Power Ranks: Going to the Pink Taco

Before I begin, I fixed the standings format in "Blowing up College Football (Part 3)". Enjoy.

For the first time in a very long time, I personally predicted the winners of both conference title games correctly, even though my power ranks did not. It wasn't much of a surprise that New England polished off San Diego, but just about everyone (including the power ranks) were putting the Patriots against Green Bay at the Pink Taco (ok, ok University of Phoenix Stadium). Unfortunately, the power ranks don't take into account the Brett Favre "let's throw a few passes up for grabs" factor that I saw coming. So now it's New York and Boston in the Super Bowl, and I'm glad I won't have time to watch a whole lot of TV over the next 2 weeks...

The NFL has the chance to have the most hyped Super Bowl ever next year, if all goes according to plan, and it can all begin with Eli Manning leading the Giants to a shocking Super Bowl win this year. 2008 will mark the 50th anniversary of the "Greatest Game Ever Played" that put the NFL on the map. That game was played between the Giants and Colts which could potentially be the 2 most recent Super Bowl champions heading into the 2008 season. Imagine if they were to have a rematch of that game 50 years later next year? Not only would it be the 2 most recent champs and the same matchup, but it would be Brother vs. Brother! They would have to have the paramedics stationed in Bristol 24/7 to try to prevent all of the heads exploding from the hype. I think if that were to happen, the NFL would actually move the game a week back just so there could be 3 weeks of hype.

Now we head into the ranks. The Packers loss foiled the power ranks' attempt to spit out the #1 and #2 team for the Super Bowl, because the Giants win only had them climb to #5, but it is kind of surprising when you think about it. Since the NFL expanded to 16 games in 1978, only 3 teams with less than 11 wins (in a non-strike year) made the Super Bowl. They were the 1979 Rams, who were 9-7 and made it in a VERY down year in the NFC, the 1988 49ers, who were 10-6 and won the Super Bowl, but they had a bunch of injuries early in the season, started 6-5, then turned it on from there, and now the 2007 Giants. If the Giants win the Super Bowl, they probably won't jump to the #1 spot, but they would jump up to #2 or #3. The Patriots pretty much have a lock on the top spot, which makes sense even if they lose the Super Bowl because they are the better team, but would have been the victims of the biggest upset ever. On to the ranks...

1. Patriots - 85.18 - E
2. Colts - 73.01 - +1
3. Packers - 66.29 - -1
4. Jaguars - 64.80 - +1
5. Giants - 64.39 - +1
6. Chargers - 63.62 - -2
7. Titans - 62.11 - E
8. Eagles - 61.48 - E
9. Cowboys - 60.73 - +1
10. Redskins - 60.60 - -1
11. Browns - 59.24 - E
12. Texans - 58.92 - E
13. Seahawks - 54.89 - E
14. Vikings - 52.95 - E
15. Steelers - 52.91 - +1
16. Bengals - 52.30 - -1
17. Bears - 49.02 - E
18. Cardinals - 48.95 - +1
19. Buccaneers - 47.64 - -1
20. Panthers - 44.62 - E
21. Saints - 42.95 - E
22. Broncos - 41.51 - E
23. Lions - 39.12 - E
24. Bills - 37.21 - E
25. 49ers - 36.34 - E
26. Ravens - 34.30 -E
27. Jets - 31.71 - E
28. Falcons - 26.72 - E
29. Raiders - 25.65 - E
30. Chiefs - 24.60 - E
31. Dolphins - 23.62 - E
32. Rams - 21.27 - E