12. Carolina Panthers (1-1) (Previous rank: 6): Everyone said that the Houston Texans wouldn’t be able to stop Steve Smith and they were right. But, oddly enough, that didn’t matter. Smith had 153 yards and three touchdowns, but the only Carolina fans happy in the end were the ones with him on their fantasy team. Carolina can’t lose these kinds of games at home if they want to be contenders.

13. Seattle Seahawks (1-1) (Previous rank: 10): In the battle of the birds, the Cardinals flew higher than the Seahawks, winning by a three point margin. Seattle did battle back from a 17-0 deficit, which says something. Still, in the end, they fumbled away their chances at victory. This loss is going to sting for a while.

14. Tennessee Titans (1-1) (Previous rank: 16): Vince Young and company shouldn't hang their heads too low: they were colt, er, close. It began to look as though they were going to pull it off, but alas, they were dealt a two point loss. Still, this Titans team is solid. Here’s to them having one heck of a year. If they can keep it up, they will find themselves in the playoffs.

15. San Francisco (2-0) (Previous rank: 17): The St. Louis Rams may have outplayed the 49ers, but all that matters in the end is the final score. Squeaking by with a 17-16 victory, San Francisco doesn’t care how they win, as long as they do. Our hearts go out to Frank Gore, a man who performed well despite the recent loss of his mother.

16. Washington Redskins (2-0) (Previous rank: 19): Don’t look now, but the Redskins are, dare I say, undefeated. After beating the Eagles 20-12, Washington is ready to be a factor in the NFC East. In a game that saw great plays on both offense and defense, the Redskins look like they could leave a lot of teams blue this season.

17. Detroit Lions (2-0) (Previous rank: 24): A Lions versus Vikings game would normally seem about as exciting as a Pee Wee football contest, but this year is different; this year, the Lions – yes I’m saying it – are kind of exciting. Despite a game marked by turnovers, and a concussion that sent John Kitna to the sidelines, Detroit prevailed in overtime. Is anyone else predicting a Lions/Texans Super Bowl?

18. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1) (Previous rank: 20): After a season opener left them embarrassed, the Jaguars sacked their way to redemption. Recording seven sacks against the Falcons, Jacksonville stuck to what they know best: playing defense. The Jaguars' offense played well enough to get the job done. A decent offense and a stellar defense is how Jacksonville will win games.