More (very) early Power Rankings

[jmt57]

This one's from Pat Kirwan; he has the Pats second.

Defending Super Bowl Champions Top Ranking Of All 32 Teams

Though he does have this disclaimer: A team ranked in the bottom quarter of this list is sure to make the playoffs; conversely, a team perched up in the top quarter is sure to fall. Talk about hedging your bets.

Regarding the Pats, he says "If the Patriots had secured a veteran outside linebacker, they would have been considered for the top spot." He doesn't have much love for the rest of the AFC East though.

 

[DarrylS]

As good an assessment as there is at this stage of the season.. still think there is a LB somehow and somewhere in the works..

 

[alvinnf]

Atlanta up to 6, seems a bit high. For me I am interested in seeing how good the Titans D will be without Haynesworth. Also, no mention of adding a shutdown corner for a couple of fifth rounders in Philly.....

 

[PatriotsDaily.com]

This one's from Pat Kirwan; he has the Pats second.
Regarding the Pats, he says "If the Patriots had secured a veteran outside linebacker, they would have been considered for the top spot." He doesn't have much love for the rest of the AFC East though.

Like Julius Peppers, Pat?

 

[ALP]

if the pats had gotten that OLB, they would be "considered", LOL

they Would DEFINITELY be 1st pat....NOW ur allowed to only consider them



remember how foolish we made Pit look w/ Brady?

 

[BadMoFo]

if the pats had gotten that OLB, they would be "considered", LOL

they Would DEFINITELY be 1st pat....NOW ur allowed to only consider them



remember how foolish we made Pit look w/ Brady?

Somehow I don't think Brady would have been a major difference a year ago with the way the line was blocking. What maybe an additional score? Pitt owned us last year.

 

[Deus Irae]

Somehow I don't think Brady would have been a major difference a year ago with the way the line was blocking. What maybe an additional score? Pitt owned us last year.

The Patriots had a chance to go up 14-3 in that game when Moss dropped the ball. I'd say "owned" is a little strong. One thing I noticed last year was that the team would get down and deflated in a way it hadn't under Brady, and I think that's a big difference.

 

[TriplecHamp]

The Patriots had a chance to go up 14-3 in that game when Moss dropped the ball. I'd say "owned" is a little strong. One thing I noticed last year was that the team would get down and deflated in a way it hadn't under Brady, and I think that's a big difference.

We got Owned....We had a chance early but things got bad quickly. How many turnovers did we have in a row?

 

[BadMoFo]

We got Owned....We had a chance early but things got bad quickly. How many turnovers did we have in a row?

I think it was five, but like I said a lot of that had to do with the protection, coupled with a stupid fumble by Slater.

 

[Deus Irae]

We got Owned....We had a chance early but things got bad quickly. How many turnovers did we have in a row?

I think it was five, but like I said a lot of that had to do with the protection, coupled with a stupid fumble by Slater.

And this is sort of my point. How often has that happened with Brady under center? It happened against San Diego and Pittsburgh last season, but I didn't look at those games as games where the Patriots were "owned" so much as games the Patriots pissed away. The only game I really thought the Patriots were absolutely owned was that Dolphins game.

 

[BadMoFo]

And this is sort of my point. How often has that happened with Brady under center? It happened against San Diego and Pittsburgh last season, but I didn't look at those games as games where the Patriots were "owned" so much as games the Patriots pissed away. The only game I really thought the Patriots were absolutely owned was that Dolphins game.

That's true. How about, we were owned in the second half. I know we should have had a bigger edge, but Randy Moss was dropping balls like he was named Reche Caldwell.

 

[Deus Irae]

That's true. How about, we were owned in the second half. I know we should have had a bigger edge, but Randy Moss was dropping balls like he was named Reche Caldwell.

Yes, once the train got moving, there was just nobody there to stop it.

 

[spacecrime]

We got Owned....We had a chance early but things got bad quickly. How many turnovers did we have in a row?

We? What do you mean "we"?

Did the Chargers play the Steelers?

 

[godef]

How lame is it to automatically pick the Super Bowl champs although they barely beat a second rate team? And as far as hedging his bets with his first/last remarks, that was just his way of saying "I don't have time to do a deep analysis of each team, so here are my guesses."

 

[supafly]

We? What do you mean "we"?

Did the Chargers play the Steelers?

Ha, Ha

He had that coming, that's for sure

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

That's true. How about, we were owned in the second half. I know we should have had a bigger edge, but Randy Moss was dropping balls like he was named Reche Caldwell.

That's a better assessment. After the Pats miscues (Moss's uncharacteristic drops) and that critical turnover (Slater) the Pats pretty much had a melt down. Also, Cassel has never faced Pittsburgh's style of defense which caused him to really struggle trying to play catch up. Had Brady been under center, the score would reversed.

Getting back to the topic, it's only appropriate to have the Steelers start out at the number one spot. However, after Brady is Brady and they destroy their first opponent, the Steelers will quickly become #2. As far as the rest of the NFL goes, every other spot is up for grabs. I couldn't tell you who the next best team is after the Steelers and the Pats.

 

[supafly]

That's a better assessment. After the Pats miscues (Moss's uncharacteristic drops) and that critical turnover (Slater) the Pats pretty much had a melt down. Also, Cassel has never faced Pittsburgh's style of defense which caused him to really struggle trying to play catch up. Had Brady been under center, the score would reversed.

Plus, the loss of Wes hurt Matt too. I think it really messed up his 'go to guy' on underneath routes, etc.

But we did have them in the first half, from the first play on. That's the game that hurt me the most, personally. Mainly, 'cuz I have to live there, and I had to hear from a bunch of 'yinzers' how they overtook our mighty Pats.

Freaking Iron City beer swilling, thoughtless fools. Where's Dino 6 rings?

 

[Dino 6 Rings]

Plus, the loss of Wes hurt Matt too. I think it really messed up his 'go to guy' on underneath routes, etc.

But we did have them in the first half, from the first play on. That's the game that hurt me the most, personally. Mainly, 'cuz I have to live there, and I had to hear from a bunch of 'yinzers' how they overtook our mighty Pats.

Freaking Iron City beer swilling, thoughtless fools. Where's Dino 6 rings?

You called?

 

[Dino 6 Rings]

I think the rankings are what they are because for the first time in a while there were no huge free agents bailing on the team or retirements. This year the Steelers only lost McFadden on defense, which is a blow for sure, and Nate Washington on Offense, which really...I won't miss Nate.

I tried to find who was top of the power rankings last year, then remembered, it was clearly the Pats prior to the Brady Injury, 18-1 got them that spot and I'm pretty sure the Giants were 2 going into last year with the usual suspects of the Colts, Chargers, Steelers, Cowboys, all following up in the top 6. Jags might have had some Preseason Love too going into last season if I remember correctly because they finished up pretty strong with a PO win over the Steelers before getting beaten by the Pats. Packers caught some top 10 love last year too I think. Not sure though with the Favre retirement if they were that high on the list.

Anyway, its all just selling articles and generating hits to websites at this point. Fun to read, fun to go back and see what team sneaks in that shouldn't. Last year I picked the Rams as my "sleeper" team to make some noise. Shows what the ef I know huh?

This year, I'm avoiding Atlanta and Baltimore as "sxy" picks because of Sophomore Slumps by the QBs and avoiding the Cardinals as well. I love Fitz but I don't see them pulling that off again. Think for a sleeper, this year, I'll take....Oakland to get 9-10 wins when they should only get about 4.