Each year in the NFL, trends emerge and juggernauts show their strength by Week 9. Like every season, we see a few upstarts, such as this year's Chiefs and Buccaneers, who show that they can beat up on weaker teams and hang with the usual top dogs. Bandwagon picks like the 49ers and Cowboys have shown their flaws and have been exposed as pretenders, while preseason favorites like the Vikings have shown, well, inappropriate things — the kind of things that don't equal success on the gridiron. Teams that pound the football on the ground still don't get the ‘W' that teams with elite QBs do, and concussions are still making us wonder whether we'll be watching two-hand touch football in 10 years.
However, last year we saw the Colts and the Saints jump out to 10-0 starts, pulverizing opponents on their way to an inevitable Super Bowl matchup. This year, parity reins supreme and apparent Super Bowl favorites have constantly been knocked down and sent back to the pack. Teams have slid up and down various power rankings, but finally two teams have separated themselves from the rest of the league and shown their Super Bowl aspirations are for real. Week 11 has come and gone, and finally two teams have the guts to stand up and say, "No one else wants this? Okay. We're taking it." So, without further ado, The Daily presents you with our NFL Power Rankings. (Note: this was written before last night's game between the Chargers and Broncos).
THE FAVORITES
1a. Patriots (8-2)
The Patriots slipped up in Week 2 to the Jets and got steamrolled by the Great White Buffalo named Peyton Hillis and the Cleveland Browns in Week 9. However, their resume speaks for itself. A gutsy overtime win over the Ravens followed by an impressive win at the Chargers set the tone for their season. And in the past two weeks, we have seen the vintage Patriots that brought them so much glory over the past decade. Brady looked like Tom of old as he threw all over the vaunted Steelers defense en route to a shellacking of the Gold and Black. The Pats carried that momentum back home to Foxboro and held strong for a season-defining victory in the Manning-Brady Bowl XII. With a little bit of luck, timely defensive stops and Brady spreading the ball everywhere, this team looks all too familiar to the successful Pats of the past.
1b. Eagles (7-3)
Michael Vick, LeShean McCoy, Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson. There is no conceivable way for defensive coordinators to game-plan for them. With Vick playing the best football of his life and the defense forcing timely turnovers, the Eagles are legit. They are undefeated with Vick as their starter — excluding the loss to Washington where Vick was knocked out in the first quarter — and he is showing maturity and poise as the unquestioned leader of the Eagles. If Vick stays healthy, there will be no one to stop Philly's run through the NFC.
THE CONTENDERS
3. Jets (8-2)
Yes, something needs to be said about how they find ways to win games that seem unwinnable. And yes, Mark Sanchez does have big-game experience from last season's playoff run. However, there's something that doesn't feel right about Gang Green. This team could easily be 4-4 with questionable victories over Denver (fourth-and-long pass-interference-turned-win), Detroit (down 10 with five minutes left), Cleveland (overtime recovered fumble) and Houston (game-winning drive with less than a minute left). That's not a list of opponents that strikes fear into anyone's hearts, so we wonder, can the Jets repeat this magic on the road in the playoffs against, say, the Ravens? We don't think so.
4. Falcons (8-2)
5. Ravens (7-3)
The home warriors. Perfect at home, imperfect on the road. Both teams have young QBs whose numbers are infinitely better at home. If either of these teams gets their conferences' respective No. 1 seeds, which is seemingly possible, then they could be playing in Dallas in February.
ALMOST THERE
6. Saints (7-3)
We want to cut America's sweethearts some slack because they're clearly suffering from a Super Bowl hangover and, even with a three-game winning streak, we still don't entirely trust them. With only one impressive win over Pittsburgh and a soft schedule to close out the year, we don't see them repeating.
7. Packers (7-3)
The jury is still out on the Packers, who have been devastated by injuries on both sides of the ball. Check back in three weeks when they have the team on the field that will be playing in the playoffs.
THE PRETENDERS
8. Steelers (7-3)
The losses of Max Starks and Aaron Smith for the season reveal their lack of depth.
9. Colts (6-4)
Peyton Manning's pick in the final seconds against the Pats was uncharacteristically brainless as they were well-within Vinatieri's field-goal range and could have forced overtime. The absence of Dallas Clark and key linebackers, coupled with a lack of ground support, have proven to be too much for Manning to overcome this season.
10. Giants (6-4)
Now two weeks removed from looking like the class of the NFC, the Giants are now 1-2 in the division with quarterback Eli Manning's play quickly turning south as he has already amassed 16 interceptions.
11. Buccaneers (7-3)
12. Chiefs (6-4)
These two teams have surprised the entire league with their inspired play: the Chiefs with their stellar running game and the Bucs with their fearless second-year QB Josh Freeman. They play hard and have great foundations for the future, however, they both lack elite playmakers and the experience to make a deep playoff run.
13. Bears (7-3)
The Bears have a smothering defense with opposing defenses smothering Jay Cutler. Their league-leading defense (only allowing 14.6 ppg) has carried them to a 7-3 start but their league-worst 37 sacks allowed will be their ultimate downfall. If they manage to sneak in the playoffs they should be an easy out.
SAME OL'
14. Chargers (4-5)
Every year they seem to start slow then run off a lengthy win streak and win the weak AFC West. Rivers and Gates are playing better than ever and they are an offensive monster at home. We can't count them in yet because of their record, but we won't be surprised when they're 10-6 and hosting a playoff game.
CONSISTENTLY INCONSISTENT
15. Titans (5-5)
16. Jaguars (6-4)
17. Redskins (5-5)
18. Dolphins (5-5)
19. Raiders (5-5)
Each team either sports impressive wins over contenders or has held a three-game winning-streak, yet none can seem to put the pieces together and play consistent football. Their glaring holes, which are keeping them from being contenders, have been blatantly exposed in blowout losses.
HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM
20. Texans (4-6)
The Texans are like a really attractive girl who keeps texting you and saying she wants to meet up and then repeatedly stands you up. You know she's bad for you and that you should just walk away but, no, you give them one more chance. Well, you know what? We (and the rest of the football world) are done believing you. We don't care how dynamic and sexy you are -- hey, Andre Johnson -- we're breaking things off with you.
WE'RE SICK OF HEARING ABOUT YOU
21. Cowboys (3-7)
22. Vikings (3-7)
Go away and leave us alone.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS
23. Browns (3-7)
It was fun while it lasted. Now you can return to being bad.
THE NFC WEST
24. Seahawks (5-5)
25. Rams (4-6)
26. Cardinals (3-7)
27. 49ers (3-7)
One of these teams has to make the playoffs … we're shuddering.
HOW ABOUT THAT DRAFT IN APRIL?
28. Broncos (3-6)
29. Lions (2-8)
30. Bills (2-8)
31. Bengals (2-8)
MAYBE YOU SHOULD TRY THE UFL
32. Panthers (1-9)
You might be .500 over there.
