Franz’s NFL Power Poll: Week 2
Sep 11, 2014, 3:50 PM | Updated: Apr 28, 2015, 2:00 pm
My power poll is different than any you’ll read around the country. First, it’s not based on what I think would happen head-to-head. It’s only based on what’s been proven.
The criteria is simple:
1) Did you win?
2) Who did you beat?
3) Where did you beat them?
4) How did you look?
The commentary afterward has little to do with the ranking. It’s information for you to use when talking football. Sometimes I look ahead or I might give you a stat to illustrate what team does well or can’t do at all.
1) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: Not only do they crush a good Packers team but they reverse their one stupid decision.
2) DENVER BRONCOS: Defensive stats look bad but it was mostly giving up yards in the prevent to Andrew Luck, 4-of-13 on third down was the key positive stat.
3) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: Carlos Hyde averaged 7.1 yards per carry and looked like a man among boys doing it…be very afraid Chicago.
4) CINCINNATI BENGALS: Blew a 15-point lead on the road and still won which wouldn’t have happened last year…who thought ATL @ CIN would be a huge Week 2 matchup?
5) DETROIT LIONS: Sure, Megatron had his standard 7-for-164, but the field will continue open up for Stafford with Tate getting 6-for-93.
6) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: Before the year, I thought this was the most under-rated team in the NFL, but this hurts.
7) CAROLINA PANTHERS: Win without Cam and now your home opener against Detroit could be for the best non-west team in the conference.
8) BUFFALO BILLS: Nothing shuts up the home crowd like a 5.1 yards/carry rush average…yes it’s true, MIA @ BUF is for first place in the division.
9) TENNESSEE TITANS: Locker looked good against an average defense at KC, imagine how much better he’ll be at home vs. Dallas…ouch! The Titans did suffer a loss on defense.
10) ATLANTA FALCONS: Atlanta racked up 568 yards of offense…win @ CIN and the outlook of the season changes.
11) MIAMI DOLPHINS: Four of five offensive lineman were replaced and still averaged 5 yards per carry…Knowshon Moreno will be the reason this team fights for a playoff spot into December.
12) ARIZONA CARDINALS: I think this team is better than 12th-best but the poll goes by impressive wins and the first 11 had tougher wins…Philip Rivers had completed 60 percent of his passes in 15 straight games until Monday night.
13) GREEN BAY PACKERS: The Jets are the perfect tonic for Rodgers and the offense…the next easy game after Sunday afternoon is not until December.
14) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: At some point this team needs to stop relying on Andrew Luck to bring them back and start running the ball successfully in the first half…devastating is too weak a term for this loss.
15) MINNESOTA VIKINGS: Impressive performance, but not an impressive win because they beat a Big 12 team…beat New England at home and it’s time to take Minnesota seriously.
16) PITTSBURGH STEELERS: Remember reading this when this team is 6-1 and everyone is saying how good they are, they’re not very good.
17) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: This team will skyrocket up the rankings with every game of NFL experience earned by Brandin Cooks, who had seven catches for 77 yards and a touchdown in his debut.
18) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS: After one game against Arizona’s defense, San Diego walks out with the 27th-ranked offense.
19) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: Brady was 2-for-18 on throws 15+ yards down the field.
20) JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: You have to win when you’re up by 17 in the NFL…if Henne can’t improve on the 2-for-14 third down conversions against a team as bad as Washington, you might as well go to Bortles now.
21) HOUSTON TEXANS: Ranking a winning team this low shows you how little I respect Washington (yes, I’m a Redskins fan, but this is my job)…this is interesting since they have a tray like University of Phoenix Stadium but they will lay down field turf for college and high school games.
22) BALTIMORE RAVENS: A loss on Thursday Night Football would put them 0-2 in divisional home games with three of their following four games on the road.
23) CLEVELAND BROWNS: Takeaway #1: Hoyer played well…Takeaway #2: Tate looks great but there’s this.
24) NEW YORK JETS: Geno Smith threw only five incomplete passes and the team rushed for a league-leading 212 yards.
25) NEW YORK GIANTS: Home against Arizona and Houston before a road trip to Washington must yield at least two wins or the season’s over.
26) DALLAS COWBOYS: If they ever kept Romo to 25 attempts per game, they’d win almost every game.
27) WASHINGTON REDSKINS: RGIII is not an NFL QB…there, I said it.
28) OAKLAND RAIDERS: All of the Jets’ secondary issues leads to only 133 yards passing?
29) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: If you couldn’t stop Jake Locker at home, what’s your plan for Peyton in Denver?
30) CHICAGO BEARS: Gave up 193 yards rushing and turned the ball over twice at home to Buffalo.
31) TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: Losing to Derek Anderson would normally put you at #32, but the Rams exist.
32) ST. LOUIS RAMS: I am completely confident that if this team stays healthy, they will win the Big 12…remember all the talk about the vaunted defensive line? (-5 in sacks for vs. against).
