Another interesting week in the NFL and we're down to three undefeated teams.
Who's good? I still don't know. So you'll probably notice that a number of teams have dropped out again and a couple who were in previously are now in again after winning. The least of these, at the moment, is Baltimore, who won on a last-second field goal in Cleveland. I bet that had people sweating for multiple reasons.
Buffalo and Houston were two previously undefeated teams that dropped out. I thought their performance was a fluke. Neither team showed up well in situations that were tailor-made for wins. It seemed. Buffalo had perennial road chokers San Diego in their house. Houston went to Jersey to take on the 0-2 Giants.
And now they're both out for the time being.
Four previously undefeated teams lost in Week 3 and four winless teams won in Week 3. Everything's nice and symmetrical, yet still mostly unpredictable.
Although I did go 11-5 straight up this week, which has me feeling a bit better and less like a monkey on a typewriter.
Here are the Rankings for Week 3:
1.) Philadelphia (3-0) [+1]
In varying ways, all three undefeated teams are surprising. Philadelphia is surprising because of their method of winning games thus far: they go down early and then storm back in the 2nd half. This is obviously not sustainable, so they'll have to play better in the beginning of games. But if they outlast every team they play, does it really matter how big the deficit is? I mean, within reason (e.g. a deficit <28 points), they ought to be able to pull out just about any game.
Next opponent: at San Francisco (9/28).
2.) Arizona (3-0) [+1]
Arizona is surprising because they're starting a backup QB who hadn't shown this kind of proficiency in previous stops. With Carson Palmer sidelined, Drew Stanton has taken over and not stumbled all over himself. In fact, I'd say he's played well, though his opponents have been the cupcake Giants and the bewildered and stumbling 49ers. They have an early bye in Week 4, which does them little favor. Honestly, I don't see the point in having byes this early, but I guess it has something to do with keeping the schedule relatively even.
Next opponent: at Denver (10/5).
3.) Cincinnati (3-0) [+1]
Cincinnati is surprising because no one expected them to be this good. Certainly not me. Then again, I'm no fan of the Bengals, which was seen throughout last year when I outright ignored them from about Week 4 'til Week 17, when I begrudgingly put them in my top 10 because they won the division and made the playoffs. I'm no fan of Dalton, though his RB's are pretty good and the defense is stout. Plus, they clobber people at home. And the division this year is nothing to brag about; the Bengals look clearly better than their competition right now, and while that's sure to even out over the next few weeks, it's not like they're playing with a bunch of world-beaters.
Next opponent: at New England (10/5).
4.) San Diego (2-1) [+4]
I guess going into Buffalo and winning isn't that much of a surprise, but given the fact that San Diego would routinely choke away that sort of game...yeah. They had to go cross-country and play early. And they still won. That speaks volumes early in the season, especially when so many teams look like hot garbage. The schedule favors them in the next couple weeks as well, so unless they really screw up, they should be golden.
Next opponent: vs. Jacksonville (9/28)
5.) New England (2-1) [+4]
Hard to get too excited about that win. Every win is good, of course, but when you only put up 16 against Oakland and it takes a defensive stop to win, yikes. It's hard not to say that trouble is on the horizon, even with Brady still at QB and still one of the elite. Although I'm not sure that's saying much, since the elite QB's have done very little worth mentioning. In Week 3 alone, they put up 7, 16, 20, and 20. Blegh.
Next opponent: at Kansas City (9/29).
6.) Seattle (2-1) [-]
After a galling loss to San Diego that had people questioning the defense, they go home to play Denver...and win in OT. It's a good win, don't get me wrong, but it's not exactly the confidence builder that it should have been. Hell, they were up 17-5 late in the game and it was looking like Super Bowl Redux. Then the defense let up a late drive and suddenly the game was tied. Russell Wilson showed stones in getting the ball in the end zone in OT, but really, it shouldn't have been in OT to begin with.
Next opponent: at Washington (10/6).
7.) Atlanta (2-1) [-]
Any team that wins 56-14 is getting in. Even when they beat the worse than terrible Bucs. I don't know if that win says anything about Atlanta, other than that they can take advantage of some horrendously bad playing on defense.
Next opponent: at Minnesota (9/28).
8.) Baltimore (2-1) [-]
Honestly, I'm not sure why I have Baltimore in and not Detroit or Chicago. Of course, if the Ravens do something silly like lose to Carolina at home, then we'll see what we see. Given how the Steelers trounced Carolina, I don't really see that happening, but hey, Flacco & co. have never shied away from a galling and stupid loss in previous seasons.
Next opponent: vs. Carolina (9/28).
9.) Pittsburgh (2-1) [-]
The first half was ugly as can get in a game not involving Seattle or San Francisco. Then all of a sudden Pittsburgh started putting points on the board and Carolina was still kicking field goals, that is, when they weren't kicking themselves right in the balls. Carolina's offense is D grade when Cam Newton is not healthy and right now he looks pretty beat up. Pittsburgh's defense took advantage and sacked him a couple of times for good measure. And then the running backs started going nuts. So now we have to wonder if it's a perfect storm that created an unlikely victory, or whether the Steelers are suddenly legit again after a stretch where they couldn't score. I doubt this week will tell us much, but you never know.
Next opponent: vs. Tampa Bay (9/28).
10.) Denver (2-1) [-9]
Finally, we have Denver, fallen all the way to 10th after losing in OT to Seattle. For some reason I'm convinced that they're still good. Well, tying the game up and sending it to OT will do that, especially when they were dead in the water previously. And I think this team will likely win the AFC and go to the Super Bowl again. I mean, really, who else in the conference is going to stop them? People can talk about Cincinnati all they want, but until Dalton proves something in the playoffs, that talk is moot.
Next opponent: vs. Arizona (10/5).
That's all for this week, see you next week.
