2013 NFL power rankings, preseason Week 2: Let's get crazy

We're one week into the preseason. It's barely enough time for even the most experienced team to shake off summer rust. But it's not at all too soon to start compiling power rankings. So where do the St. Louis Rams stand in the eyes of the experts after one week of exhibition play?

The Rams checked in at No. 16 on the NFL.com power rankings this week. That's down one spot from the week before, when nobody had seen the 2013 version of the team play anywhere outside of a team scrimmage.

It wasn't the smoothest of starts in Cleveland. If you watched the St. Louis Rams' preseason opener, you saw their youth -- especially on defense. Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden took 'em apart. Then there was Isaiah Pead putting the ball on the ground. This kid got beaten out by a supremely motivated Daryl Richardson last preseason, and he's not doing himself any favors just yet. Still, there were bright spots, starting with Sam Bradford's play.

Meh. It's hard to get too upset about power rankings, especially power rankings in the second week of August. The Rams starting offense looked fine to me, for a preseason opener anyway. If the defense, particularly youngsters Alec Ogletree and T.J. McDonald, don't whiff on a couple tackles, the results look entirely different.

Again, it's August 13. Power rankings are nice filler, but nothing to get outraged about.