NFL Power Rankings: Labeling 2011's Best Surprises

San Francisco 49ers (7-1)

By adding Jim Harbaugh as head coach, the 49ers have gone from yearly laughing stock to the NFC's version of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. No team in the conference mixes their level of defense with the ability to run the football.

It isn't flashy, and it's taken quarterback Alex Smith to become more efficient to make it more, but the 49ers are pulling it off. Winners of six straight, the 49ers are a near lock for the postseason. Could they cause some trouble for a certain reigning champ in January? 

Detroit Lions (6-2)

If you paid close enough attention to the Lions over the past couple of seasons, there was evidence of the turnaround that has occurred in 2011. Detroit started drafting well with head coach Jim Schwartz and GM Martin Mayhew, and quarterback Matthew Stafford was finally going to be healthy.

Still, I don't think many predicted the Lions to start 5-0 or 6-2, and they now look like a good bet to make the playoffs this season. Heck, maybe they can still eclipse the Packers in the NFC North, as the two teams still have to play twice down the stretch.

Cincinnati Bengals (6-2)

Forget the two other teams above them on this list, because there's no doubt who the most surprising team of 2011 has been. It's undoubtedly the Cincinnati Bengals, who currently sit as the AFC's No. 1 seed after a 6-2 start. Rookie quarterback Andy Dalton has been terrific, as he's thrown for 12 scores and is completed over 61 percent of his passes.

The next two weeks—against both the Steelers and Ravens—will give us a better sense of what these Bengals can do in 2011.

Buffalo Bills (5-3)

They've come back down to Earth with losses in two of their three games, but the Bills remain one of the more pleasant surprises of the season. A 3-0 start, highlighted by comeback wins against both the Raiders and Patriots, was one of the league's top storylines to begin the season.

The Bills face a crossroads of sorts in the coming weeks, however. Are they good enough to stick around and get to the playoffs? Or will this team fade, erasing their promising start? 

Cam Newton, Panthers

Yes, the Panthers have only won two games this season. But the emergence of Newton as a star quarterback in the NFL has been one of the more stunning breakouts the NFL has ever seen.

For all the criticisms Newton took in college, the pre-draft process and before the season, he's shown that he was worth his No. 1 overall selection. With 2,393 yards passing and 11 touchdowns, plus another 319 yards and seven scores rushing, Newton is your Rookie of the Year through nine games.

Week 10 Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (9-0)	17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4)
2. San Francisco 49ers (7-1)	18. Oakland Raiders (4-4)
3. Baltimore Ravens (6-2)	19. Philadelphia Eagles (3-5)
4. New York Giants (6-2)	20. Tennessee Titans (4-4)
5. Detroit Lions (6-2)	21. Kansas City Chiefs (4-4)
6. New Orleans Saints (6-3)	22. Cleveland Browns (3-5)
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3)	23. Denver Broncos (3-5)
8. Houston Texans (6-3)	24. Washington Redskins (3-5)
9. New England Patriots (6-3)	25. Minnesota Vikings (2-6)
10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2)	26. Carolina Panthers (2-6)
11. Chicago Bears (5-3)	27. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6)
12. Atlanta Falcons (5-3)	28. Seattle Seahawks (2-6)
13. New York Jets (5-3)	29. Arizona Cardinals (2-6)
14. Buffalo Bills (5-3)	30. Miami Dolphins (1-7)
15. San Diego Chargers (4-4)	31. St. Louis Rams (1-7)
16. Dallas Cowboys (4-4)	32. Indianapolis Colts (0-9)