Power Rankings: ESPN

Without giving away my only tangible asset (my bi-weekly weekly Warpath Power Poll™) before it's ready (or, for that matter, started), I'd say that the brain trust at ESPN is bonkers about a few teams - Seattle is wildly overrated, having been the beneficiary of both a weak schedule and contract years for it's MVP RB last year; New England had measurable FA losses in Vinatieri and McGinest and weren't worldbeaters last year; and no one knows what bashing your head against a windshield and pavement is going to do to the nerve of Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh. That being said, Redskins at #10 sounds like high preseason praise for our boys, especially given the history of disrespect at the four-letter network.

I am going to have to agree with you about the praise. It's never good enough until we're #1 though. ;)

ahhhh, i missed the days of being pissed over power rankings. Now they are back.


Cowboys are OOOOOOVERRRRRATED. Get an o-line and then maybe you can be top ten. Giants are better than the boys in my opinion. Seahawks are not the best team in the nfl in my eyes. 10 is good enough for me. Last year we were 30th. F... these rankings and f... pastabelli

The skins are a 10-6 team (last year) coming of a loss in the playoffs round of 8. Based strictly of this I say 10th is about where the pundits should have placed us at year's end last season. Even the decent writers aren't going to go out on a limb and bump the skins up until the season starts and we show that we have improved as much as our acquisitions would suggest.

Basically it seems that the media is afraid to heap to much praise on us because of the 2000 season. Snyder's spending and the team's sub-par performance that year tagged us with an "off-season champion" rep. Fair or not, we need to break that mold before they start riding the skins jocks like they do New England.

While I agree that we have upgraded all of our units and our coaching staff, we haven't played any games yet, and I don't expect to get that "top 5" respect from the media until we deliver a slobberknocker to MN in week one. Then, look out, the bandwagon's gonna need a trailer to hold all the journalists jumping on for a ride.

I'm on the other side with the Seahawks. With Ben's injury as it stands now you have to give it to them. Yes they did have a week sechdule but they did have to win in the post season and they did beat us to get there. The Seahawks had a very good shot of winning the SB dispite the ref's. The Pats. will stay up there just by the fact of who won the SB the past 5 years. One thing I do like is that everyone is picking Dallas to have a good season and they state the TO signing. So if he gets injured or has a run in with the team I guess Dallas is cooked.

I don't have a huge problem with the 'Skins at #10, that seems pretty fair to me.

Seattle at #1 is a total crock though - they finished #2, made no offseason adjustments of note, and not to mention the absurdly easy schedule they played last year, #1 is a load of BS. That team is going down the tubes - mid level competitor at best.

I also don't understand why everyone is on their knees, mouth open for the Dolphins and Patriots. Just sick of hearing about those two.

Why is everyone so intent on picking the surprise team of the year? The whole point of a "surprise" team is that no one picked them. IF the Cardinals suddenly make a Super Bowl run, I won't be surprised because every other sports writer is making the prediction. It's not a surprise if you talk about it for years in advance folks.

The Seahawks did sign Adrian Peterson to make their linebacker corps a very formidable one. Nate Burleson should have no problem filling Joe's shoes. I still think they'll be a very strong team.

I swear I was just about to post the same thing about the Dolphins = Arizona.

I remember last year around this time so many people in the media were loving the Cards, they were everyone's trendy darkhorse. I got so sick of hearing about them, all the while I kept saying I knew they were going to bomb.

That being said, I think the Dolphins have a better shot at breaking through than the Cards did last year. If Culpepper's knee holds up... but that might be a big if. I'm not buying that he's going to be 100% come week 1. The dude absolutely shredded his knee, I think he's going to run into some problems staying healthy and he won't be completely back until next year.
we hear about the cards every off season.

I liken the Cowboys signing Terrell Owens to the way an owner of a rusty, '83 Plymouth Aries puts shiny $1000 rims on his wheels.

I mean really, their running backs are average at best, and their offensive line did nothing but get worse when Larry Allen left for San Fran.

They probably won't suck outright, and they'll probably be favored to beat us in Week 2, but I don't see them getting more than 9 wins. Then again, I'm not the most objective guy when it comes to analyzing the Cowboys.

I liken the Cowboys signing Terrell Owens to the way an owner of a rusty, '83 Plymouth Aries puts shiny $1000 rims on his wheels.

I mean really, their running backs are average at best, and their offensive line did nothing but get worse when Larry Allen left for San Fran.

They probably won't suck outright, and they'll probably be favored to beat us in Week 2, but I don't see them getting more than 9 wins. Then again, I'm not the most objective guy when it comes to analyzing the Cowboys.that teams character was shown in week 17 after we had wrapped up the #6 seed. when they had nothing to play for they simply gave up. that attitude doesn't just go away with a new season. that team has no leadership and no character. T.O. will do nothing but draw attention to himself and that will break this team. as soon as they start losing alot of finger pointing will start and we will see the philly disaster all over again. i cant wait.

I figured it would only be a matter of time before this ended up on here. another conspiracy!! Look, we have not proven anything. The Dolphins finished strong, have a huge upgrade at QB and everyone back. Dallas was young on D, and not with TO. The Bengals, come on. you now if Carson wouldn't have gone down it would have been a totally different playoff scene. no one is going to pick us because of the QB position. No one believes Brunell is going to last, and Campbell is still green (glowing!!) Plus new people at key positions on D. just let it go. who cares what the rankings are. we haven't even played a scrimmage or preseason game for christ sakes.

PS - I dont have to change jerseys or my name. I can slap Harvey on the back. They have assigned it to some rookie trying to make the team. Offensive line, guard or center.

Exactly. It is best to fly under the radar. I know, I know....we all love the accolades....but lets just let Joe and the staff whip these guys into a fine tuned machine. The results during the season will be the real barometer and we will see the Skins at the top of these so called "power rankings' soon enough.