NFL POWER RANKINGS - WEEK 9
By Dylan Ehle (@PaleEhle on Twitter)
1) HOUSTON TEXANS (7-1): Despite one slip-up against a talented Packers team, the Texans are the best team in the NFL. Their rushing attack is top-notch, and their defense has been getting the job done. They should run away with not only the AFC South crown, but also with home field advantage through the AFC playoffs.
2) ATLANTA FALCONS (8-0): The Falcons claim that they get no respect for being the only undefeated team left at 8-0. I don't think they've earned that respect until they can win in the postseason. This is a talented team, and they're much better than I expected this year, but they would get crushed by the Texans if the two played.
3) CHICAGO BEARS (7-1): They rank this high solely because of their defense. It is flat-out scary. Cutler has been having trouble getting the offense going, but when you defense gets you one or two touchdowns each game, the offense doesn't have to be stellar.
4) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (6-2): This is another team that earns a high ranking because of their defense (it's second in the NFL, in my opinion). Their defense dominates, and their offense does enough to get by. They look poised for a deep playoff run.
5) GREEN BAY PACKERS (6-3): Ah, this is the Packers team that we know. When they were 2-3, we all knew that they'd come firing back like this. They should be able to challenge the Bears for the NFC North title, and will be an extremely dangerous wildcard team if they can't win the division.
6) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (5-3): The Pats have struggled more than I expected this season, but they still have had several games in which they've completely demolished their opponents in classic Patriots fashion. I expect to see more of that as the season continues, and for the Patriots to coast to the AFC East title.
7) DENVER BRONCOS (5-3): Peyton Manning is hitting his stride, and the defense looks like they can shut down anybody right now. They will separate themselves from the other teams in the AFC West over the next 3 weeks and should have no trouble taking the division. Manning leads the NFL in completion percentage at 69.5%, and has a solid 2,404 passing yards at the midseason mark.
8) NEW YORK GIANTS (6-3): That loss to the Steelers put a damper on my repeat talk for the Giants, and cost them several spots in my power rankings. Eli Manning is having a great season, and the front four on defense has looked as dominant as ever, but the Giants need to avoid dropping winnable games against teams like Pittsburgh as they move forward.
9) BALTIMORE RAVENS (6-2): Don't let their record fool you - the Ravens are in trouble this season. In the last four games, the defense has plummeted and the offense has looked out of sync. They will likely make the playoffs since the AFC is so weak, but they need to improve on both sides of the ball to make any kind of postseason push.
10) PITTSBURGH STEELERS (5-3): The Steelers are on the rise, and got a huge victory against the defending champs on Sunday. They are rapidly closing in the Ravens, and have left the Bengals in the dust. The Steelers rushing attack has done really well in spite of injuries. No matter who they have in the backfield (Mendenhall, Redman, Dwyer), they continue to move the chains.
11) DETROIT LIONS (4-4): You heard it here first: the Lions are making a strong push for the postseason. The offense has started to step it up after being middle-of-the-road all season, and the pass rush is finally getting to the quarterback, helping mask a weak secondary. Starting with a win over divisional rival Minnesota this week, the Lions will challenge the Seahawks, Bucs, and Saints for a wildcard berth.
12) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (6-3): Andrew Luck currently leads the NFL in passing yardage (2,631). WOW. That is very impressive for the rookie. He's also shown himself to be a threat on his feet, with 4 rushing touchdowns. He looks poised for an outstanding NFL career, and the Colts look like they can challenge for a wildcard spot.
13) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (5-4): A lot of these wins are due to a ridiculous home field advantage, but you still have to give credit where it is due. The Seahawks win most of the games that they are supposed to win, as well as a few that they weren't supposed to have any chance to win. Lynch has never looked better running the ball, and their underrated defense will keep them in most games down the stretch.
14) TAMPA BAY BUCS (4-4): Wow, this team came out of nowhere, but they are red-hot right now. Doug Martin has had back-to-back sensational performances, and Josh Freeman is airing it out to Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams. They have some problems defensively, but if their offense can keep this up, it won't matter too much.
15) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (4-4): So much talent, and so little to show for it. That's the story of the Chargers this season, and for the last several years, as a matter of fact. A rout of the lowly Chiefs doesn't impress me much, but an inexcusable loss to the Broncos and a pathetic 6 point showing against the Browns makes me think that I'm being generous by letting the Chargers squeeze into the top half of my rankings.
16) MINNESOTA VIKINGS (5-4): After a fast start, the Vikings have really cooled off, and they are desperate for a win against the Lions this week. I don't think they'll get it, and they will fall deeper into the bottom half of these rankings.
17) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (3-5): The Saints are looking better each week, and they should be able to make it to 8-8 or so on the season. I think that they will crawl back into the wildcard race, only to ultimately fall short.
18) DALLAS COWBOYS (3-5): The Cowboys have had so many tough breaks this season....it's really been a rough year. There is more talent on this team than their 3-5 record would seem to indicate, and I think that they will make their way to .500 by the end of the year.
19) CINCINNATI BENGALS (3-5): This team has been such a disappointment. After a strong start, they've completely collapsed. I think that there is too much talent on this team for it continue, however, and I think that the Bengals will manage to put together a winning streak by the end of the season.
20) MIAMI DOLPHINS (4-4): This team is incredibly inconsistent. I've seen few teams be this different week to week...it's seriously maddening, and it makes it very difficult to pick their games. Ryan Tannehill has been much better than I expected, and the Dolphins have developed a strong pass rush, but I think it will be a tough second half of the season for Miami.
21) ARIZONA CARDINALS (4-5): After a 4-0 start, they're 4-5. The defense which propelled them to their fast start hasn't been as dominant, and their offense is terrible (Larry Fitzgerald tries to do it on his own, but he's just one guy). They will likely drop several spots over the coming weeks.
22) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (3-5): What a mess! The dream team has lost 4 in a row, plummeting them to a 3-5 record at the halfway mark. Their defense has been exposed two weeks in a row, and there is talk of benching Michael Vick. I don't see this getting any better, especially with Big D on the schedule next.
23) CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-6): You heard it here first: the Panthers will mount a significant winning streak before the season is over. They are far better than their record indicates, and were within a play of beating Seattle, Chicago, and Atlanta, all of whom are serious playoff contenders. Watch out for this time once their schedule calms down a bit.
24) NEW YORK JETS (3-5): I don't know how many losses you take before you just throw Tebow in and see what happens. The defense has been feeling the loss of Revis all season, and the offense just can't get anything done. They may very well finish in the cellar of the AFC East.
25) WASHINGTON REDSKINS (3-6): RGIII has given them a nice spark, but the rest of the team just hasn't been able to deliver. Look for this team to make some noise next year, though.
26) BUFFALO BILLS (3-5): There isn't too much to say positively about this team, expect that they are narrowly better than the few teams below them on this list. The Bills are going nowhere once again, and their losses will continue to mount.
27) ST. LOUIS RAMS (3-5): After a promising start, the Rams have fallen to the cellar of the NFC West. Jeff Fisher has instilled a new toughness into them, though, and I think that will translate into a few more wins before the season is up.
28) OAKLAND RAIDERS (3-5): Carson Palmer is slinging the ball alright....but it's going to the other team too often. The Raiders have been competitive, but all of us know that they aren't going anywhere.
29) CLEVELAND BROWNS (2-7): The Browns are actually better than their record indicates, and they have been competitive in their divisional games this year. Trent Richardson is the real deal, and they will be a force in the AFC North in the near future.
30) TENNESSEE TITANS (3-6): The Titans are competitive with Hasselbeck under center, but with Locker coming back, I think that the second half of the season will be tough for the Titans.
31) JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1-8): I am so thankful for the Chiefs so that I don't have to put the Jags in last. I really don't have anything positive to say about the Jags except that they've kept more games close than the Chiefs have. Maybe the gap isn't that large, actually.
32) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (1-7): They are the worst team, period. They can't compete with anyone.
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