Power Rankings: Slow starts ... aberrations or a trend?

Updated Sept. 16

It can be heard from San Diego to Jacksonville and several points in between.

"Hey, the Giants started 0-2 last season and won a Super Bowl. We can do it, too."

The San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks and Cleveland Browns were all pegged as playoff teams by most when the NFL season started. Now they're staring 0-3 in the face.

Isn't the NFL great? These kinds of starts are what make the league so special. We really don't know, do we?

For the entire summer, the Chargers were being called the most talented team, led by a hardened defense. The Jaguars were the rising challengers in the AFC, a big, physical team that could run the ball. Cleveland would be a point machine with its pass-happy offense and Seattle would have a vice-like defense.

So what happens? The Chargers defense isn't very good, the Jaguars can't run it, the Browns aren't scoring and the Seahawks gave up 33 points to J.T. O'Sullivan on Sunday. J.T. O'Sullivan?

Those suddenly average teams are plunging faster than some of the big financial institutions. They've all made steep drops in the CBS Sports.com Power Rankings, all the way to Average-ville.

Can they turn it around? Yes, they can. But turnarounds like the Giants had in 2007 don't happen all that much. Going to 0-2 is a doughnut-sized hole compared to going 0-3, which is canyon-sized. So they all better win this week.

Poll Which team with two losses is most likely to make the playoffs? 7% Browns   11% Jaguars   73% Chargers   10% Seahawks   Total Votes: 53332

The flip side is that we have exciting new teams emerging as potential playoff teams. The Buffalo Bills are 2-0. The Arizona Cardinals are 2-0.

Maybe this is the year I finally get it right in picking the Cardinals to win the division. If you pick something long enough it eventually has to come in, right?

At least one team in the Valley of the Sun is doing something. Arizona State, my alma mater, choked away a good season Saturday night in losing to UNLV as a 24-point favorite.

Fret not, Sun Devils. LSU lost twice and won a national title last season. So all you have to do is beat Georgia and Southern California and Oregon to name a few.

"LSU did it, so can we," they're probably saying in Tempe and other parts today.

That's the college version of what NFL teams are saying about the 2007 Giants. At least it gives them all hope.

And it makes for one heck of an NFL season.

The Power Rankings after Week 2: