After a week off from the NFL Power Rankings for the Thanksgiving holiday we are back and some things never change. The Packers stay unbeatable while the Dolphins are the hottest team in the league right now. And then there’s Tebow….

1) GREEN BAY PACKERS (12-0)

It’s getting tougher but the Packers survived another week to remain unbeaten. The Giants were a tough nut to crack and the next four game feature 3 home games. That unbeatable season is looking very realistic now.

2) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (10-2)

The Niners lost on the road in the battle of the Harbaugh coaches but rebounded very, very nice against the Rams in a clear beat-down. No matter what, the road to the Super Bowl goes through Green Bay and that’s the most important part. Three of the next four on the road but that’s against Seattle, St. Louis and Arizona so it’s a great way to finish the season.

3) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (9-3)

The NFC South belongs to New Orleans with a two game lead right now. Drew Brees is keeping the turnovers under control and that’s the single biggest key to this team. Despite that, the Lions actually outgained the Saints on Monday but that’s a skewed stat as they were just trying harder to catch up. Saints can still score at will which makes them one of the most dangerous teams out there.

4) BALTIMORE RAVENS (9-3)

Baltimore holds onto the division even though they are tied with Pittsburgh thanks to the season sweep. Soft schedule for the rest of the season should help them stay on top.

5) HOUSTON TEXANS (9-3)

No QB. No problem. The Texans are fielding a fantastic defense and that’s worth it’s weight in Matt Leinarts. Tack on a great running game and it’s looking good as they lead the division over Tennessee by two games and the two face off in the last week of the season.

6) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (9-3)

The Pats didn’t underestimate the Colts and that’s for a good reason. It was a closer game than it should have been. For a team on the playoff hunt like the Pats and one of the worst teams to play in decades like the Colts, the Pats should have performed better and not let Indy score 21 in the fourth.

7) PITTSBURGH STEELERS (9-3)

Another solid win against Cincy after a soft win over K.C. gets the Steelers back on track. A soft schedule will benefit the Steelers with two Cleveland games and one against St. Louis to help keep up with Baltimore. The deal breaker might be the San Fran game slipped in there that could knock the Steelers down in a couple of weeks.

8 ) DENVER BRONCOS (7-5)

Love him or hate him, Tim Tebow wins. The Broncos now sport a five game winning streak. Only Houston and Green Bay have better streaks but the win in Minny coupled with a Raiders loss put the Broncos in the division lead. In the first month of the season the team was in the cellar and looking sad. Now they’re in the playoff hunt. Impressive.

9) NEW YORK JETS (7-5)

The Jets have quietly won two in a row now to get back into the Wildcard hunt and no team on the schedule has a winning record.

10) TENNESSEE TITANS (7-5)

The Titans finally got a dominating game from CJ, his first real studly output of the year. Hasselbeck is keeping the game under control and they’re still alive for the playoff hunt.

11) ATLANTA FALCONS (7-5)

The Falcons lost to Houston’s third-stringer QB in their up/down season. They could easily win 3 out of their next four (Tampa, Carolina, Jacksonville and New Orleans) but with their Hot-Cold performance that’s not a sure thing. Probably need to get to 10 wins to make the playoffs at this point which is doable.

12) DALLAS COWBOYS (7-5)

The Cowboys won the game and Jason Garrett lost it. Biggest boner move by a coach I’ve seen in years but the Cowboys have silently slipped to #1 in the NFC East. They only hold a one-game lead but if they dig down deep could hold off the Giants at #2 in the division as the 2 teams will face off twice in the next month.

13) OAKLAND RAIDERS (7-5)

The Raiders dropped to Miami and slipped out of the division lead. Next up, Green Bay so that’s another ouch. Despite the arrival of Carson Palmer, the Raiders couldn’t hold off Tebow from slipping past them. However, the Raiders have a favorable schedule and could get back into the mix of things after Green Bay.

14) CINCINNATI BENGALS (7-5)

The Bengals proved two things this year. One, they are much better than we all thought. And two, they can’t beat Pittsburgh. They’ve lost to the Steelers twice who have lost to the Ravens twice and with the Bengals being just 2 games out, winning the division is out of the question. Some hot play could keep them in the playoff hunt, though.

15) NEW YORK GIANTS (6-6)

Close loss for the Giants. They can play ball but have stumbled to 6-6 and 2nd place in the division. Two more games against the Cowboys will make or break their playoff hopes.

16) DETROIT LIONS (7-5)

The Lions aren’t technically out of the playoffs right now. In fact, at 7-5 they are very much in it but the way they are playing, with such a lack of discipline and style, makes me wonder if they won’t tank the rest of the season.

17) CHICAGO BEARS (7-5)

The Bears don’t have a QB and now have lost Matt Forte for possibly the year. Honestly, after their last two games, I expect the team to bust out everything they got just to make .500 at this point.

18 ) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (5-7)

The Seahawks rolled huge again with Marshawn Lynch and embarrassed Philly. At 5-7 and the way they are playing, the ‘Hawks could slip past .500 and given a miracle, make the playoffs again. Nine wins might not be enough, though as SF owns the division title.

19) MIAMI DOLPHINS (4-8)

Hottest team in the league! The Dolphins have lost one game in five but that was a one-point OT loss. So if you think about it, they could be 5-7 and on the verge of a playoff spot. Not gonna happen but the way this season started, it’s a Christmas miracle.

20) ARIZONA CARDINALS (5-7)

The Cards have won four of their last five to give the Seahawks a run for the 2nd place spot in the NFC West. Only a miracle would allow them to win out and win the last Wildcard spot but that’s why they play the game. Too bad Cincy, SF and Seattle remain on the schedule to most likely end any of those hopes.

21) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (5-7)

The Chargers can win. Even though it was against the Jaguars in the most unanticipated Monday Night Football game ever, the Chargers showed their offensive skills. Way too late to make a difference but at least they can salvage the season for what it’s worth as rumors of GM A.J. Smith and coach Norv Turner already being told their done in SD circulate.

22) CAROLINA PANTHERS (4-8)

Cam Newton should be Rookie of the Year and his 3 rushing TD’s to annihilate the Bucs set a new QB rushing record. And there’s still a month left in the season. Panthers are no way near the playoffs but this year has shown us that they will be competitive sooner rather later.

23) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (5-7)

Ugly win vs the beat up Bears but a win nonetheless. Thank goodness for the Hail Mary.

24) WASHINGTON REDSKINS (4-8)

The Skins now have a winning streak of 1. Don’t laugh. It’s the hottest they’ve been in a long time. Pats next so the winning streak will end but it was a good run.

25) TAMPA BAY BUCS (4-8)

The Bucs have to be the biggest disappointment of the year. Next to the Eagles but I never have too much stock in ‘All-Star’ teams and I’m seriously not that shocked that Philly imploded like it did. But Tampa? What happened? Even with dusting off the creamsicle orange jerseys the Bucs couldn’t get a spark and now have dropped 6 in row.

26) BUFFALO BILLS (5-7)

Like the Lions, the Bills have stumbled huge. Now five losses in a row and the Bills look to be going nowhere fast. Except maybe a permanent move to L.A. or Toronto.

27) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (4-8)

The Eagles are out of the playoffs and out of gas. Blowout loss in Philly show this team in anything but what they were expected to be this year. Vick returns this week but it doesn’t matter.

28 ) CLEVELAND BROWNS (4-8)

The Ravens showed us why the Browns and Colt McCoy need a lot more work before being taken serious.

29) JACKSONVILLE JAGS (3-9)

The Jags still suck. Not much to argue there as the team gets sold, fires Del Rio (finally) and then comes out and gets blown out on MNF. Sounds like a typical week for the future L.A. Jaguars.

30) MINNESOTA VIKINGS (2-10)

Vikes are riddles with problems but rookie QB Christian Ponder should be alright. Without A.P. the team doesn’t stand a chance. Losing to Tebow in OT isn’t such a bad thing. It’s kind of a trend right now.

31) ST. LOUIS RAMS (2-10)

About a month back the Rams showed signs of life. That’s gone now.

32) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (0-12)

Solid effort against the Pats with a nice 4th quarter comeback to make it a lot closer than it looked.

The Packers stay unbeatable while the Dolphins are the hottest team in the league right now. One of those things is not normal…

1) GREEN BAY PACKERS (10-0)

The Packers continue to roll and roll big. Aaron Rodgers got his record-breaking fourth straight game with a passer rating better than 140. It’s a dumb stat but that’s what we have to measure QB’s and it’s still very impressive because the Packers are one of the strongest teams I’ve seen in quite awhile. Lions and Pack on Thanksgiving day is what I’m thankful for!

2) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (9-1)

The Niners are solid. On defense they have not allowed a rushing TD this season. Let that sink in for a bit. Also, the brothers Harbaugh will face off this weekend for an epic match.

3) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (7-3)

An up week for the Pats who unloaded on KC on Monday. It helps with Gronkowski on track to set a single-season record for TD’s for tight ends.

4) BALTIMORE RAVENS (7-3)

Baltimore took on the Bengals and won solid over division rival Cincy. This team is a bit inconsistent and will have to lock down their running game to hold off the Steelers and keep this division lead.

5) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (7-3)

The NFC South belongs to New Orleans right now as they hold a one-game lead over Atlanta. Next up the Giants on the road to test their strengths.

6) HOUSTON TEXANS (6-3)

The Texans took a bye week with one of the best rushing games in the league. Turns out they’ll need it because Schaub is out for the year and the Texans are pinning their hopes on Matt Leinart for their first playoff appearance. I don’t know about you but that makes me a little nervous.

7) PITTSBURGH STEELERS (7-3)

A soft schedule will benefit the Steelers but they’ll have to win out over Baltimore who swept them this season already to win the division. Close enough will be good for a Wild Card hopefully.

8 ) DETROIT LIONS (7-3)

The Lions got down big on the Panthers before Matt Stafford unloaded and stormed his team back to win 49-35. Huge win for a team that had lost 3 of their last 4. Next, the Pack on Thanksgiving for the game of the year. Could this be Green Bay’s first loss?

9) ATLANTA FALCONS (6-4)

The Falcons beat up the Titans and sent QB Matt Hasselbeck to the trainers room. Rookie QB Jake Locker came in and rallied his team but the Falcons were just too much to handle. Roddy White looked solid for the Falcons but this team has yet to find their high gear yet.

10) CHICAGO BEARS (7-3)

The Bears ripped up San Diego but lost Cutler for the year. What happens next is a mystery but it’s hard to imagine the Bears to keep on flying like this. Fun note is they could pick up former Bear Kyle Orton who was cut by the Broncos this week.

11) DALLAS COWBOYS (6-4)

Tony Romo held off the Redskins and the Cowboys slipped to the top of the division thanks to the blundering Giants. Two big wins now and Cards, Dolphins next to help them stay on top possibly.

12) CINCINNATI BENGALS (6-4)

The Bengals lost their 2nd division game in a row to knock them back down to Earth. The good news is the Bengals held their own and could have won the game which means the team still has some spunk left in it. Next, the Browns for a good win and then the Steelers for possible revenge.

13) OAKLAND RAIDERS (6-4)

It’s no surprise that RB Darren McFadden is out at midseason with injuries. Right on schedule, actually. But Michael Bush has been more than impressive filling in and Carson Palmer looks like he hasn’t missed much time as the Raiders are clicking.

14) NEW YORK GIANTS (6-4)

Ugly loss for the Giants as Eli fumbles late in the 4th and the Giants look stale. Bad division loss to an Eagles team with their backup QB which is unacceptable for a team that was playing at such a high level earlier this season.

15) DENVER BRONCOS (5-5)

The Tim Tebow train got their 4th win and made it official by ditching Kyle Orton for good. Bronco fans are in it for the long haul now but the Broncos are in contention for the division title, something they didn’t have with Orton.

16) NEW YORK JETS (5-5)

The Jets are stumbling with their 2nd loss. At this rate they will miss the playoffs and with their offense that’s probably for the best.

17) TENNESSEE TITANS (5-5)

The Titans lost Hasselbeck and the game. Jake Locker came in but this team was in the position to catch the Texans who lost their QB as well. Bad timing for the Titans. I don’t think they’ll be able to catch up now if Hasselbeck is out for awhile.

18 ) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (4-6)

Vick is out but Vince Young was good enough to keep the Eagles in the game and the Giants were nice enough to help the Eagles defense to give Philly the win. It wasn’t pretty but it was good enough.

19) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (4-6)

The Seahawks have won 2 of 3 and Marshawn Lynch almost had his 3rd straight 100-yard game. They still struggle on offense but with Washington, St. Louis and Philly on the schedule next there’s a chance this team could crack or make .500 by years end.

20) MIAMI DOLPHINS (3-7)

Three in a row. What? Seriously. What? The Dolphins are looking solid with another huge win. Even though it was the Bills the turnaround by the Dolphins has been impressive.

21) BUFFALO BILLS (5-5)

The Bills are all but out of it now as only a miracle can get them back into the playoff race after 3 straight losses. Defenses have figured out their spread offense and the big-plays are rare now.

22) TAMPA BAY BUCS (4-6)

The Bucs have stumbled. Once contenders, the Bucs now struggle to score points but LaGarrette Blount showed some life and kept his team in the game.

23) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (4-6)

The all or nothing Chiefs were nothing again. Too many losses on offense as Matt Cassel is officially out for the year. New England has scored more than twice as many points as the Chiefs this year.

24) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (4-6)

The Chargers lost, again, for their 5th straight time. With the Raiders and Broncos doing well, it’s hard to imagine this team getting their act together in time to right the ship.

25) ARIZONA CARDINALS (3-7)

It’s not a shame to lose to the great Niners on the road but to be so dominated is another subject. The 49ers controlled the ball for more than 44 minutes of the game and San Francisco outgained Arizona 431 to 229 yards of total offense.

26) WASHINGTON REDSKINS (3-7)

The Skins tried to break their 6-game losing streak and almost had it if it weren’t for that pesky Romo. Grossman is better than Beck but not as good as a great QB should be.

27) CLEVELAND BROWNS (4-6)

The Browns finally pulled out a win, snapping their 3-game losing streak. McCoy looked good, something that we usually don’t say.

28 ) CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-8)

Cam Newton and Panthers started out strong but couldn’t hold off a better Lions team. The losses are really starting to pile up now but this team just doesn’t have enough talent to compete.

29) JACKSONVILLE JAGS (3-7)

The Jags are back to sucking and couldn’t score much against the stagnant Browns. Someone remind me why Del Rio hasn’t been fired yet…

30) MINNESOTA VIKINGS (2-8)

Vikes lose a close one at home, nothing special with a rookie QB and depleted talent stock. But the huge loss is AP and his ankle, who might be out for a game or two.

31) ST. LOUIS RAMS (2-8)

The Rams look lost and Steven Jackson still plays his heart out.

32) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (0-10)

Um….yeah. It’s the Colts. They’ve already won the Andrew Luck lottery.

The Packers look unbeatable at this point in the season. My guess is Aaron Rodgers might break every NFL passing record in the next couple of weeks. Here’s a look at our NFL Power Rankings to see who can hold a candle to the Pack. Hint, it’s not the Eagles.

1) GREEN BAY PACKERS (9-0)

Aaron Rodgers rolls in one of the best seasons a QB has played in decades. The Packers defense isn’t as great as their offense but they didn’t have trouble keeping the lowly Vikings in check. Easy #1 pick again this week. There are two constants in the NFL right now. The Packers are the best team in the league and the Colts are the worst.

2) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (8-1)

The Niners are the second best team in the league but that’s not a bad thing. They would be undefeated but lost an OT game in week 2. Alex Smith continues to be great and their power running game is great. Frank Gore left with an injury but should be back with no missed time. The Niners held off a great Giants team to keep their strong lead in the NFC.

3) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (7-3)

The NFC South is a tough division but the Saints nabbed another solid division win on the road in Atlanta. The Saints played aggressive all game long against the tough Falcons which made me cringe during the final seconds of the game. The Saints let the Falcons score the final drive to go into OT but could have played stronger D to keep Matt Ryan from dicing up the defense so easy. In the end, the Falcons made a dumb decision to go for it on a 4th down in their own end to lose the game which decided the fate of this slugfest.

4) PITTSBURGH STEELERS (7-3)

An impressive win on the road helped the Steelers get back into the division lead but Big Ben broke his thumb in the process. The Steelers are now relying on a passing game and not the usual pounding run game to win and it’s working.

5) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (6-3)

Nothing like beating up on a division rival to get your team back on track. The Pats had no trouble against the Jets and prevented the franchise from getting their third straight loss. The Pats are now in control of the division.

6) HOUSTON TEXANS (6-3)

The Texans look great. Their running game is boss and their passing game is great despite the loss of Andre Johnson. Too bad that’s all about to end. In their 37-9 win over Tampa, QB Matt Schaub broke his foot and will be gone for all (or most) of the season. Anyone out there imagine Matt Leinart starting in the Super Bowl this year? Nah, me neither. Good news is they have a bye week to get a solid Plan B together to keep going.

7) NEW YORK GIANTS (6-3)

Losing to the best team in the NFC on the road by only a touchdown is nothing to be ashamed of. The Giants played tough but couldn’t get past the strong Niners defense. Eli’s 2 INT’s are a deal breaker. When you’re playing an elite team on the road you can’t turn the ball over.

8 ) BALTIMORE RAVENS (6-3)

Baltimore showed some more inconsistency with their second loss to a losing team in a month. The running game had trouble gearing up and the defense was run over by a mediocre Seattle offensive line. Very unimpressive and shows the Ravens can’t win on the road as this is their third loss.

9) CHICAGO BEARS (6-3)

The Bears just plain beat up Detroit. They pummeled the Lions in a vicious manner. It was fun to watch but brutal at the same time. The Bears moved to a 2nd place tie with the Lions thanks to the strong play by RB Matt Forte and his ability to run up huge numbers. That takes the pressure off Jay Cutler and Mike Martz who like to find creative ways to lose the game. Bears D is playing great ball right now (4 INT’s and a handful of pick 6′s) and at this rate, with a favorable schedule ahead (Denver, Oakland, Seattle, Minnesota), make them favorites to make the playoffs.

10) CINCINNATI BENGALS (6-3)

The Bengals had a chance, at home, to go up on division rival Pittsburgh and make a statement for themselves. They failed. In the end the Steelers were way too powerful and the defense got into Andy Dalton’s head, forcing turnovers. Tough loss but hopefully the Bengals will learn from it and move on.

11) DETROIT LIONS (6-3)

The Lions happy, happy year is now a sober journey toward squeaking into the playoffs. Three loses in their last four topped off with a blowout loss in Chicago have us all doubting if this team can stay together and finish off the season.

12) DALLAS COWBOYS (5-4)

Tony Romo diced up the Bills and looked perfect the first half. Coupled with DeMarco Murray’s excellent running, the Cowboys had no problem at all beating up Buffalo. They showed they can play ball but their history of inconsistency and dropping key games will come up at the end of the season with 2 Giants games and 1 Philly match-up. But for right now they have Arizona, Washington, and Miami which are three winnable games and could put the Cowboys right up there in first place with the Giants.

13) ATLANTA FALCONS (5-4)

The Falcons lost but it went down to the wire in overtime. In the end the OT was decided by a bonehead play by Atlanta to go for it on a 4th down around their own 30-yard line. Not quite the best time to be aggressive when you’re D is holding Brees down enough to stay in the game.

14) NEW YORK JETS (5-4)

The Jets thought they were back in the thick of things but the Pats showed New York (and us) everything that is wrong with the Jets right now. Their defense couldn’t stop Brady and the passing/running game is ineffective as the Pats swept the Jets and keep New York scratching their head, wondering if they can get it together for a Wild Card spot.

15) TENNESSEE TITANS (5-4)

The Titans up and down season continues. This week the winning Titans showed up and messed around with the Panthers. The Titans D batted Cam Newton around like a cat toying with a mouse and clearly got into Cam’s head. Good news is rivals Texans lost their starting QB for the season. If consistency shows up in Nashville, the Titans could steal this division.

16) OAKLAND RAIDERS (5-4)

Solid win on the road keeps the Raiders on top of the AFC West and break a 2-game losing streak.

17) DENVER BRONCOS (5-4)

The Tim Tebow train tossed up a crazy horrible game with a passing effort of 2 for 6 and 67 yards. Horrible. Horrible. How does that happen? And he gets a passer rating of 102.6. WTF!? It makes Cleveland’s passing offense look like a juggernaut. But get this. The Broncos easily won, their 3rd in 4 games, and have us all wondering how long this can last.

18 ) BUFFALO BILLS (5-4)

Like the Lions, the great start to the season is now in the rear view mirror as the Bills have slipped out of first place and lost 3 of their last 4 games. Hopes of a Bills/Lions Super Bowl are clearly gone.

19) TAMPA BAY BUCS (4-5)

The Bucs continue to disappoint with their 4th loss in 5 games. They have failed to be competitive on offense and their running game is stagnant. Josh Freeman looks lost at QB and the defense gives up way too many points. Injuries and bad play have put this team under .500 and virtually out of the playoffs.

20) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (4-5)

The Chiefs continue their up and down season with a sad loss to Denver at home. Tebow went 2 for 8 and 67 yards and the Broncos still won the game….easy. QB Matt Cassel looks to be out for awhile to add to their huge list of stars on IR and sink their hopes of a comeback for the season after a horrible start.

21) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (4-5)

The wheels are completely off the Chargers bus right now as they have lost 4 in a row. Up next are Chicago and Denver which could be a couple more losses and spark an interesting debate about Norv Turner’s future and even his chances of finishing off the season unless this team gets back in gear.

22) ARIZONA CARDINALS (3-6)

Two in a row. The Cards are on fire…without Kevin Kolb. Maybe they can trade him back to Philly since both teams have the same sucky record.

23) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (3-6)

All Star teams suck. Too many egos means too much baggage and the latest is DeSean Jackson who may have sat out the game due to a contract issue. Claims of him sleeping late are up for grabs but at this point the Eagles just can’t seem to get things going. When egos get put ahead of the team, this lazy play happens. Losing at home to the Cardinals and their backup QB is unacceptable. Coach Andy Reid seems to be forever a coach in Philly but look for some serious changes sooner rather than later on the coaching side.

24) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (3-6)

Pete Carroll had an “up” week and the Seahawks pulled off their 2nd 100-yard rushing game for Marshawn Lynch to thump the stunned Ravens 22-17. Tard-varis Jackson looked solid and so did the offensive line. Seriously. It shocked everyone, including Baltimore.

25) ST. LOUIS RAMS (2-7)

The Rams are actually playing good ball. They lost in OT and should have 3 straight wins but instead are 2-1. Not bad considering they started out so bad. Trade for WR Brandon Lloyd is paying off big as the offense now has two playmakers alongside a rejuvenated Stephen Jackson.

26) JACKSONVILLE JAGS (3-6)

The Jags had a solid week. They followed a bye week with a game against Indy. Kinda like 2 bye weeks. And they didn’t screw it up. Kudos.

27) WASHINGTON REDSKINS (3-6)

Ugghhh… Grossman is back. It doesn’t matter. The Skins are dead in the water with their fifth straight loss.

28 ) CLEVELAND BROWNS (3-6)

The Browns continue to sink. Rookie coach Pat Shurmur looks lost at times and it doesn’t help his kicker misses easy ones in the 4th quarter.

29) CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-7)

Cam Newton and Panthers looked beat against the Titans. Cam was lost the entire game and the Panthers D spent most of the time trying to catch up. Steve Smith continues his style of fighting and getting penalties followed by looking around like it’s someone else’s fault. Probably not a good gameplan considering the Panthers are the second most penalized team in the league.

30) MIAMI DOLPHINS (2-7)

Two in a row. What? Seriously. What? The Dolphins have outscored their opponents 51-11 in two games!

31) MINNESOTA VIKINGS (2-7)

Vikes were scheduled to play vs the Packers on Monday night. Team missed the plane.

32) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (0-10)

Um….yeah. It’s the Colts. They’ve already won the Andrew Luck lottery.

Halfway through the season and we are starting to see who is real and who is not. Right now it’s hard to imagine a game better than the potential Green Bay/San Francisco NFC Division title game but we still have a lot of football to play. Here’s a look at how all the teams stack up.

1) GREEN BAY PACKERS (8-0)

Aaron Rodgers is like a surgeon. He slices and dices his way to perfection and San Diego was his latest patient. Rodgers went 21 for 26 and 4 TDs to hold off the Chargers. They offense is on another level right now but the defense is giving up a lot of points and yards. Giving up 38 to San Diego at San Diego isn’t as big of a deal as the Chargers are a high-octane offense but the defense might want to buckle back down again as the last two games have comes close to a loss. Still, 8-0 with Rodgers playing the best football I’ve seen in decades makes everything else moot.

2) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (7-1)

The Niners nabbed their 6th straight win with a victory on the road over the Redskins and continue to be a growing threat in the NFC. Alex Smith continued to be a model of efficiency but it was Frank Gore’s 107 yards rushing that helped break the ‘Skins back. The Niners unheralded defense continue to play solid and kept the Redskins from scoring a TD up until 1 minute left in the game.

3) BALTIMORE RAVENS (6-2)

Baltimore played out an epic game and swept the Steelers for the year. Despite some errors, like Torrey Smith’s butterfingers and Flacco’s fumble in the 4th, the Ravens held on and kept going and were able to win.

4) CINCINNATI BENGALS (6-2)

The Bengals held off the Titans in Nashville for an epic win as they have their first five game winning streak in over 20 years. Now the Bengals are tied in first place and we’re all starting to take them serious. It all comes down to the next month as their next 4 games are division match ups and will determine whether or not they can make the playoffs.

5) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (6-3)

The NFC South is a tough division but the Saints nabbed a solid division win vs the Bucs. Brees curbed his INT’s to just 1 and that’s the key. Right now the NFL team that has scored the most points is New Orleans, more than Green Bay. But they’ve also allowed some of the most points in the league and are right there with Carolina in points allowed. With Atlanta rearing up during the second half of the season, that might come back to bite them if they can’t get their defense under some control.

6) NEW YORK GIANTS (6-2)

The Giants are in the drivers seat in the NFC East right now with a sweet win in New England and a fantastic 4th quarter comeback that gives them their 3rd straight win. Good news is the division is theirs to win if they can keep this up. Bad news is they have a tough schedule coming up with all division rivals and Green Bay, New Orleans and the Jets.

7) PITTSBURGH STEELERS (6-3)

A favorable schedule could help the Steelers get back into the division lead but for right now their last minute loss to the Ravens puts Baltimore and Cincy up on top. The back breaker here is that the Steelers have lost 2 to Baltimore already and that division loss means they would have to beat out the rest of the division to even have a chance. Tough call with the Bengals and Ravens playing great ball.

8 ) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (5-3)

Good, but no longer great, the Pats took their first home loss in forever to a rematch of their Super Bowl game against the Giants. The offense seems a bit one-sided as Brady seems to only target a few people and off season acquisitions Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth are totally worthless. The Pats this week released Big Al and it can’t be much longer for Ocho. And the defense proved they are not playoff ready as they let the Giants score during clutch times.

9) DETROIT LIONS (6-2)

Bye week for the Lions who will come back to face the division rivals Bears. Both the Bears and Pack won this weekend which puts the pressure on as the division tightens. Bears game next week is a crucial win for the Lions to keep their playoff hopes going.

10) ATLANTA FALCONS (5-3)

The Falcons are hot after a sketchy start to the season with their 3rd straight win. Matt Ryan opened the game cold but thanks to Julio Jones it didn’t matter. Jones made Ryan look good in the first half with a 50 and 80 yard TD catch. After that it was easy as the Falcons routed the Colts with no problem. Next up, key division game vs the Saints might be the game of the week.

11) NEW YORK JETS (5-3)

The Jets impressive with a blowout win at Buffalo and the Jets defense was dominant and controlling for the entire game which also forced 3 turnovers. Right now the defense is so good it compensates for the bumbling Sanchez who had 2 turnovers on his own in the first half and the mediocre running game which did get a boost with Shonn Greene’s 76 yards rushing, one of their best outputs of the season. Too bad Greene left the game with a head injury in the 4th because as good as the defense is, right now one of the best, the offense is bad enough that it could be a huge problem down the stretch.

12) HOUSTON TEXANS (6-3)

The Texans had no problem with the weak Browns and continue to be a solid, winning team despite the losses of Mario Williams and Andre Johnson. Thanks to a killer running game, the Texans had 2 rushers over 100 yards to dominate the Browns. Foster (124 yards) and Ben Tate (115 yards) each had TD runs but no receiver had more than 32 yards in catches. Of course, when you have 2 100+ rushers that doesn’t matter but it’s something to work at. Defense continues to improve which will be the deciding factor for the team to win in the playoffs.

13) CHICAGO BEARS (5-3)

The Bears have a 1-2 division record right now which may come back to haunt them as the division is tight. Green Bay owns the title and the Lions are one game ahead but the convincing win against Philly was impressive. Matt Forte may not be able to keep up his big games all year but as long as he can the Bears are playoff ready.

14) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (4-4)

Philip Rivers and Norv Turner didn’t look as bad in the 4th as they have the last few games but once again the doubt is in the air as the Chargers have lost 3 straight and dropped from the division lead to a logjam with Oakland and KC. Thursday night matchup vs the Raiders is an important matchup as the Chargers need to overcome all their injuries and fight back into the playoff picture.

15) BUFFALO BILLS (5-3)

The Bills continue to slide with 2 losses in their last 3 games. This one was a blowout at home vs division rivals New York. The Bills committed turnovers instead of making them which cost them dearly. Ryan Fitz tossed 2 INT’s as the Bills were just sloppy for the whole game.

16) DALLAS COWBOYS (4-4)

Tony Romo was great but he was good enough. The defense can say the same but a home win against the Seahawks helps give the struggling Cowboys a boost. After a blowout loss to Philly last week, the ‘Boys enjoyed running the ball to win. DeMarco Murray looks like the real deal with another big game (139 yards rushing). But the real news was the defense woke up and didn’t get run over this week with 3 INT’s and a sack.

17) TAMPA BAY BUCS (4-4)

The Bucs struggled on the road in New Orleans and didn’t score a TD until late in the 4th. The running game is hobbled but got a boost with the return of LaGarrette Blount who ran for 76 yards. But the defense couldn’t stop the run or Drew Brees which is why the Bucs have their third loss in four games.

18 ) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (4-4)

The Chiefs looked like they had recovered from their bad start. Then they let the winless Dolphins come to KC and blow the Chiefs out. It’s hard to figure out this Chiefs team but the defense was AWOL and made the Dolphins look like a playoff team. The confused offense didn’t fare much better. Cassel passed 39 times but couldn’t get his team into the end zone and was sacked 5 times.

19) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (3-5)

Just when you think the Eagles have their act together they blow it. A loss at home to Chicago may be a back-breaker as now the hot Giants take the division lead by 3 games and the Eagles. No sacks vs the Bears make us doubt the defense which should be the best in the league but is mediocre right now.

20) OAKLAND RAIDERS (4-4)

One day, a team is going to watch the game tape of Tim Tebow at Florida and see that he’s been running the same 3 plays for the last 5 years. The Raiders let Tebow run all over them, just like they did last year, and Denver won big. Palmer looked better but is still showing the rust.

21) TENNESSEE TITANS (4-4)

The Titans just can’t get it together. Even though it might be a rebuilding year, the fact that Chris Johnson is not playing good enough to start for the Dolphins makes this team good enough for .500. Sadly, if he were up to par the Titans could easily be challenging the Texans for the top spot.

22) WASHINGTON REDSKINS (3-5)

Despite the close score, the Redskins weren’t much in this game and didn’t even get a TD until a minute left in the game. The ‘Skins have lost their 4th straight after being decimated by injuries over the last month and just look horrible. Before the last minute TD, the ‘Skins haven’t scored in 7 quarters going on 8. John Beck is definitely not the answer here and the stubbornness of Shanahan to keep him in the game might just cost them both their jobs.

23) DENVER BRONCOS (3-4)

The Tim Tebow roller coaster hit Oakland and came back with a win. Tebow rushed for a ton of years, over 100, but also thrum 147 and 2 TDs. You might think it wouldn’t take long for teams to figure out his 3 running plays but it will be soon. Long term, Tebow is a horrible passing QB. He misses open receivers and cannot read defenses all that great. Thankfully, he can run when he’s in doubt but we all know he can physically only do that for so long before he wears out.

24) CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-5)

Cam Newton and Panthers took the week off but are already out of the playoff picture. Right now they are playing for next year and the experience for rookie QB Cam Newton which is good as you can expect a few more wins from this team. They might lose but at least they’ll make it exciting.

25) CLEVELAND BROWNS (3-5)

The Browns continue to sink. Rumors this week of the team being divided over the loudly attitude of RB Peyton Hillis have not helped but the weak and tired offense could use his old self and just isn’t good enough to compete these days and only tallied up 172 total yards of offense. Ouch.

26) JACKSONVILLE JAGS (2-6)

The Jags had a solid week. Their best yet. It was a bye week and the only real surprise is Jack Del Rio wasn’t fired.

27) MINNESOTA VIKINGS (2-6)

Vikes took a bye week and will get to break in Christian Ponder a bit more to get him ready for the rest of season.

28 ) ARIZONA CARDINALS (2-6)

The Cards broke a 6 game losing streak with a win vs the Rams thanks to a punt return for a TD in OT. If the Cards can barely beat one of the worst teams in the league then the rest of the season doesn’t look much better.

29) ST. LOUIS RAMS (1-7)

Bradford returned and the Rams looked good but couldn’t hold off a fluke punt return in OT. Right now it will be interesting to see what this team does for the rest of the season. They beat New Orleans but lose to the Cards. Go figure.

30) MIAMI DOLPHINS (1-7)

The Dolphins suck but they are no longer the worst team in the NFL. An odd game in KC gave the Dolphins their first win as they routed the Chiefs and looked like a good team. What’s up with that?

31) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (2-6)

Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh had a bit of a feud while the two coached at USC and Stanford and now they’re division rivals. Should be interesting to see how Carroll likes Jim’s brother with his monster defense in Baltimore coming to town. Tough loss this weekend in Dallas but that’s expected from one of the worst offenses in the league. Little running game, bad QB’s and no line are going to make it tough to get more than 4 wins this year.

32) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (0-9)

It doesn’t get much worse than the Colts. No team is so poorly stocked at every position and at coach than this team. It’s been coming over the years but we didn’t imagine it was going to be this bad. Next year shouldn’t be a rebuilding year. It should be a complete overhaul and start from scratch.

The Tebow era began and quickly fell flat on its face. Of course the crazy fan base went wild as did the anti-Tebow fan base that freaky out to create the biggest drama in the NFL I’ve seen in awhile.

1) GREEN BAY PACKERS (7-0)

Green Bay had a bye week but they are still the best team in the NFL.

2) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (6-1)

Despite a weaker schedule, a good bye-product of a weak division and bad record from last year, the 49ers had a home game against Cleveland and won and are 1 game away from being perfect. Frank Gore chewed up 134 yards rushing and the Niners are so far ahead in the NFC West that they may clinch the division in a couple of weeks. They now have 2 more wins than the rest of the division combined.

3) PITTSBURGH STEELERS (6-2)

Big Ben tossed a crazy 365 yards passing as the Steelers held off the Pats for an impressive win. Despite the slow start, the Steelers have won 4 in a row. Good defensive showed up and the offense is vastly improved and stabilized. Next week’s matchup against the Ravens is going to be a great game.

4) BALTIMORE RAVENS (5-2)

Baltimore held off a pesky Arizona squad that got off to a big lead in the first half. The Ravens came back in style and won thanks to Ray Rice’s 3 TD’s.

5) DETROIT LIONS (6-2)

Nice road win at Denver and the Lions easily derailed the Tebow Train to rout the Broncos 45-10. After 2 straight losses, the win was sweet and now is a great time for a bye week before a tough second-half schedule.

6) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (5-2)

Brady and Co. stumbled against a much better Steelers squad and the Pats, once the best team in the AFC, are starting to show their faults. Defense is just too bad to overcome the talents on offense and let Pitt toss 365 yards passing. Next up the Bills which should have a score of 110-109.

7) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-3)

Whoa! A bad, bad loss at St. Louis against their backup QB. Unacceptable for a playoff caliber team like New Orleans. Turnovers are abundant this season. Brees threw 2 to St. Louis and now the Saints have lost 2 of their last 3. Up next, Atlanta who is hot. Could be 3 losses

8 ) HOUSTON TEXANS (5-3)

Despite the key injuries to the team, the Texans are doing really well. Two solid wins in a row as the passing and rushing components of their game are in high gear at the moment

9) BUFFALO BILLS (5-2)

The Bills vistied their second home in Toronto and easily made a win out of an injured Redskins team. While that doesn’t sound all that impressive, after losing 2 of 3 it does keep them in the division race as the Pats stumbled.

10) ATLANTA FALCONS (4-3)

The Falcons hit the bye week with 2 straight wins and now head out with a very favorable schedule (Colts, Titans, Vikings) in the next month to work their way back into the division title race.

11) NEW YORK GIANTS (5-2)

The Giants are back on top in the NFC East with a 4th quarter comeback to beat the lowly Dolphins. The Eagles are nipping at their tail but the Giants up/down season is starting to stabilize. Next up, the Pats to see which team is for real.

12) NEW YORK JETS (4-3)

The Jets hit a bye week at a good time. The Pats lost and the Bills won to logjam at #1 with a 5-2 record in the division. The 4-3 Jets are in the right position to salvage their season with the next two games against the Pats and Bills.

13) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (4-3)

The Chiefs have bounced back big time from injuries and bad start to tie up San Diego for the division lead. Their Monday night win in OT against the Chargers showed the Chiefs of last year and now the excitement is back in KC. The offense, which sucked in the first half of the season, has caught fire and got an impressive 70 yards rushing from Jackie Battle. He’s no Jamaal Charles, but he’s something the Chiefs have lacked from Thomas Jones so far this year.

14) CINCINNATI BENGALS (5-2)

The Bengals showed off their offense and defense in Seattle, a tough place to win. Rookie QB Andy Dalton, who could have been picked by the ‘Hawks, withstood the crowd noise to give the Bengals their 4th win in a row. Tough schedule in the next month will see what they’re really made of.

15) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (3-4)

Big win at home vs the division rival Cowboys on primetime has many thinking the Eagles are back in their regular form. A dominant win that could give the Eagles an amazing comeback to win the division at this rate.

16) TAMPA BAY BUCS (4-3)

The Bucs rested from their London trip and got a bit of luck as division rivals Carolina and New Orleans dropped games.

17) CHICAGO BEARS (4-3)

The Bears took a bye week but everyone in their division won last weekend which puts them behind.

18 ) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (4-3)

The Chargers are no longer the hottest team in the AFC West as the Chiefs trumped them in OT. Despite the loss, the Chargers are still playing hard but that’s two tough losses in 2 weeks and now the Chiefs are tied with the division lead. Packers next and now Philip Rivers leads the league in INT’s (11). Things are not looking good in San Diego right now.

19) DALLAS COWBOYS (3-4)

The Cowboys looked flat after a huge win against the Rams in Dallas. Philly flat-out owned them in a blowout. Despite a weak schedule coming up (Seattle, Arizona, Washington, and Miami) there’s a big seed of doubt right now in Big D

20) OAKLAND RAIDERS (4-3)

The Raiders went into the bye week after a blowout loss at home and will officially begin the Carson Palmer era against the bungling Broncos this Sunday. Last game doesn’t count. To beef up the WR corp, they also signed the vastly overrated T.J. Houshmandzadeh but the chemistry T.J and Carson had in Cincy might be a sly move by the Raiders.

21) TENNESSEE TITANS (4-3)

The Titans held of division rivals Indy to dominate the 4th quarter and win. Special teams showed up for a good game including a key blocked punt to end a 2-game losing streak.

22) WASHINGTON REDSKINS (3-4)

Injuries have demolished this team and the blowout loss to Buffalo in Toronto showed us all it will be a long season from here on out in D.C.

23) CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-5)

Cam Newton and Panthers might be looking for a new kicker after a tough loss at home vs the Vikings. Orlando Mare missed a FG and the Panthers should have won. But, they didn’t and close loses don’t count in the win column so it’s time to buckle down and win the game outright, not at the last minute in the 4th, to get some much needed respect.

24) CLEVELAND BROWNS (3-4)

The Browns flopped around in San Fran and Peyton Hillis is feeling the Madden curse now with a hamstring injury. Too many issues on both sides of the ball make this Browns squad just not good enough to pound out a win.

25) DENVER BRONCOS (2-5)

The Broncos started Tebow and it was a disaster. The Broncos looked lost and amateurish in their blowout loss to Detroit at home. The Broncos stick with Tebow, as they should, but the knee jerk reactions from the fans in just silly.

26) JACKSONVILLE JAGS (2-6)

The Jags lost, nothing new, after the shocking win against Baltimore the week before. Rookie QB Blaine Gabbert is looking beat up and he has no one to really pass to which will make for an interesting game vs the Colts next week in a Battle of Suck.

27) MINNESOTA VIKINGS (2-6)

Vikes pull one out at Carolina in a fantastic win. Rookie QB Christian Ponder is looking solid. Not impressive but not bad. Good enough to keep his team in for the win which is fantastic for a rookie. McNabb couldn’t win and all he had to do was hand off the ball to A.P. and not F-up.

28 ) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (2-5)

A loss at home to a better team is not surprising here. Charlie Whitehurst played, looked bad and then Tarvaris Jackson played, looked bad and then they lost. Their offense is so bad it doesn’t matter who plays the position but the bright side is the defense helps keeps the team competitive for some of the game.

29) ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-6)

The Cards had a huge lead at halftime but flopped in the 4th to lose to Baltimore. If the Cards don’t have to play 4th quarters they’d be a lot better team.

30) ST. LOUIS RAMS (1-6)

No Bradford and this Rams team won. What? The Saints came marching in but a fired up Rams teams showed some muscle and didn’t back down. Key player was RB Steven Jackson who spent the day running hard and yelling harder at his teammates to get their heads out of their own asses. It worked and the Rams looked solid. Interesting to see what happens from here out to see if it was a fluke.

31) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (0-8)

The Colts got beat up again. Not a 60-point blowout but a loss is a loss and the Colts still suck.

32) MIAMI DOLPHINS (0-7)

The Dolphins suck. There’s nothing else to say.

Week 7 is in the books and once again the Pack look like the team to beat for the Championship. A lot of the power teams were on bye week last Sunday but the fact that the Colts look so bad has us wondering if the Dolphins, Colts and Rams are all so bad and finish 0-16, who will draft Luck?

1) GREEN BAY PACKERS (7-0)

Green Bay held off a pesky Vikings squad that started their rookie QB in place of McNabb. Despite being outgained by the Vikings, 435 to 421, the Pack are undefeated and the easy #1 team right now with a bye week coming up.

2) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (5-1)

Brady and Co. took the week off and will have to come back this weekend to play the Steelers. Not sure what Steelers squad will show up but they’re running hot right now and it could be the game of the week.

3) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-2)

The Saints have Peyton Manning’s number since the Super Bowl but their beating of the Colts on primetime Sunday football should be cause for Indy to file abuse charges. Brees and the Saints are flying high with the best TE in the game right now, Jimmy Graham, but it’s hard to figure out if they are just passing so much the running game isn’t quite there yet or if the running game isn’t quite there yet so they have to pass. Rookie Mark Ingram is hurt but should be back this weekend to thumb the 2nd worst team on their schedule, St. Louis.

4) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (5-1)

Another team with a bye week, the Niners spent most of the week soaking up the media as the press has discovered the 49ers as the next “it” team in the NFL. That aside, Harbaugh should be coach of the year without much doubt. Cleve is next, on the road. Not an easy one but this squad should handle it.

5) PITTSBURGH STEELERS (5-2)

Three straight wins for the Steelers have their flying high but the Pats are next and could bring this team back to Earth. Right now, they’re effective but not dominant which is an odd feeling for the Steelers. Despite the offensive woes, WR Mike Wallace is having a stud year already with 730 yards receiving and 5 TDs.

6) BALTIMORE RAVENS (4-2)

Baltimore struggled to the Jags, who are not the worst team in the league but are not a playoff team and the Ravens up/down season reared it’s ugly head as Ray Rice was nonexistent on Monday Night. The Jags were a gimmie for the Ravens squad that is trying to be better than the Pats but failed. Next up, the Cards. Lose this one and there might be a riot in Baltimore.

7) DETROIT LIONS (5-2)

Are the wheels starting to come off the Lions bandwagon? Two loses in a row and this one was ugly and at home. Stafford is hurt and may or may not play Sunday against Tebow so watch out.

8 ) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (4-1)

Philip Rivers and Norv Turner just looked silly in the 4th quarter as they lost the game to incompetence. Sad, because this was the hot team just a few weeks back but injuries are starting to pile up. Thankfully, TE Gates was back. Too bad the secondary looked foolish as they blew an 11-point lead and flopped around in the 2-minute drill.

9) ATLANTA FALCONS (4-3)

The Falcons are starting to heat up and nailed a solid win on the road in Detroit. Matt Ryan had his ankle hurt but shook it off which is a good sign. WR, RB and TE’s all looked good in the win with a balanced effort on offense. Next up, Indy!

10) BUFFALO BILLS (4-2)

The Bills stay pat as they hit the bye week but travel to their (future) home in Toronto to face the ‘Skins this week.

11) NEW YORK GIANTS (4-2)

The Giants took a week off to heal up and go over their game plan for the Dolphins game this weekend. Just kidding. It’s the Dolphins. Technically, it’s a two-week bye with an instant win this Sunday without even having to try.

12) HOUSTON TEXANS (4-3)

The Texans stood up to division rivals Tennessee and owned them! Easily the best performance by the Texans squad this year, which many critics had started to write off as not being able to finish the season on a winning streak. If the Texans play like this, or even somewhat close, they will be solid in the playoffs. Problem is injuries have mounted and it’s a long season yet to play. At 4-3 it’s time to see if they have what it takes to make it to the next level.

13) CHICAGO BEARS (4-3)

The Bears looked solid and held off the Bucs for their London game. Matt Forte piled up plenty of yards which is going to be key for this team to survive the year. The Eagles are up next after the bye week which will be a tough game. Even tougher if a WR doesn’t grow some balls and start playing like a pro out there soon.

14) NEW YORK JETS (4-3)

The Jets looked impressive against a Charger team that fell apart in the 4th quarter. Defense stepped up but sending everyone they have after the QB every time is not a solid game plan.

15) CINCINNATI BENGALS (4-2)

The Bengals had a bye week and will face the bungling Seahawks next. Easy win at home but this game’s in Seattle so it’s not going to be easy. Also, depends on which Seahawks squad shows up to play.

16) TAMPA BAY BUCS (4-3)

The Bucs visited London to face the Bears and played most of the game looking like they had jet lag. They woke up in the 4th but it was too little, too late. The Bucs are still talented and can play but Freeman didn’t look solid and the lack of a running game hurt. Graham is now on IR and Blount was out but expects to be back after this week’s bye. If a team ever needed a week off, it’s the Bucs.

17) DALLAS COWBOYS (3-3)

Tony Romo looked strong and found a running back in DeMarco Murray who set a rushing record against the Rams in a blowout win. Solid win at home and the Eagles are next so it’s time to see if the ‘Boys are for real this weekend or if Romo will find a creative way to tank the game in the 4th.

18 ) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (3-3)

The Chiefs have bounced back from their 0-3 start with 3 wins to salvage the season. They’re not out of the woods yet but this team is looking like the team last year (finally) that turned heads and made the playoffs. With the Chargers looking vulnerable, the Raiders in flux and the Broncos rebuilding there could be something special going on here. The Chargers once owned the division but now are only one game up on KC. Thankfully, the Gods of Fate have scripted a great game this week as SD and KC meat up on Monday Night Football to see who wants the division.

19) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (2-4)

Bye week to heal up and gear up for their next game against the Cowboys. We will finally see if the wheels of the Eagles Dream Team bus have fallen off or if they will make a miracle comeback. The Eagles have the tools in a weak division to still win it and are only 2 games out of 1st place despite the bad start.

20) OAKLAND RAIDERS (4-3)

The Raiders didn’t play on Sunday as much as they found creative ways to suck. Uncharacteristic for this squad but it will take some time to get Palmer up in gear. 6 INT’s to the Chiefs at home is just embarrassing, though. Doesn’t matter who’s in at QB.

21) WASHINGTON REDSKINS (3-3)

I predicted a win for Carolina at home against the ‘Skins but I expected Washington to put up more of a fight. Is Beck the answer at QB? Probably not but neither was Grossman. The key here were injuries with RB Hightower and TE Cooley out for the season and WR Moss injured as well. Tackle Trent Williams is out for a few weeks and that counts 4 of the biggest players on offense out.

22) CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-5)

Cam Newton and Panthers are starting to show signs of life with a solid win at home against the Redskins. Next up, the Vikings which would be a solid win before the bye week and bring this squad to 3-5, just one game shy of .500. Not bad at all for a team that no one expected to win 3 games all year.

23) CLEVELAND BROWNS (3-3)

The Browns held off a floundering Seahawks squad in easily the most boring game of the year. And next year and the year after. It was just that sad. In a battle of teams without QB’s, the Browns threw 35 times for only 178 yards. Wow.

24) TENNESSEE TITANS (3-3)

The Titans started out solid but have fallen lately. Chris Johnson is a non-factor and if it weren’t for Kevin Kolb in Arizona, CJ would be the biggest bomb of the year. Losing at home in a blowout to a division rival is a quick way to a high draft pick. Colts up next and the way the Titans are playing of late it could be the first win for Indy.

25) DENVER BRONCOS (2-4)

The Broncos made a brave decision to start Tebow and for 3.5 quarters it looked horrible. I think the Broncos were at -4 offensive yards somewhere in the third (seriously) before the Tebow miracle happened. In the 4th, Tebow woke up and scored 2 TD’s with a 2-point conversion to send the game into OT and wouldn’t you know it, the Broncos won? Good win against the worst team in the league but it has to start somewhere and winning is contagious so look for a few more wins peppered in the losses the rest of the season.

26) JACKSONVILLE JAGS (2-5)

The Jags had a solid win against the Ravens to extend Del Rio’s execution one more game. Lack of offense and WR’s led them to resign Mike Sims-Walker which will help but with Houston next it’s a tough call to say the Jags can repeat their winning ways.

27) MINNESOTA VIKINGS (1-6)

Vikes officially called in Christian Ponder. And they played the Packers solid! In the end it wasn’t meant to be but the signs of life on offense are a cue for better things to come. It’s a rebuilding season and when you put your fate in the hands of a rookie QB you can expect some ups and downs. Still, better than the downs of McNabb.

28 ) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (2-4)

What the Heck is with this team? Other than no QB and no RB? The ‘Hawks looked more lethargic than me after hitting the #1 Chinese Buffet last Tuesday on Won-ton day. After a close loss in Cleveland in one of the most boring football games ever played, the ‘Hawks host Cincinnati this week and watch them go out and toss 5 TDs against the Bengals in a loss. Sigh….no consistency on this team.

29) ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-5)

The Cards and Kevin Kolb experiment is not officially a bust but it is not looking good in Phoenix. A five game losing streak and a horrid performance by the high-priced Kolb have many in the desert upset and they should be. The Cards suck across the board and do not look to be any better in the short run. Baltimore, Philly and San Fran in the next month will keep the hurt on in Phoenix.

30) ST. LOUIS RAMS (0-6)

No Bradford and this Rams team should just forfeit the game. Coach Steve Spagnuolo’s up and down career in St. Louis might be discussed by the team in the near future as this team is just horrid across the board, injuries or not.

31) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (0-7)

The Colts got beat up on primetime Sunday football which should be cause for Indy to file abuse charges. The Colts could not do anything right. They couldn’t stop the Saints on any level and the score, 62-7, reflected how bad this franchise is at the moment. Bad drafts and bad coaching have left this team in a major overhaul.

32) MIAMI DOLPHINS (0-6)

The Dolphins suck. There’s nothing else to say.

Two teams enter (undefeated) …. one team leaves…

The Pack continue to roll as they toyed with Rams but the Lions were sore losers to the upsurging Niners. It’s been a crazy week in the NFL so let’s take a look to see where everyone landed with our Week 6 Power Rankings.

1) GREEN BAY PACKERS (6-0)

Green Bay did what every great team should do when they meet a bad team – win easily. The Pack are rolling as the NFL’s only undefeated team now and are an easy #1 pick. Next up an easy win with the Vikes and then a bye week to round out a great first half of the season.

2) BALTIMORE RAVENS (4-1)

Baltimore’s starting to get a bit balanced out now. Up next, the Jags and Cards which should help add some wins in a competitive division. As long as the “D” holds up, which currently has let in the least amount of points this season at 71, then the Ravens have a chance to beat the Pats in the playoffs. Now beating the Packers is a different story…

3) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (5-1)

Brady and Co. held off the Cowboys at home and head into the bye week looking strong. Brady turned a bad game quickly into a good one which helped the Pats get a last minute win. A sloppy win is still a win but the Pats are looking a bit less scary these days.

4) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (5-1)

An impressive win on the road again. Despite the coaching soap opera after the game, the Niners are looking like a beast in the NFC. Alex Smith looks good (yeah, I said that) and the Niners hold an easy lead in the weak NFC West. And where’d that defense come from? Harbaugh may have pissed some people off after the game but he’s still looking like the coach of the year right now.

5) DETROIT LIONS (4-1)

A tough loss at home against a better team gives the Lions their first loss of the season. This team is still good and if they’re healthy the rest of the season look for them in the top 10 the rest of the way. Ronnie Brown was added for depth this week which helps.

6) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (4-1)

Philip Rivers and his group of injured heroes had a much needed bye week. With the Raiders finally getting a QB and the Tebow era starting up they’re gonna need everything they have to hold onto the top of the AFC West.

7) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (4-2)

The Saints stumbled again and to a division rival no less. Despite how good they are the Saints are one game away from being .500. Brees is either all or nothing this year with 3 INT’s last weekend. He needs to find a groove and stay there as the Falcons are starting to wake up and nipping on their heels.

8 ) PITTSBURGH STEELERS (2-2)

Two wins in a road with an unimpressive win against a weak Jags squad. Next up the Cards, should be a win but then 3 hard games against the Pats, division rivals Cincinnati and Ravens. Things could easily turn south after the Arizona game if this offense can’t consistently put some points on the board.

9) TAMPA BAY BUCS (4-2)

The Bucs had a huge rebound win after a bad week in S.F. which is what a good team does. The fact that it was against the division rivals Saints showed how much they turned it around. The running game didn’t hurt with LeGarrette Blount out for a few weeks and Earnest Graham filling in quite nicely.

10) BUFFALO BILLS (4-2)

The Bills lost a close one but injuries and lack of defense hurt them. The Bills didn’t record an INT against the Giants and they need those turnovers to keep this ride going. It’s what’s keeping them afloat right now. They now get a bye week to think about how to get back on track.

11) NEW YORK GIANTS (4-2)

Eli didn’t throw a TD against the Bills but he also didn’t throw an INT. Instead, RB Ahmad Bradshaw chalked up 3 TD’s to hold off the pesky Bills. It still counts as a win and with this up/down team that’s a good thing.

12) ATLANTA FALCONS (3-3)

The Falcons win then lose then win then, well, you see a pattern? A solid win at home against a high-flying Panthers team had the Falcons looking good. Michael Turners 139 yards helped offset an off day by Matt Ryan. They need to put 2 wins together to be of any threat in the division, though.

13) CINCINNATI BENGALS (4-2)

The Bengals had a nice 4th quarter to pull past the Colts and landed some sweet draft picks as owner Mike Brown finally came to his senses and traded Carson Palmer. It’s a Win-win! Everyone celebrate with some Skyline Chili.

Thanks to the great play by rookie QB Andy Dalton, the Bengals were able to finally get rid of Palmer. Plus Dalton kept the INT’s to zero this week which is crucial for the young pup.

14) OAKLAND RAIDERS (4-2)

The Raiders lost Jason Campbell for the season with a broken collarbone and now have a QB issue. Thankfully, they were able to pull off a trade to land Carson Palmer who will rejoin his college buddy Hue Jackson in Oakland. The good news is that Palmer could just be what the Raiders need to finally get back into the playoffs. Give him a few weeks to get into gear, though. The Raiders are only one game behind the Chargers right now so watch out Philip Rivers.

The bad news is with the trade of 2 high draft picks is a huge gamble. Potentially two #1 picks going to the Bengals is a tough pill to swallow.

15) CHICAGO BEARS (3-3)

The Bears made an easy time with the Vikings but the real story is whether or not Mike Martz and Jay Cutler can continue playing much longer together. Time for Lovie to get this team on the same page.

16) HOUSTON TEXANS (3-3)

The Texans are starting to fall apart with their second straight loss. Injuries to Mario Williams and Andre Johnson have hurt and the Texans don’t have a bye week for another month. Ouch! If they can’t find their way soon the Titans may have the division to themselves by then.

17) NEW YORK JETS (3-3)

The Jets offense is still not there but with Revis returning 100-yard INT’s for TDs it’s good enough for now. Unfortunately, this team will not go much further until the offense finds its way.

18 ) TENNESSEE TITANS (3-2)

The Titans are in a great spot. A bye week allows them to hopefully get their running game together and if they can get C.J. on track this division is theirs for the taking with the stumbling and injured Texans who just happen to be their next game.

19) WASHINGTON REDSKINS (3-2)

The Redskins QB issue roared it’s Sexy Rexy head as Grossman tossed 4 INT’s and was benched. As stubborn as Shanahan is, you’d think he wouldn’t be surprised when Grossman does stuff like this.

20) DALLAS COWBOYS (2-3)

Tony Romo finally didn’t lose a game on his own. He didn’t win it like he should, though. Felix Jones is out for a few weeks which doesn’t help matters but the 2-3 Cowboys are now outside looking in with the Eagles nipping at them from below. The Cowboys are a much better team than their record suggests but they need to get hot in November if they even want a chance to make the playoffs.

21) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (2-3)

A bye week helps the team heal up but in all honesty this team is going to go further without Tarvaris Jackson. He could play this weekend which is not a good thing. The rare running game that showed up in New York a few weeks back is crucial for this team to even compete in the division. The Niners are already at 5-1 and running away.

22) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (2-4)

Some luck finally went the way of the Eagles and a solid road win against the division rivals in D.C. It is a great way to head into the bye week after 4 straight losses.

23) CLEVELAND BROWNS (2-3)

This was the season the Browns were supposed to show some signs of a good ball club. But right now they look stagnant on offense and what the heck is going on with Peyton Hillis? This is a rather unique Madden Curse going on.

24) CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-5)

Cam Newton and Panthers are starting to show signs of exhaustion. They just couldn’t keep up with the Falcons despite staying in every other game this season. Two home games against the Redskins and Vikings could be a time to grab a win or two before the bye week.

25) ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-4)

The Cards and Kevin Kolb look lost. They’re just wandering around the desert right now wondering what went wrong and who the Hell are these 49ers guys who have all but won the division already?

26) JACKSONVILLE JAGS (1-3)

The Jags held tough against the Steelers thanks to MJD and a weak Steelers offense. Gabbert was a human pinball thanks to the Steelers “D” which had a fun day beating up the rookie. It’s actually a testament to the Jags defense that the Steelers didn’t do more damage as they let in almost 200 yards rushing.

27) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (2-3)

The Chiefs won 2 games to head into their bye week. A very tough schedule lies ahead with games against the Pats, Chargers, Raiders and Steelers. The Chiefs are on the verge of shaking off a bad start but the deep injuries have rattled this team. Can they recover? Probably not but they should be more competitive in the next few weeks as compared to the first three of the season.

28 ) DENVER BRONCOS (1-4)

The Broncos made a brave decision to start Tebow this coming week but when you’re 1-4 and have Kyle Orton behind center what are your options really? Call Craig Morton out of retirement? He’s not gonna come because he has to fix some tiles on his roof.

29) MINNESOTA VIKINGS (1-5)

Vikes officially called in Christian Ponder. Sorry, McNabb but your days look to be behind you. So is the season for Minny so it’s as good of a time as any to play the rookie.

30) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (0-6)

The Colts are competing but they’re just not good enough. Injuries and lack of depth will keep wins off the stats for quite awhile longer. And I’m not just talking about this season. Bad drafts over the last few years have left this team decimated.

31) ST. LOUIS RAMS (0-5)

The Rams are playing for Andrew Luck right now. Not to draft him. They have Sam Bradford and thank goodness. He’s the only thing good on this disaster of a team and it’s crazy to imagine them without Sam. No, if they land the #1 pick for Luck with this horrid season they will be able to trade that pick for someone’s farm.

32) MIAMI DOLPHINS (0-6)

The Dolphins suck. There’s nothing else to say.

Going into this weekend the game of the week will be Detroit and San Francisco. Seriously! Who saw that coming?

1) GREEN BAY PACKERS (5-0)

Green Bay is now 5-0 with a solid win over on the road against Atlanta. Next up a matchup with the Rams which is a gimmie and with Aaron Rodgers on a monster throwing pace (14 TD’s, 2 INT’s) it appears the Pack offense is unstoppable.

2) DETROIT LIONS (5-0)

The only other undefeated team, the Lions statistically are a bit better on defense with only 89 points let in compared to Green Bay’s 111. Next up are the surprising 49ers, who are 4-1, to see if the Lions can keep up the intensity.

3) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (4-1)

Brady and Pats decided to win a game with rushing. They do this just to mess with our heads.

4) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (4-1)

The Saints are flying high now. TE’s are making it tough for the opposing secondary which show the extreme depth of this team. Defense needs a bit more consistency.

5) BALTIMORE RAVENS (3-1)

Baltimore had a bye week and it’s a great time to get healthy and try to refocus the offense.

6) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (4-1)

A close win in Denver helped resurrect the Tim Tebow saga. The Chargers held off Tebus but injuries are mounting. LB Stephen Cooper is out for the season and up next is a bye week. Good time to heal and they could really use Antonio Gates for their next game.

7) BUFFALO BILLS (4-1)

The Bills squeaked out another close one. The defense is not great with their “bend, don’t break” philosophy but this team is fun to watch with their great offense.  Not sure how long this will last but enjoy it while it does.

8 ) WASHINGTON REDSKINS (3-1)

The Redskins took a break with a bye week and face a distracted Eagles squad next. Good time to kick a division rival. Division is theirs for the taking. Yeah, that’s a true statement I never thought I’d be saying about the Skins anytime soon.

9) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (4-1)

Whoa….the only team more surprising than Buffalo are the 4-1 Niners and they are heading into the weekend as the game of the week against Detroit. What? Is that a typo? Nope and already Jim Harbaugh is looking like the top choice for coach of the year. With Alex Smith at QB!

10) HOUSTON TEXANS (3-2)

The Texans lost the game against a revved up Raiders squad and lost Mario Williams for the year and Andre Johnson for the short term. Things are not looking so hot now in Houston and next up is a rested Ravens team. Ouch!

11) PITTSBURGH STEELERS (3-2)

A hurt Big Ben didn’t matter as the Steelers made the Titans look beat early on. If the Steelers can get healthy and play like this 2 games in a row they might crack the Top 10.

12) TAMPA BAY BUCS (3-2)

The Bucs were blown out in San Francisco. Uncharacteristic for them but everyone has a bad week.

13) NEW YORK GIANTS (3-2)

The crazy Giants just can’t seem to figure out what team they want to be this year. Seattle came into town and left with a nice win and left us wondering what Giants team will play next week. And where’s the running game?

14) TENNESSEE TITANS (3-2)

The Titans struggled on the road and CJ is struggling to find his game. Can he even break 1,000 yards this season? Next up after a bye week are rival Houston, who are injured. Great chance for this team to prove themselves but like the Steelers they need to get some consistency and win a couple of games in a row to be taken seriously.

15) OAKLAND RAIDERS (3-2)

The Raiders lost Al Davis but reached down and won one for their lost leader. Hue Jackson is doing a great job with his speedy team but they lack the punch to really contend for that AFC West title right now that the Chargers easily hold.

16) DALLAS COWBOYS (2-2)

A bye week. Means the team got healthy and rested and Tony Romo finally went a week without fucking everything up.

17) CINCINNATI BENGALS (3-2)

Nice win at home against the Jags with some strong, emotional play in the 4th quarter. Rookie QB Andy Dalton is still making rookie mistakes but that’s OK. He’s looking good for a team no one thought would be doing this good right now.

18 ) ATLANTA FALCONS (2-3)

The Falcons are not the team they were last year. A late rally can get this team into the playoffs but right now I question their ability to stay more than a game over .500.

19) NEW YORK JETS (2-3)

The Jets are slowly imploding. Questions on both sides of the ball as this team is unreliable on offense and the run “D” is kinda sketchy. This team was expected to be much better than they are playing right now and a game against Miami next might give them the boost they need to refocus.

20) CHICAGO BEARS (2-3)

Cutler and Forte are looking good but that’s about all you can say on offense. Cutler stands tall in the pocket as his line crumbles. He’s taken a lot of abuse in the last few weeks as the Bears are stumbling toward mediocrity.

21) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (2-3)

The Seahawks won a stunner in New York and made the Giants look confused. The ‘Hawks are tons better with Whitehurst in the pocket and sparked once Tarvaris Jackson left the game. A running game came out of nowhere but the ‘Hawks are so young and inexperienced that it’s hard to imagine a repeat after their bye.

Side note, the ‘Hawks ditched 1st rounder Aaron Curry this week officially giving up on the talented LB who just couldn’t get into a groove.

22) CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-4)

Cam Newton tossed the ball everywhere. Again. He led the team back to a close loss with just not enough time. Again. The best 1-4 team I’ve seen in awhile, the Panthers are on the cusp.

23) CLEVELAND BROWNS (2-2)

The Browns took a bye week and hopefully Peyton Hillis got healthy.

24) ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-4)

The Cards and Kevin Kolb look horrible. The Niners and Seahawks are playing better ball and at this rate the Cards will be out of the hunt in the next few weeks.

25) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (1-4)

The wheels have officially come off the Philly All-Star team bus. The Eagles are lost and on the verge of complete chaos. Defense looks lazy and the offense is not firing on all cylinders. How much more abuse can Vick take?  Without him and this team is one of the worst in the NFL.

26) DENVER BRONCOS (1-4)

The Broncos look bad, all around. But they decided to give the Tebow his time to shine. Good thing, too. Because this team needs something to kick start it and with Tebow in the game last week against the Chargers you saw an energized squad fight to almost win the game. Could be the start of something fun.

27) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (2-3)

The Chiefs won two in a row. It’s a great streak despite wins against bad teams but since the Chiefs are a bad team you take what you can get. A bye week might help this team refocus and salvage a lost season.  Maybe Haley should yell at his QB’s more.

28) MINNESOTA VIKINGS (1-4)

Adrian Peterson is the team and he got them their first win. Wonder how long McNabb will be taking snaps before it’s rookie training time?

29) Los Angeles JAGS (1-4)

Not much positive is going on here. MJD is keeping the running game going but it’s going to be a stretch to think the Jags will get another win before they get a new head coach. Bye week in 3 weeks. Who wants to coach the team? Now accepting applications.

30 ) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (0-5)

The Colts try hard but they just are not good enough. Curtis Painter might have secured a starting role but only until they draft a QB this next draft.

31) ST. LOUIS RAMS (0-4)

The Rams are injured and looking to go nowhere. The division race is all but out of reach but this team doesn’t look to contend much anymore as injuries have mounted too much. Green Bay, Dallas and New Orleans are up next so look for 3 more losses.

32) MIAMI DOLPHINS (0-4)

The Dolphins didn’t lose this week thanks to a bye week but the other cellar dwellers, the Vikings and Chiefs, did which leave the Dolphins down in the dumps. During the off week I can only imagine the team reviewing coaching applications.

The Lions are roaring in Detroit. Well, in Detroit thanks to the epic Tony Romo collapse.  How did the rest of the league do this week? Here’s a breakdown of the Power Rankings after week 4.

1) GREEN BAY PACKERS (4-0)

Green Bay is rolling now. 4-0 with a solid win over Denver. Next up a matchup on the road in Atlanta but Aaron Rodgers is tossing crazy big numbers (12 TDs, 2 INT’s and 1,300+ yards) and that’s going to be hard to stop.

2) DETROIT LIONS (4-0)

There are only 2 undefeated teams in the NFL right now and both are in the NFC North. The 4-0 Lions are roaring once again after their comeback win against the Cowboys on the road. Very impressive even if Tony Romo did everything he possibly could to help the Lions. Detroit is starting to look very scary.

3) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (3-1)

The Saints are starting to show off their high-flying offense as Drew Brees is starting to find his grove. He’s also starting to throw INT’s (4 in the last 2 games) which is something to watch out for but the team is starting to come together nicely.

4) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (3-1)

Brady tossed some more TD’s and less INT’s this week as the team rebounded from a sorry loss. The win in Oakland was a strong one against an underrated Raiders team who put up over 300 yards. The offense is looking great and Wes Welker is making defenses look silly but injuries and lazy play on defense are starting to show up.

5) BALTIMORE RAVENS (3-1)

Baltimore’s defense beat up the Jets which is a good thing since the offense struggled. Baltimore’s defense scored 3 TD’s this week which is more productive than a lot of other teams offenses in the league.

6) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (3-1)

Philip Rivers keeps passing that ball and now the Chargers, one of the most forgotten teams in the mix right now, are standing at 3-1. Here’s the good and bad news. They play against the Jets, Broncos and Chiefs but the games are all on the road. Win them and they might have this division wrapped up really early but winning on the road is never easy.

7) HOUSTON TEXANS (3-1)

The Texans held the Steelers down and took home a win. The defense for the Texans made the Steelers run game look beat down which is a good thing for this team. The AFC South just got competitive as the Titans have not gotten the memo they should be losing. The Texans will need that run defense as the Titans Chris Johnson is just now starting to gear up.

8 ) WASHINGTON REDSKINS (3-1)

The Redskins are sneaking up on the NFC East (tied for 1st place) and have a defense that has allowed the least amount of points in the NFC. Only the Titans and Ravens have let less points into the end zone than the Redskins. It hurts my brain to think about that.

9 ) NEW YORK GIANTS (3-1)

Like the Chargers, this is the surprise team in the top 10. The Giants have slinked into a 3-1 record with a studly road win in Arizona coming back from 10 points down. Back-to-back road wins and Eli’s 8 TD’s and 2 INT’s on the season help move this team up in the list.

10) TAMPA BAY BUCS (3-1)

The Bucs showed us all a great game with a strong win at home against a surprising Colts team. They still show mistakes of a young team but Josh Freeman and the running game are as scary as their defensive line.

11) BUFFALO BILLS (3-1)

The Bills should have won in Cincy but fell short thanks to a crappy 4th down call late in the game and a comeback win by the Bengals to win in OT. The Bills can still move the ball on offense in an impressive way but the way their defense lets TD’s into the end zone is less than impressive. Still….3-1….who knew?

12) TENNESSEE TITANS (3-1)

The Titans are winning! What’s up with that? Matt Hasselbeck is having a career year with 8 TD’s already and 1,152 yards passing. He’s winning even without Chris Johnson in full gear. But here’s the kicker. If you ask yourself why they’re on this list think about this fact. The Titans have allowed the least amount of points this year. Less than the Ravens. That will help you win games, and divisions.

13) NEW YORK JETS (2-2)

The Jets aren’t quite ready to hit the panic button yet. This isn’t Philadelphia after all. But with 2 losses in a row and the offense making more errors than plays you have to wonder if the game next week against the Pats will be another loss or if Rex can light a fire under his team to wake them up. They have all the tools they need but the defense is giving up too many points. Time to buckle down.

14) ATLANTA FALCONS (2-2)

The Falcons won an ugly game on the road against Seattle but a win is a win. The Falcons are a disappointing 2-2 on the year and the defense let the Seahawks run up over 300 yards which explains their mediocrity. This team is way too talented to be competing for the middle.

15) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (3-1)

An impressive win against Philly at Philly. It was a bruising game but the Niners are now 3-1 with 2 wins on the road in the Eastern Time Zone. Detroit and Washington on the horizon and we’ll see if this team is for real.

16 ) DALLAS COWBOYS (2-2)

Tony Romo won this game. Then he lost the game. Sorry, Romo but you’re the biggest problem right now in Dallas. These Helter-Skelter games make any Cowboy fan wish to sub in Vinny Testaverde circa the year 2000 just for some stability. It’s great Tony can toss 3 TDs and 300+ yards but he has a knack for not being able to perform in the 4th quarter. Until the Cowboys can sign a 4th Quarter QB Reliever (like in baseball), this team will be up and down until Tony gets his head on straight.

17) CHICAGO BEARS (2-2)

Some great defense and the running game kicked off a nice win against Carolina. But they didn’t shut down Carolina which shows they are still vulnerable. Next up, Detroit. That will be a great game.

18 ) CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-2)

Nice win at home with a comeback win against the Bills. Flashes of greatness on offense are nice but there are still too many errors. One of the top ranked defenses is what keeps this team at 2-2.

19) OAKLAND RAIDERS (2-2)

The Raiders lost ugly at home. Jason Campbell can pass the ball but the defense couldn’t stop Brady. They apparently never watch the Pats game tapes because that guy named Wes Welker came as a complete surprise to them.

20) PITTSBURGH STEELERS (2-2)

A lot of critics have the Steelers still ranked high in the lists. That’s what a Super Bowl trip the year before will do. But it’s time to face the facts. The Steelers are not very good. Only 3 teams have scored less points (Jags, Chiefs and Colts) in the AFC and Big Ben is looking hurt and frustrated behind a porous offensive line. The Ravens have scored almost twice as many points on offense than the Steelers and Big Ben leads the AFC in being sacked (14) and yards lost (114).

Thankfully, the defense has kept this team in the game but at 2-2 this team is looking nowhere near their playoff selfs

21) CLEVELAND BROWNS (2-2)

The Browns aren’t running Peyton Hillis because of an unknown factor (illness, injury) or they’re just not thinking. Either way this team is at 2-2. A .500 season is good for them but Colt McCoy passing 61 times is not going to get them there.

22) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (1-3)

The wheels have officially come off the Philly All-Star team bus as Vick and Company have started to implode. The Eagles are now the worst team in the NFC East and it looks like they will need a miracle now to make the playoffs. The 49ers came out of Philly with a win and that’s unacceptable. The Defense is sad and can’t stop the run and Vick can’t hold this offense together much longer.

23) CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-3)

Cam Newton tossed the ball everywhere. Again. He led the team back to a close loss with just not enough time. Again. A young team that is showing signs of a running game. Could be a few more wins in the near future at that rate.

24) ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-3)

The Cards and Kevin Kolb be better than this. The Niners are now 3-1 and taking a lead on the division. The Cards defense got lazy and lost a nice game against the Giants which is starting to look like a trend.

25) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (1-3)

Tarvaris Jackson and ‘Hawks still look bad but were able to overcome their own ineptitude to almost win at home against the Falcons. Virtually no running game and Jackson’s lack of presence in the pocket is heartbreaking for Seahawk fans and that’s why this team is 1-3.

26) DENVER BRONCOS (1-3)

The 1-3 Broncos were thumped by the Pack in Green Bay and there’s no shame in losing to the Pack but Orton’s 6 INT’s this season are not helping his cause. Chargers next. Another bad game and a bye week might have the chants for Tebow being louder than usual.

27) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (1-3)

The Chiefs won a good game at home. OK, it was an ugly game of sorts but they won and that’s something. Only the Jags and Rams have scored less points than the Chiefs.

28 ) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (0-4)

Even at 0-4 the Colts are starting to show signs of life. They’re more competitive than they should be the last few games but they have so many holes right now it’s hard to imagine more than 3 wins during the rest of the season.

29) MIAMI DOLPHINS (0-4)

The Dolphins can’t win. Tony Sparano is in a race with the Jags Del Rio to see who gets fired first.

30 ) ST. LOUIS RAMS (0-4)

The Rams are limping along right now. One of the lowest scoring offensives in the league have already put the Rams out of the playoffs.

31) JACKSONVILLE JAGS (1-3)

Del Rio moves one step closer to the unemployment line but Blaine Gabbert is looking better. Too bad he doesn’t have much to pass to. The lowest scoring offense in the league will struggle to win more than a handful of games the rest of the season.

32) MINNESOTA VIKINGS (0-2)

Vikes can’t blame McNabb for everything but with the Pack and Lions at 4-0 you have to wonder at what point this season turns into an extended training camp for Christian Ponder.

Week two saw a shuffling of teams in the list as question marks like Pittsburgh and Chicago showed us what they were made of.  The Chiefs and Seahawks continue to stumble but the Lions are roaring in Detroit.  Here’s a breakdown of the Power Rankings after week 2.

1) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (2-0)

Brady keeps passing for crazy numbers. That’s enough to win almost any game. It’s a neck-and-neck race with Green Bay for the number one slot but I like how the Pats handled the Chargers on both sides of the ball. Across the board the Pats are still the best team in the league and when you have highlights like this you’re firing on all cylinders.

2) GREEN BAY PACKERS (2-0)

Green Bay held off a pesky Carolina team and given another 5 minutes this game might have gone into overtime. S Nick Collins is out for the year with a nasty neck injury and the Pack are great at dealing with injuries but I’m still not happy with the defense not shutting down teams more. That’s 2 close games in 2 weeks.

3) NEW YORK JETS (2-0)

The Jets beat up a pathetic Jags team which is what a good team does to a bad team. C Nick Mangold is out for awhile and that might spell a little trouble with Sanchez but overall the Jets improved a lot with a great defensive showing. The Jets lead the league in INT’s (5) on the season and that kind of backfield effort is going to help get them closer to the Pats.

4) DETROIT LIONS (2-0)

Stafford was impressive. Very impressive and the “D” is solid. The defense ranks #2 overall in INT’s and Forced Fumbles but rank in the middle on sacks. That could use some help but that’s like saying a race car needs a bit better tires. The Lions are roaring.

5) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (1-11)

The Saints rebounded from their close loss against the Pack with a stellar performance at home and a convincing win over the Bears considering a few stars were on the bench. The Saints looked solid on defense but Brees is starting to heat up and that means trouble for the rest of the division. He’s thrown 6 TD’s and no INT’s, a big change from last year.

6) HOUSTON TEXANS (2-0)

The Texans won in Miami and a road win is always a good thing. The Dolphins aren’t that great and the game was close which makes us all wonder what this team is about. We will find out on Sunday as they will play the Saints and we’ll see what this team is made of.

7 ) DALLAS COWBOYS (1-1)

Tony Romo won this game. When was the last time we used that sentence without substituting ‘lost’ for ‘win?’ Despite a fractured rib and punctured lung, Romo stood tall in the pocket and helped fuel a comeback win in OT in San Fran. Very impressive win but Ryan’s defense needs to play more bruising defense for all 4 quarters next week against division leader Washington. The Cowboys have all the tools to win this game but Romo’s health will be a factor.

8 ) BUFFALO BILLS (2-0)

The Bills were the last team standing in the shootout against the Raiders. Next up, the Pats. Whoa. This is the game we’ll see if the Bills are for real or not. QB Fitzpatrick has 7 TD’s and 1 INT. Very impressive.

9) WASHINGTON REDSKINS (2-0)

Shanahan is 2-0 with Rex Grossman as QB. Savor that for a moment for its rarity.

10) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (1-1)

The Philly All-Star team rolled into Atlanta for Vick’s first return in a regular season game in his old home town. It was a brutal boxing match as both teams hit each other with everything they had and in the end the Eagles got the worst of it. Vick was knocked out with a concussion and is out for awhile which means the future of the Eagles is a little hazy right now.

11) ATLANTA FALCONS (1-1)

The Falcons rebound nicely but it took a few quarters to showcase their stuff. The Eagles pounded them hard but the Falcons and Matt Ryan didn’t go down. Instead they got stronger and won this game solidly while also knocking Vick out of the game. Ouch! Solid win.

12) BALTIMORE RAVENS (1-1)

Baltimore got a wake up call from their stunning first week victory over the Steelers by the Titans. The Ravens defense looked hung over as Titans QB Matt Hasselbeck tossed the ball for over 300 yards. I expect the Ravens to wake up next week but the poor performance this week drops them down the list.

13) TAMPA BAY BUCS (1-1)

The Bucs showed some guts in the comeback road win in Minny. Josh Freeman looked like Joe Montana in the 4th quarter with his offensive management and I dig this kid. More games like this, please. The Bucs are fun to watch.

14) PITTSBURGH STEELERS (1-1)

The win we all expected from the Steelers against one of the worst teams in the NFL over the last decade. The Steelers did everything right and Big Ben held off a few low tackles by Seattle to knock his knees out. Tough win but sweet for Steelers fans.

15) CHICAGO BEARS (1-1)

Ouch. The New Orleans wake up call brings back the question of whether the Bears are as good as we thought in week one. Right now the verdict is still out but the running game was virtually shut down and with Green Bay next week that will be an issue.

16) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (1-1)

Philip Rivers keeps passing that ball but they were no match for the Pats, a team that will beat a lot of squads this year. Tough loss but Chiefs next week are the next best thing to a bye week.

17) ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-1)

The Cards and Kevin Kolb should have beat the ‘Skins on the road but came up short with turnovers. Overall, the best team in the NFC West but that’s not really a compliment. Cards need improvement but are moving up and that’s good enough to get them into the playoffs at this rate.

18 ) NEW YORK GIANTS (1-1)

Injuries and issues on defense have me wondering how long the bottom will hold out on this boat.

19) OAKLAND RAIDERS (1-1)

The Raiders lost a shootout. Probably could have won but have shown some offensive skills in their loss.

20) TENNESSEE TITANS (1-1)

The Titans won a solid game at home against the Ravens. Hasselbeck lit up the Raves for over 300 yards which is a shocker. Chris Johnson has yet to find his groove (give him time) but things are looking “Not So Bad” in Nashville right now after a much better showing in week 2.

21) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (1-1)

A lazy lost at home for the Niners as the Cowboys came back to steal this game. The team lacks depth and apparently some character to hold off good teams. Next up, Cincy on the road. Could we see another loss? Also, everyone in the division is 1-1 at the moment which means the Bengals are tied for first!

22) CINCINNATI BENGALS (1-1)

Tough loss on the road in Denver as this young defense let the Broncos come back to win. QB Andy Dalton is looking fine with 3 TD’s and no INT’s on the season but they were stopped by a Denver “D” missing most of their studs. Not a bragging point.

23) CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-1)

The Browns beat off a struggling Colts squad and it took a few quarters to get going but once they did they looked alright. Why every other play isn’t a run by Hillis is beyond me but that’s probably why this team is 1-1 at the moment.

24) DENVER BRONCOS (1-1)

Kyle Orton rebounded with a great game but injuries are creeping up on this team. Too many stars are on the bench and it’s showing.

25) MINNESOTA VIKINGS (0-2)

Vikes blew a 17 point lead on the Bucs to bumble to 0-2. A.P. is looking solid but the offense is struggling despite his heroic efforts. Defense fell asleep for the second week in a row.

26) CAROLINA PANTHERS (0-2)

Cam Newton tossed the ball everywhere against the Super Bowl champs and at a few times looked like a rookie. But overall, he single-handedly kept his team in the game. Impressive. The rest of the team on the other hand….

27) MIAMI DOLPHINS (0-2)

Reggie Bush struggled and the Dolphins look a little lost. At 0-2 this team is sinking fast in this division. Going to be a tough year.

28 ) ST. LOUIS RAMS (0-2)

The Rams limped into Monday Night Football with a lot of stars on the bench. It showed and they were outplayed. Running game is AWOL without Jackson.

29) JACKSONVILLE JAGS (1-1)

Pathetic. Del Rio moves one step closer to the unemployment line. My bet, week 6 he’s gone but more games like this and he’ll be booted much, much earlier.

30) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (0-2)

The Chiefs may end up with Andrew Luck if they continue to lose players. The latest star out is RB Jamaal Charles who is out for the season. The second-best RB in the league is on IR on a struggling team. Sorry Chiefs fans, it’s looking bleak.

31) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (0-2)

Tarvaris Jackson and the offensive line looked horrible. Just horrible. This may be the worst team in Seahawk history right now. Just horrible. And special teams….ugh.

32) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (0-2)

There’s nothing positive to say about the Colts but the Indiana Hoosiers got their first win this week against South Carolina State. That’s the closest thing I can find that’s positive dealing with football in the state.