NFL Power Ratings For Wild Card Weekend
Each week during the heart of the NFL season, and once or twice during the NFL Preseason, we’ll gather the troops around the roundtable and hash out the NFL Power rankings. We check out the stats, looks at the records, and, most importantly, we take a close, close look at the heart of each team.
Power Rankings
Green Bay – Now its time to show that having a near perfect record actually does prepare you for a Super Bowl run…err repeat. I loved the fight in them last week as they denied the Lions the chance to win on their home field. I hope there is a rematch but that is unlikely.
New Orleans – If the Saints hadn’t lost to Green Bay in the opener then they might have been in the top spot. This team is clicking better than any other over the last month and if the Packers had to play in the Superdome they would probably be the underdog. Still, the Saints will have to take the long route back to the Super Bowl.
New England – It is amazing how the Pats have shifted from a defensive identity to an offensive one over the years. It is hard to get excited about a team with a defense this bad but you know they can score with pretty much anybody. I wish they ran the ball better though and what is up with them taking the first quarter off the last two weeks.
San Francisco – For the 49ers to go far they need some help to take some obstacles out of their way. This is a top defensive team but I don’t think they will stand a chance against either New Orleans or Green Bay. They just don’t have enough offense. It is hard to imagine Alex Smith guiding a team to the promised land even though he has been much improved this year.
Baltimore – They captured the division but this team hasn’t been very inspiring over the last couple of months. Odds are they are going to play a team they are very familiar with in Cincinnati or Pittsburgh at home in round 2. It is hard to beat a team three times in one year so there is major upset potential with the Ravens.
Pittsburgh – The Steelers have lots of experience on this team but they are really banged up, especially on offense. You know Ben Roethlisberger will gut it out on offense but the running back situation is not good. If not for a favourable matchup they would be unlikely to make it out of the first round. You never know with this squad. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
New York Giants – It might have taken them to the very last game to clinch their spot but this team is a dangerous playoff foe. They have experience, can play a few different styles, they rush the passer and have some momentum. Nobody has played Green Bay closer this year and they could easily lock up again in round 2. Tom Coughlin has conquered a few giants in his day.
Cincinnati – It would be have been nice to enter the playoffs with some more momentum but they do benefit from a favourable matchup against Houston. I really like their defense, especially against a Houston team that might be pretty one dimensional. It should be a hard fought defensive battle and I trust Andy Dalton more than I like what Houston has got.
Atlanta – The Falcons seem to have finally figured out how to use all of their offensive weapons…but how are they going to fare if the conditions are less than optimal at New York. This is definitely a finesse team but to win in the playoffs sometimes you need to be a little nasty. To have any shot they are going to have to establish Michael Turner to keep the pass rush at bay. If they are in catchup mode Matty Ice is going to get pounded.
Detroit – I would have put the Lions harder if they were able to avoid the Saints in the first round. On their previous trip to the Superdome they were waxed and there is no reason to expect a drastically different result this time around. If they do happen to succeed than they have a great chance to play it close and even win against anybody else, including Green Bay. No matter what happens Detroit should be good for a while.
Denver – It seems like one of the themes of the playoffs is backing your way, in which is what the Broncos did. Now Tebow is on the playoff stage and I don’t think he will be shy. But what about the rest of the team. I am not sure the rest of the them are up to the task. Who else is going to make the winning plays. McGahee, Miller, Dumervil?
Houston – Other than being able to host their first playoff game their is not much to like about the Texans` chances this weekend. This team is just not able to put its best players on the field for the biggest game. Their only chance is to run all over Cincinnati and that is going to be a tall order.
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