NFL Power 10: Cowboys Look Unstoppable, Steelers and Packers Move Up

I’m as big a critic as anyone of the Dallas Cowboys. I can’t stand the team, from the ownership down to the quarterback’s girlfriend.

But man, how ‘bout dem Cowboys?

The Eagles are a really good defensive team, and the Cowboys just absolutely shredded them.

I’m sure Wade Phillips will figure out a way to screw this up come playoff time (and regardless of what you say in the comments, all Cowboy fans are secretly scared to death of this), but right now, Tony Romo and company look unstoppable.

Their unstoppability (yes, I just made up a word) is reflected in this week’s ranking.

Click here for last week’s Power 10.

1 (2) Cowboys 2-0

There are issues here. They commit an alarming number of penalties. Their defense doesn’t exactly look like the 1985 Bears. Their head coach is still Wade Phillips.

That said, the Cowboys look unstoppable on offense.

2 (4) Steelers 2-0

The Steelers have played two teams that I think are pretty good, and they’ve destroyed them easily. I seriously considered having them leapfrog the Cowboys, but the Cowboys obliterated the Browns in a much-more convincing manner.

That said, the Steelers-Browns game was not nearly as close as the final score. If it were a little less windy and had Ben Roethlisberger been a little healthier, this game would have been over at halftime.

3 (3) Giants 2-0

The Giants stay at No. 3 this week, but their overall score gets a bump due to Washington’s offensive showing against the Saints. If the Redskins have a relatively competent offense, the Giants’ defense is even better than advertised.

You can’t take anything from their performance against the Rams. The Rams are beyond terrible (more on this later).

4 (6) Packers 2-0

The Packers would be higher up, except their defense fell asleep at the wheel after they took a 21-point lead against the Lions. Luckily for them, their offense woke up and, perhaps more importantly, they were playing the Lions’ defense.

A tremendous 117.8 quarterback rating, 253 yards per game, two touchdowns per game, and no interceptions thus far for the guy everyone in Green Bay wanted riding the bench behind Brett Favre.

5 (10) Broncos 2-0

Mike Shanahan made a gutsy decision going for two. But the reason they’re not in the top three of the Power 10 is the same reason why he had to make that decision: Their defense just isn’t good enough.

Their offense is as good or better than anyone in the NFL, but their defense is a serious concern.

T-6 (1) Patriots 2-0

The Patriots beat the Jets and yet still fell from first to a tie for sixth in the Power 10. There’s a couple of reasons why.

First, the Jets aren’t that good.

Second, the Patriots’ offense is extremely questionable right now.

I like Matt Cassel, but I’m pretty sure you can't win with him for an entire season.

He didn’t screw up. He managed the game. But he wasn’t that good. He missed a wide-open Randy Moss on a play that would have basically ended the game. He took way too many sacks. He looked like a guy who hadn’t started a game since the late '90s.

He needs to get better if the Patriots want to seriously compete for the Super Bowl.

T-6 (7) Bills 2-0

Two games down, and they’ve yet to give me a reason to think they’re anything less than the co-favorite to win the AFC East.

Their victory over the Seahawks in Week One was dampened a bit by the Seahawk’s loss to the 49ers, but you can’t take anything away from their performance against the Jaguars—who I still feel are a nine or 10-win team.

The Bills are going to be in the Power 10 for a long stretch. There might not be a loss on their schedule until they face the Chargers in Week Seven.

And I’m not 100 percent convinced they lose that game.

8 (5) Eagles  1-1

I’ve seen Donovan McNabb play in many, many big games. I’ve come to the following conclusion:

I would love to have McNabb for the first three quarters of a big game, so long as you allow me to replace him with someone like Jake Delhomme (or random other clutch quarterback) in the fourth quarter.

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