Jake's Week Three NFL Power Rankings

1.       Green Bay Packers (3-0)

The Packers have looked like a well oiled machine this season with quarterback Aaron Rodgers as the conductor of the show. Week three was a big win against division rival Bears. Next week they play the Denver Broncos.

2.       Baltimore Ravens (2-1)

The Ravens one loss came to the surprising Titans team. Their defense looks scary good right now and quarterback Joe Flacco is coming into his own now. Next week they have a big challenge in the Jets.

3.       New England Patriots (2-1) The Patriots suffered a week three loss to division rival Bills, but this team is too good to not be considered one of the best teams in the league. Next week they have another tough game against the Raiders.

4.       New York Jets (2-1) The

Jets got beat up against the Raiders. Next week should be a hard hitting matchup against two good defenses when the Jets face the Ravens.

5.       Detroit Lions (3-0)

All those high draft picks for the Lions finally seem to be paying off. The Lions are playing well on both sides of the ball and have the chance to make some noise this year. Should be a good matchup next week when the Lions visit the Cowboys.

6.       New Orleans Saints (2-1)

The Saints have a high octane offense led by quarterback Drew Brees, but their defense has allowed teams to stay in games and made things interesting. Next week should be a little easier for the Saints when they play the Jaguars.

7.       Buffalo Bills (3-0)

The Bills surprised many when they beat the Patriots in week three. This team has hit the ground running this season, but they need to prove can keep it up all season. Next week they travel to play the Bengals.

8.       Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1)

The Steelers have been a disappointment thus far, being blown out by the Ravens in week one then barely beating the Colts in week three. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has thrown more interceptions (4) than touchdowns (3). Next week they play the Texans.

9.       San Diego Chargers (2-1)

The Chargers traditionally gets off to slow starts and come on strong late in the season. This season they have won the games they are supposed to win so far. Next week they play the Dolphins.

10.   Houston Texans (2-1)

The Texans suffered a tough lost in week three against the Saints. The Texans need to have touchdowns when they get into the red zone and not just settle for field goals. Next week should be a tough test when they go up against the Steelers.

11.   Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are a mess, but they are a talented mess. Tony Romo showed his toughness in the Cowboys win over the Redskins on Monday Night. It will be a tough test for them when they play the Lions next week.

12.   Oakland Raiders (2-1)

The Raiders looked good against the Jets in week two just. The Raiders are being more physical than the other teams they are playing. It should be an interesting matchup next week against the Patriots.

13.   New York Giants (2-1)

The Giants have been hit hard this year with the injury bug, but they are not using that as an excuse as they go out and win. They just beat the rival Eagles in week three. Next week challenge will be the Cardinals.

14.   Philadelphia Eagles (1-2)

The preseason self-acclaimed “Dream Team” has been more of a nightmare so far. Their defense is soft and their offensive line isn’t protecting QB Michael Vick. Next week they play the 49ers.

15.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)

The Buccaneers are an up and coming team that is well coached by Raheem Morris. They just need to stay committed to the run with LeGarrette Blount. They have a Monday Night Football matchup with the Colts next weekend.

16.   Chicago Bears (1-2)

The Bears have a wildcard player in QB Jay Cutler. Cutler has the ability to win some games for the Bears or lose others. Next week their defense has the challenge of containing rookie phenom Cam Newton and the Panthers.

17.   Washington Redskins

The Redskins looked like the better team on Monday night, unfortunately for the Redskins, the Cowboys walked away victorious. Now they face a hungry Ram team looking for that first win.

18.   Tennessee Titans (2-1)

 Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was supposed to keep the seat warm until rookie QB Jake Locker was ready to take over, but Hasselbeck has this team playing competitive football. Next week they play the Browns.

19.   Atlanta Falcons (1-2)

The Falcons won the NFC South last season, this season has been more of a struggle for the Falcons. QB Matt Ryan has taken a beating this season. Next week they get the Seahawks.

20.   San Francisco 49ers (2-1)

It looks like the 49ers offense and former Utah QB Alex Smith are being held back. This team has the chance to win the NFC West this year, but coach Jim Harbaugh needs to let the offense go out and play, especially next week against the Eagles.

21.   Cleveland Browns (2-1)

The Browns have been competitive so far, but they have the unlucky fortune of playing in the AFC North and they just don’t look ready to compete with the better teams in their division. Next week they play the Titans.

22.   Denver Broncos (1-2)

Never has there been such an outcry for a third string quarterback to come in and play. Tim Tebow is the one everyone is talking about on this team and he isn’t even playing. Should make for an interesting storyline to follow this season whether or not he will get his chance maybe next week if they are getting blown out by the Packers.

23.   Arizona Cardinals (1-2)

The Cardinals suffered a bad lost in week three against the lowly Seahawks, this team should be better than that. Now they face off against the Giants in week four.

24.   St. Louis Rams (0-3)

The Rams have too good of a quarterback to be winless this season. The injury to running back Steven Jackson has helped either. Next week they play the surprising Redskins.

25.   Carolina Panthers (1-2)

Rookie Quarterback Cam Newton has come out firing, throwing for over 400 yards in his first two games but more importantly, the Panthers got their first win of the season in week three. Next week’s opponent is the Bears.

26.   Miami Dolphins (0-3)

The Dolphins have a team of misfits this season. They are coached by Tony Sparano only because they couldn’t get a better coach, their quarterback is Chad Henne only because they couldn’t get a better quarterback. They have a lot to prove next week when they play the Chargers.

27.   Indianapolis Colts (0-3)

The Colts had a strong out in week three against the Steelers. This will be a tough season without Peyton Manning. The Colts will look to right the ship next Monday night against the Buccaneers.

28.   Cincinnati Bengals (1-2)

The Bengals were put in a tough spot when QB Carson Palmer requested a trade or threatened to retire, well he has been traded yet and all the pressure has been put on rookie QB Andy Dalton and he is holding up better than most could have imagined. Next week they play the undefeated Bills.

29.   Minnesota Vikings (0-3)

The Vikings have had double digit leads in all three of their games but have also lost all three of their games. Week four will say a lot about the Vikings when they face off against the winless Chiefs.

30.   Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2)

The Jaguars made the switch in week three to their rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert and they almost pulled out the win against the Panthers in the rain. Next week they have the Task of going up against the Saints.

31.   Seattle Seahawks (1-2)

The Seahawks sure seemed happy to have that twelfth man on their side as they won their home opener against the Cardinals in week three. Next week they have the battle of the birds as they face the Falcons in the comb fine of their own home.

32.   Kansas City Chiefs (0-3)

The Chiefs have been in disarray this season. The defense hasn’t been able to stop anyone while their offense hasn’t been able to score. They have had several season ending injuries to key players but that is no excuse for looking this bad. Next challenge will be the Vikings.

Super Bowl Predictions

Now that the first week of the NFL season is behind us, I will make my Superbowl predictions. The first week of action showed that even with the new kickoff being at the 35 yard line, there still can be some exciting kickoff returns. in fact, there were three kickoff returns this week, one more then there was at this time last year. But the number of touchbacks almost tripled from the same time last year. We also saw some electric play from the quarterback position, starting off with the first game of the season when the Packers and the Saints were slinging the ball all over the field. The great play continued throughout the weekend and ended with a Monday Night Football passing record. Tom Brady threw for 517 yards in the Patriots open game against the Dolphins. The first week also shows that the usual suspects will be the strong competitors this season. So here are my picks to who has a chance to go to the Superbowl and eventually become the Superbowl champions for 2011.

I think there are six teams that have a legitimate shot to win it all this year, the New England Patriots, the San Diego Chargers, the Baltimore Ravens, the New Orleans Saints, the Green Bay Packers, and the Philadelphia Eagles. Then there are two wildcard teams out there that I think could throw a wrench into these other teams scenarios and be a surprise representation for their conference in the Superbowl, the Chicago Bears and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

I think the Bears will have to make the playoffs as a wildcard team because they will not beat out the Packers. But as the Cardinals showed a couple of seasons ago, you just need to get into the playoffs then anything could happen. If their defense plays well all season and quarterback Jay Cutler doesn't implode, the Bears have a decent shot to making it to the big game. But in the end, I think the Bears will have a very successful season but come up just short again.

As for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the critics have wondered if their defense is just too old now and on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, it did look to be too old. But this is a prideful bunch in Pittsburgh and I can't see their defense letting them down again. The defense will be alright. The concern may be quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He can't just throw the ball to players on the other team and the Steelers as a whole can't turn the ball over seven times. I think the Steelers are too good of a team and will fix their concerns that were exposed during their week one loss. But all in all, I just think there are better teams out there this season and the Steelers will come up short as well.

The Philadelphia Eagles have enough talent to win it all with all their offensive weapons. Their concern should be on the defensive side of the ball and their shaky offensive line. But if their is one team that can afford to have a shaky offensive line, it's the Eagles, because Michael Vick is the existential mobile quarterback. I think though in the end, the weaknesses of the Eagles will be too much to overcome in the playoffs and the "Dream Team's" season will end early, not even making it to the Superbowl.

The San Diego Chargers have all the talent in the world and one of the toughest quarterbacks in league. The Chargers should run through the AFC West this season. It will be interesting to see how they compete with the stronger competition of playoff teams. One thing the Chargers have against them is their head coach Norv Turner. Turner has proven to be a great offensive coordinator, but has come up small as a head coach. I don't think Turner can lead his team as the head coach coming up short once again, but it won't be because of Phillip Rivers.

The Baltimore Ravens looked to be scary on defense and improved on offense. Flacco has always had great arm strength and now he has the receivers to throw to. This team will be hungry and they have an exciting coach to lead them to a championship. I just don't think that championship is going to be this year.

The Saints could be one of the scariest teams this year. They have a defense that likes to blitz and hit hard. Then they have a quarterback on the offensive side that has proven that he can win the big game. But as the Packers proved on opening night, the Saints defense can be scored on if they do not put pressure on the opposing quarterback. The Saints will be strong competition for that championship ring once again, but they will eventually lose to a better team.

That leaves two team that I think will be playing for that championship this season and they are familiar faces to the Superbowl scene, the Green Bay Packers and the New England Patriots. These two teams have something that every other team in the league this year doesn't have, the two best quarterbacks. The NFL has turned into a quarterbacks league and Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are very accurate when throwing the ball. The Patriots are young in the secondary but adequate. Their strength on defense will be that massive defensive line. The Packers may have the most prolific offense in the league this year and will display all those weapons on the big stage of the Superbowl again. The Packers defense is very strong, lead by big noise tackle, B.J. Raji. I think this matchup will be a great matchup with lots of points being scored, but in the end, I think the Patriots will be the champions. The Packers have a better all around team, but there is just too much going for the Patriots this season for them not to win. The Patriots have dedicated the season to team owner Robert Kraft's wife, who passed away before the beginning of the season. With that being the case, the Patriots will just want it more than any of the other teams this year and they have the team and the discipline to do it. The Lombardi trophy go from title town to the Pat's place.

-Jake Ipson

Prediction Time

On the eve of the start of the 2011 NFL season, I thought it to be appropriate to give my predictions for each division this year. With the lockout taking over the summer, I expect there to be some injuries and ugly football at the beginning until the players get into the full swing of things. I will make my Superbowl predictions at a later time.

NFC East

I think the NFC East will be a closer division race than most people are giving credit. The most talented team in the division is the Philadelphia Eagles. I think the biggest challenger to their division throne this year will be the Dallas Cowboys. America's team has been able to fly under the radar this year thanks to the Eagle's big spending spree. The Eagles are the most talented team in the division, but that doesn't mean they don't have their flaws. They need help on the offensive line and strong play from their linebacking corp. The New York Giants should have some good wins and finish the year with a decent record, but I don't see them being challengers in the division this year. The Washington Redskins just seem to have too many holes on the team and not enough talent this year.  In the end, I think the Eagles are too strong and will come away with the NFC East crown in 2011.

NFC North

In the NFC North, the Detroit Lions have vastly improved and when rookie defensive end Nick Fairley returns, the Lions will boast one of the scariest defensive lines in the NFL. If quarterback Matthew Stafford can stay healthy for the season, the Lions will make some noise in the division. That being said, I think the Lions are a year away from making the playoffs. It is unfortunate for the Lions that they happen to play in the same division as the defending Superbowl champions Green Bay Packers. The Packers will only look better this year because there is no way they can have the same amount of injuries as last year and they proved they could still win even with the injury bug. The Bears will always be in games thanks to the gunslinger quarterback Jay Cutler and their freelance offensive coordinator Mike Martz. But their offensive line was weak last year and I think that line has only got worse. Cutler may not make it through the entire season. At the end of the year, it will be the Packers making the most noise as they come out on top of the NFC North in 2011.

NFC South

The NFC South is an intriguing division. Last year, the Buccaneers won ten games yet they didn't make the playoffs. They are a young and coming team that will be competitive for years to come but unfortunately, the Bucs play in a very tough division right now. The Atlanta Falcons look like they can outscore anyone in the league. The Falcons have one of the calmest young quarterbacks in the league running this high powered offense. But the question is whether or not they will be able to stop the other team from scoring more points than them? Then there is the New Orleans Saints. The Saints restocked this year on defense, picking up two big defensive linemen in Aubrayo Franklin from the 49ers and Shaun Rogers from the Cleveland Browns. The Saints are always tough on offense as long a sharpshooter Drew Brees is running the show. Brees has the ability to make those around him look better. Then there is the lowly Carolina Panthers. The Panthers have number one pick Cam Newton running the show but his athletic ability can only get him so far in the NFL. Cam Newton and the Panthers just aren't as good as the other teams in this division. I think the Panthers are the only team in the NFC South that does not have a legitimate shot to win this division. So, when it comes down to it, I think this will be one of the best division races in football this year, with the Saints eventually being the winners of the NFC South.

NFC West

It is a shame to see what has come of the NFC West. This division was infamous for sending a team to the playoffs last year with a losing record. It is a shame because I think three out of the four teams in the division have really good coaches but for some reason, the product out on the field is not all that great at times. I do not think we will see another division winner with a losing record ever again. Jim Harbaugh was a very good signing by the San Francisco 49ers and he will eventually have the 49ers going in the right direction, I am just not sure that this is the year they win the division. The defending NFC West champions Seattle Seahawks went from bad to worst since last season. Gone is longtime Seahawk quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and in is new starter Tavaris Jackson. Jackson is familiar with the offensive schemes thanks to his time together with offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell in Minnesota, but that may not be enough for this team. Seattle also has the worst coach in the division who sometimes looks to be over his head in the pro game. I think the Seattle Seahawks will be in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes this year. That leaves the Arizona Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams. The Cardinals went out and got that coveted quarterback that they have been missing since Kurt Warner retired. They will be competitive and their coach always has them playing hard but in the end, I think this division goes to the team with the strongest quarterback in the NFC West and that would be Sam Bradford of the Rams. Bradford is a star in this league and has the potential to be an elite quarterback. He looked good in his rookie year and will only get better with more experience. This year I expect him to lead the Rams to the NFC West Championship. 

AFC South

Ever since Peyton Manning has joined the Indianapolis Colts, the team has dominated the division. Every year, a team must go through the Colts to win the division title. I think this is a year in which one of the other teams goes through the Colts and win the division. The Colts could still be a great team, but that depends on the status of Peyton Manning this year. With Manning, the Colts are a good team, without him, they are barely mediocre. The Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars seem to be buying time for their rookie quarterbacks. The Titans are in a rebuilding year but this time it is without long time coach Jeff Fisher. It will take some time for the new coaches to implement their system and players. The Jaguars made a surprise move by cutting their starting quarterback five days before the season starts. Maybe if Coach Jack Del Rio's seat starts getting hot this year, he can plead the insanity case. Therefore, I believe the new AFC South champions will be the Houston Texans. Coach Gary Kubiak's seat is already hot and I think one way he can save his job is by taking this team to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. The Texans made a good hire by picking up Wade Phillips as their defensive coordinator. He will turn around this porous defensive in due time. I expect there to be some struggles at the beginning of the season, but there is too much talent on the defensive side of the ball to be that bad and there has never been anything wrong with their offense. By the end of the season, I think we will see something we have never seen before, the Houston Texans as AFC South champions and in the playoffs.

AFC North

One of the hardest hitting rivalries comes from the AFC North, the hard hitting Pittsburgh Steelers against the tenacious Baltimore Ravens. Both teams are well coached teams.  The Ravens got some help with an already good running game with the signing of Vonte Leach. Leach is one of the best fullbacks in the game and should only help Ray Rice have a stellar season. I would look for Rice to get a lot more touches this year since he doesn't have to share time with Willis McGahee. Rice should be one of the best running backs in the NFL this year. The only thing that might be able to stop him this year is that reliable Steelers defense. But in order for the Steelers to win the division this year they will need an MVP type season from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Cleveland Browns look to be a team going in the right direction and could have a star in the making with quarterback Colt McCoy. While the Cincinnati Bengals look to be a team heading in the wrong direction. The Owner doesn’t want to let the players run the team but in standing pat, Mike Brown has become an owner of a team that looks lost and confused. As of right now, the Bengals are still years away from being a competitor for the division. The Browns are getting better but aren’t quite there yet either. When all is said and done, the AFC North will come down to two teams, the Steelers and the Ravens. I think Roethlisberger will have an MVP type season and lead the Steelers to the top of the division once again.

AFC West

The AFC West had a surprise division winner last year when the Kansas City Chiefs came out victorious. The cream of the crop in this division the past few years has been the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers were statistically the number one team on both offense and defense. They hurt themselves with bad special teams play. The Oakland Raiders were the only team to ever go undefeated in their own division and not make the playoffs. Then there is the upside down Denver Broncos. The Broncos have pushed back years of development thanks to decisions made by former coach Josh McDaniels. But sometimes the best trades made are the one that aren't made at all. The Broncos have a chance to be somewhat competitive thanks to a trade that didn't go through with the Miami Dolphins leaving the Broncos with starting quarterback Kyle Orton. Orton gives the Broncos the best chance to win but I am afraid he will not be enough for this struggling team this year. The Raiders still have Al Davis running the show. One thing with Davis is the Raiders will be a fast team, but that doesn't always translate to wins. The division race will come down to the Chiefs and the Chargers once again. I think this division will be determined by two factors. The non-division schedule and the quarterback play. The Chiefs have a first place schedule this year which means a tougher schedule than last year. I do not think the Chiefs will do as well do to their tough schedule. As far as quarterback play, the Chargers have the toughest and most talented quarterback in the division in Phillip Rivers. So for the AFC West, I can't see the Chargers special teams play being as bad as they were last season and I think River's will to win will push the Chargers across the line to the AFC West division championship.

AFC East

The AFC East will be a top heavy division this year. The Buffalo Bills will be a team that is fun to watch this year. I think they will put a lot of points on the board but it won't lead to many victories for the Bills. The Miami Dolphins seem to be just treading water. They don't have the quarterback of the future on this team that can lead the way. This division will come down to the New York Jets and the New England Patriots. These two teams couldn't be more different. The Jets are a loud team that likes to talk and be heard while the Patriots go about doing their business and couldn't care less who was talking about them. The Last couple of years, it has been the Patriots winning in the regular season while the Jets have advanced in the playoffs. The Patriots have the golden boy playing quarterback while the Jets have a weak link playing quarterback for them. These two teams are polar opposites but at the end of the day, I think the Patriot way wins out again with the New England Patriots AFC East champions.

 -Jake Ipson