NFL Power Rankings Week 10: Middle of the Road Teams Ready to Dominate

One of the great things about the NFL is that the season is so short it makes the playoff race feel important all year long. When you are only playing 16 games, the sense of urgency increases exponentially from one week to the next. 

Now that we are in Week 10, it is time to start separating the contenders from the pretenders. To do that, we must identify teams that are in the hunt and who have the talent to put together a long winning streak that will get them into the postseason chase. 

We know the Packers and 49ers are going to the playoffs. They are good teams and—in the case of the 49ers—they play in a terrible division. 

What we want to identify are those underachievers who have a favorable schedule that will carry them into the postseason. 

Here are three teams to pay close attention to down the stretch.

 

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys keep teasing us and I keep coming back to them. They are better than their 4-4 record would indicate. However, they are yet to put it all together to go on a four- or five-game win streak that will move them into the class with the best teams in the NFC.

The offense has to get better in the red zone, particularly Tony Romo, if they want to get back in the wild-card race.

They have a relatively easy four-game stretch coming up, with games against Buffalo, Washington, Miami and Arizona, to get back into the playoff chase.

 

San Diego Chargers

Much like the Cowboys, the Chargers’ problems are more of their own doing than a sign that their talent has deteriorated. Philip Rivers is having a terrible season and is killing the team as a result. His 14 interceptions are three more than any other quarterback in the NFL.

Injuries have also played a key part in San Diego’s struggles. They will be without star wide receiver Malcom Floyd for Thursday night’s game against Oakland.

Still, they have a good schedule awaiting them and can take control of the AFC West, including two games against Oakland, home games with Buffalo and Denver and at Jacksonville.

The Chargers might not win more than nine games, but it won’t take more than that to win their division this season. 

 

Chicago Bears

No longer can you say that the Bears were a one-year wonder when they made the NFC championship game in 2010. After a slow start to the season, Lovie Smith has his team playing terrific football right now.

The offense is firing on all cylinders thanks to an MVP-caliber year from running back Matt Forte. Meanwhile, offensive coordinator Mike Martz has finally figured out that Jay Cutler is most effective when he is taking three-step drops and not getting hit by defensive linemen.

Defensively, they still have room to improve. The secondary has struggled all season and ranks 26th in the league in yards allowed per game (264.3).

This week’s game against Detroit will be critical to determining which NFC North team has the inside track to one of the two wild card spots. 

 

 

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