NFL Power Rankings 9/26/12

Are they pointless? Of course. Meaningless? Sure! But people love reading and arguing about them, so let’s give the people what they want! Power rankings? Power rankings!

Power Rankings
1) Houston 3-0 (2)- Until the end there, the Texans defense was excellent against Peyton Manning and the Denver offense. Their top spot is well deserved.
2) Atlanta 3-0 (3)- They absolutely crushed the undefeated Chargers on the road and Matt Ryan is evolving into a stud at QB.
3) Baltimore 2-1 (5)- Torrey Smith and the Ravens showed a ton of resolve in coming back to beat the Patriots on Sunday night.
4) Arizona 3-0 (9)- The Cardinals’ defense was absolutely ferocious in a dominant win over Philadelphia that opened a ton of eyes.
5) San Francisco 2-1 (1)- The Niners got thumped pretty good by the Vikings, and it shows that this team does have a few minor flaws.
6) NY Giants 2-1 (11)- Even on a short week with injuries, they trounced Carolina on the road and are back to being an elite team.
7) Green Bay 1-2 (4)- Technically the refs cost the Packers three spots in the rankings, but their offensive line is now a huge issue.
8) Seattle 2-1 (16)- Regardless of whether they should have won the game, they would have gotten a boost in the rankings thanks to a tenacious defense.
9) Philadelphia 2-1 (7)- If the offensive line doesn’t protect Michael Vick, this team is going to sink really quickly in the rankings.
10) New England 2-1 (8)- Two-straight one-point losses doesn’t hurt them too much, but the Pats are having problems finishing games. Who’da thunk it.
11) San Diego 2-1 (12)- They got bounced hard, but will still move up due to contenders moving back to the pack. They’re on notice with a ranking bubble.
12) Chicago 2-1 (14)- The defense against the Rams was impressive, but the offense still has a lot to do, starting on Monday at Dallas.
13) Cincinnati 2-1 (23)- Their offensive creativity in the win over Washington will bode well going forward. Andy Dalton is maturing.
14) Denver 1-2 (6)- This ranking is based on reputation right now, but their schedule will get easier over time.
15) Dallas 2-1 (13)- Yes, their ranking will go down after a stinker of a win over Tampa Bay.
16) Pittsburgh 1-2 (10)- They have to clean up turnovers, run the ball and play better defense. This 16th ranking is kind.
17) Minnesota 2-1 (27)- Christian Ponder is playing great and Kyle Rudolph is emerging as his go-to target.
18) NY Jets 2-1 (18)- A lackluster win over Miami and Darrelle Revis’ injury will keep the Jets where they were last week.
19) Buffalo 2-1 (22)- The competition has been easy, but they’ve won the games they should have. Pats on deck.
20) Washington 1-2 (20)- The Skins showed fight in the loss to the Bengals, but I don’t know if they can recover from their defensive injuries.
21) Tennessee 1-2 (28)- Jake Locker was really good and the special teams even better. They could give Houston some trouble next week.
22) Detroit 1-2 (15)- Their Hail Mary was amazing, but their secondary is probably the worst in the league.
23) Tampa Bay 1-2 (19)- Their offense was absolutely pathetic, but their defense put them in a position to beat Dallas on the road.
24) Carolina 1-2 (17)- They should be ranked lower after laying a goose egg against the Giants. Cam Newton needs to mature.
25) St. Louis 1-2 (24)- The defense is there, but Sam Bradford and the offense has a ways to go before they consistently win games.
26) New Orleans 0-3 (21)- Their defense is a joke and their offense just hasn’t been the same without Sean Payton.
27) Oakland 1-2 (29)- If they can keep running the ball and forcing turnovers, they’ll be tough to beat at home.
28) Kansas City 1-2 (32)- Jamaal Charles had to have a career day to beat the hapless Saints defense, but it’ll go down as a nice win nonetheless.
29) Jacksonville 1-2 (30)- The Blaine Gabbert-Cecil Shorts connection may have saved the Jags from the bottom of the rankings.
30) Indianapolis 1-2 (26)- They just don’t have enough on either side of the ball to seal the deal on wins right now, the Vikings win aside.
31) Miami 1-2 (25)- The Jets were practically giving them the game, and they didn’t want it.
32) Cleveland 0-3 (31)- The Browns are an absolute joke on offense and their defense isn’t good enough for it to make any difference.