Tuesday, September 21, 2010

AFC 2010 Week Three Power Rankings

There are some big changes to my week three power rankings after some outstanding performances. The Steelers showed their teeth on defense, and the Jets outscored the Patriots. What a week two it was in the NFL!

2010 AFC Power Rankings

1.Indianapolis Colts(4) – How could I doubt Peyton Manning and Co.? Sorry Peyton, you are worthy.

2.Baltimore Ravens(1) – Tough loss at Bengals, defense looks as good as ever though. Joe Flacco won't have too many more 4 INT games either.

3.Miami Dolphins(5) – The Dolphins are 2-0 for the first time since 2002. What's more impressive is the fact that Miami hasn't even played a home game yet.

4.Houston Texans(6) – With two morale building wins (Colts,Redskins), the Texans may have a shot at the playoffs for the first time ever.

5.Pittsburgh Steelers(7) – I thought the Steelers would fold without Big Ben – they haven't. With Dennis Dixon now on the shelf, that 2-0 start is huge.

6.Tennessee Titans(3) – 7 turnovers at home against Pittsburgh, Vince Young benched, at least the defense comes to play.

7.New England Patriots(2) – A tough loss to the Jets may raise some concern as to just how good this defense isn't. Randy Moss toasted Darrelle Revis by the way.

8.New York Jets(9) – I get it. Come to play in the games you want – talk trash and hope to scare the opponents in the ones you don't. Genius.

9.Cincinnati Bengals(8) – Will the real Cincinnati Bengals please stand up?

10.Kansas City Chiefs(10) – Charlie Weis calling the offense, Romeo Crennel defense, is this the new Patriots of the next decade?

11.San Diego Chargers(11) – please see #9.

12. Denver Broncos(13) – Kyle Orton continues to impress, why bother messing with Tim Tebow at all in 2010?

13.Oakland Raiders(15) – Finally! Darren McFadden stats after 2 games – 240 rushing yards, 63 receiving, 1 TD.

14.Jacksonville Jaguars(12) – It might be time to dump David Garrard(4 INT Sunday vs SD), guess he was just a one year wonder.

15.Cleveland Browns(14) – Maybe it's time for Eric Mangini to find out what rookie QB Colt McCoy is all about.

16.Buffalo Bills(16) – If they don't get a QB soon, it's going to be a loooooong season in Buffalo, New York.

The AFC is mush like the NBA Western Conference with so many teams playoff worthy. Only six teams can be in the tournament, tune in to week three action to see who improves their chances.

NFC 2010 Week Three Power Rankings

The Packers, Saints, Bears and Buccaneers are the last of the 2010 undefeated NFC teams. Where will they land in my week three power rankings?

My power rankings are based on the opponent, if the team played better than the score indicates, and whether or not they played Peyton Manning. Let's take a look at the new rankings heading into week three. Last week rank is in parentheses.

2010 NFC Power Rankings

1.Green Bay Packers(1) – Somebody tell Rex Ryan that the Packers have the best linebacker in the NFL in Clay Matthews, III.

2.New Orleans Saints(2) – The Saints seem to win no matter what opposing defenses do. Could Reggie Bush and his broken leg stop this trend?

3.Atlanta Falcons(6) – Atlanta gave the Steelers all they could handle in week one and lost in OT. They then did what they were supposed to and scored 41 in a route of lowly Arizona.

4.Minnesota Vikings(3) – I always felt having Brett Favre on your team guaranteed 9 wins. Adrian Peterson must be worth a couple W's to, right? No panic just yet.

5.New York Giants(4) – Playing Peyton Manning in Indianapolis is tough. Playing Peyton Manning after he lost the previous week – scary. The Giants do need an identity on offense however, if they plan on hanging around the top 5.

6.Washington Redskins(7) –
After beating Dallas and losing a shoulda-won game versus Houston, the Redskins may be underrated.

7.Seattle Seahawks(5) – Must stay healthy, need to bounce back from loss at Denver, but could still win NFC West.

8.Philadelphia Eagles(9) – Michael Vick has finally earned a starting gig again in the NFL. Now, is he Randall Cunningham or Donovan McNabb?

9.Dallas Cowboys(8) – Is it time to panic in Big D? With all the firepower on offense, there's no way this team should be 0-2. Guess that's why they play the games.

10.Detroit Lions(11) – The Lions should be 1-1 and gave the Eagles all they could handle with their backup QB in the game. Can't wait for Stafford to come back.

11.Chicago Bears(13) – The Bears went into Dallas and won! Is The Jay Cutler, Mike Martz experiment going to work in Chi Town?

12.San Francisco 49ers(10) – An 0-2 start can be overcome in the weak NFC West. A loss to division rival Seattle hurts though.

13.Tampa Bay Buccaneers(12) – The Bucs are 2-0? The quarterback is completing just 55% of his passes, while their top runner is averaging 2.6 yards per attempt.

14.Carolina Panthers(14) – Rookie QB Jimmy Clausen gets the start over Matt Moore in week three – will it make a difference?

15.Arizona Cardinals(15) – Coach Ken Whisenhunt must be knocking down Kurt Warner's door right about now.

16.St. Louis Rams(16) – 2010 top draft pick Sam Bradford has a 63.5 rating, 420 yards, 3 TD and 4 INT. At least he's still healthy.

The Vikings, Cowboys and Giants all must find their stride before it's too late. The Giants can't establish who they are offensively, while 0-2 starts have Minnesota and Dallas reeling. Can't wait to see what happens in week three of the 2010 NFL season.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Revis Island Injured Chasing Randy Moss

Randy Moss Toasts Revis

Who's the slouch now Mr. Darrelle Revis?

All the attention and money had gone to the head of the Jets top cornerback - NOT the leagues' top corner.

Randy Moss showed he still has the jets(no pun) to smoke even the Rex Ryan proclaimed top NFL cover corner.

Randy Moss didn't just TOAST Revis for a 34 yard TD - he made him pull his hammy!

Maybe Revis faked it. Better yet - maybe instead of holding out for more money he should have been in camp. The Jets won however, 28-14, but Revis never returned to the game and could be missing some time. Hamstring injuries tend to nag all season.

I can't wait to see what happens between these two the next time they meet in week 13, Dec. 06, 2010. Nice Play Randy!

Sunday, September 19, 2010

2010 NFL Week Two Predictions and Picks

Week two of the 2010 NFL schedule is upon us and so are all the predictions and picks. Some will pick the winners – some won't. Either way, it should be a great week two in the NFL.

I went 9-7 with my week one picks – not a bad start to the year. I would have had 10 wins had the Chiefs let me know that Dexter McCluster would play Monday Night. I had them picked to beat San Diego but switched because Dexter was listed as doubtful with an illness. Anyways, on to the next one...

2010 NFL Week Two Picks

Steelers at Titans – The Titans are for real and the Steelers are without their starting QB. Pittsburgh's defense will bend and break against Chris Johnson and the new-and-improved Vince Young. Pick: Titans

Dolphins at Vikings – Miami hasn't started a season 2-0 since the last time they played in Minnesota in 2002. The Dolphins are a legit title contender in 2010 and can prove it with a win against Favre and Co. Pick: Dolphins

Cardinals at Falcons – Atlanta lost a heart-breaker in Pittsburgh last week – shouldn't happen versus Arizona this week. Pick: Falcons

Ravens at Bengals – Cincinnati went 6-0 against their division in 2009 – that won't happen in 2010. Pick: Ravens

Chiefs at Browns – This game could be decided by the special teams play. I'm taking the Chiefs rookie Dexter McCluster over Joshua Cribbs. Pick: Chiefs

Bears at Cowboys – Dallas beat themselves last week at Washington – Jay Cutler will give the Cowboys a few turnovers to help the 'Boys win at home. Pick: Cowboys

Eagles at Lions – In this battle of backup QB's – I'll take the play-making ability of Mike Vick over Shaun Hill any day. Pick: Eagles

Bills at Packers – If Miami can hold Buffalo to 166 yards of offense, then getting 100 against the Packers stellar D will be almost impossible. Pick: Packers

Buccaneers at Panthers – The Panthers put up a fight in New York last week while Tampa barely beat the Browns. Pick: Panthers

Seahawks at Broncos – If Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck can stay healthy, this may be the year they go back to the playoffs. I just hope we don't see Tim Tebow in any silly wildcat formations today. Pick: Seahawks

Rams at Raiders – Oakland got it handed to them against the Titans in week one. They should return the favor at home against the receiver-less Rams. Pick: Raiders

Texans at Redskins – Houston really wants to win the AFC South in 2010. They got started with a win over the Colts and should start 2-0. Pick: Texans

Patriots at Jets – The Jets and coach Rex Ryan really need to start keeping their mouths shut and try playing some football. In case they didn't know – the talking is done on Sunday on the field. Pick: Patriots

Jaguars at Chargers – San Diego was stifled by the Chiefs all night Monday – they should come alive at home against Jacksonville. Pick: Chargers

Giants at Colts – I want to pick Eli to beat his brother Peyton for the second time but I believe the Giants defense will be too aggressive – Peyton will take advantage of this for a close victory Sunday Night. Pick: Colts

2010 NFL Monday Night Week Two Pick

Saints at 49ers – The 49ers will find themselves on the bottom of the division if they can't pull out a win at home versus the defending NFL Champs. Pick: Saints

Enjoy another week of incredible NFL action. I hope to have a better week with my picks as much as the Jets hope to not start 0-2. Good luck to the latter...NOT.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

AFC 2010 Week Two Power Rankings

The Indianapolis Colts lost their spot on top of the Power Rankings with their loss at Houston Sunday. It may be a tough road back to the top of the NFL in 2010 for Peyton manning and company.

Here's how the AFC ranks heading into what should be an even more exciting week two in the NFL. Last weeks rank is in parenthesis.

1.Baltimore Ravens(2) – The Ravens shut the big mouth Jets up on Monday Night Football. This defense is still very powerful and proved it by allowing just 5 first downs to the so-called ELITE Jets. I guess Ray Lewis was right when he said, “if the Jets are the Miami Heat of the NFL, then we must be the Lakers.”

2.New England Patriots(3) – I thought the Patriots defense couldn't hang with the Bengals explosive offense. Oh well, I guess Coach Bill knows what he's doing after all.

3.Tennessee Titans(4) – Perhaps the Raiders were an easy opponent – but dang the Titans looked good on both sides of the ball. Vince Young is definitely matured as he has no problem hanging in the pocket and completing passes.

4.Indianapolis Colts(1) – I thought this may be the year the wheels fall of for Manning an Co. And, is Bob Sanders hurt again? My goodness – Manning can't do it by himself all the time.

5.Miami Dolphins(5) – The Dolphins stay at 5 with a win over the Bummalo Bills. This power running team must learn to use their passing weapons if they want to move up this chart. Air it out Henning – C'Mon!

6.Houston Texans(10) – The Texans took a big step forward in proving their legit in the AFC South. But a week performance from QB Matt Schaub (107 yards, 67.5 rating) was over-shadowed by Arian Foster's 231 yards, 3 TD performance. So, for real or not? Probably not but we'll see.

7.Pittsburgh Steelers(9) – I'm not sold on the Steelers without Big Ben – but that defense looked great in the 15-9 OT win versus Atlanta.

8.Cincinnati Bengals(7) – Chad Ochocinco had 12 receptions for 159 yards and a score in the loss to the Patriots. Terrell Owens had 7 for 53 and no TD. Uh-oh. Let the whining begin.

9.New York Jets(8) – I knew the Jets couldn't put their money where their mouth was. Baltimore handed it to the Jets and showed them what a true contender looks like. It doesn't get any easier as the Patriots come to town in week 2.

10.Kansas City Chiefs(13) – HUGE win Monday Night over the Chargers. Defense and special teams played a key role in the win. All offense utility man – rookie Dexter McCluster returned a punt 94 yards for the eventual game winner.

11.San Diego Chargers(6) – Did I drop them to far down? Hey – the Chargers need to learn that the NFL Playoffs aren't automatic. You actually have to show up during the season too.

12.Jacksonville Jaguars(15) – Big win over Denver – will they stay competitive for the rest of the season? Only time will tell for the Jaguars.

13.Denver Broncos(11) – Note to coach Josh McDaniels: Do Not use Tim Tebow in any wanna-be Wildcat formation. Either start him or sit him. I say sit him if you want to win now.

14.Cleveland Browns(14) – The Browns should have beaten Tampa Bay. As it looks right now – Eric Mangini will be unemployed in 2011.

15.Oakland Raiders(12) – That's it – I will not believe in the Raiders until next year. The only one who came to play for Oakland was running back Darren McFadden(95 yards rushing, 55 yards and a TD receiving).

16.Buffalo Bills(16) – If any player deserves to ask for a trade it's C.J. Spiller. This team is going nowhere fast. I wonder if Canada will still want them if they go 0-16?

Well there you have it. Enjoy the week 2 games – see you next time for the week 3 rankings. What teams do you think will go up/down?

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

NFC 2010 Week Two Power Rankings

Heading into week two of the 2010 NFL Season, most teams stay around the same in my power rankings. There were a few surprises that did however cause a few ripples in the standings.

Here's a look at week two's NFC Power Rankings (week one rankings in parentheses).

2010 NFC Power Rankings

1.Green Bay Packers (1)– Clay Mathews (11 tackles, 2 sacks) and the Packers defense knocked Kevin Kolb out with a concussion and beat the Eagles 27-20 convincingly.

2.New Orleans Saints(3) – The Saints showed why they are the champs versus Minnesota. The scored by passing in the first half – then ran it down the vikings throats in the second.

3.Minnesota Vikings (2)– Brett Favre couldn't pick a receiver and Adrian Peterson (86 yards) couldn't do it himself.

4. New York Giants(4) – The Giants ground attack was held to a ridiculous -2 yards against the Panthers in the first half. They did however finish with 118 rushing yards for a 31-18 win. Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks had 3 TD grabs.

5.Seattle Seahawks(9) – Matt Hasselbeck (108.3 QB rating, 2TD) is back! Hasselbeck completed 78% of his passes to lead his team to a BIG 31-6 win over division rival San Francisco.

6.Atlanta Falcons(5) – The Falcons lost to Pittsburgh in a defensive showdown – until over-time that is. The D broke down in overtime allowing a 50+ yard run for the 15-9 loss.

7.Washington Redskins(7) – No love for the Redskins 13-7 win over the Cowboys in Washington. The Cowboys made bonehead mistakes all game and McNabb only threw for 171 yards with no touchdowns.

8.Dallas Cowboys(6) – The Cowboys need the running backs to step-up if they plan to contend for the 2011 Super Bowl in Dallas.

9.Philadelphia Eagles(10) – Even though the Eagles QB's were sacked 5 times and hurried all day – not to mention Kolb leaving early with a concussion – they only managed to lose by 7 to the Packers. Great job not giving up guys!

10.San Francisco 49ers(8) – The 49ers were picked by many to win the NFC West. Getting drubbed by division rivals in week one isn't how you accomplish that feat however.

11.Detroit Lions(11) – One Word – ROBBED! Calvin Johnson made the game winning catch that was idiotically called incomplete. Detroit should have won in Chicago 21-19.

12.Tampa Bay Buccaneers(15) – A close win over the re-tooled Cleveland Browns is a good start for a team given no chance to compete in 2010.

13.Chicago Bears(12) – I don't even want to talk about it right now. ROBBED!

14.Carolina Panthers(14) – Dominated the Giants in New Jersey and led 16-14 at the half. Couldn't hold on and lost 31-18. Maybe they will be not that bad in 2010.

15.Arizona Cardinals(16) – Steve Breaston caught 7 passes for 132 yards and Larry Fitzgerald got his first TD of the season in a 17-13 victory at St. Louis.

16.St. Louis Rams(13) – I thought Rams rookie QB Sam Bradford could win at home vs the Cardinals but he couldn't get it done. Bradford did impress though – his 32 completions and 55 attempts were both rookie records in a debut. Things might be looking up for the Rams – but not in 2010 of course.

Well, that's how the NFC Power Rankings look after week one. It was an exciting opening weekend in the NFL – Bring On Week Two!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Vikings at Saints Opening Day Review

The New Orleans Saints kept the celebrations going with a 14-9 win over the Vikings on NFL Opening Day 2010. Here's a review on the Champions big win.

Vikings Start 2010 Season 0-1

Brett Favre looked good and wasn't harassed as much by the Saints defense this time around, but the outcome was the same. Drew Brees is now a big 2-0 versus the Brett Favre led Vikings.

The Saints held the ball first in this game and picked up where they left off last season. They first play was out of the shotgun formation, while the first drive ended with a twenty-nine yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees.

New Orleans were trying to take advantage of a somewhat suspect secondary running only three times in the first half to twenty-two pass plays.

The Vikings were able to regroup and play excellent defense after allowing the Saints to march down the field on the opening drive. Jared Allen and Ray Edwards put pressure on Brees forcing him out of the pocket several times.

In the second quarter off-setting face-mask penalties allowed the Vikings a free possession that they capitalized on. Ryan Longwell would end up kicking a field goal to make it 7-3 Saints.

Brett Favre would throw his first interception of the season to Jonathan Vilma. Safety Roman Harper came on a blitz and hit Favre forcing a duck throw. Unfortunately for the Saints their kicker would miss a forty-six yard field goal. He would also miss a thirty-two yarder in the fourth quarter.

It started to look like the game was starting to go in the Vikings favor. Minnesota got the ball at the Saints thirty-six with 1:19 left in the half and Favre went to work. Favre hit tight end Visanthe Shiancoe twice on the sixty-four yard scoring drive to end the half. Shianco finished the first half with four receptions for seventy-six yards and a score.

A blocked extra point left the Vikings ahead at the half 9-7.

Saints Win First Game of 2010 NFL Season

The Saints got a heavy dose of Adrian Peterson In the first half of Thursday nights game. Minnesota out-rushed the Saints sixty-one to nine and looked ready to run all night.

But the Saints had other ideas. After the Vikings failed to get anything going to start the second half, the Saints took over the game.

New Orleans would score on an eleven play, seventy-four yard drive led by the....RUN. Yes, they came out passing in the first half and running in the second!

The Saints would run the ball nineteen times in the second half. Pierre Thomas would run in a one yard touchdown for the game winning score. The Saints are now 1-0 and deservedly so. It was a hard-hitting, play-for-play game that the Vikings just couldn't manage to win.

Brett Favre seemed somewhat out of sync with his receivers and also threw two picks. They need to fix this if they want to get to the Super Bowl in 2011.

New Orleans on the other hand may have shown why they are NFL Champions Thursday. They played tough defense and took what the Vikings defense gave them on offense. Can they re-peat? Only time will tell.

2010 NFL Week One Predictions and Picks

The start of the 2010 NFL season is finally here! Will the Saints continue their winning ways? What about the Patriots? And no, the Jets aren't for real so let's stop the hype now - PLEASE.

Let's get down to business and pick the winners and losers to start the new year.

2010 Week One NFL Picks

Vikings at Saints – Minnesota will give the Saints a heavy dose of running back Adrian Peterson, allowing Favre a better chance of surviving this match-up. Pick: Vikings

Panthers at Giants – The Giants will get the first regular season win in New Meadowlands Stadium against a weak Carolina team. Pick: Giants

Falcons at Steelers – Heinz Field is never a good place for any opponent to play. If the Atlanta Falcons are for real in 2010, this game should prove it. Pick: Falcons

Browns at Buccaneers – Someone has to win this game right? This will be a low scoring affair and I trust the Browns run game and QB more than I do any of the Bucs players. Pick: Browns

Broncos at Jaguars – Jacksonville running back Maurice Jones-Drew will be the best player on the field in this one. Pick: Jaguars

Colts at Texans – How do you bet against Peyton Manning? Like this...Pick: Texans

Dolphins at Bills – Does Buffalo really stand a chance against anybody in 2010? Pick: Dolphins

Lions at Bears – If this game is in Detroit I pick differently – but it's not so I won't. Pick:Bears

Raiders at Titans – Vince Young is ready to blossom in 2010 and prove his talents are legit. Not to mention, the Raiders can't ever seem to stop the run. 200 yards for Chris Johnson? Most likely. Pick: Titans

Bengals at Patriots – The Patriots will have a much tougher year in 2010 than in years past. Look for Carson Palmer to have a great season for Cincinnati. Pick: Bengals

Cardinals at Rams – This is another one of those games where somebody has to win. I'll take rookie Sam Bradford over Derek Anderson any day. Pick: Rams

49ers at Seahawks – Coach Pete Carroll will have the Seahawks pumped and ready to make a run at the division crown. Beating the 49ers week one would be a great start. Pick: Seahawks

Packers at Eagles – In years past, heading to Philly hasn't been nice to Green Bay. That won't be the case in 2010 with the McNabb-less Eagles though. Pick: Packers

Cowboys at Redskins – As much as I would like to give Washington the upset win, I believe the Cowboys are more ready for prime time on Sunday night. Pick: Cowboys

2010 NFL Monday Night Picks

Ravens at Jets – The Miami Heat of the NFL? Really? The Jets need to watch their mouths, especially against a hard hitting defense like Baltimore. You really shouldn't make Ray Lewis mad. Pick: Ravens

Chargers at Chiefs – Now is the time for Kansas City to make an impact in the AFC West – but they won't. Pick: Chargers

Most of the teams that should win in week one will, but there are always upsets. These are my picks and I'm sticking to them. Enjoy the games!

Sunday, September 5, 2010

AFC 2010 Week One Power Rankings

Week one in the NFL can make or break a teams Power Ranking depending on the opponent and/or injury. Here's a look at the AFC Power Rankings heading into the start of the 2010 season.

Don't be surprised when there is a shift in power right away in week one. Teams like the Bengals and Jets have huge match-ups that could drastically change their ranking.

1.Colts @ HOU – Indianapolis has won twelve games in each of the last seven seasons and will get one early versus the Texans.

2.Ravens @ NYJ – With Ray Rice running, Flacco throwing, and Boldin catching, the Ravens can compete with anyone. Defensive captain Ray Lewis will keep the defense together despite injuries to Ed Reed and others.

3.Patriots vs CINN – New England's defense keeps taking hits with injury after injury – but with a strong Brady-to-Moss attack the Pats are still competitive.

4.Titans vs OAK – Vince Young is ready to lead Tennessee back to the Super Bowl. Chris Johnson doesn't have to rush for 2,000 yards again – but the defense must play to their potential.

5.Dolphins @ BUFF – Quarterback Chad Henne is for real. With Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams providing a great 1-2 punch – the sky is the limit for Miami in 2010. Providing everyone stays healthy that is.

6.Chargers @ KC – If the Chargers are the class of the AFC West, then they shall show it in Kansas City with a win.

7.Bengals @ NE – Carson Palmer has to step-up and prove he still is an elite NFL quarterback and it starts against the Patriots in Foxboro. Especially when the defense(4th in '09) is playing at a high level.

8.Jets vs BAL – New York's offense was anemic during the pre-season with Mark Sanchez stinking up the joint. It doesn't get any easier against a defense like the Ravens(3rd in '09).

9.Steelers vs ATL – The healthy return of safety Troy Polamalu helps the defense – the suspension of Big Ben hurts the team.

10.Texans vs IND – Week one versus Peyton Manning and Co. will hurt the confidence of a young team looking to prove themselves as contenders for the AFC South title.

11.Broncos @ JACK – The loss of Brandon Marshall will leave Kyle Orton under the bus if Denver doesn't win.

12.Raiders @ TENN – Oakland finally has not one, but two solid QB's and an improved defense on paper – now, about that running game(21st in '09)..
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13.Chiefs vs SD – Running backs Thomas Jones, Jamaal Charles and rookie Dexter McCluster, the Chiefs should be better on offense than the 25th rank they received in '09. It should also take the pressure off Matt Cassel to be Tom Brady.

14.Browns @ TB – If Jake Delhomme can still play quarterback, and – oh, never mind.

15.Jaguars vs DEN – 2010 could be Jack Del Rio's and QB David Garrard's last in Jacksonville if they continue their losing ways.

16.Bills vs MIA – Rookie running back C.J. Spiller will be great – anyone else got talent?

I can't wait to see how week one plays out for the AFC teams. Witch teams will rise and fall in the fight for the 2011 Lombardi Trophy?

NFC 2010 Week One Power Rankings

To many teams have their current NFL Power Ranking based on last seasons luck...or momentum as I like to call it. If the NFL is a league of parity all teams have a chance to be the Saints of '09...well, not all

This is a look at the NFC week one Power Rankings based on the weekly 2010 NFL schedule.


1.Packers @ Phil. – Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers will prove they are legit with tough road win to start the season. Question is – will Ryan Grant contribute?

2.Vikings @ NO – Minnesota could have won the NFC Championship in '09 if not for a few bone-head plays late in the game. By focusing more on running the ball – the Vikings prevail in their week one rematch.

3.Saints vs Minn. – The talent is there to re-peat – but they won't. The defense ranked 25th in the NFL last season, but thanks to big plays...you know the rest. The Saints will not be able to rely on just big plays alone in 2010.

4.Giants vs Car. – Eli Manning must be consistent for the Giants to compete. A healthy Brandon Jacobs could put the Giants back on the path to the Super Bowl.

5.Falcons @ Pitt. – If Atlanta wants to prove they are for real – it starts week one at Heinz Field. The Steelers are without Big Ben so this is a must-win for both teams really.

6.Cowboys @ Wash. – The Cowboys looked out-of-sync all pre-season and must pull it together to beat McNabb and the Redskins in Washington...or else.

7.Redskins vs Dallas – ...Or else Washington will have the early momentum in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL.

8.49ers @ Sea. – Many believe that San Francisco will win the NFC West in 2010 – It could be a tight race and a win on the road versus a division rival would be HUGE.

9.Seahawks vs SF – A healthy Hasselbeck and a more productive running game(26th in '09), makes Seattle a dark horse in the NFC.

10.Eagles vs GB – The people of Philadelphia may think of Kevin Kolb as the next Aaron Rodgers...well – he's not and the Eagles will struggle in 2010.

11.Lions @ Chi. – Yes sir, the Lions are no longer the worst team in the NFC(or the NFL for that matter) because Matthew Stafford says so!

12.Bears vs Det. – The Windy City will be wishing Kyle Orton was still on the roster after another dismal season by the supposed savior Jay Cutler.

13.Rams vs Ariz. – If rookie Sam Bradford can find a favorite receiver and Stephen Jackson can stay healthy – the Rams could win a few games in 2010.

14.Panthers @ NYG – Running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are the only thing keeping Carolina competitive at all right now.

15.Buccaneers vs Cleve. – Tampa Bay will be good again – just not this year.

16.Cardinals @ Rams – With no quarterback to speak of, the Cards will be begging Kurt Warner to come back all season long. Arizona could be the new Lions of the next decade.

That's the Power Rankings for week one as I see it, we'll see who will rise and fall during the course of what will be an exciting 2010 NFL season.