NFL Power 10: Titans, Giants Back on Top After Huge Victories Last Weekend

Due to the New Hampshire Ice Storm related power outage last week (which my electric company assures me was unprecedented), there were no Power 10 rankings last week.

So all of the “last week” rankings (in parenthesis) are really from two weeks ago.

1 (1) Tennessee Titans (13-2-0): Power 10 Points: 229

The Titans victory over the Steelers reminded me of the Patriots late season victory over the Steelers last season. They were so dominant early in the season, but they’ve pretty much run out of gas.

Their victory over the Steelers was one last gasp from a great regular season team that, at some point, is going to be exposed in the playoffs.

2 (2) New York Giants (12-3-0): Power 10 Points: 212

The Giants needed home field advantage in the playoffs. They didn’t want to go to Carolina, where the Panthers are undefeated, after losing to them at home.

Make no mistake about it. That was a HUGE win.

3 (t3) Carolina Panthers (11-4-0): Power 10 Points: 174

Missed opportunity.

The Panthers had the Giants right where they wanted them, and they let the game slip away. The missed field goal is what we’ll all remember, but the blown 8-point fourth quarter lead is what the Panthers will remember.

The road to the Super Bowl goes through New York, and the Panthers are pretty mediocre when they travel outside of the Carolinas.

4 (t3) Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4-0): Power 10 Points: 168

Two weeks ago, everyone in Pittsburgh thought the Steelers were going to the Super Bowl. One loss to the second best defense in the AFC later and everyone wants to bench Ben Roethlisberger? Seriously? Have you seen some of the other quarterbacks in the NFL?

Would you rather have Tony Romo?

5 (t6) Indianapolis Colts (11-4-0): Power 10 Points: 163

The Steelers were the trendy pick to win the AFC before they were demolished by the Titans. Everyone needed a new trendy pick, so we started looking around the NFL. Then we noticed that Peyton Manning hadn’t lost in more than 2 months.

I’m sold.

6 (5) Baltimore Ravens (10-5-0): Power 10 Points: 158

The Ravens are going to make the playoffs officially when they destroy the Jaguars. But do they deserve to make the playoffs over the Patriots? Or the Dolphins? Or is the real answer letting all three of them in the playoffs and kicking out the Broncos/Chargers, and the Cardinals?

By the way, the answer is yes. The Ravens will crush either the Patriots or Dolphins in the first round of the playoffs. It won’t be pretty.

7 (-) New England Patriots (10-5-0): Power 10 Points: 152

Why do I get the feeling that the Patriots are going to lose to the Bills this weekend? Everyone in New England is talking about how we need to root for the Jets, but nobody’s even mentioning the Bills. You know, the team the Patriots are actually playing.

In any event, I think the Patriots will be on the outside looking in come playoff time. An 11 win team missing the playoffs while two 8 win teams get in out west. Unreal.

8 (8) Atlanta Falcons (10-5-0): Power 10 Points: 146

By far, the best story in the NFL this season. The Dolphins are a good football story, going from terrible to good. But the Falcons went through more than any team in recent memory with the whole coach leaving and quarterback getting arrested thing.

I love that I was wrong about this team. I think I had them winning 4 games. I’d go back and look, but I’m extremely lazy.

9 (-) Miami Dolphins (10-5-0): Power 10 Points: 124

Chad Pennington gets a chance to knock his former team out of the playoffs this weekend while at the same time putting his new team into the playoffs. While I’m rooting against this happening with every fiber of my being (given that I’m a Patriots fan), it’d still make for a pretty good story.

10 (9) New York Jets (9-6-0): Power 10 Points: 116

Last week, Favre talked about how he might retire. Then he played absolutely terrible in Seattle. Now he has a shoulder injury.

And you wonder why I’m convinced the Dolphins are winning the AFC East….

Dropped Out:

(t6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-6-0): Power 10 Points: 111

Did you see Jeff Garcia’s bloody mug right before he threw that interception? You’d think the ref would have stopped the fight on cuts…

(10) Arizona Cardinals (8-7-0): Power 10 Points: 70

Holy cow, this might be the worst playoff team in the history of the NFL. Ever.

Bottom Three:

30 (-) Kansas City Chiefs (2-13-0): Power 10 Points: -92

Back in the bottom three. Herm Edwards, we missed you! But we’ll miss you more when you’re gone (late Sunday afternoon, hopefully)!

31 (30) St. Louis Rams (2-13-0): Power 10 Points: -102

Remember when the Rams won those two games then almost beat the Patriots? Neither do they…

32 (32) Detroit Lions (0-15-0): Power 10 Points: -141

One game away from history. They’ll screw it up.

Don’t forget to vote in the Bleacher Report NFL MVP poll. Have a happy Christmas, or a happy day off from work. Whatever. Politically correct.

Sean Crowe covers the New England Patriots for Examiner.com and writes a bi-weekly column for Sports-Central.org.

He is a Senior Writer and an NFL Community Leader at Bleacher Report. You can email him at [e-mail]. His archive can be found here.