Power Rankings: It may not last long, but 2-0 is 2-0

Updated Sept. 18

Do 2-0 starts automatically mean that a team should be in the top 10 of the CBSSports.com Power Rankings?

That's a question I pondered for two days. For some, like the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots, it's an automatic yes.

A 2-0 start is something that cheeseheads everywhere can get behind. (US Presswire)

But what about those surprise Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans and Detroit Lions? Are they legitimate top 10 teams considering there are only 10 2-0 teams in the league?

After 48 hours of thinking about it, I came to this conclusion: The first three deserve to be there, but the Lions started so far down that they're just on the outside.

OK, so the reality is that none of these teams are among the 10 best in the NFL. But the 2-0 starts give them reason to stake a claim -- for now.

What's more, shouldn't we let them bask in their success a little? That's especially true with the first three each having games this week against teams deservedly ranked in the top 10.

The Packers play host to the San Diego Chargers. The 49ers travel to Pittsburgh to play the Steelers, while the Houston Texans play host to the Indianapolis Colts. Of those six teams, the only team with a loss is the Chargers, a team some felt was the best in the NFL when the season started.

The likelihood is that one or two or even three of the surprise 2-0 teams will lose this week. I'm not saying they will -- you can't get that information until Friday's picks -- but they're all underdogs according to those wise guys who set the lines.

Would it be a shock if the Packers beat the Chargers? Not the way those two teams are playing. The Texans have played the Colts well, beating them late last season. If Andre Johnson can't play, it will be a tougher task. The 49ers have a real toughie, going on the road for a second consecutive week and facing a red-hot Steelers team.

Let's make this prediction now: At least one of the surprise 2-0 teams will lose.

Then there are the Lions. They're still outside the top 10 because I didn't believe Jon Kitna when he said they'd be good. If they beat the Eagles on the road this week -- which is certainly possible after watching the Eagles on Monday night -- it should vault them into the top 10.

I'm a little shocked the Washington Redskins are 2-0, but most aren't so they're not a real surprise 2-0 team.

Can you imagine if the Packers, Texans, 49ers and Lions all win this week? Nobody could argue against them being in the top of any power rankings.

What's next? A Mother of the Year award to Britney Spears? Bill Belichick admitting he cheats? The comments under my columns here actually being nice?

Maybe by season's end these surprise 2-0 starts will have long faded away. But here's betting that at least one of the four teams -- the Lions, Packers, Texans or 49ers -- finds a way to get into the playoffs.

They might not be top 10 power teams for long, but let them enjoy it for a while. Good things like this haven't happened to those teams for a long time.

Who am I to ruin their parties?

The Power Rankings after Week 2:

Power Rankings
Current		Team	Previous
	1	Patriots · Trends	11
	They get Tom Brady back. They have the deepest team in the league. Oh, and they have the best coach. Add it up, and it's no wonder they are Super favorites.
	2	Steelers · Trends	1
	The champions are loaded again and will be in the thick of it come playoff time. They didn't do much to improve their offensive line, though, which has to be a concern.
	3	Colts · Trends	7
	Peyton Manning is back healthy again, so they are a real contender again. The addition of Donald Brown to the running game will give it more explosiveness. The key will be the return to health of major defensive players.
	4	Cardinals · Trends	2
	They've done some nice things in the offseason, including adding corner Bryant McFadden and drafting Beanie Wells to carry the football. They will be a playoff team again and maybe they'll finish in Miami.
	5	Eagles · Trends	4
	They've had a wonderful offseason, adding key players like tackles Jason Peters and Stacey Andrews and loading up in the draft with speed and quickness. They will be tough to stop on offense.
	6	Giants · Trends	5
	They fortified the defense with some key free agents and added a speed receiver in Hakeem Nicks to the passing game. Tom Coughlin will have this team in the playoffs again.
	7	Titans · Trends	6
	They haven't done a lot, and losing Albert Haynesworth will hurt. The other thing is their division is tough. They also have to get more big plays from their passing game.
	8	Ravens · Trends	3
	Joe Flacco will be better in his second season as a starter and that defense will once again be among the best. They do have to take their passing game up a notch.
	9	Falcons · Trends	9
	It's all about the defense for the Falcons. Adding Tony Gonzalez makes the offense complete and the draft was loaded with defensive picks to help the other side. They aren't going away.
	10	Saints · Trends	19
	This is another team that has improved its defense in the past four months in terms of talent. Now new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has to bring it all together.
	11	Chargers · Trends	10
	This is still a deep, talented team. If Philip Rivers continues to develop, the Chargers will easily be the class of the AFC West.
	12	Texans · Trends	17
	The Texans have a lot of important pieces in place. As long as Matt Schaub can stay healthy, they might be ready to make a real playoff push.
	13	Panthers · Trends	8
	They will be the same team: Run heavy and play tough defense. Is that enough? Jake Delhomme has to play better.
	14	Bears · Trends	18
	Getting Jay Cutler is the steal of the offseason. He makes them a real playoff threat. Yes, I do believe that.
	15	Cowboys · Trends	14
	They have talent, but something just seems to be off. I don't think they're as good as the Eagles or Giants in their own division, which is why they are down this low.
	16	Bengals · Trends	24
	Getting Palmer back makes them dangerous and the defense will be better around him. I like the Bengals as a sleeper team. I really do.
	17	Vikings · Trends	13
	Quarterback. It's all about the quarterback. Whether it's Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson, that position has to be better. Words of advice: Stay away from that guy named Favre.
	18	Packers · Trends	23
	The move to a 3-4 under new coordinator Dom Capers will be one to watch closely. If that side of the ball plays better, Aaron Rodgers might get them to a playoff game.
	19	Bills · Trends	22
	Can Terrell Owens make them a playoff team? That might be stretching it, but they will be better on offense.
	20	Seahawks · Trends	28
	New coach Jim Mora takes over a veteran team that was hurt by injuries last season. They need to keep Matt Hasselbeck healthy. If they do, they will push the Cardinals.
	21	Jets · Trends	16
	How long does it take to get Mark Sanchez ready? If he's what they think he is, they will be better than expected. If not, it's a redshirt season and they will win six games.
	22	Buccaneers · Trends	15
	Who plays quarterback? Whoever it is has to be better than what they had last season. There are also some age concerns on defense. New coach Raheem Morris faces a challenging first season.
	23	Redskins · Trends	25
	They're the fourth team in a four-team division. That will make it tough to win eight games.
	24	Jaguars · Trends	26
	They've made some nice moves to fix the offensive line, and now it's time for the offense to do more. The defense also needs young players to step up, especially end Derrick Harvey.
	25	Broncos · Trends	20
	They're excited about Kyle Orton. I'm not. I think he's OK. They better hope the defense plays better than a year ago or it won't matter who quarterbacks the Broncos. I do like Knowshon Moreno.
	26	Dolphins · Trends	12
	They are the step-back team this season. But in 2010, look out. I think Chad Henne will take over at some time this season.
	27	49ers · Trends	21
	It's all quarterback with the 49ers. Can Shaun Hill or Alex Smith get the job done? If not, they'll stay down here all year long.
	28	Raiders · Trends	27
	It's all about JaMarcus Russell. If he plays an entire season to the level of expectations, the Raiders will be better. I think he can. But they have other issues.
	29	Chiefs · Trends	29
	They landed their quarterback in Matt Cassel and have added a few players to help, but new coach Todd Haley faces a big task in getting this offense to play like his Arizona unit did.
	30	Browns · Trends	30
	New coach Eric Mangini will build this team the way he wants it. But one has to wonder if that's a good thing considering his Jets history.
	31	Rams · Trends	31
	The Rams were a disaster last year. New coach Steve Spagnuolo has a lot of work to do. They're at least a year away.
	32	Lions · Trends	32
	They have their franchise quarterback to build around, and Jim Schwartz will do a good job, but there's a lot of work still to be done.