|
Rank |
Team |
Comment |
| 1(2) |
 |
More important than Peyton Manning beating his little brother was the fact that the Colts picked up a huge win to open the season on the road against a tough opponent. They had concerns involving the running game on both sides of the ball. Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai weren't consistent enough, while Tiki Barber all but shredded the Colts' run defense at times. |
| 2(4) |
 |
Some may have considered them underdogs against the Miami Dolphins, but they got the job done against a team that looked very solid until the fourth quarter, when the Steelers defense took over. Troy Polumalu showed a glimpse of why he should be considered a defensive-MVP, and the Steelers threw for three touchdowns without Ben Roethlisberger. |
| 3(3) |
 |
The controversial play against the Chiefs was the ugly hit that Trent Green suffered. Besides that play, the rest of the game was dominated by the Bengals. Even Cincinnati's defense handled Larry Johnson fairly well, and the Bengals weren't the team to make the mistakes once the rain started coming down. |
| 4(6) |
 |
It may seem a little awkward to move them up two spots after barely surviving the Detroit Lions, but that's the case when the Broncos and Panthers both blew their games. Also, the Seahawks acquired Deion Branch, which should help Matt Hasselbeck in the passing game a little more. |
| 5(7) |
 |
It doesn't matter that it took the Patriots a safety to defeat Dick Jauron and the Bills - the fact is, New England got the job done. The Patriots' running game worked to perfection, and the team was able to recover from some early mistakes by Tom Brady. |
| 6(1) |
 |
Dropping from the sixth spot to the first spot didn't happen just due to a bad loss to the Falcons; it's due to the health concerns of the team already. It almost looks like the injury bug that caught them a few years ago could be returning, with Steve Smith's hamstring and Dan Morgan's concussion. Unfortunately, it seems like the Panthers offense still can't succeed without Smith in the gameplan. |
| 7(8) |
 |
Typically, teams do not move up after a loss, and if I could've had the Giants stay where they were or drop one spot, I would have. Nonetheless, Eli Manning kept the Giants in the game throughout, and the defense did not let Peyton Manning pick them apart. Hopefully their solid gameplay can be better shown against a weaker opponent. |
| 8(5) |
 |
Denver fans have to be very concerned that Jake "the mistake" Plummer is back. I had gained some faith in him after last season finally, but a Week 1 performance like that will bring back the ugly memories very quickly. If he can't make up for his errors this week, I can imagine everyone calling for Jay Cutler already (which would be a bit premature). |
| 9(9) |
 |
Overall, I thought Culpepper threw the ball very well against a tough Steelers defense. Throughout the first three quarters, it was the receivers that weren't hanging onto the football. Only when Culpepper knew he had to make something happen quick near the end - which is almost impossible against the Steelers defense - did he make his first real mistakes. |
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| 10(14) |
 |
I hate to say it, but so much for all of those Oakland fans claiming that the Chargers were overrated compared to them. The Chargers absolutely killed the Raiders, and like I said before the season, this is a Chargers team that will not have to depend solely on Phillip Rivers gameplay to win them games. In turn, that'll allow Rivers to have more freedom while playing and learning the game. |
| 11(15) |
 |
When the Jaguars were down 10-0, I thought to myself, "I knew this would happen". Little did I know, the Jaguars put everything together and played a heck of a football game after that. Jack Del Rio deserves a ton of credit for always seeming to get his team to show up and stay focused during a game. |
| 12(10) |
 |
Although I didn't pick the Cowboys to make the Super Bowl, when I saw their early lead, the thought crossed my mind that this team could be explosive. Well, once Drew Bledsoe started seeing the true Jaguars defense, it looked like he didn't have a clue what he was doing. Things could get really ugly in Dallas if Bledsoe has another poor performance like this, not only will more fans call for Tony Romo, but Terrell Owens may stir up the pot as well. |
| 13(11) |
 |
I think the Redskins proved to everyone that they are a very similar team to what they were last year. Maybe if Clinton Portis was at 100 percent, they would have had more success down near the red zone. Regardless, Mark Brunell still continued the trend of finding Santana Moss down the field during the final 30 seconds of a game, but this time, John Hall missed the field goal. |
| 14(16) |
 |
Getting rid of T.J. Duckett was a very smart trade for the Falcons, because he had the value, but had no importance towards the team anymore. Warrick Dunn and Jerious Norwood were solid in the running game, and the defense was able to shut down Jake Delhomme all game long. Is there a chance that the NFC Championship Falcons team is back? |
| 15(12) |
 |
Although Trent Green would have given the Chiefs a better chance to come back against the Bengals, they still probably would've lost by a touchdown. The Chiefs will be without him for a week or two, but it's never a good sign when Larry Johnson can't rush for more than 100 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals. Could Billy Volek be a quarterback candidate if Green is out for an extended period of time? |
| 16(17) |
 |
I didn't think the Vikings philosophy from the end of last season would work heading into this season, but it did. Brad Johnson managed a smart football game, and Chester Taylor provided a stable threat in the running game. Right now, it looks like it's between the Vikings and the Bears in the NFC North. |
| 17(21) |
 |
What a defense effort against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Some people ranked them as high as No. 8 on their rankings, but I won't go that crazy yet. I still need to see how they play over the next few weeks before they make a drastic leap like that, but they started the season on a very positive note. |
| 18(18) |
 |
Like the Ravens, the Eagles started off the season on a very positive note. Donovan McNabb looked comfortable, and Donte' Stallworth could turn out to be an absolute steal for the Eagles. However, they only beat the Texans, so we'll see how they stack up against tougher competition, which means their running game will have to improve. |
| 19(19) |
 |
How in the world could the Bears not move up after blowing out the Packers? Well, rather than the Bears defense or offense being good, it was more so the Packers executing poorly. Don't get me wrong, the Bears played a fantastic game, but like the Ravens and the Eagles, you don't move to the top of the list if you blew out a weak opponent. |
| 20(20) |
 |
Of all the teams in the league, the Rams probably deserve to be moved up a couple more notches. It sounds weird to say this, but the team's defense got them the victory against the formerly 4th-ranked Broncos team. Jim Haslett deserves a lot of credit for that performance, meaning Seattle should watch out when they have to collide with the Rams. |
| 21(13) |
 |
And, the team that fell the most in the rankings is...the Buccaneers! They laid as big of an egg as you can lay against the Baltimore Ravens, and there wasn't a whole lot of positive things you could take out of the game. The passing game was bad, the running game was bad, and the defense was not impressive. |
| 22(23) |
 |
Kurt Warner and the Cardinals offense played as expected against a bad 49ers defense, but I don't see them contending against a team with a solid defense. Imagine if the 49ers can easily put up that many points against them, then the Seahawks and Rams should have it even easier. |
| 23(26) |
 |
Despite losing, the Lions kept the NFC Champions on their toes until the final second when they lost via a field goal. What happened to Mike Martz offensive system? Does it seem weird that Martz' offense failed in Detroit, while Haslett's defense succeeded in St. Louis? |
| 24(22) |
 |
Despite an awful first half, the Browns almost rallied for a victory against the Saints, who came out and played stronger than expected. Kellen Winslow Jr. played a great game, but Braylon Edwards dropped pass leading to a pick prevented the Browns' game-winning possible drive. |
| 25(29) |
 |
The Saints were a team that looked to be solid offensively on paper, but due to their awkward season a year ago and a new head coach, the expectations were low heading into the season. Reggie Bush will only build on his first game against the Browns, as will the rest of the players on this team. |
| 26(31) |
 |
It doesn't look like a whole lot is wrong with Chad Pennington's shoulder, now does it? Jets fans shouldn't get too excited yet, as they only beat another rebuilding team. Their running game still remains a concern, as they are without a consistent threat. |
| 27(25) |
 |
I love Jeff Fisher as a coach, but he should have known better than to have so much indecision at quarterback heading into a game. If he stuck with Billy Volek all along, the Titans may have picked up a victory. |
| 28(32) |
 |
Vernon Davis and Antonio Bryant made their presence known in their first game with the 49ers, and Alex Smith already looks a lot more comfortable than he did last year. The offense has some fire-power, but the defense will be what gives them headaches all season long. |
| 29(28) |
 |
Despite the Bills almost upsetting the Patriots, I don't see it as a sign of positive things to come. The team still has a lot of issues that need to be worked on, including the quarterback situation. J.P. Losman will be fine for this year, but he'll have to really show something to stick around for another year. |
| 30(24) |
 |
I didn't want to believe it, but maybe Brett Favre should have retired. Not because he doesn't have anything left, but because the talent around him simply isn't showing up. I don't know how much help Koren Robinson will be either. |
| 31(27) |
 |
Take a look at how the Raiders played on Monday night. That's exactly what I expect to see from them this year. |
| 32(30) |
 |
After a positive start against the Eagles, it went downhill from there. The team is trying to put a running game together all of a sudden after losing Dominick Davis, and I don't think it's going to turn out very well. |
