NFL Power Rankings: 3 Teams That Will Prove They Are Underrated

It's almost enough to make you sick. The following teams have entered the 2011 NFL season to little applause. Now despite early showings of stout play, they still get little run. It is time to correct all that. 

It is amazing that with 24 hours in a day to talk sports, all we ever hear about is the same old cast of characters. 

I agree that the Packers are dynamic, the Patriots explosive and the Jets entertaining. I will even give into the hype that has followed the Eagles this season. 

However, there are a few other teams that are in the discussion as Super Bowl contenders, so it is time we start talking about the. 

1. Chicago Bears

At some point it became fashionable to ignore the Chicago Bears. One of the most storied clubs in the NFL gets little love every year. Yet they end up deep in the playoffs every season to shock and awe. 

Forget the moping face on Jay Cutler, or the high rate of sacks; this team can play. Granted, their loss against the Saints was ugly, but they have been here before. Mike Martz demands the ball downfield and the line suffers. 

They will trim the fat soon enough and yield a winning product that will once again have them deep in the postseason. Speaking of Saints...

2. New Orleans Saints

The Saints get lost in the shuffle that is the Packers, Patriots, Jets and Eagles. It just seems there is no room on the docket for a team that is as explosive on offense as they come. 

I agree that Tom Brady is putting up ridiculous numbers, but Drew Brees has been equally impressive while throwing zero interceptions.

3. Houston Texans

It is time to finally come around on the Houston Texans. They have lofted the ball all over the field, but their real strength is their defense that ranks among the best in football.

Their secondary will be put to the test on Sunday when they take on the Saints in New Orleans. We will find out shortly which team is a true contender going into Week 4. I have this game marked as the most interesting of Sunday. Yet it will hardly be highlighted as the marquee event it should be.  

Gabe Zaldivar's 2011 NFL Power Rankings
1.Green Bay Packers
2.New England Patriots
3.New York Jets
4.New Orleans Saints
5.Houston Texans
6.Philadelphia Eagles
7.Chicago Bears
8.Baltimore Ravens
9.Pittsburgh Steelers
10.Atlanta Falcons
11.San Diego Chargers
12.Detroit Lions
13.Arizona Cardinals
14.Tampa Bay Buccaneers
15.Dallas Cowboys
16.New York Giants
17.Buffalo Bills
18.Oakland Raiders
19.Seattle Seahawks
20.Washington Redskins
21.St. Louis Rams
22.Denver Broncos
23.Minnesota Vikings
24.Indianapolis Colts
25.Jacksonville Jaguars
26.San Francisco 49ers
27.Tennessee Titans
28.Kansas City Chiefs
29.Cincinnati Bengals
30.Carolina Panthers
31.Cleveland Browns
32.Miami Dolphins