1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-0)
Undefeated through the first 3 games of the season, the Bucs defense is picking up where it left off last year. I'm know the offense has been scoring a lot of points, but I'm still not sold on it. It's still a very simple offense that keeps things basic and doesn't try anything too risky. I still don't think the Bucs are utilizing Keyshawn Johnson the way they should. But hey, when you've got the best defense in the NFL, who cares? Sapp and Co. earn the Bucs a number one ranking this week.

2. New York Giants (3-0)
Forget about Batman and Robin, Tiki Barber and Ron Dayne are the new dynamic duo of Gotham. The Giants defense, which has always been solid, now has an offense to back them up. Barber and Dayne are one of the few two back rotations that actually work in the league. Their solid running play allows quarterback Kerry Collins to utilize the play action pass and gun it down field. The Giants schedule is not that bad because of a sub- par season last year, so if Barber and Dayne keep up their great pace and Kerry Collins can stay out of the New York bars, the Giants could really surprise some people. This Sunday's game against the struggling Skins is crucial. I personally think it's the new helmets.

3. New York Jets (3-0)
J-E-T-S, JETS!! JETS!! JETS!! JETS!! I see why Sinatra loved New York so much. So start spreadin' the news: the Jets have a squad. Vinny Testeverde is no Joe Montana, but he gets the job done. Keyshawn is gone, but the Jets still get good production out of their small receiving core. Wayne Chrebet and Dedric Ward are playing solid, and Curtis Martin is one of the best all-around running backs in football. The defense is full of no- names, but they get the job done. Hmmmm...both New York teams go back to their old retro uniforms and are both playing great ball; they could know something we don't.

4. St. Louis Rams (3-0)
Retro uniforms may work for the two New York teams, but let's all be thankful that the Rams decided to go with a newer look. Okay, so the defending Super Bowl champs are undefeated and have way cool new uniforms to boot, but they're not ranked #1. Why you ask? Simple. Their defense sucks. The Rams still benefit from playing in the worst division in all of football, but their D has given up some big numbers to teams that aren't expected to do much this year (49er's and Seahawks just to name a few). However, they still have the most explosive offense in football. Warner, Faulk, Bruce, Holt and Hakim are still putting up points like mad, and, as long as they keep scoring like crazy, they won't have to worry about their crappy defense.

5. Baltimore Ravens (2-1)
Had the Ravens not lost to the Dolphins on Sunday I would have them ranked #1 overall. This is the only team in the NFL that has a potentially explosive offense and the defense to match. Had it not been for a potential hurricane (did you see how horrible the field was?) at the Miami game, I think the Ravens would still be undefeated. Tony Banks looks like he has a strong grasp of Brian Billick's offense. Rookie running back Jamal Lewis is proving why he was the #5 overall pick in the draft. Lewis looks like he's going to be the star the Ravens pictured when they drafted him. The Ravens defense will always be solid up front and proves to still be one of the leagues best. This is a team on the rise that could challenge for the AFC championship.

6. Indianapolis Colts (1-1)
The triplets (Manning, James and Harrison) are always going to get their points. Edgerrin James is one of the best backs in the league, and Manning and Harrison are going to connect at least once or twice a game for a really big play. So why is a team that's favored to win the AFC championship ranked 6th? Defense. Defense is what wins championships in this league. Ask the 1999 Redskins or the 1998 Vikings, and they'll tell you. You can score all the points in the world, but, if you're defense can't hold your opponent under 20, you'll have a lot of close games. Manning is one of the best all around quarterbacks in the NFL, but you can't expect him to work a miracle every Sunday.

7. Buffalo Bills (2-1)
The loss to the Jets really hurt them last week, but Buffalo is still a good team. They still lack a great running game, but quarterback Rob Johnson does a good job of getting the ball to his wide receivers Moulds and Price. This team is usually in the game till the end. If they're not winning, the game is still close. They could challenge the Jets and Colts for the AFC east title towards the end of the season.

8. Tennessee Titans (1-1)
Don't forget about the Titans just because they had a bye week. The Titans are virtually impossible to beat at home (they've yet to lose in their new stadium). However, the Titans must hope that the chest injury quarterback Steve McNair suffered against Kansas City is not serious. Otherwise, the load goes completely on running back Eddie George. George is a great back, but he needs McNair in the lineup to take some pressure off of him. The Titans must hope that Carl Pickens is the big threat receiver they so desperately need.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1)
This is a team that is really hard to predict. If starting running back Fred Taylor can get back from injury and start playing on a regular basis, the Jag's offense will improve tremendously. And it's not like the Jags are struggling on offense. Mark Brunell has two of the best(and most underrated) wide receivers in the NFL. They are Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell. The offensive line is really banged up, and they need to get more production out of 1st round pick R.J. Soward. They should still rack up a lot of wins just by playing the weaker teams of their division (Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati) twice.