| Doc's Sports will rank all 32 teams in the NFL from the | | | | Tampa. Derrick Mason, Chris McAllister and Jamal |
| strongest to the weakest, with a betting slant, | | | | Lewis are questionable.16. Atlanta (15) - Step forward: |
| throughout each week of the 2006-2007 NFL season. | | | | getting Ashley Lelie. Step backward: Edge Hartwell |
| And without further ado, here are my Week 1 NFL | | | | gets injured, again. They start with three straight |
| Power Rankings (previous ranking in parenthesis):1. | | | | divisional games, two of which are on the road. Tough |
| Denver (3) - I think they're walking into a bear trap on | | | | times.17. Philadelphia (19) - Don't confuse Donte |
| Sunday. This will only be the fourth time in 11 years that | | | | Stallworth for a No. 1 receiver. And don't confuse the |
| the Broncos opened the season on the road. They're | | | | Eagles offense for one that needs a No. 1 receiver.18. |
| 1-2 SU in the previous three. Meanwhile, St. Louis is 9-2 | | | | Kansas City (18) - I know they aren't what they once |
| in home openers.2. Carolina (2) - The Panthers have | | | | were, but Arrowhead is not the type of place that you |
| looked sharp throughout the preseason. But remember, | | | | just walk into and win. Last weekend I said the same |
| a more focused team in Week 1 stunned them last | | | | thing about another place and team: Knoxville and the |
| year (New Orleans). And Atlanta is definitely focused | | | | Tennessee Vols.19. San Diego (14) - After the issues |
| in this spot.3. Pittsburgh (1) - The line on this game has | | | | with Drew Brees, Donnie Edwards and now Glenn |
| bounced around more than Pamela Anderson on her | | | | Foley, the Chargers front office is close to alienating |
| three recent honeymoons. But Pitt is back as a | | | | the players. That is, if they haven't already. From what |
| favorite in part because people realized, "Wait, this is | | | | I gather, Foley was a big Character Guy in the locker |
| Dante Culpepper on the road. What were we | | | | room.20. Arizona (23) - Saw a special on the NFL |
| thinking?"4. Indianapolis (5) - The Colts look like they're | | | | Network about Cardinals Stadium. That place is freakin' |
| taking a page out of the Bill Belichick playbook. They | | | | awesome. The Cardinals picked up three players from |
| have 19 guys listed as questionable on the injury report | | | | waivers this week. That should be a red flag. |
| this weekend. That's a Huge red flag. I'm sure about 15 | | | | Linebacker Karlos Dansby is still out with a toe injury, |
| of those guys are going to play, but are they all going | | | | and that's a critical loss for that defense.21. Oakland |
| to be ready to roll up into the Meadowlands for a | | | | (28) - With off-field injures and distractions surrounding |
| fistfight?5. Chicago (6) - Mike Brown is coming back | | | | the Chargers, the Raiders are in a great spot to steal |
| from a potentially serious Achilles injury this preseason. | | | | a divisional game. However, the Raiders are just 6-17-1 |
| He says he's fine, but the over/under on when he | | | | ATS in The Black Hole since the start of 2003.22. St. |
| goes down for the season is Week 4. The Bears are | | | | Louis (26) - Quiet preseason. No notable injuries (yet). |
| beat up all over their defense - Brown, Alex Brown | | | | Defense reportedly making strides. Also, they've lost |
| and Nate Vasher - heading into Green Bay.6. Seattle | | | | four straight at home. What are the odds that they |
| (7) - I had the No. 1 Overall pick in my fantasy draft | | | | lose five? The Rams, along with the Eagles and Lions, |
| and took Alexander. Now he needs to prove that the | | | | could are sleepers in the NFC this year.23. Houston |
| Madden Curse is a joke.7. New England (8) - There | | | | (22) - Man, that Domanick Davis situation is just making |
| are Huge Questions facing this team. Seau? Gabriel? | | | | the Mario Williams pick soooooooo much more |
| Branch? Harrison? Gostkowski? O'Callaghan? | | | | suspect. I like the Texans, but that leaky line is going to |
| Maroney? Between 2003 and 2005 their number of | | | | get manhandled by Javon Kearse and Darren |
| interceptions has been reduced by one-third (29 to 10) | | | | Howard. Early prediction: six sacks.24. Detroit (20) - If |
| and their number of TD passes allowed has more | | | | this game was in November, I would be taking the |
| than doubled (11 to 25).8. Washington (4) - Yuck. An | | | | Lions and the 6.5 points in a heartbeat. But it's not in |
| 0-4 mark and no points out of the No. 1 offense, | | | | Nov.25. Minnesota (21) - When Koren Robinson drinks, |
| coupled with the whole Portis-injury thing explains the | | | | everyone loses. The Vikings are one of the most |
| drop. Now they're going to be without Shawn Springs | | | | intriguing teams playing this weekend. How good is that |
| for another couple of weeks. Bad vibes.9. Miami (16) - | | | | offensive line? Will that defense play with heart?26. |
| The Dolphins have been one of the more impressive | | | | Tennessee (24) - Last year the Titans had teams |
| teams this preseason. Now it's time to take the next | | | | dangling second-round draft picks for Billy Volek. Now |
| step. Playoff teams take advantage of breaks. Big | | | | they can't give the guy away. In what I saw of him - |
| Ben being sidelined is a break, so this is clearly an early | | | | and with that feeble WR corps - Volek's preseason |
| test for the Fins.10. New York Giants (13) - Rookie | | | | didn't merit a demotion. But I'm not at practice every |
| Barry Cofield, 6-feet-4, 306 pounds, will start at nose | | | | day.27. Cleveland (25) - What do you have for me |
| tackle on Sunday against a veteran Indianapolis O-line. | | | | Charlie Frye? Hank Fraley was a real good get for a |
| Does that officially make William Joseph a bust? The | | | | team desperate for a center. The Browns are a |
| key question for the Giants D is can they stop the | | | | plucky team, and I expect them to be tough at home |
| run?11. Cincinnati (17) - I can't tell you how many angry | | | | this season.28. Green Bay (27) - I hate to say it, but |
| e-mails I've gotten from Bengals fans over the past | | | | the Pack is in a position to capitalize on the Bears |
| three weeks. Listen, I apologize. When my initial | | | | disorganization this weekend. Stud Wideout Greg |
| rankings were posted, Anthony Wright was the starter | | | | Jennings - the guy I had no idea existed when I |
| and half of the team was on parole. The Bengals are | | | | handicapped potential ROY candidates - will start |
| a league-worst 18-38-2 ATS in September recently.12. | | | | opposite Donald Driver.29. N.Y. Jets (29) - If you've |
| Dallas (11) - The Cowboys are 1-5 SU and 2-4 ATS in | | | | been watching the waiver wire over the last week |
| their opening game over the past six years. This is the | | | | you'll notice that the Jets have been grabbing anyone |
| third time in four seasons that they've opened on the | | | | with the letters DT next to their name. They've been |
| road, and they are 1-2 in the previous three.13. Tampa | | | | doing some serious junkyard work.30. New Orleans |
| Bay (10) - Tampa starting safeties Will Allen and | | | | (30) - Sunday will mark New Orleans' 18th consecutive |
| Jermaine Phillips have started just five games together | | | | road game. I hate to say it, but the Saints might want |
| and they are the youngest players on the Bucs | | | | to consider sitting Reggie Bush in Cleveland this week. |
| defense. But since McNair can't complete a pass | | | | Just think about the horrendous luck that No. 1 picks |
| further than 15 yards down the field I don't see the | | | | have had there over the past few seasons.31. San |
| Ravens exploiting that.14. Jacksonville (12) - Nine | | | | Francisco (32) - Yeah, they impressed me that much |
| comeback victories. An inordinate number of close | | | | in the preseason. At least they had the sense to cut |
| wins (6-1 in games decided by six points or less). No | | | | ties with Kevan Barlow, whose contract was |
| impressive road W's. Last year may have been a | | | | absurd.32. Buffalo (31) - That hack Chris Berman picks |
| figment of the Jaguars' imagination.15. Baltimore (9) - | | | | the 49ers and the Bills for the Super Bowl every year. |
| The Ravens have lost 11 consecutive road games. It's | | | | I have them picked to face-off in the Brady Quinn |
| supposed to be hot (89 degrees), muggy (UV Index: | | | | Sweepstakes.Questions or comments for Robert? |
| extreme) and wet (scattered T-storms) Sunday in | | | | |