Week #3 Power Rankings 17-32

Pinned In Their Backyard

Slot 

Team 

Three easy steps/slides to get there

17

(2-1)

1. Shorthanded on offense, Andy Reid did not hesitate to put his team’s fate in Kevin Kolb’s hands; the second-year pro rewarded his coach’s faith with a banner day against the Chiefs.
   
2. Michael Vick made his Philly debut on the same day Randall Cunningham was inducted into the team’s honor roll. Perfect time for him to learn.
   
3. First, they got DeSean; a year later, they drafted LeSean. Who’s next? MeSean? I’m counting on it.
   

Move made:

(LW: 18)

18

(2-1)

1. The Pack bounced back. Literally. Aaron Rodgers got up after two 1st-quarter sacks to lead the Cheeseheads past the Rams.
   
2. After making no catches against the Bengals, Greg Jennings furiously responded with a two-reception effort for 103 yards. As you can see, he maximizes his presentations.
   
3. The countdown has begun, and the worlds will finally collide in Minnesota when Green Bay faces Brett Favre on Monday Night. And we won’t be able to resist.
   

Move made:

(LW: 19)

19

(1-2)

1. The Detroit Lions finally won a game, defeating the Redskins, 19-14, to end their 19-game losing streak, second longest in NFL history.
   
2. Congratulations Matthew Stafford, you’re a household name in Michigan.
   
3. Good-bye ‘88 Baltimore Orioles; farewell N.Y. Mets’ Anthony Young; and you’re not welcome anymore ‘76 Tampa Bay Bucs. Yes, Monday was a good day to wear silver and blue.
   

   
    

Move made:

(LW: 25)

20

(1-2)

1. Maurice Jones-Drew is not the Little Engine That Could; he’s the motor (23 carries for 119 yds. and 3 TD’s) that makes Jacksonville go.
   
2. A sack-less David Garrard went back to basics (214 yds. passing, 1 rushing TD) to give his teammates a shot in the arm.
   
   
3. However, the biggest moment belonged to the defense. Nursing a late 7-point lead, the Jags stripped Chris Brown at the goal line, and the recovered fumble saved the season for the feline ones.
   

Move made:

(LW: 31)

21

(1-2)

1. Houston has allowed 614 rushing yards in three games. Officially, they’re the NFL’s worst run defense.
   
2. On the other hand, where have you gone Steve Slaton? Just 224 total yds and no TD’s make you the biggest disappointment of the Texans’ season. And that’s saying something.
   
3. They laid a monumental egg; pulled off an improbable comeback; and proceeded to drop a stink-bomb. For all I know, they might be able to top the Raiders. But I wouldn’t bet on it.
   

Move made:

(LW: 15)

22

(1-2)

1. I’m sorry Washington Redskins. You are the answer to a trivia question.
   
2. The team is obviously struggling, but when you have cornerback DeAngelo Hall saying: “You either want it or you don’t. A lot of these guys don’t want it”, that does not help Jim Zorn.
   

   If he really wanted to do Dan Snyder a favor, Tom Cruise should have stayed and gone bananas at the Redskins post-game press conference. That would’ve been a handful for the media.
   

Move made:

(LW: 20)

23

(1-2)

1. In consecutive weekends, the Bills got to know the extremes of the NFC South. They easily handled the Bucs…and then, the Saints were the ones who easily handled them.
   
2. Terrell Owens‘ streak of 185 games with a reception was ended. Well, not necessarily: he received some popcorn on his way out.
   
3. One bright spot: Brian Moorman successfully continued the trend that started in the Hall of Fame game. Punters involved in scoring plays.
   

Move made:

(LW: 22)

24

(1-2)

1. Only fitting for Seattle to play with nuclear green jerseys. The second half of their game against the Bears was a catastrophe.
   
2. If postgame interviews are to be taken seriously, Olindo Mare is in serious trouble.
   
3. All those injuries have Jim Mora’s work cut out for him. The honeymoon is over.
   

Move made:

(LW: 23)

At the Bottom of the Pile

Slot 

Team 

Three easy steps/slides to get there

25

(1-2)

1. The Denver game showed the real identity of the Oakland Raiders. The first two weeks were a mirage.
   
2. 45 yards rushing and three fumbles is not the kind of production expected from Darren McFadden.
   
3. I figured one thing out. I guess the real reason why the Raiders tried to keep Rich Gannon away from pre-game meetings with the players was that underOakland’s thinking, he may have been tempted to give quarterbacking tips to JaMarcus Russell.
   

Move made:

(LW: 21)

26

(0-3)

1. Four straight losses (count last season’s playoffs) have sent the Titans into a tailspin, and it’ll be hard to recover. Maybe it’s time to find out if Vince Young’s career is salvageable.
   
2. Chuck Cecil delivered some vicious hits during his playing days. As a def. coordinator, he’s on the receiving end of those.
   
3. The Fashion Police are  investigating the NFL. What they did to Tennessee’s coaching staff –and specifically to Jeff Fisher– was an absolute crime.
   

Move made:

(LW: 27)

27

(0-3)

1. Against the Cowboys, Carolina mixed the deadliest combo of them all: They couldn’t run, and they couldn’t stop the run.
   
2. Go figure: The Panthers joined the Titans as the second team this season to start 0-3 after winning 12 or more games the previous year.
   
3. It’s sad but it’s true: John Fox’s loyalty towards Jake Delhomme may end up putting his job in jeopardy.
   

Move made:

(LW: 24)

28

(0-3)

1. Reeling from the massive letdown on Monday night, the Dolphins couldn’t work their way to enjoy San Diego.
   
2. Jason Taylor has been less than stellar in his second go-round in Miami. His production (4 tackles, 1 sack) says so.
   
3. Chad Pennington has come full circle. When he arrived in Florida, the Dolphins were at the League’s cellar. His season-ending injury forced him to leave the team right where he found it.
   
   

Move made:

(LW: 26)

29

(0-3)

1. The retirement of the No. 75 that belonged to Rams great Deacon Jones called for a better showing by the team. And then I realized that was it.
   
2. St. Louis finally gets a running game going…only to commemorate the start of the Kyle Boller era. Murphy’s Law, anyone?
   
3. EXPLANATION ZONE. “This team is totally different than it was last year,” Rams’ DE Leonard Little said. I beg to differ.
   

Move made:

(LW: 29)

30

(0-3)

1. Facing a team that lacked its two best offensive weapons, they let the backups play like regular starters.
   
2. The good news: The score finally was a reflection of the effort. The bad news: Unfortunately, it translated into another loss.
   
3. EXPLANATION ZONE. “We have the talent to compete with anyone,” Chiefs’ QB Matt Cassel said. “We just have to eliminate the bad football and the penalties.” I really want to believe that.
   

Move made:

(LW: 28)

31

(0-3)

1. What happened to them? New York happened to them.
   
2. Tampa Bay receiver Antonio Bryant played in spite of a sore knee…and wished he had taken the week off.
   
3. EXPLANATION ZONE.
   “We were beat by a grown-man team, a team we want to be like one day,” Bucs’ head coach Raheem Morris said. “They came in here and took it to us. Out-manned us, out-gunned us…It wasn’t even close.”. And by stating that, he’s hoping that the truth shall set him free.
   

Move made:

(LW: 30)

32

(0-3)

1. This team STILL looks dead.
   
2. I need to watch All the President’s Men one more time. Taking notes from Woodward (Redford) and Bernstein (Hoffman) may be helpful in trying to resolve Cleveland’s own Water-Gate.
   
3. EXPLANATION ZONE. “I was a little rusty. It’s been a while since I’ve been out there,” Browns’ QB Derek Anderson said. If I were him, I’d oil myself in a hurry, ’cause this may be his last chance to start.

Move made:

(LW: 32)