NFL Power Rankings: Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles Firmly in Playoff Picture
Week 15 of the 2010 NFL season was chock-full of intriguing matchups and exciting finishes, so many of which had a significant impact on each conference's playoff picture.
A lack of dominant teams, like last year's near-perfect runs by the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts, has stoked postseason aspirations for just about every team with close to a winning record.
As such, there are some 19 teams, out of 32 total in the league, that could potentially stake a claim to game or two in January.
Some of those squads, like the New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers, have already punched their tickets for the postseason. Some, like New York's Jets and Giants, have still an excellent shot while others, like the San Francisco 49ers, are still hovering on the periphery.
With that in mind, read on for a power ranking of all 19 playoff hopefuls, contenders and pretenders alike.
19. San Francisco 49ers, 5-9
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It's not every year that a team destined to finish with a losing record has a shot at the postseason.
Then again, it's not every year that there's a division in the NFL as bad as the 2010 edition of the NFC West.
Thus, despite a 5-9 record and a walloping by the San Diego Chargers, 34-7, Mike Singletary's 49ers are still technically alive for the playoffs.
At present, the Niners are only one game out of first place in their division, thanks to concurrent losses by co-leaders Seattle and St. Louis on Sunday.
Technicalities aside, San Fran is clearly the worst of the remaining playoff hopefuls in the NFL, thanks to a talented but painfully inconsistent roster, led by quarterback Alex Smith, that accounts for the league's 25th-best offense and 14th-best defense.
In other words, good luck to Mike Singletary in his pursuit of employment after this season.
18. Seattle Seahawks, 6-8
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Joining the 49ers in the Race to the Bottom in the NFC West are the Seattle Seahawks, who, at 6-8, are currently tied for the division lead.
Little was expected of the Seahawks this season after finishing 2009 with a 5-11 record and firing Jim Mora Jr. as a result. Seattle has performed only marginally better this year under former USC coach Pete Carroll, but still finds itself in the midst of a playoff chase.
This, despite having the NFL's 26th-ranked offense, helmed by an aging and marginally effective Matt Hasselbeck, and 29th-ranked defense.
17. Oakland Raiders, 7-7
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The West is littered with teams that shouldn't be in the playoff picture but have found themselves there by default, the Oakland Raiders not the least among them.
Tom Cable's crew sits at a cozy 7-7 after beating the Denver Broncos in John El...errr...Tim Tebow's first career start.
The Raiders stack up well statistically, with the eighth-most productive offense and 11th-most stringiest defense in terms of yardage, though their schedule recommends something of a Jekyll and Hyde nature, with big divisional wins against Kansas City and San Diego (twice) buttressed by losses to the likes of San Francisco, Arizona and Houston.
And frankly, with its final two games against at home against the Colts and on the road against the Chiefs, the Silver and Black looks like a long shot to keep playing after the regular season.
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16. St. Louis Rams, 6-8
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Atop the stinking pile that is the NFC West are the St. Louis Rams at 6-8.
Steve Spagnuolo's squad has managed to work its way to the top of the division despite treading water against its schedule by losing four out of its last six games.
St. Louis' offense has been held afloat by the play of Pro Bowl running back Steven Jackson, with 1,148 yards and five touchdowns rushing, and rookie quarterback Sam Bradford, who has been solid under center for the Rams to the tune of 3,065 yards and 17 touchdowns.
A long way from the Greatest Show on Turf, to be sure, but, with its last two weeks hosting San Francisco and traveling to Seattle, St. Louis has an excellent shot to make the playoffs for the first time since the end of the 2004 season.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8-6
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Just a month ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the talk of the NFL, coming off of a 21-0 victory over the 49ers to boost the team's record to 7-3 and place them firmly in the case for the NFC South crown alongside the Falcons and the Saints.
Since then, Raheem Morris' surprising squad has tanked to the tune of three losses in four games, the latest coming to the woeful Detroit Lions on Sunday.
Recent team performance aside, second-year quarterback Josh Freeman has emerged as a steadying presence under center for the Bucs, with 2,959 yards and 18 touchdowns against only six interceptions at a mere 22 years of age.
Tampa Bay is clearly on the up-and-up after years of mediocrity following a victory in Super Bowl XXXVII, but, as far as the standings are concerned, the future might have to wait until next year to finally arrive.
14. Jacksonville Jaguars, 8-6
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In a competitive division like the AFC South, one game can make all the difference between making the playoffs and watching them at home.
Case in point: the Jacksonville Jaguars.
David Garrard, Maurice Jones-Drew and company have hung around in the division this year despite being picked in the preseason to finish in the basement of the South, due both to the disappointing play of the rest of the division and the team's own surprising on-field performance.
After a chaotic early portion of the season in which Jacksonville alternated big wins with blowout losses, the Jags have played their competition much more closely in the team's last six games for a 4-2 record.
If the playoffs started today, Indy, not Jacksonville, would be in the playoffs, but Jack Del Rio's players still have a pretty good shot at the postseason, pending dates against Washington and Houston.
13. Green Bay Packers, 8-6
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The Packers may no longer have a shot at the NFC North title now that the Bears have clinched, but the good folks of Green Bay still have a potential playoff team to root for.
Despite back-to-back losses and Aaron Rodgers' concussion problems, the Packers are still in position to sneak into the NFC playoff picture if they can pull off a win against the New York Giants in Week 16.
Green Bay may just be able to come away with a victory with or without Aaron Rodgers if backup quarterback Matt Flynn is able to improve on the already-solid play he demonstrated in the Packers' 31-27 loss at New England.
So long as the Pack holds up on defense, where Mike McCarthy's crew is leading the league in points allowed, they have as good a shot as any to play past the regular season.
12. New York Giants, 9-5
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Water coolers across America have been buzzing today with conversation surrounding the New York Giants' historic collapse against the Philadelphia Eagles.
For those of you living under a rock, the G-Men dominated the Eagles for about three-and-a-half quarters before surrendering 27 points in about seven-and-a-half minutes over the course of some remarkable events.
More importantly, the meltdown came in a game with serious playoff implications, with the winner taking control of the NFC East.
Philly may now own the lead in the division, but NYC is still firmly in the playoff chase as the NFC's second wild card team. Eli Manning and the Giants should manage to hang on, assuming they can recover in time to beat the Packers and Redskins on the road to finish out the regular season.
11. Kansas City Chiefs, 9-5
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Perhaps no team has been more of a surprise this season than Kansas City.
At 9-5, the Chiefs have already more than doubled last season's win total (four) in head coach Todd Haley's second year at the helm.
Thanks to the strong quarterback play of Matt Cassel (2,687 yards, 24 touchdowns, only five picks through the air) and the shifty running of Jamaal Charles (1,303 yards, four touchdowns on the ground), KC currently controls its own destiny in the AFC West with just two games to go.
The big question now is whether the Chiefs can hold off the surging Chargers to make their first playoff appearance in four years.
10. Indianapolis Colts, 8-6
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Peyton Manning had the football world worried for a bit after a three-game stretch in which he threw 11 interceptions, but it now looks like he and the Colts finally have their affairs back in order.
Indianapolis is back on top of the AFC South after defeating division co-leader Jacksonville on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium, 37-27.
To no one's surprise, Indy's defense is subpar to put it nicely, while the offense has carried the day thus far.
And though the Colts are clearly not the same team they've been in recent years, it'll still be tough to count Indy out come playoff time so long as Manning is still handling snaps under center.
9. New Orleans Saints, 10-4
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Like its AFC counterpart, the NFC South has been something of a dogfight this season, and now that Tampa Bay is out of the divisional race, New Orleans has but one opponent left to knock out.
The Saints will have their shot at the Falcons in Week 16, when they travel to the Georgia Dome for their second-to-last game of the season.
If not for a tough loss to an excellent Baltimore Ravens team, Drew Brees and company would be entering that contest on a seven-game win streak. Instead, Sean Payton's Saints will be looking for a bounce back win that could put Nawlins on top in the South.
A difficult task, indeed, but nothing that the defending Super Bowl champs, who are top-10 in the league both offensively and defensively, aren't game for.
8. New York Jets, 10-4
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As quickly as the Jets rose to Super Bowl contenders with a 9-2 start, they seemed to tumble from such lofty perches just as fast with consecutive losses to the Patriots and the Dolphins.
However, in somewhat typical fashion, Rex Ryan led his team to a shocking win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, at Heinz Field, and proceeded to yuck it up with the media in the post-game press conference, talking about getting "into the tournament."
Assuming New York wins one of its final two games, Mark Sanchez and LaDainian Tomlinson are guaranteed a return to the playoffs, this time as teammates rather than adversaries as they were when LT was with the Chargers.
Like last year, the Jets have relied on their defense, particularly the domination in the secondary by Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie, to carry the day while Sanchez's steady play guides to offense as needed.
Considering the team's overall improvement from last year to this year, a return to the AFC Championship Game is far from out of the question.
7. Chicago Bears, 10-4
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The Chicago Bears clinched the NFC North crown with a convincing 40-14 win over the Minnesota Vikings in a much-ballyhooed outdoor game in Minneapolis on Monday night, capping a most improbable regular season for Daaah Bears.
It's certainly no surprise that Lovie Smith's defense is among the league's best, with stalwarts like Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs joining with up-and-comer Israel Idonije and Pro Bowler Julius Peppers to limit their opponents to 313.8 yards and 17.5 points per game.
Perhaps the biggest Bears story, especially against the Vikings, was and has been the improved play of Jay Cutler under offensive guru Mike Martz. With 20 touchdowns against 13 interceptions, Cutler is no longer playing the role of gunslinger that he so often tried and failed at last year in Chicago and before that in Denver.
If Cutler can play smart in the playoffs, the Bears should have an excellent shot to make a deep postseason run.
6. San Diego Chargers, 8-6
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With two straight impressive wins in its back pocket and offensive and defensive units that are both top five in the NFL, San Diego has the look of a Super Bowl contender right now.
Unfortunately for the Chargers, their 8-6 record may keep them from obtaining a sixth consecutive AFC West title.
And, with the Ravens and Jets practically entrenched in the AFC's wild card slots, San Diego will need to overtake Kansas City if it's going to make the playoffs at all.
Chargers haters aside, it would be a shame for a team with so much talent, with Philip Rivers playing out of his mind and the defense coming together at the right time, to get shut out of the postseason picture.
Then again, rules are rules, and poor performances in the early season can't be erased from the history books.
That being said, if the Bolts are left out in the blue, they could arguably be the highest performing team to have ever missed the NFL playoffs.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers, 10-4
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Pittsburgh is one of the two teams in the AFC, along with New England, to have already clinched a playoff berth, division title or no.
Of course, head coach Mike Tomlin certainly wouldn't mind winning the AFC North and enjoying the bye-week that will likely accompany the victor.
Either way, the Steelers' season has been one of perseverance thus far, having overcome the absence due to suspension of Ben Roethlisberger early on thanks to a classically tough defense that has allowed a mere 15.7 points per game thus far.
And in spite of a surprising loss to the Jets on Sunday, the Steelers still have the look of a Super Bowl contender and will have plenty of opportunity to put their candidacy on display against the lowly Panthers and Browns to finish out the regular season.
4. Baltimore Ravens, 10-4
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Baltimore is currently out of the driver's seat in the AFC North by virtue of Pittsburgh's better record within the division, but the Ravens might just be the better of the two teams overall.
Both clubs are known primarily for their defenses but still sport competent offensive attacks. Both teams are 10-4, with each winning on the other's home field.
So why take the Ravens over the Steelers right now?
Troy Polamalu.
If he's healthy and playing, Pittsburgh is the better team, but until that happens, Baltimore gets the nod.
3. Philadelphia Eagles, 10-4
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What else is there to say about the Miracle at the New Meadowlands?
The Eagles' comeback victory over the Giants in New York on Sunday was nothing short of spectacular as Michael Vick reminded the world once again just how good he really is.
Of course, the focus of every Monday morning quarterback has been on the play that ended the game–DeSean Jackson's improbable touchdown on a punt return that began with a high snap for New York's punter Matt Dodge and a bobbled catch by Jackson and ended with the Eagles wideout ambling along the goal line to make sure the clock had run out.
However, Jackson's return wouldn't have meant much without the Herculean efforts of Vick, who threw for two touchdowns and ran for another to carry the Eagles all the way back from a 31-10 fourth quarter deficit.
Just about any other year, Vick would win the NFL MVP award, hands down.
Oh, and the Eagles control their own destiny in the chase for the NFC East crown.
No big deal.
2. New England, 12-2
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Unfortunately for Vick, Tom Brady is in the midst of an MVP march of his own in New England.
Brady kept his and the Patriots' roll going on Sunday night at Gillette Stadium with a surprisingly close win over the Green Bay Packers, 31-27.
Pats offensive lineman Dan Connolly provided the highlight of the night with a rumbling, stumbling, 71-yard kickoff return, but Brady held it all together with his 163 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, extending his pick-less streak to eight games.
Frankly speaking, this might be a bit too high of a ranking for Bill Belichick's boys, who have one of the worst defenses in the league statistically.
But, then again, there's always Tom Brady, who's arguably the best quarterback in the game today, to pull out the win in the end.
1. Atlanta Falcons, 12-2
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It would be easy to forget about the Atlanta Falcons, to relegate them to a lower spot in the playoff team power rankings.
After all, NFL pundits have hardly talked about the Falcons thus far this season, and statistics suggest that Mike Smith's squad is merely middle-of-the-pack.
That being said, Atlanta has won eight games in a row and currently carries a two-game advantage over the defending Super Bowl champion Saints in the race for the NFC South crown.
Perhaps, people will start taking the Falcons seriously as Super Bowl contenders if/when Matt Ryan and friends defeat New Orleans on Sunday night to sweep the season series, keep their division record without a blemish and move to 13-2 overall.
But even that might be too much to hope for, what with the Patriots back in the spotlight and all.
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