| 1 |  | The Colts once again proved why they're the team to beat. RB Joseph Addai ran wild against the Broncos and Peyton Manning looked like, well, Peyton Manning. I can't wait for that match-up with New England in Week 9. | previous rank: 1 |
| 2 |  | New England continues to dominate. QB Tom Brady is far and away the early favorite for NFL MVP, completing 79% of his passes on the season. The defense put the clamps on the dangerous Bengal offense, and it seems possible that this team could threaten the '72 Dolphins and their undefeated season. |
previous rank: 2 |
| 3 |  | The Cowboys are on a rampage. I'm not sure if any defense can stop them. QB Tony Romo is playing inspired football and the defense is beginning to click. And just think: They aren't even 100% healthy. Imagine how tough this team will be when they get WR Terry Glenn back. | previous rank: 3 |
| 4 |  | The Packers won a close game on the road against a division rival. They have the Bears up next, and I don't think they'll pose much of a problem. Green Bay is firing on all cylinders. They could clinch this division by Week 10. | previous rank: 4 |
| 5 |  | Seattle's defense came alive against the 49ers, causing 3 turnovers and six sacks. Despite improved competition in their division, they ‘Hawks have proven they're still the class of the NFC West. They travel to Pittsburgh next week, so we'll see where they stand versus the rest of the league. | previous rank: 6 |
| 6 |  | With Baltimore and Pittsburgh losing, they jump a few spots during their bye week. Hey, it happens. They play Atlanta next, so they should continue their winning ways. | previous rank: 8 |
| 7 |  | Tough loss for the Steelers. But at least it came on the road. I don't think this team should be too concerned. You can't win them all, but they will have to play much better if they want to compete with Seattle next week. | previous rank: 5 |
| 8 |  | The Jaguars also benefit from being idle in Week 4. They travel to Arrowhead Stadium next, which is a tough place to win. But with David Garrard playing so well ( 0 INT), I think they have a shot. | previous rank: 12 |
| 9 |  | There is no shame losing to the Colts, especially in Indy. They actually played pretty well, but they didn't cause any turnovers. That proved to be the difference, as the Colts forced two of them. The good thing for Denver is, with San Diego playing so terribly, the division is as good as theirs. Unless, of course, the Raiders keep playing so well. |
previous rank: 9 |
| 10 |  | Last week I half-jokingly said the Ravens had to contain Cleveland's Derek Anderson. Well, they held him to just over 200 yards and they still got beat by the Browns. This team is still in the top ten by default; there aren't any other proven teams in The League right now. Some of the teams below this spot are rising fast, however, so the Ravens better get it together. | previous rank: 7 |
| 11 |  | Does anybody outside of Tampa realize that this team is 3-1? The Bucs are playing great football right now. Beating Carolina on the road was impressive. Can they do it next week in Indy? I'm not sure, but how shocked should we be if they pull it off? | previous rank: 19 |
| 12 |  | The Giants are on a 2-game winning streak! The defense is playing as well as anybody, tying an NFL record with 12 sacks against the Eagles. Osi Umenyiora led the way with 6 sacks and two forced fumbles. They started slow, but I think this team is ready to make a statement to the rest of the league. | previous rank: 21 |
| 13 |  | I'm not so sure about their QB-by-committee strategy, but it worked against Pittsburgh so what do I know? RB Edgerrin James carried the ball 21 times, and they won. Is that a trend? I know this team has threats in the passing game, but they might want to consider riding James into the playoffs. | previous rank: 20 |
| 14 |  | The ‘Skins are the third team to benefit in the rankings from a bye week. There is just a lot of bad football being played right now. They face the Lions next week in a showdown of NFC powerhouses. Gosh, that doesn't sound right, huh? What is the world coming to? | previous rank: 18 |
| 15 |  | Time to gloat a little. In my Preseason rankings, I said this team could be in the top 20 by October. With wins over the Bengals and Ravens, would anyone argue that they shouldn't be? With QB Derek Anderson playing so well, the Brady Quinn era is on hold until '08, and Romeo Crennel might still be the head coach, too. | previous rank: 27 |
| 16 |  | Time to eat a little crow. When QB Jon Kitna guaranteed 10 wins, I nearly peed myself with laughter. There is nothing funny about the Lions now. This team is explosive on offense, and pretty decent on ‘D.' Starting 3-1 should help fulfill Kitna's prophecy, but I want to know why he didn't aim higher. Hell, they're on pace for 12 wins! | previous rank: 24 |
| 17 |  | The Panthers are one of the most inconsistent teams in the NFL. Like I've said the last two weeks, it's about running the ball. This team can't win if they can't run. You can summarize a Panthers game without even watching it; just look at the stat sheet. If their running totals suck, it's safe to assume that Carolina lost, and turned the ball over a couple of times. | previous rank: 13 |
| 18 |  | Did we all fall in love with Houston too soon? It seems so. The Colts might have taken this team's pride a few weeks ago. They might be on the verge of collapse. We'll know for sure next week, when they face the win-less Miami Dolphins. If they dominate, we'll let them in our hearts again. | previous rank: 10 |
| 19 |  | How sweet was their victory over Miami for QB Daunte Culpepper? Taunting them with his knee was hilarious and justified. I'm not sure if we can call the Raiders playoff contenders quite yet, but they are definitely playing great right now. By the way, they're tied for first place in the AFC West, and nobody in their division has scored as many points!. | previous rank: 23 |
| 20 |  | Shocking as it may sound, Cincinnati is in dead last in their division. Yep, behind the Cleveland Browns. But, I guarantee they will not lose in Week 5. Okay, so it's their bye week. Week 6, however, pits them against the Chiefs, on the road. Stretching that losing streak to 4 games is a real possibility. | previous rank: 16 |
| 21 |  | RB Larry Johnson finally eclipsed the 100 yard mark, against a stout Chargers run defense, no less. Beating San Diego on the road might give this team the confidence they need to turn their season around. They'll face a rested Jacksonville squad in Week 5, and we will find out just how good this team really is. | previous rank: 26 |
| 22 |  | What is wrong with the Chargers? Only Marty Schottenheimer knows. The crowd was chanting for their old coach's return, but it's a little too late for that now. This team's fall from grace is only matched by the Bears' similar descent. The good thing for them is they're only a game out of the division race. | previous rank: 14 |
| 23 |  | Normally, a team wouldn't drop this far for losing to a division rival on the road, but the way this team was manhandled was just plain pitiful. What happened to QB Donovan McNabb's mobility? Sacked 12 times? That is unheard of. This team stinks, and you don't have to be from Philly to say so. | previous rank: 11 |
| 24 |  | The 49ers were embarrassed at home against the Seahawks. Losing QB Alex Smith in the first quarter might help explain why. I don't know if this team is quite ready for primetime, but they are at .500 at least. | previous rank: 17 |
| 25 |  | Losing to the Chargers in Week 1 and the Cowboys in Week 3 was almost understandable, but losing to the Lions was a real eye-opener. This team has succumbed to the Super Bowl loser's jinx. They are injured, heartless, and have no QB. Giving up 34 points in the fourth quarter was inexcusable. | previous rank: 15 |
| 26 |  | The Bills squeaked their way into the win column with a 3-point victory over the Jets. The thing is, their QB was Trent Edwards, not J.P. Losman. Is there a controversy brewing? Maybe, we'll see next week when they face the Cowboys on Monday Night. | previous rank: 28 |
| 27 |  | What can I say about the Jets? They lost to the Bills! This team stinks, and they will continue to stink all season. QB Chad Pennington needs to protect the football, and they need RB Thomas Jones to step up, too. | previous rank: 22 |
| 28 |  | This team is not going to win many games with their QB situation as it is. But, RB Adrian Peterson is the real deal. He is fun to watch. He punishes would-be tacklers, and is on his way to NFL Rookie of the Year honors.. | previous rank: 25 |
| 29 |  | The Flacons won convincingly over the Texans, thanks to QB Joey Harrington. He has two solid games in a row under his belt, but this team still won't win many more games. But hey, at least they got the first one out of the way. | previous rank: 32 |
| 30 |  | The Saints received a well needed rest. A bye week might be what it takes for this to re-group and start playing well again. They play Carolina next, and it will be a tough game. If they can pull it out, they might salvage the season yet. | previous rank: 29 |
| 31 |  | In a game that was delayed by lightning, the Dolphins were shocked by the Raiders (was that too corny?) This team is left searching for answers, and their new head coach just might be one-and-done. RB Ronnie Brown sure is coming alive, though! | previous rank: 31 |
| 32 |  | The USC Trojans, LSU Tigers, and even the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame would beat the Rams right now. Offensive line woes continue to plague this team, and I don't see them doing many good things in 2007. | previous rank: 30 |
