My NFL Power Rankings

Three weeks have passed. Here are my power rankings based not by record, but by who I believe is the best.

1. Green Bay Packers - With New England losing, there is no question who the top dog is. Green Bay is playing at a Super Bowl level.

2. New England Patriots - I know they lost to Buffalo, but I don't expect Brady to throw four picks again. New England is still a machine, despite an early loss.

3. New Orleans Saints - Scoring 104 points in three games is impressive. The team's only loss came on the final snap to the defending Super Bowl Champion Packers.

4. Baltimore Ravens - The way they punished the Steelers impressed me. Their domination of the Rams was expected. The loss to the Titans shocked me but I think their defense will carry them all season long. Ray Lewis is looking young; watch out!

5. Houston Texans - Houston we do not have a problem! The Texans are for real. Next to Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson is the third best wide receiver in the league.

6. Detroit Lions - Everybody knows about Stafford and Megatron. Everybody knows what Suh has done for that defense. But the x-factor is Brandon Pettigrew. He tied a Lions tight end record catching eleven balls at Minnesota last Sunday.

7. New York Jets - Defense Defense Defense! That's what Rex Ryan's team is built on. They also have the most confident coach of the past decade.

8. Buffalo Bills - I can't yet say I'm a believer of the undefeated Bills. A few years ago they started hot and then fell off the map. Nevertheless, I cannot deny them a top ten spot when they lead the NFL in scoring.

9. Pittsburgh Steelers - The Steelers did not look good against the Colts. Yet, a win is a win. Big Ben made plays when he needed them. He is still a great leader and the Steelers still have some of the league's hardest hitters (Harrison).

10. New York Giants - I still like the backfield combination of Bradshaw and Jacobs. The defensive line is still fully capable of tormenting quarterbacks. The G-Men will have a shot at winning the NFC East.

11. Dallas Cowboys - Tony Romo has weapons. Felix Jones, Jason Witten, and Miles Austin lead the way statistically for their quarterback. After holding the Redskins to 16 points, the defense is confident as well.

12. San Diego Chargers - The Bolts barely beat the Chiefs, who lost their first two games in blowout fashion. They are 4th in the NFL in yards, however, led by Phillip Rivers. Their lone loss comes to Tom Brady and the Pats.

13. Atlanta Falcons - The Falcons are off to a slow start, but have all the makings of a playoff team. I believe they will turn it around. Look for Julio Jones to make a name for himself already in year one of his promising career.

14. Philadelphia Eagles - If Mike Vick is healthy I like the Eagles. If not, I don't. But they have talent and speed on both sides of the ball. Their immediate future rests in the hands of the health of their franchise quarterback.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Youth dominates the offense. The future looks promising. The Bucs have tallied victories over a good Atlanta team and a dangerous Minnesota team who has underachieved so far. Their lone loss was at the hands of the undefeated Lions.

16. Washington Redskins - I am not a believer in the offense. The defense, on the other hand, is impressive. I like the tenacity on the defensive side of the ball led by Fletcher, Hall, Orakpo, and McIntosh.

17. Oakland Raiders - The Raiders are back to respectability. McFadden's ability to bust open the big play is similar to that of Adrian Peterson. Oakland will give a lot of teams fits this season.

18. Tennessee Titans - Chris Johnson is back! It's too bad for Titans fans he's only averaging 2.1 yards a carry. At least they have Matt Hasselbeck who has been providing the much needed veteran leadership.

19. Chicago Bears - The only reason I don't move them up is because of their offensive line. Cutler won't make it through the year the way his big boys up front are playing (or aren't playing for that matter).

20. San Fransisco 49ers - Frank Gore and Vernon Davis play in beast mode all the time and their special teams can be very dangerous with Ted Ginn Jr. as the return man. On the flip side, San Fran has only 432 yards through the air in three games...not good.

21.  Cleveland Browns - Josh Cribbs is as electrifying as ever and quarterback Colt McCoy is coming into his own. Cleveland has a winning record, which is a rarity. Look for McCoy to get this franchise on the right track.

22. Minnesota Vikings - Yes I know they have not won a game, but they are a few plays from being undefeated, believe it or not. Donovan McNabb is good. Donovan McNabb used to be great. He has been playing average, which has kept them from holding on to their leads. GIVE THE BALL TO ADRIAN PETERSON (as long as he is not fumbling)!

23. Carolina Panthers - Cam Newton will be a star. His multi-dimensional skill set will lead to a fair amount of Panther victories. They are not there yet, but I cannot wait to see this team perform in two or three years.

24. Arizona Cardinals - Larry Fitzgerald is one of the top ten players in the NFL. Kolb and company need to find ways to get him the ball!

25. Denver Broncos - Denver has more first downs than their opponents but is losing the turnover battle. Maybe it is time for a Tim Tebow siting? Why not give the fans what they want?

26. Cincinnati Bengals - The Bengals have more yards than their opponents, and A.J. Greene is already earning recognition. Too bad these thugs are still getting into trouble off the field.

27. Miami Dolphins - Chad Henne and Brandon Marshall should be a successful combination. On another note, can Reggie Bush finally show up and validate all the hype surrounding him?

28. Indianapolis Colts - Losing Peyton Manning has been devastating to Indy. However, Garcon and Wayne are still bright spots on the outside, and the undersized defense still has speed. They might win a few games.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars - The Jags are averaging single digits (9.7 points per game). Jacksonville fans: thank the Lord your team can still play defense. Their lone victory was a result of the defense stepping up against the Titans.

30. Seattle Seahawks - The Seahawks have lost the turnover battle thus far, and have been sub par on third downs. Marshawn Lynch is a rare bright spot.

 31. St. Louis Rams - Sam Bradford is an up-and-coming player in a terrible situation. The only reason I put St. Louis ahead of Kansas City is because they have Cadillac Williams and Steven Jackson.

32. Kansas City Chiefs - After being completely embarrassed in the first two weeks, I am glad the win-less Chiefs kept last week's game interesting. Losing top play-maker Jamaal Charles to a knee injury was tragic. Thomas Jones and Dwayne Bowe must step up.

Is it October yet??

     It's getting to be that time of year again for baseball fans. Yup, October is vastly approaching. For those die-hards who live and breathe America's past-time, it's about time to start thinking World Series. I have begun shaping my somewhat educated picks for this year's grand finale which begins near October's end. Two teams stick out to me as clubs I would surely regret picking against. These are the Detroit Tigers of the American League (A.L.) and the National League's (N.L.) Philadelphia Phillies.
     The Tigers are currently the hottest team in baseball and have found their groove at the right time. Leyland's bunch is shutting teams out when their bats are not producing, and slugging the ball when the pitching is short of phenomenal. Justin Verlander is a sure victory each time he steps on the mound. The maturing all-star is becoming more like a super-star worthy of winning both the A.L. Cy Young and the A.L. Most Valuable Player (MVP), in my opinion. His presence on the diamond counts for at least one sure win per series come October. One win quickly becomes imperative in a best of seven showdown. Verlander's play has also inspired the performances of his fellow teammates on the staff.
     The pitching staff of the Detroit Tigers has gone from slightly below average  before the all-star break, to one of baseball's best. Fister is executing his gameplans like an ace. Penny is no longer pitching like a 33 year-old, but has finally started earning the paycheck to his one year, $3 million contract. Sherzer is striking people out as usual, and Porcello is finding ways to get the job done. The bullpen is also as sure handed as ever. No more worrying if Zumaya will be healthy enough to make an appearance, or wondering whether Todd Jones will perform like he's as old as his beard looks. Benoit and Valverde are getting the job done night after night. Valverde has yet to blow a save all season. His ability to close has been highly efficient to say the least. If the Tigers give him hits, they should be safe.
     Detroit's position players have been doing just that: getting hits to support their pitchers. Miguel Cabrera, an MVP candidate along with Verlander, is quietly having another incredible year. Since the all-star break, he has hit .365%. Like Verlander rubs off on teammates, so does Miguel. Seven other Tigers are batting near or above .300% since the midpoint of the season in July. This doesn't even include guys like Austin Jackson or Magglio Ordonez, who are both extremely dangerous baseball players. Detroit is getting walk-off home runs from guys who don't normally hit them. They have had clutch hitting in pressure situations and have been at their best when their best has been needed. That is the sign of a great team.
     The Detroit Tigers are playing like a great team. The combination of their excellent hitting and promising pitching has made them my favorite to win the American League. They are hotter than the Yankees, Rangers, and Red Sox. Now, Detroit just needs to prove it when it matters...in October.
     My pick to host Detroit for the 2011 World Series is Philadelphia. The foremost reason for this selection is because of their accomplished starting rotation. With Oswalt, Hamels, Halladay, and Lee, I don't think it matters who the fifth starter is. Heck, I could take the job and Philly would still win series after series. Post all-star game, the Phillies do not have a pitcher with a losing record. Halladay and Lee are doing their thing and leading like usual. Lee sits at 7-1 since the halfway point and Halladay maintains a win-loss record of 6-2. With such an exemplary staff, most teams would not need big name guys at the plate. The Phillies are fortunate enough to have both.
     Their lineup consists of a number of hard-working, fully capable hitters like Polanco, Ibanez, Rollins, Utley, and home run hitter Ryan Howard. Not only does Philly have talent, but they also have experience. They know what it takes to win a ring. Charlie Manuel's club won theirs just three years ago in 2008. They hope to do so once more, and I believe they will. My final prediction is the Phillies will ruin Detroit's hopes of capturing their first World Series title since 1984 by defeating Leyland's troops in six hard fought games.