ESPN's current NFL Power Rankings have the Baltimore Ravens moving up from 14th to 13th place in their latest poll. While that's pretty impressive, I look at four of the five teams ahead of us and just don't see it. Their comments about us state:
"Behind rookies Joe Flacco and Ray Rice, the Ravens have discovered an offense. Uh-oh! "
That's something you haven't heard mentioned along with the word "Ravens" in a long time. If it continues, look for this team to begin climbing over a bunch of others towards the upper echelon of the league. That we'll just have to wait and see, and we can start that discussion anew after taking care of business with another road victory in Houston.
For now, we rank 13th according to ESPN, but I'm not feeling the love from them like I think we deserve. While I don't have problems with the Patriots being ranked 12th, the four teams above New England all have not impressed me enough on both sides of the ball or from a consistency standpoint to warrant their rankings above the Ravens. They are, in order from 8th to 11th ranked, Cardinals, Bears, Falcons and Jets. I guess you could make an argument for the Falcons, as they have played pretty good this season and their shutout on the road, even against a woeful Raiders team, was still impressive. The Cardinals have been blown out by the Jets, the Jets have lost at Oakland and the Bears defense has been giving up points in bunches and barely beat a winless Lions team at home this past week.
If I was doing these rankings, I'd put the Pats up to 8th and our Ravens right behind them. If you want to put the Falcons ahead of us, then I'll say okay for just this week and revisit it after Sunday. So that puts the Ravens in 10th place in the rankings, and I'll line up the Bears, Jets and Cardinals behind us. The rest of the teams following them are arguable a spot of so, as are the nine ahead of us, but I still have to give Tennessee their props, as undefeated is undefeated. As the lone team without a loss, they surely deserve the top slot whether you feel they're for real or not. So far, their record, which includes a road win here in Baltimore, says they are.
I like to look at the top five as well as the bottom five. I totally agree with the top four, but am not convinced the Redskins deserve the 5th spot after looking pedestrian at home on MNF. I might consider putting the Eagles ahead of them, but since the Redskins defeated the Eagles, that creates an issue. Perhaps the Buccaneers should leap over both of them.
The bottom five is a bit easier, although I'd switch up the order that ESPN has listed. Despite their two wins, right now I have to put the Raiders last, behind the winless Lions. The next three from worst upwards would be the 49ers, Chiefs and Bengals.
Check out ESPN's Power Rankings here and let me know your thoughts. Thanks!