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Power rankings: How the voters voted
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando Rank Team Matt Williamson Jeff Chadiha John Clayton Jeremy ...

AFC South positioning in power rankings
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky Our new power rankings are out, and I welcome your feedback in the mailbag. Yes, I tried to minimize the influence of preseason games, but things I saw from first units do factor in. So did training camp practices watched, conversations held and gut feelings. (The gut grew during this period, so I imagine its feelings did as well). Here are details of how I voted for AFC South teams on this ballot as compared to the ballot before camps opened. ...

The Rams have a chance as long as RB Steven Jackson is healthy
Turf Show Times — ... From ESPN's Week 1 power rankings here. The Rams were ranked 28th.

Vegas Has No Confidence in Bengals
WhoDeyRevolution — We all know gambling is illegal in every state other than Nevada, so this post is simply for entertainment purposes only.  Some of you may noticed that ESPN's first Power Rankings came out today and the Bengals come in at 23rd.  Ouch.  My reaction was probably similar to yours, that these rankings do not mean anything, and are ...

Preseason Power Ranking
The Ragnarok — The day before the season kicks off is as good a time as any to start my weekly look at where the Vikings stand in the minds of the "experts". Obviously, it doesn't mean anything, but, what the heck, it's a way to pass the time. Once again, I'll be using advanced statistics (adding the five rankings together and then dividing them by five) to determine the average. ...

Bills, Jets almost too close to call
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham Buffalo Bills fans, I need to explain myself. I hope you'll understand. About a month ago, I didn't hesitate to call the Bills a playoff team in SportsNation chats and the AFC East mailbag. I like their offseason moves to shore up the defense. I like that MLB Paul Posluszny is healthy. I like that a nucleus of young, critical players such as QB Trent Edwards and RB Marshawn Lynch are a year older. I like that they drafted WR James Hardy to provide another option to help WR Lee Evans. It's just that I think the New York Jets will be a little ...

Explaining my AFC West power rankings
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — Posted by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson We just unveiled our NFL power rankings for Week 1. I wanted to explain why I ranked each AFC West team where I did. San Diego: The Chargers were ranked No. 2. I had them No. 3. Did I underestimate the Chargers, whom I had ranked behind New England and Dallas? If I did, it wasn't by much. I love the Chargers' chances this season and I think they are going to the Super Bowl. But they still have to prove it. On paper, the Patriots are still the best and the Cowboys are like the Chargers -- they are talent rich. Denver: I ranked Denver No. ...

Can the Browns stop T.O.?
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns second-year cornerback Brandon McDonald knew this day was coming.     James D. Smith/Icon SMI   Defending Dallas WR Terrell Owens will present a ...

Power rankings breakdown
ESPN.com - NFL Nation Blog — Trey Wingo, Mike Golic and Shaun King discuss the latest NFL power rankings.

Kickoff time for the NFL
SmackCaster SmackBlog — The NFL season — apparently held to keep fantasy leagues happy — starts tonight with the Washington Redskins and new coach Jim Zorn facing the New York Giants. The big question is whether there will be more players in the huddle than in NBC’s overcrowded studio. Repeating won’t be easy, especially with the Giants missing the retired Michael Strahan and injured Osi Umenyiora. However, the NFC isn’t exactly a power conference, so the opportunity is there. Zorn was a questionable call as Redskin coach. It will be interesting to see how the former Seattle Seahawks great works out. Big picture: The ...

Tennessee Titans Morning Links: Beards of Honor Edition
Music City Miracles — Jack Del Rio doesn't think the Titans are an elite AFC team, and Fisher wants the boys in 2 toned blue to know it.  Jeff Fisher runs down his 10 most defining moments of the past 10 years in Tennessee, and the 2002 beard that lead us back from a 1-4 start makes no appearance. I call shenanigans!  The Titans start the season at 16 in ESPN's Power Rankings, just above the Bucs and Jets... eww gross.  Michael Griffin becomes the first player kicked out ...

NEWS AND NOTES...AND A FEW EMAILS
Mondesi's House — --The Steelers open at #6 in the ESPN Power Rankings. Hopefully they can handle the Bowling Green Texans this weekend. [ESPN.com] --Guess what? Baltimore's winning the AFC North. [Democratandchronicle.com] --Almost-Steeler Daunte Culpepper retired from the NFL via email today. Is that ...

Football Today -- Giants, Redskins and Republicans
Projo Pats Blog — ... after missing most of the preseason. (Kansas City Star) DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH: ESPN.com has the Patriots at number one and the Chiefs at number 31 (ahead of only the Falcons) in its Week One power rankings . "The Chiefs are all about the youth movement," writes The Leader's Bill Williamson. "The present might be bleak but the future is bright." EVERYONE'S A CRITIC: And the bleak present for K.C. is probably one reason that Steve Buckley predicts the hand-wringing over the Patriots' lackluster preseason will probably change by Monday to ...

NFL Perception vs. Reality, Part 3
Vegas Watch — (You have less than two hours to join the NFL Totals Contest. If I don't receive your entry and tiebreaker by 5pm EST, you're not in. I'll post the picks of both MoneyLine and myself shortly after the deadline.) The good folks at Football Outsiders have released updated win projections, along with their DVOA projections. Since DVOA adjusts for schedule, we can now take the SOS disclaimer out of this post. Comparing the DVOA rankings to the ESPN Week 1 Power Rankings, here's the new list, from most overvalued to most underrated by the public: ...