NFL Power Rankings: Breaking Down the League Hierarchy Entering Sunday's Play

Week 11 of the NFL season got underway on Thursday night when the Indianapolis Colts were able to bounce back from a trouncing at the hands of the St. Louis Rams to stave off the Tennessee Titans, and that game certainly shook up the power rankings heading into Sunday's play.

The Colts, who had previously ranked within the top five of nearly every power ranking around, have slipped in recent weeks. Of course, getting romped by the Rams and nearly defeated by the Titans will do that to a team that has taken down three of the top dogs in the NFL.

Entering play on Sunday, there are now several teams looking to take advantage of their fall in the rankings.

1. Kansas City Chiefs (9-0)

Coming off a bye week, the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the Denver Broncos in the game of the season thus far. Kansas City and Denver actually square off twice over the next three weeks, so the AFC West may look drastically different come Week 14.

Expect incredible football from these two teams in Week 11.

2. Denver Broncos (8-1)

If Peyton Manning's ankles hold up against the Chiefs, then the Broncos have a chance at taking down the NFL's lone undefeated team.

It will come down to line play. The Chiefs boast the best pass rush in the NFL, leading the league in sacks. Manning isn't on two healthy ankles, and a ton of pressure will surely disrupt his rhythm.

3. Seattle Seahawks (9-1)

Marshawn Lynch deserves MVP consideration. He has rushed for 871 yards and seven touchdowns while also racking up 213 yards and a touchdown in the passing game.

Lynch is far and away the best playmaker on the Seattle Seahawks, and their offense goes as he goes. Russell Wilson has done a great job this season of incorporating him into the passing game, and he'll have to continue to get Lynch the ball if they want to keep this pace up.

4. New Orleans Saints (7-2)

After taking a tough loss to the New York Jets, the New Orleans Saints bounced back in Week 10 and destroyed the Dallas Cowboys.

Drew Brees and the offense played very well (as usual), but it was the defense that stole the show. Rob Ryan's defense held the Cowboys to just 17 points and continually made things difficult for Tony Romo.

In Week 11, the Saints face a tough test in the San Francisco 49ers. Ryan will have to get his defense playing with a similar intensity, as flushing Colin Kaepernick out of the pocket and making him force throws down field will be the key to a win.

5. New England Patriots (7-2)

The New England Patriots run into the red-hot Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football in Week 11, and it certainly won't be easy for Tom Brady and Co. to get the offense moving against one of the top defenses in the NFL.

Brady will have to stay hot and keep the chains moving through the air, as the Panthers will be tough against the run. Brady will need three passing touchdowns to give his team a shot.

6. Carolina Panthers (6-3)

The Panthers are one of the most underrated teams in the NFL. Their defense is incredible against the run and is great at forcing pressure on the opposing quarterback.

The offense has been doing just enough to win games, and that's all you can ask for from Cam Newton. As long as he continues to minimize mistakes and make smart plays with his legs, then the Panthers are a dark-horse candidate in the NFC.

7. San Francisco 49ers (6-3)

The 49ers were the latest victim of the Panthers, losing a heartbreaker 10-9 in Week 10. Kaepernick has been inconsistent all season, and he's a big reason why the Niners were only able to muster nine points a week ago.

San Francisco is fourth in the NFL with 147.7 rushing yards per game, and it'll need to keep that rushing attack going against the Saints in Week 11.

8. Indianapolis Colts (6-3)

What's wrong with the Colts?

Indianapolis lost to Kellen Clemons and the Rams and almost lost to Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Titans. The absence of Reggie Wayne may be playing a part in this team's recent struggles, but it is is too talented to be trailing or playing close games against sub-par competition.

Even still, the Colts have racked up wins against the Seahawks, Niners and Colts. The Colts are an interesting team and not necessarily one that can be a guarantee-win anymore this season—regardless of the opponent.

Andrew Luck will need to buckle down and make better throws downfield if the Colts have hopes of making a run in the playoffs.

9. Detroit Lions (6-3)

The 6-3 Lions take on the 3-6 Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11, but don't let their record fool you. The Steelers will not be an easy game for Matthew Stafford and the Lions.

Detroit is coming off an important divisional win against the Chicago Bears in Week 10, and it'll look to carry that momentum into this one. If Stafford and Calvin Johnson can hook up early and often, then there's no reason why Detroit should lose.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-4)

A Hail Mary to A.J. Green saved the Cincinnati Bengals in regulation in Week 10 against the Baltimore Ravens, but the defense let them down in overtime. A field goal from Justin Tucker sealed the game for the Ravens.

The Bengals take on the Cleveland Browns this week, and that's another game that could be close late. The Browns played well against Baltimore this season, and their ability to play well against tough teams will make them a tough matchup for the Bengals.

11. Chicago Bears (5-4)

The Chicago Bears are in bad shape if Jay Cutler doesn't get healthy soon. His high ankle sprain has forced Josh McCown into action, and while he hasn't been terrible, it's obvious that Cutler gives Chicago the better chance to win.

Their tandem of big receivers—Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey—creates one of the most formidable duos in the NFL. With Cutler under center, this team can make waves in the NFC.

12. New York Jets (5-4)

The five-win Jets will face the 3-7 Buffalo Bills in Week 11, and it will be the first game for Ed Reed with his new team. Reuniting with Rex Ryan may be exactly what Reed needs to rejuvenate his 2013 season.

Geno Smith and the Jets continue to surprise the NFL, and there's a strong chance they earn win No. 6 this week. Their run defense should be able to slow down the rushing attack headlined by Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller.

13. Green Bay Packers (5-4)

Scott Tolzien will be starting in Week 11 against the New York Giants, and that's not exactly an ideal scenario for the Green Bay Packers.

Without Aaron Rodgers, the Packers will struggle offensively. Eddie Lacy and James Starks will be utilized heavily for the next few weeks, and that means the Giants should know what to prepare for.

Green Bay needs one or two wins with Rodgers injured to keep its divisional hopes alive.

14. Philadelphia Eagles (5-5)

Nick Foles is playing like a man possessed.

He has 16 touchdowns and zero interceptions on the season, while he has an unbelievable 10 touchdowns in the past two games. He and Riley Cooper have developed a ton of chemistry, and his emergence as a valuable weapon in the passing game makes the Eagles even more difficult to defend.

The defense isn't great, though, and that makes the Eagles an inconsistent team to rely on moving forward.

15. Arizona Cardinals (5-4)

The Arizona Cardinals are a very underrated team. Their defense is strong, and their offense has done just enough to earn five victories.

Running back Andre Ellington is the key for Arizona in the team's final seven games. He is explosive and has the ability to break off big plays. All the Cardinals need to do is continue to give him more looks than Rashard Mendenhall.

16. Dallas Cowboys (5-5)

The Cowboys are no longer in sole possession of the NFC East lead, as their big loss in Week 10 ties them with the Eagles at 5-5.

Dallas has struggled on both offense and defense at times, and its inconsistencies have defined its season thus far. Head coach Jason Garrett needs his team to start to pick up wins if he has plans on coming back in 2014.

For now, Dallas will focus on regrouping. It's on a bye in Week 11.

17. San Diego Chargers (4-5)

The San Diego Chargers are a perplexing team.

Philip Rivers and Danny Woodhead are enjoying career seasons, Ryan Mathews is running like he never has before, and the defense isn't playing terribly. Even still, they're just 4-5.

Playing in a division with the Chiefs and Broncos doesn't help, but San Diego is not a bad football team. It needs to pick up a win this week against the Dolphins.

18. Baltimore Ravens (4-5)

Ray Rice is hurting the Ravens badly. His inability to scrape together anything on the ground is preventing Baltimore from moving the chains and putting points on the board.

He has yet to rush for 100 yards in a single game this season, and backup Bernard Pierce has been equally as ineffective. It's never too late to pick up the production, but the Ravens' playoff window is closing.

19. Cleveland Browns (4-5)

Jason Campbell has the Browns playing well over the past two games, even if they still don't have a consistent running game. Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron have proved to be viable options and are leading this team to a surprising record.

20. Tennessee Titans (4-5)

Jake Locker is out for the season, and the Titans' hopes of making the playoffs went down with him.

Ryan Fitzpatrick has had moderate success as the starting quarterback in Tennessee, but he doesn't have the chemistry with his receivers to put up consistent numbers in the air.

Running back Chris Johnson may be back to his old ways, though, as his explosive performance against the Colts on Thursday was a big help for their offense.

Unfortunately, the Titans simply don't have the firepower or consistency to be a playoff team.

21. St. Louis Rams (4-6)

Kellen Clemons was incredible against the Colts in Week 10. On third downs, Clemons was 7-of-9 for 229 yards and two touchdowns.

Sure, he got some help from rookie wide receiver Tavon Austin, but Clemens really took charge. The Rams are still a team going nowhere fast, but they'll continue to play spoiler if teams play down to them like the Colts did.

22. Miami Dolphins (4-5)

Off-field issues aside, the Dolphins are a mess.

They served up Tampa Bay's first win of the season in Week 10, and it was mostly because they couldn't muster any yardage on the ground.

If there's one positive to take from the last week for Miami, it's that wide receiver Rishard Matthews has proven himself as a viable target. But that's really it.

23. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-6)

The Steelers dominated the Bills in Week 10, but their game against the Lions in Week 11 could very well define their 2013 season.

A win would signal that the Steelers are well past their early-season struggles, while a loss would all but end their hopes of making a resurgence.

Ben Roethlisberger and Le'Veon Bell will need to carry this team. If they can't get a two-dimensional attack going on offense, the Lions will come out on top.

24. New York Giants (3-6)

The Giants have won three games in a row and are facing the Scott Tolzien-led Packers in Week 11. On paper, this appears to be a bit of a lay-up for Big Blue.

Nothing has been easy for the Giants this season, though, so it's not smart to chalk up another win for them just yet. If Andre Brown can have an impact on this game like he had against the Oakland Raiders, then the Giants offense will be tough to stop.

25. Washington Redskins (3-6)

The Washington Redskins are coming off a Week 10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and they'll face an even tougher test this week against the Eagles.

Washington doesn't boast a strong pass defense and Nick Foles is the best quarterback in the NFL over the past two weeks. This doesn't exactly bode well for the Redskins.

If they can keep Foles in check, then there's a chance that they can steal a win.

26. Oakland Raiders (3-6)

Matt McGloin will be starting on Sunday against the Houston Texans, reports Chris Wesseling of NFL.com, and it's hard to predict what the Raiders will do in Week 11 as a result.

The Texans aren't exactly a great team, but neither are the Raiders. McGloin hasn't taken many first-team reps before this week, so expect some shaky chemistry between him and his receivers.

27. Buffalo Bills (3-7)

EJ Manuel is back under center, but he struggled in his first game back last week. He completed just 56.4 percent of his passes for 155 yards against the Steelers, and the Jets defense will look to that game as a blueprint for their own defensive scheme.

Manuel will be tasked with taking the Jets down, as Jackson and Spiller may have a hard time running the ball against the NFL's best rushing defense.

28. Houston Texans (2-7)

Case Keenum has been a breath of fresh air for the Texans, but he still hasn't picked up a victory as the team's starting quarterback.

If nothing else, Keenum has rejuvenated wide receiver Andre Johnson. With Keenum under center, Johnson has five touchdowns. With Matt Schaub under center, Johnson was held out of the end zone.

Look for Keenum to have his way against a weak Oakland secondary this week.

29. Atlanta Falcons (2-7)

Matt Ryan is suffering from a poor supporting cast, and the season's biggest disappointment continues to get worse and worse with each passing week.

They take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week, so it'll be interesting to see if Ryan and Co. can at least earn a win against one of the NFL's worst teams.

30. Minnesota Vikings (2-7)

After beating the Redskins last week, the Vikings will have to face the potent Seahawks in Week 11. They had a few extra days to prepare because they last played on Thursday Night Football in Week 10, but that probably won't help them too much against Seattle.

Adrian Peterson will have to have a huge game to even give his team a chance. But, then again, he's done that a few times before.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-8)

Mike Glennon has his first win as a starting quarterback, even if it came against a Dolphins team in shambles.

Tampa Bay isn't in good shape on the ground, though, as now both Doug Martin and Mike James are out for the season. Brian Leonard and Bobby Rainey will need to pick up the slack moving forward.

Glennon hasn't been all that bad, but his numbers might drop without a strong option in the backfield to rely on.

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-8)

The Jacksonville Jaguars have won a game. Let that sink in for a second.

Their win came against the Titans in Week 10, and they'll play the Cardinals in Week 11. The Cardinals appear to be favorites in this one, but so were the Titans.

If nothing else, the Jaguars continue to play hard—and that's certainly commendable.