« Fantasy Football: Some Possible Waiver Wire Pickups Heading into Week 4 | Main | Fantasy Football: Week 4 Quarterback Rankings »

2011 NFL Power Rankings: The Top 32 Teams After Week 3

Through three weeks, there are three unbeaten teams in the NFL: Green Bay, Detroit and Buffalo.

Based on odds from Bodog, the Packers, the defending champions, and the Patriots currently have the lowest odds to win the Super Bowl.

The Lions, a popular sleeper team in the preseason, now have 14/1 odds from Bodog to win the Super Bowl. Those are the same odds as the New York Jets, who have reached the AFC Championship Game in back-to-back seasons, and the Philadelphia Eagles, dubbed the "Dream Team" by Vince Young. Detroit is currently the only team in the NFL to rank in the top four in scoring offense (101 points) and defense (46 points).

And the Bills, perhaps the most surprising of all the unbeaten teams, have overcome large deficits in back-to-back games. Last year, the Bills were competitive in many games, but they lost the close ones. This year, they are winning those games.

Where should they rank in our power rankings?

1. Green Bay Packers (3-0): Through three games, Aaron Rodgers has completed 71.8 percent of his passes, thrown for 305.7 yards per game, eight touchdowns and only one interception. Oh, and their next four opponents (before their bye) have a combined record of 2-10.

2. Baltimore Ravens (2-1): The Ravens have allowed the fewest points (13.3 per game) and are tied for the league lead in turnover differential (+6) this season.

3. New England Patriots (2-1): No quarterback in NFL history has thrown for more yards than Tom Brady (1,327) has over a three-game period. On the other hand, the Pats have allowed a league-worst 468.7 yards (and 377 passing yards) per game.

4. New Orleans Saints (2-1): The Saints play four of their next five games on the road, but the collective record of their opponents is 4-11. The Saints could very easily be 7-1 midway through the season.

5. Detroit Lions (3-0): The Lions have a new habit: winning. Going back to the final four games of 2010, the Lions have won seven straight games after they rallied to overcome a 20-point halftime deficit.

6. Buffalo Bills (3-0): After turning large deficits into back-to-back come-from-behind victories, the Bills are the lone unbeaten team remaining in the AFC. Will they suffer a letdown against the Bengals?

7. Houston Texans (2-1): Going for their first-ever 3-0 start in franchise history, the Texans lost in a shootout to the Saints. This week, they will have another tough test as they host the Steelers in Week 4.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1): Through three games, the Steelers were beat down by their main rivals and won against two of the league's worst teams. Perhaps we will get a better look at this team's identity after their Week 4 matchup at Houston.

9. New York Jets (2-1): After losing to Darren McFadden and the Raiders Sunday, the Jets will continue their three-game road trip with two tough matchups: Baltimore and New England.

10. San Diego Chargers (2-1): The Chargers made it through September with a winning record, but they may spend many (or all) of the weeks in October without All-World tight end Antonio Gates.

11. Dallas Cowboys (2-1): It may have not been pretty, but a win is a win and now the Cowboys find themselves in a three-way tie atop the NFC East. Can they avoid any more injuries before their bye in Week 5?

12. Oakland Raiders (2-1): As I tweeted yesterday, Darren McFadden, who missed three games in 2010, has 2,141 yards from scrimmage (1,550 rushing and 591 receiving), 58 receptions and 14 total touchdowns in his past 16 games.

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1): Coach Raheem Morris says the Bucs are the best team in the NFC South. He's wrong.

14. Atlanta Falcons (1-2): For the Falcons to turn their season around, one thing they need to fix is their protection of Matt Ryan, who has been sacked 13 times and hit 21 times in three games.

15. New York Giants (2-1): Helped by the Eagles inability to tackle, Giants quarterback Eli Manning threw four touchdowns and no interceptions to win the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 3.

16. Philadelphia Eagles (1-2): For a second straight week, Michael Vick left a game due to injury. While his non-throwing hand is bruised (not broken as initially reported) and it appears Vick will be able to start in Week 4, there is increasing concern about his ability to stay healthy for a 16-game season.

17. Tennessee Titans (2-1): Not only have the Titans lost Kenny Britt for the season, they have struggled mightily to get their ground game going. Running back Chris Johnson has only 98 rushing yards on 46 carries (2.1 yards per carry). On a positive note, they rank second in scoring defense (14.3 points allowed per game) and first in total defense (261.0 yards allowed per game).

18. Cleveland Browns (2-1): Despite Peyton Hillis (strep) arriving at the stadium and turning around to go home, the Browns came from behind to improve to 2-1. The last time they had a winning record was 2007. Here are the starts to their previous three seasons: 0-3 (2008), 0-4 (2009) and 0-3 (2010).

19. Washington Redskins (2-1): In a quarterback-driven league, it's hard to be fully sold on the Redskins with Rex Grossman under center in a division with Michael Vick, Tony Romo and Eli Manning.

20. Chicago Bears (1-2): Chicago started with as tough of a three-game schedule as anyone in the league: Atlanta, New Orelans and then Green Bay. Two things the Bears need to do better is (1) protect Jay Cutler and (2) run the ball effectively.

21. San Francisco 49ers (2-1): While the 49ers' offense leaves a little to be desired, the Niners are tied for the league-lead in turnover differential (+6), return touchdowns (two) and they have allowed the fourth-fewest points (17.3 per game) this season.

22. Carolina Panthers (1-2): Cam Newton and Steve Smith fell short of 400 passing and 100 receiving yards, respectively, but they got their first win of the season.

23. Denver Broncos (1-2): All three of the Broncos games have been decided by three points or less, but they face two tough opponents (Packers and Chargers) before their bye.

24. Cincinnati Bengals (1-2): Should I just assume that the Bengals will be 2-2 (after they beat the Bills) like Marvin Lewis has?

25. Minnesota Vikings (0-3): Three games with double-digit second-half leads. Three losses.

26. Miami Dolphins (0-3): Brazilian super models. Buffalo wings. Tony Sparano's seat. What are things that are (really) hot?

27. Arizona Cardinals (1-2): Here's a glass-half-full view: The five touchdowns thrown by Kevin Kolb in three games is half as many as the total of touchdowns thrown by all of the Cardinals quarterbacks in 2010.

28. Seattle Seahawks (1-2): The good news for the Seahawks is they get to play eight games at home (and three of them against NFC Worst teams).

29. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2): Here's a stat I read from ESPN blogger Paul Kuharsky (and the Texans think they struggle in the redzone): Jacksonville has "been in the red zone a grand total of one time, when they kicked a field goal."

30. St. Louis Rams (0-3): The Rams have been outscored by 60 points in their three losses this season. It doesn't get any easier. The Rams next four opponents all have winning records: Washington, Green Bay, Dallas and New Orleans.

31. Indianapolis Colts (0-3): I'm not sure what to make of the fact that the Steelers and Colts were tied 20-20 with five seconds to go on Sunday night. Was it a positive reflection of the Colts? Or a negative reflection of the Steelers?

32. Kansas City Chiefs (0-3): After getting beat by a combined total of 79 points to the Bills and Lions in Weeks 1 and 2, the Chiefs lost by only three points to the Chargers. Although they lost cornerback Brandon Flowers to a high-ankle sprain, at least they didn't lose any players to season-ending injuries like in the previous three weeks.

If interested, here is our free Week 4 fantasy football contest and our waiver wire pickups for Week 4.


Check Out the Most Recent Posts on The Daily Blitz

Darrius Heyward-Bey was arrested last month for DUI May 10, 2012
Adrian Peterson works out for media today, expects to be ready for Week 1 May 9, 2012
Fred Jackson gets a two-year contract extension May 7, 2012
2012 Fantasy Football Rankings: Updated Top 25 Quarterbacks May 7, 2012
Video: Eli Manning's funniest SNL skit (Little Brothers) May 6, 2012
Our 2012 NFL Consensus Power Rankings, Post-Draft Edition May 6, 2012
Sammy Watkins arrested on marijuana possession charge May 4, 2012
2012 Fantasy Football Strength of Schedule (By Position) May 2, 2012
Jabar Gaffney to sign with the Patriots May 2, 2012
2013 NFL Mock Draft, 1.0 Apr 30, 2012


TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://eatdrinkandsleepfootball.com/blog-mt/mt-tb.fcgi/2837


Post a comment