I always enjoy reading these. For those that never have, here are this weeks.....
1. St. Louis Rams (1): Not only are they now better on offense, but the defense also is much better. The front four is still suspect, but the back seven is much faster than in recent years.
2. Green Bay Packers (6): As long as Brett Favre is still throwing touchdown passes, this team is a threat to win a lot of games. Big test this week in Tampa against the Bucs.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (7): The only loss was in overtime to the Rams. What they did to Dallas on Sunday night was cruel and unusual punishment.
4. Oakland Raiders (10): Got back on track against a bad Seattle team. If not for a late-game collapse against Miami, Raiders would be 3-0.
5. Baltimore Ravens (11): A huge road victory for a team that was staring 1-2 in the face. Maybe the defense can carry this team to another Super Bowl.
6. Denver Broncos (2): The offense was shut down by Baltimore and might be missing Ed McCaffrey more than first thought.
7. New York Giants (12): A quality victory over a good Saints team moves the Giants up. The defense stepped up big against New Orleans, especially defensive end Michael Strahan.
8. Miami Dolphins (3): Poor strategy on the defensive end hurt against the Rams. It will be interesting to see how this team bounces back.
9. Indianapolis Colts (5): If the Colts had to play in Foxboro every week, they'd be at the bottom of this list.
10. New Orleans Saints (4): A slow start killed them against the Giants. The run defense has to be better if this team is a Super Bowl contender.
11. San Diego Chargers (15): The quality of opponent is what has this team's ranking this far down, despite being 3-0.
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9): One day this team's offense will learn how to score touchdowns.
13. Jacksonville Jaguars (8): The Jaguars have to stay healthy to compete, which they weren't able to do against the Browns Sunday.
14. Tennessee Titans (13): The week off was good for this ailing team.
15. Atlanta Falcons (18): Just when it appeared the Falcons were a team ready to take a potential playoff step, the injury to Jamal Anderson hits.
16. San Francisco 49ers (17): If they can continue to run the ball like they did against the Jets Monday, they will be tough to beat.
17. Cleveland Browns (22): A big victory on the road against the Jaguars show this is not a team to take lightly.
18. Minnesota Vikings (21): See what happens when players quit acting like babies?
19. Cincinnati Bengals (16): How does the song go? Back to life, back to reality?
20. Kansas City Chiefs (20): It's amazing what troubles can be cured when playing the Redskins.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers (23): Still not a lot of offense, but at least the defense showed up against the Bills.
22. New York Jets (14): The inability to stop the run is killing this team. The loss of Jason Ferguson for the year has been crippling.
23. Chicago Bears (19): Coming off the bye week, they get a tough test at Atlanta this Sunday.
24. New England Patriots (27): A great defensive plan in the upset of the Colts.
25. Carolina Panthers (25): At least they weren't as bad as the grass at their stadium Sunday.
26. Seattle Seahawks (24): Only the fact that there are so many bad teams in this league keeps Seattle from falling more.
27. Detroit Lions (30): They moved up without playing. Says something about what happened to some other teams Sunday.
28. Buffalo Bills (26): Where have you gone, Doug Flutie?
29. Arizona Cardinals (29): This is one lucky team: They're in the same division with the Cowboys and Redskins
30. Dallas Cowboys (28): Sum it all up with one word: Embarrassment.
31. Washington Redskins (31): It's tough to play games with players who have quit on the coach.
1. St. Louis Rams (1): Not only are they now better on offense, but the defense also is much better. The front four is still suspect, but the back seven is much faster than in recent years.
2. Green Bay Packers (6): As long as Brett Favre is still throwing touchdown passes, this team is a threat to win a lot of games. Big test this week in Tampa against the Bucs.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (7): The only loss was in overtime to the Rams. What they did to Dallas on Sunday night was cruel and unusual punishment.
4. Oakland Raiders (10): Got back on track against a bad Seattle team. If not for a late-game collapse against Miami, Raiders would be 3-0.
5. Baltimore Ravens (11): A huge road victory for a team that was staring 1-2 in the face. Maybe the defense can carry this team to another Super Bowl.
6. Denver Broncos (2): The offense was shut down by Baltimore and might be missing Ed McCaffrey more than first thought.
7. New York Giants (12): A quality victory over a good Saints team moves the Giants up. The defense stepped up big against New Orleans, especially defensive end Michael Strahan.
8. Miami Dolphins (3): Poor strategy on the defensive end hurt against the Rams. It will be interesting to see how this team bounces back.
9. Indianapolis Colts (5): If the Colts had to play in Foxboro every week, they'd be at the bottom of this list.
10. New Orleans Saints (4): A slow start killed them against the Giants. The run defense has to be better if this team is a Super Bowl contender.
11. San Diego Chargers (15): The quality of opponent is what has this team's ranking this far down, despite being 3-0.
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9): One day this team's offense will learn how to score touchdowns.
13. Jacksonville Jaguars (8): The Jaguars have to stay healthy to compete, which they weren't able to do against the Browns Sunday.
14. Tennessee Titans (13): The week off was good for this ailing team.
15. Atlanta Falcons (18): Just when it appeared the Falcons were a team ready to take a potential playoff step, the injury to Jamal Anderson hits.
16. San Francisco 49ers (17): If they can continue to run the ball like they did against the Jets Monday, they will be tough to beat.
17. Cleveland Browns (22): A big victory on the road against the Jaguars show this is not a team to take lightly.
18. Minnesota Vikings (21): See what happens when players quit acting like babies?
19. Cincinnati Bengals (16): How does the song go? Back to life, back to reality?
20. Kansas City Chiefs (20): It's amazing what troubles can be cured when playing the Redskins.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers (23): Still not a lot of offense, but at least the defense showed up against the Bills.
22. New York Jets (14): The inability to stop the run is killing this team. The loss of Jason Ferguson for the year has been crippling.
23. Chicago Bears (19): Coming off the bye week, they get a tough test at Atlanta this Sunday.
24. New England Patriots (27): A great defensive plan in the upset of the Colts.
25. Carolina Panthers (25): At least they weren't as bad as the grass at their stadium Sunday.
26. Seattle Seahawks (24): Only the fact that there are so many bad teams in this league keeps Seattle from falling more.
27. Detroit Lions (30): They moved up without playing. Says something about what happened to some other teams Sunday.
28. Buffalo Bills (26): Where have you gone, Doug Flutie?
29. Arizona Cardinals (29): This is one lucky team: They're in the same division with the Cowboys and Redskins
30. Dallas Cowboys (28): Sum it all up with one word: Embarrassment.
31. Washington Redskins (31): It's tough to play games with players who have quit on the coach.
