Power Playoff Wednesday - September 17, 2009

NCAA Power Rankings
1. Florida Gators, 2-0 [LW – 1]
Can Tim Tebow hang half a hundred on Rocky Top? Not if Eric Berry has anything to say about it. A 28 ½ point spread to open the week… Wow. The Tennessee-Western Kentucky spread was only 30 at kickoff. Oh, there’s already a quarterback controversy on Rock Top. Look out, Smokey.
2. Texas Longhorns, 2-0 [LW – 2]
Texas had shaky first half in Wyoming. I don’t think Taylor Potts and Texas Tech will give them that luxury. The Red Raiders are a high scoring offense facing a 17 ½ spread. Now, I’m not calling for an outright upset, but you gotta figure Tech will score thirty. Can Texas really put up a fifty spot?
3. Alabama Crimson Tide, 2-0 [LW – 4]
Northern Texas!? Yawn, is it time for conference play yet?
4. USC Trojans, 2-0 [LW – 4]
I know, I know. No bump for beating a top ten opponent? Well, it was Ohio State, and the Trojans looked pretty shaky at times. Bama looked better when they beat top ten VaTech.
5. BYU Cougars, 2-0 [LW – 5]
The Cougars managed to show up despite the obviously “after upset letdown” potential. Now they can prepare for another match with the big boys: Florida State. If Florida State remembers to pack their offense, we could have an interesting football game.
6. Boise State Broncos, 2-0 [LW – 7]
Boise State didn’t look so dominant the week after Oregon. They have a light schedule by all accounts and will have to impress to keep their BCS hopes alive. Next up: Pat Hill and feisty Fresno State.
7. Ole Miss Rebels, 1-0 [LW – 8]
A week off came a great time. Dexter McCluster had the flu. Greg Hardy was still little beat up. And the Rebs seemed to have slipped out of the national spot light. I think that’s a good thing: it never hurts to have a little distance between Houston Nutt and hype.
8. California Bears, 2-0 [LW – 9]
I seriously thought shuffling the Cal and Penn St, but neither team has played anybody yet and we really don’t know anything. So I figured what the hey… why miss out on a chance to piss off the Big Ten!?
9. Penn State Nittany Lions, 2-0 [LW – 10]
All joking aside, the JoePa’s boys looked absolutely dominant playing the Duke basketball B-team.
10. LSU Tigers, 2-0 [LW – 11]
LSU beat Vandy by two touchdowns. But it felt a lot closer… especially for a night game in Death Valley. The Tigers look light years away from the SEC elite.
11. Ohio State, 1-1 [LW – 12]
Woah! The Buckeyes lose… at home… and STILL move up!? To be honest, they looked good against what many consider to be one of the three most talented teams in the country. They looked better than the next three teams on this list, too.
12. Virginia Tech, 1-1 [LW – 13]
The Hokies bounced back strong by pummeling Marshall. I wish Marshall would make a cold medicine or a hangover cure. “Had a long night, but I took a couple of Marshalls and I’m back on my feet!”
13. Oklahoma Sooners, 1-1 [LW – 14]
Looks like the offense still works. The Sooner proved that Idaho St is no BYU with a 64-0 beat down.
14. Georgia Tech, 2-0 [LW – NR]
Maybe a primetime thriller was just what Tech needed to get on everybody’s radar. Watch out for this team. They could make a slow and steady rise in these rankings.

NFL Power Playoff Rankings
1. Pittsburgh Steelers – AFC North
Big overtime win for the Steel City. But another suspect performance from that offensive line. The Steelers haven’t been a running team for two years now.
2. New York Giants – NFC East
The Giants looked like the same physical team from late 2007 and early 2008. Can they stay upright for twenty more weeks? With the depth they have at every line position, it looks possible.
3. Green Bay Packers – NFC North
It was nice to see the Pack close a game for a change. The defensive scheme seems to be working… just ask Gay Cutler (not a typo). But this team still needs to grow in order satisfy cheesehead expectations.
4. New Orleans Saints – NFC South
Drew Brees + Lions = FANTASY!! Sheesh… Brees embarrassed the entire state of Michigan. But let’s see that defense play an all male football team.
5. New England Patriots - AFC East
The Pats sucked the life out of Buffalo with vintage Brady fourth quarter comeback, to be sure. But that defense looks lost without Jerrod Mayo. And Brady looked absolutely terrified to test that knee.
6. Tennessee Titans – AFC South
Tough, tough loss. Not sure why the Titans D called off the dogs late in the fourth quarter. You have wonder whether the Titans would have crumbled in Three Rivers if Jim Schwartz is still their defensive coordinator.
7. Minnesota Vikings – NFC Wild Card
The Vikings looked strong on opening weekend, flexing their muscles with AP and rookie Percy Harvin. But they were still playing the Browns. And we’ve yet to see how Favre will fare with the game on the line.
8. Indianapolis Colts – AFC Wild Card
Just another day in the life of a Colt. Injuries, close game, Peyton Manning pulls out yet another close win.
9. Baltimore Ravens – AFC Wild Card
Great come-from-behind win… but against the Chiefs without newly minted franchise quarterback Matt Cassel? Ooof. The Ravens defense has a little work to do before they look like the terrifying unit we’ve come to know.
10. Philadelphia Eagles – NFC Wild Card
Surprise, surprise… Donovan is questionable with a cracked rib. And so a quarterback controversy looms in the future. But not for the number one spot. If Kolb struggles and Garcia comes in to clean up, who loses their roster spot?
11. San Diego Chargers – AFC West
Before we all get too surprised to see the Chargers struggle against the bottom-feeding Raiders, remember their 4-8 start from last year. Remember that it takes another year to fully recover from a knee injury like Shawn Merriman suffered. Oh, and their coach? That’s right, it’s still Norv Turner.
12. Seattle Seahawks – NFC West
Beating up on the Rams is becoming a labor of love for this down and out division.