NFL Power Rankings (Week 3)

1. Green Bay Packers (3-0) LW 1
Despite it only being a 10 point win, the Packers dominated the Bears and are showing everybody that they are the best team in the NFL. Its early, but we could see the Packers repeat this year.

2. Baltimore Ravens (2-1) LW 4
Torrey Smith has emerged as the deep threat that the Ravens have been looking for over the past couple of years. If the Ravens offense can continue to put up points they are going to be a hard team to beat.

3. New Orleans Saints (2-1) LW 6
There only loss has been to the Packers and that was because of a goal line stand. They smashed the Bears and the Texans both of which are very solid teams.

4. New England Patriots (2-1) LW 2
Its tough to win a game with when you throw 4 interceptions. Let alone allow a team to come back from 20 down. The Pats need to find some answers on defense. But good thing they have one of the best minds in football.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1) LW 5
The Steelers played a sloppy game on Sunday night. Good thing it was against a Colts team that is plain awful without Peyton Manning. But a win is a win in the NFL.

6. Detroit Lions (3-0) LW 11
Their win against the Vikings improves winning streak to 7 straight games. That is a pretty amazing feat considering that the Lions went win less a couple of yeas ago. In any other division they might be a contender to win it, but with the Packers 2nd place looks more like it.

7. Buffalo Bills (3-0) LW 12
Ryan Fitzpatrick is getting a lot of attention for his play (and rightfully so), but a big reason for their offensive success is because of RB Fred Jackson. With a game against the Bengals, the Bills could improve to 4-0.

8. New York Jets (2-1) LW 3
Their loss to the Raiders has exposed some of their flaws. But luckily the teams in their division aren't running teams so they should be good there.

9. Houston Texans (2-1) LW 8
Its hard to win games when you give up 23 points in a quarter. Let alone the 4th. But getting back Arian Foster will only help this team get better.

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) LW 16
Tampa Bay finally snapped a 5 game losing streak to the Falcons. Their defense was a big part of that intercepting Ryan 3 times and sacking him 4 more.

11. San Diego Chargers (2-1) LW 13
A win is a win, but almost losing to the Cheifs isn't good. However the defense stepped up when they needed to and Ryan Matthews had a big game to help the offense.

12. Philadelphia Eagles (1-2) LW 7
The "Dream Team" drops another one. The vaunted Eagles secondary wasn't up to the challenge and allowed Manning to throw for 4 touchdown passes. The Eagles better figure things out quick or it will be a long season in Philly.

13. Oakland Raiders (2-1) LW 19
Darren McFadden has proved that when healthy he is one of the best running backs in the league. If he can stay healthy and they can get consistent play out of Jason Campbell this is a team that should go to the playoffs.

14. Chicago Bears (1-2) LW 9
Don't let the score fool you, the Bears were dominated by the Packers on Sunday. Chicago has to figure something out on offense where they looked completely lost. 13 yards rushing doesn't help either.

15. Atlanta Falcons (1-2) LW 10
If Atlanta wants to get back on track they need to get their running game going. Michael Turner needs to have more than 20 yards rushing for them to be successful.

16. New York Giants (2-1) LW 15
After all the injuries they have had, the Giants are seeming to get things figured out and have a nice 2 game winning streak to show for it. But the best part of it was that they defeated the hated Eagles and they should be getting some of their injured stars back.

17. Tennessee Titans (2-1) LW 20
They won the game, but they suffered a huge loss with the injury to Kenny Britt. Britt was their only reliable receiver and now that he is gone they need somebody else to step up.

18. Dallas Cowboys (2-1) LW 21
Even though they didn't score a touchdown and their offense was never on the same page, they pulled out a big win over a Redskin team that was undefeated. But they cannot afford to keep all of these mental mistakes going if they want to keep winning.

19. San Francisco 49ers (2-1) LW 22
The 49ers win another ugly game. It only took one good drive and a TD by Kendall Hunter to give the Niners the victory. If the 49ers can get their offense figured out they could make it back to the playoffs for the first time in a while.

20. Washington Redskins (2-1) LW 14
Although they didn't allow the Cowboys to score a TD, they still lost a game and a chance to take an early division lead. But don't look for much consistency out of their offense as long as Rex Grossman is starting.

21. St. Louis Rams (0-3) LW 18
It's just been a disaster for the Rams this season. Injuries and ineffectiveness have really hurt them. But if they allow Sam Bradford to get hit as much as he did, they'll have to worry about him being injured too.

22. Arizona Cardinals (1-2) LW 17
2 missed FGs and a costly INT on the last drive doomed the Cardinals in a game that they should have won. These are games that the Cardinals have to win if they want to contend for a NFC West Division Title.

23. Cleveland Browns (2-1) LW 26
A late TD from McCoy to Massaqoui was the different in this game. The win was even more impressive with the offensively challenged Browns had to do it without the services of Peyton Hillis.

24. Carolina Panthers (1-2) LW 27
There you have it, Cam Newton got his first win as a pro. Although he didn't put up huge numbers (weather has to be factored in) his TD pass to Greg Olsen was the deciding factor in the game. Newton continues to impress as the season goes forward.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2) LW 23
Already on their 3rd QB of the season, the Jags suffered a loss in the middle of a monsoon. However, Rookie QB Blaine Gabbert was almost able to get a 4th quarter victory but his pass was batted away with no time left.

26. Cincinnati Bengals (1-2) LW 24
Andy Dalton was due for a bad game at some point and it came here against the 49ers. Both of Dalton's INTs came at bad times. Add in that this was the smallest crowd to ever see a Bengals home opener and it was a pretty bad day in Cincy.

27. Denver Broncos (1-2) LW 25
Denver had the lead going into the 4th quarter, but couldn't get a stop when they needed to get the win. Kyle Orton struggles again in a loss. Which has you wondering, when is Tim Tebow going to get his chance.

28. Seattle Seahawks (1-2) LW 30
Tavarius Jackson's late scramble for a touchdown gave the Seahawks the win over division foe Arizona. However the Seahawks will continue to struggle if they don't get more consistent QB play out of Jackson.

29. Miami Dolphins (0-3) LW 29
Miami's offensive struggles continue in a loss to the Browns. Daniel Thomas had a nice game, but the Dolphins relied on feild goals when they needed a touchdown. But on the bright side it looks like the Dolphins might be getting the QB they need in the 2012 draft.

30. Minnesota Vikings (0-3) LW 28
For the 3rd straight time the Vikings have given up a lead in the second half. You have to wonder how long the Vikings wait before they insert Christian Ponder into the lineup.

31. Indianapolis Colts (0-3) LW 31
In a sloppy game, the Colts almost capitalized and got their first win. Its going to be a long season in Indy, but at least Curtis Painter looked promising when he got his chance. We'll see if its something they can build on.

32. Kansas City Chiefs (0-3) LW 32
Kansas City actually showed some life with a narrow 3 point defeat. But Matt Cassell's interception on a screen pass was just plain awful. You never would suspect that the teams QB is throwing the game so they can get Luck...right?

Underrated Free Agent Moves

Going into this abbreviated free agency period we all heard about the big names like Nnamdi Asomugha, Sidney Rice, Logan Mankins, and Santonio Holmes but there are plenty of other free agents that have signed with new teams that are going to pay immediate dividends this upcoming season. Here is a look a ten moves that weren't talked about much, but will be crucial to that teams success.

1. Jonathan Joseph CB to the Houston Texans
It surprises me how little attention Jonathan Joseph got during this time period. Now he isn't on the same level as Nnamdi Asomugha but he is just a notch below. ESPN.com did a great job breaking down the numbers between Joseph and Asomugha and Joseph was actually on level with him. The problem was that Jospeh was targeted more frequently than Asomugh. The Texans with this signing solved a big issue they had last season. Glover Quinn and Kareem Jackson were torched last season and there was nobody else behind them. Jackson is going into his second season and should improve, while Quinn will likely move to FS which better suites his skills. A great pick up for the Texans which should allow them to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.


2. Steve Breaston WR to the Kansas City Chiefs
When you have Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin on your team you often times get overlooked. Now Breaston isn't a #1 type receiver but he does a great job stretching the field and making it easier for the #1 guy. Breaston is reuniting with Todd Haley who was the offensive coordinator a couple years back in Arizona and it won't take long for him to get adjusted. Breaston will fit in well with Dwayne Bowe and Jonathan Baldwin and give Matt Cassell three very good options. Lets just say touchdowns will be aplenty this season in Kansas City.


3. Robert Gallary G to the Seattle Seahawks
A lot of people think that Robert Gallary is a colossal bust. After being drafted #2 overall, Gallary struggled at left tackle. But being moved inside to guard Gallary has really come into his own and has performed at a Pro Bowl level. You still don't think of a guard as being #2 overall worthy, but he is a starter in the league and you can't say that about every top 10 pick. Gallary here follows former Raider head coach Tom Cable to Seattle (now the O-line coach) and will fill in at the left guard spot that hasn't been filled since Steve Hutchinson left years ago. Gallary fits great into the zone blocking scheme that the Seahawks run and help improve the group that Seattle has really tried to make a strength.


4. Darren Sproles RB to the New Orleans Saints
This signing really surprised me. With the Saints drafting Mark Ingram it looked like that move would force Reggie Bush out. The last thing I thought they would do would bring in another running back. This must mean that either Chris Ivroy or Pierre Thomas might be out as well. Sproles comes in and takes over Bush's role as the back that will catch passes out of the backfield and return kicks and punts. Sproles has regress the past two seasons but is still an upgrade over Bush.


5. Willis McGahee RB to the Denver Broncos
Now McGahee isn't the every down workhorse that he use to be. But John Fox really loves to run the ball and after DeAngelo Williams decided to return to Carolina, there wasn't many options left. Denver doesn't have many options at the position and somebody had to be brought in. Knowshon Moreno has the talent to be the feature back, but hasn't shown that he can stay healthy. McGahee gives the Broncos a tough runner who will go between the tackles and hopefully allow Moreno to fill a complementary role before eventually taking over the position.


6. Justin Durant LB to the Detroit Lions
One of the biggest weaknesses the Lions had this past season was their linebacking core. DeAndre Levy has emerged as a starter at either MLB or SLB. Other than Levy there wasn't much talent there. Durant has a lot of talent, but is often injured. If he can stay healthy he'll do a lot to improve the linebackers and help out what looks to be one of the best defensive lines in the NFL.


7. Stewart Bradley LB to the Arizona Cardinals
When healthy Stewart Bradley was a Pro Bowl Caliber middle linebacker a perfect fit for the Eagles attacking defense. However Bradley hasn't been healthy the past two years and the Eagles weren't willing to take the risk anymore. Now Bradley goes out to Arizona and should fit very well in the Cardinals 3-4 defense. Bradley is an excellent blitzer and does well in coverage too. If healthy he could help fill the shoes of Karlos Danby who left before last year. This is a nice low risk high reward possibility.


8. Dwan Landry S to the Jacksonville Jaguars
Dwan Landry is a very solid safety who was often overshadowed by the likes of Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, and Terrell Suggs. However Landry is a very good strong safety that help out the run and not be a liability in coverage. He helps out the Jaguars whose secondary is awful. Landry should step in immediately and help to improve a group that is void of a lot of talent.


9. Barry Coefield DT to the Washington Redskins
The plan was for Albert Haynesworth to be a force in the middle of the Redskins 3-4 defense. However Haynesworth wasn't too keen on being a NT in the 3-4 and his effort showed. Now that he is gone the Redskins needed a new person in the middle and went out on got Coefield who had been with the Giants. Coefield hasn't played in the 3-4 so it will be interested to see how he does. But the Redskins are getting a solid run stuffer to add that they haven't had the past two years.


10. Harvey Dahl G to the St. Louis Rams
Now that the Rams have their franchise quarterback its important to build around him. They have drafted their two bookend tackles and now they get some help on the interior. Dahl is a nasty guard who plays on edge. He'll be a huge help in the run game and give the rest of the offensive line some toughness that they could really use.