1. PACKERS (2-0, No. 4 preseason).
The offense is clicking in a big way, they’ve won both at home and on the road and they’re riding the momentum of a completely dominating performance (granted, against our No. 32). It’s tough to push them past the Saints, but they’ve scored more points and given up fewer. That sealed it.
2. SAINTS (2-0, No. 1).
They’re unbeaten only by the barest of margins, and the long-term loss of Reggie Bush — one of the league’s most dynamic offensive weapons — will lead to some L’s.
3. TEXANS (2-0, No. 13).
A season-opening win over Indianapolis has them in position to make a run at the AFC South division championship. A 4-0 start is possible with Dallas and Oakland on the docket.
4. DOLPHINS (2-0, No. 12).
The defense has looked awesome in a pair of season-opening road wins, giving up just 10 points apiece. Their upcoming schedule is deadly, though, with the Jets, Pats and Packers.
5. COLTS (1-1, No. 3).
Peyton Manning is already making a case for another league MVP award. He’s leading the NFL in passing yards and TDs, and hasn’t thrown a pick since the Super Bowl.
6. JETS (1-1, No. 7).
We were skeptical after Week 1, but they swayed us this week against New England. The Braylon Edwards situation could end up being a major problem, though.
7. RAVENS (1-1, No. 4).
The offense is an absolute mess (10 points against Cincy!), but the ‘D’ alone will lead them to 10 or so wins and a solid playoff berth. Take them -11 this week against Cleveland.
8. CHARGERS (1-1, No. 8).
Philip Rivers (632 yards, five TDs, two INTs) is having a Peyton-lite kind of season so far. A Vincent Jackson deal looks unlikely, so he could provide a second-half boost to the WR corps.
9. FALCONS (1-1, No. 9).
Is Atlanta really good? Is Arizona really bad? It very well could be the latter, but you have to respect what the Falcons did in Sunday’s 41-7 destruction at the Georgia Dome.
10. STEELERS (2-0, NO. 15)
Week 4 will feature them putting “Congratulations! You’re the new QB!” under a Rolling Rock bottlecap. But they’re 2-0, with Roethlisberger coming back before long.
11. BEARS (2-0, No. 19).
Nobody expected Chicago to do much at JerryWorld last weekend, but they walked out with a 27-20 win. Monday’s game against Green Bay will decide an awful lot.
12. PATRIOTS (1-1, no. 11)
Just like we figured: good offense, junk defense. They’ve scored an impressive 52 points in two games … and managed to give up the exact same amount to their opponents.
13. EAGLES (1-1, No. 18).
Kevin Kolb’s injury could turn out to be one of the best things that ever happened to this proud franchise. If Michael Vick is as good as he’s looked, they’re a playoff team.
14. CHIEFS (2-0, NO. 27)
A big part of this 13-place jump is Week 1’s big win over San Diego. They can run the ball decently well, but it looks like former Patriot Matt Cassel might actually be a terrible QB.
15. BENGALS (1-1, No. 14).
Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens have combined for 26 catches and 313 yards through two games. What you didn’t see coming was the emergence of Jordan Shipley.
16. REDSKINS (1-1, No. 20).
They’re one second-half implosion against the Houston Texans from a 2-0 start and the driver’s seat in the NFC East division chase. Oh well. Gary Kubiak 1, Graham Gano 0.
17. BUCCANEERS (2-0, No. 30).
Coach Raheem Morris says Tampa Bay is “going to remain humble.” For a team that was picked to finish dead last, we don’t think that will be too much of a problem.
18. COWBOYS (0-2, No. 2).
Too big a hit for two losses? You can certainly make a good case. But how can you possibly not feel a bit of schadenfreude at the league’s most annoying team flailing?
19. GIANTS (1-1, NO. 16)
Plaxico Burress, prisoner No. 09R3260, gave his first jailhouse interview to the New York Daily News this week. He says he runs routes with fellow inmates throwing to him.
20. TITANS (1-1, No. 17).
Reality tells you there’s a QB controversy here: Vince Young was lifted in the second half on Sunday. Coach Jeff Fisher, though, says he’s sticking with VY as the starter.
21. SEAHAWKS (1-1, No. 25).
Seattle’s four-slot boost isn’t so much because they’re very good. It turns out the rest of the NFC West is awful — only the Seahawks have more than 28 points all year.
22. VIKINGS (0-2, No. 6).
This couldn’t be going a whole lot worse for Minnesota. Vincent Jackson doesn’t appear to be on his way, and an option-less Brett Favre doesn’t even care anymore.
23. BRONCOS (1-1, No. 21).
The AFC West looks like a three-horse race with San Diego and Kansas City. But how can any team get over something as tragic as the suicide of a popular, young player?
24. JAGUARS (1-1, No. 24).
With 37 points scored and 55 points allowed so far this season, Jacksonville is just what we thought they were. The Vick Experience is coming to town this weekend.
25. 49ERS (0-2, No. 10).
We figured San Francisco would take the mediocre NFC West going away. At this rate, sticking close to New Orleans is going to be the highlight of their
season.
26. RAIDERS (1-1, No. 26).
They can’t score, they can’t stop other teams from scoring and it’s unclear who will start at QB this Sunday. Just another year with the worst franchise in professional sports.
27. LIONS (0-2, No. 29).
This season is already as good as over, but there’s some hope for the future in Detroit. If not for Michael Vick, there’s a good chance they’d be 1-1 without Matthew Stafford.
28. BROWNS (0-2, No. 28).
The offense is absolutely awful, but there’s something to be said for a ‘D’ that has held both 2010 opponents to 14 points. Sad for them, they’re probably going to start 1-6.
29. CARDINALS (1-1, No. 22).
They have a win, but it came against a pretty terrible St. Louis team. Arizona looked about as good as a UFL team in Sunday’s 41-7 drubbing at Atlanta. Bring back Kurt Warner!
30. RAMS (0-2, No. 32).
A pair of low-scoring losses to fellow bottom-10 teams resulting in a two-slot bump? Only when expectations are in the gutter, like they were for the 30th-Best Show on Turf.
31. PANTHERS (0-2, No. 23).
Matt Moore’s decent 2009 was a mirage. In response, Carolina is forced to turn to one of the least-likeable rookie QBs in recent memory: the ego-rific Jimmy Clausen.
32. BILLS (0-2, NO. 31)
Buffalo can’t do anything right this season. They’ve scored a league-low 17 points over two games (only one other team has less than 20), and are coming off a 27-point blowout against our No. 1 team. It’s a rebuilding year.
