NFL Power Rankings Week 11: Were the Browns 1 Play Away from Top 10?
NFL power rankings Week 11 once again have a vastly different look, as the most unpredictable season in recent memory continues.
Dallas dominated the New York Giants on Sunday, giving Jason Garrett an impressive win in his first game as head coach.
Jacksonville got a miracle win over Houston, sending the Texans spiraling down the power rankings this week.
And the upstart Browns pushed the Jets into overtime, only to lose after Santonio Holmes took a slant to the house.
Rookie Colt McCoy certainly has been impressive while leading Cleveland's return to respectability.
But the most impressive performance came from Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Vick's long touchdown to DeSean Jackson on the first play from scrimmage set the tone for what would become a historic night.
The reborn quarterback threw for over 300 yards and totaled five touchdowns, while authoring a 59-point explosion, a record for Monday Night Football.
How high will the Eagles rise in the rankings?
Let's find out.
Here's a look at how all 32 teams stack up in the NFL power rankings Week 11.
The Bottom of the Pack
1 of 21
No. 32 Carolina Panthers
Carolina's quarterback woes aren't likely to come to an end this season.
At this point, John Fox will be lucky to get one more win as head coach of the Panthers.
No. 31 Detroit Lions
Shaun Hill returned to the field and didn't miss a beat, putting up great numbers.
As usual, Detroit came up just a little short.
No. 30 Buffalo Bills
Finally!
Despite playing very well in the last month, Buffalo still hadn't won a game. After beating the lowly Lions, the Bills have managed to climb out of the basement.
No. 29 Arizona Cardinals
The NFL is filled with bad defenses this season, and one of the worst calls Arizona home.
No. 28 Cincinnati Bengals
Now that Dallas has gotten another win, it's time to start focusing on the colossal disappointment in Cincinnati.
The Bengals need a makeover, from top to bottom.
No. 27 Denver Broncos
Kyle Orton dismantled Kansas City's secondary in Week 10, giving Josh McDaniels a much-needed victory.
No. 26 Dallas Cowboys
Jason Garrett had Dallas clicking on all cylinders against the Giants.
Look for another win this week with Detroit coming to town.
No. 25 Minnesota Vikings
Brett Favre's mysterious shoulder pain could be a way for him to bid farewell.
At this point, playing Tarvaris Jackson makes more sense in what has become a lost season in Minnesota.
No. 24 San Francisco 49ers
Troy Smith is 2-0 as a starter.
It's his job to lose, even with Alex Smith ready to return.
No. 23 Seattle Seahawks
Seattle is painfully inconsistent and horrible on defense.
Say hello to your NFC West leader.
No. 22 Houston Texans
It's been difficult to drop Houston, but another big game by an opposing quarterback is enough to send the Texans out of the top 20.
There's always next year.
No. 21 Cleveland Browns
Peyton Hillis is playing like a Pro Bowl back, and the Browns defense continues to impress under Rob Ryan.
Cleveland still can't quite break into the top 20.
No. 20: Washington Redskins
2 of 21
Why They Are Here
Amazingly, the Redskins aren't completely out of the running in the NFC.
The defense has been shredded by big plays all year long, while the offense just can't make enough plays.
Staying Power
Since Washington isn't likely to discover prosperity on offense, the defense will have to step up.
Aside from DeAngelo Hall and Brian Orakpo, no players on defense have stood out this season.
It's a good thing Donovan McNabb has a few more years to figure things out in Landover.
No. 19: Oakland Raiders
3 of 21
Why They Are Here
Like many teams near the middle of the pack, the Raiders are very inconsistent.
If Darren McFadden can stay healthy and keep producing, Oakland should be able to remain competitive.
Staying Power
Don't be fooled by Jacoby Ford's outburst against the Chiefs.
Oakland's passing offense is still a work in progress, with no proven commodities on the outside and questions at quarterback.
Jason Campbell remains the starter for now, but you get the feeling Bruce Gradkowski will starting again soon.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
No. 18: St. Louis Rams
4 of 21
Why They Are Here
St. Louis didn't play well in the Week 10 loss at San Francisco, but still had a chance to come away with a win.
The scrappy Rams have an excellent chance to sneak into the playoffs.
Staying Power
It won't take much to unseat the Seahawks from atop the NFC West.
The Rams defense will be key during the postseason push.
No. 17: Jacksonville Jaguars
5 of 21
Why They Are Here
Jack Del Rio did what not many of his fellow NFL coaches would do in Week 10, going for the win instead of playing for overtime at home.
The move paid off, propelling Jacksonville above .500 heading into this week's winnable matchup against the Browns.
Staying Power
Every team in the AFC South has questions, so the Jaguars could be much more of a factor down the stretch than expected.
Don't start thinking playoffs yet, but you never know what will happen this season.
No. 16: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
6 of 21
Why They Are Here
At 6-3, Tampa is the most surprising team in the NFL this season.
LeGarrette Blount has given the Bucs a boost in the running game.
Staying Power
Tampa Bay's defense has been awful against the run, and the margin for error is still very slim.
Don't be surprised if Raheem Morris' squad finishes the year at 8-8.
No. 15: Kansas City Chiefs
7 of 21
Why They Are Here
It's not time to panic in Kansas City just yet.
Aside from the debacle in Denver last Sunday, the Chiefs have been competitive in every game this season. They could easily have one or two more wins.
Staying Power
Kansas City's defense has started to be exposed in recent weeks.
You get the feeling Todd Haley's team might need to hang on by a thread to make the postseason.
No. 14: San Diego Chargers
8 of 21
Why They Are Here
As usual, Norv Turner's team started slow before finally figuring things out.
Philip Rivers has a chance to break Dan Marino's single-season passing yardage mark and capture the league MVP in the process.
Staying Power
Assuming Antonio Gates returns and stays healthy, San Diego has the weapons to make another late-season push toward the playoffs.
No. 13: Miami Dolphins
9 of 21
Why They Are Here
Miami finally won a home game in Week 10, but lost two quarterbacks in the process.
The Dolphins still haven't established the run or moved the ball consistently all year long.
Staying Power
The Tyler Thigpen era begins Thursday against the Bears.
Thigpen has all the physical tools to get the job done, including more mobility than Chad Henne.
It might take great production from an unexpected source like Thigpen to keep Miami in the mix.
No. 12: Tennessee Titans
10 of 21
Why They Are Here
The calf injury to Kerry Collins could be a blessing in disguise for the Titans, who will be able to steer clear of any quarterback controversy.
Despite losing to Miami last Sunday, the Titans have plenty of reasons for optimism in the AFC South.
Staying Power
Regardless of what Vince Young and Randy Moss do down the stretch, the presence of Chris Johnson should be good enough to lead a playoff push.
No. 11: Chicago Bears
11 of 21
Why They Are Here
Jay Cutler has finally started to take care of the ball in the last two weeks.
Meanwhile, the Bears defense continues to be one of the best in the NFL.
Staying Power
The Bears have some tough games down the stretch, including games against the potent Packers and Eagles, that could have a big impact on the NFC playoff picture.
With the Jets and Patriots also on the schedule, Lovie Smith's team will be facing an uphill battle toward the postseason.
No. 10: Indianapolis Colts
12 of 21
Why They Are Here
Those wounded Colts still can't be stopped.
Peyton Manning should be getting more MVP consideration for what he has done with a depleted offense this season.
Staying Power
The Colts can't handle many more losses on either side of the ball.
Indy has the inside track in the AFC South, but that could change if the injury bug bites again.
No. 9: New Orleans Saints
13 of 21
Why They Are Here
New Orleans hasn't really clicked on all cylinders offensively this season, but the defense has played better than expected.
Staying Power
The Saints desperately need help in the backfield.
Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas are both expected back in Week 11. But it remains to be seen if either of them can stay healthy.
No. 8: Green Bay Packers
14 of 21
Why They Are Here
Things are starting to come together for the Packers, who have flourished on defense in recent weeks while continuing to get healthy.
Aaron Rodgers has looked more comfortable with his receivers in recent weeks.
Staying Power
Like New Orleans, Green Bay needs at least some sort of a running game to emerge.
Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn have shown flashes, but Mike McCarthy tends to go away from the run at times.
No. 7: Philadelphia Eagles
15 of 21
Why They Are Here
It's easy to anoint the Eagles as the NFC's best team after last night's performance.
But it's important to act without impulse. It's just one game against a horrible defensive team.
The Eagles are certainly among the NFC's best, but they too have questions on defense.
Staying Power
If Vick stays healthy, the Eagles will be difficult for anyone to stop on offense.
That puts the pressure on Philly's defense to keep the ball in front of them.
It should be a fabulous finish in the NFC East this year.
No. 6: Baltimore Ravens
16 of 21
Why They Are Here
Baltimore's offense has led the way, but the Ravens secondary continues to be a major problem.
Too bad Ed Reed can't play all four positions in the defensive backfield at the same time.
Staying Power
The NFL is all about trends, and Baltimore's vulnerable pass defense has led opponents to wage aerial attacks all season long.
The problems in the secondary need to be corrected before the Ravens will deserve consideration as Super Bowl favorites.
No. 5: New York Giants
17 of 21
Why They Are Here
Despite the shocking loss to the Cowboys in Week 10, the Giants still look like the NFC's most complete team.
Staying Power
You get the feeling New York's defense has overachieved this season, especially in the secondary.
Steve Smith is banged up, but the Giants offense has remained healthy all year long.
The Giants travel to Philly to face the Eagles on Sunday night in what should be a fantastic game.
No. 4: Pittsburgh Steelers
18 of 21
Why They Are Here
Like the Giants, Pittsburgh's poor play Sunday night isn't enough to send them too far down the power rankings.
Staying Power
It took 10 weeks, but the Steelers' poor secondary was finally exposed by Tom Brady.
Pittsburgh needs to get pressure on the quarterback to keep teams from going down the field against Bryant McFadden, Ike Taylor and William Gay.
No. 3: Atlanta Falcons
19 of 21
Why They Are Here
The Falcons continue to fly under the radar despite being tied for the best record in the NFL.
Matt Ryan and Roddy White are quickly becoming deadliest connection in the league.
Staying Power
Unlike most teams in the NFC, the Falcons don't have a glaring weakness that leads to questions.
As long as Atlanta keeps on putting up points, a run toward the Super Bowl is a distinct possibility.
No. 2: New York Jets
20 of 21
Why They Are Here
Regardless of the strength of the opponents, the Jets have now won two straight games on the road in overtime.
That's impressive.
Mark Sanchez continues to make strides this season, and Santonio Holmes is making a huge difference in the Jets offense.
Staying Power
As usual, the Jets might end up being their own worst enemy.
It should be interesting to see how they perform in big games in the coming weeks.
Circle your calenders for Week 13, when Rex Ryan leads his team into New England to face the Patriots.
No. 1: New England Patriots
21 of 21
Why They Are Here
Pittsburgh had an off night, but Tom Brady's domination of the NFL's best defense cannot be overlooked.
With the young defense continuing to make plays, New England's Super Bowl stock continues to rise.
Staying Power
It's looking like the Hoodie might have to win without the threat of any big plays in the passing game.
Until Brandon Tate or Aaron Hernandez are able to get free downfield with any consistency, the Pats will rely on ball-control and precision passing to score points.
There's nothing wrong with winning ugly.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Post-June 1 Trade Candidates ☎️")
.JPG?w=600 "TO Talks Cowboys Relationship")
.jpg?w=600 "Taylor Heinicke Retiring")
.jpg?w=600 "49ers OC Hypes Mike Evans 🤩")