Power Rankings

NFL Power Rankings: Week 2

Chris McGlynn Football, NFL, Power Rankings ,

Patriots Logo

1. New England Patriots (Last week: 2)
Impressive week one victory from the offense. Questionable performance from the defense. Antonio Brown put up some crazy numbers. This defense is not the same that it was last year but it will probably need to play a little better than it did on Thursday to keep winning games for the Pats.

Packers logo2. Green Bay Packers (Last week: 3)
It wasn’t exactly convincing after a shaky start in Chicago but the Packers still got the win. James Jones is already proving to be a nice addition. However, giving up 141 yards on 24 carries to Matt Forte is concerning, especially with Sam Barrington set to miss the season.

Denver_Broncos3. Denver Broncos (Last week: 5)
It wasn’t pretty, but the Broncos got the job done. The offense is in limbo right now, trying to find it’s identity, but if the defense plays like it did against the Ravens, Denver won’t need much offense to win. The move up is more due to those in front of them floundering.

Colts logo4. Indianapolis Colts (Last week: 1)
They came, they saw, they absolutely fell apart. The offense sputtered. The defense also look porous as Tyrod Taylor and the Bills ground game beat the Colts into submission. Next up, similar style team in the Jets and Luck will be without his favorite target T.Y. Hilton. Could this nightmare for Indy really continue?

Arizona_Cardnals_logo_(1994-2004)5. Arizona Cardinals (Last week: 7)
Boy were the Cardinals happy to have Carson Palmer back. Of course, they also lost Andre Ellington in the process of Sunday’s win. Chris and David Johnson now have much bigger roles going forward in keeping this offense balanced.

Cowboys logo6. Dallas Cowboys (Last week: 6)
Tony Romo came up clutch once again for America’s team in a huge win over the Giants. The win came at a hefty price though as Dez Bryant will now miss the next 4 to 8 weeks of play. That might just dash Dallas’ chances of repeating as division champs.

Seahawks logo7. Seattle Seahawks (Last week: 4)
Rough does not even begin to describe week 1 for Seattle. The loss to the division rival Rams is bad enough. On top of that, the 49ers and Cardinals both had convincing wins against NFC opponents. Not how you want to open as defending NFC champions.

Chiefs Logo8. Kansas City Chiefs (Last week: 8)
The Chiefs started out on fire and then slowly cooled off the rest of the game. After scoring 27 in the first half, they failed to score again, while allowing the Texans to pull within a touchdown. If they can put two halves together of good football, they will beat Denver tomorrow.

Bengals Logo9. Cincinnati Bengals (Last week: 13)
Beating up on the Raiders really isn’t that impressive but it is a lot better than having played a close game with Oakland. Cincy was firing on all cylinders this weekend. And with the struggles we saw from the rest of the AFC North, the Bengals have to be feeling good about themselves.

Bills logo10. Buffalo Bills (Last week: 17)
So Rex Ryan moves to 2-0 against Andrew Luck after pulling off the upset of the week. The Bills looked legit as the defense lived up to its billing and the offense was effective. Now the real test comes in a visit to Foxborough on Sunday.

Dolphins logo11. Miami Dolphins (Last week: 12)
Not the best season opening performance but it proved to be enough against Washington. The secondary came up big but that vaunted front seven got gashed for 161 yards. That needs to change and change quickly.

Eagles Logo12. Philadelphia Eagles (Last week: 9)
They lost, but barely. Philly was in this game until the very end and were a Cody Parkey field goal away from stealing a win on the road in Atlanta. That running game needs a lot of work though if the Eagles want to stand a chance against Dallas this weekend.

13. Pittsburgh Steelers (Last week: 10)Pittsburgh_Steelers logo
Well they found out that not covering the best tight end in football was a bad idea. Rob Gronkowski torched the Steelers’ defense all night long. They are transitioning into a new system but it needs to happen a whole lot faster if Pittsburgh wants to return to the postseason.

Chargers logo14. San Diego Chargers (Last week: 16)
They got the win, but I still don’t trust them. San Diego needed a huge comeback to win week 1 and can be thankful that Phillip Rivers had enough poise to do it. Danny Woodhead might have scored two TDs but 3.2 yards per carry is not going to cut it from the running game.

Vikings logo15. Minnesota Vikings (Last week: 11)
Well I put my faith in Minnesota and they didn’t exact reward me for it. Teddy Bridgewater looked spastic trying to get the ball out in San Francisco and that Peterson guy did next to nothing on the ground. Defense and special teams kept the Vikings in it for as long as they could, but at some point the offense has to deliver.

Ravens logo16. Baltimore Ravens (Last week: 15)
My worries of the Ravens not having a receiver to turn to other than Steve Smith Sr. seem to be warranted. Marlon Brown led the team in receiving with 25 yards. It gets worse too with Terrell Suggs set to miss the whole season. And with all of that, they still almost beat Denver on the road.

Lions Logo17. Detroit Lions (Last week: 14)
I wondered which Matthew Stafford would show up and the answer was the extremely inconsistent one who costs his team football games. The Lions had a 21-3 lead in this game and blew it, partly because of Stafford, partly because of a defense that allowed 404 passing yards. Either way, not a good way to open the year.

Falcons logo18. Atlanta Falcons (Last week: 19)
Good first showing from the Falcons on Monday night. Dan Quinn has already left his mark on this vastly improved defense. Still a work in progress but off to a strong start. Oh and Julio Jones is a monster. You cannot leave that man in single coverage ever.

Rams logo19. St. Louis Rams (Last week: 23)
The defensive line in St. Louis might just be the best in football. They sacked Russell Wilson six times on Sunday and just generally wrecked havoc. Nick Foles came up big too against a usually prolific secondary. The Rams showed they mean business this year.

Jets logo20. New York Jets (Last week: 20)
Jets fans had to be a little scared after Johnny Manziel bombed a touchdown pass to Travis Benjamin to put Cleveland on top. New York didn’t panic though and calmly stuck with their game plan to run the ball and mix in the pass. And it worked.

49ers Logo21. San Francisco 49ers (Last week: 26)
Returning only half of their starters from a season ago? That didn’t seem to phase the 49ers as they simply dominated the Vikings. From the first drive of the game, San Francisco came out with something to prove. They still have some mistakes to clean up but it was a very good week 1 showing.

Texans logo22. Houston Texans (Last week: 18)
So much for a legendary defense. The Texans buckled down in the second half but after allowing 27 points in the first half, the deficit was too much to over come. Oh and the quarterback controversy continues as Ryan Mallet came in and clearly out played Brian Hoyer after halftime.

Panthers logo23. Carolina Panthers (Last week: 24)
They won yes, but at a big price if Luke Keuchley winds up missing any time. Carolina’s offense looked to be fairing ok without Kelvin Benjamin, but they will need to protect Cam Newton with J.J. Watt and friends set to visit this week.

Giants Logo24. New York Giants (Last week: 22)
Well it was close to a win but that only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. The Giants had a great chance to seal the deal but couldn’t punch it in. Apparently, they might not have wanted to score but New York still failed to stop Tony Romo, even without Dez Bryant, on the ensuing game-winning drive. So that plan obviously failed.

Saints logo25. New Orleans Saints (Last week: 21)
Drew Brees lit it up against a strong Cardinals defense. Unfortunately, he got no help from the ground game as they managed 54 yards on 20 attempts. And if someone figures out what happened to the 2013 Saints defense, tell Rob Ryan cause they have been reeling ever since.

Browns logo26. Cleveland Browns (Last week: 25)
There wasn’t much more you could’ve asked for out of Johnny Manziel in his first appearance of 2015. He was thrown in mid game and provided a spark for the Browns offense. He showed off his playmaking ability and, regardless of Josh McCown’s health, should be the starter moving forward.

Titans logo27. Tennessee Titans (Last week: 31)
Role out the welcome wagon for Marcus Mariota, who lobbed four touchdown passes in the first half and actually got to take a seat with his team dominating the game. The Titans got off to a good start and could move to 2-0 if they can dispatch the lowly Browns.

Raiders logo28. Oakland Raiders (Last week: 27)
Raiders fans were praying Derek Carr’s injury wasn’t serious. For once, the Football Gods didn’t punish Oakland as Carr looks set to play this weekend. However, after watching what Baltimore did to Peyton Manning, Carr might want to think about taking the week off.

Bears logo29. Chicago Bears (Last week: 28)
Well Jay Cutler certainly played like…well himself. Completing only 50 percent of his passes and throwing the game-clinching interception definitely didn’t do much to improve his standing with the Bears’ faithful.

Jaguars logo30. Jacksonville Jaguars (Last week: 29)
Jacksonville always seems like it is gearing up to finally turn the corner, but never actually succeeds in doing so. Blake Bortles was sacked 5 times and threw two picks. The offense still has a lot of work to do before they start wining games.

Washington made up logo31. Washington (Last week: 32)
Washington moves up, but only due to Tampa’s inability to play football. Alfred Morris showed he came ready to play on Sunday but now Washington must welcome the upstart Rams sans DeSean Jackson.

Buccaneers logo32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last week: 30)
It couldn’t have gotten much worse for Tampa. Perceived as the favorite in this match up of the two worst teams from a season ago, the Bucs were blown out of the water by Tennessee. For whatever it’s worth though, Brett Favre also threw a pick six on his first career passing attempt.

NFL Power Rankings: Week 1

Chris McGlynn Football, NFL, Power Rankings

Colts logo1. Indianapolis Colts (Last week: 1)
Indy’s first test of the season could be a tough one as they have no idea what kind of offense Buffalo will roll out with Tyrod Taylor under center. We will get to see just how good the Colts’ offense can be right off the bat with a battle against Rex Ryan’s new Bills.


Patriots Logo2. New England Patriots (Last week: 2)
The Pats stay here in part because I messed up and didn’t finish the power rankings before last night’s game. The run defense looked atrocious but it won’t matter much if Brady, Edelman and Gronkowski play like they did last night.

Packers logo3. Green Bay Packers (Last week: 3)
The Packers get a nice easy start to their season. Aaron Rodgers threw for 617 yards and 10 touchdowns last season against the Bears, while completing 72.7 percent of his passes. Even without Jordy Nelson, Rodgers should bully Chicago again.

Seahawks logo4. Seattle Seahawks (Last week: 4)
This offensive line flat out scares me and facing a group as good as the Rams front four week 1 is not what Seattle needs. This is baptism by fire for this offensive line. The Seahawks are also without All-Pro safety Kam Chancellor which will certainly come as a major blow.

Cowboys logo5. Dallas Cowboys (Last week: 6)
Dallas added another running back to its stable by trading for Christine Michael. The former Texas A&M star will give the ‘Boys an insurance policy and a good change of pace back. It will be fun to see him get the ball behind this road grading offensive line.

Denver_Broncos6. Denver Broncos (Last week: 5)
The Broncos drop just because Dallas got better. Cutting Montee Ball was for the best unfortunately. How Denver comes out week 1 against the Ravens will be a big indicator for how their season will go.

Arizona_Cardnals_logo_(1994-2004)7. Arizona Cardinals (Last week: 7)
In games Carson Palmer started for the Cardinals last season, they were undefeated. This Arizona team is a legitimate Super Bowl contender with Bruce Arians at the helm. They will be even more of one if Andre Ellington stays healthy.

Chiefs Logo8. Kansas City Chiefs (Last week: 8)
While their are still some question marks surrounding this Chiefs team, there are probably even more surrounding division rival Denver. I would not be surprised if Kansas City led the AFC West at season’s end.

Eagles Logo9. Philadelphia Eagles (Last week: 9)
Putting this high-octane offense against the worst passing defense in the league a season ago should be a recipe for a win week 1 for Philly. What will be more telling is how the defense holds up against Atlanta’s offense.

Pittsburgh_Steelers logo10. Pittsburgh Steelers (Last week: 10)
Pittsburgh’s defense looked lost and confused for good chunks of last night. Leaving All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski wide open in the middle of the field probably wasn’t part of the game plan but it happened on a number of occasions. The running game looked good though with DeAngelo Williams flashing his speed last night.

Vikings logo11. Minnesota Vikings (Last week: 12)
I am much higher on the Vikings than most people who don’t live in Minnesota. However, I saw a lot of promise from this young squad in the preseason. If they can win 7 games without Adrian Peterson, I am willing to bet they can win 10 with him.

Dolphins logo12. Miami Dolphins (Last week: 13)
DeVante Parker might be back in the fold earlier than expected. That is really good news for Ryan Tannehill as he has the best supporting cast of his young career. With Suh clogging the middle now on defense as well, Miami should be at the edge of the playoff picture all year.

Bengals Logo13. Cincinnati Bengals (Last week: 11)
The Bengals resigned A.J. Green this morning and now have over $200 million committed to their inconsistent signal caller Andy Dalton and the oft-injured Green. Cincy needs for these investments to start paying off if they have any chance of making it past the wildcard round this year.

Lions Logo14. Detroit Lions (Last week: 15)
I am interested to see which Matthew Stafford shows up on Sunday. The one that can’t win big games or the one that shreds teams through the air. Against the Chargers, I think we are going to see the later in a convincing Detroit win.

Ravens logo15. Baltimore Ravens (Last week: 16)
I will be honest here. I really don’t like the Baltimore Ravens in 2015. They have no proven receivers outside of Steve Smith Sr. He can only do so much for this team. Joe Flacco better hope the Ravens ground game is as good as it was a season ago or he is in for a very long season.

Chargers logo16. San Diego Chargers (Last week: 13)
San Diego had a rough preseason running the ball. They finished with an abysmal 3.1 yards per carry, which tied them with Browns for 26th in the league. That includes Melvin Gordon, who picked up 45 yards on 20 carries. Phillip Rivers might still be looking for help on the offense.

Bills logo17. Buffalo Bills (Last week: 17)
Rex Ryan actually won his only game against Andrew Luck in the latter’s rookie year. Luck has grown a lot since then but Ryan has a way for flustering quarterbacks. It wouldn’t shock me if he found a way to get after Luck this weekend and kept the game closer than most expect.

Texans logo18. Houston Texans (Last week: 18)
Last week I picked on Houston for not running the ball well without Arian Foster. With reports that the Pro Bowl running back could be back after only two or three weeks of the regular season, the Texans have a much better chance at making a playoff push.

Falcons logo19. Atlanta Falcons (Last week: 19)
Atlanta’s reworked defense is going to be tested early and often against the Eagles. It will be a real test for rookie head coach Dan Quinn to get it to hold up for all four quarters.

Jets logo20. New York Jets (Last week: 20)
New York has struggled at finding a good quarterback to start for them since anyone can remember. Thankfully for them, they are playing the one team who probably has a worse quarterback situation. The Jets’ defense should feast on Cleveland’s lack of skill players in week 1.

Saints logo21. New Orleans Saints (Last week: 21)
Giving Brees a lot of time in the pocket will be useful but outside of Brandin Cooks and Marques Colston, the skills players are a bunch of unknowns. The crazy thing is, the Saints are in as good of a position as any to win the NFC South this year.

Giants Logo22. New York Giants (Last week: 22)
The Giants finally paid Eli. Now he can focus on football. Victor Cruz is officially out week 1 but the Giants have become pretty adept to playing without him. Now if the offensive line and make shift secondary can hold, New York might have a chance of walking out of Dallas with a win.

Rams logo23. St. Louis Rams (Last week: 25)
Todd Gurley will officially miss week 1 but once he is on the field, St. Louis has a deep and talented backfield. If they can find any form of consistency in the passing game against the Seahawks on Sunday, there is a chance that the Rams defense can do enough to get the win.

Panthers logo24. Carolina Panthers (Last week: 24)
The Panthers locked up Luke Keuchley for the foreseeable future. Now all they need is a to find a wide receiver who can catch the ball from Cam Newton for the foreseeable future. Carolina will struggle to move the ball and could be upset on the road in Jacksonville.

Browns logo25. Cleveland Browns (Last week: 23)
I got a little too over zealous last week moving the Browns up to 23 with thoughts they could sign Robert Griffin III. Dropping them back down is good. Sunday will likely start another long season for Cleveland where the most I can see them winning is a handful of games.

49ers Logo26. San Francisco 49ers (Last week: 26)
Remember two years ago when San Francisco was in the NFC championship game only a year after losing to the Ravens in the Super Bowl. That seems like a lifetime ago and most of that group that helped them to that success is gone. The 49ers are in desperate need of some new leaders on this team.

Raiders logo27. Oakland Raiders (Last week: 28)
There is a little bit of hope in Oakland for the first time in what seems like years. The Raiders are making the right moves and are slowly beginning to develop a young nucleus to build this team around. The results won’t come in 2015 though.

Bears logo28. Chicago Bears (Last week: 27)
With rumors that Alshon Jeffery could miss week 1, the Bears’ chances of even mounting a push against the Packers are even slimmer. Chicago hasn’t beaten Green Bay at Soldier Field since 2010. And they will likely have to wait until at least next year to even think about breaking that streak.

Jaguars logo29. Jacksonville Jaguars (Last week: 29)
Julius Thomas had a successful surgery and should be back for week 4. Unfortunately, that means the Jaguars are rolling out a very inexperienced receiving core. Pair that with a sophomore quarterback and a rookie running back, this Jacksonville squad has a lot of growing up to do this season and they have to do it fast.

Buccaneers logo30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last week: 30)
Tampa Bay has a great chance to start the season with a win as the top two picks face off week one. Jameis Winston against Marcus Mariota will one day be a great matchup to watch. For now though, this is two teams fighting to avoid being in the NFL cellar.

Titans logo31. Tennessee Titans (Last week: 31)
The same that was said for the Bucs can be said for the Titans. Adding Browns castoff Terrance West could be a solid move for Tennessee but this team is still a few years away from competing in the AFC South.

Washington made up logo32. Washington (Last week: 32)
They deserve to be at the bottom. With the way they handle personnel decisions and the obvious lack of cohesion between the coaching staff and management, Washington is a mess. They have some great skill position players but an inconsistent line and a backup quarterback mean that Washington is in for a rough season.

NFL Power Rankings: Preseason Week 4

Chris McGlynn Football, NFL, Power Rankings

1. Indianapolis Colts (Last week: 1)
Andrew Luck finally found the endzone and the Colts offense got some much needed game reps. It will be really interesting to see how Frank Gore changes this offense.

2. New England Patriots (Last week: 4)
After months of waiting and debating, Brady’s suspension has been overturned. He will be on the field against Pittsburgh and the Patriots look like favorites to run away with the AFC East once again.

3. Green Bay Packers (Last week: 2)
After talking about how happy Green Bay was to have Randall Cobb back, Cobb suffered a shoulder injury himself. It is not believed to be anything serious but if it persists, the Packers could be in a lot of trouble. Also, the defense needs to figure out what went wrong after giving up 25 points in the first quarter against Philly.

4. Seattle Seahawks (Last week: 3)
For the third straight week, the Seahawks struggled to move the ball and score points. Seattle’s new look offense has to be scaring some fans who are watching. Marshawn Lynch is not involved as much as he usually would be but still, the offense needs to click Week 1 to restore confidence.

5. Denver Broncos (Last week: 5)
No one knows quite what to expect from Peyton Manning and the Broncos this year. Until I see otherwise though, I see no reason to drop them from the top five.

6. Dallas Cowboys (Last week: 6)
Darren McFadden had success running the football for the first time in a long time. It was a limited number of carries but McFadden showed he could still cut well and had some good open field speed.

7. Arizona Cardinals (Last week: 7)
I think most people forget just how tough it was to beat the Cardinals before they lost Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton this year. Bruce Arians’ team is as much a title contender as the rival Seahawks.

8. Kansas City Chiefs (Last week: 9)
Another sharp week for Alex Smith has to make Chiefs’ fans think this offense has turned the corner. Three straight convincing wins for Kansas City makes you wonder if Denver still has a grip on the AFC West.

9. Philadelphia Eagles (Last week: 10)
Alright, two preseason games with a lot of success can maybe be written off as nothing, but after a third straight week where the Eagles offense went off, that has to put the league on high alert. The defense also shutout the Packers in the first quarter. Most teams aren’t going to blow a 25-point lead. The Eagles look dangerous in the NFC.

10. Pittsburgh Steelers (Last week: 8)
Martavius Bryant will now miss the first four games of the season with a drug suspension and the Steelers’ defense looked helpless to stop the Bills. THE BILLS?!?!? Tyrod Taylor, E.J. Manuel and Matt Cassel ripped the Pittsburgh secondary apart.

11. Cincinnati Bengals (Last week: 11)
The Bengals bounced back from a really rough second preseason game. Andy Dalton looked very good in limited action and the running game got going. If Cincy gets hot then they are really good but when they are cold, they are among the worst teams in the league.

12. Minnesota Vikings (Last week: 12)
Minnesota has had a very convincing preseason and that was without Adrian Peterson on the field. The Vikings could be a tough out and could challenge the beaten up Packers for the NFC North if all falls into place.

13. Miami Dolphins (Last week: 14)
Same deal as last week. Ryan Tannehill looked great while Lamar Miller struggled. It is starting to look like Tannehill has finally come into his own entering his fourth year. He and a strong Miami defense could push them into the playoffs.

14. San Diego Chargers (Last week: 13)
Defense looks like it will not be an issue for the Chargers this year. The running game is downright awful. Donald Brown, Melvin Gordon, Danny Woodhead and Branden Oliver had a combined 2.7 yards per attempt on 27 carries.

15. Detroit Lions (Last week: 15)
The defense took a step back as it failed to reach Blake Bortles even once and the Jacksonville QB had a field day. Ameer Abdullah has looked like a dud since his first week explosion. Should be interesting to see how he fairs in the regular season.

16. Baltimore Ravens (Last week: 16)
He might be 36, but Steve Smith Sr. still has a lot of fight in him. Smith torched the Washington secondary for 95 yards and a touchdown on four receptions. Unfortunately, that was about all the offensive production the Ravens had that night.

17. Buffalo Bills (Last week: 18)
Everyone though the Bills lacked a starting quarterback. It turns out, all Rex Ryan had to do was rotate them throughout the game. Buffalo played four quarterbacks who went a combined 30 of 33 passing for 386 yards and three touchdowns. One of them can start, right?

18. Houston Texans (Last week: 17)
Running the ball is not something the Texans have shown they are particularly adept at when Arian Foster is not on the field. Their running backs combined for 78 yards on 33 attempts. Houston might make a push when Foster is back but it looks unlikely before that point.

19. Atlanta Falcons (Last week: 19)
The Falcons offensive line struggled big time against the Miami defense. Allowing six sacks and only managing to pave the way for 2.1 yards per carry is mediocre at best. If this persists, Atlanta has more to worry about than their porous defense.

20. New York Jets (Last week: 21)
Ryan Fitzpatrick seems to be settling down in this offense and the Jets ran the ball effectively. Antonio Cromartie flashed his big play ability, something New York desperately lacked last year on defense. This team is far from a contender but things are starting to come together.

21. New Orleans Saints (Last week: 20)
New Orleans didn’t leave their starters on the field too long and they seemed effective while they had the chance. There are a lot of question marks surrounding this team heading into the regular season.

22. New York Giants (Last week: 22)
Odell Beckham Jr. finally caught the ball on Saturday night. It didn’t help much as the Giants still lost and the defense was bullied by a strong Jets’ running game for most of the night. The Giants have a lot of holes to fill before week one.

23. Cleveland Browns (Last week: 27)
With rumors that Robert Griffin III might be released in Washington, the Browns have to be licking their chops. With all of the quarterback issues going on in Cleveland, Griffin is far from a sure thing but he does offer some promise and give them a potential starter.

24. Carolina Panthers (Last week: 25)
The offense got creative and the defense looked strong in a tough loss. Two interceptions of Tom Brady was huge for the Panthers secondary. If the Carolina offense can find a way to score even 20 points in a game, the Panthers have a good shot to win.

25. St. Louis Rams (Last week: 24)
Nick Foles rebounded from a pathetic performance a week prior but the Rams ground attack stalled. St. Louis better hope that Todd Gurley is healthy soon and that he can start playing as well as he did while he was at Georgia.

26. San Francisco 49ers (Last week: 26)
Colin Kaepernick looked very effective running the ball and completely lost when throwing it. This San Francisco offense has to figure out exactly what kind of team it wants to be.

27. Chicago Bears (Last week: 27)
Once again, the Bears defense looked like it was just about game ready while the offense spun its wheels. Generating 194 total yards of offense is not going to win you too many football games.

28. Oakland Raiders (Last week: 28)
There is a little bit of hope in Oakland for the first time in what seems like years. The Raiders are making the right moves and are slowly beginning to develop a young nucleus to build this team around. The results won’t come in 2015 though.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars (Last week: 29)
Blake Bortles had a great outing against the Lions, throwing for 285 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, he also led the Jaguars in rushing with only 38 yards. Good to see this type of play from Bortles. Very concerning that the running game was nowhere to be found. And with Julius Thomas missing the first three weeks, that could mean a slow start for the Jags.

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last week: 30)
Jameis Winston will maintain that he didn’t take a step back but he certainly didn’t take one forward either. Completing 40 percent of your passes and throwing a pick shows Winston still has a lot of growing to do before this team can start challenging even in the NFC South.

31. Tennessee Titans (Last week: 32)
Tennessee finally moved up! Although that is more due to the short comings of Washington than the Titans success. The defense looked pretty bad this week getting shredded by Alex Smith and Aaron Murray all game long.

32. Washington (Last week: 31)
Washington announced the Kirk Cousins will start the year at quarterback. That’s not the reason for the fall though. The disarray between ownership and management is apparent and Washington lost Junior Galette for the year. This team is floundering at the moment.

NFL Power Rankings: Preseason Week 3

Chris McGlynn Football, NFL, Power Rankings ,

1. Indianapolis Colts (Last week: 2)
Things seem to be finally falling into place around Andrew Luck. If the defense can be even average this season, Indy should win a lot of games.

2. Green Bay Packers (Last week: 1)
I mentioned last week that they avoided injuries. That didn’t happen this week as the Pack lost Jordy Nelson for the season. Green Bay has to be very happy it didn’t let Randall Cobb walk during the offseason.

3. Seattle Seahawks (Last week: 3)
The offense struggled again failing to score a touchdown against the Chiefs. The defense managed to score though. Seattle probably can’t count on that happening every week though, no matter how good that defense is.

4. New England Patriots (Last week: 6)
Pats fans had to be nervous after the first week of the preseason based on Jimmy Garappalo’s performance. He quieted some of the critics with a much more successful night this week.

5. Denver Broncos (Last week: 5)
Who will Peyton be targeting this season outside of Demarius Thomas. With Wes Welker injured and Julius Thomas in Jacksonville, Denver is going to need someone else to step up in the offense. Cody Latimer is rumored to fill the Welker-like role, but only time will tell.

6. Dallas Cowboys (Last week: 4)
We finally got to see Darren McFadden and Joseph Randle in game action. Neither looked amazing but Randle looked a lot better than McFadden. The defense looked good too but that before losing Orlando Scandrick for the whole season. That could really hurt Dallas’ chances at a deep playoff run.

7. Arizona Cardinals (Last week: 8)
This team didn’t lose many of the pieces from it’s 12-4 season a year ago. Assuming one of the Arizona quarterbacks can stay healthy, the Cardinals could end up as the team to beat in the NFC.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (Last week: 7)
Ben Roethlisberger led the league in passing yards a season ago and LeVeon Bell finished second in yards from scrimmage. It will be hard for either of those players to repeat that success with Maurkice Pouncey in a walking boot.

9. Kansas City Chiefs (Last week: 10)
Alex Smith finally threw a touchdown pass to a wide receiver. Now let’s see if he can do it when it counts. The Chiefs offense on the whole didn’t look great but the defense held the Seattle offense under 250 total yards.

10. Philadelphia Eagles (Last week: 11)
It might only be preseason but the Eagles notched their second big win in as many weeks. Sam Bradford took some shots in his first game action and seemed to hold up just fine. Kenjon Barner displayed once again why the Eagles brought him in this offseason with another ridiculous return.

11. Cincinnati Bengals (Last week: 9)
Andy Dalton finished his preseason appearance against Tampa with two interceptions, including a pick six, and only 46 yards passing. Jeremey Hill lost the ball on one of his four carries. The fact that Bengals can play that poorly, against a team that was the worst in the league a season ago, is terrifying for Cincy fans.

12. Minnesota Vikings (Last week: 13)
Another sharp outing for Teddy Bridgewater as he finished 10 for 14 with 89 yards and a touchdown. Charles Johnson had a good night as well with four catches for 40 yards and he was on the receiving end of Bridgewater’s touchdown pass. That could be a good combination for Minnesota this season.

13. San Diego Chargers (Last week: 12)
23 carries for 46 yards against Arizona isn’t exactly confidence instilling. Granted Melvin Gordon did not play but that has to fall somewhat on the offensive line. Not time to panic yet but the Chargers need to run the ball to take all the pressure off Phillip Rivers.

14. Miami Dolphins (Last week: 14)
Mixed result for Miami as Ryan Tannehill looked fantastic while Lamar Miller sputtered. The next step for Miami is getting the offense to click all at once. The revamped defense continued to impress, as the first team only allowed nine points.

15. Detroit Lions (Last week: 15)
I thought Detroit was in trouble when Ndumakong Suh and Nick Fairley left but the first team defense hit Robert Griffin III on six of his eight dropbacks and knocked him out of the game. If that is the kind of pressure Detroit can produce this season, they might not even realize though other guys are gone.

16. Baltimore Ravens (Last week: 16)
Cincy showed this week that it can still falter at any time which gives the Ravens hope. However, Joe Flacco looked even worse than Andy Dalton did this week, toss two interceptions on only seven passes. Could be a rough season in Baltimore.

17. Houston Texans (Last week: 20)
Naming Brian Hoyer quarterback is a step in the right direction but it is merely a stop gap solution. Hoyer is already 29 and is not exactly a franchise quarterback. Houston are going to need to find a real long term solution soon.

18. Buffalo Bills (Last week: 18)
Tyrod Taylor faired well in his start against Cleveland. It wasn’t anything eye popping. Rumors are that Rex Ryan wants to start Taylor but the rest of the coaching staff isn’t on board. Should be interesting how that pans out.

19. Atlanta Falcons (Last week: 20)
Atlanta might have lost this week but Matt Ryan came out firing and the Falcons first team offense put up 14 points in the first quarter. The Falcons need to find a way to get their defense to hold up though through the whole 60 minutes.

20. New Orleans Saints (Last week: 21)
The Saints ruled the first half of their game with New England, which was all that really mattered. Drew Brees threw two touchdowns and the Saints offensive line didn’t allow a sack the whole game. The defense didn’t generate any sacks though either so that has to count for something.

21. New York Jets (Last week: 22)
The Jets’ offense showed some signs of life. Take it with a grain of salt though as they started slow once again and the Falcons did have the worst statistical defense in football last year. The defense looked good, but is still getting killed by big plays.

22. New York Giants (Last week: 19)
Yet another Giants safety went down with an injury this week in Bennett Jackson. That makes three in two weeks. Even more concerning, Odell Beckham Jr. doesn’t have a reception through two preseason games. Slightly worrying but not cause to panic just yet.

23. Cleveland Browns (Last week: 27)
Another strong outing from Johnny Manziel paired with a really poor one from Josh McCown makes you wonder how much longer Manziel will play with the second team. He is playing decently well with zero talent at the wide receiver position. Go back and watch the game film to see what I’m talking about.

24. St. Louis Rams (Last week: 24)
Nick Foles looked dreadful against Tennessee this week. He completed 3 of 7 passes for 18 yards and threw a pick. Tre Mason carried the ball for six yards on three carries. St. Louis, like Carolina, needs to find their offense.

25. Carolina Panthers (Last week: 23)
Life without Kelvin Benjamin began for Cam Newton and it didn’t look pretty. Newton finished four for ten with an interception against Miami. Carolina needs to find some source of offense to have any hopes of repeating as division champs.

26. San Francisco 49ers (Last week: 26)
Jarryd Haynes did it again this week, picking up 138 all-purpose yards. He might be the spark that this San Francisco team needs because otherwise, the cupboard is pretty bare in terms of talent.

27. Chicago Bears (Last week: 27)
Jay Cutler had a good outing against Indy this week. However, the Bears offense still failed to score a touchdown in the first half. Chicago won’t win too many games by just kicking field goals.

28. Oakland Raiders (Last week: 28)
Latavius Murray is primed for a breakout season. This young core of Murray, Derek Carr and Amari Cooper could be a lot of fun to watch this year in Oakland. They might not win a ton of games, but they will definitely compete in more of them.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars (Last week: 30)
Allen Robinson might be the best player on the Jaguars team. Jacksonville needs to find some other players to step up and start moving this team in a positive direction.

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last week: 31)
The Bucs defense balled out on Monday night against Cincy. This Tampa group forced 3 turnovers and didn’t allow the Bengals to score a touchdown until the fourth quarter. Jameis Winston looked solid as well as he scored his first professional touchdown. Good signs for the Bucs’ future.

31. Washington (Last week: 29)
A concussion for Robert Griffin III likely means the end of his time in Washington. He will be out for a several week most likely and the Redskins will probably just leave in someone else even after he returns. Washington is in for a long season.

32. Tennessee Titans (Last week: 32)
The Titans looked good this week against St. Louis and if any of that success carries over to the regular season, don’t be surprised if Tennessee finally climbs out of the NFL cellar.

NFL Power Rankings: Preseason Week 2

Chris McGlynn Football, NFL, Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (Last week: 1)
The Pack managed to make it through the first week of the preseason without any major injuries. A win over the Patriots was solid as well. Aaron Rodgers looked sharp in his brief appearance. The future looks bright as well after Brett Hundley’s impressive appearance.

2. Indianapolis Colts (Last week: 2)
Don’t read too much into the loss to the Eagles. Andrew Luck complete five of his six passes for 42 yards. The running game will be much improved as well once Frank Gore returns this week. The defense did fairly well with the starters playing, holding Mark Sanchez to just two of seven passing.

3. Seattle Seahawks (Last week: 3)
Not the best start of all time for Seattle. That offensive line looks like it could use some work as it allowed two sacks of Russell Wilson in the early going. The big concern was how the Seahawks would fair without Max Unger and it doesn’t look like those concerns were quieted. Tyler Lockett was a bright spot though.

4. Dallas Cowboys (Last week: 4)
Hard to judge the Cowboys performance this week versus the Chargers as Tony Romo, Joseph Randle and Dez Bryant all missed the game. However, it was nice to see a strong performance out of Gavin Escobar with five catches for 47 yards.

5. Denver Broncos (Last week: 6)
Denver moves up a spot mainly due to the Patriots’ issues. Peyton Manning didn’t appear in this first preseason matchup but Brock Osweiler, Ronnie Hillman and Cody Latimer all looked good in this one. The latter two could be integral parts of this Bronco offense in 2015.

6. New England Patriots (Last week: 5)
It is hard to say the Patriots are in trouble after just one week but Jimmy Garrappalo did not exactly instill confidence in Pats’ fans. He completed 20 of 30 passes but only amassed 156 yards. That will improve as more of New England’s starting offensive lineman begin to play, but still not a great first impression.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers (Last week: 8)
It was good to see Ben Roethlisberger hit a Steeler wide receiver not named Antonio Brown for a touchdown pass. The Steelers have to hope that Deangelo Williams can fill in for LeVeon Bell those first two weeks still, which is a scary thought.

8. Arizona Cardinals (Last week: 7)
Adding Chris Johnson could be a nice addition for this team. Mike Iupati going down for 6-8 weeks is not good though. It was also nice to see Carson Palmer back under center. He looked great too, completing all four passes for 79 yards in his brief appearance.

9. Cincinnati Bengals (Last week: 9)
The Bengals defense looked good against what many expect to be a potent Giants offense. Cincy also has two great young runners to take some of the pressure of the often-disappointing Andy Dalton. The Bengals have to feel good about their playoff chances entering the season.

10. Kansas City Chiefs (Last week: 11)
The first team offense struggled without Jamaal Charles in the picture. That should tell you just how valuable he is to this team. They will go as far as he can carry them this season.

11. Philadelphia Eagles (Last week: 12)
Ignoring Tim Tebow’s return is for the best in terms of looking at the Eagles’ hopes of doing well. Nelson Agholor showed some flashes though, as did Kenjon Barner. The Eagles might have found some need skill position players to help score points this season.

12. San Diego Chargers (Last week: 10)
Melvin Gordon did not impress much in his first ever NFL game. Six carries for 11 yards is Trent Richardson-like numbers. This Chargers team needs a solid starter to rely on after the mess the backfield turned into last season.

13. Minnesota Vikings (Last week: 13)
Teddy Bridgewater looked really strong in his short time on the field. The defense managed to bully the rookie Jameis Winston as well in his first action, recording two sacks and a pick. Good outing for the Vikings. We still all just want to see Adrian Peterson play again.

14. Miami Dolphins (Last week: 14)
If the Patriots struggle out of the gate without Brady, this could be Miami’s division to win. A strong defense and a steadily improved Ryan Tannehill could do the trick for the Fins this year.

15. Detroit Lions (Last week: 15)
Detroit bullied the Jets all night long. The pass defense looked strong and the Lions offense took it to this vaunted New York D. Ameer Abdullah looks as good as he has been advertised in camp too.

16. Baltimore Ravens (Last week: 16)
It is going to be tough for the Ravens to make the playoffs again. You have to assume they would be looking for a wildcard spot behind either Pittsburgh or Cincinnati atop the division. And the AFC is wide open with teams that could challenge for those two spots.

17. Houston Texans (Last week: 20)
The move is more due to the circumstances of teams around them. Alfred Blue did pretty well in relief of Arian Foster and Cecil Shorts III looked like he could be a weapon on his 58-yard touchdown reception. Now if only they had a clue as to who will play quarterback.

18. Buffalo Bills (Last week: 18)
Tyrod Taylor is getting a start for the Bills. That probably isn’t a good sign. He might end up being decent but based on his track record, Buffalo is in trouble if this is the best guy they have in camp at the moment.

19. New York Giants (Last week: 19)
Landon Collins will likely miss some time now with a sprained MCL. That is not a good sign to start the season for a Giants’ defense that allowed the fourth-worst yards per attempt average in 2014.

20. Atlanta Falcons (Last week: 22)
The Falcons might actually be the favorite to win this division despite looking like a .500 team on paper. If Tevin Coleman can put together a good season for this team though, they will be much more balanced on offense.

21. New Orleans Saints (Last week: 23)
The Saints are not exactly a playoff bound team but they have a shot in the weak NFC South. With Junior Galette and Jimmy Graham gone though, that could be an uphill battle.

22. New York Jets (Last week: 21)
Some were saying the Jets could be a playoff contender if their offseason acquisitions pay off. It didn’t look like it though in Detroit though as New York finished the night with 56 passing yards. That was for the whole game. It might be preseason, but that is not a good sign.

23. Carolina Panthers (Last week: 17)
Carolina struggled to make the playoffs last year. And that was with Kelvin Benjamin. With the second-year wideout done for the season with an ACL tear, Cam Newton is in for a very long season.

24. St. Louis Rams (Last week: 24)
The Rams need Todd Gurley to be a factor this season. That doesn’t mean rush him back but if he does very little, St. Louis is going nowhere in the standings and likely headed for Los Angeles.

25. Cleveland Browns (Last week: 27)
Before anyone gets too excited, let’s remember it’s preseason. That being said, Johnny Manziel looked pretty good the other night. He finally looked like a quarterback with a ton of athleticism rather than an athletic dude trying to play quarterback. There is still a long way to go though from here.

26. San Francisco 49ers (Last week: 26)
There is no hiding the fact that this will be a long year for the fans of the red and gold. Carlos Hyde is unproven and there is not a wide receiver with a future on this roster. Now with Aldon Smith gone, San Fran is in a lot of trouble.

27. Chicago Bears (Last week: 25)
With rumors that Kevin White could miss the whole season due to injury, the Bears have to be in panic mode. If people thought Jay Cutler looked bad last year, 2015 could be even worse.

28. Oakland Raiders (Last week: 28)
The Raiders had a good first week of the preseason. This team could pull off a couple of upsets throughout the season, but they will be upsets. The Raiders are favorite against almost no one in the NFL.

29. Washington (Last week: 29)
Robert Griffin III announced to the media that he thought he was the best quarterback in the NFL. Washington proceeded to ban RG3 from future media engagements, and then announced he will start the whole season no matter what. Considering this is election season, I can’t believe the football team is the one surrounded with the most uncertainty in the nations capital.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars (Last week: 30)
Well it is hard to be worse than the Buccaneers and Titans. We will see if the Jags can find a way to get Blake Bortles comfortable in this offense and maybe try to keep him upright for once.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last week: 31)
Well Jameis Winston finally debuted in an NFL uniform. His first appearance was pretty uneven though. He threw a pick and completed less than half his passes but there were certainly bright spots as well.

32. Tennessee Titans (Last week: 32)
Marcus Mariota first game started about as poorly as possible. He was strip sacked and picked off on his first two drives. However, Mariota settled down and completed the rest of his passes. Seems like the kid can bounce back.