NFL Power Rankings: Washington Redskins and 3 Winning Teams That Won't Hold Up

Despite the fact that things are becoming much clearer as the NFL season progresses, there are still plenty of surprising teams that have yet to truly declare themselves as either contenders or pretenders.

That should be sorted out over the next couple weeks, but until then, all we can do is speculate. While teams like the Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers seem to be for real, there are others that lack a signature win.

Here are three winning teams that will prove that they simply don't have the staying power to remain in their current positions.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans rebounded nicely from an opening week loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars with three consecutive victories, including one over the Baltimore Ravens. Because of that, there were high hopes for the Titans heading into last week's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Outside linebacker James Harrison and running back Rashard Mendenhall were both out for the Steelers and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was hobbled with a foot injury. Despite that, Pittsburgh supplied the Titans with a whooping and they came crashing back down to Earth.

The Titans now sit at 3-2 and are tied for first in the AFC South with the Houston Texans. Tennessee is on the bye this week but will have a crucial matchup with Houston in Week 7. Simply put, I think the Texans are a superior team, and they'll prove that in two weeks.

Cincinnati Bengals

With rookie quarterback Andy Dalton at the helm, very little was expected of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2011. The Bengals were considered to be one the league's worst teams in terms of talent, but a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars this past weekend made them 3-2.

The Bengals have been successful largely because of their physical defense. This can certainly be a recipe for success, but I don't think Cincinnati has the horses on offense. Dalton has held up nicely to this point, but it would seem to only be a matter of time before the rookie mistakes begin to creep in.

Cincinnati has an extremely winnable game this weekend against the Indianapolis Colts, but it is also the proverbial trap game. The Colts have played very well in defeat over the past three weeks and seem overdue for a victory. Even if the Bengals pull it out, though, the downhill slide will begin once they get into the meat of the AFC North schedule. 

Washington Redskins

After a 2-0 start, the NFC East-leading Washington Redskins dropped a close decision to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3. The Redskins bounced back with a win over the hapless St. Louis Rams, but I don't expect their momentum to continue upon returning from their bye week.

The 'Skins will host a desperate Philadelphia Eagles team this weekend. Although the Eagles disappoint every time they are expected to break out of their slump, things are truly dire now. The Eagles can't afford more than two losses for the remainder of the season, so one would think that they'll be at their best on Sunday.

Truthfully, I don't think the Redskins are an overly talented team. They have been strong defensively, but Michael Vick and the Eagles' offense are going to get their points regardless of who they face. The biggest question mark for Washington is at quarterback with Rex Grossman. He has held up well thus far, but past performance says that an implosion isn't too far off.

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