2011 NFL Power Rankings and Ratings – Week 3 Preseason Edition: Patriots, Packers and Ravens Top the List: The Week 3 preseason edition of our 2011 NFL Power Rankings and Ratings is now posted on NSAwins.com below. Please check out our website weekly during the regular season for weekly updated NFL Power Rankings and Ratings in addition to free NFL picks, live vegas NFL odds, NFL game previews and more. Enjoy…
2011 NFL Power Rankings and Ratings – Preseason Edition Week 3
Week 2 of the preseason slate has now come and gone and we are now getting a better idea of where some teams are headed this season. This week saw many positions in question get sorted out (see. Kyle Orton and Alex Smith) and many veteran players lose ground to rookies (see. Jimmy Clausen and Pierre Thomas). Cuts are vastly approaching and many players on the bubble will have this third game of the preseason to put everything on the line. There is nothing more scary then a player that has virtually nothing to lose and I expect there to be a lot of shifting in the power rankings after week 3 of the preseason, for now there are a few shifts from last weeks rank.
1. New England Patriots – The Patriots are down right scary through 2 games of preseason play, may they finally be ready to go 19-0? (LW: 1)
2. Green Bay Packers – This year it might be the defense that takes the spotlight on way to another playoff birth. (LW: 3)
3. Baltimore Ravens – This ranking will either hold strong at 3 after the 3rd game or fall dramatically and it all hinges on Joe Flacco. The fourth year pivot needs a good showing to avert serious ridicule as he has looked average at best through 2 games. (LW: 5)
4. New Orleans Saints – Mark Ingram is looking very savvy in the backfield for the Saints and his swagger and charisma might just be the recipe for this Bayou club to get back to the Superbowl. (LW: 4)
5. Philadelphia Eagles – The “dream team” had serious issues on Thursday night against the Steelers and the scrutiny of their billing has been the focal point of NFL talk for the last week. (LW: 2)
6. San Diego Chargers – Impressive showing in Dallas on Sunday night. The Chargers have little to worry about this year in the AFC West. (LW: 7)
7. Pittsburgh Steelers – What a bounce back from their week 1 flop against the Redskins. The defense has every bit of potential to be the best in the league this year. (LW: 10)
8. Detroit Lions – A healthy and stronger Matthew Stafford, a larger and faster Calvin Johnson, the “Silver Crush” along the defensive line, and a revamped linebacking core might just be the remedy for the Lions to return to postseason competition. There running game must come along way however. (LW: 12)
9. Houston Texans – The Texans offense looks great and there defense is rounding into form. If Arian Foster can repeat his 2010 campaign performance then the sky is the limit for this Texans club. (LW: 9)
10. New York Jets – If Plaxico Burress proves to be the all-star receiver he once was for the other New York football club then the Jets could very well be known for taking the best risk/reward front office move in NFL history. (LW: 11)
11. Atlanta Falcons – Once again, this year hinges on the production of Matt Ryan. Week 2 of the preseason slate saw the fourth year pivot struggle and thus the offense too. (LW: 6)
12. Indianapolis Colts – The Colts look extremely vulnerable without their all-world talent under centre. Even with Peyton in the fold, I don’t know if this team has enough to get back to the postseason. (LW: 8)
13. New York Giants – Eli Manning sure backed up his early week statement about being in the same class as Tom Brady. The Giants offense absolutely dominated the Bears for all four quarters. (LW: 13)
14. Dallas Cowboys – They may have the most talent in the entire league but until they can get that talent to work as a cohesive unit then they will continue to be on the outside looking in. (LW: 23)
15. Washington Redskins – The Redskins might be the sleeper of the 2011-2012 season, there defense looks terrific through 2 games of preseason play. (LW: 15)
16. Minnesota Vikings – Donovan looked a little better in his second outing with his new offense and the defense made their old pivot in Tavaris Jackson look silly. (LW: 16)
17. St. Louis Rams – Sam Bradford is the real deal and this Rams offense has looked very lethal through 2 games of play. (LW: 17)
18. Tennessee Titans – Matt Hasselbeck looks almost too comfortable running this offense and the offense stands to only get better when Chris Johnson is lining up behind Matt Hasselbeck. (LW: 14)
19. Arizona Cardinals – Locking up Larry Fitzgerald is reason enough for the rise in the power rankings for this Cardinals club. Kevin Kolb is progressively exercising this offense better and better and Beanie Wells looks exception in the backfield. (LW. 26)
20. Cleveland Browns –Letting the Lions back into the game on Friday night keeps this club in the 20 spot, but they every bit of potential to move into the mid-teens if they can patch up their defensive secondary issues. (LW: 20)
21. Denver Broncos – Now with Kyle Orton named is the week 1 starter the spotlight and scrutiny on the quarterback position can now shine light on the wideouts. The Broncos have concerns on the far right and left and currently are using a cast of unknowns. (LW: 24)
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – What a beat down by the New England Patriots! The Buccaneers defense will have to go back to the drawing board this week in anticipation of their final tune up game before the regular season. (LW: 21)
23. Miami Dolphins – With the earlier speculation of Kyle Orton coming to town and the offseason scrutiny over this play, Chad Henne seems to have a fire lit under him and he is responding in a big way. With a productive Henne under centre and an elusive Reggie Bush coming out of the backfield, the Dolphins could have the makings of an excellent offense. (LW: 28)
24. Chicago Bears – Both the offense and defense look brutal through 2 preseason games and Lovie Smith is on the hot seat once again. Lovie Smith could be the first coaching casualty of this season if the Bears fail to perform early. (LW: 19)
25. Oakland Raiders – Picking up Pryor in the third round of the supplemental draft might prove to pay dividends, later on that is. This Raiders club still has a ways to go on their road to respectability. (LW: 25)
26. Carolina Panthers – It looks as though Cam Newton has narrowly won the starting quarterback position on passing alone, wait until Ron Rivera gives the Heisman winner the green lights to run! (LW: 18)
27. Jacksonville Jaguars – Garrard looked solid in first game of the 2011 preseason and it will he his job to lose this season. The defense also significantly picked up their game from preseason week 1 and absolutely shut down the Falcons O. (LW: 27)
28. Seattle Seahawks – The aquistion of Tavaris Jackson to be their starting quarterback is looking more and more ridiculous each game. Another move like this and Carrol might find himself coaching and managing AA college ball. (LW: 22)
29. Buffalo Bills – Lee Evans for a fourth round pick??? Any more ridiculous front office moves like this and the Bills could be playing in Toronto for good sooner, rather then later. (LW: 29)
30. San Francisco 49ers – Two thumbs down to the 49ers fans on Saturday night, but their offense seems to be turning the corner. (LW: 30)
31. Kansas City Chiefs – The Chiefs will be neck and neck with the Bengals all year long for the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. (LW: 31)
32. Cincinnati Bengals – Marvin Lewis might the next one to leave and threaten retiring if the Bengals don’t let him go. (LW: 32)