NFL 2013 Power Rankings – Week 1

The first week of the season is in the books and we’ve got a long way to go until one team is hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in February. Here’s the first installment of the OFFICIAL Keeping It Real Sports NFL Power Rankings.

Week 1 Highlights

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1) – The Jaguars are so bad, I’m pretty sure the city of Los Angeles would rather have no team at all than for the Jags to move to LA. They are dreadful. They managed to only score two points off of a safety…at home. Blaine Gabbert might be the worst quarterback I’ve ever seen. He averaged less than 4 yards per completion. Granted, it was against a better than average defense but man…he’s no good. I wouldn’t want him on my flag football team. There’s a good chance they could finish 0-16. Jadeveon Clowney better get his condo in Florida ready. Next game: @ Oakland Raiders

31. Cleveland Browns (0-1) – Despite being here, I really like the Browns. I love Trent Richardson, I think Brandon Weeden, if he puts it together, can be a good quarterback in this league. I think the defense has potential to be in the top 10. But this weekend, Weeden didn’t do a lot to help his receivers out. At first glance, it looked like the receivers were tipping the passes to the defense but after a second and third look, Weeden didn’t lead his receivers very well and put them in a bad spot. Next game: @ Baltimore Ravens

30. Arizona Cardinals (0-1) – The Cardinals offense did a pretty good job. Carson Palmer showed that he can still play in this league and no one is happier for him than Larry Fitzgerald. They played a tough game against a surprisingly tough Rams team. I expect the Cardinals to move up in the power rankings significantly as the season progresses, especially if they can run the ball more effectively. Also…the Honey Badger doesn’t give a shit about anything and I love it. Next game: vs Detroit Lions

29. Pittsburgh Steelers (0-1) – This might be a long season for Big Ben. The Steelers only managed to score nine points, and Roethlisberger was sacked five times. To make matters worse, he lost his best offensive lineman, Maurkice Pouncey for the season. They Steelers didn’t show much versatility in the passing game as they have no real playmakers and the running game is in shambles. The defense – which is normally the backbone of the Steelers organization – took a big hit when Larry Foote torn his bicep and will likely be out for the season. Next game: @ Cincinnati Bengals (MNF)

28. Carolina Panthers (0-1) – Let me be clear right away…the Panthers weren’t very bad in this game. The Seahawks have a good defense. The Panthers offense isn’t very good either though. Next game: @ Buffalo Bills

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1) – The Bucs should have won this game. Point blank. They were a Lavonte David mistake away from a win. Josh Freeman didn’t play particularly well and the Jets did a good job holding down Doug Martin but the Jets weren’t that much better. They better figure it out before the Saints come to town. Next game: vs New Orleans Saints

26. Oakland Raiders (0-1) – This was a Jekyll and Hyde the of game for the Raiders. Terrell Pryor threw two interceptions, both in the end zone. Then again, Terrell Pryor also ran for 112 yards. Darren McFadden looks alright so far but I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets hurt at some point. The Raiders defense played as good as you would expect them to play against an up and coming Colts team with a future MVP in Andrew Luck. Next game: vs Jacksonville Jaguars

25. Minnesota Vikings (0-1) – I can’t blame the Vikings too much for losing to a good Detroit Lions team. Actually yes I can. I can because they have Christian Ponder at quarterback. My hate for Christian Ponder dates back to his days at Florida State. I’ve told my friend Billy (a huge Vikings fan) many times that his quarterback isn’t good and I think he’s in denial of Ponder’s ineptitude. Adrian Peterson put the team on his back last season and he may have to do it again this year if Ponder is going to throw three picks and lose a fumble every game. Jerome Simpson was a nice little bright spot though. Next game: @ Chicago Bears

24. Buffalo Bills (0-1) – The Bills could very well have beaten the Patriots this weekend. Tom Brady wasn’t sharp and he had a lot of dropped passes from some of the new faces in that offense. Head coach Doug Marrone said the Bills were going to run the ball a ton and that they did. They ran the ball 30 times and attempted 27 passes. EJ Manuel played a safe, turnover free game and this game was an indication that the Bills aren’t going away and will challenge the Pats for the AFC East in the near future. Next game: vs Carolina Panthers

23. San Diego Chargers (0-1) – If their game had ended at halftime, the Chargers would be a lot higher in the rankings. They looked great on both sides of the ball in the first half. Then, for some reason, the defense went home and 21 straight points were allowed. Funny how that happens. It also didn’t help that Ryan Matthews was basically a ghost for most of the game. Next game: @ Philadelphia Eagles

22. Cincinnati Bengals (0-1) – Most people picked the Bengals to win this game and they didn’t play that bad against a pretty good Bears defense. Andy Dalton is going to be better than the two interceptions he threw and the running game will get going. They also have the best defensive line in football. Marvin Lewis is going to have to get Giovani Bernard more involved if they want to have any success. AJ Green is a beast though, isn’t he? Next game: vs Pittsburgh Steelers

21. Washington Redskins (0-1) – The Redskins running game wasn’t as prevalent as it seemed to be last season and they looked a little rusty in the first half. Turnovers and penalties hurt them early but they battled back and made it a one possession game in the 4th quarter. If they can put it together throughout the season the way they did in the second half, the Skins will be dangerous. Next game: @ Green Bay Packers

20. Tennessee Titans (1-0) – The Titans didn’t look great in this game but luckily the Steelers looked even worse. They might have to feature Chris Johnson more than they already do. Take a few pages from the Minnesota playbook guys. Your quarterback isn’t good? Just keep giving the ball to your All-Pro running back. Also, I have him on one of my fantasy teams so I would like a better output than the 70 rushing yards CJ2K put up. Next game: @ Houston Texans

19. New York Jets (1-0) – One lucky win does not a good team make. I like what I saw from Geno Smith but lets call a spade a spade. They shouldn’t have won this game. They could easily be flip-flopped with the Bucs right here. They didn’t do a great job of running the ball and the defense kept them alive. A lot can be exposed this Thursday night in Foxborough. Next game: @ New England Patriots

18. New York Giants (0-1) – In the NFL, its almost impossible to win if you turn the ball over. If you did what the Giants did in Dallas, you’ll never win. Funny thing is, the Giants still had a chance to win the game despite their 6 turnovers. David Wilson was pretty bad and Da’rell Scott was only a little bit better. The defensive line got some push but not enough to really bother Tony Romo. The offensive line got manhandled at times but I’ll give them credit for keeping Eli Manning upright long enough to pass for over 400 yards and four touchdowns. The lone bright spot was the receiving corps. Brandon Myers looked good, Rueben Randle looked very good, Hakeem Nicks looked healthy and Victor Cruz looked awesome. Kudos all around. Everyone else, not so much. Eli Manning has got to do a better job. I’m sure there’s no way he would have expected Damarcus Ware to pick off his first pass attempt of the season but come on…the screen broke down!! And to make matters worse…they went back to the screen play in the 4th quarter and Da’rell Scott practically handed the ball off to Brandon Carr. I don’t think it’ll get much better without a huge turnaround. Tom Coughlin’s head may literally explode at some point this season. Next game: vs. Denver Broncos (MANNING BOWL!)

17. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) – Chip Kelly’s offense looks pretty damn good, doesn’t it? I’m curious to see if it would be as good if LeSean McCoy wasn’t the starting running back but thats not the case and man…they put it on the Skins. Defensively they had a bit of a letdown in the 2nd half but overall, I liked what I saw. Well, I liked it as a football fan and hated it as a Giants fan. I think the Eagles are going to be better than people expect. Not too much better but better nonetheless. Next game: vs San Diego Chargers

16. St Louis Rams (1-0) – The only reason I have the Rams higher than the Giants is because they actually won. I don’t think the Rams are much better than the Giants but they won a tough game against a better-than-we-think Cardinals team. Sam Bradford played well and despite what Matthew Berry told everyone, Jared Cook had a great game. Thats right Mr. Roto…I’m talking about you! Once Tavon Austin is unleashed on the league, this Rams team could be a nice late season spoiler because lets be real…they’re not winning that division for a little while. Next game: @ Atlanta Falcons

15. Atlanta Falcons (0-1) – Roddy White isn’t ready to play. He won’t be at 100% for a few more weeks. That was totally apparent against New Orleans. The Saints also had emotion on their side with it being Sean Payton’s first game back since his season long suspension for Bounty-gate. Matt Ryan was solid but a hobbled Roddy White made his job a little more difficult. The running game wasn’t great but it wasn’t good either. Stephen Jackson ran for 77 yards on 11 carries. Not bad, but not great. Throw in the fact that the Saints offense looks as good as it ever has and that spells loss for the Dirty Birds.The good news is that this team is well coached and is top 5 NFC team. It’ll be interesting to see the reaction Stephen Jackson gets against his former team. Next game: vs St Louis Rams

14. Miami Dolphins (1-0) – The Dolphins couldn’t really get the running game going, which disappointed me because I’m a big Lamar Miller fan and I think he’s talented enough to a solid running back in the league like a Reggie Bush type. Ryan Tannehill played well and the defense was helped out by Brandon Weeden. If they continue to improve, they can make life a little more difficult for Tom Brady and the Pats. Or they could totally screw it all up and lose 11 games. Who knows? Next game: @ Indianapolis Colts

13. Kansas City Chiefs (1-0) – I’d love to put the Chiefs higher because they played really well…but they did so against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Beating the Jags is like getting a perfect score on an open book test. Alex Smith played well even though I’d like him to target Dwayne Bowe a little more. I don’t have Bowe on any fantasy teams, I just feel bad for the guy. The defense played very well but again…its against the Jaguars. Lets see what they do next week. Next game: vs Dallas Cowboys

12. Indianapolis Colts (1-0) – Andrew Luck will win an MVP at some point in his career. He’s got his college offensive coordinator, Pep Hamilton, back in the fold and he’s looking slightly more comfortable. He’s already picked up right where he left off after last season, leading his team to a late win against the Raiders. I know what you’re thinking. It was against the Raiders. But the Raiders aren’t totally shitty. Like the Jaguars. I just really hate the Jaguars. I hate teams that don’t try to get better. Back to the Colts. They’re going back to the playoffs and its mostly because of Andrew Luck. Next game: vs Miami Dolphins

11. Green Bay Packers (0-1) – The Packers may have lost but I still think they’re a top 5 team. They played the defending NFC champions very well and only lost by 6. The negative that i can take away from how they played was that they got lit up in the passing game by Colin Kaepernick. They spent the entire offseason game planning for the read option and what did the 49ers do? They totally flipped it on them and passed for 412 yards. This is only a minor setback for the Packers and they’ll pick it up. Good teams always do. Next game: vs Washington Redskins

10. Chicago Bears (1-0) – The Marc Trestman era has begun with a win. It took some time for the Bears to get going but they finally did and they had perfect timing. The defense did a good job holding down the running game and capitalizing on mistakes by Andy Dalton. I’d give MVP to Brandon Marshall but the Bears offensive line did an exceptional job against Geno Atkins and a very good defensive line. Kudos to Peanut Tillman for picking up where he left off last season. He’ll be a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year. Next game: vs Minnesota Vikings

9. Detroit Lions (1-0) – The Lions looked like a complete team for the first time in, well, ever. Stafford threw all over the VIkings defense, Reggie Bush turned a screen pass into a huge touchdown play and the defense played great. Nick Fairley is finally living up to the hype that surrounded him when he was drafted. The Lions team that showed up this weekend needs to show up the rest of the season and if it does, the NFC North better be scared. Next game: @ Arizona Cardinals

8. Dallas Cowboys (1-0) – The ‘Boys played well. They capitalized on the many mistakes the Giants made and realistically should have won by way more than five points. Demarco Murray is healthy, Tony Romo has officially been handed the keys to the team and Jason Garrett’s keys were given to Bill Callahan. I think the Cowboys can win the division, barring some major implosion, which is totally possible. Next game: @ Kansas City Chiefs

7. Baltimore Ravens (0-1) – The Ravens get the benefit of the doubt because they’re the defending world champions but man they look like they really miss Ed Reed and Ray Lewis…among many others. In all fairness, they played a very good Denver Broncos team on the road. Next game: vs Cleveland Browns

6. New England Patriots (1-0) – The Patriots didn’t look sharp but they do what the Patriots do well- they win the games they need to win and they win close games. Thats part of their DNA. Whether its Gostkowski or Vinatieri, they Pats always manage to pull out gutsy wins. I have to give them credit for that. Once the younger guys in the offense get comfortable, they’ll be scary. Next game: vs New York Jets

5. New Orleans Saints (1-0) – The Saints were clicking on all cylinders against the Falcons. Or is it running on all cylinders. Either way, the Saints are doing it. They were playing with a lot of emotion with Sean Payton being back on the sidelines plus the added juice of playing a division rival. Next game: @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

4. Houston Texans (1-0) – The Texans showed a lot of fight coming back against the Chargers in the second half. They kept fighting and pulled out a really tough win on the road. Andre Johnson looked as good as ever and the defense stepped up when they needed to. Arian Foster didn’t have a typical Arian Foster game but being down late in the game, they had no choice but to pass the ball and get away from the running game. Next game: vs Tennessee Titans

3. Seattle Seahawks (1-0) – I think Houston could have gone here at 3 but Seattle’s defense played so well that I gave them the edge. Russell Wilson played extremely well considering the Panthers did a good job neutralizing Marshawn Lynch. Tough win by a tough team on the road. Kudos to the Seahawks. Next game: vs San Francisco 49ers (GOTW)

2. San Francisco 49ers (1-0) – The Niners played very well against a good Packers team. The Packers defense had a plan to stop the Niners but Coach Harbaugh made adjustments resulting in a career high in passing yards for Colin Kaepernick. Anquan Boldin and Vernon Davis had their way with that Packers secondary. The Niners offense is showing its versatility, being able to execute the read option offense and from the looks  of it, a pro style aerial attack. Next game: @ Seattle Seahawks (GOTW)

1. Denver Broncos (1-0) – Anytime one of the best quarterbacks of all time, on one of the best teams in the league, throws for 7 touchdowns against the defending Super Bowl champions, they’re likely to land at the top of most power rankings. Peyton Manning was a surgeon, slicing the Baltimore Ravens defense with precision and accuracy. If you didn’t see the game, you missed a virtuoso under center… a maestro conducting a symphony. I’m not going to lie, I’m a little biased because he’s on my fantasy team and his 61 points allowed me to have a very calm weekend of watching football.

Questions? Comments? Email me at s_talouis@yahoo.com or you can follow me on twitter @FunnyManStan