NFL Power Rankings Week 11: Contenders Facing Downward Slides

Between you and me, I'm a big fan of doom. It's a dark matter to discuss, but I'll be damned if it isn't interesting.

Doom is particularly fun as it pertains to the NFL. It's not always easy to point out which teams around the league are well and truly doomed, but they're definitely out there.

Of course, some teams don't know they're doomed. At this point in the NFL season, any team that isn't doomed is technically a "contender."

But not for long for some teams. Below are four teams that I think are headed for their own doom.

Note: My repeated usage of the word "doom" will now end. Feel free to rejoice.

Kansas City Chiefs (No. 21)

The Chiefs started the season looking really bad. Then they looked really good for five weeks. In the last two weeks, they've gone back to looking bad.

If the pattern holds, the Chiefs will have at least one more good streak before the season ends. However, in looking at this team, it's hard to see how the pattern has any chance of holding. The Chiefs are on the bad side of mediocre, and the road ahead is extraordinarily difficult.

Make no mistake, there's no way the Chiefs are going to play the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, New York Jets, Green Bay Packers, Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos and somehow come out ahead.

Nope. No way, no how.

"It Wasn't That Awesome" Tweet:

San Diego Chargers (No. 18)

Because they're currently mired in a four-game losing streak, you might say the Chargers are already headed towards their own [substitute for the word "doom"].

Point taken, but things can get worse. The Chargers have lost four in a row, yes, but they're still in the AFC West race. Things will officially hit rock bottom when they play their way out of the AFC West race.

It's going to happen. I've been defending the Chargers all season, but defending this team at this point is virtually impossible. They have really good individual pieces, but the total package is one that just doesn't make the grade. The Chargers are less than the sum of their parts, yet I fear more complicated and more dire math is ahead for the Chargers.

Translation: The worst is yet to come.

"You're Probably Right" Tweet:

Buffalo Bills (No. 16)

Despite the fact they started the season strong and looked to make a postseason run for the first time in years, my guess is that none of us ever truly believed in the Bills.

It's certainly had to believe in them now. The Bills have lost two in a row, the most recent of which was a 44-7 shellacking at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys.

The Bills are not 100 percent out of the AFC East race quite yet, but they could be before long. They have to play the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets on the road before going home, and losses in those games will bury the Bills for good.

So prepare thyself for a postseason-less winter, Buffalo. You should know how to do that by now.

"Are You Sure This Isn't God's Fault?" Tweet:

Detroit Lions (No. 11)

Yup, I'm going here.

Truthfully, I would like nothing more than to see the Lions hang on to make the playoffs, but that ship is sailing away very quickly. The Lions are now tied with the Bears for second place in the NFC North, and they are two teams headed in opposite directions.

I say this partially because the Lions have lost three out of four. What scares me, though, is that the Lions haven't even played the Packers yet, and they also have to play at New Orleans and at Oakland.

The Lions could come out ahead at the end of the season, but given what we've seen from them recently, my money is on the opposite happening.

"That Explains the Four Picks" Tweet:

Zachary D. Rymer's Week 11 Power Rankings

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