NFL Power Rankings Week 7: Steelers No. 1, Jets and Patriots Rising

Week 6 of the NFL season has come and gone, and now it's time to reexamine our views of the top five teams in the league.

A revitalized LaDainian Tomlinson and the New York Jets, a reinstated Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers, and a remarkable Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are all vying for the top spot.

Other teams like the New York Giants and the Baltimore Ravens are looking to crack the top five as well. Did your team make the cut?

5. New York Giants

Nick Laham/Getty Images

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 17: Ahmad Bradshaw #44 of the New York Giants against the Detroit Lions at New Meadowlands Stadium on October 17, 2010 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

The Giants' appearance in the Top Five Power Rankings may come as a shock to some, but they've proven it on the field week in and week out.

Their next three games are at Dallas, at Seattle and home against Dallas. The three-game winning streak they're riding has no end in sight, as they look to establish themselves as the favorites in the NFC East.

While Ahmad Bradshaw and Hakeem Nicks are having breakout seasons as offensive stars, it's been the defense that has carried them.

Perry Fewell's unit has limited opponents to a paltry 172 passing yards per game through the first six weeks. While the secondary has been somewhat of a revelation, the front seven is as advertised.

There's no doubt that Tony Romo and Matt Hasselbeck will have restless nights leading up to their games with the Giants, waking up in cold sweats as they think about the kind of pressure that the D-line can apply.

Due to their strong defensive play and the overall inconsistency of their NFC East foes, look for the Giants to be hanging around the five spot in the power rankings for weeks to come.

4. Baltimore Ravens

Larry French/Getty Images

BALTIMORE, MD - OCTOBER 10: Anquan Boldin #81 of the Baltimore Ravens prepares to run downfield against the Denver Broncos at M&T Bank Stadium on October 10, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. Players wore pink in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. T

The Baltimore Ravens suffered a tough loss this past Sunday at the hands of the New England Patriots, but don't let that one game fool you: This team is as legit as they come.

While the offense has been slightly anemic, specifically the running game, the defense has carried the Ravens to a solid 4-2 record.

With neither Ray Rice nor Willis McGahee averaging over 4.0 YPC and Joe Flacco sporting a mediocre 80.2 passer rating, the offense has been somewhat of a disappointment. Regardless of that, however, they have managed to win ball games.

Blowing a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter to the Patriots was certainly not their finest hour, and it's a game they will want to quickly forget. As they welcome the awful Buffalo Bills to M&T Bank Stadium this weekend, the blowout will start early and eliminate all thoughts of the Patriots game.

To stay in the Top Five Power Rankings, the Ravens will have to prove their mettle against some of the top teams in the league in the upcoming weeks, with games against Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Houston and New Orleans all on the schedule.

3. New England Patriots

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

FOXBORO, MA - OCTOBER 17: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots gestures during a game against the Baltimore Ravens at Gillette Stadium on October 17, 2010 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

The New England Patriots simply win, every single year. Regardless of who they run out to play any position, it seems Bill Belichick is always pulling all the right strings.

His well-oiled machine added an old friend in Deion Branch this week, and his arrival has paid immediate dividends.

Gone are the days of a sulking, brooding deep threat in Randy Moss. Now are the days of a reliable, gutty team player that inspires memories of Super Bowls gone by.

It won't be easy in the AFC East with the Jets looking like the cream of the crop, but it's foolish to ever bet against Tom Brady's Patriots.

The defense is certainly a work in progress and nothing special, but the offense has proved that it can come back late in games and hang on to leads when necessary. Their schedule won't be easy the rest of the way, but they will continue to win ball games in typical Patriot fashion.

2. New York Jets

Rick Stewart/Getty Images

ORCHARD PARK, NY - OCTOBER 03: Mark Sanchez #6 pitches to LaDanian Tomlinson #21 of the New York Jets the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium on October 3, 2010 in Orchard Park, New York. The Jets won 38-14. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

The New York Jets are clearly the best team in the AFC East. While Miami and New England are both quality teams, neither can match up with the boys from Jersey.

Mark Sanchez has shown great development this season, and LaDainian Tomlinson has been nothing short of spectacular. Those two are the highlights of an offense that has performed at least up to expectations this season.

That being said, ask Rex Ryan what "Jet Football" is all about, and he will no doubt tell you that it all starts on defense.

While the pass defense ranks a lousy 22nd in the league, their run defense has been impenetrable. Guys like David Harris, Bart Scott and Shaun Ellis are all playing their roles well, as the Jet defense shows itself to be made in their coach's image—fearless, brash and tough.

Their win against the Patriots in Week 2 (following a brutal loss vs. Baltimore that had everyone wondering what the hype was about) showed that this team can come back from adversity. That performance on both sides of the ball proved their mettle—and proved that they're one of the best teams in the NFL.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers

Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

PITTSBURGH - SEPTEMBER 02: Troy Polamalu #43 of the Pittsburgh Steelers calls out signals during the preseason game against the Carolina Panthers on September 2, 2010 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

The top team in the NFL is clearly the Pittsburgh Steelers.

After enduring five weeks and four games without their all-world quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers proved that they can play with anyone.

While the loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the final moments was a tough one to stomach, any Steeler fan has to be happy that the team managed a 3-1 record without its best offensive player.

However, offense is secondary in the Steel City.

Since the beginning of time, the Pittsburgh Steelers have built their team around their defense. It's carried them to six Super Bowl wins, and it looks like it just might carry them to a seventh.

Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, Lawrence Timmons, LaMarr Woodley—the list goes on and on. All of these players could be the best player on nearly any defense in the NFL, yet the Steelers have managed to stockpile all of them.

With Big Ben back at the helm, the Steelers will continue to be the best team in the NFL.

Mike Osterberg is a student at Penn State University and a writing intern at BleacherReport.com. Follow him on twitter @Mike_Osterberg.