NFL Power Rankings: Surging Teams That Will Fall Flat in Week 10

Week 9 of the NFL season proved that absolutely nothing is certain in the league's pecking order, other than the fact that the Green Bay Packers are No. 1 and the Indianapolis Colts are No. 32. Aside from that, there was plenty of shifting and place swapping from the teams in between.

This week promises to offer much of the same as several marquee matchups are on tap. With the season heading toward the home stretch, now is the time for teams to prove that they belong. Here are three surging teams that will fail to do that, though, as they will fall flat in Week 10. 

Chicago Bears

After a shaky start to the season, the Chicago Bears prospects didn't look too promising. The Bears have managed to rattle off three consecutive wins, however, including an upset over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night. Chicago will have a fantastic opportunity to establish itself as a playoff contender in Week 10 against the Detroit Lions.

The Lions easily handled the Bears a few weeks back, but this game will be played in Chicago. Even so, Detroit seems to have the tools necessary to win. The Bears' offensive line held up surprisingly well against the Eagles, but the Lions have an absolutely relentless pass rush. When you combine that with the tandem of quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Calvin Johnson on offense, you get a Detroit victory. 

San Francisco 49ers

It is pretty safe to say that the most surprising team in football this season has been the 7-1 San Francisco 49ers. The Niners were expected to win the NFC West last season, but failed miserably and entered 2011 with little fanfare. However, thanks to new head coach Jim Harbaugh, a tough defense and a mistake-free offense, the 49ers are one of the league's top teams.

The Niners will certainly have their hands full this week against the red-hot New York Giants, who sit atop the NFC East at 6-2. The G-Men have used a dominant pass rush and the arm of quarterback Eli Manning to get to where they are at this point. If anybody is going to force the 49ers into some mistakes, it's the Giants, and I believe they will. 

Cincinnati Bengals

If the 49ers are the NFC's biggest surprise, the 6-2 Cincinnati Bengals have to hold the same distinction in the AFC. Despite most observers picking the Bengals to finish among the league's worst teams, they are currently leading the AFC North and hold the top seed in the conference. Cincinnati owes it all to an underrated defense that has been fantastic this season.

The Bengals have had somewhat of an easy schedule to this point, but everyone will get to see what they are truly made of on Sunday. The Bengals will host the Pittsburgh Steelers who will be desperate for a victory after a last-second loss to the Baltimore Ravens last week. The Bengals will put up a good fight, but the Steelers simply have the more talented team at this point.

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