NFL Power Rankings Week 7: Which Teams Can You Pencil in Postseason Already?

We're nearly halfway through the 2011 NFL season, so now's the time to start discussing playoffs without incredulity.

While a good number of teams have made great cases for themselves as playoff contenders through the first six week of the season, three have emerged as those most likely to be on the field through January.

The defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, the league's only undefeated team, seem to have few obstacles in their way in their pursuit of a repeat title. While any team can win or lose any game, the path to the playoffs is riddled with winnable games for the NFL's highest-scoring offense.

There are clear bumps in the road for the Packers, however. They have yet to face the Detroit Lions this year, and they see the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers in the second half of the season; none of these will be easy wins, and a poorly timed loss here and there might see them losing their grip on the NFC North.

The New England Patriots are in a similar situation as the Packers, though with one fewer win. They sit on the top of their division, but a strong contender, the Buffalo Bills, are nipping at their heels much as the Lions are banging down the Packers' door.

But the Patriots, for all of their issues, have the experience and the talent to remain dominant enough to make the playoffs yet again. Their path is considerably more difficult than the Packers', and their issues in their secondary also loom larger than they do for Green Bay, but it's hard not to expect New England's presence in the postseason, especially when they've started 5-1.

There is, however, a 5-1 team that is nearly a lock to appear in the postseason, and that is the San Francisco 49ers. They don't need to be penciled in; you can likely put their name under "playoffs?" in indelible ink.

San Francisco is the class of the terrible NFC West, but it's not the case of them merely being the best of the worst—the Niners are legitimately playoff contenders.

With the hiring of new head coach Jim Harbaugh, the team seems to have found the passing game that had eluded them for years. Quarterback Alex Smith is finally in a more stable situation and the attention he's getting from his head coach has paid off, with him on pace to have the best year of his career.

Further, running back Frank Gore is set to match or exceed his career-best 2006 season, the defense is strong enough to stop even the Detroit Lions' explosive offense and the team is playing inspired, high-energy football for the first time since the Smith era began in 2005.

Considering the next-best team in the NFC West, according to record, is the Seattle Seahawks at 2-3, there's little chance any of their division mates will steal the Niners' playoff berth.

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