Foxboro Blog Top 12: Week 1

We’re a single week into the season and already there’s chaos in the Top 12!  Like I said last week, my pre-season rankings were pure prognostication and bound to be innaccurate.  This week, with some actual games to base the rankings on, you may be able to take these standings with half a grain of salt.  Still, if past seasons are any indication, the NFL picture will remain muddied for at least another three weeks.  As a result, I’m only going to get mildly excited about my Patriots, who were this week’s big riser, soaring up three spots!

Click “Read More” below to view the rankings!

Ranking	Team	Last Week	Change	Record	Next Game
1		2	1	1-0	@ 49ers
		I could be a jerk and knock the Saints down a peg for their ugly win against Minnesota, but the fact remains that they’re the only team who played in the Super Bowl last year that’s undefeated.  That certainly counts for something.  I’m also pretty sure 1-0 will become 2-0 when they bring the smack down to San Fran next Monday Night.
Ranking	Team	Last Week	Change	Record	Next Game
2		4	2	1-0	vs. Bengals
		After all the hype about their new offensive weapons, Baltimore proved that its defense is as tough as ever.  You know what they say about defense and winning championships…
Ranking	Team	Last Week	Change	Record	Next Game
3		6	3	1-0	@ Jets
		That silence you hear?  It’s all the doubters who have nothing to say following New England’s dominating victory over the Bengals.  The Pats can’t celebrate too much, though, with a huge divison road game against the Jets looming.
Ranking	Team	Last Week	Change	Record	Next Game
4		5	1	1-0	vs. Bills
		The Packers pulled out a solid win on the road against Philadelphia.  Still, given that the Eagles starting QB left the game with a concussion, I would’ve expected more than a 7 point win.
Ranking	Team	Last Week	Change	Record	Next Game
5		1	4	0-1	vs. Giants
		This is probably a steep drop for the team that I had winning the Super Bowl.  Still, it’s hard to argue against the four team above them, who all racked up wins against 2009 playoff teams.  The biggest loss for the Colts on Sunday wasn’t to the Texans.  It was Bob Sanders.  Ouch.
Ranking	Team	Last Week	Change	Record	Next Game
6		3	3	0-1	vs. Bears
		Dallas shouldn’t have been in the position where a dumb play or two could cost them the game.  I could easily drop them lower for their stinkbomb against Washington, but I’m trying to not over-react too much this week.
Ranking	Team	Last Week	Change	Record	Next Game
7		7	None	0-1	vs. Patriots
		I would drop the Jets a notch after their six first-down performance, but that would require me raising the Falcons who also lost and didn’t light up the score board either.  Remember this, Jets fans…
Ranking	Team	Last Week	Change	Record	Next Game
8		8	None	0-1	vs. Cardinals
		An overtime loss, on the road, to Pittsburgh…  I can’t fault the Falcons too much.  They were my NFC pick for the Super Bowl, so I gotta cut ’em some slack.
Ranking	Team	Last Week	Change	Record	Next Game
9		N/A	N/A	1-0	@ Redskinsvs
		Making their Foxboro Blog Top 12 debut:  The Houston Texans!  Yup, that’s what knocking off a team like the Colts will do for you!
Ranking	Team	Last Week	Change	Record	Next Game
10		N/A	N/A	1-0	@ Titans
		Without Big Ben, the Steelers gutted their way to a tough overtime win.  At this point, they’ll take a W any way they can get it.  If they can win even one of the next three games, they’ll have put themselves in a very good position when Rothlisberger returns.
Ranking	Team	Last Week	Change	Record	Next Game
11		10	1	0-1	vs. Jaguars
		I didn’t drop the Jets or Falcons because they lost close games to “good” teams.  San Diego will share the same fate as the underachieving Colts and Cowboys by taking a dip in the standings.
Ranking	Team	Last Week	Change	Record	Next Game
12		N/A	N/A	1-0	@ Colts
		There were a lot of teams that I could have plugged in here.  Seattle and Tennessee, just to name two.  However, out of the possibilities, I have to think that the G-Men hold the most promise, which gets them the nod.  We’ll see how long they stay in the Top 12 with the Manning Bowl looming next week.