Spence
09-23-2003, 02:14 PM
hR Power Poll: Week Three
by Spence
Is the top spot in the hR Power Poll cursed? First Tampa Bay and now Buffalo has been unable to defend its week-to-week title. No one said domination of the best power poll on the Internet was going to be easy. The King is dead. Hail to the King.
01. Kansas City Chiefs [3-0]: QB Trent Green, TB Priest Holmes, and RS Dante Hall are not just defeating opponents, they are embarrassing them. The Chiefs look a lot better than anyone else does right now. Dick Vermeil's three-year plan is right on schedule. [+1]
02. Tampa Bay Buccaneers [2-1]: Throttled Atlanta last Sunday, holding Falcons QB Doug Johnson to less than 100 yards passing and expensive WR Peerless Price to less than 50 yards receiving. The Buc Bullies are back. [+1]
03. Seattle Seahawks [3-0]: Scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter to win a last-second division victory over the Rams shows this team has got guts, as well as talent. [+1]
04. Indianapolis Colts [3-0]: Now WR Reggie Wayne is Peyton Manning's go-to guy? If this offense develops another weapon, it might just be unstoppable. [+1]
05. Denver Broncos [3-0]: I'm still not sure Denver has beaten any good teams, but it's hard to argue with an undefeated record and a 21-point victory over the Raiders. [+1]
06. Miami Dolphins [2-1]: That Dolphin defense everyone expected to see was on display Sunday night, as the 'fins squashed the previously unsquashable Buffalo offense. Miami is still inconsistent, but appears to be improving. Appears to be. [+10]
07. Buffalo Bills [2-1]: If anyone else can handle the Bills offense as well as Miami did, Buffalo might be in a spot of trouble. Fortunately for them, I don't think too many teams have the talent on defense that Miami does. [-6]
08. Tennessee Titans [2-1]: Steve McNair, the world's toughest quarterback, rallied his team and the Titans crushed the Saints. McNair is now only the fifth quarterback to throw for over 20,000 yards and rush for more than 3000 yards. What a soldier. [+1]
09. New England [2-1]: Tough win over the Jets leads to still more injuries for Head Coach Bill Belichick's banged-up crew. Depth on defense is almost gone. [-2]
10. Minnesota Vikings [3-0]: The Vikes have won their last six games, but QB Daunte Culpepper and WR Randy Moss are injured. With them, the Vikes are as mighty as their namesakes. Without them, they are Poland, circa 1939. [+2]
11. Carolina Panthers [2-0]: Bye week allowed defensive linemen to build up their appetite for their next opponent/victim. [No change]
12. Pittsburgh Steelers [2-1]: Barely beat the Bengals. No points for that. [-2]
13. New York Giants [2-1]: The G-man can play a lot better than they did in the second half against the Redskins. Want proof? Check out the first half against the Redskins. Dallas this Sunday is a must-win game. [+5]
14. Oakland Raiders [1-2]: This is your last chance, Oakland. Get your act in gear or prepare to share the hR Power Poll cellar with the likes of San Diego and Detroit. [-6]
15. Baltimore Ravens [2-1]: Brutal defense and a terrific running back is a winning combination. Big challenge coming up, though: Priest Holmes and the Chiefs. [+7]
16. Washington Redskins [2-1]: I've taken some criticism for not ranking the Skins higher, but I was right about these guys. They're talented, but not ready for prime time. A brain transplant might help. [+1]
17. St. Louis Rams [1-2]: Now Marshall Faulk out for at least a month? Uh-oh. [-4]
18. San Francisco 49ers [1-2]: Couldn't even get in the end zone against a team that gave up almost 300 yards rushing to one guy the week before. [-4]
19. Green Bay Packers [1-2]: Okay, losing to the Vikings does not look so bad anymore, but losing to the Cardinals? What the hell was that? Shut down TB Ahman Green and you should beat the Packers. [-4]
20. Philadelphia Eagles [0-2]: At least no one else got injured during the bye week. Next up: Buffalo Bills in Buffalo. Better hope they're not angry after the Miami loss. [-1]
21. Dallas Cowboys [1-1]: Used bye week to rest up for the Giants. Can the Tuna do it twice to his old team? [+2]
22. Cleveland Browns [1-2]: Defense and QB Kelly Holcombe finally show signs of life. The heat is off…for one more week. [+5]
23. New Orleans Saints [1-2]: No team gets less from more than the Saints. This team just sucks right now and Head Coach Jim Haslett should be polishing up his resume. Probably a good idea not to mention the last two or three years, though. [-3]
24. Atlanta Falcons [1-2]: Boy, do these guys need Mike Vick back or what? [-3]
25. Houston Texans [1-2]: Have looked more like a second-year team the last two weeks. [-1]
26. Arizona Cardinals [1-2]: I'm not sure beating Green Bay is as impressive as it used to be, but any win is a sign of progress. [+5]
27. New York Jets [0-3]: Testaverde showing some sign of life, but there is just no running game and no offensive playmakers. They really miss Pennington and Coles. [-1]
28. Detroit Lions [1-2]: Only missing a running game and a defense. [No change]
29. Jacksonville Jaguars [0-3]: QB Mark Brunell and TB Fred Taylor are still playing like pros, but they're the only ones. [No change]
30. Cincinnati Bengals [0-3]: Continuing to lose close games, but at least they're close, which is more than can be said for the last two teams. [No change.]
31. San Diego Chargers [0-3]: Marty Schottenheimer's crew of has lost eight of their last ten games. They're not even competitive right now. Prediction: This will be Marty's last year as a NFL head coach. [-5]
32. Chicago Bears [0-2]: Found out how not to lose: Don't play. [No change]
by Spence
Is the top spot in the hR Power Poll cursed? First Tampa Bay and now Buffalo has been unable to defend its week-to-week title. No one said domination of the best power poll on the Internet was going to be easy. The King is dead. Hail to the King.
01. Kansas City Chiefs [3-0]: QB Trent Green, TB Priest Holmes, and RS Dante Hall are not just defeating opponents, they are embarrassing them. The Chiefs look a lot better than anyone else does right now. Dick Vermeil's three-year plan is right on schedule. [+1]
02. Tampa Bay Buccaneers [2-1]: Throttled Atlanta last Sunday, holding Falcons QB Doug Johnson to less than 100 yards passing and expensive WR Peerless Price to less than 50 yards receiving. The Buc Bullies are back. [+1]
03. Seattle Seahawks [3-0]: Scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter to win a last-second division victory over the Rams shows this team has got guts, as well as talent. [+1]
04. Indianapolis Colts [3-0]: Now WR Reggie Wayne is Peyton Manning's go-to guy? If this offense develops another weapon, it might just be unstoppable. [+1]
05. Denver Broncos [3-0]: I'm still not sure Denver has beaten any good teams, but it's hard to argue with an undefeated record and a 21-point victory over the Raiders. [+1]
06. Miami Dolphins [2-1]: That Dolphin defense everyone expected to see was on display Sunday night, as the 'fins squashed the previously unsquashable Buffalo offense. Miami is still inconsistent, but appears to be improving. Appears to be. [+10]
07. Buffalo Bills [2-1]: If anyone else can handle the Bills offense as well as Miami did, Buffalo might be in a spot of trouble. Fortunately for them, I don't think too many teams have the talent on defense that Miami does. [-6]
08. Tennessee Titans [2-1]: Steve McNair, the world's toughest quarterback, rallied his team and the Titans crushed the Saints. McNair is now only the fifth quarterback to throw for over 20,000 yards and rush for more than 3000 yards. What a soldier. [+1]
09. New England [2-1]: Tough win over the Jets leads to still more injuries for Head Coach Bill Belichick's banged-up crew. Depth on defense is almost gone. [-2]
10. Minnesota Vikings [3-0]: The Vikes have won their last six games, but QB Daunte Culpepper and WR Randy Moss are injured. With them, the Vikes are as mighty as their namesakes. Without them, they are Poland, circa 1939. [+2]
11. Carolina Panthers [2-0]: Bye week allowed defensive linemen to build up their appetite for their next opponent/victim. [No change]
12. Pittsburgh Steelers [2-1]: Barely beat the Bengals. No points for that. [-2]
13. New York Giants [2-1]: The G-man can play a lot better than they did in the second half against the Redskins. Want proof? Check out the first half against the Redskins. Dallas this Sunday is a must-win game. [+5]
14. Oakland Raiders [1-2]: This is your last chance, Oakland. Get your act in gear or prepare to share the hR Power Poll cellar with the likes of San Diego and Detroit. [-6]
15. Baltimore Ravens [2-1]: Brutal defense and a terrific running back is a winning combination. Big challenge coming up, though: Priest Holmes and the Chiefs. [+7]
16. Washington Redskins [2-1]: I've taken some criticism for not ranking the Skins higher, but I was right about these guys. They're talented, but not ready for prime time. A brain transplant might help. [+1]
17. St. Louis Rams [1-2]: Now Marshall Faulk out for at least a month? Uh-oh. [-4]
18. San Francisco 49ers [1-2]: Couldn't even get in the end zone against a team that gave up almost 300 yards rushing to one guy the week before. [-4]
19. Green Bay Packers [1-2]: Okay, losing to the Vikings does not look so bad anymore, but losing to the Cardinals? What the hell was that? Shut down TB Ahman Green and you should beat the Packers. [-4]
20. Philadelphia Eagles [0-2]: At least no one else got injured during the bye week. Next up: Buffalo Bills in Buffalo. Better hope they're not angry after the Miami loss. [-1]
21. Dallas Cowboys [1-1]: Used bye week to rest up for the Giants. Can the Tuna do it twice to his old team? [+2]
22. Cleveland Browns [1-2]: Defense and QB Kelly Holcombe finally show signs of life. The heat is off…for one more week. [+5]
23. New Orleans Saints [1-2]: No team gets less from more than the Saints. This team just sucks right now and Head Coach Jim Haslett should be polishing up his resume. Probably a good idea not to mention the last two or three years, though. [-3]
24. Atlanta Falcons [1-2]: Boy, do these guys need Mike Vick back or what? [-3]
25. Houston Texans [1-2]: Have looked more like a second-year team the last two weeks. [-1]
26. Arizona Cardinals [1-2]: I'm not sure beating Green Bay is as impressive as it used to be, but any win is a sign of progress. [+5]
27. New York Jets [0-3]: Testaverde showing some sign of life, but there is just no running game and no offensive playmakers. They really miss Pennington and Coles. [-1]
28. Detroit Lions [1-2]: Only missing a running game and a defense. [No change]
29. Jacksonville Jaguars [0-3]: QB Mark Brunell and TB Fred Taylor are still playing like pros, but they're the only ones. [No change]
30. Cincinnati Bengals [0-3]: Continuing to lose close games, but at least they're close, which is more than can be said for the last two teams. [No change.]
31. San Diego Chargers [0-3]: Marty Schottenheimer's crew of has lost eight of their last ten games. They're not even competitive right now. Prediction: This will be Marty's last year as a NFL head coach. [-5]
32. Chicago Bears [0-2]: Found out how not to lose: Don't play. [No change]