NFL Power Poll: Week Six

Usually by this time of the year, the league is starting to come into focus. This week, if anything, it got more blurry.

Here are my votes for the Bleacher Report NFL Power Poll, as submitted to Shaun Ahmad:

1. Tennessee Titans: they are the only unbeaten team left, and they are playing better with Kerry Collins under center.
2. New York Giants: this is by default—all the other teams that could have unseated them have also lost in the last week or two.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers: despite injuries, they are more proven than the Bills, the only other one-loss team, and are more consistent than either of the teams at the top of the NFC East.
4. Washington Offensively Named Ones: loss to the previously unbeaten Giants now looks more shaky, and you cannot lose to one of the worst two teams in the league at home.
5. Buffalo Bills: Trent Edwards is returning, and if they beat San Diego, they're for real.
6. Dallas Cowboys: with Pacman facing suspension, Terence Newman out until maybe Thanksgiving, Felix Jones set to miss a couple games, Tony Romo out four weeks, and T.O. being his normal controversial self, it is a sad state for the league that this team is ranked sixth.
7. Arizona Cardinals: in four of their six games, this team has had the potent offense and playmaking defense to be contenders, and they should be getting Anquan Boldin back soon.
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: why did we think this team was washed up two years ago? Their defense is still top-notch, and their offense still features a Pro Bowl quarterback (when Coach Gruden lets him play) and a solid running game.
9. Carolina Panthers: similar to the Bucs, they have all the parts, even if none of them shine.
10. San Diego Chargers: the offense has all the parts, and the defense seems to function fairly well without Shawne Merriman.
11. Atlanta Falcons: it's time to take this team seriously—Ryan is already not only a great quarterback, but a great leader; Michael Turner gives them great balance on offense; their defense and special teams are solid enough to let their offense win them games.
12. Indianapolis Colts: that was the best defense in the league they tore up, so I think we may need to consider that those first four games were Peyton Manning's preseason.
13. New Orleans Saints: robbed of one win and close in their losses, this is still the most dangerous team in the NFC South.
14. Philadelphia Eagles: inconsistent, but they have only lost to good teams and have beaten some, too. Brian Westbrook will be back for their next contest.
15. Denver Broncos: I will say it again, with only two wins that weren't given them by bad calls (at home against the Raiders--who don't count--and the Buccaneers who do), THEY ARE THE MOST OVERRATED TEAM IN FOOTBALL!!!!!
16. New York Jets: Brett Favre seems to have this offense down, and they won the first of his standard two or three bad games; they are sitting pretty in that division if the Bills become more like most of us thought they would.
17. Chicago Bears: a quality win and a couple tough losses, we now know what this team can do with even a marginal quarterback.
18. Jacksonville Jaguars: they turned their season around in Indianapolis last month, and may be contenders after all.
19. New England Patriots: as unpredictable as the stock market, it all rests on whether Matt Cassel can get the ball into Randy Moss's hands early.
20. Minnesota Vikings: it is surprising how much of a difference a washed up quarterback made over a young erratic one.
21. Baltimore Ravens: they still have a great defense and are contenders, but with a rookie quarterback, you can expect a few bad offensive games.
22. Cleveland Browns: a big win keeps their season alive, and they may still be the team they looked like on paper before the season started.
23. Green Bay Packers: no wins over teams with a winning record, and the one against the 3-3 Vikings was before all the injuries to the defense.
24. Miami Dolphins: give Bill Parcells credit—he made this team competitive right away.
25. Houston Texans: losses to great teams, they finally caught a break in the schedule and took advantage.
26. San Francisco 49ers: someone has to take over replay challenges from the pig-headed Mike Nolan—even Mike Martz would be better.
    
27. Cincinnati Bengals: they compete, but they lose...because closing games takes character!
28. Oakland Raiders: they have talent, and that elevates them above the other bad teams, despite the mess that is Al Davis.
29. Seattle Seahawks: eventually they will get healthy in some positions.
30. St. Louis Rams: their win was of higher quality than the Chiefs, and we will soon know how much the coaching change will make a difference.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: no part of this team is playing well.
32. Detroit Lions: now the obvious No. 32, they have to rely on Dan Orlovsky for the rest of the year and he doesn't even understand what the back of the end zone means.