NFL Power Rankings: Games That Will Separate Good Teams from Great Teams

The playoff picture is starting to flesh out in the NFC. As for the AFC, there is still a lot to be decided. Every week there is a few surprises and every week there are a few letdowns.

This week features a few phenomenal matchups that will help us put this playoff race in perspective. In fact, there are a few games that will help us separate the good from the great in only four quarters.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals

The time has come for the Cincinnati Bengals to put their conference best 6-2 record on the line against a legitimate opponent.

Cincinnati has yet to play Pittsburgh or Baltimore this year. The Ravens, meanwhile, have already swept the Steelers for the regular season.

The Bengals went toe-to-toe with the 7-1 49ers (lost) and 5-3 Bills (won), but haven't made much progress in their own division.

We've seen Cincinnati pull stunts like this before and now it is time for them to prove their worth.

Despite losing to the Ravens twice already this season, the Steelers are still the defending AFC champions.

New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers

This is one of the two marquee matchups for the day. Because this is only a conference game and not a division game we'll call it 1(A).

New York is experienced, talented and starting to get healthy at a few positions. Although Ahmad Bradshaw and Hakeem Nicks, their top two offensive players not named Eli, went down, they did get Brandon Jacobs and Ramses Barden in the mix in the win over New England.

Their defensive line has a healthy Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul and sooner than later we'll finally see first-round rookie Prince Amukamara.

As for the 49ers, they're playing ugly, but winning ugly, and that is all that matters.

This will be a huge test for San Francisco as the Giants know what it takes to win key games on the road.

The winner certainly doesn't get bumped down too far as these two teams are two of the league's best right now, but it will give us a good indication of who is the top challenger to knock off the Packers.

New England Patriots at New York Jets

This game needs no words. Rex Ryan vs. Bill Belichick. Tom Brady vs. the Jets defense.

The Jets found themselves last week and look to be getting back on track. The Patriots were in position for a key home win over the Giants, but were undone by Eli Manning once again.

This matchup has so many ramifications for the AFC East and the AFC alike. The winner will take the lead in the division while the loser has to hope they can put things together quickly and start chasing down the AFC North teams for a wild card.

No game has more importance than this one in Week 10.

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