1. (1) Green Bay Packers (11-0). No team has been in first place wire to wire in my power rankings before. Unless the Packers lose their next five, that is pretty much guaranteed to happen for the first time.
2. (6) New England Patriots (8-3). The Patriots defense is playing average these days, and average is good enough for the Pats to be a great team. The remaining
3. (3) Houston Texans (8-3). I am not going to move the Texans down until they show me they are in serious trouble with TJ Yates as the starting quarterback. This team has looked great all year, and have missed Mario Williams, Andre Johnson, Matt Schaub and Arian Foster, questionably their four best players, for large chunks of the season. I have a feeling the team will be okay, though everyone else has spelled doom for Houston. It's not like Matt Schaub is an amazing quarterback who was flinging touchdowns all over the field.
4. (4) New Orleans Saints (8-3). No team can make a game look like the SEC vs. the Sun Belt like the Saints. They have absolutely slaughtered two teams this year. Of course, they follow those up with baffling losses all the time, which means the Lions should win. Not really.
5. (2) San Francisco 49ers (9-2). The Niners had to travel to the East Coast to play a game on 3 days of rest. I will not hold that tough loss to the Ravens against them. Other then the Steelers, the Niners get to beat up on the NFC West for four games. It will be a shock if they don't have a first round bye.
2. (6) New England Patriots (8-3). The Patriots defense is playing average these days, and average is good enough for the Pats to be a great team. The remaining
3. (3) Houston Texans (8-3). I am not going to move the Texans down until they show me they are in serious trouble with TJ Yates as the starting quarterback. This team has looked great all year, and have missed Mario Williams, Andre Johnson, Matt Schaub and Arian Foster, questionably their four best players, for large chunks of the season. I have a feeling the team will be okay, though everyone else has spelled doom for Houston. It's not like Matt Schaub is an amazing quarterback who was flinging touchdowns all over the field.
4. (4) New Orleans Saints (8-3). No team can make a game look like the SEC vs. the Sun Belt like the Saints. They have absolutely slaughtered two teams this year. Of course, they follow those up with baffling losses all the time, which means the Lions should win. Not really.
5. (2) San Francisco 49ers (9-2). The Niners had to travel to the East Coast to play a game on 3 days of rest. I will not hold that tough loss to the Ravens against them. Other then the Steelers, the Niners get to beat up on the NFC West for four games. It will be a shock if they don't have a first round bye.
6. (8) Baltimore Ravens (8-3).
7. (5) Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3). 8. (9) Dallas Cowboys (7-4).
9. (12) Oakland Raiders (7-4).
9. (12) Oakland Raiders (7-4).
10. (7) Chicago Bears (7-4). I don't think the Bears are finished with Caleb Hanie now under center. Mike Martz just couldn't get out of his way last weekend with some absolutely dreadful play calling. This team needs to rely heavily on the running game and the defense, and they should squeak into the playoffs. Having Hanie air it out everywhere is not going to work.
11. (13) Atlanta Falcons (7-4).
11. (13) Atlanta Falcons (7-4).
12. (10) New York Giants (6-5). The Giants hellacious schedule roles on, as they have to play the Packers and the Cowboys twice. No one rallies when their head coach has one foot out the door like the Giants. Can they do it once again with no running game, no secondary and no linebacker play?
13. (15) New York Jets (6-5).
14. (14) Cincinnati Bengals (7-4). The Bengals four losses are to winning teams, and the only win against a winning team was against the Titans. They are not nearly as good as their 7-4 record, but the fact that they are such a young team on offense, it is still very impressive to me. If they can somehow beat the Steelers or Ravens, it will do a lot for their credibility.
15. (11) Detroit Lions (7-4). The Lions had a chance to really show the world they are an up and coming great team, but instead they show how immature they are. This team was in completely over their head and that 5-0 start seems like a distant memory. This is who they are right now, a middle of the pack team who is still very young and needs a lot more help.
16. (17) Tennessee Titans (6-5).
14. (14) Cincinnati Bengals (7-4). The Bengals four losses are to winning teams, and the only win against a winning team was against the Titans. They are not nearly as good as their 7-4 record, but the fact that they are such a young team on offense, it is still very impressive to me. If they can somehow beat the Steelers or Ravens, it will do a lot for their credibility.
15. (11) Detroit Lions (7-4). The Lions had a chance to really show the world they are an up and coming great team, but instead they show how immature they are. This team was in completely over their head and that 5-0 start seems like a distant memory. This is who they are right now, a middle of the pack team who is still very young and needs a lot more help.
16. (17) Tennessee Titans (6-5).
17. (18) Miami Dolphins (3-8). Despite the record the Dolphins are playing very good football. Matt Moore looks good, the pass rush is coming on and the running game has played great. Unfortunately, they still can't put the ball into the end zone against good teams. As a Dolphins fan, I am happy with how this season has played out. Miami doesn't look hopeless like other bad teams, but they still might wind up with a top ten pick and a new quarterback.
18. (19) Denver Broncos (6-5).
19. (16) Philadelphia Eagles (4-7). The Eagles seem close to falling off the face of the planet, and I would be very surprised if they win one more game this year. This loss against the Patriots should be the nail in the coffin as far as the team putting forth effort goes.
20. (20) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7).
21. (21) Seattle Seahawks (4-7).
22. (22) Buffalo Bills (5-6). It's amazing that this team was once 5-2 and in my top five. They have completely fallen flat. At least they played a close game against the Jets, but what a whirlwind day for Stevie Johnson.
23. (25) Carolina Panthers (3-8). WHAT A SURPRISE! The Panthers ran their two running backs 25 total times, and they won easily. Sure, it was against the helpless Colts, but I just don't get why they don't do that every game. The duo both have yard per carry averages around 5. Run the ball!
24. (28) Washington Redskins (4-7).
25. (24) Arizona Cardinals (4-7).
26. (23) San Diego Chargers (4-7). Oh..so now Norv Turner will apparently be fired? Not the previous 87 years with the team where they played well under potential? What the hell is going on with Philip Rivers by the way?
27. (27) Jacksonville Jaguars (3-8). Baffling to me that Jack Del Rio would get the axe but the general manager gets a contract extension. This is the same guy that has whiffed on so many first round picks and failed to land any secondary, pass rushing or pass catching help. Not to mention a terrible contract extension to Marcedes Lewis and trading up to take Blaine Gabbert. Del Rio always got this team to play better then the talent level. But I think the question we all ask is, who cares? It's Jacksonville.
28. (26) Minnesota Vikings (2-9).
29. (29) Cleveland Browns (4-7).
29. (29) Cleveland Browns (4-7).
30. (31) Kansas City Chiefs (4-7). I didn't say last week, but I moved the Chiefs all the way to number 31 because I will be very surprised if they win another game this year. However, that was before they got the Neck Beard, he will be a huge upgrade whenever he gets his chance to start.
31. (30) St. Louis Rams (2-9).
32. (32) Indianapolis Colts (0-11). The Colts have the Patriots, Ravens, Titans, Texans and Jaguars remaining on the schedule. They haven't lost a game by less then 10 points since Week 5. There is no way this team is not going 0-16. And just a few short years ago they could have went 16-0. Wow, how valuable Peyton Manning is to the team. And people really think they should trade him?
32. (32) Indianapolis Colts (0-11). The Colts have the Patriots, Ravens, Titans, Texans and Jaguars remaining on the schedule. They haven't lost a game by less then 10 points since Week 5. There is no way this team is not going 0-16. And just a few short years ago they could have went 16-0. Wow, how valuable Peyton Manning is to the team. And people really think they should trade him?
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