Home Articles/Editorials 2014 NFL Power Rankings – Week 2

2014 NFL Power Rankings – Week 2

Week 2 is in the books and we’re starting to see some differences in opinion between Rob and I. The teams we’re seeing now are closer to what they’ll look like for most of the season. We’ve had some major injuries that could shake things up though so things could and should change.

In this week’s rankings, (as I mentioned before) Rob and I start to disagree, most notably on the Seahawks, Bills and Saints. I’m just glad we got to see really really big dudes throw themselves into each other for three hours at a time instead of hearing about really really big dudes beating up on women and children.

Stan

32. Oakland Raiders (0-2) – What is there to talk about here? This team sucks. In fact, the next team sucks too. It just so happens that this team sucks a little more. Wanna know how I know? Because one guy fumbled twice. Thats pretty bad.
31. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2)- Remember what I said about the Raiders? Yeah. Lets go with that.
30. Tennessee Titans (1-1) – I was really high on the Titans and they let me down by losing to the Cowboys. They have a good defense but you wouldn’t know it because the Dallas offensive line basically treated them like Adrian Peterson’s kids. Too soon?
29. St Louis Rams (1-1) – I’m not giving the Rams credit for beating the Bucs because they needed four field goals to do it. If Lovie Smith wasn’t such a girl scout, they would have won.
28. Washington Redskins (1-1) – The worst possible scenario happened. Washington found a stable quarterback that fits their offensive scheme. I, for one, am hoping for RG3 to have a speedy recovery so he can struggle in the offense again.
27. Cleveland Browns (1-1) – These guys should be 2-0. I like everything about this team and the only reason they aren’t higher is because I wonder if the Saints just aren’t as good as we think. What if the Saints secretly suck and the Browns just took advantage of a mediocre team?
26. Minnesota Vikings (1-1) – Another team Rob and I have at the exact same spot. I really thought they were going to beat the Pats because the Patriots offensive line is garbage. I figured that even without Adrian Peterson they could muster up some kind of running game with Asiata. Plus the Patriots corners are atrocious. Can they just start Teddy Bridgewater already?
25. New York Giants (0-2) – Do I have to talk about this team? You know they’re only this high because I’m a homer right? They are horrible. HORRIBLE. And don’t blame Eli. He played well and the receivers dropped the ball…literally. Victor Cruz and Quinton Demps are the reason the Giants lost this game. There…I said it. And please, Antrel Rolle…keep telling me about how this Houston game is a must win. Ridiculous.
24. Dallas Cowboys (1-1) – Its only a matter of time before DeMarco Murray gets hurt so they better rack up the wins while they can. Rob, you’re too high on these guys. Have you seen who they have on defense?
23. Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) – Don’t let the score fool you. This was 21-10 at halftime and they didn’t expect Knile Davis to play well. Neither did Denver apparently. Sure they were stopped on a goal line stand but I think this was one of those “rally around the backup running back” games.
22. Buffalo Bills (2-0) – I might be really down on the Bills but thats only because I really hate EJ Manuel. A lot. I’ll give credit where its due because I think that Miami is a solid team. We’ll see if they can still string together wins when Bryce Brown is the starting running back.
21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2) – Call me crazy but I believe in Tampa. I believe in this defense. They just need to learn how to score points. I know Rob is going to say they’re too high but think about it…they lost to a team with a top 10 defense in Carolina and the offense didn’t show up against St Louis. Now they get to play Atlanta’s terrible defense. If they can’t score this week on Thursday Night Football, I’ll drop em to 33. Thats right. All the way down to non-existent.
20. New York Jets (1-1) – While I don’t think that Marty Mornhinweg should be fired, I do think that he should be disciplined by Adrian Peterson…because only Adrian Peterson knows how to administer discipline. Bad job by him, bad job by the refs, bad job by the defense, bad job all around.
19. Houston Texans (2-0) – I mean…they beat the Raiders. Even JJ Watt got a touchdown. How much credit do they really deserve? They did what they were supposed to do.
18. Miami Dolphins (1-1) – Rob why don’t you believe in the Dolphins? Is it because they lost their starting running back? They’ll be fine with Lamar Miller in the backfield. And Mike Wallace is playing so well. Plus that defense is so good.
17. Detroit Lions (1-1) – I totally get why the Rob has the Lions down at 21. They beat a terrible Giants team and they lost to a good-but-not-great Panthers team. They haven’t really earned much. They were on the road though and a they employ a former Holy Cross alum. Benefit of the doubt.
16. Carolina Panthers (2-0) – These guys are gonna be good as long as the defense keeps them in every game. Kelvin Benjamin has been a nice surprise, especially for a Florida State guy.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) – I get the sense that the Steelers underestimated the Ravens in this game. They couldn’t get the running game going, Ben Roethlisberger didn’t look that good and the team looked like they weren’t ready for the Ravens.
14. Indianapolis Colts (0-2) – Rob and I have the Colts in the same range. Probably because they lost to a good Broncos team in Week 1 and blew a lead against a good Eagles team this week. They’re still going to win the terrible AFC South.
13. Atlanta Falcons (1-1) – A week after the Falcons served notice to the NFC South by beating the Saints, they come out and score 10 points against Cincinnati. The Bengals have a good defense but they lost AJ Green early in this game. Falcons should have taken advantage.
12. Baltimore Ravens (1-1) – I like Ray Rice and I’m sure a lot of his teammates do too but at the end of the day, they used the whole situation to rally and win. That “no one believes in us” stuff works.
11. New Orleans Saints (0-2) – Rob, how can you have a winless team in the top ten? I can’t justify it. Thats why these guys are here. I believe in their talent but they have to win a game to justify being in the top ten.
10. Chicago Bears (1-1) – The Bears are very good. Like really good. Maybe not Super Bowl good, but definitely playoff good. If the defense was better, they’d be maybe Conference Championship good…maybe.
9. Arizona Cardinals (2-0) – I didn’t think they’d win this game. Not because I’m a Giants fan but because Drew Stanton was starting. I’m not even 100% sure who that is and I watched the entire game. But the defense did its thing and the Giants helped their cause. You’re welcome Cards.
8. San Diego Chargers (2-0) – I didn’t start Phillip Rivers in fantasy and it didn’t cost me a win but I won’t make the same mistake again. I like how aggressive they were and I’m looking forward to Chargers-Broncos.
7. New England Patriots (1-1) – I’ll give them credit, they ran the ball well against a pretty good run defense. Linval Joseph and Sharif Floyd aren’t slouches. The Patriots defense stepped up and they made life easier for their offense.
6. Cincinnati Bengals (2-0) – Maybe Andy Dalton is finally good. Or maybe this is just a mirage and he’ll go back to being a bum when the playoffs come. Yeah thats probably it.
5. Philadelphia Eagles (2-0) – I’ll say it. I’m afraid of the Eagles. I picked them to win the division but they look good…and resilient. As a Giants fan, this scares me.
4. San Francisco 49ers (1-1) – The Bears are good, but giving up 21 points in the fourth quarter is a good way to tell the rest of the league that you’re not good at football. I feel bad for the Cardinals. You know next week the Niners are going to want blood and redemption.
3. Seattle Seahawks (1-1) – I’m a little surprised Rob has the Seahawks up at number one still. I don’t think they got exposed but they did give up three touchdowns to Antonio Gates. The Chargers were aggressive against them and it worked. Does that say more about the Chargers or the Seahawks?
2. Green Bay Packers (1-1) – I love it when white wide receivers make huge plays and embarrass black defensive backs because you know the corners line up and think they’ll shut them down. Jordy Nelson did his thing and I like that the Packers showed some fight and clawed back in this game.
1. Denver Broncos (2-0) – There was never a doubt. There may never be a doubt. I know the AFC sucks but theres the AFC and then theres the Broncos.

Rob

32. Jacksonville Jaguars – I decided to drop the Jaguars to last place this week, even though the Raiders didn’t do anything to deserve the bump. Something about the Jaguars seems way more pathetic after two games. 41 points to Kirk Cousins? Are you kidding?
31. Oakland Raiders – They might as well be in a straight tie for 32. I want to see if they can compete with some of the other bad teams, or if they are just utterly hopeless.
30. Tampa Bay BuccaneersJosh McCown is in a dog fight for the prestigious honor of “Undisputed Worst NFL Starting Quarterback”. They should have a belt for this. Matt Cassel is in the running as well. Matt Cassel’s Vikings scored twice as many points against the Rams as McCown. Stan you are on crack.
29. New York Giants – Last year, the Giants were 7-9 in good part for being able to go 5-0 against a slew of terrible backup quarterbacks, such as Josh Freeman, Matt Barkley, Terrelle Pryor, Scott Tolzien, and Cousins. They also beat Matthew Stafford and an injured Robert Griffin III. This year, they couldn’t even feast on Drew Stanton, and already got killed by Stafford. That isn’t good.

28. Washington Redskins – You may be confused how the Redskins blow out the Jaguars but drop eight spots on my power rankings. For that, I allow Bill Barnwell of Grantland to explain.

“Of the 47 quarterbacks who threw 200 passes or more in the regular season and playoffs between 2012 and 2013, Cousins was 43rd in completion percentage and yards per attempt, 44th in passer rating, and 46th in interception rate. His rate numbers are an almost exact duplicate for Mark Sanchez’s final season as the starter in New York, when he completed 54.3 percent of his passes and averaged 6.4 yards per attempt. Cousins turns the ball over more frequently than Sanchez did that final year, and he didn’t even get attacked by any offensive linemen.”

27. St. Louis Rams – They won a game, with Austin Davis. It shouldn’t count, because it was against Josh McCown.

*Stan also claimed this game did not count, but for a different reason. This was not planned.*

26. Minnesota Vikings – Stan thought they were going to beat the Patriots. Just so everyone knows.
25. Kansas City Chiefs – The fact that they kept up with the Broncos means they are not in the Jaguars/Raiders tier of the league. I was worried that they were that bad.
24. Tennessee Titans – I still think they have enough firepower to keep them out of the absolute cellar. Of course, they came up lame against a bad Cowboys defense and Jake Locker is basically a younger, less consistent Josh McCown without the good five games.
23. Cleveland Browns – Is it weird that the Buccaneers are better than the Browns at every single position except left tackle and quarterback? Yet the Browns are 1-1 with a win against the Saints and the Buccaneers lost to one majorly flawed team and a mess of a Rams team.
22. Miami Dolphins – They got crushed by the Bills. It was ugly, and Tannehill was bad. I raised them too high last week, and I am dropping them too low this week.
21. Detroit Lions – This team got beat up by a Panthers team that I didn’t have a ton of faith in. Way too inconsistent to trust them.
20. Carolina Panthers – They should be bad, but maybe they aren’t? If their strengths can keep overpowering their weaknesses, this team could make a run.
19. Houston Texans – I know nothing about the Texans’ offense because it hasn’t mattered yet. The defense can probably play, but Fitzpatrick scares me if he ever needs to make a play.
18. Dallas Cowboys – There are a hundred reasons to think this team is terrible, and I do think they are going to struggle. That said, they have one of the best offensive lines in football, a terrific tailback, and a QB-WR combo that is as deadly as any in the NFL.

17. New York Jets – I thought they came to play against the Packers, and they were just outmatched. A lot of teams are going to have trouble handling the Packers’ offense, but they really need to find some bodies in the secondary who aren’t going to get roasted any time the quarterback has a little time to throw.
16. Baltimore Ravens – The Ravens waxed the Steelers on Thursday Night Football, and I thought the Steelers were good. And I thought the Ravens were bad. So which is it? Are the Ravens good or are the Steelers bad? It is probably a little bit of both, but the Ravens shouldn’t be up at 12.
That being said, how great is it that Steve Smith is a Raven? How great is it that Steve Smith is a person? The answer is it is damn great.
15. Buffalo Bills – I liked the Bills before the season, and at one point over the summer, I had the Bills, Jets, and Dolphins ranked one after another in the late teens. Everyone talked me out of the Bills, saying E.J. Manuel stunk (even though Geno Smith was clearly worse last year) and that the defense will struggle with scheme (although the Dolphins changed their base defense recently).
When they beat the Bears, I thought they were a little better than people gave them credit for. When they beat the Dolphins, nay, crushed the Dolphins, I thought they were dangerous.
14. Atlanta Falcons – The Falcons are just okay. Is that okay to say? The defense isn’t great, but any team with Matt Ryan and Julio Jones should be able to score. They need to stay healthy
13. Pittsburgh Steelers – They really couldn’t compete on Thursday, and might be a horrible team.
12. Chicago Bears – The Bears are like a better version of the Falcons with a quarterback who drives you way crazier. If Jay Cutler can keep it together, this Bears team can be very special despite an embarrassing defense.
11. Indianapolis Colts – Question: Was the hiring of Chuck Pagano the worst mistake of Ryan Grigson’s tenure as general manager?
It is a tough call, with the team trading a first-round pick for Trent Richardson and paying Erik Walden any amount of money to do anything. But this team needs an arrogant offensive mind somewhere on the staff, and Mike McCoy, Ken Whisenhunt, Norv Turner, Josh McDaniels, and Bruce Arians have been available over the past two offseasons.
10. Arizona Cardinals – Drew Stanton got the win. At 2-0, and alone at the top of the division, the Cardinals are a franchise quarterback (not Carson Palmer) away from being a terror to deal with.
9. New Orleans Saints – It is time to blow the doors off the Vikings at home. This team was supposed to be a powerhouse, at home and on the road. No excuses, they need to get better quick.
8. Philadelphia Eagles – This is a mostly unimpressive 2-0 team. They should cruise to a division title, but Nick Foles is playing like Nick Foles again, and the team is missing the explosiveness that they had last year, although Darren Sproles is doing a hell of a job keeping it alive.
7. Cincinnati Bengals – This team is as talented when healthy as any team in the league. Vontaze Burfict leads a linebacker group that is the weak point of the defense, with the front four and the secondary able to play at a high level.
A.J. Green is an offense to himself, and the offensive line along with Giovanni Bernard and Jeremy Hill are holding up their end of the bargain.
6. San Diego Chargers – Beating the Seahawks down like that re-energized my enthusiasm for this Chargers team. If they can keep the offense going like this, they should be able to move through the AFC.
5. New England Patriots – The Patriots are back on track, and the AFC might still suck, which means we are still on track for a Brady-Manning bowl in the AFC Championship. Maybe the Chargers and Bengals could crash the party, but I will believe it when I see it.
4. Green Bay Packers – The Packers don’t suck. Jordy Nelson can get whatever he wants, and Randall Cobb is unstoppable. Having Aaron Rodgers clinches the offense.
3. San Francisco 49ers – Shuttup Stan, the 49ers are great at football. Give it a rest. These guys are mean.
2. Denver Broncos – Really Stan? Beating the Chiefs by 7 was enough for you?
1. Seattle Seahawks – I am not overreacting to one loss to a Chargers’ offense that I think could be dominant. Stan is going to have to move the Seahawks back to the top after they thrash the Broncos this week.
I had to go long to get that point across.
Rob DiRe complained about Stan's NFL Power Rankings so much that Keeping It Real Sports called his bluff and gave him a chance to prove he could do it better. Queens, born and raised, Rob got his start in sports media with WHCS, Hunter College's #1 Radio Station. As a Macaulay Honors College and Hunter alum (and a WHCS Hall of Famer), Rob is a staff writer for ProFootballRumors.com and a contributing writer for TodaysPigskin.com and TodaysFastbreak.com. He also coaches football at Holy Cross High School in Flushing, and is a practicing sports agnostic.

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