NFL Power Rankings: Week 11 Expert Consensus from Around the Web

The NFL is defined by its parity, so it’s really no wonder that power rankings look different depending on where you find them online.

With such a narrow margin separating the best teams in the league from the mediocre ones, the most accurate way to determine where each squad stands in relation to the others is by sampling a cross section of power rankings every week.

With that in mind, here is a look at power rankings from Matt Miller of Bleacher Report, USA Today and Justin Rogers of MLive.com with Week 10 in the book and Week 11 on the horizon.

Rank	Matt Miller	USA Today	Justin Rogers
1	Patriots	Patriots	Cardinals
2	Cardinals	Broncos	Patriots
3	Broncos	Cardinals	Broncos
4	Packers	Colts	Eagles
5	Lions	Packers	Lions
6	Colts	Eagles	Colts
7	Cowboys	Cowboys/Seahawks/Lions	Packers
8	Eagles	Cowboys/Seahawks/Lions	Chiefs
9	Seahawks	Cowboys/Seahawks/Lions	Cowboys
10	Ravens	49ers	Seahawks
11	Chiefs	Ravens	Ravens
12	Browns	Chiefs	49ers
13	49ers	Dolphins/Steelers	Browns
14	Bengals	Dolphins/Steelers	Bengals
15	Steelers	Browns	Steelers
16	Saints	Bengals	Bills
17	Chargers	Chargers	Dolphins
18	Dolphins	Saints	Chargers
19	Bills	Bills	Saints
20	Giants	Texans	Texans
21	Texans	Vikings	Vikings
22	Panthers	Rams	Panthers
23	Vikings	Panthers	Falcons
24	Falcons	Giants	Giants
25	Rams	Falcons	Rams
26	Jets	Washington	Washington
27	Washington	Bears	Jets
28	Bears	Jets	Bears
29	Jaguars	Buccaneers	Titans
30	Raiders	Titans	Jaguars
31	Titans	Jaguars	Buccaneers
32	Buccaneers	Raiders	Raiders

Scott Polacek’s Power Rankings

32. Oakland Raiders (0-9)

It’s been said before, but as long as the Oakland Raiders are the league’s only winless team, they are going to bring up the rear of these power rankings. This year is all about the development of rookie quarterback Derek Carr, and Oakland should land him some more help with a favorable draft pick next season. 

Hopefully, the offensive line keeps him in one piece throughout 2014.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-8)

If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are not the NFL’s most disappointing team, they are certainly among the contenders.

Tampa Bay had serious playoff hopes heading into the season after a number of offseason moves, including bringing in quarterback Josh McCown. Instead, it looks completely hopeless almost every time it takes the field.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-9)

One of these days, the NFL will send London some quality football, but our friends overseas were not exposed to that from the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. 

The future does look bright, though, with a young core and Blake Bortles leading the way, but we are just not going to see it in 2014.

29. Tennessee Titans (2-7)

It doesn’t matter who plays quarterback for the 2014 Tennessee Titans—they are just not a good football team. 

The defense managed to keep it close against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 10, but Zach Mettenberger never stood a chance against Baltimore’s defense.

28. Carolina Panthers (3-6-1)

The Carolina Panthers plummet down the rankings after a listless and uninspired performance on Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles. 

The offensive line is just plain bad, and there is very little in terms of playmakers surrounding Cam Newton, who is far from 100 percent. Commentator Jon Gruden was concerned about Newton’s health behind a paper-mache offensive line, via ESPN Monday Night:

"

"I worry about him and his longevity. He's too important for this franchise" - Gruden on Cam Newton #MNF pic.twitter.com/FdoUZW4CGr

— ESPN Monday Night (@ESPNMondayNight) November 11, 2014"

27. Chicago Bears (3-6)

If the 2014 NFL season were a Madden video game, the Chicago Bears would simply simulate to the offseason and focus on the moves that need to be made before next year.

Alas, this team appeared to have given up on the season when it was blown out by the Green Bay Packers in Week 10. It is only natural to wonder whether Marc Trestman will have a job or not next year given that effort. 

ESPN Stats & Info noted that the defense has been a historic problem all season:

26. Atlanta Falcons (3-6)

The Atlanta Falcons may actually be worse than the Bears (in fact, Chicago beat them earlier in the year), but they are right in the thick of the playoff race because the NFC South is so weak. 

If Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and company can find a way to string together just a couple of wins, they will find themselves in first place. A victory over Tampa Bay in Week 10 was a good place to start.

25. New York Jets (2-8)

Michael Vick turned back the clock at times on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers and led the New York Jets to a surprising but impressive victory. 

What’s more, the defense contained the litany of weapons that the Steelers bring to the table every week and ensured the Jets still have a mathematical chance of finishing .500.

Nothing wrong with a little belief, right?

24. Washington (3-6)

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Washington had a bye in Week 10. 

Next up is a date with the Buccaneers for Robert Griffin III in what can only be described as a golden opportunity to prove to the nation and league that he is back and ready to go for good.

23. St. Louis Rams (3-6)

We have seen the St. Louis Rams upset the San Francisco 49ers already this season and play at a dangerous level, but that was just not the case in Week 10. 

Instead, the Arizona Cardinals exposed the Rams’ lackluster secondary, while the Cardinals tallied some critical turnovers of their own on the defensive side of the ball. The Rams will have to settle in that dangerous spoiler role for the rest of the year because the playoffs are not in the cards.

22. New York Giants (3-6)

Leave it to Eli Manning and the New York Giants to make the Seattle Seahawks look like absolute Super Bowl contenders again after an up-and-down start to the season. 

Marshawn Lynch absolutely dominated New York’s front seven, but it wasn’t like Manning and the offense were racking up a ton of points either. At least the Giants received some good news in the aftermath, via Dan Graziano of ESPN:

21. Houston Texans (4-5)

The Houston Texans are about to become one of the more intriguing teams in the entire league because they are adding a possibly competent quarterback in Ryan Mallet to the mix of Arian Foster, J.J. Watt and a solid defense. 

It may not be too late for a playoff run if everything breaks right for Houston, but Mallet is an unproven commodity at best at this point. Still, the potential is there for something special.

20. Minnesota Vikings (4-5)

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Too many people overlooked Teddy Bridgewater on draft day, and he could make them pay in the coming weeks. The Minnesota Vikings had a bye in Week 10 but are coming off two straight wins and have a date with the lowly Bears on the horizon. 

The season could be turning around.

19. New Orleans Saints (4-5)

We have good news and bad news for the New Orleans Saints. 

For one, you are still in the NFC South, so the playoffs are almost a certainty if you can get to 8-8. However, the outlook on the season would seem a bit brighter at 5-4 than 4-5 if Jimmy Graham had not been called for offensive pass interference on the final play of regulation against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

18. Buffalo Bills (5-4)

The Buffalo Bills have a stout defense and an impressive young playmaker in Sammy Watkins, but the injuries in the backfield have proved costly. That was once again the case in Week 10 when the Bills couldn’t hold on to an early lead against the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Perhaps some healthy running backs would have done a number on the clock in the second half.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4)

The Pittsburgh Steelers are the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of the NFL. 

Sure, they looked great in blowout wins over the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts, but they also lost to Tampa Bay and the New York Jets. What’s more, Ben Roethlisberger inexplicably struggled against a vulnerable secondary, as ESPN Stats & Info highlighted:

16. Cincinnati Bengals (5-3-1)

So much for the prime-time games in Week 10.

The Bears looked terrible against the Packers, the Panthers looked terrible against the Eagles, and the Cincinnati Bengals may have been the worst of all against the Cleveland Browns. In fact, Cincinnati would have been better off picking a cotton candy vendor from section 310 to play quarterback than Andy Dalton on Thursday night, and the defense couldn’t stop the Browns either. 

The Bengals are going to need better efforts than that down the stretch if they plan on making the playoffs this season.

15. San Diego Chargers (5-4) 

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

The San Diego Chargers have dealt with a number of injuries this season and are now treading water to stay above .500 after a blistering 5-1 start. How they perform in the stretch run of the season after a bye week will ultimately fall on the shoulders of Philip Rivers.

14. Miami Dolphins (5-4)

A 6-3 record sounds a lot better than a 5-4 record, but the Miami Dolphins weren’t able to keep the Detroit Lions out of the end zone on the final game-winning drive on Sunday.

Miami needs Lamar Miller to get back to 100 percent and Ryan Tannehill to perform like he did in recent wins before the Detroit loss. Otherwise, the strong defense is on a bit of an island. The pieces are there to contend for a wild-card spot in the AFC, and this was an understandable loss on the road against one of the league’s best teams. 

Miami is far from dead in the playoff race.

13. Cleveland Browns (6-3)

Don’t look now, but the Cleveland Browns could be one of the better teams in the AFC and a legitimate playoff contender. 

As SportsCenter noted, Cleveland just wins with Brian Hoyer under center:

It’s hard to argue with results like that, regardless of how great Johnny Manziel looked when he led Texas A&M to zero BCS bowl games during his collegiate career.

12. Kansas City Chiefs (6-3) 

The Kansas City Chiefs rarely look pretty when they are winning, but they use a strong rushing attack and stout defense to get the job done. They appear to be riding that same formula to the playoffs for a second consecutive season after a comeback win over the Bills in Week 10.

11. Baltimore Ravens (6-4)

If the Baltimore Ravens played outside of the division every week, they would be one of the best teams in the league.

Instead, Joe Flacco and company lost to the Bengals twice and the Steelers once but continue to hang in the division race with other wins. Hopefully for their sake, the tiebreakers don’t come into play. Otherwise, the talented Ravens may be on the outside looking in come playoff time.

10. San Francisco 49ers (5-4)

It truly is amazing what a difference one flag can make.

If Graham had not been called for offensive pass interference, the San Francisco 49ers would have fallen to 4-5 with a giant hole to climb out of in terms of the playoff picture. Instead, the 49ers came away with an overtime win in one of hardest venues to play at and plenty of confidence. 

However, they are still on the outside looking in for now when it comes to the postseason, as ESPN Stats & Info noted:

9. Seattle Seahawks (6-3)

Is anyone betting against the Seattle Seahawks if the playoffs started today?

Russell Wilson posted passer ratings of less than 65 in his last two games, and the team is still winning. Lynch is the personification of his “Beast Mode” nickname and looked like a semi-truck in the open field on Sunday against the Giants. 

What’s more, the defense still has many of the key ingredients from last year’s bunch and is more than capable of shutting down an offense on any given Sunday. Seattle is a dangerous threat in the NFC race despite some early struggles.

8. Dallas Cowboys (7-3)

Tim Ireland/Associated Press

There is nothing like a helping of Jacksonville Jaguars to cure what ails you.

After two consecutive losses and a crisis of confidence when Tony Romo went down with injury, the Dallas Cowboys reminded fans just how dangerous they can be with Dez Bryant on the outside and DeMarco Murray bursting through tackles. 

Now they have to carry that through December if they want to win the NFC East and host a playoff game.

7. Philadelphia Eagles (7-2) 

The Philadelphia Eagles didn’t miss a beat with Mark Sanchez in at quarterback instead of Nick Foles, which is a testament to Chip Kelly’s offensive system and the talented playmakers that litter this roster.

Yes, they gave up a couple of garbage-time touchdowns (much to the delight of Cam Newton and Kelvin Benjamin fantasy owners everywhere) to make the 45-21 score look closer than it actually was, but the Eagles dominated every facet of the game on Monday night. 

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com noted just how impressive Sanchez was, while the defense racked up a head-turning nine sacks and five forced turnovers:

6. Detroit Lions (7-2)

Matt Stafford put it best when Calvin Johnson returned from injury in Week 10, via Josh Katzenstein of The Detroit News:"He's the best receiver on the planet and played like it today."

With Johnson back in tow, the offense should once again take off as one of the most dangerous units in football. The question now is whether the defense can continue to play at a top-notch level, and there is no reason to think that it won’t.

Tannehill was on an absolute roll heading into Week 10, but the Lions contained him and Miller all game. Detroit finally has a defense to go with Stafford and Johnson. 

The rest of the NFC is officially on notice.

5. Indianapolis Colts (6-3)

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

The Indianapolis Colts enjoyed a bye in Week 10. 

That 0-2 start seems so long ago that it could have happened in 2005 when Peyton Manning was slinging the ball around. As long as Andrew Luck is leading the offense from the quarterback spot, the Colts are on the short list of Super Bowl contenders for the rest of the season.

4. Green Bay Packers (6-3)

Think Aaron Rodgers enjoys playing against the Chicago Bears?

The Packers absolutely dismantled their archrivals and appear well on their way to a deep playoff run. The offensive group of Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Eddie Lacy is simply unfair, and the much-maligned defense held up its end of the bargain on Sunday. 

Yes, that performance said a lot about the Bears, but it also said a lot about the Packers and how deadly they can be in Lambeau Field.

3. Arizona Cardinals (8-1)

There are few things in sports worse than injuries, and the Arizona Cardinals found that out the hard way on Sunday.

Carson Palmer may be out for the season, but Drew Stanton did more than enough to win off the bench. The Cardinals still have a golden opportunity to win the NFC West with a daunting defense, but a deep playoff run may be difficult without the starting quarterback. 

Their resiliency will certainly be tested the rest of the way.

2. Denver Broncos (7-2)

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

As long as Manning is there chucking the ball to Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and Ronnie Hillman, the Denver Broncos will be on the short list of Super Bowl contenders from now until January.

The offense can score against anyone, and the defense is much improved from a season ago. 

It was also important to pick up a dominating win for confidence purposes after the loss to the New England Patriots, even if that victory did come against the winless Raiders.

1. New England Patriots (7-2)

That head-to-head victory over the Broncos from earlier in the season certainly carries a lot of weight in these power rankings since Denver and New England are the top two teams.

There is simply no reason to take the Patriots off the top spot after a bye week. 

If Tom Brady and company grab home-field advantage for the playoffs, it is going to be incredibly difficult to upset New England in the January cold.

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