NFL Power Rankings: Oakland Raiders and 5 Playoff Contenders on Shaky Ground

This far into the season, we have a pretty good idea which teams around the league are going to be contending for playoff spots in the weeks to come. There are plenty of usual suspects in the mix, but there are plenty of surprises as well.

Of the bunch, there are a couple of teams that I don't think are standing on very solid ground. They could continue to climb, but it wouldn't be at all surprising if they stumbled and fell out of the race altogether.

I figure that there are five such teams out there. Why don't we go ahead and discuss them one by one?

Houston Texans (No. 17 overall)

I've said it a few times in the last couple of days, but I'll say it again:

The Houston Texans are at a crossroads. After starting the season hot, they have lost two games in a row and are being forced to deal with a handful of injuries to key players.

In the process, the Texans have lost their hold on an AFC South division that looked to be theirs to lose. If they don't beat the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, they could very well be out of the race for good.

Sure, the Texans could get hot and finish the year strong. But their track record says that they won't.

Washington Redskins (No. 15 overall)

The Redskins are a very solid team except for the one position that matters more than all the others: quarterback.

After his four-interceptions stinker against the Philadelphia Eagles, Mike Shanahan has every excuse to bench Rex Grossman and replace him with John Beck. Whether or not Beck will be much of an upgrade is a questionable proposition.

It's not unheard of for a team to go far with a bad quarterback. It's just not common, and the Redskins could fall along the lines of being the rule, not the exception.

Cincinnati Bengals (No. 14 overall)

I want to find something to complain about concerning the Bengals, but it's admittedly quite tough. They're not an elite offensive team, but their defense is more than good enough to compensate for that fact.

These things being said, I just don't know if I can buy the Bengals just yet. They have all the familiar trappings of an overachiever, and they might not be able to keep it up all season.

Additionally, the Bengals have the rotten luck of trying to compete in a division that is run by the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, neither of whom have faced the Bengals yet. When they do, Cincinnati's parade could very well be rained on.

Oakland Raiders (No. 8 overall)

We really cannot understate how big of a blow losing Jason Campbell was to the Raiders. We also cannot understate how much of a gamble they're taking by bringing in Carson Palmer. They're going all in.

On the one hand, you have to admire the Raiders for pulling the trigger. The only problem is that the Palmer acquisition is very much a boom or bust scenario. And if he busts, the Raiders are not going to be making the playoffs.

Unless they get a little help from the next team on this little countdown.

San Diego Chargers (No. 6 overall)

The 2011 Chargers are looking a lot like the 2010 Chargers. They're putting up some gaudy statistics, but there's no escaping the weird feeling that they should be better than they are.

Part of the reason we're feeling this weird, um, feeling is that the Chargers have been just okay against some pretty dreadful teams. Their four wins have come against teams that four wins between them.

The next four games are going to be a true test of San Diego's worth, as the Chargers will play at the New York Jets, at the Kansas City Chiefs, versus the Green Bay Packers and versus the Raiders. If they come out the other end with minimal or no damage, that's when we can start taking them seriously.

Zachary D. Rymer's Week 7 Power Rankings

Rank	Team	Record
1	Green Bay Packers	6-0
2	New England Patriots	5-1
3	Baltimore Ravens	4-1
4	San Francisco 49ers	5-1
5	Detroit Lions	5-1
6	San Diego Chargers	4-1
7	New Orleans Saints	4-2
8	Oakland Raiders	4-2
9	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	4-2
10	Pittsburgh Steelers	4-2
11	Buffalo Bills	4-2
12	New York Giants	4-2
13	Tennessee Titans	3-2
14	Cincinnati Bengals	4-2
15	Washington Redskins	3-2
16	Atlanta Falcons	3-3
17	Houston Texans	3-3
18	Chicago Bears	3-3
19	New York Jets	3-3
20	Dallas Cowboys	2-3
21	Philadelphia Eagles	2-4
22	Seattle Seahawks	2-3
23	Cleveland Browns	2-3
24	Kansas City Chiefs	2-3
25	Carolina Panthers	1-5
26	Denver Broncos	1-4
27	Arizona Cardinals	1-4
28	Jacksonville Jaguars	1-5
29	Minnesota Vikings	1-5
30	Indianapolis Colts	0-6
31	Miami Dolphins	0-5
32	St. Louis Rams	0-5