NFL Power Rankings Heading into Week 12
32. Carolina Panthers
No quarterback, no coach, no hope. The Panthers are dead in the water at this point and likely don’t even scare teams as a potential spoiler. It’s time to start over in Carolina.
31. Cincinnati Bengals
What else is there to say about the Bengals that hasn’t already been said? The talent is undeniable, but they certainly find ways to underachieve. It’s probably time for the entire coaching staff to go and really start focusing on that defense.
30. Buffalo Bills
Chan Gailey refuses to let his team quit, but there’s only so much that a positive attitude can do to help that defense. The offense has put up enough points in a couple different games to come out with wins, but the defense lets them down every time and tried to do it again against the Bengals.
29. Detroit Lions
They’ve definitely improved, but it’s just not good enough. Losing Matthew Stafford again has really hurt them and led to a lot of inconsistent play. Their defense has a lot more questions than answers.
28. Dallas Cowboys
Despite their two-game winning streak, the Cowboys are just not as good as first thought. Jon Kitna seems to actually be an improvement over Tony Romo this year and Jason Garrett has them playing inspired, but their two wins have come against a flailing Giants team (and we all know division games can go either way) and the Lions.
27. San Francisco 49ers
The Troy Smith magic has faded rather quickly, but I still think he has the makings of a starting quarterback. He just needs some playing time to develop and work on making quicker decisions. The Niners are a rather young team that I think could eventually come together under Mike Singletary if he’s given more time.
26. Arizona Cardinals
I bet now they’re wishing they would have held on to Matt Leinart and given him a shot. I don’t think it would have panned out any better, but at least it would give Ken Whisenhunt something to fall back on when the Bidwills ask him why he should keep his job for another season.
25. Minnesota Vikings
Brad Childress is out, Leslie Frazier is in. It’s not going to get them into the playoffs, but the switch could give them a short burst like the head coaching change in Dallas did for the Cowboys. Despite what anyone says, Brett Favre should still be the guy for the rest of the year. Tarvaris Jackson has shown his max potential.
24. Denver Broncos
This might be a bit high, but their high-powered offense could win them some games down the stretch if their defense can pull things together. We all knew losing Elvis Dumervil would hurt, but I’m not sure anyone expected them to be this bad.
23. Cleveland Browns
I desperately want to put them higher since I’m a huge fan of Rob Ryan, but his defense came up just short again this week. For whatever reason they forgot how to tackle after dominating the game and basically gave this one away. I think Mangini is probably gone after this season and either Ryan or Mike Holmgren takes over the team.
22. Houston Texans
The offense is very good, but the defense is atrocious. They’ve got to find something to spark this defense if they ever want to make the playoffs. They’ve now dropped two consecutive games in the final seconds because their defense crumbled when it mattered most.
21. St. Louis Rams
I wasn’t sold on Sam Bradford coming out of college, but he looks like a franchise quarterback in the making. Outside of the rookie mistakes, Bradford has been much more of an asset than a liability — something unusual for a rookie quarterback. With some more weapons for Bradford next year, the Rams could control a weak division for several years to come.
20. Seattle Seahawks
Is there a more up-and-down team in the league? One week they look like Super Bowl contenders, the next week they don’t look like they could beat the local high school team. That’s a direct reflection on a head coach who has yet to get acclimated to the NFL (again).
19. Tennessee Titans
This is where things fall apart. There’s an obvious rift between Jeff Fisher and Vince Young, and that could quickly translate into a rift between Bud Adams and Jeff Fisher. That kind of dysfunction translates to losses, not wins.
18. Washington Redskins
Donovan McNabb can’t count on his head coach or the weapons around him, but he keeps making plays and is carrying this team on his shoulders. The defense is hit or miss, but if they can pick it up down the stretch the Redskins could be a team that catches the league by surprise. That is, however, a big “if.”
17. Miami Dolphins
The Chicago Bears defense is tough, but the Dolphins should have enough firepower to avoid being shut out. This team has underperformed all season long, and now that Bill Parcells is gone Tony Sparano could be on the hot seat.
16. Oakland Raiders
They got handled by the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the Raiders have shown an ability to win playing smash-mouth football. Mistakes doomed them and they clearly missed Nnamdi Asomugha greatly. But overall they are a team headed in the right direction and are right in the mix of the AFC West race.
15. New York Giants
After losses to the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, the Giants are starting to look rather pedestrian. The first half of their schedule was filled with a couple push-overs and mediocre teams and now they’re starting to get exposed.
14. San Diego Chargers
They’re probably going to start shooting up the rankings in the coming weeks, but for now this is where they sit. Philip Rivers is one of about a handful of elite quarterbacks and he’s done a great job of using the weapons given to him, but the Chargers won’t ever win it all as long as Norv Turner is their head coach.
13. Jacksonville Jaguars
David Garrard has been either very good, or very bad, but the team just keeps winning. They’ve gotten blown out a couple times, but after gut-wrenching wins against the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns, the Jaguars might be gaining the confidence they need to make a playoff push.
12. Kansas City Chiefs
After a short skid, the Chiefs came out and took care of business against the Arizona Cardinals. The running game continues to be impressive and now Matt Cassel seems to be coming around. If they can get more steady performances out of their defense they could find themselves in the playoffs.
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers are surprisingly playing very well, but playing in the NFC South is not going to be kind to them come playoff time. They still have the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons ahead of them, so any let-down could mean a very good record but no playoffs.
10. Indianapolis Colts
Peyton Manning’s MVP season is quickly slipping away as the Colts continue to lose games. Overall, the Colts have been very up-and-down all year and are now sitting at second in the AFC South behind the Jaguars. But since the Jags sit at 13 on this list, it’s pretty clear I’m thinking the Colts right the ship once guys start getting healthy and eventually win the South.
9. Chicago Bears
The defense has been spectacular so far this season, but the offense has been erratic as always. The team has still not done enough along the offensive line or at receiver, and Jay Cutler is taking a beating as a result. Mike Martz must focus more on protecting Cutler or the Bears could be one-and-done in the playoffs — if they make it that far.
8. Baltimore Ravens
The offense has been explosive some weeks, and lethargic others. The defense has also suffered from a lack of a secondary. But the Ravens keep finding a way to win and smart money says they put it all together soon.
7. Philadelphia Eagles
Everyone is on the Eagles bandwagon, but the defense still must prove it can be consistent. Michael Vick and the offense has proven what it can do, but the defense has gotten torched at certain points this season. If Sean McDermott and the defense can become more consistent, the Eagles could win the East.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger has been a spark plug for the offense, and the defense continues to get the job done. The Steelers are playing smash-mouth football better than anyone else right now and have to be the favorites to win the North.
5. New Orleans Saints
Drew Brees has struggled at certain points, but he seems to be back on track along with the rest of the offense. The Saints are being opportunistic on both sides of the ball and are starting to look like the Super Bowl team from last year.
4. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons, and more specifically Matt Ryan, are unbeatable at home. They’re a mediocre 3-2 away from the Georgia dome, but when Ryan starts connecting with Roddy White and Michael Turner starts wearing down the opposing defense, these guys start looking like perhaps the best team in the NFC.
3. New England Patriots
The Patriots would be higher on this list if they didn’t almost give up the comeback to the Colts. The defense will have let-downs in the middle of games, but Tom Brady is playing out of his mind right now and that alone could be enough to carry the Pats deep into the playoffs.
2. Green Bay Packers
Right now the Packers are, by far, the best in the league in net points at an incredible 106. They started off slowly, but after four consecutive very impressive wins the Packers are legitimate contenders once again.
1. New York Jets
Some would use their last-minute wins as evidence that they’re not very good, but I say the opposite. Teams that win like that are better prepared for the close games they’ll face once the playoffs roll around. Mark Sanchez has been playing like a 10-year vet with a poise under two minutes that we haven’t seen since John Elway. This team is all-around the real deal and still my pick to win the Super Bowl.