NFL Power Rankings Week 11: Building a Case for NFC as Best Conference

Right now, the NFC boasts three of the top four teams in my power rankings, which, in my estimation, makes it the better of the NFL's two conferences. While the AFC has several very good and highly-ranked teams, the NFC has three teams I think can make a legit run at a Super Bowl title, while the AFC's top teams all have serious questions to answer.

The Green Bay Packers may be reason enough to anoint the NFC as the league's best conference. At 9-0, the Packers are far and away the best team in the NFL, and with how they have been playing, it's hard for me to see that changing any time soon.

Aaron Rodgers is on a historic roll to open the year, and his 130.7 passer rating is simply ridiculous. Until an opponent proves that Rodgers and company can be stopped, the Packers will be runaway Super Bowl favorites.

While the Packers have moved to the top of the NFL thanks to an explosive offense, the San Francisco 49ers have jumped out to an 8-1 record thanks largely to their defense. The 49ers have shocked everyone by possessing the league's stingiest run defense (allowing just 73.2 yards per game) and have simply not been letting opposing teams get into the end zone. San Francisco is currently allowing an NFL-low 15.3 points per game.

Those defensive numbers are the reason the 49ers can claim to be one of the top two squads in the entire league, and after the Packers, they have to be considered Super Bowl favorites right now.

The other team at the top of the NFC is the New Orleans Saints, whose offense only falls short of the Packers in my book.

The Saints are led, of course, by quarterback Drew Brees, who is having another excellent season. New Orleans currently leads the NFL in total offense, averaging 436.9 yards per game, and the Saints also have the league's second-best passing attack (319.4 yards per game). That air assault is led by Brees and his 101.3 quarterback rating.

Like the Packers, opponents have yet to show that they can consistently stop Brees and that Saints. Until someone figures out a way to do it, New Orleans will continue to have a shot at the Super Bowl.

Thanks to the three teams mentioned above, the top of the NFC is far better than that of the AFC. To me, that makes the NFC the better conference.

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