As the first two weeks of the season come to a close, some teams are already starting to establish themselves while others falter at the high expectations of others. There have been many surprises already; some teams that never made the playoffs before are now making a push. Here are my teams to watch for this year.

1. New Orleans Saints: So they played the Detroit Lions and a McNabb-less Philadelphia Eagles team; but regardless, any team that can put up over 40 points against two teams in their first two games is good. Drew Brees, my candidate for MVP this year, ripped the Eagles defense, who’s strength is their secondary, to shreds. The New Orleans quarterback has 9 passing touchdowns in two games and is the leader of this team on the rise. Their defense, led by Scott Shanle, (linebacker) and Darren Sharper (safety) has done well to keep the Saints lead, despite being shaky in the past.

2. Baltimore Ravens: Traditionally a power running team, the Ravens have shown a strong balance on offense, led by Joe Flacco at quarterback. Their win at San Diego proved that their offense could win them games. Despite the loss of some strong players on the defense, they still have Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, at linebacker and safety respectively, to lead the way and make a strong case to beat out the one dimensional Steelers in AFC North.

3. New York Giants: Ever since winning the Super Bowl two years ago, Eli Manning has developed into one of the best quarterbacks in the lead and can do it without a proven receiver. He and the Giants have already taken two from division rivals, giving them a strong advantage to win the division two years in a row. Their balance on offense and strong defense will make them a threat to all teams they face, but they are not the only New York team that has performed well this year.

4. New York Jets: It seems like Rex Ryan might bring some of the rookie magic from Joe Flacco last year to Mark Sanchez this year. Beating the Patriots not only backs up the mouths of their defense, but also shows that they are a team to be reckoned with. The way they are playing, I could easily see Mark Sanchez as rookie of the year on offense. Rex Ryan may have a strong mouth, but he has a strong team.

5. San Francisco 49ers: On the West Coast, the 49ers seem to have gotten their act together under Coach Mike Singletary. Their running attack has been strong as running back Frank Gore rushed for 207 yards against the Seahawks defense. Their defense has been solid as well, as linebacker Patrick Willis led the way to keeping the opposing teams at only 50 rushing yards per game and 13 points per game. With two division wins already, the 49ers could easily win the soft NFC West and easily get to the playoffs.

Bryan Manderscheid is a freshman engineering major. He can be reached for comment at [email protected]