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Last week, one team had the worst airport luck since Tom Hanks in The Terminal. Chester & Ephraim, you deserved a redo on that leg but if there is justice in the world you will reappear in the next season that brings back previous teams, especially if they once again subtitle it "Unfinished Business."

Looking onward and upward, let's rip into the next set of power rankings heading into a the fourth leg on season 23, (which I will predict is the first non-elimination leg of the season):

1. Travis & Nicole: Mr. & Mrs. Dr.

I pegged this married team as the ultimate winner sight unseen on the Race and they are proving very strong. Last week they finally grabbed that first place spot that eluded them on week one. While others had to scramble onto their flight that arrived in Lisbon first, the couple just had to wait to board. Granted, their seats were a result of the worst travel agent in Chile, who screwed over Chester & Ephraim by flubbing the travel dates. By teaming up with another strong team for the Detour when at the front of the pack, they just padded their lead. Both of these teams recognized their security on the leg and plowed through the Detour easily as a combined force to be reckoned with. I hope they stay aligned on the Race. Plus, it appears this week that Nicole boldly makes a play for the Exes extra Express Pass by requiring they hand it over before information is shared.

2. Jason & Amy: Daring New Englanders

Well, the (spoiler alert) Red Sox are now in the World Series, so I have to put this Boston-based team in the top two, right? Not quite. They are here because I feel vindicated in my early faith I had in them. Once again, they gave a strong (Boston Strong, if you will) performance on the Detour and the medieval Roadblock. With the aforementioned alliance of my first place team, I think they showed a smart approach to who they paired up with (unlike Leo & Jamal who let sidled up with the first team of pretty girls). So, why not put them first over Travis & Nicole? Simply because their cabbie disagreement and arguing cost them first place. Plus BOP's Kim Hollis is a diehard Cardinals fan, so I avoid her ire by not putting a Boston team in first as her team is about to vie for the World Series title against the Red Sox.

3. Brandon & Adam: Hirsute Friends

The chaps of Team Beardo have that nice blend of fun-loving and strong performing. They smashed the salt mining Detour like no other two legs ago. Then, last week, the tile Detour was no sweat and the Adam only needed a single arrow to get the clue. All the while, they are just soaking up the experience. If you have read my recaps over the last several seasons, I have an affinity to such teams because I would rather watch goofy and decent people on reality shows over the hyper-competitive, manipulative jerks that usually populate competition shows (cough...Marie...cough). Just more entertaining to me and people that I choose to devote my evening to should actually be entertaining. If the guys keep this mindset in place, which will help them knock out challenges more easily, I think they can sail on into the final three.

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