NFL Power Rankings: Which Teams Have Brightest Futures?

Which teams are bound for a playoff run?

After four games, I have my ideas. 

These three teams not only have gotten off to a great start this season, but things are also looking up as we move into October.

Detroit Lions 

Without question, Detroit is a team with an extremely bright future, not only for this season but for years to come. 

They can't continue to play as poorly as they have in first half of games if they want to legitimately contend, however. 

I think they'll right the ship and things will level off as the season progresses. 

Matthew Stafford is a great young quarterback with the best weapon in the game today—Calvin Johnson. 

Even if Detroit's route combinations don't yield an open receiver, just throw it Megatron's way. 

He'll catch it. 

They are extremely opportunistic on defense and have a tremendous mix of veterans and hungry youth. 

New York Giants

Call me crazy, because many believed the refs gift-wrapped this one for New York, but their resiliency is remarkable. 

Eli Manning is starting to get more comfortable with Jake Ballard and Victor Cruz, the pass rush is elite and the secondary is settling in. 

I'm not high on the Cardinals, but getting road wins in the NFL is never easy and the Giants have gotten two in a row after playing sloppy against the Rams. 

I like the direction this team is going. 

San Diego Chargers 

They could be without Antonio Gates until after their Week 6 bye, but San Diego has all the makings of a playoff team. 

Finally, they have started a season 3-1.

They won't have to dig themselves out of a hole like they have for seemingly the last five seasons.

The defense is playing tough, Ryan Mathews is finding more holes to run through and Vincent Jackson is unstoppable.

They also have a relatively easy schedule the rest of the way.   

Week 5 Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (4-0)	17. Dallas Cowboys (2-2)
2. New Orleans Saints (3-1)	18.  New York Jets (2-2)
3. Detroit Lions (4-0)	19.  Oakland Raiders (2-2)
4. New England Patriots (3-1)	20. Philadelphia Eagles (1-3)
5. Houston Texans (3-1)	21. Cleveland Browns (2-2)
6. Baltimore Ravens (3-1)	22. Carolina Panthers (1-3)
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)*	23. Cincinnati Bengals (2-2)
8. New York Giants (3-1)	24. Arizona Cardinals (1-3)
9. San Diego Chargers (3-1)	25. Denver Broncos (1-3)
10. Tennessee Titans (3-1)	26.  Kansas City Chiefs (1-3)
11. Washington Redskins (3-1)	27. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-3)
12. Chicago Bears (2-2)	28. Seattle Seahawks (1-3)
13 . Atlanta Falcons (2-2)	29. Miami Dolphins (0-4)
14. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2)	30. St. Louis Rams (0-4)
15. San Francisco 49ers (3-1)	31. Indianapolis Colts (0-3)*
16. Buffalo Bills (3-1)	32. Minnesota Vikings (0-4)

   *Buccaneers and Colts play on MNF