Just for Sport

From now on, power rankings will appear on Tuesday and predictions on Thursday, when possible.  Team Record and Last Week’s Ranking appear in parentheses.

1. Dallas (2-0, 3) - Beat a very good Philadelphia team.  The offense looks unstoppable, as long as they don’t stop themselves.
2. New England (2-0, 6) - No Brady?  Who cares?  He was just a game manager anyway.
3. Pittsburgh (2-0, 1) - They barely hung on against a team they should have trashed.  Oh, and there was the weather and something about a bum shoulder?  If Roethlisberger heals up, they stay close to the top all season.  If not…look at the division they play in.  They’ll still be here.
4. Philadelphia (1-1, 2) - Lost a heartbreaker to a division rival.  They’re still one of the teams to beat.
5. Denver (2-0, 4) - So the refs gave them the game.  Did you see Brandon Marshall?
6. New York Giants (2-0, 9) - They seem to have a never-ending supply of defensive linemen.
7. Green Bay (2-0, 11) - People are starting to believe.  So am I.
8. Tennessee (2-0, 14) - That defense is awesome.  Imagine if they still had Pacman Adam Jones.
9. Arizona (2-0, 10) - They haven’t been tested yet.  That’s not their fault, but let’s see where they stand in a few weeks.
10. Buffalo (2-0, 8.) - Looking good, so far.  Haven’t played anybody, so far.
11. Indianapolis (1-1, 20) - In the second half on Sunday they showed signs of life for the first time since they won the Super Bowl.  Sure, their offensive line has been torn to shreds and their bread-and-butter play has been shelved for now, but look at the schedule: Jacksonville comes to town next week followed by a much-needed bye.
12. San Diego (0-2, 18) - By far the best 0-2 team.  They’ve been robbed twice, but they still go in the right column in the standings.
13. Carolina (2-0, 15) - And they get Steve Smith back next week.
14. Washington (1-1, 25) - The 4th best team in the best division in the NFL.  Still not that bad.
15. Chicago (1-1, 5) - The good Bears and the bad Bears showed up on Sunday.  So which one will show up this week?
16. Baltimore (1-0, 16) - They stay in the same spot, as do the Texans.
17. Tampa Bay (1-1, 27) - Playing Cincinnati makes any team look good.
18. Cleveland (0-2, 26) - If they want to repeat last year’s success, they’ll need to start winning this week.
19. San Francisco (1-1, 23) - They showed some guts this week.
20. New Orleans (1-1, 12) - New Orleans needs to find someone who can run up the middle.
21. Minnesota (0-2, 17) - Learn how to finish drives and teams won’t come back on you.
22. Houston (0-1, 22) - At least they didn’t have to play in Milwaukee.
23. Atlanta (1-1, 7) - Quick, name more than 3 players on their defense.
24. Jacksonville (0-2, 19) - This was supposed to be their year?
25. Detroit (0-2, 21) - Calvin Johnson is a beast.  He’s on a bad team.
26. New York Jets (1-1, 13) - Mangini ran up the middle three straight times on the goal line?  He is Mangenius no more.
27. Miami (0-2, 24) - They’re not any better than last year.
28. Oakland (1-1, 31) - Poor Darren McFadden is stuck.
29. Seattle (0-2, 29) - J.T. O’Sullivan passed for 321 yards on this defense.
30. Cincinnati (0-2, 28) - Bad news: You have to play another elite defense this week.
31. St. Louis (0-2, 32) - Embarassing, but at least it was against a good team this time. 
32. Kansas City (0-2, 30) - When you lose to the #31 team by 15 points, you automatically get last place.