Of course, if you're a Packers fan, that might be a little more difficult for you. It's my pledge to you that in this week's power rankings, I am not going to talk much about the NFL's officiating situation. It can't be ignored completely, of course, now that it's directly affecting the standings, but I'll try to minimize it. I think you're going to get enough of that at, oh, just about anywhere else you look for football news or information. The best coping strategy is to focus on what matters: the football. There are still football plays being made, by football players, on football fields, and with the right about of focus, they can still be enjoyed and over-analyzed in the way to which we've become accustomed. Now let's focus on the business of a fairly arbitrary ranking of all 32 NFL teams. 1. Arizona Cardinals (3-0) They beat a quality Seattle team, won in New England, and throttled the previously-unbeaten Eagles. No one else has that resume, so I ask you: Why not the Cardinals? Also, I may never got another chance to put the Cardinals at the number one spot in the power rankings, so I'm seizing the moment. 2. Atlanta Falcons (3-0) Atlanta vs. Houston is pretty much a coin flip, and when in doubt, I'll take the better quarterback. Through three weeks, Matt Ryan is wearing that crown. A seventy-two percent completion rate and 8 touchdowns against just one pick? My goodness, that's filthy. 3. Houston Texans (3-0) Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips got a lot of love last year, but what he's doing this year might be more impressive. They subtract Mario Williams from the lineup, and the Texans are still in the top five in the league against the run and the pass. It helps that they're in a division with three below-average NAIA teams, but still, it's impressive.

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