NFL Power Rankings Week 10: Where Did ESPN Get It Right or Wrong?

ESPN released their Week 10 NFL Power Rankings on Tuesday, so let's break down how the Worldwide Leader stacked up the 32 NFL teams through nine weeks. 

1-10

1. Green Bay Packers (8-0)

2. San Francisco 49ers (7-1)

3. Baltimore Ravens (6-2)

4. New Orleans Saints (6-3)

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3)

6. New York Giants (6-2)

7. Detroit Lions (6-2)

8. Houston Texans (6-3)

9. Chicago Bears (5-3)

10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2)

Comments

It's hard for me to come up with a reason why the New York Giants would be lower than both the Saints and Steelers, but that's what ESPN came up with. They've earned a spot ahead of both of those teams.

I thought ESPN overrated the Bears in recent weeks, but Chicago proved they belonged in the top 10 with a big win over the Eagles on Monday night. You get the feeling the Bears are going to be a tough team to eliminate from the NFC playoff picture.

I'm also glad that ESPN put the Bengals in the top 10 after winning their sixth game of the season on Sunday. You don't just fall into six wins in eight tries in the NFL without being a good football team. 

11-20

11. New York Jets (5-3)

12. New England Patriots (5-3)

13. Atlanta Falcons (5-3)

14. Buffalo Bills (5-3)

15. Dallas Cowboys (4-4)

16. Philadelphia Eagles (3-5)

17. San Diego Chargers (4-4)

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4)

19. Kansas City Chiefs (4-4)

20. Tennessee Titans (4-4)

Comments

There was no mistake in putting the Eagles at No. 16 after they won two straight to get to 3-4, but now that they've lost their fifth game of the season just nine weeks in, it was time to drop them back down the rungs.

That didn't happen in these power rankings. The Eagles stayed firm at No. 16. I think both the Patriots and Bills, who took steep stumbles out of the top 10 after losing their third games, might have a gripe with that ranking.

ESPN had a tough job sorting out the rest of the 4-4 teams, and it's hard to complain about the way they put it together. Deciphering the middle, mostly mediocre teams is the hardest part of rankings.  

21-32

21. Oakland Raiders (4-4)

22. Washington Redskins (3-5)

23. Denver Broncos (3-5)

24. Minnesota Vikings (2-6)

25. Cleveland Browns (3-5)

26. Carolina Panthers (2-6)

27. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6)

28. Seattle Seahawks (2-6)

29. Arizona Cardinals (2-6)

30. St. Louis Rams (1-7)

31. Miami Dolphins (1-7)

32. Indianapolis Colts (0-9)

Comments

My one gripe here is the fact that the Rams stayed ahead of the Dolphins, who won convincingly at Kansas City. St. Louis went to Arizona and laid an egg against a one-win team without its starting quarterback.

I'd also make the argument that the Broncos belong ahead of the Redskins. Washington has lost four straight and might not have enough offense to win any more than one or two more games in 2011.