NFL Team Power Rankings [Last week's position]
A lot of changes in the ranks, as some teams started feeling the pressure of injuries while others reached inside and found new strength.
1. Green Bay Packers (3-0) [2] : Still keeping their injuries to a minimum, they are hoping to build a strong enough lead before their thin bench has to take the field. With the Bears hot on their heels, though, they may not get that wish, although they are the hottest and highest scoring team in the league right now.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (3-0) [6] : Knocking off the former #1 team in dominant style certainly earns you a huge jump on the Power Rankings, and only a fraction of a point behind the Pack. The defending Super Bowl Champs are looking like the favorites to repeat.
3. Indianapolis Colts (2-1) [NR] : Whoa, talk about dominance! Granted, they played the worst offense in the league, but the Colts never let up, even when second-stringers like former starting QB Jacoby Brissett came on the field.
4. Seattle Seahawks (3-0) [5] : A nice win over Dallas pulls the Seahawks up
5. Baltimore Ravens (2-1) [1] : It's not just because they lost, but they never seemed to have control of the game at all on Sunday. Good team, but their young quarterback brings a bit of inconsistency that will keep them bouncing up and down the Power Rankings.
6. San Francisco 49ers (2-1) [12] : Talk about a deep bench! Losing half of their first-string offense to injury, and four key defensive players, didn't matter at all to the 49ers, who made mincemeat out of a Saquon Barkley-less Giants team.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0) [7] : The Steelers found ways to get around one of the strongest defenses in the league, plunging the Texans to an 0-3 record.
8. Tampa Bay Bucs (2-1) [NR] : Okay, it hasn't taken Tom Brady very long to gel with his new team. Look out, NFL, here comes the Bucs!
9. Buffalo Bills (3-0) [9] : Their defense nearly allowed a near-historic comeback, but the offense had enough gas in the tank to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. They need to work on consistency, as they have the talent and determination.
10. Chicago Bears (3-0) [10] : A sputtering offense completely turned around when Nick Foles took over as quarterback. Still, their defense never should have allowed so many points scored. A little tightening of the defense is in order.
11. New England Patriots (2-1) [14] : Okay, so far Cam Newton has played nice and is leading the team well. We'll see how long that lasts, but Foxborough fans will enjoy it while it does.
12. Tennessee Titans (3-0) [11] : Nearly lost again, against another winless team. If their game against Pittsburgh happens, I don't see them escaping that one unscathed.
NFL Division Power Rankings [Last week's position]
1. NFC West [1] : WAAAYYY out in front of any other division, this division has nothing but winners.
2. AFC North [3] : Baltimore's loss doesn't hurt them that much, as Cleveland gets their first winning record (at ANY point in a season!) in six years and Cincy pulled out a tie against a better team.
3. AFC West [2] : Losses by both the Chargers and Raiders pulled this division down, but there's still lots of potential here.
4. NFC North [4] : Bears and Pack continue to win, and the Lions pulled off an upset over the Cards!
5. AFC South [5] : Impressive win by the Colts keeps this division on track
6. AFC East [6] : Bills and Pats keep winning, and even Miami got a win
7. NFC South [7] : Only one team with a positive point differential marks a division in disarray. The Saints need to find some magic, and the Panthers may be wishing they hadn't let Cam Newton go.
8. NFC East [8] : Well, the league does need eight divisions.
Week 4 picks
Thursday night
Denver Broncos at New York Jets : Does anyone outside of the Denver and New York City viewing area even care about this one? Oh well, I pick all the games, so I guess I have to choose a less pathetic team of the two. That would be Denver. BRONCOS, 17-13
Sunday early games
Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers : Teddy Bridgewater breathed life into the Panthers last week, but the Cardinals defense will make life hard for them again. Kyler Murray showed why he still needs some work, but a blitzing defense will keep the Panthers behind. CARDS, 30-23
Baltimore Ravens at Washington Whatchamacallits : Lamar Jackson and the Ravens will bounce back from the loss to the Chiefs and show why the NFC East is the worst division in football. RAVENS, 27-20
Cleveland Browns at Dallas Cowboys : Odell Beckham Jr gave Dallas fits when he played with the Giants, so he's looking forward to doing it again on Sunday. The 'Boys have just looked terrible on offense, but I have go with the Browns history -- just when something good happens to them (like, a long-awaited winning record), the wheels will unexpectedly come off. COWBOYS in a 23-20 upset
Indianapolis Colts at Chicago Bears : With Nick Foles under center, the Colts defense won't quite know what to expect, and after the ass-chewing I'm sure Chuck Pagano will give the defense, they will come out stoked and punishing. BEARS, 26-20
Jacksonville Jaguars at Cincinnati Bengals : I don't think last week's tie was a fluke. I think the Bengals are starting to get it together, and they could muster their first win of the season. BENGALS, 23-20
Los Angeles Chargers at Tampa Bay Bucs : Brady is warming to his new team, and so he'll keep the passes flying and the Bucs moving. The Chargers defense is good, but Brady has a great field sense, and will keep them guessing. BUCS, 27-23
Minnesota Vikings at Houston Texans : Like Thursday, another match-up of winless teams, but these two have more potential. Both defenses have played well below their skill level, but I think the Texans will shape up first. TEXANS, 27-20
New Orleans Saints at Detroit Lions : New Orleans could not get it together against the Pack on Sunday night, but the Lions are not nearly as strong, neither offensively nor defensively. The Saints return to winning ways. SAINTS, 31-17
Seattle Seahawks at Miami Dolphins : The Dolphins put together a good game last week, but the Seahawks defense will make that more difficult. Furthermore, only two teams have scored more than 100 points in the first three weeks of play: Green Bay and Seattle. Their offense will overwhelm Miami. SEAHAWKS, 27-16
Sunday late games
Buffalo Bills at Las Vegas Raiders : I think the Bills will face another close game and tough challenge, but again emerge victorious. The Raiders start to peter out in the fourth quarter, when they might have a lead, but the Bills will engineer a stop, and then a thrilling field-goal-producing final drive. BILLS, 24-23
New England Patriots at Kansas City Chiefs : The Pats defense is good, but not good enough to stop the charging Chiefs. Can Cam Newton and company keep pace with Patrick Mahomes and his merry band of playmakers? For awhile, but I don't think they can do it for a whole game. CHIEFS, 34-20
New York Giants at Los Angeles Rams : After last week, would there be ANYONE picking the Giants? RAMS, 24-13
Sunday night
Philadelphia Eagles at San Francisco 49ers : The Eagles want to bounce back from the embarrassing tie against the Bengals, but they face the incredible secondary wall of the 49ers. I think their second stringers are, for the most part, better than the players starting for Eagles (of course, most of those 49ers second stringers ARE starting for them right now!), so this will be a 49ers victory. 49ERS, 23-17
Monday Night Football
Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers : Green Bay's offense continues to roll. Injuries have started to set in, but they still have enough tools to take an early lead and force Atlanta to throw, making it easier for the Packers defense. PACK, 30-17
Postponed (day and time TBD)
Pittsburgh Steelers at Tennessee Titans : COVID-19 strikes the Titans, as several players and staff have tested positive. As such, the league is preventing them from gathering, thoroughly cleaning their stadium, and looking at when it would be safe to play this game. If it does take place (and right now there is a 50-50 chance the game will be cancelled, since their bye weeks are different), I think the Steelers are the stronger team. Of course, when it does play, injuries may play a factor. They are talking about possibly playing on Tuesday (which the medical professionals who advice the NFL are saying that is too soon). If it plays in the next two weeks, before the Steelers and Titans play again, then I stick with my Steelers pick. STEELERS, 27-17
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