#but I think everyone exhausted them selves by not putting as many long balls over the top

[the-physicality]

Let me just say I am pro going right to penalties no extra time

[the-y-generation]

Not My Type (Chapter 3)

Summary: “Do you know how you stop a craving? You give in to it.”

When she signed on to be a road manager, she had no idea it was going to be for one of the biggest bands in the world, much less how they were going to turn her life upside down, nor how she was about to flip theirs too. Especially one irritating frequently-late vocalist who knew exactly how charming he could be.

Pairing: Idol!Jimin / Manager!Original Character (I personally haven’t written in “y/n” format, so I just gave the reader a name, but barely even mention it)

Genre/Themes: fluff, angst, friends with benefits, friends to lovers

Rating: Starts off G, but M in later chapters

Status: Ongoing (Masterlist)

Things got better between her and Jimin after the awards fiasco. Not right away, and definitely not painlessly, but they got there eventually.

Jimin would still be late but only sometimes now, and she’d no longer want to rip his head off. Nowadays, when he’s come rushing in, aware of how late he was, he’d flash the irate girl his best boyish smile - the one where his eyes scrunched up into crescents and he showed all his pearly whites.

In retaliation, she’d reach over and flick him on the forehead once, just to slip the cheeky grin off his face and earn a few chuckles from his bandmates.

Other times, he’d take the charming route - leaning in close when she fixed his collar until their faces were only a breath away, and her every exhale pushed into his lips. He’d stare so deeply into her eyes, it was almost as if he could read the future of the universe in them.

Jimin knew what he was doing. But so did she.

Most of the time, she’d shove him on the shoulder and walk away.

But sometimes, when she was particularly frustrated with him, she’d hold his spell and push back. She’d lean in even closer, just until she could almost feel the warmth of his mouth on hers. She'd watch the panic slowly simmer in his eyes that she might actually finish what he started. Then Jimin would back away and let her win that round.

So it went, their little game of cat and mouse when they were on the clock as road manager and artist.

But when they were off the clock, things went a little differently.

Being of the same age, they forged a friendship that was easy-going and relaxed. Without a senior-junior dynamic, the two built a bond as equals, founded on their ability to make fun of the other, where both could be their authentic selves.

She laughed at his dumb jokes and put extra pieces of fruit on his plate. He let her sort out his messy suitcase and stole from her fries. She borrowed his plain sweaters sometimes. He used her hair products.

Without the underlying tension of work, they became fast friends, much to the relief of the rest of the band. Namjoon was particularly grateful as he was getting tired of having to pull the two apart, in fear that one might actually murder the other.

Now, she and Jimin exchanged spare hotel room keys, knowing that they’d end up hanging out in each other’s rooms anyway.

But sometimes, on their days off, she wanted to be alone. Like today.

She decided to stay in her room and get some quality rest. It had been an exhausting week - they crossed a continent, she fought with one venue partner for not providing an airconditioned dressing room (“There are seven of them! What are you going to do if one of them collapses with a heat stroke in this cramped room?!”) and Hoseok had a wardrobe malfunction last night.

Feeling like she deserved some Me Time, she planned out her day - sleep in, grab a fancy brunch, get a mani-pedi, and end the day with a long soak in the tub.

But Jimin and Jungkook seemed to have other plans.

Just as she had finished getting dressed for her brunch out, the pair barged into her room unannounced and plopped down on her bed.

She rolled her eyes at them in the mirror as she applied some light lipstick. Jungkook rolled over and buried himself under the covers while Jimin laid on top of the sheets and met her gaze in the mirror with a curious smirk of his own.

“Don’t tell me you have a date,” Jimin asked as she fluffed her hair.

She chuckled. “Fine then. I won’t tell you.”

The boy frowned, brows meeting to scrunch up his button nose. “So you do have a date?”

“I thought you said not to tell you.”

It was Jimin’s turn to roll his eyes and groan at her. “Fine. Be that way.”

She laughed and turned around to face them properly instead of having to converse through the mirror.

“I’m going out to brunch by myself, okay?” She said, starting to pack her essentials into her purse. “So you guys are gonna have to leave the room.”

“You’re not gonna invite us?” Jungkook pouted, voice muffled by the pillow partially suffocating him.

“Nope, I just want some personal time today.” She shrugged unapologetically.

She turned to face Jimin to tell him not to use his spare key to enter her room without her permission while she was gone. But the second she met his eyes, she immediately regretted it.

He looked at her with the full force of his puppy dog eyes, his baby cheeks puffed out, and his plump lower lip pushed out in a boyish pout.

It was adorable and sexy, and just about everything sinful in the world.

“Are you sick of us already?” He pouted at her.

She stabbed an accusatory finger in his direction. “Put that face away before I make you regret it.”

He laughed hard, the type that squeaked at the end, causing the pout to slip from his lips. Then, without prompting or permission, he crouched over her open suitcase lying by the foot of her bed.

“Is this a BTS sweater?” Jimin chuckled, holding up an oversized black sweater.

“No shit,” She deadpanned, eyeing the “BTS” printed in big bold letters at the back, with their tour dates underneath.

Jungkook got to his feet as well and joined Jimin in violating her privacy. She remained standing as she watched them - like little kids digging for treasure, they sifted through her clothes in search of more of their merch.

“Why do you have so many of our shirts?!” Jungkook asked amusedly, holding up another band shirt with "BT21" printed on it.

Anna glanced at her watch, resigned to the fact that she’s going to have to let them ride this curiosity out. With a sigh, she sat on her bed, her ankle gently kicking Jimin’s shin as he sat on the floor by her feet.

“You guys own a lot of your own merch too, you know?” She countered, smirking at Jungkook. “I figured I should buy some too.”

Jimin snapped his head towards her, eyes wide in confusion. “Wait, you actually bought these?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Jimin looked at her like she just grew two heads. “Why would you buy them? You could just ask us to get you some.”

“But I didn’t want to do that." Anna shrugged, lifting her feet to fully sit on the bed. "That’s like abuse of position or something.”

“But you’re with us. You shouldn’t have to pay for our merch." Jimin replied.

"Yeah. Do you think Taehyung would go to a store and pay for his own band’s shirt?" Jungkook chimed in.

She rolled her eyes at their strange sense of protectiveness. They really got worked up over the weirdest things.

“Well, Jin buys every RJ he comes across, so what’s your point?” She countered. The two boys opened their mouths to retort, but nothing came out. Taking advantage of their silence, she swept the conversation under the rug. “And anyway, you can’t do anything about it now. I already bought them so….relax.”

Jimin narrowed his eyes at her in a final attempt at being intimidating but continued sifting through her pile of shirts.

"Oh! Speaking of-" Jungkook exclaimed, holding up a Tata shirt.

The two boys exchanged looks, starting with pleasant surprise, blending into mischief.

“Did you get all of the characters?” Jimin asked, but he needed no answer. He and Jungkook were already halfway through her suitcase and elbows-deep in her clothing. The exasperated manager sighed, already anticipating that she had a lot of cleaning up to do later.

“I think so?" She chuckled, leaning back on her elbows while keeping an amused gaze on the child-like boys before her. "I don’t even know anymore.”

They continued digging, laughing at each character they find - an RJ sweater, a Cooky hoodie, a Van shirt, and so on.

But when they reached the bottom of her luggage and her suitcase lay nearly empty on the floor, Jimin looked up at her with doe-eyed confusion.

“Where’s Chimmy?”

God bless those eyes. That hair. It's disrespectful, really.

Wait. He asked a question. What did he say?

“What?” She blinked at him.

“Chimmy." He repeated, pointing a finger at himself. Then he looked down, gesturing to the shirts that lay before him. "You have everyone but Chimmy. Where’s Chimmy?”

Anna tilted her head, sifting through her memories of interviews and fan merchandise, to try and place what the hell a Chimmy was. Eventually, the visual of a yellow hoodie-wearing chubby-cheeked canine came to the forefront of her brain.

“That’s the yellow dog, right?”

“What the-" He choked, jaw slack with shock and distaste. "Yes! Yes, the yellow dog.”

“Oh. I think I don’t have that.”

He looked like she might as well have slapped him across the face. Or kicked him in the balls. Or told him that she was a puppy murderer.

“Why not?” He whined.

“I don’t know, okay?" She rushed to backpedal. "I just...don’t? I’ll buy one next time.”

Jimin didn't respond, looking positively livid and thunderous that it made her head spin with confusion. Then, without another word, he got on his feet and stormed out.

The slamming of the door rang through the stillness of the room.

"O...kay?" Jungkook broke the awkward silence. "What just happened?"

"I have no idea." Anna chuckled dryly, still staring at the door.

"Did he seriously leave me?" Jungkook groaned, rising to his feet. "We actually came here to invite you to lunch, but I guess that's not happening anymore.

"I'm sorry." She pouted at him.

But before she could continue, a sound came from the door, pulling Anna's and Jungkook's attention.

Jimin stomped back into the room, eyes blazing so much that Anna had to look away. He clutched some balled-up black thing in his hand, which he aggressively chucked into her suitcase. Then, he spun on his heel and stormed back out.

Anna and Jungkook didn't move, gazes transfixed on whatever the hell Jimin just tossed in the suitcase. Eventually, she snapped out of it and reached for the offending item.

It was his Chimmy shirt.

[sburbianscribe]

hi there! your writing is really amazing :D could you write about a sylph of breath during the final fight with the black king please?

Goodness, this turned out long. Sorry about the wait! (^w^;)

Okay… Deep breaths… You can do this. Your team needs you. You take off from the dusty parapet of a broken watchtower. Below, standing on the Battlefield, your friends are in position. Weapons in hand and fraymotifs at the ready, they await the coming battle with silent courage and determination. You soar down and alight on a boulder just behind them. The wind seems to respond to your anticipation, becoming stronger and causing eddies that whisk various bits of debris into the air. 

You see the Black King off in the distance. He draws closer, slowly but deliberately. His army is fragmented. His scepter is on the brink of shattering thanks to numerous assaults on the part of the Knight, the Heir, the Rogue, and yourself. Though he appears somewhat weary, you know that he still has plenty of strength left, and stands a great chance of decimating your entire team if you’re not careful.

 You and your team had forced him to retreat multiple times, during which time you took up your usual role of healer. To tell the truth, you’re tired as hell and need a rest. The battle has been raging on and off for almost two days now. The King has a ridiculous amount of stamina, and your team made the mistake of forgetting to destroy the lab where the chess army keeps making reinforcements. You’d had to get the team together and make a plan to send two of your party to destroy it while the rest held off the King’s army. Though it was successful, you’d lost valuable time and resources that kept your team from gaining the upper hand. Plus, less fighters mean more chance of injury. You’d nearly collapsed from exhaustion from having to play medic for so long. 

Now, however, you have a feeling that this is it. This is both your team’s last stand, and the last stand of the Black King. Only one team can leave the Battlefield alive. It all comes down to this final push. The Black King raises his weathered, cracked scepter. The army charges. You ready your tessens. No backing down now.

The army falls upon your team. Off to one side, a blinding shockwave of light ripples outward. An angel rises from its brilliance, bearing the gold clothing of a Heir of Hope. Shots ring out from a nearby tower as your team’s Seer snipes the more dangerous-looking baddies. The Knight of Life dashes into the thick of things, snaring enemies with thorned vines and striking with blinding speed. The Thief of Light slices his way through the fray, using his powers to momentarily blind and incapacitate his opponents while drawing attention away from everyone else. The Mage of Time slips in and out of the timestream, calling on memories of his alternate selves to predict moves before the enemy can even think of them in the first place. The Rogue looses a flurry of punches, dropping foes like flies. The Maid races past, brandishing a key-shaped sword and hacking away at anything that dares come close.

You soar into the heart of the battle, slashing with your war fans and kicking up winds to blast everything away from you. With a wave of your hand, you summon an enchanted tailwind, doubling your team’s speed and boosting their stamina. Your heart feels like it’s going to beat out of your chest as you loop and dodge around your enemies’ attacks. The scent of blood and battle already hangs thick in the air. Thankfully, that blood isn’t the blood of your teammates… yet. You hope that your team’s luck will hold out. 

The Heir of Hope races past, firing off volley upon volley of magic attacks at the many flying enemies in hot pursuit. You note with pride that he’s using the aerial maneuvers you’d shown him just recently, and that they’re working to great effect. “Hey, you alright?” he calls. “Don’t worry about me! Just keep those flying nasties away from Mira up in the tower! She needs a clear shot at the King!”  you shout back. Nearby, the Knight is getting pushed back by the enemy’s defenses. He’s bleeding heavily from several wounds, limping, and his left arm is hanging uselessly at his side. He looks like he’s at death’s door, and it’s barely been a few minutes. God, how could he have been so careless?! You soar past, firing a healing blast of winds at him. A whirlwind swirls around him, pushing the enemy back as he recovers. In an instant, you’re at his side. “What the fuck, dude?! I told you not to take on so many enemies at once! What were you thinking?!” you scold, slashing at the nearest monster. “I-I thought I could handle it! How was I supposed to know that one of those bastards’d go for my legs?” he replies, wincing as he attempts to put weight on his injured foot. “You were supposed to push the enemy back, not get yourself surrounded! And of course they’d go for your legs! You’re the fastest damn member of the team! I told you to be careful!” you rant. The Knight breathes a sigh of relief as your healing breeze does its job. “I guess I might have been a bit reckless.” he shrugs. You glare at him. “Okay, okay, really reckless.” he admits, looking sheepish.You bite back a stinging retort. Reckless doesn’t even begin to cover it, but that’s beside the point. “Alright. Just get back to the rest of the group. Skai needs backup ASAP.” You nod towards the Rogue, who seems to be losing ground pretty badly against a horde of basilisks. “Right then. I’m on it.” he calls, dashing off to help. 

The battle rages on for hours. The King is bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds, as well as from a few gashes delivered by the Thief and Maid. You make a mental note to praise the Seer’s marksmanship- she’s taken a sizable chunk out of his HP. The King’s army is in disorganized shambles now, thanks to the work of the Rogue of Blood. The Maid scatters seeds on the ground while the Knight forces them to grow at an accelerated rate. Soon, thousands of thorn-covered vines are restricting the King’s movement, keeping him from moving. Looks like his plan from earlier actually worked! Though the King is gradually breaking through the vines, it’s still slowing him down so that the team can strike before he can. You note that the tailwind you’d set up earlier has since petered out, and reset it. Everyone’s turned their attention to the King. Alone and restrained by the Knight’s vines, he’s an easy target. Now, the real fun begins.

You begin divebombing the Black King, hacking, slashing, and stabbing with all the fury of a hurricane. You’re never down low enough or flying slow enough for him to have much of a chance at hitting you, and the few flying reinforcements he has left that could stop you are focused on killing the Heir and Thief (without much success). Looping, diving, and twisting through the air like an acrobat, you strike with as much power as you can muster. Who says Sylphs have to be healers? You can fight just fine. Gale force winds trail from your tessens, forcing your enemy back and giving you room to maneuver. 

Meanwhile, it appears that the Black King is getting sick of your team’s shit. He lets out a thunderous bellow, ripping free of the thorns. The Knight’s eyes widen. “Oh, fuck!” He attempts to grab more seeds from his Sylladex. “I thought I had him!” Just before he can plant more seeds, the King backhands him into a boulder. With a sickening crack, he rebounds off of the boulder and slumps to the ground, unresponsive. You attempt to fly over and heal him, but the King isn’t having it. Within seconds, he’s sending blast after intense blast of electricity your way, forcing you to back off. You swear to God, you’re going to punch Lucy for prototyping that stupid Pikachu plush after all of this is over.

The King begins firing projectiles everywhere. Nobody escapes unscathed. You take a deep breath and try to pace yourself a little. It’s getting to the point where your whole body is aching with pain from both wounds and exhaustion. Your arms are scratched, cut and bleeding, you’re pretty sure that there’s at least three burns on your right leg alone, and you’re half deaf on your left side as a result of a flashbang misfire. Gritting your teeth, you turn back towards the Knight. Though he’s battered and bleeding, he’s still alive- for now. Glancing around, though, you notice that everyone is in rough shape. Their outfits are tattered at the edges, full of slashes and holes where enemy attacks tore the fabric. Half of them look like they’re going to collapse, and the rest can barely stay on their feet. Your friends are bloodied, beaten, and bruised. At this rate, you’ll never get to everyone in time… Well, not if you heal them individually, anyway.

You breathe deeply, drawing on the soothing power of The Breeze once more. Spiraling higher into the air, you draw upon whatever strength you have left. You know that you’re making yourself a greater target, but you don’t care anymore. You’d figured that you’d have to pull something like this sooner or later. You charge up your healing breath, pouring every last ounce of power you can muster into it. You know that with your dwindling energy reserves, you won’t have enough energy to fully heal them all, but it’s the best chance you’ve got at winning this battle. 

Suddenly, a voice rings out from your right. “Hey!” The Heir of Hope races towards you at top speed. In his hands, a ball of light gleams with the last of his Hope energy. His angelic form is failing, sparking and distorting at the edges. “Give it everything you’ve got, okay? You’ve got this!” He throws the orb of light at you, and with that, his body returns to normal. He falls, rolls to a stop on the ground, and lies still. The light fades into your body, and you feel a warm feeling ignite in your chest. Your heart feels lighter, and your body begins to regain its strength. You can keep going! You just need to hang in there for a little longer. The King lets out a roar and makes a mad, half-limping dash towards you, throwing all of your allies that get in his way to the side. A bright light begins to form between his palms, crackling and growing ever brighter by the second. Just by glancing at it, you know that one hit could be fatal. You look him right in the eye and flip him off. You know what’s coming, and you’re not afraid in the slightest. Not now. Not when the stakes are this high.

You soar skyward, pouring every last bit of energy you can into one final gambit. “FRAYMOTIF! Aeolian Hymn!” you cry. With that, you raise your hand and a purifying wind descends from the heavens. Splitting into thousands of small shimmering whirlwinds, the air currents surround the King, temporarily incapacitating him. Beams of holy light shine down upon your allies, and the winds carry them back onto their feet. All wounds are healed, all status conditions are cleared. The ultimate Fraymotif of Breath and Hope. 

Suddenly, you can barely seem to stay in the air anymore. The King’s attack scores a direct hit. A scorching blast consumes your entire body, leaving no sensations but blazing agony. You’d known it was coming, but you hadn’t expected it to hurt this much. Clothes smoking, you fall to the ground, crashing hard into the remains of the thorns. Your vision blurs, and you can barely register what’s going on around you. In the distance, you can hear your friends fighting again. You wish you could get back up, but your body doesn’t seem to want to respond to your commands. You struggle further, trying as hard as you can to get up, but it’s no use. Pain overwhelms you, ripping through your entire body at the slightest provocation and forcing you to cry out. At the same time, the Black King lets out a horrifying, earsplitting screech. It appears that your teammates have finished the job. 

Just like that, familiar voices surround you, though you can’t quite discern who’s who. No matter who’s talking, though, they sound concerned. You try to fight the shadows pressing at the edges of your vision. Senses dull and slip into the void, and the pain begins to fade with them. You struggle to stay awake, to no avail. With that, your consciousness fades into oblivion and you know no more.

Are you dead? The thought sends a shock of panic through your mind. You wait a few moments, allowing the wave of emotions to pass. If you’re dead, then you’ll be in the dream bubbles soon. Your friends will live on without you, sure, but at least they get to survive. Facing eternity as a ghost is nothing compared to what you’ve already been through, and it’s worth it if everyone else lives. Besides, you’re quite sure that there’ll be other ghosts there to keep you company, and if you were dead, wouldn’t you already be there? Suddenly, a voice breaks into your thoughts.

 “-ure she’ll be okay?” Though muffled, you recognize the voice as that of the Heir. “She’ll be up soon. Don’t worry.” the Knight replies. Your other senses begin to return, slowly but surely. Gentle light presses against your eyelids. Your body aches with pain, but it isn’t nearly as excruciating as before. Groaning, you shift to the side. Your eyes flutter open. Though blurry at first, your vision soon clears. You rub your eyes and sit up. Your breath catches and you freeze as the pain flares up for a moment, sighing slightly when it returns to a lower level moments after. The Heir looks up. “Oh, you’re awake!” he says, letting out a sigh of relief. “We were really worried about you!” You glance around the room. You appear to be back in your house, in bed. Sunlight streams through the window. You turn back to the Heir, confused and slightly disoriented. “What happened?” you demand. “Did we win?” You attempt to lean forward a bit, but that seems to make the aching worse. “Yep. Black King’s dead, and it’s all over.” the Knight replies. The Heir grins. “All that’s left to do is to release the Frog, and our work here is done. It’s all downhill from here!” 

A relieved smile spreads across your face. Thank god. Still, one thing doesn’t make sense… “Wait a sec- how did I not die?!” you ask. “I took that last hit from the King! I was sure that that attack was going to be letha-” “You did die.” the Knight interjects. “Luckily, I was able to fix that.” You pause. “What do you mean, ‘fix that’? I thought I was the only one with healing powers!” He grins, shifting to rest his elbow on the swivel chair by your desk. “Remember when I had to go see my Denizen and make The Choice?” You think for a moment. “Yeah, I remember.” The Knight fishes around in his pocket, and produces a dull glass orb resembling a crystal ball. Golden vines wind around the orb, although the luster of the artifact seems to have faded long ago. A spiderweb of cracks mars its otherwise smooth surface. “Well, part of The Choice involved finding a certain treasure. My Denizen let me keep it afterwards, though I had no idea what it was for.” He shrugs, glancing at the orb. “Apparently it channels Life energy and stores the excess. Using it after fully-charging it will break it, hence all of the cracks.” You stare at the orb for a few moments. “And…?” you prompt.  “Well, it turns out that this thing can resurrect the dead, but only after being charged to full capacity. Single-use. I was saving it for the right moment, which turned out to be when you fell.” You sit bolt upright. “Why the hell didn’t you tell any of us?!” you ask, a hint of anger in your voice. “We could have needed that earlier and found out about it too late!” The Knight shakes his head. “I told one person. The Mage. He attempted accessing a future self’s memories, and found out that if any of the rest of us found out about it, it would have been destroyed before we’d have a chance to use it. Butterfly effect and all that.”

You sit back a bit. “So, what now then?” The Heir laughs. “We make a brand new world! Think of all the adventures just waiting for us!” You smile back at him, although still a bit weary. “Heh… I could do with a little break from adventures, myself.” The Knight nods. “Same here. I’d like to go out for a run without having to fight fifty monsters, thanks.” The three of you laugh for a moment. “So, where’s everyone else?” you ask. The Knight nods towards the door. “Making final preparations to get out of this hellgame.” He turns back to you. “So, are you well enough to stand?” he asks. You shift, hanging your legs over the edge of the bed. “I’m okay, I think.” you reply. You haul yourself to your feet, limping slightly. Using your powers to levitate just above the ground, you fly out into the hallway and downstairs. The Heir and The Knight head down to the door. “I have to go get my stuff all set up.” the Knight calls. “Plus, now that I think of it, I should probably let the others know that you’re up and about.” “Alright then.” you reply. “I’d better go too.” the Heir chimes in. “I have to go tell my Consorts that it’s time to get ready, and I have all my things to pack up.” With a wave goodbye, they leave, and with that, you’re alone.

You take a deep breath, and let out a happy sigh. The battle may have been long, but it’s finally over. Now, your path stretches ahead of you into the unknown. A new world awaits beyond the door. With that, you float back up to your room. Today, packing and preparation. Tomorrow, a new world!

[sportsmaniausa0]

Week 2 NFL Power Rankings (From an Amateur)

As week two of the NFL came and went, one thing is certain: anything can happen. The Texans are dominating, Green Bay looks like they did in the mid 1990's, and Cleveland scored 51 points....in a single game. This craziness makes the power rankings a bit more challenging, but what the heck: we'll do them anyway.

Week Two:

1. New England Patriots (2-0) (Previous rank: 2): Cheating scandal aside, there's no arguing that the Pats looked like champs against a far outplayed Chargers team. Not only was their offense unstoppable, but their defense held LaDainian Tomlinson to 43 rushing yards. New England is the team to beat. These guys are hungry.

2. Indianapolis Colts (2-0) (Previous rank: 1): Sure, it was a win, but the Colts didn't exactly dominate, winning by two in a game that went down to the final moments. As Tennessee (a team that, for whatever reason, always seems to give Indianapolis a run for their money) looked to come from behind, Indy relied on their defense. In a meeting that saw one of Adam Vinatari's field goals get partially blocked, bounce off the crossbar, and still go in, we can't help but think gravity is on the side of these defending champs.

3. Dallas Cowboys (2-0) (Previous rank: 4): For a while, the 37-20 Dallas victory looked to be anyone's game, but by the time the fourth quarter was in full swing, the Cowboys were galloping into the sunset. Their offense was solid but this game belonged to their defense. With five takeaways, Wade Phillips - the defensive coordinator turned head coach (a couple of times) - should be proud. Right now, this team is the stallion of the NFC.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0) (Previous rank: 7): The only truly ugly thing about Pittsburgh's play was their uniforms (sorry, but I'm anti-yellow). Ben Roethlisberger had another solid outing and Willie Parker rushed for 126 yards. Outplaying an emotionally exhausted Bills team, the Steeler's defense held their opponents to three points. They just may be back to their 2005 selves.

5. Denver Broncos (2-0) (Previous rank: 5): As Denver Bronco fans everywhere find themselves with ulcers, they can't help but wonder if any games will not be decided by a last second field goal. In a contest that Denver looked to have put away, Oakland came from behind to make another exciting ending. No one can say that the Broncos are boring, but if Denver is going to have a good season, they have to learn to hold onto their leads....or buy Prilosec for all of their fans.

6. San Diego (1-1) (Previous rank: 3): It's hard to go on the road and it's hard to play anything - yes even a game of "I Spy" - against Bill Belichick, but the Chargers didn't just lose, they lost bad. Virtually destroyed by New England, this team looked a lot different than last year. Not only did their star running back run into a wall, but Phillip Rivers played like a rookie quarterback. Their offense couldn't get started, and their defense couldn't stop anything. Is it too soon to say they miss Marty Schottenheimer?

7. Chicago Bears (1-1) (Previous rank: 9): The first victory of Chicago's season belongs to their special teams: Devin Hester is the new Dante Hall. The Bear's defense looked solid as usual, limiting the Chiefs to only ten points. How they played on the other side of the ball, however, is another story. Though they doubled the Chief's score, Chicago still needs some work. Their passing game has got to do something about doing nothing.

8. Baltimore Ravens (1-1) (Previous rank: 11): For a while, it looked as though the New York Jets were gaining ground on Baltimore. But, we all know what matters in the end is the score: Ravens 20, Jets unable to take off. Still, if Baltimore wants to continue to jell, they are going to have to make sure last minute comebacks from their opponents are "never more."

9. Green Bay Packers (2-0) (Previous rank: 14): Is it just me, or is it nice to see Brett Favre actually having fun again? As he climbed into the record books as the winningest quarterback in NFL history, number 4 led his team over a poor New York Giants defense. Winning on the road is a big win for Favre and company. They are now 2-0, somewhere they haven't been in, count 'em, six years.

10. Houston Texans (2-0) (Previous rank: 15): The playoffs are a long time away, but Houston has a reason to get excited. Plainly put, this team looks good. After an opening win against the Chiefs, the Texans came from behind on the road to destroy Carolina. At 2-0, these players are performing like they have something to prove. And, so far, they're proving it.

11. Cincinnati Bengals (1-1) (Previous rank: 8): Who would have thought Carson Palmer could throw for six touchdowns and the Bengals would still lose? Well, that's exactly what happened. In a game that was all about offense, the Bengals proved they could deliver. Their defense, on the other hand, was pathetic. Browns fans poured beer on Chad Johnson and Browns players poured points onto the scoreboard. Cleveland, yes Cleveland, scored 51 points against a less than ferocious Bengals D.

12. Carolina Panthers (1-1) (Previous rank: 6): Everyone said that the Houston Texans wouldn't be able to stop Steve Smith and they weren't. 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 atlanta falcons, Jacksonville stuck to what they know best: playing defense. The Jaguar's offense played well enough to get the job done. A decent offense and a stellar defense is how Jacksonville will win games.

19. New Orleans Saints (0-2) (Previous rank: 12): In light of Mother Nature's recent acts, it's hard not to like the Saints. Still, we, like most of America, are beginning to believe that last year was what many people deemed it: a fairy tale season. This time around, they are rooted in reality. But, don't hand them their marching papers just yet. They could still turn it around; the talent is there.

20. Philadelphia Eagles (0-2) (Previous rank: 13): Okay Eagle fans, it might be time to start panicking. Losing to Green Bay on the road was one thing; losing to Washington at home was totally different. McNabb looks McBadd. If they lose to Detroit, they'll find themselves in a hole they can't fly out of.

21. Minnesota Vikings (1-1) (Previous rank: 18): The Vikings own the Lions no more. In a game marked by seven interceptions, the Vikings defense performed well, making up for a horrible offense. Not many teams will win when the offense keeps giving chances away.

22. Arizona Cardinals (1-1) (Previous rank: 23): Edgerrin James and Matt Leinart both had huge games as the Cardinals won off the foot of Neil Rackers. It was a dramatic win, but one that showed Arizona is still capable of blowing large leads. They need to learn to go in for the kill shot.

23. Cleveland Browns (1-1) (Previous rank: 32): Wow, who knew the Browns were capable of this kind of offense. In what was Derek Anderson's best Peyton Manning impression, the Cleveland quarterback threw for 328 yards and five touchdowns. The offense looked great but the defense, as Cincinnati was right on their tails with 45 points, could still use some work.

24. Tampa Bay (1-1) (Previous rank: 29): Joey Galloway made his fantasy owners proud on Sunday, catching for 135 yards and two touchdowns. Still, he might want to keep the showboating to a minimum, at least until Tampa Bay is above .500.

25. New York Giants (0-2) (Previous rank: 22): The Giants committed less than brilliant mistakes and played defense with more holes than a fishing net. So far, it really looks like there is no light at the end of the tunnel for Eli and the gang.

26. Miami Dolphins (0-2) (Previous rank: 21): Are the fins finished? Well, not yet, but they have to start performing better. In a game that saw a bad running game and Trent Green throw four interceptions, Miami nearly had no chance. Green's ability to find Chris Chambers is hopeful, but he needs to start finding him in the end zone.

27. Oakland Raiders (0-2) (Previous rank: 30): Well, they gave it a good try. In what may someday be known as the "Time Out Game," Oakland rushed their kicker in overtime only to find out that the game wasn't actually over. After the Raiders missed a 52 yarder, Denver regained control and went on to victory. Still, you have to hand it to Oakland: they refused to die at Mile High.

28. Atlanta Falcons (0-2) (Previous rank: 28): Joey Harrington doesn't have a chance if his offensive line doesn't protect him. With a quarterback unable to run like Vick, atlanta falcons is going to have to learn to block. On the Brightside, the Falcons were in this one till the end.

29. New York Jets (0-2) (Previous rank: 25): At 0 and 2, it's starting to look like last year was a fluke for the Jets. They did play well in the fourth quarter, but it was too little too late. Here's to hoping "Man Genius" has something up his sleeve or else this season is going to smart.

30. St. Louis Rams (0-2) (Previous rank: 27): Good teams find a way to win games they should lose, and bad teams find a way to lose games they should win. For Rams fans, their team is in the latter category. Despite outplaying the 49ers, St. Louis couldn't arch their way to victory. They have to stop making mistakes if they are going to have a chance.

31. Buffalo Bills (0-2) (Previous rank: 26): We feel for the Bills, players who have been on an emotional roller coaster all week long. We feel for them, but we still have to say this isn't their year. After being robbed by Denver, they were steam rolled by the Steelers. Their defense is doing well in the red zone, but the same can't be said for their offense.

32. Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) (Previous rank: 31): While their defense began to show signs of life, their offense and their special teams just can't get anything going. If something doesn't start to happen, the Chiefs might find themselves wanting to stick their arrowheads in the oven. It's going to be a long, long season.