NFL Power Rankings: How All 32 Teams Stack Up

NFL Week 11 has reached its starting conclusion, which means it's once again time to compile some NFL power rankings. 

Week 11 was once again a dumbfounding one, so stacking each team from top to bottom is an extremely difficult task. Lowly teams such as the Jacksonville Jaguars hung around with an elite squad like the Houston Texans, while the surprisingly mediocre Dallas Cowboys were almost upset by the mediocre Cleveland Browns. 

The NFL playoff picture is beginning to take shape, and the following power rankings reflect that notion. Teams at the bottom of the list are attempting to remain competitive while clearly eyeing the future, while teams in the middle and above are jockeying for postseason position. 

Let's take a look at where each NFL team stands leading into Week 12 of the 2012 NFL season. 

32. Kansas City Chiefs

Record: 1-9

There isn't much left that needs to be said about the Kansas City Chiefs. The team has few bright spots and touts the worst offense in the league behind a quarterback carousel between Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn. 

Defensively the Chiefs have a few positive things going such as linebackers Tamba Hali and Justin Houston, but outside of that it's a horrible unit that gives up almost 30 points per game.

The front office in Kansas City needs to start thinking about parting ways with head coach Romeo Crennel and which top quarterback prospect they want with the first selection in the 2013 NFL draft. 

31. Carolina Panthers

Record: 2-8

The Carolina Panthers are one of the worst teams in football and have failed to consistently remain competitive, most recently dropping a divisional game to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Offensively the Panthers are a joke behind the sophomore slump of quarterback Cam Newton and his childish antics, and the defense hasn't fared much better. Luke Kuechly is an emerging star at linebacker, but the unit has struggled massively. 

The Panthers season is all but over, and the most fans can hope for at this point is for Newton and Co. to play spoiler. 

30. Jacksonville Jaguars

Record: 1-9

The Jacksonville Jaguars have been horrendous all season behind the arm of second-year quarterback Blaine Gabbert, but that all changed when he went down with an injury in Week 11. 

Backup Chad Henne entered the game and almost propelled the team to a win over the Houston Texans. In the process, Henne proved that perhaps the offense isn't as horrible as we all thought—Gabbert is just truly that bad. 

Rookie receiver Justin Blackmon had a breakout game with over 200 receiving yards. Unfortunately, it's too little too late for the Jaguars. There are still many holes on the roster, so the horrible record will allow the team to continue rebuilding. 

29. Oakland Raiders

Record: 3-7 

The Oakland Raiders have a variety of problems, but chief among them is the injury bug. Oakland hardly averages over 80 rushing yards per game, thanks to the first three running backs on the roster out with injuries. 

Defensively the Raiders are just plain mediocre thanks to a lack of above-average talent at almost every position. 

The Raiders could be more competitive if the offense could stay healthy, but that simply hasn't been the case. There isn't a shot at the postseason anymore for Oakland despite residing in one of the most laughably bad divisions in all of football. 

28. Arizona Cardinals

Record: 4-6

The Arizona Cardinals steamrolled their way to a 4-0 record to begin the season, but have fizzled in a big way since that time. 

Injuries have forced the offense to suffer as John Skelton, Kevin Kolb and Ryan Lindley have all seen time at quarterback. Despite having an elite weapon in Larry Fitzgerald, the Cardinals average only 16 points per game. 

Arizona actually has one of the better defenses in every regard outside of stopping the run, but it's hard to win games on a defense supported by an offense that hardly averages two touchdowns per contest. 

27. Philadelphia Eagles

Record: 3-7

The Philadelphia Eagles are lost without starting quarterback Micheal Vick. That's not to say the Eagles were a legitimate threat when he was healthy either. 

Philadelphia has a head coach on his way out in Andy Reid, a man who refuses to utilize an elite running back in LeSean McCoy. Reid would rather air it out, even with third-round rookie Nick Foles under center. 

The Eagles have suffered as a result. 

Philadelphia is soft defensively and was demolished in Week 11 by rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III of the Washington Redskins. Everything that could have gone wrong did. That won't change moving forward. 

26. Cleveland Browns

Record: 2-8

The Cleveland Browns are mediocre in just about every aspect, but to their credit the team has been competitive all season long. 

Two weeks ago the Browns hung tough with the great Baltimore Ravens, and just last week almost pulled off an overtime upset on the road against the Dallas Cowboys. 

Cleveland is suffering with rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden under center, and with a new CEO taking over, the rest of the season will simply be used as a test run to see if he is a franchise player or not. 

Don't expect the Browns to win many more games in the process. 

25. New York Jets

Record: 4-6

The circus that is the New York Jets mustered a victory over the St. Louis Rams in Week 11, but as the record indicates, it's been a long season for New York's little brother.

Rex Ryan is adamant in sticking with the mediocre Mark Sanchez at quarterback rather than going with the polarizing Tim Tebow. It's a toss up as to who could actually complete more than 50 percent of their passes in each contest the rest of the way. 

Ryan has once again lost control of his locker room, and this time it will likely cost him his job. The Jets are approaching a rebuilding period as the talent on the team continues to be consumed by the circus. 

24. St. Louis Rams

Record: 3-6

The St. Louis Rams have one of the worst offensive lines in all of football and quarterback Sam Bradford has suffered as a result. Offensively the Rams are a joke, and the defense isn't exactly intimidating either. 

St. Louis managed to drop a game to the average New York Jets in Week 11 and make Mark Sanchez appear like a competent quarterback. 

The Rams are out of the playoff picture. But for the future, there are some very nice pieces in place on the roster if the coaching staff and front office could figure out how to properly build in the trenches. 

23. Buffalo Bills

Record: 4-6

The Buffalo Bills are yet another mediocre team in a three-way tie in the lowly AFC East, and likely are all but out of the playoff talks this year as well. 

There's not one thing the Bills do particularly well, although the special teams unit propelled them to a Week 11 victory over the Miami Dolphins. 

The Bills whiffed when they brought in Mario Williams and signed him to a historic contract as the defense has been one of the worst in the league. Things won't get easier from here on out and the Bills could once again be picking high when the draft rolls around. 

22. San Diego Chargers

Record: 4-6

The San Diego Chargers are once again under performing under the guidance of head coach Norv Turner—shocking, we know. 

Even more surprising is the continued regression of once-elite quarterback Philip Rivers, who now, at best, is a middle-of-the-pack player. The offense has been the definition of average as he's slumped to new lows in 2012. 

It's unfortunate because the Chargers quietly have one of the better defensive units in all of football. The future is bleak for San Diego and big changes appear to be on the horizon. 

21. Miami Dolphins

Record: 4-6

Despite starting what many considered to be a project prospect in rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill, the Miami Dolphins have been extremely competitive in most games this year.

That just hasn't turned into many wins. 

Tannehill has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL when under pressure, and his poise is a great sign of things to come for the franchise. Add in the mediocre talent around him and things look great moving forward. 

Miami won't win many more games this year, and that's fine. The front office gambled and won on Tannehill; now it just has to find him someone to throw to consistently. 

20. Tennessee Titans

Record: 4-6

The Tennessee Titans have been one of the more inconsistent teams in all of football. Running back Chris Johnson cannot decide when he is going to play like the man that once rushed for 2,000 yards in a single season, or when he will simply fall down on first contact. 

On offense the Titans are a vastly better team when veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is riding the pine in favor of second-year man Jake Locker. 

Unfortunately, Locker has had issues staying healthy. 

Add in the fact the Titans tout one of the NFL's worst all-around defenses and it's the perfect storm that has allowed Tennessee to be the prime example of the word average. 

19. Detroit Lions

Record: 4-6

The Detroit Lions boast one of the NFL's best offensive attacks behind the arm of quarterback Matt Stafford and receiver Calvin Johnson. It simply hasn't been enough to win games.

On the defensive side of things the Lions actually are a high-ranking unit except in one important category—points allowed per game. In terms of yards allowed, the Lions are great but they simply cannot keep teams out of the end zone. 

Head coach Jim Schwartz's seat is warming up, and rightfully so. The Lions are underachieving once again, and the schedule the rest of the way isn't easy. 

18. Washington Redskins

Record: 4-6

Not much was expected of the Washington Redskins this year as rookie Robert Griffin III got acclimated to the NFL, but things have progressed faster than most expected for the team and the star quarterback. 

Griffin has been electric, and while the team's record isn't the best, he's shown the ability both through the air and on the ground that leads most to believe that he could end up being an elite player sooner rather than later. 

The Redskins won't be making a playoff appearance, but the future is much brighter in Washington than it has been for a very, very long time. 

17. Dallas Cowboys

Record: 5-5

From here on out a lot of things have to go right for the Dallas Cowboys to make the postseason. If the team fails, it's likely the last time we'll see Jason Garrett as the head coach. 

On paper Dallas has a very talented roster but it hasn't translated onto the field, thanks to Garrett. His offense is elite in most categories except points per game (21.1), but his team is undisciplined, as it has racked up 13 or more penalties in four contests. 

Dallas is on the verge of another .500 finish or worse after almost dropping a game at home to the Cleveland Browns last week. All chaos will break loose if that's the case, as owner Jerry Jones wants to win now.

16. Cincinnati Bengals

Record: 5-5

The Cincinnati Bengals have been inconsistent at best this season despite being the hot pick in the offseason as the team most likely to break out. 

Cincinnati is talented for sure. It has the best defensive tackle in all of football in Geno Atkins and arguably the best receiver in A.J. Green. 

Still, second-year quarterback Andy Dalton has struggled at times and the team has suffered as a result. Cincinnati has dropped games to the lowly Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins, but has also embarrassed the reigning Super Bowl champion New York Giants. 

The Bengals are getting hot at the right time, but still have some work to do to climb out of third place in the AFC North. 

15. Minnesota Vikings

Record: 6-4

The Minnesota Vikings are another team that began the season ridiculously hot, only to come back down to Earth in recent weeks. 

The Vikings now occupy third place in the NFC North behind the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears and are in the thick of the wild-card race. 

Behind the legs of the best running back in the NFL in Adrian Peterson, the Vikings have been competitive in all contests and have a real shot at getting hot again and making the postseason. 

From there, anything is possible. 

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Record: 6-4

With quarterback Josh Freeman playing at a borderline elite level, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have managed to surprise and stay in the playoff hunt for the majority of the season. 

While it's unlikely the Bucs can catch the Atlanta Falcons, a wild-card berth is certainly within reach. 

Freeman has combined with receiver Vincent Jackson and rookie running back Doug Martin to form one of the better offenses in the NFL. Defensively the Bucs aren't great, but they don't need to be with the offense playing so well. 

The Bucs have shown they can hang with the big boys; now they just have to make a postseason push. 

13. Pittsburgh Steelers

Record: 6-4

The Pittsburgh Steelers appeared to be on the fast track to the postseason and potentially catching the division-leading Baltimore Ravens before quarterback Ben Roethlisberger went down with a serious rib injury. 

Since then the Steelers have struggled with Byron Leftwich at quarterback, and in Week 11 dropped a game to the aforementioned Ravens. 

The Steelers have an elite defense that will keep them in the thick of things. Pittsburgh gets another shot at Baltimore in two weeks, and it'll be a must-win. 

12. Seattle Seahawks

Record: 6-4

The Seattle Seahawks have rode an elite defense to six victories thus far, most recently thumping the New York Jets in Week 10 before entering a bye.

Head coach Pete Carroll elected to go with raw rookie Russell Wilson at quarterback and the results have been outstanding. Wilson hasn't been perfect, but teamed with elite running back Marshawn Lynch, the duo have done just enough to win games. 

Seattle touts one of the NFL's best defensive units, and if the Seahawks manage to sneak into the playoffs, it could wreak havoc for quite some time. 

11. Indianapolis Colts

Record: 6-4

Behind an emotional wave and a jaw-dropping rookie quarterback, the Indianapolis Colts have inserted themselves firmly into the playoff race with a few weeks to go. 

Andrew Luck and Co. have been brilliant, and Luck has lived up to every expectation as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft. The defense in Indianapolis is horrible, but Luck has willed the team to victory. 

With head coach Chuck Pagano missing from the side line while battling cancer, the Colts are a dangerous team as the postseason looms as a united roster behind a single cause. They could do some serious damage once elimination games roll around. 

10. Chicago Bears

Record: 7-3

The Chicago Bears were embarrassed in Week 11 on Monday Night Football as the offense was without quarterback Jay Cutler who had suffered an injury the week before. 

When Cutler is healthy he teams with receiver Brandon Marshall to form one of the better offenses in the NFL. Add in a spectacular defense manned by elite cornerback Charles Tillman and the red-hot Tim Jennings, and the Bears are a complete team. 

The key for Chicago now is health. With one of the most complete rosters in the NFL, the sky is the limit with the postseason looming. 

9. New Orleans Saints

Record: 5-5 

The New Orleans Saints are hitting their stride after emerging from the Bountygate controversy, which is nothing but bad news for the rest of the NFL. 

Quarterback Drew Brees is playing at an MVP level and is orchestrating one of the NFL's elite aerial attacks while also helping to cover up one of the league's laughably bad defensive units. 

The Saints don't have a defense to speak of, but that's fine with Brees at quarterback. At only .500 the Saints are still only a long shot for the postseason. With the way the team has played as of late, New Orleans not losing a game the rest of the way doesn't sound so crazy. 

8. New England Patriots

Record: 7-3

With Tom Brady at quarterback, it should surprise no one that the New England Patriots dropped a ridiculous 59 points on the Indianapolis Colts in a Week 11 victory. 

Brady is once again playing exceptionally and is leading the No. 1 ranked offense in the NFL. The defense hasn't improved much from a year ago, but it doesn't have to do a lot when the offense can routinely put up jaw-dropping numbers. 

The Patriots are seemingly a lock for the playoffs with the other three teams tied with 4-6 records. With the way New England has been playing as of late, a return trip to the Super Bowl isn't unrealistic. 

7. Baltimore Ravens

Record: 8-2

The Baltimore Ravens are once again leading what is quite possibly the best division in all of football in the AFC North.

Baltimore took advantage of a weakened Pittsburgh Steelers team last week and now stands at 4-0 in the division. 

Thanks to one of the league's highest scoring offenses, courtesy of quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Ray Rice, the Ravens have managed to emerge as one of the best teams in the NFL. 

Typically known for defense, the Ravens are without Ray Lewis and have played as a mediocre unit as a result. This time it's the offense carrying Baltimore, but how far it can carry the team remains to be seen. 

6. Denver Broncos

Record: 7-3

The Peyton Manning gamble has paid off for the Denver Broncos. Manning is playing at an MVP level and the Broncos are atop the AFC West and appear to be one of the best teams in the NFL. 

Manning leads an elite offense that is second only to the New England Patriots in points scored per game. For seemingly the first time in his career he is actually backed up by an outstanding defense that can win games on its own. 

Denver has an extremely easy schedule to round out the season, which should give Manning a large amount of momentum to work with as he looks to grab another Super Bowl title. 

5. New York Giants

Record: 6-4

We've seen this story from the New York Giants before. A mid-season slump followed up by an improbable run that has a legit shot at leading to a Super Bowl. 

It's 2012 and Eli Manning and the Giants are at it once again. Despite easily being one of the most complete teams in the NFL, New York has dropped its last two games. 

The Giants have a difficult schedule remaining, including a few divisional matchups. If recent history is any indication, Manning will turn it on and the Giants will hold their lead on the NFC East crown en route to the playoffs. 

4. Green Bay Packers

Record: 7-3

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has had an uncharacteristically bad year, which simply means he's not the best quarterback in the NFL at this time. 

The Packers have rebounded from a sluggish start despite an offense that simply hasn't been all that impressive. This year it's the defense that has shocked as the unit only gives up 21 points per game, good for the No. 10 ranking in the NFL.

Rodgers has been improving as the season wears on and the Pack are now tied for the division lead. Green Bay has an extremely dangerous team that appears to be gearing up for a serious championship push.  

3. Atlanta Falcons

Record: 9-1

The Atlanta Falcons have put together quite the impressive 2012 campaign. suffering only one defeat at the hands of the surging New Orleans Saints in Week 10. 

Matt Ryan has taken his play to the next level, which has allowed the offense to flourish and become one of the top-rated units in the NFL despite the presence of a serious running game. 

On defense the Falcons have an elite unit as well. Atlanta surrenders 19 points per game, which gives the unit the No. 6 ranking in the NFL.

With both an exceptional offense and defense, it's hard to see the Falcons losing again. Atlanta now has its eyes set on a Super Bowl, and it seems like only a matter of time.

2. Houston Texans

Record: 9-1

With quarterback Matt Schaub coming close to playing at an elite level, the Houston Texans are once again one of the best teams in the NFL. 

The Texans offense is elite in every category, as is the defense. Running back Arian Foster is a top-five back, while defensive lineman J.J. Watt may be the best defensive player in the entire league.

Houston struggled with the mediocre Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11, but that doesn't change the fact that the Texans are an elite team with no true weaknesses in the class of the AFC.

1. San Francisco 49ers

Record: 7-2-1 

It becomes easy to spot the best team in the NFL by a wide margin when a great team doesn't skip a beat with the backup quarterback running the offense for an entire game. 

That's just what the San Francisco 49ers did in a Week 11 victory over the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football with backup Colin Kaepernick under center as starter Alex Smith was recovering from a concussion. 

Even with a backup, the 49ers posted 32 points. The 49ers have a balanced offense and the best rushing attack in the NFL behind the ever-churning legs of Frank Gore. 

San Francisco also has the best defense in the NFL thanks to a unit that only gives up 13.4 points per game. 

A year ago the 49ers made it within a game of the Super Bowl, but it appears the team will take the next step—no matter who is playing quarterback. 

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