NFL Power Rankings: Dallas Cowboys and Teams That Will Right Ship in Week 7

As the season inches closer to its midway point, it's starting to become more obvious which teams are contenders and which are pretenders. A couple teams in the contender category suffered losses in Week 6 and will be looking to get things back on track in Week 7.

Here are three teams that will succeed.

Detroit Lions

Detroit lost its perfect season last week and it didn't get a proper sendoff because the two coaches decided to get a little cranky after time ran out. It was a terrific run and put the Lions in great shape moving forward in the playoff race.

That said, they will want to avoid another loss that could send their season into a spiral. The Atlanta Falcons are more talented than their 3-3 record would indicate and are hoping to get Julio Jones back in the lineup.

Thankfully for Detroit, Jahvid Best's concussion symptoms appear to be minor as its offense would struggle without the dual-threat back. It won't be easy in any sense of the word, but the Lions will find a way to right the ship against Atlanta.

New Orleans Saints

After a disappointing road loss to the division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Saints fell out of first place in the NFC South. The good news is the team's next game is against the reeling Indianapolis Colts, who will be no match for Drew Brees and Co.

The biggest concern for New Orleans is its running game. No back is averaging more than 40 yards per game and Mark Ingram, who leads the team in carries, is only gaining 3.4 yards per carry. The Saints feature a pass-first offense but must avoid becoming completely one-dimensional.

The Saints' next two opponents have a combined record of 0-11, so they should be 6-2 barring a massive letdown. However, the schedule gets tougher after that starting with a rematch against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so New Orleans can't afford to falter over the next two weeks.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys had a win standing right in front of them but before they could grasp it, the offense watched hopelessly as Tom Brady picked apart the defense after an otherwise subpar game. The loss dropped Dallas to 2-3, meaning games are quickly becoming must-win scenarios already.

It's a manageable schedule over the next month and the Cowboys will need to take full advantage of the opportunity because their final four games are tough. As is seemingly always the case with Dallas, the talent is there but the results aren't.

Losing Felix Jones won't be a major problem because the Cowboys have learned to play without him as he struggles to shed the injury-prone label. They must beat the winless St. Louis Rams Sunday to maintain a realistic chance at the playoffs.

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