NFL Power Rankings: Where Every Team Sits Heading into Thursday Night Football

With all of the injuries and craziness to happen this season, the Week 10 power rankings are going to look completely different than what we were expecting before the season began.

The biggest injury of the week came on Monday Night Football, with Aaron Rodgers going down and missing the entire game while the Chicago Bears went on to take down the Green Bay Packers.

According to Ian Rapoport from NFL.com, the injury to Rodgers could sideline him for around four to six weeks.

Let's take a look at the latest power rankings before Thursday Night Football for Week 10.  Keep in mind that all rankings are based on what teams have done so far and not what they are projected to do in the future.

32. Jacksonville Jaguars

A bye week won't help the Jacksonville Jaguars move up the power rankings, as they're still without a doubt the worst team in the NFL.

The team is giving up 33 points per game, the worst in the NFL, and the entire team has a serious lack of talent.  There are some young pieces here and there, but every game has been pretty ugly so far for this team.  Maurice Jones-Drew hasn't been himself, and the quarterback situation is a mess.

There's almost no way the Jaguars don't get the No. 1 or No. 2 pick this May, and you can bet they'll be taking a long look at a quarterback like Teddy Bridgewater or Marcus Mariota.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were so close to finally pulling out a win over the Seattle Seahawks, but they fell in overtime after leading 21-0 to start the game.

Mike Glennon is actually looking like a solid quarterback in his first year.  Over the past three games, he's thrown for around 700 yards and five touchdowns without throwing a single interception.  He's certainly progressing as a passer, but the rest of his team isn't exactly helping.

There are other situations going on in Tampa Bay right now, but they look like they're getting close to finally pulling out a win in the near future.

30. Minnesota Vikings

Christian Ponder looks like he might have taken back his spot as the starting quarterback for the Vikings, at least for now.  Over the past two weeks, he's had three total touchdowns and just one interception, leading the team to 54 total points.

While the offense hasn't been completely terrible, the defense has.  The Vikings are just one of three teams allowing over 30 points per game, and they're also giving up nearly 400 total yards per contest.

The NFC North has some talented teams, but the Vikings aren't one of them.

29. Houston Texans

It really looked like the Houston Texans were going to end their losing streak, but they were unable to do so after giving up 21 points in the last 16 minutes.

The good news is that Case Keenum appears to be a good quarterback, although that could change down the road.  In his two games, Keenum already has a 118.0 passer rating with four touchdowns and zero interceptions.

The pieces are coming together once again, and with how intimidating that defense is with J.J. Watt and others, the Texans have a chance to win games and start turning things around down the road.

28. Pittsburgh Steelers

After being such a great defensive team for so long, the Pittsburgh Steelers simply don't look the same in 2013.

The Steelers gave up 55 points to the New England Patriots this past week, and they're giving up 26 points per game.  Offensively, Ben Roethlisberger is trying to carry the team, but the rest of the offense hasn't been able to step up.

This was supposed to be a team that could make a run in the AFC North, but now it's in dead last in the division, and things are not looking good.

27. Oakland Raiders

As I've said before, this team deserves a lot of credit.  It has already exceeded expectations for the season, but this past week was not a good one.

The Raiders gave up seven passing touchdowns to Nick Foles, allowing 49 points against the Philadelphia Eagles.  The defense hasn't been terrible in previous games, allowing over 30 points in just one other game.

Terrelle Pryor has been an exciting player to watch, but until he can limit the turnovers, this team will likely struggle.

26. New York Giants

Things are starting to look up for the New York Giants.  They had won two games before their bye week, and now they have an upcoming game against the Raiders.

Eli Manning has had his problems this season, but he hasn't been terrible in the team's past two wins.  He may have only thrown one touchdown, but he also didn't throw a single interception.

The key turnaround is on defense, where this team has allowed just 14 total points over those last two games.  Tom Coughlin has had some crazy comebacks with this team over the past decade, but this would be the craziest turnaround of all if it can keep winning.

25. Atlanta Falcons

All of the talk about the Atlanta Falcons being a Super Bowl contender has faded away along with this team's playoff chances.

At 2-6, the Falcons have been plagued by injuries.  Julio Jones is done for the year, and Roddy White has been absent for quite some time with hamstring and ankle issues.  Defensively, the team has lost a number of players as well.

Matt Ryan is starting to unravel now.  Over the past two games, he's thrown just two touchdowns and seven interceptions.  The offense has scored just 23 points in the last two games, and things are going from bad to worse.

With an inexperienced secondary on the other side of the ball, the Falcons aren't going to be able to keep up in the NFC South this season.

24. Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills have now lost four of their last five games, moving them into last place in the AFC East.  The quarterback situation has been a rough one, with Jeff Tuel having to start against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The good news is that EJ Manuel appears to be ready to go once again.  According to Mike Rodak from ESPN.com, signs are pointing to Manuel playing against the Steelers.

The future is bright for this team with so many talented young pieces, but it may take a year or two before all of that talent translates into success.

23. Cleveland Browns

All signs now point to Brandon Weeden being done for the Cleveland Browns now that both Brian Hoyer and Jason Campbell have had success replacing him.

In the past two games, Campbell nearly led the Browns to a win over the Kansas City Chiefs and then a win over the Baltimore Ravens.  Campbell has completed 61.3 percent of his passes with five touchdowns, no interceptions and an impressive 106.6 passer rating.

The Browns have some big divisional games after their bye week, and while they aren't in the playoff picture right now, they have a chance to prove themselves as a solid team over the next two games.

22. St. Louis Rams

The loss of Sam Bradford has hurt this team badly, and with three straight losses the St. Louis Rams are starting to quickly fall down the power rankings.

The defense still has one of the most talented front sevens in the NFL.  Chris Long and Robert Quinn have been terrific, combining for 15.5 sacks this season.  But the secondary has been a major concern, with Cortland Finnegan and company not living up to expectations.

21. Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins got their second win in their last three games, and just like that, they're now back in the race in the NFC East.

Robert Griffin III looked much more comfortable in the pocket last week against the San Diego Chargers.  He didn't have a touchdown and threw an interception, but he also completed over 71 percent of his passes and led the team to 30 total points.

The defense is still giving up plenty of yards and points, but it has shown signs of improvement.  As long as that becomes a trend, then the Redskins will be back in the race for their division.

20. Baltimore Ravens

The defending Super Bowl champions have not looked good to start the year, going 3-5 and losing their last three games.

Despite having Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce in the backfield, the Ravens have one of the worst running games in the NFL.  Not only are they putting up just 71.6 rushing yards per game, but they're also the worst team in the NFL averaging just 2.8 yards per carry.

The defense hasn't been bad, but that offense hasn't lived up to expectations, and that has seriously hurt this team.

19. Philadelphia Eagles

With what we've seen so far, the Eagles need to keep Foles in the starting lineup.

When Foles has been the starter and played the whole game without leaving due to injury, the Eagles have gone 3-0.  He's passed for 1,028 yards, 13 touchdowns and zero interceptions this season, making him one of the more efficient passers in 2013.  Those numbers may be inflated after that performance against the Raiders, but the wins speak for themselves.

However, this team is going to be held back as long as the defense keeps giving up so many yards.  The Eagles are last in total defense, giving up 419.3 yards per game, and they need to find ways to drop that number in order to make a run in the NFC East.

18. San Diego Chargers

It's hard to rank the Chargers based on their inconsistency so far, but based on what other teams have done so far, they currently sit at No. 18 in the latest power rankings.

A tough overtime loss to the Redskins certainly hurts, but this offense is looking better than it has in previous seasons.  Philip Rivers is playing great, completing 72.2 percent of his passes and posting a 106.5 passer rating.

Keenan Allen has emerged as an exciting weapon this season.  He's caught 34 passes for 527 yards and three touchdowns this year, making him one of Rivers' favorite weapons over the past few weeks.

Still, a suspect defense and overall inconsistency are hurting this team right now.  It'll have to do better in order to move back up the power rankings.

17. Tennessee Titans

Are the Tennessee Titans a legitimate playoff contender in the AFC?  Based on what we've seen so far, it really feels like it.

An impressive secondary has led the Titans on defense.  According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Alterraun Verner and Jason McCourty have the No. 2 and No. 3 best grades for cornerbacks behind Darrelle Revis this season.

Meanwhile, Jake Locker has been terrific when he's been healthy.  He's thrown just three interceptions this season and has developed nicely into a passer.  As long as he keeps improving, this team will likely keep winning.

16. Arizona Cardinals

It's going to be very hard for the Arizona Cardinals to make a playoff run in the NFC West, but they've proven themselves as one of the better teams in the NFC.

What makes the Cardinals so good is their impressive secondary led by Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu.  As a team, the Cardinals have forced 19 turnovers with 12 of those coming off interceptions.

Larry Fitzgerald finally has someone to throw him the ball in Carson Palmer, and so far it's paid off.  He's already caught 36 passes for 470 yards and five touchdowns, and he's well on his way to eclipsing his numbers from the 2012 season.

15. New York Jets

It's official.  The New York Jets are the masters of inconsistency.

After getting demolished by 40 points against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8, the Jets turned right back around and won 26-20 over the New Orleans Saints.  In fact, the Jets haven't won or lost two consecutive games, showing just how inconsistent they are.

That kind of sporadic play puts the Jets in the middle of the pack with power rankings, but they have a chance to move back up again if they can start stringing together some wins.

14. Miami Dolphins

For now, the Dolphins are staying in the top half of the the power rankings due to the fact that we haven't seen them play since all of the controversy started.  But there's a chance that changes quickly.

The defense for the Dolphins has been good thanks to an improved secondary and a pass rush led by Cameron Wake.  Pro Football Focus (subscription required) has the Dolphins as the third-best overall defense with a grade of 54.4.  Without this defense, the Dolphins would be in big trouble.

13. Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys are trying to avoid their third consecutive 8-8 season, but even if they finish at .500, there's still a good chance they win their division.

Tony Romo showed that he can lead a game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter, and he's actually having a very solid season.  He currently has a 100.0 passer rating and is on pace for 36 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2013.

The defense hasn't lived up to expectations, but if that changes, this will actually be one of the better teams in the NFC.

12. Green Bay Packers

Keep in mind that these rating are based on what we've seen so far from each team.  We have yet to see Seneca Wallace for an extended period of time, but the Packers will likely fall down the rankings over the next few weeks.

Eddie Lacy has a chance to keep the Packers in the race in the NFC North, however.  He's already run for 596 yards and four touchdowns, making a real case for the Rookie of the Year award.

With Clay Matthews and Nick Perry set to return sometime soon, the Packers could actually hold on without Rodgers, but everyone knows that it won't be easy.

11. Chicago Bears

The Bears now have a real shot at taking the NFC North after the big win over the Packers, and now it looks like Jay Cutler could be coming back.

According to Chris Mortensen from ESPN, there's a good chance that Cutler starts this week against the Detroit Lions.

Without Brian Urlacher, this defense hasn't been the same, but it's starting to show signs of improvement.  Lance Briggs will return soon as well, and this team is getting healthy at just the right time.

10. Cincinnati Bengals

At the moment, the Cincinnati Bengals are a top-10 team.  But that could change with all of the injuries on defense.

Both Leon Hall and Geno Atkins will miss the rest of the season, and it's almost impossible for the team to replace those two players on defense.  Andy Dalton looked great over the Bengals' winning streak, but he started struggling once again last week against the Dolphins.

The AFC North shouldn't be too hard to win, but at the moment, this team doesn't look like it will be able to make a playoff run without either Atkins or Hall.

9. Carolina Panthers

Make no mistake, the Carolina Panthers are the real deal in 2013.

Over the past four games, the Panthers have outscored their opponents 130-48, winning each one.  Cam Newton has progressed a ton as a player, scoring 10 total touchdowns and throwing just two picks during the win streak.

Above all, the defense has been spectacular.  It's allowing just 13.3 points and 299.9 yards per game, ranking second and third in the NFL in those two categories.

The Panthers will have a tough matchup this week against the San Francisco 49ers, but it will be a great test to see if they can continue this impressive level of success.

8. Detroit Lions

We have now seen that when both Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson are hot, this is one of the most unstoppable offenses in the NFL.

Johnson is having yet another monster season, grabbing 47 passes for 821 yards and seven touchdowns.  Meanwhile, Stafford has thrown for 2,617 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions.

The defense may not be the best in the league, but that won't really matter as long as the offense keeps playing like it did against the Cowboys.

7. New England Patriots

We finally saw what the New England Patriots look like offensively with all of their weapons on the field and healthy, and the results were impressive.

The Patriots scored 55 points in the win over the Steelers, with Tom Brady exploding for 432 yards and four touchdowns.  It was easily the best game of the season for him, and Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola stepped up, combining for 13 receptions, 265 yards and two scores.

With Brady's weapons finally healthy, this is a Super Bowl contender in the AFC once again.

6. San Francisco 49ers

No one is criticizing the San Francisco 49ers for losing two straight games anymore, as they've quickly turned things around to win their last five games while scoring at least 31 points in each contest.

The 49ers still lead the league in rushing, averaging 153 yards per game, but they also rank last in passing.  Fortunately, Michael Crabtree and Mario Manningham should return before the end of the regular season, and this team will get a whole lot better with them back in the lineup.

5. New Orleans Saints

The Saints have now lost two of their last three games, and while they're still a top-tier team in the NFC, they didn't exactly look like it against the Jets.

Drew Brees looked vulnerable without Marques Colston and Darren Sproles, throwing two interceptions in the game.  However, Jimmy Graham continues to play at a high level with the foot injury, leading the NFL with 10 touchdowns.

Rob Ryan has helped the defense completely turn things around after being the worst defense in 2012.  It's holding opponents to just 18.3 points per game, and now New Orleans shouldn't have a problem being the No. 1 or No. 2 team in the NFC playoff picture.

4. Seattle Seahawks

Even though the Seahawks went into overtime, they showed that they can make a huge comeback, and Russell Wilson proved that he can carry the team offensively if needed.

The Seahawks are holding opponents to just 179.8 passing yards per game.  Their secondary is so good that opposing quarterbacks have just a 68.6 passer rating against Seattle, the second-best mark in the league.

Marshawn Lynch and Wilson continue to lead an effective offense, making this the most complete team in the NFC, at least for now.

3. Indianapolis Colts

At first, the Indianapolis Colts looked completely lost without Reggie Wayne on offense, scoring just three points in the second half against the Texans.  However, they were able to come back from down 18 points, scoring 21 straight points in the final 16 minutes.

Andrew Luck showed that he should be in the running for the MVP award, throwing another three touchdowns with zero interceptions in the win.  T.Y. Hilton was the recipient of all three scores, catching seven passes for 121 yards.

This team doesn't always blow out its opponents, but it has wins against great teams, making the Co one of the best teams in the NFL.

2. Denver Broncos

When Peyton Manning is on your team, chances are you're going to be in good shape for the entire season.

Even at 37 years old, Manning is having the best season of his career.  He's completing 71.2 percent of his passes for 2,919 yards, 29 touchdowns and six interceptions.  At this point, it seems that giving him Wes Welker, Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker just doesn't seem fair.

The return of Von Miller clearly helped the defense against the Redskins, and his ability to put pressure on opposing defenses makes this team so much better.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

As the only undefeated team remaining in the NFL, there's no denying that the Chiefs are the best team in the league.

An efficient offense and a stifling defense make this team so good.  Alex Smith and Jamaal Charles maintain a balanced offensive attack that doesn't turn the ball over often and can score points.  Meanwhile, they have the best defense in the NFL, allowing just 12.3 points and 326.9 yards per game.

Andy Reid and Smith have completely changed everything about the Chiefs in less than a year, and now they're looking for a Super Bowl run after being the worst team in the league in 2012.