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Last week, NFC West blogger Mike Sando ranked the St. Louis Rams as the worst team in the NFL, moving the Colts up a notch.

There was no way, given the Rams quarterback situation, that they would beat the Colts, he told me.

After another Colts win, James Walker of the AFC East and I followed suit this week. Thus Indianapolis has vaulted to 31st in this week’s ESPN.com NFL Power Rankings.

Ah, the rewards of a two-game winning streak.

I’m one-fifth of the ballot. Mike Sando breaks down the whole vote here.

If you want to contact me with your feedback, please do so via Twitter, Facebook or the mailbag.

Here’s the AFC South:


As for my complete ballot, the number in parenthesis is where I had the team ranked last week.

1) Green Bay (1)

2) New Orleans (2)

3) San Francisco (3)

4) Baltimore (4)

5) Pittsburgh (5)

6) New England (6)

7) Detroit (9)

8) Houston (7)

9) Atlanta (8) 9-6 W

10) NY Giants (13)

11) Cincinnati (14)

12) Denver (10)

13) Dallas (11)

14) Tennessee (15)

15) NY Jets (12)

16) Philadelphia (19)

17) Oakland (22)

18) San Diego (16)

19) Carolina (23)

20) Seattle (17)

21) Chicago (18)

22) Arizona (20)

23) Miami (21)

24) Kansas City (24)

25) Washington (25)

26) Buffalo (26)

27) Jacksonville (27)

28) Cleveland (28)

29) Tampa Bay (29)

30) Minnesota (30)

31) Indianapolis (32)

32) St. Louis (31)

Three losses meant a collective drop of eight spots for the AFC South in the new edition of the ESPN.com NFL Power Rankings.

The Titans fell seven spots thanks to their loss to the previously winless Colts while the Jaguars dropped one spot after getting thrashed in Atlanta.

The most interesting element of this week’s balloting to me was that one voter, NFC West blogger Mike Sando, moved the Colts up to 31st, dropping St. Louis to last after Indy’s win over Tennessee. The rest of us left the Colts 32nd despite the win, the same way all of us left the Packers first after their loss to Kansas City.

I’m one-fifth of the ballot. Sando breaks down the whole vote here.

If you want to contact me with your feedback, please do so via Twitter, Facebook or the mailbag.

Here’s the AFC South:



As for my complete ballot, the number in parenthesis is where I had the team ranked last week.

1) Green Bay (1)

2) New Orleans (3)

3) San Francisco (7)

4) Baltimore (2)

5) Pittsburgh (4)

6) New England (5)

7) Houston (6)

8) Atlanta (10)

9) Detroit (13)

10) Denver (8)

11) Dallas (14)

12) NY Jets (9)

13) NY Giants (11)

14) Cincinnati (15)

15) Tennessee (12)

16) San Diego (16)

17) Seattle (22)

18) Chicago (17)

19) Philadelphia (18)

20) Arizona (19)

21) Miami (20)

22) Oakland (21)

23) Carolina (24)

24) Kansas City (26)

25) Washington (29)

26) Buffalo (23)

27) Jacksonville (25)

28) Cleveland (28)

29) Tampa Bay (27)

30) Minnesota (30)

31) St. Louis (31)

32) Indianapolis (32)

The AFC South can’t lose much in ESPN’s NFL Power Rankings. Last week it rated as the worst division with an average spot of 20.1; this week it actualy made a gain -- all the way to 19.6. Still last, of course.

I’m one-fifth of the ballot. Mike Sando breaks down the whole vote here.

If you want to contact me with your feedback, please do so via Twitter or the mailbag.

As for my complete ballot, the number in parentheses is where I had the team ranked last week.

1) Green Bay (1)

2) Baltimore (2)

3) New Orleans (3)

4) Pittsburgh (5)

5) New England (6)

6) Houston (7)

7) San Francisco (4)

8) Denver (11)

9) N.Y. Jets (8)

10) Atlanta (9)

11) N.Y. Giants (16)

12) Tennessee (10)

13) Detroit (15)

14) Dallas (12)

15) Cincinnati (13)

16) San Diego (27)

17) Chicago (14)

18) Philadelphia (19)

19) Arizona (22)

20) Miami (17)

21) Oakland (18)

22) Seattle (21)

23) Buffalo (20)

24) Carolina (23)

25) Jacksonville (29)

26) Kansas City (24)

27) Tampa Bay (25)

28) Cleveland (26)

29) Washington (28)

30) Minnesota (30)

31) St. Louis (31)

32) Indianapolis (32)

The AFC South continues to distinguish itself as the worst division in the NFL, at least according to ESPN’s NFL Power Rankings.

Only one team moved from a week ago, and Tennessee’s four spot move up was hardly enough to get the division out of the basement.

The AFC South’s average spot is 20.1 with the NFC East second-worst at 20.2.

With the Colts dead last and the Jaguars at 29th, it’s tough for the two better teams to offset things.

I’m one-fifth of the ballot. Mike Sando breaks down the whole vote here.

If you want to contact me with your feedback, please do so via Twitter or the mailbag.

Here’s the AFC South:



As for my complete ballot, the number in parenthesis is where I had the team ranked last week.

1) Green Bay (1)

2) Baltimore (2)

3) New Orleans (3)

4) San Francisco (4)

5) Pittsburgh (5)

6) New England (6)

7) Houston (7)

8 ) NY Jets (15)

9) Atlanta (8)

10) Tennessee (16)

11) Denver (17)

12) Dallas (9)

13) Cincinnati (10)

14) Chicago (11)

15) Detroit (12)

16) NY Giants (14)

17) Miami (22)

18) Oakland (13)

19) Philadelphia (18)

20) Buffalo (19)

21) Seattle (27)

22) Arizona (25)

23) Carolina (28)

24) Kansas City (21)

25) Tampa Bay (20)

26) Cleveland (24)

27) San Diego (23)

28) Washington (26)

29) Jacksonville (29)

30) Minnesota (30)

31) St. Louis (31)

32) Indianapolis (32)

We didn’t get a whole lot of movement out of the AFC South in the new NFL Power Rankings. The Texans and Colts were off. The Titans and Jaguars dropped a collective four spots off their two losses.

The division remains the worst, which will be hard to overcome with the Colts locked in at No. 32 and the Jaguars flailing. The average spot of AFC South teams is 21.4. The NFC West is seventh of the eight divisions at 20.4.

I’m one-fifth of the ballot. Mike Sando breaks down the whole vote here.

If you want to contact me with your feedback, please do so via Twitter or the mailbag.

Here’s the AFC South:


As for my complete ballot, the number in parenthesis is where I had the team ranked last week.

1) Green Bay (1)

2) San Francisco (2)

3) New Orleans (3)

4) Pittsburgh (4)

5) Chicago (5)

6) New England (6)

7) Baltimore (7)

8 ) Houston (8)

9) Detroit (10)

10) Atlanta (10)

11) Dallas (11)

12) NY Giants (9)

13) Cincinnati (12)

14) Oakland (17)

15) NY Jets (14)

16) Tennessee (16)

17) Philadelphia (23)

18) Denver (19)

19) Buffalo (16)

20) Tampa Bay (18)

21) Kansas City (20)

22) San Diego (21)

23) Cleveland (28)

24) Arizona (22)

25) Seattle (26)

26) Washington

27) Miami (31)

28) Minnesota (25)

29) Jacksonville (27)

30) Carolina (29)

31) St. Louis (30)

32) Indianapolis (32)

The Texans produced the widest split in this week’s edition of the ESPN.com’s NFL Power Rankings -- with a fourth-place vote from John Clayton and a 14th-place vote from James Walker.

I judged them to be between that, at eighth, and they stand at ninth.

Their win at Tampa Bay gave them a boost, but the loss of quarterback Matt Schaub to a foot injury worked to offset it.

So they stand ninth heading into their bye. The AFC South fell to last overall among the eight divisions: Our four teams average 20.5th, while the NFC West is at 19.5th.

I’m one-fifth of the ballot. Mike Sando breaks down the whole vote here.

If you want to contact me with your feedback, please do so via Twitter or the mailbag.

Here’s the AFC South:


As for my complete ballot, the number in parenthesis is where I had the team ranked last week.

1) Green Bay (1)

2) San Francisco (2)

3) New Orleans (7)

4) Pittsburgh (4)

5) Chicago (11)

6) New England (14)

7) Baltimore (3)

8) Houston (8)

9) NY Giants (6)

10) Detroit (5)

11) Dallas (20)

12) Cincinnati (9)

13) Atlanta (10)

14) NY Jets (12)

15) Tennessee (16)

16) Buffalo (13)

17) Oakland (17)

18) Tampa Bay (21)

19) Denver (28)

20) Kansas City (18)

21) San Diego (19)

22) Arizona (30)

23) Philadelphia (15)

24) Washington (22)

25) Minnesota (23)

26) Seattle (29)

27) Jacksonville (25)

28) Cleveland (26)

29) Carolina (24)

30) St. Louis (30)

31) Miami (31)

32) Indianapolis (32)

Miami’s win in Kansas City finally got the Colts to a unanimous spot in our standings. The Colts got the last place vote of all five of our panelists, including yours truly.

Indianapolis is 32nd in every way in the new edition of the ESPN.com NFL Power Rankings.

Remarkably, the AFC South (21.6) still outranks the NFC West (22.4) in average placement.

Contact me with your feedback via Twitter or the mailbag.

Here’s the AFC South:

Mike Sando breaks down all the ballots here. As for my complete vote, the number in parenthesis is where I had the team ranked last week.

1) Green Bay (1)

2) San Francisco (2)

3) Baltimore (5)

4) Pittsburgh (3)

5) Detroit (6)

6) NY Giants (9)

7) New Orleans (8)

8) Houston (11)

9) Cincinnati (12)

10) Atlanta (15)

11) Chicago (13)

12) NY Jets (16)

13) Buffalo (4)

14) New England (7)

15) Philadelphia (10)

16) Tennessee (17)

17) Oakland (14)

18) Kansas City (18)

19) San Diego (19)

20) Dallas (22)

21) Tampa Bay (20)

22) Washington (21)

23) Minnesota (23)

24) Carolina (24)

25) Jacksonville (25)

26) Cleveland (26)

27) Arizona (30)

28) Denver (28)

29) Seattle (27)

30) St. Louis (29)

31) Miami (31)

32) Indianapolis (32)

The AFC South is the worst division in football, according to the new edition of the ESPN.com NFL Power Rankings.

The division has lost all seven of its games over the last two weeks. It’s a streak that has to end Sunday when the Titans host the Texans with the division lead on the line.

I think they can both contend until the end and that it’s early to declare anything definitive about where the division will ultimately stand. The NFC West can certainly still contend.

But if the Colts and Jaguars continue on anything close to the course they’re following so far, they will weigh down the division in this poll even if the Texans and Titans rank well.

My ballot accounts for one-fifth of the Power Rankings. You can contact me about my part in the poll though my mailbag or via Twitter. Here's Mike Sando's review of all five ballots.

Here’s the AFC South:


As for my complete ballot, the number in parenthesis is where I had the team ranked last week.

1) Green Bay (1)

2) New England (2)

3) Baltimore (4)

4) New Orleans (3)

5) San Francisco (13)

6) Detroit (5)

7) Pittsburgh (7)

8) NY Giants (15)

9) Buffalo (6)

10) Oakland (11)

11) Tampa Bay (14)

12) Cincinnati (18)

13) Washington (11)

14) Houston (8)

15) Tennessee (10)

16) San Diego (12)

17) NY Jets (16)

18) Chicago (19)

19) Atlanta (20)

20) Philadelphia (21)

21) Dallas (17)

22) Seattle (22)

23) Carolina (23)

24) Arizona (24)

25) Cleveland (25)

26) Jacksonville (26)

27) Kansas City (27)

28) Denver (28)

29) Minnesota (29)

30) St. Louis (30)

31) Miami (31)

32) Indianapolis (32)

The AFC South is not heading for NFC West territory. I think Matt Schaub, despite having a bad end of the game against Oakland, and a revitalized Matt Hasselbeck assure us of that.

But after an 0-4 Sunday, the division is plummeting in the ESPN.com NFL Power Rankings.

Collectively, the Texans, Titans, Jaguars and Colts lost 17 spots in the new poll. Collectively, it averages 20.6th. That’s good for seventh out of the eight divisions, ahead of only the aforementioned NFC West.

The Colts blew a 17-point lead to Kansas City to drop to 0-5, and now rank dead last in our poll. Owner Jim Irsay said at owners meetings in Houston that if they were in position to make the pick, the team would consider drafting Andrew Luck.

How the mighty have fallen.

My ballot accounts for one-fifth of the Power Rankings. You can contact me about my part in the poll through my mailbag or via Twitter.

Here’s the AFC South:


As for my complete ballot, the number in parenthesis is where I had the team ranked last week.

1) Green Bay (1)

2) New England (2)

3) New Orleans (3)

4) Baltimore (4)

5) Detroit (5)

6) Buffalo (8)

7) Pittsburgh (10)

8) Houston (6)

9) Oakland (11)

10) Tennessee (9)

11) Washington (12)

12) San Diego (15)

13) San Francisco (17)

14) Tampa Bay (7)

15) NY Giants (13)

16) NY Jets (14)

17) Dallas (16)

18) Cincinnati (23)

19) Chicago (18)

20) Atlanta (19)

21) Philadelphia (20)

22) Seattle (26)

23) Carolina (22)

24) Arizona (21)

25) Cleveland (24)

26) Jacksonville (25)

27) Kansas City (28)

28) Denver (27)

29) Minnesota (32)

30) St. Louis (29)

31) Miami (30)

32) Indianapolis (31)

Are the Buccaneers the seventh-best team in the NFL?

It’s an iffy proposition. I don’t like to move teams too much on my ballot for ESPN.com's NFL Power Rankings based on one result, and I didn’t bump the Bucs up two spots because they beat Indianapolis.

It was more about dropping people. The Jets deserved a major slip for their effort in Baltimore. Pittsburgh needed to slide.

After my top six, I don’t love anyone. There aren’t a lot of teams on the rise in the next group for me: Buffalo (my No. 8), Tennessee (10) and maybe Oakland (11).

Send me word of your issues if you feel the need, via Twitter or my mailbag. But please know my ballot (below) counts for just one-fifth of the total. Here’s Mike Sando’s weekly breakdown.

Here’s the AFC South:


As for my complete ballot, the number in parenthesis is where I had the team ranked last week.

1. Green Bay (1)
2. New England (2)
3. New Orleans (3)
4. Baltimore (4)
5. Detroit (5)
6. Houston (6)
7. Tampa Bay (9)
8. Buffalo (10)
9. Tennessee (14)
10. Pittsburgh (8)
11. Oakland (11)
12. Washington (16)
13. NY Giants (13)
14. NY Jets (7)
15. San Diego (12)
16. Dallas (15)
17. San Francisco (24)
18. Chicago (19)
19. Atlanta (17)
20. Philadelphia (18)
21. Arizona (20)
22. Carolina (21)
23. Cincinnati (27)
24. Cleveland (22)
25. Jacksonville (23)
26. Seattle (25)
27. Denver (26)
28. Kansas City (32)
29. St. Louis (28)
30. Miami (29)
31. Indianapolis (30)
32. Minnesota (31)

Three games is still a small sample size, but it’s big enough for me to start adjusting some of my preseason expectations as I cast a ballot in the ESPN.com NFL Power Rankings.

I liked Atlanta, Philadelphia and St. Louis in the buildup to the season. All three rank as disappointments so far. I’ve got the Falcons down 10 spots, the Eagles down 10 spots and the Rams down eight.

Meanwhile, I kick myself for underrating the Raiders. They are legit and jumped eight spots after the win over the Jets.

The Bills, the best story in the NFL so far, also vaulted eight slots.

Reminder: I have just one of five ballots. You’ll find a roundup of all of them here. And mine is also below. I welcome your comments in my mailbag or via Twitter, just please make them based on what I’ve done, not what the full panel has done.

Here’s the AFC South:


The one thing that stood out to me regarding AFC South teams is that Ashley Fox has the Texans 18th.

"I really look at 8-18 as being virtually interchangeable at this point," she said. "They are good, but not yet great teams. All have the potential of moving up significantly, or falling off. I penalized the Texans because they have beaten two of the worst teams in the league in Indianapolis and Miami, and then collapsed against one of the best. But they certainly could be back in the top 10 in a matter of weeks."

Reasonable, I think, so go easy on her, Houston.

As for my complete ballot, the number in parenthesis is where I had the team ranked last week.

1. Green Bay (1)
2. New England (2)
3. New Orleans (4)
4. Baltimore (6)
5. Detroit (9)
6. Houston (5)
7. N.Y. Jets (3)
8. Pittsburgh (10)
9. Tampa Bay (11)
10. Buffalo (18)
11. Oakland (19)
12. San Diego (14)
13. N.Y. Giants (17)
14. Tennessee (16)
15. Dallas (13)
16. Washington (15)
17. Atlanta (7)
18. Philadelphia (8)
19. Chicago (12)
20. Arizona (20)
21. Carolina (24)
22. Cleveland (28)
23. Jacksonville (22)
24. San Francisco (25)
25. Seattle (31)
26. Denver (26)
27. Cincinnati (27)
28. St. Louis (20)
29. Miami (23)
30. Indianapolis (29)
31. Minnesota (30)
32. Kansas City (32)

The team that’s held up the top of the ESPN.com NFL Power Rankings for the AFC South for as long as I’ve been voting is sinking like a rock.

Want to put a value on Peyton Manning to the Colts? In power ranking terms, it’s roughly 25 spots.

The 0-2 Colts stand at 30th in the new edition of our poll, ahead of just Seattle and Kansas City. One of our five panelists, Mike Sando of the NFC West, put Indianapolis 32nd.

Reminder: I’m just one of five ballots. You’ll find a roundup of all of them HERE. Mine is also below.

I welcome your venom in my mailbag, just please make it accurate venom.

Here’s the AFC South:


As for my complete ballot, the number in parenthesis is where I had the team ranked last week.

1. Green Bay (1)
2. New England (2)
3. NY Jets (3)
4. New Orleans (6)
5. Houston (7)
6. Baltimore (5)
7. Atlanta (10)
8. Philadelphia (4)
9. Detroit (11)
10. Pittsburgh (8)
11. Tampa Bay (13)
12. Chicago (9)
13. Dallas (18)
14. San Diego (12)
15. Washington (21)
16. Tennessee (25)
17. NY Giants (15)
18. Buffalo (24)
19. Oakland (14)
20. St. Louis (19)
21. Arizona (20)
22. Jacksonville (16)
23. Miami (23)
24. Carolina (27)
25. San Francisco (22)
26. Denver (29)
27. Cincinnati (28)
28. Cleveland (32)
29. Indianapolis (17)
30. Minnesota (30)
31. Seattle (31)
32. Kansas City (26)

The caution signs should be flashing neon: Don’t put anyone in the Super Bowl over what happened in Week 1. Don’t give them Andrew Luck, either.

But ESPN’s NFL Power Rankings are a week-to-week deal, meant to reflect the league right now, and there was some dramatic movement.

I’ve got one of the five votes in the poll, and made some major swings. The Bears and Redskins, for example, went way up. The Vikings and Colts took giant dips.

Such is life.

Here’s the AFC South:


And here’s my complete ballot. The number in parenthesis is where I had the team ranked last week. Keep in mind, please, that this is just one-fifth of the result. Click here for Mike Sando's breakdown of all the voting.

1. Green Bay (1)
2. New England (2)
3. NY Jets (6)
4. Philadelphia (5)
5. Baltimore (8)
6. New Orleans (3)
7. Houston (11)
8. Pittsburgh (4)
9. Chicago (19)
10. Atlanta (7)
11. Detroit (12)
12. San Diego (14)
13. Tampa Bay (10)
14. Oakland (17)
15. NY Giants (13)
16. Jacksonville (18)
17. Indianapolis (9)
18. Dallas (15)
19. St. Louis (16)
20. Arizona (21)
21. Washington (30)
22. San Francisco (24)
23. Miami (26)
24. Buffalo (29)
25. Tennessee (22)
26. Kansas City (20)
27. Carolina (31)
28. Cincinnati (32)
29. Denver (28)
30. Minnesota (23)
31. Seattle (25)
32. Cleveland (27)

Don’t put much into the preseason. We have to remind ourselves over and over not to factor what we’ve seen so far into what we anticipate when games start for real Thursday night.

I did not move anyone much in this week's ESPN.com NFL Power Rankings ballot. I am one of five voters and Mike Sando breaks down all five ballots here. Here is how the AFC South teams fared:

I dropped the Indianapolis Colts a bit because of the uncertainty surrounding Peyton Manning. It’s become clearer since voting that he’s not playing in the opener, so I might have dropped them a couple spots more. The Houston Texans against Kerry Collins will clarify things.

Houston and the Tennessee Titans got slight bumps from me for solid preseasons. The Jacksonville Jaguars dropped a slot for a poor showing and their failure to answer any of their big questions.

Other moves: The New York Giants dropped down because of defensive back questions; San Diego is up as I reassessed the AFC West; Washington moved up from last because its defense will offset the offense at times and makes the Redskins better than the Cincinnati Bengals and the Carolina Panthers at the outset.

Rip away. My mailbox is here, my ESPN Twitter here.

My ballot, with my vote in the previous poll in parentheses.

1. Green Bay (1)
2. New England (2)
3. New Orleans (3)
4. Pittsburgh (5)
5. Philadelphia (4)
6. NY Jets (7)
7. Atlanta (9)
8. Baltimore (8)
9. Indianapolis (6)
10. Tampa Bay (11)
11. Houston (13)
12. Detroit (12)
13. NY Giants (10)
14. San Diego (16)
15. Dallas (14)
16. St. Louis (15)
17. Oakland (18)
18. Jacksonville (17)
19. Chicago (20)
20. Kansas City (19)
21. Arizona (21)
22. Tennessee (24)
23. Minnesota (23)
24. San Francisco (22)
25. Seattle (25)
26. Miami (26)
27. Cleveland (27)
28. Denver (30)
29. Buffalo (28)
30. Washington (32)
31. Carolina (29)
32. Cincinnati (31)

The Colts lead the AFC South into the 2011 ESPN.com NFL Power Rankings, standing eighth in our first poll.

I’m one of five voters, along with John Clayton, Ashley Fox, Mike Sando and James Walker on this year’s panel. That means if you’ve got a beef, I’m usually only responsible for one-fifth of your issue.

My weight on some is obviously bigger than that.

You can see more details in Mike Sando’s post here.

First let’s run down the division:


The Texans are up four spots from the final 2010 poll at the end of the regular season. The Colts are up 2. The Titans stayed the same and the Jaguars lost six spots. I don’t see how you can say the Jaguars are six spots worse, but I know someone has to drop when you lift other teams.

I had two giant movers: The Bears are down 16 slots. I think Chicago falls to pieces. The Texans are up 12. I don’t think they will be great, but I think 13th overall is about right.

The AFC South is the fifth best division with an average spot of 16.2.

I look forward to your reaction. Or I dread it. I’ll let you know after I see some of it.

Here is my entire ballot:

1. Green Bay
2. New England
3. New Orleans
4. Philadelphia
5. Pittsburgh
6. Indianapolis
7. NY Jets
8. Baltimore
9. Atlanta
10. NY Giants
11. Tampa Bay
12. Detroit
13. Houston
14. Dallas
15. St. Louis
16. San Diego
17. Jacksonville
18. Oakland
19. Kansas City
20. Chicago
21. Arizona
22. San Francisco
23. Minnesota
24. Tennessee
25. Seattle
26. Miami
27. Cleveland
28. Buffalo
29. Carolina
30. Denver
31. Cincinnati
32. Washington