NFL Power Rankings: Which Teams Are Most Difficult To Rank?

NFL Power Rankings are tough to assemble each week, even with a clear-cut upper-echelon and obvious cellar-dwellers. 

The Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints are among the teams I'm fairly certain can and will contend for the playoffs.

The Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and St. Louis Rams are totally lost (although for Seattle you never know in the NFC West).

That leaves the majority of the teams in the NFL smack dab in the middle. 

Through four games a few clubs are nearly impossible to rank in my estimation.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Putting all preseason predictions behind, what do I do with the Steelers?

OK, they're 2-2.

Ben Roethlisberger has transformed this club into a more pass-happy bunch than ever before, but he is seemingly running for his life on every drop back.

The defense is still really good, right?

James Harrison and Troy Polamalu will rescue their team in late-game situations and...eh, I have no idea.

With Big Ben and Rashard Mendenhall hurt, where does the team go from here?

San Francisco 49ers

 A feel-good story for Jim Harbaugh and his 49ers. They're 3-1, so they're definitely a top-tier team.

I'm not so sure.

Coming back from a 23-3 deficit is no easy task on the road, I'll give them credit for that feat.

But how good are the Eagles?

The 49ers have beaten Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Seattle. Not exactly convincing wins. Or are they?

Chicago Bears

 One week they look like the defending NFC North champion, the next Jay Cutler looks totally lost on the sidelines in defeat. 

Matt Forte rushes for 2 yards on nine carries against the Packers, then totals 205 rushing yards on 25 carries against Carolina.

Obviously the Panthers defense isn't the Packers defense, but what a change in offensive philosophy.

I still don't get their defense, either. You know, the group we always expect to be among the league's best. They are allowing a ridiculous amount of yards (for their standards) through the air yet have still won two games.

Where do they belong?

Here's my best shot.

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)