NFL Power Rankings: Bills and Lions Are No Pretenders

For those of you doing a double-take at all the experts' power rankings, you will have to come to terms with the fact that the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions are no longer the bottom feeders we have grown accustomed to. 

While I have practiced a great deal of temperance in my power rankings, other sports sites (like ESPN) are absolutely enamored with the surging Bills and Lions. 

My thinking is that there is plenty of time to prove elite worthy in this league. The two teams I had near the bottom are knocking on my top 10, something they will breach shortly. 

ESPN's ranking has them a great deal higher, trumping some NFL stalwarts that usually occupy this lofty precipice. 

The Lions sit at four, jumping seven spots from their placement at 11 last week. The Bills rise was even more exaggerated, taking 10 steps forward from 16th to sixth on the ESPN list. 

It seems the website just couldn't wait to get these guys into the Top 10. I don't fault them for their exuberance. Teams like the Bears, Steelers and Eagles have been dreadful compared to the expectations that we had for them this preseason. 

Buffalo Bills: Can we really laud a team with uber praise if they have some issues on defense? Well, we have been doing it for two seasons with the New England Patriots. 

Ryan Fitzpatrick has looked Tom Brady-esque of late, leading the Bills past New England with a late-game rally. Anytime you get over on the Patriots, you get a boost in swagger that will stay with you all season. 

Detroit Lions: It seems that all they needed was a healthy Matthew Stafford. I submit to you that the Lions will only get better as Nick Fairley eyes a healthy return. 

I am not quite sure how any NFL team can contend with that kind of passionate pass rush. This team is young, hungry and talented all over the field. They will only get better. 

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