NFL Week 1 Power Rankings

1: Pittsburgh Steelers--they had a tough opener against a good Titans team. They need to find a way to run the ball better (it probably starts with the offensive line). With Roethlisberger and that defense, they will continue to win a lot.

2: New England Patriots--their defense has been depleted, but Tom Brady is back, and he hasn't lost a regular season game since December 2007. The guy just wins.

3: Baltimore Ravens--this is a dangerous team. Their defense is suffocating, they run the ball well, and the passing game is making big strides. Granted, they were at home against Kansas City; nonetheless, they have all the right pieces of a winning team

4: New York Giants--they handled the Redskins in the opener. The big question has been how the passing game would fare. Eli Manning is good, and their defense will cause lots of turnovers. That generally translates into wins.

5: Atlanta Falcons--this team is complete. Their offense is dangerous, and their defense continues to play well. I can easily see them pushing deep into the playoffs this year.

6: New Orleans Saints--they made it look easy against a struggling Lions club. The defense is improved from last year, which is all they needed. With that offense, they are never out of a game.

7: Tennessee Titans--they played very well against the Steelers. They are returning much of the same group as last year, only without Albert Haynesworth and Jim Schwartz. They didn't seem to miss them too much.

8: Minnesota Vikings--they have the best running back in the league, a monstrous offensive line, a tough defense, and developing weapons in the receiving corps. As long as Brett Favre doesn't flop and the special teams gets their act together, this team can easily make a Super Bowl push. They'd better if Childress likes his job.

9: Green Bay Packers--Dom Capers turned their defense around on a dime. Aaron Rodgers is good, and their defense will provide him with a lot of opportunities to score.

10: Philadelphia Eagles--this is possibly the most talented team in the NFC, but they have just had too much bad luck with injuries. McNabb had better heal that rib soon.

11: New York Jets--Matt Sanchez played very well, and their defense played even better. Sanchez may or may not be for real, but I'm willing to bet the defense is. Rex Ryan is one of the better defensive minds in football. They embarrassed the Texans.

12: San Diego Chargers--this team is good, but they didn't look great against the Raiders. I have a feeling they'll get things picked up before too long.

13: Dallas Cowboys--they played very well this week against a suspect Tampa Bay team. They have the Giants this week. We'll see if they are for real...

14: Indianapolis Colts--they just aren't as scary as they used to be. Peyton Manning is still one of the best, but something just doesn't feel right. Losing Anthony Gonzalez will hurt.

15: San Francisco 49ers--they got an impressive win on the road against the defending NFC champs. The defense looks good, and the offense has potential. I'm still not completely sold, but they could surprise me.

16: Arizona Cardinals--Kurt Warner looks old, doesn't he? I'm not too worried about this team. They are well coached, and have a lot of talent. But dang, Kurt Warner looks old.

17: Jacksonville Jaguars--I don't think these guys are as bad as people say. Jack Del Rio is a very good coach, they have a offense that can move the ball, and an underrated defense.

18: Seattle Seahawks--They got the shutout this week. Against the Rams. For some reason, I'm not sold. They will be better than last year if Hasselbeck can stay healthy. I'm just not sure he can.

19: Denver Broncos--their defense showed up and played very well against the Bungles (except for that final drive). Even with all their issues, the Broncos may actually be better than we all thought. Or maybe they aren't. Orton has to play better.

20: Chicago Bears--Cutler looked pretty bad in his opener, and losing Urlacher will hurt. I feel like they have been over-hyped. Cutler is good can light up the scoreboards, but he doesn't win enough. Turnovers are a great way to lose a game.

21: Buffalo Bills--this team played very well in a place they historically don't. That fumble at the end stings. Nevertheless, they have an offense that can score, and a defense that has proved nothing to me. I feel like they could very easily go either way from here.

22: Miami Dolphins-- this team isn't going to be as good as they were last year. The wildcat jig is up. They won last year by taking care of the football, and they didn't do a very good job of that against the Falcons.

23: Washington Redskins--you'd think sooner or later this team would live up to its expectations, or get a return on its offseason spending sprees. Until I see it, I won't believe it. They are mediocre in my book.

24: Houston Texans--that was awful. Their offense was shut out at home by the Jets. With all that talent, that wasn't expected. They need to run the ball better, and tackle better if they are going to contend in the AFC South. They've got the Titans this week. Good luck.

25: Tampa Bay Buccaneers--they didn't play too awfully against the Cowboys. But they still have a completely new and unproven coaching staff, which is a major red flag for me.

26: Cincinnati Bengals--I thought their offense was going to rebound this year, but they looked pathetic against a Denver defense that was more porous than cheesecloth last year. Still the Bungles.

27: Oakland Raiders--they played well against the Chargers. I still think they are a bad team, and will continue to be bad until Al Davis dies. His puzzle pieces don't fit.

28: Kansas City Chiefs--Brodie Croyle played pretty well against a very good Ravens defense. They didn't move the ball well, but they protected it which is pivotal. They are feisty. I imagine they will only improve as the season wears on.

29: Carolina Panthers--there's no way they're this bad. They looked completely awful last week, and I can't envision them winning many games as long as Jake Delhomme is in his funk. He is a quarterback on the decline. Show me the last two games were flukes, and these guys will soar up in the rankings. Until then, they will be bottom dwellers.

30: Cleveland Browns--they didn't look very good at all. There just isn't enough talent on this team to win many games.

31: Detroit Lions--they had some good things happen against the Saints. Regardless, they still haven't won in over a year. Stafford will come around.

32: St. Louis Rams-- leprosy team.