NFL Power Rankings Week 2: What Do The Experts Think?

NFL Power Rankings: Are The Chiefs Really The Worst Team?

Before the 2011 NFL season started, most sets of NFL power rankings had the Kansas City Chiefs ranked somewhere around the middle of the pack. The Chiefs made the playoffs last year, perhaps overachieving to a 10-6 record but a playoff berth nonetheless. 

In Week 1, they were totally obliterated by a better Buffalo Bills team, 41-7. The Chiefs weren't just dropped down a few pegs in the various power rankings out there -- some moved them to the very bottom, as in No. 32.

Pro Football Talk ranks them No. 32, as does FOX Sports. CBS Sports also has the Chiefs ranked dead last in the NFL. Football Outsiders was a little kinder ranking the Chiefs only No. 31. 

But are the Chiefs really the NFL's worst team?

Yeah, I'm a Chiefs fan but I can't honestly say this is the worst team in the NFL. Through 16 games last year they proved they were a competent, above average team and they didn't lose much of anything. So I don't think you can realistically say the Chiefs are the worst team in the NFL.

That said, the NFL is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately kind of league and, lately, the Chiefs have played like the worst team in the league. 

ESPN's Week 2 NFL Power Rankings Have The Bills Too Low

In Week 1, the Buffalo Bills, a 4-12 team last year, entered Arrowhead Stadium and embarrassed the Kansas City Chiefs, 41-7. The game was never really close as the Bills controlled it from the start creating turnovers and scoring points off of that.

With a 4-12 record last year, the Bills were near the bottom in most preseason power rankings but, after beating up on the Chiefs, you'd think they'd move up a decent amount, right?

ESPN, for some odd reason, doesn't see it that way. The Bills were ranked 30th in their preseason rankings and, after the Chiefs game, move up a measly three spots to 27th.

What's worse is that the Chiefs, who were ranked 18th in the preseason, dropped just three spots to 21st. 

I know just because you beat one team doesn't mean you need to be ranked ahead of the other but I think this is an extreme case where the Bills didn't just beat the Chiefs, they thoroughly dominated them. They should A.) be ranked higher than 27th after that game and B.) be ranked ahead of the Chiefs. 

I know from experience that no matter what you're going to have questionable spots on your power rankings. Every fan base won't be happy, no matter what. But this one seemed too obvious to me to get wrong.

I'm a Chiefs fan but even I have to admit that the Bills fans over at Buffalo Rumblings got screwed. 

NFL Power Rankings: Disagreement On Vikings, Rams

NFL power rankings are always an entertaining exercise for NFL reporters and bloggers because one outlet can have a team ranked dead last while another one can have them ranked in the middle of the pack. It's stil early in the 2011 NFL season and the jury is still out on a few teams so at this time of year it's understandable. 

Perusing the various Week 2 NFL power rankings out there, I came across a couple of times that have a huge variance among the media in the rankings. 

The Vikings are one of those teams. They're ranked 31st in SB Nation's power rankings and generally near the bottom in most others. Real Clear Sports, which compiles a power rankings average of some of the major media outlets, has them at about the 25th spot. USA Today, however, has them 14th, a difference of 17 spots. How can two people be so far off on the same team? (To defend SB Nation's 31st ranking, consider this: QB Donovan McNabb had 39 passing yards that game. 39.)

The Rams are another team like that. SB Nation has them ranked 15th, which is about right, I think. Middle of the pack or so. USA Today has them ranked 32nd, dead last, in the NFL. Awfully low if you ask me.

That shows you how much two reasonable media outlets can disagree on one team.

NFL Power Rankings From Skynet

NFL Power Rankings Week 2: Packers Remain Supreme; Ravens, Bears Move Up

SB Nation's second set of NFL power rankings are here. The Packers remain on top while the Colts take a major tumble.