KingPriest2
11-09-2004, 12:02 PM
Power Rankings: Steelers make own case for No. 1
By Pete Prisco
SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Tell Pete your opinion!
Updated Oct. 9, 2004
The plaudits are coming from all over. The Steelers are being called the best team in the league right now, and the past two weeks won't give anyone any ammunition to argue otherwise.
Some are saying the Pittsburgh Steelers are playing at such a high level they're being compared to the great teams of recent memory. "One for the thumb" is the cry in the Steel City.
PHOTOS: « PREV | NEXT »
The No. 1 Steelers made Donovan McNabb's Eagles look bad. (AP)
Slow down, folks.
The Steelers are the best team in the league at this moment, and they do deserve the top spot in the SportsLine.com Power Rankings, but nobody ever won a Super Bowl in November. Their two victories over New England and Philadelphia in successive weeks are impressive, knocking both from the unbeaten ranks, and can't be understated.
Two things to remember, however: They were at home for both games and, despite all the hype, their quarterback is still a rookie.
A rookie-type game is coming. It's inevitable. It happens to all rookies at some point, a game with forced passes, bad reads and uncertainty.
Ben Roethlisberger is special, but it will happen. Take that to the bank. Nobody is immune from it.
And when it does, the Steelers will lose.
Word of warning: Watch out in Cleveland this week.
Pittsburgh's ascent to the top spot makes them the story of the first half, but there are still plenty of good teams in the AFC to challenge their superiority the rest of the way. If New England had them at home, they would probably be still unbeaten.
Like the Steelers, the Pats are 7-1, and they are solidly in the second spot in the Power Rankings. The rest of the top 10 is full of shockers.
POLL
Which 7-1 team will go the deepest in the playoffs?
Steelers
Patriots
Eagles
Ask me in January because they might not make it
Considering the Falcons, Jets, Jaguars and Chargers are all in the top 10, it's certainly a stunning group halfway through the season.
The next two months will shake out the pretenders in that top 10. The Steelers are by no means a pretender, but let's slow down on this talk they are clearly the dominant team in the league. They were impressive in beating the Pats and Eagles, but let's see how they do when they hit the Ohio teams on the road the next two weeks.
It won't stay this good forever. So let's stop the great team of this decade talk. It is a little premature, don't you think? The Steelers are good, very good, but there's a long way to go, and we've seen top teams at the midway point fall off badly. That won't happen to the Steelers, but let's put a cool down on this greatness talk for now.
If you're trotting out Deshea Townsend -- who has played well -- and Willie Williams as the starting corners, great can't be a word used as a description.
The complete Power Rankings after Week 9:
POWER RANKINGS
Current Team Previous
1 Pittsburgh Steelers 2
The running game and the defense are helping make the transition an easy one for Ben Roethlisberger.
2 New England Patriots 3
They continue to amaze with the way they always find a way to fight through adversity to win games. I'm a believer. Finally, right?
3 Philadelphia Eagles 1
Their stay in the top spot was short-lived. They're third in the league, second in Pennsylvania.
4 Atlanta Falcons 6
Without playing, they move up because others are moving down. Must hope Michael Vick's Denver game carries over the rest of the way.
5 New York Jets 4
A short-week loss is never a real surprise, especially on the road. So we give the Jets a mulligan.
6 Indianapolis Colts 9
The defense made a little improvement Monday night and if that can continue this will be a deep playoff team. We know Peyton Manning and the offense will get theirs.
7 Jacksonville Jaguars 8
The David Garrard era is here for two weeks, and maybe longer. Don't be shocked to see him play well. He has talent.
8 Denver Broncos 10
They put aside two consecutive losses to dominate a good Houston team.
9 San Diego Chargers 11
Are they for real? They're sure starting to look like it. Drew Brees is playing at an extremely high level.
10 Baltimore Ravens 12
Kyle Boller is starting to come alive, and we know they have a defense. They have a big one against the Jets on Sunday.
11 New York Giants 7
Keep them away from the NFC North and they would have a heck of a record. No excuse for losing to the Bears at home.
12 Minnesota Vikings 5
Without Randy Moss, they are a different team. That's how good a player he is for their offense.
13 Seattle Seahawks 16
Can take a nice command of the division by beating the Rams this week. They need to make amends for how they lost to the Rams in the first meeting.
14 Green Bay Packers 17
Coming off the bye, they can tie the Vikings for the division lead by beating them Sunday. This is a team that could get hot.
15 St. Louis Rams 14
If they lose at home to the Seahawks, coach Mike Martz will feel even more heat. Truth: This team isn't as good as we all thought.
16 Detroit Lions 15
Keep them on the road, like they are this week, and they're fine. Going 1-3 at home isn't a way to make the playoffs.
17 Houston Texans 12
They had a chance to take over the top spot in the AFC South, but played poorly at Denver. Now they must hit the road to face the Colts, which won't be easy.
18 Tennessee Titans 18
Coming off their bye week, the Titans must regroup for a second-half run. They are only two games out in the division.
19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24
Jon Gruden has worked wonders with this group. They have a chance to be a playoff team. Really.
20 Kansas City Chiefs 19
They can't be stopped on offense. Problem is, they can't stop anybody on defense.
21 Washington Redskins 23
They can't move the ball through the air, unless a back does the throwing. That's not a good thing.
22 Cincinnati Bengals 25
The defense finally showed they could stop somebody against the Cowboys. Or did the Cowboys stop themselves?
23 Buffalo Bills 26
If they can continue to ride Willis McGahee, the Bills just might sneak up and win eight games. The defense is solid.
24 Cleveland Browns 22
That was a tough way to lose to the Ravens on Sunday night, but that's what happens when you have one offensive series all night.
25 Chicago Bears 31
Give coach Lovie Smith credit for keeping this team moving forward, even without their starting quarterback.
26 New Orleans Saints 20
Times are bad, real bad. This team has to turn it around in a hurry, or there will be a coaching change.
27 Dallas Cowboys 21
Bill Parcells is furious. That's a dangerous thing, especially during Eagles week.
28 Arizona Cardinals 28
Dennis Green has this group scrapping, and they will be a dangerous team the rest of the way.
29 Oakland Raiders 30
There is life. Not much, but some. Credit Norv Turner for keeping this thing moving forward.
30 Carolina Panthers 29
It has been a long season, and it is going to get longer. There have been too many hurts for this team.
31 San Francisco 49ers 32
They're a young team and they're still battling hard. That will be the challenge for Dennis Erickson the rest of the way.
32 Miami Dolphins 27
Losing to the Cardinals at home should never happen, even in a season full of struggles.
By Pete Prisco
SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Tell Pete your opinion!
Updated Oct. 9, 2004
The plaudits are coming from all over. The Steelers are being called the best team in the league right now, and the past two weeks won't give anyone any ammunition to argue otherwise.
Some are saying the Pittsburgh Steelers are playing at such a high level they're being compared to the great teams of recent memory. "One for the thumb" is the cry in the Steel City.
PHOTOS: « PREV | NEXT »
The No. 1 Steelers made Donovan McNabb's Eagles look bad. (AP)
Slow down, folks.
The Steelers are the best team in the league at this moment, and they do deserve the top spot in the SportsLine.com Power Rankings, but nobody ever won a Super Bowl in November. Their two victories over New England and Philadelphia in successive weeks are impressive, knocking both from the unbeaten ranks, and can't be understated.
Two things to remember, however: They were at home for both games and, despite all the hype, their quarterback is still a rookie.
A rookie-type game is coming. It's inevitable. It happens to all rookies at some point, a game with forced passes, bad reads and uncertainty.
Ben Roethlisberger is special, but it will happen. Take that to the bank. Nobody is immune from it.
And when it does, the Steelers will lose.
Word of warning: Watch out in Cleveland this week.
Pittsburgh's ascent to the top spot makes them the story of the first half, but there are still plenty of good teams in the AFC to challenge their superiority the rest of the way. If New England had them at home, they would probably be still unbeaten.
Like the Steelers, the Pats are 7-1, and they are solidly in the second spot in the Power Rankings. The rest of the top 10 is full of shockers.
POLL
Which 7-1 team will go the deepest in the playoffs?
Steelers
Patriots
Eagles
Ask me in January because they might not make it
Considering the Falcons, Jets, Jaguars and Chargers are all in the top 10, it's certainly a stunning group halfway through the season.
The next two months will shake out the pretenders in that top 10. The Steelers are by no means a pretender, but let's slow down on this talk they are clearly the dominant team in the league. They were impressive in beating the Pats and Eagles, but let's see how they do when they hit the Ohio teams on the road the next two weeks.
It won't stay this good forever. So let's stop the great team of this decade talk. It is a little premature, don't you think? The Steelers are good, very good, but there's a long way to go, and we've seen top teams at the midway point fall off badly. That won't happen to the Steelers, but let's put a cool down on this greatness talk for now.
If you're trotting out Deshea Townsend -- who has played well -- and Willie Williams as the starting corners, great can't be a word used as a description.
The complete Power Rankings after Week 9:
POWER RANKINGS
Current Team Previous
1 Pittsburgh Steelers 2
The running game and the defense are helping make the transition an easy one for Ben Roethlisberger.
2 New England Patriots 3
They continue to amaze with the way they always find a way to fight through adversity to win games. I'm a believer. Finally, right?
3 Philadelphia Eagles 1
Their stay in the top spot was short-lived. They're third in the league, second in Pennsylvania.
4 Atlanta Falcons 6
Without playing, they move up because others are moving down. Must hope Michael Vick's Denver game carries over the rest of the way.
5 New York Jets 4
A short-week loss is never a real surprise, especially on the road. So we give the Jets a mulligan.
6 Indianapolis Colts 9
The defense made a little improvement Monday night and if that can continue this will be a deep playoff team. We know Peyton Manning and the offense will get theirs.
7 Jacksonville Jaguars 8
The David Garrard era is here for two weeks, and maybe longer. Don't be shocked to see him play well. He has talent.
8 Denver Broncos 10
They put aside two consecutive losses to dominate a good Houston team.
9 San Diego Chargers 11
Are they for real? They're sure starting to look like it. Drew Brees is playing at an extremely high level.
10 Baltimore Ravens 12
Kyle Boller is starting to come alive, and we know they have a defense. They have a big one against the Jets on Sunday.
11 New York Giants 7
Keep them away from the NFC North and they would have a heck of a record. No excuse for losing to the Bears at home.
12 Minnesota Vikings 5
Without Randy Moss, they are a different team. That's how good a player he is for their offense.
13 Seattle Seahawks 16
Can take a nice command of the division by beating the Rams this week. They need to make amends for how they lost to the Rams in the first meeting.
14 Green Bay Packers 17
Coming off the bye, they can tie the Vikings for the division lead by beating them Sunday. This is a team that could get hot.
15 St. Louis Rams 14
If they lose at home to the Seahawks, coach Mike Martz will feel even more heat. Truth: This team isn't as good as we all thought.
16 Detroit Lions 15
Keep them on the road, like they are this week, and they're fine. Going 1-3 at home isn't a way to make the playoffs.
17 Houston Texans 12
They had a chance to take over the top spot in the AFC South, but played poorly at Denver. Now they must hit the road to face the Colts, which won't be easy.
18 Tennessee Titans 18
Coming off their bye week, the Titans must regroup for a second-half run. They are only two games out in the division.
19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24
Jon Gruden has worked wonders with this group. They have a chance to be a playoff team. Really.
20 Kansas City Chiefs 19
They can't be stopped on offense. Problem is, they can't stop anybody on defense.
21 Washington Redskins 23
They can't move the ball through the air, unless a back does the throwing. That's not a good thing.
22 Cincinnati Bengals 25
The defense finally showed they could stop somebody against the Cowboys. Or did the Cowboys stop themselves?
23 Buffalo Bills 26
If they can continue to ride Willis McGahee, the Bills just might sneak up and win eight games. The defense is solid.
24 Cleveland Browns 22
That was a tough way to lose to the Ravens on Sunday night, but that's what happens when you have one offensive series all night.
25 Chicago Bears 31
Give coach Lovie Smith credit for keeping this team moving forward, even without their starting quarterback.
26 New Orleans Saints 20
Times are bad, real bad. This team has to turn it around in a hurry, or there will be a coaching change.
27 Dallas Cowboys 21
Bill Parcells is furious. That's a dangerous thing, especially during Eagles week.
28 Arizona Cardinals 28
Dennis Green has this group scrapping, and they will be a dangerous team the rest of the way.
29 Oakland Raiders 30
There is life. Not much, but some. Credit Norv Turner for keeping this thing moving forward.
30 Carolina Panthers 29
It has been a long season, and it is going to get longer. There have been too many hurts for this team.
31 San Francisco 49ers 32
They're a young team and they're still battling hard. That will be the challenge for Dennis Erickson the rest of the way.
32 Miami Dolphins 27
Losing to the Cardinals at home should never happen, even in a season full of struggles.