Power Ratings
1. Indianapolis Colts - ESPN's darlings won a game v. a team that has no business playing NFL ball. Looking forward to CINTI on Sunday!
2. Pittsburgh Steelers - Despite injuries, they won a game they should have. Sign of a well-coached contender!
3. Carolina Panthers - Took some of that skunk smell and laid it all over the fallen Gang Green. Strong contender.
4. Seattle Seahawks - Alexander just keeps running and running the SEA into a wild card bye!
5. New York Giants - Pathetic showing. Unexpected and just terrible. Special Teams - ouch! And they still were able to tie it after 58 1/2 minutes. Hopefully an aberration.
6. Dallas Cowboys - Big move up the ladder for Coach Bill #1. Helluva of a comeback! The NFC East race is exciting. Who said Drew was done? Not me!!!
7. The Champs - Do not ever count these guys out. They might stink for three quarters, but they are dangerous to the end.
8. Donkeys - Ass-whipped the Tin Men. Easy roadie for a team that just is not as good as public opinion gives them credit for.
9. San Diego Chargers (Marty's Team) - BYE WEEK gives them time to heal. Bring on the Buffalo Wings./li>
10. Cincinnati Bengals - BYE WEEK before biggest game in CINTI since '81 playoffs v SD. Go Tigers Go!

The Next Best 3
11. Atlanta Falcons - What the hell was that? Michael Vick laid another egg and the defense let guy with a Mafia name milk them dry. psst...
12. Jacksonville Jaguars - Butt-kicked a bad team. As they should! D is tough! O broke 30 without Fred Taylor!
13. Chicago Bears - Defense Defense Defense Defense Defense. Special Teams Special Teams Special Teams Special Teams No O No O No O No O

The Parity Rules These 7
14. The Buffalo Wings - Don't count them out! Losman played well and the D was super. Bring on SD!
16. The Green Slime - Nice effort v. WASH with all the adversity. Defense is not what it has been. Where was Westbrook on 4th down? Just curious...
17. Kansas City Chiefs - Laid a rotten egg after last week. Both Wings QB and RB go down and KC cannot take advantage. Ouch!
18. Washington Redskins - Trap roadie L v YUKS. Not totally unexpected. Offense clicked, but the D was either sunburned or blinded by Phil's kids blonde locks.
19. The YUKS - Must win at home. 36pts - where did that come from???
20. St. Louis Rams - Got stomped on by a superior team. Nuff said.
21. PHISH - Outplayed THE CHAMPS for three quarters, but it is a 4 quarter game. Ricky could not run.

The Bottom Feeders
22. The Tin Men - Doug Gabriel sees more balls than Moss and Porter combined. Not bad for a sand lot player! Collins was just dreadful. Tom Jackson, your thoughts?
23. Detroit Lions - Joey Harrington made the all ARZ opponents team for the third straight year. Can he repeat this performance v. DAL?
24. New Orleans Saints - Bye Week. Thank goodness!!!
25. Mahwah High School Class of 1979 - Spanked Midland Park 42 - 3. Milardo and Floyd became first MHS receivers to catch 10 passes for 120+ yards in same game. Lellek 6/6PAT. Brown 2.5 sacks; Mullier and Zarcone 6 tackles and numerous pressures. Just don't look ahead to Ramsey.
26. Green Bay Packers - 5th string runner looks like Paul Hornung. They play hard aganist overrated ATL D!
27. Cleveland Browns - Played tough v. superior PITT team! Good for them. Showed some promise.
28. Tennessee Titans - Bye Week. Will keep playing hard despite being under-manned.
29. San Francisco 49ers - Cannot wield my axe if the wind is too strong. And it was oderless!
<No Longer Worth Mentioning
30. The Piglets
31. Houston Texans
32. Gang Green
33. Bad Birds
34. Arizona Cardinal

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Alexander scores 3. Cado (who?) scores 3 and MINN D and Specials score 3. With Alexander, this is habitual. Congrats guys, we have 22 players of the week!!!
Week 7 Highlights
PHIL v NYG - NFC EAST rivalry pits a pissed off NYG v a somber, riddled Green Slime. But have not fear, these teams will beat the daylights out of each other.
CAR v CHIC - NFC Best all-around team v the New Monsters of the Midway! One bloody battle to come.
INDY v CINTI - Two towns, 70 miles, no rivalry. Well, that is going to change!


Have an opinion? Don't be shy, share it with me! Drop me an email at Opinion@allan-brown.com.

Notes from Week 9:

Peyton Manning finally got the monkey off his back. INDY kicked THE CHAMPS six ways to next Sunday on MNF! Impressive performance on Offense, Defense and Specials. INDY is for real. They will not run the table (JAX and PITT will be tough), but I look forward to seeing them in the AFC Conference Championships. But, remember, still tons of ball left to be played. Watch out for KC, SD, PITT and JAX in the AFC. As the for NFC, NYG and SEA are pointing towards their Thanksgiving meeting in the Pacific Northwest, looking for NFC bragging rights. CAR and ATL will have a problem with that statement, but who cares.

I had to leave this in for Week 5 - it is too funny! - I was privy this weekend to something I had never heard of before - the Betting Mulligan. A good friend, to be referred to as only a "prominent businessman in the community" made a small wager on the KC/PHILA game. He took PHILA but after PHILA went down 17 - 0, declared the bet null and void because his guy B. Westbrook was not playing. He maintains that the bet was predicated upon the injury status of the running back. However, upon further review (sound familiar) , Westbrook was playing, just not getting as many touches as he would like. He insisted that the bet was cancelled. He wanted his betting mulligan!!! Obviously, it was denied; he won the bet anyway while his guy Westbrook played the whole game and even scored a 2pt. conversion! Does anybody have a bookie that will accept a Mulligan?

Power Ratings
1. Indianapolis Colts - Soft "W" v. SFO for ESPN's world-beater. Soft schedule. Not convinced here at all, but with the big guns tanking in Wk5, then get the top slot by default.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers - Big win v SD. Big game for The Bus. Big loss without Big Ben. Next stop, JAX and their Big D. Big ain't so good for PITT right now.
3. The Champs - The Champs passed a tough test! Brady may be the league's MVP! W/out TB, they are 1 - 4 with the fork firmly inserted. Congrats Coach Bill #1a
4. New York Giants - BYE WEEK - off for the Game of the Week at DAL!!!
5. Cincinnati Bengals - After 2 lackluster weeks, maybe Chad should try to revive more than the ball.
6. Dallas Cowboys - Why has everyone written off Bill Parcells? His game plans overwhelmed the Green Slime (held to 138 total yards while racking up the scoreboard). I told you last week, DAL is dangerous.
7. San Diego Chargers (Marty's Team) - Three losses with Q4 leads. What was that call on the 2pt conversion? The play is to Gates, not a the RB who has been shut down the whole game. 2 - 3 with division roadie ahead at OAK.
8. The Green Slime - Just when I give them their due, they pull a no-show. Outcome was never in doubt. McNabb looked lost. 19 yards Rushing! Ouch! Now the Green Slime is 3 - 2. Kudos to the first Coach Bill!

The Next Best 4
9. The YUKS - Hard loss to NYJ. Falling back to earth. Granted, NYJ had to have home W, but elite teams overcome that obstacle. The YUKS did not.
10. Atlanta Falcons - With M.Vick, they are a different squad. More attitude and confidence. They seemed tentative v. CHAMPS and it cost them. ATL will recover next week.
11. Carolina Panthers - Nice roadie wn in the desert, coming back from 10 down in Q4. Run defense was tough. Steve Smith really has game!!!
12. Seattle Seahawks - Strong, well rounded "O", even with the injuries. Slapped STL on the road. Maybe the best in the West!

The Parity Rules These 13
13. Donkeys - This team moves up only because they beat mediocre teams. Sorry Donkey fans, I am unimpressed with this team's offense!
14. Washington Redskins - Couldn't seal the deal at 5200 ft. Perhaps their best played game of the year! Brunell throws a nice ball. Still some zip left in that old arm!
15. Kansas City Chiefs - BYE WEEK. They need at after disgraceful performances at Donkeys and v. Green Slime.
16. Detroit Lions - Just enough to win. They gotta thank the BAD BIRDS for losing their cool!
17. Chicago Bears - My analysis was on the money. Bad "O" not only can't score, but they turn the ball over (2x in Q4). This was a game they should have had.
18. New Orleans Saints - Saints played like the Jags did last week. Brooks was terrible; yanked in Q3. Defense and Specials were just bad. And the Pack stink! Ouch!
19. PHISH - Road wimps. Dropped balls. Listless "D". 5 TOs in foreign land always spells doom! But Ricky's Back!
20. Jacksonville Jaguars - #7 played better this week. He is smart and bold. Taylor played lights out! Defensive takes on the mindset of the Coach (from Bay Area's Hayward High).
21. Gang Green - Vinny/Coles connection is back! The TE is pretty good! Defense played well. Bob Wolf for kicker? Nah!
22. Arizona Cardinals - Brutal loss at home. Ouch! The offensive needs an RB! Love the WRs! But too many TOs!
23. The Buffalo Wings - A must win at home aganist AFC foe PHISH. Not pretty, but nobody in Orchard Park cares. Beer and Wings for the bar!
24. Cleveland Browns - Played one good quarter (Q4) - Dilfer threw two TDs off of TOs. If they want to move up, gotta play 60 minutes.
25. St. Louis Rams - STL has lost the wager. Now they lost their coach. More losses to follow. STL stinks!

The Bottom Feeders
26. The Tin Men - BYE WEEK. Can they turn the season around v. SD. I think they can!!!
27. Green Bay Packers - What the heck was that? An onslaught! But it was a one week wonder!
28. Baltimore Ravens (BAD BIRDS) - 21 penalties (sounds like the Tin Men). Lethargic Offense. Lost their cool! Nothing else to say but shameful!
29. San Francisco 49ers - Never had a chance! Bad first outing for A#1 v. very good D (4 picks). It can only get better (I think).
30. Mahwah High School Class of 1979 - After the drubbing of always tough Elmwood Park, The T-Birds travel to feeble Glen Rock. Zarcone sure is protecting the QB! Who said Floyd can't catch? Fasce's two botched snaps were not of consequence.
31. Tennessee Titans - A bad team beat a dreadful team. But a win is a win!
32. Minnesota Vikings (Piglets) - BYE for the Piglets. Thank goodness!

No Longer Worth Mentioning
33. Houston Texans

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Matt Hasselbeck led SEA without his top two guys to a huge division road win in STL. He threw for 342 yds and two TDs. He has a toughness about him that is hard to describe. Now I understand why Holmgren likes him so much.
Week 6 Highlights

SD v OAK - If OAK wants to turn around their season, it starts Sunday at home v. long time rival SD.
NYG v DAL - This one will be fun to watch! Inter-divisional rival. Bodies will fly. Too bad the coaches are butt buddies, then the ^&*((*& would really fly!
NE v DEN - Now we will see if the Donkeys are for real. I highly doubt it. MINN v CHIC - This week's stinker. It is unfortunate the the winner of this game is in the thick of the NFC North Race. I wish that one day, these two teams would be good at the same time. I do not see that happening anytime soon.

Have an opinion? Don't be shy, share it with me! Drop me an email at Opinion@allan-brown.com.

Notes from Week 4:

I had the chance to receive an exclusive invite to watch this week's games at the infamous Studio B, located in the heart of San Lorenzo, CA. Stacked with seven (7) TVs, the manager of Studio B, affectionately known as the Whale, ensures that his guests are well taken care of and provided for. I am really a low maintenance guest - just give me Big Blue on the main tube and I am happy. Beats any sportsbar in the US! Hail to Studio B!

What a great week of NFL Football! We had fat tackles scoring touchdowns, long snappers snagging TDs, fat kickers and skinny kickers booting the heck out of the ball; even one who kicks at 7,300 ft. Have had our fair share of tough guys; tough teams and bad QB play (ie Gang Green and 49ers). We even had our first betting mulligan!

This week, I am adding a new feature - "Player of the Week". Also, there will be one new team added to the rankings - the Mahwah High School Class of 1979 - Group 1 State Champs. I figure that team would have competed with MINN, 49ers and Texans. So this week's ranking will have 33 teams. But, have no worries, I will be dropping teams from the ranking soon enough - saves me some work.

Once again, Michael Brown of brotherhood fame wonders outloud why the Giants get no respect. Your thoughts? Send your opinion to opinion@allan-brown.com

1. JAX, MINN, 49ers, Gang Green and the KC defense were downright embarrassing
2. True or False. Charles Woodson has not made a meaningful play since "The Tuck" in '01. And he was on the wrong side of that play! Why the hype?
3. Jeremy Shockley and Antonio Gates have left Tony Gonzales in the rear view mirror in the race for the best TE in the game.
4. DEN fans, take a chill pill. Your team beat a banged-up JAX squad on 2 TDs by a fat TE turned OT. Otherwise, this pathetic excuse for a NFL game could have been even more brutal!
5. AZ will still win the NFC West. No need to re-forecast!
6. SD is RISING! FAST! Marty has them on top of their game
7. INDY Offense woke up. What took so long?
8. Did the referees throw too many flags or was I just concentrating on the Tin Men (OAK)?
9. Donovan McNabb is very good. So is Eli Manning, Terrell Owens, Plaxico Burress, LaDamian Tomlinson and Drew Brees. Larry Fitzgerald isn't too bad himself!

The Betting Mulligan

I was privy this weekend to something I had never heard of before - the Betting Mulligan. A good friend, to be referred to as only a "prominent businessman in the community" made a small wager on the KC/PHILA game. He took PHILA but after PHILA went down 17 - 0, declared the bet null and void because his guy B. Westbrook was not playing. He maintains that the bet was predicated upon the injury status of the running back. However, upon further review (sound familiar) , Westbrook was playing, just not getting as many touches as he would like. He insisted that the bet was cancelled. He wanted his betting mulligan!!! Obviously, it was denied; he won the bet anyway while his guy Westbrook played the whole game and even scored a 2pt. conversion! Does anybody have a bookie that will accept a Mulligan?

Power Ratings
1. The Green Slime - It pains me to write this, but right now, they are the best the NFL has to offer. #5,#20,#81 are superstar players. The comeback v.KC was the best I have seen in years by a road team! I dislike the Green Slime, but I give them their due.
2. San Diego Chargers (Marty's Team) - Destroyed NYG and now The Champs. SoCal's NFL juggernaut is blasting its way through my top ten. Next on tap, MNF v. PITT in SD.
3. Cincinnati Bengals - For the first time in 15 years, CINTI was complacent because they knew how much better they are than HOU. But they won, that is what counts.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers - BYE WEEK. Nothing to report. Should keep giving Parker his touches. NFL MNF at SD is a biggie!
5. Indianapolis Colts - Patsie schedule for ESPN's world-beater. Offense came around this week, and with 49ers next on tap, they do not have a toughie until MNF 11.7 v. NE.
6. New York Giants - Eli to Burress; Eli to Shockey. Tons of weapons. Defense is still suspect. Stats are padded aganist defense - Bulger threw 62x; Warner 40+. BYE week then off to visit Coach Bill in DAL.
7. The Champs - I told you they would miss R. Harrison. It appears the injury bug may have caught up to them. Next week in ATL is a tough tough test.

The Next Best 3
8. The YUKS - OK, they are 4 - 0, but they have not beaten any very good teams. First tough game is Nov 6 v. division rival Carolina.
9. Atlanta Falcons - Defense is great, Michael Vick is exciting. Warrick Dunn is special. But they beat a piglet of a team (MINN). Not convinced that they are a top-tier team.
10. Carolina Panthers - Held on v. Pack. Need to turn up the volume!

The Parity Rules These 15
11. Washington Redskins - Don't be fooled by last Sunday v. SEA. This team plays little "O". Road v. DEN, KC on the horizon. Big Blue in NY (err. NJ) on 10.30.
12. Seattle Seahawks - Road Warriors and Matt Hasselbeck are not often mentioned in the same sentence. Kicker clangs the game winner off the goal post. Tough beat for these dismal homers.
13. Dallas Cowboys - California's team now gets to go "home". I think this team is dangerous. Week 6 v. NYG will be fun. Sorry Milardo and the Russkie, you are going down!
14. Kansas City Chiefs - They let the long snapper score a TD. The Defense gave up! TANK JOB!
15. Detroit Lions - Dormant offense gets jobbed in TB. Defense crashes into the Cadillac! Schizo squad.
16. Chicago Bears - First place BEARS take on the CLEVE in a thriller, this Sunday, October 8 at 1pm ET! That was more hype than this game deserves!
17. New Orleans Saints - Nice boring home win in the Alamo? Ever been there? It is really small. But it is home (for now!)
18. PHISH - BYE WEEK. Hope Junior is back this week v. BUFF
19. Donkeys - Plummer picked apart JAX with short stuff. Fat lineman gets 2TDs. What does that tell you about the "O"? Defense was solid - great effort.
20. Arizona Cardinals - Nice recovery for AZ. No need to reforecast. Boldin and Fitzgerald are top 5 tandem in NFL.
21. Jacksonville Jaguars - That was just bad. BAD BAD BAD! I know that Leftwich is hurt, but... BAD BAD BAD!
22. St. Louis Rams - Eli torched them good! Tell me, why do people believe that this team is a contender? STL stinks!
23. The Buffalo Wings - Remember the Alamo!!! Well, maybe not!
24. Cleveland Browns - BYE WEEK. Absolutely nothing to say.
25. Gang Green - Can they salvage their damaged season v. YUKS? Nah. Welcome back Vinny! Nah! Is Al Woodall in the audience? Marty Siegal for QB!

The Bottom Feeders
26. The Tin Men - FLAGS, POOR TACKLING, LETHARGIC PLAY! This team plays like it OD on hemp.
27. Green Bay Packers - Good effort, just too many hurts and too little gifts.
28. Baltimore Ravens - Beating Gang Green keeps them alive. Barely!
29. San Francisco 49ers - DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN. Even though they were up 14 - 0, this game was never in doubt. Now that is a sad statement!
30. Mahwah High School Class of 1979 - Milardo, Floyd, Zarcone, Dole, Bowens and Brown. 10 - 1 State Champs. The stuff legends are made of. Bowens averaged over 9 yards a carry! Larry, AZ is calling!
31. Tennessee Titans - They just lack talent across the board. I actually feel for McNair and Fisher
32. Minnesota Vikings (Piglets) - That was some effort v. Vickless ATL. One more and the Piglets are on toast with mustard and cheese.
33. Houston Texans - Who cares???? Who really cares????? Only reason I did not drop them was because of the effort. A one week reprieve

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Donovan McNabb of the Green Slime led the Slime from a 24 - 6 deficient on the road to a 37 - 31 thrashing of KC. He could have called it a day, rested his ailing body and taken the out of conference road loss. But he turned it up a notch and I swear he was playing catch with his receiver.
Week 5 Highlights

PITT v. SD - Is PITT for real? Can SD kick there butt like they did v. Big Blue and the Champs? Enquiring Minds Want to Know!
PHIL v. DAL - This one will be fun to watch! McNabb is going to get hit. Parcells needs this game badly!
CAR v. AZ - Cardinals go for two in a row. CAR needs to develop some consistency. INDY v. SF - Which will be more interesting - Peyton's aerial show or the Blue Angels screaming over the Bay this Sunday?


Have an opinion? Don't be shy, share it with me! Drop me an email at Opinion@allan-brown.com.

Notes from Week 3:
After three weeks of the season, we have several interesting story lines. The all round play of CINTI, the resilient champs, the fall of the Pack. But nothing stands out more than season-ending injuries to several key players. This week, C.Pennington, T.Spikes, R.Harrison and J.Bellamy join same frat has J.Walker, D.Darius, K.Jenkins, M.Lewis and others whose season has ended prematurely. Other notables like K. Warner and J. Fiedler will miss significant time. Only Marcus Floyd and Butkus still think that this league is for patsies!!!

Whale wonders outloud (if you know the guy, he never shuts up) about how KC and NYG can look so good two weeks running and so bad on national broadcasts in Week 3. I ask the same question! Your thoughts? Send your opinion to opinion@allan-brown.com

1. Power Ratings The Champs! - Brady eats up PITT alive in the 4th. This teams finds a way to get it done. That is why they are Champs. Harrison loss looms large. ESPN has NE #2. Why not #1?
2. Pittsburgh Steelers - Defense did not step up when it mattered. Luck to keep #3!
3. Cincinnati Bengals - I am a believer! Are you? The Johnson's are pretty big! Defense now has the Lewis' look and feel.


4. The Next Best 8 The YUKS - The Pewter Cadillac just hums! Griese is error-free and the defense is stellar! Things look good for J. Gruden (A.Davis, what did you learn this week?)
5. Indianapolis Colts - Where does ESPN get off making INDY #1! I did not know payola existed in the Midwest! The beat a bad team and scored only 13 pts in home W v. CLEVE.
6. New York Giants - Defense took the flight to LV Saturday night, bet the games and missed the flight to SD. At least I think they did. ESPN has them at #16. The Boys of Bristol are tough customers.
7. The Green Slime - Couldn't put away the Tin Men. Pass defense is suspect, despite the rep. Their toughest player is the kicker. But a win is a win.
8. San Diego Chargers - Passing game 20 - 23. Tomlinson was great! Let's see what they do in the Champs' home turf.
9. Carolina Panthers - Tough beat v. PHISH. There #2 wideout is on vacation. Smith is pretty special, eh?
10. Jacksonville Jaguars - I like these guys. Leftwich/Smith/Taylor is a nice three-some (in '05, more potent that INDY's three.
11. Atlanta Falcons - Just happy to get off the road and back home. Not convinced that they are a top-tier team. Good balance this week v. Buff.


12. The Parity Rules These 10 Kansas City Chiefs - Where was the effort v. Donkeys? L. Johnson was Casper the Ghost with a helmut.
13. Seattle Seahawks - Alexander ran over a battered, demoralized AZ squad. Let's see if they beat a dismal squad on the road.
14. Gang Green - 7 plays, two QBs out! Vinny's back. Will find a way to beat BALT.
15. Washington Redskins - Don't be fooled by last MNF. This team plays little "O". True colors will show v. SEA.
16. Dallas Cowboys - Bledsoe did well v. SF; I bet he will duplicate v. Tin Men. Nice Win for Coach Bill!
17. Detroit Lions - Will Jekyll or Hyde show up v. YUKS? Harrington better answer the call or the Paper Lion starts next week.
18. Chicago Bears - 5 INTs = no chance.
19. New Orleans Saints - Finally, a "home" game in SA v. BUFF. Banged-up squad in a must game v. Buff. Did I hear the LA Aint's? NAH!
20. PHISH - Could they be for real? I don't know. But they need Seau to be healthy!
21. Donkeys - Big jump because of MNF, Plummer did not hurt them. But he better be good v. JAX! He won't be!


22. The Lower 5 St. Louis Rams - Sorry, but I am not convinced. They should have run TENN out of the state. They didn't.
23. The Buffalo Wings - Losman is lousy; Spikes was Spiked by the turf. Put a fork in the Buffalo Wings and drown a pint of Matts 'cause their game is over!
24. San Francisco 49ers - UP and DOWN. Rattay needs to play better for 4 QTRs. Defense secondary is suspect. Off to Mexico! Must win for a 2-0 in NFC WORST (WEST)!
25. Cleveland Browns - Just when you thought...I did not think, you did. They are not very good yet.
26. Arizona Cardinals - Very disturbing. No running game, no QB with Arena Boy sidelined. I may have to reforecast my prediction.


27. The Bottom Feeders The Tin Men - The kicker done died (or drank too much on South Street). Too many penalties. Defense is playing better.
28. Tennessee Titans - Great coaching can only go so far!
29. Green Bay Packers - Good effort, but they just do not have the talent!
30. Baltimore Ravens - This team is terrible. ESPN's 26 ranking is a gift! Overrated team defense; little offensive. Never more, never more. One more week and the fall out of the ratings! Did anybody say Trent Dilfer?
31. Minnesota Vikings - Must win v. NO. Can they beat ATL in ATL? Doubtful! Why did ESPN rank them #19?
32. Houston Texans - Who cares???? Who really cares????? I might drop them from the pool!!!

Week 4 Highlights SD v. NE - Too bad R. Harrison is hurt - this was his grudge match. SD was a machine last week? Can they do it again?

Green Slime v. KC - This one will be fun to watch! KC needs this game to reestablish themselves after MNF debacle

STL v NYG - NYG needs to shake the cobwebs; STL needs to be a quality team.

Have an opinion? Don't be shy, share it with me! Drop me an email at Opinion@allan-brown.com.

Notes from Week 2:
1. The Giants have now really have Thunder and Lightning! Barber and Jacobs? WOW! And the defense isn't too shabby!
2. Chad Pennington looked better, but my jury is still out.
3. Was that the real Bears we saw Sunday? Nah!
4. Here's to Laveranues Coles. That took guts!
5. How can a team look so good one week and so bad the next? Maybe that was Saint Mary?s Prep that played the Eagles.
6. REPEAT FROM LAST WEEK! Do you think that Randy Moss is missed in MINN? Anyone who thinks MINN is better with out MOSS should consider therapy.
7. You cannot win in the NFL if you turn the ball over. You also have to create turnovers. MINN, OAK, NO and DET might want to learn how to hold onto the ball.
8. OAK has a problem with the yellow flag. Always has and I think, always will.
9. Tampa Bay's Defense is back. Green Bay's isn?t.
10. Arizona will still win the NFC West.

Slater says that the QB play in the NFL stinks because the game is too fast. I think he may have a point. Your thoughts? Send your opinion to opinion@allan-brown.com

Power Ratings
1. New England Patriots - Interesting how CAR shut them down offensively yesterday. Defensive effort was still strong. No need for concern, even with PITT looming next week. ESPN has NE #3. Too many late nights in Bristol.
2. New York Giants - ESPN has them at #11. Must be fall air in Bristol has their heads in a daze. Thunder and Lightning. Manning to Shockey; Manning to Burress? This team is POWERFUL! Tough v. RUN. The Coach is a hard-ass! Bring on the Green Slime!!!
3. Pittsburgh Steelers - Kudos to Cowher for never putting Big Ben in a position to lose. Parker is just the latest in a series of plug-in backs for PITT that always produce. Defense is solid; Offense is obviously fundamental. But, they have yet to beat a decent team.

The Middle 14
4. The Green Slime - McNabb hammered SF. Defense played great! Game was over by the 9 minute mark in first QTR. But they are the Green Slime. NYG/PHI will be a doozy!
5. Carolina Panthers - HUGE WIN! Defense shut down Dillon cold. Can they continue to build upon the success?
6. Cincinnati Bengals - For real!!! Palmer is the real deal. And the defense can hit and cover!
7. Indianapolis Colts - Where does ESPN get off making INDY #1! The beat a bad team and scored only 10 pts in home W v. JAX. Granted, Defense is tough, but #1. Don't think so!
8. The YUKS - Keep riding that Pewter Cadillac! And the Defense looks good too!
9. Jacksonville Jaguars - Tremendous effort by the Jags. Defense looks tough. This is a good team! Losing Darius hurts!!!
10. Atlanta Falcons - Strong defense. Overrated offensive. But Vick is exciting to watch.
11. Kansas City Chiefs - Big road win in the division. Nice Defense (for a change!)
12. New Orleans Saints - Good teams do not run gadget plays on the opening kickoff. Offensive is pretty good (receivers are studs, QB is good; RB off to slow start); but needs to hold onto the ball.
13. Gang Green - Big win at home for NYJ against the much improved PHISH.
14. Chicago Bears - They found offense and defense v DET. Can they sustain their level of play?
15. Washington Redskins - I used to root for the every team that played the Redskins. I don't have to spend the energy anymore, the are mediocre at best.
16. Seattle Seahawks - Hasselbeck and Alexander are special offensive players. Defensive looked good yesterday. But this team is just dismal.
17. Detroit Lions - 5 INTs. Poor defensive play! Another Jekyll and Hyde team!

The Lower 8
18. Dallas Cowboys - What the hell was that? Parcells never let that happen with Ole Blue!!!
19. Buffalo Bills - Lackluster effort against the YUKs. McGahee needs to shine next week v. ATL. JP Losman still gets carded in Western NY clubs.
20. Arizona Cardinals - Very disappointing performance v. STL. A sack and a false start to end the game. Still out gained STL by 100 yards. Will still win the NFC West.
21. San Francisco 49ers - Blah! Nice effort! Should have bashed #81's head! Let's hope Week 1 was not an aberration!
22. Cleveland Browns - Nice first win for Romeo. Did it on the road in a tough house. Edwards is the deal! Trent Dilfer!!!
23. PHISH - Good effort in road loss to NYJ. MIA will be tough all year - not very good, but tough.
24. St. Louis Rams - The jury is still out. Running back has potential, but he is not ready yet for 30 carries.
25. San Diego Chargers - Tough road loss. And 0 - 3 looms ahead.

The Bottom Feeders
26. The Tin Men - Another listless performance by OAK. Too many drops and penalties. Better Defensive Effort.
27. Tennessee Titans - Nice effort, albeit against a worthless offensive team.
28. Green Bay Packers - Overrated for three years running. Now everyone will acknowledge that the Pack is back to their team of the '80s.
29. Baltimore Ravens - This team is terrible. ESPN's 25 ranking is a gift! Overrated team defense; little offensive. Never more, never more. One more week and the fall out of the ratings! Did anybody say Trent Dilfer?
30. Houston Texans - Who cares???? Who really cares?????
31. Minnesota Vikings - Team in disarray. The pundits think that this team is better without Moss. Better without the best playmaker of the last 30 years? Hmmm? 5 INT does not help.
32. Donkeys - They won a must game v. SD, but I still think they stink!

Week 3 Highlights

NYG and the Brown brothers travel to SD. Stutts better hope that the rout is not too embarrassing.
PITT v. NE - Will be a doozy!
JAX v. NYJ - This one will be fun to watch!
TENN v. STL - a rematch of Superbowl XXXIV (who cares, these two teams stink!)


Have an opinion? Don't be shy, share it with me! Drop me an email at Opinion@allan-brown.com.

Notes from Week 1
1. If anyone wants to know why Javon Walker wanted to get paid, now you know why. I am far from a liberal, but the owners have an obligation to take care of players that produce. This guy gets his season knocked out by artificial turf. Shameful!!!
2. The Giants have now really have Thunder and Lightning. Barber and Jacobs – WOW!
3. The Chargers suspend Antonio Gates for the first game over a contract dispute. How’s that for cutting off the nose to spite the face.
4. Chad Pennington is really hurt. No zip on his ball. No zip, no playoffs for the JETS!
5. Denver stinks.
6. Do you think that Randy Moss is missed in MINN? Anyone who thinks MINN is better with out should consider therapy.
7. San Francisco is well coached.
8. Oakland is not.
9. Buffalo is pretty good. So is Detroit.
10. Arizona will still win the NFC West.
11. Good for New Orleans. Next week, home opener in East Rutherford!

Power Ratings
1. New England – BEST TEAM; BEST COACH. May not have the best players, but they play as a unit. A joy to watch!
2. New York Giants - More Offensive Talent on this team than they have had in years. Maybe the most in the NFL. Coach is very good. I like his tough nature.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers - Very well coached; plug in a back and watch him run. We like Willie Parker. A lot

Middle 15 (alphabetical order)
4. Atlanta – Strong defense. The young corners are very good.
5. Arizona – Well coached. Potent Receivers. Good defensive. Need a running game. Will win the NFC West.
6. Buffalo – Nice effort on both sides of the ball
7. Carolina – tough home loss. Jenkins loss in the middle of D-line is devastating
8. Cincinnati – For real. Good offense, Defense is getting better. Watch out Pitt.
9. Dallas – Big road win for California’s team away from California
10. Detroit – Potent Offensive. Will win the NFC North.
11. Indianapolis – Efficient and effective, but not outstanding.
12. Jacksonville – Leftwich is the best QB in FL, which says something good. Defense takes the look of the coach.
13. Kansas City – Very impressive showing against a good NYJ team. Nice Defense
14. New Orleans – Strong Defensive complements conservative, yet effective offense.
15. Philadelphia (Green Slime) – Hard to like, but I respect the coach. Bounce back next week v. SF.
16. San Diego – Tough home loss. Gates is back next week. Why he was suspended is still a mystery to me.
17. San Francisco – The coach did a super job. The QB was effective and the Defense was tremendous. We can only hope for the same effort next week.
18. Tampa Bay (YUKS) – Ride that Pewter Cadillac!

Lower 10
19. Baltimore – overrated team defense; little offensive. Never more, never more.
20. Chicago – calling for offensive!
21. Cleveland – Ex. NYG coach has a long way to go!
22. Green Bay – Overrated for three years running. Now everyone will acknowledge that the Pack is back to the team of the ‘80s.
23. Houston – Who cares????
24. Miami – One week is not a season. Especially v. DEN.
25. New York Jets – Pennington is now officially a concern. So is the coach!
26. Seattle – This team is like a wall switch. They are on and off!
27. St. Louis – Poorly coached, Suspect Defense. Running back has potential, but he is not ready yet for 30 carries.
28. Washington – Seven years ago, they yanked Gus FRE ROT after the first half of the first game. Now, Ramsey has been yanked. Why bother to compete for the job?!? Waste of training camp.

The Bottom Feeders
29. Oakland – Listless performance. Embarrassing defensive display. The Tin Men are back. And the young coach you should have hired in across the bay.
30. Tennessee – I did not want to classify them as bottom feeder. I just had no choice.
31. Minnesota – The pundits think that this team is better without Moss. Better without the best playmaker of the last 30 years. Hmmm…
32. Denver – Just terrible. Not even competitive v. Gus FRE ROT. Nothing else to say.

Have an opinion? Don't be shy, share it with me! Drop me an email at Opinion@allan-brown.com.