NFL Power Rankings Week 3

1.) Green Bay Packers (2-0)

-The Packers still take the top spot, but only because they are still the defending champs and played without Tramon Williams against CAR, and also lost Nick Collins in the 4th quarter. That said this defense has to improve fast if they want to hold the top spot after Week 3.

2.) New England Patriots (2-0)

-Tom Brady is just unstoppable, there are no other words to describe it. Chad Ocho Cinco doubled his catches from Week 1 (2 on Sunday). On offense the Patriots are unstoppable, and their defense is now forcing turnovers. Those 2 things equal the best team in the AFC, and maybe the NFL.

3.) New Orleans Saints (1-1)

-After a disappointing Week 1 loss to Green Bay the Saints returned to New Orleans looking to retaliate against the Chicago Bears. They did just that and more beating the Bears 30-13 and constantly getting to Bears QB Jay Cutler. Drew Brees was on fire hitting Devery Henderson for a 79 yard bomb, and finished the day with 3 TD's. This is the Saints team we are used to watching.

4.) Philadelphia Eagles (1-1)

- A game filled with turnovers, including 3 from Michael Vick, and yet the Eagles still looked good. The defense forced key turnovers. They once again had problems stopping the run, and giving Michael Vick time to throw (Vick was alter knocked out with concussion like symptoms). They have a big game next week against the Giants, where the big headline will be Steve Smith vs. his old team

5.) New York Jets (2-0)

-How about those J-E-T-S. The defense is playing better then ever, Shonn Greene is starting to find the end zone and Nick Folk is better then he was in Dallas. The problem; C Nick Mangold suffered an ankle injury and Mark Sanchez was his inconsistent self. If the Jets want to make a run against the Patriots, they are going to need much better QB play.

6.) Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1)

-The Panic Meter going into Week 1 was at a 7, now it has to be about a 2. Even against the worst team in the league, the Steelers were still impressive. They went back to smash mouth football using a mix of runs and passes to pick apart the Seahawks D. The Steelers are back to normal, just as the Ravens faltered against the Titans.

7.) Houston Texans (2-0)

-The Texans are going to win the AFC South, there is no question about it. But how will they do against the best teams in the NFL, we will find out next week when they head to the Super Dome. They are extremely talented on offense and can beat you on the ground or in the air. But if they want to beat the better teams in the NFl, they are going to have to turn those FG's into TD's.

8.) Detroit Lions (2-0)

-I said it before the season started, this team will go as far as Matthew Staffords shoulder, and so far his 7 TD's and 599 yards has led this team to a 2-0 record. Their defense was terrific again holding the depleted Chiefs offense to only 3 points. They are on the rise in the NFC, and should face an easy match up Week 3 against the (0-2) Vikings.

9.) Baltimore Ravens (1-1)

-After so much momentum and hype after a Week 1 blowout over Pittsburgh (including myself) the Ravens went into Nashville and were shocked by the Titans. They managed to hold the Titans to 74 yards on the ground, but were picked apart by Matt Hasselbeck for 358 yards. Joe Flacco threw two INT's and Ray Rice managed to only get 96 combined yards. The Ravens will need to bounce back next week against STL, as PIT is back to being a elite team.

10.) Atlanta Falcons (1-1)

-In Michael Vicks' return to Atlanta, it was the Falcons who stepped up and took the spotlight. Yes, Michael Vick was knocked out in the 3rd quarter, and 3rd string QB Mike Kafka was at the helm, and yes they nearly lost it to that same backup QB. However, the Falcons did what they needed to do to win. They ran all over the Eagles defense, they got to Vick early, and often, and they forced turnovers. All that leads to a win against one of the best teams in the NFC. The Falcons will face another test next week against division rival Tampa Bay.

11.) San Diego Chargers (1-1)

-If only the Chargers played consistent football, they would be such a different football team. For the 2nd game in a row Phillip Rivers threw 2 INT's, and he also fumbled the football late in the 4th quarter. Those 3 turnovers plus a Mike Tolbert fumble killed any chance the Chargers had of beating the Patriots. They will take on Kansas City next week which should be beneficial for Rivers to get back on track.

12.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1)
-Josh Freeman showed his "Clutch" gene once again, this week doing it on the road against the Vikings. After trailing the 1st half 17-0, Freeman led the Bucs on a 2nd half surge to a 24 point comeback, which included a game winning drive in the final minute of the game. Freeman still had problem with turnovers, and the Bucs had problems running the ball, but they pulled it off late in the game. They face a tough divisional game next week against the Falcons.

13.) Dallas Cowboys (1-1)
camae at the expense of 3 offensive stars, Tony Romo has a fractured rib and punctured lung, Felix Jones has an injured shoulder, and Miles Austin aggravated his hamstring injury and will be out for the next 4-5 weeks. Now is the time to see how good the Cowboys really are, and how they can handle these injuries.

14.) Chicago Bears (1-1)

-After an impressive 18 point victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, we saw a much different Bears team on Sunday against New Orleans losing 30-13. The Offensive Line was atrocious letting New Orleans get to Jay Cutler all day. Their defense wasa beaten all day by Drew Brees, and collectively they looked like the team we saw in 2009. They will need to play well next week against hated rival Green Bay.

15.) Washington Redskins (2-0)

-Maybe the Redskins are for real, and Rex Grossman was right after all. After edging out a 22-21 victory over the Cardinals, the Redskins are 1st in the NFC East. Tim Hightower has been a bargain for the Redskins and his acquisition may remind some of the Ryan Grant trade Green Bay made in 2007. The Redskins will face the Cowboys next week in a prime time game, and a win would provide alot of momentum for what should be a tight NFC East race.

16.) New York Giants (1-1)

-After a big Monday Night win over the depleted Rams, it still gives the Giants a step in the right direction as they prepare for Week 3 against the Eagles who could be without Michael Vick. Hakeem Nicks was brilliant again for the Giants, and Eli Manning turned it around after struggling in the 1st quarter with his accuracy. The Giants are slowly getting healthy on the Defensive Line, but until then Jason Pierre-Paul has been outstanding off the edge.

17.) Buffalo Bills (2-0)
-Raise your hand if you thought the Bills would be 2-0, now keep your hand up if you thoughtt they could score 5 TD's on 5 drives in the 2nd half against OAK. After looking as if they were down and out after the 1st half the Bills turned the game around and beat the Raiders in the final seconds. Fred Jackson continued to run the ball well and leads the league in rushing after 2 games (229 yards), and has been the leader of that offense.
18.) Arizona Cardinals (1-1)

-The Cardinals are going to need to improve their play in the 4th quarter if they want to win the NFC West. After leading early in the game the Cardinals couldn't put the game away later on, and when they had a chance for a game winning drive, a fumble cost them the game. The pieces are all there on offense, but I need to see better play from the defense before I consider them the best in their division

19.) Tennessee Titans (1-1)

-They nearly beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1, and they shocked the world this week by shutting down the Baltimore Ravens. Matt Hasselbeck looked like he was young again passing for over 300 yards, and leading long scoring drives time after time. They have a chance to be a decent team in the AFC South, and win some football games. Oh and don't forget Chris Johnson still hasn't had a big game.

20.) Carolina Panthers (0-2)

-This is more a Cam Newton ranking then a Carolina Panthers ranking, but hey a good team is usually led by a good QB. After going into Week 2 as heavy underdogs the Panthers made it a game and lost by a mere TD. Cam Newton is for real, and has far surpassed my extremely low expectations for him. But if the Panthers want to win football games, they need to find a balance between the run and the pass.

21.)  St. Louis Rams (0-2)

-The Rams continue to deal with injuries, as they were without RB Steven Jackson on Monday Night against the Giants. Steven Jackson will be back next week. Their schedule is not going to lighten up so they will need to find ways to win in order to avoid suffering a further setback early in the season.

22.) Oakland Raiders (1-1)

-The Raiders did one thing well on Sunday, and that was execute on offense despite injuries to their WR's. Unfortunately, 35 points wasn't enough to get the win, thanks to an ugly performance by the defense. After giving up 5 consecutive TD's to the Bills, there are some huge question marks about this Raiders defense. They face the Jets Week 3, which likely means a 1-2 starts.

23.) San Francisco 49ers (1-1)

-After a heart-breaking loss to the Cowboys at home, the 49ers have to bounce back next week against Cincinnati. Jim Harbaugh has already showed fans that he has little confidence in his offense. Their defense continues to be impressive against the run, and Ted Ginn Jr. has been a bright spot as a returner. The 49ers have a chance to win the division, but in order to do that they need to start producing on offense.

24.) Miami Dolphins (0-2)

-The Dolphins are a team who I think are better then their record shows. Their defense has had difficulties defending the pass in 2 games against the Patriots and Texans, and they have gotten little from Reggie Bush as a RB. There are bright spots, Daniel Thomas broke through last week for 100 yards and they are getting chances for their kicker. They are probably the worst team in their division, but they aren't a bottom 5 team.

25.) Minnesota Vikings (0-2)

-Another loss in which they had a 2 score lead early in the game. They have yet to show the ability to  hold a lead, but what they have shown is improvement on a weekly basis. Donovan McNabb vastly improved his yardage total ( 228 yards in Week 2), Adrian Peterson continues to destroy opposing defenses. In a tough NFC North they have no shot at a playoff spot, but there is enough there for a 6-7 win season.

26.) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1)

-The Luke McCown Era may be over in Jacksonville, and what a short era it was. After 3 quarters of 59 yards passing and 4 INT's against the Jets, Jack Del Rio had enough. Rookie Blaine Gabbert arrived in garbage time and went 5/6 for 52 he Jaguars are a bad football team, but maybe now fans can get a glimpse into the future of their team.

27.) Denver Broncos (1-1)

-I'm not hearing any "Tebow" chants this week, maybe fans can be satisfied with Tebow as a WR. Then again wins for this Broncos team won't happen often so the chants will be back soon. On offense Eric Decker has come alive and could be a real breakout player this year. Keep an eye on the Broncos as the year goes on, the Tebow chants will eventually get to John Fox.

28.) Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)

- The Bengals may not have gotten the W, but rookie QB Andy Dalton is making a name for himself already in the NFL. Dalton passed for over 300 yards on Sunday, and showed no ill signs of the injury he suffered in Week 1. On defense the Bengals have to get better at stopping the run, and not getting beat deep as often. It is going to be another tough year for Cincy, but the fans should enjoy watching Dalton and A.J Green develop.

29.) Cleveland Browns (1-1)

-The Cleveland Browns did something they had not accomplished in a long time, beat the Indianapolis Colts. Then again it was the Manningless-Colts so it is not nearly as surprising. Thai said the Browns got back on track to their type of football,  running Peyton Hillis 27 times and using short slants to manage the clock. They take on the Dolphins next week, which should be an interesting match up to watch.

30.) Indianapolis Colts (0-2)

-There is one thing for sure, this isn't your usual Colts. Without Peyton Manning this team has looked lost and out of control. Kerry Collins looks like a 45 year old, they can't run the ball, and their defense seems to get beat on every play. It is a match made in hell for Colts fans as there odds of getting Lucky, just went up.

31.) Seattle Seahawks (0-2)

-The Seahawks are not the worst team in the league, but that is only because they have managed to say healthy through 2 games. They were shut out by the Steelers, and Tarvaris Jackson showed once again he not only is not worthy of a starters job.

32.) Kansas City Chiefs (0-2)

-How much bad luck can one team have, they lose Tony Moaeki a week before the season, Pro Bowl SS Eric Berry in  Week 1, then Pro Bowl RB Jamaal Charles Week 2. Due to all the injuries, the lack of production on offense, and no defense, the Chiefs are now the favorites to get "Luck"y and finish last in the standings.