NFL Power Rankings: San Francisco 49ers and 3 Teams on the Rise

Slowly but surely, the San Francisco 49ers have risen to the top of other perfectly fine 2011 success stories. It's time we congratulate them on coming out of nowhere to ruin what we thought our rankings would look like at this time in the season. 

A quick look at the rankings has me shaking my head. Where did we go wrong. I can take seeing the Colts miserable existence without their leader in Peyton Manning, but the St. Louis Rams were supposed to be so much more than they are. 

In fact, I was certain they would rule a soft division. Well, I was correct in one assumption. The NFC West is certainly soft, but a different team is ruling its confines. 

The San Francisco 49ers will not be pushed around any longer. And they are not the only team to make a stance in the power rankings going into the weekend. 

1. San Francisco 49ers: You have to like their ground and pound mentality. I love their ability to stop the run as well. What I really like is their swagger. 

Jim Harbaugh has created a monster of a team ethic. This squad hasn't just railed of win after win, they have done so against some pretty good teams. The scary thing is they believe they can do anything right about now. A look at their schedule, and I tend to agree. 

2. San Diego Chargers: I have grown so accustomed to deriding the Chargers at this time of year that I am still shocked to see their record. 

The perennial slow starters are on a roll at the moment. Now they get a shaky Jets squad to demolish. I have to think that a much more versatile squad has the advantage in this marquee matchup. 

3. Pittsburgh Steelers: I know. It's hard to congratulate the Steelers on doing their job and winning ball games. However, this is a contender that looked very suspect a few weeks ago. 

Their offensive line and running game was so awful that I was ready to declare them dead. A couple wins and a game against the lowly Cardinals will cure those blues right up. This team looks to be headed to the top of the top 10 in no time. 

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