Week One Power Rankings: Where there's always 16 ties

The opening week's Power Rankings are traditionally the most meaningless numbers of the season, but still fun to look at and reflect on which teams came through, which were surprises, and which were real busts. Considering that many people in both confidence pools got their 16-point—and supposedly most confident—game wrong (including yours truly), this week wasn't short on surprises—or as the picture to the left there proved, a little bit of controversy. (For the record, I immediately said I felt "dirty" after seeing the Bears win the game like that.)

My picks were good for 90 points last weekend, a real drop from the 117 points I had to open last season. But how good was that in comparison to the other participants in the two confidence pools I'm in?

The confidence pool that I'm in for the third consecutive year (and finished second overall in both of those past two seasons) has now been moved to an online site called PoolHost, so we're spared the Excel spreadsheet that could take a day or two to arrive in your e-mail. The new site being used by the administrator is actually handy in adjusting the standings as the game is occurring to let us know exactly where we stand. The pool has more participants than it did last year, and my score was good enough for 7th place out of 20:

Oh, the name, you ask? I actually tried picking "SexyRexy" in honor of our former Chicago icon who's now backing up Donovan McNabb in D.C., but it was already taken, and so instead I trust everybody gets the KSK reference.

Now as for the Yahoo confidence pool, this is only my second year in that league—although I also finished second in my only attempt over there. The number of participants isn't quite as high, so 90 points was good enough for 2nd place this week out of eight:

And the name there, which is also what I bestowed upon my fantasy teams (oh, I haven't written about those yet? Imagine that ...) should be self-explanatory, but in case you forgot.

So I've got some ground to make up in both pools right from the get-go. Should be fun.

Now, as per usual in these parts, I'll once again be comparing the actual straight-up records of weekly picks to my usual cast of the bro-in-law, the gallery from ESPN, Yahoo's trio of experts (where there's a new face in there [!]), and last season's bottom-feeder, CBS Sports' Pete Prisco.

I'd normally do a paragraph-long recap of who did best for the week, but seeing as these totals are based only on one week's worth of games, I'm trusting you can figure out that we had a three-way tie for top scorer last weekend and there's two guys staking an early claim to the basement:

1. Les Carpenter, Yahoo: 11-5 (.688)
1. Jason Cole, Yahoo: 11-5 (.688)
1. Mark Schlereth, ESPN: 11-5 (.688)
4. Ron Jaworski, ESPN: 9-5 (.643)
5. Merril Hoge, ESPN: 10-6 (.625)
5. Seth Wickersham, ESPN: 10-6 (.625)
5. YOURS TRULY: 10-6 (.625)
8. Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: 9-7 (.563)
8. Adam Schefter, ESPN: 9-7 (.563)
10. Chris Mortensen, ESPN: 8-8 (.500)
10. Michael Silver, Yahoo: 8-8 (.500)

10. LEV, crazy colored glasses: 8-8 (.500)
13. Eric Allen, ESPN: 7-9 (.438)

13. Mike Golic, ESPN: 7-9 (.438)

I also normally attached a link to some informative or entertaining bit related to each team last year in the Power Rankings, but really just don't have the time to dig through blogs for each and every team to find something every week. Perhaps in the coming weeks, I'll go back to just adding a brief thought or two on each team (hell, I'll probably bring the links back during a week when I've got more time), but for now, let's just stick to the numbers (the number in parentheses, FYI, denotes where the team finished in the Power Rankings last season):

1. (19) TENNESSEE TITANS

• Last week: Beat Oakland, 38-13 (+15)
  
• Actual Record: 1-0
• My predicted record: 1-0
• My record at predicting their record: 1-0
• Points scored for me with wins: +15
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
  
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
  
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
• Plus/Minus: +15

1. (21) OAKLAND RAIDERS

• Last week: Lost to Tennessee, 38-13 (+15)
  
• Actual Record: 0-1
• My predicted record: 0-1
• My record at predicting their record: 0-1
  
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
• Points scored for me with losses: +15
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
  
• Plus/Minus: +15
  

3. (2) DETROIT LIONS

• Last week: Lost to Chicago, 19-14 (+14)
  
• Actual Record: 0-1
• My predicted record: 0-1
• My record at predicting their record: 1-0
  
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
• Points scored for me with losses: +14
  
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
  
• Plus/Minus: +14
  

3. (14) CHICAGO BEARS

• Last week: Beat Detroit, 19-14 (+14)
  
• Actual Record: 1-0
• My predicted record: 1-0
• My record at predicting their record: 1-0
• Points scored for me with wins: +14
  
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
  
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
  
• Plus/Minus: +14
  

5. (1) ST. LOUIS RAMS

• Last week: Lost to Arizona, 17-13 (+13)
  
• Actual Record: 0-1
• My predicted record: 0-1
• My record at predicting their record: 1-0
  
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
• Points scored for me with losses: +13 
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
• Plus/Minus: +13
  

5. (29) ARIZONA CARDINALS

• Last week: Beat St. Louis, 17-13 (+13)
  
• Actual Record: 1-0
• My predicted record: 1-0
• My record at predicting their record: 1-0
• Points scored for me with wins: +13
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
  
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
  
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
• Plus/Minus: +13

7. (24) NEW YORK GIANTS

• Last week: Beat Carolina, 31-18 (+12)
  
• Actual Record: 1-0
• My predicted record: 1-0
• My record at predicting their record: 1-0
  
• Points scored for me with wins: +12
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
  
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
• Plus/Minus: +12
  

7. (22) CAROLINA PANTHERS

• Last week: Lost to New York Giants, 31-18 (+12)
  
• Actual Record: 0-1
• My predicted record: 0-1
• My record at predicting their record: 1-0
  
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
  
• Points scored for me with losses: +12
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
  
• Plus/Minus: +12

9. (12) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

• Last week: Beat Cincinnati, 38-24 (+11)
  
• Actual Record: 1-0
• My predicted record: 1-0
• My record at predicting their record: 1-0
• Points scored for me with wins: +11
  
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
  
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
• Plus/Minus: +11

9. (28) CINCINNATI BENGALS

• Last week: Lost to New England Patriots, 38-24 (+11)
  
• Actual Record: 0-1
• My predicted record: 0-1
• My record at predicting their record: 1-0
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
  
• Points scored for me with losses: +11
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
• Plus/Minus: +11
  

11. (25) MIAMI DOLPHINS

• Last week: Beat Buffalo, 15-10 (+9)
  
• Actual Record: 1-0
• My predicted record: 1-0
• My record at predicting their record: 1-0
• Points scored for me with wins: +9
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
  
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
  
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
  
• Plus/Minus: +9
  

11. (20) BUFFALO BILLS

• Last week: Lost to Miami, 15-10 (+9)
  
• Actual Record: 0-1
• My predicted record: 0-1
• My record at predicting their record: 1-0
  
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
• Points scored for me with losses: +9
  
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
• Plus/Minus: +9
  

13. (10) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

• Last week: Beat Minnesota, 14-9 (+7)
  
• Actual Record: 1-0
• My predicted record: 1-0
• My record at predicting their record: 1-0
  
• Points scored for me with wins: +7
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
  
• Plus/Minus: +7
  

13. (12) MINNESOTA VIKINGS

• Last week: Lost to New Orleans, 14-9 (+7)
  
• Actual Record: 0-1
• My predicted record: 0-1
• My record at predicting their record: 1-0
  
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
• Points scored for me with losses: +7
  
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
• Plus/Minus: +7
  

15. (15) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

• Last week: Lost to Green Bay, 27-20 (+5)
  
• Actual Record: 0-1
• My predicted record: 0-1
• My record at predicting their record: 1-0
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
  
• Points scored for me with losses: +5
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
  
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
  
• Plus/Minus: +5
  

15. (23) GREEN BAY PACKERS

• Last week: Beat Philadelphia, 27-20 (+5)
  
• Actual Record: 1-0
• My predicted record: 1-0
• My record at predicting their record: 1-0
• Points scored for me with wins: +5
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
  
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
  
• Plus/Minus: +5
  

17. (11) BALTIMORE RAVENS

• Last week: Beat New York Jets, 10-9 (+3)
  
• Actual Record: 1-0
  
• My predicted record: 1-0
• My record at predicting their record: 1-0
  
• Points scored for me with wins: +3
  
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
  
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
• Plus/Minus: +3

17. (29) NEW YORK JETS

• Last week: Lost to Baltimore, 10-9 (+3)
  
• Actual Record: 0-1
• My predicted record: 0-1
• My record at predicting their record: 1-0
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
  
• Points scored for me with losses: +3
  
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
  
• Plus/Minus: +3
  

19. (27) JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

• Last week: Beat Denver, 24-17 (+1)
  
• Actual Record: 1-0
• My predicted record: 1-0
• My record at predicting their record: 1-0
• Points scored for me with wins: +1
  
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
  
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
• Plus/Minus: +1
  

19. (32) DENVER BRONCOS

• Last week: Lost to Jacksonville, 24-17 (+1)
  
• Actual Record: 0-1
• My predicted record: 0-1
• My record at predicting their record: 1-0
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
• Points scored for me with losses: +1
  
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
  
• Plus/Minus: +1
  

21. (8) ATLANTA FALCONS

• Last week: Lost to Pittsburgh, 15-9 [OT] (-2)
  
• Actual Record: 0-1
• My predicted record: 1-0
• My record at predicting their record: 0-1
  
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
  
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
• Points taken from me with losses: -2
• Plus/Minus: -2
  

21. (31) PITTSBURGH STEELERS

• Last week: Beat Atlanta, 15-9 [OT] (-2)
  
• Actual Record: 1-0
  
• My predicted record: 0-1
• My record at predicting their record: 0-1
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
  
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
• Points taken from me with wins: -2
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
  
• Plus/Minus: -2

23. (4) TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

• Last week: Beat Cleveland, 17-14 (-4)
  
• Actual Record: 1-0
• My predicted record: 0-1
• My record at predicting their record: 0-1
  
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
• Points taken from me with wins: -4
  
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
• Plus/Minus: -4
  

23. (7) CLEVELAND BROWNS

• Last week: Lost to Tampa Bay, 17-14 (-4)
  
• Actual Record: 0-1
• My predicted record: 1-0
• My record at predicting their record: 0-1
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
  
• Points taken from me with losses: -4
• Plus/Minus: -4

25. (9) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

• Last week: Lost to Houston, 34-24 (-6)
  
• Actual Record: 0-1
• My predicted record: 1-0
• My record at predicting their record: 0-1
  
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
• Points taken from me with losses: -6
  
• Plus/Minus: -6
  

25. (26) HOUSTON TEXANS

• Last week: Beat Indianapolis, 34-24 (-6)
  
• Actual Record: 1-0
• My predicted record: 0-1
• My record at predicting their record: 0-1
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
  
• Points taken from me with wins: -6
  
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
  
• Plus/Minus: -6
  

27. (5) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

• Last week: Beat San Francisco, 31-6 (-8)
  
• Actual Record: 1-0
• My predicted record: 0-1
• My record at predicting their record: 0-1
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
• Points taken from me with wins: -8
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
  
• Plus/Minus: -8

27. (17) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

• Last week: Lost to Seattle, 31-6 (-8)
  
• Actual Record: 0-1
• My predicted record: 1-0
• My record at predicting their record: 0-1
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
  
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
  
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
  
• Points taken from me with losses: -8
  
• Plus/Minus: -8
  

29. (5) WASHINGTON REDSKINS

• Last week: Beat Dallas, 13-7 (-10)
  
• Actual Record: 1-0
• My predicted record: 0-1
• My record at predicting their record: 0-1
  
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
  
• Points taken from me with wins: -10
  
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
• Plus/Minus: -10
  

29. (18) DALLAS COWBOYS

• Last week: Lost to Washington, 13-7 (-10)
  
• Actual Record: 0-1
• My predicted record: 1-0
• My record at predicting their record: 0-1
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
  
• Points taken from me with losses: -10
  
• Plus/Minus: -10

31. (3) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

• Last week: Lost to Kansas City, 21-14 (-16)
  
• Actual Record: 0-1
• My predicted record: 1-0
• My record at predicting their record: 0-1
  
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
  
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
  
• Points taken from me with wins: 0
  
• Points taken from me with losses: -16
• Plus/Minus: -16
  

31. (11) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

• Last week: Beat San Diego, 21-14 (-16)
  
• Actual Record: 1-0
• My predicted record: 0-1
• My record at predicting their record: 0-1
  
• Points scored for me with wins: 0
  
• Points scored for me with losses: 0
  
• Points taken from me with wins: -16
• Points taken from me with losses: 0
  
• Plus/Minus: -16
  

And also keeping with tradition here on BMC, this is my record for games by point value so far after one week's worth of games. Obviously, I'm undefeated on games with an odd-number of points assigned, so yeah ... suck on that:

16-point games: 0-1
15-point games: 1-0
14-point games: 1-0
13-point games: 1-0
12-point games: 1-0
11-point games: 1-0
10-point games: 0-1
9-point games: 1-0
8-point games: 0-1
7-point games: 1-0
6-point games: 0-1
5-point games: 1-0
4-point games: 0-1
3-point games: 1-0
2-point games: 0-1
1-point games: 1-0