NFL Power Rankings: Patriots and 3 Top Teams with Glaring Holes

In this era of the NFL, there are very few excellent teams. The athletes are great and, given technological advances, teams are able to scout small colleges to deepen the talent pool.

Also, with the salary cap and free agency, it's really hard to keep a good, complete team together for more than a season or two.

As you might expect, some of the league's best teams have some rather big flaws.

Take a look below at my rankings. You may not entirely agree with it, but we're looking at three of my Top 10 teams. If they can't figure out a way to at least mask some glaring weaknesses, they will fall short of their ultimate goals.

San Diego Chargers

For the Chargers, the formula is simple. Give the ball to Philip Rivers and let him distribute it to the receivers.

That's a fine formula against most teams, but it won't get them anywhere in the playoffs.

The Patriots are the kind of team that the Chargers will need to beat. They had no problem beating San Diego in a shootout.

Other teams may adopt a more defensive style, but it will work if the Chargers can't run the ball. They need to find a consistent ground game. If they don't, Rivers will go down as another Dan Fouts.

The numbers are tremendous, but they don't win championships.

Baltimore Ravens

Don't be fooled by the final score of the Jets vs. Ravens game on Sunday Night. Those offenses did virtually nothing.

We saw in the playoffs that the Ravens can get a lead. But their offense just couldn't put the game away against the Steelers. If they did, then a Super Bowl appearance probably would have come Baltimore's way.

Instead, the Ravens watched the AFC Championship and Super Bowl from home. A similar fate will hit them if they can't move the ball more consistently.

They won't be facing teams often with offenses as abysmal as the Jets were on Sunday.

New England Patriots

We remember the "Can't Wait" line, but the "They can't stop a nosebleed" is more important here.

The Patriots offense is unquestioned. Now, they are even working more runs into the game. But if they can't figure out a way to keep teams out of the end zone, this will be another disappointing postseason in New England.

Michael Dixon's Week 5 NFL Power Rankings

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