NFL power rankings somehow have Packers way above Vikings
Google "NFL power rankings" and select any of the 34,100,000 results and you'll find the Green Bay Packers ranked higher than the Minnesota Vikings in pretty much all of them.
It's curious considering the Vikings clocked the Packers in Week 1 and Minnesota's only loss is to the undefeated Eagles, who are No. 1 in pretty much every power ranking out there.
The Packers, at 3-1 just like the Vikings, are riding a rickety three-game win streak that saw them clean up nicely at home against a bad Bears team, struggle their way to a 14-12 win over the shorthanded Bucs, and then barely beat the Patriots and a third-string rookie quarterback in overtime at home.
Alas, the rankings love the Packers and don't trust the Vikings.
- Pro Football Talk: Packers 4th, Vikings 14th
- NFL.com: Packers 4th, Vikings 9th
- ESPN: Packers 4th, Vikings 7th
- CBS Sports: Packers 4th, Vikings 7th
- Yahoo! Sports: Packers 4th, Vikings 8th
The most shocking of the rankings is Mike Florio's at Pro Football Talk.
"They can’t keep playing like this, if they want to get to the Super Bowl," Florio wrote about the Packers before saying this about the Vikings: "In past years, the Vikings would find a way to lose close games. This year, they’re finding a way to win them."
So ... how about that 10 place gap there, Mike?
The search for respect did lead to the discovery of Nate Davis's power rankings for USA Today, where he has the Vikings 6th and the Packers 7th.
For whatever reason a month of mediocre performances has not harmed the Packers in the eyes of the "experts." It's like the first four games of the season are a mulligan. But why? Green Bay's run defense ranks 30th by Pro Football Focus (PFF) and their special teams are ranked 31st.
If Green Bay gets a pass for being a preseason favorite, shouldn't the Vikings get a boost for beating the Packers and finding ways to win games, as Florio said, they would've lost in the past? Apparently not.
What's clear is that Florio and others who create power rankings are putting a lot of weight of preseason expectations. Eventually, if a team like Green Bay can't shake the rust or whatever's ailing them, they'll need to drop.
Related: Brian Murphy: There's a lot to learn about these Vikings
Related: 20 interesting stats from the Vikings' first 4 games of the season
