Roman numerals just make everything seem that much more important. It is Friday which means an infinite amount of football chat coming your from my mouth. Don’t worry the NBA preview has not died, you try making sense of the Eastern Conference. ZING! But seriously. Sidenote before I start the power rankings…since when did the US Women’s Soccer team lose? I remember during the Mia Hamm era a tie was a shocker. That coach deserves to be fired, I mean who makes a lineup switch in the semi-finals of THE WORLD CUP. Especially when you’re taking one of your most attractive players in Hope Solo and switching her for 89 year old Brianna Scurry who, well has always been the subject of ‘Is she or is she not?’ bets between men nationwide. Hope’s interview was amazingly bitter and a great sports moment.
1. Dallas Cowboys (3-0) LW: #1
I knew the Cowboys could beat the Bears, but I would be lying if I said they would do it like that. They are currently firing on all cylinders and have made themselves THE favorite in the NFC. Amazing what this team can do when healthy and motivated.
2. Green Bay Packers (3-0) LW: #3
Brett Favre is writing a tremendous end to his career and I for one am loving every second of it. How he is doing this without a running back is insane. After the first two games I was like ‘ok so Favre beat up on a Giants team and a Philly team that played terrible oh well’. But after last week’s performance against San Diego (NO INTs!) I’m a believer. I feel like I’m 10 years old all over again.
3. Seattle Seahawks (2-1) LW: #4
The Seahawks continue to be the Seahawks; dry and unimpressive. They could easily be 3-0 and they could easily be 1-2. You just never know what you’re going to get with this team and it is so hard to predict. I see them staying in between 3-5 all year.
4. Carolina Panthers (2-1) LW: #6
It looks as if it is showtime for David Carr. The Panthers continue to play the good/bad game. We still don’t know who is going to show up. On one hand DeShaun Foster is running like a man possessed but on the other hand their defense let Joey Harrington slice them up. I mean they were a DeAngelo Hall meltdown from losing to the Falcons. Consistency continues to be their Achilles heel.
5. Detroit Lions (2-1) LW: #5
They aren’t moving from #5 for a couple reasons. No one could have stopped Donovan McNabb last weekend especially not the Lions. Also, their offense still put up numbers which lets me know that they may be able to stay consistent after all. We will see what they can do with the Bears this weekend. Roy Williams is a beast.
6. Chicago Bears (1-2) LW: #2
Not as dramatic of a drop as I would have liked but I will say that is more because no team did anything to move up. The Bears are in trouble. Not because of Grossman or Griese but their defense is injured. The Bears D has carried them for a very long time and they aren’t going anywhere until that D proves its healthy or that it can still get the job done.
7. Washington Redskins (2-1) LW: #7
The Redskins proved last week that they are solid, not spectacular and definitely beatable if you shut down their running attack. That being said, Clinton Portis won’t disappear on a weekly basis so they get the benefit of the doubt…for now.
8. San Francisco 49ers (2-1) LW: #8
Things are looking bleak for the Niners. To me they are the worst 2-1 team in the NFL. Their offense has just looked bad through the first three games. Defenses are keying in on Frank Gore and telling Alex Smith to beat them. The fact that Gore has yet to hit 100+ and Alex Smith is throwing the ball around 27+ times a game says a lot about the Niners. And Vernon Davis is out.
9. Philadelphia Eagles (1-2) LW: #14
Westbrook is carrying this squad. We will see if Donovan and the Eagles are really back this Sunday night. –
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) LW: #12
Their defense is good but I am far from sold on any other aspect of their team. Once they play a team that can shut down their running game it will be tough times for Jeff Garcia.
11. New York Giants (1-2) LW: #15
I’m in the camp of people who think last week’s win over the Redskins could turn everything around for them. Road wins can do that, but the way they did it could bring them together. Remember they still can put points up on the board, I just think people wrote the G-Men off. Including me.
12. Arizona Cardinals (1-2) LW: #10
No Anquan Boldin this week….and is Kurt Warner really about to play again? How is Pittsburgh’s D not just salivating right about now? Matt Leinart should be devastated.
13. Minnesota Vikings (1-2) LW: #9
When Adrian Peterson hits the wall the Vikings are going to from ‘boring to watch’ to ‘atrocious at best’.
14. New Orleans Saints (0-3) LW: #11
They need another Hurricane stat.
15. St. Louis Rams (0-3) LW: #13
The Rams aren’t even good on offense anymore that is how far they have fallen. No Steven Jackson means even more problems ahead.
16. Atlanta Falcons (0-3) LW: #16
At least Petrino can be happy that Louisville got upset two weeks in a row. Joey Harrington can be happy that College GameDay is in Eugene and the Ducks have a big game against Cal. DeAngelo Hall can be happy that Hope Solo went off so people stopped talking about him. All of that will end when they have to play a football game.