NFL Power Rankings Week 17: Checking out Teams on the Rise

As we enter the final week of the 2011 NFL regular season, a lot has changed in this week's power rankings. Two teams have made major jumps, as one secured a spot in the postseason and another kept its playoff hopes alive.

The 10-5 Detroit Lions were dominant in a 38-10 blowout win over the 7-8 San Diego Chargers last Saturday. It was the third straight win for the Lions, and they seemed to have righted the ship after a midseason stretch that saw them lose five of seven games. They now sit at 10-5, and with the win over San Diego, they clinched a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 1999.

In their last three games, Detroit has secured tough wins over both the Minnesota Vikings (34-28) and Oakland Raiders (28-27) before blowing out a Chargers team that was riding high after a Week 15 blowout of the Baltimore Ravens.

The Lions really showed me something by thumping the Bolts and have jumped up to No. 7 in this week's rankings thanks to that performance. We'll see if they can keep chugging along against the 14-1 Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

Like the Lions, the Tennessee Titans really improved their stock by winning in Week 16. The Titans edged the Jacksonville Jaguars 23-17, improved to 8-7 and kept their playoff hopes alive. 

Against the Jaguars, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck threw for 350 yards, and while he had just one touchdown and two interceptions, he put together a prolific day. He has to keep that up unless running back Chris Johnson's ankle gets better in a hurry for this Sunday's showdown with the 10-5 Houston Texans.

The reason I had the Titans shoot up to No. 14 this week is that they impressed me by getting off the mat following tough losses to the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts. It would be shocking if the reached the postseason, but I have confidence they will put up a good fight on Sunday.

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