yards on 23 attempts against a bad Giants defense on Sunday night.

5. Indianapolis Colts (0-1, LW: 4)

Maybe the Colts have become tough to gauge because of their division. They're 12-0 in divisional games, as they play in the worst division in football, since the start of 2013. They're 10-11 playing everyone else.

4. Denver Broncos (1-0, LW: 5)

Six different receivers caught passes for the Broncos on Sunday. Five of them averaged less than 10 yards per catch. The exception was Jordan Norwood, who had 25 on two catches. That's troubling.

3. Green Bay Packers (1-0, LW: 3)

Randall Cobb didn't look like himself, with 38 yards on five catches. Will his shoulder be better by the time the Packers play the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night?

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

The Patriots probably shouldn't feel great about giving up 464 yards in the opener, even if it was to the Stealers' explosive offense. But they did so while winning fairly easily, so no need for concern yet.

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

After seven months of watching offseason moves and studying teams, I believed the Seahawks were the best team in the NFL coming into the 2015 season. In Week 1, they lost by 3 points in overtime, on the road in a venue they never play well at, against a division rival. The Rams got a long touchdown in the final minute when a defender fell down, a flubbed kickoff to start overtime and then stopped a fourth-and-1 run in overtime by Marshawn Lynch. Does a razor-thin loss like that change my opinion about the Seahawks as a whole?

No, not really.

Hey, if the Packers beat the Seahawks in Week 2 to drop Seattle to 0-2, we probably need to reevaluate a bit. And the Seahawks have concerns. They missed holdout safety Kam Chancellor. The offensive line looked bad. The defense gave up way more than we're used to seeing it allow, to an offense missing its top two running backs.

But does anyone think the Seahawks have taken a big step back from last season because they lost one overtime game in St. Louis? I don't. I don't see a need to move them yet.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/shutdown-corner-nfl-power-rankings--change-at-the-top--maybe-not-213028667.html

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Green Bay = Milwaukee market.    Which is the largest city in Wisconsin.     The Packers used to play a portion of their season in Milwaukee and the season ticket package include "Milwaukee games" for former ticket holders when the Packers went back to playing full time in Green Bay.

Buffalo = Toronto Market.   New ownership group just made a commitment to keep the team in Buffalo but for years the fans prepared for a move.

  Both are easy drives.     Green Bay has such a great gameday atmosphere because a lot of Packer fans are on a road trip.

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8. Cincinnati Bengals (1-0, LW: 11)

Hope you got Tyler Eifert in the last couple rounds of your fantasy draft.

Last couple?  I got him in 4 or 5.

 

7. Baltimore Ravens (0-1, LW: 6)

Terrell Suggs' season-ending injury is a problem. So too is Joe Flacco throwing for 117 yards in the opener. The Broncos have a very nice defense but the Ravens don't have many weapons in the passing game.

And yet they, despite also losing, rate ahead of Cincinnati???

 

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