Steelers Top RCS NFL Power Ranking Averages
The Steelers are the new number one team in the RCS NFL Power Ranking Averages, ranked first by seven of the eight sites used to create the RCS Averages (Sporting News ranked the Jets first). Having looked impressive as one of only three undefeated teams, it makes sense for the Steelers to be ranked first; of course the other two undefeated teams - the Bears and Chiefs - are ranked 7th and 14th respectively. In fact the Chiefs only moved up two spots from last week's 16th place ranking. The Bears moved up seven spots, which was tied for the most with the Seahawks who jumped from 25th to 19th.
Last week's top team, the Saints, only slid two spots after their overtime loss to the Falcons. Several teams fell six spots including the Texans (3rd to 9th), Dolphins (9th to 15th), Chargers (11th to 17th) and Redskins (17th to 23rd).
Despite some movement within the rankings, it seems that after three weeks of play we are approaching some level of stability. Last week 16 teams had a range of at least eight ranking spots, where as this week it is down to just six teams. Admittedly there were two more sites used in determining the averages last week, but regardless it appears that we are finally getting a better handle on which teams are contenders and which are pretenders. The largest gap in rankings belongs to the Titans, who are ranked all the way up at 3rd by Fox Sports and down at 16th by USA Today. Third and sixteenth both seem out of whack for the Titans, who are ranked from 10th-14th by over half of the sites.
The lowest ranked team with a winning record is the Cardinals, who are down at 21st with a 2-1 record highlighted by a narrow win over the Rams and a gifted victory by Sebastian Janikowski and the Raiders.
Divisional Average Rankings
1. AFC South - 12.41
2. AFC North - 12.72
3. NFC North - 14.78
4. AFC East - 15.32
5. NFC South - 15.76
6. NFC East - 18.25
7. AFC West - 19.79
8. NFC West - 23.00
The AFC South remains the top division according to the power ranking averages, narrowly edging out the AFC North. The once powerful NFC East and the two western division are the only divisions without a team in the top ten.
