NFL Power Rankings Week 13: How Far Did Chargers Jump After Colts Rout?
Time to take a look at the NFL power rankings for Week 13!
Playoff races are heating up across the league, and that means we've got lots of teams out to prove themselves worthy of a postseason berth.
Take the San Diego Chargers. Led by one of the league's most potent offenses and anchored by one of its staunchest defenses, the Bolts have rebounded quite nicely from their 2-5 start. They've ripped off four straight wins, capped off by a convincing win over a strong Colts squad in Indianapolis.
Is the Bolts' recent hot streak enough to vault them into the top 10?
The Land Of The Hopeless: 32-26
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These guys are the worst of the worst this week:
32 (32). Carolina Panthers: At least Jonathan Stewart is healthy now. All they need is a quarterback, and a competent run defense, and they might get out of the cellar yet!
31 (30). Cincinnati Bengals: They gave the Jets all they could handle for 30 minutes on Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, NFL games are 60 minutes long, and they were awful in the second half.
30 (31). Arizona Cardinals: "I'm just telling you right now what I do every single week." You mean, besides throw interceptions, Derek? This team is a mess. Hopefully, they find a functioning quarterback in the draft.
29 (29). Detroit Lions: Much like the Bengals, the Lions gave us one good half of Thanksgiving football, then completely and utterly collapsed. They need Matt Stafford to stay healthy if they want to be a contender.
28 (28). Dallas Cowboys: They're 3-8, and nearly scored an upset of the Saints. If they'd done it, they'd rise in the rankings, but since they couldn't get the job done, they'll stay down here for now.
27 (24). Buffalo Bills: The Bills just can't seem to finish out games. If Steve Johnson doesn't drop that touchdown pass, the Bills are just outside the top 20.
26 (26). Denver Broncos: The Broncos nearly pulled one out against St. Louis, which has Kyle Orton pumped. Too bad they're still 3-8.
Fighting For Their Lives: 25-21
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25 (23). Seattle Seahawks: Seattle's officially reeling after back-to-back ugly losses. It's pretty clear this team would be only slightly better than the Panthers in any other division in football.
24 (28). Minnesota Vikings: The Vikes might have gotten their act together under new head coach Leslie Frazier. But is it too little too late?
23 (25). San Francisco 49ers: The Niners are still very much alive in the playoff hunt, despite a 4-7 record. Is that depressing to anyone else?
22 (18). Oakland Raiders: There's the Raiders I know and love. Two straight losses have dropped Oakland out of the top 20, and almost out of the playoff hunt.
21 (20). Washington Redskins: The 'Skins followed up their win over Tennessee with a loss to Minnesota, hence the drop. For the life of me, I cannot figure out how this team is 5-6, given its lack of offensive and defensive acumen.
20. Tennessee Titans
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Where They Stood: 17
Why They Fell: The Titans are officially in trouble right now. They've dropped four straight, and Rusty Smith just started at quarterback for them.
At least the defense is still solid and Chris Johnson's still an elite rusher, or things would be looking awfully bleak in Nashville.
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19. St. Louis Rams
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Where They Stood: 22
Why They Rose: Unlike most of the NFC West, the Rams would probably be 5-6 or so in most other divisions in football.
Their running game is solid, quarterback Sam Bradford has been excellent for a rookie and the defense is stingier than you'd think.
The Rams get a boost by virtue of snapping their two game losing streak with a nice win over the Broncos in Denver. Unlike Seattle, if the Rams make the playoffs they could possibly pull off an upset, given their gritty style of play that keeps them close in games.
18. Cleveland Browns
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Last Week's Rank: 21
Why They Rose: The Browns are 4-7, but could easily be 6-5. Even more impressive than that, they managed to win a game with Jake Delhomme at quarterback.
Thank a stingy defense and 26 carries from Peyton Hillis for a Week 12 win to give them a boost. They're not a playoff team this season, but next year, who knows?
17. Houston Texans
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Where They Stood: 19
Why They Rose: The Texans snapped their four game skid this week with a convincing win over Tennessee.
The offense is clicking and the defense looked superb against the Titans, so perhaps this team is ready to make a postseason push.
I think the Texans are destined for a 9-7 finish, and another year with no playoff berth. The defense is still shoddy--after all, Rusty Smith was starting at quarterback for Tennessee.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars
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Where They Stood: 13
Why They Fell: The Jags couldn't keep their winning streak alive, folding down the stretch against the Giants, but they're still tied for the AFC South lead.
The offense can be potent, but until Jacksonville fixes it's awful defense, they won't make noise in the playoffs. Running back Maurice Jones-Drew can only do so much, after all.
15. Miami Dolphins
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Where They Stood: 16
Why They Rose: The Dolphins are a tough team to figure out. When quarterback Chad Henne was healthy, he was inconsistent, and the offense sputtered. Now, after getting hurt and coming back, he looks great.
If he really has figured it out, the 'Fins could make a run at a wild card bid. If he hasn't, they can kiss their already slim playoff hopes goodbye.
14. New York Giants
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Where They Stood: 14
Why They Didn't Move: It's a good thing the Giants came back and secured that win over Jacksonville on Sunday. If they hadn't, they'd be in danger of dropping down the rankings in a big hurry.
As things stand, the Giants are too banged up and too inconsistent to merit any kind of upward movement in the standings. That win over Jacksonville was too close to see them climb at all this week. Give me another win or two, then we'll talk.
13. Indianapolis Colts
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Where They Stood: 9
Why They Fell: Another trip out of the top 10 for the Colts, who have lost two straight. The injuries appear to be taking a toll on them, and they looked out of sorts against San Diego on Sunday night.
The offense can still put up points, but with no run game, the Colts are going to be in big trouble come playoff time.
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Where They Stood: 11
Why They Fell: The Bucs couldn't quite get over the hump against Baltimore, but make no mistake; this is a good team.
Quarterback Josh Freeman looks more like a star every week, and the defense is slowly getting better. While they might miss the playoffs this season (they're two back of the division lead, and on the outside looking in in the wild card race), Tampa's got a core in place to make a big push come next year.
If the defense could get its act together against the run, the Bucs will be a force in the near future.
11. San Diego Chargers
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Where They Stood: 15
Why They Rose: The annual campaign to save Norv Turner's job is officially underway, as the Bolts have ripped off four straight wins.
The offense is clicking, the defense is one of the NFL's best and with special teams finally coming around, San Diego can get back to its plan for this season.
But the Bolts do sit in second place in the AFC West right now, and first-place Kansas City holds the tiebreaker as of now. In other words, this is as high as San Diego can be ranked right now. Next week, who knows? They're football's hottest team, and have looked unstoppable over the last four weeks.
10. Kansas City Chiefs
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Where They Stood: 12
Why They Rose: The Chiefs scored a nice win over Seattle on the road in Week 12. The offense is clicking, the defense is doing enough to keep them in games and Kansas City is deservedly leading the AFC West.
The defense could still use a bit of work, but with the offense firing on all cylinders, why worry about it now?
9. Philadelphia Eagles
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Where They Stood: 4
Why They Fell: So, perhaps we were a little quick to crown Philly as one of the NFL's best teams. Chalk it up to Michael Vick fever.
But this team is still good, led by Vick and an incredibly potent offense. If the defense could play with consistency, the Eagles would be a top five team. Instead, they'll have to settle for top 10.
8. Green Bay Packers
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Where They Stood: 3
Why The Fall: The defense came back to earth against Atlanta, and the offense finally had a reality check of sorts. The lack of a run game kills the Packers.
That being said, the defense makes this team one of the league's best, and the offense is slowly getting healthy.
Can they take down the Bears and win the NFC North? They've got the talent, but it remains to be seen whether they can live up to their potential.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers
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Where They Stood: 7
Why They Didn't Move: I guess it's a win. But the reality is that Pittsburgh deserved to take the loss against Buffalo this week. That unimpressive display certainly doesn't merit rising in the rankings.
Ben Roethlisberger needs to find his consistency, and they need to run Rashard Mendenhall more on offense, but Pittsburgh is almost a top five team at this point, thanks to an elite defense.
6. Chicago Bears
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Where They Stood: 10
Why They Rose: The Bears scored a nice win over a good Philadelphia squad in Week 12, and now sit at the top of the NFC North. The offense is clicking behind quarterback Jay Cutler, while running back Matt Forte remembered he was a running back, not a wide receiver.
Chicago's defense has re-captured the fire that made them one of the league's scariest earlier in the decade, and the Bears have won four straight.
Are the Bears legit? We'll find out when they take on New England in Week 14.
5. New York Jets
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Where They Stood: 8
Why They Rose: The Jets have dodged four straight bullets, and I'm nowhere near convinced that this team should be in the top five. In reality, they should probably be something closer to 6-5.
But, they've rallied in four straight, and Mark Sanchez seems to be developing a reputation as a late-game hero. Plus, they're 9-2, so they can't be outside the top five.
I don't trust them, but they're here.
4. New Orleans Saints
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Where They Stood: 5
Why They Rose: The Saints have won four straight since falling to the Browns. The offense is finally clicking, and the pass defense is one of the NFL's best units.
Now, if that run defense could get a bit better, the Saints might actually pass the Falcons at the top of the NFC South. They're don't have a real test until Week 15 against Baltimore, so expect their rise to continue.
3. Baltimore Ravens
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Where They Stood: 6
Why They Rose: The Ravens are rolling right now, having won four of their last five games. Baltimore's offense is rolling behind running back Ray Rice and quarterback Joe Flacco, although wideout Anquan Boldin could be more involved in the offense.
The defense is improving, but Baltimore's still vulnerable over the top. Still, they're leading the AFC North, and the Ravens are a tough, balanced team capable of beating anyone at home or on the road.
2. New England Patriots
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Where They Stood: 2
Why They Didn't Move: The Patriots managed to maintain the status quo in Week 12, running away from the Lions with an impressive display in the second half.
With Tom Brady at the helm, the offense will always be potent, and running backs BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead add a dimension to the offense that wasn't there in years past.
But New England's defense is a major concern, and is the big reason the Pats couldn't quite get to the top spot this week. Fix it and you've got a force to be reckoned with.
1. Atlanta Falcons
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Where They Stood: 1
Why They Didn't Move: Much like New England, Atlanta scored a big win in Week 12, knocking off a good Packers' squad late. They've won five straight, and have beaten the Bucs (then ranked 10th), Ravens (then ranked first overall) and Packers (then ranked third) in the process.
The Falcons aren't perfect by any means. The defense is vulnerable to the pass, and to a lesser extent, to the run, and the offense does battle inconsistency on occasion.
But, for the third week in a row, the Atlanta Falcons sit atop the NFL power rankings. They're the best team in football at this moment, despite not being unbeatable.
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